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Sunderland can expect to have all four of Danny Batth, Dan Ballard, Jewiosn Bennette, and Niall Huggins fit and ready to play again, potentially in time for this weekend's preseason friendlies, according to reports.

What is the update on Sunderland's injury list?

With the new Championship season just on the horizon and the chance to once again make it back to the Premier League, the Black Cats have been given some good news on the injury front.

According to the Sunderland Echo central defenders Batth and Ballard are both back to full fitness and joined in with their teammates in full preseason training this week, and it is expected that they will therefore feature in Saturday's two games.

It's the same story for youngster Bennette, and things look positive for fullback Huggins after he returned to the side during the play-off campaign and has since continued his recovery.

The renewed availability of all four gives manager Tony Mowbray some much-needed depth going into another long and gruelling campaign in England's second tier.

It's also good news for Elliot Embleton as he is now running again, and despite the fact he won't be fit in time for this weekend, he should be back to full health again by the time the side jet off to the States for their pre-season tour.

Finally, Jenson Seelt will miss both this weekend and the tour of America but is expected to play a part in the team's opening fixtures of the season as his minor ankle problem continuously improves.

Who is likely to miss the start of Sunderland's Championship campaign?

Aji Alese and Corry Evans are set to miss the Black Cats' opening games of the season. Alese is still suffering from a thigh issue that saw him miss two months of last season and has undergone surgery after the side's play-off defeat to Luton Town.

On the other hand, Evans is still recovering from the ACL injury he sustained against Middlesbrough earlier this year; it's hoped that he might be able to make a return to the side around Christmas if his recovery goes well.

Who are Sunderland's first three opponents in the Championship next season?

It was almost an unbelievable season for Sunderland last year, almost going straight back up to the Premier League at the first time of asking since winning promotion from League One the year before.

Mowbray and Co will look to go one better next season, but their first few fixtures certainly look challenging.

The Black Cats kick off their new campaign with a home fixture against the recently promoted Ipswich Town, who were exceptional in the third tier last year, scoring 101 goals and only conceding 35.

Following that, it's a potentially difficult away trip to Preston North End, who finished comfortably midtable last season, despite enduring some dismal form towards the backend of their campaign.

The Wearsiders finish their opening three games back at home, hosting Rotherham United, and considering their opponents finished all the way down in 19th last season, Mowbray's men should be winning that with ease.

However, Sunderland end their season, be that with a promotion or another missed opportunity, the fitness of their stars will be paramount, and with the players they have returning, they'll always have a chance.

The BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) consisting of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman is likely to make a decision on whether or not to extend Rahul Dravid’s contract as the coach of India’s Under-19 and ‘A’ teams in the next few days. According to a BCCI official, there will be no need to invite fresh applications for the job if the CAC decides to renew Dravid’s two-year contract that ended in March.This is different to the protocol BCCI has followed in appointing a head coach of the senior team, where interested and qualified candidates were invited to apply even as Anil Kumble, the incumbent, was handed a direct entry. The different approach in Dravid’s case, the official said, is because his contract had an extension clause.”Dravid has a clause in the contract which facilitates extension by mutual consent,” the official told ESPNcricinfo. “If Rahul doesn’t want to renew his contract, then you have to pick someone else. But, if the CAC likes to retain him and if he is also willing, then you don’t have to call outside applications. But, that’s [going to be] a CAC decision.”The official felt the CAC would be predisposed to extending Dravid’s contract in a “day or two” given his good track record. Under Dravid, the India Under-19 team made the final of the junior World Cup last year and won a series against England recently. Dravid has also tasted considerable success with the India A team.”It is not that hard for CAC to take a decision on Dravid,” the official said. “Given his performance and his stature, I don’t think the CAC will have any problem with Rahul continuing as coach. So you don’t have to interview any other candidate.”The negotiations of the contractual terms might take a bit longer. I don’t know whether the BCCI has formulated the contract: how much he gets paid, I don’t think all that has been finalised.”Under the BCCI’s current arrangement, coaches and support staff of India’s senior and junior teams are given a ten-month contract that runs till the end of March. They are also free to sign a two-month deal in the IPL. However, according to the official, Dravid’s terms of reference – should he receive a new contract – would have to conform to the recommendations of the Lodha Committee.”It will mean that he won’t be able to coach both the national team and mentor the Delhi Daredevils franchise,” the official said. “He won’t get a 10-month contract. It will be a minimum two-year contract of 12 months each, but it will be a continuous one with no break.”Last week, Dravid had asserted that he wasn’t in a conflict of interest under the prevailing regulations, and called for greater clarity in the event of change in rules. He was recently invited by the BCCI to a meeting of the junior selection committee to pick the India Under-19 side to tour England. But Dravid declined because he didn’t have a coaching contract. The official, however, defended the board’s decision to invite him.”There is nothing that prevents him from being invited because he is not going to make the decision. He will only be asked to give his input,” he said. “Look, at the end of the day, he’s a senior member associated with a junior team. It has to be looked at holistically and not in isolation.”He has done a good job and I am pretty sure the CAC has no reason for them to say he shouldn’t be extended. So, in those circumstances, why not invite him when the team is being picked?”

