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“To play over there and hopefully play really well is kind of the goal,” Agar, whose last Test had come in 2017, said

Tristan Lavalette10-Nov-2022Eyeing Australia’s tour of India early next year, Ashton Agar has started his preparation towards a potential long-awaited Test recall, confident he can shift between formats “quickly”.Agar was a notable inclusion in the Prime Minister’s XI squad to play West Indies in Canberra in a four-day day-night first-class fixture starting on November 23. Back in Perth after Australia’s T20 World Cup exit, Agar hit the WACA nets in a bid to get reacquainted with the red ball.”I just had a nice long bowl at the WACA, and faced the red ball again,” Agar told reporters on Thursday as part of Youth Focus, a leading provider of youth mental-health services in Western Australia, being announced as charity partner for the Perth Test. “I still have a desire to play red-ball cricket. I would love to be part of the India Test tour.”Related

• New candidates emerge as Australia search answers for who after Nathan Lyon?

• Ashton Agar and Todd Murphy named in PM's XI with India tour in mind

• Head returns to Australia ODI squad, multi-format quicks included

• What might Australia look like at the 2024 T20 World Cup?

The Prime Minister’s XI affair is effectively a warm-up for the visiting West Indies side ahead of the two-Test series which begins in Perth on November 30, but also presents opportunities for Australia’s fringe players.Agar has been a regular member of Australia’s limited-overs squads over the years, and played in their victory over Sri Lanka in Perth at the T20 World Cup, where he was a late replacement for frontline spinner Adam Zampa, who had tested positive for Covid-19.But his busy commitments in the limited-overs formats have caused Agar to be unavailable for Western Australia (WA) in the Sheffield Shield, with his last appearance being in April 2021. He has a middling first-class record overall averaging 41.28 and striking at 80.7 with the ball.Despite his suspect red ball record, Agar remains an intriguing prospect for Australia’s hierarchy who are keen for the left-arm spinner to bowl more in first-class cricket with the tour of India looming.Ashton Agar said he was not perturbed by being pigeonholed as a white-ball specialist•AFP via Getty Images

“I think all the skills are there. I have enough experience to shift formats quickly,” he said while revealing he might play in WA’s Shield match against Queensland starting December 1. “But getting your body right and building your bowling loads up to bowl for a long period of time… it’s just a different battle.”I’ve had a couple of decent side strains recently, which I have to be a little wary of. So just taking that extra care on your body and trying to be as professional as you can is probably the key going forward.”Agar, who famously scored 98 from No.11 on Test debut during the 2013 Ashes, played the last of his four Tests in 2017, although was considered a strong chance to play in the mid-year series in Sri Lanka until he suffered a significant side strain.He won’t be playing in WA’s Shield match against South Australia at the WACA starting on Friday, but has been named in Australia’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against England. And Agar said he was not perturbed by being somewhat pigeonholed as a white-ball specialist.”The important thing is communication with the selectors,” he said. “They’ve been really good with me. The communication has been really open and really clear. If they wanted me to play more red-ball cricket, they would have given me the opportunity. That’s exactly what they are doing now with the Prime Minister XI game, and maybe another Shield game after that.”If he does end up playing in India, it would be a dream come true for Agar, whose only previous Test experience in the subcontinent was in Bangladesh, also the last time he played a Test.”They (matches in India) were my favourite games to watch growing up,” Agar said. “Games happen quickly. The ball spins miles… if you bat well over there, you’ve batted really well. To play over there and hopefully play really well is kind of the goal.”

The Argentine sent soccer fans buzzing after an incredible strike in the Champions Cup

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• Messi scores second goal of CCC tie against SKC
• Incredible finish off Suarez's assist
• Miami will advance with second leg win

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Even at 37, Lionel Messi continues to find new ways to punish opponents — Sporting Kansas City being the latest in the second leg of their Round 1 CONCACAF Champions Cup series.

  In the 19th minute, the Argentine latched onto a pinpoint cross from longtime teammate Luis Suarez and, with one touch, unleashed a thunderous volley to put Inter Miami ahead 1-0 (2-0 on aggregate).

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Should advance, they will take on Jamaican club team Cavalier FC in the Round of 16 of the competition.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MIAMI?

