Despite flat-track preferences, this was a victory that displayed skill and nous

Cameron Ponsonby20-Oct-2025When the going’s good, this England team is great.The common critique of Harry Brook’s team, and Jos Buttler’s before him, is that they are flat-track bullies. The best in the world when the odds are in their favour but one-dimensional when they are not.The opening T20I at Christchurch hinted towards that. They slipped to 81 for 5 on a wicket that was lively, only to be bailed out by Sam Curran and New Zealand’s lasagne hands. A total of 153 may look under par, but at the lowest scoring ground in the country, where the average run rate is 7.8 (aka, a final score of 156), it was a step in the right direction for a team aiming to add brains to their brawn.Cut to 48 hours later and, while the match was on the same wicket, it was a different pitch. Less live grass plus two days of sun had both captains scratching their heads at what to do. Mitchell Santner said bowl, but wasn’t sure.”We’ll see if there’s anything there,” Santner said at the toss. “And if there’s not it might be more of a challenge.”It was more of a challenge.England’s 236 for 4 blitzed the previous highest score at Hagley Oval by over 30 runs. In the history of international T20 cricket at the venue there had only ever been four scores above 170. All things considered, this was an anomalous performance. And a close-to-perfect one at that.”The boundaries are way back,” Curran said after the first match. “A couple of balls you smack and it goes nowhere.”But while England did pack their biceps, striking ten sixes, they also packed their running shoes, scampering 16 twos across the innings. Brook and Phil Salt’s partnership cruised along in fifth gear but took different forms. The boundary may be big, but that means the outfield is too.”He’s very good at playing the field,” Santner explained after the match. “Both him and Salt were very smart using the wind and were able to run hard and hit the pockets on the big side. I think they had 20-something twos (16) and when it’s tough to find dots, when you go two, then four, you’re leaking.”Despite unfurling his ramp once more, Brook’s strengths came down the ground•AFP/Getty ImagesBrook had spoken about this innings before he played it. Ahead of the series he explained his “disappointment” at his white-ball returns. For all the glamour of his roly-poly ramp shots in the Hundred, they weren’t where he believed his strengths lied. He wanted to stand there. And hit straight.”That’s one goal for me this series,” he said, one day out from the first match. “Just to try and play on instinct as much as possible.”All five of Brook’s sixes came from the City End, where the leg-side was to the shorter boundary and had the wind in assistance. Two landed in the stands, one dropped onto the roof, and two went over it.Related

• Finisher Banton is back where he started as career comes full-circle

• Curran comes in from the cold with several points to prove

• Salt, Brook fireworks set up crushing England win

• Rain ruins Christchurch opener after Curran claws England to 153

• Brook parks Ashes chat to train focus on New Zealand

Salt had been on 39 off 21 when Brook arrived at the crease. But when it became clear Brook was the man of the moment his strike-rate slowed as he focused on getting his captain back on strike. From his next 35 balls he made just 46 runs but England continued to motor.Salt is on four T20I centuries. Only Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma have five, a stat of which Salt is aware, but one he put to one side.”The difference between me going on and getting that score or not was getting Brooky on strike,” he said afterwards. “And, 100 times over, I’d like to be at the other end watching that again.”That’s batting, isn’t it? You have to take the ego out of it.”This was as complete a performance as England could have hoped for. A coach’s dream, in which all parties played their role. Two batters batted big, and those that didn’t, did so quickly. All of Jacob Bethell (24), Tom Banton (29*) and Sam Curran (8*) struck at above 200.”It’s warming to be able to say ‘lads, you go do your thing’,” was Brook’s conclusion at the close.Rashid and Dawson benefitted from England’s willingness to attack their catches in the deep•Joe Allison/Getty ImagesEngland’s perfect day extended to ball in hand as well. Brydon Carse took two up top, before the spin duo of Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid killed the game in the middle. Dawson bowled four through the middle, counterintuitively bowling to New Zealand’s left-hand-heavy middle order to the shorter side, but keeping his line wide. Until Santner got a hold of him in his final over, it worked. After 3.4 overs his figures were 2 for 18. Somehow, his final two legal deliveries conceded 20 runs. We’ll brush over that bit.”Dawson bowling to the short side,” Santner said afterwards. “I thought that was very smart, keeping it off the batsman.”Even Rashid’s four-fer, all of which were caught in the deep, came with thought attached, as those on the large square boundaries were instructed to settle five or ten metres in from the rope.”That’s something we spoke about,” Brook said of his fielders roaming around. “There’s a lot of balls plinked into the outfield and if our fielders were on the rope they’re probably not carrying. So that’s another positive move about taking wickets.”So much of T20 cricket comes down to volatility. One player executing on the day and wrenching the match in one direction or the other. England’s joy this evening will be their success at the bits that are repeatable. Plans were made. And plans were executed.”That’s part of being a team,” Salt concluded. “You have to take the ego out of it. Everything is team first and team orientated. And long may that continue.”

