Mohamed Salah sees this year as his best chance of winning the Ballon d'Or after playing a crucial role in Liverpool's Premier League title success.
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A former Barcelona chief has explained the reasons for Ousmane Dembele's failure at Barcelona and what has changed for the Paris Saint-Germain star.
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Ex-Barca chief explains why Dembele failed with Catalan sideAcknowledged La Liga giants handled the Frenchman poorlyCredited Luis Enrique for bringing the best out of PSG starFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Former sporting director Robert Fernandez, who was key in helping the Catalans sign Dembele from Borussia Dortmund in 2017, recently admitted that Barca made many mistakes in the handling of the Frenchman. Fernandez also explained the key difference between Barcelona and PSG boss Luis Enrique's approach with Dembele, highlighting how he unlocked his potential to the maximum at Parc des Princes.
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Speaking to Fernandez explained why Dembele has thrived at PSG, acknowledging that Barca as a club didn't figure out the best way to deal with him.
"Ousmane came to Barcelona too young and, as soon as he arrived, he suffered a misfortune at Getafe, a hamstring injury that really hurt him. Being so young, there were many things he didn't understand, and we also made mistakes by not knowing how to rectify that situation," he said.
“Barcelona are a club with many interests and many different views among the press and fans. Ousmane was a good player who needed to be given time because he had two injuries. Many things were said at Barcelona that weren't true, like that he went out a lot at night. Then he was often accused of being late to training, but many players arrive late. They are protected. Dembele was very vulnerable at Barcelona; they always waited for him to be seen.”
“Luis Enrique, who deserves all the good things he's getting as a coach, had a significant confrontation a few months ago (with Dembele) because he understood that he could have given him much more than he was, and look at what he's doing now."
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Dembele arrived at Barca in a sensational €148 million move from Dortmund in the summer of 2017. However, his time at Camp Nou was constantly hampered by fitness issues, lack of consistency, and rumours of off-field distractions. The 28-year-old didn't justify his outrageous price tag, and his time in Barcelona ended unceremoniously in 2023. PSG signed him that year, and his first season at Parc des Princes was not much different from his previous six in Spain. However, Luis Enrique showcased immense patience and faith, changing his position on the pitch — from a winger to a false nine — which has brought the best out of Dembele and also worked wonders on a collective level, with PSG sweeping all trophies on offer in the 2024-25 season. Now, the attacker is in pole position to be awarded this year's Ballon d'Or.
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The in-form forward will look to carry his impressive PSG form onto the international stage, as France prepare for a crucial Nations League semi-final clash against Spain on Thursday evening. Following his national team duties, he will head to the United States with PSG for the inaugural edition of the revamped Club World Cup, which kicks off on June 14.
Learning to construct a 50-over innings was Tristan Stubbs’ chief takeaway from South Africa A’s series victory over Sri Lanka A, which was completed with a five-wicket win in Kandy. Stubbs was South Africa A’s highest run-scorer, and the only one to record two half-centuries, and hopes the experience will put him in good stead to add to his one ODI cap.”It’s closer to first-class cricket where you’ve got to bat time,” Stubbs told ESPNcricinfo shortly after scoring a match-winning 58 not out. “I haven’t played a lot of 50-over cricket but in this format, you absorb pressure and then apply pressure. T20 cricket you have to make a play almost every ball but in 50-over cricket and first-class cricket you can just bat time and that’s what I have really enjoyed doing.”Since starting his career three years ago, Stubbs has played 55 T20s, more than double his 21 List A matches, to go with 10 first-class games. His reputation as a big-hitter has seen him picked for the Manchester Originals in the Hundred, and Mumbai Indians at the IPL, although he has only played four matches, two in each of the last two seasons. He went straight from the IPL to Sri Lanka, keen to get game time after last turning out more than a month