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Numbers suggest pace will play an important part but Andrew McDonald is ready to adapt

Andrew McGlashan23-Feb-20221:10

Marnus Labuschagne explains how Steven Smith helped with his spin mat

Usman Khawaja is set to retain the opening spot in Australia’s Test XI on return to the country of his birth, but there is the prospect of some flexible thinking for the other selections against Pakistan.Australia’s senior team has not toured the country since 1998, and there have only been five Tests staged in Pakistan since the game returned in 2019, so data is limited while there are no warm-up matches ahead of the series. There is a reasonable chance that the balance of Australia’s Test side remains the same as in the recent Ashes, with three quicks and a spinner alongside Cameron Green – pace has averaged 29.61 and spin 39.41 in those five matches since 2019 – but interim head coach Andrew McDonald is confident the squad will have the ability to adapt.”We are taking some educated guesses based upon what we’ve seen in recent times,” he said. “Looking at the PSL, looking at the squares…it’s at the back end of their season. Our preparation takes on a greater range and probably less specific than what we’d do if we knew exactly what we were getting.Related

• 'I feel incredibly safe,' Cummins says as Australia touch down in Pakistan

• Travis Head: Away series define you as a player

• Challenge of the unknown for Labuschagne and Australia

• Australia's ODI World Cup planning looms into view

• Andrew McDonald: Coaching recruitment 'won't become a distraction' on Pakistan tour

“We are covering all bases, from turning wickets to wickets with grass on – they have a sensational pace attack, so we’ll be tested with that – there’s many ways that they can play it and they are in control of their own conditions. We feel as though the squad is balanced with enough options for whatever the case may be.”One of the options that could come into play is Green playing as a third pace bowler if a second frontline spinner is selected, with his performances against England – he claimed 13 wickets at 15.76 – giving confidence that he could take on the role both from a wicket-taking and workload capacity.McDonald also mentioned the presence of Mitchell Marsh in the squad as another way Australia could give themselves extra pace resources should additional spin be selected.”If it did go that way, Cameron Green would bowl a lot more overs in the first innings than potentially what he normally would, but over the course of a game, the spinners would probably pick up a lot more of the work in the second innings. So it would probably level out to be similar loads,” McDonald said. “We are cautious it’s a long-term journey for Cameron, but what he’s been able to deliver has been second to none so far, so we are excited about the fact that he could do that role. Then you’ve got other options in terms of Mitch Marsh, [could] play two allrounders, so we’ve got great flexibility.”Cameron Green gives Australia options in balancing their side•Getty Images

One position that is unlikely to be debated ahead of the first Test is the presence of Khawaja as David Warner’s opening partner. He took the job for the final Test against England in Hobart after his twin hundreds in Sydney made an irresistible case for him to be retained.That led to the dropping of Marcus Harris just two matches after he had made the highest score of the Melbourne Test with 76. Harris will head to Pakistan with runs under his belt after making 55, 5 and 91 in the Sheffield Shield alongside an unbeaten 102 in the Marsh Cup.Harris and Marsh will likely be the spare batters on the tour should injury or Covid strike any of the incumbents, and McDonald believed Harris would be able to take on a variety of positions.”Usman you would say is a fair chance to start in the first Test match after what he did during this summer,” McDonald said. “But we’ve got some options, some competition for spots, and that’s always healthy.”We know what [Harris] can do. Can he fit into the middle order if something were to go awry there? That’s a potential as well. If he was to be called upon, or he were to start, through whatever reason, we feel as though you could do a job. No doubt about that.”

Robinson has come into his own this season, and now offers a world-class presence for Marco Silva's side

Left backs aren’t cool these days. It’s up for debate if they ever really have been. Such are the tactical tweaks in modern football, and the interchangeability of positions, that a traditional outside back – the kind of player who runs up, runs down, tackles and crosses – doesn’t really exist anymore.

Everyone tucks in, plays sideways passes, crosses from deep. They are all converted midfielders or bruising center backs pushed out wide.

And so we arrive at Antonee Robinson. He is, in some ways, a throwback. Here we have an athlete, who always did all of those traditional things – those runs, crosses, duels – very well. But this year, he’s elevated himself into the elite. He’s made old fashioned look exciting and traditional look modern. Suddenly, both Fulham and America have a world-class left back at their disposal.

Fulham fans might tell you that he’s been this good for a while – or at least that he has been progressing toward it. USMNT fans who remember his failed medical at Milan in 2020, or full senior debut assist in 2018, might also make a case. But few could really claim to have seen this coming, a diligent, mid level player being mentioned alongside some of the best in his position.

Still, after an excellent start to the season, he deserves every compliment, and is good value for the big money move that many have him tipped for.

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  The Numbers

  To understand what, exactly, has made Antonee Robinson so good this year, you need to watch all 97 minutes of Fulham’s Premier League clash with Liverpool last Saturday. Zoom out, and the stats look pretty good: 2 assists, eight duels won, the impressive feat of keeping Mo Salah off the scoreboard (yes, that’s what success is against the Egyptian these days.)

