Category Uncategorized

Ross Wilson has been busy in the last few weeks for Glasgow Rangers as he has made a host of signings to improve Gio van Bronckhorst’s squad at Ibrox.

The Gers chief has brought in Antonio Colak, Rabbi Matondo, Tom Lawrence, and is on the verge of signing centre-back Ben Davies, after agreeing a pre-contract deal for John Souttar in January.

Rangers have also raked in a considerable amount of money for two of their key players from the 2021/22 campaign, with Calvin Bassey set to join Ajax for £23m and Joe Aribo having already joined Southampton for £10m earlier this month.

Wilson moved swiftly to sign Matondo and Lawrence to strengthen the attacking options at the club in the wake of Aribo’s exit and he will now have to replace what Bassey offered to the team.

The Nigeria international was capable of playing at both left-back and centre-back, whilst maintaining a high level in his performances.

In the Premiership last season, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.97 as he made 29 appearances in the division – playing in both positions.

Calvin Bassey 2.0

Van Bronckhorst could now find the next Bassey at Rangers in a deal to sign Northampton left-back Ali Koiki. The Gers are reportedly keen on a swoop to sign the gem and are battling it out with Derby to land his signature ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

At the age of 22, the Nigerian/English full-back has plenty of years ahead of him in the game and would come in as a player with potential.

He played 44 times in League Two for the Cobblers last term and caught the eye with his play at both ends of the pitch. The gem created five ‘big chances’ for his teammates whilst also winning 59% of his individual duels and making 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game.

His manager, Jon Brady, has claimed that he has “potential” and that he has an “excellent attitude”, which suggests that he has the right mindset to continue developing as he is willing to apply himself in training – impressing his Northampton boss.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not he has the ability to make the step up to the Premiership, his form in League Two, his age, and Brady’s comments suggest that he would be a worthwhile gamble for the club to take.

If it all works out and he can produce assists in the final third whilst also winning the ball back on a regular basis at the other end then he could be seen as his fellow countryman’s replacement at left-back.

AND in other news, “I’ve heard”: Journo drops Rangers transfer claim that’ll have Van Bronckhorst worried…

Belgian journalist Alexandre Braeckman has indicated the kind of fee Club Brugge would accept for Leeds United target Charles de Ketelaere. 

The lowdown

According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, Leeds are still ‘very much in the running’ to sign De Ketelaere, who’s also wanted by Serie A champions AC Milan and Leicester City.

He’s played in a variety of positions, including centre-forward, both wings and attacking midfield.

The 21-year-old is under contract with the Belgian champions for another two years.

The latest

Speaking to MOT Leeds News, Braeckmann explained that Brugge are hoping to keep De Ketelaere but that doesn’t mean they won’t be receptive to offers.

He thinks that a fee somewhere between £25.8million and £30.2million, as well add-ons, could be enough to convince them.

“Bruges is still trying to convince Charles to stay for one more season, that’s the main ambition, but they will analyse every offer that’s made,” he said.

“I expect, personally, that they could agree a fee around €30, €35m plus bonus.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-46/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The verdict

This could end up being a record deal for Leeds United. According to Transfermarkt, the biggest transfer in their history is the £29.56million move for Brenden Aaronson earlier in the summer.

Fortunately, though, De Ketelaere looks like he would be worth it.

He ranked in the Jupiler Pro League’s top ten for non-penalty goals (sixth) and total goal involvements (ninth) last season, an impressive feat as a youngster not known as an out and out striker (via FBRef).

Across all competitions, he notched eye-catching totals of 18 goals and ten assists.

He’s even been likened to Brazilian legend Kaka by scouts because ‘he makes very intelligent runs, has the quality to bring others into play and has a similar physical presence and gait’ (The Athletic).

Journalist Josh Holland has delivered an intriguing claim regarding Aston Villa and a possible swoop for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer. 

The lowdown: Loan sensation

A product of the famed youth academy at Cobham, Gallagher has been plying his early trade as somewhat of an eternal loanee in recent seasons.

