Category Uncategorized

Liverpool’s pursuit of Sevilla left-back Alberto Moreno is becoming one of the summer’s most arduous transfer sagas.

No doubt, the Spain international is an impressive talent – arguably La Liga’s equivalent to now Manchester United prodigy Luke Shaw. But Los Palanganos are incredibly reluctant to sell – their reported valuation has gone from £11million to over £20million in the space of single transfer window.

Mirror Football believe the deal could be back on. But we’ve heard all this before, and it’s time for the Reds to consider some alternatives. Just in case Brendan Rodgers is short on ideas, we’ve listed SIX of them.

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON MORENO TO REVEAL ALL

[/ffc-gallery]

RICARDO RODRIGUEZ

The obvious alternative to Alberto Moreno is Wolfsburg prodigy Ricardo Rodriguez, a marauding left-back who shares the Spaniard’s entrenched desire to contribute going forward.

The 21 year-old absolutely destroyed the Bundesliga last season and transitioned his potent form into the World Cup, as shown below:

The Switzerland international may not be the most assured defender, but his attacking style would fit perfectly into Brendan Rodgers’ progressive philosophy. Here’s a look at him in action last season – some of his goals are absolute stunners:

//www.youtube.com/embed/2U1d6s_LAGI?

This World Cup assist to Haris Seferovic wasn’t too bad either:

But Die Wolfe are understandably keen not to part with Rodriguez this summer. As well as the Swiss star’s agent announcing an apparent €25million price-tag, the Bundesliga side have issued a hands-off warning:

SEAD KOLASINAC

Another Bundesliga left-back said to be in Liverpool’s transfer thinking is Schalke hot shot Sead Kolasinac, who offers a more rugged and conventional style than Alberto Moreno.

The 21 year-old is an impressive talent, having racked up 40 league appearances for the Miners since his debut at the start of the 2012/13 campaign. Last year he kept the ever-dependable Christian Fuchs out of the first team.

The World Cup didn’t fare too kindly for the Bosnian international, his tournament typified by this own goal against Argentina:

But the 6 foot full-back was in strong form last season. Here’s how he compared to Alberto Moreno:

Indeed, proficient tackling is a major part of the youngster’s game. Take this challenge against Stuttgart for example:

//www.youtube.com/embed/DH2UWswlv-M?rel=0

Or this against against Frankfurt:

//www.youtube.com/embed/lZF1OeAtqKY?rel=0

Although Kolasinac found two assists last season and is famed for his high-energy style, the Schalke starlet doesn’t offer too much going forward, as detailed below:

And having agreed a new contract until 2017 just last year, the Veltins Arena outfit are under no obligation to sell.

DALEY BLIND

Netherlands international Daley Blind was absolutely sensational at the World Cup, finishing the tournament with the second-most assists, as detailed below:

That includes this sensational delivery to Robin van Persie against Spain:

Not to mention this tidy strike in the play-off to help Oranje clinch third-place:

The prominent form follows an impressive domestic campaign which saw the Ajax utility man claim his club’s Player of the Year award. Here’s a look at his stats from last term:

And although the 24 year-old may not be a specialist at No.3, his ability to play in midfield or at centre-back would add vital depth to Liverpool’s roster.

Should the Reds revive their rumoured interest from earlier in the summer however..

They’ll face stiff competition from fellow suitors Manchester United and Barcelona, with the Red Devils reportedly prepared to meet Ajax’s £17.5million valuation.

JETRO WILLEMS

Another Dutch left-back that’s been catching Premier League attention for some time is PSV youngster Jetro Willems, who was on Manchester City’s radar back in April 2013:

The 20 year-old was in sensational form last season to find four goals and three assists from defence. His stats were pretty solid across the board too:

Here’s a short clip of the Netherlands international – who missed the World Cup through injury – in action. As you can see, his attacking attributes are underpinned by lethal pace and silky skills:

//www.youtube.com/embed/-iBh5Z-0-Ag?rel=0

Currently the record-holder as the youngest player to ever feature in a European Championship, there’s no doubting Willems’ potential.

But tied down to a contract until 2016, PSV will likely command a sizeable fee to let the youngster leave.

