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Tottenham are looking to sell a "fast" player after Eric Dier and Djed Spence with Ange Postecoglou also looking to offload unwanted squad members.

Spurs seal Werner and Dragusin deals

It's been quite the hectic last few days at Spurs, with the Lilywhites sealing two major signings already in RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner on loan and defender Radu Dragusin from Genoa.

Tottenham want to sign £20m player after Dragusin as club prepare to sell

He’s turned heads this season.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 10, 2024

Werner joins Tottenham on a temporary deal with an option to buy at around €17 million (£14.6m), while Dragusin puts pen to paper at Spurs for a package in excess of £26 million (Fabrizio Romano).

Postecoglou will be thrilled by these developments, as the Australian often made public his desire to secure signings early in the January transfer window. Reports suggest Spurs could look to sign some of Europe's brightest talents or a new midfielder, depending on outgoings and whether the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg leave north London.

Out-of-favour defender Eric Dier is also subject to interest from Bayern Munich after the Bavarians failed in their Dragusin hijack attempt (Florian Plettenberg), while Spurs right-back Djed Spence is heading to Genoa as part of the deal.

Another player who's currently battling on the fringes of Postecoglou's eleven is young midfielder Bryan Gil. The Spaniard, signed by former technical director Fabio Paratici in the summer of 2021, hasn't quite managed to become a Tottenham mainstay since his arrival from Sevilla.

Gil has been sent on various loan spells abroad in a bid to further his development, but according to Sky Sports Italia, Tottenham could actually look to offload for good.

Tottenham looking to sell Gil

According to the broadcast giant, via Get Football News Italy and TMW, Spurs are looking to outright sell Gil as things stand with Fiorentina making contact over a potential deal. It remains to be seen whether Postecoglou's side could be open to an initial loan with the option to buy, but it appears the 22-year-old may not figure in Tottenham's plans.

Gil himself is believed to want an exit and a "change of scenery", which will come as a shame given the midfielder arrived with such promise two and a half years ago.

Despite barely playing him, former Spurs boss Antonio Conte even said Gil was born to play football and likened him to Man City star Bernardo Silva – all while praising his quality as a "fast" and endurant player.

“It was really important, you know about Bryan Gil we are talking about a player who was born to play football," said Conte in January 2023.

"He understands football quickly. He’s so clever, so intelligent to understand the situation. Then you know this league is difficult, because you have to be good in quality and be fast and to have good endurance, and he has this type of quality.

“But at the same time you have to be strong physically. I think compared to last season Gil is improving a lot also under this aspect. He has to become stronger physically. I compared him to Bernardo Silva, at Manchester City, because in my opinion they are really, really similar."

Leeds United could look to strengthen in January and the 49ers Enterprises could now look to enact a cut-price deal for an exciting player at Elland Road, according to BBC pundit John Hartson.

Leeds United look ahead to Blackburn Rovers…

Last Saturday, Leeds ensured they remained seven points behind Ipswich Town in their chase for automatic promotion by defeating Middlesbrough 3-2 at Elland Road, courtesy of goals from Daniel James, Crysencio Summerville and Joel Piroe.

Winning their seventh home match in succession, the Whites look to be a credible force this term after an uncertain few months over the summer. Speaking in his post-match press conference, Farke commended how his side were able to handle elements of the tie against a contender for promotion, saying:

"It’s a really good side and it was important today to be brave, to press with intensity and perhaps even be a bit over-aggressive and emotional instead of being too relaxed. It's always important you're fully committed off the ball, against Boro, or you are punished and they’ve proved this, this season.

"We showed this in the first half; we created so many good situations and moments. It was a wild game in the first half and probably every football fan must have enjoyed this game. I’m a football fan as well, so I loved what we did, but as a manager I liked the second half when we calmed everything down."

Leeds United keen on signing "very talented" ace wanted by multiple clubs

Leeds United are in the market as Daniel Farke looks to strengthen his side’s promotion bid…

BySean Markus Clifford Dec 4, 2023

Blackburn Rovers lay in wait on Saturday as Leeds United delve into a busy period of festive fixtures, which will go a long way to determining the level of squad surgery Farke may well carry out in January. Speaking of the mid-season window, BBC pundit Hartson has now suggested one man that the Whites should look to pursue that would add further squad depth at Elland Road.

