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The left-arm spinner lost her spot earlier this year and has been unable to find a way back in for the T20 World Cup

Andrew McGlashan26-Aug-2024Jess Jonassen has been given hope of forcing her way back into the Australia side after she was omitted from a World Cup squad for the first time where she has been available.Despite having 105 T20Is to her name, the writing was on the wall for Jonassen when she was left out of the squad to tour Bangladesh earlier this year and it was always going to be difficult to find her way back in amid a strong spin group that features Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, Alana King and Ash Gardner.The only previous occasion that Jonassen has missed a World Cup was the 2013 ODI edition when she was ruled out through injury after originally being selected.Related

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It is Molineux’s return to fitness after a couple of injury-hit seasons, alongside the selectors’ preference to have two legspinners in the squad, that played a big part in forcing Jonassen out. She lost her spot in the T20I team last summer after being given some heavy punishment by Hayley Matthews at North Sydney Oval and has not played an ODI since last July in Ireland.Jonassen took 11 wickets in seven matches for Delhi Capitals in the WPL earlier this year and is currently at the WCPL playing for Trinbago Knight Riders off the back of an impressive Hundred campaign which brought 12 wickets and 176 runs for Welsh Fire.”Hundred per cent, the path’s still there, the door is still wide open,” Australia captain Alyssa Healy said of Jonassen. “You look at her career and how it’s progressed, particularly over the past five or six years, she’s been in the squad, out of the squad, her and Sophie Molineux have sort of [gone] tit-for-tat along the way.”I’m disappointed for Jono myself. I have played a lot of cricket with her over the years and know exactly what she can contribute to the Australian team in big tournaments and how clutch she can be. I still see a big future for her in the Aussie side, there’s always a niggle or whatnot around [during] the summer, and she’ll still be around this summer no doubt.”Jonassen’s absence is another part of the subtle evolution of the Australia side over the last couple of years which has seen the retirement of Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning, although a senior core of Healy, Gardner, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt remains.The depth in Australian cricket is such that replacements have been close to hand and they are now starting to be given a greater role in the side. This upcoming World Cup will be a first for Phoebe Litchfield, who has a T20I strike rate of 161.86 after a breakout 2023-24 season in the middle order, while allrounder Annabel Sutherland is coming off a Player-of-the-Tournament performance in the Hundred.There is a chance that Tayla Vlaeminck could team up with fellow quick Darcie Brown•Getty Images”We’ve seen a fair bit of change,” Healy said. “You even look at the last 12-18 months, the turnover we’ve had, we’ve lost over 700 games of experience. It’s got to come at some point in time, [but] fortunately there’s still a few of us old birds still floating around who can hopefully impart some wisdom on how to win tournaments. Think the youth in our group is really exciting and hopefully we can just help mentor or lead them in the right direction because think the youth in our squad is going to win this World Cup for us.”There is also a chance that Australia could field the pace duo of Darcie Brown and Tayla Vlaeminck in an XI together for the first time, either in the three-match T20I series against New Zealand in September, which provides preparation for the World Cup, or the tournament itself, although that will be dictated by conditions in the UAE.Even if it doesn’t happen over the next couple of months, it’s an enticing prospect for the Ashes, which will take place in January.”I’d love to see it,” Healy said of the two playing together. “We are so blessed with ample allrounders that I think we can play around a little bit with our fast-bowling attack. Think having those two in our side is huge point of difference, especially in [the] conditions potentially we are going to get, having real pace in your side is a real advantage.”We’ll have to wait and see what the make-ups of the side are but it’s really exciting for the future that those two are in the squad in together and hopefully we can get them firing at the same time.”

