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Glasgow Rangers have been dealt a fresh setback in their bid to bring John Souttar to Ibrox in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, which relayed a claim made by Hearts manager Robbie Neilson stating that it would take a “crazy bid” for his club to part ways with the centre-back this month.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side recently won the race to sign the 25-year-old on a pre-contract deal, beating the likes of Sheffield United and Blackburn to the defender’s signature for a free transfer at the end of the season, although it is reported that Ross Wilson is now weighing up an offer to bring the Scotland international to Glasgow in the current window.

However, in a recent statement, Hearts backed up their manager’s claim that they are firmly against letting Souttar leave Tynecastle in January, with the club announcing: “The club reiterates that John is an important member of the squad and will remain so until the end of the season unless a significant and satisfactory offer is made during the January transfer window.”

Van Bronckhorst will be fuming

Considering just how impressive Souttar has been for Hearts so far this season, in addition to the fact that Van Bronckhorst is currently experiencing issues in the heart of his defence – with Leon Balogun and Filip Helander out injured and Connor Goldson being free to discuss a move away from the club – the news that the Jam Tarts look set to play hardball over sanctioning the 25-year-old’s departure this month with have left the Dutchman fuming.

Indeed, over his 18 Premiership appearances in the current campaign, the £900k-rated defender has been in remarkable form, helping his side to keep five clean sheets, scoring three goals and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking 1.1 shots and making 0.5 key passes per game.

The £3.1k-per-week centre-back has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making 1.5 interceptions, 0.8 tackles, 4.4 clearances and 44.9 passes and winning 71% of his duels per match.

These returns have seen the Scotland defender average an astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.43, not only ranking him as Neilson’s best performer in the league, but also as the fifth-best player in the entire division.

As such, it is clear to see that bringing Souttar to Ibrox this month would undoubtedly provide Rangers’ chances of going on to secure a second Premiership title in two years with a considerable boost.

However, following the latest update from Tynecastle, it would appear as if Wilson has a lot of work to do if he is to get a deal over the line for the 25-year-old in the current window, while missing out on the centre-back in January would certainly come as a blow to Van Bronckhorst and his side.

In other news – Negotiations ongoing: Report delivers huge update on Rangers dud which will delight fans

Four wickets for Adil Rashid, bowling with a self-assurance that can only encourage both Yorkshire and England, helped the Championship leaders reach a position from which they might take a clear lead at the top of the First Division

