In their last five series – against West Indies, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan and South Africa – England have been defeated in their final outing

Andrew McGlashan at Lord's08-Jun-2016They have won the series against Sri Lanka at a sprint, wrapped up after barely more than six days of playing time, and should not come unstuck at Lord’s even though the Sri Lankans have been boosted by their improvement in the second innings at Chester-le-Street. And yet, in their last five series – against West Indies, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan and South Africa – England have been defeated in their final outing.In Barbados and at Headingley last year, their lapses cost them series victories. In Sharjah, the chance to level the scoreline slipped away. On the other two occasions, against Australia and South Africa, the major prize had already been secured so it merely knocked gloss off the end product – although both defeats at The Oval and Centurion were comprehensive enough to raise questions about how far the team’s development had come.Of all the problems to have, and on the list of things Alastair Cook has had to deal with as England captain, it is not the most worrisome. However, this England side are searching for that No. 1 ranking. This summer has been billed as a chance to win all seven Tests – as they did in 2004 – although Pakistan’s stronger attack could well have something to say about that.”We’ve certainly mentioned that in the past, the dead rubbers we’ve not played as well,” Cook said. “We’ve got another opportunity here. Who knows what the wicket will produce – the last [few] games here against Sri Lanka have been draws. So the wicket might not allow it. But we’ve got to make sure that if we want to get to where we want to, which is to be the best side in the world, these are the games we need to play better in.”Alongside the collective ambitions of the team, there are continuing personal subplots to the game, especially for the two men playing on their home ground. Nick Compton is under more immediate pressure than Steven Finn if he wants to continue his role at No. 3 when the Pakistan series starts, but for the longer-term future of English cricket it is the performances of Finn that warrants more attention.Nick Compton needs runs in order to secure his Test berth•Getty Images

In South Africa it appeared things had all clicked for Finn as he strung together a run of three consistent Test performances. Then injury struck, keeping him sidelined, much to his frustration, until the start of the English season. Since his return, that rhythm and threat from the South Africa tour has been difficult to rekindle.Cook is not overly concerned, however, adding that he had first-hand experience of a lively Finn spell in the nets on Wednesday which left him with “a big bruise” on his leg.”Steven, when’s he absolutely on song, is I believe up there in our three best seamers in the country,” Cook said. “We saw that last summer against Australia in particular, when he bowled fantastically well. This winter, when he played, he was absolutely outstanding. It’s not always perfect.”Take James Anderson as a bit of an example. He struggled a little bit, by his own admission, in South Africa, and when he came back he’s bowled as well as he has done in his career. It’s never perfect. We don’t get 11 guys at the top of their game at the same time. But Steven has the ability to take wickets. He’s always done that. When he clicks, he’s a very hard bowler to face. He’s got a big future in the England side.”For Cook, this Test match will allow him to settle back into life without the burden of approaching landmarks after he ticked off the 10,000-run milestone in Durham, although now the talk has shifted to whether he can finish above Sachin Tendulkar’s 15,921 at the top of the pile.”That’s a long way ahead,” Cook said, with the air of a man who would prefer to put the record books back on the shelf for a while. Since Durham, he has spent a week at home on his farm which included a day getting drenched in the rain helping to weigh “some fat lambs”.”At the moment a lot of my goals are immediate ones with this England team – as a captain that takes me away from the milestones as a batsman.”There is no escaping the fact, however, that in spite of Cook’s record, James Anderson’s excellence and England’s dashing lower order, this has been a low-key Test series. Although Lord’s will be close to full this week, that prevailing mood is unlikely to change much even if England do secure their first whitewash in a series longer than two Tests since beating India 4-0 in 2011. The Euros start on Friday, with England playing their first match on Saturday, and win or lose the footballers will dominate the sports pages.

