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Australia’s inexperienced bowlers face yet another challenge at Wanderers against South Africa, a side brimming with confidence after recent home victories

The Preview by David Hopps01-Oct-2016Match factsSunday, October 2, 2016, Johannesburg
Start time 1000 local (0800 GMT)
Big PictureAustralia were always going to be vulnerable at the start of this stand-alone ODI series in South Africa. Their priority is to restate their Test pedigree during their home summer against South Africa and Pakistan, a need that has grown stronger because of their recent trouncing in a Test series in Sri Lanka.That much became clear from the moment Cricket Australia chose to rest Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc for the battles to come. Whatever the logic of that, Steve Smith could be forgiven for looking around for them in desperation in the opening ODI at SuperSport Park as Quinton de Kock, destroying good balls and bad, pulverised an Australian attack also missing James Faulkner.De Kock’s 178 from 113 balls – the highest ODI score ever made in South Africa and many more records besides – was an immediate indication of the challenge facing Australia. With the absence of AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla – the latter presumably only briefly – from South Africa’s batting line-up, they might have perceived a gentle introduction, but few opening batsmen these days possess the destructive threat of de Kock, and it was not long before sixes were raining down on the leg-side boundary.A few miles down the road in Johannesburg, Daniel Worrall, Scott Boland and John Hastings will hope for a second outing, although South Australia’s Joe Mennie and Victoria’s Chris Tremain are also in the squad and are likely to get an airing at some point in the series. They have all received a warning from Australia’s bowling coach Ryan Harris about the challenge. “National cricket is brutal and if you don’t get it right you get eaten up pretty quick,” he said.Form guideSouth Africa: WWLWL
(last five completed matches, most recent first)Australia: LWWWW
Players to watchAndile Phehlukwayo’s second ODI came against a backdrop of new transformation targets which require the selection of a minimum average of 54% black players – of which 18% must be Black African – across the three formats over the season. He showed good command of length at SuperSport Park and took 4 for 44 off his 10 overs, a sound start for a powerfully-built allrounder.South Australian Daniel Worrall was the second leading wicket-taker in last season’s Sheffield Shield. After a comfortable debut against Ireland in Benoni, South Africa asked tougher questions and it will be interesting to see how he responds in Johannesburg.Team newsSouth Africa are monitoring the fitness of Dale Steyn. Although he completed his full allocation in his first ODI since he suffered a shoulder injury while bowling against England last December, he was below his best, left the field twice and on several occasions looked concerned about the shoulder. It was a far cry from his triumphant Test return against New Zealand on the same ground in August. Hashim Amla, who only joined the squad on Wednesday following the birth of his third child, missed Friday’s match due to illness but he could return.South Africa (probable) 1 Quinton de Kock, 2 Hashim Amla/Rilee Rossouw, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 JP Duminy, 5 David Miller, 6 Farhaan Behardien, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo, 8 Wayne Parnell, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran Tahir.Australia’s captain Steve Smith gave no indication that there might be changes to Australia’s line-up after Friday’s defeat. Even considering the pummelling that Australia’s weakened attack received at the hands of Quinton de Kock, or the failure of the batsmen to take advantage of a run-friendly surface, a 48-hour turnaround between matches leaves little time for reassessment.Australia (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 George Bailey, 5 Mitchell Marsh, 6 Travis Head, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 John Hastings, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Daniel Worrall, 11 Scott Boland.Pitch and conditionsThere have been water restrictions in Johannesburg, leaving groundstaff hoping for some early spring rain to assist with grass growth. It remains to be seen whether this has a detrimental effect on the pitch or, indeed, the outfield. The weekend has been sunny, with 23C forecast for Sunday.Stats and trivia Quinton de Kock’s 178 in the first match at SuperSport Park on Friday was South Africa’s second highest individual score in ODIs South Africa achieved their third highest successful chase in that game.Quotes”Hopefully there will be a couple more wickets like that in the series. Then we can have some more fun.”
“We got a nice wicket to bat on and we gave some opportunities away… so going forward it’s the responsibility of one of our top four to post a big total, and if we do that then the team total is going to be big as well.”
does the math.

