Tag Futebol

MatériaMais Notícias

O zagueiro do Flamengo, Fabrício Bruno foi citado como o terceiro zagueiro que mais atuou nos últimos 365 dias. Os dados foram divulgados pelo Observatório de Futebol do Centro Internacional de Estudos de Esporte (CIES Football Observatory).

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoGerson recebe chuva de críticas por atitude em Palmeiras x Flamengo: ‘Ridículo’Fora de Campo22/04/2024PalmeirasEmpate com o Flamengo mostra que Palmeiras precisa de mudanças entre os titularesPalmeiras22/04/2024BrasileirãoAssista aos melhores momentos do empate entre Palmeiras e FlamengoBrasileirão21/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Flamengo

Segundo o instituto, o atleta esteve em campo por 5622 minutos dentro do intervalo citado. Fabrício só ficou atrás do Gil ex-Corinthians e atualmente no Santos, e do Fidel Escobar, do Saprissa (Costa Rica).

O top-5 do CIES termina com o palmeirense Gustavo Gómez e do argentino Otamendi, do Benfica. Todos os jogadores da lista estão atuando pelas suas seleções. A exceção é o Gil, que se transferiu para o Santos nessa temporada e a maioria dos seus minutos foi contabilizado enquanto ainda estava no Corinthians.

continua após a publicidade

Dos jogadores selecionáveis, o rubro-negro foi o último a ser convocado. Fabrício foi contratado pelo Flamengo em 2022, e já soma 109 jogos e cinco gols pelo clube.

Tudo sobre

FlamengoFutebol Nacional

Abbas, Pennington claim three wickets each as Somerset are bowled out for 438

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-Jul-2025 Nottinghamshire 189 for 2 trail Somerset 438 (Rew 166, Abell 156, Abbas 3-60) by 249 runs Captain Haseeb Hameed’s third century of the season helped title-chasing Nottinghamshire build a solid foundation in reply to Somerset’s 438 on day two of their Rothesay County Championship clash at Trent Bridge.Hameed, who struck 15 fours and two sixes, also passed 1,000 first-class runs for the season with the same shot that completed his hundred. He had earlier shared a stand of 101 for the second wicket with Freddie McCann (48).At 189 for two, though, Nottinghamshire, who began this round one point behind Division One leaders and defending champions Surrey, still have much work to do, trailing by 249 runs even after third-placed Somerset lost their last seven wickets for 100, Mohammad Abbas (three for 60) and Dillon Pennington (three for 71) sharing the bowling honours for the home side.Somerset’s 438 all out – while a total not to be sniffed at after being asked to bat first – perversely still felt like fewer than Somerset probably should have accumulated on a pitch with little in it for the bowling side, given that they had been 338 for three before Tom Abell’s demise shortly before Tuesday’s close,Abbas excepted, Nottinghamshire had not been at their best with the ball on the opening day. They looked better for a night’s reflection, yet most of the damage suffered by Somerset was to some degree self-inflicted.Of the four wickets to fall in adding 58 before lunch, nightwatchman Jack Leach cut the first ball of the day straight to backward point, after which James Rew fell into a trap set on the leg side as his impressive 166 ended with him athletically caught behind pulling.Tom Banton, chasing a wide one, and Archie Vaughan, nibbling outside off stump, gave Joe Clarke two much easier catches in his latest tour of duty keeping wicket, this time because Kyle Verreynne is back home in South Africa for an awards ceremony. Migael Pretorius popped back a tame return catch for Calvin Harrison soon after lunch.Craig Overton’s 31 not out was the third highest score in an innings dominated by Rew’s 313-run fourth-wicket stand with Abell (156). Jake Ball, the former Nottinghamshire quick, made 24 against his old mates before chipping back a catch to Liam Patterson-White after 41 were added for the last wicketOpening a Nottinghamshire innings for the 100th time together – matching the feats of Chris Broad and Tim Robinson, and Darren Bicknell and Jason Gallian as the only opening pairs to reach that milestone for the county since 1960 – Haseeb and Ben Slater were quickly parted, Slater falling to the eighth ball of the innings, shouldering arms to a ball from Craig Overton that clipped his off stump.Yet it took another 28 overs for the Somerset attack to make a second incision. McCann was looking to match Hameed, who had just completed an 87-ball half-century, when Ball offered him a delivery wide of off stump. It was a boundary for the taking to the short side of the square but he flashed at the ball and it took the edge, Rew having no problem taking the catch.If this represented a potential opening for Somerset, though, it was not one that offered any more than a glimpse of light, as Hameed and Clarke negotiated a safe passage through the 25 overs that remained.Hameed survived a chance on 91, albeit a difficult one, when he drove a ball back hard at Pretorius, who instinctively flung out a hand but could only prevent runs. The Nottinghamshire skipper celebrated his reprieve by lofting Vaughan’s off spin down the ground, not cleanly but with enough power to beat the fielder and the boundary for his second six, then patiently waiting on 99 to drive the same bowler to the long-on boundary for his 15th four and his 18th first-class century.

