Australia need to decide how many of their quick bowlers to unleash

Andrew McGlashan26-Jan-2022

Big PictureThe Ashes could be decided in Canberra. If Australia win and take the four points available it will be securely in their hands – where it has been since 2015.The series has yet to really lift off after rain washed out the second two T20Is in Adelaide. There is a chance that this match could also be interrupted by showers which may make it a challenge to force a result, although there is the hope that the pitch will have some life.England captain Heather Knight has been left cursing the weather which has left her side chasing the series, two years after seeing their 2020 T20 World Cup hopes washed away in Sydney only for the skies to clear for just long enough to allow Australia’s match to go ahead.Both sides are talking a positive game in the build-up, but with no red-ball cricket except when Tests are played it is tough for players to get into rhythm. And this time there’s only been two days to get ready. At least for Australia it’s their second match of the season after facing India, although that was a pink-ball day-night contest.With a condensed schedule caused by Covid-19 adjustments and the proximity of the ODI World Cup there have been multiple considerations around this Ashes. With an eye on the Test, England kept Lauren Winfield-Hill and Kate Cross out of the T20I set up and let them focus on red-ball preparation.Cross is one of the players who appeared in the 2013-14 Perth Test which is generally regarded as one of the finest contests in the format where England prevailed by 61 runs despite the all-round brilliance of Ellyse Perry.Australia have had to contend with a variety of injuries this season and in this series they are now without Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux and Tayla Vlaeminck, who would all have pushed for Test selection. However, Beth Mooney is on track for a remarkable return from jaw surgery.Even in the absence of Vlaeminck, Australia hold the edge in pace with Darcie Brown and Stella Campbell in the squad although England match up well in the spin department. The home side’s batting order could be formidable with the likes of Ashleigh Gardner or Tahlia McGrath at No. 7, but England have experienced figures in Knight, Nat Sciver and Tammy Beaumont.Related

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In the spotlightEllyse Perry was a central narrative around the T20Is, but because she didn’t play, having been dropped as Australia focused on role-specific selection. Her Test credentials, though, do not need a second look: her last three Ashes innings read 213*, 116 and 76*. There will be interest, however, in her role and effectiveness with the ball.This series could be an Ashes farewell for Katherine Brunt, who has been a huge figure in this generation of the England team. Her first Ashes Tests were back in 2005 when England famously regained the prize and in 2009 she took career-best figures of 6 for 69 at Worcester. She will be key in the pursuit of 20 wickets and also appears set to take on more responsibility with the bat.Team newsMeg Lanning said Australia had a 12 but did not provide further details. Now that Mooney is able to return, Australia’s main selection decision would appear to be between an extra frontline spinner or quick bowler. With McGrath and Perry there are plenty of seam-bowling options, but a combination of Brown and Campbell could be tempting.Australia (possible) 1 Alyssa Healy (wk), 2 Rachael Haynes, 3 Meg Lanning (capt), 4 Ellyse Perry, 5 Beth Mooney, 6 Ash Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Jess Jonassen, 9 Darcie Brown, 10 Megan Schutt, 11 Stella CampbellKnight confirmed she knew England’s XI but wanted to keep Australia guessing. She did, however, say they were going with an extra bowler compared to the India Test last year which may open the door for a debutant spinner to support Sophie Ecclestone who bowled 64 overs against India.England (possible) 1 Tammy Beaumont, 2 Lauren Winfield-Hill, 3 Heather Knight (capt), 4 Nat Sciver, 5 Amy Jones (wk), 6 Sophia Dunkley, 7 Katherine Brunt, 8 Sophie Ecclestone, 9 Charlie Dean, 10 Kate Cross, 11 Anya ShrubsolePitch and conditionsHaving been very green a couple of days ago the surface has since been trimmed. Lanning said she expected some help early on while Knight believes it will flatten out during the game. The forecast has improved somewhat with the opening day looking good with Saturday the main concern.Quotes”We’re coming here to win. There’s no doubt about that. That’s all we’ve spoken about over the past few days is coming here and how can we best set up a victory. England are coming to do the same thing. So it’s certainly not going to be easy, and we’re going to have to sort of grind it out through certain periods of the game, but that’s the way we’re approaching it.”
Meg Lanning“There’s a line of thought that if you bowl first you can dictate the game a little bit more, you still have to take 20 wickets but hopefully you have a chase at the end.”

