Mario Balotelli has opened up on why he fell short of Cristiano Ronaldo’s success and confirmed his next move will likely take him near Lionel Messi.

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• Balotelli admits Ronaldo’s dedication set them apart
• Confirms plans to move to MLS and retire
• Striker failed to score in six appearances for Genoa

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italian admitted that Ronaldo's relentless work ethic is something he never matched, with 40-year-old still going strong with Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team while Balotelli is leaving Genoa after a dismal spell with the Serie A side.

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  Balotelli, whose career has seen dramatic highs and steep declines, broke through as one of Europe's most promising strikers at Inter, but has failed to live up to the hype in a tumultuous career. He did, however, win the Champions League with Inter, a dramatic Premier League title with Manchester City and has three Serie A crowns to his name. Since joining Genoa in October last year, though, he has played only 56 minutes spread across six appearances. Balotelli said he will not be staying in his homeland and instead plans to end his career in the United States.

• WHAT BALOTELLI SAID

  Balotelli was asked on why he is not as successful as five-time Ballon d'Or winner and ex-Real Madrid star Ronaldo, saying: "He kills himself with training, I don't… He has more money!"

  The 34-year-old admitted he made a mistake joining Genoa and revealed he will retire in a few years. He added: "I could have done more, but I'm happy. I thank the fans who love me, but I made the wrong choice for the type of club. It's unlikely that I will play again in Italy or Europe."

  Asked if he has an idea of where he will go, he replied: "Yes, America. I will play two or three years before I stop."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BALOTELLI?

  Balotelli will become a free agent when his contract expires this summer, clearing him up to make a free move to an MLS club.

أوضح خوان لابورتا، رئيس نادي برشلونة، أنه لن يتراجع عن التعاقد مع لاعب أتلتيك بلباو، حتى بعد البيان الذي أصدروه أمس، الخميس.

ويرغب نادي برشلونة في التعاقد مع نيكو ويليامز، جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي اتلتيك بلباو، في ظل رغبة الألماني هانز فليك، في تعزيز تشكيلته استعدادًا للموسم المقبل.

وينوي النادي الإسباني في تفعيل الشرط الجزائي لـ ويليامز والمقدر بحوالي 62 مليون يورو.

وأصدر نادي أتلتيك بلباو بيانًا يقول فيه إن مالك النادي ومجلس الإدارة اجتمعا مع خافيير تيباس، رئيس رابطة الدوري الإسباني للبحث عن مصدر المال الذي يتعاقد به برشلونة مع صفقاته ومدى الالتزام بضوابط اللعب المالي النظيف.

وفي ضوء ذلك، قال لابورتا خلال تواجده مع كومان في بطولة خيرية للجولف والبادل تابعة لمؤسسة كرويف، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “برشلونة مستعد للقيام بكل ما يلزم لتفعيل الشرط الجزائي”.

وأكمل: “بما أنه ليس لدينا ما نخفيه، فلا مشكلة في البحث والتدقيق، لكننا نريد أن تتم معاملة الجميع بنفس المعيار الذي تتحدث عنه، لا نشعر بالأذى أو الاضطهاد، نحن نؤدي أعمالنا فقط”.

اقرأ أيضًا | أتلتيك بلباو يلجأ إلى رابطة الدوري الإسباني بعد مفاوضات برشلونة مع نيكو ويليامز

وأضاف: “ما يفعله برشلونة يخصه، والرابطة تدرك أن حسابات النادي تخضع لمستوى عالي من السرية، نحن نمتثل لجميع متطلبات رابطة الليجا وقواعد اللعب النظيف لنتمكن من الاستفادة من فرص السوق”.

وتطرق لـ تجديد عقد دي يونج وقال: “تجديد عقده يسير على الطريق الصحيح، نريد أن يبقى فرينكي هنا لسنوات عديدة، إنه لاعب أساسي في الفريق، آمل أن يبقى، فهو يريد ذلك، وأعلم أنه سعيد جدًا في برشلونة، لا أرى الكثير من المشاكل في ذلك”.

Thomas Muller’s future remains undecided as talks with LAFC hit a standstill and MLS rules prevent other clubs from negotiating with him.

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LAFC deal not finalizedChicago Fire previously rejectedBayern pressing for resolutionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Muller's proposed move to MLS has reportedly stalled, with talks between the Bayern Munich veteran and Californian club LAFC still not finalised, according to . Muller intends to continue his career in the United States, but he has apparently turned down advances from Chicago Fire and another unidentified MLS club because MLS rules forbid players from jointly negotiating with multiple teams.

