Joe Root, England’s Test captain, has said he blames the system, not the individuals, for the growing trend towards white-ball specialisation

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2018

Joe Root, England’s Test captain, has said he blames the system, not the individuals, for the growing trend towards specialisation that has tempted the likes of Alex Hales and Adil Rashid to accept white-ball-only county contracts.But, Root added, there could still be a future for such players to help reinvigorate the fortunes of England’s Test team, so long as the game’s authorities can find a way to restructure the international schedule to enable all three formats to co-exist more easily.Hales and Rashid both confirmed earlier this month that they would not be turning out for Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire respectively in this year’s County Championship, effectively putting their Test careers on indefinite hold. Rashid, who was overlooked for the Ashes squad despite being England’s leading wicket-taker in India and Bangladesh last winter, admitted this week that he had lost the “buzz” for playing red-ball cricket.However, Root – who has himself had to sit out of England’s T20 side in recent months in a bid to balance his own priorities in Test and 50-over cricket – believes that the current trends in international cricket suggest that players who stand out in the shorter formats should not be discounted from making an impact in the five-day game.”Players like Alex and Rash, who get pigeon-holed as white-ball specialists, I think there’s a future for them in Test cricket,” Root told Sky Sports. “You look at how the game has changed in the last five years – with scoring rates and the things you now need to do with the ball – the skills you have to have, a lot of them have come from white-ball cricket.”That cross-over, I think, can be there if guys have the attitude and determination to play Test cricket. There’s no reason, if you are suited to the white ball, you can’t tailor yourself into a red-ball cricketer. It’s just about having that want and drive, and to have enough opportunity to play red-ball cricket in the county system and around the world for that to develop.”At present, however, there is very little opportunity for any elite cricketer to excel in all three formats concurrently, with India’s Virat Kohli perhaps the exception that proves the rule. Australia’s Steve Smith, for instance, joined Root in missing the recent T20 tri-series in the wake of a busy winter in which his Test form invited comparison to the great Donald Bradman. He now faces a struggle to regain his place among a team of specialists who took that competition by storm.”It’s very difficult to stop guys doing it,” Root said of the temptation to specialise in white-ball cricket. “You can’t place blame on individuals, there’s an issue higher up than that, and I think schedules will have to be tampered [with] and changed slightly.”If you’re playing all three formats, somewhere down the line you’re going to have to miss some cricket. Personally, mine’s been in T20 series – I’m obviously not going to miss any Test cricket now and, with a 50-over World Cup next year, there’s a big focus on playing that.”So it can feel like a long time until you play that next format, and guys want to be playing everything as much as possible. Maybe there is something that needs to be looked at there. Give guys a chance to play all three formats and not have to make that decision.”As for the long-term viability of Test cricket, Root remained optimistic about its future – even if Eoin Morgan, England’s white-ball captain, believes that the time to save the format may already have been and gone.”I really hope [it will still be played], it’s called Test cricket for a reason,” said Root. “It challenges you, you find yourself in every scenario you can do in cricket. It would be a real shame if it was not there.”I think the challenge is to make sure you keep it current, and make sure people want to turn on the telly, come to grounds, and watch it. Day-night Tests are great ideas, not necessarily in England but around the world, because you’ve seen the impact it’s had. If we can find ways to keep people interested and excited, we need to do it.”

Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips has completed his loan transfer to West Ham, with the midfielder desperate to find regular game time.

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Moved to the Etihad in 2022Struggled for game time in Treble triumphJoins Hammers with Euro 2024 in mindWHAT HAPPENED?

The 28-year-old England international moved to the Etihad Stadium from boyhood club Leeds in the summer of 2022, with a £42 million ($53m) deal put in place. He collected Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup medals during his debut campaign in Manchester, as part of a Treble-winning squad, but struggled to convince Pep Guardiola of his worth.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Phillips started just two Premier League games in 2022-23, and has seen only 89 minutes of top-flight football this season. He has become something of a forgotten man, but now has the chance to play his way back into form under David Moyes at the London Stadium.

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Phillips, who will wear the No.11 shirt at his new club, has told West Ham’s official website of taking on a new challenge in the English capital: “I’m really pleased to be here. There’s always been a lot of speculation about me moving to West Ham, so I’m really excited to get going now. There’s so much to look forward to in the second half of the season for the Club and I can’t wait to be part of it. There’s an unbelievable group here and if I can come in and add the quality that I know I’m capable of, I’m sure we can give the West Ham fans plenty to be excited about between now and the end of the season."

