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South Africa batsman JP Duminy was considering retiring from Test cricket in January, when he was dropped for the New Years Test against England, before he was talked out of it by Ashwell Prince, who was a selector at the time. Duminy ended a run of patchy form by scoring 141 in the second innings to give South Africa a 300-plus lead over Australia in the ongoing Perth Test.When he was dropped in January, he was considering retiring from Test cricket, Prince told ESPNcricinfo in Perth. He had the conversation with me because the convener of selectors was not at the Cape Town Test, so I had to go and take him the news that he wont be playing.At that time, he was at a real low point and he was being honest and giving his feelings. As a selector, and with him being an important player to South African cricket, you try and convince him to think about it. Im sure when he thinks back about that conversation this afternoon or this evening, he will know how he was feeling then and with the feeling he is having now, he will be happy that he carried on.Duminy admitted that at that time he lacked direction, especially in Tests. There was indifferent feelings. I wasnt sure where I was going in terms of my career but I am very grateful to get another opportunity.He had gone 12 innings without a hundred when he was dropped, and in that time he had only passed fifty once. Like his team-mates, he struggled in India and with South African cricket itself on the wane, had several reasons to walk away. Its difficult to pinpoint exactly what it was but he was out of form, Prince said. With the type of calendar that they have these days, he has got a young baby, a young family, all that might have played a role.That was when Prince reminded Duminy, who had replaced him in the 2008 Perth Test and made a half-century in a famous victory, of the prestige of the longest format. I was talking to him as a friend, rather than a selector. I was making him understand how important Test cricket is for a player. You can play hundreds of ODIs and T20 and make millions but when you are done playing, you always think about what you did in the Test-match arena, Prince said. You can play fifty ODIs quickly and not remember anything. These type of performances, thats what the game is all about.During the conversation, Prince said Duminy told him that he needed a bit of a break, and was going to take the New Years week off but then he decided to play in a franchise first-class match. He scored a career-best 260. I dont know what changed from him wanting a break and then playing in that match but he got 250 straight away and I think the next Test he was back in.Faf du Plessis was dropped for the next game and Duminy returned but not with much success. He scored 19 and 29 against England at SuperSport Park and it was only when he struck 88 against New Zealand seven months later that it seemed he had found form again. Then, Duminy was able to realign his goals with his performances.The change came for me just before the West Indies tour, Duminy said. I sat down and reassessed my goals. Test cricket has always been a big part of my goal setting and I knew I was at a crossroads in my Test career. I wanted to leave my Test career knowing that Ive given it my all, and I committed to myself that I was going to give myself the best chance, so that was the difference. It was a personal thing. I didnt necessarily speak to anyone about it. I just sat down, wrote a few things down, where I want to go, what I still want to achieve.In that match, played without the injured AB de Villiers, Duminy was moved to No. 4, which is where he has batted in this Perth Test, and the change of position might have led to a change in fortune.If you are at No. 6, 90% of the time, you are batting with the bowlers so you will always have to try and think how am I going to marshall my way through this innings, Prince said. Do I trust them? Are they looking good on the day or are they looking like its going to be a matter of time? You are taking everything into consideration, whether its spinning, whether they are getting in line behind the ball. Maybe upfront he is a lot more relaxed, he has a lot more time to bat, he doesnt have to think should I attack more, should I defend more, or how the tail is lining up. He just has to bat.For Duminy, the move to No. 4 refreshed his approach. I was pleased with the opportunity. It is something I have always enjoyed in the first-class arena. To be given the nod to go ahead, especially with it being such a crucial position in the South African team, was a big positive for me and I knew I had to step up and fill some big boots. You had Kallis and AB de Villiers batting there before. Today [in Perth] was a step in the right direction.But more than the change of position, Prince believed it was a mental shift that did the trick for Duminy. I think its 100% mindset. I think maybe he has thought about and committed to wanting to do more in his Test career, Prince said. In the first innings [in Perth] he came out looking to play more positively and maybe once or twice was a little loose, in the second innings he came out positive again but a lot more selective. His shot selection and his stroke play has been sublime.Cheap Air Max 97 . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. Air Max 97 Sale Mens . 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Cheap Air Max 97 Grey China .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open.FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Neither the New England Patriots nor Rob Gronkowski offered an update on the tight ends status on Monday, after he absorbed a crunching hit that knocked him out of Sunday nights loss to the Seattle Seahawks for five plays.But ESPNs Adam Schefter has been told the injury is not overly serious and that Gronkowski does not have a punctured lung, as has been reported. It is not known if the injury will affect Gronkowskis status for Sundays game in San Francisco or if the injury was the reason he canceled an EA Sports media event scheduled for Tuesday in New York.Following Sundays 31-24 loss to the Seahawks, Gronkowski relayed that he had the wind knocked out of him.Just down for about a minute or two. Its a little tough to breathe, but once it comes back, youre good, he said of the hit by safety Earl Thomas. He hit me fair and square. Its football. Youre going to get laid out eventually.Gronkowski was seen in the locker room on Monday and said hello to reporters but did not discuss his injury.He said after Sundays game that the blow delivered by Thomas was probably one of the hardest Ive got hit in my career, for sure, by a good, fast player whos like a missile.Thomas returned the compliment on Tuuesday, tweeting:Gronkowski tweeted in reply:Overall, Gronkowski played 57 of 67 offensive snaps in Sundays contest, as he was given a breather for five additional plays not related to Thomas hit.dddddddddddd He finished with three catches for 56 yards, while drawing a pass-interference penalty in the end zone and a defensive holding penalty in the end zone, both of which led to touchdowns. He was also targeted on the teams final offensive play, an incomplete pass on fourth-and-goal from the 1.Patriots quarterback Tom Brady?was asked?during his weekly Monday night appearance on Westwood One radio about an NFL.com report that Gronkowski might have suffered an injury to his lung.Im not sure. I left the facility earlier today and hadnt heard anything and still havent heard anything, Brady told host Jim Gray. Thats the first Ive heard of it.Brady addressed his own injury after he absorbed a low hit by Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor early in Sunday nights loss and said he felt fortunate that it didnt result in a right knee injury.Im sore, Brady said Monday. But Ill be ready to go next week. ' ' '