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Players from England and Australia might join the IPL late after completing their white-ball series in September

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2020The Covid-19 situation means that there is still a bit of uncertainty around non-Indian players travelling to the UAE for the IPL, but if all goes well, David Warner will be back to leading Sunrisers Hyderabad and it won’t be a “redemption tale” for the Australian batsman. But there’s a chance that players from England and Australia, who have a white-ball series scheduled in England in September, will reach the IPL late, accounting for travel and possible quarantine.”From what’s been circulating there are two start dates – around the 18th or 19th September [September 19 is the likely start date], pending quarantine in the UAE. And if we do have to quarantine, I think that allows time for the Australian and English players to get there and start around the 25th or 26th of September,” Warner said in a press interaction on Tuesday. “Unsure and unclear what dates a lot of the IPL franchises are going to gather in the UAE. There’s obviously a few government regulations we have to adhere to as well.”I’m not even sure the borders between Dubai and Abu Dhabi are open as well. The BCCI is working on that background. The other thing as well is to get the Australian and English players from the UK to Dubai. But when you look at it – in the big scheme of things – there’s close to 12 or 14 different countries who have to merge into the UAE. So it’s going to be a difficult process. But I’m sure they are trying to get everything aligned at the moment to make that happen.”As such, when speaking of his own future in the Covid-affected world, Warner mentioned that for some players, it could be “a big family decision” whether to tour or not, and had hinted that some players might even choose to chuck up their international careers rather than deal with long stints away from home.

It’s great to be back and leading, but I’ve always said in that team that everyone is a leader in their own rightWarner on the Sunrisers leadership

The IPL is very much on the cards for Warner, though. He missed the 2018 edition because of his ball-tampering ban, and then played under Kane Williamson and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in 2019.”I don’t see it as a redemption tale, I just see it as an honour to captain the Sunrisers,” he said. “I’ve got a great relationship with the players and the staff and most importantly with the owners, and I’ve expressed my gratitude to that and I thank them for that. “I’ll put my thinking cap on and try my best to move us forward to another IPL title [he was captain when Sunrisers won the title in 2016].”When he was back at Sunrisers in 2019, Warner topped the batting chart for the team again, scoring 692 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 143.86, and forged a formidable opening act with Jonny Bairstow, who hit 445 runs at a strike rate of 157.24. And though he wasn’t captain, as far as Warner was concerned, he was very much a leader in the group.”Obviously Kane and Bhvui did a fantastic job without me there. And we’ve got a very, very good foundation there, we’ve got a great family – the environment the owners have created amongst the players and staff,” Warner said. “It’s great to be back and leading, but I’ve always said in that team that everyone is a leader in their own right.”Having Kane there adds so much value and knowledge of the way the game is played as well. Similarly, we rebound off each other with our ideas quite well. And obviously playing against him [Williamson] – it helps when you are leading a team.”But from where I sit, (there’s) nothing different. I still considered myself a leader when I was there last year. It doesn’t matter if you have a ‘C’ next to your name or not, you’re a leader in your own right.”

He is confident he, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan and Waqar Younis will work well together on the England tour

