South Punjab were undone by Balochistan to fall to their fourth straight loss, while Northern made it four wins in four thanks to a half-century from Zeeshan Malik

Danyal Rasool04-Oct-2020

In a high-scoring game, South Punjab were undone by Balochistan to fall to their fourth straight loss, while Northern made it four wins in four thanks to a half-century from Zeeshan Malik.Balochistan beat Southern Punjab by 7 wickets
Southern Punjab’s winless run at the National T20 Cup continued, with Shan Masood’s side falling to a 16-run defeat against Balochistan. In a high-scoring contest, Balochistan put up the second highest total of the competition, amassing 230 in 20 overs, thanks largely to a 54-ball 94 from Imam-ul-Haq and a half-century from captain Haris Sohail.Southern Punjab’s death bowling and fielding let them down badly, with the home side conceding 91 in the final five overs. Bilawal Bhatti, who gave away two free hits in a final over that cost 21, was the most expensive, being hammered for 61 in four wicketless overs.Southern Punjab made a fist of the chase despite the early loss of the dangerous Zeeshan Ashraf, removed by the veteran Umar Gul, who enjoyed a decent spell with the new ball. Sohaib Maqsood holed out to Amad Butt, but a sparkling 103-run partnership between Masood and Khushdil Shah followed that threatened to run Balochistan very close. Both managed 72, off 42 and 32 balls respectively, but when Masood fell, the asking rate still hovered around 13, and was hard to stay on top of despite some loose bowling and generosity from Balochistan in the field.Khushdil fell after a lengthy and controversial discussion over whether bowler Akif Javed – who took three crucial wickets towards the end – had overstepped the front line, but once that call went Balochistan’s way, Southern Punjab’s hopes evaporated. This means they remain the only side not to have picked up any points yet, having lost all four games.Northen beat Sindh by 13 runs
A whirlwind 84 from Zeeshan Malik ensured Northern maintained their perfect start to the National T20 Cup against Sindh, winning a fourth successive game by 13 runs. The opener combined for a 50-run partnership with Ali Imran, before a more destructive 89-run stand with Haider Ali set his side up for yet another 200-plus total. Haider’s 22-ball 35 ensured the momentum was firmly with the defending champions as they headed to the death overs, and while Sohail Khan got rid of Malik and, before he could do too much damage, skipper Shadab Khan, cameos lower down the order meant Sindh had a stiff chase on their hands.But Northern would get off to the perfect start with the ball when Sharjeel Khan was dismissed for a golden duck by Haris Rauf, whose wicket-taking ability continued to pay dividends for his side. A breezy half-century by Azam Khan kept Sindh in the game, and while Khurram Manzoor top-scored with 64, it came off 52 balls, and Sindh required a better strike-rate than that. The asking rate continued to climb as Northern’s spinners chipped in with wickets, Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan combining for four. Anwar Ali briefly kept Sindh interested with seven boundaries in a 17-ball 37, but Northern would remain just out of reach.

Aston Villa have got the ball rolling in recent days after winding around PSR sticking points in recent weeks. Douglas Luiz's transfer to Juventus has yet to be concluded but is edging toward completion, with Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea headed to Villa Park.

Circumnavigating financial issues has left Unai Emery unable to enjoy the kind of thrilling start to the transfer window that last season's top-four Premier League finish called for, though a deal in excess of £35m has also been agreed for left-back Ian Maatsen and Everton's Lewis Dobbin is in advanced negotiations with the Lions.

All told, there's a lot going on. Staying within spending regulations and preventing a damaging points deduction next season is paramount, yes, but Villa need to ensure competitivity in the Champions League, with a centre-forward now being considered.

Villa eyeing new striker

As per i news, Aston Villa are among the clutch of Premier League clubs interested in signing LOSC Lille striker Jonathan David, though currently trail Manchester United, who have made contact with the player's representatives.

