Australia players, including the A side, will not sign contracts or tour South Africa until an MoU between CA and the Australian Cricketers Association

Daniel Brettig02-Jul-20175:38

Chappell: No deal a PR distaster for CA, players

No Australian players will sign contracts nor take part in the Australia A tour of South Africa unless an MoU is agreed between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association, but selected squad members have agreed to take part in a training camp in Brisbane from Monday ahead of the proposed trip.The decision, reached by the ACA’s executive and a large gathering of male and female players in Sydney on Sunday – the men’s national team captain Steven Smith dialled in from holidays in the United States – allows the two parties a little more time to find some middle ground without players immediately withdrawing from pre-season plans. It also confirms that all players, whether on multi-year deals with their states or not, will refuse to play without an MoU.”It’s not an easy thing to do. Individually, I really want to play cricket. I haven’t played cricket for a long time. It’s the same with all the other guys,” Usman Khawaja, named Australia A captain for the tour, said. “But we’re very united. It was quite an easy phone call in the end because everyone was going in the same direction.”We’re still going to be training this week, going up there, doing our thing and getting ready. Hopefully something can be resolved but if it’s not it’s just a tough decision that sort of has to be made at this time.”A CA spokesman said the board reiterated its desire to talk with the ACA. “Cricket Australia (CA) notes the Australian Cricketers’ Association advice that players are unavailable to tour South Africa in the absence of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),” he said. “Australia A is a development tour which gives players an opportunity to perform at a high level. It is therefore surprising that players would elect not to tour. However, CA has never and would never attempt to force anyone to play for an Australian team who is unwilling to do so.”CA remains ready to negotiate a new MoU and has again called on the ACA to show genuine flexibility and commence negotiations in the best interests of the players and the game.”State players, both in and out of contract, had already indicated their willingness to continue training after the July 1 lapsing of the previous MoU, which has left as many as 230 players unemployed. CA had declared on Friday that all money originally intended for those players would instead be diverted directly to grassroots programs – a figure estimated to be worth about A$1.2 million a fortnight. The board’s lead MoU negotiator, Kevin Roberts, sent an internal memo to all staff emphasising how valuable this money would be to the game’s lower levels.”The players have resolved that, unless contractually obliged, no male or female players intend to play for a Cricket Australia (CA) team whilst fellow players remain unemployed due to the absence of an MoU,” an ACA spokesman said. “This is an outright rejection of CA’s attempts to divide and rule. It is a resolution, which will be revisited at the next and subsequent ACA Executive meetings, since the players remain hopeful that common sense will prevail and a new MOU can still be agreed on fair terms.”The Executive noted that all players with valid and enforceable contracts (such as multi-year State or BBL deals) will continue to honour them, and will expect their employers to do the same. This includes an expectation of the players sharing in revenue as contained in those contracts. If this is not honoured by their employer, then the enforceability of these contracts will also become questionable.”The Executive noted legal advice that a State Player may “accept” or reject an offer to participate on a Tour with CA, such as the proposed Australia A Tour of South Africa. Australia’s Women’s World Cup Squad will continue and complete their tournament as they agreed to do in good faith prior to the expiration of the MoU. The ACA wished them the best in their endeavours.”The ACA went on to explain why the players do not feel obligated to make the Australia A tour of South Africa – or other subsequent touring assignments such as the Test tour of Bangladesh or the limited overs tour of India that follows it – in the absence of an existing MOU. This includes all state players currently under contract.”All Australian professional cricketers are not obliged to and are unavailable to Tour South Africa as a part of the Australia A team without an agreed MoU,” the spokesman said. “Unless contractually obliged, no player intends to Tour for a Cricket Australia team whilst others are unemployed courtesy of the expired MoU. [The ACA is] in possession of legal advice examining the MoU and mandated player contracts that the players cannot be contractually required by CA to participate and play in an international Tour, including the Proposed Australia A Tour, beyond 30 June 2017 because:”In the case of CA Contracted Players, their contracts with and obligations to CA will all have expired on 30 June 2017. In the case of the more than 50% of State Contracted Players, their contracts with and obligations to CA (and their State Associations) will have expired on 30 June 2017.”In the case of the remaining State Contracted Players on multi-year contracts extending beyond 30 June 2017, their State Player Contracts and the MOU acknowledge that a player can either ‘accept’ an offer by CA to Tour or not; there is no compulsion to do so. Also for the period beyond 30 June 2017 there are many important issues that are not agreed in the State Player contract, such as the form of Tour Contract that would apply if no MOU is in place, the applicable Squad, Team and Tour Payments and any applicable list of CA protected sponsors.”Looking further ahead, the ACA said that in the event of a dispute that could threaten series such as this year’s Ashes bout with England, the association would look at offering the players back to CA “on the right terms”. “To rescue the Tours and the Summer of Cricket referenced above, if there was no agreed MOU, the ACA will be discussing with the players the assignment to the ACA of an exclusive option to employ or second them,” the spokesman said.”‘In contract players will also participate in the discussion regarding assigning rights to the ACA to allow them to Tour. This means the ACA could offer to facilitate the availability of players on the right terms to assist those games and series that we all wish to see played. This may extend to the ACA offering the players back to CA on the right terms for the purposes of rescuing the Summer of Cricket. This would be best achieved by an agreed MOU.”This option is available to the ACA and could be exercised absent an agreed MOU. It should be regarded as an option for rescuing tours and the Summer of Cricket absent an agreed MOU which remains the clear preference.”The players also agreed to the possibility of legally testing issues around restraint of trade should CA either refuse to grant No Objection Certificates for players seeking to play overseas T20 tournaments, or if players were banned by ICC regulations from participating in “disapproved” exhibition matches during the dispute.”Players have resolved to support any out of contract players who are restrained from post-employment professional cricket opportunities,” the spokesman said. “This would apply to any refusal to provide an out of contract player with a No Objection Certificate (NOC). It would also apply to any threat to lock players out of future employment opportunities if they engage in an ‘exhibition game’ to raise money for their unemployed teammates.”

