The three-time NCAA champion talks to Euan Crumley about breaking records and learning lessons as he aims to realise his global dream in Doha

It will all be different this time. Should Josh Kerr find himself on the Great Britain team for what would be his second world championships, there will be little trace of the youngster who made “rookie mistakes” and finished 11th in his 1500m heat in London two years ago. He will have instead been replaced by a more rounded individual – a more experienced athlete who is fully focused on what he wants to achieve and aware of what he needs to do to achieve it.

Judging by his performances so far this year, the 21-year-old from Edinburgh looks a sure bet for achieving the first goal of making that team for Doha – albeit that will in itself be a worthy accomplishment given the standard of opposition he will face at the British championships at the end of August.

Should all go to plan then the second, more substantial, target will come into view. Winning his first global medal.

Speak to those behind the scenes in the sport, particularly north of the border, and Kerr’s is a name which causes a ripple of excitement due to the clear potential he possesses.

The former European under-20 1500m champion has hardly gone unnoticed – three NCAA titles and a clutch of records underline his abilities – but, given that he does train and race on the other side of the Atlantic for much of the year his profile is perhaps not quite as high on these shores as some of his fellow British middle-distance colleagues.

That situation will surely change, however, should he continue in the vein of form with which he has begun the 2019 outdoor season.

Four races thus far have produced four personal bests. A first ever outing over 5000m last month brought a time of 13:28.66, “I do feel like I could have gone a lot faster but I’m not complaining”, while 1:46:06 last month represented a two-second improvement for 800m and he went faster still in California just a few days ago, clocking 1:45.35.

Then there’s the 1500m. On June 15, at the Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle, Kerr clocked 3:33.60 and promptly took over from Steve Cram as British under-23 record-holder.

“Yes, it was a really tough race and I had to work extremely hard to get to 3:33 but, give me perfect conditions, a better build-up and a time in the season when I know when I want to peak and I know I can run faster”

The really exciting thing, though? “There’s more there,” says Kerr, reflecting on his 1500m. “We’re not peaking right now. We worked hard for it but we’ve been doing tough races and a week previously I had run 1:46 for 800m. I was back in the UK for two to three weeks to sort out my (US) visa which was reasonably stressful and it wasn’t anywhere near perfect conditions.

“Yes, it was a really tough race and I had to work extremely hard to get to 3:33 but, give me perfect conditions, a better build-up and a time in the season when I know when I want to peak and I know I can run faster.”

Kerr is also aware that, to achieve his ultimate goal, he will indeed have to get quicker but he emits a quiet, calm confidence that suggests there’s no hurry just yet.

This is a man very much at ease and extremely happy with his lot in life right now. He admits it was a risk to turn professional last year and sign up with the Brooks Beasts team headed by Seattle-based coach Danny Mackey but it is one that is clearly paying off.

“It’s definitely a support system that’s easy to thrive in, put it that way,” he says.

Such is the quality of his set-up that Kerr has felt more than happy not to spend much of the summer travelling on the high-profile European circuit and instead do much of his early-season work on American shores.

A Diamond League debut will be made at some stage this summer, but Kerr crucially now knows what works for him and the importance of getting his preparations right was one of the key lessons he learned during that last world championships summer of 2017.

“For me and my old coach Joe Franklin it was such a learning experience,” he says. “The overall consensus was ‘we’re going to go there, we’re going to get super fit, make sure we’re injury-free and we’re going to be fine’.

“I ran really well at the trials (finishing second) and went to the (preparation) camp at Font Romeu. I was like a newcomer just not really knowing what he was doing.

“If you tell Mo Farah to go to some new camp he’s never been to before a world championships he’ll never do it because he knows what he’s doing, he knows what works for him and he tailors what works for him and makes sure British Athletics knows that.

“Font Romeu didn’t really work for me. I was living by myself a bit as a lot of my room-mates had moved out to go to the second camp but I decided to stay put as I work better at altitude.

“But I was on my own a lot and training on my own and it just didn’t work for me.

“It wasn’t British Athletics’ fault. I was a young at the time, I didn’t know what I wanted and the Font Romeu camp was the one that made most sense on paper for me, so I only had myself to blame. I didn’t speak up, I was kind of riding it out.”

He adds: “I was probably fit enough to run 3:33 in London but I got knocked out in the first round because I ran 3:47 (Elijah Manangoi won the heat in 3:45.93) but I couldn’t close in 51/52 seconds.

“That’s the kind of well-roundedness I’m going to need for the World Championships and the Olympics. I’m going to need more of an arsenal.

“These all sound like rookie mistakes but you need to iron out these creases in the first big one and I took a load of experiences from it. I know what works for me now.”

“The times can come and you need to run them to be competitive in the big championships but if you go out and run 3:30 but someone else has won a world medal, who’s more important?”

It is not just the support he receives from his team in America which is crucial to Kerr, however. His family, and their own sporting achievements, play a particularly inspirational part.

Dad John was a useful rugby player, winning international honours with Scotland A and the Scotland sevens side, however it is the career of brother Jake which Josh is quick to credit when asked about his sporting influences.

The Kerr siblings were both spotted by an Edinburgh AC coach as youngsters but Jake opted to pursue rugby. He now plays with Leicester Tigers and won his first cap for Scotland in this year’s Six Nations but his path to success has not been without its agonies.

