Harry Kane organised a team meeting for his England players to rally and improve their performances at the European Championships.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Kane organises team meetingTrippier and Walker clashEngland to play Slovenia in final group gameWHAT HAPPENED?
Kane reportedly organised a meeting between all 26 players in the squad without any staff present in order to try and lift spirits ahead of their final group game on Tuesday, according to . The Three Lions have not turned in their finest performances in their opening two games against Serbia and Denmark and the England skipper is eager to remedy the situation as quickly as possible.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The meeting comes amid signs that tensions are brewing in the England ranks and outside pressure may be starting to get to the players. Defenders Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker were photographed in animated discussion which was only cooled when Phil Foden intervened between the pair in training. With left-back Luke Shaw seeminglyruled out for the rest of the tournament, Kane will be keen to keep deputy Trippier in good spirits and form.
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite the media onslaught and the pressure clearly hammering down upon the England squad, Jordan Pickford is adamant that the players are very calm. He explained that, with the team top of the group with four points, they feel 'chilled' about their situation. The England number one also threw his support behind manager Gareth Southgate and insisted they are behind him.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GETTYWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?
With the weight of the nation on their shoulders, the England players have serious work to do to raise their levels to match public expectation. The Three Lions will take on Slovenia in a final chance to offer a statement victory – akin to how Germany, Spain and Portugal have – before the knockout stages begin next week.
Australian clatters nine sixes in 53-ball 102 not out to keep Surrey’s quarter-final hopes alive
ECB Reporters Network27-Aug-2019Aaron Finch clattered a remarkable nine sixes in a brilliant 102 not out from 53 balls at the Kia Oval as Surrey kept alive their slim hopes of reaching a Vitality Blast quarter-final by severely denting Somerset’s qualification ambitions with a barnstorming six-wicket victory.Chasing Somerset’s 157 for 9, in which openers Tom Banton and Babar Azam put on 80 in 8.2 overs before the innings fell away dramatically against the spin of Imran Tahir and Gareth Batty, Finch’s assault emphatically settled matters and brought Surrey their fifth win of the campaign.They now have 12 points and Somerset, in fourth place with 13, need to beat Middlesex in their final group game on Friday if they are to have a chance of making the last eight.Tahir’s 4 for 25 from four overs, each wicket wildly celebrated as is the South African leg spinner’s wont, and Batty’s 2 for 24, were as important to Surrey’s cause as Finch’s power-hitting. The two Surrey spinners totally changed the impetus of the Somerset innings, after they had been given a flyer by Banton and Babar after choosing to bat first in front of a 25,000 sell out crowd – Surrey’s fourth full house in six home games so far.But Somerset might still have defended their eventual total if Craig Overton had managed to cling on to a boundary-edge catch in the eighth over, with Finch on 33, when the Australian pulled a short ball from leg spinner Max Waller to deep mid wicket and saw the ball bounce through Overton’s upstretched hands and go over the rope for his fourth six.Finch did not give any other chances, however, as he followed up that blow, two earlier straight sixes off Tim Groenewald and an opening pulled maximum off Overton, with further sixes off Roelof van der Merwe (both in the ninth over), Waller (spectacularly reverse-driven over long off in the tenth over) and two off Tom Lammonby’s left arm seamers in the 11th over.By then, it hardly mattered that Sam Curran had skied Van der Merwe’s left arm spin to Tom Abell in the ring, having contributed just 9 to a second-wicket stand of 61 in a mere 5.1 overs, following Mark Stoneman’s departure for 18 to the last ball of the sixth over, or that Ollie Pope was run out for 7 in the 15th over.Finch completed his 52-ball hundred, his seventh in T20 cricket, in the same over with his fifth four – whipped wide of mid on off Groenewald, and Will Jacks smacked two successive fours before being caught and bowled for 9 by Van der Merwe with just eight more runs wanted. Jordan Clark then hit Jerome Taylor into the pavilion for the evening’s final six as victory arrived with 3.3 overs to spare.Somerset, earlier, were flying along at ten runs per over until the two veteran Surrey spinners began to exert their stranglehold.Banton’s 28-ball 47 was by far the most fluent of the Somerset batting efforts, with legside sixes off Curran and Clark and five fours besides – the pick of them a reverse flip for four off Tahir in the game’s very first over. Babar hit only three fours, but played his part too in an opening partnership which hinted at an eventual Somerset total of around 200.Once Banton had fallen in the ninth over, however, the innings lost all its forward momentum and soon James Hildreth followed, stumped off Batty in the next over for 1 when he advanced to a well-flighted delivery outside off stump and yorked himself.Worse was to come for Somerset, though, with Babar chipping a return catch to Tahir to go for a 31-ball 37 and, in the same 11th over, Ed Byrom also giving the South African leg-spinner a simple caught and bowled off a looping leading edge.Four wickets had gone in 17 balls, for the addition of only 13 runs, but from 93 for 4 a mini-recovery was quickly stifled as Batty removed Abell for 14, stumped as he attempted a reverse sweep and Tahir had Van der Merwe leg before for 2.That was 114 for 6, in the 15th over, and from there, the lower order did its best to get Somerset up to a defendable total with Lammonby reaching 19 before being caught behind in a nine-ball Jade Dernbach over, the 18th, costing 12 runs.Clark and Curran grabbed the wickets of Overton and Groenewald in the closing overs and Somerset needed their tenth wicket pair of Taylor and Waller to make sure they batted through their 20-over allocation.
