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Smith has indicated that South Africa could make the appointment from left field and take a chance on someone with potential

Firdose Moonda17-Apr-2020

Cricket South Africa doesn’t want to put too much on Quinton de Kock’s plate•Getty Images

Quinton de Kock will not be named South Africa’s Test captain even though there is no clear candidate for the position yet. That was confirmed by Graeme Smith, South Africa’s director of cricket, on Friday, who said the risk of overburdening de Kock has resulted in ruling him out of leadership role in all three formats.De Kock was appointed as the country’s white-ball captain in January and succeeded Faf du Plessis, who had been in charge since 2017. Du Plessis also stood down from the Test captaincy but remains available as a player. With South Africa not scheduled to play any Tests before a tour to West Indies in July-August, they have some time before deciding who will lead them in whites but are certain it will not be de Kock.”The one thing I can confirm is that Quinton will be our white-ball captain and he won’t be the Test captain going forward,” Smith said. “We want to keep Quinton fresh and playing well. I’ve always believed, having been in the job myself, that captaining all three formats is challenging. We’ve seen a number of nations trying to figure out what’s best and I think across three formats, it probably doesn’t work.”Among teams competing in the World Test Championship, only India and New Zealand have the same captain across all three formats and although South Africa had the same until this summer, they have also tried multiple captains. When Smith gave up the white-ball captaincy after the 2011 World Cup, AB de Villiers was appointed and during de Villiers’ tenure, he handed first the T20, then the Test and then the ODI reigns to du Plessis. In between, Johan Botha and Hashim Amla had stints as T20 and Test captain, respectively. When du Plessis took over across all formats, consistency was cited as the main reason – not to mention his obvious leadership qualities – but now both the calendar and their own circumstances have forced a change.While the Future Tours Programme has become fluid as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, South Africa were set for a fairly busy schedule over the next few months with a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in June, a tour to West Indies as mentioned, possible white-ball games in Pakistan and a home-series against them, the T20 World Cup and a summer featuring Sri Lanka and Australia in 2020-21. Given that de Kock is also their premier wicket-keeper and has stated his desire to keep the gloves, and that he opens the batting in white-ball cricket, adding the Test captaincy to his load was decided as being too much.ALSO READ: Graeme Smith appointed South Africa’s director of cricket till March 2022″From a workload and mental capacity, we felt that to burden him with all three formats wouldn’t be beneficial for us. And with the style of personality and player that he is, we want to keep him as expressive as possible,” Smith said.But if not de Kock, then who?That’s the question Smith can’t answer just yet with South Africa’s current transition phase meaning that there is no obvious choice. “I can’t tell you who it is going to be. We are in a debate over it,” Smith said. “There’s no one person that you could pinpoint right now and say that’s the guy. There’s still a lot of players that are vying for selection and I think it is the challenge we sit with at the moment. There’s a lot of players on a similar level.”With the retirements of Vernon Philander, Hashim Amla, de Villiers, Dale Steyn (from red-ball cricket), Imran Tahir (from ODIs but not T20s) and JP Duminy in the last year, South Africa have lost a significant part of their senior core. The 2019-20 summer saw them field a total of 33 players across formats and hand out nine new Test caps. Of those, stand-out performers included Rassie van der Dussen and Anrich Nortje, with the former being mentioned as a potential Test captain given his ability to deal with pressure and a relatively consistent run. He was South Africa’s second-highest run-scorer at the 2019 World Cup, behind du Plessis, and fourth-highest in the Test summer after de Kock, Dean Elgar and du Plessis, and has stood out, which is what Smith is looking for. “The challenge for when we do play some cricket is to see who escalates themselves into really consistent performances and who steps up,” he said.But Smith also indicated South Africa could make the appointment from left field and take a chance on someone with potential. “We’ve got to understand the personalities, look at the people and maybe take a risk on someone potentially and back them,” he said. “Coming from a person who a risk was taken on, it is something we would consider.”Smith had played just eight Tests and was 22-years old when he took over from Shaun Pollock and went on to captain for 109 Tests for over 11 years. His own success could prompt South Africa to look for someone who is less secure of his spot in the team than a potential captain might be, which could put Temba Bavuma or Aiden Markram into the frame. Bavuma has experienced captaining the Lions franchise – who have won the first-class title for the past two seasons – but was dropped from the Test side this summer and then recalled after a career-best score of 180 and has massive public support. Markram, on the other hand, led the South Africa under-19 side to the 2014 age-group World Cup title and had been touted as the future senior men’s skipper. He spent most of the summer on the sidelines with a fractured finger, but scored two hundreds in six domestic limited-overs matches on his return and is likely to get his Test spot back.Cricket South Africa have not put a timeline on when they will announce the new Test captain. But with the country on lockdown until the end of April and cricket unlikely to resume for several months, they are in no hurry to hand out the captaincy armband.

