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A new reality show trains the spotlight on the sport’s growing elitism, and hopes to do something about it

David Hopps19-Jul-2022Cricket is the most elitist sport in Britain, asserts the voice-over in , but here is Fred, one of English cricket’s best-loved figures, gathering together a disparate group of Preston teenagers and determined to do something about it. That is the premise of the reality TV show that should leave many of those involved in running English cricket over a generation or more squirming with embarrassment.You are probably aware of the statistics by now – if you did not go to private school, even more so if you have a minority-ethnic background, your chances of forging a professional career with a county club are drastically lower. That you will feel that cricket has any relevance to you at all is also unlikely. But quoting statistics is changing nothing, so perhaps Flintoff can reveal some home truths from a more emotional perspective.Fred wants to explore cricket’s image as a “posh boy sport”, and gathers some coaches around him to help. He begins in optimistic mood, imagining how wonderful it would be if he could unearth “the next cricketer who’s going to play for their country or a county”. But two episodes into this three-episode series, he has become part teacher, part social worker, wrestling with the balance between demanding discipline and providing emotional support, moved by the stories he hears about teenagers sleeping rough in bus stations and asylum seekers desperate for a better life, and the depressingly familiar collection of broken homes and damaged minds.Flintoff has no coaching experience, but he was brought up in Preston and he gets it. He played his first game as a kid in a hand-me-down Manchester United shirt and “I don’t even like Manchester United”.He knows the problem with cricket: “They think it’s played by posh people and they think it’s boring,” he says as he pins up posters on the Broadfield Estate close to where he grew up.A group is assembled, probably with some off-camera support. A few of those who turn up follow football, but nobody can name a cricketer; the raw hand-eye co-ordination that Flintoff had hoped for is not immediately apparent; and they certainly can’t afford any kit. But just don’t call these kids underprivileged because at their core it is pride, however it manifests itself, that is holding them together. And, anyway, Preston has come out in surveys as one of the best places to live in the north-west: this is not deprivation, this is normality.”Did you think us three were posh?” he asks the group about himself and his fellow coaches.”You’ve got a Ferrari, what do you mean?” comes the answer.Flintoff is a state-school lad made good and he connects with people. (I vaguely remembering questioning how he would adapt post-retirement, but I was entirely wrong and he has embraced the “TV celebrity” role with great vigour and capability). The encouragement of his coaching team, Kyle Hogg, a former Lancashire team-mate, among them, slowly brings improvement. A firm belief in the positive bonding experiences provided by team sport is only gently expressed, but the benefits are clear for all to see.The grassroots infrastructure that enabled Andrew Flintoff to become one of England’s most-loved cricketers is shrinking•Getty ImagesHe takes his team 60 miles north to Patterdale in the heart of the Lake District for their first match. It’s a nice counterpoint. Their opponents have an average age of 65, the ground is one of the most beautiful in England, and the cricket teas are to die for. Being expected to wear white kit, complete with cable-knit sweaters, spooks many in Team Flintoff.They lose, deflated gently by opponents whose age brings wisdom about how to pitch the game. “A win is having the confidence to go and play,” says Flintoff. He has sensed the insecurity behind the bravado. is not a polemic, quite the opposite, but when he starts searching for a ground his team can use, everybody should vent their anger. He visits two grounds he knows from his youth. His own ground in Preston’s Harris Park is now derelict and owned by a property company. Another ground has “the police on speed dial”. Without grounds like these, and the family support he received, England might have lost one of their most-loved allrounders in history. The point is allowed to rest subtly, but this is Broken Britain, social fabric collapsing, opportunities narrowing. This is a story as much about the state of Britain as the state of cricket, not that this should give the game a free pass.Ben reveals that he was sleeping rough in Preston Bus Station at 16. He has been lucky enough to get council starter accommodation and is studying for college. He is a big lad who can whack it if he connects. Sean has behavioural problems and when the coaches complain “they’re dicking around again”, he is normally involved.This is reality TV and, as such, Flintoff must find a home for his team. He gets access to the people who matter in South Ribble Council and gets a grant of £200,000 to rehabilitate Vernon-Carus Sports Club, two miles outside Preston, after pledging £50,000 himself. “Cricket wouldn’t have been top of my wish list,” remarks a council official. No surprise there then. The subsequent Council press release, incidentally, makes no reference to .Thousands of coaches, unsung and unpaid, struggle throughout the year to combat a shortage of players, lack of volunteers, and lack of funding. At the heart of their problems is a breakdown of society, of the recognition that you must give something back. Ten minutes sweeping out the dressing rooms of their new home and several of Flintoff’s group have already had enough. You hope the team survives when Flintoff and the cameras depart, but it would be an even bigger achievement if it did.The real breakthough (conveniently perhaps?) comes when Adnan joins the group. He fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took control, arrived in England in the back of a lorry, cut his way out, and handed himself into the police station. He didn’t speak a word of English and his foster family tell how they stopped fearing for his state of mind when he started connecting through cricket. He is a natural cricketer with bat and ball and because he is on their side, giving them hope of success, the team take to him. Only Adnan loves the game; in fact, it defines him.Episode 2 ends with the team playing their first match and, well, you’ll have to watch it to find out the outcome. But Ben sums it up best. “Since I started playing cricket, it has changed my life, being in a little community, from being just a homeless kid.”That’s his TV reality. But despite all the schemes and all the promises, the game is shrinking. Every time councils or schools depict cricket as elitist and allow it to wither, every time cricket officialdom settles for lip service and a fat pension, every time cricket volunteering falls further out of fashion, the game becomes more elitist still. The figures are disputed (why don’t they even exist?), but cricket grounds are disappearing at an alarming rate and so are the chances of all but the most privileged.

