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An update has emerged regarding Sunderland’s interest in signing Dion Sanderson in the upcoming summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Northern Echo, the Black Cats are keen on a swoop to bring the 22-year-old back to the club as Kristjaan Speakman plots a bid to improve Alex Neil’s squad.

The report claims that the 6 foot 3 tank does not feature in Wolves’ plans for the 2022/23 campaign, with the Premier League club willing to let him go in the coming months.

Sunderland are now prepared to offer Sanderson a way out of Molineux and are open to either a loan or permanent deal for the defender.

He’ll get the Stadium of Light rocking

Bringing Sanderson back for a second spell on Wearside will get the stadium rocking, as he enjoyed an excellent time on loan at the club in the 2020/21 campaign.

The centre-back played 26 times in League One that season and averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.92. He won 61% of his individual duels in total and made 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game as he caught the eye at the back, earning plaudits from his manager at the time.

Former Black Cats boss Lee Johnson previously lauded the defender, saying: “He’s a centre-half and at his age level he is an absolute Rolls-Royce.”

Sanderson’s statistics and his ex-manager’s comments suggest that the 22-year-old impressed during his time on loan at Sunderland two years ago, and that is why the fans would surely love to see him back. The stadium would be rocking with excitement to see him in action again, particularly after the club’s recent promotion.

The 22-year-old has Championship experience from his time on loan at Birmingham and QPR in the second tier last term. He recorded 26 appearances between the two clubs and made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per match as he picked up valuable game-time throughout the campaign, which means that he knows what it takes to perform at that level.

Sanderson also still has plenty of scope for further improvement as he is in the early throes of his career at the age of 22. He is a player with whom Neil can work over time on the training pitch to help him fulfill his potential as a centre-back.

Hopefully Speakman can get this deal over the line and the fans can look forward to seeing him in Sunderland colours again next season.

AND in other news, “Expected imminently”: Sky Sports journalist drops big Sunderland claim, supporters will love it…

Celtic are reportedly readying a scouting mission to watch Maccabi Haifa midfielder Mohammad Abu Fani, according to Israeli outlet Sport 5.

The lowdown: Career so far

So far, Abu Fani has spent his entire professional career in his homeland, only spending time away from Maccabi Haifa out on loan at Hapoel Hadera and Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim in two separate spells.

Overall, the 24-year-old has made 178 senior outings, 99 of which have been for Haifa, contributing directly to 28 goals in that time.

Now as Hoops’ boss Ange Postecoglou starts to plan for the summer transfer window, a move to Glasgow could be on the horizon…

The latest: Report makes scouting claim

As per Sport 5, Celtic will send scouts to watch Israel face Iceland and Albania in the UEFA Nations League.

It’s claimed both the Hoops and Belgian top-flight outfit Standard Liege want to ‘track’ Abu Fani, who has been ‘gaining interest’ for his performances for both club and country.

The report also states that the 13-cap international ace – described as ‘lively, mobile and technical’ with a ‘fearsome’ long-range shot by football analyst Julien San James – has ‘ambitions’ to play elsewhere in Europe.

The verdict: Compatriot’s successor?

Following the departure of Nir Bitton, Postecoglou certainly needs to add a central midfielder to the ranks and a compatriot of the ex-Bhoys favourite could be the ideal candidate.

During 2021/22, Abu Fani scored six times and provided another six assists in 44 appearances across all competitions, gaining European experience in the Europa Conference League in the process.

Predominantly operating as an attack-minded midfielder last term, the Israeli star is equally adept in a deeper-lying role and would therefore add a welcome versatility to the Lennoxtown ranks should he follow in the footsteps of Bitton, Beram Kayal, Liel Abada, Hatem Abd Elhamed, Eyal Berkovich and Rami Gershon as players from his nation to ply their trade at Celtic Park.

In other news, a journalist has provided a key Celtic transfer update. Read more here.

Reliable reporter Alan Nixon is unsure whether Crystal Palace would pay ‘big money’ for Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

The Lowdown: Wan-Bissaka links

Palace sold the 24-year-old to United back in 2019 in a deal worth £49.5m, with Wan-Bissaka making 126 appearances for the Red Devils since then.

Reports earlier this month linked the Eagles with a move for their former defender over the summer, suggesting a loan deal was more likely than a permanent move.

