A “top class” Rangers player is believed to be on the verge of leaving Ibrox for good in the January transfer window, according to a new update.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers enjoyed a routine 5-0 win at home to Fraserburgh in the Scottish Cup fourth round on Sunday, but there is also plenty of focus on potential January transfers in the next couple of weeks.

Allan Campbell has been mentioned as an option for Rangers in the current window, with the Scot currently on loan at Charlton Athletic from Luton Town. The Hatters won’t stand in his way if the right offer comes along, with the likes of Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibernian also mentioned as options for him.

Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron has also been linked with a switch to the Gers in January, with the 22-year-old considered an exciting long-term option for the Scottish Premiership giants. In fact, they are even said to be in advanced talks to complete that signing, suggesting a move could happen sooner rather than later.

There have also been rumours linking Rangers players leaving the club this month, with Vaclav Cerny thought to be of interest to Premier League side West Ham. The 27-year-old would be a big loss for Philippe Clement, having scored nine goals in the league this season, although the Hammers may at least wait until the summer due to the complications of cancelling his current loan deal.

"Top class" Rangers player set to leave

According to Football Insider, Alex Lowry is set to leave Rangers in the January window, with League One side Wycombe Wanderers “closing in on a deal” to snap up the 21-year-old. The youngster is out of contract at Ibrox at the end of this season, meaning that this month is the Gers’ final opportunity to receive a fee for him, rather than lose him on a free transfer come the summer.

Selling Lowry this month feels like the most logical decision for everyone concerned, even though he has been described as “top class” by Rory Wilson in the past, with Michael Stewart also waxing lyrical over him, saying: “You only need to watch the kid for a few minutes to realise that he’s a proper football player.

“Really intelligent, two good feet, good balance, and he’s always looking to make things happen. His work rate, closing down. Constantly getting himself in a position to receive the ball as well.”

Lowry hasn’t featured at all for Rangers this season, and only 14 appearances have come his way in total for the club, having broken through after years in the club’s youth system.

At 21, the midfielder is at a point in his career where he needs to be playing regularly, in order to continue developing as a footballer, and it doesn’t look like Clement and those high up at the Gers consider him a future part of their plans.

Clement can ease Danilo blow by unleashing £21k-p/w Rangers star

Rangers face Highland League side Fraserburgh in the Scottish Cup today

By
Ross Kilvington

Jan 19, 2025

The fact that Rangers can receive money for Lowry in January only makes it more sensible to sell him now, with the Scot unlikely to play much of a role between now and May anyway.

Perhaps the best January signing Manchester United have ever made was a deal to bring Bruno Fernandes to Old Trafford. He signed from Sporting CP for upwards of £67.7m including add-ons, the fifth most expensive January deal of all time.

Fernandes’ impact on the club has been unfathomable. He is the United captain and has played 268 times for the club. In that time, he has scored 88 goals and registered 77 assists, a remarkable record.

Perhaps United’s most recent reported January target can have the same impact as their Portuguese Magnifico.

Man Utd's search for a striker

The player in question here is Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic. According to a report from Graeme Bailey, the Red Devils are thought to have enquired about his current ‘situation at Juventus’, and could pursue a late move.

They will face competition from some big Premier League rivals. North Londoners Arsenal and top four contenders Aston Villa have also asked Juve about the striker’s situation. Given it seems unlikely he will sign a new deal, there is a chance they could bring him in.

Why Vlahovic would be a good signing

Despite a lack of opportunities under Juventus manager Thiago Motta, Vlahoivc has still been in impressive form during the 2024/25 campaign. He has played 28 games so far this term and has 13 goals and two assists in that time.

Perhaps the striker’s most significant contribution this campaign came against Manchester City in the Champions League. He scored one goal in Juve’s 2-0 win over the Premier League champions. It is certainly a strike that will resonate with the Red Devils fans.

Should United get a deal for the Serbian “monster” – as hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson – over the line, he could be a perfect alternative signing to Bayern Munich attacker Mathys Tel. The Frenchman seems unlikely to make the move to Old Trafford, according to Jamie Jackson.

Now, there is no doubt that Vlahovic and Tel are slightly different players. The Juve man is an out-and-out centre-forward, whereas Tel is more versatile and can play up front or out on the wing.

However, United need goals at the minute, so it is surely not much of an issue for the Red Devils. In fact, to get an idea of how good of an alternative Tel would be to Vlahovic, you can compare them statistically on FBref.

Using data from the past two domestic top-flight seasons in Italy and Germany respectively, Vlahovic’s natural striker instinct shines through, as shown by his expected goals tally of 0.65xG compared to just 0.31xG for Tel.

