أرسل النادي الأهلي خطابًا خلال الساعات الماضية إلى أشرف صبحي، وزير الشباب والرياضية.

ويستعد الأهلي لمواجهة مازيمبي يوم السبت المقبل بالكونغو في ذهاب دور نصف النهائي من دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

طالع | لاعب مازيمبي لـ “بطولات”: لدينا ميزة أمام الأهلي.. وأتمنى الانتقال إلى مصر قريبًا

وجاء طلب الأهلي بحضور السعة الكاملة في الاستادات بدءًا من لقاء مازيمبي الكونغولي المحدد له الجمعة الموافق 26 أبريل الجاري على استاد القاهرة في إياب دور نصف النهائي من المسابقة القارية، إلى جانب اللقاء المحلية.

وأكد الأهلي في خطابه على تقديره الكامل لكافة الجهات المعنية والقائمة على تنظيم وتأمين المباريات، وما تبذله من جهد في هذا الشأن.

وشدد النادي على استعداده للتعاون الكامل مع كافة الجهات بما يسمح بالحضور الجماهيري المطلوب، وفي الإطار الذي يحفظ أمن وسلامة الجميع.

يحل فريق ليفربول ضيفًا على خصمه إيفرتون، مساء يوم الأربعاء، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

تأتي تلك المباراة، في إطار مؤجلات الجولة التاسعة والعشرين من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2023/24.

طالع | تشكيل ليفربول الرسمي أمام إيفرتون في الدوري الإنجليزي.. موقف محمد صلاح

ويمتلك ليفربول حاليًا 74 نقطة في المركز الثاني، في حين يتصدر آرسنال برصيد 77 نقطة عقب فوزه أمس في مؤجلته ضد تشيلسي بخماسية نظيفة.

أما بالنسبة لـ مانشستر سيتي، فلديه مباراتين مؤجلتين، الأولى أمام برايتون وسيلعبها غدًا الخميس، أما الثانية ستكون ضد توتنهام. تشكيل ليفربول المتوقع أمام إيفرتون اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

حراسة المرمى: أليسون بيكر.

خط الدفاع: ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، كوناتي، فان دايك، روبرتسون.

خط الوسط: سوبوسلاي، واتارو إندو، ماك أليستر.

خط الهجوم: محمد صلاح، داروين نونيز، لويس دياز.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Arsenal have been exciting their supporters on and off the pitch over the last 12 months as Mikel Arteta's side have made great strides as a club.

The Spanish head coach guided them to an excellent second-placed finish, whilst playing some sensational football, to secure a place in the Champions League for the 2023/24 campaign.

Arteta and Edu have followed up on that sublime season by adding to the squad with some terrific signings. Declan Rice, who joined for a club-record £105m, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber have all come through the door with the aim of improving the team.

Who will start up front for Arsenal next season?

The arrival of Havertz means that Arsenal are now overloaded with players who can play as a number nine ahead of next term; including the German international, Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah, and Folarin Balogun.

Jesus scored 11 times in 24 Premier League starts as Arteta's first-choice in that position but Balogun has returned to The Emirates after a prolific spell in Ligue 1 with Reims.

The Gunners have reportedly placed a price tag of £50m on the impressive youngster's head amid interest from Serie A giants Inter, which could scare off potential suitors over the coming weeks.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not the newly-capped USA international fits in with Arteta's plans for the months to come.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Paul Brown has suggested that the 22-year-old ace will be presented with an opportunity to prove himself.

"I think what they do in practice really depends on the player and whether he is willing to be patient enough for his chance. It looks, to me, like Balogun is ready for minutes in the Premier League and I think a lot of people would like to see him getting some (minutes) this season.

"I think it would be a mistake if Arteta was to try and cold shoulder him or tell him he needs to go out on loan. I think it's time for him to be given a chance to stake his claim. I think he will be given a chance to show what he's got in training during pre-season."

How many goals did Folarin Balogun score last season?

The exciting youngster scored 21 Ligue 1 goals on loan with Reims throughout the 2022/23 campaign and could be a surprise foil for Havertz, instead of Jesus or Nketiah – as neither of them have scored more than 14 goals in a league season.

Credit has to be given to Balogun as he took the leap to go out on a temporary basis to prove himself and did exactly that. The superb finisher was able to be a reliable scorer in a major European league, which bodes well for his chances of breaking into Arsenal's team.

