Ben Stokes has maintained that he and Alex Hales share the objective "to win the World Cup" after the Nottinghamshire batter was recalled to the England squad ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Hales has not played for England in three years since being taken out of the squad for the ODI World Cup in 2019 for failing a recreational drug test, and was not named in the initial squad for the upcoming T20 edition.
But a freak injury to Jonny Bairstow while playing golf last week has led to Hales being recalled for the tournament, as well as the squad for the T20 tour of Pakistan, which starts later this month.
Stokes' relationship with Hales is said to have declined after both were involved in a brawl outside a Bristol nightclub in 2017
But England Test captain Stokes acknowledged the quality Hales brings to the team.
"Alex is definitely one of the best T20 players in the world and unfortunately with what happened with Jonny we had to call another player up," Stokes told reporters.
"Alex is definitely one of the guys that bowlers don’t want to be bowling at in the T20 format."
However, Stokes was quiet when asked about their current relationship, adding: "My goal, Alex’s goal and everyone else’s goal who is part of that squad is to win the World Cup."
Reggae Boy Morrison convicted of fraud after using dead person’s blue badge
Jamaican International Ravel Morrison has been convicted of fraud after he was caught using a deceased person’s blue badge to park.
According to a report in The Guardian, Morrison, during his interview under caution, claimed he bought the badge from “someone in Old Trafford” for £50. The former Manchester United representative was subsequently charged with one count of fraud.
Morrison, 30, who currently represents DC United in Major League Soccer (MLS) appeared before Manchester magistrates court to plead guilty to the offence on Thursday. He was fined £1,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £508.32 and a victim surcharge of £400.
Manchester city council enforcement officers began their investigation in May into a white Audi S3 parked in Bridgewater Street which was displaying a blue badge.
Blue badge permits are given to people with disabilities or health issues, whose mobility is limited. It entitles those individuals to park free of charge in spaces that are often closer to shops and destinations.
The police discovered that the badge’s holder died in February 2022, and was no longer valid. The vehicle was issued with a penalty charge notice and was removed to the Manchester vehicle pound. Morrison reclaimed his vehicle later the same day.
“This ruling shows that the law is applicable to everyone, with no exceptions. I am grateful for the diligent work of our investigating officers, as well as legal counsel, who were able to successfully prosecute this case,” a spokesperson for Manchester city council said.
“Our officers patrol the streets daily to ensure that blue badges are used legitimately, and we will not hesitate to take action if we discover people trying to circumvent the law,” they added.
Morrison’s topsy-turvy career, playing for 13 clubs around the world after leaving Manchester United in 2012. He has so far made 18 appearances for Jamaica with three goals to his credit.
We never lost trust – Sarina Wiegman confident England would fight back for win
England boss Sarina Wiegman maintained full faith in her side to stage the stunning second-half comeback that lifted the Lionesses to a 3-2 win over the Netherlands in their penultimate Women’s Nations League group-stage clash at Wembley.
Needing a victory to remain in contention to finish top in group A1 and advance in the tournament, which serves as a qualifier for next summer’s Olympics in Paris, England quickly dug themselves a hole after Lineth Beerensteyn netted twice before the break.
But the Lionesses battled back after the restart on a frigid night in London, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp stoking the crowd back into a frenzy by the hour mark before substitute Ella Toone sealed a dramatic victory in stoppage time.
Wiegman said: “I was actually pretty calm. I was very disappointed they scored the second goal because I didn’t think we played bad. The second goal we were a little bit unlucky, it was an unnecessary goal. We didn’t play bad but we needed some more. We truly believed we could turn it around. We never lost trust.
“At half-time we said the game was absolutely not over and that if we score a goal they can become a bit shaky.
“They were struggling with the defence with how we played in attack. We also did a tactical thing we needed to do better in defence. We said everyone needed to step up and bring something extra. You could tell the players gave everything because they were really tired.”
It leaves England in second place in the group, level on points with the Netherlands and one in front of Belgium, ahead of concluding their group matches by playing Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday. Belgium drew 1-1 with Scotland in Friday’s other Group A1 contest.
England and the Dutch are level in terms of head-to-head record, with the latter – who face Belgium at home next week – having a goal difference superior by three, while England will finish their group stage away at relegated Scotland on Tuesday.
Despite the victory, England’s keeper Mary Earps was left in tears as she spoke post-match about the two goals the Lionesses conceded, the second of which saw her get her glove to the ball only to see it slip past her and trickle in – something that left the Manchester United stopper beating the turf in frustration.
Knowing England needed to win by two goals to take over at the top of the group, Earps told ITV: “I thought the girls were unbelievable to come back into the game. I thought they were unbelievable, the subs that come on impacted the game.
“I am just sorry that my performance has cost the team tonight.
“That [second goal] will haunt me for a long time today, I am really gutted because it could have been a really special night.
“The team were unbelievable, don’t get me wrong, the goals are unbelievable, the way that they played and moved it around showed great patience at times, real tenacity, real intensity to the play.
“I am a competitor but when it is not good enough, it is not good enough and I can only apologise to my team-mates and to the fans, I take that fully with my whole chest.”
The apology was utterly unnecessary for Wiegman, who said: “I spoke to her very shortly and I don’t want her to talk like that.
“We win as a team and lose as a team. That is part of the game. Of course she didn’t like the team down, everyone does her best. You only let the team down when you don’t put effort into the game and we never don’t put effort in.
“Everyone stepped up. We needed to step up as a team. I think everyone did that.”
England keep Olympic hopes alive with dramatic comeback win over Netherlands
England kept their bid to secure Olympics qualification for Great Britain alive in dramatic fashion as Ella Toone’s stoppage-time goal completed a fightback from two goals down to beat the Netherlands 3-2 at Wembley.
Needing a win to remain in contention to finish top in Nations League Group A1, the final position required for them to have a chance of obtaining a place for GB at next summer’s Games in Paris, the Lionesses were on course for a third defeat in the pool as Lineth Beerensteyn notched a first-half brace for the Dutch.
But Sarina Wiegman’s side battled back with two goals in quick succession from Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp just prior to the hour mark, before substitute Toone capped the turnaround in the first minute of time added on to bring a huge roar from the 71,632 crowd in attendance.
It leaves England in second place, level on points with the Netherlands and one ahead of Belgium, ahead of concluding their group matches by playing Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday. Belgium drew 1-1 with Scotland in Friday’s other Group A1 contest.
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