All posts by h716a5.icu

Taking his lack of form in his stride, the Mumbai captain has urged his team to enjoy the final

Afzal Jiwani21-Jun-2022Forty-one-time winners Mumbai are a dominant force in the Ranji Trophy. However, the past few seasons have not brought them much joy. The last time they made it to the final was in 2016-17. Chandrakant Pandit was the head coach then and Prithvi Shaw had just made his debut. This time around, Shaw is leading Mumbai in the final against a Madhya Pradesh side coached by the man he calls Chandu sir.Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Shaw said, “It’s an honour to lead Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. Five years ago when we reached the final, he [Pandit] was our coach and now playing against his team will be a challenge. I made my debut in that season and now I want to bring that trophy home.”Before the showdown, Shaw got an opportunity to speak to his former coach and reflected upon it. “It was good to see him after a long time. He has done well with Madhya Pradesh and I would like to congratulate him and his team. We spoke only for a couple of minutes. I guess we both are trying to get into the zone before the final.”There have been many contributors to Mumbai’s success this season. With 803 runs at an astonishing average of 133.83, Sarfaraz Khan is this season’s leading run-scorer. Shams Mulani is leading the wicket-taking charts. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Suved Parkar have come into their own in the knockout stages. Young and inexperienced (at this level), they might feel pressure before the final, but Shaw believes that his boys are ready for it.”I am really proud of this team. The way they have worked hard in the league stage as well as before it [is commendable],” he said. “They just have to go there and enjoy. My message to all the young guys is to look at this like another U-19 or U-25 game and try to give your 100%. For me results don’t matter, the effort that you put in is important. They just have to keep doing what they have done in all these years.”Even though the team has had a successful season, Shaw’s individual performances haven’t reached the standard he may have hoped to achieve. In five games, he has scored 264 runs at an average of 33. He is aware of it and accepts that cricket is full of ups and downs.”I have scored a couple of fifties but that’s not enough for me, for sure,” he said. “No one even congratulates me after scoring a fifty so that made me feel bad as well (laughs). It happens sometimes but I am glad that my team is doing well.”Shaw’s last Test match was in 2020 in Adelaide. Apart from winning the Ranji Trophy, is he thinking about making a comeback to the Test team?”It is nowhere near my mind,” he said. “Right now winning the trophy is my main motive. I am not thinking about anything else. I am not focusing on anything going on outside.”

Manchester United are set to keep one star at Old Trafford beyond this summer as they look to hand Ruben Amorim a squad capable of challenging in the Premier League, it has been reported.

Man Utd transfer rumours

Despite Amorim’s arrival at the club, it is unlikely that the Red Devils will be too busy in the January transfer window. Currently 13th in the Premier League following their 3-0 loss to Bournemouth, Manchester United spent heavily in the summer window, shelling out £205.9m on five new players.

Leny Yoro

€62m

Manuel Ugarte

€50m

Matthijs de Ligt

€45m

Joshua Zirkzee

€42.5m

Noussair Mazraoui

€15m

In recent January windows, they have opted to avoid hefty spending, and given the difficulty of doing deals in January historically, it seems likely that they will largely follow the same model despite Amorim being appointed in November.

Meanwhile, signing players from his former side is off the table. Upon being appointed, Amorim promised not to raid his former club in January, meaning that the chances of signing players to make an immediate impact are lower as a result.

It means that moves for the likes of Viktor Gyokeres is impossible even if United would want to break the bank for him, and while the Red Devils have been consistently linked with players since Amorim’s arrival, sales are likely to be the priority first.

Marcus Rashford has dominated recent headlines, with the forward admitting he wanted a new challenge away from Old Trafford, while both Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof could also leave the club before their contracts end in the summer as the club look to raise funds.

Now though, one player could be set to stay.

Man Utd "monster" set to stay with new deal close

That is according to Football Insider, who point to Manchester United defender Harry Maguire as the player in question.

The England international struggled for game time under Erik ten Hag, but has started both of Amorim’s side’s last two Premier League games, including their derby win over Manchester City.

10 players with the most Premier League goals on Boxing Day

You could bank on these players performing after Christmas.

