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Nottingham Forest’s success story last season in the Premier League was heavily dependent on the goalscoring heroics of Chris Wood.

The Tricky Trees will be competing in the Europa League thanks to their lethal New Zealander, who would finish the campaign with a blistering 20 league strikes next to his name as Nuno Espirito Santo’s men soared to seventh position.

It will be up to Wood to keep up these explosive levels heading into next campaign, with some help potentially coming his way in the centre-forward department if Forest can strike up a deal for this lethal striker to join.

Forest in race to sign goalscoring veteran

Away from adding in more strikers, the experienced 33-year-old will, for sure, be joined by an exciting new winger supplying him with chances in the form of Dan Ndoye.

It has now been confirmed that Ndoye will don Forest red ahead of the 24/25 season, having finally agreed a deal to move from Bologna to the City Ground for a bumper £35m.

He could soon be followed through the door by another statement addition in the form of Chelsea outcast Christopher Nkunku, alongside another deal potentially getting off the ground for this goalscoring veteran to join Nuno’s expanding ranks.

A move for Mehdi Taremi does appear to have more legs at this point than the Frenchman boldly switching Stamford Bridge for the Midlands, with a report by the Tasnim News Agency stating that the Iranian marksman is tempted by the prospect of a Premier League move, away from current employers Inter Milan.

Inter are also noted as being keen to offload the 33-year-old, amid interest growing in his services from Fulham, Leeds United, and West Ham United, on top of Forest throwing their hat into the ring.

Forest will hope they can strike gold with another seasoned striker joining the ranks, with Taremi possessing the same goalscoring prowess that Wood has showcased at the City Ground all across his nomadic career to date.

Why Taremi can become Forest's next Wood

On the books of Porto, before embarking on a big move to Italy, Taremi had managed to reach the same heroic status that Wood has now achieved at the City Ground.

In total, the seasoned 33-year-old would fire home a prolific 91 strikes for his Portuguese employers from 182 outings, with his overall career tally standing at a devastating 202 goals from 445 clashes subsequently.

Taremi’s career numbers vs Wood’s career numbers

Stat

Taremi

Wood

Games played

445

531

Clubs played at

7

15

Goals scored

202

182

Assists

101

43

Sourced by Transfermarkt

He hasn’t had it all his own way, however, with his current spell in Serie A only seeing him score a meagre three times from 43 clashes. Yet, he will back himself to bounce back and get back to his best if Forest comes calling, with Wood also displaying that same level of resilience across his lengthy playing days to date.

Indeed, the towering 6-foot-3 striker has experienced plenty of ups and downs himself when lining up for a mammoth 15 different teams, with an equally barren spell coming his way at Newcastle United, just before the Tricky Trees became his next home.

Only five goals would be handed to him from 39 appearances on Tyneside, yet Forest’s gamble in acquiring Wood has more than paid off, with their “outstanding” striker – which he was labelled by Match of the Day 2 pundit Stephen Warnock – now 36 strikes down and counting for Nuno’s high-flyers.

With Taremi coming in at the same age as Wood, alongside also boasting a similarly lofty 6-foot-2 frame, this might well go down as another shrewd catch if a move accelerates into motion, with the in-demand Iranian also receiving glowing praise for being “ridiculous” in front of goal by Rio Ferdinand.

With Igor Jesus also in through the door this summer, Nuno’s centre-forward options could soon be brimming with even more quality if the Inter number 99 makes his Premier League dreams a reality.

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In May, Football Insider reported that Leeds United were not planning to build their attack around Dutch centre-forward Joel Piroe in the Premier League next season.

It claimed that the Whites have doubts over his ability to make the step up to the top-flight as the first-choice number nine, but we are two months further on and no marquee striker signing has arrived at Elland Road.

Leeds had been linked with an interest in Brighton forward Evan Ferguson this summer, but he is now reportedly in talks to join Roma on an initial loan deal.

This means that the Ireland international may be one name that has to be crossed off the club’s shortlist of options to lead the line for Daniel Farke next season.

Leeds could make new offer for Serie A striker

Missing out on Ferguson to the Serie A giants may not be a major concern for the Championship champions, though, because they are keen on signing an even better striker who is already playing in Italy.

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According to La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno, Leeds United remain interested in a deal to sign Lecce centre-forward Nikola Krstovic to bolster their attack this summer, after seeing a bid turned down earlier in the window.