Brett Lee is probably the only Australian who has welcomed the retirements of McGrath and Warne and is thriving in an environment where he is the alpha male

Peter English at the Gabba03-Feb-2008
Brett Lee: Basking in the limelight © Getty Images
Brett Lee now bowls like a man with nothing to prove. The shadows of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne have gone and the only clouds on his mind in Brisbane were the leaky ones above the Gabba. A parent of a toddler, Lee is also the head of Australia’s bowling family and is becoming more relaxed about the responsibility with every innings.Australia’s attack included a debutant in Ashley Noffke and Mitchell Johnson, who has played 26 matches, was the only other one backing up from the Test series. Lee was not concerned by his lack of big-name help and against an opponent with similarly fresh faces he showed why he is the big daddy.This is the point Lee has wanted to reach since making his international debut nine years ago. He gets the new ball, comes back mid-innings to mop up or blast out and returns at the finish to create more damage. There is never any question over his end and when Ricky Ponting wants a wicket it is Lee who takes the ball. Throughout the Tests he was there when Ponting needed him and he has started the CB Series in the same way.The only thing Lee could not control was the weather, which prevented him from earning the victory his bowling deserved. In between taking 5 for 27 he ran across to support Noffke during his early expensive overs and tapped a batsman in apology after almost running into him. The downscaling of hostilities since Sydney actually suits Lee and does not result in any loss of bowling venom. Without needing to think about what to say to a batsman, he can concentrate more on how to remove them.There was no generosity shown to the debutant Manoj Tiwary as he was attacked with a series of shorter deliveries. Tiwary did well to avoid a couple of dangerous balls aimed around head height, but he was so sure of getting another that he could not deal with a fuller one and was bowled off his pad. At the end of the over Lee was given a rest, his four-over second spell costing only 11 runs and including two wickets. India had threatened to come back after losing their experienced openers, but when Lee removed Rohit Sharma and Tiwary three wickets had fallen for three runs.Sachin Tendulkar also miscalculated Lee in the final over of his opening collection, pushing back too far and stepping on his stumps. The new and old were taken care of along with a couple of wickets in the last over of the innings and the upshot was Lee’s seventh career five-wicket haul.Lee is probably the only Australian who has welcomed the retirements of McGrath and Warne and is thriving in an environment where he is the alpha maleThe rest of Lee’s fast-bowling family had a mixed day. Nathan Bracken was expensive after his early breakthrough while Noffke recovered well from giving up 27 runs in his opening four overs. Like Noffke, Johnson was playing on his home ground and he would have had something to cheer two overs earlier if Australia’s slips fielders were on message.Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting both dropped chances off Gautam Gambhir within three balls, but Johnson recovered to trap the batsman in front. He remained a threat and gave up only 33 runs in nine overs, although all the serious danger came from Lee until Ishant Sharma stormed through after another rain break.Given limited opportunities, Sharma was the only bowler to match Lee’s potency in a brief spell where he weaved the ball on a surface freshened by the extra moisture. James Hopes’ off stump was lost and Michael Clarke was welcomed with a hit in the chest. Sitting in the dressing room Lee would have been impressed with the discomfort caused for the batsmen.The conditions were steamy, the ball became slippery and the bowlers had many excuses for things not working. Lee did not need any and excelled despite the heat, the rain interruptions and the new-look India.To reach this level he needed to look around the field and not see any safety nets. Lee is probably the only Australian who has welcomed the retirements of McGrath and Warne and is thriving in an environment where he is the alpha male. Now when he stands at the top of his run he is no longer confused over his position. This is Lee’s team as well as Ponting’s.

