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England’s determination to play a more adventurous brand of cricket in one-day cricket encourages captain Eoin Morgan to suggest they are finally on the right track

George Dobell08-Jun-2015As England’s World Cup campaign came to its premature end, the team sat in the dressing room in Sydney and held what they term as “an honesty meeting”.After an initial – and by most accounts somewhat awkward – silence, one of the players started to talk. And while versions differ a little, the general consensus is that Ravi Bopara then delivered some home truths that cut to the heart of England’s problems.Despite all the brave talk of how aggressively England were going to play at the World Cup, Bopara said, they still played the same timid cricket that had failed in the past. And, if they were going to improve their record – they have a wretched World Cup history since reaching the final in 1992 – things had to change.Bopara’s words did not please all his colleagues. But there was a great deal of truth in them and they were largely echoed by Eoin Morgan on Monday as he looked ahead the Royal London ODI series against New Zealand.”For a long time now, we’ve been behind the 8-ball in one-day cricket,” Morgan said. “We’ve fallen behind by a long way and it’s time for a catch-up.”After the World Cup we’ve come back and said we need to change the way we play and the proof in that is the selections that we have made. We’ve selected guys who play a different brand of cricket and we don’t want that to change once they put the England shirt on.”The guys we have brought in do something different and we want that to continue. If they play as well as they have done in county cricket then it will be very exciting.”It was the senior players who disappointed most at the World Cup. Morgan struggled for runs, Ian Bell struggled to bat the tempo required and failed in the key games, while both James Anderson and Stuart Broad were unable to bowl the full length required to utilise the new ball. The last three, and Bopara, have all been dropped and may struggle to win a recall.Morgan hails Reeve insights

Eoin Morgan has hailed the contribution of Dermot Reeve, the former England all-rounder, who spent a day with England’s limited-overs squad in an advisory capacity.
The news of Reeve’s involvement with the squad – revealed by ESPNcricinfo on Sunday – surprised some, but Morgan countered that Reeve’s experience as a hugely successful and innovative limited-overs players rendered him an ideal voice in the dressing room.
Morgan also explained that Reeve’s perspective on the role of the game in players’ lives, could also prove beneficial to young men who the management hope will relax and enjoy the experience.
“We are trying to connect as much as we can with past players and to have someone like Dermot around is very good,” Morgan said. “He is a very knowledgeable character. It’s important – particularly for the younger guys coming into the squad – to recognise that there is a lot more to playing for England than just pulling on the jersey and he emphasised that. Simple points coming from him to younger guys who have looked up to him as kids hold a lot of weight.”

