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The Lionesses beat world champions United States at a sold-out Wembley on Friday, but were held to a 0-0 draw by the Czech Republic four days later

England could not have played their part in two more contrasting fixtures this week – hitting an incredible high before crashing back down to earth a little bit.

On Friday, they beat the world champions, the U.S. women's national team, in a thrilling game of football that entertained throughout with the exciting attackers on show and, quite frankly, the sloppy defending that went with it.

But Tuesday was quite different. A goalless draw against a Czech Republic side they were expected to beat didn't cause the same stir, neither in the result nor the performance.

So with another international break wrapped up, GOAL picks out the winners and losers from the Lionesses' latest preparation for next summer's World Cup…

GettyWINNER: Sarina Wiegman

Wiegman came into the international break with her unbeaten record as England boss about to be seriously tested, as her team faced the world champions.

However, she emerged with it intact: 24 games played, 21 wins, three draws and no defeats. It maintains the longest ever run without defeat for any England team – bettering the run of 22 games that Gareth Southgate's side achieved from November 2020 to June 2022.

But it's not the fact her team didn't lose that makes Wiegmann a winner. The victory over the USWNT was a huge statement and massive for this squad's ever-growing confidence. It was a test against one of the world's best sides and perfect preparation for the 2023 World Cup.

The game with the Czech Republic was nowhere near as enthralling or headline-grabbing, but it was an important match to play. There's no doubt the Lionesses will come up against teams that frustrate them like this looking ahead to next summer's tournament, and this match will be an important one to look back on as they form game plans for those tests.

Wiegman got exactly what she wanted from this international window.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Arsenal

It might have been a successful camp for England in that sense, but it wasn't without negatives. Most of those came in the build-up to the game against the U.S., as three players had to withdraw due to injury.

Alessia Russo's issue was described as just a "small" problem and hopefully Lucy Parker will not be set back for long with what is a muscle injury. However, there is still no news about the third player to pull out – the England captain, Leah Williamson.

For the Lionesses, it's a shame but not a debilitating loss at this time in their tournament cycle. For Arsenal, however, it is concerning.

The Gunners kick off their Women's Champions League group-stage campaign next week in the most difficult place possible – away to Lyon, the reigning European champions and eight-time winners. With Rafaelle, their Brazilian centre-back, having just fractured her foot, Williamson's absence leaves the English side down to two centre-backs as the season prepares to enter its busiest period.

Given how tough a group Jonas Eidevall's side have got in Europe, to lose Williamson for a significant period of time would be a massive blow.

GettyWINNER: Lauren James

Wiegman isn't known for making many changes to her teams or handing out appearances for the sake of it. So when the line-up came out for Tuesday evening's clash with the Czech Republic and Lauren James, Chelsea's fleet-footed 21-year-old, was in it, there was some surprise.

It was as if James played with the thought in her head that these chances are rare and she had to take it, too, as she lit up the pitch every time she touched the ball on what was her full England debut.

Facing an opposition that were tough to break down, the creativity and directness in her play was a real asset and almost led to the deadlock being broken when she rattled the post in the opening minutes.

Her night lasted just over an hour but she certainly made her mark in the time she was on the field.

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GettyLOSER: Chloe Kelly

Chloe Kelly was the hero in the summer, the player who is the centre of the defining image of England's Euro 2022 triumph, her celebration after scoring the winning goal in the final hitting the front of every newspaper the morning after.

However, she is one of many talented wide players at Wiegman's disposal and getting a starting role in this team, ahead of players like Lauren Hemp and Beth Mead, remains a challenge.

Kelly got a chance to show what she could do from the start in this camp, with the front line rejigged to make up for Russo's absence. But the 24-year-old struggled to get involved in both games, despite being in both line ups.

There's no question over the talent Kelly has and she'll just hope she can show that more in the next international window. After all, the competition for those forward positions is only growing as players like James start to settle in.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo voltou a treinar na manhã desta segunda-feira, o último dia antes do da estreia no Mundial de Clubes, cujo adversário será o Al Hilal, no Khalifa Stadium, às 14h30 (de Brasília; 20h30 no horário local). Jorge Jesus fez os últimos ajustes em prol da vaga na decisão.

