Adam Milne claimed 5 for 11 as Kent beat Somerset by six wickets at Taunton to keep alive their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast.Returning his best figures for Kent, the New Zealand paceman registered 15 dot balls in 3.5 overs as the home side were dismissed for 149 in 18.5 overs. Striking the ball cleanly, Sam Billings then posted an unbeaten 56 from 36 balls as the visitors reached their target with nine deliveries to spare, in the process inflicting Somerset’s first home defeat in the competition.Adam Milne picked up sensational figures of 5 for 11•Getty Images

Put into bat, Somerset made a blistering start in front of a sellout crowd, Steven Davies and Lewis Gregory trading almost exclusively in boundaries and matching one another blow for blow in an opening stand of 35. But the momentum shifted dramatically as Somerset then lost three wickets in a Powerplay that ebbed and flowed.Davies was brilliantly caught by an airborne James Neesham at midwicket off the bowling of Milne and Gregory top-edged a quicker delivery from Mitchell Claydon and was snaffled by wicketkeeper Billings on the run. When Jim Allenby edged Claydon behind in the fifth over, the home side were 40 for 3 and firmly on the back foot.Required to rebuild the innings, Johann Myburgh and James Hildreth had little option but to proceed with a degree of caution. More of an accumulator than a dasher, Hildreth adopted a supporting role, while the naturally pugnacious Myburgh opted to hit out, a high-risk strategy that resulted in him chipping a delivery from Imran Qayyum to cover point for 25.Hildreth has proved himself a saviour on more than one occasion for Somerset in the short format this summer, helping his team chase down victory targets in games against Middlesex and Surrey. Charged with the task of stabilising the innings, he successfully rotated the strike with Dean Elgar in a revitalising partnership that was characterised by deft placement and feverish running.Having raised 36 from 30 balls and dominated a stand of 43 for the fifth wicket, Hildreth was looking to accelerate when, in the act of attempting to sweep Milne, he proved fallible and was adjudged lbw with the score on 117 in the 15th over. With a tendency to be hit or miss on these occasions, one-day specialist Roeluf van der Merve was then bowled by a straight ball from Callum Haggett as Somerset’s prospects of posting a challenging total receded.Called upon to play expansively, Elgar perished in pursuit of a six, held by Alex Blake on the long-on boundary off the bowling of Neesham as Kent, supremely athletic in the field, turned the screw further. Tim Groenewald hoisted the final ball of the 18th over to deep midwicket and Craig Overton was bowled by Milne for 12, at which point the home side were 147 for 9 and resigned to falling short.His confidence running high, the impressive Milne then made a mess of Paul van Meekeren’s stumps as the innings was terminated with seven balls unused.Managing to deliver what Somerset could not, Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond both cleared the boundary rope in an opening stand of 40 that served to stamp Kent’s authority.Any anxiety induced by the dismissals of Bell-Drummond and Sam Northeast, who succumbed in quick succession to Gregory and van Meekeren respectively, was dispelled by the arrival of England international Billings, who scored at better than a run a ball from the outset. But Somerset stuck to their task and the introduction of Groenewald saw Denly hole out to deep midwicket for 33, leaving the visitors needing a further 77 from 60 balls with seven wickets in hand.Veteran Darren Stevens offered a return catch to van der Merve to give Somerset renewed hope, but Billings batted with supreme assurance throughout a measured innings that yielded three fours and three sixes and helped keep the required rate in check. Billings brought up his fifty in grand manner, clearing the rope at Groenewald’s expense as Kent cruised to victory.

Suadi Arabian club Al-Ahli are "pushing" to sing Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Algerian joined the Citizens in the summer of 2018, and has won every trophy possible during his five-season spell in Manchester.

Is Mahrez leaving Manchester City?

The 32-year-old looks set to depart this summer and head to the Saudi Pro League.

According to reports, the Algerian is flying out to Dubai to undergo a medical with the same club that recently announced the signing of former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino. The Jeddah based club have reportedly offered the winger a whopping contract worth £43m plus bonuses a year to make the switch.

The forward joined the Manchester club from Leicester City for what was then a club-record fee of £60m. In his five-season stint, the Algerian has made 236 appearances for the club, scoring 78 and assisting 59 en route to winning a mind-blowing 10 trophies with the club, including four league titles, one Champions League and the historic treble that was completed last season.

