الأهلي يعلن تعافي لاعب الفريق من إصابته الحادة قبل المشاركة في كأس السوبر المصري

أعلن النادي الأهلي، عن تعافي لاعب الفريق الأول من الإصابة بنزلة برد حادة تعرض لها في الفترة الماضية، وأبعدته عن التدريبات.

ويستعد الأهلي في الوقت الحالي، لخوض بطولة كأس السوبر المصري، المقرر إقامتها في الإمارات من الفترة 20 حتى 24 من شهر أكتوبر الجاري.

طالع | الأهلي يواجه حرس الحدود وديًا استعدادًا لـ كأس السوبر المصري

ويلتقي الأهلي مع سيراميكا كليوباترا، يوم 20 أكتوبر في مواجهة دور نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس السوبر المصري.

وأوضح النادي الأهلي عبر الموقع الرسمي له، أن مدافع الفريق ياسر إبراهيم سيعود للتدريبات بعدما تماثل الشفاء من نزلة البرد الحادة التي أبعدته عن التدريب خلال اليومين الماضيين.

واطمأن أحمد جاب الله، طبيب الفريق على حالة اللاعب واستقرار درجة الحرارة بعد تناوله العلاج اللازم.

ومن المقرر أن يشارك ياسر إبراهيم في التدريبات غدًا أو بعد غد على أقصى تقدير، استعدادًا لبطولة السوبر المصري.

Reporter shares new development on permanent Leeds transfer for Joe Rodon

Since Joe Rodon joined Leeds United on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur, he's started 27 out of a possible 30 Championship games, including the last 22 in a row. While he ranks fifth in the overall squad leaderboard for minutes played (2,674), he leads the way among defenders.

On Saturday, Rodon once again played the full 90 minutes as Leeds beat Rotherham 3-0 to make it six wins on the bounce and continue an amazing streak of defensive form. Across that sequence of victories, Daniel Farke's side have only shipped a single goal.

The manager has publicly confirmed that Leeds want to keep the Welshman, who won their player of the month award in December, both because of his footballing ability and his intangible attributes. He said:

"Behind the scenes, we are working. There is no doubt we are more than happy with Joe,” Farke said. He is growing into this club more and more, a leader role, you see how much it means to him to wear this white shirt.

"He is just happy to be here. He is crucial. We are more than happy. We would like him to stay for a bit longer, but right now it is not an urgent topic – he will stay for us until the end of the season."

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke.

It's recently been reported that, for Leeds to sign Rodon, they need to get promoted back to the Premier League. There's no option to buy in their loan agreement with Spurs, so they'll need to open fresh negotiations over a longer-term deal.

Spurs demand £15m for Rodon

Football Insider journalist Pete O'Rourke has now shared a fresh Rodon to Leeds update. He reports that Spurs want between £10m and £15m to sell him in the summer, a valuation that put off "multiple" Premier League clubs during the January window.

Ange Postecoglou wants to offload Rodon and bank a healthy windfall, but Leeds may struggle to afford it unless they return to the top flight, and it will be difficult to convince the player to choose them too.

Premier League funds essential for Rodon deal

You only need to look at last summer's transfer window to see the difficulty of doing a £15m deal for a Championship club. Only two incoming second-tier transfers (where the fee was disclosed) surpassed eight figures – Leicester's £10m move for Harry Winks and Southampton's £15m deal for Shea Charles.

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By contrast, in 2022/23, when Leeds were last in the Premier League, they signed four different players for a fee of £15m or more and shelled out nearly double that figure to land Brenden Aaronson from RB Leipzig, as you can see in the table below.

Brenden Aaronson

RB Salzburg

£28m

Georginio Rutter

Hoffenheim

£24m

Luis Sinisterra

Feyenoord

£21m

Tyler Adams

RB Leipzig

£15m

Rasmus Kristensen

RB Salzburg

£11m

Max Wober

RB Salzburg

£10m

Marc Roca

Bayern Munich

£10m

Darko Gybai

Man City

£5m

Wilfried Gnonto

FC Zurich

£3.8m

Weston McKennie

Juventus

Loan

Joel Robles

Real Betis

Free

Sonny Perkins

West Ham

Free

Then there's the problem of attracting players. If Rodon is offered the chance to start games in the Premier League, then it's highly unlikely that he'll favour the Championship, regardless of the bond he's forged with supporters.

