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Aston Villa will head to Merseyside this afternoon for their penultimate Premier League clash with Liverpool and Unai Emery will be hoping his team can take some important points from the outing.

The Villans are in the chase for a spot in European football next season and are currently eighth in the league table, matching points with Tottenham Hotspur, so taking a result away from Anfield will be crucial to stay in contention.

There is no denying that Emery has done a phenomenal job since making the move to Villa Park last October, and the Spanish manager could now achieve something that was completely unthinkable just six months ago by leading the club to European football for the first time since 2010.

Indeed, it will be no easy task for the Villans when they step out against Jurgen Klopp's side today as the Reds are trying to do everything in their power to keep themselves in the conversation for Champions League football.

Therefore, Emery could look to make some tactical tweaks to stump their opponents and ensure that they can stay in the game as long as possible – and Emiliano Buendia could be the player who doesn't quite make the cut as a result.

Will Emery drop Buendia vs Liverpool?

The return of Boubacar Kamara has been highly anticipated for the Midlands club after suffering an ankle injury that put an abrupt stop to his excellent partnership with Douglas Luiz in midfield.

However, the clash with Liverpool could be the perfect opportunity for the Frenchman to reprise his role to bolster the huge presence needed in the centre of the pitch alongside Luiz, Jacob Ramsey and John McGinn, a setup that could see Emery sacrifice an attacking player.

Ollie Watkins is likely to remain the focal point in the centre-forward position as his 11 goals scored since the turn of the year have been integral to Villa's rapid climb up the league table, whilst retaining Leon Bailey in the final third would be advantageous in counter-attacking opportunities due to his undeniable pace.

This means that the most likely solution would be to drop Buendia from the starting XI and instead utilise him as an impact substitute should the game not be going in Villa's way during the second half.

The talented £75k-per-week winger – dubbed a "little warrior" by former manager Steven Gerrard – has been involved in every single league game this season so far. However, with Liverpool on an incredible nine-game unbeaten run and fully focused on taking all three points in their last home fixture, a more defensive approach may be wise for Villa.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see how Emery sets up his team against their relentless opponents this afternoon as it could be the difference in securing a spot in Europe next season.

Liverpool are understood to be monitoring the availability of Red Bull Leipzig’s Dani Olmo.

What’s the latest on Dani Olmo to Liverpool?

According to 90min, the Reds, alongside Arsenal and Newcastle United are “keeping tabs” on the 25-year-old.

Representatives from the Merseyside outfit were reportedly at the Allianz Arena to watch the Spaniard in his side’s resounding 3-1 victory.

As per previous reports, the Germans want to keep him at the club, but the forward’s current contract expires in 2024, so he’s been offered an ultimatum: either he renews or if he leaves this summer for a sum of around €30m (£26m).

After confirming the departures of Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and James Milner, Olmo could be the first step of this rebuild to propel the Reds back into Champions League qualification next year.

How good is Dani Olmo?

The playmaker has made 29 appearances in all competitions this season and has recorded 14 goal involvements in an effervescent and productive campaign.

His profile is exactly what Liverpool have been missing in midfield – an intricate and technical influence that can link the defence and the offence.

The £70k-per-week star ranks within the top 24% in Europe’s top leagues among his positional peers for progressive passes per 90, successful take-ons per 90, and assists, according to FBref.

Those sorts of numbers see the Spaniard likened to James Maddison by the statistical website, a player who has also been linked with the Reds in previous months.

The Leicester ace has been a rare shining beacon in a desperately disappointing season for the Foxes, and like Olmo, is the link between defence and attack in his side, ranking in the highest 13% for shot-creating actions per 90 and progressive passes per 90.

Both the aforementioned players have a keen eye for defence-splitting passes, are competent dribblers, and are indispensable cogs in the creative flow of their respective sides.

However, perhaps even more impressively for Olmo, and why he is under consideration from Liverpool, is his frightening versatility that has seen him appear in central areas, as well as the right and left wing.

Julian Nagelsmann feels that the 30-cap international is an "outstanding footballer", adding: He has exceptional abilities and is very safe with the ball. When he gets put under pressure, he knows how to provoke a foul.”

This view was echoed by Pep Guardiola, who failed the former Barcelona starlet as "incredible."

