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أعلن كيران ماكينا، المدير الفني لفريق إيبسويتش تاون، تشكيل اللاعبين للمباراة أمام برايتون في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويحل برايتون ضيفًا على إيبسويتش تاون ضمن مباريات الجولة الحادية والعشرين للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

وشهد التشكيل تواجد المصري سام مرسي على مقاعد بدلاء فريقه إيبسويتش تاون أمام برايتون. تشكيل إيبسويتش أمام برايتون

حراسة المرمى: كريستيان والتون.

خط الدفاع: ليف ديفيس، جريفز، لوك وولفندن، دارا أوشيا.

خط الوسط: كالفين فيليبس، كاجوست.

خط الوسط الهجومي: برودهيد، هاتشينسون، بورنس.

خط الهجوم: ليام ديلاب.

ويحتل إيبسويتش المركز السابع عشر في ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 16 نقطة، وبرايتون في المركز 11 بـ 28 نقطة.

Your Town under the lights. ✨#IPSBHA | @Nustone_UK pic.twitter.com/MTy32bDzHI

— IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) January 16, 2025

With less than a week to go until the curtain is raised on the Scottish Premiership season, Rangers are working hard to get deals over the line to help bolster Philippe Clement's squad.

Rangers braced for busy end to the summer

Despite a clear need to improve their squad this summer, much of Rangers' business during the transfer window has been hamstrung by financial limitations. The start of this month saw Clement confess that the Ibrox outfit need to sell players before they can get fresh faces through the door.

Rangers register interest in £5m star who's a dream Roofe replacement

The Light Blues are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the centre-forward.

1 ByDan Emery Aug 1, 2024

Whilst Connor Goldson's move to Cypriot side Aris Limassol for an undisclosed fee will go someway towards funding new signings, there is still a pressing need to make more sales in the coming weeks. One name that is likely to be joining Goldson on the Gers' departure list is that of club captain James Tavernier.

A report by Fabrizio Romano last week suggested that Turkish outfit Trabzonspor had made a formal proposal for the defender and although this initial offer was rejected by Rangers, there is every chance that the Superlig side will return with an improved sum before the transfer window slams shut on August 30th.

With funds at something of a premium at Rangers, it now appears that the club are working on a deal to bring an experienced free agent to Ibrox this summer.

Clement working to sign former Chelsea ace

As first reported by the Scottish Sun, Rangers are interested in bringing Marco van Ginkel to Ibrox this summer. The outlet claims that both Clement and his director of recruitment Nils Koppen are working flat out to get a deal done before the deadline to submit squads for the upcoming Champions League fixtures.

The 31-year-old last plied his trade in his native Netherlands with Vitesse Arnhem, scoring seven goals in 30 appearances in the Eredivise last term. Captaining his side for much of the campaign, van Ginkel showed his versatility as he played numerous positions throughout the spine of Vitesse's team.

Van Ginkel's name may be a familiar one to some of the Ibrox faithful thanks to his time with Chelsea. The Dutchman spent eight years at Stamford Bridge but only managed to line up for the Blues on four occasions. Instead, the midfielder was shipped out on a variety of loan moves to the likes of PSV and AC Milan.

Despite his struggles to break into the first team in West London, van Ginkel has stood out as a quality player who can still bring a lot to a side. With the midfielder boasting experience playing in the Champions League thanks to his time at PSV, the 31-year-old could be an important asset as Rangers look to qualify for the group stage of the competition.

With Rangers still needing to offload existing talents before they can open their chequebook this summer, bringing in an experienced free agent like van Ginkel could be a smart piece of business this summer.

Arsenal could table a bid to sign one prolific striker likened to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, with Gunners sporting director Edu Gaspar and the wider recruitment team still scouring the market for number nines.

Arteta and Edu looking at signing new striker for Arsenal

A proven centre-forward who can lead the line has been viewed by many as the final missing piece of the jigsaw for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, as the Spaniard seeks to win his side their first Premier League title in over two decades.

Related "Top-level" £50m Arsenal man has just agreed to join elite European club

He’s given the green-light.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 24, 2024

Kai Havertz proved very capable in a makeshift forward role under Arteta last season, making 21 goal contributions in the final third across all competitions. The German, alongside Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, fired Arsenal to within a whisker of the domestic crown as Arteta's side pushed Man City right to the final day.