“He has gone through some pretty terrible injuries over the last three or four years,” says Kerr, a clear sense of pride in his voice. “He had three big surgeries and the most depressing thing is that he worked out he was playing 13 minutes of rugby per injury or something ridiculous like that.

“So watching him get those surgeries, be positive about it, working hard at his rehab and ending up at an amazing place like Leicester Tigers just makes me appreciate being injury-free and being able to run on the track.

“There have been a number of times when he wanted to give up his rugby career, and he went to Loughborough University and thought ‘this is it for me’ but then Leicester Tigers approached him and he has signed a good contract with them.

“You never know what’s around the corner but if you work hard and continue to stay positive about things, even if life’s throwing stuff at you and giving you a bad hand, you just need to trust the process a bit and trust in your team. That’s what he did and now he’s in an amazing position and playing for an amazing club.

“He got his first cap for Scotland almost exactly a year after thinking he was going to have to give up, so what a turn of events it was.

“He works extremely hard and is a great inspiration for me. He still thinks he could beat me over 800m, even though he now weighs 250lbs or something like that!”

Kerr chuckles at the thought of that scenario but this sibling rivalry is clearly a healthy one. Just like his brother, he is driven by the thought of reaching the top. Dethroning Cram in the record books has been nice, of course, but it’s not top of the wish list.

“It was definitely a goal this year to take that under-23 record,” says Kerr. “I think it was well within my grasp and hopefully I can take some more off it but it’s much more important for me to have a good go at getting to my first world final and getting my first world medal is the big goal.

“The times can come and you need to run them to be competitive in the big championships but if you go out and run 3:30 but someone else has won a world medal, who’s more important?

“For me, being a big name and taking a medal away from the world championships is way more important than running faster than I have.”

Do that, and life will indeed become very different.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will meet at Wimbledon for the first time since the 2008 men's final when they face each other in the semi-finals on Friday. This feature was written last year to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of that incredible match.

John McEnroe describes it as "the greatest match ever played" and, 10 years on, the 2008 Wimbledon final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer remains the high point of a rivalry that continues to dominate tennis.

The final - played out over nearly seven hours because of rain delays - ended with a 22-year-old Nadal finally dethroning Federer, holding off a thrilling fightback from the five-time champion to win 6-4 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-7 (8-10) 9-7 as darkness descended on an enraptured Centre Court.

It was the last of three successive Wimbledon finals between two players who have won a combined 37 Grand Slam titles. They have not met at Wimbledon since but, incredibly, will go into this year's tournament ranked one and two in the world, having split the past six Slams between them.

Here, BBC Sport speaks to four people who witnessed an extraordinary occasion - seven-time Grand Slam champion McEnroe, who commentated on the match for NBC, umpire Pascal Maria, long-time Wimbledon locker-room attendant Doug Dickson, and Jonathan Overend - the BBC's tennis correspondent from 2003 to 2013.

This is how they saw "the greatest match".

'Nadal was edging closer but still Federer was the king'

On 6 July 2008 - the day of the match - Federer was a month short of his 27th birthday and had spent 231 consecutive weeks as world number one.

But Nadal was close to toppling him. Four weeks earlier, he destroyed Federer at Roland Garros - winning 6-1 6-3 6-0 for his fourth consecutive French Open title. Could the Swiss recover to take revenge on his favoured surface?

Federer had beaten Nadal in four sets in the 2006 Wimbledon final, and five sets 12 months later. Both men were playing for a slice of history - Nadal trying to become the first man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back to back since Bjorn Borg in 1980, Federer attempting to go ahead of Borg by winning a sixth consecutive Wimbledon.

It was also the last match played on Centre Court before a roof was installed, so the circumstances - with repeated rain interruptions, and a final finishing at twilight - are unlikely to be repeated.

Jonathan Overend: "Everybody was wondering whether this was going to be the day Federer's great Wimbledon reign came to an end. Nadal was edging closer but still Federer was the king. It was beautifully set up."

Doug Dickson: "Roger was his usual calm, collected self. If he was nervous, he did not show it. Rafa was also his usual self, a tiny bit on edge, which was due, I think, to the weather."

Rain delayed the scheduled 14:00 start by 35 minutes, and the first point set the tone - a superb 14-stroke rally with both players moving each other round the court until Nadal whipped a forehand down the line. The Spaniard broke serve first - in the third game. As he served for the set at 5-4, Federer created two break-back opportunities but they were fought off, the younger man getting the job done on his third set point.

'There was always that sense Federer would come back'

Federer came back firing in the second set, breaking Nadal's serve at the first opportunity by whipping a vicious cross-court forehand winner and establishing a 4-1 lead. But he could not capitalise and Nadal won five games in a row to go two sets to love up.

JO: "I remember how well Nadal was moving, how cleanly he was striking the ball, how well he was serving. In those first two sets Federer knew this was going to be his toughest Wimbledon final yet. But there was always that sense that Federer would come back. Even at two sets to love, I don't think anybody saw it as being over, simply because of Federer's experience on that court."

Federer had never faced a challenge on this scale in his previous Wimbledon finals. Dark clouds were gathering overhead as he failed to convert four further break points in the sixth game of the third set. At 3-3, Federer was down 0-40 but won five straight points. At 16:51, with Federer leading 5-4, the rain started falling and the players left the court.

