Batsman Farhaan Behardien has been added to South Africa’s squad as a replacement, while Heinrich Klaasen comes in as a back-up wicketkeeper given AB de Villiers’ injury

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Feb-2018South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has been ruled out of the remaining ODIs against India and the T20s that follow due to a fractured finger. He did damage to the finger – his right index digit – during the first ODI on February 1. He is likely to require three to six weeks’ time to recover, a Cricket South Africa (CSA) statement said, putting him in danger of missing the start of the four-Test series against Australia that starts on March 1.Batsman Farhaan Behardien has been added to South Africa’s squad as a replacement, while Heinrich Klaasen comes in as a back-up wicketkeeper given AB de Villiers is also sidelined by injury – incidentally, also a finger issue.Both du Plessis and de Villiers sustained their finger injuries trying to catch out Virat Kohli and while India still have their captain, South Africa will now be scrambling for one. Hashim Amla is the first name that comes to mind, even though he has been reluctant to lead in the past; in an emergency, he remains the go-to but JP Duminy could be in contention for a leadership role as well. Duminy captained the Cobras in the domestic one-day cup, in which they reached the semi-finals, and has led South Africa in T20s, most recently against Bangladesh in October last year.Behardien was a surprise omission from the original ODI squad, which was named for the first three matches last week, especially after his form in the domestic one-day cup. Behardien finished fourth on the run-scorers’ list with 437 runs at 48.55 and a strike rate of 92.58 but Khaya Zondo, who only scored 275 runs at 39.28 at a strike rate of 65.53, was given an opportunity as part of South Africa’s “vision 2019”.Speaking to the media when the squad was announced, convener of selectors Linda Zondi explained that the plan was to cast the net as widely as possible to assess which players may be in contention for World Cup places, and said Behardien had been provided reassurance that his World Cup dream was not over. It was thought than that Behardien would only have to wait until the second half of the India series to play again but his turn has come much sooner.The same applies to Klaasen, who was third on the one-day cup run-scorers’ list with 522 runs at 52.20 and a strike rate of 94.05. Klaasen also presents the first real challenge to Quinton de Kock, who has yet to score more than 43 in the ongoing tour against India. Though du Plessis and coach Ottis Gibson insisted de Kock need not fear for his place and hoped he would find form in shorter formats, Klaasen’s call-up suggests patience in de Kock is not limitless and he does have someone chasing him.All this has thrown South Africa’s plans to use this series as a starting point for their World Cup campaign a little off track. Without the captain and one of their most effective batsmen, planning for a major tournament will be tough. South Africa were even willing to let results take a back seat to their planning, but that may change given the position they now find themselves in.South Africa lost the first ODI in Durban, despite a century from du Plessis. Five more ODIs follow, with three T20s after that, and de Villiers is expected to come back for at least some of that. Then, South Africa host Australia for four Tests and will hope all of de Villiers, du Plessis and the recovering Dale Steyn, who has a heel injury, will be fit.

Journalist Santi Aouna has shared an update on West Ham United and their transfer plans for Rennes winger Jeremy Doku this summer.

Who will West Ham sign?

Manager David Moyes, technical director Tim Steidten, sporting director Mark Noble and David Sullivan are aiming to be busy as we enter the final hurdle of this summer window.

So far, the Irons have secured just two major signings, coming in the form of midfielders James Ward-Prowse and Mexico international ace Edson Alvarez.

Commenting on the addition of Ward-Prowse, Moyes was left thrilled by West Ham's capture of the England international, who adds both quality and real set-piece threat for the east Londoners.

“I’m delighted to bring a player of James’ quality and experience to West Ham United,” Moyes said.

“He's performed to a very high level in the Premier League over the last decade, constantly producing good numbers season after season. His leadership qualities are obviously another huge plus for us – he’ll be a big voice for us, someone who drives the team on from the middle of the pitch.

“We’re excited to get him up and running, for what will be another busy season on both the domestic and European front.”

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE..

Next up, West Ham are thought to be chasing a possible replacement for star midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who is attracting real interest from last night's UEFA Super Cup winners Man City.

