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Ben Sawyer has joined the national set-up as full-time pace-bowling coach

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2021Matthew Mott, head coach of the Australia women’s team, has signed a two-year contract extension which means he will remain in charge until after the defence of the T20 World Cup title in 2023.The next two years includes a host of major series and global events for Australia beginning with the visit of India in September before the Ashes early next year. That is followed by the ODI World Cup in New Zealand during February and March then the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham from late July 2022. Currently the next T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place in South Africa in February 2023 with another Ashes series to follow in mid-2023.Australia are also currently on a world-record unbeaten run of 24 ODI victories following their 3-0 win over New Zealand in April.”As a team there’s a lot of stuff in front of us to be excited about and I’m looking forward to being a part of it,” Mott said. “Obviously we play India to start off the summer and the Ashes is a massive series for us, but the one-day World Cup in March has been a key driver of the team over the past few years after a disappointing result at the 2017 event in England.”There’s a lot to look forward to over the next few years, including our first Commonwealth Games appearance, so it’s a really exciting time to be involved.”Ben Oliver, Cricket Australia’s head of national teams and high performance, said: “On field his record speaks for itself, with the team claiming two T20 World Cup titles since his appointment in 2015. The team also regained the Ashes just months after his appointment in 2015 and has held into them ever since, as well as setting a new world record for most consecutive ODI wins.”Matthew is a highly respected international coach, with terrific people skills, a track record of getting the best out of his players and a real passion for the game and his role. We believe he’s the best person to take this incredibly successful team to yet another level.”There has also been a new full-time appointment to Mott’s support staff with Ben Sawyer joining as fast-bowling. It is a role he has previously held in a part-time capacity but now Sawyer will leave Cricket New South Wales and Sydney Sixers for a permanent position with the national side. Ryan Harris had been brought on as bowling coach for the tour of New Zealand earlier this year.”We had some incredibly strong candidates apply for the role and it was a tough decision, but Ben thoroughly deserves the opportunity having already had such a positive impact in his previous stint with the side,” Oliver said.”He’s played a key role in developing what is a world-class bowling group and with over a decade of high-level coaching experience, Ben is a great addition who will complement Matthew, Shelley [Nitschke] and the support staff.”Australia are due to return to international action on September 19 with the first of three ODIs against India before a day-night Test at the WACA starting on September 30.

Pat Cummins and Alex Carey will return to Sheffield Shield cricket for the first time in more than a year after being named in the New South Wales and South Australia squads.Cummins, who captained New South Wales in the Marsh Cup last week, is a swap for Josh Hazlewood who has been rested after the match against Victoria at the SCG where the home side suffered a four-wicket defeat.”We mapped out a plan for Josh and with quick games back to back we have given him this game off but he will play our third game in this stretch of matches,” New South Wales coach Phil Jaques said.Pat Cummins will be back in four-day action this week•Getty Images

“It’s a busy season and we have to manage all of our players, especially the quick bowlers so we have them all firing towards the back end of the season.”The return game against Victoria which had been due to be played at the MCG was switched to Bankstown Oval in Sydney because of border restrictions out of Melbourne.Cummins’ previous Shield outing came in November 2019 when he faced Western Australia and Carey last turned out for South Australia in the December of the same year. Both players were at the IPL when the first part of the first-class season took place earlier this summer. For Cummins it will be just his sixth first-class match for New South Wales since the start of 2017 season.Related

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• Khawaja's classy unbeaten hundred secures Queensland's big chase

South Australia, who are bottom of the table, have left out five players who were part of their previous squad in November along with Callum Ferguson who has retired from first-class cricket. However, Ferguson has been included in the Marsh Cup squad to face Western Australia.Legspinner Lloyd Pope, who took a five-wicket haul in his first innings of the season before finishing with an average of 86.25 from four matches, has been dropped from the Shield squad and left out for the one-dayer.The uncapped legspinner Peter Hatzoglou, a breakout star in the BBL for the Melbourne Renegades, has been included in the Redbacks’ one-day squad.Jake Weatherald, who left the Shield hub earlier in the season to manage his mental health, has not been included in the four-day side and will instead captain a 2nd XI match in Adelaide but will travel to Perth for the Marsh Cup game.New South Wales Shield squad Peter Nevill (capt), Sean Abbott, Harry Conway, Trent Copeland, Pat Cummins, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Steven Smith, Daniel Solway, Mitchell StarcSouth Australia Shield squad Travis Head (capt), Alex Carey, Wes Agar, Will Bosisto, David Grant, Henry Hunt, Corey Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Harry Nielsen, Chadd Sayers, Liam Scott, Daniel Worrall

Dusan Vlahovic has sent an indirect message to his manager at Juventus, Thiago Motta, after his struggles at the club.