Aliás, Jesus e João de Deus, o seu auxiliar-técnico, chegaram ao local da atividade, o Estádio Abdullah bin Khalifa, cerca de uma hora mais cedo, em um carro. Este procedimento tem sido adotado com frequência, inclusive na preparação do título da Libertadores, em Lima.

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Jesus fez questão de vir falar com todos os jornalistas presentes para a cobertura do treino #lanceFLA pic.twitter.com/SW71EyGQm7

— Lazlo Dalfovo (@lazlodalfovo) December 16, 2019

A imprensa só teve acesso aos 15 minutos, como de praxe, durante o aquecimento para a atividade principal (tática). O clima era descontraído, sobretudo nas rodas de altinha, com brincadeiras entre o elenco.

Para a estreia, Jesus, que não possui limitações para escalar o time que vai em busca do “mundo de novo”, irá a campo com força máxima: Diego Alves, Rafinha, Rodrigo Caio, Pablo Marí e Filipe Luís; Arão, Gerson, Everton Ribeiro, Arrascaeta, Bruno Henrique e Gabigol.

Um pouco mais da altinha e da pilha do Gabigol pra cima do Renê #lanceFLA pic.twitter.com/WVuJZxtx82

— Lazlo Dalfovo (@lazlodalfovo) December 16, 2019

Glamorgan’s push for what would be a record-breaking victory was held up by a combination of determined batting and rain on the third day of the Division Two match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield

ECB/PA08-Jul-2015
ScorecardJacques Rudolph still hopes to catch a fifth successive win [file picture]•Gallo Images

Glamorgan’s push for what would be a record-breaking victory was held up by a combination of determined batting and rain on the third day of the Division Two match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.When the weather closed in with 23 overs still to bowl, Derbyshire were 37 without loss following-on, still 121 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat and with a lot of batting ahead of them to deny Glamorgan five consecutive championship victories for the first time in their history.The home side fell nine short of the follow-on target when they were bowled out for 252 with opener Billy Godleman the only batsmen to pass 50 while seamer Ruaidhri Smith returned career-best figures of three for 23 in 11 overs.The leaden skies at the start of play made conditions good for bowling and Derbyshire were soon in trouble as the ball swung for Graham Wagg and Michael Hogan.Derbyshire needed a substantial stand between Godleman and skipper Wayne Madsen but that was ended in the fourth over of the morning when Hogan found some late movement to have Madsen caught at third slip for 24.Godleman’s resistance ended when Wagg swung one back in and when Wes Durston was squared up in the former Derbyshire all-rounder’s next over, the home side had lost three wickets for seven runs in 17 balls.Shiv Thakor and Alex Hughes added 44 in 17 overs but David Lloyd had Hughes taken at second slip and Thakor should have gone on 17 in the next over from Craig Meschede but Hogan spilled a low chance at third slip.Smith accounted for Harvey Hosein and Tony Palladino and when Thakor skied a sweep at Andrew Salter, Tom Taylor tore into Hogan, pulling and driving him for three sixes before the Australian bowled him on the stroke of tea.With conditions unsettled and still favourable for bowling, Glamorgan immediately enforced the follow on but Godleman and Hamish Rutherford were largely untroubled in the 18 overs before bad light resulted in the sixth and final stoppage of the day.It was a frustrating end for Glamorgan, but skipper Jacques Rudolph said: “I thought the way we bowled in those last 17 overs we deserved one or two wickets. They played really well but I still think the game is wide open and if we start well in the morning we can put them under some real pressure.”Madsen said: “I think with the forecast being fair tomorrow we are going to have to bat most of the day which is possible. We batted for 80 odd overs in the first innings and we will probably have to bat for over 110 and get ahead so the realistic objective for us is to try and bat through the day.”

