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West Ham United have held an “initial discussion” regarding a summer move to bring Ajax star Edson Alvarez to the Premier League, according to reliable journalist Ryan Taylor.

Who is Edson Alvarez?

Alvarez is primarily a defensive midfielder who has plied his trade at the Johan Cruyff Arena since 2019 having moved there from CF America, and he’s been a regular feature ever since having made a total of 147 appearances to date.

The Mexico international does still have another two years to run on his contract, but having established himself as the Eredivisie outfit’s overall best-performing player last season with a WhoScored match rating of 7.34 following the departures of Antony and Dusan Tadic, he’s caught the eye of David Moyes in E20.

Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE…

The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed earlier this month that the Irons had made contact to express their interest in signing the 25-year-old, and whilst an offer is yet to be made, it was reported by the same outlet that one would be on the horizon.

Most recently, Ajax’s sporting director Sven Mislintat publicly admitted during an interview with Aglemeen Dagblad that there was attention surrounding his prized asset, but stated that a replacement would need to be found before sanctioning his sale.

Are West Ham signing Edson Alvarez?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Taylor claimed that West Ham have talked about the possibility of submitting an official offer for Alvarez who they would likely be able to afford given his acceptable price tag. He said:

“Edson Alvarez, from what I understand, is a target. There has already been initial discussion and, you know, Ajax are a club that have shown a willingness to sell this summer, but it would take a bid of about £35m to get that done from what I understand, which is a fee which is definitely affordable given the Palhinha bid that just went in, but it seems West Ham are a little bit hesitant on that one at the moment.”

Who could Edson Alvarez replace?

West Ham are still yet to replace their former captain Declan Rice following his £105m move to Arsenal so the boss will be in the market to find a suitable successor, and having been dubbed a “monster” by journalist Felipe Cardenas, Alvarez could be the perfect candidate.

The Adidas-sponsored ace last season ranked in the 99th percentile for clearances and aerial wins whilst winning 40 out of his 71 tackles which was the highest success rate throughout the whole of his squad, via FBRef, showing that he’s not afraid to put his body on the line, make a challenge and get stuck in to clear the danger from his area.

Ajax’s talisman, who has the versatility to operate at centre-back and right-back alongside his usual role, also got involved with efforts in the final third having posted six goal contributions (three goals and the same number of assists) in the Eredivisie, so for such a well-rounded player, it would be a massive coup for the Scottish boss to secure his target’s services in the weeks ahead.

India’s ODI opener reflects on a decade in international cricket and how he spent the days sitting out of the Test series against Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Aug-20172:08

