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Chris Nash has signed for Nottinghamshire after begin released from his contract by Sussex last week. The 34-year-old has agreed a three-year deal to play at Trent Bridge.Nash’s departure at Sussex was followed by that of the head coach, Mark Davis, after a difficult season in which the south-coast county failed to achieve promotion. Nash will be playing in Division One next year, however, with Notts bouncing back after relegation in 2016. The club also won the Royal London Cup and NatWest Blast.The veteran batsman, who can also bowl useful offspin, will be reunited with former Sussex coach Peter Moores, who took over at Notts a year ago. Nash’s arrival will help offset the loss of Michael Lumb, who retired through injury midway through the season.”Once Notts came in after I’d had my request for release granted by Sussex – with my former coach Peter Moores here, at such a great ground and with what the club achieved last season – it was an easy decision for me,” Nash said.”It’s great to get the chance to work again with Peter, who gave me my first contract at Sussex, and I’m really looking forward to the next three years. To look out over Trent Bridge and realise that it’s going to be my home ground is pretty special.”It’s going to be amazing to be part of helping the club defend their two white ball trophies in front of big crowds. The Outlaws were sensational last season in white-ball cricket and I’m looking forward to joining in with that.”Nash had a stop-start campaign in 2017, averaging 27.52 and scoring just a single Championship hundred after moving down to bat in the middle order. His tally of 578 first-class runs was his worst since 2006 but he is vastly experienced and passed 1000 runs four times between 2009 and 2016, usually as an opener.He was also Sussex’s leading run-scorer in the Blast last season but, having been overlooked for the captaincy, asked to leave – a request which was granted as Rob Andrew, the chief executive, decided rebuilding was in order at Hove.Nottinghamshire have also been active in recruiting. They missed out on England opener Keaton Jennings, who opted to join Lancashire, but did sign Paul Coughlin, another highly rated Durham prospect. With the retirement of captain Chris Read, Moores was pleased to bring in another senior player in Nash.Moores said: “You don’t expect a player to suddenly become available who’s such a good fit for us. It’s really exciting to have Chris join us, and I know he’s excited to come here too.”We were in the market for a senior batsman and he plays across all three formats with a good record in four-day cricket, as well as in T20 and 50-over cricket. Chris also adds some significant experience to the squad. Trent Bridge is a great place for him to showcase his skills and I think he will enjoy it.”

While there will be those of a Tottenham Hotspur persuasion still hoping that club-record scorer, Harry Kane will be a part of Ange Postecoglou's side beyond the September deadline, it is looking increasingly likely that the England skipper will be on his way as a matter of when and not if.

Amid reports that chairman Daniel Levy could be forced to cash in on the long-serving striker rather than allow him to leave for nothing next summer, it would appear that the only question now is where the 30-year-old ends up, with Bayern Munich and Manchester United still circling.

If the 6 foot 2 marksman is to depart over the coming weeks then Postecoglou will need to find a new attacking figurehead who can ease the goalscoring burden on Heung-min Son, with there perhaps other members of the current squad who could step up to the plate.

Last year's £60m summer signing, Richarlison did only recently net a hat-trick in the 5-1 thrashing of Lion City Sailors, although it is yet to be seen if the mercurial Brazilian can replicate that form in the Premier League, having scored just a solitary top-flight goal last season.

Rather than attempting to rely on the 26-year-old, a possible surprise package may have presented itself in the form of former Fulham loanee, Manor Solomon, with the recent free transfer arrival from Shakhtar Donetsk having made a strong early impression on pre-season.

How good is Manor Solomon?

Described as "really exciting" by Postecoglou, the 24-year-old has also been the recipient of notable praise from journalist Paul Brown, with the respected insider telling Football FanCast that the Israeli international can be something of a "weapon" for the north Londoners next season.

