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Mumbai Indians and KKR training at an “expanded quarantine facility” at Sheikh Zayed Stadium

Shamya Dasgupta01-Sep-2020Less than three weeks to go for the scheduled start of IPL 2020, and there’s still no sign of the final schedule for the tournament. Whatever the reasons for that delay may be, it has “nothing to do with the Abu Dhabi border or the quarantine restrictions”, according to a local cricket official.As it happens, training is in full swing for the two teams based in Abu Dhabi thanks to the “airbridge facility”. Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders have been training since day eight of their arrival in the UAE, despite Abu Dhabi’s 14-day quarantine requirements, thanks to an “expanded quarantine facility” at Sheikh Zayed Stadium. A 15,000 square-metre area, with 15 nets, has been cordoned off at the stadium for the two teams (to use one at a time), along with an 11,000 square-metre football field for physical training.ALSO READ: CSK’s coronavirus-free players set to start training on September 4″They have been training there since the eighth day of being in Abu Dhabi, so that’s seven days of training in what we call the ‘airbridge facility’. It’s a 15,000 square-metre extension of their quarantine, a place for them to have full-fledged training session. And they return to hotel and utilise the team rooms, and they come back to the airbridge facility the next day,” Matt Boucher, CEO of Abu Dhabi cricket, explained to ESPNcricinfo.”Once we receive those four test reports [one prior to reaching the UAE, and then three more in six days], the government approves the teams to expand their quarantine facility to outside the hotel with a very strict passage from hotel to bus and bus to Abu Dhabi Cricket [the stadium]. It’s a strict facility, where only the players and the teams’ support staff are allowed in.”One team comes in first and trains for a while, two-three hours, and the other comes in after that. Social distancing norms are in place, sanitisation norms are in place. We sanitise the entire facility before the next team arrives, everything is freshened up and sanitised for the next team. It’s a completely sterile facility.”Sections of the media have said that the Abu Dhabi government has granted special permission to the teams – and others involved – to move in and out of the city, but that might not be the case. The emirate’s rules are the same as they have been for a while now, but by the time the IPL starts, the mandatory 14-day quarantine would be over for anyone who had reached the UAE in the third or fourth weeks of August. So, they would then fall under the SOPs for the tournament as put together by the BCCI, with only border-checks regulated by the authorities as teams enter or re-enter Abu Dhabi.Reports of a spike in cases in the city are also not based on hard numbers – while there has been a rise in the UAE’s numbers, the data provided by the UAE is for the whole country and not each emirate individually.Therefore, the BCCI has not been served up any surprises in terms of the situation on the ground, and the delay in releasing – or putting together – the schedule is very likely for other reasons. An official from one of the teams say it’s a fallout of the positive Covid-19 tests in the Chennai Super Kings camp, which might yet force the BCCI to open the tournament with a different opponent for defending champions Mumbai Indians.As for Super Kings, team CEO Kasi Viswanathan has said that the team is ready to take the field on September 19 if required.

The first impression is always vital when a new player arrives at a club, especially for a side like Manchester United.

When anyone joins the Red Devils, whether it be a player or a manager, the expectation is to bring success and perform almost instantly.

In recent years, only a handful of signings have consistently performed at Old Trafford, with the likes of Antony and Jadon Sancho being examples of individuals who have been unable to star in the Premier League thus far.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at another player who once promised to be a world-beater but instead failed to live up to their apparent potential.

Meet the star who was meant to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo

In 2011, a promising Belgian talent named Adnan Januzaj joined Man United from Anderlecht as a 16-year-old, where he instantly impressed.

On October 5th, 2013, the number 44 was announced in the starting lineup for the first time under David Moyes as Man United faced Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The then-18-year-old was absolutely electric, netting a brace that handed the Red Devils a 2-1 win, which was certainly the perfect way to introduce yourself to the footballing world.

After the game, Januzaj received plenty of praise and encouragement, with Moyes comparing his quality to Wayne Rooney and United youth coach Eric Harrison stating: “Januzaj is outstanding and I think he is similar to Cristiano Ronaldo".

