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Wild weather blew off a section of SCG’s roofing, prevented decision review technology from being set up, and ultimately sealed Hobart Hurricanes’ spot atop the BBL points table.Sydney Sixers finished second after the washout and will take on Hurricanes in the Qualifier. Sydney Thunder will now host the Knockout final at ENGIE Stadium on Wednesday, with the fourth team yet to be decided.Security guards evacuated fans from two bays in the Bill O’Reilly Stand as a piece of vinyl soffit sheeting began to flap violently in the wind prior to Sixers’ clash with Thunder on Friday night. No one was injured when the roofing fell around 6.30pm but the area remained cordoned off, with spectators relocated to another bay.Wind had been so violent before the game that ball-tracker and ultra-edge were unable to be calibrated.David Warner made a positive start after Thunder lost the toss and then Test opener Sam Konstas fell to a stunning Jack Edwards yorker.The second of two rain delays stopped proceedings for around 90 minutes from 7.55pm and play never resumed, with Thunder finishing at 36 for 1 when the hotly-anticipated grudge match was abandoned. Only 5.1 overs were bowled.Sixers had to beat Thunder to have any chance of locking up top spot on the ladder to finish the regular season. They will instead finish second after both teams earned one point for the washout.”It’s a position we’ve been in before where we’ve had to travel away for a qualifier. I think the group’s excited by the opportunity that’s going to present to us down in Hobart,” Sixers batter Jordan Silk said.The remaining five teams are all mathematical chances to finish fourth and face Thunder, but the fourth-placed Melbourne Stars are the only side that will not rely on others’ results. If Stars beat Hurricanes on Sunday, they will return to the finals for the first time since 2019-20 on the back of a five-game winning streak.In 13 previous editions of the BBL, Hurricanes have finished the regular season in first place only once before and are one of only two sides yet to win a title, along with Stars. But if they defeat Sixers on Tuesday, they’ll host the first BBL grand final to be held in Hobart, where they have not lost this season.Friday’s game was due to be red-hot Steven Smith’s last innings before he and Konstas fly out for Australia’s Test tour of Sri Lanka this weekend.Smith saved Warner’s shot to long-off from becoming a six with some gutsy fielding on the boundary, but rain denied him a chance to bat.

The reasons for Raphinha being unexpectedly dropped by Barcelona for their La Liga clash with Valencia have been revealed. Hansi Flick removed the Brazilian forward from his starting XI, with the South American – who fills the captain’s armband for the Blaugrana – being punished for off-field misdemeanours that left his demanding German coach frustrated.

Teen sensation handed full debut

Raphinha did go on to figure prominently against Valencia, as he bagged a brace in a crushing 6-0 win. That impact did, however, have to be made from off the bench. Teen sensation Roony Bardghji was handed his full debut against Los Che in his place.

AdvertisementGettyBarcelona hit Valencia for six

Raphinha replaced the youngster at half-time, with Barca leading by one goal at that point, and scored twice in the space of nine second-half minutes as Fermin Lopez and Robert Lewandowski also netted two efforts apiece.

Why Raphinha was benched by Barcelona

According to , Raphinha was included among the substitutes “because he was late to a pre-game muscle activation session on Sunday morning”. He had started Barca’s three previous La Liga fixtures this season, all while wearing the armband.

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Getty ImagesOthers that fell foul of Flick's strict rules

He is not the first player to fall foul of Flick’s strict timekeeping rules. Jules Kounde was taken out of Barca’s starting line-up on three occasions last season after being late to pre-match meetings, while goalkeeper Inaki Pena missed out on a Super Cup clash with Athletic Club after breaching the same policy.

West Ham United have now made an approach to sign an “exciting” striker, who has been likened to former Arsenal man Olivier Giroud, according to a report.

Hammers closing in on deal to sign Wilson

With Michail Antonio set to leave this summer, despite undergoing rehabilitation at West Ham, Graham Potter will need to bring in a new striker, and Callum Wilson is now closing in on a move to the London Stadium, having agreed personal terms.

Wilson is available on a free transfer, upon the expiration of the Englishman’s Newcastle United contract, meaning he would be a low-risk addition to the squad, but there are likely to be some justified concerns over the striker’s injury record.

The 33-year-old has suffered persistent injury problems at Newcastle, meaning he was unable to score a single Premier League goal last season, so there are doubts over whether the veteran forward would be a good acquisition for the Irons.

