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The diminutive Belgian made it two goals in as many games as he inspired the Gunners to a gritty 3-1 victory over their stubborn visitors

Leandro Trossard was the protagonist as Arsenal moved second in the Premier League courtesy of a gutsy 3-1 win over Burnley on Saturday, repaying Mikel Arteta's faith with a goal and assist after replacing Eddie Nketiah in his manager's Premier League XI.

Bukayo Saka went closest in a dominant first period when his strike was tipped onto the woodwork, but the hosts would have to wait until first-half stoppage time to make the breakthrough, as Trossard put his body on the line to bundle the ball home at the back post.

Burnley had threatened on occasion, and Arsenal were stunned early in the second period when Josh Brownhill's strike deflected in. However, it took Arteta's side just three minutes to restore the lead when William Saliba rose highest to meet a Trossard corner. Oleksandr Zinchenko then wrapped up the points with 15 minutes to go as he improvised with an exquisite finish on the bounce after the ball had come off the Burnley bar.

The shine was somewhat taken off the victory late on as substitute Fabio Vieira was shown a straight red card for an ugly, high foul on goal-scorer Brownwood.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (7/10):

Made two very important stops in the first half which were ultimately key to the victory. He had no chance with the goal.

Takehiro Tomiyasu (6/10):

Provided support in attack at every opportunity but was too easily shrugged off in the build-up to Burnley's goal.

William Saliba (8/10):

Made a sublime recovery challenge right at the start of the second period and rose majestically to restore the lead.

Gabriel Magalhaes (6/10):

Not unduly tested but his half-clearance led to the Burnley leveller. Caused a problem from set-pieces.

Oleksandr Zinchenko (8/10):

Operated as an auxiliary centre-midfielder for the most part. Wonderful, technical finish to wrap up the points.

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Jorginho (6/10):

Metronomic without setting the world alight, but that is generally his modus operandi. Took a heavy blow late on.

Declan Rice (7/10):

The bloke is ubiquitous. Generally a quiet shift defensively, but he still seemed to be mopping up at every single opportunity.

Kai Havertz (5/10):

Often found himself swarmed by defenders and headed a good chance over from close range. Didn't do anything wrong, per se, but very much no frills.

Getty ImagesAttack

Bukayo Saka (7/10):

Tormented his full-back at every opportunity and was rewarded with yet another assist, this time nodding the ball across goal for the opener.

Leandro Trossard (8/10):

Forced to come searching for the ball initially but popped to make a telling contribution, putting his body on the line as he bundled the ball in. His corner was nodded in by Saliba, too.

Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

Electric as always but for someone so talented he should perhaps be providing end product on an even more regular basis.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Fabio Vieira (1/10):

Not the desired effect! Shown a straight red card for an ugly, high foul on Brownhill.

Reiss Nelson (N/A):

Didn't see much of the ball as the red card two minutes after his introduction changed Arteta's gameplan.

Eddie Nketiah (N/A):

Ditto Nelson. Isolated up front as the 10 men were forced to see out the game.

Jakob Kiwior (N/A):

Brought on late to shore things up.

Mikel Arteta (8/10):

The decision to start Trossard was richly rewarded, as his side reflected their manager's passion and bite with a gutsy display to recover from being hauled level and take all three points.

Premier League shareholders are meeting in London to discuss point deductions, FFP breaches and potential transfer rule changes.

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Toffees stripped of 10 points for breaking rules115 charges hanging over the championsIssues raised with associated clubs dealsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The meeting, which is taking place at The Churchill Hyatt Regency Hotel in west London, has been lined up a matter of days after Everton were stripped of 10 points as a result of their failure to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations. The Toffees have slipped to joint-bottom of the table as a result.

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Everton are appealing that ruling, but things could get worse for them yet as Leeds, Leicester and Burnley are preparing to seek £300 million ($377m) in compensation as they believe bending the rules allowed the Toffees to preserve their top-flight status at the expense of law-abiding rivals.