A deep-seated trust issue is central to the problems Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) faces as it attempts to build a unified outfit, according to former national coach Alan Butcher. That conclusion was the starkest takeaway from his book , an account of his three years in charge of Zimbabwe.The honest, personal story of Butcher’s time with the team, which he largely enjoyed thoroughly, is filled with details of suspicions, misunderstandings and hidden agendas between ZC management and the players. In some instances, these divisions were racially motivated; in others, they were personality-driven, but combined they had a detrimental effect on morale and performance.”There are massive trust issues in Zimbabwe, and these go back to a time before independence. Independence didn’t just flick a switch and make everything okay….” Butcher writes. “That there will be mistrust of each other’s motives is the most natural thing in the world.”In particular, Butcher reveals how the actions of former convener of selectors Givemore Makoni during the 2012 World T20 led to the retirement of Ray Price the following year.Makoni was appointed to the post in October 2011, 18 months into Butcher’s tenure. Butcher admits only knowing Makoni “a little” but being “apprehensive” about his appointment, having previously dealt with him as a selector.Butcher’s reservations were confirmed shortly after, when the selectors, led by Makoni, unilaterally announced the Test squad to play New Zealand, without meeting with the coach or captain. The group initially excluded Chris Mpofu and Tatenda Taibu, who both ended up playing in the match at Butcher and Brendan Taylor’s insistence. Butcher won that battle, but he would not win many more.The next March, during the World T20, Butcher was invited to dinner with ZC’s communications manager Lovemore Banda, Makoni, and assistant coach Steven Mangongo in Colombo. There, Banda told Butcher there was a perception that Butcher was marginalising Prosper Utseya.”The point was a none too subtle warning there were ‘people’ who were disappointed by the fact that if I thought someone should be dropped from the team that person was always Prosper Utseya and that those people were beginning to think that there was an agenda of some sort against him and that I would be wise to think about the possible consequences of that perception,” Butcher wrote.The quartet went on to enjoy the evening, but once they moved to Hambantota, the venue of their first match, Butcher was made to understand why Banda had communicated that message.The night before Zimbabwe’s opener against Sri Lanka, the coaching staff agreed that Utseya would sit out the first match against Sri Lanka in favour of Graeme Cremer and Ray Price. When Makoni heard the decision, he accused Butcher of “trying to wreck Utseya’s career, of racism and much more besides…”Makoni insisted Utseya should play and Butcher realised “fighting it would cause the team many more problems than having Prosper in it,” and so gave in. However, he then had to inform Price that he would be benched.Price had spent the afternoon in the hotel pool, opposite where the meeting with Makoni and Butcher had taken place, and already had an idea of what was coming. “Although disappointed, recognised an impossible position the captain and I were in and took it pretty well.”Butcher thought the matter was over, but on the day of the match, Grant Flower, the then batting coach, refused to go to the ground because of Utseya’s inclusion in the team. Butcher met with Flower and persuaded him otherwise, but the players had by then learnt of Flower’s threat. Butcher’s immediate task was to see how Utseya was handling it and he discovered the player was “not feeling great about being the reason for a coach refusing to go to the ground.”Utseya was among the better bowlers on the day, but Zimbabwe’s performance was, in Butcher’s words, “shambolic,” and things were only going to get worse.Zimbabwe did not play again until the next February, when they toured the West Indies, and as with any tour, the first job was to pick the squads. Butcher wanted Price “in my team in all formats,” and expected Makoni to disagree, but at their meeting, “Makoni indicated he thought Price should be in the squad.”A few days later, Butcher saw the squad list without Price’s name on it and called Makoni to clarify. Makoni said Price would not be travelling. Butcher gave Price the news, but instructed him not to do anything until Butcher had sorted it out, fearing Price would “retire on principle.” Price, however, set up a meeting with Mangongo and Makoni in which he was “virtually forced to retire from ODIs to continue playing Tests.” As a result, Price travelled as part of the Test squad but not the limited-overs team.Price retired that July after being left out of the ODI squad to play India despite new coach Andy Waller wanting him in the group.In the immediate aftermath of the squad selection for the 2013 tour of West Indies, Butcher noted with “sadness,” that “turned to anger,” reports in the Zimbabwean press detailing the argument with Makoni at the 2012 World T20. Utseya’s omission was described as bordering on “the issue of colour,” which Butcher took as an accusation against him of racism. He described it as his “darkest time” in Zimbabwe and it may have played a role in him opting not to reapply for his job later that year.After Butcher’s departure, Makoni was promoted to a managerial role in ZC in 2015 and Kenyon Ziehl was appointed selection convener. That may change in the next few weeks with ZC set to unveil yet another new selection panel.Butcher compared that kind of constant change to a “revolving door spinning from all exits,” caused by there not being “enough people everybody trusts”. Caught in the middle of that, “a national team of mixed races is expected to just knuckle down and win cricket matches,” which for Butcher is a big ask.Despite the overarching problem in Zimbabwean cricket, Butcher left with the impression that, “trust between the races was alive and well among the younger generations,” but warned that the spirit of goodwill should not be overshadowed by a political system which hardens attitudes. The Good Murungu: A Cricket Tale of the Unexpected

