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Jonathan Trott will leave the game with a smile on his face and many good memories. From the position he was in not so long ago, that is something to be cherished

George Dobell at Lord's17-Sep-2016By the time Jonathan Trott trudged off the pitch at the end of England’s Caribbean tour in 2015, it seemed his days in the sun were over.What once had come so easily had become torturous. He admits to have a sense of relief when he was dismissed in the second innings of that final Test in Barbados: relief he would never have to put himself through the torment again. When Alastair Cook suggested he review the lbw decision, he apparently replied “Nah, I’m out of here” and walked off to one of the more unusual standing ovations you will witness. Everyone knew his international career was over but, despite scores of 0 and 9 in that last Test, the Barmy Army proved they had longer memories than some sports fans when they rose to applaud him off.The months that followed were not easy. Trott didn’t just struggle to score runs in the 2015 season – he averaged 25.05 in the Championship – he struggled to muster any enthusiasm for the game. Maybe he even started to resent it.For Trott was a boy brought up to bat. He didn’t have a teddy, he had a sawn-down cricket bat. He didn’t go on holiday, he went on tour. So while he never much bothered with education – why did he need qualifications when he was going to score centuries? – he learned to express himself through runs. Want to make his parents happy? Score a century. Want to impress new team-mates? Score a century. Runs made everything all right.But, somewhere along the way, batting become too important to him. It wasn’t just a game: it was his profession; his identity; his means of providing for his family and making them proud. By the time it all came crashing down – unmasked and, in his eyes, humiliated in public in Brisbane – he felt he had nothing left. He has a book coming out in the coming days (I must declare an interest; I helped him write it) which will surprise a few by revealing the depths to which he sunk and how early in his career the demons started to take control. In short, cricket had become agony to him and he really didn’t have anything else to fall back upon.It has taken a long time to recover. But somewhere, maybe through the faith shown in him by Warwickshire, maybe through the hours spent with the psychiatrist Steve Peters, maybe by simply keeping on buggering on (as Winston Churchill memorably put it) he seems to have emerged through the other side of the storm.Oh, yes, the game defeated him in the end. Brisbane and Barbados still happened. Mitchell Johnson was still too good. Nothing will ever change that.But, as he showed at Lord’s, the experience has not destroyed him. It has scarred him, yes. But he has recovered sufficiently not just to re-emerge as a fine player at this level, but to have rediscovered his enjoyment for this great game. Maybe there is a happy ending to his story, after all.

Most people have experienced failure and fear at some time; they can respect a man who has faced his and, if not defeated them, at least not allowed to let them defeat him

There should be. While his international career ended in failure – they nearly always do – there were some great days along the way. There were Ashes wins at home at away. There was the rise to No. 1 in the Test and ODI rankings. There was the highest ODI batting average of any regular England batsman. It would be a shame if all that was overshadowed by the ending. It would be a shame if his second Test in Brisbane was remembered but his first not.It looks, at least, as if he will be able to look back with a sense of proportion and pride. To have paid the club he loves back with a Man-of-the-Match performance in a Lord’s final will ensure he leaves the game – and that departure is not especially imminent – with head held high and good memories outweighing the bad. He finishes as the competition’s second-highest run-scorer (only team-mate and imitator Sam Hain scored more) with three centuries and two half-centuries from seven innings. You didn’t have to be a Warwickshire supporter to celebrate his success.For maybe the first time in his career, Trott is playing the game for fun. He still puts himself under pressure to perform – “as an ex-international player you want to set the standard” he said – but he is not driven by the same desperation to prove himself. He knows there is more to life than cricket now. He knows it’s not everything.For maybe the first time in his career, Jonathan Trott is playing the game for fun•Getty ImagesThere were many heroes in this Warwickshire performance. There was Laurie Evans, who owed his selection over Ireland captain William Porterfield to an impressive display in a fielding training session earlier in the week and took what may have been a match-defining effort to dismiss Jason Roy. There was Oliver Hannon-Dalby, who gained seam movement absent to Surrey’s hugely talented quartet of pace bowlers. There was Chris Wright, who bowled with intelligence and control to tighten the grip on Surrey’s nervous batsmen. There was Tim Ambrose, who shrugged off injury to keep magnificently on a tricky surface and completed a stumping off a leg-side wide as if it was easy. There was Dougie Brown, who remains under pressure, but deserves time to lead this team through a tricky transition; the club will not find a coach who works harder or cares more. And there was Jeetan Patel who, with his quicker pace and greater turn, easily out-bowled Surrey’s two spinners. As Ian Bell said afterwards: “He is the standout spinner in county cricket.”But most of all there was Trott. The limited-overs game may have moved on from the time he took England to the brink of their first global ODI trophy – he still refers to the Champions Trophy final defeat at Edgbaston in 2013 as the biggest disappointment of his career and the moment his decline began – but if you need a man to chase a relatively modest target, there is nobody better. There might never have been anyone better. He was never going to let a chase of 137 bother him.”If there’s one bloke in world cricket who I would want to knock off a small total – or a total where you can pace yourself – it is Jonathan Trott,” Bell said.That is not faint praise. This was a surface – a poor surface for a showpiece final, really – on which nobody else in the match passed 40. Only one man reached 30. Not even Roy scored at such a strike rate. It required a man with a calm head and masterful technique to conquer it. It was a reminder of the high-class player he once was.It was noticeable at the end that the supporters of Surrey, as much as Warwickshire, stood to applaud him. As cricket crowds become more partisan such moments become ever less frequent. But maybe there has been something in Trott’s public struggle – and his public attempts to overcome it – that struck a chord with spectators. That has endeared him to them in a way that runs and records never can. Most people have experienced failure and fear at some time; they can respect a man who has faced his and, if not defeated them, at least not allowed to let them defeat him.It was noticeable, too, that with the game won and the rest of the players leaving the pitch, Trott paused for a while and marked his guard one more time. It was a ritual that once seemed to infuriate, but now appears a more endearing quirk. Trott will leave the game with a smile on his face and many good memories. From the position he was in not so long, that is something to be cherished.