(C)GettyImagesDID YOU KNOW?

The situation on Merseyside is expected to be one topic of discussion as Premier League stakeholders come together. West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady and Burnley chief Alan Pace were among those spotted arriving at the crunch talks.

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WILL MAN CITY BE PUNISHED?

Those in attendance are also expected to discuss Manchester City and the 115 charges hanging over them for allegedly breaking financial rules. The reigning English champions may have cause for concern after seeing Everton punished for far less than they were charged with back in February. The reports that Premier League board members will ask for updates on how that saga is progressing.

The Brazilian marked his final home appearance for the Reds with a late equaliser in front of the Kop, on an otherwise frustrating afternoon

Roberto Firmino marked his farewell Anfield appearance for Liverpool with a goal but the Reds' Champions League hopes are hanging by a thread after a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. Firmino, who was given an emotional send-off by the home fans, emerged from the bench to secure a point for Jurgen Klopp's side, who had trailed to Jacob Ramsey's first-half strike, with an 89th-minute leveller in front of the Kop.

The result, mathematically at least, keeps Liverpool alive in the race for the top four, but they will need either Manchester United or potentially Newcastle to lose each of their last two matches, as well as winning themselves at Southampton on the final day of the season, if they are to sneak in.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Alisson Becker (7/10):

Good save from Ramsey at 1-0, and swept up outside his box well. Should have gone up for a late corner, surely.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (5/10):

Overloaded for Ramsey's goal and his passing radar was nowhere near as sharp as it normally is. Looked increasingly frustrated as the game wore on.

Ibrahima Konate (5/10):

Caught out badly for the penalty. Did OK generally.

Virgil van Dijk (6/10):

Early clash of heads with Watkins didn't prevent him dominating in the air. Unfortunate to be penalised for offside when Gakpo thought he'd equalised.

Andy Robertson (6/10):

No impact offensively, did OK defensively.

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Jordan Henderson (4/10):

Not up to scratch with or without the ball. Did well to last as long as he did.

Fabinho (6/10):

Strong in the tackle and won lots of headers. One of Liverpool's better performers.

Curtis Jones (5/10):

Couldn't have the impact he's had in recent weeks, despite his endeavour.

Getty ImagesAttack

Mohamed Salah (5/10):

Not able to get into the game at all. Lacked bite and conviction, but produced a fine assist for the equaliser.

Luis Diaz (4/10):

Struggled to impact the game, despite seeing lots of the ball. Decision-making was poor.

Cody Gakpo (6/10):

Denied an equaliser by a controversial VAR intervention. Quiet otherwise but showed fight.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Diogo Jota (5/10):

Declined to shoot with a decent chance from Gakpo's pass.

Roberto Firmino (8/10):

On for an emotional farewell, and delivered the perfect finish to make it 1-1. The ovation he got at the end said it all. A legend.

James Milner (6/10):

Another goodbye, he came on with Liverpool losing their way in the game and helped force a leveller. Another legend.

Kostas Tsimikas (6/10):

Fresh legs and corners.

Harvey Elliott (N/A):

Tame effort from 25 yards as Liverpool pushed for a winner.

Jurgen Klopp (6/10):

Team were flat and outmanoeuvered by a streetwise Villa side. Subs forced the result.

The England international has scored three goals in his first two La Liga appearances, wasting no time in making his mark on Los Blancos

The image is becoming familiar for Real Madrid fans. Their new signing, a 20-year-old Englishman standing before them, arms spread in celebration, smirking slightly after watching the ball hit the net. It is a move equal parts humble and cocky, a pose that looks like greatness, in a position marked by humility.

Jude Bellingham has done that very thing in La Liga on three separate occasions — once for every time he has found the net in Madrid white. It has become his signature celebration, his recognisable move. Bellingham, the €103 million (£88m/$110m) signing, now has a brand.