ago, on May 6.”It [the IPL] was an awesome tournament to be a part of, whether you are playing or not. And Mumbai made the semi-finals so I got to experience a semi-final with 100,000 people which was pretty cool,” he said. “But I hadn’t played in a couple of months so getting some game time now is good. It’s been cool to spend some time in the middle and bat again.”Especially in unfamiliar conditions. This was Stubbs’ first visit to Sri Lanka and though he has been to India three times, he found that the surfaces were different and asked more questions of his game. “It doesn’t bounce as much [as home] and the ball turns a bit more but the conditions have changed between each game,” he said. “The pitch we played on today got more and more dry and it was turning a lot more. But in the second game the ball was seaming around a lot. It’s a nice challenge.”In both matches, Stubbs scored half-centuries, first taking South Africa A from 20 for 4 to 153 for 8, albeit in a losing cause, and then ensuring they recovered from 27 for 2 in the fifth over to successfully chase 173. In both cases, Stubbs saw an opportunity to work on pacing his innings and getting the balance between attack and defence right. “We were in trouble early on. In the second game, it tested my defence of seam and today it was spinning,” he said. “And you learn it’s all right to block a good ball in the longer game. It’s not ideal, but sometimes it’s required.”With his development of a more all-round game in subcontinental batting conditions, does Stubbs hope he is making a case for consideration for this year’s World Cup? “I am trying not to think about it,” he said. “I am just trying to take every game as it comes and just enjoy playing. Today, I could help the team get over the line. We have a pretty strong side so that always helps.”South Africa A will now play unofficial Tests under the tutelage of national Test coach Shukri Conrad to complete their winter program.
Wyatt also played a vital hand to make the Ashes 6-4 in a rain-adjusted chase
Valkerie Baynes08-Jul-2023
Alice Capsey ensured England’s chase stayed on course•Getty Images
Alice Capsey found some timely form to help England to a thrilling victory which sealed the T20I leg for the hosts and kept their Ashes hopes alive.Chasing a revised target of 119 from 14 overs, Danni Wyatt’s 26 from 15 balls started the rain-reduced run chase off brightly but it was Capsey’s 46 from 23, including a stand of 68 off 44 balls for the third wicket with Nat Sciver-Brunt that gave England enough of a buffer ahead of some late drama in the form of wickets to Georgia Wareham and Jess Jonassen in the last two overs.England, playing at Lord’s for only the second time since their 2017 World Cup victory, thrilled a crowd of 21,610, a record for a women’s bilateral fixture in England, with their five-wicket victory, the first time Australia have lost a series since the 2017-18 Ashes, when they also lost the T20 leg. Australia still lead this multi-format series by six points to four, with England needing to win all three ODIs if they are to win back the Ashes.Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner both contributed 32 runs and Ellyse Perry was pivotal in adding 34 off 25 balls to help rescue the Australians from 66 for 3 and post a respectable target of 156. That was revised when the rain which had briefly halted play during Australia’s innings returned during the interval and delayed the restart considerably.Capsey comes goodWyatt picked up from her match-defining half-century on Wednesday to set England’s run chase off to a bright start with six fours on her way to 26. Wyatt, so strong against spin, crunched the offspin of Gardner for back-to-back fours through the covers and crashed Megan Schutt for three more, including a deft steer through deep third so that by the time she edged behind attempting to cut at the end of the shortened four-over powerplay England were 39 for 1. Dunkley skied the very next ball from Darcie Brown down Jonassen’s throat at backward point but then Capsey stepped in.Capsey, who had scores of 3 and 5 in the first two matches, found some fine touch at the perfect moment. She launched Jonassen for six over deep midwicket and after seven overs, the halfway point of their innings, England were 65 for 2. A clever scoop by Capsey to the rope through third brought up the fifty-partnership with Sciver-Brunt and England needed 26 off four overs.Wareham conceded just four runs off the 11th but then Capsey unleashed a massive six into the stands over deep midwicket off Schutt followed by four down the ground to release the pressure on England. She holed out to Gardner four runs shy of her half-century but her stand of 68 off 44 balls with Sciver-Brunt was decisive. There was to be more drama though, Sciver-Brunt bowled by Wareham with England still needing two runs off the last seven balls and Jonassen trapping Heather Knight lbw with the first ball of the final over. Then Dani Gibson, who made her international debut in the first match of this T20 series, calmly reverse-swept Jonassen for four to seal victory with four balls to spare.Amy Jones’ outstanding glove work was on display at Lord’s•Getty Images