The 22-year-old has spent time at Swansea and West Brom before flourishing and enjoying a superb 2021/22 campaign at Crystal Palace that earned rich acclaim as well as senior England recognition.

Set to return to Chelsea ahead of pre-season, the long-term future of Gallagher remains under question and it’s been suggested that Villa boss Steven Gerrard could be weighing up a move…

The latest: ‘I could see…’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Holland, who works as a Midlands Football Writer for Reach PLC, has claimed that a move to Villa would be a possibility for the four-cap England ace.

He said: “That’d be a move I could see. It probably won’t be a permanent deal, they’d have to settle for a loan move, but the logistics of it are whether (Steven) Gerrard and the Villa chiefs would want to loan a rival’s player, making him a better player and then in a year’s time be worse off without him.

“And Chelsea will be benefiting, so that’s one for Gerrard to decide, I’m sure.”

The verdict: Follow suit

Having watched the successes of the dynamic starlet whilst on loan in the Premier League previously, it’s certainly an avenue that NSWE should be open to exploring for the upcoming 2022/23 campaign.

Backing up the signing of defensive-minded midfielder Boubacar Kamara with the arrival of a more attacking option in the form of Gallagher would see the Villa Park midfield department well-stocked for the season ahead.

Last term, the Englishman scored eight times and provided five assists in 39 appearances across all competitions at Palace, earning an impressive 7.08 Sofascore rating whilst winning 5.9 duels, making two tackles and completing 1.1 key passes on average per game, showcasing a workmanlike ability accompanied by impressive flair.

Despite the emergence of Jacob Ramsey last season, with the futures of Carney Chukwuemeka and Villans favourite John McGinn reportedly in doubt, adding Gallagher – who was recently branded ‘absolutely relentless’ in his style of pressing by football writer Mike Stavrou – to Gerrard’s ranks even on a temporary basis has to be regarded as a smart piece of business.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Joakim Maehle to the Premier League this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Danish media outlet Ekstra Bladet (via Sport Witness), who claim that Tottenham scouts were in attendance for Denmark’s 2-1 UEFA Nations League victory over Austria on Monday evening, with the Atalanta wing-back – alongside Christian Eriksen – believed to be the focus of their attention.

Previous reports have suggested that Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte are both keen on the idea of signing the 25-year-old this summer, with the Italian sporting director said to be willing to make an €18m (£15m) offer for the Denmark international in the coming months – while the Serie A side are thought to be open to the defender’s sale.

The next Jordi Alba

With the signing of a new wing-back reported to be one of Conte’s priority targets in the summer market, it is not difficult to understand why the 52-year-old would be interested in a deal to bring Maehle to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Indeed, it is clear to see that the £26m-rated talent is extremely efficient going forwards, with FBref ranking the defender in the top 20% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 10% for npxG, the top 11% for shots and the top 24% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

The £22k-per-week wing-back is also evidently a threat with the ball at his feet, with FBref also ranking the Dane in the top 21% of full-backs for passes completed per 90, in addition to the top 25% for progressive carries, the top 29% for progressive passes and the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area over the last 12 months.

These metrics see FBref compare Maehle to some of the most recognised full-backs currently playing the game, such as Barcelona’s Jordi Alba, AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez, Real Madrid’s Lucas Vazquez and Borussia Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro.

Furthermore, with the former KRC Genk starlet being comfortable operating from either right or left wing-back, the player who Maikel Bill dubbed a “monster” and Joe Short claimed can “run all night” would very much look to be a perfect option for Conte to call upon at Tottenham next season.

As such, should Paratici go on to seal a deal for the Atalanta defender this summer, not only would the Italian have satisfied one of Conte’s biggest requirements, but he also could have unearthed the next Alba at Tottenham – something that is sure to be an incredibly exciting prospect for supporters of the club.

AND in other news: “Paratici spoke to…”: Gold drops big Spurs transfer update that supporters will love

Manchester City have a track record when it comes to signing English players from fellow Premier League clubs.

Players such as Kyle Walker, John Stones, Raheem Sterling and Jack Grealish have all made moves to the Etihad Stadium from other top-flight sides in recent years.