Lille president Olivier Letang confirmed last week that the Canada international is available for transfer with just one year left on his current deal – offers in the £25m ballpark will be met with consideration.

Why Villa are interested in Jonathan David

Aston Villa boast one of the best forwards in the Premier League in Ollie Watkins, but Chelsea's efforts to sign Jhon Duran would leave Villa Park a little light up front, so signing a replacement is paramount.

It goes without saying that Champions League football will bring thrill to Villa Park but it will also bring rigours that a lack of depth will succumb to, leaving Emery's squad leached and lethargic in the later stages of the campaign. Duran is young but he's been highly effective as Watkins' understudy, with talent scout Jacek Kulig claiming that he has "the potential to become a top striker".

David, who scored 26 goals and added nine assists from 47 matches for Lille in 2023/24, would be the perfect replacement. Still only 24, he's been hailed an "unbelievable finisher" by journalist Austin Ditlhobolo, ranking among the top 17% of strikers across Europe's top five leagues last season for non-penalty goals scored per 90 (FBref).

1.

Kylian Mbappe

27

2.

Jonathan David

19

2.

Alexandre Lacazette

19

4.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

17

5.

Wissam Ben Yedder

16

Not just a sharpshooter, the Canadian also ranks among the top 3% for pass completion, speaking highly of his technical, staccato-fired distribution, combining and conducting in attacking phase to maintain a fluent, all-together kind of advance.

For Villa, who ranked 16th in the Premier League last season for long balls, this kind of snappy, straightforward passing would prove to be a welcome addition to the build-up structure.

By selling Duran to Chelsea, Villa Park would frankly lose some raw power, and prodigious gusto, that scant few targets could effectively imitate upon arrival, but David is a refined and polished goalscorer who would bring some maturity and experience needed for the forthcoming European campaign.

Duran, aged 20, scored eight goals in all competitions last term and notably dissembled Liverpool's defence in the penultimate game, bagging twice to all but confirm a seat at Europe's elite table.

But starting just three top-flight fixtures, he's clearly still got much to learn. David's 84-goal return from 183 matches for his French club highlights the kind of attacking prowess Emery would be adding to his team, providing Villa with the finished article as opposed to a talent such as Duran, who will likely need several seasons yet before offering the full package.

David would be an excellent replacement for Duran, taking 2.3 shots per game in Ligue 1 last season and missing only 15 big chances despite scoring 19 goals. That's the mark of a clinical striker.

The Aston Villa transfer target is also wonderfully two-footed, with 22 of his 71 Ligue 1 goals scored by his weaker left foot (44 with his right, five with his head). Duran, conversely, bagged all five of his Premier League strikes with his left, suggesting David would offer a greater sense of fluidity and more angles in his attacking game.

For a bargain £25m fee, Villa must surely move to snap David up and bolster their frontline with his clinical qualities – especially if Duran is sold to Chelsea for the mooted £40m price.

He's a dream for Maatsen: Villa really interested in signing £40m star

This coveted player is expected to leave his club this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 21, 2024

Anthony Gordon miserable return to Everton with Newcastle was compounded after the Toffees' social media account joked about his penalty miss.

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• Gordon returns to old side Everton
• Misses penalty for Newcastle in 0-0 draw
• Toffees mock England winger

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gordon missed the chance to put Newcastle ahead at Goodison Park on Saturday as his penalty was well saved by former team-mate and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford – with the game ending in a 0-0 draw. Then, when one Toffees fan tweeted he wished his side had blasted the same buzzer noise they use with fans at halftime for the saved spot kick; and the club's social media team duly obliged.

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• WHAT EVERTON DID

  The club's social media account posted a clip of Pickford saving Gordon's spot kick and adding the negative-sounding buzzer noise to go alongside it. The tweet got thousands of likes on X, formerly Twitter.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gordon left Everton for Newcastle in ignominious fashion in January 2023 after reportedly failing to show up to training earlier that month. The England international later said he was "hurt" by the lack of credit he got for helping them stay in the Premier League the season before, with Everton not wishing him thanks or a good luck message upon his departure. That dislike for Gordon was very clear on Saturday, with Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher saying on Sky Sports he had never seen such a reaction to a missed penalty.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Gordon will hope to bounce back from this setback over the next week or so as he is in England's squad to face Greece and Finland in the Nations League. He will then line up for Newcastle at home to Brighton on October 19 for the return of the Premier League.