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• Vlahovic sends message to Motta
• Appeared to aim subtle dig at him
• Has scored 9 goals in 16 games for Juve this term

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic appears to have implicitly aimed a dig at Thiago Motta, his manager at Juventus, while on international duty. The Serbia forward has scored nine goals in 16 appearances this term under Motta, but is seemingly not particularly happy with the way he's being used.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After Juve splashed over €8o million to sign Vlahovic from Fiorentina in January 2022, the striker hasn't quite hit the levels expected of him. Vlahovic has scored 50 goals in 117 appearances for the Old Lady and recent reports have suggested that Arsenal are eyeing a January move for the player.

  Now, Vlahovic's recent comments are only going to add further fire to the speculation regarding his Juventus future. The 24-year-old, while on international duty with Serbia, revealed that he likes playing for his country more than he loves playing for his club, aiming a subtle dig at Motta.

• WHAT DUSAN VLAHOVIC SAID

  “Yes I like to play with another striker on the side," Vlahovic told RSI after Serbia's Nations League game against Switzerland (h/t Calciomercato).

  "I get on well but it also depends on the coach. Definitely it is a bit easier because [Aleksandar] Mitrovic is a strong player who plays a lot with his back to goal and engaging in aerial duels and I can exploit my qualities.

  "It's also because coach Dragan Stojković did not force me to do so many defensive tasks. And for a player like me, for my frame…honestly I can't run so much. Because then I am not fresh in the final third.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR DUSAN VLAHOVIC?

  Vlahovic will return to the Serie A to team up with Motta at Juventus after Serbia's match against Denmark on Monday. They will take on AC Milan on Saturday, November 23.

Lionel Messi's playoff debut rightfully got a lot of attention, but several other MLS teams made statements

The Game 1s of the First Round of the MLS Playoffs are in the books, and they certainly didn't disappoint.

Inter Miami sealed a dramatic win over play-in side Atlanta United FC, one in which the biggest highlights didn't come from Lionel Messi or Luis Suarez – but rather Jordi Alba and former U.S. international Brad Guzan turning back the clock with nine saves in Miami's 2-1 win. The match also delivered big time for the league, as the Oct. 25 stream was the most widely viewed sporting event ever presented by Apple, according to the platform.

Beyond Messi's playoff debut, other teams made strong statements: LA Galaxy dominated an injury-hit Colorado Rapids, Orlando City SC proved their status as a top contender by defeating Charlotte FC, and LAFC handled Vancouver, despite a late push from the visitors. Then it was all capped off by the New York Red Bulls putting aside a mostly disappointing campaign and stunning the Crew in Columbus.

Here are the key takeaways from Game 1s in the playoffs.

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• MLS teams aren't going to give Inter Miami red carpet treatment

  Atlanta got into the MLS playoffs, sneaking in thanks to several permutations on Deadline Day. In the opener, they were dominated statistically by Inter Miami, but responded in-kind with a few strong punches of their own.

  That's the new reality forYes, it would be a marketing dream for MLS to have Inter Miami secure its first MLS Cup with Messi leading the way, but opponents aren't going to be willing participants. Each is going to give Miami their absolute best, Messi and Suarez's legacies notwithstanding.

  More important, once the initial Miami onslaught came and went, with Suarez scoring the opening goal in the first two minutes, Atlanta's Rob Valentino's tactics were spot on afterwards. It could provide a potential formula for beating Tata Martino's side: Hit Miami with pace on counterattacks and test goalkeeper Drake Callender on set pieces.

  Callender has been underrated cog in Miami's juggernaut, but he looked shaky on several corners for the home side in the first round playoff opener. The Five Stripes likely don't have the quality in personnel to capitalize on Miami's weaknesses, but other more prolific MLS teams might be able to. The blueprint is there.

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  Red Bulls did what?