Sky Sports have now revealed that the full-back isn’t in Erik ten Hag’s plans and that United will listen to permanent offers as a result.

The Latest: Nixon reacts

Nixon was asked by a Palace fan on Twitter if the Eagles were in the frame to bring Wan-Bissaka back to Selhurst Park following the major update from Sky Sports.

The journalist described it as an ‘odd development’, adding he isn’t sure if ‘Palace would pay big money or wages’.

“It’s an odd development as he wasn’t available a month ago… not sure Palace would pay big money or wages… maybe have other priorities right now.”

The Verdict: Loan with option to buy?

Patrick Vieira has just two right-backs on the books heading into his second season in charge. Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne are both over 30, with the latter of the two actually out of contract at the end of June.

Therefore, a new right-back could be of interest to the Eagles, so a season-long loan offer for Wan-Bissaka which includes an option to buy could be a wise move.

That would then allow Vieira to bolster other areas of the pitch with permanent signings, where a new midfielder could also be high on the agenda, especially as regular Conor Gallagher looks set to return to Chelsea.

In other news: ‘Outstanding’ Palace ace may now quit SE25; could ask Parish to terminate his deal  

Bharath Seervi01-Jan-201861 – Number of seasons it took for Vidarbha to win their maiden Ranji Trophy title. They appeared in Ranji Trophy for the first time in 1957-58, and played 260 matches before coming into this season. Only two teams have taken longer to win their first title – Gujarat (83 seasons) and Uttar Pradesh (72). Vidarbha are the 18th team to become Ranji Trophy champions.3 – Number of new Ranji champions in this decade. Rajasthan had got their maiden title win in 2010-11, and Gujarat got it last season. In the previous decade, two more teams had got their maiden title – Railways (2001-02) and Uttar Pradesh (2005-06).27 – Wickets taken by Rajneesh Gurbani in the knockout stage this season (at an average of 14.11), which is 12 more than any other bowler. All other Vidarbha bowlers together picked up 32 wickets in this period at 30.96. Gurbani picked up four five-wicket hauls in these games, all the other Vidarbha players managed one. Gurbani was also the Man of the Match in each of these three knockout matches. He also took a hat-trick in the final and thus becoming only the second bowler to do so in a Ranji final; the first was B Kalyanasundaram for Tamil Nadu in the 1972-73 final against Mumbai.

Player Wickets Ave SR 5WI/10WM MoMRajneesh Gurbani 27 14.11 27.2 4/1 3All other Vidarbha players 32 30.96 61.9 1/0 39 – Wasim Jaffer has played nine Ranji Trophy finals – eight for Mumbai and one for Vidarbha – and he has been on the winning side on each of these occasions. He played his first final in the 1996-97 season. He moved to Vidarbha in 2015-16 after 18 seasons for Mumbai. Last year Mumbai played their first final without Jaffer in 20 years, and they ended up as runners-up for the first time.4 – Number of Vidarbha batsmen who scored 500-plus runs at average of over 50 this season – the most for any side. Delhi and Karnataka had three such batsmen. For Vidarbha, Faiz Fazal (captain), Sanjay Ramaswamy, Ganesh Satish and Jaffer were those four batsmen. Fazal and Ramaswamy were also the second and third highest run-getters in the season.3 – Vidarbha bowlers who picked up 25-plus wickets at average of less than 25 in the season – the most for any team. Delhi, Karnataka and Gujarat had two such bowlers. Gurbani, Akshay Wakhare and Aditya Sarwate were those three bowlers for Vidarbha. Gurbani and Wakhare were among the top-five wicket-takers of the season.

Several of the Associates in the “first round” of the World T20 have caused memorable upsets before. Bangladesh have begun beating bigger teams regularly. None of it seems to matter