Andrew Strauss has confirmed he would be interested in succeeding Paul Downton in the role of director of England cricket

George Dobell13-Apr-2015

Andrew Strauss has confirmed he would be interested in succeeding Paul Downton in the role of director of England cricket.Strauss, the former England captain, admitted he found the “allure” of the job “undeniable” but suggested he would require more information before he could seriously consider it.The ECB sacked Downton last week after just over a year in the job. While England won a Test series against India in that time, they were humbled at the World Cup and the shambolic way in which Kevin Pietersen was sacked dogged Downton throughout his time at the ECB.Strauss was tipped for the role at the time of Downton’s appointment, but felt it was too soon to move into cricket administration. But now he has emerged among a trio of candidates – Michael Vaughan and Alec Stewart are the others – to replace Downton in a slightly re-branded role.Writing in the , Strauss expressed some sympathy for Downton – stating that he “did not have the time to implement a long-term strategy for England to win the World Cup” – but accepted that England had made little progress over the past year.”It is hard to create any sort of dialogue that English cricket is in a better place today than when Downton started,” Strauss said.”The ECB seems to be attempting to bring his replacement closer to the team, with more influence over the players and thus more accountability for their performances.”To anyone who is passionate about cricket, the allure of such a job is undeniable. I am certainly interested in any role that might help English cricket move forward.”The question, however, is: what exactly is the new job?Meanwhile the has reported that Jason Gillespie, the Yorkshire coach who is tipped as the favourite to replace Peter Moores in the England role within the next few months, could be lost to English cricket.South Australia have recently parted company with their head coach, Darren Berry, and are believed to want Gillespie as his replacement. Gillespie has already accepted the opportunity to coach Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League next season.The ECB is unable to act, however, as it has decided to allow the new England director a chance to assemble his own team of support staff, including the head coach. While the board is hopeful of filling the director role soon – possibly within days – that may come too late for Gillespie.Either way, news that England are considering candidates for the role who have already expressed their doubts about Moores – Vaughan suggested he should be “removed” from the head coach role only last month – will do nothing to reassure an England dressing room seeking stability as they go into the Test series against West Indies in the Caribbean.

A round-up of the President’s Silver Cup One Day matches played on January 30, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-2015Group IOffspinner Junaid Ilyas’ four-for helped United Bank restrict Quetta Bears to a 165, and set up an easy seven-wicket win with 11 overs to spare. At one stage Quetta were tottering at 88 for 7, before some resistance from the tail lifted them to a more respectable total. It was never going to really challenge the opposition though, and an unbeaten 57 from Saeed Bin Nasir and a stand of 81 with Ammar Hasan put the result beyond doubt. This meant Quetta are yet to get on the point table, two games into the tournament. It was United Bank’s first win.Hyderabad Hawks meanwhile aced a stiff chase against Pakistan International Airlines, sealing an exciting three-wicket win with two balls to spare. PIA had done well to get to 292 for 5 on the back of 112 from captain Kamran Sajid and 80 from Faisal Iqbal. The chase followed a similar pattern, with Faisal Athar hitting 111 and Shoaib Laghari hitting an unbeaten 64, both at better than a run a ball, with a number of cameos around them to seal the deal for Hyderabad.Group IIHabib Bank thumped Sialkot Stallions, chasing down a paltry target of 150 in 14.3 overs. The Habib Bank bowlers justified their decision to bowl, sharing the wickets around while cutting through Sialkot. No one in the Sialkot line-up could get more than Bilal Hussain’s 30. In reply, rapid knocks from Aftab Alam and Humayun Farhat further flatted Sialkot. Alam’s 71 came off 49 balls with 12 fours and a six, while Farhat made 38 off just 18 with six fours and a six. While Habib Bank are positioned comfortably near the top of the table after three games, it was Sialkot’s third loss in as many matches, putting them dead last.Rearguard action from Bahawalpur Stags’ lower order helped them to their first win, a 92-run victory over Abbottabad Falcons. Bahawalpur were reduced to 22 for 3 before brisk knocks of 81 from Rehan Rafiq and 52 from Moinuddin built on 61 from Faisal Mubashir to help raise them to 294 for 8. Several Abbottabad batsmen got starts in the chase, but none carried on – not even Khalilullah, the innings top-scorer with 50 – and they were bowled out with almost eight overs still left to bat.Group IIIOver in Group III, Faisalabad Wolves registered a three-wicket win against Multan Tigers. Faisalabad chose to bowl and were kept at bay by Multan opener Sikander Khan, who made 93 off 119. Shahzad Ali also chipped in with a quick fifty, lifting the team to 243. Naseer Akram had the standout figures for Faisalabad: 9.4-1-46-4. In the chase, Multan struck quick blows in clusters, but it was the few stands between those clusters that cost them. The chief contributors to those vital runs was Hasan Mahmood, who made 85 not out from No. 4 to see the team home in 48 overs.In a high-scoring encounter in Lahore, the hosts Lahore Eagles would have been happy to end up with an enormous total of 322, but that proved insufficient in the end, as Pakistan Television chased it down with seven balls and five wickets to spare. While Lahore’s innings was built around their top order – their top three, Tayyab Tahir, Gauhar Hafeez and Mohammad Waheed, all got fifties – the chase had contributions all through. It was anchored by 102 off 116 by opener Mohammad Naeem, and strengthened with half-centuries from Hasan Raza and Nawaz Ahmed, and a couple of 30-somethings from the middle order.