Looking ahead to the upcoming summer transfer window, it seems as though the Manchester club could be looking to add another English talent to their ranks.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from the Daily Star, City and Pep Guardiola have identified Leeds United midfielder, Kalvin Phillips, as a potential summer transfer target.

As a product of Leeds’ youth academy, the midfielder has gone on to make 233 senior appearances for the Yorkshire club across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing 13 assists along the way.

Better than Fernandinho?

With current City midfielder, Fernandinho, set to leave the club in the summer, it’s easy to see why the club would be looking to bring in a player like Phillips to potentially come in and replace their departing Brazilian.

To put the two players under the spotlight, there’s an argument to be made that the England international could be a better option for City in terms of being a defensive-minded midfield player.

With 19 appearances in the Premier League to his name compared to the 37-year-old’s 18, Phillips has racked up considerably more tackles, interceptions, pressures, blocks and clearances than the City veteran.

This shows how much the Leeds star could make City a stronger and tougher team to play against.

Labelled as a midfield “destroyer” by Steve McLaren, Phillips has also been praised for his “immense” performances on the international stage with England by Marcus Rashford.

Despite having a rather hefty reported transfer fee of £60m, Phillips could be a great addition to City’s ranks, following in the footsteps of some of his other international teammates that have joined and won trophies at the Manchester club.

Having already secured a deal to sign Erling Haaland, moving onto Phillips to help strengthen their midfield and wrap up a suitable replacement for Fernandinho would be the ideal next step for City in terms of their summer transfer business.

In other news: Man City plot surprise bid for £30m “delivery expert”, just imagine him & Haaland

The New Zealand batsman’s three T20I centuries have come in his last ten innings

Shiva Jayaraman03-Jan-2018Munro, the first batsman to three T20I hundredsColin Munro became the first batsman to hit three T20I centuries with his 104 off 53 balls against West Indies in Mount Maunganui. Four other batsmen have hit two hundreds in this format, including Munro’s former captain Brendon McCullum.ESPNcricinfo LtdMunro carted ten sixes in his innings, which are the joint most by a New Zealand batsman in a T20I innings. Corey Anderson too had hit 10 sixes at the same venue against Bangladesh in 2017. Those big hits helped Munro soar to his century off only 47 balls, making it the fastest for New Zealand in T20Is and the joint sixth-fastest overall.

Munro makes record series runsThis was Munro’s third successive fifty-plus score in T20Is. He joins McCullum and Martin Guptill as the only New Zealand batsmen to have got fifty-plus scores in three consecutive innings. While McCullum has a streak of four such innings, Guptill has had two such separate streaks. Notably, all of Munro’s three hundreds have come in his last ten innings, which also include three ducks. Munro has made 447 runs in his last ten T20I innings at an average of 49.66 and at a strike-rate of 182.44.ESPNcricinfo LtdMunro’s three fifty-plus scores in the series tallied up to 223 runs at an average of 74.33 – the most runs scored by any batsman in any bilateral T20I series (41 of these have had three-match series). He beat Hamilton Masakadza’s tally of 222 runs in a series against Bangladesh in 2015-16, which was the previous highest.A big stand, and a unique record Munro added 136 runs for the first wicket with Martin Guptill – New Zealand’s third-highest stand in this format for any wicket. Guptill, incidentally, has been involved in all the three top partnerships for New Zealand. Apart from Munro and Guptill, each of the other five batsmen to bat hit at least one six apiece, making it the first instance when each of the top seven batsmen in a T20I innings have hit at least one six. There have been two instances when the top six batsmen have each hit sixes in an innings. Afghanistan’s top six had done that against UAE in a T20I in 2016-17 and England’s batsmen had each got at least one six against New Zealand in 2012-13.New Zealand’s record totalSuch lusty hitting meant that New Zealand piled up 243 – their highest total in T20Is. They beat their previous highest total by 29 runs. New Zealand had made 214 against Australia in Christchurch in 2009-10. Overall, there have been only six other totals in T20Is that are higher than New Zealand’s score in this match.New Zealand seal their biggest ever winNew Zealand bowled out West Indies for just 124 and wrapped up a 119-run win – their biggest in this format. Their previous biggest win had come against Pakistan in Wellington in 2015-16. Overall, there have been only two other bigger margins of wins in T20 internationals.

Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar analyses the talking points from the second day of the Antigua Test

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jul-2016’Impressed with Kohli’s intensity and desire’Virat Kohli brought up his maiden first-class double-century against West Indies in Antigua to continue his incredible run in international cricket1:17

‘Great to see Kohli’s intensity and desire to score big runs’

‘Ashwin at No.6 not a solution for all conditions’ yetIndia’s batting fragility in seamer-friendly conditions could make it difficult to accommodate Ashwin at No.61:13

‘Ashwin at No.6 not a solution for all conditions yet’

‘Baffling to see Shannon Gabriel under-bowled’West Indies’ decision to strengthen their batting by playing bowling allrounders is severely hampering their wicket-taking ability in Tests1:30

‘Baffling to see Shannon Gabriel under-bowled’

‘Umesh Yadav’s control a good sign for India’Indian fast bowlers have been erratic in the past, but they showed control during the short stint at the end of day two1:41

‘Umesh Yadav’s control a good sign for India’

England have been forced by the schedule to select a new-look side to face Ireland but the horror World Cup show would have demanded change in any event. ESPNcricinfo introduces those who aim to be part of the future

Andrew McGlashan07-May-2015James Vince (24, Hampshire, right-hand batsman)Though only 24, Vince has long-been tipped as an England batsman, with a cover drive and pull likened to Michael Vaughan. In his last two seasons he has averaged over 60 in the County Championship although he only has three List A hundreds from 80 matches. Captained England Lions in the one-day series against South Africa A, which the Lions won 3-1, and made 99 in the second match during a stand of 198 with Jason Roy. Is also Hampshire’s limited-overs captain for the 2015 season and could be an outside bet for the England job before the 2019 World Cup.Zafar Ansari (23, Surrey, left-hand batsman, left-arm spinner)Anyone who bowls passable spin has a chance of getting a look-in for England at the moment. Ansari’s left-armers are better than that and he was close to earning a spot in the Test squad to tour West Indies. He has spent considerable time on ECB spin-bowling programmes in recent winters but his first-class record in 2014 was five wickets at 47.50 – and he took just five wickets in four Royal London Cup matches – although did pass 1000 first-class runs. May struggle to get a game in damp Dublin conditions, especially now Adil Rashid has been drafted into the squad.Sam Billings (23, Kent, right-hand batsman, wicketkeeper)The most exciting of the uncapped players in the squad, the Kent wicketkeeper batsman has spoken about wanting to become England’s AB de Villiers. Confidence is no bad thing. He took the Royal London Cup by storm in 2014 with 458 runs at 114.50 and a strike-rate of 154.20. Those returns included a phenomenal unbeaten 135 off 58 balls against Somerset coming in at No. 7. Was promoted to England’s World Cup 30 when Craig Kieswetter withdrew and made two fifties in the one-day series against South Africa A. Will compete for a space in the ODI squads as a batsman alone.David Willey (25, Northamptonshire, left-hand batsman, left-arm fast-medium)A combative allrounder who has inherited the steely, competitive genes of his father, the former England allrounder Peter Willey, David would surely have already made his international debut if it had not been for a back injury which disrupted his 2014 season. He carried Northamptonshire to the T20 title in 2013 when he struck 60 off 27 balls then followed that with 4 for 9, which included a hat-trick. With England desperate to find a left-arm seamer who can justify a place Willey has the chance to tick a major box.Lewis Gregory (22, Somerset, right-hand batsman, right-arm fast-medium)Brought a new level of consistency in 2014 having been promoted to the new-ball role in the Championship, although was limited to nine matches by a hamstring injury, and also struck a maiden List A hundred with an unbeaten 105. Has made an impressive start to the 2015 season with 15 wickets in three Championship matches. Success on Taunton pitches as a seamer also gives a bowler kudos.Mark Wood (25, Durham, right-hand batsman, right-arm fast-medium)Has spent the last month in West Indies as part of the Test squad but could not force his way through the safety-first selection policy. Has a reputation as one of the quickest bowlers on the domestic circuit and also one of the better exponents of reverse swing – probably not a factor against Ireland if Friday’s weather forecast is any guide. Has previously revealed that he has an imaginary horse he brings out when bored in the field.Jason Roy (24, Surrey, right-hand batsman)Not uncapped at international level, Roy made his England debut in the T20 against India, at Edgbaston, last season but if selected against Ireland it will be his first ODI. There is a clamour for him and Alex Hales to be England’s full-time opener pair, given time to build a partnership together without fear of being dropped with each failure along the way. Was England Lions’ leading run-scorer in the win over South Africa A which included an innings of 141 – a List A career-best.