  Inter Miami return to MLS action Sunday against the Houston Dynamo.

The ICC’s Full Members have always been more equal than those below Test level, but now that same special treatment has crept into the Associate and Affiliate ranks as well

Peter Della Penna29-Jan-2015Following last year’s formation of the “Big Three” in the Full Member sphere, a similar schism is in the process of occurring at the Associate and Affiliate level. The ICC’s announcement on Wednesday that Ireland and Afghanistan will be the only Associates given a chance to qualify for the 2019 World Cup through the ODI rankings table has spawned the “Medium-Sized Two”, making the pair separate from the rest of cricket’s second-class citizens.At first glance, the decision is a major achievement for two deserving countries that have been very competitive in recent years with Full Member nations. It also in some way establishes a guise of meritocracy for World Cup qualification rather than guaranteeing free entry to all Full Members, particularly for Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, at the exclusion of every Associate and Affiliate.However, there is still plenty of grey area that obscures the actual benefits that can be reaped by both Associates through this decision. While Ireland and Afghanistan have been added to the ODI rankings table, there is still no provision for them in the Future Tours Programme to have a guaranteed number of matches.From the end of the 2011 World Cup through Thursday, Sri Lanka has had the most scheduled ODIs of any country with 118 while Ireland had just 26. Of those, only 11 were against Full Members. Two of those matches, against Sri Lanka, were abandoned while a lone ODI against Australia ended with no result. West Indies were the only Full Member to host Ireland in that stretch, playing one ODI and two T20s in Jamaica.Bangladesh has managed 50 ODIs in that time frame, almost double what Ireland has cobbled together, and along with Zimbabwe they are at far less risk of not qualifying for the World Cup by finishing outside the top eight – being in the top eight guarantees a spot at the World Cup – than it might seem. Even if Ireland or Afghanistan do finish in the top eight, it will be the lower-ranked Associate, not the lowest-ranked team overall, that faces relegation from the table. In the event that Bangladesh finishes outside the top-eight by the rankings table’s September 2017 cutoff – meaning they would have to compete with the other three bottom-ranked teams for a spot at the World Cup – their designation as hosts of the 2018 World Cup Qualifier is a handy insurance policy.In the 2011-13 World Cricket League Championship, all Associates involved in the competition played an equal number of ODIs to decide World Cup qualification; it will not be such a level playing field under the new system. There is no stipulation in place mandating an equitable number of ODIs counting towards World Cup qualification. Full Members can squeeze in more matches against certain opponents and abstain from playing others.Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom has appealed to the integrity and honour of Full Members, saying that they must give Ireland matches in order for the World Cup qualifying process to have credibility. Such noble-intentioned administrators seem few and far between in the Full Member world though. Based on prior history they are unlikely to take a charitable outlook on Associate leaders who come knocking on their door with hat in hand begging for fixtures.Separately, the decision to include only Afghanistan and Ireland in the ODI rankings table will leave other Associates fuming. At the top of the list are the UAE and Scotland. It was only two weeks ago that Scotland shot out Afghanistan for 63 in an ODI in Abu Dhabi, conditions much more favorable to Afghanistan than Scotland.Scotland has also been reasonably competitive recently against their centuries-old rival Ireland, narrowly losing a three-match series 2-1 in Ireland last September.UAE has a 12-6 all-time record against Afghanistan in 50-over and T20 cricket, including a streak of seven straight wins that was finally snapped in May. In a four-match series at the end of 2014, UAE beat Afghanistan three times with Afghanistan barely able to eek out a two-wicket win to avoid a whitewash.It is conceivable that Scotland and UAE could finish above Ireland and Afghanistan in the final World Cup standings. Yet before a game has been played at the tournament, UAE and Scotland have already been told they will have to jump over one more hurdle than Ireland and Afghanistan when it comes to 2019 qualification.Other Associates are in the same boat as Scotland and UAE. Although in a separate format, Netherlands upended Ireland in an epic chase to reach the main draw of last year’s World T20. With their win over Bangladesh in March, Hong Kong can lay claim to a Full Member scalp at a World T20, something Afghanistan has failed to do in three World T20 appearances. In November, Papua New Guinea became the first nation to score wins in their first two ODIs but have now been left to wonder what is the value of ODI status if they are shunned from the rankings table.It’s worth remembering that Afghanistan finished sixth in the 2009 World Cup Qualifier, the lowest-ranking position granted ODI status, before continual growth in ODI cricket resulted in second place in the 2011-13 WCL Championship to qualify for the 2015 World Cup. PNG was the sixth-ranked Associate after the 2014 World Cup Qualifier but they are being denied the opportunity to demonstrate the same rapid progression that Afghanistan carried out over a similar stretch of time.Finally, the evidence that there are rules for some but not for others extends not just at the top of the Associate ladder with Ireland and Afghanistan but also to the bottom rung of the WCL Championship in the form of Kenya and Nepal. Prior to the start of WCL Division Two, the ICC stated in a press release that only the top two teams at the tournament would qualify for the WCL Championship and Intercontinental Cup. Less than two weeks later, they have done an about face.No one will be unhappy about more opportunities for more teams to be involved, least of all Kenya and Nepal. It’s a wonderful chance for Nepal, the fastest growing Associate, to continue developing. But the decision to include the third and fourth-place teams at Division Two should have been made before the tournament began. It cheapens the hard work done by Namibia and Netherlands to finish in the top two.Afghanistan and Ireland achieved an administrative victory in the ICC board room on Wednesday. To a lesser extent, Kenya and Nepal also scored big. However, the coup pulled off by the “Medium Sized Two” came at the expense of their Associate and Affiliate brethren. The ICC’s Full Members have always been more equal than those below Test level, but now that same special treatment has crept into the Associate and Affiliate ranks as well. That creates plenty more losers on the day than winners.

