Zimbabwe had earlier been bowled out for 144 after losing their last four wickets for just seven runs
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jan-2023
File pic: Craig Ervine top-scored for Zimbabwe with 42•ICC via Getty Images
Ross Adair, playing only his second international game, stroked a 47-ball 65 to help Ireland to a six-wicket victory against Zimbabwe, and level the three-match series going into the decider in Harare on Sunday.Chasing 145, Ireland made a steady but sedate start, as Adair and Andy Balbirnie added 48 for the first wicket. Two quick wickets from Ryan Burl looked to give Zimbabwe a way back into the game, but Adair and Harry Tector stitched together a 59-run partnership that put the visitors in sight of the win. Adair was eventually dismissed in the 16th over, having struck two fours and four sixes during his half-century, but Tector (26) and George Dockrell saw Ireland home in the final over, with two deliveries to spare; Dockrell finished the game with a six off Brad Evans, who leaked 38 runs from 3.4 overs.Earlier, Zimbabwe, in the absence of Gary Ballance, who was hit on the helmet in the previous game, managed 144 from their 20 overs. The team lost Tadiwanashe Marumani in the first over, but rebuilt through Innocent Kaia (25) and the captain Craig Ervine (42). At 117 for 4 in the 16th over, the hosts were looking for a final flourish, but two quick strikes from Graham Hume derailed their momentum. Zimbabwe lost their last four wickets for just seven runs, to be bowled out for 144.Hume ended with figures of 4-0-17-3, while Tector took 2 for 22 from his four overs.
تحدث خافيير ماسكيرانو، المدير الفني لفريق إنتر ميامي، عن مواجهة الأهلي، في افتتاح بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025، الأحد المقبل.
وقال ماسكيرانو في تصريحات للقناة الأولى :”ميسي هو اللاعب رقم واحد، وقد ترك تأثيرًا كبيرًا في البلاد، لا أدري إن كان ينشغل بكل ما يدور حوله أم لا، لكنه لا يزال نفس اللاعب المتواضع الذي أعرفه، لا يشغل باله سوى بكرة القدم، ولا يهتم بأي أمور أخرى تحدث خارج المستطيل الأخضر”.
وأضاف: “كأس العالم سيكون حدثًا استثنائيًا، إذ سيجمع فرقًا من مختلف أنحاء العالم، وستكون الأجواء مختلفة عن البطولات القارية، فالوضع مختلف لأنه يتعلق ببطولة عالمية”.
وواصل: “في الحقيقة، نتوقع حضور عدد كبير من الجماهير المصرية، فمثل هذه الفرق تجذب جماهيرها لمؤازرتها، ولذلك أعتقد أن المباراة ستكون صعبة جدًا، رغم أننا نلعب على ملعبنا، لأن فريقًا مثل الأهلي اعتاد اللعب أمام مدربين كبار وجماهير غفيرة”.
وأكمل: “بحكم عملي كمدرب، أحاول تقديم التعليمات للاعبين ومساعدتهم، والأجواء هنا يسودها الحب والاحترام، وبعيدًا عن هذه الجوانب، تبدو الأمور الأخرى سهلة بالنسبة لي”.
وأتم:”نحن هنا في مكان يتمتع بخصوصية كبيرة، ففي ميامي يوجد عدد كبير من الجماهير اللاتينية، بالإضافة إلى الجماهير التي ستأتي لمساندتنا، أتمنى أن يقدموا لنا الدعم القوي”.
Arsenal and Barcelona may reportedly be pipped to the signature of Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia by Bournemouth.
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Arsenal targeted Garcia since last year
Barcelona join race for Espanyol star
Bournemouth may win keeper pursuit
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WHAT HAPPENED?
AS, via Sport Witness, claims Arsenal are stepping up their interest in the 24-year-old, but Bournemouth are also keeping tabs on him. Moreover, Mundo Deportivo states the Gunners are leading the race for his services and 'has negotiated' with Mikel Arteta's team, but Barcelona are also targeting the 6ft 3in player.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite all that, Sport claim Garcia is unlikely to settle for a backup role and could prioritise a club that will make him first choice. David Raya is Arsenal's number one, and Marc-André ter Stegen is Barcelona's. Therefore, if Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga does not join Bournemouth permanently, that could pave the way for a Garcia switch.
DID YOU KNOW?