Dream start for EnglandOffspinner Charlie Dean opened the bowling and conceded 10 off the first over, including back-to-back fours through the covers and fine leg by Alyssa Healy. But a switch to the Nursery End in the fourth over yielded a wicket first ball when Dean pinned Healy back in her crease and struck the front pad directly in line with middle stump. Mooney was slow to get going with just four runs off 11 balls after four overs. She broke the shackles somewhat with a sweep off Dean which beat a sprawling Lauren Bell at square leg and then Dean parried a sharp caught-and-bowled chance, which umpire Sue Redfern managed to evade with a sway of the head.At the end of the powerplay, Australia were 36 for 1 and they were 37 for 2 a short time later when Tahlia McGrath lofted Gibson’s back-of-a-length ball straight to Capsey at mid off. By the time she fell attempting to lap Sciver-Brunt only to see her stumps splayed, Mooney had reached 32 from 27 balls, including three fours off Sarah Glenn’s first over, twice through midwicket and then down the ground and Australia were 66 for 3 at the halfway point of their innings.Prime PerryEngland negated the threat of Gardner on 32 from 25 deliveries with a superb take over head height by Amy Jones off Sciver-Brunt with Perry still settling in. Perry had almost seen her side home with a barnstorming 51 not out from 27 balls in Australia’s three-run defeat at The Oval and, after a brief rain interruption with Australia 106 for 4 after 15 overs here, she went on the attack again. Perry pulled the first ball after the rain break, from Gibson, over backward square leg for six and helped herself to 17 runs off Sciver-Brunt in the 18th over, including three fours in four balls, all behind the wicket.Perry was adjudged lbw to Bell in the 19th over and, given the stage of the game, she called for a review. But with the DRS down, she had to abide by the on-field decision, which replays later showed was the right one. Grace Harris took up the task with an effective 25 from 15 after Bell dropped a sitter at backward point off the first ball of the final over.Harris was put down by Gibson at long on next ball then capitalised by finding the boundary wide of long on. Sophie Ecclestone took matters into her own hands when she bowled Annabel Sutherland with the penultimate ball of the innings, with Harris run out on the last.
Australia overcame tricky batting conditions at the SCG to take a 2-0 lead
Andrew McGlashan04-Feb-2024Sean Abbott starred on his home ground with a standout all-round display as Australia overcame tricky batting conditions at the SCG to take a 2-0 lead in the ODI series. Abbott’s career-best 69 led a lower-order fightback for the home side then, after it was West Indies’ spinners who caused most problems, Australia’s quicks did the damage to the chase.Abbott finished with 3 for 40 – his third wicket coming courtesy of a stunning catch by Cameron Green at midwicket – to go alongside his half-century and for good measure added two well-judged catches. Will Sutherland, one of two debutants for Australia, claimed his maiden international wicket by removing Romario Shepherd. Josh Hazlewood, who was called up for this game as Australia managed their resources, showed his class with three scalps.Australia had been 91 for 5 and later 167 for 7, as Gudakesh Motie claimed 3 for 28, when Abbott dominated the closing stages with Sutherland offering support in an innings-high stand of 57. Abbott’s final score was the joint fifth-highest for Australia from No. 8 and below in ODIs.Related
