Matt Prior is the fulcrum of the England dressing room today, and the protector of their spirit. But things weren’t always this way

Sam Pilger14-May-2013IN THE AUTUMN of 2008 I interviewed Shane Warne in the basement of a London restaurant as he devoured two bowls of French fries with huge dollops of tomato ketchup. He was 18 months into his retirement and clearly enjoying his new life away from the rigours of international cricket.A fascinating character, Warne wants to be liked, and always wants to interest and surprise you. Ahead of the following summer’s Ashes series I asked him for his thoughts on the current England side.He made polite noises about several England players until I asked about their relatively new wicketkeeper, Matt Prior.He laughed at first. “Matt Prior is no good, I don’t rate him at all. If I was bowling with Prior behind the stumps, I would think, ‘Oh no.’ I would think, ‘Hit it to a fielder, please.’ England are obviously prepared for him to drop a few catches.”Matt Prior? He couldn’t catch a cold mate,” he sneered before letting out a knowing and bellowing laugh.Less than five years later and ahead of another Ashes series this summer, Australians no longer laugh at Matt Prior.They remember the Ashes series of 2009, when his glove work helped England regain the urn, and they wince even more when they recall the pivotal role he played in the Ashes of 2010-11 as England humiliated Australia 3-1, culminating in an innings victory in the final Test at the SCG, when Prior scored the fastest Ashes century by an Englishman since Ian Botham’s knock at Old Trafford in 1981.Matt Prior has become the world’s best wicketkeeper-batsman, and this year his team-mate Graeme Swann has even ventured: “He’s the best player in the world at the minute.”But Prior has evolved into so much more than just a wicketkeeper and batsman, to be judged simply by catches, stumpings and runs.He is now the heartbeat of this England side, influencing every part of it and performing a long list of roles. He is the team’s moral compass, the protector of their spirit, a dressing-room confidante, and a tactician and cheerleader in the middle.The public face of this England side is their well-spoken captain Alastair Cook, but behind him the more rugged and blunt Prior is the man who makes them tick and gives them their purpose.”Matt Prior is the fulcrum around which the fielding unit works,” says his former captain Andrew Strauss, while his former England and Sussex coach Peter Moores says, “From behind the stumps he is the driver of the team… England are lucky to have him.”In March this year during the New Zealand tour Prior was officially appointed England’s vice-captain in preference to Stuart Broad. Some players need to grow into these roles, but Prior had earned it, having effectively already been doing it for several years.”I honestly think being vice-captain is just a title to me, even though it is one I am extremely honoured to have,” he says. “I have been given it because of what I do, so I see no need to change. I have always seen my role, the role of a wicketkeeper, as providing the energy of the team – it’s like being the drummer of the band. From an early age Peter Moores always stressed that to me.”I enjoy the responsibility of being a leader,” he adds. “You have to help the team’s intensity on the field, getting everyone buzzing, our body language right, and helping bowlers with their angles. The wicketkeeper has the best seat in the house to do that, so the captain can focus on other things.”After seven months with Cook in charge, Prior believes they now complement each other very well. “A captain doesn’t want people just agreeing with him, and I am definitely not a ‘yes’ man. We have exactly the same ideas about how we want the team to play, but extremely different views on how to get there.

“I am always looking for something that is going to give me that tiny edge. In the last series in New Zealand I worked on how I stand up to the wicket, and I got that edge from McCullum. It was a 1% difference, but it helped me catch it”

