Bennett: Lack of success in Bangladesh a 'huge motivating factor'

Fast bowler says they are “thankful” for the recent Australia series to plan for the T20Is against Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam25-Aug-2021New Zealand’s record of one win in their last ten bilateral matches in Bangladesh will be their biggest motivating factor, according to quick bowler Hamish Bennett. The 34-year-old is an elder statesman in the squad as he is the only one in the touring party to have played in Bangladesh previously.Bennett, on his first tour since the pandemic, said that the lack of big names in the side was another source of motivation as everyone wanted to do well, particularly in the subcontinent. Bennett said that they are braced for a tough prospect after seeing the way Bangladesh dismantled Australia earlier this month in a 4-1 win in the T20Is.New Zealand, who arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday, are currently in a three-day room isolation before hitting the nets on Friday. They are set to play five T20Is starting September 1.Related

Finn Allen tests positive for Covid-19 in Dhaka

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Tom Latham to lead NZ in Bangladesh and Pakistan

“We have come together as a group and do a job for the country,” Bennett said. “I have come to Bangladesh before and got beaten 4-0. We haven’t had a lot of success here, so it is a huge motivating factor for us. We’d love to go back to New Zealand and say we won a series in Bangladesh, especially when you see what happened to Australia and other top teams who have struggled in Bangladesh.”It was fun and games [against the Australians]. I assume it will be the same. We are thankful for that Australia series to know how Bangladesh will approach us. But it is one thing knowing how they will approach us, and another thing playing in those conditions. We have four or five days of training to find out if our game plans will suit these types of wickets.”New Zealand also received a big blow of Finn Allen testing positive two days after his early arrival in Dhaka. Allen is now in hotel isolation in Dhaka, and being taken care of by his team doctor.”We were gutted for him,” Bennett said of Allen. “He had a big winter away, playing in the IPL, the Blast and the Hundred. Everyone was looking forward to his show of skills, so it is a real shame. Thankfully, he is feeling better in his isolation in the other side of the hotel.”He is upbeat though. He is in good health and good spirits. We will support him as much as we can. Once he is cleared, hopefully he can play a couple of games. I think everyone was prepared for someone to get Covid.”The rest of the New Zealand squad arrived to nearly the same protocols that Australia had recently. They flew on a commercial flight, but were taken through the VIP terminal and straight to their hotel and didn’t have to stand in any queues at either the airport or the hotel.”It was a tough long flight but getting off that plane, we were very fortunate that we are very well looked after,” Bennett said. “I can’t thank their cricket board and government enough for what they did, to get us as safe as possible.”The plans and process that BCB put in for us, has been amazing. They have done a superb job of minimising those risks.”Bennett said he would be watching the England-India Test match at Headingley starting Wednesday, at the hotel. He also mentioned running into some WWE on the television. However, Ben Sears, one of two New Zealand squad members who played the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh five years ago, has his own plans.Bennett, who is known as a mentor to Sears, mentioned how the tearaway quick is expected to study for his law degree during most of his free time, apart from posing a real threat to the Bangladesh batters with his pace.”(Ben Sears) is loving the three-day isolation, because he loves to study,” Bennett said. “He has his head in the books. I have never seen anyone so excited to be in two weeks of quarantine so that he can study without interruptions. Cricket could get in the way.”I expect him to run in and bowl fast. Conditions won’t be ideal for that, but being aggressive and using change-up options as well.”

Moyes rejected West Ham move for superstar in 2021, now he’s worth £82m

New boss Julen Lopetegui wasted no time in putting his own stamp on the West Ham United squad during the summer transfer window, making seven new additions after his appointment.

The Spaniard invested in an array of youth and experience to give him the best possible chance of being a success during his maiden year in charge at the London Stadium.

Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Füllkrug are just two examples of the quality of additions brought into the club during the off-season, with both players providing much-needed depth in the final third.

Crysencio Summerville for West Ham

However, neither player has yet to make a huge impact for the Hammers, both failing to find the back of the net in any of the first five outings in league and cup during the 2024/25 campaign.

Despite the lack of form in front of goal, their signings are an indication of the ambition shown by Lopetegui and the hierarchy as they look to build after the departure of their former boss at the end of last season.