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins was hailed by the media for a "sensational" performance against Newcastle United in the Premier League this afternoon.

What was the Aston Villa vs Newcastle result?

Villa secured their fifth Premier League win on the spin, courtesy of a 3-0 victory against Newcastle at Villa Park, with Jacob Ramsey and Ollie Watkins getting on the scoresheet, in what was yet another fantastic performance.

The result sees the Villans remain sixth in the table, still faring well in their pursuit of European football, and Watkins was singled out for a particularly impressive display.

Journalist Raj Chohan took to Twitter during the match to say: "Watkins wow, this is a prime Mandzukić type of performance. Hold-up play sensational, aerial threat & running Newcastle ragged in the wide channels."

Football writer Jordan Cronin was also full of praise for the striker, claiming he "caused absolute mayhem" for the Newcastle backline during the first half.

How did Ollie Watkins play against Newcastle?

The striker was a real live wire in the opening 45 minutes, hitting the post inside the opening 30 seconds of the game after outpacing the Newcastle defence, in what was a sign of things to come for the rest of the game.

The 27-year-old set up Ramsey's opener after picking the winger out inside the area, before having a goal disallowed for a very marginal offside just after the hour mark.

However, the Englishman did not have to wait long for a much-deserved goal, scoring minutes later, for what was the 11th time since returning from the international break, with no player in the Premier League being involved in more goals during that period.

Villa have managed to put themselves in a decent position to qualify for Europe next season, and if Watkins continues to play at his current level, achieving a remarkable 9.0 Sofascore rating this afternoon, they have a very strong chance of securing a top-six finish.

Manchester United are currently sweating over the fitness of talisman, Marcus Rashford, with it yet to be seen what the extent of the damage will be following the England international's withdrawal during the win over Everton at the weekend.

The 25-year-old hobbled off late on in that 2-0 victory with an apparent groin injury, with that immediately sparking fears over just how long the forward will be out of action for, having thus far been a key figure under Erik ten Hag.

The United academy graduate is far and away the club's leading scorer with 28 goals in all competitions to date – 18 more than Bruno Fernandes behind him – having been in "unstoppable" form following the return from World Cup duty, as per his manager.

With the in-form ace having truly carried the goalscoring burden for the Red Devils in recent times – notably scoring ten match-winning goals in the league this season – the focus will now be on who else can step up to the plate amid his potential absence.

The alternatives to the £200k-per-week man in attack are somewhat limited, however, with Alejandro Garnacho also currently sidelined, while both Facundo Pellistri and Anthony Elanga have featured sporadically amid suggestions that they could be allowed to leave on loan next season.

As such, Ten Hag may well be in need of additional cover for the likes of Jadon Sancho and Antony over the coming games, hence the need for the former Ajax boss to look to the academy ranks to find a dream solution.

Who could replace Marcus Rashford?

While it is unlikely that any youth star would go straight into the starting lineup to replace Rashford, 18-year-old Omari Forson is one such talent who could certainly make an impact off the bench, initially, having shone at academy level this season.

