تحدث خافيير ماسكيرانو، المدير الفني لفريق إنتر ميامي، بشكل مراوغ عن مستقبل النجم ليونيل ميسي وما إذا كان سيوقع عقدًا جديدًا مع النادي الأمريكي.
ومن المعروف أن العقد الحالي للنجم الأرجنتيني مع إنتر ميامي سينتهي نهاية عام 2025.
وذكرت تقارير صحفية في الفترة الأخيرة أنه لا يوجد أي اتفاق حتى الآن بين ميسي ومسؤولي إنتر ميامي بشأن التجديد، مما فتح باب التكهنات حول مستقبله وإمكانية رحيله.
في حين يستعد إنتر ميامي للمشاركة في كأس العالم للأندية الشهر المقبل، حيث يتواجد في مجموعة تضم كلًا من الأهلي المصري، بورتو البرتغالي وبالميراس البرازيلي.
وقال ماسكيرانو، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “espn” العالمية: “بصفتي مدربًا، أريد أن يجدد ميسي عقده في أسرع وقت ممكن، وأن يتم الإعلان عن الخبر في أسرع وقت، حرصًا على راحة الجماهير والنادي”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. الكشف عن الوجهة الأقرب لـ مودريتش بعد رحيله عن ريال مدريد
وأضاف: “لست مسؤولًا عن الإعلان عن ذلك أو التعليق عليه، فأنا لست طرفًا في المفاوضات”.
جاءت تصريحات ماسكيرانو بعد خسارة إنتر ميامي 5 من آخر 7 مباريات في جميع المسابقات.
واسترسل: “من الواضح أننا استفدنا من هذا الأسبوع للعمل على العديد من الأمور التي يتعين علينا تحسينها، وقد كان ذلك مثمرًا للغاية، ولكنه لا يختلف عما كنا نفعله”.
واختتم: “لقد تحدثنا مع اللاعبين وتجاوزنا المرحلة الصعبة، الأمر يتوقف علينا من أجل تحسين الأداء والسيطرة على هذه اللحظة”.
Cameron White and debutant Chris Lynn were the latest feel-good tales on another successful night for Australia
Vithushan Ehantharajah29-Jan-2014On a day that Hobart’s watching public apparently needed two trampolinists and two sets of breakdancers to tell us who was ahead, at any given moment, through tucked tumbles and Crip walks, it was something old and something new that helped Australia to an insurmountable 213.Even as Ravi Bopara smited gleefully into the dusk, finishing with a ridiculous 65 off 27 balls – featuring seven maximums, some wristy as sin – it only served to compound just how frustrating it all was. Where was this Bopara in Adelaide?But for Australia, the feel-good stories just keep rolling in, like the preliminary rounds of your favourite (definitely not rigged) talent show. Today was the turn of Cameron White – a man whose international highlights include debuting as an ODI substitute – yes, that was a real thing – for Damien Martyn against the ICC World XI – so was that – and playing in India as a Test legspinner (Sachin Tendulkar counts as one of his five wickets). He also used to be captain of this format.Today, at the top of the order, in a position he has embraced, White brought brains to Aaron Finch’s brawn, as the pair put on 106 inside 11 overs. White agreed with the insinuation that a spot at the top of the order in this form had reinvigorated him.At Northamptonshire, his runs from first-drop were one of the many contributing factors to the county’s Friend Life t20 win last season. In the final, his 54 not out helped blow Surrey out of the water before they had even began chasing. A familiar thought among those in the Northants dressing room was of disbelief that he had played so little international cricket.”It’s always nice to get back in these colours,” White gushed, oblivious to the fact he was donned in a kit best described as off-black. His last appearance in an Australia shirt came in the 2012 World T20, against the West Indies. His effort today
may, along with his form in the BBL – 201 runs at an average of 33.50 – see him push for the 2014 edition next month. But not in his books.”Obviously David Warner and Shane Watson have got to come back in – I’m not exactly sure I’ll be in the team. I can just concentrate on these next couple of games and put my best foot forward and score a few more runs. With that World Twenty20 around the corner, that’s a bit of an aim, but I expect those guys to come back in.”
