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Tottenham have given the green-light for Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange to hold talks over signing a ‘top talent’ from Man City, but it isn’t Savinho, who was heavily linked in the summer.

Tottenham making transfer plans amid Thomas Frank pressure

Cristian Romero delivered a captain’s performance to salvage a dramatic 2-2 draw for Spurs at Newcastle on Tuesday evening, scoring twice, including a stoppage-time overhead kick that temporarily eased mounting pressure on manager Thomas Frank.

The Argentine’s heroics prevented what would have been Spurs’ fourth consecutive defeat across all competitions, with his diving header cancelling out Bruno Guimaraes’ opener before his acrobatic finish in the 95th minute rescued a point.

Tottenham struggled throughout at St James’ Park, managing just two shots on target from eight attempts while Newcastle dominated possession and created significantly better opportunities.

It was a stark reminder that Spurs need more creativity in their side if they’re to challenge for major silverware this season or seal a top four Premier League finish.

Behind the scenes, Tottenham’s hierarchy are actively preparing significant January reinforcements as Frank desperately seeks attacking solutions.

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Media sources are convinced that a new forward will arrive during the winter window, with Spurs identifying multiple targets, including FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa.

The Lilywhites are said to be huge admirers of Aghehowa, who’s free scored in Portugal since the start of last season and was once on the verge of joining Chelsea before he rejected the move.

Jamie Carragher says he's always imagined "master" manager joining Tottenham

The former Liverpool defender believes he’s a great fit.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 3, 2025

Meanwhile, despite stiff competition, Spurs are also intensifying their interest in Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, with the 25-year-old available for £65 million during the early stages of January thanks to a release clause in his contract.

There have also been murmurs of Tottenham re-opening discussions over a potential Savinho deal after his move to N17 was blocked in the summer, but amid the uncertainty surrounding Guglielmo Vicario, it is actually another City starlet that Spurs are taking interest in.

Tottenham green-light January talks for Man City keeper James Trafford

That is according to TEAMtalk, who state that Tottenham have green-lit exploratory talks over a January deal for City goalkeeper James Trafford.

The Englishman would come as a potential replacement for Vicario, who has attracted interest from Inter Milan, and Spurs are apparently entertaining the possibility of selling him for £30 million.

Sources say that Spurs view Trafford as an ideal long-term solution between the sticks, offering Premier League experience combined with significant potential.

Trafford’s situation at the Etihad has become increasingly frustrating following City’s signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma from PSG for £26 million, relegating the young stopper to backup duty.

The goalkeeper is eager for regular first-team football, making Tottenham’s project an attractive proposition, with a TT City insider quoted saying the Spurs project would be ‘perfect’ for the ‘top talent’.

Vicario arrived from Empoli eighteen months ago for £17 million as Hugo Lloris’ successor, initially impressing with performances that even earned him leadership responsibilities within Frank’s squad.

However, recent performances have declined, with errors costing Tottenham and supporters notably jeering him when Spurs lost 2-1 to Fulham last weekend.

Vicario being caught in no mans land for Harry Wilson’s goal ultimately cost Spurs precious points at home, and Fabrizio Romano has actually confirmed Inter’s interest already, so this could have some legs to it.

Manchester United’s struggles in recent years have been difficult for the fans to process, especially given the success previously endured in previous generations.

The Red Devils ended last season in a record-low 15th place in the Premier League, with Ruben Amorim unable to have a positive impact during his first season in the role.

As a result, the club have now failed to win a single league title since the 2012/13 season campaign, with Sir Alex Ferguson the last manager to finish top of the table.

Their inability to secure top-flight glory hasn’t been through a lack of trying, especially as seen by their spending in the transfer market, which has seen over £800m spent in the last four years.

One player has remained ever-present despite the heavy spending in the market, arguably still being Amorim’s key man in the club’s hunt for sustained success.

