ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-2016You can watch the ongoing Test series between Zimbabwe and New Zealand on television in New Zealand, India and Sri Lanka, and maybe several other places, but not in host country Zimbabwe. A source told ESPNcricinfo that public broadcaster ZBC has been offered the feed for free but is experiencing a technical fault, which has prevented it from broadcasting the ongoing first Test. Pay-television network SuperSport, which is South Africa-based and works throughout the continent, did not obtain the rights for this series.Instead, Ten Sports is providing the world feed, which explains why the broadcast is available in the subcontinent. SuperSport was negotiating for the rights until a few weeks ago but failed to come to an agreement, which means the matches are also not being aired in neighbouring South Africa. SuperSport went through similar discussions ahead of India’s limited-overs tour to Zimbabwe in June, and reached an agreement at the eleventh hour to broadcast the matches.Zimbabwean fans expressed their frustration on Twitter, even though they did not turn out in big numbers at Queens. Midway through the first day, there were only a few hundred people at the stadium. With school holidays beginning at the end of this week, better crowds are expected as the series goes on.
The USA Cricket Association has asked for the cancellation of the six Caribbean Premier League matches to be played in Florida from July 28 to 31. They claim the CPL and Broward County in Lauderhill did not receive proper sanctioning to host the event.However, ICC head of global development Tim Anderson pointed out that USACA did not have the authority to sanction matches since it had been suspended in 2015 and said the CPL fixtures were okay to go ahead as planned.”Please be assured that the CPL has indeed completed the due sanctioning process required by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in order to host these matches in Florida,” Anderson wrote to WICB president Dave Cameron and the Lauderhill officials. “The USA Cricket Association (USACA) is currently suspended by the ICC, and as part of this suspension does not hold the right to sanction such matches in the USA.”The uncertainty began when USACA’s legal representative and former executive secretary Kenwyn Williams emailed Broward County Parks manager Duncan Finch that the CPL officials had not followed protocol to host matches in Florida.”We understand that the CPL is slated to hold several cricket matches over several days at the Central Broward Regional Park,” Williams wrote on June 13. “The organisers of the CPL matches did not apply for and receive the requisite sanctions for holding the slated matches in the United States. We request that you cancel the scheduled events until further notice.”The Broward County officials, though, are proceeding with plans to ready the stadium for the CPL games next month.Lauderhill Mayor Richard Kaplan had stated that the city had plans to host several other events at the $70 million Central Broward Regional Park, which opened in 2008. According to Kaplan, those plans were regularly undermined by USACA and the mayor approached the ICC in 2013 for help with the matter.
Rising Pune Supergiants have already attracted a massive fan base by successfully completing their first order of business post-establishment – appoint MS Dhoni as captain, currently one of the world’s most influential sportspersons. Having had the first pick at the IPL draft, there was a high probability they would acquire his services, and it seems the rest of the squad has been intricately built around him. Three of their four most expensive purchases – Kevin Pietersen, Ishant Sharma and Mitchell Marsh – were bought for a combined INR 12.10 crores, but their insistence on legspinner M Ashwin (INR 4.5 crores) provided many with a compelling point for the failure to fathom IPL auctions.
Rising Pune Supergiants squad
MS Dhoni (c), Ankit Sharma, Baba Aparajith, M Ashwin, R Ashwin, Ankush Bains, Rajat Bhatia, Scott Boland, Deepak Chahar, Ashok Dinda, Faf du Plessis, Peter Handscomb, Jaskaran Singh, Mitchell Marsh, Ishwar Pandey, Irfan Pathan, Thisara Perera, Kevin Pietersen, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma, RP Singh, Steven Smith, Adam Zampa, Albie Morkel, Saurabh Tiwary
The batting core, is as strong as any other’s in the competition. The brains behind the operation – Faf du Plessis, Steven Smith and Dhoni, all T20I captains – will be tasked with consolidation or score-amplifying duties, much like their roles in for their national teams. In a game of fine margins, will their similar styles be a boon or bane?The bowling, on the other hand, seems carefully assembled for slow surfaces, akin to that of Chennai Super Kings. Much of that same CSK flavour has been retained by the appointment of Stephen Fleming as head coach. R Ashwin, Albie Morkel and Ishwar Pandey will not do much to take that method of cricket away from the Supergiants brand either. Will the Pune pitch, a track that closely resembled the outfield for the T20I against Sri Lanka in February, live up to the franchise’s expectations?