Sydney and Canberra are firming as the venues for the white-ball matches to commence India’s looming tour of Australia, with an agreement between Cricket Australia and the New South Wales state government possibly only a matter of days away.Though CA continues to talk with authorities in both Queensland and South Australia about options around India’s tourists arriving for quarantine and training, New South Wales has swiftly taken over as favourites for the start of the tour and its first block of matches prior to the Test series.The state’s sports minister, Stuart Ayres, has confirmed receipt of a proposal from CA and its considerations by relevant authorities including police and health officials. After several weeks of gridlock between the governing body and Queensland Health, the combination of the New South Wales border to South Australia being opened on September 26, plus the obvious eagerness of the SCG Trust and also the ACT government, where Canberra’s Manuka Oval is located, for international cricket appears to have been the circuit-breaker required.”Cricket Australia has approached the New South Wales government about quarantining the Indian cricket team and returning Australian cricketers in Sydney,” Ayres said. “That proposal is currently being assessed by NSW authorities including health and police. Fixtures for the Indian tour will be determined by Cricket Australia and won’t impact our assessment of the quarantine proposal.”Should CA and the state government reach agreement, the revised plan would then be submitted to the BCCI for approval, with fixtures announced and the unveiling of Australia’s extended white-ball squad for the six games – three ODIs and three T20Is – to follow.Queensland Health’s prevarication alongside the state government, which is facing an election in a matter of days, is understood to have focused on objection to CA’s desire to allow the Indian squad to travel from the Brisbane city centre hotel they had booked in its entirety to training facilities at Allan Border Field. This disagreement had come as a surprise to CA and its government relations team, after initial airing of the plan had not met with any reservations.By contrast, New South Wales appears more likely to allow the combination of hotel quarantine and supervised training sessions that is the preferred option for the both the Indian touring party and the Australian cricketers also returning home from their stints in the IPL. From there, the two white-ball series would share fixtures between the SCG and Manuka Oval, most likely four fixtures in Sydney and two in Canberra.CA has already unveiled plans in collaboration with Cricket NSW and the state government to host the WBBL in Sydney in its entirety, and the tournament will require only minor tweaks should the India series begin in the same city. Neither the SCG or Manuka had been set down to play a role in the WBBL, apart from tentative plans to possibly use the SCG for the final in late November.

Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford look set to be the two wingers that Manchester United will enter their new era with.

The Argentine enjoyed a fantastic 2023/24 campaign, developing into an irreplaceable ace, while the number ten struggled to live up to expectations.

Therefore, next season, both attackers will have a point to prove to not just themselves but also the fanbase and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a Man United target who outperformed the aforementioned duo last season.

Man Utd’s quest for attacking reinforcement

As per a report from Football Insider, Man United are very keen on bringing Eberechi Eze to Old Trafford.

The report says that the Crystal Palace star ‘ticks a lot of boxes for the new-look INEOS recruitment staff.’

However, Tottenham Hotspur are also extremely interested, and alongside the Red Devils, the two clubs are ‘ready to pay’ for Eze.

That said, the attacking midfielder has a release clause of £60m in his contract, which is a fee that the Eagles will demand this summer.

This is the same fee in Michael Olise’s contract, who has also been frequently linked with a move to Old Trafford this month.

How Eze compares to Rashford and Garnacho

There’s no two ways about it: last season, Eze was one of the most influential players in the entire Premier League.

Despite some of his campaign being hindered by injuries, he impressed every time he was on the field across his 24 league starts.

