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England look set to name an unchanged team for the second Test, but the sight of Chris Woakes and Jake Ball back in training suggested selection could become highly competitive before the end of the summer

George Dobell at Trent Bridge12-Jul-20171:02

Wood keen to avoid second Test slip-up

England look set to name an unchanged team for the second Test, but the sight of Chris Woakes and Jake Ball back in training suggested selection could become highly competitive before the end of the summer.Woakes and Ball, who have so far missed out on selection in the series against South Africa due to injury, both enjoyed a gentle bowl at Trent Bridge as England prepared for the second Test that begins on Friday.While neither are ready to return just yet, Mark Wood – who returned to the side for the first Test at Lord’s – admitted he might not have made the side had they been fit, and accepted that the battle for places could become intense when all are available.Wood’s hope is that he can, for the first time in his career, play three Tests in succession in the same series. While he has played four successive Tests, he has only managed to do when there has been a gap of several weeks between series. And he admits that, so concerned was he by the injuries he has suffered in the past, that he thought his Test career might be over.”It’s no secret that I thought Test cricket was probably gone at one stage,” Wood said. “One wicket at Lord’s might not sound good but I was pleased with how I bowled and it was a proud moment to come back in the Test arena.”We have bowlers waiting in the wings. Probably if they were fit, I wouldn’t have played. Chris Woakes had a great year and it will be interesting to see what happens when he’s back playing.”The challenge becomes to prove to you guys, to my team-mates and the coaches that I can play three in a row. I have to keep these guys out of the team and that’s the challenge.”I feel good, which is rare for me. It’s surreal to back games up and not worry but I’m delighted.”Wood, at least, has happy memories of Trent Bridge. Not only did he claim the Ashes-clinching wicket of Nathan Lyon here in 2015 – Lyon tried to leave one but dragged it on to his stumps – but he has claimed 15 wickets in three first-class matches there for Durham, including one of his six five-wicket hauls (5 for 78 in 2012) and one of his two half-centuries (58 not out in 2013). Oddly, his three games there were his first three Championship matches.”Yes, it’s nice to be back here,” he said. “When you’re struggling, you visualise times when you’ve done well. This is a ground where I’ve always done well here, even for Durham. The night before, if I’m selected, I’ll be thinking about that and visualising running in.”Wood was delighted to contribute with the bat at Lord’s, too. He added 45 for the ninth wicket with Jonny Bairstow in a low-scoring second innings and said he was once described as “the best No. 10 since Pele”.”I slogged it at Lord’s, but that was the way to go on that wicket,” he said. “When I first got into the Durham team I batted at No. 10 and Jon Lewis, the coach at the time, said I was the best No10 since Pele. I’ll take that.”There is a slightly unusual look to the pitch to be used in the second Test. While it is a fresh surface – the same surface that was used for the 2015 Ashes Test in which Australia were bowled out for 60 on the first morning – it has an oddly mottled look, as if it has been used recently. Local knowledge suggests there will be movement and decent carry for the seamers.Woakes and Ball were not the only familiar faces on view on Wednesday. Paul Franks and Ant Botha, Nottinghamshire’s assistant coaches, were also involved – the England camp like to provide opportunities for county coaches to learn from their methods and provide some fresh views as appropriate – while Nottinghamshire’s young batch of seamers (notably the distinctly brisk Jack Blatherwick and Matt Milnes) impressed in the nets.Chris Read spent a while working with fellow keeper Jonny Bairstow and Matt Carter, the 21-year-old offspinner who claimed 7 for 56 on first-class debut in 2015, also bowled in the nets. Kevin Sharp was also part of the coaching team.Jimmy Anderson did not bowl but the England camp insist he is fine and had simply elected to rest. With 53 wickets in eight Tests at an average of 19.24 at the ground, he will have liked the look of this surface.

Galatasary's star defender Victor Nelsson wants to join Tottenham Hotspur this summer and they're fighting for his signature, according to reports.