West Ham now eyeing a new Championship star alongside Clarke and Rowe

Said Benrahma's West Ham career could soon come to an end. According to reports in France, the Irons have "opened the door" for the Algerian to depart this month, and "several" clubs are courting him, with his absence from the Africa Cup of Nations removing one potential obstacle.

Benrahma's exit could pave the way for David Moyes to sign a new winger, and numerous candidates have already been linked, including Jack Clarke at Sunderland and Jonathan Rowe at Norwich. West Ham hold a "definite interest" in the former but have yet to make a formal offer as they continue to assess their options, and now a couple of additional names are in the frame, including another Championship star.

Whittaker a West Ham target

According to ExWHUEmployee, West Ham are interested in Plymouth Argyle's Morgan Whittaker. He's one of "the latest two names to emerge", alongside Sporting's Marcus Edwards, formerly of Tottenham.

West Ham boss David Moyes.

As it stands, West Ham aren't considering making an offer this month, but that stance could apparently change before the window is out. You wonder if it could all depend on what happens with Benrahma.

Whittaker could succeed where Benrahma has failed

Whittaker, 23, came through the Derby academy but joined Swansea City in 2021. After a temporary spell at Lincoln City, he spent the first half of the 2022/23 season at Plymouth Argyle and helped them achieve promotion to the Championship.

The Englishman would then secure a permanent move to Home Park at the end of the season, and he's proceeded to light up the second tier. In 27 Championship games so far this term, he's scored 14 times and set up five more, soaring towards the summit of the league's headline leaderboards. Only Blackburn's Sammie Szmodics (16) has found the net more, and only Southampton's Adam Armstrong (25) can better his 19 goal involvements.

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Whittaker is statistically the most clinical player in the division up to this point, having out-performed his xG by a whopping 6.1, and while it will be hard to sustain that level of ruthlessness, his devastating finishes have clearly caught the eye of West Ham.

Beyond shooting, he's particularly dangerous when running with the ball. Only three players in the Championship have carried the ball into the penalty area on more occasions this season (53), and at the end of last year, only two had registered more carries leading to a shot involvement (53).

If West Ham do end up signing him, there may be comparisons to Benrahma, who amassed 51 direct contributions in 83 games for Brentford in the Championship, but has only managed 31 in 110 at Premier League level and is now being nudged toward a departure. He'll hope he can handle the step-up, because the way he's playing right now, it could only be a matter of time before he makes it, whether that's at the London Stadium or elsewhere.

Leeds make "attractive" Manuel Benson offer in Southampton transfer battle

Leeds United appear to be closing in on their first signing of the January transfer window after making a breakthrough on Friday. The Whites are now advancing towards an agreement to sign 20-year-old Mateusz Musialowski from Liverpool, six months ahead of the expiry of his contract.

Daniel Farke seems to want attacking reinforcements through the door before Thursday's deadline as well as defensive additions, and while Musialowski technically fits that bill, he's yet to play a senior game, so the manager may also want somebody more experienced who can make more of a short-term impact.

That's where Burnley's Manuel Benson comes in. On Wednesday, Leeds reportedly held a fresh round of talks with the Clarets as they continue to push for his signature.

Manuel Benson for Burnley.

Now, a journalist has mapped out the current situation involving Benson, subject to a tug-of-war between two Championship promotion hopefuls as we enter the final days of the winter market.

Leeds and Southampton both table offers for Benson

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Ben Jacobs says that Leeds have made an "attractive offer" to sign Benson. Southampton are currently thought to have a slight advantage in the pursuit of a "top-quality player", but he very much remains up for grabs.

"By Championship standards he's obviously a top-quality player, very confident in the league and it's no real surprise therefore that both Leeds and Southampton are in the race. Some sources say Southampton are slightly ahead of Leeds but I think with nothing done, we're just going to have to wait and see because it's two attractive offers on the table for the player.”

Benson has already ripped up the Championship

Benson has already proven beyond doubt that he can be a difference-maker for either Leeds or Southampton as they eye an instant return to the Premier League. When you break it down to a game-by-game level, he was one of the most impactful players in the division last season, as the table below demonstrates.

Manuel Benson stats

Volume

League rank

Goals per 90

0.66

2nd

Goals + assists per 90

0.85

2nd

Expected assisted goals per 90

0.25

7th

Goals – xG

7.0

1st

Benson was also, statistically speaking, the best finisher in the league last year, and while that sounds like an inviting headline, it should be noted that it may be very difficult for him to sustain that level of overperformance, and he could well regress towards the mean. Still, his underlying numbers indicate that he can impact the game as a creator even if he's not scoring.

