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South Africa A knocked over Australia A for 107 at the Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville, before breezing to the target with eight wickets in hand and 174 balls to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2016
ScorecardSouth Africa A knocked over Australia A for 107 at the Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville, before breezing to the target with eight wickets in hand and 174 balls to spare. In doing so, they registered their first win of the quadrangular series and picked up a bonus point, much as Australia A had done against India A a week ago at the same venue.The toss was just about the only thing to go Australia’s way, and, after electing to bat, they lost opener Marcus Stoinis for a duck on the third ball of the innings. Captain Chris Lynn followed three overs later, with an inside edge to the keeper off Dane Paterson to leave the score at 2 for 5. After a 63-ball hiatus, during which the hosts added a laborious 29 runs, Peter Handscomb was run-out when opener Cameron Bancroft drove a ball straight back and the bowler Andile Phehlukwayo got his fingers to the ball which hit the stumps, catching Handscomb well outside his crease.Soon, Bancroft chopped a ball from medium-pacer Malusi Siboto onto his stumps for a 48-ball 16. Paterson then had two more batsmen caught behind – Glenn Maxwell with a short ball and Alex Ross with a stifling line outside off. Then it was Tabraiz Shamsi’s turn – he trapped Kurtis Patterson lbw and had John Mennie caught at midwicket, to leave Australia reeling at 8 for 68 in the 30th over.An unbeaten 43-ball 34 by No. 9 Kane Richardon helped Australia crawl into three figures, before they were bowled out in 37.2 overs. Australia could have been dimissed much earlier but Richardson was dropped twice – on 27 by wicketkeeper Dane Vilas and on 29 by Dwaine Pretorius at mid-off. Paterson and Shamsi bagged three wickets apiece, while Siboto chipped in with two.”We had a look at [their] videos and we had specific plans and they came out good today,” Paterson said after the match. “As a bowling unit we clicked well today. We have been clicking but there were play and misses and stuff like that. All in all, everything clicked today.”South Africa lost Reeza Hendricks for 1 in the second over of the chase when he edged Mennie to third slip. Captain Heino Kuhn departed for 15 in the tenth over, to give Mennie his second wicket and leave South Africa A at 2 for 43. But a target of 108 never seemed to challenge the tourists. Theunis de Bruyn, at No. 3, stroked an unbeaten 57 off 73, and he was kept company by David Miller who ended up unbeaten on 20. The two guided South Africa past the finish line in 21 overs without any further losses. Legspinner Cameron Boyce was the most expensive bowler as he leaked 30 runs in only three overs.”Obviously 107 is going to be a big task for the bowlers to defend. But I think they were too good from pretty much the starting,” Richarson reflected later.The win catapults South Africa from bottom to second in the points table, behind National Performance Squad.

Tottenham and Daniel Levy are desperate to hire a sporting director to replace Fabio Paratici as the club hold talks with Brentford chief Lee Dykes.

Who could succeed Paratici at Spurs?

Spurs have it all to do ahead of what will be a crucial summer transfer window as the north Londoners remain without a permanent manager for next campaign – among a plethora of other issues.

The Lilywhites, who are on the search for Antonio Conte's successor at N17 after the Italian departed nearly two months, still need to find Paratici's stand-in too.

The latter Italian resigned from his post as managing director after losing an appeal against his 30-month worldwide ban from football activity, and despite the appointment of Scott Munn as chief football officer, it is believed Spurs are eager to appoint a new director.

Managerial candidates, like former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, are said to have asked about the sporting director situation in recent interviews for the Tottenham job.

Spurs having Paratici's replacement ready could be a deal-breaker for some coaches, it seems, with Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke sharing the latest on their attempts to find his heir.

Writing for the outlet, their journalist explained that Levy is personally desperate to appoint a sporting director as soon as possible, leading to negotiations with an impressive candidate.

Indeed, it is believed that Spurs have held talks with Brentford director Dykes, after being impressed by the work he is done there in recent years.

Levy was apparently drawn to the club chief due to his brilliant transfer work at the Bees, with Ivan Toney, Mikkel Damsgard and Bryan Mbeumo all putting pen to paper on deals under his watch.

