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Lots of Everton fans have been left gushing over some footage that has emerged of the site where their new stadium is going to be built.

As shared by the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, the footage shows an aerial view of Bramley-Moore Dock, and where the proposed East Stand, North Stand, South Stand and West Stand will be for the new ground.

It also shows the hydraulic towers and pump sets used for the construction of the stadium, which is now underway.

Just watching the footage made it all so very real for the Merseyside club supporters, as they look forward to going into a brand new home when the construction is finished.

Everton fans on Bramley-Moore Dock footage

These Toffees supporters were left gushing as the footage of Bramley-Moore Dock was shared by the club on Twitter, with one Blues fan even going as far as to claim that it was ‘fascinating’:

“Brilliant, keep these updates coming. This stadium’s really going to put us on the map”

Credit: @EfcSparky

“Fascinating. Love our view from the South Stand!”

Credit: @terrypeers

“Love this”

Credit: @matt1878

“Exciting times for our club”

Credit: @MattAko89

“Some fantastic city scape views. And the rendered stadium images are wonderous. Still an awful lot of work to realise this brilliant concept.”

Credit: @EFC_Wolfstein

“Phwoooooar”

Credit: @pete316

In other news, find out what club update has delighted Evertonians here!

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Flamengo e São Paulo se enfrentam neste domingo pela décima primeira rodada do Brasileirão, na Ilha do Urubu, e você pode escolher o melhor jogador de casa posição. Vote no duelo!

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Punido pela Conmebol, o Palmeiras não terá torcida visitante na ida das oitavas de final da Libertadores, dia 5, contra o Barcelona, no Equador. Diante disso, o clube em parceria com o Allianz Parque decidiu abrir sua arena para que os palmeirenses possam assistir ao confronto em um telão. A imagem terá qualidade de cinema e o evento será no anfiteatro do estádio.

Serão colocados ingressos à venda para quatro setores: Gol Norte, Pista, Deck e Premium Lounge. Apenas a última opção já tem inclusa comida e bebida, inclusive alcoólica. As entradas custam entre R$ 70 e R$ 250.

A venda começará na sexta, às 10h, pelo site do Avanti – os sócios-torcedores terão preferência até as 10h de sábado. A partir disto, o site da Futebol Card fará a comercialização para o público em geral. Os sócios que estiverem com as contas em dia terão desconto de 20% na aquisição do primeiro ingresso – cada torcedor poderá comprar até duas entradas. O desconto vale também para aqueles que fazem parte do Passaporte da WTorre.

Por conta dos problemas no jogo contra o Peñarol (URU), o Palmeiras por enquanto está punido com três jogos como visitante sem torcida. Assim, o time só estaria livre da pena em uma possível decisão da Libertadores. Na segunda, o clube teve uma audiência na Conmebol tentando diminuir o gancho e aguarda uma resposta, que pode sair na sexta.

Os valores dos ingressos são:
Gol Norte – R$ 70,00 [R$ 35,00 meia-entrada]
Pista – R$ 100,00 [R$ 50,00 meia-entrada]
Deck – R$ 120,00 [R$ 60,00 meia-entrada]
Premium Lounge – R$ 250,00 [R$ 125,00 meia-entrada]
*Não haverá assentos marcados e cada torcedor poderá comprar até 2 ingressos.
Obs.: o Premium Lounge é o único possui comida e bebida inclusas.

continua após a publicidade

لا تزال توابع الهزيمة التي نالها فريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي على يد نظيره بيراميدز، تضرب بصداها داخل أروقة القلعة الحمراء.

الأهلي خسر على يد مضيفه بيراميدز بثنائية نظيفة، في المباراة التي أقيمت مساء أمس السبت، ضمن منافسات الجولة 25 من عمر الدوري، لتزيد صعوبة مهمته في اللحاق بركب الصدارة.