DD: "During the first rain break, Roger went into the physio room and lay down on one of the beds. Rafa re-taped his fingers and had a mobile CD player plugged in."

Pascal Maria: "I went in an office and sat down and did not turn my phone on at all. I talked to different guys in there very quietly, not talking about the tennis, not talking about what could happen next or what did happen."

It was more than an hour before the rain relented and the covers came off. At 18:11, play resumed with the third set, and potentially the match, about to be decided. Three service holds took it into a tie-break. Federer seized the initiative with a couple of trademark fizzing forehands to go 5-2 up and closed out the set with an ace that was greeted with a huge roar from the crowd.

'The rain delay probably woke me up'

Federer, speaking in the Strokes of Genius documentary, said: "My problem was I had lost in the French Open final a month earlier against Rafa in a terrible way. He crushed me. So when I went into the Wimbledon final, I felt like, 'Oh my God, this is going to be really difficult.' I think it took me two sets to shake it off and I believe that rain delay probably woke me up. I said: 'If you're going to go out of this match, at least you're going to go down swinging.'"

The fourth set went with serve, with excitement levels rising the longer it went. Federer served to stay in the match at 4-5. At 0-30, he was again on the precipice but four straight points allowed him to escape and prompted chants of "Roger, Roger". It had been gripping enough but, with the time approaching 19:30, the match was about to go to another level in a tie-break of astonishing drama.

JO: That was just an unbelievable tie-break. The nature of the way we do the radio commentary is one of us does sets one, three and five. My colleague Alastair Eykyn did sets two and four. We have a little bench at the back of our commentary box which I was sitting on. I was absolutely transfixed. Of course, part of you is hoping you get a fifth set because you'll be the commentator for it but on the other hand you know you're watching a great final and potentially a new champion. Nadal was so close to finishing it there and all those emotions were going on. As well as being there working, you're there as a fan as well, thinking, 'this is too good'.

Nadal went 5-2 ahead with two serves to come. A first Wimbledon title was on his racquet but suddenly the Spaniard's left arm was gripped with tension, a double fault and netted backhand bringing the tie-break back on serve at 5-4. Federer had a set point at 6-5 but missed a forehand. Nadal had a championship point at 7-6 but couldn't do anything with a powerful Federer serve.

At 7-7, somehow, from way behind the baseline, Nadal whipped a forehand down the line that left the champion grasping at thin air. It was a staggering shot. He had a second championship point, this time on his serve, but it was Federer's turn to come up with breathtaking inspiration, a nerveless backhand down the line. In his BBC commentary, Andrew Castle said: "The two best passing shots of the tournament, without doubt, have just taken place on the last two points."

The next two points saw a Federer forehand winner and missed Nadal return The roars grew louder. It was two sets all.

John McEnroe: "What made the final so great was a combination of things. It was obviously the players, the magnitude of the situation, playing the Wimbledon final, and certainly the way it panned out. The battle that Roger was having with Rafa but also with himself, squandering the lead in the second set and getting way down and then having to pull out two sets in the tie-break."

JO: "If ever there was a tie-break to prove Federer's champion quality, it was that one. The greatest pull out their greatest shots when it really matters and that's what Federer did. That felt absolutely massive, him winning that tie-break."

PM: "Two incredible players playing an incredible match. You cannot be screaming or clapping but you can deeply enjoy it. I can remember a few points in that match and inside I was saying, 'wow, what a great shot' or 'what a great point'."

The match went into a final set but, as is Wimbledon tradition, this one would not be decided by a tie-break. Federer would have the advantage of serving first. Nadal had to clear his mind after failing to convert two championship points.

Nadal, speaking in Strokes of Genius said: "I could lose the final. But I wasn't going to fail. I'd be ready to compete till the end. Federer could win, but I wasn't going to lose."

'Nadal wasn't going anywhere'

JO: "All bets were off by that point. The momentum was with Federer because he'd won the fourth set. History was with Federer because he was the five-time champion, but there was still this unknown of what Nadal was going to offer in the decider. He had played so well to that point. Only a fool would have written him off. It was clear in the early games, even though Federer was serving first, that Nadal wasn't going anywhere."

At 19:53, with the decider poised at 2-2, deuce, the rain came again. The players went off and the covers came across. It looked like they would be coming back on Monday to finish it but it would prove a short interruption. Half an hour later, they resumed with, realistically, a maximum of an hour's playable light left. The quality and intensity would never drop, the two men throwing all they had at each other. It was heart-stopping stuff.

JM: "I was fortunate enough that people talked about my match with Bjorn in 1980 as one of the great matches. But I was watching the 2008 final and sitting back and saying to myself: 'This is the best match I've ever seen at Wimbledon.'

"Towards the end, I was virtually not saying anything in the commentary box. I thought what I was witnessing was so great and the players were rising to the occasion - anyone watching could tell it was going to be a match that people would talk about for generations to come. To me that's an easy gig when you're watching a match like that. When it is that good you sort of kick back and put your arms back."

The match moved into its fifth hour. At 4-4, Federer earned a break point but Nadal saved it with a big forehand and follow-up smash. "Roger, Roger" and "Rafa, Rafa" were ringing out simultaneously. At 5-5, Nadal got to 15-40 on the Federer serve but the Swiss repelled him. The light was fading fast. With the clock having ticked past 21:00, Nadal won a thrilling point to hold for 7-7 - Federer somehow flicked a ferocious Nadal smash onto the baseline but the Spaniard put away a forehand and, with adrenaline coursing through his body, celebrated with a huge fist-pump. Would they have to stop there?