However, it is still believed Arteta wants a natural striking partner for Havertz before the summer window shuts on August 30. Arsenal made a proposal to RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko earlier in the window, coming after the Slovenia starlet bagged 19 goals in all competitions over 2023/2024.

Arsenal's top scorers in all competitions last season

Goals

Bukayo Saka

20

Leandro Trossard

17

Kai Havertz

14

Martin Odegaard

11

Gabriel Jesus

8

Sesko snubbed this approach from the Gunners, though, and instead signed a contract extension at Leipzig – which will keep him at the Bundesliga club until next summer at the earliest.

The search for a striker is still ongoing, according to reports, and a few interesting names are rumoured to be attracting Edu's attention. Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres remains linked with a high-profile move to Arsenal, but the Swede could come at a premium given the rumoured £84 million release clause in his contract.

There are cheaper targets on the north London club's list. Indeed, some reports have claimed that Ajax striker Brian Brobbey is on Arteta's personal radar, coming after the Netherlands international racked up 22 goals and 12 assists in all competitions last campaign.

It will be interesting to see which striker Arsenal land on, and another name who refuses to go away is Napoli star Victor Osimhen.

Arsenal could soon table offer for Victor Osimhen

According to Sky Sports transfer reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, Arsenal could soon table an offer to sign Osimhen for Arteta, and he urges supporters to watch out for elite Premier League sides swooping in for strikers late in the window.

The Nigerian has been one of Serie A's most prolific stars over the last few years, and he fired Napoli to their first Scudetto in decades the season before last. Osimhen is being widely tipped to leave, and his contract includes a release clause set at well over £100 million.

The £207,000-per-week attacker has also been likened to Drogba and African footballing icon George Weah by Benoît Caue, while ex-Napoli boss Rudi Garcia has described him as a "crazy driving force".

تقدم منتخب الأردن بالهدف الأول أمام السعودية، في المباراة الجارية بينهما الآن، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العرب 2025 المقامة بقطر.

ويتواجه منتخبا الأردن والسعودية، في إطار منافسات دور نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس العرب، على ملعب استاد البيت بالعاصمة الدوحة.

وسجل هدف الأردن الأول، اللاعب نزار الرشدان في الدقيقة 66 من عمر اللقاء، برأسية متقنة من داخل منطقة الجزاء، لتصبح النتيجة 1-0 للنشامي. هدف الأردن الأول أمام السعودية في كأس العرب

طالع | موعد مباراة المغرب القادمة في نهائي كأس العرب 2025

ومن المقرر أن الفائز من مواجهة الأردن والسعودية، سيواجه منتخب المغرب، في المباراة النهائية من بطولة كأس العرب يوم الخميس المقبل.

يذكر أن منتخب الأردن تأهل إلى نصف نهائي بطولة كأس العرب عقب الفوز على العراق بهدف دون رد، في منافسات دور ربع النهائي.

The season may have just ended, but there won't be any time to rest as the summer transfer window is mere days away from officially opening, and like every other club in the Premier League, Arsenal are set for a busy few months.

The Gunners had a brilliant window last year, bringing in the likes of David Raya, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz, even if the latter took some time to win over fans and pundits alike.

However, while those outside the club weren't necessarily convinced by the German, Mikel Arteta was, and based on recent reports, the Spaniard could be set to pull a similar trick this summer and bring in a player who has terrorised his side in the past.

Arsenal transfer news

According to recent reports, via TEAMtalk, Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has been in 'talks' with Arteta over a potential move to North London this summer.

Fans have been vaguely aware of the Gunners' interest in the England international over the last few months, but the revelation that talks have been held between the Premier League runners-up and the player is a significant development.

Moreover, the report's claim that there is interest in the move from 'both sides' suggests that this seismic move really could happen.

However, with four years remaining on his £300k-per-week contract, it won't be cheap, with journalist Dean Jone suggesting it could cost up to £80m on the Ranks FC Ultras podcast.

While the money involved is something Edu Gaspar and Co would have to take into account, the chance to sign a player who only a season ago looked like one of the best in Europe doesn't come around very often, and signing Havertz from a rival has worked out well for the North Londoners.

Arsenal could repeat their Havertz trick

Now, there may well be a portion of Arsenal supporters out there who wouldn't want their club to go anywhere near Rashford following his rather underwhelming season – to put it diplomatically – with United this year, in which he scored eight goals and provided five assists.