South Africa have played two games on the tricky New York pitches and know the conditions better than Bangladesh do

Mohammad Isam09-Jun-20241:18

Morkel: Bangladesh won’t get soft overs from South Africa

Match detailsBangladesh vs South Africa
June 10, New York, 10:30am localBig picture – both teams have shaky top ordersSouth Africa have a great opportunity to consolidate their position at the top of Group D when they take on Bangladesh in New York in the T20 World Cup 2024. Many factors favour South Africa. They have never lost to Bangladesh in T20Is. They are familiar with the New York venue, having played both their games here.Bangladesh did play their warm-up game against India in New York, but that was over a week ago. They can trust their bowling attack, but their top-order batting remains suspect – it was the department that failed in their win over Sri Lanka.Related

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South Africa, too, haven’t looked a complete side despite back-to-back wins. Their problems are similar.They bowled out Sri Lanka for 77 and restricted Netherlands to 103 for 9 but South Africa’s top order is also searching for runs. Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram have a combined average of 13 (39 runs from six innings) so far. In both their wins, they got to the target fairly comfortably in the end because they were chasing small targets.South Africa’s bowlers, though, have been in great form. Anrich Nortje and Ottneil Baartman, in particular, have been among the wickets, while Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen have complemented them well. Keshav Maharaj has done his bit, too, but spin hasn’t been a big threat in New York so far.Bangladesh’s quicks also came to the party against Sri Lanka. Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman were impressive each time they bowled in that game, while Tanzim Hasan had his moments, and legspinner Rishad Hossain’s 3 for 22 won him the Player-of-the-Match award. He varied his pace subtly but imparted a lot of spin on the ball. Shakib Al Hasan, though, hasn’t performed particularly well with the ball since coming to the USA in mid-May.As for their batting, Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto continue to fall to soft dismissals, but Litton Das’ 36 against Sri Lanka could give him a bit of confidence, while Tanzid Hasan must find runs on the big stage.2:00

Tamim: Bangladesh must make new ball count against SA

Form guideBangladesh WWLLL
South Africa WWLLLIn the spotlight – Towhid Hridoy and Anrich NortjeTowhid Hridoy is quickly enhancing his reputation as a big hitter – his four sixes against Sri Lanka in Dallas proved the difference in a low-scoring game. Hridoy has now struck 42 sixes in his 15 months of international cricket, comfortably the most among Bangladesh’s batters in this period.Anrich Nortje is working his way back into rhythm after a long injury layoff. He was off the boil in IPL 2024 and then went wicketless in two T20Is in the Caribbean. So far in the T20 World Cup, though, he has been on target, rushing batters with high pace and bounce. Nortje has good memories against Bangladesh at the T20 World Cup too, having taken 4 for 10 against them in Sydney in the 2022 edition.Towhid Hridoy adds muscle to the Bangladesh middle order•ICC/Getty Images

Team news – teams likely to field unchanged XIsBangladesh are waiting on news of Shoriful Islam’s fitness. If he is fit, he comes into contention. Otherwise they are likely to stick to the XI that beat Sri Lanka.Bangladesh (probable XI): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Litton Das (wk), 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Towhid Hridoy, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan, 10 Taskin Ahmed 11 Mustafizur RahmanSouth Africa are unlikely to change the combination that has worked so far in New York. They, however, have Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Ryan Rickelton and Tabraiz Shamsi on the bench, and might be tempted to look in that direction, especially at Rickelton, considering the failures of the top order.South Africa (probable XI): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Ottneil Baartman, 11 Anrich NortjePitch and conditionsFast bowlers are likely to dominate in New York again and we should get low to middling totals. A sunny day has been forecast.Stats that matter South Africa’s 3 for 3 against Netherlands was their lowest score for the loss of three wickets in a T20I Bangladesh’s win over Sri Lanka was their first win against a higher-ranked side at the T20 World Cup since they beat West Indies in 2007, the inaugural T20 World Cup”You look at conditions, you look at a really strong Bangladesh team and it’s going to be a proper challenge for us. We have luckily had the privilege of playing two games now at this venue so hopefully, it can give us even clearer plans. We can develop plans from a batting point of view on how to get to a score of maybe about 140 if we do bat first and hopefully, then our bowlers can do the rest.”
“The wicket hasn’t been easy for batters. It brings both teams equally into the game. South Africa has a decent bowling attack. We are confident of giving a good fight on this surface.”
Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe on whether South Africa hold the advantage having played in New York

Liverpool’s need for a striker this summer is there for all to see, with the Reds already plotting moves in such a department ahead of the summer transfer window.

Arne Slot’s side may have claimed the Premier League title in 2024/25, but improvements are still there to be made, especially if players were to depart Anfield during the off-season.