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Benson has made just four top-flight appearances for Vincent Kompany this season, totalling a mere 73 minutes, so you'd imagine he'll very much be pushing for a route out of Turf Moor. There are clear similarities with David Brooks, who's struggling for minutes at Bournemouth and is also the subject of interest from both Leeds and Southampton. We may well see a situation where one winds up at Elland Road, and the other at St Mary's.

Liverpool given update in pursuit of Crystal Palace ace Michael Olise

A significant update has dropped regarding Liverpool's potential move for a "special" Premier League player, with some key contract details emerging.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds could be active in the transfer market this month should Jurgen Klopp feel that new faces are needed in his squad in order to boost their title hopes.

Various individuals have been linked with moves to Anfield, with Sporting CP centre-back Goncalo Inacio a player whose name has cropped up numerous times in recent months. The Portuguese is also capable of shining as a left-back, which could be an added reason for signing him.

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The addition of another midfielder also may not be out of the question, and Fulham enforcer Joao Palhinha is a figure who has emerged as a potential option for Liverpool, although the Cottagers will demand a huge fee for his services.

Speaking of Premier League players, Crystal Palace star Michael Olise could also be on his way to Anfield in the near future, but there is stiff competition for his signature.

Key Michael Olise to Liverpool update

According to Football Insider, Olise's contract includes a new release clause, which could see him signed for over £40m.

michael-olise-transfer-gossip-arsenal-ajax-edu-arteta-mohammed-kudus-crystal-palace

"Liverpool target Michael Olise has a new release clause in his Crystal Palace contract worth well in excess of £40million, sources have told Football Insider. It is believed interest in the 22-year-old’s services will not subside this summer despite him signing a new deal at Selhurst Park in August.

"All signs now point to a big summer race for Olise’s signature – with his release clause likely to stand at more than £40million.

A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Palace are in for a “hard battle” to keep hold of their star man despite him committing to new terms just last year."

Olise is enjoying a fantastic season for Palace, arguably standing out as one of the most exciting Premier League players outside of the 'big six'. He may only have made nine appearances in the competition in 2023/24 to date, but five goals have come his way in that time, as well as one assist.

Appearances

9

Goals

5

Assists

1

Dribbles per game

2.7

Key passes per game

2.2

The Frenchman is not dissimilar to Mohamed Salah in terms of favouring a right-sided role and cutting onto his deadly left foot, and he could even be a long-term replacement for the Egyptian superstar. Former Palace manager Patrick Vieira is clearly an admirer of Olise, saying of him in 2022:

"He can score goals, create chances and he is a special talent. He will improve and get better as a player. His work ethic every day has been terrific since he has been at the football club."

It won't be easy for Liverpool to sign Olise given the apparent interest from the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea, but the lure of playing under Klopp could be enough to see the Palace winger at Anfield in the summer.

Lionel Messi injury update: When Inter Miami star will play again after sitting out derby draw at Orlando City with knee problem

Lionel Messi sat out Inter Miami’s goalless draw at Orlando City with a knee injury, but Tata Martino expects him to face D.C. United on Saturday.

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Argentine icon missed clash with Florida rivalsHerons draw another blank without himConfidence he will be back for next MLS gameWHAT HAPPENED?

No risks were taken on the Argentine superstar in a derby date with Florida rivals. The Herons drew a blank without their talismanic captain, but remain top of the MLS Eastern Conference for now. Martino’s side have fallen flat during enforced absences for Messi this season, but the expectation is that he will be back for Inter Miami’s next outing.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowAdvertisementGettyWHAT MARTINO SAID

Martino told reporters when asked to for an update on Messi: “Leo had some discomfort, but he trained every day, we did tests and they all came out very good. Having three games in a week, with him still in some pain, we felt it was prudent for him to sit out this game. The plan is for him to play Saturday, but we will take it day by day. He trained again [on Wednesday] and felt good, but we will not take any risk. We will see how he feels on Thursday and Friday.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Inter Miami had scored 19 goals through five successive victories with Messi at their disposal, but average less than one per game without him. Martino added on the Herons' lack of cutting edge when the World Cup winner is missing: “Not having Leo, it is impossible to achieve the capacity he has to play the final 25 meters of the field. Inter Miami felt that and Barcelona felt that 10 years ago. All of the good things they did in the buildup needed him to find solutions down the field in tight spaces. We were missing that. On the other hand, we were organized, we had good ball circulation…and defensively, we were a solid team, and that is what I take away because we had allowed goals in all but two games and in this game, against a tough rival in a tough place to play we were able to keep it at zero.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

Messi, who will turn 37 in June, has just four more fixtures with Inter Miami to take in before linking up with the Argentina squad for the 2024 Copa America. The Herons continue to be given a taste of how difficult it will be to maintain trophy-chasing form without him.