Sidharth Monga08-Mar-2016Visitors to India are amazed at how many reruns of old cricket matches Indian TV can show. Yet this one couldn’t have been planned. When Netherlands captain Peter Borren walked in for his pre-tournament press conference, the TV in the press room was playing the highlights of their stunning win over England in the 2009 World T20. Borren spotted it from the other end of the room, the length of two cricket pitches, and joked: “That’s a good match they are showing.” That’s when it hit home with renewed finality how much Netherlands will have to go through just to get a chance to do this to a big team again, an upset the whole world celebrated. They made it through the last qualifiers through a miraculous chase of 190 in under 14 overs, but they are being asked to do something similar yet again just to get that chance to have a go at a big side.Three days of matches per group, four teams each, three matches per team, and only one side left standing from each group. The ICC calls this the first round of the tournament. In fact it is a cruel qualifying round, which will now come only once every four years with the World T20 losing the biennial frequency it enjoyed. In Dharamsala, four teams enter this highly competitive zone, and aside from Netherlands the others too have equally pressing reasons to feel hard done by.Bangladesh are a Test team, they were excellent in the last 50-over World Cup, they beat India in a bilateral ODI series, they beat Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the recent Asia Cup T20, and are yet having to go through this round with hardly any time to even get their breathing patterns right in the high altitude of the Himalayas.Ireland have eyes set on bigger targets, of qualifying for the World Cup and also Test cricket, and are having to fend off the other Associate teams who are closing the gap in the Twenty20 format. This is their eighth World Cup, and each one of them has come to them the hard way.”It’s obviously very difficult,” Borren said of this stage of the event. “I think every team that is playing in the first round or qualifier or whatever it is called knows that it is going to be very tough. We were fortunate enough to sneak in in 2014. But here, first out of four teams is very difficult.”This is an obviously highly competitive zone, but there is respect and camaraderie for the opponent through shared plight. “You have to feel for for all the teams probably,” Borren said. “I feel for those of us who have already gone through a qualifying round, which was pretty difficult. Good teams missed out there. And also feel for the likes of Bangladesh. They are playing Test cricket. They have to come back here to play and qualify. I personally don’t see why this tournament… the main draw has to be ten teams, but that’s what it is. It’s probably a conversation for another day.”Ireland’s coach John Bracewell expressed similar respect for Bangladesh. “They’re probably the world’s most emerging team,” Bracewell said. “They’re accelerating fast on the learning curve. They’re accelerating at the same rate and following the same evolutionary process as Sri Lanka did.” Imagine if Sri Lanka were asked to qualify every time on that learning curve.Ireland are used to much worse, so now they are almost blasé about it. “A lot of tournaments we have played before, we have had to qualify,” their captain William Porterfield said. “We have played 11 games in 12 days. To win 10 of them to go through. We are pretty used to it as a squad. That starts again tomorrow. You look at it that way. If you look past tomorrow you are not doing yourselves any favours.”The learning curve has just got steeper with the World T20 to be held once every four years. “It has always been a pretty big stage for us,” Borren said. “I am not sure whether it [the reduction in frequency] creates more pressure. Probably means a 100% that I won’t be playing another World T20. Might have been able to hang in on for another couple of years. I hope the players don’t feel the pressure. We would like to turn the pressure into excitement and into enjoyment.”The fact that this tournament is now going to be every four years it is a shame for Netherlands cricket and Associate cricket. I suppose it makes it more worthwhile that the guys embrace it. Not to hate the next five days. It is also possible that this might be the time of some of the guys’ lives. Really is something you have to cherish. I wish it was every two years.”So as Mashrafe Mortaza and his men struggle to breathe right, as the Netherlands bowlers sweat it out aiming for the top of off without any batsmen in the nets, as Ireland try to juggle their varied priorities, as Oman fend off match referees and other teams questioning the spirit of their cricket, one of the teams, only one of them, will have the times of their lives. The times of their lives: under a week, two groups, four teams each, three matches apiece. That is fleeting.

Netherlands captain Peter Borren on his fictitious nicknames, speaking three-quarters Dutch, beating England twice, and how he scares his neighbours

