Category Uncategorized

Burnley are eager to try and tie up a deal to bring Ian Maatsen back to Turf Moor on a permanent basis and have a fee in mind, according to The Sun.

What's the latest Burnley transfer news?

With the Clarets looking to push on and stay in the Premier League this season, rather than be thrown straight back down to the Championship, they'll need to ensure their recruitment is spot-on so they can compete in the top flight. Having already stormed to the second tier title last season, they'll be confident they can do that, but they must find the right balance of top-level reinforcements and continuity within the squad,

One name that looks as if he may be the subject of a bid from the Clarets is Aster Vrancx. He won't be cheap, with a fee of around £9m placed on his head, but it seems as though there is serious interest in his services from Turf Moor. The good news for the top tier side is that the midfielder is available on a deal – Wolfsburg are prepared to let him leave and whilst there is competition for his signature their hat seems firmly to be in the ring.

A long-standing target for the club is Jack Clarke at Sunderland too. Vincent Kompany's side have already bid twice for the winger to try and get the Black Cats to let him leave this summer, but so far they have been completely rebuffed in their advances for the young talent.

They're in the clear in terms of signing him though, as it looks as though the Clarets are the only team currently putting actual offers on the table for the attacker.

Are Burnley signing Ian Maatsen?

Now, according to a report from The Sun, there is also a fresh push from the Clarets to sign Maatsen again this summer. The newly promoted side want to try and wrap up a permanent deal for the defender and feel that a bid of around £10m with some add-ons could get a deal over the line – and it seems as though they are fully willing to pay that amount.

However, it's previously been reported that there are other clubs sniffing around last season's loan superstar, such as West Ham, and that means they may have to race to get a deal done. No official bid is on the table yet, but it looks as if Burnley then are desperate to try and sort out a fee to push through a switch to Turf Moor this window.

It's clear that boss Kompany does love Maatsen too – the manager stated that he had "great potential" and that he has to be "willing to work hard" but does that "terrifically". He's been full of praise for the youngster, and realising his potential to get even better, he no doubt wants that to happen at Turf Moor. If they can get a deal done, it will be another shrewd bit of business and clearly one the manager would be delighted about.

Tottenham Hotspur are in contact with Juventus over striker Dusan Vlahovic as a "priority" if Harry Kane leaves, according to reports.

Who will Spurs sign?

Ange Postecoglou has witnessed the additions of three confirmed signings so far, with Spurs putting pen to paper on deals for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon on a free deal.

The trio come as an exciting proposition for supporters, especially former Leicester City star Maddison, who bagged 10 league goals and nine assists in the league last term.

Solomon also enjoyed a hot streak of form on loan at Fulham over the second half of 2022/2023, with Vicario amassing quite the reputation in Italy during his time at Empoli.

It's Maddison, though, who has been praised already by Postecoglou when he spoke to the English press recently.

“Really excited to get James as part of the group," said the Australian.

"Any manager will tell you that part of the key to being a dominant team is having multiple attacking threats and having a midfielder who can score and create goals.

“When you look at Tottenham the last few years, they’ve been really reliant on the front three to get their goals. I thought it was a really good fit for us to look for a player like James."

Attention now turns to the signing of a centre-back, with Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven apparently nearing a move to north London (Fabrizio Romano).

As well as the Dutchman, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Clement Lenglet, Denmark star Victor Nelsson and Juventus ace Gleison Bremer are also all in the frame.

Star striker Kane's future is also up in the air with just 12 months remaining on his Spurs contract, meaning chairman Daniel Levy and co may have to start thinking about possible replacements.

Vlahovic has been linked in this regard, with Foot Mercato journalist Valentin Feuillette sharing news on Twitter.

The journalist claims Tottenham are in "contact" with Juve over the Serbian, who they view as a "priority" signing if Kane leaves.

Vlahovic is apparently "in the sights of Tottenham", but they face a battle with Paris-Saint Germain. Juve, for their part, are requesting around £60 million to part company.

How good is Dusan Vlahovic?

Finishing last season as Juve's top goalscorer in Serie A, the £215,000-per-week forward has previously been showered with praise by Sky pundits like Micah Richards.

Vlahovic most impressed during his time at Fiorentina, with Richards once claiming he is "lightning".

“I have watched him a couple of times now,” Richards told BBC Radio Five Live (via The Independent).

“He is lightning. It’s ridiculous. He has got 16 in 18 this season. His left foot is like a wand. I am telling you now, he is everything, he is everything you need.”

