Harry Kane has been impressed by new Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou despite rumours linking him away from the club, according to journalist David Ornstein.

Is Harry Kane leaving Spurs?

In the never-ending transfer saga of the summer, Kane's future is still no clearer.

Having already rejected two bids from Bayern Munich for their star forward, Spurs have recently rebuffed a third proposal from the German side worth £86m.

Kane reportedly wants a move to the Bundesliga champions and will not sign a new contract with Tottenham, meaning that the striker could leave Spurs for free next summer and would have his choice of destinations.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

While Tottenham owner Joe Lewis reportedly does not want to lose Kane for free, Spurs will only sell for a fee they consider to be close enough to their valuation of the England captain.

As a result, talks between the clubs appear to be at a stalemate, especially given that Bayern's third rejected offer may be their last.

However, journalist Ornstein believes that it is not "beyond the realm of possibility" that Kane stays at Spurs, partly due to the fact that he has been "impressed" by new boss Postecoglou during pre-season.

Speaking to HaytersTV, Ornstein said: "The soundings are that he [Kane] really is impressed by Ange Postecoglou and has enjoyed training. He's got his friend and England teammate James Maddison there now, and you never know.

"Harry Kane has always wanted to succeed with Tottenham. If there are signs of an upturn, and the trajectory is positive, and they're challenging for Champions League qualification, maybe even trophies next season, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that he does extend his stay Spurs.

"But, I don't think we're encountering that conversation just yet. I think this is all what's going to happen with Bayern Munich."

News of Bayern Munich's third bid being rejected has come out since Ornstein's discussion with HaytersTV, meaning the situation regarding Kane's future looks even murkier.

However, the fact that Spurs rejected Bayern's advances suggests that they may be willing to keep Kane at the club next season despite knowing he could depart for free in 2024, perhaps with the slim hope of being able to convince him to sign a new contract.

If Kane doesn't leave this summer, then Postecoglou will be under pressure to deliver the kind of success that could persuade the forward to stay permanently in north London.

Another season like last one would surely push Kane out of the exit door.

Who is leaving Spurs?

Kane is not the only name being linked with a move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Postecoglou tries to trim a bloated squad that is lacking in quality in certain areas of the pitch.

The only players who have left the club this summer have been Harry Winks and Lucas Moura, but there is expected to be more departures before the window slams shut.

A number of players who were on loan last season may leave such as Joe Rodon, Djed Spence and Tanguy Ndombele, all of whom have been linked with a permanent exit.

The likes of Ivan Perisic, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Hugo Lloris could all be on their way out the exit door as well as Postecoglou continues his Spurs rebuild.

تغلب فريق ريال مدريد على ضيفه قادش اليوم السبت، في إطار مباريات الدوري الإسباني “الليجا” للموسم الجاري.

وحقق ريال مدريد الفوز بثلاثة أهداف دون مقابل أمام قادش، في مباراة الجولة الرابعة والثلاثين للدوري الإسباني.

ريال مدريد بفوزه رفع رصيده للنقطة 87 في صدارة ترتيب الدوري الإسباني، ويستعد لحسم اللقب.

وشهدت هذه الجولة مباراة قوية تعرض فيها برشلونة للهزيمة أمام جيرونا بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدفين.

وبالتالي يتوج ريال مدريد رسميًا بلقب الدوري الإسباني، للمرة الـ36 في تاريخه بعد هزيمة برشلونة في مباراته اليوم.

وفي الجولة ذاتها، حقق أتلتيكو مدريد الفوز أمام ريال مايوركا بهدف دون مقابل. جدول ترتيب الدوري الإسباني

1. ريال مدريد، 87 نقطة.

2. جيرونا، 74 نقطة.

3. برشلونة، 73 نقطة.

4. أتلتيكو مدريد، 67 نقطة.

5. أتلتيك بيلباو، 61 نقطة.

6. ريال سوسيداد، 54 نقطة.

7. ريال بيتيس، 52 نقطة.

8. فالنسيا، 47 نقطة.

9. فياريال، 45 نقطة.

10. خيتافي، 43 نقطة.

11. ألافيس، 41 نقطة.

12. إشبيلية، 41 نقطة.

13. أوساسونا، 39 نقطة.

14. لاس بالماس، 37 نقطة.

15. سيلتا فيجو، 35 نقطة.

