Gibraltar defender Jayce Olivero will approach Monday night’s Euro 2024 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland as “a final” as the minnows look to add to Stephen Kenny’s misery.
The clash between the sides currently occupying the bottom two places in Group B at the Aviva Stadium could prove make or break for Kenny after Friday’s 2-1 defeat in Greece left his team pointless and with his critics once again on the offensive.
Gibraltar, who are ranked 201st by FIFA, have lost each of their three opening fixtures against the Greeks, the Netherlands and France 3-0 and while the odds may be heavily stacked against them in Dublin, Europa defender Olivero is relishing the task ahead.
He said: “The game for us is a final. Ireland are a great nation and a really, really big team, and they’ve always competed at the very top.
“This is what we want. We want to compete against the very best and we prepare with everything we have for every game we have, and that’s what we’re looking to do in our next game.
“We compete with everything we have and that’s the most important thing for us.”
Ireland were decidedly second-best in Athens as they followed up a 1-0 home defeat by France in their opening fixture – in which they produced a spirited display – with a tepid performance.
Asked if Gibraltar could capitalise on the fall-out from that game, manager Jose Ribas said: “It’s important that we focus on our game.
“Ireland are a great side regardless of their form at the moment. We’ve seen them playing against Greece, we’ve seen them playing against France and they’ve put in good performances.
“We respect them, they’re a great side.”
Ribas, who has been in charge since 2018, has assimilated a new generation of players into his squad, but has retained vast experience with defender Roy Chipolina, 40, and 41-year-old striker Lee Casciaro starting against France and 37-year-old Scott Wiseman, who enjoyed a 13-year career in English league football, coming off the bench.
Asked how important that experience to his team, the Uruguayan said: “It’s obviously very important.
“We’ve got 23 players – some who are unfortunately not with the squad now – some of whom have played right through from Under-17s level, and of course it’s very important to have these very experienced players who have been through a lot with Gibraltar.
“We’ve only been admitted to UEFA very recently and it’s great that these young players have that experience to help them. We believe with that, they will grow.”
Andy Murray continued his excellent preparation for Wimbledon with a second successive title.
The former world number one followed up his win at Surbiton last week with a flawless display to lift the Rothesay Nottingham Open.
Murray beat Frenchman Arthur Cazaux 6-4 6-4 in the final to make it 10 wins in a row.
That is his best sequence since 2017, when he still topped the world rankings and was not playing with a metal hip.
And he will now head to his favourite stomping ground at Queen’s, where another good week will see him improve his ranking enough to be seeded at SW19.
He made it through the week at Nottingham without dropping a set, but it was a second-tier Challenger event so he will receive a truer test of where his game is at next week at Queen’s, with the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Matteo Berrettini and Holger Rune all in the draw.
However, on the evidence of his movement, serving and matchplay this week, he looks a good bet to enjoy his best run at Wimbledon since he hobbled out of the 2017 quarter-finals with the hip injury that derailed his career.
His physicality was tested here as he won his semi-final at 6.30pm on Saturday night but was back on at 11am for the final, which was brought forward owing to the threat of rain on Sunday afternoon.
He hit the ground running, though, breaking the world number 181 in the opening game before eventually seeing the first set out 6-4.
The second set was much tighter, owing to Cazaux’s big serve, but Murray broke at 4-4 and then served it out to get his hands on the trophy.
Rob Burrow and his family completed the Arena Group Leeds Mini and Junior Run together on Father’s Day.
Burrow, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in late 2019, was pushed by his daughters Maya and Macy along the course.
The mini and junior routes took place alongside the Leeds 10k that ran through the city on Sunday morning as part of the Jane Tomlinson Run For All Event.
Burrow’s wife Lindsey also took part and the family celebrated with their medals after crossing the finish line.
Last month Kevin Sinfield pushed Burrow at the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon and carried his former Rhinos team-mate over the finish line to complete the course together.
There is no disputing a huge week awaits Andrew Balding at Royal Ascot. But equally it is very much a feeling of “good pressure…the pressure you want” for the Kingsclere trainer, as he prepares to send out a team captained by Classic winner Chaldean.
Balding arrives in Berkshire with a string in fine form, boasting a near 20 per cent strike-rate in the last two weeks, and with leading chances in two of the real showpiece events of the meeting.
The 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean will head his formidable team, as he takes on Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Paddington and unbeaten Cicero’s Gift in a mouthwatering St James’s Palace Stakes on Tuesday.
