Warner said he wants to take a call after taking part in the back-to-back T20 World Cups

Daniel Brettig11-Feb-2020David Warner has flagged his likely retirement from T20Is following the two T20 World Cups to be played in consecutive years, and also explained why he has chosen to skip the Big Bash League for much of his international career.On an emotional Australian Cricket Awards night for Warner, he took out the Allan Border Medal as the national team’s best player across all three formats despite an abominable Ashes series in which Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne scored the runs that allowed Tim Paine’s team to retain the urn in England for the first time since 2001. He fared far better on home soil after adopting the belligerent, aggressive batting approach that Australian cricket followers have grown used to, and also made runs on the brief India ODI tour last month that was the last series that featured in the medal’s voting period.At 33, Warner is starting to consider how to approach the remainder of his career, and the dropping of T20Is from his schedule appears the next step he will take to prolong it – albeit only after the T20 World Cups in Australia later this year and in India in 2021.ALSO READ: David Warner, Ellyse Perry win top honours at Australian Cricket Awards”I don’t have a BBL team; I took a break during this period, and that was about my body and my mind, making sure I’m getting ready for the next series that comes up,” Warner said. “If you look at T20 internationals, we’ve got back-to-back World Cups as well, that’s probably a format that could be one I’d probably drop in a few years.”I have to look at the schedule; it’s going to be very difficult [for me] to play all three forms, and good luck to all the guys who want to keep playing that. You talk to guys like AB de Villiers and Virender Sehwag, these guys who’ve done it for a long time, it does become challenging. Having three young kids and my wife at home all the time, the constant travelling becomes very difficult. If it was to come down to [leaving out] one format, it would probably be the international T20s.”As for the BBL, Warner denied that its rapid growth to a 61-game tournament, after starting as a 20-game, state-based event in 2005 and then growing to 31, 35, 43 and 59 games under the BBL banner from 2011 onwards, was a factor in him avoiding it. Warner’s manager had said last year that his client would consider playing in the BBL but that it would need to be financially “worth his while” to do so, but the opener also indicated that some CA-contracted players were uneasy about taking the spots of cricketers who had represented their clubs for the whole event.Ellyse Perry, winner of the Belinda Clark medal poses with David Warner, winner of the Allan Border medal•Getty Images”For me it’s about working out timeframes with different series, identify when you need a bit of a rest,” Warner sad. “Generally, we play a Test series and go into a one-day series. We went to India and then generally you have a one-day series at home, back-to-back games and then you go away. So, it was a bit different this year; I was able to have that opportunity to have that break which I’m grateful for.”A lot of the guys try to go back and play as much as they can. Sometimes, you look at the finals as an example, they come back and play the final, you’re taking someone’s spot as well, which is always tough as a player, you don’t want to come back and just take someone’s spot for one game. So, this opportunity was great for these guys to go out and play, and to see Smithy and Gazza (Nathan Lyon) and them take part in it and win the title is fantastic.”There had been plenty of tears from Warner as he accepted the medal, after not even being invited to last year’s ceremony, which predated CA’s lengthy reintegration process for him, Smith and Cameron Bancroft after their Newlands bans.”I had no doubt that I had the capability of being back here again. It was obviously a lot of hard work and commitment to be able to put my hand back up for selection for one, and go away and just do what I know best and that’s to try and score as many runs as I can in any competition I was playing in,” Warner said. “There was obviously a lot of work behind the scenes to reintegrate the three of us and I really appreciate the way that unfolded and the way we were reintegrated back into the team and into the fold, and that was by having net sessions as well at the Test matches, keeping our sharpness up against quality bowling, and I’m extremely grateful for that.”There were tough times there with me and, my wife having two miscarriages, there were a lot of things going on in my life away from cricket that I had to work on, and I was able to do that and that was the thing about not having cricket there. I had to work out what was going to be best for me. I had to work on my fitness, me and my wife are a great team, we have three beautiful daughters, and we really enjoy each other’s company.”Australia’s next assignment is a tour of South Africa for three T20Is and three ODIs, taking Warner and Smith back to the scene of their transgressions for the first time in nearly two years. Warner said his experiences in England last year, where he was able to shrug off a constant stream of abuse from crowds while never once retaliating, would be helpful memories.”I knew what I was walking into in England and I know exactly what I’m walking into in South Africa,” Warner said. “You just look at the recent series against England; it doesn’t matter where you go in the world, you’re probably going to cop something of some sort. You’ve got to try and get that out of your head and not let that affect you. I’ve well and truly learned my lessons from last time. It’s going to be great to go back over there, and I’m just really excited to get out there against South Africa and hopefully come home with a win.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Internacional continua sem vencer dentro de casa no Campeonato Brasileiro. Neste domingo, em nova oportunidade para quebrar a seca, o Colorado ficou no empate por 1 a 1 contra o Ceará.