José Iglesias has been an important part of the New York Mets' success this year, providing his traditionally excellent defense and wielding a reliable contact bat. He also—and there's no other player in baseball that can say this—has brought immaculate vibes by creating and performing a legitimately good pop song.

The 12-year veteran went 1-for-5 in the Mets' Game 1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday and that was enough to make him an interview subject postgame. And that hit with SNY got off to a funny start when the reporter posited his question by using Iglesias's career batting average coming into the season instead of at the end of the season.

Iglesias was quick to point out that his .337 campaign this year means he's a .283 lifetime hitter not a lowly .280 lifetime hitter.

Incredibly savvy move here. Especially because the question was about Iglesias's long-term future with the Mets. Every little percentage point counts in these types of conversations. And being able to fact-check in real time is just another example of his malleability as a player who can help a team win in a lot of different ways. Including in the charm department.

Southampton have now made a £15m offer for an "unbelievable" player, according to a fresh update from reliable journalist David Ornstein, and a reply has already been received.

Southampton transfer news

The Saints are edging closer to their return to Premier League action, having basked in the glory of their Championship playoff final win over Leeds United all summer long. New signings were paramount as soon as the final whistle blew at Wembley back in May, however, and it has already been a positive transfer window.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes were two influential loanees for Southampton last season, playing a big role in their promotion, and they have now sealed permanent switches to St Mary's, coming in from Manchester City and West Ham respectively. Ben Brereton Diaz has also come in from Villarreal, which could be a strong signing, while highly-rated centre-back Ronnie Edwards has joined from Peterborough United, among others.

It would be a surprise if Southampton were done there, though, and young Norwich City forward Abu Kamara is reportedly the subject of an incoming formal bid from the south coast club.

Borussia Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko is also a transfer target for the Saints, with Jude Bellingham once saying of him: "I think he's a really good talent, really promising talent. I think if you meet the boy as well, an excellent boy – very humble, he's got his feet firmly on the ground, which is the most important thing for a young player."

Southampton make £15m bid for "unbelievable" ace

According to the reliable Ornstein on X, Southampton have seen a £15m bid for Liverpool's Fabio Carvalho rejected, with a higher offer required to prise him away from Anfield on a permanent deal.

Carvalho has struggled to set the world alight at Liverpool since arriving from Fulham in the summer of 2022, not kicking on in the same way Harvey Elliot has after also coming in from Craven Cottage.