طالع | بيراميدز: انتصرنا على الأهلي لأننا لعبنا بـ غِل

وعلم “بطولات” أن لجنة التخطيط بالأهلي ستعقد اجتماعًا خلال الساعات المقبلة مع ريكاردو سواريش المدير الفني للفريق.

ومن المنتظر أن يعقد الاجتماع بحضور محمود الخطيب رئيس النادي والمشرف على الكرة لبحث أسباب الخسارة من بيراميدز.

يذكر، أن الأهلي يستعد لمواجهة مرتقبة أمام الزمالك، يوم الخميس المقبل في مباراة نهائي كأس مصر للموسم المنقضي.

It wasn’t hysterical every time David Warner walked the streets, but it was A-list chaos at the airport and the team hotel

Peter English12-Jan-2009
David Warner is a tiny knight in shining armour © PA Photos
For a day Australia’s newest opener experienced life as a movie hero from Warner Bros instead of a member of the Warner family from Sydney’s Matraville. It wasn’t hysterical every time David walked the streets and he didn’t seem to get a marriage proposal – even 89 from 43 balls can’t get you a wife that easily in Brisbane – but it was A-list chaos at the airport and team hotel.In Melbourne he was swamped by cameras as he tried to leave the city where the night before he set up Australia’s 52-run Twenty20 victory over South Africa. After landing in Brisbane he was squeezed out a side door in an attempt to escape the attention that shadowed a 22-year-old who is still hoping to make his first-class debut for New South Wales. It was ideal work experience for life with the Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League, where he will head in April for more strange happenings in the game’s newest genre.Now Twenty20 seems to turn people mad outside the subcontinent as well. In the past 24 hours in Australia there have been three shark attacks, a cyclone and a Golden Globe for the late Heath Ledger in the Warner Bros movie The Dark Knight. And David Warner.He is part of the Warner Siblings group that grew up playing club cricket for Eastern Suburbs, and has beaten most of his brother Steve’s junior records. Warner is like the tiny knight who everyone feels like teasing until he lances you with a toothpick, which suddenly feels like a mace.On the opening night of the limited-overs season he graduated from fringe-festival talent to Twenty20 blockbuster with a boundary-breaking performance. He cleared more fences than Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet while heaving six sixes. There were two in a row from his first looks at Dale Steyn and then a monster strike over midwicket off Jacques Kallis that almost landed in the second tier of the grandstand. Russell Crowe can’t throw phones with power like that.At 170cm Warner is about the same height as Tom Cruise, without the need for high heels to push him closer to the sky. At the moment he is trying for both feet on the ground. It can’t be easy. Next week he will go back to New South Wales and aim to play his maiden Sheffield Shield game. Already this could be the best week of his life, or stage one in a major production. In two years he might be a forgotten one-off hero or own the top billing for the next generation. So much for a gentle integration into the national set-up.There was no time after the game for celebratory drinks, but Warner still looked dazed as he stood in the team hotel the following afternoon. He was unshaven and scruffy in the way normal 22-year-olds are when they have chosen a life outside the office. Replies were mumbled to a set of rapid-fire questions.Can you score on the offside as well as the legside?”
“If they’re going to plant a ball outside off, I prefer the ball there more than anything.”
Where do you get your power from?
“It’s all to do with timing. I’m a short bloke, so I try to crunch out some weights here and there.”
Has it been a whirwind?
“Massively, it’s still a dream, I haven’t woken up.”
Do you want to play Test cricket?
“It’s the ultimate goal. As a kid you grow up wanting a baggy green. The baggy blue [for New South Wales] has got to come first.”
Do you feel pigeon-holed as a Twenty20 player?
“In a way, yeah, time will tell. I might get a [Sheffield Shield] game this year, I might not.
A week ago he was jumping up and down in a pool after learning he had been picked for Australia and was considering asking his new team-mates for autographs. Over the past day a few of them have taken him aside to counsel him on his dramatic success, but none of the other guys had things happen to them this quickly. Even his idols Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne had to wait years for this sort of attention.The instant fame did not come with a full-time personal assistant and Warner had to leave the hotel to go and buy his own sushi – through the bag it seemed not to include egg whites and was light on the wasabi. When he placed the package on the carpet nobody tried to steal it to stick on eBay. He might not be so lucky if he backs up his Melbourne thrashing with more fireworks in Brisbane on Tuesday. The poor guy.