Garcia is said to have a €25 million (£21m) release clause, which will rise to €30m (£25.2m) for the last 15 days of the summer transfer window. However, reports suggest he could leave for as little as €15m (£12.6m) in order to balance their books before June 30.
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WHAT NEXT?
Before transfer bids can take place, Garcia will hope to delay Barcelona's La Liga title party when lowly Espanyol host Hansi Flick's side on Thursday night.
Mitchell Swepson made inroads into NSW’s second innings to leave them struggling to save the game
AAP20-Oct-2022Matt Renshaw and Queensland allrounder Michael Neser posted their highest scores in first-class cricket in a match-turning sixth-wicket stand to crush New South Wales on day three of their Sheffield Shield clash.Opener Renshaw made a masterful unbeaten 200 and Neser a whirlwind 136 as the duo combined in a 257-run sixth-wicket stand at Sydney’s Drummoyne Oval.When Neser departed, Queensland declared on 6 for 477 and NSW were 4 for 96 at stumps when bad light stopped play.Neser and Renshaw came together in the first over of the day after Jimmy Peirson was dismissed. The Queensland pair blitzed the bowling attack to score at more than five runs per over in a powerful partnership.Neser’s previous best was an innings of 121 in the Shield two seasons ago. The 32-year-old, who played one Test for Australia last season, brought up his ton with a cut shot to deep point from Australia spinner Nathan Lyon and then went into overdrive.Matt Renshaw brought up a marathon double century•Getty ImagesRenshaw’s knock could have ramifications beyond this match. Five of his 15 boundaries were sixes and he showcased an array of attacking strokes which sent a message to Test selectors that his game has developed hugely.His knock surpassed the 184 he made for Australia against Pakistan in 2017. The century was his first as an opening batter for Queensland since 2017-18 and continued the form he displayed for Somerset in English county cricket this year where he twice passed the hundred mark.Renshaw batted in the middle order last season but captain Usman Khawaja moved him back to his former position at the top of the list to benefit Queensland, and with the hope of revitalising his Test career.Renshaw played the last of his 11 Tests in 2018 but with current Australia openers Khawaja and David Warner nearing the end of their careers he has reminded the selectors of his ability to now change gears with a match-defining innings in challenging conditions.Queensland legspinner Mitchwell Swepson was the pick of the bowlers and also ran out opener Blake Nikitaris.
A fresh update has now been forthcoming on Leeds United’s hunt for a new striker in the final hours of the transfer window as Daniel Farke looks to bolster his ranks for the second half of the Championship season.
Leeds lay down Championship marker
Leeds put seven past a sorry Cardiff City side to maintain their spot at the top of the Championship in their most recent outing, with the thrashing of the Bluebirds helping them continue their record as the highest scorers in the division.
Farke’s side are favourites to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League after play-off heartbreak last season, and also boast the best goal difference and the second-fewest goals conceded as things stand, despite a series of injuries in midfield threatening to derail their campaign.
Leeds United in the Championship
Statistic
League Rank
Wins
18
2nd
Goals scored
60
1st
Goals conceded
19
2nd
Goal Difference
41
1st
After the game, Farke admitted that his side were open to recruiting further in the January window despite their impressive form to date.
“We spoke quite openly about [how] I totally trust this group and if we go with this group, I’m confident that we can finish in a top position”, the Leeds boss explained.
“But I think also it’s our responsibility as key people in the club to explore if there is something that could improve the group a bit and make the probability higher that we are successful in the end. To find something where we think, okay, it’s a good addition that’s affordable, we will go for it, and if not, then not.”
Now, one journalist has offered an update on their hunt for a striker.
Leeds striker latest
Heading into the final hours of the transfer window, Cameron Archer remains Leeds’ priority signing, but there is little sign that Southampton will let him leave the club despite the Englishman struggling for game time at St Mary’s.
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The 23-year-old has started just 10 times so far this season, but is deemed an important squad player and that decision has forced Leeds to seemingly look elsewhere.
One player that hit the headlines was Chelsea youngster Marc Guiu, who arrived at Stamford Bridge for £5m in the summer but has failed to make an impression on their Premier League squad despite hitting six goals in six Conference League outings.
Chelsea's Marc Guiu celebrates
Leeds were linked with a potential move for the Spaniard on a temporary basis until the end of the season, with Chelsea thought to be considering letting him leave in search of additional game time away from west London.
However, a move to Elland Road seems unlikely, at least according to Ben Jacobs. The reporter explained that ‘Leeds are not considering a loan move’ for the former Barcelona youngster.