The report claims that the Whites are in the ‘background’ in the race to sign the Montenegro international at the moment, because he would prefer to stay in Italy or play for a team in a European competition.

However, the outlet adds that Leeds will make a new offer to bring the striker to England later in the window if he does not move elsewhere in the coming weeks, in the hope that the player will change his mind.

Why Leeds should sign Krstovic

If the Whites can convince the £21m-rated number nine to make the move to Elland Road, Farke could land an even better striker option than Ferguson for his side next term.

Krstovic has played for Lecce in the Serie A in the last two seasons and has proven his ability to find the back of the net at an impressive rate in one of Europe’s major leagues.

The 25-year-old Leeds target ended the 2024/25 season with an eye-catching haul of 11 goals in 37 games in the Serie A for Lecce, which is more goals than Ferguson has ever managed in a single senior campaign.

Season

23/24

24/25

23/24

24/24

Appearances

27

21

35

37

Goals

6

1

7

11

Minutes per goal

231

418

345

279

Big chances created

1

2

4

5

Assists

0

0

1

5

As you can see in the table above, Krstovic has outscored Ferguson by 11 goals at league level in the past two seasons, whilst also creating six more ‘big chances’ for his teammates.

These statistics suggest that the Lecce forward, who was hailed as “integral” by former boss Roberto D’Aversa, would be a much better signing for the Whites for next season, as he appears more likely to have what it takes to make a significant impact in front of goal on a regular basis.

At the age of 20, Ferguson is still learning and developing as a player, which is why he would have been a risky signing for the club. Krstovic, however, is in the prime years of his career at the age of 25 and could hit the ground running at Elland Road.

Therefore, the Whites should be doing everything possible to convince the player to ditch Italy for England this summer to bolster Farke’s options in the number nine position, as the Montenegro international could be the proven goalscorer they are looking for.

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Piroe is yet to score a goal in one of Europe’s major leagues in his career and the aforementioned report from Football Insider stated that there are doubts over his ability, which is why Leeds should sign Krstovic to fill that spot in the team.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe isn’t rushing into anything this summer. The Englishman is desperate to enhance his squad during the transfer window, but he won’t be making signings for the sake of it.

With Champions League football gracing St James’ Park next term, bringing in some high-quality players will be crucial to their ambitions of going far in the competition.

There are several key areas in which Howe wishes to improve, notably his attack. Will he be able to sign his top targets this summer?

Newcastle's search for new signings

One area the Toon are desperate to strengthen is the attacking department. As such, a bid of around £45m was submitted to Nottingham Forest for winger Anthony Elanga.

This was swiftly rejected, but it shows the direction that Howe is looking to take. It remains unclear whether another bid will be made for the Swedish winger in the coming days.

Signing a new goalkeeper is also on Howe’s wish list and it appears as though the club are closing in on a deal to sign James Trafford.

“Newcastle are closing in on James Trafford deal, final details being sorted, said Fabrizio Romano on X.

“Agreement almost done with Burnley and then it will be here we go. Newcastle are planning to get the deal done very soon.”

Burnley value the player at £40m, and Trafford could turn out to be a better signing than Elanga.

Why James Trafford could be a better signing than Elanga

Last season, Newcastle scored 92 goals across their 48 matches in all competitions, which works out as just shy of two goals a game.

In comparison, they also conceded 58 goals in the same number of games, which is 1.2 goals conceded per match.

Given the statistics, surely the need to improve their defence is far greater than signing a winger, especially when Howe can call upon the likes of Jacob Murphy, who enjoyed his best year in Toon colours, England international Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes. Depth is no doubt important, of course, but a new forward is hardly a priority.

Metric

Trafford

Pope

Dubravka

Games

45

28

10

Goals conceded

16

35

12

Goals conceded per game

0.4

1.3

1.2

Accurate passes per game

24.1

13.8

21.1

Saves per game

2

3.1

2.9

Balls recovered per game

7.6

8.6

7.9

Last season, Trafford was excellent for Burnley as they finished second in the Championship.

Remarkably, he conceded just 0.4 goals per outing in the second tier, while succeeding with 100% of his run outs per game and making two saves per match – a success rate of 85% – for Burnley.