England require a revised target of 198 in 22 overs to beat India and pull themselves back to 1-3 in the seven-match series

The Bulletin by Andrew Miller23-Nov-2008
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Owais Shah hit a superb 72, but he fell at a crucial time as India took the series © AFP
Whether it’s a contest over 50 overs, 20 overs, or – as it turned out today – 22, India’s one-day cricketers are simply streets ahead of England’s. They duly claimed an unassailable 4-0 lead in the seven-game series thanks to a 19-run victory in a match that was rescued from a soggy grave by some valiant work from the Bangalore groundstaff.After nearly five hours of rain delays, the contest was minutes away from an abandonment when the umpires decreed that the conditions were fit for play, and as things turned out, their decision proved to be worthwhile. For eight hard-hitting overs, while Owais Shah and Andrew Flintoff were together at the crease, adding 82 for the fourth wicket, England put up the best fight they have shown all series. But in the final analysis, the unbridled flamboyance of India’s batsmen, coupled with the nerveless short-form skills that India’s bowlers have learnt from their time in the IPL, proved decisive.In every respect, India’s approach to the game was superior to that of their opponents. Virender Sehwag epitomised the difference in mindset – the bulk of his 69 from 57 balls came when he was batting with a view to lasting for 50 overs, but in the final analysis you would hardly be able to tell the difference. He started the match by belting James Anderson’s first ball over the covers for four, as India cruised a healthy 106 for 1 after 17 overs. Then, nearly seven hours later, he clobbered Samit Patel’s first ball of the resumption for six, as India reappeared to help themselves to 60 more runs in the remaining five overs of their reduced allocation.India’s ability to switch tempo at will was astonishing and, to England’s rigid mentality, unthinkable. Yuvraj Singh belted three more sixes to continue his extraordinary run of form with 25 not out from 11 balls, while both Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan – from the final ball of the innings – also launched the first balls they faced into the stands. Their final total of 166 for 4 was rightly adjusted under the Duckworth-Lewis method to an imposing target of 198, a prospect that looked stillborn when England began their chase.The contrast between Sehwag’s onslaught and the cautious dirge chosen by England’s openers was stark. Only 21 runs came from England’s first six Powerplay overs, and though Zaheer Khan, who finished with 2 for 20 from five overs, was exceptional – both for his own bowling and the way in which he guided his younger team-mates – England’s stifling orthodoxy was bewildering and self-defeating. Playing with a pendulum-straight bat, Ravi Bopara played out four dot balls in the first over, before being caught by a flying Ishant Sharma in the second, while Ian Bell managed a gravity defying seven runs in seven overs.With every straight-batted push that England produced, the run-rate leapt another notch or ten. Bell was eventually bowled for 12 while attempting a sweep against Harbhajan Singh, and though Kevin Pietersen clipped his first ball effortlessly through midwicket for four, he had arrived at the crease approximately eight overs too late. In his haste to make up for lost time, he inside-edged a massive swipe across the line, and was bowled for 5 by a gleeful Sharma.India’s dominance at this stage was so total that Yuvraj was able to burst out laughing after a blunder from Suresh Raina on the square leg rope gifted Shah an extra boundary. Slowly but surely, however, England found their feet. Shah brought up his half-century in flamboyant style – and from an unexpectedly brisk 35 deliveries – with a pull through midwicket off Sharma, then creamed a huge six into the stands with a fetched slog-sweep off Yuvraj. Flintoff, meanwhile, ran a clever four off an open-faced bat after noticing that third man was up in the circle, and then made Harbhajan pay for one full-toss too many by swiping him fiercely through cow corner.That single blow gave Flintoff the confidence he needed, because he followed up with arguably the biggest blow of the series so far, a gargantuan swipe that might have ended up in Chennai had it not rebounded off the top of the stadium roof. It meant that England had added 61 in five overs, at the required rate of two a ball, and for the first time in four matches they were matching India’s strokeplay shot for shot.Shah continued in the same vein, greeting Munaf Patel’s return with another flick into the midwicket stands to bring the requirement down to 73 runs from 43 balls. But back came Zaheer for the final Powerplay, and after conceding three runs from his first four balls, he beat Shah with a low full toss that flew off the leading edge to Sachin Tendulkar at point to end a fantastic innings of 72 from 48 balls. In the very next over, Flintoff drove a slower ball from Sharma to extra cover, and England’s two big guns had gone in the space of five balls.That was effectively that. Samit Patel drove his first ball through long-on for four as he and Collingwood kept England in contention until the penultimate over. But Zaheer, kept bowling full and fast, removed Patel via a butterfingered catch in the covers from Gambhir, and Munaf was given the honour of sealing the contest as he successfully defended the 27 runs England still needed in the final over. For the fourth match in a row, England had shown an improvement on their earlier efforts in the series, and yet the gulf between the sides appeared as wide as ever before. The prospect of a 7-0 clean sweep looms ever larger.