Despite the dead-eye stare and the assurance he carries, Lynn has his insecurities, particularly over his hair, which he is paranoid about losing
White’s modesty is understandable. International sport, unlike House DJs, is more at ease fashioning shiny new things than recycling forgotten classics. As such, it was Chris Lynn taking Australia to an emphatic score, even with the abbreviated boundary, that probably resonated more.Lynn is on a very different path altogether, but one he hopes is not as stop-start as White’s. His debut knock of 33 from just 19 balls featured three maximums, none of which were to the short side. His first in internationals was straight over the bowler’s head, as was his third – sandwiched between both was a firm slap into the building site.A popular character, Lynn first came to prominence as a Test hopeful before developing his big-hitting. His emergence, now, as an international class T20 batsman owes a lot to the time and effort Queensland cricket have put into him. The last few seasons have seen him used sparingly in Sheffield Shield, with a view to honing his game for limited-overs work. It’s certainly paid off, with Lynn growing in stature as a power-hitting force with each season of the shortest form.But despite the dead-eye stare and the assurance he carries, Lynn has his insecurities, particularly over his hair, which he is paranoid about losing. He often wears caps, not unlike the ones you see in the Big Bash League, to ensure the top of his head is rarely on display.For a match, he will carry an array of caps in his kit bag for before, during and after, in a bid to cover his scalp. The story goes that one team-mate thought it would be funny to hide them, just before the lunch interval, to get a reaction out of Lynn. After sitting through the 40-minute interval, with no sign of him, Lynn’s team-mates returned to the dressing room to find him sitting in his regular spot, with his batting helmet on.Now, as he enters the international spotlight he’ll do well to keep his head – and his hat – in check for what could be a very fruitful career.
Manchester United’s 2024/25 campaign has simply been a disaster so far. The Red Devils cannot buy a win and are struggling to string good performances together. Erik ten Hag’s job as manager continuously comes under fire, and it could well get to the point where it becomes untenable.
United’s next game could be a defining one for the Dutchman. They face high-flying Aston Villa away from home and are in need of a win for a multitude of reasons. This is largely because they headed into the weekend sat in 13th place in the Premier League table, and have just seven points to their name from six games.
Should the Red Devils get a victory at Villa Park, which seems a tough ask given Unai Emery’s side are on a high after beating Bayern Munich, it would be their first victory in some time. United have failed to win in their last four games, chalking up three draws and one loss – that defeat being their devastating 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham. Their last outing, against Porto in the Europa League, finished 3-3 thanks to a last-gasp equaliser from Harry Maguire.
It might well be time for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his newly appointed footballing structure to sack Ten Hag. That does beg the question, who would be next for the Red Devils? They have recently been linked with someone who would be hoping to quickly change things at Old Trafford.
Next Man Utd manager: Who could replace Erik ten Hag?
Erik ten Hag has been sacked by Manchester United – so who could take over the reins at Old Trafford?
2 ByStephan Georgiou Oct 28, 2024 Who United are thought to be targeting
The manager in question here is former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel. Reports over the summer suggested the Red Devils wanted him in charge then as INEOS considered Ten Hag’s future. However, there were rumours the two parties disagreed over the club’s new transfer policies.
With that being said, the Red Devils may well go back in for the German in the future. According to a report from the i, United “are expected to resume talks” over a potential move should they remove Ten Hag from his post.
The report also claims the German has plenty of admirers within the new United hierarchy, and “is considered a world-leading coach”.
Thomas Tuchel
Should United decide to sack Ten Hag in the coming weeks, it could open the door to a return to English football for Tuchel, who has previously managed the Red Devils’ Premier League rivals Chelsea, as well as European powerhouses Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern, his most recent job.
Why Tuchel would be a good appointment
It would be a real statement of intent for United to appoint 51-year-old Tuchel as Ten Hag’s replacement should the situation arise. Whilst the common misconception is that the German falls out often and does not stay at clubs long, there is one thing that cannot be denied: he is a winner.
At every major club the German has managed, he has won at least one trophy. At Borussia Dortmund, he won the DFB Pokal in 2016/17, while he won the league title twice and had success three times in domestic cups at PSG, as well as getting them to a Champions League final.
His finest hour arguably came in that historic competition when he won it with Chelsea in 2020/21, before winning the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup. In Munich, he won the Bundesliga.
The counter-argument for this is the fact Ten Hag also wins trophies. He has done so in his two and a bit seasons at Old Trafford, winning the Carabao Cup in 2022/23 and the FA Cup last term. Yet, Tuchel wins trophies and maintains a strong league finish – something the Dutchman failed to do last term, with United finishing 8th, marking their lowest finish in the Premier League.
Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel
The German’s lowest finish at the end of the season at any European powerhouse he has managed is fourth, with Chelsea in 2020/21, the year they won the Champions League. At Mainz, his first senior role, the 51-year-old helped them climb as high as 5th, and his lowest finish was 13th.