Asked whether the 5 foot 7 ace is a bargain signing, Brown stated: "Yeah, I think he's a really good little player. He, in limited minutes, did really good things for Fulham and scored a lot of goals off the bench for them. I think in a similar role at spurs, he could be quite dynamic.

"I think bringing him on against tired defenders at the end at the end of the game would be a good weapon for the new manager to have, so I can see why they did that one."

How has Manor Solomon performed in pre-season?

That glowing praise is a sign of the potential gem that Postecoglou has on his hands, with Solomon having shown glimpses last season while at Craven Cottage that he can offer a real goal threat in his new home at N17.

While Richarlison failed to catch fire for the Lilywhites, the Israeli sensation scored four Premier League goals in 2022/23 despite missing the first half of the season through injury, with that impact also coming despite being limited to just four starts in the competition.

Barring another injury setback, the £13m-rated speedster looks likely to have a bigger role to play this time around if his pre-season form is anything to go by, having been hailed as a 'constant threat' on the right flank by football.london's Alasdair Gold following the recent win over Lion City – who also awarded him an 8/10 match rating.

The diminutive, wing wizard had also shone on the opposite side against rivals West Ham United last week, with the Evening Standard's Simon Collings writing that he was 'just about Tottenham’s best player during the first half and looked very lively cutting inside.'

While it remains to be seen which wing the one-time Maccabi Tel Aviv menace will line up on moving forward, such versatility is evidence of just what a 'weapon' he is, hence the excitement over his potential influence in 2023/24.

Although it may be Richarlison who is likely to be the direct, positional replacement for Kane through the middle, Solomon is already showing signs that he can lead the charge from the flanks.

Tottenham Hotspur have "just started" talks with Eintracht Frankfurt star Randal Kolo Muani and a deal "could happen" this summer, according to reports.

Who will Spurs sign?

Ange Postecoglou, buoyed by the arrivals of three major signings this summer, is also having to contend with widespread rumours of Kane's potential departure.

Spurs are currently enjoying a tour of the Far East in their pre-season preparations for 2023/2024, but Kane's links with Bayern Munich are proving to be a major distraction.

“Fair to say I am not relaxed about it," said Postecoglou to the media recently.

“It’s not something you go: ‘Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen!’ I mean it’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club.

“But the flip side of that is I don’t want to put a deadline on it, because that adds even more pressure. You want these things to happen for the right reasons. The reality of it is he’s still a contracted player at our football club, so that’s the way I see him."

Kane has just 12 months remaining on his current Spurs deal, a fact not lost on Postecoglou or the biggest sides in European football. Bayern are seriously pursuing Kane as they aim to add a star striker to their ranks for next campaign.

There have been reports of the 29-year-old being unwilling to pen an extension, and as such, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy may need to seriously contemplate selling his prized asset.

Tottenham have been linked with a host of star strikers to succeed Kane, perhaps most notably Napoli's Victor Osimhen and Flamengo star Pedro.

Now, France international Kolo Muani has entered the frame too, and Spurs have even commenced talks with the player. That is according to transfer journalist Sacha Tavolieri, who claims a "deal could happen".

It's added that Eintracht forward would be keen to make the move to N17, and Tottenham's interest is said to be "huge".

"EXCL. Randal Kolo Muani to be the priority target striker for Harry Kane's replacement at Tottenham," said Tavolieri on Twitter.

"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."

How good is Randal Kolo Muani?

The 24-year-old, who can play in a variety of positions further forward, bagged a brilliant 15 goals and 11 assists in 32 Bundesliga appearances last season.

His form has been met with praise from a variety of outside sources, but those closest to him are in no doubt over his sheer quality.

"He's amazing," former Eintracht and Bayern boss Felix Magath told French newspaper L'Équipe (via Bundesliga).

"He's not only a strong dribbler, but he's very clinical in the final third. I love his mentality; he's always thinking about the team. That's obvious when you look at how many assists he's got this season."

