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The Pakistan Cricket Board’s independent biomechanics facility, installed at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), is in line to obtain accreditation from the ICC

Umar Farooq13-Apr-2017

The PCB’s independent biomechanics facility, installed at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), is in line to obtain accreditation from the ICC. The testing facility has been acknowledged by the world body after two officials from Pakistan underwent a two-day workshop in Pretoria last month.The facility has fulfilled the technical requirements in terms of equipment and expertise to procure official accreditation. It operates with 16 motion-capture high-speed infrared cameras and two high-speed video cameras in compliance with the ICC’s requirements. Other mandatory preconditions laid down by the global body include the availability of an indoor area with enough space to allow a player to perform their full run-up, a three-dimensional motion-analysis system with a minimum of 12 high-speed cameras, along with the recruitment of qualified personnel experienced in using such systems and implementing the ICC testing protocol.So far, LUMS has been implementing its own model of assessment on cricketers but the ICC required it to align with the governing body’s protocol that mandates quality checks and calibrated trials during assessment using specialised kit. Professor Mian Awais, Head of the biomechanics facility at LUMS, and PCB representative Hissan ur Rehman attended an exclusive two-day workshop – involving four sessions primarily aimed at introducing the ICC protocol regarding bowling assessment and data processing – at the High Performance Centre in the University of Pretoria, to oversee the administration of the test centre.The idea of reviving the biomechanics lab came up after Pakistan found themselves saddled with several cases of suspect bowling actions in the recent past. Among the high-profile internationals to have undergone reassessment for illegal action, Mohammad Hafeez has returned with a remodelled action, as has Saeed Ajmal – the latter, however, has been a diminished force and has not played for Pakistan since 2015. According to the PCB, the stock of offspinners available at the domestic level also includes a significant number with suspect actions.In 2015, the ICC accredited five centres around the world – in Brisbane, Cardiff, Loughborough, Pretoria and Chennai – as testing facilities for the global body with a view to reviewing bowlers reported for suspect bowling actions. The PCB initiated the process of establishing the biomechanics facility in the country by entering into a partnership with LUMS – where equipment worth USD 460,000 had been lying unused from 2008 to 2016 – as it needed to have an independent testing facility of its own.Pakistan could have been the first Asian country to have a high-profile biomechanics facility, but construction of the laboratory and financial mismanagement impeded its progress. LUMS, however, helped make up for lost time by re-gathering the equipment and making it functional by conducting tests on over 20 domestic cricketers so far. The centre has also tested the Kenya offspinner James Ngoche, whose bowling action was declared illegal by the ICC in 2015.

Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi have been told what they need to do in order to emulate USMNT legends Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey and Brian McBride.

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U.S. looking for a reliable goalscorerTwo players of potential in that mixIcons of the past showed how it's doneWHAT HAPPENED?

The Monaco and PSV strikers are currently competing for the No.9 spot in the United States national team. Both are proven goalscorers at club level, but are relative newcomers when it comes to the global stage. They have been on target for their country – with efforts recorded during the latest international break – but are also working on unlocking full potential.

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Balogun has pledged allegiance to the USMNT following a tug of war with England – with the New York native netting twice through four appearances for his country – while Pepi is up to nine goals from 18 outings.

WHAT THEY SAID

Former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard has told the : “When you look at the history of the USMNT, our success has always been built on consistent goalscorers – someone who can do it in friendlies, someone who can do in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, someone who can do it on the world stage. Sometimes, in this current team, you can do it by committee because they have so many good wingers and midfielders, but ultimately the USMNT has to have a Clint Dempsey, a Jozy Altidore, a Brian McBride – where in moments, going into a game that might be against an opponent where you might not dominate the ball, you are looking at and saying ‘If in two hours we have won this game, I know he’ll have scored’. We have seen it down the years – Jozy Altidore put five people on his back and scored, Clint Dempsey pulled a rabbit out of the hat, Brian McBride stuck his head in a place that he shouldn’t have. There has always been that down the years for the last two decades. What’s missing from this current group is that, and I think it was missing going into the World Cup. What I do think about Balogun and Pepi is, they can start to sharpen each other. If one scores, then the other is thinking ‘I’ve got to get the bit between my teeth and make sure I keep pushing’. That then sends them back to their clubs and they push harder. A recognised goalscorer, someone who does it consistently, is greedy and hungry and doesn’t want to come off the pitch, is angry when they don’t get the ball, that’s the type of No.9 that the U.S. needs. I think those two can do it. I like the look of them. They both present different options.”

