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Manchester United are a club that has always had a knack for bringing through and developing young players from their academy to improve their first-team.

Going back to the likes of Ryan Giggs, George Best, David Beckham, and Sir Bobby Charlton, among many others, the Red Devils have a rich history of cultivating world-class talent.

In more recent years, Carrington has birthed careers for Marcus Rashford, currently on loan at Aston Villa, Scott McTominay, at Napoli, Anthony Elanga, at Nottingham Forest, and current first-team stars Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

Ruben Amorim is currently tasked with bringing through the next class of talent through to the first-team at Old Trafford, and there are plenty of potential future stars for the club coming through.

Manchester United's emerging talents

Senior debuts have been handed to Chido Obi-Martin and Ayden Heaven in recent weeks, both of whom joined the academy side from Arsenal.

Obi-Martin has made three first-team appearances for the Red Devils this year after a return of 12 goals in nine matches for the U18 side, following his exceptional haul of 32 goals in 21 games for the Gunners at U18 level during his time in London.

Heaven, meanwhile, came on for Leny Yoro at half-time against Arsenal on Sunday and impressed in the second half, with three out of five duels won, three clearances, a tackle, and an interception.

In The Pipeline

Another emerging talent who should be unleashed by Amorim in the weeks to come is 21-year-old central midfielder Toby Collyer, who could finally be unearthed as the club’s next version of Michael Carrick.

Why Man Utd must unleash Toby Collyer

Sports analyst and Man United fan Kirsty, on X, compared the Carrington talent to the former Red Devils and England midfielder, as well as comparing him to Darren Fletcher.

Back in January, she posted: “Collyer might just be that Carrick/Fletcher player we’ve been longing for. Nothing flashy, just engine, control, and routine.”

Carrick racked up 464 appearances in all competitions during his time with United as a player, earning a reputation for being a steady performer who could break up play and keep the game ticking over with his qualities in and out of possession.

Collyer has a long, long, way to go before he can be directly compared to the now-Middlesbrough manager, but he has shown a lot of very promising signs.

Appearances (starts)

5 (0)

Pass accuracy

90%

Tackles per game

1.6

Dribbled past per game

0.2x

Ground duel success rate

81%

Aerial duel success rate

50%

As you can see in the table above, the “rapid” academy graduate – as he was described by one United content creator – has yet to start a Premier League match. That said, he has impressed with his cameos off the bench, dominating players in physical battles whilst remaining composed on the ball.

Collyer, who was described as “aggressive” on and off the ball by Bruno Fernandes, has taken his chances when they have come his way off the bench, and now it is time for Amorim to finally unleash him from the start as he could emerge as the club’s next Carrick.

From the 2009/10 campaign onwards, the England international averaged 2.1 tackles per game and a pass completion rate of 87%. The current United youngster is on course for a similar output on and off the ball, despite being yet to start a match, which is a very positive sign.

Amorim has just discovered Man Utd's next big star & it's not Heaven or Obi

Manchester United have a number of exceptional young players at their disposal.

1 ByMatt Dawson Mar 10, 2025

The Red Devils can finally find their next tempo-controlling, yet defensively aggressive, star in the middle of the park in Collyer, and it is down to Amorim to hand him the chances to showcase his quality as a starter in the coming weeks and months.

Sri Lanka’s seamers did plenty of early damage, and in the chase Sadeera Samarawickrama made sure he coolly got the job done

Madushka Balasuriya21-Oct-2023

Sadeera Samarawickrama played a responsible innings•AFP/Getty Images

An unbeaten 91 from Sadeera Samarawickrama shepherded home a tricky chase as Sri Lanka overcame a resilient Dutch outfit and finally got points on the board. The result means Sri Lanka join Afghanistan, Netherlands, Bangladesh and England on two points after four games; they did however go past Afghanistan on net run rate – before England plummeted later in the evening – to move off the very bottom of the table.*Set a target of 263, the chase was built around key partnerships – the first a counter-attacking 30-ball 34 between Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka, to recover from the early loss of Kusal Perera, followed by more substantial stands of 52, 77 and 76 – with Samarawickrama a key cog throughout.Related