Jobe Bellingham is reportedly attracting interest from Premier League clubs but Sunderland are holding firm on their £20 million ($25m) valuation.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Bellingham monitored by Palace and othersSunderland don't want to sellHave set a price tag of £20m for the playerWHAT HAPPENED?
The England Under-19 midfielder, who joined Sunderland from Birmingham last year, has become a pivotal player for the Black Cats, making 45 appearances and scoring seven goals. Despite significant interest from top-flight teams, Sunderland are determined to keep their young talent unless their £20m asking price is met.
AdvertisementGOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE
According to Crystal Palace and several other clubs have seen offers turned down by Sunderland. Club owner, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, has made it clear that Bellingham, brother of Real Madrid and England star Jude, is not for sale – unless their demands are met. Louis-Dreyfus views Bellingham as a cornerstone of Sunderland’s future, especially as they aim to improve on their 16th-place finish and push for promotion next season. Borussia Dortmund, where Jude once played, have also shown interest.
DID YOU KNOW?
With four years left on Bellingham's contract, Sunderland are in no hurry to sell. Additionally, Birmingham City, his former club, have a 15 percent sell-on clause, further complicating any potential deal. The financial windfall will be substantial in case of a sale, but Louis-Dreyfus is firm in his belief that keeping Bellingham is crucial for the club’s aspirations.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
Sunderland’s new manager, Regis Le Bris, will be key in deciding Bellingham's fate. His entourage has always prioritised game time and development over immediate financial gain and if Le Bris can assure Bellingham of his importance to the team and his development, the young midfielder might opt to continue his growth at the Stadium of Light rather than pursue a premature move to the Premier League.
The Aston Villa faithful must be in dreamland this season, with Unai Emery working his magic to continuously exceed expectations.
Villa's latest result was a huge 2-1 away win against Fulham, which was vital after their 2-1 loss at Villa Park against Manchester United last weekend.
However, the intense schedule is finally catching up with the squad, with the defence looking particularly thin after the injuries to Ezri Konsa and Diego Carlos.
That said, they could also do with another midfielder to fill the void left by Boubacar Kamara, and one former star would have been perfect for Emery's side.
When Kamara could play for Villa again
Although the defeat to the Red Devils could be looked upon as a missed opportunity later on in the season, it will be the loss of Kamara that the Villa fans will be concerned about.
The French midfielder was substituted in the second half after clashing knees with a United player, and at the time, it looked like a short-term impact injury.
However, it was reported earlier this week that Kamara had actually ruptured his ACL, which will keep him out for the rest of the season. It's been stated that we won't see him back in action until September or October.
The 24-year-old is a vital cog in Emery's system, providing defensive security to the team and a perfect balance to the midfield alongside Douglas Luiz. Kamara is the only midfielder in the squad whose main focus is on the defensive side of the game, as highlighted by the fact that he averages the most tackles and interceptions in the squad, and his absence could just be season-defining.
Replacing him will be hard but they could have had the perfect stand-in had things gone differently a few years ago.
