Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is 'coming round to the idea' of selling star striker Harry Kane this window as uncertainty over his future in north London continues to rage on, according to journalist Alex Crook.

Which club will Harry Kane go to?

According to Sky Sports, Kane expects to stay at Tottenham if he is not sold by the Lilywhites before their opening match of the Premier League campaign against Brentford on August 13th.

Bayern Munich are desperate to land the England international this summer and are expected to improve their £81.7 million offer for Kane alongside offering him a five-year deal to move to the Allianz Arena, though Spurs are holding out for a fee of £100 million.

The German giants sent chief Jan-Christian Dreesen and technical director Marco Neppe over to London for a meeting with Tottenham chairman Levy on Monday to try and seal a deal for the £200k-a-week ace, according to BILD reporter Heiko Niedderer via The Daily Mail.

TEAMtalk understand that Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal are considering submitting a world record bid for Kane after failing in attempt to land Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen.

Al Hilal believed that an offer in the region of £200 million may be enough to tempt Levy to sell Kane; however, the player has little desire to move to the Gulf region in the prime of his career.

Last term, Kane was in excellent form for Tottenham, registering 32 goals and five assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Crook thinks that Levy may have finally adopted a stance of acceptance with regards to potentially losing Kane's services this window.

Crook stated: "The fact Daniel Levy is even willing to sit down with the two guys from Bayern Munich suggests that maybe he's coming round to the idea of selling for the first time really.

"So it puts Spurs in a difficult position, because can they afford to risk hanging on to him and then him leaving for free next summer? Probably not is the answer, so it's not ideal."

What now for Tottenham Hotspur?

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has been dealt a relatively tough hand as speculation surrounding Kane continues to dominate the headlines in his debut campaign, though he will continue to scope out potential recruits for his squad in the meantime.

The Daily Mail report that Nottingham Forest striker Brennan Johnson could be a candidate to replace Kane in north London this summer for a fee in the region of £50 million.

Belgian publication Het Nieuwsblad via The Sun claim that Gent striker Gift Orban is another striker that is on the Lilywhites' radar and could compete with Richarlison for a central striking spot under Postecoglou.

According to The Evening Standard, Blackburn Rovers defender Ashley Phillips is poised to join Spurs by the end of the week in a deal worth around £2 million.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to secure a big in-house agreement, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.

Who have been linked with exits at Molineux?

Over the course of the last few months, all three players in question have been linked with moves elsewhere as Wolves continue to endure a tumultuous summer transfer window.

In the case of Neto, Sporting Clube de Portugal have expressed an interest in taking the Portugal international on loan for the 2023/24 campaign and is said to be 'very well regarded' by the Lisbon giants, as per A Bola.

Football Insider claim that Arsenal had considered an approach for the £50k-a-week ace earlier. However, it remains to be seen whether they would re-ignite their attraction towards Neto after bringing in Kai Havertz from Chelsea.

Nunes has been mooted with a potential transfer to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain, as per L'Equipe transcribed via Sports Mole and also Liverpool in recent months as his stock continues to rise. Contractually, the deep-lying midfielder is tied to the Old Gold until the summer of 2027 and earns around £85,000 per week at Molineux, according to Capology.

Kilman has also garnered attention this window from Serie A giants Napoli, who saw a £30 million bid rebuffed for the former Maidenhead United defender last month, as per Telegraph Sport.

Earning a modest £15,000 per week at Wolves, Kilman and his current employers are said to have opened dialogue over improved terms to fight off keen suitors, this off-season, as per The Express & Star.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, talkSPORT reporter Crook thinks that Wolves boss Lopetegui will be doing everything he can to keep the trio around despite prying eyes from elsewhere.

Crook stated: Liverpool bid on Nunes in the January transfer window, but they seem to be targeting other midfielders.

"Neto, we know that Arsenal have liked in the past, but if you look at that forward area now with Kai Havertz coming in, where is he going to play? Do they need him? Probably not.

"Kilman, the interest from Napoli was real. I think Lopetegui has made it pretty clear, maybe that's why he's coming out and saying what he has, that he doesn't want to lose him, I think he will probably end up being captain if he stays.

"So, I think they're really hopeful that he will sign a new contract."

What now for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

The fears of a Kilman exit won't be over yet and it remains to be seen as to what the club will decide should another offer come in, with Napoli now eyeing up a loan-to-buy offer for the centre-back.