A bowling blitz from allrounder Ash Gardner powered Sydney Sixers to an 11-run win that snaps Hobart Hurricanes’ undefeated start to the WBBL.Her side chasing 148 for victory, Elyse Villani helped Hurricanes overcome some middle-order wobbles and take control at Bellerive Oval. The hosts required 19 runs from the last three overs with four wickets in hand.Related

• Lanning century leads Stars' domination over Sixers

• Wilson trumps de Klerk in Thunder's big win over Heat

Gardner had been expensive, going at 1 for 34 across her first three overs, but was thrown the ball with Saturday’s game hanging in the balance.The Sixers captain dispatched of Hayley Silver-Holmes as she attempted an audacious sweep shot before also collecting Molly Strano’s stumps as she attempted a hero shot of her own on the next delivery.Lauren Smith mistimed Gardner’s last ball of the over and picked out Sophia Dunkley at extra cover, leaving Hurricanes with only No. 11 Linsey Smith to partner Villani.When Smith skied to midwicket off Lauren Cheatle, Hurricanes were all out on 136 and left to wonder how the game had slipped so quickly out of their hands.The victory ended Hurricanes’ winning streak on five – their equal-longest in WBBL history – and helped Sixers bounce back from a disastrous 111-run loss in a rain-affected last start against Melbourne Stars.Earlier, the summer’s leading wicket-taker Heather Graham came up with WBBL career-best figures to help consign the Sixers to 147 for 9 at the close of their innings.That was no mean feat after the visitors won the toss and looked in command during a 75-run opening stand between Dunkley and Ellyse Perry.Dunkley notched her second half-century of the summer after surviving a scare on 7, the third umpire ruling her bat came down in time to thwart Lizelle Lee’s stumping effort.But Sixers’ innings never hit the same heights after Dunkley lobbed Graham’s slower ball out to Rachel Trenaman at long on.Only Gardner joined Perry and Dunkley in passing 50 as the Sixers lost 4 for 6 to finish their innings with Graham on song. Graham had her four-fer by collecting Erin Burns’ stumps as the veteran stepped back and mistimed her shot.

SEATTLE — Max Scherzer had not pitched in 22 days, had been left off the Division Series roster of the Blue Jays, had stumbled to the finish of the regular season with a 9.00 ERA in his final six starts and had enough physical maladies over the past two seasons—back, shoulder, triceps, hamstring, thumb, lat, neck, etc.—to mimic a 41-year-old weekend pickleball player, not the 41-year-old three-time Cy Young Award winner that he is. His start in Game 4 of the ALCS had the trappings of a tour of a 1970s band: cutely nostalgic, but nothing more.

Then he started warming up in the T-Mobile Park visiting bullpen and something magical happened. The ball flew out his hand with ease and power. He spun the ball with precision. Toronto pitching coach Pete Walker could hardly believe what he was watching.

“I knew when he was warming up it was going to be good,” Walker said. “He wanted this one bad and you’d probably ask anybody in that clubhouse and they, they felt it, too. When he was warming up, I felt some of the hairs that are barely there on my arm standing up because I could tell he had it.”