West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has made an admission about his future at the club amid repeated suggestions he could leave in January.

Paqueta’s time at West Ham has been intriguing to say the least, and fresh speculation has emerged recently about a potential winter exit from the London Stadium.

West Ham paid £51 million to secure his services in a club-record deal from Lyon three years ago, with the Brazilian quickly establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most technically gifted playmakers in his debut season under David Moyes.

Paqueta helped the Hammers to a glorious Conference League triumph that year, their first major trophy since 1980 and first European trophy since 1965, but a spot-fixing scandal then began to overshadow his time at the London Stadium.

The 28-year-old was charged with four alleged breaches of FA rule E5.1 in May 2024, relating to matches involving West Ham, with allegations that he directly sought to influence matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for influence of the betting market.

The investigation, which began in August 2023, cast a dark cloud over his future, with the FA once seeking a lifetime ban for him. Throughout the ordeal, West Ham stood firmly by their star man, and in July this year, he was finally cleared.

With that uncertain point of his career finally over, Paqueta got back to focusing on the pitch, and clubs also started taking an interest in the £150,000-per-week star.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Aston Villa tried to sign Paqueta in the summer, but he ultimately chose to stay put and show loyalty to a side who backed him off the field.

However, credible reports are indicating that his long-term future could be away from Rush Green. The Times recently reported that Paqueta is keen to leave West Ham as early as next month, with Fabrizio Romano also backing up that the ex-Ligue 1 star’s exit is a realistic possibility.

Lucas Paqueta makes West Ham transfer admission and expects move to happen

Now, the player himself has come out to make a revelation of his own.

Speaking to Brazilian outlet Globo, as translated by Standard Sport, Paqueta says that he had a desire to return to Flamengo in the most recent summer window, and he expects that transfer to happen eventually due to his close ties with the club.

Paqueta’s current deal expires in 2027, and while Nuno Espirito Santo won’t want to lose him in January, a summer transfer certainly appears on the cards next year.

Unfortunately for chairman David Sullivan, by that point, the Irons wouldn’t be in a position to demand big money for the player with just one year remaining on his contract.

Flamengo’s best opportunity to strike a reunion could be next year, if a more illustrious European or Premier League big-hitter don’t move to entice him first.

Stats highlights from Newlands, where South Africa posted their fourth-highest total in Tests

Shubh Agarwal04-Jan-2025615 – South Africa amassed their fourth-highest total at Newlands, Cape Town in the second Test against Pakistan, also their fourth 600-plus total at this venue. They fell only five runs short of 620 for 7d when they punished the Pakistan bowlers in the New Year Test in 2003. Their other two top scores are 627 for 7 against England in 2016 and 651 against Australia in 2009.259 – Ryan Rickelton was the nucleus around whom the hosts made the most of the batting-friendly conditions. Scoring his second Test ton, Rickelton broke a number of records during his 259 off 343 balls. He became the first South African batter to score a double-hundred since Hashim Amla’s 201, also in Cape Town, in 2016. Among openers, he is the first South African since Graeme Smith who scored a match-winning 234 against Pakistan in Dubai in 2013. His 259 is also the second-highest individual score at this venue, only behind Stephen Fleming’s 262 in 2006.235 – Rickelton added 235 runs for the fourth wicket with Temba Bavuma, who contributed 106 to South Africa’s mammoth total. It is the highest fourth-wicket stand for South Africa against Pakistan, surpassing the previous record set by Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers – 179 in Abu Dhabi 2010. Overall, it is the fourth-highest partnership for South Africa against Pakistan.Related

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• Rickelton's marathon 259, Verreynne century thump hapless Pakistan