Harry Kane's family dream of him winning trophies at Tottenham Hotspur as the north London club intend to keep the player despite heavy transfer interest, David Ornstein has revealed.

What's the latest on Harry Kane?

The England striker was in sensational form for Spurs last season, scoring 30 league goals despite the team performing poorly and finishing eighth, and with just one year left on his contract, he has been linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United.

However, Spurs have no intention to sell their star player, particularly to a rival, and it seems that they will resist any offers for the 29-year-old this summer.

Speaking on the FIVE YouTube channel, Ornstein claimed that Daniel Levy is highly unlikely to sanction a sale for Kane this summer.

"As far as I know, Harry Kane is not for sale is Tottenham's perspective, to anywhere, not to the Premier League and a rival and Daniel Levy wouldn't want to sell unless perhaps the fee got absolutely monstrous, and we've got no evidence that that's likely to happen," he stated.

"He would like to sign Harry Kane to a new contract and then Ange Postecoglou will get a good thing going on at Spurs, they would start moving in the right direction, being competitive next season.

"We've seen other clubs who have become competitive quite quickly, and it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Harry Kane sees a Tottenham that he wants to stay at in the course of next season.

"He's a boyhood fan, his family are, their dream is really to win with Tottenham, but clearly that hasn't materialised so far."

Should Spurs sell Kane?

New manager Postecoglou has a big job on his hands, as he is taking over a Spurs squad in need of serious repair, and having failed to qualify for European football, finances may be limited at Spurs this summer.

They have already deemed a main target in David Raya as too expensive, and Postecoglou's ability to bring in his own targets may be jeopardised unless a major sale is made.

Unless there is indication that the £200k-per-week star would sign a new deal this summer, keeping him beyond the transfer window could be delaying his potential departure, and Spurs could cash in this summer in order to help fund a major rebuild of the side.

Kane, who has been described as "exceptional" by Pep Guardiola, knows that if he waits until he is a free agent next year, that he could have his pick of clubs to move to, so choosing to remain at Spurs despite their struggles would be an unsurprising decision.

Liverpool are mulling over launching a bid for Wolfsburg centre-back Micky van de Ven this summer, with sporting director Jorg Schmadtke well-versed with the ace's skill set, having left the club for Anfield this year.

What's the latest on Micky van de Ven to Liverpool?

That's according to BILD's Christian Falk, who claims that the 22-year-old has a market value of just €18m (£15m) after impressing in the German Bundesliga this season.

Schmadtke signed the gem from FC Volendam in 2021 for a fee of just €3.5m (£3m) which has seemingly put Liverpool in pole position, with Premier League champions Manchester City also interested in a deal.

