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The Three Lions may have come up short in Qatar, but this is unlikely to be the last time most of their players grace the World Cup stage

The wait for 'it' to come home (at least in the men's game) goes on, as England came up short in their quest to win a first World Cup since 1966 after quarter-final defeat to France in Qatar.

Harry Kane's missed penalty proved to be the difference in the end, and with Gareth Southgate still to decide whether he will continue in the job, the Three Lions are in a state of flux for the first time in at least four years.

That is not to say that England fans should panic. The core of their team is still very young, and there are plenty of countries who would bite your hand off if you offered them a run of semi-final, final and quarter-final in successive major tournaments.

They are likely to be one of, if not the favourites to win Euro 2024 in 18 months' time, but what about the next World Cup and their chances of ending a 60-year wait for a global title?

GOAL has broken down what we think their team will look like by the time the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico rolls around…

Getty ImagesGK: Aaron Ramsdale

This might seem harsh on Jordan Pickford, who has never let England down and will only be 32 when the next World Cup comes around, but we're erring on the side of youth here in picking Ramsdale.

The Arsenal goalkeeper is four years younger than Pickford and looks set to be the starter for a club who are playing Champions League football over the coming years.

The only other candidate right now looks to be Dean Henderson, who is currently 25 and was part of the squad as recently as September.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRB: Reece James

Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier have both likely played their last World Cup matches at the age of 32, and so the battle to be England's right-back will soon start to focus on James and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

James is 14 months younger than the Liverpool man and a more rounded full-back so we've gone for him, even if few players can produce what Alexander-Arnold can with his right foot at times.

There are, though, some younger players who could force their way into the conversation before 2026, including Southampton's Tino Livramento (20), Manchester City's Rico Lewis (18) and Brooke Norton-Cuffy (18) of Arsenal, who was part of England's European champion Under-19s team earlier in 2022.

Getty ImagesCB: John Stones

Stones has already been a starter at two World Cups, and we're backing him to graduate to the role of seasoned veteran by the time the 2026 edition begins.

The Man City defender will turn 32 shortly before the tournament kicks-off, and his big-match experience and comfort in possession should mean he remains a key member of the team.

The most obvious alternative for Stones would be Ben White, who is three years younger than the City man and shares a similar skillset, even if he is currently playing predominantly at right-back for Arsenal.

We want to throw out the names of a couple of 17-year-olds who could emerge over the next few years, too: Ashley Phillips has been linked with a host of top Premier League clubs after breaking into the Blackburn Rovers first team, while Josh Feeney trains with the Aston Villa senior squad and has regularly captained England at youth level.

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Getty ImagesCB: Fikayo Tomori

It seems an age ago now, but Tomori was the name on everyone's lips when England named their squad for Qatar, with many questioning why the AC Milan man wasn't picked.

All things being equal, he should now start to force his way into the reckoning more often, and he will be in the prime of his career at 27 when the next World Cup begins.

Tomori's fellow Chelsea academy graduate Marc Guehi (22) is also expected to earn further call-ups if he continues impressing for Crystal Palace, while there are high hopes at Stamford Bridge for Levi Colwill (19), even if his loan spell at Brighton is yet to yield many returns.

Marco Silva believes that the "best team won" and feels proud of Fulham for "controlling" the game in their late win against Manchester United.

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Fulham beat United 2-1 at Old TraffordIwobi scored an injury-time winnerCottagers coach Silva basking in glory Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Fulham pulled off a stunning upset against the Red Devils, to secure their second victory at Old Trafford since 1963, thanks to Alex Iwobi's injury-time goal. Calvin Bassey capitalised on a defensive lapse to open the scoring and when it seemed that Harry Maguire's late equaliser salvaged a point for the hosts, Iwobi struck to break United hearts.

Silva naturally loved what he saw from the sidelines and the manager made it a point to rub the defeat on the faces of their more illustrious opponent by claiming that they were the better team over the course of the 90 minutes.

AdvertisementWHAT SILVA SAID

Speaking to , Silva said: "It is a big win for us. For sure, a great feeling for our fans, who were loud from the first to the last whistle. The players deserved it, clearly, the best team won the game. We were the team which played better, created more chances and had more control of the game.