Furthermore, the Serbian international is someone who can bring teammates into the game and actually averages 0.93 key passes per 90 minutes over the past two seasons. That is slightly more than Tel, who plays 0.9 key passes per game.

Stat (per 90)

Vlahvoic

Tel

Expected goals

0.65xG

0.31xG

Goals per shot on target

0.35

0.33

Goals

0.59

0.48

Shot-creating actions

2.53

3.38

Key passes

0.93

0.9

Signing Vlahoivc could be the perfect alternative move to Tel. The Frenchman seems unattainable for United now, but the chance to sign Vlahovic, a “deadly” striker as Mattinson described him, might be too good to be true.

This could be United’s dream signing, and perhaps end up being their best January addition since Fernandes five years ago.

The next Martial: INEOS continue Man Utd talks for "very special" signing

Man United need to add some attacking depth

ByJoe Nuttall Feb 3, 2025

Chandimal’s sprint to 10 Test centuries, the end of Mathews’ century drought, and other statistical highlights from the third day of the third Tet

Bharath Seervi04-Dec-2017476- Balls faced by Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal during their 181-run stand for the fourth wicket. It’s the longest partnership between a visiting pair in India in the last five years, and the second-longest stand for Sri Lanka against India. Overall, this is the longest partnership for any pair at the Kotla, trumping the 433 balls Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman faced together against Australia in 2008-09.10- Centuries for Dinesh Chandimal in 80 Test innings: the fastest Sri Lankan to the landmark. The previous quickest was Thilan Samaraweera, who notched up 10 centuries in 82 innings. Kumar Sangakkara took 101 innings for the same.2- Number of Sri Lanka captains to score a century in India. Before Chandimal, only Sangakkara had done so, at the Brabourne Stadium in 2009-10. Chandimal is the first visiting captain in over 30 years to score a century at Feroz Shah Kotla, after Viv Richards in 1987-88.36- Number of innings without a century for Mathews before the one in this Test. Mathews averaged only 27.80 in those 36 innings with six fifties. His last ton was also against India, when they visited Sri Lanka in 2015. Between 2014 and 2015, Mathews hit six centuries in 42 innings.1981- The last instance of two centurions in the same innings for an opposition side at the Kotla. Geoff Boycott and Chris Tavare each made centuries for England then. Chandimal and Mathews’ centuries make it the fifth such instance at the Kotla. This is only the second occasion of Sri Lanka having two centurions in an innings in India.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3- Partnerships to have lasted 400 or more balls for Sri Lanka in the last five years; Chandimal has been involved in all three. He partnered Karunaratne against West Indies in Galle in 2015, and with Dhananjaya de Silva against Australia in Colombo (SSC) last year. The last such partnership, before these three, came in 2011.3- Number of times Chandimal has played innings of 300 or more balls in Tests this year – the highest. Steven Smith, Cheteshwar Pujara and Dimuth Karunaratne have played two such long innings.2009- Last instance of Sri Lanka’s Nos. 4 and 5 both scoring centuries in the same innings, as Chandimal and Mathews did in this match. Mahela Jayawardene and Samaraweera had done it in Galle then.

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Oct-2016Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan got together for an unbeaten third-wicket stand of 63•AFPShafiq, who had resumed on 5, compiled an unbeaten 58, before Pakistan declared on 227 for 2 at the stroke of lunch•AFPSet a target of 456, West Indies lost Leon Johnson in the eighth over, when he gloved an attempted sweep off Yasir Shah onto his stumps•AFPRahat Ali was gifted a wicket when Darren Bravo chased a wide delivery and slashed it straight to backward point•Getty ImagesYasir sent back Marlon Samuels for 23 after accepting a simple return catch•AFPKraigg Brathwaite struck his first half-century in the fourth innings of a Test, before falling lbw to Mohammad Nawaz•Getty ImagesJermaine Blackwood moved on to a brisk, unbeaten 41 to take West Indies to 171 for 4 at stumps – still 285 away from a win•AFP

A bite-size breakdown of the key action from day one of the first Test in Brisbane

