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The 22-year-old has already struck 18 times in 16 appearances in all competitions this season and is now being linked with the likes of Real Madrid

Santiago Gimenez says Tuesday night's Champions League game against Atletico Madrid is going to be "one of the most important" of his career – and he's not wrong. For starters, Feyenoord need a win at De Kuip to climb above the current Group E leaders and their star striker is clearly key to them achieving their objective.

Gimenez missed the two teams' first meeting in Madrid through suspension and the Dutch champions still only lost 3-2 at the Metropolitano. The fans are cautiously optimistic, then, that Arne Slot's side can gain revenge with the Mexico international back in the starting line-up, and having already shown what he can do at this level with two goals in a 3-1 win over Lazio on matchday three.

But this isn't just a colossal clash from Feyenoord's perspective; it also very much feels like this could be a defining moment for Gimenez. A positive performance against one of Europe's biggest names – and best defensive sides – could well convince the numerous scouts certain to be in attendance that Feynoord's free-scoring forward should be their employers' top transfer target, if not in January than at the end of the current season.

We have, of course, seen plenty of strikers shine in the Eredivisie in the past only to subsequently disappoint at the very highest level, so are we looking at the next Robin van Persie here – or another Mateja Kezman?…

Getty'Already spoken with Atletico Madrid'

Just a month ago, Morris Pagniello claimed that while Gimenez's father Christian, a former professional footballer, is representing the 22-year-old's interest, he has been working alongside them as a consultant for nearly 18 months. Pagniello also claimed that several members of Europe's elite were interested in signing Gimenez.

“We have already spoken with Atletico Madrid," he told . "We also talked about him with Inter, AC Milan, Lazio and Napoli. For me, he could be perfect for both Inter and Juventus. They would be the best options for him. I've been telling various clubs to believe in him, his value went from €10m to €40m in just under 12 months. Now the teams closest to him are Real Madrid and Tottenham."

Pagniello's comments understandably caused quite the stir, but Gimenez, who has previously expressed his fondness for Madrid as well as the idea of plying his trade in Serie A by pointing out that he has an Italian passport, promptly took to social media to set a few things straight.

"In the last few hours, statements have come out about my future that have emerged from sources far from my environment," he wrote. "Given this situation, I would like to clarify that I do not have a representative and that the person in charge of my career is my father with the help of Mariel.

"It is important not to take into account claims that have not been made by them or by me. I am very grateful for the understanding and support that everyone shows me every day. We have always been very open with information and know that as soon as there is any news to give, we will gladly let you know."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesSet to surpass Suarez

Speculation surrounding his future hasn't abated, of course, and in a funny way, Gimenez only has himself to blame, given transfer talk is inevitable when a player is performing at such a high level.

Gimenez is tearing up the Eredivisie in a manner not seen since Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan sensation once scored 30 Eredivisie goals across a single calendar year; Gimenez already has 29 in 2023 – and another three games to work with. Not bad for a player that cost Feyenoord just €6 million (£5.2m/$6.6m) when he joined from Cruz Azul in the summer of 2022.

It's also worth remembering that he started slowly. It took him some time to get to grips with what Feyenoord's highly-rated coach Arne Slot was asking of him, particularly from a defensive perspective.The goals weren't exactly flowing either, though. He scored just twice during the first half of the 2022-23 Eredivisie season.

Getty From super-sub to leading man

However, at that stage, he was being used primarily as an impact substitute, with Slot often preferring to start with Danilo up front. There were flashes of Gimenez's enormous potential, though, most notably in a Europa League loss at Lazio, when he scored twice in a 27-minute cameo.

Furthermore, the longer the season went on, the more comfortable and, thus, confident he became leading the line for Slot. Gimenez became Feyenoord's first-choice forward in February and was integral to their title triumph, netting in nine consecutive games during the run-in.

He ended the campaign with a record of 23 goals in 45 appearances (only 27 of which were starts) – and his fine form unsurprisingly led to him being included in the Mexico squad for the 2023 Gold Cup, after failing to make the cut for Qatar 2022.