For Farke’s side, it seems very much like it will be Archer or no-one on deadline day.
Everton’s resounding victory over Tottenham Hotspur has restored the feel-good factor at Goodison Park. With David Moyes at the helm, there’s already an optimism about the club, dreaming of a brighter future.
However, Everton remain embroiled in another relegation battle and simply have to take advantage of the ongoing winter transfer window to create some breathing room in the bottom half of the Premier League.
Luckily, new owners, The Friedkin Group, are determined to provide some funds so Moyes can bolster Everton’s first team.
Fans are likely most anticipating a deal for a new centre-forward. Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored an excellent goal at the weekend but had previously endured a 16-match barren run and is also out of contract at the end of the campaign.
Moreover, Armando Broja has injured his ankle and is expected to be sidelined for several months. It’s likely that he will be sent back to Chelsea, freeing up space for Moyes to bring in a fresh face at the top.
Elsewhere, an exciting name is currently being linked with a move to Merseyside. While the club feel it necessary to strengthen over a number of areas, namely at number nine, the right side of the frontline feels one of the most pressing.
Everton lining up exciting player
According to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato, Juventus are aware of interest from several European clubs, Everton among them, for dynamic wide player Timothy Weah with it stated that the Toffees have ‘made a move’ for the attacker.
The USMNT international has been in fine fettle under Thiago Motta’s wing this season and could bring the kind of panache that Moyes’ side needs to balance steely resistance with exciting flair.
Juventus forward Timothy Weah
Rated at £14m by Transfermarkt, Weah could be the perfect and realistic mid-season option for the Toffees, but with Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig over in Germany also named as suitors, this won’t be an easy one to get over the line.
What Timothy Weah would bring to Everton
An immensely flexible player from a tactical standpoint, Weah followed in his famed father’s footsteps as a centre-forward but has remoulded himself as more of an electric-paced wideman in recent seasons.
Centre-forward
49
10
4
Right winger
75
8
6
Left winger
28
6
4
Left-back
8
0
0
Right-back
8
0
0
Weah’s cutting edge has always felt somewhat lacking, however, Juventus have triumphed in fostering his potency and he has scored five goals and added one assist from just eight starts in Serie A this season, as per Sofascore, remarkably missing zero big chances.
The 24-year-old’s prowess is further reflected through his FBref metrics, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals per shot, the top 11% for pass completion and the top 17% for tackles per 90.
This perfectly illustrates his growth in front of goal but also his technical quality and tenacity in defensive phases. In fact, FBref even note that the versatile winger is similar to Everton superstar Iliman Ndiaye.
Iliman Ndiaye scores for Everton
Ndiaye only arrived at Goodison Park last summer, joining from French club Marseille for a £15m fee but he’s already established himself as an enduring fan favourite, described as an “a superstar” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, who also hailed the Senegalese’s “twinkle toes.”
Everton battered Tottenham last time out, with Ndiaye running riot against a flimsy and beleaguered Spurs backline. Just imagine Weah placed on the alternate flank, finely balancing the team with a new lightning-bolting option to stretch opponents even wider.
It was Ndiaye’s sixth goal in all competitions for Everton since signing, having played 24 times. The 24-year-old, principally played on the left wing, might not boast the most towering goal record, but he’s only missed two big chances in the Premier League this term, converting his other four.
Ndiaye might not be the most prolific goalscorer, but he’s definitely endowed with an athletic likeness to Weah, ranking among the top 7% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 16% for tackles and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.
You’d think that Everton’s desire to sign such a talent as Weah might be magnified by the fact that Jesper Lindstrom and Jack Harrison haven’t cut the mustard this season, with both players only contracted until the end of the season given that they are both on loan.
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This would be perfect. Ndiaye on the left, Weah on the right. Wreaking havoc while boasting the composure through their passing play to effectively counterattack and provide Moyes’ side with more possession-based football than has been on offer under Sean Dyche for the lion’s share of the 2024/25 campaign.
16.
Bournemouth
7th
45.9%
17.
Crystal Palace
12th
43.7%
18.
Ipswich
18th
40.6%
19.
Everton
16th
40.5%
20.
Nott’m Forest
3rd
39.6%
If Everton fans aren’t yet convinced, the one and only Neymar Jr. has even given the American maverick his blessing, once claiming that Weah “has everything to go and become one of the best attacking players in Europe.”