Dhananjaya de Silva will join the Sri Lanka ODI team that is currently playing the Tri-Nation Series in Bangladesh, as a replacement for the injured Kusal Perera. Kusal suffered a side strain during his innings of 49 in Sri Lanka’s match against Zimbabwe on Sunday. He has been advised rest, and will miss the rest of the tournament.Limited-overs captain Angelo Mathews, who is recovering from a hamstring strain, has returned to Sri Lanka and will take no further part in the tournament. Mathews’ participation in the rest of the tour, which includes a Test series against Bangladesh, remains in doubt.Dhananjaya has played 17 ODIs, the last of which came in June 2017. His most recent international game was the Delhi Test against India in December, which Sri Lanka saved thanks largely to his century on the final day. That innings ended when he retired hurt with a thigh injury, which kept him out of the limited-overs leg of that India tour.

Sevilla's boss, Quique Sanchez Flores, has issued an update on Manchester United youngster Hannibal Mejri's start to life on loan at the Spanish club.

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• Mejri not included in squad
• Sanchez Flores issues statement on youngster
• Sevilla struggling in La Liga

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Sanchez Flores was critical of the youngster's start to his loan spell at Sevilla and believes he needs time to adjust. The Spanish side saw off competition from Everton to sign the United youngster after including a buy option, although, as it stands, the chances of that option being activated seem low. The club announced that he would not be considered for selection for their game against Osasuna or for the foreseeable future.

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  WHAT SANCHEZ FLORES SAID

  On Hannibal's exclusion, Sanchez Flores said: "After being with him, talking to him and having seen his first minutes in Girona, we are going to give him the necessary space to understand where he is, that he is at Sevilla and what it means.

  "In the end they are kids who have come and suddenly land in a huge club like Sevilla in circumstances of maximum demand. And they need a bit of location. And that location may be seen better from the outside than from the inside. You should take a step to understand what we want.

  "Let's see if the boy applies himself and I think that in the end he will understand perfectly what we want."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite being highly-rated and impressing in moments at United, Hannibal has struggled for minutes and consistency this season. The Tunisian has been unable to gel with team-mates in Seville and Sanchez Flores has deemed it necessary for him to take some time away from the first-team. It will worry United that what should have been a promising loan spell is in tatters already – but Hannibal has time to turn it around.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR HANNIBAL?

  The next five months in Spain will be incredibly slow and painful for Hannibal if he cannot win over the former Watford boss and find harmony in the Sevilla squad – nor will the Spanish side opt to sign him permanently. Meanwhile, Hannibal will be doing little to show his parent side that he is worth offering a new contract to, with his deal at United ending in 2025.

The fast bowler believes South Africa have been disadvantaged in the chirping battle with Australia thanks to the disciplinary straitjacket put on their most combative personality

Firdose Moonda in Durban06-Mar-2018Dale Steyn believes the demerit points hanging over Kagiso Rabada has handicapped South Africa’s ability to be as noisy in the field as Australia. In an interview with South African radio station , Steyn said it was like “taking a knife to a gunfight”, and has been a “little bit unfair” on South Africa.Rabada has five demerit points to his name and has already been banned for a Test – the second Test against England last July – and if he collects three more he will be suspended for a minimum of two Tests, something neither he nor South Africa would want to risk. He has not had much verbal presence on the field, especially not compared to Australia, who have talked so much they even tried to get the stump mics turned off by mentioning rival sponsors’ names. Australia’s aggression did not even stop on the field. On the fourth day, David Warner had to be physically restrained by team-mates in the stairwell leading up to the changeroom and CCTV footage showed him shouting at Quinton de Kock.South Africa have had no real riposte and Steyn is thought to be the one player who might show similar anger. When Steyn was asked about his own persona on the field, and if South Africa have anyone else who can do that, he immediately mentioned Rabada, but admitted the young quick has not been as intimidating as he could be.”One other guy that actually gets involved is KG (Rabada) – he really does get stuck in,” Steyn said. “But I think after some of his last few incidents where he got into trouble – he got a ban and a fine and everything like that – he kind of has the handcuffs around him right now, which is a little unfair because if you look at the way some of the Aussies are going about it- and I’m not standing here and complaining, and I hope I don’t get a fine for saying that – but you kind of feel that you are taking out our best competitor, especially with that kind of presence, if you take him out of the game, it’s like taking a knife to a gunfight really. It’s a little bit unfair.”Rabada has only had two moments where it appeared he might become involved in some verbals. After dismissing Warner in the second innings, Rabada gave him a small send-off, but passed his arm over his face to make it difficult to hear or see what he was saying. Rabada also came out of the dressing room alongside Faf du Plessis when Warner was having a go at de Kock but did not say anything. Instead he just loomed large, perhaps with the aim to step in if needed.Meanwhile, Steyn remains on track to make a comeback for the third Test. He has not played any competitive cricket since the first Test against India in January, where he injured his heel on comeback from 13 months recovering from a shoulder injury. Steyn confirmed he is back to bowling but he has to play some first-class cricket before he can make an international return. He hoped he will be “on a cricket field by the end of next week.” He is likely to play for the Titans in a round of franchise matches which coincides with the second Test in a bid to make a return at Newlands, and take the three more wickets he needs to become South Africa’s leading Test bowler.

