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Australia spinner Matthew Kuhnemann also signs a three-year deal to remain at Brisbane Heat

Alex Malcolm29-Jun-2023Australia fast bowler Scott Boland will return to his original BBL club Melbourne Stars, having not played in the competition last season following two years with Hobart Hurricanes. He has signed a three-year deal with Stars.Elsewhere, Matthew Kuhnemann, who played three Tests for Australia on the recent tour of India, has re-signed with Brisbane Heat on a three-year deal, turning his back on interest from other clubs.Boland became a cult hero in Melbourne following his MCG heroics on Test debut in December 2021 when he took 6 for 7 against England to claim Player-of-the-Match honours.Related

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But while he had been a mainstay in Victoria’s first-class attack for a decade and pushed himself into the Test ranks, he had not been a regular in Stars’ line-up during his six seasons between 2013-14 and 2018-19, playing just 31 matches. He moved to Hobart Hurricanes in 2019-20 and played 26 matches over two seasons but did not play at all last summer as he played in three of Australia’s five home Tests.Stars took the opportunity to offer him a deal to return to the BBL.”I can’t wait to be a part of the Big Bash again and it’s great to be back at home with the Melbourne Stars in front of family and friends at the MCG,” Boland said. “The Stars have the best fans in the league and hopefully I can be a part of some success and that elusive first BBL title.”Stars are also likely to add Boland’s recent Hurricanes team-mate and Western Australia left-arm swing bowler Joel Paris to their list for the coming season while it is understood Nathan Coulter-Nile has also re-signed for another year.Matt Kuhnemann produced an outstanding spell•Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Heat were pleased to re-sign Kuhnemann long-term after he was courted by several clubs following his outstanding BBL last season where his 16 wickets and economy rate of 7.57 were a key part of Heat’s run to the final.”Matthew was a key retention priority following our efforts last summer and his signing is a massive boost for the club,” coach Wade Seccombe said. “We fully expect him to continue to push for higher honours in the future and look forward to working with him to help him reach those heights again.”Kuhnemann is currently recovering from a stress fracture in his back that cut short his county championship stint with Durham, but he is expected to be fully fit for the Australian summer.

Newcastle star Kieran Trippier has been spotted partying with a reality TV star in Ibiza nightclub Ushuaia last week.

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Trippier spotted out in nightclub in IbizaIdentity of 'mystery blonde' now revealedNewcastle star's marriage in troubleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Trippier has been seen out with two "mystery blondes" in recent weeks following the breakdown of his marriage to wife Chloe. According to , Tripper was partying with Geordie Shore’s Chloe Ferry last week at the Ushuaia night club in Ibiza.

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A source told the tabloid: "Chloe and her friends were introduced to Kieran and his mates and they partied together. Kieran was very tactile and put his arm around her when they were together at the club. Chloe is newly single and she was just having some fun. She’s a gorgeous girl so it’s not surprising Kieran was spending time with her. They were together in the day and later on in the evening Chloe was with Kieran and their group of mates.”

Getty/InstagramTHE GOSSIP

Trippier's wife is said to be taking "legal advice" about their marriage following her husband's night-time exploits and is reportedly hoping for an amicable split. However, Trippier is reportedly "devastated" about the situation and eager to get back with his wife of almost 10 years.

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Tripper has also been linked with a move away from Newcastle but still has a year remaining on his current contract and could see out the remaining 12 months on his deal.

October 15, the original date for the match, is the first day of the Hindu festival of Navaratri, so the game could now be played a day before on October 14

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Jul-2023In a move that could impact the overall ODI World Cup schedule, the BCCI is considering moving the most high-profile match of the tournament – India vs Pakistan in Ahmedabad – from October 15 to October 14.The reason for the change, ESPNcricinfo has learned, is that October 15 is also the first day of the Hindu festival of Navaratri, and the local police has told the BCCI that it would find it difficult to take care of security on the day.It is understood that the BCCI has alerted the ICC about the issue, but no concrete decision has been taken yet. The BCCI is expected to have a meeting with all the state associations that are hosting World Cup matches on July 27 before a final call is taken.Related

