Ottis Gibson has been impressed by Wiaan Mulder and is keen to get him involved with the national squad as soon as possible with an eye on the 2019 World Cup

Firdose Moonda17-Oct-2017When Wiaan Mulder walked out to bat for his franchise, Lions, on Monday afternoon, he knew his innings wouldn’t matter. Not because his team was 280 for 4 with one centurion, Reeza Hendricks, and another on the way, but because Mulder would only have seven overs to bat and he would not be able to continue the next day.At around 3pm, Mulder found out he would have to get on a flight to Cape Town to meet up with the ODI squad, where he would replace the injured Wayne Parnell. “I hadn’t gone in to bat yet. The coach told me I would be replaced by someone else,” Mulder said. So when Nicky van den Bergh was dismissed late in the day, Mulder wasn’t sure what he would do at all. “I said to the coach, ‘Must he go bat, or must I go bat?’ He said, ‘You’re still going in to bat and it’s important that you do your best for us’.”Mulder faced 24 balls and scored 18, with 12 of them coming in boundaries but he insists he wasn’t trying to be too aggressive. “I tried to get a not out overnight because the guy who’s replacing me would get a chance to bat today. It’s a funny feeling leaving the game,” Mulder said.On Tuesday morning, Wihan Lubbe took Mulder’s place and Mulder arrived in the national camp. “It’s extremely intimidating. Going to greet the guys – AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Kagiso Rabada – it was massive for me. I didn’t know what to say to them,” he said. “I just went and shook their hands and smiled. You’re not too sure what to do. I think it’s like that for everybody.”This is not Mulder’s first time with the senior side or around these players. He went to the same school as Rabada, St Stithians, but was three years younger than him. He was included as cover for Parnell ahead of the first Test in Potchefstroom but released when Parnell passed a fitness test and he also played with de Villiers and JP Duminy for the Invitation XI against Bangladesh last week. But this time it’s different because Mulder may actually get the chance to play at the highest level with them.Even though new South Africa coach Ottis Gibson said the team may not be tinkered with for the second ODI on Wednesday he did hint that experimentation could be on the cards in the final match on Sunday if the series is wrapped up. “Maybe in the third game, if we win tomorrow, we might make some changes.”Mulder will come into contention then, especially because he has been hand-picked by Gibson to be part of South Africa’s long-term plans. “He is very talented. One of the first days I got into the country, I went to the Wanderers and he was playing and I saw him and immediately liked him. I asked a question about him and they said he was in the system already and he is a very good Under-19 player,” Gibson said, referring to the opening round of first-class fixtures which he attended last month. Mulder took 4 for 70 in the first innings and scored 79, impressing Gibson with his all-round ability.Mulder is only 19 and Gibson is confident Mulder could develop into a candidate for the 2019 World Cup. That’s why Gibson wants to keep him as close to the national squad as possible. “One of the things we are trying to do as a one-day team is widen the pool of players that we need to choose from. He is here now because he is talented and he is somebody who in two years, if he develops in the right way, there is no reason why he can’t be part of the squad going forward. This is a good opportunity for us to have a look at him as well.”All this means expectation on Mulder is high and he has admitted he can’t quite guarantee that he is ready to meet it. “I’m not too sure if I’m ready,” Mulder said.But Mulder has been surrounded with good advice, especially from former U-19 World Cup winning captain and recent Test debutant Aiden Markram. “Aiden told me a couple of months ago to, ‘Go out there and be yourself. Don’t try and prove a point to anybody. Don’t try and be somebody that you’re not’,” Mulder said. “Just having that peace of mind, that no matter what you’ll still be the same person, is quite a big thing. It’s helped me with my success, going out there and not worrying too much about what the guys are saying or what they might say afterwards. A lot of young guys struggle with that because the mindset of just being yourself is tough. As a young guy you want to impress. You want to be the big guy. You want to be the guy who stands up when the occasion is there.”Mulder also intends to “feed off” the likes of de Villiers and Amla because he hopes to “become one of them one day” though that does not mean he will neglect his bowling. “I’d like to be a batsman who can bowl or a genuine allrounder,” Mulder said.Just like his other idol Jacques Kallis. “He has been my hero since I was a little boy. I used to watch him and say I want to be like Kallis one day.”And Mulder’s sporting role-models don’t end there. He also looks up to a man who is proving evergreen, tennis legend Roger Federer. “Just the way he approaches every match, the way he trains, the way he’s extremely strong mentally – he can come back from wherever he is in a match. He’s been my main role model in sport. His mindset is unbelievable. That’s driven me massively in tough situations, and even when the going is good.”

