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Chelsea have already lined up a potential replacement for Mason Mount, with the Evening Standard reporting that the Blues want Gabri Veiga to replace the England international.

What is the latest Chelsea transfer news?

The Blues have already started planning for life under new boss Mauricio Pochettino, with the manager working quickly to try and craft the squad to his liking. It means that there has been plenty of transfer news and stories floating around involving the club and the players that they could bring in.

One of the biggest names currently is Moises Caicedo, with the Brighton man believed to be in talks with the club over a switch to Stamford Bridge. It's unclear how much he may cost the English side but it looks as if discussions are certainly underway over a potential deal.

It also appears as if the Premier League side are eyeing more additions in goal, with the club set to hold talks over a move for Andre Onana. There has been interest from Man United in the current Inter shot-stopper too, but it's the Blues who are preparing to hold fresh negotiations over a deal.

Are Chelsea signing Gabri Veiga from Celta Vigo?

In terms of outgoings, Mason Mount is set to join Manchester United after the two clubs agreed a fee totalling £60m on Thursday.

And according to a report from The Evening Standard, Chelsea have already begun to look for potential replacements. It states that one of their top targets is Veiga at Celta Vigo. It adds that his release clause is just £34.6m and that the Blues may be prepared to trigger it to bring him to Stamford Bridge once Mount departs.

He may only be 21-years-old, but he has already earned acclaim for his performances for Celta Vigo. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig called him "highly-talented" and added that he has had a "great season" for the La Liga outfit.

The youngster then could be an excellent pick up for Chelsea, who will want to bolster their squad to improve on their torrid 2022/23 season. He ranks in the 99th percentile for non-penalty goals by midfielders, via FBRef, also ranking highly for total shots, expected assists and successful take-ons.

Veiga is a player who can certainly kick start Pochettino's new era, with his abilities already shining through in Spain and still so much potential left to fulfil. With Mount now set to leave then, he could be a perfect replacement at SW6.

AB de Villiers, South Africa’s one-day captain, believes there has never been as much belief in the squad as they currently have in the midst of an 11-match ODI winning streak

Andrew McGlashan in Hamilton18-Feb-2017

AB de Villiers, South Africa’s one-day captain, believes there has never been as much belief in the squad as they currently have in the midst of an 11-match ODI winning streak.A win in Hamilton on Sunday will equal South Africa’s best run in ODI cricket – matching the 12 wins in a row they achieved in 2005 – and eyes are already firmly fixed on the Champions Trophy in June. Global tournaments come with a huge weight of history for South Africa, most of it bad, but de Villiers’ faith in his squad is absolute.”The belief in the squad is as high as I’ve ever experienced it,” he said. “There’s a great respect among the players and a sense of direction. It’s as simple as that. We know it can change in a matter of minutes, so there’s a deep respect for the game and the fact you can go into a dip at any time, but I really believe what we have in this team will carry us through good and bad times.”It’s definitely a build-up towards the Champions Trophy, it’s a big goal of ours to go there and win that tournament, we know there’s a long way to go but this is a great stepping stone,” he added. “The conditions are pretty similar – the ball moves around a bit when it’s new and you have to extend your partnerships when you get in, so it’s quite similar to the UK.”Pretorius available for SA

Dwaine Pretorius, the allrounder, will be available for the second ODI in Christchurch after delaying his departure for the tour to attend the birth of his child.
Pretorius, 27, made his ODI debut against Ireland last year and recently claimed five wickets in two matches against Sri Lanka.
Dane Paterson was included for the start of the tour as cover in Pretorius’ absence and played the T20 in Auckland when Kagiso Rabada was rested.