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Getty Argentina-born Mexico match-winner

Gimenez was tasked with serving as El Tri's super-sub by new coach Jaime Lozano – and, given his familiarity with the role, he played it perfectly. In a tight and fiercely-contested final against Panama, Gimenez was only brought on in the 85th minute. But it mattered not. Just three minutes later, he won the game – and the tournament – for Mexico by controlling a ball on halfway, turning his man, and then racing away to score with a low, left-footed strike.

It was the perfect illustration of everything he has in his locker: excellent technique, strength, speed and a cool head. For Gimenez, it was a beautiful moment that also felt like vindication for choosing to represent Mexico over Argentina.

People had told him he was crazy – and worse – for turning down the land of his birth. However for Gimenez, Mexico had always felt like home. He had lived nearly his entire life there, with his father having left Independiente for Veracruz in 2004, when Gimenez was only three years of age, before going on to spend the remaining 14 years of his professional career with Mexican clubs.

Cruz Azul was one of those clubs, and that's where Gimenez took his first steps towards stardom. He started out as a midfielder, but despite being considered a little shy and awkward at first, he developed into a lethal goalscorer, striking 100 times across four seasons at under-age level. He made his pro debut at just 16 years of age and there had been talk for some time that the boy was destined to play in Europe one day.

The move to Feyenoord still came as something of a surprise and Gimenez wasn't convinced at first. It was his father who felt that the Netherlands would be the perfect place for him to develop as a player, and he was spot on.

Tottenham Hotspur look set to lose one of their first-team stars sooner rather than later as Ange Postecoglou looks to trim his squad, according to a fresh report.

Tottenham Hotspur's fine start in the Premier League

Despite Manchester City's victory over Bournemouth on Saturday, Spurs will have the chance to regain top spot in the Premier League table on Monday when they host London rivals Chelsea in N17.

Tottenham vs Chelsea match preview

So far, Tottenham have been in fine fettle domestically, winning eight and drawing two of their opening ten league matches; however, tough encounters are on the horizon for Postecoglou's men as they aim to prove their mettle as title contenders.

Nevertheless, the initial signs emanating from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are very positive indeed, especially when factoring in how the goal burden has been shared around the Lilywhites' squad.

Son Heung-min leads the scoring charts with eight strikes for Spurs, while James Maddison has three goals, and Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski and Cristian Romero are all tied on two apiece this term across all competitions (Tottenham squad statistics – Transfermarkt).

Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies are doubts for the visit of Chelsea and will undergo fitness tests before a decision on their availability is determined.

Manor Solomon, Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon are all unavailable for selection as Postecoglou looks to become only the third manager in Premier League history to go unbeaten in their first 11 games in charge, which would see him join Nottingham Forest's Frank Clark and former Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri in achieving this feat.

Of course, Chelsea's visit will also mark the return of Mauricio Pochettino to his old stomping ground for the first time since he was sacked by Tottenham in 2019. Speaking before the London derby, as per BBC Sport, Pochettino stated: "It's really special to go back to a place where we created amazing memories together. It's special, I'm not going to lie. That is true."

Even though Spurs are seemingly entering a new era on the field, another one of the old guard could now be set to depart, according to latest reports.

Tottenham Hotspur's next five fixtures – all competitions

Competition

Opponent

Venue

Premier League

Chelsea (H)

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Premier League

Wolverhampton Wanderers (A)

Molineux

Premier League

Aston Villa (H)

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Premier League

Manchester City (A)

Etihad Stadium

Premier League

West Ham United (H)

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Eric Dier now set to leave Tottenham Hotspur

According to a transfer update from Football Insider, Tottenham star Eric Dier is set to leave the club in 2024. Dier is keen to run down his contract and leave as a free agent rather than be sold in January. Spurs will listen to offers in January for the former Sporting CP man, who has not featured at all under Postecoglou's stewardship.

The England international reportedly believes more options to continue his career trajectory would become apparent if he is available as a free agent, after talks collapsed between Dier and Tottenham over a contract extension in north London.