What could Dykes bring to Spurs?

Dykes was promoted to the role of technical director last summer after an exceptional few years with Brentford, previously spending three years in the club's head of recruitment role.

Possessing both Premier League experience and a real knack for transfer dealings, it's little surprise Levy is considering him to succeed Paratici at Spurs.

Dykes is highly qualified, possessing an MSc in Sporting Directorship from the University of Salford, not to mention a UEFA A License Certificate from the FA.

He is also already based in London, potentially meaning a move to Tottenham wouldn't be a major transition from his time at Brentford.

As Levy steps up the search for a new director, Dykes could well be a strong candidate.

The three-match T20I series gives a struggling Zimbabwe team the chance to press the reset button and start with a clean slate

The Preview by Sirish Raghavan17-Jun-2016Match factsSaturday, June 18, 2016
Start time 1300 local (1100 GMT)3:06

‘There is enough pressure on players to perform here’ – Bangar

Big picturePrior to the ODI series, Zimbabwe’s stand-in coach Makhaya Ntini spoke of “creating a new venture” and “competing with the big boys”. It was exactly the kind of upbeat talk Zimbabwe needed to draw a line under their disappointments of the past year and forge a more successful path going forward. Sadly, what followed was a succession of limp performances that demonstrated just how far Zimbabwe are from being able to compete at this level. It left fans angered and disillusioned, and steadily added to Ntini’s frustration with his charges.As bad as the outlook may seem for the hosts, the three-match T20I series in Harare gives them a chance to press the reset button and start afresh. The 20-over format mitigates their biggest weakness – the apparent inability to bat for long periods. Even during the course of the disastrous ODI series, Elton Chigumbura, Vusi Sibanda and Sikandar Raza showed glimpses of their potential. If they can produce a few sparkling knocks in the T20Is, Zimbabwe’s bowlers may finally have a fighting chance to compete.That said, India’s young side will only grow in confidence as they move to the shortest format. Most of them have been battle-hardened over several IPL seasons and, with the latest edition having concluded less than a month ago, they have ample match-practice to fall back on. Another 3-0 whitewash then?Form guideZimbabwe: LWWWW (last five matches, most recent first)
India: LWWWLIn the spotlightRun-making is Zimbabwe’s foremost imperative at the moment. Where will the runs come from? Vusi Sibanda, who has been around for more than 13 years at the top level, was the side’s highest run-scorer in the ODI series. He played some delightful shots that provided a window into his talent. At 32, he is now a senior member of the team and will have to take the responsibility to deliver on that talent more often. If Sibanda can deliver, it will lay a platform for the lower-order strokemakers to cut loose.Jasprit Bumrah’s numbers in the three-ODI series merit a double-take – nine wickets at an average of 8.55 and an economy rate of 2.98. While some of that may be put down to the helpful conditions and the Zimbabwe batsmen’s unfamiliarity with his action, a lot of it is explained by the giant strides he’s taken since making his international debut in January this year. The T20 format will allow him to slip back into his comfort zone, tormenting batsmen with the new ball and at the death.Team newsCraig Ervine and Sean Williams are out of the T20I series due to injury, leaving a dent in Zimbabwe’s batting.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Vusi Sibanda, 4 Sikandar Raza, 5 Malcolm Waller, 6 Elton Chigumbura, 7 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 8 Graeme Cremer (capt), 9 Neville Madziva, 10 Tendai Chatara, 11 Donald TiripanoIndia had selected the same 16-man squad for the ODIs and the T20Is. Only 12 of those players got a chance in the ODIs, and many of the batsmen registered DNBs. The bowling attack remained unchanged throughout, leaving Jayant Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat and Rishi Dhawan unutilised. It remains to be seen how willing MS Dhoni will be to tinker with the playing XI.India (probable): 1 KL Rahul, 2 Karun Nair/Faiz Fazal, 3 Ambati Rayudu, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Axar Patel/Jayant Yadav, 8 Dhawal Kulkarni, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Barinder Sran/Jaydev UnadkatPitch and conditionsIn the ODIs, conditions were seamer-friendly early on, and eased out a bit as the day wore on. The later start for the T20Is should work to the benefit of the batsmen. The wicket was flat and true for the third ODI, and is likely to be the same for the T20Is. Harare Sports Club is a fairly big ground, which means that fielding and running between the wickets will be under the scanner.Stats and trivia The last time these two teams met in a T20I was at the same venue, 11 months ago – Zimbabwe won by 10 runs. Faiz Fazal is the only member of India’s squad not to have participated in IPL 2016.Quotes”The last T20 we played against India we beat them, so it’s not impossible. We are just looking to start well whether batting or bowling.”
“There is a lot to lose and a lot to gain for our younger players from this opportunity.”