Also, following the collapsed transfer of Man United defender Harry Maguire, West Ham are chasing the addition of a top centre-back and have been linked with a fair few names.

The Irons could also make further additions in the attacking areas, with Rennes forward Doku coming as a major target for Moyes, Steidten and co.

That is according to Foot Mercato reporter Aouna, who wrote an update on X regarding West Ham and their pursuit of the Belgium international.

Indeed, it is believed Doku is a "priority" target in terms of the final third, with West Ham making a verbal offer to Rennse for his services.

Little else is said on the nature of this bid, or whether it's even been entertained, but it appears Moyes' side have moved for Doku in an attempt to reinforce Moyes' attacking options.

How good is Jeremy Doku?

The 21-year-old made nearly 30 Ligue 1 appearances for Rennes last term, scoring six goals and assisting two others, but it's his dribbling which comes as a major draw.

Doku averaged a very impressive 3.3 successful take-ons per 90 over the 2022/2023 campaign, which is the best return of any French top flight player last season, even above the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe (WhoScored).

The Belgium international, who has been called an "exciting" forward by members of the media, could reportedly cost at least £45 million if West Ham want to do a deal.

Mbappe, meanwhile, is one player to have heaped praise on Doku and his sky-high potential.

"Recently, I was speaking with my father about a player who impressed me because of his speed qualities, that is (Jérémy) Doku, at Rennes," said the World Cup winner in 2021.

"In 5 years as a professional, I have never seen someone from a standing start demonstrate so much power.

"In terms of an incredibly quick player, I would also put Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang."

Replacing Harry Kane will not be an easy task at Tottenham Hotspur, but the North London club are willing to break their transfer record in an attempt to do just that, according to reports.

Spurs have been left without a talisman as the Premier League season gets underway.

What's the latest Tottenham Hotspur transfer news?

So far this summer, Ange Postecoglou has welcomed six fresh faces, with James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Alejo Veliz, Manor Solomon, and Ashley Phillips all walking through the door. And, now, according to Football Insider, Spurs, and by extension chairman Daniel Levy, are ready to break their transfer record to sign an A-list replacement for Kane this summer.

Their club record currently sits at a reported £63m, which went on Tanguy Ndombele, who has since had a mixed spell, with loan moves elsewhere attempting to get his career back on track.

After welcoming a number of players, Spurs would have been ready to get themselves back into Europe in the coming season. Kane's exit to Bayern Munich appears to have somewhat halted those plans, however.

Losing their talisman has left them short in the forward department, and, such is Kane's talent, they could now suffer the consquences of departures in the summer transfer window.

As things stand, it will likely be Richarlison who takes up the striker role, with the Brazilian handed the chance to claim a crucial role in Postecoglou's first season in charge.

With time remaining in the transfer window, Spurs could yet find themselves an adequate replacement for Kane this summer. And that could come in the form of Gift Orban, who reportedly dreams of playing in the Premier League.

Ben Jacobs told Team Talk:

“Gift Orban has said that his dream is to eventually play in the Premier League.

“But at the moment, we have to bear in mind that Gift Orban is only 20 years of age and still developing, and is very happy at Gent. So he’s not desperately trying to force his way out come summer, and therefore that type of transfer barring a very healthy offer, and maybe even a Premier League club taking a risk, because he’s so early in his development, might be more one to watch in 2024."

Should Spurs sign Gift Orban?

Orban wouldn't exactly be a bad piece of business for Spurs, who need to replace Kane's output for years to come, rather than finding a short-term solution.

The KAA Gent forward scored 20 goals in just 22 appearances last season and is still just 21-years-old. Of course, at such an age, Orban may take time to settle in the Premier League, but those numbers suggest that it is more than worthwhile in the long run.

It remains to be seen whether the player is among Spurs' options, however, as they look to replace Kane before it's too late in the summer transfer window, with the transfer deadline fast approaching.

Egypt have confirmed that Mohamed Salah is set to miss two AFCON matches due to a muscle injury, in a blow to his country and a boost for Liverpool.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Salah injured against GhanaWill certainly miss final group gameEgypt face Cape Verde on MondayWHAT HAPPENED?