As the race intensifies for Mason Mount, and with the Englishman reportedly favouring a move to Manchester United, Olmo represents a cheaper and more attainable alternative, with a magical skill set and the necessary experience to succeed.

كشف إيهاب الكومي، عضو مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة، عن موعد رحيل البرتغالي روي فيتوريا المدير الفني السابق لمنتخب مصر، بعدما تم توجيه الشكر له، عقب توديع بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا المقامة في كوت ديفوار.

وقال الكومي في تصريحات عبر قناة “صدى البلد”: “فيتوريا سيغادر مصر اليوم، وكل الشكر له على جهده المبذول في الفترة الماضية، على الرغم من الاخفاق والصدمة للجماهير المصرية بعد خروجنا من كأس أمم إفريقيا”.

وأضاف: “كان الاتجاه لدينا في بداية الأمر هو ضرورة اختيار مدير فني له باع في كرة القدم الإفريقية والمنتخبات وحقق نتائج على أرض الواقع سواء بصعوده إلى كأس العالم أو حصوله على كأس أمم إفريقيا، وفي حالة عدم التواصل مع مدير فني كبير بهذه المواصفات سنعتمد على مدير فني مصري، وكان الأسم الأقرب للمواصفات التي حددها اتحاد الكرة للمدير الفني لمنتخب مصر هو هيرفي رينارد”.

طالع أيضاً.. محمد فضل: لا وقت لانتقاد حسام حسن.. ويرد على أنباء توتر علاقته مع الأهلي

وأوضح: “لم يكن هناك اتصال مباشر معه، البعض من خارج الاتحاد بدأ في الاتصال معه وقال إنه موافق على تدريب منتخب مصر، لكن هو لديه ارتباط مع الاتحاد الفرنسي وينتهي في شهر أغسطس المقبل، وبالتالي ممكن المساعدين له يتولوا تدريب المنتخب في مباراتي تصفيات كأس العالم شهر يونيو المقبل ثم يأتي هو بعد الأولمبياد”.

وتابع: “بناءًا عليه كان القرار من الاتحاد المصري وبالإجماع اختيار حسام حسن، لا يوجد أحد في المجلس اعترض على تعيين التوأم”.

وأفاد: “حسام وإبراهيم حسن تاريخ كبير سواء مع الأندية أو المنتخب، وهما قادرين على تحقيق نتائج مرضية جدًا، ومع المنتخب الأردني كان لهما تجربة أكثر من رائعة”.

وأردف: “بعد مفاضلة رأينا أن التوأم هما الأنسب لهذه المرحلة، اتحاد الكرة أعطى أريحية كاملة لحسام حسن في اختيار أي عنصر يضيفون للجهاز الفني، متأكدون أنه ستكون هناك طفرة كبيرة جدًا مع التوأم”.

واستطرد: “رغم خروجنا من كأس أمم إفريقيا وحالة الحزن، لكن هناك علامة مضيئة بتواجد مصري في كأس الأمم متمثلة في التحكيم المصري، رفعوا رأس مصر وأعادوا هيبة التحكيم المصري، ويجب أن أشكر اللجنة الحالية برئاسة بيريرا أو اللجان السابقة بقيادة عصام عبد الفتاح أو وجيه أحمد، كل ذلك كان لهم دور في أداء حكامنا المشرف في البطولة”.

وأكمل: “اتحاد الكرة المصري قرر إقامة حفل تكريم للحكام بعد عودتهم من كوت ديفوار”.

واستكمل: “الكاف رشح أمين عمر ومحمد معروف للتواجد في كأس العالم 2026”.

واختتم: “أنا علي تواصل مع رئيس لجنة الحكام بالكاف، وأبلغني أنه سعيد جدًا بالتحكيم المصري وأن التحكيم المصري شيء مشرف”.