They chanted names, they came up with slogans, and they did what they haven’t been able to do for years – show their love for the game

Umar Farooq in Rawalpindi09-Feb-2020″, Babar Azam, Babar Azam.”The meaning of this expression might get lost in a literal English translation. But if you know Urdu, you should be able to tell how big a compliment it is. It literally translates to ‘the prime minister of hearts’, and when thousands chant it in unison in Urdu, it can give you goosebumps.Pakistan are playing only their third Test in the country since the return of international cricket to Pakistani soil, after spending a decade playing “home” matches in the UAE. It’s possible that the ongoing Test has seen more people in the stands in Rawalpindi over the last three days than at all of the Pakistan matches in the UAE over the last 10 years combined. The intensity of the excitement among the crowd at the stadium may go some way towards establishing the enormity of its size.

“, Imam-ul-haq, Imam-ul-Haq.”

This doesn’t mean anything at all when translated literally. What the fans did in Rawalpindi was to pick up an ad jingle for TUC biscuits and make it rhyme with Imam-ul-Haq (who was not even playing the Test).The Rawalpindi Stadium doesn’t have a massive capacity; it can accommodate close to 17,000 fans but it benefits from being the twin city of Islamabad, the country’s capital. There were phases of play over the past three days when the Test appeared to be progressing at a glacial pace but, in the stands, there was never a dull moment. Chants of ” Pakistan” and “Pakistan ” rang aloud, lending testimony to how fervently the fans missed the cricket in the country over the last decade.Even though hockey is Pakistan’s national sport and inspired many youngsters growing up between the ’70s and early ’90s to develop a liking towards sports, it never quite had the allure of cricket. With the two Ws – Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram – at their peak, it was in the ’90s era, that cricket had the most profound impact on the nation’s consciousness. Pakistan has since become a largely one-sport country, the game turning into a powerful means to influencing several generations, with one of their all-time greats, Imran Khan, going on to become the prime minister.

” Fawad Alam, Fawad Alam.”