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Ex-Sunderland and Toronto FC frontman Altidore scored 42 goals for the USMNT in 115 appearances. Former Fulham and Seattle Sounders star Dempsey hit 57 in 141 games, while McBride – who represented Columbus Crew, Everton and Fulham in his club career – managed 30 in 96 caps.

Tottenham Hotspur will appreciate a lot of things about Manchester United's Harry Maguire ahead of the summer transfer window.

Is Harry Maguire up for sale?

It was a disappointing campaign at Old Trafford for the England defender who saw his role diminish under Erik ten Hag in his first campaign at the helm.

Prior to the arrival of the Dutchman, Maguire had played a prominent role in United's 2021/22 campaign where he made 28 starts in the Premier League.

However, this season has seen the 30-year-old's game time severely reduced to the point where he has only made eight starts in the top flight.

However, there are conflicting reports as to whether the centre-back will be leaving this summer with talkSPORT now claiming he is keen to remain at United and fight for his place.

This comes just days after the reliable Fabrizio Romano suggested that those around the player were of the belief this is the perfect opportunity for him to leave the club.

But speaking on the Five YouTube channel, David Ornstein has suggested those at Spurs will appreciate a lot of the qualities which Maguire could potentially bring to north London.

Adding to this, the reliable journalist also nodded towards the 30-year-old's relationship with his national captain, Harry Kane:

"I don't think this situation is satisfactory for his career at club or international level. And that's why there will be conversations to be had. There will be interest in him.

"We've seen Tottenham linked, I think Tottenham really will respect what level of player he is, but also the character, the sort of leader he would bring to any camp, the leadership sorry.

"He's good friends with Harry Kane from international level. So I don't think this is a sort of equation of one in one out or a swap of sorts. I think if he was to go somewhere like that it would be to play together ideally."

How much does Harry Maguire earn?

Tottenham's defensive record last season really was dreadful with the north London side shipping in 63 goals which saw them finish with a goal difference of a mere +7.

But a move for Maguire may leave many Spurs fans concerned as to whether the club would actually be bringing in an upgrade considering the huge levels of criticism he has come under in recent months.

Maguire would arrive with a lot of experience from his time with Leicester and United, however, is this really a deal which would prove beneficial for Spurs?

According to FBref, the England international ranks inside the bottom 15th percentile for tackles made over the last year with an average of just 1.03 per 90 minutes.

And at the age of 30, is he a player who Spurs' new boss Ange Postecoglou could look to as a long-term option as he looks to begin the rebuild in north London.

After all, this is a player who is believed to be earning in the region of £190k-per-week at United but is unable to make the starting XI under Ten Hag.

Despite the recent criticism, talkSPORT's Gabriel Agbonlahor has hailed Maguire as "outstanding" and perhaps Spurs feel similarly as they search for upgrades at centre-back.

Stumps
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAzhar Ali and Sami Aslam put on an opening partnership of 215•AFP

