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After 15 years of affection for his craft and his people, it’s unlikely that Kumar Sangakkara will be remembered only for his meagre final stretch and fidgety prods against R Ashwin

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo23-Aug-20152:26

Five-page letters and the Sanga steak

The two guards of honour and fireworks were unusual, but there was nothing strange about the scoreline Kumar Sangakkara arrived to. Sri Lanka’s total has been in single figures in more than a quarter of his 207 walks to the crease at first drop. In a career multi-layered with staggering statistics, gems that shed further light on why he means so much to team and nation are still being discovered. The body of work is like a good book. Every time you look it over, a new delight reveals itself.His friend Mahela Jayawardene had a better head and nimbler hands on wearing pitches, but Sangakkara has not shirked his duties in the fourth innings either. His average of 41.53 on such occasions is better, for instance, than the fourth-innings averages of Brian Lara or Sachin Tendulkar.He was tetchy at the top of his knock today, like he is always tetchy. He sped out of the crease to put R Ashwin through midwicket for a first-ball two, and occasionally felt for the ball before the feet were quite there. He was tetchy in Hobart too, chasing 507 to win in 2007. Then, he whipped Brett Lee to the fine-leg fence and began the most monumental fourth-innings charge ever seen in Australia. He has fallen one double-ton short of Don Bradman’s 12 now, but he was also wrongly given out on 192 in that innings. He was left stranded on 199 not out another time.”We had thought he would get a big score today,” Dhammika Prasad said of the feeling in the dressing room when Sangakkara strode out to bat. Each of his team-mates will have memories of tough matches he has turned. Even in the last five years, there has been that game-saving double-century in Abu Dhabi, the Lord’s 147, and the Kingsmead 108 to set South Africa a target they could not chase.On Sunday, Sangakkara’s first official boundary came when Stuart Binny overdid the tribute by flinging a return throw all the way to the boundary. But when the batsman clipped Ishant Sharma to the square-leg fence, then drove him serenely down the ground soon after, hopes rose in the dressing room and in the stands. Maybe today will be another Sangakkara day.How could it not be? For so long, it was unheard of for Sangakkara to go through a series without a massive, meaningful score. Hundreds seemed almost impossible to prevent once those first 10 runs was scored. Rare were two modest series in a row. When at the beginning of 2014 he finished with a series average of 33.20 against Pakistan, he worked tirelessly in the nets to rebound in Bangladesh, scoring 499 runs from three innings there. By the end of the year, he had struck 1438 Test runs all up. Having played in five countries, his average for the year was 71.90.Despite a silent exit, Sangakkara will go home and think maybe he has not done so bad after all•AFPThe ball to get him out on Sunday was flighted, dipping and turning away from a length. Sangakkara has defused hundreds, maybe thousands of balls just like this one in his career. He has slammed a few of those over mid off, and pierced plenty through cover as well. Left-handers are weaker against offspin, it is said, but Sangakkara has quelled Saeed Ajmal like no other batsman. Harbhajan Singh and Graeme Swann had no great hold over him either.Fate chose the saddest exit for him, in a way. Out four times from four to R Ashwin, always edging that spinning ball to slip. In the recent past, Sangakkara has despised being prevailed upon by any bowler, spin or pace. Last year there were whispers Moeen Ali had his number, but after getting out to him cheaply in the first one-dayer, Sangakakra went on to ravage Moeen and England, plundering 454 runs at an average of over 75 in the year-end ODI series at home. Later in December, Trent Boult had him caught at slip twice in a Test. Next match, Sangakkara took Boult apart on a greentop.Sangakkara left the field with a wave of the blade, but did not linger to soak up the applause. Even at the very end, that familiar dissatisfaction in his innings was writ across his face. But maybe he will go home and think he has not done so bad. He might wake up tomorrow and find there is plenty to be satisfied about.Because it’s not this meagre final stretch that people will remember. It is not the fidgety prods against Ashwin and Yasir Shah that will define him as man and cricketer. After 15 years of affection for his craft and his people, Sangakkara leaves Sri Lanka with a lifetime of memories. It is the golden years we will all talk about. The good times we will hold dear.

The head coach said he couldn’t quite “put a finger” on what was troubling his team

Shashank Kishore08-Apr-20232:41

Is David Warner fading as a batter?

