Celtic will be hoping to continue their bid for a domestic treble with victory over rivals Rangers this afternoon, with the Old Firm foes set to go head to head in a mouthwatering, Scottish Cup semi-final showdown at Hampden Park.

Ahead of that pivotal encounter, Ange Postecoglou has provided a real lift to Hoops supporters after confirming that the likes of Liel Abada, Jota and Reo Hatate will be in contention to feature, with the star trio having been absent through injury in recent games.

The return of those key figures could well be bad news for those who have been part of the starting lineup in recent games, with versatile winger Sead Haksabanovic one such asset who could seemingly give way, with Jota likely to take his place on the flanks.

The summer signing has started the last two Scottish Premiership games although has not totally taken the chance to impress, having failed to provide a single goal involvement in either of those appearances.

While the forward's work ethic was 'notable' – according to Glasgow World's Lewis Anderson – in the recent draw with Motherwell after winning nine total duels, he did lose possession 19 times in that 65-minute showing, having also been dribbled past on two occasions.

The Montenegro international has hardly disgraced himself, although he perhaps cannot match the stellar quality of a player such as Jota, with the Portuguese having laid on 21 goals and assists in just 29 league games this season.

Haksabanovic may not be alone in dropping out of the side, however, with the return of Hatate also potentially set to ensure that compatriot Tomoki Iwata is also ousted from his starting berth.

Will Iwata start against Celtic?

The Yokohama F Marinos loanee – who is set to sign for the Bhoys on a permanent deal worth just £828k – has made an encouraging start to life at Parkhead, with pundit Frank McAvennie suggesting that the Japanese ace is now "ready to flourish".

Previously hailed as an "unbelievable athlete" by former boss Kevin Muscat, Iwata was also the recipient of significant praise from the aforementioned Anderson for his display last time out, having produced an 'outstanding performance' in the centre of the park.

Despite having now started three of the last four games in Hatate's absence, it is perhaps telling that the one game that the 26-year-old was on the bench for was against today's opponents, with that perhaps a sign that Postecoglou will not rush him into action in such a pressurised clash.

The 5 foot 10 ace has shown signs of promise of late alongside Callum McGregor at the base of the midfield – having been hailed as a "tank" by teammate Matt O'Riley – although for a man who has made just 11 appearances for the club to date, it may be wise for him to sit out the meeting with Michael Beale's men.

With O'Riley himself also bang in form – having recorded three goal involvements in his last three games – it would be no surprise to see the Denmark U21 international lining up alongside Hatate and McGregor, ahead of the unlucky Iwata.

Chelsea haven't yet 'made their next move' as they try to tie Mason Mount down to a new contract at Stamford Bridge, according to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest news involving Mason Mount?

As per Football Insider, Chelsea are now growing in confidence that Mount will snub interest from Liverpool and elsewhere to sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have been 'locked' in talks with Mount over extending his stay at the club due to his current deal running out in 2024; however, have not yet been able to reach an agreement with the England international, alerting the aforementioned Liverpool, Arsenal and Bayern Munich to his potential availability.

GOAL have claimed that Mount is expected to leave Chelsea this summer and Arsenal have discussed the prospect of bringing him to North London alongside West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice.

Mount, who earns £80k per week on the books at Stamford Bridge, could be set for a new challenge, with the report claiming that Chelsea could look to cash in on their homegrown product in the off-season due to their failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Speculation is very much up in the air surrounding the Portsmouth-born midfielder at the moment, something which journalist Jacobs has commented on when speaking to Football FanCast.

Jacobs told FFC: "The key thing to stress is that Chelsea hasn't made their next move yet. So what we're seeing at the moment is a window of opportunity whereby suitors pre-planning for the window are establishing the player perspective and they are trying to offer a much clearer pitch than Chelsea. Liverpool are one of those clubs, but there's a variety of Premier League suitors now, considering Mount to different degrees and each of the clubs looking away from Chelsea can, in all likelihood, offer Mount some form of European football and a more stable structure that isn't going to go up and down, depending on team and individual success. Whereas the Chelsea pitch is around trying to lower their overall base wage but offer players huge earning potential if they in the team succeed."