However, they only need to look back to last summer, when they spent £65m on Havertz, who had a grand total of nine goals and one assist to his name in 47 games for Chelsea the season prior.

Flashforward a year, and the German international has racked up a really impressive first-season haul of 14 goals and seven assists in 51 games for the Gunners.

Furthermore, in the 18 games he's started as a striker, he's scored eight goals and provided seven assists.

So, if Arteta was able to completely transform the fortunes of a former rival's player, why couldn't he do the same again?

It was only a year ago that the "unstoppable" Manchester-born dynamo, as described by Erik ten Hag, scored 30 goals and provided ten assists in 56 games for the Red Devils.

Moreover, Arsenal fans are already fully aware of just how good the 5 foot 11 machine can be, as in his 16 Premier League games against the North Londoners, he scored six goals and provided four assists.

It would undoubtedly be an expensive deal to complete and one that would surely bring with it plenty of media attention and scrutiny, but with Arteta's track record of reviving players, why wouldn't he want to sign someone talent scout Jacek Kulig, once dubbed a "future legend"?

Arsenal agree personal terms with "electric" target who'd improve Trossard

The “electric” talent would be a bargain.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 28, 2024

With Enzo Maresca now confirmed as Chelsea's new manager, supporters can expect the noise surrounding summer transfers to rise a level.

Todd Boehly and Co have already started to make their moves, closing on the signing of Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer and continuing to scour the market for a new centre-forward, but freeing Stamford Bridge of some of the flotsam remains a notable area of importance.

Despite the cascade of signings that have littered this stuttering new era in west London, the lid has largely been kept on in regard to player wages, but Chelsea will need to assess one or two of the already-existing squad members and whether they should remain at the club with such sizeable salaries.

Especially given the success of Cole Palmer, who has taken the Premier League by storm while only earning £75k per week.

Cole Palmer's season in numbers

Chelsea signed Palmer from Manchester City in a £42.5m package after the 22-year-old demanded to leave, disquieted by the prospect of sitting on the fringe of English football's pre-eminent force.

But Palmer always knew that his quality placed him in Europe's upper echelon, and having plundered 25 goals and 15 assists across 45 appearances for Chelsea this season, that steadfast belief has been confirmed.

Pundit Jamie Carragher even remarked that the England international has been "one of the best players in the Premier League this season", so brilliant has he been in what most assumed would be a settling-in season for a talented young prospect.

As per FBref, Palmer ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 8% for assists and shot-creating actions and the top 6% for progressive passes per 90.

Sure, the 6 foot 2 star will be pushing for a bumper new deal after such resounding success, but Chelsea have triumphed in tying him down to a moderate earning initially, providing greater room to negotiate and keep things reasonable.

However, with players like Ben Chilwell eclipsing the prodigy's pay packet, Maresca and the Stamford Bridge bosses might be wise to make some big decisions this summer.

Why Chelsea should sell Ben Chilwell

Chilwell signed for Chelsea from Leicester City for a £50m fee in 2020, with the left-back since completing 106 appearances, scoring nine goals, supplying 12 assists and winning the Champions League.

But the 27-year-old has suffered ruinous luck on the injury front over the past few seasons, starting only 30 Premier League matches over the past three campaigns, and while he has been "unlucky" in that regard, as per journalist Paul Brown, he's surely running out of time to salvage his Blues career, with Marc Cucurella the first choice at left-back.

Sure, he's contracted for another three years but at this point of his career, the England international will surely want to prioritise regular match action. Moreover, given that tuned-in industry sources such as transfer specialist Dean Jones are speculating that Chilwell could be one of the first players out of the door this summer following his omission from Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 provisional England squad, it's not looking too rosy for the ace.

To think that only Raheem Sterling and Reece James earn larger salaries than Chilwell in Mareca's first-team squad is staggering. Romelu Lukaku is the club's joint-highest-paid player, however, Paul Winstanley and Chelsea's transfer team are fighting to cash in on the Belgian this summer, ready to welcome lowball offers of just £35m.

1.

Romelu Lukaku

£325k-per-week

1.

Raheem Sterling

£325k-per-week

3.

Reece James

£250k-per-week

4.

Ben Chilwell

£200k-per-week

4.