Whilst losing a player of Mahrez's quality would be a blow to any side in the world, The Athletic are reporting that the Citizens are stepping up their plans to sign a winger ahead of Mahrez's impending departure, with the side set to receive a potential fee in the region of £30m.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that despite Man City not receiving an official bid yet, Al-Ahli are really trying to get a deal over the line for the former PFA Player of the Year:

"Al-Ahli are pushing to sign Riyad Mahrez. The agreement with the player is almost done but not yet with Manchester City, Manchester City do not yet have any official bid, any official documents so Man City will get back to work on Monday, and will start conversations with Mahrez to understand the state of his conversation with Al-Ahli, and then negotiate with Al-Ahli in case the player gives the final green light"

How can Manchester City replace Riyad Mahrez?

There are a number of intriguing options that Pep Guardiola could explore to replace the Algerian.

One option could be to utilise Phil Foden on the right wing. In his career, the England international has only played on the right 18 times, but his returns from that position are incredible, with 10 goals and 4 assists.

Last campaign, Foden was deployed on the right-hand side a number of times at the beginning of the campaign, and his iconic hat-trick in the Manchester Derby came as a right-winger, showcasing that he can perform at the highest level against the toughest opposition in that right-wing role.

However, with the departure of Ilkay Gundogan and the continued uncertainty around the future of Bernardo Silva, the 23-year-old could find himself deployed in a more traditional central role next season, forcing Guardiola to find a different solution.

Should City delve into the transfer market like reports are suggesting, some players who share very similar statistical profiles to Mahrez include Jadon Sancho, Serge Gnabry and Ousmane Dembele. However, one of the best potential matches is Napoli star Khvica Kvaratskhelia who has reportedly caught the attention of City.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakout season for the Italian side last season, making 43 appearances and recording 31 goal contributions as the Naples side won their first league title in over 30 years.

Reports have recently come out about fellow Premier League side Newcastle United preparing a bid for the Georgian attacker, which could prompt the Premier League champions to swoop in. Kvaratskhelia has played 14 games on the right-wing in his career before, but a player of his quality when working under a legendary manager such as Guardiola could easily be able to adapt their game to the other side.

Whether either replacement option for Mahrez can replicate the impact the 32-year-old had at Manchester City, only time will tell, but it will be an incredibly hard ask.

Everton are interested in signing Union SG striker Victor Boniface during the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update regarding his future.

Who is Victor Boniface?

The Nigerian is making a name for himself in Belgium currently, standing out as one of Union's most influential players and catching the eye with his relentless end product in recent times. He enjoyed a hugely productive 2022/23 season, not only scoring nine goals in the Belgian Pro League, but also netting six times in just nine appearances in the Europa League.

Boniface is yet to win a cap for Nigeria at international level, but he appears to be pushing all the time and has been hailed for being one of a number of Nigerian attackers who have been "on fire" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, including Napoli star Victor Osimhen and former Everton attacker Ademola Lookman, who is now at Serie A side Atalanta.

The Merseysiders have been linked with a summer move for the 22-year-old in recent days, as they look to solve an attacking issue on show throughout last season, in terms of a lack of goal threat. They scored only 34 goals in 38 Premier League matches and it played a massive role in them almost going down to the Championship, although they eventually stayed up on the final day.

Now, another update has emerged that further suggests Everton see Boniface as a primary attacking target.

Could Everton sign Victor Boniface?

According to La Covina de Nervion [via Sport Witness], Everton are the "most interested" suitor when it comes to the race to sign Boniface this summer. It is stated that Sevilla are no longer interested in making a move for the Union star, however, with the Belgian side demanding €15m (£13m) for his services.

Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverksuen are also mentioned as potential suitors in the update, so the Blues certainly won't have it all their own way, in terms of their pursuit for the striker during the current transfer window.

Everton's attack is so badly in need of an injection of youth and quality this summer, so Boniface has to be considered an exciting option to bring in, given his aforementioned scoring feats last season. At 22, he is still admittedly a raw player learning his trade, however, so signing a more experience alongside him could make the most sense.

It is hard for Sean Dyche to rely on Dominic Calvert-Lewin to consistently lead the line, such are his injury problems, while Neal Maupay has done nowhere near enough since arriving from Brighton last summer, scoring and assisting just once apiece in a total of 29 appearances, which is a scarcely believable return.

Whether Boniface is ready to be starting striker every week for a Premier League club is up for debate – he has only represented Bodo/Glimt and Union to date – but he is an exciting talent who has long-term potential in his boots, and Dyche could feel he could get the best out of him over time.