And it's something that Madrid have badly needed since Karim Benzema signed for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad in June. He, too, had a signature reaction, flailing limbs and shouts of delight — a player who celebrated all of his 354 Madrid goals like they were his first.

There are, theoretically, contenders in this side to replace — or at least, offset — the goalscoring void left by Benzema's departure. Bellingham, and his eight Bundesliga goals for Borussia Dortmund last season, didn't appear to be one of them.

Now, though, he has three in his first two. Throw in an assist — provided for Vinicius Jr to round off Madrid's 3-1 handling of Almeria — and Madrid have an all-round attacking threat from what is essentially a new position in this side.

Bellingham is not Benzema, nor is he Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo or Raul. But so far, he's looked like a nine-figure bargain, a player who can provide in the final third and ensure that Madrid don't miss their biggest departure in years.

Getty ImagesLiving in a Benzema-less world

Bellingham's signature was more or less sewn up by the time Benzema announced his departure in early June. Liverpool had previously pulled out of the race in early April, and Madrid made it clear that they would pay Dortmund's asking price soon after. Bellingham would later claim himself that he wanted to move to Santiago Bernabeu since early 2023.

And he was supposed to walk into a team led by Benzema — at least, for one more year. The Ballon d'Or winner's departure came as a surprise for Madrid, who perhaps planned for his exit in 2024, a summer that could perfectly coincide with the arrival of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer — the exchange of one great Frenchman for another.

Instead, Madrid entered the summer window without a striker, having spent a large chunk of cash on the world's best young midfielder. For a side that already had five top-class players in that position, it suddenly appeared slightly imbalanced.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti did little to quell those fears when he announced that Madrid wouldn't dip into the market for a new striker. Madrid, he claimed, had enough resources to succeed. He referred to the goalscoring talents of Rodrygo and Vinicius, and suggested that loan signing Joselu could chip in, but, pointedly, made it clear that those 35 goals per season would be made up by committee.

AdvertisementGettyTactical tweaks

Bellingham didn't really crop up in those conversations. Ancelotti repeatedly referred to the England international's ability to "make the most of the free space", but alluded to the fact that his new midfielder was brought in as an all-round presence, not necessarily a creative or prolific threat. It is credit to Ancelotti, then, that he has found a way to get the best out of Bellingham in the final third so quickly.

For some time, the manager has been a 4-3-3 loyalist. Benzema's tendency to roam, and Federico Valverde's propensity for cutting inside off the right made things flexible. But, effectively, the manager lined up with a recognised striker, two wingers, and three central midfielders — a simple enough formation made complex by the interpretation of the players he deployed.

Now, though, the manager has changed things up. Madrid's depth in the heart of the pitch has effectively forced the Italian to play with four midfielders. The lack of a clear No.9, meanwhile, has been used as an advantage, allowing Ancelotti to go back to his tactical roots. Los Blancos now play with Bellingham as a No.10 behind two split strikers. It is the kind of system Ancelotti made use of in his formative days in Serie A, coincidentally, using the man who would also later wear Bellingham's No.5 for Real Madrid: Zidane.

LaLigaCoaxing goals out of Bellingham

It seemed, at first, that the change was made out of necessity. After all, a tactical switch is the only way to keep of his talent happy. But it turns out that the four-time Champions League winner, and only manager to win a title in every one of Europe's top five leagues might know a thing or two about football…

Bellingham's ability to do a bit of everything is the driving reason behind his signature. Ancelotti himself admitted that the Englishman is a "complete midfielder". It's well known that Bellingham wore the No.22 shirt at both Birmingham City and Borussia Dortmund because he sees himself as a No.4, No.8 and No.10 all rolled up into one player.

At Dortmund, he proved as such, albeit playing mostly as a No.8 and spending most of his time eating up ground between the boxes. He was a solid contributor in the attacking third — bagging eight league goals from an expected goals (xG) total of 8.2, though calling him a constant scoring threat would be a stretch. His creative numbers were also agreeable, with Bellingham finishing the season with four Bundesliga assists and averaging one key pass per game.