Stoking the fire on the swirling rumours, Van de Ven said to VI (via the Mirror): "Of course I heard of Liverpool links and I know they’ve been following me in the past. That’s it. Of course. Liverpool is a great club. There’s a chance for me to leave this summer. If a nice club with good plan arrives… I’d be open."

How good is Micky van de Ven?

The Bundesliga "giant" – as hailed by journalist Ronan Murphy – is left-footed and as such could be the perfect option for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp as he looks to strengthen his defensive ranks with a star to rival Virgil van Dijk on the left side of the Anfield backline.

And having made 33 appearances in the German top-flight this term, Van de Ven recorded an average league rating of 6.85 – as per Sofascore – and impressed with his assured passing, completing 88%; his sweeping excellence, tracking back to complete 3.1 clearances per game; and his solidness in the tackle, winning 64% of his duels.

Also said to be "flourishing" in Germany by Murphy, Van de Ven is one of the most dynamic defenders around; boasting superlative athleticism and blistering pace, the Netherlands U21 captain would slot into Liverpool's high-press superbly, capable of tracking back swiftly and matching even the most speedy of attackers in transition.

As per FBref, the £7k-per-week ace ranks among the top 10% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, indicating that he utilises his innate abilities with aplomb.

A tenacious and fearless colossus, Van de Ven could therefore emulate Tottenham Hotspur centre-half Cristian Romero on English shores; despite Spurs' dismal defensive efforts this year, Romero has remained an impressive force and softened his domestic woes by basking in footballing glory with triumph at the 2022 World Cup.

Signing for the Lilywhites for around £42m from Atalanta in 2021, the 25-year-old has become known as a battleaxe of a defender, if somewhat brash, and has earned praise as a "Rolls-Royce" by Martin Keown.

The Argentine ranks among the top 17% of peers for successful take-ons per 90 and has clocked a top speed of 33.21 km/h this season, impressive given Van de Ven's standout attribute is his barrelling pace, producing a speed of 35.87 km/h.

Klopp must forge ahead with a deal for this Dutch dynamo, dubbed "dominant" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, providing his depleted defence with fresh legs to pump vigorous life back into the fold.

Alastair Cook’s decision to resign from the England captaincy stemmed from his reservations about “how much he had left in the tank”, according to Andrew Strauss, England’s director of cricketSpeaking at Lord’s on the day it was confirmed that Cook, 32,