The 23-year-old still has many years ahead of him at the top level, too, making him a sure-fire potential stand-in for Kane with much longevity.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Udinese striker Beto this summer to ease starring talisman Harry Kane's workload, according to recent reports.

What's the latest on Beto to Tottenham?

That's according to one Spanish outlet, who claim that Spurs – alongside Bayern Munich, Napoli and Real Madrid – could secure the services of the formidable forward.

Beto is valued at €30m (£26m) by his Serie A outfit – the fee a clause in his contract – and with I Bianconeri unwilling to conduct business for a lesser fee, the interested suitors are yet to commence negotiations.

With recent reports that Bayern are pushing for the transfer of Kane, reaching an agreement in principle despite facing an obstinate hurdle in Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, the requirement to sign a new first-rate forward is only magnified.

Should Tottenham sign Beto?

While the emphasis at Tottenham this summer will be on bolstering the backline and restoring balance to the squad through eradicating the seasonal issues of a leaky defence, targetting a centre-forward is certainly not a bad shout.

Manager Ange Postecoglou will have his work cut out in replenishing Spurs after an eighth-placed finish confirmed European football to be outside the side's reach next year, and Beto would add a new dimension to the fold.

Standing at 6 foot 4, the £3k-per-week ace has maintained a steady rate of scoring in Italy, bagging ten times in Serie A last term before netting 11 strikes this time around.

The Brazilian menace would also add a new dimension to the fold, offering greater physicality than Kane and perhaps utilising his imposing stature to serve as a conduit, and a focal point from which the likes of Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski could wreak havoc with well-timed inversions.

This is evidenced through FBref, with the 25-year-old ranking among the top 18% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons, the top 11% for clearances, the top 26% for interceptions and the top 25% for aerials won per 90.

The consistency within the top quarter of positional peers across the aforementioned metrics illustrates an aptitude in physicality across the park.

And for all Kane's excellence – having scored 30 goals from 38 league matches this year – he ranks below the bottom 50% mark for each defensive statistic FBref has to offer.

Reporter Sam Tighe even said: "The way Beto spooks defenders is amazing. Chuck a ball into the channel for him to chase and even if he doesn't latch onto it, defenders panic under his pressure and end up making the craziest decisions or panicked clearances."

With statistical likeness to Alexander Mitrovic and Ollie Watkins, with the Fulham striker hailed as a "monster" by Andy Naylor while Aston Villa's goal-happy striker has been dubbed "lethal" by pundit Trevor Sinclair, the Lilywhites would secure a gem with qualities fit for Premier League football.

He would bring a brutish presence and a new angle for the attack, Kane is one of Europe's foremost forwards and deserves all the plaudits for his prolific brilliance and leadership skills, but perhaps what the club needs is a new striker to add something different when the situation demands it.

Afghanistan completed a 12-run win via Duckworth-Lewis calculations after the rain arrived in Harare with Zimbabwe on 99 for 4, chasing 216

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball updatesFile photo – Graeme Cremer’s three wickets and Craig Ervine’s unbeaten 38 were in vain•AFP

A Zimbabwe wicket two balls before rain descended upon Harare helped Afghanistan complete a 12-run win courtesy Duckworth-Lewis. The hosts were ahead by a solitary run according to the D/L method at the beginning of the 28th over, but Rashid Khan’s wicket of Ryan Burl – which reduced Zimbabwe to 99 for 4 – meant Afghanistan held the D/L advantage when the weather decided to play spoilsport.Chasing 216, Zimbabwe lost both openers inside six overs. They lost their third wicket with their total at 44 in the 15th over, but a 55-run fourth-wicket partnership between Burl and Craig Ervine (38*) started what looked like a Zimbabwe recovery. Rashid trapped Burl in front of the stumps in the 28th over and Zimbabwe got no time to recover as the rain came down.Afghanistan had chosen to bat but the hosts kept the visitors in check. After opener Mohammad Shahzad fell early, Noor Ali Zadran (39) and Rahmat Shah (31) added 67 runs for the second wicket. By the 25th over, Graeme Cremer removed both set batsmen before captain Asghar Stanikzai struck his seventh ODI half-century to help Afghanistan along. He scored 50, helping Afghanistan’s total move past 150, before his dismissal was followed by a string of wickets towards the end of their innings. That meant they were all out in the 50th over for 215.