Getting him into the right spaces, though, has only amplified his attacking output. Against Almeria, almost all of his touches came in the attacking third as Bellingham received the ball in between the lines and strode forward. He scored twice, assisted once, played three key passes, and put four shots on target.

Of course, giving a player more opportunities in an attacking sense will undoubtedly make them more likely to contribute by volume alone. But Bellingham hasn't stumbled his way into four goal contributions in two games. This is a calculated change to bring goals out of someone who didn't score as much as he maybe could have previously.

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Winning the hearts of Madridistas

It's something of a calculated risk to give Bellingham such a crucial role. Here is one of the biggest signings in club history, being handed the reins instantly, entrusted to lead Europe's most successful club at just 20 years old. This is not normal.

That this 20-year-old is also English, also has significance. Spain has long been suspect of English midfielders — and with good reason. La Liga is far more technical than the Premier League. Midfielders in Spain aren't always powerful or athletic, mostly because they don't have to be.

Bellingham, for his part, is over six foot tall, stronger than the average centre-back, with a powerful running form — more Steven Gerrard than Andres Iniesta. That he came to a club that has a mixed history with English players (see Jonathan Woodgate), bred some scepticism in the Spanish capital. Bellingham's quality was undeniable, but this was a teenager from Birmingham, who had never won a major domestic title, possessing the audacity to take Zidane's number.

As it turns out, being good at football has silenced Bellingham's detractors. Madrid fans and players alike have embraced their new star man. He took selfies with local police officers after his side's win on Saturday; has helped the club gain four million new social media followers, while Vinicius is already copying his celebration after scoring. As one Madrid source told: "He’s not only growing because he’s at Madrid, but Madrid is growing because he’s at Real Madrid."

Even as Australia’s young fast bowlers are limbering up for the World Cup, moves are afoot to ensure there will be something of a similar standard to succeed them when necessary

Daniel Brettig11-Feb-2015Australia U-19 squad to face England

Matt Short (Victoria), Jaron Morgan (WA), Jake Carder (WA), Sam Harper (Victoria), Patrick Page (SA), Jake Doran (NSW), Sam Heazlett (Queensland), Tom Healy (Queensland), Riley Ayre (ACT/NSW), Jhye Richardson (WA), Henry Thornton (NSW), Guy Walker (Victoria), David Grant (SA), Sam Rowley (Queensland), Sam Grimwade (Victoria)