تلقى كارلو أنشيلوتي المدير الفني لفريق ريال مدريد الإسباني، دفعة معنوية كبيرة بشأن أحد اللاعبين المصابين في فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي ريال مدريد الإسباني، قبل نهاية فترة التوقف الدولي.

ريال مدريد في مباراته الأخيرة بالليجا أمام أوساسونا قبل التوقف الدولي، تلقى ضربة بإصابة الثلاثي فاسكيز ورودريجو وإيدير ميليتاو.

طالع أيضًا.. ميلان يستهدف استعارة لاعب ريال مدريد في الشتاء

صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، زفت خبرًا سعيدًا لجماهير ريال مدريد والمدرب كارلو أنشيلوتي، بالكشف عن عودة رودريجو جوس ليركض حول العشب بالكرة.

البرازيلي بعد إصابته، أكدت التقارير أنه يحتاج إلى ما بين خمسة أو ستة أسابيع، ولكن فاجأ الجميع بظهوره في ملعب الفالديبيباس قبل 9 أيام من مواجهة ليفربول في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وتعرض رودريجو لإصابة عضلية جديدة في المباراة أمام أوساسونا يوم 9 نوفمبر، أثرت على العضلة المستقيمة الفخذية في ساقه اليسرى.

تكرر الأمر بعد إصابته العضلية في العضلة ذات الرأسية اليسرى للفخذ، مما أبعده عن الملاعب لمدة 14 يومًا، وبعد العودة لعب 20 دقيقة فقط أمام أوساسونا.

يبقى أن نرى ما سيحدث مع اللاعب البرازيلي قبل مواجهة ليفربول في الجولة الخامسة من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا يوم 27 من الشهر الجاري، حيث يتصدر الريدز الترتيب برصيد 12 نقطة.

MatériaMais Notícias

Uma novidade vai marcar o Botafogo na partida diante do Londrina, pela 3ª rodada da Série B, nesta quinta-feira, no Estádio do Café. O clube de General Severiano utilizará, pela primeira vez, o novo uniforme II, de cor preta, lançado no começo de maio.

+ Nova camisa lançada! Relembre os últimos uniformes II do Botafogo

A camisa foi a última a ser divulgada da coleção entre o Alvinegro e a Kappa, fornecedora esportiva do clube, para a temporada 2021. O uniforme faz alusões ao uniforme utilizado pelo Glorioso na conquista do Campeonato Brasileiro de 1995.

Como o Londrina joga com uma combinação de branco e azul claro, o Botafogo optou por estrear a camisa preta no compromisso no Estádio do Café.

Em campo, a equipe comandada por Marcelo Chamusca está invicta na Série B, com sete pontos após três partidas disputadas. São duas vitórias e um empate até aqui.

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As the 49ers Enterprises look ahead to next season, exit strategies are being prepared for a plethora of talents who have struggled for minutes at Leeds United.