Who will Spurs sign?

Manager Ange Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy are hard at work to strengthen to strengthen Spurs' ranks in time for what will be a very interesting 2023/2024 season.

The Lilywhites, after sealing moves for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, attacking midfielder James Maddison and Israel international Manor Solomon on a free transfer, are now thought to be chasing two central defender signings.

Postecoglou in particular is very excited about the prospect of linking up with Maddison, with the Australian explaining this week that he believes the former Leicester City star can be a real leader of the group.

“Really excited to get James as part of the group," said Postecoglou.

“Any manager will tell you that part of the key to being a dominant team is having multiple attacking threats and having a midfielder who can score and create goals.

“He obviously knows a few of the lads and I think he’s in a stage of his career where it feels like he can be a leader, which is great as well because we need players who want to embrace that responsibility within this group."

The capture of Maddison is arguably Tottenham's biggest coup of the window so far, but after conceding 63 league goals last season, Spurs will also be eager to shore up what has been a leaky back line.

The north Londoners are thought to be advancing in talks to sign Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, with Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Clement Lenglet and Nelsson also all in the frame.

On the latter defender, who has been repeatedly linked with a move to Tottenham, Danish news outlet Ekstra Bladet (via Sport Witness) have an update.

It is thought Spurs are fighting Wolves for the signing of Nelsson, who is believed to be keen on joining Postecoglou. However, it also believed Levy is unwilling to meet his £21 million asking price so far, even if Nelsson is apparently destined to make the move to England.

This comes after Galatasaray vice-president Erden Timur recently admitted he's received "concrete" offers for the Denmark international.

How good is Victor Nelsson?

The 24-year-old has been called Galatasary's "star player" by the Turkish press, and Nelsson's defensive stats from last season certainly emphasise that point.

According to WhoScored, the centre-back won more aerial duels per 90 and made more blocks per match than any of his teammates over 2022/2023.

As well as this, Nelsson featured over more Turkish Super Lig minutes than any other Galatasary outfielder last season, highlighting his real importance to manager Okan Buruk.

While he is yet to ply his trade in an elite division like the Premier League, it is clear that £21m may well be a reasonable asking price for one of Galatasary's most prized assets.

West Bromwich Albion will target free agents and the loan market this summer as Carlos Corberan looks to add to his squad, according to Express & Star reporter Lewis Cox.

What players have West Bromwich Albion been linked with this window?

According to Football League World, West Brom were keen to add free agent Nick Powell to their ranks this summer following his exit from Stoke City; however, the outlet claim that he will now complete a deal to move to EFL League Two side Stockport County.

The former Manchester United ace also had interest from Coventry City, Wrexham and Major League Soccer, though he now looks odds-on to sign for Dave Challinor's men ahead of 2023/24.

Former Portsmouth midfielder Jay Mingi, who is also now a free agent, was on the radar of West Brom in January, though it remains to be seen whether the Baggies can afford to move for him again this off-season.

As per The Telegraph, West Brom are in 'financial peril' and will need to sell most of their prize assets before being able to dip back into the transfer market to acquire players ahead of the new term.

Dara O'Shea has left the club to join Premier League outfit, Burnley, fetching a fee in the region of £7 million to put back into the coffers at the Hawthorns, as per BBC Sport.

Birmingham Live report that several other faces are set to join the cull in the coming weeks. Manager Corberan has revealed his hope that he can add to his squad before taking them to St George's Park next week for a visit, stating: "We are giving a little bit of time to see if we can add some of the new players and then spend time together there, at St. George’s Park.

"It’s not just the football perspective we will be working on, but the human perspective too. Some of the players are going to be new and they’ll need to fight together in the competition, so they’ll be creating a new family and new relationships."

What did Lewis Cox say about West Brom's potential transfer business?

According to journalist Cox, who spoke on the Express & Star YouTube channel, any additions that do come the way of West Brom this summer are more likely to arise from the free agent pool or loan market, according to journalist Cox.