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson believes Jurgen Klopp is planning on moving to Mallorca when he departs Merseyside this summer.

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Klopp and wife Ulla renovating villa in MallorcaEx-Liverpool defender thinks couple will "retreat" to islandBalearic jewel famously popular with German visitorsWHAT HAPPENED?

The Liverpool boss stunned the football world last week when he revealed he had agreed to step down from his role at the end of the season saying he was "running out of energy." Those comments suggest the German will not be looking for a route back into management any time soon, and Lawrenson has revealed that Klopp and his wife, Ulla, have been busy renovating a mansion on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT LAWRENSON SAID

Lawrenson, who won five league titles and a European Cup while a player at Anfield, let Ireland's radio in on a bit of a secret, stating: "I'm not sure I should tell you this, but it's not a massive secret. He's having a house built in Mallorca. I have a house not far away from where he's building his and I saw him the other month after a game and asked him how the house was coming along. Ulla his wife is in charge of all of that. He swore and said: 'The bloody thing's not even ready yet. And I'm paying all the bills!' So he's probably going to retreat to there for a while, I would suggest. It's not just a nice gaff, it's an absolutely fabulous gaff. It's sensational."

GettyTHE GOSSIP

The reports that the "gaff" in question is a 5,000-square metre villa purchased by the Klopps in the summer of 2022 for €4m (£3.4m/$4.3m). The property has reportedly been given a huge renovation in an effort to make the villa more energy efficient. The landscaping of the surrounding grounds are being managed by the company that designed Mallorca's Five-star Son Buyola Hotel.

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WHAT NEXT?

The Klopps won't lack for company in Mallorca. The Balearic island is so popular with Germans both as a tourist destination and as a place to live that is often jokingly referred to as Germany's 17th state. An incredible 4.5 million Germans visited the island in 2023.

West Ham United have invested the £105m recouped from the mammoth sale of Declan Rice in an intelligent manner.

James Ward-Prowse, who joined from Southampton for £30m, registered two assists on his debut in a 3-1 win against Chelsea at the London Stadium.

Whilst the £35.4m signing of Edson Alvarez looks to be another shrewd acquisition due to his strong defensive capabilities.

However, the Irons are yet to add any attackers to the squad, despite Gianluca Scamacca returning to Italy after an underwhelming season in England.

Rumours are now viciously circulating around potential forward options…

What’s the latest West Ham transfer news?

According to Sacha Tavolieri, West Ham are interested in Genk’s Mike Tresor.

But, before any deal advances, the Hammers must first settle and finalise Lucas Paqueta’s uncertain future.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Nevertheless, the east Londoners are keen to make progress from next week and be will in touch with Genk in due course.

Other reports have suggested that the Belgian whiz could be available for around €20m (£17m).

Would Mike Tresor be a good signing for West Ham?

Last season, the 24-year-old dynamo was thrown into European prominence thanks to a scintillating term with Genk – across 42 appearances, he scored eight times and crafted 24 assists.

This astonishing form meant that Tresor was named Belgian Pro League Player of the Season, whilst also breaking the assist record.

As a result, it was announced that the left-winger was in his nation’s squad for upcoming European qualifiers against Austria and Estiona back in June 2023.

Following his incredible numbers and achievements, talent scout Jacek Kulig described the joyous technician as “sensational” and he looks ready to make the next step in his career.

The jump from Belgian football to the Premier League is insurmountable, but a player of Tresor’s productivity, technique, and flair could provide some healthy and much-needed competition for Said Benrahma.

In a short space of time, the Algerian winger can dazzle and infuriate, but he is undoubtedly one of the club’s most important players.

Last season, Benrahma made 52 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers, the second-highest in the squad, to underline his valuable nature under David Moyes.

However, the tricky winger continues to massively divide opinion.