  The New York Red Bulls entered this season promising the ambition was back after years of heavily relying on their academy and bargain-bin signings. After all, Red Bull Arena is technically the house Thierry Henry – and to a much lesser extent, Tim Cahill – built.

  The club opened the offseason with a bold statement by recruiting Emil Forsberg from their Bundesliga affiliate RB Leipzig. Yet, following the Forsberg signing and recruiting respected German manager Sandro Schwarz, it appeared as if the team didn't completely follow through on those ambitions, as additional high-level signings didn't come. Then there were off-the-pitch controversies. Not to mention, Forsberg was amazing when he played, with nine goals and five assists, but he was limited to essentially a half season.

  All of this is to say, none of what happened on Tuesday against the Columbus Crew should make sense. The Crew are largely expected to be the second-best squad in MLS following a certain club in South Florida. Yet, the Red Bulls appeared to be delivering on sky-high expectations thanks to an lucky first goal by Felipe Carballo and some incredible goalkeeping by Carlos Coronel with eight saves. It sets up what should be the first must-watch match of the MLS Playoffs when the Red Bulls host the Crew on Sunday.

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  Facundo Torres show

  To be fair, Facundo Torres doesn't score Orlando's opener without some crafty dribbling and penetration from Ivan Angulo, but Uruguayan's clinical finish still deserves praise. Top right corner without any chance of being saved, it continues to show the growth from the 24-year-old.

  Torres didn't deserve to be in the MVP conversation – that is a valid debate between Messi and Cucho Hernandez. But the forward has been in MVP-level form since Aug. 31, scoring six goals in nine appearances, including his goal Sunday. Torres and Orlando continue to be a team that few are talking about, but the East is wide open, especially if the Crew somehow exit in the first round. Florida's other team shouldn't be lightly regarded as it could end up making a run.

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  El Trafico in the WCF feels inevitable

  The LA Galaxy were not happy.

  After all, this was a team that held on to Western Conference summit until literally the last second of the MLS regular season, before conceding the advantage to their bitter rival LAFC due to a loss to the Houston Dynamo. So unfortunately, the injury-hit and out of form Colorado Rapids were the bystanders of that frustration.

  The Rapids, who were without their top two midfielders in Djordje Mihailovic and Cole Bassett, did the best they could to contain LA on the road, but then Dejan Joveljić and Riqui Puig took over: Galaxy 5-0, at the final whistle.

  In downtown L.A., LAFC also largely took care of business against a plucky Vancouver Whitecaps side. While the result was less assured, judging on the rest of the field in the Western Conference – it appears as if this is setting up for what should be a dramatic El Trafico in the Western Conference final.

  The two LA teams are responsible for seven of the eight goals scored in the Western Conference playoffs — the other coming from the Whitecaps. Game 2s should provide more action, but at the moment, all eyes will be on what happens in Los Angeles.

Azam is now the captain across all three formats, bringing to an end Azhar’s brief second stint