Leeds braced for summer exits

As Leeds eye a potential return to the top flight, many of the players who have failed to make an impression in the Championship are set to be shown the door at Elland Road.

"I'm told" – Leeds United target open to joining on promotion condition

Daniel Farke’s side have further incentive for promotion.

By
Ben Browning

Mar 11, 2024

It was reported last week that Ian Poveda is among the group of Leeds players not to be offered a new contract at the end of the season. The 24-year-old is currently on loan at Sheffield Wednesday and will not be returning to Elland Road when his time in South Yorkshire comes to an end.

Sam Greenwood is another Leeds player not expected to be sticking around once the transfer window opens. The forward is at Middlesbrough until the end of the season with reports suggesting he will be sold upon his return.

Joining Greenwood and Poveda on the chopping block look set to be Jack Harrison and Brenden Aaronson, with the duo also eyeing up permanent exits. They are currently with Everton and Union Berlin respectively.

With Daniel Farke eager to overhaul his squad ready for next season, it appears that the next player to be made surplus to requirements is a man once tipped to be a first-team regular at Elland Road.

Drameh has played his last game for Leeds

According to Football Insider journalist Pete O'Rourke, Cody Drameh is reported to leave Elland Road this summer. Sources have told the outlet that the defender "is not set to receive a Leeds United contract extension and has played his last game for the club".

Currently on loan at fellow second-tier outfit Birmingham City, O'Rourke states that the club would have the option to make his deal permanent. However, Leeds would be due a compensation fee owing to the Englishman's age. The 22-year-old arrived in West Yorkshire following a £1million transfer from Fulham back in 2018.

Since coming to Elland Road, the fullback has struggled to cement a consistent place in Leeds' plans only playing 10 times during his time with the club. Drameh has spent most of his career out on loan, with recent seasons seeing the defender impress for both Cardiff City and Luton Town.

Whilst the latter spell saw him play a key role in the Hatters' promotion last season, his time at Cardiff also saw Drameh earn plaudits in the form of the Blue Birds' Player of the Season award for the 2021/22 season.

It was his time in the Welsh capital that left many feeling that Drameh was ready to step into the first team at Elland Road. The fullback's manager at the time, Steve Morrison agreed with this sentiment, saying of the player's start to life at Cardiff:

"His home performance here against Nottingham Forest, he was looking fitter and sharper than he did in this first two games.

"Barnsley was a horrible game. He'd never experienced anything like that and he came in with a couple of last ditch tackles right at the death of the game, which was phenomenal.

"Tonight? Pff. It's a good thing they can't call him back after that because he was outstanding."

Whether it is Birmingham or another EFL side that ends up securing Drameh's services this summer, they could be getting a player that has the potential to be a solid full back in the division.

تحدث علي مسري نجم فريق العين ومنتخب الإمارات السابق، عن مواجهة الأهلي في خضم منافسات كأس الإنتركونتيننتال المقرر إقامتها مساء غد الثلاثاء.

طالع | الأهلي يطارد 3 أحلام أمام العين الإماراتي في كأس الإنتركونتيننتال 

وقال مسري في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “الأهلي”: “هذا هو اللقاء الأول بين الأهلي كبير الكرة العربية وسيد إفريقيا وبين العين الإماراتي”.

وأضاف: “حتى وإن كانت المباراة غير رسمية هذا يعتبر شرف لأي لاعب يخوض لقاء أمام الأهلي وسط جماهيره على ملعب استاد القاهرة هذه فرصة كبيرة تسجل في سجلات هؤلاء اللاعبين، وأتمنى أن يكونوا عند حسن الظن ويقدمون مباراة كبيرة”.

وتابع: “عندما يكون العين في أفضل حالاته يتميز ويكون على مستوى عالي جدًا، لكن الفترة الماضية الفريق استقبل العديد من الأهداف خصوصًا في المباريات الكبيرة على مستوى النخبة الآسيوية أو الدوري”.

