استقبل هاني أبو ريدة، رئيس الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، جياني إنفانتينو، رئيس الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، وباتريس موتسيبي، رئيس الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم، على هامش اجتماعات الجمعية العمومية غير العادية للكاف، والتي تعقد صباح غد الأربعاء بأحد فنادق الجيزة، بهدف انتخاب رئيس وأعضاء اللجنة التنفيذية للكاف.
لجنة الحكام توجه تعليمات صارمة للطاقم المصري قبل مباراة الأهلي والزمالك
ووصل إنفانتينو إلى القاهرة اليوم الثلاثاء، في زيارة رسمية لحضور الاجتماع، حيث حظي باستقبال رسمي من قِبل المسؤولين عن الكرة الإفريقية، في مقدمتهم هاني أبو ريدة، الذي حرص على اللقاء به في مقر إقامته، لمناقشة عدد من الملفات المهمة المتعلقة بتطوير كرة القدم في القارة السمراء.
وخلال اللقاء، تطرق إنفانتينو وأبو ريدة إلى مستقبل كرة القدم الأفريقية، وسبل دعم الأندية والمنتخبات في القارة، إضافة إلى تعزيز البنية التحتية وتحسين مستوى التحكيم، في ظل اهتمام الفيفا المتزايد بتطوير كرة القدم الأفريقية منذ تولي إنفانتينو رئاسة الاتحاد الدولي خلفًا لـ جوزيف بلاتر في فبراير 2016.
ومن جانبه، أشاد إنفانتينو بالتطورات التي تشهدها الكرة الإفريقية في السنوات الأخيرة، مؤكدًا دعمه الكامل لمبادرات الاتحاد الإفريقي التي تستهدف تطوير اللعبة على المستويات كافة، سواء من خلال دعم المسابقات المحلية والقارية أو تطوير البنية التحتية الكروية في مختلف الدول.
ومن المنتظر أن تشهد اجتماعات الجمعية العمومية نقاشات حاسمة حول مستقبل الكرة الإفريقية، إضافة إلى اعتماد بعض اللوائح الجديدة، وذلك في إطار سعي الكاف إلى مواكبة التطورات العالمية وتحقيق نقلة نوعية في الكرة الأفريقية خلال السنوات المقبلة.
Lauren James stepped off the bench to make another telling contribution for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, as they battled to a 1-0 win over Arsenal.
The WSL leaders appeared set to drop points for just the second time this season as the clock ticked down in west London.
Catarina Macario had endured a frustrating afternoon in front of goal, but the Brazilian was not left to count the cost of her misses.
Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze did a decent job of containing the threat posed by England colleagues Alessia Russo and Beth Mead, with defences on top for the most part.
James was, however, to lure Kim Little into a risky challenge inside the penalty area with eight minutes remaining, and Guro Reiten showed no sign of nerves as she rolled the resulting spot-kick into the bottom corner.
GOAL rates Chelsea’s players at Stamford Bridge…
GettyGoalkeeper & Defence
Hannah Hampton (6/10):
Relieved to discover that Arsenal’s forwards did not have their shooting boots on, with the majority of efforts on goal from the Gunners failing to threaten the target.
Lucy Bronze (6/10):
Not involved as an attacking threat as much as she would like, and found herself chasing balls in behind on too many occasions.
Nathalie Bjorn (5/10):
Can dive into challenges, allowing her to be beaten easily as others are forced to clean up the mess that she failed to deal with.
Millie Bright (7/10):
Alessia Russo’s quick feet troubled the Chelsea captain in the first half, but the commanding England international stood up to that test well.
Niamh Charles (6/10):
Needed to stay alert against a lively Arsenal forward line and put in one vital block which deflected a close-range effort from Beth Mead wide of the target.
AdvertisementGettyMidfield
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (6/10):
The Blues were looking for more creativity from those in the final third, but their Swedish star struggled to get going.
Erin Cuthbert (7/10):
Set the tempo of play for Chelsea in the middle of the park and was always willing to press high and be a nuisance, while going close with one strike from distance.
Sjoeke Nusken (6/10):
Effort can never be called into question and helped to prevent Arsenal from carving out too many chances, while also dropping in as a third centre-half.
Sandy Baltimore (5/10):
Capable of offering much more and was replaced shortly after firing a wild shot high over the crossbar, which rather summed up her afternoon.