Will Mason Mount stay at Chelsea or leave his boyhood club this summer?

In all honesty, it's a difficult situation to predict right now, seeing as there are so many moving parts regarding what the future may hold for Mount.

Either way, he is a talented footballer and it comes as no surprise to see high-profile clubs interested in luring him away from Stamford Bridge.

In 2022/23, Mount has made 35 appearances for Chelsea encompassing all competitions, scoring three times and registering six assists, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored notes that the playmaker has also threaded through an average of 1.3 key passes per match in the Premier League this term, demonstrating his vision to split open opposition backlines.

Yes, his consistency has flickered this campaign at times; nevertheless, Mount is a tricky player to deal with when at full throttle and is expected to have plenty of suitors this summer.

Newcastle United will look to continue their pursuit of securing their Champions League spot inside the top four when they travel to Goodison Park this evening for their Premier League clash with Everton.

The Magpies are currently six points clear and third in the top-flight table at present following a monumental victory over Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park last weekend and Eddie Howe will be hoping his team can continue their fine form away from home tonight.

Indeed, the last time Newcastle made the trip to Merseyside the dramatic game ended in defeat and with Everton fighting for Premier League survival this season again, it won't be an easy task to take all three points from the Toffees.

In terms of injuries, Emile Krafth remains unavailable for selection alongside Allan Saint-Maximin who will only just miss out on the clash due to a thigh injury. Fabian Schar could also be set for a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring concern.

Howe took to his pre-match press conference yesterday to deliver a fresh update on Schar's condition and confirmed that the centre-back will be a huge doubt for the upcoming fixture alongside a few other key players:

“We’ve got a couple of knocks,”

“Bruno, we think, will be OK. No problems. Fabby’s one that we’ll have to check and make a late call on. Same situation with a couple of other lads.”

How could Newcastle line up vs Everton?

Howe could make three changes to his team that thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 6-1 last weekend, whilst maintaining his successful 4-3-3 formation.

Pope; Trippier, Lascelles, Botman, Burn; Guimaraes, Joelinton, Longstaff; Gordon, Wilson, Murphy.

The first alteration we expect to see is in the defensive set-up, with Jamaal Lascelles earning some much-deserved game time to replace injury-doubted Schar alongside Sven Botman in the centre-back partnership.

The second and third changes we predict will come in the forward line, with Anthony Gordon taking up the role on the left flank, where he could make his first appearance at Goodison Park since he left his boyhood club in January. Expect a frosty reception.

This Newcastle team have built a reputation for their aggressive mentality and ability to frustrate opponents this season, so unleashing the former Everton winger could be the perfect move from Howe to really rattle the Toffees.

Whilst we expect Jacob Murphy to retain his starting spot in the front three following a fantastic run of form that's included two goals and an assist in his last four outings, it could be an opportunity for Howe to give Alexander Isak a rest to keep him fresh for the congested fixtures ahead and instead unleash Callum Wilson.

The £46k-per-week ace – hailed "unique" by coach Graeme Jones – has not only been a massive goal threat this season for Newcastle but has an impeccable record against Everton in recent times, with six goals and one assist registered in his last half a dozen outings versus the Toffees.

With that being said, Howe could really benefit from utilising the high-quality rotation he has available to him in tonight's game and another three points tallied up would keep them comfortably in contention to live out their Champions League dreams.

Aston Villa star Leon Bailey could be sold in the summer transfer window as part of Unai Emery's plans for the squad, journalist Dean Jones has claimed.

What's going on with Bailey?

The 25-year-old has had a fairly poor season, scoring just four times in 30 Premier League appearances, as Villa transformed from relegation candidates to European contenders under Emery.

The winger has not scored since January, and given that he is on a wage of £100k-per-week, he could be sold this summer to allow Emery to sign his own desired players.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that Bailey, alongside Phillippe Coutinho, could be shown the exit door in what could be a busy transfer window for Villa.

"These are the two players I feel potentially most at threat in this team, to be honest. So it'll be interesting to see what happens when they return," he stated.