Overall, Trafford only conceded 16 goals from 45 matches, a truly stunning record, and there is no doubt he would improve Howe’s backline considerably.

The 22-year-old hasn’t even hit his peak yet, but he certainly isn’t short of confidence, dubbing himself “world-class” a few months ago.

Widely believed to be the next England number one, Trafford could fast-track his way into this position by securing a move to Newcastle. Evidently, his potential is huge, even bigger than Elanga’s, scoring just six times last term. On that evidence, the Swede isn’t going to improve the Magpies significantly.

Trafford may have played just 28 Premier League games during his embryonic career so far, but the youngster is heading straight for the very top and would undeniably make an instant impact at St James’.

If Howe can get this deal wrapped up as soon as possible, hopefully, it will be the catalyst for more new signings.

Never mind a better signing than Elanga, Trafford might turn out to be the best signing of the summer for Howe.

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The Premier League trophy’s ribbons run red once again, with Liverpool dethroning Manchester City after their historic four-in-a-row dynasty at the peak of English football.

Arne Slot oversaw Anfield’s success, and it was a triumph that few beyond the club’s fanbase saw coming. But it’s happened, Liverpool so dominant through the course of the campaign, easing the intensity over the past month, picking up two points from 12 available after thrashing Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 in April to wrap up the title and spark frenzied celebrations.

It’s got to be said, the job Slot and FSG have done over the past year has placed Liverpool in a promising position, surely primed for a sustained period of success at the forefront of domestic and European football.

With the elite support, peerless conditions and illustrious history, prospective transfer targets must leap at the chance to join Slot’s side, especially when looking at the sky-high growth of talents such as Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo.

This is certainly applicable in the case of Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz.

The latest on Florian Wirtz to Liverpool

FSG have a certain way with finalising transfers swiftly once settled on a top target. This is especially true in the case of Wirtz, who is in the final stages of a transfer to Merseyside less than two weeks after Manchester City cooled their interest in the German international, citing concerns over the bulk of the financial package.

As per Fabrizio Romano, Wirtz, 22, has been enticed by the Liverpool project and only wanted to leave Leverkusen for Slot’s project, with the structure of the package all that stands in the way of that glorious official announcement.

It will break the bank, for sure, with FSG ready to crush their transfer record by signing Wirtz for a fee rising to £110m with add-ons and bonuses.

It’s a stunning show of strength from the Anfield side, ready to defend their title by making impactful additions. Bringing Wirtz in shouldn’t spell the end of the forward arrivals, however.

Liverpool join race for PL talent

According to Stretty End, Liverpool are among the contenders to have joined the race for Brighton & Hove Albion talent Yankuba Minteh, alongside rivals Manchester United.

With the Red Devils looking to strengthen their attacking flanks this summer, Liverpool may be forced into acting now, should they want to sign the 20-year-old after his promising breakout campaign in the Premier League.

Brighton signed Minteh from Newcastle United for £30m last summer before he had ever kicked a ball in black and white, swooping as Seagulls do when presented with an opportunity.

Why Liverpool want Yankuba Minteh

Slot knows Minteh well, having managed the Gambian prospect across the 2023/24 campaign at Feyenoord, the loanee hitting 16 goal involvements from 37 matches.

Now, he’s passed the first level of the Premier League test, scoring seven goals and providing five assists across all competitions this season.

With his explosive pace and budding eye for goals and assists, Minteh could become Liverpool’s new version of Sadio Mane, three years on from the 33-year-old’s departure to Bayern Munich, ending his illustrious Merseyside career.

The key point of difference, of course, would be that Minteh is typically more of a right-sided forward, thus illustrating a future role as Mohamed Salah’s successor, but maybe more in the mould of the one-time Jurgen Klopp favourite.

One football scout has even put it more directly, saying Minteh “can reach Sadio Mane[‘s] level” in the future, with his athletic properties and killer instinct reminiscent of the Senegalese sensation in his pomp.

As per FBref, Minteh ranked among the top 8% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers this season for touches in the attacking box, the top 12% for successful take-ons and the top 13% for tackles per 90.

Here you can see the strength, progressive power and tenacious attitude, all wrapped into one. Minteh is, undoubtedly, one of the most talented young wingers in the Premier League, and he could explode in the coming years, especially if he makes the move to Merseyside and replicates Mane’s own rise.