16. رايو فاليكانو، 34 نقطة.

17. ريال مايوركا، 32 نقطة.

18. قادش، 26 نقطة.

19. غرناطة، 21 نقطة.

20. ألميريا، 14 نقطة.

ويمكنكم متابعة ترتيب الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2023/24، محدث بشكل مستمر من هنا.

Punjab Cricket Players’ Association secretary alleges relatives of former office-bearers handed out memberships to the PCA, to put matter to the BCCI’s Committee of Administrators

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2017

Rajinder Gupta has been elected president of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) at its annual general meeting in Chandigarh on Sunday. While Gupta, an industrialist, succeeded DP Reddy, RP Singla and Ajay Tyagi were elected secretary and treasurer respectively. Two joint-secretaries, three vice-presidents and 14 members to the executive committee were also elected. According to the PCA, the election was conducted by the electoral officer, and all the candidates were elected unanimously.The PCA also said the elections were held “after making amendments to its memorandum and articles of the association in accordance with the recommendations of Lodha Committee and as accepted by the Honourable Supreme Court of India and a format circulated by the Committee of Administrators [CoA]”. However, the CoA needs to verify these claims and attest to the same.Last week, the Punjab Cricket Players’ Association (PCPA) had alleged nepotism in the PCA. Former Punjab batsman Rakesh Handa, who is the secretary of the PCPA, said relatives of former office-bearers were handed out memberships to the PCA.”The sons of a brother of Mr [MP] Pandove [former president] and GS Walia [former secretary] have been given memberships,” he was quoted as saying by the . “What criteria has PCA adopted in giving membership to family members of office-bearers?” Incidentally, former president IS Bindra’s son Amarinder was one of the three vice-presidents elected on Sunday.Handa had also alleged a lack of transparency in the manner in which the construction of a new stadium at Mullanpur was being carried out. “Why have they not given all the details regarding the purchase of land for the stadium, and of tenders of construction worth Rs 154 crore on PCA’s website?” he said. “Neither the ad-hoc committee nor the majority of PCA members know what is really happening in PCA. We’ll inform CoA about all this.”

Essex dominated awards at the Cricket Writers’ Club lunch in Kensington with Jamie Porter also picking up the Championship award

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2017County champions Essex have provided two of the winners of the 2017 Cricket Writers’ Club awards with batsman Dan Lawrence named the CWC Young Cricketer of the Year and pace bowler Jamie Porter taking the club’s Specsavers Championship Player of the Year trophy a day after they were both selected for the England Lions squad that will tour Australia.Lawrence, a strong leg-side player, topped a ballot of the CWC’s 300-plus members after scoring 761 runs at an average of nearly 45, including three hundreds – a major contribution to Essex’s Division One triumph.First presented in 1950, and one of the oldest such honours in cricket, the award, which by tradition is won just once in a career, is restricted to England-qualified players under the age of 23 on April 1. Previous winners of the Cricket Writers’ Club Young Cricketer of the Year award have amassed more than 2,500 Test caps between them.But such an accolade does not always guarantee England success. Although Joe Root and Ben Stokes are recent winners, Alex Lees’ career at Yorkshire has hit the backwaters since his honour in 2014.Porter operates at a pace barely above 80mph, which questions his ability to progress to full England honours, although such assumptions have been challenged by his winning of a place, alongside Lawrence, in the England Lions squad in Australia which will be on hand as potential replacements to the senior squad in the Ashes series.He had a brilliant season, taking an impressive 75 wickets in the Championship at an outstanding average of under 17 apiece as newly-promoted Essex took the First Division title in an unbeaten season.In the Professional Cricketers Association version of the awards later this week, he is shortlisted for both the young player and Player of the Year categories – at 24, he is too old for the CWC young player category – and has the chance to repeat Ben Duckett’s double award a year ago.The CWC, strangely, has yet to introduce an award for the international game or, indeed, for domestic limited-overs cricket but its recognition goes beyond merely county players.England World Cup-winner Tammy Beaumont succeeded Charlotte Edwards, the inaugural winner, in receiving the CWC’s Women’s Cricket Award. David Graveney, a former England chairman of selectors and chief executive of the Professional Cricketers Association, took the Peter Smith Award for “services to the presentation of cricket to the public”.Beaumont’s 410 runs at 45.55, including one hundred and one fifty, made her the leading run scorer at this year’s Women’s World Cup, which England won in a dramatic final against India at Lord’s.The awards, made in association with William Hill, also support cricket literature. The CWC Book of the Year went to , a biography of Albert Trott by Steve Neal.Trott represented both Australia and England and, famously, cleared the Lord’s pavilion with what is still said to be the biggest hit ever seen on the ground.All the awards were presented at the club’s annual lunch at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London on Tuesday.