  Defenders are hard to analyze statistically. There are so many variables at play: how a team sets up, whether a manager wants his full-backs to attack, or, in general, the relative quality of an opponent. The numbers will tell you, for example, that James Tarkowski of struggling Everton is better in some ways than Virgil Van Dijk. Watch even 20 minutes of football, and that is fairly easily dismissed.

  Still, there are some numbers at play that work. Last year, Robinson totaled seven assists in all competitions. This year, he already has six. His chances created, pass accuracy, shot creating actions, and progressive passing numbers are all up.

  On the other side of the ball, things are equally impressive. According to , he’s in the 88th percentile among all full backs for tackles won, 95th for interceptions, and 94th for clearances. Caveats aside – yes, there are a fair few of them – that has all the makings of an elite left back.

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  The vibes

  Get caught in the number trap all you want, and there’s still a lot to work with. For so long, Robinson was hailed for his pace and work rate. It was always known that he was a live wire on the left, a relentless runner capable of keeping up with most wingers. The raw athleticism needed to play his position was never in question.

  But this season, the little things are more in place than they have ever been. Robinson’s one-on-one nous is apparent. He seldom gets caught square against opponents, and is harder to dribble past. The list of wingers that Robinson has been able to contain makes for fine reading: Salah, Bukayo Saka and Savinho.

  And then, going the other way, there are the tiny adjustments. Marco Silva has Fulham – yes, Fulham – playing expansive attacking football this season. This is a quick, entertaining side. And Robinson plays a key role in the attacking setup.

  The rapid left back is ordered to scamper forward, and knock crosses into the box. It’s something, historically, he has been mixed at. Balls have been shanked out of bounds, or overhit. Groans have echoed around Craven Cottage. This year, though, Robinson has figured out two key passes.

  The first is a low driven ball to the near post, the exploitation of the “corridor of uncertainty” with a skidding drive to cut through the grass. It’s how Fulham scored their second against Liverpool. And then there’s the delicate floated pass to the far post, one for Raul Jimenez or a late runner to knock in to the net. It’s how the Cottagers got their first.

  Sure, there are still mistakes. But there is cutting edge to be found.

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  The armband

  It was the 96th minute of Fulham’s Premier League clash with Tottenham, and Robinson was sprinting after the ball. Really, it didn't seem possible. Everyone else on the pitch in an unfriendly, barely-watchable 1-1 looked exhausted. But here was a defender, tearing up the pitch in stoppage time, with his team trying to hold a result. Sprinting 70 yards, sorted in no time, dispossessing an opponent before seeing out a hard-fought draw. It was, in many ways, the standout moment from the game.

  There are two reasons for that. The first is the English obsession with work rate and football – the idea that footballers, above all, should be passionate runners. And then, there was the significance of the band on his arm when he did it. The decision to make Robinson captain after fellow American Tim Ream left the club seemed a questionable one. Players of his position aren’t typically leaders. Full backs are good soldiers, “servants to the club.” Moments like that, though, prove his credentials.

  There’s also something quite American about the guy. Robinson may play for the USMNT, but he was born in Milton Keynes, played in the Everton academy and holds eligibility for the side through his father, who was raised in White Plains, New York. Listen to an interview, and this is not a man who would seem to belong next to the twang of Matt Turner or drawl of Weston McKennie.

  But he does have the scrappiness that came to define a generation of American players. There’s an inspirational sort of ruggedness here – the kind of thing that Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and so many USMNT players before him fed off on the international stage.

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  Mauricio Pochettino's influence

  There was much talk, when Mauricio Pochettino first took the USMNT job, about how the manager might improve individuals. Could he get the most out of Christian Pulisic? Is there some version of Harry Kane hiding somewhere in Folarin Balogun? Can a line be drawn from the two years of brilliance of Dele Alli to an injury-stricken Gio Reyna?

  Some of this was initial excitement, fanciful thoughts that ignored the more apparent reality of international football – players don’t typically develop when they’re away with their country.

  But that doesn’t mean that they can’t change, or hone what they’re good at. Pochettino’s first four fixtures in charge offered some interesting insights about what his U.S. tenure might look like. Perhaps what stuck out the most, though, was his insistence on tactical flexibility.

  No one really just played one position, or occupied one role. Robinson was the poster child of that principle. At times, he played like a left winger in a 3-2-5 build up structure. At others, he dropped deeper, tucking in to become a de-facto center midfielder, making things happen from the middle of the pitch. It was unfamiliar territory for a footballer once regarded as little more than a runner.

  But he pulled it off with aplomb.

  Of course, different managers require different things. For Fulham, Robinson stays wide. Football, though, is an increasingly skillset-based game. This is all about what a player can do in a given system – and the skills that come with it. So, no, Robinson won’t be an inverted full back in the ilk of Trent Alexander-Arnold, or a tidy ball player like John Stones. Still, under a new manager, his skills have developed. Something has been unlocked. That can only be considered a good thing.

