The captain has said it has been made clear to Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul that their controversial comments made on an Indian TV show are not acceptable and the personal opinions are not the view of the India team
Andrew McGlashan in Sydney11-Jan-20191:40
They were purely individual opinions – Kohli
Virat Kohli has said it has been made clear to Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul that their controversial comments made on an Indian TV show, which has left them facing a suspension, are not acceptable and the personal opinions are not the view of the India team.Pandya and Rahul appeared on a talk show on Sunday where their comments – Pandya’s in particular – came in for widespread criticism and raised concerns over the team culture. The BCCI issued the players a show-cause notice to which Pandya responded with an apology to the board.”From the Indian cricket team point of view, any inappropriate comments that are made in that scenario are something that we definitely don’t support and the two concerned players felt what has gone wrong and they have understood the magnitude of what’s happened,” Kohli said at the SCG ahead of the opening ODI against Australia. “Definitely it has to hit anyone hard, they will definitely understand the things that have not gone right.”We, definitely, as the Indian cricket team do not support views like that and that has been communicated. I can definitely say that as the Indian cricket team and responsible cricketers we definitely don’t align with those views and those are purely individual views.”We are still waiting for a decision to be made but from the Indian cricket team point of view this changes nothing in terms of our beliefs in the change room. It does nothing to the spirit that we’ve been able to create within the change room and these are purely individual opinions and something as I said which is inappropriate.”While the controversy is dealt with by the Committee of Administrators (CoA), which is overseeing the BCCI, it creates a headache for Kohli ahead of the first ODI on Saturday, especially the uncertainty around Pandya’s availability given how key he is to balancing the India line-up as the seam-bowling allounder in the middle order.Kohli acknowledged the outcome of the process may require the team to rethink their plans, but was confident that with Ravindra Jadeja in the squad, they had the options to cover for Pandya even though Jadeja is a spin-bowling allrounder.”From the combination and team balance point of view, yes, you’ll have to think about the combination you’ll need now,” Kohli said. “You don’t have control over these things so you have to address it the way it unfolds. That’s how we are looking at it, the combinations will have to be looked at when the decision comes out and from there on we’ll see what needs to be done about the whole situation.”
The T20 finals were the first time Smith had captained a team since the controversy in South Africa
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2018
Steven Smith and David Warner shake hands at the end of a club match•Getty Images
Steven Smith led his grade side Sutherland to the New South Wales Premier T20 title at the SCG on Sunday.While the Australia Test team was going head-to-head with India in Perth, Smith made scores of 42 and 19 in the semi-finals and final at a venue he has lit up during his international career.The T20 finals were the first time Smith had captained a team since the controversy in South Africa which saw him stripped of the Australia captaincy. He won’t be eligible to return to that role for a further 12 months after his initial ban finishes, but that does not extend to club cricket.His next chance to play for Australia at the SCG won’t come until next season as he sees out the remainder of his year-long ban after the Newlands ball-tampering.
Nashville SC midfielder Anibal Godoy hopped on his bicycle to score a brilliant overhead kick vs the Columbus Crew Saturday evening.
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Nashville draw Crew 2-2
Godoy scores insane bicycle kick
Panama legend's first goal of season
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Panama international timed his effort perfectly, leaping into the air and flipping his body to nail home the overhead kick. His first goal of the season, Godoy's effort ended up being the strike that earned his side a brilliant 2-2 draw against the reigning champs.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Godoy's effort put Nashville up 2-1 right before the halftime break, with the 34-year-old scoring their second goal of first half stoppage-time. However, a late Crew goal in the 79th minute drew them level, with the two sides playing out the remainder of the match at a stalemate.
The Crew could have taken three points on the night, but a missed penalty kick in the 49th minute by Diego Rossi set them back farther than they would have hoped.
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WHAT NEXT FOR GODOY AND NASHVILLE SC?
Nashville will take on the Philadelphia Union next Saturday as they look to climb the table in the Western Conference. Godoy, meanwhile, will look to his brilliant goal against the Crew as a once-in-a-lifetime effort, remembering it forever!
Let’s all just take a moment to breathe. At Aston Villa, Liverpool succumbed to their second 2-2 draw in three Premier League matches but also moved eight points clear at the top of the table, albeit with Arsenal holding a game in hand.
Recent performances have cast a blanket of uncertainty over the red of Merseyside, but Arne Slot’s side are well worth their table-topping position and will continue to fight tooth and nail for the title over the next few months.