واستكمل: “منظومة الفريق الدفاعية تحتاج إلى عمل كبير من المدرب وخصوصًا أمام الأهلي”.

وأردف: “المجموعة لديها الإمكانية لتقديم مباراة دفاعية على مستوى كبير، ولا يمكن أن تحكم على شكل الفريق الدفاعي بناءً على آخر 3 أو 4 مباريات لأن كل مباراة لها ظروفها الخاصة”.

واستطرد: “عندما تلعب مباراة أمام نادي كبير وعملاق مثل الأهلي لا يمكن أن تخوض لقاء مفتوحا وتترك المساحات لهذا المنافس”.

وأتم: “أعتقد أن فريق العين سيكون في أفضل حالاته دفاعيًا في مباراة الأهلي”.

Arsenal are flying this season, and it looks like they have just one thing on their mind: trophies.

Mikel Arteta's side are back atop the Premier League table and through to the Champions League quarter-finals to boot.

The Spaniard seems to be getting everything right at the moment, and his decision to sign Kai Havertz is looking better with every passing game.

Although, for as good as the German has been, a former academy gem who left for nothing has actually outperformed him over the last two years and is now worth a lot of money.

Kai Havertz performances for Arsenal

The Gunners completed the £65m signing of Havertz from Chelsea last July, and while Arteta was delighted, describing the German as "top quality," there were plenty of detractors in the media.

In fact, talkSPORT's Gabby Agbonlahor was still firing shots at the Spanish manager earlier this year, criticising him for "spending money very stupidly" and arguing that he had "cost Arsenal the title" by signing the former Bayer Leverkusen ace. However, the Arsenal boss has had the last laugh.

In the last four league matches, his £65m ace has scored four goals, including the winner against Brentford, and provided two assists to help the team reclaim top spot ahead of the international break.

So far, the 24-year-old has scored nine goals and provided three assists in 39 appearances this season, meaning he has averaged a goal involvement every 3.25 games. That isn't too bad for a player who's primarily played in midfield and was cast aside as a flop before he even had a chance to prove people wrong.

What's even more impressive is that the Aachen-born dynamo has already surpassed his tally of nine goals and one assist that he registered with Chelsea last season, and he still has at least 12 more games to add to his tally this season.

Kai Havertz recent record

Season

2022/23

2023/24

Appearances

47

39

Goals

9

9

Assists

1

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.21

0.30

All Stats via Transfermarkt

While he hasn't been a world-beater, it would be hard to call Havertz's first season at the Emirates anything other than a success, although a former academy gem has outperformed him over the last two years. The player in question is Crystal Palace sensation Eberechi Eze.

Why Arsenal released Eberechi Eze

Eze played in Arsenal's academy between the ages of nine and 13 before being released. Why? Well, he was allegedly too small.

Opening up on such a cruel period in his development as a teen, the now Palace star once told the press: "It started at Arsenal. I was 13 [when I was released]. That was the worst one. I remember crying in my room for a solid week, my mum telling me that it’s going to be OK but not being able to get over it."

This setback was followed by spells in Fulham and Millwall's youth setups before he finally found a more permanent place to settle at Queens Park Rangers.

The Greenwich-born gem spent four years with QPR, making 112 appearances across three and a half seasons, scoring 20 goals and providing 13 assists.

Eberechi Eze's transfer valuation in 2024

His impressive form and silky skills subsequently saw Palace spend £20m to sign him in August 2020.

In the seasons since, the twice-capped international has made 115 appearances for the Eagles, in which he's scored 21 goals and provided 14 assists.

However, 23 of those goal involvements have come since the start of the 2022/23 season, coincidentally just edging out Havertz's return of 22 in the same period.

Eberechi Eze's Crystal Palace Career

Season

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

Appearances

36

17

40

22

Goals

4

1

10

6

Assists

6

1

4

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.27

0.11

0.35

0.40

All Stats via Transfermarkt

This impressive form from the 5 foot 10 dynamo has understandably caught the attention of some of the biggest teams in the world, including Manchester United.