“He is far more reflective, and will sit back and think about things, while I am more instinctive and think, ‘Come on, let’s get up and get it done.’ Hopefully I can help Alastair with that, and give him more energy, but then he can be good for me too.”Prior provides a constant soundtrack to England’s days in the field; talking, talking, always talking, he is fully charged, shouting encouragement, or admonishing team-mates, advising Cook on field placings, bowling changes and whether to review decisions. His friend Robin Martin-Jenkins has said, “If you want a keeper to make noise, Prior’s your man… his vocal chords get plenty of exercise.””Sometimes that can get me in trouble,” says Prior. “I have always been an extrovert. I don’t like being quiet. I am honest and would rather say something than let it go. You have to both tell off your team-mates and spur them on.”ON A BRIGHT April morning I meet Prior in the London offices of the publishers of his autobiography. He is renowned for taking care with his appearance, his team-mates laugh at how anal he can be about the curve of a cap’s peak. This morning is no different, as he arrives looking dapper in a pair of tight blue trousers, a crisp white shirt opened by two buttons, and a grey blazer.He also has a thick beard. This has become more than just because he likes the look; it is both a good-luck charm and a part of his armour now. It was once said you knew how hard George Best had been drinking by the length of his beard, but with Prior it is the opposite: the thicker it is the better he feels about himself.He first grew a beard before the 2010-11 Ashes and has kept it ever since as he has prospered. He also figures a beard creates a better impression than the stubble and earring he previously sported.”While I have had it I have enjoyed the best cricket of my career, so it’s not going anywhere,” he says. “It’s a part of me, it even has its own Twitter account, so it would be rude to chop it off now.”He is affable and friendly, and very accommodating with our photographer, but there is also a slight wariness to him, and he answers each question in a measured and thoughtful manner.A few years ago by Matt Prior is published by Simon and Schuster in June.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta now appears set to promote one very highly-rated teenager to the first team, as a senior member of the Spaniard's squad faces a fresh injury setback.

Arsenal prepare to face Wolves in opening Premier League game

Following their two month-plus break from action, Arsenal are now gearing up for the new Premier League season and another opportunity to loosen Man City's stranglehold on the title.

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The Gunners have fell just short of City in the last two campaigns, pushing Pep Guardiola all the way to the final day last term, but not quite possessing enough to leapfrog their arch rivals.

After signing Italy international defender Riccardo Calafiori, and potentially Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino soon (Pete O'Rourke), Arsenal chiefs will be hoping Arteta's side can go that one step further and usurp City as the champions of England come next May.

Arsenal host Gary O'Neil's Wolves on Saturday in their bid to make the best possible start, with an array of tricky fixtures awaiting Arteta soon afterwards.

Team

Date

Wolves (home)

August 17

Aston Villa (away)

August 24

Brighton (home)

August 31

Tottenham (away)

September 15

Man City (away)

September 22

Arsenal will also be hoping for a near-fully fit squad for their clash at the Emirates this weekend, but it is believed versatile £100,000-per-week defender Takehiro Tomiyasu could well be on the treatment table.

Arteta set to promote Myles Lewis-Skelly after Tomiyasu injury at Arsenal

According to Football Transfers, Tomiyasu is facing a fresh injury setback which will keep him out for another month, resulting in a potential opportunity for 17-year-old academy gem Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The young midfielder, who featured often in pre-season preparations, could come in to replace Tomiyasu in the matchday squad. Indeed, Arteta is apparently expected promote Lewis-Skelly to the Arsenal first team following Tomiyasu's recent problem, where he will hopefully have a chance to impress.

The Englishman, who is yet to make his professional senior debut for Arsenal, is very highly rated at the club.

“You know when you see a player and you think, ‘yeah, you’re just a little bit different’," said journalist Charles Watts on his YouTube channel last year, after Lewis-Skelly's excellent performance against Man City in their FA Youth Cup semi-final win (via TBR).

“That’s the kind of impression you get when you sit there and watch Lewis-Skelly. His close control, his ability to get himself out of tight situations, the way he runs with the ball. Just his presence on the pitch, he’s got something special.

“You can see why there’s so much excitement about him at Arsenal. If anyone at Arsenal was going to get the winner last night, and deserved to get the headlines, it was probably him, as he was very good.”

Meanwhile, former Arsenal midfielder and Hale End academy coach Jack Wilshere has tipped the teenager for a very bright future at the club.

“We give him the tools he needs to develop, but you see certain moments that are not coachable," said Wilshere on Lewis-Skelly.

"Certain players can’t do that, only certain players can but there’s much more that comes with it like how he lives. He’s a top kid but he has to manage that going forward when he gets a bit more attention. He comes from a great family which is massive, and I know that they’ll steer his journey and be present throughout that, a bit like me with my dad and family. That’s so important.”

Everton have been handed a blow as one of their transfer targets has turned down a move to Goodison Park this summer.

Toffees building new-look side

After securing their Premier League survival under Sean Dyche last season despite two points deductions, the Toffees are keen to add to their ranks this summer.

They have already confirmed another loan for Jack Harrison, while they have also bolstered their midfield with the arrival of Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa in a deal worth around £10m.

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He has bags of experience in the Premier League.

