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Frustration for West Indies after day of disputed decisions in closely-fought defeat at Trent Bridge

Melinda Farrell in Nottingham06-Jun-2019Michael Holding has slammed the umpiring during West Indies’ loss to Australia as “atrocious”, while Carlos Brathwaite described some decisions as “frustrating” and “dodgy” and suggested that West Indies players are on the wrong end of decisions more often than their opponents. He denied, however, that the decisions had cost them the match in a hard-fought 15-run defeat to Australia at Trent Bridge.The umpires, Chris Gaffaney and Ruchira Palliyaguruge, had four decisions overturned between them and Gaffaney also missed a blatant front foot no-ball from Mitchell Starc that preceded the delivery that claimed the wicket of Chris Gayle. If the no-ball had been called, Gayle would have had a free hit on what was ultimately the wicket-ball.”I don’t know if I’ll be fined for saying it but I just think that the umpiring was a bit frustrating,” said Brathwaite. “Even when we were bowling we thought a few balls close to head height were called wides. And obviously three decisions in one over as far as I can remember being dodgy, it was frustrating and sent ripples through the dressing room.”To lose Chris in a chase of 280, who can probably get 180 of them himself obviously, broke the start that we wanted to have. But the umpires do their job, they try to do it to the best of their ability, we as players go out there to do our job as well, so there was no confrontation between the players and the umpires.”Holding, commentating on the ICC’s world television feed, was even more scathing, extending his criticism to the umpires’ handling of the Australian bowlers’ appeals for wickets.”The umpiring in this game has been atrocious,” Holding said. “For one, even when I was playing and you were not as strict as they are now, you were allowed one appeal. You don’t appeal two, three, four times to the umpire.””They are being intimidated which means they are weak.””This has been an atrocious bit of umpiring by both [Gaffaney and Palliyaguruge].”In all, Gayle reviewed three decisions – two in one over and all off the bowling of Starc – and had the first two overturned. On the first occasion, Gaffaney gave him out caught behind only for the replay to show the audible sound of ball on wood had come from the ball shaving the stumps but somehow not dislodging the bails. Gayle reviewed twice more, both for lbw decisions by Gaffaney, before being given out. But it wasn’t until the ball preceding the wicket was replayed on television that the West Indies players realised that Starc had overstepped by a considerable margin.Watch on Hotstar: Highlights from Australia’s 15-run win”I saw it on the screen in the dressing room, and I just laughed, man,” said captain Jason Holder. “I couldn’t believe it. But again, I guess things didn’t go our way today.”Palliyaguruge had two on-field decisions overturned later in the innings. The first was reviewed by Holder when he was given out lbw sweeping to Glenn Maxwell, the ball just pitching outside leg. Holder successfully reviewed once more, attempting to sweep Adam Zampa, with ball-tracker showing the ball would have comfortably missed leg stump.”I think I’ll just say I just found ourselves a bit unlucky to be on the other end of all the decisions,” said Holder. “I guess honest mistakes from the umpires, I don’t want to get into the officiating part, but it’s just ironic. I don’t even know what to say about it, but it is a funny situation where all of them went against us, and then we had to review them, but I guess that’s part of the game again.”Brathwaite suggested it was not unusual for umpiring decisions to go against West Indies players and this match was just the latest example.”I just think I’d like that for West Indies, we don’t have to use all our reviews and that some of the other teams get a chance to use theirs because every time we get hit on our pad the finger goes up. When we hit the opposition on their pad, the finger stays down.”So we have to use our reviews and it’s always missing and then we have to use our reviews when we’re batting as well and it’s always clipping. I’m not a technology person, I don’t know why that happens, I can just say what I have seen happen over the past few years.”While Gayle’s wicket may have been a huge blow early on in the West Indies’ chase, Braithwaite didn’t blame the missed no-ball for the eventual 15-run loss to Australia.”No, I wouldn’t say that, we had eight other wickets after that and it was incumbent on us to go out there and deliver a performance which we didn’t, for whatever reasons we will discuss and try to rectify for the next game,” said Brathwaite. “Did it hamper the start? It definitely did but it didn’t cost us the game.””Whatever is to be done will be done, whatever is to be seen will be seen. But as players we just need to get on with it. Obviously we were frustrated but the message in the dressing room was ‘let the frustration end here and concentrate on the next ball’, which we tried to do and evidently Australia came out on top.”

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is keen to strengthen his side in January and is reportedly now pursuing an exciting young target, according to a recent report.