Moreover, recently departed Everton owner Farhad Moshiri had overseen past interest in the player. Esteemed French publication L’Equipe confirmed in January 2023 that the Merseysiders were interested in signing the then-Lille forward.
Juventus forward Timothy Weah
Everton can only operate within their parameters but TFG will be keen on providing Moyes with some foundations to build something special.
It’s hard to imagine that the Soctsman would have taken the job without some measure of assurance, and after beating Tottenham so emphatically, you’d think that the new owners will give him what he needs.
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Wrexham have been told they would need a "lot of surgery" to survive in the Championship as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney seek another promotion.
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Wrexham flying high in League One
Aiming for promotion to Championship
Told theyd need a lot of work to survive there
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood says Wrexham's story in recent years under Reynolds and McElhenney has been "amazing" but they would need to invest heavily in the squad if they get promoted to the Championship this season.
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WHAT TIM SHERWOOD SAID
He told OLBG: "It’ll be harder for Wrexham to go back to back [to reach the Premier League] than Birmingham, obviously the fanbase is a little bit bigger there so they can spend more money. But it's been an amazing story for Wrexham. Everyone's been following it. They're famous in the United States because of the documentary and it's been great for them. There is a lot of surgery they’d need to be able to do to survive in the Championship, to their players and the playing squad. Whether you can make that many changes and be successful is another question, but they’re ticking every box at the moment, so you wouldn't rule it out. It's a Cinderella story, and they've got the right people involved."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Wrexham sit second in League One and are aiming for an historic third straight promotion in as many years. They are locked in an intense battle with Wycombe Wanderers for the final automatic promotion spot, with Birmingham City on the cusp of the title. If Reynolds and McElhenney's side do go up again, their task will get even harder, though, with the Hollywood co-owners having made no secret of their ultimate ambition to reach the Premier League.
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WHAT NEXT?
Wrexham will hope to pull clear of third-placed Wycombe this weekend when they host lowly Burton Albion on Saturday. Phil Parkinson's team were held to a 2-2 draw at Cambridge last time out.
Manchester City are now ready to sanction a player sale, which will help them to sign a new £70 million defender, according to a recent report. Pep Guardiola’s side continued their terrible run of form on Wednesday night, as they were beaten 2-0 in the Champions League by Juventus, putting their chances of qualification in severe jeopardy.
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It is now just one win from their last ten games in all competitions for City and Guardiola, and with their season in danger of falling apart, January could be arriving at a good time, as the Blues have their eye on potential arrivals.
The first player City are looking to sign in January is midfielder Ederson from Atalanta. The Blues have been missing Rodri since he suffered his season-ending injury, and now, they believe Ederson is the man to replace him. The Italian side want to keep hold of the Brazilian, but a deal could be done for around £42 million.
City are also seriously considering signing Antonee Robinson from Fulham in January. The USA international is under contract until 2028, and it will cost City £40 million to get a deal over the line in 2025.
Man City ready to sanction Dias sale to sign England star
According to TEAMtalk, Manchester City are considering the sale of Ruben Dias, so they can sign a new centre back, with Marc Guehi the main man on their shortlist.
Dias, who earns £180,000 a week, has been at the Etihad since 2020, when he joined from Benfica, and during his time there, he has been a key part of the defence that has won Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Champions League titles. The Portuguese has even gone on to captain the City team on numerous occasions, but he could soon be on his way out.
This report states that City are considering a “reluctant” sale of Dias so they can bring in a new centre-back. The club are keen to refresh their squad with top young talents, and Guardiola is aware that he needs to strengthen his defence, so is keen to bring in a new centre-back either in January or the summer at the latest.
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi celebrates
City are interested in signing Crystal Palace’s Guehi, who was labelled as being “great” in the summer by John Stones, and have placed him on their transfer shortlist. City are keeping a close eye on his situation, and he could be available for less than £80 million; Palace were looking to get £70 million during the summer. However, his arrival is likely to depend on an exit, and Dias’ name is the one being mentioned.
Premier League Stats 2024/25
Ruben Dias
Marc Guehi
Apps
12
15
Goals
0
2
Progressive passes
70
63
Passes attempted
1072
801
Passes completed
1006
679
Tackles (Won)
9 (5)
20 (10)
Interceptions
11
9
Blocks
9
26
Clearances
31
77
There are a number of teams interested in signing Dias, with Chelsea very interested in a potential deal. Furthermore, Dias remains focused on helping City, but he would also be open to taking on a new challenge at an elite European club.
