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Jenni Hermoso has dedicated Spain’s Nations League triumph to herself after enduring a testing few months in the wake of a World Cup kissing scandal.

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Caught in a storm after World Cup winLooking to move on from scandalHas another trophy for the collectionGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The 33-year-old forward found herself at the centre of a sporting storm following a non-consensual clinch with former Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales during the medal ceremony which accompanied the capturing of a global crown in Australia.

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With a legal and social battle now over, Hermoso – who currently plies her club trade in Mexico for Tigres – is free to focus on her football once more. She has another major honour for the collection, with Spain seeing off France 2-0 in the final of the inaugural UEFA Women’s Nations League.

Getty ImagesWHAT HERMOSO SAID

Hermoso told after that contest when asked who she would like to dedicate the title to: “I'm going to be very honest. It has been difficult for me to stay strong all this time and I continue to improve myself. Of course I remember my mother, my brother… but I have fought a lot and I am going to dedicate this victory to myself no matter what. Because I think I deserve it.”

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DID YOU KNOW?

Hermoso added on the long-running Rubiales saga that she hopes will deliver positive change in Spanish football: “It has been a long process but the most important thing is that the player knows that she comes only to enjoy football.”

Mark Stoneman’s England Test opportunities might have resulted in disappointment but when will England’s selectors take a serious look at Rory Burns?

George Dobell09-Jun-2018
ScorecardThe streaker is not – thankfully – a common sight in Championship cricket. It’s not just that the atmosphere of the game hardly warrantsit – it’s a bit like crowd surfing in a library – but, with the schedule pushing matches to the margins of the season, it’s not very warm, either. And the cold is neither comfortable or flattering.So it was hard to imagine why anyone would strip off and run around the Ageas Bowl pitch in light drizzle towards the end of the first dayof this match. Insanity was one theory. Stolen trousers another. Or could it be Rory Burns in a desperate attempt to be noticed?The answer to that we should make very clear – we live in litigious times, you know – is a resounding no. But if Burns were driven to such measures it might, to a point, be understandable. After all, he keeps churning out runs. But it doesn’t seem to make any difference.But Burns is becoming, for the best of reasons, hard to ignore. After finishing the 2017 season as the third-highest run-scorer in DivisionOne, he is now the second-highest run scorer in the division this season.Here, against an attack boasting 623 Test wickets (Sean Ervine, who hardly bowls these days, is not included in that tally), he made hissecond century of the campaign. Only Hashim Amla has scored more runs in Division One this year, no England-qualified batsman has morecenturies and nobody in either division has faced more deliveries.At a time when it appears just about every opening batsman with a pulse and bladder control has been considered by England, it is puzzling that Burns – with a career average of 42.51 in first-class cricket – has not had as much as a Lions call. Indeed, to talk to those who know him at Surrey, it seems he has not had as much as a phone call from the selectors or England management.That will surely be rectified soon. The Lions play India A at New Road from July 16 and it would be bizarre if Burns does not win an opportunity to impress. While England may feel they have settled upon an opening pair for the India series, it remains possible that Burnscould slot in at No. 3, thereby allowing Joe Root to revert to what appears to be his favoured No. 4 position. He may be just the thing anEngland side crying out for stability requires.One of the arguments against Burns is that he scores his runs – or many of them, at least – on relatively flat tracks at The Oval. And there is some truth in that. But developing a game on those surfaces also builds confidence and technique. So, unlike some openers, who have adapted to testing conditions in the county game by attempting to smash their way to runs as fast as possible in the hope they can score a few before an unplayable delivery arrives, Burns has the confidence to build an innings. He leaves well, he drives sweetly – some of hiscover drives in this innings were a thing of beauty – and he is good off his legs.He is not especially pleasing on the eye – not in his stance, anyway, crouching with his bottom stuck out far behind him and his head turning at the last moment as if the square-leg fielder has just said something appalling about his mother – but this should not put off the selectors. Alastair Cook’s batting is hardly pretty, after all, and he has done rather well.And there is no ignoring runs against this attack. With Dale Steyn (419 Test wickets) keen to prove his fitness ahead of a potential return to Test cricket bowling, forming a formidable opening pair alongside Fidel Edwards (165 Test wickets) with Kyle Abbott (39 Test wickets) and the vastly underrated Gareth Berg in support, this innings cannot, in any way, be dismissed as soft. While it is true this sluggish surface meant he was hardly tested by the short ball in this innings, there was lateral movement and he coped with it admirably.”It’s an outstanding attack,” Surrey coach Michael Di Venuto said afterwards. “There aren’t too many better in Championship cricket.”That was a terrific innings from a fantastic player. Hopefully he gets recognition and higher honours soon. He just scores runs and that’s the name of the game for a batsman.”Surrey were grateful for Burns’ resistance. They were two down after the first over after Mark Stoneman was caught in the slips and ScottBorthwick attempted a sharp single only to be run-out by Brad Taylor’s direct hit from cover.Stoneman’s poor luck continues. After a horrid second-innings dismissal at Lord’s – the ball keeping low – ended his Test career fornow, here he was victim of a fine piece of bowling. With Edwards – the pick of the bowlers – generally moving the ball back into the left-hander, Stoneman was obliged to play the delivery just outside off stump. But this time it was angled across him and caught the edgeon its way.With Mason Crane – who has worryingly experienced a recurrence of pain in his back – and Liam Dawson – finger – injured, Hampshire wereobliged to give an opportunity to the off-spin of Taylor. And, while he ended Ryan Patel’s promising stay – the batsman simply missed onehe had attempted to turn into the leg side – Ben Foakes, in particular, took a bit of a shine to him. At one stage he was plundered for three boundaries in an over.Foakes endured some nervous moments at the start of his innings. Edwards beat him a couple of times outside off stump and Burns mayhave survived an edge in between the keeper and first slip off Abbott when he had 74, but generally the pair were sound and resourceful inadding an unbroken 133 for the fourth-wicket.Edwards, who will shortly depart to represent Winnipeg Hawks in the Canada Cricket League – a somewhat surprising turn of events – was the pick of the bowlers. Steyn, being the class act he is, was tidy and, in his first couple of spells, occasionally dangerous. But, playinghis first first-class came since the first week of January, he is still feeling his way back to full pace and was not helped by a pitchon which, once the hardness of the new ball has gone, is slow. He later announced himself happy to simply be out on the pitch. There’smore to come from him.There’s more to come from Burns, too. Not only will Surrey be keen for him to add substantially to his overnight score, but it seems hisopportunity – at Lions level, at least – must be imminent. His is a hot streak that cannot be ignored.