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No confronto desta tarde, o Colorado abriu o marcador através de Edenilson, mas o Alvinegro conseguiu a igualdade em bela falta de Lima.

Com o placar, o torcedor do Inter permanece frustrado com o desempenho no Beira-Rio. Agora, são dois empates e uma derrota.

No total, o Inter aumenta para seis jogos sem vencer dentro da sua casa no somar dos jogos do Gauchão, Libertadores, Copa do Brasil e Brasileirão.

Última vitória

A última vez que o Inter venceu como mandante ocorreu na semi do estadual, quando o time comandado por Miguel Ángel Ramírez bateu o Juventude por 4 a 1.

Tottenham are now said to be eyeing a zero-cost move for a £250,000-per-week player who was once called "unplayable" by Michael Carrick.

Spurs looking to sign new forward for Ange this summer

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has relied on the likes of Son Heung-min and Richarlison for the majority of their output in front of goal, but that is something which technical director Johan Lange is looking to fix this summer.

Pundit really wants teenager to replace James Maddison at Tottenham

He’s yet to make his Spurs debut.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 16, 2024

That could also be in the form of a new striker to replace Harry Kane, as has been reported by reliable football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold, but another very credible media source in Fabrizio Romano claimed last month they wish to bring in another goalscoring winger.

"Look, a player they appreciate for a long time is Raphinha from Barcelona. We know the financial situation at Barcelona is not easy, so he could be one of the names. They will look at that kind of player," said Romano to JD Football.

Son Heung-min

15

Richarlison

10

Dejan Kulusevski

6

Brennan Johnson

5

James Maddison

4

"Another player they appreciate is Pedro Neto, but he has this issue with his injuries, so I’m not sure Liverpool, Tottenham or the other clubs following the player will be prepared to play big money for Pedro Neto this summer. That kind of player is the priority for Tottenham, I see them going for that kind of winger, a quality player to help with goals and assists."

Alongside the likes of Neto and Raphinha, Tottenham have been linked with other high-profile players like Eberechi Eze, with journalist Miguel Delaney reporting last month that they plan to make a "major signing" out wide.

While Spurs are keen to add a new striker and new centre-back as well, with Postecoglou admitting to the latter, it could be a very busy transfer window at N17 and chairman Daniel Levy will be looking to cut costs wherever possible.

Therefore, the free agent market could be a fruitful pool of talent for the north Londoners, and Italian newspaper Tuttosport has claimed that they have their eyes on an interesting new target at zero cost.

Tottenham eyeing free move for Anthony Martial

Man United attacker Anthony Martial, rumoured to be on around £250,000-per-week, looks set to leave Old Trafford on June 30.

The Frenchman doesn't feature in Erik ten Hag's plans, but he may well feature in Postecoglou's. According to Tuttosport, as relayed by Football Italia this week, Tottenham are interested in signing Martial on a free deal this summer but face competition from Juventus.

The 28-year-old has played just 13 league games this season but has displayed imperious form in past seasons. Indeed, former Spurs midfielder Carrick even once called him "unplayable".

"He has that ability. He’s shown that from day one since his debut against Liverpool, when he scored," said Carrick.

“We have to realise how good he is and can’t expect everything from him all the time. But, when he’s in that kind of form, he’s pretty much unplayable, so it’s nice to have him playing for us.”