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-2017The (expected) early blow
Having won the toss, Joe Root was never likely to do anything other than opt to bat – despite sweaty skies in Brisbane. There was nothing as calamitous about England’s start as Steve Harmison’s wide in 2006-07 or Andrew Strauss’ third-ball duck four years later, but it still did not take long for Australia to strike. In his second over, Mitchell Starc got rid of England’s most-experienced batsman, Alastair Cook drawn into nicking to slip. Cue the first bout of night-time nerves: “It was just starting to look like the quietest start to a Gabba Test since 1998-99 … but instead, it’s taken just 16 balls for Australia to make their mark!”The (unexpected) counter
A major focus during the build-up had been on England’s 5-0 whitewashing in 2013-14 and the supposed “scars” that Australia would look to open up. An early score of 2 for 1 (or 1 for 2) hinted at trouble to come, but the promised onslaught from Australia’s fire-breathing quicks failed to materialise. Mark Stoneman and James Vince went into the Test billed as Poms to the slaughter, yet the pair of Ashes debutants made themselves at home at the “Gabbatoir” while adding a 125-run stand for the second wicket. That was better than England’s highest partnership during the 2013-14 series.The watery intervention
Pat Cummins fired a warning shot for the series when he dragged Root across his crease before swinging the ball back to trap him plumb in front (via the help of a review). He called it “the dream wicket” and, coming less than 10 overs from the close, it prevented England from taking the day. But Australia might have enjoyed more success with the old, reversing ball if Vince had not hit it into a puddle beyond the boundary rope shortly after tea. The umpires initially refused to change the ball but eventually did so after its condition deteriorated further – enabling Cummins to strike.The stat
Vince, whose technique was considered by some to be too fragile to succeed at No. 3, enjoyed a control percentage of 92% against pace bowling during his Test-best 83.ESPNcricinfo LtdQuote of the day”If he didn’t know who we were before the game, he probably does now. Reading comments like that gives you the motivation to go out there and make a statement.”What’s next?
Australia had just armed themselves with the new ball when the umpires decided to call a halt due to bad light, having lost their first review (which will no longer be topped up) over a failed lbw appeal against Dawid Malan. That fresh Kookaburra will still be only three deliveries old when Starc resumes in the morning – play will begin half an hour early to make up lost time – with Australia looking to rattle England’s lower order out quickly. That was one of the major advantages they enjoyed over the tourists in 2013-14; Malan, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow will be the batsmen charged with preventing a repeat.

Stats highlights of Australia’s collapse for 85 on the first day of the second Test against South Africa in Hobart

Gaurav Sundararaman12-Nov-201685 Australia’s total, their lowest in a home Test in 32 years. They were bowled out for 76 by West Indies in Perth in 1984. In all home Tests, they have been bowled out for less than 85 only ten times.

Australia’s lowest totals at home

Total	Inns	Result	Opposition	Ground	Year
42	2	lost	England	Sydney	1888
58	4	lost	England	Brisbane	1936
66	4	lost	England	Brisbane	1928
76	2	lost	West Indies	Perth	1984
80	2	lost	England	Sydney	1936
82	4	lost	England	Sydney	1888
82	1	lost	West Indies	Adelaide	1951
83	4	lost	England	Sydney	1883
83	4	lost	India	Melbourne	1981
84	2	lost	England	Sydney	1887
85	1	–	South Africa	Hobart	2016

197 The number of balls South Africa took to dismiss Australia. It was Australia’s second shortest innings at home in terms of balls faced since 1936, after the Perth Test against West Indies in 1984. Till 1936, they had seven such instances.11 Instances of Australia being bowled out in under 200 balls in a Test innings since 1950. Only two of those have been at home, while six have been in England.

Australia bowled out in under 200 balls in Tests since 1950

Score	Overs	Inngs	Opposition	Ground	Year
47	18.0	3	South Africa	Cape Town	2011
60	18.3	1	England	Nottingham	2015
130	30.2	2	England	Manchester	1981
93	30.5	4	India	Mumbai	2004
76	31.2	2	West Indies	Perth	1984
103	31.3	2	England	Leeds	1977
118	31.5	1	England	Birmingham	1997
104	32.1	4	England	The Oval	1997
85	32.5	1	South Africa	Hobart	2016
88	33.1	1	Pakistan	Leeds	2010
106	33.2	2	Sri Lanka	Galle	2016

17 The lowest score at which Australia have lost half their side in the first innings of a Test. The previous lowest was 21, against England at Trent Bridge in 2015. Their score at the fall of the sixth wicket in Hobart – 31 – was also their second lowest at home.1978 The previous instance of Australia losing six of their top-seven batsmen for single-digit scores at home – against England in Brisbane.8 Instances of an Australian batsman scoring a higher percentage of the team’s runs than Steven Smith. Smith contributed 48 unbeaten runs out of Australia’s 85 (56.47%). The last time an Australian batsman contributed a higher percentage was in 1999, when Michael Slater scored 123 out of Australia’s 184 (66.84%) against England in Sydney. In team totals of below 100, this is the fifth-highest contribution ever: only Asanka Gurusinha (63.41%), Mohinder Amarnath (61.85%), Len Hutton (57.69%) and Trevor Goddard (56.56%) have done better.