The visitors, buoyed by the return of Angelo Mathews, Asela Gunaratne and Danushka Gunathilaka, seek to improve a woeful 2017 ODI record

The Preview by Sidharth Monga09-Dec-20175:12

Agarkar: Sri Lanka need leaders to show the way forward

Big pictureSri Lanka can breathe easy. And not just because they are out of Delhi. Virat Kohli will not be breaking any more records on the rest of their tour. That’s where the good news ends, though. The last time Sri Lanka played ODIs in India, India’s new captain Rohit Sharma scored 264. Also the most successful IPL captain, Rohit, now gets to lead India in limited-overs cricket as Kohli rests, but the onus is on Sri Lanka to make this series less tedious than the speculation around Kohli’s wedding.An indication of how unsure Sri Lanka are in ODI cricket is that until recently, their new captain Thisara Perera struggled to find a place in the side. Visiting India for ODIs is a daunting task at the best of times, and when you are on a 12-match losing streak and when India are on a seven-series winning streak, even miracles might not be enough. A more realistic target for Sri Lanka is to deny India a whitewash, which is what they need to become the No. 1 side in ODIs again.Normally, winning the toss and chasing in dewy grounds would be Sri Lanka’s best chance to deny India, but the two matches in India’s north, likely to be severely affected by dew, will begin two hours earlier than usual. That said, India will not want to take Sri Lanka lightly, especially with the return of Angelo Mathews, Danushka Gunathilaka and Asela Gunaratne.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
India: WWLWL
Sri Lanka: LLLLLIn the spotlightAn opportunity to bat in the India top order – with Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit and Kohli – doesn’t come easy. The next three ODIs are an invitation for someone to stake a strong claim. Might it be another chance for Ajinkya Rahane, who has scored runs as an opener but hasn’t done enough to dispel the notion that he struggles to push on once the ball gets softer? Might this be an opportunity for Shreyas Iyer to get a decent run in India’s limited-overs sides? Or will Dinesh Karthik present a case to become India’s long-term No. 4?AFPNiroshan Dickwella can often get away with intemperate batting in Tests, but in ODIs he has to play a more important, more responsible role. He is Sri Lanka’s second-highest run-getter this year, and one of only three players from Sri Lanka to have played more than 20 matches this year. How well he goes at the top of the order will often determine how well Sri Lanka go.Team newsRahane is the frontrunner to take Kohli’s place in the XI with the other ODI specialists slotting right back in. Kedar Jadhav is injured, which probably means a toss up between Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer for a middle-order spot.*India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt.), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Dinesh Karthik, 5 Manish Pandey/Shreyas Iyer, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Axar Patel, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalSri Lanka’s Delhi Test saviour Dhananjaya de Silva, who scored the highest fourth-innings score by a visiting batsman in India despite illness and injury, will not be fit for the first ODI. Gunaratne, who injured his hand during the first Test on India’s tour of Sri Lanka, should regain his middle-order spot now that he is fit. Sri Lanka’s second-highest wicket-taker this year, Suranga Lakmal, is available too. They will also be boosted by the availability of Mathews to bowl a few overs.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Sadeera Samarawickrama/Kusal Perera/Lahiru Thirimanne, 4 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Thisara Perera (capt.), 7 Asela Gunaratne 8 Chaturanga de Silva/Sachith Pathirana/Dushmantha Chameera, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Nuwan Pradeep, 11 Akila DananjayaPitch and conditionsThe first-innings scores in the only three ODIs in Dharamsala have swung wildly between 190 and 330, making it hard to predict the typical nature of the surface. Usually, though, the only demon ODI tracks in India hold is slowness, which is not always the issue in Dharamsala. Thisara said it was a good batting pitch.Stats and trivia The last major team Sri Lanka beat in an ODI was India, in the Champions Trophy earlier this year. Sri Lanka have been whitewashed 5-0 three times this year. Angelo Mathews needs 88 runs to become the 10th Sri Lankan to 5000 ODI runs. He will be the slowest Sri Lankan to the mark. Sri Lanka last won an ODI in India in the World Cup of 2011. They last beat India in India in 2009. Since then, their record in India has been 1-8.Quotes”We have a couple of players who have come from injury. Balanced side at the moment. Hopefully we can do something special, I hope.”
*The preview was updated after the news of Kedar Jadhav’s injury came in.