James Pattinson’s pace and fire will be missing from Australia A’s day-night match against the England Lions at the MCG from Saturday due to a back complaint, after he pulled up sore from bowling in cub cricket.The Queensland pace bowler Mark Steketee has been called in to replace Pattinson, while Cricket Australia medical and fitness staff deliberate over whether Pattinson will require scans on his troublesome back.On Wednesday, allrounder Marcus Stoinis was also withdrawn from the match due to a shoulder injury sustained in the last round Sheffield Shield matches. He has been replaced by Queensland’s Jack WildermuthIn a worrying sign for Pattinson following his long and arduous return from radical back surgery in New Zealand to take his place on the 2019 Ashes tour alongside Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, he complained of back and hip soreness following club games for Dandenong.In the round 13 Victoria Premier Grade match between Dandenong and Monash Tigers on February 8 and 9, Pattinson claimed 2 for 48 from 18 overs. He was then selected for the following round’s game between Dandenong and Melbourne, which was abandoned without Pattinson either batting or bowling.In addition to Steketee, the NSW swing bowler Harry Conway has also been added to the Australia A squad. Michael Neser, Jackson Bird and the wristspinner Mitchell Swepson are the other members of the bowling attack.The likes of Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Nic Maddinson, Kurtis Patterson and the Australia A captain Moises Henriques will be among those jostling for potential batting positions in the Australian Test squad to travel to Bangladesh later this year, while also putting down a marker against an England Lions squad that is gaining experience ahead of the next Ashes series in Australia in 2021-22.

Glasgow Rangers showed no sign of rustiness following the international break as they dispatched Hibernian 3-1 at Ibrox to secure all three points.

The win means the Gers remain just one point behind Celtic in the race for the Premiership title race, albeit they have a game in hand against Dundee.

The first half was a little laboured, with Philippe Clement having to rely on Cyriel Dessers to score their second goal of the afternoon to give the Light Blues a 2-1 advantage at half-time.

The second half proved to be more comfortable and when substitute Rabbi Matondo curled home a stunning effort with just ten minutes remaining, the win was confirmed.

Several players shone during the match, but a few were off-colour, most notably Fabio Silva.

Fabio Silva’s game in numbers against Hibs

The 21-year-old had shone on international duty for Portugal during the break, scoring once and grabbing two assists against Croatia during an U21 qualification match for Portugal.

This should have given him plenty of confidence heading into the clash against Hibs, especially considering he had scored against the same opposition just a few weeks prior during a Scottish Cup tie.

Fabio Silva vs Hibs (30/03/2024)
Goals	0
Assists	0
Key passes	2
Possession lost	19
Big chances created	0
Via Sofascore

The on-loan starlet was deployed on the left wing once again due to Abdallah Sima not being 100% ready for a start, with Clement hoping the youngster could create plenty of chances for Dessers while perhaps offering a dangerous threat himself.

There was no shortage of willingness from Silva, as he took 51 touches during his time on the pitch, while making two key passes, succeeding with 50% of his dribble attempts and delivering one cross.

Despite plenty of intent being shown, Silva lost possession a staggering 19 times against the Easter Road side, while also winning just two of his eight contested duels, failing to get the better of the opposition during his one-on-one battles.

With one of the most important Old Firm matches in years coming up at the end of this week, should Silva be given a start on the left wing?

Fabio Silva’s Rangers statistics

The Portuguese forward found the back of the net just once during the first half of the season at Wolverhampton Wanderers, failing to really showcase his true talents.

A move to Ibrox has certainly given him a bigger stage to shine on, and he has taken his opportunities well, it must be said.

Since arriving in Glasgow, Silva has scored four goals in 15 appearances for the Light Blues while either playing as a centre-forward or out wide on the left wing.

Despite starting just five Premiership matches, averaging 50 minutes per game, Silva has scored twice so far along with taking 1.9 shots per game, missing four big chances and making 0.7 key passes per game, demonstrating how impressive he has been in such a short space of time.

The 6 foot 2 gem has certainly been a useful addition to the squad. Against Hibs, he was subbed off with 12 minutes to go for Sima, who made his first appearance since the 3-1 win over Kilmarnock on January 2.

Clement now has a major selection headache ahead of the third Old Firm match of the season, however. Does he stick with Silva, who is match fit? Or will he give Sima a start, despite his lack of match fitness?

Abdallah Sima’s stats for Rangers this season

Michael Beale was the manager who brought the winger to Ibrox last summer, securing him on a season-long loan deal from Brighton and Hove Albion in order to bolster his attacking options.

Having lost Ryan Kent, it was evident that another winger needed to be added and Sima fit the bill perfectly. Not only did he score 16 goals in just 39 appearances for Slavia Prague, but the winger also added another seven assists, proving that he was capable of both scoring and creating chances for others.

The move to Rangers has worked out rather well. Across 34 matches during the 2023/24 campaign, Sima netted 15 goals and chipped in with two assists, proving to be one of the most dangerous attacking threats the club possess.