Tottenham Hotspur have been named as a likely landing spot for Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet as Xavi's side work to offload him this summer.

Who will Spurs sign?

The Lilywhites are reliably believed to be chasing a new central defensive star or two, coming after they conceded more goals than any other top flight side above 15th last season.

Spurs leaked a pretty awful 63 league goals over 2022/2023, backing the obvious need for defensive cover, and there have been no shortage of star man linked with a move to north London.

Ange Postecoglou has highlighted the need for signings in that area of the park, and has recently admitted that Tottenham are working on it behind-the-scenes.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said the Spurs head coach.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Lenglet, who spent last campaign on a season-long loan at Spurs, is one of the defenders who could well come in to bolster Postecoglou's options.

The Frenchman stands in elite company, with Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson and Juventus defender Gleison Bremer all linked too.

Rumoured to be on around £204,000-per-week, Barca are eager to offload Lenglet and clear up their wage bill, with the 28-year-old being largely relegated to the bench during their pre-season tour.

Lenglet's future, as a result, "seems far" from the Camp Nou. That is according to journalist Jordi Battle, who writes an update on Tottenham's pursuit of the former Sevilla star.

Battle, sharing news for Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, says Barca are "working to release" central defender and Tottenham "could also be the destination" for him.

However, there is apparently still work to do, as the proposals which have arrived at Barca's door haven't been convincing enough yet.

How good is Clement Lenglet?

The ex-Lilywhites ace featured regularly during his 22/23 loan spell, under a trio of different managers in Antonio Conte, Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason.

Lenglet is an adept ball-playing defender, having averaged a noteworthy 87.5% passing accuracy for Spurs last season, with only Cristian Romero managing a higher number (WhoScored).

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, speaking to the press after Tottenham signed Lenglet last summer, was effusive in his praise.

""He's a modern defender," said Lloris.

"Comfortable to be able to play from the back. He has a great left foot and can be very strong in one v one and he's strong in the air.

"Even if it's never easy when you arrive in the Premier League and he will have to adapt to the intensity of the games but he is a high level player, with experience."

Making a move abroad is never easy for a player in the transfer window, as they are thrown into the deep end, forced to sink or swim in their new environment.Of course, not every player survives the dramatic change of surroundings, but something tells us that Harry Kane won’t be among those to endure such struggles, given just how talented he is.Forever a Tottenham Hotspur legend, Kane finally decided it was time to call it quits in what seemed like a never-ending pursuit of silverware that looked unlikely to come in North London.With that, after a reported £86m move, a new challenge awaits at Bayern Munich, who are almost like a magnet to trophies in the Bundesliga, which should end Kane’s long wait for team success.The England captain already encountered one particular issue, however, as he attempted to complain to the referee over a decision to award RB Leipzig a penalty in Bayern’s 3-0 defeat in the German Super Cup.Kane quickly realised that he could not complain, as he doesn’t actually speak German.He has since revealed his desire to change that.

What did Harry Kane say about learning German?

As you can see in the BBC Sport video, Kane is asked in his press conference if he knows any German, to which he reveals that he only knows how to say “servus”, meaning hello or goodbye.

“I do want to learn, he said. “I want to try and fit in as much as possible. The best way of doing that is to understand the language. I mean, it will be tough. I’ve heard it’s a tough language to learn. But it’s something I’m willing to try.”

Keen to fit in, though, he spoke about his desire to learn the language, potentially handing him the opportunity to air his complaints to Bundesliga referees the next time they rule a decision against Bayern Munich.

The hilarious clip of Kane surrounding the referee, which you can see below, against Leipzig went viral, as he quickly became lost for words.

The summer arrival will hope to get his first win in a Bayern shirt next time out, too, as the Bavarians square off against Werder Bremen to get their Bundesliga season underway.

How many goals did Harry Kane score last season?

Earning a move to Bayern, Kane scored 32 goals in all competitions for Spurs last season, including 30 in the Premier League, whilst also recording five assists.