تحدث الروماني كوزمين كونترا المدرب السابق لنادي الاتحاد السعودي، عن رحيله عن الفريق، موضحًا أسباب عدم تتويج الفريق بلقب الدوري السعودي.

وكان نادي الاتحاد السعودي أعلن عن التعاقد مع المدرب البرتغالي نونو سانتو خلفًا للروماني كوزمين كونترا.

وقال كونترا في تصريحات لصحيفة “الرياضية”: “توقف المنافسات مرات عدة، لتخوض الفرق ست مواجهات فقط على مدى أربعة أشهر، قلبت الأمور رأسًا على عقب”.

وتابع: “وأدت إلى الإخفاق في تحقيق لقب دوري كأس محمد بن سلمان للمحترفين في الفترة الأخيرة، والاتحاد يملك مشجعين رائعين، يقفون خلفه دائمًا”.

وأردف: “جمهور الاتحاد في حالة حب مع الفريق، كنا نريد إسعادهم، لأنهم دائمًا خلفه، وكانوا يستحقون الاحتفال باللقب بعد 13 عامًا عجافًا، و حاولنا تقديم كل ما في وسعنا ليحدث هذا، لكن مع الأسف لم نستطع”.

وواصل: “ما زلت أشعر بالأمر وكأنه (ضربة على بطني)، لأنني لم أستطع أن أمنحهم الفرحة التي يستحقونها، والهلال والنصر لديهما ميزانية تفوق ميزانيتنا بثلاث مرات”.

وأضاف: “كما أن الهلال لديه أنصار كثيرون، يدعمونه ماديا، وأعتقد أنه في إمكانهم شراء أي لاعب في السعودية، بما في ذلك من الأندية المنافسة، لقد وقعوا مع اثنين من لاعبينا في الانتقالات الشتوية، يناير الماضي”.

طالع أيضًا.. اتحاد جدة يعلن أولى صفقاته الصيفية

وأوضح: “لاعبان جيدان للغاية، وجاء انتقالهما بعد أن انتصف الموسم، وهو ما جعل الأمور تختلف في النهاية”.

وعن قرار رحيله: “عقدنا اجتماعا قبل الجولة الأخيرة للدوري، واتفقنا على المضي قدمًا معًا، وقابلت أنمار الحائلي، رئيس النادي، ونائبه وأحمد كعكي، اللذين أكدا لي استمراري مع الاتحاد”.