Jonny Bairstow made his second century of the Royal London series to help England to a resounding victory over West Indies

George Dobell at the Ageas Bowl29-Sep-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJonny Bairstow made his second century of the Royal London series to help England to a resounding victory over West Indies.Bairstow, who was promoted to open the batting following a spell of poor form that saw Jason Roy dropped, followed his maiden ODI century at Old Trafford in the first match of this series with an accomplished innings of 141 from 114 balls. It was the highest ODI score by an England batsman in an ODI against West Indies and the first time an England player has scored two centuries in the same bilateral ODI series against them.With the recalled Roy also taking his opportunity – he followed his innings of 84 at The Oval with an innings of 96 here – it suggested Alex Hales could face a prolonged period outside the team. Hales is not currently considered available for selection following a night out in Bristol.The competition for places in the England squad is more intense than anything they experienced on the pitch at the Ageas Bowl. Set a modest 289 for victory, they eased to a nine-wicket win with an eye-watering 12 overs remaining. That sealed a 4-0 series win and stretched England’s record against West Indies to 16 out of their last 17 ODIs.While Roy and Bairstow’s opening partnership of 156 in 21.2 overs will probably gain the plaudits after a disappointingly one-sided game, the key period arguably occurred much earlier. From the moment West Indies went more than 20 overs in mid-innings without hitting a boundary it became apparent they would set an inadequate total.But for a brief flurry from Chris Gayle, when he thrashed 34 in six successive deliveries from Jake Ball, West Indies were oddly passive for much of their innings bat and allowed England’s spinners – Man of the Series Moeen Ali and legspinner Adil Rashid – to bowl their 20 overs for a cost of just 78 runs. West Indies went from the final ball of the ninth over to the fifth ball of the 31st without hitting a boundary.The day had started poorly for England. With Ben Stokes’ immediate future uncertain, the importance of Chris Woakes to England has grown further. So it was far from ideal that he reported some stiffness in his lower back after the match at The Oval and was rested as a consequence. There are currently no plans for a scan but England will be anxiously monitoring his progress over the next few days.In his place, Tom Curran came into the side for an ODI debut and produced a quietly impressive performance. Most notably, he demonstrated admirable skill and composure in producing a perfectly delivered back-of-the-hand slower ball to deceive and dismiss Gayle in full flow. It will prove a memorable maiden ODI wicket in a performance that may well have propelled him above Ball when it comes to future selection.Ball found, like many before him, that bowling to Gayle in the Powerplay is no easy task. Despite starting with a maiden to Gayle, who didn’t get off the mark until his 15th ball, the final three deliveries of Ball’s third over were all thrashed – to say they were driven would hardly reflect the terrific force with which the ball was struck – for six by Gayle, while the first three of his fourth conceded two more sixes and a four to the same batsman. In all, Ball conceded six of the 10 sixes hit by West Indies during the innings.Also deserving of credit for the Gayle dismissal was Liam Plunkett. Keeping his eye on the ball while running back from mid-off, Plunkett clung on to an outstanding diving catch to capitalise on Gayle’s mistimed drive. A few overs later Plunkett took an equally good reaction chance off his own bowling – pouncing low and to his left, he clung on to a mistimed drive – to account for Kyle Hope, who came into the side in place of the injured Evin Lewis.That wicket brought Shai Hope and Samuels together. And, while the pair were rarely troubled in adding 57, the fact that it took them 16 overs played into England’s hands. Samuels’s miserable series culminated in an innings of 32 from 60 balls with just one boundary and meant he finished the series averaging 15.25 at a strike-rate of 49.19. By the time he ran past one from Moeen Ali that slid on, it was hard to gauge whether it was England or West Indies supporters who were happier.Shai Hope, at least, eventually found his form. Having not hit a boundary for the first 77 balls of his innings, he then hit three in succession as he started to anticipate Curran’s variations.Sunil Ambris, brought into the side in place of Jason Holder who returned to Barbados for the funeral of his uncle, also looked an accomplished, aggressive player. With Ashley Nurse, who hit 31 from 12 balls, he added some impetus at the end of the innings to partially compensate for the overs used up by Hope and Samuels. But, on another decent track, the West Indies total always looked a little short of par.Not for a moment did Bairstow and Roy appear troubled. And, if it was the crisp striking that was a feature of the latter part of Bairstow’s innings, it was his brilliant running between the wickets that left West Indies’ stand-in captain, Jason Mohammed, scratching his head. Joe Root completed proceedings by hitting the final ball of the match for six and, in the process, becoming the third-fastest man in history to reach 4000 ODI runs.The result completes the longest international season in England’s history. In the 147 days since May 5, England have won 18 of the international games they have played (with one no-result), including Test and ODI series victories over South Africa and West Indies. All of which sounds excellent. But the failure to win the Champions Trophy and lingering fears for the future of Stokes cast significant shadows over those results.West Indies, meanwhile, clearly have a great deal of work in front of them if they are to gain qualification to the World Cup.

