West Ham: Moyes had a nightmare on "incredible" £14m star who is now worth £129m

The West Ham United faithful will be most pleased with how the east London side has finally unearthed the formula for lasting success under David Moyes' tutelage, having spent so many interminable years mired in mediocrity.

Having now cemented their position in the Premier League as European challengers, West Ham are well-placed to remain at the right end of the division for years to come.

One of the most important aspects behind the newfound feats is the success gleaned on the transfer front, with the dark days of misfires now over, for the most part.

That's not to say that the club haven't missed out on their fair share of targets, however, with none so detrimental that the decision not to sign Julian Alvarez, before the first-class star moved to Manchester City.

Why didn't West Ham sign Julian Alvarez?

Hailed for his “incredible threat” by Pep Guardiola, Alvarez is known to Premier League football as one of its most exciting attackers, but Moyes didn't feel that his signature was worth procuring back in 2021.

Speaking earlier this year on the Diary of a CEO Podcast, the Scottish gaffer revealed that he hired a scout who held deep knowledge of Argentinian football and recommended the 23-year-old, and while Moyes looked into the player and was left impressed by his technical skills, he opted out.

West Ham United'sMichailAntoniocelebrates after the match

This is due to the form of Michail Antonio, who had started the 2021/22 Premier League season in odd-defying form, plundering four goals and three assists from his first three matches.

Stellar stuff, but not enough to eclipse the prowess of Alvarez. However, Moyes didn't think so and indeed chose to maintain proceedings with the veteran at the spearhead.

How much did Manchester City pay for Julian Alvarez?

Manchester City completed the signing of Alvarez from Argentinian outfit River Plate for around £14m in January 2022 – likely the fee he could have cost the Hammers – with the player remaining in his homeland on loan until the summer.

Director of Football Txiki Begiristain lauded Alvarez's dynamism and predicted he would become a "top player" in the future, something that, frankly, he's more than well on the way to achieving.

How much is Julian Alvarez worth now?

For those who have followed Alvarez's displays over the past year, or more, there will be a feeling that he is not yet the finished article, and considering the fact that he now plays a more prominent role in the Sky Blues' team, this is probably justified.

Regardless, he's already considered among the best of the best in world football, with CIES Football Observatory's valuation model actually providing him with a £129m price tag.

This is, frankly, staggering, and while the figure feels somewhat exorbitant, there's no denying that the increments he has made to his game already warrant a place among the very best rising stars that football has to offer.

It signifies an awe-inspiring 821% rise in valuation in less than two years, which is, really, fairytale stuff. Not only has Alvarez played an integral role but he has swiftly established himself as one of the most talented stars across European competition.

Given West Ham's proven prowess in investing aptly after a big sale (Declan Rice to Arsenal, £105m), there's no telling how much use could have been made from Alvarez had he signed.

Why is Julian Alvarez worth that much?

Alvarez's arrival in Manchester was somewhat overshadowed by the exciting acquisition of Erland Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, with the prodigious frontman joining after his £51m release clause was paid.

That being said, Alvarez still enjoyed an impressive maiden campaign, scoring 17 goals and supplying five assists from 49 matches across all competitions, starting only 23 of those.

Winning the European treble, the 24-cap Argentinian dynamo has since been called "superb" by colour commentator Ally McCoist and will hardly regret the fact that he didn't move to West Ham after such illustrious success already under Guardiola.

The 23-year-old has made some rather remarkable strides this season, posting six goals and five assists from 13 matches so far and showing little sign of slowing down, and while the direct contributions have shot up, it is his overall performance that has been so eye-catching.

Statistic

22/23

23/24

Appearances

31

8

Starts

13

8

Goals

9

3

Assists

0

3

G/A rate

0.29

0.75

Pass completion

83%

85%

Shots per game

1.5

3.0

Key passes per game

0.6

2.4

Touches per game

23

49

*Statistics sourced via Sofascore

There is a very clear improvement to Alvarez's game after his first year in the Premier League, and this isn't just due to the regularity of his time on the pitch, but his awareness, intelligence and incisiveness have all skyrocketed.

This exponential growth stems from an acclimatisation to life on English shores, but also an unshackling from the constraints of Haaland's jaw-dropping prolificness.