‘Everyday is a learning day’ – Rohit

Rohit Sharma has never officially been a part of the Indian team’s leadership group, not even in limited-overs cricket, where he has established himself with consistent performances. Now, after ten years in international cricket, Rohit has been named the vice-captain of the Indian team for their five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka that starts on August 20.”It’s an honour to be appointed vice-captain. Ten years ago, I was only thinking about playing for India. Being vice-captain now feels really good,” Rohit said at a press conference in Pallekele, two days after India crushed Sri Lanka by an innings and 171 runs in the third Test to win the series 3-0. “Whenever the opportunity comes, in the first one-day international on August 20, there will be some sort of role I have to play. I’m looking forward to it. Rather than thinking too much about it, I just want to enjoy the moment.”Rohit isn’t new to captaincy. He brings along not just the experience of having led teams, but having done so with outstanding success. Since taking over from Ricky Ponting halfway through the 2013 season, Rohit has led Mumbai Indians to three IPL titles in five seasons.”IPL is a completely different ball game and international cricket is completely different,” he said. “But, yes, the excitement and energy remain the same, so nothing changes too much. In the IPL, I was captain, so I was more in front; here, I have to play a little behind-the-scenes role, but yes, I’ll be very excited to step on to the field as vice-captain of the Indian team.”Rohit took no part in the Tests, where India swept a series of three or more matches for the first time outside home. Rohit had just started to be picked consistently in the Test side at the start of India’s home season last year. He struck three half-centuries in three Tests against New Zealand, but a thigh injury sustained in the ODIs put him out of the rest of the season. Though he was recalled to the Test side for the Sri Lanka tour, he had to be overlooked to accommodate an allrounder in Hardik Pandya.”Nobody likes to sit out, but it all depends on the team dynamics, and what the captain and coach want, and you got to accept the fact and move forward,” Rohit said. “I kept working on my skills and tried to see where I can improve as a cricketer. You can’t sit here and waste time. All I was trying to do these past three-four weeks was to just improve my skills, see where things are going wrong, and try and strengthen the strengths I have talking to all the coaches there. They’ve been looking after us for a long time and they know what exactly has been going on with each individual. You always try to improve as a cricketer. It was great to watch everyone displaying their skills and winning 3-0 outside India. Great achievement.”Rohit placed particular emphasis on the sweep – both conventional and reverse – during the team’s training session on Wednesday. Sri Lanka’s squad has five spinners. While Malinda Pushpakumara is uncapped in ODIs, he comes with a shedload of first-class wickets, and Wanindu Hasaranga and Lakshan Sandakan did well in the ODIs against Zimbabwe.”It’s something that the game demands these days, you’ve got to be innovative and play different kinds of shots to get maximum results,”Rohit said. “Like I said, you keep learning every day, so I have been trying to see what I can bring into my armoury. Every addition to your armoury is a good thing, and what better place than coming here and doing it. That’s what training sessions are for – to improve your skills and try and get better as a player.”Rohit reflected on a decade-long international journey that has been filled with ups and downs. “It’s gone very fast, those 10 years. Of course, there have been ups and downs, but that’s how it is for any sportsman. That’s how it should be, you get to learn a lot more from ups and downs, it teaches you lot many things.”Every day is a learning day. Today, I got to learn something playing those sweeps and reverse sweeps. That’s the opportunity I always wait for, to get on to the field and learn something. Initially, in limited-overs, I used to play too many shots at once. Now, I have realised it cannot be just about going out there and slogging every time, you’ve got to understand the situation and conditions. That is something I have learned these few years with the help of so many coaches around. I will continue to learn, you never stop learning. That’s the greatest part about this sport. There’s lot more to do and I look forward to it.”

Everton have been tracking Oumar Solet, and they could be set to make a move for the RB Salzburg defender this summer, according to a recent report from The Daily Mail.

What's the latest Everton transfer news?

Everton boss Sean Dyche has recently admitted he has found it difficult to bring in some of his key targets this summer:

"It's a tough market," he said. "There is only so much that we can do, so we are working very hard – I can assure everyone of that – to construct deals that can work.

"There is no exact moment until it's over the line. There have been situations where we have been into where we thought we were going to get it over the line and we don't – that's the way it goes.

A new defender remains of interest to Dyche, with it recently being reported that Mason Holgate is expected to move on this summer, however the manager is set to miss out on Facundo Gonzalez, who he became keen on during the U20 World Cup.

As such, the Toffees could now turn their attention to another young defender, with The Daily Mail reporting they have been tracking Solet, who they could make a move for at some point.

Newcastle United are also interested in signing the Frenchman, and the Premier League duo may hold an advantage over the likes of Torino and Inter Milan in the race for his signature, as he has admitted he is keen on a move to England, saying:

‘I have a lot of ambitions, to be honest. I’m just on my way – for sure the Premier League excites me a lot,’

‘I feel it’s a league that I can perform in really well and it can bring me to the top. It’s probably the best league in the would. I feel if I have the chance it’s going to help make me become the top player I want to be."

What position does Oumar Solet play?

The Red Bull Salzburg star has most commonly been utilised at centre-back throughout his career so far, however he has also slotted in at defensive midfield on occasion, indicating he could be a versatile option for Dyche.

Speaking about his key strengths, the 23-year-old has said: "I’m a quick player and feel like I’m strong. I think I’m a player who is ready for the 1v1 situations – I like to compete with strikers. This is my mindset.

"For any team I feel I can bring something with my quality and intelligence."

The £5.8k-per-week defender has also been hailed as "superb" by journalist Zach Lowy, for the way in which he tracks opposing forwards' movements, and drives forward with the ball.

Solet already has experience playing in the Champions League with RB Salzburg, and with Newcastle also in the race for his signature, it may be difficult for the Toffees to tempt him into a move.

However, if Dyche is able to bring the 6 foot 3 titan to Goodison Park, there is every indication he would be a solid addition to the squad.

Liverpool are favourites to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia in the summer transfer window, according to a key update from reliable journalist Florian Plettenberg.

Are Liverpool pushing to sign Romeo Lavia?

It is all change in the Reds' midfield this summer, with that area of the pitch set to look completely different once the new Premier League season gets underway next month.