Read the full text of chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya’s resignation letter to the sports minister of Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Aug-2017Dear Sir,I write this letter with great sadness in my heart as after long discussion with fellow selectors, we have unanimously decided to tender our resignation on September 7 2017.As a player who has represented the country at all levels, and as a former captain and current chairman of selectors, last Sunday’s incident at the grounds was the last straw. Cricket has been and will always be my life, so it was particularly painful to see our own fans attack our own players.I acknowledge it has been a very disappointing year. However, just one year ago we beat Australia at home three-nil. This was an unforgettable moment. We have some very talented boys and I am sure in time they will take cricket to the heights that it once was. We will always be ready to help Sri Lanka cricket should the need arise.The 1996 players always will think of the glory days with nostalgia. We would like to thank you sir for all the help and support extended to us. We would also like to thank the president and the board for the unwavering support that was extended to us.Finally we would like to thank the team for giving us their best at all times. We go with our eyes full of tears but with our heads held high. To all the fans we say please have faith in the boys. They will deliver. To the boys we say: believe in your ability and believe in the fans. They will be with you ultimately. We believe we will keep to our vision and succeed as One team, One nation.Yours faithfully,Sanath Jayasuriya

West Ham United target Harry Maguire is 'considering his future' at Manchester United amid speculation that he could be set to link up with David Moyes at the London Stadium, according to journalist Paul Brown.

Is Harry Maguire going to sign for West Ham United?

According to The Guardian, West Ham United have seen a loan bid turned down for Maguire by Manchester United amid uncertainty surrounding the 30-year-old's future at Old Trafford.

West Ham United are 'exploring' a loan deal with an option to purchase included; however, they feel that bringing in the £190k-a-week ace on a permanent basis would be an expensive proposition.

Maguire, who has recently been stripped of the Red Devils' captaincy, is also attracting interest from Chelsea, Newcastle United and Serie A giants Inter Milan and Juventus, as per 90min.

Erik Ten Hag would be keen to shift the England international this window and Manchester United would be open to the idea of letting him join Chelsea on loan as the Blues would be capable of paying his wages in full, something that other keen parties may not be able to offer.

Last term, Maguire, who was once hailed as "unbelievable", featured mainly as a rotational squad player for Manchester United and racked up 31 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Former Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney has told Maguire to leave Manchester United in a recent interview with The Athletic, stating: "To have the armband taken off you, how does he move forward with the club? That shows the manager really doesn't believe in him. It leaves Harry in a position where he has to think on what he does moving forward."

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Brown has indicated that Maguire will be 'considering his future' this summer amid West Ham United being keen to secure his services.

Brown stated: "I think West Ham are in buying mode now. I don't think it's just midfielders they want.

"There's definitely an interest in Harry Maguire who, having just lost the captaincy at Manchester United, may be considering his future. We'll see."

Who else could West Ham United look to sign this summer?

Sky Sports have revealed that Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher is of interest to West Ham United this summer, with Chelsea believed to value the Englishman at well over £40 million.

The report also states that the Hammers had a £45 million bid turned down for Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha as they get to work on reinvesting the £105 million they accumulated for now-Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice.

Former Chelsea man Denis Zakaria is another target for the Hammers; nevertheless, there is a gap in valuation between West Ham United and his parent club Juventus, according to Tuttosport.

West Ham United have offered €13 million for the Switzerland international, whereas Juventus value the enforcer at closer to between €20-25 million.

Perr Schuurs of Torino, Bayer Leverkusen's Jonathan Tah and Real Betis star Luiz Felipe have all been looked at by Hammers chiefs as alternatives to Maguire, as per Sky Sports.

In the next few weeks, West Ham United's transfer priorities will become clearer as they prepare for 2023/24 to get underway from a competitive standpoint.

Things got rather more difficult for India’s slow bowlers after they enforced the follow-on, as Sri Lanka delivered on their promise to use the sweep more

