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CBS Sports Golazo journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that Youri Tielemans ‘will sign’ for Arsenal, if an agreement is reached with Leicester City.

The Lowdown: ‘Stepped back’

Gunners journalist Charles Watts has reported that Mikel Arteta’s side have ‘stepped back’ in their pursuit of Tielemans this summer, in order to try to get deals for the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Raphinha over the line.

Interest in him from other clubs has now emerged as a result, notably Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur.

The Latest: Tielemans update

Taking to Twitter, Jacobs has revealed that Tielemans ‘wants to join’ AFC, with Edu and the club still ‘in touch’ with his agent. They have ‘agreed terms’, but an official bid has not been made:

“Tielemans wants to join Arsenal and Edu still in touch with his agent. Arsenal have agreed terms, and worked on the deal for a year, but have never placed an official bid.”

He added that if the teams can reach an agreement, then Tielemans ‘will sign’ for the North London club, and United’s interest could force Edu to make a decision ‘quicker than expected’:

“If Arsenal reach an agreement with Leicester, told Tielemans will sign. But for now, #AFC haven’t decided on him. The genuine interest from #MUFC may force Edu to make a decision quicker than expected, especially if ten Hag pitch proves appealing.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Arsenal have already been scuppered in their chances of signing Raphinha, with both Chelsea and FC Barcelona attempting to hijack a deal, while United have now submitted a bid for Martinez as they look to beat the Gunners to his signature.

Interest in Tielemans is likely to creep up as the window progresses, especially if he does not sign a new contract with the Foxes, with only one year left on his current deal at the King Power Stadium.

Nonetheless, Arteta would have been given encouragement by the fact that he wants to join them, but as the window has shown so far, any deal is not guaranteed, so the Gunners need to act fast and get him signed on the dotted line.

Liverpool have not been reluctant when it comes to signing players from fellow Premier League clubs.

Names such as Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain among many others have all made moves to Anfield from other clubs in the top division.

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In the midst of another summer transfer window, it seems as though the Reds have had their eye on signing yet another figure from one of their top-flight colleagues.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Merseyside club had made a £60m bid for Leeds United winger Raphinha, which was rejected by his agent Deco.

Should the Reds look to move on from potentially signing the Brazilian this summer, another Premier League attacker that could serve as a suitable alternative for the Reds and FSG to target is Jarrod Bowen.

Having been linked with a move for the West Ham United winger previously, Jurgen Klopp has also aired his admiration for the Englishman in the past.

Darwin’s a Red! Get your special edition Darwin Nunez tee here.

Since joining the east London club back in the 2020 January transfer window from Hull City, the 25-year-old has scored 27 goals and delivered 21 assists in 102 appearances across all competitions.

With 12 goals and ten assists to his name throughout his 36 league appearances for the Hammers last season, no other player in David Moyes’ squad racked up more shots on target (33) or goal-creating actions (21) than the winger.

This highlights the clear attacking talent Bowen has and why he could be a good fit at Liverpool considering how they racked up more goal-creating actions (156) as a team than any other side in the league last season.

He also ended the recent campaign with an overall performance rating of 7.15/10, making him the highest-rated player at the east London club according to WhoScored.

Labelled as a “bundle of energy” by Gary Neville, Bowen could also be a great addition to Klopp’s side given the high-tempo style of play they are famed for.

Even though he has a reported price tag of £75m, which is more than the reported fee that the Reds put in for Raphinha, the Hammers star could well be worth making a big investment on given how he’s already proven to be a deadly attacking figure in the Premier League.

In other news: Contact made: FSG now plot Liverpool move for £34.3m “special talent”, Klopp needs him

Reliable journalist Alasdair Gold has now shared his thoughts on the rumours linking Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku with a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Lukaku rumours

After enduring a difficult return to life in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge, a whole host of transfer rumours have emerged linking the Belgium international with a move away from the West London club.

Back in April, 90min reported that Chelsea are prepared to let the 29-year-old leave this summer, amid interest from former club Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

However, Italian media outlet La Repubblica claimed that Lukaku was more likely to join Antonio Conte at Tottenham, rather than making a return to the Serie A.

The Latest: Gold’s claim

During football.london’s latest QnA, Gold was asked if there is any truth in the Lukaku rumours. In his response, he claimed:

“Conte loves him but I’d have my doubts over whether Chelsea would deal with Spurs and also whether Lukaku would feel he’d get to play week in, week out with Harry Kane at the club. He wouldn’t be the main man.