Current centre-forward options Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota have both been linked with moves away from Merseyside this summer, with the manager needing to invest money in upgrades on the pair.

It’s unclear how much the hierarchy would demand to part ways with the current talismen, but given their combined tally of just 11 league goals, it’s unlikely they would stand in their way should an acceptable offer be presented.

Should such an event occur, it’s down to the staff behind the scenes to identify potential options for Slot, with numerous players already on their radar ahead of the window.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new attackers this summer

Countless players have been linked with a switch to Liverpool ahead of 2025/26, despite the window not yet being open – highlighting how much of an exciting proposition they really are.

The likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitiké are the main three who have been mentioned, but no progress has yet been made on any potential deals.

However, the same can’t be said for another target in the form of Julian Alvarez, that’s if the recent news broken by Argentine journalist Mathias Palacios is to be believed.

He claims that the Reds are keen on a move for the Atlético Madrid talisman in the coming months, with face-to-face meetings for his signature set to commence next week.

Palacios also confirms that Bayern Munich and Arsenal are interested in signing the former Manchester City talent, who’s registered a staggering 35 combined goals and assists in his 53 outings in 2024/25.

Unfortunately, it may take a considerable amount to prise him away from the Spanish capital with CIES Football Observatory suggesting the Argentine is worth £105m.

Why Liverpool’s latest target could be Salah 2.0

Mohamed Salah has been an unbelievable servant to Liverpool Football Club over the last eight years, even extending his stint on Merseyside to a decade after his latest contract extension.

The Egyptian has registered 244 goals and 113 assists in his 400 appearances at Anfield, a staggering record for a player who’s certainly cemented himself in club history.

He’s claimed three Golden Boot awards in the Premier League, and is set to add a fourth to his list after notching an incredible 28 goals in his 37 outings this season.

His £34m move from Roma back in the summer of 2017 will forever be remembered, certainly going down as a bargain and arguably one of their best ever transfers.

However, the board have the opportunity to replicate such a deal in the coming months with Alvarez, potentially following in his footsteps on Merseyside.

The pair both have a similar pattern in their careers, both featuring for other sides in England’s top flight before leaving to go elsewhere in Europe to further their respective profiles.

Salah, who failed to cut it at Chelsea, made a name for himself in Italy before joining the Reds, similarly to how Alvarez has developed after swapping Manchester City for Atlético Madrid.

The pair are now elite attacking talents, with the Argentinian forward having a season to remember, producing countless stats that would bolster Slot’s attack.

Alvarez, who’s been labelled “sensational” by Terry Flewers, has registered 1.4 shots on target per 90, along with a minute per goal ratio of 142 minutes in LaLiga – highlighting his clinical edge in the final third.

Games played

36

Goals & assists

20

Minutes per goal

142

Shots on target

1.4

Dribbles completed

57%

Chances created

1.5

Touches in opposition box

4.5

However, he has also been able to create opportunities for his teammates, completing 57% of the dribbles he’s attempted and creating 1.5 chances per 90 – subsequently able to aid Salah in boosting his own numbers on Merseyside.

Should the former City talent get anywhere near close to the levels produced by the Egyptian over the years, it would be a phenomenal piece of business, adding a new dimension to Slot’s attack.

The prospect of the pair featuring together within the front line is certainly a scary one, with such a partnership strengthening their chances of retaining their crown in 2025/26.

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Crystal Palace have been “watching” a centre-back, who has been a key part of an “incredible” defence this season, according to former scout Mick Brown.

Palace stepping up centre-back pursuit

It will be a tall order for Palace to replace captain Marc Guehi this summer, but it is looking increasingly likely Oliver Glasner will have to bring in a new centre-back, given that the 24-year-old has not agreed terms on a contract extension.

As such, the Eagles have now stepped up their pursuit of a new centre-back ahead of the summer transfer window, and they could make a statement signing by bringing in Paris Saint-Germain defender Milan Skriniar, having now joined the race for the Slovakian.

Skriniar is one of the more well-known targets, but there could be an addition out of left-field, with Glasner’s side also making contact over a deal for Independiente De Avellaneda’s Kevin Lomonaco, who may be available for just £5m this summer.