However, the following season saw the arrival of Louis van Gaal, which the winger later claimed to be the reason why he never lived up to his potential at United, despite being an "unbelievable" talent, as per football creator Liam Canning.

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ByTom Lever Mar 14, 2024 Adnan Januzaj’s career since his debut

During the Dutch manager’s first campaign at the club, Januzaj’s minutes and opportunities took a huge hit, starting just seven times in the 2014/15 Premier League.

A year later, the Belgium international only made just two league starts across the campaign, which was due to two separate injuries and a short loan spell at Borussia Dortmund.

With the left-footed ace failing to progress much further, in 2016, he joined Sunderland on a season-long loan in an attempt to revive his career, but over 25 matches, he failed to score a single goal.

In 2017, Januzaj eventually left Old Trafford after a troubled few seasons, joining Real Sociedad in a deal worth £9.8m, a club he would go on to score 23 goals in 168 appearances for.

Five years later, the former Red Devil moved to another La Liga side, this time joining Sevilla on a free transfer, which is where he plays his football today.

Man United

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Borussia Dortmund

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Despite being at the club for two seasons, Januzaj has only made 17 appearances, with a failed loan spell at Istanbul Basaksehir in between, where he scored three times in 17 games.

Fast-forward to this season, and the former wonderkid has featured just eight times, even though he has not suffered from any injuries. Januzaj has averaged just 24 minutes per game, and he truly cannot get a game, starting zero times.

At just 29 years of age, the number 25’s career has become completely stagnant, and there have been no signs of him turning it around, especially not at Sevilla.

In truth, it is extremely sad and disappointing to see how Januzaj’s career has unfolded, especially considering just how fantastic he was in his first season under Moyes, after being compared to the legendary Ronaldo in his early days at Old Trafford.

Change is afoot at Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp bringing an end to an incredible nine-year tenure at Anfield alongside his coaching staff, and Joel Matip also leaving at the end of his contract this summer. In need of a replacement for the experienced defender, the Reds are reportedly interested in a rising Premier League star,

Liverpool transfer news

Although Matip's injury history has occasionally stood in the way of his Liverpool legacy, with this season's ACL blow summing things up, there's no doubt that he more than played his part in the success under Klopp. By the end of his time at Anfield, the Cameroonian will come away as a Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Super Cup and Club World Cup winner. Given that he arrived as a free agent, Matip may well go down as one of Liverpool's greatest bargains in their history.

With the 32-year-old's contract now set to expire, however, the Reds must turn towards the transfer market to land a replacement this summer. According to Matt Law of The Telegraph, Liverpool are interested in signing Marc Guehi this summer, but a deal could rely on just who comes in to replace Klopp and also who takes up the sporting director role at Anfield.

The Merseyside club could also face competition from Manchester United for the Crystal Palace defender if they manage to land Dan Ashworth in time.

As the summer approaches, the battle between the Premier League rivals could be one to watch if both make their moves for Guehi.

"Amazing" Guehi can step into Matip role

Whilst Ibrahima Konate has cemented himself as Virgil van Dijk's defensive partner this season, the chances that Jarell Quansah has been handed proves that there's room for rotation in Liverpool's backline, potentially handing Guehi a boost if he completed a move. The England international has more than proved his ability to step into such a side this season too. Here's how Guehi's stats have compared to Matip's.

Guehi has already earned plenty of fans in England, including fellow countryman Harry Maguire who previously told BBC Sport: "Marc has done amazing. I think he left Chelsea at an amazing time when he had to play football.

"When you watch him play he doesn't look like a young boy playing football. He's a captain of Crystal Palace. He’s going to have a long career in the game. He has all the attributes you need to be a centre-back. The friendly in the first half at Scotland unfortunately he had to come off. He's such a young boy playing with so much maturity."

Lamine Yamal is living his best life, with the teenage wonderkid showing off his dance moves at Spain’s Euro 2024 celebration party in Madrid.

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Record books rewritten by youngsterEuropean champion at 17 years of ageStill so much left for him to achieveWHAT HAPPENED?

The Barcelona starlet, who turned 17 the day before La Roja prevailed against England in the European Championship final, continues to rewrite the record books. He played a crucial role in Spain claiming a continental crown in Germany, with a stunning semi-final goal recorded against France.