Liverpool managerArneSlotbefore the match
The caveat is that Liverpool face Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday before welcoming dangerous Newcastle United to Anfield.
But Arsenal are beset with a mountain of injury issues and face their own tough run in the next few weeks. Liverpool will endure. And then, restore their fluency, their verve.
Man City (A)
West Ham (H)
Newcastle (H)
Nott’m Forest (A)
Southampton (H)
Man United (A)
Everton (H)
Chelsea (H)
Fulham (A)
Fulham (H)
However, certain questions need to be raised, with Darwin Nunez’s role in this all-important campaign raising important questions.
Darwin Nunez misses the mark – again
There’s only so much a fan can take. Energy, tenacity, drive, chaos. Nunez embodies it all – all pertaining to the good and the bad, of course.
Darwin Nunez
Nunez was introduced in the second half and failed to notch a goal, stretching his run to 35 matches in all competitions this term with just six goals to his name.
Having played only 25 minutes, it shouldn’t feel like the burden of Liverpool’s dropped points at Villa Park lay on his shoulders, but the 25-year-old was thwarted by the charging Emi Martinez when played through and, more agonisingly, skewed a glorious open goal opportunity when deftly played in by Dominik Szoboszlai.
Social media has been awash with the Uruguay striker’s latest blunder, and perhaps the most telling part was Slot’s reaction, turning to the assistant referee and questioning if his player was offside.
It didn’t matter, for Nunez had missed a simple finish to make it 3-2 to Liverpool, building on the momentum from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s rifled finish to restore parity.
Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr begged the question of Nunez’s availability in January and transfer authority Fabrizio Romano confirmed that his sale was a genuine possibility, but FSG ultimately didn’t want to leave title-chasing Liverpool short at the season’s midpoint.
Nunez’s own misfiring has propagated the idea that he’s not fit for purpose over three campaigns now. It’s clear that Slot needs to cut ties with his exciting and infuriating player – sadly, it hasn’t worked out.
He’s not the only striker to have let his team down. Diogo Jota has endured another injury-hit season, and while he’s a first-class finisher, this certainly wasn’t the case against Unai Emery’s men.
Why Slot must boldly drop Diogo Jota
Last season, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said that Jota is Liverpool’s best-ever goalscorer in the Premier League “in terms of pure finishing.”
Big claim, but not without substance. As per FBref, Jota ranked among the top 1% of Premier League forwards in 2023/24 for goals scored (0.79) per 90.
Diogo Jota in action for Liverpool
He’s not enjoyed the same level of potency under Slot’s wing, missing matches due to injury once again. Still, eight goals from 24 matches in all competitions is hardly shameful, but he’s not playing with his usual style at the moment.
Uncharacteristically, Jota summed up Liverpool’s night as he was played through against a gappy Villan backline and sliced so wide that the shot almost went out for a throw-in. Cue the jeers.
Contrasted with the cool composure and smart running of Ollie Watkins, Liverpool’s lack of a top central frontman was illustrated. The England star laid the ball off smartly, darted into space, thundered past Alisson with a well-timed header. The gaps emerged and he snatched his chance greedily.
Nunez did not. Jota did not. Both forwards claimed more attractive chances but failed to make them count, and with Cody Gakpo now set to return from an injury sustained at Goodison Park, Slot needs to make the change.
Chalkboard
Jota might have claimed the assist for Salah’s goal but he didn’t lead the line with the desired confidence. GOAL’s Gill Clark echoed this, branding the Portugal international with a 5/10 match score.
Jota was even branded “dreadful” by The Athletic correspondent James Pearce after his mishap, adding fuel to the fire that Salah – who of course bagged his goal and placed the assist for Trent’s important equaliser – is something of a one-man frontline at times.
Cody Gakpo celebrates for Liverpool
While it’s hard to advocate Luis Diaz as being the perfect number nine solution, he does bring fluency to Liverpool’s frontline and facilitates Gakpo and Salah’s successes.
Based on the evidence of this frustrating contest, the Colombian has graduated to Liverpool’s first-choice at centre-forward and must be picked as such against a Man City side that is always going to be dangerous.
Diogo Jota in action for Liverpool
It’s important to issue a reminder that Liverpool’s slide in defensive security is every bit as concerning as the profligacy up front. Three clean sheets from 13 Premier League matches is a far cry from Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate’s imperious early form.