Dier, who has previously been hailed as a "reliable player" by Antonio Conte, has made 360 appearances for Tottenham across all competitions during his time at the club, notching 13 goals and 12 assists (Dier statistics – Transfermarkt).

Now, it looks as if the experienced defender could be set to embark on a new venture as his time at Tottenham slowly draws to a close.

Leading the two-Test series 1-0, Sri Lanka may once again go in with the three-pronged spin-attack that fetched them 17 wickets in the first game

The Preview by Firdose Moonda19-Jul-2018Big PictureSoon, Sri Lankans might be making jokes about how the captain, the coach and the manager should be banned more often. Dinesh Chandimal, Chandika Hathurusingha and Asanka Gurusinha will miss four of the five ODIs against South Africa, after the ICC meted out its most severe punishment earlier this week since the demerit points system was introduced, but that is not a concern for the next five days.The trio is also out of this second Test but, even sans their engine room, Sri Lanka had trounced South Africa so soundly in Galle that they can confidently say they don’t need the big three back just yet. Rather, it’s the other three Sri Lanka will rely on: the three spinners.Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera and Lakshan Sandakan made South Africa look like amateurs on a surface that was challenging but nowhere near a minefield, and they will look to do it again in Colombo. It’s difficult to imagine South Africa’s batting line-up doing worse, but stranger things have happened.For a start, South Africa have to decide on their approach against spin. Are they going to attack, with the mentality that they have to get runs before the ball gets them – something Ottis Gibson said was a tactic on seamer-friendly pitches – or are they going to show patience, bat time and trust that runs will follow? The latter sounds more sensible, the former more desperate, and desperate is what South Africa are.In 2014, South Africa reached the SSC 1-0 up in the series and were dogged in their determination not to lose the advantage. What followed was a blockathon that made the rain breaks more entertaining than play. Four years on, Sri Lanka are 1-0 up at the SSC and will want to turn the screws. South Africa will be happy to draw the series, but whether they are capable of that is the real question.Form guideSri Lanka: WWDLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa: LWWWLIn the spotlightWhile Dimuth Karunaratne scored more than the entire South Africa team in the first Test, he also made more runs than any of his team-mates, which puts the onus on Angelo Mathews, among others, to step up. In absence of Dinesh Chandimal, Mathews is the senior-most batsman in the line-up and will want to show that. He was their second-highest run-scorer, behind Chandimal, when they visited India last year, before missing two of the three Test in the West Indies for personal reasons. He has not got past the 30s in his last five innings, numbers that simply won’t do for the man who should be leading with the bat.On his first tour of the subcontinent, Aiden Markram already showed improvement from one innings to the next in the first Test and will want to leave his mark on the series in Colombo. Markram faced 46 balls in the second innings, six times more than what he faced in the first, and, though he was stumped trying to charge the spinner, he showed a little more patience and a little more finesse the second time. Batting coach Dale Benkenstein expects Markram’s ability to adjust quickly to bring more rewards in the second Test.Team newsThe major decision South Africa have to make is whether or not to leave out Vernon Philander – who, despite his efforts with the bat, bowled only 11 of the 112.1 overs they delivered in the Galle Test – and finding a suitable replacement. If it’s an extra batsman they’re looking for, Theunis de Bruyn will slot in. If it’s a bowler, Lungi Ngidi could come into contention.South Africa: (possible) 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Temba Bavuma, 5 Faf du Plessis (capt), 6 Quinton de Kock (wk), 7 Vernon Philander/Theunis de Bruyn, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Tabraiz ShamsiHaving had success with a three-pronged spin-attack against Australia at the SSC in 2016, Sri Lanka will probably go with a similar strategy.Sri Lanka: (possible) 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Dhananjaya de Silva, 4 Kusal Mendis, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Roshen Silva, 7 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Suranga Lakmal (capt), 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Lakshan SandakanPitch and conditionsThe SSC surface is expected to take substantial turn in the latter half of the Test, but it does also tend to be conducive to seam bowling on the first morning and generally has more runs in it than the Galle pitch.Some rain is forecast for every day of the match. However, the second day is the most likely to be affected, with an 80% chance of showers.Stats and trivia Hashim Amla needs three more runs to become the third South African, after Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith, to 9000 Test runs. Angelo Mathews is eight runs away from 5000 runs. He will become the ninth Sri Lanka batsman to reach the milestone. In Galle, South Africa lost 17 of their 20 wickets to spin. In Colombo in 2014, they lost the same number of wickets to Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera, but managed to draw the Test and win the series.Irrespective of the outcome of the series, both South Africa and Sri Lanka will remain in their current positions – No. 2 and No. 6 respectively – on the ICC rankings table. If Sri Lanka win 2-0, they will gain six points, and South Africa will lose six. If the series is drawn 1-1, Sri Lanka only gain two points and South Africa lose two.Quotes”It is very important that we win a series, and that we win at home. They are the No. 2-ranked team. We need a victory to gain confidence, so it’s a very important game.”
“I will give him a kiss on the cheek.”

