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Tottenham have now become the latest side to show an interest in Leeds United winger Raphinha, according to The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Raphinha in demand

Raphinha has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona in recent months, however, a number of Premier League clubs have joined the race due to financial problems at the Nou Camp.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and West Ham have all been credited with a summer interest in the Brazilian, who starred at Elland Road last season.

The 25-year-old netted 11 times and registered three assists to help keep the Whites in the top flight, and it looks as if his future could still be in England… but not in Yorkshire.

The Latest: Spurs join ‘big’ race

Adam Crafton of The Athletic took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon to provide an update on the Leeds man. He revealed that Tottenham now hold a ‘genuine interest’ in Raphinha ‘in what may be one of the big tussles this summer’.

Leeds are open to the idea of cashing in on the winger, providing their valuation is met, with Elland Road chefs not expecting the player to pen a new deal.

The Verdict: £60m?

Phil Hay has previously stated that it would take a bid of between £60m and £70m to get Raphinha out of Elland Road. It would come as a surprise if a move to Spurs materialised, especially as Antonio Conte likes to use wing-backs, something many questioned when Raphinha turned out in a similar role under Jesse Marsch.

The list of clubs keen on his signature continues to grow, but that shouldn’t alter Leeds’ stance when it comes to an exit. They should continue to demand at least £60m for a player who has impressed in successive Premier League campaigns, and if they receive a fee in that region, the club should look to reinvest that money on attacking reinforcements ahead of Marsch’s first full season in charge.

In other news: As well as Roca: Leeds and Marsch now want to sign ‘incredible’ midfielder; Orta in overdrive. 

Liverpool have reportedly been in a stalemate with their contract negotiations with Mohamed Salah, and now a new update has emerged that could spell disaster for the club next summer.

What’s the latest?

Mirror Football has revealed a stunning new twist in Salah’s future by reporting he has been promised a move to Barcelona when he is out of contract next June.

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As per the report, a verbal offer has been made by the La Liga giants to secure the signing of the Liverpool winger when next season draws to a close and Salah will have completed his contract at the Merseyside club.

It has been further reported that this verbal offer has been the reason that the Egyptian is stalling the signing of a new contract with the six-time Champions League winners, performing a ‘drastic U-turn’ after telling friends that he was ready to pen a new deal with the club.

Klopp will be furious

If it wasn’t enough that Sadio Mane has reportedly made it clear he wants to leave Liverpool this summer, Jurgen Klopp will surely be furious to then lose another one of his best players in 12 months too, something that FSG will no doubt be livid about as well if he departs on a free.

The £90m-rated star has been a goal-scoring monster in Liverpool’s pursuit for success netting 156 goals and delivering 63 assists to his teammates over the last five years. Thus, finding a replacement with the same level of attacking output would be a huge challenge for the club going forward.

Moreover, losing one of the most expensive assets in the squad on a free transfer would be inconceivable in terms of what they could potentially profit on the player if they were to sell him this summer with reports of at least £80m wanted by FSG to let him go before his contract expires.

Liverpool are in negotiations with the player to extend his contract but are reportedly unwilling to pay the forward the £400k-per-week salary he demands, which would put him hundreds of thousands pounds ahead of his team-mates, blowing the entire strict wage structure FSG has prided themselves on for years.

With that being said, the powers at Anfield have a huge decision to make this summer.

Do they take the risk and hope they can reach an agreement with Salah? Or do they keep him for one more season and take the hit of losing the opportunity to profit on the player. Either way, his exit is unlikely to be welcomed by many at Anfield.

AND in other news: “Will go for…”: Fabrizio Romano drops LFC transfer update that’ll excite supporters

Manchester United have reportedly joined the list of clubs interested in signing Leeds United winger Raphinha, according to a report from The Telegraph. 

The lowdown: Hot property

The skilful Brazilian was an instant hit in the Premier League, directly contributing to 15 goals in 30 outings in a debut English top-flight campaign having made the move from French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais.