Wesley Fofana

£200k-per-week

6.

Christopher Nkunku

£195k-per-week

What's more topical, however, is the fact that Chilwell is earning £125k per week more than Palmer, or, to put it another way, nearly 3x more than his countryman.

Chilwell must surely follow the centre-forward out the door, with his prospects of success under Maresca looking slender and his £200k-per-week salary likely putting him right at the top of possible sales this summer.

No Jackson, £226m trio sign: Enzo Maresca's dream lineup at Chelsea

Chelsea are set for a busy summer with plenty of signings expected.

ByTom Lever May 29, 2024

As things stand, Arsenal are still locked in an incredible battle with Manchester City for the Premier League title, although with their fate out of their hands, their chances of emerging victorious aren't great.

However, with the summer transfer window just around the corner, Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar and Co can't afford to rest on their laurels. They have to be proactive and bring in the right additions to take them to the next level, though they'll also have to ditch a few players in the process.

It's a cutthroat game, but with major honours on the line, decisions have to be made, and based on recent reports, the club may be willing to axe a star who's worth significantly more than Leandro Trossard.

Gabriel Jesus' Arsenal career

The player in question is Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus, who joined the Gunners just under two years ago in a £45m transfer from now title rivals City.

His time with the north Londoners got off to a flying start. In the months before the winter break for the 2022 World Cup, he had five goals and five assists to his name in just 14 Premier League appearances, meaning he was averaging a goal involvement every 1.4 games.

However, while in Qatar, the talented striker suffered a severe knee injury that saw him miss a significant part of the season, and by the end of his first campaign in the capital, he had scored just 11 goals and provided seven assists in 33 games.

So far this year, the 27-year-old has scored eight goals and provided eight assists in 34 appearances, but crucially, he has seemingly lost his place in the team as the starting number nine to summer signing Kai Havertz.

Since February 24th, the São Paulo-born star has started just four out of 14 games, two of which have come on the left, whereas the German has started all 14 matches, 12 of which have been as the number nine.

In all, the "unreal" Jesus, as previously described by Rio Ferdinand, seems to be losing his grip on a place in the starting lineup, and with reports from The Athletic earlier this month suggesting the club might be willing to let him go, it might be time they did, especially as his value is relatively high.

Gabriel Jesus' valuation in 2024

According to the CIES Football Observatory, Jesus' current valuation is €80m, which is around £69m, making him the joint-fourth most valuable player at the club alongside his national teammate and namesake, Gabriel.

This valuation is also twice as high as Trossard's, whom the CIES currently value at €40m, which is about £34m. That might sound a little off considering the sheer efficiency the Belgian has operated with since his £27m arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion last January, but there are likely a couple of reasons.

First, while the former Seagulls ace has scored a whopping 16 goals and provided two assists in just 44 appearances this season, he is set to turn 30 at the end of this year, and while that isn't particularly old in the outside world, in football, it is.

The Athletic published an article in 2021 that examined when players in each position tend to hit the peak of their powers. For a winger, that age is around 26, meaning that as effective as the Waterschei-born ace has been in red and white, he is likely to start becoming less so sooner rather than later.

The second probable cause for his lower value is his lack of experience on the biggest stage. For example, before moving to N5, the former City ace had played 38 games in the Champions League and made it to the final in 2021, whereas the 33-capped Belgian's only experience in the competition has come in north London, and at the top level, experience counts.

Arsenal in pursuit of "world-class" Havertz upgrade who wants a PL move

The incredible talent could totally transform Arsenal’s attack.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 9, 2024

Ultimately, with Jesus holding a significantly higher market value than Trossard while at the same time being unable to break into the first team, it's probably the right time for Arsenal to say their thanks for the great performances and accept the highest offer.

