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England surged to a seven-wicket victory with 17.2 overs to spare to secure their sixth one-day series win a row

The Report by Andrew McGlashan in Christchurch09-Mar-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAfter the drama in Dunedin this was a canter in Christchurch. England surged to a seven-wicket victory with 17.2 overs to spare to secure their sixth one-day series win a row. Jonny Bairstow made mincemeat of the chase with a 58-ball century, England’s third-fastest and his second in consecutive innings, adding 155 in 20.2 overs for the first wicket alongside the recalled Alex Hales.The absence of Ross Taylor, who was ruled out on the morning of the game with the quad injury he sustained during his unbeaten 181, was too much for New Zealand to compensate for, especially with their captain Kane Williamson failing.England’s new ball pair, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, set a superb tone and it was backed up by the spin duo of Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali. At 93 for 6 it looked as though New Zealand could fold completely, but Mitchell Santner’s outstanding series with the bat continued and a stand of 84 with Henry Nicholls at least took them over 200. Although the mood England’s top-order are in, 400 may not have been enough.There was barely an alarm for England as they knocked off the runs in the sunshine. They have been tested more in this series than many of late, and have slipped occasionally, but such a comprehensive win in a decider is a feather in their cap.Bairstow and Hales, who was handed a late opportunity in the series when Jason Roy went down with a back spasm, were level-pegging for the first eight overs of the chase, then Bairstow pulled away at top speed. He took 16 off Colin de Grandhomme’s third over, went to fifty from 38 balls and then really cut loose. He hammered five sixes in eight balls against Ish Sodhi with crisp, clean striking – although none of them were taken in the crowd to win a fan 50,000 dollars.Bairstow moved to 99 with a pull behind square then dabbed a single to third man to sit behind Jos Buttler (46 balls) and Moeen Ali (53 balls) in England’s quickest centuries before smashing his own stumps trying to manufacture some width against Trent Boult. He has now made four in 16 innings as an opener and has the spot nailed down, although who his long-term partner will be is perhaps more of a debate.Roy’s injury gave Hales his first outing since announcing he would become a white-ball specialist. Although the pressure was never on in the chase, it was a good effort to play so confidently having not batted for three weeks. He went to his fifty from 67 balls but was then cut off by a fine catch from Williamson at midwicket. By then, however, the result was a formality. There was just time for Ben Stokes to finish the chase in style in the city of his birth.It is the third time in a year that New Zealand have lost a deciding ODI following reversals against South Africa at home and India away. As against South Africa at Eden Park a year ago, this was a very poor performance with everything to play for.England were able to take their preferred route when Eoin Morgan won the toss. There was a little early movement and his decision was backed up by fine opening spells from Woakes and Wood.Colin Munro had announced in the build-up that he would no longer play first-class cricket and his first day as an official white-ball specialist did not start well when he got a big a top edge against Woakes while trying to work into the leg side. Other than his 49 in Wellington, it has been a single-digit series for Munro with scores of 6, 1, 0 and 0.Mitchell Santner steps out to hit down the ground•Getty ImagesWoakes has produced outstanding first spells throughout: 5-0-14-2, 5-1-18-2, 5-1-13-1, 5-2-14-1 and 6-1-13-1, Morgan giving him the extra over here after Williamson departed in the 10th. It was a smart piece of bowling from Wood to dismiss the New Zealand captain, delivered from wider on the crease and cramping him for room, taking a bottom edge into leg stump.Then, not for the first time, New Zealand stumbled against England’s spinners. Tom Latham, promoted to No. 4 ahead of Taylor’s replacement, Mark Chapman, fell to a soft shot, chipping Rashid to midwicket although it was a nicely flighted delivery which brought the error. Chapman’s stay was very brief. He played back to a delivery from Moeen Ali which straightened a touch but Chapman missed it by an alarming amount to be bowled.When Stokes held a stinging, low catch at cover to remove Martin Guptill and de Grandhomme wastefully lofted to long-on, New Zealand were in a hole. Morgan’s tactics were interesting. Having bowled both Rashid and Moeen straight through their 10 overs, the innings was deep with very little of the fifth bowler used. Joe Root was then introduced for two overs and Tom Curran did not get his first bowl until the 40th over and was used for six consecutive overs at the death.Nicholls’ fifty came from 73 balls before he skied a Curran slower ball into the off side. Santner was by far the more fluent, bringing up a 60-ball half-century and setting a new career-best for the second time in four matches before Woakes became the first England bowler to dismiss him in the series when Hales made excellent ground at deep midwicket. But if that was good, Bairstow’s grab, running around the leg-side boundary two balls later, taking it one-handed moving at full pace to remove Tim Southee, was something special. Bairstow, though, wasn’t finished there.