That form immediately attracted the attention of Liverpool and this season’s overall plight in Yorkshire has drawn yet more interest in the sought-after Brazilian.

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West Ham, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Barcelona have all been credited with an interest in the 25-year-old, but now it seems another big hitter is ready to join the race…

The latest: United keen

As per The Telegraph, Manchester United are ‘monitoring’ the situation surrounding the seven-cap Brazil ace ahead of the summer transfer window.

It’s claimed that as incoming manager Erik ten Hag makes a new attacking weapon a priority at Old Trafford, the man dubbed a ‘magician’ by former Red Devils star and now Elland Road teammate Daniel James could be considered as a potential target.

Should arch-rivals Leeds suffer relegation on the final day, Raphinha could be available at a marked-down price as a host of potential suitors watch on with interest.

The verdict: Worthwhile venture

Whilst signing players directly from Leeds is a path rarely trodden by United, in this instance, similarly with Erik Cantona, it would be well worthy of the hardship.

So far this season, the right-winger has scored ten times and provided another three assists in 34 Premier League outings, defying the conventional wisdom of what has been a disappointing campaign for the Yorkshire club.

Albeit the Old Trafford squad is relatively blessed with talented wide men in the shape of Jadon Sancho, Anthony Elanga and Marcus Rashford, none of the aforementioned trio can boast anything like similar numbers to Raphinha at present and the Brazilian should therefore be viewed as an upgrade.

At a potentially reduced fee due to relegation, any attempt to bring the £40.5million valued star to Manchester should be a no-brainer for the club’s hierarchy.

In other news: Man Utd source: Sensational transfer twist as Erik ten Hag now hijacking move for ‘golden boy’. 

India’s Test No. 3 on emulating Williamson’s T20 game, and the need to play without trying to prove a point

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Feb-2019
How special is this century?

It is special. This was expected because I have done well whenever I have got the opportunity in white-ball cricket. I am not surprised by this century, but I am sure many people are. I knew this one would come at some stage in my career, and this is the right time. I have been really batting well. Good form in Test cricket can help you bat well in shorter formats. It helps you get into good positions, you pick the ball early so I am really happy. Although it came in a defeat, but it was a close game where Railways needed 12 off the last over and they pulled it off.It has been 12 years since you first played in T20 cricket. Clearly your hunger has been as strong it was back then?

I have not played T20 games consistently. At times the wickets have been tough and matches have been low-scoring. But when you play on a good pitch, you can always express yourself. I was confident today (Thursday). I have worked hard over the last few years on my white-ball cricket, adding a few shots. Honestly, it was a flat pitch, which you expect in this format. But when you score a 100 at an international venue it feels good.You mentioned adding a few shots. Did you play the ramp or any such stroke?


Not really. The prime example I could give you is of Kane Williamson. If you look at his T20 batting – he even got an Orange Cap in the IPL (2018) – most of his shots are cricketing shots. That is what I look up to. I like to make runs similarly. If I have to play unorthodox shots, if need be at some stage, then I will work on it if the format requires that. I am not against that, but my success has been with cricketing shots and I will stick to that as long as I can. But if the field is set in such a manner that I need to play the paddle or scoop, I can do it.What are your favorite scoring areas?

I cannot really tell you. Having said that you can’t have a favourite area. You just have to play according to the field. If the third man is up or if the fine leg or square leg are inside, you have to clear them. You cannot just keep scoring as per your strengths. Sometimes you read the situation, read the bowler and bat accordingly. You have to be really open. That is what I learned from AB de Villiers. He plays all the shots and he scores everywhere around the field. Obviously I cannot replicate what he does, but I am also trying to play into the gaps.How much of your T20 batting is instinctive?

It is very much instinctive. The reason is, you need to be really up for it. Sometimes you have to pre-plan strokes. If you see a ball and if you feel like going for it, you just have to go with the momentum. You have to be fearless. Basically, if you have any fear you just have to remove it and start playing your shots. Sometimes you make an error, which is fine in this format, which is accepted. In Test cricket it is not. That is the difference.You did not play many dot balls. Is it okay to leave or defend some balls in T20s?