Andrew Miller06-Feb-20171:57

Dobell: Cook served England with distinction

Alastair Cook’s decision to resign from the England captaincy stemmed from his reservations about “how much he had left in the tank”, according to Andrew Strauss, England’s director of cricket, who says that the ECB expects to be able to name his successor within a fortnight, ahead of the one-day squad’s departure for the Caribbean on February 22.Speaking at Lord’s on the day it was confirmed that Cook, 32, would be standing down from the captaincy after a record 59 Tests in charge, Strauss praised the considered manner in which his former opening partner had reached his decision. The timing of Cook’s announcement leaves his successor – almost certainly Joe Root – a full four months of preparation before England’s next Test series against South Africa in July.”This wasn’t one of those situations when it was right for me to persuade him to carry on,” Strauss, from whom Cook inherited the captaincy back in 2012, told Sky Sports at Lord’s. “I’ve been there myself. You either know if you have got it in you to carry on, or, deep down, you know it’s time to step aside.”He did it the right way. He didn’t jump to conclusions, he allowed the dust to settle after the India tour, he took some time to speak to the people closest to him, whom he trusted. I support and understand that decision.”Cook’s resignation had been on the cards ever since the tour of India in December, which finished with back-to-back innings defeat for a dispiriting 4-0 scoreline. As he had indicated at the time, Cook chose not to make a snap decision, but instead took the opportunity to take stock before informing Strauss of his intentions when the pair met up in January.”When the India tour finished, Alastair said to everyone that he’d sit down with me and talk things through,” Strauss said, “both the learnings from the India tour and what the England team could do to get better, but also his own position.”We met up in January and I was interested to see how he had fared in India. I know how draining the England captaincy can be, especially on a long tour away from home when you are on the wrong end of the result.”So we had a conversation around that, and it was pretty clear that Alastair knew how much drive, determination and energy was going to be required of the England captain in the next 12 months or so.”He had some thoughts and reservations about how much he had left in the tank as England’s longest-serving Test captain, and it was right that we didn’t jump to conclusions, and let the dust settle. I allowed him to go away and think further. But, over the last ten days or so, it was clear his mind was made up.”Andrew Strauss discusses Alastair Cook’s decision to stand down as England captain•Getty ImagesDespite the speculation that has surrounded the role, Strauss insisted that the search for Cook’s successor would only now begin in earnest.”There is a process to go through,” he said. “It would have been entirely wrong for me to have spoken to other players about the captaincy before Alastair stepped down, and especially while two important white-ball series were going on in India.”Now’s the chance for myself and selectors, and the coach, to have conversations amongst ourselves and some players in the England environment, to get an understanding of who the right person is, what their philosophy is, and how they intent to take the team forward, so that when we come to announce the new captain, we are sure he’s the right man.”Although Root is the outstanding candidate to inherit Cook’s role, his lack of captaincy experience is a justifiable concern – he has led in only four matches to date in his first-class career. Strauss, however, played down that aspect of his candidature.”That is the reality in this day and age,” he said. “It’s very hard for England players to get a great deal of county captaincy experience. But on one level there’s only so much you can do to prepare yourself. I think playing in the set-up for a number of years and understanding the demands is more important.”[Cook’s decision] gives the new captain a huge amount of time to get used to the idea and have conversations about off-the-field stuff with the coaches and support staff, so that when he steps on the field for the first time as England captain in July, a lot of that stuff will already be taken care of.”He added: “Joe has done a very good job as vice-captain. He’s matured a lot over the last two years and there is absolutely no reason he won’t be one of the strong candidates.”For the time being, however, Strauss preferred to focus on Cook’s own contribution as England captain, which included 24 Test wins, two Ashes victories, and memorable series wins in India and South Africa.”I honestly believe he deserves to be looked upon as one of England’s great captains,” Strauss said. “I also think the great measure of a leader is what the people who played with you and under you feel about you. I’m certain that there isn’t a single player in that dressing room right now who doesn’t think Alastair has done an unbelievable job as England captain.”More than anything, he has had that personal touch. He has shown empathy for people and he’s understood just how difficult it can be to play for England. He’s had the time and inclination to help people through that. As he walks away he can do so with his head held exceptionally high knowing he gave absolutely everything to the role.”His record stands for itself as England’s longest serving captain and the longest serving one day captain as well. To combine that longevity with his individual performances is a testament to his drive and character. He was certainly never in it for personal glory.”

The ICC has set December 19 as the hearing date for Faf du Plessis’ appeal against his guilty verdict for ball-tampering

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Dec-20164:31

‘I wasn’t trying to cheat, I was shining the ball’ – du Plessis (November 23)

The ICC has set December 19 as the hearing date for Faf du Plessis’ appeal against his guilty verdict for ball-tampering. Michael Beloff QC has been appointed judicial commissioner to hear the appeal.Beloff is the chairman of ICC’ Code of Conduct Commission. He has been part of independent tribunals involving ICC cases previously including the one that found the Pakistan trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir guilty of spot-fixing during 2010 Lord’s Test.On November 22, the ICC match referee Andy Pycroft found du Plessis guilty of ball-tampering and fined him his entire match fee from the Hobart Test against Australia. The ICC chief executive David Richardson had charged him on the basis of TV footage that “appeared to show du Plessis applying saliva and residue from a mint or sweet, an artificial substance, to the ball in an attempt to change its condition”.Three days later, du Plessis launched his appeal against the verdict, with Cricket South Africa supporting his decision and hoping for clarity from the ICC over what constituted an “artificial substance” in rules pertaining to polishing the ball. In response, Richardson said there was no ambiguity over the definition as far as the ICC was concerned, and said he was “disappointed” with du Plessis’ decision to launch an appeal.