Once a successful entity, youth cricket in Nepal is losing on quality with the neglect of domestic cricket. The cricket structures in the country need to be revived to help the side build for the future

<b>Arun Upreti, Nepal</b>18-Jul-2013Nepal’s ailing youth cricket showed its first symptoms when the Under-19 team finished third in 2009 ACC Elite Cup and failed to qualify for the U-19 World Cup in 2010. Before that, Nepal had featured in every edition of the U-19 World Cup since 2000. The youth side this year put up Nepal’s worst performance, ending fourth in this year’s ACC U-19 Elite Cup. Prior to this Nepal, had won the tournament four times in a row between 2001 to 2007. They finished third in 2009 and second in 2011. Will Nepal cricket take a big leap backward in the following years?The transformation theory
The Nepal senior team hadn’t had much success till a few years ago, but the U-19 side was winning hearts as early as 2000 when they beat Kenya and competed with South Africa to enter the second round of the U-19 World Cup. At that stage, everyone believed that when the U-19 team transformed into the senior side, Nepal would start achieving success at the senior level. And it did. Given that precedent, with a weak youth team (and a failed domestic structure), we will have a weaker senior side in 6-10 years.The early symptoms: Decline in fast bowling
What is more disappointing for Nepal cricket is the realisation that the failure of the youth team could get hold of the senior team if nothing is done about it. Nepal’s weakened fast-bowling attack is an early sign. The side had one of the best fast-bowling units amongst the non-Test playing nations with the likes of Mehboob Alam, Binod Das and Raju Khadka. However, in the past one year, Nepal’s fast bowling has failed. Their performance was so disappointing that the team played without a front-line seam bowler in the last two matches of WCL Division 3.Ageing team
Despite the absence of a strong domestic structure, the senior Nepali team was carefully built by Roy Dias who hand-picked and personally groomed players from the youth side. Players like Paras Khadka, Gyanendra Malla and Sharad Vesawkar, were already part of the senior team when they were still U-17 players. They would feature in matches for Nepal in the U-17, U-19 and senior teams, which helped their growth tremendously.Now that we have good senior team, the ‘youth first’ policy doesn’t fit anywhere. The youth side has been completely neglected. The U-19 team did not even have a proper practice camp before they flew for the ACC U-19 Elite cup.In few years, age will catch up with the senior team. With the domestic structure neglected and Nepal’s youth cricketers short on experience, the future doesn’t look good at all.What now?
If we do not give the young cricketers the attention they deserve, the success of Nepal cricket will be short-lived. With World Cup qualifiers so close, there’s no point experimenting with the senior side. A good domestic structure can help groom young players, like Dias did when he involved them in the senior side.One aspect that needs to be explored is school cricket. School cricket is played at an exceptionally high level in countries like India and Sri Lanka. In Nepal, however, it doesn’t exist. Lack of cricket in schools is hindering cricket development in Nepal, making it difficult for kids to convince their parents about the feasibility of taking up the sport.
Nepal hasn’t had a single player in the senior side who has made it to the team solely on the basis of his performances in the national tournament. The team comprises players who have played for the country at the youth level.Moreover, the players who excel in the game in their early or mid-20s never make it to the side and usually do not bother improving. Domestic cricket in Nepal needs serious restructuring, one that promotes young players so that the selectors can fall back on them when needed.If you have a submission for Inbox, send it to us here, with “Inbox” in the subject line