"What opportunities will they get and will they take them? Because I think if you're going to look to reshape this squad, then you've got to consider whether Bailey and Coutinho definitely fit in with the way that this team is heading. So yeah, this will be interesting."

Should Villa sell Bailey?

The Jamaican winger, who Emery has hailed as "world class", arrived with a lot of hype from Bayer Leverkusen, but has failed to stand out for most of his Villa career, and with the team unexpectedly rising up the table, they could move on from him in favour of higher-level players.

They have been linked with sensational moves for Dusan Vlahovic and Ferran Torres, and if they need to clear out the squad to make space for these high-profile arrivals, Bailey could be happily sacrificed given his lack of goals in recent months.

Villa look set to appoint Barcelona director Mateu Alemany, who could help oversee some big transfers, and this may spell bad news for Bailey as the likes of Torres could arrive with the Spaniard helping Emery attract stars to Villa Park.

Emery recently admitted his disappointment with Bailey, claiming that his performances have "not been consistent," and this frustration may mean that his patience soon runs out, and the winger departs.

It seems that there is going to be a lot of activity at Villa, particularly if they can qualify for European football, and Emery could oversee some major outgoings in his plans to continue Villa's revival under his management.

Allrounder Albie Morkel will captain Titans in limited-overs cricket in 2016-17, but will not be available to play first-class cricket. Morkel, 35, said he took the decision because he did not want to keep spending so much time away from his family, and also wanted to allow someone younger the chance to come through in first-class cricket.Morkel has become a limited-overs specialist of late, having played only one first-class game in the 2015-16 season, and just the one other since 2011-12. In all he has played 77 first-class matches, scoring 4117 runs at 44.26 and taking 203 wickets at 30.28. He played only one Test for South Africa, against Australia in Cape Town in March 2009.While he had led Titans to a title win the domestic T20s last season – they also won the first-class competition, the Sunfoil Cup – they finished at the bottom of the table in the domestic one-dayers. That, Morkel said, did not bother him too much going into next season, given the team had lost a lot of players to the national set-up. “I think the environment at Titans is so healthy that it produces good performances,” Morkel said. “But we just lacked continuity and we were not settled as a team. In two games, we lost nine players who were simultaneously selected for South Africa A and South Africa.”Morkel had been in good touch in Titans’ successful Ram Slam T20 campaign, taking 10 wickets from 11 games while conceding less than five runs an over, and also scoring 198 runs at a strike rate of 141.42. He had a more middling Momentum One-Day Cup, with six wickets at an average of 42.00 and just the one fifty in seven games. He told the Titans website that he would demand high standards of himself in the coming season, and will stand down as limited-overs captain if he cannot find form.

Manchester United have the Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic on their radar as they aim to address their option up front this summer.

Which striker do United want to sign?

On the whole, Erik ten Hag's first season at Old Trafford has been a success with the Red Devils showing improvements on the pitch.

Having already secured the Carabao Cup, United will go into the remaining games aiming to land a spot in the top four as well as getting their hands on the FA Cup.

However, one of their main issues has been up top with Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the club earlier in the summer and leaving them without an out-and-out striker.

Wout Weghorst was brought in over the January transfer window, but the Dutchman's arrival has failed to provide any impact in front of goal thus far.

There have been strong reports linking the Red Devils with a potential move for Harry Kane in the summer with his future at Tottenham Hotspur in doubt.

But it seems as if they could also look abroad for a striker this summer with Victor Osimhen another name linked with interest from United.

And speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has claimed the Red Devils could also look to Vlahovic as a possible option:

(26:30) "He' on United's list. He's on Chelsea's list. They're looking at number nines, he's an option Newcastle have looked at him. Aston Villa are the new ones."

"He really wants to come to England. The Premier League is a real option for Vlahovic and if you can give Juventus their money back they're taking this deal. Vlahovic is want to keep an eye on him really, really could be the diamond in the rough here."

Would Vlahovic be a good option for United?

It has not been the easiest campaign for the Serbian striker who has suffered from a number of injuries already which has seen his game time slightly hampered.

However, in his 25 league appearances in Serie A, he has been able to provide a return of 10 goals but in the last 13 games he has only been able to net twice (via Transfermarkt).