Aston Villa sold the perfect replacement
Stamford Bridge is now the home of Carney Chukwuemeka after he swapped his boyhood club for Chelsea in 2022. The midfielder, who has been described as a "superstar" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, left for £20m during Steven Gerrard's reign and could well have now been the perfect man for Villa's midfield.
At just 20 years old, he has plenty of quality that he has yet to show to the Premier League since moving to the Blues. During this spell, Chukwuemeka has played 22 games for Chelsea, but Mauricio Pochettino showed his trust in the youngster by starting him in the first two games of the season.
Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka.
However, he has had a horrific time with injuries this season, which has seen him miss 23 matches already this campaign, but he has shown glimpses of his quality, scoring and assisting in five games for the Blues.
His best performance in a Chelsea shirt was against Man United towards the end of last season, which proves he could have provided great cover for Kamara.
Minutes
82
Pass accuracy %
93%
Touches
73
Successful dribbles
2/2
Duels won
5/5
Tackles
2
It's clear that Chukwuemeka is an extremely confident player when on the ball, whether it be when he is passing the ball or using his 6 foot 2 frame to breeze past opponents, as shown by his high touches and pass accuracy, along with his 100% dribble success rate.
The former Villa gem also made two tackles and won 100% of his duels, which shows that he would have been more than capable of performing the defensive duties that the injured 24-year-old usually takes on.
Former Aston Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka.
Although Villa did benefit financially from the midfielder's exit, signing a player with a similar profile and potential would cost much more than the £20m fee they let him go for, and he would have excelled under Emery if he had never left.
Marseille supporters have launched a “not welcome” campaign against Mason Greenwood as their club attempts to agree a transfer with Manchester United.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Forward impressed on loan at GetafeLinked with clubs across EuropeOpposition to deal from fans in FranceWHAT HAPPENED?
The 22-year-old forward has been linked with clubs across Europe on the back of a productive loan spell at La Liga side Getafe in 2023-24 that saw him win their Player of the Year award. The likes of Juventus, Lazio, Valencia and Borussia Dortmund have all been credited with interest in Greenwood.
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Marseille are now said to be leading the race, with a formal offer being tabled. It is claimed that United are ready to sanction a switch that would see Greenwood head to France on an initial loan agreement that includes an obligation to buy – which could be worth around €25 million (£21m/$27m) before bonuses.
DID YOU KNOW?
Fans at Stade Velodrome have, however, been quick to express their opposition to a deal for Greenwood – who saw charges of attempted rape, assault and coercive and controlling behaviour dropped in February 2023. Marseille followers have started a #GreenwoodNotWelcome hashtag on social media.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GettyWHAT FAN FORUM SAID
A statement on starts out by saying: “At a time when negotiations for the arrival of Mason Greenwood are announced as becoming increasingly heated, it seems necessary to explain, once again and before the damage becomes irreversible, why this transfer seems inconceivable in view of the values displayed by the club and why it would mean for many of us a red line that would irreparably damage the passion that we have for this club.”
Glasgow Rangers are back in Europa League action this week as they travel away from Scotland to take on Benfica in Portugal this evening.
The Light Blues face off against the Liga Portugal giants in the first leg of their last 16 tie in the European competition, ahead of the return clash at Ibrox next week.
Philippe Clement will be looking for a strong response from his team tonight after they suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Motherwell last weekend.
The Gers, thanks to Celtic losing to Hearts on Sunday, remain top of the Scottish Premiership table as they go in search of domestic and European glory before the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
Clement could make at least one change to the starting XI that lost to Motherwell after an injury sustained during the first half of that encounter.
Latest Rangers injury news
Academy graduate Ross McCausland lined up on the left wing for the Light Blues but was forced off with a knock before the half-time break.
Motherwell defender Dan Casey went in with a strong challenge – that Clement described as having too much "intensity" – on the young winger that led to him being substituted for Fabio Silva.
After the match, the Gers boss claimed that it was a "serious" injury for the Northern Ireland international but was not able to offer any timeline on his return at the time.
The former Rangers B star was then seen on crutches later that day, which may have left supporters concerned about his involvement in this clash with Benfica.
However, there was good news for Clement and Rangers on Wednesday as the talented whiz joined his teammates for a full training session ahead of the trip to Portugal.
