James Sutherland, Cricket Australias chief executive, has claimed the national team had near identical preparation to South Africa despite the facts telling a rather different story.As the hosts came to terms with another disastrous batting display on day one of the Hobart Test, Sutherland said that Steven Smiths team could not blame their preparation for the poor results achieved so far this summer, following on from a 5-0 ODI defeat in South Africa and a 3-0 away pasting at the hands of Sri Lanka before that.Ive heard a little bit of commentary around preparation and I think its interesting. The first thing is that every summer is a little bit different, Sutherland said on ABC Radio. If we cast our minds forward to next year there will be more opportunities for Shield cricket, thats a different schedule again because the season will start later.But also that criticism around the preparation, I dont think the preparation is anything that Australian cricket can complain about because South Africa have had the same schedule in terms of preparation as we have. We have both played each other in one-day matches in October, came through here, had various forms of long-form or other preparatory matches.They played a game in Adelaide under lights as Shield cricket played under lights. So if you draw that comparison the team we are playing against hasnt had any different preparation. So yes, ideally you might have a different preparation but the fact of the matter is you cant.In contradiction of Sutherlands words, Australias players did not get the chance to play even a single match with a red ball in between the Sri Lanka and South Africa Test series. By contrast, many of South Africas players - those not taking part in the ODIs at home - were able to play first-class cricket during this period, and then had two warm-up matches in contrast to the one (pink ball) Shield game played before the Perth Test.Sutherland noted that there was a wider effort currently being undertaken at ICC level to reduce the amount of international cricket played while adding the context of league structures across each format. Such a move would in turn allow more room for domestic schedules to breathe.The reality is the future tours program requires us to play a certain amount of cricket at home and whatever we play at home weve got to reciprocate away, he said. So the complexity around that is greater because most countries share the same season as us. So we have to find ourselves playing matches like we did this year in October against South Africa. We couldnt play them earlier because thats not their season, their season is October. We are having them and then Pakistan later in our peak season.From that perspective the schedule is difficult and at ICC level its something were working very hard on to try and get more structure to refine the way in which international cricket is played and to be honest ultimately play less international cricket so that its more valuable and is not these random series that crop up all the time. That we have context through some sort of a league structure. The hope is there will be less international cricket which allows gaps in preparation but also ideally for international cricket to be more valuable and precious.Responding to criticism directed at the captain Steven Smith, Sutherland said that while all were impatient for immediate success, there was a strong belief within CA that Smith was the right man for the job - as evidenced by his steely innings while the rest fell around him on day one at Bellerive Oval.Were certainly very conscious of the fact that Steve has come into the role much younger...than any of his four or five predecessors, Sutherland said. I had a look the other day - you go back to Border, Taylor, Waugh, Ponting, Clarke...between 29 and 34 I think they came into the captaincy of the Australian team. Steve was 26. All of them came in being world-class batsmen. But I dont think if you look back in history, certainly in my time [as CEO], none of them have made an easy or smooth transition into the job.Its a big step up and its a real challenge and even more so if you dont have the players around you that are performing as well as they might or could or whatever. So that added challenge is there. But we have a very high regard for Steve Smith as a person, as a leader, and obviously as a cricketer and we think that with his support and as he builds the team around him and they perform hes got a very bright future as a leader for a long time.Custom Lebron 16 Shoes .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. Wholesale Lebron 14 .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at Boston Strong - a citys recovery from tragedy. http://www.lebronjamessneakerswholesale.com/ . 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Buy Lebron 16 Shoes .