Paul Mullin achieves historic first & rewrites Wrexham record books as 105-goal star continues to justify faith of Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney

Paul Mullin has posted a historic first, rewriting Wrexham record books in the process, as he justifies the faith of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

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  • Striker arrived in same year as Hollywood owners
  • Has become a centurion on the goal front
  • Dominated end of season awards
  • Getty/GOAL

    WHAT HAPPENED?

    The prolific frontman was one of the first marquee signings to be completed by Hollywood co-owners at SToK Racecourse following their stunning takeover in 2021. Mullin arrived with plenty of pedigree, as a proven Football League goalscorer, but has quickly become a club legend in North Wales.

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  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Mullin has helped to deliver back-to-back promotions for Wrexham, with the 2023-24 campaign seeing him become a centurion for the Red Dragons as he reached 105 goals in total through 140 appearances. He did endure injury struggles at the start of the season, but bounced back in style.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Mullin’s exploits have been recognised with another Player of the Year award. The 29-year-old has won that prize in each of his three seasons with Wrexham, such is his importance to the collective cause, and he has become the first man to achieve a hat-trick of triumphs for the ambitious Welsh outfit.

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  • WHAT NEXT FOR MULLIN?

    Wrexham have their talismanic No.10 tied to a contract through to 2027, meaning that he will be back for more in League One next season. There promises to be a few fresh faces alongside him, with Reynolds and McElhenney preparing to make more funds available in the summer transfer window.

Clement can ease Raskin blow by unleashing £22k-p/w Rangers star in new role

Rangers returned to winning ways over the weekend by easing to a 2-0 victory over St Mirren at Ibrox and the result was a pleasant way to end a difficult week.

The victory keeps them eight points behind Celtic in the Premiership, but they do have a game in hand coming up and if they could secure three points then, it would narrow the gap further.

Philippe Clement remains undefeated in charge of the club, yet successive 1-1 draws against Aberdeen and Aris Limassol appeared to halt the new manager bounce and the performances were disjointed in both games.

Glasgow Rangers managerPhilippe Clement.

Against the Paisley side, however, the Belgian rejigged his starting XI, and it resulted in a straightforward victory, with Todd Cantwell being utilised in his preferred attacking midfield slot.

Despite the win, it wasn’t all good news as the manager confirmed that Nico Raskin will all but miss the League Cup final against Aberdeen in two weeks due to injury.

The latest news on Nico Raskin's injury

The 22-year-old was stretchered off during the 2-1 win against Hearts at the end of October due to suffering an injury and the initial prognosis was he would be available after the international break.

Speaking to the media following the league clash on Sunday, Clement provided a fresh update on his recovery, and it isn’t good news for the Ibrox faithful.

He said: "Nico will have a new assessment next week because his rehab is not going well so I am not so happy about that but it is what it is. We have to find solutions."

The 49-year-old also said his chances of appearing against Aberdeen were “very small” and this is a blow for the Light Blues, who were hoping to return to full strength ahead of the game.

It remains to be seen whether he will play a part in any of the festive fixtures and Clement will need to adapt and utilise other players in the squad.

Nico Raskin Rangers career in numbers

The Light Blues managed to secure Raskin’s signature during the January transfer window having trailed him since the previous summer, and it looked as though he was going to be a shrewd piece of business by Michael Beale.

During his first six months, the Belgian played 16 matches for the club and despite arriving with over half the season already completed, Raskin still managed to rank third across the squad in tackles per game (1.8) while succeeding with a staggering 92% of his dribble attempts and completing 88% of his passes.

It was clear he had a bright future in the game and his embryonic spell in Glasgow certainly proved that he could emerge as a mainstay in the heart of the midfield.

So far during the 2023/24 campaign, Raskin tops the pile for tackles per game across the whole squad (2.8), while also ranking seventh for accurate passes per game (44.1) and for big chances created (two), showcasing his tenacious nature along with an impressive passing game.

His loss has been felt and while John Lundstram is a steady presence in the midfield, Clement must now try and get Ryan Jack and Jose Cifuentes up to speed as they are his likely choices of partner for the former Sheffield United midfielder.