Danyal Rasool10-Nov-2020Azhar Ali has been removed as Pakistan Test captain, with limited-overs leader Babar Azam replacing him in the role. That makes Azam, 26, the Pakistan captain across all three formats, bringing to an end Azhar’s brief second stint.In just over a year as the man at the helm in Test cricket, Ali led Pakistan in eight Test matches, which included two wins – against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – and three defeats, which led to series losses against Australia and England.As ESPNcricinfo reported last month, there had been serious discussions at the PCB about the possibility of a younger replacement to Ali as Test captain. Ali’s annual appraisal was carried out in September, with him meeting PCB CEO Wasim Khan, believed to carry significant influence with the board chairman Ehsan Mani – whom the ultimate decision rests with. At the time, Azam was an obvious leading contender for the role, given he remains one of the few players in Pakistan guaranteed a starting spot in all three formats. Unlike Ali or his predecessor Sarfaraz Ahmed, there are no questions over Azam’s form with the bat, a cause of instability for both men over their tenures.Azam’s appointment marks an inexorable rise in profile for the batsman, who, in the last few years, has pulled away as Pakistan’s best batsman in all formats by some distance. That inevitably made him a candidate as captain, given Ahmed’s tenure ultimately came to an end due to a sustained dip with the bat. From that perspective, it was something of a surprise to see the PCB turn to Ali, who, at the time he was appointed, was suffering from his own loss of form. Despite scoring a couple of hundreds as captain, his overall dip in form was a palpable presence throughout his time.Azam, meanwhile, began to settle into the Test side fairly quickly after a slightly rocky start in the format. A half-century in Centurion on a day he famously took apart Dale Steyn even as his team-mates faltered was a harbinger of his growing comfort in the format. Since the start of 2018, only four men have scored more Test runs than Azam, with none of them even remotely able to match his average of 62.90. He was handed the white-ball captaincy at the same time Ali was given the Test reigns. In nine innings as T20I captain, Azam has scored six half-centuries, averaging a shade under 56 and striking at 142.70.Azam’s first assignment will be a two-Test series against New Zealand in December, preceded by a three-match T20I series. The jury remains very much out on Azam’s tactical nous as captain, but the results so far – over admittedly a small sample size – are around where you might expect them. Pakistan have won five of the seven T20Is under his captaincy. The recently-concluded ODI series against Zimbabwe were the only 50-over games Pakistan played since Azam was appointed captain, with two wins and a defeat that went to a Super Over.There is no indication – yet – that Azhar Ali’s dismissal will jeopardise his place in the side•Getty ImagesAli, who was handed the limited-overs captaincy after the 2015 World Cup, was summarily removed after a dismal tour of Australia at the start of 2017. Last year, upon being appointed Test captain, Ali, then 34, spoke about how the appointment was his chance to leave the type of legacy he wished to build, having learnt from the experiences of an unhappy limited-overs stint a few years earlier.There is little chance that’s how his stint will be remembered. It began with a nightmarish tour of Australia, with Ali’s own struggles against the rising ball very much still an issue; he breached double figures just once all series. While it was followed by home series wins against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the results failed to convince many it was a vindication of his captaincy. Even a hundred against Sri Lanka was put down to the lifelessness of the pitch instead of a return to form with the bat.His final assignment, a three-match series in England held in biosecure conditions, ended with a narrow 1-0 defeat that Ali’s captaincy may best be remembered for.There is no indication – yet – that Ali’s removal will jeopardise his place in the side, as it happened to Ahmed. However, with the protective blanket of captaincy stripped away from him, he will undoubtedly feel the pressure to contribute with the bat on Pakistan’s next tour, a two-match Test series against New Zealand.

Manchester United remain in managerial limbo with Erik ten Hag, but may be edging closer to a decision on that front ahead of the summer transfer window.

FA Cup win for Ten Hag gives Ratcliffe a headache

A 2-1 win over Manchester City at Wembley appears to have bought Ten Hag some time. Reports ahead of the showpiece claimed that the club were ready to sack the Dutchman in the wake of the game, but a surprise win has seemingly forced the hierarchy to reconsider since, and Ten Hag has remained in charge of the club.

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It is still as yet unclear whether this was a permanent stay, or simply a stay of execution for the former Ajax boss following an awful Premier League season which saw them finish eighth, but Ten Hag was keen to stress that perhaps the Red Devils need him as much as the other way round.

"The team is progressing, and we are winning trophies. Two trophies in two years is not bad. Three finals is not bad, but we have to keep going. I'm not satisfied with it", he explained after the game.

Ten Hag's Man Utd record

Games

114

Wins

68

Points per game

1.92

Win %

59.6%

Goal difference

51

Trophies

2

"We have to do better and if they don't want me anymore, then I'll go anywhere else to win trophies because that is what I have done my whole career."

His words may well have resonated with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, if the latest report is anything to go by.

The latest from Old Trafford

Now, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the situation remains "quite open", with Manchester United still eyeing up alternative managers as they try to plot a course this summer, but as yet, not having decided to sack Ten Hag.

The Red Devils were thought to be among the clubs keen on Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna, but he has since signed a new contract at Portman Road to keep him at the East Anglian outfit this summer.

Beyond him, United have also been linked with moves for Roberto de Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino, as well as England boss Gareth Southgate, though no progress has been made on deals for any of them.

As per Romano, though, talks continue behind the scenes, with the transfer guru explaining to GiveMeSport in the last 24 hours:

“The internal review is still ongoing, so Erik ten Hag is waiting for Manchester United to communicate their decision. Let's see as also in the last three to four days, I'm hearing that Manchester United had new conversations with some agents and representatives of other managers."