Salah limped out of Egypt's AFCON clash with Ghana, which ended in a 2-2 draw, just days after another 2-2 draw with underdogs Mozambique. Now, per , the Egyptian Football Federation has confirmed that he will miss two games – their final group game against Cape Verde, and potentially their Round of 16 clash if they qualify.

As it stands, Egypt are second in Group B, with Cape Verde having already qualified for the knockout stages with two wins from two. Ghana and Mozambique each have a point.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Salah scored in their opening matchday draw with Mozambique but limped out of the game against Ghana without being able to trouble the opposition goalkeeper. Without him, Egypt did score twice, but one has to think that his absence would be a major blow – although it will undoubtedly be a major boost for Liverpool.

DID YOU KNOW?

Salah has a remarkable record for Egypt, scoring 54 goals and providing 32 assists in 96 caps. He has scored seven goals in 19 AFCON appearances, although has never won the tournament. With him in the team, Egypt finished as runners-up in both 2017 and 2021.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR EGYPT?

Egypt play Cape Verde on Monday and a win would guarantee their qualification for the knockout stages. Cape Verde have won their two opening games, beating Ghana 2-1 and Mozambique 3-0, with ex-Manchester United flop Bebe scoring an outrageous long-range free-kick in the latter.

Wolves have made a slow start to their Premier League campaign having suffered a 1-0 defeat against Manchester United and a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Brighton.

While those results look concerning from the outset, the performance levels paint a different picture.

Across both defeats, Gary O'Neil's side registered a combined 39 attempts on goal which shows the attacking intent is there without having the goals to show for it.

With that said, news has emerged that Wolves are chasing a Premier League winger on loan to improve their attacking options.

Wolves transfer news – What's the latest?

Wolves are eyeing up a move for Manchester United's Facundo Pellistri on loan, according to Uruguayan news outlet LR Uruguay, via Molineux News.

The report states that the Old Gold have joined fellow Premier League clubs, Bournemouth, Luton and Burnley in the race to sign the 21-year-old.

With plenty of interest in the 12-cap Uruguayan, journalist Fabian Bertolini has released an update regarding his future, stating that he could depart Old Trafford in the coming days.

If that is the case, Wolves must negotiate a deal quickly for Pellistri to become their fifth signing of the summer.

How good is Facundo Pellistri?

Given that Wolves have averaged less than a goal per game in the past three seasons, O'Neil is in desperate need of attacking options having seen Raul Jimenez depart and strikers Fabio Silva, Matheus Cunha and Sasa Kalajdzic all struggle for consistency in England's top-flight.

While Pellistri has never scored a senior goal in the Premier League for Man United or in La Liga for Deportivo Alaves, he does possess the freakish technical and physical attributes that can help Wolves unlock defences and subsequently improve their fortunes in front of goal.

The young Uruguayan prospect was once hailed as an "extremely fast wonderkid" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and while Pellistri doesn't just possess frightening pace, his intelligent off-the-ball movement, superb technique and fantastic dribbling skills could see him become a big hit at Molineux.

This is backed up by his impressive performances for Uruguay at the 2022 World Cup. Despite bowing out at the group stage, "the great talent" of Pellistri – as per Kulig – served up a sublime cameo against Portugal as he completed 100% of his crosses, produced two key passes and was accurate with eight of his 11 pass attempts.

Not only that, across three appearances at the World Cup Pellistri rivalled the tournament's best players for some of his attacking metrics, ranking in the top 1% for carries into the penalty area and progressive passes recorded and top 3% for touches in the attacking box and take-ons attempted, as per FBref.

If Pellistri chooses to join Wolves, the £20k-per-week winger can thrive under the guidance of O'Neil's counter-attacking style of football as it suits his explosive attributes down to the ground, providing dream competition for Portuguese winger Pedro Neto.

Neto has been back to his best this term after a campaign in 2022/23 that was ravaged by injury. Indeed, he showcased as much against Pellistri's United on the opening weekend of the campaign, notably playing four key passes, five crosses and completing four of his six dribble attempts.

Thus, should O'Neil be able to pair both of them on the wings, it would surely be a tantalising proposition at Molineux.