The stats behind Bruno’s success in 2025/26

Bruno Fernandes is a player who has constantly impressed during his near six-year spell at United, with the midfielder being the shining light throughout last campaign.

Despite the struggles, the Portuguese international notched a total of 37 combined goals and assists, which no doubt saved the club from a relegation battle.

In 2025/26, the 31-year-old has been forced to operate in a deeper midfield role, but it hasn’t stopped the fan-favourite from producing some incredible numbers in the Premier League.

Bruno has created 3.1 chances per 90 in England’s top-flight to date, with such a tally higher than any other player in the division after the first 15 games of the season.

He’s also registered 2.8 shots per 90 and made 6.1 recoveries per 90, highlighting his efforts at both ends – subsequently placing him in the top 10% of midfielders in the league.

United’s latest showing against Wolves further showcases how impressive he’s been in 2025/26, with the club captain notching two goals and an assist in the 4-1 triumph.

Bruno also completed 55 passes, whilst creating five chances for his teammates, with both of the aforementioned tallies the highest of any player on the pitch at Molineux.

The United star who’s showing shades of Park

Ji-Sung Park was just one player who was a key part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad over a sustained period, with the South Korean star a massively underrated player at Old Trafford.

During his seven years in Manchester, the midfielder racked up a total of 205 appearances in all competitions, often featuring in a variety of different positions.

He often started out wide, in the number ten or even a number eight position, often handing Ferguson a versatile option across numerous key areas of the pitch.

Park registered 55 combined goals and assists during such a time, with his best strike arguably being against Wolves at Old Trafford back in the 2010/11 campaign.

During his time managing Park, Sir Alex often paid the South Korean countless compliments, even once labelling him as the “ultimate professional” due to his attitude and reliability.

However, since his departure in 2012, the club have lacked a player of his stature, but Amorim does currently have a similar player in the form of Mason Mount.

The Englishman has struggled to nail down his place in the United first-team since his £60m move from Chelsea in 2023, with injuries often plaguing the 26-year-old.

However, the 2025/26 season has given him a new lease of life, with the midfielder already racking up 12 Premier League appearances this season and catching the eye with his displays.

He’s already netted three goals to date, including one against Wolves on Monday, subsequently repaying the faith shown in him by Amorim in recent months.

Like Park, he’s often featured in countless positions at Old Trafford, including a number eight role and a number ten – with the midfielder now looking like a crucial part of the squad.

Amorim has also sung his praises in recent times, dubbing him a “proper footballer” and saying that he “believes in him a lot” – highlighting the faith he has in the Englishman to succeed.

His recent showing against Wolves, in which he scored, has showcased why he’s as important as Bruno, with Mount completing 90% of the passes he attempted at Molineux.

He also completed 100% of the long balls he attempted, whilst also making five recoveries and being fouled three times – often providing a constant nuisance to the opposition.

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Mount’s ability in front of goal over recent weeks has certainly given the manager food for thought, which could see the former Chelsea star now be a key member of the side once again.

He and Bruno have clearly struck up a superb partnership at the heart of the side, which could be crucial in any success achieved during the Amorim tenure.

Mount’s similarities to Park are there for all to see, with the midfielder now having the chance to back up the manager’s faith, just as the South Korean did at Old Trafford in years gone by.

100% pass success & 100% duels won: Man Utd star is as undroppable as Bruno

Manchester United have unearthed another star after yesterday’s win over Wolves at Molineux.

ByEthan Lamb 3 days ago

استقر حلمي طولان المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر الثاني، على التشكيل الذي سيخوض به مباراة الإمارات في كأس العرب. 

ويلتقي منتخب مصر الثاني نظيره الإمارات، في تمام الساعة الثامنة والنصف مساء اليوم السبت، في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب. 

ويقع منتخب مصر الثاني في المجموعة الثالثة في بطولة كأس العرب، رفقة منتخبات الأردن والإمارات والكويت. 