There may be a temptation to return to them in time, though. The next two global ODI tournaments (the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup) are both to be staged in relatively early season in England when a case could be made to select batsmen with a tight defensive technique and bowlers with experience. And, with such an aggressive batting line-up, there will surely be times when this young England side come unstuck.But Morgan, who will have a voice in the selection of both limited-overs squads while he remains as captain, is adamant that this squad is more than a reaction to the World Cup debacle and instead represents a brave new era.”It’s very important to recognise that it won’t come off all the time,” Morgan said. “But the intention of playing in the right manner is key and has to be key for a long period of time. Otherwise, if you ditch it after a few games, it won’t work.”In the new-look side, there will be more opportunity given to the likes of Ben Stokes, who is expected to bat at No. 4, and Jos Buttler, anticipated at No. 6, which could well mean no place for James Taylor.Morgan, who has scored only 491 runs in his last 29 ODIs (including nearly 25% of them in one innings) at an average of just 18.88, needs a decent series, or Taylor could be pushing for his place in the side and as captain.Jason Roy and Alex Hales will open the batting, which could threaten the long-term position of Moeen Ali, who was omitted from the squad to gain some red ball bowling time ahead of the Ashes, with Joe Root expected to bat at No. 3. Buttler remains vice-captain.Morgan insists that he feels “a lot more comfortable” with the bat than he did during the World Cup and credits his spell at the IPL for the improvement. That led him to suggest, not for the first time, that English domestic competitions had to be improved if more young players were going to graduate to the international teams prepared for the standard of cricket.”For some reason I always go to the IPL and come back a better player,” he said. “That has been the case this year. I feel a lot more comfortable with where I’m at.”In the ideal world we would have our own world-renowned domestic tournament that everybody wants to play in and you would see our younger guys flourish in what would be a very high standard of cricket. They would be put under pressure the majority of times they go out to bat, bowl or field. And that’s what we want.”We have heard much of this before, of course. But this time, as the ECB look at rescheduling the domestic season, it looks almost inevitable that the County Championship will be reduced to 12 games each per county with more emphasis given on limited-overs formats. Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, favours 10 gamesBut Morgan, at least, feels that, in partnership with Trevor Bayliss and Strauss, there is a common accord which can bring an improvement in England’s one-day performances.”Speaking with Strauss, he feels there is to be a difference between Tests and one dayers and a bigger priority on white ball cricket,” Morgan said. “That is the change that made me think, ‘hold on, we are actually going to make some progress here.’ I think there are plans being put in place to prioritise tournaments in the future instead of making overloading with Tests the priority.”Trevor’s strategy revolves around having athletes in your side – gun fielders – and then a couple of specifics: guys being able to turn the ball both ways and having your quicks looking constantly to take wickets and being aggressive with the bat. My experience with him has been brilliant.”We’re all on the same page as over the direction that we want to take this team and the brand of cricket we want to play. It might still take a bit of time but I’ll certainly be involved in selection, so I’ve got the squad I wanted.”

South Africa Under-19 pulled one back in the seven match youth ODI series, beating Bangladesh Under-19 by two runs at the Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in Cox’s Bazar

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-2015South Africa Under-19 pulled one back in the seven match youth ODI series, beating Bangladesh Under-19 by two runs at the Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in Cox’s Bazar.Choosing to bat , South Africa’s openers Kyle Verreynne and Rivaldo Moonsamy put on 63 runs before Moonsamy was stumped off Saleh Ahmed’s bowling in the 13th over.Dayyaan Galiem was part of two 30-plus partnerships, while making 51 off 81 balls. Saleh picked 3 for 41 as South Africa lost eight wickets while making 229 runs.Bangladesh lost their first wicket in the eight over of the run-chase when Ziyyad Abrahams had Pinak Ghosh caught behind for 9. Saif Hassan stitched two fifty-plus partnerships with Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan, putting the hosts back on course. Bangladesh, however, lost the wickets of Shanto and Zakir Hasan within seven balls to leave them on 144 for 4. Mossabek Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin put on 71 for the fifth wicket, but fell within a space of seven balls, leaving the home team with four runs to get from two balls.Abrahams bowled a tight final over as Bangladesh could manage only two runs from the last four balls, losing Nihaduzzaman off the last ball of the innings, meaning South Africa hung on for the win.

Goal takes a look at the most memorable Premier League deals that were finalised on January transfer deadline day over the years

GettyFernando Torres | Chelsea | £50m

Fernando Torres’ £35 million deadline day transfer to Chelsea from Liverpool was a then-British transfer record. ‘El Nino’, a former Kop darling, infamously left the Reds to join Chelsea in 2011 in search for silverware and success amid a period of deep turbulence for the Anfield side.

While he had endeared himself to the Merseyside faithful with 81 goals, forming a prolific partnership with Steven Gerrard and earning a reputation as one of the Premier League’s most feared strikers, he was considered a flop at Stamford Bridge.

He scored his first Chelsea goal against West Ham on April 23, 2011 after a 903-minute goal-less run, though he did lift the Champions League trophy with the Blues in 2012.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLuis Suarez | Liverpool | £23m

The Uruguayan international’s time at Anfield was marred with controversy, but he will be best remember for his scoring prowess and lethal attacking skill with the Reds. Luis Suarez was initially brought to Liverpool to Ajax in a view to partner Torres in attack, and scored on his debut against Stoke in February 2011.