South Africa had warned themselves to be on their guard against a slow start to their tour and de Villiers was delighted with the intensity they showed in the T20 at Eden Park. He admitted a one-off match was tough to get motivated for, but that made the convincing nature of the 78-run victory even more pleasing ahead of the main portions of the tour.”It’s difficult to get yourself up for a one-game series. We chatted about that and saw it as a red flag – even though it’s not that significant, you are still representing your country,” he said. “You are away from home and you want to start a tour off on the right note. We are hoping that momentum will take us into the ODI series. I thought we played an outstanding game of cricket. It was vital for us to start well, it doesn’t guarantee us any success in the ODIs but it was a good start.”A couple of hours after completing their victory, at close to midnight, with only the cleaners, security and night owls of the media left at the ground, the full South African squad strode out to the middle of the Eden Park pitch and produced a loud rendition of their team song. De Villiers admitted it felt “a bit weird” after a one-off match but said it was important to maintain traditions.”We were hoping no one would be there,” he said with a hint of a smile. “We normally go out quite late, but it’s just a tradition after every series win. You have to appreciate the good times.”He insisted, though, that there was no extra feeling because of what had happened the last time South Africa played at Eden Park in the World Cup semi-final.”It will never disappear that we lost the semi-final, but all you can focus on is the now. That game has been played about a 1000 times on TV over the last few days, so I’ve been reliving those emotions quite a bit, but it’s all good memories really. We’ve got through all the pain and heartache. When I’ve watched the game over the last few days I just saw good things.”And with that, the next global tournament draws ever nearer.

Newland’s favourite son, Jacques Kallis, didn’t say goodbye to the ground when he retired abruptly at the end of 2013 but almost three years later, he was there to say hello as the South Africans conducted their first training session of 2017

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town01-Jan-2017

Newland’s favourite son, Jacques Kallis, didn’t say goodbye to the ground when he retired abruptly at the end of 2013 but almost three years later, he was there to say hello as the South Africans conducted their first training session of 2017. South Africa’s coach Russell Domingo asked Kallis to come in to consult at what became an extended optional net session. He spent time with every batsman, was in the team meeting then even helped to pack up at the end and Domingo’s hopes that the greatness will rub off.”He’s probably the greatest cricketer who has ever played and he’s in Cape Town. For us not to get him down to practice is stupid. He’s keen to come and watch and see what’s happening and share his experiences with some of the younger players who have never met him before,” Domingo said. “A lot of guys think of him and go, ‘Jeez – can’t he play tomorrow? Is he available?’ He’s a great player and it’s great to have him around the team.”While Kallis is most definitely not considering a cricketing comeback, he has had dalliances with coaching through T20 leagues. Kallis has coached at Kolkata Knight Riders and Trinidad in the CPL and although he does not think he wants a full-time role just yet, he admitted it is something he has started to enjoy. “It’s very rewarding. Towards the end of my career, I found I liked passing on knowledge to the guys. That’s the nice part – seeing the guys’ game develop,” he said.One player whose game Kallis has an intricate knowledge of is Hashim Amla, who he saw debut and played alongside for almost a decade. With Amla in the midst of a slump of sorts – he has not scored a century in 11 innings and a fifty in eight – Kallis spent a significant amount of time in his net and gave him “little pointers” on how to ensure he pushes on from a start. Kallis was convinced a big score is looming for the holder of South Africa’s highest individual Test score.”He is hitting it pretty well, he just needs to push on but generally he is hitting it as well as when I was playing,” Kallis said. “He has got a few 40s in that and he just hasn’t kicked on. That happens. But he is hungry, I can tell you that. I wouldn’t be surprised if he went on and got a big hundred in the next Test match or two. It’s pretty much assured.”Similarly, Kallis was certain that South Africa are not in danger of slipping into complacency after a convincing win over Sri Lanka in the first Test. It was only a year ago that South Africa were on a downward spiral after losing 3-0 in India and then being beaten by England at home. Kallis believed it was a case of lesson learnt.”It’s nice to see us bouncing back from that,” he said. “One thing you can learn from that is that when you do go through good periods like we are going through now, don’t give it away. Throw your mind back to India where we were struggling. The guys certainly don’t seem complacent, they seem very hungry to keep going. They’ve learnt from that experience in terms of taking their form forward and not giving it away. They are in a very good space.”South Africa have admitted they feel better about themselves than they have for a long time and that is largely because they have unearthed some depth. From going through the 2015-16 season with many frontline bowlers injured, they now have Vernon Philander back and several others in reserve with Morne Morkel also turning up at the New Year’s training. What they have not really found is an allrounder in the Kallis mould and for that alone, even Domingo wishes Kallis was still around.”As good a batsman as he was we can always scrape together his runs but to scrape together the 15 or 16 overs he bowled is not that easy,” Domingo said. “Look at England, they’ve got Ben Stokes who plays as a fourth seamer. Angelo Mathews bowls 15 overs. Australia have Mitchell Marsh. It is one area where he has been missed.”But there have been signs in recent times that South Africa are finding another way to ensure their main quick bowlers have someone to play a supporting role. “It has presented an opportunity for a spinner to step up,” Domingo said. “Instead of the spinner bowling 10 overs the spinner’s now bowling 25 overs a day. Kallis’ greatness probably limited the opportunities for a spinner. Having him not there now means the spinners have to front up. That’s why it’s so good to see a guy like Keshav Maharaj come in. We’ve got the confidence to bowl him 25 overs a day and rotate the three seamers.”