But this is a player who was hailed as an "absolute monster" by journalist Carlo Garganese earlier in the campaign and he has shown huge potential during his early career.

Indeed, the 23-year-old provided an impressive return of 24 goals and five assists last season in Serie A (via Transfermarkt).

His recent form might suggest there could be an element of risk if United were to bring him in over the summer, but his potential could perhaps be unlocked in England.

But when Osimhen could also be an option for United, it would be difficult to look past the Nigerian for Vlahovic when Osimhen has shown such impressive form for Napoli this season.

Considering Vlahovic's spot in the Juventus starting XI is not nailed down, perhaps he could be an easier target to land, though.

Liverpool have ramped up their transfer activity in recent weeks after the heartache of missing out on Jude Bellingham.

The England star looks all set to sign for Real Madrid with the Reds having identified Alexis Mac Allister as their alternative. That said, it's not the only move FSG have their hands full with.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are working on a deal to sign Bayern Munich youngster Ryan Gravenberch.

The report initially states interest from Manchester United who have now entered the race for the 20-year-old.

The Red Devils are ready to go 'head-to-head' with their Premier League rivals in order to complete a deal.

Liverpool appear to be leading the race at the moment with the Anfield outfit having admired the youngster for a while now. They have already followed up on their interest and are believed to be working behind the scenes to get a move completed.

According to CIES Football Observatory, the player is valued at a bargain £26m.

What is Gravenberch's style of play?

For those of a Liverpool persuasion, it will perhaps pique their interest that Gravenberch plays in a similar manner to fellow transfer target, Mac Allister, with the players noted as 'similar' as per FBref's player comparison model.

The Argentine is now a World Cup winner and has been going from strength to strength with Brighton, so much so that Jurgen Klopp and co are favourites to acquire his signature.

That interest is unsurprising given Liverpool's burning desire for a new midfielder this term. After missing out on Bellingham they will need to act decisively to silence those who doubt their capabilities in the transfer window.

Turning to Mac Allister, who has scored 12 goals and registered two assists this term would certainly be a promising way of bolstering the midfield but in Gravenberch, they'd have a fine alternative or even partner for the Seagulls star.

Although the Bayern gem has only scored twice himself this term, his immense attacking qualities were showcased by the fact he'd contributed to 14 goals as a teenager across two seasons with Ajax.

That output might not be on a similar level to Mac Allister quite yet but in other areas of the game, they are distinctly alike.

Their ball carrying is a particularly eye-catching attribute with the crafty technicians boasting a similar success rate in the last year with the Bundesliga star amassing 2.04 per 90 minutes to the Argentine's 2.02, as per FB Ref.

There is just 0.6 between the pair when it comes to short pass success rate (both over 90%) and only 0.4 between them in their medium pass success rate (both over 91%).

A similar number of chance creations are carved out too, with the two midfield maestros within 0.4 of each other for goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (0.19 v 0.25 in favour of Mac Allister).

The duo aren't just alike in their ability to fashion opportunities and beat the opposition but they can do the dirty side of the game too, with Gravenberch having made 1.67 successful tackles per 90 to his opposite number's 1.31.

Even if Liverpool do complete a deal for Mac Allister, it's evident that the Dutch "top talent" – as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig – would still be a valuable signing. After all, with the latter still having work to do in the goal department, perhaps he could sit deeper in a six, with the former playing further forward as an 8.

The tale of an utterly one-sided contest was summed up neatly by the reactions of the two dressing rooms when Middlesex finally finished Hampshire off

Will Macpherson at Merchant Taylors' School01-Jun-2016
ScorecardJames Fuller impressed on his Championship debut for Middlesex (file photo)•PA Photos