John Hartson recommends David Turnbull to Leeds United

As cited by Leeds Live, former Wales international Hartson has recommended Celtic midfielder David Turnbull as a potential cut-price signing for Leeds United in January, with the 24-year-old facing an uncertain future at Parkhead due to his contract at the Scottish Premiership giants being set to expire in the summer of 2024.

David Turnbull in 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

15

Goals

7

Assists

0

Hartson stated: "I like David Turnbull. I have always said it, he is a goalscoring midfield player. He adds that 10-14 goals every year for you from midfield. I can see him going to a top Championship team, like Leeds United."

Known as a cultured midfielder with an eye for goal, Scotland international Turnbull has shown incision when trusted by Brendan Rodgers this campaign, averaging around 2.1 shots and 1.4 key passes per match in the Scottish Premiership (Turnbull statistics – WhoScored).

Given his potential availability, Turnbull could be a worthwhile pick-up for Leeds who still has the potential to develop further as a player; however, it remains to be seen whether Celtic would be willing to sanction his departure in mid-season.

Harry Kane has been told he made the right call in joining Bayern as Manchester United’s chances of winning the Premier League are “next to nothing”.

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Left Tottenham in summer of 2023In danger of missing out on silverwareReturn to Premier League speculated onWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils were long-standing admirers of the former Tottenham striker heading into the summer transfer window of 2023. No official approach was made as Spurs made it clear that they were reluctant to do business with a domestic rival and Bayern were prepared to pay big money.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Kane has impressed on a personal level in Germany – breaking through the 30-goal barrier – but is attracting ridicule as Bayern run the risk of experiencing a first trophyless campaign since 2012. Questions have been asked of whether Kane made the correct decision, and if a hasty return to England could be beaten, but Dietmar Hamann believes long-term benefits will be found at the Allianz Arena.

WHAT HAMANN SAID ABOUT KANE

The former Bayern midfielder, who also spent time with Newcastle and Liverpool in his playing days, has been speaking to , who offer the latest Premier League odds, and said of Kane favouring Munich over Manchester: “It’s a huge club and I think the other option was to go to Manchester United. He’s probably got another two or three good years but in your mid 30s it becomes very hard for the forwards to score goals because you lose a bit of pace and things become harder. If he had gone to Manchester United, what are the chances of him winning the league there? I think the chances are next to nothing. I can’t see United winning the league in the next three seasons at least. Kane made the decision to come here and going abroad is always a good experience to broaden your horizon and learn a new language. There are reasons for and against, it’s just a shame that he might end up without a trophy in his first season because that was the main reason he came here.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

Kane remains in the hunt for Champions League glory this season, but Bayern must overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against Lazio in order to reach the quarter-finals of that competition. The Bundesliga title appears destined to fall out of reach as Bayer Leverkusen have opened up a 10-point lead at the summit.

Pakistan lose 6 for 38 in small chase before No. 11 debutant Fatima hits boundary off the penultimate delivery to seal one-wicket win

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2018

ScorecardPakistan women maintained their all-win record on tour in Sri Lanka – they swept the ODIs 3-0 – but endured a fair few nerves en route a chase they looked set to kill very easily in Colombo. Cruising at 89 for 3 in 12 overs chasing 130, they lost six for 38 to set up a thrilling finish. In the end, No. 11 Ghulam Fatima, on T20I debut, hit the penultimate ball for a boundary to help Pakistan record their highest chase in the format.Sugandika Kumari, the left-arm spinner, orchestrated the collapse to pick three wickets, including that of Javeria Khan, but not before she smashed the fastest T20I fifty for a Pakistani woman. By then, Pakistan were within touching distance even though they kept losing wickets.Bismah Maroof, the captain and No. 3, helped consolidate early in the innings with a brisk 31-ball 42 that set the tone of the chase. With these two innings knocking off nearly three quarter of the target, the others needed to just chip in, which they barely managed in the end.That Sri Lanka were able to make a match of this was courtesy Anushka Sanjeewani’s maiden T20 half-century. Playing in just her eighth T20I, she struck eight fours in her 58-ball 61 at the top of the order, even as Sri Lanka endured a top-order collapse that reduced them to 38 for 5 in the ninth over. Sana Mir, the offspinner, and Diana Baig, the medium pacer, picked up four of those wickets between them to maintain a stranglehold over proceedings.Sanjeewani found support from Nilakshi de Silva, the No. 7 batsman, whose unbeaten 34-ball 35 during the course of a 84-run stand off just 11.5 overs helped Sri Lanka stage a remarkable recovery. Sanjeewani looked set to carry her bat through, but was run out off the penultimate delivery of the innings.

