Rohit on giving Ashwin the 18th over – 'I have seen what happens in the last over with spinners'

India’s captain also conceded that his players were “a little poor in the field” and “gave too many chances”

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2022South Africa needed 25 from 18 balls with six wickets in hand when India captain Rohit Sharma decided to bring R Ashwin on for his final over.The Perth surface had assisted fast bowlers throughout the game, but India had one over of spin left to squeeze in. David Miller took advantage of that and hit Ashwin’s first two balls for two sixes to all but seal the game.Related

Ngidi, Parnell, Markram, Miller lead South Africa past India

While Ashwin trapped Tristan Stubbs lbw with his fourth ball, his over left South Africa needing a run-a-ball 12 off the last two overs, which Miller and Wayne Parnell knocked off with two balls to spare.After the game, Rohit said his decision to give Ashwin the 18th over was influenced by how spinners had fared in the final over at the 2022 T20 World Cup. In India’s opening game, Pakistan left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz had failed to stop India from scoring the 16 runs they required to win.”I have seen what happens in the last over with spinners, so I just wanted to go the other way and see if I could finish Ash and not keep him for the last over,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation. “I just wanted to make sure that the seamers were bowling the right overs but honestly, when you have options like that, you have to use them at some point. I thought given the new batter [Stubbs] came in, it was a perfect time for him to bowl. But things like that can happen. Miller played some good shots as well.”Ashwin finished with figures of 1 for 43 from his four overs, at an economy rate of 10.75. He was hit for four sixes and was the most expensive bowler on either side. After the match, Aiden Markram was asked if South Africa had pre-decided to attack Ashwin.”I think naturally that’s how our game would pan out when the seamers are all that difficult to get away,” Markram said. “We expected them to take on Keshav [Maharaj]. I’m sure they expected us to take on Ashwin as well, just because of the nature of the wicket, because the seamers were so difficult to get away.Rohit: “We gave too many chances on the field and we were not quite clinical”•Getty Images”It almost got to a stage where we had to target someone because they bowled so well initially in the first ten overs up until the drinks break. It got to the stage where we had to pick someone. It could be anyone on any night. And sometimes you execute, sometimes you don’t.”You pick those match-ups according to who you’re most comfortable against on the night. You get to different conditions and those match-ups would change completely. Yeah, it was a discussion we had at the drinks break to pick one of the bowlers and commit to that, and if it comes off, then it might give us a chance.”Earlier, India scored 133 for 9 on a fast, bouncy surface before having South Africa 40 for 3 after ten overs. They had a couple of opportunities to press home the advantage but Virat Kohli put down Markram in the 12th over. In the next over, Rohit missed a run-out chance that could have sent Miller back. Markram and Miller made India pay for their mistakes, adding 76 off 60 balls to shift the momentum.”Honestly, when you see that score [40 for 3], you will always think you are in the game because the pitch is such that a wicket can come at any time for the seamers,” Rohit said. “But I felt that was a match-winning partnership from their perspective from Markram and Miller.”We were a little poor in the field as well. We gave too many chances on the field and we were not quite clinical. We have played in such [cold] conditions before so that was not an excuse at all. We were not just good enough.”The last two games we played, we were pretty good in the field and we want to continue to be consistent in that department. But unfortunately we couldn’t hold our chances, a few run-outs we missed, including myself. But we need to keep our heads high and think about what’s coming for us and take learnings from this game, what we need to do in games like that.”

Set-piece kings Arsenal have WORST dead-ball record in the Premier League despite their glowing reputation

Arsenal have been lauded for their set-piece ability this season but the stats show the Gunners actually possess the worst record in the top flight.

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Arsenal beaten 2-1 by BournemouthConcede two goals from set-piecesPick up unwanted Premier League recordFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth brought up an interesting statistic regarding Mikel Arteta's side. Goals from Dean Huijsen and Evanilson secured all three points for the Cherries against the Gunners, with both goals coming from set-pieces. Arsenal have now conceded 38.7% of their Premier League goals this season from set-piece situations, which is the greatest proportion of all English top flight clubs in 2024-25, according to Opta.

