South Africa’s lead spinner is looking at a minimum of six months out of the game

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Mar-2023

Keshav Maharaj is in danger of missing the 2023 ODI World Cup after rupturing his left Achilles tendon while celebrating a wicket. South Africa’s lead spinner is looking at a minimum of six months out of the game and may not be able to make it to India in October when the iCC tournament is due to begin.Maharaj suffered the injury on Saturday when he took off on a run to celebrate the dismissal of West Indies’ Kyle Mayers in the second Test match in Johannesburg. He pulled up almost immediately and needed to be stretchered off the field and to a hospital. Scans taken there revealed significant damage and he is now on crutches, with a moon boot on his left leg.Maharaj has only played 27 ODIs since his debut in 2017. He has a much bigger role within the Test side as their hold-up bowler. His exploits include a taking a nine-for in Sri Lanka and given the upcoming World Cup is taking place in similar conditions, he might have had a reasonable chance of participating.In the short-term, Maharaj will not be able to join Middlesex, having signed on to play for them in the English County Championship and the T20 Blast later this year. He will turn his attention to rehab instead, much like Keegan Petersen, another long-term absentee as a result of a freakish on-field injury.South Africa waited until Maharaj was back at the Wanderers to celebrate their 284-run victory over West Indies, their final game of this World Test Championship cycle. Their next red-ball assignment is not until December 2023 against India.

Daniel Sams, the Australia allrounder, has signed for a second spell with Essex for this summer’s Vitality Blast.Sams helped Essex to reach the Blast quarter-finals last summer, taking 14 wickets in 12 games alongside hitting 165 runs at a strike rate of 171.87, before going on to pick up a Hundred winner’s medal with Trent Rockets.”I’m delighted that I am able to sign for Essex for another season ahead of the 2023 campaign,” Sams said.Related

• Surrey bring in Sean Abbott for Championship and Blast

• Lancashire announce Daryl Mitchell, Colin de Grandhomme as overseas signings

• Sunil Narine returns to Surrey for T20 Blast campaign

• Sussex add Nathan McAndrew to overseas player ranks for 2023

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the club last year and I can’t wait to get back over there and play in front of the passionate Chelmsford crowd once again. The support we received last year was unbelievable and I strongly believe we have a strong squad this season that has a great chance of winning more silverware.”Sams, who has been capped 10 times in T20Is by Australia, will arrive in the UK after completing his spell at this year’s IPL with Lucknow Super Giants.Essex’s head coach, Anthony McGrath, said: “We’re really pleased to have Daniel re-sign for the club ahead of the upcoming Vitality Blast. He played a big part in our campaign last time out both on and off the pitch and we’re excited to welcome him back.”He has been one of the most consistent players in T20 cricket around the world over the last few years with bat and ball, so we’re thrilled to see him return.”Essex Cricket CEO, John Stephenson, added: “Daniel showed last season that he is a player of high calibre, and we were keen to bring him back to Chelmsford this season. We’re looking to go even further this season in the Vitality Blast and bringing Dan back will help with our progression.”

Everything you need to know about Jerdy Schouten's salary details playing for PSV

Dutch midfielder Jerdy Schouten made his PSV debut in the 2023–24 season after joining from Bologna during the summer transfer window, having spent four seasons at the Serie A side and making over 100 appearances for the Italian club.

Schouten played a crucial role for PSV in his debut campaign, helping the team secure their first Eredivisie title in six years.

His current contract with PSV runs until 2028 and includes a substantial salary.

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology to find out exactly how much he earns!

*

• Jerdy Schouten's wages at PSV in numbers

  Under Schouten's current five-year contract with PSV, the Dutch player earns a weekly salary of €37,692, totaling nearly €2 million annually. Schouten ranks just below the top five earners, with Luuk de Jong in fifth place.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in Euros	Annual wages in Euros
  Jerdy Schouten	Dutch	€37,692	€1,960,000

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Top earners at PSV

  Sergino Dest is the highest-paid player at PSV, followed by Rick Karsdorp, Ricardo Pepi, Tyrell Malacia, and Luuk de Jong in second, third, fourth, and fifth places, respectively.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in Euros	Annual wages in Euros
  Sergino Dest	American	€75,385	€3,920,000
  Rick Karsdorp	Dutch	€56,731	€2,950,000
  Ricardo Pepi	American	€45,192	€2,350,000
  Tyrell Malacia	Dutch	€45,192	€2,350,000
  Luuk de Jong	Dutch	€38,077	€1,980,000