Twelve years into his international career, South Africa’s wicketkeeper is still the epitome of fighting spirit and reliability under pressure

Jon Cardinelli15-Sep-2009His critics believe he is finished, but does Mark Boucher care? He has dragged South Africa back from the brink on countless occasions, and yet several hacks prefer to focus on his batting average. He is the most accomplished wicketkeeper in Test history, but there are still people calling for a change.Perhaps Boucher should care, but he doesn’t. Perhaps he should feel the need to prove the naysayers wrong, but if he did, he would forego the very quality that makes him special. Boucher is the pressure man, the player for the big occasion. He won’t average 50 or hit seven hundreds in a calendar year, but he’ll win you games. He’ll come across as arrogant in the post-match interview, the lemon-sucking expression accompanied by a curt response to a stupid question. But again, if he repressed this attitude, he’d lose all his clout.”I first worked with Mark when I was coaching at the Warriors,” recalls South Africa coach Mickey Arthur. “He captained the side and I always had faith in his cricketing brain. He was also the kind of leader who was never afraid to have his say, and as a player he was a true fighter.”Mark’s a tiger, and if I went to battle, there’s no one I’d rather have beside me. He’s fiercely loyal and will never turn down a challenge. He’s an invaluable member of our team.”The stats may not reflect Boucher’s value when he strolls to the crease, but Arthur admits there are other stat bars that tell a more accurate story, highlighting his game-winning ability.Boucher’s wicketkeeping virtues have never been in doubt. He has 475 scalps in Test cricket and 406 in ODIs – record figures that are set to rise as long as he’s fit and favoured. But it’s not just his work behind the stumps that has won him acclaim. His batting contributions played a significant part in his winning the South African Cricketer of the Year Award in 1998, 2000 and 2006. He was also named as one of ‘s five Cricketers of the Year in 2009.So what does he think about the criticism and the recent calls to step aside? The rise of AB de Villiers has prompted a fierce debate. De Villiers seems set to become one of the batting greats and has the ability to keep wicket. The ingrates reason that, closing in on 33, Boucher needs to make way for the future. But is comparing the two really comparing apples and apples?”I know it sounds like I’m trying to protect my position, but I just don’t think AB should play keeper,” Boucher says. “He’s too special a batter, and to put pressure on him from a keeping perspective is going to hamper his batting average.”Most players’ batting averages take a dip when they are asked to keep. Kumar Sangakkara wasn’t doing well when he was keeping, and I see his average has gone up since he stopped. AB needs to be averaging around 55 at Test level, but he’s not going to do that if he has to worry about keeping too.”Boucher’s viewpoint is shared by Arthur. There’s no plan to replace Boucher with de Villiers, and there’s no long-term plan to groom de Villiers as a successor when Boucher eventually calls it a day. “You can’t compare AB and Mark because their roles in the team are vastly different,” affirms Arthur. “Mark’s our best keeper, while AB is in the team as a top-order batsman.

