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“We’d love to win tomorrow and silence the crowd,” Labuschagne further said about Afghanistan getting a de facto home crowd in Lahore

Danyal Rasool27-Feb-20252:05

Are Afghanistan the second best white-ball team in Asia?

Marnus Labuschagne has “no issues” playing against Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy on Friday. The two sides take each other on in their final group game in Lahore with plenty on the line for both; victory for either side guarantees qualification to the semi-finals.However, invariably, there is attention around Australia’s decision to boycott any bilateral cricket against Afghanistan in protest at the Taliban’s policy to ban women and girls in the country from playing cricket, and their broader social exclusion. Australia have continued to play afghanistan in ICC events since the Taliban took over in 2021, with the two sides playing at each of the 2022 T20 World Cup, the 2023 ODI World Cup, and the 2024 T20 World Cup.”It’s an ICC tournament,” Labuschagne said. “And our game, as the schedule came out, we’re playing Afghanistan. Personally, for me, which I can speak of, I’ve got no issues about playing tomorrow. But obviously there has been some stances from us at Cricket Australia in the past. But we’re just focusing on tomorrow where we are playing Afghanistan.”Related

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Group B scenarios: How can Afghanistan qualify?

Australia are not the only side to opt for different approaches to bilateral and ICC events when playing Afghanistan. On Wednesday, England’s game against Afghanistan went ahead after the ECB rejected calls by dozens of UK politicians to boycott the game. Afghanistan’s English coach, Jonathan Trott, told the BBC earlier this week the men’s team knew the situation in Afghanistan was “not right”, and a number of Afghanistan players over the last year have put out public statements of protest against the increasing restrictions on Afghan women in public life. Afghanistan eventually won a close contest by eight runs to eliminate England from the tournament.It leaves them within touching distance of making the semi-finals of their second successive ICC event in front of what is likely to be a de facto home crowd in Lahore. It is something Australia have plenty of experience dealing with.”We’d love to win tomorrow and silence the crowd,” Labuschagne said. “But for us it’s all about making sure we stick to our process and really engage in the game. We must be ready to play and whatever gets thrown at us – doesn’t matter what the situation is – that we come out and perform at our best.”However, they may not even get that chance. Australia’s training was forced indoors due to rain in Lahore on Thursday, while Afghanistan cancelled an optional training session. There is further heavy rain forecast overnight, as well as for the earlier part of Friday. Eight years after multiple rain-affected games saw Australia eliminated from the 2017 Champions Trophy in the group stages, a rained-out game here would have the opposite result; it guarantees Australian progression to the semi-finals.”I think as players you always want to play,” Labuschagne said. “Obviously, if the whole match rains out, I think that means that we go through to the to the semi-finals – but obviously we’d love to be able to win the game tomorrow and finish top in the pool. I think that’s something that we want to aim to do and make sure we’ve won all our matches leading up to the semi-finals. But those things are out of our control, so I will have to make sure we’re ready to go tomorrow if it is a shortened fixture.”

Crystal Palace are looking to source fresh reinforcements and could now be set to close in on their next signing after making a decisive move in recent days.

Crystal Palace prepare for FA Community Shield clash

After their historic FA Cup victory, Crystal Palace have the chance to claim another piece of silverware in the FA Community Shield against Liverpool at Wembley this weekend.

Speaking ahead of the tie, Oliver Glasner has confirmed the Eagles will go all out to win the trophy despite being up against the odds in light of the Reds’ status as Premier League champions.

“We are facing the champions. A team who invested £300m, buying high-quality players. It is a great challenge. We will be ready. I don’t expect they will be in the best possible shape, the same with us at the beginning of the season.

“We will go for winning the next trophy. When you have the chance to win a second trophy in three months, go for it.”

Eberechi Eze has been frequently linked with a move to Arsenal, which reports suggest could turn Crystal Palace in the direction of West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta should their star man move across London.

Tosin Adarabioyo is also on the Eagles’ radar and could become a statement addition if circumstances align, though it remains to be seen where Glasner will opt to strengthen with less than two weeks until the Premier League season kicks off.

Now, the Eagles may be moving closer to announcing a new addition ahead of their return to competitive action, according to reports.