Spanish coach Lopetegui will be aiming to bulk out his squad by adding some additional bodies before the end of the window, though he has been hamstrung quite severely since the start of play in the market due to the Old Gold's well-documented financial issues.

Nevertheless, recruitment will be a priority of urgency at Molineux and Stuttgart defender Konstantinos Mavropanos has been eyed as a potential defensive reinforcement, according to The Sun.

Scotland international Che Adams has emerged as a target for Wolves and Southampton are reportedly bracing themselves for incoming bids amid further competition from Everton and Bournemouth to secure his signature, as per Football Insider.

Conversely, Wolves now look set to miss out on Bristol City talent Alex Scott after news broke that Bournemouth have swooped in to acquire the Guernsey-born playmaker, as per Telegraph Sport.

وجه أحمد حسام ميدو مهاجم الزمالك الأسبق رسالة إلى إياد العسقلاني المحترف المصري في صفوف فريق روستوف نادونو الروسي.

وكان إياد العسقلاني قد انتقل إلى صفوف فريق نادي روستوف الروسي بداية من يناير 2024 الماضي.

طالع | إياد العسقلاني لاعب الإسماعيلي يرحل إلى الدوري الروسي

وانتشرت أنباء في الفترة الماضية عن وجود مفاوضات من جانب مسؤولي الأهلي لضم اللاعب خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية المقبلة.

وقال ميدو في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة المحور: “دربت إياد العسقلاني في الإسماعيلي وهو لاعب قادر أن يلعب في مستويات كبيرة بأوروبا، لاعب سريع ويجيد اللعب بالرأس”.

وتابع: “إياد العسقلاني يمتلك الشخصية، مشروع مدافع كبير لـ منتخب مصر، وحرام أن يعود لمصر”.

وأردف: “اسمع كلامي أنا أخطئت وأنقل لك خبراتي، وقيل لي ألا أعود من الاحتراف إلى مصر ولكن عدت ودفعت الثمن، أقول للعسقلاني استمر في أوروبا”.

وأكمل: “إياد العسقلاني قادر أن يلعب في الدوري الإسباني، أتمنى أن يستمر في الاحتراف، خبر مفاوضات الأهلي معه أحزنني، ولو كان سينتقل لنادي الزمالك سأقول نفس الكلام”.

واختتم: “رغم اعتزازي الكبير بنادي الزمالك ولكن خطأ أنني عدت من الاحتراف لمصر”.

The inaugural season of the GLT20, Cricket South Africa’s franchise T20 tournament, will not take place as scheduled in November and December

Firdose Moonda10-Oct-20172:06

The rise and fall of the T20 Global League

The inaugural season of Cricket South Africa’s T20 Global League, which was scheduled to begin on November 3, has been postponed to November 2018 instead.The franchises understood that the delay in securing a stable television broadcast deal and central rights sponsorship for the tournament were the main reasons for postponing the GLT20, the brainchild of former CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat who had parted ways with the board last month.SACA expresses “concern and disappointment”

The South African Cricketers Association has called for an “independent review” into what has caused the postponement of the T20 Global League.
“This has a very significant impact on a large number of local and overseas players, all of whom have signed contracts to play in the league,” Tony Irish, chief executive of SACA, said. “Some players turned down other opportunities in order to commit themselves to these contracts. We will be looking at all implications of this for players, including what compensation should be paid to them.”
“SACA is well aware of the fact that this will also affect various other groups including franchises, coaches and stadium owners. I think it will be necessary for CSA to appoint its own independent review into what has actually transpired here as there are significant implications across South African cricket.”