Umar Gul and Mohammad Irfan have been named in a 14-man Pakistan A squad for a one-off Twenty20 against Afghanistan A in Islamabad on November 15

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2014

Umar Gul and Mohammad Irfan have been named in a 14-man Pakistan A squad for a one-off Twenty20 against Afghanistan A in Islamabad on November 15. Sohaib Maqsood, who led Pakistan A to a 2-1 series win over UAE recently, will continue as captain.Gul has not played international cricket since the World T20 in April due to an ongoing knee problem but has put together four strong appearances in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. He has taken 25 wickets including two five-wicket hauls and the selectors feel the time is now right to begin a push back towards the full Pakistan side.”The inclusion of Umar Gul is part of the selection panel’s strategy of slowly bringing him back into international cricket,” chief selector Moin Khan said. “Umar is an experienced campaigner who has recently struggled with a knee injury, but his [form] in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is an indication that he is getting up to speed in terms of being match-fit as well as wicket-taking form”.Irfan, who is tipped to make an impact at the 2015 World Cup, has not been used during Pakistan’s current Test campaigns in the UAE in order to manage his workload ahead of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. The T20 against Afghanistan is being used as a way to ease him back into competitive cricket.The hard-hitting wicketkeeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan – who last year was a strong contender for the national side – has once again been preferred to Bismillah Khan. However, opener Sharjeel Khan has been dropped after making 5 and 15 against UAE and has been replaced by Rawalpindi opener Awais Zia.”The squad for the Twenty20 match against Afghanistan is a balanced one – a decent blend of seniors of proven calibre but trying to regain fitness and form as well as youngsters knocking at the door of international cricket on the back of performances in our first class cricket,” Moin said.The match has been arranged by two governments and the Afghan president and prime minister are expected to meet their Pakistan counterparts on the sidelines of the match.Pakistan A: Adil Amin, Anwar Ali, Awais Zia, Babar Azam, Bilawal Bhatti, Imran Khan Junior, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mukhtar Ahmad, Nasir Jamshed, Raza Hasan, Saad Nasim, Sohaib Maqsood (capt), Umar Gul

Applicants for Sri Lanka fielding coach

Manoj Abeywickrema (Sri Lanka), Julien Fountain, Carl Hopkinson, Jonathan Batty and Paul Nixon (England), Mark Atkinson, Lachlan Stevens and Shane Duff (Australia), Andrew Waller (Zimbabwe), Michael Smith (South Africa) and Bazegh Zaka (Maldives).

