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Arsenal made it abundantly clear to the rest of the Premier League this season that they aren't going away anytime soon.

Despite their title bid spectacularly collapsing at the end of last season, Mikel Arteta's side dusted themselves off and managed to push Manchester City to the final day this year, and while they still came up short, there were improvements across the board from defence to attack.

However, one of the Gunners' stars last season, Thomas Partey, played little to no part in 2023/24, and based on recent reports, the club are in contact with the player who could replace him this summer.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano via GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal are interested in signing Everton's star midfielder Amadou Onana and have already made contact to be "informed on the player's situation."

Romano claims that while the contact isn't concrete at present, the North Londoners are fans of the Belgian international, although they may have to be quick if they want to bring him to N5 as he is "appreciated by many, many clubs in England."

The Italian does not mention a potential price for the former LOSC Lille ace, but a Football Insider report from May suggested that he may be available for as little as £50m as the Merseysiders look to stay on the right side of PSR regulations.

It might be a challenging deal to get over the line, but given his impressive performances for the Toffees and Partey's waning influence, Edu Gaspar and Co should be doing all they can to get it over the line.

How Onana compares to Partey

Now, when comparing Onana to Partey, it makes sense to use the Belgian's performances from this season and the Ghanaian's from 2022/23, as he has played just 882 minutes of first-team football this season, and it wouldn't be an accurate representation of his output when at his best.

With that said, the first thing to note is that neither player is particularly prolific, as in 37 games this season, the Everton ace scored three goals and provided one assist, while in 40 games last season, the Gunners' midfield general scored three goals without providing a single assist.

So, with raw output a poor barometer to compare the two midfielders, how do their underlying numbers stack up against one another? Well, it's a pretty comfortable win for the former Lille "monster", as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Onana vs Partey
Stats per 90	Onana	Partey
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists	0.20	0.14
Progressive Passes	4.61	8.37
Progressive Carries	0.91	1.23
Progressive Passes Received	1.68	1.27
Shots	1.25	1.01
Shots on Target	0.26	0.14
Passing Accuracy	84.1%	87.2%
Tackles	3.06	2.54
Tackles Won	1.64	1.45
Blocks	1.08	0.94
Clearances	1.34	1.49
Errors Leading to a Shot	0.00	0.04
Miscontrols	0.86	1.20
Dispossessed	0.43	0.69
Ball Recoveries	6.90	8.19
Aerial Duels Won	2.24	1.34
All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 + 22/23 League Season

For example, while he comes out second best in some metrics, such as progressive passes and carries, ball recoveries, and passing accuracy, he comes out way ahead in most others, including shots and shots on target, tackles and tackles won, aerial duels won, blocks, errors leading to a shot, miscontrols, and even the number of times he's dispossessed, all per 90.

Another area in which the "complete" 22-year-old, as dubbed by Kulig, comes out on top is availability.

Since the start of the 2020/21 season, the Dakar-born star has missed just 11 games, whereas the man he could replace has missed a whopping 72 games, which comes to an average of 18 games out per season in that time.

Ultimately, while Partey is an incredibly talented footballer, Onana's more impressive underlying numbers, availability, and age make him the far more appealing prospect at this time, and so Edu and Co must do what they can to bring him to North London this summer.

Arsenal make approach to sign Saka rival who's likened to Havertz

The talented winger could provide the right amount of competition to get the best out of the Englishman.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 5, 2024

Nothing in football is certain but it does seem probable that Mohamed Salah will serve at the front of Liverpool's new era under Arne Slot's leadership next season.

The esteemed Egyptian has been one of Europe's most deadly forwards over the past seven years, and while he's entering the final year of his contract on Merseyside and remains of a vested interest to the Saudi Pro League, the 31-year-old, as per David Ornstein, is expected to stay for "at least another campaign", with his "contract to be addressed in due course".

It's a good thing too. With Jurgen Klopp's reign now over, it may prove detrimental to lose his long-time talisman at the same time. He petered out at the end of the 2023/24 campaign but Salah still scored 25 goals and supplied 14 assists in all competitions.

Still, there will come a point when Salah no longer plies his trade on Anfield's turf, and so it makes sense that FSG are prudently moving to sign a new wide forward this summer.