Nuwan Pradeep defended nine runs off the final over to bowl Sri Lanka to the tri-series final with a one-run win

The Report by Shashank Kishore23-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsEvin Lewis battled cramps to raise his maiden ODI century, but West Indies’ unsuccessful streak chasing 300+ scores continued•AFP

Evin Lewis, with just a handful of internationals under his name, struck a counter-attacking maiden ODI century to give West Indies more than just a sniff in their attempt to gun down a 300-plus chase for the first time in ODIs. Carlos Brathwaite and Jason Holder then came up with sprightly cameos to take West Indies to within 24 of Sri Lanka’s 330 for 7. Then, in a mirror image of Saturday’s collapse that resulted in a tie, West Indies stumbled, this time to a one-run loss triggered by panic, poor shot selection and lackadaisical running between the wickets.The result meant Sri Lanka were assured of a berth in Sunday’s final, while West Indies and Zimbabwe will play a virtual semi-final on Friday to earn the right to meet Sri Lanka at the same venue. A tie or no-result would knock Zimbabwe out and ensure West Indies’ qualification.West Indies were in control until the last five overs of their chase. Carlos Brathwaite and Holder put together 45 for the seventh wicket, before Nuwan Kulasekara delivered an inswinging yorker that beat Brathwaite and hit middle stump. Suranga Lakmal then took over, bowling full and taking out Ashley Nurse in the next over. Suddenly, West Indies, who were cruising for most parts of the chase, needed 19 off 10 balls.Tharanga fined for slow over-rate

Sri Lanka captain Upul Tharanga has been fined 40% of his match fee, while his team-mates have been docked 20%, for a slow over rate during the tri-nation ODI series match against West Indies in Bulawayo on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka were ruled to be two overs short of their target when time allowances were taken into consideration. Tharanga could be suspended if Sri Lanka commit another over-rate offence in an ODI within the next 12 months under his captaincy.
Match referee Javagal Srinath imposed the fine in accordance with Article 2.5.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. Tharanga pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

It eventually boiled down to the final over, bowled by Nuwan Pradeep, with West Indies needing 10. After a single and a dot off the first two balls, Sulieman Benn muscled the third over deep midwicket to spark excitement in the West Indies camp. With three needed off three, Pradeep speared another yorker, before Benn holed out to sweeper cover, leaving Holder to score three off the final delivery. Pradeep bowled another one into the blockhole, with Holder only managing to squeeze it to cover for a single as Sri Lanka pulled off a heist.That meant Lewis’ 148, which contained 15 fours and four sixes, went in vain. His enterprise ensured West Indies rode the mini-wobbles and stood abreast with the asking rate for most parts of the chase. Then with the equation back into familiar territory – 154 off the last 20 overs with seven wickets in hand – he slowed down just a bit before recovering from a bout of cramps for one final hurrah.Brute force was just one element of his knock. It was the other element – luck – that had played an equal part in West Indies’ chase. He was first put down on 26 by Kusal Mendis at backward point off Lakmal. Pradeep then reprieved him on 41 at mid-on. Then on 53, a close lbw shout went Lewis’ way. Given out, he reviewed the decision only for the third umpire to find the ball had pitched fractionally outside leg stump.That wasn’t it. He survived a run-out chance on 114 when Niroshan Dickwella dislodged the bails before he could collect the ball cleanly. He continued to swing his way to make 148 before being stranded mid-pitch courtesy a mix-up with his captain Holder, with West Indies slipping to 262 for 6, needing 69 off 57 balls.Niroshan Dickwella made his maiden ODI half-century•AFP

Sri Lanka’s fielding nightmare extended to the end overs, with Upul Tharanga dropping a skier at mid-on to reprieve Carlos Brathwaite on 3. Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers, however, hit the blockhole with regularity in the end overs to bail the side out.That the bowlers had as many to defend was courtesy enterprising 94s from Kusal Mendis and Dickwella that contributed to Sri Lanka’s highest ODI score against West Indies. They lost Kusal Perera, cleaned up by Shannon Gabriel in the third over, but quickly got back on track courtesy Dhananjaya de Silva’s exuberant 58. At one stage, Dhananjaya and Dickwella matched each other stroke-for-stroke; the shot of the innings being Dickwella’s adventurous ‘Dilscoop’ off Carlos Brathwaite.Dropped on 39 when Shai Hope put down a tough chance behind the stumps, Dickwella made them pay as he stitched together a 107-run stand with Kusal Mendis, who gradually switched gears. The hallmark of Kusal’s effort against spin was in sharp contrast to his measured approach against the fast bowlers – Gabriel constantly clocked average speeds of 145kph in a lively opening spell despite battling through a hamstring niggle – on a grassy surface that was half as menacing as it looked.Getting outside the line of the stumps, the sweep and the pull was his preferred mode of operation as he peppered the leg-side boundaries with five sixes. He fell six short of a maiden ODI century while trying to play a late dab, before Tharanga, the stand-in captain, and Pathirana then lent the finishing touches with cameos which made a difference in the end.