“They may well be able to play together but what that would mean for Son and Kulusevski I don’t know. It’s a lot of money for a player who hasn’t had the happiest time back in the Premier League. I just can’t see Chelsea dealing with a London rival and their former manager, but who knows what could happen in this crazy summer.”

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The Verdict: Conte doesn’t need him

Hailed a ‘complete striker’ by Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci, Lukaku was a dominant force under Conte at Inter, having netted an impressive 64 goals in 95 games.

However, the Italian boss now has Harry Kane at his disposal, whom he is also said to be an extremely big fan of.

When compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Kane ranks in the 86th percentile for non-penalty expected goals, whereas Lukaku comes in at the 68th percentile for the same statistic (via FB Ref), and it doesn’t take any such statistics to see the former is a superior playmaker too.

Therefore, with Conte’s preferred formation utilising just one out-and-out striker, it seems unlikely that Lukaku would join Spurs with Kane still at the club, ‘crazy’ summer or not.

In other news: Journalist says Conte will be ‘impressed’ by quick Perisic swoop

Joel Matip will be left out of Liverpool’s Champions League final team to face Real Madrid, according to former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Selection headache for Klopp

The Reds face their biggest game of the season on Saturday evening, as they take on Madrid in the most high-profile match in club football.

Jurgen Klopp will likely feel that arguably nine or ten players pick themselves in his starting lineup, but Matip and Ibrahima Konate are battling to partner Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.

The pair have both enjoyed superb seasons for Liverpool but the brutal reality is that only one will start proceedings in Paris.

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The Latest: Matip tipped for the axe

Speaking to Football Insider, Sky Sports pundit Robinson claimed that it will be Konate who gets then nod over Matip on Saturday, after both players struggled vs Wolves:

“Neither Matip or Konate played well against Wolves at the weekend. But whoever plays alongside Van Dijk improves. He is a top-class player and a leader.

“‘It is not an issue that’s for sure. They could go with Matip or Konate. I think Jurgen Klopp will go for Konate though. They have a good relationship together. They have worked well together in the Champions League this season.”

The Verdict: Konate favourite to start

It is such a tough call over who starts out of Matip and Konate, with both possessing different attributes, from the former’s calm and experience to the latter’s pace and aggression.

The fact that Vinicius Jr is an electric left winger who could find space in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold means that Konate is the favourite to start, though.

His speed could be required in Liverpool’s much-discussed high line, with Matip not as quick and more suited to facing a different kind of attacking threat. Whoever Klopp goes with, fans will have few issues, given the brilliance of both.

In other news, David Maddock has dropped a ‘huge’ Liverpool claim. Read more here.

Everton took a huge stride towards Premier League survival on Sunday afternoon after recording a hard-fought – and much needed – 1-0 win over Chelsea at Goodison Park, with Richarlison netting what proved to be the game’s defining goal.

Buoyed by a raucous home crowd, the Brazilian fired Frank Lampard’s men ahead just minutes after the interval, with the Toffees boss earning sweet revenge against the side that had brutally sacked him just over a year ago.

While the goalscorer – and the victorious manager – may well grab the headlines, alongside England stopper Jordan Pickford, one man who was something of an unsung hero in that triumph was summer signing Demarai Gray, with his tireless display integral to the hosts hanging onto all three points.

Despite making just 11 passes in the match, the former Leicester City man caught the eye with his seemingly boundless energy, putting in a real shift defensively as he won five of his six ground duels and made three tackles, all while giving the usually unflappable Reece James a real tough afternoon down the visitors’ right flank.

Gray – who has previously been dubbed “influential” by pundit Martin Keown – was also decisive at the other end in helping his side get ahead on 47 minutes, teeing up teammate Richarlison to slot home after the duo had capitalised on some errant defending from Blues skipper, Cesar Azpilicueta.

That performance was also highly praised by Liverpool Echo writer Adam Jones, who handed the pacy wide man an 8/10 match rating and said of his display that: “Another who tried to cover every blade of grass for his side and his high press was pivotal in the build up to the goal. His defensive work in the second half was absolutely fantastic too, which made up for a few errors at the other end of the pitch.”

Unsurprisingly, the 24-year-old also earned an 8.0 match rating via SofaScore, for that impressive outing, with only the aforementioned Pickford recording a better score on the day (8.1) across all 22 starters on the pitch.

That pivotal assist also means that the £19.8m-rated man now has eight goal contributions for the season in the top-flight, continually making his £1.7m signing from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen appear an absolute bargain.