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The original World Cup schedule has October 14 down as a double-header day: England play Afghanistan in a day match in Delhi and New Zealand play Bangladesh in day-night game in Chennai. Incidentally, there are no triple-headers scheduled, though there are two matches on six days.India, who open their World Cup campaign on October 8 with a game against Australia in Chennai, would have also played Afghanistan on October 11 in Delhi before the game against Pakistan, while their next fixture is against Bangladesh on October 19 in Pune.As for Pakistan, they play Netherlands in Hyderabad on October 6, the second day of the tournament, and Sri Lanka on October 12, also in Hyderabad, before playing India, followed by their fourth game, against Australia in Bengaluru on October 20.Therefore, in case the game moves to October 14, Pakistan will have just a day between their games in Hyderabad and in Ahmedabad, while India will have two days’ gap.The development comes roughly a month after the BCCI announced the World Cup schedule, which itself was severely delayed. While the BCCI has not yet announced any information on when matches tickets will go on sale, fans and other stakeholders have already booked flights and hotels in Ahmedabad for the match, which has historically been one of the most watched sporting events globally.

A former Chelsea star has hit out at Cole Palmer's critics and believes the England ace will "blossom again" alongside new signing Liam Delap.

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Ex-Chelsea ace slams Palmer criticsBlues star told he will "blossom again"Delap link up backed to be a successFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has come to the aid of Palmer, following a difficult second half of the season where he scored just one Premier League goal from mid-January onwards. The ex-England international also believes the 23-year-old is "always a threat" and has been backed to form a good partnership with striker Delap.

AdvertisementGetty Images EntertainmentWHAT WRIGHT-PHILLIPS SAID

He told Prime Casino: "I think it’s mad to say that Cole Palmer trailed off last season. I just don’t see it. I think people say it because he wasn’t scoring, but he was still creating the same amount of chances as when he was finding the back of the net himself. I don’t think he tailed off, I think it’s natural that players’ form will ebb and flow. You have those patches where everything goes in, just like there are spells where nothing will go in. Don’t forget, he can do all the work just as he always did in terms of assists, but even then he’s reliant on his strikers putting the ball in the back of the net. I think he’s still dangerous, because he can damage you in the final third, and in his own third he has that passing range to set up a goal from deep. The way he’s playing, he’s always a threat. I think Cole Palmer’s reputation is going to blossom again when he’s linking up with Liam Delap. I think Liam’s going to be putting away more chances than Nicolas Jackson. Liam’s going to improve the team overall. He can hold the ball up, he’s like a wall up front, able to bring others into play. Not only does he take chances, but he creates them for himself, and he can do everything Jackson can do, with runs in behind. Cole’s going to love that, he knows that when he sends the ball into the box, Liam will be there."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While Palmer's first half of the season was much better than his second, he still played a crucial role in their Conference League final win over Real Betis, where he bagged two assists. Nobody can doubt the ex-City man's quality, but performing each week will be the goal for next season.

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Chelsea round off their Club World Cup group stage campaign against ES Tunis on Wednesday. Delap and Palmer will hope to fire the Blues to victory in that encounter as they aim to progress to the competition's knockout stages.