Manchester United 3-2 Aston Villa

On a thrilling night under the lights at Old Trafford, Manchester United completed a dramatic comeback from 2-0 down to claim a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League, helping the Red Devils to rise to sixth place in the table.

Relief was palpable in the North West after a disjointed start to proceedings, and nobody will feel more ecstatic after the drama on show than Denmark international Rasmus Hojlund, who diverted home smartly to register his first goal in the English top-flight and subsequently delivered a crucial three points for his side.

Unsurprisingly, Red Devils manager Ten Hag lavished praise on Hojlund in his post-match press conference and revealed that he had held several discussions with the 20-year-old to try and aid his difficult start, as he stated via Sky Sports: "I have had several talks with him."

He then added: "I pointed out that you scored for Denmark a lot, you scored in the Champions League, you have demonstrated the ability, so you can do it. Believe in it and it will come. I am sure now the first goal is in, he will get more."

Collectively, the victory over Unai Emery's men could prove to be psychologically huge in the context of Manchester United's topsy-turvy campaign and winning is a habit they will be keen on continuing this Saturday, where a trip to take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground lays in wait.

Of course, the transfer window is also drawing nearer at Old Trafford and the Red Devils are now frontrunners to sign a talented midfielder once the market opens for business.

Manchester United lead Arthur Vermeeren chase

According to reports in Belgium, Manchester United are leading contenders to sign Royal Antwerp midfielder Arthur Vermeeren, who is also said to be a target for Arsenal, Barcelona and Juventus.

Statistically similar players to Arthur Vermeeren (FBRef)

Player

Club

Tristan Muyamba

Atlanta United

Alisson

Sao Paulo

Lewis Travis

Blackburn Rovers

Paxton Pomykal

FC Dallas

Joao Paulo Mior

Seattle Sounders

The publication claim that Red Devils boss Ten Hag personally adores the 18-year-old and is pushing club chiefs to prioritise a swoop for the Belgium international over activating Sofyan Amrabat's permanent purchase option. In terms of a potential price ballpark, Manchester United are believed to be willing to pay €22 million (£19 million) to get a deal over the line.

Labelled "exciting" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Vermeeren has already racked up 31 appearances in all competitions this campaign, registering two goals and six assists (Vermeeren statistics – Transfermarkt).

Kobbie Mainoo has already shot through as someone who could form part of Ten Hag's engine room for the long term at Old Trafford and Vermeeren could be another player who could provide a fresh injection of youthful exuberance in midfield.

Back at the team hotel, Bangladesh’s shocked players tried to make sense of the awful events in Christchurch

Mohammad Isam in Christchurch15-Mar-20197:16

‘We would have been inside the mosque had we reached 3-4 mins earlier’ – Khaled Mashud

“If we had arrived there even five minutes earlier, we would all be killed.”Almost every Bangladesh player who had been on the fateful bus to the Christchurch mosque had these words on their lips, from the moment they got out on Deans Avenue to escape from the scene of the shooting, and then back at the team hotel later that evening.The seventeen Bangladesh team members had been planning to perform their Friday prayers and then return to training at the Hagley Oval when all hell broke loose. The wild swing from their calm surroundings at Hagley Park to a near-death experience was too much to take for all the players.Some cried, and were inconsolable. One player said that he saw a dead body lying on the street.”He was just in front of me. How can people be this cruel?” he said.ALSO READ: ‘We were really lucky’ – Khaled MashudIn the 20 minutes it took for them to walk, as briskly but calmly as possible, from the location of the mosque to Hagley Oval, many of them had tears in their eyes. You couldn’t tell them to be calm. It was unfair on them.Hours afterwards, back at the team hotel in central Christchurch, everyone was still shaken to their core. The TV was constantly showing live coverage of the attack, and with the death toll rising and new details emerging, the Bangladesh team room and the surrounding areas, normally bustling with activities, became sombre.Tamim Iqbal, the player who had phoned this reporter when it first became apparent what was unfolding, tried to lighten the mood.ALSO READ: ‘There’s shooting here, please save us'”What were you telling me on the phone?” he said. “I was telling you from a bus, while being near such an attack, and you thought I was pranking you? Come on!”Soumya Sarkar tried to pull the leg of his manager, Khaled Mashud, by asking him what he had been thinking while sitting in the front of the bus. Mashud, always ready with his wit, had said that he was trying to decide whether he should video it, or see it with his own eyes.But the jokes died quickly. The topic changed back to what had happened earlier in the day, and how incredibly close they had come to the shooter in the mosque. The players ate in silence mostly, none of them really talking a lot.Mohammad Sohel, the team masseur, had been sitting on the right side of the bus, and saw almost everything unfold in those 20 minutes, including the sight of two passers-by trying to stop the bus from proceeding any further.”When the first lady stopped us, we all thought she didn’t know what she was doing. When the second lady stopped us, we knew something had happened because apparently her car was shot at. That’s when we were panicking,” he said.Mashud, the manager, recalled how he had been sitting in the front of the bus, trying to make sense of what was going on. A usually bubbly character, he looked at his grimmest when he was heading back to Hagley Oval. Later though, he was back to joking around, making sure the mood wasn’t too bad around the team.By late evening, with confirmation that the tour had been cancelled in the wake of the attack, the focus had shifted to the team’s flight back home, and the players were anxious to know about it.There were calls from all over the world on Tamim’s phone. He was talking to his son and wife, but after that, he also didn’t want to go to his room alone, so he was planning to be with Mahmudullah for a while. It wasn’t a night to be alone.