“Mark’s a tiger, and if I went to battle there’s no one I’d rather have beside me. He’s fiercely loyal and will never turn down a challenge. He’s an invaluable member of our team”Mickey Arthur

“In an emergency, we would look to AB to keep wicket, but we don’t view him as a successor to Mark. Ultimately AB will bat at No. 4 in both versions of the game. We really want AB to become the best batsman on the planet. It would be unfair to burden him with the keeping responsibilities, as that could cause him to average 10 less than he should. When you have a player of that talent, you don’t want to hamper his ability to score.”We have identified two potential successors in the Dolphins’ Darren Smit and the Titans’ Heino Kuhn. Both are good keepers and have the ability to chip in with the bat.”Boucher averages less than 30 in both forms of the game, but when he does get going you have to wonder how good he would have been had he given keeping a miss. He has scored five Test centuries and 29 fifties, and his value in the ODI arena is well documented: he has 26 fifties and a sparkling 147 not out to his name. But since his 1997 debut, where he replaced Dave Richardson, it has always been about keeping first. Batting has been important, but only in the team context.”Mark is first and foremost a wicketkeeper,” says Arthur. “I think he has averaged less than he would have had he not worn the gloves, but that’s his role. That’s not to say we’ve ever doubted his ability. I can’t speak highly enough about what he has done for South African cricket.”In the Test set-up we usually go with six specialist batters, four specialist bowlers and our best wicketkeeper. From a batting perspective, Mark’s role is to marshal the tail.”In the one-day game Mark has become one of the best finishers in the world. At the end of an innings he can be devastating, whether he’s helping us set a formidable target or getting us past the opposition score. He’s capable of the big shots, but his experience is so crucial during those knocks. When he’s out in the middle, it helps other guys like Albie Morkel.”Boucher admits his personal goals are not that of a normal batter. When he walks down from the dressing room and onto the field, he’s thinking about how he can help South Africa. “I never look at averages and stats because they don’t really tell a story. Don’t get me wrong, I love scoring hundreds, but there are other things you look to achieve when you perform my kind of role.”I like to bat aggressively and take the bowling on, but I’m a team man. I’ll do what the team requires. My average may be a bit lower because of my responsibilities in the team context, but I’m a wicketkeeper-batsman, not a specialist batsman. My goals are not the same as those of an all-out batter.”I will never rest on my laurels and I will never voluntarily give my position away”•AFP”There are some knocks I’ll never forget, and those are the ones scored under pressure. In one of my first visits to India, we were in a difficult position and I came in and scored 27 not out to help win the game. That was like a century to me because of the conditions and context of the match.”That Test innings I played at Edgbaston last year was also very special. The series was on the line and although I didn’t score much [45 not out], I helped us towards that winning total.”If you are going to measure Boucher’s worth, you may as well do it in kilopascals. He has the ability to hit a cricket ball into the stands, but what sets him apart is how calm he is under pressure. “Everyone remembers guys like AB, Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs for that 438 victory [in 2006], but Mark was the guy who got us home,” says Arthur. “The ODI win in Sydney this year was thanks to his batting performance, an important innings that allowed us to go to a defining 2-1 lead in the series. Mark’s a player capable of hundreds, but he’s also capable of playing those momentum-swinging knocks that sometimes prove [to be] the difference.”Fighting spirit is something that’s become synonymous with South African cricket. Jonty Rhodes, Allan Donald and Gary Kirsten are just three players who were renowned for it when Boucher first arrived on the scene, and Boucher credits them for contributing to his mental development. But deep steel, according to him, is something you cannot acquire. You either have it or you don’t.”I’ve played squash since I was very young and I think it has shaped my mentality as a cricketer. Squash is the type of game where you’re always fighting for the upper hand, and if you are down, you need to fight hard to come back. You need that fighting spirit to be a good squash player. You need to be a fighter if you’re going to deal with that pressure and rise above it. That’s what makes you a hardened sportsman, and I believe that’s what gave me the base to perform under big pressure in cricket.”Some people claim to enjoy the pressure. Some people ask me if I enjoy the pressure. Truth be told, I don’t think anybody enjoys it. It’s more about understanding it and understanding how to beat it. Some people will go into their shells when they’re under pressure, while others respond with an aggressive approach.”Richardson was 38 when he retired from international cricket, and while Boucher isn’t sure about matching that feat, he’s determined to soldier on for as long as he’s able. “I will never rest on my laurels and I will never voluntarily give my position away,” he says. “That may be the wrong thing to say, but I’m very competitive and I have plenty more years in me. I only think about my goals two years at a time. I definitely have another World Cup in me and I’ll decide where to after that.”My body’s still in good shape and I’ve never told anyone that I’m looking to retire. After the World Cup, I’ll be 35, but if I’ve still got a lot to give, why can’t I carry on for another few years?”