طالع.. تشكيل منتخب مصر الرسمي أمام الإمارات في كأس العرب 2025.. ثلاثي هجومي

وكان منتخب مصر قد تعادل في الجولة المضاية امام منتخب الكويت، بهدف لكل فريق، في الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب. 

ويشه التشكيل المتوقع لمنتخب مصر الثاني مشاركة مروان حمدي لاعب بيراميدز أساسيًا أمام الإمارات، بعد اعتراض محمد شريف في المباراة الماضية أمام الكويت على تبديله.  تشكيل منتخب مصر المتوقع أمام الإمارات اليوم

حراسة المرمى: محمد بسام.

الدفاع: أكرم توفيق والونش ورجب نبيل ويحيى زكريا.

الوسط: غنام محمد ومحمد النني وأفشة.

الهجوم: مصطفى سعد “ميسي” وإسلام عيسى ومروان حمدي.

MatériaMais Notícias

Dono da SAF do Botafogo, John Textor foi oficialmente denunciado pela procuradoria-geral do Supremo Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD) nesta segunda-feira (25), por não ter apresentado as provas de corrupção no futebol brasileiro que alegou ter. A informação é do jornal “O Globo”.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Glorioso agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo

O empresário norte-americano afirmou ter “juízes gravados reclamando de não terem propinas pagas”, após vitória do Botafogo sobre o Bragantino, em 6 de março. Dois dias depois, o STJD abriu inquérito e deu prazo de três dias úteis para que Textor entregasse as provas que dizia ter, porém, a ordem foi ignorada pelo bilionário.

Desta forma, o dono da SAF alvinegra foi denunciado no artigo 223 do Código Brasileiro de Justiça Desportiva (CBJD), por “deixar de cumprir ou retardar o cumprimento de decisão”. A pena prevista em caso de condenação é de 90 a 360 dias de suspensão, além de pagamento de multa.

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➡️ É O BRASA! Coloque R$200 no Brasil contra a Espanha e fature mais de R$640 no Lance! Betting

No dia 14 de março, o pleno do tribunal chegou a votar a possibilidade de suspensão automática de John Textor, mas foi formada maioria contra. Além disso, foi definido também que o STJD tem competência para julgar o caso, ao contrário do que alega a defesa do empresário.

Tudo sobre

BotafogoJohn Textor

A classy all-round performance from skipper Liam Livingstone took Birmingham Phoenix to victory against an off-colour London Spirit in a statement victory that breathes new life into their campaign.Starting the day at the foot of the table, the Phoenix knew defeat would effectively end their hopes of progressing and they played with the requisite urgency of a team fighting to stay alive.A run-rate enhancing demolition of Spirit with 35 balls to spare puts them back in the mix ahead of a defining week for the tournament. They now join their opponents in a four-way tie on eight points, with three teams above them on 12. This competition is wide open.This was Livingstone’s match. After Trent Boult squeezed a yorker under Jamie Smith’s bat to remove the Spirit dangerman for a duck in his first set, the skipper took centre stage, demonstrating his range of skills to induce a mishit from David Warner with an offbreak, and then outfoxing Ollie Pope, on the sweep, with a legspinner.Boult, leading his Kiwi cohort of quicks, then slipped back in to upend Ashton Turner’s leg stump just as the Australian was looking to open up; tellingly, Turner hit one of just two sixes across the whole of the Spirit’s innings.When Will Smeed was yorked by Luke Wood from the second ball of the Phoenix innings, the pressure could have suffocated the batters to follow, but instead the occasion galvanised them. Ben Duckett was again subdued, departing for just 11, but Joe Clarke was immediately into his stride, careening to his maiden half-century for Phoenix in a blaze of clean hitting, notably down the ground.Clarke took Spirit for nine fours and two sixes to break the back of the chase, leaving Livingstone and Jacob Bethell to enjoy themselves in front of a typically boisterous Edgbaston crowd, smashing an unbeaten partnership of 63 in just 25 balls, with Livingstone launching five sixes to leapfrog Jos Buttler at the top of this year’s men’s run-scoring chart.Livingstone, who was named the Meerkat Match Hero, was thrilled with the performance and result. “We needed a win, but we had some confidence coming in to this one having played really well last game here at Edgbaston. The crowd are amazing, they get behind us every time we go out and play, so it’s always nice to put on a show for them.”Our seam bowlers were phenomenal. I don’t think they missed a single yorker at the end, and then we managed to see it home with the bat. Sometimes it can be quite difficult going in after an early wicket and getting the tempo right, but Joe [Clarke] was brilliant today.”We brought him in through the draft to do that role, to take bowlers on at No. 3 and give us some momentum, so he’s been fantastic, and he broke the chase for us.”Back-to-back wins now. We know we’re up against it, all we can do is win our remaining games and see where we are.”