“So the situation remains quite open. I think they are assessing all the potential options in order to decide whether it's better to continue with Ten Hag or go for another manager.”

Hardly a show of faith in Ten Hag, the current situation appears to be one of hedging their bets, with United keen to court another manager but not lose their current boss in case they fail to lure another name into the Old Trafford hot seat this summer. However, with the summer transfer window opening soon, more clarity may be forthcoming on the situation in the days to come.

According to a BCCI official, the player who was approached immediately shared his concerns with the anti-corruption unit

PTI04-Oct-2020A player competing in IPL 2020 has “reported a corrupt approach”, putting the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) on a high alert.The current edition of the IPL is being held in the UAE in a biosecure environment, which has significantly reduced the chance for persons with dubious credentials approaching the player directly. The threat though still remains by and large due to the online network of corruptorsThe BCCI ACU chief Ajit Singh, who is leading an eight-man team in the UAE, confirmed the development to PTI. “We are tracking him. It will take some time,” Singh, the former DGP of Rajasthan, said when asked if the alleged corruptor has been nabbed.As per anti-corruption protocols, the name of the player or franchise is not revealed for confidentiality purposes.With players and support staff staying in a bio-bubble, unlike other years, the ACU is concentrating more on the possible online corrupt approaches. Most of the players are on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter where unknown people masquerading as fans try to befriend them.A senior BCCI official said all the players, whether overseas or Indian, have attended multiple anti-corruption classes.”The best part is that the player who was approached immediately sensed that something is fishy. He had a suspicion and he immediately shared his concerns with the ACU. Every player, even those who have come from the Under-19 are well aware of each and every anti-corruption protocols,” the BCCI official, privy to the development, told PTI on the condition of anonymity.Due to health safety protocols this year, the ACU had organised its mandatory counselling sessions virtually for all the eight teams.The BCCI has tied up with UK-based company Sportradar, which offers “integrity services” to prevent betting and other corrupt practices during the upcoming IPL through its Fraud Detection Services.

There had been reports that he attended the birthday celebrations of sprinter Usain Bolt, who has since tested positive

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2020Chris Gayle is set to link up with his Kings XI Punjab team-mates in the UAE on time after returning two negative Covid-19 tests. There had been reports that he had attended the birthday celebrations of sprinter Usain Bolt – who has since tested positive and is currently in home isolation – in Kingston last Friday.Gayle, the highest run-scorer in T20s, posted the news on Instagram Stories, with videos of his swab testing, prior to his flight to the UAE. Upon arrival in the UAE, he will be tested at the airport, followed by a six-day quarantine with further testing on days one, three and five. Only once those are cleared can team members start training in the biosecure bubble.ALSO READ: Rigorous testing, restricted movement, one team per hotelAccording to Jamaica’s Ministry of Health update on August 23, Jamaica had 16 new Covid-19 cases in the previous 24 hours, bringing the country’s total up to a confirmed 1,529.Gayle last played competitive cricket for Chattogram Challengers at the Bangladesh Premier League in January. He was to be part of CPL 2020, but opted out of his stint with St Lucia Zouks* due to personal reasons.Kings XI’s Indian contingent arrived in the UAE last week and are in the midst of their six-day quarantine. Earlier this month, it emerged that batsman Karun Nair had tested positive for Covid-19 in July, but was able to travel with the squad after returning two negative tests after a two-week isolation.

Wahab Riaz, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Hasnain the others to clear their tests