Suranga Lakmal moved the ball skillfully in the morning, and Lahiru Kumara bowled aggressively all day, but a 90-run sixth-wicket stand between Jason Holder and Shane Dowrich ensured the hosts emerged from day one with some credit

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Jun-2018Stumps AFPSuranga Lakmal moved the ball skillfully in the morning, and Lahiru Kumara bowled aggressively all day, but a 90-run sixth-wicket stand between Jason Holder and Shane Dowrich ensured the hosts emerged from day one with some credit. They are 246 for 6, at stumps, having progressed cautiously through the afternoon and evening sessions. That the most reticent batsmen finished as the day’s top scorer is fitting – Dowrich’s 46 not out has come off 133 deliveries. With him at the crease at the end of day was Devendra Bishoo, who was scoreless off 32 balls.Sri Lanka’s bowlers were largely disciplined even through the wicketless spells, and despite the Trinidad heat, but the team may have another problem. Having finished six overs short of their quota for the day, captain Dinesh Chandimal is now at risk of ICC censure. This, despite having two specialist spinners in the XI. Dilruwan Perera and Rangana Herath delivered 32 overs between them.On what was at times a slow-moving Test match day, Kumara produced the most excitement. He was erratic right through, often firing balls way outside off, or down the leg side. But as he regularly breached the 140 kph mark, he could also be dangerous on the occasions he was on target. His first wicket, near the end of the morning session, was that of Kieran Powell, who had his leg-stump uprooted by a swinging delivery that took a ricochet into the stumps. Later, in the afternoon, Shai Hope was caught gloving a ball down the leg side. His final victim was Holder, who attempting to flay a full, wide delivery through the offside, managed only to get an edge to the keeper – a fact that was only revealed after Sri Lanka had asked for a review. Easily the least disciplined of Sri Lanka’s bowlers, Kumara ended the day with 3 for 57 off 18 overs.Although the pitch appeared to be good for batting after lunch, only Hope truly seemed at ease at the crease. Having arrived with the score at 40 for 2 in the 12th over, Hope batted positively. The pull shot was a favoured stroke of his during the innings, as he routinely rocked back to nail short balls through midwicket. A few gorgeous drives, and many assured defensive strokes thrown in, he appeared set for a big score, but lost some momentum during the lunch break. Though he and Roston Chase made 54 runs together and survived for over an hour after the lunch break, they did not manage to put Sri Lanka’s bowlers under significant pressure. Eventually they were out in quick succession – Chase the batsman to concede a wicket to spin in the day, when he played back to a Herath delivery that he should have come forward to, and wound up edging the ball, for Angelo Mathews to take a sharp catch at slip.The stand between Holder and Dowrich had begun slowly, but eventually achieved some kind of rhythm. By now, conventional swing had long since disappeared, and Sri Lanka’s quicks did not seem able to generate noticeable reverse swing. The spinners turned the occasional delivery, but did not beat the bat often enough to suggest they were a threat. And so, Holder and Dowrich set about picking the gaps with risk-free strokes, as they reserved their big shots for the truly bad deliveries. Neither batsman favoured either side of the pitch; both appeared capable of scoring anywhere in the ground.Just as they threatened to turn their fighting stand into an innings-defining one, Kumara made the breakthrough, to the relief of his captain. Sri Lanka had been trying hard for that wicket – twice dropping catches in the slips through the course of the partnership. They took the second new ball at earliest opportunity, and thanks to their slow over-rate, will have a ball that’s only four overs old when they arrive on day two.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has been watching British television illegally, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher joked this week.