Whether the England international was operating as an attacking midfielder or even out wide on the left, his level of performance remained extremely high.

This is highlighted by his 11 goals and four assists, as well as the fact that he will feature for England at the European Championships this summer.

Goals

0.48

0.28

0.25

Assists

0.18

0.08

0.14

Shots

3.59

2.38

3.51

Key passes

2.37

0.91

1.61

Shot-creating actions

4.82

3.45

4.18

Successful take-ons

3.02

1.90

1.68

Tackles

1.53

0.75

0.77

As you can see, Eze’s output and overall performance were much better than those of Rashford and Garnacho last season.

First of all, Eze’s output is far superior, which is due to his ability to work his way into goal-scoring positions in central areas, whether that be in the box or on the edge of it.

Although his actual assist tally is rather low, Palace’s number ten is always the creative outlet in the side, using his excellent combination ability and vision to continuously create chances far more often than Rashford and Garnacho.

Yet, what makes Eze unstoppable at times is his ability to create a moment of magic out of nothing, mainly via his mesmerising dribbling and carrying of the ball.

As of right now, the two United wingers are much better when playing on the counterattack rather than against a settled defence, but Eze has the ability to unlock opponents in any game state.

On top of that, the England international works tirelessly off the ball to ensure his side aren’t vulnerable, often making tackles and regaining possession, much more than the United attacking duo.

Another aspect that makes Eze an ideal pick-up is that, according to FBref, he’s classified as a 'similar player' to Olise, which means that the Red Devils will be able to secure a fine alternative to the Frenchman this summer.

Indeed, it’s quite clear that Eze has all the attributes and character to thrive at Man United, and his £60m price tag is a rather fair representation of his quality.

What Man Utd's dream XI could look like after £230m spending spree

Marcus Rashford doesn’t make the best eleven.

1 ByTom Lever Jun 7, 2024

Bayern Munich are reportedly monitoring the situation of Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen, as they try to find a long-term successor for Manuel Neuer.

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Bayern seek long-term Neuer successorMonitoring Brighton 'keeper VerbruggenStuttgart loanee Nubel an option as wellFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to journalist Florian Plettenberg, Bayern are keeping tabs on Verbruggen – whose contract at Brighton runs until 2028. They are, however, also monitoring FC Koln's Jonas Urbig – who has just under two years left on his deal.

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Despite that, Plettenberg adds that Bayern are trying to extend the contract of 38-year-old Neuer, after 13 years with the Bundesliga giants. Moreover, they see 28-year-old Alexander Nubel – who is on loan at Stuttgart – as his long-term successor, which may cause Verbruggen some concern.

DID YOU KNOW?

Verbruggen swapped Anderlecht for Brighton for £16.3 million ($21.3m) in the summer of 2023 on a five-year deal. The 22-year-old has since gone on to become a regular for the Netherlands' national team but his form has been somewhat up and down for Brighton – with Jason Steele sometimes preferred between the sticks.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

While Vincent Kompany's Bayern try to extend Neuer's contract, which expires next summer, and they monitor Verbruggen and Urbig, they return to Bundesliga action at home to Stuttgart on Saturday, October 19.

حسم نادي ليفربول متصدر جدول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز موقفه من التعاقد مع مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي آينتراخت فرانكفورت، عمر مرموش، في يناير.

وكانت هناك العديد من التقارير الصحفية التي ربطت ليفربول بإمكانية ضم مرموش في الميركاتو الشتوي خاصة مع انخفاض مستوى، داروين نونيز.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ماركا: أرنولد أبلغ ليفربول بقراره النهائي بشأن مستقبله

ولكن بحسب صحيفة “ذا أثلتيك” البريطانية فإن ليفربول لن يتعجل في ضم أي مهاجم جديد خلال الشهر المقبل وبالتالي، فمن غير المرجح أن يتعاقد الريدز مع عمر مرموش حتى نهاية الموسم.