يستعد الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم يويفا، لإقامة تعديلات جديدة في نظام سحب قرعة دوري أبطال أوروبا من الموسم المقبل.

جدير بالذكر أن مسابقة دوري أبطال أوروبا في الموسم المقبل، ستضم 36 فريقاً بدلاً من 32 فريقًا على غرار موسم 1999-2000.

اقرأ ايضاً.. أرتيتا يلمح إلى إمكانية غياب مهاجم آرسنال أمام بورتو في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وقال نائب الأمين العام للاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم جورجيو ماركيتي في تصريحات لوكالة الأنباء البريطانية “بي إيه ميديا”، إنه من المتوقع أن تقام قرعة دوري أبطال أوروبا بشكل آلي بدلاً من السحب اليدوي.

وأفاد قائلاً أن الشكل الجديد من مسابقة دوري أبطال أوروبا، سيجعل المنافسة غير قابلة للتنبؤ بها، ويضمن المزيد من المباريات بين الأندية الكبيرة وتقليل التوقعات المسبقة.

وسيتم استبدال النظام الحالي من دور المجموعات، بنظام جدول دور واحد وسيواجه كل فريق ثمان مباريات ضد خصوم مختلفين، بإقامة 4 مواجهات ذهاباً و4 إياباً.

وسيتأهل أول ثمانية فرق بشكل مباشر إلى منافسات الدور الـ16 ، بينما ستتنافس الفرق ما بين المركز التاسع حتى 24 لاستكمال باقي المتأهلين.

Leeds United could be set to make their first signing of the summer, even before securing a new manager…

What's the latest on Viktor Johansson to Leeds United?

With the 49ers seeking to solve the many issues that Andrea Radrizzani left them with when he offloaded the club, atop their list is likely filling their head coach vacancy.

However, they cannot pass up the opportunity of a transfer coup should it appear, which according to Football League World, it has done.

They note that the Whites are keeping tabs on Rotherham United goalkeeper Viktor Johansson as a potential replacement for Illan Meslier, with a focus on domestic transfers expected to be the priority this summer.

Fans will likely be glad to see the back of their French shot-stopper, given how his exploits at the back end of last term cost them dearly.

After all, it was reported back in April that he already had one eye on an exit even before their relegation.

Who is Viktor Johansson?

To swap out this culpable French dud for such a capable gem would mark an instant upgrade, and hopefully kickstart a much-needed defensive revolution at Elland Road.

Last campaign the Whites shipped 78 goals as they finished 19th in the Premier League, and the 23-year-old goalkeeper saw much of the blame placed upon his shoulders. The stopper was therefore understandably dropped for their final four games of the season.

His 6.65 average rating in the league that year was supportive of Sam Allardyce's decision, as he would concede on average two goals per game, and kept just five clean sheets throughout the whole term, via Sofascore.

Journalist David Kent even outlined how the £30k-per-week dud had let his side down, writing on Twitter in April: "Meslier a massive liability at this stage for Leeds."

Meanwhile, Johansson has been an ever-present stalwart for The Millers, cementing the number-one spot with a string of fine performances.