Crystal Palace make decisive move for Arnau Martinez

According to Tuttosport, Crystal Palace have made a decisive move to sign Girona full-back Arnau Martinez, who is also said to be a target for West Ham United and Juventus.

Said to be available between £8.7 million and £10.4 million, the Eagles have stepped up their efforts in a decisive manner and they hold the advantage of recently negotiating with Girona to sanction Odsonne Edouard’s potential move to the La Liga outfit.

As pictured, the former Celtic striker is still on the books and no deal has been sealed yet, but effectively carrying out two transfers between both entities would potentially be advantageous to Crystal Palace in terms of profit margins.

Martinez, who is predominantly a right-back, featured 39 times last season for Girona across all competitions, registering three goals and three assists.

Labelled “intelligent” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Spain Under-21 cap made 18 chances in La Liga last term and appears to fit Crystal Palace’s exciting style of play from full-back, though it remains to be seen whether they will win the race for his signature.

Newcastle United might not be able to count on Alexander Isak for much longer as the player seeks a move away from St James’ Park.

Eddie Howe will now need to sign a striker or two in order to have his squad ready for the Premier League and Champions League campaigns.

Benjamin Sesko is a reported target for the club, and Newcastle would be willing to break their club-record transfer fee to sign him.

Could Howe perhaps chase another young striker instead, however? One who is even more prolific than Sesko…

Newcastle’s search for a striker

The likes of Julian Alvarez and Yoane Wissa have been earmarked as targets by Howe to bolster the club’s attacking options of late.

Both would be excellent signings, but Howe could go down a different route by making a move for Porto starlet Samu Aghehowa this summer.

That is according to the Guardian, who relay information that Newcastle might see Aghehowa as a potential alternative to Sesko.

One sticking point may be the price, as he has a release clause of €100m (£87m), although it remains to be seen whether Howe can negotiate a potential deal.

Aged just 21, he could be an ideal long-term Isak heir and, dare I say it, even better than Sesko.

Why Newcastle want to sign Samu Aghehowa

Across his senior career thus far, Sesko has scored 90 goals across 210 games, which works out as a goal every 2.3 matches.

In comparison, Aghehowa has netted 54 goals in 117 matches during his embryonic senior career thus far, averaging a goal every 2.1 matches.

On this basis, the young Spaniard is even more prolific than Sesko, and there is no doubt that he will get even better over the next few years.

He burst into life during his maiden season with Porto. Aside from registering 30 goal contributions in all competitions, Aghehowa also finished the season with a 23% goal conversion percentage, created five big chances and scored every 119 minutes in the Portuguese top flight.

Matches (starts)

30 (23)

Goals

19

Assists

3

Shots (on target)*

2.7 (1.1)

Big chances missed

18

Pass completion

79%

Big chances created

5

Key passes*

0.6

Dribbles*

0.4

Duels won*

3.3

It was no wonder that talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed the youngster as a “monster in the making” and for having “such a complete profile” after just a few months at Porto.

His debut campaign was a successful one indeed from a personal point of view, and it is no surprise he is being linked with moves to the Premier League.

When compared to his peers across men’s next 14 competitions, the 21-year-old ranks in the top 4% for goals (0.76) per 90.

Furthermore, the striker ranks in the top 14% for touches in the opposition penalty area (5.45) per 90 and in the top 16% for total shots per 90 (3.1).

These statistics show just how prolific the player is in front of goal, and if Howe was serious about making a move for the youngster, Aghehowa could be a wonderful signing.

Much will depend on how far they are willing to take their interest in Sesko. But if the Magpies are looking for someone even more prolific, Aghehowa should be at the top of their list.

PIF set sights on signing 13-goal star for Newcastle after Isak bombshell

The Magpies have instantly turned towards potential replacements.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 25, 2025

Essex director of cricket leaves Chelmsford after nine years of success across formats