He scored just four Premier League goals in his first half-season for Liverpool but became his side’s most valuable asset over the next few years, steadily increasing his league tally to 11 goals in 2011-12, 23 goals in 2012-13 and 31 goals in 2013-14.

He played a key role in Liverpool’s 2014 title push under Brendan Rodgers, and left for Barcelona later that summer.

GettyAndy Carroll | Liverpool | £35m

If there’s anybody who embodies the idea of a ‘panic buy’, it’s Andy Carroll. Liverpool acted swiftly to purchase the forward from Newcastle as a replacement for the outgoing Torres in January 2011, with Carroll’s club-record £35m signing confirmed on deadline day.

Carroll endured a challenging time at Liverpool, struggling to fill in for Torres. He managed to score just 11 goals in his two seasons for the Reds before leaving for West Ham in 2012.

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Getty ImagesPierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Arsenal | £56m

The Gunners had their eye on Gabon star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for a while, but his move was only confirmed on deadline day 2018 – as Arsenal, along with Chelsea and Dortmund, were involved in a player merry-go-round. Arsenal wanted Aubameyang, but Dortmund couldn’t sell the player without having a replacement, who they identified in Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi. The Blues, in turn, wanted to bring in Olivier Giroud from the Emirates, which rounded out the transfer triangle stand-off.

All three clubs finally confirmed all three deals on January 31 – Aubameyang to Arsenal, Batshuyai replacing him at Dortmund, and Giroud signing for Chelsea from Arsenal.

The U.S. men's national team have scheduled a June friendly against Colombia in a stern test as part of their pre-Copa America warmup.

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USMNT schedule pre-Copa America friendlySet to take on CONMEBOL heavyweights ColombiaBig test for Berhalter and CoGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The USSF announced that the match will take place on June 8 at FedEx Field in preparation for this summer's blockbuster tournament. It will be the 21st all-time meeting between the two nations, but Los Cafeteros are in brilliant form, with Colombia on a 19-match unbeaten streak heading into the March international window.

AdvertisementWHAT BERHALTER SAID

"As we continue to build toward this summer's Copa America and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we relish the challenge of competing against the best possible opponents and Colombia checks that box. They have been a standout team in World Cup Qualifying and showcase some of the world’s top talent,” USMNT head coach Berhalter said. “We are thrilled to have the U.S. Men's National Team back to FedExField and the DMV, a place with an incredible history of support for our team and for soccer overall."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Colombia currently sit third on CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying and are looking to earn top honor's at Copa America this summer. They last topped the podium in 2001, and have yet to find themselves there since. As for the USMNT, they last appeared in the 2016 edition of the tournament, where they crashed out in the semifinals.

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The USMNT is 3-15-5 all-time against Colombia, a foe they have struggled with for years on end.

Arsenal may be set to launch a bid for Sporting CP superstar Viktor Gyokeres after sending scouts to keep an eye on him, a report says.

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Gunners have been scouting Sporting starChelsea also interested in GyokeresPortugese side demand €100m for strikerWHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners have sent scouts to get a good look at the Sweden international amid his incredible season in Portugal, according to Fabrizio Romano. The north London side are said to be the team showing most interest in him, but are far from the only ones in the picture.

AdvertisementViktor Gyokeres Sporting 2023THE BIGGER PICTURE

Chelsea have also been linked with a move for the 25-year-old but any team preparing to make a bid will have to start off high. Sporting coach Ruben Amorim said in January that the Primeira Liga side would not sell him unless his €100 million (£86m/$108m) release clause were triggered.

DID YOU KNOW?

Gyokeres represented Brighton and Coventry before joining Sporting last summer. He has been in insatiable form ever since, scoring a whopping 31 goals in 31 games in all competitions for the Portuguese giants.

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Mikel Arteta's team will likely keep track of the striker in the coming months and decide whether or not they want to meet Sporting's demands to sign him. However, the Premeir League title hopefuls may face competition from Chelsea and other teams.

