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Manchester United’s transfer saga with Paul Pogba perfectly sums up the business they’ve conducted within the transfer market over the last couple of seasons.

The Frenchman spent time in the club’s academy before leaving for Juventus on a free transfer in order to try and further his career with valuable minutes elsewhere.

After impressing in Italy, the Red Devils forked out a club-record £89m for his signature back in the summer of 2016, with the midfielder amassing over 225 appearances in his second spell at Old Trafford.

However, his attitude and fitness levels were often brought into question during his six years back in Manchester, before leaving on a free transfer to join the Old Lady for a second time.

Before returning to the Premier League, Pogba won the Golden Boy award – but he’s not alone in achieving such a feat, with numerous other talents doing so while plying their trade at Old Trafford.

The former United players who have won the Golden Boy award

After joining United as a youngster, there’s no surprise that Wayne Rooney claimed the prestigious award, with the attacker reaching incredible levels as a Red Devil.

He still remains as the club’s all-time record goalscorer, but it was his performances in 2004 that saw him claim the award at the tender age of just 18.

The forward made himself a key member of the England international side during such a period after netting three goals in his first nine outings for his country.

The second player to claim the U21 award was Brazilian midfielder Anderson, with the former United star claiming the trophy back in 2008 after his first season in England.

After his switch from Porto, he made 38 appearances across all competitions and cemented himself at the heart of Sir Alex Ferguson’s star-studded side.

Completing the double of the Champions League and Premier League will have no doubt helped his cause – arguably enjoying the dream debut campaign, which was topped off with the Golden Boy award.

The third and final player to achieve such a feat was Anthony Martial, with the Frenchman’s incredible start to life in Manchester a key reason for his success.

The attacker scored on his debut against Liverpool, whilst netting a double on his first start – helping him claim the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for September 2015.

However, no player for the Red Devils has since managed to win the top U21 award, but one player within the ranks looked set to be a contender, given his rise through the ranks.

The Man Utd star who’s becoming the next Pogba

Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo once looked like the future of United, but it’s safe to say his progression has stagnated since the arrival of Ruben Amorim back in November last November.

The Englishman endured a phenomenal rise in 2023/24, becoming a key member of the first-team squad and even being named in the England squad for Euro 2024.

However, he’s failed to start a single one of the club’s Premier League games in 2025/26, with the manager preferring the likes of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte ahead of him.

Mainoo even requested a loan move away from Old Trafford during the closing stages of the summer window in order to gain valuable game time to aid his progression.

The same can’t be said for centre-back Leny Yoro, with the young French star rapidly becoming one of the club’s most important players during Amorim’s tenure.

He joined the club for a reported £52m in the summer of 2024 – a huge fee for a teenager – but he’s already lived up to expectations, whilst still having a huge future to improve.

Yoro has featured in every single league game of the new season, highlighting his importance to the side, with his underlying stats highlighting his current positive impact.

The centre-back, who’s been labelled “generational” by Statman Dave, has completed 86% of the passes he’s attempted – highlighting his incredible ball-playing ability.

He’s also made an average of 1.4 tackles per 90, whilst winning 75% of the aerial battles he’s entered – arguably being the perfect all-round option at the back despite his tender age.

Games played

7

Minutes played

453

Pass accuracy

86%

Tackles won

1.4

Aerials won

75%

Long ball accuracy

45%

Recoveries made

3.8

Interceptions made

1.8

To further indicate his phenomenal rise at Old Trafford, Yoro was even named as a nominee for the latest Golden Boy award – matching compatriot Pogba in each aspect.

Should he continue on his current trajectory, there’s no reason why the defender can’t help lead United to new heights and lead them back to their glory days.

The sky truly is the limit for the youngster, with Yoro having the world at his feet, which could allow him to achieve anything he wants in his professional career.

Man Utd's "£100m + footballer" is becoming the new Hojlund & it's not Sesko

Manchester United simply must manage one player to prevent a Rasmus Hojlund repeat.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 17, 2025

It is learnt that his chances of playing the second Test are low

Sidharth Monga27-Jun-20252:01

How might India shape their attack for second Test?