That's not to say that he couldn't be a fantastic signing for Southampton, however, proving to be capable of shining in attacking midfield and out wide. Jurgen Klopp has also waxed lyrical over him in the past, saying of him: "Fabio, for the situation in which he is now, in training on an absolute super level and not being involved, how he deals with it, I have to say, that’s kind of a role model. Not that he is happy with the situation, but he never gives up. It’s unbelievable."

Southampton ready formal bid to sign "excellent" England U-20 international

The Saints are still on the lookout for new signings.

By
Tom Coates

Aug 1, 2024

It is easy to forget that Carvalho is still only 21 years of age, so he has so much more improving to do, and he could thrive as more of a regular for Southampton, giving Russell Martin options in various positions, strengthening his squad depth in the process.

De Grandhomme says New Zealand will back themselves to chase down such a score

Firdose Moonda27-Feb-2022South Africa will be looking for at least 60 more runs, but would be more comfortable with 90 more from their last five batting pairs as they seek to set New Zealand a target in excess of 300 to win the second Test.On a pitch that remains good for batting, Rassie van der Dussen, South Africa’s top-scorer in the second innings so far, said the visitors are “reasonably happy” with their progress, but want to continue to put pressure on New Zealand’s attack.”We’re looking at anything around 270 or 280 plus,” he said. “If we can emulate what we did in the first innings with our tailenders and get to the 300 mark, mentally that would be a good mark for us. Hopefully we can start well tomorrow (Monday) and get through their first spells. Their bodies will be sore. To bowl 40 overs in three days is a lot.”New Zealand’s frontline attack of Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner have sent down 46, 48, 38 and 43 overs respectively, but have not shown any signs of fatigue yet. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite. Wagner sent down a nine-over spell late on the third day laced with short balls and removed both van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma to leave South Africa at 114 for 5 at one stage.”When I made my first-class debut 14 years ago, we were in the same team,” van der Dussen said of Wagner. “I knew what his plans were, it’s quite straightforward. We know him, we know what he does. He has a big tank, he keeps running in. Sometimes you have to say to a guy well done.”Despite having a clear idea of the threat Wagner posed, van der Dussen explained of their plan to take him and the rest of the attack on to extend the lead quickly.”We went out looking to play on the front foot. We looked to put pressure on them,” he said. “But they’ve got world class bowlers in terms of discipline. They don’t give you much. I went out a bit more streaky than I usually play. I knew I had to try and put some pressure on them to build the lead and I ran out of luck.”Colin de Grandhomme made a career-best 120 not out•AFP/Getty Images

Van der Dussen was eventually caught on the pull and Bavuma was out driving. B both dismissals looked avoidable, but South Africa saw a positive in the way the pair got out.”What we saw in this last session is that the ball sat up a bit on the short length,” van der Dussen said. “If the wicket gets two paced, it becomes really tricky. Temba also went out in a way that he doesn’t often go out and the ball just stuck a bit in the wicket. That will be a good signs for us. If it goes sideways and then stops a little, it does get tricky to score runs. Not always that tricky to survive but tricky to score runs.”South Africa’s run-rate has remained below three an over throughout the match but New Zealand have not had the same issue. They batted at close to four runs an over, thanks largely to Colin de Grandhomme’s carefree career-best 120, which came off 158 balls.De Grandhomme’s approach is as obvious as they come – “see the ball, hit the ball,” he said – and he was confident about New Zealand’s ability to chase something in the upper 200s. “I think if they get 270 we will be back ourselves to get it,” de Grandhomme said. “It might get slower and lower but it’s still a good pitch.”South Africa are hoping for exactly that: a surface that will deteriorate enough to bring the only spinner across both teams, Keshav Maharaj, into the game. Maharaj was a surprise pick at a venue where specialist spinners are often benched and took 1 for 46 in the first innings but van der Dussen hopes he will have a bigger role to play on the final day.”The wicket is a lot drier than it was in the first Test. That’s why we need to get to that 300 mark and then hope it deteriorates late tomorrow and going into day five,” he said. “We’ve got to give Keshav a chance to get into the game, our seamers to run in with short bursts of energy and hopefully the wicket will deteriorate a little bit for us.”While van der Dussen’s focus was on the role Maharaj could play, South Africa will also lean heavily on their new-ball pair of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, who are the joint-leading wicket-takers in Tests this year. Rabada took his 11th career five-for in the first innings and van der Dussen believes if he has more success, South Africa can level the series.”He plays a huge role. He is a guy that doesn’t miss his lines and lengths a lot and he asks a lot of questions.” He said. “He knows what he can do and what he can’t do, and as a bowler there aren’t many things he can’t do. He swings the ball both ways, he has a good bouncer, a good yorker. The bowlers, the team look up to him.”I know it’s sometimes a big weight for him to carry on his shoulders, but he takes that responsibility. That’s what makes him so good. He knows when he bowls well, we play well; when he takes wickets, we win. It’s not nice to face him in the nets, so I can’t imagine it’s nice to face him in the middle. He’s going to be very important in the fourth innings. If he get’s it right, it will go a long way for us to win the Test.”