What we do in the prime of our work is what most defines us. It is the first paragraph of our obituary. But sometimes it is what we do in the twilight of our careers, long after a reputation has been earned, that burnishes the oeuvre, if not creates a legend of its own. Late career greatness has the added emotion of bittersweetness, born from the uncertainty that it may well be the last of it.

Scherzer had one of those nights. He defied age, time, injury and, almost comically, his own manager. He threw harder than he had in two years. He had the best curveball of his life. He stomped around the mound like a young lion. He pitched two outs into the sixth inning to earn his ninth career postseason win, but first one in six years, as Toronto evened the series at two games each with a second straight pounding of the Mariners, 8–2.

While they haven’t been perfect, Arsenal have been far and away the best team in the Premier League this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side are sitting four points clear of second place, and while the attack is yet to click fully, the rest of the team have been exceptional.

One of the standout stars, as was the case last year and the season before that, has been Declan Rice.

The England international has been a difference maker on more than one occasion so far, and so fans should be delighted about reports linking Arsenal to someone who could be another Rice-type signing.

Arsenal target another Declan Rice

There are a few stars in contention for Arsenal’s Player of the Season thus far, and Rice is undoubtedly one of them.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

On top of becoming even more of an attacking threat in that left-eight position he moved into last season, the former West Ham United captain has shown more of that defensive steel he was famous for, dropping into a double pivot on several occasions with Martin Zubimendi.

So with the Englishman thriving in all phases of play, it’s not a surprise to see Arsenal moving for another player of his ilk, an international star in the making: Adam Wharton.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims the Gunners are one of several sides keen to sign the Crystal Palace star.

The report has revealed that, alongside the North Londoners, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are racing to sign the 21-year-old, while Real Madrid are also keeping tabs on the situation.

However, on top of beating out the competition, the Gunners will have to stump up around £100m to tempt the Eagles into selling the jewel in their crown.

With all that said, Wharton’s immense ability and potential make him a player worth pushing the boat out for, particularly after an impressive first start for his country during November’s international break.

Why Wharton would be another Rice for Arsenal

Described as “the best U21 player in the Prem” by one analyst, if Arsenal were to bring Wharton to the Emirates in January, it would be another example of them poaching a highly rated central midfielder from another Premier League side.

Moreover, they would once again be taking a non-big six London-based outfit’s best English central midfielder.

Finally, it would be the second time within a three-year period that the North Londoners spend north of £100m to do so.

Now, beyond what would make the deals so similar, what makes the Palace ace analogous to the former West Ham star?

Well, like his older compatriot was at the time of his move, the 21-year-old ace is very highly rated, with former Sky Sports employee Matthew Stanger labelling him a “generational talent” and one CONCACAF B certified coach dubbing him “the best deep-lying English midfielder since Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick.”

While that is indeed supreme praise, it’s easy to see where it has come from, as much like the 72-capped England star, he is capable of doing more than just sitting deep and shielding the back four.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for expected assisted goals, the top 4% for key passes, the top 5% for through balls, the top 10% for shot-creating actions, and more, all per 90 minutes.

Key Passes

2.07

Top 4%

Through Balls

0.58

Top 5%

Expected Assists

0.22

Top 6%

Inswinging Corner Kicks

1.29

Top 7%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.75

Top 10%

Crosses into Penalty Area

0.26

Top 13%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.39

Top 17%

Crosses

2.78

Top 18%

Additionally, he has already won three senior caps for the Three Lions, and played a pivotal role in the Eagles winning the FA Cup last season – the first major honour in their history.

Ultimately, it is still early in his career, but Wharton looks to be a superstar in the making, and under someone like Arteta, could develop into another Rice-type monster.

Arteta can fix Gabriel injury blow by unleashing Arsenal's £45m "beast"

After both Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori picked up injuries on international duty, Mikel Arteta must unleash Arsenal’s “physical” defender vs Spurs.

