All posts by h716a5.icu

Chelsea and Todd Boehly could tempt a big name European club into selling one of their "main players" with a big bid, and he may even join in January.

Will Chelsea sign a striker in January?

New manager Mauricio Pochettino and his tenure at Stamford Bridge hasn't exactly got off to the flying start he'd have hoped for. The west Londoners have won just two out of a possible seven league matches so far this term, and went from late August to last Monday without scoring a single top flight goal. This is despite creating a fair few chances in a couple of their Premier League encounters over that period, leading up to their eventual 2-1 win over Fulham at the start of this week.

Goals from Armando Broja and a first ever in Chelsea blue for marquee January signing Mykhalo Mudryk ended their barren run without scoring, but all signs suggest they're in dire need of a world-class striking option despite spending nearly £400 million over the summer transfer window. Boehly, joined by co-directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, moved to provide Pochettino with an array of major signings – but it appears they are taking some time to gel.

The Argentine hasn't exactly been helped by Chelsea's injury woes, either, with Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Carney Chukwuemeka, Marcus Bettinelli and Benot Badiashile all finding themselves on the treatment table recently. Chelsea, as a result of their goalscoring problems, are reportedly targeting the likes of Ivan Toney (Brentford) and Victor Osimhen (Napoli).

Will Dusan Vlahovic leave Juventus?

Another option who Chelsea could turn to is Serbia international striker Dusan Vlahovic, who has scored a brilliant four goals in six Serie A appearances so far this season. After a difficult debut season for the Old Lady, Vlahovic appears to be finding his groove again.

As a result, Chelsea's heads have apparently been turned, according to a report in the Italian press this week. Indeed, Calciomercato.it state that Boehly could tempt Juventus to sell Vlahovic with a £69 million bid. The 23-year-old, depending on certain conditions, could even join Chelsea as soon as January – but a 2024 summer move isn't ruled out either. The report calls Vlahovic one of Juve's "main players", and it will take a convincing offer of around the £69m mentioned to sway Juve into a deal.

Direct free-kicks

Offside awareness

Long shots

Defensive contribution

Finishing

Discipline

The former Fiorentina striker is back in good form, perhaps justifying Sky Sports pundit and former Man City defender Micah Richards and his past praise for Vlahovic. Richards called the £215,000-per-week star "lightning" in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live two years ago, and it would appear that that tag is proving evident by Vlahovic's return to scoring.

“I have watched him a couple of times now,” Richards said (via The Independent).

“He is lightning. It’s ridiculous. He has got 16 in 18 this season. His left foot is like a wand. I am telling you now, he is everything, he is everything you need.”

Foul April weather leaves Middlesex’s captain searching for solutions as the Championship encounter with Glamorgan surrenders to rain and bad light

ECB Reporters Network30-Apr-2018
ScorecardMiddlesex captain Dawid Malan wants the ECB to experiment with a pink ball in the County Championship to prevent more early season washouts.Only 58 overs were bowled during Middlesex’s Division Two clash against Glamorgan at Lord’s, with rain on the final morning ensuring the match was abandoned as a draw.Sophia Gardens returns

The home of Glamorgan Cricket is to be renamed Sophia Gardens Cardiff after its partnership with its title sponsor SSE ended earlier this year. Sophia Gardens Cardiff, which echoes the name used by the venue from 1967 to 2007 will be used immediately, with the ground currently undergoing a rebranding process.

But Malan feels it could have been a different story with a pink ball in use on the second day, when no play was possible due to overcast conditions – although the Lord’s floodlights were switched on.”We could have had a full day we’d had a pink ball because there was no rain around,” said the Middlesex skipper. “We were literally sitting around for four hours of bad light.”We’re lucky that we’ve got lights now – we never had them before – but we still got hardly any cricket in. It might be worth the ECB looking at using pink balls this time of the year.”If you have a ball you can use under lights in the pitch black it probably makes sense to use it at that time of the year when you’re probably going to lose more cricket, instead of the middle of summer.”We’ve been experimenting quite a lot in county cricket over the last eight to nine years, so we might as well throw another one in.”If it’s something that’s going to get you on (the field) and it’s not an unfair advantage to the bowlers, I think it’s worth trying and seeing what happens. You might not lose so much cricket.”