• Top earners in Eredivisie

  Jordan Henderson, formerly of Liverpool, has the highest salary in the Eredivisie. Sergino Dest from PSV is next. Daniele Rugani, an Italian player, is third, with Ajax's Brian Brobbey and Steven Berghuis in fourth and fifth.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages in Euros	Annual wages in Euros
  Jordan Henderson	Ajax	€90,000	€4,680,000
  Sergino Dest	PSV	€75,385	€3,920,000
  Daniele Rugani	Ajax	€75,385	€3,920,000
  Brian Brobbey	Ajax	€57,692	€3,000,000
  Steven Berghuis	Ajax	€56,731	€2,950,000

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  Top-earning athletes globally

  Eredivisie player salaries are notable but lower than those of top global footballers, with none in the highest ranks.

  The top five earners are in the Saudi Pro League, with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr having the highest salary.

  Karim Benzema, formerly of Real Madrid, is second, followed by Riyad Mahrez, previously with Manchester City and now at Al-Ahli, in third.

  Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, both from Senegal, are in fourth and fifth places, respectively.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages Euros	Annual wages Euros
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	€3,846,154	€200,000,000
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	€1,923,077	€100,000,000
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	€1,003,846	€52,200,000
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	€769,231	€40,000,000
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	€667,308	€34,700,000

They need to win the two ODIs to give themselves the best chance of qualifying directly for the World Cup in India

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Mar-2023Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada have been selected in a full-strength South Africa squad to play two crucial ODIs against Netherlands on March 31 in Benoni and April 1 in Johannesburg. Both fast bowlers were rested from the recent ODI series against West Indies, which was drawn 1-1 with one match washed out.This series will be the first time South Africa are facing Netherlands since they lost to them and were eliminated from the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. If South Africa win both ODIs without over-rate penalties, they will qualify directly for the World Cup in India this year if Ireland lose at least one ODI against Bangladesh in a three-match series in May.South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma will have a fitness test on Tuesday to make sure he has recovered from the hamstring niggle he picked up during his hundred in the second ODI against West Indies on March 18.”We have named our strongest possible squad for these games given the importance of these matches in the context of qualifying for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup,” South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter said. “We have a job to do and I am confident that with this group of players we can get the job done.”With the second ODI on April 2, Quinton de Kock (Lucknow Super Giants), Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Sisanda Magala (Chennai Super Kings), Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Hyderabad), David Miller (Gujarat Titans), Lungi Ngidi (Delhi Capitals), Anrich Nortje (Delhi Capitals), and Kagiso Rabada (Punjab Kings) will be able to join their IPL franchises only on April 3 at the earliest.South Africa squad for Netherlands ODIs: Temba Bavuma (capt), Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen

Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna absent due to Club World Cup commitments, team will be trimmed to 26

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

USMNT 60-man squad announcedMcKennie, Weah, Reyna absent due to Club World CupU.S. to play two friendlies before Gold CupFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. men's national team coach Mauricio Pochettino has selected a 60-man preliminary list for the upcoming Gold Cup. The list includes the normal heavy-hitters, names such as Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Antonee Robinson, while the likes of Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna are absent due to Club World Cup commitments.

Among the omissions are Ricardo Pepi and Kevin Paredes, both of whom have dealt with injuries this season. Noahkai Banks, too, was left off after being named to the CONCACAF Nations League preliminary list, as was Cade Cowell. In addition to the regulars and those who have been around the team in recent months, the list also includes new faces, including Alex Freeman, Quinn Sullivan and Sebastian Berhalter, all of whom have had strong starts to the MLS season.

CONCACAF requires each participating nation to submit final rosters by June 4 and can include up to 26 players, all of whom must be on this preliminary list. Pochettino is expected to name a 26-player squad this week ahead of pre-tournament friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland.

