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Islamabad United scored the lowest first-innings total of PSL 2024 and went down for their second loss in three games

Associated Press23-Feb-2024Quetta Gladiators overcame a late batting collapse to beat Islamabad United by three wickets on Thursday for their third straight win in the Pakistan Super League.Quetta dismantled United’s batting through spinners and restricted them to this season’s lowest total of 138 of 9.United pushed for an unlikely win when they grabbed three late wickets off eight balls. Naseem Shah (2-34) knocked back the off stump of Sherfane Rutherford (29), Akeal Hosein was run-out when he went for a needless third run, and Mohammad Wasim (1) was clean bowled by Shadab Khan (2-24) while attempting a reckless swipe at the Islamabad skipper.Mohammad Amir showed plenty of courage to smash two boundaries with captain Rilee Rossouw scoring an unbeaten 34 as Quetta reached 139-7 with 10 balls to spare.Quetta joined Multan Sultans at the top of the leaderboard with six points from three games. Islamabad has lost back-to-back games and has two points.Jason Roy had provided Gladiators a brisk start of 51 in the powerplay when the Englishman smashed 37 off 18 balls before he played fast bowler Hunain Shah’s PSL debut ball back onto his stumps. Hunain is one of the three brothers picked by Islamabad this season along with Naseem and Ubaid.Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was relieved from the Gladiators captaincy after leading the franchise for eight seasons in a row, could make only one before he was trapped leg before wicket by Shadab before Rutherford and Rossouw combined in a 62-run stand.Earlier, after being sent in to bat, United faltered after cruising along at 69-1 in the first seven overs. Salman Ali Agha (33), who was dropped by Amir early in his knock, Alex Hales (21) and Colin Munro (20) all couldn’t convert good starts and threw away their wickets.Abrar Ahmed (3-18) and Hosein (2-32) dismantled Islamabad’s batting power-house on a slow and dry wicket while Wasim ran through the lower order with 3-20 that included wickets of Faheem Ashraf and Rumman Raees off the last two balls of the innings.Hales smashed Hosein for back-to-back sixes before he went for a needless third big hit against the left-arm spinner and was caught at covers. Munro and Agha both miscued big shots and were caught in the deep as Islamabad lost eight wickets for 69 runs in the last 13 overs.

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da marjack bet： Raí Ramos foi titular nos dois últimos jogos do São Paulo. Após a vitória contra o América-MG, o lateral falou sobre a sequência que tem tido na equipe e destacou os primeiros trabalhos de Dorival Júnior. Para o atleta, mesmo com pouco tempo de contato com o treinador, a equipe ‘conseguiu entender as ideias do técnico’.

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da bet7k： – Quero dizer que estou feliz de ter essa oportunidade, quero aproveitar sempre que tiver essa chance. Mesmo com pouco tempo de trabalho com Dorival, a equipe conseguiu entender as ideias dele, é claro que a gente precisa de alguns ajustes, mas estou feliz pela oportunidade. Acho que a torcida sempre está nos apoiando, empurrando a gente, essa energia foi fundamental, ver o Morumbi lotado. Estamos felizes com isso – disse.

ATUAÇÕES: Rafael tem noite de “paredão” e salva São Paulo na estreia de Dorival

Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

Agora, o São Paulo volta a campo nesta terça-feira (25), contra o Ituano. A partida será essencial para garantir o futuro da equipe na Copa do Brasil e acontecerá no Novelli Júnior. Raí Ramos é desfalque certo por ter disputado a competição por outra equipe, que no caso, foi justamente o Ituano.

continua após a publicidade

Rangers are still on the lookout for their next permanent manager and a new update from journalist Keith Jackson has shed further light on the matter.

Rangers continue search for permanent manager

A host of names continue to be mentioned as options to take charge at Ibrox at the end of the season, assuming Barry Ferguson only remains in an interim role until then.

Rafa Benitez is perhaps the most high profile name linked with the gig, with the former Liverpool and Real Madrid manager thought to be keen on taking the role, having not had a club since being at Celta Vigo last season. He is a proven winner, having won the Champions League during his time at Anfield, and would represent a high-profile appointment.