It’s not the be-all and end-all. This was a difficult fixture and Liverpool still hold a commanding lead at the top of the table. That said, Slot needs to restore Liverpool’s snap at the top of the ship because, at the moment, things are not looking balanced with Nunez and Jota struggling.
All told, there are problems across the board – but, all the same, Liverpool are eight points clear at the summit as they gear up to race down the home stretch.
Slot is a top-class manager and will be confident in fixing the current out-of-kilter levels. However, he might need to make a few changes, with Jota and Nunez proving at Villa Park that they don’t deserve starting berths against Pep Guardiola’s outfit.
Forget Szoboszlai: Liverpool "monster" is proving to be the next Gerrard
Todd Boehly has certainly backed up his ambitions since taking over Chelsea in May 2022, signing players left, right and centre for the first-team and academy teams.
The American has dropped over £1.2bn on new additions in his near three-year spell in West London, providing Enzo Maresca with all the ammunition needed to be a success in the Premier League.
Undoubtedly, such erratic dealings have seen former managers struggle, but the Italian has walked into life at Stamford Bridge with ease, ultimately creating a settled side for league and cup.
Chelsea managerEnzoMarescaapplauds fans after the match
Such a layout won’t favour every player, with numerous having to settle for either minutes off the bench or, at worst, struggling to gain any first-team action at all given the huge number of players currently on the books.
One player has fallen into such a category, with the Blues star almost certain for a move away from the Bridge this month, leading to interest from one European outfit.
Chelsea star wanted by Bundesliga giants
According to Sky Germany journalist Patrick Berger, Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka is a target for Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund this month, with a potential loan with an option to buy mooted.
The 21-year-old joined the Blues from Aston Villa back in 2022 for a reported £20m, but his time in the capital has been limited to say the least, finding himself on the fringes of the first team squad as a result.
Chelsea's Carney Chukwuemeka in action
He’s only featured for a combined 131 minutes in all competitions during 2024/25, starting just one game in the Europa Conference League – with Chukwuemeka pushing for a move come the end of January.
Berger claimed that Dortmund boss Nuri Şahin is a “big fan” of the Englishman, following in the footsteps of Ian Maatsen, who joined the German side on loan this time last year.
However, should the £100k-per-week earner move permanently to Signal Iduna Park, it may be a huge mistake on the part of Maresca to allow him to leave, potentially replicating the mistake made in allowing a former talent to depart and move to Germany.
Why Chukwuemeka could be a De Bruyne repeat for Chelsea
Attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne joined Chelsea way back in January 2012 for a reported £6.7m, before re-joining Belgian side Genk on loan for the remainder of the season.
He would subsequently spend the following campaign on loan at German outfit Werder Bremen, impressing during his temporary stint, registering ten goals and nine assists in just 34 appearances.
Such form catapulted him into the Blues first-team, but after just nine appearances in the first half of the 2013/14 season, he joined Wolfsburg on a permanent basis for around £16.7m – banking a £10m deal profit, but a decade on, the deal looks to be a huge mistake.
De Bruyne starred with increased game time, notching 20 goals and 35 assists – ultimately leading to a £54m transfer back to England to join Manchester City in 2015 – a move that has since allowed him to become one of Europe’s leading playmakers.
Kevin De Bruyne’s stats for Manchester City (2015-2025)
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2015/16
41
16
13
2016/17
49
7
20
2017/18
52
12
21
2018/19
32
6
10
2019/20
48
16
22
2020/21
40
10
18
2021/22
45
19
14
2022/23
49
10
28
2023/24
26
6
17
2024/25
18
2
3
Total:
400
104
166
Stats via Transfermarkt
The now 33-year-old has since scored over 100 times and registered over 150 assists under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad, helping the Citizens win five consecutive Premier League titles – something that could have happened to the Blues had they kept hold of the Belgian.
Fast-forward over a decade, Chelsea are faced with a similar prospect in the form of Chukwuemeka who, like De Bruyne, may well be heading to Germany after restricted game time at the Bridge.
Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka.
The 21-year-old, who’s previously been dubbed a “superstar” talent by scout Jacek Kulig, has never really been given a lengthy run in the side, especially under Maresca, to prove what he’s capable of.
Undoubtedly, given his tender age, he’s in serious need of regular match action to reach the potential he arrived with upon his move, possibly making a loan deal a better option than a permanent one.