Umar Farooq11-Jun-2020Mushtaq Ahmed said it would require clear communication and tactful management to ensure Pakistan’s high-profile coaching team worked smoothly with the players on the team’s upcoming tour of England. The former Pakistan legspinner has been brought in as spin bowling coach, one of two big-name appointments for the England tour, the other being Younis Khan as batting coach.This is the first time since Bob Woolmer’s appointment as head coach in 2004 that Pakistan is travelling with a fully Pakistani backroom staff. The reasons why the PCB had wanted to avoid an all-local environment in that time included internal politics, trust deficits, and infighting that plagued the side in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Besides, the lack of professionally qualified coaches in Pakistan meant the local options were limited.”We all are on the same page with a clear-cut predefined role,” Mushtaq said. “Misbah is our head coach. Younis is going to deal with batsmen as consultant, Waqar [Younis] will be working with the bowlers, and I am doing mentoring and working with spinners. So all of us from the same generation who played modern-day cricket are coming together to work for Pakistan. The problem will arise when there is a communication gap, [so] we have to look out to gel the team. If there is any conflict, it needs to be resolved there and then and move on. We have to play smart.”We all are sensible people and this [combination] is going to work well. I have worked with big coaches and the biggest example is dealing with Andy [Flower] and KP (Kevin Pietersen). Both didn’t have the mutual understanding but England still won big games. I had a role there, I used to mentor KP and at the same time worked with Andy as well to manage the communication gap. So we (the Pakistan dressing room) shouldn’t allow that communication gap to create misunderstandings. We are very optimistic that we will all come together and graciously share our experiences and stay united on tour.”Mushtaq also downplayed the perception that Younis does not get on with the PCB. “Younis Khan is a straightforward guy and people learn with the passage of time,” he said. “With age you learn a lot. Younis is a wonderful guy. Whenever you talk to him sensibly, he always responds positively. His work ethics are great and we give his example to youngsters to follow his lifestyle and how he manages his routines. He is a professional and has a tough mindset and we need people like him. He has the experience playing everywhere in the world in tough situations and coming out fighting against odds.Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq enjoyed a good relationship as players•AFP”His personality of being a tough guy is very useful for players going to England in the ongoing situation. Sometime mental toughness takes more weight than talking technique. With him (Younis) around in the dressing room, players will have a good role model in front of them.”Mushtaq has been in the coaching business for over 10 years, starting in 2008 when he worked with the then England coach Peter Moores. He has since then established himself as a reputed spin-bowling consultant, and his time with the England side coincided with the best years of Graeme Swann, who ended up becoming one of England’s greatest spinners. He worked with spinners in Pakistan for several years following on from that, but it is believed his coaching style made players more dependent on the coach. Pakistan’s high-performance coach Nadeem Khan doesn’t want this to happen.”In the 90s we didn’t have a lot of coaches and I always believed you were your best coach,” Nadeem said. “When you analyse yourself on your own, you have a better prospect of becoming a good player quickly. These days, [the amount of] cricket has increased drastically and players don’t have time to keep a balance between playing matches, fitness [work] and updating themselves with information.”They are playing all formats and are fully engaged series after series. We had more time in the nets on our own, and with less cricket, we had ample recovery time. But in today’s cricket players need coaches, expert coaches to manage [their workload]. Teams these days take a bigger pool of coaches and consultants, and sometimes the support staff easily outnumbers the playing side in the dressing room.”It’s very important to have a relationship with players and you have to take ownership. It’s about communication and a player needs help and information. I used to think that players needed to develop on their own, but they don’t have time to work on their own. They are not even properly enjoying the victories or learning from the failures because they are playing back-to-back cricket. This is exactly where the role of a coach comes in.”

Manchester United bounced back from their consecutive Premier League defeats to Fulham and Manchester City with a victory over Everton yesterday.

The score line ended 2-0 for Erik ten Hag’s team, but the result isn’t a true reflection of how the game unfolded or United’s performance.

The hosts were gifted two penalties in the first half due to clumsy challenges by the Toffees, which Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford both dispatched with confidence.

Nevertheless, there was one player who thrived yet again in his new role, arguably becoming just as good as Fernandes.

Bruno Fernandes’ 23/24 campaign

There’s no two ways about it: Fernandes has been United’s most consistent performer since his arrival, thriving under every manager. The Portuguese midfielder is always a threat, whether he is performing extremely well or poorly. He has the ability to create a moment of magic from nothing.

Despite playing in a false nine role over the last two league matches, Fernandes’ goal against Everton was his eighth of the campaign and the 72nd of his United career, alongside 63 assists.

His impact on the team is enormous, with his five chances created, three shots on target, and ten touches in the opposition box on Saturday proving that he’s the main driving force behind the Red Devils attacking play.

However, there is another individual in the attack who is on his way to becoming just as influential as the United captain.

Alejandro Garnacho’s stats in his new role

With Antony massively underperforming this season, registering zero goal contributions in 22 Premier League games, Ten Hag has been forced to deploy Alejandro Garnacho in a new role as a right winger.

The Argentine typically plays on the left, cutting inside onto his stronger right foot, where he can strike at goal, but his statistics on the opposite flank suggest that he’s thriving in front of Diogo Dalot.