Jon Culley at Headingley06-Jul-2010
ScorecardFour wickets for Adil Rashid, bowling with a self-assurance that can only encourage both Yorkshire and England, helped the Championship leaders reach a position from which they might take a clear lead at the top of the First Division.Warwickshire’s position at the close – delayed until almost seven o’clock after a 30-minute stoppage for rain – leaves them needing 55 more to avoid the follow-on, although they at least had the consolation of a batting bonus point – only their second in six matches in an increasingly grim season.That was made possible for the most part by their first opening partnership in three figures for more than a year as Ian Westwood and Darren Maddy put on 102.Rashid’s current status is difficult to assess. Largely a passenger on England’s winter tour of South Africa, he has not played any international cricket since he bowled three overs in the second one-day international at Centurion Park on November 22nd. He was overlooked for the World Twenty20 and both series, home and away, against Bangladesh.But while some may judge that to be insensitive treatment by the selectors, it may actually be just what he needs. Armed with some knowledge, at least, of the standards he must attain to be successful at the top level, a period giving his undivided attention to county cricket should make him a better bowler. If a snub by design is taking place, the selectors may yet congratulate themselves on their wisdom.Yorkshire will not mind if he does not get a look-in for the rest of the season. He is their leading wicket-taker in first-class cricket with 37 successes and has been their most effective weapon in Twenty20 thus far for good measure. What’s more, he looks as though he is enjoying every minute, particularly with the support of a captain, in Andrew Gale, who encourages self-expression.Rashid was Yorkshire’s trump card in the evening session. In the morning, it was wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy’s turn to enjoy an overdue moment in the sun. Under pressure from Jonathan Bairstow for the gloves, he did his cause no harm by completing his seventh first-class century – his second for Yorkshire – off 168 balls with 15 fours.Unfortunately, though, he did not extend it by much, giving his wicket away somewhat with a loose stroke as Warwickshire mounted a fightback that, for two sessions, went well.After Rashid had been leg before to Neil Carter off the second ball of the day, Brophy aimed to cut Rikki Clarke but steered the ball straight to point. Azeem Rafiq was then taken at gully off Clarke before a fine throw by Steffan Piolet – a direct hit from short third man – ran out Steve Patterson at the non-striker’s end.A brave effort from Rich Pyrah, suffering a bout of sickness and clearly under the weather, gained Yorkshire a fourth batting point. He finished unbeaten on 45, despite being stopped in his tracks several times by an irresistible urge to retch. Tino Best showed rather less resolve. He was caught at gully fending off a short ball from Boyd Rankin, and with Oliver Hannon-Dalby caught at short leg soon after lunch, Warwickshire could claim to have dominated the day to that point, having claimed six Yorkshire wickets for 100.They were still on top at tea. Captain Westwood, with Maddy in the supporting role, led a partnership that took them past 100 without the loss of a wicket for the first time since June 2008. Most of this season’s efforts have been broken in single figures.Missing Ian Ball and Jonathan Trott, Warwickshire’s form with the bat had been woeful coming into this match. Topping 150 has often proved beyond them, which explains why relegation looks a strong possibility. Westwood’s 95-ball 66, therefore, represented rare riches.But after both he and Maddy fell leg before in consecutive overs, the innings began to lose its way. Westwood was a first victim for Rashid, playing back to a delivery that shot through with a low trajectory, as Warwickshire found themselves 104-2. They should have been 111-3 at tea but Ant Botha was missed by Anthony McGrath at slip on six off Rashid with the last ball of the afternoon session.That reprieve allowed Botha and Jim Troughton to build a recovery of sorts but three wickets in the space of 10 balls shifted the balance back in Yorkshire’s favour as the visitors slipped from 148 for 2 to 153 for 5.Rashid, looking confident and making the ball turn and bounce, claimed his second success when Troughton popped the ball obligingly to Adam Lyth at forward short leg and dismissed Botha in much the same fashion. In between, 18-year-old Atiq Javid was leg before to an arrow-straight delivery from Steve Patterson.Tim Ambrose, who had been short of his best with the gloves, would have been out without scoring had an edge off Patterson not flashed past a motionless Jacques Rudolph at slip, after which the former England wicketkeeper had another piece of luck on 17 when he squirted a ball from Rashid onto his stumps without dislodging the bails.After the rain, Warwickshire lost two more wickets. A straight and fast ball from Best left Ambrose looking helpless, then Rashid had Piolet leg before, although the first impression, which the batsman seemed to share, was that he had put bat on ball first, although fourth-floor level at third man is possibly not the best place from which to make an accurate judgment.Warwickshire will want Clarke and Carter to dig in on day three and lose some more time rain. But even that might not be enough.

Plays of the Day for the tenth match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals

S Aga18-Mar-2010Out, four and out
Abhishek Jhunjhunwala had made just one when he clearlyfeathered one behind off Jacques Kallis. The Royal Challengers Bangalore werestunned when umpire Hariharan shook his head, and Kallis’ mood worsenedwhen Jhunjhunwala then scythed one over slip for four. The next delivery,however, was chopped back on. This time, no umpire was needed.Bounce, baby, bounce
Dale Steyn set the tone, Kallis followed suit, andeven Vinay Kumar joined in, clattering Yusuf Pathan’s helmet with a shortball. Against the short-pitched barrage, he ducked and bobbed and madehalf-hearted attempts to steer over slip. But when Vinay deviated from theplan and bowled a length delivery, Yusuf was ready. It went into thestands behind long-on. The next ball, short and slow, was propelled in thesame direction.Direct delivery
It wasn’t the short ball that got Yusuf though. Instead,Virat Kohli swooped from short cover and threw the stumps down at thekeeper’s end with Yusuf just short. The ball from Kumble was later shownto be a no-ball. Would they have attempted such a risky single if it hadbeen called?Thrice as nice
Praveen Kumar ended Damien Martyn’s misery, and that ofthousands who worship at the altar of stylish batting, with a ball thatcrashed into the base of the stumps. And when Sumit Narwal was thenbrilliantly caught by Manish Pandey running in from fine leg, the stadiumwas abuzz with the possibility of a hat-trick. Praveen steadied himselfand with the crowd baying in the background, breached Paras Dogra’sdefence. Cue mayhem, and the sort of Nou-Camp atmosphere that greetedLionel Messi’s goals on Wednesday night.Do I know you?
Kallis and Morne Morkel may be team-mates in the nationalside, but seniority asserted itself when the run chase began. Three sweetclips through the on side raised Morkel’s hackles, and when he summoned upa brute of a bouncer, fortune was on Kallis’ side, with an odd-lookingstroke flying off the edge and over the slips for four more. With 32 onthe board after two overs, the game was as good as over.Warnie, Warnie
The stadium announcer did his best to drum up support forShane Warne when he came on to bowl, but the crowd wasn’t having any ofit. Pandey treated him with some respect though, but when Warne slightlyerred in length, Pandey was quickly in position to mow one through midwicket. Anera has passed?