The player Moyes rejected the opportunity to sign

David Moyes will go down in West Ham history during his two separate spells in charge of the Hammers – helping the club achieve the unthinkable during his second tenure in East London.

David Moyes

The Scotsman secured the club the Europa Conference League title back in the 2022/23 campaign – ending their 58-year wait for a major European trophy.

However, he was unable to replicate such form during his final campaign last season, finishing in ninth place and missing out on any European competition – subsequently leaving at the end of the season, as the club targeted a fresh start under Lopetegui.

The fanbase will forever be indebted to the 61-year-old, with Moyes responsible for some of the best days in a generation for many supporters.

West Ham boss David Moyes.

Despite his impressive stint at the London Stadium, he may have made a mistake in not purchasing one talent who has gone on to achieve bonkers things just a couple of years after missing out on the youngster.

Speaking on Steven Bartlett’s Diary Of A CEO Podcast, he confirmed that he rejected the opportunity to sign Argentinian striker Julian Alvarez from River Plate in 2021 despite recommendations from his scouting team.

Moyes stated he was a fan of the 24-year-old, but given Michail Antonio’s form at the start of the 2021/22 season, which saw him register four goals and three assists from his first three matches, no move ever materialised:

“I brought in a new scout who says ‘Look, you should go for Alvarez at River Plate’. I watched him and I thought he was a very good technician and done so many good things as a centre-forward.

“But I thought [he’s] maybe not quite the one we want, we had Micky Antonio who had been doing very well and I thought I don’t know.”

Three years on, it looks like a decision that has massively backfired, with Alvarez going on to have a successful career so far despite his tender age.

Julian Alvarez’s market value in 2024

The striker would move to Manchester City in the summer of 2022 for a fee in the region of £14m, going to make 103 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, scoring on 36 occasions.

The “incredible” 24-year-old, as described by his former boss Guardiola, was part of the club’s treble-winning side of 2022/23, but departed the Etihad during the recent transfer window in the hunt for more frequent first-team minutes.

Alvarez subsequently joined Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid for a staggering £82m including add-ons, a deal that saw City bank a remarkable £68m profit on the fee they paid for him just two years prior.

Julian Alvarez

£82m

Raheem Sterling

£50m

Ferran Torres

£47m

Gabriel Jesus

£45m

Leroy Sane

£40m

His transfer is just one piece of excellent business that City have completed in recent times, a major factor in their success in the Premier League which has seen them win four of the last five league titles.

His goalscoring record in England is an example of the quality he could’ve brought to West Ham, with the club missing out on a potential gem.

Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez

The recent transfer fee also would’ve banked the Hammers a huge profit, allowing for added investment and breaking a trend of big-money signings who have departed the London Stadium for nothing.

Alvarez would’ve been a stellar addition for the club, however, he will unfortunately forever remain as another player who slipped through the club’s recruitment net.

West Ham thought they had Payet 2.0, now he's worth £1m & playing in Asia

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Volante do Corinthians atrai interesse do Santos; saiba quem é

MatériaMais Notícias

O volante Richard, que pertence ao Corinthians, mas atuou por empréstimo no Athletico-PR na última temporada, interessa ao Santos.

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As conversas ainda estão em estágio inicial, mas, conforme informações obtidas pelo LANCE!, existe o desejo corintiano em negociar o jogador, que chegou ao clube em 2019, mas nunca se firmou e acumulou empréstimos para Vasco e Furacão.

No entanto, o interesse do Timão é obter alguma compensação financeira com o atleta, que tem contrato até dezembro de 2022. A compra em definitivo pelo Peixe é visto como melhor opção para o Corinthians, mas a cúpula alvinegra sabe que isso dificilmente acontecerá

Uma situação como o acordo feito entre o clube do Parque São Jorge e o meia Camacho, ocorrida em junho, com as partes rescindindo o contrato amigavelmente para que o jogador acertasse com o Peixe, é visto como mais difícil neste momento, mas não como impossível, visto que se Richard não tiver mercado na janela do fim de ano poderá assinar pré-contrato gratuitamente com outra agremiação no meio da próxima temporada.

Os contatos estão em estágio inicial e ainda não houve proposta formal apresentada pelo Peixe.