“Obviously, we were thrilled with his Guineas win. That was his main objective for the early part of the season and this will be his second target. This, we always hoped, would be the plan,” said Balding.
“He had a little break after Newmarket. He has freshened up well and his work has been as solid as ever and we’re looking forward to it.
“There’s pressure, obviously, he is wearing the crown at the moment and that gives you added pressure.”
Balding will run Berkshire Shadow in the curtain-raising Queen Anne Stakes, the first of three Group One races on the opening afternoon.
Beaten just under two lengths in a bunched finish in the St James’s Palace last year, he opened his four-year-old campaign with a Listed win at Wolverhampton and another success in the valuable All-Weather Mile Championship at Newcastle.
Bookmakers appear to be overlooking the Dark Angel gelding, making him a general 33-1 chance.
“He ran well when finishing third in the Lockinge next time,” said Balding, as he ran through his team sitting on a bench opposite the weighing room at Newbury, where he waited to saddle a three-year-old. “We think he’d have an each-way chance again.
“It is a tough division, but he is a high-class horse, who won a Coventry a couple of years ago.”
Dante Stakes winner The Foxes, who subsequently failed to see out the Derby trip, will not be among the yard’s runners, although Oaks eighth Sea Of Roses will take her place in the Ribblesdale.
Kempton’s Magnolia Stakes winner Foxes Tales and Notre Belle Bete, who has placed three times this year and landed over £100,000 when scoring in the All-Weather Easter Classic at Newcastle, are Balding’s contenders in the Wolferton Stakes.
“He (Foxes Tales) has a (3lb) penalty. He is in the Wolferton.” said Balding. “We have Notre Belle Bete in that too. He’s had a great season.
“We run some two-year-olds, but we don’t quite know what to expect there,” admitted Balding, before citing two horses who may fly under the radar in Imperial Fighter and Sandrine.
The former was beaten two and a half lengths by Native Trail in the Irish 2,000 Guineas last year, but has not hit the same heights subsequently.
Fifth to Regal Reality in the Diomed at Epsom on his last start, Balding feels he has started to come to hand again.
“Imperial Fighter will go in the Royal Hunt Cup,” he added. “He was third in the Irish Guineas last year but has just taken his time to find a bit of form this year, but I’m happy with him now. I think he’d have an each-way chance.”
Sandrine, owned by Kirsten Rausing, is a dual Group Two winner who landed the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood last July.
She won the six-furlong Albany on heavy ground two years ago and is equally effective on a quicker surface.
Having run over seven furlongs and a mile last season, she dropped back to six furlongs at Salisbury last month and was beaten a length and a half. She is a 16-1 chance for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on Saturday, yet her trainer remains hopeful.
Balding said: “Sandrine could be overlooked in the Jubilee, because she is high class.
“The return to sprinting will suit her. She was a bit disappointing at Salisbury, but I think there were legitimate excuses for that.
“She seems in great nick at home and she goes there, as long as the ground is not too quick, with what we think is a great each-way chance.”
By then, he will know whether it has been a successful Royal meeting or not, particularly since he has another plum chance with Coltrane, who is a general 11-4 chance for the feature on Ladies Day – the Gold Cup.
With Aidan O’Brien’s crack stayer Kyprios unable to defend his crown through injury, Balding feels Mick and Janice Mariscotti’s six-year-old – who won the Ascot Stakes, Esher Stakes and Doncaster Gold Cup last season – has every chance of backing up his recent Sagaro success as he steps back up to two and a half miles.
“It looks an open Gold Cup,” Balding said. “The good thing about Coltrane is we know he stays and we know he loves the track. That has go to be a massive plus.
“He seems in great heart and I couldn’t be more thrilled with his Sarago win. I thought that was his best performance ever.”
Acknowledging what is to come, he said: “Of course there’s pressure. But it is a good pressure. This is the pressure you want.
“You are always happy if you get just one winner at the meeting, so fingers crossed.”
Commentator Peter Drury is joining Sky Sports to cover the Premier League from next season following Martin Tyler’s departure.
Tyler, who had spearheaded Sky’s coverage of the competition since it launched in 1992, is stepping down from his role ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
After Drury’s arrival was confirmed on Sunday, he said in a statement: “I’m massively excited to be joining Sky’s outstanding roster of commentators.
“To be working on the best games week in week out with a broadcaster that has told the Premier League story since the very beginning feels like the opportunity of my career and I can’t wait to get started.”