A scary Malinga slide and a Simmons stunner among plays of the day from the match between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils

Arun Venugopal05-May-2015Talk, talk and strikeLasith Malinga took a while to get his field right, and when he appeared ready to bowl the first ball of the match, his captain, Rohit Sharma, walked up to him. The two were locked in a long, animated chat, seemingly bouncing off a thousand ideas off each other. Just when you wondered what the fuss was all about, Malinga thundered in and pitched one outside off only for Mayank Agarwal to offer a loose waft. The edge was snaffled by Parthiv Patel, and Malinga and Rohit let out a collective roar.Missed call and failed juggleShreyas Iyer was particularly severe on Mitchell McClenaghan in the fourth over, smacking him for fours off the first two deliveries. He attempted an encore of his second boundary, a sliced, uppish drive over cover-point, off the fourth ball. This wasn’t timed as well and the ball hung up over cover point with Hardik Pandya and J Suchith converging in pursuit of the catch. Only that both of them forgot to call. Pandya got to the ball first but failed to latch on to it, his concentration possibly affected by the sight of an approaching Suchith. He, however, kept the ball in play with a juggle, but Suchith, who was right next to him, couldn’t take it either. McClenaghan, already annoyed at being hit for two fours, sunk to his knees and yelled in frustration.The scary slideKedar Jadhav was intent on sweeping everything in his sight, and he top-edged one off Harbhajan Singh. Lasith Malinga, at short fine leg, turned around and ran after the ball. As he put in an ungainly slide to retard the ball’s progress, Malinga’s left knee jammed into the turf, a piece of it exploding on impact. There were a few worried faces as Malinga hobbled around. But he was back in business in no time, stepping up to bowl at full tilt the very next over.The slip and celebrationPandya had just been hit for a six by Angelo Mathews. As he ran in to bowl the next ball, he slipped at the point of delivery and tumbled once, and again. Pandya got up with a wry smile and returned for his next ball. He had good reason to hold the smile, as Mathews holed out to long off to give him his first IPL wicket. Guess who the catcher was? His old juggling mate, Suchith.The catch that wasn’tMalinga had deceived Yuvraj Singh with a slower one that bounced more than he expected, and Parthiv dived across to his left to take the edge. Or did he? Parthiv and Malinga were confident they had their man, but Yuvraj chose to hang around. Replays showed he was right, as the ball had bounced in front of the wicketkeeper. Parthiv grinned sheepishly on seeing the replay and promptly apologised to Yuvraj.The catch that shouldn’t have beenThe next ball, Yuvraj scorched one uppishly towards backward point, and it looked headed to the boundary. But Lendl Simmons had other ideas, leaping high and to his right to pluck the ball with one hand. Simmons’ team-mates enveloped him in delight. Even Jonty Rhodes, the fielding coach, was thrilled, clapping till his hands hurt.