• Invincible Rickelton gives his international cred a shot in the arm

• Bavuma, Rickelton prove, in their own special ways, that they can and they will

3 – Kyle Verreynne was the third centurion of the innings, scoring 100 off 147 deliveries including five sixes. It has been a productive season for Verreynne. He had only one hundred in 18 Tests at the start of the season and now he has added three more to his tally in six Tests, with hundreds against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. He has leveled Denis Lindsay (1966/67) and AB de Villiers (2012/13 and 2013/14) for the most Test hundreds by a South African wicketkeeper in a season.4 – Pakistan’s sorry bowling card had Mir Hamza, Khurram Shahzad, Aamer Jamal and Salman Agha going for more than 100 runs. Meanwhile, Mohammad Abbas finished with 3 for 94. This is the second time in three months that four or more Pakistan bowlers have conceded more than 100 runs in an innings. In the first Test against England in Multan, six Pakistan bowlers went for over a 100 runs as England eased to 823/7d.33.76 – Pakistan now average 33.76 with the ball in this World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, the worst among all teams. On the contrary, South Africa average the best at 23.23 runs per wicket. It is also a function of the kind of pitches these teams have played on – Pakistan mostly on flatter tracks at home and South Africa on spicy pitches. But adding to their woes, Pakistan also have a poor record in Cape Town. In the 21st century, they now average 43.3 in Cape Town, the poorest among all venues in South Africa.6 – On a positive note, Mohammad Rizwan took six catches in the innings, leveling Rashid Latif (against Zimbabwe in 1998) and Adnan Akmal (against New Zealand in 2011) for most catches for a Pakistani wicketkeeper in an innings. The record belongs to Wasim Bari with seven catches against New Zealand in 1979.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo termina a primeira janela de transferências de 2024 com “apenas” três contratações, mas trouxe nomes certeiros que elevam o nível da equipe. Nicolás de la Cruz, Matías Vinã e Léo Ortiz chegam ao Rubro-Negro já consagrados no futebol brasileiro e sul-americano e brigarão pela titularidade em posições antes carentes do time.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Flamengo

O perfil de contratações do Flamengo segue o pensamento de Tite, já externado à imprensa. O treinador afirmou que gostaria de reforços que qualificassem a equipe imediatamente. Caso contrário, daria preferência ao desenvolvimento de atletas da base. Assim, o clube investiu em jogadores mais “prontos”, todos com passagens por suas seleções.

DE LA CRUZ

Primeiro contratado pelo Rubro-Negro em 2024, De La Cruz era sonho antigo da diretoria e chega com status de titular no time de Tite. Polivalente, meio-campista já foi utilizado tanto aberto pela direita quanto como segundo volante e tem tido boas atuações. Um dos melhores jogadores da América do Sul nos últimos anos, o uruguaio custou US$ 16 milhões aos cofres do Flamengo para tirá-lo do River Plate

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MATÍAS VIÑA

Compatriota de Nico, Viña retorna ao Brasil após passagem na Europa. Destaque do Palmeiras na Libertadores de 2020 e 2021, o titular da seleção do Uruguai pertencia à Roma e estava emprestado ao Sassuolo. Custou ao Rubro-Negro oito milhões de euros (mais um milhão em possíveis bônus) e disputará posição com Ayrton Lucas, após saída de Filipe Luís.

LÉO ORTIZ

Último reforço do Flamengo nesta janela de transferências, Léo Ortiz chega para surprir um buraco no elenco e brigar pela titularidade no time. Após as saídas de Pablo e Rodrigo Caio, Tite contava apenas com Léo Pereira, Fabrício Bruno e David Luiz para o setor, além do jovem da base Cleiton. Já convocado pelo técnico para a Seleção Brasileira, o zagueiro foi adquirido por sete milhões de euros (mais um milhão em possíveis bônus).

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Flamengo

تحدث الحكم الدولي، محمود البنا، عن أسباب إعلان قرار اعتزاله مبكرًا، ليضع حدًا لمسيرته التحكيمية التي امتدت لأربعة وعشرين عامًا.