As you can see below, Minteh has produced this season a similar sort of roundedness to Mane before his big break, with work to be done on his finishing, sure, but not a drastic amount. Indeed, Minteh is proving to be the full package, with his existing ability to find the back of the net something which could develop in the years to come, especially if under Slot’s wing.

Prem Comparison – Yankuba Minteh vs Sadio Mane
Stats (* per game)	Minteh (24/25)	Mane (15/16)
Matches (starts)	32 (20)	37 (30)
Goals	6	11
Assists	4	6
Shots (on target)*	1.1 (0.5)	2.3 (0.9)
Big chances missed	8	12
Accurate passes*	9.5 (69%)	21.1 (81%)
Key passes*	0.9	1.1
Dribbles*	1.4	2.1
Tackles + interceptions*	1.8	2.4
Duels won*	3.8	6.1
Stats via Sofascore

The Southampton version of Mane still has the edge over Minteh, but not by a significant margin. Moreover, the legendary Premier League winger joined Liverpool in a £34m deal when he was 24 years old; Minteh, conversely, is still only 20.

This all points toward an auspicious future for Minteh, and Liverpool would be wise to invest their stakes now, before his value skyrockets.

If rumours of Federico Chiesa and Ben Doak’s respective departures carry truth, this would be the perfect way for FSG to sign a new Salah understudy after the elation of bagging Wirtz.

And given his similarities to one Mane, it might be a deal that fans look back on in the years to come as yet another masterstroke on Michael Edwards’ part.

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As their profit and sustainability (PSR) concerns continue to steal the headlines, Aston Villa could yet lose one of Unai Emery’s most important players amid reported interest from Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid.

Players Aston Villa could sell this summer

On paper, it’s easy to assume that Villa are in one of their strongest positions that they’ve ever been in the Premier League. But as impressive as Emery’s side have been on the pitch, that success hasn’t been without sacrifice away from the pitch. Financially speaking, the Villans are still not a European superpower and are likely to pay the price for spending like one this summer.

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PSR rules state that clubs are not allowed to hit £105m in losses over the course of a rolling three-year period and whilst Aston Villa’s accounts are yet to be published detailing their concern, reports have suggested that they could need to sell at least one star player before the end of June to comply with the rules.

BBC Sport’s chief football writer Phil McNulty spoke about Villa’s concern in a recent Q&A session, saying: “Aston Villa may have to do deals to fend off any lingering PSR concerns, but I think the club are in safe hands with the current ownership and those sales will be smart without weakening the squad.

“We have even seen Morgan Rogers linked with Chelsea, but I do not see Villa entertaining that sort of deal as they want to push on from what Unai Emery has already achieved.”

Although it may not be Rogers, as McNulty notes, it could yet be the likes of Jacob Ramsey or even Ollie Watkins who head for the exit door this summer amid recent links with Arsenal and Chelsea. The same, meanwhile, can be said for arguably one of Emery’s most important stars.

Simeone personally eyeing Emi Martinez

According to Spanish outlet AS, Diego Simeone now personally wants Atletico Madrid to sign Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa this summer. The £150,000-a-week goalkeeper has found himself at the centre of the transfer headlines this week after he appeared to bid a tearful goodbye to the home fans following the victory against Tottenham Hotspur.

What should only add fuel to the fire is the fact that Emery didn’t deny that Martinez’s exit is a possibility this summer, telling reporters after the Spurs game: “We will see. Of course, it is the last match here [this season], and I don’t know. We will see about the team, the players, but of course, they are responding on the field.”

It’s not just Atletico Madrid who have been linked with the World Cup winner, either. Reports have also suggested that both Manchester United and Barcelona are chasing Martinez’s signature ahead of what could be a long summer saga for Aston Villa.

Celtic clinched their 55th league title and their fourth Scottish Premiership title in the last four seasons with a 5-0 win over Dundee United last weekend.

The Hoops only needed a point at Tannadice Park to rubber stamp their place at the top of the division, but they claimed the trophy in style with a convincing victory.

It was a big afternoon for Brendan Rodgers and his side, as they won the league title, but it was also a big game for Ireland international Adam Idah, who made a big impact off the bench.

The former Norwich City marksman scored two goals after coming on for the injured Jota, and will now be hoping to land a regular spot in the starting XI between now and the end of the season.