The window started well for Liverpool, with Argentine World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister coming in from Brighton and Dominik Szoboszlai joining from RB Leipzig, but James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all moved on when their contracts expired.

Meanwhile, shock exit rumours surrounding Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have since emerged, with the pair looking likely to depart for Saudi Arabia in the very near future.

That highlights the need for further reinforcements in the middle of the park and Lavia has arguably been linked with a move to Liverpool more than any other midfielder this summer, having shone for Saints last season. The 19-year-old may end up leaving his current club sooner rather than later, following their relegation to the Championship, and Arsenal and Chelsea are also believed to be interested in signing him.

Now, a new claim suggests that a summer switch to Anfield is looking on the cards, in an update that will no doubt excite many supporters.

Are Liverpool favourites to sign Romeo Lavia?

Writing on Twitter on Tuesday morning, Sky Sports reporter Plettenberg dropped a fresh update regarding Liverpool's potential move for Lavia, saying the Reds are now in pole position to get their man:

"News Romeo Lavia: Understand that LFC is the top favorite now! Lavia wants to join Liverpool and has given the green light. No agreement between the clubs yet but concrete negotiations are ongoing. His price valuation was around £50m. Klopp wants him!"

It has since been claimed that the Reds have had a £40m offer turned down for Lavia, with Chelsea keeping an eye on the situation.

In truth, it has felt like Liverpool and Lavia are a match made in heaven for a while now, with the Belgium international clearly keen on joining up with Jurgen Klopp. This further suggests that it could now be a matter of time until the Reds get their man, as they potentially snap up one of the Premier League's most exciting young players.

Lavia was so impressive for Southampton last season, standing out amid their struggles and averaging 2.1 tackles per match in the league. He was also described as "incredible" Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, having left the Etihad for the Saints last summer, and compatriot Kevin De Bruyne has backed him to become a "top player" in the future.

He could come in and prove to be a great addition in Fabinho's No.6 role in front of the defence, and while he is still admittedly very young, he has already displayed a level of maturity beyond his years over past 12 months.

If Liverpool could sign Lavia and another player of a similar ilk – someone with a little more experience, such as reported target Cheick Doucoure, it could end up being a productive summer in the transfer market, in what is a major midfield transformation.

Ben Cox made his first century in two years before Worcestershire declared behind on the second day at Cheltenham