The Senegal international ranks only behind James Tavernier and Cyriel Dessers with regard to goal contributions in the top flight this term (12), while he currently ranks third for shots per game (2.9) and first for successful dribbles per game (1.4), showcasing his attacking talents to the full.

Why Abdallah Sima should start over Fabio Silva against Celtic

The statistics suggest that Sima is one of the finest attacking players at the club, and if fit, he should be unleashed from the start against Celtic on Sunday.

Silva could be a very useful option to have coming off the bench, especially if the game is tight heading towards the final quarter, or he could even replace Dessers in the starting XI, operating in a more advanced role.

Beale recently praised Sima during an interview with Sky Sports (via Glasgow World), who said:

"I think the player of the season in Scotland outside of Jack Butland was probably Abdallah Sima who's been missing, so if Abdallah can come back now and provide some goals and power in the final third, I would expect Rangers to go on and win the league.

“But it will come down to the Old Firms and obviously there's a big one coming up in just over a week's time."

A win over Celtic would give the Light Blues an advantage in the title race, especially if they then win their game in hand against Dundee just a few days later.

A draw wouldn’t be the end of the world, but with home advantage, Clement will be hoping his side can deliver one of their finest displays of the season.

Unleashing Sima, even if he only manages 60 minutes, could give the Belgian a serious advantage. Once he manages to get match fit, the 22-year-old will play a big part over the coming weeks with regard to where the Premiership trophy will end up.

Rangers ace who was better than Tavernier vs Hibs is now undroppable

Rangers secured a confidence boosting win over Hibs at Ibrox today

By
Ross Kilvington

Mar 30, 2024

Following the injury struggles of Robert Sanchez, reports suggest that Chelsea are eyeing a move to sign another shot-stopper this summer in the form of a player who has kept out Jude Bellingham this season.

Chelsea transfer news

After another Premier League season to forget, the Blues have already turned their attention towards rectifying the situation through further spending this summer, as they look to get things right in the transfer market. That said, among those already linked with a move is RB Leipzig ace Dani Olmo. Talks have reportedly already commenced between the west London club and Leipzig over a move for their star man, who apparently has a release clause of £51.2m this summer.

Meanwhile, those at Stamford Bridge are still looking to land an out-and-out goalscorer to finally bring an end to their struggles, with Victor Osimhen still the biggest name mentioned at this stage. So it certainly looks likely to be a busy window once more for Todd Boehly and Mauricio Pochettino.

Even away from the big-money deals, Chelsea are stealing the headlines, potentially at the cost of Sanchez's place in Pochettino's squad.

Pochettino's 105-touch hero can run the show for Chelsea again

He produced a brilliant display in the 4-1 victory last year.

ByEthan Lamb Mar 30, 2024

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Chelsea are now eyeing a move to sign Bento Matheus Krepski from Athletico Paranaense this summer. The goalkeeper recently stole the spotlight for his performance between the sticks for Brazil, as they beat an England side with the likes of Bellingham and Phil Foden 1-0 at Wembley.

The Blues aren't the only side supposedly interested in Bento since that game, however, with Wolverhampton Wanderers also eyeing a move alongside Inter for the goalkeeper valued at a reported €15m (£13m) this summer.

Chelsea, of course, are familiar with the South American market already, having signed the likes of Deivid Washington and Angelo from Santos last summer.

"Fantastic" Bento can compete with Sanchez

Whilst Djordje Petrovic has stepped up well to make a strong claim for Chelsea's starting spot even when Sanchez returns, the Blues still need a solid No 2, and Bento has proved that he can perform on the big stage, having comfortably stepped up for Brazil.

Replacing Alisson Becker and Ederson – two of the best goalkeepers in the world – is no easy task, but Bento did just that to suddenly attract plenty of interest. It is a rise that Zach Lowy saw coming, having previously praised the 24-year-old. Lowy posted on X back in August:

For the bargain price of £13m, Chelsea could produce an act of genius in the transfer market to break their trend of flops in recent years. It remains to be seen whether they can fend off competition from the likes of Wolves and Inter for Bento's signature, however, in a busy race to sign the Brazil goalkeeper.

Since it was formed in 2010, Financial Fair Play (FFP) has shaped how football clubs operate. No longer are they permitted to spend as freely as they please, as governing bodies such as UEFA and the Premier League seek to prevent clubs from going under through financial mismanagement.