Pakistan dominated the first day of their 400th Test, piling on 279 for 1, after Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and opted to bat. Openers Azhar Ali and Sami Aslam made the most of the batting-friendly conditions in Dubai, sharing a double-century stand, before Asad Shafiq came in at No. 3 and lent his weight to a batting effort that deflated West Indies.In theory, both teams were in uncharted territory, playing their first day-night Test – and the second overall – at a time when the concept is still new, with the behaviour of the pink ball under scrutiny. In practice, the ball did not do much in the afternoon heat and, while there was a bit more for the West Indies bowlers under lights, they did not do enough to threaten the batsmen for sustained periods.The pink ball offered very little swing to the new-ball bowlers and very little reverse-swing as it got older. On both counts, West Indies did not help their own cause. At the start of the day, both Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder were too short to give the new ball a chance to swing. Miguel Cummins bowled fuller, but not consistently enough. As the ball grew older, West Indies seemed uninterested in keeping one side shiny to extract reverse-swing.Azhar was fluent almost from the outset, marrying a tight defence with a number of sumptuous drives. One such drive, wide of mid-off off Roston Chase’s bowling, brought up his 11th Test century, off 184 balls. He didn’t stop there, walking off at stumps on an unbeaten 146. His opening partner, Aslam, was the more circumspect of the two, but both batsmen were very strong on the cut when the bowlers dropped short.Aslam often skipped out to the spinners to hit them down the ground, but was equally impressive when leaving balls outside off. He also used the sweep shot quite effectively, but it was that shot that led to his eventual downfall – he got a bottom-edge onto the stumps off Chase to depart for 90 and end a 215-run opening stand.That brought Shafiq to the crease at No. 3. Though Shafiq has mostly batted at the No. 6 position in international cricket, he is a regular No. 3 in domestic cricket. Moreover, the adjustment from No. 6 to No. 3 is minimal when the openers have consumed more than 67 overs and the pitch has no terrors. Shafiq took his time to settle into his innings and calmly accumulated 33 runs, before walking back undefeated at stumps.While the first ball held its shape for the full 80 overs, it was quite discoloured and tattered by the time the second new ball was due. Holder, who had looked increasingly unimpressed with the state of the older ball, took that new ball immediately. Like the first new ball, though, it did not offer much in the way of swing and the second-wicket partnership steadily swelled to 64 by the close of play.It was Gabriel who had generated the first of two half-chances for West Indies in the first session. In his second over, he seamed one away from Azhar to induce an outside edge, but the ball fell short of Kraigg Brathwaite at second slip. Cummins generated the other in his second spell when Azhar slashed a short, wide delivery towards Leon Johnson at gully; the ball burst through Johnson’s hands and raced away to third man for a boundary.If the bowling was not sufficiently penetrative, the decision-making was also puzzling at times. West Indies used six bowlers before tea, but there was no discernible logic in the manner in which they were used. Brathwaite bowled three overs of gentle offspin before either Devendra Bishoo or Chase was introduced. By the time Bishoo was called upon, in the 21st over of the chase, Azhar and Aslam had grown in confidence and were finding the boundary with increasing regularity, pouncing whenever the bowlers erred.The one spell that came close to being penetrative was Holder’s spell immediately after the tea break. With a bit more bounce and carry under lights, Holder bowled with more intensity, troubling Azhar with some well-directed bouncers. Azhar fended a few of those in the air, but got away with it due to the lack of close-in fielders.When Holder went up for a big lbw shout against Azhar and reviewed the not-out decision, West Indies lost their first review. Replays showed ball would have missed leg stump. Thereafter, Gabriel and Cummins also found more pace, the former bowling some good bouncers to Aslam. Bishoo also created his closest opportunity under lights, wrapping Aslam on the pads, but the not-out decision was upheld upon review when HawkEye indicated that the ball would have gone down leg with the angle.Such fleeting moments of encouragement were all West Indies had to cling to on a deflating opening day in which the pink ball did not misbehave and the bowlers were largely unthreatening.

Arsenal remain firmly in the race to bring a key component of one of the Premier League's feel-good stories of the season to the Emirates.

What's the latest on Moises Caicedo to Arsenal?

That's according to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, who offered an update on the Moises Caicedo saga on his YouTube channel. The Gunners were once again name-checked, thus reinforcing their continued efforts to tempt the Ecuador international to north London.

The Italian claimed: "Brighton hope for a bidding war for Caicedo; so they hope that other clubs like Arsenal, who really wanted him in January, but also Manchester United, can jump into the race.

"The Caicedo situation remains open."

The £90m price tag that Brighton and Hove Albion have reportedly slapped on him remains.

Would Moises Caicedo improve Arsenal?

Given their shared interest in Declan Rice too, all signs do seem to be pointing towards a remarkable double swoop to revolutionise Mikel Arteta's engine room.

Should Arsenal pull this off, the combination they would surely strike up would them even stronger title challengers for next term, boasting two of the division's top central midfielders and backed up by the experienced Thomas Partey.