Garnacho’s first major game on the right was the 3-2 victory over Aston Villa on Boxing Day, where he netted a brace to overturn a two-goal deficit.

The 19-year-old also scored two in the 3-0 win against West Ham United last month, proving that he is much more of a goal threat, netting four times in 12 matches on the right and three goals in 25 games on the left.

However, it’s his creativity that has also improved, as highlighted by his 8/10 performance – as per Manchester Evening News – against Everton this weekend.

Minutes

83

xG

0.29

Shots

3

Penalties won

2

Chances created

2

Touches in opposition box

10

Without Garnacho, the chances are that United would not have picked up three points, with the “stupendous” attacker, as called by football creator Liam Canning, winning both penalties after drifting across the field with excellent movement on the first and dribbling on the second.

The number 17 also created two chances and showed intent to get himself into goal-scoring positions, as highlighted by his three shots in the box and 0.29 xG.

In truth, Garnacho has well and truly made the right-wing role his own in 2024, the position he is set to play in for the rest of the campaign.

Chelsea's dressing-room rift is out in the open as Enzo Fernandez's video leaves the club's pre-season plans in "total meltdown".

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Fernandez led chants about FranceChelsea players furious with the ArgentinePublic apology is not enough to ease tensionWHAT HAPPENED?

Fernandez was filmed singing an alleged racist song with his Argentina teammates in the team bus during their celebrations after winning the Copa America. This incident has caused significant unrest among the Chelsea squad, with Wesley Fofana labelling the chants as "uninhibited racism."

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The fallout from the video has been severe, leading to a division within the team. According to up to ten players have reportedly unfollowed or snubbed Fernandez on social media, highlighting the deep rift caused by the incident. Despite Fernandez issuing a public apology, an insider told that his apology was deemed insufficient by many within the club. One of them even said: "People are saying ‘what the f*** was he thinking?’”

The chant in question allegedly also included derogatory and transphobic references to French star Kylian Mbappe, which has been condemned by many. This has exacerbated the tensions within Chelsea’s diverse squad, further complicating the efforts to restore unity and focus ahead of the new season.

DID YOU KNOW?

The incident has particularly affected Chelsea's French contingent, which includes Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Malo Gusto, Malang Sarr, Christopher Nkunku, Lesley Ugochukwu, and Fofana. These players, along with three other non-French teammates, are reportedly upset by the offensive content of the chant. The situation has led to increased tensions and disharmony within the squad.

Striker Nicolas Jackson attempted to mediate the situation by posting a picture of Fernandez greeting a young black Chelsea fan and another of himself holding up Fernandez's shirt. However, this gesture backfired and was later removed. A source close to Jackson explained: “Nicolas had no intention to create controversy or disrespect people. It was a kind gesture to support a team-mate and acted in good faith.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Both Chelsea and FIFA have taken up the matter and are investigating the controversial video. The club is working to address the issue internally while also cooperating with football’s governing body to resolve the matter. The investigations aim to determine the full context and impact of the video, as well as any potential disciplinary actions that may be necessary.

India ended the Kenyan fairy tale, Sourav Ganguly leading the way with an unbeaten ton