India have two games to salvage the tour, and build some confidence for the players who head to Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup, but Zimbabwe are the favourites

The Preview by Nitin Sundar11-Jun-2010Match FactsSaturday, June 12 and 13, 2010
Start time 1300 (1100 GMT)
Spin with the new ball could be India’s answer to Brendan Taylor•AFPThe Big PictureSo far this tour has been a misadventure for India. The experiment with rotation went awry during the tri-series, with the selectors sending a squad unbalanced in both experience and skill. The manner in which they lost their games, especially against the hosts, has led to doubts over the quality of India’s next line of cricketers.
The visitors have two games to salvage the tour, and build some confidence for the players headed to Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup. Can their batsmen shrug away their inhibitions and hit out in IPL-like conditions that won’t test their vulnerability against the short ball? Can their inexperienced fast bowlers pull one back on the Zimbabwe top order that bullied them in the ODIs?The hosts go into the series with fewer doubts. In the Twenty20 format, against this second-string India outfit, they will believe they are favourites. From the time they shocked Australia in the inaugural World Twenty20, Zimbabwe have been regarded with caution in the shortest format.Their army of spinners has perfected the art of asphyxiation, and in recent times they have surprised West Indies, followed by victories in 2010 World Twenty20 warm-up games against Australia and Pakistan. Despite being thumped by Sri Lanka in the tri-series final, the hosts are on the ascendancy following their strong show in the league games. If they can trump India again, it will be a major boost to their ongoing quest to reclaim past glory.The forecast promises clear skies on Saturday, which also plays into Zimbabwe’s hands: their batsmen struggled in overcast conditions during the tri-series, and their spinners are most effective when it is dry. Things could get interesting on Sunday though, with a 40% chance of showers.Form guide (most recent first)Zimbabwe LLWWL
India LLLWW
Watch out for…Rohit Sharma’s twin hundreds in the ODIs have silenced some of his critics, but doubts remain over his temperament, fitness and consistency. Runs in this series could go some way in addressing them and in sealing a spot in the starting XI for the Asia Cup.Brendan Taylor was unstoppable in the tri-series, and will look to loot some more runs over the weekend. The protagonist of Zimbabwe’s finest moment in the Twenty20 format has taken a liking to India’s inexperienced fast bowlers, so the visitors may open with a spinner against him. R Ashwin was impeccable with the new ball in the IPL, and may well be India’s answer to Taylor.Team newsSomehow, the selectors have managed to make India’s squad even more unbalanced, by including Piyush Chawla at the expense of a fast bowler. India now have four spinners to choose from, in addition to two spinning allrounders, of whom Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha will expect to make the cut. The seamers were uniformly unimpressive in the ODIs, and it could be a toss-up between Umesh Yadav, Ashok Dinda and Pankaj Singh for two spots. Lack of options could force the side to field Dinesh Karthik and Yusuf Pathan, both notable exclusions for the Asia Cup.India (possible) 1 M Vijay, 2 Dinesh Karthik/Naman Ojha (wk), 3 Suresh Raina (capt), 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Pragyan Ojha, 10 and 11 Two out of Ashok Dinda, Umesh Yadav and Pankaj Singh.Zimbabwe may decide to bench Chris Mpofu and resort to their spin-heavy strategy. In that event, they will like to have Andy Blignaut’s back in the scheme of things.Zimbabwe (possible) 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Brendan Taylor, 3 Tatenda Taibu (wk) 4 Charles Coventry, 5 Andy Blignaut, 6 Craig Ervine, 7 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 8 Graeme Cremer, 9 Prosper Utseya, 10 Greg Lamb, 11 Ray Price.Stats and trivia This will be the first clash between these two sides in the Twenty20 format. So far India have 12 wins and 11 defeats, while Zimbabwe have only played ten games, winning three of them. Suresh Raina is one of only four centurions in T20Is, the others being Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Mahela Jayawardene. Of the four, only Raina’s did not come from the opening slot.Quotes”We haven’t looked good throughout the tournament. We were unconvincing and I am not happy at all.”

