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ICC chief executive David Richardson has said that profitability of fixtures for broadcasters has been a stumbling block for getting top Associates Ireland and Afghanistan fixtures since their inclusion in the ICC ODI rankings table

Peter Della Penna in Dublin22-Jul-2015ICC chief executive David Richardson has said that profitability of fixtures for broadcasters has been a stumbling block for getting top Associates Ireland and Afghanistan fixtures since their inclusion in the ICC ODI rankings table earlier this year. However, he said that the possible creation of an ODI facilitation fund could help alleviate these obstacles.”It’s a fact that even matches between the lower-ranked Full Members, like Zimbabwe versus Sri Lanka for example, don’t make revenues so that the series are making a profit or if it does it’s making a very small profit,” Richardson said at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in Malahide. “You can imagine series between Afghanistan and the West Indies also cost a lot and the revenues might not necessarily be enough to cover those costs.”One of the talking points or suggestions that is being considered, and in October we’re having a joint meeting between our chief executives committee and the board on which there will be six representatives from the Associate members taking part in that discussion, will be trying to make sure that Full Members take some responsibility in scheduling fixtures against Associate members and if finances are a problem that we think of introducing an ODI fund similar to the Test fund that was introduced to help subsidise the costs of those series.”Richardson also said it is possible for Full Member countries to be forced to participate in future World Twenty20 Qualifiers. If Bangladesh or Zimbabwe finish outside the top eight spots on the ODI rankings table by September 2017, they will have to compete in the 50-over World Cup Qualifier with Associates for the final two spots in the 10-team event for 2019. That could be the case in the future for the ICC’s flagship T20 tournament as well.”When we put the package together for this next eight-year cycle, it was envisaged that we raise the profile of these qualifying tournaments, number one by making it crucial for qualification but also involving the Full Members, not excluding them from having to participate in these qualifying tournaments going forward. The objective to that is not only to make them self-sufficient and generate some more revenues for everybody for the development of the game but also just to raise the profile of these countries.”Before, for Holland, if they got to the World Cup they got a bit of profile.  If they just missed out, they lost out on that.  If we can raise the profile of these tournaments, and you’ve seen evenly matched teams provides for good entertainment, it will raise that profile. It is good for cricket in those countries as well, even if they don’t end up going to the tournament itself.”As for the ODI rankings table, if Zimbabwe were to dip below Afghanistan or Ireland, they may still be protected due to their Full Member status while the lower-ranked Associate would have a play-off with the top team in the WCL Championship for promotion into the ODI rankings table. Richardson conceded that this wasn’t meritocratic but that Zimbabwe had earned their status through historical performances, which needed to be taken into consideration.”At this stage the board, all they’ve agreed to do is say that it’s the lowest ranked Associate member who would play-off,” Richardson said. “At this stage we have got this distinction between Full Members and Associate members. I think long term, that distinction will eventually vanish but its really long term and not in the foreseeable future. A proper promotion and relegation would mean that the bottom ranked team would have to play off but that’s not the situation we’ve got. I think it’s a process and we’re working towards something.”Explaining the decision to move the World Twenty20 from a two- to a four-year cycle, Richardson argued it was done so as not to “kill the golden goose”. The increasing popularity of other domestic T20 tournaments such as the IPL, Big Bash and Caribbean Premier League were also factors.”I think the World T20 is valuable and if you play it too often it will become less valuable,” Richardson said. “We also have to recognise that around the world we have these domestic Twenty20 leagues which are high profile, are very attractive to broadcasters and it’s a case of there’s premium content out there and probably less is more.”A reduced tournament cycle means Associate nations will have fewer competitive and funding opportunities in a quadrennial World T20 cycle than the biennial tournament structure that was previously in place. However, Richardson claimed Associates will be better funded in other ways to make up for the loss in playing opportunities.”When it comes to funding for Associate members, it needs to be looked at not only in respect of participation fees,” Richardson said. “The bottom line is that a country like Ireland, with the projected revenues that the ICC is hoping to achieve over the next eight-year cycle, a doubling of the participation fee will be dwarfed by the increased funding Ireland will receive as one of the top Associate members.”Richardson commended the two host countries Ireland and Scotland for the job they have been doing in hosting the World Twenty20 Qualifier over the past two weeks. When asked what it would take to assign the World Twenty20 itself to an emerging market, similar to what World Rugby has done in awarding the 2019 Rugby World Cup to Japan, Richardson said that profitability would be the most important factor both from a gate revenue and television rights standpoint.”I don’t think it’s impossible to imagine. What we have to consider when awarding events is number one, will it at least optimise the revenues. So is it in the correct time zone, will sponsors want to get involved knowing that there’s an event in these particular places in the next four or five years? So that’s a factor that needs to be taken into consideration. At the moment we are too reliant on revenues generated out of India. It’s a problem for the game. Everybody says it.”If we can open up new markets, be it the USA, Europe or whatever, then there’s no reason we can’t take major global events to those regions. The other aspect of course is facilities. Cricket is difficult. We’ve got to have great facilities. We’ve tried Malaysia before for Under-19 events and yes everyone did their best and it wasn’t too bad but it wasn’t really good enough. So when we’re deciding whether to go to Kenya or Ireland, Ireland could probably manage it. But a major global event needs 40,000 to 50,000 seat stadiums. Those factors have to be taken into account.”