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The 35-year-old is contracted with Bayern Munich until July 2025 and will leave the club after the Club World Cup. The forward appeared in 30 Bundesliga games during the 2024-25 season, scoring once and assisting four times. The unique single-entity structure of MLS necessitates league approval and requires clubs to coordinate negotiations, which has contributed to the delay, though his next destination is likely to be disclosed next month.

DID YOU KNOW?

The MLS transfer rules forbid open negotiations with more than one team at a time, a condition that directly affects Muller's capacity to look into other possible destinations in the league. With talks with LAFC going on, Muller's rejection of Chicago Fire resulted from this rule.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MULLER?

Muller will now be seen in action in the Club World Cup, where he will don the Bayern Munich jersey as a player for one last time. His next destination is likely to come after that, as Bayern reportedly prefer an agreement with LAFC and are willing to assist in closing the deal. If negotiations fall short, though, other MLS teams could re-enter the contest once LAFC is formally out.

With Mohamed Salah’s contract continuing to tick down, Liverpool are reportedly lining up a summer swoop to sign a potential replacement who knows exactly how to win a league title.

Liverpool transfer news

The Egyptian King was once again at the centre of the positives at Anfield against Southampton as Liverpool survived a first-half scare to eventually win 3-1, courtesy of Salah’s two penalties. Now the Reds’ third all-time top goalscorer, it becomes more and more surprising by the day that their history-maker is on course to leave as a free agent this summer.

If his goals weren’t impressive enough, Salah has had something for everyone this season and is closing in on Thierry Henry’s Premier League assists record with 17 to his name – four more are required to beat the Arsenal legend’s long-standing total.

With nine games to do it, the Liverpool star looks destined to create history once again.

However, as Anfield witnesses greatness, that new contract is yet to come, and those on Merseyside have seemingly been forced to think about potential summer replacements, as if truly replacing Salah is even possible.

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According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now lining up a summer swoop to sign Kingsley Coman from Bayern Munich, who value their winger at around €40m (£34m) which is ironically not too dissimilar from the price the Reds paid for Salah in 2017.

Unlike Salah, however, Coman would not be arriving at the peak of his powers. At 28 years old, the Frenchman has struggled for game time ahead of the likes of Michael Olise at Bayern Munich, and if Liverpool want to replace arguably the best player in the world, they need a consistent star.

"Incredible" Coman could receive impossible task

There was once a time when Coman was asked to step out of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben’s shadow to become Bayern’s star player, before doing exactly that.

Now, the Frenchman looks to have been returned to the shadows amid the arrival of Olise, who has stolen the spotlight in style since joining from Crystal Palace.

Having won eight Bundesliga titles and a Champions League during his time in Germany, it could easily be said that Coman has completed life at the Bavarians, making this summer an ideal time to move on.

If that is to be the case, he could receive an even tougher task than the one he was handed all those years ago in Germany. Instead of Robben and Ribery, it could be Salah who he is asked to replace as Liverpool desperately look to ease any potential blow caused by the Egyptian’s expiring contract.

Previously dubbed “incredible” by former manager Hansi Flick, it remains to be seen whether a summer departure would see the Frenchman get back to his best form or whether he’s simply past the peak of his powers.

Following an inconsistent campaign, Nick Pope could find himself replaced at Newcastle United with the Magpies reportedly racing to sign a goalkeeper worth £29m this summer.

Newcastle battling to sign Pope upgrade

Since returning from injury, there’s been a number of question marks over whether Pope should still be Newcastle’s No 1. The England international has had several troubles with the ball at his feet for some time, and as those at St James’ Park look to make a swift return to the Champions League, they could seek an instant upgrade this summer.

Related Their very own Saka: Aston Villa racing Newcastle to sign "physical" winger

He’s impressed at times this season.

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On that front, the main name mentioned across the last few months has been James Trafford. The Burnley shot-stopper has been excellent in the Championship this season and is undoubtedly a player who should be playing in the Premier League. Having reportedly had personal terms in place for some time with Newcastle, he could finally complete his move to Tyneside this summer.

That said, Burnley’s potential promotion back to the Premier League could yet throw a spanner in the works – potentially forcing the Magpies to turn towards Serie A and another emerging star.