Southampton could soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief in regards to the future of Nathan Tella, with reliable journalist Darren Witcoop reporting that Burnley are now looking at former Saint Nathan Redmond instead.

How many goals did Nathan Tella score for Burnley?

The 24-year-old spent the 2022/23 season out on loan with the Clarets in the Championship, helping them to storm to the league title under the stewardship of new manager Vincent Kompany. Having never managed more than 18 league games in a season before his move to Turf Moor, he went on to feature in 39 games for the side in the second tier and was a key member of their first-team. He bagged 17 goals, with five assists along the way, and ended the campaign with a rate of 0.79 goal contributions per 90 – the best rate of his career.

Prior to this spell with Burnley, he had spent the entirety of his career playing for Southampton and their reserve side. He was handed his league debut for the Saints back in 2019/20 and has so far managed 33 games in the Premier League with them. However, his goal and assist rate at St Mary's Stadium hasn't been as exceptional as what he managed with Burnley, as he has just one goal and two assists over those fixtures with the club.

Are Southampton selling Nathan Tella to Burnley?

Having finally realised his potential and shown his ability in that Clarets team, Kompany has been keen to reunite with Tella again for the 2023/24 campaign. He has already expressed his interest in adding the winger on a permanent basis, but as of yet there has been no deal done to send him back to the club.

And it now appears as though Burnley could be moving on from the Southampton man. According to a report from reliable journalist Darren Witcoop, the Saints have whacked a large price tag on the head of the 24-year-old after his displays for Burnley.

It means that the Clarets are currently being "priced out" of a transfer move for the forward this summer. With no end in sight in terms of sorting out the financials, it appears as though they could now be looking elsewhere to boost their wings as the journalist also adds that they have turned towards Redmond. He also formerly played for Southampton, but has most recently spent time with Besiktas and is now a free agent.

It's no surprise that Burnley have been desperate to try and bring Tella back to Turf Moor, with their current boss Vincent Kompany viewing the winger very highly. During his tenure with the Clarets, the manager stated that the forward was a "raw diamond" and was able to help the side "in so many ways" because he "has all the tools".

Tella really did shine at Championship level then, so if Southampton can hold on to the 24-year-old, it could do their chances of an instant promotion the world of good next season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a summer to forget in the transfer window, a feat that could get worse according to new revelations.

After the mutual departure of former manager Julen Lopetegui just five days prior to the club’s Premier League opener against Manchester United.

Gary O’Neil was selected as the man to take the reins from the Spaniard at a time when issues regarding Financial Fair Play (FFP) have consumed the headlines this summer at Molineux, as well as leaving the squad relatively bare.

The Englishman could face issues greater than the financial restrictions plaguing the Old Gold, should new reports be believed, as the side looks set to lose another star talent.

Who could Wolves sell this summer?

After bidding farewell to names as highly-rated at Molineux as Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Adama Traore, Nathan Collins and Raul Jimenez this summer, further figures could be set to exit before the window closes.

There continues to be speculation over Daniel Podence’s future, who is being monitored by Celtic, a new report from Portugal has relayed information regarding the long-term future of fellow winger Goncalo Guedes.

A report from his home country (as relayed by Sport Witness) has suggested that the 26-year-old is ‘very close’ to heading back to Benfica on loan, with Wolves hoping that he succeeds with the Eagles in the hope that they can sell him permanently.

Contracted to Molineux until 2027, the forward has had limited opportunity in the Premier League for a number of reasons, however, the failure of his stint replicates an aura of another failed transfer.

Should Wolves sell Goncalo Guedes?