93 not out seals win over Hampshire to keep Leicestershire top of group

ECB Reporters Network13-Aug-2023Colin Ackermann ended a frantic weekend on the UK’s motorways by guiding Leicestershire Foxes to a four-wicket victory over Hampshire, extending their lead at the top of Metro Bank One-Day Cup Group A.Allrounder Ackermann was called up by Hundred side Southern Brave while travelling to the Ageas Bowl from Leicester on Saturday morning, which meant a detour to Cardiff – where he wasn’t selected to play.He took an Uber to Southampton on Saturday night before driving the Foxes over the finish line with a mature unbeaten 93, which combined with half-centuries from Sol Budinger and Lewis Hill to chase down 296.The talented Josh Hull starred with the ball to claim 4 for 57, after Fletcha Middleton’s 78 and Tom Prest’s 65 had set Hampshire up only to collapse.Leicestershire move clear of Hampshire in second and Kent in third with their fourth victory in five fixtures, while condemning Hampshire to their first defeat of the tournament.Hampshire were stuck in and openers Middleton and Nick Gubbins eased through the gears against tight bowling to put on 89 for the first wicket.After Gubbins had played Hull on, Middleton continued to plug away and added a couple of lofted on drives into his repertoire as he reached his second fifty of the competition in 51 balls.He and Prest added 69 together before wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb ended his stay with a fine diving catch, with the Australian gloveman stumping Ben Brown in the following over.Aneurin Donald naturally lifted the scoring rate with 25 off 17 balls and accompanied Prest to a 56-ball half-century as Hampshire looked on course for a total well in excess of 300.But the mixture of the Foxes’ discipline and rash shot-making saw the hosts lose seven wickets for 89 runs and fail to see the full 50 overs.Donald and Prest were both bowled swinging hard – to Wiaan Mulder and legspinner Uttam Ramji – while Toby Albert hooked Chris Wright to deep fine and Keith Barker looped a paddle to Handscomb.Everything else was the domain of Hull and his size 15 boots. His height and pace found Ian Holland off balance and pulling onto his stumps, Mason Crane slicing to mid-on and Eddie Jack swinging behind. The exciting Hull ended up his second four-wicket haul in three matches as Hampshire were bowled out for 296.Rishi Patel scored a high-quality 161 to facilitate victory over Lancashire last time out but only lasted five balls before edging a drive to second slip.Josh Hull celebrates a wicket•Kyle AndrewsSol Budinger showed off his range hitting with four sixes as he reached fifty in 39 balls and celebrated by carting Prest over long-on two balls later.Hampshire roared back into the contest with two wickets in two overs. Firstly, Budinger was caught at deep square leg off 17-year-old Jack before Handscomb was castled by Holland.Lewis Hill rebuilt with Colin Ackermann with the pair putting on 54 and Hill reaching the fifty for the ninth time in List A cricket.Hill was given out lbw to Barker and Mulder edged Mason Crane behind but Ackermann chipped away at the runs first a 55-ball fifty – his 22nd in List As.The game swung one way when Louis Kimber took Scott Currie for 20 in an over, and then seemingly the other when Kimber was caught at long-off.But Ackermann showed little respect for the pressure as he and former Hampshire man Tom Scriven knocked off the remaining 74 runs in style – with 2.4 overs to spare.

Former Manchester United assistant coach Rene Meulensteen has claimed Bruno Fernandes would be "perfect" for Real Madrid.

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Fernandes tipped for Real Madrid moveSubject of failed Saudi Pro League bidHas been at Old Trafford since 2020Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Former United assistant manager Meulensteen has claimed Fernandes would be the "perfect" addition to Real Madrid's squad this summer after a move to the Saudi Pro League failed to materialise.

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The Portugal international was the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia shortly after the Red Devils lost the Europa League final, ending their hopes of Champions League football for the 2025-26 campaign. However, Fernandes ultimately decided to reject the lucrative contract on offer and remains a United player. Real Madrid have not been linked with a move for the 30-year-old, but Meulensteen believes he would be a great signing for Xabi Alonso.

WHAT MEULENSTEEN SAID

Speaking to YaySweepstakes.com, Meulensteen said: "Bruno Fernandes is a family man and might not have wanted to move them all so far away to Saudi, but if Real Madrid had come knocking? I think it would’ve been a different story.

"It would’ve been interesting to see if he would want to leave, players all want to play at the very highest level and win the biggest trophies.

"Real Madrid have a very, very good team for next season and I think he’d play the perfect role in it. Okay, you can go to Saudi and earn substantial money, but I think his family values kept him from that move."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

United are looking to strengthen their squad after a finish of 15th in the Premier League last season. Matheus Cunha has already arrived from Wolves, while Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo is another major target.

“We want to finish in the same way. We want to take it match by match, just like we did it three years ago”

Mohammad Isam08-Oct-2023Bangladesh have never won more than three matches in an ODI World Cup but a convincing win against Afghanistan in the opener means that they can dare to dream. And if they are looking for advice on how to go all the way, they have four players in the squad who have the experience of lifting an ICC World Cup trophy, albeit in the Under-19 format.Shoriful Islam, Towhid Hridoy, Tanzid Hasan and Tanzim Hasan were integral parts of Bangladesh’s first major global title, when they won the Under-19 World Cup in 2020.Related