Meanwhile, Gers legend Ally McCoist has had his say on the potential of Steven Gerrard returning to the Scottish giants, saying: “The other one I’ve heard is Steven Gerrard coming back. He’s out of work, but I’m not sure what his current situation is. I think one of the slight problems might be would be him having to stay out of the country for tax reasons.”

There have also been some faint whispers regarding Jose Mourinho and the possibility that Ferguson could be given the job, depending on how he fares in the coming weeks, having recently come in as Philippe Clement’s replacement. Now, a new update has dropped regarding the former Rangers captain.

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Cavenagh impressed by what he's seen from Ferguson at Rangers

According to The Daily Record‘s Jackson, takeover partner Andrew Cavenagh may see Ferguson as the future permanent Rangers manager, with the 47-year-old said to be “absolutely bursting” to take the job full-time. The health insurance tycoon was present for last week’s 3-1 win away to Fenerbahce in the Europa League, with the report saying that him watching on may have “given the incoming consortium a serious curve ball on which to ponder”.

Jackson also states that “over the course of the next six days”, the Scot “will be given a once in a lifetime opportunity” to earn the chance to show that he is the right man to continue in charge, as the Gers prepare to take on Fenerbahce in Europa and Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

Ferguson has certainly improved the feel-good factor at Rangers, with his knowledge of the club and connection with the fans allowing things to feel more united than they were under Clement, particularly towards the end of his reign.

If Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises end up taking over the Gers and have a major say on who the long-term choice should be at Ibrox, it looks like Ferguson could have a chance of getting the job.

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He has outscored every Blues player this season.

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Henry Jackson

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As Jackson alludes to, if the Gers get past Fenerbahce and reach the Europa League quarter-finals, then pick up a memorable win away to Celtic on Saturday lunchtime, it will do his chances plenty of good.

That said, Ferguson is less experienced than the likes of Benitez and Gerrard, among others, so there would be a risk element if the 49ers took a punt on him. They must not allow sentimentality to override their decision making process.

Jack Grealish is set to exit Manchester City as Pep Guardiola is unlikely to include the winger in his Club World Cup squad.

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Grealish set to leave Man CityUnlikely to feature in the Club World Cup Grealish wants more game timeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After an underwhelming 2024-25 campaign with City, which saw Grealish start only seven times in the Premier League and clock 715 minutes on the pitch, the winger is likely to be on his way out of the Etihad Stadium this summer. According to , manager Guardiola is unlikely to involve the winger in the travelling squad that will jet off to the U.S. for the Club World Cup later this month, which further fuels speculations that the Englishman will exit the club.

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The report adds that Grealish will be a subject of interest for English as well as overseas sides, as the winger is looking for an opportunity where he could play regularly in the 2025-26 campaign in order to secure a place in Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions squad for the 2026 World Cup. The Cityzens are expected to assist him in finding a new club and are open to allowing him to secure a transfer.

Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowDID YOU KNOW?

City have started working on their transfer business and are close to securing a move for AC Milan's Tijjani Reijnders, as they see the Dutchman as a long-term replacement for an ageing Ilkay Gundogan.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

The former English champions will play their opening match of the Club World Cup on June 18 as they take on Moroccan club Wydad AC.

Coach Gary Stead said Devon Conway, who was ruled out of the fourth T20I due to Covid-19, “still has symptoms at the moment”

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2024Allrounder Daryl Mitchell has been pulled out of New Zealand’s upcoming fifth T20I against Pakistan, as the hosts seek to manage his workload. Mitchell, who hit two half-centuries across the first four T20Is, will be replaced by allrounder Rachin Ravindra, who had himself initially been rested for the series.New Zealand coach Gary Stead the decision was taken keeping in mind Mitchell’s workload and the international cricket that follows the Pakistan T20Is, as well as the fact that the hosts were already 4-0 up in the five-match series.”We’ve made a call to give Daryl Mitchell a break from this game. We’ve obviously got some important Test matches leading up,” Stead said. “Daryl’s a three-format player, so it’s really important that we do manage his workload over this period. He’s highly likely to play a big part in the rest of our [home] season. So we just thought this is an opportune time [to give him a break], given the series is won.”But it’s also nice to introduce Rachin back into the side. He’s been on a period of break, and came back and played one game for Wellington Firebirds [in the domestic T20s]. He fits well into the team in the role that we’d like him to play.”Since August 30 last year, Mitchell has played in 28 of New Zealand’s 34 matches across formats. The six matches that he missed were both three-match ODI series against Bangladesh – the first one away in September 2023, while the other at home in December. And once New Zealand finish the ongoing T20Is against Pakistan on Sunday, they host South Africa for two Tests starting February 4, and then Australia for three T20Is and two Tests from February 21.Ravindra, meanwhile, last played for New Zealand in the third ODI against Bangladesh in Napier on December 23. Since then, his only match at the competitive level came for Wellington against Northern Districts on January 15.