GAEL CLICHY

And while we’re on the subject of Manchester City, Liverpool could do a lot worse in their left-back pursuit this summer than French defender Gael Clichy.

The 29 year-old is no world-beater but offers vital Premier League experience, having amassed 251 top flight outings throughout spells with the Citizens and former club Arsenal.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Furthermore, the France international is incredibly consistent and offers a very complete all round game, just take a look at his stats from last season:

Dependable defensively, influential but not proficient going forward and famed for his blistering pace, Clichy comes with a lot of positives.

The former Gunners star denied plans to leave the Etihad earlier this summer:

But still sharing game-time with Aleksander Kolarov, first team football whilst remaining in the Champions League could be enough to make Clichy reconsider. Here’s a short clip of the defender in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/k6UcVEbiqzo?rel=0

MARCOS ROJO

The World Cup performances of Argentina international Marcos Rojo have reportedly caught the transfer attentions of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Southampton:

Indeed, the 24 year-old was nothing short of exceptional at Brazil 2014. Here’s his stats from the tournament:

No doubt, the Sporting Lisbon defender is a classy and confident footballer, typified by this ‘Rabona’ clearance in his own penalty box against Bosnia:

He also measures in at 6 foot 2 and is equally adept at playing at centre-half – that could have particular significance for Liverpool, with rumours that Daniel Agger could be sold this summer.

There’s hot competition for his signature however, and recent speculation suggest the Saints are planning a £14million bid.

Here’s some of Rojo’s best moments for club and country:

//www.youtube.com/embed/9-B_tmW6-_o

Tottenham assistant manager Steffen Freund has insisted that his side are close to overtaking Arsenal and ending their spell of dominance over them in the Premier League, according to Talksport.

The North London rivals clash this weekend at The Emirates with Spurs currently holding a one point advantage, with both teams sitting in seventh and eighth respectively.

Andre Villas Boas took on Freund, a former Tottenham ace, as part of his backroom staff when he moved to the club this summer.

Freund soon realised that things had changed since his time at White Hart Lane, in particular the gap between his side and Arsenal.

Despite the respect for what the Gunners have achieved, the German believes that there is a real opportunity to take advantage of the drastically reduced gap between the sides and finish above their rivals:

“In my time Arsenal used to be involved in the title race every year and we finished ninth or 10th.

“That has changed now. We are really close to our biggest rival.

“It would be great to finish above Arsenal.

“It would be a great experience for me too because it has never happened for me in the past.

“I can’t wait for that game. It’s a special game.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[post_link url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/tottenham/would-this-represent-a-good-season-for-tottenham, https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/liverpool/did-liverpool-fc-have-a-lucky-escape-with-tottenham-duo, https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/liverpool/did-liverpool-fc-have-a-lucky-escape-with-tottenham-duo, https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/caulker-proves-that-loans-are-still-the-best-policy,https://www.footballfancast.com/football-blogs/the-noisiest-home-ground-in-the-premier-league” target=”_blank” type=”grid”]

Vibrant and dynamic partnerships can have an intrinsic impact on any team, and Everton fans who watched Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar regularly link up down the left flank during their time together at Goodison Park will be more than aware of that.

Largely due to the Marcel Brands connection, the Toffees have been linked with PSV’s Hirving Lozano, who looks set to be remembered as one of the World Cup’s breakthrough stars after scoring the goal that saw Mexico unexpectedly beat Germany in the opening round of Group Stage clashes.

But that shock victory owed much to the defender fielded behind Lozano as well, 22-year-old Jesus Gallardo, who was excellent at left-back with seven clearances and eight interceptions to his name.

Is this the best World Cup ever? Give us your thoughts here and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

With that in mind, we asked Everton fans whether the club’s new Director of Football should be looking to sign Gallardo too – an acquisition that could actually help Lozano settle quickly in England because of that extra familiarity.

And according to our poll, 79% of Everton fans would be in favour of a summer swoop. Brands does face a bit of a job to get a deal over the line though; Gallardo’s already agreed to sign for Monterrey, so he’ll have to convince the Mexican club to sell without the young full-back actually making an appearance for them.