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From this World Cup-winning side, Shoriful was the first to graduate to the senior team when he made his Test debut in Sri Lanka in 2021. The likes of Shamim Hossain, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Parvez Hossain, Hridoy, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Tanzid and Tanzim, all followed Shoriful’s footsteps soon after. Quickly graduating from Under-19s to the senior team isn’t new in world cricket. For Bangladesh, it is recognised as a natural transition as the BCB’s youth system has produced almost all top-level cricketers in the last 25 years.But the 2020 batch is slightly different because of their triumph. The immediate success of some of these young players has further vindicated their ability. Mahmudul started off superbly in New Zealand and South Africa last year. Hridoy became the first Bangladeshi batter to score more than 500 ODI runs in his debut year.Shoriful himself began brightly, and although he doesn’t have a huge haul of wickets, he has steadily improved into a position where he has been at times preferred over the vastly experienced Mustafizur Rahman. And he showed his penchant for the big stage picking 2 for 34 in 6.2 overs in his debut ODI World Cup game as Bangladesh started their 2023 campaign with a six-wicket win.While Shoriful did not want to compare the ODI World Cup to the Under-19 one, he said that the atmosphere in both campaigns was similar.Shoriful Islam was a key figure in Bangladesh’s Under-19 title win in 2020•AFP”It was the Under-19 World Cup. This is the main World Cup. The difference is the world-class batters in this tournament. Under-19 has a few of them but here almost everyone is of the highest standard. They pounce on your smallest errors,” Shoriful said after Bangladesh’s opening game against Afghanistan.”Four of us are here, so we are really enjoying the World Cup. Everyone is friendly. We are mixing well among us. It is a similar start to the Under-19 World Cup, and , we want to finish in the same way. We want to take it match-by-match, just like we did it three years ago.”Shoriful’s two wickets in Bangladesh’s win came in his last spell as he made up for an ordinary opening burst. Bangladesh struggled to contain Afghanistan’s top three as they raced to 83 for 1 in the 16th over before Shakib Al Hasan provided the important breakthrough. Still, the Bangladesh pacers finished with four wickets between them.Shoriful said that the bowling unit had belief in themselves to bounce back. “We believed that someone from among the five bowlers can get us the breakthrough. Someone will step up with one or two wickets to turn the game around. We didn’t panic when someone had a bad over or spell. Someone or the other will step up.”We tried to bowl in the right areas at the start but unfortunately it didn’t happen. The captain pointed out that we were probably missing something so we should be more tight in the next spells.”Bangladesh’s World Cup has just started but a dominating win will provide them a boost especially ahead of the England game at the same venue on October 10. A few more wins in the early stages would spark the Bangladesh side, but apart from the technical and tactical sides, managing a winning environment is a lesson that this senior side can learn from the Under-19 world champions. They know who to ask.

Club Brugge have not yet responded to the initial proposal sent by AC Milan, with the Belgian side aiming to receive a club-record transfer fee.

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Milan's move for Jashari on a standstillInitial offer not enough for Club BruggeBelgian side demand €40 million Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to a report from , the initial €35 million (£30m/$38m) proposal submitted by AC Milan for Jashari is not enough for Club Brugge, with the Belgian side yet to provide a definitive response to the bid. It's a tactic they are employing in an attempt to receive a higher offer, which would make Jashari the most expensive sale in their club's history.

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The report adds that Brugge not giving the final okay for the player's departure is a strategy they are using to drive up the price of the Swiss international. The 2024-25 Belgian Cup winners are anticipating a fee in the region of €40m (£34m/$47m) including variables. However, the proposal sent by Milan sporting director Igli Tare can be considered to be final and non-adjustable. Tare and the Serie A giants were expecting some answer from Brugge on Tuesday, but no further developments have taken place as of yet.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tare, for his part, is heavily reliant on Jashari's desire to make the switch to Italy. Moreover, his strong relationship with the player's camp and family could still sway the operation in the Rossoneri's favour. The Serie A heavyweights have reportedly set a deadline for this transfer, which means they will not push beyond the limits should Brugge keep playing hardball.

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Milan are overseeing a major midfield overhaul, with veteran Serie A manager Massimiliano Allegri at the helm. They have already sealed the deals for Samuele Ricci and Luka Modric, although an official confirmation regarding the Real Madrid icon is pending. Adding Jashari to their ranks could bolster the squad even further, but it remains to be seen how longer Brugge can delay the 22-year-old's potential move to San Siro.