Pakistan have been fined for maintaining a slow over rate during their victory over England in the fourth Test at The Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Aug-2016

Pakistan have been fined for maintaining a slow over rate during their victory over England in the fourth Test at The Oval.Misbah-ul-Haq’s side were found to be one over short, after time allowances were taken into consideration by the umpires and match referee. Misbah accepted the charge and was fined 20% of his match fee, while the Pakistan players were fined 10%.This was Misbah’s first over-rate offence within a 12-month period but the penalty will remain on his record and he could face suspension if Pakistan commit another breach.Pakistan’s win ensured they would share the series 2-2 with England and gives them a chance of being ranked the No. 1 Test side, depending on results in Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

A move to give Shahid Afridi a farewell during the T20Is between Pakistan and West Indies in the UAE has not materialised, with the former captain left out of the squad for the three matches

Umar Farooq17-Sep-2016

A move to give Shahid Afridi a farewell during the T20Is between Pakistan and West Indies in the UAE has not materialised, with the former captain left out of the squad for the three matches. The PCB confirmed the move had come from selection committee head, Inzamam-ul-Haq, but it fell through in the absence of the board chairman Shaharyar Khan, who is recovering from surgery, and executive committee head Najam Sethi, who is on vacation in England.Afridi had plans to retire at the end of the 2016 World T20 in India and Shaharyar had confirmed this earlier in the year saying, “He is also a Pathan and I am also a Pathan and once the agreement is done between two Pathans it can’t be changed.” However, before the tournament, Afridi revealed that he was reconsidering his retirement due to “huge pressure” from friends and family.Following Pakistan’s poor performance at the World T20, and criticism surrounding his leadership, Afridi stepped down as captain but chose to continue playing in the format. However, he has not played for Pakistan since then, with the new selection committee not seeing him as a part of their plans for the side.Azhar Ali retained as ODI captain

Azhar Ali has been retained as Pakistan’s ODI captain for the West Indies series. His leadership was under scrutiny following a 4-1 series defeat on the tour of England. Azhar reportedly refused to relinquish the captaincy after the PCB asked him to step down and focus on his batting. The PCB has decided to maintain status quo for the series in the UAE as chairman Shaharyar Khan is currently recuperating in London after a heart surgery.
According the PCB’s constitution, the decision to appoint or remove the captain can be taken only by the board chairman. Azhar took over the captaincy after 2015 World Cup and has led the side in eight series. However, Pakistan have only beaten Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Ireland [in a one-off match] in this time and are currently ranked ninth in ODIs with 86 points, their lowest ever tally since the ranking system was introduced in 2001.

Afridi had succeeded Mohammad Hafeez as Pakistan’s T20 captain in September 2014. In his second stint as captain, Afridi led the side to 11 victories in 24 matches but his personal form dipped. He averaged 14.65 during this period with a best of 49, and took 20 wickets.After the 2016 World T20, Afridi turned out for Hampshire in Natwest t20 Blast the scoring 191 runs at 17.36 in 12 matches and taking nine wickets. He also played only one match in the recent domestic National T20 tournament, before pulling out due to fitness concerns. He reportedly underwent an MRI scan on his knee and was later trained in Karachi as a part of injury rehabilitation. He was also optimistic that he would be selected for the series against West Indies, but he was ignored.However, days after the team announcement, the Urdu newspaper carried a report that claimed Afridi would be selected as the 16th player for the three-match series against West Indies in the UAE, as part of a planned farewell.Afridi hinted at that possibility and his retirement during a media session in Karachi, but the statement was seen as ambiguous.”I have put no pressure on the board nor they on me but whatever happens it will be good and set new precedents,” Afridi said in a statement in Karachi. “I have always noted that in Pakistan there is no tradition of players retiring gracefully, even the big names. Every player wants to go out on a high and I am no different.”Players must exit respectfully since the ones who serve the country with distinction deserve honour. I have had a discussion with Inzi (Inzamam-ul-Haq) who is an elder to me and we will do what is beneficial to both Pakistan cricket and my own self. This would allow players to decide themselves when it is the right time for them to retire gracefully and with dignity.”Afridi’s decisions to retire from other formats were also surrounded by uncertainty. His decision to retire from Test cricket, immediately after leading his side to a 150-run loss against Australia at Lord’s in 2010, was seen as abrupt. His ODI retirement, too, was muddled for some time before he decided to quit the format after the 2015 World Cup.

يسعى نادي تشيلسي الإنجليزي للتفاوض مع برشلونة من أجل التعاقد مع الهولندي فرينكي دي يونج، وفقًا لتقارير صحفية.

وارتبط دي يونج في وقت سابق بالرحيل عن برشلونة، في عام 2022 حيث سعى النادي الإسباني لبيعه للاستفادة ماليًا، لكن الهولندي صمم على البقاء واستمر بالفعل في صفوف الفريق.