Sky Sports director of football Gary Hughes said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming Peter Drury to Sky Sports.
“Peter’s one of the game’s most poetic commentators and will bring great energy and enthusiasm as well as his award-winning broadcasting experience to our unrivalled coverage of the Premier League.”
Drury, who has more than 30 years of experience across TV and radio, has previously worked for the BBC, ITV, Premier League Productions and BT Sport.
He has been named Football Supporters’ Association Commentator of the Year for three of the last four seasons, and won the Sports Journalists’ Association Sports Commentator of the Year award in 2020.
Alongside his work for Sky, he will also continue his role providing commentary on NBC’s Premier League coverage in the United States.
England all-rounder Moeen Ali has been fined on his Test return for applying an unauthorised drying spray to his bowling hand on day two of the Ashes curtain-raiser at Edgbaston.
Umpires had expressly prohibited players from using any agents to their hands without prior approval ahead of this highly-anticipated LV= Insurance series between England and Australia.
While the International Cricket Council accepted Moeen’s use of the spray was an attempt to reduce perspiration and not a more serious charge of trying to alter the condition of the ball, he was found to have displayed conduct that is “contrary to the spirit of the game”.
As well as being fined 25 per cent of match fee, Moeen has been hit with one demerit point after admitting a breach of article 2.2 of the ICC code of conduct for players and player support personnel.
An ICC statement said: “England player Moeen Ali has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC code of conduct during the first Test against Australia in Birmingham on Saturday.”
It was an unwanted birthday present for Moeen, who turned 36 on Sunday and is making his comeback to Test cricket after almost a two-year absence.
Modern Games will face 11 rivals as he bids for a sixth Group One win in Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes, the opening event of Royal Ascot 2023.
Charlie Appleby’s charge struck at the highest level in France, Canada and America last year and secured his first Group One on home soil when winning the Lockinge at Newbury last month.
He had the Richard Hannon-trained Chindit behind him that day and he reopposes along with the third Berkshire Shadow, fifth Mutasaabeq, sixth-placed Lusail and the seventh Light Infantry.
Modern Games’ main rival appears to be the John and Thady Gosden-trained Inspiral, winner of the Coronation Stakes at this meeting last year and making her seasonal bow here.
Angel Bleu, Cash, Pogo and Triple Time complete the field along with Appleby’s second runner Native Trail.
Chaldean and Paddington provide a mouth-watering clash in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
Winners of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish equivalent for Andrew Balding and Aidan O’Brien respectively, they are the star names among a nine-strong field.
Isaac Shelby, who was narrowly beaten in the French Guineas, represents Brian Meehan with Charlie Hill’s Cicero’s Gift an interesting contender as he makes the leap to top-class company after winning each of his three career starts.
Hills also runs Galeron, with Charyn, Indestructible, Mostabshir and Royal Scotsman making up the field.
A high-class field of 19 goes to post in the King’s Stand Stakes, with Highfield Princess currently heading the market for John Quinn.
Australian raider Coolangatta, trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, is also a popular pick for the five-furlong affair, with her compatriot Cannonball another towards the head of the betting for Peter and Paul Snowden.
The Karl Burke-trained pair of Dramatised and Marshman are in the line up along with the likes of Manaccan, Twilight Calls and Twilight Gleaming.
George Boughey’s Asadna is one of 22 for the Coventry Stakes with Willie Mullins holding leading claims in both the 20-runner Ascot Stakes and the Copper Horse Stakes via Bring On The Night and Vauban, with the latter one of a maximum field of 16.
Frankie Dettori will ride Saga for the King and Queen in the Wolferton Stakes, with the Gosden-trained runner having come within a head of victory for the late Queen at last year’s meeting.
Wales are back in Euro 2024 qualifying action away to Turkey on Monday.
Rob Page’s side are bidding to recover from their shock home defeat to Armenia on Friday against the Group D leaders.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the main talking points surrounding the crunch game in Samsun.
Page must strike right balance
This time last year Wales boss Page was basking in the glow of guiding Wales to their first World Cup for 64 years. How times have changed.
Wales have won only once in 11 games and Page’s tactics have come under intense scrutiny.
Reverting to three at the back and playing two holding midfielders in front of them might provide Wales with the solidity they have so woefully lacked over the past 12 months.
Counter-attack best form of defence
There is no Kieffer Moore after the Bournemouth targetman was sent off against Armenia to earn a ban.
Moore’s absence might actually work in Wales’ favour in this instance should Page bolster his defence and pack the midfield.