Liverpool lining up Salah successor

According to Leeds Live, Liverpool have pulled out of the race to sign Leeds United winger despite emerging as the early frontrunners, leaving Chelsea in the clear to secure a swoop for the dynamic Dutchman.

Why is this relevant? Well, according to the report, Liverpool's decision to end their interest has seen the focus shift their 'priorities' toward Crystal Palace's Michael Olise, who has a £60m release clause in his contract and is one of the Premier League's most coveted players after an extraordinarily good season.

The right winger, aged 22, is also being chased by the Blues and Manchester United, but Liverpool are the only mentioned suitors to boast Champions League football, with the on-pitch and financial benefits leaving Slot and FSG in a promising position.

Michael Olise's season in numbers

Few Premier League players can boast seasons better than that of Olise, who managed to emerge as one of the standout stars despite his year being punctuated by injuries that limited him to just 14 starts.

Nonetheless. Olise managed to transcend the exciting exploits of the previous season – scoring only twice but supplying 11 assists across 37 Premier League fixtures – to foster and hone his talents and leave the division's biggest names giddy with dreams of his signature.

As per Sofascore, the £100k-per-week winger scored ten goals and supplied six assists from his 19 total appearances, creating nine big chances and averaging 1.9 key passes, 2.1 dribbles and 5.7 won duels per game to underscore his versatility.

Moreover, he ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions and clearances per 90, as per FBref, emphasising the rounded game that would serve Liverpool and Slot tremendously.

As Palace went from strength to strength under Oliver Glasner's tutelage in 2024, so too did Olise deepen the argument that, yes, he is one of the Premier League's superlative forwards, a credit to Selhurst Park and a future world-beater at the apex of the game.

Pundit Micah Richards claimed this season that he "is going to be world-class… he's going to be a superstar". Olise is the real deal and he would be the perfect player to eventually replace Salah, though it would be wonderful if Slot could wield the phenoms in tandem next year.

How Olise could replace Salah

Olise doesn't appear to have the same level of inborn goalscoring quality as Salah, but then, with ten goals in just 14 Premier League starts this season, it's hard to argue against his ability to lift the crowd from their seats with consistency and quality.

However, Olise did massively outperform his xG (expected goals) in England's top divisions this term, with an expected strike return of 5.69, as per Understat.

2023/24

32

18

21.94 (+3.94)

0.77

2022/23

38

19

23.34 (+4.34)

0.64

2021/22

35

23

24.36 (+1.36)

0.80

2020/21

37

22

20.25 (-1.75)

0.59

2019/20

34

19

20.66 (+1.66)

0.64

Salah, conversely, has actually underperformed his xG across four of the past five Premier League campaigns, though is still universally accepted as one of football's elite finishers. Why is this?

Well, Salah might be an adept shooter but the real locus of his power derives from his flawless positioning, always alert, always hungry. He ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 2% for shots taken per 90, records FBref.

The Egyptian is a born goalscorer. It is the heart and soul of his skill set. Olise, however, might have reaped brilliant goalscoring rewards this year but he is not the same type of player, instead bringing an inventive and vibrant approach to his football.

But that's okay. Slot loves wingers. They are so important to the functionality of his build-up structure and game-winning execution. Simply trying to replace Salah with someone who can offer consistently matchable shooting success would be built on a house of cards, but Olise would offer an evolved, more appropriate skill set to spearhead a new chapter, led by a new head coach.

The caveat to a potential deal is of course the France U21 international's weary fitness record, with sidelined players of elite-level pedigree something that Liverpool fans have been frustrated by in excess over these past several years, but if Olise manages to weave past this Achilles heel, he would shape into one of Europe's leading forward's.

Therefore, Liverpool must pull no punches in their quest to sign the perfect Salah successor. Fit and firing indefinitely, there are few more exciting than Olise.

Liverpool enquire over Bellingham 2.0 who's “destined for elite football”

Arne Slot could turn this talented teenager into a real world-beater.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 7, 2024

Liverpool and Manchester United are reportedly looking to sign Fulham and USMNT star Antonee Robinson in January.