Ticket deals for 2024 are being put in place by MLS outfits, but watching Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will come at a serious cost to supporters.

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Argentine icon remains a star attractionPulls in audiences wherever he goesEntrance passes do not come cheapWHAT HAPPENED?

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner completed a stunning move to the United States in the summer of 2023. He made an immediate impact in new surroundings, with a historic Leagues Cup title delivered at DRV PNK Stadium – allowing Messi to become the most-decorated player of all-time.

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Unsurprisingly, the Argentine icon has become a star attraction in America – with A-list guests flocking to catch a glimpse of him in action. Clubs have also taken advantage of his global appeal by hiking their prices whenever the 2022 World Cup winner is in town.

DID YOU KNOW?

That will remain the case next season, with plans being put in place for the 2024 MLS campaign. Columbus Crew are said to have standard entrance passes available for $40, but will charge between $382 and $679 for a home date with Messi and Miami. The New York Red Bulls have also revealed that they will offering fans a deal that includes merchandise and a ticket to their first home fixture – unless of course that game is against Inter Miami, in which case the offer will roll over to the second home match.

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American supporters should get used to such an approach, with interest in Messi showing no sign of subsiding, and Inter Miami have already announced a price rise of between 46 and 82 percent when it comes to season tickets in Florida – with the cost of said passes now ranging from $800 to $10,000.

Declan Rice has admitted that David Beckham was the inspiration behind his long-range goal that started Arsenal's comeback against Chelsea on Satuday.

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Rice scored from distanceWas inspired by Beckham documentaryGoal sparked Arsenal comebackWHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal trailed 2-0 at Stamford Bridge before Rice capitalised on a mistake from Robert Sanchez. The Blues goalkeeper's wayward pass went straight to the midfielder and he smashed it first time into the net from outside the box. A few minutes later, Leandro Trossard went on to score another for the Gunners, securing a 2-2 draw.

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The England star says he had legendary midfielder Beckham's famous goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon on his mind after he saw the recent Netflix documentary on him.

WHAT THEY SAID

"Everyone’s been talking about this Beckham documentary, and I watched it for the first time last night," Rice said to club media. "The first couple of clips are the game against Wimbledon where he scored from the halfway line and I took a lot of belief from that.

"I was just thinking that it was bizarre that I watched it last night, and then obviously today taking that shot first time and scoring. It was a special goal to kickstart our comeback, you’ve got to keep shooting – if you shoot, you score!

"In a player’s mind, you get a split second to make a decision. It’s the quickest thing that you have to do; you've got to think whether you pass the ball, Leo was free in front of me, or you go for goal yourself. I’ve just watched it back, it was a great finish so I was happy with that."

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Arsenal hope to make it three games without defeat when they meet Sevilla in the Champions League on Tuesday.