Nov 16, 2025

Ruturaj Gaikwad is set to play his first professional game since his elbow injury during IPL 2025

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Aug-2025Prithvi Shaw has been picked in Maharashtra’s 17-member squad for the All India Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Chennai from August 18 to September 9. This will be Shaw’s first tournament for Maharashtra, after his move from Mumbai in July.Shaw joined Maharashtra after requesting a no-objection certificate from Mumbai, who had dropped him dropped from their Ranji Trophy squad in 2024-25 due to poor fitness and lack of discipline.The Maharashtra squad, captained by Ankit Bawne, also includes Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is set to play his first professional game since his elbow injury during IPL 2025. Gaikwad had played for India A during an intra-squad warm-up match ahead of India’s Test series in England.Related

• Shaw happy to 'start from scratch' as he marks Maharashtra debut with century

• Prithvi Shaw joins Maharashtra ahead of 2025-26 domestic season

• Mumbai drop Prithvi Shaw for poor fitness and 'general conduct'

However, Gaikwad and wicketkeeper Saurabh Nawale will likely leave after Maharashtra’s first game to link up with the West Zone squad in Bengaluru for the Duleep Trophy. A direct entry into the semi-finals means West Zone’s first game will begin on September 4.

Ayush Mhatre named Mumbai captain

Ayush Mhatre, who captained India Under-19 during their recent tour of England, will lead Mumbai in the Buchi Babu Tournament. Mhatre, 18, had a memorable IPL 2025 with Chennai Super Kings after being called up as Gaikwad’s injury replacement. He was also the leading run-scorer (340 in four innings) in the U-19 Tests in England.Mumbai’s squad includes Sarfaraz Khan and his brother Musheer, who had suffered “a fracture in the neck region” in a road accident in September last year and missed the domestic season. His lone appearance since his recovery was for Punjab Kings, in the IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.Maharashtra Squad: Ankit Bawane (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prithvi Shaw, Siddhesh Veer, Sachin Dhas, Arshin Kulkarni, Harshal Kate, Siddharth Mhatre, Saurabh Nawale (wk), Mandar Bhandari (wk), Ramakrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Pradeep Dadhe, Vicky Ostwal, Hitesh Walunj, Prashant Solanki, Rajvardhan Hangargekar.Mumbai squad: Ayush Mhatre (capt), Musheer Khan, Divyansh Saxena, Sarfaraz Khan, Suved Parkar (vc), Pragnesh Kanpillewar, Harsh Aghav, Sairaj Patil, Aakash Parkar, Aakash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Shreyas Gurav, Yash Dicholkar, Himanshu Singh, Royston Dias, Sylvester DâEUR(tm)Souza, Irfan Umair

CSK and KKR are best placed to break the bank for Cameron Green, but a new IPL rule prevents the player from being paid more than INR 18 crore

Nagraj Gollapudi03-Dec-20258:03

Will KKR go all-out to get Cameron Green in?

IPL mini auctions have had record paydays for overseas players in the past, and Cameron Green could take that trend forward come December 16.Green has been tipped to become the most expensive buy at the upcoming IPL auction because both Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who have the highest purses (INR 64.3 crore and INR 43.4 crore respectively), are expected to put in strong bids for the allrounder.In 2023, Mitchell Starc was bought by KKR for INR 24.75 crore, minutes after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) acquired Pat Cummins for 20.5 crore, making him the first player to breach the INR 20-crore mark at an IPL auction. Those overshadowed the INR 18.5 crore Punjab Kings (PBKS) had bid for Sam Curran in the previous mini auction in 2023.Related

IPL 2026 auction – De Kock added in 359-player shortlist, Green part of first set