“A little bit of bread, a little bit of gravy, and then Fawad Alam, Fawad Alam.” Don’t go hunting for the meaning of this chant either; it’s just another creative chorus the Rawalpindi crowd came up with to celebrate the return of top-flight cricket on home soil.There was a time in Pakistan when not only stadiums would be packed during international games, but hundreds of fans would throng the grounds even during net sessions to catch a glimpse of their favourite overseas players. Traditionally, Test cricket in Pakistan may have never consistently drawn full houses, but there hadn’t been any want in passion among Pakistan’s cricket fans, until the connect between the sport and its followers in the country snapped in the wake of the attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009.AFPThat era of Pakistan’s “home” matches being played in the UAE won’t be remembered for how the fans received it. It forced nearly a generation of them to stay glued to their television sets even for their home matches, instead of filling the stadiums and cheering for their favourite players. Pakistan played 31 Tests from 2009 to 2019 in the UAE, lost only eight of them, and achieved historic feats, but all in front of scant crowds. They whitewashed the then No. 1-ranked England 3-0 in early 2012, Misbah-ul-Haq slammed the fastest Test century at the time, against Australia in 2014, equalling Viv Richards’ mark, and a day-night Test was played there in 2016 which Pakistan won against West Indies, but again, with not as many fans to witness it.

“, Yasir Shah, Yasir Shah.”

By now, you must have learnt the drill: Don’t bother with the meaning; it’s another food-related chant forced to rhyme with a player’s name. Here’s the translation, anyway: “A (ice lolly made of condensed milk) is for five, a tea for 10, and there’s Yasir Shah.”When Azhar Ali got out in the first innings, the crowd erupted with the name of the incoming batsman, Babar Azam. He has already achieved the status of a hero in Pakistan and the fans’ chants made Shan Masood say to Alam, who was carrying drinks: “This is the sort of thing our players haven’t been able to experience for 10 years. To see your team-mate have his name chanted by your countrymen tells you everything.”All those years spent in the UAE has meant the cricket infrastructure in Rawalpindi has not been upgraded adequately. The stadium still has cemented stands with not enough chairs. That, however, didn’t discourage the fans from turning up in big numbers at the ongoing Test. Could this mark the dawn of a new era, with more cricket coming back to the country on a regular basis? If the attendance over the first three days is anything to go by, the passion among Pakistan fans for cricket on home soil has received a shot in the arm.

Roberto De Zerbi listed a number of areas where Mason Greenwood needs to improve after Marseille's 3-2 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League on Tuesday night. The former Manchester United forward scored twice as the French side held off a late comeback from the Belgians, but the fiery Italian manager wasn't entirely happy with his match-winner.

Greenwood leads Marseille to victory in Belgium

Marseille had lost three of their five Champions League games this season prior to Tuesday's outing, making the clash with Union Saint-Gilloise a vital one in their bid to reach the knockout stages. Things started badly as Anan Khalaili struck from distance in the fifth minute, but Igor Paixao replied shortly after before Greenwood got his first of the night njust before half-time. The 24-year-old completed his brace with a superb strike in the second half, finishing from Brighton loanee Matt O'Riley's pass, but Khalaili's second effort ensured a nervy finish for the Ligue 1 side. They held on, however, to earn three much-needed points away from home.

AdvertisementAFPDe Zerbi names key areas where Greenwood must improve

Greenwood may have been happy with his performance, but manager De Zerbi insisted more improvement is needed from the former Manchester United striker going forward.

The former Brighton manager told reporters: "Yes, I think he's one of the best strikers in Europe. But even he, when we're leading 3-1, needs to learn to manage the ball, not to force things and not to lose possession. And that's not an unreasonable demand, which doesn't mean we're not happy with Greenwood. 

"He's a great player, but in those moments, I think he also needs to make the effort to hold onto the ball a little longer, to give us a bit more breathing room, to be more consistent defensively, at least by holding his position."

Team-mate Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg echoed his manager's thoughts, with the ex-Tottenham and Southampton midfielder adding: "Sometimes, where he can improve is by playing the game until the end. What he does here for us, for the team, is a huge benefit. He's a great guy, and I think he deserves what he's getting. It's good for us."

It's not the first time Greenwood has been singled out for criticism by De Zerbi. The Italian raged at the Marseille squad last week after a defeat to Lille, insisting "one shot on target for a player like Greenwood isn't enough for him".