استطاع الفريق الأول لكرة اليد بنادي الزمالك، الفوز على منافسه الترجي التونسي، بنتيجة 37-32، في المباراة التي جمعتهما اليوم السبت ضمن منافسات بطولة إفريقيا للأندية أبطال الكؤوس.

المباراة أقيمت على صالة قصر الرياضة بمدينة وهران الجزائرية، في الجولة الثانية لدور مجموعات بطولة إفريقيا لكرة اليد.

قدم لاعبو الزمالك أداءً مميزًا خلال أحداث المباراة، وانتهى الشوط الأول بنتيجة 19-15، وواصل أبناء القلعة البيضاء سيطرتهم على مجريات الشوط الثاني، ليحسم كوماندوز اليد اللقاء بنتيجة 37-32.

طالع أيضًا.. يد الزمالك يفوز على بي إم سي الكونغولي في بطولة إفريقيا للأندية أبطال الكؤوس

وتٌوج أحمد الأحمر لاعب الزمالك، بجائزة رجل المباراة، بعد المستوى المميز الذي قدمه ومساهمته في الفوز على بطل تونس.

ويتواجد الزمالك في المجموعة الرابعة رفقة: “الترجي التونسي وبي إم سي الكونغو”.

ومن المقرر أن يواجه الزمالك وصيف المجموعة الثالثة في دور الـ8 من بطولة إفريقيا لكرة اليد.

وكان الزمالك قد تمكن من تحقيق الفوز على بي إم سي الكونغولي في المباراة الماضية بنتيجة 26-19.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria, as Monchi plots to continue his star streak in the summer transfer window.

It’s been a positive break in play for the Villans, who have obtained the talents of Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby, with the capacity for more signings to arrive at Villa Park ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

In capturing Tielemans, Unai Emery has strengthened his midfield however could add more firepower in the middle of the park in Zakaria.