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A number of Australia’s top order made starts without converting with four of the top seven falling between 26 and 41 before Abbott showed his prowess with a 54-ball half-century and struck consecutive sixes in the penultimate over before dragging on. In the 20 overs between Motie and offspinner Roston Chase there were just two boundaries as the spinners proved tough to get away.But Australia lost one of their spin resources for the second innings with Matt Short, who made 41, unable to field due to hamstring tightness. He was to be assessed in the coming days but must be doubtful for Canberra on Tuesday given the short turnaround.It meant all of Australia’s spin would be in the hands of Adam Zampa, so the early inroads made by the quicks were important. Aaron Hardie was given the new ball and started with an excellent spell that included two maidens as he found late movement. He claimed the opening wicket when Alick Athanaze skied to mid-off where Abbott added to his impact on the game.Hazlewood then had Justin Greaves taken by Sutherland at mid-off and when Abbott joined the wicket-taking, finding Kjorn Ottley’s edge, West Indies were 34 for 3. Captain Shai Hope and Keacy Carty, who played superbly at the MCG for 88, rebuilt for 13 overs before Hope was beaten by a ball from Hazlewood which kept low and smashed off stump. Soon after, Abbott struck again to end Carty’s promising stay with a thick edge to the keeper and things faded away.Australia handed out debuts to world-record holder Jake Fraser-McGurk, who replaced Travis Head at the top of the order, and allrounder Sutherland. Sutherland’s father James, the former Cricket Australia CEO, was at his cap presentation along with sister Annabel who had flown in early ahead of the rest of the Australia women’s squad to attend the game.Will Sutherland celebrates his first international wicket•Cricket Australia/Getty Images
Xavier Bartlett and Lance Morris were rested after their debuts at the MCG with the selectors wary of there being three games in five days.Fraser-McGurk’s first international innings was brief but not dull. He swiped and missed at his first ball, was beaten by the bounce from his second, clubbed his third straight of mid-on and launched his fourth into the second tier of the Bill O’Reilly Stand. With his fifth it was all over, as he edged Alzarri Joseph to the keeper.Joseph had a second when Josh Inglis drove to backward point and when Steven Smith chopped on against Matthew Forde, Australia were 50 for 3 in the eighth over.By then Green was up and running having played three sumptuous drives in consecutive deliveries against Joseph but having had his flying start pulled back he miscued to mid-on. In the next over Marnus Labuschagne drove Motie to cover to leave Australia 91 for 5 and more than 33 overs still to bat.Short and Hardie, two of the less experienced players trying to forge their way in the one-day side, batted steadily in a sixth-wicket stand of 51. Hardie was given a life on 18 when he reverse-swept to cover but Carty spilled the chance above his head. However, it didn’t prove costly as Hardie gave his innings away when he pulled Motie to long-on.When Short also fell to Motie it was left to the lower order to nurse the innings through. Scoring was hard work for Sutherland, who was brilliantly caught at cover by Greaves, but Abbott cleared the fence three times in four overs with the first blow leaving a spectator needing treatment when he was struck in the pavilion.
In a frenzied, fun game at Eden Park in Auckland in front of a raucous weekend crowd, New Zealand beat Pakistan by 46 runs to pour cold water over Shaheen Afridi’s coronation as T20I captain. New Zealand took advantage of a somewhat indifferent display with the ball from a Pakistani side that had opted to field first, with Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson striking half-centuries to top up a blistering attack from Finn Allen. Pakistan tried to pull things back with debutant Abbas Afridi’s 3 for 34 an admirable display in hostile bowling conditions, but it wouldn’t stop the home side from amassing 226. thanks to a late cameo from Mark Chapman.Pakistan responded by unleashing the fury of a side out to prove a point, but lacked in control and pacing what New Zealand had possessed. The home side continued to chip away with regular wickets to dent Pakistan in pursuit of the colossus of a total, and despite a blazing start, the visitors never could get the asking rate under control.Tim Southee, who became the first player to bring up 150 T20I wickets, was instrumental in reining Pakistan back in with four more wickets. A phenomenal second over where Mohammad Rizwan was tied up and eventually dismissed with a slower ball set the tone, and he would account for Iftikhar Ahmed at a pivotal moment in the chase later on.There were plenty of cameos across the top six, but only Babar Azam was able to push on, bringing up a good-looking half-century in 33 balls. But Babar was never the man fully equipped to power through as the asking rate had soared beyond 14, and as he fell, Pakistan’s challenge fizzled out with something of a whimper. Pakistan lost the last four wickets in 11 balls for seven runs as they folded for 180, giving the home side the initial edge in the series.