GettyAttack
Catarina Macario (5/10):
Had a sight of goal inside the opening 60 seconds, but said failure to find the net set the tone for a frustrating outing that saw the Brazilian fluff her lines.
Mayra Ramirez (5/10):
Struggled to get into the game after being charged with the task of leading the line and it came as little surprise to see her replaced at half-time.
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Maika Hamano (6/10):
Introduced at the break to add more legs in midfield, as Macario was pushed up top, and was subjected to some heavy challenges.
Lauren James (7/10):
Has previously starred at Stamford Bridge, with the Lionesses forward showing quick feet to win the penalty that settled the contest.
Guro Reiten (7/10):
Proved to be the match winner as she confidently stepped up to the spot after being introduced off the bench.
Aggie Beever-Jones (6/10):
Made little impact on proceedings as the Blues battled their way over the line against opponents that finished with 10 players on the pitch.
Sonia Bampastor (7/10):
Has previously admitted how much dropped points annoy her and will be delighted to have seen substitutes make an impact.
After a first last week – when Ireland beat South Africa in an ODI for the first time – there’s another coming this week. The two teams will face off in the shortest format for the first time. Both are entering the final stages of preparation for the T20 World Cup later this year, with South Africa gearing up for a group that includes England, Australia and West Indies, and Ireland needing to go through a qualifier against Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Namibia.The hosts have the more difficult task, having last played T20I cricket over a year ago, in March, against Afghanistan. Since then, they have had series against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, New Zealand and Pakistan cancelled but will play at least eight matches (three against South Africa and five against Zimbabwe) in the lead-up to the global event in October.South Africa have fewer matches, just six (three against Ireland and three against Sri Lanka, after a series against India has had to be postponed again because of the IPL) and plenty of questions remain over their strategy. Despite beating West Indies 3-2 earlier this month, they have yet to settle on combinations but aim to use the Ireland matches to solidify their plans. Coach Mark Boucher indicated there is a level of fatigue in the camp, made worse by news of unrest at home, but with just a week left on the road, they have promised to give it their all.
Form guide
(last five completed matches, most recent first) Ireland TLLLW South Africa WLWWL
In the spotlight
Ireland’s headliner Kevin O’Brien will be back to try and find form as he prepares for the T20 World Cup. O’Brien has played five international matches this year – all ODIs – and managed just 27 runs, with three scores in single-figures and a duck. He has also had a tough time in the Irish inter-provincial T20 tournament, with 47 runs in six matches and a top score of 16. His last international milestone came almost two years ago, a century in a T20I against Hong Kong. It is Ireland’s only hundred in the format and they will want him to summon the spirit of that knock tomorrow.Tabraiz Shamsi has been a strong influence on South Africa’s limited-overs cricket recently•Getty Images
The world’s top-ranked T20I bowler, Tabraiz Shamsi , has been vocal on social media on topics including the challenges of life in bio-bubbles but has also seen the lighter side of having limited contact with others and will want to combine his frankness and good humour to end the tour on a high note. Shamsi was outstanding in the West Indies, where he was South Africa’s joint-leading wicket-taker and maintained the lowest economy rate for any bowler on either side (4.00) and will challenge both the Irish defence and run-scoring ability.
Team news
O’Brien has retired from ODIs but remains available in the shortest format, and is expected to open the batting alongside Paul Stirling. A middle-order of Harry Tector and George Dockrell, who were successful in the ODIs, will precede the power-hitting Shane Getkate and ODI centurion Simi Singh. Ireland are likely to have four seamers at their disposal in Getkate. Barry McCarthy, Josh Little and Craig Young.Ireland: (possible) 1 Paul Stirling, 2 Kevin O’Brien, 3 Andy Balbirnie (capt), 4 Harry Tector, 5 George Dockrell, 6 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 7 Shane Getkate, 8 Simi Singh, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Josh Little, 11 Craig YoungSouth Africa seem to have settled on Temba Bavuma to partner Quinton de Kock at the top in T20Is with Aiden Markram likely to feature at No.3. David Miller was rested for the final ODI but could make a return in the middle order, which may also include both a seam-bowling (Wiaan Mulder) and spin-bowling (George Linde) allrounder. With bowling a big focus for South Africa, expect them to play their first-choice attack.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Temba Bavuma (capt), 3 Aiden Markram, 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 Heinrich Klaasen/David Miller, 6 Wiaan Mulder, 7 George Linde, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Anrich Nortje, 10 Lung Ngidi 11 Tabraiz Shamsi
Pitch and conditions
The third ODI on Friday showed that big runs are possible in Malahide and we can expect more of the same in the opening T20I which may bolster the ground’s average first-innings score of 152. There have only been three scores over 200 in 13 T20Is played at this ground, all achieved by the teams batting first, and all successfully defended. The highest successful chase at this venue is 182. Monday’s weather is set to be fine and warm, with no rain.