Aston Villa are still eyeing up a couple of deals which could see their transfer window go from solid to spectacular.

Trevoh Chalobah is being eyed as a potential replacement for Diego Carlos should he be sold before the end of the window.

Unai Emery is also tracking a La Liga sensation too, and signing him could prove to be a bigger coup than Amadou Onana…

Aston Villa transfer news

As reported earlier this week, Aston Villa have been offered the chance to sign Atlético Madrid striker Samu Omorodion.

The belief is that the club have not made an offer for the youngster, yet this could see Emery lose out on him to a host of clubs who appear keen on securing his services this summer.

It looked as though he was closing in on a move to Chelsea, yet that deal fell through. If Villa did want to make a concrete offer, then it could see them shell out around £34m.

The attacker recently won the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics with Spain, defeating France 5-3 in an enthralling final, but it seems as though he is destined to leave his homeland this summer.

Given his talent and hype surrounding the player of late, he could be one of the biggest signings Emery makes this summer.

Samu Omorodion’s season in numbers

The youngster spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Deportivo Alaves from Madrid, and he took the chance to enjoy a breakout season for the club.

Goals

9

Assists

1

Shots on target per game

1.9

Key passes per game

0.5

Successful dribbles per game

0.6

Total duels won per game

3.5

Indeed, across 36 matches in all competitions, he scored nine times while grabbing an assist, showing flashes of his prodigious talent.

Among his teammates, the Spaniard ranked first for goals and assists (ten) in La Liga, while also ranking first for goal frequency (a goal every 223 minutes), first for shots per game (1.9) and second for shots on target per game (0.8), evidence that his loan spell was a success.

This set him up nicely for the Olympic football tournament, and he featured for Spain, who won gold for the first time since 1992.

While he may have only started one game, the striker netted once while averaging 0.8 shots per match, highlighting his desire to add to his goal tally.

U23 scout Antonio Mango lauded him as a “beast” during his spell on loan last term, as Emery could certainly land a major coup in bringing him to Villa.

Onana has proven he can shine in the Premier League and will be important for the Midlands side as they look to build on last term, but Omorodion’s potential is frightening.

If they lure him to the club, Emery will have a sublime talent on his hands, one that will need to be developed carefully if he wishes to fulfil his potential.

£34m on the surface seems like a lot, but if he can turn into the world-class attacker he is destined to be, it could turn into a bargain.

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ByRoss Kilvington Aug 11, 2024

أعلنت اللجنة المنظمة لبطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 17 سنة عن رجل مباراة منتخب مصر للناشئين أمام الكاميرون، التي أقيمت اليوم الأحد.

وحقق منتخب مصر للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا انتصاره الأول في بطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية، وذلك على حساب منتخب الكاميرون، بنتيجة 2-1، في اللقاء الذي جمع بينهما مساء الأحد، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات.

وحصل اللاعب عبد العزيز الزغبي نجم منتخب مصر على جائزة رجل مباراة مصر والكاميرون، بعد أن ساهم في فوز الفراعنة بتسجيل الهدف الثاني.

وتستضيف ملاعب المغرب مواجهات البطولة التي تشهد مشاركة مصر في إطار المجموعة الثانية من البطولة القارية، والتي تضم أيضًا منتخبي جنوب إفريقيا وبوركينا فاسو. 

منتخب مصر يحقق فوزه الأول أمام الكاميرون في ختام مشاركته بـ كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 17 عامًا (فيديو)

تقدم المنتخب الكاميروني أولًا عن طريق أندريه من ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 33، لكن منتخب مصر تمكن من قلب الطاولة، حيث أدرك حمزة عبد الكريم التعادل من ركلة جزاء أيضًا في الدقيقة 43، قبل أن يسجل عبد العزيز الزغبي هدف الفوز عند الدقيقة 66.

وشهدت الدقائق الأخيرة من اللقاء إثارة كبيرة، بعدما سجل منتخب الكاميرون هدفًا أُلغي بداعي التسلل، ليستمر التفوق المصري حتى صافرة النهاية.