Glasgow Rangers went through the summer transfer window without a permanent sporting director or director of football to work in tandem with Michael Beale at Ibrox to improve the squad.

This resulted in the English head coach being able to bring in nine new signings to shape the team to his will; including Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, Sam Lammers, Abdallah Sima, Jack Butland, Leon Balogun, Dujon Sterling, Jose Cifuentes, and Kieran Dowell.

A number of these signings have not worked out thus far and Beale was relieved of his duties after a run of three losses from the opening seven Scottish Premiership matches.

Philippe Clement was subsequently brought in to replace him and the club have now ensured that the Belgian will be supported in the transfer market with the appointment of Nils Koppen as the new director of football recruitment.

The 38-year-old chief is due to join the Gers from PSV on the 2nd of January and here are four dream signings he could pull off to make an instant impact at Ibrox…

1 Lawrence Shankland

TEAMtalk reported over the summer that the Gers were eyeing up Hearts centre-forward Lawrence Shankland as a target to replace Alfredo Morelos at the time, as the Colombia international had departed on a free transfer.

However, Beale opted to go with Dessers, Lammers, and Danilo as his forward signings and Dessers, in particular as a number nine, has struggled badly.

The Nigeria international has managed four goals and zero assists in 12 Premiership outings, and has lost a staggering 77% of his ground duels in that time.

He has also made four Europa League group stage appearances for the Light Blues and is yet to contribute with a goal, assist, or 'big chance' created for the side.

Shankland, on the other hand, could come in as an upgrade on Dessers when you consider his form for Hearts since the start of last season.

The Scotland international has produced 11 goals in 21 matches in all competitions for his side, which includes six goals in 14 Premiership games.

Last term, the 28-year-old marksman racked up an impressive tally of 28 goals and four assists in 47 appearances for Hearts – with 24 of those coming in the Scottish top-flight – and these statistics suggest that Shankland could be a big upgrade on Dessers with his superior strike rate.

2 Darius Olaru

In midfield, Koppen could reignite the club's reported summer interest in FCSB attacking midfielder Darius Olaru, who could provide Clement with a creative spark in the middle of the park, and trigger his €5m (£4.3m) release clause.

The 25-year-old has scored seven goals and created ten 'big chances' in 18 league appearances for his club so far this season, along with 2.2 key passes per game.

Last season, the Romania international caught the eye with one goal, 19 'big chances' created, and 2.2 key passes per match across 37 league outings.

James Tavernier (3.4) is the only Rangers player with more than 2.1 key passes per game in the Premiership this season, whilst no Gers midfielder has managed more than 1.7 per clash.

This suggests that the "inexhaustible" playmaker – as described by Alex Scout on X – has the ability to be an outstanding creative option in midfield for Clement.

3 Ryan Kent

TEAMtalk reported last month that the Gers are one of a number of teams keeping tabs on Ryan Kent's situation ahead of his potential availability in January.

The outlet claimed that Leeds United and Bournemouth are both interested in the Fenerbahce forward, who has had a tough start to life in Turkey and could already be on his way out of the club.

They are said to be willing to loan him out for the second half of the campaign and would be open to including a permanent option to sell him for a fee of around £6m.

With the aforementioned lack of creativity within the midfield and wide options at Ibrox, Kent could be a fantastic signing as a forward who could hit the ground running to make an instant impact as an impressive creator.

The 27-year-old whiz already knows what it takes to perform in Scottish football due to his spell with Rangers and caught the eye last season with eight assists, nine 'big chances' created, and 2.2 key passes per game over 29 outings.