Nesta temporada, Richard foi dispensado pelo Athletico-PR tendo o clube alegado ato de indisciplina, dizendo que o jogador deixou a Arena da Baixada sem autorização após pedir para sair no intervalo do duelo do Furacão contra o Fluminense, pelo Brasileirão. O atleta, por sua vez, alega que foi autorizado deixar o estádio.

continua após a publicidade

Pedido por mais entrega e garantia de apoio: como foi a reunião de organizada com elenco do São Paulo

MatériaMais Notícias

Nesta terça-feira, membros da Independente, principal torcida organizada do São Paulo, estiveram presentes no CT da Barra Funda para se reunirem com o elenco e diretoria do Tricolor, que está ameaçado de rebaixamento no Campeonato Brasileiro.

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Segundo apurado pelo LANCE!, a reunião contou com a presença de alguns jogadores do São Paulo, como o lateral-esquerdo Reinaldo, o zagueiro Miranda e o atacante Luciano. Muricy Ramalho, coordenador técnico, foi o representante da diretoria do clube do Morumbi. Ceni e Casares não participaram do encontro.

Os torcedores cobraram mais entrega por parte dos jogadores e melhores resultados nas últimas seis rodadas do Campeonato Brasileiro. Apesar da cobrança, a torcida afirmou que apoiará o time nas partidas decisivas para fugir do inédito rebaixamento à segunda divisão.

CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO BRASILEIRÃO DE 2021!

O São Paulo está na 15ª colocação, com 38 pontos, a dois da zona de rebaixamento, já que o Juventude, 17º, soma 36.

'I don't really care' – Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou insists he has no plans to change despite ugly confrontation with Spurs fans & dressing down from his own wife

Ange Postecoglou says he has no regrets about his confrontation with Tottenham fans following the midweek defeat to Bournemouth.

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Postecoglou confronts Spurs fansWife disapproved of his behaviourTottenham 10th in Premier LeagueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Postecoglou approached furious Spurs supporters after the 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Thursday. The Australian exchanged words with some fans, who booed him in the wake of the club's sixth defeat in the league.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Consistency has been a real issue for Tottenham this season. The impressive 4-0 win at Manchester City was followed up by draws to Roma and Fulham and the defeat to Bournemouth. It's no surprise the supporters are angry – the club has failed to kick on under Postecoglou since his arrival in the summer of 2023 despite a fast start, but the 59-year-old has no plans to change his approach.

WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

"No, they felt like they needed to give me feedback, so I thought I’d get close enough for them to make sure they were heard," Postecoglou said.

"Hopefully after 18 months, you [the media] have realised that I am who I am. I don’t really care.

"Whether people think I’m an easy target, soft target. I’m not going to shy away from it. I’ve fought my whole life and I’m not going to race down the tunnel because some people feel like they need to give me some direction. It doesn’t bother me, it doesn’t.

"From my perspective, what motivates me and what drives me on a daily basis is to continually stay true to my values and what I believe is the right thing to do in every situation. Maybe people thought it wasn’t the right thing to do. My wife certainly didn’t.

"So I got some feedback there as well. But that’s okay. I’m not going to change. It’s who I am, mate. I’ve been like that my whole career and I won’t change.”

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM?

The north London side host in-form Chelsea on Sunday afternoon in a highly-anticipated London derby.

Nottingham Forest eye loan for "exceptional" £120k-p/w England international

Nottingham Forest are reportedly plotting an audacious loan move for a top-level international player this summer.

Forest in slow summer transfer window

Since securing promotion to the Premier League back in 2022, Nottingham Forest have had a phenomenally high squad turnover and are often among the busiest sides in the division.

In their first season back in the top flight, they signed 30 players, headlined by the arrival of Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi. They then followed that up by adding a further 17 new faces across the 2023/24 campaign, including the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Anthony Elanga and Murillo.

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By comparison, this season Nuno Espírito Santo's side have been dawdling, with just five new faces being welcomed to the City Ground. They have signed Elliot Anderson in a £35m move from Newcastle United, while Nikola Milenkovic has arrived from Fiorentina to replace Moussa Niakhate, who joined Lyon.