Graeme Swann will be remembered as England’s finest spinner since Derek Underwood and their finest off-spinner since Jim Laker. The fact that he had a bowling average of 22 in the Tests he won underlines his colossal value to the side

George Dobell22-Dec-20130:00

George Dobell: Five things I love about Graeme Swann

Of all the players that took England to No. 1 in the Test rankings and their first global silverware, Graeme Swann might prove the hardest to replace.Swann did not possess the talent of Kevin Pietersen and does not finish his career with the records of Alastair Cook, but he was the man that balanced the England side. As a spinner good enough to demand respect in the first innings and threaten in the second, his involvement allowed England to field a four-man attack while his excellent catching and aggressive lower-order batting gave him an edge over all his rivals for the role. England have nothing close to a replacement.He probably deserved a better send-off. He probably deserved better than seeing his final over in Test cricket thrashed for 22 and the side he had done so much to improve humbled in the series about which he cared most.But sport doesn’t work like that. For the vast majority it ends in tears. And Swann, reflecting the experience of this England team, arrived in Australia in high spirits only to leave broken and disappointed a few weeks later. It really is always later than we think.Graeme Swann played the game with a smile on his face, but was a serious competitor•Getty Images”It’s easy to wish you’d gone out taking 10-for in your last game and been hoisted on to people’s shoulders as you walk off,” he said. “But I look back and I don’t regret a single day I’ve had for England. They’re all part and parcel of the magnificent journey I’ve been on.”There had been increasing signs, as well as rumours, that his right elbow – twice operated upon – was bothering him again in recent weeks. It was not that he was bowling poorly – he seldom did – just that he couldn’t bowl as well for as long. When Australia’s batsmen, confident and playing on fine wickets, attacked he had no longer had the answer.There will be those who accuse him of selfishness for retiring mid-series. But if he knew his form had dipped, if he knew he was no longer quite capable of reaching the standards he once did, if he knew the light had gone out, he is right to go.Personal records and landmarks are fine, but they are never and should never be what a team sport is about. Besides, if Swann waited for England to uncover a replacement, he might be playing until he was 60. There are decent young spinners in county cricket – Yorkshire’s Azeem Rafiq and Nottinghamshire’s Sam Wood stick out, though Swann backed Monty Panesar to take his place in the short-term and Durham’s leg-spinning allrounder Scott Borthwick in the longer – but there is no-one anywhere near Swann’s class.”I knew more or less that the time was coming up,” he said. “At the end of the Oval Test, I think ‘why didn’t I just stop then?’ But then I’d never have forgive myself if I hadn’t come out here and given it a crack – we had the chance to potentially win four Ashes series on the bounce. When I came out on this trip, I half expected it to be my last tour for England.”It was probably halfway through the Perth game [that I made the decision]. My body doesn’t like playing long forms of cricket. My arm doesn’t cope very well with bowling 30-40 overs in the first innings and then repeating it in the second innings a day later. I could feel my performances tapering off towards the back end of games and I wasn’t happy with that. I’m not willing just to hang on and get by being a bit-part player. I want to be a guy who wants to win matches for England and I don’t feel I was doing that in the second innings any more. As a result, it is time to go.”The ending should not obscure the achievements. Swann will be remembered as England’s finest spinner since Derek Underwood and their finest offspinner since Jim Laker. The fact that he had a bowling average of 22 in the Tests he won – 30 of the 60 he played – underlines his colossal value to the side. Bearing in mind the era in which he played, with shorter boundaries, better bats and covered pitches offering little, a Test bowling average a fraction under 30 is deeply impressive. He reached 250 Test wickets in just his 58th Test, becoming the quickest finger-spinner to the landmark in Test history.Graeme Swann was found great success as a conventional offspinner rather than a box of mystery deliveries•Getty ImagesSome feel that Swann revived the art of traditional off-spin, but it is hard to see many following in his footsteps. It is more likely that Swann simply provided a coda to the life of the traditional off-spinner. It really is possible that his like – sans ‘doosra’ – will not be seen again excelling at the top level.Certainly Swann was something of a throwback. With an unimpeachable action, relied on weapons that were thought to be obsolete before he started: a bow and arrow in the age of the gun. But his ability to get the ball to dip sharply remained dangerous until the end – he dismissed Michael Clarke, perhaps the best player of spin in the world, in such fashion in the first innings in Perth – while his sharp turn, unusually good arm-ball and excellent control rendered him valuable on good wickets and deadly on those offering assistance. It was a package good enough to see him rated, for a while, No. 1 in the ODI and T20 bowling rankings and No. 2 in Tests.Quite when he made the transition in perception from honest journeyman enjoying a few days in the sun to a highly-respected, key player is hard to say. It wasn’t when he dismissed Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid in his first over of Test cricket in 2008; it wasn’t when he bowled England to Ashes victory at The Oval in 2009 – the moment he described on Sunday as the greatest in his career – and it wasn’t when he bowled England to victory in Durban later the same year. But somewhere, as he claimed five-wicket hauls in the Caribbean, in Bangladesh, in India, in Australia, in South Africa, in Sri Lanka, in the UAE and in England, it became apparent that Swann’s success was not fleeting and fortunate. He had developed into a high-class bowler.He will remembered, too, for playing the game with a smile. Of course there were frustrating days where that smile was hidden for a while, but Swann – having only broken into the Test side in his late 20s – never lost sight of how fortunate he was to play cricket for a living and represent his country in the process.The salary may have increased, the pressures too, but Swann remained, at heart, the enthusiastic boy who used to watch his father, Ray, playing minor counties cricket, and emerged as a likeable larrikin while he developed through the Northamptonshire system with his brother, Alec. Later, when he moved on to Nottinghamshire, he embraced the fitness and lifestyle choices that hoped him maximise his talent, but the sense of job never ebbed. Family, club and county can take much pride in his success.”I hope my legacy is someone who always enjoyed it,” Swann said. “Someone who always played with a smile on his face.”But since I got back in the England team, I’ve treated every day like a lottery win. That’s what it is. I’ve been privileged to play international cricket. It really annoys me when people take it for granted and get above their station; they shouldn’t.”It’s the most privileged thing any man can do. I hope people will look back and say ‘Yeah, he did always play with a smile on his face and enjoyed himself … and he walked as well, when he nicked it’.”Swann’s departure, Jonathan Trott’s absence and the loss of the Ashes all point to the same conclusion: the foundations of England’s success have crumbled and they have now entered a rebuilding phase. It could well contain some very uncomfortable moments. And, as England struggle to regain former ground, Swann’s immense contribution could well win greater recognition and respect.