“I’ve played squash since I was very young and I think it has shaped my mentality as a cricketer. You need that fighting spirit to be a good squash player”Mark Boucher

Boucher had a limited opportunity when South Africa toured Australia back in 1997, but was awarded a full-time position when they travelled to England in 1998. For over a decade South Africa came close to beating England in England, while the same period witnessed a string of failures Down Under. There was a breakthrough in 2008, with South Africa following up a Test series win in England with an unprecedented triumph in Australia. Boucher was at the heart of both victories, and as a seasoned campaigner drew the most satisfaction from the results.”We’d come close before in England, but because Australia are our arch-rivals and so much is made of beating the best on their own track, the win against the Aussies meant the most. The Proteas have been referred to as a team that choke in big contests, so it was satisfying to prove to the world, and to the Aussies, who initially tagged us as chokers, that we can rise above the pressure.”Boucher has achieved more than most and is by no means finished. However, he’s not so arrogant as to believe he’ll play forever. A couple of goals remain before he eventually passes the baton. South Africa need to become the undisputed kings of Test cricket, and they need to atone for their past World Cup sins by capturing the crown in 2011.”The past two years have witnessed a turning point in South African cricket,” he says, as if the recent success is an appetiser for things to come. “In any winning team, the key to success is consistency over an extended period.”Look at the Springbok team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup. They were together for four years before they won in France. It’s not only about building a family, but also about being dynamic and ensuring things continue to develop. That’s why Mickey’s done extremely well to bring people like Jeremy Snape and Duncan Fletcher into the mix. There’s no danger of stagnating.”I’m very excited to be a part of something so special. We’ve achieved so much over the past two years, but we haven’t fully reached our potential. We can get a lot better and as long as the leadership core remains intact, we will continue to achieve our goals in years to come.”

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts said all the right things after one of the more bizarre incidents in World Series history took place at Yankee Stadium in Game 4. And really, he didn't say all that much after some overzealous fans manhandled him in equal parts comedic and troubling fashion.

“When it comes to the person and play, it doesn’t matter," Betts told reporters after the Dodgers lost Game 4, "We lost. It’s irrelevant. I’m fine, he’s fine. Everything’s cool. We lost the game, that’s what I’m kind of focused on. We got to turn the page and get ready for tomorrow."

After helping Los Angeles make history by becoming the first team to claw back from a five-run deficit to clinch a World Series crown, Betts was asked by FOX's David Ortiz about the incident and could finally speak freely.

'That was wild, man," Betts said. "That was really wild. I’ve never experienced anything like that. I was telling my wife, that was like the second time in my life I’ve ever wanted to fight someone. I get it, man. I get it. I don’t know if he was trying to get the ball, I don’t know what he was really trying to do but he had to do what he had to do and it is what it is."

Winning is the best because no one can say anything about it and you can finally say how you really feel. Betts wanting to respond in the moment highlights just how ridicuous the situation was. These two fans were—and still are—being treated as fun new celebrities whereas Betts would have had his career altered forever had he grabbed them back. And that's why it was so ridiculous it took so long for adults in the room to come out and say they wouldn't be welcomed back for Game 5.

All is well that ends well, though. Betts is a champion and the interferers get to be on podcasts. A win-win for all involved, except the Yankees.

Shane Warne spent five seasons at the Rose Bowl infusing “Happy” Hampshire with his star quality and competitive juices. How are the Hawks taking to life after the master?