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Liverpool and Man Utd target RobinsonFulham have price point in mind for left-backMan Utd hold advantage in transfer raceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Robinson has been a regular starter for Fulham over the last few years and has impressed with his performances for the Cottagers and also for the USMNT. As such, it has now been reported by The Sun, that Liverpool and Manchester United are ready to battle each other for the signing of the left-back.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Liverpool have been looking for a long-term replacement for 30-year-old Andy Robertson as they look to the future. However, with Robinson only being four years younger than the Scottish left-back, it is possible that the Reds view the USMNT star as a back-up rather than a replacement, something that may not be in Robinson's interests.

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Manchester United may hold an advantage over Liverpool in the sense that Robinson will likely have more playing time with the Red Devils if he were to move to Old Trafford. The Red Devils have struggled with the left-back position due to continued injury issues for Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ROBINSON?

Fulham are thought to value Robinson at a price point of £35 million ($46.6m), and they could ask for a similar price for the left-back yet again in January.

Check out the top-rated U.S. mens national team players for your EA FC 25 squads

EA Sports FC 25 fans around the world are gearing up in excitement for the worldwide launch of the game on Sept. 27.

EA Sports have released new features across various game modes, but player ratings are always what fans have their eyes on. From a USMNT perspective, Christian Pulisic has one of the best attacking cards in the game and in all of Serie A. Meanwhile, others such as Antonee Robinson, Sergino Dest and Weston McKennie all have cards that will feature in plenty of starter squads for Ultimate Team.

GOAL has what you need about the top men's U.S. stars that you can pick for your team.

• AFP
  

  25-15

  Player	Club	Rating
  Ricardo Pepi	PSV	73
  Brenden Aaronson	Leeds United	73
  Tim Weah	Juventus	74
  Matt Turner	Crystal Palace	74
  Joe Scally	Gladbach	74
  Josh Sargent	Norwich City	74
  Djordje Mihailovic	Colorado Rapids	74
  Mark McKenzie	Toulouse	74
  Walker Zimmerman	Nashville SC	75
  Gio Reyna	Borussia Dortmund	75

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• Getty
  

  14-4

  Darlington Nagbe	Columbus Crew	75
  Yunus Musah	AC Milan	75
  Jesus Ferreira	FC Dallas	75
  Chris Richards	Crystal Palace	76
  Johnny Cardoso	Real Betis	76
  Malik Tillman	PSV	77
  Cameron Carter-Vickers	Celtic	77
  Folarin Balogun	Monaco	77
  Tyler Adams	Bournemouth	77
  Weston McKennie	Juventus	78

• Getty
  

  No. 3

  Antonee Robinson: The Fulham defender had a career year in 2023-24, and has been rewarded with an upgrade. Earning a +3 overall rating, he sports a 79-rated card in EA FC 25, highlighted by a blistering 88 pace.

  His card in full:

  PAC 88	DRI 77
  SHO 46	DEF 74
  PAS 71	PHY 77

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• Getty Images
  

  No. 2

  Sergino Dest: The PSV fullback had an incredible year in the Netherlands in his debut season with the Dutch side, with two goals and seven assists en route to an Eredivisie title. He's been rewarded with an impressive 79-rated card.

  His card in full:

  PAC 91	DRI 82
  SHO 60	DEF 72
  PAS 75	PHY 69

Arsenal were recently named the eighth most valuable football team in the world by analytics site Sportico, which is a seriously impressive achievement considering the position the team found themselves in just a few years ago.

Since their back-to-back eighth-placed Premier League finishes, the Gunners have established themselves as one of the best teams in Europe, and their recent valuation is just another way of showing that.

This success on and off the pitch has also seen the valuations of several of Mikel Arteta's star signings soar, including one player who's now worth eight times more than Thomas Partey.

Gabriel Magalhães' Arsenal career

The star in question is defensive stalwart Gabriel Magalhães, who joined the Gunners from Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille for just £27m in September 2020.

At the time, the Brazilian centre-back was a relatively unknown name to English football fans, but he had made quite the impression in France with Les Dogues, so much so that their then-president, Gerard Lopez, described him as a "real fighter" and someone that possessed an "immense physical presence."

His full debut for the North Londoners was a memorable one, a 3-0 away win at Fulham, where he not only showcased his defensive prowess but also scored, which has since become a bit of a habit for the 6 foot 3 titan, well, by the standard of a centre-back anyway.