وكان مانشستر يونايتد يرغب في ضم الهولندي الدولي وفقًا لرغبة المدير الفني إريك تين هاج الذي سبق ودرب دي يونج في صفوف أياكس أمستردام.

طالع قائمة برشلونة لمباراة غرناطة في الدوري الإسباني.. عودة تير شتيجن ورافينها

والآن تشيلسي مستعد لتقديم عرض بقيمة 85 مليون جنيه إسترليني من أجل فرينكي دي يونج هذا الصيف مع ظهور شكوك جديدة حول مستقبل لاعب الوسط، بحسب ما أفادت صحيفة “مترو” البريطانية.

وتزعم التقارير أن برشلونة يفكر في الاستفادة من بيع دي يونج في ظل الوضع المالي الصعب الذي يمر به النادي.

ويعد دي يونج من بين اللاعبين الأعلى أجرًا في برشلونة، وأمامه عامين متبقيين على عقده الحالي.

وتوضح صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، أنه لم يتم إحراز أي تقدم في تجديد عقد دي يونج مع علم ممثلي اللاعب بأن مانشستر يونايتد وتشيلسي وباريس سان جيرمان سينتهزون فرصة التوقيع معه.

John Gleeson, the former Australia spinner, has died at the age of 78 in Tamworth, New South Wales

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2016

John Gleeson, the former Australia spinner, has died at the age of 78 in Tamworth, New South Wales.Gleeson was Australia’s 242nd Test cricketer and played 29 matches between 1967 and 1972. He took 93 wickets at an average of 36 with three five-wicket hauls. Gleeson also claimed 430 first-class wickets in a 116-match career between 1966 and 1975, predominantly for New South Wales.”He’s sadly passed away in the Tamworth hospital, aged 78,” the former Australia captain Ian Chappell relayed to viewers during Channel Nine’s coverage of a Matador Cup game.Gleeson was one of the early unorthodox spinners, delivering with an unusual action like Australia’s Jack Iverson before him and Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis decades later. “The folded finger-spinner they called him,” Chappell said. “He came from Tamworth, started out his cricket life as a wicketkeeper and he fiddled around flicking these balls … I think he started with a table tennis ball, and developed into a very fine finger spinner.”I spoke to him the other day, he’d come to grips with his situation and his last words were to me, ‘Don’t fret, mate, I’m in good shape’.”A late starter to first-class cricket at 27, Gleeson had honed his method for years prior, experimenting with various grips in backyard cricket ater being partly inspired by fellow “mystery” spinner Iverson. “The first time I saw it was a photograph in a 1951 Sporting Life magazine,” he said of Iverson’s grip in a 2008 interview. “I would bowl with the same grip with a tennis ball in backyard cricket, with a jacaranda tree as the wicket. It was quite natural for me to bowl a legspinner even if it looked like an offspinner – it was basically a reverse wrong’un: looks like an offspinner but is a legspinner.”Gleeson worked his way into the New South Wales state side and ultimately the Australian Test team after impressing Richie Benaud in a net session in the summer of 1966-67. He always remained somewhat miffed by the hype that surrounded his bowling style, which was a forerunner to other more lateral methods of spinning the ball that would follow in later years around the cricket world. His path to the Test side was to be smoothed by another net session, in Adelaide where he bowled to the then selection chairman Sir Donald Bradman.”He stood there, in his suit, at the batting crease, without a bat. I ran up and bowled. To get the ball to turn a fair bit I had to bowl a lot slower than I normally did,” Gleeson said. “I bowled him that ball [an off break] and he tried to let it hit the net, but it went the other way, flew up, and hit him on the hip. His eyes lit up and he just picked the ball up and threw it back to me. Next ball, I bowled him the wrong’un and then he wasn’t quite sure which way to go as he wasn’t reading from the hand.”James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said: “John captured the imagination of cricket fans everywhere as he bamboozled batsmen with his odd bowling grip, borrowed from another mystery Australian spinner, Jack Iverson.””We were deeply saddened to hear of John’s passing and are truly appreciative of his contribution to the game, which, beyond his distinguished playing career, included time as an administrator with World Series Cricket. As a cricketer, he will be remembered as someone who played for his country at the highest level and, with his unique skills, had the ability to regularly dumbfound the best batsmen in any team.”

Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland could soon sign an extension at the Etihad, according a huge update regarding his future.

What is Haaland's current contract situation?