Very rarely you look to leave or defend the ball. Not at least on a flat pitch. Most of the times you are looking to score. Dot balls are not something you try and play in this format. The format demands you have to look to score at all times.

“If I have to play unorthodox shots, if need be at some stage, then I will work on it if the format requires that. I am not against that, but my success has been with cricketing shots and I will stick to that as long as I can.”

You came into the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after the record-breaking Australia tour and runs in the Ranji Trophy knockouts. How much did that help?

That helped me a lot. If I am able to pick the ball early, I am seeing the ball well. Even in Test cricket, like in Adelaide where I was batting with the tail and had to accelerate, I had to play strokes like the pull, upper cut or go over the top, I was able to do that. It is very tough to do that in Test cricket. But after that when you play against the white ball, which does not swing much, does not spin much, and also travels further, you have a lot of advantage. You can play through the line. Your confidence level is on the higher side. If you can play some shots against the red ball, then (against the white ball) it is a piece of cake.For a batsman, the strike rate is the most important metric in T20 cricket. Yours was 163.93 against Railways. Is that added pressure on you?

It is not about my strike rate, but it is about how the team’s run rate is. You have to play to the situation. You assess the pitch and if you are batting first, you figure what is a good target you want to set as a team. It does not matter (whether you score) nine or ten runs an over.Does this century prove a point in any way – not to anybody in particular – because there is a perception that develops about players?

I agree (on the perception part) and understand your point, but I never play to prove a point to someone else. This innings gives me a lot of confidence. Things will get better from here. Once you can trust your game, once you work on something and it pays off, then you know this is a method you can follow.You played through the innings. Did you opt to open?

Yes. It gives me enough time, especially in this format, I can score runs with cricketing shots. This is where (in the top order) most of the good players who have played all three formats have batted – Kane Williamson, Virat [Kohli], Mike Hussey. You always need one player who can play cricketing shots, which gives you more results.You played in the IPL for five seasons from 2010-14 with three sides (Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab). However, in the last few years you have entered the IPL auction and gone unsold. Why do you keep putting your name in every year?

I think twice for sure (gone unsold). I put my name in because somewhere down the line I am very confident about playing white ball, whether it is ODI or T20. If I am not picked, I am not picked. But with such results, if I can carry on like this, people will start noticing. Even franchises might take notice. If I am still not picked I will carry on doing things I am doing. I don’t want to change anyone’s perceptions.

Like a roster of the world’s fastest sprinters, today’s list featuring IPL’s fastest scorers is topped by a Jamaican and dominated by men from the Caribbean