That could give Wales a strong base to release the pace of Brennan Johnson and Daniel James on the break.
Should Danny ward off Wayne?
Danny Ward’s miserable season suffered further indignity as four goals flashed past him in Armenia’s stunning Cardiff success.
Ward’s struggle for form at relegated Leicester saw him lose his place there towards the end of the season and his confidence levels must be a real concern for Page.
Wayne Hennessey is the obvious replacement but the 108-times capped veteran – sent off on his last appearance at the World Cup in Qatar – has spent most of the season warming the bench at Nottingham Forest.
Revenge or repeat?
The two nations have met seven times with Wales winning four games to Turkey’s two and one draw.
Their last meeting came two years ago as Aaron Ramsey and Connor Roberts scored in a 2-0 Wales victory at the delayed 2020 European Championship, securing qualification for the knockout stage at Turkey’s expense.
So Turkey have that extra motivation of avenging that Baku defeat in front of what is sure to be a volatile crowd at the Samsun 19 Mayis Stadium.
Balance of power
This contest has the appearance of a defining fixture to make next summer’s European Championship finals in Germany.
Wales’ promising start with four points from two games, which included a bonus draw away to group favourites Croatia, was blown apart by the Armenia defeat.
Turkey are now on the front foot after grabbing a stoppage-time winner to beat Latvia 3-2 on Friday, and victory would take them five points clear of Wales in a potential race behind Croatia for the second qualifying spot.
Sunderland have announced the signing of striker Luis Hemir Silva Semedo on a five-year contract.
The 19-year-old arrives from Benfica for an undisclosed fee having featured for their B team and under-23 side over the last two seasons, scoring 28 goals in 61 appearances.
Following his arrival at the Stadium of Light, Hemir told the club website: “This is a big move for me and I am very excited to be here.
“Sunderland have a lot of young players playing an important part in the team and I think this will be really good for my personal development. I’m excited to meet my new team mates, see the stadium and experience the fans.”
Doug Watson is relishing his interim stint as Scotland head coach and has seen enough from the players so far to believe they can qualify for this year’s World Cup in India.
The South African, who also remains head coach of Auckland Aces at club level, took on the temporary role in charge of the Scots in April and will remain at the helm until the end of July.
Watson will lead the team at the World Cup qualifying event which gets under way in Zimbabwe on Sunday and then the 2024 T20 World Cup European qualifiers in Edinburgh next month.
“I’ve got this tournament and the next tournament and then we’ll reassess,” Watson told the PA news agency.
“I’ve been fortunate that Auckland have given me time off to come and do this role.
“It worked out perfectly in terms of timing because the New Zealand season finished at the end of April so that freed me up to spend three to four months out of New Zealand in this job.
“I played cricket in Scotland many years ago and it’s been great to be back. I’ve been really taken care of.
“It’s been a great experience so far, it’s been busy. The squad have been brilliant to work with.”
The Scots play their first match of the qualifiers against Ireland on Wednesday, while they are also in a five-team section with United Arab Emirates, Oman and Sri Lanka.
The top three teams go through to the Super Six stage where there will be two World Cup places up for grabs.
“Yes, definitely, without a shadow of a doubt they’ve got it in them to get to the World Cup,” said Watson.
“We know we’re going to be up against some outstanding teams and everyone’s got the same goal of wanting to be in the top two.
“But Scotland have done really well over the last two to four years. Finishing top of the World Cricket League shows they’re in a good space.
“Now it’s a case of taking everything they’ve learned over the past few years into the tournament. At this stage leading into a tournament of this magnitude I don’t have to drive or motivate the players.
“They’re all motivated themselves and they’re taking on leadership and preparation. We’re pretty clear on what we want to do but it’s about staying calm and present and making sure we don’t look too far ahead and that we just focus game by game.”
Eoin Morgan felt he was incapable of producing the record-breaking 148 from 71 balls that ushered England to a crushing 150-run victory over Afghanistan and to the top of the World Cup standings on this day in 2019.
The England captain pulverised a world record 17 one-day international sixes out of a team total of 25, another new benchmark in the format, while his 57-ball ton was the fourth quickest in the tournament’s 44-year history.
Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle and AB De Villiers cleared the boundary rope 16 times in an innings, but Morgan’s feat was even more remarkable as it came only days after he limped off against the West Indies with a back spasm.
“Never have I ever thought I could play a knock like that. I’m delighted that I have,” Morgan said. “All the work over the last four years, over the course of my career, it all comes to the front now.