Greenwood breaks three-game scoring duck

It's been a productive season so far for Greenwood. He is the outright leading goalscorer in Ligue 1 with ten strikes, also contributing three assists for his team-mates, while he now has three goals in six Champions League games this campaign. He had endured a lean period prior to Tuesday's win, failing to hit the back of the net in the recent clashes with Newcastle United, Toulouse and Lille, but his midweek showing represented a well-timed return to form. His performances have attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League, with reports claiming a €100 million (£87m/$116m) offer has been put forward for the attacker. If that were to be accepted by Marseille, former club United would be due 50 per cent of the profits.

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AFPMarseille up to 16th in the Champions League

The victory was a crucial one for Marseille, who have been inconsistent during their first proper Champions League campaign since 2022-23. They have lost to Real Madrid, Sporting CP and Atalanta so far but also previously beat Ajax and Newcastle, with this latest result leaving them in a firm mid-table position of 16th. They have two more games left against Liverpool and Club Brugge, with a few more points needed to guarantee the French side a place in the round of 16 playoffs. Back in Ligue 1, Marseille are five points behind current leaders Lens and four off reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, with their next match coming against Monaco on Sunday evening. A two-game winless run has seen them drop off the pace, having drawn with Toulouse before suffering defeat to Lille.

Chelsea’s “poor” defeat against Leeds United will end up costing them in the Premier League title race, according to club legend John Terry. The Blues icon has bemoaned his former side’s lack of experience as they slipped to a damaging 3-1 loss which leaves them nine points behind leaders Arsenal, who they held to a 1-1 draw in their previous match.

• Chelsea had been in fine form before surprise Leeds defeat

  After picking up a point following an admirable 10-man performance against Arsenal last Sunday, Chelsea travelled to struggling Leeds just six points behind Mikel Arteta’s Gunners on Wednesday.

  However, while Arsenal got back to winning ways against Brentford on the same night, Chelsea suffered a surprise defeat at Elland Road. Enzo Maresca’s men found themselves 2-0 down at the interval following efforts from defender Jaka Bijol and midfielder Ao Tanaka, before Blues winger Pedro Neto pulled a goal back early in the second half.

  But Chelsea were unable to find an equaliser in an abject performance which was capped off by centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo’s costly mistake in the build up to Leeds’ third goal through striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

  The result was Chelsea’s first loss in their last eight games in all competitions, but the manner in which the defeat was registered has caused frustration amongst a fanbase who are hoping to see their side improve upon last season’s fourth-place finish.

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  Blues legend Terry could not hide anger after final whistle

  Deflated after the final whistle, Chelsea icon Terry could not hide his anger at a display which – in his opinion – will come back to haunt the west Londoners towards the business end of the title race.

  Speaking on TikTok, Terry – who won 15 major trophies including five Premier League titles and one Champions League crown after 19 seasons at Chelsea – said: “What a poor performance that was.

  “Everything I said about Leeds, they were going to be aggressive, fans were going to be up for it, it was going to be a hostile place to go. You either go there and match them or you take the sting out of it completely, and by looks of it we certainly didn’t do that in the first half.

  “We cannot follow up two unbelievable performances with a performance like that, it’s certainly not going to make you title contenders. Unfortunately that’s what’s going to cost us, we are inexperienced and if you can’t go Leeds away and know what to expect then…”

  @johnterry26

  We can’t follow two great performances with that performance tonight. Some tough away games coming up and we need to be better than that tonight. 💙 #chelsea #chelseafc #premierleague #cfc

  ♬ original sound – John Terry

• Former England captain urges Maresca to end rotation policy

  Still irritated by both the result and the performance, Terry also criticised what he perceived to be a lack of “fight” from Chelsea, urging manager Maresca to end his rotation policy and stick with players who he believes will dig in every week.

  “You need to go there and show the fight, match Leeds in every single way and then earn your right to play,” former England captain Terry added. “After 15, 20 minutes you play your football once you’ve earned that right.

  “Set piece, individual mistakes defensively, clearly not good enough, maybe that’s an opportunity for the manager to look at the squad and go ‘okay rotations not for me moving forward, I know my best 11-14 players and I’ll stick with that and the other players are just going to have to deal with it.”

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  Chelsea head coach expected better performance against Leeds

  Chelsea will look to bounce back when they travel to out-of-form Bournemouth in the league on Saturday afternoon. Maresca’s men then head to Serie A side Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday, 9 December.