Also, not only are both enjoying rich veins of form, but their attributes complement one another perfectly. Young and full of defensive steel, their creativity still manages to shine through despite the varied respective levels of their teams.

For example, for a side that has just secured their spot in the Europa League for next campaign, Caicedo has had his 7.09 average rating maintained through 1.2 key passes, 1.5 interceptions and 2.8 tackles per game, via Sofascore. However, at 5 foot 10, he is hardly the most imposing star, even though performance analyst and sports scientist Dr Rajpal Brar suggests he is still a "monster".

Therefore, one would probably say that his perfect partner would need to act as more of a hulking dictator, enforcing their will on the game by quietly breaking up play and keeping the tempo ticking. That way, the 21-year-old can be free to be his usual workmanlike self.

This arguably describes Rice perfectly, who stands at 6 foot 1 and has adorned such a role in east London for many years now. However, just this season he has started to add creativity from deep that is making him the perfect all-around midfield general.

His 7.20 rating makes him comfortably the best performer at his club, and his six goal contributions are supplemented by an 88% pass accuracy and 2.2 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

Having both enjoyed standout years down south, a relocation to north London could see them immediately strike up one of the league's best midfield pairings. Their physicalities complement one another, and their attributes are perfectly aligned to make them both a creative force and an unstoppable defensive unit. Manchester City should be fearful if these moves come to fruition.

Former BCCI president explains the reservations he has against a complete overhaul of the board’s constitution, as suggested by the Lodha committee