Burning question
Before the tournament, Supergiants seem to have adopted a template for for sluggish conditions, with potent batsmen to counter two-paced pitches. Despite the presence of Marsh and Dhoni, do they have enough firepower in the middle and lower order to tackle the bigger sides in alien conditions, and achieve the unthinkable targets that T20s are getting increasingly accustomed to?
The go-to men
Kevin Pietersen’s form prior to the IPL auction got many questioning the England selectors’ acumen: Pietersen last played a T20I for England in 2013, and was unceremoniously dropped in 2014; in 16 games in the Ram Slam and Big Bash League in 2015-16, Pietersen scored 724 runs at an average of 55.69 and a strike rate of 166.43. Also, his stint with Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League would have, undoubtedly, prepared Pietersen for a possibly gruelling season on potentially tough surfaces.Apart from Ashok Dinda, Ishant Sharma is the only bowler in this squad possessed of genuine pace. Ishant wasn’t a part of India’s T20 plans and had therefore been allowed time to train in the months leading up to the IPL. Although sparingly effective at keeping the runs down, Ishant provides a different skill to this side with his pace and wicket-taking prowess.
Bargain buy
Rajat Bhatia’s cunning variations in pace and control over his craft have made him a handful in the IPL. Sixteen years since making his debut, Bhatia completed 100 first-class matches this season. Having played every year since the IPL’s inception for various teams, Bhatia will be a useful lower-order cog to Dhoni and his team. Supergiants picked up the allrounder for INR 60 lakhs, double his base price, and it remains to be seen if other teams will regret not having acquired one of the tournament’s under-the-radar stars.
Availability
No injury concerns.
Coaches
Head coach – Stephen Fleming, assistant coach – Hrishikesh Kanitkar, bowling coach – Eric Simons, performance analyst – Prasanna Agoram
Quotes
“I understand that too many chefs can make things messy, but believe me, when you have someone like MS Dhoni, there is no question who is in control.”
When Wolverhampton Wanderers won the Championship with 99 points in 2017/18, there was an emanating feeling of optimism that had scarcely been seen at Molineux for some years.
The Old Gold had crafted a team capable of competing in the Premier League before promotion had even been clinched, with the likes of Diogo Jota and Ruben Neves featuring prominently in the ascension from the second tier.
The latter still stars at the centre of the Old Gold system to date, with Jota completing a £45m transfer to Liverpool in 2020, and with Neves having been touted by the likes of Jurgen Klopp's Reds after proving a staple to his side's success over the past five years, his stature as a leading Premier League midfielder is illuminated.
How much is Ruben Neves worth now?
Signing for £15m from Porto in 2017, the Portuguese machine has made 244 appearances for Wolves, scoring 29 goals and providing 12 assists from his assiduous central role.
According to Football Transfers, the 26-year-old is now worth £39m, marking a 160% increase in his value; out of contract in 2024, if boss Julen Lopetegui fails to tie his star down to a new long-term deal, instead choosing to recuperate the fee the club paid, there is no doubt that he would eclipse the initial figure.
Market Mover graphic for Ruben Neves of Wolves.
The 37-cap international has been hailed a "beast" by former US international Jimmy Conrad for his exploits in Wolves colours, integral in clinching successive seventh-place top-flight finishes and taking his outfit to the quarter-finals of the 19/20 Europa League, and he has cemented his legacy as one of the proud club's modern legends.
What is Neves' record at Wolves?
Dubbed "sensational" by former skipper Conor Coady, Neves has been a stalwart for his team and an imperious and unrelenting engine to ensure a fall back into the Championship has not materialised.
This season, Wolves have been threatened by relegation, with the appointment of Lopetegui in November proving a success thus far – though with just three points separating the 13th-placed team and newly-promoted Bournemouth in the relegation zone, safety is certainly not yet ensured.
But with Neves scoring five goals from 26 league matches this term, recording an impressive average Sofascore rating of 7.28, the club's Spanish manager has the perfect force to stave off the threat.
Neves' 1.5 shots and 0.8 key passes per game illustrate his creative threat, while his 85% passing accuracy and 70% dribble success rate provide a level of assurance that is imperative to treading water above danger.