On one hand, Joe Cole has described him as “unplayable” and someone he has “always been a fan of” due to his natural “ability” – this is mainly down to wonderful dribbling as he ranks within the best 22% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

But, he is equally frustrating, with the Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg labelling the former Brentford livewire as “underwhelming” who suffers from a “constant lack of discipline and focus.”

Although Benrahma ended last campaign as the club’s joint-top scorer with six goals, Steinberg felt this was misleading as the majority were penalties and his assists were just simple passes for stunning, long-range efforts from his teammates.

Therefore, the arrival of Tresor could be the perfect antidote to eradicate Benrahma’s inconsistencies, whilst also proving to be a pivotal piece of squad depth.

This will be vital for West Ham, who face a third-consecutive season of European football, whilst also trying to build upon a disappointing 14th-place finish in the Premier League last term.

The American made the most of an opportunity to shine on Wednesday but his future at the City Ground is still uncertain

Matt Turner must have been so damn happy in that moment. His teammates were surrounding him, embracing him one by one. They were chanting "USA, USA USA!" in his honor. He was the hero here, the man who had led Nottingham Forest to victory.

What made that moment so sweet was knowing what came before it and, truthfully, what will come after it. Wednesday was one of few highlights for Turner this season. It's been a season of mistakes and criticism and setbacks, one that has almost certainly cost Turner his position as Nottingham Forest's starting goalkeeper.

Turner had his moment in the sun on Wednesday, having been handed the start due to FA Cup rules. He made the most of it, making the penalty kick save that booked them a spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup and a date with Manchester United.

Realistically, though, Wednesday may end up being as good as it gets this season for Turner, who, despite his FA Cup heroics, now finds himself in a tough, tough spot on the club level ahead of some major moments on the international stage.

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  A series of mistakes

  'Nightmare' may be a bit too harsh, but it's close to being a fair way of painting this picture. Turner's move to Forest was supposed to give him a new stage to shine. It has instead wrecked his confidence thanks to a series of mistakes that seemingly couldn't stop snowballing.

  Turner's shot-stopping ability has never been questioned. It has gotten him this far, after all. Despite a relatively late start as a goalkeeper, his ability to simply keep the ball out of the back of the net got him from Fairfield University to the New England Revolution and, ultimately, to Arsenal. Even that, however, has let him down in this first half-season as a Premier League starter.

  Largely, Turner's errors have come when asked to play with the ball at his feet. Manchester United legend Gary Neville labeled the American as "useless" with the ball after a number of errors culminated in a Marcus Rashford goal in December.

  Those errors seemingly sapped his confidence, as Turner hasn't even looked like his old self when it comes to saving the ball anymore. A recent finish by Gabriel Jesus in a loss to Turner's former club, Arsenal, earned Turner further criticism, as many believe the American could have done more to keep the ball out.

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  Turner responds

  Turner, more than most, knows the loneliness of the goalkeeping position. His first real introduction to an American audience came due to a mistake, with a sequence during his college days landing him a spot on SportsCenter's Not Top 10. Since then, mistakes have largely been few and far between. That is, until this season.

  Turner knows it, too. He's aware that things haven't gone well. And, in a recent interview with ESPN, he took ownership of it all.

  "This is a results business," he said. "And we haven't been getting the results that we probably deserve or need."

  "Everything that could possibly have gone wrong in certain moments has gone completely wrong," he added. "Sometimes as goalkeepers you might get away with one or two things, and it feels like this season I've gotten away with zero. It's tough to take."

  Turner is tied for second in the Premier League in errors leading to goals with three. And, inevitably, those errors led Nottingham Forest, a notably unstable club, to try and shake things up in the January window.

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  Forest make a move

  Turner's status as No. 1 was always on shaky ground. Shortly after signing him from Arsenal this summer, Forest brought in another international goalkeeper, Greece's Odysseas Vlachodimos. For a time in the fall, Vlachodimos took over for Turner, who snatched the job back heading into the new year.

  Forest, though, weren't done wheeling and dealing. Before the January transfer window closed, the club went out and signed Belgian shot-stopper Matz Sels from Strasbourg, seemingly in response to Turner's errors. In just a matter of months, the club went out and signed three legitimate first-team goalkeepers, proving that Forest had little faith in Turner despite their move for him in the summer.

  Upon his arrival, Sels was immediately thrust into the XI, for a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, a potentially key result in the relegation race. It's expected that he'll be back in goal this coming weekend against Newcastle, too.

  But, in between, Turner was handed a chance at redemption in the FA Cup, and he certainly made the most of it.