Tottenham Hotspur fell to their first Premier League defeat of the season in exceptional circumstances against Chelsea on Monday night, but Ange Postecoglou's side only strengthened their title-challenging credentials.

Two red cards and two injuries made for a miserable night, losing 4-1 to the Blues, but Spurs now sit just one point off Manchester City in first place and have eclipsed expectations following last term's woes.

The club owes the entirety of its budding renaissance to Postecoglou's leadership, taking the reins and guiding Tottenham back to the path after wandering astray last year.

The free-spirited Australian has revived the existing withered crop and fertilised the home ground's grass with impactful additions, and while the emphasis will be on challenging for a spot at the top of the table, it's clear that fresh faces will be needed to fight against forces such as Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Tottenham transfer news

According to TEAMtalk, Leicester City face a battle to rebuff interest from Tottenham and Newcastle United who are plotting a bid for tough-tackling midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, a player key to the Foxes' push for promotion this season.

The Championship table-toppers have been immense this season following relegation, and while Leicester are desperate to keep a hold on their star midfielder, the level of suitors will make this difficult.

Further Premier League outfits Aston Villa and Brentford have registered intrigue, while overseas Atletico Madrid and Barcelona monitor the Nigerian's situation in Spain.

The £11m-rated midfielder – as valued by Football Transfers – is out of contract at the end of the season and has so far not agreed to a renewal with Enzo Maresca's side.

Spurs might be tempted to offer a contract and snap him up on a free transfer, but given the throng of attentive parties, it might be prudent to tie up a move swiftly for a cut-price fee.

Wilfred Ndidi's style of play

Leicester signed Ndidi from Belgian side Genk for around £15m in 2017, and he has since made 252 appearances (192 in the Premier League), scoring 14 goals and providing 16 assists, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield under Brendan Rodgers' tutelage.

Typically a defensive midfielder, Ndidi has demonstrated a more creative side to his arsenal this year, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers across divisions similar to the Championship for assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 1% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref.

This kind of multi-functionality would be the perfect commodity to strengthen the Tottenham centre, which already boasts exciting options in Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur.

A dynamic and energetic player, Ndidi could be a tailor-made arrival for Postecoglou's Tottenham, and while the 53-cap star has struggled with injury over the past few years, he would not be expected to play every minute in London, which actually works out well for all parties involved.

How Wilfred Ndidi would fit in at Tottenham

This season, Ndidi has played 15 times across all competitions for City, plundering three goals and four assists, having created 1.3 key passes per game, completed 79% of his passes in total, and also averaging 1.5 tackles and 3.5 ball recoveries per outing, as per Sofascore.

Such numbers are not the most robust, but that is not to say that he has been performing at a substandard level; far from it.

For example, Spurs' Sarr is averaging 5.6 ball recoveries and 1.1 key passes per game in the league this term, while also completing 90% of his passes in a similar role.

But Ndidi has failed to start more than 20 matches across both of his previous Premier League campaigns, and on an individual level is perhaps benefitting from Leicester's relegation, given that he can rebuild his former vigour against lesser opposition, thriving instead of floundering against the threat of relegation.

Postecoglou would be the perfect manager to bring the midfield "machine” – as he has been dubbed by BBC Sport analyst Raj Chohan – back to his peak, and the £51k-per-week star has more than proved his ability for City in the past.