Hailed previously as "exceptional" by journalist Thierry Granturco, the England youth international was snapped up from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in 2019, with United also fending off interest from Arsenal to hand the youngster a first professional contract in the summer of 2020.

That clamour for the teen's signature is evidence of just why he is regarded as 'one of the best young talents in English football', as per the Daily Mail, having since gone on to showcase that quality with his standout displays in recent times.

Much like former youth starlet, Rashford, young Forson is also a truly deadly presence on the flanks – or through the middle if required – having scored nine goals and provided three assists in 21 games in all competitions this season, including eight goals in just 18 Premier League 2 appearances.

The London-born sensation has enjoyed a truly "excellent" season so far – according to Manchester Evening News journalist Steven Railston – ensuring that his overall record at U21 level now stands at ten goals and five assists in just 26 outings.

The £800-per-week dynamo has shown that he can flourish against senior opposition after scoring once and providing one assist in the club's EFL Trophy run earlier in the season, having also been called up to first-team training on occasion this term.

It does appear that a first taste of life in Ten Hag's side is on the horizon, with the potential loss of Rashford likely to be an ideal chance for Forson to impress.

An outright takeover of Manchester United is the “most likely and cleanest scenario”, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.

What’s Jacobs had to say on a Manchester United takeover?

The Glazers first confirmed their willingness to sell the club back in November, which resulted in their stock market valuation increasing by 17%. However, since then, it has been a slow and frustrating process, with a third and final round of bidding ongoing.

The deadline for those offers to be submitted is on Friday, although recent reports have suggested that the Glazers are now confident of remaining as owners by securing outside investment, potentially looking to double the club’s value over the next 10 years.

However, Jacobs, talking to GiveMeSport, has heard different, saying that he’s been told that an outright sale is still the most likely scenario at Old Trafford.

“The most likely and cleanest scenario remains an outright sale. But naturally, The Glazers have got a variety of options.

“It shows that there are options for them to choose from ahead of the final deadline on 28th April. But it's very complicated if The Glazers stay at the football club unless a minority investor with them staying can provide the financing that allows them to take that approach to move the club forward.”

Exciting for supporters, Jassim and Ratcliffe…

Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe appear to be the front runners when it comes to a full sale, with the former of the two still committed to buying 100% of the club and is set to submit a third offer.

Both Jassim and Ratcliffe’s second offers were thought to be world-record bids in the region of £5bn, so they may need to increase that closer to the Glazers’ £6bn asking price.

Jassim is expecting his next offer to be accepted, and Jacobs’ update will come as an exciting one for the Qatari group, Ratcliffe and those United supporters who have protested against the Glazers for years.

Dushmantha Chameera has been ruled out of the England series after sustaining a stress fracture to his lower back

ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-20162:54

Fernando: Chameera’s loss is a huge blow

Sri Lanka fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has been ruled out of the England tour after suffering a stress fracture to his lower back. Chameera has been advised rest for four months and will return to Sri Lanka to continue his treatment. Chameera is also likely to miss the home Tests against Australia, which start from July 26.The Sri Lanka selectors are expected to meet by Wednesday to pick a replacement for the squad in England. The loss of Chameera is the second big blow to Sri Lanka’s bowling attack after fast bowler Dhammika Prasad returned home last week because of a shoulder injury.The stress fracture was confirmed after Chameera underwent a scan on Tuesday morning. The fast bowler had taken 3 for 64 – including the wicket of Jonny Bairstow who top-scored with 140 – in the first Test at Headingley, which Sri Lanka lost by an innings and 88 runs.Chameera has played five Tests since his debut in June 2015 against Pakistan, taking 21 wickets at an average of 27.28. He suffered a side strain after his first Test, which kept him out of the Pallekele Test against Pakistan, and played only one match in the series against India that followed. He had made his international debut earlier – in January 2015 – and replaced Dhammika Prasad in Sri Lanka’s squad for the 2015 World Cup, where he played two matches. Overall, Chameera has taken 10 wickets in nine ODIs and 13 T20Is, respectively.