Havertz, who can play in a multitude of positions across the midfield and attack, has the passing quality to complement a prolific goalscorer at the top end of the pitch for the Gunners.

The former Chelsea attacker ranks in the top 9% of forwards across the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for progressive passes per 90. He is also within the top 8% for passes attempted per 90 and pass success rate in that time, as per FBref.

This shows that the 24-year-old magician is among the best in his position when it comes to progressing play and using his passing to find teammates in advanced areas of the pitch, without giving up the ball to the opposition on a regular basis.

He could, therefore, be perfect alongside Balogun as the USMNT star ranks below the average in passes attempted and progressive passes per 90 over the last 365 days.

However, the goal machine does place in the top 7% of strikers for non-penalty xG accumulated per 90, which highlights his natural instinct to find excellent goalscoring positions.

Now, imagine Havertz using his ability on the ball to progress play from deep to find Balogun to punish teams with his goal threat in the final third.

Last season, Danny Ings was drafted in by West Ham in January to compensate for the disastrously ineffective Gianluca Scamacca.

However, across 33 Premier League appearances for the pair, they found the just five times. The burden to lead the frontline was placed on the shoulders of Michail Antonio, but he is reportedly the subject of interest from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq and could easily depart this summer. This team is managed by Steven Gerrard and has already nearly sealed the signing of Jordan Henderson.

Moreover, Scamacca’s possible exit almost looks like a formality after he revealed his desire to join Roma, saying: “Roma is home for me. And Totti my idol as a child. And what player in the world wouldn't dream of being coached by Mourinho? I am convinced that Mou would stimulate me and with him I would improve even more.”

Therefore, the striker area will be the most pressing concern for David Moyes and Youssef En-Nesyri has been named as a possible target.

What’s the latest on Youssef En-Nesyri to West Ham?

According to the Daily Express, the Hammers have been handed the chance to reignite their long-term interest in Sevilla’s En-Nesyri, who reportedly will not be travelling with his current club to Germany for pre-season, so he can be available for a transfer.

The 2023 Europa League winners are currently battling insane levels of debt and they’re considering offers for the striker, who has previously attracted Moyes’ interest.

The Irons first saw a £27m bid including add-ons rejected in January 2021 and then two years later they tried to entice Sevilla into a loan deal that was also dismissed.

But now, the east London outfit is now placed in a far better position to make a swoop for En-Nesyri.

Would Youssef En-Nesyri be a good signing for West Ham?

Throughout last season, Sevilla were largely involved in a relegation struggle, but En-Nesyri, who has been at the club since 2020, was one of the club’s most important players and helped dragged them to a relatively comfortable 12th-place finish.

In the final 20 games of La Liga, he netted eight times and was the club’s top scorer. He also played a pivotal role in their European success, scoring three times across the quarter and semi-finals before playing the full 120 minutes in the final against Roma, which Sevilla eventually won on penalties.

Internationally, the 59-cap Morocco international has performed admirably as he started every game of his country's record-breaking run to the semi-finals of the World Cup as the Atlas Lions became the first African nation to reach that stage of the tournament. During the finals, he scored twice, including the winner against Portugal in the quarter-finals.

The 6 foot 2 star appears to be a better option than Ings, outranking the Englishman in various attacking metrics including non-penalty goals per 90 (0.48 vs 0.34), shots per 90 (3.26 vs 2.25), and shot-creating actions per 90 (1.65 vs 1.58).

Described as “unreal” by CBS reporter Aaron West, the Hammers require a more dynamic and clinical option, and En-Nesyri could be exactly what Moyes needs.

Waqar Younis will be the newly-formed franchise’s mentor and head coach, while Wasim Akram will take the role of cricket operations director