Starting XI on Gabriel Magalhães' full debut

Fulham 0 – 3 Arsenal: September 2020

GK – Bernd Leno

CB – Kieran Tierney

CB – Gabriel Magalhães

CB – Rob Holding

RWB – Hector Bellerin

CM – Granit Xhaka

CM – Mohamed Elneny

LWB – Ainsley Maitland-Niles

LW – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

RW – Willian

ST – Alexandre Lacazette

All Data via Transfermarkt

In the 167 appearances the 26-year-old has made for the Gunners, he has scored 15 goals and provided one assist, and in January this year, he became the highest-scoring defender in the Premier League since his arrival over three years ago.

It's not just his goals that make him a special player, though, he's also an integral part of the best defence in the league this season, starting 89% of league games and playing 90% of league minutes alongside his partner in crime, William Saliba.

Described as "absolutely unstoppable" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Brazilian might not quite get the media attention of his French teammate, but his no-nonsense and aggressive style of defending is just as essential to Arteta's incredible team, and as such, his valuation has ballooned since his arrival.

Gabriel Magalhães' transfer valuation in 2024

According to CIES Football Observatory, Arsenal's most important Gabriel – at least this season – is currently worth €80m, which converts to around £69m, or £42m more than Arteta signed him for in 2020.

The Valuations of Arsenal's Gabriels

Place

Player

Valuation

Signed For

Apps in 23/24 (Starts)

1

Gabriel Martinelli

€100m (£86m)

£6m

43 (30)

2

Gabriel Magalhães

€80m (£69m)

£27m

49 (47)

2

Gabriel Jesus

€80m (£69m)

£45m

35 (21)

All Valuations via the CIES Football Observatory

This new valuation means he is worth slightly less than Gabriel Martinelli, who is priced at €100m – £86m – by the CIES, but the same as Gabriel Jesus, who also has a valuation of €80m – £69m.

However, one Arsenal star that the defensive powerhouse is worth more than is Partey, who has recently been valued at just €10m by the CIES, which converts to around £9m, or 7.6 times less than the defender.

Thomas Partey's Arsenal record

Season

Appearances

Injuries

Games Missed

2020/21

33

3

21

2021/22

26

3

19

2022/23

40

2

6

2023/24

15

2

26

Total

114

10

72

All Stats via Transfermarkt

This shocking price tag is likely down to the consistent injury problems the Ghanaian has faced during his time in North London, which has seen him miss a whopping 72 games since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, as it doesn't matter how good a player is if they are never fit enough to play.

Furthermore, those injury problems have limited him to just 15 appearances across all competitions for the Gunners this season, so there really hasn't been a point in his Arsenal career where he has been less important to the team's overall success.

Ultimately, Arsenal hit the jackpot with Gabriel, and while his three years of impressive performances should be enough to convince people of that fact, his soaring valuation is just another way to show it.

Related Arsenal eye Partey replacement who's one of 'the best CMs in the world'

The talented star could be the missing piece in Arsenal’s midfield.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 8, 2024

Waqar played more than a decade and a half of first-class cricket, and also served as a national selector

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Feb-2020

Waqar Hasan was the last surviving member of Pakistan’s inaugural Test team•Getty Images