Appearances

218

Goals

33

Assists

56

He proved himself to be a reliable option out wide over a prolonged period of time in Scotland and that is why he could be a dream signing for Koppen to make, particularly on loan.

4 Ben Godfrey

Finally, versatile defender Ben Godfrey could come in to bolster the club's defensive options after it was reported by 90min in November that the Gers are keen on the Everton outcast ahead of January.

35-year-old veteran Leon Balogun has started each of the side's last four Premiership matches and lined up against St Mirren with Ben Davies and John Souttar on the bench.

This suggests that Clement does not think too highly of his other centre-back options as Balogun, who arrived on a free transfer from QPR, has ousted them from the starting XI.

FFC published an article last month explaining why Godfrey could come in as an upgrade on Davies and that could, therefore, provide the Nigerian defender with more competition for his place alongside Connor Goldson.

The Everton defender previously showcased his ball-playing ability as a centre-back in a dominant team by ranking within the top 21% of his peers for progressive passes (3.35) per 90 and the top 13% for progressive carries (1.17) per 90 during the 2018/19 Championship season with Norwich.

Whereas, Davies ranks within the bottom 28% of Europa League central defenders for progressive carries (0.20) per 90 this season and does not offer as much drive to push the team up the pitch.

Godfrey is also three years younger than the ex-Liverpool man, and ten years younger than Balogun, which means that he has plenty of time and room to develop further.

Therefore, he could be an impressive addition to the side if Clement can get him firing to the best of his abilities as a ball-playing defender.

West Ham have reportedly opened talks with Sporting CP over head coach Ruben Amorim, despite the Portuguese also being considered at Liverpool.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• West Ham open Amorim talks
• Hammers could replace Moyes
• Sporting boss linked with Liverpool

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  With current West Ham boss David Moyes out of contract this summer, the club are assessing options to replace him. writes that no decision on Moyes will be made until the season finishes and contingency planning has seen Amorim emerge as the preferred candidate over the alternative, Julen Lopetegui.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Amorim has been heavily linked with Liverpool in recent weeks as a replacement for Jurgen Klopp, more so since Xabi Alonso stated his ongoing commitment to Bayer Leverkusen. However, also reports it is now "unlikely" that Amorim will end up the preferred candidate in Liverpool's search. Reds fans were given the news last week that Amorim's agent, Raul Costa, bought an apartment in Liverpool for an employee to use, although he also represents existing player Luis Diaz.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Having spent much of playing career with Benfica, Amorim guided city rivals Sporting CP to their first Primeira Liga title in 19 years in 2020-21 – his first full season in charge. Sporting are on the brink of winning it again this season, sitting 10 points clear of Benifca in the current standings with only a few games left.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AMORIM?

  Two more wins from their last four fixtures will take Sporting mathematically out of Benfica's reach, sealing the Primeira League title for the second time in four years. It could even happen slightly sooner if Benfica drop points in any upcoming games. Amorim will then have a decision to make about whether he stays in Lisbon or moves on, depending on what offers are on the table. His only statement about his future is that he won't decide or speak definitively before the end of the season and his sole ambition right now is for Sporting to "become champions as quickly as possible".

The focus ahead of the Perth Test was on Mitchell Starc, who has struggled to hit form and rhythm, even as Australia believe they have a slight advantage over India at the new Perth Stadium

Daniel Brettig in Perth12-Dec-20182:02

‘The conditions at the new stadium will suit us’ – Harris

A firm handshake from the banned batsman Cameron Bancroft was the extent of the Australian captain Tim Paine’s activity at training on Tuesday, but rather more was undertaken by Mitchell Starc as the only member of the “big three”, with Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, to bowl.While Paine, the coach Justin Langer and the bowling coach David Saker have all sung his praises, the sight of Starc bowling apart from Hazlewood and Cummins was the strongest sign yet that his form and function need significant improvement to reach the desired level in the second Test.Recorded by two cameras, one fixed in the umpire’s spot and another hovering in a drone overhead, Starc bowled for an extended period in the centre of the WACA Ground alongside Peter Siddle and Mitchell Marsh. “Yeah quick, he bowled pretty well,” the opener Marcus Harris said. “There was obviously a bit of talk about him after the game but I thought he bowled pretty well during the game and he’s felt like he was in good rhythm out there before. I’m sure he’s ready and raring to go for Friday.”Starc will need to put on a dominant display for Australia in helpful conditions in Perth or risk being forced out of the side, the former selector Mark Waugh has said. Since a five-wicket haul against South Africa in Durban in March, he has claimed a mere 12 further – and expensive – wickets in six Tests.”He hasn’t bowled at his best probably the last 12 months,” Waugh told . “He’s just been a little bit off with his consistency and line and length. But he’s that sort of bowler who’s a bit of an enigma. He bowls some bad balls and then he’ll bowl you a cracking delivery. I’d just love to see him a bit more consistent with the new ball.2:26