Teja Nidamanuru hopes World Cup success paves way for more bilaterals

On a surface that offered something for the spinners, Aryan Dutt was the pick of the Dutch bowlers ending with figures of 3 for 44, while for Sri Lanka it was the seamers – utilising some early movement – that did the damage; Kasun Rajitha and Dilshan Madushanka both grabbed four apiece.That the Dutch even got as much as they did was down to a record seventh-wicket stand of 130 between Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek, which had dug them out of the considerable hole they found themselves in courtesy Sri Lanka’s seamers.Indeed, for the second game running the Netherlands lower order were called in for a rescue job and for the second game running they delivered. And this time it was arguably more impressive than the one against South Africa, as they managed it without any significant input from talismanic captain Scott Edwards, who had dragged one on from Maheesh Theekshana early in his innings.At that point Sri Lanka might have felt the danger man was back in the pavilion, but Engelbrecht and van Beek took centre stage as they took their side from 91 for 6 to 221 for 7.Engelbrecht eventually fell looking to play a premeditated, though probably ill-advised, paddle against a Dilshan Madushanka yorker that homed in on the base of middle stump, but van Beek hung around for a while longer to take the total to a competitive if not matchwinning 262.But in between the wickets of Edwards and Engelbrecht was where Netherlands showcased a masterclass in rebuilding and consolidation.With scarcely any margin for error after early bursts from Kasun Rajitha and Madushanka had removed their top order, Engelbrecht and van Beek were content to keep risks to an absolute minimum. Between the 10th and 30th over not a single boundary was scored, while the run rate hovered around four an over.Even when they sought to up the scoring it was incremental rather than explosive, with boundaries never paired in a single over, instead spread out between overs that were largely littered with ones and twos.Indeed following the scale of the top order collapse, for the Dutch batting out the full 50 overs was the primary goal, with the end total a byproduct of that singular focus. Even so, getting to as competitive a total as they did was no mean feat considering the malaise they had found themselves in with less than half the innings played.Dilshan Madushanka ended the big seventh-wicket stand•AFP/Getty Images

The trouble began in the fourth over, when Rajitha trapped Vikramjit Singh leg before with one that pitched on middle and tailed in. It was the first ball Rajitha had bowled to the left-hander, but the wicket itself was a just reward for the nagging lines and lengths both he and Madushanka had exploited in the early overs.Despite this early loss though, the pair of Max O’Dowd and Colin Ackermann looked to be working their way into the game with a stand of 41 before Rajitha struck for a second time, as O’Dowd dragged a full and wide outswinger onto his stumps. Two overs later Rajitha would have his third, with Ackermann nicking through a loose cut.Suddenly the Dutch were on the ropes, as the scoring slowed down to a crawl. Kusal Mendis decided to press home the advantage at this point keeping Rajitha for an extended seven-over opening spell and delaying the introduction of Theekshana until the 16th over.After a couple of Chamika Karunaratne overs had afforded Madushanka a rest, the left-arm seamer was brought back in the 17th and would strike almost immediately, as de Leede ramped a short one to Kusal Perera at third man. Then in his next over he would have half the Netherlands side back in the pavilion, trapping Teja Nidamanuru leg before on referral.Edwards in his brief stay was his industrious self picking up five twos in a run-a-ball 16 but Theekshana sent him packing. Sri Lanka would have no more joy after that until the death, but by then Netherlands had done enough to make a game of it.Samarawickrama played the crucial hand in the chase to ensure Sri Lanka did not fall apart as they had so devastatingly done against Australia. Entering at the fall of Mendis’s wicket – the Sri Lankan captain falling foul of Dutt with a top edged slog sweep – Sadeera and Nissanka set about in a controlled pursuit.Nissanka fell after picking up his third successive fifty, but Sadeera continued in the same vein with Charith Asalanka. And when Asalanka fell, going for an unnecessary slog sweep in Dutt’s final over, Sadeera repeated the feat with another solid stand alongside Dhananjaya de Silva.Dhananjaya would perish with single digits required, but by then the game was done. Dushan Hemantha heaved a four over long-on to register the winning runs and kickstart Sri Lanka’s campaign.