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Kane thanked Henry for singing his praiseStriker admitted to watching Sky SportsAccused of having 'dodgy box' in GermanyWHAT HAPPENED?

Kane appeared on to discuss his team's 3-0 win against Lazio on Tuesday as the German giants secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The Englishman took a moment to thank Thierry Henry for praising him on Sky Sports' show Monday Night Football, but was quizzed on how he was able to watch the programme while in Germany.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT KANE AND CARRAGHER SAID

When Kane thanked Henry for the kind comments, fellow pundit Micah Richards asked him: "How do you get that in Germany, by the way?"

"Don't worry," Kane replied, sending the pundits into a laugh as Carragher shouted: "Harry's got a dodgy box!"

THE BIGGER PICTURE

It was not the only funny moment between Kane and the pundits after Tuesday's encounter. The striker broke Carragher's heart when he admitted that the pair had not spoken over the phone the night before the home game against Lazio, despite the ex-England hero's claim that they were friends.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

After his double helped fire Bayern into the last-eight of the Champions League, Kane and his co-stars will turn their attention to Saturday's game against Mainz in the Bundesliga. The Bavarian giants are currently 10 points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

Alex Bregman potentially played his last game for the Houston Astros on Wednesday as the team lost in the wild-card to the Detroit Tigers.

The longtime Astros third baseman is set to become an unrestricted free agent this winter, and it's possible Houston won't pick him back up. However, many fans and even his teammates hope the Astros make an offer to him.

Jose Altuve was especially emotional after Wednesday's game, giving Bregman a big hug on the field and telling him "You're coming back."

Altuve spoke to media after the game and advocated for his teammate to be brought back to the organization next season. He can't imagine not playing on the same team as Bregman.

"Now, it's time to make it happen," Altuve said. "We're not going to be the same organization without him. In my mind, there's not a chance this is the last one."

Bregman admitted he hadn't really had time to process Wednesday potentially being his final game in an Astros uniform. He tweeted out a simple message to fans later in the night: "Thank you Houston."

Altuve's been an Astro his entire MLB career, as has Bregman. The two stars have been teammates since Bregman joined the Astros in 2016. They've won two World Series titles together.

Without Lionel Messi available, Inter Miami clutched up through Luis Suarez to defeat D.C. United on Saturday afternoon.

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Miami defeats D.C. 3-1Suarez nets braceMessi misses due to injuryWatch Inter Miami with the MLS Season PassStream nowTELL ME MORE

The hosts opened up the scoring 14 minutes into the match through winger Jared Stroud. However, the Herons responded 10 minutes later with a goal from Ecuadorian striker Leonardo Campana. A first MLS assist for new signing Federico Redondo, the Argentine found Campana for a clinical finish.

Heading into the halftime break at a deadlock, Tata Martino brought on Miami leading-scorer Luis Suarez in the 62nd minute, and the Uruguayan put on a show.

He put the Herons up 2-1 in controversial fashion 10 minutes after coming onto the pitch, scoring off a brilliant counter-attack. However, prior to the finish, it appeared that Inter Miami committed a handball offense in their own box – only to see VAR say no, and hand the Herons the goal.

Suarez added to his tally to put the game away in the 85th minute with a cheeky finish to make it 3-1, handing Miami their third win of the MLS season. A late D.C. red card put things to bed, when Pedro Santos was removed for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the 90th minute.

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Christian Benteke scored a hat-trick in his first game of the season for D.C. United in 2024, but missed matchweeks two and three due to injury. Saturday was his return to the starting XI for Troy Lesense's squad, and he put on a strong showing, despite the defeat.