Mitchell Starc’s magical numbers

“Perth’s really going to suit him. He’s going to bowl quick there and get a lot of bounce. If he’s probably not up to scratch in Perth I think they might think about making some changes for the rest of the series.”Langer’s men appear aware that they must win the second Test against India to have any chance of regaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy, given that the final two Tests are in Melbourne and Sydney, which have traditionally been more favourable venues to India’s batsmen in particular.ALSO READ: Langer hopes for fiery Perth Stadium debut”I thought India bowled well. You saw through both innings it wasn’t an easy wicket to score on freely,” Harris said of Adelaide. “If you look at India’s scores everyone got starts, and obviously the difference was Cheteshwar Pujara. It wasn’t an easy wicket to come out and get 40 or 50 off 60 or 70 balls. Pujara was the difference in the whole game, and we didn’t have someone make 120. So if you look at that by the end of the game, what’s the difference? Thirty. Our plan was to occupy the crease, and the longer you bat things will get easier. Unfortunately we didn’t have anyone who got a big score, but it wasn’t too much of an issue for us.”At the same time, the pace and bounce on offer at the new stadium in Perth will provide plenty of assistance to India’s disciplined and varied bowling attack. To that end, Langer was seen working assiduously alongside the Victorian batsman Peter Handscomb in the nets before his centre-wicket session, the better to equip him for a long batting stay during the Test after he squandered a pair of starts in Adelaide.”I think we took some good confidence from the fight we showed, I think it got down to 30 runs,” Harris said. “I know when I looked at it as a batter I thought ‘Bugger, I wish I could’ve got 60 or 70’, so we got pretty close and the fight we showed, hopefully, we can take some momentum into the game on Friday. I think the pitch will suit us a little bit more with the conditions.Getty Images

“Obviously it’s not the WACA, but from what I’ve heard from the boys who’ve played Shield games there, the wicket is as quick and as bouncy. So I think it’ll suit us. We’ve played some one-day games there, some Big Bash games there. I think we’ll probably still have the advantage if there’s any. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays and how the game pans out.”That’s taking nothing away from India, but I just think a little bit of momentum. We would’ve loved to win the game, but the boys bowled really well, the bowlers also batted really well, so it’s probably on us batters to take a bit of the weight from them.”Paine chatted amiably and at some length with Bancroft, set to make his return from suspension for the Perth Scorchers in the BBL at the end of December, as he seeks to rest his battered right index finger. “He’s [Paine] all good,” Harris said. “From what JL [Langer] said he just wanted to have a rest today. I didn’t even know there was anything wrong with him. I’m pretty sure he’s all good.”Born and raised in Perth before moving to Victoria in 2016, Harris is in the odd position of playing a Test in his home town having never played at the venue where it will be held. Perth Stadium will become the 10th venue to host a Test match in Australia.WATCH – Chappell: Paine the right person to captain Australia at the moment”I remember coming to Test Matches here all the time,” Harris said of the WACA Ground. “I remember the first Test that I ever came to, I think within the first five minutes, Glenn McGrath had a hat-trick against West Indies, so there have always been great memories for me coming to Test Matches in Perth and hopefully I can create some memories for young kids coming to games at the new stadium.”A Test win or a Test hundred or a five-wicket haul is all the same no matter where it is. I haven’t been to the new stadium so it will be a new experience for me but from what I have heard it is a good wicket and pretty similar to the WACA so it will be good in that way. It will be good to play the first Test there and get a win.”

Will Bosisto batted throughout the third day at Allan Border Field for a career-best 132* as Western Australia moved into the lead

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2018

Mitchell Marsh celebrates his hundred•Getty Images

Mitchell Marsh produced a superb century under team and personal pressure and Will Bosisto hit a career-best unbeaten 132 as Western Australia fought back impressively under the weight of Queensland big first-innings total.Marsh and Bosisto put on a partnership of 185 having come together at 156 for 6, trailing by 292. After Marsh departed, Bosisto was able to see out the entire day and an unbroken 56-run stand with Jhye Richardson had taken Western Australia into a two-run lead.For Marsh, like his brother Shaun, there was the additional pressure of having to respond to a poor Test series in the UAE which has brought scrutiny on his place ahead of India’s visit later this month. He was left out of the current one-day series against South Africa and the immediate response has been encouraging for the selectors.Marsh brought up his century off 201 balls with a boundary against Michael Neser and later went to his 150 with a six off Marnus Labuschagne before falling three balls later to the legspinner as Queensland were made to wait until the final session for their first breakthrough of the day.Bosisto, who had played the ideal foil to Marsh, then struck three boundaries in a row off Brendan Doggett to take him to 98 then next ball reached his second first-class century off 233 deliveries.Labuschagne also removed Josh Inglis but was the only one of the eight Queensland bowlers used to find success on a long day in the field.