Edward Craig12-Jul-2008
Warne: inspirational, never gave up, wanted to win each moment, changed the field every ball, never stopped thinking © Getty Images
Hampshire are playing Surrey at the Rose Bowl. The sun is shining, the sky is cloudless, the crowd is buzzing. Mark Ramprakash is seeking his hundredth hundred. Today could be historic. Surrey lose a wicket in the first over and Ramps is at the crease. Hampshire could gift him his hundred – their attack is depleted and young – but they are a tougher outfit, a tougher club than a decade ago. For half a century Surrey were the county that everybody loved to hate, but according to Steve James in the last year, that baton has passed to Hampshire.Rod Bransgrove, the chairman, sits with his back to the cricket being played on what his wife Mandy calls his “allotment” and explains the change in philosophy: “The old Hampshire used to be known as ‘Happy Hampshire’. I had a long lunch with Alec Stewart once. He said that you are not going to achieve anything with Hampshire till you can get rid of this tag. We all love coming down here, we all love the Hampshire boys – but none of us are frightened to come. That stuck in my mind. ‘None of us are frightened to come here’.” Bransgrove didn’t want them to be nasty, just more competitive, so when he got the chance he signed some big names: John Crawley from Lancashire, Kevin Pietersen from Nottinghamshire, and Shane Warne. Warne is gone now, yet he is still around, his spirit present at every turn.Feeling his wayRamprakash suffers a torturous time at the crease before nicking James Tomlinson to the keeper for 17. Norman Cowans, the former Middlesex and Hampshire fast bowler, happens to be walking round the Rose Bowl, enjoying the sun and the cricket. He’s talking about the changed face of Hampshire. When he played for Middlesex in the 1980s, Hampshire had great players like Gordon Greenidge, Malcolm Marshall and Robin Smith but they never delivered a Championship. “Gatt said that if we had that team, we would always win the Championship.”Everyone connected with Hampshire agrees Warne was inspirational. He never gave up. He wanted to win each decisive moment. He changed the field every ball. He never stopped thinking, and it was always interesting. Off the field he played the odd trick as well. The story goes that he would ask the groundstaff to make sure the jacuzzi in the away dressing room wasn’t working, make the opposition park their cars as far away from the pavilion as possible. When he first arrived in 2000 – as a player not captain – he was not like this.Giles White was an opening batsman who shared a house with Warne one winter in Melbourne. He is now Hampshire’s 2nd XI coach. He says: “He was feeling his way in the first summer, seeing how the county system worked. When he came back as captain, he wanted to put his mark on it and do it his way. He was great to play with but we didn’t get enough runs. It might have been the pressure of having Warne in the side. He found that frustrating because he had always played for great sides and now he’s playing for Hampshire. A couple of times he got frustrated but he was reserved and he didn’t want to do the wrong thing. He changed when he was captain – he definitely preferred being captain.”Time to chillBy now Hampshire have pegged Surrey back with two early wickets. New captain Dimitri Mascarenhas bowls to Usman Afzaal. He is bowling wide of off stump, ball after ball. This is a game of patience that is unfamiliar to the Hampshire players and supporters. This was not Warne’s style.Michael Brown is opening the batting for Hampshire this year and played four seasons under Warne’s captaincy. He describes the difference: “Our style of play has to change now, we have to be more patient. We have to bore batsmen out. Warne got frustrated when the game drifted – it was win or lose. He hated bonus points and would never play for them. He would take on targets.”Like Gower before him, Warne’s unique training regimes and his star quality started to create cracks. And that is where the exuberance, the excessive pressure and mind games that he brought to Hampshire, began to make players feel uncomfortable. Despite themselves, and almost unwittingly, they started to resent Warne The talk around the Rose Bowl is about his positive, imaginative captaincy. Placing fielders in strange positions for only one ball, talking to the umpire and the batsmen, keeping it interesting. Brown continues: “I remember against Warwickshire last year, they set us 331 after we had forfeited our first innings and missed out on potentially five batting points. I thought it was too much to chase at the Rose Bowl. We won with two overs to spare. Carberry made 192. After the game you thought: ‘He believed we could win.’ That kind of backing from a guy like him means a lot.”Not every member of the team was comfortable with the constant exuberance, noise and field changes. Brown admits: “Someone with such a personality, intensity and confidence can lead to extra pressure being placed on other players. That is good pressure in a lot of ways. He brings the best out of you – if you can’t take it, get out. So many times it brought good things. Occasionally it would be too much.”Because of his desire for wickets and to baffle opposition batsmen, there could be too many changes in the field and bowlers weren’t thinking the same way. It is a fine line. A lot of this confidence and intensity did bring the best out of a lot of players but there were times when we wanted to say, ‘Warney, chill out.’ Sometimes umpires would get riled or opposition players would rise to the challenge.”But his tactics worked most of the time and players could voice opinion: he might not listen but he was basically approachable. Brown adds: “These little faults of his leadership shouldn’t overshadow the greater good. You knew the brand of cricket he was going to play and everyone bought into it. It was the most intense and enjoyable brand.”Warne’s competitive instincts on the field were balanced by a spirit of generosity off it. White says: “One of his big sayings is, ‘Manners are for free.’ He was big on manners, treating people well. He spoke about treating the catering and bar staff with respect.” He never turned down autographs, sometimes spending hours after games signing for enormous queues of young (and not so young) Hampshire fans. He’d talk cricket and give help to any player who asked, whoever they played for.The partingSurrey are now 250 for 7. It has been a good day for Hampshire, keeping Surrey’s powerful batting line-up quiet with their weakened attack. They have dropped a few catches and are struggling to knock over the tail. There are a few grumbles in the press box: “This would never have happened in Warne’s day.” Even some of the locals admit they have been spoilt these last four seasons.But, for all his success, exuberance and entertainment, few people at Hampshire were surprised Warne left, and only Bransgrove thought it was too soon. He says: “I am sad that it’s finished; no one could not be sad. There is a part of me that wants to configure a deal that would have got him to play one more game, just so I could see him bowl one more time.” At the end of last season it was clear Warne had taken the club as far as he could. Frustrations were beginning to show.Warne was the star, he could do what he wanted. He did not practise hard. “I faced him three times in five years,” says Brown. “The first time I was out off two of the three balls he bowled.”Warne did not have much time for coaches, occasionally taking credit himself for improvements in certain players. Hampshire had been here before with David Gower. Past players remember accommodating his various whims. This works fine until the team starts to struggle. Although no one at the Rose Bowl admits it directly, this appears to have happened. Warne was not the bowler he once was, even if he was still the personality.Brown describes a moment last season: “I remember seeing him sat on the physio’s bench after the Kent game and we’d just got beaten. It was probably the moment we realised the Championship had gone. He looked like a man who was thinking this was his last shot. After all the energy that he’d put into it every year, trying to drag us to the top, deep down this was his last season.”
Michael Brown found Warne’s style ‘intense and enjoyable’ © Getty Images
Like Gower before him, Warne’s unique training regimes and his star quality started to create cracks. And that is where the exuberance, the excessive pressure and mind games that he brought to Hampshire, began to make players feel uncomfortable. Despite themselves, and almost unwittingly, they started to resent Warne. The players who stood up to him, the ones that were not in awe of him, were the ones who had problems with him.Bransgrove dismisses any concerns about players struggling under Warne’s leadership. He says: “They were the people who weren’t doing so well. Some of the lesser performers of the last two years might have found him harsh, but he was very honest in his assessments. The experienced players have all gained. The less experienced players might have been damaged, but if they had anything about them, they’d think about it and become better players.”But is this management style not a weakness? Bransgrove is having none of it: “I could not identify a weakness in Shane Warne as a cricketer. I have read all the stuff about what he was supposed to be like on the field, and he certainly pushed authority to the limit at times, but that was competitive instinct.”Brown paints a different picture. He used to live with James Bruce, a promising bowler and product of the Hampshire youth system who was making real progress in first-class cricket before he retired suddenly in February to work in the City. Bruce’s decision had little to do with Warne; he wanted a lifestyle change. But he had a taut relationship with his captain. Brown explains: “They weren’t the best of friends, but they weren’t enemies either. Brucey at times got upset at certain things that he shouldn’t have been getting upset at. And there were times when Warney could have handled Brucey better.”It was a clash of styles as well as personalities. “Warney, the larrikin Australian with his in-your-face style, to Brucey’s more reserved public-school style. I don’t think his relationship had anything to do with Brucey quitting, but if Warney had given him more belief, like he did with other players, it might have made a difference.” Chris Tremlett also admitted to the local paper that he bowls better without Warne forcing him to be aggressive. He said: “I’m a lot more relaxed now and am not trying to think about things too much.”In texting touchSurrey are bowled out for 278 and the day closes with Jimmy Ormond nipping out Hampshire opener Michael Carberry off the last ball. Despite the grumblings from journalists, the Hampshire faithful can have no complaints. Warne will probably know the score already. He still keeps in touch with most of the players by text message. He sent them all a good-luck message before the start of the season. He is on the phone to Bransgrove offering advice. He speaks to the coaches about selection, always challenging conventional wisdom. White says: “He has a very active mind. At times he’ll come back to the basics but he’ll always challenge any ideas. Shane was very involved when he was captain. Hampshire became his club. His heart is here and he still has a passion for Hampshire.”Any team he plays for he takes to heart, Bransgrove believes, and that includes his new club in the Indian Premier League: “I am sure Rajasthan Royals will benefit from that passion as well. Now he has another member of his club family and he’ll take a great interest in them moving forward.”