After spending two successful years together, India Under-19 players believe they can part on a high note

George Binoy in Townsville11-Aug-2012Most of the players in the India Under-19 squad have been together for the better part of two years, in which time they’ve played and beaten most of their competition while winning two of the three tournaments they’ve been part of. It’s in those tournaments, when challenged to recover from difficult situations, adjust to foreign conditions, and deal with the pressure of last-ball finishes, that, their coach Bharat Arun says, the group has picked up their confidence and self-belief – and especially the habit of “keeping a cool head to win a hot game”.The team’s build-up to the tournament, extensive and exhaustive, sought to reinforce the bonds. The players gathered at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore for a camp where, apart from honing their skills, they interacted with Yuvraj Singh, an Under-19 World Cup winner in 2000, and Rahul Dravid, who spoke to them on preparation and the mental challenges of playing on a bigger stage. They also were taken on field trips and went rappelling, most of them for the first time. “When you’re coming down a cliff which is 50 feet, you’re a bit scared. But all you need to do under stress is do the basics,” Arun said. “The simple instruction was to keep your knees straight on the rock … and then they know, in a tight situation, the best thing to do is to do the basics right.”The players also went on a “trust walk”, a team-building exercise that involved a leader, who wasn’t allowed to speak, guiding a group of blindfolded people through a forest track in Nagarhole, a jungle reserve in Karnataka. “They were given some time to think how to do it and be innovative, they learnt to trust each other,” Arun said. “They did a great job.”We had a lot of sessions where they formulated strategies – the three most important things to do to win this World Cup. When they come out with such ideas, their ownership is a lot more than when you give it to them.”The competitive journey of this Indian Under-19 side started in Visakhapatnam in September 2011, at a quadrangular tournament involving teams from Australia, West Indies and Sri Lanka. India began by chasing down Australia’s 163 in 12 overs and won every league game after that. They were stretched in the final: chasing 168, Sri Lanka were 102 for 5 before falling five runs short.”Winning [the final] from that situation gave us a lot of belief,” Arun said. “If we can set our minds on the process, the outcome automatically takes care of itself. You can tell them [the players] these things but for them to believe they have to enact it out in the middle.”India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand’s eyes lit up while talking about the thrashing to Australia, the tense victory in the final, and the crowd that came to watch. “It gave us belief, that was the first time we played together as a team and we didn’t lose a single match,” Unmukt said. “The way we played the finals was amazing. The belief of winning was so strong that we never felt that we’d lose that match.”Their next tournament, however, was in Townsville, where India will play their World Cup matches, and lose they did. Having never played in Australia before, they were beaten in all their league matches by England, New Zealand and the hosts.”First match, we had no idea, no clue of the wickets and all. We just knew they would be bouncy. We had no experience of the conditions there,” Unmukt said. “As a batsman, the balls I’m used to playing here [thigh height], they were bouncing so much that they were going here [chest height]. That’s why we took time to adjust.”A long assessment of their performances followed ahead of the quadrangular semi-final against England. They watched videos of opponents, tried to understand the conditions better, and laid plans. “A lot of the inputs came from them [the players], that to me is not being afraid to accept what their shortcomings are,” Arun said. “That was a great learning curve for us, it was a big test of character. To be able to come back after being down three games, when you do that then you have a lot of self-belief.”