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  Turner saves the day

  With Sels ineligible for Wednesday's FA Cup fourth-round replay against Bristol City, Forest turned back to Turner. For some, it would have been difficult to rise to such an occasion. Just days after being told you weren't good enough, Turner was thrown back into the team, not on merit but because of a technicality.

  Forest went up 1-0 early, with a goal from Divock Origi easing any nerves. Those nerves came rushing back just moments later, though. After a fantastic diving save from Turner on a long-range effort, Forest still conceded, with the team's inability to clear the ball leading to a looped finish from Jason Knight in the 14th minute.

  Turner, despite his save, earned some criticism for that sequence. It was unfair, truthfully, with those on social media going at him largely basing that criticism on his past mistakes. There would be no criticizing him by the end, though, as he proved to be Forest's hero.

  Long a penalty shootout expert, Turner flexed his skillset yet again on Wednesday. One big stop was all he needed, and it came in the second round of kicks when he pushed away a shot from Sam Bell. Forest's takers took care of business and onto the next round they went, thanks at least in part to Turner's big save.

  “It has to give him confidence," said Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo. "We know it is not easy for him after the decision we took to change in the Premier League, but his response is of a top professional. We are so happy. It was tough but it was worth it. The attitude and the character to never give up makes me very happy."

Newcastle United defender Sven Botman is facing a spell on the sidelines, and a reliable journalist has revealed the potential severity of his injury that was sustained at St. James’ Park.

What's the latest on Sven Botman's injury?

The Magpies were the hosts on Sunday as they welcomed Liverpool, but despite the visitors going down to ten men following the dismissal of Virgil van Dijk, Eddie Howe’s side suffered a 2-1 Premier League defeat thanks to substitute Darwin Nunez securing a brace, and unfortunately for the boss, the scoreline wasn’t the only negative to occur that day.

The Dutch international was forced off the pitch with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury on 87 minutes and was replaced by Matt Targett, and whilst Lewis Hall, who has joined on a season-long loan from Chelsea, is in the building, he’s not yet ready to be involved. Quizzed on the youngster’s fitness, the manager said:

“He's trained with us, but he's not played a game during pre-season. He's only trained, so he's some way short of being match-fit."

With the 23-year-old seemingly out of action, PIF have already been assessing their centre-back options in the market, with Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio and Benfica’s Antonio Silva the two primary names to have been linked, and whilst reinforcements may well be needed, a promising update has now emerged on the situation of Botman.

How long is Sven Botman out for?

Taking to X, The Daily Mail's Craig Hope revealed that Newcastle are hopeful that Botman won’t be out for an extended period of time if the preliminary signs are anything to go by in a positive update.

“Understand early indications are that Sven Botman has avoided serious damage to his ankle after injury suffered on Sunday. More news awaited ahead of weekend but I’m told it’s not as bad as perhaps first feared.”

Since the start of the 2023/24 season, Botman has started all three games and has been an integral member of Howe’s squad, so considering the hugely positive impact he has on the side, it will come as a huge boost for the boss to learn that he’s not out for a lengthy spell at Newcastle.

The Muy Manero native, who is naturally left-footed, is currently averaging three clearances and two aerial wins per top-flight game this season, via WhoScored, not to mention that he’s won all five of his tackles made, showing how much of a rock he is at the heart of the backline.

The St. James’ £90k-per-week earner, who has recorded an assist since putting pen to paper with the black and white stripes, even has the versatility to operate out wide at left-back, making him a great option for the manager to have at his disposal should he need him to play out of his natural position.

Alongside Dan Burn, the northeast outfit have Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar and Hall when he's ready as their other options at centre-back so there is sufficient cover, but with the former potentially on his way out over the next few days, the hierarchy will be safer dipping into the market to bolster their defensive ranks further.

ScorecardVictoria has vaulted back into contention for the Sheffield Shield final after a crushing 255-run win over Western Australia at the WACA.The Bushrangers needed just two wickets on the final morning to complete the rout but they were frustrated by Josh Inglis and Matt Kelly, who put together a 109-run partnership for the ninth wicket.Victoria opted not to bowl any of their frontline quicks on the final day leaving Daniel Christian, Cameron White and Glenn Maxwell to try and finish the job. Inglis moved within sight of his first Sheffield Shield century before he was trapped in front by Christian on 87.Kelly also fell to Christian nine balls later for his highest first-class score. Christian finished with 2 for 27. Chris Tremain was named Man of the Match for his first career 10-wicket haul.