ESPNcricinfo previews the second one-day international between Ireland and Pakistan

The Preview by Alan Gardner19-Aug-2016Match factsAugust 20, 2016
Start time 10.45am local (0945GMT)Big PictureWell, at least things can only get better for Ireland. It would be hard to go worse than a 255-run shellacking and they will be aiming to narrow the appreciable gap between the sides when the rematch gets underway with only 48 hours in which to recover their composure.Pakistan have had their difficulties against Ireland in the past but, on the back of Sharjeel Khan’s mighty hitting, they breezed to a confidence-boosting victory to start off the limited-overs leg of their tour. There is not much to be gained in the way of rankings points by beating Ireland but winning has yet to become a habit for Azhar Ali’s ODI side.Azhar did not gain any respite from his own trough of 50-over form but Pakistan appear to have a better balance to their side, with several allrounders and a blend of youth and experience. Mohammad Nawaz enjoyed his debut, with fifty and a key wicket, while a successful comeback for Umar Gul was also encouraging.It would be in Pakistan’s interests to come up against a stiffer test ahead of their five-match series against England. Ireland have stuttered through their busiest-ever home season but the incentive of a Full Member scalp remains on the table; they will certainly want to finish without chants of “Pakistan Zindabad!” ringing in their ears.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Ireland LWLWL
Pakistan WLLLLIn the spotlightWith only one fifty in 12 innings, William Porterfield has come in for increasing scrutiny at the top of the order. The long-serving Ireland captain moved down to No. 3 for the first match against Pakistan – though he was at the crease inside the first over after Paul Stirling’s two-ball duck – and he will need to draw on a decade of experience to lift a side that has just posted its lowest total at home.Sharjeel Khan became the seventh opening partner for Azhar Ali since he was made ODI captain after the World Cup and, at a stroke, the most successful. Having scored fifty on debut in 2013, Sharjeel failed to nail down a position and spent two years out of the side. He won a recall in T20s after an impressive PSL and, having swelled his ODI average from 17.63 to 28.83 in one boundary-filled innings, has earned an extended crack.Teams newsIreland are likely to stick with most of the team that were so ignominiously manhandled the other day but Peter Chase – whose seven overs cost 70 – could make way for Craig Young.Ireland (probable) 1 Paul Stirling, 2 Ed Joyce, 3 William Porterfield (capt) 4 Niall O’Brien, 5 Kevin O’Brien, 6 Gary Wilson, 7 Stuart Poynter (wk), 8 Andy McBrine, 9 Tim Murtagh, 10 Barry McCarthy, 11 Peter Chase/Craig YoungYasir Shah and Wahab Riaz were rested after their Test exertions but may want a white-ball game to tune up for the resumption of competition with England. Mohammad Amir could be in line for a break.Pakistan (probable) 1 Azhar Ali (capt), 2 Sharjeel Khan, 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Babar Azam, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Imad Wasim/Yasir Shah, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Umar Gul, 11 Hasan AliPitch and conditionsPorterfield said the surface for the first match “wasn’t a 330-all-out pitch, but it wasn’t an 80-all-out pitch either”. It should provide something for everyone, provided the teams can get on – rain is forecast for much of the day in Dublin.Stats and trivia Pakistan’s 255-run win on Thursday was their biggest in ODIs; Ireland’s total of 82 was their second lowest Sharjeel Khan’s 61-ball hundred in the first ODI was the fourth fastest for Pakistan Niall O’Brien needs 34 runs to become the fourth Ireland player to 2000 in ODIsQuotes”It’s a tough learning curve for the younger lads coming into the team – it is a tough school coming in to bowl at the best players in theworld.”