The Delhi Capitals are “a long way off right now” but Ricky Ponting can’t fathom the reasons behind their collective failure just yet.On Saturday, they went down for a third straight time in IPL 2023 after falling 57 short of Rajasthan Royals’ 200-run target.”I can’t put my finger on why because I watch these boys train and prepare,” Ponting said. Their work has been really good, their training has been great, but it hasn’t come across in terms of results yet on the field.”If I could put my finger on it, I’d do something to change it. We need to do some more soul-searching as a group and talk about it. Maybe not tonight. I’ll just let the guys have a think of it. We may address it the next day, but we need to turn it around pretty quickly. Three games in and no wins…you can’t get afford to get off to bad starts in the IPL.”Related

• Ponting expects 'the real Prithvi Shaw' to make an appearance in IPL 2023

• Ponting: 'Our fielding after first four overs was really sloppy'

• Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler and Trent Boult help Royals thump Capitals

Ponting was also point-blank in his assessment that the Capitals found themselves chasing the game after just one over of each innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed five boundaries off the first over, bowled by Khaleel Ahmed, and Jos Buttler soon joined in the fun, the pair adding 98 off just 8.3 overs to set the tone for the Royals.With the ball, the losses of Prithvi Shaw and Manish Pandey for ducks in the very first over to Trent Boult left the Capitals with a steep ask, not least because the batting line-up has had to be shuffled every game.Mitchell Marsh, who batted at No. 3 in the first two games, missed this game to attend his wedding in Perth, while their No. 4 Sarfaraz Khan was dropped. In came Rovman Powell, who had missed the second game, and Lalit Yadav for his first outing of the season.Delhi Capitals have lost their first three games of IPL 2023•BCCI

Then there was also the issue of David Warner working his way back into batting rhythm.”In the first two games, we sort of got to none for 40 early on and then lost wickets in the back part of the powerplay. Today was completely different,” Ponting said. “We were two down in the first over and you let your back to the wall from there.”You look at that aspect of our game, you look at our first two overs with the ball, they were none for 32 with eight fours and nothing else, it says our execution with the ball was way below what it needs to be. So, if you look at the first two overs of our bowling innings and first two overs of our batting innings, you put those together and it’s very hard to win games of cricket.”Ponting was then quizzed about Shaw specifically. After being done in by Mark Wood’s pace and Mohammed Shami’s bounce in the first two games, he was out to Boult’s late swing as he nicked a full delivery in trying to play an expansive on-drive. Shaw now has scores of 12, 7 and 0 in his three innings this season.There’s been a pattern to his struggles against pace. Six of his eight dismissals since IPL 2022 have been to short of back-of-a-length deliveries, but Ponting insisted it was swing and not pace or bounce that was playing on his mind against the Royals.”Probably it was the moving ball that worried him today,” Ponting said. “If any of you guys were at training yesterday and watched him bat, he looked like a million dollars. So, his preparation was great. It’s probably something we need to think about.”He’s now got a poor record against left-armers, it’s something every opposition would know, it’s something that we need to work on with him. But as I said we’re not going to point fingers at one person, we don’t do that at Delhi Capitals. We’re all in this together and have to play better as a group of 11-12 to get the results we’re after.”

Manchester City found themselves in an unusual position heading into Wednesday night’s Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest, having unbelievably lost their four league clashes before going into the contest at the Etihad.

Thankfully for City supporters watching on, Pep Guardiola’s men breezed past Forest to silence a growing contingent of doubters, with an emphatic 3-0 scoreline just what the doctor ordered after a dismal stretch of recent results.

The relief written on everyone’s faces associated with the usual table-toppers at the full-time whistle was clear to see, as stars such as a silky Kevin De Bruyne shone brightly all night long.

Standout performers for City

It goes without saying that the Belgian attacking midfielder is one of the best talents in the Premier League when he’s at his eye-catching best and he certainly was at the very top of his game across the 3-0 victory.

De Bruyne would ensure that any nerves inside the Etihad would dissipate when he resoundingly fired home the second goal of the contest, after some tricky feet from his compatriot, Jeremy Doku found him in plenty of space to strike a fierce effort past a helpless Matz Sels.

Whilst the City captain showed off his class with that finish, Doku would also time after time show off his daringness on the ball to push his stuttering side on to a much-needed three points, with the tricky 5 foot 8 ace amassing a stunning six successful dribbles to constantly leave the visitors guessing.