There may be another option, however, as Tom Lawrence dropped slightly deeper against St Mirren at the weekend. Could the Welshman fill in for Raskin over the course of the next few weeks?

Tom Lawrence’s game vs St Mirren in numbers

The 29-year-old played the full 90 minutes and with every game, he is slowly returning to the type of form which led the Gers to sign him in the first place.

Lawrence was constantly looking to get involved against the Paisley side, taking 93 touches and when he had it, the midfielder made two key passes and succeeded with his only dribble attempt in what was a commanding performance.

Tom Lawrence

He did lose possession 18 times, but it was only due to his inclination to get forward on a regular basis and the former Derby County star chipped in defensively too.

The midfielder managed to win 50% of his ground duels along with making four tackles during the match and his performance may have given Clement something to think about going forward.

Tom Lawrence’s statistics this season for Rangers

Having missed practically the whole of last season due to suffering an injury in August 2022, Lawrence has shown wonderful resilience to not only recover but to force his way into Clement’s plans for the future.

The £22k-per-week maestro was recently hailed as “brilliant” by Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie, and he has impressed so far this season.

The Welshman not only ranks second across the squad for big chances created in the Premiership (three), but he also ranks fourth for key passes per game (1.7), fifth for successful dribbles per game (one) and shots on target per game (0.8), showing his effectiveness in an attacking sense.

44.1

29

2

3

0.9

1

1.1

1.7

2.8

0.8

He has often been utilised in his preferred attacking midfield role, hence the impressive statistics regarding big chances created, and key passes made, but the midfielder displayed on Sunday that even by dropping slightly deeper than normal, he still has the potential to cause plenty of problems for the opposition defence.

With Jack struggling with the odd injury niggles and Cifuentes not quite hitting the ground running, there is a space alongside Lundstram for Lawrence and if he takes it, there could be selection problems for the manager when Raskin returns.

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The former Club Brugge boss will just need to be wary of Lawrence’s fitness as he hasn’t exactly played a lot of football and with a hectic fixture list coming up, managing his game time will be a key priority.

Against Hearts on Wednesday, however, Lawrence and Lundstram must be the two central midfield options that Clement goes with, as they can work in tandem to cause all sorts of problems for the Jambos.

Raskin being injured may be a blow for the Light Blues, yet in the 29-year-old, they have a more than capable replacement who has shown just how good he can be in recent weeks.

Lange "ready" to move for "very strong" new Spurs centre-back target

Tottenham are ready to rival a top club and sign an exciting new centre-back who's even been likened to Arsenal star William Saliba.

Lange chases new Spurs defender

After recruitment meetings in the last week, new sporting director Johan Lange has reportedly identified a left-sided defender as one of Tottenham's main priorities for the January window.

This comes after centre-back Micky van de Ven sustained a hamstring injury in the 4-1 defeat to Chelsea earlier this month, with defensive partner Cristian Romero also suspended right now. Ange Postecoglou has been forced to play both Ben Davies and Emerson Royal as the centre-back pairing most recently, with Spurs' head coach seemingly not having any faith in Eric Dier.

Tottenham have been linked with the likes of Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly and Crystal Palace Marc Guehi, while other options are finding their way on to Spurs' list of January targets fairly regularly.

Centre-back is a position Spurs quite simply need to reinforce, with former defender Alan Hutton backing them to make a "top signing" in the winter window recently.

“It’ll be very interesting to see who they bring in, and I think it will happen, a top signing, for sure," said Hutton to Football Insider in mid-Novemberm, commenting on Tottenham's links to Kelly.

"They do need defensive reinforcements as we’ve seen after a number of injuries. They look thin at the back so it’s something they will look at. Kelly’s got lots of experience in the Premier League.

“He’s a good size, good with his feet and ticks a lot of boxes. He’s somebody they’ll have an eye on but I’m sure there’ll be lots of players that are working hard in the background to see if they can make the squad better.”

Spurs eyeing Jean-Clair Todibo

Now, according to The Evening Standard and journalist Nizaar Kinsella, Tottenham are "ready to rival" Liverpool in the race to sign Jean-Clair Todibo.

Indeed, Spurs have joined the race for Todibo as they prepare to sign another defender in January. He'll apparently cost around £39 million to prise away from current club Nice, where he has seriously impressed in Ligue 1.

Nice defenderJean-Clair Todibo.

The France international is apparently keen on a move to the Premier League as well, with Man United also in the hunt for his signature amid their desperation for another centre-back.

Todibo, interestingly, has been likened to Arsenal star Saliba in playing style by Football Transfers, while former Bayern Munich defender and Brazil star Dante called him a "very strong" player.