Seamer Akash Parkar’s triple strike set up Mumbai’s seven-wicket win over Maharashtra in Rajkot

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2018Dinesh Karthik struck his third successive half-century as Tamil Nadu brushed aside Goa by 25 runs in Vishakapatnam. Karthik followed up his 57 and 71 against Andhra and Kerala respectively with a 43-ball 56 to hoist Tamil Nadu’s total to 155 for 5. The spinners then took over as offspinner Washington Sundar (2 for 20) and legspinner M Ashwin (2 for 22) put the skids on Goa’s chase. Only captain Sagun Kamat made a substantial contribution with 41 off 42 balls as Goa managed only 130 for 7. With three wins from three games, Tamil Nadu are now on top of the South Zone standings with 12 points.Seamer Akash Parkar’s triple strike set up Mumbai’s seven-wicket win over Maharashtra in Rajkot. Parkar’s 3 for 22 in four overs helped his side skittle Maharashtra for 89 in 15 overs. He was supported by legspinner Parikshit Valsangkar (2 for 22) and seamer Shivam Dubey (2 for 7). Captain Aditya Tare then struck an unbeaten 26-ball 42, ensuring Mumbai chased down the target with more than 10 overs to spare. This was Mumbai’s second win in four matches.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a profitable Deadline Day already even if they fail to bring in anyone else, but reports continue to suggest that they still might…

Who else could Tottenham Hotspur sign on Deadline Day?

With Brennan Johnson the outstanding piece of business for this hectic day, as Ange Postecoglou finally got his key man, the Lilywhites have seemingly not allowed that to slow down their pursuit of bolstering other areas of the field.

After all, they even saw a bid for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher knocked back earlier in the day, with it being suggested that they could well return again before the window concludes.

However, it is instead another West London star that could be set to make that move, with journalist Fabrizio Romano offering the following update on social media:

"EXCL: Tottenham approach Chelsea to ask for Trevoh Chalobah on loan deal, no green light from Chelsea, difficult due to rival + formula of deal. Complicated deal while Forest still trying to make permanent deal happen for Chalobah but no green light player side."

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

The collapse of his move to Bayern Munich has emphasised this possibility, as the German transfer window slammed shut without the Englishman having finalised terms. It could now be the north London outfit who profit, should they see fit to unload the proposed £50m price tag for a possible permanent deal.

How good is Trevoh Chalobah?

Although the 24-year-old has fallen down the pecking order significantly at Stamford Bridge, he still remains an outstanding ball-playing centre-back who would more than align with the style Postecoglou is seeking to usher in.

Having broken into the first team in 2021, he has remained a solid and elegant figure at the back whenever called upon, with the pinnacle of his short career thus far arguably coming during that 2021/22 season.

Maintaining an admirable 7.23 average rating across 20 Premier League appearances, he scored three times and recorded a 91% pass accuracy, alongside two tackles and 2.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

An English defensive legend in Rio Ferdinand sought to praise him, noting over two years ago: "I watched him in the Super Cup game the other day with BT in Belfast. Massively impressed with him, the way he defended. He had three or four big moments defensively where he pulled the hat out of the bag, it was unbelievable."

It is his proficiency in possession that has truly caught the eye though, as the quintessential modern-day defender who remains supremely comfortable on the ball. When compared to other centre-backs across Europe, the Cobham graduate even ranks in the top 17% for progressive carries per 90, and the top 18% for passes attempted, via FBref.