Where last season, Manchester City's Norwegian goal machine was the star man, this term, Alvarez is no longer second fiddle and has his own discernible identity in Guardiola's intricate system.

The £100k-per-week gem will never boast the raw predatory instinct in front of goal, but he offers a multi-functional, protean ability in offensive situations and has evidenced this through his primary placement this season in his deeper-lying forward role this season.

julian-alvarez-manchester-city-tottenham-hotspur-academy-postecoglou-mikey-moore

His manager has hailed him as "almost undroppable" – which is pretty high praise from a man known for his constant fluctuations and tinkering of his team.

The table above also illustrates his growing responsibility, having started all eight of City's Premier League matches this season, and given that he has already hit the halfway point in goal contributions from last season, he's clearly growing into a truly frightening forward.

Had he joined West Ham, there is no telling how his development would have been impacted, but one thing is for sure, his versatility and all-encompassing offensive attributes offer nothing less than the complete package.

With the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta all thriving under Moyes' wing – capable of prospering across an array of roles – Alvarez would surely have found his feet at the London Stadium.

And given that Antonio now approaches the twilight phase of his Hammers career, there is every possibility that Alvarez could have played the position he performs so admirably at the Etihad Stadium, offering an expansive set of skills to deftly complement the Jamaica international's own arsenal.

Sure, Alvarez has it all with Manchester City; last season, he won the treble and the World Cup with Argentina. There's really no arguing that the move he made was an auspicious one for his career.

But that doesn't mean the West Ham faithful can't dream of what might have been for a player who is destined for an unwavering placement at the very top of the global game.

'I'm not going to do that!' – Sergino Dest reveals bizarre bet he has with PSV coach after USMNT defender fired unbeaten Eredivisie leaders to 25th-straight unbeaten

USMNT defender Sergino Dest revealed a bizarre bet he has with PSV's assistant coach to reach three goals by the end of the season.

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  • PSV defeat Go Ahead Eagles 1-0
  • Dest scores winner
  • Revealed bizarre bet with coach
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The 23-year-old fired PSV to victory over Go Ahead Eagles on Friday with a wonderful curling effort in a 1-0 victory to push their unbeaten streak in the Eredivisie to 25-straight games. Celebrating after the match, the USMNT defender shared the motivation behind his effort.

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    WHAT DEST SAID

    Speaking to , the USMNT defender revealed the bizarre bet he has with a PSV assistant coach.

    "A wonderful goal, I can't say anything else. I am proud of it," he said. "I need one more. I had a bet with Rob Maas. I have to score three goals before the end of the season. Otherwise I'll have to wash his car by hand. And I'm not going to do that. If I score three times, he has to fill my car with gas. I have a big car with Euro 98."

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Dest is already up to nine goal contributions across all competitions in 2023-24 for the Dutch club, excelling on nearly every level possible for PSV while on loan from Barcelona. His performances have impressed so much that the Eindhoven-based club are now looking to make his loan there a permanent move. However, if he wants to avoid scrubbing Maas's vehicle with his own hands, he only has a few months to bag another goal!

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    WHAT NEXT FOR PSV?

    The Dutch side will clash with Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League next week in a leg two meeting. They drew 1-1 in the first leg, and with no away goals advantage this year, the winner of Wednesday's clash advances to the final eight.

Graeme Smith: Shelve T20Is, focus on marketing Tests

Graeme Smith, the former South Africa captain, will do away with T20 internationals if he had the power to, while focusing on improving marketability of Tests to preserve the longest format.”Maybe the ICC needs to look at six months of T20 cricket domestically and six months of international cricket,” Smith said at an event in Mumbai, according to . “I don’t think T20 cricket should be played at the international level. My opinion is to retain domestic T20 competitions and have international cricket – Test and ODIs – and have a World Cup every couple of years.”Smith, who played 117 Tests in a 12-year international career, felt one way of increasing visibility of marquee tours and “historic Test series” like the Ashes.”There needs to be investment,” he said. “Maybe spend more money marketing Test cricket. So much money is spent in marketing the T20 format. Maybe there can be money marketing the stories and histories in Test cricket.”What’s great for the game is someone like [India captain] Virat Kohli who wants to do well in Test cricket and be successful and set standard for everyone else. As long as people like him consider Test cricket valuable, it’s important for the rest of the world.”Smith called for balance in the international schedule, the only way to ease pressure on players. He cited AB de Villiers’ example in saying a cramped calendar might have had a part to play in his sudden retirement from international cricket last week.”There are not many players who have played for 14-15 years that can travel nine, 10, 11 months a year, deal with the pressures, plus the family pressures, it’s very, very difficult,” he said, according to Reuters. “The guy has played international cricket for around 15 years.”More than anything, he has the right to decide when he’s had enough. He will have his own reasons for that, you got to respect that.”