Alastair Cook has announced he will retire from international cricket after the Oval Test against India. Cook, the sixth highest run-scorer in the history of Test cricket, is only 33-years-old but, after a grim run of form which has seen him average just 18.62 in nine Tests this year, he has decided to end what has been an increasingly painful struggle.The decision is not a huge surprise. While Cook looked a little better technically during the fourth Test, in Southampton, he suffered two lapses – a dab to the slips in the first innings and a loose drive in the second – that suggested his famed powers of concentration were not what they used to be. Underlining the sense that he has been a player in decline for some time, his Test average dropped below 45 for the first time since 2010 during the game.His has been, however, a career that has embraced some of the greatest moments in the history of England cricket. Among the best moments were a century on Test debut in Nagpur as a 21-year-old in 2006, winning the player of the series award as England won the Ashes in Australia for the first time in more than 20 years in 2010-11 and leading England to victory in India in 2012; a series in which he made three centuries. No England players comes close to his total of 12,254 Test runs. No England player comes close to his record of 32 Test centuries. But Sachin Tendulkar’s overall Test run record is safe.There were grim times, too. He was unceremoniously dropped as ODI captain at Christmas 2014, not long before England departed for their World Cup campaign, and he was caught up in the fallout of the decision to drop Kevin Pietersen at the end of the 2013-14 Ashes in which Cook’s England side were whitewashed. There were, no doubt, faults on all sides and the handling of the debacle left a great deal to be desired. But the toxicity of the debate left scars on what most would agree was a thoroughly decent man caught up in something you suspect, left to his own devices, he would have handled far more sensitively.Alastair Cook will retire as England’s highest Test run-getter, having led them in more Tests than anyone else•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Most of all, though, there have been remarkable peaks and troughs of form. Cook always seemed to be battling his technique and, with a limited array of scoring shots, would sometimes appear reliant on the nudge off the legs and sheer will power to survive and progress. Surely no man has scored so many runs behind square on the leg side in the history of Test cricket.But, at his best, he had the determination and powers of concentration to endure and overcome in all conditions and against all attacks. His batting against spin on that 2012 India tour, in particular, was outstanding, while his opening partnership with Andrew Strauss was a foundation stone of England’s ascent to No. 1 in the Test rankings. Famously – infamously, perhaps – England tried 12 new partners for Cook once Strauss retired in an attempt to replicate that success. They never managed it.Few will begrudge Cook a send-off at The Oval, either. While his distrust of the media grew in the wake of the Pietersen affair, he has remained hugely popular with team-mates and fellow pros who recognise the courage and commitment of a man who had to fight for every run. He will remain popular, too, with the England supporters who cherish those years when their side pulled off memorable victories and who came to rely on Cook’s stoic resistance. A rousing ovation is assured.His departure does leave the selectors with a dilemma, though. With his opening partner, Keaton Jennings, also struggling for runs, the team management need to decide whether they blood a new opener now – perhaps to bat at No. 3 – or leave it until the winter tours. Cook, who has enjoyed the longest run of unbroken Test appearances in history (The Oval will be his 159th in succession), has been a pillar of the team for more than a decade. Replacing that may prove desperately tough.Cook will not be entirely lost to the game. He intends to continue playing for Essex for the next year at least and may well, at some stage, have a future in coaching. With a farm and growing family to look after – his third child is due during the Oval Test – he will not struggle for interests outside the game.”After much thought and deliberation over the last few months I have decided to announce my retirement from international cricket at the end of this Test series against India,” Cook said in a statement.”Although it is a sad day, I can do so with a big smile on my face knowing I have given everything and there is nothing left in the tank. I have achieved more than I could have ever imagined and feel very privileged to have played for such a long time alongside some of the greats of the English game. The thought of not sharing the dressing room, again, with some of my team-mates was the hardest part of my decision, but I know the timing is right.”I have loved cricket my whole life from playing in the garden as a child and will never underestimate how special it is to pull on an England shirt. So I know it is the right time to give the next generation of young cricketers their turn to entertain us and feel the immense pride that comes with representing your country.”There are too many people to thank individually, but a special mention must go to the Barmy Army and all supporters for their constant encouragement for the team and also a special mention to Graham Gooch. As a seven-year-old I queued for his autograph outside Essex County Cricket Club and years later was so fortunate to have him mentoring me. Graham was my sounding board, especially in the early years of my career, spending hour after hour throwing balls at me with his dog stick. He made me realise you always need to keep improving whatever you are trying to achieve.Alastair Cook has come in for scrutiny over his lack of runs•Getty Images