Paul Edwards at Cheltenham10-Jul-2017Gloucestershire 383 for 8 (Taylor 143, Barnard 4-94) and 20 for 0 lead Worcestershire 300 for 9 dec (Cox 126, Rhodes 52, Noema-Barnett 4-31) by 103 runs
ScorecardBen Cox•Getty ImagesFor Steve Rhodes, one feels, Worcestershire is a family thing. Nine of the team playing in this match came through the county’s Academy and it hardly takes preternatural insight to understand the pride a director of cricket takes in such a fact. So when Ben Cox cover-drove Liam Norwell to the boundary to reach his first century for over two years it represented another small step in Rhodes’ development of a group of mostly young players capable of winning promotion to the first division and then staying at English cricket’s top table. The former is something Worcestershire have managed four times under Rhodes; the latter has clearly been trickier.Cox eventually became the first of three late wickets taken in four balls by the medium-pacer Kieran Noema-Barnett but by the time he edged an attempted cut to Gareth Roderick, he had made a career-best 124 and his innings had included a score of boundaries, most of them lovely, and a couple of sixes. So for the second time in 24 hours a Cheltenham crowd rose in the evening sunlight to salute a centurion and the batsman acknowledged the applause from all sides of the ground, not merely his own balcony. That shared joy is yet another distinctive feature of outground cricket.When Cox was out Worcestershire were 279 for 7, which plainly represented a considerable recovery from 69 for 4, the total when Joe Clarke had been dismissed just after lunch. Their revival permitted Joe Leach to declare 21 runs later, once the third bonus point had been collected. No wickets fell in the eight overs of Gloucestershire’s second innings following that attacking closure, but if the weather treats us just a smidgeon more kindly than forecast we can still look forward to a fine last two days of this match.Yet on a day when the innocent excitement of youth had been gloriously evident on the College Ground, it was fitting that Cox’s main ally in restoring his side’s fortunes had been 23-year-old George Rhodes, with whom he put on 141 for the fifth wicket. Rhodes and Cox repulsed Gloucestershire’s bowlers before besting them. Only when Cox began the post-tea session with a bunch of drives and his second hooked six off Norwell was Rhodes obviously overshadowed and that was the prelude to his dismissal, caught at backward point by Will Tavaré off Craig Miles for a patient 52. In the preceding two hours or so Rhodes had shown that shrewd judgement is a family trait as he joined Cox in resisting an attack which made good use of a pitch offering pace and bounce. It is interesting that these characteristics are particularly evident in Scarborough and Cheltenham. Yes, two outgrounds.But the resolute batting of Rhodes and Cox was only the centrepiece of a day which had begun with crocodile lines, rucksacks of excitement and voices pitched higher than normal in first-class cricket. These curious features were present because one of the pleasanter recent initiatives undertaken by county clubs has been to invite children to championship matches. “Instead of the annual trip to Alton Towers, boys and girls, we are going to watch Shiv Chanderpaul build one of his famous innings!” Cue widespread rejoicing and Facebook mayhem. One mocks, but the children who gathered at the College Ground this cloudy Monday morning certainly entered into the spirit of the thing and seemed to enjoy themselves hugely as Gloucestershire maintained their grip on the game.Not that their reaction to events was quite the same as long-standing county members. “Norwell, Norwell, Norwell!” they chanted as the Gloucestershire seamer had Tom Fell well caught for 2 by Noema-Barnett at fourth slip. Half an hour later favouritism became idolatry when their new hero caught Brett D’Oliveira at deep backward square leg a few yards in front of them. “Oh Norwell, we love you,” they chorused, which may not be something even Liam’s family chant so very often. All this enthusiasm was to be welcomed, of course, and it made a pleasant backdrop to Worcestershire’s hesitant progress to 68 for 3 at lunch in reply to Gloucestershire’s 383. Some might argue was that the very best thing we saw all day was a few hundred schoolchildren playing informal games of cricket on the outfield.Yet it was all far removed from the language and tone of John Betjeman. “Floruit, floret, floreat! Cheltonia’s children cry,” he wrote in his poem “Cheltenham”. “I composed those lines when a summer wind / Was blowing the elm leaves dry, / And we were seventy-six for seven / And they had C B Fry.” Our young supporters had no need of such plucky stoicism. They had seen Jack Taylor extend his overnight century to 143 and they had watched Phil Mustard’s seamers make good use of a pitch which rewarded accuracy.Daryl Mitchell was the first Worcestershire batsman dismissed when he came half forward to a delivery from the left-arm seamer, David Payne, which tracked back into him. Just after lunch Clarke played no shot to Noema-Barnett and had his off stump knocked back as the ball moved in off the seam. Twenty minutes later the children left; their work among us was done.Rhodes and Cox’s labours, on the other hand, were just beginning and they received rich appreciation from spectators for whom a visit to the College Ground is part of their summer. By the time the two batsmen were parted, the taxis and early commuters were making their way home down Sandford Road. While those vehicles may not have been Betjeman’s distant carriages jingling through the stuccoed afternoon, they did not need to be. At Cheltenham the past is never dead and it is wonderfully easy to feel young again. This is a magical cricket ground.

Supporters who no longer want to attend the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy are being urged to put their tickets up for resale by midnight on Tuesday in an attempt to avoid pockets of empty seats at the grounds