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Yamal was named Young Player of the Tournament, adding another trophy to his collection before getting his hands on the ultimate Euros prize. Spain have made history as a collective by becoming the first nation to claim that title on four occasions.

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Yamal is part of their present and long-term future, with there still so much left for him to achieve. For now he is enjoying being centre stage, with the youngster throwing shapes when presented to the crowd during wild celebrations in the Spanish capital.

It would be hard to describe this season as anything other than a car crash for Chelsea, as back-to-back hammerings from Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League have all but ended the Blues' chance of European qualification.

There is still the League Cup final to come, but with the Anfield outfit as their opponent, it is hard to see how they'll be lifting that come full-time.

While there are plenty of problems at the club, one of the biggest is their frontline's inability to finish their chances.

Nicolas Jackson has become infamous for his myriad of misses this season, and what makes it worse is the club's failure to sign a replacement they were heavily linked with last month, a man who would've given them a chance at Wembley and formed a brilliant partnership with Cole Palmer.

Close but no Cigar

Now, clubs like Chelsea are often linked with a multitude of players every transfer window, and while a significant portion of these stories are nothing more than rumours, the links to Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres last month seemed genuine.

Things looked even more real when it was revealed that the Blues had made a £73m bid for the Swedish international halfway through the window.

However, with a release clause worth closer to £86m, the Portuguese giants were unwilling to accept the offer, so Todd Boehly and Co appeared to call it quits.

While this decision to walk away might have been wise from a financial point of view, considering the reluctance to spend from English clubs, it also seriously handicapped what the club could achieve on the pitch for the rest of the season.

Gyokeres could have turned Chelsea's season around

Now, unfortunately for Chelsea, their season has gone so poorly this year that in this case, 'turning it around' would likely just mean qualification for the Conference League and potentially winning the League Cup at the expense of Liverpool; while you may think that's unlikely, Gyokeres' goal record speaks for itself.

In 25 appearances for Sporting across all competitions this season, the former Coventry City ace has scored a remarkable 21 goals and provided nine assists, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 0.83 matches.

What makes it more impressive is that he is not being flooded with chances either, as his 15 league goals have come from an expected goals figure of 10.9, and his 12 non-penalty expected goals come from a non-penalty expected goals figure of 8.5.

In short, the dynamic "powerhouse", as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, has been consistently overperforming his expected goals figure this season. In contrast, Jackson has seven league goals from a figure of 10.8, which would explain why he has picked up a reputation for being profligate.

Had the Blues just pushed the boat out that little bit more last month and signed the "unplayable" 25-year-old, as former teammate Maxim Biamou described him, then the talismanic Palmer would have had a genuine poacher to work with at the top of the pitch.

The former Manchester City gem has been one of the few bright spots in the Pensioners' bleak season, but his creative numbers have been impacted by his teammate's inability to finish the chances he creates.

For example, he only has four assists in 20 league appearances this season, but an expected assists figure of 5.4 demonstrates that he could be even more involved in Chelsea's play with a clinical frontman.

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Ultimately, this could be a transfer miss that really comes back to bite the Blues and potentially even cost Pochettino his job. After all, goals win games, and Gyokeres brings goals.

Liverpool have reportedly sent scouts to watch an attacking "mastermind" in action under the tutelage of none other than rumoured new manager Xabi Alonso.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds have been linked with several summer signings in recent days, as they look to freshen up their squad at the end of the season, with a new manager set to be arriving at Anfield.

One exciting rumour that has emerged surrounds Barcelona's 16-year-old sensational Lamine Yamal, who Liverpool are believed to be in pole position to sign in a massive £85m deal this summer. He already has five goals and assists apiece for the La Liga giants.

Leroy Sane is also a player who could be available come the end of the current campaign, with no agreement in place with Bayern Munich over a new deal and the Reds' interest potentially turning his head.

Lloyd Kelly and Antonee Robinson, of Bournemouth and Fulham respectively, are two defenders who have been backed to join Liverpool, too, with the former available on a free transfer in the summer.