وزاد: “لكن مع الأسف، قررا بعد المباراة الأخيرة عكس ذلك، وأنا مقتنع بأن التعامل معي لم يكن جيدًا، وسأتعلم من هذه التجربة، واتصلوا بمترجمي، وطلبوا منه إبلاغي شكرهم على عملي، وأنهم قرَّروا اختيار مدرب آخر، كان هذا بعد تعيين سانتو”.

وأكمل: “وكان هذا الاتصال الوحيد الذي تلقيته للأمانة، وألمني الأمر كثيرًا، حيث أن الرئيس ونائبه يتحدثا اللغة الإنجليزية وتوقعت مكالمة منهما على الأقل لإبلاغي القرار، وليس عن طريق مترجمي”.

وأكد: “شعرت بخيبة أمل من حقيقة أنه جرى تعيين مدرب آخر، فقد كان بيننا اتفاق، ومن وجهة نظري لا يمكن أن يتملَّصا منه بهذه الطريقة”.

واختتم: “عمومًا أشكر النادي على إتاحته الفرصة لي، وأتمنى التوفيق لسانتو في مهمته المقبلة، وأن يتوج عمله بحصد لقب الدوري”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Thomaz chegou ao São Paulo há poucos meses, mas saber que o clube nunca ganhou em Itaquera virou motivação. O meia avisa que, mais do que acabar com o tabu, a meta do time para o clássico deste domingo é não deixar o Corinthians desgarrar na liderança do Campeonato Brasileiro.

– Incomodar não nos incomoda. Na verdade, o tabu nos motiva ainda mais para chegar domingo e buscar os três pontos. Nunca vencemos lá. É um confronto direto no campeonato, um clássico. Vamos buscar fazer um grande jogo para conquistar os três pontos – disse o jogador, ciente de que, em seis clássicos na casa alvinegra, o Tricolor teve quatro derrotas e dois empates.

Atualmente, o Tricolor está a quatro pontos do arquirrival e ainda fora da zona de classificação para a Libertadores. A tática é se posicionar bem em campo para não dar espaço à velocidade adversária e colocar nas redes a chance que aparecerem.

– Primeiro, precisamos ter muito cuidado. Eles marcam muito bem atrás da linha bola. Precisamos de muita atenção com os contra-ataques deles, o ataque que é rápido e tem o Jô, que está fazendo muito gol. Não é dar a bola para eles, mas não dar espaços para eles penetrarem e, quando tivermos a bola, precisamos ser eficientes no ataque.

Na análise do meia, que passou pela categorias de base do Corinthians, apesar da eliminação na semifinal do Campeonato Paulista para o rival, o São Paulo mostrou condições de vencer no empate por 1 a 1, em Itaquera. E o ânimo pelo triunfo por 2 a 0 sobre o Vitória, nessa quinta-feira, será importante.

– Falamos muito disso no vestiário, de que precisávamos vencer para não abrirmos sete pontos do Corinthians. Foi importante vencer e agora é focar no clássico, precisamos vencer.Cada jogo é um jogo, se desenham diferentes situações. No último jogo lá, tivemos chance de sair vencedores. Temos um time muito bom para ir lá no domingo e alcançar a vitória.

Confira outros temas abordados por Thomaz nesta sexta-feira:

Passagem na base do Corinthians
É especial como todo clássico. Passei por lá nas categorias de base, mas, defendendo São Paulo, precisamos da vitória, é confronto direto. Vamos com tudo, não só pelo tabu, mas para buscar as primeiras colocações.

Pratto e Jô
Acho que são os melhores centroavantes do futebol brasileiro. O Pratto e Jô vivem grande momento, são artilheiros natos.

Desempenho melhor contra o Vitória
Contra a Ponte, eles marcaram bem e recebi muito a bola de costas. Contra o Vitória, o Rogério conversou para jogar de lado, de frente para o marcador, e facilitou.