ByBarney Lane Dec 23, 2024

After that game, he was hailed as “incredible” and a “monster in the box” by Sky Sports tactical analyst Tom on X, and he appears to have made an impression on Amorim too.

GiveMeSport claim that “Amorim has admired Maguire’s mindset and professionalism since his arrival in the Manchester United hot-seat”, something that has contributed to the U-turn from Amorim over Maguire’s immediate playing time and now future at Old Trafford.

As per Football Insider’s report, the Red Devils are now “likely to trigger” Maguire’s one-year extension, with the defender now “close” to an agreement to extend his £190,000 a week deal at the club.

Speed is of the essence for Manchester United, with Maguire able to discuss a pre-contract with other sides from January 1st as things stand amid interest from Napoli and Leicester City in the one-time £80m man.

Maguire himself admitted that talks had been “really positive” about a new deal. “All the signs are positive at the moment and the chat that I’m having is really positive. I’ve still got this year to go with an option in their hands.”

With the centre-back at his best in a back three, he could emerge as a vital player for Amorim in the short term.

Limited-overs job would have been too “cushy” given strength of England’s white-ball teams

ESPNcricinfo staff13-May-2022The challenge of lifting England’s Test cricket from “rock bottom” instead of a “cushy” role with the limited-overs side is what attracted Brendon McCullum to his first red-ball coaching job.McCullum was confirmed as England’s Test head coach on Thursday and will take up the position in time for the series against New Zealand next month after he concludes the current IPL season with Kolkata Knight Riders.He admitted that initially it was not a job he had given much thought to but as the interview process progressed the opportunity “kind of smacked me in the head.””I looked at the two roles, the white-ball didn’t interest me as such because the team is flying, one of the best teams in the world, they’ve got Eoin Morgan who is a very good friend of mine and I know has built a structure and system which will continue well after he finishes playing,” he told radio station SENZ.Related

Educated punt on McCullum offers England's Test team an overdue sense of identity

McCullum named England's new Test coach

McCullum on his coaching philosophy

Timeline: McCullum's journey from NZ captain to England coach

“I wasn’t really interested in a cushy kind of gig, for me if you are prepared to change your life for something then it’s got to be something a bit grunty, a bit meaty, and the challenge of trying to bring a team which is rock bottom at the moment, and try and build something long term that is sustainable and successful, that is more where the challenge lay.”McCullum added that it was vital for the health of Test cricket that England, who have won just one of their last 17 matches, were strong in the format. The four-year deal he has signed will take him up to the end of the 2025-26 Ashes in Australia.”For me, Test cricket is on a downward trend in terms of its popularity and where it sits and while I’m lucky enough to have a career in franchise cricket and white-ball cricket, Test cricket is my real love,” he said. “If anyone is going to be able to reinvigorate Test cricket and get it popular again then it’s going to be England.”If you can be at the forefront of that by playing an attractive brand of cricket, play with a smile on your face and try to entertain, then Test cricket has a chance. Once you strip that out it was like, crikey, I’ve got to give this a chance if they think I’m the right person.”McCullum was excited about striking up a partnership with new captain Ben Stokes – jokingly noting that it was now two New Zealanders in charge of the Test team – and called the opportunity given to him “humbling”.”The way Ben Stokes plays the game is pretty similar to how I play and how I love coaching, which is to play with a bit of freedom and try and put pressure back on the opposition,” he said.However, it did not pass him by that there may be some strange feelings on the opening day of the first Test at Lord’s on June 2. “That’s going to be a little interesting, I will say that, but at the same time there’s something kind of cool about it too.”