India’s batsmen have an opportunity to slay a demon: batting to save a Test. It’s their third opportunity to pass such an examination in 2008. They would want to forget the first two efforts

Cricinfo staff12-Oct-2008
The key to India’s chances could lie with Rahul Dravid and his ability to bat time irrespective of whether runs are forthcoming © AFP
India’s batsmen have an opportunity to slay a demon: batting to save a Test. It’s their third opportunity to pass such an examination in 2008. They would want to forget the first two efforts.In January, Australia declared shortly before lunch on the final day in Sydney, a situation that is likely to recur tomorrow. India were one down at the break but all out in 70.5 overs with minutes to go before stumps. A few months later in Colombo, Sri Lanka made India follow on with a little more than five sessions to go. They didn’t even last two. At this venue in 2005, India were 103 for 1 at lunch on the fifth day against Pakistan. After Virender Sehwag’s dismissal, however, they batted in super-slow mode and collapsed for 214.The dangers they face in trying to keep this Test off that list include the vagaries of a fifth-day pitch, an accurate pace attack and customised field placements. In the 13th over of the Australian innings, Zaheer Khan trapped Matthew Hayden lbw with late swing; during the final session an offbreak from Harbhajan Singh spat off the pitch and bounced so high that Shane Watson and Mahendra Singh Dhoni were both beaten. The uncertainties in bounce, and the slowness of the pitch, helped exert control over the scoring rate. Both factors will be enhanced on day five.The Indian fast bowlers, Zaheer and Ishant Sharma, looked the most threatening in the given conditions. They swung the new ball, got the old one to reverse early and forced the batsman to play by bowling straight. Australia possess a four-pronged pace attack: Stuart Clark, elbow injury permitting, will attempt to contain at one end; Brett Lee and Watson will try to hit pads and stumps with inswing or reverse; Johnson’s deliveries slanted across the right-handers tempt them into driving on a slow pitch.The Indians have plenty of first-innings mistakes to learn form where they fell into specific traps. Gautam Gambhir played across the line to an inswinger; Sehwag edged a wide delivery; Sachin Tendulkar drove too hard at a slow ball and spooned a catch. VVS Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni were unable to find new areas of opportunity once their strong zones were cut off.Harbhajan and Zaheer showed that aggressive batting could succeed in beating the pitch and the field. Their approach, blocking when they had to and trying to force the pace at other times, was not a one-off. Watson and Brad Haddin made it work as well. The Australians were scoring at just over two an over but the Watson-Haddin partnership went along at nearly four.The key to India’s chances could lie with the batsman who best dealt with the stifling conditions in the first innings – Rahul Dravid and his ability to bat time irrespective of whether runs are forthcoming. He has the best fourth innings – 57.41 since 2000 – among the Indian batsmen. Gambhir averages 55 but he’s played only four innings while Ganguly, Tendulkar and Laxman are below 40. Sehwag scored his only second-innings century earlier this year and averages 30 in the final innings.The examination of India’s much-vaunted batting line-up will begin the moment Ricky Ponting decides it’s time to declare on Monday.