How much could Denis Zakaria cost Aston Villa?

As reported by Italian outlet La Gazetta dello Sport this week, the Old Lady would expect a bargain fee in the region of €18m (£15m) for their midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Chelsea.

The report states that Villa have ‘taken information’ for the 26-year-old’s services, with West Ham United and unnamed German clubs also interested.

The transfer fee is clear from Juventus, with the report stating the player could be sold or be sent on loan with an option to buy this summer.

How good is Denis Zakaria?

Life on the pitch has been difficult for the Swiss midfielder since his departure from Borussia Monchengladbach in January 2022.

The 26-year-old has made just 27 competitive appearances for both Juventus and Chelsea since his move, being deprived of game time despite being sent on loan to develop his performance.

In the Premier League, Zakaria played just 413 minutes for the Blues in a switch that couldn’t have come at a less convenient time for the player, considering Chelsea’s struggles.

The midfielder failed to integrate under any of the three managers that took charge at Stamford Bridge last campaign, in a year that failed to hand the Geneva-born gem the experience and game time needed to take back to Turin.

In Villa’s interest, the 49-capped Swiss international could be given a replenished shot at redemption in the Premier League, where his talents could be used to great effect in Emery’s system.

Having previously been hailed as an “unsung hero” and “hugely talented” player by scout Antonio Mango, Zakaria was snatched by the Italian giants for his stand-out performances in the Bundesliga at Borussia.

While his last consistent streak of game time came back in the 2021/22 campaign, the defensive midfielder hasn’t suffered greatly in terms of his individual form due to his lack of playing time, as highlighted by his international performances.

In the European Championship qualifiers, the former Chelsea loanee has maintained an average match rating of 7.30, registering a passing accuracy rate of 93% and winning an impressive 67% of his total duels in an average of 6.5 per game, via Sofascore.

Strengths in such areas are comparable to those highlighted by Villa ace Douglas Luiz, who Emery could replicate in signing Zakaria for a cheap fee to bolster his options in the middle of the park.

In the 2021/22 Bundesliga campaign, the Switzerland international averaged 1.48 tackles and 1.23 interceptions per 90, comparable to the Brazilian’s 2.24 tackles and 1.23 interceptions per 90 in the Premier League for Villa, as per FBref.

Adding to the depth in midfield would be a strong move for Emery, who will have the added fixtures of the UEFA Europa Conference League to consider next term.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly showing a strong interest in Eintrach Frankfurt star, Randal Kolo Muani, with the Frenchman being lined up as a possible replacement for contract rebel, Harry Kane.

What are the latest transfer Tottenham rumours?

While there have been somewhat audacious claims that the Lilywhites are interested in a move for Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, journalist Sacha Tavolieri has revealed that it is Kolo Muani who is the "priority" target for Ange Postecoglou and co, with negotiations having already taken place regarding a potential €80m (£69m) deal.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: "EXCL. Randal Kolo Muani to be the priority target striker for Harry Kane's replacement at #Tottenham ! Interest's huge and talks on player's side has just started. I understand this deal could happen as ENIC Group gave green light to Daniel Levy for a sale of Harry Kane.

"It's an 80M€ deal. Eintracht Frankfurt have already discusses with clubs before. Not yet from Spurs. The French striker's keen to the move. Wait&See"

This comes amid reports that Spurs are looking to sell Kane if the Englishman does not agree to extend his contract at N17, hence the need to line up a suitable successor to the free-scoring marksman.

How many goals has Randal Kolo Muani scored?

There's likely to be some real excitement among Spurs supporters amid the club's tentative links to the aforementioned Mbappe, although questions will have to be asked as to whether the 24-year-old is actually a viable option, considering the sizeable fee that it would likely take to prise him from the Parc des Princes.