Waqar Hasan, the last surviving member of Pakistan’s inaugural Test team, which played India in Delhi in October 1952, has died in Karachi at the age of 87.A middle-order batsman, Waqar’s first outing in Test cricket wasn’t too auspicious, as he scored 8 and 5 in an innings defeat, but he ended the five-Test series as Pakistan’s highest run-maker, with 357 runs at an average of 44.62, including three half-centuries. Waqar went on to play 21 Test matches during the course of a first-class career that spanned more than a decade and a half, from 1948-49 to 1965-66.He finished with 1071 runs in 35 Test innings, an average of 31.50, and hit a century and six half-centuries. His first-class average was 35.64.”Waqar Hassan was an attractive strokemaker, who was ideal in a crisis and and a fine field either at cover or further out,” Christopher Martin-Jenkins wrote of Waqar in .ALSO READ: ‘Pakistan’s first tour of India was my most memorable'”It gives me immense satisfaction to have achieved many firsts for Pakistan: first to score a half-century in each innings of a Test [Bombay, 1952-53], first Test half-century in England [Lord’s, 1954], first Test half-century at home, and first to score two half-centuries in a home Test [Dacca, 1954-55], first century partnership [with Hanif Mohammad, Bombay, 1952-53], first double-century partnership [with Imtiaz Ahmed, Lahore, 1955-56],” Waqar recounted in an interview with in November 2012, by which time he had started splitting his time between Karachi and London.Originally from Lahore, Waqar shifted to Karachi in 1945 after being offered a job with the Public Works Department, and by the early 1960s, he launched a textile machinery business. The reason, as he explained, was financial. “I had lost my regular place in the Test team but my main reason for quitting cricket after the 1959-60 season was financial,” he said. “I opted out at the age of 27 to establish my business. I had seen the likes of Amir Elahi and Wazir Ali living not-so-happy lives in their later years.”He did, however, return to the game for a brief fling as a player. “In 1963-64, after being out of first-class cricket for four years, on the insistence of the officials of the Karachi cricket association, I agreed to captain the team,” he said. “I played only three more first-class tournaments in two years but we achieved remarkable results. We won all the three first-class tournaments – the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy [twice] and the Ayub Trophy.”In the 1963-64 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, my second-string Karachi Blues defeated the Karachi Whites, who had in their line-up five Test captains of the past and future. I played for fun with no ambition of making a Test comeback.”Waqar also served as a national selector, in spells during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Rangers legend Ally McCoist has been left fuming at some “crazy” news ahead of the huge Scottish Premiership clash with Celtic this weekend.

Rangers and Celtic set for title decider at Ibrox

The Gers picked up another important win last weekend, battling their way to a 3-1 victory at home to Hibernian, keeping them in a great position in what is a fascainting title race. Celtic won at Livingston the following day, but their one-point lead at the top of the table is only by virtue of having played one game more.

On Sunday afternoon, a potentially defining afternoon in the Premiership season awaits, as Rangers host their bitter title rivals at Ibrox. It is arguably one of the most important meetings between the pair in years, with a win either way undoubtedly making the victor strong favourites to go all the way.

There will be some big nerves going into the game, but Philippe Clement's side may feel that they are due a win, having lost both league meetings so far this season. The Hoops won 1-0 at Ibrox back in September as well as beating the Gers 2-1 at Parkhead in December, in a game that Clement's men may feel hard done by after a strong performance.

Injuries could be key leading up to the game, and while Rangers will be without the likes of Danilo and Kieran Dowell – Abdallah Sima may not be fit enough to start, too – Callum McGregor could miss out for Celtic, which would be a blow for the visitors.

Ally McCoist fumes at "crazy" news

Speaking on talkSPORT [viaThe Daily Record], McCoist couldn't hide his frustration at a hate crime act that has been officially enforced from Monday this week ahead of Rangers' clash with Celtic:

"We've got a hate bill by the way, a hate bill has been passed in the country. And I can guarantee you, next Sunday at Ibrox, I, along with 48,000 will be committing a breach of that hate bill in the particular Rangers vs Celtic game we are all going to. It is madness.

"That's exactly what the police think (impossible to enforce). The police spokesperson has come out and more and less said that. He obviously can't because he'll get himself in trouble. He has implied it, everybody with two brain cells in their head knows it's madness, crazy. There is nobody in our country who thinks that is a good idea, who I have spoken to."

The Daily Record's article explains that the bill "was rubber-stamped on Monday and aims to combat abuse which stirs up hatred surrounding age, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity and disability".

McAvennie warns Celtic to “be aware” of rumours he’s hearing from Rangers

What a piece of business this could be at Ibrox.

ByHenry Jackson Apr 1, 2024

The hope is that trouble of any kind is avoided, with a thrilling game potentially dictating the fate of the entire season.

Newcastle United have conducted brilliant business in the transfer market in recent times after being given funds to invest a large sum in the playing squad after the takeover by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The investment from the board has allowed the club to recruit players such as Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and Sven Botman, with the trio drastically improving boss Eddie Howe's squad.

