كشف ناصر ماهر، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، حقيقة الأخبار التي تم تداولها في الفترة الأخيرة، بشأن طلبه زيادة راتبه أو تعديل عقده.

وأكد ماهر أنه لا صحة لهذه الأنباء، موضحًا احترامه الكامل للعقد الذي يربطه بالزمالك.

وفي بيان توضيحي نشره عبر حسابه الرسمي على موقع “إنستجرام”، قال ناصر ماهر: “توضيح هام.. لا صحة لما تردد مؤخرًا حول طلبي تعديل عقدي مع نادي الزمالك”.

وأضاف: “منذ اللحظة الأولى لتواجدي في الزمالك، كنت ملتزمًا باحترام تعاقدي مع النادي، وكان شرفًا لي ارتداء القميص الأبيض، وأنا ممتن لمساندة جماهير الزمالك لي منذ انضمامي للفريق”.

طالع أيضًا | شوبير يواصل التهكم على ميدو: بدلاً من ضم لاعبي الأهلي ادفعوا مستحقات زيزو

وأشار ماهر إلى أن الأخبار التي تم تداولها حول طلبه تعديل عقده لا أساس لها من الصحة، مؤكدًا أنه لا يفكر في تحميل النادي أي أعباء مالية إضافية، وتابع قائلاً: “أنا مستمر مع الزمالك ولا صحة نهائيًا لأي شائعات تتعلق بزيادة عقدي أو طلب تعديل بنوده”.

ومن المقرر أن يخوض نادي الزمالك مباراته القادمة في بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، أمام فريق ستيلينبوش الجنوب إفريقي، في إطار مواجهة الإياب لدور ربع النهائي (دور الـ 8)، وذلك يوم الأربعاء المُقبل الموافق 9 أبريل، على ملعب استاد القاهرة.

يذكر، أن مباراة الذهاب بين الزمالك وستيلينبوش التي أقيمت بين الفريقين في جنوب إفريقيا، انتهت بالتعادل السلبي.

Incumbent Test opener Marcus Harris has moved to shore up his Ashes place with a grinding century against New South Wales alongside Victoria captain Peter Handscomb on a bizarre third day at Drummoyne Over which featured slow scoring in hot windy conditions.Harris scored one of the slowest of his 19 first-class centuries making 137 from 361 balls with nine fours and a six, while Handcomb struck just nine boundaries in his 115 from 292 balls, as the pair scored at only 2.5 runs per over before declaring late in the day to set New South Wales a chase of 339 off 111 overs.The Blues finished at 1 for 33 at stumps having lost Daniel Hughes trapped lbw to the part-time offspin of Matt Short. Matt Gilkes remained 11 not out alongside nightwatchman Harry Conway.Earlier, neither Harris nor Handscomb showed any great urgency to press on the accelerator to establish a bigger lead as the Blues’ bowlers set relatively defensive fields on a surface that got slower and lower as the day wore on. The wind was so strong that the teams played without bails for much of the day.Harris played patiently although he did have another huge slice of luck. He sliced a ball to gully on 66 and Gilkes grassed the simple chance. He had already edged a ball between first and second slip on the second afternoon off Nathan Lyon.Related

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The left-hander played with more positivity against Lyon lofting him down the ground for six. He didn’t panic as he spent an eternity in the 90s just before tea, reaching his century with a quick single just before the break. Handscomb reached his 16th first-class century after tea with a rare boundary. The pair shared a 259-run stand in nearly 113 overs before Harris holed out uppercutting Sean Abbott to deep backward point. Handscomb was cleaned bowled by Abbott not long after.Victoria declared with 14 overs remaining in the day, giving New South Wales plenty of time to chase the target. Hughes and Gilkes looked comfortable against the quicks but Hughes missed a ball that didn’t spin from Matt Short and was adjudged lbw late in the day.