A Shaheen Afridi first over is always an event, and that was even more the case now he was wearing the captain’s armband. The man made sure he would deliver, with a wicket off the second ball when Devon Conway had his bat turned, beaten by the extra pace to scoop one up into the covers. He spent the next four balls working his opposite number over, swinging it both ways as Kane Williamson played out four dot balls.But if New Zealand started slow, Allen would make up for it with a savage onslaught that began with Shaheen’s second over. Shaheen had spoken of the difficulty of bowling full at Eden Park with its short straight boundaries, and in that over, Allen offered a live demonstration. In the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final, Shaheen had removed Allen in his first over, and New Zealand never recovered from the blow. Here Allen would make amends by smashing each of Shaheen’s first five balls for boundaries – two sixes sandwiched by three fours – to plunder 24 in the over and get New Zealand on their way.Kane Williamson contributed 57 off 442 deliveries•AFP/Getty Images
Pakistan had begun to pull things back after Allen’s dismissal, felling him with a slower ball shortly after Babar had spilled Williamson. Mitchell started slowly, but if there’s one thing you know about him, it’s that bowling full and straight to him is a bad idea on any ground. Especially if that ground is Eden Park where the straight boundary is smaller than 55m. Usama Mir chose to disregard that advice twice in the tenth over, with Mitchell tonking him for two sixes that landed on the sightscreen.The next 12 balls were a blaze of boundaries as New Zealand plundered 42 runs off them, and while Williamson fell after a half-century which made up in grace what it lacked in explosiveness, it was Mitchell who lit the touchpaper. He would go after Aamer Jamal with similar ferocity as New Zealand set up for the death overs, and take one last bite at Mir in the 16th over, smashing him for three boundaries before finally holing out off Shaheen in the next over.
With its plethora of dropped catches, poor bowling lengths, mixups and miscues, this was by no means an elite match, but it was a tremendously entertaining one. That frenetic nature of the game was on full display in the early stages of the chase. Saim Ayub was the catalyst, blasting the first ball through the covers for four, before a majestic no-look bunt over deep backward square leg for six. The last ball of the over saw that rarest of things, a Williamson drop as Ayub was reprieved after scooping one up to mid-off.Matt Henry put down a sharp chance to let Rizwan off the first ball of the second over, before Ayub let loose with two sixes and a four. But Pakistan’s propensity for self-harm would strike again, as Ayub slipped attempting a run that wasn’t on, and Adam Milne’s direct hit caught him short. Rizwan tried to keep the tempo up with a six off the very next ball as the contest was slowly dragged back down to earth, but the 20,055 that had packed Eden Park got full value for money.
Mominul Haque finished unbeaten on 87 in the second dig but Bangladesh did not last even 50 overs
Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Mar-2024
Kasun Rajitha picked up his second five-wicket haul and finished with eight in the Test•AFP/Getty Images
Mominul Haque resisted for 148 deliveries, making 87 not out, and he had the company of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shoriful Islam for significant partnerships. But Sri Lanka’s quicks nevertheless hunted down the last five fourth-innings wickets and finished the job midway through the second session of day four, with Kasun Rajitha completing a second career five-wicket haul to finish with figures of 5 for 56.Rajitha dismissed Taijul Islam lbw in the third over of the day with a delivery that jagged back at the batter, then later in the morning session had Mehidy out driving to break the most substantial stand of the innings. He completed his five-for with a double-strike soon after lunch. Shoriful Islam had defied Sri Lanka for 41 deliveries, but provided a simple caught-and-bowled chance when he attempted to drive Rajitha on the up. Next ball, Rajitha delivered a beautiful fourth-stump length delivery to Khaled Ahmed, who nicked behind.Lahiru Kumara was the only other bowler to strike on day four, when he had No. 11 Nahid Rana caught off the shoulder of the bat to end the match, and hand Sri Lanka a 328-run victory, their second-biggest margin by runs. The quicks took all 20 opposition wickets, which a Sri Lanka attack had not done since the mid-1980s. This reflected the nature of the Sylhet surface, but also the skill and intensity of Sri Lanka’s seamers.Bangladesh had begun the day in dire shape, at 47 for 5, but will nevertheless be disheartened at not being able to make Sri Lanka work harder, particularly as rain was forecast for late in the afternoon. They were all-out for 182 after having been bowled out for 188 in the first innings. They did not last 50 overs in the second dig, and aside from Mominul no one passed 35, or batted for more than 50 balls.Mominul Haque was the brightest spot with the bat for Bangladesh in the second dig•AFP/Getty Images
Mominul was outstanding for his part, however. He was fluent right through the day, driving through the covers and through point with special skill, while he also elegantly negotiated the bouncer barrages that Sri Lanka’s seamers sent at him. With the late cut also a productive stroke, he found 59 of his 87 runs on the off side. He should have been out on 64 when he toe-edged a ball on the way to the keeper, but Sri Lanka chose not to review. For much of the day, he was also turning down singles so as not to expose tailenders early in the over, though this was far from a uniform approach.There was no sustained period in which Mominul appeared uncomfortable; some of his stroke-play was gorgeous.Mehidy was Bangladesh’s next-best batter. He’d survived a big lbw appeal and review against Rajitha soon after coming to the crease, but eventually began to look a more secure figure. He increasingly began to look for driveable balls, hitting several boundaries this way. But this would also be his downfall, when he was caught at second slip off the outside edge.As with Sri Lanka’s last tour of Bangladesh, when Asitha Fernando (injured for this tour) and Rajitha shone, Sri Lanka’s Test seamers have imposed themselves again, picking up all 20 wickets in the match.