ESPNcricinfo learned that CSA had informed all the eight franchises of the decision over the past few days. “We have not come to this decision lightly,” CSA’s acting CEO Thabang Moroe said. “Having discussed it with all our stakeholders including the franchise owners, we believe that the interest of the league should be our first priority. We have re-assessed our strategy and believe that postponing the first edition of the T20 Global League to next year will serve us well. We will regroup and come back stronger and better.”With less than a month to go before kickoff, the event faced numerous logistical challenges, not least the inability to secure a broadcast deal or a title sponsor, resulting in hefty financial losses. Though local broadcaster SuperSport is understood to have been close to putting pen to paper, the deal was going to be worth much less than CSA anticipated.Last week, Moroe told reporters that CSA was bracing for a $25 million loss on the first edition of the tournament, which amounted to half of the organisation’s cash reserves. He also provided an assurance that the tournament would go ahead as planned.Moroe had taken over from Lorgat, who parted ways with CSA on September 28, after his relationship with the board became untenable. The board’s unhappiness with Lorgat’s methods of organisation of the T20 Global League was one of the reasons for his departure, but one of the GLT20 franchise owners told ESPNcricinfo that Lorgat’s absence had created “much bigger challenges” in putting the tournament together, because he was its driving force.”When you know that something is not right then you should not do it,” the owner said. “We are half-prepared and it will be a bigger disaster if we go this way.”There was no indication that any of the current owners, seven of whom are from overseas, would withdraw from the event. Moroe met with the franchise owners on at least one occasion and was confident they remained committed to putting the tournament together. However, the time-frame was too short to put together an event of the quality CSA and the owners wanted.The postponement of the GLT20 leaves an enormous gap in the South African cricket calendar. For six weeks in peak summer, neither the national team nor the domestic franchises will be in action because CSA had created space for the event. Zimbabwe are due to visit South Africa over Boxing Day for a four-day, day-night match that is awaiting Test status, which means that after Bangladesh’s tour ends on October 29, South Africans will not see any live home cricket until December 26, unless a contingency plan is made.

Crystal Palace have reportedly stepped up their pursuit of Southampton striker Che Adams, as they look to add to their attacking options amid the start of the Premier League season.

Despite losing Wilfried Zaha this summer, Palace have welcomed just two reinforcements, with those being central midfielder Jefferson Lerma and attacking midfielder Matheus Franca.

What's the latest on Che Adams to Crystal Palace?

Roy Hodgson could yet see his attacking options boosted in the remaining weeks of the transfer window, however. According to The Sun, Crystal Palace are set to submit a £10m bid for Southampton striker Che Adams, and are reportedly willing to double the Scotland international's wages.

Adams has got off to a lightening quick start for the Saints in the Championship, scoring two goals in as many games to help his side to a win and a draw to open the season.

If Palace were to double his wages, then Adams could be earning around £60k a week in what will be a tempting offer for the forward. It may come down to just how much the Premier League side are willing to bid, though, as Southampton look for their valuation to be met.

When it comes to personal terms, the Eagles are at least helped by the fact that Adams shares an agent with Marc Guehi.

Should Crystal Palace sign Che Adams?

After losing Zaha, Palace are in desperate need of a new talisman, possibly making Adams a priority in the remaining weeks of the transfer window. Last season, Palace's top goal scorer was attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze with 10 goals, highlighting how blunt Hodgson's side were at times.

Adams, as Southampton suffered the heartbreak of relegation, also managed to find the back of the net on 10 ocassions. With that said, Palace fans may be dreaming of the partnership that the forward can form with Eze if he makes the move.

When compared to Palace's current forward, Odsonne Edouard, too, Adams stands out. Crucially, according to FBref, Adams enjoyed a better take-on success than Edouard last season, which could hand Hodgson's side a much-needed ball carrier to replace Zaha's ability.

At his best, too, the forward has attracted some high praise, with former manager Ralph Hasenhuttl saying, via The Daily Echo:

“He is a guy who is one day a little bit frustrated when he sees he doesn’t play but then when the game comes, he shows up immediately and this is fantastic.

“That’s why we brought him here."

Everything points towards a player who is Premier League quality, and Crystal Palace could help ensure his return to the top flight in the coming weeks.

The Eagles got their season off to a perfect start against newly-promoted Sheffield United, as Edouard found the winning goal just after the break. If they can now add Adams to their side, then Palace may well be in good stead to avoid relegation once more.

As the transfer window approaches its end in the next few weeks, the Saints striker's potential deal with Palace will certainly be one to keep an eye on.