Nagraj Gollapudi21-May-2016Former BCCI president Shashank Manohar has said the board is happy to implement 75% of the recommendations made by the Lodha committee. There are five recommendations Manohar is against and he elaborated on them at a media briefing in Mumbai on Saturday afternoon.”I respect Justice Lodha very much because he was one of the finest judges this country has produced. He is a very honest, upright person,” he said. “The report, which he has given regarding the functioning of the board, 75% of the recommendations are very good and out of that most of them are already implemented. However, I have my own reservations with regard to few recommendations, which according to me are not in the interests of this board.”Advertisements between oversLodha committee: All existing contracts for Tests & ODI matches be revised and new ones ensure that only breaks taken by both teams for drinks, lunch and tea will permit the broadcast to be interrupted with advertisement.”Manohar: That would destroy the financial structure of this board. The recommendation says there should not be any advertisements except during lunch and tea breaks. But the board does not sell time. The board sells the live feed. And during the lunch and tea breaks, they go back to studios and there are no advertisements.The BCCI has appointed an agency to monitor the telecast [and ensure] all the six balls are shown. There is a penalty clause in the contract itself which says termination of the contract can be inflicted in case all six balls are not shown.The board generates its revenue through advertisements. Today, the broadcaster pays about INR 43 crores per game – ODI or a T20I or a Test match. The board revenue would come down drastically, to about 15% of what it is getting now. The broadcaster would then fetch money only from the home connections. There is an expenditure for the broadcaster for uplinking, downlinking and distributing the signals.When the Justice Lodha committee came out, Star India, the official broadcaster for BCCI, had written a letter to me saying that they would like to renegotiate the contract because they said it is impossible to pay INR 43 crore if advertisements can’t be shown. If the financial structure collapses, according to me, the board would be relegated to the ’80s when there was no money. The board has started a lot of schemes for the benefit and welfare of the players, all those schemes would have to be shut down.If the board’s income today is INR 2000 crore, it will come down to INR 400 crore. Out of that, if we have to pay 30% tax, we are left with INR 300 crore. For organising matches and tours, the expenditure incurred by the board is about INR 90 to 100 crore. We distribute to the players about INR 125 crore. Even to maintain the infrastructure at the association level, it requires a minimum of INR 2 to 3 crore per year. Then there are matches which are played at Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, Under-23 [levels]. About 900-1000 games are played in every state association. It requires expenditure. If the board’s income comes down to INR 400 crore all these things would not be possible.Today the board has a clout internationally. That clout would disappear. So it would not be wise to stop the advertisements during games.One State – One Member – One VoteLodha committee: It is not proper for only one or two states to have multiple members when all other states have single memberships (in fact, while many states have no representation).Manohar: It is also not a correct recommendation. It is easy to say the North-Eastern states also exist and therefore they should be Full Members of the board. Even in our political system, when the Members of Parliament are elected, the number is not the same from all states. If you have to give equal representation to everybody, then you should have the same number of MPs from every state.The Supreme Court has judges from various states but if you check the records, judges from Mumbai, Kolkata are more in number, and there might not be any judge from the North-Eastern states. So when you talk about effective representation, it has to apply to everything.There is another aspect [to the issue]. There are many members like Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Baroda, Saurashtra, Railways, Services, Universities, National Cricket Club and Cricket Club of India, which have been told to be removed from BCCI by the Lodha committee. Many of these are founding members. The board was founded in 1932. The States Re-organisation Act came into force in 1956. So these members were the regions which came together and formed this board.Take the case of Maharashtra. When the board was formed, the Bombay presidency extended from Karnataka upto Gujarat. Maharashtra was rest of Maharashtra, while Vidarbha was Central Provinces & Berar. So the initial membership was CP & Berar, Maharashtra and Bombay Presidency. They have been in existence for 85 years. They have stadia at all three venues – Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. Huge investments have been made; Ranji Trophy teams represent these places.’I respect Justice Lodha very much because he was one of the finest judges this country has produced. He is a very honest, upright person’ – Manohar on Justice RM Lodha•Getty ImagesNow, the Lodha committee has said the other two associations are allowed to [have teams that] play [in the Ranji Trophy]. I fail to understand how because the constitution prepared by the committee says out of these three associations, they have to choose one as a Full Member. Suppose Mumbai is chosen as a Full Member, that automatically means Maharashtra and Vidarbha will become Associate members. The report says that we [Vidarbha, where Manohar has been president] are allowed to play Ranji Trophy. However, in the constitution it is stated that the Full Member’s territory would be the entire state boundary. So the entire state of Maharashtra would be under the jurisdiction of Mumbai. So from where are we supposed to get our players? Are they going to fall from heaven?I have no area of operations. I can’t even conduct a domestic game as I would have to seek permission of my Full Member. So there cannot be a team of Vidarbha and Maharashtra, likewise Saurashtra and Baroda if full membership is given to Gujarat.There are three associations in Maharashtra. Mumbai is the cricketing hub which has won Ranji Tropy 41 times. Maharashtra has the maximum districts. Vidarbha has the maximum infrastructure because we have two stadiums and an indoor academy. So on what basis do we decide who should be given Full Member status?Two members from IPL franchises on IPL governing councilManohar: This entire matter went to the Supreme Court over an issue of conflict of interest because Mr [N] Srinivasan, who is the owner of Chennai Super Kings, was sitting on the IPL governing council. Now this [recommendation] creates a clear conflict because there will be decisions taken relating to the franchises by the IPL governing council. I should not judge on a matter when I have an interest in it. That is the basic rule of law.Before the Lodha recommendations were submitted to the Supreme Court, I had made a suggestion that we should have three independent persons of repute in the IPL governing council, who have expertise in finance and administration. I had even shortlisted three people and obtained their consent. However, at the meeting it was felt we were not sure what the Lodha Committee would do, and therefore that was kept in abeyance. It was neither accepted nor rejected.How can you have an IPL franchise [official] sitting on the governing council? They [the Lodha committee] said, by rotation, two franchises should sit on the council every year. So are the franchises which have been debarred for misconduct going to sit on the IPL governing council? It is a clear case of conflict which cannot be implemented by the board.Apex councilLodha committee: There shall be an apex council for the BCCI which shall be primarily responsible for the governance of the affairs of the board.Manohar: I have no difficulty with regards to a shorter committee. It can be called working committee, managing committee or you may call it as an apex council. But the issue is nowhere in the world do players sit on the board of directors.It is wrong to tell the board to find an association created by players. If you take the Federation of International Cricketers Association, it was formed by the players themselves. They share their revenue, they shared their prize money to FICA, they pay their subscriptions to FICA and that is how it runs. FICA do not hold a management position in a cricket board. They are consultants. In our constitution also we have various committees since the last so many years which are headed by cricketers. We don’t interfere with cricketing matters.Another issue is with regards to the number of people on the national selection committee. We have a five-man selection committee. Lodha committee says three. This is an operational matter. Tomorrow a scenario can arise where all three selectors come from the same place. Also, there are so many matches simultaneously held all over the country. It is physically impossible for the [three] selectors to travel to all these places and watch the games.Tenure of office bearersLodha committee: The terms of these office bearers (president, secretary, one vice-president instead of the current five, treasurer and joint-secretary) continue to be three years, but with a maximum of three such terms regardless of the post held, with a cooling-off period after each such term.Manohar: I have no difficulty with the nine-year tenure, but the issue is with the cooling-off period. There will be no continuity in the system. You will have five different people each time. Suppose there is a person who is doing very well and the board wants him to continue, he can’t because there is a prohibition. So for a nine-year term the candidate has to come for 15 years because of the cooling-off period.It is also wrong to suggest you cannot hold a post in your state association if you are an office bearer in the board. It is like saying if you become a minister you will have to resign as MP because otherwise you would play favourites. There is no favouritism, there is no conflict. You are here in this board because of your position in your state association. You are not chosen in the board independently.