Apart from wondering why the series did not begin at the friendly Adelaide Oval, there will be much more running through Indian minds as they try to avoid a second straight overseas whitewash

Sidharth Monga in Adelaide23-Jan-2012The Adelaide Oval is by a long distance the friendliest venue for visiting sides to Australia. The MCG can be intimidating with that crowd, the SCG is always a big occasion and can be a bit of a distraction, the WACA is harsh on even the slightest error with bat or with ball, but the Adelaide Oval is part charming, part benign.It’s not just the pitch, it’s the general air around. Nobody stops you from entering the ground here, or walking around. You can walk into the Bradman Museum, no questions asked. You can watch rare footage, read stuff, bat like he did with a golf ball hit against a water tank. The replica tank, the stump, and the ball are all there. It is friendly for the spectators too. The many grass banks, the stands with canopies for cover, St Peter’s Cathedral in the background, and the absence of big stands make for nice viewing.Then there is the pitch, almost benevolent if you are coming straight from the WACA. Bat the first hour of the Test out, and then you can pitch a tent here. There are the short square boundaries, and the near desert heat to beat the bowlers down. All in all, just the tease you don’t need when you are 3-0 down. A ground made to make you feel why the hell you didn’t start the series here.Apart from that thought, there will be much more running through Indian minds as they try to avoid a second straight overseas whitewash. How to get a score of 400 with the match still alive, is one of them. It seems they have been undone by a simple plan. It’s so blatant it’s subtle. Just don’t give them boundaries, bowl a tight line, extract some movement, and the batting line-up with tens of thousands of runs between them will edge the ball.”I think they are bowling in good areas,” Virender Sehwag, the stand-in captain, said of the batting struggles over the last seven overseas Tests. “They are not giving easy balls to hit boundaries and they are playing with your patience, you know, so I think this is the best bowling attack I’ve ever seen. Against Australia, generally when I played in the past, you know, I’d get couple of balls in early overs to hit the boundary, but [against] this attack, I hardly get a ball to be hit, so I think it’s one of the best bowling attacks.”Some others already have their minds back in India. “We’ll see how they fare in India, on our pitches,” they seem to be thinking. It is natural for these thoughts to cross your mind towards the end of a long unsuccessful tour, but not only are these comments poorly timed, the idea that they might be dominating their minds is not a sign of a side that is desperate to come back and do well here.Sehwag suggested the same, but with more tact. “I think if you look at it other way round, whoever comes to India they also lose Test matches,” he said. “Australia came to India and they lost two series, two-nil and two-nil. Yes, I felt bad because we’ve done well overseas in the last ten years, and suddenly in the last two tours we are not doing well so we are not living up to expectations. But we are working hard, we are trying hard, we are doing everything we can do, and we are practising hard. Sometimes these things are not in your control and you just go and try to give your best and sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn’t. This is a part of life, part of the game.”There are others who will be going through a completely different set of emotions. Those who had worked hard for ten years to give India the reputation of a fighting team away from home, too, will be wondering where it all went wrong. Sachin Tendulkar, in particular, and Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman have walked out to big ovations at every ground. For sure this will be the last time in Australia for Dravid and Laxman. For Laxman, this might be the last time ever. Tendulkar you never know. Nobody will be telling Dravid and Laxman the endearing Aussie farewell, “Seeyalayter”.Outside the XI, Rohit Sharma will be asking himself if he is so bad that he can’t get into a side that has lost seven away Tests on the bounce. MS Dhoni, the captain banned for slow over-rates, will be wondering where those times have gone when he could do no wrong.India have only ever clean-swept two Test series longer than two matches in the history of their cricket. Now they are fighting to avoid a second whitewash within months of each other, that too as the No. 1 and No. 2 side in the world respectively. Even at a venue best suited to their batsmen, avoiding this whitewash will be as big a mental and emotional challenge as it will be technical.