Should it be a permanent transfer, Dortmund would be getting themselves yet another top English prospect – potentially following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham – with Chelsea’s loss undoubtedly their gain.
Dream Nkunku replacement: Chelsea make enquiry to sign £80m PL star
Maresca can finally axe Nkunku by acquiring a well-suited “maverick” for his Chelsea side
Wolves are looking to sign a new star for Vitor Pereira in the final days of the January transfer window in a bid to help them avoid dropping out of the Premier League come the end of the season, it has emerged.
Wolves struggling in January
January has been a tough month for Wolves both off and on the pitch. The Old Gold have managed just one new signing so far in the first three and a half weeks of the transfer window, signing Emmanuel Agbadou from Stade Reims in a deal worth £18m.
However, it has been dominated by the potential future destination of talisman Matheus Cunha, who has been key to any success Wolves have had so far this campaign but is seemingly stalling over a new contract.
Arsenal, Newcastle and Chelsea have all previously been linked with a move to sign the Brazilian, while Nottingham Forest have now joined the race too, and though Pereira values the forward highly, his immediate future remains unclear heading into the final days of the window.
On the pitch, Wolves remain just above the relegation zone on goal difference, but have conceded the most goals in the top flight to date and have lost all three of their Premier League games in January, though they did edge past Bristol City in the FA Cup third round.
Wolves in the Premier League: January 2025
Games played
3
Wins
0
Losses
3
Goals Scored
1
Goals Conceded
9
They are looking to fix that with a new midfielder, but saw a deal for Manu Silva collapse as he instead headed to Benfica, ironically now managed by ex-Wolves boss Bruno Lage. But now, they appear to be ready to battle it out to sign a potential alternative, with Spurs another club to keep an eye on.
Wolves want "extraordinary" new midfielder
That comes as transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Wolves are now pushing ahead with a deal to sign Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso this month, showing “strong interest”.
Wolves already have a Cunha replacement in "gifted" homegrown ace
Wolves can replace Cunha with their “technically gifted” ace already in the pipeline
ByConnor Holden Jan 24, 2025
The 23-year-old USMNT international can play either at the base of midfield or in a more advanced role, and has caught the eye of big clubs in the past. As part of their deal to sell Giovani Lo Celso to Betis, Tottenham agreed an option to buy for Cardoso, believed to sit at €25m, though it is unclear if they will trigger it in the near future.
In the meantime, Wolves are looking to complete a deal for the midfielder, who has started 10 times for the La Liga side this season, before the end of the transfer window. Dubbed “extraordinary” by Betis sporting director Manu Fajardo, Cardoso still has a mammoth five years left to run on his £11,000 a week deal in Spain, making any potential deal difficult to do for the Old Gold, but they remain keen to at least try to do so.
With the £22m option held by Tottenham, it is likely that any bid would have to exceed that to ensure success, with Betis likely to point interested parties to that figure as a benchmark for the US midfielder.
Blair Tickner, Matt Henry and Tim Southee shared nine wickets for the hosts
Madushka Balasuriya12-Mar-2023Angelo Mathews’ 14th Test century pried open the door to an unlikely World Test Championship final berth for Sri Lanka, one that had seemingly been firmly shut the previous day. The game though is nevertheless finely poised, with New Zealand needing a very gettable 257 runs on the final day, and Sri Lanka requiring nine wickets. However, the visitors’ biggest obstacle might be the rain that is forecast for Monday morning.But that both teams are still in with a shot of winning this Test is a credit to the fight shown by both sets of players. At the start of play, Sri Lanka were on the back foot, with Mathews being kept company by nightwatcher Prabath Jayasuriya, who fell within the first half hour of play, with Blair Tickner having got all four wickets to fall until then. New Zealand, meanwhile, had to cope with the news that Neil Wagner would not be able to take the field for the remainder of the first Test after he failed a late fitness test on the back injury he suffered on day three.But otherwise, neither side gave an inch away, with Mathews sharing partnerships of 105 and 60 with Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva, respectively, in the process dragging Sri Lanka back into position of relative strength in the face of relentless probing from New Zealand’s seamers.Tim Southee and Matt Henry – the latter nursing an injury that required stitches on his bowling hand – peppered the corridor outside off, while Tickner and the tireless Daryll Mitchell, who was called in for an extended spell owing to the absence of Wagner, particularly tested Chandimal – and even Mathews – with a packed leg-side field and an avalanche of short deliveries from around the wicket.Sri Lanka though continued to slog, and it would take until shortly after the tea interval for Mathews to finally fall. Another length ball outside off, shaping away, examining Mathews’ patience, which for once would fail him, saw him nick one through to the wicketkeeper. His 115 came off 235 balls, but by the time he fell, Sri Lanka’s lead had grown to 233.And as it turned out, Mathews’ wicket sparked a collapse for Sri Lanka, who lost 4 for 42 to fold for 302. However, de Silva remained unbeaten on 47, adding 22 for the eighth wicket with Kasun Rajitha, while accumulating crucial runs for his side, as Sri Lanka ensured New Zealand were left with a challenging chase nevertheless.And when the hosts came out to bat, the Sri Lankan bowlers did their part, utilising the early swing as well as some variable bounce on offer to trouble both Tom Latham and Devon Conway. The latter even fell before the close of play, chipping a return catch to Rajitha after one reared up off a good length. Latham and Kane Williamson held fort till the close, content to see proceedings through to the end of play.