Stats and trivia
Ireland and South Africa have never met in a T20I
Andy Balbirnie needs 55 more to become the fifth Irish player to reach 1,000 T20I runs
South Africa have won two out of their last eight T20I series dating back to March 2019
Quotes
Some of the things is making sure we are confident in our death bowling. We have clear plans, it’s a matter of executing that over a long period of time. And also by the end of the Sri Lankan tour, that we can trust the formula we have been working on over the last couple of months.
Chelsea has been the home to numerous elite-level talents over the years, with many capturing the hearts of the fanbase.
Didier Drogba was a striker who produced consistent moments of magic in the final third for the Blues, starring in the Champions League final back in 2012 – scoring the crucial equaliser before sliding home the winning penalty in the shootout.
John Terry is another player who’s cemented himself in the club’s history forever, making 546 appearances for his boyhood club over a 17-year period from 2000 to 2017.
John Terry celebrates winning the Europa League with Chelsea
He often featured alongside midfielder Frank Lampard, with the former England international still to this day the club’s record scorer after notching a total of 211 goals during his 13-year stint at Stamford Bridge.
However, in recent years, the club haven’t had as much success as they would’ve liked, with one player standing out as a fan-favourite after his own contribution to the football club.
Eden Hazard’s time at Chelsea
After joining the Blues in a £32m deal back in 2012, Eden Hazard arrived at Chelsea, unknown to many and loved by everyone, after his spell in West London.
The Belgian quickly caught the eye with his quick dribbling and his eye for goal, immediately becoming a fan-favourite at the Bridge.
No goal can quite sum up his talents other than his solo effort against Arsenal back in 2017, where the winger picked up the ball up in the middle of the park, before shrugging off numerous players before slotting home.
Arguably his best performance came in his final game for the club, scoring two against the Gunners in the Europa League final victory, before departing in a seismic £150m deal to join Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Whilst no fan wanted the star to depart the club, it was a move that made sense given his achievements for the Blues, allowing Hazard to go and feature at the very top level of European football.
Since his departure in 2019, the club have failed to sign an adequate replacement for the winger, but new boss Enzo Maresca could unearth his own version of the Belgian in the months ahead.
Eden Hazard’s Chelsea career in numbers
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2012/13
62
13
21
2013/14
49
17
8
2014/15
52
19
12
2015/16
43
6
7
2016/17
43
17
7
2017/18
52
17
13
2018/19
52
21
17
Stats via Transfermarkt.
Chelsea's next Eden Hazard
Mykhalio Mudryk has endured a tricky start to life at Chelsea, only scoring seven times in his 62 appearances following his £89m move to the club from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023.
Mykhaylo Mudryk for Chelsea
He’s only started one league game under Maresca so far this season, struggling to cement his place in the side following the form of Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke – alongside new addition Pedro Neto.
As a result, Maresca could unleash youngster Kendry Paez upon his move to the Bridge, with the 17-year-old able to make his first appearance for the club on his 18th birthday in May – with the club forking out £17m for the talent last summer.
Despite his tender age, he’s already demonstrated that he’s a bigger talent than big-money signing Mudryk, whilst also being the perfect player to fill the boots of Hazard.
When comparing their respective stats from the last 12 months, youngster Paez has contributed with more goals and assists in fewer matches – whilst also averaging more progressive passes per 90 – demonstrating his talent in the final, potentially following in Hazard’s footsteps.
How Kendry Paez & Mudryk compare in 2023/24
Statistics (per 90)
Paez
Mudryk
Games played
18
31
Goals + assists
9
7
Shot-creating actions
4.5
3.4
Progressive passes
6.1
2.6
Progressive carries
3.34
5.15
Pass accuracy
82%
68%
Carries into penalty area
2
1.3
Passes into final third
4.1
1.4
Stats via FBref
The Ecuadorian averaged more carries into the final third per 90, showcasing his dribbling ability, similar to that of the Belgian fan-favourite who loved to attack the opposition 1v1. He may register fewer progressive carries than a certain Mudryk but he still evidently excels in that area.