Interview by Jack Wilson01-Nov-2014Wikipedia reckons your nickname is “Big Dog Bozza”. Is this fact or fiction?
() Big Dog Bozza, really? That’s complete fiction. I’ve never seen Wikipedia. I’ve never heard that before, that’s funny.So your nickname is just Baldrick, right?
Ah, Baldrick. I’ve heard this many, many times but no, it’s not. That’s wrong too.So what your nickname?
I don’t have one! Just Bozza, sometimes, or Pete. Maybe a few of the boys have got nicknames for me that I haven’t heard after I get angry in the field.What is the best thing about captaining Netherlands?
Being able to decide where I bat.And what is the worst?
Having to tell Mudassar Bukhari that he’s batting down the order.You went from playing youth cricket for New Zealand to playing for Netherlands. Talk us through your decision to switch.
It wasn’t really a decision. I came here on a whim. I played in the Under-19 World Cup in 2002 and I moved after that. The team we had was pretty handy back then. Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Neil Broom and Rob Nicol all went on to play for New Zealand.What are your dreams for cricket in Netherlands?
I personally hope that in the years to come the Netherlands team will be one with Dutch-bred players that are going in the right direction. There are talented cricketers out there that, with the expertise and encouragement, can go far. It’s an area that’s not been that good in the last few years. By 2018 or 2019, it would be great to have a fully Dutch-bred side. I could name you 11 young players that could progress into very good Associate cricketers. During my time, it’s not necessarily been like that. That’s not against guys from overseas, including myself, as without many of these players the Dutch-bred ones wouldn’t have a high level to play at.You made your Netherlands debut in 2006. How have things changed from then to now?
An awful lot. We were pretty amateur. No one was getting paid and we didn’t have a full-time coach. We’d get like €20 a day and we’d go to a tournament for two weeks in a year and train once a week. That has completely changed now. We’ve now got six full-time players but it’s more like 12. In January this year we didn’t qualify for the World Cup, so we’ve not been quite as busy again. Associate cricket is so cut-throat that if you have a bad day here or there it makes a massive difference. Now it’s a lot more professional but we’re still under a little bit of threat. We have to qualify for major events or we’ll struggle for funding.Who is the best Dutch cricketer of all time?
Ryan ten Doeschate. His record for Holland is unbelievable. His consistency of performance as well. He averages 67 in ODIs. People say it’s against the likes of Scotland and Ireland but there are plenty of other good cricketers who don’t average anything like that.

“By 2018 or 2019, it would be great to have a fully Dutch-bred side. That’s not against guys from overseas, including myself”

Who has the best kit in international cricket?
It’s hard to go past the bright pink one that the English wore in the World T20 but our orange is pretty impressive. It’s hard to beat the full orange. I sometimes wear the orange pants around the house to scare the neighbours.Who is the most naturally talented player in the squad?
Wesley Barresi or Vivian Kingma.Who is the best fielder?
It might have been me until a few years ago! I’m 31 but I feel 51 and look like 61. I’ll go with Pieter Seelaar.Name a young star to watch out for.
Vivian Kingma. He runs in, swings the white Kookaburra at good pace and has the X factor.You need six to win a game. Who do you want on strike?
Tom Cooper or Barresi. I’ve never seen either of them do it – but I’ll go with Barresi.Talk us through the celebrations after you beat England in 2009 – and then in 2014. Can you remember them?
I can remember them in 2009. That was pretty awesome. We initially lost the plot and just ran out on to the field. After, we had a huge night in a hotel in London. There was a good Dutch contingent in the crowd that came back with us and we had a pretty big night. It was a euphoric sensation. Everyone was pretty hungover at breakfast but the spirits were still great. This year, there was not much celebration because, without being arrogant, it was not that close. It was not as big a surprise, as we felt we should have beaten South Africa before that. Chittagong is a bit different to Lord’s, too, and we were on a plane three hours after.What is the highlight of your career?
The win against England in 2009 is up there. We were nowhere then, pretty amateur, to be honest. It’s hard to compare then and now. Actually, I’ll say that 2014 as a whole has been a highlight. We were the only Associate team in the main draw at the World T20, we beat Ireland in 14 overs and beat England too.Who will win the World Cup next year?
New Zealand or Australia. One of those two.Who is the wittiest sledger in the Netherlands team?
We have a couple of sledgers but Barresi and Seelaar are hopeless. Michael Swart is pretty good.Who is the best Associate cricketer in the world?
Paul Stirling.If you could have any player in cricket to join you in the Dutch side, who would you want?
Mitchell Johnson. I’d have him and avoid him in the nets. Either Johnson or AB de Villiers.How many languages can you speak?
I’ll go with 1.75. I can speak three-quarters Dutch!Who is the toughest bowler you have ever faced?
Shane Bond. He had incredible accuracy and pace. He bowled at full pelt and, with the angle in, you knew he could hit you at will.Which ground is the best in Netherlands?
That’s not even close: the VRA Cricket Ground [in Amstelveen].