Aston Villa are now very interested in signing a “magnificent” striker, amid a major update on his future ahead of the January transfer window.

Villa eyeing striker as Emery drops Watkins update

Ollie Watkins got off to a slow start to the campaign, scoring just one goal in the Premier League prior to the brace against Brighton, and Unai Emery has now opened up about a potential reason for the dip in form, stating the striker has been struggling injury-wise.

Emery said: ‘He has a small pain in his knee from last year when we started the season in August,’

“Now he is feeling the same pain. He is not feeling 100 per cent and we are trying to manage it with him. We are trying to get to the stage where he is completely without pain – and through this, to feel better again and have the confidence to score.”

The England international may be under pressure to continue performing ahead of January, however, given that the Villans are now lining up a move for a new striker, with it recently being revealed that Emery is a huge fan of Brentford striker Igor Thiago.

There has now been a new update on Aston Villa’s pursuit of Thiago, with a report from Caught Offside revealing they are very interested in signing the centre-forward, who is highly likely to leave Brentford during the upcoming transfer window.

There could be competition for the Brazilian’s signature, however, with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United also particularly keen to snap him up, after scouting him closely.

A deal may not break the bank either, with the interested clubs looking in to getting a deal done for a fee of around €35m – €40m (£31m – £35m).

Aston Villa now make contact to sign "wonderful" midfielder who would cost £0

The Villans have made an approach to sign a highly sought-after central midfielder.

ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2025 Thiago could be "magnificent" signing for Aston Villa

The 24-year-old continued his fine form as Brentford defeated Burnley 3-1 at the weekend, bagging a brace, and manager Keith Andrews was very impressed with his performance, saying: “[Igor] has been magnificent. He was quiet in the first half. It was down to us too, not giving him enough service, and the opposition was denying him the space and opportunity.”

“But I felt he could impose himself a little more in the game, and he did exactly that in the second half.”

The Brentford star now has 11 goals to his name in the Premier League this season, the second-highest number behind Erling Haaland.

As such, a fee of around £35m could be an absolute steal for Thiago, and Villa should definitely make a January move.

MatériaMais Notícias

Memphis foi o nome do Corinthians na vitória por 1 a 0 sobre o Cruzeiro, nesta quarta-feira (10), pelo jogo de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. O holandês marcou o gol do Timão e garantiu a vantagem dos paulistas no duelo de volta.

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Após a partida, Memphis mostrou que a evolução do Corinthians não está só no campo. Pela primeira vez diante das câmeras, o holandês respondeu em português, enfatizou as qualidades do Cruzeiro e destacou a concentração da equipe.

– Primeiro, é muito importante. Foi um jogo difícil, controlar o jogo é complicado porque o Cruzeiro é um bom time, mas ganhamos por um gol. A defesa foi bem, os zagueiros estavam muito concentrados. Agora é relaxar, descansar, recuperar e se preparar para o próximo jogo – disse o atacante, em entrevista à Globo.

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Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Vantagem do Corinthians

O Corinthians voltou a vencer após quatro jogos. Na reta final do Brasileirão, o objetivo de Dorival Júnior era contar com força máxima para as semifinais. O plano surtiu efeito, e o clube alvinegro teve apenas um desfalque: José Martínez.