Highest % of team total for Australia

Player	Runs	Total	%	Opposition	Ground	Year
Charles Bannerman	165*	245	67.34	England	Melbourne	1877
Michael Slater	123	184	66.84	England	Sydney	1999
Graham Yallop	121	198	61.11	England	Sydney	1979
Victor Trumper	74	122	60.65	England	Melbourne	1904
Don Bradman	334	566	59.01	England	Leeds	1930
Don Bradman	299*	513	58.28	South Africa	Adelaide	1932
Clem Hill	188	323	58.20	England	Melbourne	1898
Bob Cowper	165	292	56.50	India	Sydney	1968
Steven Smith	48*	85	56.47	South Africa	Hobart	2016
Stan McCabe	232	411	56.44	England	Nottingham	1938

6 for 43 Australia’s worst first session of a home Test since the 4 for 58 against England in the Boxing Day Test in 2010. There have been only three worse first sessions for any team since then. Australia were dismissed in the first session at Trent Bridge, Pakistan lost 6 for 36 at Edgbaston, and New Zealand were dismissed for 45 at Newlands.15 Wickets that fell on the first day of this Test, which is the most ever in a day at the Bellerive Oval. Thirteen wickets fell on a day in each of the first two Tests in Hobart – on the first day in 1989, and the third day in 1993.2 Runs by Australia’s openers – the fewest they have scored since the game against England in Nottingham in 2015. Before that, both openers were dismissed for no runs against Sri Lanka in Kandy in 1999.3 Number of innings in which the opposition has been dismissed for fewer than 100 and Philander has taken a five-for. Apart from today’s game, Philander took 5 for 7 against New Zealand and 5 for 15 against Australia.

A look at his performances against those of other players in the same matches

Kartikeya Date29-Apr-2018Twenty years ago this week, Sachin Tendulkar scored two hundreds in two run chases against the Australians in Sharjah. The first ended in defeat for his team, but ensured India qualified for the final of the tournament. The second won India the tournament.Tendulkar has played better in ODI cricket than he did that week dozens of times since that innings, and a few times before as well. The wicket in Sharjah was flat. Australia didn’t have Glenn McGrath or Jason Gillespie. Brett Lee was yet to emerge and there was no serious pace in the Australian attack that day. As a technical challenge, the Australians of 1998 were decidedly average (despite the presence of Shane Warne). For difficulty, consider, for instance, Tendulkar’s 77 in Brisbane against Curtly Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall, Patrick Patterson and Anderson Cummins in 1992. The other Indian batsmen in the top six that day made 4, 1, 1, 8 and 3, and the next best score was Kapil Dev’s 28. Or consider any one of Tendulkar’s 18 scores between 90 and 99 (Nathan Astle, Aravinda de Silva and Grant Flower have nine each, the next highest), and you will find memorable stories, difficult attacks, difficult targets or difficult conditions in many of them.In retrospect, that week 20 years ago came to symbolise an era in India’s (and Tendulkar’s) ODI history. Cricket, it is said, is an individual sport masquerading as a team sport. I think this is backwards. Cricket is a team sport masquerading as an individual sport. Each delivery involves exactly one bowler and one batsman, but its possibilities are shaped by realities beyond the control of these two individual players. When teams win consistently, they tend to have a large number of top performers. But to find the truly exceptional individual superstar, look in a team that loses more often than it wins. Think about Andy Flower, or Brian Lara in the latter half of his career, or Muttiah Muralitharan in the Sri Lankan attack. Think, indeed, about Tendulkar in India’s ODI side of that era.Previously, I’ve written about how the central difference between Virat Kohli and Tendulkar in the ODI game is the contribution at the other end. In 48 years of ODI cricket, there have been 130 instances of batsmen scoring 1000 or more runs in a calendar year. I calculated the net batting average and net strike rate for each of these 130 instances.Kartikeya DateTendulkar made 1894 runs in 1998 at an average of 65.3 and a strike rate of 102 runs per 100 balls faced. The other batsmen in those matches scored at 32.6 and averaged 80 runs per hundred balls faced. This gave Tendulkar a net batting average of +32.7 and a net scoring rate of +22. This is represented by the red dot in the chart above. The blue dots represent corresponding records for all other instances of batsmen scoring 1000 or more runs in a calendar year.The extraordinary performance in the top right corner is AB de Villiers in 2015. De Villiers made 1193 runs at 79.5 and scored at 138 runs per hundred balls faced. The other batsmen in those matches scored at 41.6 and at a strike rate of 99 per 100 balls faced. De Villiers crossed 50 ten times in 18 innings that year. In nine out of those ten innings, he scored at least a run a ball. He had innings of 149 (44 balls), 162 not out (66), 119 (61) and 104 not out (73) – an extraordinary year.Other players have averaged better than 70 in a calendar year, scoring more than 1000 runs. In 2017, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma both achieved this, and both scored at 99 runs per 100 balls faced. Hashim Amla made 1058 runs at 75.6 in 2010. He scored at 104 runs per 100 balls faced; the other batsmen in those matches managed to score at 99 runs per 100 balls faced, and averaged 42.8. MS Dhoni made 1198 runs at 70.5 in 2009, scoring at 86 runs per 100 balls faced; the other batsmen scored at 101 runs per 100 balls faced, and averaged 35.9. Ricky Ponting made 1193 runs at 79.5 in 2007, and scored at 92 runs per 100 balls. Australia won the World Cup that year and the other batsmen averaged 44.8 and scored at 103 runs per 100 balls.In an earlier era, Dean Jones made 1174 runs at 69.1 and scored at 79 runs per 100 balls faced. The other batsmen in those matches scored at 32.3 and at 79 runs per 100 balls faced. In 1987, Javed Miandad made 1084 runs at 67.8 and scored at 70 runs per 100 balls faced; the other batsmen scored at 29.8, but managed 81 runs per 100 balls faced.A batsman who scores 1000 ODI runs in a calendar year can be said to be having a great year. Tendulkar in 1998 and de Villiers in 2015 are unique in that they were not only more consistent than their team-mates, but scored significantly quicker than them as well. A comparison between Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, who scored 1000 runs or more in a calendar year six times, is illustrative. In five out of these six years, Ganguly scored slower than the other batsmen in his matches.