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Arteta's side had been dubbed set-piece kings earlier this season after become seemingly lethal from dead-ball situations. Set-piece coach has Nicolas Jover came in for plenty of credit for their attacking prowess but has since been criticised, with the team leaking goals from corner and dead-ball routines. More work on the training ground appears to be needed if Arsenal are to tighten up defensively.

WHAT ARTETA SAID

Arteta spoke about the situations after the Bournemouth defeat. He told reporters: "It's not only what you score, it's the difference in gap between the ones that you score and the ones that you conceded and we have conceded a lot, especially recently, which are costing us a lot of points, that's clear and that's everybody's responsibility. But as well today to the opposition, today they've done it really well. If somebody is able to throw the ball in the middle of the goal to a guy that is taller than anybody else and he hits the ball in the back of the net, we really want to do better but it's difficult."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL

Arsenal now head to France for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final second leg against PSG, trailing 1-0 from the first game at the Emirates. The Gunners face an uphill task turning the tie around and face a PSG team that should be well rested after Luis Enrique made 10 changes to his starting XI against Strasbourg on Saturday.

Big Colwill upgrade: Chelsea lining up move for £80m PL "monster"

Chelsea did not make any major splashes in the January transfer window, which officially slammed shut at the start of last week, as they only made one signing.

The Blues swooped to bring in 19-year-old central midfielder Mathis Amougou from Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne, and he will now look to compete with the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo for a place in the starting line-up.

He was an unused substitute, however, in the 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup on Saturday, which ended the club’s chance of domestic silverware this term.

Enzo Maresca can still enjoy a successful first season in charge of Chelsea, though, as his team are in the fight to finish in the top four in the Premier League and are in the knockout stage of the Conference League.

The London giants, however, will have one eye on next season and how they can improve the team in the summer transfer window to compete on all fronts for trophies in the 2025/26 campaign.

Chelsea manager EnzoMaresca

In fact, the Blues are already reportedly eyeing up several players who could come in to improve the Italian head coach’s defensive set-up.

Chelsea's interest in Premier League defender

According to the Si Phillips Talks Chelsea substack, the Blues are lining up a potential move to sign Everton central defender Jarrad Branthwaite in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the England international is one of the centre-backs on Maresca’s radar ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, as they look to bolster their options at the back.

Transfer Focus

Simon Phillips adds that Wesley Fofana is prone to injuries and that the club are concerned about his fitness record moving forward, which is one of the reasons why they are looking at players in that position ahead of the summer.

He also reveals that there have been some ‘whispers’ that the Premier League side would be willing to listen to offers for Tosin Adarabioyo, who only joined the Blues on a free transfer from Fulham last year.

The reporter states that there are question marks over Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, and Axel Disasi, who has joined Aston Villa on loan, in regards to whether or not they will be sold in the summer window.

Disasi

Phillips’ article then reveals that Everton’s Branthwaite and Manchester United centre-back Leny Yoro, who only joined the Red Devils from Lille last summer, are both among Chelsea’s targets in that role.

In December, The Boot Room claimed that Manchester City and Manchester United are also interested in Branthwaite and revealed that the Toffees value the left-footed colossus at a whopping £80m, although it remains to be seen whether or not the Blues are willing to pay that kind of fee for him.

Maresca, though, could improve his team by pushing for the club to land the £80m-rated defender, as he could come in as an upgrade on Levi Colwill.

Levi Colwill's struggles this season

Chelsea have conceded 31 goals in 24 matches in the Premier League this season – the most in the current top four – and Colwill’s struggles at the back have contributed to that.

The England international has made two errors that have directly led to shots and one error that directly led to a goal for the opposition, as well as giving away one penalty, in the top-flight this term.

His most recent blunder came in the clash with West Ham United on deadline day. The centre-back played a blind pass that sent Jarrod Bowen through on goal to score.

Per FBref, Colwill ranks within the bottom 35% of centre-backs in the Premier League for errors made per 90 (0.14), which shows that he has been too prone to a blunder for the Blues.

Appearances

22

Pass accuracy

90%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.3

Dribbled past

7x

Duel success rate

57%

As you can see in the table above, Colwill has also been dribbled past on occasion in the division this season, but has also made multiple defensive interventions per game and won the majority of his duels.