Green in line for IPL payday; Maxwell, Moeen opt out

At the 2023 auction, Green became the second-most expensive buy when Mumbai Indians (MI) had bought him at INR 17.5 crore. MI went on to trade Green to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) a year later for the same price. In his two IPL seasons so far, in 2023 and 2024, Green has played 29 matches, scoring 707 runs at a strike rate of 153.70.He has listed himself at the maximum base price of INR 2 crore for the latest auction.While he could become a millionaire again, it won’t cross INR 20 crore, since the maximum fee cannot exceed INR 18 crore. This will apply even if the bid is higher than that number.That is because of the new “maximum fee” rule that the IPL brought in last year to address the collective concern of franchises that some overseas players were registering exclusively at mini auctions to exploit the supply-demand imbalance. Consequently, the IPL put in the maximum-fee rule where the overseas player cannot be paid more than INR 18 crore, which was the highest slab for franchises retaining players ahead of the 2025 mega auction.Cameron Green winds up for a big hit•BCCIIf the bid exceeded the INR 18-crore mark, the additional money, the IPL said, would be utilised by the BCCI for player welfare. In a note to franchises last year, the IPL said: “Any overseas player’s auction fee at small auction will be lower than the highest retention price [of INR 18 crore] and the highest auction price at the big auction. In case the highest auction price at the big auction is INR 20 crore, then INR 18 crore will be the cap. If the highest auction price at big auction is INR 16 crore, then the cap will be INR 16 crore.”The rule in place going forward is that the auction for the player will continue as normal till the player is sold, and the final auction amount will be charged to the auction purse. “The incremental amount over INR 16 or 18 crore, as the case may be, will be deposited with BCCI. The incremental amount deposited with BCCI will be utilised towards players’ welfare.”The maximum-fee rule, though, will not be applicable to Indian players, who will get the actual bid money, which will be deducted from franchise purse.A total of 77 slots are available to be filled at the auction including 31 for overseas players. There are 16 capped Indian players in the longlist, which will be pruned once franchises submit their final wishlist to the IPL by December 5.

The Padres were down to their final outs in the ninth inning against the Cubs on Thursday in Game 3 of the wild-card series. San Diego trailed 3–1 while down to their final three outs of the game, and potentially their season.

Xander Bogaerts was at the plate with a full count, and he was rung up on a brutal called third strike from home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn. The pitch from Brad Keller appeared to be below the strike zone, but Reyburn ruled it a strikeout, leaving Bogaerts bewildered.

Brown missed the corner with a 97-mph fastball, which Bogaerts rightfully opted against swinging at. Despite the good plate discipline, Bogaerts was sat down on strikes, which prompted Padres manager Mike Shildt to storm onto the field to express his dismay.

It's a critical miss from Reyburn. Keller missed the zone entirely yet was awarded an important out. He then proceeded to hit the next two batters, putting the tying run on base.

Given the situation, it's a mistake that simply can't be afforded from an umpire. When MLB introduces the ABS system, that would be a challengeable play by the batter. Instead, Bogaerts was left seething as he was robbed of a free pass to first base.

San Diego's comeback attempts were stalled, partly because of Reyburn's missed strikeout call, and they fell 3–1 to Chicago to bow out of the postseason.

His temperament is his greatest gift, and both Sam Konstas and his friends expect him to profit from it if he makes his Test debut come Boxing Day

Alex Malcolm23-Dec-2024Sam Konstas stood in front of a huge media throng on the outfield at the MCG on Monday and looked not a day older than the 19 years and 82 days that he is.It was his third visit to the MCG this summer, having been there for a Sheffield Shield game in late October, and an Australia A game in early November.There was arguably more media peppering him with questions on Monday than patrons in the crowd for those two MCG first-class games combined.Related

• MCG pitch to have 'pace, bounce and excitement', but what about runs?

• Konstas' MCG debut confirmed, Head faces a fitness test

• Konstas handed Test call-up as changes loom for Australia

• Will Konstas put an end to Australia's musical chairs at the top?