This suggests that his injury may not have been as serious as was first feared, which means that he could now be in contention to feature tonight.
Oscar Cortes, who joined on loan from Lens during the last transfer window, is currently out with a long-term injury, whilst Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Abdallah Sima is also absent with a thigh injury sustained playing for Senegal in January.
Rangers winger Abdallah Sima.
Those blows have left Clement without a plethora of options to pick from in the wide areas, which is why he may not want to risk McCausland from the start against Benfica.
The safe option could be to either rest him completely ahead of the weekend or to bring him off the bench, to avoid aggravating the injury sustained against Motherwell.
With this in mind, the Belgian tactician must ruthlessly ditch the Northern Irish wizard, who has not registered a goal or an assist in his last six matches, by unleashing Fabio Silva from the start on the left flank.
Ross McCausland's attacking statistics this season
The 20-year-old gem has emerged as a regular first-team operator throughout the 2023/24 campaign, having graduated from the academy set-up, but is yet to nail down his consistency in front of goal.
He has made 28 appearances for the Scottish giants in all competitions so far this season, with 22 of those coming in the Premiership and four in the Europa League.
McCausland has only contributed with two goals and three assists for the Light Blues in those 28 matches, which is a return of one goal or assist every 5.6 games on average.
Appearances
4
Starts
1
Goals
1
Key passes
2
Dribbles completed
4
As you can see in the table above, the Gers youngster has scored in the Europa League already this season but was not trusted to start more than one match in the competition during the group stages.
The right-footed forward has also only started 13 times in the Premiership, and chipped in with one goal and two assists for the Scottish giants.
These statistics show that McCausland has not offered consistent quality in the final third as either a scorer or creator of goals from a wide position, which is why – along with the injury concern – he should be ruthlessly ditched for tonight's match.
The stats that show why Silva should replace McCausland
Clement must now unleash Silva, ahead of Scott Wright, as his replacement on the left flank in the absence of Cortes and Sima this evening.
He is naturally a centre-forward but has the dynamism, pace, and technical ability to be deployed on the wing, as shown by the manager's decision to bring him on for McCausland against Motherwell.
The Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee made an impact during the second half as his clever flick over the defender resulted in a late challenge to win a penalty for Rangers, which was dispatched by James Tavernier.
Appearances
9
17
Starts
4
5
Goals
2
0
Key passes per game
0.6
0.6
Assists
0
0
Penalties won
1
0
As you can see in the table above, Silva has made a greater impact in the final third – with two more goals and one more penalty won – despite having played eight fewer matches in the Premiership.
The 6 foot 1 dynamo, whose work rate was hailed as "infectious" by teammate Connor Goldson, has scored three goals in 11 appearances in all competitions for the club since his move on loan in January, which means that he has already outscored McCausland for the first-team.
Playing on the left flank is not a natural role for him but his penalty-winning cameo against Motherwell suggests that the young whiz has the potential to do well in that position.
Fabio Silva
He won the penalty by driving into the box from the left wing to get on the end of a pass and Silva then used his fantastic technical ability to lift the ball over the sliding defender, who clattered into the forward's ankles.
Clement must now unleash the tricky attacker from the start against Benfica to see if he can produce moments of magic like that to help the side take a positive result back to Ibrox for the second leg.
McCausland could then be used as an impact substitute for the Gers in the second half and not be risked after his injury concern last weekend.
West Bromwich Albion were too hot for Huddersfield Town to handle in an explosive 45-minute display from Carlos Corberan's Baggies, the Championship promotion hopefuls going into the half-time break 1-0 down only to then win comprehensively 4-1.
Brand new Terriers boss André Breitenreiter would have been pleased with his side's efforts in the first half, only for all their good work to go to waste courtesy of Mikey Johnston terrorising the West Yorkshire hosts in another vibrant showing from the Celtic loanee.
Helping himself to two goals in the entertaining lunchtime kick-off, supporters of the West Midlands club will be demanding with more ferocity now that a permanent signature is sought after for the slick Republic of Ireland international at the conclusion of the season.
Mikey Johnston's performance vs Huddersfield in numbers
Johnston signing on a short-term loan deal could be viewed now as one of the best bits of business conducted by any second-tier club in January, with the 24-year-old winger causing yet another back four in the division all sorts of bother at the John Smith's Stadium.