This outlet seeks to draw comparisons between Chalobah and Manchester City defender Ruben Dias by including the 26-year-old on his 'similar players' list, likely due to their shared solidity and ability in possession.

The Portugal international has been an instant hit since moving to the Etihad in 2020, winning the Premier League Player of the Year award after his first campaign as they won the league title. There, his average rating of 7.11 from that season was bolstered by figures similar to the Chelsea man, with a 93% pass accuracy, 1.1 interceptions and 2.8 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

It is no surprise to see Pep Guardiola laud his influence, claiming: "Ruben is not playing just his game. He is playing the game for everyone. He has the ability to see and solve the problems for many things. His character is so important. His leadership is huge especially even when he didn’t play."

Should Postecoglou manage to add Chalobah to his side late on in the window, relying on him to be that Dias-esque figure to uphold his new regime, it could actually prove to be their biggest coup of the entire summer.

Manchester United are reportedly still looking to make signings in two key positions in the summer transfer window, but it depends on one important thing.

Will Man United make more signings?

The Red Devils have had an up-and-down summer to date, bringing in new signings but arguably not doing enough business up until this point. Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund have all come in as players who should strength the starting lineup, instantly strengthening the squad depth at Erik ten Hag's disposal.

United do still look a little short of genuine top quality throughout the team, however, as last Monday's disappointing performance at home to Wolves showed, even though they ended up winning 1-0. The likes of Raphael Varane, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are now all in their 30s, while younger players such as Antony and Alejandro Garnacho are still learning their trade.

The hope was that Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay would complete moves to West Ham, generating transfer funds and freeing up space in the squad to improve it, but as of now, the pair remain at Old Trafford.

There is now less than two weeks of the transfer window remaining, highlighting the need for United to act quickly, and a key update has emerged regarding their potential upcoming business.

Who do Man United want to sign?

According to Football Insider, United are still intending to sign a new defender and midfielder this summer, but only if players like the aforementioned duo head out of the Old Trafford exit door:

"Man United are still keen to sign a defender and midfielder but cannot strengthen until they sell players, sources have told Football Insider. The Old Trafford club had hoped West Ham’s moves for Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay would provide them with the requisite funds to complete their summer business.

"But those moves have recently broken down, leaving Erik ten Hag unable to add to his squad just days out from the 1 September deadline."

This is an encouraging update and one that suggests that Ten Hag remains hellbent on making further reinforcements before deadline day arrives. As mentioned, the display against Wolves left a lot to be desired, and while it is admittedly only one game, the team did look disjointed and lacking composure on the ball.

If United could sell Maguire and bring in a superior replacement, that would be an ideal start – someone who can really push Varane and Lisandro Martinez for minutes – while a creative midfielder who sits deep is also required, in order to ease Casemiro's workload as age slowly begins to catch up with him.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

Failure to address both positions could ultimately prove to be fatal this season, in terms of United's top-four hopes, with Liverpool, Chelsea and even Tottenham potentially being much-improved in 2023/24, following hugely below-par campaigns last time around.

The money should be there for the Red Devils to spend, given what they generate as a club, so it is unacceptable if the Glazers don't back Ten Hag and ensure that another couple of signings come in before the end of the month.

Fawad Ahmed, Arjun Nair and Chris Green combined for figures of 12-0-61-6 to help Sydney Thunder defend 166