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Mar-201710. Harbhajan Singh, 783 runs in 77 innings; Strike Rate – 143.66Apart from his primary role as an offspinner, Harbhajan has never been shy of moving up the order or being seen as a pinch-hitter when his side could do with some quick runs. Despite never scoring more than 120 runs in an IPL season, his occasional cameo puts him at 10th place on our list.9. Sanath Jayasuriya, 768 runs in 30 innings; Strike Rate – 144.36Almost 40 and at the fag end of his long career, Jayasuriya still managed to set stadiums alight in his own inimitable style for the best part of the first two IPL seasons. His tour de force in the IPL came against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium, where he hammered a hundred off 45 balls, still among the fastest in the tournament’s history.8. David Miller, 1480 runs in 60 innings; Strike Rate – 144.39Miller did not have the best of starts to his IPL career, until he smashed 101* off 38 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore, in what remains one of the most memorable innings in the tournament to date. His simple approach to batting is summed up by his father’s mantra, which quoted on television after that innings – “If it’s in the V, it’s in the tree; and if it’s in the arc, it’s out of the park”7. Yusuf Pathan, 2761 runs in 122 innings; Strike Rate – 146.78Pathan’s reputation pre-IPL was largely built on his domestic performances and his debut at the World T20 final a year before. At Rajasthan Royals, he went about quickly acquiring a knack for powerful hitting that changed games in his side’s favour. While this reputation has largely carried him over the past few seasons, his presence on this list is a nod to the fact that his ball-striking abilities have never been under question.Kieron Pollard pings a mighty six down the ground•BCCI6. Kieron Pollard,1958 runs in 97 innings; Strike Rate – 147.99Pollard’s value to his side is reflected by his place among a handful of single-franchise players in the IPL, and it is thanks largely to his ability to clear boundaries at will. Pollard’s big-match temperament came to the fore en route to Mumbai’s IPL title in 2015, when he followed his 41 off 17 balls with a quickfire 36 off 18 in the final against Super Kings.5. AB de Villiers, 3257 runs in 109 innings; Strike Rate – 149.33Among all members on this list, de Villiers has played the most number of games, and his place so high up is testament to his sustained excellence across seasons. Known for his ability to shut opponents out of games with his all-round, “360-degree” game, he has only improved with time, averaging nearly 40 to go with his phenomenal strike rate.4. Chris Gayle, 3426 runs in 91 innings; Strike Rate – 153.28Every other “fastest” and “highest” score-related question when it comes to the IPL has Chris Gayle as the answer, and if not for a lean patch in 2014, he could well be on top of this list. After 2235 balls in the IPL, Gayle has scored at over 1.5 runs every ball, and has dispatched almost 1 out of every 4 balls to the boundary. The mind boggles.3. Virender Sehwag, 2728 runs in 104 innings; Strike Rate – 155.44Sehwag’s see-ball, hit-ball approach was a natural fit for T20s, but he somehow never managed to dictate terms in the same way as he did in the longer formats. His IPL career mirrored this, and apart from occasional spurts of dominance, his strike rate is largely due to the flurry of early-innings boundaries he was well known for.Andre the giant ball-striker is the top Jamaican on this list. Who’da thunk it?•BCCI2. Glenn Maxwell, 918 runs in 43 innings; Strike Rate – 161.61Kings XI Punjab’s captain for the 2017 season is another of those made-for-T20 cricketers who is yet to fully stamp his authority on the tournament. While his crucial contributions have won games for the side in the past few seasons, a consistent spell of match-winning performances is long overdue. Given how he has managed to do so in his international T20 career, it could well be a matter of time.1. Andre Russell, 574 runs in 25 innings; Strike Rate – 173.41The man with the highest IPL strike rate is a Jamaican, but not the one you’d have guessed first. Russell has established his place among the world’s top T20 allrounders with performances with both bat and ball for franchises across the globe, apart from his exploits for West Indies. Just as he was poised to continue his rich vein of form from the past two seasons, a doping violation-related ban has sidelined him for the next year.minimum qualification – 500 runs in the IPL

Also: highest first-class scores in each position, and the lowest and highest chronological shirt numbers in the same Test team