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According to former scout Brown, in an interview with Football Insider, Crystal Palace are also in the race for Burnley defender Maxime Esteve, having sent officials to watch him in action this season.

Brown said: “Everton and Crystal Palace have been watching him, among other teams, and have had scouts at Turf Moor to keep an eye on his performance.

“Burnley want to keep him, especially if they get promoted to the Premier League, but a really good offer for him could get that over the line.”

Esteve was also singled out for praise, given the Clarets’ exceptional defensive record this season, with Brown adding: “This season, he’s really pushed on and he’s been an integral part of an outstanding Burnley defence.

“They’ve conceded just 13 goals in 42 league games this year, it’s incredible.”

"Phenomenon" Esteve ready for Premier League

Burnley’s defensive record in the Championship this season has been nothing short of remarkable, having conceded just 14 goals, and the 22-year-old has played an absolutely crucial role, making 43 appearances.

The Burnley star is particularly impressive in possession of the ball, ranking in the 91st percentile for passes attempted per 90 over the past year, and 89th for his pass completion rate, having previously received high praise for his ball skills from football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Esteve appears to have the hallmarks of a quality modern-day centre-back, and his performances for Burnley this season indicate he is definitely ready for a Premier League move, but Crystal Palace may have to shell out around £30m for his services.

Something feels different. For better or for worse (though usually better), Liverpool were tight-lipped on transfers with Jurgen Klopp at the helm.

It often felt like a contentious subject, but FSG’s savvy crew managed to make it work, combining with the German manager’s vision to drive Liverpool toward the full gamut of major honours.

However, something’s changed in this new iteration, this restructured hierarchy. Arne Slot, on the brink of winning the Premier League in his first season at the Anfield helm, has confirmed that Liverpool are planning for major investment this summer, with captain Virgil van Dijk echoing the sentiment as the final touches are placed on his expected new deal.

Liverpool are set to spend, all right. However, the Merseysiders will also want to cash in on a few to maximise the scope for investment.

Darwin Nunez is the anticipated surplus as plans are mapped for a new, more prolific centre-forward. However, the struggling Uruguayan isn’t the only forward at risk of being sold, with Luis Diaz also emerging as a candidate for sale.

And that’s despite his stunning recent form for the Reds.

Luis Diaz's late-season form

Liverpool are set to lift the Premier League title in the coming weeks, and Diaz has been instrumental in keeping Slot’s squad ticking over of late, rebounding from a frustrating patch of form to rack up the contributions in recent fixtures.

He’s scored 15 goals and laid on eight assists across all competitions for Liverpool this term, but Diaz may well be among those sold this summer.

Directly involved in goals during just one of Liverpool’s opening nine Premier League fixtures of 2025, a 2-1 victory over Wolves in February, Diaz has since registered a contribution across his past five outings, scoring in each of the Reds’ recent matches, having assisted in three successive games prior.

A man playing for his future? The winger has been routinely linked with a move to Barcelona over the past several years and Caught Offside have recently revealed that Liverpool would entertain offers in the £69m ballpark this summer.

Contrary to what the form book might suggest, Liverpool should indeed cash in on their Colombian maverick for maximum value this summer.

He’ll have turned 30 by the time his current deal expires in June 2027 and has ebbed and flowed in front of goal for much of his time at Anfield.

Liverpool could bank a pretty penny by selling him now, while his stock’s sky-high, and anyway, the Reds have identified the perfect successor to sign this summer.

Liverpool chasing Diaz successor

According to Football Insider, Liverpool may finally get their hands on Anthony Gordon this summer, with the Newcastle United winger among the most likely Magpies to be sold for a big profit.

Liverpool were in talks to sign the England international last summer but a deal came to nought when alternative means to circumvent PSR were struck.

It’s reported that Liverpool have retained a strong interest and, furthermore, cashing in on the winger would suit United more than their other big-money stars, Bruno Guimaraes and Liverpool-linked Alexander Isak.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse Why Liverpool should sign Anthony Gordon

Having been awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Year for 2023/24, Gordon came close to moving back to Merseyside and linking up with Liverpool are being released from their academy as an 11-year-old.