Tim Ambrose said he was “enjoying cricket and enjoying life” after making a first century since opening up about his battle with depression

Alex Winter at Edgbaston19-Apr-2013
ScorecardTim Ambrose crashed a century from 122 balls to put Warwickshire in a dominant position•Getty ImagesTim Ambrose said he was “enjoying cricket and enjoying life” after making a first century since opening up about his battle with depression. His dashing 105 gave Warwickshire a big lead and a chance to push for victory on the final day.Last September was the first time that Ambrose had revealed the troubles that saw him miss almost half the 2010 season. But now almost entirely free from the “soaking wet duvet” that had covered him, he is in a good place and part of a lower-order that makes Warwickshire extremely hard to kill off.Ambrose was needed to claw his side back from 64 for 4 as Warwickshire’s top-order again showed its fragile nature. They lost a fifth wicket with the lead at 225 but Ambrose and Rikki Clarke shared a century stand in 138 balls that whipped away the opportunity Durham sensed after their morning’s work.For Ambrose, it was a century dedicated to his grandfather Nick who underwent a recent heart operation. The news was positive and Ambrose will Skype him with his own good news.”I’m enjoying cricket and enjoying life and that’s the important thing for everyone,” Ambrose said. “I felt good all pre-season. As soon as I picked a bat up in late February I’ve felt in great nick. I said to the guys on the first morning of this game, is it wrong that I want someone to get out so I can have a bat? I haven’t had a hit, in Abu Dhabi the guys piled on the runs and against Derby the rain got in the way so now that I’ve had the chance, it’s nice to convert it.”Ambrose was usurped by Matt Prior at both Sussex and in the England Test side and it was his exclusion from the England team in 2009 that triggered his lowest ebb. He played 11 Tests and made a century against New Zealand, averaging just under 30. His last match came when Prior flew home from the West Indies when his wife was pregnant, cementing Ambrose’s place as Prior’s perennial understudy.International cricket is now as much of an issue to deal with as his depression and he can focus on delivering another title for his county. His runs last year, 623 at 44.50, were part of a lower order that was essential to their success.”We’ve talked among ourselves about the engine room,” Ambrose said. “With myself, Rikki, Chris Woakes and Keith Barker, there are a lot of runs there and it’s something we’re very proud of. When we get into trouble we’ve got the guys to get out of it.”Ambrose and Troughton ensured disaster was averted but Ben Stokes produced a quick, reverse-swinging spell from the Pavilion End that reignited Durham’s hopes. Stokes found an edge from Ambrose that narrowly evaded first slip and trapped Troughton lbw. But Clarke survived the burst and struck two fours in three balls to see Stokes off and end Durham’s best hope of a target within range.It was disappointment for the Durham head coach, Geoff Cook, who chose to praise Warwickshire’s lower order rather than his bowlers who had put the match on an even keel at 64 for 4. Ian Westwood and Will Porterfield fell to good deliveries that swung just enough before Varun Chopra was strangled down the leg side from Stokes’ first delivery. And when Laurie Evans pulled to mid-off the engine room was being revved up for duty.They delivered. Warwickshire reached a safe position through Ambrose and Clarke but, given the way runs have been accumulated with ease and at pace on all three afternoons of the match when the ball has softened, Troughton was very cautious in his declaration and ensured that Durham would have to score at over four-an-over to chase 413.They pulled out with five overs remaining in the day and with the seventh ball of the innings, Chris Wright found a little movement back into Keaton Jennings to trap him for a golden duck.