وكان محمود البنا، قد أكد في بيان رسمي نشره عبر صفحته الرسمية على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيسبوك”، أن قرار اعتزاله جاء نتيجة ظروف غير عادلة، طالع التفاصيل

وقال محمود البنا، ضيف برنامج “الكورة مع فايق”، على قناة “إم بي سي مصر”، عن سبب الاعتزال المبكر: “قرار الاعتزال هو الأصعب لأي شخص يعمل في كرة القدم، خاصة للحكم الذي يتحمل الضغط وحده، سواء في التدريب أو العلاج أو مواجهة الجماهير والسوشيال ميديا”.

وتابع: “تحملت كل ذلك لأنني أحب التحكيم وأشعر بالتقدير، لكن حين شعرت بأني لم أعد مقدرًا رغم تاريخي المحلي والدولي، قررت الاعتزال”.

وبسؤاله هل الاعتزال بسبب عدم القدرة على العطاء؟، نفى ذلك تمامًا، مؤكدا أنه ما زال في قمة مستواه، وكان ضمن نخبة حكام “A” في كاف، ومعه محمد معروف وأمين عمر المرشحان لكأس العالم، مضيفًا أن وجوده في هذه النخبة أكبر دليل على جاهزيته.

وذكر أنه تم استبعاده من القائمة الدولية، وبالتالي استبعد تلقائيًا من بطولة أمم إفريقيا 2026، رغم أن أحد مسؤولي كاف أكد له أنه سيكون موجودًا في البطولة.

وكشف أنه عندما صدرت القائمة تفاجأ باختفاء اسمه، وهو ما أدى أيضًا إلى فقدان مصر مقعدًا من مقاعد الحكام في البطولة، بعد أن انخفض العدد من سبعة حكام العام الماضي إلى ستة هذا الموسم، رغم خبرته ومشاركته السابقة في بطولتين لأمم إفريقيا.

وعن أزمته مع أوسكار رويز، رئيس لجنة الحكام، أوضح أن مشكلته بدأت بعد تولي أوسكار رويز مسؤولية التحكيم؛ إذ شعر بأن استبعاده كان شخصيًا، وخلال الفترة التي عمل فيها معه أدار فقط أربع مباريات، وهو ما رآه غير منطقي مقارنة بتاريخه، إذ يعد أكثر حكام جيله إدارة للمباريات (188 مباراة)، وأدار أكبر عدد من لقاءات الأندية الجماهيرية والمباريات الكبرى محليا وإفريقيا.

وأشار إلى أنه عندما تواصل مع لجنة الحكام، أخبروه أن رويز يستبعده دون أسباب واضحة، فتحدث معه ليعرفه بتاريخه وخبرته الدولية، لكن رويز، بحسب حديث البنا، لم يتقبل الحوار، وتكرر الاستبعاد عند بداية الموسم الجديد.

البنا أكد أن استبعاده من القائمة الدولية كان “المسمار الأخير” في قراره، فالقائمة لم تعلن رغم أن كل دول إفريقيا أعلنت قوائمها، وهو يرى أن استبعاده بلا مبرر، خاصة أن معايير اختيار القائمة واضحة: اللياقة البدنية، اللياقة الطبية، المستوى الفني، وفيفا يطلب أفضل سبعة حكام في هذه المعايير، متسائلا: “كيف لا أكون من بين السبعة وأنا الذي أدرت أهم مباريات الموسم مثل السوبر؟”.

ورغم أن رويز أسند له السوبر المصري، يرى البنا أن ذلك لا ينفي استبعاده المتعمد، إذ إن القرار النهائي بيد الاتحاد، الذي، بحسب قوله، منح رويز كل الصلاحيات.

وعن “تجديد الدماء”، رفض البنا مبرر تجديد القائمة، لأن مصر لديها بالفعل حكمان مرشحان لكأس العالم (معروف وأمين عمر)، والقائمة ليست بها أزمة تستدعي الإطاحة بحكم صاحب خبرات ومشاركات كبرى، كما أن التحكيم المصري ممثل في بطولات الكاف بعدد جيد من الحكام.

There’s reportedly no way back for one West Ham star as Nuno Espírito Santo ultimately decides that he doesn’t want the player, and a January exit is now described as inevitable.

The pressure on Nuno’s shoulders has slightly eased following back-to-back victories against Newcastle and Burnley, which also gifted the Hammers some much-needed encouragement over surviving the relegation dog scrap.

Before their only consecutive home wins since October last year, West Ham looked nailed on for a drop to the Championship for the first time since 2011, but six points from Nuno’s last two matches have suddenly flipped the narrative on its head.