Andrew McGlashan13-Jun-2017Supporters who no longer want to attend the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy are being urged to put their tickets up for resale by midnight on Tuesday in an attempt to avoid pockets of empty seats at the grounds.The ICC collects information on the team preferences of ticket-buyers (those that opt to select a team) and with 30% of those for the Cardiff semi-final specifying India there had been suggestions of a mass no-show.So far there have been 5000 returned and resold for the England-Pakistan semi-final in Cardiff and 2000 for the India-Bangladesh match at Edgbaston, with both matches officially sold out. The main postcodes for ticket purchasers for Wednesday’s first semi-final have been Cardiff, Birmingham, Harrow and North London.While Edgbaston and The Oval have enjoyed strong crowds throughout the group stages, Cardiff has had a problem with no-shows from ticket holders, with 8000 missing across three group matches. The England-New Zealand match was 300 tickets away from a sellout, but on the day there were significant holes in the crowd.That has partly been attributed to the poor weather, which affected the first week of the tournament, but an ICC spokesperson said the number of unused tickets in Cardiff had been a “disappointment”, although they were confident of being able to maximise the 14,000 capacity for the first semi-final.”Across the three games in Cardiff there have been 8000 tickets sold which haven’t been used, which is disappointing, but beyond the selling of them and the regular communication to those purchasers, if people then chose not to use them there isn’t much we can do,” Claire Furlong, the ICC’s general manager of strategic communications, said.”That’s been reasonably disappointing here, but we are doing as much as we can across all of our channels. It is a sellout but we are doing as much as we can to ensure it’s a sellout with bums on seats as well.”Cardiff was a sellout for England’s group match with New Zealand but some with tickets did not show up•Getty ImagesAlthough tickets have to be reposted by midnight they can continue to be sold in the morning although, so far, returned tickets have been snapped up quickly. The ICC will make a decision on whether there will be walk-up sales when the final return figure is known.Hugh Morris, the Glamorgan chief executive, defended his ground after it came in for criticism for the crowds during the tournament. “The first game that we hosted in the tournament was England and New Zealand. Our capacity was just over 14,000 and there were 13,900 tickets sold and a couple of hundred available at the end after being sent back at a late stage,” he told BBC Radio Five Live.”We had ostensibly sold that game out. In reality there were about 10,000 people in the ground and we need to find out why those people didn’t turn up. The weather wasn’t great. Whether that has had an impact I don’t know.”England captain Eoin Morgan said: “Cardiff has always been a very good venue for us and the last game we had great support and a full house and everybody seems to get right behind us. I think tomorrow is sold out. That is what I have been told.”

Manchester United are closing in on a potential cash-only deal for Rasmus Hojlund – but reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed via Caught Offside that the Red Devils nearly sent Fred the other way in exchange.

What is the latest Manchester United transfer news?

With the Red Devils bagging themselves Champions League football for next season after a top four finish in the Premier League, they will need to ensure they are able to compete on all fronts in 2023/24. The Glazers have takent plenty of flak for their lack of ambition but they won't want to settle for mediocrity and will be eager to push on in both the top flight and in their multitude of cup competitions. That will involve the English outfit pulling off numerous transfer deals this summer, to provide the squad with both quality and depth.

It appears as though they will certainly keep busy on the transfer front this summer too. One name that won't be arriving at Old Trafford is Leon Goretzka – it looked like Bayern Munich wanted to sell him on this summer, and that had led to United keeping a close eye on how the situation unravels. The German himself though is keen to stay at the Allianz Arena and doesn't want to go anywhere – and that has now led to the Red Devils deciding against a move for him.

Higher up the pitch, the Premier League side are determined to add another attacker to their ranks. A recent report has suggested Goncalo Ramos could be one name on their radar, but one of the main talking points has been Atalanta forward Rasmus Hojlund. The 20-year-old has been on their wishlist for most of the summer and a recent report stated that a bid was being lined up, with the youngster himself eager to switch to Old Trafford.

Are Manchester United signing Rasmus Hojlund?

Now, according to reliable journalist Romano via Caught Offside, it's been revealed that the Serie A side want only cash as part of a potential deal for Hojlund this summer.

The Red Devils are preparing that opening bid it seems, but he's revealed that they originally tried to offer Fred as part of the transfer. It would have meant that United could have offloaded one of their surplus players and only need a smaller fee to get a deal done. Atalanta though have "already rejected" a swap plus cash deal and "made it clear" they are not interested in exchanging players -they want just the fee of around 65 million Euros (or £56.4m).

Hojlund may only be early on in his career, but has already received plenty of plaudits for his performances so far. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has called the striker an "absolute monster in the making" and added that 2023 is "his year".

The attacker then is clearly seen as having a bright future and someone who is already impressing, but can continue to get better. Whether United have to part with just cash or get a deal over the line with players, Hojlund looks like a really exciting capture.

Manchester United have identified Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat as one of their top summer targets, as Erik ten Hag already has a strong relationship with the midfielder, according to a report.

Who are Man United signing this summer?

Man United have already bolstered their midfield with Mason Mount, who has put pen to paper on a five-year deal after a £55m fee was agreed, but Ten Hag may not want to stop there.

The Red Devils are reportedly "looking at" signing Fiorentina's Amrabat, and they have recently been handed a boost in their pursuit of the midfielder, as the Italian club are now willing to sanction his departure this summer.