That said, despite showcasing his talents on the world stage, the 5 foot 9 Uruguayan has never translated his impressive attacking metrics across to club level and this is why a loan move is imperative for his development.

Pellistri didn't score or assist during a loan spell at Alaves in the 21/22 season and has since only made 13 appearances for Man United, recording one assist.

While his previous exertions don't provide much hope, he's clearly highly rated in Manchester and that is why the club are open to letting him leave on loan, rather than permanently.

India’s spinners have taken 13 wickets in two matches. The alarm bells are ringing, but South Africa’s newly appointed stand-in captain is not ready to accept that in public yet

Sidharth Monga in Centurion04-Feb-20181:02

‘Kuldeep and I always look to bowl slow’ – Chahal

Aiden Markram knew what he was walking into when he accepted the captaincy of a depleted South Africa side in an ODI series against arguably the best team in the world. He is the second-youngest South Africa captain, his captaincy debut came in only his third ODI, and half way into the day he was sitting in a press conference trying to make sense of South Africa’s lowest score at home. Next to him sat the South Africa batting coach, Dale Benkenstein, as if to protect – where you can – the boy otherwise thrown to the wolves already.”Obviously, the guys are very upset and disappointed,” Markram said. “But the beauty of it is that everyone’s disappointed in themselves, and not in others in the team. That’s where the culture stands out, it stands strong. Each player will look to get better now going forward. It is a quick turnaround but it might fire the guys up going into the remaining four matches, which I think is a great thing for us.”India’s spinners have taken 13 South Africa wickets in two matches, with two of the remaining experienced batsmen in their middle order not looking good against spin. The alarm bells are ringing, but Markram is not ready to accept that in a press conference at least. Before the ODI, he said he saw no problem against spin, and after his side was bowled out for 118 he doesn’t call it a “danger”.”Look, obviously they are two quality bowlers in their own right,” Markram said of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, who bagged a five-for and a three-wicket haul respectively. “I don’t think we played them particularly well, and that’s where our downfall was today. Having said that, you are never going to come across a bad attack in international cricket, and you’re never going to come across a bad batting line-up in international cricket either. It’s just one of those things. I don’t think we played spin incredibly well, it’s obviously something we need to work on, but it’s not a massive danger for us, I don’t think.”In an ideal world, Markram would have played out most of the spin without taking too many risks. He would have liked to have taken the innings deep but he pulled a short ball straight to deep midwicket, one ball after Quinton de Kock had done that.”My general game plan is to try and take it quite deep, bat through the innings and let our attacking batsmen sort of play around me,” Markram said. “I obviously didn’t do that today, that’s what happens in cricket. I try to keep it as low-risk as possible, and then as soon as we get partnerships building, we’ll chat between players and identify which bowler we’d like to put some pressure on and which guy we think we should just going low-risk. It all depends on the day as well.”Aiden Markram looks to play a shot•Getty Images

It could be argued some of the batsmen that followed him didn’t really have much of a game plan. Markram was asked if the problem was not in the execution, but, in fact, in the absence of plans. “Look, I don’t think there’s too much of a lack of a game plan,” Markram said. “If you speak to each individual in our top six, top seven, each person has got a clear plan. So it obviously comes down to execution on the day. Like I said, they are two quality wristspinners and we give them credit. But I still think we can execute better, and that’s the nice thing. It’s not that something that’s drastic that has to change. The plans are in place, now we’ve just got to keep working hard to execute, that’s all.”Benkenstein was happy with the team’s intent – “230-240 wouldn’t have been a winning total anyway” – but he was more realistic about the challenge of facing these spinners. South Africa don’t come across such wicket-taking spinners every day, and it is not going to be easy to formulate plans with only two days between all ODIs.”It’s very difficult,” Benkenstein admitted. “Unless we can call them [Kuldeep and Chahal] into our nets for the practice. That’s the beauty of international cricket, you know. You’ve got to come up with a plan obviously. I guess everybody’s got the ability to do it. We’ve had two games and there are no excuses. We’ve got a few net bowlers who are a little bit slow. We saw Justin Ontong come and bowl those offspinners off his knee [to replicate Kedar Jadhav]. So, as management, we try and do everything possible, obviously.”But at the end of the day, the batters have got to work it out. They’ve got to execute their own game plan and obviously got to do their job out in the middle. So there isn’t much more that you can do in the nets. You’re not going to get them to come and bowl at you. That’s the tough thing about international cricket.”Benkenstein didn’t want his batsmen to give up attacking the spinners. “I’d much rather them playing that way than being too scared to hit the ball,” he said. “We can learn a lot a from the way Indian batters play spin. Any loose ball that our spinners bowl, they are looking to hit it for four or six. There is a bit of learning to be done there. The other tough thing is you are playing against two wristspinners, that a not a lot of players have played against. It does take time to get used to their change-ups, their variations.”