He has only started 16 of his 31 appearances in the Premiership so far this term, which shows that the Irish forward has been unable to nail down a place in the side throughout the campaign.

Idah is yet to prove that he has what it takes to be the main man for Celtic in the number nine position, despite Kyogo Furuhashi’s exit in the January transfer window.

Why Kyogo Furuhashi was a success at Celtic

The Japan international joined the club from Vissel Kobe in the summer of 2021, signed by Ange Postecoglou, and hit the ground running at Parkhead with 20 goals and five assists in 33 appearances in all competitions.

Kyogo did not fit the prototypical centre-forward mould, standing at 5 foot 7 and being fairly weak in his physical duels, but he made up for that with lethal finishing and exceptional movement.

The Japanese star, who scored 34 goals in the 2022/23 campaign, did not need to be a 6 foot 3, powerful, number nine who could bully opposition defences week-in-week-out, because he had the technical ability to impact matches without getting involved in physical tussles.

Kyogo ended his Celtic career with a return of 85 goals and 19 assists in 165 matches in all competitions, which illustrates just how effective he was at the top end of the pitch.

Kyogo’s three full seasons at Celtic

Premiership

21/22

22/23

23/24

Appearances

20

36

38

Goals

12

27

14

Duels won per game

1.7

1.2

1.5

Ground duel success rate

43%

44%

45%

Aerial duel success rate

20%

13%

26%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former Celtic striker consistently struggled with the physical side of the game throughout his three full Premiership seasons, yet still managed to consistently score goals.

This shows that he was a success at Parkhead because of his movement and his technical quality, and is proof that Celtic do not need a tall, physical, experienced number nine if they opt to recruit one in the summer.

Celtic eyeing Premiership striker

In fact, Celtic may be able to unearth their next version of Kyogo by signing a Premiership player whom they are now, reportedly, showing an interest in.

According to the Chronicle Live, the Hoops are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a swoop for Hearts centre-forward James Wilson ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Hoops have ‘checked’ the 18-year-old striker out this season, in what has been his breakthrough year at senior level with the Jam Tarts, as Rodgers lines up a move for the youngster.

However, the Scottish giants will face some significant competition for his services because the outlet adds that Premier League clubs, including Newcastle United, are also interested in the forward.

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Expand Collapse

It also reveals that fellow Glasgow club Rangers have also checked out the teenage sensation’s performances for Hearts this term, but Celtic may have the upper hand over their rivals because they have just won the Premiership title and may be a more attractive proposition.

Why Celtic should sign James Wilson

The Hoops must, now, swoop to sign Wilson ahead of Rangers and Newcastle, and any other Premier League teams, because he has the potential to be an exciting addition to the squad.

Celtic would be signing a young player with so many years left ahead of him to develop and improve in the future, because the Scotland international only turned 18 in March, which means that there would not be too much emphasis on him needing to be an instant success.

Like Kyogo, Wilson has a lean build and is not your prototypical, physical, Scottish centre-forward who is going to win aerial duels and hold the ball up under pressure constantly.

Instead, the Scotland international is an effective finisher who has clever movement and clean technique in front of goal, which allows him to make an impact at Premiership level.

24/25 Premiership

James Wilson

Starts

15

Goals

5

Big chances missed

4

Duels won per game

2.6

Ground duel success rate

45%

Aerial duel success rate

29%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Wilson does not win many duels per game and he has been dominated by opposition defenders in duels on the ground and in the air throughout this season, which has been his first of regular football in the league.

This shows that he is similar to Kyogo in the sense that they both struggle with the physical side of the game, but his goal return speaks to his ability in possession.

Wilson, whose appearance as Scotland’s youngest ever debutant was described as “incredible” by Neil Critchley, scored five goals from 4.77 xG, which shows that he has been efficient in front of goals in the top-flight.

This suggests that he has the potential to be similar to Kyogo at Celtic as a centre-forward who can provide a clinical touch in the final third, without offering a physical presence, by using his movement and technical qualities to make a big impact.

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Couple that with his age profile and potential to improve, and this is why the Scottish giants should push to bring him to Parkhead in the upcoming summer transfer window.