Former India captain wants Mandhana to be the next ODI captain, suggests “a little rap on the knuckle” for Shafali Verma

PTI17-Feb-2022Diana Edulji feels Harmanpreet Kaur “can’t survive in the [Indian] team” on the memories of the 171 not out in 115 balls she scored in the 2017 ODI World Cup semi-final against Australia, and it’s time to look beyond her, starting with the third ODI against New Zealand on Friday.”If you are going with the same yardstick which was used to drop Jemimah Rodrigues, what the coach (Ramesh Powar) had mentioned, the same yardstick should be applied to Harmanpreet,” Edulji, a former India captain and a member of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators that oversaw the running of the BCCI for 33 months up to October 2019, said. “I am very disappointed with her. She was my favourite player but you can’t survive on that one innings. She is only one innings away from a big knock but the effort has to be there. I will be the happiest if she proves me wrong. I just want the team to win the [ODI] World Cup [starting in New Zealand next month].Related

• Harmanpreet credits team psychologist for bringing her out of her 'shell'

• Harmanpreet, Rodrigues must 'pull up their socks': Edulji

• Mandhana, Renuka set to be available for remaining ODIs

• Mithali welcomes having sports psychologist on board

“Even on captaincy front, Smriti [Mandhana] is the frontrunner for all formats after Mithali [Raj] as Harman is not performing. I wouldn’t mind dropping her for the next game. Sneh Rana is a good replacement for her.”Since that iconic innings against Australia, Harmanpreet has scored 614 runs in 32 ODIs, at an average of 27.90, with just three half-centuries, one of them in the final of that World Cup against England. Overall, in 109 matches, she has 2588 runs at an average of 34.05. She hasn’t passed 30 in her last five innings, including the two ODIs in New Zealand this past week.Her form for Melbourne Renegades in the 2021-22 WBBL was, however, excellent as she scored 406 runs from 12 innings, and also picked up 15 wickets to be named the Player of the Tournament.Edulji also suggested dropping Shafali Verma for the next game, with Mandhana expected to return after completing quarantine. In Mandhana’s absence, S Meghana has made an impact, with an innings of 49 in the second game, but Verma has continued her struggles in the format since making her debut last year.”Shafali needs a little rap on the knuckle, she needs proper grooming,” Edulji said. “She is moving towards the square leg and playing. There is no stillness in her stance. I can’t understand why.”When she was scoring, there wasn’t this type of (trigger) movement. Bowlers have found her out and that is why she is moving away from the stumps to play her strokes. But you have to respect the bowlers at this level.”

No final-day jeopardy as Derbyshire are unable to make their scoreboard pressure tell

ECB Reporters Network15-May-2022Worcestershire 368 and 225 for 2 (Libby 105*, Ali 60) drew with Derbyshire 565 for 8 dec (Dal 114*, Masood 113, Guest 77, du Plooy 62, Thomson 54)Worcestershire opener Jake Libby returned to form with his first century of the season to deny Derbyshire victory on the final day of the LV=Insurance County Championship match at Derby.Libby had made only one 50 in his previous eight innings but came good at the right time with an unbeaten 105 off 306 balls to steer Worcestershire to a draw.Azhar Ali scored 60 and shared a second-wicket stand with Libby of 164 in 48 overs before Jack Haynes, who scored 16 from 140 balls, joined Libby to complete a determined rearguard action.The pair dropped anchor, scoring only 26 runs from 283 balls to end Derbyshire’s rapidly fading hopes as the visitors closed on 225 for 2, a lead of 28.Worcestershire went into the final day 138 runs behind but the pitch was flat and Derbyshire were a bowler down with Ryan Sidebottom ruled out by a calf injury.Derbyshire had to strike early to apply pressure but there were few alarms as Libby and Azhar batted through the morning to reduce the deficit to 35.Libby edged Suranga Lakmal just short of first slip in the fourth over and Azhar missed a loose cut at Luis Reece who was bowling for the first time since August following surgery on his left shoulder and right knee.Reece bowled five overs from the Racecourse End and did get some swing while Sam Conners tried to unsettle the batters with some short balls but it was a fruitless first session for Derbyshire.Libby drove Reece for his seventh four to reach 50 from 98 balls and Azhar completed his third consecutive half-century after lunch when he cut Lakmal to the ropes.Derbyshire’s hopes were raised briefly when Azhar went back to work Thomson to leg but was beaten by some turn and given lbw after resisting for 204 minutes.His obvious disappointment at missing out on the chance of a century was clear but Libby, who was the second-leading run-scorer in the country last season, completed a stubborn hundred from 185 balls.He did not score another run from the next 39 balls which underlined his determination not to give Derbyshire a chance of forcing the door back open.Derbyshire used spin at both ends to try and get to a second new ball as quickly as possible but when it became available, the light had deteriorated to prevent them taking it.The runs dried up with Libby and Jack Haynes scoring 21 from 199 balls so Worcestershire at tea were just 23 runs ahead but only a maximum of 25 overs remained.After the interval the game meandered to its inevitable conclusion before the teams shook hands at 4.50pm with both teams taking 14 points.