Albeit from a limited number of matches, England’s T20I form has been less consistent than their 50-over exploits. What might come up for debate during the tri-series?

Andrew McGlashan04-Feb-2018

.Reserve No. 3Joe Root was eventually persuaded to take a rest from this series (although that was perhaps with a focus on the IPL only for him to be overlooked for that) which means there is a vacancy at No. 3. Presuming Alex Hales and Jason Roy are fit to take the opening positions – and Roy is rated ’50-50′ by Eoin Morgan for Hobart due to a back spasm – that is likely to leave James Vince and Dawid Malan vying for first drop unless England get funky and utilise David Willey. Malan made an impressive 78 on debut against South Africa last year and would provide another left-handed option at the top of the order. Vince made his T20 debut in 2015 and was named Man of the Series against Pakistan in the UAE but has played just two matches since. His pretty 30s may not go a long way to winning Tests, but can certainly influence a T20.Buttler’s best positionThere is the potential for so much flexibility with England’s batting order, but that also needs to be weighed against players knowing their roles. Without doubt Jos Buttler is a player capable of scoring T20 hundreds were he to bat the majority of an innings – Hales remains England’s lone century-maker in the format – but he is among the finest closers, batting first or second, of an innings in the world. Thirty-nine of his 49 T20I innings have been at No. 5 or 6, but two of his five half-centuries have come in the top four: an unbeaten 73 opening against Sri Lanka and an unbeaten 66 against the same opposition at No. 4 in the World T20. If an innings is beyond the 10-over mark when the second wicket falls there is a strong case for Buttler being the next man in.The captain’s formIt’s a change of formats, so it’s unwise to draw too many conclusions come success or failure, but there will be a focus on Morgan’s run-scoring in this series. He was the least convincing of the top order in the one-dayers against Australia. As with the 50-over side, there is a clamour for spots in the top order with Root and Ben Stokes to slot back in at some point in the future. Morgan’s leadership carries a lot of weight but at some point the conversation may need to be had as to whether he sees himself in the role for the 2020 World T20 or if the 2019 World Cup could be an end-point. Morgan has occasionally left himself out of the T20 side to give Jos Buttler captaincy experience, most notably in the deciding match against South Africa last year.Horses for coursesMorgan has said that England will adjust their plans – particularly around the bowling attack – dependent on each ground during the tri-series, taking particular note of the varying dimensions. England’s series takes them to Hobart, Melbourne, Wellington, Hamilton and potentially Auckland for the final, the latter with some of the shortest straight boundaries in the world. It could be that England don’t always employ two spinners, particularly in the continued absence of Stokes to balance the side.Pace-bowling squeezeThere is certainly no shortage of quicks in the squad to mix-and-match with – seven if you include Jake Ball who stayed with the party as injury cover. Among them is the uncapped 19-year-old Sam Curran, but Stokes and Chris Woakes are surely in England’s best XI. While plenty of rotation can be expected over the next two years – and names not in the squad, or even in the frame, could feature – there won’t be room for them all going forward and there is plenty to play for among the pace-bowling unit.

Leeds United have Glasgow Rangers defensive midfielder Glen Kamara back "on the radar", and a reliable journalist has delivered an update on the future of two senior players at Elland Road.

How much did Rangers pay for Glen Kamara?

Back in 2019, Rangers purchased Kamara from Dundee FC for a reported £50,000 which is an absolute bargain and it’s fair to say that they have definitely got their money’s worth with the talisman having made a total of 193 appearances since putting pen to paper.