أيضًا تم وضع اسم مرموش على طاولة ليفربول من أجل تعويض رحيل محتمل لمواطنه محمد صلاح، بعد تألقه اللافت للأنظار مع فرانكفورت هذا الموسم ومنافسته، هاري كين، على صدارة الهدافين في الدوري الألماني.

الجدير بالذكر أن هناك أكثر من نادٍ خارجي يرغب في ضم مرموش مثل توتنهام، نوتينجهام فورست، برينتفورد وبعيدًا عن إنجلترا هناك برشلونة وروما.

There’s little to separate the two teams on the points table, with their NRR putting SRH slightly ahead

Hemant Brar23-Oct-20207:44

Are Sunrisers missing a strike bowler?

Big pictureThe first half of IPL 2020 might not have been as closely fought as in some of the previous editions, but with no team completely out of the playoffs race yet, it has become competitive in the last few days. The Kings XI Punjab, who were languishing at the bottom of the points table much of the way, have beaten the top three teams in their last three outings. They will look to improve their playoff chances further on Sunday evening in Dubai, as will their opponents, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, who are coming off a confidence-boosting win over the Rajasthan Royals.Both sides would have been pleased at cantering to victories in their last games despite their big guns not performing. Nicholas Pooran helped the Kings XI chase down the Delhi Capitals’ 164 after they had lost KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Chris Gayle inside the powerplay. Then, on Thursday, Manish Pandey’s counter-attacking 83 not out took the Sunrisers home against the Royals after Jofra Archer had removed David Warner and Jonny Bairstow cheaply.The two sides are currently on eight points each after four wins from ten matches, but the winner of Saturday’s match can break into the top four, provided the Capitals beat the Kolkata Knight Riders in the earlier game on the same day.In the newsAn adductor (thigh) injury kept Kane Williamson out against the Royals. There has been no official word on his fitness, but even if he is fit, the Sunrisers might be tempted to stick with Jason Holder, who not only guarantees four overs with the ball but also strengthens their lower-middle order batting.Previous meetingBairstow smashed a 55-ball 97 at this very venue to take the Sunrisers to 201 for 6. In response, Pooran fought a lone battle, scoring 77 off 37 balls, with the next highest score being just 11. Rashid Khan picked up 3 for 12 as the Kings XI – bowled out for 132 in 16.5 overs – went on to lose by 69 runs.Manish Pandey punches gloves with Vijay Shankar•BCCILikely XIsKings XI Punjab: 1 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Chris Gayle, 4 Nicholas Pooran, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Deepak Hooda, 7 James Neesham, 8 M Ashwin, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Arshdeep SinghSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Vijay Shankar, 5 Priyam Garg, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Jason Holder, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Shahbaz Nadeem, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 T NatarajanStrategy punts Khan has been the most successful bowler for the Sunrisers but the Kings XI have a counter for him in Gayle. Since 2018, Gayle averages 57.7 at a strike rate of 201 against legspin in the IPL. Against Khan, he has scored 79 runs in 45 balls in all T20s while being dismissed thrice. The only time Khan conceded over 50 in an IPL match was against the Kings XI in Mohali in 2018 when Gayle took him apart en route an unbeaten 104 off 63 balls. Meanwhile, Sandeep Sharma has got Gayle out four times in nine innings while conceding only 64 off 59 balls. It may be worth bringing on Sharma for an over when Gayle comes to the crease. Rahul has scored lots of runs this IPL but has managed only 115 from 117 balls against spinners while getting out thrice. The Sunrisers can employ Khan against him as the legspinner has got him out twice in four T20 innings while giving away only 16 runs off 24 balls.Stats that matter The Sunrisers dominate the head-to-head numbers with 11 wins from 15 matches. Teams batting first have won 12 out of the 18 games in Dubai this IPL. Khan’s best numbers are against the Kings XI: 14 wickets in seven innings at a strike rate of 12. Pooran’s 22 sixes are the most by a batsman so far in IPL 2020. In fact, he has more sixes to his name than fours (21). Overall also he has 198 fours and as many sixes in T20 cricket.