Visiting captain, speaking from isolation on arrival in New Zealand, throws vote of confidence behind Sarel Erwee in Keegan Petersen’s absence

Firdose Moonda10-Feb-2022South Africa are gearing up for a second successive series that’s been billed as a battle of the bowlers – this one’s against New Zealand, comprising two Tests in Christchurch. After coming out on top against the best Indian pace attack to ever travel to South Africa, Dean Elgar believes his batting line-up is prepared.”With respect, New Zealand’s attack are a little bit down on pace compared to the Indian attack,” Elgar said from the team’s Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) facility. “In saying that, they execute their skills perfectly in their conditions.”And this time, New Zealand’s quicks will be operating on the surface with a reputation for being the quickest in the country. Hagley Oval, where both matches will be played, “is known for its pace and bounce” Elgar reiterated.New Zealand last played a Test there a month ago, against Bangladesh, and bowled them out for 126 and 278 to win by an innings and 117 runs. Trent Boult’s first-innings 5 for 43 set the tone but he won’t be part of the first Test against South Africa as he awaits the birth of his first child. Instead, New Zealand will rely on Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Matt Henry, all of whom South Africa know well, and Kyle Jamieson, who has yet to play a match against South Africa.On their end, South Africa have stacked their squad with six seam bowlers, with Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen likely to start, and Duanne Olivier, Lutho Sipamla and Glenton Stuurman in reserve. Elgar expects the sparks to fly from one attack to the other. “We know they are going to come out all guns blazing and so are we,” he said. “The rivalry is pretty deep. They play cricket pretty similarly to us. They are extremely proud, extremely passionate and their bowlers are quality. We are aware of their ability. We respect that. And it’s going to be a great test for us to match ourselves and compare ourselves with a team that’s playing at their peak.”South Africa have never lost a Test series to New Zealand and have won their last six, including victories in New Zealand in 2012 and 2017. But they have also never played a Test at Hagley Oval, and on their last two tours competed in Dunedin, Wellington and Hamilton. In 2017, Kehsav Maharaj was the leading wicket-taker and South Africa won the series thanks to him and a 160-run seventh-wicket stand between Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock in Wellington.Apart from Elgar and Bavuma, the rest of South Africa’s top seven is completely different to the one that did duty in 2017 and different too to the players who did duty against India. Keegan Petersen, the new No. 3 and leading run-scorer against India, was ruled out of the tour after he contracted Covid-19 and, though he is likely to reclaim his spot, it gives South Africa an opportunity to try one of the reserves. Sarel Erwee, a regular opener is the frontrunner, with Zubayr Hamza and wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton also in the squad. Elgar made no mention of Rickelton, who has scored three hundreds and a 90 in his last five first-class innings, and gave his vote to Erwee.”We’ve got Sarel Erwee – he has been with us for quite a few tours now – and he is the favourite,” Elgar said. “We also have Zubayr Hamza, who has come with a lot of South Africa A runs under his belt. It’s those two options for us at the moment. Sarel has been with us for the longest period of time. He is a great team guy and from a respect point of view, and pecking order, a guy like Sarel is ahead of Zubayr. That’s my opinion.”South Africa will finalise their team composition once they get out of quarantine and to the venue where the Tests will be played. They are currently training at the high-performance centre at Lincoln University as they complete their 10-day isolation. “We are allowed to leave the hotel to go and train as a group but once we return back to the MIQ, we are straight back into our rooms. There’s still no mingling between the players,” Elgar said. “We do have the luxury to go and use the gym. We’ve got allocated times and we’ve got a training schedule we are allowed to fulfil as a group. It’s very strict.”While Elgar said the regulations have been difficult for the squad, so much so that he has lost track of which day of the week it is, he said South Africa have been “treated well with regards to what we asked for”, and they are looking forward to freedom early next week.By then, the IPL auction will have taken place and some of the players’ lives could have changed forever. “Some guys might have a life-changing auction go their way and I will be the first guy to come up and congratulate them. Beers on them,” Elgar said. “If a player is to pick up a big deal, we are still going to pull him in line because he’s got to play for us. First and foremost, playing Test cricket for your country is the ultimate.”

Tottenham Hotspur and technical director Johan Lange by extension are ready to green-light an exit for a "key" £60 million player this summer.

Players who could be sold or loaned out by Spurs

A succession of players have already departed N17, either on loan or temporarily, as Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou attempts to rebuild the squad ahead of the Australian's second full season in charge.

Tottenham in constant talks with 149-goal striker who'll cost Levy £20m

He’s been in fine form for years.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 19, 2024

Ryan Sessegnon, Japhet Tanganga, Eric Dier and Ivan Perisic were first out the door at Tottenham, following the expiry of their contracts at N17, with Spurs also electing to terminate Tanguy Ndombele's contract one year before it was due to expire.

The former club-record signing has since joined OGC Nice in Ligue 1, and Wales international defender Joe Rodon soon followed Ndombele. The centre-back put pen to paper on a £10 million move to Leeds, as English sensation Archie Gray moved in the opposite direction for around £40 million.

A few more players could be set to join the aforementioned players in seeking pastures new. Indeed, uncertainty currently surrounds the likes of Giovani Lo Celso and Bryan Gil, with both men scarcely getting a chance under Postecoglou last season.