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Tom Coates

Jul 10, 2024

In addition, they have added firepower to their side in the form of Marseille striker Iliman Ndiaye, who has joined the club after scoring four times for the Ligue 1 outfit last season.

"Iliman adds versatility to our attacking options and strengthens our forward line as we look to build on the progress we made as a team last season in terms of chances created", Sean Dyche explained.

"He is still young but has experience at European and international level and we feel he will be a really positive addition to our squad."

But despite their bright start to the summer, Everton are not having it all their own way

Midfielder turns down Everton move

Now, the Toffees have been handed something of a blow as Wilfred Ndidi has turned down a move to Goodison Park this summer. The Leicester City midfielder's £75,000 a week deal was set to expire this summer, which would have left him as a free agent ahead of the new season.

Previously of interest to Manchester United, the 27-year-old was hailed as "incredible" by former boss Brendan Rodgers during his time in the Premier League with the Foxes, and established a reputation as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League.

Ndidi's season in the Championship
Appearances	30
Goals and assists	9
Pass accuracy	79%
Tackles and interceptions per 90	2.88
Fouls per 90	1.51

"He is an incredible player. The offensive players get the credit but he does the dirty work," said Rodgers back in 2019. "He has this brain for the game, where he can smell danger and always finds himself there. The timing of his challenge is very good and he's up there with the top players at winning the ball back.

"When you play a pressing game you need someone like Wilf. His passing is good too, he's always smiling."

Everton were keen to acquire his services this summer and even made an offer to add him to their ranks ahead of the new season, but they have been left disappointed.

That is because the Nigerian has opted to remain at the King Power Stadium beyond this summer, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that Ndidi will sign a fresh three year deal with Steve Cooper's outfit, though his new contract will also contain a release clause.

Dyche's men will not be the only side forced to look elsewhere, with Romano adding that five bids were made for Ndidi, only for him to turn them all down. Operating on such a tight budget this summer, Ndidi's decision kills what could have been a superb coup for the Toffees.

India’s convincing win came despite a whole day’s play lost to rain and more showers expected on the final day

Sidharth Monga30-Dec-20216:41

Polite Enquiries: Will an actual fishing trip stop Kohli fishing outside off?

India began the year by defending Sydney with their lives and then breaching Fortress Gabba. At 12.50pm on the final day of Test cricket in the year, they finished conquering Centurion, South Africa’s best venue, consigning them to only their third defeat in 27 Tests there. India’s complete and deep attack provided a resolute South African batting no respite and kept coming at them until the pitch yielded or the batters made a mistake, beating them by 113 runs despite a whole day’s play lost to rain and more showers expected on the final day.South Africa began the day needing 211 runs with six wickets in hand, but the only realistic tussle was between India and time. Forecast suggested rain could interrupt the final session, and led by a cussed Dean Elgar, South Africa would have wanted to last till then and then take it from there.Elgar played one of his typical nuggety knocks, but eventually Jasprit Bumrah and the conditions proved to be too good for him. In the 10th over of the day, even as runs came quickly as India hunted wickets, Bumrah bowled an unplayable delivery to Elgar. On the surface it was not spectacular, but it was a rare kind of ball, one you can’t intend to bowl.Mohammed Shami finished with eight wickets in the match•AFP/Getty Images

Bowling around the wicket, Bumrah pitched short of a length, seam upright, but the ball hit a crack and cut back in. For a moment it seemed Elgar had that movement covered, but then the ball kept swinging further in. You have seen this swing after the ball bounces in England, but it happens on the way to the wicketkeeper not in the short flight from the pitch of the ball to striking the batter. Elgar tried to cover the movement, but ended up missing the ball, and was trapped lbw.Now the next plan for South Africa was going to be a Quinton de Kock counterattack. This was a low-percentage approach, but the only sensible one given the amount of time left in the day. The ball was more than 50 overs old, and the ask was a further 175 runs. The pitch might have slowed down a little, but it wasn’t such that de Kock could block out for a draw. Not against this attack.So de Kock tried the counterattack, but one particular shot kept getting him in trouble: the dab, which also got him out in the first innings. Despite racing away to a quick 20, de Kock still didn’t get any loose balls. India were into their second string now – that of Mohammed Siraj and R Ashwin – but there was nothing available to hit. Two balls after being beaten on that late-cut, de Kock finally chopped Siraj on to make it 161 for 6.With lunch not far away, Virat Kohli asked Mohammed Shami for one more effort, and his seamer delivered the allrounder, Wiaan Mulder. This ball was a thing of minimalistic beauty. The seam of the 60-over-old ball bolt upright, it landed on a length, just outside off, making the batter play the angle, and then left him ever so slightly, taking an edge so thin that the seam remained proud and upright till the time the ball landed in the wicketkeeper’s gloves.South Africa survived till lunch, but post the interval, the end was swift, taking only two overs and bringing two bonus wickets for Ashwin.