Season

Games missed

2022-23

9

2023-24

28

2024-25

29

There may also be concerns about Wilson’s age, considering the Hammers are well-known to have had the oldest squad in the Premier League last term, and the ex-Newcastle striker is arguably in the twilight years of his career.

As a result, it would make sense to pursue a younger striker alongside Wilson, and a new report has revealed that West Ham have now made their first move to sign a new centre-forward.

Indeed, according to a report from Football Insider, the Hammers have now made an approach to sign FC Metz striker Idrissa Gueye, but there is likely to be stiff competition for the 18-year-old’s signature.

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Within England, the likes of Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion have enquired over a deal for Gueye, while there is also plenty of interest from abroad, with giants Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund joining the race.

Amid the widespread interest in the teenager’s signature, Metz are hoping to receive a fee of around £17m, meaning he would be a relatively low-cost addition to Potter’s squad.

Gueye could be "exciting" signing for West Ham

Scout Ben Mattinson clearly believes the starlet could go on to achieve big things, having lauded him as “exciting”, and the Metz ace has already started to catch the eye in Ligue 2.

Metz achieved promotion to Ligue 1 last term, and the one-time Senegal international made a real impact, amassing five goals and one assist in 17 appearances during the regular season.

Metz director has also spoken fondly of the Senegalese gem, likening him to former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, who remains the all-time leading goalscorer for the France national side.

West Ham could certainly do with bringing in a young striker this summer, given that Niclas Füllkrug is now 32-years-old and Antonio is set to exit the London Stadium, and Gueye could be an exciting long-term addition to Potter’s squad.

Former captain and team-mate braced to be overtaken as England’s leading run-scorer

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Aug-2024

Alastair Cook was Joe Root’s captain in each of his first 53 Tests•Stu Forster/Getty Images

Alastair Cook hailed Joe Root as “a genius” after losing his record for the most England Test centuries to his former team-mate. Root made 103 in the second innings against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Saturday, his second hundred of the match and his 34th overall in Test cricket, taking him clear of Cook’s former benchmark of 33.”He is quite simply England’s greatest, and it’s absolutely right that he should have this record, on his own,” Cook, who was England’s captain in each of Root’s first 53 Tests, said on commentary for the BBC’s “Take it in, Joe. We are watching a genius.”I don’t think there’s a batsman that I can remember watching play [who shares] the sense of inevitability about scoring runs that Joe Root gives off. I called it when he was on about 6 today, that he was going to get 100. I know he’s in great form, but it’s just a pleasure to watch a master, a craftsman at work.”Twin hundreds at Lord’s took Root’s career aggregate to 12,377 runs, and he needs 96 more runs at The Oval next week to overtake both Kumar Sangakkara and Cook. That would make him the fifth-highest run-scorer in Test history, and England’s highest. “He’s just got the final one to tick off next week,” Cook said. “In this kind of form, there’s no reason why he can’t.”Root milked Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya during his second hundred of the match, scoring 60 runs off the 59 balls he faced from him. “The spinner was bowling today, and quite honestly, he could have hit him wherever he wanted with absolutely no risk,” Cook said. “That is the art of batting: low-risk shots which score you runs.”Cook was in the opposition when a teenaged Root made his List A debut as an 18-year-old in 2009, making 63 off 95 balls for Yorkshire against Essex. “He couldn’t get the ball off the square,” Cook recalled. “Everyone said, ‘he’s a good player’, but I didn’t see that.”Related

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But three years later, Cook was England’s Test captain when Root made his international debut in the final match of their 2-1 series win in India. “I saw someone mentally ready to play Test cricket,” Cook said. “The only check was when he walked out to bat for the first time, how he would handle it.”The game was in the balance and he walked out to bat with his England cap on, looking 13, massive smile on his face. I watched his first few balls, and I was like, ‘This bloke is here to stay.’ I honestly said, ‘He’s scoring 10,000 runs.’ I don’t know who I said it to, but I know that I said it.”

Last season might not have ended in the glory many Arsenal fans hoped it would, but it wasn’t all doom and gloom.

After all, Mikel Arteta’s side made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 16 years and secured second in the Premier League despite the absurd number of injuries they had to contend with.

Moreover, when he was fit, Bukayo Saka reached an entirely new level, ending the season with an outrageously impressive haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances.