• McSweeney 'devastated' by Test omission

If he were to make his Test debut on Boxing Day against India, he would become the fourth-youngest Australian to do so behind Ian Craig, current captain Pat Cummins, and Tom Garrett.And he would do so in front of 90,000 or more fans.You could have heard a pin drop in the MCC Members’ when he faced his first ball from Scott Boland in the Shield game back in October. On Boxing Day, if the crowd is anything like that India-Pakistan 2022 T20 World Cup game at the MCG, the first ball he could face from Jasprit Bumrah might sound like a sonic boom.”I think it’s just another day for me,” Konstas said while acknowledging his debut is yet to be confirmed. “Obviously, it’s a bit more special. Got my parents coming. Pretty simple, just back myself and see-ball-hit-ball really.”That clarity of mind is part of the reason he stands on the precipice of debuting for Australia at such a young age. The naivety and brashness of youth are seen as a strength, not a weakness.”The way he approaches the game, it does not bother him who he’s coming up against,” New South Wales and Australia team-mate Sean Abbott said of Konstas. “He’s pretty unfazed. And I’d imagine, should he get the opportunity, it’d be pretty similar. From what I’ve seen so far, I’d probably say it’s his most admirable attribute.”Sam Konstas is the third-youngest player in Sheffield Shield history to score twin hundreds in a match•AFPPart of it also comes from his relationship with former Australia allrounder Shane Watson. Konstas counts Watson as an idol and a mentor. The entire Watson family is set to fly down to Melbourne should he make his debut.Konstas is a disciple of Watson’s mental skills teachings. The former Australia allrounder has written a book called and has turned it into an online course to help young cricketers hone their mental skills. It is the story of his own mental journey from being paralysed by an intense focus on results during his Test career to discovering and implementing a simple process-driven mindset in his successful late-career renaissance in T20 franchise cricket. He has worked with New South Wales as a mental skills consultant, having already been a mentor to Konstas since he was 16.In that sense, Konstas might be the best mentally prepared 19-year-old to have ever been thrust into such a scenario given what he understands.Konstas was asked if he had been studying videos of Bumrah in preparation for a possible face-off. “Nah, not really,” he said. “I’ve watched him quite a bit, but [I am] just trying to be in the moment. Hopefully, I get the opportunity on Boxing Day.”How he got here is even more remarkable. As late as October 7, barely anyone in Australian cricket had given a thought to Konstas playing Test cricket this summer. By October 11, after becoming the third-youngest player in Sheffield Shield history to score twin hundreds in a match, he was being compared to Ricky Ponting and there were demands for him to be picked immediately.

“The way he approaches the game, it does not bother him who he’s coming up against. He’s pretty unfazed”Sean Abbott on Sam Konstas

Nine days later he was at the MCG under the microscope. Not one, but two Australian selectors – coach Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide – watched him face Boland and Victoria at the MCG after chairman of selectors George Bailey had been in Sydney for his twin centuries.He made 2 and 43, sawn off by a dubious lbw in the first innings and undone by some immaturity in the second. There were glimpses that he was a player for the future, but it looked like he wasn’t quite ready for the here and now.Scores of 0 and 16 against India A in Mackay served to further consolidate that view. On his return to the MCG on November 7, he did not open the batting in the second A game, a further sign he was not likely to be chosen for the first Test. But his second innings of 73 not out batting at No. 4 showed a different set of gears. He struck seven fours and a six and played some outrageous shots in a tricky, pressurized chase.Nathan McSweeney’s temperament, his consistency of method, and his early-season form saw him get the Test nod over Konstas. But ironically the consistency of method across a brutal series so far has now gone against McSweeney and for Konstas.McSweeney’s struggles have been clear. He is 4 for 15 from 66 balls against Bumrah in the series. He is not alone there, with Usman Khawaja (4 for 17 in 71 balls), Marnus Labuschange (2 for 6 in 72 balls), and Steven Smith (3 for 20 in 54 balls) also having problems against Bumrah.But McSweeney is 57 off 146 against the rest of India’s attack, striking at just 39.04. It is the lowest strike rate of all of Australia’s top nine against Indian bowlers not named Bumrah. McSweeney has paid a price for being too similar to Khawaja and Labuschagne in method, and they have survived because they are doing more damage at the other end.Sam Konstas scored 107 off 97 balls against the Indians late last month•AFP/Getty ImagesKonstas over the last month has proved he can be the “different look” that Bailey and the selectors want to throw at India. His 107 off 97 in Canberra against all of India’s bowlers bar Bumrah backed up his last innings in the A series. He added 88 off 146 against a good Western Australia attack that featured Australia ODI quick Lance Morris and A spinner Corey Rocchiccioli, with his first 55 coming off just 64 deliveries. He then smashed a 20-ball half-century on debut for Sydney Thunder in the BBL, albeit against an Adelaide Strikers attack that McSweeney himself made 78 not out off 49 on Sunday night.It is understood a decision had been made to add Konstas regardless of the BBL scores, as they are no indicator of anything in relation to facing Bumrah on Boxing Day.There’s no guarantee Konstas will play either, as a decision is still to be made. But even at his first Australia training session on Monday, he looked completely unfazed. He kept his net session short, not trying to impress or over-exert facing deliveries that he didn’t need to face. It was eye-opening compared to the hour-plus nets that Khawaja, Smith and Labuschagne had. He was one of the few Australian players to help his team-mates out by flinging balls to Labuschagne before leaving the optional net early, joking with a couple of team-mates on the way out with the air of a 30-year-old veteran.He was asked about being compared to his mentor Watson on social media. “I don’t look through too much on social media, but I’ll take it as a compliment,” Konstas said. “I like to take the game on and put pressure on the bowlers. I think he’s [Watson] a legend of the game, and hopefully I can do that this week if I debut.”