India returned to the nets on Friday after their travel from Leeds to Birmingham and a day off with a marathon training session of close to five hours.While Jasprit Bumrah came to the ground, he didn’t bowl or bat in the nets. As it was a closed-door training session, it was not possible to tell whether Bumrah was doing fitness work or bowling alone inside the ground. The nets session, though, was visible from the street. Bumrah’s absence in the nets should not be a sign by itself because all three main fast bowlers from the last match – Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj – stayed away from batting. Siraj had a hit with the bat before he went off to join Bumrah and Prasidh inside the ground.ESPNcricinfo, however, has learnt that Bumrah’s chances of playing at Edgbaston are low. India picked him aware that he was going to be available for only three of the five Tests against England. The pre-decided combination, apparently, was the first and the third Test, and then a choice between the fourth and the fifth based on the state of the series. There are big gaps between the first and the second, and the third and the fourth Tests.Related

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Not all doom and gloom: India almost had England at Headingley

However, it must be said that he hasn’t yet been ruled out entirely for Edgbaston. The discussions around the combination have yet to begin, and if Bumrah feels good about his body, he could well turn up for the Test, which begins on Wednesday. India will have an optional training session on Saturday followed by a day off and then another long session on Monday.Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep bowled long spells in the nets. Arshdeep spent almost half the nets session bowling with an old, somewhat “made” ball. With the old ball, he went around the wicket to the right-hand batters. This could have been something India decided to do after looking at the conditions. They could well be expecting reverse swing to be a factor.The general mood in the camp is to not overthink the defeat at Headingley, where they repeatedly got themselves in positions to dominate, but let it slip away. The message is to not make dramatic changes to how they play, but repeat the processes to get into strong positions again and then react better.

Elche's on-loan Barcelona defender Hector Fort has revealed a personal post-match conversation with Hansi Flick, saying that the manager "cares about me." The youngster also lifted the lid on the "special" experience of facing his close friend Lamine Yamal during Elche's 3-1 LaLiga defeat, a match which also saw Inaki Pena return to face his parent club.

Fort reveals post-match chat with Flick

Fort has revealed details of a post-match conversation with Flick, in which the German coach showed his personal concern for the on-loan La Masia graduate following Sunday’s 3-1 defeat for the visitors.

Fort, along with goalkeeper Pena, returned to face their parent club for the first time since their temporary summer moves. Speaking to DAZN and as reported by Mundo Deportivo after the match, the 18-year-old full-back expressed his appreciation for Flick's gesture and opened up about the "special" experience of competing against close friend Yamal.

Despite the disappointment of the result at the Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys, Fort shared a warm exchange with the Barcelona manager on the pitch after the final whistle. The conversation highlighted that the young defender remains firmly in the thoughts of the coaching staff back at his parent club, who are monitoring his progress and well-being.

"He’s a warm person, he cares about me and he was asking me about the injury I had," Fort revealed. "He asked me if I was happy at Elche and I appreciate his interest."

The gesture from Flick suggests that Barcelona see a long-term future for the defender, with the loan move to Elche viewed as a crucial step in his development pathway towards a potential first-team role at Camp Nou.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'I see him as my friend' – Fort on facing Lamine Yamal

The match also presented a unique personal challenge for Fort, who was tasked with marking his close friend and fellow La Masia product, Yamal. The Barcelona winger opened the scoring in just the ninth minute, but Fort, who came on as a second-half substitute, relished the duel against a player he has known for years.

"I don’t see Lamine like everyone else. I see him as my friend," Fort explained with a smile. "We’ve been together for many years, we’ve shared a lot, and I was excited to face him. I don’t think I did too badly. I caught him a bit tired."

The full-back admitted the context of the game provided an extra spark. "It always helps to have the extra motivation of playing in front of my fans and my former teammates, but it’s a shame about the result."

Pena describes 'special and strange' Barcelona return

Pena, who started the match for Elche, the return was an emotional one. Having spent years at Barcelona, he admitted it felt unusual to be in the opposition's dressing room.