Shayan Jahangir stood tall amidst top order ruins but couldn’t prevent USA’s third straight loss

Peter Della Penna22-Jun-2023Scott Edwards navigated his side out of choppy waters in a tricky chase, arriving at 83 for 4 in pursuit of a target of 212 to strike an unbeaten half-century as Netherlands eventually eased across the line by five wickets in Harare. Edwards finished with 67 not out off 60 balls, clinching victory with a trademark sweep to record Netherlands’ first win of the World Cup Qualifier with 40 balls to spare. Meanwhile, Takashinga Sports Club remains a house of horrors for USA, who have lost all three of their matches at the venue.USA lost another crucial toss and were sent in for the second match in a row as the Netherlands seamers exploited early moisture to put the batters in a big hole at 20 for 3 inside six overs. Sushant Modani fell for a third-ball duck edging Ryan Klein to first slip before Steven Taylor was bowled by a Logan van Beek inswinger that came back late to knock back off stump. After sucking Saiteja Mukkamalla into a drive on the previous ball for two, Klein got a pitched up delivery to sneak through the bat-pad gap on another attempted drive and bowl him for 10.The score was even worse with USA again missing captain Monank Patel due to illness and his stand-in Aaron Jones failing for the third match in a row, chopping on a Bas de Leede delivery for 8. Gajanand Singh got his third solid start of the tournament, but was unable to convert it beyond 33. The decision by Edwards to toss the ball to Vikramjit Singh for a spell of part-time medium pace worked as a leg side delivery was gloved to Edwards. Nisarg Patel could manage only 1 before an ill-fated slog against the turn from left-arm spinner Clayton Floyd swirled over mid-off for an easy catch to make it 88 for 6 in the 27th.Shayan Jahangir top-scored for the second match in a row, leading USA’s revival with 71 off 86 balls and he forged an 86-run seventh-wicket partnership with Jessy Singh. But Jessy fell in the 43rd to end the stand, driving a sharp low return catch to offspinner Aryan Dutt for 38. Jahangir picked out deep midwicket a few overs later, and USA never regained any momentum. Across the final eight overs of the innings, Netherlands conceded just 39 runs and only two boundaries as Dutt and the fast bowlers kept USA in check.Ali Khan picked up Vikramjit Singh in his opening spell•ICC via Getty ImagesDefending 211, the USA quicks then produced an inspired display led by Ali Khan with the new ball on his return from a two-match suspension. He produced an athletic one-handed return catch to claim Vikramjit for 8 before pulling a piece of cloth tape out of his pocket and placing it over his mouth in celebration, a reference to the verbal jousting in a match against Jersey back in April that triggered his ban for the first two matches in the qualifier.Jessy replaced Ali in the attack after four overs and claimed two wickets with a gritty spell of medium pace. He trapped Max O’Dowd and Wesley Barresi with pitched up deliveries to win a pair of lbw decisions, making it 68 for 3. Saurabh Netravalkar returned for a second spell a short time later and induced a top edge from de Leede as Netherlands suddenly looked nervy.But Ali never came back after his opening spell, off the field for the remainder of play with a stomach bug, and Edwards picked on Nisarg’s left-arm spin with a series of sweeps to release the pressure. Nisarg finished with no wickets for 60 in 8.2 overs as Edwards quickly identified him as the weak link in USA’s attack upon his arrival in the 25th over. USA’s fielding, which has been porous throughout the tournament, was also exceptionally sloppy as the chase wore on with more than a half-dozen misfields along the ground that further dissipated any anxiety between Edwards and his partners.Teja Nidamanuru lofted Taylor’s offspin back over his head for a boundary to bring up a half-century but fell for 58 trying to sweep Nosthush Kenjige, ending a 72-run partnership. However, that was the last hiccup Netherlands would experience as van Beek provided adequate support for his captain with 12 not out while Edwards’ sweeping remained flawless until he dispatched Nisarg for the winning runs.

MatériaMais Notícias

da aviator aposta： O Botafogo divulgou na tarde desta quarta-feira os canais de transmissão do amistoso contra o Crystal Palace. Os dois clubes se enfrentam no próximo sábado, às 9h30, no Selhurst Park.