  Looking ahead to the Bournemouth match, Maresca said after the Leeds game: “I think they [Leeds] were better than us in all the aspects. They deserved to win the game.

  “There’s nothing we can take from the game. The only thing we can do is try to understand the mistakes we’ve made and try to reset. In 48 hours we’ve another game [against Bournemouth].

  “When you play the way we have in the last two games against Barcelona and Arsenal, you expect a better performance. But for many reasons it’s not going to be possible. We changed players and when you change players the level drops because the reality is they’re important players for us.”

U.S. international Trinity Rodman said she is still weighing her next move as her contract with the Washington Spirit nears its end, noting that emotions and timing are shaping a decision she hasn’t made yet. Her deal expired after Sunday’s NWSL final against Gotham FC, officially making her a free agent and leaving her at a potential career crossroads.

'My answer goes back and forth'

In an interview with filmed before the NWSL final, Trinity Rodman acknowledged the emotional weight of her looming free-agency decision. The 23-year-old U.S. women’s national team forward said she remains conflicted about her future with the Washington Spirit, the club that drafted her first overall in 2021.

“My answer goes back and forth – it’s kinda hard,” Rodman said. “The question that always comes up is, ‘Am I done with Spirit yet?’ which is very emotional, honestly. So when I’m saying I don’t know what I’m doing, I genuinely don’t know. I really don’t, guys – I’m a little girl trying to figure it out.”

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'We want those top players here'

Rodman’s free agency comes at a time when several prominent American players have moved from the NWSL to European clubs. Reports indicate that three teams from England’s Women’s Super League have expressed interest in signing her, while the USL Super League’s D.C. Power has also been linked.

NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman addressed Rodman’s situation ahead of the championship match, reiterating the league’s desire to keep top talent.

“Specifically, as it relates to Trinity – and, candidly, any other top player in the world – we want those top players here in the NWSL,” Berman said. “And particularly, we want Trinity in the NWSL, and we will fight for her.”

GettyRodman’s decision represents inflection point for NWSL

Rodman’s decision comes amid a period of increased movement by U.S. national team players to Europe. Recent transfers include Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson to Chelsea, Emily Fox to Arsenal, and Lindsey Horan to Lyon. Her choice will add another data point to the trend of American players evaluating opportunities in both the NWSL and European leagues.

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Getty Images SportLeague awaits star's decision

Following the Washington Spirit’s 1-0 loss to Gotham FC in the final, Rodman plans to take a break before making her final decision, a timeline that will keep the NWSL and interested clubs in suspense. The league office will undoubtedly continue working behind the scenes to create conditions favorable for keeping Rodman in Washington.

“We can pick a side capable of winning in most conditions,” says Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott ahead of game against Bangladesh

Shashank Kishore15-Sep-2025

Jonathan Trott believes Afghanistan will start as “slight favourites” against Bangladesh, who face a must-win situation, in their Asia Cup Group B fixture in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. And going by recent history, there’s merit in that confidence.”Since I’ve been with the side, we’ve had some memorable moments,” Trott said. “I think back to when we beat Bangladesh in a 50-over series in Bangladesh for the first time [in 2023]. It had never been done before, and given how strong Bangladesh have been at home, to go there and do that gave us a lot of confidence and positivity.”Then there was the win in St Vincent at the [2024] T20 World Cup, which helped us qualify for the semi-final. That was such a tight, historic game, and it gave us great belief. This group I’m currently working with is not shy about achieving new things or breaking new ground.Related