رغم الفوز، ودّع منتخب مصر بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 17 سنة رسميًا بعد احتلاله المركز الثالث في المجموعة برصيد 3 نقاط، خلف بوركينا فاسو المتصدرة، وجنوب إفريقيا صاحبة المركز الثاني. في المقابل، تذيل المنتخب الكاميروني الترتيب بنقطة وحيدة.

With transfer deadline day now hurtling into view, almost all of the teams that make up the 24 outfits that compete in the Championship will be scrambling to get last-minute deals done.

West Bromwich Albion will be no exception, as Carlos Corberan and Co attempt to sprinkle in some last bits of added quality to their already talented squad, before waiting it out until January to then commence business again.

The Baggies could well even be closing in on a deal to see a star man return to the Hawthorns on a permanent deal.

West Brom close in on late signing

According to a report by the Express and Star, West Brom are closing in on a major deal to bring back Mikey Johnston to the second-tier club on a permanent basis after he set the Championship alight last campaign on loan from Celtic.

Scott Parker's Burnley were also reportedly keen on adding Johnston to their ever-changing squad, but it now appears that the Baggies have won their desired man, with a £3m bid predicted to be enough for West Brom to regain the Republic of Ireland international for good.

This might well result in Tom Fellows being allowed to depart, with talk that Ipswich Town and Southampton are very much enamoured by the tricky right winger after a bright start to the new Championship season.

But, West Brom's sadness when it comes to this potential sale would be arguably lessened by Johnston dramatically returning right at the end of the window.

What Johnston would offer West Brom

Selling on Fellows would be somewhat of a gut punch for the promotion hopefuls, with the exciting West Brom number 31 already picking up three assists so early into the fresh second-tier campaign.

Yet, Johnston would be able to fill this hole adequately if he is to rejoin Corberan's camp shortly, just based on his whirlwind loan stint during the 23/24 campaign that instantly made him a firm fan's favourite at the Hawthorns.

Games played

18

Goals scored

7

Assists

1

Shots per game

1.3

Scoring frequency

168 mins

Expected goals (xG)

3.01

Big chances created

4

Far outperforming his xG of 3.01 with seven sublime strikes for his loan employers, plenty more could, therefore, come from the current Celtic man if he is to permanently relocate to West Brom, with four big chances also created across the 18 games he played for Corberan's side, before having to return back to Scotland.

Across 49 games to date for the Baggies, Fellows is amazingly two goals short of Johnston's number at five, despite the obvious difference in games managed between the attacking pair.

Described as being a "special" talent by Corberan when at the top of his Baggies game last season, everyone associated with the Championship promotion hopefuls will hope Johnston can just recapture this electric best when fighting for a spot back in the team, with Karlan Grant now nervously looking over his shoulder at ongoing transfer developments.

West Brom would be gutted to lose one of their own in Fellows, but if the Saints or the Tractor Boys do end up matching The Baggies' bumper £15m valuation, they would be arguably foolish not to accept, considering players such as Grady Diangana are at Corberan's disposal as well down Fellows' familiar right.

With West Brom wanting to show to the Championship that they are serious about being promotion challengers once more, sealing a last-gasp deal for Johnston at just £3m feels like an almighty statement purchase worth making, regardless of any disappointing outgoings.

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ByKelan Sarson Aug 28, 2024

Kenneth Kamyuka came to cricket so he could eat well, but stayed on for the game, and ended up moving to another continent for it