Ganguly and Tendulkar in years when they made over 1000 runs in ODIs year

PlayerYearAggregateAvgSRAvg at other endSR at other endGanguly1997133841.87028.482Ganguly1998132841.57035.486Ganguly1999176746.57631.184Ganguly2000157956.48326.179Ganguly2002111438.48335.594Ganguly2007124044.37336.395Tendulkar1994108947.38938.480Tendulkar1996161153.78226.578Tendulkar1997101130.68529.578Tendulkar1998189465.310232.680Tendulkar2000132839.18228.980Tendulkar2003114157.1872981Tendulkar2007142547.58632.389Tendulkar played ODI cricket for India from 1989 to 2012. In all but two of those years, he played at least ten games. Using the method of the net average and strike rate, his career can be split into three distinct phases. The chart below shows Tendulkar’s net average and strike rate per calendar year. Each point represents a calendar year (1989 and 2010 are ignored).Kartikeya DateThe first, formative, phase ran from 1989 to 1993 (green dots in the chart above). Tendulkar played in the middle order in a largely unsuccessful side. In 1994, the coach Ajit Wadekar and captain Mohammad Azharuddin decided to move Tendulkar to the top of the batting order.This began the second phase (red dots) of Tendulkar’s career. He was both the most consistent and quickest-scoring player in the side. It was in this phase that he stood out as the exceptional performer. This phase could be said to have ended with the 2003 World Cup in particular, and the year 2003 in general.In 2004 (and especially 2005), Tendulkar struggled with injuries, and the Ganguly era was drawing to a close, giving way to a significantly stronger and more successful Indian ODI side. In this third phase (blue dots), Tendulkar was more consistent than his average team-mate but scored slower.