It has been a disappointing season for both these sides, who began as co-favourites for the Championship but will be happy enough now to steer clear of relegation

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge14-Jul-2011
Scorecard
It has been a disappointing season for both these sides, who began as co-favourites for the Championship but will be happy enough now to steer clear of relegation. The safety of mid-table seems an attractive proposition, which may explain why a match that had notable highlights in the shape of three high-quality centuries ended in a very tame draw.There could have been an interesting finish. When Somerset’s lead, 91 overnight, reached 250, there were around 50 overs left in the match and Marcus Trescothick might have pulled out and invited Nottinghamshire to have a go. But if temptation did show itself, it was only to be passed up. He invited the home side instead to bowl his team out.Thanks largely to Andre Adams and Samit Patel, whose left-arm spin took four wickets, Notts took up the invitation successfully. But by the time they did so only 34 overs remained and the target of 321 was purely academic. There was little reluctance to shake hands and go home when five o’clock arrived.Appropriately enough, the significant innings of a forgettable day was a forgettable hundred from Nick Compton, whose growing penchant is for solid, dependable displays unadorned with flights of fancy, which is forgivable given that he still struggles to recapture the productive form of his early Middlesex days.It would not have been his grandfather’s idea of fun but it is getting the job done. This season, bolstered considerably by his epic nine-hour unbeaten 254 against Durham at The Riverside, threatens to be his best since 2003, when his first full season at Middlesex yielded 1315 first-class runs, including six centuries.He ground out 115 here over six and a half hours before a splendid diving catch by Riki Wessels at short extra cover gave Steven Mullaney his wicket. He struck 14 boundaries but probably turned down as many, preferring not to take the risk.There was good support for him, first from Chris Jones, a 20-year-old Devonian who has played first-class matches for Durham University but was batting for the first time in the Championship. He appeared against Lancashire last season as a nominated replacement for Craig Kieswetter but did not bat or bowl.He earned his call-up for this match after hitting 149 for Somerset 2nds last week and showed sound technique in a tidy 55 and had just despatched Patel through the covers for his 10th boundary when the left-armer found a little extra bounce to have him caught at slip.James Hildreth, whose first-innings 137 had been one of the highlights, hit 39 in rapid time before slicing Luke Fletcher to backward point. Kieswetter, who had shared a 290-run partnership with Hildreth in scoring 164 in the first innings, fell for 21 this time, one of two leg-before victims in the space of three overs for Adams, whose dismissal of Peter Trego at 361 for 6 might have prompted the declaration had Trescothick been interested.Instead, the Somerset skipper allowed the tailenders to swing the bat, which the seam bowler Adam Dibble did with some success on his first-class debut, crashing 39 not out off only 35 balls, including a four and two sixes in the same over off Mullaney. The others were picked off by Patel, who finished with 4 for 70.Stuart Broad’s bowling was again a mixed bag as he sought to regain his form ahead of the opening Test against India. He found a couple of snorters for Kieswetter but nine overs on the day yielded no wickets, although they did take his contribution to the two innings to 53.4 overs, which is the largest number he has sent down in a single match, curiously enough. Given that he has been bowling with his left heel padded and his right ankle strapped, this might seem an odd preparation.Notts faced 15 overs in the end, during which Wessels was caught behind and Alex Hales followed his brilliant 184 with a rather more ordinary 18 before giving a return catch to Arul Suppiah.But it was all fairly meaningless and Mick Newell, the Notts director of cricket, signalled his satisfaction with the outcome by declining the chance to criticise Trescothick’s caution. His side, after all, had lost four times in a row before this match.”We will take 11 points for the draw,” he said. “It was important that we stopped losing and got some batting points on the board.”

The PCB has offered central contracts to 19 women cricketers for 2011, who were part of the gold-medal-winning squad in the inaugural women’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games last November