Afghanistan allrounder Mohammad Nabi has been reprimanded for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the fourth ODI against Ireland on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2016Afghanistan allrounder Mohammad Nabi has been reprimanded for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the fourth ODI against Ireland on Sunday.Nabi violated Level 1 Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel which relates to “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game.”The incident occurred in the sixth over of Ireland’s chase of 230. Opener Ed Joyce had hit the ball to the extra-cover boundary and Nabi had claimed that he kept the ball in play. Joyce did not complete the third run, assuming it was a boundary, and was adjudged run-out once the ball was thrown back in. However, an ICC release said: “photographic evidence later confirmed that Nabi was in contact with the ball whilst outside the boundary when he had flicked the ball for Rashid Khan to help run-out Joyce.”Joyce, who led Ireland to a six-wicket win with an unbeaten 105 in the third ODI, was dismissed for 12 and Ireland lost by 79 runs.Nabi admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee David Jukes, and there was no need for a formal hearing. The charge had been laid by Alan Neill and C Shamshuddin, the on-field umpires, as well as reserve umpire Royl Black.”After speaking to my colleague, I spoke to the fielder and asked him had he prevented the four,” Neill later told the . “He said ‘yes’. I then asked ‘were you in control of the ball when you were outside the rope?’ He said ‘no sir’. I went over to my colleague and said ‘we have a problem here’.”He said ‘ask him again’, so I repeated the same two questions and got the same two answers. He was adamant he had not touched the ball while he was outside the rope. So we had to take his word and had to give Ed Joyce out.”

Liam Plunkett thrashed a six from the final ball of an incredible game to secure a tie between England and Sri Lanka in the first ODI of the Royal London series at Trent Bridge

The Report by George Dobell at Trent Bridge21-Jun-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:21