Umar Farooq02-Aug-2017

Once the most feared bowling partnership, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram will be reunited at the PSL’s newest franchise Multan Sultans. Younis will be the franchise’s mentor and head coach, while Akram will take the role of cricket operations director after deciding to leave Islamabad United. The official signing of the agreement, ESPNcricinfo understands, is expected to take place in Karachi in the third week of August.Akram spent two contrasting seasons with United, including winning the championship during the inaugural tournament in 2015. However, their second season suffered after three of their key players – Mohammad Irfan, Khalid Latif and Sharjeel Khan – were embroiled in a corruption scandal and were suspended. It is learnt that United captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who recently retired from international cricket, was being considered to act as a mentor to fill in for Akram.Younis, who has had two stints with Pakistan as the national head coach, was originally ignored for the first two seasons of the PSL. But with the addition of a sixth team for the third season, he was approached in June to join Multan – which is owned by The Schön Group, a Dubai-based enterprise, well-established in the real-estate business in Pakistan. After the coaching stint with Pakistan, Younis appeared on various TV networks as a commentator.Both Akram and Younis dominated world cricket in the 1990s with their fear-inducing bowling, but the duo often shared a strained relationship during their playing days. In the 61 Tests that the two played together, they took 559 wickets between them. Akram took 282 wickets, and Younis, 277. They are the third most prolific fast-bowling duo after Curtly Ambrose-Courtney Walsh and James Anderson-Stuart Broad.Over the years, both players moved on from their past rift, with Younis once expressing regret on having a troubled relation with Akram. This PSL venture with Multan will be the first time they will work together since their retirements in 2003.

It looks as if the end is in sight with regard to Manchester United's protracted search to find a new number nine, with various reports indicating that a deal has been struck with Atalanta for the signing of Rasmus Hojlund for an initial fee of £64m.

Having previously selected Harry Kane as their top centre-forward target heading into the window, the Red Devils look to have instead settled on a far more youthful – and potentially risky – option in the form of the 20-year-old Dane, with the former Sturm Graz man having bagged ten goals in all competitions during his debut season in Italy last time out.

With Anthony Martial continually plagued by injury – and with January loan arrival Wout Weghorst no longer at the club – it is seemingly not out of the question that Hojlund could be followed by another forward to Old Trafford, with 90min reporting back in May that two new strikers could be on the agenda.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

One potential option that has been mooted in recent times is Gent sensation, Gift Orban, with the 21-year-old potentially set to help ease the burden on Hojlund if he is to sign for Erik ten Hag's side this summer.

How much is Gift Orban worth?

Reports at the tail-end of last season suggested that United are among the Premier League clubs who have been keeping tabs on the prolific Nigerian, with the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur having also sent scouts to watch the forward in action.

The 5 foot 10 ace only made the move to Belgium from Norwegian side Stabaek in January, although that raft of suitors would suggest that a swift departure could be on the cards if a suitable offer is to be lodged.

As transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reported earlier this year, the youngster could command a fee of more than €20m (£17m), albeit with that price tag only likely to increase even further amid his continued goalscoring exploits.

How good is Gift Orban?

With Martial – who missed 27 games last season through injury – seemingly an unreliable option, it may be too great a task to rely on Hojlund alone to lead the line next season, with the one-time FC Copenhagen man likely to be in need of suitable competition through the middle.

As such, Orban could then prove to be a perfect option as someone who can rival and push Hojlund when needed, with having a pool of top-class strikers seemingly engrained in United's history, following the days of Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham all fighting it out for a starting berth.

Described as "the gift from Gods" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the in-demand marksman boasts a stellar tally of 41 goals and nine assists in just 48 first-team games to date in his career so far, with that including a haul of 22 goals in just 24 games for his current employers.

Also lauded as a "superb finisher" by Kulig, Orban has begun the new season in fine fashion with two goals in just two appearances for the Pro League side, having continued to showcase just why he could be an attractive option for any Premier League club.

To then have two exciting young talents at his disposal in the form of the Gent ace and Hojlund could well be a dream scenario for Ten Hag next season, with strength in depth likely to be crucial amid the Dutchman's bid to get the club back to the top.

Rangers could move to bring back legendary midfielder Steven Davis for this season, according to Alex Crook.

The Northern Irishman is currently recovering from a serious knee injury.

What is the latest Rangers transfer news?

The Gers have had a big summer window so far this summer.

Following a disappointing season last season across both the Scottish Premiership and the Europa League, manager Michael Beale has set about completely rebuilding the squad with the aim of challenging for the Scottish title next season as well as wanting to progress further into European competitions.

The club have let go of 10 players from the squad last season, with a number of players who were regular features in the Gers historical league winning squad departing on free transfers such as Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Allan McGregor and Scott Arfield. The club have also let go of Croatian forward Antonio Colak to Parma for an undisclosed fee after just one season at Ibrox, whilst also losing American international Malik Tillman following the conclusion of his loan spell from Bayern Munich.