Their impact saw the club finish within the Premier League's top four last season, subsequently allowing them to compete in the Champions League for the first time in over 20 years.

PIF's takeover of the Magpies also allowed for one-time crucial first-team players to leave the club, with the board doing great business in allowing Chris Wood and Jonjo Shelvey to leave St James' Park in January 2023.

The club received nearly £20m for the duo, with the Magpies shifting £160k-per-week off the wage bill, allowing for more wriggle room in future transfer windows.

Despite their successes in outgoings in recent times, the club may have allowed one player to leave St James' too soon with the former Magpie in excellent goalscoring form this campaign.

Joselu's stats at Newcastle United

In what were a tricky few years for the Magpies, the club had to rely on cheap additions, with Joselu joining for £5m from Stoke City in the summer of 2017.

He would only last two seasons at St James' Park, with the Spaniard scoring four goals in 32 games across all competitions, with the former Frankfurt forward featuring for 1,695 minutes during the 2017/18 campaign.

However, he would fall down the pecking order during his second and final season on Tyneside, with Joselu only making 20 appearances throughout the campaign, but still managing to contribute with three goals.

His lack of appearances also saw his game time decrease by 42.9% from the previous campaign, ultimately leading to his departure from the club after a rough time of it under Rafa Benitez.

The Spaniard departed Newcastle in 2019 to return to his homeland, joining Alaves for a deal in the region of £2m – with the Magpies making a £3m loss on the striker in just two years.

Joselu's stats in 2023/24

In quite a remarkable turn of events, the striker who flopped with the Magpies joined European giants Real Madrid on loan last summer, with the now 33-year-old having the season of his career so far.

He's mainly been used as an impact player, but the Spaniard has managed to notch up 13 goals in his 38 appearances this season – including three in the Champions League.

His goal tally is higher than that of current Newcastle forward Anthon Gordon, with the £45m talent and newly called-up England winger only managing to score ten goals in all competitions so far during the 2023/24 campaign.

Although often featuring in different positions this season, Joselu comes out on top when comparing his stats per 90 against Gordon.

The 33-year-old averages 0.7 goals per game, with the Englishman trailing the striker with his tally of 0.4, nearly half the total of the former Magpie.

Given the fact Gordon is a winger and Joselu is a striker, the previous figure is to be expected. However, there's one figure that comes as a surprise given Gordon's direct dribbling ability.

In the league this season, the former Everton man averages a 45% successful take-on rate, which is surprisingly 5% lower than the current Real Madrid striker's tally of 50%.

On top of this, Joselu averages 1.3 more shots per game, with his tally of three per game nearly double that of the 23-year-old who only averages 1.7 in the Premier League.

Although he didn't succeed during his time on Tyneside, it's great to see the striker thriving in La Liga and the Champions League with the Magpies potentially living to regret his departure back in 2019.

Rookies Musa, Qadir and Hasnain may have to wait for their chances as experienced bowlers shine

Andrew McGlashan in Sydney31-Oct-2019

Getty Images

It’s dangerous to read too much into one warm-up match against modest opposition, but the early signs are that Pakistan’s attack will provide a much sterner test for Australia than they have faced from Sri Lanka.An experienced bowling unit put in a solid display at Bankstown Oval to restrict the Cricket Australia XI to 6 for 134. Mohammad Irfan struck with the first ball of the tour, a searing yorker to remove Ryan Gibson, and Shadab Khan picked up 3 for 30.Pakistan’s openers, new captain Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, then added 78 for the first wicket as the target was knocked off with ease. Chris Lynn, the Cricket Australia XI captain, was impressed.”Their fast-bowling unit they have guys who can bowl 150kph and batters are world class. They put on a clinical performance today,” he said. “Irfan has an x-factor about him, then at the other end you have Mohammad Amir and we’ve seen for a number of years how class he is. The have a left-arm spinner in Imad [Wasim] and Shadab Khan is a genius with the ball. [Australia’s] batters will have a tougher challenge.”Pakistan left out their two young quicks in Mohammad Musa and Mohammad Hasnain, alongside uncapped legspinner Usman Qadir, in favour of giving all their experienced bowlers a run before the opening T20I in Sydney on Sunday.Irfan, who has not played a T20I for three-and-a-half years, started in fine style as he left just one stumping standing when Gibson got nowhere near the first ball of the match – much to the delight to a healthy gathering of Pakistan supporters.After just two runs came from the first two overs Lynn responded with an onslaught as he crunched four fours and a six before being cleaned up by Wahab Riaz as the CA XI finished the powerplay on 2 for 40.When Imad Wasim trapped Jake Fraser-McGurk lbw, it was 3 for 42 and the innings was threatening to unravel, but the CA XI managed to string together some small partnerships without every breaking loose.Shadab, who claimed Alex Ross via a top edge, added two further scalps in his final over to suggest that Qadir will be warming the bench at least at the start of the T20I series.Pakistan’s top three all looked in decent touch, taking advantage of some enticing boundaries, with Harris Sohail striking three sixes in his 32 from 22 balls before being bowled with four runs needed as Ben Dwarshuis struck twice in three balls as he also had Asif Ali caught behind.The CA XI legspinners, Daniel Fallins and Lloyd Pope, managed a wicket apiece with ending with an encouraging 1 for 25 from his four overs having found enough turn to cause some problems.