Saka’s 24/25

Appearances

37

Starts

30

Minutes

2619′

Goals

12

Assists

14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.73

All Stats via Transfermarkt

So, fans should be delighted about reports now linking Arsenal to a Premier League star who’d be a dream teammate for the Hale End icon.

Arsenal target Premier League stars

As Arsenal really need to make good on their resurgence over the last few years and finally get over the line next season, it makes sense that they have been linked with so many Premier League players this summer, such as Noni Madueke and Anothy Gordon.

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The former looks likely to cost in the region of £50m, and while he might not be the most popular target among the North Londoners’ fans, he’s young, dynamic, and was able to amass a tally of seven goals and four assists in 32 league games last season.

Gordon, on the other hand, could cost as much as £80m, but again, he’s shown signs he could be something special, amassing 39 goal involvements in 85 league games since joining Newcastle United.

However, there is another, even more exciting Premier League star who now appears to be a serious and attainable target for the Gunners, someone who Saka would no doubt love playing with: Eberechi Eze.

At least that is according to insider Team news and ticks, who, on the latest episode of The Inside Foreward podcast, reaffirmed that Arsenal’s interest in the £100k-per-week Crystal Palace star is real and significant.

Furthermore, he revealed that the deal for the player could be “wrapped up in the next hour if they wanted to” and that the Eagles ace is supposedly “desperate” to join the North Londoners.

However, to get their man, the Premier League runners-up will likely have to pay his release clause, which stands at around £68m.

It would be a costly transfer to get over the line, but Eze has more than proven he’d be worth the outlay in recent campaigns, and we have no doubt that he’d be an incredible teammate for Saka.

Why Saka will love Eze

The first and undoubtedly most important reason Saka will love playing alongside Eze is an incredibly straightforward one: his output.

Despite playing in a midtable side, the Greenwich-born game-changer was able to amass a brilliant tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes.

That means the 27-year-old dynamo maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

Eze’s immense 24/25

Appearances

43

Minutes

3303′

Goals

14

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Just imagine how many goals and assists the Gunners’ mercurial number seven would have to his name after a season of playing with someone as productive as the former QPR gem.

Moreover, last season also showed that he is the archetypal ‘big game player’ as not only did he open the scoring in Palace’s FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa, but he then went and scored the only goal in the final and led the club to their first major trophy in their entire existence.

So, when the North Londoners find themselves in a high-stakes must-win game next season, which will probably be a common occurrence, the Hale Ender can rely on his new teammate to be just as impactful as he is.

Finally, should the goalscoring “superstar,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, move to the Emirates in the coming weeks, then not only will he be able to form a partnership with Saka at club level, but also on the international stage, as he’s becoming more and more involved with the England team now.

Ultimately, while it won’t be cheap, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Eze this summer, as not only would he help improve the entire team, but he could also form a game-changing partnership with Hale End’s favourite son.

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Chelsea’s transfer activity has been leaked consistently over the last few days, with one club director now lifting the lid on a recent phone call as the Blues pursued another deal.

Chelsea targeting new attackers for Maresca after failed deadline deals

Enzo Maresca couldn’t quite get AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan or Borussia Dortmund sensation Jamie Gittens through the door in time for their looming Club World Cup campaign (Sky Sports), with the pre-CWC deadline passing at 7pm on Tuesday.

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Chelsea also didn’t have enough time to strike what is a complex deal for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, but Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg insists that he is still one to watch, and the west Londoners remain in talks.

In the meantime, it is reported that Chelsea are prioritising a new attacker over the coming weeks, namely a left-winger, versatile attacking midfielder and second striker after Liam Delap (Simon Phillips).

Chelsea also haven’t given up hope of signing Gittens, and he could well be one they revisit later on in the window.

“The hype and briefings of bids being sent and rejected for Gittens yesterday afternoon was just all blown up and also, very delayed,” said journalist Simon Phillips in a recent Substack update.

“Chelsea walked from this way before lunchtime and the biggest offer we sent in was a £45m base fee and £10m add-ons. This was rejected and Chelsea walked. It is likely to come up again because Chelsea do rate Gittens, and it’s likely to still be a genuine pursuit for Chelsea still this summer.”

This is now being echoed by Dortmund sporting director Sebastien Kehl, who lifted the lid on their discussions with Chelsea in an interview with Tage Spiegel this week.