Rashid, Noor limit Bangladesh to 154

Bangladesh ring in the changes, opt to bat against unchanged Afghanistan

'Belief is key' – Mushtaq rallies Bangladesh ahead of must-win Afghanistan clash

For AM Ghazanfar, the future is now

Afghanistan get the win they needed, but Trott wants more

“Whenever there’s something that hasn’t been done before, like a big obstacle or a big challenge, this Afghan side rises to the occasion. They’re not only setting new standards for themselves but also paving the way for future players to keep pushing those boundaries.”Since opening their Asia Cup with a convincing win over Hong Kong on September 9, Afghanistan have had six days off. The break, in Trott’s opinion, has helped refresh them “mentally and physically” after the gruelling pre-Asia Cup tri-series against UAE and Pakistan, where they played five games in ten days.”I’m actually quite happy with the break,” he said. “Playing in the extreme heat here in the UAE takes a lot out of you. It’s been a good chance to recharge the batteries, take stock of where we are, and get ready to go again. Hopefully, with a win and qualification into the next round, we know there will be quite a few games in a short space of time.”At the opening press conference in Dubai, barely a few hours prior to their Asia Cup opener in Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan had spoken of the short turnaround – less than 48 hours – between the tri-series final and the game against Hong Kong. He had also said that it wasn’t ideal to be staying in Dubai and having all their group games in Abu Dhabi, leaving them with an added commute of three hours on match days.Looking at the schedule and putting that break into context, Trott felt it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. “I think our schedule has actually played into our hands, as long as we play well tomorrow and do the job in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “Playing there is very different to Dubai. It looks like it’s been spinning a little more here and in Sharjah. Abu Dhabi is a very different type of pitch – the make-up of the soil is different too.1:36

Mukund: Dropped catches a concern for Afghanistan

“That’s the challenge of playing in these tournaments: you’re constantly adapting to a variety of conditions. I certainly feel that with our squad and the options we have, we can pick a side capable of winning in most conditions.”Trott, expectedly, talked up Afghanistan’s spin stocks, joking that they were good enough to field an XI of spinners if needed. There’s Rashid and Noor Ahmad as their frontline options, along with Mohammad Nabi. They have also got Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar and Sharafuddin Ashraf in the squad. That said, he felt that it wasn’t a given that Afghanistan would do well just because they had competent spinners.”We saw during the triangular series that just because the ball is spinning, it doesn’t automatically mean we’re going to win games,” Trott said. “We still have to do everything else well, and I stress that. Yes, our spinners have played a lot of franchise cricket and plenty of international T20 and ODI cricket, but we’ve got to be consistent across all departments. That’s why we work so hard as a side.”Right now, we have a great opportunity with the Asia Cup. Looking a bit further ahead, with the World Cup coming up in February, we have good memories of playing in the subcontinent – in Sri Lanka and India. It can be tempting to look too far ahead, but for now, Bangladesh is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and we’re focused on winning that game.”

England maintained their perfect record in World Cup qualifying with a 2-0 win at home to Serbia on Thursday. Goals in either half from Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze ensured Thomas Tuchel's men emerged victorious, while the visitors' faint hopes of securing a play-off spot were put to bed on a rainy evening in north London.

England broke the deadlock with 28 minutes on the clock. Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic inexplicably decided to punch Declan Rice's free-kick which was crossed into his six-yard box, and though debutant Nico O'Reilly's effort from this clearance was blocked, the ball sat up sweetly for Saka to volley in with impressive poise at the back post.

Harry Kane ought to have doubled the advantage shortly before half-time when he ghosted away from his marker to meet Rice's whipped corner, but the England captain somehow fluffed his lines and headed wide. The visitors' best opening to find an equaliser, meanwhile, came when Filip Kostic broke free down the left and cut a delicious ball back for Dusan Vlahovic, but the Juventus striker's deft flick bobbled wide of Jordan Pickford's post.

Tuchel made four substitutions midway through the second half to freshen the pack, leading to Jude Bellingham seeing a low cross blocked after linking up with starter Reece James and Phil Foden heading narrowly wide from a Jordan Henderson cross.

The flag went up for a late offside when Lazar Samardzic hit a volley not too dissimilar to Saka's wide as England scrambled to preserve their clean sheet, while Eze had a strike deflected onto the crossbar by Rajkovic after Bellingham made another purposeful run into the final third, and Ezri Konsa's recovery pace stopped another Serbia breakaway dead in its tracks.

An open feel to the game saw England add their second goal of the game in the final minute of normal time, with Foden teeing up Eze to sweep a shot from 18 yards into the top corner and seal the three points.

GOAL rates England's players from Wembley…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Jordan Pickford (6/10):

  Guilty of playing an under-hit pass to Anderson on the edge of his own box in the first half but otherwise kept himself and England out of trouble.