Lucas Vazquez has finally left Real Madrid after 18 years with the team. It looks like his boat could head to Italy to play against Luka Modric.
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Gianluigi Donnarumma is attracting interest from Galatasaray after the goalkeeper rejected Paris Saint-Germain's offers to extend his contract.
Donnarumma has rejected contract extension offers at PSGGalatasaray have shown interest in the goalkeeperMan City are also monitoring the Italian's situationFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Donnarumma has declined multiple offers to extend his contract with PSG, citing decreased wages and disagreements over the contractual terms. According to , the 26-year-old goalkeeper has received significant interest from Galatasaray, who are willing to offer him better wages than the French club have proposed so far. The ex-AC Milan keeper appreciates the Turkish club's interest but will take his time to decide his next move.
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PSG have scouted Lille's Lucas Chevalier as a possible replacement for the Italian, but the Champions League winners are still trying to match Donnarumma's demands and convince him to sign an extension. Manchester City are monitoring the Italian's situation at PSG though reports they advancing in talks with Burnley regarding triggering their €47m (£40m/$50m) buy-back clause for English goalkeeper James Trafford suggest they will not pursue the ex-AC Milan star.
DID YOU KNOW?
Donnarumma's issue with PSG stems from the club's decision to lower the goalkeeper's wages from €10m (£8m/$11m) to €7m. Though the club have included additional performance-based bonuses, the upfront decrease in wages has not been received well by Donnarumma's camp. This move comes after PSG's sporting director Luis Campos plans to re-think the payment structure by focusing it more around performance-based incentives rather than guaranteed money. The French club were also linked with Porto's Diogo Costa, who is also a target for Manchester United.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR DONNARUMMA?
Donnarumma is still in his prime years and wouldn't find it difficult to switch to a major European club. Him winning the Champions League last season further strengthens his case, and in a market depleted of top goalkeeping options, the availability of a player of Donnarumma's stature is sure to attract significant interest.
Pat Cummins confirmed his XI for Wellington but the home side will make a late call on their final spot
Tristan Lavalette28-Feb-20245:45
Ross Taylor: Kane Williamson’s performance key for New Zealand
Big picture: Australia look to improve overseas record, NZ eye rare victoryIt’s little wonder anticipation is feverish for Australia’s Test return to New Zealand after eight years with matches in Wellington and Christchurch to be played in front of capacity crowds. Even though they are neighbours, sharing a long history on the field, the two sides don’t play against each other very often in Test cricket.And things aren’t changing any time soon with the next series after this set for 2026-27 in Australia, according to the FTP.Related
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It underscores the saturation of Tests being played between powerhouses Australia, England and India but, when they do belatedly meet, the Trans-Tasman rivalry has been decidedly one-sided.Continually overmatched, New Zealand have only beaten Australia once from 29 matches over the last three decades at Test level. But they will finally get a chance to break Australia’s stranglehold in the series-opener at the Basin Reserve starting on Thursday.There is much more than bragging rights on the line with New Zealand currently leading the World Test Championship, while defending champions Australia are in third position.In likely seam-friendly conditions on a green surface, New Zealand’s potent pace attack will be aiming to exploit an Australia batting order that struggled at times against the hostile quicks of West Indies and Pakistan on tough surfaces during the home summer.This two-match series marks the culmination of a hectic period of Test cricket for Australia, who by the end of it will have played 22 Tests in 15 months before a long break until next summer. It’s been a strong period for Australia across formats, cementing a legacy for their core group of stars, but overseas Test series victories have been rare.Since they crushed New Zealand 2-0 in early 2016, Australia’s sole success was a stirring triumph in Pakistan two years ago. They’ve otherwise lost five series and drawn