England might be forgiven for considering themselves unfortunate after the first day of the Headingley Test. But great teams do not trust to luck, they shape their own fortunes.

George Dobell02-Aug-2012England might be forgiven for considering themselves unfortunate after the first day of the Headingley Test. They might bemoan the dropped chances, the catch from a dead ball and the lack of assistance they found from the green-tinged surface on which they inserted the opposition. They might curse that fact that Alviro Petersen got off the mark with a four edged past the slip cordon, that the sun came out shortly after South Africa started to bat and that the alignment of Jupiter in the house of Orion made this a tough day for bowling.But great teams do not trust to luck, they shape their own fortunes.So, while it may be tempting to curse their luck, England would be ill-served in the long run by doing so. It is not poor luck to drop catches; it is not poor luck to select an unbalanced side; it is not poor luck to gamble on inserting the opposition and then wasting any assistance that might have been available because some of your bowlers have failed to maintain a good line. And it not poor luck for a leading bowler to go into a Test match with a flaw such as bashing into the stumps that might be considered an accident waiting to happen.Indeed, England might consider themselves fortunate to have ended the first day of this game just about still on level terms. They might consider themselves flattered by the close of play scorecard and fortunate to have taken as many wickets as they did. After all, one (Graeme Smith) came from an innocuous leg stump delivery, one came from a run-out (Hashim Amla) and another came when a bastman (Jacques Kallis) cut to slip. England would be deluding themselves if they hid behind excusesIt all combined to leave the game just about in the balance. But England will know that, for long periods, their bowling was again rendered close to innocuous – they had, taking into account their experience at The Oval, spent three minutes over 10 hours in the field without claiming a wicket when Smith clipped the ball to square leg – and that the problems with their slip catching are now too frequent to be dismissed as an aberration.It was not all negative from an England perspective. James Anderson bowled tidily, Steven Finn added a degree of hostility to the attack and, in the last hour or so, Stuart Broad finally rediscovered some of the intent that had made him such a dangerous bowler over the last year or so. Every one of the attack bowled appreciably better after tea when South Africa added 99 runs in 35 overs for the loss of two wickets.In some ways, though, that just rendered so much of what went before all the more frustrating. Why did it take a second new ball and an increasingly daunting scoreline to summon the best out of Broad? And, while Finn’s pace was an asset, he still conceded close to four-an-over which was the reason he was dropped from the side after the Adelaide Test on the Ashes tour of 2010-11. England, who for so long have made consistency their greatest strength, are suddenly becoming inconsistent.Afterwards Anderson insisted that England were “pretty pleased” with their day, though he confessed to having “no idea” why England’s slip catching had deteriorated.”We created chances all day,” Anderson said. “They played a missed a lot against the new ball and we had a few catches go down. We were pretty pleased with the way we fought all day and the new ball burst by the two big lads could have swung it back our way.”We didn’t really get frustrated. We knew there was a lot more encouragement in this pitch than there was at The Oval. We knew if we stuck at it, the wickets would come. We didn’t really let them get away and we created some pressure.”I really can’t explain the issue with the slip catching. We’ve put a few catches down, but our work ethic with our slip catching is as hard as ever. We work flipping hard at it. We worked on it on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. But we’re putting chances down and it’s really frustrating. We’ll be striving very hard not to do it in future.”Anderson appeared to distance himself from the decision to omit Graeme Swann, however, underlining how unusual it was for England to enter a Test without a speiclaist spinner. The last occasion was also at Headingley in 2003.”Obviously the captain and the coach thought the pitch lent itself towards four seamers and didn’t think spin would play a massive part on it,” Anderson said. “I imagine it was a very difficult decision. He – Graeme Swann – has been an integral part of team for a couple of years now. It’s not often you see a team going into a Test without a spinner.”