While much of the talk at Tottenham Hotspur are present is centred around the potential departure of talisman Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, there also other members of the first-team squad who are yet to resolve their futures at N17.

Among those looking set to join Kane out the door is former Southampton man, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, with the Denmark international looking set to seal a move to La Liga giants, Atletico Madrid.

Following prior reports that new boss Ange Postecoglou was open to offers for the 27-year-old, the speculation surrounding his future is now ramping up, amid claims that a €20m (£17m) bid from Atleti has been rejected.

If the experienced playmaker is to leave the north Londoners this summer it will leave Postecoglou in need of potential replacements, with a handful of names having already been tipped to fill the void.

Who will replace Hojbjerg at Tottenham?

According to previous reports from the Daily Mail, the likes of Conor Gallagher, Douglas Luiz and Gabri Veiga – the latter of whom plies his trade for Celta Vigo – have all been mooted as possible targets to replace Hojbjerg this summer.

As per journalist Rudy Galetti, the Premier League side are also said to have Barcelona's Franck Kessie on the "list", with the former AC Milan man having previously been a target for Daniel Levy and co during Antonio Conte's time at the helm.

The Ivory Coast international only made the move to Camp Nou last summer on a free transfer, although the belief is that the 26-year-old could be up for grabs for as little as €15m (£13m) after just a solitary season in Catalonia.

What is Franck Kessie's style of play?

The 6 foot sensation undoubtedly during a disappointing 2022/23 campaign after being restricted to just seven starts in Spain's top flight, albeit while having previously racked up over 200 appearances during his time in Milan.

Lauded as a "warrior" by talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past, the £149k-per-week talent could well prove to be Tottenham's next Moussa Sissoko, with the pair said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.

That likeness between the Barca ace and the Frenchman can notably be seen by their willingness to get forward from their midfield berths, with Sissoko averaging 1.30 per 90 for touches in the attacking penalty area, while Kessie is just ahead as he averages 2.60 in that regard – thus ranking in the top 12% among his European peers.

The duo are also alike, however, in that they aren't typically able to offer a real goal threat in the final third, with Kessie contributing just one goal and one assist in the league last season, while Sissoko – who currently plies his trade for French outfit, Nantes – scored twice and laid on no assists in 30 Ligue 1 outings.

That comparison between the pair could well showcase that Kessie can also prove to be a success at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium if he is to make the move this summer, with his French counterpart previously overcoming early struggles to thrive in north London.

Having made just eight league starts in his debut season at Spurs after joining from Newcastle United on a £30m deal in 2016, Sissoko shook off those early woes to cement himself as a key figure in the centre of the park, having eventually been "transformed", according to pundit Noel Whelan.

Also described as a "massive player" in the team by Whelan, the 33-year-old was memorably part of the side that reached the Champions League final in 2019, before departing for Watford in 2021.

With the 6 foot 2 gem – who was also dubbed a "warrior" by national team boss, Didier Deschamps – making his mark during his five-year stay in the capital, perhaps Kessie can follow suit as his heir apparent if Levy can strike a deal.

MatériaMais Notícias

Recuperado de um ferimento no joelho esquerdo, tendo, inclusive, atuado na derrota do Santos por 2 a 1 para o Palmeiras, no último domingo (23), pela quinta rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, no estádio do Morumbi, o zagueiro Lucas Veríssimo afirmou que os primeiros dias de trabalho na semana sem compromissos do clube tem servido para que o técnico Cuca corrija erros apresentados pela equipe nas cinco partidas em que esteve no comando.

Na terceira semana de Alexi Stival como técnico santista, essa será a primeira que o Peixe não terá partidas no meio de semana e o treinador terá tempo para trabalhar a sua equipe. Neste domingo (30), o Alvinegro Praiano recebe o Flamengo, na Vila Belmiro, às 16h, pela sexta rodada do Brasileirão.

Para Lucas Veríssimo, Cuca estava alinhando a equipe na “base da conversa”, mas agora o “professor” terá tempo para fazer correções.

– Ele tem tido pouco tempo de trabalho e tem feito as coisas mais na base da conversa Essa semana, com mais tempo, está corrigindo mais os nossos erros e quer colocar aqui o que acha correto na equipe. Acredito que ai nos ajudar a fazer um grande jogo contra o Flamengo e buscar o resultado posiivo – disse o zagueiro ao site do Santos FC.