Sri Lanka Cricket’s hunt for a head coach has gained momentum with around 10 applications, including ones reportedly from former South Africa coaches Mickey Arthur and Ray Jennings.*SLC had advertised for the positions of head coach, fielding coach and trainer on their website in the last week of July, as they look to fill the vacancies of Paul Farbrace, fielding coach Ruwan Kalpage and trainer Darshan Weerasinghe respectively. The closing date for applications is August 10.However, Marvan Atapattu, who has been serving as the head coach, following Farbrace’s resignation in April, has still not formally applied, according to SLC CEO Ashley de Silva.”Marvan has still not applied for the post and today is the final day,” de Silva said. “Normally when a post is advertised you are supposed to apply, but Marvan has already done that earlier and because he is already in the system he may not have applied.”Some have applied to become head coach and others as consultant. We have to sort them out by next week.”Sri Lanka had appointed Farbrace as coach in December last year, following Graham Ford’s decision to step down. Farbrace, however, resigned in April to take up a role with the ECB and is now assistant coach to Peter Moores in the England set-up. Kalpage, was involved in some coaching capacity with the national team for the last ten years, had recently found his job in limbo after SLC announced a coaching shake-up. Kalpage, who was serving as acting assistant coach to Atapattu, has taken up a role as Bangladesh’s assistant and spin-bowling coach.Other individuals who have reportedly applied are: former South Africa allrounder Lance Klusener, former Surrey coach Chris Adams, Australia’s Shane Duff, former New Zealand coach Andy Moles, former England batsman Mal Loye, former Victoria coach Simon Helmot and Somerset’s director of cricket, Dave Nosworthy.Loye, who currently coaches at Wellinborough School in Northamptonshire, also recently showed interest in coaching the Netherlands side, but was eventually deterred by the financial situation in Dutch cricket. “”I was advised to apply a few weeks ago [for the Sri Lanka job],” he told ESPNcricinfo. “International coaching is something that has always appealed to me.”Eric Simons, Paddy Upton and Craig McDermott were reportedly in the fray but all three have denied considering the coaching job*. McDermott, who had re-signed with Cricket Australia as assistant coach of the national team in May, told the board’s website that he was committed to his role in the Australian set-up.Upton also issued a denial, saying he had been approached for the post but was not in the running, while Simons told : “(Agent) Arthur Turner called and asked if I would consider a position as a consultant to the World Cup with Sri Lanka. I replied that, if it was purely as a consultant, and only for the World Cup, then I would consider it. I was asked if I would consider the head coach job but said that [I] was not able to consider that.”*August 11, 2014 0436 GMT: The news story has been updated to reflect denials from Craig McDermott, Paddy Upton and Eric Simons

أكد كريم فؤاد، لاعب الفريق الأول بـ الأهلي، أنه أصبح قريبًا من العودة مجددًا للمشاركة في المباريات، موجهًا الشكر لجماهير الأهلي التي كانت حريصة على دعمه طوال الفترة الماضية، وتحديدًا منذ لحظة تعرضه للإصابة.

وقال كريم فؤاد في تصريحات للموقع الرسمي بالأهلي: “خضعت للفحص الطبي تحت إشراف كريستيان فينك، وقمت بعمل قياسات طبية، وأوصى بالمشاركة في التدريبات بشكل تدريجي لمدة أسبوعين، وبعدها سأشارك في التدريبات بصورة طبيعية، ولكن المشاركة في المباريات ستكون بعد 3 أسابيع”.

وأضاف: “لحظة تعرضي للإصابة شعرت بألم غير معتاد، وعندما سقطت على الأرض، كان لديَّ أسئلة كثيرة دارت في ذهني، لأنني شعرت بالإصابة، وبعد الفحص الطبي تبين أنها قطع في الرباط الصليبي، وأجريت أشعة أكثر من مرة للتأكد من الإصابة، في المرة الأولى لم يبلغني الطبيب وفضل إجراء أشعة مرة أخرى للتأكد من الإصابة، خصوصًا أنني أجريت عدة اختبارات طبية، وبعدها أبلغني بكافة الأمور، ثم أجريت الجراحة بعدها بأيام”.