Still only 26-years-old, Ndidi would also emulate his former teammate James Maddison in making the move to Tottenham, perhaps taking the next level in his development much like the England international, who is an early contender for the Premier League's Player of the Season.

James Maddison's season by numbers

Having lacked a creative midfielder despite scoring 70 goals in the Premier League last season – the fifth-highest total in the division – Tottenham moved swiftly in the summer transfer window to bypass Newcastle United's interest – who were "frontrunners" at one stage – and sign Maddison from Leicester City for £40m.

The Foxes had been relegated after a terrible campaign, but Maddison performed superlatively as his side's playmaker, scoring ten goals and supplying nine assists from just 29 starting appearances in the English top-flight.

Since his summer switch, Maddison has carried over his best attributes and developed them into something greater, homing his craft and now comfortably sitting as one of Europe's finest attacking midfielders, having posted three goals and five assists so far.

Having won the Premier League Player of the Month award for August and has been noted for being "on fire" by Sky Sports pundit Aaron Lennon

As per FBref, Maddison ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for progressive passes per 90.

The £170k-per-week maestro has been immense under Postecoglou's management, and Ndidi could be the next to rise to prominence in north London by departing from the King Power Stadium.

In an industrious, deeper role, Ndidi would offer the requisite depth for Postecoglou's illustrious vision, and could rekindle a bond with Maddison that saw the pair glean the FA Cup and Community Shield, enhancing and shaping that pursuit of greener pastures.

da luck： Everton are among a host of clubs to have “called” about the availability of a “fantastic” attacking player, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Barry expected to oust Beto at Everton

da marjack bet： The Blues have completed the exciting £27m signing of Thierno Barry from Villarreal, with the Frenchman feeling like a statement signing by The Friedkin Group and David Moyes.

The 22-year-old has replaced Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Everton, coming in to battle Beto for minutes, but journalist Graeme Bailey has claimed that he will be the undisputed first-choice striker for the Merseysiders next season.

“Barry will be leading the line for Everton this season, I have little doubt. Will he start the campaign, I wouldn’t rule out Beto starting at this point, but Barry is going to be the main man long-term. Everton are so excited by this lad, he really is a great signing. There are few deals this summer that I have personally been more impressed by than this deal. We will have to see how he settles, but I don’t think it is going to take too long for him to be leading the line.”

Everton fans will hope that there are further signings to play alongside Barry, though, and a new update certainly bodes well in that respect.

Everton have "called" about £17m winger – Romano

Taking to X, Romano claimed that Everton have “called” about signing PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko in a potential £17.3m deal this summer, with many clubs in the same boat to sell the forward who PSV are “set to sell”.

Bakayoko is a player with so much long-term potential, having already racked up a tally of 33 goals and 22 assists in 131 appearances for PSV, as well as being hailed as a “fantastic” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig last year.

Related Better signing than McGinn: Everton holding talks over "world-class" star

David Moyes is looking to sign a midfielder or two this summer at Everton

Posts ByRoss Kilvington Jul 11, 2025

The 22-year-old also isn’t short of confidence, either, once talking up his hopes of winning the Ballon d’Or one day: “In the next five years, I want to be close to winning the Ballon d’Or. I’ll do my best and see where it can end, but I don’t want to give myself limits. I don’t want to say, ‘I remember when I won the Ballon d’Or’, or something like this. I want to keep going.”

A right-sided winger who can cut onto his left foot and wreak havoc, Bakayoko could be an ideal choice, adding similar quality to Iliman Ndiaye on the opposite flank.

Newcastle United have been put through the wringer this summer, having missed out on key attacking targets in Liam Delap, Bryan Mbeumo, Joao Pedro and now Hugo Ekitike.

However, context is important, and in the latter’s case, Liverpool have moved ahead with a bumper deal after Eddie Howe and co stood firm on their stance that Alexander Isak is not for sale.

Ekitike, valued at €100m (£85m), has handed in a transfer request at Eintracht Frankfurt as he edges closer to Anfield. Thus, Newcastle have turned their attention to Brentford’s Yoane Wissa.