The U.S. will open the Gold Cup on June 15 against Trinidad & Tobago before then facing Haiti and Saudi Arabia in their two other group stage matches.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE PRELIMINARY SQUAD IN FULL

GOALKEEPERS: Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace), Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Matthew Freese (NYCFC), Diego Kochen (Barcelona)

DEFENDERS: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps), George Campbell (CF Montreal), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Sergino Dest (PSV), Maximilian Dietz (Greuther FUrth), Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), DeJuan Jones (San Jose Earthquakes), Richy Ledezma (PSV), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Shaq Moore (FC Dallas), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel), Auston Trusty (Celtic), Caleb Wiley (Chelsea), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

MIDFIELDERS: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht), Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Gianluca Busio (Venezia), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Caden Clark (CF Montreal), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC), Emeka Eneli (Real Salt Lake), Brian Gutierrez (Chicago Fire), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo), Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids), Matko Miljevic (Huracán), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), Tanner Tessmann (Lyon), Timothy Tillman (LAFC), Malik Tillman (PSV), Indiana Vassilev (Philadelphia Union), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew)

FORWARDS: Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco), Damion Downs (Koln), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Brandon Vazquez (Austin FC), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps), Haji Wright (Coventry City) Griffin Yow (Westerlo), Alejandro Zendejas (Club America)

(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

This summer will be the first time the USMNT convenes since March's CONCACAF Nations League disapointment, as the team lost to both Panama and Canada and failed to win the competition for the first time in its short history. The team was heavily criticized in the aftermath, with Pochettino acknowledging that his Gold Cup squad wouldn't be just chosen on talent, but also on mentality.

“The right mindset must be there, because we need to compete for our flag, our country," he told U.S. Soccer. "What we are trying to do as a staff is to optimize every single area of preparation, and the mentality of the players is really important. We need to be intelligent in the way that we are going to select the players and not just choose based on talent alone. We need to have the right characters to be really competitive."

Pochettino stressed that the team must have a renewed mindset as they take the next step toward the 2026 World Cup.

“For sure to start we must compete hard," he said. "We must match the intensity of our opponents, because in these tournaments they are always motivated to play against the USA. Of course we must perform well to win and you don’t always get a result, but for sure in order to win you have to compete. It’s not just about showing up in your home country and trying to play nice soccer.

"No, you must be proud, you must fight for the people that would love to be in your position, for the millions of kids that are going to see us and dream to be one day where we are. This is type of responsibility and commitment we need to show in a different way than we did in Los Angeles.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

ImagnWHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

The U.S. will begin their Gold Cup preparation on June 7 when they face Turkey in East Hartford, Connecticut before then taking on Switzerland in Nashville three days later.

CSA also roped in Duminy as permanent batting coach and Kleinveldt as temporary bowling coach for the white-ball set-up

Firdose Moonda06-Mar-2023

Aiden Markram has been appointed South Africa’s new T20I captain, while Cricket South Africa (CSA) roped in JP Duminy as the batting coach and Rory Kleinveldt as the bowling coach in the white-ball set-up. Markram takes over captaincy from Temba Bavuma, who has been dropped from the squad altogether for the upcoming home T20Is against West Indies later this month.Duminy has been appointed on a permanent basis whereas Kleinveldt has come in only for the West Indies series for now.Talks between new white-ball coach, Rob Walter, and former captain Faf du Plessis meanwhile proved unfruitful for now and du Plessis was not included in the T20I squad. This could change in the future.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Markram led South Africa’s Under-19 side to victory at the World Cup in 2014 and more recently was at the helm of Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who won the inaugural SA20 title. He has also been named captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad for the upcoming IPL and Walter sees the national leadership as a natural progression for Markram.”Aiden has shown himself to be a leader over a period of time now. Obviously, his most recent success for the Sunrisers [Eastern Cape] stands out so it seemed like just a logical progression into the leadership of the national side,” Walter said at a press conference in Johannesburg. “He has been there before but I think he’s matured a lot as a player and as a leader since then.”This is Markram’s second foray into leading the senior side after he captained them in an ODI series against India in February 2018, in the absence of an injured du Plessis. Then, the captaincy negatively affected his batting and he scored 118 runs in five matches at 23.60.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