However, things don’t get any easier for West Ham from this point onward, with Nuno braced for a tough round of fixtures just after the international break.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

The east Londoners take on Bournemouth and Liverpool before travelling to Man United, who are enjoying a resurgence under Ruben Amorim, with Aston Villa and Premier League title contenders Man City awaiting them over the festive period as well.

After that, the January transfer window does represent a major lifeline for West Ham, and reports suggest the club are set for a very active winter when it comes to incomings and outgoings. Sky Sports report that West Ham are targeting a new defender, midfielder and striker in January, with Nuno given assurances that David Sullivan and co have money to spend on fresh talent.

We’re also likely to see a fair few players head out the exit door, not least striker Niclas Füllkrug, who has apparently been given the green-light to leave after a lacklustre spell marred by injuries and a lack of form.

West Ham could also sell Guido Rodriguez for pure profit after signing him on a free transfer from Real Betis last year, but one player who looks the most likely to depart by far is midfielder James Ward-Prowse.

The 31-year-old was axed from West Ham’s matchday squad immediately after Nuno’s arrival, despite being vice-captain under Graham Potter and a “quiet leader” of the team.

James Ward-Prowse "almost certain" to leave West Ham after Nuno decision

For anybody wondering, there is basically no chance for Ward-Prowse to play his way back into contention, with Nuno fully deciding that he’s surplus to requirements.

That is according to journalist Dean Jones, who told TEAMtalk this week that the Englishman is “almost certain” to leave as David Moyes’ Everton take real interest.

The question for West Ham is how much money they can recuperate from Ward-Prowse’s sale, and how much could be reinvested into bolstering key areas when the January window opens for business.

Sullivan will also be keen to get the former Southampton star’s £115,000-per-week wages off the books, as he is currently the club’s fourth-highest earner behind Alphonse Areola, Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen.

With six days before the MLB trade deadline, the New York Mets have landed on the board by trading for relief pitcher Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, SNY's Andy Martinio reported. ESPN's Jeff Passan confirmed the news.

Acquiring a relief pitcher was high on the list for the Mets' needs ahead of the deadline. Since the All-Star break, three of New York's relief pitchers—Max Kranick, Dedniel Nunez and Brandon Waddell—all landed on the injured list. Kranick and Waddell are on the 15-day IL, while Nunez is on the 60-day IL.

In order to hold on to their close NL East lead in the second half of the season, the Mets needed strong relief pitching. The Mets' 59–44 record puts them 0.5 games ahead of the Phillies as of Friday.

Soto has appeared in 45 games so far this season for the Orioles, posting a 3.96 ERA in that span. He's pitched 36.1 innings and struck out 44 batters. He's had 29 hits, 16 earned runs and two home runs hit on him.

He confirmed he will continue to play domestic and franchise cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2025Pakistan batter Asif Ali has announced his retirement from international cricket. Asif, 33, played 21 ODIs and 58 T20Is, mainly as a finisher in the middle order.An aggressive batter, his most renowned knock is likely the seven-ball 25 he scored in a tense win over Afghanistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup.”Wearing the Pakistan jersey has been the greatest honour of my life and serving my country on the cricket field has been my proudest chapter,” he said in a social media post.Asif confirmed that he will continue to play domestic cricket and in franchise leagues around the world.Asif made his T20I debut against West Indies in April 2018 after helping Islamabad United win the PSL that year, hitting three successive sixes at a cruicial point in the chase in the final. Two months later, an ODI debut followed.In his heyday, though, Asif was viewed as something of a revolutionary for Pakistan cricket. At a time when they were short of genuine power hitters, Asif was fast-tracked into both white-ball sides. However, his own game was at times misunderstood by Pakistan’s selection and management team. Primarily a finisher, he often came in at number six in ODI cricket, much earlier than was conducive to his talents. In T20Is, he batted an average of just over seven balls an innings across his 58-match career, and finished over a quarter of his innings unbeaten: an indication he had come in too late and generally been underused.However, it is those brief cameos that provided produced the most enthralling moments Asif delivered. Against Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup in 2021, with Pakistan needing 24 off the final two overs, he smashed four sixes off Karim Janat’s 19th over to secure Pakistan’s progression to the semifinals. The following year at the Asia Cup, his 8-ball 16 spree secured Pakistan a win over India that took them through to the tournament’s final.But that was something of a last hurrah. A poor T20 World Cup followed, with Asif a peripheral figure even as Pakistan made their way to the final. Consistency was never a strength, but as his form deserted him, Pakistan began to produce a younger group of big hitters. His last appearance proper for the Pakistan side took place against India at the MCG that year, before making a smattering of appearances for a second-string Pakistan side in the 2023 Asian Games.”I retire with immense gratitude, and will continue to share my passion for the game by playing domestic and league cricket worldwide,” Asif said.