Meanwhile, both Milan and Borussia Dortmund have been chasing a deal for Emerson Royal, who was forced to play second-fiddle to Pedro Porro for the majority of 2023/24 – or fill in for injured first-teamers in makeshift roles.

There is also the matter of striker Richarlison. The Brazilian, who's reportedly attracting interest from Saudi Arabia and PIF, actually finished last campaign as Tottenham's second-highest goalscorer in all competitions.

He chalked up 12 goals and registered another four assists, largely due to an impressive mid-season purple patch, but Tottenham remain in the market for a prolific new striker to replace Harry Kane regardless. The Lilywhites' rumoured hunt for a centre-forward casts doubt on Richarlison's future, with HITC now providing an update on the 27-year-old.

Lange ready to green-light Tottenham exit for Richarlison

The outlet backs Saudi interest in the former Everton star, and they go one step further by writing that Tottenham are ready to green-light Richarlison's sale this summer.

It's added that they would want £60 million to reach a deal, which is the same price they paid to bring the "key" forward from Goodison Park two years ago. Richarlison has personally told the Saudi Pro League he'd be open to joining one of their clubs as well, so it's a move that could get his approval.

The South American endured a regrettable first full season under Antonio Conte at Spurs, but rediscovered his best form in flashes last season working with Postecoglou.

All in all, Richarlison has racked up 15 goals and eight assists across 66 appearances in all competitions since putting pen to paper on a move from Merseyside.

Vernon Philander’s rise since his Test debut has been astonishing. His captain, though, feels an extra yard of pace will improve his old-ball spells

Firdose Moonda at Newlands18-Feb-2013There is a certain look of disbelief that passes over a Captonian’s face if they are told something in their city could improve. Who can blame them? The jewel of Africa seems perfectly polished in every way with a sea as azure as the skies above it and plenty to suit all tastes.The same incredulity was felt by those in the presence of Graeme Smith when he mentioned after the Newlands Test he believes Vernon Philander could get better. Philander was not named Man of the Match despite his nine wickets because Robin Peterson’s 84 was the real difference between the two sides but it would have been a tough decision given Philander’s feat.He claimed his ninth five-wicket haul in just his 15th Test. It was also his fourth at Newlands and took his total tally of Test wickets to 87. His wickets per Test sit at 5.8 (his new-ball partner Dale Steyn’s are at 5.1) and his average remains a staggering 16.81, statistically making him the most dangerous bowler on the international circuit. Of all current cricketers, Philander has the lowest average by some distance. Steyn is next with an average of 22.68.If Philander gets any better, batsmen will stand even less of a chance than they do against South Africa now and Smith warned that is possible he will. “Vernon will be the first to admit that he is still a work in progress,” Smith said. “He would like to see his pace up. His skill factor is at a very high level and his seam action is unmatched. He is like the seam version of Saeed Ajmal. But if he can pick up a little bit of pace, his old ball spells will get better. His new ball spells are already so effective and if he can get the old ones to the same level…”When Philander broke onto the scene in 2007 the main concern was that he as too much of a trundler to cut it. He rarely goes beyond 135 kph although he is a major threat despite that. Philander’s danger is in the subtlety. Like Ajmal, batsmen are unsure what the ball is going to do when it comes out of the hand.Philander’s secret is not prodigious swing as he only moves the ball a few centimetres but because he can do it both ways, it creates uncertainty. Most of his wickets result from edges because batsmen are not sure whether to go forward or back to him and they are often found out on the drive.With the new ball, his seam movement is more pronounced as expected and there were some concerns during this series that South Africa lacked the ability to attack with the old ball. Philander proved that wrong with his second-innings burst that was aided by poor shot selection from the Pakistan middle order. Philander showed he can still make the ball talk later in the match.”We knew an old ball spell could win us the Test match”, Smith said. “When we are able to control the run-rate and then frustrate them, we thought if we could make the old ball work for us, we’d be able to get close to dismissing them and having a chaseable target.”Creating something even where conditions don’t suit is what has always been seen as Philander’s challenge. So far, he has been able to succeed at home, in England, New Zealand and Australia but the subcontinent remains his biggest test. South Africa’s next Test series will be played in such conditions in the United Arab Emirates against Pakistan and it’s there that Philander could claim his 100th scalp, unless he manages 13 wickets at Centurion starting Friday.It also means that Philander will probably not become the fastest to 100 Test wickets because George Lohmann holds the record, having achieved it in 16 matches. SuperSport Park will be Philander’s 16th. He is, however, in line to become the fastest South African to the mark.Had injuries not kept him out of three matches he could have played in, Philander may have had his 100 haul already. Those niggles are another source of concern. Three Tests after making his first appearance, Philander picked up a knee problem that ruled him out of the 2011 Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka. Marchant de Lange replaced him and became the year’s most successful debutant with 7 for 81 but has since had stress fractures that kept him out of action for most of the season.In November 2012 in Australia, Philander woke up with back spasms on the morning of the Adelaide Test and Rory Kleinveldt replaced him at the 11th hour. It allowed Kleinveldt, who opens the bowling with Philander for their franchise, the Cobras, to redeem himself from a poor first outing in Brisbane and to show his own skills. Kleinveldt also stood in for Philander in Port Elizabeth against New Zealand in January when a hamstring injury ruled Philander out.Although Philander has recovered from the hamstring problem, it has been described by the team manager Mohammed Moosajee, who is also a medical doctor, as chronic. Philander will not be managed in the same Jacques Kallis is – where his quota of overs in monitored – but his participation domestically is looked at as one way of keeping a handle on the problem. Given Philander’s value to the national team, it is not a problem anyone will complain about too much.