The Norwegian joined City last summer in arguably the most high-profile signing of the year, coming in on a contract earning him £375,000 per week. He hasn't disappointed, with so much expected of him when he came in, producing one of the greatest individual seasons in English football history.

Haaland scored 36 goals in just 33 starts in the Premier League, as well as 12 in ten in the Champions League, with Saturday's final against Inter Milan still to come. Many regard him as one of the greatest footballers on the planet currently – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has even called him the "best striker in the world" in recent times.

The 22-year-old already has a contract keeping him at the Etihad until the summer of 2027, but Real Madrid have been linked with a move for him, potentially forcing City to further improve the terms of his current deal before the transfer window opens on June 14.

Could Haaland sign City extension?

According to The Telegraph, there is hope that Haaland could sign a new contract at the Etihad, helped by City's memorable season, with a treble on offer this weekend:

"Manchester City’s historic Treble bid has increased hopes of Erling Haaland committing to a longer contract at the Etihad Stadium this summer.

"The Norway striker, 22, arrived for the start of the campaign but is in the frame for the fresh terms to make it even harder for Real Madrid to launch Operation Haaland and land the player who has scored 52 goals this season.

"There is confidence at City that an extension has a strong chance of being agreed, given Haaland’s happiness at the club."

This is massive news from a City perspective, with the risk of Haaland joining Madrid always something that feels like a nagging concern, especially with Karim Benzema leaving the La Liga giants this summer.

Signing a new-and-improved deal would clearly alleviate that issue, and while the lure of Madrid is great for most players, you wonder why the Etihad favourite would want to go anywhere else at the moment, considering the success he is enjoying under Pep Guardiola.

The hope is that Haaland spends the entirety of his career at City, and while that could be wishful thinking, with a new challenge possibly appealing one day, it is imperative that they do all they can to keep him for as long as possible.

قال بيب جوارديولا مدرب مانشستر سيتي إن بورنموث بقيادة أندوني إيراولا، فريق ذكي، مؤكدًا أن المواجهة بينهما غدًا السبت في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ستكون صعبة لمدة 90 دقيقة.

واستشهد جوارديولا بمباراة الفريقين في نوفمبر الماضي، على الرغم من فوز مانشستر سيتي بنتيجة 6-1، على ملعب الاتحاد.

وقال جوارديولا في تصريحاته خلال المؤتمر الصحفي: “إنها مباراة صعبة دائمًا بسبب الطريقة التي يلعبون بها”.

وأضاف: “سيكون الأمر مختلفًا تمامًا عما كنا نلعبه في ملعب الاتحاد، عندما واجهنا بورنموث في تلك المرة، تغيروا تمامًا، وفهم اللاعبون ما يريدونه ولعبوا بشكل جيد حقًا، إنهم عدوانيون، ومنظمون جيدًا، فريق جيد”.

وأشاد بمدرب بورنموث متابعًا: “لقد قام بعمل رائع في إسبانيا، لقد فازوا في أولد ترافورد، ولعبوا بشكل جيد ضد توتنهام وفي نيوكاسل كانوا مذهلين”.

وأصر: “ستكون مباراة صعبة حقًا غدًا، وسنركز على ذلك ثم على المباريات التالية، عندما يكون لديك جدول مثل هذا وسنوات عديدة من اللعب كل ثلاثة أيام في مسابقات مختلفة، فإن أفضل طريقة هي التفكير فقط في المباراة التالية، والباقي سيأتي، ما سيحدث سيحدث”.

وانتقل للرد على تصريحات السير جيم راتكليف، المشارك الجديد في ملكية نادي مانشستر يونايتد، والذي أكد أنه يتطلع للإطاحة بليفربول ومانشستر سيتي من المنافسة باعتبارهما أعداء فريقه.

وعلّق جوارديولا: “متأكد أن مانشستر يونايتد سيأخذ خطوة للأمام مع تولي السير جيم راتكليف المسؤولية، كان لدي شعور بأنهم يعرفون بالضبط ما يتعين عليهم القيام به الآن”.

وأشار: “لكنني أريد أن يكون مانشستر سيتي هناك، سواء كان مانشستر يونايتد أو ليفربول أو أي شخص آخر لا يهم، أنا أهتم فقط بمانشستر سيتي”.