There have also been moves for Brazilian goalkeeper Carlos Miguel, as well as young pair Mark Stamenic and Eric Moreira from Red Star and St Pauli respectively. The club's biggest successes this summer to date have been their ability to keep hold of impressive defender Murillo as well as Gibbs-White, both of whom had been linked with moves away across the 2023-24 campaign.

Undoubtedly the two biggest stars at the City Ground, Forest are looking to build a quality side around them, and are reportedly plotting an audacious loan move to help Nuno do just that.

Nottingham Forest chase Arsenal man

That comes as The Sun report that the Reds are chasing an extraordinary move to sign out-of-favour Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. The England international, who was Jordan Pickford's deputy at EURO 2024, fell out of favour at the Emirates Stadium following the arrival of David Raya last summer. He made just six Premier League appearances and just two after being dropped in favour of Raya, both coming against Brentford when the Spaniard was ineligible.

He seemed certain to depart this summer in search of first-team football, but the Gunners have struggled to find anyone willing to meet their reported £30m price tag, with both Newcastle and Chelsea having been linked previously but having since agreed deals to sign other goalkeepers.

Aaron Ramsdale (22/23) vs Forest goalkeepers 23/24

Aaron Ramsdale

Matt Turner

Odysseas Vlachodimos

Mats Selz

Appearances

38

17

5

16

Clean Sheets

14

2

1

1

Save %

70.6%

67.5%

50%

57.4%

Now, The Sun claim that Forest are considering making an offer to take the former Arsenal no.1 on loan for the upcoming campaign, with Espirito Santo's side not willing to meet the asking price for a permanent deal.

They report that Forest are "willing to gamble" and see if the Gunners will let Ramsdale "leave on loan right at the end of the window", and believe that "paying all of Ramsdale’s wages plus a chunky bonus may give them a real chance" of pulling off the coup.

The goalkeeper penned a new deal at Arsenal in 2023, which means that he has just two years left to run on his £120,000-a-week deal at the Emirates Stadium, though the Gunners have an option to extend that deal by a further year.

Despite being second choice, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was quick to praise his backup shot stopper last season, dubbing his attitude "exceptional".

“He’s been exceptional around the place with the situation. Like everybody. We love him more for sure. We have him every day. We know him, we know his character and we are really happy to have him."

Ramsdale is undoubtedly a cut above the current options at Nuno's disposal, but the arrival of another two goalkeepers this summer would only muddy the waters further following the fight for the no.1 spot at the City Ground since their promotion.

£16.8 million man agrees to join Chelsea as Boehly seals another signing

A £16.8 million player has agreed to join Chelsea, and they've struck a deal with his club, with Todd Boehly now closing in on a tenth summer signing.

Chelsea undergo busy transfer window and squad overhaul

Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham), Omari Kellyman (Aston Villa), Renato Veiga (FC Basel), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City), Marc Guiu (Barcelona), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United) and Filip Jorgensen (Villarreal) have been announced as new Chelsea arrivals this summer, with Brazilian teenager Estevao Willian also set to join in 2025.

Chelsea close to agreeing deal for ace who BlueCo liken to Real Madrid star

The west Londoners think he could replicate a Galactico.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 31, 2024

Aaron Anselmino will complete a move to Chelsea from Boca Juniors as well, after completing his medical at Stamford Bridge this week, making it nine signings in total for new manager Enzo Maresca ahead of his first Premier League season in charge.

However, a lot of the aforementioned players are young and could be deemed as ones for the future, rather than immediate upgrades to Maresca's first team. Only Tosin, Dewsbury-Hall and Jorgensen look likely to go straight into the senior team, so there could still be work to do for co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

Most notably, Chelsea appear to be making serious moves for a new forward. The west Londoners are in ongoing talks with Napoli over striker Victor Osimhen, and Romelu Lukaku could be used as a makeweight, with the Belgian already agreeing a three-year contract and pay-cut to work under Antonio Conte again (Ben Jacobs).

Meanwhile, Chelsea have also submitted a concrete bid for Hoffenheim striker Maximilian Beier, who could be an alternative to Osimhen if a deal cannot be done for the Nigerian.