According to CaughtOffside, Newcastle are now racing to sign Mile Svilar from AS Roma, who has recently stalled contract talks at the Italian club amid interest from St James’ Park, Chelsea and Manchester City.

Whilst his current deal doesn’t expire until 2027, Roma have been keen to tie their goalkeeper down to fresh terms in what has proven to be more difficult than perhaps expected. Reportedly valued at €35m (£29m) if he does depart this summer, Newcastle could swoop in and sign the Italians’ contract rebel.

Given that Svilar is just 25 years old, Eddie Howe would be getting a shot-stopper at the peak of his powers and an instant upgrade on current No 1 Pope this summer.

"Revelation" Svilar is one to watch

Although his career hasn’t always taken the linear path towards success, Svilar is the undisputed starter in Rome these days and could yet have the most important decision of his career to make when the summer arrives. It’s then that Newcastle could welcome an upgrade on Pope and their new No 1 for years to come at St James’ Park.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Mile Svilar

Nick Pope

Starts

29

18

Clean Sheets

11

4

Save percentage

77.2%

68.7%

Pass completion

79.6%

70.6%

The numbers don’t lie and represent exactly how Svilar could improve Howe’s side, combining his shot-stopping talent with his composed ball-playing ability. Dubbed a “revelation” by analyst Ben Mattinson last season, that verdict remains true even now a year on.

When the summer arrives, Newcastle should make their move as soon as they can in an attempt to beat Manchester City to Svilar’s signature. He ticks every box for what Howe needs. The Roma star is still in his prime, has no troubles on the shot-stopping front and has that key modern-day ability on the ball that Pope arguably lacks.

Whether the Magpies can lure Svilar into a move over the likes of Manchester City remains to be seen, however.

MatériaMais Notícias

Diante de um cenário de crescente preocupação com as questões ambientais, o Coritiba, com o incentivo da GreenPlat, startup de software de gestão e monitoramento de indicadores ESG, tornou-se o primeiro time brasileiro a aderir ao Pacto Global da ONU (Organização das Nações Unidas).

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>Confira quais foram os 30 jogadores indicados para Bola de Ouro

Com a iniciativa, o time brasileiro se compromete a alinhar suas estratégias e operações a dez princípios universais nas áreas de Direitos Humanos, Trabalho, Meio Ambiente e Anticorrupção bem como desenvolver ações que contribuam para o enfrentamento dos desafios da sociedade.

– Este é um dos passos para consolidarmos nosso programa de sustentabilidade que prevê minimizar os impactos ambientais, educar nossos colaboradores e torcedores, além de incentivar programas de preservação. Um clube de futebol é mais que uma equipe em campo, os torcedores são inspirados pelo seu clube, é o amor do torcedor, uma relação inexplicável. E o futebol, pela força que tem, precisa estar diretamente envolvido e engajado – afirmou Juarez Moraes, presidente do Coxa. 

No final de 2021, o Verdão iniciou o mapeamento de resíduos de suas estruturas físicas (Couto Pereira e o CT Bayard Osna), acompanhando todo o ciclo de vida de produtos desde a produção de matérias-primas até o descarte e destinação dos resíduos gerados.

O gerenciamento é parte de um processo e de ações promovidas pelo clube paranaense desde o começo do ano passado, quando a atual diretoria iniciou um trabalho de readequação e modernização da gestão e incluiu as noções de um fair play em toda sua estrutura buscando maior sustentabilidade, responsabilidade e levar para dentro do clube a defesa da biodiversidade.

– Nossa meta é continuar auxiliando o Coritiba a alcançar o Selo Aterro Zero, que certifica empresas e oferece a destinação ambientalmente adequada e sustentável dos resíduos, evitando ao máximo o envio para aterros sanitários – afirma Chicko Sousa, fundador e CEO da GreenPlat.

Além de fazer uma revisão da infraestrutura do Estádio Couto Pereira e do Centro de Treinamento para melhor adequação ao gerenciamento de resíduos, o clube quer buscar outras soluções para consumo eficiente de água (irrigação) e energia elétrica (iluminação do estádio, centro de treinamento e demais instalações). Prevê, também, aplicar estas preocupações em suas viagens e estadias nas diferentes competições e categorias.

Neste ano, o Coritiba também formalizará sua participação ao Sports for Climate Action, também da ONU, que tem como objetivo usar o esporte como uma ferramenta para impulsionar a consciência climática. 