Anand Vasu14-May-2020India set up a much awaited final against Australia in the 2003 World Cup as it ended the Kenyan dream, brushing aside the minnows in a comprehensive 91-run semi final triumph at Kingsmead, Durban. It was a strong Indian contingent at Durban that held its breath willing away the rain as India scored 271/5 on a wicket that was far from ideal for batting and then dismissed the Kenyans for 179 in 46.2 overs.It was probably not the tough semi-final that the Indian think tank would have liked in the lead up to the big game against the Australians, who are so far unbeaten in this tournament. Sourav Ganguly can however take heart from the fact that the Indian side played strongly as a unit, stuck to the basics and made sure they controlled the flow of play right from the outset.The wide grin on Ganguly’s face when he won the toss was enough indication of the fact that the side winning the toss had an advantage. Quickly electing to bat first, Ganguly’s Indians made sure that they kept the Kenyan opening bowlers at bay.Moisture under the surface and clouds hovering menacingly around the ground meant that conditions did not make for big hitting. Realising this, Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag tweaked their style of play. Sehwag left several deliveries alone that he would normally drive at, Tendulkar put his booming drives back in the cup board and the Indian openers put caution ahead of aggression.While the Kenyans did well enough to extract what life they could from the wicket, they still supplied Tendulkar and Sehwag with just enough loose deliveries to keep the run rate from dipping to an alarming low. An opening partnership of 74 ensured that India had the start they wanted. Even the fall of Sehwag (33) did not deter the Indians in undue fashion.Having got a good measure of the wicket, Tendulkar proceeded to milk the bowling, striking the loose balls to the fence, being especially severe on anything short of a length. With the ball not really coming onto the bat, Tendulkar checked his trademark booming drives and concentrated on low risk shots.The fact that he struck just four boundaries and one six in his 83 tells you how hard it was to go after the bowling. When he finally did fall, it was with a century well in his sights, pulling the off-spin off Steve Tikolo straight down the throat of the man on the leg side fence.Ganguly too began in most circumspect fashion. Once he got set however, there were few problems for the Indian captain. The advantage of being able to come down the wicket and loft the ball effortlessly helped Ganguly keep the run rate up at a healthy level.In his unbeaten knock of 111 (114 balls) Ganguly smote five boundaries and five cracking sixes – one of which went clean out of the ground. The spinners and pacemen alike came in for the treatment as the smile re-appeared on Ganguly’s face. The left-hander’s shot selection was spot on, with the exception of one across the line heave to a Collins Obuya googly.That blip apart, Ganguly’s innings was one that flowed well, peaking at the right time. When he walked down the wicket and launched Martin Suji into the stands at long on to reach three figures Ganguly brought up his third century of this World Cup, the 22nd of his career.Mohammad Kaif bustled about for 15 before he was run out and Yuvraj Singh (16) provided the impetus at the end of the innings to take the Indian total on to 270/4.The total was just too much for the Kenyans.With an eye on the clouds and a Duckworth/Lewis print out in his pocket, the Indian skipper urged his troops to get through the overs quickly. It seemed as though the Indians had a clear game plan as they used seam to knock out early wickets and supplemented it with plenty of spin from Harbhajan Singh and part time bowlers to save time.To kick things off the Indian seamers did a great job at the top, removing the first four Kenyan wickets with just 36 runs on the board.Bowling a probing line and length Zaheer Khan trapped Ravindu Shah plumb in front when the opener had scored a painful solitary run off 17 balls.Peter Ongondo, sent in as a pinch hitter hit Ashish Nehra straight to Zaheer Khan fora duck.Kennedy Otieno looked all at sea opening the innings and was struck on the helmet and body more than once as he handled the short stuff very awkwardly. He was finally put out of his misery in the 14th over, caught behind for 15 off a perfectly pitched Javagal Srinath delivery.Thomas Odoyo (7) and Maurice Odumbe (20) also fell as the Indians ran through over after over, reaching the all important 25-over mark with Kenya reeling on 82/5.The rain that was forecast failed to show up, apart from one slight drizzle and India made sure that there were no surprises as they qualified for their first World Cup final since 1983, where they beat the West Indies.Only Steve Tikolo (56) stayed at the wicket long enough to make a sizable score, but his was a case of too little too late. With no one to partner him, Tikolo’s runs bolster his average, but did nothing to change the result of the game.One over off Yuvraj Singh in particular got the Kenyan supporters to their feet as Tikolo smacked two sixes and a boundary in an over that yielded 21 runs.With the bulk of the job done early on however, Ganguly did not want to risk injury to any of his key bowlers and used his part time bowlers generously. While this extended the Kenyan innings to 46.2 overs, it did not get in the way of India registering an easy win.Zaheer Khan with (3/14) and Ashish Nehra (2/11) were the pick of the Indian bowlers.Australia are yet to lose a match this tournament, India have failed just once, against the Aussies. A country of a billion will be hoping that old scores will be settled as India lift the cup at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on the 23rd.

Glasgow Rangers made some poor signings during the summer transfer window last year when Michael Beale was in charge at Ibrox.

Big sums of money were spent on the likes of Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers, yet one has missed 20 big chances in the Premiership this season, while the other has been shipped out on loan.