Just 20 years and 14 ODIs old, Quinton de Kock gave the Johannesburg faithful 135 reasons to roar and cheer for one of their own

Firdose Moonda at the Wanderers05-Dec-20130:00

‘Indian bowlers bowled short instead of going fuller’ – de Kock

Quinton de Kock held his own against the best ODI team in the world with utmost maturity•Associated PressThe Wanderers roar. It has the bass that comes out of a hollow drum when someone – and there is always someone who can’t resist – lets out a long, lonely “helloooooo” deep into it. It has the volume of the speakers being fitted into cars the size of jelly tots, which somehow accommodate amplifiers three times that size. It boils over with emotion.Today, the roar was expected to be one of anger – towards the Indian players because the South African public holds the BCCI responsible for shortening what would have been the headline tour of the summer. Instead, it was resonant with joy. For Quinton de Kock.From the moment the 20-year old walked out to sing the national anthem, people were cheering for him. He is the only member of South Africa’s ODI XI born in this city, and to see him represent it on the biggest stage is a source of great pride for the Johannesburg faithful. As de Kock stood alongside his team-mates, he looked only a little taller than the child whose hand he was holding, and his expression was as innocent. Clothed in a delicate pink, he seemed as harmless as candyfloss. How deceiving some looks can be.It took three balls for de Kock to dispel all thoughts of tameness when he stepped out to clip Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s first delivery, a half-volley, through midwicket. Four balls later, de Kock punctured the gap in the covers, and India’s attack knew they were up against a man with a good eye and a powerful arm, not a boy.Hashim Amla probably went to de Kock at the end of that over and told him to take it easy, as is the job of the senior partner, but it seemed as though de Kock wasn’t going to listen. He flashed and missed as much as he pushed and connected.He seemed to understand the weaknesses of India’s bowlers quickly – the struggle to find the right length on an unfamiliar pitch, and a tendency to bowl half-volleys and full tosses – and he knew he could exploit them. Every time he did, that roar grew louder.Of course, de Kock got lucky on a few occasions. Aggressive batsmen often get those breaks. Against India’s best bowler on the day, Mohammad Shami, he inside edged and was fortunate the ball did not go on to his stumps.De Kock held his own even against the spinners. R Ashwin pitched too short, and de Kock’s movement on to the back foot to pull was instinctive. He brought up his 50 off Ashwin, and the noise levels at the Wanderers rose to meet the overhanging thunder.He raised his bat: first to the changing room, and then to every section of the crowd. To call the cheers a mixture of clapping and chanting would be doing the fans a disservice. They composed a chorus for him.They would have expected a little more exuberance from their local lad a little later on. But despite having scored his first international ton in a home ODI, de Kock was restrained in his celebrations. He had saved himself for the bowling. He spotted holes in areas India thought they had covered, and widened them. He drove wide of cover, swept high enough to clear short fine leg, and with Amla gave South Africa their first opening century stand in 68 ODIs – a span of three years.De Kock watched Amla play the ball onto his own stumps and Jacques Kallis offer a tame catch. It was up to him to ensure South Africa did not waste their start. De Kock showed how solid he could be off the first free-hit he was offered. He assumed the position of a lamp – a firm, broad base and a wide ambit for a shade – and swung hard. The ball disappeared into the sunset and landed on the other side of long-on.De Kock had moved within one scoring shot of a century, and the anticipation was heaving. This crowd demanded instant gratification and wanted to see his hundred off the very next ball. They abandoned the slow clap in favour of one long cheer and it died quickly in obvious disappointment when he only got a single to move to 99.AB de Villiers handed de Kock the strike immediately. Again, the cheers began and again, the quick silence ensued when de Kock played a defensive prod. Then, he tucked the ball to square leg and ran the single that produced the loudest roar of the day.If de Kock remembers one thing about his hundred, it will be that sound. It filled the stadium as though it would suffocate it. It rose higher and higher, attempting to lift him off the ground by the sheer power of noise. He remained grounded.There was no boisterous punch in the air, or dramatic levitation. As the roar grew with impatience, Kock neatly put his bat down, fiddled with his helmet to remove it and then greeted his home crowd.It was only the 35th over and he would have remembered his captain talking about the need for one player to bat through. He would have known the person to do that was him. So he carried on, giving the crowd more and more reasons to roar. He teed off again against Ravindra Jadeja, went inside-out against Ashwin and blasted Virat Kohli over long-on.By the time he handed Kohli a return catch, de Kock had done what he needed to. The way AB de Villiers and JP Duminy used that platform to launch a withering assault – scoring 105 off 46 balls with the freedom of escaped prisoners – gave de Kock’s innings more value.That’s why part of every roar heard on the night belonged to de Kock. Yes, some of it was reserved for the BCCI, and some of it was for de Villiers and Duminy, but most of it was for the youngest player on the park, who lit up a tour that had been marred by administrators’ squabbles.It wasn’t the roar of the usual Wanderers crowd saluting a South African achievement. It was the roar of a community welcoming its favourite son, now all grown up with so much more to achieve.