طالع.. فيديو | الأهلي يفوز على ألوميني السلوفيني بثلاثية وديًا

وواصل: “تلقيت اتصالات كثيرة من زملائي في الفريق، وكل المقربين مني، وكنت متقبلًا للأمر لأن الإصابة قضاء وقدر، وحتى أسرتي كانت حزينة، لكن هذه هي كرة القدم، وبعد إصابتي كان أول لاعب أتصل به هو أكرم توفيق، لأنه أصيب قبلي وأجرى الجراحة ومتواجد في مصر، وأبلغته بالإصابة وأننا سنذهب للتأهيل معًا، وقضينا المشوار معًا حتى العودة مرة أخرى”.

وأكمل: “الموسم الماضي قدم الأهلي موسمًا استثنائيًّا، وكنت أتمنى أن أكون موجودًا مع الفريق وأعيش أجواء التتويج بالألقاب، خصوصًا دوري أبطال إفريقيا، وأطمح في حصد هذه البطولات مجددًا مع الفريق، وأن أعيش هذه الأجواء والضغوط كلاعب مع زملائي، وأتمنى أن نحقق إنجازًا أفضل في كأس العالم للأندية”.

وأضاف: “المركز الأفضل لي داخل الملعب يتحدد بناء على طريقة اللعب وتعليمات الجهاز الفني بقيادة مارسيل كولر، أنا لاعب في الفريق وأنفذ التعليمات، وكولر دائمًا صاحب رؤية معينة، وسواء تواجدت في مركز الظهير الأيمن أو الجناح، أسعى لتقديم أفضل مستوى لي”.

وحول المنافسة مع زملائه في الأهلي، قال كريم فؤاد: “بالتأكيد التنافس بين جميع اللاعبين أمر إيجابي وميزة لصالح الفريق، والمنافسة صعبة في ظل وجود نجوم كبار داخل الفريق، وأي لاعب يشارك سيؤدي بنسبة 100%، وأي لاعب لا يشارك سيقاتل من أجل اللعب وإثبات ذاته، وهذه الأمور تصب في صالح الأهلي”.

وزاد: “خلال فترة الإصابة تلقيت دعمًا كبيرًا من جانب إدارة الأهلي وزملائي في الفريق وكذلك الجماهير، لم أكن أتخيل كل هذا الاهتمام، وهو ما جعلني أشعر بالسعادة ومنحني دافعًا وحافزًا من أجل العودة للنادي وجماهيره، وطموحي حاليًّا هو العودة من جديد للمشاركة وتحقيق كل البطولات، وأتمنى أن أكون أفضل لاعب في مركزي، وأتمنى التواجد مع منتخب مصر وتحقيق الألقاب”.

وأشار كريم فؤاد إلى أن علاقته رائعة للغاية مع مارسيل كولر المدير الفني، لافتا إلى أنه شخصية مميزة ويتعامل جيدًا مع كل اللاعبين، ويكن له الجميع كل الاحترام والتقدير.

وأوضح أن المدير الفني دائم النصح له، وقبل الإصابة كان يقوم بإعطائه بعض التعليمات الفنية لتطوير مستواه، وعندما تعرض للإصابة كان يدعمه نفسيًّا ومعنويًّا للعودة سريعًا للملاعب.

وتابع: “مثلي الأعلى محليًّا محمد أبو تريكة نجم الأهلي ومنتخب مصر السابق، وعالميًّا كريستيانو رونالدو، وهما من أصحاب الإمكانيات الجيدة والعقلية الرائعة، وأنا أريد أن أصل للشخصية والعقلية التي يتمتع بها الثنائيـ وقد سبق وتلقيت عروضًا أوروبية قبل الانتقال للأهلي، ولكن عندما طلبني الأهلي كان من الصعب تأجيل حلم الانتقال لصفوفه”.