Although it’s still very early days in his professional career, Paez has shown that he has all the abilities to thrive in his career, hopefully being able to transfer his skills to Stamford Bridge upon his move in the coming months.
As for Mudryk, Paez’s move could spell the end of his time at the club, with the Ukrainian needing to demonstrate his talents between now and May to avoid losing his place to the 17-year-old.
Ranking Eden Hazard's 10 best career performances & moments
The former Chelsea and Belgium star enjoyed a fabulous career before retiring at the age of 32.
The last couple of years have been a dream for Aston Villa football club, especially considering the precarious position they found themselves in just a couple of years ago.
They only secured survival on the final day of the 2019/20 season away at West Ham United, with the club undergoing a huge overhaul in recent years.
Significant investment into the playing squad has allowed for a huge turnaround, with Unai Emery’s side qualifying for the Champions League during the 2023/24 campaign after finishing in the Premier League’s top four.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Emery has been the man at the helm for their recent success, providing the supporters with memories to last a lifetime – with European football a distant dream before his arrival in November 2022.
He’s formed a fantastic squad with the help of President of Football Operations Monchi, with the pair working together to form a squad without one of the club’s most high-profile academy graduates.
Jack Grealish’s time at Aston Villa
After joining the club as a six-year-old, Jack Grealish rapidly developed through the club’s academy setup, before making his first-team debut back in 2014 following a successful loan spell at Notts County, where he registered 12 goal involvements in 39 games.
Manchester City's Jack Grealish
The forward is the definition of a modern-day club legend, staying at the club after relegation from the Premier League in 2016, and becoming a spearhead in the squad that eventually claimed promotion three years later.
He was named as club captain during the promotion-winning campaign, producing numerous moments of magic – including against bitter rivals Birmingham City after he was attacked by a supporter.
It was fitting that Grealish scored the goal to keep Villa in the Premier League back in 2020, with the boyhood fan going on to join Manchester City in a record-breaking deal 12 months later, departing Villa Park with 213 appearances to his name.
The attacker joined Pep Guardiola’s side in a £100m deal – the most expensive transfer for an English player at the time, before Declan Rice's £105m move to Arsenal last summer.
1. Jack Grealish
2021/22
£100m
2. Moussa Diaby
2024/25
£50.5m
3. Douglas Luiz
2024/25
£43.3m
4. Christian Benteke
2015/16
£39m
5. Stewart Downing
2011/12
£19.2m
Whilst it was a big call to let such a talented player leave Villa Park, the fee was too good to turn down, with the club currently having a player who is worth more than the English international in 2024.
Jack Grealish’s market value in 2024
Villa star Ollie Watkins enjoyed his best top-flight goalscoring campaign last season, bagging 19 goals in his 37 appearances – helping the club finish in the top four.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins
The 28-year-old “nightmare”, as described by Conor Coady, has been a constant source of goals for Villa after his £28m move from Brentford back in 2020, with Dean Smith's signing going on to register double figures in every campaign he’s featured in for the club.
His excellent form last season saw him receive a call-up to the England squad for Euro 2024, scoring the winning goal off the bench during the semi-final victory over the Netherlands.
Watkins’ superb showings over the last 12 months has seen his market value soar, with the striker now valued at £55m as per Transfermarkt – a figure that is higher than former fan-favourite Grealish, who’s now only valued at £50m just three years after his record-breaking move.
The striker is just one example of the club’s excellent recruitment in recent times, with his goalscoring abilities allowing the club to reach heights that were unimaginable just a couple of years ago.
The supporters and Emery will desperately be hoping that he can replicate his sensational form from last season in 2024/25 as the club embark on an unforgettable European adventure in the coming months.
Aston Villa struck gold on free signing who's now worth more than Martinez
O Athleticoestá de volta à decisão da Copa do Brasil. O Furacão, assim como aconteceu em 2019, voltou a eliminar o Flamengo, no Maracanã, ao golear por 3 a 0, e agora terá como rival na grande final o Atlético-MG. Um dos destaques do duelo contra o Rubro-Negro carioca foi o volante Erick.
O jogador, que foi campeão com o Athleticoda competição nacional, exaltou o elenco e a atuação diante do Flamengo.