Martin Odegaard's agent, Bjorn Tore Kvarme, was spotted at Anfield as Liverpool Legends locked horns with Chelsea Heroes on Saturday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Liverpool hosted Chelsea in a charity matchThe Reds won 2-0 thanks to a Peter Crouch braceKvarme was spotted on the benchFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kvarme’s appearance at Anfield caught the attention of Arsenal fans. Last year, Kvarme was also involved in another Liverpool Legends match, when the Reds faced Ajax in a special tribute game. That occasion was even more emotional, as it provided the late Sven-Goran Eriksson with the opportunity to fulfill his dream of managing Liverpool while bravely battling cancer.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE EXPLANATION

However, there is little to worry about for the Gunners as the 52-year-old, who played for Liverpool between 1997 and 1999, was simply returning to represent his former club in the annual LFC Foundation charity match, with the Norwegian being included on the bench for the legends' game.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Legends' game featured an impressive lineup of former Liverpool greats, including Steven Gerrard, Sami Hyypiä, and Jerzy Dudek. The clash ended 2-0 in Liverpool’s favour, with former England striker Peter Crouch scoring twice. This gave him the chance to belt out his iconic robot celebration in front of the Kop. Meanwhile, Natasha Dowie became the first female footballer to feature in a Liverpool Legends match after she was introduced as a first-half substitute for Mohamed Sissoko.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

With a packed stadium, an electric atmosphere, and legendary players rolling back the years, the event proved to be another huge success. But beyond the entertainment on display, the real impact of the match was its contribution to charitable causes. The funds raised from ticket sales and donations will go toward the LFC Foundation, as well as the Chelsea FC Foundation and Chelsea Players’ Trust.

Neymar's national team return has been delayed by yet another injury as Endrick replaces the Santos star in the latest Brazil squad.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Neymar omitted from Brazil squad Suffered a thigh injuryEndrick replaces Brazil iconFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Brazil fans were buzzing earlier this month after Dorival Junior named Neymar in the latest Brazil squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches. The Santos star, who rekindled his love for football following his move from Al-Hilal to Santos in January, was all set to represent the Selecao for the first time since 2024 but a thigh injury has now delayed his return to the national team.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT DORIVAL JUNIOR SAID

"After the evaluations carried out, these players—Neymar Jr., Danilo, and Ederson—are in a recovery process with their respective clubs. Therefore, they won't be ready to represent Brazil in the upcoming FIFA qualifier matches," Brazil head coach Dorival Junior said in a statement.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

With the 33-year-old out with injury, Real Madrid wonderkid Endrick has been called up to the national team. Alex Sandro and Lucas Perri, on the other hand, have been named as replacements for Danilo and Ederson. Neymar's last appearance for Brazil was back in September 2023 against Uruguay in a World Cup qualifying match where he suffered an ACL injury and remained sidelined for more than a year.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Brazil are scheduled to face Colombia on March 21 and five days later they will lock horns against arch-rivals and reigning world champions Argentina.

Still yet to agree a new deal with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool are now reportedly keeping tabs on a potential replacement for their star right-back.

Liverpool transfer news

With the Merseyside derby postponed thanks to Storm Darragh, Liverpool have been given a much-needed weekend off amid growing injury issues and a frustrating 3-3 draw against Newcastle United last time out.

Conceding late on courtesy of Fabian Schar and an extremely rare Caoimhin Kelleher mistake in the dying embers, the Reds were denied the chance to bounce back against Everton, leaving the Anfield side to turn their attention towards Lille in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, away from the pitch, another storm continues to brew. As things stand, Liverpool are set to lose Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Alexander-Arnold on free deals at the end of the season, having so far failed to agree a new deal with any of the big three. And whilst there have been some positive updates regarding Van Dijk and Salah, it’s been silent on the Alexander-Arnold front.

Bigger blow than Trent: Real Madrid hoping to sign Slot's Liverpool star

Real Madrid are hoping to raid Liverpool for more than just Alexander-Arnold in 2025…

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 6, 2024

It looks as though those at Anfield are preparing for the worst, too. According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Liverpool are keeping tabs on Martim Fernandes following his recent Porto rise. The 18-year-old right-back could emerge to replace Alexander-Arnold and hand Arne Slot an option down the right-hand side for years to come.

Of course, replacing Alexander-Arnold will be no easy task if it does get to that point, but Fernandes may be a solid candidate given his age. At 18 years old, Slot could quickly mould the Porto gem into the style of full-back that he would prefer Liverpool to utilise.