Donny Van de Beek looks set to leave Manchester United this summer, with clubs from six countries interested according to Dean Jones.

How long has Donny Van de Beek been at Manchester United?

The Dutchman looks set to call time on his three-year spell in Manchester this window.

The former Ajax man joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2020 for a fee reported to potentially rise to £39m, and has made 60 appearances across the three seasons, scoring two goals and providing two assists.

Many expected that following the arrival of Van de Beek's former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag to the 'Theatre of Dreams' that the Dutch international would finally be able to truly find his feet at United and showcase to everyone why he commanded such a large transfer fee, however, that never materialised.

The midfielder's time at the club has failed to reach the heights that many expected, with him struggling to establish himself under three separate managers. The 26-year-old has also failed to jump ahead of Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes during his time at Old Trafford, and injury problems have derailed any real chances to build up form, with the player having missed 52 games for the Red Devils, including 38 last campaign after a devastating knee injury ended his campaign in January.

Van de Beek also had a disappointing loan spell during the second half of the 2021/22 season at Merseyside club Everton, where injuries once again hampered his time at the club, limiting him to just seven appearances for the Toffees.

Reports have suggested that the 26-year-old will be leaving United this summer, with a number of clubs interested. Speaking on the Football Terrace's Done Deal show, journalist Jones stated that the Red Devils might have to accept a loan move for the Dutch international.

"Van de Beek is eventually gonna get a route out the club, but they don’t even know which country it’s gonna be yet. He’s got interest in like five or six different countries but none of them want to front money for Van De Beek so are they going to have to contemplate a loan? They possibly will, yeah. I mean it’s absolutely not what they wanted but Van de Beek might have to end up going on loan.”

What club will Van de Beek join?

A number of clubs have been linked with the former Ajax man ahead of a potential move this summer.

A number of top sides in Italy are reportedly interested in Van de Beek, with Inter Milan, AS Roma and AC Milan being named as potential landing grounds. However, the midfielder isn't the first-choice target for any of these sides, which could prevent a transfer should the player want to make his move early in this window.

There are also Premier League sides interested, with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace all monitoring the attacking midfielders' situation. Palace previously failed in a bid to sign the Dutchman on loan in January 2021 when he opted for Everton instead. Ultimately, however, the best move for Van de Beek might be to leave the Premier League, as he has really struggled to adapt to the demands of the division.

A move back to the Netherlands may be the best idea for a player looking to get his career back on track. Both current champions Feyenoord and former club Ajax have explored the possibility of bringing the player to their respective clubs according to a report from 90min. The player enjoyed a very fruitful spell at Ajax before his move to United, making 175 appearances and recording 75 foal contributions, including some memorable goals in Ajax's historic 2018/19 Champions League campaign.

Whatever the midfielder's next move is, hopefully, it is the right one to reignite what was once such a promising career

Chelsea remain the 'most likely' destination for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo to end up this summer, according to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Moises Caicedo?

Chelsea were reported to have joined the race just under a week ago, and things look to have picked up since then.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has given an update on the state of play surrounding Caicedo and Chelsea, stating on Twitter: "Understand Chelsea will continue talks with Brighton for Moisés Caicedo next week. Clubs will be in direct contact as negotiations are ongoing. Chelsea hope to find a solution soon as personal terms are not an issue, Moisés already said yes to Chelsea. Talks on."

Rudy Galetti, who is also a journalist, has issued a further development in the Blues' quest to land the £60k-a-week ace on Twitter, stating: "Moises Caicedo, the talks between Chelsea and Brighton are entering in the final stage. Understand the 2 clubs agreed the fixed amount of the transfer (~£75m) and now they are discussing the add-ons. Moises is keen to join CFC and he’s pushing for the move."

The Athletic have alternatively provided information that suggests Brighton could demand a colossal £100 million fee to part ways with the Ecuador international this off-season.