With Mulder and Coetzee out injured, South Africa have a number of options to pick from for the must-win Test

Firdose Moonda03-Dec-2024In a must-win Test match, with two players from your previous game injured, would you pick a bowler with a 15-year first-class career and 165 caps to his name, or an 18-year old breakout star, or a spin-bowling allrounder who can lengthen the batting line-up or one of your two extra specialist batters?That’s the conundrum facing South Africa’s Test coach Shukri Conrad over the next 36 hours as he tries to put together the team that will be best suited to beat Sri Lanka at St George’s Park.The good news is that Conrad can pick at least two of the five mentioned above. With Wiaan Mulder ruled out of the series with a broken right middle finger and Gerald Coetzee out of the entire international summer with a groin injury, that’s the number of vacancies in the XI. If he was going like-for-like, it would be between the first three players: Dane Paterson, Kwena Maphaka, who are specialist bowlers much like Coetzee, and Senuran Muthusamy, who brings an all-round aspect, albeit with a different bowling discipline to Mulder. And all of them have strong cases for selection.Related

South Africa and Sri Lanka look to keep their WTC final hopes alive

Kandamby backs experienced SL to make a strong comeback: 'We've been in these situations before'

SA enter new era with renewed hope of emulating the glory days

Injured Mulder ruled out of remainder of Sri Lanka Tests

Injured Coetzee ruled out of second SL Test and all-format Pakistan series

Let’s start with Paterson, who made his Test debut in Gqeberha in January 2020 but has only played four more matches in almost five years since, three of them in 2024. Why? It’s probably as simple as the fact that he is a medium-pace bowler over 30 years old in a country where they seem to come off a production line.Between his debut outing and his recall earlier this year, South Africa capped seven other seamers: Beuran Hendricks, Lutho Sipamla, Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman, Lizaad Williams, Gerald Coetzee and Nandre Burger. Of those, Jansen is in the current squad, while Coetzee and Burger are injured, and the rest have not been in a Test squad since.Paterson, probably thanks to three-and-a-half outstanding seasons for Nottinghamshire in which he took 180 wickets in 45 matches at 23.25, received the SOS when South Africa had to take a makeshift side to New Zealand in February. He did especially well in New Zealand’s first innings in Hamilton where he took 3 for 39 and has been part of every one of Conrad’s squads since. He didn’t play in either matches in West Indies, missed the Dhaka Test but got a game in Chattogram, and carried drinks in Durban. He is comfortable with being a horses-for-courses inclusion.”I’m 35 so I’m enjoying every moment because you never know – this could be the last,” he told reporters at St George’s Park. “When you’re younger you put a lot of pressure on yourself and that’s what I did when I got those first call ups back in the day. Now, I’m just taking it day by day and enjoying every moment that goes by.”So is this the course of action? It could be. “His style of bowling would suit that surface,” Piet Botha, South Africa’s Test bowling coach said. “You know, bowl that perfect length consistently and with good discipline, you’ll definitely come into play.”Paterson has played seven first-class matches, including his franchise debut for the Cobras in 2013, in Gqeberha, where has taken 31 wickets at 21.22 including two five-fors and has an economy of 2.92. That suggests he can play both an attacking and, perhaps more importantly for a team that will have Rabada and Jansen in it, a containing role.”I’d prefer to do the holding job, like the dirty work,” Paterson said. “If the big two