The Red Devils were reportedly interested in signing the Palace star in January, but it would have cost them around £77m, which might just make the person in charge of releasing him at Arsenal wince a little.

Ultimately, clubs release talented youngsters all the time in football, and while Arteta may wish he could call upon the mercurial brilliance of Eze at the Emirates, he seems happy enough with his new German goalscorer.

Sam Kerr is undoubtedly a sporting megastar. Her impact on women's football has been almost unrivalled, having won trophies galore and made her way to the forefront of the international stage with Australia – becoming a true trailblazer in the process.

Last year, the Chelsea striker spearheaded her country's journey to the World Cup semi-finals on home soil, and while her season has been curtailed by injury, she continues to be an inspiration to fans at home and abroad.

In simple terms, she is sensational. But while Kerr is known mostly for her goals and trophy hauls, there is so much more to know about the 'Wizard of Oz' – something Football FanCast has explored here.

Sam Kerr's age and height

Kerr was born on 10th September 1993 in East Fremantle, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, and is 30 years old.

She is by no means the tallest of players, standing at a height of 1.67 metres (or 5ft 6in).

Sam Kerr's salary

Women's football has gone from strength to strength in recent years, and with more exposure resulting in more revenue, wages are going up. But it is still nominal when compared to the men's game.

According to a BBC analysis last year, the average wage in the Women's Super League was £47,000 per year. This is some way off the average Premier League player, which is £60,000 per week (£3million per year), according to the Professional Footballer's Association.

However, Sam Kerr's yearly wage of £417k does make her the highest-paid women's footballer, ahead of Alex Morgan (£375k) and Megan Rapinoe (£373k).

Sam Kerr's net worth

In a modern world brimming with commercial incentives such as sponsorships, investments and media fees, it's difficult to even begin to work out a ballpark figure for an athlete's net worth.

But according to FreshersLive, which used Forbes and BusinessInsider during its research, Sam Kerr has a net worth of $5m. This takes into account her sponsorship with Nike and her salary, among other monetary benefits the Australian sports star has acquired.

Sam Kerr trial news

In early March, it was announced that Kerr would stand trial following an incident in which she was accused of using abusive language towards a police officer in January 2023, following what is thought to be related to a disagreement over a taxi fare.

It is alleged that Kerr's comments were racially aggravated and she will now stand trial in February 2025 after pleading not guilty to the accusations.

Sam Kerr stats

Kerr's numbers are pretty extraordinary. Since making her NWSL debut in the United States back in 2013, she has posted an astonishing 148 goals in 205 league appearances.

In the WSL alone, she has scored 58 times in 75 appearances for Chelsea. Only six more players have scored more in the English top flight at the time of writing, including Blues teammate Fran Kirby.

With 69 goals in 128 international appearances, she is also Australia's leading goalscorer of all time.

Sam Kerr's partner

Such is the way that the weird web of WOSO relationships work, it's always difficult to decipher who's with who and what their status is. But with Sam Kerr, much like her football, it comes effortlessly.

Kerr and USWNT star Kristie Mewis are the undisputed power couple of women's football, with the pair amassing thousands of followers on social media during the blossoming of their relationship since getting together in 2020.

Mewis, a 32-year-old USA international who recently joined West Ham United, revealed earlier this year that things were 'getting serious', and rumours fluttered around a possible engagement after she was pictured with a ring on her left hand.

This hasn't been confirmed, but the couple certainly let it be known that they are head over heels in love with their regular embraces whenever they come up against each other on the international stage.

Previously, Kerr had shared a six-year romance with ex-teammate Nikki Stanton. But love is in the air again. This time, it looks nailed on to last, despite the distance spanning across the Atlantic.