But how does it really all work? How are clubs getting into trouble and what are the potential sanctions available to be handed out to those who break the rules? These are just some of the questions Football FanCast will look to answer as FFP scandals threaten to dominate conversation once again.

After breaching the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability (PSR) rules, Everton were hit with an initial ten-point deduction earlier in the season, which was later reduced to six. They've since been hit with a further two-point penalty to make matters worse.

Top-flight rivals Nottingham Forest were given a four-point deduction in March, plunging the Reds into the Premier League relegation zone below Luton Town.

Manchester City, Chelsea and Leicester City are just some of the other clubs sweating over their own potential misdemeanours as the authorities come down hard on those operating outside of their means.

What FFP is and how it started

FFP came into effect from UEFA in the early 2010s, seeking to ensure that clubs participating in their competitions were operating in a fair way – in other words, not spending more than they were making. This sought to enable the safeguarding of the game’s integrity whilst also protecting clubs from falling into financial ruin.

The general idea was that clubs had to break even over a three-year period. Depending on where the money comes from, UEFA does allow some extra spending (clubs can accrue losses of as high as €30m – £25.7m), but there are strict limitations in place in order to stop teams from spending millions upon millions without consequence.

That said, UEFA are big on investing in the future. Spending on things like infrastructure and youth development is not factored into any accumulated losses. However, extravagant spending on players will be something the authorities have a keen eye on.

The Premier League’s PSR rules

The Premier League installed its own FFP guidelines, known as Profit and Sustainability Rules, back in 2015/16. They follow the same premise as UEFA’s guidelines, but the parameters differ quite wildly.

For instance, clubs can make losses of £105m over a three-year period. Clubs also have to declare their financial results each year to show that they are, or will be able to, balance the books.

However, if it is deemed that any club has broken the rules, they are referred to an independent commission, which will decide their fate.

FFP investigations this season – Premier League

Club

Date charged

Punishment

Everton

March 2023

Ten-point deduction (reduced to six on appeal)

Nottingham Forest

January 2024

Four-point deduction (subject to appeal)

Everton

January 2024

Two-point deduction (subject to appeal)

Chelsea

n/a

Investigation ongoing

Manchester City

February 2023

Investigation ongoing

Leicester City

March 2024

Referred to independent commission

Previous FFP punishments

The variety of sanctions available depends on the governing body in charge. In the past, UEFA has issued warnings, fines and limited squad sizes of teams playing in European competitions, as well as expelling them altogether.

Most recently, financial irregularities at Juventus saw the Bianconeri thrown out of the Europa Conference League, along with the receipt of fines totalling north of £20m.

Serie A rivals Milan entered trouble ahead of the 2019/20 campaign after they were banned from the Europa League following an FFP breach, which saw them fail to break even over successive three-year periods.

They had previously successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against a similar decision the year before, with the San Siro giants let off on the basis of their punishment not being proportionate.

In the Premier League, last summer saw Chelsea and Manchester United among the clubs sanctioned by UEFA, with both teams facing hefty fines.

United were punished for a “minor” FFP breach in July, with UEFA handing the Red Devils a €300k (£257k) fine owing to what appears to be a miscalculation of losses between 2019 and 2022, a period significantly impacted by the pandemic.

Later that month, Chelsea were hit with an eye-watering €10m (£8.6m) fine due to “submitting incomplete financial information” between 2012 and 2019 – which means this was not at all related, perhaps somewhat ominously, to their extravagant spending since the arrival of Todd Boehly at Stamford Bridge.

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Posts ByAlex Caple May 5, 2025 Premier League clubs charged with PSR breaches Everton

Everton were the first club to be officially sanctioned by the league’s financial PSR rules, resulting in a ten-point deduction back in November, having been referred to an independent commission in March 2023.

In February, the Toffees' penalty was reduced to six points, handing Sean Dyche's men a partial reprieve in their fight against relegation. While their initial deduction had Everton down in 17th and just a point above the drop zone, their partly successful appeal against the PSR ruling placed them in 15th at the time, five points clear of danger. This was just as well given the Merseysiders were also winless in nine Premier League games.

This January, the Premier League confirmed that both Everton and Nottingham Forest had been in a separate breach of the regulations for the period which ended last season. The Toffees were then handed a further two-point deduction, taking their total to eight – though the club has stated that it will appeal this latest decision.

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest were given a four-point penalty after being referred to an independent commission over possible PSR breaches. It was concluded that over the three-year period ending in 2022/23, the club's losses exceeded that of the amount allowed.