Manchester United reporter Samuel Luckhurst criticised Anthony Martial in this afternoon's FA Cup semi-final penalty shootout victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.

Martial got the nod from the off again…

Erik ten Hag made a number of changes to the side that lost to Sevilla in the Europa League on Thursday, however, Martial kept his place in the starting XI for his 21st appearance of the season.

The 27-year-old was making just his second FA Cup appearance, leading the line with Marcus Rashford, Antony and Bruno Fernandes in behind.

Luckhurst said before the game that Martial needed to show up for the Red Devils, seven years after his FA Cup semi-final winner against Everton.

However, during his live updates for the game, The Manchester Evening News reporter criticised the striker, labelling him a passenger at half-time and giving him a 4/10 rating, changing that score to 3/10 on the full-time whistle.

What did the stats say on Martial?

As per SofaScore, Martial played 85 minutes before being replaced by Jadon Sancho but had just 24 touches of the ball, the fewest of any Red Devils starter.

The forward ended with a 6.7/10 match rating and failed to have a shot on target, with his only effort failing to trouble Robert Sanchez. Martial gave possession away on five occasions, lost 63% of his 16 duels and was unsuccessful in his only dribble attempt, failing to have an impact in the final third.

Therefore, you could say that Luckhurst's criticism of the attacker was justified, with Martial still looking to get back to his best following a number of injury issues this season.

Rangers winger Kai Kennedy, who is currently on loan at Falkirk, has been told he will not be offered a new contract in the summer, according to a report from Football Insider.

Which players could leave Rangers this summer?

Michael Beale may have a significant rebuilding job on his hands next season, with multiple first-team players currently on their way out, including winger Ryan Kent, as the Englishman's contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign.

Ryan Jack could also be heading for the exit, as the central midfielder has clarified he is yet to hear from the club's hierarchy about a contract extension, and some Bundesliga clubs have started to register their interest.

Striker Alfredo Morelos' future hangs in the balance, as his current deal also comes to an end this May, although contrary to reports, he has not agreed a deal with Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray.

Another Gers player that could be on the move is Kennedy, with Football Insider reporting the winger has been told he will not be offered a new contract, having already tried to offload him in the January transfer window.

The 21-year-old is out of contract in the summer, meaning he will be free to leave, and he has already attracted the attention of Scottish Championship side Queen's Park.

Should Rangers let Kai Kennedy leave?

It is always disappointing when a player that comes through the youth ranks does not go on to cement themselves in the first team, but unfortunately, the youngster is not quite at the standard required to be a success at Ibrox.

There have been flashes of brilliance when the Rangers academy graduate has been out on loan, being lauded as "excellent" by members of the media during his time with Raith Rovers, while he has also impressed at Falkirk this season.

In 29 games in all competitions, the £4k-per-week earner has weighed in a very solid return of five goals and ten assists. However, it must be taken into account that he is playing in the third tier and it is unlikely that this form would carry over to the Scottish Premiership.

The Gers already have players of a similar age performing well in the first team, most notably Malik Tillman, with the 20-year-old bagging ten league goals this season, and Kennedy is nowhere near that level, so we think it is the right call to sanction his departure this summer.

Leeds United fans will have been disappointed to see key player Max Wober substituted due to an injury problem during the international break.

However, an update has now emerged on the Austrian defender, and it seems as if he should only be out of action for a short while and will be back to aid Javi Gracia's side in their fight against relegation.