Danyal Rasool27-Jun-2020

Six of the ten Pakistani cricketers who had earlier tested positive for Covid-19 – Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Hasnain – have returned negative results when tested again, Wasim Khan, the PCB chief executive, announced on Saturday. He added that Kashif Bhatti, Haris Rauf, Haider Ali and Imran Khan had tested positive again, as had team masseur Malang Ali. All the players and support staffers who had tested negative earlier were also retested, and there was no change in their status.However, given players’ need to return two negative tests before being able to enter the UK, the six previously positive players will not be on the ECB-arranged charter plane that takes the rest of the travelling party to Manchester on Sunday. The PCB announced they will be sent as soon as they returned that second negative test.ALSO READ: Pakistan prepare to fly to England without 10 Covid-positive playersThere will be 20 players in the advance group: the 18 who have returned two negative tests, as well as two of the reserve players called up as cover earlier this week, wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir and fast bowler Musa Khan. One of the reserves, Imran Butt, returned a positive result. In addition, left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar, who is already in the UK, will join the side and only be involved in pre-match preparations.Wasim said that Hafeez and Riaz had sought out tests from private laboratories independent of the PCB in the wake of them returning positive results. And though the retest came back negative, the board will not be considering them.”The private test they decided to have carried out was outside the PCB testing process,” Wasim said. “So while they have now had two negative tests, they will have to get tested again to get two negative tests in a row that are in accordance with PCB’s testing process and the protocols we have set up.”Once the 20 players and 11 members of the support staff arrive in Manchester, they will be transported to Worcestershire, where everyone will be tested once more in accordance with the ECB guidelines and testing processes. They will then begin a 14-day quarantine period, during which they will be permitted access to training and practice facilities. Following that, the squad will move to Derbyshire. Although it wasn’t set in stone, an earlier plan would have seen the Pakistan squad quarantined in Derby first.Bowling coach Waqar Younis, who has been in Australia, was tested there and returned a negative result. He will join the squad directly. Shoaib Malik, who was granted leave to spend time with his family and join the team later, will travel to England on July 24.The PCB had briefly entertained the idea of sending players who tested negative once after an earlier positive test, but that idea was swiftly put to bed, as an ECB press release on Friday confirmed that the ten players who had tested positive would not be traveling on Sunday.”The ECB contacted us at first and said since the positive tests were carried out on the 21st, seven days will have lapsed and there may be an opportunity for players to travel on the 28th,” Wasim said. “Because in nine of the 10 players, we found antibodies, which suggested they were coming to the end of it. But we changed it because the ECB have now told us that based on UK regulations, anybody to have tested positive will need to provide evidence that they have had two negative tests before they can travel. We went on the advice they were giving us earlier, but since they told us the regulations had changed, we followed their protocol.”The tour comprises three Test matches and three T20Is in August and September. All six games will be played behind closed doors.

Australia’s Test season is likely to start at the WACA when they play Afghanistan for the first time in Test cricket

Daniel Brettig and Andrew McGlashan27-May-2020India are set to play their first day-night Test in Australia at the Adelaide Oval and an opening Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, where the hosts have not been beaten since 1988, if the tour gets the green light with Perth having to accept the opportunity to host Afghanistan at the WACA.Cricket Australia is due to confirm its tentative schedule for the 2020-21 season by the end of this week but although venues will be allocated there will be a lot of uncertainty remaining depending on how the Covid-19 situation develops over the next few months. However, the prospect of needing hub venues to host multiple Tests appears to have receded.The India Test series will be scheduled to start on December 3 in Brisbane – where they did not play on their successful 2018-19 visit – before heading to Adelaide for the pink-ball match that has become a traditional part of the Australia season but was absent on India’s previous visit, before the holiday-season Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.Whether there is any chance of crowds being present at matches during the summer will depend on developments at government level regarding mass gatherings.The Test season will be pencilled in to start at the WACA when Australia play Afghanistan for the first time in Test cricket. The association had pushed hard for an India Test at the Optus Stadium where Australia secured their one victory in the 2018-19 season, with matches on the west coast also favourable to the Indian time zone, but they will have to make do with an ODI against them this time.If the Afghanistan Test goes ahead as planned, it will be the first at the WACA in three years. Given the presence of two Test venues in the city, the state association had put themselves forward as a hub venue – along with Adelaide – should the India tour have to be based in a restricted number of cities for bio-security reasons.There remain many moving parts to the schedule, including T20I series against West Indies and India in the early part of the season meant to act as warm-ups for the T20 World Cup which is now expected to be postponed. The ODI series against India, currently set as three matches in January, may expand.There is a chance the team could still travel overseas this year with the possibility of the limited-overs tour of England that was due for July moving to September. If the T20 World Cup is postponed, there are strong suggestions the IPL could take its place, meaning those Australian players with deals would miss part of the domestic season.”It’s not necessarily a new problem; we’ve had the Champions League in that time of the year for probably half a dozen years which has clashed with the domestic schedule here, so I’m sure whatever the solution we’ll sort it out,” Pat Cummins, who has a record US$2.2 million deal with Kolkata Knight Riders, said. “It’s a once-off [the current situation]; it’s unprecedented, so we’ll wait and see. Nothing’s for certain yet.”