Cox stated: "Finances will surely largely dictate that [scope for recruitment], loans are more likely to happen later in the summer, we know this. I don't think that we can get too hung up on it yet, but obviously, it would've been ideal to have them in. Now, it doesn't mean the window is going to end badly, it could be a positive late July/August with some really encouraging names and frees and the loans come in"

Ultimately, Corberan looks like he will have his hands tied this window and may be completely consigned to completing deals on the cheap or on a loan basis; nevertheless, he will be keen to find a few bargain gems to offer some depth to his side.

The Spaniard is also likely to rely on youth players to supplement his squad and has a positive reputation in developing younger players, which would offer some excitement for Baggies supporters despite their awkward position in the transfer market.

With West Brom currently the subject of a takeover bid, expert Dr Daniel Plumley has weighed in with his verdict on the current proceedings to West Brom News and reports that there are no legal issues for the club's supporters to be worried about.

What is the latest on a potential West Brom takeover?

The Baggies are currently led by Lai Guochuan, although his tenure in charge has become the subject of anger from large sections of the club's fanbase. After a recent incident that involved the Championship side not speaking out about the club's finances, it has led to further annoyance from the Hawthorns faithful. They are rightfully unhappy with the leadership of the club and that has led to Action 4 Albion – a fan group – holding meetings over the future of the side.

That future may lie away from Lai. A recent meeting between the group and Mark Miles, one of the board's executives, led to the revelation that they could be open to a potential sale of West Brom. It means that new owners could soon be found, and that could come in the form of Chris Farnell and Mohamed El-Kashashy. The two have joined forces to try and buy a stake in the Baggies, with talks underway, and that initial purchase could eventually see them completely take over the reins at the Hawthorns.

What has Daniel Plumley said about the West Brom takeover?

No official takeover has been completed yet though and the group are yet to buy the stake they want in the Championship side. However, it doesn't appear to be a fault of either Farnell or El-Kashashy, with Daniel Plumley revealing that there is nothing to be worried about in terms of the legal side of proceedings with the new bidders.

Speaking via West Brom News, he stated that whilst there is bound to be a worry over fresh parties coming into the club amongst the fans, there are no "legal issues" to worry about when it comes to the prospective buyers.

Speaking about the potential deal, he said: "It’s almost well is that better than what they have currently? Because what they have currently is an absolute nightmare of a situation with the outstanding loan and the owner, the toxic relationship it has been at times.

"When somebody else steps in, there are perhaps some questions around their history as well, and there will be things there, (but) there are no kind of legal issues behind that."

His comments imply that West Brom supporters have every right to be concerned over potential interest in the side considering the trials and tribulations they've been through. However, it appears that things are looking up when it comes to these new buyers – although for now, no deal has been completed.

Aston Villa are reportedly edging closer to a target they’ve had since January, with a La Liga star potentially following Monchi and Unai Emery to Villa Park.

According to Football Insider, the Villans will have a budget of £150m this transfer window, and with both Spaniards on board, it’s expected to be a busy summer in the Midlands.

Indeed, as per the same outlet, it looks as though they are set to utilise a fair wedge of that budget in order to complete a club-record £40m move for Villarreal defender Pau Torres.

Sources close to the site have revealed that Villa are ‘in contact’ with Emery’s former club over a potential deal with ‘some progress’ being made.

What could Pau Torres bring to Villa Park?

Hailed as “sensational” by former Spanish national team coach Luis Enrique, Torres has been a player on the radar at Villa since the winter.

Club and player were linked initially following Emery’s move to Villa Park from Villarreal, as his former centre-back at the Yellow Submarine emerged as a potential individual that the four-time Europa League winner could tempt to join him.

Claiming that he’d “never seen” a defender like the 26-year-old when speaking to football.london back in 2021, it was fine praise indeed from a manager that has coached some of Europe’s best in his career.