And with the combative nature of the £50k-per-week phenom evidenced by his 2.4 tackles, 2.6 clearances and 1.4 interceptions per match, his all-encompassing work would likely leave him flourishing among any crop of players in European football, hence the mounting interest from European outfits.
As per FBref, Neves ranks among the top 11% of midfielders in Europe for total shots and the top 2% for clearances per 90, compared by the site to the likes of Arsenal's Thomas Partey and West Ham United's Declan Rice, clearly a stellar peer to some of the Premier League's most admired holding stars.
Neves' rise in value is a testament to the shrewd scouting unit at Molineux, and the diligence of chairman Jeff Shi to make a bold move for the machine before a return to the Premier League has even materialised.
He embodies the Old Gold side that has plied marvellous work over recent years, and his transfer as an aspiring talent should be viewed as nothing other than a comprehensive success.
Southampton ‘have had interest’ from former Premier League manager Frank Lampard in the vacant role on the south coast, according to recent reports.
The Lowdown: Marsch talks break down…
It was widely believed just two days ago that former Leeds head coach Jesse Marsch was set to take charge at St Mary’s after positive talks.
However, after a managerial twist, negotiations with the American broke down, with reliable sources suggesting that the main reason was down to contract length.
After sacking the under-fire Nathan Jones last weekend, Southampton are now back to square one in their search for his successor, and Sport Republic’s next move could be crucial.
The Latest: Southampton attracting Lampard’s interest?
According to The Guardian, in terms of alternatives to Marsch, there could be a handful of contenders for the vacancy at St Mary’s, with some big names displaying an interest in the role.
One of those is former Chelsea and Everton boss Lampard, with the report stating that apparently the Southampton board ‘have had interest’ from the 44-year-old among other candidates.
The Verdict: Good option?
The Premier League playing legend’s last two high-profile jobs at Stamford Bridge and Goodison Park ended in his prompt dismissal, but Lampard did guide Derby County to the Championship play-off final in 2019, and he has managerial experience in both of the top two divisions in England.
He has also survived relegation battles before, having steered Everton away from the drop zone towards the end of last season.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also once heralded the ‘exceptional job’ that he feels Lampard performed at Chelsea back in 2020 before his eventual sacking, so the 44-year-old does come with some credentials.
However, given that the majority of his roles have ended in disappointment, Southampton must be wary of hiring the former Everton boss and perhaps ascertain why – if they do indeed regard Lampard as a viable candidate.
West Ham United's 2022/23 campaign was characterised by highs and lows, with David Moyes' outfit failing to replicate the imperious league form that had resulted in successive European campaigns.
Indeed, the Hammers actually got sucked into the battle at the pit of the Premier League table at the season's midpoint and Moyes fell under heavy scrutiny, even believed to be one match away from the sack back in February, though they dispatched Nottingham Forest 4-0 in that decisive fixture.
Improved form at the season's business end was cherry-topped with a sensational triumph in the Europa Conference League, and despite selling midfield centrepiece Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105m in July, West Ham have started the current campaign in fine fettle.
How are West Ham getting on this season?
While many of an Irons affiliation will have been concerned by Rice's departure, with the 24-year-old heralded as a "monster" by ESPN's David Cartlidge for his feats, the club have responded convincingly in the summer market to retain a position of strength.
Having welcomed the first-team additions of Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse and Konstantinos Mavropanos, Moyes has reinvested from Rice's sale astutely.
The early-season signs are promising, with three wins and a draw to commence the campaign – including victories over Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion – placing the east London outfit in fourth place after as the season pauses for the first international break.
West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen.
The Athletic's Roshane Thomas has praised the "great start to the season", and while the ever-impressive Jarrod Bowen has stolen the headlines with his prolific exploits over the past month, it is one of the squad's fresh faces who has truly stolen the show thus far; James Ward-Prowse.
How good has James Ward-Prowse been at West Ham?
Signed from relegated Southampton for £30m in August, Ward-Prowse arrived with a weight of expectation after performing so admirably as the Saints' captain, making 410 appearances, scoring 55 goals and supplying 54 assists.
Renowned as a "set-piece master" – as has been said by stadium announcer Maximiliano Bretos – Ward-Prowse has been the fulcrum of Southampton's efforts for numerous years, and while the club have fallen into the second tier, he can hold his head high after sustained performances of merit.
3 games
1 goal
3 assists
6.7 ball recoveries per game
2 interceptions per game
All stats via Sofascore.