There is also the possibility of adding yet more talent to Chelsea's ever-growing pool of young players with real potential. KRC Genk shot-stopper Mike Penders, who made his Jupiler Pro League debut last weekend in a 0-0 draw with Standard Liege, is the latest gem on their radar.

Reports earlier this week claimed Chelsea were closing in on a deal for Penders, who BlueCo believe could be the next Thibaut Courtois. The 19-year-old, who stands at a lofty 6 foot 7, now appears even closer to a Stamford Bridge move.

Thibaut-Courtois-Chelsea

Penders agrees to join Chelsea as deal reached with Genk

According to HITC, Penders has agreed to join Chelsea and they've reached a deal with Genk. Indeed, the Blues will pay around £16.8 million to get him over the line, and he'll remain on loan at Genk for the 2024/2025 season to aid his development.

With both personal terms and an agreement struck between the clubs, it appears Chelsea are closing in on their tenth capture of the window, with the teenage talent appearing highly-rated by those within the club after the Courtois comparison.

In future seasons, he could well be competing with Jorgensen for the number one spot.

تقارير: سيكسر البنك.. ليفربول يقترب من تجديد عقد أحد الثلاثي المثير للقلق

كشفت تقارير صحفية تطورات تخص مستقبل أحد ثلاثي فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد وفيرجيل فان دايك، مع اقتراب عقودهم الحالية من النهاية.

ومن المقرر أن ينتهي العقد الحالي للنجم المصري محمد صلاح مع ليفربول في صيف 2025.

وصرّح محمد صلاح أكثر من مرة، بشكل علني لوسائل الإعلام في الفترة الأخيرة، بعدم وجود جديد يخص مستقبله وتجديد عقده في “الأنفيلد”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | ضد ليفربول.. الدوري الإنجليزي يعلن عن هدف شهر ديسمبر

وينطبق الأمر نفسه على فيرجيل فان دايك وترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، مع العلم أن وضع الأخير معقد بشكل أكبر كونه مرتبط بنادي ريال مدريد.

ولكن يبدو أن هناك أمرًا جديدًا يخص مستقبل أحد الثلاثي المذكور، وتحديدًا المدافع فيرجيل فان دايك، حسب صحيفة “telegraaf” الهولندية.

وأفاد الصحفي مارسيل فان دير كران بأن ليفربول من المقرر أن يكسر البنك من أجل تجديد عقد فان دايك مع النادي الإنجليزي.

وأشار إلى أن ليفربول قريب بالفعل من تمديد عقد فان دايك في صفقة ضخمة، قائلًا: “ليفربول سيفتح خزينة البنك في أحد الأيام لتمديد عقده مع النادي”.

هذا الأمر يعني أن تجديد عقد فان دايك سيكلف خزينة ليفربول الكثير من المال، لإتمام تلك الخطوة.

Singapore promoted to global qualifier for 2022 T20 World Cup

Hong Kong will be demoted down to the regional qualifiers

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Dec-2020A recalculation of the ICC T20I rankings has seen Singapore awarded automatic qualification to the global qualifiers for the 2022 T20 World Cup. Hong Kong have lost out as a result, falling back into regional qualifying.Hong Kong have suffered from the absence of a year of cricket, with the rankings calculated on the basis of results over a set period of time. With Hong Kong having a year of relatively favourable results wiped out, coupled with their loss of ODI status, they find themselves needing to battle an additional hurdle if they are to make it to the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022.Singapore, meanwhile will play the global qualifier, after having previously advanced to the global qualifier for the first time in 2019 where they upset Scotland in the opening match of the tournament. Coupled with a victory over Zimbabwe ahead of the October 2019 qualifier, it has given their ranking a sharp spike to have them leapfrog their regional rival Hong Kong.The 16 available spots in the global qualifiers will be filled by one team each from the Africa and East Asia-Pacific Qualifier respectively. They will be joined by two teams each from the Americas and Europe qualifiers. It will be the first time one of the competing teams – Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Philippines, Samoa, South Korea, Vanuatu and host-nation Japan – at the 2021 regional qualifier from East-Asia Pacific gets to that stage. Papua New Guinea, the side that has regularly emerged from that section of regional qualifying, has already been granted a berth in the global qualifier after having secured a spot in the 2021 T20 World Cup field to be played in India.The four teams that finish bottom at the T20 World Cup in 2021 will be granted automatic qualification to the global qualifier for the event in 2022, as will Zimbabwe, Nepal and the UAE along with Singapore, based on the T20 rankings. With the two upcoming T20 World Cups effectively switched around (the 2021 event takes place in India while the 2022 edition will be hosted by Australia), the teams that qualified for the 2020 World Cup in Australia will take their place at the 2021 event in India. Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Ireland, Namibia, Oman and Scotland will join ten Full Members at the World T20 in 2021, with Zimbabwe missing out as they were suspended by the ICC at the time.The global qualifier had been a 14-team event in 2019 in the UAE. But the 16 teams that advance to the next global qualifier ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup will be split into two separate 8-team events. The top two finishes from the dual 8-team global qualifiers will secure their places in Australia. The host sites for each of the 8-team dual global qualifiers have yet to be determined.