Plays of the day from the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab in Bangalore

Sidharth Monga14-May-2013The celebration
They say IPL is one long party. The celebrations in the 63rd game of the IPL began even before the game did. And there was a valid reason for it too. At the toss, captains hardly ever remember changes made to their sides. Sometimes they mislead fantasy cricket players by naming wrong names. Virat Kohli, though, was at the top of his game. And he made four changes to the Royal Challengers Bangalore side.The crowd, no doubt ready with fantasy pages open on their smart phones and tablets, acknowledged it with loud applause. Kohli responded too, with a clinched fist.The spot
Adam Gilchrist could apply for a sub-editor’s job whenever he feels he is bored with life after cricket. Royal Challengers Bangalore, wearing green kits for a charity, used Twitter handles instead of player names on the back of jerseys. At the toss, the eagle-eyed Gilchrist informed the public that Kohli’s jersey had a mistake, that it had the “v” in the upper case, and that Kohli’s Twitter handle used the lower case of “v”. However, Gilchrist will soon find out he is too old-fashioned for the Twitter generation. Neither the generation nor Twitter cares much for the case. It is case-insensitive.Chris Gayle used the occasion to shift his jersey number from 333, his highest score in Tests, to 175, his best in T20s.The miss
When Cheteshwar Pujara pushed a ball towards mid-on in the first over and set off for a quick single, everybody leaned in a little. It was a big moment. It always is in Twenty20 games. Because Chris Gayle was slow in setting off, and Piyush Chawla had enough time to aim at his end, this was a bated-breath moment. Gayle has never had a T20 innings ended without facing a ball, and this would have been huge for Kings XI Punjab. The fielders all looked on with hope and anticipation as Gayle struggled, but Chawla’s throw missed, and the home crowd sighed in relief.The miss, part II
One of these days, Kings XI might offer the BCCI all the money and might they can conjure to help the umpiring standards in the IPL. They somehow tend to end up on the wrong sides of these decisions. Gayle would have been dismissed for 4 off 11 had Parvinder Awana’s appeal for lbw in the seventh over been upheld. It wasn’t an outright howler from the umpire S Ravi, though. It was a right-arm quick bowling to a left-hand batsman, and the ball didn’t swing back at all, which is the old-fashioned way to go about these lbws. However, replays showed that Awana had bowled from close to the stumps, cutting the angle, had pitched the ball within the line of the stumps, and would have hit middle. Gayle went to add a further 73 off 42.The ripper
Awana might have watched Gayle with agony after he believed he had got him, but he had his own slightly back when he came back to bowl at the death. Gayle had been causing mayhem all around when Awana came back with a yorker in the 19th over. Gayle was on his backside as he overbalanced while trying to save his toe. Two balls later, Awana bowled Gayle to rip the off stump into two. Now that’s a story he can narrate to his kids.The scoring discovery
At the end of the first innings, every scorer in the world except the official ones had Royal Challengers at 175. Official score, though, read 174. Turns out when Virat Kohli was out off what was ruled a no-ball after watching TV replays, only one run was awarded. To make it more curious, Gayle faced the free hit, which suggested they had taken a single. However, the norm with these no-balls – when the third umpire is involved – is that the runs taken are not awarded. There is a previous to this in Test cricket. At Lord’s last year, Matt Prior was called back after he was caught off what TV showed to be a no-ball, but England were awarded only one run.The 12th man
It is bad enough Kings XI have been at the receiving end of crucial umpiring decisions. They could do without their captain going out to field for the opposition. Despite looking to hit hard, Adam Gilchrist was on a run-ball 17 in a tall chase when Azhar Mahmood seemed to have finally broken the early shackles. However, Gilchrist found himself in the way of the powerful off-drive, and couldn’t get out of the way in time, turning four into one. He went on to make amends, with his highest score of the season to take Kings XI to a victory that kept them in the competition.