Big picture

It is as it never was. But in recent times, and especially in the subcontinent, as it always was. Australia are in danger of losing a series well before its end and their players, by their own admission, seem no closer to solving the issues plaguing them. The remarkable thing is that in each of their matches, including the T20I in Ranchi where they were 49 for 1 after the Powerplay, their initial position was one of considerable strength.Virat Kohli, after scalping the rain-hit first T20I, expressed surprise at having to work hard to chase 48 runs in six overs when his bowlers had kept the opposition to 118 in 18.4. If Australia’s middle order had batted more carefully, the DLS equation might have asked more of India, who like to build in the early part of their batting innings.Such thoughts can be frustrating just as easily as they can be comforting. “We’re just one step away, lads” David Warner might say to his troops at their team meeting in Guwahati. “Tell us what we need to do, skip,” they might reply. “If I knew that, we wouldn’t be losing, would we?” That line has been used more than once in the time the Australians have been in India. Mostly in jest, but perhaps also to prevent airing their weaknesses to the global community, which often tends to include opposition batsmen, bowlers, captains and coaches.India, on the other hand, have dominated all departments. Their newer players have accepted important roles and thrived. While that is cause for celebration, a lot of their success recently has come at home and Kohli himself said, after the Bangalore ODI, that they can’t consider themselves world beaters until they do just as well abroad.

Form guide

India: WWLWW
Australia: LWLLWMarcus Stoinis celebrates after getting Rohit Sharma’s wicket•Associated Press

In the spotlight

If there is one Australian cricketer who has enhanced his reputation during the course of this tour, it is Marcus Stoinis. He looked out of place against spin in the first ODI, but since then has handled the threat quite competently. That he bowled an average of seven overs per game in the ODI series was a sign of his improvement as an allrounder. He was unable to play the Ranchi game, despite being named as a replacement for the injured Steven Smith, because he was back home at the time. But he has joined the squad now and is all but certain to play in Guwahati.He wasn’t at the crease for a long time in Ranchi, but after a little layoff Shikhar Dhawan would have enjoyed it nonetheless. Of course, he would have preferred the opportunity to face more than 12 balls and that may well come his way on Tuesday, with the series on the line.

Team news

India don’t really have much cause to fiddle with their team, unless there are last-minute injuries or thoughts of experimentation.India (probable) 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Jasprit BumrahGlenn Maxwell, as explosive as he is, hasn’t been solid enough to make that matter. He was dropped in the ODI series for that mistake and he may well suffer the same now.Australia (probable) 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Travis Head, 4 Moises Henriques/Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Dan Christian, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 9 Adam Zampa/ Andrew Tye, 10 Kane Richardson, 11 Jason Behrendorff

Pitch and conditions

The new Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati will host its first international match, although the city has already hosted international cricket before – from as early as 1983.

Stats and trivia

• Kohli averages 54 in T20Is, and if he lives up to those numbers, he will comfortably pass Tillakaratne Dilshan and become the second-highest scorer in the format in international cricket.
• Since the last of his 12 fifties for Australia in March 2016, Warner averages 16.5 with four single-digit scores in eight innings.

Quotes

“It’s a nice ground, the wicket looks fantastic. The first game being played here; it’s going to be a special one for both teams. Hopefully we can get across the line and get that first victory here.”

Newcastle United have been linked with Galatasaray midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo this summer, but now another key update has emerged regarding their interest in him.

Do Newcastle want Nicolo Zaniolo?

The Magpies made a sensational start to their Premier League season on Saturday evening, dispatching of Aston Villa 5-1 at St James' Park in a thrilling contest.

It was an early sign that Newcastle fans could be in for another treat of a campaign, with some superb football on show, not to mention new signings Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes both finding the back of the net.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

While the performance and result against Villa were memorable, it is still important that the Magpies continue to kick on this summer, bringing in some more new faces. Not many signings are needed, considering how strong the squad now looks, but a couple of additions would be the icing on the cake.

One player who has been linked with a summer move to Newcastle is Zaniolo, who is currently at Galatasaray, having joined them earlier this year. The Italian is also wanted by Villa, with a switch away from the Turkish giants on the cards.

Now, a new update regarding his future has dropped, however, and it looks as though a move to St James' is out of the question.

What's the latest on Nicolo Zaniolo to Newcastle?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Newcastle signing Zaniolo doesn't look on the cards this summer, with their interest in him never particularly strong:

"I don't think there's been too much with Zaniolo and Newcastle in terms of any action. I know that we've had him linked before, but he has obviously suffered quite a tough two years with injuries and then his relationship with Jose Mourinho before eventually moving to Galatasaray."

Zaniolo is a high-quality footballer who has won 13 caps for Italy, scoring twice in that time, so in many ways, seeing him in a Newcastle shirt would have been exciting, giving them something different in attacking midfield after being called a "decisive" player by Claudio Ranieri.