He has been dropped and has struggled to be as effective as he once was, but Saeed Ajmal says it is all part of a plan and that he needs more time to rediscover his old form

Umar Farooq in Mirpur04-May-2015Saeed Ajmal ran through four batsmen in one hour during a training session under the scorching heat at Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. But he appeared to be bowling for the sake of it and helping the batsmen practice. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed was busy looking after Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar.Ajmal has struggled on his return to international cricket with a remodelled action. He has played only two ODIs and a T20, produced only one wicket in 22.3 overs and conceded runs at 6.57 per over. He was dropped for the final ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh, and subsequently sat out of the Khulna Test as well. Ajmal, however, said there was a plan in place and he needed time to regain his confidence as a bowler.”For me it’s been a tough last eight months and I knew it will be tough moving forward also,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I’d said prior to coming here that I need time and I am disappointed that I am not able to fulfil the expectations of the nation. But I spoke to the captain and the coach and they have a plan for me. I need time to regain my confidence. It doesn’t come in overnight.”Ajmal has been an important wicket-taker in the past and Pakistan may have banked on that reputation while picking him on the tour. That he was then dropped indicates the management may have lost some faith in him and he is eager to set that right.”I don’t want to play cricket on the basis of reputation,” he said. “I want to play with my head held high and with the same confidence level I had in the past. Things are not going well presently, but you will see in coming days that I have improved. If I am benched, that is the plan and the players playing in place of me are the best and performing well.”It’s true that you can go from bad to good and it’s also true that you can go from good to bad,” he added. “I don’t think I have changed my action significantly, only minor tweaks. I know my doosra is not being effective which is reflecting in my performance. But I am doing my best to get myself back on track as soon as possible. I am bowling with different angles from top and from side and things are improving and I am optimistic that I will be same Ajmal as I was.”Ajmal has been a vital part of Pakistan’s success. Since 2011, he has taken a third of the team’s wickets – 145 off 570. In his absence, however, Zulfiqar and Yasir have picked up the slack. They had contributed 14 wickets apiece during the team’s series win over Australia in the UAE and were again trusted to lead the slow-bowling threat in the drawn Khulna Test.”I think it’s their right to play ahead of me,” Ajmal said. “They have done great without me and spare a thought about Khulna Test where pitch was slow enough to kill the spin, otherwise they are good and have proved their ability.”Yasir, though, said he could have used the kind of help Ajmal can offer. “Sometimes you miss having an experienced partner in the field with whom you discuss [tactics] and seek advice from,” he said. “Like it was tough taking wickets on flat tracks in Khulna where the pitch was unresponsive and we all were struggling to take wickets. So having a player like Ajmal around gives you confidence.”Pakistan are yet to win a game against Bangladesh on this tour and were blindsided by Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes’ world-record 312-run opening stand in the second innings in Khulna. But Ajmal conceded the hosts’ form was so powerful that “any team would have struggled”.”They are at the top of their form,” Ajmal said. “There is no weakness in their combination; their batting, bowling and fielding is clicking at the moment.”They are a developing team and at the moment they can give any team a tough time. We underestimated them. We never thought they will play like that and that’s the reason we are shocked. Yes, in Test cricket we could have done better but the pitch was the main difference. I hardly saw the ball spin on the track but Pakistan is a better side in Tests and we have a plan this time and I don’t see any reason why we can’t beat them.”

For Lions to qualify, they need to win by a large margin – by around 50 runs if they bat first, or by around the 15th over if they are chasing

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran29-Sep-2014Match factsTuesday, September 30, 2014
Start time 1600 local (1030 GMT)Big pictureIt’s calculator-time in the Champions League T20, as a victory for Lahore Lions in their last league match will result in the net run-rate deciding whether Lions or Chennai Super Kings progress to the semi-finals. For Lions to qualify, they need to win by a large margin – by around 50 runs if they bat first, or by around the 15th over if they are chasing.Lions have already been in a similar situation once before in this tournament, when they needed to win their final league game of the qualifying stage. On that occasion, they thumped Sri Lanka’s Southern Express to stay alive. Now they are up against Perth Scorchers, who have already been eliminated.Scorchers have had their share of problems against spin in this tournament – averaging 19.9 against the turning ball compared to 32.37 against pace. They are likely to be tested by the offspin of Mohammad Hafeez and Adnan Rasool, both of whom have strangled the opposition in the CLT20, with both conceding less than 7 an over. The match could well be decided by the battle between Scorchers’ batsmen and Lions’ spinners.Lions’ supporters will already be disappointed after their second side lost in the final of the domestic Twenty20 final on Sunday. They will hope the first XI gives them something to cheer about.Form guideLahore Lions WLWLW (completed matches only, most recent first)
Perth Scorchers LLWWWWatch out forNathan Coulter-Nile will be playing only his third game since a five-month break due to a hamstring injury. He looked sharp in the previous game, stifling the hitters of Chennai Super Kings with the new ball, before getting the coveted wicket of MS Dhoni later on. Coulter-Nile has said he wants to make the World Cup squad, and with little over four months to go for the start of that tournament, he needs to string together as many solid performances as he can.Rarely have players been as important to a team as Mohammad Hafeez is to Lions – he is the side’s captain, and has often opened the batting as well as the bowling for them. How much will being reported for a suspect action affect him in the crunch match? With only one score above 20 in five matches in the CLT20, he will also look to provide more with the bat against Scorchers.Stats and trivia Yasir Arafat needs one more wicket to equal Azhar Mahmood’s tally of 241 T20 wickets, which will put him joint fourth on the all-time list The Chinnaswamy Stadium has now hosted more T20 matches (64) than any other Indian ground, barring the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad (70).