Tottenham Hotspur scouts have been left impressed by a "really fast" striker they watched in action last week, according to a report.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham did not end up bringing in a direct replacement for Harry Kane in the summer transfer window, with Ange Postecoglou opting to keep the faith in Richarlison, but they could make a move for a new striker in January, if the latest reports are to be believed.

Spurs are said to be considering a move for Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram, having been keeping track of his progress in the Serie A since arriving in the summer, but they will need to fork out approximately £40m to test the Italian club's resolve.

Ivan Toney has also emerged as a target for the Lilywhites, having outlined his desire to leave Brentford in the January transfer window, and the Bees would not stand in his way, as long as their £60m asking price is matched. There are a number of Premier League clubs circling for Toney, including rivals Chelsea, with TEAMtalk revealing the Blues are set to bring in a new striker in January, and they have also identified Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez as an option.

Mauricio Pochettino may have to do battle with his former club, however, as Tottenham recently sent scouts to run the rule over the striker in Feyenoord's fiery Eredivisie clash with Ajax, which ended up being suspended due to crowd unrest. 90min report that scouts from a number of clubs were in attendance, including Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea, and they were very impressed with what they saw, as the Mexican scored twice and provided an assist before the game was brought to a halt around the hour mark.

The 22-year-old committed his long-term future to Feyenoord in August, penning a new contract to extend his stay at the Dutch club until 2027, but it remains to be seen whether his head would be turned amid widespread interest from the Premier League and across Europe.

How good is Santiago Gimenez?

Former Liverpool man Dirk Kuyt has described the forward as "really fast", so it is clear that his pace is one of his key qualities, but he is also an exceptional goalscorer, as displayed by his phenomenal record in front of net over the past year.

The Mexico international has averaged 0.74 non-penalty goals per 90, which places him in the 98th percentile when compared to his positional peers playing at a similar level, and he has been particularly impressive in front of goal so far this season.

In five Eredivisie games, the former CD Cruz Azul man has scored six goals, and that is without including the two goals he picked up against Ajax at the weekend, given that the game was suspended in the second half.

Although it must be taken into account that Gimenez is still yet to prove himself in one of Europe's top leagues, his performances have been very impressive, especially considering he is just 22-years-old, and Tottenham should consider a January approach.

The Sussex openers added an unbeaten 86 in the 21 overs possible on the opening day

ECB Reporters Network27-Apr-2018
ScorecardSussex openers Phil Salt and Luke Wells made an impressive start to their Specsavers County Championship game against Gloucestershire before rain swept in to ruin the first day at Hove.Salt, 21, was unbeaten on 54 and Wells had contributed 25 to a stand of 86 for the first wicket before rain arrived at 12.30pm. Umpires Martin Saggers and Russell Warren abandoned play at 4pm with no sign of an improvement in conditions after taking an early tea.After losing Chris Nash to Nottinghamshire during the winter Sussex are giving Salt, who is making only his tenth first-class appearance, a run as opener and although he played some false shots there was a lot to admire in his aggressive approach after Sussex had batted first following an uncontested toss.Australian Dan Worrall troubled both batsmen during a lively nine-over burst with the new ball up the slope. Salt came down the pitch to try and smear him through the off side and was then struck on the helmet by the next delivery when he misjudged a bouncer and needed to make repairs to his headgear.But in the last over before the rain arrived, Salt drove Matt Taylor for four then pulled his next ball over square leg for six. A single off the next delivery took him to his second Championship half-century from 59 balls which has included nine boundaries. Earlier, in the tenth over, he had taken three fours off Taylor with two drives through the off side and a pull to the midwicket rope.Wells, fresh from an unbeaten 102 on Monday in Sussex’s last match against Leicestershire, batted with more reserve but looked solid enough. His innings, from 66 balls so far, has included four boundaries.Gloucestershire, who won their opening Division Two game against Kent before losing to Glamorgan last week, used just Worrall, Taylor and Craig Miles and although Worrall in particular beat the bat on several occasions their trio of seamers could not make a breakthrough.Sussex made one change with left-arm spinner Danny Briggs making his first appearance of the season with legspinner Will Beer dropping out. Gloucestershire were without last year’s leading wicket-taker Liam Norwell and David Payne because of injury.