‘Todos estão de parabéns. Enfrentamos com muita seriedade o time que é um dos principais, se não o principal, do futebol sul-americano nos últimos anos. Respeitamos o Flamengo, mas jogamos com inteligência e aplicação. Cumprimos o que o Valentim nos passou, e tivemos uma grande atuação. Ofensivamente fomos precisos nas chances criadas, e soubemos segurar o adversário na defesa. Foi uma vitória do coletivo’, afirmou.
Erick vive um momento especial no Athletico.No primeiro jogo da semifinal contra o Flamengo, o volante completou a marca de 100 jogos com a camisa rubro-negra. Feliz, ele falou que quer coroar o final de temporada com titulos para a torcida.
‘Teremos uma reta final de temporada intensa e decisiva. Serão duas decisões, em dois torneios diferentes, contra grandes rivais. Vamos trabalhar duro e manter o foco. Me sinto um privilegiado por fazer parte deste momento histórico do Athletico. Um clube que sempre acreditou no meu potencial desde o início, e que recentemente consegui alcançar uma marca importante, que foi a de 100 jogos’, finalizou.
Após a classificação na Copa do Brasil o Athletico agora volta se concentrar no Campeonato Brasileiro. No sábado, terá pela frente o Santos, em casa, às 17h.
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Com o início da pré-Copa do Nordeste, também se inicia uma nova oportunidade para o Santa Cruz se reerguer através da disputa de campeonatos importantes. A equipe não foi bem na Série C, mas é um dos grandes clubes da competição que se inicia agora em outubro, e um dos favoritos a passar para a fase de grupos.
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Rafael Castro, zagueiro de 25 anos, falou sobre a importância da competição para o elenco.
– Desde que terminou a Série C, viramos a chave e estamos completamente focados para atingir o objetivo que nos resta nesta temporada na pré-Copa do Nordeste. É mata-mata e situações assim nos obrigam a entrar para vencer custe o que custar. Estamos todos cientes e sabemos que essa classificação vai ser benéfica para todos que permanecerem no Santa Cruz e para a saúde do clube visando um alívio financeiro, uma temporada com calendário e visando conquistas – disse o defensor.
O zagueiro chegou ao clube em maio e fez oito jogos com a camisa do Santa Cruz, sendo sete como titular. Antes de chegar ao Tricolor de Pernambuco, Rafael Castro teve passagens por clubes como Corinthians, Chapecoense e Ferroviária.
O atleta iniciou a temporada no Maringá sendo titular do miolo de zaga na disputa do Campeonato Paranaense. No clube do interior, chegou a vestir a braçadeira de capitão em quatro partidas e fez o gol que garantiu o time na elite do futebol paranaense em 2022, que era o objetivo da equipe na competição.
VEJA DATAS E HORÁRIOS DOS DUELOS DA COPA DO NORDESTE
O defensor lamentou o desempenho do Santa Cruz no Brasileiro, mas falou da importância de conseguir um bom desempenho na segunda e na terceira fase da pré-Copa do Nordeste para almejar coisas boas na reta final da temporada.
– Com toda certeza. Sabemos que foi um ano abaixo das expectativas para um clube da grandeza do Santa Cruz, para essa torcida apaixonada e para todos nós. Quem vem para defender essa camisa tem sempre que almejar o sucesso, conquistar objetivos e essa oportunidade que estamos tendo agora é uma delas. Não digo para limpar o ano que tivemos, pois é preciso que nós, seres humanos, tiremos sempre lições dos momentos de dificuldade, mas sim para termos já um começo diferente para a temporada 2022 – explicou o zagueiro.
A próxima partida do Santa Cruz será na terça-feira (19), às 21h30, contra o Floresta. O jogo será no Arruda e é válida pela segunda fase da Pré-Copa do Nordeste.
After beating Real Madrid in the race to sign Leny Yoro earlier this summer, Manchester United are now reportedly moving in an attempt to lure another young central defender away from the La Liga giants' grasp.
Man Utd transfer news
The Red Devils proved they mean business by signing Yoro, offering Lille and the defender money that Real Madrid were ultimately unwilling to match. With Noussair Mazraoui also reportedly on his way, those at Old Trafford are set to round off the summer transfer window on a high just as the new Premier League campaign rolls around.
Agents of £150,000-a-week star likened to Luis Suarez in talks with Man Utd
The Red Devils could land an attacking reinforcement…
ByTom Cunningham Aug 3, 2024
Aiming to avoid a repeat of their deal to sign Casemiro in 2022 by focusing more on stars for the future, United could yet form the beginning of a future centre-back partnership in the coming weeks. Yoro, still just 18 years old, is on a one-way course to the heart of Erik ten Hag's backline, but he will need a player of a similar calibre to work alongside, which is where a Real Madrid gem could come in.