Philippe Clement’s January signings have been positive and, hopefully, this is a sign of things to come from the 49-year-old moving forward.

Although Dessers and Lammers have been poor, were they as bad as some of the signings Pedro Caixinha made when he was in charge of the Light Blues? Eduardo Herrera is a notable example.

How much Rangers paid for Eduardo Herrera

The summer of 2017 was a strange time to be a Rangers supporter. The club had secured promotion the previous year but finished third in the league behind Celtic and Aberdeen.

Caixinha was appointed with the ambition of winning a league title, but the Ibrox side were miles off it, especially considering the players he signed.

UNAM Pumas

189

57

Pumas Morelos

89

20

Santos Leguna

42

6

Necaxa

39

9

Venados

35

7

Rangers

24

2

Tiburones Rojos

13

3

Puebla FC

7

0

New arrivals prior to the 2017/18 campaign included Ryan Jack, Bruno Alves, Carlos Pena and Dalcio, an eclectic mix to say the least.

The Gers spent £1.5m to bring Herrera to Glasgow and, considering their financial situation, it perhaps wasn’t the best idea to splurge on a player who had only played in Mexico prior to his move.

Despite the lavish fee, the club needed another centre-forward to bolster the side and if he was able to get off the ground running, Herrera could endear himself to the supporters.

Eduardo Herrera’s statistics at Rangers

Not only did he cost a lot, but the Mexican was also reportedly earning £20k-per-week at the club, meaning there was pressure to perform straight away. To put that weekly salary into context, it's significantly more than Abdallah Sima's £8.5k. It's more than Nicolas Raskin (£19k) and Kieran Dowell (£16k) too.

He scored his first league goal in just his third match for the Gers, before netting and grabbing an assist in a League Cup tie against Partick Thistle a few weeks later.

This was to be as good as it got for Herrera, however, as he made another 19 scoreless appearances for the club between September and the end of the season.

Steven Gerrard was appointed as the new manager ahead of the 2018/19 season, and he was sent on loan to Santos Laguna once it was clear he wasn’t in the Liverpudlian's future plans, despite having a contract until 2020.

His future was finally settled in January of that year, as his contract was terminated while he went on to join Puebla FC.

Overall, Herrera scored just two goals across 24 matches for the Glasgow side, costing the club £750k-per-goal, a terrible return on investment.

Between leaving Rangers and his retirement in 2022, the former Mexico international scored just 18 goals for a variety of clubs, proving how poor he really was.

Thankfully, the Gers are in a different era now and can look to the future with hope that the manager will make genuinely exciting signings who will not only contribute effectively but who can also be sold for a major profit.

Manchester United have reportedly agreed to personal terms with Paris Saint-Germain's Manuel Ugarte after wrapping up a deal for Leny Yoro.

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Man Utd reach agreement with UgarteYet to settle on transfer fee with PSGJorge Mendes working on dealWHAT HAPPENED?

According to the Uruguayan midfielder, who shares the same agent, Jorge Mendes, as Yoro, is eager to join the Red Devils despite the club's inability to offer Champions League football. However, the deal is far from being closed as United and PSG have not yet reached a consensus on the transfer fee.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The reports that PSG are firm in their valuation and have set a price tag of £59 million ($76m)for Ugarte. The midfielder, who joined the Ligue 1 champions from Sporting CP for £42 million ($54m) just last summer, fits the club's strategy of building a younger team without high-profile superstars and they are not keen to sell him at a discounted rate.

DID YOU KNOW?

United's pursuit of Ugarte faces stiff competition from other top European clubs. Bayern Munich have shown interest and inquiries have been made by two Italian sides as well as by another Premier League club. This heightened interest from multiple clubs strengthens PSG's stance on their valuation which further complicate United's efforts to secure the midfielder's services.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

If United are to snap up Ugarte, they must then offload one of their current midfielders. Scott McTominay, who scored 10 goals in all competitions last season, is a potential candidate to leave. Additionally, veteran Brazilian midfielder Casemiro might depart following a challenging second season at Old Trafford.

Celtic are interested in sealing the summer signing of a player compared to Italy and AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini, according to a new transfer rumour.

