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• Five bad weeks do not define a team – England’s Ben Duckett

  Ben Duckett cast doubt on England overhauling their white-ball approach despite a wretched World Cup which he insisted “does not define a team”.

  Duckett watched from home as England’s defence of the crown they won amid much fanfare in 2019 went badly awry, losing six of their first seven fixtures before claiming a couple of consolation wins.

  England’s misery has led to speculation of a reset going forward and only half a dozen of the contingent from India are out in the Caribbean for an ODI series starting on Sunday in Antigua.

  Duckett is one of the beneficiaries of a number of more established stars being rested but he was adamant that England do not need to make adjustments to a blueprint that served them so well for many years.

  “We have watched how England have played cricket over the past eight years and one bad five weeks does not define a team,” Duckett said. “It’s probably been the greatest white-ball team ever.

  “If we can go and play how they have played over the past eight years or even half as good that will be an achievement. We know how they want to play their cricket.

  “I don’t think the approach is going to change because of how the World Cup went. I think the age is probably the factor. If they win that World Cup, the same group of players might be here.

  “It was potentially guys who were late 30s and coming towards the end of their 50-over careers. So it seemed like there was always going to be a fresh start after it.”

  Captain Jos Buttler, batter Harry Brook, all-rounders Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran and fast bowlers Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse are the England players out in the West Indies who were at the World Cup.

  Players on the fringes such as teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, big-hitting all-rounder Will Jacks and uncapped fast bowler John Turner now have an opportunity in these three matches over the next 10 days.

  Duckett rejected the notion there was any additional burdens on this group after recent events, even if the left-handed batter admitted his desperation to shine to stay in England’s limited-overs plans.

  “Not in the slightest,” he said. “We don’t feel pressure, you know? I think fresh is a good word. A group of players who can go and showcase what we can do.

  “But I think for each and every one of us it’s important to perform. I need to go and prove that I’m good enough to be on this team and so do the other guys.”

  Duckett has cemented himself into England’s Test team as an opener but even though he is renowned for his attack-minded mentality, he has been capped in just eight ODIs and 11 T20s in seven years.

  In his most recent international appearance, Duckett registered an unbeaten hundred against Ireland in September as part of a second-string England side, with the big guns rested ahead of the World Cup.

  At 29, he could be entering his peak and a mainstay in all three formats but Duckett, who is expected to bat in the middle-order this weekend, is refusing to taking anything for granted.

  “I’m genuinely thinking about the next three weeks,” he added. “I know how difficult it is to stay in a side when there’s this many players.

  “I think the biggest thing I’ve learned over the last 12 to 15 months is not thinking too far ahead.

  “I’ve got to go and score runs this series to get to the next one, there’s people banging down the door who aren’t here so, I don’t think I’m a shoo-in for the next four years. I’d be silly to think that.”

• Shameful and not right – Saracens boss condemns Owen Farrell treatment

  Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall has criticised the “shameful” treatment of Owen Farrell in what he believes should be a wake-up call for the game.

  Farrell will miss the Six Nations after deciding to take a break from international rugby in order to “prioritise his and his family’s mental well-being”, although he will continue to play club ruby.

  The unexpected decision comes after the 32-year-old fly-half led England to a third-place finish in the recent World Cup after losing to champions South Africa by a point in the semi-final.

  Farrell has long been a lightening rod figure in the sport, but the condemnation peaked in August when he was sent off for a dangerous tackle against Wales, a decision that was overturned by a disciplinary hearing only to then incur a ban on appeal.

  England’s captain was frequently booed in France, sometimes with his family present in the stadium, and McCall is impressed that he delivered a series of strong performances despite shouldering a heavy burden.

  “It’s remarkable that he played the way he played during the World Cup, if we take into account how he was feeling,” McCall said.

  “He is a person who is right on top of his game at the moment, yet he and his family have been made to feel the way they feel. It is shameful. It’s not right.

  “I’ve worked with Owen for 15 years, every day, and the person that has been portrayed in the media bears no resemblance to the person I know. He’s a family man, they’ve always come first.

  “There was a narrative created and started and that’s been there for quite some time. There’s only so much that someone can take.

  “On top of that, he’s a brilliant, caring, supportive team-mate and a loyal friend to many. And a very good, decent human being. That’s the person I know.

  “It was courageous and brave of him to open up. I admire Owen for many reasons anyway, but even more for doing this.

  “I’m not worried about Europe or the club at all. I’m worried about Owen. We want him to be OK and happy. Clearly he hasn’t been.”

• Sarina Wiegman says England ‘know what we have to do’ against Netherlands

  Sarina Wiegman is confident England are ready for the task ahead of them as they prepare for Friday’s must-win Nations League clash with the Netherlands at Wembley.

  The Lionesses are third in Group A1 after four games, having been beaten 2-1 in September by the Dutch and 3-2 last month by Belgium, who they trail by three and one point respectively.

  Failure to beat the Netherlands in their penultimate group fixture will end their hopes of the first-placed finish they require to have a chance of securing a Paris 2024 Olympics qualifying spot for Great Britain, and boss Wiegman told a press conference: “I think the team is ready.

  “We’re really excited to play at Wembley tomorrow. I think the camp so far from Monday to now has gone really well.

  “We’re very clear on how we want to play and what we want to do; I see good things on and off pitch, and that gives me confidence that we’re really ready for tomorrow, and of course we all know what we have to do.”

  She added: “If you look at the games I don’t think we played really poor, just in moments we didn’t get it over the line and then we got some losses – which is not good, we want to do better.

  “In football, just as in life, you have ups and downs, and what we want to do is get to the high again, and that is what we are going to try to do.”

  With Millie Bright having withdrawn from the squad last week due to a knee injury, goalkeeper Mary Earps is set to captain the side.

  There are a number of defenders in the squad with only a few caps between them, and when asked about a lack of experience at the back, Wiegman said: “With the World Cup, you played the team you think are going to win, and then you change to win the game.

  “That has also been the case in the Nations League, so we didn’t have that many opportunities at international level to try out things. Of course we do that in training sessions, and we see the players in the Women’s Super League.

  “I think if it’s needed, they’re ready, and they know what is being asked of them. I hope in the future of course they get the opportunity to play.

  “Last year around this time we had friendlies, we played lots of players. We are not in that situation right now. “

  An experienced player Wiegman has back in the fold is Beth Mead, the Golden Boot winner when England won the Euros in 2022 who, having missed their run to the World Cup final during the summer, has been recalled after recovering from an ACL injury.

  Wiegman said it was as if Mead “hasn’t been away” without confirming whether she would start or not on Friday.

  Mead has 50 caps – a landmark fellow forward Lauren Hemp will reach if she plays a part against the Dutch.

  And the 23-year-old said: “It would be a surreal feeling. To do it at Wembley – there’s no better place. It would be an incredible feeling.

  “Looking back, a lot of the big games I’ve had have come at Wembley. There’s a lot at stake (on Friday). We know as a group what’s expected of us. I feel like when we’re put under pressure, a lot of the time, we do the job.

  “I’ve been to an Olympics before so I’ve experienced it once. I want to experience it again.”

  After Friday’s contest against Wiegman’s former side, England conclude their group games by playing Scotland at Hampden Park next Tuesday.