Brennan Asplen/Getty ImagesTHE MVP

Luis Suarez: The best player on the pitch Saturday only played 28 minutes, but boy did he make an impact. Two goals to add to his tally, he now has four goals in MLS, but across all competitions, he has six goals and five assists. A stunning cameo to singlehandedly win Miami the game, the brilliant 37-year-old made his impact, handing them a victory without Messi on the pitch.

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Getty ImagesTHE BIG LOSER

The Inter Miami defense: Another day, another injury for the Herons. They lost Argentine defender Nicolas Freire 31 minutes into the match. Their defense is already the weakest part of their squad, so losing a starting centerback is a disaster for Tata Martino's team, especially with no Lionel Messi in the team until further notice.

They'll have to figure things out soon if they want to succeed week-in and week-out, because lapses on their back line have doomed them throughout the season so far. They were lucky to have Suarez in the second half, because without him, the result may not have been as favorable.

TalkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor has urged one player to link up with West Ham United or Premier League rivals Everton.

Will West Ham sign anyone in January?

The Hammers face a very real prospect of losing a fair few players next summer. Indeed, Tomas Soucek, Pablo Fornals, Ben Johnson, Vladimir Coufal, Michail Antonio, Conor Coventry, Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski and veteran defender Angelo Ogbonna all have contracts which expire in 2024 (Transfermarkt) – while another pressing issue could be reported Saudi interest in defenders Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma.

The West Ham duo, according to a report by Football Insider this week, are attracting big-money interest from the Middle East and David Moyes is apparently "braced" to lose either one of them. If this happens, it is believed Moyes would be "desperate" to source a replacement. This has lead to links with Man United defender and England international Harry Maguire, who they're reportedly among the favourites to sign according to recent Maguire transfer news.

The east Londoners are also short of striking options, so if regular Michail Antonio were to succumb to injury, it would spell trouble for Moyes given his lack of faith in Danny Ings. The latter has played just 33 minutes of league action all season, prompting them to apparently look at signing in-form Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy. Meanwhile, West Ham are also linked with a move for out-of-favour Man City star Kalvin Phillips.

Kalvin Phillips transfer news

According to some recent Phillips transfer news, West Ham are among the possible destinations for Leeds' former star who has found life extremely tough at Eastlands. The England international, despite being a Three Lions regular for Gareth Southgate, finds himself far behind Rodri in the pecking order at City – meaning a January move is on the cards.

"I want to play football and want to play as much as possible,” Phillips said to the media when asked about his future, hinting an exit is possible (The Evening Standard).

"Over the last year and a half I haven't been able to do that due to injuries and [other factors]. It's something I am going to have to think about. Hopefully my chance does come but if it doesn't then I will have to make other decisions as well."

If things don't take a dramatic turn, it appears the midfielder's future may well be far from Manchester, with talkSPORT's Agbonlahor telling Football Insider that West Ham or Everton are ideal destinations – urging him to "join" either one.

“He’s not got a future at Man City, that’s for sure," said the former Aston Villa striker.

“Pep Guardiola didn’t even start him against Arsenal with Rodri out suspended. He’ll be saying ‘why did you buy me if I’m not playing these games’. If he wasn’t sure about his future before that game, he knows now.

“If I’m him, I want to play football. He’s a young lad with a lot of years left. Join Everton or West Ham and just play football, because otherwise you are going to affect your England chances.”

Phillips, who's taking in around £150,000-per-week of Man City wages, could bring quality to the West Ham midfield, as highlighted by his praise as a "very special" player in the past by former Leeds ace Andrew Hughes.