According to The Athletic, Forest could have been fined for this breach, though it was decided that, subject to appeal, the club would be docked four points. Unlike Everton, the decision dropped Forest into the relegation zone with just nine games remaining. In terms of their potential appeal, their case was due to be heard by 15th April, but a date now has been set for the week commencing 22nd April.

Chelsea

Chelsea are also being investigated by the Premier League. As far as the Blues are concerned, they have not been formally charged, though the Premier League’s chief executive, Richard Masters, confirmed they were “looking into” the club’s accounts back in August after the Stamford Bridge outfit reported themselves soon after their takeover, while Masters recently told a parliamentary committee that this investigation was still ongoing.

It recently emerged that the Blues' accounts showed they have managed to keep their heads above water through the sales of players, and perhaps more bizarrely, hotels, which are now the property of the club's owners.

Manchester City

Manchester City threatens to become the highest-profile case of the lot, with the Premier League charging the champions with over 100 breaches of its financial regulations. Masters claimed that a date has been set regarding the case, but stopped short of providing further details.

It is thought that given the nature of the accusations – the charges were the culmination of a four-year investigation in which City were labelled uncooperative – it is expected the matter will drag on before a punishment is handed out. When this first broke in February 2023, the BBC reported that this is “uncharted territory” in terms of what could befall the Citizens should they be found guilty.

Leicester City

In March 2024, Leicester became the latest club to be punished over an alleged breach of PSR rules. Although currently playing in the Championship, the charges relate to a failure to submit their accounts for the 2022/23 campaign, the season they were relegated.

In early April, the club announced losses of nearly £90m in 2022/23, taking their overall losses over the last three years to £215m – over £100m more than what is allowed under the Premier League's rules.

While the EFL confirmed that the Foxes would not be facing a points deduction this season, that remains a possibility heading into next year, when they could well be a Premier League club once again.

To make matters worse, Leicester are also under investigation by the EFL under a separate charge, leaving them with a transfer embargo and at risk of being deducted more points.

Remember the good old days, when England were truly woeful, but at least the show was able to go on