Away from bagging two goals, Johnston would also twist and turn Huddersfield defenders with ease by constantly bombing forward – the Hoops loanee successfully completing two dribbles on yet another bright afternoon for the explosive attacker in his new colours.
Johnston wasn't just selfish in his approach in attempting to pile on the Terriers misery by firing more efforts at the Huddersfield goal, the electric Baggies number 23 amassing two key passes in the game – which culminated in him assisting Okay Yokuslu's strike – alongside three successful long balls to push his team up the field.
There's no doubt in anyone's mind that the electric 24-year-old will stick it out as West Brom's main man down the left channel as they aim for playoff glory.
Corberan will also be understandably set in stone over Yokuslu remaining as another key name on his teamsheet, after the Turkish midfielder's imperious showing against Huddersfield.
Okay Yokuslu's performance vs Huddersfield in numbers
The ever-reliable West Brom number 38 stood firm throughout the contest even when his team were under the cosh in the first 45 minutes, his continued strength rewarded in the action-packed second half with a rare goal for the Baggies.
Yokuslu's venomous effort hitting the back of net was his first goal of the season, the defensive midfielder knee sliding with the rest of his pumped-up teammates in the celebrations with the scoreline at a more convincing 3-1 as a result of his thunderbolt.
Minutes played
90
Goals scored
1
Touches
76
Accurate passes
55/63 (87%)
Duels won
7/11
Tackles
4
Stats by Sofascore
Yokuslu was dogged in his approach as well, alert to whenever the hosts ventured forward with seven duels won and four tackles completed on top of remaining calm and composed with the ball at his feet.
Accumulating 76 touches of the ball over a standout 90-minute display, the Turkish midfielder was the perfect glue between the defence and the attack all afternoon by battling from deep whilst also playing in the likes of Johnston to foray forward with purpose.
Corberan will see both Johnston and Yokuslu as crucial players he needs to keep getting the best out of as the fixtures come thick and fast, with the race to make the playoffs intensifying in the weeks to follow as West Brom aim to break through into the Premier League.
West Ham could lose out on Jean-Clair Todibo as they believe the defender will opt to join Juventus.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
West Ham agreed terms with Nice for TodiboPlayer likely to join JuventusWas linked with a move to Manchester UnitedWHAT HAPPENED?
Per The Athletic, The Hammers have agreed a deal with Nice to sign Todibo on an initial loan deal for a fee in the region of €5m (£4.2m) with a compulsory option to buy him next season for €32m and €3m in add-ons.
AdvertisementGettyTHE EXPLANATION
However, The Premier League side believes that the French defender will likely prefer a move to Juventus instead of joining them as the Italian side will guarantee him Champions League football in the 2024/25 campaign after finishing third in Serie A last season.
DID YOU KNOW?
The 24-year-old centre-back was earlier linked with a move to Manchester United but a UEFA ruling regarding the transfer of players between the same ownership clubs has ended the Red Devils' pursuit of the player.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
While the Red Devils are no longer in the race to sign the Frenchman, they are on the verge of sealing a move for his compatriot Leny Yoro who is set to undergo a medical at the English side in the next few days.