Sam Kerr's Ballon d'Or chances

Sam Kerr was the only Australian women's footballer to be named to the shortlist for the Ballon d'Or Féminin in 2022, and one of only two players (alongside France international Wendie Renard) to have been nominated in all editions of the award since its inception in 2018, ranking 5th, 7th, 3rd, 3rd, and 2nd respectively.

It seems like only a matter of time before she wins it. Perhaps the only thing blocking her from the famous golden ball is her hunt for continental and international silverware. In the last three years, the Ballon d'Or has been handed to a winner of either the World Cup, European Championship or the Champions League, with Barcelona's Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí sweeping up a trilogy.

Without an international tournament next summer, Kerr's best chance of coming first in the next edition is to win the Champions League in Bilbao come June – a trophy that both herself and Chelsea are desperate to add to their treasure chest. However, her lack of involvement in recent months may harm her chances.

With Kerr in attack and Emma Hayes in the cockpit, the Blues have won everything else they have competed for. Should they add Europe to their list of conquests, Kerr is bound to notch a Ballon d'Or sooner or later – something that would, beyond doubt, secure her position as the best women's footballer England has ever laid eyes on.

The reason for Cristiano Ronaldo wearing a pair of Bruno Fernandes’ custom boots while in Euro 2024 action for Portugal has been revealed.

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CR7 started game in green Nike offeringSwitched footwear during half-time breakTeed up Fernandes for record-setting goalWHAT HAPPENED?

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner started a group stage meeting with Turkey donning a green offering from suppliers Nike. He emerged for the second half sporting different footwear, with pink and white Mercurial Vapors wrapping his iconic feet.

AdvertisementGettyDID YOU KNOW?

Eye-eagled supporters quickly noticed that the boots in question featured the names of Fernandes’ children, with Ronaldo seemingly asking his former Manchester United team-mate for a favour – despite boasting plenty of his own personalised cleats.

THE EXPLANATION

Ronaldo went on to tee up Fernandes for Portugal’s third goal of a 3-0 win – becoming the all-time leading assist-maker at European Championships in the process – and it has been revealed by that CR7 changed his boots for a pair with longer studs after struggling for grip on a slippery playing surface.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

Portugal are safely through to the last-16 of Euro 2024, with back-to-back victories being secured, and Roberto Martinez may decide to rest Ronaldo – given the demands being made of the 39-year-old frontman – when a final Group F fixture against Georgia is taken in on Wednesday.

It is a measure of what a close Ashes series we have in prospect that even Glenn McGrath has chosen to “sit on the fence” instead of offering up his traditional “5-0 to Australia” prediction.However, McGrath believes that the key to the series is held by James Anderson, the man who recently overhauled his all-time record for Test wickets by a fast bowler, as Australia bid to win the Ashes in England for the first time since 2001.Anderson, like McGrath, continues to operate at the peak of his powers long after his contemporaries have begun to succumb to the ravages of time. Though he turns 37 on Tuesday, he is still the ICC’s No.2-ranked fast bowler in Test cricket with 575 wickets to his name, and he is much the same age as McGrath himself was when he spearheaded Australia’s 5-0 Ashes win in his farewell series in 2006-07.”To be 37-plus, and to have played 148 Test matches, it’s absolutely incredible,” McGrath told ESPNcricinfo. “To think that he’s put his body through that much pain and stress, and everything that goes into being a fast bowler, and he’s still going out there and going the business.”When that ball’s swinging, in English conditions with the Dukes ball, there’s no-one better. So yeah, if Australia can get on top of Jimmy, that’s going to be a big decider in this Test series. But if Jimmy comes out, bowls well and knocks the Australians over, it’s going to be another tough series for them.”Adapting to the Dukes ball will be a major factor in Australia’s campaign, not only for the batsman facing Anderson and Co, but their own coterie of fast bowlers who look, on paper, as strong an outfit as has toured England in many a series. England know full well about Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, but James Pattinson’s form is particularly noteworthy in the lead-up to Edgbaston, as shown by his success on a lively practice wicket at the Ageas Bowl last week.”It’s going to be an amazing series,” said McGrath. “I think this Australian bowling attack is looking as good as it’s been for a long time. To have James Pattinson back and what he offers … he’s been bowling incredibly well, but it’s just that attitude and ‘white-line fever’, I guess you’d call it. As soon as he crosses the line, he’s very dangerous.”To have that wealth of fast bowlers, that’s tough for the selectors, and it’s going to be interesting to see which way they go for that first Test match. But it’s a good thing to have.”It’s an especially tantalising proposition given the insecurities in England’s batting order at present. In an extraordinary Test against Ireland at Lord’s last week, England were bowled out for 85 in the first innings and lost 7 for 77 in the second, and McGrath admitted that the Australians would be itching to reopen a few wounds.James Anderson and Joe Root inspect the ball•Getty Images