Liverpool are reportedly close to reaching an agreement with Mohamed Salah over an extension with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2025.

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• Salah close to Liverpool contract extension
• Offered two-year deal
• Money 'never been problem' in talks

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Salah has been the best forward to grace Liverpool's attacking line since the departure of Luis Suarez in 2014, and could be considered their best player in the Premier League era. However, the Egyptian's contract is set to end in the summer of 2025 and there has been much speculation over his future.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As per , Liverpool are now 'on the brink' of tying Salah down to an extension. The club's top brass were initially only willing to extend Salah's contract by one year, but his representative, Rammy Abbas, informed Liverpool he wanted his client to have a three-year deal. A compromise has seemingly been reached over a two-year contract, with money never thought to be the sticking point in negotiations.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Salah remains as a important player for Liverpool as ever, best evidenced by his 13 goals and eight assists in 14 Premier League games this season. In 370 games for the Reds, he has scored 226 goals and won two League Cups, the FA Cup, the Premier League, and the Champions League.

• WHAT NEXT FOR SALAH?

  Salah is expected to be in action next when the Reds take on Girona in the Champions League on Tuesday, December 10 as Arne Slot's men look to keep up their winning run in Europe.

Sarel Erwee is the favourite to make his debut at No. 3 for the visitors

Firdose Moonda15-Feb-2022

Big picture

The biggest rivalry in global rugby – between All Blacks and Springboks – is not mirrored in world cricket but Dean Elgar and Tim Southee think it could be. Last week, they both spoke of the “great rivalry” that exists between their two cricket sides but you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re simply talking things up.Historically, the cricketing match-up between South Africa and New Zealand has been quite one-sided. South Africa have dominated these encounters – pre- and post-readmission – and won 13 of the 16 series they’ve played against New Zealand, who have not emerged victorious from any. All told, New Zealand have only beaten South Africa four times in 45 Tests but the teams meet so infrequently that perhaps these numbers don’t really matter.They last played against each other five years ago, in 2017, and South Africa could consider themselves fortunate to have got away with a 1-0 series win after the weather saved them in the third Test in Hamilton. Only four members of the current South African squad – Elgar, Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada – played in that series and they have since undergone an overhaul, mainly in administration but also in personnel, and can finally have the foundations of a rebuild.New Zealand may slowly find themselves in a similar position. Ross Taylor has retired, Kane Williamson’s elbow injury has sidelined him, Neil Wagner is in his mid-30s, and Southee and Trent Boult are not far behind. So far, their transition appears to be going smoother than South Africa’s did but that doesn’t mean they can capitalise too much on the schadenfreude.Related

• Four rare occasions when New Zealand won a Test against South Africa

• NZ call up Tickner, Fletcher for first South Africa Test; Rutherford, de Grandhomme recalled