Liverpool keeping tabs on Alonso pupil

According to a fresh update from HITC, Liverpool sent scouts to watch Florian Wirtz in action last weekend, as his Bayer Leverkusen side picked up a huge 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga title race.

"HITC Football understands that, as Leverkusen stormed five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table with a thumping 3-0 win over the reigning champions, Xabi Alonso is not the only Bay Arena favourite with admirers on the red side of Stanley Park.

"HITC has been informed that scouts working on behalf of Liverpool were also in the stands to keep tabs on a number of players. Florian Wirtz, arguably the most exciting young attacking midfielder in Europe, is liked by Liverpool. As is Piero Hincapie. The talented, left-sided centre-half was a target last summer, as confirmed by his agent."

Wirtz is a player of unbelievable potential, so the idea of Liverpool snapping him up is mouthwatering, especially as he is currently playing under Alonso, who is the front-runner to be Jurgen Klopp's replacement at Anfield. The Spaniard has even compared his player to Lionel Messi, which says so much about his ability:

"Why is Messi so good? Because he knows how and when to play simple passes. Messi says: 'You're in a better position? Here, there you have the ball!' It's not always about making the most brilliant move, but the best and smartest. Florian can do that. That's why he's so good."

At just 20, Wirtz has been one of Leverkusen's star players this season, helping them top the Bundesliga table by five points. He has scored five goals and registered eight assists in the competition, not to mention getting two and four in the Europa League respectively.

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Liverpool will have money to spend this summer, with the report mentioning the funds not used on Moises Caicedo last year, and the German ace could be a sensational addition, having been hailed as a "mastermind" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has shared some news on West Ham United and technical director Tim Steidten's transfer plans for January.

West Ham tipped for busy January

As reported elsewhere, West Ham are backed to be one of the busier sides in January, with defender Thilo Kehrer already sealing a loan move to Monaco for the rest of the season.

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Both in terms of incomings and outgoings, other reliable media sources like Fabrizio Romano have stated that West Ham chiefs have been working on this transfer window long before its official opening. It is believed that the Hammers could make multiple new signings this month (Wayne Veysey), including a new striker and centre-back, with West Ham believed to hold an interest in Wolves defender Max Kilman.

Supporters are eager to hear about West Ham bringing in a new number nine in particular, though, especially after they failed to replace Gianluca Scamacca last summer.

Michail Antonio's injury, combined with David Moyes' lack of faith in Danny Ings, has forced star winger Jarrod Bowen to play a makeshift striker role for large parts of the campaign.

While the Englishman has shone in that position, there is very little cover behind him, barring youngster Divin Mubama and Ings. West Ham, like half of Europe, are therefore taking a real liking to Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy.

The Guinea international's sensational 2023/2024 season has turned heads from all over the continent, with Guirassy netting 17 league goals in just 14 Bundesliga appearances so far.

ExWHUemployee shares Guirassy to West Ham update

Speaking on his West Ham Way podcast, reliable club insider Ex has shared an update on West Ham's chances of signing the in-form striker this month. He says transfer chief Steidten has worked on signing Guirassy for West Ham, but the competition for his signature is fierce given the £15 million release clause in his deal.

“As we have reported for some time, Serhou Guirassy is still a top target for the club this January,” said Ex.

“Tim Steidten has worked on this potential deal, although I must stress there are many others keen on the player.

“Not only has his performances attracted other top clubs to look at the player, but the fact he’s got a £15m release clause makes the competition for his signature fierce. Another stumbling block is the player is part of the Guinea side at the AFCON, although they are not expected to advance far due to a tough group they are in.”

Barring his goals, Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has also called Guirassy a "leading figure" in his club's dressing room.

"He is very strong physically," said Plettenberg to Sky.

"He knows how to score and he is known as a leading figure in the dressing room. However, what you do have to say is that it is a very good first season. So, there is a chance it is a one-season wonder but I'm not sure that will be the case.

"He's a good age, very experienced and very focused. He also has good and tough management in the background."

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Mexico have a new manager in Javier Aguirre with Barcelona legend Rafael Marquez named as his assistant after a disastrous Copa America campaign.