Everton are enjoying a mini resurgence of late, with Sean Dyche having masterminded back-to-back away wins against two tough opposition.

First toppling Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, the Toffees were good value for their 3-1 victory and brushed aside an outfit who lost just twice at home throughout all of the last Premier League season.

Then, a trip to the Midlands saw them return to the scene of last month's 4-0 demolition, and come away with a 2-1 result that could and arguably should have been much more.

Two formidable grounds have been conquered against all the odds, and they will now return to Merseyside hoping to translate that form to Goodison Park, as they welcome relegation-favourites Luton Town.

For once Dyche will boast a selection headache going into this clash, given the number of impressive performances. However, there were a few true standouts.

Who played well for Everton vs Aston Villa?

Having been deservedly awarded Everton's Player of the Match award following the clash, it was certainly a night to remember for young James Garner, who once again showcased what damage he can do when deployed in his favoured position.

Having assisted their third against the Bees, he popped up at Villa Park with a goal this time as he ghosted into the box, took a neat touch and lashed home a left-footed shot at Robin Olsen's near post.

That was not all the Manchester United academy graduate achieved though, with his energy arguably setting the tone from midfield, leading the press on Leander Dendoncker in particular, and subsequently winning 11 of the 13 ground duels he competed in.

Alongside the 22-year-old was a similarly cultured performer too, with Amadou Onana also impressing as the lead defensive anchor. Although he took some time to warm up, once he got going he was unstoppable, and actually assisted that Garner strike with a cute inside pass to bypass the opposition's backline.

He too would enjoy great defensive success, winning four of the six duels competed in and making two tackles, but also added two key passes to that display, via Sofascore. It was also nearly capped off with a fierce long-range effort, which appeared to kiss the crossbar on the way out for a goal kick.

Dyche has some serious decision-making to do upon their return home, as the 5-2-3 formation worked a treat to nullify the threat of their hosts. However, facing the Hatters poses a completely different threat altogether.

2023/24

Fourth

Burnley – TBC

2022/23

Third

AFC Bournemouth – 4-0 loss

2022/21

Third

QPR – 2-2 (7-8 loss on pens)

He will surely want to press them into mistakes to get the Goodison Park crowd on their side, with these two midfielders surely guaranteed their spots after such a solid night's work.

However, it could prove a step too far for Jack Harrison, who despite making his debut and first appearance in Royal Blue, worked tirelessly to prove exactly why he could be the perfect player for both Everton and his new boss.

How did Everton sign Jack Harrison?

Capitalising on the mass exodus following Leeds United's relegation, the Toffees swooped late after they had first shown major interest in his teammate.

Seeing bids pushed back and transfer requests demanded, a deal for Wilfried Gnonto could not be struck, and they had to settle for the Englishman on loan.

However, it was nearly a venture that failed at the final hurdle, as the Villans of all sides showed late interest as Kevin Thelwell sought to tie the deal up.

Fabrizio Romano offered the damaging news to Evertonians, writing on his Twitter: "Understand Jack Harrison has decided to join Aston Villa after direct call with Unai Emery. Despite medical tests at Everton, he’ll now prepare travel for medical at Villa — been his first choice. Villa already agreed loan deal with Leeds by activating relegation clause."

However, qualms regarding his availability invoked red flags, as they sought an immediate replacement for Emi Buendia, who had just recently suffered an ACL injury.

Dyche, however, was willing to wait, knowing how important the 26-year-old could prove to be once he returned to fitness.

The winger would make Emery rue that decision last night with an outstanding debut display, bringing huge promise for the rest of his time with the Toffees.

How did Jack Harrison play vs Aston Villa?

Starting on the right flank alongside Arnaut Danjuma and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, it was a potent front three boasting immense physicality and incredible goal threat.

However, Harrison's work rate arguably shined above all else, as he occupied a similar role to Garner in that he led the press from the front. Although he did not enjoy huge amounts of possession, when on the ball he was efficient and cut-throat. Then, off it he recorded two interceptions and one tackle, winning a further four total duels, via Sofascore.