Lasith Malinga talks about why he wants to do the best he can for Sri Lanka, and whether he has become predictable as a bowler

Interview by Andrew Fernando02-Nov-2012Did you ever feel you had something special back when you were playing tennis-ball cricket on the beach?
I knew that I could bowl well with the tennis ball, but at that time I hadn’t even touched a leather ball. I had no idea that I had the ability to be good enough to play for Sri Lanka. That’s something that makes me very happy, to see how far I’ve come.Champaka Ramanayake took an interest in you early on. How different would your life have been if he hadn’t seen you?
I met him about ten months after I first started playing leather-ball cricket. Since that day, he has done a lot for me. He has been around the A team, club cricket and the national team, and he has helped me in all those capacities. I knew nothing when I started playing with the leather ball – how to control the ball, how to reverse swing it, how to vary the speeds. Under Champaka sir, I was able to learn all that. I didn’t get a lot of opportunity to play school cricket, so the person that helped me get into the national team was Champaka sir.He hadn’t seen someone like me before. He didn’t say anything major. Just, “Bowl as fast as you can, as straight as you can.” He didn’t try to tell me where my arm should be or anything like that. Even today, he says the same thing to me. He never tried to change who I was, and that’s why I’ve been able to come as far as I have.There were a lot of other coaches who really helped me – Anusha Samaranayake, Prabath Nissanka, Rumesh Ratnayake. I am incredibly grateful to them.You practised bowling yorkers by placing two shoes on the crease and trying to hit them. How did you come up with that?
I used to watch Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram on TV and thought that the yorker was a great ball to bowl. We have a saying that it is better to learn from watching than from hearing. I thought I must learn the thing that I love to watch. The yorker was successful for me, so I thought I would make it even better, and I imagined that a batsman was at the crease and tried to hit his feet.Reverse swing came naturally to you with your action. Are you disappointed that you no longer play Tests, where reverse swing is more effective than in other formats?
Definitely I am sad about that. I came into the national team as a Test cricketer. I learnt a lot from playing Tests – how to bowl with the new ball, how to get the better of a batsman once the ball had become old, and it showed me how to always look for wickets. It makes me sad that I can’t play Tests anymore because of my injury. I only played 30 Tests, but what I learnt in those matches has helped me get a lot of ODI and T20 wickets.It was only in my 29th Test that I learnt to reverse the ball in both directions. In that match I took seven wickets, against India in Galle. After that series I wasn’t able to play any more Tests because of my knee injury. I always ask why that happened to me.

“I used to watch Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram on TV and thought that the yorker was a great ball to bowl. I thought I must learn the thing that I love to watch”