BBL clubs to be allowed three overseas players in XI

The number of star names on show in the tournament has been a topic of debate but there was concern about stopping local talent

Daniel Brettig19-Oct-2020Big Bash clubs are set to be permitted a third overseas player in their XIs for the next two tournaments after the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) dropped their longstanding opposition to the move on the basis that it would take away a spot from a local cricketer.Amid an ugly dispute between Cricket Australia and Channel Seven over the value of the BBL’s broadcast rights, the likely change in overseas player regulations – as part of a series of tweaks to the MoU between CA and the ACA – is a late but welcome chance for clubs to improve the quality of their playing lists this year.The likelihood of expanded Australian squads being required for international matches this year due to Covid-19 “hub” restrictions has raised the prospect of weakening BBL playing ranks to a greater degree than usual. It is one of the central complaints from Seven to CA about the BBL after the free-to-air network paid in the region of A$40 million a season for the competition as part of its A$450 million component of the A$1.18 billion shared deal with Foxtel in 2018 to broadcast cricket in Australia for six years.The BBL figure represents almost 60% of Seven’s total deal, which also includes the rights to broadcast all Test matches played in Australia, and runs in contrast to CA’s strategic position where international cricket sits at the top of the pyramid in terms of player payments and other investments by the governing body. CA has in recent weeks also committed to helping to finance “marquee” deals worth more than six figures for overseas players outside existing BBL club salary caps.CA had hoped to hold its first player draft ahead of the 2020-21 season but that was shelved in August amid the complexities created by Covid-19Dawid Malan (Hobart Hurricanes), Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder), Liam Livingstone (Perth Scorchers), Tom Banton (Brisbane Heat) and Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers) are the overseas players to have been announced by their clubs so far either on new or existing deals. Three overseas slots per team would mean an additional 20 players join the BBL from beyond Australia’s borders.Such an influx would help to cover for the likelihood of players such as Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Finch, Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis missing large chunks of the BBL due to international commitments. Clubs are eager to sign up David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, a trio who have often missed the BBL in recent years, and may well end up doing so again should they want to rest in between international commitments and scheduled tours of New Zealand and South Africa in early 2021.One area of intrigue will be whether CA finally convinces the BCCI to allow some Indian players to take part in the BBL – the IPL has long been the only domestic T20 event to showcase Indian cricketers, whether they are core members of Virat Kohli’s national team or not.Overseas names, of both the established star variety such as AB de Villiers, Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan and Dale Steyn and emerging talents such as Jofra Archer, Rashid Khan and Sandeep Lamichhane, have been vital to the growth of the BBL over its first nine seasons. But teams have always been limited to having only two overseas players at any one time in their 18-man squads, even though the rules were tweaked in 2019 to allow up to six overseas players to cycle through on shorter deals during a tournament.CA and the broadcasters have been eager to allow for another overseas playing spot, but the ACA’s opposition has remained until recently, when the change was again suggested amid negotiations for a range of provisional alterations to the MoU.In addition to the overseas players clause, the players’ association is also working with CA on plans to use some of this years’ untapped player payment pool cash to provide a range of additional support measures for players, particularly in the WBBL. These would include investment in hub facilities in Sydney, plus greater allowances for player access to their families and other means of mental health assistance during what is sure to be a trying summer.

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