Adam Lyth’s double hundred was the main feature of the final day at The Oval as, after the loss of 142 overs to inclement weather in the opening two days, the players of Surrey and Yorkshire bowed to the inevitable at 5pm

ECB Reporters Network14-Jul-2016
ScorecardAdam Lyth scored nearly half Yorkshire’s total•Getty Images

Adam Lyth’s double hundred was the main feature of the final day at The Oval as, after the loss of 142 overs to inclement weather in the opening two days, the players of Surrey and Yorkshire bowed to the inevitable at 5pm and shook hands on a rain-ruined draw.What started as a keenly anticipated Specsavers County Championship clash petered out tamely with part-time spinners enjoying a twirl in the hallowed surrounds of the The Oval where Surrey reached 106 for 1, 38 overs into their second innings – to still trail by 34 runs when stumps were drawn.The relegation threatened hosts banked 10 points for their fourth draw of the campaign, while Yorkshire, who move up to fourth on the table, took home 13 points after dominating much of the play that was possible over four bleak days in SE11.Having batted on well into the mid-session, the visitors left themselves a minimum of 52 overs to pull off an unlikely win but, despite ringing the bat with close fielders, they could only pick up the wicket of Rory Burns.Off balance and working to leg against the first delivery from spinner Azeem Rafiq, Burns chipped back a return catch to go for 14.
It proved Yorkshire’s only success of a dull afternoon that had started in confusion when a new umpire appeared out in the middle. It emerged that Neil Bainton had been taken ill during the interval break and had been replaced at the start of Surrey’s second innings by Tony Pigott, the ECB’s appointed cricket liaison officer for the fixture.The day began with all eyes on Lyth, who seemingly had his sights set on improving his career-best 251scored in the 2014 Roses match at Old Trafford. He lost his first partner of the day after 75 minutes’ play when Zafar Ansari bowled Steven Patterson to end a fourth wicket-stand with Lyth that added 91 inside 26 overs.Lyth carried on where he had left off on day three, posting his 150 off 233 balls and with 15 fours and a brace of sixes but Patterson, who had just reached an 87-ball 50 with seven fours, had his timbers rearranged by Ansari with Yorkshire 20 ahead on first innings.Adil Rashid might have departed with his score on 2 when he skied to long-on only to see Jason Roy down a steepling catch off Ansari. The blunder hardly mattered, however, as Ansari got his man caught at slip to make it 324 for 5, which brought Tim Bresnan to the crease. He lasted 11 deliveries before missing an attempted slog-sweep against Gareth Batty to depart lbw for 3.Liam Plunkett joined forces with Lyth to up the run-rate either side of lunch with Plunkett plundering three fours and two sixes in his cameo 37 that ended with a run out. Having clattered the ball to deep cover, Plunkett called for a chancy second run only to be beaten home by the throw to the striker’s end.Lyth marched on to his double hundred, reaching the landmark with an uppercut for six that cleared the ropes at third man off a Stuart Meaker bouncer. It was Lyth’s fifth six, to go with 17 boundaries in his 291-ball innings.Meaker got his man next ball up, however, when Lyth, in aiming to clear the ropes again, skied to proffer a simple catch to Steven Davies, keeping wicket in place of the injured Ben Foakes.Though they had 400 on the board for maximum bonus points, Yorkshire batted on allowing Tom Curran to pick up the wicket of Andrew Hodd following a stunning diving catch in the covers by Rory Burns. David Willey then holed out to deep midwicket to end the innings.