Tendulkar’s ODI career divided into three phases

PhaseInningsRunsAverageStrike rateAverage at other endStrike at other end1989-199365167931.17427.7741994-20032561100648.58931.4812004-2012142574144.28534.092Desert Storm marked an exceptional point in that middle phase of Tendulkar’s career. I’ve always thought that the emblematic innings of that phase was not one of the Sharjah ones but his 90 in 84 balls against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in 1996 in a World Cup game. Australia batted first and reached 258, thanks to Mark Waugh’s 126. During the innings break, Geoffrey Boycott was asked whether he thought India would chase these runs. He said: “No.” After a while, he said, “They have a chance if Tendulkar scores big.”Nearly two hours later, Tendulkar was nearing his hundred, with Sanjay Manjrekar for company. He had taken McGrath to the cleaners with the new ball and seemed to be able to do as he pleased, no matter who was bowling.Boycott was asked again what he thought. “If Tendulkar goes, they’ll struggle,” he said.When Tendulkar was dismissed, India had six wickets in hand and needed 116 in about 24 overs. Boycott didn’t think India would get those, and he was right.On April 19, 1998, in Sharjah against Australia, Tendulkar made 80 in 72 balls as India chased 265 and lost by 58 runs. On April 22, he made 143 in 131 as India chased 276 and lost by 26 runs. Finally, on April 24, he made 134 in 131 as India chased 273 and won by six wickets. Over those three games against Australia, Tendulkar made 357 in 334 balls and was out three times (avg 119, SR 107). At the other end, 374 runs were scored in 497 balls for 17 dismissals (avg 22, SR 75).India lost three out of their five matches in that tournament and still won the title. They lost two of their three matches against the Australians and still won. In a sense, both India and Tendulkar played to form that week. India showed themselves to be the average side that they were then, who lost more than they won. Tendulkar showed himself to be a miraculous player approaching the peak of his powers.That magical year 20 years ago gave the Indian team a look at limited-overs mastery they could aspire to. Indeed, by the time Tendulkar left the international game in 2013, he was no longer the miraculous player from 1998, but India had come closer to being a miraculous side than at any other time in their history.At his best or otherwise, I found Tendulkar’s batting mesmerising to watch. But as good as his batting was, the advancement of the Indian side during these 20 years is perhaps Tendulkar’s greater achievement.

South Africa were expected to be too strong for Sri Lanka in the opening encounter, but what made the gap between the teams even wider were some of Angelo Mathews’ tactics

Firdose Moonda at Port Elizabeth30-Dec-2016Angelo Mathews had a front-row seat to the way captaincy could be when you are in control. He spent ten minutes short of three hours in the middle, watching as Faf du Plessis commanded his troops with scant reward on an afternoon that set South Africa up for a dominant win and which would have left Mathews wondering whether he should have been inventive with his own side.On a fourth day pitch that behaved like a second-day surface, du Plessis was making a plan. He had his quicks bowling to 6-4 offside fields and kept a short midwicket and square leg, or short leg, in place, with only one man on the boundary to try and induce a mistake. He asked his bowlers to mix up their line-and-length disciplines with a short-ball strategy which had not worked against Mathews but which du Plessis thought may eventually overwhelm the Sri Lankan batsmen. He tasked his least effective seamer on the day – Kagiso Rabada – to implement it, just as the afternoon was growing long and Rabada “put his hand up and bowled quickly.”Coming round the wicket, the second delivery of his spell brought reward when Kusal Mendis tried to ramp Rabada over the slips and was caught behind. That brought Dinesh Chandimal to the crease and immediately got du Plessis thinking again. Chandimal was strangled with close-in fielders and his frustration grew. He had only scored 8 off 37 balls – and had already been dropped by Stephen Cook at mid-off trying to go over the top – when he handed a catch to mid-on. With a second new ball still to come, South Africa had made a match-winning breakthrough and opened Sri Lanka up, thanks to their ability to create pressure.What Mathews was seeing was not revolutionary but it was lacking in his own leadership. The day before, with the pitch in a similarly good-for-batting condition, he had not been able to exert the same authority on South Africa. His bowlers were not as menacing with the bouncer and his spinner was neutralised. Still, instead of instructing Herath to tie South Africa down, Mathews spread the field and gave South Africa too many easy runs, albeit runs that could be scored in a chase if there had been more application from the batsmen.By South Africa’s own admission the target was chaseable although du Plessis was, perhaps, being a little generous. Yes, time was not an issue and the pitch hadn’t broken up, but it’s not every day that a team gets as close as Pakistan did at the Gabba. Still, even with 488 to defend du Plessis knew there was a job to do for his four-man attack.It was never going to be easy, especially after South Africa requested more grass on the surface, specifically to stop it from deteriorating. That they were even willing to make that known publicly is in stark contrast to their usual assertion that they take whatever they get, even on home turf. After last season’s drubbing in India, perhaps they’re not scared to say when they are trying to make work things work in their favour, or to concede that their line-up is not as comfortable against spin as they would like it to be.But there is a difference between the pitches they played on there – the Nagpur one was even rated poor by the ICC – and the St George’s Park one they hosted Sri Lanka on here. Although South Africa were aiming to claim an advantage, it was more about the disadvantage they wanted to impose on the visitors.A pitch that gets better for batting only suits batsmen, not a specific side. South Africa knew that if it didn’t swing or seam – and it didn’t do much over the last two days – their attack was unlikely to be able to make use of reverse-swing because the ball would not scuff up. They knew they would have to be disciplined and patient and they trusted that they would be. As Cook put it, they believed they could take Sri Lanka, “to their breaking point.” Therein lies the real difference.Du Plessis had an attack that bowled to the plans he made and the fields he set; Mathews did not always have that. Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep and Dushmantha Chameera do not offer as much as Vernon Philander, Kyle Abbott and Rabada, even on an off day, and they are not as accurate. Sri Lanka could not find consistency in the second innings and “bowled in different places,” according to du Plessis to help South Africa total over 400 – a total du Plessis wants them to reach more often.That’s not to say everything South Africa did was perfect, not even in the field. They dropped three catches and were sometimes messy but they stuck at it because they suspected that they would be able to overtake Sri Lanka in the long run. “We knew if we can get past Nos. 6 or 7, it is going to happen quickly,” du Plessis said.And it did. South Africa only needed 70 minutes on the final morning to repeat their bouncer barrage ploy and finish Sri Lanka off. In doing so, they also earned their bowlers an extra afternoon’s rest, which could be crucial given the quick turnaround.There are just two days between this Test and the next, which starts at Newlands on January 2, and Mathews lamented that it would not be enough time to make major technical changes, but hoped there will be some opportunity for a shift in mindset. There should be because the next Test starts next year and you know what they say about new years and new starts.