"Exciting" Fernandes is one to watch

If Liverpool’s main focus is on replacing Alexander-Arnold’s attacking influence, it’s no surprise that Fernandes is beginning to steal the headlines. The Porto teenager has assisted four goals in all competitions to match the Anfield star’s tally stride for stride. Described as “one of the most exciting full-backs in world football” by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig, Fernandes is undoubtedly one to watch.

Losing their current star but gaining the younger Fernandes to compete for a starting place alongside the equally impressive Conor Bradley could help to ease the blow caused by an Alexander-Arnold exit.

Top of the Premier League but with the dark cloud of contract failures lurking above them, Liverpool should be in for a hectic few months. Whether that results in some much-needed good news on the renewal front or the arrival of fresh faces remains to be seen at Anfield.

It is believed that the ECB, CA, CWI and PCB were in favour; indications are that BCCI is not in direct opposition

Osman Samiuddin10-Apr-2022Ramiz Raja’s proposal for a quadrangular T20 event may have acquired some non-specific support ahead of his presentation of the plans to the ICC Board on Saturday.Ramiz, the PCB chairman, will present an idea for an annual tournament involving Pakistan, India, Australia and England, but one, he says, will create revenue for all members. The plans also call for the ICC to run the event.Though this specific plan seems unlikely to become reality – at least not in its current formulation that would require India and Pakistan to play regularly and exclude eight full members – it does appear to have prompted greater support for the idea that members be able to organise their own quadrangular tournaments.Related

Ramiz to propose Pakistan involvement in annual four-team series

Bilateral calendar, quadrangular T20 event proposal in focus

PCB projects revenue of $650m from proposed series

As ICC regulations on the sanctioning of events currently stand, any tournament involving “the National Representative Teams of more than three National Cricket Federations” is deemed to mean an ICC event – meaning that it is run by the ICC and sold commercially as an ICC event, from which the proceeds are divided between members.Though Ramiz’s plan foresees precisely that – that the ICC controls the event – the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meeting on Friday in Dubai saw CEOs advocating the idea of members being able to organise their own quadrangular events.According to two officials aware of developments at the meeting, a number of boards backed the idea. It is by no means unanimous support, but it is believed that the cricket boards of England (ECB), Australia (CA), West Indies (CWI) and Pakistan (PCB) were in favour. One official said Tom Harrison, the ECB’s CEO, brought up the idea at the meeting.Harrison’s pitch is not thought to be linked specifically to Ramiz’s plans but one PCB official did call it a “kind of a win for us” as it shows the idea of a quadrangular tournament has caught the imagination of boards. It isn’t clear what the BCCI’s stance was at the CEC, though indications are that they are not in direct opposition: Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI president, was actually the first to propose such a four-nation Super Series back in December 2019.How far the idea goes depends on the level of support among the CEC. It is thought a clear majority would need to agree, before putting a proposal forward to the Board and only once it is agreed upon at the Board level can the regulation regarding the sanctioning of events be changed.The question of quadrangular events would have come up at the Board meeting in any case because Ramiz was always going to make his presentation there. But that presentation now may span out into a wider discussion.

The past six games have been simply unfathomable for Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side have been on an abysmal run of form, and are currently winless in their last six games. Five of those have been defeats, with Tuesday night’s draw against Feyenoord the only game that wasn’t a loss. Even then, they threw away a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3.

Things are not going to get any easier, with a trip to Anfield to face table toppers Liverpool on the cards this afternoon. Guardiola simply needs a response from his side, as they look to put an end to this shocking run.

The legendary Spanish boss will surely want his underperformers against Feyenoord to up their game against Arne Slot’s side.

Man City’s worst performers vs Feyenoord

One of the players who struggled most against the Dutch side was goalkeeper Ederson. The Brazilian has had a tough time of things this season, and the game against Feyenoord was no different.

One could argue the City number 31 was at fault for all two of the three goals. For the first, he was sold down the river by a poor backpass and allowed Anis Hadj Moussa an easy finish.

He failed to stop the cross for the second goal, and rashly missed a headed clearance for the equaliser, being caught in no man’s land. It was a hugely disappointing night’s work.

Josko Gvardiol also had a poor performance against the Dutch outfit, after a tough few weeks from a defensive standpoint.