Além disso, a ideia da comissão técnica é que o tempo sirva para recuperação de jogadores que sofrem com problemas físicos. O goleiro Vladimir e os atacantes Uribe e Raniel, que sofriam com lesões e desfalcaram o Peixe nos últimos jogos, treinaram com bola nesta segunda-feira (26). Por sua vez, Marinho, com dores na coxa direita, passará por exames e é dúvida.

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Próximo jogo

O duelo contra o Rubro-Negro carioca na próxima rodada do campeonato nacional reeditará a partida da última rodada do torneio em 2019, quando o Peixe recebeu o Fla, já campeão e a caminho da disputa do Mundial de Clubes, e aplicou uma goleada por 4 a 0. O resultado, inclusive, confirmou o vice-campeonato santista.

Hoje ambas as equipes vivem situações e comandos diferentes. Ainda assim, Veríssimo elogia o elenco flamenguista.

– É uma grande equipe, com grandes jogadores e não vai ser um jogo fácil, mas estaremos em cara e será um grande jogo – afirmou o camisa 28.

O Alvinegro Praiano é sexto colocado no Brasileirão, com sete pontos. São duas vitórias, duas derrotas e um empate, em cinco jogos disputados.

The 31-year old allrounder will continue playing T20 cricket and remains eligible for selection by Australia in the shortest format

Daniel Brettig06-Oct-20170:34

Quick Facts: John Hastings

John Hastings has joined a recent exodus of players from international and first-class ranks to become a Twenty20 specialist after announcing his retirement from ODI and Test cricket on Friday.A back injury, suffered as he prepared for the domestic limited-overs competition with Victoria, served as prelude to the decision, with Hastings informing team-mates of his new direction in Sydney this week. While initial assessments of the back injury had the 31-year old regaining fitness before the end of the tournament, he will now be missing from Australian cricket until the start of the Big Bash League in December, when he will serve as captain of the Melbourne Stars.Chris Lynn, Luke Ronchi and Mitchell McClenaghan are among other cricketers who have this year opted to forego state or national team contracts in order to pursue T20 exclusively. Shakib Al Hasan and Upul Tharanga, meanwhile, have sought and received temporary breaks from Test matches.In 2012, Hastings played his one Test, while he took part in 29 ODIs between 2010 and 2017, the last of which was a rained-out game in the Champions Trophy in June. In addition to the Stars, he was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL last year. The forthcoming South African T20 competition also looms as an option.”I’ve had a tough run with injuries lately but I’ve still thoroughly enjoyed every moment with the Victorian boys over the years,” Hastings said. “I also want to thank everyone involved over my Victorian journey who helped me become the cricketer I am today. Everyone has been amazing every step of the way.”I’ve still got a bit left in the tank though, and I can’t wait to get back on the park with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash.”In domestic cricket, Hastings played 75 first-class matches for Victoria at home and Durham and Worcestershire in the English county circuit. In that time, he scored 11 fifties with a top score of 93 and took 239 wickets, including seven five-fors, at an average of 27.22. He played 113 List A matches for 179 scalps and his best figures of 6 for 45 came for Australia against Sri Lanka in August 2016.”Hastings, or ‘the Duke’ as he was affectionately known to us, has made a big impact on Victorian cricket in his 11 years with us,” said Victoria’s general manager of cricket Shaun Graf. “It’s unfortunate that such a great player and character has been brought down by injury, as he deserved a proper farewell from the Bushrangers who he has given so much to. We wish John all the best his future endeavours.”Hastings’ only Test came against South Africa at the WACA Ground, in what was also Ricky Ponting’s final appearance for Australia. Though he took only one wicket it was a good one – a classic away swinger to catch the outside edge of AB de Villiers’ bat. As an ODI bowler he excelled in 2016, claiming 29 wickets in 15 matches, more than any other pace bowler that year.”John has been a great servant of Australian cricket, and a player who worked extremely hard to be the best he could be, both at national and domestic level, and we congratulate him on his achievements,” Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland said. “He was a brilliant competitor particularly in limited-overs cricket for Australia, and a smart cricketer who with bat and ball was always in the game and looking to play his role helping Australia and the Victoria Bushrangers achieve success on the field.”