Sebastien Kehl reveals Chelsea phone call over signing Jamie Gittens

The Bundesliga chief shared details behind their negotiations, with Kehl also tipping Chelsea talks for Gittens to reopen.

“We spoke on the phone, in the end we did not agree, because we have different ideas about the current value of the player,” he said.

“Jamie definitely makes our team better. We are glad that he is there. We are in a good exchange and see how things are shaping in the future.

“Of course, at some point, if you take a player with it, you also have to sell. I assume that his market value will not fall. We will see to what extent we can keep it until the end of the tournament. There will be talks again.”

Dortmund and Kehl are rumoured to want as much as £55 million for Gittens, which is a steep price considering he played less of a crucial role for them towards the back end of 2024/2025.

Just three of the 20-year-old’s 12 goals last season came in this calendar year, with Gittens also registering zero assists since the turn of 2025.

While Chelsea chiefs are believed to rate him, BlueCo also must not pay over the odds for him either, even if he’s Dortmund’s most sellable asset, and they’re likely to carry on charging top dollar.

Newcastle United are now showing strong interest in signing a Premier League player who Eddie Howe called “magnificent”, according to a report.

Magpies pushing for the Champions League

Newcastle are in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League, while also ending their 70-year trophy drought by winning the EFL Cup earlier this season, which should make St. James’ Park an attractive destination for new signings this summer.

Howe’s side have performed very well, but the manager is looking to upgrade his squad in several areas this summer, including in midfield, having now joined the race for Manchester City’s James McAtee, who could be available for a fee of just £26m.

There is also a desire to strengthen in forward areas, with Ademola Lookman on the shortlist, while Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi could be brought in to bolster Howe’s centre-back options, having been keen on the Englishman for quite some time.

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1

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Another area in which Newcastle could look to strengthen is between the sticks, with Nick Pope now arguably in the twilight years of his career at 33-years-old, and they have their eye on an option from within the Premier League.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Newcastle are showing strong interest in signing Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who is in line to leave the Saints after their relegation to the Championship.

Ramsdale will be able to leave for just £25m following his side’s relegation to the second tier, and the goalkeeper is eager to remain in the Premier League, with West Ham United believed to be leading the race for his signature.

Pope’s injury setbacks mean the Magpies are looking to bring in a goalkeeper capable of competing for a starting spot, and the Southampton shot-stopper fits the bill, although the requirement to abide by financial fair play rules could hinder their chances of getting a deal over the line.

Newcastle United’s final Premier League fixtures	Date
Chelsea (h)	May 11th
Arsenal (a)	May 18th
Everton (h)	May 25th

Ramsdale could be "magnificent" signing for Newcastle

The Saints have endured a torrid campaign in the Premier League, collecting just 11 points all season, but it is difficult to be too critical of their goalkeeper, given that he is ranked as the best-performing player in the squad.

Howe has also been left seriously impressed by the Englishman in the past, describing him as “magnificent” during their time working together at AFC Bournemouth.

Not only that, but the 26-year-old caught the eye during his time with Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta singling him out for praise after an impressive performance at Anfield, describing his goalkeeper as “fantastic”.

Pope has been a fantastic servant to Newcastle, but with the Englishman now in the latter stages of his career and out of contract in 2026, a long-term replacement could be required, and there are plenty of signs that Ramsdale may well be a solid option.

Tottenham Hotspur lost for the 19th time in the Premier League this season when they were hammered 5-1 by champions Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Spurs took a shock lead on Merseyside when Dominic Solanke found the back of the net with a brilliant header from James Maddison’s corner, but it was not a sign of things to come for Ange Postecoglou’s side in the game.

Defensive frailties were on display yet again for the Whites on a dismal afternoon at Anfield, as Liverpool had 25 shots on goal and seven efforts on target.

The Daily Mail recently reported that Postecoglou is ‘likely’ to move on from the club at the end of the season, and results like this will not do his chances of keeping his job any favours.

Tottenham’s manager cannot be spared any blame for the team’s poor form this term, because they have lost 19 matches in the division, but he has not been helped by the performances of some of the players on the pitch.

Spurs have an incredibly youthful squad, with the hope that they will develop and improve over time, and that was on display at Anfield, as Archie Gray struggled.

Why Archie Gray has struggled this season

Tottenham reportedly splashed out a fee of £30m to sign the 19-year-old midfielder from Leeds United last summer, and it has been a difficult year for the teenager.