Leeds United moved to the top of the Championship table on Tuesday night with a fantastic 3-1 win over Middlesbrough at a noisy Elland Road.
The Whites are now two points clear of Sheffield United in the division, before the Blades play on Wednesday night, and will certainly end the gameweek in the automatic promotion places.
Wilfried Gnonto, Dan James, and Brenden Aaronson scored the goals for the hosts to secure a fantastic result against Boro, who had beaten Leeds 3-0 at Elland Road in the League Cup back in August.
One of the star performers for the West Yorkshire outfit was the scorer of the second, and arguably best, goal of the night – Wales international James.
Dan James' electric performance against Middlesbrough
The rapid former Manchester United winger was selected to play on the right flank for the Whites and was involved in all three goals for Daniel Farke’s side.
James burst down the right wing and produced a teasing cross into the box that Seny Dieng in the Boro goal made a complete mess of, allowing Gnonto to tap the ball into a virtually empty net.
The 27-year-old star then scored his fourth goal of the Championship season in superb style, firing into the far top corner from the edge of the box to put Leeds 2-1 up after Max Wober’s unfortunate own goal had made it 1-1.
James played a big role in the third and final goal with his driving run on the counter-attack leading to a pass to Ao Tanaka in the box, which allowed the midfielder to square the ball to Aaronson to score.
There was another Leeds player who was just as good as the Wales international, though, and that was Joe Rothwell, who has proven himself to be Farke’s most underrated player.
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Leeds' most underrated player
Rothwell has been unfortunate, in a sense, to be playing alongside an incredibly talented and popular midfielder in Tanaka, who won the club’s Player of the Month award for October and November.
Whilst the Bournemouth loanee will, surely, love to play alongside such a quality player, it does mean that the majority of the acclaim goes the way of the summer signing from Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Rothwell’s performance against Middlesbrough was a reminder, however, that he is just as important to the team with his terrific displays in the middle of the park, with LeedsLive handing him and James a player rating of 8/10 each.
Minutes
89
Key passes
2
Pass accuracy
92%
Duels won
6/8
Dribbled past
0x
As you can see in the table above, the Englishman was a midfield metronome in the middle of the park with his impressive pass success rate, whilst he was also superb out of possession.
Meanwhile, Tanaka also completed 92% of his attempted passes but lost nine of his 15 ground duels and was dribbled past three times, which shows that Rothwell offered more solidity defensively.
The Englishman tops the team for key passes (1.6) per game and ranks fifth for passes completed (39.9) per game, which speaks to his progressive use of the ball for Leeds.
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He is key to the way the teams turns their possession into dangerous attacks with his progressive passes, as shown by his impressive number of key passes, and that – along with his showing against Boro – is why he is, arguably, the most underrated star in the team alongside his more heralded midfield partner.
Attritional contest reaches third and final game, with hopes of livelier surface in store
Andrew Miller23-Mar-2022
Joe Root poses on Grand Anse Beach in Grenada ahead of the third Test•Getty Images
Big PictureSo far, England’s tour of the Caribbean has been one for the purists. Ten days of attritional cricket, interspersed with flashes of hopeful flamboyance, and nothing yet to show in the series ledger for either side’s efforts. Could that be about to change, as Grenada prepares to host a Test match for only the fourth time in the ground’s 23-year international history? The rumours from the Spice Island are of spicier times in store … but it’s probably prudent to temper one’s expectations in light of what we’ve witnessed so far.Whatever happens in this final Test, both sides can already take heart from the competitive spirit that they’ve shown in this series. West Indies remain without a Test victory in 10 attempts since February 2021, while England’s current record reads one win in 16, so for neither team to have yet racked up another loss has to count as progress on both fronts.For West Indies, their captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, has personified the competitive zeal that the region seeks to reignite in their Test cricket. His extraordinary refusal to buckle in Barbados has bagged him a place in the pantheon of batting barnacles – Geoffrey Boycott and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, among others, would have been proud of his indefatigable performance, even if Boycott, in his Telegraph column, was rightly concerned about the tedious nature of the Bridgetown pitch – an anti-competitive mud-strip that did little to elevate the contest beyond a grim pursuit of statistics.Even so, England showed, with a final-day flourish in each of the first two games, a willingness to break the deadlock – first with some sparky declaration batting, led