Leny Yoro for Man Utd.
According to AS, Manchester United are now moving to sign Joan Martinez from Real Madrid. The defender is certainly one for the future, but the fact he idolises Madrid legend Sergio Ramos may make it difficult to tempt him into a Premier League switch. Coming through the ranks since 2023, those at the Bernabeu would be losing a young defender at the same time they've just failed to sign another gem in the form of Yoro.
As for Manchester United, who are racing to sign Martinez alongside Chelsea, they may well deal a second blow in the same summer to the European champions in what would be quite the statement. As the season approaches, the young centre-back is one to watch.
"Dominant" Martinez is destined for the top
Still just 16 years old and attracting interest from Manchester United whilst already coming through the ranks at Madrid, Martinez seems destined to play among the very best for years to come. Earning plenty of high praise in the early stages of his career, analyst Ben Mattinson described the United target as "dominant with excellent timed aggression".
From a club often accused of poor planning, United have already shown signs of becoming a side that looks ahead to the future when it comes to incomings this summer, highlighting the solid work of Dan Ashworth since taking the sporting director role.
Luring a talented youngster away from a club of Madrid's stature would be the ultimate statement that the Red Devils are ready to finally begin their journey back to the top of European and English football, making the pursuit of Martinez one to watch.
The red-ball players will leave Pakistan early to quarantine before the home series against Australia
Firdose Moonda22-Jan-2021Both the South African and Australian Test squads will quarantine ahead of their yet-to-be-confirmed three-Test series in March, in what will be the strictest biosecure bubble yet in South Africa. Unlike for the England and Sri Lanka series, where training could begin after the squads had taken their first Covid-19 tests – though social interaction was not allowed until after the third test – for the Australia series, players on both sides will be confined to their rooms for a longer period of time.For that reason, South Africa’s Test squad will leave Pakistan on February 9 to begin their quarantine period at home. A separate squad will play the three T20Is in Pakistan on February 11, 13, and 14 in what CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith sees as an inevitable consequence of the times and something member boards will have to work together to ensure the cricket calendar is as unaffected as possible.Related
Boucher: 'Emphasis' on Australia Tests
'Australia's tour at this stage is going ahead' – CSA
“When you work on biosecure environment protocols for Covid-19, you work with other member nations and if member nations don’t support each other and play cricket, cricket’s going to find itself in a very challenging space,” Smith said. “Your objective is to find the protocols that work for both. In working with Cricket Australia (CA), we’ve come to a lot of those medical conclusions and how that’s going to look. There will be an initial quarantine period before that series. Unfortunately, we would have to play two different squads at the time.”While the dates for the Australia series are expected within the next week, ESPNcricinfo understands they are at an advanced stage and will see Australia playing Tests at SuperSport Park and the Wanderers in March. Although Smith told Australian media late last year that he would like to have fans at the grounds for the matches, with South Africa battling through a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, that is highly unlikely. Currently, the country is on Level 3 Lockdown (of five levels, with five being the strictest) and no spectators are allowed into stadiums, while all sports events have to finish by 8pm. The lockdown status will be reviewed before February 15 but even if it changes, it is unlikely to make provision for crowds. Insiders have confirmed that CA has already asked for more extreme measures than either the ECB or SLC required, and CSA is doing all it can to make it happen.The series is the marquee event of this South African summer which has already seen a T20 series against England (but the ODIs that were to follow were postponed following concerns about the bubble in Cape Town) and festive season Tests against Sri Lanka. The men’s team are currently on their first tour to Pakistan since 2007 while the women’s team are hosting Pakistan, with more fixtures in the pipeline. But for CSA, the Australia series is a money-making opportunity through television rights, and a key series because of the historic needle between the two sides.”We would love to get our home summer completed, and Australia are a big part of that home summer. Not only do we want to get it played, we want to compete in that series,” Smith said. “We saw from the Australia-India series the hype around Test cricket. I think it’s going to be a great test of where we are as a squad. We are motivated. The last time a Test series with Australia happened in South Africa it was very heated and we all know what went on. We are very excited to be able to host Australia, but that comes with certain restrictions and medical protocols.”The same is likely to apply to another other cricket played in South Africa this summer, and possibly beyond. The domestic franchise one-day cup is currently being played in a biobubble in Potchefstroom, which was organised late last year after it became clear that having teams