Sidharth Monga05-Aug-20171:27

Dasgupta: Hardik should have been brought on earlier

The third day’s play at SSC was a good illustration of how difficult winning Test matches can be. You nip an opposition out in under two sessions, you ask them to bat on because you suspect the pitch will slow down quickly, and then the opposition batsmen come with a game plan, attack you, have some luck running, and at the end of the day you have two wickets to show for 60 overs’ work. The effort to win looks that much bigger because India didn’t do too much wrong with the ball. They erred with the selection – Hardik Pandya ahead of Kuldeep Yadav on a turning track – but even he produced the breakthrough at the end of the day.The cause of what unfolded on day three was quite predictable. Sri Lanka spoke of sweeps and reverse sweeps even coming into the Test, Ajinkya Rahane in a press conference on day two said he anticipated sweeps and that they were a risky option, and history suggests India spinners don’t like being swept as Andy Flower, Matthew Hayden and Younis Khan among others have shown.The effect fluctuated wildly. Dinesh Chandimal delivered on his promise to play these shots but he found square leg first thing in the morning. Niroshan Dickwella continued sweeping and said at the end of the day that losing the captain early in the morning to that shot didn’t deter them. “Chandimal is only one wicket,” he said. “We are in a good position in the second innings because we kept sweeping.”At the forefront of it was Kusal Mendis, who scored his third Test century. In the second innings, Sri Lanka swept or reverse swept 35 of the 240 balls of spin they faced, a healthy 15%, for 63 runs and no wicket. In the morning, Dickwella swept or reverse swept 15 of the 37 balls of spin he faced, much higher 40%. The impact was there to see, especially on the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja, who went at close to five an over in the second innings. Neither he nor R Ashwin had a wicket to show for it.The sweep carries a bit of risk so you need top-class execution and a bit of luck. Ashwin complimented Sri Lanka for that. “I thought Mendis batted beautifully,” Ashwin said. “He put Jadeja off his length very quickly. Kept on sweeping him, and he was lucky, he got away with it, but credit to him, he batted beautifully.”R Ashwin: ‘A batsman who’s sweeping against me, I don’t really mind it, it gives me a good chance’•AFP

However, the idea that batsmen are sweeping him excites Ashwin. “You can try and vary your pace,” he said when asked what adjustments are required when batsmen sweep so much. “For me, the best option is to try and vary the pace and try and find the top edge, because as it is, I’m a tall bowler. To try and get underneath the bat is a bit of a no-no as far as I’m concerned because you start darting the ball in and you start bowling faster.”I did try a lot, I went wider, I went straighter. I didn’t give him a lot of boundaries in terms of sweep, which he did yesterday. So that was my plan, basically try and get him to play a sweep and… one run is a good trade-off for a top edge, that’s how I look at it. As a batsman who’s sweeping against me, I don’t really mind it, it gives me a good chance. But having seen him for the first time, probably the next time I will try and come in with a different plan.”The other important statistic for the second innings was the number of times the spinners beat the bat without getting the edge: 37 times, one in six balls. This was a little reminiscent of how India kept missing the edge in Pune against Australia earlier this year where the ball turned a lot, but a look at the pitch map will show that they did try to bowl fuller here but with no luck. There was also one big difference here. For Ashwin, the ball didn’t turn from the straight here, only from wide outside off, which worked for them if they were turning it back in, but not when taking it away.”You can change the angles, which I tried from over the stumps,” Ashwin said when asked of the adjustments spinners can make when they are missing the edge so often. “It’s pretty difficult because from the straight there is not a lot happening. It is only a kind of a visual mirage that you’re trying to create, try and turn the ball out from the left-hander and get him miss one that’s coming straight. Obviously that didn’t happen. With the technology improving more and more, the batsmen are pretty adept at covering their stumps and then probably playing inside the line for ones that are turning away. You do try everything in the middle; some day it works, some days it doesn’t.”The other challenge for India will be the dying bounce in the SSC pitch. “I think this wicket will get slower and slower,” Ashwin said. “It is not going to be easy work tomorrow for sure. We will have to be really disciplined. I thought we gave a few runs more than ideally we should have given today. Tomorrow we can probably try and squeeze them out and try and nip a few wickets up early. It is going to be very very important. Mind you, it is not going to be easy. Because it is slowing down at a very, very quick pace. Edges aren’t carrying. So that means we will have to stick to our guns and try to prise a few wickets out.”India were tested on day three – “Test teams are allowed to bat well,” Ashwin said – but how they respond to it will reveal a lot about them. If they do come back well, they will savour the win much more.

Jose Mourinho has aimed another dig at Tottenham and their “empty trophy room” following his pre-Carabao Cup final sacking in April 2021.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Spent 17 months in north LondonMoved on before trip to WembleyLeft baffled by that decisionWHAT HAPPENED?