Andrew Miller16-Mar-2020With the sports world in abeyance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now’s as good a time as any to reminisce about the good old days, when England were truly woeful, but at least the show was able to go on …Sydney 2013-14Had England been a Norwegian Blue parrot, they would have been eligible for a refund as they staggered into Sydney for the fifth and final Test in January 2014. The tour had shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisible, and so too had a champion team. Jonathan Trott had flown home after one Test, Graeme Swann retired abruptly after three. Matt Prior’s Achilles tendon was an ex-tendon, and Kevin Pietersen was braced for his final excommunication. The odds were not in their favour. But that wasn’t going to dissuade Australia from indulging in a bit more of their favourite pastime – gleeful and gory overkill. Despite batting twice in the match, they pulled off the neat trick of winning before tea on the third day, thanks to a non-existent second innings that fell off its twig in a mere 31.4 overs. Boyd Rankin made his Test debut after switching allegiance from Ireland, and swiftly wished he hadn’t bothered, while Scott Borthwick was similarly scarred by his own admission to the one-cap-wonder club. Picked for his legbreaks, he’s scarcely dared to roll his arm over since.Melbourne 1990-91There have been worse scorelines in recent Ashes campaigns – hell, England have lost nine of their last ten Tests in Australia – but for sheer, unadulterated incompetence, nothing surpasses their cock-ups on the 1990-91 tour. In the first two Tests they twice squandered leads to be steamrollered in the fourth innings, but if there was a sliver of mitigation in a low-scoring dogfight at Brisbane, then the excuses ran dry for their Boxing Day massacre. It all started so promisingly, with David Gower’s hundred and a heroic 6 for 82 from Angus Fraser, and when Graham Gooch and Wayne Larkins carried England to a lead of 149 with nine wickets standing … well, what could possibly go wrong? Enter Bruce Reid – finally, ominously, fit after years of injury niggles – who began dispatching thunderbolts from his left-arm skyscraping line. England’s next highest score was 8, they lost their last six wickets for three runs. And despite two early wickets hinting that a target of 197 might still be taxing, Mark Taylor and David Boon munched the rest of the chase without breaking sweat. No wonder the Tiger Moths seemed a good idea.Head down for Devon Malcolm as India look set to win•Getty ImagesCalcutta 1992-93Where do you start with England’s tour of India in 1992-93? How about the initial squad, a graffiti-tag of bits-and-pieces squiggles that was deemed so vulgar that MCC convened an emergency meeting to debate the omission of two masterpieces, David Gower and Jack Russell? But that was nothing compared to the team for the first Test itself … which featured no fewer than four front-line seamers, but neither of England’s first-choice spinners, John Emburey and Phil Tufnell – Ian Salisbury was pitched in instead after turning a few leggies in the nets. India, by contrast (and you sense they may have had the inside track here…) plumped for two allrounders in Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar, who bowled fewer than ten overs in either innings, and a three-prong spin attack including the young Anil Kumble. England would blame the smog, the trains, the alignment of the planets … and even the local prawns. But, having not toured India since winning there eight years earlier, and having seen them off with ease on home soil in 1990, they simply forgot it might actually be a challenge.Brisbane 1958-59″If there was one regrettable tendency on the part of the players as a whole it was towards complacency … seven years of success on the cricket field had not brought team spirit so much as a belief that, when needed, everything would come right.” Wise words from Bill Bowes in the 1959 Cricketer Spring Annual, after the dismantling of an all-time great England team at the hands of a vengeful Australia. In scenes eerily reminiscent of that 2013-14 meltdown, a team led by Peter May and boasting stars such as Colin Cowdrey, Jim Laker and Fred Trueman were routed 4-0 by Richie Benaud’s resurgent Aussies. The tone was set on the opening day of the series at Brisbane, as England were skittled in two sessions en route to an eight-wicket defeat. There were some righteous gripes about a few bowling actions – Ian Meckiff’s left-arm exocets were particularly disconcerting – but after three Ashes wins in a row, it was the squad’s collective failure to keep their eyes on the ball that cost them dearest.Mike Atherton with Ray Illingworth•Adrian Murrell/Getty ImagesAntigua 1997-98For two decades, England had travelled to the Caribbean with hope rather than expectation (and more often than not, not even that). But in the spring of 1998, England sensed a changing of the guard, and after battling unevenly in the previous summer’s Ashes, Mike Atherton was persuaded to stay on as captain and attempt to storm the citadel. For the bulk of the campaign they were brawling – they lost a thriller in Trinidad before winning the rematch a week later (the Sabina Park fiasco also added an extra layer of intrigue). Their initial goal eluded them after a thumping in Guyana, but then their shot at a shared series unravelled with miserable haste too. England folded for 127 on the first day in Antigua before Clayton Lambert and Philo Wallace – less Greenidge and Haynes, more Laurel and Hardy – spanked their side to an impregnable lead with the most unedifying top-order slogging ever witnessed in the Caribbean. Still there was a chance for England to emerge with pride as Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe dug in for the draw. But then Thorpe sold his partner a dummy with a single to midwicket, and England spluffed their last seven wickets for 26.Cape Town, 1995-96How to ruin three months of hard yakka in half a session of nonsense. England had battled, and battled, and battled through their first tour of South Africa since Apartheid, never more gamely than in Mike Atherton’s mighty rearguard at Johannesburg. But in the fifth and final Test at Newlands, with the series still stuck at 0-0, their