Even as Australia’s enviable battery of young fast bowlers is limbering up for the World Cup, moves are afoot to ensure there will be something of a similar standard to succeed them when the time comes.Australian cricket has learned much about succession planning in recent times, with the struggles that followed the loss of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and others meaning the presence of a strong current crop may actually provide more impetus to ensure they can be adequately replaced in future years.The announcement of an Australian Under-19s squad for matches against England at home and away over the course of 2015, ahead of the 2016 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, marks another point of that process. Not only will the young men duel with one other for places in the Cup squad, they will also get a taste of how to play in England, the venue where Australia’s Ashes fortunes will be decided around the same time as their visit.Among the pace bowlers selected is Queenslander Sam Rowley, who has notably spent considerable time bowling in the nets to Australia’s senior players in the past 12 months. He has been a particularly important cog in the wheel of Australian cricket for all the time he has spent bowling to one Michael Clarke on his visits to the National Cricket Centre.”The first time I came across Sam was at a bowling clinic of mine in 2013,” Australia’s assistant coach Craig McDermott said of Rowley. “He came along to that and that’s where I first spotted him. Last year and even the year before, every time we had an Australian session we got him along to bowl to the boys, particularly a lot of the one-on-one stuff with Pup last year and this year in Brisbane.”So it’s been beneficial to him and I think he’s got some wheels to bowl pretty quick, a nice action, a pretty athletic young guy and can handle a bat ok. He’s reasonably tall, pretty athletic build, a good action through the crease, a nice run-up. He got a fair few wickets at the Under-19s carnival, and obviously the selectors have seen something there to pick him.”Rowley grew up in Townsville before moving to Brisbane, and was a product of McDermott’s cricket academy over the past two years. A major recent development in the battle for cricket talent around Australia has been the commitment of more money to aid Queensland Cricket in its talent spotting of a vast geographical area and diffuse population, meaning Rowley’s case is a significant one.Other pacemen in the squad include Guy Walker and the allrounder Henry Thornton. McDermott helped oversee the emergence of the generation now populating the Australian team, through his work with Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson and others at what was then the Centre of Excellence in 2009 and 2010. The likes of Gurinder Sandhu, Joel Paris and Jason Behrendorff are currently the next cabs, and the Under-19 tour will be a way of sorting out who can follow them.”I started in 2009 and that was when they were first in there as full-time or part time athletes,” McDermott said. “There was Jimmy Faulkner as well, Patto, Starcy, Hazlewood, Peter George. It’s been a bit sparser since then. The bowlers out of the last World Cup in the UAE last year, Guy Walker is one, Gurinder Sandhu is the one who’s come through from the Under-19s to play for Australia.”You had Mark Steketee as part of that team, Harry Conway and Joel Paris as well who’s done very well but been out injured for about six months now. They’re probably the guys who’ve come through that second World Cup team. The proof will be in the pudding over the next little while to see if any of those guys can after the Under-19s this year get into a rookie-player contract. The more young quicks we’ve got coming through, the better.”You want it to be as seamless as you can have. We are going to have a fairly seamless one from where we currently stand with the four or five young guys around at the moment, plus the likes of Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendroff, Joel Paris and Gurinder Sandhu are there in case we lose the other young good guys we’ve got in the squad now. We’ve got seven or eight good young blokes who can step up to the plate at any stage.”

Tymal Mills could be forced to retire from first-class cricket after being diagnosed with a congenital back condition

George Dobell21-May-2015Tymal Mills could be forced to retire from first-class cricket after being diagnosed with a congenital back condition.Mills, who is thought to be the fastest bowler in English cricket, moved to Sussex from Essex over the winter and has been thought of as an England bowler of the near future. But, after breaking down in the early weeks of the season, he has been diagnosed as having a narrow spinal cord, which he has been warned could, in a worst case scenario, eventually cause substantial mobility problems if he continues to bowl.For a man with so much natural talent, who had started to find the accuracy to complement his pace, it is crushing news.”I have accepted that I might not have a future in first-class cricket,” Mills told ESPNcricinfo. “It is absolutely gutting and I had a very difficult 48 hours when I first heard the news.”I haven’t completely given up on the dream of playing Test cricket but, realistically, it looks as if my future may be in the shorter formats. I still want to play 50-over and T20 cricket.”Sussex have already announced that Mills will play no first-class cricket for a couple of months, but specialists have advised that he will probably have to limit his bowling load significantly if he is to enjoy a prolonged career.Mills bowled in Sussex’s NatWest T20 Blast victory over Gloucestershire on Sunday and took three wickets – all bowled – and could feature in the side to play Somerset on Friday. He is travelling with the squad and hopes to shake off a minor ankle injury.With that in mind, a career as a T20 specialist seems the most likely solution for a 22-year-old who, only weeks ago, was thought of as one of the most exciting prospects in England.”I just hope nobody portrays me as a mercenary,” Mills said. “This isn’t a case of me not wanting to bowl; it’s a case of me having a medical condition would could affect my future. It’s all been pretty hard to take.”

The North Africans eliminated the Super Eagles in Sunday’s Round of 16 encounter in Garoua

BackpagepixNigeria 0-1 Tunisia

Despite winning all their group stage games, the three-time African champions were beaten by a Tunisia side that were loaded with positive coronavirus tests.