The Croatian received a 4/10 rating from GOAL journalist Richard Martin, who explained he ‘made his worst blunder of a bad week’ to give the visitors a route back into the game. It was his mistake which led to the first goal.

Jack Grealish was another player who struggled against Feyenoord. In his first start since a return from injury, Grealish did not make an impact. As per Sofascore, he lost the ball 13 times, failed to complete a dribble from three attempted and hit the bar, with his shot deflecting off Phil Foden.

Guardiola is not afraid to make some shock selections, and he could drop Grealish for the trip to Anfield and give a start to one of the City academy’s most exciting players.

The Man City starlet who could start at Anfield

The player in question here is Cityzens academy graduate James McAtee. The young attacker has not had many opportunities this term, despite the fact he has finally broken into the first team under Guardiola after a few loan spells to Sheffield United.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has played seven times so far this term, getting a goal, his first in City colours, against Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League.

His total number of appearances this season equates to half of the amount he has played for his boyhood club across his whole career. Frustratingly for McAtee, he has managed just 332 minutes in all competitions, and just one in the Premier League.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With that in mind, the City boss may not pick him based on current form, but the ability he showed during his two seasons on loan at Sheffield United. The Salford-born midfielder played 75 times for the club in both the Championship and Premier League.

Season

Competition

Games

G/A

2022/23

Championship

37

12

2022/23

FA Cup

5

1

2022/23

EFL Cup

1

0

2023/24

Premier League

30

6

2023/24

FA Cup

2

3

Football presenter Dougie Critchley described McAtee as a “very special” footballer, and that was certainly on show during his two seasons with the Blades. He is a smart player, who thrives in small spaces and loves to carry the ball.

Starting McAtee ahead of Grealish at Anfield would certainly be considered a bold move by Guardiola. With that being said, the youngster is clearly a talented player and could be the catalyst City need to get themselves out of this poor run of form they are on.

Man City may have already sold their next Haaland for just £15m

Manchester City decided to cash in on their long-term Erling Haaland replacement.

ByDan Emery Nov 19, 2024

Roberto Firmino played along well with a joke when a handful of lookalike footballers approached him. The former Liverpool forward laughed and embraced a number of people posing as his former team-mates, including Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker. The Brazilian even shook hands with two men appearing to resemble Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.

Firmino enjoys joke

Firmino, who currently plays his football in the Qatar Stars League for Al Sadd, was surprised to be approached in a parking lot initially by a man dressed in a Liverpool shirt with Van Dijk’s name on the back. The forward then saw the humorous side of the joke when the following ensemble of footballing ‘stars’ followed in the Dutch defender lookalike’s footsteps.

The video of the encounter was posted on social media and fans enjoyed seeing Firmino ‘reunite’ with his old team-mates. The Brazilian won the Premier League and Champions League with the likes of Van Dijk and Alisson, and will have enjoyed seeing familiar faces, even if not the real footballers.

AdvertisementWatch the clipFirmino enjoying playing in Middle East

Firmino left Liverpool in 2023 as a legend, having won every possible trophy up for grabs with the Reds. The Brazilian then spent a couple of years in Saudi Arabia, playing for Al-Ahli alongside the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Edouard Mendy, Franck Kessie and Allan Saint-Maximin. He formed part of the first-ever Al-Ahli squad to lift the AFC Champions League Elite trophy, capping off a successful, short spell at the club.

The forward then signed a two-year deal with Al-Sadd, moving to Qatar, and is playing alongside former Premier League defender Romain Saiss. Also playing in the Qatar Stars League are Marco Veratti, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Julian Draxler and Krzysztof Piatek.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPLiverpool's new striker woes

Liverpool will be wishing that they had Firmino back in their squad firing on all cylinders like he once did. Arne Slot’s side have been struggling in the Premier League this season and have been unable to replicate the form which saw them rampage to the title in 2024-25.

Alexander Isak has not been a success at Anfield yet, despite his major money switch from Newcastle in the summer, and Slot may have wished someone like Firmino, who struggled to settle initially in Merseyside, could be on hand to offer some wise words to the floundering Swedish striker.