The pair delivered doubles for their respective sides and were instrumental in securing hard-fought wins

Getty Images1Danny Welbeck | ArsenalWelbeck scored twice and assisted the other goal in Arsenal's 3-2 victory against Southampton.AdvertisementGetty Images2Ayoze Perez | Newcastle UnitedThe Spaniard was directly involved in both of Newcastle's goals against Leicester, assisting one and scoring the second.Getty Images3Christian Eriksen | Tottenham HotspurEriksen netted both goals and also made two key passes in Spurs' 2-1 win against Stoke, which moved them level on points with third-placed Liverpool. ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty4Paul Pogba | Manchester UnitedPogba netted twice in Manchester United's comeback win at the Etihad over their local rivals, with just 97 seconds between his two finishes.

Scotland ended their drought at ICC global events with an eight-wicket win against Hong Kong, which was set up by a sharp bowling performance

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu12-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsGavin Main set the tone for Scotland’s win with the wicket of Ryan Campbell off his first ball•International Cricket CouncilScotland had gone 20 matches in ICC global events – since the 1999 World Cup – without a win. The losing streak hung like Coleridge’s albatross around their necks. They were desperate to shake it off. In their 21st match, against Hong Kong on an unexpectedly rainy night in Nagpur, they finally did it and exited the World T20 with an eight-wicket win, which was set up by a sharp bowling performance.The portents were clear right from the third ball of the match. Left-arm spinner Mark Watt gave generous flight as the ball gripped the cracked pitch and tested Jamie Atkinson with slow turn. Some balls turned like that, some skidded on, while others stopped on the batsmen. The trio of Watt, Con de Lange, and Matt Machan combined to send Hong Kong on a tail spin with figures of 12-0-66-4. Rain gave Hong Kong brief respite, and the contest was then reduced to a 10-over shootout, after which Scotland overhauled the revised target of 76 with ease.George Munsey kick-started the chase with a flurry of fours. By the time he holed out, Scotland had knocked off more than one fourth of their target. And by the sixth over Scotland had dashed past 50, with several of their players lining up by the edge of the boundary to celebrate. The winning moment arrived, with 12 balls to spare, when Machan smote Nadeem Ahmed over midwicket for a six. Seconds later, he was embraced by veteran Kyle Coetzer, who hit 20 not out, while coach Grant Bradburn rushed towards captain Preston Mommsen and gave him an animated high-five.The trend of spin doing the damage continued in Nagpur, after Hong Kong opted to bat, but the seamers did their bit as well, sucking pace off the ball and bowling cutters. Scotland, pretty and effective in pink, had lifted themselves in the field as well, diving and flinging themselves around, despite a couple of fumbled chances. Scotland’s effort meant that Hong Kong were kept to 127 for 7.The 44-year old Ryan Campbell, potentially featuring in his last match at an ICC global event, was the first to go, for a duck, when he carved a catch to third man off Gavin Main. Babar Hayat began with a flourish, piercing the off-side ring with punchy drives of varying degrees, before nicking Main behind. However, umpire Ian Gould did not spot it, handing the batsman a lifeline. Hayat, though, failed to cash in, undone by the slowness of the pitch, holing out to deep midwicket for 15. In the interim, Josh Davey fooled Atkinson with a cross-seamer and plucked a diving return catch in his follow through.Scotland followed Hayat’s wicket with 25 boundary-less balls before Mark Chapman found his mojo with a swept six over deep square leg. The spinners then fed Chapman with leg-stump balls as he mounted a recovery. Anshuman Rath kept him good company before a missed swipe restricted the fourth-wicket partnership to 49. Tanwir Afzal and Chapman, himself, soon followed as Hong Kong were weakened to 98 for 6.Nizakat Khan, though, muscled back-to-back sixes to give Hong Kong a late boost. The last over was interrupted by a peculiar super-sopper delay to add to a rain delay, but there was no stopping Scotland as they savoured a long-awaited victory.