Nonetheless, if Brands can get it done he could prove to be an incredibly smart signing for the Toffees.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255857″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Everton’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]

Aston Villa got back to winning ways in the English Championship on Saturday, defeating Sheffield Wednesday 4-2.

It was a hugely important three points, especially after poor results in recent matches, and Steve Bruce’s side showed tremendous spirit to come from behind twice to secure victory in the final five minutes of the match.

With the match poised at 2-2 heading into the closing moments, Conor Hourihane popped up with a fierce shot to put them ahead before Robert Snodgrass slotted home a penalty in injury time.

[ad_pod ]

Fans were delighted with the performance and result for the most part, but did have criticism for midfielder Josh Onomah, whose substitution on the hour mark was the catalyst for the comeback.

Supporters are now calling for him not to be selected in future, believing that the likes of Callum O’Hare would be a far better option.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Is it time to stop playing the Tottenham Hotspur loan star?

Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts…

Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke is sure that Louis van Gaal is the right man to be in the Old Trafford dugout after watching his Holland side at the World Cup.

The experienced Dutchman is set to make his switch to the Theatre of Dream proper when the Brazilian tournament finishes for his nation, which may be in three games’ time with the Oranje set to face Costa Rica in the quarter-finals.

Van Gaal has a wealth of experience at the very highest level following spells with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Ajax, but some fans and pundits displayed reservations surrounding his appointment with club icon Ryan Giggs a name to have been tipped to take the role after being caretaker at the end of last season.

WANT MORE? >> Manchester United transfer news | Latest transfer news

Yorke was among that camp, but the ex-Trinidad & Tobago international says that he has been won over by van Gaal’s management of the Netherlands in recent weeks:

“I said on numerous occasions that I think Ryan Giggs was the one to be given the job and now I look back and reflect and think maybe Van Gaal is the right decision,” he told talkSPORT.

“You can’t question Van Gaal with what he has done and achieved in his career as a manager,

“Wherever he has gone, he has been successful, even if it is for a short period of time.

“He proved again in this World Cup that he is not just a great manager, but gets the maximum out his players, which is essential.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“I think the players have lost their focus a bit and with Van Gaal coming in, with so much experience, he may get that focus back again and get the players achieving things United are usually associated with.”

[ad_pod id=’memegen’ align=’center’]

Theo Walcott continues to make a good case for himself to finally get a role through the centre of Arsenal’s attack. His well-taken goal for the Gunners away at West Ham was another impressive finish to add to the two goals against Coventry in the League Cup. But is it enough to warrant a starting role for Arsene Wenger’s side?

I’m yet to be convinced of Walcott as a leading striker for a top Premier League team. He may flourish into one in the near future, but I’m not seeing it now. Goals in the manner that he put them away are impressive, despite the opposition, but the best thing the player can do at the moment is keep his head down and continue on the same path.

The injury while on international duty will be a big blow, and it’s something we’ve seen in the past from Walcott. He’ll get himself set for a good run of scoring form only to be sidetracked by injury. It was a regular occurrence prior to last season and was arguably a big contribution to his slow development. However, even with the issue of a new contract needing to be ironed out before January, Arsene Wenger may not totally trust Walcott as his central figure in attack.

There’s no doubt that the player can come off the bench and make an impact. Champions League ties against AC Milan and Liverpool in the past are good evidence of that, but we’re not seeing the second half scoring performance against Tottenham in last season’s 5-2 win regularly enough. The first half in that game was typical Walcott. Poor first touch and no great contribution is how those first 45-minutes will be remembered. Even the recent loss to Chelsea in the league saw Walcott provide very little, and that was also from an appearance off the bench.

Quite plainly, there’s nothing about Theo’s game that suggests he’s ready for the responsibility of the team’s main striker. But I do believe he’ll become one in the future.

He’s had enough with the wide position in the right flank, and rightfully so. Walcott was never a winger, despite his pace, and he lacks the attributes of a traditional wide player to be effective. He also doesn’t have the aggression and drive that you’d like to see from a key attacking player. He seems too hesitant to take a defender on and use his pace, often dithering on the ball and eventually losing possession. However, that may just be another indication that he’s not good enough for a role in the build-up play.