fast bowlers need a break, I’ll do the dirty work. And say if I can pick up two or three wickets, we’re all good. It’s just holding the game and then the fast guys can just come in and just be 100% on the first ball. I’m happy. Whatever job I need to do, I need to do. I’m never going to complain. That’s always me, through my career. If I need to bowl into the wind and it needs to be a long spell, I’m not going to say no.”Senuran Muthusamy was impressive in the Chattogram Test against Bangladesh•AFP/Getty ImagesThe wind will, of course, be a factor in this city. Two days before the match, it was breezing in at 33kmph from the south-west, the drying wind also known as the batting wind in cricket speak. If it stays that way, which it is forecast to do, that will also bring the spinners into play later in the game. That may lead to Muthusamy, a left-arm spinner who made a Test half-century at No.8 against Bangladesh, being the next pick.”Traditionally, at St George’s Park spinners do come into it,” Botha said. “It can even be the first innings, depending on the moisture and the pitch. And if you get that wind factor in, spin comes more into play. So the option of a second spinner is definitely there to be discussed.”But there is a potential x-factor South Africa cannot overlook: Maphaka, the 18-year-old left-arm seamer, who has only just finished his final school exams and was the leading wicket-taker at this year’s Under-19 World Cup. He has all the ingredients of a superstar.”He is an unbelievable talent. He’s got pace for a young guy and he’s got the mental makeup,” Botha said. “That’s one of his strengths. When you speak to him and you work with him, he’s got a big self-belief in his ability. And he bowls in the 140s for a young guy. That’s exceptional.”Botha worked with Maphaka when he made his first-class debut against Sri Lanka A in June last year. He has only played two more red-ball games, a year apart, but one at this venue. In November last year, he took two wickets in each innings against the Warriors, including Matthew Breetzke, one of the reserve batters in the Test squad.Kwena Maphaka could be South Africa’s potential x-factor•ICC/Getty ImagesOn the face of it, Maphaka needs time to learn his long-format game and Conrad hinted at providing that when the squad was first announced and Maphaka was not in it. Then, when injuries struck and with the number of quicks unavailable, he had no choice but to call Maphaka up to the squad. Will Conrad also take a gamble on him playing? It may depend on whether South Africa believe raw pace and an unknown quantity could be what they need to beat Sri Lanka.And if Maphaka is included, Conrad would still have to decide if the experience of Paterson or the all-round ability of Muthusamy would be the best complementary skill. Whichever of those two is left out could face the reality that they might not play another Test this season, with the Pakistan Test at Centurion, where a seam attack is likely, and Newlands, by which time Mulder could be fit. Does Paterson feel envious that he may be leapfrogged by the future aka Maphaka? “No, you’ve got to be happy for him,” he said. “He’s an 18-year old youngster. I also wish I’d got a call-up when I was 18,” he said. “I’m excited for him. As a country, we can be excited because bowling stocks are absolutely full and in a good space.”The names of those who are not in the squad also include Lungi Ngidi (groin injury), Anrich Nortje (T20 only for now) and Ottneil Baartman (benched since October but yet to play a Test). In essence, that means South Africa, if all their players are available, will have at least 10 (the three above plus Rabada, Jansen, Coetzee, Mulder, Burger, Maphaka and Paterson) quicks to pick from going forward so Paterson has a point. The challenge is to make sure they’re all fit at the same time.