“The last four years I’ve probably played the best in my career. But that hasn’t involved the 50 or 60-ball hundred.”
Any lingering fears over Morgan’s back injury were subsequently allayed following a knock that relegated hefty contributions from Jonny Bairstow (90) and Joe Root (88) to footnotes in England’s 397 for six at Old Trafford.
Morgan was dropped on 28 in the deep by Dawlat Zadran off Rashid Khan, who came in for some heavy punishment from the Dubliner en route to miserable figures of 9-0-110-0.
Afghanistan were never likely to mount a serious challenge to the total as they crashed to a fifth successive defeat to remain rooted to the foot of the group-stage table. However, they managed to avoid being blown away and posted 247 for eight.
Morgan raced past Root in the 40th over, during which he became the eighth man to reach 200 ODI sixes. He converted 50 into 100 in just 21 deliveries, clearing the ropes three times in six Rashid Khan balls, and kept on swinging.
Morgan levelled the sixes record with back-to-back blows off Gulbadin, then brushed off Root’s dismissal by hitting a 17th hard over his fellow skipper’s head. He holed out next ball, finally falling short as he aimed over long-off.
England went on to be crowned world champions for the first time following a dramatic final against New Zealand at Lord’s that went to a Super Over and was eventually decided by boundary count.
The Cincinnati Reds can stake their claim as the hottest team in baseball after Jonathan India and Will Benson led them to a 10-3 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday.
It was the seventh straight win for the surprising Reds, their longest streak since June 2018 and the longest active run in the majors.
Cincinnati, which lost 100 games last season, moved one game over .500 for the first time since it was 3-2 in early April.
India opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run homer – his third in seven games - off Brandon Bielak and Benson led off the fourth with a triple and scored on Curt Casali’s sacrifice bunt.
Benson greeted reliever Phil Maton with a two-run single in the fifth inning to make it 5-1.
That was more than enough offense for Hunter Greene, who allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. He won for the second time in four starts after opening the season without a victory in his first 10.
Tyler Stephenson singled home another run in the seventh and pinch-hitter Kevin Newman drove in two in Cincinnati’s four-run ninth.
Jose Altuve matched a career best with four hits, including a homer and two doubles. His 35th career four-hit game moved him past Hall of Famer Craig Biggio for the most in Astros history.
Streaking Giants pound rival Dodgers
J.D. Davis had a pinch-hit grand slam and LaMonte Wade Jr. added a three-run homer to lift the San Francisco Giants to their sixth consecutive win, a 15-0 drubbing of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Alex Wood and rookie Bobby Miller exchanged zeroes until the Giants broke through with four runs off Miller in the fifth inning on Brandon Crawford’s RBI single and Wade’s ninth home run of the season.
San Francisco extended its advantage to 9-0 an inning later. Crawford delivered another RBI single before Davis connected off reliever Alex Vesia with the bases loaded for his second grand slam this season and third of his career.
Davis closed the scoring with his fifth RBI in San Francisco’s three-run ninth.
Royals erase big deficit to snap 10-game losing streak
Samad Taylor delivered a walk-off single in his major league debut and the Kansas City Royals ended a 10-game skid by rallying for a 10-9 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Faced with an 8-2 deficit in the seventh inning, the Royals scored three runs in the frame and tied it with three more in the eighth. Bobby Witt Jr. had a two-run double in the seventh and singled home another two in the eighth.
The Angels went back on top in the ninth on Mike Trout’s RBI single, but the Royals walked it off in the bottom half as Maikel Garcia singled home a run before scoring on Taylor’s single to deep centre.
Brandon Drury homered twice and Shohei Ohtani took over the major league lead with his 23rd home run, his eighth in his last 12 games.
Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark will take a share of the lead into the final round of the 123rd US Open, with Rory McIlroy just a shot behind at Los Angeles Country Club.
Chasing his first major title, halfway leader Fowler looked set to maintain his overnight advantage until three-putting the 18th, the resulting level-par 70 leaving him on 10 under par.
Playing partner Clark hitting a stunning approach to the last to set up a closing birdie and complete a hard-fought 69, with McIlroy also recording a 69 as he bids to claim a fifth major and first since the 2014 US PGA.
World number one Scottie Scheffler finished eagle, birdie to card a second consecutive 68 and lie three shots off the lead.
McIlroy held a share of the lead after two-putting the first for a birdie and then holing from 12 feet for another on the third, but that proved to be the longest putt the world number three holed all day.