If a deal for the former Monaco ace – who has been the subject of a £260m offer from Al Hilal – is ultimately too much of a pipe dream, then Postecoglou has seemingly lined up a worthy alternative in the form of his compatriot, Kolo Muani.

While the latter man is arguably not of the same ilk as his international colleague – who boasts 310 goals and assists in just 260 games in all competitions – the former Nantes ace did catch the eye with 40 goal involvements in just 46 games in Germany last season, a haul not too far off that of Mbappe (51 goals and assists in 43 outings).

Lauded as "ice-cold in front of goal" by German legend, Lothar Matthaus, Kolo Muani had previously scored 23 goals and contributed 16 assists in just 83 outings for his former employers, although he truly came alive in the Bundesliga last time out.

With both men able to operate in a central role or on the flanks, they have unsurprisingly earned comparisons to French icon, Thierry Henry in recent times, with pundit Joe Cole noting Mbappe's likeness to the ex-Arsenal man, while the Bundesliga website previously said of Kolo Muani:

'Much like Kolo Muani, legendary France striker Henry started his career by impressing with his pace and trickery out wide before being repurposed as a centre-forward. Both players also clock in around the 6'2" mark and cut very similar, rangy figures.

'Kolo Muani also has a languid dribbling style and immense turn of speed that were hallmarks of Henry's game – especially at a young age. He bears similar strength on the ball and a cheekiness to his play that will leave Bundesliga defenders both in his wake and cutting frustrated figures.'

What the duo share, in particular, is there innate dribbling ability and direct nature in attack, with the Frankfurt ace ranking in the top 7% among his European peers for progressive carries and in the top 5% for successful take-ons, while Mbappe is only slightly ahead as he ranks in the top 5% and the top 1% for those same two metrics, respectively.

As such, the likeness between the pair could suggest that even if Tottenham can't get Mbappe in the door this summer, they could be set to snap up the next best thing instead…

Newcastle United could make a surprise swoop for Wolverhampton Wanderers full-back Hugo Bueno this summer; however, they wouldn't pay over the odds for the Spaniard, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Hugo Bueno going to Newcastle United?

According to Football Insider, Bueno has appeared on a shortlist of potential left-back targets at St James' Park this summer as Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe looks to strengthen the left-hand side of his backline.

The Wolves defender is viewed as a potential signing alongside Southampton ace Tino Livramento; however, no official bid has been submitted for the Vigo-born 20-year-old.

As per the same outlet, Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney is a leading candidate to strengthen the left-back berth at the Magpies this off-season amid competition from Premier League champions Manchester City to sign the Scotland international.

Newcastle United have Matt Targett and Dan Burn as their options at left-back at present, though Eddie Howe is keen to add another body to the positional area ahead of 2023/24 getting underway.

Bueno was utilised as a rotational squad option for his current employers last term and registered one assist for Wolves in 23 senior appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Sofascore detail that Bueno showed no fear in dispossessing his marker over the course of the campaign, as the youngster successfully won 1.6 tackles per match in the Premier League across 2022/23.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones thinks that any move from Newcastle United to try and land Bueno would come as a bit of a shock at St James' Park; nevertheless, he doesn't think it would be outwith the realms of possibility.

Jones told FFC: "Obviously, links with Hugo Bueno, it would be a bit of a surprise if they make a sneaky signing like that one, that no one has been really predicting before. Now, again, it comes down to value. I just think Newcastle don't want to be spending £30 million on full-backs, that money could be invested in areas of the team that make a bigger difference to them next season."

Who else could Newcastle United snap up this window?

Newcastle United boss Howe looks like he isn't finished yet in the market following the signings of Sandro Tonali from AC Milan and Yakuba Minteh from Odense BK earlier in the window, as per Transfermarkt.

Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes looks to be the next arrival to enter the fold at St James' Park, as he is expected to join from Sky Bet Championship side Leicester City for a fee in the region of £38 million, according to The Guardian.

Football Insider claim that the Magpies have opened talks over a deal for AS Monaco defender Axel Disasi, who has already reached a verbal agreement over personal terms with the North East giants.