They beat Sri Lanka and Bangladesh respectively, but not in the most convincing ways

Valkerie Baynes05-Oct-20244:01

Takeaways: Australia and England off to winning starts

Australia and England safely navigated their opening contests of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 but the path ahead shimmered into perspective in the Sharjah heat with neither side fully exerting their dominance and both left with some work to do.India’s shock loss to New Zealand on Friday night had fuelled Australia’s status as trophy favourites and England’s as their closest challengers.And while Australia defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets with 34 balls to spare, they were less polished in the field than has been their trademark for eons and Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 43 off 38 balls represented the bulk of their successful 94-run chase.Related

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Wyatt-Hodge, Smith to the fore as England grind past Bangladesh

England enjoyed the better of the conditions in their night game against Bangladesh, who restricted them to 118 for 7 before succumbing to a four-pronged spin attack in which Linsey Smith and Charlie Dean took two wickets each and Sarah Glenn one with spearhead Sophie Ecclestone going wicketless.England’s 21-run victory put them at the top of Group B with a superior net run rate to South Africa, who thumped West Indies by 10 wickets on Friday. Australia remained behind New Zealand on net run rate at the top of Group A.England team in a huddle ahead of the chase•ICC/Getty ImagesIt took England until the fourth over to find the boundary at the vast Sharjah Stadium. But when Danni Wyatt-Hodge struck two fours in three balls from Fahima Khatun and Maia Bouchier added back-to-back fours immediately before she was dropped on 16 slicing Marufa Akter to point, it looked like England’s attacking style was coming to the fore.By the end of the powerplay, England were looking good at 47 without loss but Bouchier fell in the seventh over. And while Wyatt-Hodge’s 41 at slightly better than a-run-a-ball propped up the innings, the loss of 5 for 37 in 8.2 overs gave Bangladesh a chance.Left-arm spinner Smith, in her first appearance at a World Cup since 2018, took 2 for 11 from her four overs and ran out Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana while off-spinner Dean accounted for top-scorer Sobhana Mostary, who made 44, and opener Dilara Akter.”First game out, a few nerves with the bat, I thought we adapted quite early, which was good,” Wyatt-Hodge said. “Then with the ball, I thought the girls did a fantastic job. Linsey Smith was outstanding, her first game for England in a World Cup for a while, really happy for her.”Hopefully we can kick on, learn from tonight and put out another display the next game.”

“It was warm out there, it’s tough. And we probably could have done that a little easier with the bat, but conditions were tough out there.”Megan Schutt

For Australia, Megan Schutt opened with a maiden and by the end of the third over, Sri Lanka had only six runs on the board – half of them because Schutt overstepped twice – for the loss of one wicket, Vishmi Gunaratne pinned in front on the last ball of Schutt’s second over.Then Ashleigh Gardner struck with her eighth ball of the match to remove great hope Chamari Athapaththu, whose lean tournament with the bat continued when she fell lbw for just 3, having scored only 6 in Sri Lanka’s first loss to Pakistan.Australia’s start wasn’t blemish-free. Having opted for the pace of Darice Brown over another spin option, she endured a torrid first over with three front-foot no-balls, a wide and clubbed for four through extra cover by Harshitha Samarawickrama.After seven overs, Sri Lanka were 27 for 3 and it could have been more after 12 had Alyssa Healy not missed a chance to stump Samarawickrama and had Brown not put down the same batter running in from extra cover.Schutt led the way with 3 for 11 including back-to-back wickets in the final over but it was a less-than clinical performance in the field by Australia’s standards in an innings punctuated by soft dismissals.The early loss of Healy, and Georgia Wareham had Australia looking shaky but then Mooney marshalled their pursuit expertly, although she was dropped on 22 to Athapaththu’s disgust.Megan Schutt now has the joint-most wickets in Women’s T20 World Cups•ICC/Getty ImagesSchutt described New Zealand’s win against India, which came off the back of Australia’s 3-0 sweep of their series with New Zealand last month, as “pretty cool”. Australia play New Zealand next up on Tuesday back in Sharjah.”It opens up the tournament completely and shows if you have a lot of intent at the start, what that can do in the powerplays,” Schutt said. “It’ll be a great match. Obviously we’ve just come off a series against them in Australian conditions, so it’ll be even a tougher match-up here.”Defending champions doesn’t really mean anything in a new tournament. The slowness of the pitches brings in every single team to this tournament. It actually evens it out really nicely.”It was pretty exciting to go out there. We were pretty nervous to play at 2pm in terms of the heat and I think we handled that really well. We probably worked ourselves up a little bit more than what it was out there. The breeze was lifesaving. So I think we’ve acclimatised nicely to that and now we’ve moving into night game, which should be much more pleasant.”Australia also understood they had work to do ahead of their next game.”We probably could have been cleaner in the field,” Schutt said. “It was warm out there, it’s tough. And we probably could have done that a little easier with the bat, but conditions were tough out there and credit to them for getting the job done.”