The club have already made eight signings this summer. The club have completely revitalized their frontline this summer, signing Cyriel Dessers from Cremonense for £4.5m, Danilo from Feyenoord for £6m, Abdallah Sima on a season long loan from Brighton, and Sam Lammers from Atalanta for £3.5m. Beale has also attacked the free agent market, bringing in Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell, Jack Butland and Leon Balogun to help strengthen the clubs midfield and defence.

Davis has revealed that discussions have been held with the Scottish side, telling BelfastLive: "There's been discussions in the background with Rangers, but nothing really nailed down at any point."

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Crook stated that the club could bring back Davis, who is currently recovering from a cruciate ligament injury. “I think that makes sense. You can’t have enough of those types of characters in the dressing room. He’s a bit of a legend in the eyes of the fans. And maybe he can still make an impact, albeit possibly coming off the bench. But I can see them attempting that.”

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

Will the club make any more signings?

The club are still looking to work on additional deals this window.

Jose Cifuentes is reportedly close to completing a move, with the midfielder arriving in Glasgow this week to complete his medical and complete all the deals, with Beale admitting that he was hugely excited to bring in the midfielder, stating "We are excited to have him here but let’s see when he’s here and settled into the team. He’s a player that can take us to another level.". The player could potentially be handed his debut in Rangers opening game of the season vs Kilmarnock should all the required documents and Visas be accepted in time.

The club could also have further outgoings this summer, with forward Fashion Sakala's move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Fahya reportedly back on after the move collapsed last week due to the striker's unwillingness to complete the move. The forward was left out of the squad for the Gers 2-2 draw with Hoffenheim, with the reported fee being £3m. The forward posted an image of himself waving to his social media, fueling speculation that the forward may be departing this summer. Midfielder Glen Kamara could also seal a move away from Ibrox this summer, with Leeds United reportedly in advanced talks with the 27-year-old regarding a potential £5m move

Match Facts

July 26-30, 2017
Start time 1000 local (0430GMT)2:51

The team that tackles spin best will win – Arnold

Big Picture

At a glance, Sri Lanka’s recent home record is not so bad. They have won five of their six most recent Tests on the island and at least three of those victories were comprehensive. The whitewash over Australia, too, remains a source of enduring pride, even though it was achieved close to a year ago. Rangana Herath – the hero of that series – remains undiminished in his 40th year. Kusal Mendis, who produced pivotal performance, has also since made headway, hitting another mammoth match-winning innings, in Galle, against Bangladesh.And yet, there is fear in Sri Lanka that this series could go badly. Earlier this year, the hosts were beaten by Bangladesh for the first time ever and, less than two weeks ago, had been pushed by an even lower-ranked Zimbabwe side. How will they compete with India, the top-ranked Test team? How can Sri Lanka beat a side that, almost irrefutably, is fitter, better drilled, more confident and, probably, have comfier seats and softer suspension on their team bus?Since their arrival on the island, India have even made the kinds of noises that teams, who are runaway favourites, tend to make. While on tougher tours, words like “challenge” and “big effort” dominate the pre-series talk, here, they have spoken of respecting the opposition. They had, after all, won the series in 2015, when the Sri Lanka team seemed to be in much better shape. While for Sri Lanka the two years since have been characterised by resignations, new faces and flux, India have rocked up with a very similar squad. Stability, consistency, and excellence – right now, India represent everything Sri Lanka are not.Still, strange things happen on the island. No one expected a 3-0 thrashing of Australia last year, and, like a ball leaping out a footmark, that series produced a triumphant surprise for Sri Lanka. Besides, with so many developing players in their XI nothing is ever written in stone for Sri Lanka.

Form guide

Sri Lanka WLWLL (completed matches, most recent first)
India WDWLW

In the spotlight

Only a year ago Upul Tharanga had been out of all Sri Lanka’s sides, but now, he finds himself not only embedded in them, but saddled with responsibility. That he is an outlandishly talented batsman has never been in doubt, but he has, at times, been wasteful – running down the pitch to play a lazy shot when well set, or fatally failing to ground his bat at the non-striker’s end, such as in his most recent game, against Zimbabwe. Having come into this series on the back of some form, here is Tharanga’s chance to prove he is not a fair-weather batsman – one who only prospers in friendly conditions, or low-pressure match situations. Runs against R Ashwin and co. will be hard-earned.India are without their first-choice openers in the most difficult country for openers this decade. It is time to rely on Cheteshwar Pujara again. India will need his solidity at the top to settle the team down at the start of the series. From their experience in Galle the last time, India know that things can go wrong quickly in Sri Lanka; Pujara has to be their assurance against that.