• Covid-19 puts Keegan Petersen out of South Africa's Test tour of New Zealand

South Africa have won three of their last four Test series, including a come-from-behind win against India. There is depth in their squad and talent in the provincial pools, and despite head coach Mark Boucher’s disciplinary hearing hanging over the squad, they seem to be getting on with things in a clinical way. There was even little to no complaints about the ten-day quarantine they had to serve in New Zealand, though Rassie van der Dussen expressed hope it would be the last time they had had to travel under such strict restrictions. South Africa were allowed to train, which has given them more time to acclimatise to conditions, not least because both Tests will take place in Christchurch.If they thought batting would be easier than it has been at home, they’re probably wrong. This has been built up as a contest of the quicks with 14 seamers sprinkled across both squads. As was the case during South Africa’s series against India, it may not be about big runs as much as it is about crucial partnerships, strong temperaments and small margins.There are important incentives to do well for both teams though. New Zealand are the current holders of the Test mace and ranked No. 2, so beating them would arguably rank higher for South Africa than their recent success against India at home. It would also strengthen South Africa’s position on the World Test Championship points table. New Zealand, meanwhile, dropped points against Bangladesh and they visit England and Pakistan later this year, so they need to bank all the home points they can.

Form guide

New Zealand WLLDW (last five Tests, most recent first)
South Africa WWLWW

In the spotlight

This is the first time South African born batter Devon Conway will play against his former countrymen. Conway is from Johannesburg and played for teams in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, so he will be familiar to many in the current South Africa squad but should not expect things to be too friendly. Elgar said the team “doesn’t see him as South African anymore” and will treat him like any other member of the opposition. “Once you walk over that white line, it is all business, irrespective if he is your friend or not,” Elgar said. Still, South Africa would have been thinking about Conway and his “purple patch”, as Elgar called it, as they identify key players in the New Zealand side. Conway’s Test career is only five matches old but he has already scored three centuries, including a double-hundred at Lord’s, and averages close to 70.Aiden Markram averages 26.47 in his last 19 Tests•AFP/Getty Images

In six innings against India, Aiden Markram scored only 76 runs at an average of 12.66, which means he now averages 26.47 in his last 19 Tests. South Africa have opted to stick with him on reputation, talent and white-ball form, but Markram must know the pressure is on to perform. Sarel Erwee is in the squad and likely to bat at No. 3 in Keegan Petersen’s absence. A good series for him could force Markram into the margins unless he matches up with runs of his own. While Markram’s ability has never been in doubt, this series could be a decisive one in the immediate future of his Test career.

Team news

Coach Gary Stead confirmed New Zealand’s top five will see Conway continue to occupy the No. 3 spot and Henry Nicholls move up to No. 4 in place of the now-retired Taylor. That could create room for an allrounder at No. 7. Having gone for a four-pronged specialist pace attack at this venue in the past, Stead confirmed New Zealand will adopt the same strategy and Matt Henry will replace Trent Boult, who is on paternity leave.New Zealand: (probable) 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Will Young, 3 Devon Conway, 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Kyle Jamieson, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Matt HenrySarel Erwee is the favourite to make his debut at No. 3 ahead of Zubayr Hamza or Ryan Rickelton. Though he is an opening batter, he has been travelling with the South African side over the last year and Elgar has thrown his weight behind giving Erwee an opportunity. Though Maharaj didn’t bowl much during the India series, South Africa are usually reluctant to go without a spinner, which could see him keep his place. Should South Africa dispense with Maharaj, they may look to Wiaan Mulder or one of Glenton Stuurman or Lutho Sipamla for an extra seam-bowling option.South Africa: (probable) 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Sarel Erwee 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 Temba Bavuma, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada 10 Duanne Olivier, 11 Lungi Ngidi

Pitch and conditions

Expect pace and bounce on green tops for this series with very little in it for the spinners. That’s the view of van der Dussen, who called the Hagley Oval surfaces similar to the ones at the Lincoln University, where South Africa have been training. “The wickets look very green and very grassy but the surface underneath is quite hard so it makes it quite consistent in terms of bounce and pace,” he said. New Zealand have assessed the pitch as similar to the one on which they played Bangladesh earlier this year, where New Zealand scored 521 for 6 and bowled Bangladesh out for 126 and 278.After persistent rain in the build-up, the weather mostly cleared in Christchurch. Days will be sunny and mild, with temperatures in the early 20s but there is a 90% chance of rain on the third day.

Stats and trivia

• The last time New Zealand were without both Taylor and Williamson was in January 2008, against Bangladesh. They have played 117 Tests since.
• Markram needs 100 runs to reach 2000 Test runs.