Firmino will return to action with Al Sadd in the AFC Champions League next week as they host Shabab Al-Ahli. The Brazilian’s team then turn their attentions back to the Qatar Stars League, where they sit fourth in the table, trailing leaders Al-Gharafa by eight points.

England opener believes defending champions can upset Australia in their opening game, despite chastening Ashes defeat

Valkerie Baynes02-Mar-2022England’s World Cup rivals may write them off at their peril when the tournament kicks off in New Zealand this week, Tammy Beaumont says.Beaumont believes defending champions England have the ability to upset Australia, the runaway title favourites, in their tournament opener despite suffering a chastening Ashes series defeat last month. England were beaten 12-4 in the multi-format series, with their only points coming from two washed-out T20Is and the drawn Test. The tourists were bowled out for modest totals in all three of their ODI matches with the Australians sweeping that leg of the series 3-0.Related

McGrath switches focus to World Cup after season she 'never would have imagined'

Ecclestone, Shrubsole dismantle South Africa

“I feel like a lot of people have sort of written us off in a way,” Beaumont said. “I remember we had a lot of people trying to call us favourites last time and you know, we’re still the holders of the World Cup, so I think you write us off at your peril really.”To go back-to-back and retain your trophy away from home is always difficult, although I think the conditions in New Zealand are quite similar to home. Winning a World Cup at any time is a massive achievement but particularly when we’ve gone through Covid and all the bubbles and restrictions and stuff like that for the last two years, to come out here and hopefully perform really well will be a good testament to the team.”Beaumont said England’s World Cup preparations had run more smoothly than the lead-up to the Ashes in which training and warm-up matches were badly affected by rain once the squad had emerged from strict Covid-prevention measures and quarantine. Since their New Zealand quarantine period ended three days early following an easing of government guidelines, England have defeated Bangladesh by 109 runs in their first warm-up fixture and South Africa by six wickets in the second, which was reduced to 35 overs per side because of rain.England begin their World Cup campaign on Saturday and Beaumont backed her side to turn the tables against Australia.”I guess we know their plans,” Beaumont said. “So we’re ready to go against them. You’ve got to play everyone at some point. We played India the first game of the last World Cup and lost, and it didn’t necessarily affect us.”We’ll take on Australia, I think on our day we can beat them. We’re in a good place at the moment to go into that game regardless of the Ashes results, but yeah, I don’t think one game is going to necessarily ruin your World Cup hopes, hopefully. It’s a good time to get back out there and give it a good crack.”Tammy Beaumont has been a vital presence for England as an opener•Getty ImagesAs in the last World Cup, Lauren Winfield-Hill is expected to accompany Beaumont at the top of the order, having come into form during the warm-up clashes with a half-century against Bangladesh – she scored 14 off 15 against South Africa – after a protracted battle to post a big score. In 11 ODI innings since the start of last year, she is averaging 25.63 and hasn’t reached fifty in the format for more than five years.Debutant Emma Lamb replaced Winfield-Hill for the third ODI in Australia – the final fixture of the Ashes tour – but fell for a second-ball duck, leaving selectors without a convincing argument to make a longer-term switch for the World Cup.Beaumont’s highest score during the Ashes was 50 in the third ODI, but she has been a vital presence as an opener since before England’s 2017 World Cup triumph.England are also looking for their middle order to gel amid a dearth of regular contributors dating back to their home series against New Zealand towards the end of last year, which the hosts still managed to win 4-1.”I don’t think the problem has just been in the middle order,” Beaumont said. “Everyone has got to take accountability. I didn’t have the best series with the bat in the Ashes so I think everyone’s got to step up.”We’ve had some really good chats about not necessarily just what we need to do but actually how we need to do it and we need to get back to playing quite aggressive cricket and taking the game on. Today you saw Lauren really go for it up front and then it’s easier for the others to follow in and the middle order to really get stuck in when they’re not behind the eight ball.”I think in the Ashes constantly we as the top order were putting an incredible amount of pressure on that middle order to kind of mop up the mess we’d made so for me, it’s accountability for the whole top order really and the middle order.”