The Chelsea star missed the entire group stages, with the Matildas nearly crashing out before the knockouts, but they've bounced back to make history

When Australia stars Tameka Yallop and Lydia Williams sat down to talk to the media before the Matildas’ Women’s World Cup semi-final against England, the words ‘Til it’s done’ were boldly emblazoned on the front of the table at which they sat. It’s been the team’s motto throughout the entirety of their home tournament, one that has seen them go beyond what any Australia team has done before by reaching the last four. While these adopted mantras can sometimes become a punchline if a team underwhelms or falls at an unexpectedly early hurdle, this one has only grown in its relevance and significance with each match.

On so many occasions this past month, Australia have faced huge challenges. When Sam Kerr suffered an injury on the eve of the opening game, one that kept her on the sidelines for the entire group stage, many on the outside counted them out. But when staring failure in the face, knowing defeat to Olympic champions Canada would bring their tournament to an end before the knockout rounds, they stood up tall and pulled out a remarkable 4-0 win.

In the quarter-finals, after seeing chance after chance go begging during the game, Australia went to a penalty shootout against France – one which would become the longest in Women’s World cup history. On three occasions, they had to score to stay in the tournament. Katrina Gorry, Yallop and Ellie Carpenter all held their nerve. And when Cortnee Vine stepped up as the 10th penalty taker, knowing that her kick could secure passage to the semi-finals, she did, too.

The biggest moment yet will come on Wednesday, though. At a packed Stadium Australia, where almost everyone in attendance will be rooting for them, the Matildas will take on the European champions, England, for a place in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final. They’ll need every ounce of that never-say-die attitude as they try to ensure it is indeed not done.

But the way they’ve come through tough moments so far, all while Kerr – their talismanic captain, their star player and one of the best footballers on the planet – has been restricted to just two substitute appearances has been incredibly impressive. Just how have they done it?

GettyStepping up

Australia might have been without Kerr for most of this tournament so far but they don’t lack other stars.

Steph Catley, the Arsenal full-back, has taken the armband in her absence and been absolutely superb. It was her penalty that got the Matildas off the mark in a narrow win over Ireland on the opening night; Hayley Raso, who has just signed for Real Madrid, netted twice and generally ran riot in the thrashing of Canada that kept Australia’s dream alive; Caitlin Foord, Catley’s club-mate, has been one of the players of the tournament in attack, most notably breaking the deadlock in the last-16 win over Denmark; Mackenzie Arnold, the West Ham goalkeeper, saved three penalties in the shootout against France to secure this team’s place in an historic semi-final.

“It shows everyone can step up at different points when they need to,” Williams said this week. “They have at different parts at this tournament. Steph stepping up for the captaincy, Mackenzie for the penalty shootout. Every single person has stepped up and represented the team when they needed them most.

“That shows the resilience and belief in each other and as a team. It’s something unmatched and exciting seeing that as we grow throughout the tournament. It’s quite extraordinary to see that every person is important for the group.”

AdvertisementGetty ImagesNever say die

That says a lot about the character of this Australia team, too. ‘Til it’s done’ might be the mantra for this tournament, but it has long been ‘never say die’ as well, and that’s what they’ve done time and time again this past month.

“It’s part of our jersey,” Yallop said of that resilience. “When you put it on, you are trying to emulate that ‘never say die’ attitude and that’s something that’s instilled in us from a young age. Continuing on in competitive football, you have to have that edge even before you put the Matildas shirt on. That’s definitely something all Aussies get behind and that attitude is something we take great pride in.”

It runs through the whole squad. There are some players in this 23 that have much bigger experiences than others. Take 23-year-old Carpenter and her two Champions League titles, for example, compared to 25-year-old Vine, who has played her entire career to date in Australia’s domestic league and is yet to lift a major trophy. Yet, when Vine stepped up to take that potentially match-winning penalty against France, there was no evidence of fear, nerves or inexperience. The never say die attitude is ingrained in all of them.