You retired from Tests in the middle of an IPL, after you had been named in a Test squad to England. Why didn’t you announce your retirement earlier?
I picked up this injury in 2008, and that’s when I had a long time away from Tests. For three years, no one looked at me for Test selection, no one looked to see how I was bowling. But in 2010, when Murali was retiring, he talked to me and said, “Mali, this is my last match. Do you want to come and play another Test with me?” I respect Murali a lot, and no one can ever say a bad thing about him, so I thought, “Even if this is my last Test as well, even if I break my leg playing it, it doesn’t matter.” In three years I hadn’t even played a two-day match. But still, I was able to be the Man of the Match, by taking seven wickets and making 64 runs, and Murali got to take his 800th wicket.I only played that Test because he asked me. After 2008, I had given up any thoughts of playing Test cricket. The reason was that the knee injury I have is something only four or five other people in the world have – mostly Aussie Rules football players, no cricketers. My doctor told me it would never get better, and that I might have to give up cricket altogether. There was a small chance it would get better, but I would have to spend a long time away from the game. Luckily I got to the stage where I can bowl a few overs a day, but that’s why I had to give up Test cricket.When you played all three formats, which did you enjoy the most?
I loved playing Tests because you get the chance to bowl so much. In ODIs it’s only ten overs and in T20s it’s four, but in Tests you can bowl 20-25 overs a day. Because of that, in Tests you gain a lot of experience, and learn what to do in specific situations. How should you bowl with the new ball in the morning? How should you bowl in the afternoon when it’s hot? How to bowl at the end of the day? But I can’t do that anymore, and there’s no point dwelling on the past. I can only play well in whatever formats I can still play in.You don’t think you will ever play Tests again, then?
I’m 29 now. I think I will only have three or four more years to play. I think going back to Tests now would be very difficult. I’ve been away from Tests for one and a half or two years. I have 100 Test wickets now, and I feel like if I were to play again, I would want to get to at least 150 wickets. To do that I would have to play at least ten or 15 Tests, and I don’t think I can do that, given how bad my injury is. I think it’s much better for the team if a new bowler comes through and plays three or four years at a stretch than if I play for just a few.Malinga played the 2010 Galle Test because Murali asked him to•AFPYou’ve played in all four of Sri Lanka’s World Cup and World Twenty20 final defeats. How did you prepare for those matches?
I didn’t do anything different. I played under Mahela and Sanga and they gave me the freedom to be myself and bowl the way I thought was best. In the first three finals I was good, but in the last final I couldn’t bowl well. I think I was a big reason why we lost. I felt helpless and couldn’t do anything for the team. But I was glad I was able to take five wickets against England in the Super Eights and bowl a good Super Over against New Zealand. I’m very sad about the final, and what I couldn’t do there. But at least I’ve been able to play in four finals.Do you talk to Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara much about your game?
I don’t talk a lot about cricket with Kumar – not that I totally don’t, but not often. But I’m always talking about cricket with Mahela. We talk about how I should bowl when a batsman is playing in a certain way, what balls to bowl in certain conditions, and he has had a lot of input and influence on how I play. We talk cricket all the time.You’ve profited a lot from the IPL. Do you think you have ever compromised your international career for Sri Lanka because of it?
I have never done that. I only played in the IPL after I stopped playing Tests. I haven’t neglected any limited-overs matches for Sri Lanka because of the IPL. As long as I am playing cricket, I am always ready to play ODI and T20 cricket for Sri Lanka.You’ve said that because no one is looking out for you, you have to look out for yourself. Why do you feel that way?
As a cricketer, you have a shelf life. You sacrifice your education and any other line of work to play cricket. The best cricketers might play for ten or 15 years; others might have only five or six years at the top. You don’t know at what time you will be injured or at what time you will lose form, and how long you will stay in the team. I think in that short time that you have, you have to do the best for your team and do everything you want to. After you leave cricket, no one cares about you. I’ve seen that happen to former cricketers. I know that that will happen to me as well. So I just want to play as well as I can when I can do it, and one day be able to reflect on the number of wickets I’ve taken for my country, and the number of wins I’ve been able to deliver.In ODIs, how much has the “new ball from each end” rule affected your bowling towards the end of an innings?
It hasn’t just affected me, it has hurt a lot of Asian bowlers who rely on reverse swing. It’s much more difficult to take wickets at the death now. I really hope that that rule is reversed and that we get one ball per innings. There would be some kind of justice for bowlers if that happened.

“If I were to play Tests again, I would want to get to at least 150 wickets. To do that I would have to play at least ten or 15 Tests, and I don’t think I can do that”

Even in T20s, over the past 12 months you haven’t been able to bowl as well as you used to. You’ve having particular trouble with finding the yorker length. Why is that?
Yes, I haven’t been able to bowl my yorkers as well as I want in both international cricket and in the IPL, and I haven’t been able to get as many wickets. I think because I’ve been playing non-stop for so long, I’m physically drained. I’ve played in every match that I was fit for. I need to take some time out and re-energise, and I hope that I can return to where I was.Do you think you’ve become too predictable?
I guess batsmen know the deliveries I bowl, because they’ve analysed me on video, just like we do to other bowlers and batsmen. That is the nature of the game now. There are new rule changes as well, and I can only be successful if I adapt and handle pressure well. I think in future bowlers will be under more and more pressure.There are no new balls that I can learn; I know how to bowl everything. But in saying that, there are subtle changes I can make to some of the variations to make them more effective. I’m working with the coaches and with the team leadership on what I can change.How does it affect you when it is said that you are only motivated by money?
Some people look at me in a bad light and say those things, but I don’t think you can look at the wickets I’ve taken for Sri Lanka and be justified in saying that. They say I only play well for money, but I’ve set four world records playing for my country. If I was just playing for money, I should have achieved those things in the IPL. I’ve taken three hat-tricks for Sri Lanka. All those things I’ve done playing for Sri Lanka. I have taken 200 ODI wickets for Sri Lanka, and I’m the fastest Sri Lankan to have reached that milestone. In 30 Tests, I have taken 101 wickets. There again, I am the fastest Sri Lankan. If those people look at what I have done properly, they will be able to see what my motivation has been.What would you most like to achieve in the time you have left in the game?
I’m hoping to take 100 wickets in T20s, and if I can play long enough, to take 300 wickets in ODIs. Most of all, I just want to take my team to as many victories as possible for as long as I can.