There were also the likes of Bernando Silva, who scored early on to kickstart the positive display, alongside Erling Haaland who set up Doku’s decisive third goal.

But, it was the performance of Jack Grealish that rightfully won plaudits when the dust had settled on the comprehensive win, with the former Aston Villa gem excelling in a deeper role for his bruised side to soften the continued blow of Rodri still being sidelined.

Grealish's performance in numbers

Accused of playing “like a mannequin at times” by ex-City shot-stopper Shay Given when chucked out to the left wing, Guardiola gambled on the exciting talent to come good in a holding midfield spot this mid-week, and it more than paid off.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The City number ten would confidently spray the ball around the pitch across his 89 minutes, with Grealish exiting the field of play with a sublime 98% pass accuracy in-tact, alongside other glowing numbers.

That ability to keep things ticking in the centre of the park is akin to the absent Rodri, who averaged a 92% pass rate in the Premier League last season.

Looking at the graphic above, it was a well-rounded display from the England international, who offered the same energy as Rodri usually offers in spades with seven successful duels being won, alongside also showing off his comfortable nature joining in with attacks with two shots registered.

Grealish’s top showing in an unfamiliar position wouldn’t go unnoticed by Daily Express journalist Amos Murphy, who dished out a high 8/10 rating to the 29-year-old post-match, stating that he provided a ‘much-needed bounce’ centrally.

Struggling at times to find a position that has best suited him in Manchester, it could be that this tweak to play him alongside Ilkay Gundogan in a deep role is an ingenious one, with Guardiola also stating that the Birmingham-born star did “brilliantly” with what was asked of him.

With Rodri sidelined for the foreseeable, the Spaniard will hope he’s finally found an adequate short-term replacement for the Ballon D’Or winner in Grealish, rather than the ageing Gundogan, as fixtures continue to come full pelt this December in the Premier League.

The fixture list is also tough arguably, with a trip to Grealish’s former employers coming soon alongside a tense Manchester Derby, but Guardiola will hope his troops have turned a corner after a comfortable win over Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

Man City readying move to sign "ball-striking monster" to replace Alvarez

Manchester City are looking to bolster their forward line with an exciting addition in January.

By
Ben Gray

Dec 4, 2024

JJ Watt is hoping to avoid a reunion with fellow NFL great Tom Brady next season, with both Burnley and Birmingham City pushing for promotion in 2025.

Article continues below

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• Clarets flying high in the Championship
• Blues well clear at the top of League One
• Famous investors being given plenty to cheer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Two icons from the world of American football are now involved with soccer clubs turning out in the EFL. Watt was the first to take on a surprising sporting venture a long way from home, as he invested in Burnley alongside former USWNT star wife Kealia.

Advertisement

• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady is now involved with Birmingham, which has allowed him to lock horns with Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in 2024-25 – with the Blues competing alongside Wrexham in League One.

• WHAT JJ WATT SAID

  Birmingham have spent big in a bid to bounce back into the second tier of English football, while Burnley are looking to book an immediate return to the Premier League. With both teams aiming high, Watt has told of wanting to avoid another meeting with former gridiron rival Brady: "He’s got Birmingham, he’s got the [Las Vegas] Raiders, he’s got a lot going on. Looks like he’s on his way up to the Championship. I hope to not see him next year!"

• Getty Images
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Watt has already experienced the highs and lows of promotion and relegation with Burnley and has explained how it is that rollercoaster of emotions that first drew him to English football. He added: "I love the people. I love the passion. I love what it means. I think that’s the whole reason I got into it in the first place. That’s what makes me so drawn to it."

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing a £25 million international defender ahead of Premier League rivals Newcastle United, according to a recent report.

It has been an excellent 2024/25 season for the Reds so far, as they are probably the surprise package of the campaign, but with January not that far away now, Nuno Espirito Santo and co seemingly have their eye on potential transfer targets.

Nottingham Forest and Marinakis want to sign 20 y/o int'l forward for Nuno

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing an unknown forward to improve their attacking options.

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By
Brett Worthington

Nov 19, 2024

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Forest will hope that when January arrives, they are still in the top half of the table and are mounting a challenge for what could be an unexpected European spot. Nuno will not want to disrupt the squad too much, but adding one or two players may be on his mind.