da betway： Rangers have just under a week remaining to wrap up any late transfer deals they wish to complete, as they eye a deal for a £2m attacker.

da 888casino： Pressure is arguably already on Rangers manager Philippe Clement as the club faces another season without Champions League football, with the Scottish side instead having to settle for the Europa League. The Gers are also expected to challenge Celtic for the league title as well as the cup competitions, but they already find themselves two points behind their rivals.

Related Contact made: Rangers in talks to sign young defender seen as future star

Rangers could be about to add to their promising crop of players.

Posts ByBrett Worthington Aug 23, 2024 Rangers transfer news

Celtic were comfortably in control last season in terms of the league, so it is no surprise to see that Rangers have been busy in the transfer market this summer, as they eye a big improvement. Not only has Clement been busy bringing new players to the club, ones he hopes can improve the club’s performances and results, but Rangers have also been busy letting players leave.

Rangers' summer signings

Signed from

Mohamed Diomande

Nordsjaelland

Robin Propper

Twente FC

Hamza Igamane

FAR Rabat

Vaclav Cerny

VfL Wolfsburg

Jefte

Fluminense

Connor Barron

Aberdeen

Liam Kelly

Motherwell

Clinton Nsiala

AC Milan U20

It came to light this week that striker Cyriel Dessers was very close to leaving Ibrox, as Rangers and Atlanta United were in discussions over a deal that would have seen the player swap Scotland for the MLS, but in the end, the deal broke down, as Dessers was against the idea.

Apart from the news about Dessers, it has been more about which players Rangers are potentially interested in signing before Friday’s transfer deadline. Fiorentina winger Josip Brekalo is said to be on the Ibrox transfer radar, with the player expected to leave the Serie A side in this transfer window after falling out of favour. The Gers are also said to be eyeing a move to sign young Dundee sensation Sebastian Lochhead, but they are not the only top-flight side chasing his signature.

Meanwhile, it has also been reported by the reliable Fabrizio Romano that the Scottish side have seen a loan bid worth €750k plus Rangers then having the option to buy Kaiky for €7 million, bringing a total package to £6.5 million rejected by Spanish side Almeria.

Clearly, Rangers are still in the market for new players, and they now have their eye on another attacking player.

Rangers eyeing Norwich City’s Abu Kamara

According to Football Scotland, relayed by Ibrox News, Rangers are interested in signing Norwich City winger Abu Kamara. The report states that the 21-year-old could be available for as little as £2 million, but the problem the Scottish side faces is that they would need to sell players first before buying Kamara.

It goes on to add that personal terms for Rangers to sign Kamara would not be an issue, who has now requested to leave the Championship side after not breaking into the first team after his impressive stint at Portsmouth last season.

Kamara has come through the academy at Carrow Road and has impressed with the club’s academy throughout the years. Last season, the young attacker got the opportunity to join Portsmouth on loan, and he took his chance, as he netted eight goals and recorded 10 assists in 46 League One games.