Having already sealed the arrival of Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa have now reportedly agreed a deal to sign a defensive reinforcement from La Liga.
Aston Villa transfer news
As Malen arrived, the man who he replaced headed for the exit door with Jaden Philogene completing his mid-season move to Ipswich Town just a matter of months after rejoining Aston Villa from Hull City. Those in the Midlands will hope that the more experienced Malen will have the desired impact that Philogene failed to make on his return.
Borussia Dortmund'sDonyellMalen
Unai Emery recently spoke about what the Dutchman will add to his side, telling reporters: “He’s always close to the attacking third, close to getting into the opponent’s box to score goals and assists… We will need one player like him as well trying to threaten the opponent in-behind.”
Those behind the scenes at Villa Park have wasted no time admiring their new signing, however, with their focus instantly set on welcoming further reinforcements this month.
Forget Rogers: Emery could soon unleash Aston Villa's next Grealish
Aston Villa could be close to unearthing their next Jack Grealish…
ByRoss Kilvington Jan 18, 2025
Names such as Oscar Mingueza have been mentioned and right-back seems to be the route that the Villans are going down, but it may not be in pursuit of the Celta Vigo man.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa have agreed a deal worth €7m (£6m) to sign Andres Garcia from Levante this month. The right-back has reportedly already spoken to Emery and, therefore, accepted Villa’s proposal as Relevo reported and Romano relayed.
The Levante ace looks set to give Matty Cash plenty of competition for that right-back role, that’s for sure, in a battle that could end with the latter watching on from the bench.
Garcia can push Cash all the way
Just 21 years old, Garcia very much seems like the future of Aston Villa’s right-hand side where he could take over from Cash sooner rather than later. The Poland international remains one of few weaknesses in Emery’s side and if they want to set their sights on Champions League football for the second season running then welcoming a replacement at this stage is no bad idea.
Assists
3
0
Key Passes P90
1.40
0.42
Tackles Won P90
1.58
1.58
Ball Recoveries P90
4.47
3.33
As the stats show, Garcia has had little trouble adding an attacking impetus to the current Levante side in a show of creativity that will only benefit the likes of Ollie Watkins and new signing Malen.
Compared to Cash on the defensive front, meanwhile, the 21-year-old has also impressed. His ability to recover possession is something that should help Emery’s side maintain their dominance and remain on the front foot in the remainder of the campaign.
Whilst top four is currently a little out of their reach, Villa’s January signings could quickly bridge that gap in the Premier League.
The ACSU asks players to trust the organisation when it comes to reporting corruption. But when the information they offer is treated poorly and leaked, where does trust come in?