The tale of an utterly one-sided contest was summed up neatly by the reactions of the two dressing rooms when Middlesex finally finished Hampshire off.Middlesex, who took maximum points having waited six painstaking, flat-decked, rain-wrecked draws for a win, sang their long-awaited team song raucously and enjoyed a couple of cleansing, hard-earned beers. Hampshire, seven days after a brilliant win over Nottinghamshire, sat down for a 20-minute, sombre-sounding debrief. They had been trounced – out-batted, out-bowled and out-fought, and only the rain had prevented an innings defeat from arriving sooner. They claimed just one bonus point but subsequently lost it, and another point too, for a shoddy over-rate. They left with one point fewer than they arrived and joined Surrey at the foot of Division One.It was the pace and carry of James Fuller, who took a five-wicket haul on his Championship debut for Middlesex, that finally did for Hampshire. Fuller was signed from Gloucestershire primarily to help Middlesex remedy their white-ball woes but, having impressed all and sundry with a simple, friendly attitude and the ability to bowl 90mph, he was handed a debut here with Steven Finn – who popped by for that post-match beer – on England duty and James Harris rested.Having had a bye in week one, this was Middlesex’s seventh consecutive game. Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones bowled brilliantly, picking up six and five wickets respectively, but Fuller’s fresher legs, and the extra bounce they helped generate, were invaluable.It was Roland-Jones, as so often, who picked up the first of the six wickets his team required, as Joe Weatherley – who looked a cricketer at ease on Championship debut – lost his off-bail. More like his director of cricket, Angus Fraser, by the day – in gait and bowling style – Roland-Jones is simply the kind of cricketer who makes his team-mates look better.In the field, it is hard to recall an error. With the bat, coming in at No. 10 when many sage judges believe he could be as high as seven, he so often adds useful runs. With the ball, he bowls long spells off an even longer run-up and can play the pacy enforcer – as he did for much of the match here – or nag on line and length.Roland-Jones was left frustrated for the rest of the day, just missing the outside edge or, when he found it, the nick not quite finding a hand. After Weatherley fell, Jimmy Adams dug in, as he had late on Monday and during the 17 overs on Tuesday, to make 78, pulling when Roland-Jones dropped short and clipping neatly off his legs, too.Adam Wheater drove nicely and the pair shared 53 before falling in consecutive overs. James Franklin made the vital breakthrough, having Adams lbw, then Wheater failed to move his feet and was caught at the wicket to become the first of Fuller’s three on the day. A brief shower brought an early lunch shortly after.Fuller’s first four balls upon resumption were as short and sharp as any in the match. With the trap set, Tino Best tried – and failed – to hook all three. The fourth was fuller and Best simply found mid-on, just as he had in the first innings. It is hard to recall notably animated celebrators Middlesex, irked at the beamer Best bowled Adam Voges on day two and angry at the way he had been speaking to their close fielders in the short period before lunch, toasting a dismissal more raucously. After his second pair in consecutive matches, Best was told exactly where to go, and it would have been noted that he did not return for a handshake at day’s end.Before then, Mason Crane had some fun, edging for the rafters, but soon slapped Fuller to point and, after Ryan McLaren – who lacked luck throughout the game – played some fine strokes to delay the inevitable, James Tomlinson edged Ollie Rayner to slip.There was much to discuss at Hampshire’s debrief. Best, in many ways, appears to be becoming an apt embodiment of the team as a whole; brilliant on the good days – such as the spectacular win over Nottinghamshire last week when he was so electric – but miserable on the worst ones (these were very much four of the worst ones), and with an injury never far away. For all those injuries, as their captain Will Smith pointed out afterwards, of this XI only Weatherley and Crane have played fewer than 100 first-class matches, yet performances remain brittle and bipolar.”It seems to be a pattern for us in this format,” Smith said. “When we have our backs to the wall, we do something, like we did last week, but it’s about having that mentality from ball one and not getting yourselves into these situations.”A couple more weeks like this, you sense, and last year’s great escape will be required all over again.

Leeds United may have enlisted the help of Sam Allardyce for the present, but everyone including the 68-year-old likely knows that this is not a move for the future.

It merely poses a stopgap to hopefully ensure their continued participation in the Premier League, which not only would secure them huge financial benefits but also retain their allure that attracts the top players from abroad.

However, once the former Bolton Wanderers head coach is done, whether his job is a successful one or not, it is a top manager that chairman Andrea Radrizzani will seek either to maintain their top-flight status once again or to help earn it back at the first time of asking.