وأكد: “ما قاله جيم راتكليف عن الرغبة في أن يكون مثلنا هو ببساطة الحقيقة، لقد تعلمنا أشياء عندما كانوا في القمة، والآن نحن كذلك”.

Temba Bavuma and Stephen Cook acknowledged the WACA’s similarity to the pitch back home at the Wanderers, where they represent the Lions

Firdose Moonda01-Nov-20161:56

Wanderers experience will help at WACA – Cook

The joke is that South Africans feel more at home in Perth than some Australians. With an estimated 30,000 of their countrymen permanently settled in the city, and its distance from the rest of Australia’s cities, you can understand why. South African batsmen Stephen Cook and Temba Bavuma also have reason to feel like they belong at the WACA, but it’s got more to do with where they come from.They play their cricket at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, which Cook said was “probably the one ground in the world that’s similar to Perth in terms of pace and bounce.” While the WACA has lost some of its bite and the Wanderers has been known to produce run-fests, especially in limited-overs cricket, the surfaces remain spicy enough to keep bowlers interested.Batsmen need familiarity to be properly equipped on such pitches and Cook, whose domestic career is more than a decade and a half old, said he had more than enough. “I think it will stand me in good stead and I will try to take a few of the lessons I’ve learnt in my career and translate them into playing here,” Cook said.Bavuma only has half of Cook’s experience but more than three times his number of Tests caps and is just as eager to show what he can do on a seamer-friendly strip. “Judging by the nets, it’s quite similar to the Wanderers. Here the bounce is a bit exaggerated. That’s a challenge I am looking forward to,” he said.But both will need major improvements on what they have showed on tour so far if they are to match their talk with action. The pair are the only two in the top seven who have not scored at least a half-century in South Africa’s two warm-up matches.Cook managed just 5 and 12 in the first one, a day-night practice match, and got a duck in the second. Bavuma fared slightly better with scores of 11, 21 and 43. On South Africa A’s winter tour to Australia earlier this year, Cook scored only 58 runs in four innings – two of them were ducks – while Bavuma scored 51 in that series, with a top score of 21.Those numbers are not reassuring, but Cook insisted they were not a cause for concern. “I haven’t scored that many runs since I’ve been here but I’m not too perturbed by that. Things were pretty good in a couple of domestic games back home and I’ve felt like I’ve been in decent touch,” he said, referring to an unbeaten 97 in the first-class season opener between the Lions and Cobras at the Wanderers.Stephen Cook was confident that failures in the warm-up games will not affect his Test performances•Getty Images

“We all hit the ground running when it gets to the real stuff. Sometimes a lot gets read into practice games and situations like that but I’ve played this game for long enough to know that there’s no direct correlation between the two.”Bavuma also has recent form to fall back on. On his ODI debut against Ireland, batting as an opener, he scored a century and showed an ability to shift gears, which he knows could be called on in the Tests.”Where I bat in the middle order you generally have to be able to play the situation,” Bavuma said. “There will be moments in the series where you have to take the attack to the opposition. It’s about me being able to recognise those moments and adjust.”Bavuma has already showed an ability to adapt to pressure. He is the first black African batsman to play Test cricket for South Africa and as such, carries the hopes of a nation. He accepts that. If that was not enough, at 1.67 metres (5’5″) he has since been asked if he also considers himself an ambassador for the vertically challenged as well. He isn’t entirely sure of the answer but he knows that he could be seen as a novelty and that means expectation on him will grow with each game.”It’s a pressure I am trying to embrace and take in my stride. I want to improve and better myself all the time,” Bavuma said.At 33, so does Cook. Schooled alongside former South African captain Graeme Smith, Cook has waited almost half his life to play for South Africa and with time not on his side, he wants to make the most of every match.”My first Test was a dream, but as cricketers we’re never satisfied. You get a taste for something and you want more. This is an iconic series. It’s been a series in which a lot of players’ and a lot of teams’ careers have been defined. Therein lies another wonderful opportunity for us as a team. It’s for me as an individual to make my stamp and put my mark on it.”Cook watched as JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis prospered on previous Australian tours and saw two people “of similar age and and who I grew up playing cricket against, go from guys who were maybe not that well known, to guys who put in big performances under pressure.”Neither Cook, nor Bavuma are well-known yet. But they have put in performances under pressure at the Wanderers. Now they have to do it at the WACA.