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• Aguirre returns as Mexico head coach
• Will be in charge until after the 2026 World Cup
• It will be his third stint in the Mexican dugout

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following a disappointing group stage exit at the 2024 Copa America, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) parted ways with Jamie Lozano. They have now appointed Aguirre as the new manager with former Mexico captain Marquez serving as his assistant.

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  Aguirre, who previously led the Mexican national team to the round of 16 in the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, returns for a third stint with a wealth of experience and a strong track record. The 65-year-old is set to guide the team through the 2026 World Cup as co-hosts before handing over the reins to Marquez – who recently ended his stint as the manager of Barcelona B.

• WHAT MEXICO FA SAID

  The FMF expressed confidence in their new appointments, with Duilio Davino, director of national teams, stating: "Javier has a strong track record, with experience and undisputed leadership in team management, while Rafa has great skill in talent development. [Aguirre] is without a doubt the Mexican coach with the longest and most recognized career abroad and he also has in-depth knowledge of the processes in national teams.

  "Rafa is one of the most important players in Mexican history with a great national and international career who began his coaching career with an emblematic team. We have offered him to be the assistant until 2026 so that he can contribute his knowledge and then assume the leadership."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  In a historic run, Aguirre led Mallorca to the 2023-24 Copa del Rey final, where they lost on penalties to Athletic Bilbao with the two teams locked at 1–1 after extra time.

Smith united with Labuschagne, his like-for-like replacement in more ways than one

Daniel Brettig in Manchester04-Sep-2019First, there was Steven Smith. At Edgbaston and Lord’s, through three consecutive innings after his return from the Newlands scandal ban, he drove England’s bowlers to distraction. They tried all manner of plans, field placings, too many really, without much at all in the way of success. Two centuries went by and a third beckoned, even as Jofra Archer cranked up his pace on an up-and-down pitch, angling the ball back down the slope.Watching, waiting, anticipating and perhaps dreaming a little, was Marnus Labuschagne. No-one in the Australian squad more closely resembled Smith’s voracious pursuit of batting knowledge, skill and method, with both as likely as each other to keep teammates awake in the middle of the night with the sound of their bats tapping on hotel room carpet, miming shots for the next day. Labuschagne was watching closely when Archer homed in on Smith, felt the jolt alongside 28,000 spectators, and rushed for a vantage point to see if he was ok.Struck down but not out, Smith returned briefly, distractedly, having passed concussion tests in the immediate aftermath of the blow. He did not fare as well the following morning, and as he netted in reserve on the Nursery Ground ahead of the final day’s play, Labuschagne was given the word from the captain, Tim Paine: he was in as Smith’s substitute. Having removed one obstacle, England found another immediately. Labuschagne, too, was hit by Archer, but only on the helmet grille. His resultant half-century scrounged a draw.More was to come at Headingley, in two innings from Smith’s customary post at No. 4. Thrice Labuschagne passed 50, runs that could have, indeed should have, been enough to secure an Australian victory at Leeds and retained the Ashes there and then. If he was the beneficiary of several dropped chances in a second innings of 80, his first-day contribution of 74 out of 179, when conditions were at their hardest, more than compensated for this good fortune. At the end, cruelly, one of Ben Stokes’ match-winning sixes floated a matter of centimetres beyond Labuschagne’s hands on the boundary.Watching it all was Smith, leavening his pain at the result with appreciation of its extraordinary circumstances. Each day of the Leeds Test he gradually increased his level of activity, batting under the studied eye of the team doctor Richard Saw, before facing pace bowlers and taking part in a tour match against Derbyshire. Throughout, he tried to get used to the addition of a protective stem guard to the back of his helmet, even though it wade him so claustrophobic as to feel as though his head was inside an MRI machine. Nets against throwdowns were deemed, subconsciously, as more useful preparation than match batting against Derbyshire spin.In Derby, Smith and Labuschagne played together and did not bat together, but they did not have long to wait. Chosen and Nos. 3 and 4, displacing Usman Khawaja, they trained together pre-match, Smith sidearming balls down at Labuschagne, who also enjoyed the rare sensation of having Steve Waugh clean mud out of his spikes. “A bit surreal, I had Steve Smith throwing sidearms to me for 30 minutes,” he said. “I love talking to him about the game and learning off him, obviously a great experience and a great player. I’m taking it all in as much as I can.”For all the shuffling of Australia’s top order to try to secure a better start, none could be found at Manchester. Again, the openers were separated before the score was into double figures, David Warner edging Stuart Broad when trying to leave him alone for the second time in the series. Marcus Harris, looking a little more comfortable, was nonetheless figured out pretty quickly by Broad, who quite obviously targeted the line of the stumps and won an lbw verdict before the score had reached 30.Also read: The key to Broad’s edge over WarnerLabuschagne had looked comfortable once more from the moment he arrived, leaving the length ball well outside off stump and scoring from anything that drifted either full and wide or too straight onto his stumps and pads. He had spoken before the series of sculpting a game very much around making lots of adjustments within lots of plans for every bowler in every set of conditions, eschewing the time-honoured Australian line of “playing my natural game” for something more scientific.Smith, of course, had rather pioneered this method among contemporary Australian batsmen, keeping at least one step ahead of the world’s bowlers for most of the last six years. Together, they were a hive mind of ideas, adjustments and tweaks, all done within the context of a moving ball and an English pitch. They have one inbuilt advantage, that of being right-handed and so denying Broad and Archer the chance to bend the ball away from them from around the wicket in the manner Warner, Harris and Khawaja have had to contend with, but the rest is skill and forethought.Perhaps the most obvious counter offered up by Smith was in how he played Archer’s bouncers, choosing to ensure he took evasive action to the off side of the ball, to eradicate the chance of him being hit by a delivery that follows him as he tries to sway back away from it. If the Old Trafford pitch was not yet a speedy one, and Archer was somewhat short of his best, the bouncer caused Smith zero trouble at all, leaving Joe Root and company with yet more thinking to do. At the other end, Labuschagne could only admire it.Steve Smith (right) and Marnus Labuschagne bat together at last•Getty Images