The Report by Alex Malcolm30-Dec-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Arjun Nair took 2 for 17 from four overs•Getty ImagesAn electric innings from Jos Buttler and some sublime spin bowling from Fawad Ahmed, Arjun Nair and Chris Green saw Sydney Thunder destroy Hobart Hurricanes in Launceston.Buttler smashed four sixes and five fours in his innings of 67 from 41 balls to set up a solid total at University of Tasmania Stadium, a ground not previously used in men’s BBL cricket.Then the spinners bamboozled the Hurricanes top order to secure the Thunder’s second win of the tournament. The Hurricanes have remained winless but the schedule has done them no favours. They looked rusty after nine days between games and the Hurricanes and the Stars will be the only two teams to have played only two matches prior to the New Year.The Buttler did itButtler has an excellent T20 record. In 206 career matches, he averages 28.11 and strikes at 143.45 playing in a variety of roles for a number of different teams across both international and domestic cricket. But his last 12 T20s in the Bangladesh Premier League and the BBL have been extremely lean. He has averaged 9.5, striking at 110.69 with a highest score of 26.He delivered in spades in Launceston. A boundary in the first over settled him, then Kurtis Patterson’s hat-trick of boundaries in the second over allowed Buttler more time to adjust to a surface he had not previously seen before. After Patterson fell, Buttler and Shane Watson only scored at seven an over until the end of the 11th over. Then Buttler exploded, targeting debutant Thomas Rogers. He struck four sixes in an over. The second travelled 108 metres. The third came from a no-ball that was called for an above head-high bouncer. The ensuing free hit was hammered 110 metres onto the roof of the stand at midwicket. The run-rate had vaulted above nine an over by the end of the 13th before Buttler gave away his stumps to Clive Rose in the 14th and was bowled.ThunderstruckWatson kept rolling, striking two boundaries in the 15th over but the innings fell flat following a bizarre run-out. Watson and Callum Ferguson aren’t the nimblest between the wickets as both have a history of injury issues. Watson assumed a second run was on after Ferguson worked a ball into the leg- side but Ferguson didn’t run. Watson was left stranded, later admitting he didn’t hear the call of “no”. Rose, Jofra Archer and Tymal Mills bowled superbly to concede just 27 in the last four overs. They gave up just one boundary and it was when Archer parried a simple catch at long-on over the rope for six after Mills had forced a miscue from Ryan Gibson.Hurricanes’ solid startD’Arcy Short and Alex Doolan have produced three consecutive 50-run opening partnerships, including the two warm-up games and round one of the BBL. They looked on again when Short struck two fours and a six to three different parts of the ground in the second over of the innings from Gurinder Sandhu.The rate was slowed by wickets. Mitchell McClenaghan bowled Short through the gate and Ben McDermott also played a shot he would regret. He produced a wild slog off Sandhu with the score at 1 for 35 after 4.1. The top-edge was well caught by Buttler running back towards third man. George Bailey joined Doolan and the pair kept the required rate under nine through seven overs.Hurricanes in a spinThe Hurricanes lost 5 for 34 in the next eight overs of spin. Fawad and Nair took a wicket each in the eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th overs respectively to kill off the game. Ahmed, Nair and Chris Green delivered 22 dot balls in 48 deliveries and conceded just one boundary in total. Jofra Archer hit Green over long-on for six second ball having strangely walked out at No. 9.The Hurricanes decided to promote Cameron Boyce to No. 6, and bat Rose in front of Archer at No.8. Boyce averages 8.41 in T20 cricket at a strike rate of 104.12 with a highest score of 24 not out. Rose’s numbers are better (16.75 and 131.37) but they are not as good as Archer’s, who averages 18.87 and strikes at 143.80. Even the basic eye-test, frowned upon in sabermetrics, would reveal he is a far better batsman than Boyce and Rose. He proved it with an impressive, but ultimately fruitless, 25 not out from 16 balls as the Thunder cleaned up the tail.

“The resolution is to agree to implement and support the Lodha Committee reforms along with any modifications that the court might pass,”Abhay Apte, MCA president said

