England cricket chiefs must build on the foundations laid by remarkable World Cup win July 15, 2019 In January the England and Wales Cricket Board released a 35-page document entitled Inspiring Generations, which set out the governing body’s five-year plan to drive youth participation and diversify cricket’s fan base. One of the six priorities outlined was to “inspire through elite teams”. Sunday’s remarkable events at Lord’s have handed the ECB an opportunity [...]
England beat New Zealand by the skin of their teeth in dramatic finale to win the Cricket World Cup July 14, 2019 There’s a cliche in sport which says you couldn’t write it. Generally that’s a fallacy: over thousands of games most situations have seen airtime. But the fashion in which England won the Cricket World Cup was something unique. It would be stretching the mind to conjure up the events which somehow came to pass in [...]
England put their aggressive mantra into practice to thrash Australia and reach the World Cup final July 11, 2019 It’s one thing to talk about positive intent, batting mantras and aggressive game-plans. It’s another to put them into practice on the biggest stage. Today England faced Australia, the most successful World Cup team in cricket history, who had never lost a semi-final in seven attempts – and they smashed them off the park to [...]
Australia v England: Semi-final balanced as World Cup knockout specialists face confident hosts playing at Fortress Edgbaston July 10, 2019 If they aren’t already, England and Australia are going to become very familiar with each other this summer. Having played twice already, and with the small matter of the Ashes edging ever closer, the two sides meet tomorrow in a Cricket World Cup semi-final. The match is an intriguing one, framed by two potentially decisive [...]
Pressure tells as Johanna Konta feels the heat of Centre Court to exit Wimbledon in the quarter-finals to Barbora Strycova July 9, 2019 Professional sport is an unforgiving environment. When you’re playing well Centre Court feels like a hospitable stage, the points coming at a steady pace, but when you’re struggling suddenly the crowd feels oppressive and the ball unrelenting. To see a sportsperson wither under the pressure is not an enjoyable sight – yet that’s exactly what [...]
Cricket World Cup: Why England’s stars have got a blind spot for trademarks July 8, 2019 Cricket has evolved hugely in recent years both on and off the field and yet there is still one area in which it lags behind other sports. Trademarks may not seem an obvious priority, but given the commercial opportunities attached to sport’s biggest events and most prominent stars, cricket’s apparent reluctance to cash in stands [...]
Going, going… Dons: AFC Wimbledon aiming to raise £7m using crowdfunding to pay for new Plough Lane stadium July 8, 2019 AFC Wimbledon are a club founded by fans and now, 17 years on from their rebirth, they are hoping their supporters can help lay the foundations for a move back to the corner of south-west London they call home. The Dons are building a new stadium at Plough Lane, which they believe will be ready [...]
Frank Lampard’s honeymoon period won’t last for long in the Chelsea hotseat July 4, 2019 People stepping out of Fulham Broadway station this afternoon were greeted by the sight of an opportunistic salesman attempting to flog Frank Lampard adorned Chelsea scarves. If you still needed reminding, here was a visual representation of why this was no run-of-the-mill managerial appointment. As the club statement phrased it: “He’s home!” After the generally [...]
Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow’s brilliant opening partnership the key to England’s World Cup chances July 3, 2019 The conduct of Ben Stokes and Alex Hales on 25 September 2017 outside a Bristol nightclub may have sent shockwaves through England’s cricket team, but it also had a knock-on effect which has played a huge part in making them the side they are today – a side in a World Cup semi-final for the [...]
England 1-2 United States: Lionesses’ frenetic play trumped by controlled game plan in Women’s World Cup semi-final July 2, 2019 In the end, a familiar feeling. Sinking to the turf, overcome with emotion. Not for the first time England were knocked out of the World Cup in the semi-finals. Phil Neville said in the build-up anything other than progression to the final would amount to failure and judged in the harshest terms he was right: [...]