The outspoken Portuguese coach was relieved of his duties in north London after just 17 months at the helm, and with a major final outing at Wembley a matter of days away. Spurs went on to lose that game against Manchester City with Ryan Mason in temporary charge – meaning that a long wait for major silverware that stretches all the way back to 2008 was extended.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT MOURINHO SAID

Mourinho is still baffled as to why he was let go, given his track record of delivering trophies, and has told the : “The most ridiculous one was a club that has an empty trophy room sacks me two days before a final. That was the one that was… come on! Tottenham have never won for 50 years. I don’t remember when. I am two days before a final and I couldn’t do the final. It’s the one which doesn’t smell well.”

He added: “I had a plan but sometimes it doesn’t work. But the reality is every time I went to Wembley with Chelsea I won. I went there with Man United three times, I won twice. So the record was good. It was a stadium and atmosphere which I dominate well, because when you go into these big matches you need to feel comfortable, you cannot go to these matches and feel the stadium is too big. I had the experience to try and help the team but the final was against Man City so I would be an idiot right now to say we would have won. But a few weeks before that, we won against them 2-0 at our stadium, so the feeling was positive. But it is what it is.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Mourinho has won major honours with Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Roma – including three Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns. His stint at Tottenham is the shortest of his managerial career since bursting onto the scene at Porto.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Mourinho lasted just 86 games at Tottenham. He won 44 of those, suffering 23 defeats, and has admitted to the Premier League outfit being the only side that he has worked for that he boasts no emotional attachment to.

Hopes of Dale Steyn’s availability for the Bangladesh Test series have been dashed after the seamer ruled himself out of the opening round of first-class fixtures next week. Steyn was planning to make his comeback for the Titans’ match against the Dolphins on Tuesday but has decided the load of a four-day match is too much for someone who has been out of action since last November.”I’ve decided not to play right now. I’m bowling fine but I haven’t hit the full workload I’d need to handle four-day cricket or a Test so I decided it was best not to play,” Steyn told ESPNcricinfo on Thursday.Steyn’s reluctance to rush back is mostly because he is mindful of breaking down again – as he did in Perth when he broke the bone in his shoulder that sidelined him – and leaving the team without sufficient resources. Instead, he will target shorter formats for now. “Playing the four-day game would have given me a chance for selection in the Tests but I don’t want to put myself or the team in a position where I pull up again. Some shorter cricket might be the better answer for a reintroduction.”

JP Duminy will not play for the Cobras in the opening round of first-class matches, increasing speculation that his Test retirement is high. No reason was given for Duminy sitting out the match, and he has been part of the Cobras’ pre-season training in Oudtshoorn, it appears Duminy may have accepted his long-form days are over. Duminy was dropped after the Lord’s Test in July and send home midway through the England tour and captain Faf du Plessis made it clear Duminy will need to find form if he is to return.

The only franchise cricket for next month, before the limited-overs games against Bangladesh, are the first-class games. Steyn is considering playing at a lower level to get some overs in the legs. “I might just play some club stuff in Pretoria or Cape Town. It doesn’t really matter to me at what level it is, I just need some cricket and I thought going from nothing to possibly bowling 30+ overs was a bit of a risk. It sucks, but I want to play for a few more years, not just till then end of October.”It’s been a frustrating time, but I want to play for a few more years and I’m confident I will. The longer stuff is too much right now, so we wait for possibly the white ball to come around.”Even if Steyn does not manage to find full fitness by the time the three ODIs and two T20s are played, he will be part of the inaugural Global T20, which starts on November 3. Steyn has been acquired by Cape Town Knight Riders where coach Jacques Kallis is confident he will be able to make use of Steyn throughout the tournament.”Having chosen him for the Knight Riders, I’ve kept a close eye on him. I was under a little bit of pressure from the owners asking ‘Are you sure?’ He’s busy bowling seven overs a day at the moment, and doesn’t want to go into a four day game upfront. He’s worried about bowling 18 overs in a day, so I think he just wants to ease into it a little bit more and make sure he’s 100% fit,” Kallis said, at an event in Johannesburg earlier in the week.”It’s a very mature decision he’s made and I think he will still have a massive impact this season. When he’s fully fit he’s as dangerous as any bowler in the world and he will be 100% at some stage. I know he’s as hungry as ever, he’s hungry to achieve and he will normally always find a way to do that.”Without Steyn, South Africa’s Test attack for Bangladesh will likely be the same as the one that played in England with Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander – who will play for the Cobras next week – the first choices, and Chris Morris and Duanne Olivier in reserve. The Test squad will be named after the opening round of matches, which concludes on Friday.