As for Bavuma, who stepped down as the T20I captain to take over the Test leadership recently, Walter indicated the shortest format door is not closed to him. “It was purely a T20 performance-based decision,” Walter said. “My job now is to work with him to get him back into the side. That’ll certainly be one of our focuses.”Bavuma had a tough 2022 in the T20I format, and got into double figures only five times in 12 innings. He led South Africa at the last two T20 World Cups, in 2021 and 2022, and they failed to reach the semi-finals in both. Bavuma also faced criticism over his strike rate, which sits at 116.08 in T20Is and he was not bought at the SA20 auction. He got a deal with Sunrisers Eastern Cape as a replacement player later in the tournament, by which point he scored a series-winning century against England in a World Cup Super League ODI.Walter was still in New Zealand at the time, where he coached Central Stags, and the ODI team was under the command of new Test coach Shukri Conrad, who introduced a more aggressive style of play which Walter endorses and will build on. “The way that you saw the ODI side play against England was how we’d like the team to play going forward,” Walter said.South Africa will play three ODIs against West Indies, starting on March 16, which do not count for World Cup Super League points. For those ODIs, South Africa have rested fast bowlers Anrich Nortje (who is also out of the second Test with a groin niggle) and Kagiso Rabada, but the duo will return for the following three T20Is. Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee and batters Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs earned their maiden ODI call-ups.There is no place for Dewald Brevis in the South Africa squads yet•SA20

There is still no room for 19-year old batting sensation Dewald Brevis, who was the leading run-scorer at last year’s age-group World Cup, and has experience in the IPL, CPL and SA20. Walter had indicated Brevis needs to bide his time before making the step up.”He forms part of a category of young, exciting cricketers that are in the system. The job and the journey with him will be exactly the same as it is for the others in trying to find opportunities that are below the Proteas level to give him access to,” Walter said. “The SA20 would have given him some insight as to the areas that he needs to develop in his game, along with many others. There’s an x-factor that is exciting and now we just need to give him the foundations and the pathway to grow.”After the T20Is, South Africa will end the summer with two must-win ODIs against Netherlands in the World Cup Super League. If South Africa win both games and Sri Lanka win one match or fewer in their three-match series against New Zealand, South Africa will secure automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup. “Hopefully the Blackcaps do what they need to do and and secure that series and then we still have to take care of our business,” Walter said. “Everything else becomes irrelevant if we don’t take take care of that first.”The matches against Netherlands take place on March 31 and April 2 and clash with the opening matches of the IPL. CSA’s director of cricket, Enoch Nkwe, confirmed that the South African contracted players who are part of the IPL will be available for national duty before leaving for India. “As it stands, they are available,” Nkwe said. “We have been engaged with the IPL and the BCCI as well, so the selected players will be available for the two ODIs.”South Africa’s T20I squad for West Indies series: Aiden Markram (capt), Quinton de Kock , Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs.Squad for ODIs: Temba Bavuma (capt), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams, Rassie van der Dussen. For third ODI only: Aiden Markram, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Wayne Parnell.

Keshav Maharaj is in danger of missing the 2023 ODI World Cup after rupturing his left Achilles tendon while celebrating a wicket. South Africa’s lead spinner is looking at a minimum of six months out of the game and may not be able to make it to India in October when the iCC tournament is due to begin.Maharaj suffered the injury on Saturday when he took off on a run to celebrate the dismissal of West Indies’ Kyle Mayers in the second Test match in Johannesburg. He pulled up almost immediately and needed to be stretchered off the field and to a hospital. Scans taken there revealed significant damage and he is now on crutches, with a moon boot on his left leg.Maharaj has only played 27 ODIs since his debut in 2017. He has a much bigger role within the Test side as their hold-up bowler. His exploits include a taking a nine-for in Sri Lanka and given the upcoming World Cup is taking place in similar conditions, he might have had a reasonable chance of participating.In the short-term, Maharaj will not be able to join Middlesex, having signed on to play for them in the English County Championship and the T20 Blast later this year. He will turn his attention to rehab instead, much like Keegan Petersen, another long-term absentee as a result of a freakish on-field injury.South Africa waited until Maharaj was back at the Wanderers to celebrate their 284-run victory over West Indies, their final game of this World Test Championship cycle. Their next red-ball assignment is not until December 2023 against India.