After joining the club last summer from Valencia for a fee in the region of £27m, the former PSG forward has had a time to forget in England.

There was so much hope that came with his arrival, with him being impressive in Spain just the year prior to his transfer, in which he contributed to 17 goals in LaLiga by scoring 11 and assisting six.

Having been described as being “lightning-quick” among a host of attributes by talkSPORT’s Andy Brassell, the 26-year-old was poised to be another strong acquisition at Molineux from Portugal, however rather than following the legacy of Neves, he seems to be rewriting the history of Pedro Goncalves.

While the woes of Goncalves’ failed transfer came after he left the club through his revelation as one of the most dangerous wingers in Portugal, Guedes has suffered a similar fate to the Sporting Lisbon ace, with the Midlands just not cutting it for his playing style and expectation.

The former Benfica star has made just 18 appearances for Wolves since signing, as well as going on a loan spell back to his boyhood club to pull himself away from the Premier League.

His expected sale comes as a huge disappointment for Wolves, who could have a phenomenal talent at their disposal if it wasn’t for powers out of their control, with the winger being unhappy.

Back in January, Lopetegui relayed that the 26-year-old “wanted to leave” the club, though it doesn’t ease the blow of not getting anything from a £27m signing.

Since leaving Wolves, fellow Premier League runaway Goncalves has contributed to 83 league goals in only 127 appearances, showing just what the club could’ve had, which could happen in the instance the Guedes follows suit.

Ultimately, Fosun doesn’t have an option but to allow the former Valencia man to depart with him unwilling to stay, however it must be a lesson for the Old Gold who have failed to utilise another highly-promising transfer.

USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner yearns for a "less chaotic" year in 2024 after his calamitous display for Nottingham Forest against Manchester United.

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Turner joined Forest in the summerHas been through both ups and downs with new clubHopes for more stability in 2024WHAT HAPPENED?

The USMNT shot-stopper signed a four-year contract with the Tricky Trees after completing a £10 million transfer from Arsenal in search of more minutes. He started as the No. 1 choice between the sticks but soon lost his spot to Odysseas Vlachodimos following Forest's 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in October.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After getting benched for five consecutive Premier League matches, Steve Cooper was forced to fall back on Turner after a 5-0 thrashing to Fulham at Craven Cottage. However, the American 'keeper has continued to be error-prone and has shipped in cheap goals against Tottenham and United, who were gifted a way back into the game on Saturday thanks to his poor kicking. Although he was bailed out by Morgan Gibbs-White's elegant finish against the Red Devils, Turner faces the threat of being dropped again if he fails to find consistency.

WHAT MATT TURNER SAID

After finishing 2023 with a win at the City Ground, Turner wants the new year to bring in more stability. Sharing a carousel of pictures, he wrote on Instagram: "Final frames of 2023! Learning so much week in and week out about life on and off the pitch. New city new team new member of the family all at once!! Looking forward to more memories in 2024, maybe a bit less chaotic eh?"

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DID YOU KNOW?

Turner, who was deemed surplus to requirements at Arsenal after failing to usurp Aaron Ramsdale between the sticks, has conceded 23 goals in 15 appearances since joining Forest and has kept just two clean sheets.

A shattering spell of reverse swing by Tom Curran foiled Australia’s chase of a modest total as England took the one-day series 4-1