Allrounder reveals details of phone call with Brendon McCullum as he plots international recall

Matt Roller05-Feb-2025Player of the tournament in a World Cup win. More than 100 England caps across all formats. Back-to-back Hundred trophies, one as MVP. Million-dollar IPL contracts. A walk-on role in a County Championship three-peat. At 26, Sam Curran has already achieved more than most cricketers manage across their lifetime.Yet as he heads towards the peak years of most sporting careers, Curran is experiencing a lull: for the first time since he burst into international cricket nearly seven years ago, he finds himself outside of England’s squads in all three formats. There is little doubt that he will be back at some stage, but life on the fringes brings an uneasy novelty.Curran has kept his head down since he was left out of England’s white-ball squads for their tour to India and the subsequent Champions Trophy, with his focus on the ILT20 in the UAE. But he has decided the time is now right to address it, telling ESPNcricinfo from Dubai that he will be “banging the door” down until he is back in the international set-up.Related

Sam Curran added to England T20I squads as Ben Duckett takes break

England blown to bits-and-pieces as part-timers' bowling strategy backfires

Curran 'a bit gutted' to be overlooked as Stokes' replacement

Why England should back Curran for T20I middle-order spot

Curran bounces back to give England title-winning edge

“There were loads of different reasons I didn’t get picked,” Curran says. “More so the T20s, but I naturally felt I should have been in both teams. But they’ve obviously got their plans and you can look at the way they’re lining up now… The 50-over side is going to be similar to the T20 line-up, and they wanted the same structure of the top six.”At the time of his omission, Curran spoke to Brendon McCullum – whom he is yet to play under – and valued the clarity he received. “He just said: ‘You’re not in right now, but go away, score runs and take wickets.’ I respected it a lot: sometimes you just get the easy: ‘It’s not the end.’ But it was pretty clear what they wanted me to do.”Yet there is a sense that McCullum might consider his style of bowling – left-arm swing rather than seam, and speeds closer to 80mph than 90mph – an awkward fit in his England teams. His first white-ball squads contained a battery of right-arm quicks, and he overlooked Curran last summer when Ben Stokes’ hamstring tear had seemed to open up a return to the Test side.It prompted Curran to reveal his fear that he no longer “fit the mould” that England were looking for – less through his personality than his physical attributes. With McCullum in charge across formats and making abundantly clear that his preference is for a level of convergence in selection, the route back is unlikely to be entirely straightforward.But England’s 4-1 defeat to India served to highlight the value of variety in any T20 side, however expensive Curran has proved in the past two years. It means that twelve months out from another T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, the unlikely star of England’s 2022 triumph is confident that he can force his way into the side.Curran says England’s 2022 T20 World Cup win “feels quite a while ago”•AFP/Getty Images”Everyone knows things can change quickly,” Curran says. “I’m the type of guy that will go away and do well and improve. It was just a case of them going with the top six they want, and backing the five bowlers they’ve chosen. [McCullum] told me to keep banging the door down and I feel like I’ve come here and done pretty well. I’m in a good headspace.”Curran has taken the setback as well as could be hoped but the two years since England’s T20 World Cup win have not been without their challenges. He was dropped early in their disastrous defence of the 50-over World Cup and his form has oscillated between extremes – as is the case for most players whose calendars are dominated by T20.”It feels quite a while ago,” he reflects on England’s win in Australia. “There were some tough times for the team [after that]. It’s just been inconsistency, being in and out a lot of the time. That was the big message from above: go away and show consistency. I feel like hopefully I’ve done that, and will keep doing that.”