This system that Arsenal want to deploy using differing attacking styles with Gervinho and Olivier Giroud may work in Walcott’s favour. What if he does start putting away all his chances from the bench? What if he doesn’t use just one or two examples and point to his readiness for a central role? A flurry of goals and consistently good performances will only leave the manager with thoughts about starting Walcott. It’s another option for Arsenal and another system that will only leave the opposition ill-prepared.

I’ve made the point in the past that Walcott can’t be used as the striker in games where the opposition defend deep and have no intention to attack. In games such as those, Walcott becomes close to useless. He doesn’t have the intelligence to get behind a packed defence, nor has he displayed an ability to hold the ball up for his team mates.

Part of the reason he’s been so good coming off the bench is because the opposition have been worn out. They’re in no state to deal with his pace in the 80th minute of a game, often allowing him to race past and advance on goal. It was the theme in which we saw him capitalise in Milan and at Anfield, and how much would West Ham’s defenders have had in the tank to deal with his attack in the recent win at Upton Park?

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It’s a learning process at the top level that Walcott never had. He’s never had a run in either the Arsenal or England teams as a striker, thus making the transition a potentially problematic one. The role he has been given of late—one which surely has a lot to do with the contract situation—is one that works for both him and the team. The rest of the Arsenal players are not slowed down by his inferior technical skill, but he’s still getting goals when he finds an opportunity.

If he decides to stay at Arsenal and listen to Wenger’s advice, this could be the season where Walcott establishes himself as a successful central player rather than a frustrating and frustrated winger.

“I feel I still have 3-4 years of cricket left in me, but I wanted to go out on a high, when I was at peak fitness and performing well”

Shashank Kishore28-Nov-2024Nearly six years after he last played for India, fast bowler Siddarth Kaul has announced his retirement from Indian cricket. He is, however, still open to the possibility of playing overseas. The 34-year-old ends his international career with six caps, three apiece in T20Is and ODIs between June 2018 and February 2019.In the 2023-24 season, Kaul helped Punjab win their maiden T20 crown, finishing as their highest wicket-taker with 16 in 10 games as they lifted the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He was also their highest wicket-taker (19 wickets in six games) in the 50-overs Vijay Hazare Trophy.Related

• The shukrana of Siddarth Kaul

Kaul most-recently represented Punjab in the first half of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, where he went wicketless across two matches. He finishes with 297 first-class wickets in 88 matches, at an average of 26.77, over a career that spanned 17 years. He also picked up 199 List A wickets at 24.30 and 182 in T20s at 22.04, with an economy rate of 7.67.Kaul broke through for Punjab in first-class cricket as a 17-year-old, and first hit the headlines a year later when he was part of Virat Kohli’s victorious India side at the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. However, multiple back injuries set him back for over five years.Between December 2007 and February 2012, Kaul played just six domestic matches across formats. When he returned, he was part of an emerging crop of fast bowlers in Punjab alongside Manpreet Gony, Sandeep Sharma and Barinder Sran.Kaul played three County Championship matches for Northamptonshire earlier this year•Getty Images

Over the years, Kaul’s wicket-taking ability and death-bowling skills made him a key member of Punjab’s white-ball setup. He finishes as the all-time highest wicket-taker (155 wickets) in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (120).The highest point of Kaul’s career came in 2018 when he earned a T20I cap on the tour of Ireland after being a consistent performer in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad for two seasons. In 2017, he picked up 16 wickets in 10 games, while in 2018 he was SRH’s joint-highest wicket-taker with 21 scalps in a season where they finished runners-up to Chennai Super Kings.Apart from Sunrisers, Kaul also represented Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.Kaul is open to the idea of playing overseas, “wherever opportunities arise.””I feel I still have 3-4 years of cricket left in me, but I wanted to go out on a high, when I was at peak fitness and performing well rather than being asked to go due to fitness or non-performance at some other point,” he told ESPNcricinfo.”If you see my graph over the past 9-10 years, I’ve been performing really well across formats. So I felt this was a good time to go. Hopefully going forward, whatever opportunities arise, like in county cricket [he represented Northamptonshire in three Division 2 Championship games this summer, picking up 13 wickets at 29.84], or Legends League, MLC etc, I’d like to explore them if I get the chance.”