The Seagulls are believed to have benchmarked the price bracket that West Ham midfielder Declan Rice is being quoted at amid interest from Arsenal and think that Caicedo is every bit as good, if not better, than the England international.

Football Insider detail that Chelsea are 'increasingly confident of securing an agreement' to bring Caicedo to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jacobs believes that somewhere around the £80 million mark would be a more realistic fee structure for Caicedo than the reported £100 million demand from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Jacobs said: "Of course, you'd expect Brighton to try and get the best possible deal. But I understand that Caicedo will be a lot closer to £80m than £100m and Chelsea, not Manchester United, remains the most likely destination at this point."

Would Moises Caicedo be a good signing for Chelsea?

It's hard to argue otherwise when you take his meteoric rise at the Amex Stadium into account, which has paved the way for high-profile interest from the likes of Chelsea to become apparent this window.

Last season, Caicedo, who has been hailed as a "monster", made 43 appearances for Brighton & Hove Albion in all competitions, registering one goal and one assist, as per Transfermarkt.

Caicedo also managed an average of 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per match in the Premier League across 2022/23, making his presence known at the heart of the Seagulls' engine room, according to WhoScored.

Driving his side forward from midfield, the Ecuadorian enforcer successfully completed 88 shot-creating actions in the English top flight and showed his desire to help offensive moves, as per FBRef.

Mauricio Pochettino looks to be hard at work as he looks to secure his preferred targets and Caicedo may well be the next in line to pitch up in SW6.

Aston Villa are serious contenders after making an enquiry to sign Villarreal midfielder Dani Parejo this summer, according to reports.

Is Dani Parejo leaving Villarreal?

Since joining from Valencia back in 2020, Parejo has been a regular feature of Quique Setien’s first-team, starting 37 out of the 38 La Liga games last season, but despite this, he’s facing an uncertain future and could be on the move during this window.

The Spaniard will be out of contract at the end of next season meaning that the coming weeks will present his side with their final big opportunity to cash in should they not want to lose him for free, and should he depart, he won’t be short of potential suitors being their second top-performing defensive player in 2022/23.

Unai Emery will already be very familiar with the 34-year-old having managed him for 145 matches during his time in his homeland, and it sounds like he’s eyeing a reunion with his former star by wanting to bring him to the Premier League.

Are Aston Villa signing Parejo?

According to El Periodico Mediterraneo (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa have “tested the ground” for Parejo and are firmly “in the picture” to sign him ahead of the new campaign.

Spanish reports previously claimed that Emery has personally requested to sign the midfielder, though Villarreal are believed to have offered him a new three-year deal which they are “hopeful” he will accept, so this will be a situation to closely watch over the summer.

Coud Parejo be a good addition for Emery?

Parejo is naturally a central midfielder but he’s much stronger in the attacking aspect of his game. He has been hailed a player who “oozes class” by journalist Josh Bunting, so if he was to sign on the dotted line, he would be a fantastic recruit to add a bit of composure and guile in the middle third.

The AC Talent client, who pockets £62k-per-week, posted seven goal contributions (four assists and three goals) in 37 La Liga appearances last season and recorded 144 crosses along with 113 shot-creating actions, which was higher than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef.

Finally, Parejo is a versatile operator having been deployed in five various positions over the pitch, including everywhere across the centre of the park, which will no doubt be yet another attribute that the boss admires, and with him holding an existing connection to his target, there’s a strong chance that an agreement could be reached.