What is the latest Leeds injury news?

According to The Athletic, the centre-back is a doubt for this weekend's game against Arsenal but Leeds are confident that he will be fit for the Premier League run-in.

The Yorkshire outfit have completed an assessment on the former RB Salzburg man, who pulled up with an apparent hamstring problem in Austria's European qualifier against Azerbaijan and seem confident that the injury is a minor one.

Considering Leeds' struggles defensively so far this campaign, which have seen them ship the fifth-most goals in the division with 44, it can only be good news for Gracia that Wober is set to be out for just a short period.

Since joining from Salzburg in the January transfer window in a deal worth £11m, the 24-year-old has established himself as a regular in the Whites' defence.

The versatile defender has averaged an impressive 6.77 rating from WhoScored across his ten appearances in the top flight, which ranks him as the fourth-best performer at Elland Road so far this season, emphasising the impact he has had since his arrival in the winter transfer window.

The Austria international also ranks second for interceptions, second for clearances and first for blocks in Gracia's squad which again proves how quickly he has established himself as a key man at Elland Road.

His impressive form since Gracia's arrival has helped the Whites take seven points from a possible 12, lifting them to 14th in the Premier League table, which has given them a real chance of avoiding relegation when things looked desperate only a few weeks ago.

Wober, who is paid £35k per week at Leeds, earned a lot of praise from Leeds Live writer Beren Cross ahead of his arrival at Elland Road and he has certainly lived up to that praise thus far.

Cross said: "A leader, a beast one vs one, strong in the air, digs out lazy teammates, limited pace, but a national boss in Rangnick playing him at left-back too."

If his injury does prove to be a minor one, and he can continue his strong start to life at Leeds upon his return to action, then the Yorkshire outfit have a real chance of avoiding relegation this season.

NFL star Kelvin Beachum Jr of the Arizona Cardinals has hailed Tottenham after they announced a partnership with Formula One.

The Lowdown: Spurs seal Formula 1 agreement…

On Tuesday, the Lilywhites confirmed a 15-year deal with the mega-money racing league which adds to their state-of-the-art new ground’s current trend of welcoming many other sports outside of football.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium plays host to Boxing and the NFL with F1 now included in the list.

Spurs say the deal will create career opportunities and bring a new motorsport experience to London, alongside building the world’s first in-stadium electric karting facility and London’s longest indoor track.

The track will apparently be constructed beneath Spurs’ south stand and is described as a soon-to-be ‘one of a kind’ experience.

The Latest: NFL star praises Spurs deal…

Taking to Twitter, NFL star Beachum Jr has praised the club for their initiative partnership – explaining:

“As if Spurs weren’t reason enough to visit the new stadium!! @F1 and @SpursOfficial is the partnership I never knew I needed.”

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The Verdict: Interesting…

Amid the protests surrounding ENIC and chairman Daniel Levy, this is certainly an interesting move, especially considering the rumoured takeover talk also.

Tottenham supporters who have voiced frustrations over on-pitch investment may be taken aback by this news that more funds are going into off-field resources.

However, from an economical standpoint, Levy has found yet another avenue for Spurs to benefit from their incredible new stadium and one which may bring in a stream of new revenue.

As Tottenham seek to rebuild their profits after nearly two regrettable years in COVID wilderness, this off-field move could be hugely lucrative in the long-run.

Southampton are tracking Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski for a potential summer transfer swoop, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild needed?

Reports throughout the January transfer window indicated Che Adams could exit St Mary’s, with Everton named as potential suitors late in the window, following links to Leeds United last summer.

Given that Southampton are currently in a perilous position in the Premier League, sitting four points from safety after a 1-0 defeat at Elland Road on Saturday, a summer rebuild may be needed, with James Ward-Prowse also tipped for a potential exit.

The Latest: Miovski profiled

According to a report from The Scottish Sun (via Football Scotland), the Saints are tracking Miovski ahead of a potential summer move, after his impressive form in the Scottish Premiership so far this season.