Football statistician Statman Dave described him as “transformational” part way through his Chelsea tenure, and understandably so.
United are clearly a club the German respects, and he even explained his excitement at managing in the Champions League at Old Trafford with Bayern last term. In an interview with TNT Sports, he explained how the iconic stadium has “a very special atmosphere”, before explaining he is “happy to have the privilege” of managing in the biggest club competition in Europe at the stadium.
Not only could Tuchel get instant success at United, but he might also be able to revive the career of one player at the club, Mason Mount. It is no secret that the United No 7 has struggled with injuries during his time at Old Trafford so far. He has played just 25 games, despite joining the club over 12 months ago, and has one goal and one assist to his name.
Mason Mount
However, under the German at Stamford Bridge, England international Mount was in the form of his life and played a crucial part in winning multiple trophies. He has played 87 times under the German, scoring and assisting 19 goals apiece. That includes an impressive 11 goals and 10 assists in 32 Premier League games during the 2021/22 campaign, playing in multiple attacking positions.
Manager
Games
Goals
Assists
Frank Lampard
127
22
17
Thomas Tuchel
87
19
19
Gareth Southgate
36
5
5
Henk Fraser
33
8
5
Erik ten Hag
25
1
1
Graham Potter
25
3
5
Edward Sturing
6
6
5
After a hugely disappointing time at Old Trafford since his move from Chelsea for £55m plus £5m in add-ons, the appointment of Tuchel could be exactly what Mount needs to get his career back on track.
Football presenter Dougie Critchley described the England international as “Chelsea’s key man” under the German, calling him a “sensational footballer”. Whilst the Old Trafford faithful are yet to see the best side of Mount, there is no reason to doubt whether Tuchel could help him flourish once more.
This could be a masterstroke from Ratcliffe and the hierarchy at Old Trafford. After a horrendous start to the new campaign, Tuchel could be just the man to turn United around and help get them winning trophies, playing enterprising football and achieving strong league finishes before eventually pushing for the Premier League title.
If Bopara had begun this season with a bang then a return would have been more understandable, but a Championship average of 23 is not compelling – even though his latest selection is for white-ball, rather than red-ball cricket
Andrew McGlashan03-May-2013Ravi Bopara has previously talked about being a dog lover, but perhaps a cat would be a more suitable companion for him. After all, he appears to have nine lives when it comes to his England career.England do not cast off players on a whim. It is a loyal, inclusive, set-up where snap judgements are rare. But Bopara is becoming this generation’s Graeme Hick or Mark Ramprakash with the number of chances he is being given, in the hope that he will flourish as an international cricketer as many expected when he was a rare bright spot to emerge from the 2007 World Cup. In the six years since there have been fleeting suggestions that he has cracked the top level only for his game to come tumbling apart as it did last summer.Bopara’s difficulties last year were not purely to do with cricket, and he had hinted at another breakthrough against Australia before his problems, but it was not the first time a seemingly fragile mindset had been disturbed.A one-day tournament, which is almost a knockout from start to finish, is not a place for someone easily shaken off course although Paul Grayson, his coach at Essex, believes the mental side of Bopara’s game is in good order. “I’ve seen him when he’s been down. He’s not down at the moment and I think he’s due some runs,” Grayson told earlier this week.When Bopara last played for England, bizarrely recalled for the must-win match against Sri Lanka in the World Twenty20, he looked bereft of form and confidence. It was not nice to watch. He needed some time away to clear his head, but when he returned to action during the winter he could not maintain a place for his Bangladesh Premier League franchise although he enjoyed slightly more success (190 runs at 27.14) in South Africa’s domestic Twenty20.If he had begun this season with a bang then a return would have been more understandable, but a Championship average of 23.60 is not compelling – even though his latest selection is for white-ball, rather than red-ball cricket.His recall for the Champions Trophy suggests he was going to be there all along. His bowling, which became more effective as his batting slumped last year, has clearly had a persuasive impact on Geoff Miller and Ashley Giles – and it was impressive against Australia and South Africa last year – but it would be stretching the point to suggested he could be regularly entrusted with 10 overs even in English conditions.And, for all his ability (a word so often associated with Bopara), is he really needed at No. 7 behind Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler? His best one-day innings for England have actually been higher up – he averages 33.12 at No. 4 with five fifites in 19 innings and 34.37 at No. 5 – but it is very hard to see how he finds a place anywhere from No. 3 to No. 6.As that suggests, being part of the 15-man squad could be the closest Bopara comes to actually getting in the team. Tim Bresnan and Chris Woakes should be vying for the No. 7 spot (Woakes edges it on batting, Bresnan on bowling) and Joe Root has slotted almost effortlessly into one-day international cricket, showing a versatility to play a variety of innings.But regardless of whether Bopara actually plays, it is another significant decision in the early days of Giles’ one-day team. He has not been afraid of putting his stamp on the side after assuming control from Andy Flower in January having previously dropped Craig Kieswetter and Jade Dernbach. The form of that pair had made it clear they needed a break from the international stage, whereas the form of Bopara has not convinced that he deserves another opportunity and although a skill of selecting is looking beyond the numbers his career is more than a fair sample size.Everyone will wish Bopara the best, of course, but there are plenty of doubters that need convincing. His lives are running out.