Though it didn’t come to fruition, Liverpool have retained their interest in a “special” player – as said by producer Andrew Musgrove – who has been an essential part of Eddie Howe’s success at St. James’ Park over the past several years, indeed beating Slot’s Liverpool in last month’s Carabao Cup final.

He’s registered 44 goal involvements for Newcastle since the start of last season and has even seen club chiefs place a £100m price tag on him in the past to deter pesky suitors. However, now that United’s stance has changed, that lofty valuation may well be whittled down.

Playing into Slot’s tactical approach, Gordon is also a positionally flexible forward. Chiefly a left winger, the 23-year-old has featured regularly on the right to accommodate Newcastle’s needs while also finding prolific success from a more central berth.

Though Gordon’s arrival would see Diaz sold, this could allow him to work well with Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, who is settled on the left flank, where his in-cutting shooting ability is best served.

While he’s been more potent in front of goal of late, the underlying data suggests Gordon, who is five years the South American’s junior, has the potential to outstrip him.

Gordon vs Diaz – Underlying PL Data (24/25)

Stats (* per game)

Gordon

Diaz

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.7)

2.0 (0.8)

Pass completion

80%

86%

Key passes*

1.9

1.6

Dribble (success)*

1.3 (45%)

1.5 (39%)

Ball recoveries*

3.3

3.0

Tackles + interceptions*

1.3

1.2

Duels (won)*

4.7 (51%)

3.8 (39%)

Stats via Sofascore

There’s also the case to be made that Gordon has failed to hit the same heights this year after his success in 2023/24, whereas Diaz has actually made improvements since Klopp stepped down at Anfield.

This might appear to sway things in the Liverpool man’s favour but it actually reinforces the argument for his sale this summer, replacing him with a younger star in Gordon, who mirrors many attributes and has the potential to go from strength to strength under Slot’s wing.

Given that Liverpool’s interest stretches back to last summer, there’s every reason that he could be a success in a title-winning Reds squad, and given that Diaz’s potential sale could make it possible, it might just be one to keep a close eye on as the market opens its stalls.

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Tension was mounting for the co-hosts before an Andre Russell six ignited their push to the winning line

Shashank Kishore02-Jun-20241:11

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The euphoria of an IPL triumph achieved exactly a week to the day, on a heady Chennai night, may have suddenly felt foggy as Andre Russell walked into bat with West Indies needing 40 off 24. Papua New Guinea had pushed the hosts into a corner and were daring to dream of an upset on a tricky Providence surface. Even someone of Russell’s vintage was unlikely to have it easy to be able to strike from get go.Until then, PNG had refused to be intimidated by the plethora of ball-strikers, each capable of hitting bigger than the other. They may have even had West Indies possibly question their own choices at a point, like the decision to sacrifice power-hitting depth for all-round squad balance as they fielded Roston Chase and Rutherford over Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer.Related