When there is an atmosphere in which each one can express themselves, then trust develops. They can say whatever they want without being afraid of being shunnedBharat Arun, India Under-19 coach

India beat England by 63 runs in the semi-final, and got past Australia by seven wickets and 44 balls to spare to win the trophy. Unmukt credited the culture created by the management for the turnaround. “We all thought … not thought … we all believed that we’ll win this tournament,” he said. “The atmosphere was really cool inside, there was no pressure from anyone.”One of the challenges of coaching teenagers as compared to older professionals is a lower maturity level, on average, and Arun said the management had worked hard to develop a working relationship based on trust. “It’s important that we understand each other well, for them to open up and accept a lot of things you may bring in – areas they need to improve, to understand their strengths.”When there is an atmosphere in which each one can express themselves, then trust develops. They can say whatever they want without being afraid of being shunned.”After the quadrangular in Australia, India Under-19’s next assignment was the Asia Cup in Malaysia, where they played Pakistan Under-19 for the first time. They lost their league match to Pakistan by one run, chasing 287, and tied the final, having been well placed to chase down 282 at one stage. Arun said both the defeat and the tie had been instructive.”Both were high-pressure games. We understood where we went wrong,” he said. “Drawing from these experiences, we said the area we need to work on is the mind, because on the skill front we have really worked hard. There’s little more we can do on the skill front. The mental side is going to be very important because it’s about handling pressure at the World Cup.”This is the beginning of the end for this Under-19 team. After Townsville, the players will go their separate ways, to try and forge first-class careers. Unmukt spoke of the desire within the team.”There’s a very strong feeling that we want to win this World Cup,” he said. “We’ve put in a lot of hard effort for two years … this is the final thing. It’s an emotional thing. We are not thinking of ourselves as individual players.”India Under-19s begin their campaign against West Indies in Townsville on Sunday, August 12.

Somerset’s wicketkeeper is a South African import who Marcus Trescothick thinks is the real deal

Jeremy James20-Sep-2009Selecting a wicketkeeper was once a straightforward affair. The best technician was chosen, regardless of whether or not he could score runs, for cricket was an art for individuals of specialist talents. It has metamorphosed, partly as a result of the amount of one-day competitions and fewer overs bowled by spinners, into a game in which run-making is seen as of equal importance. The very role, then, for Craig Kieswetter.Kieswetter, the son of an Afrikaner father and Scottish mother, qualifies to play for England next February. There is little doubting that he will do so – and soon. Marcus Trescothick, who will be his captain next year and who is not a man given to superlatives, compares his batting to that of Kevin Pietersen for strokeplay born of hard pitches in the southern hemisphere, and there can be no higher praise.James Whitaker, an England selector, watched Kieswetter at Taunton earlier this month. There is work to be done on his wicketkeeping, which is why Somerset are planning to ask Alec Stewart, essentially another batsman-keeper, to give him some tuition. And James Foster was generous with his time earlier this summer.To score 1000 runs for the first time, as Kieswetter has done at the age of 21 this season, is a laudable achievement and to have dropped a straightforward chance given by Daryl Mitchell, who had made 28 at the time, in the last first-class match of the season at Taunton, could be put down to tiredness. Or, then again, to not being ready to play international cricket. When he was eventually out, Mitchell had made 298.What happens if South Africa seek him as the successor to Mark Boucher? “I have no interest in that,” said Kieswetter. “For the first 18 years of my life I was chosen by my folks to live in South Africa and when I turned 18 I decided I wanted to live here and make my career here – just for the opportunity and fairness of opportunity compared to what is happening in South Africa. I love living in Somerset and playing for them. I hope I can be selected for England somewhere along the line.”Kieswetter does possess that ideal qualification for a Somerset cricketer in that he was educated at Millfield. Only for a year, but the headmaster and Richard Ellison, the former England allrounder and master at the school, chose wisely in bringing him over from South Africa. County cricket was a seamless progression and his coach, Andy Hurry, is but one close observer who thinks international selection will shortly follow.In fact Hurry puts this at a year “at a conservative estimate”. Boys growing up in South Africa often possess a maturity and self-confidence beyond that of their English contemporaries and Kieswetter is as ambitious to make a name for himself in his adopted country as, well, Pietersen was. There is a difference, he stresses, between his position and that of Kolpak players from the Republic, some of whom, he says, come for the money. “I realise my accent does not qualify me to play for England, but I feel English and England offered the fairest opportunity.