That being said, as Jacobs alludes to in his update, the former Roma man has suffered terrible luck with injuries down the years, so there would be a concern that he would break down continually in a Magpies shirt, ultimately not proving to be worth the money spent on him.

It could be argued that Zaniolo has now overcome the worst of his issues, and is still a young player who can prove his worth for another decade or so, but it would feel like a risky signing when there are other good options out there.

With Newcastle's interest in him seemingly non-existent at this point, it is important that they now turn their attention elsewhere, look to snap up someone with a similar ability to link the deeper midfielders and the attack, coming in as someone may be rotated with the likes of Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, making the Magpies' squad even more formidable and enhancing their hopes of back-to-back top four finishes in the Premier League this season.

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and the rest of the Celtic board have backed Brendan Rodgers throughout the summer transfer window so far.

Who have Celtic signed?

The Hoops have made five new additions to the first-team squad; including Marco Tilio, Odin Thiago Holm, Hyun-jun Yang, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, and Maik Nawrocki.

These moves may have been funded by the sale of Portuguese dynamo Jota. He moved to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad in a reported £25m deal last month.

There could be more signings on the way for the Scottish giants, though, after it was confirmed that Carl Starfelt has left the club to join Spanish outfit Celta Vigo on a permanent basis.

It was recently reported that the Bhoys have made an offer within the region of £2.9m for Elfsborg central defender Gustaf Lagerbielke, who could be a replacement for his compatriot.

How good is Gustaf Lagerbielke?

The 23-year-old titan's form in his home country over the last 18 months suggests that he has the potential to be an excellent defender for Rodgers and could be a dream partner for Nawrocki at the back.

Cameron Carter-Vickers is at least two years older than both of them and has been linked with Premier League interest this year, which could make Lagerbielke and Nawrocki the long-term central defensive pairing for the Hoops moving forward.

The £2.9m-rated centre-back, whose passing was hailed as "impressive" by journalist Ryan McGinlay, is a strong enforcer who is able to dominate opposition forwards and produce consistently brilliant performances at the back.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.20 across 15 Allsvenskan appearances in 2023 and caught the eye with 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game and a duel success rate of 62%.

In 2022, the 6 foot 3 titan averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.20 over 20 league outings and he made 3.2 tackles and interceptions per match, whilst the talented gem also came out on top in 64% of his individual battles.

Meanwhile, no current Celtic defender managed a score higher than 7.20 or produced more than 2.1 tackles and interceptions per clash in the Scottish Premiership last term.

These statistics suggest that Lagerbielke has the potential to be an outstanding performer at the back for Rodgers if he is able to translate his form from Sweden over to Scotland this season due to his ability to deliver a high standard of performance week-in-week-out.

He could, therefore, be a dream partner for Nawrocki as the Polish battler would have an excellent centre-back to play alongside, after his own impressive debut for the Hoops.

The 22-year-old ace recorded a Sofascore rating of 7.20 in the 4-2 win over Ross County on the opening day of the season last weekend. As per Sofascore, the former Legia Warsaw star won 100% (2/2) of his ground duels and made three tackles and interceptions combined, whilst the towering colossus also completed 93% of his attempted passes – including ten of his 11 long passes.

Nawrocki, who won 61% of his aerial duels in the Polish top-flight last term, was able to hit the ground running with an excellent performance at the back, on and off the ball, and he could form an exceptional partnership with Lagerbielke if they are able to bring the Swedish brute to Parkhead.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have recently sold Raul Jimenez to Fulham and transfer insider Dean Jones thinks that the 32-year-old has been an 'unbelievable player in their history' at Molineux.

How did Raul Jimenez fare in his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers?

As per The Guardian, Jimenez joined Wolves for a then-record fee of £30 million in 2019 from Benfica following an initial loan spell at Molineux and went on to become an icon at the West Midlands-based outfit.

In his time at the Old Gold, the 32-year-old hit the back of the net on 57 occasions and also registered 24 assists in 166 appearances for Wolves across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Mexico international Jimenez suffered a horrendous skull fracture in 2020 in a match against Arsenal following an accidental clash with David Luiz and was lucky to survive, according to his doctors, as per Sky Sports.

Jimenez spoke about his ordeal in August 2021, stating: "Since the first moment, the surgeons and doctors told me what happened and the risks." He then added: "Sometimes it's not what you want to hear but it's their job. They told me it was a miracle to be here. The bone had broken and there was a little bit of bleeding inside my brain. That's why the surgery had to be quick and it was a really good job from the doctors."