This shows that he is not a terrible player who is without redeeming qualities. However, the errors are a concern, and costing Chelsea, which is why Branthwaite could arrive as a big upgrade on his fellow England international.

Why Chelsea should sign Jarrad Branthwaite

Maresca should push for the board to splash £80m on the Everton defender because his form over the past 18 months or so in the Premier League suggests that he has the quality to be a terrific addition to the squad.

Branthwaite, who was once described as a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has made 16 appearances in the top-flight this season and helped his team to keep seven clean sheets, whilst winning a whopping 78% of his ground duels.

Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite

The English titan is a dominant defender who can get the better of his opponents far more often than not, with a higher success rate in ground duels than Colwill, who has won 55% of his this term.

Alongside his impressive performances in the top-flight in the 2024/25 campaign, Branthwaite also excelled under Sean Dyche in the Premier League last season.

Appearances

35

Clean sheets

12

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.3

Error led to goal

0

Ground duel success rate

67%

Aerial duel success rate

68%

As you can see in the table above, the 22-year-old brute did not make a single error that directly led to a goal for the opposition in 35 matches in the top-flight.

The left-footed titan also won the vast majority of his duels on the ground and in the air, which is not something that Colwill has been able to boast this season.

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for Branthwaite to come in as a huge upgrade on the current Chelsea left-sided centre-back, by winning a higher percentage of his duels to cut out opposition attacks and by not making as many big errors at the back.

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Therefore, Chelsea should swoop to sign the young English star when the summer transfer window opens for business, because he could improve Maresca’s team by making the defensive unit more dominant.

Brathwaite, Brooks and Holder find early form for West Indies

A number of the top order spent useful time in the middle at the start of the Test build-up

AAP17-Nov-20222:48

Brathwaite gung-ho about playing ‘ten, solid days of Test cricket’ in Australia

West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Shamarh Brooks made half-centuries in a total of 297 for 5 at stumps on day one of their tour match against Combined NSW and ACT.The duo added 133 with captain Brathwaite and Brooks getting on top of a young attack at Canberra’s Manuka Oval which included recent Australian Under-19 representatives Liam Doddrell and Jack Nisbet.Left-arm orthodox spinner Riley Ayre made inroads to have the tourists 207 for 5 before allrounder Jason Holder and Jermaine Blackwood took their side safely to the close of play.Related

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West Indies have two tour matches before the Test series begins in Perth on November 30 and will be keen to get their batters in form before taking on Australia’s pace bowling attack.Brathwaite, Holder and Blackwood are mainstays of the West Indies side and their early tour success will be a boost to the visitors’ hopes of challenging Australia.Brathwaite is the most experienced of the West Indies batters and is 13th on the all-time Test list for his country with 4893 runs at an average of 34.45.The 34-year-old Brooks did not make his Test debut until the age of 30 and has been in and out of the team in his short 11-Test career that includes a maiden century against Afghanistan in 2019.Brooks is yet to open in a Test match for West Indies where he has batted at No.3 or in the middle order.

USMNT striker Folarin Balogun scores first Monaco goal since October in big Ligue 1 win over Saint-Etienne

After missing a large chunk of the campaign due to a shoulder injury, in his first start since his return, the American scored their third of the day

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Monaco defeat Saint-Etienne 3-1USMNT's Balogun scores first goal since Oct.Striker bagged club's third of matchFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. men's national team striker Folarin Balogun scored his first goal for Monaco since Oct. 5, 2024 on Saturday as the French club defeated Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 action, 3-1. The forward scored their third goal of the day, a perfectly timed run that saw him slot a low-driven effort into the corner of the net past the goalkeeper.

A huge three points, the victory saw Monaco climb into second in the league standings, level on points with Marseille at 58 – though, have a game in-hand over Balogun and Co.

The strike brought the 23-year-old's season total to four goals.

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Balogun underwent shoulder surgery in December after suffering an initial injury in October while playing for the French outfit. He returned from injury on March 29 and prior to Saturday, had made five-straight appearances off the bench for the club. Balogun has scored in four out of his last five starts, dating back to September of last year.

As a result of his initial injury and following surgery, though, the 23-year-old has yet to debut under new USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino. His last time playing for the U.S. was in the September international window under interim head coach Mikey Varas.

His goal on Saturday bolsters his odds of being selected this June for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

DID YOU KNOW?