“I am not angry about the system there, but I was disappointed at the way I was handled. Western Province, for whom I played at junior levels from 13 to 18, did not tell me why they felt I should go and play club cricket and come back to them two or three years later”

“South Africans say they want players to stay in the country and fight for their places. I am not angry about the system there, but I was disappointed at the way I was handled. Western Province, for whom I played at junior levels from 13 to 18, did not tell me why they felt I should go and play club cricket and come back to them two or three years later. It could have been because they preferred to give opportunities to players of colour. I did not tell them I was going to leave but said I was going to England for my education.Keeping is not a role that has come easy to him. “Wicketkeepers are all nuts with smelly kit. Who wants to stand behind the stumps all day and catch 1000 throws and talk and run around?” he asks. “I was never big on shouting and making a lot of noise but Justin Langer, my captain, and Andy Hurry want me to keep the momentum and the over-rate going. I am slowly learning what my game is and I’m looking to try various things to see what makes me a better player. Justin has suggested kick-boxing and martial arts and I am seeking advice from dieticians and am keen to go to the spin clinic in India to further my performances.”Hurry emphasises the importance of working on his fitness. “The ECB is very keen on that now. As a wicketkeeper, he is catching the ball better and more cleanly. He needs to make sure he is technically so sound that he scores runs consistently. Craig is very South African in that he likes to hit the ball behind square and we worked on him punching the ball back down the ground and on his pulling. He needs to score lots of big hundreds so the selectors can’t ignore him.”Nor will they, according to Trescothick. “I spoke to Duncan Fletcher when Somerset played Hampshire, and he was really impressed with how he batted and reined himself in when we lost an early wicket. Batting-wise he is fantastic. I see little things that I see in KP. The odd time he flicks the ball or picks it up over the leg side, or the way he can smack it out of the park. Not many of us can hit it like KP, and he breaks a lot of bats, like him. He just has a natural talent with fast hands and fast wrists.”

Hurricanes finished the season in fifth place, with Stars sixth, as both teams missed out on the finals

AAP15-Jan-2024Hobart Hurricanes salvaged some pride at the end of another disappointing BBL campaign, holding off Melbourne Stars by seven runs at the MCG.Like Stars, Hurricanes entered their final match of the tournament on Monday night without a chance of qualifying for the finals after Adelaide Strikers sealed the last spot in the top four with victory over Sydney Thunder the previous night.Beau Webster (55 not out in 43 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (48 in 32) looked a chance of pushing Stars past Hurricanes’ 187 for 8. But Stars’ hopes faded when Stoinis was out to Chris Jordan in the 18th over, and Stars finishing their 20 overs on 180 for 4.After being sent in to bat, Hurricanes flew out of the blocks courtesy an 86-run opening stand between Matthew Wade (63 in 41) and Ben McDermott (50 in 35). The stand was broken on the last ball of the tenth over. Hurricanes then regularly lost wickets for the remainder of their time at the crease, falling short of what they had looked like reaching.Stars allrounder Dan Lawrence collected 4 for 35 – the second four-wicket haul of his T20 career – with his gentle right-arm spin to boost Stars’ prospects.Matthew Wade scored 63 off 41 balls to finish the season•Getty Images

Hurricanes captain Nathan Ellis had an eventful night, but proved crucial in his team securing their fourth win of the campaign.After smashing 16 from five balls batting at No. 9, Ellis dropped two catches in the first two overs of the Stars chase, appearing to hurt his ribs after putting down one chance when he fell on the ball.But Ellis (2 for 29) pushed through the pain barrier to continue bowling, dismissing opener Thomas Rogers for 10.The match completely swung in Hurricanes’ favour when Ellis bowled Glenn Maxwell (32 in 18) after the Stars captain had threatened to produce a trademark match-winning knock.Once perennial BBL title contenders without ever winning the tournament, Stars missed out on the finals for a fourth straight season. Since they lost the 2019-20 final to Sydney Sixers, Stars have finished seventh, sixth, last and fifth.Hurricanes’ record isn’t much better – they have made the finals just once in the last four seasons.