“My family and I have had 12 wonderful years fulfilling my dreams and this could not have been done without them. So I wish to thank my parents and brothers, my wife, Alice, and her family for their quiet, unwavering support behind the scenes. As cricketers, who travel frequently, we often don’t realise just how important our families are to our success.”I would also like to thank Essex County Cricket Club for their help and support ever since I was 12, and I can’t wait to get fully involved with them in the 2019 season.”I wish the England team every success in the future, and I will be watching with great excitement.”While his own declining form may render this a sad day for Cook, the fact he leaves after a series win against the No. 1 side in the world will please him. He has far more to celebrate than mourn.

Leeds United have found themselves back in the Championship after a three-year stay at the top table of English football that ended with a relegation earlier this year.

Marcelo Bielsa led the team back to the Premier League at the end of the 2019/20 campaign and achieved survival in his first season at that level.

A combination of the Argentine genius and Jesse Marsch then kept the team up the following term, only for a combination of Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce to oversee relegation last season.

The managers were not the only men to blame for Leeds' downfall as former sporting director Victor Orta, who was relieved of his duties in May of this year, should also take some of the flak for his decision-making in regard to transfers.

Brenden Aaronson

£28.6m

Rodrigo

£26.1m

Dan James

£25.4m

Georginio Rutter

£24.4m

Luis Sinisterra

£21.8m

As you can see from the table above, his list of big-money signings during his time at Elland Road does not make for great reading, and one name, in particular, stands out in Dan James.

Whilst the Welsh ace has scored three goals and provided four assists in the Championship this season, Leeds fumbled a world-class talent before they decided to sign the former Manchester United man – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

How close Leeds came to signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

In the summer transfer window in 2021, the player confirmed that he had talks with the Whites over a possible move to Elland Road from Rubin Kazan.

The Georgian whiz stated that there were discussions with Leeds and did not rule out the possibility of further negotiations with the English club before the end of the window.

However, the talented gem also added that his dream was to play for Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp, and that his main goal is to eventually win the Champions League.

Speaking on the Comment Live YouTube channel, his agent Timur Gurtskaya claimed, in October 2021, that no teams were prepared to pay the €20m (£17m) asking price that was set by Kazan. He even went as far as to say that no teams would muster up as little as €12m (£10m) to secure his services at the time.

LeedsLive claimed that Bielsa and the club 'decided' to swoop for long-standing transfer target James from Manchester United, who was snapped up for a reported fee of £25m in August 2021.

Kvaratskhelia was coming off the back of four goals and eight assists in 23 league games for Kazan during the 2020/21 campaign but only went on to manage two goals and five assists in 19 league outings after no English teams met the £17m asking price.

He then moved back to his home country to sign for Dinamo Batumi in March 2022 before, interestingly, signing for Napoli that summer for a fee of up to €12m (£10m).

Kvaratskhelia's Napoli statistics

That move has turned out to be a masterclass from the Italian side as the Georgia international has gone on to cement himself as one of the top players in Europe.

The right-footed magician caught the eye with an outstanding 14 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for Napoli throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

This included 12 goals and 13 assists in 34 Serie A matches to help his team to win their first Scudetto since the 1989/90 season – ending a 33-year wait for the trophy to come back to Naples.

Kvaratskhelia was an exceptional creator and incredibly progressive on the ball during the 2022/23 Serie A term. He ranked within the top 10% of his positional peers at that level for assists (0.41) and xAG (0.30) per 90, which shows that he was an excellent creative threat for Napoli.

The left winger also placed within the top 2% for progressive carries (7.58) per 90 and this illustrates how impressive his ball-carrying and dribbling ability was. His quality in that regard allowed him to push his team up the pitch to transition from defence to attack in order to cause opposition sides constant problems in the final third.