Memphis voltou a formar dupla de ataque com Yuri Alberto. A assistência do gol saiu da cabeça do camisa 9. Ainda no primeiro tempo, Carrillo lançou na área, o camisa 9 escorou e o holandês finalizou em dois tempos para abrir o placar. Foi o décimo primeiro gol do atacante na temporada.

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Corinthians e Cruzeiro voltam a se enfrentar no próximo domingo (14), às 18h (de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena. O Timão terá a vantagem do empate para avançar à final da Copa do Brasil. O adversário sai do confronto entre Fluminense e Vasco.

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Copa do BrasilCorinthiansFutebol Nacional

Pat Cummins’ Ashes preparation has been compromised after a scan revealed lumbar bone stress in his lower back which has ruled him out of the three white-ball series against New Zealand and India. It leaves the potential that he won’t play any cricket ahead of the England series which starts on November 21 in Perth.Cummins, Australia’s Test and ODI captain, has not played since the Test tour of the Caribbean where his bowling workloads were significantly lower than usual. He missed the five T20Is against West Indies and both series against South Africa that followed which was a long-held plan to given him a 10-week physical build-up to the Test summer in a similar vein to last year.Related

• Doubts over Cummins' fitness for first Ashes Test grow, return remains unknown

• Inglis out of T20 tour of New Zealand with a calf strain, Carey called up

• Vidler ruled out of Australia A tour of India with a partial stress fracture

• Cummins may 'take a few risks' to be able to play Ashes

• Australia's pace depth: Who's in the Ashes mix if Cummins and co run aground?

But Cummins experienced some back soreness post the Caribbean tour that lingered much longer than expected and a routine scan on Monday showed the bone stress, otherwise known as a hot spot, which can be a precursor to a stress fracture. However, he has been cleared of any fracture in his lower spine and there remains confidence he will be fit for the opening Test against England.”There always was a de-load planned for him post that West Indies Test series, and then he’s just reported that he had a little bit of ongoing back soreness as part of that, and [the scan] just identified a little bit of lumbar bone stress,” chair of selectors George Bailey said. “I think the focus for him has and will continue to be just preparation for that [Ashes] Test series.”So there’ll just be some further management and a little bit of rehab around that. But in terms of plan for the Ashes, I don’t think too much will change. There still feels like there’s plenty of time. But there’s full expectation that Pat will be right to go come the first Test.”Cummins was plagued by stress fractures across the first six years of his international career and did not play a Test match between his debut in 2011 and his second Test in India in 2017.Since that time he has been incredibly durable with various minor issues, including an ankle injury and a hamstring issue, being managed without him missing large chunks of cricket.This back issue will be a concern given his overall bowling loads have been much lower in 2025. He had bowled 400-plus overs in all cricket in each of the last three calendar years but has only bowled 175.1 overs through nine months of 2025, including just 95.1 across the four Tests recently in June and July against South Africa and West Indies. Even with a handful of ODIs and a possible planned Sheffield Shield game as well as the first four Ashes Test before the end of the year he was likely to fall well short of 400 overs this year.Pat Cummins has missed very few Tests since returning to the side in 2017•Randy Brooks/AFP/Getty Images