If he keeps delivering the goods then it should stand Lampard’s men in good stead on their quest to retain their Premier League status, with the Merseysiders now just two points behind 17th placed Leeds United, and with a game in hand on both the Elland Road outfit and fellow strugglers, Burnley.

They will, however, need to translate their strong home form into positive results on the road, with their record of just one away win the worst in the division this season.

In other news, Benitez howler: Everton facing setback over £27m-rated star, supporters will be fuming – opinion

Reactions to Chennai Super Kings becoming champions of IPL 2018

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2018

Cannot express my feelings! It's been a wonderful season for us & a fitting finish by @ShaneRWatson33. A well constructed innings from him today & inspiring captaincy from @msdhoni right from game one takes us to our 3rd title.A big thank you to all our supporters#WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/lZfWqUWi9j

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) May 27, 2018

Very proud of the way @SunRisers played in this IPL, I thank each and every member of the @SunRisers family for their efforts and support. Absolutely brilliant knock from Shane Watson and many congratulations to @ChennaiIPL on a well-deserved victory #IPLfinal2018

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) 27 May 2018

Congratulations Chennai Superkings on becoming deserving champions of the biggest T20 tournament in the world. Brilliant throughout the tournament and the wonderful people from Chennai and whole of TN deserve this @ChennaiIPL . #IPL2018Final

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) 27 May 2018

It’s been a wonderful journey, very proud of the way @SunRisers played all year. Tonight we lost to a remarkable innings from @ShaneRWatson33 , credit when it’s due! #OrangeArmy

— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) May 27, 2018

Congratulations to @ChennaiIPL for winning the @IPL. Dominant performance by them and also well done to @SunRisers for a wonderful season.

— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) 27 May 2018

Well done, @ChennaiIPL. A great display of quality cricket. Certainly the most consistent side of the tournament. A special knock from @ShaneRWatson33 in a crucial game which saw them through. #CSKvSRH #IPL2018Final pic.twitter.com/HhuaQJPbEF

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 27, 2018

Seriously good knock by @ShaneRWatson33 well done mate simply amazing to watch. Not the result @SunRisers wanted but you have to pat yourselves on the back and say well done for the way you played throughout the tournament

— David Warner (@davidwarner31) May 27, 2018

Congrats to @ChennaiIPL for this years @IPL success. This has to be one of the most amazing comeback results in our sport. Quite remarkable! Special mention to @ShaneRWatson33 who has been on some journey to be standing where he has today. Enjoy!

— Brendon McCullum (@Bazmccullum) 27 May 2018

Congratulations to @msdhoni and @ChennaiIPL for winning the 2018 @IPL the two best teams got the finals but the best team won.

— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) 27 May 2018

Well done @ChennaiIPL, #vivoipl2018 champions once again. The fire and the yellow-army burn as bright as ever in MS Dhoni and his men. Well played again @DJBravo47 #CHAMPION

— ian bishop (@irbishi) 27 May 2018

Can’t see any other captain pulling off a title win like this with the limitations CSK had. It had to be Dhoni to do it.#VIVOIPL2018 #CSK

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) 27 May 2018

So happy for @ShaneRWatson33 on his special performance in the @IPL final! What a season he’s had! Weldone to @ChennaiIPL and @SPFleming7 on a brilliant comeback year

— Glenn Maxwell (@Gmaxi_32) May 27, 2018

Wrong side of 30s is the right side of experience…#CSK has pulled off one of the most sensational season victories. From start to finish. Different heroes. Well done #WhistlePodu #IPL

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) 27 May 2018

Big players perform in big moments. @ShaneRWatson33 that was memorable! #IPL2018Finals #CSKvSRH

— Grant Elliott (@grantelliottnz) May 27, 2018

From being pulled up for a suspect bowling action earlier this year, the 17-year old has rebounded to become the youngest player to take a five-wicket haul in T20s