The Report by Daniel Brettig28-Jan-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA shattering spell of reverse swing by Tom Curran foiled Australia’s chase of a modest England total and in turn silenced a West Australian record crowd of 53,781 in the first ODI to be played at Perth’s new stadium. A trio of players from out west – Mitchell Marsh, AJ Tye and Marcus Stoinis – had prospered earlier in the match, but it was the effervescent Curran who had the final say, years after he had been childhood friends with Marsh when growing up in Zimbabwe.Australia seemed to be travelling comfortably in pursuit of 260 for victory, after England’s batsmen had squandered a series of starts, when Stoinis fell within sight of a hundred upon his promotion to No. 3 in the home side’s batting order. Having earlier ended a poor series for David Warner with a lively yorker, Curran was called back by Eoin Morgan and had his second ball curling back to confound the recalled Glenn Maxwell.Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Tim Paine followed, leaving England 4-1 victors in the 50-over series and underlining the fact that Australia are currently a long way from putting together a strong limited overs combination, less than 18 months away from next year’s World Cup. England were also well served by David Willey, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, while Jake Ball overcame considerable physical distress to complete his 10 overs. Winning the match without Mark Wood, Chris Woakes or Liam Plunkett was testament to the depth of the England ODI squad.The visitors had seemed headed for a tall total when Jason Roy was hitting the ball with plenty of power early on, but he, Jonny Bairstow and Alex Hales all failed to go on from promising starts to leave Joe Root more or less stranded with the England tail. In the game after taking his first international wickets, Tye used his vast array of pace variations to scoop five, reaping the rewards of some earlier good work by Marsh and also Zampa, who delivered his best spell of the series.Warner again departed cheaply, but his exit provided the chance for Stoinis to demonstrate his combination of poise and power in a way that will put him very much in the mix to be a more permanent fixture at No. 3. A promising stand with Travis Head, again looking comfortable as an opener, was ended by Morgan’s direct hit run out, which found the left-hander to be fractionally short of his ground.Smith has looked out of sorts all series, and did little to change that impression by being nearly stumped off Rashid and then comfortably stumped off Moeen, who drifted one away from Australia’s captain before sliding it past the outside edge and into Buttler’s gloves. Marsh was victim to a simply outstanding return catch from Moeen, who thrust out his right hand and plucked a fiercely struck straight drive just as the umpire was ducking for cover.For a time it appeared that Stoinis and Maxwell would take the Australians home, leaving the hosts needing just 70 from 97 balls with six wickets in hand. But when Stoinis failed to clear long-on when electing to loft Rashid, he opened up an end for Curran, who made the most of it, turning figures of 1 for 23 after five overs into a match-winning 5 for 35 after 9.2.Smith admitted that his decision to bowl first was based largely on unknowns about the stadium’s drop-in pitch, which offered an odd-looking mosaic of dry grass and greener areas. But it played well from the moment Roy flicked Starc’s first ball of the match through square leg, the vast square boundaries for a stadium devised primarily for football matches allowing an all-run four.Having begun the series with a whirlwind 180 at the MCG, Roy seemed intent on ending it in a similar manner, driving powerfully down the ground and through cover across a fast outfield. The ball after hitting Starc back over his head for six, he edged a ball angling across him through to Paine, only to be reprieved by the detection of a no-ball on replays after the event. Starc beat Roy for pace with the subsequent free-hit, but the no-ball looked likely to be costly as England strode to 44 in the first five overs.Some tighter bowling from the West Australian duo of Marsh and Tye forced Roy’s scoring rate to slacken, and ultimately drew his wicket when trying to force the pace once more – beaten by one of Tye’s slower ball variations and skying to mid-on. Bairstow then took it upon himself to drive the scoreboard forward, but he too was dismissed after making a start, dragging an indeterminate prod at Starc onto the stumps after Smith brought back his No. 1 strike bowler.Marsh, who bowled with notable economy, also ensured Hales would not go on from his own start by coaxing a top edge from a short ball, and Morgan swiped unsuccessfully at another ball banged into the pitch, taken by Stoinis running in from deep point. Buttler briefly threatened to go on the offensive before he too was fooled by Tye’s subtle changes in pace, leaving Root to try to lift the tally with the bowlers.He paid a price in pain when one of Tye’s deliveries came through slower than expected, Root through the shot and struck a painful blow in the ribs that he took some time to recover from. None of Moeen, Rashid or Willey could endure, and when Root found Warner at long on, the end was Tye’s. Australia went to the interval with confidence, but they were to be humbugged by Curran, much as they have been by a more focused and tactically alert England throughout this series.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to act fast to solve their outstanding crisis, wholeheartedly backing Ange Postecoglou as he seeks to navigate the trials and tribulations that come with his job…

Who else are Tottenham Hotspur signing?

Thursday night will be a date long remembered in the history of this club, as the day which the news broke detailing Harry Kane's move to Bayern Munich.