The report states a left-back, central defender and wide forward are on the agenda for Newcastle United as they look to complete their business in the summer transfer window in plenty of time ahead of the Premier League season coming to life.

يبدو وأن نادي ريال مدريد قد يتلقى ضربة قوية قبل مباراة الكلاسيكو أمام برشلونة في الجولة الثانية والثلاثين من بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

ورغم الفوز والتأهل الملحمي أمام مانشستر سيتي يوم أمس، الأربعاء، إلى نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا إلا أن إصابة فينيسيوس تؤرق النادي الإسباني.

وغادر فينيسيوس جونيور مباراة مانشستر سيتي في الدقيقة 102 بسبب إصابته بآلام في العضلات، كان من الصعب عليه حتى المشي بعد تدخل مع، كايل ووكر.

اقرأ أيضًا | رغم أنباء التجديد.. توني كروس يثير التكهنات حول مستقبله مع ريال مدريد

وبحسب صحيفة “سبورت” الكتالونية أن فينيسيوس سيخضع لفحوصات طبية شاملة اليوم، الخميس، للتأكد من حالته ومدى إصابته وقدرته على المشاركة أمام برشلونة.

وتقام مباراة الكلاسيكو بين ريال مدريد وبرشلونة يوم، الأحد 21 أبريل، في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”.

ويأمل نادي ريال مدريد ألا يكون اللاعب قد أصيب بإجهاد عضلي حتى لا يتم استبعاده من قبل المدرب، كارلو أنشيلوتي، أمام برشلونة.

ويعد فينيسيوس هو أخطر لاعبي ريال مدريد ضد برشلونة حيث ساهم في 9 أهداف أمام العملاق الكتالوني في 16 مباراة.

Aston Villa have added Rennes forward Jeremy Doku to their shortlist of wide targets this summer, should they fail to sign Moussa Diaby, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

How much does Jeremy Doku earn?

The Belgian is currently plying his trade in Ligue 1, where he earns £13,000 per week, and he has been a key player for Rennes since arriving from Anderlecht back in 2020.

Doku enjoyed a productive 2022/23 season for this current side, scoring six goals in 13 league starts, although he did often have to make do with a squad role, coming on as a substitute on 16 occasions. He also featured four times in the Europa League, chipping in with two assists.

The 21-year-old could potentially leave Rennes this summer, however, deciding that now could be the right time to test himself elsewhere, following three years with the French side. His current deal expires in 2025, so his value could only start to diminish as time goes on, putting his club in a weaker bargaining position when it comes to demanding big money for him.

Villa are looking to bring in a top-quality wide attacking option in the summer transfer window, and Bayer Leverkusen wide man Diaby has emerged as a strong contender to come in.

Are Aston Villa signing Jeremy Doku?

Writing on Twitter, however, the renowned Romano claimed that Villa see Doku as a summer transfer target, considering him an alternative to Diaby:

"EXCL: Aston Villa have included Jeremy Doku in their shortlist for new winger as option in case Moussa Diaby deal won’t happen. Priority remains Diaby after €35m plus add ons bid rejected. Aston Villa will bid again for sure. Doku, another name being explored."

Doku has been a highly-rated player for some now, and at 21, he still remains such a young footballer whose best years are only ahead of him. For that reason, he represents an exciting option for Villa, having won 14 caps for a Belgium side packed full of world-class attacking talent, with Gary Lineker stunned by his displays at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament.

"Young Jeremy Doku is making me dizzy. There’ll be a queue of clubs wanting a Doku sign," the BBC presenter said on Twitter.

In the past, Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe has also spoken of his admiration for the youngster, discussing his speed and saying he has "never seen downforce that gives off so much power", while football talent scout Jacek Kulig recently claimed that he is "finally showing what he is capable of", in terms of reaching his potential as a footballer.