The 51-year-old may finally be reunited with his former star in the Midlands, in a move that could solidify Villa’s defence for years to come.

Ezri Konsa has been a shining light in Emery’s defence and could prove to be a strong contender to partner Torres should he make the move to Villa Park.

Winning 72% of his total duels this season, the Englishman featured in all 38 Premier League games this campaign, averaging 4.4 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.

The 25-year-old’s defensive expertise in the English top-tier could complement the talents of the Villarreal-born gem, who has emerged as one of the best progressive playing central defenders in the continent.

As per FBref, the La Liga star ranked in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe when it comes to progressive carries, averaging a monstrous 2.24 per 90 as well as recording an average of 5.81 progressive carries per 90, placing him in the top 4%.

Paired with the experience and defensive know-how of Konsa who has operated Villa’s defence since his arrival in 2019, Torres could provide an improved outlet of progressive play to give a new approach to the whole squad.

Emery could have the perfect combination in central defence of a right-footed and left-footed whizz both equipped with 'sensational' defensive stability and added creativity from the back.

Arsenal have been linked with one of Eredivise’s best midfielders ahead of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta looks forward to a busy summer.

The Gunners must improve the depth of their squad in the window, after narrowly missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City, the north Londoners will hope to challenge again next campaign.

Arteta could start his summer dealings by signing one of the most talked about midfielders in Europe to bolster his side.

What’s the latest on Orkun Kokcu to Arsenal?

As reported by Portuguese outlet Record (via The Daily Express), Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu is wanted by Arsenal this summer.

The report comes from the point of view of Benfica, who wish to sign the £35m ace before Arsenal get there first, with the Gunners claimed to ‘still hold the advantage’ over the Portuguese giants.

The Primeira Liga champions may struggle to pay the asking fee for the 22-year-old, which is where the Londoners could capitalise.

What could Orkun Kokcu bring to Arsenal?

Hailed as being a “true leader” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kokcu could be a huge influence on Arsenal’s midfield.

The Turkey international has contributed to ten goals this campaign, scoring eight himself and assisting two in 32 Eredivisie appearances in Feyenoord’s title-winning year.

While his numbers in the final third are impressive for a central midfielder, the progressive nature of the youngster’s play is one of his greatest exploits, making him a great fit for Arteta’s style.

As per FBref, the Haarlem-born midfielder averages a monstrous 12.65 progressive passes per 90, as well as attempting 83.79 passes per 90, displaying his ability and desire to get on the ball and dispatch to advancing areas.

With such numbers, there’s little surprise that the Feyenoord ace has been likened to former Arsenal magician Santi Cazorla.

Daily Mail journalist Oliver Godden described Kokcu in 2020 as being ‘best’ compared to the Spaniard due to his ability to ‘cut sides open with key passes’, when playing in deep midfield.

Indeed, the reporter stated at the time: "Kokcu is not dissimilar from the man whose shoes he will likely be filling in Ozil, but the best comparison is to former Gunner Santi Cazorla."

Arteta could have his own answer to the legendary midfielder, whom he once praised as having “unbelievable quality”, which is supported by the numbers of the two when the Spaniard was in his prime.

As per WhoScored, in his first season at the Emirates the Llanera-born gem averaged 2.6 key passes per game, which to put into comparison is slightly less than the level Kokcu is operating at this term with an average of 2.8 per game.

For a slim price of £35m in today’s market, Arteta could equip his offensively sublime side with added quality in a player that holds the ‘ability’ to play in the Premier League as claimed by his former boss and Manchester United legend Jaap Stam.

With Benfica hunting the rising star, Arsenal must act fast should they wish to seal the signature of Kokcu, who could be integral to the clubs’ progression in both the league and Champions League next campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur have "begun discussions" with Leicester City to sign star midfielder James Maddison, according to reports.

Who could Tottenham sign this summer?

The two-month long search for Antonio Conte's replacement is now a distant memory, with Spurs confirming the arrival of Ange Postecoglou from Celtic last week.