Nagraj Gollapudi05-Dec-2017Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) may soon become the fourth member of BCCI to accept the Lodha Committee recommendations. At a managing committee meeting on December 2, the MCA members decided to unanimously adopt the reforms subject to a final stamp of approval at a special general body meeting (SGM) later this month.”The resolution is to agree to implement and support the Lodha Committee reforms along with any modifications that the court might pass,”Abhay Apte, MCA president, told ESPNcricinfo.Vidarbha Cricket Association was the first BCCI member to adopt the Lodha reforms in October 2016, followed by Tripura and Rajasthan. ESPNcricinfo understands that Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), another powerful member of the BCCI, has passed a resolution to adopt the reforms. A formal and final decision is likely to be taken soon.At the MCA managing committee meeting, the 26-member body deliberated on whether it should keep to the status quo or adopt the reforms which have been pending since July 2016. The Supreme Court had ordered the BCCI to change its constitution by including the recommendations by December last year. It had also directed the BCCI members – the state associations – to follow suit and amend their respective constitutions.However, the BCCI office bearers and many state associations have filed pleas in the court challenging its judgement. At the time of the verdict, Ajay Shirke was at the helm as MCA president. He was also serving as BCCI secretary until he was sacked by the court in January 2017 for failing to get the board to accept the Lodha committee’s recommendations.Apte, a senior lawyer, replaced Shirke as the MCA president and has been one of the few voices at BCCI meetings supporting the need for change. Even at MCA, Apte has urged his members to weigh in the long-term repercussions of opposing the Lodha reforms. With the court-appointed Committee of Administrators making it clear that funds would only be disbursed once the states adopt the new constitution, MCA has been feeling quite the strain. Its financial situation has been grim for a long time and Apte urged the members to take a forward-looking step.”Our financial condition is not very good and we would like to overcome that,” he said. “The members have come forward to support the association’s cause. We can’t continue with this status quo, We want to devote time to cricket.”

Mike Dean has admitted that he opted not to call referee Anthony Taylor to use VAR for a bizarre reason during a Chelsea match against Tottenham Hotspur last season.

What did Mike Dean say about Chelsea vs Tottenham?

The PMGOL has already been at the centre of attention in the new Premier League campaign. After all, new rules on timewasting have led to elongated matches with long spells of injury-time played in games, while that also played a part in Takehiro Tomiyasu being harshly sent off in a recent Arsenal game.

On top of that, a big mistake was made when Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana avoided punishment for one of the most blatant fouls you will ever see inside a penalty box.

Ultimately, what it shows is that despite now having the technology on hand to help reach decisions, referees are still human and humans are prone to making bad judgment calls in the heat of the moment.

Proving this with a simply astonishing admission this week, former referee Dean has claimed that he once failed to intervene on a major VAR call because he didn’t want to cause his friend Anthony Taylor any "grief".

Speaking on Up Front with Simon Jordan (via The Telegraph), the 55-year-old referred to the well-known controversial incident from last season when Spurs defender Cristian Romero violently yanked Marc Cucurella’s hair but somehow avoided punishment, only for Harry Kane to then net a 96th-minute equaliser.

“I missed the stupid hair pull at Chelsea versus Tottenham which was pathetic from my point of view," Dean admitted.

“It’s one of them where if I had my time again, what would I do? I’d send Anthony [Taylor] to the screen. I think I knew if I did send him to the screen … he’s cautioned both managers, he’s had a hell of a game, it’s been such a tough game end to end.

“I said to Anthony afterwards: ‘I just didn’t want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game’. I didn’t want to send him up because he is a mate as well as a referee and I think I didn’t want to send him up because I didn’t want any more grief than he already had.

“Anthony, he is big and bald and ugly enough to know if he is going to the screen he is going to the screen for a reason. If someone pulls their hair now it’s dead easy. It’s just a brainwave by me, a really bad call by me, and it kind of affected me as Var going forward.”

Sky Sports have a replay of the moment on their website. While can also see the incident in this fan footage below:

What's been said about Mike Dean?

Unsurprisingly Dean has been slammed in the media for his shocking admission. For instance, Dale Johnson of ESPN, who often writes about VAR decisions, took to Twitter to say: "A bizarre statement, and probably tells you the kind of reason why Mike Dean was jettisoned from his VAR role within two months of Howard Webb arriving as the new head of refs."