Former India captain Anil Kumble has been appointed coach of the national side for one year, the BCCI announced on Thursday. His first assignment will be India’s four-Test tour of the West Indies

Nagraj Gollapudi in Dharamsala23-Jun-20162:17

‘My approach will always be players-first’ – Kumble

Former India captain Anil Kumble has been appointed coach of the national side for one year, the BCCI announced on Thursday. His first assignment will be India’s four-Test tour of the West Indies.The question of who would take over as India coach has been a talking point since Ravi Shastri’s tenure as team director ended after the World T20. Some of the uncertainty was addressed when Anurag Thakur, after his appointment as BCCI president, said the vacancy would be filled before the Tests in the Caribbean.The BCCI put out an advertisement for a new coach in the first week of June and received 57 applications, including Kumble’s. However, it appears he was not among the 21 names shortlisted by the BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke’s office. The Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, assigned to pick India’s next coach asked for Kumble’s name to be included, at which point he became an instant favourite.The committee interviewed Kumble and a handful of other candidates in Kolkata on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, they made their recommendations to the BCCI. Thakur, along with Shirke, made the final call.”The CAC recommended a few names to the BCCI. After discussions with various stakeholders, we have taken the final call that for next one year Anil Kumble will be the head coach.” Thakur said at a media briefing in Dharamsala. He added the support staff would be appointed after consulting with Kumble.Kumble applying for the job was a surprise to many in the BCCI, considering he has not coached a cricket team before. The BCCI had preferred their candidates to have had that experience, but his pedigree as a player and two stints as mentor in the IPL worked in Kumble’s favour.The BCCI offered Kumble a one-year term to help him acclimatise to the job better and to give themselves the cushion to reassess if needed.”As for the one-year period, Kumble is now transforming himself from being a great on the cricketing field to probably becoming a great coach that we expect him to be. That transition has to be smooth. This is professional appointment. All professional appointments try to cover all bases. Therefore that is the reason we want to be able to be in a position to review our options should there be any need. I am confident that we will not have that need to address that need. That is the exact reason behind the one-year appointment.”A senior official privy to the selection process said a long-term contract was not a viable option considering the lengthy interval between now and the next World Cup in 2019. But he felt Kumble was in “the driver’s seat” to prove his credentials.”We have 13 Tests at home and then there is the Champions Trophy next year,” the insider said. “He is now in the driver’s seat. We have given him the keys and he has to now prove himself.”Kumble’s lack of experience is made up for by his standing as a player and captain in an 18-year-long international career. He finished as India’s highest wicket-taker in Tests, and the third-highest overall, with 619 wickets, including a best of 10 for 74 against Pakistan in Delhi in 1999.After being appointed Test captain in November 2007, he led India in 14 matches, winning three, losing five and drawing six, until his retirement a year later. Among his notable victories as captain was the Perth Test in January 2008, which was played after the controversial Sydney Test where, among other issues, India faced allegations of racism from the Australia side.Kumble is the first Indian to be appointed full-time India coach since Kapil Dev resigned in September 2000.According to Shirke, there were four overseas candidates who had made the shortlist of 21, including Tom Moody and Andy Moles, who, it is understood, were among those interviewed by the in Kolkata.”It’s not about Indian or foreign coach,” Thakur said. “There was no such limitation that we have to look for only Indian coach. We wanted the best for Indian team. We deserve the best. We have Anil Kumble with us. He has been a match-winner for India.”There has been speculation that the delay in choosing India’s head coach – the appointment was expected on Wednesday, but a subsequent BCCI press release said some “finer points” needed to be discussed – was the result of the Cricket Advisory Committee being unable to contact India’s Test captain Virat Kohli for his inputs.Without confirming as much, Thakur said that various “stakeholders” had been consulted.”The CAC looked into all applications. They have shortlisted few names which were suggested to the BCCI. When the names came to us we discussed with other stakeholders in the board, in the team and then you finally take a call on the various experiences [of the candidates]. All of the shortlisted names worked with various teams, in IPL, in various cricket boards, as well as the state units. So you take feedback not only from one sector, you take feedback from all stakeholders. We have taken little more time, but we wanted to be more transparent and wanted to pick the best.”Kumble has also served in administrative roles since his retirement. He was elected president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association in November 2010, served as chairman of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and also headed the BCCI’s technical committee from 2012 to 2015.