Dodgers' Tyler Glasnow 'Highly Unlikely' to Return This Season After Spraining Elbow

With the postseason rapidly approaching, it appears the Los Angeles Dodgers will finish the year without one of their best pitchers.

Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow is "highly unlikely" to return in 2024 due to a sprained elbow, manager Dave Roberts told reporters Saturday afternoon via Jack Harris of .

Roberts added that Glasnow would be shut down from throwing "for a while" after a setback.

Glasnow, 31, has not pitched since a seven-inning, two-run, five-hit outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 11. The '24 All-Star—who has struggled with injuries throughout his career—is 9-6 this season with a 3.49 ERA and 168 strikeouts in 134 innings.

Los Angeles acquired Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays on Dec. 16, and inked him to a five-year contract extension shortly thereafter.

The Dodgers' pitching staff is currently riddled with injuries; seven of the team's starters are on the injured list in some form or fashion. Despite this, Los Angeles leads the National League West division by 4.5 games over the San Diego Padres.

New Zealand lose perfect home record

Stats highlights from the second Test between New Zealand and India, which ended in a high-scoring draw in Napier

S Rajesh30-Mar-2009Gautam Gambhir’s 643-minute innings is the seventh-longest by an Indian batsman•Associated Press

  • India batted 180 overs in their second innings, which is the eighth-highest number of deliveries they’ve batted in the second try. The first six of those instances had all been before 1980, which indicates how the nature of the game has changed. The last time they batted more overs was also against New Zealand, in 1999 in Mohali, when they scored 505 for 3 in their second innings after being bundled out for 83 in their first. Surprisingly, seven of the top nine such efforts have happened overseas.
  • It’s also the second-highest number of overs they’ve played when following on – the only occasion they batted longer was at Leeds in 1967 against England, when they faced 209.2 overs to score 510 in a match they ultimately lost by six wickets. Of the 30 games when India have been asked to follow on, they’ve saved eight, lost 21 and won one.
  • India managed to draw a Test after conceding a lead of over 200 in the first innings for the tenth time. Overall, such a feat has been achieved on 78 occasions.
  • For New Zealand, it was the first instance of not winning a Test after enforcing the follow-on at home. Before this match, they had a perfect 7-0 record in games in which the opposition followed on. Overall, of the 14 occasions they’ve asked teams to follow on, New Zealand have won ten and drawn four.
  • Gautam Gambhir’s 436-ball 137 was easily the slowest of his 15 fifty-plus scores in Tests. His innings spanned 643 minutes, which is the seventh-longest by an Indian. (Click here for the entire list of longest Test innings in terms of minutes.)
  • Gambhir’s knock is the slowest by an Indian, in terms of balls faced, for an innings of less than 150. His strike rate of 31.42 is still better than Sanjay Manjrekar’s strike rate of 24.64, when he scored 104 off 422 balls against Zimbabwe in Harare in 1992.
  • There were 12 scores of 50 or more in this Test, which equals the record in New Zealand for most number of 50-plus scores in a match. The only previous occasion when this happened in New Zealand was also in a Test against India, in 1999 in Hamilton.
  • This is the ninth drawn game among the last 25 when captains have enforced the follow-on. Eight of those games involved Zimbabwe or Bangladesh, all of which the minnows lost. Exclude them from the equation, and there have been nine draws out of the last 17 Tests which have involved the follow-on.
  • VVS Laxman’s unbeaten 124 contained 25 fours, which is the highest by any batsman in an innings of 125 or less. Extend the filter to 150 runs, and still only six batsmen rank above him. Laxman’s century was also his first in New Zealand, and his second against them in six Tests.