"It is a fantastic feeling for us to come here and win against a side in a good run of form. We knew we would have to play at a high level and that's what we did. They had two or three moments as well, they are a quality team but we controlled it very well. I'm pleased how we played at the start of the second half."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

United struggled to assert themselves in attack in the absence of injured striker Rasmus Hojlund and they were made to pay dearly for looking toothless in front of goal. It was their 10th defeat in the Premier League and this one was a mortal blow to their hopes of Champions League qualification as they now find themselves eight points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Iwobi's goal, timed at 96 minutes and four seconds, happened to be the second-latest winning goal ever scored against United in the Premier League and the latest by a visiting team at Old Trafford since the 2006-07 season.

New Zealand are set to make at least one change to their team as they seek to level the series against Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2014New Zealand are set to make at least one change to their batting line-up as they seek to level the Test series against Pakistan, but know that it will be a major challenge for whichever XI they send out to overcome the hosts in Sharjah.The draw in Dubai, where on the final day New Zealand had Pakistan nervous before tea, lifted confidence after the comprehensive reversal in the opening Test. However, breaking down the performance there were at least a couple of moments when more ruthlessness could have brought even greater rewards.They had been 226 for 2 in the first innings, but ended up needing their lower-order’s help to scrape past 400. Then they had Pakistan 312 for 9 in their first innings before a last-wicket stand of 81 between Sarfraz Ahmed and Rahat Ali brought the scores almost level.Both in terms of runs and time used up, that was a vital period and the difference between New Zealand having an even stronger chance to force a result on the final day – and it needed Ross Taylor’s impressive hundred to prevent a likely Pakistan victory.In the middle order, Jimmy Neesham, despite being the first New Zealander to score hundreds in his first two Tests, has emerged as the most vulnerable after a lean two Tests where he has struggled against spin. So too, has Corey Anderson but he was more robust in the first Test and his bowling is a notch more threatening than Neesham’s, whose one wicket in the series was a long hop smashed to cover by Younis Khan.”We’ll definitely consider changes,” Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, said. “We considered it before this [second] Test and we had some good discussions over the make-up of the side and we’ll continue those.”Luke Ronchi is shaping as the man to push for inclusion, partly due to his recent strong form in ODIs, with scores of 99 and 79 against South Africa, but also as he is a right-hander and that is viewed as a way of being able to counter threat posed by Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah, who have targeted the pads and stumps of the left-handers with deliveries spinning into them.However, one change in batting personnel is unlikely to quell the threat posed by the Pakistan spinners, especially on a surface that is already shorn of any semblance of grass two days out from the match.”In the other two pitches we could see grass, but not here. This looks a bit different. Sharjah traditionally is lower and skiddier and slows up as the game goes on. So I don’t expect this wicket to be any different,” Hesson said. “The warm-up game we had played here had lot more grass on it. We have to play very well to be able to compete in these conditions.”Their bowling attack is likely to be bolstered with the surprise inclusion of Daniel Vettori, who was already with the New Zealand A team in the UAE, taking the spinners’ count to three in the team. Ish Sodhi, the legspinner, has impressed in patches but the Pakistan batsmen have made a conscious effort to attack offspinner Mark Craig whose Test economy rate is over four an over.”Our spinners aren’t used to bowling on conditions where footholes play such a part. Pakistan spinners beat us off the wicket and at home traditionally we try and beat guys in the air,” Hesson said. “When you have footholes to hit, it’s very hard to change the method that you’ve trained your whole life. I thought the way Ish and Mark have adapted over the last couple of Tests is pleasing but they are still striving for consistency of pace as well.”

South Africa made it two handsome wins in a day against Ireland as they secured a 46-run success on the back of Migon du Preez’s 69

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2014
ScorecardMignon du Preez hit 12 boundaries and a six•ICCSouth Africa made it two handsome wins in a day against Ireland as they secured a 46-run success on the back of Mignon du Preez’s 69 followed by four wickets apiece for Ayabonga Khaka and Suné Luus.As in the first game of the day, South Africa made a far from ideal start as they lost Lizelle Lee to the second ball of the match, but the third-wicket stand of 103 between du Preez and Trisha Chetty, the latter who contributed 53 off 47 balls, ensured they would be out of reach.Du Preez’s innings, which included 12 fours and a six, was South Africa’s third highest individual score in a T20 while the partnership with Chetty was their third best.In reply, Ireland were three down inside the Powerplay against Khaka and the target became trying to bat out their 20 overs. They achieved that with Clare Shillington making a run-a-ball 31 before she was the first of the scalps for Luus’ legspin. Khaka and Luus became the second and third South Africa bowlers to take four wickets in a T20 after Marizanne Kapp.