DD: I was sent out about 21:10 for the Charlie Pasarell-Pancho Gonzales match in 1969 (the second-longest singles match in Wimbledon history) and you could hardly see the white balls. The supervisor could not believe they were still playing. It was the same that day. I went down about 21:00 and thought 'they have to call this soon'.

JO: "I always think television gives a false impression because of the filters. You had to be there to appreciate how dark it was in those final games. When it got to 7-7 it was absolutely obvious there were two more games left. They wanted to bring them off at a level score. It would have been unfair to call them back with one person serving for the match or serving to stay in the match."

PM: "Obviously it was getting dark and the Hawk-Eye went off because of the darkness. Neither of the players mentioned it before the match ended. I think the players were so much into it that they did not even realise. We agreed with the referee, Andrew Jarrett, that we would have to stop the match at 8-8."

Federer finally faltered when serving at 7-7. Although he saved three break points in that game, he couldn't stave off a fourth as a forehand floated long and Nadal had the decisive break. After the change of ends, Nadal came out to serve for the championship in what was going to be the final game of the day whatever happened. He brought up a third championship point but Federer raged against the dying of the light, firing a backhand return that Nadal could barely get a racquet on. It was to prove his last salvo - two points later he sent a forehand into the net and Nadal collapsed onto the grass in celebration. Finally, after four hours and 48 minutes of compelling theatre, Wimbledon had a new champion.

JM: "To me, it was the greatest match I'd ever watched, the greatest match ever played anywhere."

JO: "It was like nothing we've seen before. There have been some great Wimbledon finals, but it was the intensity I remember from that final that really stays with me. The ability of these two men to bring out the big shots when it really mattered."

DD: "Most winners have beer and Champagne. Rafa, his uncle Toni and physio Rafael Maymo had ice cream - that's how they celebrated."

JO: "It was 10pm by the time we went behind the scenes for the press conferences and the interviews. I remember getting changed into my dinner jacket in a toilet at Wimbledon so by the time I interviewed Nadal, I could be hot-footing it to central London to get to the champions' dinner. In true old-school, pre-war BBC tradition I interviewed the champion, Nadal, in a bow tie."

PM: "I was super concentrated over hours so I couldn't get some sleep before 4-5am. Then I had to wake up really early to catch a plane. It was a tough Monday. But how lucky I am to be the official of that match? It's great that nobody remembers me in a way, but being part of this match, and having the best seat in the stadium, is just something unforgettable."

Additional reporting from Russell Fuller and Jonathan Jurejko

Manchester United have confirmed a member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's backroom has been taken to hospital during the preseason tour of Australia.

A member of the travelling party was taken to Royal Perth Hospital on Thursday night on the advice of United's club doctor, Steve McNally.

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A statement issued by the club on Friday read: "A member of our backroom staff was taken ill overnight and has been sent to hospital by our club doctor for further treatment.

"We request that medical confidentiality is respected."

Royal Perth Hospital declined to comment when contacted by ESPN FC.

United held an open training session at the WACA cricket ground on Thursday evening and are due to play Perth Glory on their first preseason game on Saturday.

The European transfer window is open. Click here to review all the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the latest gossip below.

Top free agents in 2020 | What do Europe's elite need

TOP STORY: Pep eyes Alves reunion at City

Pep Guardiola is considering bringing former Barcelona star Dani Alves to Manchester City this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Guardiola signed Alves from Sevilla in 2008, and over the course of four seasons they won 14 trophies together at the Camp Nou including two Champions Leagues and three Spanish league titles.

Veteran right-back Alves is a free agent, having ended his two-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain. The 36-year-old made 36 appearances last season, including all six of Brazil's games in their run to Copa America glory on home soil this summer.

The Mail reports that Guardiola is considering signing Alves if the defender's fellow Brazilian, Danilo, leaves the club this summer. The 27-year-old Danilo has been linked with interest from Inter Milan and Juventus, another of Alves' former clubs.

Alves considered joining City in 2017, before opting to join PSG. However, he said in an interview later that year: "I don't hide my admiration for Pep and my will to play in the Premier League in the future."

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LIVE BLOG

11.02 BST: Borussia Dortmund outcast Jeremy Toljan, 24, has completed his loan move to Serie A side Sassuolo Calcio.

The defender, who spent the first half of 2019 at Celtic, joins on a one-year loan with a view to a permanent transfer, according to reports in Germany.

Meanwhile, attacker Maximilian Philipp, 25, is nearing his transfer to Wolfsburg following a difficult spell at Dortmund.

Borussia are holding out for a fee in the region of €18m, Bild reckons.

10.38 BST: Napoli striker Dries Mertens has been seen arguing with his wife, Katrin Kerkhofs, on a beach as she wants to return to Belgium to pursue a career in showbiz, according to Corriere dello Sport.

The 32-year-old forward reportedly wants to stay in Naples, but his wife would like to return to Belgium to pursue her budding entertainment career.

Kerkhofs finished second on Belgium's Dancing with the Stars in 2018, going on to present the show the following series.