However, the Magpies may be foiled once again with that one.

Newcastle lining up Ekitike alternatives

On Friday afternoon, Manchester United finally achieved a breakthrough in their long pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo, with a £71m fee agreed between the Premier League clubs.

This transfer may run counter to Newcastle’s ambitions regarding Wissa, for the Bees have already lost Thomas Frank and their captain Christian Norgaard, and thus will be loath to part with their central striker too.

Thus, Newcastle need – once again – an alternative.

Well, according to Sport BILD, Howe has lined up Napoli’s Victor Osimhen as an ambitious alternative, with the free-scoring marksman said to be one of the players who is on the Magpies’ ‘radar’.

While the £64m-rated Osimhen is the centre of talks between Napoli and Galatasaray, with whom he spent the 2024/25 season on loan, the allure of the Premier League could work in the Toon’s favour.

Why Newcastle want Victor Osimhen

Osimhen is one of the most feared and famous centre-forwards currently competing in Europe. The end of an unhappy marriage with Napoli led to his loan move to Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig, but who can say he hasn’t made good use of the cards dealt?

The prolific star’s meaty haul does suggest that he’s got every bit the clinical nature of Isak, with Statman Dave even commenting that he’s “the best striker on the market” right now.

With Isak’s long-term future a debatable thing, there’s a chance that Osimhen could prove to be not just a fitting replacement but an incredible upgrade. Indeed, his goalscoring consistency can be viewed across a number of years and a number of countries.

24/25 – Galatasaray

41

37

8

23/24 – Napoli

32

17

4

22/23 – Napoli

39

31

5

21/22 – Napoli

32

18

6

20/21 – Napoli

30

10

3

A title winner who is more than just a goalscoring focal point, Osimhen could be the perfect man to add another layer to this incredible Newcastle side.

Isak, a world-class striker, scored 27 goals across 42 matches last season. Osimhen, meanwhile, bagged 37 times over 41 games. Though the Nigerian competed in a division of inferior quality to the Premier League, he scored six goals across seven matches in the Europa League, including a brace in a 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Moreover, Isak’s six Champions League outings in 2023/24 yielded just the one goal, and no assists either. Conversely, Osimhen’s prolificness in the European theatre is underscored further by his record of nine goals and an assist across 17 Champions League fixtures.

And Osimhen could even emulate his positional peer in regard to movement and intelligence. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 4% of strikers across Europe last season for shot-creating actions and the top 18% for progressive carries per 90.

Ultimately, Newcastle have scored a winner by keeping hold of Isak, and in Osimhen, they could land a new number nine to challenge him for that first-choice spot, certainly proving an upgrade on the young Ekitike.

He’s Lewis Miley 2.0: Newcastle agree terms to sign "exciting" sensation

Newcastle are looking to strengthen for the present and the future

ByJoe Nuttall Jul 17, 2025

This season has not gone to plan for Arsenal at all.

Mikel Arteta’s side may be second in the Premier League, but they sit six points off Liverpool, who have a game in hand, were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United and look set to go out of the League Cup at the hands of Newcastle United.

While injuries have certainly played their part in the club’s lacklustre form, poor finishing has arguably been just as much of a problem, especially in the domestic cup competitions.

So, recent reports linking the club to an incredibly exciting young attacker is undoubtedly good news, especially when the player in question has won comparisons to Nicolas Anelka in the past.

Arsenal's hunt for a new forward

The big news breaking this afternoon concerns Ollie Watkins. The Aston Villa forward notably scored against the Gunners a couple of weekends ago and he could now be on the move to the Emirates Stadium.

The Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel claims that a move has been launched to seal a move for the Villa striker late in the window and that they are pushing to clinch his signature. That said, an initial offer has been rejected.

He’s not the only forward player on Arsenal’s radar in the remaining days of the window…

Indeed, according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal are one of several clubs that intermediaries of Mathys Tel have approached.

Bailey has revealed that, alongside the Gunners, Manchester United and North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur have been contacted since the 19-year-old prodigy decided he wanted to leave Bayern Munich before the window slams shut next month.