For Australia to find any success in India, their spinners will have to keep their economy rates in check, a fact backed up by the past 20 years of Australian visits to India for Tests

Daniel Brettig22-Feb-20174:12

It’s the rookies’ turn

For Australia to defeat India in this Test series, the visitors’ spin bowlers must deliver their overs more economically than India’s do. That’s not merely an assertion but a fact, backed up by the past 20 years of Australian visits to India for Test matches. Controlling the run rate is the key to winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.In the seven most recent encounters, beginning with a one-off match in Delhi in 1996, on only one occasion did the visiting spin bowlers offer superior economy to their home counterparts. It was in 2004, when Adam Gilchrist led Australia in Ricky Ponting’s stead and Steve Waugh’s “final frontier” was finally conquered.During that series, Shane Warne served as the tourists’ only full-time spin bowler before the fate of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was decided, with Nathan Hauritz filling in for an injured Warne in the final, dead rubber match in Mumbai. While Hauritz was more expensive and left Michael Clarke’s part-timers to strike the most telling blows on a horror Wankhede Stadium pitch, Australia’s spin collective ended the series with an economy rate of 3.11 runs per over.That was enough to edge the likes of Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble and Murali Kartik, who were narrowly more expensive, going for 3.12 runs per over across the four Tests. If one 100th of a run doesn’t sound like much of a difference, then the other series either side of 2004 offer the context to prove the rule.In 1996 in Delhi on a difficult surface, India’s spinners conceded 2.07 runs per over versus Australia’s 3.20; In 1998 it was 2.54 versus 3.43; in 2001, 3.16 versus 3.31. The gap has only grown in more recent encounters, underlining how India’s batsmen have set out to destroy bowlers less capable than Warne. In 2008 it was 2.69 to 3.77; in 2010 it was 2.59 to 4.05; then on the most recent trip in 2013 the gap was truly yawning – 2.38 for India’s spinners and 4.17 for Australia’s.Clearly, India’s batsmen have grown increasingly belligerent in attacking the visiting slow men, while at the same time the home bowlers have strangled Australia’s top six with an ever-increasing level of effectiveness. In trying to reverse the trend, Australia have called upon the left-arm spin of Steve O’Keefe, a bowler for whom economy is critical to success.Steve O’Keefe is expected to form a twin-spin attack with Nathan Lyon•Getty ImagesWhile it would be easy to conclude that it simply took a bowler of Warne’s greatness to achieve the feat of out-strangling India’s spinners, closer examination of the 2004 series offers a reminder that he did so by playing very much against type. In fact there were several observers of Warne’s approach in the first Test of the series in Bangalore who expressed disappointment at how he appeared to be bowling faster and flatter than in the past, seeking maidens over stumpings.Yet by the end of the second match in Chennai, where Warne claimed a persevering 6 for 125 from 42.3 overs and became the world’s leading wicket-taker in the process, the value of his more conservative, even defensive approach had become clear. At the time, Gilchrist lauded Warne not for his long-standing class, but for his ability to learn how to best play a complementary role in the visiting attack.”Warney’s inevitably going to be compared with his history here, and it’s inevitable he’s going to be compared with their spin bowlers’ results,” Gilchrist said after rain ensured a draw. “They are totally different types of bowlers doing totally different roles in their teams. For what Warney’s role is in our team, I was thrilled with the way he went.”He is learning as he goes, which is amazing for the world record holder. He’s taking things in from various players, and batsmen … I’ve been impressed with that perspective of Warney’s game. He’s still trying to better himself. I thought it was a terrific effort here. Stats don’t lie. He got six wickets for us in a very important innings. If they had got 200 or 250 ahead we were dead and buried. He was a major reason they didn’t get there.”Intriguingly, Australia’s selectors deliberately ignored another “defensive” spin option for the tour by choosing Mitchell Swepson ahead of Adam Zampa, who was compelled to content himself with a couple of Twenty20 appearances back home instead. The interim selection chairman Trevor Hohns, himself a former wristspinner, stated that “we thought we would go for a more attacking leg-spinner over a defensive spinner”.Australia’s selectors had admitted to choosing an “attacking” spinner in Mitchell Swepson (in pic) for the tour of India over what the panel’s chairman Trevor Hohns called a more “defensive” operator in Adam Zampa•AFPHohns, funnily enough, had been the selection chairman at the time of the successful India tour of 2004, alongside the man who would replace him, Andrew Hilditch. Though he was often criticised during his tenure, Hilditch at one time offered his own opinion on “attacking” spin bowlers.”The word attacking is a bit overrated really, to assert pressure from one end is attacking cricket,” he said in early 2009.”Some spinners you regard as more attacking might spin the ball a bit more, they might be a bit more erratic, but really it’s about asserting pressure and performing the role the captain wants.”For now, the need to assert said pressure most likely rests with O’Keefe and also Nathan Lyon, one of the bowlers clattered about four years ago. While Lyon was again expensive in the Mumbai tour match preceding the Pune Test, he has at least exhibited something approaching the attitude that Warne carried into the 2004 series.”If you are going to come out and try to take a wicket off every ball, you are going to get hit for boundaries,” Lyon said this week. “For us, coming over and competing here is about building pressure, either with quickies or spinners at the other end. Try to give minimum runs and make the Indians play the big shots.”That’s where we are going to build pressure. That’s how you build pressure and take wickets. If you go out thinking that I have got 10 overs and I am going to get them in 10 overs, you are on a slippery slope to nowhere really.”Nowhere but defeat. All the available evidence says as much.