10.25 BST: Manchester United Women have completed the signing of goalkeeper Mary Earps from German side VfL Wolfsburg, the club announced in a statement.

"Something special is happening at the club and I'm excited to become a part of that," Earps said. "I feel like this is the perfect place for me to reach the next level in my career."

The 26-year-old England international recently returned from the Women's World Cup in France. She has had spells at several Women's Super League sides in recent years, including Reading, Bristol and Birmingham.

09.51 BST: Manchester United may be forced to end their pursuit of Sean Longstaff after Newcastle slapped a £50m price tag on the midfielder, sources have told ESPN FC.

United value the 21-year-old, who has made just nine Premier League appearances, at between £18m to £20m but Newcastle are asking for more than double.

Sources have told ESPN FC that chief negotiator Matt Judge, head of corporate development, spoke to Newcastle managing director Lee Charnley over the weekend but a formal bid was not submitted because the two clubs are so far apart.

Newcastle, according to sources, are using the £50m paid to Crystal Palace for Aaron Wan-Bissaka as a barometer for their valuation, a stance that has stunned United chiefs considering Longstaff's lack of experience.

09.26 BST: Kashima Antlers have agreed a deal to sell forward Hiroki Abe to Barcelona, the Japanese club have announced.

The deal, reported to be worth around €2m, is subject to the 20-year-old, who made his international debut for Japan in the Copa America last month, agreeing personal terms and passing a medical in Spain.

It has been reported in Japan that the contract will last for three years with the possibility of a two-year extension. Abe, a versatile attacker who can play on the left, right or in a central role behind the main striker, is expected to start his European career in Barcelona's 'B' team.

It has been a busy transfer window for Japanese talent heading to Europe. Abe's move to Barcelona comes almost a month after the Catalan side missed out on Japanese teen Takefusa Kubo. The former Barca youth player was snapped up by Real Madrid upon reaching his 18th birthday. Earlier in July, Japan international winger Shoya Nakajima joined FC Porto on a five-year deal.

09.00 BST: The father and agent of Valencia striker Rodrigo has not ruled out his son joining Napoli but says that a deal can only be reached if the two clubs are in agreement. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis revealed on Thursday his club was keen to sign Rodrigo but that the player does not want to leave Spain.

Asked about De Laurentiis' comments, Adelberto Machado told Calciomercato: "De Laurentiis comments? Any big club like the azzurro would be a good destination for Rodrigo, who is tied to Valencia. The clubs have to reach an agreement and for the time being, there are no developments. I will only comment once a deal is completed."

Rodrigo has a contract with Valencia that runs until June 2022 and has a €120m release clause. The Spain international scored eight goals and set up six more in 33 league appearances to help Valencia finish fourth in La Liga last season.

Napoli are looking to strengthen their attack and are in negotiations with Real Madrid to sign Colombia winger James Rodriguez.

08.32 BST: Arturo Vidal says his future is at Barcelona amid reports that Inter Milan have rekindled their interest in signing the Chile international.

The Barcelona midfielder is on holiday in his country after competing with Chile at the Copa America. Vidal, 32, was a target of Inter last summer before Barcelona acquired him from Bayern Munich by paying in the region of €20m.

Speaking to the local media, Vidal said as reported in El Grafico: "Right now I'm only thinking about my holidays but my future is with Barcelona, I have two years left on my contract with the club."

Vidal scored three goals and set up seven more in 33 league appearances for the Spanish champions last season, 11 as a starter.

08.00 BST: Argentina international Nicolas Tagliafico has committed to stay at Ajax having been rewarded for his contribution to their excellent Champions League run last season, a source close to player has told ESPN FC.

Left-back Tagliafico, 26, scored three times in the 2018/19 UCL group stages, then helped Ajax stun Madrid and Juventus before they were edged out in the semifinals by Tottenham, leading to confirmed interest from clubs including Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal.

However, a source has now told ESPN FC that Tagliafico will not be looking to move on this summer, having been rewarded with a new contract by Ajax, and being happy that other key players like Dusan Tadic have decided to stay as well.

PAPER TALK (by Richard Edwards): Roma emerge as Alderweireld suitor

With just a year remaining on his contract and a €25m buyout clause, Toby Alderweireld has been an intriguing protagonist in this transfer window. The Tottenham centre-back has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Juventus in recent months, yet he remains in North London.

Calciomercato, however, reports that there is a new suitor: Roma. The Italian outlet writes that the Giallorossi have already met with the agent of the Belgium international, offering his client an annual salary of €3.5m plus bonuses.

There could be a complication, however. Despite Alderweireld having that relatively affordable €25m release clause, Roma seek to negotiate that number down to something closer to €17m -- at the age of 30, Alderweireld will soon have little resale value, making any funds saved on his fee vital.

PSG eyeing sizeable bid for Everton's Gueye

Paris Saint-Germain look set to test Everton's determination to keep hold of Idrissa Gueye, with the French champions ready to table a bid of £27 million for the player.

That's according to L'Equipe, with the French publication adamant that PSG won't give up in their interest in a player they first started chasing back in the winter transfer window.

The Senegalese player is reportedly keen on a move to Paris and PSG boss Thomas Tuchel has made no secret of his desire to make the strengthening of the club's midfield an immediate priority as they target progress in the Champions League, on top of fresh domestic silverware next season.