“I remember coming into the changing rooms after the [pre-tournament friendly against] France and Sam came in and said, ‘I think this is the time now when we can really believe we can go all the way’,” Arnold recalled on Tuesday. “We had just come off the back of wins against England, Spain and France – all top teams – that maybe we hadn’t done in the past. Everyone’s confidence was radiating off each other. I think that’s come a long way in our confidence.”

GettyExtra motivation

There’s also been an element of doing this for Kerr. The Chelsea star is an incredibly popular member of this team with so many close friendships in it. That Catley described the news of Kerr’s injury, on the eve of the tournament, as "one of the most heart-breaking moments of [her] career" says it all.

“Sam's one of the best players in the world. She's our spiritual leader. She means so much to this team,” she said after the win over Ireland. “So to have her go down a day before a moment like this was pretty awful, but as a team, it added something to us. It added a little bit of extra fire.

“Everyone looked at it and said, ‘Well, I've got to step up now because we don't have Sam’. We spoke about that and we did that really well.”

They’ve done it time and time again to keep their own dream alive and their captain’s, too, with her now coming back to full fitness at what appears to be the perfect time, playing 10 minutes in the last-16 win over Denmark and then 65 against France ahead of this semi-final.

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GettyGustavsson's tweaks

Head coach Tony Gustavsson also deserves credit for the way he has adapted his team to cope without its biggest star and one of its most important pieces. He started with Foord occupying Kerr’s No.9 role, while young starlet Mary Fowler played just behind her – that being the position Foord would usually take up.

But after Foord had been unable to have too much influence while leading the line in the first two games, Gustavsson switched it up. Fowler played as the striker, Emily van Egmond came into the No.10 role and Foord went to the left. There, she has formed a dynamic duo with full-back Catley, one that has devastated so many defences already in this tournament.

England have switched to a back three in recent games and Australia will certainly fancy their chances of exploiting the space behind right wing-back Lucy Bronze, then, as well as down the other side with the in-form Raso likely to be running at Rachel Daly, the Lionesses’ striker-turned-left-wing-back.

ESPNcricinfo previews the second one-day international between Australia and England in Brisbane

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan16-Jan-20140:00

Ehantharajah: Challenges galore for Ashley Giles

Match FactsJanuary 17, 2014, Brisbane
Start time 1.20pm (0320GMT)Mitchell Johnson is back for the Brisbane ODI, but there will be less facial hair this time•Getty ImagesThe Big PictureA few late wickets made the final result appear a little more respectable, but the first ODI at the MCG was only one thing: another thrashing for England. In the intervening days they have at least managed a victory – their first since mid-November – but apart from avoiding further embarrassment (and the resilience of the middle order) it would be foolish to read too much into the win over the Prime Minister’s XI.Five-match series at least give a team the chance to fight back, but England can’t afford to leave it any longer to start giving Australia a run for their money. A chase of 270 in Melbourne was a decent ask but the home side made it look like a cakewalk. Aaron Finch and David Warner, albeit given a life each, cantered along at a merry rate against a thin-looking England attack and Stuart Broad will again be missing for this match.The contrast between how Australia begin their innings and how England, generally, go about their efforts at the crease in the first 10 to 20 overs is stark. Alastair Cook and Ashley Giles appear steadfast in their belief that there is still room for the building-blocks of a total to be steadily put in place over the first half of the innings, arguing, with some evidence, that the middle order is where the strength lies. Still, with a World Cup staged partly here in little over a year’s time they are going to have to force themselves out of their comfort zone sooner or later.Australia just want to keep the bandwagon rolling. Cricket is not quite dominating the back pages like it was a few weeks ago (now it’s the turn of the tennis) but the team are determined to keep England down. Glenn Maxwell has spoken of wiping them out in all formats while Mitchell Johnson and George Bailey scoffed at suggestions of any sympathy. It won’t be getting any easier for them.Form guide(Completed matches, most recent first)
AustraliaWLLWL
EnglandLLWLWWatch out forChris Jordan has made as many headlines for the friendship with Rhianna as his exploits on the field, but on a desperate tour for England his 10 overs in Melbourne were a rare bright spot. On another day he would have bagged three or four wickets. Swing, at a lively pace, is an enticing combination and in Brisbane, with the greater humidity and what should be a pitch with more bounce, he could prove a handful.Mitchell Johnson is back. But the moustache has gone. Will the powers remain? After a post-Ashes break to chill out after his urn-winning exploits it’s time to renew acquaintances with the English batsmen on the ground where it all began at the end of November. Some are new to the one-day squad, but others such as Cook, Bell and possibly Carberry will have vivid memories of what unfolded on that second day. This time Johnson only has 10 overs, although that’s still enough for some significant damage.Team newsShane Watson has now been given the next three matches off which means Shaun Marsh should get a chance at No. 3. Johnson’s return is likely to be at the expense of Nathan Coulter-Nile although the absence of Watson may make the selectors consider if they need another pace option.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 George Bailey, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 James Faulkner, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 11 Clint McKayEngland may freshen up their top order with the likeliest change being Michael Carberry, who made 47 against the PM’s XI, replacing the struggling Joe Root. The absence of Root, though, would remove an extra bowling option.England (possible) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Michael Carberry, 4 Gary Ballance, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Jos Buttler (wk), 8 Ben Stokes, 9 Tim Bresnan, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Boyd RankinPitch and conditionsExpect good pace and carry and some swing – so pretty much as normal for the Gabba. The forecast is set fair without a significant chance of the game being disrupted by large hailstone as it was during the Test.Stats and trivia The last two one-day internationals on this ground (both involving Australia and Sri Lanka) could barely have been more contrasting: in 2012 Australia made 321 for 6 and won, although Sri Lanka reached 306, then in 2013 Australia were shattered for 74 although the visitors lost six in reaching the target.Before that loss against Sri Lanka, Australia had won six consecutive ODIs at the Gabba Since his second-innings half-century in the Boxing Day Test, Alastair Cook has made 7, 7, 4 and 1Quotes”I feel good. I’ve spent a bit of time in the middle, got a decent score in the first game then to get another fifty was good. I’ve got a bit of confidence.”