Sarah Bryce starred with an unbeaten 67 as The Blaze booked their place in the Charlotte Edwards Cup semi-finals after easing past Northern Diamonds at Seat Unique Riverside by six wickets.The visitors required 130 to win after Nadine de Klerk and skipper Kirstie Gordon restricted the Diamonds with a fine bowling performance. Lauren Winfield-Hill top-scored for the hosts, but their score was always under par on a ground with a quick outfield.Bryce took the attack to the Diamonds bowlers, using both power and guile to propel her team ahead of the required rate. She notched her first fifty of the competition and ended the contest unbeaten after scoring six four and three sixes. The Blaze can now prepare for their last four fixture, while Diamonds still have work ahead of them after suffering their first defeat.Diamonds won the toss and elected to bat in the bright sunshine at Chester-le-Street. The Blaze’s opening bowlers made life difficult for Winfield-Hill and Leah Dobson, restricting them to just one run off the first two overs as Grace Ballinger sent down a maiden.Winfield-Hill had trouble timing the ball in the early stages before finding her range in the fifth over, taking de Klerk for two boundaries. Dobson was given a life when she was dropped by Kathryn Bryce for 14 on the boundary, but the visitors still had control of the scoreboard as Diamonds mustered just 26 from the Powerplay.Gordon made the breakthrough as the drop proved costly as Dobson fell for 19. Hollie Armitage offered a semblance of power as she found the rope three times in a bid to up the run rate. Armitage provided the foundation of the innings with Winfield-Hill with a stand worth 47 before the Diamonds skipper was caught on the fence presenting Gordon with her second wicket.Related

• McCaughan takes chance as depleted Vipers edge Thunder

• Gibson, Wilson half-centuries get Storm back to winning ways

• Morris fires for Thunder as Sparks face early extinguishing

Winfield-Hill manoeuvred the hosts into a decent position after working her way to 40, but Sophie Munro ended her knock with her first ball of the innings. Bess Heath and Chloe Tryon added quick runs in the closing overs with 19 and 20 respectively, but de Klerk ensured the Diamonds couldn’t push towards 140 removing Heath before prising out Tryon and Lizzie Scott with the final two balls of the innings.The Blaze had no issues getting off to a strong start in their chase of 130. Marie Kelly put the pressure on the Diamonds bowlers from the off, scoring four boundaries to work herself to 19 before Scott produced an inswinger to prise out the opener.Sarah Bryce kept up the intensity and struck Katie Levick for the first two sixes of the game over long-on. She followed that with further sublime striking to take 16 off Scott’s third over, putting the visitors almost halfway to their victory target at the end of the powerplay. Bryce was in full flow at the crease, easily finding the gaps in the field.The 23-year-old notched her first fifty of the season from 30 deliveries, whittling down the required total. Abi Glen gave Diamonds a glimmer of hope by skittling Kathryn Bruce and Michaela Kirk in successive balls. De Klerk survived the hat-trick ball and with Bryce extinguished the hosts’ hope of a miraculous comeback. The Blaze cantered over the line, securing their win with 4.2 overs to spare.

Root’s double-wicket burst towards close plus Tongue’s two wickets meant all was not grim for England

Andrew McGlashan28-Jun-2023

Steven Smith and Travis Head gave the opening-day honours to Australia at Lord’s, but the scorecard was not quite as bleak for England as appeared likely shortly before the close until Joe Root burgled a double-wicket over after what had been a largely uninspired performance from the home side.It may only have been day six of the series, but as Smith and Head were combining to add 118 in a bit over 20 overs for the fourth wicket, it felt as though Australia were taking a significant step towards having a stranglehold in the Ashes. A close-of-play total of 339 for 5 may yet end up proving decisive but England were clinging on.Head had played in what has become his trademark style as he flayed 77 from 73 balls, catching up with Smith who had a 43-run head start when he joined him at the crease. But having deposited Root down the ground he could not resist trying again and this time he was beaten convincingly, although Nathan Lyon will have noted the turn on offer.Two balls later Cameron Green played a very out-of-character hoick, miscuing Root to mid-off, and Australia’s good work was in danger of unravelling. However, Smith remained immovable and was closing in on Test century No. 32 on the ground where he was felled and concussed by Jofra Archer four years ago. As had been expected, there was not going to be two Tests in a row where he and Marnus Labuschagne did not contribute.David Warner, riding a little bit of luck along the way, had helped lay the early foundation under slate-grey skies which looked tailor-made for bowling although the surface itself was much less green than the days leading into the game. When he departed shortly after lunch, during a terrific over from the recalled Josh Tongue, England threatened to hit back but first Smith and Labuschagne, then Smith and Head shut them out before Root’s late incisions.David Warner already has crossed his tally of Ashes 2019•Getty Images

