Jofra Archer vs Steve Smith Part II. David Warner attempting to decipher Stuart Broad. Ben Stokes being Ben Stokes.
So long as the wet weather stays away, there will be plenty to whet the appetite in the vital fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, starting on Wednesday.
It is not just the headline acts, though, who will be under the scanner as England and Australia wrestle for the urn.
Jack Leach – bowler
There are probably worse things to be remembered for than being one half of one of the most celebrated partnerships in English cricket history.
And Jack Leach has a top score of 92 to his name in Test cricket, too.
Which is a decent return for someone who was once so fearful of the prospect of batting in county cricket he used to be on the point of vomiting before taking the field.
But the man himself pointed out this week that he is unlikely to have a lengthy England career if conversation only ever centres on his batting, rather than the actual suit he is selected for.
So far this Ashes, the left-arm spinner has five wickets at an average of 20.4, and a serviceable economy rate of 2.64.
Given England’s main weapons are their fast bowlers, they will be perfectly happy with the job being done by their spinner at present.
The good news for Leach is that Old Trafford traditionally assists bowlers of his type, so maybe he will earn some plaudits for his work with the ball this time around.
Overton, not Curran
England opted not to invoke the wisdom of crowds when selecting their XI for this Test.
And they certainly did not look to social media for consensus when surprisingly opting to switch Chris Woakes out of the XI, and bring in Craig Overton instead.
The general response to which was: have you guys forgotten about Sam Curran?
The left-handed all-rounder was a revelation as England beat India in his debut season last year, yet has been a frustrated onlooker in their golden summer of 2019 so far.
It seems odd that Overton went from out of the squad completely, to leapfrogging Curran and going straight into the XI for the Old Trafford Test.
Overton has a solid body of work in county cricket this season to back up his case, though.
And who was the first of the seven victims he has managed in his three match Test career to date? A certain Steve Smith.
Khawaja knocked out
Back in October in Dubai, Usman Khawaja hit a century that was widely described as one of the greatest of its type for Australia. A backs-to-the-wall 141 that propped up the Australian innings as they batted out 139.5 overs to save the Test match against Pakistan.
And now? Possibly on the scrapheap. Or, at the very least, reeling from the Dreaded Vote of Confidence from captain Tim Paine, after he was dropped for Old Trafford.
“He's still got a lot of cricket left in him,” Paine said of Khawaja. “He’s had a very good Test record over his career, and we expect he will bounce back pretty strongly.”
It figures that Marnus Labuschagne should keep his place in the Australian middle-order, given his excellence as locum for Smith, who is now ready to return.
Where that leaves Khawaja’s future, only time will tell.
Tim feeling the pain
Paine casting judgment over Khawaja’s future is understandable. As the team captain, he does a mandatory press conference ahead of each game, and it stands to reason he would be asked about an important selection decision like that.
But in the build up to this game, some were pondering whether Khawaja might even be the best placed man to take the armband from Paine himself.
The wicketkeeper batsmen is already in bonus territory when it comes to his international career. He had all but given up on a recall before Sandpapergate tore apart Australian cricket last year.
Is he really worth his place in the side now? Just 77 runs at 12.83 in the series so far, and, for all the nice things he says off the field, he has made some glaring tactical faults on it.
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
SHALASH%20THE%20IRAQI
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Shalash%3Cbr%3ETranslator%3A%20Luke%20Leafgren%3Cbr%3EPages%3A%20352%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20And%20Other%20Stories%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
TYPES%20OF%20ONLINE%20GIG%20WORK
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDesign%2C%20multimedia%20and%20creative%20work%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELogo%20design%2C%20website%20design%2C%20visualisations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBusiness%20and%20professional%20management%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELegal%20or%20management%20consulting%2C%20architecture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBusiness%20and%20professional%20support%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EResearch%20support%2C%20proofreading%2C%20bookkeeping%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESales%20and%20marketing%20support%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESearch%20engine%20optimisation%2C%20social%20media%20marketing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EData%20entry%2C%20administrative%2C%20and%20clerical%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EData%20entry%20tasks%2C%20virtual%20assistants%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIT%2C%20software%20development%20and%20tech%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EData%20analyst%2C%20back-end%20or%20front-end%20developers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWriting%20and%20translation%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EContent%20writing%2C%20ghost%20writing%2C%20translation%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOnline%20microtasks%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EImage%20tagging%2C%20surveys%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20World%20Bank%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