How he fits into a team that already contains both Rabada and Ngidi is one of the conundrums facing South Africa as they brace for the World Cup next year

Liam Brickhill26-Sep-2018Dale Steyn is set to play his first ODI since October 2016, and with the World Cup just over eight months away, South Africa coach Ottis Gibson has reckoned the quick will add value to his squad as a mentor.”With his experience, [he’s a natural mentor] anyway because that’s the kind of guy he is,” Gibson said four days before the start of the ODI series against Zimbabwe. “He’s talking to the guys around the group, and to have his experience there, whether he plays or not, [is great]. There’s nothing to say he’ll play every game, but to have him in and around the dressing room and the nets passing on his experience can only be a good thing for the guys.”Once Dale is fit, to me he’s still one of the best two bowlers in the country, other than KG [Kagiso Rabada]. And he’s gone away and he’s proven his fitness, so he comes back and we’ll see how he goes in the next couple of games.”He’s someone who’s still clearly very passionate about playing for his country, and we’ll make an assessment on Dale in this series and the next against Australia, the next six games, and we’ll see how we go forward from there.”How Steyn fits into a team that already contains both Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi is just one of the conundrums facing South Africa as they brace for the World Cup next year. Their ODI against Zimbabwe this weekend marks the first of 16 that South Africa will play before their World Cup opener against England at The Oval on May 30, 2019 and the upcoming games against Zimbabwe – and possibly those which follow against Pakistan – will likely be South Africa’s last chance to test new players and combinations before they settle on their World Cup hopefuls, Gibson hinted.”Every person that gets an opportunity now will know that there will be less and less opportunities going forward, so you have to make every opportunity you get count at this stage,” he said.”We’ve looked at some guys, and this series and the next one to my mind – and I’ve spoken to the selectors about it already – are probably the last sort of opportunities to see guys we’ve discussed but haven’t had the opportunity to see yet. I think by the time we get into the Pakistan and certainly the Sri Lanka series in the new year, that we’ll be looking to pick the team that we think is most likely to be the team that goes to the World Cup. So this is an opportunity to look at one or two other players.”With Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla injured and Quinton de Kock and David Miller rested, the most obvious positions South Africa might be looking to experiment in are in their top and middle order. Heinrich Klaasen and Dean Elgar have played just six ODIs each, while Christiaan Jonker has just a solitary T20I to his name. They are largely untested options, though Gibson sees plenty of potential in Jonker and a “like for like” replacement for Amla in Elgar.BCCI”When you look at this squad that we have right now, Faf is missing, Quinny is missing, Hash is missing, and there’s no real seniors,” Gibson said. “Dean is a like-for-like swap for Hash. Again you think about the World Cup, and this is thinking a little further ahead, and then you look at Dean’s record for almost every county he’s played for in England, then clearly he comes into the conversation. So, this gives us an opportunity to see Dean as a like-for-like replacement for Hash, and see how he goes. He’s always made it clear that he’s still keen on playing one-day international cricket, and this gives us an opportunity to see him in that position.”We wanted to see Klaasen a bit longer, and Christiaan Jonker came in and did quite well for us in the T20. His numbers in the franchise system are pretty good. What we’ve set out to do from the outset is to try have almost two players for every position. We know what David [Miller] can do. He’s not had a lot of runs recently, but this is a chance to see Christiaan in that position so we can then assess both of them and see which one we can take forward.”Jonker’s solitary T20I against India in February was the only time Gibson had seen him bat live up to that point, but he liked what he saw then, and said that Jonker had since worked hard to bring his fitness up to the required level.”I liked that he came in and he was just uncomplicated,” Gibson said. “He just watched the ball and hit it. And he obviously understood his game and his strengths really well. And he probably also understood that if you’re going to play international T20 cricket you need to be a little fitter, so he’s gone away and worked really hard on that and hopefully he can give a really good account of himself over the next series.”Gibson said that the likes of Temba Bavuma, Chris Morris and Vernon Philander, while not in the frame for the Zimbabwe series, were still part of the team’s thinking heading towards the World Cup. Philander is only expected to recover from an ankle injury in November, while Morris was sidelined after injuring his back during this year’s IPL. Morris is set to return to action with the Titans when South Africa’s domestic season kicks off this week, but Gibson made no secret over his concerns over Morris’ injury-prone past.”My problem with Morris …Okay, there’s a little bit of a cricket problem, but the bigger problem is fitness I think,” Gibson said. “Not in terms of general fitness, but in terms of staying on the park. Morris in the last three years has had a lot of injury issues, more so than cricket issues, and I think once he’s fit and strong then I think his real talent will come to the fore. That’s the message that I’ve given him already. We know what Morris can do, and we want him to be as fit as he can to allow himself to do what we know he’s capable of doing. Obviously, he’s back to fitness now and he’s playing for the Titans, which is fantastic, and if he can play the next month and a half, two months for the Titans and getting really hardened to cricket, then that’s obviously very good for us.”