CONFIRA ONDE ASSISTIR AO JOGO ENTRE BOTAFOGO E CRYSTAL PALACE

– Botafogo TV

– SBT (Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belém, Alagoas Mato Grosso e Mato Grosso do Sul)

– Fanatiz e OneFootball (América Latina)

– Palace TV+ (Nos demais continentes do mundo)

RelacionadasSantosSantos sondou Rodinei, mas desejo europeu travou o negócioSantos30/11/2022BotafogoBotafogo treina no CT do Crystal Palace na InglaterraBotafogo30/11/2022BotafogoAuxiliar do Botafogo destaca as principais características de Bernardo ValimBotafogo29/11/2022

da jogodeouro： TRANSMISSÃO 🔛
Fogão x Crystal Palace no Selhurst Park, ao vivo com imagens:

🖥️ Botafogo TV (Brasil)
📺 SBT (Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belém, Alagoas, Mato Grosso e Mato Grosso do Sul)
📲 Fanatiz e OneFootball (América Latina)
🌎 Palace TV+ (Nos demais continentes do mundo) pic.twitter.com/R512JEZvrV

— Botafogo F.R. (@Botafogo) November 30, 2022

+ Lesionado desde outubro, Eduardo faz previsão de retorno aos gramados

Antes da disputa deste amistoso, Botafogo contará com outro compromisso na Inglaterra. Nesta quinta-feira, os alvinegros encaram o Charlton, clube da terceira divisão inglesa. Para ambos os duelos, Luís Castro relacionou 23 jogadores.

+Luís Castro projeta jogos do Botafogo contra Crystal Palace e Charlton

O Glorioso chegou em Londres na última segunda-feira e retorna ao Rio de Janeiro após os dois amistosos. O intuito da excursão é proporcionar experiência ao elenco alvinegro e valorizar a marca do clube internacionalmente.

Rasmus Hojlund is reportedly on RB Leipzig's radar as Manchester United continue to pursue their talisman Benjamin Sesko.

• Man Utd eye RB Leipzig's Sesko
• Hojlund keen on Old Trafford stay
• Transfer options mount up

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Amid United's interest in Sesko, The Athletic reports that Leipzig are among several clubs now looking at Hojlund. That has 'raised the prospect' of a swap deal for the two strikers, with United also likely to have to stump up a fee given the disparity in the players’ valuations.

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  The report adds that Hojlund, who says he wants to stay and "fight" for his spot at United, would not be expected to start each game if Sesko – who is valued at upwards of £65 million ($85.5m) – joined the club. The Danish international has not been told he is directly up for sale, with the Red Devils currently valuing him at just under £45m ($59m) – a long way off his £72m ($94.7m) transfer from Atalanta in 2023. 

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Inter Milan reportedly held concrete interest in Hojlund, 22, but the Serie A team moved on to Ange-Yoan Bonny, who joined from Parma for €26m (£22.5m). If United do sign Sesko, they are likely to have to sell players first, with Alejandro Garnacho at the top of that list.

• Calciomercato
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  It remains to be seen whether Hojlund will still be a United player when the summer transfer window closes on September 1 and if Ruben Amorim's team can secure a Sesko deal. An intriguing few weeks lie ahead.

They aren’t old enough to have built a big fan base but can do so now and quickly by defending their title

Shashank Kishore27-May-20232:02

Solanki: Gill has all the qualities of a world-class player

Who owns Mumbai Indians?
“Ambanis! Reliance! Duh, too easy.”Who owns Kolkata Knight Riders?
“What a question! SRK, of course. Shahrukh Khan! SRK-Juhi Chawla.”Okay, what about Gujarat Titans?
“Umm……that company. …some American company…okay, give me a clue?”The IPL’s second-most expensive franchise, which is in its second straight final, trying to defend a crowd they won after being billed as no-hopers in 2022, don’t have a recall value when it comes to their ownership.Related

Hardik is Neymar as Neymar could rarely be

IPL 2023 comes full circle as wily CSK face defending champs Titans – on reserve day