Fallout from Warwickshire’s poor season in the County Championship has begun with news that at least two members of the backroom staff are to be axed

George Dobell19-Oct-2017

Fallout from Warwickshire’s poor season in the County Championship has begun with news that at least two members of the backroom staff are to be axed.ESPNcricinfo understands that Alan Richardson, the club’s bowling coach, and Chris Armstrong, the club’s fitness and conditioning coach, are set to leave the club following a review of the player pathway and high performance squad undertaken by director of cricket, Ashley Giles.Warwickshire won just one Championship match in 2017 and were relegated to the second division. During that period, only one bowler – the overseas spinner, Jeetan Patel – claimed more than 26 Championship wickets and there were some fitness issues with the seamers, though arguably no more than at other clubs.Both departures are a surprise. Richardson, a former Warwickshire player, re-joined the club ahead of the 2014 season – he brought forward his retirement as a Worcestershire player to take up the role – and is a widely popular figure, while Armstrong has worked at the club since 2004 – all his working life – and was recently best man at Chris Woakes’ wedding. News of the departures, which is understood to have stunned the individuals involved, has not gone down well with several of the players.The episode sustains a more ruthless attitude that has been apparent at Warwickshire in recent times. Dougie Brown, who had served the club for more than two decades as a player and coach, was sacked as director of cricket 12 months ago just a few weeks after leading the side to the Royal London One Day Cup. Whether that marks an admirable determination not to accept mediocrity or a slide towards short-term thinking and a football mentality is debatable. It is noticeable, however, that across the county game – at Taunton, or Leicester or in Hove and Birmingham – there appears to be less patience afforded to coaches.Certainly this move underlines Giles’ determination to shake things up at Edgbaston. While he may have a reputation as a jovial character in the wider game, that exterior masks a steel that enabled him, as a player of modest natural ability, to represent England more than 100 times and play a key part in the 2005 Ashes success. This episode will also go some way to dispelling the suggestion that the Warwickshire coaching staff – containing, as it does, a host of former players of a similar vintage – is in any way overly cosy.There could well be knock-on effects at other clubs, too. With their ambition and spending power, Warwickshire will be looking for replacements to start as soon as possible. Graeme Welch, who enjoyed good success as bowling coach at Warwickshire before taking on the role of head coach at Derbyshire, is one obvious possibility as Richardson’s replacement. Welch is currently bowling coach at Leicestershire.Warwickshire declined to comment.

Rachael Haynes will fill in for the injured Meg Lanning as Australia’s captain for the forthcoming Ashes

Daniel Brettig20-Sep-2017Rachael Haynes will step into the breach as Australia’s captain during the forthcoming Ashes series, with a pressing need to find a way to succeed without the runs and leadership of the injured Meg Lanning.Having already deputised for Lanning when shoulder problems interrupted her World Cup campaign earlier this year, Haynes has some idea of what lies ahead. But the task of leading Australia through a multi-format series against England, including the first-ever day-night Ashes Test at North Sydney Oval in November, will be a considerable one. Lanning has since had shoulder surgery that will keep her out of the entire series.”To be named captain of your country, particularly in such a big series like the Ashes is a huge honour,” Haynes said. “It’s going to be a really exciting series. I think the multi-format points system in particular doesn’t favour either team, so to win the Ashes you genuinely have to be the best team across all three formats.”To be the first team, male or female, to play in a day-night Ashes Test match is going to be awesome. To have that opportunity is really exciting; you can only ever be part of history once.”The decision to elevate Haynes to the captaincy leaves Alex Blackwell to remain vice-captain, a move explained earlier this year during the World Cup as based upon the fact that Haynes’ leadership style for Victoria is not dissimilar to that of Lanning for Australia. At the time, the national selector Shawn Flegler said that Haynes, a left-handed batsman, adapted well to the demands of captaincy.”Rachael has a wealth of leadership experience, including successfully guiding Victoria to back-to-back national Twenty20 titles, and alongside Alex, will ensure the team is led to continue their current form,” Flegler said. “We know that Rachael is capable of coming in and doing the job that is asked of her, as she demonstrated in New Zealand earlier this year, when she scored a half-century after a lengthy absence from the national side.”The series, which takes place in 50-over and Twenty20 components, as well as the Test match, starts on October 22, with Haynes hoping for plenty of vocal spectator support to mirror that enjoyed by England during a home World Cup. “Playing against England on their home turf during the World Cup, you could noticeably tell the crowd was on their side,” she said, “so we’re looking forward to turning the tables this time around and getting the crowd support on our side.”