What stands as a microcosm for years of mediocrity in north London, of which even his legendary goalscoring exploits could not pull them out, they will now be left with a hefty lump sum and a squad still needing a revamp if they are to attain instant success under the new leadership.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

One huge step they could take towards reaching that goal is through the signing of Montpellier's Elye Wahi, who French publication Foot Mercato suggest remains a target for Spurs.

In fact, they are said to be very keen on the young marksman, and could 'quickly concretely move' once the departure of the England captain is confirmed. His club are expected to command a €30m (£26m) fee for his services.

How good is Elye Wahi?

It marks a near-impossible task to replace Kane.

The 30-year-old has written himself in numerous history books across his 19 years in north London, and will leave just 48 goals away from breaking the Premier League all-time scoring record, having surpassed Jimmy Greaves to become the Lilywhites' top scorer back in February.

Even scoring 30 league goals last season marked an outstanding achievement given how it turned into one of the worst campaigns in the club's recent history.

So, seeking to replace him with just one man might seem foolish, should they not do their due diligence on their next starting striker.

He not only needs to align with Postecoglou's high-octane philosophy but also boast a similar cutting-edge that makes him lethal enough to spearhead the new-look attack. After all, they will be losing out on a whole load of goals, some of which have to be offset by his replacement.

Wahi may be young, but his trajectory suggests that he could soon emulate Kane, with some figures even suggesting he boasts even greater finishing prowess.

After all, the Frenchman did notch 19 goals and assist a further six in Ligue 1 last term, building on his ten-goal haul from the year prior.

This steady progression fed into his recent immaculate 30% conversion rate in front of goal, as the finisher posted his 19 strikes from an expected goals tally of just 12.22, via Sofascore.

For comparison, their departing star could only muster a 23% conversion rate, yet his 30 league goals came from 21.46 expected goals, via Sofascore.

Whilst the latter is clearly more likely to find the net from range, blasting in low-value chances on occasion, it could be argued that Wahi would mark a more reliable marksman to have, who would offer a consistent stream of finishes should the opportunities arise.

Given he also boasts the physical assets to thrive in England too, all signs point towards him being an instant success should he make the switch. Ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo had suggested: "He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next."

With his unrelenting athleticism and lethal nature, against all the odds Postecoglou could be set to secure a new forward who is arguably just as clinical as Kane.

Liverpool star Cody Gakpo has admitted there is "pressure" surrounding the title race ahead of a crucial clash against Newcastle United.

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Gakpo key player for LiverpoolOne year since arrivalOpens up on title race pressureGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The 24-year-old Netherlands international has claimed although there is pressure ahead of hosting the Magpies at Anfield, he and his Liverpool team-mates are preparing in the same way and are ready for the test.

AdvertisementWHAT GAKPO SAID

Speaking ahead of the upcoming clash against Newcastle, Gakpo also talked up the collective spirit in the Liverpool camp. "I think we are doing really good from the beginning of the season and we have a good group," he told the official Liverpool website. "This game, even though we are in first place, we just go into this game like it's a really important game – like every other game.Of course it brings pressure to be in the top position in the league but I think we don't see it like that. We are just really focused on that one game we have to play in that moment, and I think that's also a strength of the team.

"They [Newcastle] have a really good team. Obviously we have to work really hard, we have to fight together, stick together even through the difficult moments maybe that will come in the game – hopefully not but it's a world-class team as well.It's hopefully going to be a great game with us on top at the end."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Gakpo arrived at Liverpool in the January transfer window for around £36 million ($46m), and he is now approaching a year at the club ahead of the game on New Year's Day.

The versatile forward has made just under 50 appearances for the Reds in the short time he has been on Merseyside, as he looks to secure his first bit of silverware at the club in the near future, further outlining why he is remaining focused when commenting on a possible title race in 2024.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR GAKPO?

Gakpo, as well as other players in the team such as Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota, will all have to step-up in the coming weeks as they prepare to lose star-man Mohamed Salah to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Liverpool will play their final fixture with the Egyptian against Newcastle, before he jets off to the Ivory Coast to join up with his international team-mates. Following his departure, Gakpo will need to prepare for an FA Cup meeting against Arsenal and a Premier League game against Fulham.