‘Conway still has Covid-19 symptoms’

Stead also said that the final call on the participation of opening batter Devon Conway in the fifth T20I against Pakistan would be made only on the morning of the match. Conway was ruled out of the fourth T20I on Friday due to Covid-19, and Stead was content in waiting for another day for the symptoms to clear.”We’ll make a call tomorrow morning on Devon; he still has symptoms at the moment,” Stead said. “But hopefully the next 24 hours, and that will be a much better position for him. We won’t know that until tomorrow morning, and we’ll make the call then.”

After just three matches together in 2-1 defeat to West Indies, head coach is encouraged by his charges’ fight

Cameron Ponsonby10-Dec-2023

Matthew Mott has called for patience with England’s new-era white-ball team as a work in progress, stressing that they’ve only had three opportunities to play together.England succumbed to a four-wicket defeat in Barbados to lose their first series following a difficult World Cup campaign 2-1.A group which featured just four players to have played more than 10 ODIs, found themselves in strong positions in all three matches against a West Indies side going through a similar reboot having failed to qualify for the World Cup.However, a late-innings onslaught from Shai Hope and Romario Shepherd in the opening match saw England slip to a four-wicket defeat in Antigua, before losing by the same margin at the Kensington Oval after a top-order collapse gave England a total of just 188 to defend in a rain-reduced game.Related

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“We haven’t put a complete game together and that’s the frustration,” Mott, England’s head coach, said immediately after the defeat. “We put ourselves in a chance to win all three games and come away with a series loss, so that’s not ideal.”But there are definitely some really good signs there that there’s a group of players who love playing with each other. They’re some really good mates in there and I think it’ll really take the game forward.”In line for particular praise were Rehan Ahmed and Sam Curran. Rehan, described by Mott as a “revelation”, has been tasked with filling the almighty shoes of Adil Rashid and took five wickets across the series at an average of 23.40 and an economy of 4.33. On the other hand, Curran had a mixed series. In the opening ODI, he showed his class with the bat to save England’s innings from the perilous position of 239 for 7, before conceding the worst ever figures of an England player in ODIs as he was taken for 0 for 98.”Sam’s definitely a player that we really want to invest in,” Mott said, with Curran proving his qualities with the ball in the second match where his triple-strike in the powerplay put England ahead of the game. “He’s got a lot of qualities that we like and he’s got the game to really play well.”A point of pride for Mott was the fight England showed to almost steal an unlikely victory from the final ODI. Suffering from the natural disadvantage of bowling second in a rain-affected match, England were faced with greasy conditions that made it harder for their spinners to grip the ball and easier for the West Indies batters to play seam. But thanks to a Will Jacks-inspired performance with the ball, England reduced West Indies to 135 for 6, with 53 runs still required for victory.”I thought today we showed a lot of character and spirit to fight all day,” Mott said. “You don’t want to make excuses, but to hang in there as a team and show the fight that they did, throwing themselves around and nearly snatching one was something that we’re looking for.”After three months of almost exclusive ODI focus, England’s attention now turns to T20s, with the five-match series against West Indies starting on Tuesday in Barbados.”We’ve played really good T20 cricket over a period of time. It’s always good when you lose a series to change the format,” Mott said, also confirming that Jos Buttler will return to opening the batting after spending the New Zealand series in September lower down the order. “You move on pretty quickly. It’s only a couple of days, it won’t be that different. Obviously you’ve got a few new players coming in with experience. But it’s much of a muchness really.”There are five changes to England’s personnel in the Caribbean, with Chris Woakes, Rashid, Moeen Ali, Reece Topley and Tymal Mills joining the squad for the T20 leg. Ollie Pope, Zak Crawley, Matthew Potts, Tom Hartley and Brydon Carse will head home.”It’s probably easier transitioning back,” Mott said. “T20 is, particularly for the batting group, pretty clear, you go out and take the game on, there’s not a lot of dead balls. And from the bowling group, you’re trying to hit your variations as much as you can and deny them hitting opportunities. So I think we’ll be fine. We’ve got a couple of days to work on it and looking forward to it.”Also joining the England set-up is Andrew Flintoff, who will continue the first team mentoring role he took up in the summer as part of his first steps back into the public eye following his serious car crash whilst filming Top Gear.Flintoff, whose role is now paid, was part of the backroom staff for both the New Zealand white-ball series and the home ODIs against Ireland before he flew to Abu Dhabi along with Graeme Swann as part of the England Lions’ red-ball training camp. It has been a high-profile return to coaching for Flintoff, who has also been hired as Northern Superchargers head coach for the 2024 edition of The Hundred.