Jack Wood, a young left-arm wristspinner, has also earned his first contract

Andrew McGlashan24-Jun-2020

Queensland could be able to field a formidable batting line-up in the early stages of next season with current and recent internationals jostling with up-coming state talent.Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne should be available until the Test summer starts and will join captain Usman Khawaja, Matt Renshaw, Bryce Street and Sam Heazlett among the top-order options as well as 20-year-old Max Bryant who made his first-class debut late last season, although the depth will be needed when Burns and Labuchagne depart.Street has earned his first full contract after having a rookie deal last year following a solid start in Sheffield Shield cricket where he made 489 runs at 37.61 with his ability to bat long periods of time standing out as he scored two centuries, both coming against Western Australia. Two weeks before his first-class debut he made the highest individual total in Australian 2nd XI cricket with 345 against Victoria.Khawaja will be looking to prove to the Australia selectors that he warrants a recall to the Test side after he was dropped during last year’s Ashes and subsequently lost his central contract in April. Renshaw, meanwhile, has drifting down the national pecking order after a promising start to his Test career.”I think the biggest thing for me is making sure I’m consistently scoring runs, and if I am no-one can drop me and if I bang the door down they have to pick me, and I’m doing well for my state and winning cricket games,” Khawaja said. “That’s the most important thing, but in the end there are somethings you can control and some things you can’t control and I’ve learned that from a long experience of playing cricket, being dropped, I’ve been dropped probably more than anyone has I reckon, that’s playing at the moment.”Batting has been Queensland’s weakness in recent seasons and they have the lowest collective batting average in the last two summers – albeit conditions at the Gabba can be challenge – although last summer’s return of four individual hundreds was an improvement on 2018-19 where they managed just one hundred in the Shield.”We’re pleased that Joe and Marnus have pushed up into the Australian ranks and know that Usman still has much to offer to the national set-up,” coach Wade Seccombe said. “It has been a different pre-season for the group and this summer will no doubt provide us with some unique challenges, but it also presents some exciting opportunities for us all.”Jack Wood, a 23-year-old left-arm wristspinner, is another handed his first full contract after impressive club and 2nd XI returns.Cameron Gannon, the leading wicket-taker in the Shield last season, has moved to Western Australia and Charlie Hemphrey has dropped off the list and moved to Glamorgan in county cricket.Queensland squad Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Joe Burns*, Brendan Doggett, Blake Edwards, Sam Heazlett, Usman Khawaja, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne*, Nathan McSweeney, Michael Neser, Lachlan Pfeffer, Jimmy Peirson, Matt Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth, Jack Wood*CA contractRookies Corey Hunter, Jack Clayton, Benji Floros, Matthew Willans, Connor Sully

Adelaide and Perth may be able to host larger crowds than Melbourne

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2020Former Australia captain Mark Taylor has raised the prospect of the Australia-India Boxing Day Test being moved away from the MCG if other venues are able to host larger crowds.Although still six months away, the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in Victoria – 75 were recorded on Monday – has brought into doubt when crowds will be able to return in the state.Adelaide and Perth have been talked of as alternatives for the Boxing Day encounter with both South Australia and Western Australia continuing to ease restrictions. Perth Stadium is set to be able to fill its 60,000 capacity for football matches from the middle of July while Adelaide Oval is able to host crowds of up to 25,000 – 50% of its capacity.”If you look at what’s happening around Australia, by Christmas time the MCG may only be able to host 10,000-20,000 people, which is not going to look great when you’ve got a real iconic Test match,” Taylor told Nine’s Sports on Sunday.”You move that match to Optus Stadium or even the Adelaide Oval, you’re going to get full venues. The Adelaide Oval and Optus Stadium will be working hard to try and get that game because they would look better with full crowds.”While the prospects of the Australia-India series taking place have been promising for some time, there had been a talk of the possibility that it would have to be played behind closed doors – as will be the case when international cricket returns with the England-West Indies series next month – with India potentially using a single venue as a hub.However, as the Covid-19 situation improved in the country so too did the hopes of a traditional schedule although the situation in Victoria is a reminder of how quickly things can change. The current schedule has the series being played in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney with Perth hosting Afghanistan in late November but Cricket Australia had said all fixtures were subject to change. Western Australia though voiced their anger at not being given a lucrative India Test.Speaking last week, Australia captain Tim Paine said he hoped to be playing in front of crowds this season.”Given the current circumstances, I dare say everything is well and truly on the table. We are hopeful that everywhere we play come summer time, we would be able to have crowds,” he said. “How big they are, we don’t know, obviously. But it’s a difficult one for anyone to answer because there is so much changing week to week, day to day. Give it is three or four months, we just don’t know what it is going to look like.”Certainly, from a player’s point of view, we want to be playing in front of big crowds at the best venues and a big day like Boxing Day is something that everyone looks forward to and a big part of that is playing at the MCG.”Fingers crossed things are going well enough that we can do that but, as I said, we are spoilt for choice here in Australia with some world-class stadiums. If something had to change, then, again, we have plenty of options.”