Celtic to chase defensive additions this summer

The Hoops will no doubt be eyeing a busy summer transfer window, in order to take Brendan Rodgers' squad up another level, and they seem to be targeting defensive additions at the moment.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has emerged as a hugely exciting option, with the Republic of Ireland international potentially looking for a fresh challenge away from the Reds. He is enjoying plenty of minutes this season, due to Alisson being injured, but while the Brazilian is around, he is going to find it hard to ever be first choice.

In the same update, Trabzonspor stopper Ugurcan Cakir is seen as an alternative option for Kelleher, should the Liverpool man either stay put or go elsewhere, with the 27-year-old winning 26 caps for Turkey to date.

Rapid Vienna centre-back Leopold Querfeld has been linked with a summer move to Celtic, too, with the tall centre-back considered an exciting young target, along with midfield teammate Matthias Seidl.

Celtic want player compared to Paolo Maldini

According to 1908.nl [via Sport Witness], Celtic are interested in signing FC Twente left-back Gijs Smal this summer, with a free transfer in the offing. That's because the 26-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, and it looks unlikely that he will sign an extension at his current club.

Rangers are mentioned as suitors in the report, too, but the Hoops' rivals will have to sell either Borna Barisic or Ridvan Yilmaz before they consider sealing a move for him.

Celtic are believed to have already told Smal "what they can offer", suggesting that talks have already taken place with him, and it looks like a signing that would tick plenty of boxes.

The 26-year-old is at a brilliant age to come in and make an immediate impression at Parkhead, having picked up so much experience in his career, but also still having plenty of years ahead of him at a high level.

Appearances

16

26

Goal contributions

1

7

Tackles per game

1.3

1.6

Clearances per game

1.3

0.9

Key passes per game

1.1

1.8

Pass completion rate

79.7%

82.5%

This season, Smal has made 16 appearances for Twente in the Eredivisie, also enjoying two outings in the UEFA Europa Conference League. Perhaps the biggest compliment he can be paid is that he has been nicknamed 'Smaldini' in his homeland in the past, drawing comparisons to the Italy icon.

The Dutchman could provide strong competition at left-back for Greg Taylor at Celtic, giving Rodgers two excellent options there, assuming the current Hoops ace stays put at the club ahead of his contract expiring in the summer of 2025.

Celtic ready to bid for former star this summer who would cost record fee

The Scottish champions are weighing up a move to bring back an old favourite.

ByBen Browning Mar 6, 2024

Smal has the pedigree and quality to be a big success at Parkhead, and if the Hoops were to beat Rangers to his signature, it would feel even sweeter.

England captain Harry Kane has questioned whether his critics "really understand football" while addressing concerns over his fitness.

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Kane has been struggling at Euro 2024Critics question his fitness levelsInsisted that he feels "better and sharper"WHAT HAPPENED?

Kane's performances for England at Euro 2024 have been under the spotlight. Although he scored the crucial winner against Slovakia in their last-16 tie and against Denmark in the group stage, the striker's contributions have been questioned by some former players and pundits.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT KANE SAID

In an interview with Kane argued: "If you look over the last couple of major tournaments, there’s always been at some stage question marks over my fitness or my form. I think it is part and parcel of it. I always say I want to score in every game. I want to try and help the team in every game from that sense. But also my role isn’t just scoring goals.

"My role is a lot of work defensively, a lot of work without the ball, a lot of work in leadership. So of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I know everyone wants me to score three goals a game and I want to score three goals a game. But it’s not always the case."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Kane believes that the criticisms often come from those who may not fully grasp the complexities of his role on the pitch. Moreover, he has faced scrutiny over his fitness, having suffered a back injury at the end of the season with Bayern Munich. Former England international Ian Wright is among those to have noted that Kane does not appear to be at his sharpest, leading to discussions about whether he should be dropped from England's starting lineup.

“Maybe, sometimes when I don’t score I think the fitness one is an easy one just to throw in now – ‘why? Is there a reason? Is it his fitness? Is it not?’,” Kane stated.

“But like I said before the tournament, I felt like I had a good preparation going into it, I felt like I’m getting better and sharper as the games go along. Ultimately, it’s just down to me performing on the pitch.