  Reece James (6/10):

  Like several England players was keen to show off his immense passing range, often switching play from one flank to the other. Tested for pace by Kostic but this wasn't really to the hosts' detriment or danger.

  Ezri Konsa (7/10):

  Covered for James when England were indeed stretched a tad in transition. Given another chance to impress with Guehi still injured.

  John Stones (6/10):

  Still clearly the country's best ball-playing defender when fit and healthy. Didn't delve too deep into his bag of tricks on this occasion as he didn't really need to, however.

  Nico O'Reilly (6/10):

  Looked right at home on his senior England debut, galloping down the left to support Rice and Rashford whenever possible.

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  Midfield

  Elliot Anderson (7/10):

  Already a favourite of Tuchel's and carries himself like a seasoned veteran too. Kept play ticking with his quick passing before opening the game up with longer and more ambitious balls. Subbed for Wharton for the final few minutes.

  Declan Rice (6/10):

  Asked questions of Serbia with his wicked set-piece delivery even if he was unable to register an assist for himself before being subbed for Henderson.

  Morgan Rogers (6/10):

  Made several runs in behind the Serbia backline that went unnoticed by his England team-mates. Was crucially given the nod ahead of Bellingham and was then replaced by the Real Madrid midfielder in the second half.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (8/10):

  Arsenal's top scorer for the England men's team extended his streak with a sumptuous volley. Attacked with intent, coming inside onto his left foot and trying to figure an angle to shoot whenever he was within 30 yards of goal.

  Harry Kane (6/10):

  Little in way of goal-mouth action, dropping deep to allow his team-mates to try and exploit that space. Made a superb sliding challenge just outside his own box before he was afforded a rest, with Foden replacing him.

  Marcus Rashford (6/10):

  Got into threatening positions with his pace and trickery but will have been disappointed not to have taken advantage of this by scoring. Came off for Eze.

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  Subs & Manager

  Phil Foden (6/10):

  Played as a false nine after coming on for Kane. Grabbed an assist for Eze.

  Jude Bellingham (6/10):

  Subbed on for positional rival Rogers. Motored into the final third after linking up with James soon after coming on, with his cross bound for Eze cleared.

  Eberechi Eze (8/10):

  Shifted to the left, coming on for Rashford. Appeared fresh and was keen to get on the ball, so was deserving enough for his late goal.

  Jordan Henderson (5/10):

  Subbed on for Rice presumably to gain more control, though this also coincided with Serbia growing in confidence and gaining yards in territory.

  Adam Wharton (N/A):

  A late sub, coming on for Anderson.

  Thomas Tuchel (6/10):

  The win mattered very little for England given they have already qualified, but this was an opportunity for him to see which players were hungry and wanted to prove a point. The Three Lions do at least feel more like a cohesive unit, though this wasn't their most entertaining of displays.

The series, that also featured Netherlands, finished with a three-way tie (on the points table) but Scotland finished at the top on virtue of the best net run-rate

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jun-2025A partnership of exactly 100 between opener George Munsey and No. 3 Brandon McMullen set the base for Scotland’s comfortable win against Nepal in the tri-nation series, and it was rounded off by a collective bowling performance.Scotland’s 34-run win brought the curtain down on a series that also featured Netherlands, with all three teams ending on two wins from four. Scotland, however, topped the table on superior net run-rate. Nepal finished second.Munsey, whose highest score in the series had been 30, started aggressively and dominated a 34-run opening stand with Mark Watt. Watt was bowled by Rupesh Singh for 9 in the fourth over but Munsey and McMullen then added 100 in 9.2 overs for the second wicket, hitting nine fours and seven sixes between them. The stand ensured Scotland were going at more than ten runs per over.But then came a stutter. Munsey fell for a 39-ball 78 in the 13th over to Kushal Bhurtel, and three balls later, Sandeep Lamichhane bowled McMullen for 42. Finlay McCreath and captain Richie Berrington fell cheaply in the next two overs, too, and Nepal seemed to be clawing back. Michael Leask (26*) and Matthew Cross (17*), however, combined to take 35 off the final three overs to lift Scotland to 193 for 5.Nepal’s reply faltered early, losing four wickets in 5.1 overs. Bhurtel fell to McMullen in the first over, Bhim Sharki and Aarif Sheikh were removed by Safyaan Sharif (2 for 7), and Aasif Sheikh was run out. Dipendra Singh Airee, who became Nepal’s most-capped T20I player on the day, resisted with 34 from No. 6, but struggled with only one four and one six in his 33-ball stay.Airee fell in the 16th over with the asking rate climbing, bowled by legspinner Chris Greaves (3 for 27), who went on to also dismiss Lamichhane for a duck and Rijan Dhakal for 5. Rupesh struck an enterprising 22-ball 43 from No. 8, but ran out of partners. No. 11 Lalit Rajbanshi was run out in the 19th over to end the innings.