Firdose Moonda20-Sep-2013Shane Warne turned to cricket after being cut from a second-string Aussie Rules team. Dale Steyn took up the sport when he realised a career as a skateboarder would not work out in South Africa. And Kumar Sangakkara chose batting over the baseline when a teacher advised his mother that it would serve him better than his tennis. But Kenneth Kamyuka played cricket to eat.”I was a good soccer player but the soccer team didn’t go out to play matches as much as the cricket team. The cricketers went out every weekend and they would get fed there,” Kamyuka said. “I didn’t have lots of pocket money, so I gave up soccer for cricket. For me, it wasn’t about cricket as much as it was going to get a good meal.”The century-old Busoga College Mwiri, where Kamyuka was educated, is one of Uganda’s most prestigious schools. Overlooking Lake Victoria, it was previously patronised only by the sons of kings and chiefs but has since started offering all Ugandans the chance to benefit from its magnificent facilities. It’s difficult to imagine the food would be bad in such a school, but boarding school dinners have a reputation for being bland, and Kamyuka obviously preferred what he got while playing cricket. It wasn’t long before he began to enjoy the game too.The school’s cricket team was strong and had won nine championships in a row, some of them during Kamyuka’s time. He was identified by coach Justin Ligaylingi for higher honours.Cricket in Uganda is a relatively minor sport with a small community, so a talented player quickly becomes a star. Kamyuka was one such. He recalled a performance at league level that made him stand out. “Against a development team I bowled ten overs, went for 25 runs and picked up all ten wickets myself.”At 19, Kamyuka scored an unbeaten century, from No. 10, against Malaysia in the 2001 ICC Trophy, and was soon hailed as one of the most talented players of his generation.Eight years later, in the World Cricket League Division Three tournament in Argentina, he picked up four Man-of-the-Match awards from five innings and led the wickets chart with 18 at 6.33.He turned out for Uganda at the World Cup qualifiers later that year but shortly after that his relationship with the authorities turned sour. Kamyuka was frustrated by the lack of opportunities, especially to play in other countries, and felt cricket was not being properly managed in Uganda. “I used to play overseas through my own arrangement,” he said. “I didn’t feel the officials had the best interests of the players at heart.”Kamyuka decided to pull the plug on his Uganda career when fell out with the board over daily payments. He called a former schoolmate, Henry Osinde, who had moved to Canada and was now playing for their national side, and told him of his troubles back home. Osinde invited him to visit Canada. Kamyuka did, liked what he saw, and stayed.But by now 27, Kamyuka had to wait four years to qualify for Canada’s national side. He decided to take the chance nevertheless. With Osinde’s assistance, he found a club to play for, impressed with his performances, and was selected for the national team as soon as he became available.He made his debut last month against Netherlands and took a wicket with his first ball. The fixture was washed out but Kamyuka’s figures of 4 for 38 from 5.5 overs, although expensive, were enough to prove his ability and desire. “It was just another game for me. I had one game and one chance to prove myself. I love situations like that,” Kamyuka said. “I haven’t been playing at that level for four years but straight from club level, I picked up a wicket on my first ball.” He especially enjoyed his second dismissal – that of Michael Swart. “He hit me for a few runs before that so I had a few words for him after I got him.”Kamyuka also dedicated his performance to the Canada captain Ashish Bagai, who has backed him from the beginning. “He was the reason I’m playing,” Kamyuka said. “He pushed for me to play and I told all my friends that if I don’t make it I would have let the captain down. He believed in me and supported me no matter what people said, because he had seen me play before.”Kamyuka took a wicket off his first ball for Canada•Eddie NorfolkBagai too is an immigrant to Canada, as are many of his national team-mates. But Ravin Moorthy, Cricket Canada president, does not look at arrivals like Kamyuka as hindrances to the growth of the local game. “The majority of our players come through our youth systems,” Moorthy said. “In the 2011 World Cup, half of our players came out of our development programmes. This is a fact that we are very proud of. We are very fortunate to be able to augment this core talent with players who move to Canada and join our set-up. Even players who do not make it to the national programme help bring up the level of our domestic competition and local leagues, which creates a more robust competition.”Moorthy hopes Kamyuka’s success continues, especially with 2015 World Cup qualifiers looming. “It’s a big plus to have a player like Kenneth, who we have played against in previous World Cup qualifiers. When we reach the qualifiers, having a player who has experience at this level certainly benefits the team.”But before that the 2014 World Twenty20 qualifiers have to be tackled in November in the UAE. Kamyuka will be an integral part of Canada’s squad for the tournament. He believes Canada have a strong chance, more so than Uganda, because of the composition of their squad and their ability to play spin, which may be a factor in the conditions in the UAE.”We’re not too far off, especially in the T20s. Canada has the edge when it comes to experience,” Kamyuka said. “Uganda is weak against spin bowling while Canada has slow wickets that make us better equipped for spin.”Even if Canada don’t make it through the qualifiers, Kamyuka has pledged to keep playing the game, because it gave him a better life. “I want to keep playing, keep fit and have fun. Cricket is the difference between where I am right now – being a good citizen – and being a thug on the streets. Cricket and I are inseparable.”

da bet sport： As the transfer window approaches the deadline, Manchester United are still looking to round off an excellent summer and have reportedly tabled an offer worth over £40m to sign a Europa League winner.