Paul Pogba picked up Basketball as he linked up with NBA and Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler in Florida.

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• Pogba played basketball with Butler
• Watched Heat play Mavericks
• Juventus terminated his contract earlier this month

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Pogba was in attendance at the Kaseya Center for Miami Heat's clash against Dallas Mavericks. The French star cheered for his friend Butler who helped the Heat pick up a 123-118 victory over the Mavericks on Sunday. After the game, the ex-Juventus star picked up a basketball alongside Butler and later uploaded some clippings of him playing on his Instagram story.

  IG:@paulpogba

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  The World Cup-winning French star has seen a suspension from all football-related activity reduced from four years to 18 months, but he must still wait until March 2025 before being cleared to resume his professional career. On November 15, Serie A giants Juventus terminated the player's contract mutually which now makes him a free agent.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  This is not the first time Pogba met Butler. Earlier this month he had flown to Florida with his wife Zulay where they watched his 'bro' in action for Miami Heat. Butler is known for his association with footballers and is a close friend of Brazil icon Neymar.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PAUL POGBA?

  The 31-year-old has been linked with a move to several teams across the world including clubs in MLS and the Premier League, however, he is yet to make a final call on his future.

Despite Charith Asalanka’s career-best 77, Sri Lanka were never really able to keep up with the required scoring rate

Firdose Moonda04-Sep-202147 overs Janneman Malan scored his third ODI century and anchored a strong South African batting effort to level the series 1-1. South Africa’s 283, scored in the absence of Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma, required Sri Lanka to pull off the third-highest successful chase under lights on the island in 47 overs, before a much-improved bowling performance from two days ago all but ended Sri Lanka’s hopes in the sixth over of their reply.Kagiso Rabada found his length and some swing to remove Avishka Fernando and Bhanuka Rajapaksa in the space of four balls, and Wiaan Mulder got rid of Minod Bhanuka to leave Sri Lanka 19 for 3. Despite Charith Asalanka’s career-best 77, Sri Lanka were never really able to keep up with the required scoring rate. Tabraiz Shamsi finished with a career-best 5 for 49, the best by a South African bowler in Sri Lanka and only the fifth five-for by a South African spinner in an ODI.Ultimately, Sri Lanka needed someone to bat through the innings in the same way Malan did but didn’t have that. After just nine ODIs, he now boasts an average of 104.50 and has made a claim to feature more permanently in the 50-over team. Malan shared two half-century partnerships, 96 for the second wicket with Reeza Hendricks and 86 for the fourth wicket with Heinrich Klaasen, and battled cramp in an industrious innings with few boundaries. On a large and slow outfield, he ran 65 singles, four twos and two threes, with nine fours and one six in the 135 balls he faced.Sri Lanka helped him along with their effort in the field, which was largely non-threatening even when they were able to keep South Africa quiet, and especially towards the end of the innings. Dushmantha Chameera and Dasun Shanaka conceded at seven runs an over or more, while Akila Dananjaya and Wanindu Hasaranga gave away more than six runs an over. The more economical bowlers, Praveen Jayawickrama, Chamika Karunaratne and Dhananjaya de Silva, all had overs in hand.Malan and Aiden Markram started solidly and put on an opening stand of 43 in 8.5 overs, before Markram was lured into a drive off Karunaratne and edged to wicketkeeper Minod Bhanuka. That brought Hendricks, installed at No. 3 in place of the injured Bavuma, to the crease. He took on the role of the aggressor and was particularly strong against the short ball while allowing Malan to play more watchfully.Janneman Malan brings up his third ODI century in only his eighth innings•AFP/Getty ImagesMalan’s fifty came off 64 balls with a powerful sweep off Jayawickrama in the 23rd over. Four overs later, Hendricks reached his third ODI half-century with a single off the same bowler. Their partnership was approaching a century when Hendricks played de Silva down the wrong line and was bowled, to force South Africa into another rebuilding phase.Rassie van der Dussen’s innings, filled with characteristic sweeps and reverse sweeps, was short lived but Klaasen played the perfect cameo. He raced to 31 off the first 16 balls before successfully reviewing being given out lbw. Malan received little of the strike in that time and moved from 83 off 107 balls when Klaasen arrived in the 36th over to 99 off 125 in the 43rd. He reached his century off 126 balls, with a single off Chameera.Malan’s cramp worsened as the innings drew to a close, to the point where he could not run as much, and had to chase the boundaries. He was dropped on 107, when he slog-swept Hasaranga to long-on, and went on to clear long-on for his first six and then found four more thanks to a misfield near the rope. Both Klaasen and Malan were dismissed off successive deliveries in the next over but the damage was done. South Africa scored 97 runs in the last 10 overs despite losing three wickets for six runs in eight balls.Sri Lanka also lost three quick wickets but at the start of their innings. Fernando, Rajapaksa and Bhanuka were dismissed in the space of five balls, leaving de Silva and Asalanka to rebuild. Rabada delivered a six-over opening spell, before Keshav Maharaj brought himself and Shamsi on in tandem. The pair bowled seven overs, gave away 31 runs and Shamsi had de Silva caught down the leg side. By the time allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo was needed, Sri Lanka’s required run rate was over seven, which allowed him to find his rhythm.Rain interrupted Sri Lanka’s chase after 25 overs, with them on 114 for 4. A 25-minute break saw the target revised to 265 from 41 overs, which meant that when the match resumed, Sri Lanka needed 171 runs from 22 overs at a rate of 7.77.The stage was set for Shamsi, who took four wickets after the break. Sri Lanka lost 6 for 72 and were bowled out without reaching 200. South Africa gained 10 points in the World Cup Super League table to leapfrog Sri Lanka into eighth spot, and enter the automatic qualification zone. South Africa’s only concern will be the injury Rabada sustained. He was taken off the field with a sprained ankle and will be assessed before Tuesday’s series finale.