Hurricanes and Stars remain in the bottom half of the points table

Tristan Lavalette02-Nov-2023Hobart Hurricanes overcame a vintage 75 from Meg Lanning, as Nicola Carey and Naomi Stalenberg chased superbly under pressure to thwart Melbourne Stars at Bellerive Oval.Bucking the tournament’s trend, an increasingly confident Hurricanes were nerveless under lights to reach the target of 143 with four balls to spare. Carey and Stalenberg combined for a partnership of 69 unbroken runs after coming together at 74 for 4 following the key wicket of captain Elyse Villani.They played risk-free cricket as Hurricanes comfortably crossed the target having been in trouble earlier in the innings.Villani and Lizelle Lee had started watchfully in the powerplay as they blunted a desperate Stars attack facing an uphill battle to defend a seemingly modest total.But Lee holed out to Sasha Moloney in the sixth over to trigger a collapse as Hurricanes slumped to 47 for 3 when Heather Graham was caught behind off Annabel Sutherland.Much like counterpart Lanning earlier, Villani defied her team’s predicament by batting calmly and hitting attractive shots around the wicket. Stars were feeling the brunt of not only Villani’s bat, but also a pesky bird feeling rather territorial in the outfield.Hurricanes took the power surge in the 11th over, but it did not have the desired effect with Villani on 41 succumbing to a Sutherland slower delivery.Meg Lanning made the Stars innings a one-person show•Getty Images

But Carey and Stalenberg were unruffled as Hurricanes continued to turn around their season after starting with a pair of big defeats against Perth Scorchers.Having only taken one wicket in her first four matches, Shabnim Ismail rattled Stars’ misfiring top order while Molly Strano shackled a succession of batters with her accurate offspin.Hurricanes’ bowlers were aided by reckless batting from Stars. Playing a lone hand with a 50-ball 75, Lanning rescued Stars from peril at 46 for 4 with no other batter reaching 20 runs.It was not the performance envisioned from Stars when Lanning elected to bat on a flat surface. She watched on glumly as opener Sophie Reid holed out in the first over to Strano, who bowled a wicket maiden.A buoyant Hurricanes went on the attack with Ismail bowling short of a length. The plan worked almost immediately with Alice Capsey baited into hitting a rising delivery straight to Carey at third.At 5 for 2, it was left to Lanning and Sutherland to steady the ship but they continued to be confronted by a hostile Ismail armed with an aggressive field.Having emerged from a form rut against Scorchers with 49 off 27 balls, Sutherland briefly showcased her growing repertoire of inventive strokes to become the youngest player to reach 1000 runs in the WBBL. She clubbed Ismail down the ground, but on the next delivery miscued a delivery angled into her body straight to mid-on.Lanning rebuilt the innings by playing cautiously initially and she received support from Sophia Dunkley, who on two survived a missed stumping from Lee off Amy Smith.Lanning decided to put the foot down in the 12th over with three boundaries off Maisy Gibson. She accelerated further after taking the power surge in the 15th over and reached her half-century in style with a clip on the leg side.Not even the return of Ismail slowed down Lanning, who smashed a full toss for six as she eyed a remarkable century.But Lanning’s dismissal in the 18th over put the brakes on as Stars finished with a total that ultimately proved insufficient in the batting-friendly conditions.

da dobrowin： Shifting their focus towards the summer transfer window, Newcastle United are now reportedly racing to sign a young attacking midfielder for what would be a bargain price at the end of the season.