The £90k-per-week star had warned Evertonians that his work rate would never falter upon first signing, telling Everton's official website that he will "give everything" for the club, whilst also claiming: "From the beginning, the manager expressed how much he wanted me."

Dyche would then note his starring assets, which were shown for the first time last night: "He is a proven Premier League performer who provides a goal threat and assists, is technically very good, and works hard for the team."

He would nearly cap off his debut with an assist too, as he ghosted infield and played a delightful ball through for Calvert-Lewin, who could only fire into the arms of the goalkeeper.

It seems like the former Burnley boss is slowly putting together a side moulded in his image, filled with workmanlike assets willing to fight for him and the shirt. Fortunately, when compared to other wingers across Europe, Harrison just so happens to sit in the top 17% for interceptions per 90, the top 8% for blocks per 90 and the top 14% for clearances per 90, via FBref.

The former Manchester City whiz is the quintessential Dyche footballer, boasting a touch of class to match hard-working grit. Should he remain available now, with his fitness carefully managed, the speedster could prove to be an integral part in not just surviving the drop, but starting to push in the right direction.

The ECB has been thrown into further turmoil by the resignation of a second board member but has declined the request for an independent inquiry into the issue of compensation payments to Test-hosting counties

George Dobell28-Mar-2018The ECB has been thrown into further turmoil by the resignation of a second board member but has declined the request for an independent inquiry into the issue of compensation payments to Test-hosting counties.Three weeks after Andy Nash, the former Somerset chairmen, stepped down citing what he saw as failures in corporate governance at the ECB, Richard Thompson, the Surrey chairmen, has also departed expressing concerns in the leadership of Colin Graves and the lack of transparency regarding ECB policies.The catalyst for the resignations of both men has been payments made to Glamorgan and the suggestion further payments will be made to Test-hosting counties in years they do not host such games.While the ECB has suggested such a policy was, in the broadest of senses, endorsed by the board during a teleconference in September 2016, it is clear that Nash and Thompson feel the issue required greater scrutiny and discussion in relation to the circumstances in which such payments might apply, beyond the specific circumstances of Durham that were being discussed at the time.Thompson also questioned during the county chairmen’s meeting on Monday whether the policy contravened the requirement of the constitution of the ECB to treat all of the first-class counties equitably. His concerns were echoed by the chairmen of several other counties, notably Sussex and Somerset. Kent and Essex are also understood to have reservations. But a request for an independent enquiry into the compensation payment issue found little support at the chairmen’s meeting and was declined.The ECB subsequently put out a press release suggesting that Thompson’s resignation was due to a restructuring of the board. While it is true that directors who held cricket roles within the domestic game would have had to either resign those roles or step down from the board at the AGM in May, Thompson’s resignation is far from procedural.There is also growing concern that the board restructure will lead to the first-class counties being underrepresented at board level. While the counties all signed up to changes in the make-up of the board to ensure greater gender and ethnic representation – as required by Sport England – those alterations were bundled in with others which will mean no county representation on the board. The extent of those changes were not required by Sport England.ESPNcricinfo also understands that the ECB is considering introducing payments for board members. Most could be eligible for payments of around £15,000 to £20,000 a year, though the chairman could, in future, be paid around £150,000. It is understood Graves will decline any personal payment.

Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future could be a major talking point in 2024, and journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped a key update over another player, too.

Will Mohamed Salah stay at Liverpool?

The 31-year-old has spent six legendary years at Anfield, but his current deal expires in the summer of 2025, and he has been strongly linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.

In fact, Liverpool turned down a £150m bid for Salah from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad late in the transfer window, with the Reds never entertaining the idea of selling arguably their most prized asset.

Next year feels like there is far more chance of the Egyptian moving on, however, at which point he will have only a year left on his contract, and Liverpool will aware that they could lose him on a free transfer 12 months later. The hope is that he signs an extension, of course, but that is far from a guarantee.

Away from Salah, another player's future could also become a big talking point in the coming months, and a key update has emerged regarding what's next for him in his career.

Will Thiago leave Liverpool in 2024?