resolve crumbled in farcical circumstances. On a tricky surface, South Africa had scrapped to 171 for 9 in reply to 153, when the frog-in-the-blender Paul Adams came out to join Dave Richardson. His batting technique was no less homespun than his bowling action, and in an hour of wind-up-and-wallop he hauled that lead to an insurmountable 91. Recriminations abounded as they stumbled to a ten-wicket defeat – and heads galore were made to roll by England’s dictatorial supremo Ray Illingworth, whose tour-long disparaging of Devon Malcolm came to a head in the dressing-room after his failure to make the key breakthrough. Robin Smith never played again, despite top-scoring with 66 in the first innings, and even Alec Stewart was put out to pasture at the age of 33, only to be granted a reprieve by injury the following summer. As for that winter, England’s sour mood never recovered. They were slamdunked 6-1 in the subsequent ODIs, before embarking on a World Cup campaign in the subcontinent that, in spite of numerous pretenders to the crown, still has a claim to be the most embarrassing and ill-starred of the lot.Derek Randall is dismissed off Richard Hadlee’s bowling•Getty ImagesChristchurch 1983-84It’s safe to assume that England’s tourists enjoyed their time in New Zealand in 1983-84. What they can remember of it, however, is not entirely clear. In between the white-water rafting and newspaper allegations of pot smoking, they somehow failed to turn up for the second Test in Christchurch, where instead a team of cyphers “put up an exhibition,” according to Wisden, “that would have shamed a side in the lower reaches of the County Championship”. Shorn of fast bowlers by injury, England turned to the Surrey seamer, Tony Pigott (in the right place at what turned out to be the wrong time). He postponed his wedding to play his only Test and was part of an inept bowling display in which Richard Hadlee top-scored with 99 from 81 balls. That, however, was England’s high point. In consecutive innings they were routed for 82 and 93 – Hadlee inevitably to the fore with 8 for 44 all told. “I walked in at 47 for 7 for my first innings in Test cricket and thought, ‘Well, this is interesting’,” Pigott later told ESPNcricinfo. That was one word for it.Kingston 2008-09This was a cleansing humiliation – the sort of therapeutic flagellation on a Caribbean island that Hollywood A-listers would pay good money for in the wake of a messy divorce. And that is precisely what English cricket had just put itself through, amid Kevin Pietersen’s and Peter Moores’ contentious uncoupling in the final weeks of 2008. The new captain, Andrew Strauss, and new coach Andy Flower, attempted to heal the wounds of a traumatised squad, only for Jerome Taylor to inflict a whole new world of pain on an inspired afternoon at Sabina Park. There was no warning of what was to come as England began their second innings, 40 minutes before lunch on the fourth morning, with a manageable deficit of 74. But from the moment Alastair Cook edged to slip for a duck, panic seized their every movement. The convenient, and frankly compliant scapegoat, was Ian Bell, whose rancid cut on the stroke of lunch left England 11 for 2 in the tenth over, and ripe for the plucking. Barely two hours later it was all over – 51 all out, Taylor 5 for 11 in nine. West Indies victorious by an innings and 17. Bell would spend the rest of the tour on the margins, learning to toughen up – a spell of purdah that would genuinely transform his career. And similarly, though England were thwarted in their bid to get back into the series, all was forgiven when they reclaimed the Ashes in the summer, and began their march to No. 1 in the world. Who knew that a full body purge could be so good for you?Curtly Ambrose traps Mike Atherton first ball for 0•Getty ImagesPort of Spain 1993-94Just so that we’re clear, this is a tribute to English incompetence, rather than an ode to the irresistibility of their (many and varied) conquerors. So while it would be rude to overlook the extraordinary, indefatigable, over-my-dead-body magnificence of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, the last true kings of the Caribbean, it would also be out-of-kilter to ignore the accidents, errors and ineptitudes that led to England being routed for 46 all out. It remains their lowest Test total since 1887, and it came in a contest that they had dominated since the very first morning. It would be remiss not to remind Graeme Hick, for instance, of the two crucial chances he spilled at slip off the teenaged Shivnarine Chanderpaul, that effectively doubled England’s target from a docile 100-odd to a daunting 194. Or to remind Mark Ramprakash of his catatonic response to Mike Atherton’s first-ball lbw – when such accidents happen, Test No. 3s tend to rise above them, rather than run themselves out off the first scoring shot of the innings.Adelaide 2006-07Like the battle of Alesia in Asterix and the Chieftain’s Shield, Adelaide was such a traumatic and discombulating rout, most of its witnesses have been in denial ever since. Did it ever happen? Personally, I’m still not convinced. I mean, whoever heard of a team declaring on 551 for 6 after a 300-run stand for the fourth wicket, and losing? What sort of a nonsense scenario allows a side to go into the fifth and final day of a Test match with nine wickets standing and a lead of 97 in the third innings, and still lose? How can a bowler get schooled for figures of 53-9-157-1 in the first innings, then inveigle his way into his opponents’ deepest and most forbidden anxieties second-time round? Ah, well, when that bowler is Shane Warne, and the opponent is England, I guess all bets are off. In successive Warne overs, a moment of tragedy and a moment of farce shredded England’s final-day facade – Andrew Strauss was given out to a stinker of a decision at short leg, before a headless Ian Bell was run out to leave two new batsmen on 0. One of those, Kevin “Warne will never bowl me round my legs” Pietersen, was then bowled round his legs by Warne. The rest was a formality. And as word spread throughout the nation, Adelaide’s CBD ground to a halt as the city’s office-workers trooped across the river to join in the gawping. At least that’s what I thought until I woke up. It was remarkably vivid.