Monaco striker Mika Biereth was substituted off the pitch after just 14 minutes on Saturday due to injury. In their two-striker system, if his injury forces him out of next weekend, Balogun's odds of earning a second-straight start will increase.

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The American and Monaco return to the pitch next Saturday against Lyon, where Balogun will face off against fellow U.S. international Tanner Tessmann.

Sarfaraz Khan fit to play again after symptoms of acute kidney stones

“Doctors are satisfied with his recovery, and [they] don’t think it will affect his cricket,” Sarfaraz’s father Naushad told ESPNcricinfo

Shashank Kishore14-Nov-2022Sarfaraz Khan, the Mumbai batter, is recovering well from an illness and has been declared fit to resume playing.He is currently in Ranchi with Mumbai’s squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but was rested from their second league fixture against Services on Sunday after he pulled up unwell before the game. He was replaced in the XI by Armaan Jaffer.Related

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Sarfaraz was diagnosed with symptoms of acute kidney stones, which doctors believe can be dissolved through medication. He was briefly admitted to a city hospital but was discharged later in the day. It was precautionary, given he was in some discomfort.”The doctors are satisfied with his recovery, and [they] don’t think it will affect his cricket in any way,” Naushad Khan, Sarfaraz’s father, told ESPNcricinfo. “He’s doing fine, and should be available for the next match.”With one win and a loss in two games, Mumbai are currently fourth in Elite Group E. They next play Maharashtra on Tuesday. Each side plays six league games, with the group topper assured of a quarter-final berth.Sarfaraz has been in the form of his life in domestic cricket, and was widely tipped to be part of India’s Test squad for Bangladesh next month. In the week following his non-selection, he played a match-winning hand to help Mumbai beat Himachal to win the Syed Mushtaq Ali title in Kolkata last week.But he is expected to be part of India A’s squad for the two four-day games in Bangladesh. The yet-to-be-named squad is set to depart India on November 25.

Outscoring Saka & Havertz: Arsenal must rue releasing "world-class" star

This season has felt like a slog for Arsenal.

It’s the third year on the bounce that Mikel Arteta’s side have fought for the Premier League, but instead of Manchester City, it’s Liverpool who, as things stand, look set to pip them to the crown.

The North Londoners haven’t been at their scintillating best for much of the campaign, but they have also been incredibly unlucky with injuries, with their two best attackers, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, out injured.

Worse still, a player the club released as a youngster continues to thrive at the very highest level and has already scored more goals than Saka and Havertz combined.

Havertz and Saka's seasons

So, it would be fair to say that since he moved to Arsenal for £65m in June 2023, Havterz has been a player who has split opinions among fans and pundits alike.

The German international initially joined the club as a midfield option, but halfway through last season, when he was struggling to adapt, Arteta opted to move him up and make him the team’s starting number nine, which was a decision that more than paid off.

By the end of the campaign, the former Chelsea ace had scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 51 games, but eight of those goals and seven of those assists came in just 18 appearances up top, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.2 games.

He hasn’t been quite as clinical this season and has received flak for it, but we’d argue that the Aachen-born marksman has been more effective than people have given him credit for, as in 34 appearances, he’s scored 15 goals and provided five assists, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 1.7 games, and also makes him the club’s top scorer.

From one player who sometimes has as many critics as fans to one who was in simply sensational form prior to his unfortunate hamstring injury: Saka.

In just 24 appearances, totalling 1828 minutes, the Gunners’ “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored nine goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to an incredible average of a goal involvement every 1.09 games, or every 83.09 minutes.

In short, Arsenal are in for a serious uphill battle if they are going to overtake Liverpool without these two in the team, which makes the club’s distant decision to release a prolific goalscorer, who has more goals than he pair combined this season, as a child even harder to take today.

The former Arsenal prospect outscoring Saka and Havertz

With a club the size of Arsenal, there will always be incredible youngsters who slip through the gaps, such as Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Donyell Malen.

Crystal Palace player Michael Olise

However, we aren’t sure many teams have made the decision to release a player who would end up being as unbelievably talented as Harry Kane.

The England captain was a part of Hale End until he was around 12 years old, when then-academy manager Roy Massey decided to release him, as he didn’t believe the youngster had what was needed to make it in the game.