Gray made his 24th appearance and 15th start of the Premier League season against Liverpool on Sunday, and he is still trying to establish where his best position on the pitch is.

It was his fourth start as a defensive midfielder, to go along with five starts at left-back, eight starts at right-back, and 19 starts at centre-back due to the injury issues Spurs have had in that area of the park.

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Gray, who played as a right-back typically for Leeds last season, has not had a settled position that he could make his own and deliver consistent performances in, which may be why his campaign has been fairly unimpressive on paper.

Appearances

24

Goals

0

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.0

Error led to shot

1

Error led to goal

1

Duel success rate

47%

As you can see in the table above, the England U21 international has failed to deliver much in the way of quality on or off the ball, with zero goal contributions and a below-average success rate in duels.

His first-half display against Liverpool before being withdrawn at the break was more of the same. Gray did not create any chances or register a shot on goal, and he only won one duel, whilst completing 80% of his attempted passes.

As you can see in the clip above, Ryan Gravenberch found it far too easy to hold off the midfielder to allow Alexis Mac Allister to fire in from range to put Liverpool 2-1 up.

It was a disappointing display from Gray, who is still learning and adjusting to Premier League football at the age of 19, but his fellow 19-year-old Lucas Bergval was even worse than him.

Why Lucas Bergval was even worse than Archie Gray

The teenage talent was selected alongside the Englishman for the trip to Anfield, leaving Spurs with a very young midfield despite having Yves Bissouma available and on the bench.

It was a difficult match for both Gray and Bergval, and that is reflected in their statistics, as the Swedish flop was even worse than the former Leeds man, notably taking fewer touches (43) than even goalkeeper Vicario (49).

Minutes

45

90

Pass accuracy

80%

72%

Dribbles completed

1/1

0/1

Possession lost

5x

13x

Dribbled past

0x

1x

Ground duels won

1/1

5/8

Interceptions

2

1

As you can see in the table above, the Sweden international was far more wasteful with the ball at his feet, completing a lower percentage of his passes, failing with his only attempted dribble, and losing the ball almost three times as much.

Bergval did win more duels than Gray but had a worse success rate and was dribbled past once, in what was a disappointing overall display from the youngster.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville went as far as to say that his efforts to clear the ball from a corner for Cody Gakpo’s goal were “appalling”, as his weak headed clearance fell straight to the Dutch forward inside the box.

Going to Anfield to face the champions is never an easy task, and it was a big ask from Postecoglou to put Gray and Bergval in midfield together without an experienced midfielder alongside them, as they only had James Maddison, who is an attacking player by nature, around them.

That resulted in a poor evening for both players and Spurs, who now have to prepare for a first-leg clash with Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals of the Europa League on Thursday.

Tottenham cannot afford for their midfield to be as below-par as it was against Liverpool, as this is their last chance to win a trophy this season, and that is why Postecoglou must ruthlessly ditch Bergval from the starting XI for the clash with the Norwegian outfit.

Bissouma was an unused substitute against Liverpool on Sunday and may, now, be in contention to come back into the side after Gray and Bergval’s disappointing performances in the middle of the park.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion man has averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game and won 61% of his duels in the Europa League so far this term, which suggests that he could provide some steel at the heart of the midfield on Thursday night.

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It is now down to Postecoglou to drop Bergval from the starting line-up in order to make room for Bissouma to come back into the team against Bodo/Glimt.

It’s the least Indian of all Indian grounds at least at a conditions level, as the pitch is fast and bouncy

Karthik Krishnaswamy05-Mar-20247:09

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Just over three weeks ago, the HPCA Stadium hosted a Ranji Trophy match between Himachal Pradesh and Delhi, where seamers took all 36 wickets that fell over its four days.This was far from unusual. In four Ranji games at the venue this season, fast bowlers have bowled a combined 814 overs and taken 122 wickets at an average of 23.17. Spinners have sent down 122.2 overs, and taken seven wickets at 58.42.The fast bowlers, in short, have taken as many wickets as spinners have bowled overs.Welcome to Dharamsala. It’s cold here, it’s high up in the Himalayas, and it has what may well be the most spectacular backdrop of any sporting venue in the world. It’s only natural to come here to watch cricket and go back having spent more time gazing upon the snow-veined Dhauladhars and pondering your own insignificance in the grand scheme of geological space and time.Related