The Premier League outfit have already sent club officials on a scouting mission to assess the striker, watching him in Aberdeen’s 4-0 thrashing at Celtic Park, in which he was substituted at half-time.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The North Macedonia international did not put in his best performance against the reigning Scottish champions, but he has otherwise been in electric form so far this season, netting 17 goals in 32 matches in all competitions.

With a tally of 15 in the Scottish Premiership, the 23-year-old poses the third-best scoring record in the division, averaging a goal every 143 minutes and a 32% conversion rate.

Southampton did strengthen in attacking areas during the January transfer window, but Paul Onuachu and Mislav Orsic have not impressed, both failing to score since their arrival at St Mary’s, with Orsic yet to rise to the tempo of the Premier League.

As such, bringing in a new striker makes sense regardless of what league the Saints are in next season, and Miovski, who has been hailed ‘outstanding’ by the media, is certainly a good one to keep an eye on.

Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has backed Allan Saint-Maximin to leave Newcastle United in the summer after they signed Anthony Gordon from Everton.

The Lowdown: Exit-linked

Saint-Maximin was linked with an exit towards the end of the January transfer window, but he ended up staying at Newcastle.

They ended up splashing £45m on Everton’s Gordon, suggesting that the Frenchman may fall down the pecking order at St. James’ Park, and could be linked with an exit once again in the summer.

The Latest: Summer exit backed

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson has backed Saint-Maximin to leave in the summer, claiming that Gordon has been signed to ‘replace’ him:

“I would say I would be surprised if they let him go but there is a reason why they have brought Gordon in though.

“They pushed hard and got it through. They wouldn’t have spent all that money on him unless they thought he was going to be a regular in the first team.

“I think Saint-Maximin will be looking elsewhere. It is a shame because when he’s on the top of his game, he is amazing. He is a better player than Gordon in my opinion.

“Gordon has been signed to replace Saint-Maximin. He has not been signed to play alongside him. I think that is a move that we will see happen in the summer.”

The Verdict: Time to go?

Saint-Maximin has seen his game time fairly limited so far this season, having made only five starts in all competitions, with four of those coming in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).

As Robinson alludes to, the North East club have not spent £45m on Gordon to sit on the bench, which means that Saint-Maximin’s game time is likely to become even more limited.

The 25-year-old has made an impact in games when coming off of the bench, as none of his team-mates average more dribbles per match than him in the Premier League, and his contract on Tyneside does not run out until 2026.

However, given his age and contract situation, the Magpies could still demand a sizeable fee for Saint-Maximin, and so should consider selling him this summer and invest the money in other positions.

Leeds United have made an approach for Manchester City midfielder and former Whites star Kalvin Phillips, according to The Sun.

The Lowdown: Zero Premier League starts

Phillips left his boyhood club for the Etihad Stadium last summer in a £45m deal, but things haven’t gone to plan for the 27-year-old in Manchester.

The England international, who shares the same agency as Leeds striker Patrick Bamford, is yet to start a Premier League game under Pep Guardiola, missing large parts of the season with a shoulder injury.

The Man City manager said that the midfielder returned from the World Cup ‘overweight’, and it looks as if a number of clubs are keen on his services.

The Latest: Leeds enquire about Phillips

The Sun’s Phil Thomas shared an update regarding Phillips just after midday on Tuesday, with Leeds being one of three Premier League clubs named with an interest in the midfielder.

The report claimed that Victor Orta has asked about taking the 27-year-old back on loan, although City are refusing to do business with the Whites, Everton or West Ham.

The Verdict: Not a surprise

Although Phillips is yet to make a real impact in Manchester, it doesn’t come as a shock that City have turned down an approach from Leeds.

He is one of just two senior holding midfielders at the Etihad alongside Rodri, and you’d expect that he will receive more minutes as the season goes on, with City still involved in three competitions.

Leeds have also added to their own midfield ranks with a loan swoop for Weston McKennie from Juventus, and it looks as if a return to Elland Road for Phillips won’t materialise today.

McKennie has also outperformed Phillips overall this season, as per WhoScored metrics, so you’d expect that Orta and co are delighted with a move for the USA international.