Liverpool target Ryan Gravenberch is keen on a move to Anfield after a positive meeting regarding a deal was held, according to reports.

What's the latest on Gravenberch to Liverpool?

The Bayern Munich midfielder’s contract at the Allianz Arena isn’t set to expire for another four years, but having made just one start in the Bundesliga this season, has fallen out of favour and could therefore be looking to secure a move elsewhere this summer, potentially to the Premier League.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has reported that the Netherlands international is on a shortlist of central targets compiled by Jurgen Klopp with 90min having since claimed that the Reds have made contact to ask for regular updates on the 20-year-old’s situation.

Now, according to De Telegraaf (via Voetbal Primeur and Sport Witness), Liverpool recently sent chiefs to hold “talks” with Gravenberch’s representatives to discuss a potential move to Merseyside. The Dutchman’s camp, including his father, “sat down” with the key figures from Anfield to discover what a deal would look like, and the meeting must have gone swimmingly because it’s stated that the midfielder is “interested” in completing the switch.

The German giants’ star is “becoming dejected” about his lack of minutes at his current club which is why a move “appeals to him”, and as for the price tag, the hope is that FSG wouldn’t have to pay “more” than the €18.5m (£16.3m) Bayern initially coughed up for him.

Should Liverpool go for Gravenberch?

Gravenberch admitting that he wants to join Liverpool will be a huge boost for Klopp and something that the board should take advantage of by splashing the cash to secure his services during the upcoming window.

The Adidas-sponsored gem has posted 69 goal contributions (36 goals and 33 assists) in 215 appearances throughout his career, with this impressive return for a midfielder having seen him dubbed “indispensable” by talent scout Jacek Kulig. As per FBRef, the £152k-per-week also ranks in the 95th percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 and the 92nd percentile for shots, which shows that even if he’s not always on the scoresheet, he’s constantly looking to try and make the magic happen in the final third.

Finally, Gravenberch knows what it takes to be successful having secured six senior trophies over the course of his time at Bayern and former club Ajax, so will be able to match the winning mentality of the current squad already on Merseyside.

Mahela Jayawardene has praised the character shown by England’s young batsmen after they pulled off the second-highest successful run chase in T20 internationals