four in that timeframe.Drawing the Ashes twice was somewhat impressive, and they did push India in 2017 and last year, but this ageing Australia team should feel extra motivated as they near the finishing line of a gruelling run.Form guideAustralia LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWLWIn the spotlight: Cameron Green and Daryl MitchellCameron Green will be looking to consolidate the No.4 position•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesAustralia’s only change during their home Test summer was Cameron Green replacing retired David Warner to cause a reshuffle of the batting order. Shoehorning Green into No.4 illustrated the Australian hierarchy’s determination to get the young allrounder back into the line-up.Green started nervously against West Indies with a couple of low scores, but looked more assured with 42 in the second innings at the Gabba before Shamar Joseph went berserk. Green was not part of Australia’s T20I series against New Zealand as he prepared for the Tests by playing in the Sheffield Shield and justified that decision with a century for Western Australia against Tasmania. There will be pressure on Green to cement the No.4 role, but it’s his preferred position while his seam bowling should also prove invaluable on favourable surfaces in New Zealand.Daryl Mitchell looms as an x-factor for New Zealand having become a significant presence after entering international cricket at the age of 27. He spent some of his formative years living in Perth, which helped shape his aggressive style of play. Mitchell has made an impressive start to his Test career with an average of 53.46 from 21 Tests. He’s never played Tests against Australia and also has yet to taste victory against them after five fruitless white-ball games. Mitchell will return to No.5 having missed the last Test against South Africa in Hamilton and the T20I series against Australia due to a foot injury.Team news: Australia unchanged, Conway ruled outWill Young slots in at the top of the order for the injured Devon Conway•Getty ImagesEven though they were shocked by the West Indies in their last Test, Australia will go in unchanged as they stick with their new batting order of Steven Smith at the top of the order and Green at No.4. Despite being tailor-made for the seaming conditions, fringe quicks Scott Boland and Michael Neser will miss out with frontliners Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to play their eighth straight Test together.Australia 1 Steven Smith, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh HazlewoodNew Zealand start a new era after the retirement of firebrand Neil Wagner, who won’t renew his hostile battle with Smith. They played four quicks in their last Test against South Africa, but left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner is likely to be recalled. Scott Kuggeleijn, who has played one Test, is the additional seamer if New Zealand again opt for an all-out pace attack. Opener Devon Conway was ruled out due to an injured thumb sustained during the T20I series against Australia with Will Young his likely replacement, while Henry Nicholls has been called into the squad. Mitchell and batter Rachin Ravindra have overcome injuries, while Kane Williamson also returns after missing the T20I series due to the birth of his third child.New Zealand (probable) 1 Tom Latham, 2 Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Glenn Phillips, 8 Mitchell Santner/Scott Kuggeleijn, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Tim Southee (capt), 11 William O’RourkePitch and conditionsThere is set to be early movement on a grassy surface with plenty of pace and bounce before the pitch flattens out. There has been rain in the lead up to the match, but clear and cool conditions in Wellington are expected over the first four days. Showers are forecast on day five.Stats and triviaNew Zealand’s only Test win over Australia since 1993 was a seven-run thriller in Hobart in December 2011. Mitchell Starc needs three wickets to overtake Dennis Lillee and move into fourth spot on Australia’s all-time list. New Zealand have won their last five Tests in Wellington, but haven’t beaten Australia there since 1990 having lost three times and drawn the other two matches. Tim Southee is ninth on the all-time Test list with 86 sixes. He needs 12 more to move into the top five.Quotes”I don’t think it’s as scary as perhaps what it looks. Seems like there’s been plenty of first inning scores that have been big.”
“We’ll have one final look, obviously with the weather around, so one final decision on whether an extra seamer or a spinner will play.”