Newcastle transfer news

da leao： The Magpies have been forced to face the harsh reality of profit and sustainability rules in the last year or so, resulting in a quiet summer and January transfer window. In a position where they must sell before they can buy – even as the team with arguably the richest owners in the Premier League – Newcastle at least showed the door to Lloyd Kelly and Miguel Almiron last month.

It’s two sales which should free up some room on the PSR front and allow Newcastle to spend once again, albeit perhaps only on bargain deals. Reports suggest that’s very much the market that the Tyneside club are looking into too.

The likes of Paulo Dybala have been among those threatening to steal the headlines this week, with his bargain release clause reportedly grabbing the attention of those at St James’ Park.

Meanwhile, if it’s not to be the experienced option then the Magpies could turn towards a rising star. According to SportBILD, via Sport Witness, Newcastle are now chasing a deal to sign Ibrahim Maza from Hertha Berlin this summer following reports that his €20m (£17m) price tag is set to drop to €10m (£8m) at the end of the season.

The Magpies aren’t alone in their interest, however, with Atletico Madrid, Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers – among others – all interested in the 19-year-old.

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For £8m, Newcastle could land an eventual bargain deal if Maza’s rise continues out of the 2. Bundesliga in the near future. A deal which would end their wait for an impressive reinforcement whilst avoiding any PSR risks, they should make their move.

"Decisive" Maza is on the rise

Although he hasn’t stolen every headline throughout the current campaign courtesy of his place in Germany’s second division, the stats do plenty of the talking for Maza. At just 19 years old, he’s been a crucial player for Hertha – scoring seven goals and assisting another four in all competitions in the middle of what has otherwise been a disappointing season for his side.

Earning the praise of Ben Mattinson as a result, the analyst claimed that Maza can be “the face of a top team” and described the young attacking midfielder as both “assertive” as well as “decisive”.

Yet to reach the peak of his powers, Newcastle would be wise to make their move at a bargain price this summer rather than holding off and watching Maza reach his potential elsewhere.

A hugely promising Glasgow Rangers transfer update has now emerged, with a fresh update claiming that they have agreed to sign a Premier League player.

Rangers open talks with Vardy and eye further signings

The Gers have reportedly opened talks to bring Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy to Ibrox, ahead of what could be such an interesting piece of business this summer. 49ers Enterprises are clearly hoping to add some high level experience along with bringing in the likes of Thelo Aasgaard from Luton Town to add some youthful exuberance.

At 38, Vardy certainly isn’t getting any younger, and isn’t the force he was when he inspired the Foxes to a stunning Premier League title win back in 2015/16, but he still has the hunger and quality to be a big success in the Scottish Premiership next season.

Rangers are also said to be closing in on the signing of Conor Coady from Leicester, with the centre-back possessing an enormous amount of experience in his career, representing both Liverpool and Everton.

He isn’t the only central defensive option being looked at by the Gers, however, with that search at both ends of the age spectrum evident again.

Rangers agree deal for Nasser Djiga

According to The Daily Record [via Ibrox News], Rangers and 49ers Enterprises are now also set to complete the signing of Nasser Djiga, bringing him in on a season-long loan deal from Wolves.

There is no buy option come the end of next season, though, with Wanderers manager Vitor Pereira considering him an important part of his future plans.

While signing Djiga on a permanent basis would be even more perfect for Rangers, the idea of him being at Ibrox for the whole of next season is still a big positive.

The 22-year-old is such a gifted young footballer with a bright future in the game, making six appearances for Wolves to date and being hailed as both “aggressive” and “powerful” by journalist Kai Watson.