A round-up of the Pentangular One Day Cup matches played on January 1, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jan-2015Mohammad Rizwan’s second List-A hundred helped Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Fighters to a 73-run victory against Federal United in Karachi. Fighters, opting to bat, made 323 for 6 from their 50 overs. Their innings was built around Rizwan’s 114, as well as his 100-plus stands for the second and third wickets with Israrullah and Shoaib Malik. Israrullah scored 72, with eight fours, while Malik’s 68 featured 10 fours and a six.Federal United began the chase shakily, as early blows reduced them to 60 for 5 inside 15 overs. The team’s middle order put up a stern resistance, with Ali Sarfraz (60) and Zohaib Ahmed (36) putting up 84 for the sixth wicket, but Fighters kept chipping away at them with wickets at regular intervals. Junaid Khan, the pick of Fighters’ bowlers, cleaned up the team’s tail on his way to collecting 3 for 41, as Federal United were bundled out for 250 in 47 overs.

Erik ten Hag's team didn't just drop two points at Selhurst Park – they also lost Casemiro for Sunday's top-of-the-table clash at the Emirates.

The last time Erik ten Hag visited Selhurst Park, he had just been confirmed as Manchester United's new, permanent manager.

Sat up in the stands, he likely recoiled as his soon-to-be squad laboured to a 1-0 defeat that would have seen then drop into Europa Conference League had West Ham managed to beat Brighton.

has changed at Old Trafford since then – Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles and Hannibal Mejbri all started against the Eagles back in May – and Ten Hag deserves endless credit for orchestrating the club's turnaround in such a short space of time.

However, there are limits to the Red Devils' progress, and talk of United mounting a title challenge was dealt a double-blow on Wednesday as they returned to the scene last season's crime against football.

Not only did Michael Olise's stunning free-kick ensure their nine-match winning run came to an end, a second-half yellow card for Casemiro means he will miss this weekend's mammoth showdown with Arsenal.

In truth, the result was what United deserved. If not for some trademark heroics from David de Gea in goal, they could have lost the game. Bruno Fernandes – who scored his side's goal, finishing off Christian Eriksen's cutback – even admitted as much at full time.

But Ten Hag & Co. cannot afford to lick their wounds. If their fledgling title hopes are to become reality, a result this Sunday is essential.

For now, here are GOAL's winners, losers and ratings from Selhurst Park…

GettyThe Winners

Arsenal:

As one might expect, the Palace fans in the Holmesdale Road end went ballistic when Olise's free-kick nestled in the back of the net. And, somewhere in north London, a certain Spaniard likely enjoyed it very much too. Coming into this one, United supporters had been getting the calculators out to prove that their chances of catching Premier League leaders Arsenal were far from remote. However, that late goal means Mikel Arteta's side remain eight points clear at the summit of the standings, with Ten Hag's team having only managed to move ahead of Man City on goal difference. And United will now have to try to prevent Arsenal from taking another significant step towards the title on Sunday without Casemiro, their midfield talisman. All in all, not a bad evening for the Gunners.

David de Gea:

He is not perfect, that has been well established. But my word, has De Gea still got some magic in the locker. Just before the break, Odsonne Edouard let fly with a shot that everyone in Selhurst Park thought would loop under the bar. De Gea had other ideas, using every millimetre of his right arm to push the ball out onto the woodwork. A few minutes later, Fernandes netted what appeared to be the winner. De Gea was called into action again late in the second half, though, reacting swiftly to parry away Marc Guehi's header. Unfortunately, he was left with no chance for Olise's free-kick, but without him, United would be coming away from London with no points at all.