‘We don’t want to be a team that makes knee-jerk reactions to a loss. It has been the case for this team for too long. We want to back a certain group of players’
Mohammad Isam09-Nov-20195:40
Bangladesh seek death-overs batting surge
It’s been a dramatic couple of weeks for Bangladesh cricket. Shakib Al Hasan was publicly blasted by BCB president Nazmul Hassan for not taking the board’s approval for a sponsorship deal before he was banned for failing to report bookie approaches. It all happened on the eve of Bangladesh’s tour of India, and in the aftermath of the players’ strike a few days before, nothing seemed to have settled down.And last week, amid all of this, they beat almighty India – for the first time in the format – in their own backyard in the first T20I in Delhi.On Saturday, Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo sat in a press conference in Nagpur, the T20I series level with one match to go. Domingo said that before the team’s arrival in India, nobody would have believed this scoreline.”It has been a tough couple of weeks before this tour, but the players deserve a lot of credit,” Domingo said. “The energy and desire they have shown in the last ten days has been fantastic. They were willing to try new things. They are playing against a quality side away from home. If someone said to us two weeks ago that we will be one-all coming into Nagpur, no one would have believed it.”So we are pretty happy where are, and it is a great opportunity tomorrow. The guys are really excited by it. At the end of the day, India are one of the best sides in the world. No one gave Bangladesh a chance, but we think if we play to our potential, we have a chance tomorrow.”As Bangladesh look to move on from their off-field issues, Domingo also pointed out that they want to be known as a more settled team. Essentially, he believes in giving a group of players a longer run before making changes.”We feel India has a lot of left-handed batters in their top six,” he said. “Our offspinners worked a game ago, but just because it didn’t work in the last game doesn’t mean everything has to change. We don’t want to be a team that makes knee-jerk reactions to a loss. It has been the case for this team for too long. We want to back a certain group of players.”If somebody has a bad game doesn’t mean he doesn’t play for the next six months. It is part of T20 cricket. We believe that those who played in the first couple of games are good enough. We don’t want to make a lot of tactical changes just because someone played really well against us.”Soumya Sarkar is all ears as Russell Domingo makes a point•BCBAmong the Bangladesh youngsters, Mohammad Naim and Aminul Islam have stood out so far. Naim, who did not have a striking T20 record before his call-up, has made a statement with his strokeplay in Rajkot, while Aminul, a batting allrounder, has showcased his skills as a legspinner, picking up four wickets in the two games.”I have always liked a legspinner [in a playing XI] and I know [Aminul Islam] Biplob is more of a batsman who can bowl legspin, but I have been impressed by his energy, desire and work ethic,” Domingo said. “He is a great guy to have in the team. Even against Rohit [Sharma] in the previous game, he ended up bowling 3.5 overs to take two wickets for 23 runs before going for a six. He bowled really well, for a young boy to bowl under that kind of pressure.”Naim didn’t have a good T20 record but this is a great format for us to trying and look at the next group of players are coming through. We don’t know how long Tamim [Iqbal], Mushy [Mushfiqur Rahim] and Riyad [Mahmudullah] are going to be playing for, so it is a great opportunity for the younger guys. We have Saif Hassan joining us in the Test squad. We will look at how he trains as well. The most impressive thing isn’t just their performances, but their energy, attitude and work ethic, which have been fantastic.”But Domingo also said unless one of Bangladesh’s batsmen make a big score, they would find it difficult to beat India in the decider in Nagpur. “Mushfiqur [Rahim] got the big score in the first game, so we won. Rohit [Sharma] got the big score so they won the second game. When we get to the thirties, we need someone to get into seventies or eighties.”[Bangladesh’s batsmen] are not trying to get out. They are just making bad decisions in crucial stages of the innings. I don’t think it is a technical thing. It might be decision-making at crucial stages that they need to improve.”
The seamer reflects on the lessons he has learnt en route to his 50th Test, against Pakistan in Adelaide
Daniel Brettig26-Nov-2019If this year’s Ashes retention against England at Old Trafford in Manchester seems a little too recent to be the highlight of Josh Hazlewood’s entire career – one that will reach 50 Tests in Adelaide against Pakistan this week – then there is some fundamental logic to the New South Welshman’s choice.To return home from the northern hemisphere with the urn in Australia’s keeping for the first time since 2001 was not only the breaking of fresh ground for Hazlewood and the rest of the touring team, it was also an achievement that could be enjoyed all the more for the fact that the 28-year-old had seen plenty of difficult days and defeats that made it something more to savour.ALSO READ: ‘Cherry ripe’ Hazlewood brings peak precisionFor a young, tall fast bowler to whom, injuries aside, so much had come rapidly, here was a garland he had spent time chasing, to the point of struggling on one previous Ashes tour in 2015 when a team led by Michael Clarke had been widely expected to succeed. Test cricket, Hazlewood had long since learned, was far harder than he imagined as a teenager making his debut for NSW as a 17-year-old in 2008, or for Australia in an ODI two years later.”Probably