After four losses to begin the competition, Sydney Thunder have found their rhythm, confidence and form, their latest result a win over the Hobart Hurricanes that helped them stay alive in the tournament

The Report by Daniel Brettig08-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe Hobart Hurricanes batsmen, save George Bailey, failed to help themselves at a raucous Bellerive Oval•Cricket Australia

Before this tournament, the Sydney Thunder general manager Nick Cummins indicated that the defending champions needed to attack BBL06 as though they were the bottom team.Having started with four consecutive defeats, they had no choice but to follow this dictum. Two wins later, the Thunder will have a few other sides looking over their shoulders.This was a comfortable victory over the Hobart Hurricanes at a raucous Bellerive Oval, made all the more significant for the identities of the principal contributors: Fawad Ahmed, Carlos Brathwaite, James Vince and Shane Watson.Containing interestsLegspin is an inherently attacking art, devised to fool batsmen and harvest wickets for the price of a few boundaries. However, the truncated nature of T20 means economy can be as valuable as incisiveness, as Fawad amply showed on the same ground where he prospered for Victoria in the 2015 Sheffield Shield final.Conceding just 19 from four overs, Fawad sapped much of any potential momentum from the Hurricanes’ innings, following up from the early wickets procured by Clint McKay and Pat Cummins in the first two overs of the innings. His accuracy also meant a rare expensive outing for Chris Green was not overly damaging, and kept George Bailey from spreading his wings too far in the most spinal innings from among Hobart’s batsmen.Carlos Brathwaite contributed to Sydney Thunder’s win with two wickets on debut•Getty Images

Taking chargeWatson is the only man left from the powerful Khawaja-Kallis-Hussey-Watson quartet that drove the Thunder so far towards a maiden BBL title last summer. Early in this tournament he was absent through injury, much as the Thunder themselves were unable to offer the sort of presence expected.But a superb return catch to account for Kevin Pietersen in the narrow home win over Melbourne Stars marked Watson’s first major contribution to the campaign, and here he followed up with an innings to not only secure victory but also add to the Thunder’s problematic net run-rate. In the space of 31 balls he struck five sixes, a haul not quite in Chris Lynn territory but still two more than the Hurricanes managed in their entire innings.New dogs, old tricksHaving lost Eoin Morgan and Andre Russell to England and injury respectively, the Thunder needed swift returns for their investments in their replacements James Vince and Brathwaite; both came to the party in welcome ways.Brathwaite’s fast medium lacks Russell’s potential for the explosive, but he made up for the pace differential with canny slower balls to deceive first Dan Christian and then Jon Wells. Vince then put together a smart introductory innings, helping to pile up 58 without loss from the opening Powerplay and effectively muting the Hurricanes and their decidedly partisan crowd. The Thunder are still in with a chance, and Brathwaite and Vince did plenty to keep them there.

A round-up of the fourth day of Group A matches in the eighth round of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2016Uttar Pradesh bowled Railways out for 155 in Rajkot to complete a comprehensive 221-run win that lifted them out of bottom place in Group A.Railways were dented late on the third day, having been reduced to 35 for 5 after being set 377 to win. They lost overnight batsman Mahesh Rawat (19) with the score on 56. Partnerships of 46 for the seventh wicket and 53 for the eighth kept them afloat for a while. However, those weren’t enough as left-arm chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav wrapped their innings up with figures of 4 for 33.Madhya Pradesh needed to bowl just two balls on the fourth day to remove Baroda’s final wicket to bowl them out for 114 and win by 232 runs. Medium-pacer Chandrakant Sakure took the wicket to complete his third five-wicket haul of the season.Jiwanjot Singh’s eighth first-class century helped Punjab take one point despite being made to follow on by Gujarat in Belagavi. Jiwanjot had walked in late on day three, at 36 for 1, with Punjab still trailing by 341. He remained unbeaten through the final day, finishing on 101 off 261 balls (15×4), having added an unbroken 165 for the third wicket in 66 overs with Uday Kaul, who made 64 (178b, 7×4).Jasprit Bumrah took the only wicket of the day, striking in the eleventh over of the morning to have Manan Vohra caught behind for 47. Struggling for wickets thereafter, Gujarat used ten bowlers to try and break the Jiwanjot-Kaul partnership, with only their wicketkeeper Dhruv Raval not getting a bowl.Mumbai batsman Shubham Ranjane, who was playing only his second first-class match, and veteran allrounder Abhishek Nayar soaked up 268 balls and grafted 112 runs for the the sixth wicket to hold off Bengal’s push for an unlikely comeback win in Nagpur.Mumbai eventually walked away with three points thanks to their first-innings lead of 130 and consolidated their position at the top of the Group A table, while Bengal had to settle for one point.Chasing 308, after Bengal, following-on, were dismissed for 437 from an overnight 433 for 8, Mumbai lost their top three to Ashok Dinda in 11 overs. Suryakumar Yadav and captain Aditya Tare contributed twenties, before falling to seamer Mukesh Kumar and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha respectively. Ranjane and Nayar came together at the end of the 28th over and did not budge until the 73rd over.The defiant stand ended when Dinda had Nayar caught behind for 51 off 135 balls. Ranjane and Dhawal Kulkarni then batted out 86 balls as Mumbai closed the day at 203 for 6 to earn a draw. Dinda was named Man of the Match for his haul of 9 for 162, including 4 for 74 in the last innings.