The player is currently under contract at Goodison Park until 2022 and Everton have made it clear that they're under no particular pressure to sell him. Gueye, meanwhile, might have other ideas, particularly given his performances in the African Nations Cup, with Senegal already safely in the last four.

Mariano adamant on staying at Madrid

Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz wants to remain at the Bernabeu despite interest from teams all across Europe, according to AS.

He's already been connected to Italian teams, with Inter Milan and Roma inquiring about him during the summer window. Tottenham Hotspur also were unsuccessful in convincing Mariano to jump ship.

Nonetheless, the Dominican-born Spain international is focused on remaining on Zinedine Zidane's good side and fighting for a more prominent role this season.

Tap-ins

- Bournemouth are prepared to let Ryan Fraser go on a free transfer next summer than sell him this season, according to the Express. The Cherries see him as an important part of the upcoming campaign and rather keep him for the fight. Arsenal have their eyes on the Scotland international, who is on his final year of his current deal.

- As Bayern Munich grow frustrated over the lack of progress made in their chase for Manchester City winger Leroy Sane, they've turned their attention to PSV starlet Steven Bergwijn, according to the Express, which adds that the player's agent has said that "[Bayern] can take all the time they need" to tie up a deal for the 21-year-old Netherlands international.

Shane Getkate was "quite calm" when he scored the winning runs for Ireland on his ODI debut, against Zimbabwe on July 1. That calmness doesn't come as a surprise: the 27-year-old allrounder spent most of his teenage years trying to calm himself down whenever he felt his heart beating faster than normal.

Getkate was born with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a condition that can lead to periods of rapid heart rate. Eight years ago, in 2011, when Getkate was playing a two-day Under-19 game for Warwickshire against a Cheshire Development Squad in Solihull, he felt his heartbeat increasing after he completed his bowling spell.

"I had that problem since I was born," Getkate told ESPNcricinfo. "But it was never much of an issue. Whenever my heart got racing, I would come off the field and put an ice pack on my neck to slow my heart rate down."

The only difference was that day it didn't work.

"It was a hot day in Birmingham. I bowled some five-six overs and came off the field. Sat next to my coach with an ice pack on my neck, and the next minute I collapsed.

"It happened on Tuesday, and I woke up two days later, on Thursday. I remember coming off not feeling great but I don't really have any memory of what happened after that. [When I regained consciousness] my parents were there and they told me what had happened."

Getkate had suffered a heart attack. After he collapsed, a player's mother performed CPR before the paramedics used defibrillators to give him an electric shock. Soon, an air ambulance was at the ground to take him to the nearest hospital.

He spent two weeks in that hospital, before doctors told him he would struggle to play cricket again.

"That was obviously very hard to take. So I went to another hospital and they performed the surgery. There was an extra pathway in my heart that was making it go very fast. They were able to rectify that problem and they burnt the pathway away. And I was back playing cricket within two weeks.

"The surgery helped massively, it took away the problem. But it did take a couple of years to get the confidence back, to just trust my body and to trust it won't happen again. I had a couple of check-ups for probably about one or two years after it happened, up until I was maybe 20-21. Since then, touch wood, I haven't had any issues."

A great moment as captain @stirlo90 hands @ShaneGetkate his debut cap. #BackingGreen pic.twitter.com/ogeMuDT3DJ

— Cricket Ireland (@Irelandcricket) February 13, 2019

Born to a South African father and an Irish mother, Getkate spent the first 11 years of his life in Durban, where he grew up watching Shaun Pollock. Later when Getkate's family moved to Ireland, players like John Mooney, Nigel Jones and Trent Johnston became his inspirations. Watching Ireland beat Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup and England in the 2011 World Cup only pushed the dream to play for Ireland further.

During his age-group days, Getkate was "a fast bowler who didn't really bat". But two stress fractures - at the ages of 16 and 22 - resulted in the loss of pace. During that time, Getkate worked on his batting and transformed himself into a big-hitter who bowled military medium.

Getkate's hard work and perseverance finally paid off and he made his T20I debut against Oman in February. And it was Paul Stirling, once his age-group teammate, who presented him his T20I cap.

"That was a great feeling," Getkate says, of receiving the cap from his old friend. "I have played with Paul since I was 11. He used to open the batting for Under-13s [when we played together] and this time he was the captain."

On his ODI debut, Getkate took two wickets and scored an unbeaten 16 to see Ireland home. When asked if his heart was racing after he scored the winning runs, Getkate says: "I was actually quite calm at the time. It helped that I got a couple of wickets in the first innings and when it was my turn to bat, I was less nervous. Maybe if it was the other way round, I would have been a bit more nervous batting."

He picked up two wickets each in the next two ODIs as Ireland swept the series against Zimbabwe 3-0, and is also part of the T20I squad for the ongoing series. But Getkate's ultimate goal remains representing Ireland in Test cricket.

"Yeah, that is a dream, playing Test cricket, to top it all off," Getkate says. "That's something I am working towards, but at the same time trying to take one day at a time and keep doing well in the first-class structure with Northern Knights."

Over the years, Getkate has faced enough setbacks, and he is aware there might be more in future, too.

"[I am] just trying to be as grateful as I can. Obviously, you can get really frustrated when you are not doing too well for Ireland or whoever you are playing for. But through those tough times, you can put things into perspective really. I look back to that day eight years ago, and I remember the support and how lucky I am to be alive, so there is definitely more to life than cricket."

Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has revealed that on the day he announced his international retirement, in May 2018, he was asked privately by a person from within the Cricket South Africa set-up whether "the door was still open" for him to play the World Cup. De Villiers said yes then, but insisted that he did not push for late inclusion when he contacted Faf du Plessis shortly before the squad was named.

De Villiers did not want to name the person who had asked him whether he was available for the World Cup, but said that was what prompted him to "casually" talk with du Plessis, the South Africa captain, during the IPL and repeat that he was available for World Cup selection but "only if required".

That conversation, as revealed by ESPNcricinfo in June, happened just days before South Africa's World Cup squad was going to be picked. Linda Zondi, chairman of the South Africa selection panel, said that de Villiers' "desire" to be included in the squad came as a "shock" to not just him but du Plessis and Ottis Gibson, the South Africa coach.

However, de Villiers has now said he never wished to "force his way" into the squad. "On the day of my [retirement] announcement, I was privately asked whether 'the door was still open' for me to play in the World Cup," de Villiers said in a statement, seen by ESPNcricinfo. "I was asked. I did not offer. I quickly replied 'Yes'. With hindsight, maybe I should have just said no, but my natural instinct has always been to find a way to oblige whenever possible.

"During the weeks and months that followed, there was no formal contact between Cricket South Africa or the Proteas and me. I didn't call them, and they didn't call me. I had made my decision and the Proteas moved on, enjoying success under the expert guidance of coach Ottis Gibson and the outstanding captaincy of Faf du Plessis.

"Faf and I have been friends since we were at school together and, two days before the World Cup squad was announced, I contacted him for a chat. I had been in decent form during the Indian Premier League and casually repeated what I had said when asked a year earlier, that I was available if required... but only if required.

"I made absolutely no demands at all. I certainly did not try to force my way into the World Cup squad on the eve of the tournament, and did not expect to be included. There was no burning issue from my side, and no sense of injustice."

According to de Villiers, the reason he did not speak out immediately after the news broke was that he did not want to distract South Africa's faltering World Cup campaign. Many fans, former cricketers and media were critical of de Villiers' move with some saying he was not entitled to make such a late approach just because he was a South African great.

De Villiers said that he was making the statement now because of the criticism that followed. "I continue to be asked to comment on the disclosure, and distortion, of a private conversation that took place just before the squad was announced and, for the benefit of anyone who may have felt let down, would like to explain what happened.

"First, I announced my retirement from international cricket in May 2018 because I wanted to reduce my workload and spend more time with my wife and young sons. Some have insisted I was motivated purely by money. They are wrong. In truth, I have turned down many lucrative offers to play around the world, and have cut the time spent away from home each year from eight months to just over three months."

De Villiers stressed his conscience was clear and he had retired for "honest" reasons. "Then, out of the blue, on the evening after the Proteas lost to India, suffering a third successive World Cup defeat, elements of our private conversation were disclosed to the media, and distorted to cast me in the worst possible light.

"The story was not leaked by me, or anybody associated with me, or by Faf. Maybe someone wanted to deflect criticism. I don't know.

"As a result, I was unfairly described as arrogant, selfish and indecisive but, with all humility, my conscience is clear. I retired for honest reasons and, when asked if I could be available for the World Cup, agreed to keep the door open. In the event, understandably, the team moved on. No problem. I am not angry with anybody."

Despite what he called an "unpleasant and unnecessary saga", de Villiers said he would always continue to support South African cricket. "Now, at this stage of my life, I would like to continue spending time with my family and to play in selected T20 tournaments in SA and around the world.

"I have been massively proud to have played for, and indeed captain, my country on the cricket field. My relationships with the Protea players remain as strong as ever, and I will always be available to support and assist the next generation.

"Lastly, in stating my side of this unpleasant and unnecessary saga, I want to stress my continuing support for the team and the game that has shaped my life and provided me with so many lasting friendships and incredible opportunities."

Trevor Bayliss has reminded the England team they "have not won anything yet", in spite of the euphoria surrounding their crushing semi-final victory over Australia.

Although Bayliss admitted England's eight-wicket victory at Edgbaston was "extra special", he was keen to keep his squad's feet on the floor and their eyes focused on the prize. So the team had "a good chat" in the dressing room after the game on Thursday and were reminded there is "one big match to go".

"We can't listen to the outside noise whether it's good or bad," Bayliss told the BBC. "We've still got a job to do and one big match to go.

"We had a chat in the changing room after the game and realised we have not won anything yet. There is going to be a lot of noise around 'you guys are the favourites' but we can't listen to any of that.

"We have just got to concentrate on the way we have gone about our cricket over the past four years and what has got us to this point. We have to go through our process. If we do that, we know we will play good cricket and the opposition will have to play even better to beat us.

"We're full of confidence, but we're not too over the top. Four years ago, after the last World Cup which was not good for England, we set out with plans to hopefully win the 2019 edition. It feels great that now we have a chance to fulfil those dreams."

Watch on Hotstar (India only): Highlights of England's eight-wicket win over Australia

England will go into the final - their first World Cup final since 1992 - as favourites, having defeated New Zealand by 119 runs in the group stages of the competition. But New Zealand were also finalists in the 2015 tournament, during which they thumped England by eight wickets in one of the most crushingly one-sided World Cup contests of all time.