Both Cape Cobras and Hobart Hurricanes have begun their campaigns with a defeat, and with only two more group games each to go after their Sunday afternoon clash, they will want a quick turnaround

The Preview by Abhishek Purohit20-Sep-20142:08

Blizzard looks to bounce back from opening loss

Match factsSunday, September 21, 2014
Start time 1600 local (1030 GMT)Big pictureBoth Cape Cobras and Hobart Hurricanes have begun their campaigns with defeat, and with only two more group games each to go after their Sunday afternoon clash, they will want a quick turnaround.A depleted Cobras attack ran into a red-hot Kane Williamson on Friday night, and the New Zealander’s century meant Cobras had a stiff 207 to chase. A new-ball combination of Trent Boult and Tim Southee only made things harder, and Cobras were facing an asking-rate of nearly 13 when the rain came down in the eighth over. Back from retirement, Charl Langeveldt was spot-on, but the rest of the Cobras attack could not stop Williamson. They have several international bowlers in the line-up, and will want them to step up against Hurricanes.The Australian side had Kings XI Punjab in trouble at 51 for 4 and 77 for 5 chasing 145, but Thisara Perera and George Bailey took it away from them. Before that, many Hurricanes batsmen had squandered starts and the side ended with a middling total. Four of the top six fell in their twenties. Hurricanes never looked in charge through their innings, something they will have to avoid against Cobras.Form guideCape Cobras LLWWL (most recent first, completed matches only)
Hobart Hurricanes LLWWLWatch out forRobin Peterson conceded 32 runs in three overs against Northern Districts. Peterson is an extremely experienced left-arm spinner and has taken nearly 100 wickets in this format alone. He has also played international and franchise cricket in India, and Cobras will want their lead spinner to put that knowledge to good use.Shoaib Malik was the second-highest run-getter in the recent Caribbean Premier League with 406 runs in ten innings at a strike-rate of 130. He didn’t fire closer home to Pakistan against Kings XI in Mohali, but Hyderabad is the hometown of his wife, tennis player Sania Mirza, and the son-in-law could well have some crowd support when he walks out to bat.Stats and trivia Cape Cobras’ highest total in the Champions League, 193 for 4, came at Hyderabad against Otago in 2009 Hyderabad has hosted the most Champions League games – 19Quotes”We did not put up a performance like we know we can. We just have to make sure we bounce back. It is a quick turnaround time.”