Across his 43 Championship matches in the recently-concluded campaign, he was averaging 3.7 saves per game at a success rate of 74%. This fed into the 13 clean sheets he had earned, and the 7.11 average rating bestowed upon the 24-year-old, via Sofascore.

Despite his side finishing 19th, he commanded a staunch backline that held firm on many occasions despite all their struggles.

The 6 foot 1 titan had offered a glimpse into his goalkeeping strengths back in 2020 and has only served to prove his claims correct in the following years.

He initially claimed: "I’d say I’m an explosive goalkeeper, quick off my line, good at shot stopping and good with my kicking."

Replacing unreliability with solidity will be a huge step forward for the Yorkshire outfit, as the 49ers seek to hand whoever their new manager is the perfect platform for instant success.

Tottenham Hotspur are among the "frontrunners" to sign forward Manor Solomon for free this summer, but Shakhtar Donetsk have threatened to sue them if they do.

Who will join Spurs this summer?

Incoming new manager Ange Postecoglou, who will officially start work on July 1, has still already earmarked transfer targets and held strategy meetings with chairman Daniel Levy.

The Australian, after putting pen to paper on a move down south from Celtic, is ready to green-light the signing of a star centre-back and holds a serious interest in Leicester City star James Maddison.

Spurs are also after a new goalkeeper to succeed Hugo Lloris, who has since confirmed his desire to leave N17 this summer as he seeks a new challenge.

Postecoglou, amid reported doubts over the likes of Richarlison, is plotting to sign a new forward this window too. Tottenham did want to sign Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal, but with the winger on his way to Chelsea, they may need to look at alternatives.

Solomon, who impressed on loan at Fulham during the second half of 2022/2023, is apparently on their radar and journalist Dom Smith of The Evening Standard claim Spurs are among the "frontrunners".

However, Fulham are firmly there as well, and this report from Smith relays that Tottenham could even land themselves in legal trouble with a swoop for Solomon.

Shakhtar have apparently threatened to sue Spurs if they sign the Israel international on a free deal, coming after a FIFA ruling allowed players to leave Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.

The Ukranian Premier League side have been left frustrated by an amendment to the legislation which allows players to independtly halt their contracts and move wherever, without approval from their employers.

As such, Shakhtar could take their frustrations out on Tottenham through the courts if they move for Solomon on a Bosman.

How many goals did Manor Solomon score for Fulham?

The 23-year-old, who has now jetted to Ibiza for a seven-day holiday before deciding his future, enjoyed a real hot streak of form at Fulham last season.

Solomon scored in five straight games between February and March, and four overall in the league under Marco Silva, with the Whites now eager to re-sign him permanently.

Israeli sports journalist Josh Halickman has also described the forward as an "exceptional athlete" and puts him up there with some of the country's best sports people of recent times.

علّق تشافي هيرنانديز، المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة، على فوزهم الصعب في مباراة الأمس ضد ريال مايوركا في إطار منافسات الدوري الإسباني.

وفاز برشلونة بهدف دون رد، في افتتاحية الجولة الثامنة والعشرين من الليجا، على ملعب “مونتجويك” (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وقال تشافي في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “لقد كانت مباراة صعبة بالنسبة لنا، هم يلعبون بشكل جيد للغاية، أهدرنا ركلة جزاء كانت ستغير مجرى المباراة بالنسبة لنا”.

وأهدر إيلكاي جوندوجان ضربة جزاء في الدقيقة 23 من عمر الشوط الأول، بعدما تصدى لها حارس الخصم.

وأضاف: “لقد تنافسنا بشكل جيد وخلقنا فرصًا للفوز بأكثر من 1-0، لكن هيا، ثلاث نقاط مهمة جدًا لا تزال تضعنا في المنافسة على اللقب، لقد تحسن الفريق منذ أن قلت إنني سأغادر، لقد أصبح الأمر مرتبطًا”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. لامين يامال بعد هدفه الرائع أمام ريال مايوركا: أحب مساعدة برشلونة في أي شيء

وواصل: “كوبارسي لاعب ذكى، هو يعرف متى يتدخل ومتى لا يفعل ذلك، لامين يامال وباو يستحقان الإشادة، لامين لا يبدو أنه يبلغ من العمر 17 عامًا”.