Glenn Maxwell has conceded that his batting form warranted being axed from Australia’s ODI side, and he is determined to make the most of his opportunity for red-ball cricket with Australia A

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-2016Glenn Maxwell has conceded that his batting form warranted being axed from Australia’s ODI side, and is determined instead to make the most of his opportunity for some red-ball cricket with Australia A. Despite being named Australia’s ODI cricketer of the year in January, Maxwell has been cut from the squad for the upcoming series in Sri Lanka.National selector Rod Marsh said Maxwell had been given “a lot of chances” and lacked the consistency to justify ongoing selection in the ODI batting order. Since the end of the home one-day summer, Maxwell has batted seven times in ODIs for scores of 0, 6, 0, 0, 3, 46*, and 4. In the past year, Maxwell has 396 ODI runs at 28.28 and 11 wickets at 39.45.Instead of being part of the Sri Lanka tour, Maxwell joined the Australia A squad in Queensland and scored 0 and 38 in the first four-day game against South Africa A in Brisbane. The series has now moved on to Townsville for the second red-ball fixture.”I think I’ve taken it pretty well,” Maxwell told reporters in Townsville. “Having this opportunity at the same time probably softens the blow a little bit. It gives you an opportunity to prove them wrong or show them that you really want to be back in there. It gives you an opportunity to play games of cricket in July and August, which other people don’t have. So it is a big silver lining having these games.”If you look at my last 10 one-dayers, I didn’t score enough runs. As they’ve always said, if you’re in that top six, you’re a batting allrounder first. I probably didn’t make as many runs as I would have liked. It would have been nice to have been in Sri Lanka with the spinning conditions and get a bit more of a chance with the ball, but I had to make more runs when I had the opportunity. I fully take responsibility for that.”Maxwell said he was happy to have the chance at some first-class cricket, a format that has provided him with consistent results over the past few years, but limited opportunities due to his regular commitments in the shorter formats for Australia.”I’ve been in really good form with that over the last few years,” Maxwell said of first-class cricket. “It has been a really consistent format for me, statistically my best format, which people don’t seem to quite grasp very well.”Maxwell will stay on with Australia A for the quadrangular one-day series that follows the four-day game against South Africa A. India A and Australia’s National Performance Squad round out the teams in the one-day competition.

Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will “100% leave” when Mauricio Pochettino arrives this summer, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest on Aubameyang's future?

The Premier League veteran first arrived in SW6 back in September 2022 from Barcelona, but he's always been significantly out of favour having made just five top-flight starts during his debut season, with ex-manager Graham Potter even going as far as completely omitting him from his Champions League squad.

Back in March, Romano revealed that the former Gabon international made a secret trip to Camp Nou to support his former Blaugrana teammates during a game and even went into the dressing room after the final whistle which didn't go down well with the hierarchy.

Spanish outlet Sport soon after reported that the Blues were considering terminating his contract, which isn't set to expire until the end of next season, 12 months early to get him off their books and out of the building, and there has now been further confirmation that he will indeed be heading for the exit door.

Taking to Twitter, Romano now reports that Aubameyang is fully expected to depart Chelsea upon the conclusion of the current campaign, a time when Pochettino is widely expected to take over. He wrote:

"Pierre Aubameyang confirms: 'I’d like to return to Barcelona… but we will see'. Auba will 100% leave Chelsea. Barca open to sign Auba but it depends on Financial Fair Play. Only way for Barca: no transfer fee & salary reduced."

Should Chelsea keep or sell Aubameyang?

Chelsea will probably know that they made a huge mistake by signing Aubameyang because he's been nothing but a "liability" since joining, according to ESPN pundit and Blues legend Craig Burley, so Todd Boehly should definitely cash in during the upcoming window.

The Nike-sponsored athlete has scored just three goals and provided one assist since the start of the season, as per Transfermarkt, which is nowhere near a good enough return in the final third, not to mention that he's ranked the 31st worst player out of the 32 squad members with a WhoScored match rating of just 6.12.

Finally, Aubameyang currently pockets £160k-per-week in the capital which is extraordinary for a player who's failing to make any kind of positive impact so sanctioning his sale would free up the wage bill and give the board additional funds to put towards recruiting some much-needed fresh faces ahead of the 2023/24 term.