Arsenal have been linked to a striker ahead of the transfer window, as the Gunners turn their attention to strengthening this summer.

Mikel Arteta’s side enjoyed a memorable 2022/23 campaign, falling just five points short of winning their first Premier League title since 2004.

Despite there being a sense of disappointment surrounding the Emirates with reference to what could have been, there are an excess of positives the north Londoners can take into next season.

With the summer window around the corner, the Gunners will look to capitalise on their errors made this term to challenge again after the break with potential new signings on the cards.

What’s the latest on Marcos Leonardo to Arsenal?

As reported by 90min last week, a host of clubs have been scouting Santos striker Marcos Leonardo at the U20 World Cup.

Premier League representatives such as Tottenham, Newcastle, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal have been named as those watching the young star.

The 20-year-old is valued by Football Transfers at €16.1m (£14m), and is contracted to the Brazilian club until 2026.

What could Marcos Leonardo bring to Arsenal?

Hailed as “frightening” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the Brazilian has scored three goals in three matches at the U20 World Cup, averaging a seriously impressive 3.7 shots per game as per Sofascore.

The youngster is continuing his form from his season with Santos, in which he has contributed to six goals in 11 appearances in Paulista Serie A1.

His record throughout 2022 told a similar story, as per Mango, seeing him score 19 goals in 39 games in all competitions, all of which came inside the box, making him a hot prospect in European football this summer.

With reference to Arsenal, the young forward could bring essential depth to the strike areas, which was required in the absence of Gabriel Jesus who needed knee surgery following an injury sustained at the Qatar World Cup.

Second-choice striker Eddie Nketiah held the fort strongly, notably scoring against Manchester United, however, after the Englishman, Arsenal’s strikeforce was all-out.

The quality shown at such a young age by Leonardo could see him potentially rival Jesus in north London, bringing essential competition to Arteta’s attack to increase performance.

Arsenal’s number nine brought with him from Manchester City an infectious energy and tireless flare as seen so frequently in Brazilian players, replicated by the 20-year-old target.

Lauded by Mango as being a player that plays “without fear”, the forward has comparable qualities to Jesus, and could raise the standards of the 26-year-old who was described as being "poor" in the run-up to the final straight, showing slight inconsistencies in front of goal.

With depth in numbers comes competition which naturally raises the bar of expectation for a manager regarding selection, introducing a hungry-to-succeed starlet such as Leonardo could benefit Arteta’s squad in so many ways beyond goals.

The agenda for the BCCI’s annual general meeting could attract the ire of the Lodha Committee

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Sep-2016On September 21 the BCCI will conduct its 87th annual general meeting in Mumbai; a routine affair, according to its various officials. What the board considers routine, however, differs significantly from what the Lodha Committee, which has been tasked with reforming the BCCI by the Supreme Court, considers routine.In August, BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke had met with the Lodha Committee and said the AGM would concern only routine business. On August 31, however, in an email to BCCI chief executive Rahul Johri, the Lodha Committee spokesperson said the AGM should be limited to “routine business concerning the past year (2015-16)” and that “any business or matters relating to the next year (2016-17)” be dealt with only after the BCCI implements the Committee’s recommendations.Issues on the BCCI’s AGM agenda

Adoption of the annual budget for 2016-17

Appointment of auditors for FY 2016-17

Election for the post of board secretary

Election of working committee, standing committee, special committees for 2016-17