ESPNcricinfo staff17-May-2011The PCB has offered central contracts to 19 women cricketers for 2011. The cricketers were part of the gold-medal-winning squad in the inaugural women’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, last November. The board had announced its intention of contracting women cricketers in December 2010.The one-year contracts have been afforded in four categories, with Sana Mir, Javeria Khan, Nain Abidi, Bismah Maroof and Batool Fatima falling in the top bracket, Category A.One of the members of the Asian Games squad, Sania Khan, has not received a contract due to an injury. “Sania Khan’s contract has been withheld due to medical reasons as she is currently undergoing a rehabilitation programme in lieu of a shoulder injury,” a PCB release stated. “Once she is cleared by PCB’s medical panel, then her contract will be issued accordingly.”After the Asian Games victory, the board had also introduced match fees for the women players; previously the team just received a daily allowance for expenses, their only regular source of income being the jobs they held with companies that have first-class cricket teams.The list of players awarded contracts:Category A: Sana Mir, Javeria Khan, Nain Abidi, Bismah Maroof, Batool Fatima
Category B: Nida Dar, Asmavia Iqbal, Qanita Jalil, Marina Iqbal, Sania Khan
Category C: Masooma Junaid, Sadia Yousaf, Rabiya Shah, Sana Gulzar, Sidra Ameen
Category D or retainership: Kainat Imtiaz, Nahida Khan, Namra Imran, Faryal Awan, Areeb Shamaim

ESPNcricinfo previews the CLT20 match between South Australia and Warriors in Hyderabad

The Preview by Firdose Moonda24-Sep-2011Match facts Warriors v South Australia, September 25
Start time 1600 (1030 GMT)Big Picture After their winning start to the tournament, Warriors will not want to lose momentum in a fairly short group stage. Their victory, although thrilling, was not comprehensive and there is plenty for them to work on. With just a day to travel from the hard track in Bangalore to the slower pitch in Hyderabad, they don’t have much time to strategise either.Rusty Theron took wickets in the end overs against Royal Challengers Bangalore but Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Wayne Parnell were disappointing with the ball; and while Ashwell Prince shined with his 74, the rest of the top-order batsmen failed. Warriors are coming off a long off-season but have to step up quickly. After showing their big-match temperament in the first match, they will want to demonstrate they have the skills to match.Warriors are up against tough opposition in South Australia, who won all their group games before losing in the semi-finals of last year’s Champions League. South Australia’s opening pair of captain Michael Klinger and Daniel Harris consistently provide them solid starts, they have the pace of Shaun Tait and the skill of Callum Ferguson. Having been knocked out by Warriors last year, South Australia may have some revenge to exact.Watch out for… There was a time, in the aftermath of the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal, when Nicky Boje chose not to travel to India, but now that he has, there’s no doubt he has a small point to prove. Once South Africa’s go-to man as a pinch hitter and containing bowler, he has faded off the scene as he nears retirement but Boje has shown he still has the desire to play and win. He is the senior-most member of the Warriors squad and will have important contributions to make on a sluggish surface in Hyderabad.He has been labelled the fastest man in cricket but Shaun Tait has also developed a reputation for inconsistency. Still, the thought of facing him will have most batsmen a little nervous. The pitches in India do not provide the best stage for him to show off his pace and Tait will have to prove he is not a one-trick pony and introduce other elements into his game.Team news Warriors could well stick to the same team that beat Royal Challengers in the tournament opener. Kelly Smuts and Lyall Meyer may be competing with Justin Kreusch and Craig Thyssen for a spot in the starting XI.South Australia have a handful of Australia stars in the line-up with Tait, Ferguson and Nathan Lyon the headliners. They also have Yorkshire’s Adil Rashid in the squad, and may play three spinners if allrounder Aaron O’Brien is included.Stats and Trivia Daniel Harris was the leading run-getter in the 2010-11 KFC Big Bash. Daniel Christian was bought by Deccan Chargers for $900,000 but averaged 17.27 with the bat and 31.81 with the ball in the 2011 IPL. His highest score was 30. Quotes “I think it is something a captain needs to bring. If he starts to get too emotional then the rest of the team will follow. So I try to be as calm as possible on the outside but it does not always mean I am calm on the inside.”
“It’s a tough decision to move from Warriors, a franchise in which I have spent 17-18 years. It’s disappointing to move out, but I will try my best to move away after helping Warriors win the title,”
South Africa stalwart Mark Boucher, who will be at Cape Cobras next season, wants to end his time with Warriors on a high note.