Speaking to Caught Offside [via Empire of the Kop], Romano said that Thiago is happy at Liverpool for the time being, but will make a decision about his future next summer:

"Thiago Alcantara has attracted interest from several clubs this summer but the situation is very simple: at the moment there are no negotiations ongoing over a new deal at Liverpool.

"Thiago wanted to stay at Liverpool and made that very clear. The player is now fully focused on this season and then in 2024, Thiago and the board will decide together whether to sign a new contract as the player will be a free agent next summer, but that is not something being discussed right now."

Thiago threatened to be such a special signing when he arrived at Liverpool from Bayern Munich in 2020, but there was always the risk that injuries would prove to be an issue. That's exactly what has happened, with the Spaniard only making 71 starts in three years, and a total of 97 appearances.

While the 32-year-old is clearly a wonderful footballer who can dictate matches when he is fit and firing – Jurgen Klopp has described him as a "sensational" player – it is reaching the stage where it is perhaps not worth the Reds having him around, such is his level of unavailability.

Much like Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, having a player who is constantly out is no good to anybody, and considering he will be 33 years of age by the time next summer rolls around, it makes sense Liverpool to let him leave for free when his contract runs out.

If Thiago can prove his fitness in the coming months, Klopp may consider the option of him extending his stay beyond 2024, but as it stands, it makes sense to move him on, getting him off the wage bill and allowing the Reds to bring in a younger, more available option who can further aid the midfield rebuild.

A 19-run win ensured UAE pipped Canada and Namibia to second place on the basis of net run rate

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2018Half-centuries from Shaiman Anwar and Muhammad Usman laid the platform for UAE to beat Namibia by 19 runs and qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Windhoek by the narrowest of margins. UAE ended their WCL Division Two campaign with six points, the same as Canada – who narrowly lost their last match to Nepal – and Namibia, but with a better net run rate than either.Sent in to bat, UAE initially struggled to force the pace and were 97 for 4 in the 31st over when Usman joined Shaiman. They proceeded to transform the mood of the innings, putting on 120 in 103 balls before being dismissed in the slog overs. Usman made 59 off 57 balls, with three fours and two sixes, while Shaiman struck five fours and three sixes in his 77 off 59. JJ Smit was Namibia’s most successful bowler with figures of 3 for 57.Set 248 to win, Namibia slipped to 48 for 3 before Lohan Louwrens (43) and Craig Williams steadied them with a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket. Williams then put on 47 for the sixth wicket with Gerhard Erasmus before falling for 54 off 79 balls. It left Namibia six down and quite a way off the pace, with 94 still to get in 73 balls. They lost Smit soon after, too, but the in-form Erasmus and captain Sarel Burger (21) kept them in the hunt. When the offspinner Rohan Mustafa dismissed Erasmus for a 63-ball 58, Namibia needed 28 from 14.They had only two wickets left, however, and Amir Hayat and Mustafa – who finished with three wickets apiece – ended their innings in a hurry, Namibia eventually bowled out for 228.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale was backed by the board throughout the summer transfer window as they allowed him to overhaul the playing squad.

Who did Rangers sign this summer?

The Light Blues manager was able to bolster his options across the pitch with nine new additions after his failure to secure a single trophy during the 2022/23 campaign.

Leon Balogun

Permanent

Sam Lammers

Permanent

Danilo

Permanent

Cyriel Dessers

Permanent

Kieran Dowell

Permanent

Dujon Sterling

Permanent

Jack Butland

Permanent

Jose Cifuentes

Permanent

Abdallah Sima

Loan

Eight players arrived at Ibrox on permanent deals, which included four coming in on free transfers after their contracts at their respective former clubs expired, while Sima joined on a season-long loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion to improve the depth out wide.

Rangers ended last season without a piece of silverware as they finished second in the Scottish Premiership, were knocked out of the Champions League during the group stages, and failed to win either domestic cup competition. It was thought, therefore, that a certain Cyriel Dessers would save them from that slump. Think again.

How many goals has Cyriel Dessers scored this season?

One signing who has already endured a difficult start to life in Scotland is the Nigeria international Dessers. the former Serie A marksman has found the back of the net JUST twice so far and his poor form could open the door for academy forward Zak Lovelace to make an impact.