travel to various venues around the country would not work. That was the case for the franchise first-class competition, in which two games were affected by Covid-19 in the penultimate round of 2020, and the final round was postponed.All indications are that any other domestic cricket that takes place, including the remaining first-class fixtures, a franchise T20 cup and semi-professional cricket, which has been dormant since before the pandemic hit, will have to take place in biosecure environments as well. “I’m quite positive that with all the Covid-19 issues we’ve been able to get cricket played. There’s going to be a focus on trying to get semi-pro underway,” Smith said.With South African domestic cricket’s impending restructure to 15 provincial teams and no franchises, this season’s semi-professional matches are important for players who are pushing to be contracted next season. At least 75 cricketers across the current franchise and provincial structures will find themselves out of a job, so competing for places is their work this summer.Just as it is for the national men’s team. After slipping as low as eighth on the Test rankings last summer, and winning just one of the five trophies on offer, they are in a period of rebuilding and although Smith would like to see results, he believes this season is one of patience instead. “We want our team to win as much as possible but I wouldn’t say that’s the defining thing for me this season. I would like to answer a few questions in my own head. I think the selectors and the coaching staff would want to do the same,” he said. “(Because of the pandemic) there are going to be more opportunities for players than in the past. I’m really excited to see who puts their hand up and who are the people we can back into the future.”
Rahane says he had a conversation with Kohli after running him out in Adelaide
Sidharth Monga25-Dec-2020One bad hour. Two good days. Back yourselves to keep doing the same things that brought you those two good days, and avoid that bad hour. That is the import from India’s stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane, who picked an XI with five bowlers for the second Test before attending the pre-match press conference.It is a rare opportunity to captain India – only 33 men have done so in Tests – but Rahane’s position is not exactly enviable with India coming off their 36 all out nightmare and missing three of their frontline players. On top of that, Rahane still holds responsible for not batting Australia out of the game when he ran Virat Kohli out in the first innings and followed it up with a disappointing lbw dismissal.”It was really tough,” Rahane said of the run-out, which became part of India’s fall of 17 wickets for 92 runs. They had been 188 for 3 before that. “Obviously we were going really well, the partnership was really good, and I could actually see that momentum go towards Australia after that run-out. After the end of the day, I went and said sorry to him [Kohli]. He was okay about it because we understood that the situation we were in, we were going really well at that point, but such things happen in cricket. You have got to respect that and move on from there.”Related
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Rahane said Kohli addressed the team before leaving for India for the birth of his first child. “Virat spoke to all of us. We had our team dinner in Adelaide so he spoke to all of us about being positive, playing to our strength and just play as a team and as a unit. That is what we have been doing all these years. It is all about that, all about staying in the moment, playing for each other and enjoy each other’s success and help each other out in the field.”Rahane said while Kohli’s presence was important he won’t be sliding into the captain’s messengers for tips while he is in India. “He spoke to all the boys. He said just be yourselves and back yourselves and play as a team. I don’t want to disturb him now because obviously this time is really special,” Rahane said.This is not the first time Rahane has filled in for Kohli at a crucial time. The last time he did so the opposition was the same, and India were playing the series decider in Dharamsala in 2016-17. Rahane earned plaudits for his captaincy in the match, which started with an aggressive selection of Kuldeep Yadav as the third spinner, continued with field sets and bowling changes, and culminated in an attacking innings to kill a potentially tricky chase.”I felt [I learnt] backing your instinct, remaining calm under pressure, backing your own strengths and methods, which I really focus on,” Rahane said. “I really learnt a lot during that Test.”Rahane reiterated that neither the openers nor he himself needed to take any pressure for the second Test even though their roles were crucial. “We have got to back our basics, back our plans,” Rahane said. “We just had one bad hour so it is all about staying positive, backing your own ability and batting in partnerships. As a batting unit, that matters a lot: communication and batting in partnerships. We are focussing on that.”It is a proud moment for me to lead India. It is a great opportunity and responsibility. I don’t want to take any pressure. What I want to do is back my team-mates, back my team. And as a team we want to do well. The focus is not on me but on the team.”The openers’ role is crucial anywhere. I don’t want to put any pressure on our openers. Just want to give them freedom to play their game. But having said that openers’ role is very crucial. When you have that foundation, it becomes easier for the coming batsman.”