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Mar-20163:26

Jayawardene: It was something special

Mahela Jayawardene has praised the character shown by England’s young batsmen after they pulled off the second-highest successful run chase in T20 internationals. Led by Joe Root’s 83 from 44 balls, England achieved a target of 230 to beat South Africa with two balls to spare in Mumbai and Jayawardene, who has been working with the team as a batting consultant, called it a “special” performance.Jayawardene, who was part of the Sri Lanka side that won the previous World T20 in 2014, has now concluded his part-time role with England and joined ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day analysis line-up, and he played down his part in their success.”To be honest, I haven’t done much,” he said. “When you work with a talented group of players, and when they do something like that, everyone thinks you had a huge role to play… but I’ve really enjoyed working with the England boys, they’re a young team with not much experience in international T20s but they want to play a brand of cricket which they have been playing for 12 months and they are still finding their way.”It was a great win last night, I really enjoyed it. In the dressing room it was nervous moments at points and at the halfway mark obviously everyone was disappointed. But they showed a lot of character to regroup and go out and the way they played was something special.”A former Sri Lanka captain, Jayawardene retired from international cricket for good after last year’s World Cup and first worked with England on their tour of the UAE before returning for the World T20. His relationship with the coach, Trevor Bayliss, goes back to their time together with Sri Lanka and Jayawardene credited the Australian with helping to change England’s approach.While chasing down 230 requires a capacity for powerful ball-striking, Jayawardene identified the “smartness” of Root and the captain, Eoin Morgan, as a key factor, as well as a degree of freedom and flexibility that has allowed the rest of the top six – openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales, as well as Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler – to flourish.”This is something that they have developed since Trevor Bayliss has taken over, they have put a lot of emphasis on white-ball cricket, not just T20 but one-day cricket as well,” Jayawardene said. “They’ve managed to get a group of young cricketers, looking towards the next 50-over World Cup as well. It’s not just power hitting, the way Joe batted in that middle period and the way Buttler controlled a tough situation when they lost Morgan. They’re still finding ways of doing things, they definitely have the power if they need to use it but [they are] trying to be much more structured going about things.”They have given licence to Jason because that’s the way he bats, Alex Hales still hasn’t really found his rhythm but he showed something yesterday. They can use Stokes anywhere because the flexibility is there, he plays pace and spin well. What they have got is the smartness of Joe Root and Eoin Morgan, who’s got the experience of playing in the subcontinent, in that middle. Jos Buttler has been in great form as well, so they’ve got six batsmen who can change a game and they do bat deep as well, so they’ve got the freedom to go out and express themselves.”While acknowledging there would be challenges ahead if England were to progress, Jayawardene was impressed by the players’ willingness to improve. Chief among them is Root, described by Morgan as “the most complete batsmen we’ve ever had”. Despite having played just 14 T20I innings – and 39 in the shortest format overall – he has become central to their World T20 plans and Jayawardene was impressed by his attitude to batting, calling him a “very skillful cricketer and a very bright cricketer as well”.”He wants to learn new things and to evolve as a cricketer,” Jayawardene said. “What you have to understand is that Joe hasn’t played that much T20 cricket, he hasn’t had that much experience of playing in the subcontinent, he’s still finding his way.”So for him to go out in a tough situation – probably the situation dictated the way he had to play, started slowly but to keep up with the run rate he had to be innovative. But he just kept his cool, made sure the guys around him do a bit of work as well, so when you look at the bigger concept, he’s the guy that England would want to do that kind of role for them in this tournament.”Jayawardene added: “[He is a] good all-round cricketer, there are about four-five young good players in this tournament that everyone is going to look out for and he is one of them.”

Georgia Stanway has warned that the Lionesses risk being burned out this summer as they confront yet another busy period – even without the Olympics.

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Stanway hit out at England's busy summerWiegman echoed the same sentiment Players and manager unhappy with summer international windowsGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite failing to secure qualification for the Olympics on behalf of Team GB, the Lionesses are slated for international camps in June and July due to Euro 2025 qualifying commitments. This demanding schedule, coupled with potential Champions League qualifiers for some clubs in early September, means that many players will miss out on a much-needed break.

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Numerous members of the England squad have endured a gruelling sequence of tournaments, having participated in three consecutive competitions – the 2021 Olympics, Euro 2022, and last summer's World Cup. Additionally, some players were involved in youth tournaments prior to these major events.

WHAT STANWAY SAID

Stanway expressed her disappointment, stating, "When we didn't qualify for the Olympics we thought it was the perfect opportunity to have the summer off, maybe travel a bit further. We realise it's not quite as simple as that but the best thing we can do is work with countries and clubs to find the best solution.