“It is very satisfying to get where we have, the guys have worked hard. Everybody did well in the series and we expect to move forward step by step from here.”

It took the wiles of Azhar Mahmood and the second new ball to keep Kent in touch with Yorkshire after a second engrossing day of championship cricket at Canterbury

Mark Pennell at Canterbury22-Apr-2010
ScorecardYorkshire got off to a difficult start when Adam Lyth was caught behind of Amjad Khan•Getty ImagesIt took the wiles of Azhar Mahmood and the second new ball to keep Kent in touch with Yorkshire after a second engrossing day of championship cricket at Canterbury.Having recovered from the depths of 120 for 6 to reach 246 without further alarm, Yorkshire looked set to march into a first innings lead as youngsters Adil Rashid and Jonathan Bairstow led their recovery.The seventh-wicket partners added 126 in 43 overs either side of the tea break until Kent claimed the second new ball to claw their way back into contention. With the third delivery Amjad Khan ended Bairstow’s 172-ball stay, getting the right-hander to fish at one that held its line, he was caught low down at third slip by James Hockley.Then, nine balls later and eight overs from the close, 35-year-old Mahmood mustered the energy for a third spell and was rewarded with the scalp of Rashid, leg before for 59, to an off-cutter that kept slightly low.It was no more than Kent’s injury-hit attack deserved. Despite the absence of Robbie Joseph, Simon Cook and close-season signing Dewald Nel, the hosts plugged away all day to ensure scoring opportunities remained at a premium.After Kent lost their final wicket for the addition of only four runs, Yorkshire’s pursuit started 15 minutes into the day and was soon hitting the buffers as Khan and Mahmood posed problems.Khan had Adam Lyth snaffled up by Geraint Jones diving to his left them Mahmood accounted for Joe Sayers, caught on the crease and palpably leg-before. Kent took their third wicket before lunch when Andrew Gale, prodding at a leg-cutter, was superbly held at second slip by Martin van Jaarsveld, diving across James Tredwell at third slip.Yorkshire’s slump continued six balls after the lunch interval when part-time seamer Darren Stevens trapped a well-set Anthony McGrath (40) leg before then Tredwell enlivened proceedings with two wickets in as many balls. The off-spinner had Jacques Rudolph (38) caught behind off an attempted cut, then threw one up to invite a rash first-ball drive from Tim Bresnan that flew off the edge, shoulder high to van Jaarsveld at slip.Adil Rashid barely survived the hat-trick ball, he shouldered arms to one that almost pegged back off stump, but then teamed up with Bairstow to bat Yorkshire back into contention before Khan and Mahmood struck late in the day. Mahmood finished with 3 for 59 and Khan and Tredwell two apiece as honours just about finished even at the half-way stage.

A number of Liverpool supporters are fuming after Jurgen Klopp confirmed that three more positive virus tests have emerged within his squad.

The Reds return to Premier League action on Sunday, making the trip to Chelsea for a vital meeting at Stamford Bridge.

Dropped points from both teams in midweek, coupled with Manchester City’s relentless form, means that defeat for either side this weekend could effectively end their title hopes.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

Liverpool are without Thiago for the match, as well as a number of other injured players, but Klopp has also confirmed [via the club’s official Twitter channel] that three unnamed squad members have tested positive for the global virus, ruling them out of the action too.

It is a big blow for the Reds, who may now have the field a much-weakened starting lineup in west London.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-15/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

Liverpool fans unhappy at squad update

These Liverpool fans reacted with despair to the update on Twitter.