Arriving at West Ham, Moyes lauded the 28-year-old's "leadership qualities" and technicality, confirming that he would play a big role in the years to come after such splendid work on the south coast
And in the maiden stage of his career in claret, Ward-Prowse has tantalised a starring position, having already netted his first goal and laid off three assists across his first three outings.
James Ward Prowse
Having been praised for his "world-class" qualities by former Southampton manager Nathan Jones, Ward-Prowse ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 16% for assists and the top 14% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref, highlighting a dynamic, all-incorporating skill set to provide his squad with quality from multiple angles.
Such talent is showcased through his remarkable free-kick ability, with his 17 goals scored from direct free-kicks bettered only by David Beckham's 18 – the way things are going, the Portsmouth-born ace will likely surpass that tally this term.
Bowen has indeed been the starring presence so far this season, scoring three goals and registering an assist across four games, hailed for his “outstanding” form by journalist Josh Bunting, but while he has been the focal point in offensive movements, it is the £115k-per-week Ward-Prowse who has been the engine to charge the churning Hammers machine.
With his superlative passing skills, tenacious defensive application and metronomic conduit-like presence between defence and attack, Ward-Prowse has risen to the fore already under Moyes' stewardship, and now with a framework to build from, could star in a fantastic season for his new, ambitious outfit.
A very wholesome video of the Royale Union Saint-Gilloise squad being told they’re playing Liverpool in the Europa League has emerged online, while Alexis Mac Allister received a message from his brother.
Who are Liverpool playing in the Europa League?
The Reds will not be playing in the Champions League this season and instead will have to settle for a place in the European competition one tier below after finishing fifth in the Premier League last term.
As a result, however, this has afforded them the opportunity to come up against some teams they wouldn't usually play.
And as footballing fate would have it, the draw threw out a rather interesting match-up when the groups were revealed this week.
Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…
Indeed, having only just arrived at Liverpool in the summer – signing from Brighton for an initial £35m – Mac Allister will be coming up against his brother Kevin when the two teams meet later this year.
Indeed, Kevin is one year older, plays for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, and has already sent a message to his sibling in footage shared on the Belgian club's official Twitter account.
As you can see, it's a lovely moment as all the players celebrate with glee upon hearing the news, before the camera pans to the older Mac Allister who says to his brother: "See you soon bro!"
TNT Sports also shared LASK reacting to the draw, proving that Royale Union Saint-Gilloise weren't the only one to be excited about the prospect of a trip to Anfield.
The full draw will see LASK, Union SG and Toulouse meet Liverpool in Group E of the 2023-24 Europa League.
How old is Alexis Mac Allister?
Liverpool's Mac Allister is 24 years years of age, born 24 December 1998, while his older sibling, Kevin, is 25 and born almost a year earlier on 7 November 1997.
Incidentally, their father, Carlos Mac Allister, was also a professional footballer and played for Boca Juniors in the late '80s and early '90s – even sharing the pitch with Diego Maradona at one time.
In an interview with The Athletic, the Argentine revealed his family roots, saying: “According to our family, we came from Ireland, rather than Scotland.
“We came to Argentina, to a place called Pergamino, but that was three or four generations ago, and later my father and mother married and moved to a different place — Santa Rosa in the Province of La Pampa, which is where Alexis was born.
“Now, when we get together, they always say that our ancestors came from Ireland. I don’t know whether the ones before them were from Scotland, and went to Ireland from Scotland, and then our ancestors came here. But we say that we came from Ireland.”
After completing a move to Liverpool in the summer, Mac Allister has made an okay start to life at his new club, playing in all three Premier League games so far but his red card (ultimately overturned) and lowly 6.54 WhoScored average match rating (the 11th lowest in the squad), suggests there is room for improvement.
It will certainly be fascinating to see how he and his brother get on when the Reds play Royale Union Saint-Gilloise home and away in Europe later this year.
Aston Villa were thrashed 5-1 by Newcastle on the opening weekend but the most disappointing news to come out of that game was a long-term injury to Tyrone Mings.
The 30-year-old centre-back suffered a serious injury which has sidelined him for the remainder of the season and left him requiring surgery.
Mings featured in all but three Premier League games last season, becoming a key player under Unai Emery.
With Villa facing the exciting but daunting prospect of juggling domestic and European football, defensive reinforcements are a must and a significant update has emerged regarding their chase of a World Cup-winning left back.