Peter Siddle knows he has to compete with Australia’s emerging young fast bowlers for a place in the Test XI

Firdose Moonda in Potchefstroom31-Oct-2011Peter Siddle usually confronts opponents with a sideways glance, a snarl and spitting fire. In the summer of 2009 he blazed across cricket pitches in South Africa, never shy to tell batsmen what he thought, to stare bowlers down as they bounced him and to charge around the outfield. He was cocky and proud of it.Eventually, his puffed-out chest and swagger caused the Johannesburg crowd to script a song for Siddle. The lyrics were not complimentary but the locals believed they described his personality. They might have to change their tune now because a more demure Siddle has reached South African shores, a far cry from the man they once sang about.A stress fracture of the back, nine months out of the national side and the emergence of young fast bowlers have turned the Siddle South Africa knew into a simpler person. He arrived with Australia’s other Test players ahead of the ODI in Durban last week, but made his first public appearance in the peaceful town of Potchefstroom, where Australia will play a four-day tour match against South Africa A.Siddle acknowledged he would have to tussle with the two new boys, Trent Copeland and Pat Cummins, for a place in the starting XI in the first Test. As the man in possession, however, Siddle is hoping the selectors will look his way in Cape Town next week. “That’s usually the case,” he said, when asked if he saw the spot as his. “With everyone as an individual, they want to think they’re in there and they want to perform hard enough to keep that spot. That’s my goal.”Siddle talked up his competition, Cummins, who has earned the praise of almost everyone in the Australian side. “I got the opportunity to play against him last year in a T20 for Victoria against New South Wales,” Siddle said. “Just his pace and his composure out in the middle [was impressive]. He was very relaxed for a bloke of his age.”Siddle is aware that Cummins is in line for a Test cap and joked that, “hopefully I can hold him off for a little bit longer and keep my spot in the side.” He also acknowledged that the emergence of Cummins, James Pattinson and Copeland “benefits Australian cricket,” because it keeps the talent pool swirling. “It’s a good thing that we are all fit and firing and bowling well and putting the pressure on each other, which makes us better as individuals.”With Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris almost certain to play the first Test, Siddle said he had to bring something different to the attack – his attitude. “I’m an aggressive sort of player, I like to go hard at it and put the pressure on the batsmen,” he said. “I just need to get that one or two wickets to get me going and then I’m on a roll. When I get a couple, I get fired up and I just feel at my best.”I’m feeling good, that’s how it is. You want your body to be feeling good, you want to be happy with what you are doing.”Siddle said he felt more confident after making his comeback, which was, like most things about him, emphatic. In the third Test in Colombo in September, Siddle was Australia’s highest wicket-taker, and his four wickets included that of Kumar Sangakkara. “[There are] a few things I have been working on like getting it a bit fuller and a bit of swing, which showed over in Sri Lanka,” he said.Conditions in Sri Lanka are nothing like those in South Africa but Siddle said the squad was better after that series, which Australia won 1-0. ” It’s knowing that you can go out there and perform together as a side and do things in partnerships, whether it’s with the bat or the ball,” he said. “I think that’s what we showed over there when we did that well, we were miles ahead. That’s our plan out here, to bowl in partnerships, whoever that might be, seamers or spinners.”

Marcus Trescothick was among England’s most reliable batsmen in both Tests and ODIs

S Rajesh22-Mar-2008

People who saw him bat raised questions about his technique, especially his static footwork, but few can argue with the numbers that Marcus Trescothick put up in international cricket, both in Tests and ODIs. A 79 in his first ODI innings, and 66 on Test debut, announced him as a player of immense talent, and over a six-year career, Trescothick did justice to his potential, though he would have scored many more international runs had he not succumbed to a stress-related illness which eventually forced his retirement.As a Test batsman, Trescothick finished with impressive stats – an average of 43.79, with 14 centuries in 76 Tests – but arguably he was even more successful in ODIs, aggregating 4335 runs, which is second in the all-time list for England, next only to Alec Stewart’s 4677. His 12 hundreds, and 33 fifty-plus scores, are both ODI records for England.

As a Test opener, he ranks among England’s best. Only four – Geoff Boycott, Graham Gooch, Michael Atherton and Len Hutton – scored more runs, while in terms of averages, Trescothick again ranks fifth.

With Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan, Trescothick forged excellent partnerships at the top of the order. They are among only six England opening pairs to put together more than 2000 partnership runs. He averaged more than 50 per partnership with Strauss, while with Vaughan the average stand was only marginally below that mark.Trescothick finished with reasonable stats overseas as well, but he was far more prolific at home, averaging 51.05, almost 15 more than his overseas average. During the six years he played, he was England’s best batsman at home, with nine hundreds in 42 Tests. He also scored more than 1000 Test runs in three successive years, 2003 to 2005, and averaged more than 40 for five years in a row – stats that point to his amazing consistency. (Click here for his career summary in Tests.)