In North London, the forward did everything except win a trophy, picking up three Premier League Golden Boots, a Player of the Season award, and, most notably, becoming Spurs’ all-time top goalscorer by beating Jimmy Greaves’ record of 266 goals.

Not many can get close to the individual legacy that Kane leaves behind in the Premier League, and if that is to be it for his time in England’s top flight, he’ll comfortably go down as one of the best players that English football has ever seen.

Some may have questioned his decision to move abroad, given the fact that he’s only 47 goals away from matching Alan Shearer’s record as the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer, but this is, ultimately, a player who deserves the chance at trophies. And that didn’t look likely to come at Spurs.

Newcastle United are reportedly looking towards the Championship to boost their midfield options for the forthcoming Premier League season, as they look to finish in the top four once again.

Eddie Howe has already welcomed Sandro Tonali this summer, and now looks interested in adding another option in the middle of the park.

What's the latest on Yaser Asprilla to Newcastle United?

With the search for a midfielder on, Newcastle are interested in signing young Watford midfielder Yaser Asprilla this summer, according to Antena 2, via Sport Witness.

The Magpies may have to act quickly to secure the Colombian's signature, however, with Brighton & Hove Albion also reportedly interested in signing the Watford teenager, alongside La Liga side Real Sociedad, and Portugal side FC Porto.

The midfielder reportedly wants to play in the top flight, and, therefore, according to Atena 2, could force a move out of Vicarage Road in the coming weeks.

It remains to be seen how much Watford demand for Asprilla, but, according to Transfermarkt, he is currently worth just €4.5m (£4m), potentially giving the likes of Newcastle a bargain deal.

With plenty of clubs interested in the 19-year-old, he's certainly one to keep an eye on for the remainder of the summer.

Should Newcastle United sign Yaser Asprilla?

As Newcastle build into a formidable force in the Premier League, welcoming the likes of Tonali, they can't forget to invest in their future, and that's exactly what Asprilla would be for.

At just 19-years-old, he played a key role for Watford last season, making 37 appearances in the Championship, even getting on the scoresheet once, and assisting a further two times.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

At such a young age, the only way is up for the Colombian, whether that be through a move to St James' Park this summer or continuing at Watford, where the Hornets will be aiming for the play-offs in England's second tier.

Rightfully earning praise during his time at Watford, former manager Slaven Bilic said, via the Watford Observer: “He is a young boy of rare talent. His touch, we see that in training on a regular basis. He’s going to be special.

“He has things that you can’t teach. But he’s 18 and he’s a kid that has moved not just to a different country but to a different continent. He doesn’t speak a word of English, so it’s not easy for him. But the club and everyone in it is helping him.

“He is a very explosive player. I’m not going to say the sky’s the limit, but then I’ve just said it! It’s up to him and he will get our help.

“The key thing is he is willing to learn and that is so important. When he came on today he was very active, he played some good balls, and he’s willing to defend.”

With the world at his feet, Asprilla looks set to have a tough decision on his hands this summer, and Newcastle will hope that his choice ends with a move to the Magpies ahead of the start of the Premier League season.