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2024Yorkshire have announced the acquisition of Anthony McGrath as their new men’s head coach to replace the outgoing Ottis Gibson.McGrath, who joins on a five-year deal, returns to his home county having developed through the age-groups at Headingley as an allrounder, going on to earn 28 England caps, including four Test appearances. The 49-year-old began his coaching career at Yorkshire following his retirement in 2013 before moving to Essex, where he was appointed director of cricket as recently as July.The move south proved particularly fruitful for McGrath. He joined Essex initially as assistant coach to Chris Silverwood, and helped oversee promotion in 2016 followed by a County Championship title the following year.He was promoted to head coach when Silverwood left to take the England job and led Essex to a Championship and T20 Blast double in 2019, followed by the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020. A second-place Division One finish came in the 2023 season, in which they were also beaten finalists in the Blast.This season, McGrath juggled coaching duties at Chelmsford with a director of cricket role as part of a management restructure triggered by the resignation of chief executive John Stephenson in July.He inherits a Yorkshire team that has returned to Division One following relegation in 2022. The club were then docked 48 points in the 2023 season over their handling of the racism scandal that centred around allegations made by former player Azeem Rafiq. McGrath’s remit will be the performance and management of the men’s first team, and starts officially from November 1.”It is a great honour to be appointed Head Coach of Yorkshire Cricket’s Men’s team, and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead,” McGrath said.”I know the history of this great club and the passion of the members and supporters, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve.”It was an extremely tough decision to leave Essex, and it’s one that I have taken a great deal of time to think about. I’ve been part of this club for almost nine years, and we’ve achieved so much together and created so many unforgettable memories in that time.”While I obviously spent all of my playing career at Yorkshire, Essex has become a second home to me, and I’d like to thank everyone for the warmth of their support over the last nine seasons.”Tom Westley, Essex’s captain, hailed McGrath as “one of the most influential figures I have come across during my career”, and wished him well in his new role.”Everybody within the club knows of his qualities as a coach and leader, but it’s the person that he is that we will all miss the most. It’s no coincidence that the success we have achieved over the last decade has coincided with [McGrath’s] time here. Although he would never accept it, he has been a huge factor in the trophies we have won in recent years.”Sanjay Patel, Yorkshire’s interim CEO, said: “We’re delighted to appoint Anthony as Head Coach.”During the past nine years with Essex, Anthony has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in English cricket. He is renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking cricket, supporting and developing world-class talent, and commitment to youth.”In the club’s conversations leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning Yorkshire Cricket to the level we want to be competing at, and his drive and determination to achieve that.”We look forward to welcoming him to the club this Autumn.”

أعرب البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، عن سعادته بالفوز بثلاثية دون رد على المصري، في مباراة اليوم التي جمعت بينهما ببطولة الدوري الممتاز.

والتقى الزمالك مع المصري، على استاد برج العرب بالإسكندرية، ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من الدوري الممتاز.

وقال يانيك فيريرا في تصريحات خلال المؤتمر الصحفي عقب المباراة: “خلقنا العديد من الفرص في مباراة اليوم وكان من الممكن أن تكون النتيجة هي الفوز بخمسة أهداف، ونستطيع أن نحتفل في رحلة عودتنا إلى القاهرة، ونبدأ عملية الاستشفاء بعد اللقاء قبل الاستعداد للمباراة المقبلة أمام الإسماعيلي في الدوري”.

طالع أيضاً.. خالد الغندور: “عين الحسود” وراء أهداف الزمالك الثلاثة أمام المصري

وأضاف: “حصلنا على فترة راحة عقب مباراة وادي دجلة، وخضنا مباراة ودية لم تكن أفضل شيء خلال فترة التوقف، ولكن الزمالك استعد بجدية لمباراة المصري ونجح في الفوز”.

وتابع: “لا أساس من الصحة لما تردد حول فكرة مشاركة عبد الحميد معالي في التدريبات مع فريق الشباب بالنادي”.

وواصل: “كل اللاعبين ظهروا بشكل جيد في مباراة اليوم، وآدم كايد يمتلك من الجودة ما يجعله يلعب في مركز الجناح بجانب مراكز أخرى، وتم استبداله لأنه لم يحصل على دقائق لعب أكثر في الفترة الماضية”.

واختتم : “لا يوجد سبب للتغيير بخط الدفاع بعد الخروج بشباك نظيفة ولكن لا أحد يعلم ما سيحدث في الأيام القليلة المقبلة”.

Newcastle United have yet to show their hand in the summer transfer market, though Eddie Howe and his transfer coterie are hard at work as they look to strengthen the first-team squad.

Heading back into the Champions League, the 2024/25 Carabao Cup champions are looking for new forwards.