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It’s also the least Indian of Indian grounds at a conditions level: the pitch here is fast and bouncy, and during the winter months when cricket is played in India, it doesn’t bake under the sun and deteriorate in the way Indian pitches tend to. Fast bowlers like it here.Spinners? Well, it’s complicated.It’s clearly not a ground for spinners during India’s domestic season. Over the 49 first-class games that have been played here, they have averaged 41.02 to the fast bowlers’ 27.90.But there’s only so much extrapolation you can do when a Test match rolls into town.Dharamshala has hosted one previous Test, back in March 2017, and while it’s fondly remembered by India fans for Umesh Yadav’s third-innings spell of new-ball venom, it was also a match where spinners took 18 of the 30 wickets that fell to bowlers. Kuldeep Yadav made his debut and took a first-innings four-for; Nathan Lyon picked up five in India’s first innings; R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja shared six in Australia’s second.Before that Test match, the pitch had worn a tinge of green, and the curator had said it would offer something to all four disciplines: pace, spin and batting, of course, but fielding too, with good carry to the slips cordon.Axar Patel, Shubman Gill, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar in training•AFP/Getty ImagesThe pitch delivered on that promise, and it helped that the match was played in the end of March, by which time warmer weather had arrived in Dharamsala. The sun helped turn the surface into something like day four in Australian conditions- fast and bouncy but with plenty of cracks for the spinners to work with.It’s a little different now, as Dharamsala gears up for its second Test match. It’s still the first week of March, and there has been rain in the weeks leading up to the game. Rain is forecast for Thursday, day one of the Test match, and maximum temperatures on all five days are likely to hover in the early to mid-teens (Celsius). It’s not the kind of weather for cracks to open up.Against that, though, is the look of the pitch itself, two days out from the match. It seemed to be a pale brown rather than green – the pitch that hosted the third Test in Rajkot had looked significantly greener in the lead-up – and Jonny Bairstow called it a “used pitch” in his press conference on Tuesday. He was not wrong, since it’s the same pitch that was used in that HP-Delhi game, but that was three weeks ago – how much time must elapse between matches for a used pitch to cease being one?James Anderson bowls with the Himalayas in the background•Getty ImagesEven so, it seemed fairly evident that the powers that be have made an effort to get this pitch to play in as Indian a way as possible, and minimise the advantages it bestows upon fast bowlers through its soil and location.It could still be fast and bouncy, then, and there could be swing if it’s overcast – as is likely to be a case for at least parts of the Test match – but it’s not a green seamer. The fast bowlers could still have a big influence, but the spinners could enjoy the bounce too. The lack of grass on the surface could help it wear a little quicker, though how quickly, in these conditions, remains to be seen.The outfield – a distinctly different and darker green to the square – is lush. Reverse-swing, if it happens, may take some time to happen.From England’s perspective, any help for the fast bowlers is welcome, potentially even-ing the battle between the two attacks. There is every chance they will play three quicks.It’s a little trickier for India to play an extra seamer, though. Any Indian pitch that’s not an outright greentop – and this one isn’t – is one where Ashwin. Jadeja and Kuldeep can find a way to take wickets. They’ll certainly enjoy the bounce, particularly if England keep sweeping and bring the top edge into play. And cooler weather allows fast bowlers to extend their spells; Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, used judiciously, could still deliver enough overs to ensure India don’t waste windows of fast-bowling opportunity.The question for India is whether a third seamer – likely Akash Deep – could get them more wickets, and get them quicker and cheaper, than a third spinner. It’s a question they’re likely to spend a lot of time mulling over, over the next day-and-a-half. It’s the kind of question they rarely have to ask themselves when they’re playing at home, but this is Dharamsala. Everything is different here.

Jos Buttler the wrecker-in-chief with his third ODI century in 50 or fewer balls

Sampath Bandarupalli17-Jun-2022498 for 4 – England’s total in Amstelveen is the highest-ever in one-day internationals. The previous highest was 491 for 4 by New Zealand Women against Ireland in 2018, while the previous highest in men’s ODIs was also by England, when they posted 481 for 6 against Australia in 2018.ESPNcricinfo Ltd0 – Number of team totals in men’s List A cricket higher than England’s 498 for 4. It is now the highest total in the format, surpassing 496 for 4 by Surrey against Gloucestershire in 2007.