M Vijay, Vijay Shankar return to TN squadTamil Nadu will be strengthened by the return of M Vijay and Vijay Shankar for their third-round game against Mumbai at the Bandra-Kurla Complex. Vijay, who missed Tamil Nadu’s previous game against Tripura with a stiff neck, will slot in at the opening position alongside captain Abhinav Mukund, while Shankar is expected to replace J Kousik in the eleven. Baba Aparajith also returns to the side after being part of the India A team that played New Zealand A recently.Vijay had played Tamil Nadu’s season-opener against Andhra and scored 4 and 55. He also had a brief injury scare when he retired hurt in the second innings after spraining his ankle. Vijay, however, returned to bat on the last day, and brought up his first fifty-plus score in first-class cricket since his 82 against Australia in March. Shankar is coming off a good run of form, having scored an unbeaten 47 and a 33-ball 61 against New Zealand A in the third and the fourth ODI respectively.Aparajith, too, has been in among the runs lately. He began the season with a fifty and a century against Andhra before going away to play the fourth and fifth one-dayers against New Zealand.Venugopal Rao opts out of remainder of Ranji seasonVeteran batsman Venugopal Rao has opted out of the rest of the season for Andhra citing personal reasons. Rao made 3 in the only game he played against Tamil Nadu. Andhra Cricket Association general secretary Ch. Arun Kumar has said the team would miss his services.”The absence of Mr .Y.Venugopala Rao will be felt by the team, but we have to respect the feelings of the player who was former captain of Andhra Ranji Team and India International,” he said.The selection committee, chaired by V Satya Prasad, has named batsman N Jyothi Sai Krishna as replacement for Rao for the remainder of the games.Rahul, Nair added to Karnataka squadKL Rahul and Karun Nair have been named in Karnataka’s squad for the third round of Ranji Trophy matches beginning October 24, against Hyderabad in Shimoga. Both of them were part of the Board President’s XI squad for the two warm-up fixtures against New Zealand that were played on October 17 and 19.Rahul, who has been left out of the New Zealand ODIs, struck a 68 in the first warm-up game in Mumbai on Tuesday. Nair, who led India A in the two unofficial Tests against New Zealand A made 78 and 53 in the two games.”Having Rahul and Karun is a big boost for Karnataka,” R Vinay Kumar, the Karnataka captain, said. “Rahul has cemented his place in the Indian team while Karun is also doing well. The sight of their names on the team sheet will put opponents under pressure.”Umesh, Karn bolster VidarbhaFast bowler Umesh Yadav, who was left out from India’s squad for the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, and legspinner Karn Sharma, who moved from Railways, are set to play for Vidarbha in their second match of the season against Chhattisgarh in Nagpur.Umesh last represented Vidarbha in the quarterfinals last season when his side was toppled by Saurashtra. Karn’s recent form bodes well for Vidarbha: since the start of the Duleep Trophy, he has bagged 31 wickets in four first-class matches, including three five-wicket hauls.Vidarbha had opened their Ranji campaign by securing an innings victory over Punjab last week.

West Ham United’s “dream target” for the summer transfer window is Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

Who is Leon Goretzka?

Goretzka is primarily a central midfielder who has played his football at the Allianz Arena since 2018 having moved there on a free transfer from FC Schalke, and during his five years at the club, he’s become a regular first team feature, clocking up 179 appearances to date, which has alerted clubs in the Premier League.

The Germany international still has another three years to run on his contract with Thomas Tuchel’s side, but there’s a strong possibility that he’ll be on the move before the end of the ongoing window after being put up for sale by his manager. Plettenberg previously said:

“Leon Goretzka is definitely a candidate whose situation is being watched very closely by the English, because they didn’t miss the fact that Goretzka was allowed to leave Bayern. Bayern is currently considering a fee of €40m [£34m] to €50m [£43m]. Tuchel would definitely let him go because Tuchel wants to create space in the squad.”

Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE…

Sky Sports in his homeland soon after reported that the Irons were preparing an offer for the 28-year-old, and whilst a significant development of that sort is yet to come to fruition, David Moyes doesn’t seem to have forgotten about the talisman in the Bundesliga.

Are West Ham signing Leon Goretzka?

Taking to Twitter, Plettenberg revealed that West Ham have held a strong, long-standing interest in Goretzka, but admitted that at this stage, any move being completed could be more of a pipe dream. He wrote:

“Man Utd never lost their focus on Leon #Goretzka! Understand the 28 y/o is still on the list of the club. #MUFC. Goretzka wanted to stay 100% – but the last ten days have clearly shown that he won’t be a starter under Tuchel for now. Tuchel is planning with Kimmich/Laimer and wants a new holding six on top. Difficult situation. ManUtd & Goretzka, situation to watch! Still a dream target for West Ham.”

West Ham have been heavily linked with a move for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse this summer, but having seen a £20m, followed by an increased £30m offer rejected, they may need to start looking for central midfield alternatives. Having been dubbed “top-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Goretzka could be the perfect candidate.

The Bochum native is naturally stronger in the offensive aspect of his game following his 12 goal contributions (six goals and the same number of assists) across all competitions last season, but he’s also capable of putting in a shift defensively having averaged 1.7 aerial wins and 1.6 tackles per league game, via WhoScored.

Goretzka, who pockets £296k-per-week, furthermore knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured 14 pieces of silverware for club and country throughout his career, so should he put pen to paper, he would be able to instil a much-needed winning mentality into the squad at the London Stadium.