تعرض فريق طرابزون سبور، للهزيمة مساء اليوم السبت أمام خصمه سامسون سبور في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري التركي.

وتلاقى الفريقان في خضم منافسات الجولة الخامسة والثلاثين من الدوري التركي، حيث خسر طرابزون سبور بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف.

حصل سامسون سبور على ضربة جزاء في الدقيقة 14 من عمر الشوط الأول، حيث نفذها تايلان أنتاليالي بنجاح، ليتقدم أصحاب الأرض بهدف.

وشهدت الدقيقة 28 تسجيل الهدف الثاني من سامسون سبور، عن طريق اللاعب ماريوس موانديلمادجي.

وقلّص طرابزون سبور الفارق بعدما سجل إنيس باردي هدفًا في الدقيقة 32، ولكن زميله خواكين فرنانديز أحرز هدفًا بالخطأ في مرماه، ليتقدم سامسون بثلاثة أهداف.

وشارك المحترف المصري محمود حسن تريزيجيه في المباراة كأساسي رفقة طرابزون سبور، قبل خروجه في الدقيقة 60.

بتلك النتيجة، تجمد رصيد طرابزون سبور عند 58 نقطة في المركز الثالث، بينما ارتفع رصيد سامسون سبور إلى 42 نقطة في المركز الثاني عشر.

West Ham United are within their right to "ask for what they want" from Manchester City for one of their most important players this summer as they cannot be made to sell until next year, per Dharmesh Sheth.

Is Lucas Paqueta leaving West Ham United this summer?

Just when the summer was starting to look up for Hammers fans with the arrival of Mexico international Edson Alvarez and the supposed breakthrough in negotiations for Harry Maguire, something has to come along and ruin it all – the potential departure of Lucas Paqueta.

It looked like following the sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal earlier on in the window, the Irons would only be selling players they deemed surplus to requirements or those that just hadn't settled in, like Gianluca Scamacca, so when City made an approach for the dynamic Brazilian, it was somewhat surprising.

According to French outlet Foot Mercato the Premier League champions have already made an offer worth €80m (£69m) for the 5 foot 11 dynamo, an offer swiftly rejected by West Ham.

Read the latest West Ham United transfer news HERE…

The publication have also reported that the Cityzens are planning to make a verbal offer of €101m (£87m), which still won't be enough as David Moyes' side don't plan on selling for anything less than €110m (£95m).

However, with an £85m release clause in his contract that kicks in from next summer, the Europa Conference League champions are in a position to demand whatever price they want from the treble winners, per Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

He explained the situation on Sky Sports News (via Football Daily), saying:

"In Paqueta's contract of around £85m, that doesn't kick in until next summer. So West Ham can ask for what they want just now."

How much does Lucas Paqueta earn?

Since joining the East Londoners last summer, the former Lyon star earns an eye-watering £150,000-a-week, or £7,800,000-a-year, which makes him the club's current top earner by quite some way.

Just behind the 25-year-old are Danny Ings and Kurt Zouma, who both earn around £125,000-a-week at the London Stadium or £6,500,000-a-year for their efforts.

Should he make the move to the Etihad, he can expect to get a nice raise for doing so as his current pay packet would only place him 14th on the club's earners list – alongside Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva and Kalvin Phillips – which, if he is moving for nearly £100m seems unlikely.

That said, he would likely be worth it for the treble winners as in just one year at West Ham, he has already shown enough to convince Pep Guardiola that he's good enough to join his side.

In his 28 league appearances last season, he scored four goals, provided three assists, won four Man-of-the-Match awards and averaged an impressive match rating of 6.97, per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers are also brilliant, and under the tutelage of one of the greatest managers of all time, he's likely only to improve.

According to FBref, which compares players across Europe's top five leagues, the "simply sensational" midfielder sits in the top 1% for tackles and blocks, the top 4% for clearances, the top 6% for progressive passes, the top 7% for aerial duals won, and the top 15% for attempted passes, all per 90.

Described as a "really good player" by manager Moyes earlier this year, he would be a massive loss to the Irons were he to leave this summer and only make the club's lack of signings even more of a problem.

Leeds United are now among the main contenders to sign West Ham United's Michail Antonio this summer, with the forward pushing hard for a move, according to recent report from Football Transfers.

Is Michail Antonio leaving West Ham this summer?