Tottenham Hotspur seem to be closing in on a new managerial target, just days after their disappointment with Arne Slot…

What's the latest on Brendan Rodgers to Tottenham Hotspur?

That's according to Football Transfers, which is reporting that the club has formally offered the manager's job to former Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers.

Although they are keeping their options open, the Lilywhites are keen on conducting future business in a far quieter manner, to avoid potential embarrassments like that earned through this Slot saga or the Julian Nagelsmann one that came before it.

Whilst it goes on to state that Daniel Levy is not the biggest advocate for the Northern Irishman, the widespread approval from his board has led to him offering him the post. They do retain a contingency plan if they are knocked back again, however.

Would Brendan Rodgers be a success at Tottenham Hotspur?

Although his tenure at the King Power Stadium might have ended on a sour note, which could end in the club's relegation, the 50-year-old remains a top manager with a fine pedigree across England and Scotland.

Having managed some top clubs, too, he has overseen success with maintaining and improving a club's status as well as wholly transforming their fortunes. With Spurs, they will demand a unique blend of both skillsets.

Having nearly led Liverpool to the league title in a season that journalist James Pearce described as "remarkable", he would go on to earn an unprecedented back-to-back treble with Celtic before making his triumphant return to England. There, he would oversee the steady progression of Leicester into an FA Cup-winning side before things uncharacteristically went south.

Across his 689 games in management, Rodgers has maintained a 1.76 points-per-game average, with his teams scoring 1,268 while winning 361 games, as per Transfermarkt. Considering many of those matches have been played with teams like Swansea City, Reading and Watford, such figures are made even more commendable.

Trevor Sinclair even suggested he was a "genius" back in 2021, and that "if a big club needs a manager they will look at Brendan".

One of his true success stories in the Midlands was in helping Wilfred Ndidi to reach his peak, getting the best out of the Nigerian midfield monster until injuries began to thwart a promising career.

With Rodgers arriving in February 2019, the 2020/21 season that followed was arguably the 26-year-old's best, as he maintained a 7.17 average rating whilst recording two clearances, 2.3 interceptions and 3.7 tackles per game, via Sofascore. Rodgers morphed him into one of the best ball-winning midfielders in the Premier League, and could achieve similar success should he also tempt Manuel Ugarte to Spurs.

The Uruguayan continues to be linked with a move from Sporting CP, and Levy remains keen on such a swoop. He too has enjoyed a top year in Portugal, with 3.9 tackles per game and a 92% pass accuracy showing signs that the 22-year-old could emulate Ndidi.

His work in breaking up the play could prove instrumental as part of Rodgers' double pivot, underpinning his 4-2-3-1 system.

Should Levy reluctantly bring in the free agent and pair him with this midfield destroyer, it could provide the perfect foundation for a bright future in north London.