Man Utd transfer news

da pinup bet： Welcoming Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee, the Red Devils, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth have so far enjoyed a solid transfer window, bolstering Erik ten Hag's backline and offensive options. Those at Old Trafford were instantly rewarded for their business on the opening day of their Premier League campaign too, when Zirkzee scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Fulham.

Yet, even after welcoming such reinforcements, Manchester United remain without a potential long-term replacement for Casemiro, who struggled to keep up with the pace of the Premier League last season.

Of course, the main name mentioned on that front has been Manuel Ugarte. The Red Devils are reportedly advancing with talks to sign the midfielder, having already agreed personal terms. But whilst they remain without an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain, those at Old Trafford have reportedly explored another option.

According to reports, which have been relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester United submitted an offer worth €50m (£43m) to sign Ederson from Atalanta after talks, however, the Serie A side instantly turned the bid down.

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The offer came Atalanta's way during a meeting with Manchester United chiefs in Italy, which was initially meant to be about sorting paperwork regarding Rasmus Hoijlund's move to Old Trafford last summer before the subject and subsequent bid for Ederson was reportedly brought up.

A recent Europa League winner, the Brazilian could certainly solve Ten Hag's Casemiro problem, but as things stand, he remains an Atalanta player.

"Machine" Ederson is arguably better than Casemiro and Ugarte

If Manchester United saw their chase to sign Ugarte fall apart and leave them with no choice but to go all out for Ederson, then it could arguably be a blessing in disguise. The Brazilian played a pivotal part in Atalanta's Europa League campaign, including in impressive victories over Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, as the Italians became the only side to defeat Xabi Alonso's side last season.

League stats 23/24 (via FBref)

Ederson

Ugarte

Casemiro

Progressive Carries

32

16

12

Progressive Passes

214

87

112

Tackles Won

49

57

56

Ball Recoveries

188

181

133

What instantly stands out is Ederson's ability to progress play, with an impressive 214 progressive passes to his name last season, over 100 more than both Ugarte and Casemiro managed. As United look to step on the front foot every week, that ability would quickly prove to be vital.

Dubbed a "machine" by Football Transfers' Carlo Garganese following his display against Leverkusen in the Europa League final, Ederson could slot straight into Ten Hag's side. Alas, with just over a week left until the transfer window slams shut for the summer, he is currently on course to remain an Atalanta player.

MatériaMais Notícias

da bwin： O São Paulo encara o São Bernardo, nesta terça-feira (22), às 20h30, no Morumbi, com objetivo principal de conquistar a vaga para as semifinais do Campeonato Paulista e manter vivo o objetivo do bicampeonato estadual, já que foi campeão em 2021.

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da prosport bet： VEJA A TABELA DO CAMPEONATO PAULISTA 2022!

Para isso, o técnico Rogério Ceni aposta na volta de titulares que foram poupados na vitória diante do Botafogo-SP, como o goleiro Jandrei e o volante Pablo Maia. Jogadores que estavam lesionados, como o volante Gabriel e o goleiro Tiago Volpi, treinaram com o elenco e podem ser relacionados.

Além disso, o São Paulo tem apenas uma derrota no Morumbi nesta temporada, quando perdeu para o Palmeiras, por 1 a 0. Já são sete partidas em casa, com quatro vitórias (Santo André, Corinthians, Manaus e Botafogo-SP) e dois empates (Ituano e Inter de Limeira).

Diante do São Bernardo, o São Paulo perdeu apenas uma vez, em duelo disputado na temporada de 2016, quando foi derrotado por 3 a 1. Foram mais quatro jogos, com três vitórias (3 a 0, 2 a 1 e 1 a 0) e um empate (1 a 1).