وأكمل: “مباراة السوبر الإفريقي أمام اتحاد العاصمة صعبة، خصوصًا أنها في بداية الموسم، لأن اللاعبين كانوا بعيدين عن أجواء المنافسة بعد فترة راحة، كما أن الأهلي تُوج بألقاب عديدة في الموسم الماضي، وجميع الفرق ستحاول تقديم أقصى جهد أمامنا، لكن هدفنا هو تحقيق اللقب القاري وإسعاد الجماهير والاستمرار في حصد البطولات”.

وأضاف: “شاركت مع الأهلي في كأس العالم للأندية 2021 أمام مونتيري المكسيكي ثم الهلال السعودي وكنت أتمنى التواجد في البطولة السابقة، خصوصًا أن المباريات كانت حماسية، وكنت أشعر أنني لو كنت موجودًا سأقدم أفضل مستوى، وأتمنى تحقيق إنجاز جديد في البطولة المقبلة”.

ووجه كريم فؤاد رسالة لجماهير الأهلي، قائلا: “أشكركم على دعمكم منذ اليوم الأول لإصابتي، وطوال الـ7 أشهر الماضية تلقيت الكثير من رسائل الدعم والمساندة، وكلها أمور ساهمت في تحفيزي وعودتي للمستطيل الأخضر، وتخطي مرحلة صعبة في مسيرتي بفضل وقوفكم خلفي”.

England have endured a horrendous run, losing 17 matches out of 21 in all formats, but Tim Bresnan is the sort of man who can say England believe they can win three in a row if they need to at the World T20 and sound like he means it

Alan Gardner in Chittagong24-Mar-2014

There was a time when Tim Bresnan was considered a lucky mascot for England. He tasted victory in each of his first 13 Tests – a record only bettered by Adam Gilchrist – and picked up a winner’s medal at his first major tournament when England won the 2010 World T20 in the Caribbean.The last couple of years have not been quite so rosy, as injuries interrupted his progression and then England entered a tailspin almost as soon as they touched down in Australia. He began that tour recovering from a back injury, missing the first two Tests, but alongside Stuart Broad he has been practically everywhere with England across three continents over the last five months.Reliable as Yorkshire tea, Bresnan is still one of the players England can wheel out to provide some pithy wisdom when the chips are down. They have endured a horrendous run, losing 17 matches out of 21 in all formats, but Bresnan is the sort of man who can say England believe they can win three in a row if they need to at the World T20 and sound like he means it.”We’re still confident,” he said. “Things haven’t gone our way over the last few months but we still believe we’re playing good cricket, turning out good performances. But stringing together everything at the same time is a problem for us. If we can find that spark and everything clicks, we can beat anyone in the world.””A couple of lads have been having good games, but you need three or four players to influence games and get you the win. We haven’t really been able to do that.”England’s next game is against Sri Lanka, who have won two from two and are one of the favourites for the title. There were some encouraging signs against New Zealand before rain – fractionally after the thunder and lightning – saw England end up on the wrong side of the Duckworth-Lewis equation again. The squad have been playing together for the last month, having toured the West Indies in preparation for the tournament, and Bresnan thinks they are not far from clicking.”It’s more of a mindset is T20. We certainly have the power players, we have everything in the armoury to win games of cricket,” Bresnan said. “We just can’t put our finger on why we’ve not been able to piece together a good performance.”We’ve been playing six weeks of T20. It’s been good, we’ve gelled as a team. I think we’re still confident in the dressing-room despite not winning many games. I think we all realise we need that win to kick us off – and we’ll be off and running.”Much has been made of England’s regeneration and Bresnan put as positive a spin as possible on their travails over the winter. “They say winning hides a multitude of sins and it can do that in your own performance as well as the team’s. It’s only when you lose, that’s only when you analyse in-depth stuff that has actually gone wrong or stuff that might have been going wrong for a while.”Questions have been asked of England’s skills in this format, which appear to have slipped as players from other countries hone their abilities in the more high-octane franchise leagues around the globe. Their somewhat frantic attempts to clear the ropes in the opening game against New Zealand were a partial success, with England recording the highest T20 score on the ground, but it still lacked one batsman stamping an indelible mark with a sizeable innings.”I don’t think that is the case,” Bresnan said, when asked if England were falling behind. “I still believe we’re doing the right things. We’re always analysing the footage of the good sides and seeing what the other lads are doing. It’s not necessarily trying to emulate them, it’s trying to put our own twist on a winning formula. We’re looking to do that over the course of the next three games.”Although the bowlers did not get much of an outing on Saturday, they will be under just as much scrutiny as the batsmen against Sri Lanka. A video compilation called ‘When Yorkers Go Wrong’ is surely waiting to be compiled and uploaded to YouTube but Bresnan is confident the delivery can be an important tool for England, even if bowlers are often accused of forgetting how to bowl them.”Yorker is the ball if you can get it right. As we’ve seen if you get it wrong it can disappear or go for an inside edge for four,” he said. “You have to practice but it is more mental than anything. It is a difficult ball to bowl when the pressure is on. You’re aiming at a four-inch square in front of the stumps and it’s not very easy to hit. I feel as though it is one of my biggest weapons and the more I can get it right, the more successful we will be.”