The Afghanistan coach believes getting Gurbaz to understand every game isn’t a T20 is the key to his ODI evolution

Mohammad Isam08-Jul-2023Rahmanullah Gurbaz staying still and smacking the ball gives Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott a lot of pleasure. Gurbaz’s career-best 145 consigned Bangladesh to a 142-run defeat as the visitors clinched the three-match ODI series with one game still remaining. Afghanistan put up a formidable 331 for 9 in their 50 overs, banking on record 256-run opening stand between Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, who also made a century.Gurbaz struck 13 fours and eight sixes in his 125-ball stay, and was particularly destructive in his final 25 balls off which he smacked 45 runs. Afghanistan raised the tempo during that portion of their innings, scoring 69 runs in six overs leading up to Gurbaz’s dismissal in the 37th over.Trott said Gurbaz and Ibrahim complemented each other very well.”He [Gurbaz] can score everywhere around the ground,” Trott said. “He sometimes rushes it and thinks that every game is a T20. The longer Gurbaz bats for us, the more chance we have of winning. I was obviously very happy with how [the opening partnership] was going, especially the shots that they played. It was certainly on a wicket where if you bowl well, you can create some pressure. It had a little variable bounce.”We were going to bat first if we won the toss, having looked at the weather. There was no rain. There wasn’t as much grass as the previous match. I think the way that Gurbaz played in his natural attacking style, while Ibrahim was a nice foil at the other side. Gurbaz didn’t have to worry about another new batsman at the other end. It was a good sort of dovetailing if you like. I was happy with the first 35 overs.”Gurbaz doesn’t need to worry too much about his technique, Trott believes. All he needs is to stand tall and let his instincts do the rest. “I think it was about Gurbaz being as still as possible at release,” Trott said. “Sometimes he is moving. Sometimes a player as talented as Gurbaz can get wrapped up in technique instead of just watching the ball.”It is about making the game as simple as possible with the hand-eye coordination that Gurbaz has. It is about just being simple in the mind, technically as well. He has worked hard, so hopefully he can back it up in the third ODI.”Afghanistan players have a chat with coach Jonathan Trott at training•Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images

Zadran’s improvement also impressed the coach, who reckons the openrr is showing maturity beyond his age. His two hundreds and two fifties against Sri Lanka caught the eye, and he made 100 off 119 balls against Bangladesh, batting until the 46th over to ensure his side got close to the 300-run mark.”He [Zadran] is very good,” Trott said. “He will improve as he gets older. He showed maturity in the knock realising that Gurbaz was attacking. Sometimes for a young player, you try to copy that, and maybe get out of your little bubble. It was important that he stayed there till the end. Otherwise we may have lost our way if he got out as well. Credit to him for a fantastic innings.”Afghanistan’s ODI series win also comes off the back of a massive Test defeat to Bangladesh last month. They lost by 546 runs, lasting only 39 and 36 overs respectively in the two innings.”I arrived in Bangladesh disappointed with the way the Test went,” Trott said. “We learned as a side. We realised how much progress Bangladesh has made in all areas of the game. We needed to be at the top of our game to come here and compete.”It is important that we focus on the next game as well. We can’t get too wound up or hyped up. We can’t rest on our laurels if we want to improve as a side looking ahead to the Asia Cup and World Cup. When you go to competitions and Cups, you need to keep winning.”Afghanistan also bowled well to defend their total. Bangladesh lost wickets in clusters of three each; the first three for 25 runs, the second three for seven runs and the last three wickets for 30 runs. Trott felt that Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman gave Afghanistan the perfect start with the ball.”Fazal started the first over with a maiden. You want to start well with the ball defending 330,” Trott said. “Sometimes you can let the opposition get a good start. The way that he [Farooqi] and Mujeeb bowled were fantastic. I think we learned how to bowl on this wicket. Hopefully we can apply that in the third game.”