The Reds are reportedly interested in signing Marwan Al-Sahafi from Al-Ittihad. He joined Belgian side Beerschot on loan in the summer and has been catching the eye with his performances, so much so that Forest and La Liga side Real Sociedad are keeping a close eye on him. As well as Al-Sahafi, it has recently emerged that Forest are interested in signing Manchester City’s James McAtee.

There are a host of clubs from England and abroad keeping an eye on his situation at the Etihad, but given his lack of game time, he could be allowed to leave in January for a fee of roughly £20 million. This has got Nuno’s side interested, but as well as looking at improving the team going forward, the Forest boss also has his eye on adding more options to his defence.

Nottingham Forest eyeing move to sign £25m Joel Ordonez

According to TBR Football, Nottingham Forest are eyeing a move to sign Joel Ordonez from Club Brugge in January. The Ecuador international, who has four caps to his name, has been playing in Belgium since 2022 but only joined Brugge last year and is also wanted by Newcastle.

The Belgian side were patient with the 20-year-old last season, but in this current 2024/25 campaign, he has become a key player, starting 13 of the 14 games he has played in all competitions. Ordonez has performed very well in Europe as well, starting all four of Brugge’s Champions League fixtures, two of which they have won, and one was against Aston Villa.

Villa have also been mentioned with an interest in Ordonez, but this new report adds that Forest are also interested in signing the centre-back. The Reds, Newcastle and Villa are not the only teams keen, with Brentford, Wolves and Brighton also named in the update.

Forest could be interested in making a move in January, but it would be an expensive capture, as it’s been claimed that Brugge values Ordonez at €30 million, which is roughly £25 million. This would be a risky signing for Nuno’s side, given he hasn’t played in England and the Premier League before, but at his age, he has a lot of time to develop into a very good central defender.

M Vijay opens up about surfing, his unimpressive record in ODIs and the chance to improve on that, and about learning to express himself more freely

Nagraj Gollapudi29-Jun-2015How big is this selection for you?
It is a happy feeling to make a comeback to ODIs. I have been batting well in Tests, so I just have to grab the opportunity that has come my way. As a player I was expecting the call-up. I was the third opener for four series, including the 2013 Champions Trophy, but could not get a game.So this Zimbabwe series is a good opportunity to cement the role as the third opener?
I have always believed in myself. It is not about competing with anybody. I always compete with myself and I look to improve as far as I can. It is not that I am going to play as a third opener and be happy. I will never be happy. I have always wanted to be the leading batsman for Indian cricket.Is there an element of doubt, considering you have not played ODIs since the 2013 summer?
Never. I have been working on my game, on my basics. I have been waiting for the opportunity without rushing myself. Before, when I got the opportunities, they were stop-start. Now that I have got another opportunity, I just am happy and excited to go and express myself on the field.In terms of numbers, you don’t have a half-century in ODIs. Does that matter considering the form you are in at the moment?
I am not a guy who will give excuses, but you have got to consider the number of matches I have played on the trot. That matters a lot as a batsman. It is not an excuse. I never got a string of ODIs or series. I had to adapt to that in the past.”I am not a guy who will give excuses, but you have got to consider the number of ODI matches I have played on the trot. When I got opportunities, they were stop-start”•Associated PressRecently, you said you have had to curb your instincts in Test cricket. But now in ODIs, you might be able to play with more freedom…
See, I am expressing myself. Considering the format of the game (Tests), all I said was that I was curbing my instincts in order to be more consistent rather than proving a point to the opponent. I never meant I did not play my game. I still play my game. I had a game plan and I did not drift away from it. I just played according to the situation in the Tests and so far, it has come out well for both the team and me personally. If I get an opportunity to go and hit from ball one, I would do it if I were in that zone. It is not that I’m curbing my instincts. But you have to consider the situation and play accordingly.From the success that you have enjoyed in the last two years, what are the things that will help you in ODI cricket?