"Hopefully the best solution is giving us a good enough time of rest but also the most important thing is we want to qualify for Euro 2025 – we will do anything to put ourselves in the best possible position to go to that tournament. It is a potential burnout but Football is our life. Everything we do is to be successful on the pitch."

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GettySARINA WIEGMAN AGREES WITH STANWAY

England manager Sarina Wiegman echoed Stanway's concerns, revealing that they have appealed to FIFA and UEFA to reconsider the international calendar. However, she conceded that significant changes may not be feasible until 2026.

"There's no tournament so that should be an opportunity to get some rest, but because of the window in June and the window in July how are you going to take some time off?' Wiegman said.

"Then after that, there is some time off, in England the WSL starts later, but then round one of the Champions League starts in early September, which takes away the summer from the players. That's what we need to take care of and we've asked FIFA and UEFA to look at that and change that in the future so players can have some rest. It's great that we have players that love football, but we have to take care of them too so we have to do something about the calendar.

"We can't change it so you're trying to do the best to take care of the players and at the same time perform to the highest level and take out the highest risks of getting injured, in collaboration with clubs. The clubs and we as the FA don't have any control over the calendar."

After a positive period of progression under manager Mikel Arteta, Arsenal could be close to falling into a trap of the past, with the latest reports speculating an unexpected exit for one of the Emirates’ biggest stars.

The Gunners have had a successful summer of business so far, welcoming four talents in various positions as Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar aim to bolster the squad available for the 2023/24 campaign.

While gaining the maximum six points from their opening two fixtures and recruiting well this window has added to the highs, the north Londoners could suffer a blow if recent reports are to be believed.

Who could Arsenal sell this summer?

After bidding farewell to Matt Turner, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Auston Trusty and Pablo Mari, Arteta has offloaded some of the less valued members of the squad, besides Granit Xhaka, who opted for a new challenge in the Bundesliga.

There remains speculation over the future of Folarin Balogun, who is yet to be named in the squad under the manager since pre-season, with the United States international expected to leave north London before the end of the window.

Worrying news emerged on social media this week, as journalist Ahmed Al-Ajlan reported via sources of Al Jazeera that representatives of Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad Club met with Gabriel Magalhaes in London.

The reporter claimed that talks between them and the Brazilian were ‘proceeding positively’, with questions over his future reinforced by him starting on the bench against Crystal Palace on Monday night.

Meanwhile, according to the Daily Mail, LaLiga giants Real Madrid are also keen to sign Gabriel, in a bid to solve their defensive injury crisis, so he's clearly a man in demand heading into the final two weeks of the transfer window.

How important is Gabriel Magalhaes to Arsenal?

Last campaign, the £100k-per-week centre-back featured in all 38 of the Gunners’ Premier League fixtures, contributing to 14 clean sheets and being a reliable figure in central defence alongside William Saliba.

Following the Frenchman’s injury, the 25-year-old remained consistent and commanding, proving to be one of the most integral players in Arteta’s squad.

Despite speculation being cooled by the Spaniard, the potential of losing Gabriel could be a repeat of former sales that have shocked the club in the past, not as much of a blow in recent times as Alexis Sanchez.

The Chilean registered 125 goals and assists in 166 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 80 and assisting 45, prevailing as one of the best players of the Emirates era.

Despite holding such importance in the squad at the time, the winger was sold to Manchester United in 2018, leaving Arsenal without an explosive figure that was destined for greatness at the club.

Selling a player as crucial as Gabriel, who has been dubbed a “monster” by journalist Jason Soutar, could replicate the despondency caused by the sale of Sanchez, who had a similar status in north London.

The 25-year-old’s influence on the defence and his ability to mould into the defender that Arteta desired in his set-up is evident through his numbers, with him being a competent ball player and anchor in the back line.

As per FBref, last season the Brazilian maintained an average pass completion rate of 89.4%, while making an average of 4.04 progressive passes per 90 and winning 63% of his total duels per game, to showcase the complete nature of his role.

Edu could, therefore, sanction a nightmare should the former Lille titan depart north London for the lucrative lights of the Saudi Pro League or the prestige of the Santiago Bernabeu.

It would be a piece of business that could take those associated with the club back to the lows of the Sanchez departure.