Many people have said he should not be in the team, let alone captain, but Darren Sammy was at centre of everything West Indies did in the World Twenty20 final

Jarrod Kimber in Colombo07-Oct-2012People love to abuse, mock or belittle Darren Sammy. He is, after all, West Indies’ non-playing captain.Most people don’t think he should be in the side, and even those who do don’t think he should be leading it. He’s a punchline or a punching bag. His medium pace is very gentle and his wild slogging is rarely effective. In his World Twenty20 winning side he is only more naturally talented than Johnson Charles, Denesh Ramdin and Samuel Badree.Michael Holding, most cricket fans on twitter, and anywhere West Indies cricket gathers there are people that don’t want Sammy as captain of the side. Most of those people don’t want him in the side at all. He’s not good enough, he brings nothing to the side, Chris Gayle could do a better job and he’s taking the spot of someone better, is what they say. They say it a lot.Sammy has heard all of this. He’s just a nice guy. You could imagine him at a friend’s party, being holed up in the corner by someone who is telling him he should step down because he isn’t good enough. Every day he plays for West Indies, he simply does his best. Sometimes it is not good enough, but you can see how much he tries, see how much he wants it, and see that he is trying to build something for the islands and cricket team he loves.Tonight this barely-talented, slow-bowling guy who isn’t that good is the captain of the World Twenty20 champions.His innings was as far from pretty. He barely kept out yorkers, hit crazily across the line, mistimed almost everything and bludgeoned a couple of boundaries in the last over. He heaved West Indies to a score that Sri Lanka could not challenge. This was a captain’s innings.Off the field, Sammy has strolled around his tournament with a grin, always happy to chat, always smiling and never looking like a man under pressure. He is known as the “the unofficial nicest man in cricket”. Every press conference he has pushed unity of his many nations. He has done everything he can to keep his often-fractured team together. He is using this tournament to build something special. Something for the future. Something the people of the West Indies can be proud of.With the ball, he came on at a time when Sri Lanka had thrust Angelo Mathews up the order. Mathews can score quickly, Mathews can get your run-rate back on track, Mathews is a big-game player, and Mathews is a closer. Sammy brought up his fine leg, knowing Mathews would be tempted. Sammy tried an offcutter and Mathews fell straight into his trap, missing the ball as it moved further away from him off the pitch. Mathews was no longer the match-winner. In his next over Sammy let one run through and collected the wicket of the last recognised batsman. This was clever and gutsy bowling from a leader.Just having West Indies enter a tournament with a realistic chance of winning was a victory for Sammy. West Indies have not been travelling the world blazing all the teams they pass. They’ve played well at times against England, Australia, India and New Zealand. People have often talked up a West Indies renaissance before, but in the cold hard light of an international tournament it has fallen apart. To win this tournament you need luck, skill and timing.In the field Sammy used his bowlers brilliantly. His use of Badree was different than normal, but perfect for the situation. He got through cheap overs from Gayle and Marlon Samuels to give himself flexibility. He used Sunil Narine as a strike weapon and someone who could be kept as a saver. And he had Sri Lanka batting the exact way he needed them to bat. Nothing ever got away from him and, even when Kulasakera was hitting out, he just brought back Narine to finish it all and not let his players get nervous. His captaincy was directly responsible for Sri Lanka’s failure.West Indies were lucky to even make the semi-finals. New Zealand should have beaten them in their regular innings, but Narine was just too good and sent them to the Super Over. Then in the Super Over someone made a huge mistake. It was the only time West Indies truly looked like a team who wasn’t sure who their leader was. Samuels bowling the Super Over was just wrong, and was only undone by Samuels batting in the Super Over. A mistake like that, and the lack of cohesiveness out on the field while it happened, could have been enough for previous West Indies sides to lose their focus and play limply in the semi-final and fade away.Instead they played their most perfect game and smashed Australia in every way.Every single player on this team has a role. This is not a team of flashy show-offs who do solo missions. It is a talented team with a captain who trusts and manages his players the best way he can. In the final, they did not panic when they couldn’t score, they simply waited for their time. They did not panic when they couldn’t break through, they simply worked very hard. That is a team, and this team has a leader.In the final of the World T20, Sammy ended with 2 for 6 off two overs, 26 off 15 balls and a trophy. It doesn’t sound like non-playing.Sammy is the man no one wanted as a player. Sammy is the man who no one wanted as a captain. And Sammy is the captain who has given his team their first major ICC trophy since 1979.

Bukayo Saka has jokingly blamed Arsenal team-mate Kai Havertz for denying him what would have been a first senior hat-trick of his career.

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• Gunners forward bagged another brace
• Helped to secure Champions League victory
• Still waiting to collect his first match ball

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England international winger put in another match-winning performance for the Gunners during their Champions League clash with Monaco at Emirates Stadium. Saka netted twice in that contest to put Mikel Arteta’s side on their way to victory.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He was presented with an opportunity late on to claim the match ball, with a shot fired goalwards in the 88th minute. Monaco’s keeper may have had it covered, but said effort deflected off German forward Havertz and into the back of the net – wrapping up a 3-0 success.

• WHAT SAKA SAID

  On being denied a first treble, Saka – who still finished with three goal contributions on the night – told reporters afterwards: “He [Havertz] got in the way of it, but don't worry, it's [a hat trick] coming. It's on the way.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Saka’s performances have made him a key figure for club and country, with Arteta saying when asked if the 23-year-old is now in the “world-class” category: “You have to be able to do that consistently throughout many years to put yourself in that position.

  “We can compare what he's done in his first six years of professional football, which is exceptional, you know, and that's it and his aim is to improve. He has the players and environment to continue to do that and I'm sure he will.”