-Temos que encarar com toda a seriedade do mundo, mas jogamos em casa. Temos que entrar com tudo. Agora é mata-mata, não tem esse favoritismo. A gente sabe dos times maiores, que jogam há mais tempo. Mas nosso pensamento é o São Bernardo, contra eles temos que impor nosso ritmo. Agente sabe da qualidade do São Bernardo, mas pensamos em nosso trabalho, o que fizemos até agora. Jogamos em casa, temos uma equipe melhor a cada jogo, estamos preparados e tenho certeza de que o Rogério vai nos preparar muito bem para essa classificação – disse Rafinha, em entrevista coletiva.

Desde que as quartas de final começaram a ser disputadas no Paulistão, o São Paulo foi eliminado pelo Mirassol, no Morumbi, por 3 a 2, em 2020e se classificouem 2021, quando o Tricolor não só avançou nas quartas de final da competição, como garantiu o título do estadual, após um jejum que estava sendo mantido desde 2005. Na ocasião, a equipe disputou contra a Ferroviária, e garantiu a vitória com um placar de 4 a 2.

Liverpool stars paid a visit to a young Wrexham fan battling a rare form of cancer and jokingly tried to get him to switch his footballing allegiance.

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Liverpool visit children's hospitalCheck in on young Wrexham fanTry to get him to switch teamsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

During Liverpool's annual visit to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for their festive meet and greet, a number of players met Archie White, who has a rare form of cancer called myeloid sarcoma. The 12-year-old is an avid Wrexham fan and has the club's flags and shirts around his bed. When Reds star Curtis Jones checked in on the youngster, he cheekily tried to get him to support Liverpool instead. Archie also admitted he was blown away getting a visit from Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT ARCHIE AND THE LIVERPOOL PLAYERS SAID

The clip begins with Archie introducing himself, that he lives in Wrexham and supports the club. The exchange follows below…

Jones begins by saying, "Hello, hello. We're going to have a tough job here, I can see. We've got a big job on our hands of trying to make you a fan of us, haven't we?"

Archie told the camera crew: "I was nervous but it was very, very good. I enjoyed it. [Virgil] Van Dijk [was the best player to meet]."

When Van Dijk visited his bedside, he said: "I've got someone here to talk to you Max," while holding up his phone for a video call.

Getty Images/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

This is not the first time Archie, who has a cancer that affects less than one in a million children, has enjoyed a special visit this year. Wrexham forward Ollie Palmer popped in last month and co-owner Rob McElhenney had a video call with him as well. So, for all of the Liverpool squad's efforts, it may be a hard task convincing him to switch teams.

Marcus Stoinis’ takedown of Haris Rauf – and not Pakistan’s lapses in the field – was the turning point in a wildly fluctuating semi-final, according to Matthew Wade.Wade was dropped on 12 by Hasan Ali in the outfield when he miscued a slog in the penultimate over of Australia’s chase of 177. Wade then hit the next three balls for sixes as Australia snatched victory, with an over and five wickets to spare.”I don’t think any of them [the drop and missed run-out chances] were the turning points of the match,” Wade said at the post-match press conference. “I think the way Marcus Stoinis batted at the end, to be honest, was probably the turning point of the match.”I think when I came out there, he might have hit the spinner [Shadab Khan] for six, the first ball when I got out there. I think that kind of play, in my eyes, he’s really gutsy in those decisions that you make out in the middle, win you games. He could’ve easily blocked that ball he went for, hit a six and then that total comes down a little bit more.”But I think the turning point of the game I thought was Marcus’s over against Rauf. I thought that kind of swung the momentum our way and gave us an opportunity to win the game. It’s just an easy thing to do to focus in on missed chances. Yes, maybe it would have gone down late in the last over, but I’m still confident we could have gone home.”

Watch cricket live on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the USA. Match highlights of the second semi-final is available in English, and in Hindi (USA only).