Augustine Eguavoen’s side were heavy favourites to progress to the quarter-finals, but Youssef Msakni’s goal just after half-time put paid to Nigeria’s prospects of claiming a fourth Africa Cup of Nations crown.

In this feature, we highlight a few reactions following the Super Eagles’ exit.

AdvertisementBackpagePix.Weak response to going behind

Admittedly, Alex Iwobi’s 66th-minute sending off made things doubly difficult for the Super Eagles, yet Tunisia’s preference for containment meant the West Africans still had the upper hand.

Regardless, very little was created in the subsequent half-hour, although Moses Simon and Umar Sadiq had chances to level.

Some wondered how Nigeria would react to going behind at Afcon 2021, having led in all three group stage games, and they got their answer on Sunday.

Umar Sadiq’s cameo showed promise

The Almeria frontman had been widely criticised following previous showings since his debut against Egypt, but Sunday’s display offered some encouragement.

Sadiq won every one-v-one tussle in those 16 minutes and could have levelled for the West African giants late on for his second Nigeria goal.

While he may be a step below Victor Osimhen, judging the frontman after a handful of appearances will be ill-advised.

Fans are yet to witness the full Sadiq experience.

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GettyShackling Simon dulled Nigeria

Moses Simon had been the competition’s finest performer hitherto Sunday’s encounter, so there was always going to be a plan to render him ineffectual.

There was an obvious inclination to double-team the Nantes wide attacker — and by extension, Samuel Chukwueze — thus curbing Nigeria’s effectiveness from wide positions.

Eguavoen’s troops mostly attacked down the flanks, so limiting their wingers meant the three-time champions carried almost no threat as there was little central invention.

USMNT defender Matt Miazga has accepted his actions were inappropriate, but believes MLS's punishment was harsh regarding his recent suspension.

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Miazga suspended by MLS for 3 gamesFCC eliminated from playoffs without himDefender responds over 'unfitting' punishmentWHAT HAPPENED?

Speaking to media on Tuesday, the FC Cincinnati central defender claimed he thought MLS's punishment was unjust, but understood that his actions were inappropriate and that he let his team down. On November 4, Miazga confronted a referee postgame in the tunnel – and reports have been scattered since, but as a result of his actions, he was suspended for three games ahead of the Eastern Conference semifinals last weekend. Cincy fell to the Columbus Crew in extra-time, 3-2.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT MIAZGA SAID

"I want to take responsibility for what happened. The intentions of what happened, my intentions didn't play out to what has actually happened. I take full responsibility… I felt the punishment didn't fit what had happened, but you know, I accept it and we got to move forward now."

"It was frustrating because you've been an in-form player all year and then all of a sudden, one of the most important games of the year you can't play. So that was frustrating, but I had confidence in my team that they can get the job done."

Despite crashing out of the playoffs in harsh fashion, the USMNT defender has optimism for 2024: "We're so close and it's a learning experience obviously for everyone involved, especially me as well. So, now there's that extra hunger for next year and extra motivation and, you know, we're a real team so we're excited for the challenges ahead."

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Initial reports claimed that Miazga was 'forcibly removed' from the official's room following their November 4 victory over the New York Red Bulls, but as more news surrounding the incident came out, the official's report was described as 'exaggerated' by The Athletic. Fast forward nearly three weeks and MLS's investigation into the incident resulted in suspension – 72 hours prior to kickoff in their most important playoff match of the year.

Following the announcement of his removal from their remaining matches on the calendar, the MLS Players Association released a statement claiming that the investigation contained 'falsehoods' and 'false narratives' to paint the MLS Defender of the Year in the wrong.

Now, following Cincy's removal from the playoffs, Miazga has taken responsibility for his actions, but admits his 'frustration' over the league's findings.

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USA Today Sports WHAT NEXT FOR MIAZGA?