The Light Blues signed the misfiring striker from Italian side Cremonese for a reported package of €6.5m (£5.6m) over the summer but he is yet to prove his worth to the Scottish giants as of yet.

His worst performance in a Rangers shirt to date arguably came in a substitute appearance against Servette in a Champions League qualifier last month. Dessers recorded a dreadful Sofascore rating of 5.7 as he missed two 'big chances' and lost all eight of his duels to go along with just five completed passes over 29 minutes of action.

The 28-year-old's Scottish Premiership form has also left plenty to be desired as he is yet to score his first league goal for the Gers this season.

Dessers has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.70, which is the 18th-highest score within the squad, across four top-flight starts for Beale and has failed to find the back of the net a single time.

He cannot blame his teammates for a lack of service coming his way at the top end of the pitch either as the Nigerian finisher has spurned four 'big chances' in front of goal.

This shows that his finishing has been incredibly questionable as the summer signing has missed six 'big chances' and scored two goals, one of which was a penalty against Greenock Morton in the League Cup, in nine competitive matches for the club.

His lack of athleticism has also been an issue for him in the Premiership this season. Indeed, the ex-Cremonese ace has lost a staggering 81% of his ground duels across his four league appearances for the club, which shows that opposition defenders are finding it far too easy to get the better of him on the deck.

Clearly, Dessers is not moving his feet, or body, quickly enough in order to get beat players in physical contests to retain or regain possession for his side.

His poor start to life in Scotland could now allow Beale to dip into the academy to finally offer Lovelace the chance to prove himself at first-team level after a phenomenal debut campaign for the youth team last season.

How old is Zak Lovelace?

The talented finisher only turned 17 at the start of the year so there is no rush to integrate him into the senior squad at such a young age.

However, Dessers' poor form for the Light Blues could force the head coach's hand as the superb youngster's fantastic record for the academy sides last term suggests that the potential is there for him to be able to make the step up and eventually serve as an upgrade.

He has already played seven senior matches in his career to date, with two coming for Rangers last season and five coming for Millwall at the age of 16 prior to his move to Ibrox in 2022.

How many goals has Lovelace scored for Rangers?

The prolific sensation enjoyed a stunning 2022/23 campaign with the B team as he plundered an eye-catching 15 goals and six assists in 26 Lowland League matches.

Lovelace, who was lauded as "exciting" by ex-sporting director Ross Wilson, also showcased his immense attacking talent at U19 level with two goals and four assists in six UEFA Youth League outings.

The teenager, who has also started the current term with one goal in two Challenge Cup appearances, has proven himself to be a consistent and reliable scorer for the Scottish giants since his switch from Millwall, whilst he has also been able to display his creativity with a number of assists.

What is Zak Lovelace's style of play?

His versatility also works in his favour as the exciting youngster is capable of playing in a multitude of roles across the attack; including through the middle as a centre-forward and on either flank as a winger or wide attacker.

This shows that Lovelace is a dynamic hotshot who has the athleticism and pace to be able to play on the flanks as well as being able to lead the line as a number nine, suggesting that he may be able to offer superior movement to stretch defences in comparison to Dessers.

The former Lions prospect's record, in terms of goals and assists, also proves that the potential is there for him to provide more quality than the Nigeria international at the top end of the pitch if he is able to translate his form over to the first team in the coming months.

What does the future hold for Zak Lovelace?

Rangers travel away to play St. Johnstone after the international break. Beale should surely name Lovelace as one of his substitutes with the view to bringing him off the bench to see how he fares.

The English head coach could slowly bed the 17-year-old into the first-team fold with a few cameo appearances before finally offering him a chance to start a match.

Should the teen perform well then he could be the Dessers upgrade that Rangers are seemingly in need of at the moment.