Harry Kane for England

Now, while the club have since come to regret that decision in a big, big way, it did take about three years for Tottenham Hotspur to swoop in and pick him up after he spent a few weeks on trial with Watford, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Following a number of loans around the Football League, the Walthamstow-born star finally made it into the Lilywhites’ first team and went on to become their all-time top goalscorer, racking up an incredible haul of 280 goals and 61 assists in 435 games before securing a mega-money move to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.

The “world-class” centre forward, as dubbed by Harry Maguire, has been just as devastating in Germany, and this season, he has already scored 29 goals and provided ten assists in just 31 appearances, totalling 2459 minutes.

That means he is not only outscoring Havertz and Saka combined, but he’s also averaging 1.25 goal involvements every game, or one every 63.05 minutes, which is utterly outrageous and the sort of output that would surely fire Arteta’s men to the title.

Appearances

31

24

34

Minutes

2459′

1828′

2776′

Goals

29

9

15

Assists

10

13

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.25

0.91

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

63.05′

83.09′

138.8′

Ultimately, hindsight is a wonderful thing, and Arsenal are blessed with a plethora of incredibly talented players of their own, but a world in which they kept hold of Kane is one that might’ve seen them win a lot more silverware.

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Gary Lineker reacts to England call-up talk for Newcastle star Lewis Hall

Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker has been discussing a possible England call-up for Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall after the young full-back picked up another assist in the win over Nottingham Forest.

Newcastle prepare for Liverpool at Anfield

The Magpies will be looking to continue from where they left off when they play Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday night – although perhaps hoping to replicate their first-half performance against Forest over 90 minutes this time.

Three points for Eddie Howe’s side could see them end the evening in the top four, as their chances of returning to the Champions League look better and better with every goal Alexander Isak slams home.

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Ahead of the game against Liverpool, Howe has been speaking about midfielder Lewis Miley, and he has backed him to be an “outstanding” player for Newcastle “for a number of years”. This comes as Miley scored against Forest on Sunday in what was his first Premier League start of the campaign.

“He can be anything – he could really solidify that position and be outstanding for us for a number of years. He’s going to need a bit of luck to do that – every player needs to stay fit and injury free – that’s why we need to look after him.

Lewis Miley scores for Newcastle

“He can do a bit of everything; he’s got the running capacity – the big lungs that enable him to physically produce what he needs to in those positions. He has all the technical and, most importantly, mental capabilities. He’s played some huge games but played them like he would in training.

“He’s very composed – one of our best technical players – so I see a bright future, but he will have all the pitfalls that young players have. He needs to stay humble and level, concentrate on his training, and listen to his coaches.”

Lineker reacts to England call-up talk for Lewis Hall

As Howe heaps praise on Miley, Lewis Hall has also received significant praise for his performances this season. Former England strikers Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer would not be surprised to see Hall get a call-up to the next England squad given his impressive form.

Lewis Hall in action vs Man City's Savinho

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast (relayed by Give Me Sport), Shearer said: “I thought Lewis Hall was very, very good as well at left-back.

“I hope Thomas Tuchel has had a good look at him, and with an England squad not too far away, do not be surprised if he’s in it. Because he showed some really good form today, I thought he was excellent.”

Apps

26

Starts

23

Assists

5

Touches per game

70.8

Big chances created

5

Clean sheets

7

Interceptions per game

0.7

Tackles per game

2.0

Lineker then backed Shearer’s view: “I was just going to say exactly the same thing, Alan. I really like him, and he’s very impressive, both defensively and going forward.”

The 20-year-old, who joined the Magpies on a permanent basis in the summer, has featured in all the club’s Premier League games this season, starting 23 of the 26 games. Hall has yet to score this season but has five assists to his name, as he’s nailed down the left-back spot as his own, and he will now have his eyes on becoming an England regular.

Arne Slot urges Liverpool fans not to boo Trent Alexander-Arnold after exit announcement as he compares potential replacement Conor Bradley to one of world's best right-backs

Arne Slot has asked Liverpool fans not to boo the outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold in the remainder of the season as he hailed Conor Bradley.