Mohammad Isam03-Dec-2016Until Saturday afternoon, Afif Hossain was a virtual unknown who had trained with the Rajshahi Kings franchise in Mirpur. A few coaches and local scouts knew him from the group of Under-19 players who are training for the upcoming Asia Cup, which will be held in Sri Lanka later this month. It took Afif only four overs to announce himself on the big stage.Primarily an opening batsman, Afif claimed 5 for 21 with his offspin for Rajshahi against Chittagong Vikings in the Bangladesh Premier League, becoming the first Bangladeshi to pick up a five-wicket haul on T20 debut. At 17 years and 72 days, he also became the youngest bowler to pick up a five-wicket haul in T20s.Brought into the attack in the fifth over, after Rajshahi opted to bowl, he was taken for back-to-back fours by Jahurul Islam, but Afif had the batsman leg-before off the third ball, umpire Nadir Shah giving Jahurul out despite an inside edge.In his next over, Afif bowled Chris Gayle with a full-length delivery for 5 off 15 balls, and let out a huge roar. Afif then took the wickets of Zakir Hasan, caught brilliantly by a diving Sabbir Rahman, and Saqlain Sajib and Imran Khan to complete his five-for.”Wait till you see him bat,” one of Afif’s teammates said, soon after he had finished his four overs.Afif, who recently made three tall scores in Under-19 practice matches, is a big-hitter. His coaches vouch for his batting talent, one of them even went on to say Afif reminded him of a young Tamim Iqbal.Afif, born in September 1999 in Khulna, is a student of the BKSP, Bangladesh’s premier sports institute that has produced many international cricketers including Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan.During the Dhaka First Division Cricket League last year, Afif managed only two wickets in seven matches for his school BKSP.He had been pulled up by the BCB for a suspect bowling action earlier this year, before getting it cleared in September.After the BPL he will re-join the Bangladesh Under-19 set-up to prepare for the Asia Cup. Afif will now be the most well-known member of the Under-19 side.

Statistical highlights from day two of the second Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies at the P Sara Oval

Shiva Jayaraman23-Oct-20152006 The last time before today when Sri Lanka took the first-innings lead after making 200 or fewer while batting first in Tests. They had bowled out Pakistan for 176 in the first innings at the SSC, after they themselves were dismissed for 185. Overall this is only the fourth such instance for Sri Lanka in Tests. This is also the seventh time that West Indies have conceded a first-innings lead after bowling out their opposition for 200 or less. The previous such instance for West Indies had also come in 2006, against India in Jamaica, when they had bowled out the visitors to 200 and then got bowled out for just 103.4/34 Dhammika Prasad’s returns in West Indies’ first innings – his second-best bowling figures in an innings in Tests. This is the third four-wicket haul he has taken in his last three Tests at the P Sara Oval. He had taken 4 for 43 against India and 4 for 92 against Pakistan in the previous two Tests. Prasad has 23 wickets at the P Sara – the most he has at any venue – at an average of 21.78.55 Partnership runs between Kaushal Silva and Kusal Mendis for Sri Lanka’s second wicket, the highest of the match and only the first fifty-plus stand. As many as five partnerships of between 30 and 39 runs have come in this Test of which 16 have gone into double-digits, but the second-wicket stand in Sri Lanka’s second innings was the first to reach 50 runs.2001 The last time before this Test when two openers of a team got at least one golden duck in each innings. Kaushal Silva and Dimuth Karunaratne were dismissed for a duck off the first ball they faced in the first and second innings of this Test. Incidentally, the previous instance too had happened in a match between the same teams, but on that occasion it had been the two West Indies openers – Daren Ganga and Chris Gayle – who had got out off the first ball. This was only the sixth such instance and the second for Sri Lanka: both their openers had got out without scoring on the first ball they had faced in the first innings of the Kandy Test against South Africa in 2000.8 Total runs added by the opening stands in three innings in this Test. Only seven other Tests have had eight or fewer runs scored for the opening stands from three or more innings. The previous such instance came in the Cape Town Test between South Africa and New Zealand in 2012. However, there is one more innings left to be played in the ongoing Test.13 Runs Marlon Samuels scored in West Indies’ first innings. Samuels has now failed to score more than 15 runs in his last 12 Test innings against Sri Lanka. His 16 innings against them have produced just 151 runs at an average of 10.06. Only two other batsmen have averaged lower against an opposition from 15 or more innings batting in the top-order (No. 1 to No. 7). Ken Rutherford averaged 6.78 from 15 innings against West Indies and Charlie Turner averaged 9.85 against England from 15 innings.222 Runs scored from 90 overs that were bowled in the second day of this Test, the fifth-lowest on any day at P Sara Oval in Tests since 2000. This is also the second-lowest total on the second day of any Test since 2000 at this venue. Only 191 runs were scored in the second day of the Test between the hosts and England in 2012.0 Boundaries by Kaushal Silva in his 90-ball unbeaten innings of 31. He has batted out 66 dots and has taken 17 singles and seven twos. This is only the second time in his last 11 innings that he has managed more than 30 runs.