"It’s strange to play here in another jersey," Pena said, although he noted it was not an entirely new experience, having previously played against Barca while on loan at Galatasaray.

The 26-year-old was seen embracing his former goalkeeping colleagues—Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Wojciech Szczesny, Joan Garcia, and Diego Kochen—after the game. "I have many friends, but I train with the goalkeepers every day and it was really nice to see them," he reflected on the reunion.

Both players were ultimately on the losing side as Barcelona secured a comfortable victory to maintain their second-place position in the La Liga table. After Yamal's early opener, Ferran Torres doubled the hosts' lead in the 12th minute. Elche pulled a goal back through Rafa Mir just before half-time, but a 61st-minute strike from Marcus Rashford sealed the three points for Flick's side.

Pena played the full 90 minutes, making three saves but conceding three goals from the six shots on target he faced. Fort was introduced in the second half and provided a solid account of himself against a tiring Barcelona attack.

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Why Pena chose Elche loan move

Speaking after the game, Pena also elaborated on his decision to join Elche on loan, revealing that manager Eder Sarabia was a "decisive" factor. The goalkeeper had to wait for registration processes to be completed, but Sarabia's confidence in him was key.

"When I found out about this situation mid-summer, Eder (Sarabia) was aware of it, and that was decisive because he told me he was sure about it and that I could wait," Pena explained. "And from a footballing perspective, we know their philosophy and their style of play; we know how they want their goalkeeper to play, similar to Barça's philosophy. And I'm also at home, having been away for many years, and all of that made it a good decision."

India’s batting coach shared an insight into the thinking side of India’s maverick keeper-batter

Sidharth Monga08-Jul-20250:41

Aaron: Need a ‘maverick’ like Pant to disrupt opposition plans

In Sydney during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rishabh Pant shocked everyone on the final day when he walked out at the fall of India captain Ajinkya Rahane’s wicket in the second over of the day. Pant brought a sensational approach to saving the Test, scoring 73 in the first session. He was 97 off 117 when Nathan Lyon started the 80th over. Cheteshwar Pujara, Pant’s partner at the time, reminded him to just be watchful because the second new ball was going to be crucial.Pant went down the track first ball of the 80th over and was dismissed off a thick outside edge. He was devastated. It seemed as if a crane would be required to take him off the field. He was also angry at Pujara for casting a seed of doubt in his head, which he felt contributed to the miscue.Related

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Two days before the third Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at Lord’s, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak spoke about this side of Pant while talking about how much of a thinker of batting he is. Kotak was asked how important it was for batting partners to not talk to Pant. “Rishabh actually talks a lot about what he does, when he does [it], why he does [it],” Kotak said. “To me, he’s spoken, but he’s someone who doesn’t like talking too much during his innings because he feels that that changes his mindset, and he takes the wrong decision. That’s only when he’s batting.”Apart from that, he talks about other batters also, about himself also, and he does [properly plan] what he wants to do because it’s not so easy to score Test hundreds or not so easy to be successful at this level without having any planning.”No advice might be the best advice if you’re batting with Rishabh Pant•Getty ImagesThe moves Pant makes might look random, but Kotak suggested there is thought and planning behind each of them. Kotak was happy to have a maverick such as Pant in the line-up but generally insisted on the batters not being too eager to score runs, which might have become a habit after playing – as India have done – on extremely bowling-friendly pitches in the last few years.”If a batter thinks there is a lot of movement in the pitch, and if there is [half] an opportunity I have to score boundaries because there is a good ball coming [anyway], that is a bad mindset for red-ball cricket,” Kotak said. “Anyway, they possess so much skill because of white-ball cricket that they can convert anything in the slot into fours and sixes. They don’t have to really think that I want to hit a boundary.”Kotak insisted that this was not an instruction imparted after the first-Test defeat at Headingley but his general philosophy before the start of the series. “We have batted well in both the matches,” Kotak said. “I feel we have such skilful batters [who] can score at four an over without going searching for runs. What else is aggressive batting? We are scoring 360 in 90 overs. But our mindset now is to not go looking for boundaries.”That is not necessarily good news for England because they relied on getting batters caught on the boundary to make their way back into the match during both of India’s innings at Headingley. In the second Test at Edgbaston, captain Shubman Gill led by example and refused to be content with a big score and play a casual shot. He aggregated 430 runs in the match to bat England out of the game.