As realizações em favor do meio ambiente, da sustentabilidade e da preservação da biodiversidade do Coritiba Foot Ball Club estão sendo promovidas desde janeiro de 2021 e, este ano, ganharam uma identidade própria. O Coritiba lançou em junho o programa “Nossa Identidade Verde”, iniciativa que tem o apoio da Green Plat, SPVS e Grande Reserva Mata Atlântica, parceiros do clube do Alto da Glória na caminhada pelo fair play ambiental.

Real Madrid are set to make their final push for Arsenal target Martin Zubimendi with the hope that new boss Xabi Alonso can help seal the deal.

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• Arsenal sweating over Zubimendi deal
• Real Madrid making 'final push' for midfielder
• Los Blancos hoping that Alonso can seal the deal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal looked to be the final destination for Real Sociedad maestro Zubimendi this summer, as the Gunners had seemingly struck a deal for the midfielder after over a year of interest in the Spaniard. However, Real Madrid have crept up as a potential issue for the north London side.

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  In an effort to give new manager Alonso the best squad possible for the Club World Cup and the upcoming campaign, Real Madrid are coming up with answers to their problems under Carlo Ancelotti. As such, Los Blancos have shown interest in Zubimendi over the last few weeks and as per Spanish publication , the 15-time European champions are now set to make their 'final push' for the midfielder.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Real Madrid believe that Zubimendi could be convinced to ditch Arsenal in favour of a move to Santiago Bernabeu, as new Los Blancos boss Alonso crossed paths with the 26-year-old at Real Sociedad B. Additionally, they believe that Alonso's play style may be admired by the midfielder.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ZUBIMENDI?

  As per , Arsenal are sweating over Zubimendi's decision after Real made contact with the player, although the Spanish giants would struggle to match the English side's salary offer. However, the Real Sociedad midfielder is still said to be undecided on his future heading into the summer.