Steven Lynch15-Dec-2015What was the greatest difference between the lowest and highest chronological shirt numbers in the same Test team? My hunch is that it would involve Brian Close… asked Phil Ribbons from England
You’re not too far out, as Brian Close comes in third and fourth on this particular list. He was England’s 344th Test player, and played in 1976 when Mike Selvey (No. 466) made his Test debut at Old Trafford, a difference of 122; Mike Brearley (465) had made his debut in the first Test, at Trent Bridge. However, Close is beaten by another long-lasting Yorkshireman. Wilfred Rhodes was England’s 121st Test player when he made his debut in 1899. And there was a difference of 133 between him and Les Townsend (No. 254) in the third Test of the 1929-30 series in Georgetown. Bill Voce (253) had made his debut in the first Test, in Bridgetown. Rhodes was 52 at the time – the oldest Test player of all – but still played in all four matches of that series, England’s first in the Caribbean. The biggest difference for a side other than England – 98 – happened earlier this year, when Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies Test player No. 204) played alongside the debutant Shai Hope (302) against England in Bridgetown.No one scored a hundred in the India-South Africa series until Ajinkya Rahane made two in the fourth Test. Has there ever been a series with no centuries at all? asked Bilal Ahluwalia from India
There has never been a series of four or more Tests which did not feature at least one century: indeed the recent series between India and South Africa provided only the fourth instance of as few as two hundreds in a four-Test rubber. The fewest in a five-Test series is three centuries, which has happened nine times; there were also only three in the six-match India-Pakistan battle in 1979-80. There have been six three-Test series without an individual hundred, most recently when New Zealand visited India in 1995-96. It also happened in the Ashes of 1882-83 and 1888 – when Bobby Abel’s 70 was the highest score of the three Tests – and in the series between India and New Zealand in 1969-70, Pakistan and West Indies in 1986-87, and Pakistan and Zimbabwe in 1993-94.Was R Ashwin’s 31 wickets against South Africa the most by an Indian bowler in a four-Test series? asked Dr Bhatia from India
Yes, Ashwin’s 31 wickets in the recent series against South Africa was a new record for India in a four-Test series, breaking the record held by… Ashwin himself, with 29 against Australia in 2012-13. Anil Kumble took 27 in the four-match series against Australia in 2004-05. India’s record for any series is 35, by legspinner Bhagwath Chandrasekhar in five Tests at home to England in 1972-73. Vinoo Mankad (against England in 1951-52) and Subhash Gupte (against New Zealand in 1955-56) both took 34 wickets in a series, while Kapil Dev claimed 32 in six Tests against Pakistan in 1979-80. But arguably the most meritorious performance of all came from Harbhajan Singh, with 32 wickets in just three Tests against Australia in 2000-01. Bishan Bedi also took 31 wickets in the five Tests in Australia in 1977-78, the Indian record for an away series.Victor Trumper once smashed 293 batting unusually low, at No. 9 in a first-class match•PA PhotosWho has hit the most sixes in Tests and ODIs? asked Brian Hall from England
The Test record could well be about to change hands: during New Zealand’s Test against Sri Lanka that finished yesterday in Dunedin, Brendon McCullum hit his 100th six, to equal Adam Gilchrist’s record. Chris Gayle might yet become the third batsman to hit a century of sixes – he currently has 98. Jacques Kallis finished his career with 97, while Virender Sehwag clouted 91. The next current player is Misbah-ul-Haq, with 67. For the full list, click here. The leading six-hitter in one-day internationals is Shahid Afridi with 351, comfortably ahead of Sanath Jayasuriya (270), Gayle (238), Sachin Tendulkar (195), and McCullum and Sourav Ganguly (both 190). The leaders in T20 internationals are McCullum (91) and Gayle (87), well clear of Shane Watson (69) and David Warner (66). If you combine all three forms of international cricket, then Afridi leads the way with a grand total of 465 sixes, ahead of Gayle (423) and McCullum (378), with Jayasuriya fourth on 352.How many batsmen have scored two centuries in the same match for India? asked Venkat Raghav from India
Ajinkya Rahane’s double of 127 and 100 not out in the recent fourth Test against South Africa in Delhi made him only the fifth Indian to have scored twin centuries in a Test. The first to do it was Vijay Hazare, with 116 and 145 against Australia in Adelaide in 1947-48, in a match India still lost by an innings (Don Bradman scored 201, and Lindsay Hassett 198 not out). Sunil Gavaskar achieved the feat three times – 124 and 220 against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in his debut series of 1970-71, 111 and 137 against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1978, then 107 and 182 not out six weeks later against West Indies in Calcutta. Rahul Dravid did it twice, with 190 and 103 not out against New Zealand in Hamilton in 1998-99, and 110 and 135 against Pakistan in Kolkata in 2004-05. And finally Virat Kohli, in his first match as captain, scored 115 and 141 against Australia in Adelaide in December 2014.Following on from the recent question about triple-centuries from Nos. 6 and 7, what are the highest first-class scores from the other batting positions? asked Jeremy Hall from New Zealand
The highest by an opener is Hanif Mohammad’s 499 for Karachi against Bahawalpur in Karachi in 1958-59, while the best by someone down at No. 2 on the scorecard is Bill Ponsford’s 437 for Victoria against Queensland in Melbourne in 1927-28. Brian Lara’s 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994 – the overall first-class record – is the best from No. 3. The unsung Aftab Baloch, who made just two Test appearances for Pakistan, has the highest from No. 4 – 428 for Sind against Baluchistan in Karachi in 1973-74. Bill Ponsford pops up again at No. 5, with 429 for Victoria against Tasmania in Melbourne in 1927-28. Nos 6 and 7 were covered in the earlier answer, but the best from No. 8 is 268, by Cecil Maxwell – his only century of an otherwise unremarkable career – for Sir Julien Cahn’s XI against Leicestershire at West Bridgford in 1935. The highest from No. 9 is 293 by the great Victor Trumper, going in artificially low for an Australian XI against Canterbury in Christchurch on a private tour of New Zealand in 1913-14. The last two are more authentic: John Chapman made 165 from No. 10 for Derbyshire against Warwickshire at Blackwell in 1910, while last man Peter Smith, an occasional England legspinner, hammered 163 from No. 11 for Essex against Derbyshire at Chesterfield in 1947.Send in your questions using our feedback form.