Patrick Vieira:

The Crystal Palace manager was in a foul mood after his side's narrow defeat to Chelsea last weekend. When asked if he felt his players deserved something from the game to kick off the post-match formalities, he simply said: "Yes." It was one of a string of monosyllabic answers offered by the frustrated Palace boss, who later took aim at the Blues' market-distorting purchase of Mykhailo Mudryk. He would've been desperate to put things right against United, but the footballing gods can be cruel, and he was subjected to almost a carbon copy of Sunday's game for 91 minutes. Again, Vieira set up his midfield excellently to frustrate the far-wealthier opposition. Again, Palace had chances. And again, for a long time, it looked like his side would get nothing. But then, up stepped Olise. No doubt, there will be no one-word answers in his post-match press conference this time around.

AdvertisementGettyThe Losers

Casemiro:

"No, no, no, no, NOOOOO!" We imagine that was roughly Ten Hag's internal reaction to witnessing Casemiro slowly shadowing Wilfried Zaha in the closing stages of this one before scything him down. The resulting yellow card means the Brazilian will miss United's gargantuan trip to the Emirates, in a development that will have Arteta licking his lips. Fred or Scott McTominay are the most obvious possible replacements, although Lisandro Martinez can also play in a defensive midfield role. It goes without saying, but all three of those options are a universe away from what Casemiro could have offered.

Antony:

You just can't take your eyes off of this guy. However, his eminent watchability is not always a good thing – and one short passage of play in the first half summed up the Brazilian's Jekyll and Hyde existence perfectly. After silencing the braying home crowd with a delicious back-heel through the legs of Tyrick Mitchell, Antony played a wayward pass in the general direction of Bruno Fernandes, who was not happy. An on-field spat ensued, and went on for some time – largely thanks to the stubbornness, or petulance, of the £85 million forward. Antony is always going to be unpredictable, it's part of what makes him great. But when it doesn't come off for him, like tonight, he can end up looking a little silly.

GettyMan Utd Ratings: Defence

David de Gea (8/10):

Made a sublime save from Edouard early on and pulled off another impressive stop when Marc Guehi diverted a corner onto goal 15 minutes from time.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (7/10):

Enjoyed a fascinating, running battle with former team-mate Zaha down the left. Did not offer much offensively, but gave as good as he got against Palace's talisman and made a stunning, goal-saving challenge at the death.

Lisandro Martinez (7/10):

Shaky start. Had to be bailed out by Varane when he miscued a header. Was bandaged up after being elbowed and bravely soldiered on. Some of his passes were superb. Booked.

Raphael Varane (7/10):

Pretty classy. Covered for his team-mates on more than one occasion and used the ball fairly well.

Luke Shaw (5/10):

Looked to find Antony with raking, long balls – but rarely did. Had a testing night defensively against the dual threat of Olise and Clyne.

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GettyMidfield

Casemiro (6/10):

Fared well against a strong Palace midfield for the most part. Made a string of recovering challenges when the pressure was on – but that yellow card is a massive blow for his side and perhaps wasn't necessary.

Christian Eriksen (6/10):

Created Fernandes' opener with a sublime run and cut-back. Not a lot else came off, though, with Palace cutting his usual passing lanes off superbly.

Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

Had all the time in the world to pick his spot and made no mistake, putting his side 1-0 up. Created a few more openers after that.

Controversy over Paris Saint-Germain's equaliser against Newcastle has been dismissed by Luis Enrique, who described the game as a "horror movie".

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Mbappe scored penalty in 98th minuteLivramento punished for controversial handballPSG sit second in the 'group of death'WHAT HAPPENED?

Despite having a multitude of shots on goal, the Parisians had been unable to find a way past Nick Pope in the Newcastle goal. At least until the home side were awarded a penalty in the dying moments of the game, after an Ousmane Dembele cross struck the elbow of Tino Livramento. PSG were perhaps fortunate to be awarded the penalty given the ball first bounced off Livramento's torso – much to the dismay of the Newcastle players and fans alike. Kylian Mbappe emphatically dispatched the spot kick to keep qualification in PSG's hands.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Alexander Isak had put the Magpies in front against the run of play, with PSG managing a grand total of 31 shots in the game, albeit just seven on target. Irked by claims that his side had been lucky to earn a point from the game, and remain strong favourites for qualification, Luis Enrique hit back at the criticism.