Shreyas Iyer will join India’s squad for the second Test against Australia in Delhi, having been passed fit by the BCCI’s medical team. The middle-order batter had been sidelined from the first Test in Nagpur because of a back injury that had also ruled him out of the home ODI series against New Zealand last month. Iyer subsequently underwent rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.After playing the two-Test series in Bangladesh in December, Iyer had a swelling in his lower back for which he was given an injection at the NCA. He was originally expected to travel from Bengaluru to Nagpur and join the India squad for their preparatory camp for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting on February 2. However, his rehab was extended and in his absence, Suryakumar Yadav made his Test debut in Nagpur, scoring eight in India’s innings victory.Related

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In Delhi, Iyer could potentially slot back into the XI ahead of the other contenders Suryakumar and Shubman Gill. Iyer has played seven Tests so far, scoring 624 runs at an average of 56.72 and strike rate of 65.13. He is particularly strong against spin, which makes him a key batter for India on turning tracks. Iyer is also one among four Indian batters to average above 50 in Asia since the start of 2021.The second Test will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi from February 17.India squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), KL Rahul (vice-capt), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Suryakumar Yadav.

MatériaMais Notícias

A maneira como Tiquinho Soares foi essencial para o Botafogo garantir agoleada por 4 a 0 diante do Boavista pelo Carioca, no último domingo (5), refletiu um dos desafios para a equipe na temporada. No Mané Garrincha, o jogador de 32 anos teve espaço para fazer seu esperado baile após quatro jogos em branco em 2023.

Num primeiro tempo iluminado, o camisa 9 aliou oportunismo à categoria em seus dois gols. Incansável, Tiquinho apresentou-se frequentemente para jogadas e triangulações, sendo crucial na etapa final ao fazer o lançamento para o gol de Patrick de Paula.

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Sua sintonia com Victor Sá também funcionou. O camisa 7 manteve sua ascensão com a camisa do Glorioso. Além de apresentar uma postura aguerrida, buscou investidas com Marçal e Gabriel Pires e invariavelmente foi o jogador alvinegro que buscou mais cruzamentos. Inclusive, Victor Sá acabou premiado com o gol

São caminhos que não só levaram a equipe a uma vitória com placar dilatado, mas ajudaram a deixar algumas preocupações para serem avaliadas no decorrer da temporada. Por mais que a dupla de Tiquinho e Victor Sá tenha se encaixado e as jogadas pela esquerda tenham mostrado bons rumos, a equipe de Luís Castro ainda é insegura em outra área.

Lucas Piazon batalhou muito, mas teve atuação abaixo da média e não trouxe alternativas tão incisivas pela direita. Lançado na etapa final, Gustavo Sauer deu uma leve melhora ao Glorioso, mas depois passou por altos e baixos. Ambos também lidaram com um desempenho pouco ofensivo de Rafael.

O contraste entre as pontas não chegou a trazer dores de cabeça ao Alvinegro. Porém, encontrar este equilíbrio é fundamental tanto para chances de gols e jogadas de Tiquinho surgirem com mais frequência quanto para o restante do elenco do Botafogo enfrentar equipes de alto nível neste ano.

A goleada evidenciou que o Glorioso tem condições de manter sua segurança defensiva, encontrar uma imposição no meio de campo e proporcionar jogadas até o caminho do gol. Cabe ao técnico Luís Castro encontrar a melhor forma de fazer com que a equipe renda “da baliza até o setor ofensivo” e dar margem para que a inspiração fique lado a lado com o Glorioso.

دافع أسطورة نادي ليفربول، إيميل هيسكي، عن صفقة ليفربول الجديدة وذلك بعدما تلقى انتقادات عديدة في ظل تذبذب مستواه مع الريدز عقب بداية هذا الموسم.

وتعاقد ليفربول مع فلوريان فيرتز خلال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الجاري، وذلك قادمًا من صفوف نادي باير ليفركوزن مقابل أكثر من 110 ملايين يورو.

لكن فيرتز تعرض إلى انتقادات عديدة، في ظل عدم ظهوره بشكل متميز مع ليفربول حتى هذه اللحظة.

طالع.. مفاجأة.. ليفربول يفتح الباب أمام محمد صلاح للرحيل بالتراضي

ويرى إيميل هيسكي، مهاجم ليفربول السابق وأسطورة النادي، أن فيرتز لعب بشكل جيد مع الريدز، وذلك في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “مترو”.

وقال هيسكي: ”بالتأكيد فيرتز سيصنع الفارق مع ليفربول، رأيت ما يكفي منه في المباريات التي شاهدتها”.

وأضاف: ”سيتعين عليه أن يأخذ وقته، أو علينا أن نمنحه الوقت، لأن الجميع ينسى عند دخول الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز أن رتمه سريع حقًا، أنت تأتي من دوري مختلف تمامًا، وحينها يتعين على اللاعبين الجدد تسريع وتيرة لعبهم”.

وأوضح: ”رتم المباريات في الدوري الإنجليزي يسير بسرعة 160 كيلو مترًا في الساعة تقريبًا طوال الوقت، نرى ذلك عندما نلعب في أوروبا، كيف نسحق الفرق الأخرى أحيانًا، بسبب حدة لعبنا، ثم نتوقع من اللاعبين أن يأتوا ويجدوا تلك الحدة فورًا”.