Aston Villa transfer news – What's the latest?
According to Diario de Sevilla (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa have 'made their move' for Sevilla's Marcos Acuna over the last week having seen two bids rejected, with the first being deemed 'far too low'.
A third bid is reportedly in the pipeline, however, the Spanish giants are only open to a potential deal if they can secure the right price for the 31-year-old. It's said a deal is now 'getting closer'.
Acuna is open to a move to Villa, so if the correct price can be negotiated, the Argentinian will be Emery's latest recruit.
How good is Marcos Acuna?
The "quality" Acuna – as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy – has played for Sevilla since 2020, making 125 appearances and recording 18 goal involvements with the most joyous moments of his career coming in recent times.
From featuring in all but one of Argentina's matches on their way to a World Cup triumph in Qatar to lifting the Europa League trophy in June, it's fair to say that it's been a whirlwind 12 months for Acuna.
With transfer links drawn towards the 5 foot 8 ace, Villa supporters would have kept a close eye on his performance in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday night.
Despite losing on penalties to Manchester City, the World Cup winner played a full 90 minutes and provided the assist for Youssef En-Nesyri's goal, which was later cancelled out by Cole Palmer's equaliser.
Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna.
While Sevilla would have been disappointed by this defeat, Acuna was subject to high praise from Pep Guardiola when discussing Palmer's future.
He said: "it’s not easy to play against defenders like [Marcos] Acuna, for example, who is a top defender."
When one of the best managers in the world directs high praise towards a player, it's difficult not to take notice, especially after a phenomenal 2022/23 season.
Acuna stands-out out in La Liga when comparing his attacking stats to his positional peers, ranking in the top 10% for non-penalty goals (0.14), expected assists (0.27), shot-creating actions (4.80), crosses (6.92) and key passes 1.79), via FBref.
With Alex Moreno and Lucas Digne to compete against in his position, those attacking stats, in particular, prove that he has the quality to challenge or perhaps even make that spot his own.
Having already signed a Europa League-winning defender in Pau Torres, adding Acuna to the ranks is a mouth-watering proposition with the pair looking tailor-made to form a strong partnership.
Torres happened to replace the aforementioned Mings in light of his horrendous injury against Newcastle and then made his first start against Everton on Sunday, keeping a clean sheet.
He won 100% of his aerial duels and completed 90% of his passes from a left centre-back berth, as per Sofascore.
Such a role could see him thrive alongside Acuna, with a solid and dependable left-sided combination set to emerge for Emery.
Egypt and Ghana shared the spoils in a bombastic 2-2 draw in their second game of the Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday.
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Kudus struck twice for Ghana
Egypt managed to equalise twice
Both teams looking for first win
Getty
TELL ME MORE
Mohammed Kudus was the star of the show with two goals but the Black Stars were unable to hold onto their lead, leaving them with just one point from their two games so far. Egypt, having drawn with Mozambique in their first game, were dealt a horrible blow when they lost Mohamed Salah to injury and were deprived of the three points again.
It was a fairly even start to the game, with neither side enjoying decent chances or seeing a great deal more of the ball than the other. However, things went terrible for Egypt and wonderful for Ghana in a short space of time as Salah went down off the ball and was substituted with an apparent injury in first-half stoppage time. A minute later, Ghana were in the lead as Kudus fired in a beautiful goal from the edge of the box.
Egypt thought they had pulled level early in the second half when Mohamed Abdelmonem put the ball in the back of the net but the goal was ruled out for offside. Egypt carved out another good chance when Omar Marmoush, who was excellent throughout, tested Richard Ofori's resolve with a dangerous shot but the Ghana goalkeeper pulled off a strong save.
Then came what may be the most bizarre six minutes we will see in this competition. First, Inaki Williams' awful pass backwards was pounced on by Egypt and Marmoush was able to fire in the equaliser. Just two minutes later, Kudus came to the rescue again when he took on a pass and lashed Ghana back in front.
That lead lasted just three minutes, though, after some great work from Trezeguet resulted in Mostafa Mohamed nipping in to knock in another equaliser for the Pharaohs, as they posted just their second point in as many matches.
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THE MVP
Kudus really popped up when it mattered – on two occasions! Ghana were able to capitalise on Egypt's misery after losing Salah by blasting in a fine opener a minute later. Then, immediately after Williams' terrible pass gave away the equaliser, Kuduscombined with Dennis Odoi and smashed in another goal.