Diaby should still be seen as Villa's top target, assuming Unai Emery sees him that way, but Doku has to be viewed as a great alternative, admittedly being younger and a little less refined in front of goal than the Leverkusen man, but representing someone with a high ceiling who could develop into a really special wide player at Villa Park.

The fact that the Villans are even being linked with players of this ilk says so much about where the club is going with Emery at the helm, with such young starlets unattainable at one point, especially when the Villa were languishing in the Championship not too long ago.

Celtic being able to initiate a sensational deal to land Scott McTominay this summer would be 'tough to pull off', according to journalist Dean Jones.

What clubs are keen on Scott McTominay?

Last term, McTominay was used primarily as a rotational option by Erik Ten Hag for Manchester United, though he still managed to make 39 appearances in all competitions, registering three goals and one assist, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, the Scotland international could be set to be axed at Old Trafford this summer alongside Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Fred as Dutch coach Ten Hag looks to 'streamline' his squad this season, according to The Independent.

Suitors have emerged for McTominay and Celtic have been named as a potential destination for the £60k-a-week ace, as Brendan Rodgers looks to strengthen his squad ahead of their defence of the Scottish Premiership title.

CBS Sports via The Daily Mail report that McTominay is also on the radar of Brighton & Hove Albion and Jose Mourinho's Roma; however, Manchester United's Financial Fair Play restrictions may lead to them keeping hold of the 26-year-old for another year due to the fact they would be unlikely to afford a direct replacement for him.

talkSPORT understand that West Ham United are in the market for a central midfielder and could turn to McTominay as a potential alternative to Declan Rice, who is set for a money-spinning move to Arsenal and looks to have played his last game for the Hammers.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that McTominay would be a 'mind-blowing' signing for Celtic if they managed to convince him to swap the Premier League for the Scottish Premiership.

Jones stated: "If Celtic could land McTominay, it would be mind-blowing, to be honest. I think it would be one of the biggest deals of the summer.

"It would be huge for Celtic, but it would also be a big decision for McTominay to switch from the Premier League to the Scottish Premiership at this point.

"It would be an incredible get for Celtic if they can pull something like that off, but I think it'll be tough to pull off."

What other players could Celtic and Rodgers sign this window?

Celtic have been slow off the mark this window as boss Rodgers runs the rule over his squad in their pre-season training camp in Portugal; however, some arrivals will be expected in the next few weeks as the Irishman ramps up his market proactivity at the helm of the Scottish champions.

According to Ukrainian outlet Sport Novyny, Celtic are regarded as frontrunners to sign Brazilian winger Tete, who spent the second half of last term on loan at Leicester City. The report adds that he intends to leave his parent club Shakhtar Donetsk due to fears for his safety due to the region's ongoing conflict.

Gangwon midfielder Yang Hyun-jun has been extensively linked to Celtic this window and has stated that there has been "some progress" in the ongoing transfer saga that continues to unfold concerning his potential arrival in Glasgow, as relayed by Football Scotland.

Last month, The Scottish Sun claimed that Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney would be open to a blockbuster return to Celtic on a loan basis; however, both parties would need to come to a significant compromise over wages and any fee for the agreement.

Opening batsman Heino Kuhn will likely be named in South Africa’s Test squad to play in England next month