“One thing he’s very good at [is problem solving], I see that at the other end but I think you can see that as a spectator,” he said. “When different guys come on, how he changes, different guards, the way he bats, different pre-movements and I think that’s what makes him the best in the world. He’s always one step ahead and thinking ahead, not waiting, not being reactive, he’s being proactive, which makes him very hard to bowl to because he’s always thinking ahead.”We were constantly talking out there about what the bowlers are trying to do, what he’s trying to do and we’re thinking similarly and trying to think about where they’re trying to get us out and stuff like that. Always trying to learn off everyone really, it doesn’t matter whether your’e a batter or bowler, just trying to learn different things off different people and trying to make sure you’re always open to learning off anyone.”It was good fun, good to have some time. I’d never batted with him before so it was a good experience to see how he goes about it and learn from him out there.”Late in the day, heavy winds swept through a shower that was intense enough to have the umpires virtually suspend play, only for the same wind to have it disappear so quickly that Craig Overton, having twice stopped in his run to the wicket due to the rain, ended up bowling uninterrupted. So stop – start was the day that it looked made to ruin a batsman’s concentration, but Labuschagne’s well is clearly deep. When Overton did finally bowl, he dabbed the resultant delivery neatly down through third man to the boundary, and at the end of the over walked down the pitch gesticulating repeatedly how the ball had skidded off the surface.It was a mannerism instantly familiar – not from Labuschagne, but from the man at the other end. Amid the broken nature of this wet and windy day, Labuschagne and Smith were the ideal men for Australia to have in the middle, not only as their leading run-makers this series but as two cricketers never happier than when cocooned at the batting crease. And even though Labuschagne did allow one through his guard in the closing overs, granting Overton access to the top of the off stump, Australia had the platform for the 300-plus score coach Justin Langer has so craved this week.A deal reportedly struck between Labuschagne and Smith after Edgbaston – for the younger man to clean up Smith’s bag at the end of each Test in return for a couple of the former captain’s bats – may need revision should this century stand be the bulwark of the victory Australia need. There will be a few other members of the Australian top six who, on the basis of their runs together, might do well to clean up the bags of Smith and Labuschagne both.