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the third T20 between West Indies and England

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Mar-2014Contrast of the dayAfter six overs in the second T20 England were 30 for 3. This time they found their mojo with Michael Lumb, especially, cutting loose as they were 64 without loss in the field restrictions. The openers enjoyed three overs of pace, in the absence of Samuel Badree, before confronting Sunil Narine and although there was not quite the six-hitting frenzy that West Indies can produce, 11 fours in the six overs was certainly an improvement.Slower ball of the dayKrishmar Santokie found the going tougher early on in this match than he had done two days ago, but came back superbly in the latter part of the innings. He removed the dangerous Jos Buttler, however the highlight was his slower ball that confounded the out-of-form Ben Stokes. The ball gripped on the surface, turned and sailed through the considerable gap left by Stokes’ lunge forward. Just to cap it off for Santokie, the middle stump was flattened.Salute of the daySheldon Cottrell was a soldier before being an international cricketer. He used to stand guard at Sabina Park when matches were being played. Now, when claiming wickets on his T20 debut – Michael Lumb and Alex Hales in consecutive overs – he saluted his team-mates in a reminder of his former profession.Catch of the dayTowards the end of the match a rainbow appeared in the sky about Bridgetown. It would not have been out of place landing on Chris Jordan, because everything he touched turned to gold. First came the runs, then the wickets. But just to round it off he also pulled off a superb outfield catch, running around from deep midwicket, to remove Dwayne Bravo.Non-wide of the dayInstinct took over for Darren Sammy on the last ball of the match. Knowing West Indies needed six for the win, after a wide the previous delivery from Jade Dernbach, he went after the next ball which, if he had not got the toe-end of the bat on it, would also have been signalled a wide and given him another chance of launching one out of the ground. Still, with the series wrapped and at the end of a highly entertaining content, he was still able to draw a wry smile.

After a year of tough travelling to secure their top ranking, 2013 will be slightly less demanding for South Africa but they are determined not to lose focus