An intriguing final day was in prospect at the SCG if the weather plays ball after Tasmania were left a target of 290 following half-centuries of Matthew Gilkes and Jason Sangha which kept New South Wales ahead of the game.The home side declared late in the final session, leaving a target of 290 in 110 overs with the forecast not great on Monday, and claimed an early wicket when Chris Tremain continued his excellent match by trapping Caleb Jewell for a duck in the fourth over.They had started the day with a lead of 71 but were set back early when Ryan Hackney got an inside edge and Kurtis Patterson nicked an excellent delivery from Sam Rainbird.Gilkes, who was given three lives, and Sangha then added 70 for the third wicket to take New South Wales into calmer waters although Tasmania kept chipping away during the afternoon. Gilkes was bowled having a heave at left-arm spinner Tom Andrews who claimed his second when Jack Edwards chipped to cover.A fifth-wicket stand of 51 between Sangha and Peter Nevill consolidated for New South Wales before Nevill edged a lifting delivery to slip shortly before tea in a sign batting could be tricky on the final day.Sangha might have had visions of a late push towards a century but was given caught at short leg against Andrew from a delivery he clearly did not think he had hit.
Arsenal dropped their first points of the new Premier League season in bizarre circumstances as the Gunners drew 1-1 with Brighton at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta's men looked good value for a first-half advantage at the break, Kai Havertz darting onto Bukayo Saka's through ball and lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper.
Sadly, the game changed in the second half when Declan Rice was sent off in controversial circumstances.
It was a moment in the game that totally changed the momentum. At one stage, the Seagulls were enjoying 81% of the ball over a five-minute period and left north London with a point thanks to Joao Pedro's neat finish from close range.
Still, Arsenal could have won the game. Havertz had a wonderful opportunity in the second half but was denied by Bart Verbruggen before the German turned provider, whipping the ball into Saka who couldn't quite get his feet in the right order and he was denied by the Brighton goalkeeper again.
In all, the Premier League title challengers did well to pick up a point but they will be ruing that incident with Rice in the second half.
Why Rice was sent off
In the first half, the club's record signing was given a booking for a strong challenge. Rice slid in, won none of the ball and was rightfully given a caution.
Whether he was rightfully given a second yellow, however, is up for debate.
The former West Ham man had a coming together with Joel Veltman on the left-hand side of the pitch and in Brighton's desperation to take the set play quickly from deep within their own half, Rice stopped them from doing so.
Veltman kicked out, Rice nudged the ball away and chaos ensued. By the letter of the law, the £105m man was rightfully sent off. What will specifically frustrate the Gunners is the lack of consistency.
In the opening 45 minutes Pedro also kicked the ball away, and at a far greater distance than Rice. Was he cautioned? No, he wasn't.
So, once all was said and done, Arsenal were forced to finish the clash with ten men and Rice will now miss a vital away clash against Tottenham after the international break.
Who is set to replace Rice against Spurs
This red is a bitter pill to swallow for those of an Arsenal persuasion. Away at Spurs, Rice would be vital but he won't be available. Nor will Mikel Merino.
Cruelly, he was injured in his very first full training session with the squad. Gabriel reportedly landed him on which caused a shoulder injury that will disrupt the Spaniard's first few weeks in the capital.
As a result, it's likely Jorginho will come into the team and partner Thomas Partey. However, once Rice is back and Merino is up to full speed, the Ghanaian simply has to be dropped to the bench.
His performance against Brighton, although not abysmal, showcased why. In truth, Partey hasn't started the season awfully either. He did, after all, score that important goal against Aston Villa a week ago.