Weighty opening stand between Lewis and Paul paves way for rare Irish success

Firdose Moonda03-Jun-2022Ireland, led by the youngest captain in their history, Gaby Lewis, beat South Africa for only the second time in 11 T20I meetings to stun the fifth-ranked side and take a lead in the three-match series. Ireland are ranked 12th in T20s and their only previous victory over South Africa came in August 2016.Five South Africa and three Ireland players from that match were involved in this one, including Lewis. Together with Leah Paul, she broke her own record for Ireland’s highest opening partnership against South Africa, set Ireland up for a famous win and claimed a slice of history herself. Lewis is the first daughter of a former Ireland captain to lead the national side, after her father Alan Lewis captained the men’s team.Starting strong
Lewis and Paul took advantage of a lacklustre South African effort in the first half of their innings and raced to 83 without loss in the first 10 overs. In doing so, they also posted the highest first-wicket partnership for Ireland against South Africa, beating the 78 shared between Lewis and Clare Shillington in Ireland’s previous 2016 victory. None of the six bowlers South Africa used up to that point threatened at all, as they struggled to adjust to the slow pace of the pitch. They offered many deliveries that were too short and both Lewis and Paul were strong on the pull in response. The pair went on to share in a stand of 98, 16 short of Ireland’s highest opening stand against any team.South Africa claw back
None of South Africa’s bowlers could remove Lewis, who notched up her sixth T20I half-century, but some commitment in the field did. She was run-out at the non-striker’s end to bring an authoritative knock to a close. But it was only in the next over, when Shabnim Ismail was brought back on and used the slower ball to have Paul caught at mid-on, that South Africa were able to properly apply the brakes.Ireland were 107 for 2 after 14 overs and could only manage 36 runs off the next six overs, while also losing five wickets. Tumi Sekhukhune, whose first three overs cost 27 runs, came back well to take three wickets in her final over and ensure no one outside Ireland’s top four got into double-figures. Still, Ireland achieved their highest total against South Africa in T20Is, three runs more than their previous highest of 140 for 4 in a losing cause in 2016. Ireland strike immediately
South Africa opted to experiment with a new opening pair – Lara Goodall and Tazmin Brits – and it backfired. Offspinner Rachel Delaney was asked to open the bowling against the left-handed Goodall and had her caught behind off the first ball of South Africa’s reply, in the course of delivering a maiden first over.And then get the big wicket
South Africa held Laura Wolvaardt back to No. 4 and she provided some stability, but her attempt to add impetus to the innings in the ninth over failed. She tried to cut Cara Murray but Celeste Raack took a good catch, low at backward point, to send the Ireland players into wild celebrations.Cat-and-mouse to the end
With 48 runs needed off the last five overs, Chloe Tryon had the ideal opportunity to show off her finishing skills. She took 15 runs off the 16th over, bowled by Murray, including a casual-as-you-like six over midwicket to ease the pressure on her captain Sune Luus. But Lewis had a trump card up her sleeve. She tasked Paul, whose first two overs went for 16 runs, with bowling the 18th over. Tryon was well outside her crease when she went for a slog, missed and was bowled. Luus was South Africa’s last real chance but she was bowled by debutant Arlene Kelly in the penultimate over. South Africa needed 18 runs to win off the last over and neither Nadine de Klerk nor Ismail could get them there.

Essex batsman says he will stick to his own game if his chance comes this week

George Dobell11-Jan-2021It sometimes feels as if the opposition bowling is the least of the worries facing England’s new Test batsmen.As if taking a step up in level is not daunting enough, there is also a vast step up in scrutiny. From playing in front of county audiences – which, while bigger than sometimes credited, really don’t compare to a packed Gabba – and one or two generally benevolent reporters, players are thrust in front of dozens of TV cameras.Suddenly, their every move is dissected, scrutinised and debated. Their dismissals are replayed; their faults magnified. Their usual TV channel of choice might feature their childhood heroes expressing doubts over their ability to survive at the top level. Social media can be even more blunt.Related