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Slot urged fans not to boo TrentCompared Bradley to one of world's best right-backsTrent to be dropped from starting line-up against ArsenalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Slot has already confirmed that Alexander-Arnold will be dropped from the Reds' starting line-up that will face Arsenal in the penultimate match of their title-winning campaign on Sunday at Anfield, with Bradley given the nod in the right full-back position. The Dutch coach took the decision following the England's international's formal announcement that he will leave the club at the end of the 2024-25 season.

AdvertisementWHAT ARNE SLOT SAID

Despite removing Alexander-Arnold from his XI, Slot urged the Reds not to boo the defender as he told reporters: "We are all disappointed but Trent is the first one who said he would prefer us as a team and a club not to be distracted too much by this announcement. I am hoping all the energy on Sunday goes to the players and [as little] as possible to Trent – unless it is positive, then they can do whatever they want.

"As a human being, you can maybe understand that he [Alexander-Arnold] wants a new challenge because, if he is so many years in the same league, some players then want to experience something else. It’s up to every individual himself. I’m the type of human being who can understand a lot of arguments. That’s not to say I would make the same choice. It was a really difficult decision for him."

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The Dutch coach also spoke highly of Bradley and compared him to one of the best right-backs in the world, Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi, as he added: "They all run a lot, but Conor is in his own league. Comparable maybe with [Achraf] Hakimi at PSG. He is everywhere during the game as well. But Hakimi is 26. He is much more used to doing this every single week. He needs time, Conor, and a good programme to keep him fit. To become a very good player you have to be available every week, and that is the first step he has to take next season."

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WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

After facing the Gunners at home on Sunday, the English champions will finally get their hands on the Premier League trophy at the AMEX Stadium on May 19 as they take on Brighton in the final game of the season.

Tim Southee 'was right for our environment' – New Zealand coach Gary Stead

Fast bowler was preferred as Test captain over Tom Latham, who has stood in for Kane Williamson in the past

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2022New Zealand chose Tim Southee over Tom Latham as Kane Williamson’s successor as Test captain because of the fast bowler’s “experience” and that he was the “right for our environment now,” according to coach Gary Stead.Southee, 34, was appointed on Thursday after Williamson ended his six-year tenure as Test captain, even though he had never led New Zealand in Test cricket before. Southee’s captaincy is limited to limited-overs internationals: 22 T20Is and one ODI.Latham, on the other hand, led New Zealand in nine Tests when Williamson was unavailable, winning four and losing five. He most recently captained New Zealand to 1-1 draws in home series against Bangladesh and South Africa, and a defeat in the second Test against England at Trent Bridge.Related

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“Look, both are great leaders in our unit and I guess, for us, it’s about trying to share the responsibilities around a little bit more,” Stead said at a press conference in Lincoln. “Tim was the guy that we felt was right for our environment now. That’s taking nothing away from Tom Latham, he’s been outstanding in doing that interim job for us, and I’m sure that Tom will take a big place within our team in terms of leadership and possibly the captaincy in some formats if these guys aren’t available.”Southee is New Zealand’s third highest wicket-taker in Tests – 347 wickets in 88 matches – and only the second fast bowler to be appointed their full-time captain after Harry Cave in 1955. His first assignment will be the two-Test series in Pakistan starting on December 26, New Zealand’s first tour to the country since 2003.New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive David White said Southee’s appointment was a collective decision that had board approval.When Stead was asked if the decision was close between Southee and Latham, he said: “Well, it’s not necessarily about close calls … We’ve got great leaders and two of them are here, and Tom is another one, and there’s others in our team as well. I guess we just discussed all the different options and put them out there. In the end, we felt Tim’s experience, and I guess a little bit of a feeling of a bowling position as well is slightly different.”Southee takes over from Williamson, who won 22 of his 40 Tests as captain, giving him the best win percentage (55%) for a New Zealand skipper.”Umm, not really,” Williamson said when asked if he had recommended his replacement to NZC. “I was a part of the conversations, but it’s sort of not my place, really. But to share my thoughts, which I’ve done for a long time, and will continue to do so to try and benefit the environment is important.”With so many strong leaders, it’s about what we want to do with the relationship with Gary, and how they want to see the team move forward in the future. When we sort of broke down what the next period looked like, we thought Tim was the guy.”

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