On an overcast morning where light drizzle and a pitch invasion by Just Stop Oil protesters, which required orange powder to be removed from the square, caused a couple of delays Ben Stokes was happy to insert Australia but England failed to take advantage of conditions. As at Edgbaston, catching – this time from the slip cordon – was one of the key reasons.Usman Khawaja, on 1, survived a low edge to first slip which just reached Root. Then a much more clear-cut chance escaped Ollie Pope at fourth from Warner off Stuart Broad when he had 20. Dismissal No. 16 went begging. Pope later spent much of the day off the field nursing a shoulder injury after diving to intercept a ball.Although Australia did not initially race away with the scoring – they were 39 for 0 after 17 overs – they had weathered the early window, albeit with a little bit of good fortune going their way. Warner had not been afraid to try the unconventional, twice stepping outside off stump to effectively sweep Broad, the first of which brought smiles between the batter and bowler.Warner, who passed his tally from the 2019 Ashes in three innings this time, scored more freely than Khawaja and it appeared the pair would take Australia to lunch without loss. However, Tongue, whose first three overs had cost 24 – including a hooked six by Warner to reach fifty – brought one back down the slope and Khawaja judged poorly as he left it alone.Josh Tongue cleaned up both Usman Khawaja and David Warner on either side of lunch•Getty Images

After the interval, Tongue got the better of Warner during an over where he produced an inside edge that narrowly missed the stumps then sliced him in half with a delivery that went for four byes before bowling one a touch fuller to obliterate the middle and leg stumps. Warner, though, has done enough to ensure he gets the rest of the Ashes, and probably the Sydney farewell he has mapped out.Labuschagne, coming off 0 for 13 at Edgbaston, still did not appear quite at his best but did not have to front up to Broad early – he had faced 29 balls by the time Broad was brought on. Broad’s comeback over involved drama with Smith who began by taking consecutive boundaries and was then given caught behind but the DRS showed daylight between bat and ball.Labuschagne started to find his groove with three boundaries in an over off Broad and another brace off Stokes as the scoreboard rattled along. Then he, too, made use of the DRS when given lbw shouldering arms to Broad against one which nipped down the slope but was shown to be going over off stump. Two overs later, England used a review against Labuschagne, but the ball had been trapped off the inside edge.The partnership had just passed 100 shortly after tea when Ollie Robinson found Labuschagne’s outside edge to give England an opening. But they bowled poorly to Head and he was away to a flying start by dispatched two short, wide deliveries from Robinson through the off side.In the blink of an eye Head was at a run-a-ball and though the ball occasionally flew past his outside edge there was plenty crunched out of the middle – some of his timing through the leg side was exquisite. Smith, as he was during the World Test Championship final against India, was happy to ride in Head’s slip stream as his fifty came in 102 balls during which he became the second-fastest to 9000 Test runs.Tongue, the quickest of England’s attack, was briefly used for a short-pitched plan against Head with the field spread far and wide but he threaded the gap on the leg side to reach fifty from 48 balls. A repeat of the Gabba, where he scored a century in the final session of the day, was on the cards before the spirit of adventure brought his downfall. Smith and Alex Carey negotiated the closing stages, including two overs against the second new ball, but while Australia are not out of sight England are already playing catch up.

Aston Villa have reportedly shut down Manchester United’s latest approach for Ollie Watkins, insisting the England striker is not for sale. The Red Devils are keen on adding a proven striker, but the Villans have made it clear they won’t entertain offers. The 29-year-old is said to be central to Unai Emery’s plans heading into the 2025/26 season.

Aston Villa reject United’s fresh approach for Ollie WatkinsWatkins remains key to Unai Emery’s long-term projectUnited eye proven striker as Amorim rebuild continuesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester United have made a fresh enquiry for Watkins as they search for a new striker. The England international is viewed as an ideal fit given his Premier League experience and form. However, Villa immediately informed United that Watkins is not available at any price, as per

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Watkins was also a target for Arsenal in January, but Villa rejected the offer and sold Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr instead. The Villans are determined to keep Emery's core players at Villa Park ahead of a busy season, including Europa League football. Watkins remains a key part of Emery’s long-term vision, and the club do not appear open to a summer sale.

TELL ME MORE…

Manchester United’s interest in Watkins is part of a wider rebuild under boss Ruben Amorim this summer. While other players like Emi Martinez, who is also a target for the Red Devils, could be available for the right fee, Villa have no plans to cash in on Watkins. The 29-year-old scored 27 goals in all competitions last season and is under contract until 2028.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WATKINS?

Unless Aston Villa change their stance, United will have to look elsewhere for a proper striker. Watkins is set to remain at Villa Park, with Emery and the club planning to build around him. United may now revisit other targets in the Premier League or abroad as pre-season progresses.