João Pedro is the focus of expected talks with Brighton & Hove Albion, but Chelsea have also reportedly opened communications with a view toward signing the Brazilian forward.

Newcastle chasing new forward

It’s not just focal frontmen on the Tynesiders’ agenda. Howe needs more wingers to strengthen his side, and he is currently mulling over a move for one of the Premier League’s most prominent figures.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle are monitoring Jack Grealish’s situation at Manchester City as he prepares to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer.

A host of further clubs – like Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and Serie A champions Napoli – are all keen, with Everton also interested in pursuing a loan move.

Given Pep Guardiola has issued confirmation of the Three Lions star’s looming exit, Newcastle may well find a smoother path toward agreeing on a financially acceptable deal, one that might set them back around £40m if prior reports are to be believed.

Why Newcastle should sign Grealish

When Manchester City signed Grealish from Aston Villa in 2021, they broke the British transfer record, landing the England international for a fixed £100m fee.

Not quite defined by his prolific output, Grealish’s grasp of the game’s technicalities, his faculty for tricks and flicks and a “little touch of magic”, as has been noted by journalist Henry Winter, set him apart from most other attacking midfielders, bringing something every bit as important as a rifle-crack shooting ability.

But something’s gone awry under Pep Guardiola’s leadership. Now, the 29-year-old is not so much a magician as a machine, limited to a mechanical, structured role that promotes possession play but has clipped the wings of a high-flying player.

Across 157 performances for Man City, Grealish has scored 17 goals and supplied 23 assists. Of course, he’s also won the treble (in perhaps his finest year at City), and many more titles besides.

Howe could bring him back to the fore. In fact, if the Newcastle boss can unlock the door which has barred Grealish’s better football, he might even find a new star man in attacking midfield, better even than Anthony Gordon.

Gordon is an electric and dynamic winger whose performances on Tyneside have been instrumental to the side’s success of recent years, but Grealish at his finest is a cut above.

The City star has a natural bent for the artful side of the game, and it grew his reputation to a record-breaking level at Aston Villa, earning him that mammoth move to Manchester.

Matches (starts)

26 (24)

35 (34)

Goals

6

11

Assists

10

10

Shots (on target)*

1.9 (0.7)

2.3 (0.9)

Big chances missed

4

9

Pass completion

83%

82%

Big chances created

14

16

Key passes*

3.2

1.6

Dribbles*

2.5

1.5

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

1.8

Total duels (won)*

8.9 (61%)

5.3 (49%)

Here we have Grealish’s Premier League data from his final season in a Villan shirt matched against Gordon’s from 2023/24, his first full term as a Magpie, when he was awarded the club’s Player of the Season.

Bringing power, energy and enthusiasm, Gordon was a “nightmare for anyone” he came up against, something he claimed himself while at EURO 2024.

That’s all well and good, but given that Grealish is the “closest thing to Paul Gascoigne” in the eyes of talkSPORT’s Troy Deeney, Howe might just find he could add a new attacking star who’s more nightmarish yet.

Grealish’s desire to win duels, outfox opponents and create for his teammates is exactly the kind of skill set Newcastle need, especially since their Merseyside-born winger has just come off a less-than-perfect year at St. James’ Park, posting six goals and six assists apiece in the Premier League.

Still, though rumours of Gordon’s summer sale float about, there’s no reason why these two mavericks can’t play in conjunction at Newcastle next season.

PIF’s current target earns a pretty penny, taking home £300k per week, and thus would need to reduce his earnings if he wants to find his finest football once again, but if he demonstrates the willingness to do so, who better than Howe to bring him back to his zenith as United look to build on their recent success?

Dream Gordon replacement: Newcastle eye up move for £40m "big-game player"

Newcastle might need to replace Gordon if he joins Liverpool

1 ByJoe Nuttall Jun 18, 2025

West Ham United have now made contact over a deal to sign a “world-class” midfielder, and his club could be willing to sanction a departure in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

West Ham's summer transfer plans taking shape

The summer is edging ever closer, which presents Graham Potter with his first real opportunity to put his own stamp on the squad he inherited from Julen Lopetegui, having arrived at the London Stadium in the middle of the January transfer window.

It has been a poor season by the Hammers’ recent standards, with Potter’s side languishing near the bottom of the Premier League table, which means the manager could oversee a mass exodus of first-team players.