Trescothick was at his best during the first innings of Tests: an average of 50.14 in first innings dropped to 35.33 in the second. In 76 first innings, he topped fifty 30 times, which is an excellent conversion rate of nearly 40%.

Being an opener, he inevitably fell early in his innings quite often – 56 times out of 143 innings – but he also cashed in when he settled in: six of his 14 centuries were150-plus knocks.

As an ODI batsman, Trescothick was arguably even more immense. No opener scored as many runs as he did, while the 1725 runs he added with Nick Knight is the highest by any England pair in ODIs.Like in Tests, Trescothick preferred playing at home in ODIs as well, averaging nearly 45 at home, and only 30.84 outside. During the six years he played, he was easily England’s best batsman at home. (Click here for Trescothick’s ODI career summary.)

Of the 12 hundreds he scored in ODIs, six were in losing causes, but Trescothick still figures among England’s biggest match-winners: in wins he averaged almost 46, a number bettered only by four England batsmen.

He also relished the challenge of chasing down a target in ODIs, averaging 41.08 when batting second, which is higher than what any other England batsman managed (among those who scored at least 1500 runs in run-chases). In victorious run-chases, the average was even higher – 51.68.

Wes Agar has also been added as pace-bowling cover with Josh Hazlewood returning home ahead of the New Zealand tour

Andrew McGlashan12-Feb-2024Jake Fraser-McGurk could make his T20I debut on Tuesday having been drafted into Australia’s squad for the final match against West Indies in Perth.Fraser-McGurk and South Australia quick Wes Agar will bolster the group with Josh Hazlewood having returned home following the second game in Adelaide to prepare for the New Zealand tour.Xavier Bartlett had already been added to the squad for Perth, so would appear a good chance to make his T20I debut in place of Hazlewood after a terrific start to his ODI career where he claimed consecutive four-wicket hauls against West Indies.Related

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Fraser-McGurk also made his ODI debut in that series and caught the eye with his aggressive approach, especially in Canberra where he smashed 41 off 18 balls.Australia’s selectors may look to rest other players in Perth which could open the door for Fraser-McGurk. There is the enticing prospect of him and Glenn Maxwell being in the same XI although Maxwell could be in line to sit out having revealed the initial plan was for him to rest him in Adelaide before he talked the selectors around and proceeded to pile up a 50-ball hundred in front of his parents.”Originally I was supposed to not be playing, I was going to be rested,” Maxwell said. “I sort of talked them into [it by going,] ‘Yeah, I wouldn’t mind playing this one, my family’s going to be here’, so they changed their mind, which was nice. I just thought, ‘Imagine if I was rested for this game, they made the effort to come over here’, but they had a Barossa tour yesterday so they were pretty happy.”Aaron Hardie, who plays for Western Australia, is also part of the squad but has not yet played in the series and would be a popular inclusion for the home crowd.Australia have no shortage of top-order batting options in white-ball cricket so Fraser-McGurk, who hit a world-record 29-ball one-day hundred earlier this season, is not in the frame for this year’s T20 World Cup but his progress is being closely monitored.”We feel like we’ve got some pretty good options at the top of the order in that T20 side,” national selector George Bailey said last week. “Even then there’s a couple of other guys who have batted in the middle or have batted at the top in T20 cricket who can cover as well. The talent’s there [with Fraser-McGurk], he’s one we’re certainly keeping a close eye on.”Travis Head and Steven Smith will return to the T20I squad for the New Zealand tour, while Matt Short is also due to be part of that trip having missed the West Indies matches due to injury, with Head currently favoured to partner David Warner at the top for the World Cup.Meanwhile, Agar previously played two ODIs against West Indies in 2021. He took two wickets in four matches for Adelaide Strikers in the BBL before losing his place in the side. His state, South Australia, which Fraser-McGurk also plays for, are not in contention for the Marsh Cup final with the last round of games taking place the day after the Perth T20I.There are currently a number of quicks nursing injuries with Lance Morris (side), Nathan Ellis (rib) and Sean Abbott (shoulder) sidelined although Ellis is due to return for the New Zealand series. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc have been rested for this series.