He has since come back to Norwich and played in every game for the club this season, scoring in the EFL Cup, but Kamara is said to want to leave the club in what remains of this transfer window. While at Portsmouth last season, assistant manager Jon Harley heaped huge praise on the winger, labelling him “outstanding” as he played a big role in the club’s promotion campaign.

USMNT star Antonee Robinson admitted he has attracted interest from top Premier League clubs as he hinted he could consider leaving Fulham.

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Robinson admitted to transfer interest from top clubsHinted he could leave FulhamProvided two assists against LiverpoolFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The United States men's national team defender has had an impressive campaign with Fulham in the 2024/25 season having contributed with six assists in 16 league outings for the club. In their latest meeting against league leaders Liverpool last Saturday, Robinson provided both assists as the Cottagers held the Reds to a 2-2 draw at Anfield. With that, he became only the second American international after Roy Wegerle in 1993 to provide multiple assists in a Premier League game.

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Robinson's stellar run of form has caught the attention of several top English giants including, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea, and the player is aware of their interest. The 27-year-old event hinted that he is prepared to leave Fulham if the right offer arrives. The full-back's current deal is valid until 2028.

WHAT ANTONEE ROBINSON SAID

Speaking to , the USMNT player said: "I'm very happy here. The fact that there is interest from other teams is great. Obviously, it all comes down to whether someone wants me enough to pay what Fulham would ask. So, if the club sees it as a good idea, I would leave."

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ANTONEE ROBINSON?

It remains to be seen if any of the top Premier League clubs come up with a sizable offer for Robinson in the upcoming January transfer window. For now, he will be next seen in action on Sunday as Marco Silva's side take on Southampton.

Aston Villa only have a few days left to go to complete the remainder of their business as the summer transfer window officially slams shut on Friday.

The Villans have started the Premier League season with one win, against West Ham United, and one defeat, to Arsenal, and it still remains to be seen how well their current signings will fare this term.

Amadou Onana was the only new arrival in the starting XI for the clash with the Gunners, whilst Ian Maatsen and Ross Barkley came off the bench and Jaden Philogene was an unused substitute.

The Champions League outfit are reportedly in the market to make further additions to their squad before the deadline passes on Friday, however, with a Premier League defender on their radar.

Aston Villa eyeing Premier League enforcer

According to TEAMtalk, the Villans are one of the sides lining up a late swoop to sign England international Joe Gomez from Liverpool this week.

The report claims that fellow Premier League side Newcastle United are also keen on the versatile defender, who can play at full-back or centre-back.

It states that Villa and the Magpies have both made enquiries about his availability and the Reds are prepared to let him leave if the right offer comes in.

Earlier this summer, it was reported that the former Charlton ace is valued at £45m but it remains to be seen whether either of the interested teams are willing to pay that, or if a loan deal could be on the cards.

Villa's reported interest should come as bad news for Matty Cash, who could be impacted by the English battler's arrival at the club this week.

Why this is bad news for Matty Cash

The Poland international should be concerned by the side enquiring about a deal for Gomez because the Liverpool brute could come in and take his place in the team.

Villa deployed natural centre-back Ezri Konsa as a right-back in 23 matches during the 2023/24 campaign and Gomez could come in to fulfill a similar role, which would allow the ex-Brentford man to remain in the middle next to Pau Torres.

The Liverpool defender has played 114 games at centre-back and 98 matches as a right-back in his career, which suggests that he would be perfect for that hybrid role – coming inside to create a back three in possession.

Appearances

29

32

Key passes per game

0.4

0.7

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.5

2.1

Duel success rate

47%

54%

Aerial duel success rate

42%

74%

As you can see in the table above, Gomez could also come in as an upgrade on Cash in and out of possession for Villa, based on their form in the Premier League last term.