وتعرض رافينها للإصابة التي أجبرته على المغادرة في الدقيقة 37، كما بدا يامال يعاني من بعض الانزعاجات في اللحظات الأخيرة.

ولكن تشافي أكد أن الأمر ليس خطيرًا، حيث قال: “هناك ضربات ولا إصابات، من حيث المبدأ، بحسب ما يقولونه لي، لا توجد إصابة والجميع سيكون متواجدًا يوم الثلاثاء ضد نابولي”.

واختتم: “هذا الفوز يمنحنا الكثير من الروح المعنوية لخوض مواجهة نابولي، نحن بحاجة إلى ملعب ممتلئ وسنبذل قصارى جهدنا للتأهل إلى الدور ربع النهائي”.

HBL took the last five WAPDA wickets for nine runs before Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman hit hundreds in a double-century stand

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo – Imam-ul-Haq struck 10 fours•Getty Images

Centuries from openers Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman underlined Habib Bank Limited’s dominance over Water and Power Development Authority on day three of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final at the National Stadium in Karachi. HBL, who had conceded a 42-run lead, were 264 without loss at stumps.WAPDA, who resumed on 244 for 5 after a rest day for Rabi-ul-Awal, lost their last five wickets for just nine runs to be bowled out for 278. Abdur Rehman, the left-arm spinner, took three of those to complete a WAPDA batting collapse – they were at 162 for no loss at one stage. Salman Butt’s 125 – his third first-class century of the season – was the top score for WAPDA.They were dealt another blow when Kamran Akmal, their wicketkeeper, didn’t take the field in the second innings because of an injury, and had to be replaced by Zahid Mansoor.Imam, nephew of Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Zaman then powered ahead to record the highest opening stand for HBL when they surpassed a 16-year record of 252, held by Asadullah Butt and Mujahid Jamshed against Sargodha in 1999-2000.Along the way, both batsmen enjoyed slices of luck. Imam was reprieved on 37 when left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar put down a return catch. Zaman was handed a lifeline on 140 when Mansoor, filling in for Kamran Akmal, missed a stumping chance off Babar. Imam hit 10 fours, while Zaman struck 19.Mohammad Asif, who picked up four wickets in the first innings, bowled only seven of the 73 overs on Tuesday, while Mohammad Irfan bowled 10 overs.

تحدث كارلو أنشيلوتي المدير الفني لفريق ريال مدريد الإسباني في مؤتمر صحفي اليوم الجمعة، قبل المباراة أمام فالنسيا.

ويلتقي ريال مدريد وفالنسيا غدًا السبت ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني “الليجا”، وأوضح موقف جود بيلينجهام من المشاركة في المباراة، والموعد المرجح لعودة تيبو كورتوا وإيدير ميليتاو.

وقال: “لطالما وجد ريال مدريد صعوبة في الحصول على النقاط في الميستايا، إنه ملعب صعب والمنافس يؤدي بشكل جيد، نحن بحاجة إلى أفضل نسخة لدينا، لقد عاد كارفاخال، كامافينجا، خوسيلو، بيلينجهام… الفريق أكثر اكتمالاً”.

وأضاف عن عودة بيلينجهام وجاهزيته للمباراة: “إنه جاهز بنسبة 100%، كل ما فعله وما يحتاج إلى القيام به على المستوى الفردي جيد، إنه يشعر براحة في كاحله، وهو في أفضل حالاته، وسيلعب”.

وعن لاعبه فينيسيوس جونيور وتعرضه للعنصرية في ملعب ميستايا، علّق: “فكرتنا هي أن نلعب مباراة كرة قدم قوية، وفالنسيا كذلك، الفرق والمشجعون يريدون عرضًا ممتعًا، لا تنسوا ما حدث العام الماضي، لأنه يجب إدانة الأعمال العنصرية وتحديد هوية من ارتكب تلك الجريمة”.