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.After a week of EFL Cup action, the Premier League returns this weekend with plenty of tasty ties taking place across the country.Sky Sports is again at the heart of the action and we kick off on Saturday lunchtime as winless Sunderland welcome Arsenal, live on Sky Sports 1 HD, before Jeff Stelling and the Soccer Saturday pundits take you through the 3pm fixtures, which includes Tottenham hosting champions Leicester and Manchester United welcoming Burnley, before Liverpool travel to Crystal Palace in the evening fixture. Sland vs Arsenal October 29, 2016, 11:30am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Nissan Super Sunday serves up two crackers as Everton host West Ham before Chelsea travel to Southampton, with Stoke v Swansea rounding off the weekend live on Monday Night Football. Heres a look at 10 key talking points ahead of the weekends action...Will Sunderland finally get three points on the board? (Sunderland v Arsenal - Saturday, 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports 1HD)It has been a torrid time for David Moyes at Sunderland so far. The former Manchester United boss is yet to win with his new side in the Premier League, with the Black Cats currently sitting rock bottom of the table with two points from nine games.Sunderland were narrowly beaten by West Ham last weekend and Southampton in the midweek EFL Cup fixture while Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw by Middlesbrough last weekend. Watch match highlights of Arsenal 0-0 Middlesbrough However, the Gunners are unbeaten in all competitions since the opening day loss to Liverpool, while Sunderland have not been able to beat their north London opponents in the top flight since a 1-0 home win in November 2009.Will Zlatan Ibrahimovic get back among the goals this weekend? (Manchester United v Burnley - Saturday, 3pm)It has been a fairly successful start for Zlatan Ibrahimvoic since his move to Manchester United, netting five goals in his opening five games including four in the Premier League. Zlatans big misses Ibrahimovic has escaped much of the criticism at United but the misses are now totting up. But the 35-year-old is currently on an uncharacteristicly barren run, going five league games without scoring for the first time since September 2010. He last went longer without a goal with Inter Milan in December 2007 (six games).Ibrahimovic will certainly be wanting to rectify this against a Burnley side who have lost each of their three away games this season, shipping three goals in each match. Watch match highlights of Burnley 2-1 Everton United are also unbeaten in their last 12 home league fixtures against the Clarets, and will be hoping to take momentum from their EFL Cup victory over local rivals Man City into the Premier League this weekend. Who will win the emerge victorious from this Premier League first? (Middlesbrough v Bournemouth - Saturday, 3pm)Middlesbrough and Bournemouth have met 15 times before in competitive matches, but Saturday will see their first ever meeting in English footballs top tier. Watch match highlights of Bournemouth 0-0 Tottenham Boro have not registered a victory over their south coast opponents since a 2-1 League Cup win in October 1991, while the Cherries won their last meeting in the Sky Bet Championship along with three draws during their time in the division. The two sides have certainly begun the Premier League season with differing form. Middlesbrough have picked up just one win, while Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last four games, with three victories so far. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ?￡6.99. No contract. Will Spurs get back to winning ways against the champions? (Tottenham v Leicester - Saturday, 3pm)Tottenham made a great start to the new season, but recent results have dipped with Mauricio Pochettinos men suffering their first domestic defeat of the term against Liverpool in the EFL Cup after two successive league draws.But they still sit in a tight top five - one point off top spot - and remain unbeaten in the Premier League, with Leicester picking up their first win in three top flight games against Crystal Palace last weekend. Watch match highlights of Leicester 3-1 Crystal Palace The Foxes are currently 12th in the Premier League table, eight points behind their opponents on Saturday, with the two sides having played each other four times last season.There was little to separate the sides with two draws - once in the league and another in the FA Cup - before Leicester emerged victorious in the meeting at White Hart Lane in the Premier League before Spurs won the cup replay at the King Power a week later. Will Troy Deeney reach his century against the Tigers? (Watford v Hull - Saturday, 3pm) Watford skipper Troy Deeney could reach 100 goals for the club this weekend This meeting will be another fixture that will be played for the first time in the Premier League this weekend, and Troy Deeney could net his 100th goal for Watford in all competitions.Only Luther Blissett, Tommy Barnett, Ross Jenkins and Cliff Holton have previously reached the century for the club and the signs are pointing towards a century on Saturday.The Hornets skipper has already scored three times this season - all in the Premier League - to take his total to 99 and has also netted in the last three games he has played against