For Showman Gill, it's all about pushing the boundaries

Much of it is down to the owners – private equity firm CVC Capitals – staying away from the limelight – and instead trusting their management group led by Vikram Solanki and Ashish Nehra to call the shots.But ask the same folks who their favorite Titans player is, and they throw out names in a torrent. Hardik Pandya. Rashid Khan. Shubman Gill. David Miller. Mohammed Shami. They say it’s way too hard to pick one, but Gill and Hardik seemed equal on the popularity stakes.This was on Friday, long before Gill inflicted carnage in the second Qualifier. The man who has hit three IPL centuries in his last four games. The man many believe is a once-in-a-generation batter. You could firmly say Ahmedabad brought their Gill-cams with them to the stadium.Right from the kids queuing up at the merchandise store to get a number printed on a miniature jersey to folks lining up inside the ground, having made it through a connection of connections, to be able to watch the teams have a short but sharp net session at the ‘B’ grounds in Motera. It’s as if watching him all season hadn’t been enough. They were back to see him train.They crowded the perimeter of the outdoor nets area to watch them. A number of support staff members were mobbed for selfies too, even Arush Nehra, coach Nehra’s son. In return, all of them sweetly gave into their innocence, and did not crush the fans by saying they weren’t players.Once they saw Hardik, it was mayhem. And in a glimpse of how relaxed the camp was, he settled to play a game of street cricket with Arush and friends, even Rohit Sharma went full tilt in the centre. It told you of a mindset that is as calm and stable in both victory and defeat. It’s something Solanki, their team director, spoke at length about. Their manner of keeping the group together wasn’t about just working on techniques, but about trying to imbibe a winning culture by staying neutral.Gujarat Titans have an impressive trophy to defend•BCCIFor a while, after training had been wrapped up prior to the Qualifier 2, Hardik sat in the middle, eyes closed and soaking in the silence of an empty ground, barring the odd crack of the bat from Rohit. He seemed at ease. He was chatty with the ground staff, posed for pictures with their families and generally resonated with a relaxed vibe. He is the leader, but was the first to talk to the reserves, handhold them and guide them at training.This included a young net bowler Thomas, who now lives in Ahmedabad and hopes to play for Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy having moved from Scotland two years ago. Thomas moved to the city after marrying a Gujarati and plays club cricket in the city. He was in awe of how special he was made to feel to the extent that they’re all rooting for Titans all the way from Scotland. Certainly, they have enough support from Afghanistan and Ireland because of the trio of Rashid, Noor Ahmad and Josh Little.When Titans met Chennai Super Kings in the inaugural game, the Dhoni mania outnumbered all else, and while you’d be naive to not expect a repeat, there’s a general sense of how this game will be slightly different. It’s after all a home-grown Gujarati captain leading the local team and having the backing of the same fans who rooted for India’s icon.Hardik is every bit a Dhoni clone. In terms of his mindset, and most definitely in terms of his temperament as captain. That is reason enough to root for someone who is Dhoni-like. Hardik comes from Baroda, and there is some striking contrast in how he has won over another city. Hardik himself has spoken enough about the Dhoni hand in his self-transformation from a “crazy guy” to a polished “cricket nerd” whose thinking for the game goes way beyond what it seem on the surface.In that sense, Sunday’s clash is similar in terms of what one can expect from both captains. The unflinching determination, the wave of authority, the calmness, the energy, the vibe, and more importantly, the colour – it’s all set up for a grand occasion. Titans have an opportunity to do something that has been done only twice before. Winning a title can be hard; defending it even harder. Dhoni has done it, will Hardik follow?Last year, a capacity crowd willed Titans on and then dotted the streets to celebrate an open bus parade that firmly etched the team into the city’s consciousness. The connect they didn’t quite have with Gujarat Lions – who were based in Rajkot – is now there with Titans. A win will firmly cement – no pun intended – this relationship and loyalty.

Liverpool have reportedly sent Ibrahima Konate a new contract offer amid Real Madrid transfer links.

• Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool for Real Madrid
• Konate in final year of contract
• Reds offer new extension

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Liverpool have sent a new and improved offer to the centre-back after their initial proposal was knocked back by the 26-year-old. The Reds are keen to tie the Frenchman down to a new deal and avoid a repeat of the situation where Alexander-Arnold ran down his contract before joining Madrid.