Big picture

It’s taken England longer than most countries to wake up to the fact that Sri Lanka aren’t just here to make up the numbers any more – but you get the impression that the penny might finally be dropping. For twice in the space of the last three years, Arjuna Ranatunga’s men have delivered upon England defeats so seismic, it’s hard to imagine a day far enough in the future for the aftershocks to have stop reverberating.First came Faisalabad, in the quarter-final of the last World Cup, when Mike Atherton’s archaic, outdated England team were denuded by the soon-to-be World Champions in a crushingly one-sided encounter – one in which Sanath Jayasuriya’s 82 from 44 balls shredded a run-chase of 236 inside the first 25 overs.And as if that performance – or the entirety of Sri Lanka’s joyous, adventurous, cavorting run to the 1996 title – wasn’t enough of a wake-up call, then we had the events at The Oval in August last summer. Another almighty mismatch, but this time on England’s home soil, and in the format that they claim to hold most dear.Ever since England deigned to make a stop-over in Ceylon (as most of the entourage doubtless still called it) for their maiden Test in 1982, the Sri Lankans have got wearyingly used to being granted a solitary Test match at the fag-end of the English season – in 1984, 1988 and 1991 – or as an adjunct to a tour of India, as was the case for their famous maiden win in Colombo in 1993.But The Oval was something else entirely, as an England team that was daring to feel good about itself – having just seen off South Africa to win their first five-Test series for more than a decade – ran slap-bang into that man Jayasuriya again, with a contemptuously brisk double-century, and most of all, Muttiah Muralitharan, a player who you can be sure will be right in the thick of things once again in Adelaide tomorrow.Not that he would seek to be the centre of attention on this occasion, mind you. Though he rightly lapped up the plaudits for his 16 match-winning wickets last summer, including 9 for 65 in the second innings as England hurtled towards a ten-wicket humiliation, his reception in Australia has been less than cordial to date, including cries of “no-ball” from the Sydney crowd during Sri Lanka’s defeat against Australia last week.Muralitharan is doubtless getting weary at justifying an unconventionally jerky action, caused by a deformed elbow that he is unable to straighten fully and exacerbated by an extraordinarily supple wrist that imparts remarkable degrees of spin. But it is an action that has been cleared by an ICC Committee chaired by Sir Clyde Walcott and featuring such luminaries as Michael Holding and Kapil Dev, and that ought really to be the final word on the matter.And yet…the identity of the two umpires for tomorrow’s clash might suggest otherwise. For at Brisbane three years ago, in an otherwise nondescript clash against West Indies, umpires Ross Emerson and Tony McQuillan were once again on duty for a match in which Muralitharan was no-balled five times in his first two overs – one at each umpire’s end – even as his coach Dav Whatmore was taking up residence at square leg with a video camera to get his own evidence for the furore that was sure to follow.Will these two men dare to rattle the cage for a second time? There’s certainly a nervous expectation around Adelaide, one that mirrors the clear nervous energy that’s been in and around the Sri Lanka squad throughout their trip. Without putting too fine a point on it, they’ve been spoiling for a fight, as evidenced by Upul Chandana’s collision with Neil Fairbrother in Brisbane earlier this month, a set-to that required umpire Parker to step in. Moreover, they’ve been led with that habitual Napoleonic strut from their father figure Ranatunga, a man who wound Australia up no end in Hobart yesterday by calling for a runner for an apparent muscle strain, then cruising over the line with an unbeaten 45 to end his side’s eight-match losing streak.England, it hardly needs to be said, would be happy just to keep their heads down and focus on the strong vein of form that they’ve located since the latter stages of the Ashes. Without quite transforming their grim fortunes from the first half of their tour, they’ve battled their way to four ODI wins out of five and a healthy lead at the top of the C&U table.With Australia in some flux at present, amid Steve Waugh’s recurring hamstring issues and Ricky Ponting’s suspension for a bar brawl in Sydney, another win here would give them an opportunity to fine-tune ahead of the finals, and moreover ahead of the World Cup in May, their first on home soil in 16 years, which – after the disaster in 1996 – is just beginning to look like a challenge they’ll be ready to meet head on.But in the meantime, Alec Stewart’s men have got to focus on the present, and on a team that they are all too used to overlooking. It promises to get feisty, one way or another.