While well-known YouTuber Mark Goldbridge said: "Mike Dean admitting he didn't do anything as VAR ref last season for the Chelsea hair pull vs Spurs as he didn't want to cause his mate Antony Taylor grief confirms everything fans moan about every week. Arrogant, biased, incompetent officiating to look after your mates"

Journalist Layth Yousif added: "Mike Dean and @FA_PGMOL are not fit for purpose in any way, shape or form. Incompetence bordering on impropriety."

In the same interview, Dean continued as he spoke about the immediate fallout of his mistake, saying: “Probably I missed a few games because you get taken out of the limelight.

“That was a major error. If they don’t score from the corner it is not as big an issue. But I knew full well then I would be stood down the week after. I asked to take a bit of time off because it wasn’t for me.

“I used to get in the car on a Friday and was dreading Saturday. I was thinking, ‘I hope nothing happens’. I used to be petrified sitting in the chair.”

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to take a huge stride towards replacing Harry Kane by emulating the past success of a rival…

Who could replace Harry Kane?

Ange Postecoglou has been handed the task that few Lilywhites managers ever wanted to undertake, as the sale of the England captain was taken out of his hands with Bayern Munich's persistence paying off.

For all the frustration and the quality they have lost, it does almost offer the dawn of a new era, one that's not reliant on a sole star and ready to drive towards a brighter future.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

In order to ensure that potential is attained, it seems that the Australian must trust in youth rather than scouring the market for immediate but short-term success.

Given what Soccernet.ng are reporting, that does seem to be the thinking behind their touted swoop for Gift Orban.

Valued at around €30m (£26m), it is noted that Spurs have opened talks with Belgium high-flyers K.A.A, Gent to bring him to the Premier League.

Earlier reports have suggested that a bid is imminent.

How good is Gift Orban?

With the 21-year-old finisher, goals would seemingly not be hard to come by, which is a benefit considering just how many they have lost with Kane's departure.

The 30-year-old was the club's all-time top scorer and was coming off the back of a season where he notched 30 league goals as the rest of his team struggled.

Whatever circumstances arose, he remained consistently brilliant.

Fortunately for Postecoglou, it seems that Orban shares that same quality in front of goal, as last term also saw the Nigerian post 20 goals and two assists across just 22 games in all competitions, having started this campaign in similarly blistering fashion, with five goals in four games.

Such form understandably has drawn praise, with his boss Hein Vanhaezebrouck noting:

"He’s a phenomenon and he will continue to be a phenomenon. I’ve said it five times and I’ll keep saying it. This is normal for him. Gift Orban was hungry and showed his qualities once again, I keep calling him a phenomenon and that will not change."

Whilst all signs already point towards this being a fine addition given the lethal nature of someone so young, there are additional factors that could lend to the potential success of the deal. After all, to sign someone directly from Belgium to England does draw comparisons with Kevin De Bruyne, who also traded his boyhood Genk for Chelsea in 2012.

Although his career only really took off once he left Stamford Bridge, the 32-year-old has since returned with Manchester City to terrorise English football with his patented creativity.

He has been ever-present in five Premier League title victories, as well as winning two FA Cups, five League Cups and that coveted Champions League just last season. Such success has seen him make 358 appearances for the Citizens, scoring 96 and assisting a further 153.

The Belgium international is a true legend of the game, with Jamie Redknapp even suggesting he might be one of the best ever:

"His football brain and IQ make him no.1 [of the best midfielders in Premier League history] for me, and hopefully we can find a little bit more about what makes him tick because every young footballer should watch him and the way he plays in midfield".

Whilst Orban is not expected to emulate such an imperious legacy, should he attain half of that success Postecoglou would be more than pleased. The young finisher would mark a perfect foundation for his new-look attack to be built, walking the same path that De Bruyne did and hopefully reaching similar levels.