Most importantly however, they must seek out an identity once more, as amidst the three bosses that have succeeded Marcelo Bielsa, this seems to have gone amiss.

Leeds manager news – Is Ange Postecoglou a target?

The stature of such a historic football club means that even if relegation becomes their fate, they might still boast the pulling power to tempt a top manager from elsewhere. This is emphasised through their reference within a report from Football Insider detailing the future of Ange Postecoglou from earlier this week.

Having been shortlisted by several top clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, the Whites are noted as a long-term suitor for the Australian who continues to earn unbridled success at Celtic.

Should they tempt him to Elland Road, no matter the division, the intelligent leader is sure to recapture some semblance of an identity with ease. He could be the first man since Bielsa to get them back on track and return some good times to Yorkshire.

What is Ange Postecoglou's style of play?

Enjoying a philosophy shrouded within a 4-3-3 shape, the 57-year-old bares striking tactical similarities with the likes of Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola, as they all prefer a gung-ho style that makes their teams relentless in the press.

As such, the use of inverted fullbacks allows them both to build from the back and put a stranglehold on their opposition, piling men forward to win the ball back high up the pitch.

With such heavy metal football, it is hard not to liken Postecoglou to the legendary Argentine who transformed the culture of the club.

LeedsLive journalist Beren Cross even went as far as to claim: "It's astonishing, he is a deity, he is god-like," but not before noting the play style that shocked the division: "It's very, very carefree. They obviously attack at will, taking so many shots in the box at teams, regardless of who they are playing."

Whilst the Celtic boss is not quite as revered, the signs are there to suggest he could achieve those levels whilst operating in a similar system. He has also been on the end of plenty of praise too, although few as superlative as Cross'.

The academy manager of his Parkhead club, Chris Smith, did take to Twitter to laud the tactician:

"Having the opportunity to listen to Ange Postecoglou talk about how he wants to play football and how he wants to work with his staff and players is absolutely phenomenal! Best speaker I’ve listened to by a country mile."

This desire to micromanage the whole club only adds to the similarities.

Given that he has already won two league titles and two cups across just two seasons in Scotland, with a points-per-game average of 2.35, it is clear to see why he is so sought-after.

Should Radrizzani somehow convince him to be the man to succeed Allardyce, given his stature in the game and incredible play style, all the signs are pointing towards an exciting Bielsa repeat, where a second managerial god could soon be formed at Elland Road.

Stuart Broad has already begun “plotting” a path back into England’s 50-over plans after being left out of the ODI squad announced earlier this week

Alan Gardner16-Jun-2016Stuart Broad has already begun “plotting” a path back into England’s 50-over plans. Broad was left out of the ODI squad announced earlier this week and has only played twice since the 2015 World Cup but he refuses to give up on playing white-ball cricket for his country again, to the extent that he will contemplate taking part in overseas domestic competitions to try and nudge the selectors before next summer’s Champions Trophy.Trevor Bayliss, England’s head coach, has left the door open for Broad, who retains hope of playing in the 2017 Champions Trophy and 2019 World Cup, competitions that will both be held in England and Wales. However, Broad’s involvement with the Test side, and England’s busy schedule, has prevented him from gaining any significant practice in the shorter formats: in addition to two ODIs in South Africa, he has played one List A and one T20 match for Nottinghamshire in the last 12 months.Broad’s form with the red ball saw him rise to No. 1 in the ICC Test bowler rankings earlier this year, and he could still have another 11 Test matches to play in 2015, with a home series against Pakistan and tours of Bangladesh and India before Christmas. England will then have a six-month gap without a Test, during which time Broad is planning to prioritise his white-ball game above a well-earned rest.England’s leading ODI bowlers