Form guide

England WWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka WLLLL

In the spotlight

As a man who turns 32 in May, it’s surely too late for Graeme Hick to become the player we all thought he might be when he was earmarked as England’s Great White Hope in the mid-to-late 1980s. But after the traumas of his first seven years in England colours, there’s a sense at the moment of a player who is finding a new comfort in his own skin, particularly in one-day cricket – the form of the game where his physical stature can offset some of the technical limitations that Test-match bowlers have been able to expose over the years. He crashed a career-best 108 to see off Australia in Sydney last week, and followed that up with a frill-free 66 not out to rout Sri Lanka in Melbourne. And given that so much about Hick’s game seems to stem from confidence, England’s management would do well to bottle his current mindset, and ensure it is in plentiful supply come May.All the focus will be on Muralitharan tomorrow, but Sri Lanka’s matchwinners are numerous and multi-faceted. Not least the batsman that England know and fear perhaps more than any other in recent times. As England found to their cost in both of those famous defeats above, Sanath Jayasuriya’s popeye-like forearms love nothing better than to carve an unsuspecting seamer high and hard over point for six, and though the surprise element may have dimmed since his starring role in the 1996 triumph, the shock and awe that he can bring to his game when he’s in the mood remains unrivalled. So far in this series, he’s been somewhat hit-and-miss. One boundary-laden half-century, and a total of five runs from his other three innings. But you can’t be sure he won’t stop swinging in a hurry, and if he connects tomorrow, expect fireworks.

Team news

Perhaps with their home World Cup in mind, England have arrived in Australia with bits and pieces galore – the likes of Vince Wells, Mark Alleyne, Mark Ealham and the Hollioake brothers all equally capable of probing seam and swing and a lusty swing from the hip. The temptation may be to rope in an extra specialist in either department, with Dean Headley the obvious candidate in the bowling stakes and John Crawley on hand to shore up the batting. Ashley Giles could provide a second spin option to augment Robert Croft’s offies, although Adelaide’s short square boundaries might guard against that.England (possible): 1 Alec Stewart (capt & wk), 2 Nick Knight, 3 Graeme Hick, 4 Nasser Hussain, 5 Neil Fairbrother, 6 Adam Hollioake, 7 Vince Wells, 8 Mark Ealham, 9 Robert Croft, 10 Darren Gough, 11 Alan MullallyIt would be most out of character for Ranatunga to pull Muralitharan out of the firing line, in spite of the potential for controversy. Instead Sri Lanka are expected to keep faith with the XI who ended their eight-match losing streak in Hobart this week. Marvan Atapattu and Romesh Kaluwitharana, with 82 and 54 respectively, provided the backbone of their run-chase, before Ranatunga brought the match home. Nuwan Zoysa, their promising young seamer, seems set to miss the rest of the tour with a stress fractureSri Lanka (possible): 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Romesh Kaluwitharana (wk), 3 Marvan Atapattu, 4 Hashan Tillakaratne, 5 Mahela Jayawardene, 6 Arjuna Ranatunga (capt), 7 Roshan Mahanama, 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Upul Chandana, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Pramodya Wickramasinghe

Pitch and conditions

It’s anticipated to be hard, hot and dry at the Adelaide Oval tomorrow. Temperatures in excess of 30 degrees Celsius, and a fast and flat surface in prospect. The pitch has some cracks, and a few patches of live grass but overall it promises to be a Les Burdett special. True, and full of runs.

Stats and milestones

• Roshan Mahanama needs another 52 runs to reach 5,000 in ODIs
• Chaminda Vaas is set to play in his 100th ODI, and Darren Gough in his 50th
• Sanath Jayasuriya needs one more wicket to reach 150 in ODIs, but his team-mate Muttiah Muralitharan could yet get there first, he’s on 146

Quotes

“It was brilliant playing in front of such a huge crowd, but a few people threatened to ruin it and I had to think of the safety of the players. When the beer bottle came on it had gone too far but we won’t be taking the matter any further. Shane kept the golf balls but we got hold of the beer bottle so we can claim the refund.”
Alec Stewart reacts to crowd trouble during England’s match against Australia at Melbourne, where Shane Warne donned Steve Waugh’s helmet to help calm the situation. RetroLive