Team news

Danushka Gunathilaka and Dhananjaya de Silva will fight for the No. 4 spot vacated by the newly appointed Test captain Dinesh Chandimal, who was ruled out of the Test owing to pneumonia. There is, however, a chance Sri Lanka could go into this match with five bowlers, in which case, left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara could pip them both for a debut instead. A fit-again Nuwan Pradeep may enter the XI.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Danushka Gunathilaka, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Asela Gunaratne, 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Rangana Herath (capt), 10 Lahiru Kumara, 11 Nuwan PradeepVirat Kohli said India were not going to experiment at the top of the order, which means Abhinav Mukund and Shikhar Dhawan should open for India. Kohli also said the pitch looked good for batting, which could tempt India to play only five batsmen and opt for Hardik Pandya as the allrounder. If they do emphasise on security in the first Test of a series, India could go in with Rohit Sharma at No. 6.India (possible) 1 Abhinav Mukund, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rohit Sharma/Hardik Pandya, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ravindra Jadeja, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Mohammed Shami

Pitch and conditions

There was a light covering of grass on the pitch on the eve of the match, but rarely does a Galle surface fail to turn at the back end of a Test. For now, the teams expect the track to be good for batting on the first two days. Afternoon showers are always a threat in the region at this time of year.

Stats and trivia

• This will be R Ashwin’s 50th Test match, and his fourth in Sri Lanka.
• Rangana Herath will be leading Sri Lanka for fifth time. He has three wins and a loss on his record – all previous matches having been against Zimbabwe or Bangladesh.
• There has not been a drawn Test in Sri Lanka for three years. Each of the 16 most-recent matches have yielded results.

Quotes

“We totally respect the game, we totally how hard we need to work to win every Test match, every situation, every session and every ball is an event for us.””This looks a good pitch I can’t say whether there is going to be turn early on or not. But on the fourth and fifth days, there will be some assistance for the spinners.”
Rangana Herath on the conditions

Aston Villa enjoyed a fantastic end to the 2022/23 season and manager Unai Emery will be hoping the momentum can carry on into the new campaign.

With three players already arriving in the Midlands, the Spaniard will surely be aiming to add a few more fresh faces to his squad, especially with the added Europa Conference League fixtures which are set to cause chaos with their schedule.

With this in mind, Villa have shown an interest in Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie ahead of a potential move to the Premier League.

Could Aston Villa sign Franck Kessie?

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), Villa are interested in bringing the player to England, and it is his preferred destination should he depart the La Liga side this summer.

He could cost Emery just €30m (£26m) and considering the Spaniard has already spent €55m (£47m) on Moussa Diaby and £31.5m on Pau Torres during the transfer window, big money is being expended on luring quality players to the Midlands.

A fee of £26m is certainly affordable and could turn into a shrewd investment by the manager as he looks to take Villa to another level.

Who has Franck Kessie played for?

Under Steven Gerrard, Villa made a few signings which haven’t really worked out, such as Philippe Coutinho and Calum Chambers, whilst Leander Dendoncker surprisingly arrived on deadline day from local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer, and it was clearly a signing of desperation rather than necessity.

The Belgian titan started just nine games for the Villans last season, and despite Kessie making just 16 starts across all competitions himself, he would be an upgrade on the current Villa player.

Indeed, not only did the 26-year-old register more domestic goal contributions (five to zero) than Dendoncker, but also more shots per 90 (1.66 to 0.51), shot-creating actions per 90 (1.91 to 1.18) and touches in the attacking third (133 to 67), suggesting he would be a much bigger threat going forward due to his attacking capabilities.

Despite his lack of playing time domestically, Kessie still managed to rank in the top 12% compared to positional peers for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (2.6) and progressive passes received per 90 (4.44), indicating that he is a prominent fixture in the penalty area, looking to get on the end of chances created by teammates.