Nevertheless, the veteran forward made a miraculous recovery and has since resumed his football career. Fulham officially announced Jimenez earlier this week and have reportedly forked out around £5 million to entice him to Craven Cottage, BBC Sport understands.

Aleksandr Mitrovic could be set to leave Fulham amid interest from Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal and Jimenez has been drafted in as a potential replacement.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones thinks that Wolves will now need to move on from Jimenez despite his 'unbelievable' exploits at the club in order to try and secure an alternative to bolster their options in the final third.

Jones told FFC: "The departure of Jimenez feels pretty significant; just an unbelievable player in their history that was dealt a cruel twist of fate and now is looking for a new home and environment that can give him new life. From a Wolves point of view though, it’s all about moving forward again and rebuilding and replacing."

Who could replace Raul Jimenez at Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Jimenez has left big boots to fill at Wolves; however, he did only manage three goals during the entirety of last campaign, indicating that some fresh blood in the striker position may not be a bad thing at Molineux moving forward.

According to journalist Alan Nixon's Patreon, Southampton forward Che Adams has emerged as a target to succeed the Mexico international and could be available for £10 million.

Portuguese publication Record have reported that Sporting Clube de Portugal forward Youssef Chermiti is on the Old Gold's radar and it is thought that €20 million could be enough to land the 19-year-old star.

Taking to Twitter X, journalist Damian Iribarren has claimed that Club Atletico Tigre loanee Marco Retegui is subject to an offer from Wolves worth $18 million from Wolves amid competition from Genoa to land the Italy international.

After South Australia put up 5 for 339 in 48 overs, Daniel Worrall helped shut out Victoria for 168 with figures of 5 for 62

The Report by Daniel Brettig19-Oct-2017
ScorecardJake Weatherald struck his second century of the tournament•Getty ImagesSouth Australia’s openers Jake Weatherald and Alex Carey set the Redbacks on course for a vast elimination playoff victory over Victoria to set up a domestic limited-overs final against Western Australia at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Saturday.After Victoria captain Peter Handscomb sent South Australia in to bat, Weatherald and Carey were not separated until the 37th over, by which time they had added 212 and laid the platform for a mighty total. Thanks to the free swinging of Travis Head, Tom Cooper and Alex Ross, South Australia posted 339 after a rain delay reduced the game to 48 overs each. Victoria’s target swelled to 345 via Duckworth Lewis Stern calculations.Christian penalised

Daniel Christian, the Victoria allrounder, was fined 50% of his match fee for showing “serious dissent” against the umpire in the elimination play-off against South Australia. It was his first offence over the past 18 months and it occurred as he was bowling his final over in the match. Umpire Sam Nojagski had deemed one of those deliveries as a wide and a visibly upset Christian immediately questioned it. At the end of the match, however, he accepted the match referee’s sanction that he was out of line.

In response, Victoria were off-balance from the moment Daniel Worrall bowled Aaron Finch in the first over of the innings. They never seriously threatened to chase down the target as only Travis Dean made it past 30 – even then by a single run. Worrall finished with five wickets, and was aided by a trio of victims for Adam Zampa, back in the team after the India tour.Weatherald and Carey have proven a productive partnership for South Australia in the tournament, and were quickly into stride against Victoria. Though Weatherald did give up a chance, the pair did the ideal job of blunting the two new white balls and then scoring freely in preparation for a concerted later attack on the Victorian bowlers.Carey, who has been mentioned as a possible Australian wicketkeeper of the future, was dismissed prior to reaching three figures for his state for the first time, but Weatherald went on to his second hundred of the tournament, leaving plenty of room for the South Australian middle order to accelerate. They did so to the tune of 117 runs from the final 48 balls of the innings, primarily via Tom Cooper, who galloped to 50 from 22 balls – equalling his fellow squad member Jake Lehmann’s effort in the same tournament.Sizing up their tall target, Victoria were granted a wild first-up wide from Worrall to Marcus Harris, but he compensated with a nip-backer to perforate Finch’s first-ball forward push. Wickets tumbled quickly thereafter, and when Glenn Maxwell was lbw sweeping at Zampa, Victoria had slipped to 5 for 85. Worrall came back to help mop up any remaining resistance, sending South Australia into their second tournament final in three seasons.