THE BIG LOSER
It's rare to see a player be worse than useless, but that is the only way to describe Williams in this match. The forward was never a threat on goal and his only contribution was for Egypt instead of Ghana as his awful pass gave away the first equaliser.
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WHAT COMES NEXT?
Both of these teams will be disappointed so far after failing to win in their first two matches. Egypt will have to take on Group B leaders Cape Verde in their final game of the round, while Ghana need to beat Mozambique if they are to have any hope of staying in the competition.
The current trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have a more outstanding collection of fast-bowling attributes than the pace trio of 2013, according to Ryan Harris
Daniel Brettig07-Nov-2017
Cricket Australia/Getty Images
Ryan Harris rates Australia’s Ashes pace battery of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins as superior to the trio he formed with Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle to inflict a 5-0 sweep on England in 2013-14, but believes both teams face potential trouble in the form of unsettled batting line-ups.In a judgement some may find surprising, given the older group combined for a total of 627 Test wickets, including 75 in that Ashes series alone, Harris said that this summer’s combination boasted a more outstanding collection of fast-bowling attributes than the one he was a part of, starting with Hazlewood’s greater height.”I think so. Hazlewood’s probably doing the job that I did and he’s quicker than me, and he gets more bounce,” Harris said in Adelaide when asked if the current attack was better than his own. “And you’ve got Starc who can definitely do a Johnson role, and you’ve got Cummins so you’ve probably got an extra bit of pace.”Cummins on his day, he’s fast as well. Obviously we did a good job last time but the key is going to be working as a team, as a bowling unit. That’s what we did well last time and obviously got the results.”Australia and England each enter the series with doubt swirling around their batting line-ups – for the visitors at the top of the order and the hosts in the middle order. Then there is the uncertainty around the possible participation of Ben Stokes – pending a police investigation and an ECB internal investigation – after his involvement in a fight outside a Bristol nightclub during the northern season. Harris said these issues raised the potential for a closer series than four years ago.”I think both squads are a bit unsettled, more on their batting line-ups, which I think brings them closer together,” Harris said. “I think Australia have got a pretty good idea of who they want to pick but having unsettled feelings going into that first Test – the bowling line-ups are fine – but I think they’re on even par with their batting line-ups.””[Stokes missing] it’s huge. He’s the one that if England lose wickets at the top he is the one that comes out and steadies or counter-attacks. It’s a big hole for England to be honest. I’m sure Australia will be happy he’s not here but they’d also want him here because you want to play against and win against the best. I guess time will tell whether he comes but I think it’s a big hole for them.”Joe Root’s tourists are in Adelaide preparing for a four-day floodlit fixture that will give them a first look at the conditions in which the inaugural day-night Ashes Test will be staged in early December. Harris is coaching a Cricket Australia XI that lacks bowlers of the sort of velocity expected from Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood, but he still expected the adjustment to be a challenging one for England.”The ball will probably swing early around start time, it may stop swinging in that sort of 30-45 overs and then when it gets to dusk the grass seems to stand up and it zips around,” he said. “We saw in the Shield game the other week that Starc got it to talk a bit around that time when the sun goes down.”Talking to a couple of boys they find it tough to bat around that time so that’s where we’ll try to make it as hard as we can for them. Hopefully we’re not batting around that time, that’s my plan. But they’ll have to get used to that real hard seeing time, and we’ve got some good bowlers here. We haven’t got the pace of Starc or Cummins or Hazlewood, but they’ll have to get used to it.”As for the possibility that the moving pink ball would provide an advantage for England, Harris said he saw bowling attacks as the strong suit of each team. “The bowling line-ups are world class and I think they’re going to have a big say on each Test match,” he said. “With the ball moving around, it’s been well documented that we’ve had trouble with that, but we’re in our own conditions.”But Anderson and Broad – I’m not sure about England’s third quick, probably Woakes – but those two blokes can destroy games and destroy line-ups and they’re proven good bowlers over here. Anderson’s gotten better in these conditions, it’s pacey and Broad likesthe pace.”Having met with the national coach Darren Lehmann before venturing to Adelaide, Harris said the invitational side was not planning to “bat for four days” but would endeavour to make life difficult for the tourists, while also keeping a close eye out for any information that might be useful once the Test matches start.