However, the 27-year-old was extremely out of favour last season having been handed just 12 starts in the Scottish Premiership which shows not only how low down in his manager’s pecking order he is but also that he’ll have to consider a move elsewhere should he want more regular game time, and his potential availability has alerted chiefs in Yorkshire.

Read The Latest Leeds Transfer News HERE…

Football Insider previously reported that the Whites had entered talks regarding a swoop for the Finland international, before the Daily Mail’s Transfer Confidential claimed that Daniel Farke’s side were weighing up an offer, though since then, speculation has been extremely quiet from the Championship outfit's point of view.

When asked about his star potentially completing a switch to LS11 during a recent public interview, Beale responded:

“There’s nothing in that, not at this moment”, and it looks like he left the door open to a future move for a reason if the following update is to be believed.

Are Leeds signing Glen Kamara?

Taking to X, Graham Smyth revealed that Leeds have reignited their interest in Kamara, whilst also delivering a brief update on the future of two first-team players at Elland Road. He wrote:

"Leeds United still hopeful of keeping Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra, despite the weekend's events. Glen Kamara back on the radar and an offer in for a striker."

Expanding in his column for The Yorkshire Evening Post, the reporter claimed that the 49ers are once again "exploring" the possibility of a swoop, because despite Adams looking like he'd stay, Bournemouth are believed to have since triggered his £20m release clause following his collapsed move to Chelsea.

How many goals has Glen Kamara scored?

Since the start of his career, Kamara has posted 31 goal contributions (20 assists and 11 goals) which is the aspect of his game he’s least strong in considering that he’s a defensive midfielder, but his natural role sitting in front of the backline previously saw him dubbed a “monster” by his former manager Steven Gerrard.

The StormSportsX client, who earns £21k-per-week, last season recorded an 89.4% pass success rate which was higher than any of the regular starters managed at Leeds, displaying his calmness and composure on the ball, not to mention that he also averaged one key pass per league game.

Kamara, sponsored by Nike, has additionally been recognised for his individual efforts on the international stage having been named Finland’s Footballer of the Year for 2022, so for someone who has proved themselves for both club and country, he could be a fantastic addition for Farke, and it looks as if it will be a deal to keep an eye on before the deadline.

Can Pakistan end the five-match ODI series with something positive to take into the T20s, or will a sizzling New Zealand hammer the final nail in the visitors’ coffin?

Umar Farooq18-Jan-2018Big PicturePakistan have gone from being champions to being in shambles within the space of six months. Their winning streak is history and their batting line-up is back to pre-Champions Trophy standards. The bowling is flat, the captaincy frenzied, and the selectors running out of ideas. None of that is good news, least of all when playing a New Zealand team in sensational form and trying to avoid an ODI whitewash.The hosts can’t put a foot wrong. After going with an unchanged XI in the first three games, they brought in Colin de Grandhomme for the fourth. He was returning from Zimbabwe after the death of his father, and could have been forgiven for being less than his usual big-hitting self. But it turned out that he was New Zealand’s star performer, smashing 74 off 40 balls in a Player-of-the-Match display that got them out of a tight spot. Kane Williamson’s men are shaking up their squad for the final game, resting Trent Boult and bringing in Seth Rance. They will view this as an ideal opportunity to blood newer players into international cricket.With the series long since gone, the contest doesn’t nearly have the appeal a decider would, but both teams still have a stake in the outcome of this game. New Zealand will be looking for a clean sweep to extend their winning streak across formats to 12, while Pakistan are desperate for a final shot at redemption going into the T20I series.Form guideNew Zealand WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLLWIn the spotlightSince his debut in Ireland in 2016, Hasan Ali only missed one of the 31 games Pakistan have played, and until this series, he had been in sizzling form, a fact underlined by the ICC naming him the Emerging player of 2017. However, in New Zealand, things haven’t quite worked for him. Hasan has managed just six wickets at 36.1, conceding 60 runs for no wicket in the last game. It is his first real test in a career that had played out to perfection so far. How he responds in the final ODI might reveal more about the kind of player he is.Trent Boult has grabbed the headlines throughout this series but his absence could give his fast-bowling partner Tim Southee a chance to shine. The 29-year old has taken eight wickets from the four matches this series, just one fewer than Boult, but hasn’t received the same kind of recognition. With the left-armer out of the side, this could be a chance for New Zealand’s most experienced bowler to rubber-stamp his value to the side. And, in a low-pressure game against a dispirited Pakistan, the stars may just align for him.Tim Southee appeals•Getty ImagesTeam newsNew Zealand have rested Boult from the last ODI, and look set to give fast bowler Seth Rance another go in international cricket.New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Todd Astle, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Seth RanceShoaib Malik will miss the final game after being struck in the head during the fourth ODI – batsman Umar Amin has been drafted into the ODI squad in his place. If Imam-ul-Haq does not recovered from the finger injury that has left him sidelined as well, seamer Aamer Yamin or left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz could come in. With the Faheem Ashraf as opener experiment failing last game, Azhar Ali could also return to the top of the order.Pakistan (probable): 1 Azhar Ali/Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Rumman RaeesPitch and conditionsThe forecast for the game is clear, though rain is expected for much of the preceding day. The Basin Reserve doesn’t host too many ODIs, but this will be the second game played at the venue in this series alone. New Zealand won the previous game, scoring 315.Stats and trivia Defeat for Pakistan in Wellington would be their eleventh in a row against New Zealand. The only time they lost more consecutive games against one opposition was when South Africa beat them 14 times in a row between 1995 and 2000 Babar Azam’s overall ODI average is 53.32 in 40 games. He scored 62 and 83 in his previous outings in New Zealand in 2016, but in four games in this series, he has managed only 21 runs at 5.25.Quotes”I think everyone wants that: the team, the support staff and people around the country want to see us beat Pakistan 5-0. The motivation is definitely there,”