“I feel pretty good,” McIlroy said. “The golf course definitely got a little trickier than the first couple of days.
“I felt like I played smart solid golf. It felt somewhat stress-free, if you can ever call golf at a US Open stress-free, but overall pretty pleased with how today went. I feel like I’m in a good spot going into tomorrow.”
Quote of the day
Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick was one of a number of players to note the subdued atmosphere.
Shot of the day
Minutes after Rickie Fowler holed from 70 feet for birdie on the 13th, Scheffler outdid him with a stunning eagle from 196 yards on the 17th.
Round of the day
Tom Kim began the day 11 shots off the lead but ended it in the top 10 thanks to a 66 which included a record-equalling front nine of 29.
Statistic of the day
Bad news for anyone hoping to stage a final-round charge from more than four shots off the lead.
Easiest hole
The par-five eighth hole played to an average of 4.450, with three players making an eagle and 33 making birdie. There were just three bogeys.
Hardest hole
The fifth hole proved the hardest with just one player making a birdie and three making double bogeys, leading to a scoring average of 4.510.
Weather forecast
A cloudy start will give way to afternoon sun and highs in the mid 70s, with wind gusting up to 18mph in late afternoon.
Key tee times (all BST)
2157 Ryutaro Nagano, Xander Schauffele
2208 Dustin Johnson, Harris English
2219 Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy
2230 Rickie Fowler, Wyndham Clark
England’s bowlers need to rally on day three of the first Ashes Test after a chanceless century from Usman Khawaja and three wasted opportunities left them with a fragile lead of 82 at Edgbaston.
Having sprung a surprise declaration at 393 for eight on the first evening, England saw the tourists respond with 311 for five as Khawaja made an imperious 126 not out.
He carried his bat from first ball to last on day two, shepherding his side from 67 for three to a much sturdier position at stumps. While they look well set with Khawaja and Alex Carey (52no) at the crease, England are just two wickets from opening up the tail.
Yet they will be ruing three chances that went begging, Jonny Bairstow missing a stumping against Cameron Green and a catch from Carey, while Stuart Broad bowled Khawaja on 112 off a no-ball.
With a first-innings lead likely to go a long way on a pitch that is beginning to take spin, both sides will be desperate to own the morning session.
A step too far for Broad
Overstepping the bowling crease has become an increasingly costly habit for fast bowlers since the line has been routinely monitored by the third umpire. Australia captain Pat Cummins overstepped six times in the World Test Championship final against India earlier this month, missing out on two wickets as a result, and Broad failed to heed the warning. He overstepped six times in 16 overs, most painfully when he speared the second new ball through Khawaja’s defences only to see the wicket scrubbed off. Ben Stokes, who has also lost wickets for the same reason in the past, was also called six times. England need to tighten up their footwork.
What they said
Khawaja, joined at his post-match press conference by daughter Aisha, was pleased to answer the doubters who suggested he could not bring his form to English conditions. He had a previous best of 54 and an average of less than 20 in this country, but blew those statistics out of the water with his classy century.
Numbers game
By contrast Australia managed only to stop England scoring from two of their overs on day one. As if to exemplify the sharp contrast in styles, Australia’s batters blocked out three successive maidens to start the day and took 24 balls to open their account for the day.
England’s secret weapon
Broad dismissing David Warner early on day two for the 15th time in his career felt par for the course and there was a sense of expectancy as the old rivals faced off. But Harry Brook being brought into the attack in the 15th over came right out of leftfield. A very occasional medium pacer, he had only bowled eight overs in international cricket before Stokes threw him into the fray unexpectedly. The decision to introduce a 65pmh part-timer in the first session and with Steve Smith at the crease raised more than a few eyebrows. It only cost England a single and he was back for two more in the evening as Stokes tried everything he could to derail Australia.
Tweet of the Day
England’s Twitter harking back to the response Moeen Ali sent after Stokes’ Ashes SOS. It was a mixed bag for Moeen, who snared Travis Head and produced this beauty to see off Cameron Green but England’s off-spinning all-rounder leaked 124 runs in his 29 overs.
#BlueforBob
Actor Stephen Fry and former Australia fast bowler Jeff Thomson were on hand to lend their support as Edgbaston turned blue for Bob Willis, who died in December 2019 from prostate cancer. His wife Lauren Clark set up the Bob Willis Fund to spread awareness and raise money for prostate cancer research.
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