“Null and Void the league, only fair option”

Credit: @EamonRushe2

“We’re gonna have a repeat of the start of last year”

Credit: @nathanxjohnston

“Our season is over”

Credit: @NoSwearingHere7

“Well that’s probably Salah, Jota & Trent with our luck”

Credit: @__nxlo

“Yh we’re screwed”

Credit: @AbuMiah_

“Ohhhhh man”

Credit: @elishairdina

In other news, some Liverpool fans are fuming at a fresh injury update. Read more here.

Guillem Balague has revealed the four managers who have rejected the chance to manage Newcastle United so far.

The Lowdown: Manager scramble

The St. James’ Park faithful’s search for a new permanent manager to succeed Steve Bruce has been a bit of a mess so far, as Graeme Jones is set to take charge of another game at the weekend as it stands.

There have been so many names thrown around in recent days, including the likes of Paulo Fonseca and Zinedine Zidane, but it certainly begs the question whether any truly elite boss wants to take charge of a team currently locked in a relegation battle.

The North East club have a mere four points and no wins from their 10 opening games in the Premier League so far this season, sitting in 19th spot, just above Norwich City (Premier League).

The Latest: Four rejections

It is openly known that Unai Emery has now rejected the chance to manage the Tyneside outfit in favour of staying at Villarreal following a statement that he released yesterday, and it has also been widely reported that Antonio Conte rejected them as well, and is now the manager of Tottenham Hotspur

However, two names that may have gone under the radar are Joachim Low and Xavi, both of whom journalist Balague has now revealed have also said no to the Magpies job, among others.

The Verdict: Desperation

With so many rejections, these are desperate times now for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium, who are clearly struggling to sell the long-term project amid a relegation battle.

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A true legend of the game as a player, Xavi now reportedly looks set to manage his former club FC Barcelona, which should in turn rule him out of any chance of managing the Toon, certainly in the short-term.

Having left his post as Germany manager following Euro 2020 after 15 years in charge (Sky Sports), Lowe is unlikely to want to get back into management straight away, leaving NUFC in a very difficult position as they scrap to see who is available at this moment in time.

In other news, find out which ‘phenomenal’ manager was Newcastle’s top choice here!

Newcastle United journalist Liam Kennedy, speaking to GiveMeSport, dropped an exciting update involving Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier after talks got underway. 

The lowdown

Links with the England defender date back to the autumn when The Telegraph named him as a realistic January target for the Magpies (via NUFC Blog).

The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson has also reported that Newcastle manager Eddie Howe sees right-back as a priority position, with Newcastle willing to stump up £25m for Trippier.

Mark Douglas, a Northern Football Correspondent at the I, says it would be ‘a great move’ for the club, and sports journalist Josh Bunting says it is ‘exactly the sort of signing’ they need.

The latest

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Kennedy revealed that Newcastle have opened discussions with Atletico over a transfer fee for the 31-year-old, who is one of Howe’s leading targets ahead of the January transfer window.

The journalist said: “There have been some talks with fees with Atletico and I think it’s a deal that can get done. He is top of Eddie Howe’s priority list, along with a couple of others.”

The verdict

It seems that Newcastle might be able to convince Atletico, even though Trippier is a mainstay in Diego Simeone’s team, but can they persuade the player to swap Madrid for Tyneside when the La Liga side have qualified for the Champions League knockout stages and Newcastle face a relegation battle?

Wilson has written that the player could view the move as a means of strengthening his 2022 World Cup prospects, and perhaps his camp will also insist upon a relegation clause being included in his contract, allowing him to exit on the cheap if Newcastle do go down.

On top of this, Kennedy’s update suggests that the Magpies have more than a fighting chance of bringing Trippier back to England.

In other news, has an opportunity emerged for Newcastle to sign this Premier League player?

U.S. men's national team star Malik Tillman drew a key penalty as he started alongside Sergino Dest in PSV's 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

PSV earn drawMalen scores for DortmundTillman draws key penalty for equalizing goalGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Dortmund seized the lead via a stunning goal from Donyell Malen, who broke the deadlock in the 24th minute. The Dutch star burst through on the right and rocketed a shot past a helpless Walter Benitez, netting a massive goal against his former club. Malen had previously played for PSV from 2018-21 before making his big move to Dortmund.