By the Numbers – Key stats from the cracker at Trent Bridge

Liam Plunkett thrashed a six from the final ball of an incredible game to secure a tie between England and Sri Lanka in the first ODI of the Royal London series at Trent Bridge.When Plunkett, England’s No. 10, came to the crease, his side still required 52 to win from the last 26 balls. And, in the face of some impressive death bowling, it seemed the equation had become overwhelming when the asking rate rose to 30 from the final two overs.But Plunkett and Chris Woakes both scooped boundaries in a penultimate over that realised 16 and, after the pair scampered seven from the first five balls of the last over, it left England requiring six from the final ball to secure the tie.Nuwan Pradeep, until then impressively consistent in his ability to nail his yorkers, dropped a few inches short only to see Plunkett open his shoulders and unleash a fierce drive back over the bowler’s head and into the pavilion.It may be little consolation right now for a Sri Lanka team that appeared to have this game in their grasp on several occasions but perhaps, in time, they will reflect with joy on their part in a wonderful match and a superb advert for the 50-over format. And maybe they will, in time, smile at this reminder of the endearing absurdities of this great game: hours of unstinting effort and copious heroic performances by both sides resulted in the same conclusion as if the rain that has afflicted these parts had never relented.The dramatic finale was set-up by a record-breaking stand between Woakes and Jos Buttler. Coming together with England reeling at 82 for 6, Buttler and Woakes added 138 – the highest seventh-wicket stand conceded by Sri Lanka in ODI cricket and second-highest overall – from 149 balls to give their side realistic hopes of a victory that looked impossible an hour or two earlier.This was not the flamboyant Buttler to which we have begun to become accustomed. Instead of counter-attacking from the start, instead of premeditating or attempting to unleash the full array of his strokes, he came to the crease with his side struggling at 30 for 4 and played himself in while ensuring the run rate remained just about within reach.His first boundary – a drive that flew agonisingly close to Farveez Maharoof at mid-off – did not come until his 17th delivery and his final strike rate of 93.93 was some way under his career rate of 117.23. Instead this was a more mature Buttler who combined his large repertoire of strokes with swift running and astute shot selection.But when Buttler was brilliantly caught on the long-on boundary by Dasun Shanaka – timing his leap perfectly and somehow managing to keep himself from toppling over the rope – for a well-paced 93, England still required 67 from 7.3 overs and it appeared their charge had lost impetus.David Willey, who had swung wildly and made contact rarely, was unable to sustain the momentum and when he went – a wicket only confirmed after numerous reviews by the TV umpire concluded that Maharoof had not over-stepped – it appeared England’s final chance had, too.But Woakes, with a maiden half-century at either List A or ODI level, sustained the charge. While there were only two boundaries in his first 50 runs – and only four in his entire innings – he ran with such speed and made contact so often that England just about kept themselves in the hunt. After Woakes was joined by Plunkett, the pair took nine from the 47th over, 10 from the 48th and 16 from the 49th to leave 14 required from the last.For a man who may not have played had Ben Stokes been fit, it was a fine effort. Woakes not only gained the Man-of-the-Match award, but also set a new record for the highest score by a No. 8 or lower in the history of ODI cricket. Unruffled by the demands of the chase or, apparently, the fuss made of him afterwards, he demonstrated the composure and softly-spoken steel that have long been recognised by the England management as the sort of qualities they want in the side. We may look back on this performance – completed, as it was, by two wickets and a mature spell of bowling – as Woakes’ coming-of-age moment.Until Woakes and Buttler intervened, it seemed that Angelo Mathews’ experience would prove the difference between the sides. Mathews followed his calm innings of 73 with the wickets of Jason Roy and Joe Root in the opening six overs of the England innings.While conventional wisdom has it that aggressive batting and fast bowling hold the key to success in modern limited-overs cricket, here it was Mathews’ almost risk-free accumulation and wicket-to-wicket medium-pace that proved valuable.Coming to the crease with his side three down within the first nine overs of the match, Mathews reasoned that his side would be better served by a period of consolidation instead of attack. Dinesh Chandimal and Mathews added 64 for Sri Lanka’s fourth wicket but, with Adil Rashid’s nicely controlled spell costing just 36 runs, it took them 16.5 overs. When Chandimal fell top-edging a sweep, it seemed Sri Lanka may struggle to set a competitive score.Sri Lanka were, therefore, grateful for the impetus provided by Seekkuge Prasanna. He contributed 59 of a 68-run fifth-wicket stand with Mathews, thrashing a 24-ball half-century containing 48 runs in boundaries in the process. At one stage he thumped 44 from 12 deliveries, including four sixes in five deliveries from Moeen Ali and Plunkett, as Sri Lanka plundered 49 in three overs. Eoin Morgan, having chosen to go into the game with the extra batsman in Jonny Bairstow, must have wished he had an extra bowler to call upon.Their final total still looked a little under par on a good batting surface – remarkably good bearing in mind the awful weather that had afflicted the region over the last 10 days – and with a short boundary on one side but, with England four down within the first nine overs of their reply, it seemed it would be more than enough.But with Mathews forced to leave the pitch in the early stages of England’s reply with a recurrence of a hamstring strain, Sri Lanka were forced to make up not only his overs but, perhaps, some of the calm his experience might have provided to his team-mates. Their fielding wilted under pressure and, as England grew in belief, so Sri Lanka started to look rattled.In the end Plunkett provided the memorable finish this fine match deserved. This England side – with its apparently fragile top order and somewhat thin bowling attack – is flawed, certainly. But they don’t know when they are beaten and they seem to be playing with more belief and conviction by the month. The next few years promise a great deal more entertainment.

Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali produced impressive spells to subdue Kane Williamson and set England up for a six-wicket victory in Mumbai

Nagraj Gollapudi in Mumbai12-Mar-2016
ScorecardAdil Rashid finished with 3 for 15 to help tie down New Zealand•Getty Images

After seven overs New Zealand were 78 for 1, steadily marching towards another 200-plus target like they had posted two evenings ago against Sri Lanka. Kane Williamson, New Zealand’s captain, was knocking runs effortlessly as the England fast bowlers struggled to find the right length in the early overs.Eoin Morgan, the England captain, had already tried all his quicks: Chris Jordan, Reece Topley, Liam Plunkett and Ben Stokes. Against each of them, Williamson had waited till the last minute before reacting to the ball.Williamson, always easy on the eye, looted 19 runs from the third over, delivered by Plunkett. He started with two sucessive fours: the first went over Plunkett’s head, followed by a deft flick to the right of Adil Rashid at short fine leg. A double that sailed over the outstretched hands of Alex Hales at midwicket and was then followed by a fluent cover-driven four. Plunkett continued to err and pitched full again, allowing Willimson to drive over midwicket for another four.When the left-armer Topley pitched short and wide outside off stump, the New Zealand captain, up on his toes, cut bluntly for a sweetly timed four. Stokes replaced Plunkett but Williamson first stroked him over cover to bring up New Zealand’s 50 and then moved outside the line of the ball to hit over mid-off for another easy four.Moving inside the line of the ball, Willamson then hit Stokes into the Sachin Tendulkar Stand at deep midwicket for his first, and only, six. It brought up his 50 off just 26 balls and comprised ten boundaries.Morgan did not wait any further before introducing his spin twins: Moeen Ali and Rashid to stem the flow. Moeen struck immediately when he removed Henry Nichols, who went for the sweep shot, top-edged and was caught at short fine leg by Rashid. The legspinner, too, got into the groove when he had Luke Ronchi drive into the hands of Morgan at point.Still Williamson was lurking at the other end but England need not have worried. Rashid reserved his best for the best batsmen, a perfect legbreak that caught Williamson out of the crease and gave Jos Butler enough time to whip off the bails. Surprisingly, and disappointingly for Willamson, New Zealand stagnated thereafter.If England were wondering how their two best spinners would fare on Indian wickets they will have been heartened by the first audition. Both Moeen and Rashid kept a tight line, utilised the spin of the pitch and made use of the drift wisely to expose the weakness of the New Zealand batsmen against slow bowlers.After 10 overs New Zealand were 101 for 2. After 15 overs they were 123 for 5. England’s spinners had nicely washed away all the gains scored Williamson in the first ten overs. Only 45 runs came in the middle segment of the New Zealand innings, comprising eight overs bowled by Moeen and Rashid. It was there England snatched the match out of New Zealand’s hands.”It was pretty important for us, we look to win every game whether it’s a warm-up or not,” Rashid said. “We always want to play at 100% and this was a good workout,” he said. “If you’ve got a spinning wicket you’ve still got to execute your skills and bowl your variations.”These are different conditions that we’ve got to adapt to. In India you’ve got to adjust your lines and lengths and field placings.”A target of 170 did not prove to too difficult for England, who bat deep. The opening combination of Jason Roy and Alex Hales did not disappoint as they gave England the aggressive start they were looking for: after the Powerplay they were 53 for 0. At the halfway stage England needed a further 81 runs with nine wickets in hand. Roy had departed having hit a robust 55 off 36 balls, which included two massive sixes, one of which went out of the ground in the passage separating the Vijay Merchant and Sachin Tendulkar stands behind deep midwicket.The match did get exciting towards the end, however, with England needing 42 runs from the final four overs. Eoin Morgan took charge and looked like taking his team home till he went for one shot too many. Having reverse swept Nathan McCullum for a four Morgan attempted a slog sweep the very next ball but was caught on the ropes by Williamson: 22 runs from 16 was now the target. It became 20 from the final two overs.Jos Buttler picked Trent Boult’s slower delivery to hit it flat over deep midwicket for a six. Then Stokes punched a low full toss for a one-bounce four that beat Mitchell Santner at wide long-on. With the target down to six from six, Buttler wrapped up the issue with a straight four against a low, slow full toss from Tim Southee.