The Ivorian further demonstrated his attacking qualities during his spell with Milan, scoring six Serie A goals in 2021/22 from just 25 starts while also holding an 88% pass completion rate and winning 4.4 duels per game – a success rate of 55% – displaying that he isn’t only a threat going forward but can also dictate play and is strong in one on one battles.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded the midfielder as a “warrior” during the embryonic stages of his career with Atalanta and alongside Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans, Emery requires someone like Kessie, who has shown he could offer both attacking and defensive qualities in abundance.

For £26m, it could turn out to be a wonderful bargain.

Captain Steven Smith has also indicated that Australia’s No. 6 position – between Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright – will be based on pitch conditions

Brydon Coverdale18-Aug-2017Usman Khawaja and Ashton Agar appear all but certain to make their Test returns when Australia take on Bangladesh in Mirpur later this month, captain Steven Smith has indicated.Australia fly out for Bangladesh on Friday for their first Test tour of the country since 2006. While they are wary of the threat posed by Bangladesh in their home conditions, Smith’s men will also take heart from their own fighting performances in India earlier this year.During that series, Khawaja was overlooked for Shaun Marsh, while Agar sat out and fellow left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe was used, and collected 12 wickets in Australia’s surprise victory in the first Test in Pune. However, O’Keefe is now out of favour with selectors and Marsh has also been left out of the squad for the Bangladesh series.Should he win a recall as expected, Khawaja will need to find a more effective way to handle spin than he has on previous tours of Asia. In all, he has played 15 first-class innings in Asia – all in India and Sri Lanka – and has passed fifty only once, when he retired on 101 in a tour game in Colombo on the 2011 tour of Sri Lanka.”I think Usman’s going to be a really big player for us this summer,” Smith told reporters in Darwin on Friday, ahead of Australia’s departure for Dhaka. “He’s done incredibly well in Australia over the last couple of years. He hasn’t played any cricket [since January], so he’s chomping at the bit to get out there and I dare say he’ll get his opportunity.”Agar has not played Test cricket since his surprise debut series, the 2013 Ashes in England, when at the age of 19 he made a memorable 98 batting at No.11 on debut in Nottingham. Agar had limited impact with the ball during that series, but has returned to favour and looks set to be the second frontline spinner behind Nathan Lyon, instead of uncapped legspinner Mitchell Swepson.”I’d say so, at this point,” Smith said when asked if Agar would be the likely second spinner. “He’s improved a lot in the last couple of years. He bowled really well up here this week. He’s probably going to get his opportunity first up, if that’s the way we go.”For me with Ashton it’s when he’s consistent and hitting a good length, he’s going to be dangerous. I think that’s the key to bowling spin, particularly in the subcontinent. I think he’s gained a lot of confidence in the last couple of years. He understands what he’s trying to do now a lot more. If he can keep being consistent and hitting good lengths, I’m sure he’s going to be a big player for us on this tour and in the future as well.”Smith also agreed that Agar, who is now 23 and has two first-class centuries to his name, could even find himself as a top-six Test batsman at some stage in his career.”I think he’s a real talent,” Smith said. “We’ve seen him play some really good innings – obviously his debut, where he scored 98, was quite phenomenal at number 11. He’s got a lot of potential with the bat and he’s a great fieldsman as well. He’s a good package and an exciting player for the future.”Australia’s other selection decision will be whether to retain Glenn Maxwell at No. 6 or opt for the medium-pace allrounder Hilton Cartwright, with only two specialist fast men likely to be in the attack. Maxwell should have the front-running after his strong display in India earlier this year, where he made his maiden Test century.”I thought he performed really well in the last two Test matches in India,” Smith said. “We’ll wait and see what the conditions look like, and what we feel the best make-up for the team is when we’re over there.”Australia are conscious that recent wet weather in Bangladesh could yet affect their warm-up game in Fatullah, which would leave them short of any match practice in the country ahead of the first Test, which starts on August 27. Australia’s squad members played a three-day practice game in Darwin this week, but Smith is well aware that Bangladesh could be a tricky proposition at home.”They’re a very good side in their own conditions and they’re going to be very challenging,” Smith said. “It will be great for us to get some game time there and play in those conditions, and see what we’ve learnt from India. Hopefully the guys have learnt a lot, and we’re able to take that into this tour and have a really successful one.”