The trouble is that his lack of athleticism hurts this Arsenal side, as does his lacklustre giveaways of possession.
Against Brighton he played some nice passes, notably into Saka on the right-hand side but in tight spaces inside their own half, he found it difficult to evade Brighton's press and was guilty of ceding possession.
Minutes played
90
Touches
39
Accurate passes
19/25 (76%)
Key passes
0
Crosses
0
Long balls
3/5
Dribbles
1/1
Aerial duels won
1/1
Ground duels won
3/8
Possession lost
7x
Fouls
2
Tackles
1
Interceptions
5
Partey did so on seven occasions throughout the match, once every 5.5 touches of the ball. From a player in his position, you would surely expect better. Handed a 5/10 match rating by GOAL's Charles Watts, the reporter summed up his display aptly: "Struggled in possession. Made some good recovery tackles, but was slack with the ball at times."
That was summed up by a pass success rate of 76%. It's not great at all but it was a tally that ended up being the third-best on Arsenal's team. That's a rather alarming statistic for a side that love to keep possession.
Raya
52
46%
White
46
76%
Saliba
61
94%
Gabriel
46
94%
Timber
30
67%
Partey
39
76%
Rice
21
100%
Odegaard
28
47%
Saka
51
57%
Trossard
26
64%
Havertz
29
83%
To make matters worse, the 31-year-old only won three of his eight duels. On that evidence, it's no surprise Merino has been brought in. He won more duels than any other player in Europe's top five leagues in 2023/24.
So, while Partey will have to stick around for the trip to Tottenham in a fortnight, barring a remarkable display there, he must be taken out of the side long-term.
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da bet vitoria： Depois de ser oficialmente cancelado pelo Governo do Peru, a partida entre Sporting Cristal e Flamengo, pela primeira rodada do Grupo H da Libertadores, será, sim, disputada nesta terça-feira, no Estádio Nacional de Lima. Isso porque o presidente peruano Pedro Castillo revogou o toque de recolher imposto à capital. O duelo será às 22h (de Brasília), 30 minutos depois do inicialmente previsto.
da cassino online： No início da noite, por volta das 18h30 (de Brasília), o Governo do Peru havia publicado nota confirmando o cancelamento da partida. A Conmebol, em seu perfil nas redes sociais, compartilhou da decisão por volta das 19h, mas, logo depois, por volta das 19h30, o presidente Pedro Castillo revogou o toque de recolher, o qual servia como base para a decisão do adiamento da partida por parte doInstituto Peruano Del Deporte (IPD), órgão ligado ao governo do país.
Antes da confirmação do cancelamento por parte da Conmebol, o Flamengo seguia a programação normal de jogo, mas acabou a alterando após a notificação dada pela entidade. Com a reviravolta no caso, os atletas dirigiram-se para a preleção do técnico Paulo Sousa. Membros do departamento de futebol do clube já se encontravam a caminho do Estádio Nacional de Lima.
سيطرت حالة من الاستياء، على المنتخبات المشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 17 عامًا الجارية الآن في المغرب من بينها منتخب مصر.
وتلقى منتخب مصر الخسارة أمام جنوب إفريقيا في الجولة الأولى بنتيجة 4-3 قبل الخسارة أمام بوركينا فاسو في الجولة الثانية بنتجية 2-1.
طالع.. ترتيب مجموعة مصر بعد الخسارة امام بوركيا فاسو في كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 17 عامًا
وقال مصدر بمنتخب الناشئين لـ بطولات: “تسود حالة من الاستياء عند عدد من المنتخبات المشاركة في بطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية تحت 17 عامًا بسبب الأداء التحكيمي في بعض المباريات”.
وتابع: “اعترض مسئولو منتخب مصر في الاجتماع الفني الأخير على بعض القرارت التحكيمية التي حدثت في مباراة جنوب إفريقيا والتي تم خلالها إلغاء هدف لمنتخب مصر، وكذلك عدم طرد أحد لاعبي جنوب إفريقيا أيضًا بعد لمس الكرة بيده على الرغم من أنه آخر لاعب في المعلب”.
واختتم: “توالت أيضًا الأخطاء التحكيمية في مباراة بوركينا فاسو الأخيرة وعدم احتساب ركلة جزاء صحيحة لمنتخب مصر نتيجة لمس مدافع المنتخب البوركيني للكرة بيده”.
Fabrizio Romano says one Chelsea forward is expected to leave, even after the summer transfer deadline day cut-off at 11pm on Friday, meaning supporters can expect even more activity in the coming days.