وأردف: “ربما نكون من بين الدوريات التي يسمح فيها بالتدخلات العنيفة، لذا، علينا التعامل مع هذا أيضًا، حيث يقترب منك اللاعبون ويتدخلون، ولا تحصل على ركلة حرة، عليك أن تجد حلًا لكل ذلك”.

وتابع: ”فيرتز يُذكرني قليلًا بفيليب كوتينيو، حيث يجد تلك المساحات الصغيرة، وهو أنيق جدًا مع الكرة، أنا معجب به كثيرًا، وأعتقد أنه سيكون صفقة تستحق ثمنها بالتأكيد”.

وواصل: ”كنت أتمنى اللعب بجانب فيرتز، لأنه يجيد الركض، هناك لاعبون تلعب معهم، وبمجرد أن تصل إليهم الكرة يعرفون كيف يصلون إليك الكرة”.

وأتم هيسكي عن فيرتز: “ستيفن جيرارد كان أحدهم، بول سكولز، لامبارد، لذا لاعبون مثلهم رائعون”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Chegou a hora da estreia da Seleção Brasileira na Copa do Mundo de 2022. Nesta quinta-feira, a equipe de Tite inicia a busca pelo hexacampeonato do torneio da Fifa contra a Sérvia. O jogo acontece às 16h (de Brasília; 22h no horário local), no Estádio Lusail, pelo Grupo G do Mundial do Qatar.

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BRASIL
A Seleção Brasileira inicia o caminho em busca da sexta estrela contra um dos adversários do último Mundial. O técnico Tite escalou uma equipe ofensiva, com um quarteto de ataque formado por Neymar, Raphinha, Vini Jr e Richarlison.

-Eu faço escolhas, agrado a uns e outros não. Isto é da escolha e da função do técnico, mas os atletas do meio para frente se escolheram, também. Em cada clube eles estão com protagonismo e qualidade excepcionais. E fazer este ajuste, com uma equipe equilibrada, que é a ideia. É a equipe que tem percentual de gols altíssimo, que não tomou gols em 22 dos 29 jogos em Eliminatórias. Não acredito em encher de atacantes nem de encher de defensor. Eu entendo que o ponto de equilíbrio está no meio-campo, nas movimentações. E aí, sim, ter uma equipe equilibrada – afirmou Tite antes da partida.

+ Veja a tabela, os jogos e os grupos da Copa do Mundo de 2022

SÉRVIA
Os sérvios, que vivem grande fase, chegam à Copa do Mundo depois de deixar para trás um grupo que tinha Portugal, que só conseguiu sua vaga na repescagem. Empolgado com uma grande geração, o time deDragan Stojkovic conta com nomes como Tadic e Mitrovic, que serão titulares no ataque.

-O Brasil é muito sortudo por ter quatro atacantes, mas alguém terá que defender, não? É uma das melhores seleções do mundo e, para mim, conta com uma geração dourada. O jogo começa zero a zero, então, podemos ganhar. Não temos medo de ninguém, nem mesmo do Brasil – disse o técnicoDragan Stojkovic antes da partida.

+Brasil não perde o 1º jogo em Copas do Mundo há 88 anos; relembre as estreias da Seleção

FICHA TÉCNICA

Brasil x Sérvia
Copa do Mundo 2022
Grupo G – 1ª rodada
​
Data e horário: 24/11/2022, às 16h (de Brasília; 22h no horário local)
Local: Estádio Lusail, em Al Daayen (QAT)
Árbitro: Alireza Faghani (IRA)
Assistentes: Mohammadreza Mansouri e Mohammadreza Abolfazli (IRA)
Quarto árbitro: Maguette Ndiaye (SEN)
​VAR: Abdulla Al-Marri (QAT)
Assistente VAR: Muhammad Bin Jahari (CIN)
Impedimento VAR: Anton Shchetinin (AUS)
Auxílio VAR: Paulus Van Boekel (HOL)
Transmissão:Rede Globo, SporTV, Globoplay, Fifa+ e CazéTV. O LANCE! acompanha em Tempo Real

ESCALAÇÕES

BRASIL (Técnico: Tite)
Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva e Alex Sandro; Casemiro, Lucas Paquetá e Neymar; Raphinha, Richarlison e Vini Jr.

Desfalques: Ninguém.

SÉRVIA (Técnico: Dragan Stojkovic)
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic; Veljkovic, Milenkovic e Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Lukic, Gudelj e Mladenovic; Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Tadic e Mitrovic.

Desfalques: Ninguém.