England must press the reset button and use their Ashes disappointment to drive a new era September 9, 2019 Not so long ago England were the best Test cricket side in the world. The story of how they went from world No7 in 2009 to the summit just over two years later has been retold recently, first through the gripping film The Edge and now with the release of former England captain Alastair Cook’s [...]
Why England should beware in-form Kosovo in Euro 2020 qualifier September 9, 2019 England play Kosovo for the first time on Tuesday as both sides attempt to take another step towards qualifying for next summer’s European Championship. Here’s the lowdown on the opposition. Kosovo are ranked below Tajikistan, so this should be easy, right? England will be expected to maintain their 100 per cent start to Group A, [...]
England can’t have any complaints, Australia have been the better side from day one and thoroughly deserve to win the Ashes September 8, 2019 It’s a shame that England are ending an incredible summer on a disappointing note but there can’t be any debate that Australia 100 per cent deserve to win this Ashes series. They have been the best side from day one. Having won at Edgbaston, they dominated the second Test at Lord’s, where they would have [...]
Jadon Sancho can relieve England’s reliance on Raheem Sterling if given chance ahead of Marcus Rashford September 8, 2019 It sounds pernickety to demand more from a football team that has just won 4-0, taking their record in the current competition to: played three; won three; goals for: 14; goals against: one. But such is the nature of major tournament qualifying matches that England did not need to conjure an abundance of chances to [...]
Ollie Phillips: Still places to play for in England’s final World Cup warm-up against Italy September 5, 2019 England head to Newcastle United’s St James’ Park for their final warm-up game against Italy tomorrow before they fly to Japan for the World Cup — and what an occasion it will be. Newcastle seems to be turning into a real hotbed of rugby after hosting the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup in May, so [...]
Women’s Super League season preview: New-look division confident of building on World Cup platform September 5, 2019 The Women’s Super League kicks off a new season on Saturday looking to build on the success of the summer’s World Cup and there is every indication it is on the right path. Even before a ball has been kicked the signs are good. The 2019-20 campaign is the first with Barclays as the title [...]
Horse Racing Betting Tips: Spanish City and Arbalet have Cunard Handicap claims September 5, 2019 RACING and food take centre stage at Ascot tomorrow with the course’s two-day Italian Tourist Board Festival of Food and Wine Weekend – and the prosecco corks will be popping if punters can find a winner or two. The big betting race of the day is the Cunard Handicap (2.45pm), which Ripp Orf won 12 [...]
Horse Racing Betting Tips: Haydock rain means Dreams can come true for Sir Michael September 5, 2019 DESPITE the fact that jockey Frankie Dettori is only a few months away from his 49th birthday, he appears to be in the best form of his career. The evergreen Italian steered Enable to an effortless victory in the Yorkshire Oaks a couple of weeks ago, which was also his 14th Group One success of [...]
Home affairs: All five British Isles teams can still reach Euro 2020 and lend tournament a distinctly British flavour September 5, 2019 For a tournament that is supposed to be pan-continental there is already a distinctly British flavour to next summer’s European Championship. Of 51 matches, 10 will be staged in London or Glasgow, with Wembley hosting both semi-finals and the final. But the Britishness could yet go up several notches, with all five British Isles teams [...]
Unorthodox but effective: Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne punish wayward England on day one at Old Trafford September 4, 2019 After their Ashes campaign finally set sail with Ben Stokes standing proudly on the helm at Headingley, England were blown off course on the first day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford. The cold, wet and squally conditions might have been to no one’s taste – neither team, nor spectators, who witnessed just 44 [...]