The mental discipline. The game is not going to change that much. It is just the way I apply myself in different formats and according to the situation, I have to up the ante. With the new playing conditions from this series, I will have to adapt according to the ground situation, the opposition game plan, and accordingly cash in.One advantage you can take from your Test game is you can see off the new ball with more confidence …
I never see myself as seeing off a new ball. I always have the intent to play the ball. If the ball is not to be played, I leave it. It is not that I go in to bat with the intention that I have to leave these many balls. It is just that I want to play little more compact to have the upper hand against the bowler. That is my thinking. There are two ways to look at it: either you go aggressive or you go defensive. But all I want to do is give myself more confidence by countering an attack in a good spell in a proper way, and then I can cash in. So I am always thinking of attacking in my mind.One of your coaches recommends it would be helpful if you could express yourself in ODIs fearlessly?
As a batsman, I definitely look to do it every time I walk in to bat. All I want to do each time I bat is help my team win the match by making useful contributions depending on the scenario. If you play your game, you are fearless. That is a better way to put it than saying – play fearlessly. It is about the freedom and to get that freedom, you have to cement your spot. It is not that I have not done well before. In the past, I got thirties, but they hurt me and were responsible for my exit from ODIs.”It is not that I’m curbing my instincts, but you have to consider the situation and play accordingly”•AFPHow would you describe your performance this IPL?
It was bad.You were a top-10 batsman when Chennai Super Kings won the IPL in 2010 and 2011. You also have a couple of centuries in the IPL. What is that you have learned in Twenty20 cricket that can help your batting in ODIs?
It is an entirely different format. A lot of batsmen are opening up a little earlier because of the confidence they have got playing in the Twenty20 format. But 50-over cricket is a very tricky game. Especially under pressure, sometimes you have to consolidate, sometimes you have to be aggressive, and it also depends on whether you are setting or chasing a target.Some people are surprised the selectors have picked a senior player like you who is 31 years old. Are they really looking to the future?
All I have got to say is if my fitness is not that good and I am not moving like a youngster then I can understand their point. But if that was the case then Huss [Michael Hussey] should not have played till 39 and he won the match for CSK in the IPL semi-finals [play-off]. I like to look at such examples that inspire me. Everybody is going to get old, but how fit you are and how consistent you are matter more to me.You must know what the challenge now is for you in one-day cricket?
For me the challenge is if I get a start, I obviously want to make it big. It is not that I have been a flop in ODIs. I just did not convert those starts into big hundreds. That was hurting me more. In fact, the same was the case in Test cricket when I got a lot of thirties initially. It takes time for you to understand it. I am in the right phase at the moment. I am not looking back and saying it was a very bad experience. No. Because that gave me a lot of learning across all the formats of the game.What have you been doing after returning from Bangladesh other than training?
I have found a new love for surfing. I have had a good time doing that because it is fun. I have learned a few more tricks.What are the new tricks?
Ride the wave and don’t fall.

This semi-final match could set the tone for a generation of women’s players to come

Firdose Moonda23-Feb-20233:57

England runaway favourites? Or can South Africa rally using the crowd support?

Big picture: England the favourites

South Africa in a semi-final. Against England. You think you know how this ends, don’t you?Three times in three meetings – at the 2014 T20 World Cup and 2017 and 2022 fifty-over World Cup – England have emerged triumphant from a final four meeting against South Africa and there’s no doubt they have the historical upper hand. They also have the contemporary one.England go into this semi-final on the back of an unbeaten run that stretches back 10 games and on an upward trajectory. They beat their last group stage opponents – Pakistan – by 114 runs, the biggest margin in Women’s T20 World Cups. On the same day, South Africa made heavy work of chasing exactly that number of runs against Bangladesh. While their opening pair found form, their middle-order remains unproven in this tournament and they rely heavily on their bowling attack. That means the big match-up in this game will be between South Africa’s bowlers and the Bazbelles that make up England’s batting line-up.Nat Sciver-Brunt has led the charge and finished the group stage as the leading run-scorer and though Heather Knight and Alice Capsey have had relatively quiet tournaments so far, England have plenty of firepower. They also have the knowledge that South Africa’s fielding, especially as the situation gets more tense, can fray and will demand the hosts put on a better display than they have managed to so far if they are to stand any chance of advancing to their first World Cup final.For all that’s against them, South Africa have one big thing in their favour: home support. Newlands has already seen a record crowd for a women’s international – of over 7,500 people – in the tournament opener and the semi-final match could set a new one and the tone for a generation of women’s players to come.Sune Luus leads South Africa out•ICC/Getty Images

In the end, the legacy of this semi-final may prove to be crucial in a country like South Africa where the domestic system remains fragile and at risk of falling further behind countries like Australia, England and India. South Africa have come closest to breaking the big three hegemony on the growth of the women’s game and this tournament will be a litmus test for how far off the pace or close to the boil they are.