Wade usually opens in the BBL, as does Stoinis, but on Thursday the pair sealed a tense chase without panicking. When they came together, Australia required 81 off 46 balls. They finished it off with an over to spare. Wade put down their success to “confidence” and work put in behind the scenes.”It’s confidence, I think. Confidence in your ability to be able to finish the game,” Wade said. “To be able to bat with Marcus has been awesome. Obviously [I’ve] played a lot of cricket with him at Victoria and early on in his career. Obviously saw him grow into the cricketer he is today.”To go out and bat with him certainly gives you a lot of confidence. I know if I can just hang with him for four or five overs, then he’s going to find the boundary. He’s too good and strong not to. So, the reason that me and him are working well towards the back end is we know each other’s game so much.Related

• Matthew Wade played T20 World Cup final with a torn side

• Marcus Stoinis' 'scar tissue' helps transformation look real

• If it's Australia vs Pakistan at a World Cup, the only match-up that matters is their history

• Old Scarborough friends Mitchell and Stoinis to take field as international foes

• Matthew Wade, the new finisher, finishes off Pakistan in grand style

“In the optional sessions, the day before the game, you’ll find me and Steve Smith and Marcus Stoinis go down again in closed sessions because we haven’t got a lot of match practice. It’s been invaluable to see what those guys are doing in training, especially Stoiny, work out his strengths, when he’s hitting the ball at his best. And he can see me do exactly the same thing.”Wade, 33, admitted that his international career might have been over had he not won the semi-final for Australia. In the recent past, Australia have had other keeping options in Josh Philippe, Alex Carey and Josh Inglis, who was a wildcard pick in the World Cup squad after impressing in the Vitality Blast and the Hundred in the UK. However, the team management persisted with Wade and he delivered under pressure.”I don’t feel like it’s on the line anymore so much because I’m not 23 anymore,” Wade said. “And if this is it, this is it. It’s not really on the line for me. It’s going to be all over, I suppose. A little bit, I think… I was a little bit nervous coming into the game and knowing potentially it could be the last opportunity to represent Australia.”I just wanted to do well and really wanted us to win this game, give us an opportunity to win the whole thing. We have a great bunch of guys in that dressing room and guys that I have played with for a long, long period of time.”So, yeah, just really I feel like this game was probably hard on nerves than maybe what the final will be because now we’re in it. We’ve got nothing to lose. We’re going to go out there, do our absolute best. It [the final] might be my last game too. As I’ve said to you before in the past, I’m comfortable with it. If it is it, then it’s it. I’ll play as long as they need me and hopefully, we can win some games while I’m there.”Matthew Wade scooped Shaheen Shah Afridi for two sixes at the close•ICC via Getty Images

The scoop served Wade well against Shaheen Shah Afridi at the death when fine leg was up in the circle and he pointed out that the shot allows him to manipulate the field.”I’ve had those [scoops and laps] for a longish period of time,” Wade said. “I’ve been playing them from early on in my career as well. But, yes, certainly [it] was something I needed to tap back into a little bit more when I’m batting down the bottom.”It’s easy to have the fine leg up a lot of the time at the end, but someone that laps, it kind of opens up the whole field for you. You’ve got to either have mid-off up or third man up or one of the fielders on the off side. It kind of opens the whole field up for you a little bit.”

The left-arm spinner came into the match with just nine first-class wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2021Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann completed the first ten-wicket haul of his career, more than doubling his career tally, as Queensland overcame a stubborn Tasmania second innings in Townsville.Kuhnemann, who before this match had just nine first-class wickets, gave Queensland an early lift when he removed Charlie Wakim. When Marnus Labuschagne had an lbw appeal upheld against Caleb Jewell to remove the opener for 90 – much to Labuschagne’s delight – Tasmania were 4 for 173 but they did not give in without a fight.Jake Doran, who took a nasty blow on the helmet when he was trying to avoid a short delivery, and Beau Webster added 65 before Kuhnemann worked his way through the middle order. Doran top-edged to short fine leg, Webster and Lawrence Neil-Smith were both lbw playing across full deliveries and Tom Andrews chipped tamely to mid-on.Marnus Labuschagne celebrates a wicket•Getty ImagesWhen Gabe Bell was caught behind Queensland were just a wicket away but that final blow took some time to come as the last-wicket pair of Jarrod Freeman and Riley Meredith added 64 to bring the required runs below 100.However, before it got into nervy territory debutant Connor Sully, who had claimed a wicket with his first delivery on the second day, wrapped up the match when Meredith pulled into the leg side.It was a notable result for Queensland who were without Michael Neser, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Xavier Bartlett and Billy Stanlake in their bowling attack.