Hopefully, Djiga will be desperate to prove his worth out on loan, showing Wolves that he can be a key starter for them eventually, which should play into Rangers and Russell Martin’s hands, meaning they have a player who is giving his all every day.

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The centre-back has been loaned out to Nimes and Red Star Belgrade in the past, so he shouldn’t find it too difficult to adjust to new surroundings, and the hope is that he plays a part in the Gers getting their hands back on the Scottish Premiership trophy and is tempted to stay for good.

Captains can decide XIs after the toss from the 13 named before it, but Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals are yet to make use of the provision

Firdose Moonda25-Jan-2023Four of the six SA20 teams have changed their XIs after the toss in line with the playing conditions that allows a captain to name 13 available players before the toss and whittle that down to 11 afterwards. That means teams were tinkered with in fewer than one-fifth of the 22 matches played so far, with the organisers conceding that the number is a little less than they anticipated, and team managements still trying to come up with ways to use this tactic to their advantage.Allowing teams to change their combinations after the toss is a unique feature of the SA20, and was put in place to create a more even playing field. “One of the major reasons we did it was to try and lessen the impact of the toss on the outcome of the game, and create an opportunity for deliberation depending on whether teams are batting or bowling,” Graeme Smith, SA20 league commissioner, told ESPNcricinfo.Three of the four teams who have made changes to their teams have done so for exactly those reasons. Durban’s Super Giants opted to include an extra spinner when they were asked to bowl first in their tournament opener against Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town did the same in their match against Super Kings at Newlands three days later, and Paarl Royals did it to swap out Ferisco Adams for Codi Yusuf against Sunrisers Eastern Cape.Related

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In the same match, Sunrisers also changed their XI, but because of an injury to Tom Abell, who was replaced by Jordan Cox.Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals are the two teams who have not made use of the provision yet, with both sides considering the move once the tournament resumes after the break due to three ODIs between South Africa and England, as more matches will be played on their home turfs. So far, these teams have played just two of their five home matches on the Highveld, with the bulk of the tournament having taken place in the Western and Eastern Cape at venues that host the Women’s T20 World Cup next month.In Cape Town, teams bowling first in day-night T20Is have won seven out of 11 games, which speaks to the ease of batting under lights and the need to strangle with the ball upfront. That is why when MI won the toss there against Super Kings and chose to bowl on a used strip, they also decided to include Afghan spinner Waqar Salamkheil in place of Duan Jansen, and it worked a treat. Salamkheil finished with 1 for 19 in four overs, and bowled Super Kings’ senior batter Faf du Plessis out.”It was the third game on that same wicket, so once we won the toss, we knew we wanted to bowl first and we knew we wanted to bowl in the day time,” Simon Katich, the MI coach explained. “We felt with the difference between batting first and chasing, and [with] the way conditions have been a little bit uneven here in Cape Town, there was a chance to use it [the rule]. It gives you that flexibility around what happens with the toss.”When the tournament resumes, there will be nine matches between Centurion and Johannesburg, so teams may make more changes after the toss•SA20His opposite number Stephen Fleming would have done the same thing if he could have, but their Sri Lankan offspinner Maheesh Theekshana had not yet arrived at the tournament. “If we had Theekshana, who arrives tomorrow, then we would have had the same idea,” Fleming said at the time.Since then, Theekshana has played in three of Super Kings’ four matches, but they have yet to use the ability to change their XI. “We think there is minimal advantage,” Albie Morkel, Super Kings assistant coach, said.But that could change once matches are played up country, where the difference in day and night times temperatures is likely to cause dew. Then, the risk of spinners not being able to grip the ball as well as they would like to may encourage the team bowling second to include a seamer instead. When the tournament resumes on February 2, there will be nine matches staged between Centurion and Johannesburg, including both the semi-finals and the final, so teams may make more changes after the toss in those fixtures.Overall, the jury is still out about this particular playing condition, with some most coaches feeling it offers a “tactical advantage”, as Fleming put it. But some, like Capitals assistant coach Dale Benkenstein, think that could come more into play in the longer versions of the game. Others, like Super Giants’ Lance Klusener, feel it “takes away some of the skill of team selection”.