With the Serie A side closing in on signing Danish midfielder Morten Hjulmand, who could be a replacement for the Moroccan, the door is open for United to make their move, and there has since been another update on their interest.

While relaying a report from Firenze Viola, Sport Witness now reports that the Fiorentina star is becoming a top target for Man United, with his current club waiting for an offer in the region of €30m (£26m).

However, there may be fierce competition for the 26-year-old's signature, as the likes of Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus and teams from Saudi Arabia are also named as potential suitors.

There is nothing "concrete" coming from any of the interested parties up to this point, as previous reports stating that United have reached an agreement with the player's entourage are believed to be false.

The Netherlands-born midfielder already has a "strong" relationship with Ten Hag, which could potentially give the Red Devils an advantage in the battle for his signature.

Is Sofyan Amrabat any good?

The Morocco international made a name for himself at the 2022 World Cup, playing in all seven of the matches as the African side embarked on a sensational run to the semi-finals, before eventually losing the third-place play-off against Croatia.

Daily Express journalist Charlie Parker-Turner was wowed by the central midfielder's performances, lauding him as an "unbelievable warrior", while also claiming he was in the conversation for the Player of the Tournament award.

Over the past year, the maestro ranks in the 95th percentile for his pass-completion rate per 90 when compared to his positional peers playing within Europe's top five leagues (as per FBref), however, some questions have to be asked about the impact he has on most games.

The former Feyenoord man does not offer much in the way of attacking threat, failing to score a single goal for Fiorentina last season, and he arguably fails to offer enough defensively to make up for it, placing in just the 33rd percentile for tackles and the 42nd for interceptions per 90.

Amrabat clearly has a great deal of quality, as he demonstrated at the World Cup, though Man United should have serious reservations about signing him this summer.

Not only are there question marks over his ability, but Ten Hag should probably save the money to spend on strengthening other key positions, with a replacement for the out-of-contract David de Gea still required.

The three former players will mentor the Australia A side on its tour of South Africa in July and August

ESPNcricinfo staff12-May-2017Jason Gillespie, Chris Rogers and Brad Haddin will further their coaching ambitions as part of a high-powered support staff to mentor Australia A on their scheduled tour of South Africa in July and August.The tour’s status is somewhat clouded as the first to commence after the June 30 expiry of the current pay deal between CA and the Australian Cricketers Association, with discussions continuing. Mitchell Starc spoke for leading players on Thursday when he said he is not interested in engaging in contract talks with CA until a deal is struck.Aus A tour of SA schedule

Four-day matches:
July 12-15: v South Africa A
July 19-22: Australia A v South Africa A at Senwes Park
Limited-overs series:
July 26: v India A, Tukkies
July 30: v South Africa A, Groenkloof
August 1: v India A, Tukkies
August 5: v South Africa A, Tukkies
August 8: Final, Tukkies

Having previously served as acting head coach of Australia during their recent Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka, Gillespie will helm the tour with assistance from Rogers during the first-class portion of the trip before Haddin subs in for the limited-overs triangular series that also features India A.”I’m thrilled to be appointed as head coach of Australia A for the series against South Africa A and India A, and I’m looking forward to working with Chris and Brad in the coming months,” Gillespie said. “While the squad has yet to be named, it will no doubt feature some of the country’s most talented players, and players challenging for the opportunity to play international cricket for Australia.”This tour will provide those players with the chance to push their claims for those opportunities, and to experience a really high standard of competition and life on the road. It’s a really exciting time to be involved in Australian cricket, and I can’t wait to join up with the squad and head to South Africa.”Pat Howard, the Cricket Australia team performance manager, had previously indicated that the nation’s young batsmen could do with some of the knowhow built up by Rogers over a lengthy first-class career. Having retired from the game last year, Rogers is currently working as an assistant coach with Somerset.”It’s extremely pleasing to have three quality people in Jason, Chris and Brad on-board to guide the Australia A squad in their upcoming Tour of South Africa,” Howard said. “All three have significant experience as players, in varying conditions across the world over their lengthy careers, which will no doubt be invaluable for the players touring with this squad.”Jason has substantial head coaching experience, both with the Adelaide Strikers and in an extremely successful stint as coach of Yorkshire in the England County Championship. He also impressed as an assistant coach of the Australian T20 side earlier this year, so we look forward to seeing what he can achieve with this side.”With Brad and Chris as assistant coaches, Jason will have plenty of support to call on. Brad has also already been involved in the Australian Cricket Team coaching set-up, as an assistant for the tour of South Africa in 2016, while Chris has been involved at underage level, as an assistant coach for the Cricket Australia XI at the under-19 National Championships.”A number of Australia A representatives in 2016, including the likes of Peter Handscomb, Hilton Cartwright and Chris Tremain, made their international debuts during the 2016-17 season, and we believe this coaching panel will help develop more cricketers ready to push for an international debut or a return to international ranks.”