Getty ImagesWHAT ENRIQUE SAID

When quizzed on the penalty call after the game, Luis Enrique said: "This is football, it is not basketball. We are one of the teams that scores the most goals in Europe, there is no doubt. One day the ball doesn't want to go in and this is what happens. It's like the script of a horror movie, but I hope to finish first in the group."

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WHAT NEXT FOR LUIS ENRIQUE AND PSG?

Having secured a point, and snatched a precious two from Newcastle, PSG sit second in Group F. They are set to travel to Borussia Dortmund on the final matchday, with the German club already through to the round of 16. Meanwhile, Newcastle host AC Milan needing a victory, and a favour from Dortmund, to qualify.

Napoli have released a statement clarifying president Aurelio De Laurentiis' comments regarding Victor Osimhen's future at the club.

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De Laurentiis hinted at stall in talksStriker's contract expires in 2025Napoli say negotiations could resumeWHAT HAPPENED?

De Laurentiis suggested in a press conference that talks with Osimhen over a new contract had come to a standstill and that the player's "mood has changed" over his future at the club.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Relations between Osimhen and Napoli seemed to sour this season after the club's TikTok account posted videos appearing to mock the Nigeria international. Tensions rose to the point the striker's agent threatened legal action and any sight of Napoli was removed from his Instagram account.

WHAT THEY SAID

Napoli, however, maintain that talks are expected to continue and that the 24-year-old is merely taking time to consider his future.

"SSC Napoli would like to clarify recent comments made by president Aurelio De Laurentiis regarding Victor Osimhen, given that his words have been distorted by certain media publications," a statement read. "President De Laurentiis did not say anything negative about Victor. He simply stated that after a series of lengthy contract negotiations which ended with the parties shaking hands and agreeing to continue together, Victor had second thoughts. President De Laurentiis hopes this is merely a pause for reflection. Over the coming weeks, when Victor will not be able to play as he recovers from injury, the president, Osimhen and his agent Roberto Calenda will sit down calmly to discuss the future. Describing relations between Osimhen and Napoli as frosty is entirely out of place."

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Osimhen, whose current contract runs until 2025, is currently out with a hamstring injury and will miss the team's Serie A match against Hellas Verona on Saturday.

After winning the European Championship in 2022 and reaching the 2023 Women's World Cup final, England's future looks as bright as the present

Sarina Wiegman has done a lot of fantastic things as head coach of the England women’s national team. She helped deliver the Lionesses’ first-ever major title at the home European Championship in 2022 and guided them to a maiden World Cup final the following year. The role the Dutchwoman has played in helping individuals go to new levels shouldn’t be ignored either, with Mary Earps a prime example. But it is something else from Wiegman’s tenure which has been particularly significant.

It was only a few weeks after her appointment when the Football Association (FA) was looking at improving the player pathway and, in turn, reintroduced the Lionesses’ Under-23s team. It might sound trivial, but no fewer than 13 players have progressed through to the seniors via the reformed team, including the likes of Lauren James and Niamh Charles, who are now key figures in Wiegman’s starting XI.

With the U23s joining the senior team for a warm-weather training camp in Spain this week, the England pathway has never been so connected. It means that after establishing themselves as one of the top nations in the women’s game, the Lionesses’ future is bright, too. Wiegman, the (FA) and the staff involved throughout the pathway deserve huge credit, because their hard work is really starting to pay dividends.

Getty ImagesBridging the gap

There are a lot of reasons why reintroducing the U23s team made sense. Given the talent pool and the nation’s lofty status in the women’s game, it’s not easy to get into the England senior squad. Yet, the age groups previously in place meant that once a player’s teenage years were over, the chances were that they could fall off the radar, even if they still had the potential to be a Lioness later down the line.

The U23s, then, would help to "bridge the gap", as Kay Cossington, head of women's technical at the FA, put it at the time, as well as challenging those excelling in lower age groups. “Some players will go faster and some players have the opportunity to play international football in the U23s, so I think that's a really good step,” Wiegman said.