As many as ten players could be moved on this summer, including Guido Rodriguez, Niclas Fullkrug, Emerson Palmieri, and Michail Antonio, with the manager clearly planning a serious rebuild.

Offer made: West Ham leading race to sign 27 y/o star compared to Emerson

The Irons are in pole position.

By
Charlie Smith

Apr 10, 2025

It seems likely the Irons will need to bring in a new striker, given that Antonio and Fullkrug could be moved on, with both forwards now in their twilight years, while Rodriguez’s departure could pave the way for the arrival of a new defensive midfielder.

According to a report from The Boot Room, West Ham have now made contact over a deal for Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha, who could be allowed to leave the Allianz Arena this summer, having endured a difficult debut campaign in Germany due to injuries and illness.

Fulham have also made an approach for their former midfielder, who joined Bayern in a £42m deal last summer, so there could be competition for his signature this summer.

Palhinha intends to stay and fight for his place at Bayern, so it remains to be seen whether a transfer is possible this summer, but should he become available, it appears as though the Hammers could look at taking him to the London Stadium.

"World-class" Palhinha could be fantastic Hammers signing

The central midfielder’s move to Bayern hasn’t panned out how he would’ve liked up to this point, but he is clearly a very talented player, having already proven himself in the Premier League with Fulham.

During his time with the Cottagers, the Portugal international was lauded as “world-class” by reporter Dom Smith, and he has continued to impress from a defensive point of view since completing a move to the Bundesliga.

The 29-year-old ranks highly across some key metrics for midfielders over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, most notably impressing with his tackling ability.

Palhinha could be a fantastic signing for West Ham, given that he has already proven himself in the Premier League, but it remains to be seen whether a deal is possible, given the midfielder’s commitment to making things work at Bayern Munich.

Unfazed by selection concerns, he aims to become a multi-faceted versatile cricketer

Andrew McGlashan22-Feb-2024In the last few months, Rachin Ravindra has had breakout moments in both ODIs and Tests. He was one of the leading batters at last year’s ODI World Cup with three centuries, and a couple of weeks back converted his maiden Test ton into a mammoth 240 against South Africa.The T20 format has remained a distinct third place in terms of where he looks most assured, but in the first T20I against Australia in Wellington on Thursday, he produced a significant performance with 68 off 35 balls. It was his maiden international fifty in the format, and just his second in all T20s across 48 innings.The final tally was impressive, but what stood out even more was how it came from a difficult start. At one stage, Ravindra was on 14 from 16 deliveries. It was threatening to squeeze the life out of the power-packed start provided by Finn Allen, although Devon Conway was still going nicely on his crucial return to form. But then Ravindra’s pulled six off Adam Zampa unleashed the shackles, and he was away. Five more sixes followed, including three in the 15th over off Zampa, as Ravindra took advantage of the short square boundaries. His fifty took just another 13 deliveries.Related