Graeme Smith was the last of South Africa’s old guard. The roots of the new one need to grow deeper

Firdose Moonda06-Mar-2014In one summer, South African cricket has lost 30 years. The retirements of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis took away three decades of experience and ended an era. Not just any era. South Africa’s most successful era.Before the 2013-14 season began, South Africa’s Test side had lost only one series in eight years. That was to Australia at home. They had gone from Antigua to Auckland, and Birmingham to Brisbane, and did not lose for 14 series.That run isn’t as good as those of the great sides – Australia were unbeaten for 16 series between 2001 and 2005 and West Indies for 29 over 15 years – but it broke new ground for South Africa. It made them serious contenders to be considered among Test cricket’s legendary outfits. They might not have the longevity, but they do have the ingredients.Comparisons between Clive Lloyd’s West Indian attack and this South African one began when Vernon Philander’s rise completed a three-pronged pace battery. With Kallis as the fourth seamer, South Africa had the complete set, though they lacked a world-class spinner. But so did that West Indian team.Comparisons with Steve Waugh or Ricky Ponting’s Australia for ruthlessness, however, could not be made with certainty. South Africa were known more for the art of not losing rather than the art of winning. They play hard but their aggression has not yet been sharpened to be as crafty or nuanced as Australia’s. Still, when they wiped the floor with last summer’s opponents – New Zealand and Pakistan – there were signs the killer instinct was awakening.The defining characteristic of this South African side was resilience. It was their greatness. They learned conditions around the world, sometimes better than they did the ones at home, and developed a style of play suited to every location. They learned how to get themselves off the ropes and put the opposition on them. The ability to counterpunch is no less a skill than the ability to land the first blow.Now, South Africa will have to stage their most difficult counterattack yet. This is the challenge Smith talked about 19 months ago, when his team wrested the Test mace from England. He said they would have to learn to stand firm when the wind came to blow them off the mountaintop. The South Easter has arrived.The great sides of West Indies and Australia had more than one wave of success, and that is why they became iconic. South Africa need a second wave, because the first has washed ashore.Not only are Smith and Kallis gone, the leader of the triad Mark Boucher went before them. Though South Africa rose to No. 1 without Boucher, who was forced into retirement before that England series by injury, they had been infused by his influence. Boucher remained best friends with Kallis and Smith and close to the rest of the squad. He joined them at training sessions and on team-building camps.The other person instrumental for South Africa’s successful team environment is also no longer a part of the set-up – their former coach Gary Kirsten. Like he did with India, Kirsten took a group of talented individuals and turned them into a winning team. He did that by allowing players the freedom they needed to become a family.The majority of that family is still around, and they will have to fill the gaps left by the absentees. Dale Steyn has already put his hand up to do that. On the team’s early morning flight to Port Elizabeth for the start of the Twenty20 series against Australia, following the Newlands Test defeat, he tweeted a picture with the captain: “Bouch, Kallis and now Biff gone! Officially the old man in the team looking after the new kids!” The photograph was of Steyn sitting next to Quinton de Kock. The young wicketkeeper was fast asleep.South Africa’s coach Russell Domingo spoke about his desire to see AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander use what they learned from Smith, Kallis and Boucher and become icon players themselves. De Villiers and Amla have already done that with their batting. Now they need to it through their leadership.De Villiers already does to some extent as captain of the ODI team, and Amla does it quietly through example. That has its own benefits because as much as South Africa need to find a new core of seniors, they also need to find suitable personnel. They have already seen how difficult that can be, in the quest to fill the Kallis-sized hole.Because there have been very few like Kallis in cricket, South Africa have had to try out different lower-order allrounders to find a replacement. It is too early to tell which of Ryan McLaren, Wayne Parnell and Kyle Abbott is the long-term solution, especially given Philander’s ability to do a similar job in the tail.Now South Africa have the additional task of finding an opening batsman, possibly two. Alviro Petersen is only just clinging on to his spot. Dean Elgar was fighting him for it, but now that Smith is gone Elgar has an easier vacancy to fill. The opening duo of Petersen and Elgar will not inspire the same confidence as Smith and Petersen, or Smith and Elgar, or Smith and anyone did.It’s that syndrome South Africa will have to get over. The only way to move on from losing Smith – and Kallis and Boucher – is to make a clean break. No comparisons, no longing for their return and no excuses. It needs to be balanced against making sure they get the appreciation and praise they deserve for their all they have given South African cricket.When last spring sprung, nobody would have said with certainty that both Kallis and Smith were about to join Boucher and Kirsten as men who had decided the autumn of their careers was over. Domingo has already endured one winter of discontent in his first assignment as national coach with the ODI side, in Sri Lanka last August. He will not want another when he takes the Test team there this July under a new captain. Should South Africa come through that unscathed they can look forward to a good home summer. A summer of new beginnings.