Putting Mo Marley in charge, an experienced and well-respected coach who had previously overseen other England youth teams, was a brilliant decision, too. “I think she's one of the best coaches there is to bridge that gap,” Anna Patten, the Aston Villa defender who captained the U23s in one of those first camps, told GOAL.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesVisibility

Wiegman and Marley were not working in silos, though. The Dutchwoman described a “real good connection” between them when it came to ensuring the pathway was aligned, and Marley illustrated that point even further when talking to reporters in one of the first camps after the U23s had been re-established.

“It's been really refreshing for the players because in both camps, [Wiegman has] come out and she's present and she's live. She's in and around the sessions, so every day the players have got a chance to show their own personal development,” Marley explained.

“I think it's hard when you're a young player and you don't know the top and you've never met the top. It's almost like you're guessing if you're making that connection. But the fact that [Wiegman is] present and she can see it and I've reassured the players that the technical team, the information, it's basically joined up, it's the plan. They can tell with the language that I'm using and the change, they can see that pathway is consistent and it's joined up and it's connected.”

“You never really know where you stand sometimes,” Patten added. “They say they're always watching but you never really know – until you have opportunities like this to be brought in. On our first day, actually, the whole senior squad were just out there watching us! [Wiegman] is in and around and I think that's pretty positive for us to know that the seniors are watching.”

GettyPlan in place

Of course, it’s not just that Wiegman watches a few sessions and asks the U23s coach – now Emma Coates after Marley stepped back into retirement having helped the team get off the ground – who has been performing well. It’s about individual development plans, embedding England’s style of play and seeing how players are in the national-team environment.

Charles, the Chelsea star who has progressed through the U23s to the senior team and is now a regular starter for the Lionesses, outlined the importance of this connected pathway in a chat with GOAL during last year’s Arnold Clark Cup. “You know exactly what you're working on. I think it's very clear what you've got to do to get [to the seniors],” she said. “The U23s were at St. George's Park with us earlier in the week as well. Everyone knows each other, so it's really good that when you're there, you know you're not too far away.”

She’s not the only player to have done what she needed to do to move up into Wiegman’s team, either. In fact, there are six players in the senior squad for England’s February camp who have walked that path – Charles, James, Jess Park, Maya Le Tissier, Khiara Keating and Grace Clinton. It’s an impressive number given the U23s team has only been back in place for two-and-a-half years.

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GettyConsistency

Something that several of those to have progressed into the senior team have noted, too, is the consistency of the style of play and messages that the players receive from the coaches. It’s something that the best footballing nations have had in place for a long time, a recognisable thread that runs from the top down – think about Spain, Germany and Japan, who’ve enjoyed success at youth and senior level both in terms of winning tournaments but also in player progression. It takes a lot of time to ingrain this, but the word from the players is that England are on their way towards doing so.

When called up for the senior team for just the second time last February, Everton goalkeeper Emily Ramsey told reporters: “I've come to the seniors and it's consistent with what I'm getting told at U23s. I think that's just really important for the pathway, that it is bleeding down from the top and everyone's following that same direction, so when you do get players stepping up, they're ready to perform.”

Charles echoed this sentiment to GOAL just a few days later. “I think [the players coming up] know exactly how England want to play because they get it at the U23s as well. I think just coming in and being fearless is what the U23s gives you. It gives you that experience so that when you step up, it doesn't feel like a massive step.”

Cameron Bancroft’s maiden first-class double-century ensured Western Australia collected an innings lead against New South Wales in Perth, and with it, sealed the team’s place in Saturday’s final against Victoria

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Adam Voges is the leading run-scorer of the tournament, with five centuries and five fifties from 10 matches•Getty ImagesCameron Bancroft’s maiden first-class double-century ensured Western Australia collected an innings lead against New South Wales in Perth, and with it, sealed the team’s place in Saturday’s final against Victoria.New South Wales needed an outright win to stand a chance to go ahead of Western Australia to second in the table, but a mammoth partnership between Bancroft and Michael Klinger on the penultimate day meant that a draw was the most likely result. The pair put up a Sheffield Shield record 324 runs for the second wicket, batting together for 139 overs.Klinger was the first to go, dismissed for 161 after hitting 20 fours and two sixes, but Bancroft carried on, making his way to 211 and added a further 147 with Adam Voges, who stroked 83. It meant that three of the top five run-getters of the season all belong to Western Australia.It took the team to 4 for 483, earning them a lead of 76, after which they declared.