12° jogador
Graças a Deus, Rogério me dá confiança em todos os jogos. Mas, jogando 10, 45 ou 90 minutos, entro para ajudar o São Paulo. Quero estar jogando, e quem decide quanto vou jogar é o Rogério. No tempo que ele colocar, preciso fazer o melhor.

Somar pontos fora
Estamos com bom aproveitamento em casa e não pontuamos fora, mas não fizemos maus jogos contra Cruzeiro e Ponte Preta. Falta encontrar o equilíbrio e somar pontos, o que é importante para ficar na parte de cima.

Vitória sofrida
É natural, quando equipe faz gol, a outra pressionar pelo empate. Eles pressionaram, mas soubemos suportar e definimos a partia no contra-ataque.

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MatériaMais Notícias

O Atlético-MG continua sem empolgar neste início de Campeonato Brasileiro. Nesta quarta-feira, no Independência, novo tropeço diante do Sport: 2 a 2. O Leão largou na frente com Osvaldo, tomou a virada ainda no primeiro tempo e buscou o empate na etapa final com Diego Souza. Fred e Felipe Santana marcaram para os donos da casa.

O resultado não foi bom para nenhum dos dois, que continuam colados na parte de baixo da tabela. O Galo está à beira da degola, na décima sexta posição com 10 pontos, enquanto que os pernambucanos abrem a zona do rebaixamento, com nove.

RelacionadasBrasileirãoBorja volta, desencanta e dá vitória ao Verdão contra o Atlético-GOBrasileirão21/06/2017BotafogoATUAÇÕES: Roger é o cara e Botafogo sai com grande vitóriaBotafogo21/06/2017FlamengoVocê decide: escale o Flamengo ideal para sequência da temporada. Vote!Flamengo21/06/2017

Em busca de recuperação, Galo e Sport vieram para o jogo precisando do resultado. Nos primeiros minutos, o jogo ficava mais parado do que com a bola rolando. Muitas faltas e pouco futebol por parte das duas equipes.

Na primeira boa chance que teve, o Sport chegou ao primeiro gol. Aos 16 minutos, André fez grande jogada pela esquerda e serviu Osvaldo. O camisa 10 girou, chutou, e a bola desviou em Felipe Santana, matando o goleiro Victor na jogada. A resposta do Galo não demorou. Cinco minutos depois do gol rubro-negro, Cazares cobrou falta na área e Felipe Santana cabeceou para dentro.

Depois, o jogo ficou mais aberto. O Atlético foi para cima, criando bem pelos lados do campo. Conseguiu a virada aos 39. Cazares foi carregando pela direita e cruzou na cabeça de Fred. O camisa 9 testou firme entre as pernas de Magrão e colocou o Galo à frente antes do intervalo.

Na segunda etapa, a equipe de Luxemburgo voltou mais ofensiva. Pressionava a saída atleticana e tentava chegar com perigo, mas tinha dificuldade em acertar o último passe. Aos 17 minutos, Diego Souza foi derrubado por Victor e o árbitro marcou pênalti. Ele mesmo foi para a cobrança e empatou o jogo no Horto.

O Galo sentiu o gol e passou a ser pressionado pelo Leão, que teve pelo menos duas chances claras de gol após empatar a partida. Roger Machado tentou aumentar o poder ofensivo da equipe ao colocar Otero no lugar de Elias, mas a mudança surtiu pouco efeito. Com o passar do tempo, o Sport passou a ficar satisfeito com o empate, e o Atlético não teve força para conseguir a vitória.