“They’ll be keen to get a look at that top order as soon as possible,” he said, “but they’ll still have to bowl in the right areas. I think that’s very important. If they bowl badly, and let those guys get settled and get a little bit of confidence, the series is over. But if they can bowl well at those guys, get on top of them, and get Joe Root in at 3 for 30 rather than 3 for 300, it makes a massive difference, and it’s a massive match-up for the series.”When it comes to bowling the right length in England, no-one exemplifies it better than McGrath, who hoovered up 87 wickets at 19.34 in his three tours from 1997 to 2005, including a remarkable 33 at 11.50 at Lord’s, the venue for the second Test. But even he had to learn the hard way, after a chastening first outing in England at Edgbaston in 1997.”I remember that ’97 series very well,” he said. “It was my first tour of England, and in that first Test match, we probably bowled more of an Australian length. England dominated – they won that Test by nine wickets – and the day after, Geoff Marsh, the coach of the time, got us out for like two hours straight, off a long run in the middle of Edgbaston.”It was all about bowling the right length, getting it up there a little bit fuller. And that had a massive impact. And when we came to Lord’s, we adapted and adjusted our length, and the rest is history. So yeah, you need that time to adjust. The great players adjust and adapt a lot quicker, and that’s the difference between a good and a great player.”With that in mind, Australia ought to be as well acquainted with the conditions as possible. Not only have the majority of the squad been over in England competing at the World Cup, several others have been involved in the Australia A tour that has been running concurrently. Plus, several players with points to prove, including Pattinson and the returning Cameron Bancroft, have been honing their skills in county cricket.However, McGrath isn’t quite as bullish about his fellow countrymen’s prospects as he might once have been.”I’m always confident that the Aussies are going to do well, but I’ve probably made a rod for my own back with my predictions in the past,” he said. “I’m going to sit on the fence for this one, and just see what happens in this first Test. If Australia can come in and dominate – or not so much dominate, but if they can win that first Test – then you’ll be hearing 5-0 again. But I’m going to reserve my prediction until after the first game.”In the meantime, McGrath has got a trip back to a familiar ground to look forward to, where a familiar incident is bound to be replayed ad nauseum in the build-up to the Ashes opener – that moment, on the morning of the 2005 Edgbaston Test, when he trod on a stray cricket ball to turn the tide of the series.”It’s not my fondest memory,” he said. “But every time I go back to Edgbaston, the groundsman and the locals remind me exactly which patch of grass it happened on, and they’ve always told me they going to put a little plaque there just to commemorate it.”But that 2005 series was an incredible series, even that match at Edgbaston went right down to the wire. Hopefully we’ll see another series that matches that one.”Glenn McGrath is working with online trading broker ThinkMarkets to encourage more young people to get into sport through the Think2020initiative. For more information please visit www.thinkmarkets.com.

Chatter, analysis and some silliness from the World Cup 2019. If the blog doesn’t load, please refresh the page. Also, ball-by-ball commentary can be found here.