The visitors’ fast bowling will challenge Australia’s in-form batters but South Africa’s fragile batting needs to set decent totals to defend

Ian Chappell18-Dec-2022History – even the most recent version – has shown that fast bowlers play a crucial role in winning in Australia. In the last 15 years only two teams, South Africa and India, have beaten Australia at home in a test series more than once. In each case – Dale Steyn in South Africa’s and Jasprit Bumrah in India’s – a fast bowler played a leading role.That’s not to say a paceman did it all on his own – they had plenty of help – but the fast bowlers set a leading example. The most remarkable of those victories was India’s in 2020-21, when they were bundled out for 36, had their captain then fly home, lost Bumrah to injury in the final Test, and yet still narrowly beat Australia at Fortress Gabba.That was an incredible feat led by India’s then junior fast bowler Mohammed Siraj.Related

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If you fully explore Australia’s Test history, the importance of pace is brought home even more starkly. In 1932-33, England dominated, with Harold Larwood being the genuine pace-bowling threat. England, whose wiser captains Len Hutton and Ray Illingworth plumped for pace, again dominated Australia with Frank “Typhoon” Tyson in 1954-55 and John Snow in 1970-71 being the successful pace bowlers.Then it was the turn of West Indies for a period of 14 years, where they monstered Australia at home, winning four times with a successful quartet of very fine fast bowlers.That turns the spotlight back on South Africa, who arrived this month in Australia with a fine quartet of fast bowlers. In Kagiso Rabada they have a proven pace bowler in Australia. However, in addition they have Anrich Nortje who bowls at genuine pace; Lungi Ngidi, who is a clever fast bowler; and left-armer Marco Jansen, who swings the ball at a good speed.There is no doubt that South Africa have the fast-bowling quality to succeed in Australia. The big question is whether the fragile batting can produce enough runs to give their bowlers a shot at victory. Through the previous winning sequences in Australia, there was always at least one class batter in the opposition who helped the fast bowlers make victory possible.This is where South Africa fall down, as they only have their captain, Dean Elgar, as a proven performer in Australia. Elgar is a tough competitor but not a class batter. South Africa will require useful contributions from their other batters if they are going to produce match-winning totals.Adding to South Africa’s batting troubles is the Australian attack. The strength of Australia and a big reason for their recent success at home has been a very strong bowling squad. Even slightly depleted with the loss of Josh Hazlewood from at least the Gabba Test, Australia are still strong in bowling.However, what will give South Africa heart is that India defeated Australia when the home side’s full bowling quartet was in operation at the Gabba. Nevertheless, it still required some remarkably aggressive batting from India to defeat Australia’s attack, led by the indefatigable Pat Cummins.Despite Australia’s bowling prowess, it will be the form of their best quickie in captain Cummins who will test the fate of the South African batters. If they handle Cummins well or he is injured, Australia will have to rely on the other fast bowlers to fill the void.What South Africa’s pace quartet will do if they bowl well in Australia is fully test in-form batters who haven’t been properly subjected to a top-class bowling attack for a while.Much of South Africa’s success or otherwise will come down to the leadership of Elgar. If he captains the bowlers wisely so they trouble Australia’s batters, it will become a winning contest. If, however, the Australian batters are able to counter their pace opponents, the home side will prevail comfortably.While genuine fast bowling provides a reliable path in Australia, it doesn’t always guarantee victory. To win, South Africa need to bowl and field superbly, as well as produce some decent totals.

A team ‘never short of character’ is what India captain Ajinkya Rahane called his side after a thrilling draw at the SCG

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2021

Bruised. Broken. But never short of character. Really happy with how the boys fought till the end. Lots to learn and improve as we look forward to Brisbane now. pic.twitter.com/4VBZGCvbnp

— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) January 11, 2021