Cummins went into last summer deliberately underdone playing one 50-over match for New South Wales and two ODIs against Pakistan before the first Test against India. He was rusty as a result in the first Test in Perth when Australia were beaten heavily. But his freshness showed at the back end of the series as he was Player of the Match in the fourth Test in Melbourne and took five key wickets in the final Test in Sydney while India’s Jasprit Bumrah went down with a back injury following an unsustainable bowling load.Cummins said after the West Indies series in July this year that he planned to play in New Zealand and then against India in the ODIs, as well as potentially play a Sheffield Shield game.He now has just 11 weeks for the hot spot to settle and it would seem highly unlikely, although not impossible, that he could play any cricket before the Ashes starts. There is a domestic one-day game between NSW and Queensland in Sydney on November 3 that could present a chance for some capped competitive overs if his back has settled in time, without being locked into a four-day Sheffield Shield game. NSW’s last Sheffield Shield match before the first Test, against Victoria at the SCG, starts on November 10.”I think he’s one, certainly skill wise, that has entered summers at different stages without a great amount of match balls at different times,” Bailey said. “Given how far out we are there’s the potential for some Shield cricket in the lead-up. There’s still options there. If it got to the stage where they were taken off the table, I still think that we’d be comfortable with Pat’s experience and skill level.”The injury also presents a possibility that Cummins will not be able to play and captain all five Tests. There are eight-day breaks following each of the first and second Tests but those breaks shorten to just four days after the third and fourth, putting major strain on the ability of fast bowlers on both sides to back up later in the series.Steven Smith will likely captain Australia if Cummins were to miss any of the Tests. Smith led Australia in the two Tests against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka earlier this year when Cummins missed due to an ankle issue and the birth of his second child. Smith also captained one Test in the last Ashes series in Australia in December 2021 when Cummins was ruled out of the second match in Adelaide due to the Covid-19 rules in place at the time.Overall, Smith has captained six times in Cummins’ absence since returning to the vice-captaincy in 2021. Travis Head is also formally a Test vice-captain but it would be unlikely he would be called upon to deputise if Smith is in the XI.Steven Smith would likely captain if Pat Cummins missed a Test•Getty Images

On a bowling front, Australia have a ready-made replacement in Scott Boland, but should another injury occur to either Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc then the likes of Michael Neser and the uncapped pair of Brendan Doggett and Sean Abbott will come into the frame.Jhye Richardson is hopeful he can be fit by the time the Ashes starts but he is recovering from shoulder surgery and has only just started bowling again and won’t be able to throw properly. Lance Morris is out for the summer after opting to have back surgery following another stress fracture.Hazlewood and Starc’s management will become critical in the lead into the Ashes. Starc’s retirement from T20Is means he will likely play the ODIs against India and at least one Shield game for New South Wales before the first Test, as he did last summer.Hazlewood will play the T20Is in New Zealand, but almost certainly won’t play all three in four days. He, too, will likely play some of the ODIs and at least one Shield game before Perth. Last summer he played one Shield game and one ODI but broke down with a side strain in Perth before returning for the third Test in Brisbane only to injure his calf and miss the rest of the summer.CA will also be extra vigilant in managing allrounder Cameron Green ahead of the Ashes as he returns to bowling for the first time since back surgery last year. Green will not tour New Zealand and will instead play the first Shield round for Western Australia starting on October 4. It is likely he will play three Shield games and potentially only one ODI before the Ashes begins to build up his bowling loads.Cummins’ back issue could also influence Australia’s selection in the Ashes. There had been a thought that Australia did not need the luxury of two allrounders in the same Ashes XI with Green’s return to bowling potentially making the in-form Beau Webster surplus to requirements. But having two allrounders in the same XI could significantly aid Cummins’ chances of playing while managing his workloads given Australia could have five genuine seam options plus Nathan Lyon to spread the overs across.

Both sides weigh up extra spin options based off some spin success in the most recent ODI and BBL matches in Cairns in 2022

Alex Malcolm15-Aug-2025

Josh Inglis set to replace Alex Carey after recovering from the flu•AFP/Getty Images