The report names a long list of other European clubs who have also been contacted and made aware of the situation, including Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and Napoli but does not mention how much the youngster might cost.

However, stories from earlier this week claimed that an offer in the region of £40m could be enough to get him out of Baveria, and while that is a lot of money for a teenager, his immense potential could render it value for money down the line for Arsenal, especially as he’s already been compared to Anelka.

Why Tel could be Anelka 2.0

So, it’s certainly a bold claim to make, but it’s worth examining how Tel could be Arsenal’s next Anelka and where the comparison came from in the first place.

Well, in this instance, it has stemmed from respected football analyst Ben Mattinson, who just a few days ago described the youngster as a “deadly finisher with the leadership/personality to deliver in big moments” and that it was this combined with the fat he could play as a nine or inside forward that “reminds me of Anelka.”

Now, while he didn’t stay at Arsenal for as long as many fans would have liked, that does sound an awful lot like the French goalscorer, who also moved to N5 as a teenager, joining Arsène Wenger’s continental revolution at just 17 years old for £500k in February 1997.

He didn’t play much football in his first six months at Highbury, but by the end of his first full season, in the 97/98 campaign, he had racked up a brilliant haul of nine goals and seven assists in 40 games, and when he left the club for Real Madrid in the summer of 1999 for a whopping £31.5m, he did so with a record of 28 goals and 14 assists in 90 games for the club.

It might seem like a lot to expect Tel to match his compatriot’s impact at the club if he were to complete his own winter move this year, but on top of the raw ability Mattinson said he has, he’s also got the underlying numbers to suggest that is possible.

For example, FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, places the Bayern “machine,” as dubbed by Mattinson, in the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers for goal-creating actions and successful take-on percentage, the top 6% for pass completion percentage, the top 8% for crosses into the penalty area, the top 10% for assists and more, all per 90.

When you add that to that fact that he was able to score ten goals and provide six assists in just 41 appearances, totalling 1406 minutes, for FC Hollywood last season, it starts to become much easier to understand the comparisons to the former French superstar.

Ultimately, Arsenal require attacking reinforcements this month, and while it is a lot of money to spend on a teenager, they should do all they can to sign Tel, as he might just be their new Anelka.

Big upgrade on Havertz: Arsenal offered late deal to sign lethal £46m star

The clinical striker would make Arsenal far more dangerous.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 29, 2025

Plays of the day from the third match of the ODI tri-series, between Australia and South Africa at Providence

Firdose Moonda07-Jun-2016Technology not needed and not usedAustralia had the opportunity to make first use of the Decision Review System when Josh Hazlewood had an appeal against Hashim Amla in the first over. Hazlewood delivered a full fourth ball of the over, which moved in as the others had, and struck the opener in front of leg stump. Umpire Joel Wilson probably thought it was going down leg and gave it not out. Had he thought it was clipping and given it out, he would have been just as correct. Replays showed that a major chunk of the ball would have gone on to hit leg stump and that Wilson’s on-field call – whatever it was – would have stood. Luckily for Amla it was not out. Luckily for Australia, they did not ask for the review.Technology needed and used Four overs later, Hazlewood was asking questions around the pads with a full length. He got one to curl into Quinton de Kock, who missed the flick and subsequently ran a leg bye. Umpire Wilson gave it as runs, even as Hazlewood appealed. Steven Smith decided to ask for the third umpire to have another look. Several replays revealed two noises but with no evidence of an inside edge, they seemed to come from the ball hitting the front pad and then the back one. Ball tracking showed it would have gone on to hit the stumps. Still, the evidence was scant and the South African dressing room thought so as they crowded around to peer at a television screen. When Wilson’s call was overturned, all of them, including coach Russell Domingo, demonstrated their disbelief but de Kock had to go.Technology not needed but used South Africa were in early trouble and their top-scorer from the opening match, Rilee Rossouw, was given out to a Nathan Lyon delivery by Umpire Richard Illingworth. Rossouw called for a review even though he looked out, with the ball straightening and striking him in front of off stump as he pushed forward and missed. The tracker revealed he was as out and Illingworth was vindicated.Forget technology – out is out In the second over of the chase, another batsman’s pads were rapped. Wayne Parnell, making his return after 11 months out of the national team, delivered a full, straight ball that jagged back and hit David Warner in front of leg. It was given out and Warner decided it would stay out. He walked off without even considering the review – which would likely have been umpire’s call – to give South Africa an early breakthrough, setting the tone for the rest of the innings.Beginner’s (bad) luck In his first appearance for South Africa, chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi got the biggest endorsement a new player could ask for when AB de Villiers decided to review his first appeal. Shamsi believed the second ball he bowled, to Aaron Finch – a flat, ripping legbreak which pitched outside off and struck him in front of off – would have gone on to hit the stumps and de Villiers agreed. The ball was turning so much that initially it seemed it would miss leg stump, but replays showed the ball to be clipping. It was South Africa’s most convincing review of the game, even though it was unsuccessful. Beginner’s good luck Shamsi did not have to wait long to get his first wicket. Three balls later, Shamsi delivered another leg break, around middle stump, to Glenn Maxwell and it seemed to be missing leg but Umpire Wilson did not think so. He sent Maxwell on his way and Shamsi into celebration. A review would only have spoilt his mood as replays showed the ball was missing leg stump.