Sri Lanka’s quicks scythed through the West Indies lower order, and finished only 13 runs behind for the loss of one wicket by stumps

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando16-Jun-2018
Sri Lanka’s quicks scythed through the West Indies lower order, and finished only 13 runs behind for the loss of one wicket by stumps. But it was what they did at the start of the day that loomed over this game. For two hours, they refused to take the field, and when they did, it was only “under protest”. The reason? Match officials had charged them with ball tampering, slapping on a five-run penalty, and changing the ball that had been used on day one. Sri Lanka’s coach and team management were seen in animated discussions with match officials, after being told of the tampering allegations shortly before the teams were set to take the field. They were eventually convinced to resume play, but deny any “wrongdoing” according to a board release. An inquiry on these charges will be held after stumps on Saturday.Though there is a major controversy brewing, this is now a finely-balanced Test, the visitors fighting back hard, after having allowed West Indies to take control of the match over the first two days. The definitive period of play was the 20.3 overs they delivered with the second new ball, either side of tea. In that period they took the six final West Indies wickets for 59 runs – Lahiru Kumara taking three of those wickets, to finish with an impressive 4 for 84 on a day in which he had bowled deliveries as fast as 149kph. Kasun Rajitha also collected encouraging figures in his first Test innings, removing Devendra Bishoo and Jason Holder in a single intense spell, to end with 3 for 49.The pitch, though, remained helpful for the quicks, especially when they bowled with the new ball, and Sri Lanka will know they are in for another fight tomorrow. Sri Lanka had just under an hour to bat at the end of the day, and were frequently in trouble through this period. Kusal Perera played a stroke-filled 23-ball innings, collecting three boundaries, and miscuing other aerial shots. He was out for 20, leaden-footedly edging Shannon Gabriel to the wicketkeeper. The only batsmen who can be said to have prospered for a meaningful length of time on day three were Shane Dowrich, who hit 55, and Roston Chase, who joined Dowrich for a 78-run fifth-wicket stand.AFPWhere in Trinidad Sri Lanka had allowed West Indies’ lower order to compile a formidable first-innings total almost on their own, it was Kumara’s intensity and Rajitha’s perseverance that enabled the visitors to shut this West Indies innings down in relatively quick time. Dowrich and Chase had built an ominous stand and had taken West Indies to within 14 runs of Sri Lanka’s first-innings total with six wickets still in hand, when the second new ball became available. Kumara struck the first blow, having Chase caught at short midwicket for 44. He would later return to knock out the last two wickets, nailing Kemar Roach in front of leg stump with a yorker, and having Shannon Gabriel top edge a heave off the short ball.In between, Rajitha and Suranga Lakmal moved the ball consistently off the seam, and all three bowlers drew plenty of false strokes – the lower order seeming to play and miss more often than they made connection.Earlier in the day, only 12.3 overs had been possible because of Sri Lanka’s refusal to take the field. When they did begin to play, Kumara was seemingly channelling the ire felt in the Sri Lanka dressing room, sending down a barrage of hostile short deliveries at the overnight pair. Smith was unruffled by the strategy, and batted with caution, much as he had on the previous day. Shai Hope was not as confident, and was eventually out edging Lakmal to the cordon for 19. Subtlety – rather than menace – would later be the end of Smith. Expecting an offbreak from Akila Dananjaya, who was operating around the wicket to the left-hander, Smith was struck on the pad by a slider that would have gone on to hit the stumps. He had made a vital 61, however. Not only was Smith’s the highest individual score in West Indies’ total of 300, it was an important innings for a batsman who is attempting to win a consistent place in this team, at the age of 36.