“We have a semi-final ahead of us and of course, I’d love nothing more than to score a couple of goals and get through to the final. So that’s what I’m trying to do, as always do my talking on the pitch.”

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KANE ON HIS ROLE FOR ENGLAND

A significant part of the debate around Kane's performance is his positioning on the field. Some, like former England striker Alan Shearer, have suggested that Kane should play higher up the pitch rather than dropping deep. However, Kane has defended his tactical movements, explaining that his deeper positioning is often strategic, designed to create space for his team-mates and disrupt the opposition's defence.

“When I’m dropping deep it might not necessarily be to get the ball,” Kane explained. “It might be to create space for players around me or drag defenders out of their positions and leave space for others. As you’ve seen in my game in recent years I like to get on the ball and turn…I criticise myself as much as anything and I know there have been times in games for sure where I could do better and move better, especially in and around the box.

"Ultimately I do what’s best for the team and I know I’ll always be judged on goals. But if you had said before the tournament I’d have a couple of goals, I’d be in the semi-finals, I’d have bitten your hand off. So there’s a lot of perspective. I understand it. I understand we’re in a major tournament and that at the end of the day, everyone just wants the best for England and wants us to go through. But if you really understand football and analyse football there are different reasons for dropping deep and staying high and that’s what we work on throughout the week, to exploit the other team.”

ECB board decides to delay start of the English season by at least seven weeks due to coronavirus pandemic

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Mar-2020No professional cricket will be played in England or Wales before May 28 in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the ECB has announced.The ECB board decided on Friday to delay the start of the season by at least seven weeks after discussions with the 18 first-class counties, the MCC, and the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA). Modelling has begun on a range of options to start the season in June, July or August with an immediate focus on options for cricket in June, including the three-Test series against West Indies, the Vitality Blast and England Women’s schedule against India.The potential for reduced versions of competitions, should the season become further shortened, would also be discussed, the ECB said in a statement, with plans to review this position as the situation unfolds. The move essentially buys the governing body time to respond to the impact of the ever-evolving progress of COVID-19 in the UK.Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive officer, said: “During this period of deep uncertainty it is the ECB’s first priority to protect the wellbeing of everyone within the cricket family, from players, to fans and colleagues across the game.”The decision to delay the start of the season has been essential, given the circumstances the nation faces. I am reassured by the collaborative effort from across the game that together, we will make the very best of whatever length of season we are able to safely schedule in the coming months.”With the information available to us at the moment a delay to the start of the professional cricket season until May 28 was unavoidable. This also allows us time to keep pace with a fast-moving situation and continue to plan for how a revised season might look. Critically, we can also remain as flexible and adaptable as possible, within the obvious restrictions we face.”Securing the future of the game will be a primary focus as we plot a revised schedule with an emphasis on the most financially important forms of the game for the counties across international and domestic cricket.”The ECB will prioritise public safety and the health and wellbeing of players, staff and fans. From a sporting perspective, it will seek to protect international cricket, the Blast and the new Hundred competition as the most financially important forms for first-class counties. Broadcasters’ needs and the growth of the women’s game will also be key concerns.The English domestic season was due to begin on March 24 with the traditional Champion County match between holders Essex and MCC – this year to be held in Galle, Sri Lanka – and the County Championship was scheduled to have started on April 12. Seven rounds of Championship matches were originally planned up to May 27, after which the Blast would commence.The loss of almost half of the fixture list, coupled with the ECB’s commitment to fitting in the shorter formats come what may, means the Championship may not be contested for the first time since World War II. The 50-over Royal London Cup is also likely to be dropped.PCA chief executive, Tony Irish, said his organisation supported the decision to delay the start of the season.”The decision has at least given clarity to players following a week of uncertainty about whether or not they will be playing over the coming weeks,” Irish said. “All players are in this together and as their players’ association we now need to work for the players collectively in dealing with the ECB and the first-class counties to find solutions to the challenges ahead.”Naturally, players have concerns around when they will be able to start playing again, about what the schedule will look like when cricket resumes and about employment security around their contracts. The PCA will represent them in dealing with these issues with the ECB and the counties and seek the right solutions and ones that are acceptable to the players.”