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  Liverpool looked to be in panic stations earlier this year when key trio Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah were in the last few months of their contracts. The latter two eventually penned two-year deals but academy product Alexander-Arnold ended his long stay with the club, much to the dismay of many fans. After selling backup centre-back Jarell Quansah, the Reds can't afford to lose Konate anytime soon, unless they strengthen in that position, but Madrid are not an easy club to refuse.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Former Sochaux star Konate joined Liverpool in 2021 from RB Leipzig for a fee around £36 million ($49m) and has made 132 appearances for the club since, scoring five goals in the process. Following that Anfield switch, he has also been capped 23 times by his country.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  As Liverpool wait to see if the 6ft 4in Konate responds positively to their reported contract offer, Arne Slot's team continue their pre-season campaign when they take on AC Milan on Saturday before rounding off the month against Yokohama FM next Wednesday.

Their one-day batting seems to be evolving with each game, and could soon leave the rest of the pack behind

Andrew McGlashan29-Nov-20201:40

Gambhir: Smith not that far away from Kohli in ODIs

Steven Smith’s innings at the SCG on Sunday felt like a highlights package and at the same time, it a highlights package.We might as well have been watching his spectacular display two days ago when he scorched a 62-ball hundred (that premise could have applied to most of Australia’s innings). Instead, we were watching it produced all over again: another 62-ball century, which if not for a slip of Marnus Labuschagne’s feet, would have been 61 deliveries.On both these occasions he could not have wished for a better situation: the ideal foundation provided by David Warner and Aaron Finch, a flat pitch and a bowling attack struggling for any consistency and control. However, even though Smith’s batting feats have been mind-boggling in the past, it has been a particularly notable 72 hours for him.Were we watching another evolution of Smith the batsman? This isn’t to say he was doing things that he hasn’t done before – he has a T20 century off 54 balls and has dissected many a bowling attack in the one-day format – but the sustained nature of the onslaughts felt different.What the one-day game gives Smith is that one thing he loves: time at the crease. While Test cricket offers him his ultimate indulgence, the 50-over game allows him to evolve an innings.Another day, another ton for Steven Smith•Getty ImagesHe has not been slow at any point of these centuries, but in the first of them he was 30 off 30 balls and today was 21 at a run-a-ball. Then, the hands have really gotten to work. On Friday, he scored 75 off his remaining 36 balls and on Sunday he cracked 83 off 43 from the same position.As is often the case with Smith’s batting, the standout feature has been the placement. The run towards his second century showed how he can work the field at will. A slower ball from Jasprit Bumrah was driven through backward point. In the next delivery, the most delicate of late cuts beat short third man. The final ball of the over was taken from around fourth stump to fine leg.Facing Yuzvendra Chahal in the next over, there was a brace of scampered twos with perfectly paced shots either side of a straight six. The ball after reaching his hundred he played the most astonishing stroke of the innings, stepping right across outside off and scooping Hardik Pandya over fine leg, while ending up rolling in the crease. Next ball, Smith toe-ended a wide delivery to short third man. Despite everything he had done, he was still furious with himself.Scores of 350-plus won’t be needed all the time, but on flat pitches like this, a team needs the ability to do it. Smith’s displays have been part of two hugely convincing Australia batting performances – this was their third-highest total, and Friday’s is also in the top 10. A longer run of matches, in a variety of conditions, and against some better bowling needs to be viewed before any significant conclusions are drawn, but there are signs that Australia’s one-day batting is undertaking the evolution it needed to remain with the leading pack.The ODI series in England last year was won by a brilliant stand of 212 between Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey and now the top order has filled their boots in these two games. Warner, who limped off with a serious-looking groin injury early in India’s chase, and captain Finch form a formidable opening pair: this year alone they have four century stands (three in three matches at the SCG) and during this partnership of 142, they went past David Boon and Geoff Marsh into third in Australia’s all-time list. Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh are just over 200 runs ahead of them, then there is work to do to catch Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden.Glenn Maxwell switch-hits during his half-century•Getty ImagesThen you have the engine room of Smith and Labuschagne at No. 3 and 4. The latter is still evolving as a one-day cricketer, but his 70 off 61 balls in this match, while not as dynamic as Smith, ensured things did not stall. And if Smith is bringing a new gear to his ODI batting, it will take the pressure off Labuschagne.They are followed by a combination of allrounders, the central figure of which is Maxwell. His last five ODI innings have brought 294 runs at 73.50 and a strike-rate of 143.41 (and in this series it’s 108 runs off 48 balls). If Maxwell has found his home in the one-day side, so many of Australia’s plans will come together.Given the uncertainty over the cricket calendar in a post-Covid world, it is not yet entirely certain when Australia’s next ODIs will be after this tour. Currently, it is scheduled to be a short tour to West Indies in the middle of 2021, but the match in Canberra on Wednesday will be the last on home soil until next season. Can Smith make it a hat-trick of hundreds? You wouldn’t put it past him.