Harry Conway claimed 5 for 17 to dismantle Queensland for 153 as the ball dominated at the Gabba

Andrew McGlashan at the Gabba10-Oct-2019Cameron Gannon, the Queensland pace bowler who was playing for USA in August, did what none of England’s attack could do during the Ashes: remove Steven Smith for a duck.Smith, playing his first first-class game in Australia since January 2018, flashed at his fifth delivery and the edge was grabbed by Joe Burns at second slip. It had been 54 innings, and nearly three years, since Smith had last bagged a first-class duck.It was the second of three wickets for Gannon – who two months ago was playing against Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Canada in the T20 World Cup Americas Regionals Finals having qualified for USA through his mother’s side of the family – during an impressive six-over opening spell which brought Queensland back into the match at the Gabba after they had been bowled out for 153 with Harry Conway claiming 5 for 17.”It was pretty weird, I didn’t really know what was going on,” Gannon said of Smith’s scalp. “I was just trying to put the ball in the same spot every time then a couple of things happened which was nice. He’s an absolute weapon off the pads so the plan was go a little bit wider and fuller, but it was a drag down that got him in the end.”This is my tenth season with the Bulls so it’s been a long road but I think missing out on pre-season, going to England and playing some league cricket, then the states, really refreshed me for this year. I’ve come back really enjoying my cricket and it’s probably the most fun I’ve had playing for a long time. Hopefully that shows.”On playing for USA, he said: “It was really weird, being an Australian and singing a different national anthem, standing behind another flag. It was a bit of an uneasy feeling to be honest but it was a really good experience. We’ll see if we get the chance to do it again.”So what’s the secret? Cameron Gannon removed Steven Smith for a duck•Getty ImagesBy the close, New South Wales had steadied themselves somewhat to reach 3 for 50 with David Warner unbeaten on 27 having survived the around-the-wicket attack of the Queensland bowlers which didn’t quite have the same impact as Stuart Broad in the Ashes.Only Marnus Labuschagne stood out for the home side with 69 on a well-grassed surface that offered pace and carry but few demons. However, the New South Wales attack were relentless and for significant periods dried up the scoring almost completely although Mitchell Starc went wicketless during his 17 overs.It wasn’t a great day for the Test hopefuls at the top of the order. Burns and Matt Renshaw resisted for more than an hour before Burns missed a full toss from Sean Abbott then Usman Khawaja was pinned lbw on the back foot as Conway earned his first. Having played well to get through the first session, Renshaw was undone by late movement from Trent Copeland shortly after the break with Smith taking a sharp low catch at second slip.Good bowling earned the early wickets but Sam Heazlett provided a big helping hand when he pulled a short ball from Moises Henriques to long leg to leave Queensland 5 for 95.Labuschagne, meanwhile, showed great patience and excellent judgement, a boundary bringing up his half-century from 129 balls which was followed by a brief flurry of runs, which compared the day’s general rate of scoring. He could feel a little unlucky to be given out lbw to Conway with the replays suggesting the ball was swinging down the leg side. His departure marked a rapid finish to the innings as the last five wickets fell for 13 runs.