The Polish full-back let himself down from a physical perspective as he allowed opposition players to get the better of him more often than not, whilst Gomez was more dominant – particularly in the air.

Liverpool's 27-year-old ace also almost created twice as many chances per game as Cash, despite being a natural centre-back, and could provide more creativity down the flank.

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The Villans have been touted with an interest in the impressive centre-forward this summer.

ByDan Emery Aug 26, 2024

Therefore, Villa's interest in the England international is bad news for Unai Emery's current right-back, as it could spell the end of his time as a regular in the team.

Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee had the perfect response to Ruben Amorim going 'ballistic' at him during the 4-0 win over Everton.

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• Amorim goes 'ballistic' at Zirkzee
• Striker responds with two goals
• Man Utd thump Everton 4-0

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Zirkzee was handed a starting spot in United's team for Sunday's clash with Everton at Old Trafford but the Dutchman was reportedly on the receiving end of head coach Amorim's ire early on. According to Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the 39-year-old went 'ballistic' at Zirkzee for not pressing the opposition well enough in the first half. But the 23-year-old went on to score either side of the break in the 4-0 victory, which was an ideal response to the criticism.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Zirkzee swapped Bologna for United for £36 million ($46m, €42.5m) over the summer but prior to the Everton game, the move had not gone to plan. The Netherlands international had scored just one goal in 18 appearances for the Red Devils, leading to January exit links and some at United questioning if they had made a mistake signing him. But this double against the Toffees could do wonders for his confidence.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Zirkzee, who was a late call-up to the Dutch squad for this summer's European Championships, scored 12 goals and bagged seven assists for Bologna last season but his slow start this term led some pundits to believe he was not a good fit for United.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Zirkzee will hope for more game time, ahead of fellow striker Rasmus Hojlund, when ninth-placed United travel to second-positioned Arsenal at the Emirates in a crunch Premier League encounter on Wednesday night.

West Ham continue to dip into the market, with the striker position being a real position of interest this summer, as the Hammers look to address their goal-scoring woes from the number nine position, ahead of their 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

Jarrod Bowen was the first West Ham player to score 20+ goals in a season, in 19 years, despite being played out of position (as a striker) at times, due to a lack of centre-forward options. The last time a West Ham player hit 20+ in a season was 2004/05, when Teddy Sheringham and Marlon Harewood both achieved it.

Last season, West Ham's only out-and-out strikers were Michail Antonio and Danny Ings, who only managed eight in 62 appearances between them, totalling 2,798 minutes. Antonio scored seven of the eight goals, whilst Ings only managed one all season.

West Ham transfer news

According to some reports on social media, West Ham had been in talks with Chelsea over a potential loan deal for striker, Samu Omorodion. This could have come down to Chelsea landing long-term target, and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen.

With Osimhen reportedly demanding to leave, being left out of the Napoli Coppa Italia squad at the weekend, and Chelsea still battling hard for his signature, it looked as though it could have opened the door for West Ham to strike a loan deal for the 20-year-old.

However, with his proposed move to Chelsea now 100% off according to brand new reports in the last 12 hours, reporter Fabrizio Romano has claimed that there is a chance he could join another team in the coming days.

Could that side be West Ham? There's already reported interest there so, speculatively, they could chance their arm before the window is done.

Omorodion made 36 appearances in all competitions for Alaves (and Atlético) last season, scoring nine goals, providing one assist, and totalling 2,096 minutes played.

Omorodion vs Fullkrug comparison

The 20-year-old Omorodion and the 31-year-old Fullkrug are at different stages of their careers, the latter producing a better output season in 2023/24, scoring 16 goals and providing ten assists for Dortmund.

However, Omorodion, who is described as a "monster in the making" by scout Jacek Kulig, missed the most big chances in La Liga last season, missing nine. Whilst this could be seen as a bad thing, the fact the 20-year-old is getting into these positions at such a high frequency shows his striking instincts and movement is at a top level already.