The best of the numbers from the opening day at Trent Bridge as India’s top order collectively repel England for the first time in the series

Bharath Seervi18-Aug-20181 – The 159-run stand between Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane was the first century stand for India in this series and also the first in the two tours this year, which includes the three-match tour of South Africa. India had over 100 partnerships without any of them crossing triple-digits on these two tours. In the first two Tests against England, India had only two fifty-plus stands out of 44 partnerships with a highest of 57. Kohli has been part of the five of the top-seven partnerships for India on these two tours.ESPNcricinfo Ltd82.6 – India’s control percentage with the bat on the first day at Trent Bridge was far higher than what they had managed in the first two Tests. They had control of just 75% in the first Test then in the second Test it fell below 70%. Each of the seven batsmen who batted had a control of over 70% and all faced more than 30 deliveries.2014 – The last time India’s top seven crossed double-figures in a Test innings on tours of Australia, England, New Zealand or South Africa. It happened in the first innings of the Gabba Test in 2013-14. There was no such instance for India in England in the last 10 Tests. The last time the top seven all scored more than 10 runs in England was in the first Test of 2011 tour at Lord’s.72 – Runs accumulated by India’s top three in this innings. The top three had scored only 118 runs from 12 innings in the first two Tests while 10 of those scores were below 20.78.4- Average score of India at the fall of the fourth wicket for India in the five Tests this year in South Africa and England, before this match. India never reached 150 before the fall of fifth wicket in those 10 innings; the highest was 132 at Centurion. At Trent Bridge, India lost their fourth wicket at the score of 241, and therefore India are marching to their highest total on these two tours.2 – Number of times Kohli has been out in the nineties in Tests. Before this dismissal on 97, the last came about five years ago in Johannesburg in December 2013 when he was out on 96. He has made 17 centuries between these two nineties. He is the first visiting captain to be out in the nineties in England since Brian Lara fell for 95 at Edgbaston in 2004. Among India players, Sachin Tendulkar (twice) and Sourav Ganguly have missed their tons after getting into the nineties at Trent Bridge.ESPNcricinfo Ltd100 – Wickets for James Anderson against India. He is only the second bowler to do so against India after Muttiah Muralitharan’s 105 scalps in 22 matches. India is the second country against which Anderson has managed more than 100 wickets. He has 104 versus Australia. He is the seventh bowler to claim 100 wickets against multiple teams. Shane Warne and Muralitharan have done it against three opponents.1 – Rishabh Pant became the first India player whose first scoring shot in Test cricket was a six (where known). He hit a six off just his second delivery, against the bowling of Adil Rashid.