While he doesn't officially begin work till July 1, reports suggest that the Australian and chairman Daniel Levy have already met to discuss transfer strategy.

Of the players reportedly attracting their interest, Chelsea's Conor Gallagher has emerged as a target in recent days, with Spurs also chasing a goalkeeper to replace the departing Hugo Lloris.

Postecoglou has also apparently given the green-light for his side to sign a star centre-back this summer, leading to links with the likes of Wolves star Max Kilman among others.

Maddison, though, is a name who has been repeatedly mentioned by sections of the press. Spurs are believed to be among the main contenders for his signature, alongside Newcastle, with some reports saying both sides have already held talks with his entourage.

The Premier League duo could do battle for Leicester's prized asset, with a report by TEAMtalk sharing one possible boost for Spurs as both sides open talks.

According to their information, Newcastle actually "risk losing" Maddison to Tottenham, who could join them instead after Eddie Howe's side "baulked" at Leicester's £60 million asking price.

This could apparently "open the door" for Spurs to "sign him first", with the report also claiming that both teams have "begun discussions" with the Foxes.

Other attacking targets for Postecoglou, as per this update, come in the form of Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi.

Who is James Maddison?

The 26-year-old was, by some way, Leicester's best-performing player per 90 according to WhoScored.

Maddison, who made more attempts at goal and completed more key passes than any other player in Leicester's squad, also racked up a very impressive 19 goal contributions (10 goals, nine assists).

Called "magnificent" for his brilliant form at the King Power over these last few years, former Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers was effusive in his praise for Maddison last season.

“He is a very important player for us but it is about the team," said Rodgers.

“Top players make others better and if you look at any team — Casemiro when he comes in for Manchester United — it’s no coincidence when he plays they look a much different team. Why? Because he’s a top player."

Fast bowlers Norman Vanua and Willie Gavera took three wickets each and played leading roles during a collapse in which Namibia lost six wickets for 57 runs in Port Moresby

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2016
ScorecardPapua New Guinea fast bowlers Norman Vanua and Willie Gavera took three wickets each and played leading roles during a collapse in which Namibia lost six wickets for 57 runs in Port Moresby. PNG successfully chased the target of 213 with two overs to spare, with opener Vani Morea and captain Assad Vala adding 100 for the third wicket to secure their sixth successive victory in the World Cricket League.Namibia got off to a bad start after winning the toss, with non-striker Zane Green being run-out while attempting a third run off the first ball of the match. His partner Stephan Baard went on to make a 54-ball 56 but was part of the slide that resulted in Namibia slipping from 76 for 2 to 133 for 8. Nicolaas Scholtz made an unbeaten 61 to take his team to 212 in 50 overs.Morea anchored PNG’s chase, top-scoring with 67 off 121 balls. His partner in the century partnership, Vala, made 55 off 70 deliveries. Both batsmen fell in the space of about six overs, but Sese Bau’s unbeaten 40 sealed the six-wicket victory.The result meant PNG led the table because of their superior net run rate, having drawn level with Netherlands on 12 points after eight games. Namibia have lost seven in a row since their win against Hong Kong in the tournament’s first match in May 2015.

Liverpool have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Lazio phenom Sergej Milinkovic-Savic after his value has been slashed with just one year left on his current contract.

What's the latest on Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to Liverpool?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Serbian gem could be available for just €26m (£22m) this summer, amid mounting interest from Reds manager Jurgen Klopp.

James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all played their final game for Liverpool and will depart Anfield, along with forward Roberto Firmino, at the conclusion of their contracts in a few weeks, and the 28-year-old Lazio star could be an astute addition to replenish the ranks.

Lazio will listen to offers and would rather sell him than allow him to depart for nothing in one year, especially given the Eagles have returned to the Champions League and are one match away from securing second place in Serie A.

Should Liverpool sign Sergej Milinkovic-Savic?