FICHA TÉCNICA
ATLÉTICO-MG 2 X 2 SPORT

Local: Arena Independênica, Belo Horizonte
Data-hora: 21/6/2017 – 21h45
Árbitro: Wilton Pereira Sampaio (FIFA-GO)
Auxiliares: Fabricio Vilarinho da Silva (FIFA-GO) e Leone Carvalho Rocha (GO)
Público: Não disponível.
Cartões amarelos: Ralph e Fred (CAM); Ronaldo Alves (SPO)
Cartões vermelhos:
Gols: Osvaldo, 16’1°T (0 a 1) e Fred, 39’1°T (2 a 1); Felipe Santana, 21’1°T (1 a 1) e Diego Souza, 18’2°T (2 a 2)

ATLÉTICO-MG: Victor; Alex Silva, Felipe Santana, Leonardo Silva e Fábio Santos; Ralph (Roger Bernardo, int), Rafael Carioca, Elias (Otero, 21’2°T) e Cazares; Robinho (Luan, 16’2°T) e Fred – Técnico: Roger Machado.

SPORT: Magrão; Samuel Xavier, Ronaldo Alves, Durval e Sander; Rithely, Patrick, Everton Felipe (Lenis, 10’2°T) e Diego Souza; Osvaldo (Juninho, 40’2°T) e André (Thallyson, 35’2°T) – Técnico: Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

Left-arm swing bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe has been included in South Africa’s squad for the three-Test series in Australia starting in December

Cricinfo staff22-Nov-2008
Robin Peterson gets a call-up, but an injury has kept Andre Nel out of South Africa’s squad to tour Australia © AFP
Left-arm swing bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe has been included in South Africa’s squad for the three-Test series in Australia starting in December. Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson is the other addition to the 13-man squad named for the home Test series against Bangladesh, and would provide cover for first-choice spinner Paul Harris, who fractured his left thumb during the first Test in Bloemfontein.Andre Nel, who had been omitted from South Africa’s Test and limited-overs teams for the recent home series against Bangladesh and Kenya, was not considered for selection after he underwent surgery to repair knee ligament damage. There is also no place for Herschelle Gibbs, who has not been part of the Test side since he was dropped for the tour of Bangladesh earlier this year, with Neil McKenzie firming a spot at the top of the order.Tsotsobe, who plays for the Eastern Province and Border franchise Warriors, has been picked after an impressive showing in the domestic season. In four first-class matches, he has taken 16 wickets at 18.12. Tsotsobe, 24, was also the leading wicket-taker for South Africa A in the recent two-Test series against Sri Lanka A, held in August-September.”We have felt for some time that we need to explore the left-arm swing variety to add an extra dimension to our attack and Lonwabo Tsotsobe made a good impression at the recent national camp we held in Kimberley,” Craig Matthews, acting convenor of selectors, said. “With an injury worry over Paul Harris, we have Robin Peterson ready to step up if needed. He took a five-wicket haul in his last Test against Bangladesh.”However, Tsotsobe and Monde Zondeki will find it tough to break into a Test attack led by Dale Steyn on the tour, with Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel the likely first-XI candidates. “We have maintained the policy of consistency that has served us well over the last couple of years,” Matthews said. “The starting line-up chooses itself and we feel we have good cover for all eventualities.”South Africa will be led by Graeme Smith, who has forged a formidable opening pair with McKenzie this year. Middle-order batsman Ashwell Prince will be Smith’s deputy on the tour, with Mark Boucher as wicketkeeper. The form of Jacques Kallis, though, will be worrying for coach Mickey Arthur, who is one of the many voices to state this is South Africa’s best chance of beating them in a Test series. South Africa have never won a Test series in Australia, and not one against them since readmission. Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy are the other batsmen included to tour.After their tour of Australia in December-January, South Africa will host Australia for three in February-March. The South African Test side has had a successful stint heading into the tour, with away series wins against Pakistan, Bangladesh and England, home successes over New Zealand and West Indies and a drawn series in India.”The team has earned the right to be confident with the results they have had,” Smith said. “I have a lot of confidence in the players I have around me. We go there with a mature, settled environment. Everyone knows their roles. We will arrive with a clear goal in mind.”We’re going to be challenged on an Australian tour but like the England tour I am confident we can meet them. We’ve got the players to do well there.”South Africa squad: Neil McKenzie, Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher (wk), JP Duminy, Paul Harris, Morne Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Monde Zondeki.