PSV, though, got back into it in the second half, even if their goal was a controversial one. After a heavy touch in the box, Tillman was taken down by Mats Hummels, who seemingly made contact with the ball before clattering into the American. The referee, though, awarded a penalty and, after a VAR review, the decision was upheld, leading to Luuk de Jong's 56th-minute goal from the penalty spot.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

PSV will generally be happy with the result, having come back from a goal down to secure a draw in their home leg of the tie. The result, too, should give them confidence heading into that second leg, having proven they can hang with Dortmund throughout these first 90 minutes. They'll now look ahead to the second leg, which is set for Signal Iduna Park on March 13.

Getty ImagesUSMNT IMPACT

By being named to the starting XI, Tillman and Dest became the first pair of USMNT teammates to start for the same team in a Champions League knockout match. And they were eventually joined by Pepi, who came off the bench in the second half to put all three Americans on the field at the same time, making further history.

Despite all of the successes and breakthroughs for American players in recent years, that's still a big achievement, especially considering the age of those involved. Dest is the elder statesman of the trio at just 23, with 21-year-olds Pepi and Tillman still very much just getting started in their club careers.

Tillman, of course, made the biggest impact of the bunch, creating the pivotal moment by drawing the penalty. He did the same in the group stages, attracting a foul from Sergio Ramos to help PSV earn a key point against Sevilla.

Dest, too, made an impact, nearly scoring late on, while Pepi helped provide a bit of attacking energy in his now-familiar supersub role for Peter Bosz's side.

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Getty ImagesGOAL'S RATINGS

Malik Tillman (7/10):

Was a bit lucky to get the penalty call, but you can't knock his effort. Created two chances and had one decent look at goal. His touch let him down a few times.

Sergino Dest (6/10):

Was so close to blocking away Malen's opener, but it felt like he did all he could on the sequence. As usual, was fantastic on the attacking side, completing nearly every pass and providing a bit of width on the left-hand side.

Ricardo Pepi (6/10):

Came on in the 75th minute and may have had a chance at goal if Dest had spotted him. Couldn't quite change the game, though.

West Indies will be missing a group of key men to injury for their tour to Australia next month

Cricinfo staff19-Jan-2010West Indies will be missing a group of key men to injury for their tour to Australia next month, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan among the major omissions. The experienced batsmen, who were part of the 2-0 Test loss late last year, will be joined at home by Adrian Barath, Daren Bravo, Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards.Sulieman Benn, who was suspended for two ODIs for an incident in the Perth Test, is also not part of the trip due to injury, leaving Chris Gayle to lead a patched-up squad of 15. “We are missing some key players, but this is an opportunity for other players to re-establish themselves,” Clyde Butts, the chairman of selectors, said.”We have selected some allrounders who we believe have the ability to be match-winners at the international level. Dwayne Smith and Kieron Pollard have been a bit disappointing in the past, but they have displayed the ability to perform on the Twenty20 stage, and we think they will be major assets in the squad.”Another significant change is that Denesh Ramdin has been axed as vice-captain, a post he has held since late 2008 when Sarwan quit the job.West Indies will play five ODIs and two Twenty20s on the tour and will use the matches to prepare for a home series against Zimbabwe and the World Twenty20 tournament in the Caribbean in April and May.”We have faith in the players and we believe the team can beat Australia,” Butts said. “Before we went to Australia for the Test matches, the team was not given a chance by many people, but we saw how well they bounced backed after the first Test and challenged the Aussies in Adelaide and Perth.”West Indies squad Chris Gayle (capt), Travis Dowlin, Runako Morton, Dwayne Bravo, Narsingh Deonarine, Brendan Nash, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Smith, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons, Nikita Miller, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Gavin Tonge.Itinerary
February 4, tour game v Prime Minister’s XI, Canberra
February 7, 1st ODI, Melbourne
February 9, 2nd ODI, Adelaide
February 12, 3rd ODI, Sydney
February 14, 4th ODI, Brisbane
February 19, 5th ODI, Melbourne
February 21, 1st T20, Hobart
February 23, 2nd T20, Sydney