Osman Samiuddin08-Jun-2016″The deal with the players was, ‘Look we’re all in this together and we need to keep the game clean. If you are approached to fix, it’s not going to be us playing a game. It’ll be someone trying to do a fix for real, a media scam, or a bit of both. Either way you will face serious consequences. Make no mistake, we are not going to try to set you up or play games as a unit. That’s part of the deal.'”That is Lord Paul Condon, the founder and former chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU), speaking to Ed Hawkins for the latter’s 2012 book on cricket corruption, . Condon was responding to a specific query, one he had answered more times than he cared to, about why the ACSU could not be proactive and instigate sting operations of the kind the (NOTW) had in nabbing Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif.This is now a well-aired clause in any dissection of the ACSU’s performance, though it is no less reasonable for it. As Condon explained, the ACSU is not a newspaper or a police force; if the ACSU entrapped players the resulting case would likely not make it to court because of the many ethical and legal issues it would create in doing so in the first place.But one finds in that response something of greater interest, which is the way in which the idea of trust underpins it. We’re all in this together. We will not screw you over. We have a deal. Trust us.We do not know the extent of how much players do or don’t trust the ACSU, but it is reasonable to assume that Brendon McCullum, who made his views clear at the MCC’s Spirit of Cricket lecture, does not stand alone. Tim May, as a relevant example, was fretting about a trust deficit among players with the ACSU as long ago as 2010.What is immediately striking about McCullum’s criticism is that it is not the usual potshot, the one Condon was responding to. And it is more than the leaking of his testimony, which, although obviously worrisome, was likely the debris of a politically delicate moment in the affairs of the ACSU and cricket administration.It is his description of the manner in which the ACSU handled his first reporting of the alleged approach made to him by Chris Cairns: “[The ACSU investigator, John] Rhodes took notes – he did not record our conversation. He said he would get what I said down on paper and that it would probably end up at the bottom of the file with nothing eventuating. Looking back on this, I am very surprised by what I perceive to be a very casual approach to gathering evidence. I was reporting two approaches by a former international star of the game. I was not asked to elaborate on anything I said and I signed a statement that was essentially nothing more than a skeleton outline.”Later, the ACSU would record another statement, which, McCullum reasoned not outrageously, confirmed the first statement was inadequate. And just how casual that first interaction really was became apparent during Cairns’ perjury trial late last year in London. There it emerged that Rhodes had lost his diary that chronicled the period around McCullum’s report.
The ICC will argue that for every leak dozens, maybe hundreds of other testimonies and investigations remain secret, and they are probably right. But, like wicketkeepers, it is the misses that shape perceptions
This is what is most alarming, that what should presumably be the easier bit – recording a detailed and thorough statement of an approach – was bungled so. What hopes, then, of the actual investigation, had one followed? McCullum first approached the ACSU in February 2011, not six months gone from the NOTW sting. In this casualness during a period when the natural reaction should have been to be extra vigilant – to the point, even, of being a little paranoid – is where the trust disappeared.Perhaps this attitude should be no surprise, given the defence provided by Rhodes’ boss at the time, Ravi Sawani. Action was not taken on the allegation, Sawani now says misleadingly, because Cairns was “not under ICC jurisdiction”, that he was with the ICL at the time the alleged approaches were made. How does this even make sense? The alleged approach was not for McCullum to fix games in the ICL – McCullum was playing sanctioned cricket. Is there a clause we missed in the ACSU code that requires its investigators to demarcate between unsanctioned and sanctioned sources?If there is a saving grace, it is that McCullum spoke of his experiences of five years ago. Since then, the ACSU has been the subject of two wide-ranging reviews, the first by Bertrand de Speville in late 2011 and more recently by John Abbott. All recommendations from the latter were adopted in 2015; some, not all, of de Speville’s recommendations were as well.According to the ICC, in combination they have led to a significant change in how the ACSU operates now, that its “processes, procedures and resources… have been further bolstered and strengthened”. When the ACSU investigated the case of Hong Kong’s Irfan Ahmed recently, for instance, they made sure that an ICC lawyer was present during questioning by ACSU officials, just as McCullum wished one had been when he first met Rhodes. Had he been properly advised and briefed then of the implications of what he was saying, he may not have had to face his statements being questioned for inconsistencies as they were by Cairns’ lawyer.The ICC has also signed an agreement with Sportradar, a UK firm renowned for tracking betting patterns in sport, and is enhancing its cooperation with law-enforcement agencies in various countries. It has expanded the ACSU’s workforce, adding analysts of betting patterns to make a core team of 15, though possibly it is still not enough: there are still only five regional security managers to cover the entire cricket world, one of whom, improbably, is tasked to cover England and the West Indies together (de Speville recommended five more).They also claim to have put in “strong measures” to ensure that leaks such as that of McCullum’s ACSU statement do not occur again, measures which primarily include narrowing the number of people who have access to such information. Those leaks, though, they are what erode trust most visibly, and it is an issue de Speville had also highlighted in his review: “… information that comes into the unit is not as secure as it should be.”The ICC will argue that for every leak dozens, maybe hundreds of other approaches, testimonies and investigations remain secret, and they are probably right. But, like wicketkeepers, it is the misses that shape perceptions and calibrate the trust implicit in Condon’s words.