Big picture: A rare T20I series decider in CairnsAustralia venture into the unknown in more ways than one on Saturday. While South Africa played in a T20I series decider just three weeks ago in Harare, Australia have not played in a live T20I series decider since September 2022. They were set to do so in the final match of a three-game series in England last year but rain prevented a ball being bowled with the series locked at 1-1. Other than that, Australia have clean swept the three other series they have played since the 2024 World Cup, where they didn’t make the semi-finals. Every series they played between the 2022 World Cup, where they also did not make the semi-finals, and 2024 was also decided before the final game.It will be a useful pressure test for both sides as they continue to gear up towards the 2026 T20 World Cup. They will also face unknown conditions at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns in far north Queensland. Just as Darwin had never hosted a T20I before this series, Cairns will host its first on Saturday night. It has hosted far more recent international cricket, though, with Australia playing three ODIs there in 2022, which will be relevant for the start of the ODI series on Tuesday. There has been a BBL game there, in 2022, but it was played at a different time of year. However, Australia left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann is the only member of either team to have played in that game. He took 3 for 32 for Brisbane Heat while fellow left-arm orthodox spinner Akeal Hosein took 3 for 15 from four overs for Melbourne Renegades, having opened the bowling with Mujeeb Ur Rahman as Renegades successfully defended 166. Adam Zampa also took 5 for 35 in one of the 2022 ODIs against New Zealand.Related

Markram returns to opening role to accommodate 'more destructive' batters

Stoinis has unfinished T20 business for Australia

Will Australia need wicketkeeping back-up for T20 World Cup?

Brevis makes a statement as the 'original Dewald'

Owen, Morris, Short ruled out of South Africa series

That background, albeit from a one-off game, may see both sides consider selecting left-arm spinners for the decider. Kuhnemann has not played since debuting in the second T20I in Jamaica last month, where Australia bowled 11 overs of spin to restrict West Indies. He did play a major part in the second game in Darwin when, as a substitute fielder, he dropped Dewald Brevis at long-on on 56 before Brevis went on to pummel a match-winning 125 not out.South Africa left out their two left-arm orthodox spinners in George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy in game two in Darwin and only bowled four overs of spin via legspinner Nqabayomzi Peter and skipper Aiden Markram.Whether they wish to change a winning formula remains to be seen, especially given the success of South Africa’s pacers against Australia’s top-order so far in the series. Meanwhile, Australia will be forced to make at least one change with Mitchell Owen ruled out of the series after suffering concussion. Josh Inglis (flu) and Nathan Ellis (rested) should be right to return after missing game two. Matt Short was a chance to return for this match but has been ruled out of the game and the ODI series to follow because of a side strain. Aaron Hardie is there as cover and looks set to return to the XI after playing twice in the recent Caribbean series before losing his place in the squad.Form guideAustralia LWWWW
South Africa WLLWLGlenn Maxwell produced a brilliant piece of work to on the rope to remove Ryan Rickelton in the first game•Getty Images

In the spotlight: Glenn Maxwell and Aiden MarkramGlenn Maxwell is a vital player in Australia’s T20I line-up ahead of the World Cup next year because of his versatility and his all-round skills. His bowling is crucial for the balance of the side while he remains one of the best fielders in the team and capable of deciding matches with stunning outfield catches like the one he produced in game one of this series. He has many, many credits in the bank with the bat too. Maxwell has been prone to some lean patches across his career, but his batting has been skittish in recent times. Even with his flair and his 360-degree skills, Maxwell at his best takes control of the middle-to-late overs and stacks the risk-reward options in his favour more often than not.That hasn’t been the case recently, though. He has one 50-plus score in his last 23 T20s across all leagues dating back to the start of the IPL, and only five scores of 21 or more with three of those coming in MLC, and 11 of the 23 have been single-figure scores. His only real contribution with the bat in the last seven T20Is came in Basseterre with 47 off 18 opening the batting, although he was 20 off 7 and flying in the previous game before being run out through no fault of his own. He has been moved around the order, which can be unsettling, and Australia would be thrilled to have won six of seven without major batting contributions from him. But equally, they would love to see Maxwell fire in a big game again sooner rather than later.Like Maxwell, there is no question on Aiden Markram’s ability in T20 cricket but his output has been puzzling. He has not scored a T20I half-century in his last 30 innings dating back to the 2022 T20 World Cup. Since the start of 2024, he has reached 20 just four times in 20 innings, with a highest score of 46 against USA, averaging just 15.50 at a strike rate of just 122.90.He has been bounced through every position in the top five and has returned to open in this series after a decent IPL opening the batting for Lucknow Super Giant, where he made five half-centuries in 13 innings. But he struck at 15 runs per 100 balls slower than his opening partner Mitchell Marsh in the IPL and a rate of 148.82 in Indian conditions would be considered sluggish and potentially not a method for success in a World Cup in India, as evidenced by the way Australia’s top-order are trying to play. There’s no doubt he has the class and the ability to adjust. He loves playing against Australia in all-formats and a good score would settle any questions that might surround the captain’s position in South Africa’s top-order.Aiden Markram has been bounced through every position in the top five and has returned to open in this series•AFP/Getty Images