Manchester, not that long ago,” Hazlewood said. “To retain the Ashes over there and be the person to get that last wicket. It was a pretty special moment. There are some good moments of the team celebrating. It’s just a great memory.”I didn’t know it [Test cricket] was going to be this hard. You learn patience. You bowl in the nets all the time and you try and take two or three wickets and you’re only bowling for half an hour. Things like that you try a lot of things. Once you get into Test cricket it’s about building that pressure and patience and working on it all day. And a side is never going to roll over I think. That’s a big one. That patience stands out for me.”There is something fitting, too, about Hazlewood’s 50th Test arriving in Adelaide, a venue where he has plucked 22 wickets at 20.22 and a strike rate of 44.5 in four matches (as against a career average of 26.3 and strike rate of 56.7) and has little hesitation in labelling the best all-round pitch in the country. “I love Adelaide the most I think,” he said. “I have had good success there. Often it is a pink-ball game now. But we played red ball last year and it still did a bit for most the game.”It keeps you a little bit interested when the ball is a bit older and the wicket is a bit flatter, there is still a little bit there for you throughout the day. And it is a new-ball wicket, so I think it’s an even contest between bat and ball. I think everyone would have their own favourites, but I think that is one that sticks out. I think Nath [Lyon] loves bowling there as well, there is spin there for most of the game. I think it’s just a great all-round wicket to be honest.”I think pink ball in Adelaide is a pretty similar length to red ball [in Brisbane]. You want to get it up there, you want to get it quite full. The pink ball does swing for probably a bit longer and if you’ve got a new one at night we know what can happen. I’m looking forward to getting it back in the hand, it’s been quite a while. I missed the one last year against Sri Lanka [at the Gabba], so I am looking forward to getting back bowling with the pink one.”Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc celebrate Australia’s Ashes win•Getty Images and Cricket AustraliaKnowing what to expect and how to respond, namely by applying relentless pressure to opponents, has always been a part of Hazlewood’s game, but there is a sense among the bowlers who toured England that they are growing in their proficiency at doing so.Noting the evolution of the game towards ever more aggression and short-form hitting, Hazlewood believed the reward for the build-up of pressure through diligence and control – plus natural bounce and a little movement either way – is growing all the time. Having not conceded more than three runs per over in any Test series since March 2016, Hazlewood is reaping the rewards.”As cricket goes on more players are limited-overs players and they play more of that. And the guys want to play their shots,” Hazlewood said. “With that strangling, if you can do it for long enough you get rash shots as we saw in the first innings. It’s building that pressure and strangle we talked about, and I think moving forward it’s a big thing for us.”We didn’t strangle them like we did the first innings [at the end of the Gabba Test]. We had a few more runs to play with and we probably over-attacked at certain stages and they got away with us in that middle session. I think the best thing was we had the best part of two days off between innings. The boys batted phenomenally this Test. We had our feet up for a long period and we could come out fresh last night and today. You’re feeling very fresh. That is probably the one thing that stands out for this Test.”That freshness should ensure that Hazlewood is joined by Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon in Adelaide, with James Pattinson set to return to the squad but not yet the XI – keeping the “big three” fast men together is certainly to their liking. “I think it’s huge. We know everything about each other basically,” Hazlewood said. “But on the field you know when guys are going well and when they might need to slow it down and have a word with them.”I talk to Nath a lot, I field at mid-off for him a lot and we talk a lot about how things are going and we talk a lot about how things are going, if we’re not bowling the right areas or getting the wickets, and what can we try here. It’s huge I think. The same as batters batting together. We’ve all played together now for a long time. And we all know what needs to be said at different times to different people. That balance and that partnership is huge.”Being a fast-bowler you can never look too far ahead. It’s quite tough the summer in Australia with the wickets seeming a lot harder than England and places like that. They do take their toll. But ideally you want to keep the same bowling group together, the same as the top six. Guys get confidence, they relax when they know they are not on their last chance. We’re no different.”As for Pakistan, the advantages Hazlewood enjoys in Adelaide will be available to the visiting seam bowlers also, including the potentially recalled Mohammad Abbas. The chance for the pink ball to wobble around in his and other visiting hands will be another reminder of why Hazlewood knows how hard Test cricket can be, and why Old Trafford will linger in his memory.”I think the Adelaide wicket and pink ball will suit them. A lot of them have nice wrists and present a nice seam,” he said of Pakistan. “So I think they will be able to swing it around. Whether Abbas comes in or not is up to them obviously. I think they have got a number of guys who can bowl well with the new ball. I think it will be hard work, especially when it’s new. But throughout the whole Test I think it will be hard work.”