He will be suspended for two matches to begin the 2024 MLS season, but the dates for those matches will not be announced until next year. Until then, it will be a massive 'what if' for the defender, knowing that his side conceded three goals in a conference final without him.

Michael Klinger converted his overnight hundred into a double-century, and Tim Ludeman scored a ton too, as South Australia shut out Victoria’s chances of victory at the Adelaide Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2014
ScorecardMichael Klinger converted his overnight hundred into a double-century, and Tim Ludeman scored a ton too, as South Australia shut out Victoria’s chances of victory at the Adelaide Oval. After declaring on 6 for 513 on the second day, South Australia’s bowlers reduced the visitors to 4 for 50, before David Hussey and Glenn Maxwell staged a fightback.South Australia began the day on 2 for 273, with Klinger batting on 115. Tom Cooper added only one run to his overnight 80, though, and when Callum Ferguson and Johan Botha fell in quick succession, Victoria had reduced the hosts to 5 for 286. John Hastings had taken all three wickets.Ludeman then joined Klinger and added 174 runs for the sixth wicket, driving South Australia towards 500. On 213, Klinger became Maxwell’s third wicket, but Ludeman added 51 more with Joe Mennie. Botha declared the innings soon after Ludeman got to his century.Having been in the field for 145 overs, the Victora top order failed. Chadd Sayers bowled Rob Quiney for 11 and Kane Richardson bowled Michael Hill for 1. Sayers then removed Marcus Stoinis and Cameron White cheaply too. Victoria were in serious trouble when Hussey and Maxwell began a partnership that grew to 96 by stumps.

South Australia have rewarded Jake Lehmann, the son of Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann, with his first state rookie contract after strong performances in last summer’s Futures League

Daniel Brettig24-Apr-2014South Australia have rewarded Jake Lehmann, the son of Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann, with his first state rookie contract after strong performances in last summer’s Futures League.Lehmann’s inclusion in the SA squad followed his compiling of 255 runs at 36.42, with a top score of 92, in four Futures League matches.He joined Sam Raphael and Trent Lawford among the final additions to SA’s squad for next season, for which the loss of Michael Klinger to Western Australia will be compensated by Mark Cosgrove’s return from Tasmania.Cosgrove is the only interstate addition to the squad, which will again rely heavily on the spin bowling and leadership of the South African Johan Botha in the push to win SA’s first Sheffield Shield title since 1996.However a batting line-up of Cosgrove, Phillip Hughes, Callum Ferguson, Tom Cooper, Andrew McDonald and Travis Head should ensure swift runs for the Redbacks.”We want a team where players are battling for positions and no-one’s spot is guaranteed. With the batting list we have this season, we have a huge amount of depth to draw upon and competition is going to be intense,” said SACA’s high performance manager Jamie Cox.”Last year we finished just one wicket away from the final and have a number of players who took huge strides in terms of development. We believe the stability we have offered this group will be a huge advantage for us as we chase our first Sheffield Shield title in 19 years.”The major obstacle to the Redbacks’ progress in 2014-15 would appear to be the drop-in pitch at Adelaide Oval, which reaped four draws in addition to another stalemate at Glenelg Oval as the redeveloped ground completed its makeover.SA won three matches outright away from home, and were strongly placed to win a fourth before Usman Khawaja guided an outstanding fourth innings chase by Queensland at the Gabba.Apart from Klinger, others not to have their state contracts renewed included Alex Carey, Sam Miller, Elliot Opie and the tall pace bowler Peter George, who played one Test match for Australia against India in Bangalore in 2010.South Australia squad: Johan Botha, Tom Cooper, Mark Cosgrove, Callum Ferguson, Travis Head, Phil Hughes (CA), Trent Lawford, Tim Ludeman, Andrew McDonald, Joe Mennie, Gary Putland, Sam Raphael, Kane Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Kelvin Smith, Dan Worrall, Adam Zampa. Rookies: Tom Andrews, Alex Gregory, Jake Lehmann, Alex Ross, Nick Winter