England’s “unknowns” are happy to let Australia do the talking ahead of the Ashes, feeling the hosts will have “put themselves under a lot pressure” if they don’t start the series well.England have been dismissed as something approaching no-hopers from the moment they arrived in Australia without Ben Stokes. They have heard David Warner talk of going to “war” against them, Pat Cummins talk of replicating Mitchell Johnson’s demolition and Nathan Lyon talk of “opening scars”. “Average Joe” was the headline reflecting Joe Root’s first innings of the tour in Perth.And they expect no different on Thursday when a full-house Gabba – you’re almost as likely to find a unicorn as an unbooked hotel room in Brisbane this week – lets them know exactly what they think of them in an atmosphere that will be hostile and noisy. The memory of tens of thousands of spectators chanting “Broad is a w***er” or rhyming Trott with “vagina rot” lingers.But, as far as a couple of England’s unheralded players see it, such talk can work against Australia unless they can back it up almost immediately. For having built up the expectation of their supporters, Australia might be made to feel uncomfortable if they are unable to deliver. England’s newer players, meanwhile, say they are happy to go “under the radar”.”The way they are talking means that, if they don’t come out and start well, they put themselves under a lot of pressure,” James Vince said. “They’ve got to back up their chat. And if they don’t the crowd might wonder why they haven’t done what they said they were going to do.”The first game is key in any series. You want to get off to a good start as it sets you up for the rest of the series. If we can do that, as some of the guys have said, maybe it will turn their own fans and their own media on them.”Dawid Malan expressed a similar view. While admitting he found the ground “a bit daunting” – “It’s a big ground,” he said as he looked around the Gabba for the first time. “I thought the seats would be further from the playing surface; standing on the boundary you’re almost in the crowd” – he said the England team were happy to let their cricket do the talking.”We’ve hardly been in the media,” Malan said. “We’ve gone under the radar a little bit. And we’re actually quite happy not being in the spotlight.”We’re going about our business quite quietly. We’ll let the Aussies do the talking. We’ll focus on what we can do and if people want to speak they can speak.”If they want to make comments like that then they have to back it up. We are just going to stick to what we do and see what happens at the end of five Tests. We’ve all faced quick bowling in our careers and we’ve all faced bowlers bowling short.”Ashes splashes: James Vince, Jake Ball and Dawid Malan check out the Gabba pool•Getty Images

Both know what to expect from the crowd at the “Gabbattoir”. While some, including Root, have been taken by surprise at the level of hostility encountered, this England squad insist they are prepared for the pace of the pitch, the hostility of the bowling and the abuse from the crowd.Vince was on a Lions tour of Australia during the 2013-14 Ashes. As a result, he took the opportunity to attend as a spectator and knows what to expect from the crowd. And, if he really enjoys “getting a bit of stick”, as he claims, he should be in for a treat.”You know what stick you’re going to get,” he said. “All the abuse. When you’re in the middle you have to block it out and get on with your game but at other times you have to lap it up and enjoy it. I’m looking forward to it. It’s good fun getting a bit of stick.””I’ve never played in front of 40,000 people so it is going to be a first for me,” Malan added. “I spoke to Rooty about his first Test here and he said the occasion really got to him.”He said the first innings he had was all a bit of a blur and his adrenaline got going with the crowd and he ended up playing a shot he wouldn’t have played in a normal situation.”I think Mitchell Johnson took the boys by surprise a bit in 2013-14. They’d obviously played against him before, but he hadn’t bowled as well as he did in that series. When it did hit them it took everyone a bit by surprise.”Coming into this series we are prepared for that. Whether we play it well or not is a different story. But we’ve prepared well for it.”Either way, the tour offers a huge opportunity for both men. As Vince admits, he had not thought his county form had been good enough to warrant selection – he averaged 33 in the Championship – but he knows a good performance here will cement his place at No. 3.”We have plenty to prove,” he said. “But it’s a great opportunity to stake your claim and try to become a regular in the Test side.”I didn’t expect the selection. When the call came, I was delighted. I’m extremely grateful to the coaching staff and Rooty for the opportunity. Now I want to repay some of the faith they’ve shown in me.”Malan, who made his debut in the summer and has only played five Tests, backed that up. “The legacy you can leave from doing well in an Ashes series lives for a long time,” he said. “It does open a lot of doors.”