An "absolutely outstanding" Everton player has reportedly seen a bid accepted for him by a European club, with a medical already being lined up.

Everton transfer news

This summer is a case of the Blues making new signings but also trying to keep hold of important current players, even though that may be difficult for them to comply with the league's PSR guidelines.

Jarrad Branthwaite is one such figure who could be sacrificed, being linked with a move to Manchester United, and Peterborough United defender Ronnie Edwards has apparently been lined up to replace him, being backed to play for England one day.

Similarly, star midfielder Amadou Onana could also need to be replaced, with a switch to another Premier League club mooted throughout the summer to date, and Leicester City ace Wilfred Ndidi has emerged as a strong option to come in for the Belgian, filling the void left by him in the middle of the park.

Seamus Coleman isn't the force he used to be for Everton at right-back, which is only natural given his age, and Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka is reportedly being lined up to come in during the current transfer window. He found himself behind Diogo Dalot in the pecking order at Old Trafford last season, and his expert one-on-one defending could make him a shrewd addition for Sean Dyche.

"Outstanding" Everton man closes in on exit

According to a new report from Football Insider, Ben Godfrey is on the verge of leaving Everton for Atalanta, with their improved bid for him accepted. It is claimed that the Englishman "will arrive in Milan at 10am on Friday to undergo an Atalanta medical and finalise personal terms", with a fee of "£9m including add-ons" agreed.

This does feel like the right time for Godfrey to move on and enjoy a fresh challenge, not only allowing him more regular football but also ensuring that Everton receive a healthy amount of money for his services.

The 26-year-old hasn't been considered a key man under Dyche, only starting 13 out of a possible 38 Premier League games last season, although there could be a risk in selling the defender, considering Rio Ferdinand once heaped praise on him.

"You’ve got two centre-backs playing at full-backs. Ben Godfrey has been absolutely outstanding. The pace he has shown in the last couple of games…were against Timo Werner, Chelsea, the last game against Arsenal.

"You look at the pace of the kid. Pepe, £72m worth, I am sure Mr Godfrey would be looking at his pocket and thinking ‘where is he? Someone causing me a bit of friction in my pocket."

Everton could axe £25m flop who earns more than Branthwaite

He has struggled to find his feet this season

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 28, 2024

That being said, it is still the right decision by Everton, and it will be interesting to see how the £75,000-a-week Godfrey fares in Italy. He should be remembered as a solid servant for the Blues, making 93 appearances since arriving from Norwich City back in 2020, and the hope is that the funds can be used to bring in a superior replacement.

“But he’s a gun player, he’s knocking hard, and the opportunity will come for him at some point.”