With that in mind, Bayliss remains respectful of a side that contains the likes of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Trent Boult and feels the match is a "50-50" encounter.

"New Zealand have proved they're a very good team," Bayliss said. "Anyone can win the final. On the day it's a 50-50 call."

Bayliss also welcomed the decision to show Sunday's final on free-to-air television - Channel 4 will share Sky's feed from 9am on the morning of the match - with England's coach suggesting it was a chance to "influence another generation of young cricketers".

"It's a fantastic gesture from Sky," he said. "Any more fans we can get watching the game is fantastic for our sport. This provides an opportunity for more people to win the World Cup and that means we have the chance in England to influence another generation of young cricketers. That's great."

The England squad travel from Birmingham to London on Friday and will have a light training session on Saturday morning.

SPARTA, Ky. – Brett Moffitt had his third NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series win of the year in his sights, but came up a lap and a half short on fuel Thursday night at Kentucky Speedway.

The defending Truck Series champion appeared to have a winning truck – and strategy – for much of the final stage of the Buckle Up In Your Truck 225, taking the top spot when leader Tyler Ankrum pitted for the last time with 41 to go and cycling back to the front of the field after pit stops concluded on lap 125.

However, after only taking one can of fuel as a time-saver on his final trip down for service, what Moffitt and his GMS Racing crew didn’t count on was not having enough juice to make it to the checkered flag.

Crew chief Jerry Baxter radioed to Moffitt inside of 20 to go that he was two laps short on fuel to get to the finish. With an eight-second lead at that point, Moffitt began slowing his pace drastically.

Ankrum cut a half-lap deficit down to five seconds with five to go before Moffitt finally picked up the pace again, but it ultimately wasn’t enough. Coming toward the white flag, Moffitt’s fuel tank ran dry.

At that point, Ankrum raced by in a blue blur, and Moffitt’s chances at victory were dashed.

The Grimes, Iowa native ultimately finished seventh as the final driver on the lead lap after getting a splash-and-go stop after the white flag, but didn’t hang his head too far after climbing from his truck.

“I was just backing up as much as I could, but it wasn’t quite enough to make it,” said Moffitt. “It sucks to lose a race like that, but everyone on this team did a great job. … We had a really good truck tonight and (Jerry Baxter) called a great race. We were just a lap short. It’s tough; it’s definitely a bummer.”

Moffitt, who led 35 of the final 41 laps, wasn’t out in front during either of the first two stages and admitted afterward that he’s not mastered the art of leading a race and still conserving fuel.

“I’ve never really fuel-mileage raced,” said Moffitt. “I was trying to slow up my lap times based on what the crew was telling me and trying to draft off of other trucks, but we knew the 17 (Ankrum) was coming pretty fast.

“I don’t think I could have saved another lap,” he added. “I was basically riding down the straightaways at 30 to 50 percent throttle. That was about all she had.”

As bitter a pill as Thursday night’s race was to swallow, Moffitt doesn’t plan to dwell on his defeat for very long. He’s turning his focus quickly to the next Truck Series race on July 27 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.

“We just have to keep moving forward and go on to the next one,” said Moffitt. “That’s all we can do.”

India A 190 (Iyer 77, Vihari 34, Chase 4-19, Akeem 3-43) beat West Indies A 125 (Carter 41*, Powell 41, Khaleel 3-16, Axar 2-16) by 65 runs

With India's middle-order problems in the spotlight following their World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand, and the senior team's tour of West Indies on the horizon, Shreyas Iyer made an early case for himself, with a match-defining 77 that helped India A beat West Indies A by 65 runs in the first 50-over match between the two sides in Coolidge.

His enterprising 107-ball knock anchored India A's total of 190 after an early stutter had seen them reduced to 22 for 3. India's decision to bat backfired as the visitors lost openers Ruturaj Gaekwad and Shubman Gill, and captain Manish Pandey inside eight overs. Faced with a challenging repair job, Iyer strung a 95-run stand with No. 5 batsman Hanuma Vihari, who struck three fours in his 63-ball 34.

Once that partnership was broken, with Vihari's dismissal in the 31st over, the rest of the batting order slumped. Iyer's 107-ball knock, studded with eight fours and a six, was ended by a run-out by Rovman Powell, while West Indies A captain Roston Chase's offspin wiped out the lower order, fetching him figures of 4 for 19 off only 6.5 overs. Fast bowler Akeem Jordan had returns of 3 for 23, including the wickets of Gaikwad and Pandey, as India were bowled out in 48.5 overs.

West Indies A's chase was in trouble by the tenth over, with their top order decimated by quick bowlers Khaleel Ahmed and Deepak Chahar. Khaleel took three of the first four wickets to leave the hosts reeling at 30 for 4. The only resistance from West Indies A came from Jonathan Carter and Powell, who both struck 41 apiece and shared a fifth-wicket stand of 65. Carter played an anchor's role, remaining unbeaten off 98 balls but once Powell was dismissed, West Indies A lost their next five wickets for 29 runs.

All five India A bowlers picked at least a wicket each. Khaleel ended with returns of 3 for 16, while spinners Rahul Chahar, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel took two wickets each. The next List A match between the two sides will be played on July 14.