Arsenal coach Gabriel Heinze has made headlines since his arrival in July, with Mikel Arteta’s side benefitting from the ex-Man United star’s tutelage behind-the-scenes.

Arsenal feeling Heinze effect with defence getting even better

If the Gunners’ backline wasn’t already impenetrable, it certainly is now following Heinze’s appointment.

The Argentine, described as an “obsessive” serial winner with a fixation on duels, also has a history of weighing his players twice a day, but his intensity is reportedly making a mark at London Colney (The Mail).

Heinze, who already boasts extensive coaching experience from his time in South America, won the Argentine second division title with AA Argentinos Juniors in 2017 and went on to manage both Atlanta United and Newell Old Boys before joining Arteta’s coaching staff.

His arrival has added depth to the coaching setup, allowing for more focused attention on defensive organization and transitional play. One of the standout areas of improvement under Heinze’s guidance has been Arsenal’s defensive cohesion.

Arsenal’s backline already looks more structured and aggressive in pressing opponents high up the pitch, traits Heinze has reportedly emphasized during training sessions.

Players have apparently responded well to Heinze’s demanding style. His reputation as a no-nonsense, hard-working figure carries respect, which helps push the squad’s intensity levels higher day-to-day.

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Heinze’s experience working under coaches like Diego Simeone is proving invaluable in instilling a combative mentality and resilience, traits Arsenal seemed to lack in previous seasons.

David Raya is one of the Arsenal players to have benefited most from Heinze’s appointment, considering the Spaniard has a brick wall in front of him, and he’s currently well on for a third-successive Golden Glove award.

David Raya shares what Gabriel Heinze has been telling Arsenal players

Raya is one of the best goalkeepers in world football statistically, prompting the club to reward him with new and improved terms, but the ex-Brentford stopper has undoubtedly been helped by a water-tight defence that Heinze’s drilled to high heaven.

Speaking to Argentine newspaper Ole this week, Raya has now shared what Heinze has been telling Arsenal players since joining.

While Heinze’s influence is still evolving, early signs indicate that his presence really strengthens the team.

With the campaign in full swing, his role in shaping Arsenal’s defensive spine and high-pressing game could be a key factor in how far the club goes both domestically and in Europe.

Heinze has already proven to be a valuable asset to Arsenal’s coaching staff, bringing a real intensity and experience that complement Arteta’s vision, and he’s undoubtedly helped the team become competitive and ‘no-nonsense’ in their approach.

If Arsenal end their 22-year-long wait for a Premier League title, Heinze could end up being one of the surprise heroes.

The trouble with facing a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers is that they have weapons up and down their lineup. You can delay having to face one or two of their stars, but chances are someone else is going to make you pay for it. Tuesday night, that person was Mookie Betts.

The Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels went to extra innings Tuesday night. With first base open (and Kevin Kiermaier on second base) the Angels opted to walk Shohei Ohtani intentionally. That brought Betts up. He swung at the first pitch—a slider over the middle of the plate—for a home run, putting the Dodgers up in the crosstown rivalry game, 6-2.

Betts was interviewed on-field after the game. He had a great reaction to the Dodgers opting to face him instead of Ohtani, giving a casual reaction to being chosen to pitch to:

"That [display of emotion] doesn't happen often, so I kind of [blacked] out. I just knew they walked Sho' to get to me, and I was like alright. That's kind of what you want," Betts said. "I know Freddie [Freeman is] behind me, so they're not gonna mess around," Betts also explained as far as why he felt he could be aggressive at the plate.

In fairness, the Angels had no good options here. Choosing between pitching to Ohtani or Betts in this scenario is a "pick your poison" kind of scenario. And as Betts said, Freeman gives him protection as well.