New Zealand are on a five-game winning streak, but Afghanistan have just felled England in commanding fashion

Ashish Pant17-Oct-20233:17

McClenaghan: Afghanistan’s spinners will be a big threat for New Zealand

Big Picture: Two teams on a high face offThe 2019 World Cup champions have been taken down. Time for the runners-up next?Afghanistan players have time and again called India their second home. At various points, they have had their base set up at Indian venues like Dehradun, Lucknow and Greater Noida, where they played their “home games”. IPL regulars Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi have always been a crowd favourite, while Naveen-ul-Haq keeps the buzz going.Which is why there was genuine excitement among the Delhi crowd when Afghanistan served defending champions England a 69-run thrashing on Sunday. It was only Afghanistan’s second-ever win in an ODI World Cup game in 18 attempts and their first since 2015.Related

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However, even with the confidence of a big win under their belt, Afghanistan know they have their work cut out as they run into red-hot New Zealand in Chennai. Unbeaten so far in the tournament – three wins out of three – New Zealand seem to have all the pieces of the puzzle in place. But the Chennai surface could prove to be a potential banana peel against the spin trio of Rashid, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nabi. The three spinners lead the wicket-taking list for Afghanistan in the World Cup so far and will hope for more success on a pitch which is expected to turn.Afghanistan’s biggest issue remains their over-reliance on the top three of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah. In ODIs since the start of 2021, the trio has accounted for 52.79% of the total runs that Afghanistan have scored. Among all Full Members nations, their middle order (Nos. 4 to 7) has the lowest average: 26.00.This was on display in the game against England as well where Afghanistan collapsed from 114 for 0 to 190 for 6 before the lower order bailed them out. The likes of Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai and Nabi will need to step up and quick.New Zealand have far fewer problems. They come into this game on a five-match winning streak, having won each of these games rather convincingly. Their top order has fired in every game while the bowling unit looks well-rounded. Of course, Kane Williamson’s “undisplaced fracture” to his left thumb might be a cause for concern for them, especially given the nature of this Chennai pitch, but Tom Latham has proven to be an effective leader in his absence.New Zealand might be on a high, but they can’t afford to be complacent against a side that seems to have finally found its mojo.3:47

Should New Zealand look to bring Southee in?

Form guide: New Zealand on a rollAfghanistan WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWWIn the spotlight: Mitchell Santner and Mujeeb Ur RahmanMitchell Santner has turned his 2023 upside down and how! Coming into the World Cup, Santner had only four wickets in seven ODIs at an average of 80.25 and economy of 5.24 in 2023. Three matches into the tournament, he has already doubled that tally and is currently the joint-leading wicket-taker alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Matt Henry with eight scalps at 15.87. He’s been excellent with his pace variations and has tied the batters down in the powerplay. Chepauk is like home away from home for Santner. He has been with the Chennai Super Kings squad in the IPL since 2019 and will want to put up another solid show on “home” territory.Mujeeb Ur Rahman did not start off the World Cup the way he wanted but did a star turn against England first with the bat and then picking up 3 for 51 to take home the Player of the Match award. He’s been Afghanistan’s joint-leading wicket-taker in ODIs this year and, having found his groove, will want to inflict more damage against New Zealand come Wednesday.Team news: Who comes in for Williamson?With Williamson out injured for a while, Will Young is the likely candidate to take his place in the New Zealand XI. He is likely to slot back into the opening position, with Rachin Ravindra expected to move to the No. 3 spot. Tom Latham will lead the side once more.New Zealand (probable): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Will Young, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Tom Latham (capt, wk), 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Mark Chapman, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent BoultCan Rashid Khan and Co spring another surprise?•Associated PressAfghanistan are unlikely to make any changes to the playing XI that beat England convincingly.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq FarooqiPitch and conditions: Turner in Chepauk?The first game of the World Cup in Chennai, between India and Australia, was played on black-soil turner, but the second game had a lot in it for the fast bowlers. Historically, surfaces in Chennai have aided spin and that is likely to be the case on Wednesday as well.There was a slight drizzle in Chennai on the eve of the game, but the forecast is clearer on match day.Stats and triviaMitchell Santner is just one short of 100 wickets in ODIs, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman needs four wickets to reach the 100-mark in the format.Rashid Khan has gone wicketless just three times in ODIs in India and has picked up two or more wickets in an innings seven times in 15 innings.Rahmanullah Gurbaz has fallen to left-arm orthodox spinners in four out of seven innings and averages just 20 against them. Ibrahim Zadran is just 17 short of 1000 runs in ODIs. If he gets there on Wednesday, he will be the quickest Afghanistan batter to the landmark in the format.Quotes”See Rahmanullah [Gurbaz] is one of the players in our team who is I believe a match-winner player. He can change the game anytime.”