David Payne chimes in with two wickets as Gloucestershire beat Middlesex

ECB Reporters Network04-Jun-2023

Oliver Price produced a telling performance with both bat and ball to guide Gloucestershire to an emphatic seven-wicket victory over Middlesex in an ultimately one-sided Vitality Blast contest at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium.The Oxford-born allrounder top-scored with 46 and shared in crucial partnerships of 60 with Miles Hammond and 52 with Zafar Gohar for the second and third wickets respectively as the home side chased down a target of 140 with 10 balls to spare to register their second win in three days.Middlesex have struggled to post big totals in the short format this season and this match was no exception, the visitors struggling to build meaningful partnerships and coming up short on 139 for 9 after being put into bat. Jack Davies hit a defiant unbeaten 46 and Max Holden contributed a valuable 34, but veteran left-arm seamer David Payne claimed 2 for 21 and off spinner Price 2 for 18 as Gloucestershire took wickets at regular intervals to keep a lid on things.Victorious in three of their last four outings, improving Gloucestershire kept alive their hopes of progressing to the knock-out stages, but Middlesex are already down and out, consigned to the foot of the South Group after losing their opening six games.Just as they did against Surrey on Friday night, Gloucestershire restricted their opponents to a below-par total and then managed the chase in a controlled fashion.Promoted to open the innings on the back of his record-breaking 19-ball 50 against Essex last week, Ben Charlesworth has yet to spark at the top of the order, and he was stumped off the bowling of Josh de Caires for 12 as Gloucestershire lost their first wicket with 24 on the board in the fourth over.Also pushed up the order, Hammond made a better fist of things, twice cover driving Blake Cullen to the boundary and then stepping down the track and hitting Thilan Walallawita straight down the ground as the home side advanced their score to 43 for 1 while the fielding restrictions were in place.Cautious beginnings gave way to adventure on the part of Price, the 21-year-old tucking into spinners de Caires and Walallawita to provide Gloucestershire with crucial momentum. The 21-year-old plundered a brace of fours off de Caires in the sixth over and then repeated the feat against Walallawita in the ninth, Gloucestershire reaching the halfway stage of their innings well-placed at 73 for 1.Requiring a further 67 runs at 6.70 an over with nine wickets in hand, Gloucestershire were well served by their second-wicket pair, who accumulated in a controlled fashion to lay the foundations for a successful chase. By the time Hammond squirted a catch to extra cover off the bowling of Luke Hollman, the partnership was worth 60, the Cheltenham-born left-hander having contributed 34 of those from 38 balls with four fours, and the rate remained at just over a run a ball.Within four runs of a maiden T20 50, Price attempted to reach that landmark and win the game with a single blow in the 18th over, only to over-balance and fall to a sharp stumping by Davies. Left to finish things off, Zafar remained unbeaten on 37 from 22 balls, with a six and three fours, while skipper Jack Taylor hit the winning run.Gloucestershire performed at the top of their game to reduce Surrey to 29 for 4 in the powerplay at Bristol 48 hours earlier, but were unable to emulate that feat on this occasion. They began well enough, Payne having Stephen Eskinazi caught at the wicket in the act of driving recklessly and Joe Cracknell hoisting Danny Lamb to square leg as Middlesex lurched to 20-2 in the third over.But the home side then blotted their copybook when Holden, still to get off the mark, was put down at point by Matt Taylor off the bowling of Zafar with the score on 26. He and Pieter Malan advanced the score to a respectable 45 for 2 at the end of the powerplay as the visitors sought to make the most of their good fortune.But Gloucestershire continued to press hard and Price had Malan caught at long-on for a 19-ball 21 and Zafar bowled former team-mate Ryan Higgins for one as Middlesex, struggling to contend with spin from both ends, were reduced to 52-4 in the eighth over.Fortunate to still be at large and determined to make good his escape, Holden led a Middlesex fightback of sorts, partially rebuilding the innings with a restorative fifth-wicket stand of 24 with de Caires. Gloucestershire were already regretting dropping the left-hander when he hoisted Matt Taylor for the first six of the match, and he went on to add a quartet of fours in a progressive innings that yielded 34 from 22 balls.Veteran slow left armer Tom Smith eventually put paid to Holden’s antics, luring him into a trap that saw him hit straight to Price at deep mid-wicket as Middlesex slipped to 76 for 5 in the eleventh.A good deal of responsibility resting on their shoulders, de Caires and Davies ran hard between the wickets and scored at slightly better than a run-a-ball in adding 29 for the sixth wicket. But Gloucestershire stuck to their task and de Caires, having made 18 from 20 balls, hoisted Price to substitute fielder Zaman Akhter at long-on and perished going for the big hit with the score on 105, while Luke Hollman was run out for one by Smith’s throw from deep backward square as Middlesex slumped to 114 for 7 in the sixteenth.Worse followed for the visitors, Tom Helm falling cheaply to the returning Payne, who applied concerted pressure at the death, keeping things tight to further frustrate Middlesex.In danger of running out of partners and forced to take matters into his own hands, Davies batted with real purpose to finish just four runs short of a half century, his 33-ball innings containing 3 fours and a six. Blake Cullen stayed with him long enough to stage a ninth-wicket alliance of 22 in 20 balls, but there was no escaping the strong suspicion that the Londoners had fallen short.

Samson is one of two keepers named in the squad alongside Ishan Kishan

Shashank Kishore23-Jun-2023Sanju Samson has earned a recall to India’s ODI squad for the three-match series in the Caribbean in July. With KL Rahul still in rehab for a thigh injury and Rishabh Pant in recovery after surviving a car crash in December, Samson is one of two wicketkeepers in the 17-member squad alongside Ishan Kishan.Related

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Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose only ODI so far came against South Africa in October last year, is also part of the squad along with the uncapped Mukesh Kumar. Most of the regulars in the frame for the ODI World Cup have been included in the Rohit Sharma-led squad. Hardik Pandya is the vice-captain.With Mohammed Shami rested, Mohammed Siraj is expected to spearhead a pace attack that also includes Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur, Mukesh and Umran Malik apart from the allrounder Hardik.Suryakumar Yadav, who occupied one of the middle order slots during the home ODIs against Australia in March, has been retained. Playing in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, who was out with a back injury, Suryakumar finished the series with three first-ball ducks, but bounced back with prolific returns in the IPL for Mumbai Indians.Washington Sundar, who was also part of the Australia series, has been left out, with Ravindra Jadeja and Axar preferred as the spin-bowling allrounders. Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav are the two frontline spinners.Samson will have an opportunity to add to his 11 ODI caps if the team management wants to play a keeper-batter suited to the middle order; Kishan typically bats higher up the order. Samson has so far scored 330 ODI runs in 10 innings at an average of 66.00, with two half-centuries. One of them came in a match-winning chase against West Indies in Port-of-Spain last year. Samson can also play as a specialist batter even if Kishan is picked as keeper.India ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-capt), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.