That would be all she wrote for the game, as the Angels would go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 10th inning. Betts didn't put the Dodgers ahead (offense earlier in the inning pushed the free runner at second in for a 3-2 lead) but did make the lead virtually insurmountable.

Mark Goldbridge has commented on how Arsenal look when managing the absence of a key part of their attacking line.

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Brian Brobbey scored a last-gasp equaliser as high-flying Sunderland held Premier League leaders Arsenal to a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light.

A stop-start first-half suddenly sparked into life when former Arsenal academy product Dan Ballard sent the hosts ahead with a thumping finish, ending the Gunners’ run of eight consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

Bukayo Saka levelled with a low effort after the break and, with Arsenal having controlled most of the game for the second half, Leandro Trossard sent the visitors ahead with a stunning effort from outside the area.

Late drama followed as Brobbey stabbed home from Ballard’s header to earn a point for the hosts against the division’s top side.

Roefs then denied Calafiori at the death, with Ballard blocking Merino’s follow-up after the save, as the Black Cats held on for the point.

During the game, a comment was made about the Gunners going forward when they are without one of their summer additions.

Gyokeres "massively" missed by Gunners

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Goldbridge noted how much Arsenal were missing Gyokeres, who picked up an injury in their game against Burnley. The content creator said:

Signing in the 2025 summer transfer window, much has been said about Gyokeres since he arrived at Arsenal, having been signed to solve their striker problems. The Swede has not yet found a consistent string of goalscoring form, but has had a positive impact on the team in other ways.

Against Sunderland, Mikel Merino picked up an assist for Saka’s opener, having been deployed as a makeshift striker. Otherwise, however, the Spaniard, who is a natural midfielder, struggled to have much of an impact, with Arsenal facing initial struggles in breaking the Black Cats down.

Unflinching at their status as a newly-promoted team, Sunderland’s stoppage-time equaliser against the Gunners ensured a point that, based on their display, was certainly deserved. Arsenal can only hope that it does not go onto hamper their Premier League title hopes.

It is apparent, however, that the club lack a certain fluidity in attack when Gyokeres is absent from the first team, which was a contributing factor in them failing to come away from the North East with three points.

Arsenal have best finisher since van Persie for Arteta

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw had a knee and foot surgery on Wednesday, he posted on Instagram, and now he's gearing up for the recovery process.

The now-two-time World Series champion seems positive regarding his 2025 availability just one day after the surgeries. He's ready to help out his Dodgers make an attempt at winning back-to-back World Series titles.

Kershaw will turn 37 years old in March, leading many MLB fans to wonder if he would retire in the offseason and go out on top with another title. But, it sounds like the three-time Cy Young Award winning fully plans on returning to the Dodgers next season.

"Planning to crush some rehab and be good as can be come next year," Kershaw wrote in his announcement.

Kershaw's current contract has an option for 2025 worth $10 million. It would be his 18th season with Los Angeles.

The 10-time All-Star only competed in seven games during the 2024 season. He missed the beginning of the season as he was recovering from an offseason shoulder surgery. Then, he was shut down for the remainder of the season after he injured his toe on Aug. 31. Kershaw didn't pitch in any of his team's postseason games on their journey to the World Series title.

Lionel Messi bagged a goal and an assist as Argentina earned a hard-fought 2-0 victory away to Angola. The 2022 World Cup winner is coming towards the end of his illustrious career but the veteran's quality was plain to see as he played an instrumental role in this friendly win on Friday. Both he and Lautaro Martinez scored and turned provider as the Albiceleste marched on once more.

Argentina spoil Angola's celebrations

Angola, who were celebrating the 50th anniversary of their independence from Portugal, started brightly, and had it not been for a good stop from goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, the 50,000-strong crowd may have been heard to Argentina and back. 

The hosts were indebted to their own keeper not long after when Hugo Martinez denied Messi with a smart stop. But the Angola number one did not cover himself in glory in the 44th minute when Martinez fired Messi's neat through ball between the stopper's legs from a tight angle. 