“Of course, we would like Todibo to stay," said Dante when speaking in a recent press conference (via Football Transfers).

"But it can be complicated. We have to wait to see who will want to buy him and if everyone finds himself there. He is a leader, a very strong player mentally, he has improved a lot and he is ready to reach the very top level."

Still just 23-year-old, Todibo would have many years to justify his price tag at Spurs, but it remains to be seen whether he'd be willing to compete with van de Ven or Romero as the starting centre-back.

Youngsters have brought "fearlessness" to the side – van Niekerk

The very first stand-alone women’s World T20 is less than a week away, and the South Africa captain feels women’s cricket thoroughly deserves the “alone time”

Liam Brickhill03-Nov-2018

Dane van Niekerk speaks at the arrival press conference•ICC/Getty Images

The build-up to the World T20 is well underway, and unofficial warm-up games between England, West Indies, South Africa and India drew huge crowds to the Sir Vivian Richards cricket ground in Antigua on Thursday. South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk called the atmosphere at the ground “the best” she had ever experienced at an international.”It was close to one of the biggest [crowds],” said van Niekerk. “The atmosphere was the best I’ve played around. It felt like an official game, and it was India South africa so it was quite daunting.”India reached 146 for 4 in their innings, having opted to bat first, and though Laura Wolvaardt managed 42 in South Africa’s chase, van Niekerk’s team fell three runs short in front of a crowd enlivened by celebrations for Antigua and Barbuda’s 37th independence day.”I got a bit nervous there at the end and kept on telling myself it’s just a warm-up game, but with everyone around it just made for a really good cricket match,” said van Niekerk. “And then with the England West Indies game, the way the West Indies women played, it just shows you what a team can do when the crowd gets behind them.”The very first stand-alone women’s World T20 is less than a week away, and van Niekerk said that women’s cricket thoroughly deserves the “alone time”.”It’s due and it’s well deserved,” she said The growth of women’s cricket has shown that it deserves the time – the alone time if I can say it like that. You have to pinch yourself when you see how quickly it’s grown. And the entertainment factor is there now, with bigger hits, quicker bowlers, athletic players, it’s a lot more exciting. It’s well deserved for women’s cricket at the moment, and hopefully we can do justice to the tournament.”South Africa reached the semi-final of the 2014 edition of the World T20, while last year they came within touching distance of a berth in the final of the 50-over World Cup, only to fall to England in a tightly contested encounter in Bristol. With match-winners in almost every department this time around, van Niekerk believes this is “definitely” the best chance her team have ever had to reach – and win – a global final”The team we have is the best we’ve had. We have experienced players and young players, exciting players. It is our best chance, it’s just up to us if we want to win it or not.”South Africa blooded several rookies on their tour of the Caribbean in September, drawing the one-day series 1-1 and then fighting back from 2-0 to hold the reigning T20 champions to a 2-2 draw in the T20Is. Wolvaardt, the 19-year-old top-order batter, averaged 43 in the T20s, striking the ball at 111.68, while fellow teenager Tumi Sekhukhune played a similarly vital role, taking seven wickets across both series. One of the main things the youngsters have brought to the side, van Niekerk said, is “fearlessness”.”The massive thing is the fearlessness,” she said. “The younger ones are fearless. They don’t quite know yet who’s bowling at them or who they’re facing. It’s exciting for me just to watch them go about their job, because they just play the ball. When you play as long as we have, you start knowing the players and you know who’s bowling at you or the aura a player has around them. The younger players don’t have that. It’s something some of our senior players have taken away from them: just play the ball. I told them to flourish and just have fun.”The Decision Review System (DRS) will be used in an ICC World T20 event for the first time ever, and it will also be the first time that van Niekerk and her team will be using it.”We’re not experienced at all, this will be my first time,” she confirmed. “I’m just trying to keep all the bowlers calm. Because I think Lizelle [Lee] is the only one who has used it. We had a bit of a chat about it. It’s going to be an experience. We’ve felt like in the past we’ve got a few hard [decisions], but hopefully now we can use the DRS to our benefit.”We spoke to the keepers in Trisha [Chetty] and Lizelle, and they are going to play a massive role. They are going to see if it’s going to hit or not. We said if you feel like it’s really far fetched, just don’t go for it, but I’ll back any player if they want to use it. It’s not there just for me to use it or make that decision, we are a team. If you feel it’s out, go up. But the keeper is going to be the most important player for those decisions.”

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