Firdose Moonda23-Jun-20170:44

Quick Facts: Heino Kuhn

Opening batsman Heino Kuhn will be named in South Africa’s Test squad to play in England next month, ESPNcricinfo has learnt.Kuhn, who scored a century in the ongoing unofficial Test against the England Lions on the back of an unbeaten 200 against Hampshire last week, will be joined by his A squad team-mates Theunis de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma and Duanne Olivier but it remains to be seen if Stephen Cook will keep his place.Cook was dropped for South Africa’s last Test, against New Zealand in Hamilton, and was replaced by de Bruyn, a regular No. 3. Selection convener Linda Zondi confirmed in the aftermath that de Bruyn would not be considered for a permanent place the top two, which suggests his inclusion in the squad is as back-up, especially as South Africa are unsure if Faf du Plessis will play in the opening Test as he awaits the birth of his first child. That means Kuhn and Cook will be competing for the same spot.Kuhn was 13th on the first-class run-charts last season with 527 runs at 43.91 with one hundred and three fifties but topped the list last summer. He scored 1126 runs at 62.55 with four hundreds and four fifties and missed out on selection after Cook, who had been the leading batsman the season before and in the top 10 for seven seasons prior to that, was preferred. Cook scored a century on debut and has two other hundreds to his name but has gone through lengthy lean patches, especially on away tours. He had scored just 75 runs in four innings before his hundred in Adelaide and 17 runs in four innings before being benched in New Zealand.In preparation for the England series, Cook has been playing county cricket for Durham and has scored 348 runs in seven matches at 26.76 with two fifties. In contrast, his Test opening partner Dean Elgar has is the fifth-highest run-scorer overall in Division 1 and has notched up 517 runs at 47.00 for Somerset in six matches with two hundreds and two fifties.This month, Heino Kuhn has hit 200* against Hampshire and 105 against England Lions•Getty ImagesIn addition to his ability to open the batting, Kuhn will also more than likely serve as the back-up gloveman to Quinton de Kock. Though Kuhn no longer regularly keeps wicket for his franchise, the Titans, he has done the job for several of his 12 years as first-class cricketer and most recently donned the gloves for the entire domestic one-day cup when Heinrich Klaasen was called up for national duty in New Zealand. Kuhn’s move from wicket-keeper batsman to specialist opener came last summer under Mark Boucher’s guidance after Boucher identified the opener’s spot as the only possible gap in the South African side.Kuhn’s selection suggests that South Africa will remain unsettled when it comes to their top two for a while yet. Neither Kuhn, who is 33, nor Cook, who is 34, can be considered a long-term solution but they may be placeholders for another member of the A side, who is expected to miss out this time. Aiden Markram captained the four-day side and scored a century against Hampshire and 71 in the first innings against the Lions but it appears he will have to wait his turn for a national call-up.South Africa’s Test squad will be announced at the conclusion of the A match against the Lions. The A team are headed towards a hefty defeat and after losing to Sussex and in the fifty-over series, there will be questions about the depth of South African cricket following a spate of Kolpak signings last summer.

Tickets for the Perth Ashes Test will belatedly go on sale at the end of July after unsuccessful efforts to have the match staged at the city’s new multi-purpose stadium rather than the unpopular WACA Ground.As recently as May, CA’s chief executive James Sutherland had expressed hope that the match could be played at the new stadium located in Burswood, but cricket administrators admitted defeat after meetings with stadium management and the Western Australian government.That left tickets to be organised for the WACA instead, which has hosted Ashes matches dating back to the ground’s very first Test in 1970-71. “The Perth Test holds a special place in the summer of cricket and in an Ashes year we are expecting capacity crowds at the WACA throughout the Test,” Sutherland said.”We know that many fans, both in Western Australia and abroad, are eagerly awaiting this Test and are keen to secure their place so we are pleased to be announcing an on-sale date for tickets to the match.”Given the strong demand we expect to see for this match we urge people to purchase their tickets early to avoid disappointment, and only purchase from the official ticket agency to ensure they obtain a valid ticket for the official ticket price.”Christina Matthews, the WACA chief executive, said the match now afforded the opportunity to celebrate the ground’s Ashes history. “There is a rich history and tradition for Western Australians associated with attending the Ashes Test matches at the WACA Ground, with plenty of wonderful memories along the way,” she said.”This summer’s Test represents a unique opportunity to celebrate one final Ashes Test match at the WACA Ground. We anticipate tickets will be in high demand as fans will want to secure their piece of history, so we encourage people to purchase their tickets early to avoid disappointment.”Tickets will be on sale to preregistered fans on July 31, then WACA members from August 3 and the general public from August 4.