Quotes

“They’re a quality side. They’ve come off beating India in South Africa a couple of weeks ago. They’ve got classy players throughout. While they lack experience, they’re a different team from what we’ve seen in the past, we cannot underestimate them.”
“The teams of the past have been really successful over here. The conditions favour seam bowling, and that might be a reason for that. It’s a proud record to be part of. It’s different in this series. They’ve been really successful over the last two years. They’ve played a lot of cricket at home. They know their conditions well and they are quite suited to it.”

Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini has sided with Cristiano Ronaldo in the GOAT debate over Lionel Messi.

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• Chillieni played alongside Ronaldo at Juventus
• Also played against the Portuguese on six occasions
• Picked the 39-year-old over Messi in the GOAT debate

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  During his tenure at Juventus, Chiellini was no stranger to the challenge of stopping Ronaldo. The two clashed six times during Ronaldo’s Real Madrid days, and the Portuguese ace scored in every encounter, netting an astonishing nine goals against Chiellini. The Italian veteran openly admitted the difficulty of facing a player with such precision and power, making Ronaldo’s eventual move to Juventus in 2018 a relief.

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  WHAT CHIELLINI SAID

  When faced with the eternal Messi versus Ronaldo question, Chiellini carefully navigated his response.

  "We cannot say for me, who is better, Messi or Cristiano," Chiellini said on The Overlap on Tour.

  "But if I have to pick one, for a final, Cristiano."

  Chiellini added: "I love to play with Cristiano. And I saw when the game is more difficult, he raises his level of performance."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  When Ronaldo joined Juventus for a record-breaking £105 million transfer in 2018, the dynamic between the two shifted dramatically. Over three years, they played 55 matches together, securing five titles, including consecutive Serie A championships. For Chiellini, sharing the pitch with Ronaldo provided a unique perspective on the Portuguese star’s unmatched work ethic and mental fortitude.

  "Well, Ronaldo, when you are losing, he had the balls, no matter what, to try to win," Chiellini said.

  "Shoot from everywhere in order to lead the team to win. And it is not easy to do for a lot of players. I loved to play with him because working with him and looking at him every day, with little details, is very nice. I was 35 and he was 34, and we weren't obviously in our prime. But it was very funny to play with him. And look how big is his personality."

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

  Chiellini’s insights offer a glimpse into why Ronaldo is celebrated as one of the most clutch performers in football history. Now playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo continues to demonstrate his enduring brilliance. He is expected to return to Stefano Pioli’s starting lineup for Al-Nassr’s crucial clash against league leaders Al-Ittihad on Friday, December 6.

An interest in film-making has seen James Anderson get involved with a Massai warriors team, hoping cricket can improve their lives

George Dobell30-Nov-2012Plenty of sportsmen end their careers with a trunk load of anecdotes about their adventures and exploits. Plenty have glamorous tales about exotic lands and far-flung destinations. Plenty come, play and depart without leaving a trace on the lands they have visited. Not many take the time to look around. Even fewer bother to lend a hand to those less fortunate.It is easy for the top players to become insulated from real life. It easy to live inside a bubble: surrounded by acolytes; staying in the finest hotels – this interview was conducted in the resplendent Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai – travelling in style and blessed with a team of support staff who cater for every whim. If the England squad were to add a spot welder and balloon animal maker to their travelling entourage it would hardly raise an eyebrow. It would be easy to lose touch with reality. It would, in short, be easy to become spoiled.But James Anderson is not that sort. He winces when he sees the police beating a path through crowds of spectators just so the players’ bus is not delayed. He winces at the crowd of beggars who sleep in the streets around the hotel. And, like most well-meaning travellers, his winces at his own impotence in the face of such inequality. It is easy to scoff at celebrities – and, for the sake of argument, let us call cricketers celebrities – who involve themselves in charitable causes in a somewhat clumsy but well-intentioned way. But it is surely better than the alternative. Being well-intentioned isn’t such a bad quality.Anderson hopes that his involvement with a new project – a film named about Maasai people in Kenya who are using cricket as a tool to educate, inform and unite – can, in a small way, make a positive contribution in the world. He hopes that it can, in a small way, even remind people of the virtues of cricket.”We are so lucky,” Anderson said. “We get presidential treatment wherever we go. When we go to and from the ground, you see the police hitting people to get them out of our way. We’re so privileged. It’s difficult to know how to react when you see these things. We’ve done some charity stuff on the last couple of tours. In Bangladesh, for example, we went to see a burns unit. It’s not that we think we can change people’s lives but maybe we can help in a small way.”The image of the game of cricket has been tarnished over the last couple of years. We’ve had the betting scandals and it seems there are always questions about the future of Test cricket.”So it would nice to try and help someone through cricket and show people that there are positive things that cricket can do. If we can send a strong message that might, in a tiny way, reach a small village, or a small tribe, that can only be good.”Anderson is, in many ways, an unlikely spokesman. He is a modest fellow; shy and softly spoken. He is about as unlike Bono as a man can be. But, partly thanks to the influence of his good friend Barney Douglas, the ECB’s video producer, he has grown increasingly keen on an intriguing project and knows he can use his public profile to help attract some attention to a worthy cause. Douglas is the director of while Anderson is the executive producer.