Trevor Bayliss has called on CA and the ECB to “get together” to ensure a better standard of preparation for both teams on Ashes tours

George Dobell in Townsville18-Nov-2017Trevor Bayliss has called on CA and the ECB to “get together” to ensure a better standard of preparation for both teams on Ashes tours.Bayliss, the England coach, has stated several times that he would have preferred England to encounter stiffer opposition ahead of the first Test but has been at pains to point out that the situation is not so different for Australia when they visit the UK.As a result, Bayliss has already spoken to Andrew Strauss – the director of England cricket – to suggest that first-class matches against an A team (effectively the national second XI) are written into future Ashes schedules ahead of the first Test, adding that he will speak to Pat Howard (Strauss’s counterpart in Australia) about the matter in the coming days.”Both Australia and England should be getting together and having at least one match against the A team before each series,” Bayliss said. “I’ve already mentioned it to Strauss and I will mention it to Pat Howard when I see him too.There was a certain irony in the timing of Bayliss’ words. While the CA XI that England played in Townsville contained just one man with a first-class century to his name prior to the match – Nick Larkin – by the time it ended, two more young Australian batsmen had maiden first-class hundreds. And as England laboured throughout the final day in taking just one wicket, it became harder to sustain the argument that the opposition was as modest as had first appeared.In truth, though, that was partially the result of an unusually slow, flat wicket which is unlikely to be replicated during the Ashes series. And while the England camp are reluctant to make any public complaint about the preparation they have been provided by CA, there is a sense that both the surfaces and the opposition to this point have left them facing a major change of quality – and specifically pace – when they arrive at the Gabba.Underlining that suspicion – or, depending on your view, paranoia – is the training schedule ahead of the first Test on Thursday. England will train in the afternoon on Tuesday and Wednesday – often teams alternate between morning and afternoon sessions on consecutive days – giving them slightly less time to rest and slightly less exposure to conditions throughout the day.”That was a bone of contention,” Bayliss said. “The home team makes the programme and that’s just the way it is. We will take it on the chin and get on with it.”

West Ham United are plotting a surprise swoop to sign Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney this summer, according to fresh reports.

Is Kieran Tierney leaving Arsenal?

The Gunners left-back first arrived at the Emirates Stadium back in 2019 from Celtic, and during his four years at the club, has gone on to become a regular feature of the senior first team fold, but he’s recently fallen significantly out of favour under Mikel Arteta.

In the Premier League last season, Scotland’s international was handed just six starts and was forced to come off the bench as a substitute on 21 occasions, as per WhoScored, showing not only how far down in his manager’s pecking order he is but also that he needs to move elsewhere should he want to gain minutes more often.

Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE…

Newcastle United are the only club in the top-flight to have been heavily linked with a move for the 26-year-old, whilst The Sun have since reported that La Liga outfit Real Sociedad have enquired about taking him on loan next season and have been monitoring him all summer.

The Irons already sanctioned the sale of Arthur Masuaku earlier this year so are therefore left with Emerson and Aaron Cresswell as their two remaining options in their target’s position, though with the latter’s contract expiring in less than a year, there’s a chance he could soon be on the move meaning that a successor may be needed.

Are West Ham signing Kieran Tierney?

According to Football Transfers, West Ham have identified Tierney as a “shock target” and are “willing to match any offers” that he receives from other potential suitors.

Arsenal's left-footed defender is said to be viewed by chiefs as a “direct replacement” for Cresswell, with David Moyes hoping to “flesh out” his side with more experience.

However, it’s stated that the full-back “isn’t interested” in completing the move at present, which provides a huge “stumbling block” when it comes to trying to get a deal over the line.

How much does Kieran Tierney earn?

At Arsenal, Tierney pockets £110k-per-week which he isn’t really earning given his lack of game time, but that could all be reversed should he have a change of heart regarding a move to E20, where he would only excel under the guidance of Moyes at West Ham.

The Douglas native is naturally stronger in the offensive aspect of his game despite being a left-back having clocked up 19 goal contributions (14 assists and five goals) in 124 senior appearances for the Gunners, the kind of form which has previously seen him dubbed a “baller” by talent scout Jacek Kulig when bursting down the flank.

Furthermore, Tierney will already know what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having won 14 pieces of silverware over the course of his career, so if he was to sign on the dotted line, he’d be able to instil a much-needed winning mentality into the current squad at the London Stadium.