Grant Stewart’s glorious 130 helped to secure a nerve-shredding draw for Kent and frustrate James Anderson on a dramatic last day of the Rothesay County Championship match against Lancashire at Blackpool.Such an outcome had seemed unlikely in the extreme in mid-afternoon, when the visitors had slumped to 116 for seven in the second innings, still 149 in arrears. At that point it looked as though Anderson was on course for an innings victory in his first game as Red Rose skipper.But Stewart and Joey Evison put on 182 for the eighth wicket in thrilling fashion to take Kent into the black, and even though Anderson had Stewart caught at cover for 130, Kent survived to finish on 328 for eight, with Evison unbeaten on a brilliantly gutsy 77 when the players shook hands.Australian off-spinner Chris Green took four for 104 and Tom Bailey three for 61 for Lancashire, who are still waiting for their first Championship victory of the season. By contrast, the draw ends a dismal run of four defeats for Daniel Bell-Drummond’s side.Needing to bat almost all day to avoid defeat, Kent chose to open the batting with specialist leg-spinner, Matt Parkinson, who was doing the job for the first time in his county career.But it was Parkinson’s opening partner, Ben Compton, who was the first batsman dismissed when he was lbw to Bailey for six in the sixth over of the morning.Having removed their opponents’ best and most adhesive batsman, Lancashire then dismissed Parkinson for four three overs later when the former Old Trafford favourite turned an off-spinner from Green into the hands of Josh Bohannon at backward short leg.The following hour was filled with appeals, most of them cacophonous, none of them answered in the affirmative. Instead, Jaydn Denly and Bell-Drummond took their side to lunch on 74 for two, the only alarm coming in the final over before the interval when Denly was struck a painful blow on the point of the elbow by a shortish ball from Mitch Stanley.Kent’s equilibrium was then disturbed in an even more significant fashion four balls into the afternoon session when Bell-Drummond was dismissed for 13, Keaton Jennings sticking out his right hand to take a superb reflex catch at short leg off Green.That success began a golden half hour for Green, who had Tawanda Muyeye caught by Jennings at short leg for three and Jack Leaning, caught at slip by Luke Wells off successive deliveries to complete a devastating spell in which he had removed three top-order batsmen in 15 balls.The only solace for Kent in this period came when Denly reached his maiden first-class fifty with a single off Stanley and the hopes of the visitors might have been raised a trifle when he put on 32 for the sixth wicket with Joey Evison.But it seemed that Lancashire were not to be denied. Now bowling off-spin, Bailey knocked back Denly’s off stump with a fine ball when the 19-year-old had made 57 and four balls later, he had Harry Finch caught at short leg by Jennings for nought.But Evison and Grant Stewart then went on the attack in utterly memorable fashion sharing a stand filled with attacking strokeplay either side of tea. In the second over of the evening session, Stewart hit Mitchell Stanley for three vicious leg side sixes, reaching a 42-ball half-century in the process with five fours and four maximums.Just 43 minutes later, a cover-driven four off Green took Stewart to his 79-ball hundred, He had smashed eight sixes in addition to nine fours and he and Evison had set a new eighth-wicket first-class record for Kent against Lancashire.However, just when Kent were glimpsing safety, Stewart was caught at cover by Bailey for 130 and it needed Wes Agar to help Evison achieve a draw that must seem a little like a victory.