Finally, selectors learn their lessons

Australia’s touring party for South Africa is a sensible squad chosen with an eye to both the present and future

Alex Brown05-Feb-2009

The selection of Marcus North gives hope to consistent Sheffield Shield players across the country
© Getty Images

This week, the prime minister Kevin Rudd announced a $42 billion stimulus package aimed at preventing the Australian economy falling into recession. A nation hopes.Sadly, there is no such optimism for Australia’s cricket team. Having posted negative growth figures for the past two quarters, and with no sign of an impending upswing, Australians have arrived at the realisation that the boom market of the Warne-McGrath era is a thing of the past.Opinion polls suggest Australians are supportive of Rudd’s move to revive the national economy. The same cannot be said for the stewardship of Andrew Hilditch. Over the past year, Australia’s chairman of selectors has alternated between roles of bull and bear, and the subsequent confusion has done little for the confidence of established players, the nerves of those on the periphery and the patience of supporters across the wide, brown land.But maybe, just maybe, lessons are being learned. Following an inglorious 2008, in which Hilditch’s panel was justifiably criticised for its shabby treatment of emerging spinner Beau Casson and its poor handling of Andrew Symonds, Australia’s selectors have begun the new year by displaying prudence and foresight in naming their 14-man squad for the three-Test tour of South Africa.Any line-up that contains eight players with a combined ten Tests to their name – four of whom are uncapped – is bound to raise eyebrows, but in reality, this is a sensible squad chosen with an eye to both the present and future. Retirements, injuries and suspension have ensured that Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey are the only survivors from the Johannesburg Test of three years ago, while the remaining selections form the framework for a solid cricketing stimulus package – loyalty to seniors, patience to emerging players and incentive to rookies.Australia’s cricketers have watched their stock price tumble in recent seasons, prompting major writedowns and revised forecasts across the board. It was only two years ago that Ponting – speaking on the eve of his first Test without Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer – boldly declared that his new-look Australian team would improve on the performances of previous squads. Similar levels of hubris could be detected among team management.But with regression has come humility, and with humility, sagacity. The move to retain all members from the victorious Sydney Test team (minus, of course, Matthew Hayden) sent the kind of reassuring message that was all but absent nine months ago, when Hilditch’s men named a 25-man contract list – ostensibly the best cricketers in the land – then all but ignored it over the series that followed.The elevation of the 20-year-old batting phenom Phillip Hughes is an acknowledgement of the need to develop players for the future, while the selection of the well-performed Bryce McGain, 36, represents a pragmatic move to address Australia’s spinning concerns in an Ashes year. McGain may almost qualify for a seniors discount, but he remains by some measure the best, attacking spin-bowling option in the country. He could yet play the generational bridging role for which Stuart MacGill had been earmarked.Marcus North, meanwhile, has been rewarded for a career of honest toil at the coalface of first-class cricket. At 29, and with 125 first-class matches to his name, the Western Australian left-hander provides solid batting support, and a handy finger-spinner option when required. His is a selection that should imbue hope into Sheffield Shield players across the country, indicating that national squad selection is no longer reserved to an exclusive clique ordained by Hilditch’s panel.Of course, none of this guarantees Australia victory in South Africa. The climb is steep. But there can be little argument that this 14-man squad represents the best Australia has to offer in this current credibility crunch.

Arsenal eye Gabriel Martinelli alternative who Tottenham bid for last year

Arsenal chiefs are now targeting an “all-round” forward, who arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur bid for last summer.

Andrea Berta's transfer plans for Arsenal this summer

The Gunners’ new sporting director, Andrea Berta, looks set to be a very busy man when the transfer window reopens for business.

Injury to Arsenal star stops Berta from signing two players in key position

The north Londoners had a potentially ambitious plan.

ByEmilio Galantini May 1, 2025

Manager Mikel Arteta has already admitted that the club are set for a “big” summer after Berta’s arrival, and the Spaniard is “excited” by what could be in store.

“It’s going to be a big one, and we are very excited about it,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s transfer plans ahead of next season.

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

“When you are going to go again, we want to increase the depth of the squad and the quality and the skills that we need to go to the next step. Every summer is big because it is an opportunity and especially because of the number of players we have in the squad right now, that is necessary.

“But it’s a big summer for many things, because first of all, we have to maintain the good foundations that we have and then, obviously, how can we improve and evolve the team.”

Arsenal are believed to be in the market for a second-choice keeper, full-back, midfielder, left-winger, right-winger and striker (GiveMeSport), with a host of players looking set to depart N5.