Whatever the future of the Maasai and their cricket team, it is surely admirable that Anderson is using his position with the game to shine a light upon those less fortunate than himself.

The pair first worked together on the Ashes diaries that were an unexpected delight of the 2010-11 series. Often a video that has been through the mangle of any official body has every drop of originality and humour squeezed out of it but, on this occasion, the good-natured wit of Anderson, Graeme Swann and, crucially, Douglas, who was very much the unsung hero of the videos, shone through. The process of coming up with ideas for the videos and the process of filming and editing the scenes planted a seed in Anderson that just might grow into a second career at some point.”I’m excited by it,” Anderson said. “I think I’ve a little bit of a creative side to me. If I enjoy and if it goes well, it maybe something I do in the future. I’m past 30 now so I have to think about these things. It’s great to do something a bit more fun and relaxed.”Getting on well with Barney has helped. We have worked quite closely together over the last couple of years. That was part of it. But then when I heard the story and saw what the film was trying to achieve, I was drawn to it. Now I’m trying to get the message out there and help promote the film. If there’s anything I do to help with the cricket sequences then I’d be happy to and, if time allows, I’d love to go to Kenya at some stage.”The film follows the fortunes of a group of Maasai individuals who have, rather wonderfully, formed a cricket team on the plains of Kenya. Not only that, but they have started to use the team and the sport of cricket as a tool to unite and teach their communities. So people who previously fought as rivals are now working together. And, in teaching the values of teamwork and personal responsibility, the team also hope to instil important messages about safe sex, female rights and community values.The Maasai cricket team hopes to tour the UK next year•warriorsfilmIt is a remarkable, and a remarkably brave, ambition. The Maasai community is male-dominated. Women have few rights – even to their own bodies – and HIV is both rife and stigmatised. In some cases children are married off in return for livestock or alcohol and female genital mutilation remains prevalent. These “cricket warriors”, as the film refers to them, feel education and change is the only way to secure a long-term positive future for their people.Cricket has given the team status in their community. Their peers are beginning to listen to them; schoolchildren, boys and girls, are looking up to them. But, in a hierarchical, patriarchal society, there is a real and sometimes fierce conflict between the traditional and the modern. There are no guarantees of a happy ending.”There are so many messages the game can give,” Anderson said. “Getting 11 random guys and getting them to work together, even though they might not get on and may be from very different walks of life, just shows how you can work with different people.”Douglas interrupts: “People in this team used to raid each other for livestock. They used to fight. But now they’ve come together. They want to be unified as a team.””Cricket has always been tagged as the gentleman’s sport,” Anderson continued. “That’s definitely still there. The game has changed and has probably become more competitive. Maybe there isn’t as much camaraderie between opposition teams any more. But the respect all players from all countries still have for the game is still there and it is never going to die out.”Anderson and Douglas hope the film will be ready for release in September 2013, but are still in the process of securing the necessary funding. For more information on the film visit the film’s facebook page or follow them on twitter. Click here for the trailer.Whatever the future of the Maasai and their cricket team – and they have hopes of touring the UK in 2013 – it is surely admirable that Anderson is using his position with the game to shine a light upon those less fortunate than himself.