The BCCI, meanwhile, has named KL Rahul vice-captain for the Test series

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Dec-20212:47

Pujara: ‘This is the best opportunity to win our first Test series in South Africa’

Cheteshwar Pujara feels this could be India’s chance to win their maiden Test series in South Africa. For that, he backed India’s fast bowlers to be the point of difference and pick up “20 wickets in every Test” on the tour.”Our fast bowlers have been the difference between the two sides whenever we have played abroad,” Pujara said. “If you look at the Australia series, even if you look at the England series, we have done exceptionally well as a bowling unit and I am sure that will be the case even in South Africa. Our fast bowlers are our strength and I hope that they will be able to utilise these conditions and give us 20 wickets in every Test match.”KL Rahul named India’s vice-captain

KL Rahul has been named India’s vice-captain for the Test series after Rohit Sharma was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Rohit had originally replaced Rahane for the post but is currently doing his rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

Another thing that could work in India’s favour is many of their squad members have recently played red-ball cricket. India hosted New Zealand for a two-match Test series in late November and early December, while Hanuma Vihari and back-up opener Priyank Panchal were part of India A’s shadow tour to South Africa. The hosts, though, last played a Test in June, against West Indies in Gros Islet. While Pujara didn’t dwell too much on that advantage, he said it was nice that the players were together recently.”The good thing is we played a couple of Test matches in India,” Pujara said. “So most of the guys are in touch, and when it comes to preparation, the support staff has been excellent. They have been supporting us well and we have five or six days more before we head into the first Test. I am sure there is enough time for us to prepare and guys are looking forward to this series. This is the best opportunity for us to win our first series in South Africa. So all of us are looking forward to it.”The series will be played in a biosecure environment. CSA had originally put together slightly relaxed bio-bubble plans but these have now been modified following the emergence of Omicron, the latest Covid-19 variant. Pujara said while staying in bio-bubbles puts certain restrictions on you, it also gets players to spend more time together.Related

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CSA revises bio-bubble norms for India tour

“Sometimes I feel bio-bubble helps the team environment where you end up spending more time with the team players, you are in the team room, you are having more team dinners together, so overall I feel sometimes it helps the team environment but yes, there are some challenges as well. You are not allowed to go out, you cannot explore the country. So there are restrictions as well but at the same time you are getting to play some cricket and that’s the most important thing being a cricketer. We want to play some cricket and we are able to play cricket even in a biosecure bubble, so that helps.”This is India’s eighth Test tour to South Africa. The series will start on December 26, with the boxing day Test in Centurion.

Stephen Carr has explained why Birmingham don’t have a Wrexham-style documentary, while talking up the transfer benefits of having Tom Brady on board.