Newcastle United are now eyeing up Marc Cucurella this summer, and a new report has revealed they have two targets on their shortlist in the left-back position.

Will Newcastle sign a left-back?

The Magpies couldn't have asked for a more pleasing start to the 2023/24 Premier League season, following their stunning 5-1 victory at home to Aston Villa on Saturday.

Once again, they look like a formidable football team who may potentially have gone up another gear from last year, although this weekend's trip to treble-winners Manchester City will be a far bigger test of how far they have come.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

While Eddie Howe has built an excellent squad since coming in – arguably their best of the Premier League era – a few more additions are needed to finish off a perfect summer.

Left-back is certainly one position that requires a little more depth, with Dan Burn an outstanding option there, but a lack of quality behind him in the pecking order and the flank still not really his perfect position.

Marc Cucurella of Chelsea has been linked with a move to St James' Park this summer and it looks as though Newcastle's interest in him hasn't gone away.

Will Newcastle sign Tierney or Cucurella?

Providing an update on Newcastle's left-back search, The Telegraph's Luke Edwards claimed that Cucurella is being looked at as a loan signing, as well as Arsenal's Kieran Tierney:

"Newcastle United are looking to sign a left back on loan before the close of the transfer window with both Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney and Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella of interest to them.

"Both deals would include either an option or an obligation to buy the player next summer and there is some confidence a breakthrough can be reached with at least one of their Premier League rivals."

It is great to hear that Newcastle are still pushing hard in their pursuit of a new left-back, with that area of the pitch a key one to strengthen in, as well as centre-back.

Burn has been so impressive there, even though he doesn't fit the bill as a natural in the role, but signing Cucurella or Tierney would provide Howe with a more typical left-back option, giving them more natural width and balance, particularly on the ball.

The former would be a strong choice, as he looks to bounce back from an underwhelming spell in a Chelsea shirt, having shone greatly for Brighton in a more settled side to the mess that he walked into at Stamford Bridge last season.

He still averaged 2.8 tackles per game in the league for the Blues, though, showing that he contributed positively at times, and his consistent tackling numbers and constant yellow cards throughout his career paint the picture of a feisty and passionate player St James' Park would adore.

The Scot would be a good option, but he has lost his place for Arsenal, so we think Cucurella, dubbed "fantastic" by a UEFA panel for his displays in Europe with Chelsea last season, deserves a chance away from the chaos that is Stamford Bridge's revolving door.