وأكد: “إنها مدينة شهدت مأساة (حريق فالنسيا)، نريد أن نكون متضامنين مع تلك العائلات نريد أن نبذل قصارى جهدنا لتحقيق ذلك”.

وعن تخطيطه للحديث مع فينيسيوس قبل المباراة، قال “لا يوجد شيء مميز، إنه مستعد لبذل قصارى جهده، ليس لدي ما أضيفه، تحدثنا فقط عن كيفية خلق المشاكل لفالنسيا، فريق منظم جيدًا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | راموس يساعد مبابي في خطوة انتقاله إلى ريال مدريد

وبشأن خوض فينيسيوس لمباراته رقم 250 مع ريال مدريد، استطرد: “في المواسم الثلاثة الماضية، رأيت تقدمًا مستمرًا ومهمًا للغاية، إلى هذه الجودة، كان قادرًا على إضافة الاستمرارية والأهداف، بسبب تواضعه، ليس لديه سقف، أفضل جودة هي الاستمتاع بكرة القدم”.

وأشار أنشيلوتي: “مع الأخذ في الاعتبار الإصابات، يجب أن نضع في اعتبارنا أن الفريق لم يستسلم أبدًا على الرغم من الصعوبات، والآن يأتي الشيء الجيد، نرى عودة ميليتاو وكورتوا قريبة جدًا، مع هذه الديناميكية قد يكون موسمًا إيجابي جدًا”.

وتابع بشأن أهمية الفوز على فالنسيا: “ستكون نقاطًا مهمة جدًا في هذه المرحلة من الموسم، جميع المباريات لها أهمية أكبر”.

وعن إمكانية تجديد عقد لوكاس فاسكيز، أردف: “في الوقت الحالي لم نتحدث عن هذا الأمر، الحقيقة هي أن لوكاس يقدم موسمًا رائعًا، لقد قام بعمل جيد للغاية”.

وبشأن إمكانية التوقيع مع ظهير أيسر وتأثير ذلك على فيرلاند ميندي، أفاد: “في الوقت الحالي لدينا لاعبين واثقين للغاية، أحدهما هو فران جارسيا، الذي لعب كثيرًا في البداية وقام بعمل جيد، ثم عاد ميندي، في الوقت الحالي نحن بخير بهذه الطريقة”.

وفيما يتعلق بعودة كورتوا في مارس، أستطرد: “الموعد غير محدد، لكن علينا الاستفادة من استراحة المنتخب ثم الاستراحة المصغرة لكأس الملك، في ذلك الوقت سيقومون بمهام مع الفريق، بعد 14 أبريل، بعد مايوركا، يمكن أن يكونوا جاهزين (كورتوا وميليتاو)”.

وحول تليفزيون ريال مدريد وتحليل أداء الحكام قبل مباريات الفريق، علّق: “إنها قضية لم نناقشها، حرية التعبير مقدسة بالنسبة لي ولكم”.

وسُئل أنشيلوتي عن إمكانية الاعتماد على تشواميني كقلب دفاع، أجاب: “الحقيقة هي أن اختيار التشكيل، وخاصة غدًا، سيكون لغزًا، كثيرون يستحقون اللعب”.

وعن رسالته لجماهير فالنسيا، رد: “استمتعوا بكرة القدم، هذا كل شيء، واحزنوا في نهاية المباراة بسبب فوز ريال مدريد”.

وسُئل عن أردا جولر ومنحه فرص للمشاركة، وعلّق: “أعتقد أن لاعبًا شابًا مثله لكي يتقدم يحتاج إلى اللعب عليه إظهار جودته، وهذا يتعارض مع متطلبات الفريق والنادي، علينا أن نتحلى بالصبر من أجل ذلك، أنا أتفهم أنه يتعين علينا منحه دقائق، أود أن يرى الجمهور الموهبة”.