Appointment of an ombudsman

On the agenda for the BCCI’s AGM, though, is the election for board secretary, the picking of the selection committee, adding new members to the board’s working committee, electing standing committees, choosing a new ombudsman, nominating a representative to attend ICC and Asian Cricket Council meetings, approving the budget for the next calendar year, and appointing auditors for the next financial year.The above might be routine AGM agenda for the BCCI but, according to the Lodha Committee, unless the board adopts the new Memorandum of Association and Rules, any appointments could be considered contempt of court. It is understood that if the BCCI makes any appointments – a person or a committee – for the future, the Lodha Committee will do everything within its power to remove them.The Committee has repeatedly reminded the BCCI of the powers vested in it by the Supreme Court order on July 18, and if the board and state associations fail to comply, the panel can approach the court again.The BCCI appears to be in a defiant mood, though. Having issued an advertisement last week inviting applications for selectors in the men’s, women’s and junior committees, a round of interviews was held in Delhi on Monday, and another is scheduled in Mumbai on Tuesday.At the AGM, the BCCI will select five new members to be part of its next working committee according to the zonal rotation system, and also appoint a new ombudsman because the tenure of Justice AP Shah ends on September 22. Shirke is also likely to be elected unopposed as BCCI secretary, though the board said it was accepting nominations until Tuesday. The election for secretary was necessitated because Shirke had been nominated to the post when Anurag Thakur took over as BCCI president in May, after Shashank Manohar had left to become the ICC chairman.All this is likely to draw the ire of the Lodha Committee. Shortly after the Supreme Court had approved most of its recommendations for the overhaul of the governance structure of the BCCI and its state associations, the Lodha Committee had given deadlines to the BCCI to implement the reforms in two sets.The first deadline is September 30, by when the BCCI and state associations need to amend their constitutions and adopt the new Memorandum of Association and Rules. The second is December 15, by when the board must hold elections to form a nine-member Apex Council to replace the working committee and hold its AGM.The BCCI’s defiance is backed by legal counsel from Justice Markandey Katju, a former Supreme Court judge. Katju was appointed by the board to advise how it should view the Supreme Court judgement that directed the board to adopt the Lodha Committee’s recommendations. His report called the committee “unconstitutional and illegal”. The BCCI then filed a petition seeking a review of the Court’s order of July 18.Katju said there was nothing wrong with the BCCI conducting the AGM. According to him, the BCCI was governed by the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975 and only the Registrar could take action against the BCCI, not a court-appointed committee. “It is well settled in law that the court cannot take over or usurp the functions of a statutory authority,” Katju had said in his report, and reiterated the same on Monday.Most state associations are also not too concerned. When asked whether there was anxiety over the approaching deadlines set by the Lodha Committee, a BCCI office-bearer, who also is a high-ranked official at a state association, said: “The BCCI has told all the state associations to follow their directives. No state association is party to the dispute. How come any recommendation is applicable to the state association?”Another state association official said: “The Lodha Committee cannot interfere with every step we take. Asking us is also overstepping their brief. The state associations’ parent body is BCCI. Whatever directions the BCCI gives us we will follow.”When asked whether there had been any directive from the BCCI, he said: “Nothing.”If anything, the Lodha Committee’s directives seem to have brought the BCCI together. Shirke travelled to Chennai last month to meet former BCCI president N Srinivasan, under whom Shirke had served as treasurer before stepping down during the 2013 IPL corruption scandal.The state official said that after Manohar’s departure to the ICC and the death of Jagmohan Dalmiya there were not many experienced hands for the BCCI to call on. “They want his advice, his support,” the official said. “Srinivasan will side with the BCCI, not Lodha.”A BCCI official said the AGM had been called “as per the existing rules and regulations of the board”. When asked about the Lodha Committee’s warning, he said: “We keep reading about that in the newspapers.”

Timm van der Gugten and Michael Rippon led the demolition job as Netherlands crushed Nepal by seven wickets in their World Cricket League Championship match

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2016
ScorecardFile photo: Michael Rippon wrecked Nepal with 3 for 21 as Netherlands crushed Nepal by seven wickets in their WCL Championship clash•IDI/GettyPace bowler Timm van der Gugten and chinaman bowler Michael Rippon led a demolition job to help Netherlands crush Nepal by seven wickets in their World Cricket League Championship match on Saturday.Van der Gugten and Rippon returned identical figures of 3 for 21 as Netherlands shot Nepal out for 94 after electing to field at the VRA Ground in Amstelveen. Stephan Myburgh then guided Netherlands’ small chase with an unbeaten 33, and along with wicketkeeper Wesley Barresi, who slammed 37 off 33 balls, completed the win in 16.5 overs.Apart from Nepal’s top three – Gyanendra Malla, Anil Mandal and Sharad Vesawkar – only Sompal Kami managed to get into double figures. Malla and Mandal’s 23-run opening stand was the highest Nepal could manage as they were dismissed in 38.1 overs.Van der Gugten and Rippon found support from left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe, who took 2 for 12, while Mudassar Bukhari and Paul van Meekeren took a wicket apiece.Netherlands lost Rippon in the fourth over with just 13 on the board but Myburgh and Barresi then came together for a second-wicket stand worth 57 that shut out any early advantage Nepal may have hoped to attain. Both batsmen struck five boundaries each, before Basant Regmi had Barresi bowled with Netherlands 25 away from a win. Ben Cooper could not hang around for long, but van der Merwe and Myburgh saw the team through to the finish line.Both teams face off again on Monday at the same venue. Netherlands are perched on top of the table with 12 points, while Nepal are sixth with four points after seven games.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has expressed his confusion as to why Tottenham Hotspur are considering Luis Enrique as their next manager.