Rilee Rossouw has said that the team is unaffected by the talk going around on the decision to drop Hashim Amla from the XI

Firdose Moonda04-Oct-2016Rilee Rossouw was called up to South Africa’s ODI squad as a replacement for the injured AB de Villiers, ahead of the match against Ireland at the end of last month. He ended up replacing an ill Hashim Amla at the start of the Australia series last week. To say that Rossouw had big boots to fill is not an understatement. But try two fifties in two matches on for size, and it seems Rossouw could be a perfect fit.So, why the in-house handwringing from captain Faf du Plessis, who said he wanted Amla back in the XI but the selectors decided otherwise? “Hashim averages 52 in one-day cricket, so, for me, you can never replace that,” du Plessis said. “And if you miss one game for the flu, then it’s always the respect that you’re given to come back into the team. So, if it was my decision, I would definitely bring him back, and the same with the coach, but the selectors felt the combination at the top was working really well.”Perhaps, the stand-in captain just wants protocol to take precedence, and it seems he is not the only one. Television and social media commentators were aghast at Amla’s omission on Sunday, and there is every indication that he will be back for the third ODI. And where will that leave Rossouw, mentally and literally? “When we had our team culture camp, we spoke about our playing bubble. People can say what they want to say, as long as it doesn’t affect how we are going about our proceedings and how we play,” Rossouw said. “If Hashim comes back and I am playing, I will probably slot into the middle order.”Rossouw has batted at Nos. 4-7 in 18 of the 33 ODIs he has played, and come out at No. 3 eight times, so he is most familiar outside the top two but more successful in it. In the seven matches in which Rossouw has opened, he has averaged 39.57 – compared to an overall average of 35.53 – and scored one of his two hundreds and two of his seven fifties. He admitted he prefers getting to the crease as early as possible, and that the constant shifting up and down the order is challenging but possible with proper preparation.”I don’t mind anywhere in the top of the order. I prefer the new ball, while the Powerplay is still on so I can pierce the field and play good cricket shots,” he said. “It’s very difficult to change batting positions. It’s about how you prepare for where you are going to bat. If your preparation is good enough for the scenario out there, then your execution should follow.”Rossouw was fairly pleased with his execution so far in this series, barring the failure to get to three figures. “I am quite disappointed in that. In the first game, the reverse sweep is my shot, so if I go out to that, it is hard lines, but it’s my shot,” he said. “I am more disappointed with the way I went out at the Wanderers. It was quite soft.”At Centurion, Rossouw was out lbw, attempting a reverse sweep off the first ball he faced from Adam Zampa. At the Wanderers, he miscued a pull shot, and though the selection of both strokes is questionable, Rossouw insisted the second one was worse because he played it when he was closer to his century. “I have been hard on myself for that. I pride myself in making the most runs that I can. So 75 is all right, it’s good, but I am more interested in the three figures.”Without a hundred, Rossouw knows it will be more difficult to keep his place, especially in a line-up that should welcome Amla back at some stage, and with a crammed middle order. Du Plessis and JP Duminy have both found their touch, leaving little for David Miller and Farhaan Behardien to do, and Rossouw will have to displace one of them if he moves down. “It’s a tough gig, because if you are not performing, there’s a guy that can do the same job as you, if not better,” he said. “When you put on that shirt, you want to perform and do your best because you know there’s someone else who can take your spot.”At least South Africa have the problem of plenty, unlike their opposition, who now face three must-win matches if they are to win the series. Although Australia have appeared a little flat so far, Rossouw expects them to surge back, especially when they hear of South Africa’s intention to close out the series with two games to spare.”If they don’t bounce back, then they don’t deserve to be the best team in the world. I am sure they will come out fighting with big swings, and it’s up to us how we will counter-punch,” he said. “The guys had two serious performances and we are ready for the third game tomorrow, and we want to wrap it up. Australia are the best team in the world. If you give them a sniff, they come back hard. We want to finish this series tomorrow.”