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith said that a waning culture, the rotation policy and the pressure on captain Steven Smith could be contributing to Australia’s recent slide

Firdose Moonda09-Nov-20161:26

‘Australia is a dangerous team, they can bounce back’ – Dean Elgar

“Something is not right” in Australian cricket, according to former South Africa captain Graeme Smith, who described his greatest rivals as being in “turmoil,” following their recent spate of losses. Graeme Smith said he felt a waning culture was among the reasons for Australia’s troubles, but also named the rotation policy, the pressure on Steven Smith and a strengthening South Africa as contributing factors.”There is obviously a lack of confidence that has developed, maybe through these losses, and the way they collapsed and fell away in that Perth Test. To me, it showed that, maybe, there is a lack of confidence or self-belief in that set-up at the moment. It does show me that there is something that’s not right there,” Graeme Smith said on the day he and former Australia captain Bill Lawry were made honourees of the Bradman Foundation, at a gala dinner at the SCG.After a 3-0 defeat in the Test series in Sri Lanka, Australia rallied to win the ODIs and T20Is, but then took a young side to play in South Africa, where they were whitewashed 5-0 in the ODI series. Graeme Smith believed that was where the cracks started to show, and that they have only widened after the defeat in the first Test.”I was quite surprised at some of the selections that came to South Africa in the one-day series, and that hurt them badly. They lost 5-0,” Graeme Smith said. “For me, [the Australian team] was obviously built on the skill factor, but it was always built on a hardness, a really strong respect and culture for that Australian environment. I wonder whether it’s this whole rotation policy, whether some of that has been lost: that culture, that respect within the environment has been lost with so many different players coming through the system.”Given the increasingly busy international schedule, most teams – South Africa included – seek to rest players, but Australia’s decision to leave their first-choice attack at home for the South Africa ODIs was surprising. They may have to do more of the same in the near future, having packed as much cricket as possible into the home summer. Towards the end of the 2016-17 season, Australia’s T20 side will play against Sri Lanka 16 hours before the Test team plays against India in a fixture collision Graeme Smith thinks will only further contribute to culture dilution.”I was surprised at this method of James Sutherland looking to play a Test and T20 at the same time. It’s very un-Australian for me,” Graeme Smith said. “Playing for Australia was something that was always preached to be how proud people were. It just seems like that is in turmoil a little bit at the moment.”In the middle of that mess is Steven Smith, a fairly new captain. Graeme Smith was once in a similar position, and understands what it’s like to be trying to find your place as a leader. “I can resonate with being in that position as a new captain. You have a lot to figure out, and I think you only have to pick up a book or a newspaper to realise there was quite a polarised, abrasive culture within the Australian set-up before he took over,” Graeme Smith said. “He is probably rebuilding, trying to create his own leadership style – how he wants the team to play, what are the type of players he wants to select – he’s probably trying to work that out. Results have gone against him in Sri Lanka, he lost the ODI series in South Africa, and now the first Test at home. He was probably banking on being really strong at home this summer to resurrect things. He has got to ask a lot of questions.”One of them is whether David Warner, who led the side to limited-overs victories in Sri Lanka, is better suited to the job. “There will be natural debate on who is the right person to lead – should it be the old style, brash David Warner approach, or Steve Smith. He has to overcome a fair few things, but, hopefully, he’ll be able to do that really quickly,” Graeme Smith said.Another is how Steven Smith’s South African counterpart, Faf du Plessis, who has only captained in three Tests, only one away from home, and had only a three-man attack to work with, in the words of Graeme, “outdid him”. Du Plessis, who is leading in AB de Villiers’ injury-forced absence, continues to make a strong case for being given the role full-time, and it appears he has the backing of Graeme Smith too.”Faf has developed hugely of late, he has grown into the role. There was a real void in South African cricket in terms of leadership over the last period. The intellectual capacity around the team in terms of coaching and the selection – they had a three-captain type system and he has stepped in through injuries from AB, and Hash stepping aside, and he has slowly gained the respect and grown himself,” Graeme Smith said. “Tactically, he outdid Steve Smith on the weekend, the players respect him, he seems to get the best out of them and there is almost a bit of leadership traction and strength developing again in the South African team, which was Iacking through the three-captaincy system and the coaching set-up, and he is slowly bringing that back together.”