Team news: Inglis, Ellis likely to return; South Africa consider more spin optionsInglis is set to return in place of Alex Carey after missing the last match with the flu, while Ellis should return after being rested. Inglis will slot back in at No. 3 with the rest of the order likely to slide. However, with Owen ruled out and Hardie potentially replacing him at No. 7 does open the door for Australia to pick two spinners given Hardie can open the bowling. If Kuhnemann were to partner Zampa, and Ellis also returned, then two of Josh Hazlewood, Sean Abbott or Ben Dwarshuis could miss out. Dwarshuis would be desperately unlucky to miss out owing to Hazlewood’s seniority given his superb form. There is a possibility, though, that Australia could rest their prized all-format asset in Hazlewood with three ODIs coming in six days starting on Tuesday.Australia (possible): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Cameron Green, 5 Tim David, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Aaron Hardie, 8 Ben Dwarshuis, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood/Matt KuhnemannDo South Africa stick with a winning combination or add an extra spinning allrounder back into the mix? That will be the question Shukri Conrad and his team will debate heading into the unknown conditions in Cairns. Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ two scores of 14 and 10 provide another avenue if they wish to promote Rassie van der Dussen back to No. 3 or even elevate the in-form Brevis higher in order to return Linde at No. 6. Muthusamy could also replace Peter if the conditions look more favourable for a left-arm fingerspinner rather than a legspinner. Nandre Burger could also be considered if either Lungi Ngidi or Corbin Bosch need a rest.South Africa (possible): 1 Aiden Markram (capt), 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Lhuan-dre Pretorius, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Rassie van der Dussen, 7 Corbin Bosch/George Linde, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Nqabayomzi Peter/Senuran Muthusamy, 10 Kwena Maphaka, 11 Lungi Ngidi/Nandre BurgerGeorge Linde could return for South Africa•Getty Images

Pitch and conditionsLike in Darwin, the conditions in Carins are unknown although the 2022 BBL game does provide something to work off compared to the blind test at Marrara Oval. Spin could be a factor and batting might not be that easy overall. Even the ODIs in 2022 between Australia and New Zealand were relatively low-scoring with only one total of more than 250 scored in the three games. The weather looks perfect with conditions set to be very mild and pleasant in the evening. The late-evening dew could be a concern as there will be some humidity.Stats and trivia Australia have not lost in seven men’s internationals in Cairns, including two Tests and five ODIs. South Africa are chasing just their second bilateral T20I series win in their last nine. Australia have lost just one of their last eight including being undefeated in their last six series. Maxwell needs one wicket to reach 50 in T20Is. He will become just the fourth men’s player to score 2500 runs and take 50 wickets in the format when he gets there.Quotes”I sort of pride myself on being able to fill any hole possible. So whether that’s up the order or middle-order batting, and then being able to bowl any overs from one to 20 in the T20 format.”
.”We’ve never been to Darwin or to this place. We’ve enjoyed our time. Obviously, a different feel to what we’re used to in Australia. South Africans sort of like that. It’s a bit more open, a bit more relaxed, a bit more chilled. People have been great and all the sideshows have been really good as well.”
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