The squad also sees the return of Morne Morkel and Chris Morris, who missed out on the Bangladesh series with a side strain and back issue respectively

Firdose Moonda25-Jan-20182:50

‘Zondo brings maturity and leadership’ – Cullinan

Lungi Ngidi and Khaya Zondo have been named in South Africa’s ODI squad for the first three matches against India starting on February 1. The pair are uncapped in the format, though Zondo was part of the limited-overs squad that traveled to India in late 2015. Ngidi has played three T20s but no ODIs, after a rib injury resulted in him missing out on the ODI series against Sri Lanka last January and he could not be considered for the Champions Trophy squad because of a back problem.The squad also sees the return of Morne Morkel and Chris Morris, who missed out on the Bangladesh series with a side strain and back issue respectively, as well as a return for Tabraiz Shamsi as the second spinner, behind Imran Tahir.The major surprise was the exclusion of Farhaan Behardien, who has been a regular member of the side and currently sits sixth in the one-day cup run charts, where he is averaging over 50, with a strike-rate of over 92. In contrast, Zondo is in 16th place with an average of 43.83 and a strike rate just over 65 but was preferred over Behardien as part of South Africa’s “vision 2019″ – their grand plan to fine-tune their World Cup squad.”It’s important for us to be clear in terms of where we are in our plans. We are starting our vision 2019, which are the players we are looking for,” Linda Zondi, South Africa’s convener of selectors said. “It is important for us to increase the pool and give opportunity so that we know by the time it comes to late this year, we don’t have to be clouded. This is a holistic approach in terms of giving opportunity. This is going to happen for the whole year. There will be guys, key guys, that we are going to rest and rotate.”The rotation policy will apply for the six-match India series and South Africa’s July-August tour of Sri Lanka, after which Zondi hopes to be “more or less close” to a World Cup pool.Zondo is a particularly interesting selection because of his backstory. He did not play a game on the India tour in 2015, even when JP Duminy was injured in the series. Instead, Dean Elgar was flown to India and played, prompting a furore from black African players in the country. They penned a letter to CSA, bemoaning the fortunes of black players and asking for fair opportunities. The following year, CSA made public a transformation target that requires the national side to play a minimum average of six players of colour of which at least two must be black African over the course of the season.South Africa have stuck to that target and Zondo is unlikely to go uncapped again. Zondi explained Zondo is being looked at as having a future in the middle order. “We feel he can play a role in terms of rotating the strike and he does have the strength in terms of clearing the boundary. He has shown potential and his skills in South Africa A,” Zondi said.But Behardien was assured his World Cup dreams were not over. He will come into consideration after the first half of the India series, when South Africa will reassess their squad. “He knows, every single player knows that after the third game, we are going to sit and decide. We will definitely be resting, rotating and giving opportunity otherwise we will be sitting with the same names as we prepare for 2019,” Zondi said.BCCIOther positions that South Africa woud want to look at are of the spinner and the wicketkeeper, with Tahir and Quinton de Kock well established and a lack of serious candidates to challenge either of them. Shamsi has been around the squad but last played an ODI in February last year against New Zealand. He is the leading wicket-taker in the one-day cup, with 26 scalps, nine more than his nearest contender, at an average of 14.84, but faces some competition from Test tweaker Keshav Maharaj.”At the moment, I think Tahir is still our No.1 spinner. Shamsi will come into the picture,” Zondi explained. “There are a couple of spinners we need to look at. Maharaj is part and parcel. He bowls and he bats, he is a good fielder. Let’s see what Shamsi can bring to the table and we also need to see how we can bring Maharaj.”In the keeping department, South Africa have not named a reserve for de Kock but may do later in the series. “What happens if Quinton gets injured? Is AB going to take the gloves? Maybe not, but we have a plan in terms of a keeper,” Zondi said. “With the keeping situation, we’ve got [Heinrich] Klaasen, [Mangaliso] Mosehle and [Rudi] Second.”The only person who may have to wait his turn is Dale Steyn, who is recovering from a heel injury and is only expected to return to the international stage for the Australia Tests. Steyn has not played an ODI since October 2016 and has not played even domestic 50-over cricket since his shoulder injury 13 months ago. Though Steyn, like so many of South Africa’s seniors, has his heart set on the World Cup, it appears as though his place is not guaranteed.”For now, the main focus is to see how Dale Steyn does in the Tests. He needs to go back to the franchise and see where he is with white ball,” Zondi said. “I am quite comfortable with the manner that he performed when he came back. Now he has a different injury but I am very optimistic. He is part of this vision.”ODI squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Khaya Zondo