And which Test players were nicknamed “Big Dog” and “Little Dog”?

Steven Lynch07-Apr-2020Which Test captain was most often dismissed by his opposite number? Was it Sunil Gavaskar by Imran Khan? asked Gyanendra Singh from India

Sunil Gavaskar was dismissed five times by Imran Khan in Tests in which they were both captain. This equals the record for a pair: England’s Ted Dexter fell to Richie Benaud five times, all during the 1962-63 Ashes in Australia. Gavaskar was also dismissed twice by Bob Willis during India’s series in England in 1982, making a total of seven. But the leader in this regard is Clive Lloyd, who was dismissed by his opposite number on no fewer than nine occasions in Tests – four times by Kapil Dev, twice by Bishan Bedi and Tony Greig, and once by Ian Botham.Benaud dismissed his rival captain on a record 18 occasions; Imran is next with 15. Jason Holder leads the way for current players – so far he has disposed of his opposite number 13 times.Which Test players were nicknamed “Big Dog” and “Little Dog”? asked Denis Collinson from Australia

This was a famous pair of South African brothers – fast bowler Peter Pollock and the superb left-hand batsman Graeme Pollock. Peter, whose son Shaun Pollock also had a glittering Test career, explained the derivation of the names to the Gulf News a few years ago: “I was playing for Eastern Province, and was 17 years old. My voice hadn’t broken. I appealed, and it sounded like a dog barking. Atholl McKinnon named me! When my brother came along, I became Big Dog and he was the Little Dog.”A recent question here mentioned the West Indian Faoud Bacchus, whose 19 Tests all came on different grounds. I noticed that when he made his highest score of 250, he was out hit wicket – was this the highest Test score to end this way? asked Dennis Johnson from Barbados

West Indies’ Faoud Bacchus hit his own wicket after making 250 – his only Test century – against India in Kanpur in 1979-80. It’s actually the second-highest score to end this way: the Australian opener Bill Ponsford hit his own wicket after making 266 against England at The Oval in 1934, in what turned out to be his final Test. There have been 12 other Test scores of over 100 that ended with a hit-wicket dismissal, including another one by Ponsford, in his previous innings – 181 against England at Headingley in 1934.”Little Dog” Graeme Pollock and older brother Peter “Big Dog” Pollock played their last Test in 1970, their careers cut short by South Africa’s sporting isolation•Getty ImagesWho has scored most runs in one-day internationals as an opener? asked Rakesh Bhatia from India

Well clear here is a man who rarely opened in Tests, but adapted beautifully to the role in one-dayers: Sachin Tendulkar made 15,310 runs from the top of the order in ODIs. Sanath Jayasuriya comes next with 12,740, while Chris Gayle has 10,179. Adam Gilchrist and Sourav Ganguly also made more than 9000 runs while opening. For the full list, click here.In Tests, Alastair Cook leads the way with 11,845 runs as an opener, ahead of Sunil Gavaskar (9607) and Graeme Smith (9030). For that list, click here. Gavaskar scored the most centuries as an opener, with 33 to Cook’s 31.What’s the record for the most ducks in a Test? And an ODI? asked Billy Linklater from Ireland

If you mean the most ducks in an innings, the Test record is six, which has happened five times now, most recently when five New Zealanders failed to score against Pakistan in Dubai in 2018-19. The record for an ODI innings is also six, and has also happened five times, most recently by Pakistan v Sri Lanka in Colombo in June 2012.The record for both sides in a Test is 11 ducks, which has happened 12 times now. The most in a one-day international is eight, in the World Cup final between West Indies (three ducks) and England (five) at Lord’s in 1979.Use our
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