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“Even just chatting with Dev is great. [He was] always making sure I’m not putting pressure on during that period at all,” Ravindra said. “Most grounds in New Zealand are very good wickets and the dimensions are slightly smaller. So you feel like if you really needed to get going, you could. Hopefully, I don’t start as slow next time, but the nature of the stadium [meant] you could catch up.””It says he has a hell of a head on his shoulders,” Lockie Ferguson said of the way Ravindra overcame the sluggish start. “He’s had a great year in all formats. Think [this innings] will probably give him a lot of confidence. He would say he probably hasn’t had the best start to a T20 campaign, but we know the talent that he has and can see it tonight with the sixes he hit. He’s got a lovely swing of the bat.”It was only the second time after his debut T20I series against Bangladesh in 2021 that Ravindra had been given the opportunity to bat in the top three, so his limited returns to date need to be viewed in that context. Before Wednesday, he had shown glimpses of his hitting abilities previously, not least with a 13-ball 26 against Sri Lanka last season to help force a Super Over at Eden Park, although that came from No. 7.Two weeks back, Ravindra was scoring 240 off 366 balls in a Test in Mount Maunganui, and a few days later trying to overcome an unexpectedly spin-friendly surface in Hamilton. Last night, his job was to flay an attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Zampa in a T20I, so it has been a test of adaptability between formats, which is something he is trying to become accustomed to.Rachin Ravindra hit three centuries at the ODI World Cup last year•Associated Press”T20’s the format I haven’t played as much as the other ones… so feel like I’m gaining experience from each performance or innings, and learning from guys around me,” Ravindra said. “Having guys around – like Dev, the power of GP [Glenn Phillips] and Daryl [Mitchell], [and] Kane [Williamson] obviously – [and] the way they go about switching between formats is a good model.”It’s always a work-on thing, being able to chop and change between formats – especially internationally. Having a block of three T20s in between [two Test series] is interesting to say the least. But it’s good – [it] brings a bit of freedom, and you can relax a little bit. [The] consequences aren’t as heavy.”The New Zealand management have also been wary of not overburdening their new prized asset, as Ravindra was rested for four of the five T20Is against Pakistan earlier this summer.”I kind of found it hard to have that rest period,” he said. “It was a good conversation with the coaches because they saw I was potentially a bit tired. [From] August to December [last year] I was away from New Zealand, so it was probably needed at that point. At my age, you always want to play as much as possible, but that’s also something I’ve got to learn about myself.”Ravindra picked up an IPL deal worth approximately US $217,000 with Chennai Super Kings at the recent auction on the back of his ODI performances and the promise of what was to come, rather than out of any overwhelming evidence from his T20 numbers. With the rest of this series against Australia and the IPL, it is a big few months coming up for him as he pushes to lock in a place in the T20 World Cup squad.

“If I can take each game as a learning experience and drive the team forward, that’s what matters to me. If that cumulates in selection, then great. If it doesn’t, that’s okay. I’ve got a lot of time ahead of me”Rachin Ravindra isn’t too bothered about the T20 World Cup just yet

Currently, he is occupying Kane Williamson’s slot at No. 3, and with Daryl Mitchell to also return, followed by the middle-order hitters of Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman and potentially Tim Seifert, Ravindra is probably fighting for the reserve batting position in the final 15 for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.Although he didn’t bowl in Wellington, his left-arm spin is an added string to his bow, particularly for a World Cup across a variety of venues where conditions may differ, as a team will want to cover as many bases as possible.”Not even just looking at the T20 World Cup, being a multi-faceted versatile cricketer is what I want to be,” Ravindra said. “A genuine allrounder who can help the team in different ways and effect the game in different ways. That [selection] will all take care of itself; I’m not too worried about that sort of stuff.”If I can take each game as a learning experience and drive the team forward, that’s what matters to me. If that cumulates in selection, then great. If it doesn’t, that’s okay. I’ve got a lot of time ahead of me.”

Baz’s boys and Stokes’ folks are going to nice-guy the hell out of Test cricket or kill the format trying

Alan Gardner18-May-2022Who amongst us – with the possible exception of Brad Haddin – doesn’t have a soft spot for New Zealand? The designated Nice Guys of world cricket, they have inspired a legion of dedicated kiwi fanciers with their wholesome brand of understated effectiveness, winning hearts and minds (and even the occasional trophy) along the way.Currently there is no one looking more longingly in the Black Caps’ direction, silently mouthing “I wanna be you”, than England. Not content with basing the overhaul of their one-day teams a few years ago on New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum-led band of derring-doers, they have now opted to bring in the twinkly T20 sage himself as their new Test coach. Truly, has there ever been a more overwhelming case of Stockholm syndrome than that inspired by England’s 2015 World Cup battering at the Cake Tin?With McCullum and (Christchurch-born) allrounder Ben Stokes forming a totemic tattooed twosome in charge of the Test side, England seemingly intend to go down swinging, at the very least. Which most fans would probably agree is better than going down in a crying heap, as has been increasingly the case. But what will life be like under the “Thriller Bees”? Let’s sift for clues.Positive cricket
One of the most-memorable McCullum gambits was charging down to Mitchell Starc in the opening over of the World Cup final. Sure, he had his stumps splatted and New Zealand ended up being thrashed, but it’s the principle that matters. Stokes has a similar mindset. Be it balls, bodies or dressing-room lockers, both love to smash it.Spirit of the game
In his 2016 MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture, McCullum regretfully recounted running out Muthiah Muralidaran after he had left his crease to celebrate a team-mate’s hundred. Don’t be surprised if Stokes decides at some point down the line that the whole runs-off-the-back-of-the-bat thing in the 2019 final was a grave injustice and offers to repatriate the stolen World Cup to New Zealand.Team culture
McCullum took over as New Zealand captain in the wake of the bungled removal of Ross Taylor, helping to heal a split dressing room and rebuild the team from one of its lowest points in recent times. Stokes takes charge of England following one of the longest and most successful (technically speaking) captaincies in their history, and with the team still completely behind his predecessor, Joe Root. He’s got a hell of a job on his hands.Playing with a smile
A central McCullum philosophy. Might be tricky for James Anderson to get his head around.Tattoos
If in doubt, spell it out. McCullum has his international cap numbers on his shoulder; Stokes has them on his arm. McCullum has a silver fern on his chest; Stokes has one on his shoulder, plus a pride of lions on his back. Both have tributes to their wives and kids among their body art. Stand by for Mark Wood having his imaginary horse tattooed on a buttock, Jack Leach getting 1* etched into his neck, and Zak Crawley discovering some Maori heritage.So there you go. England’s Test decline has been slow and painful, but now they’re going to live fast (or kill the format trying). Time for members of the Barmy Army to all go out to get “Baz Boys 4 Life” inked on a bicep.