on each occasion by Dan Lawrence’s unconventional strokeplay, then backed up with an early flurry of wickets as West Indies’ inherent brittleness briefly came to the fore.It was a fleeting glimpse on both occasions, however. Despite Saqib Mahmood’s impressive debut in Barbados, and some lively turn and bounce for Jack Leach when armed with the new ball, England haven’t yet shown they have the weapons to transcend pitches of such tedium – unlike, say, the startling inroads that Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins have been able to make on similarly flat decks in Pakistan.For that reason, while it’s true that a handful of bore-draws in themselves cannot threaten the future of an inherently insecure format – one whose death has been predicted for 145 years and counting – the issue of substandard Test pitches is not one that should be allowed to be brushed off as an anomaly.By all accounts these are not the surfaces that CWI ordered – coming into the series, after all, West Indies arguably had the more threatening roster of fast bowlers in their ranks and therefore would have wished for more pace and bounce to work with. It appears that the final decision was left in the hands of the local boards in Antigua and Barbados, both of whom valued the guarantee of five full days of Barmy Army patronage over the guarantee of a result. If the Grenada authorities can be persuaded to place more value on the spectacle than the bottom line, then who knows, they might also lure a few disenchanted supporters over to their shores next time around.Away from the pitch politics, there’s plenty at stake as England’s tentative rebuild reaches its first of what will surely have to be many mini-peaks. In Lawrence and Zak Crawley, they have two young guns who can stride into the 2022 home season with renewed confidence after last year’s challenges; in Joe Root and Ben Stokes, the team’s most important batting pillars are looking sturdy once more after their wobbles in the Ashes, while Jonny Bairstow’s renewed red-ball focus looks here to stay as well.Kraigg Brathwaite was West Indies’ mainstay in Barbados•Getty Images
But there’s plenty about this team that isn’t yet where it needs to be. Alex Lees could do with at least a medium-sized innings to firm up his status at the top of the order, while Chris Woakes’ series-long toothlessness has done little but reaffirm the overseas suspicions that have dogged him for most of his career. With Ollie Robinson’s fitness issues resurfacing again, and Mark Wood’s elbow injury leaving England more bereft of 90mph/145kph options than at any time since the 2017-18 Ashes, there’s been little about their seam attack that will have ushered James Anderson and Stuart Broad into an early retirement.And then there’s the spin issue. Leach has been diligent without threatening to tear through West Indies, while the legspinner Matt Parkinson remains on the fringes, waiting for the moment to be trusted. It’s possible that chance has been and gone, however – Barbados was where England needed his ability to rip it past well-set defences, but as the management proved in Brisbane and Adelaide last winter, they are perfectly capable of picking the right team for the wrong Test. They confirmed their side on Wednesday afternoon, with Craig Overton replacing Matthew Fisher as the only change.West Indies, meanwhile, will surely be content with more of the same. Brathwaite stole the show in Barbados, but it’s been far from a one-man mission from his team. Nkrumah Bonner may have endured a rare quiet game in the second Test, but a week before that he was producing a similarly indomitable display in Antigua, and Jermaine Blackwood’s gutsy, and largely out-of-character, hundred at Bridgetown personified the extent to which West Indies raise their game when England are in town.Given half a chance, West Indies’ quicks are surely gagging to show similar devotion to the cause. Both Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales have had their moments, most particularly on the first morning of the series, while the talismanic Jason Holder has had, by his standards, a quiet series against his favoured foes. If he can rediscover even a modicum of the form he showed in 2019, there’s no reason to assume that a 0-0 lockout is the upper limit of West Indies’ ambitions.Form guide(Last five matches; most recent first) West Indies DDLLL England DDLDLIn the spotlightAfter his extraordinary feats of endurance in Barbados, it’s hard to look beyond Kraigg Brathwaite for a West Indies focal-point this week. When you’ve batted for a notch shy of 16 hours across two innings, to rack up 216 runs from 673 balls in a single Test match, it’s fair to presume your eye is in. Brathwaite demurred, however, when asked if West Indies would be looking to pick up their tempo going into the series decider. He’s quite happy letting England come to him, asking questions that their bowlers struggled to answer as they were kept in the field for 187.5 overs in the first innings last week. And on his watch, West Indies have given themselves every chance of extending their proud unbeaten record at home against England.Related