Some centuries mean a bit more than others. But a few of Usman Khawaja’s since his triumphant return to the Test side have had added significance.Firstly, there was the comeback itself at Sydney in the last Ashes, an opportunity he thought may never come around. Then, having long carried a tag of being unable to play spin, which should really have been shed when he saved the game in Abu Dhabi in 2018, he dominated in Pakistan on a hugely significant homecoming tour. Then he followed that with a century against India in Ahmedabad a few months ago.And now Edgbaston in 2023, ten years on from his first Test tour of the country which had brought his only other fifty. Despite a prolific return to the side, his average in England – 17.78 before this match after two low scores in the World Test Championship final last week – had not gone unnoticed.When he late cut Ben Stokes down to deep third to bring up a 15th Test hundred the celebration showed what it meant. Never mind the dab or the LeBron James inspired dance, this was something more guttural as he let out a roar and hurled his bat in the air, leaving him standing with arms aloft holding his helmet.”I honestly don’t know,” Khawaja, with daughter Aisha on his knee at the press conference, said of what prompted the celebration. “Think it was a combination of three Ashes tours in England, being dropped in two of them. I don’t read the media, genuinely I don’t, but I’m getting sprayed by the crowd as I’m walking out there today and as I’m going to the nets that I can’t score runs in England, so guess it was more emotional than normal.Related

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• Stuart Broad runs and runs even deeper into Ashes folklore

“Feel like I’m saying this all the time, same thing happened in India. Not that I have a point to prove, but it’s nice to go out and score runs for Australia just to show everyone that the last 10 years haven’t been a fluke.”The theme from Khawaja over the last few years has been how comfortable he now is being himself. “It’s just what you see is what you get, this is Usman,” he said. “I don’t try to hide it. I’m not perfect, I make mistakes, but I’m happy to be out there and show everyone the real me. Don’t know why the bat throw happened, but it happened. That was me.”As Khawaja said, his previous Ashes history in England had not been a happy one. A top score of 54 in the first of six previous meetings in 2013. He was dropped for the final match of that series at The Oval. He did not make the 2015 tour during a near two-year absence from the Test side, then in 2019 he was the fall guy to accommodate Marnus Labuschagne on Steven Smith’s return from concussion at Old Trafford. This time he had come prepared.”England is, in my opinion, the toughest place in the world to bat for top-three batsmen,” Khawaja said before the tour. “If I’ve learned anything, it is work hard, train hard and [when] going to England, go with low expectations. You are going to fail as a batsman, but when you do score you try to cash in as much as you can.”Usman Khawaja celebrates reaching his ton•PA Images via Getty Images

Cash in he did. And how Australia needed him. Khawaja had watched from the other end as David Warner dragged on against his arch nemesis Stuart Broad. He watched as Labuschagne edged behind for the first golden duck of his Test career. He watched as Smith was given lbw to Stokes to leave Australia three down before lunch.With some help from Travis Head, Cameron Green and latterly Alex Carey, he has been the key difference between Australia having a chance to stay level with England on first innings and conceding a likely match-defining lead.The century was in a mould of the previous six he had made on his return to Test cricket, with an almost zen-like calmness. Led by Broad, England were very good with the new ball early in the day. Khawaja was beaten on occasions but never ruffled although there was not the amount of seam or swing that has previously troubled him.While runs have flowed at home, he has equally left his mark overseas. Since January 2022, Khawaja has scored more than 1000 runs outside Australia. No batter has scored more runs in away Tests with the next most prolific batter in away Tests in this period being Joe Root, who has 802 runs in an equal 19 innings.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

It appeared that the second new ball had finally done for him on 112 when Broad, from around the wicket, a line that has not troubled Khawaja the same as it has Warner, brought a terrific delivery back into off stump only for his foot to have been inches over the line.His play against Moeen Ali brought back memories of how he had dominated Pakistan’s spinners last year on some docile surfaces. Watchfully respecting the good balls, but quick to apply some pressure (not that Stokes sees his bowlers being hit for boundaries that way) with sweet, crisp footwork. He rarely misjudges length against the spin.”England, to their credit, they stuck to their guns, kept the field up and eventually got the wicket of Heady by just keeping the guys up,” Khawaja said. “It was good cat and mouse.”The comparison between Khawaja and his opening partner is hard to ignore. While Warner battles to get the ending he wants in Sydney early next year, Khawaja is mapping out the most glorious final coming to an international career littered with ups and downs. And though this is likely a final tour of England – “unless I pull a James Anderson,” he said – that finishing point may be some time off yet.