Form guide

South Africa WLWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England: WWWWW

In the spotlight: Sune Luus and Sophia Dunkley

Suné Luus earned her 100th T20I cap in South Africa’s last, must-win group-stage match against Bangladesh but has yet to fully impose herself on the home World Cup. She has shown positive intent but been dismissed taking on the spinners twice, something she will want to improve on as she negotiates the middle overs. That is also her challenge in the field. While Luus seems to have a plan upfront with Nonkululekho Mlaba and a rotation of the quicks in the Powerplay, she will have to devise a plan against England’s strong middle-order.For all England’s big-hitting, opening batter Sophia Dunkley has had a quiet tournament with a highest score of 34 in their opener against West Indies and three knocks of 10 runs or fewer since. Dunkley has been struggling to clear the ball in the ‘V’ and has twice holed out to mid-on but there’s enough evidence to suggest she can get that shot right. She came into the tournament in good touch and blasted unbeaten scores of 59 off 19 balls and 60 off 38 balls against South Africa and New Zealand respectively and will want to bring out her most attacking game in the semi-finals.

Team news: Bell to return for England

South Africa have preferred Anneke Bosch over Delmi Tucker and Ayabonga Khaka over Masabata Klaas for their matches at Newlands and are likely to stick to that combination.South Africa: 1 Laura Wolvaardt, 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Marizanne Kapp, 4 Suné Luus (capt), 5 Chloe Tryon, 6 Anneke Bosch, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 9 Shabnim Ismail, 10 Ayabonga Khaka, 11 Nonkululekho MlabaEngland have been a dominant team all through the tournament•ICC via Getty Images

After resting Lauren Bell for the match against Pakistan, England are set to return to their first-choice XI.England: 1 Danni Wyatt, 2 Sophia Dunkley, 3 Alice Capsey, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 5 Heather Knight (capt), 6 Amy Jones (wk), 7 Sophie Ecclestone, 8 Katherine Sciver-Brunt, 9 Sarah Glenn, 10 Charlie Dean, 11 Lauren Bell

Pitch and conditions

Newlands has hosted 16 T20s this summer across the SA20 and Women’s World Cup and its square is showing signs of late season fatigue. Apart from fairly low and sometimes uneven bounce, the pitches have lacked pace and offered some turn which is contrary to what teams usually expect in South Africa. Only England have seemed free-flowing at this venue while bowlers on all sides have learnt not to err on the short side, but pitch it up instead. Temperatures are cooler than last week, with the maximum expected in the mid-20s, no rain and only the gentlest of breezes.

Stats and trivia

• In head-to-head terms, England hold the upper hand. They have won 19 out of 23 T20Is against South Africa, and only lost to them once at a World Cup – in February 2020.
• England have a batting strike rate of 154.77 against spin in this tournament – the best of any team.
• South Africa’s strike rate against pace is 94.44, the third worst behind New Zealand and Bangladesh.

Quotes

That’s great, then there’s no pressure on us or anything. We can just go out and enjoy, play free cricket, enjoy the moment and try to do our best.Asked if South Africa have been written off before a ball has even bowled Suné Luus was bullish.”The pressure is all on South Africa. It’s the home World Cup for them. So, we’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing. There’s such a calm feeling in our group at the minute, which is really nice. So, I think we’re not going to change anything. It’s just going to be really important to stay calm and just enjoy each other’s company, I guess. And just go out there, back ourselves and what will be, will be.”

The left hander believes that lbw is the biggest danger facing the offspinner

AAP25-Jan-20232:54

Will some red-ball game time in Ranji Trophy help India ahead of Australia Tests?

If Matt Renshaw gets a call-up to Australia’s Test side on the upcoming tour of India, he says he will be as prepared as ever to take on spin maestro R Ashwin.In 2021 Ashwin became the first bowler in history to take 200 wickets against left-handed batters. The 26-year-old Renshaw will tour with fellow top-six left-handers David Warner, Usman Khawaja and Travis Head. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey is also a lefty, so the challenges ahead are immense in the four-Test series that starts next month.Related

• Agar, Swepson, Murphy – Who will partner Lyon on India tour?