Firdose Moonda30-Dec-2012Although 2013 holds less daunting challenges for South Africa than the previous 12 months, AB de Villiers sees it as an important phase for the team as they look to establish an era of supremacy. South Africa have seven home Tests and two in the UAE scheduled, contrasting starkly with this year where they competed in nine away matches in three countries and had just one at home.Their upcoming opponents, New Zealand, Pakistan and India are all ranked too far below them to make any of the contests a battle of No.1, which is what South Africa played for in every series in 2012. Unless South Africa suffer a recession-like slump, the ranking is safe throughout the year which de Villiers hopes will signify the start of their reign.”The last time we got to the No.1 spot we threw it away like it did not really matter to us,” he said referring to the four months South Africa spent at the top in 2009 after Australia lost the Ashes. Then the achievement was more a result of shifts in other teams’ positions, although South Africa won away series in England and Australia the season before.Now there is a feeling of ownership of No.1 because it was earned and defended in 2012. “There is a real sense of care in the team and an amazing team spirit,” de Villiers said. “If we can come through this year with solid performances, we’ve got a good chance to dominate around the world for the next four or five years.”With Graeme Smith deemed to have about that length of time left in his career, Jacques Kallis’ niggling injuries the only thing which could prevent him from the same and the bowling unit at their peak, de Villiers thinks South Africa have the personnel to establish a legacy. “We’ve just got a wonderful team at the moment,” he said.De Villiers has been identified as a key component of that success by Gary Kirsten because his taking over the wicketkeeper role has created an extra spot for a No.7 batsman. Although de Villiers was reluctant to do the job at first and went on record saying he would prefer to concentrate on being “the best batsman in the world,” he has since embraced both batting and keeping.He also said his goals are no longer personal. “I want to be in a successful team that keeps the No.1 spot for a very long time and that dominates world cricket for a very long time. That’s what I am after. If I can play my part in that doing that by doing well with the bat and the gloves, so be it.”De Villiers’ u-turn was the cause of some consternation because it forced the selectors to renege on a commitment they made to Thami Tsolekile, who had been told he would get a chance to replace Mark Boucher. It also created debate over de Villiers’ own ability to bat with the freedom and flair of old while spending hours bending his chronically bad back in the field.After the England tour, de Villiers suffered a recurrence of his back injury. Coupled with the fact that he had not scored a single half-century since taking the gloves, there were calls for him to give up the role but he silenced those with a classy 169 against Australia in Perth. Although those runs came in the match where de Villiers spent the least amount of time in the field, he said it was an indication that he is capable of performing in both departments.All it needed, he believed, was time for the adjustment of a dual role. “At first it was tough but I’ve got into a nice rhythm now,” he said. “It took me a while to get into that but now I feel I understand what my role is. I spend time on keeping and batting in training and I don’t feel tired after a day’s play. I don’t feel tired after a Test match. It’s more a mental thing than anything else. The fatigue factor is nonsense. It’s more a concentration thing.”To keep de Villiers fresh, Cricket South Africa agreed to his request to sit out the Twenty20 series against New Zealand, especially after he complained of tiredness following the domestic one-day cup play-off. De Villiers hinted there will be more of the same in future limited-overs contests, even though he captains in those formats.”It’s all about managing your energy levels and injuries and niggles and also keeping the passion for the game and the hunger to succeed and do well,” he explained. “We play a lot of cricket in the year and we are in a situation where we really need to manage it. Some of our guys are getting a bit older and we really have to look after them if we want to maintain the No.1 ranking in Tests.”De Villiers said the break has done him so much good that he is now, “refreshed, energised and hungrier than ever.” The Test team have not played in front of home fans since January and the players are particularly looking forward to this summer.”Playing at Newlands is as special as they come and I’ll enjoy this New Year’s Test even more,” de Villiers said. “We’ve got a good sense of confidence when we play there. It’s almost like we just free up and express ourselves.”South Africa have not lost a Test in Cape Town since 2006 and many of the squad call the venue their favourite because of the large support base there. As proof of that, only 3,000 tickets are still available for the first day of the Test.