Inter Miami star Messi went close shortly after the break but the home team were putting up a good fight at The Estádio 11 de Novembro. But the Barcelona legend would not be denied and after Martinez picked up the loose ball, he set up Messi, who buried his shot from 10 yards in the 82nd minute. That ended another year for Argentina, with Lionel Scaloni's side second in the world rankings and already thinking of further glory next summer in north America. 

AdvertisementAFPThe MVP

Both Martinez and Messi were, arguably, the standout performers for Argentina as they overcame a stubborn Angola side in their backyard. The duo came away with a goal and an assist but the 38-year-old was, perhaps, the bigger threat throughout the match. On another day, he could have had a hat-trick.

The big loser

While Angola gave a good account of themselves, their defending for the goals was a little suspect. For the first, they allowed Martinez to get behind their backline, when they had a good chance to step up, rendering him offside. And for the second, they were all at sea as Martinez found Messi with ease. But Marques was beaten a bit too easily for Argentina's opener, as the ball went through his legs. While this may have been planned, the keeper was hooked at half time and replaced by Neblu.

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Getty Images SportMatch rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐

Australia have lost six of their last seven completed ODIs, while South Africa chase their fifth straight series win over their opponents

Alex Malcolm21-Aug-2025Big Picture: Australia address ODI slump, SA chase another series winAustralia are the reigning ODI World Champions but they have not been playing like it since their 2023 triumph in India. There are mitigating circumstances, having not fielded a full strength team in any game since while beginning a transition towards 2027 following some key retirements. But they have lost six of their last seven completed ODIs including being thumped in game one in Cairns with an experienced top six and an attack featuring two World Cup winning bowlers.Meanwhile, South Africa looked polished with a transitional team of their own. The absences of David Miller and the retired Heinrich Klaasen were not felt in the slightest with the bat as they posted an excellent score on a sluggish surface with even contributions from the top-four and very little from the powerful duo of Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis on ODI debut.Keshav Maharaj’s stunning bowling display did mask a poor new-ball spell from Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger. But it was still an excellent performance overall after losing Kagiso Rabada from the series on the eve of the match. The win was soured by the news that debutant offspinner Prenelan Subrayen had been reported, yet again, for a suspect bowling action. Coach Shukri Conrad confirmed that Subrayen would not play in the final two matches despite being available to play, before having his action independently assessed in Brisbane at the end of this ODI series.But the win in Cairns has South Africa one win away from claiming a fifth straight bilateral ODI series against Australia dating back over a decade.Related