“I’m driven by winning trophies… If I can finish the tournament with loads of runs, a lot of wickets and winning a trophy, I feel that’s all I can really do”Sam Curran on playing in the ILT20

Curran is playing for Desert Vipers, Avram Glazer’s franchise, in the ILT20 and his performances helped them finish top of the group stages. He has taken six wickets with the ball but his main role has been with the bat: used in his preferred role at No. 4, he is their second-highest run-scorer and has walked off unbeaten in three successful run chases.Curran’s batting record in T20 internationals makes for ugly reading – an average of 14.24 and a strike rate of 124.47 – and it is increasingly clear that England have used him out of position. He has had no impact when used as a finisher but can control an innings from the middle order: his only T20 half-century for England came in his only innings at No. 4.If McCullum continues to favour high pace, consistent run-scoring may yet be the best way to get noticed. With England’s middle order struggling badly against spin, Curran’s status as a left-hander should play in his favour: he could feasibly be used as the one lower-tempo batter in a line-up of power-hitters, as Ben Stokes was during their 2022 success.Consolation came through the identity of the winning bidders: Chennai Super Kings, his old team. “I was buzzing,” Curran says, laughing off the significance of the price tag. “Chennai was where I kickstarted my IPL career. As soon as I was picked up, I had 10-15 messages from people who were there four years ago.”He will finally get to experience their home crowd this year, with his previous stints coinciding with Covid-enforced neutral venues. “I’ve played there as the away team, and you see the love for the players. It also helps when you have the habit of winning and great consistency with [Stephen] Fleming and those guys who have been there since the start.”A short break in the meantime will allow Curran a rare opportunity to take stock, and to keep his career in perspective. “Cricket – especially T20, let’s be honest – is very fickle,” he says. “You can get a good ball, or two bad ones, and it goes the other way: that’s what happens in T20. But for now, I’ve just got to keep banging the door down.”

Robert Lewandowski claimed Barcelona are now even 'stronger' after making a long-awaited return to their iconic Camp Nou home with a 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Club. The Polish forward opened the scoring early in the game before Ferran Torres grabbed a brace and Fermin Lopez netted for the Blaugrana as they kept up the defence of their La Liga title.

• Dream return to Camp Nou

  Barcelona returned to Camp Nou on Saturday after a two-year exile due to the renovation of the venue. Hansi Flick's side marked the comeback to the iconic stadium with a memorable 4-0 win over Athletic Club in La Liga. Lewandowski scored the opening goal in the fourth minute before Torres doubled the team's lead at the stroke of half-time.

  Shortly after the break, Lopez added a third goal before Torres completed the demolition with a second strike in the 90th minute to seal important three points for the Blaugrana. 

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  'We're a slightly stronger team'

  Speaking to after the match, Lewandowski said: "We were returning to Camp Nou, and it was a special day for us. We're very happy to be able to play here. From the beginning, we played very well, scoring two goals in the first half and another two in the second. We added three more points, although the most important thing is that we're back here. Simply because it's a different experience when we play here."

  He added: "We were determined to attack from the start. So it felt special to score the first goal. I'm very proud. We have a very good team and now we have to look ahead. When we play at Camp Nou, we're a slightly stronger team."

• Williams faced hostility

  Nico Williams was strongly linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer transfer window until he decided against signing for the Catalan giants at the last moment and signed a new contract at Athletic Club. Thus, Barcelona fans were naturally angry at the Spain international winger as he faced hostility from the home crowd during the game.

  At full-time, Williams' team-mate Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta told reporters: "I was expecting this atmosphere, and I saw him calm. We’re gutted. We knew we had to do everything perfectly and that they had to have an off day. We have to pick ourselves up quickly because we have a game on Tuesday. Any mistake is punished against players of that calibre, even more so. Missing any game is a real bummer, and I’m gutted about it."

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  Why did Rashford miss Athletic Club clash?

  Rashford has reinvented himself under Flick at Barcelona after being frozen out at Manchester United under head coach Ruben Amorim. The England international move to the Catalan side in the summer transfer window on a one-year loan with an option to buy him permanently next season. Rashford has made a dream start to his journey with Barca and has also returned to the national team set-up.

  Unfortunately for Barcelona, he was ruled out of the clash at Camp Nou on Saturday after catching the flu. The official statement from the club read: "Marcus Rashford will miss today’s match against Athletic Club due to [the] flu."

  Flick will now hope that Rashford recovers quickly and is well enough for the trip to Chelsea on Tuesday in the Champions League and for their home La Liga encounter with Alaves next Saturday.