Hull. Watch match highlights of Swansea 0-0 Watford Add this to a run of bad form for the Tigers, who have lost each of their last five league fixtures and conceded at least five goals in their last two away games, and Deeney will be eyeing the milestone on Saturday afternoon.Can Pep Guuardiola rediscover his winning touch? (West Brom v Man City - Saturday, 3pm)Its been a strange few weeks for Pep Guardiola.ddddddddddddAfter winning ten consecutive games in all competitions, Manchester City have failed to win any of the last six. Pep Guardiola has seen his Man City side go without a win for the last six games in all competitions This includes two draws and a loss in the Premier League, as well as a Manchester derby defeat to Manchester United in the EFL Cup on Wednesday evening with the run the longest the Spaniard has ever gone without winning with any club he has managed.However, City havent lost a league game against West Brom since December 2008 - suffering a 2-1 defeat at the Hawthorns - while the Baggies have similarly failed to win any of their last four fixtures in the Premier League. Watch match highlights of Man City 1-1 Southampton Will Christian Benteke come back to haunt Liverpool? (Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Saturday, 5.30pm)Liverpool are on a hot streak at the moment. They are sitting in the top three of the Premier League, only behind Arsenal and Manchester City on goal difference, and are unbeaten in their last ten games in all competitions. They will also come up against Christian Benteke for the first time since his summer move from the Reds to Crystal Palace - the Belgium international has netted three times for the Eagles so far this season. Watch match highlights of Liverpool 2-1 West Brom Expect some goals at Selhurst Park with neither side have a particularly solid defence, with Palace failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 14 Premier League games and Liverpool failing to shut out the opposition in their last 10 away league games.Will Romelu Lukaku make it seven in a row against West Ham? (Everton v West Ham - Nissan Super Sunday, 1.30pm) Everton striker Romelu Lukaku has a good history of scoring against West Ham Romelu Lukaku could get Nissan Super Sunday off to a flying start as he faces his favourite team to score against in West Ham.The Belgium international has netted eight times in ten games against the Hammers in all competitions - the most he has scored against a single opponent since moving to English shores - and will potentially join an illustrious group this weekend. Everton vs West Ham October 30, 2016, 12:30pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass The Belgian striker has registered goals in his last six Premier League games against the east Londoners and could become only the third player to score in seven successive league games against the same club after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - also against West Ham - and Robin van Persie against Stoke, who managed to do so eight times. Everton could use a victory this weekend having failed to win in their last four Premier League outings, while the Hammers are starting to find their form having won their last two games and knocked Chelsea out of the EFL Cup on Wednesday night. Watch match highlights of West Ham 1-0 Sunderland Who comes out on top in the battle of defence versus attack? (Southampton v Chelsea - Nissan Super Sunday, 4pm)It will be a battle of wills when Southampton welcome Chelsea to St Marys on Nissan Super Sunday, as the Premier Leagues joint-second best defence faces the joint-second best attack.The Saints have conceded just eight goals in nine games so far this season - half of which have come from the penalty spot - which is level with Everton and only behind Tottenham (four). Watch match highlights of Chelsea 4-0 Man Utd On the opposite end, Chelsea have netted 19 times so far this season - including seven in their last two Premier League outings - which is the same as Arsenal and one goal behind Liverpool and Man City (20). Both sides are also enjoying good league form to set up a very tasty tie on Sky Sports this weekend. Soton vs Chelsea October 30, 2016, 3:30pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Will the Potters continue their winning streak? (Stoke v Swansea - Monday Night Football, 8pm)Stoke have made a slow start to the Premier League season, but have finally hit their stride with two consecutive 2-0 victories and four unbeaten games in the top flight. Watch match highlights of Hull 0 - 2 Stoke Joe Allen and Xherdan Shaqiri have been the stars of the show over the last few weeks as the Potters begin to pull away from the relegation zone where Swansea still sit in 19th place. Stoke have also never lost at home to the Swans in the Premier League (W3 D2), with Bob Bradley still searching for his first victory since taking over as manager a few weeks ago. Stoke vs Swansea October 31, 2016, 7:00pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports passAlso See:Arsenals best CM pairing?Key Battle: Defoe v KoscielnyThe rise of RomeuPeps worst ever run ' ' '