SLC technical committee chairman Aravinda de Silva shares details of future plans

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Apr-2021Sri Lanka is looking to revive inter-provincial cricket in the latest attempt to create a more competitive first-class structure. Although exact details of the new competition have not been announced, chairman of SLC’s technical committee Aravinda de Silva has hinted that the provincial system will become the premier multi-day competition in the country. The present club system will continue to exist with only minor alterations as well.Provincial cricket has been sporadically attempted in Sri Lanka, but such competitions have largely been short in duration, and have done little to connect with a fan base from the provinces each team is supposed to represent. De Silva suggested the existing first-class clubs (of which there are now 26), may be required to band together in clusters to administer each of these provincial teams. This is an idea that had first been floated in 2015, by Mahela Jayawardene, before a change of leadership at SLC did away with the plan for a cluster system.”We are trying to create another tier in domestic cricket through a provincial tournament,” de Silva said. “What we want to do is make that a stronger four-day competition. In that provincial competition, we will have an “A” tier as well, which will give players opportunities to qualify for development squads. But the main provincial competition will be the feeder for the national team.”We’re trying to create a pathway from the bottom to the top by clustering clubs so that we develop players leaving the school system right to the highest level.”De Silva was adamant that although the existing club system may be trimmed down to three-day matches (at present, clubs play a mixture of three and four-day encounters), and although the number of club matches may be reduced to make way for the provincial tournament, the club system would continue to be an integral part of Sri Lanka’s domestic structure. The club tournament also would not lose its first-class status.”The clubs provide the infrastructure for players who are just out of school, because they get facilities, support and opportunities, to give these players a foundation. Without that foundation – if we get rid of the clubs – it’s like we’re shooting ourselves in the foot. The club system has been the foundation for us to develop our cricketers thus far. If we get rid of that system, it will be very difficult for us to bridge that gap. You need somewhere for the 3000-odd cricketers leaving the school system to continue playing.”SLC has made no official announcements on the exact nature of the new domestic structure yet. De Silva’s technical committee working closely with Tom Moody – Sri Lanka’s new director of cricket – to finalise tournament details.The clubs, however, may need to be won over by these new proposals. They have typically been resistant to accept additional first-class competitions that threaten the club structure’s status as the top domestic competition in the country.

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jan-2016Rohit took India close to 150 with a brisk 47-ball 60•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesKohli took charge of India’s innings at the death, smacking seven fours and a six in his unbeaten 33-ball 59•Getty ImagesKohli’s late surge took India to a competitive total of 3 for 184•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesAustralia too started well, Aaron Finch leading the way with a quick fifty, as the openers added 94 in 9.5 overs•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesIndia then clawed their way back into match with quick wickets in the middle overs, to reduce Australia to 5 for 124•Getty ImagesRavindra Jadeja took a stunning return catch to dismiss Shane Watson, tilting the match in India’s favour•Getty ImagesAustralia’s slide continued as they ended at 8 for 157, meaning India clinched the T20I series with a 27-run win•Getty Images

India chase down the target of 100 with 38 balls to spare to improve their net run rate