What's the latest on Luis Enrique and Spurs?

The Premier League club are in the hunt for a new head coach but the big news of late is that Julian Nagelsmann is no longer an option for Daniel Levy and co.

Indeed, as reported in The Guardian, Spurs aren't keen to bring the manager to north London – though it remains unclear if he was ever really up for the job either.

However, it seems 53-year-old former Spain boss Luis Enrique remains a person of interest to Tottenham but not everyone seems convinced that he'd be a good fit.

For instance, while speaking about this possible appointment on his YouTube channel, Gold slammed it as odd, suggesting he would be just another "glamour" appointment as seen with previous managers.

He said (50:13): “You know, there's so many candidates out there that fulfil this criteria of being a project manager for the long term. Rebuilding a club, bringing an attacking football to the club.

"I don't feel that he suits that scenario at all. But we know Luis Enrique has been considered which is one of the oddest ones for me.

"Because for me, if we think of it as a trilogy, he would be the final part of a trilogy, of glamour appointments of [Jose] Mourinho, [Antonio] Conte and then Luis Enrique.

"Big names who fit wonderfully elsewhere, but fit Tottenham, like a glove that's kind of like missing fingers."

What went wrong for Conte and Mourinho at Tottenham?

It's safe to say that hiring big-name coaches like Conte and Mourinho hasn't worked well in the past, so Spurs do need to be wary of repeating this mistake.

Indeed, Conte left the club amid an explosive interview in which he seemed to express his distant for pretty much everything about the side. While Mourinho also wasn't shy in criticising the quality of his players during his tenure.

If Luis Enrique was to join, he'd also arrive with a reputation that proceeds him – having won numerous trophies in his career such as La Liga, the Champions League and the Club World Cup – and so Tottenham may be better off hiring a manager who perhaps hasn't yet already scaled the heights of club football.

With a little while seemingly to go before Levy must make his decision, it will be interesting to see if he takes something like this into account before finally hiring the next Spurs boss.

Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada have joined captain AB de Villiers in expressing reservations about playing a day-night Test because of concerns over the pink ball. Cricket South Africa rejected Cricket Australia’s offer of a day-night Test later this year because the South African players did not want to have a match of high stakes played in unfamiliar conditions. Philander and Rabada admitted they want more opportunities for practice matches and domestic day-night games before going into a pink-ball Test.”If you are going there, you need to have experimented on the domestic front. We haven’t done that so it would be a total blind eye going into it. I would like to have experimented before you actually go and do it,” Philander said at a sponsor announcement on Wednesday.When asked how many games he thought teams would need to get used to the pink ball, Philander was unsure but he did not think one practice game, which was what Australia offered South Africa on their visit later this year, would be enough.”You have to try and test the pink ball properly,” Philander said. “We are all professional players and I think sometimes people think we are quick to adapt to everything. As far as the pink ball is concerned, you are going to need a few games to get used to it.”Like de Villiers, both Philander and Rabada cited the uneven contest between bat and ball as the key reason for their hesitation to play a day-night Test. “There are a lot of rumours of the ball being okay during the day and then at night being a bit difficult for batters,” Philander said. Rabada echoed those thoughts: “From what I hear, it’s not a fair contest between bat and ball and that should be Test cricket.”But Rabada also took a view similar to Dale Steyn, and said that he would like to play a day-night Test at some point in his career. “I haven’t given it much thought but I wouldn’t mind playing in it. I’ve heard good things and I’ve heard bad things,” Rabada said. “Perhaps they need to look into it more and perhaps make it a bit more fair. The positive is that it brings crowds in. They need to find a way to balance the two, so that it’s good for cricket and good for publicising the sport. You need to find a way to come to a fair conclusion where both parties are happy.”Steyn had told that he did not want to go through his “whole career without playing a day-night game” and wanted to test his skills with something different. He later clarified on Twitter that although he wanted to play a pink-ball Test in future, he did not want it to be the Adelaide match on South Africa’s tour to Australia later this year.