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Jack Leach will have been a Test cricketer for almost exactly four years by the time this Test ends, having made his debut in New Zealand in March 2018. But by his own admission, he’s still feeling his way in the role, after a rollercoaster year in 2021 that started and ended with some fearful treatment against India in Chennai and Australia in Brisbane, and encompassed a home summer in which he didn’t feature in a single Test. Leach’s efforts in the series to date have been admirable – with 11 wickets at 26.36, he’s the only bowler on either side to reach double figures, while his tally of 168.3 overs is almost 100 more than the next busiest bowler (Stokes with 77). But the sense persisted in both Tests that he could have been braver with his flight and loop, and sought to bowl West Indies out rather than wait for the mistakes that never came. Now that he’s feeling more valued within the set-up, and with a diet of Graeme Swann YouTube clips to fall back on, perhaps his attacking instincts can start to materialise.Team newsWest Indies have stuck with the same 13-man squad for the third match running, which is a vote of confidence from Desmond Haynes, the convenor of selectors, after a series in which the batters – Brathwaite in particular – have been willing to dig deep for the cause. There’s a possibility of a rejig for this final match, however, with Kyle Mayers on hand to step in for Shamarh Brooks, whose top-score in a bat-dominated series has been 39. There’s also the thorny issue of workload to consider. Jayden Seales, for instance, has ploughed through 65 overs for his seven wickets in the series. Given the rapid turnaround between Tests, and that he is still a work in progress at the age of 20, it may be prudent to give him a rest and hand a debut to Anderson Phillip, the uncapped Trinidad fast bowler.West Indies (possible) 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 John Campbell, 3 Nkrumah Bonner, 4 Kyle Mayers/Shamarh Brooks, 5 Jermaine Blackwood, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Joshua da Silva (wk), 8 Alzarri Joseph, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Veerasammy Permaul, 11 Jayden Seales/Anderson PhillipThere was plenty to ponder for England in the bowling stakes, after a series of flux in which injury and illness has forced their hand in both Tests, and maybe taught them more about their personnel than they might have anticipated learning. Robinson missed each of the first two Tests with a back spasm, and despite optimistic noises, another flare-up has ended his participation here too. As a consequence, there has been a stay of execution for Woakes, whose role in overseas Tests would surely otherwise be at an end. Overton, too, has recovered from the bout of sickness that afflicted him in Barbados. He returns in place of Fisher, who let no-one down on debut and whose chance will come again before long.England 1 Alex Lees, 2 Zak Crawley, 3 Joe Root (capt), 4 Dan Lawrence, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Craig Overton, 10 Saqib Mahmood, 11 Jack LeachPitch and conditionsNo-one is quite expecting the sort of snorter that was served up in St Lucia for the third Test of England’s last tour in 2019 – on which Mark Wood touched speeds of 96mph in one of the fastest bowling displays in English history – but the omens are good for the fast bowlers on both sides, with a surface that appears to have a tinge of green on top, and the prospect of a bit more pace and carry than was in evidence in Antigua and Barbados. The weather this week is expected to be cloudy but with no real prospect of disruption from rain. “It looks like a good cricket wicket,” Phil Simmons, West Indies’ head coach, said.Stats and trivia Grenada has not hosted a Test match since England’s tour of the Caribbean in 2015, when the visitors won comfortably, by nine wickets, on the back of an unbeaten 182 from a certain Joe Root. West Indies have yet to win a Test match in three attempts at St George’s. The ground’s inaugural Test, against New Zealand in 2002, was a high-scoring draw (dominated by a Chris Gayle double-century), while their other fixture in 2009 was famous for a rare Bangladesh overseas series win – albeit it came against a third-choice West Indies side, weakened by a row with the team sponsors, Digicel. Joe Root is within striking distance of becoming the 14th man, and the first since Younis Khan in 2017, to reach 10,000 Test runs. He is currently 116 runs short, on 9,884 runs, and having made a century in each of the previous two Tests, he is in the form to chalk them off. If he does so, he will also be the first of the so-called Big Four to reach the mark.Quotes”Ollie wasn’t as good as we would have liked or he was expecting himself. It’s just frustrating for him as it is for me. He’s working very hard but there’s something that’s nagging away at him. I’m not sure exactly of the medical prognosis.” Joe Root, England’s captain, confirms that Robinson is unable for selection once again.“In both Test matches so far, it was necessary to make sure that we got to the 350-400 mark in the first innings. The situation will dictate how we up the tempo, because so far we have been happy with the fact that we’ve had big partnerships, and three hundreds in the two Test matches.” Phil Simmons, West Indies’ head coach, wants more of the same application from his batters.