He has also started the current campaign in fine form with a return of three goals and four assists in nine Serie A matches so far, which has taken his total to 17 goals and 22 assists in 55 games in all competitions for Napoli.

His sensational form for the Italian club was rewarded at the 2023 Ballon d'Or awards as he finished 17th in the ranks, with Inter Miami and Argentina's Lionel Messi picking up the award in first place.

Kvaratskhelia finished above some huge footballing names; including the likes of Harry Kane, Antoine Griezmann, Bukayo Saka, and England and Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham.

Jude Bellingham's Real Madrid statistics

The former Birmingham starlet joined the Spanish giants for a fee that could rise to more than £115m from Borussia Dortmund over the summer and has been on fire this season.

Bellingham has racked up an incredible 13 goals and three assists in 13 matches for Madrid during the 2023/24 campaign as an attacking midfielder.

The 20-year-old maestro was honoured, however, with the Kopa Trophy – an award for the best player aged 21 or under in Europe. Kvaratskhelia, aged 22, was not eligible to be in contention for the honour.

This has come after his return of 14 goals and seven assists in 42 outings for Dortmund in all competitions throughout the 2022/23 season to earn his big-money switch.

This highlights how impressive it was for Kvaratskhelia to finish above him in the Ballon d'Or rankings, which further emphasises why Leeds may live to regret not swooping to secure a £17m transfer in 2021.

Dan James' Leeds statistics

Meanwhile, James, who was signed for £25m by Bielsa that summer, was unable to prove himself to be a consistent performer at the top level.

The Wales international scored four goals and provided five assists in 32 Premier League appearances during his first campaign with the club and was then sent out on loan to Fulham, where he scored twice in 20 top-flight outings.

In total, the 25-year-old winger has scored seven goals and assisted nine in 53 games in all competitions for Leeds, which is considerably less impressive than Kvaratskhelia's return for Napoli.

When Keshav Maharaj first saw Rangana Herath at close quarters, Herath was unable to impose himself on the series. Although in the lead up to Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa in 2016-17, Maharaj had identified Herath as one of his leading spin-bowling influences, he wound up with better returns than the senior man across the three Tests – taking seven wickets at an average of 30.28, to Herath’s six at 48.South Africa had gone out of their way to neutralise Herath on that tour, stating publicly that they had asked for pitches that would not crumble, which partly explain Herath’s modest performances. But now, in Sri Lanka, where tracks are designed to have the opposite effect – to exacerbate Herath’s threat, Maharaj has a chance to watch the master left-arm spinner in his natural habitat, and perhaps pick up a few tricks.”I think Herath’s consistency in phenomenal,” Maharaj said. “Left-arm spinners are known to control the game, but he does something special – he turns the ball at will and slides the ball on at will. It’s something that I’d love to learn in my trade and get some knowledge from him. I did speak to him in South Africa, and he did give me some insight, but I’d like to pick his brain more about playing in subcontinent conditions, because he’s the best in the world at what he does.”What Herath does on Sri Lankan pitches, Maharaj felt, was consistently put balls in good areas. Maharaj had been modest in the first innings in Galle, going wicketless in 17 overs, but seemed to gain some confidence in the second innings, in which he took 4 for 58, dismissing four of Sri Lanka’s top five. “I think on these wickets, as long as you’re putting the ball in the right area with energy on the ball, what happens on the wicket you have no control over,” Maharaj said. “We don’t know when the ball is going to spin excessively or not. You’ve basically got to put the right ingredients into the wicket and whatever happens from there is in God’s hands.”Wherever you play in the world, you want to be consistent in your lengths and cause the batter to be uncomfortable when you’re bowling at him. That’s something I had to pick up after the first innings. Obviously I didn’t have a bit of rhythm, but then I found it in the second innings, and I put the ball in much better areas than I did.”Now that Maharaj’s spin partner Tabraiz Shamsi has returned to the squad, after attending to a family matter at home at the start of the week, South Africa have the option of fielding the same five bowlers at SSC. The five-bowler combination does put a little more pressure on the lower order, however, who will be expected to score runs. At Galle, Sri Lanka’s tailenders had batted well alongside a senior partner to change the complexion of the match, the last two wicket stands adding 111 to the team score.”I put more pressure on myself than anyone else does to score runs,” Maharaj said. “I need to contribute in the lower order. We saw the partnership of Suranga Lakmal and Lakshan Sandakan towards the end – they put on a 100-run partnership and it makes a difference in the Test match. In terms of game plans I’m just trying to keep it simple. I like attacking spinners, but I’ve got to back my defence against them at the same time.”