Stats highlights from the first day’s play of the third Test between Australia and West Indies at the SCG

Bharath Seervi03-Jan-20165 Spinners who have taken 100 or more Test wickets in Australia. The latest addition to this list is Nathan Lyon, who took his 100th Test wicket in Australia when he dismissed Kraigg Brathwaite.32 Overs bowled by Lyon on the first day at the SCG – the most by a spinner on the first day of a Test in Australia since 2010. The previous best was Graeme Swann’s 29 overs on the first day of the Adelaide Test in 2010. Overall, there are only five instances when a spinner has bowled more overs than Lyon in a day’s play of a Test in Australia since 2010. Lyon himself had sent down 35 overs on the fifth day of the Adelaide Test against South Africa in 2012, the most on the list.6 Fifty-plus scores in away Tests for Kraigg Brathwaite, including his 85 in this innings. The knock is also his second fifty of the series: he had made 94 in the second innings of the Hobart Test. Brathwaite has made 844 runs at 32.46 in Tests outside the West Indies, two more than he has made at home. Overall, this was Brathwaite’s 12th fifty-plus scores in Tests. He has scored 1686 runs at 34.40 so far in the format.2006The last time Australia played with two frontline spinners in a Test at SCG – Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill against South Africa. The spin pair took only six wickets between them in that Test. Australia are playing this Test with Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe. Incidentally, spinners have averaged 47.78 at this venue in Tests since 2006, the second worst average among all venues that have hosted at least five Tests.65 Runs by Marlon Samuels in his last nine Test innings, including the 4 he scored in West Indies’ first innings in Sydney. The highest he has managed in these innings is 19. In his previous nine innings before the slump, he had accumulated 380 runs with a century and two fifties. This is also the longest he has gone in Tests without a fifty-plus score. Before this, he had an eight-innings streak – between April 2003 and November 2005 – when he did not score a single fifty. He was also run-out for the first time in 114 innings on Sunday.2013 The previous instance of West Indies scoring 100 runs before losing their second wicket in an away Test. A 91-run stand for the second wicket in this innings at SCG ensured that West Indies had scored 100 runs before they lost their second wicket. This innings was the first time in ten away Tests and 18 innings that they managed to put 100 runs on the board before losing their second wicket. The previous instance when they recorded this statistic in any Test came last year in the second innings in Grenada against England, 15 innings and eight Tests ago.3 Partnerships between 90 and 99 runs for West Indies in this series, including the 91-run stand between Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo in the first innings of this Test. Bravo has been part of all three stands. He had a 99-run partnership with Kemar Roach in Hobart and added 90 runs with Carlos Brathwaite in Melbourne. Only in two previous series, irrespective of number of matches, have West Indies had more partnerships in the nineties .