Daniel Brettig25-Nov-20201:08

Don’t need to break something that’s working – Warner

Australia’s coach Justin Langer has sharpened focus on a looming duel between Joe Burns and Will Pucovski for an opening spot in the Test team, declaring that Pucovski will not be considered to start the series against India ahead of Travis Head or Matthew Wade in the middle order.While Pucovski has put his hand up to bat anywhere in the order, having only opened in two matches for Victoria, Langer could not have been clearer in terms of the scenario facing the selectors: Burns is clearly the batsman most likely to be facing pressure for his spot over the three weeks between now and the first ball of the Test series.”He won’t play in front of Matthew Wade or Travis Head,” Langer said. “But what I am saying – philosophically – and in the bigger picture, everyone who bats in the top three in Shield cricket can bat anywhere. And let’s be really clear about Will – one thing I’ve learned and I’ve joked about it. The first six or eight months in the job I didn’t joke about it, because it stressed me out so much.”But as an Australian selector, my starting point is you can’t win. You literally can’t win. That’s ok, I’m at peace with that. If we pick Will Pucovski and don’t pick Joe Burns then the Queenslanders will think we’re wrong and the Vics will think we’re right – and half of Australia will think we’re right and half will think we’re wrong. And if we pick Will Pucovski and don’t pick Matthew Wade, Travis Head, Steve Smith or David Warner – so that’s the starting point. I’m at peace with that. We think very, very highly of Will.ALSO READ: India on notice – Steven Smith ‘finds his hands’ again after disappointing IPL”We picked him as a 19-year-old, picked him as a 20-year-old, now we’re picking him as a 21-year-old (22), so he’s got enormous talent. All part of his journey and now he’s – when the opportunity comes – ready to play Test cricket. So I’m really confident by the time the first ball comes down in a few weeks – there’s a couple of Australia A games coming up – it’ll become really clear who is playing, who the top six batters are. But he’s a gun player, he’s knocking hard and the opportunity hopefully will come for him at some point, whether it’s in this series or a series to come.”More broadly, Langer had indicated a willingness to choose top-order players anywhere down to No. 6, an initial role taken on by many players who went on to become top-line batsmen for Australia, not least the likes of Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh.Will Pucovski edges into the slips•Getty Images”For Will it’s about where the opportunities come,” Langer said. “My view, not just as the Australian coach but for the last 30 years I think, it’ been drummed into me if you can bat top three in Shield cricket you can bat anywhere in the order. It’s a bit different if you’re more specifically a five or six in Shield cricket because that’s where you’ve got to bat in Test cricket. If you bat in the top three scoring hundreds you can literally bat anywhere in the order.”That’s where someone like Will, who’s opening the batting for Victoria, comes in. He’s batted at three, and it gives him the flexibility to bat anywhere. He knows how to score hundreds, our philosophy in Test cricket is the top six batters have to be able to score hundreds. He sets himself nicely wherever that opportunity comes up.”Asked about Australia’s pace bowling options for the summer, with Michael Neser and Sean Abbott ostensibly backups for Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson, Langer was equally blunt in stating that he hoped the former pair did not play – because it meant the “big four” were fit and firing all the way through three ODIs, three T20Is and four Tests.”I say this with great respect to Sean and Michael Neser but I hope not,” Langer said. “Because it means our bowlers, those three guys will play the first game if they’re fit, healthy and firing. And that’s how you want it to be, you guys are probably sick of me saying it – that old saying, that it’s harder to get out of the team than into the team. I said two-and-a-half years ago when I got the job, that is what we want.”It’s great to see competition building in Australian cricket but I hope nobody else gets to. Because it means they’re bowling well, fit and healthy and we’ve got our three first pick bowlers on the park. But who knows. In cricket we know through this last eight or nine months of Covid period that things can happen and change so quickly. We just have to be agile and whatever happens, we’ll be ready to take on the challenge and bring guys in. But I am so confident the guys we can bring in now are really, really good seasoned cricketers and they’ll fill the shoes if they have to.”Will Pucovski top edged a hook•Getty ImagesAs for the imminent commencement of an international season that had looked in grave doubt for much of the year due to Covid-19, Langer said that any anxiety about the start of the schedule would linger all the way through, given numerous instances of outbreaks that have changed plans for many both within cricket and beyond it.”We’ve been nervous, we’re still nervous, we’ll be nervous until the last ball of the summer’s bowled,” Langer said. “We saw what happened in Adelaide. We saw the creativity of the AFL, I was more closely keeping an eye on the AFL than the NRL and the other codes. We’ve seen the Australian Open, we’re all sensitive to the current environment. We’ll be relieved when we hopefully get through the whole summer.”I know there’s some people who are working around the clock to ensure this series goes on. It’s important not only for the economic health of the game in Australia but also for a lot of people around the world. I know in India at the moment Covid has had a real impact. For the Indians in India and Australians here to watch Australia and India will be great entertainment. Hopefully it will put some smiles on people’s faces – that’s the bigger picture we’re looking at as well.”We can’t wait to get it underway on Friday and we can’t wait to get the last ball bowled of great cricket in Brisbane in a few months’ time.”