Milinkovic-Savic has enjoyed a blistering campaign and ostensibly been the centrepiece of Lazio's seasonal success in returning to the Champions League after a two-year absence – on course for their highest finish since winning the Scudetto in 1999/00.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, the machine has scored nine goals and supplied eight assists from 35 Serie A matches this term, averaging 1.7 shots and 1.2 key passes per match and making 1.6 tackles and 1.3 clearances per game, earning an average rating of 7.16.

He has donned the captain's armband on 14 occasions this season too, and could bring both leadership and attacking quality to Liverpool's centre as Klopp seeks a resurgence to lift his outfit back to the forefront after the summer.

As such, he could be Klopp's own version of Manchester City phenom Ilkay Gundogan, with the first-rate German midfielder among the creme de la creme on a global scale and imperative to the illustrious success of his team, having notably gleaned five Premier League titles and the FA Cup – also in the final of the latter competition again and the Champions League this season.

The 32-year-old actually used to play for Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, where they won two Bundesliga titles and the DFB Pokal together, which bodes well for Milinkovic-Savic, with the Reds' German boss perhaps best fit to unlock the full scope of his skill set on Merseyside.

The £99k-per-week Serb, hailed as a "different beast" by journalist Sacha Pisani, ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 8% for rate of assists, the top 12% for touches in the attacking box and the top 2% for aerials won, illustrating his devastating box-crashing prowess as a progressive central force.

Gundogan, comparatively, ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 20% for rate of assists and the top 3% for touches in the attacking box, and it's clear to see that both aces are superlative forward-thinking midfielders.

Klopp could unlock a "magic" new dimension – as he was dubbed by teammate Ciro Immobile – with the acquisition of Milinkovic-Savic, and must seek to emulate Pep Guardiola's success with the Citizens by providing his team with a new midfield general to orchestrate a resurgence.

The lack of clarity over Manchester United's ownership situation could put them at a disadvantage when it comes to summer transfers, Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

What's going on with Manchester United's takeover?

There have been multiple bids for ownership of the club, and it had been mooted that the Glazers could even stay in some capacity, depending on how many shares they sell.

Protests continue amongst United fans, who want a full sale, and the lack of progress in the last few months may raise some concerns as the season draws to a close.

Speaking on The United Stand, Romano pointed out that the groundwork is already being laid for some high profile summer transfers elsewhere, and United could fall behind whilst they wait to see what kind of business they can do depending on the outcome of the ownership battle.

"Now it's on the Glazers, now they have to clarify what they want to do with the preferred bidder, what they want to do in terms of timing, in terms of the next few weeks. The transfer window is coming. Other clubs are already in direct contact with players, in direct contact with agents, preparing and planning for their summer transfer window. Real Madrid are in an advanced process to sign with Bellingham. So you can't lose time now," he stated.

"I think this is absolutely crucial for Manchester United, and they have to make sure the situation will be clarified in May. So let's see what happens to the next seven, ten days.

"This is the feeling of sources close to the process to try to clarify the situation, but again, it's on the Glazers, and I think for Manchester United it will happen very soon, otherwise, on the market, you can have big problems in terms of planning for your transfer window."

How important is the transfer window for Man United?

Although they have made good progress under Erik ten Hag, winning the Carabao Cup and reaching the FA Cup final, there is a lot of work to do in the upcoming transfer window, and United cannot afford to fall behind.

The futures of loanees Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer need to be clarified, whilst there is much speculation about both the goalkeeping and striking positions in the team.

Harry Kane has been linked as Ten Hag's desired number nine, whilst it seems that David De Gea is set to sign a new deal despite making a number of errors this season.

Clarity over their ownership situation needs to be found before the window opens, so Ten Hag can recruit properly in the transfer window. With a top four place looking likely, but not yet certain, Champions League football could help United lure players to the club, but if they are unable to make transfers whilst there continues to be delays in any takeover, then they could face a difficult campaign next season.