• Labuschagne plotting how to tackle the Ashwin puzzle

• Jadeja puts troubled knee to Ranji test as Australia series looms

Renshaw would play in the middle order if selected for the current side. When Australia toured India in 2017, he played all but one innings of the four Tests as an opener. Ashwin got him out just once, in the first Test at Pune, but not before he had top-scored with 68.”Ashwin is difficult to face. He is a smart bowler with a lot of variations and he uses them very well, but you do get used to him once you’ve faced him for a while,” Renshaw told AAP. “I think the big challenge from Ashwin and any offspinner in spinning conditions to a left-hander is the lbw threat.”Obviously everyone thinks about the one that turns and gets you caught at slip, but the big one is the lbw when it doesn’t spin. You just have to be ready for that one.Matt Renshaw was part of the Australia side last time they toured India•Associated Press

“I think two years batting at No. 5 helped me with facing spin. I know my game a lot better now and I am a lot more comfortable in different situations. We have a strong squad and it is going to be hard to push my way in, but I know that I will be ready if I do get a chance.”Renshaw is still part of the Brisbane Heat’s BBL campaign and has been preparing for India by having the spinners in his team, such as Mitch Swepson, Matt Kuhnemann and even Marnus Labuschagne, bowl the SG ball at him that is used in Test cricket in India.”The SG ball is a bit different, so we are just trying to prepare as well as we can during this BBL schedule if we get a window to hit red balls,” Renshaw said. “It is a lot different conditions in India, so we are trying to replicate them as much as we can.”The plan was if [the Heat] got knocked out we’d do some prep with the [Australian] team in Sydney, but we just kept winning and are in the finals now. We have got a good week and a bit in India before the first Test, so there will be plenty of time to prepare there as well.”Renshaw returned to the Test team this month in Sydney against South Africa to replace the injured Cameron Green after previously playing in that format in 2018.He did so on the back of strong form in first-class cricket. The new father to baby daughter Charlotte has observed close friend and team-mate Khawaja’s mindset towards his cricket and has learned to enjoy the moment, rather than worry about selections.”I am feeling good with my cricket. I am just rolling with any punches and enjoying myself,” Renshaw said.

Plus, players who signed off with World Cup finals, Sydney’s ODI record, and Bradman’s highest average

Steven Lynch31-Mar-2015How many people have finished their international career in the World Cup final, as seems to be the case for Daniel Vettori? asked Keith McAlpine from New Zealand

Before 2015, there had been eight players whose last international match of any kind came in a World Cup final. Four of them finished on a high with a winners’ medal: Rohan Kanhai (1975), Imran Khan (1992), Paul Reiffel (1999) and Glenn McGrath (2007). The other four finished on the losing side: Faoud Bacchus (1983), Javagal Srinath (2003), Russel Arnold (2007) and Muttiah Muralitharan (2011). For three others a World Cup final was their last one-day international, but they subsequently played more Test matches: Ross Edwards (1975), Thilan Samaraweera (2011) and Sreesanth (2011). Of those, only Sreesanth finished with a win.Michael Clarke didn’t quite manage it, but has anyone scored a century in their final one-day international? asked Dean Bainbridge from Australia

Eight players have signed off from one-day internationals with a century, starting with England’s Dennis Amiss, who made 108 against Australia at The Oval in 1977. The following year another Englishman, Clive Radley, scored 117 not out against New Zealand at Old Trafford. In 1993-94 the great West Indian opener Desmond Haynes marked what turned out to be his final ODI with 115 against England in Port-of-Spain; like Amiss, he’d made a hundred in his first one-day international as well. In Netherlands’ last match of the 2003 World Cup, against Namibia in Bloemfontein – their country’s last for a while – Feiko Kloppenburg made 121 and Klaas van Noortwijk an unbeaten 134. Sticking with the Dutch, Ryan ten Doeschate signed off from ODIs with 106 against Ireland in Kolkata in the 2011 World Cup; in between, New Zealand’s James Marshall had clattered 161 against Ireland in Aberdeen in 2008. There are three current players who made a century in their most recent innings, two of them during this World Cup: Zimbabwe’s Brendan Taylor signed off with 138 against India in Auckland, while Ireland’s captain William Porterfield hit 107 against Pakistan in Adelaide. Before that, Lea Siaka made 109 for Papua New Guinea against Hong Kong in Townsville last November. These last two will presumably play again.The best performances in a World Cup final are pretty well known. But who has the highest score in a semi-final? asked Jayantha de Silva from Sri Lanka

