England v Sri Lanka: Headingley clash a must-win for side struggling with internal rifts at the World Cup June 20, 2019 The World Cup hasn’t quite gone to plan for Sri Lanka. A 34-run win over Afghanistan aside, the last three weeks have been an unhappy period for 1996 tournament winners, who meet England at Headingley tomorrow desperately needing a victory to revive faint hopes of a semi-final place. They began the competition with a 10-wicket [...]
African Cup of Nations: Why Liverpool’s Premier League preparations will be affected by the tournament June 20, 2019 Together they have conquered all of Europe. Now it’s time to take on Africa. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will both go in search of a maiden Africa Cup of Nations title over the coming weeks, but this time only one of them can come out on top. Salah’s Egypt, the hosts, kick off [...]
Copa America: The reasons behind Qatar’s involvement in South America and what the future holds June 20, 2019 There is something odd about the Copa America this summer. In among the usual suspects – hosts Brazil, holders Chile, 15-time winners Uruguay – sits a jarringly incongruous name: Qatar. The surprise winners of this year’s Asian Cup have travelled 12,000km to play in Group B alongside Colombia, Paraguay and Lionel Messi’s Argentina, who they [...]
Japan 0-2 England: Lionesses pass the test but still have things to work on at Women’s World Cup June 19, 2019 Phil Neville has made clear his desire to shape England into a possession-based side. By this evidence it remains a work in progress. After unspectacular wins over Scotland and Argentina, the Lionesses were faced with their biggest test of the Women’s World Cup against Japan in Nice. They passed the test – but, despite the [...]
Chris Tremlett: Eoin Morgan’s Afghanistan blitz showed England captain’s leadership skills as well as power June 19, 2019 Eoin Morgan has always been someone who cashes in when he gets on a roll, but even for him the World Cup performance against Afghanistan yesterday was special. As captain of the one-day side Morgan has tried to make England as dominant as possible and his innings of 148 from 77 balls, with an ODI [...]
Eoin Morgan makes a mockery of a bad back to smash astonishing century in World Cup win over Afghanistan June 18, 2019 Eoin Morgan was supposed to have a bad back. When England’s captain followed Jason Roy off the pitch, walking gingerly alongside the physio during Friday’s match against West Indies in Southampton, it looked like the favourites could be about to receive a hammer blow to their Cricket World Cup chances. When the news was relayed [...]
England could do with loosening the handbrake in Women’s World Cup clash with Japan June 18, 2019 If England’s 3-0 victory over Japan to clinch the SheBelieves Cup in March was the perfect statement of intent for one of the Women’s World Cup favourites then it’s the sort that Phil Neville’s team could do with repeating when the teams meet again on Wednesday. Because while the Lionesses have taken maximum points from [...]
The numbers that show Lewis Hamilton is approaching Michael Schumacher levels of dominance in Formula One June 18, 2019 His win in Canada may have been one of the most controversial Lewis Hamilton has claimed but what cannot be disputed is that the Briton is now dominating Formula One to an almost unprecedented level. At times such as two weekends ago, when he was handed the victory by race officials’ decision to penalise Sebastian [...]
England v Afghanistan: Used Old Trafford pitch and Rashid Khan’s magic the key for visitors June 17, 2019 On the face of it England’s World Cup game against Afghanistan tomorrow comes at an opportune moment. With opener Jason Roy sidelined by a torn hamstring for a few games at least and captain Eoin Morgan recovering from a back spasm, it appears the perfect time to play the side bottom of the group table and without [...]
Bret Easton Ellis interview: an audience with the most hated writer in America June 17, 2019 Bret Easton Ellis is concerned about the noise. We’re sitting in the lounge of a fancy hotel, and he’s worried my tape recorder won’t pick him up. “We can find another if you’d like. Tell me what you want to do.” It’s hard to reconcile his graciousness with his reputation as the one-time enfant terrible [...]