James Anderson 269 wickets at 29.22

Darren Gough 234 at 26.39

Stuart Broad 178 at 30.13

Andrew Flintoff 168 at 23.61

Ian Botham 145 at 28.54

“It’s tricky because I haven’t played any white-ball cricket,” he said of his omission from the group to play Sri Lanka. “I think I saw a quote saying this squad had been picked on merit and I can’t argue with that at all because it’s not as if I’ve gone out there and taken a certain amount of white-ball wickets. I’m going to have to find a way to do that.”I’m going to look at scheduling, whether it’s home or abroad, to try to play some white-ball cricket and there might be a decent opportunity after Christmas this year because there’s not a lot of Test cricket then until I think July. The only way I’ll get back is by playing white-ball cricket and that’s the only way my skills will improve, too.”Broad’s focus on reclaiming his ODI spot means he would prefer to play 50-over cricket rather than appear in T20 leagues, such as Australia’s BBL – which will begin at around the same time England are expected to conclude their five-Test series in India – the IPL and the Pakistan Super League. One such option could be New Zealand’s 50-over competition, the Ford Trophy, which ran throughout January in the 2015-16 season.The changes to the county schedule for next year have also caught Broad’s eye, with the Royal London Cup set to be played in April and May, as a prelude to the Champions Trophy. He could even push for selection in the inaugural North v South series, to be played in the UAE next March.”I’m going to have to carefully plot how to do it and the schedule next year might massively work in my favour because I think the Royal London Cup is going to be played more in a chunk at the start of the season and I think the Twenty20 competition is played in a chunk too – whereas this year there’s no 50-over cricket for me to play to put my name in the hat. If I suddenly have a belting six weeks of 50-over cricket people might say, ‘Actually this bloke can bowl with the white ball. He has got a hundred-odd ODIs behind him and he could still be in the frame.'”England’s newly enlightened attitude to white-ball competition might be tested by Broad’s desire to keep pushing his case, rather than save himself for Tests. But, while England have moved on from a generation of ODI stalwarts such as Alastair Cook, Ian Bell and James Anderson, Broad is unwilling to view himself as a cricketing senior citizen, still keen to try and kick it with the kids in three years’ time.”I’m still only 29 but because I’ve played a lot of my cricket with Belly and Jimmy who are a bit older I sort of get put in that category,” he said. “A lot of people have played at World Cups at 32 and that’s certainly not an old age for a cricketer so I’ve got huge goals to be a part of that and have to pick some stuff to get involved in.”Stuart Broad tries his hand at making hoppers at a Taste of London event•EtihadHe did concede that the pace of change in the limited-overs formats had left him feeling “as if I hadn’t played in a long time” during his involvement in South Africa. The challenge seems to enthuse him, however, and the impression that Broad is chalking out new plans of attack, chewing on his pencil as contemplates the ideal level of torque on a slower ball, staying up late trying to concoct a new “slog-proof” delivery in the lab should indicate how serious he is about the endeavour.”I almost need a bit of a unique selling point in one-day cricket,” he said. “I can’t just be a regulation line-and-length bowler, I have to be something a bit different and whether that’s me going round the wicket and looking to improve my skills in that way, making the batsman think: ‘What’s he doing here?’ Not just to shut down one side but maybe changing the angle, maybe my legcutter from round the wicket would be hard to slog to the leg side. This is just me thinking aloud. There might be something I can find that batsmen will struggle with.”And while some would point to his rarefied form in Tests without limited-overs noodling to distract him, Broad prefers to look at his development – such as the “stark improvement” in his record to left-handers – and imagine how he can make similar strides with a white ball.”I don’t want to say not playing any white-ball cricket has helped my red-ball form because it weakens my argument but certainly it has given me time to improve on my red-ball performances and I did have improvements to make,” he said.”Now I need to develop my white-ball bowling as part of that improvement. For instance, I haven’t bowled round the wicket to left-handers with a white ball. I’ve had such success like that with the red ball that it might be something I have to look at.”I almost need to sit down with a pen and paper and say: ‘Right I want to play here, and this is the type of delivery I need to work at’ and hopefully we’ll be sat here next year and I’ll have some stats behind me. Then I can go to the selectors and say: ‘You told me you were picking the team on merit. Well there you go.'”Etihad Airways, a global partner of Taste Festivals, is the first ever official airline partner of the England cricket teams. Etihad Holidays will have a range of cricket tour packages for the upcoming England tours to Bangladesh and India: www.etihad.com