The heat was sapping, the wind was nearly non-existent, but the home fans finally had reason to cheer

Dylan Copeland18-Dec-2010Choice of game
Nothing draws a crowd to the WACA ground like an Ashes Test. We joined the milling mob as they descended upon the WACA like ants returning to the nest. Despite the large number of people the line through the bag search area progressed quickly and smoothly and we were seated just in time for the start of the day’s play.Although the forecast maximum was only to be 33 degrees Celsius, the day was already hot by the start time of 10:30am. The lack of wind meant that there was no relief from the bright Australian sun. Despite the conditions, or perhaps unbelievably, because of them, many spectators had removed their shirts.Crowd meter
Judging by the respective cheering, it seemed that a large proportion of the crowd was made up of England supporters. The Australians outnumbered them slightly (at least in volume) but such equality is rare at international fixtures.The English certainly had more cause to make themselves heard at the beginning of play. Having dismissed Australia the day before for the seemingly low total of 268, each run scored by Cook and Strauss was warmly applauded.Each run disheartened the Australian fans, mindful not only of the lack of English wickets in the first two Tests, but also keenly aware that if England got away in the morning session then they would take with them any hope that Australia had of regaining the Ashes.Key performer
The heat was such that I was keenly watching the flags on top of the scoreboard for any indication that the sea breeze – known locally as the Fremantle Doctor – was coming in. The few gusts of wind there were, however, were coming from the complete opposite direction.Face-off I relished
With the conditions remaining still, Cook and Strauss scored at a brisk rate. The introduction of Mitchell Johnson into the attack did nothing to unsettle England initially. But then the flags stiffened in the breeze, not the much desired Doctor, but from the north-east. From the end which Johnson was bowling, the wind was blowing from left to right, helping Johnson move the ball away from the left-handed Cook and swing it into the right-handers, Trott, Pietersen, and Collingwood.Wow moment
Cook’s dismissal was met by cautious optimism but a couple of overs later with Trott and Pietersen back in the shed, the crowd could barely stay in their seats.Aye for UDRS
There has been much said about the decision review system but for a jubilant crowd the excitement and tension of watching a decision review on the big screens around the ground is an exquisitely involving experience. Everyone stands and cranes their neck, watching every piece of footage intently, cheering or otherwise in anticipation of official confirmation when they see something conclusive.Overall
Whether it was the heat, or a big first day, or simply because the day belonged to Australia, at any rate the famed Barmy Army were noticeably quiet, so much so that we saw no sign of them until the last session. Even then their singing was sporadic and short-lived.The second day at the WACA was action-packed, which, given the way the first two Tests unfolded, was much appreciated by the large crowd. The standout performance of the day was Mitchell Johnson’s six wickets. But runs also flowed and the highlight was the large number of hooks and pulls played, however unconvincingly. The crowd was good-natured and both sets of fans had plenty to cheer.

The second day of the Boxing day Test at Melbourne was all about Andrew Symonds’s maiden Test hundred and his stand with Matthew Hayden. Cricinfo looks at the stat highlights of the day

George Binoy27-Dec-2006

279 – The partnership between Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds was the second highest for the sixth wicket in Australia. The highest is 346 between Don Bradman and Jack Fingleton against England at the MCG in 1937. This stand between Hayden and Symonds is the sixth highest sixth-wicket partnership overall.
75.08 – Hayden’s average at the MCG after 15 innings. His 153 today was his fifth century at Melbourne – the most he’s scored at any venue. His last seven scores at the MCG have been 136, 53*, 9, 56*, 65, 137, 153.3 – the number of times Michael Hussey has been dismissed for less than 20 in 25 Test innings. His 6 today broke a sequence of six consecutive fifty-plus scores (including two hundreds). The first time he was dismissed for below 20 was on debut, when he made 1 against West Indies at Brisbane.9 – the number of hundreds scored by Australian batsmen this series. Seven different Australians have scored hundreds while England’s batsmen have scored just three so far.103.70 -Symonds’s strike-rate against Matthew Hoggard. Hoggard bowled 27 balls to Symonds and conceded 28 runs with five boundaries.18.47 – Symonds’s Test average before the Boxing Day Test. After his unbeaten 154 on the second day – his maiden Test hundred – his average has risen to 27.52.