S Sudarshanan31-Jul-2022India strengthened their dominance over Pakistan in women’s cricket, inflicting a tenth defeat over their neighbours in twelve T20 internationals with an eight-wicket win during their Commonwealth Games clash at Edgbaston on Sunday.In a game that began 55 minutes late owing to on-and-off drizzle and was reduced to 18 overs per side, Pakistan were bowled out for 99 after they opted to bat. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma then made short work of the chase with a 61-run opening partnership to help India pick up their first win in the competition.The victory with 38 balls to spare helped India improve their net run rate to 1.17 from -0.56 after their loss against Australia, while Pakistan’s slid to -1.77 from -0.75, inching them ever so close to an early exit.The gallop to the victory
Chasing 100, Mandhana and Shafali got going against Anam Amin’s spin. Mandhana slinked down the track to smash Amin over mid-on for a six before hitting a full toss past mid-on for four. Mandhana then followed up with three fours in Diana Baig’s next over.Shafali hit Amin for a four and a six in her next over as India raced to 41 in four overs. When the left-right combo took 16 off the last over of the powerplay, bowled by Fatima Sana, they had galloped to 52 for no loss – their seventh fifty-plus partnership in 31 innings.Tuba Hassan was welcomed with a four each by Mandhana and Shafali before the latter feathered an edge to the wicketkeeper. An over later, Mandhana charged to hit Hassan straight over her head to bring up her 15th T20I half-century.Even though Pakistan dismissed S Meghana, Mandhana took India home in the 12th over. She finished unbeaten on 63, her best score in the format against Pakistan and her third fifty-plus score in T20Is in England.Pakistan’s base goes waste
Pakistan’s start with the bat was shaky. Renuka Singh, fresh from a four-wicket haul in the opening game against Australia, began with a maiden over that had Muneeba Ali in a tangle. At the other end, Meghna Singh managed to catch the outside edge of Iram Javed’s poking blade to jolt Pakistan early.But Bismah Maroof and Muneeba steadied the innings with a fifty-run stand for the second wicket. Muneeba was the aggressor, scoring back-to-back fours off Renuka before hitting Meghna for a four – via a top edge – and a majestic six over deep midwicket. Using singles to keep the scorecard moving, Muneeba and Maroof’s scoring pace increased and their alliance got to fifty in just 40 balls. And then it was stalled.Rana turns it around
Sneh Rana had been rested from India’s tour of Sri Lanka in late June and she used the time to work on her fitness at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. She was not picked for the game against Australia but came back into the XI against Pakistan, replacing Rajeshwari Gayakwad.After a quiet first over in which she had both the left-hand batters in a tangle, Rana first trapped Maroof lbw – the Pakistan captain wasted a review too – and a couple of deliveries later, she deceived a set Muneeba with flight and dip to have her caught and bowled. Pakistan were 51 for 3 after nine overs.Ayesha Naseem came in at No. 5 in the absence of Nida Dar, who missed the match with a concussion, and showed a glimpse of why she is highly rated. Using her quick hands, she pulled a length ball from Radha Yadav through midwicket for four. But her attempt at hitting Renuka over cow corner was caught by Jemimah Rodrigues running in from the deep.Radha and Shafali’s spin then managed to keep the rest of the batting quiet as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for three runs in just eight balls to fold for 99.It was never going to be enough.

Some fans have claimed that Mohamed Salah's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or this year are "dead" after Liverpool's exit from the Champions League.

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Fans says Salah's Ballon d'Or hopes overLiverpool exit Champions League at the hands of PSGRaphina billed as new favourite for Golden BallFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Salah, who has had a stellar outing with Liverpool in the 2024-25 campaign so far, was being considered as one of the frontrunners to win the Ballon d'Or in 2025 until Liverpool's Champions League round of 16 second-leg fixture against Paris Saint-Germain. As the French champions progressed to the quarter-finals after beating the Reds 4-1 on penalties at Anfield on Tuesday, many fans claimed that Salah's hopes of winning the Golden Ball are now over. Salah was seen breaking down in tears after the defeat, and some social media users attempted to rub salt in his wounds.

AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

On X, reacting to photos of the emotionally-drained Liverpool star, a fan named Juje Punter wrote: "Balon d'or hopes are dead now. That's his pain. The best chance he possibly got. Soon to be Raphina's award."

Barca Spaces posted: "No Ballon d’Or for him. It’s Raphinha’s."

An X handle named DesmundOris wrote: "He knows his chances of getting the Ballon D’Or just got slimmer. The fear of Raphinha is real."

MOOD-Football posted: "Salah gave everything this season, but football is cruel. From Ballon d'Or frontrunner to crashing out early, this one hurts deep."

Imran Rafiq sympathised with the Egyptian star as he wrote: "Mo Salah has had an outstanding season, but Liverpool's loss to PSG yesterday likely ended his Ballon d'Or chances. This Liverpool side relies heavily on him. He’s bailed them out countless times this season, but yesterday just wasn’t his night."

AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

On the day Salah failed to deliver for his team, Barcelona winger Raphinha once again starred for his club with a brace as they thrashed Benfica 3-1 in ther second leg of their tie to progress to the quarter-finals 4-1 on aggregate. The Brazilian is now the top scorer in the Champions League with 11 goals to his name. He has also scored 13 goals in La Liga, which makes him the fourth-highest scorer in Spain. As Raphinha continues with his incredible form, he has now emerged as a serious contender to bag his maiden Ballon d'Or in France later this year.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MOHAMED SALAH?

Salah will now dust himself off before trying to bag his first trophy of the season for his club on Sunday as Liverpool lock horns against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.