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The match, although not sold to capacity, still had a considerable number of home fans clenching their fists as Russell took strike against John Kariko, who had bowled his three overs until then with immaculate control and guile. Phil Simmons, West Indies’ former T20 World Cup winning coach now with PNG as consultant, was furiously chewing gum. There was tension.What chance did a 20-year-old rookie who’d played all his career up until then against the likes of Philippines, Vanuatu, Malaysia and Nepal have against The Dre Russ? Maybe not even an inkling, but Kariko was showing no nerves. He kept landing them on a length. Some straightened, others just went through with the arm. Five balls into his penultimate over, he’d conceded just three runs and West Indies now needed 37 off 19.Just as you wondered if Russell was going the MS Dhoni way of taking it till the end, he got a gift. For the first time in his spell, Kariko erred by bowling a half-tracker. Russell needed no second invitation as he rocked back and muscled the pull to clear deep midwicket. Nervous smiles gave way to an energetic pump of the fists in the West Indies dug out.That release shot had opened the floodgates. At the other end, Chase had killed them softly it with some of the most aesthetically pleasing strokes, not one of them played in anger or in desperation. By the time the 18th over finished, Chase had all but sealed the match by hitting Assad Vala, the PNG captain, for two fours and a six to bring the equation down to a comfortable 13 off 12. West Indies needed only six more balls to get there.Roston Chase assessed conditions perfectly•ICC via Getty ImagesChase may have ended the game in a blaze, but hardly got out of second gear until push came to shove. This wasn’t because he wasn’t capable of hitting the big shots, but it was the need of the hour. Nicholas Pooran fell trying to hit out as did Brandon King. Rutherford struggled for fluency too. All along, Chase milked the runs, batting with a sense of calm that suggested he’d sussed out conditions superbly.”I had to take it home for the team, and I did it,” Chase said after being named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 27-ball 42. “I just thought that the wicket was one that was a bit difficult to start on in terms of playing your strokes and being aggressive. So, I thought it was one that you just had to get in and give yourself a bit of time to get adjusted to the pace of the wicket and once you get in you would get away the ball after a while.”A part of Chase’s batting blueprint may have been formed when he was out bowling. Chase bowled his four overs for 26, during which he used the crease nicely to vary his lines and hit lengths to extract bounce from his tall frame. On two-paced surfaces, this mantra, married to a wicket-to-wicket line, has the potential to be a superb cocktail. While there were no inherent rewards for these efforts in the form of wickets, Chase kept PNG in check for most parts. It was only a late flourish from Kiplin Doriga that helped them finish on 136.”That was very good,” Rovman Powell, the West Indies captain said of Chase’s spell. “Started from a bowling effort, I think he bowled pretty well. And coming at the end, when we were under pressure coming there with composure, and to come out with a winning innings was great for us.”Andre Russell got away a vital boundary as the asking rate was climbing•Associated PressChase’s performances will also be that much more gratifying for himself and West Indies because for a long time he’s battled the perception of being a long-format player. But in 2020, when he was signed as a replacement player by St Lucia Kings in the CPL, something changed. In the following season, he was named MVP and made it to the T20 World Cup squad in 2021 in UAE.Even as most of his team-mates were over at the IPL, Chase went on a West Indies A tour to Nepal, where they played on spin-friendly surfaces in the middle of a heatwave. He topped those performances with two reassuring performances at home against South Africa prior to the T20 World Cup.”I’m full of confidence, even before this knock,” Chase said. “I mean, I had a good series against South Africa. Then I was on the A-team tour in Nepal and had a good series there and then I’ve been putting in a lot of work back home, obviously in the camp before the South Africa series. For me, it’s just to go there express myself when I get the chance and put everything that I put into practice into the game and entertain.”A lot of hard work, sweat, tears [has gone into it], just putting in the hard work. And obviously, believing. I think that’s the main reason. I mean, you can do all the hard work and have everyone rooting for you, but if you don’t have that self-belief, you’re not going to achieve. So, I just think that it’s for me to back any hard work that I did and also believing in my ability that when I get out there that I was showing my [skill].”

We look at the data and tactics to explore at this World Cup – with help from David Hussey

Andrew McGlashan and S Rajesh12-Oct-2022Australia has never staged a men’s T20 World Cup, and due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, over the last couple of seasons, T20Is have only been played in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. So how will the tournament, which will be staged across seven venues, possibly play out?With a combination of data – from all T20s from October 1, 2020 to October 1, 2022 – and expert insight from David Hussey, who has coached Melbourne Stars in the BBL for five seasons, we try to paint a picture of the characteristics of each venue and how that could impact tactics.Global trendsFirst, a glance at how T20 in Australia compares to the rest of the world. Across a number of metrics, the figures for the format in Australia sit mid-table, suggesting games played in the country are not at either extreme in global terms. But there are a few factors that stand out.Related

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Much is often made about the size of the grounds in Australia (although these days it depends on how far in the rope is), but the fact that the country has the second-lowest boundary percentage in T20 suggests there is some truth to the belief. At 54.1% of runs in fours and sixes, only South Africa (51.7%) has a lower figure. For sixes alone, Australia is again second lowest, with maximums accounting for 20.6% of runs, behind South Africa (19.6%).That more threes are scored is linked to this. In Australia, batters score a three on average every 127.7 deliveries, which is by far the lowest figure. The next lowest is England at 235.4 deliveries. For twos as well, Australia has the lowest per-balls rate of 11.4, ahead of New Zealand at 13.1. So it would appear that batters should get their running shoes on.