The third day saw 24 wickets fall in little more than two sessions but Nathan Lyon expects the Test strip to be very different

Andrew McGlashan01-Dec-2023Former Australia captain Tim Paine has slammed the SCG pitch produced for the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Tasmania as an “absolute disgrace”, after 24 wickets tumbled on the third day with the visitors bowled out for 68, but there remains confidence in the quality of surfaces for upcoming matches including the New Year’s Test against Pakistan.The clatter of wickets came across just 63 overs on Thursday, as batters were confronted with extreme seam movement and uneven bounce. Tasmania fell well short of chasing 143 after the home side had themselves lost 9 for 55 in the second innings.”That wicket was absolute disgrace,” Paine told SEN Tassie. “This a Test venue in the strongest state in the country, and they rolled that up. That’s embarrassing. The ball was seaming sideways, it was going up and down, it wasn’t fit for first-class cricket. That was a disgraceful wicket.”I haven’t spoken to people, but you could see it on the screen it had those cracks where it’s like got grass over it. You don’t even see that in club cricket.”Related

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Paine questioned how such a surface could be produced at a major Test venue, and said that it undermined the Sheffield Shield competition.”What’s going on at Cricket New South Wales or the SCG? That was such a bad wicket to play cricket on,” he said. “Whether we won or lost, whatever, I could have bowled on that and taken wickets. It’s not good enough.”How that can happen at one of the premier Test venues around the world is a disgrace. That was below standard for grade cricket and this is meant to be the premier first-class cricket competition in the world, and that is meant to be one of the iconic Test match venues… and that’s what we are getting served up.”New types of grass are being used at the SCG this season, with the Shield surfaces comprising a different variety than will form the Test pitch against Pakistan in early January. ESPNcricinfo understands that there are no concerns about the quality of pitch that will be brought up for that Test, which is shaping as David Warner’s farewell from the format, and will be played on one of the centre wickets used for TV games.Nathan Lyon, who played in the Tasmania match, was sure the pitch for the Test match would bear little resemblance. “I expect totally different,” he said.The ground will also host three BBL matches before the Test, with Sydney Sixers facing Melbourne Renegades (December 8), Adelaide Strikers (December 22) and Melbourne Stars (December 26).However, it also understood that elements of the pitch preparation will be reviewed with the proximity of the WBBL double-header matches on November 26 a potential factor as well as some poor weather.Chris Tremain, the New South Wales quick who claimed 6 for 31 in Tasmania’s second innings, defended the groundsmen by saying they had been hampered in the build-up by the weather and that the surface had started soft which caused divots to form that then hardened to create the uneven bounce.”Don’t think that wicket was poorly prepared,” Tremain told ESPNcricinfo. “In the balance of bat versus ball obviously ball was the winner, but I wouldn’t be too quick to hang the groundsman out to dry.”Tasmania captain Jordan Silk, while more measured than Paine in his views, said conditions had been skewed too far towards the ball.”I’ve played quite a lot Shield cricket, and can’t say I’ve played on a wicket quite like that where the ball was nipping around a lot. There were cracks on lines, and it was snaky,” he said. “You had not just the sideways movement but you also had a few balls climbing up then some climbing down.”Think you can cop a bit of wear and tear over the course of a game; but when there’s been 40 wickets in 160 overs of cricket, you probably think it’s a bit too heavily weighted towards the bowlers. And that’s coming from someone who is really keen on having some sporting wickets, but it was slightly too far towards the bowling side.”