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Conditions in Mackay, further south of Cairns, will be an unknown as the only men’s ODI played there was in 1992 and only two balls were bowled. The last List A game played there in 2023 was very high scoring. But there was a 50-over game between Australia A and New Zealand A in Mackay in that same season where the bowlers dominated. South Africa A played four 50-over matches in Mackay in a Quadrangular A-team one-day series in 2016 but none of South Africa’s current team played in it.Australia will be desperate for their batting to click. They have been bowled out for under 200 in six of their last 10 completed ODIs. They have been bowled out for under 200 in their last three ODIs at home, which has never happened in Australia’s history. The order looks slightly different, and there is no Steve Smith or Glenn Maxwell, but the quality of players in the top six should be capable of functioning better than they have been.South Africa’s only batting question is how to best utilise Brevis after questions arose as to whether he entered too late in Cairns. With the ball, they will know that Maharaj is the trump card, but would want to have more impact with the new ball to avoid him bowling to a set left-hander in Travis Head, something he did not have to do in game one.Form guideAustralia LLWLL
South Africa WLWWLIn the spotlight: Marnus Labuschagne and Tristan StubbsMarnus Labuschagne was Australia’s player to watch in Cairns and nothing changes heading into Mackay. Much of the interest in him surrounds his road to the Ashes and whether he can reclaim his Test place, but his ODI form and his role within the new look batting line-up has some significant question marks over it as well.Since his match-winning unbeaten 58 in the 2023 World Cup final and an unbeaten 77 in a winning chase against England in 2024 just two innings later, he has really struggled. He’s averaging just 15.22 at a strike-rate of 76.53 in his last nine ODI innings without a half-century. Six of those were batting at No.5 and two were batting at No.4 in the Champions Trophy, where he did make a valuable 47 off 45 in the win over England. He has been elevated to No.3 for this series with a view to positioning him potentially as the long-term Smith replacement with Mitchell Marsh and Head becoming the opening combination. But he needs some runs to bed that position down.Keshav Maharaj trapped Marnus Labuschagne lbw in game one•Getty ImagesKlaasen’s retirement from international cricket leaves a giant hole in South Africa’s middle-order. Tristan Stubbs has been given first option at making Klaasen’s No.5 role his own but with Brevis breathing down his neck and Miller still available to return at some point, Stubbs will need to perform sooner rather than later. He is still early in his career having only played 10 ODIs to-date, but outside of 79 and 112 not out against Ireland, his returns have been very lean, with six single-figure scores including 1, 0, and 0 in his last three ODIs.Middle-order batting is fickle in ODI cricket and sample sizes are important when measuring output given entry points can vary greatly, with Cairns being a prime example of him needing to go from ball one with limited time remaining in the innings. But his T20I returns in a similar role have only been solid in terms of runs made and sluggish in terms of scoring rate by comparison to Brevis or Klaasen. His fielding is also normally a strength, but he has had a torrid tour of Australia with a number of dropped catches including one at cover in Cairns. If he can find form in the final two games it gives South Africa a deep and powerful batting unit heading towards a home World Cup.Team news: Connolly in the mix; Subrayen won’t playThere were suggestions that Matt Kuhnemann should have played in Cairns and should also come into the mix for Mackay but it is more likely that Aaron Hardie’s position at No.7 will come under scrutiny with an option to play a spinning allrounder instead in Cooper Connolly, who also bowls left-arm orthodox, as Australia scramble to fill the hole left by the retired Maxwell and the injured duo of Matt Short and Mitchell Owen. Josh Hazlewood’s loads will continue to be monitored with the Ashes in mind. Australia have Xavier Bartlett in the squad if Hazlewood needs to rest from one of the last two ODIs which will be played with only a day’s break in between.Australia (possible): 1 Travis Head, 2 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 3 Cameron Green, 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Alex Carey, 7 Aaron Hardie/Cooper Connolly, 8 Ben Dwarshuis, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodSubrayen being rested from the final two ODIs opens the door for Senuran Muthusamy to play if they wish to continue to attack Australia’s right-hand heavy top five with left-arm orthodox spin. Corbin Bosch and Kwena Maphaka are also available if Lungi Ngidi needs a rest in one of the final two games after playing every match of the tour so far.South Africa (possible): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Matthew Breetzke, 6 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Dewald Brevis, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Senuran Muthusamy, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Nandre Burger, 11 Lungi NgidiPitch and conditionsConditions at Great Barrier Reef Arena will be unknown for both sides. In the three women’s ODIs played there in 2021 the chasing side won all three times. In the two List A games in 2023 the chasers were 1-1 but Victoria needed every bit of their first innings 349 to hold a fast finishing Queensland. Cameron Green said the pitch “looks like a beauty” a day out from the game on Thursday. It will be a pleasant temperature again but there is set to be a strong breeze from the south-east, with the ground very close to the ocean, which will undoubtedly influence bowling tactics and scoring options as it did in Cairns.Stats and trivia Mackay last hosted a men’s ODI during the 1992 World Cup but only two balls were bowled between India and Sri Lanka due to rain. Marsh has won the toss 21 times as captain across T20Is and ODIs – choosing to bowl on every occasion Australia have been bowled out for under 200 in their last three home ODIs which has never happened previouslyQuotes”Just had a quick walk past [the pitch]. It looks like a beauty. We’ve heard some really good things about it. A couple of Queenslanders I think have played some games up here for Queensland. Heard it’s a great wicket. So looking forward to tomorrow.”
“We just felt, together with ‘Subs’ (Prenelan Subrayen) that less noise, get him away and out of the public eye [and] just make sure that he’s OK. “That’s why his name’s not going to be on the team sheet tomorrow.”