Faf du Plessis said New Zealand were unfortunate that the final day’s play was washed out, denying them a chance to level the Test series

Firdose Moonda in Hamilton29-Mar-20171:23

Moonda: An intriguing series decided by one hour

When the first drops of rain began falling in the early hours of Wednesday morning, it woke Kane Williamson up.”I was hoping it might stop or it might come a little bit early and fine up,” he said.Faf du Plessis did not say whether he was disturbed or not but if he was, it would have been a pleasant interruption. He knew it was probably the only thing that could save South Africa from defeat.”Everyone would say New Zealand can count themselves very unlucky. The rain has come at a terrible time for them,” du Plessis said. “They dominated this Test match and deserved to have a crack at us today. It’s a real fair assessment to say we’ve been saved by the rain.”The rest of the South African squad would probably also have settled into their sleep a little easier. Although they had high hopes on du Plessis, who had told JP Duminy that he was “going to block for two days,” they knew their resistance would likely end with him too. Quinton de Kock was the only recognised batsmen left and, talented as he is, few expected him to have the restraint to bat out the day.”You can’t expect Quinny to do exactly the same because he will possibly get out doing something like that but he will put pressure on the opposition by scoring like that,” du Plessis said. “If New Zealand had got a wicket early doors it would have been tough for us to get through that.”New Zealand were thinking the same thing. Having had South Africa’s line-up on the ropes in the last two matches, they were finally ready to deliver the knockout punch, despite being without their two premier bowlers. Tim Southee and Trent Boult both sat out injured and, with Ross Taylor also sidelined, New Zealand’s fight over the last four days went down as “one of our best performances of the home summer,” according to Williamson.”The guys picked up the roles they were given with a number of players out and ran with it. There was a great buzz amongst the group, although fairly inexperienced and young, the guys really took it on and had a good time and enjoyed themselves,” Williamson said. “It’s not easy to do at times in Test cricket, against one of the best nations and the contributions from all the boys throughout this match were fantastic.”What could have been has been the theme of the series – the fifth day of the first Test in Dunedin also washed out – and du Plessis wished there could have been another match. “This series has been series of what-ifs,” he said. “You feel like even after this match, there could have been more, because the teams are playing some competitive cricket and for most of the series its been 50-50.”Ultimately it was one hour in Wellington, which Williamson described as a “bad day, but a game-defining day,” that distinguished the victors from the vanquished. A single hour that du Plessis admitted was “similar to what we had yesterday,” when South Africa lost 5 for 46 in Hamilton.There was no play on the final day in Hamilton, just like Dunedin•AFPFor South Africa to have won so narrowly was not ideal, even though it allowed them to accomplish their goal of getting to No.2 on the Test rankings, from No.7 nine months ago. “We didn’t play great cricket but we still won,” du Plessis said. “We had a roadmap of how we can get there and visualised getting there, and we are here today. Although I am disappointed with this Test, it doesn’t take away the unbelievable achievements we’ve had this season.”The form of their top six is a concern, which left them playing with their “backs against the wall most of the time,” as du Plessis put it. They would like to channel more of the opposition captain Williamson.”New Zealand played some good cricket, especially Kane,” du Plessis said. “I would like to congratulate him on a good series. Two hundreds out of three games is extraordinary.”New Zealand also learnt from South Africa. They wanted to be able to take small opportunities and turn them into big results so that they can set the agenda instead of having to fight against it.”You give a team like South Africa an inch and they run with it. That was perhaps a little frustrating but a good learning curve,” Williamson said. “We have the belief and what it takes. It would be nice to not have to bounce back. We do want to be more consistent in that area.”Both teams could be proud of the show they put on in a series played in good spirits despite the weather. Shortly after du Plessis and Williamson passed each other in the corridor and made arrangements for post-series drinks, the drizzle drifted away. For a few minutes, there was sunshine over Seddon Park. Oh, what could have been