With just one year remaining on his West Ham contract, it now appears very likely that Antonio will leave this summer, and he has attracted the interest of a number of Premier League clubs, with TEAMtalk recently naming Wolverhampton Wanderers as potential suitors.

The Hammers are open to offers for the striker, who was in and out of David Moyes' starting XI last season, with Everton and Nottingham Forest also in the mix, following the collapse of his proposed move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

Read The Latest Leeds Transfer News HERE

According to a report from Football Transfers, the Jamaica international is now pushing hard for a move away this summer, and he has no shortage of suitors, with Leeds and Celtic among the main contenders for his signature.

After quite a poor season by his standards, scoring more goals in the Europa Conference League than he did in the top flight, a change of scenery is now on the cards for the 33-year-old, but he may not be available immediately.

Moyes is set to block any potential exit before a proper replacement is found, with the Hammers in dire need of new attacking options, after Gianluca Scamacca recently joined Atalanta in a deal worth £27m.

A small fee may be required to sign the London-born forward, given that he still has one year left on his contract, with the Whites keen to add him to their squad, having already lost some attacking talent during the summer transfer window.

Is Michail Antonio joining Leeds?

With a number of Premier League clubs vying for the West Ham star's signature, it may be difficult for Daniel Farke to win the race for his signature, although a move to Elland Road could be an attractive offer, as he is likely to get more game time in the Championship.

Last season, the former Nottingham Forest man demonstrated he still has what it takes to compete at a high level, weighing in with six goals for the Hammers en-route to their Europa Conference League triumph, which suggests he could be a top player at Championship level.

The veteran striker clearly knows where the back of the net is, but he also has a number of other key strengths, having been hailed by Premier League journalist Chris Williams, who said:

"Michail Antonio is a very clever player, reads defenders exceptionally well, then has the strength and power to take them on and cause mayhem. Brilliant player to watch."

Not only that, the £85k-per-week attacker is also extremely versatile, having featured at full-back, on both wings, and at striker throughout his career, which could make him a fantastic option for Farke.

Antonio could be a perfect signing for a team with aspirations of being promoted from the Championship, and Leeds should definitely pursue a deal for him once West Ham sign a replacement.

MatériaMais Notícias

Logo na beira de campo da Arena Castelão, o zagueiro Luiz Otávio, do Ceará, fez uma rápida avaliação de como a equipe se comportou no clássico diante do Fortaleza onde o time venceu por 1 a 0.

Para ele, os jogadores do Vozão conseguiram implementar exatamente a proposta que foi imaginada antes do compromisso de forma que o adversário não conseguiu atuar com a criatividade e eficiência de costume.

Além disso, o defensor do Alvinegro pontuou a importância de emendar aquela que significou a terceira vitória consecutiva no Brasileirão, a quarta na temporada se for considerado o compromisso diante do Vitória pela Copa do Brasil:

-Fomos eficientes no que propomos. Anulamos eles e quando tivemos a oportunidade buscamos concluir. Tivemos que ficar concentrados durante os 90 minutos. O grupo está de parabéns pela terceira vitória seguida, o que é muito difícil.

Na próxima rodada da Série A, o time de Guto Ferreira atuará novamente na capital cearense, dessa vez recebendo o Santos, no sábado (5), às 21h.

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It has been a worrying and difficult start to the season for Everton.

The Toffees have lost their first two games of the season without scoring. In the opening game, Everton lost 1-0 to Fulham and had shots totalling 2.73 expected goals – the highest xG sum without netting in a Premier League game since Newcastle vs C.Palace in September 2022 (2.83).

In the latest match against Aston Villa, Sean Dyche’s men were painfully second-best and were outplayed in a damaging 4-0 defeat.

To add insult to injury, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was forced off in the first half to heighten the narrative surrounding his bizarre and patchy fitness record.

If Everton are to survive, they must find a more dependable option than the Englishman – a lack of end-product and attacking threat remains two prominent issues, with the club unsurprisingly set to make late moves in the market…

What’s the latest Everton transfer news?

According to the Telegraph's John Percy, the Toffees closing in on the £15m signing of Southampton’s Che Adams.

"Everton close in on £15m deal to sign Southampton's Che Adams. Bloody hell, how they need him – and a few more," he tweeted.

Following the Saints’ relegation last term, the 27-year-old is set to make a quick return to top-flight football as the Merseysiders are in the final stages of agreeing a fee and payment structure with the Championship outfit.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest have also been interested in Adams, but Everton are now the leading contenders in the race for his signature.