Goals

0.39

0.40

Assists

0.04

0.25

xG

0.52

0.48

Progressive Carries

1.35

0.76

Shots

3.02

2.34

Shots on Target

1.16

0.93

Shot-Creating Actions

1.49

2.52

Touches (Att Pen)

5.05

4.46

Successful Take-Ons

0.99

0.18

Aerials Won

2.75

3.49

Both strikers are big target men, who rank highly for aerials won per 90, Omorodion averaging 2.75, whilst Fullkrug averages 3.49. However, the way they go about using their physicality is slightly different.

Omorodion will often look to post up on a defender, use his body to back into the man, and win aerial duels off the spot, whereas Omorodion, whilst he can also use this "back down" technique, will often use clever movement, to then attack the ball and use his unbelievable physicality to win his duels.

The new Chelsea signing offers that slight bit of extra box presence, with 5.05 penalty area touches per 90, and also has a higher shot volume than Fullkrug. This allows him to produce slightly more xG per 90 (0.52 to Fullkrug's 0.48), which could lead to a bag full of goals if his composure and finishing goes up a level.

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ByConnor Holden Aug 8, 2024

Captain missed third match after experiencing pain during England’s warm-up

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2022

Eoin Morgan in action during the first T20I in Barbados•Getty Images

Eoin Morgan, England’s white-ball captain, has been ruled out of the remaining two matches of England’s T20I series against West Indies in Barbados, after sustaining a low-grade quadriceps injury.Morgan sat out England’s 20-run defeat in Wednesday’s third match, with Moeen Ali stepping in as his deputy, after feeling pain in his right quad during the pre-match warm-up.An ECB statement added: “Follow-up testing revealed he sustained a right thigh-muscle injury which, whilst relatively minor, will prevent him from playing further games during the current tour.”Morgan, 35, made scores of 17 from 29 balls and 13 from 12 in England’s first two fixtures – the former innings coming in the midst of a top-order collapse that included the loss of three wickets in the first two overs, and an eventual total of 103 all out.England bounced back to win the second match, although West Indies’ lower-order battled back from the brink to reduce the margin to a solitary run.Although England are currently ranked as the No. 1 T20I team in the world, Morgan had identified this campaign as an opportunity to expand their options ahead of the next T20 World Cup in Australia in November.”The whole tour is one where the development of our game is more important than a series win,” Morgan said ahead of the first T20I. “We’ve gone through this process before, and identifying the level of intensity, and our performance is far more important than the result.”The squad in the Caribbean had already been missing a core of proven performers, with Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood among those rested following their involvement in the Ashes, while Jofra Archer has been absent following his recent elbow operation – although he has been back training with his team-mates on this trip.In Morgan’s absence on Wednesday, England gave a debut to Harry Brook, with Phil Salt and George Garton also making their maiden T20I appearances in place of Sam Billings and Saqib Mahmood, who was hit for 28 runs in his final over of the second match.”A lot of talented guys will get opportunities throughout this series which is very exciting, not only for the team, but for them as well,” Morgan added. “They don’t get a lot of opportunity to go through a process like this so, for our long-term planning, as we strive to have deeper, stronger squads, it’s very important. The group that we would normally take to a World Cup has been together for quite some time, so the planning behind that is important to us.”Moeen will continue to lead the team in Morgan’s absence for the final two back-to-back fixtures on Saturday and Sunday. England, currently 2-1 down, must win both to claim the series.