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Chennai Super Kings may not stand a chance of winning this year’s IPL, but their fans have something even better to celebrate: MS Dhoni is back at the wheel. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Ravindra Jadeja’s brief captaincy stint was an unhappy affair – made all the more difficult, the Light Roller suspects, by having the “Dad’s Army” alpha lurking in the background. “For the first two games, I simply oversaw his work and let him be later,” Dhoni said after being reappointed for the rest of the season. “After that, I insisted that he take his own decisions and bear responsibility for them.” Strong overbearing paterfamilias vibes from Mahi there, like the dad who grudgingly allows his son to have a go at being the map-reader on a family walk. Now everyone’s lost and, adds Dhoni regretfully, if we all die out here, then we know whose fault it is. Still, character-building stuff for young Jaddu.

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More transformation lolz coming out of South Africa, where attempts by CSA to remove Mark Boucher as men’s team head coach over allegations about past racist behaviour backfired. Never mind that the board was shocked – shocked! – to discover that hiring a group of white former players to management positions en masse might provoke a response from those who believe South African cricket is long overdue a reckoning on equality. CSA’s efforts to address examples of discrimination raised during last year’s Social Justice and Nation-Building hearings then fell flat due to the unavailability of witness testimony. The intentions are good, clearly. But it seems before CSA can make a significant dent on historic racial injustice, it will have to transform a reputation for historic administrative incompetence.

Somerset seamer attempting to add a yard of pace to further his Test case

Matt Roller15-Aug-2020At the end of last summer, Craig Overton spoke to Ed Smith, England’s national selector, and asked what he was doing wrong.Ever since he ran the drinks in an ODI series against New Zealand as a 21-year-old, Overton had been in and around England squads, Lions trips and pace-bowling programmes without ever quite nailing his place down. He finally made an international debut at Adelaide in 2017-18, claiming Steven Smith as his maiden Test wicket, but appearances remained fleeting.ALSO READ: Overton reminds England selectors of his talent for SomersetSo after being calling into the side for the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester last summer, before he was left out without a second thought in the fifth, Overton took matters into his own hands.”I’ve been involved a little bit, but it felt like I would play one match and then miss quite a few,” Overton says. “So I spoke to Ed after the Ashes, just to try and figure out ways of improving so that I can not only get in the side, but also stay there.”I want to be playing cricket for England as much as possible, not just the odd Test match, so it was a case of me trying to figure out what he believes I need to do to improve. He said they wanted me to bowl a little bit quicker without losing the accuracy that I have – that was the main thing.”I don’t think I’ll ever be a 90mph enforcer. If I bowl 81-82mph at the minute, it’s about trying to get to around 85-86mph and still have that level of control. If I can be in the mid-80s with the shape and control that I have, I’ll be in the game most of the time.”

An exhibition from Craig Overton this morning! Take a closer look at his new-ball spell

CC: @englandcricket #WeAreSomerset #WARvSOM pic.twitter.com/i5Or5tlpgh

— Somerset Cricket (@SomersetCCC) August 15, 2020