Chelsea spend £271 million on 13 new summer signings in busy window
BlueCo, as ever, splashed the cash on an array of signings at Chelsea, with their busyness in transfer windows becoming largely commonplace, and ever since Clearlake Capital's takeover of the club in 2022.
£62 million Chelsea star now battling for his future under Enzo Maresca
He needs to start impressing his new head coach.
ByEmilio Galantini Aug 31, 2024
Joao Felix, Mike Penders, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Renato Veiga, Estevao Willian, Filip Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley, Omari Kellyman, Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho all put pen to paper on moves to Stamford Bridge, with new head coach Enzo Maresca fiercely backed ahead of his debut campaign in the Chelsea dugout.
In total, including their reported £51 million acquisition of Brazilian starlet Estevao Willian, who'll join Chelsea in 2025, the west Londoners spent around £271 million in a serious shake-up of the squad.
Chelsea also attempted a late bid for Napoli star Victor Osimhen, but despite being in talks with his club and the player's representatives throughout Friday, the Blues couldn't get a deal for him over the line in time.
Appearances
25
Goals
15
Assists
3
Shots per 90
3.86
Key passes per 90
1.05
Successful take-ons per 90
0.73
WhoScored
A host of big names also left Chelsea for pastures new, including a pretty blockbuster exit to Arsenal for Raheem Sterling, which dominated the headlines on deadline day.
Alongside Sterling, other players to seal a last-gasp move away from Chelsea come in the form of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja and Trevoh Chalobah, with the quartet leaving either on loan or permanently.
Chelsea will be especially overjoyed to get Lukaku's previous £325,000-per-week wages off the books as they seriously trim their salary bill, and the Belgian could be granted a new lease of life under Antonio Conte in Serie A.
The pair worked together at Inter and helped to guide the Nerazzurri to an impressive Scudetto triumph in the 2021/22 season.
David Datro Fofana expected to leave Chelsea after deadline day
As per Romano, another forward in Chelsea ace David Datro Fofana could quit the club after Lukaku and Broja – despite the UK transfer window's closure.
Indeed, it is believed Fofana is expected to leave Chelsea after deadline day, with a host of windows still open. Belgian, Turkish, Dutch and Portuguese clubs remain capable of doing business, for the next 48 hours at least, while the Saudis could also offer the 21-year-old an escape route.
The Ivory Coast international spent the second half of last season on loan at Burnley, scoring four league goals and proving he can cut it at the highest level. Fofana could be a great opportunity for clubs abroad, as he doesn't look too likely to feature much for Maresca this term.
Australia name a 15-player group for the Melbourne, Sydney, and Hobart Tests; Khawaja could be considered to open
Andrew McGlashan20-Dec-2021Josh Hazlewood has returned to Australia’s squad for the remainder of the Ashes, while captain Pat Cummins is available again for Melbourne following his Covid-enforced absence in Adelaide.Australia have named a 15-player group to cover the Melbourne, Sydney, and Hobart matches, which includes all those who featured in the second Test along with Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Swepson.Related
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Text snub: How Australia came close to losing more bowlers
Cummins is as much the ideal captain as Joe Root isn't
Hazlewood was ruled out of Adelaide with a side strain he sustained at the Gabba. He was replaced by Jhye Richardson with Michael Neser then being handed a last-minute debut when Cummins was forced to withdraw on the morning of the game.Naming the squad for all three remaining Tests would appear to be a show of faith in opener Marcus Harris, who has struggled so far, although Khawaja could be considered as an opener.Mitchell Starc has appeared to be battling a back problem during England’s second innings – although it has not affected his performance – which may put a question mark against him for Melbourne given the tight turnaround between matches.If any of Australia’s big three quicks are not available for the third Test, it will be a decision between Richardson and Neser to fill the breach. Neser took a wicket with the second ball of his Test career and produced an excellent spell to claim Dawid Malan on the fourth evening. Richardson was expensive in the first innings but bowled excellently in the second innings with a brute of a delivery removing Haseeb Hameed.The Melbourne pitch for this year’s Ashes Test will likely be very different to the one which produced a tame draw in 2017-18. The surface has improved in recent seasons, and there was significant life in the Sheffield Shield pitch earlier in the summer.The SCG, the venue for the fourth Test, produced a draw last season against India when the visitors were able to bat out the final day. This series will then conclude with a second day-night match in Hobart following the shift away from Perth due to border restrictions.Australia squad: Pat Cummins (capt), Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.