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NFL legend one of the investors at St Andrew'sHelping to raise Blues' profile in the United StatesYet to follow the lead of Hollywood stars in WalesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues are among the English Football League outfits to have welcomed investment from North America, with NFL legend Brady sitting on their board alongside Tom Wagner and the Knighthead ownership group. Their presence at St Andrew’s has helped to raise the club’s profile in the United States.

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League One rivals Wrexham have enjoyed a similar boost to their mass appeal, courtesy of Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, with the Red Dragons using a fly-on-the-wall series to open up a window to the world – with many other clubs and prominent figures in football deciding to follow that lead.

Getty/GOALWHAT STEPHEN CARR SAID

Birmingham have resisted any urge to copy said trend, with former Blues captain Carr – speaking in association with – telling GOAL when asked if they have missed a trick: “Maybe if it wasn’t in League One, no disrespect to the division. I think all of that comes with being successful on the pitch and bringing it in at the right level. The documentaries bring a lot of exposure to clubs and puts them out there on the map. But the most important thing is that you win games and go up.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Carr added on the rivalry that has been struck up with Wrexham, as they battle to clamber up into the Championship, and why the subplot of famous faces off the pitch is beneficial to all concerned: “It’s good for the Football League. It brings bigger gates. Birmingham, the crowds they are getting in League One, there are teams in the Premier League that can’t match it. It’s not just the big games, they are getting the same crowds that we got in the Premier League against the lesser teams at that level, so it’s had a positive effect. With that you get bigger sponsors, you have more power, you are well respected and have big connections. It’s brilliant. It’s put Wrexham up there as well – Ryan Reynolds and all. It’s great for League One, brings a lot of spotlight that it wouldn’t have had before, so it’s great for all the teams.”

Chelsea insiders have refused to rule out the possibility of Todd Boehly signing a £162,000-per-week star as well as Samu Omorodion, coming after the club reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid over Conor Gallagher's sale.

Conor Gallagher agrees terms to join Atletico Madrid

The west Londoners actually shook hands on a fee with Atletico last week, but it was Gallagher holding up the deal, as he decided whether to accept the La Liga side's advances and leave boyhood club Chelsea.

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It was never a foregone conclusion that the 24-year-old, who was a mainstay under Mauricio Pochettino last season, would leave Stamford Bridge easily. Aston Villa had a club-record bid for Gallagher accepted in June, but the England international opted to stay, and could've chosen to reject Diego Simeone as well.

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

However, over the weekend, news broke that Gallagher agreed terms with Atletico Madrid on a five-year contract, with the former Crystal Palace loanee rejecting enquiries from two clubs in the Premier League top six to make the move to Spain.

"Conor Gallagher is flying to Madrid today after agreeing terms with Atletico Madrid on a five-year contract," said journalist Ben Jacobs on Monday.

"Chelsea have given him permission to travel and undergo a medical after clubs agreed a €40m fee. Both #CFC and Atletico had given Gallagher until the end of the weekend to make a decision.

"Understand two other top six clubs made enquiries in the last few days, but Gallagher wanted to either move to Atleti or extend at Chelsea. 2+1 extension remained on the table. With only one year left, Chelsea intent on resolving Gallagher’s future this window."

Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano backs Gallagher is set to sign for Atletico, while it is also believed that a player of theirs could well be heading the other way. After Chelsea had a bid rejected for Omorodion earlier in the window, Romano claims they're closing in on a £35 million deal for the striker.

Chelsea had been in talks with Napoli over Victor Osimhen since last week, but the move for Omorodion may not actually have an impact on it.

Chelsea could sign Osimhen as well as Omorodion

According to a report in The Telegraph and by journalist Matt Law, Chelsea insiders have refused to rule out signing Osimhen alongside Omorodion before deadline day on August 30 – which is fairly promising news for Enzo Maresca.

The £162,000-per-week striker has been one of Serie A's most prolific scorers since joining from Lille in 2020, and the Blues are attempting to strike a deal which would see Romelu Lukaku head the other way and sign for Antonio Conte.

Chelsea want Osimhen on an initial loan deal, believing they can carry three strikers into next season if Nicolas Jackson plays more out wide. This move could impact their search for a right-winger, though, if they do decide Jackson can feature on the wing so they can get Osimhen through the door.