Harry Brook’s abundant talent and simple technique mean he could be on track to replicate the worldwide, all-format success enjoyed by Virat Kohli. That is the “massive shout” that Ben Stokes, England’s Test captain, made after Brook’s second-innings hundred set up a 26-run win over Pakistan to seal the series with a game to spare in Multan.Brook is only 23 but has been discussed as one of England’s leading young batters for a number of years and made his Test debut at the end of the English summer after Jonny Bairstow’s ankle injury ruled him out of the third Test against South Africa at The Oval, having been the spare batter for the first six matches of the season.Related
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Harry Brook makes hay on the inside track as he takes to Pakistan like a veteran
Mark Wood feels the ache of satisfaction after providing the speed that England need
He made 12 in his only innings on debut but blitzed his way to scores of 153 and 87 in the first Test of the series in Rawalpindi, threatening Gilbert Jessop’s 120-year record for the fastest England hundred in both innings. And after being dismissed cheaply playing what he described as “a shocking shot” in the first innings in Multan, Brook responded with a well-paced 109 in the second – the only century of the match – to pick up the Player-of-the-Match award.Brook has also played 20 T20Is, finishing September’s tour of Pakistan as England’s leading run-scorer before a quiet run of form in the T20 World Cup triumph. Currently uncapped in ODIs, he will also come into contention to bat in the middle order for the 50-over side ahead of their title defence in India next October.”After the summer he had last year, getting all the big-ups before he made his debut at the back end of the summer, to come here and put in that kind of performance again was just phenomenal,” Stokes told Sky Sports.”He’s one of those rare players that you look across all formats and you can just see him being successful everywhere. It’s a massive shout, but Virat Kohli is one of those guys where his technique is just so simple and works everywhere. The pressure that he puts back onto opposition is exactly what we’re about.”Stokes added in his post-match press conference that Brook’s form was “not a surprise” to him. “The expectation on his shoulders coming into this team, because of how good he’s been for Yorkshire, was obviously huge,” he said. “But I think that just shows that kind of stuff doesn’t really affect him.”He’s a player whose technique is suited to all three formats, he wants to always look to be putting pressure back onto the opposition, and he’s won another game for England. [He made a] huge contribution last week, and the hundred he scored here was obviously massive for us in getting that big lead.Ben Stokes said Harry Brook is “a pretty simple lad to captain”•Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
“He’s a pretty simple lad to captain: he just gets about his business, loves his batting, wants to constantly improve, constantly work on it. He’s a pretty easy bloke to have in your dressing room.”Brook was caught at mid-off for nine in the first innings, looking to hit debutant spinner Abrar Ahmed back over his head for six, but tempered his attacking instincts in the early stages of England’s second innings. After facing 41 balls, he had only scored 13 runs, but he gradually went through the gears to bring up a 137-ball century on the third morning.”I was pretty disappointed with my first-innings dismissal,” Brook told the BBC’s . “It was a shocking shot, to be quite honest. I wanted to learn from that. I went out there and tried to play the ball on its merit as much as possible. Obviously, I defended a few more balls than I have done in the last couple of weeks.”I felt good out there: long may it continue. I don’t like to look too far ahead. I like to stay in the moment and just play in the next game. All I’m focused on now is enjoying this win and then concentrating on next week.”His form since coming into the side means that England will face a middle-order logjam when Bairstow returns to fitness, which could come in time for their two-match series in New Zealand in February. With Ben Foakes left out of the second Test for Ollie Pope, who took the keeping gloves, it could be that Bairstow keeps wicket on his return after a significant period as a specialist batter.”We’re very, very lucky with the way in which we can replace Jonny, to have Harry coming in, because those two, batting No. 5, they both go about it in exactly the same way,” Stokes said. “They bring so much to the team and obviously Harry playing the way he has done at the moment with Jonny not being in the team, unfortunately, it’s the best thing you want.”You want competition for places, you want a strong squad to be able to pick from, and you want those headaches when it comes to the final XI every week, rather than saying ‘I’m not sure who we’re going to pick, let’s pick a name out of the hat.’ We’re definitely not in that situation, and we feel like we’ve got all bases covered at the moment.”