It is understood that Dyche is ‘prioritising the addition of a new forward’ after his team were the second-lowest scorers in the division last season.

Would Che Adams be a good signing for Everton?

The Scotsman, who was hailed as a “phenomenon” by Ralph Hasenhüttl, has been at Southampton since 2019, and in 124 Premier League appearances has registered 39 goal contributions.

This season, he has already demonstrated that he is above the level of Championship football, having netted in the first three games of the season, despite starting two of those on the bench.

Interestingly, all of those goals have come from inside the box, to highlight his predatory instinct, a trait that Everton are drastically missing. As a result, Southampton manager Russell Martin has said that Adams has “brilliant energy” and has dealt with transfer speculation in an “amazing” fashion.

Last season, the former Birmingham City dynamo ranked second in the squad for goals (5) and assists (3), only behind the ever-present and ridiculously consistent James Ward-Prowse, as per WhoScored.

Football pundit Ally McCoist is a fan of Adams’ profile, describing him as a “clever player”, who possesses a “bit of pace” and “can finish.”

Throughout his Southampton career, the 23-cap international has only missed one game due to injury, which is vastly different to Calvert-Lewin.

The Everton striker’s persistent injury problems have almost become laughable. Since 2016, he has missed 75 games due to multiple issues, and in a year that looks to be another tense relegation scrap, Dyche must look for a more reliable and dynamic frontman.

Moreover, with four seasons of Premier League football under his belt, Adams would be instantly ready to join the fight and could be a vital piece of depth for the struggling Toffees.

Australia’s English-born opener Matt Renshaw endured another Sheffield Shield failure that has raised doubts about his place for the Ashes

David Hopps13-Nov-2017Matt Renshaw, born in Teesside, is desperate to mark the first anniversary of his breakthrough into Australia’s Test side by facing England for the first time.It would be a special moment for Renshaw, a Newcastle United fan who moved to Australia at the age of 10, and who has been dubbed in one English newspaper as “the one who got away”. But assumptions that his selection is inevitable have been hit by a sudden loss of form that has seen him fail to reach 50 in his last nine first-class innings.That barren run is also shadowed in Test cricket – nine innings here, too, where he has failed to record a half-century, stretching back to a Test against India in Bengaluru in March.As he dreams of the biggest moment of his sporting life, Australian coaches are increasingly at odds over who should partner David Warner in Brisbane later this month.Renshaw’s parents like to say that Matt’s allegiance “just happened”. Ian, his father, told the last week: “I guess it was a decision we never made.” But now the Renshaws must fear that fate could play a crueller trick with the 21-year-old opener desperate to shore up his place with an emphatic response for Queensland in the second innings against New South Wales.The pressure on Renshaw became even greater when Cameron Bancroft, touted by his coach at Western Australia, Justin Langer, as a serious Test contender, batted throughout the day for 161 not out against South Australia at the WACA.Jason Gillespie, the Adelaide Strikers coach and former Australian fast bowler, who has also coached with distinction in England, felt obliged to lend his support before Renshaw’s latest failure.”I have no issue with state coaches being positive about their own players however don’t believe Renshaw should be under pressure for his spot,” he tweeted.That support brought no change in luck as he reached 16 before edging Trent Copeland to be caught at the wicket.Famously, the Australian media once dubbed Martin McCague, who switched allegiances from Australia to England, as “the rat who joined a sinking ship” but Renshaw’s birthplace is mentioned more quietly. All that matters is that, apart from a couple of junior matches in Auckland, Renshaw’s cricket has taken place entirely in Australia.England links run deep for the Renshaw family, however much Australia would prefer to play it down. His father might be best known as a senior lecturer at Queensland University of Technology, where he spends his time teaching and researching sports coaching and psychology.He says of Matt: “He talks like an Aussie, and he is an Aussie.”But at Sheffield Collegiate, the club that produced the England captain Joe Root, as well as an Ashes-winning captain in Michael Vaughan, Root and Renshaw would look on as children as their fathers opened the batting together.Those links also meant that Billy Root, Joe’s younger brother, stayed with the Renshaws two years ago when he played grade cricket in Queensland.Renshaw’s average after 10 Tests is highly-respectable – 623 runs at 36.64 – and he complements the more aggressive style of his opening partner David Warner, but at the moment he is increasingly vulnerable.As the Ashes looms, there is one English-born batsman who Australia are desperate to see put a score on the board.