Kemar Roach has been the stand-out quick bowler in Port-of-Spain and he was full of pride on a significant day

Daniel Brettig in Port-of-Spain18-Apr-2012Within the space of eight months in 1988 and 1989, Malcolm Marshall turned in two of the most outstanding displays of fast bowling ever delivered on spinner’s pitches: 7 for 22 from 15.4 overs against England at Old Trafford, and 5 for 29 from 31 overs against Australia at the SCG. In each match, a spinner took the new ball for the opposition, and in Sydney Marshall had to overcome the scepticism of his captain Viv Richards, who gave him only seven of the first 94 overs.In Port-of-Spain in 2012, Kemar Roach has done his best to emulate Marshall, harrying Australia’s second innings in the second Test at Queen’s Park Oval. Roach has an awful long way to go before he gets anywhere near Marshall’s level of mastery, but he has studied his forebear’s ways, and could not hide his sense of warmth at performing well on a slow, spinning surface on what would have been Marshall’s 54th birthday.”I’ve watched a lot of clips of him and he was just such a great great, great bowler, he was the best bowler in the world at the time [he was playing],” Roach said of Marshall after rain curtailed the fourth day of the second Test. “I’m just glad, I can’t really explain it, it’s a good feeling to know that I got some wickets on his birthday today and it makes me feel warm as a West Indian to know I can go out here and perform for the West Indies like he did.”Like Roach, Marshall was not a tall man, but used his lower release point to advantage by skidding the ball down towards the batsmen while moving it both ways. Roach made a fair attempt at imitating these methods against the Australians, swerving the ball a little each way in the air, while also using his fingers and the seam to cut it off the pitch.It was one such cutter that deceived Ed Cowan and found him lbw from around the wicket, while David Warner was confounded by a delivery that zipped away from him and touched the outside edge on the way to the slips cordon. The most spectacular moment of all, though, was reserved for Shane Watson, who left enough of a gap between bat and pad to allow a fast, seaming delivery to slide through low and send the off stump cartwheeling.”It was a good sight. I really enjoyed that one obviously. Shane Watson’s also a great batsman as well, I rate him a lot and to get him, on that wicket, is a good achievement,” Roach said. “The lower the wicket is you obviously want to challenge the stumps a bit more. Keep your pace up and be as accurate as possible. That’s what got my wickets today and I’m proud of myself for that.”Roach’s career has had some peaks and troughs already in its brief journey, and he reflected on the fact that in 2011 he had found himself out of the West Indies Test XI while his senior fast bowling partner Fidel Edwards enjoyed a stronger year. However Roach has a certain knack of bowling well against Australia, having made his name down under in 2009. He is building his reputation again in 2012, and now has 13 wickets at 19.15 for the series, by a distance the most on either side.”I don’t think I’m doing anything better [than Edwards],” Roach said. “I still think Fidel’s a great bowler, he’s just a bit unlucky this game, and I know that if he plays the next Test match he will obviously perform. I know he’s a guy who likes to be in the middle of everything. He’s okay right now.”Roach’s success against Cowan and Warner has challenged the capabilities of Australia’s nascent opening combination, and he said he had schemed effectively with the coach Ottis Gibson to Test Warner in particular outside off stump.”I will say that’s one of our plans, to challenge the batsmen’s techniques, and obviously bowl according to how the wicket is playing,” Roach said. “There was always a plan to get him out early playing forward, and that has happened in every game.”[Gibson] really is a good bowling coach, I enjoy working with him a lot. I’ve been working hard with him and I want to thank him for the success I’ve been getting so far and I’m going to keep working with him in the rest of my career hopefully.”With a third wicket for the innings, Roach took his match tally to eight, and he is now within two of not only honouring the departed Marshall but becoming the first West Indies bowler to claim 10 for the match against Australia since Curtly Ambrose did it in the Adelaide Test match won by a solitary run in 1993. At 23, Roach is still learning his trade, but Marshall would have approved of how he went about his work this day.