• Lawrence backed to make step up as Test debut looms

• Technical tweaks trigger Lawrence's Lions form

• England mull third spin option with Moeen ruled out of first Test

• Root, Pope reach warm-up half-centuries

• Buttler keen for SL challenge as wicketkeeping saga rolls on

The “worms of doubt” – as Jonathan Trott memorably phrased it – start to wriggle into the brain. And once the self-confidence is eroded, once thoughts are focused as much on what the doubters are thinking as the ball heading their way, nervous feet become rooted and confidence-free hands start to look for the ball.The likes of Dawid Malan, Mark Stoneman, Sam Robson and Gary Ballance have all walked this path. All were good players. All had decent claims on a sustained run in the side. With few exceptions, they left the set-up shell-shocked as much by the media onslaught as the high standard of cricket to which they were introduced. The combination is desperately tough to deal with. You could argue that the only specialist England batsman to indisputably nail Test cricket in the age of social media is Joe Root.Dan Lawrence is, no doubt, about to discover all this. Barring late injury, he looks set to be the beneficiary of the absence of Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope and Rory Burns and make his Test debut at Galle on Thursday. Aged just 23 but having already played more first-class games than the likes of Babar Azam and Shai Hope, he has earned this opportunity. He is not obviously more talented than Ben Duckett, James Vince or Tom Westley – just a selection of those who have worked this road before him – but he might just be better mentally prepared.He has a few other things to his advantage. For one, he has benefited from an England development system that has invested in sending him on Under-19 tours to various places – including Sri Lanka – and allowed him to spend several weeks focused on playing spin in India. For another, he is likely to bat at No. 5, which is about as good a place to start as can be expected, even in conditions where spin might be expected to dominate. The absence of spectators and most media might do him no harm, either.Most of all, though, he seems – albeit at this early stage – to have the character to thrive in this environment. In particular, it is comforting to hear not just Lawrence but some of those who know him best insisting that he will do things his own way. That doesn’t mean stubbornly refusing to learn. But it does mean retaining faith in himself when all men doubt him. It bodes well.”I think confidence in my own game is quite a big strength of mine,” Lawrence said after England training on Monday. “I am a big one for trying to do things in my own unique way.”I don’t want to come into an England environment and completely change everything because that wouldn’t be true to myself. The big thing for me is having the confidence in my own game and believing I can be really successful at this level. It’s about trying to stick to my guns and what’s made me successful so far.”Hopefully I can really stay true to myself and go out there and really express myself; not sit in a hole or let the situation get too much for me. It’s just a matter of actually going and doing it now.”In truth, there’s nothing so outrageously different about Lawrence these days. He went through a period of taking an elaborate step back and across his stumps as part of his trigger movement. But when he reasoned this was disproportionately limiting him to leg side strokes, he reverted to something more conventional. There’s still a bit of a Dhoni-style helicopter flourish to his follow-through; still a bit of KP-style flamingo about his back leg. But the trigger is much less exaggerated. Compared to Dom Sibley or Rory Burns – who may share similar determination to do things their own way – he really is quite orthodox.It’s been an emotional year for Lawrence. Joy at being called into the England squad during the summer of 2020 was eclipsed by the death of his mother in August. He had, he said, been “mentally prepared for the worst”, as she had been ill for some time. Things were “quite tough for a couple of months” but, eventually, he added, “it was lovely to go back and play some cricket for Essex around my really good mates, who I needed at that time. They were all fantastic.”Dan Lawrence is one of England’s brightest young batting talents•Getty Images

It’s a shame his dad, Mark, won’t be able to watch his debut in person, either. Mark remains head groundsman at Chingford CC where Dan grew-up in a home overlooking the ground and has clearly done more than anyone to groom England’s newest Test hope.”He always wanted me to be a cricketer,” Lawrence said. “He has been very good for me. He used to feed me so many balls. I would always pester him to hit balls in the indoor nets, every day. Probably much to his annoyance. He has been brilliant.”He played for Chingford as a wicketkeeper and from the war stories he told me, he seemed decent with the gloves. But I reckon he is a bit of a taxman; he always adds an extra 10-20% to every story.”I have been brought up around cricket and haven’t really played any other sports growing up. Me and my Dad would have conversation after conversation around cricket. I am sure he will be very excited come Thursday.”I would love to have him out here, as well as my brothers. But it is nice to know there will be a lot of people at home egging me on to do well.”Indeed, there will. But it’s Lawrence’s ability to block out such thoughts – the supporters and the detractors watching from afar – that suggest this could be his first Test of many.