Martin Snedden, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) director, has said that the possibility of the ICC handing over power to the Big Three – India, England and Australia – and allowing them to control the game’s finances may not be a bad thing for world cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2014Martin Snedden, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) director, has said that the possibility of the ICC handing over power to the Big Three – India, England and Australia – and allowing them to control the game’s finances may not be a bad thing for world cricket.The proposals from the ICC’s Financial & Commercial Affairs “working group position paper” seek, among other things, to scrap the central FTP agreements between the ICC and its members and replace it with bilateral agreements between member nations. It led to concerns that the other Test playing nations, including New Zealand, might not get the share they deserve, at the expense of the Big Three, but Snedden was confident that NZC’s interests will be enhanced if the latest proposals are approved.”Do we [NZC] have power at the ICC table? No, not a hell of a lot. Do we have the ability to influence and persuade? A little bit. The critical thing is to identify the things most important to us. That means ensuring the stability of our playing programme and revenue generation,” Snedden told the .The reason the FTP is to be removed from central ICC control, according to the position paper, is because “the draft FTP, as it stands, contains a large number of unviable tours.” Cricket Australia, the ECB and the BCCI it is stated, are “committing” to enter into FTP agreements from 2015 to 2023.”It’s a fundamental outcome for us to be left with a playing programme which sees us play all the Test-playing countries in a four-year cycle like in the FTP. Ratification of the existing schedule would be an excellent outcome. It’s early stages but we’ve got a good chance of doing that. I need to stress there’s nothing wrong with India, Australia and England working together to produce something for everyone,” Snedden said.”Don’t jump to the conclusion what they’re doing is not good for world cricket. Get this right and the FTP playing programme can be extended to 2023 and we can line it up with ICC events like the World Cup and World T20. That’d be a stable platform to work from.”The BCCI continues to generate the majority of the income for the ICC and though Snedden admitted that it will be more of the same, he said that cricket boards will have to embrace India’s control.”I’ve walked back into a different world from what I left in 2007. When I exited, there was no IPL and the broadcasting rights were headed in India’s direction but that has escalated over six years,” Snedden said.”Whatever the formula reached, India will take a greater slice. I think that’s fair because they create 70-80 per cent of the revenue. That’s not unusual in the world of sporting rights agreements. The Indian market’s escalated out of proportion to everyone else since last time.”We need to remove any doubt over their involvement in 2015-23 tours. If they’re fully committed to the programme, that puts the ICC negotiating team in a strong position to exploit commercial rights.”The proposals will be presented to the ICC Executive Board during its quarterly meeting in Dubai on January 28 and 29.