Steven Smith’s 105 against India in 2015 was the fifth individual century in a World Cup semi-final. The highest score in one is Mahela Jayawardene’s 115 not out for Sri Lanka against New Zealand in Kingston in 2007, which just shaded Graham Gooch’s 115 (out) for England v India in Mumbai in 1987. Saeed Anwar hit 113 not out for Pakistan against New Zealand at Old Trafford in 1999, while Sourav Ganguly made 111 not out for India v Kenya in Durban in 2003. The best bowling in a World Cup semi-final remains Gary Gilmour’s irresistible 6 for 14 for Australia against England at Headingley in 1975. Craig McDermott (1987), Shaun Pollock (1999) and Wahab Riaz (2011) have also taken five-fors in World Cup semi-finals.The World Cup quarter-final between South Africa and Sri Lanka was the 150th one-day international at the SCG. Has any ground staged more? asked Pascal Bounin from Australia

With Australia’s semi-final against India to add, the Sydney Cricket Ground has now staged 151 one-day internationals, more than any other venue apart from Sharjah, which has now hosted no fewer than 219. Melbourne lies third: the 2015 World Cup final was the 143rd ODI played there. There are two other grounds which have staged more than 100 ODIs: the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo has held 116 so far, and the Harare Sports Club 114. England lags well behind on this list: The Oval has staged 57 ODIs, and Lord’s 56.David Warner’s 178 against Afghanistan in Perth in 2015 was Australia’s highest score in World Cups•Getty ImagesI don’t think it got much coverage at the time, but was David Warner’s 178 against Afghanistan Australia’s highest score in the World Cup? asked Kerry Johnson from Australia

David Warner’s 178 against Afghanistan in Perth was indeed Australia’s highest individual score in the World Cup, beating Matthew Hayden’s 158 against West Indies in Antigua in 2007. Aaron Finch’s 135 against England in Melbourne comes in sixth on this list, behind Adam Gilchrist’s 149 against Sri Lanka in the 2007 final in Bridgetown, Andrew Symonds’ unbeaten 143 against Pakistan in Johannesburg in 2003, and Ricky Ponting’s 140 against India in the 2003 final in Jo’burg. The only higher scores for Australia in all ODIs are Shane Watson’s 185 not out against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2010-11, and Hayden’s 181 not out against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2006-07.What was the highest average Don Bradman ever had in his Test career? asked Dhanushka Edussuriya from Sri Lanka

The highest average Don Bradman ever achieved was 112.29, after his undefeated 299 against South Africa in Adelaide in 1931-32. He was out first ball in his next innings, against England during the Bodyline series in Melbourne, so the average went down a little. Before his final innings – that famous duck at The Oval in 1948 – The Don’s average was 101.39.

Europe's governing body has issued a statement in the wake of the controversy during Real Madrid's Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.

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• Atletico knocked out of UCL by Madrid
• Beaten in penalty shoout
• Alvarez spot-kick chalked off for double touch

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the tournament after beating city rivals Atletico in a shootout on Wednesday. However, there was plenty of drama in the Spanish capital as Alvarez saw his kick disallowed by VAR for a double touch. UEFA has now issued an update on the situation and provided confirmation the rule could now be updated.

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  WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  A statement read: "Atletico de Madrid enquired with UEFA over the incident, which led to the disallowance of the kick from the penalty mark taken by Julián Alvarez at the end of yesterday’s UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid. Although minimal, the player made contact with the ball using his standing foot before kicking it, as shown in the attached video clip. Under the current rule (Laws of the Game, Law 14.1), the VAR had to call the referee signalling that the goal should be disallowed. UEFA will enter discussions with FIFA and IFAB to determine whether the rule should be reviewed in cases where a double touch is clearly unintentional."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The decision to rule out Alvarez's penalty was questioned by Atletico after the game. Alvarez appeared to slip while taking the kick and manager Diego Simeone felt it was impossible to tell whether he had touched the ball twice: "I've just seen the images, the referee says Julián touches the ball with his supporting leg, but the ball doesn't move. That's debatable, whether it was a goal or not. But I'm proud of my players, I'm honestly happy, because we competed in an exemplary way."

  Any extra contact from Alvarez was minimal at best and it's difficult to see what, if any, advantage the Argentine gained. However, Atletico's decision to contact UEFA over the incident may now bring about a change to the rules.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Of course any potential rule change will come too late for Atletico who were dumped out of the competition, while Real Madrid go on to face Arsenal in the quarter-finals. Diego Simeone's men will aim to bounce back on Sunday in a huge La Liga clash with Barcelona.