The visitors have been hampered by a new problem in this series – a lack of consistency in the middle order – and although Faf du Plessis’ outstanding start to Test cricket has offered some solace there remain plenty of issues

Firdose Moonda at the WACA30-Nov-2012Limp middle-orders used to infect South Africa’s limited-overs teams. It was the reason they failed at the 2011 World Cup and many a tournament before that, but it was not a disease that spread to the longer format. There a mixture of dynamism and dependability existed. Both those are qualities that are absent in it on this tour of Australia.Of the five innings South Africa have batted in so far, the middle order has let them down every time. In Brisbane they lost 4 for 52 in the first innings and 3 for 63 in the second. In Adelaide, the collapse was more dramatic when five wickets tumbled for 17 runs on the third day.The six overs after lunch in Perth saw three wickets fall as Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Dean Elgar were all dismissed for the addition of only 12 runs. It is this folding that will seem the most glaring because it resulted in a below-par score despite the later recovery.The inability to minimise risk is the root cause for the wobbles illustrated by two of the three dismissals in Perth. Amla was run-out after answering a de Villiers call that should have been more circumspect. De Villiers himself was on the receiving end of a good ball that swung away late to find his edge but then Elgar’s inexperience showed in his short selection. He played an unnecessary pull after being primed by a series of pitched up deliveries from Mitchell Johnson.Jacques Rudolph, who was dropped for this match, was guilty of exactly the same thing in the previous two Tests. His could not blame it on inexperience, though, but a technical flaw. Rudolph played Nathan Lyon in the air in both Brisbane and Adelaide to further underline his vulnerability against offspin and he was left out of the XI to play the deciding Test.Rudolph’s average in his last eight innings was 26.87 and he was an obvious weak link. Because of that South Africa have needed seven batsmen, not to lengthen the line-up as they would have us believe but to recover. In Faf du Plessis they have found an able Mr Fix It. He has the temperament and confidence of someone whose Test career is much older but even his patch-up job on the opening day here could not harden the soft middle order.Just a year ago, South Africa had players who could act as solidifying agents. With de Villiers at No.5 with Ashwell Prince at No.6 there was a combination which could be both sensational and stable. Neither are around anymore: Prince literally so and de Villiers not as we knew him.Prince was dropped after the Boxing Day Test last year, even though he scored a half-century the match before that. He was retained on national contract but has been given no indication that he will play for his country again.De Villiers has become a shadow of the batsman he once was. Although his resilience remains as both his innings in Adelaide showed, his flamboyance has gone. Despite his insistence to the contrary, becoming the full time wicketkeeper has affected his batting and he has not scored a half-century in nine innings since taking over the role.On most occasions he has managed a start but been unable to convert and it appeared to be a problem with patience. Adelaide debunked that myth. He batted for over four hours and faced 220 balls for his 33. His forward defensive made more appearances in that innings that it has done in the ten before them and it was as unbreakable as the wall he had erected around his state of mind.Du Plessis said de Villiers was so defensive in his approach it took even him by surprise. When he joined his school-friend and team-mate at the crease, he hoped they could stay positive at first but de Villiers turned down singles they would normally have run for fun. They both knew they could not present even a sliver of an opening to Australia and de Villiers took that instruction very seriously. As a result, the pair “blocked balls we could have hit for a few,” as du Plessis later said.De Villiers emerged out of that innings with proof that he had the stamina to bat for a long period and that he was able to do that without presenting the chances he had before. Not even a week has passed since that day and de Villiers has reverted back to the player who chased a short and wide Peter Siddle delivery in Brisbane.His running out of Amla and subsequent succumbing to a ball he could have got behind, albeit it a good one, left South Africa facing a paltry first innings total. While Elgar also contributed to that, he cannot be judged yet. To walk in on debut with the team in trouble is difficult. Although he had du Plessis to draw inspiration from, his duck, notable for being the first by a South Africa Test debutant since 1998, will not close his door. A player of the experience and calibre of de Villiers though, should have taken more responsibility.That could be what the South Africa middle order currently lacks most: someone to front up. With a top four that carries the heavyweight credentials of Graeme Smith, the form of Alviro Petersen who has scored three hundreds and two fifties this year and the aura of Amla and Jacques Kallis, it is easy for the rest to think they won’t have much to do.But they will and they need to be properly equipped for that. For as long as de Villiers continues to don the gloves the decision between six and seven batsmen remains unresolved, as does the identity of those players, which is far from the ideal position for solidity.