Neto will return to Bournemouth after his straight loan expires, while Kieran Tierney is off to Celtic after agreeing a pre-contract with his former club in the winter window.

Arsenal are expected to sell Oleksandr Zinchenko as well, and veteran midfielder Jorginho will be free to find a new club after his contract expires on June 30th – emphasising the need for new arrivals in key areas.

Thomas Partey and Arsenal are in negotiations over a contract extension right now, but a new midfielder remains high on Berta’s agenda, amid reports a deal for Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi is close.

Arsenal are internally behaving like they’ve already signed Zubimendi, according to David Ornstein. Meanwhile, as Arteta’s side also reportedly chase new wide options, Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey is emerging as an option.

Arsenal targeting Aston Villa star Jacob Ramsey

As per journalist Graeme Bailey, writing in a piece for The Boot Room, Arsenal are targeting Ramsey as a potential option, and a Villa Park exit for the 23-year-old isn’t entirely ruled out.

Ramsey has been a firm regular under Unai Emery this term, making 43 appearances in all competitions, where he’s predominantly featured on the left-wing. The Englishman could be a solid alternative to Gabriel Martinelli on that side, but Arsenal are not the only north London club to conjure up ideas about signing Ramsey.

According to The Times, Tottenham made a part-exchange bid for Ramsey, offering Villa £20 million plus Giovani Lo Celso, but this offer was rejected out of hand.

Called an “all-round” player by ex-Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ramsey’s rumoured price tag stands at around £50 million, so Berta will have to pay a significant fee if he wishes to seal an Arsenal deal.

Spurs given "huge boost" with club ready to accept just £20m for top target

Tottenham have given a "huge boost" for the January transfer window as journalist Pete O'Rourke shares some news on a top target.

Spurs form under Postecoglou

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has suffered from a plague of injury and suspension issues over the last few weeks, and they've resulted in his side taking a major downturn in form.

Starting the Premier League campaign with a ten-game unbeaten run, Postecoglou enjoyed the best start made by any new boss in the division's history.

Levy now ready to make Spurs bid for player and offer him "monstrous" wages

He’s “unlikely” to refuse Tottenham’s proposal.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 8, 2023

Now, following injuries to key stars like Micky van de Ven and James Maddison, Spurs have lost four out of their last five league matches since early November and haven't won since their 2-1 victory away to Crystal Palace.

Their latest 2-1 defeat to London rivals West Ham was a particularly sore one to take for Postecoglou and supporters, with Spurs' head coach lamenting his team's poor performance in many aspects.

"No I don't think so," said Postecoglou on the loss to West Ham and whether their first-half performance was a positive (via football.london).

"I think it's another game where we've dominated a game of football and haven't turned our dominance into something more tangible and kept the opposition in the game. I thought we were really poor in both boxes tonight – both with our finishing and both goals were terrible to concede.

Ange Postecoglou.

"We had some unbelievable chances – for us it's another game, like the Villa game and other games earlier this year, and I said during the week our attacking play has a long way to go. In general we have a long way to go, and tonight was more evidence of that."

One saving grace for Spurs could be the transfer window opening next month, and reports suggest they're keen to strengthen in key areas.

Indeed, Tottenham are chasing a left-sided centre-back most of all, while Spurs are also keen to sign another winger (Sky Sports).

Spurs gifted "huge boost" in Iling-Junior chase

In the latter position, one name who's been regularly mentioned as a top target for Tottenham is Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior.

There have been reports that Spurs are favourites to sign the 20-year-old, with reporter O'Rourke now sharing a bit more good news for Postecoglou's side.

Juventus forwardSamuel Iling-Junior.

The journalist, writing for Football Insider, claims Juventus are ready to accept £20 million for Iling-Junior in what he describes as a "huge boost" for Tottenham.

Spurs view the former Chelsea academy ace as an "ideal fit" for Postecoglou's style of intense style of play, with the Serie A side now prepared to cash in on Iling-Junior in the winter window.

While the winger has struggled for consistent game time under Massimiliano Allegri, the same could've been said for Dejan Kulusevski during his time at the club.

The Swede has now gone on to thrive at Spurs, and supporters will be hoping Iling-Junior could follow a similar path if he signs.

Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes added to Bangladesh's Asia Cup squad

Their inclusion means Bangladesh now have 11 frontline batsmen at their disposal for the rest of the Asia Cup

Mohammad Isam21-Sep-2018Batsmen Soumya Sarkar and Imrul Kayes have been added to Bangladesh’s Asia Cup squad, which has suffered a spate of injuries. The additions were announced after Bangladesh were bowled out for 173 against India; a second batting debacle following their 136-run loss to Afghanistan on Thursday.Bangladesh’s leading batsmen have suffered setbacks: Tamim Iqbal fractured his wrist against Sri Lanka and is out of the tournament, while Shakib Al Hasan (finger) and Mushfiqur Rahim (rib) have been playing despite injuries. The bigger worry, however, has been the poor form of the younger batsmen.Openers Liton Das and Nazmul Hossain Shanto have been ineffective so far, so have Mominul Haque and Mosaddek Hossain, while Mohammad Mithun has scored one fifty in three innings.Both Soumya and Imrul have had played little cricket lately. They last featured in ODIs in the away series against South Africa last year, where Soumya played one match scoring 8 – making his tally 42 in his last five ODI appearances. Imrul played all three, totalling 100 runs. Neither was picked in the subsequent tri-series at home, or for the tour of West Indies in July-August.Their inclusion means Bangladesh now have 11 frontline batsmen at their disposal for the rest of the Asia Cup.Squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan (vc), Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Ariful Haque, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nazmul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Hider, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes

'Want to make No. 3 spot my own' – Theunis de Bruyn

The batsman said the sweep had been a key weapon during his innings of 101 in the second Test at the SSC

Andrew Fidel Fernando at the SSC23-Jul-2018For most of this series, it appeared as if no South Africa batsman would bat for 100 balls in an innings, let alone score a century. Even getting to triple figures as a team seemed difficult enough. On the last day of the series, though, two relatively new batsmen saved some face for the visitors. Theunis de Bruyn and Temba Bavuma put on 123 together – South Africa’s best partnership of the series by a distance.De Bruyn then went on to score his maiden Test hundred, in his sixth Test, in a series in which much more senior men had failed dramatically. He had had a feeling he just might manage a breakthrough in Sri Lanka, after having made only modest scores in his five previous Tests.”It’s been quite a journey – it’s been tough. My international career didn’t start the way I wanted it to,” he said. “But I just had a bit of calmness landing in the airport here in Sri Lanka. As we drove to the hotel, I looked at the ocean and said to myself: ‘Yep, there could be something special.’ As a team, it wasn’t special, but for me it was special.”De Bruyn was especially effective square of the wicket against the spinners, employing the sweep, which he said he had learned in South Africa’s spin camps. He batted 232 balls all up, which made his the longest innings of the series, even if it wasn’t the biggest in terms of runs.”Back home you don’t need the sweep, because we play on bouncier wickets and you can play spinners down the ground,” he said. “But here, you know they’re bowling in good areas, and the wickets don’t bounce as much. The sweep is a better option.”For me, it was important to get the fielders out on the boundary, early on – especially with the new ball. If you’re just defending, it can be difficult. So if you put the bowlers slightly under pressure, you can get the fielders out. I didn’t know it was going to take that long to get a hundred. They just don’t let you go. They keep on bowling very accurately. It’s Test cricket. It’s not easy.”Bavuma was the more positive partner during their long partnership, making 63 off 98 balls before a spitting Rangana Herath delivery took the outside edge. Bavuma’s was the only other fifty-plus score for South Africa in this series.”Temba actually came in and played quite comfortably,” de Bruyn said. “He scored runs all the way through his innings and could start ticking over the strike. I think we almost had the same game plan – to sweep a lot and reverse sweep, and hit your ones over the legside. I think we both learned a lot over the last few hours, playing against the Sri Lankan spinners on this wicket.”De Bruyn had batted lower down the order in his earlier jaunts in Test cricket but said he felt more comfortable at No. 3, where he bats in domestic cricket.”For me, it does make a difference batting at No. 3. I’ve batted there my whole career, even as a youngster. The waiting game when you’re batting at six and seven mentally drains you – I don’t know, I’m not used to it. But I wanted to do really well batting at No. 3. It’s a place I really cherish and I’d like to make it my own one day if I get more opportunities.”

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