It was a novel twist on that age-old debate but Bernardo Silva was not being drawn into taking sides between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Michael Slater was virtually unstoppable in the 1994-95 Ashes
03-Jan-2007
|
|
|
It was my first home Ashes series and I scored really consistently in a really great team. With three hundreds in five Tests I was stoked to back up what I did in England in ’93. To start with 176 in Brisbane was phenomenal. I was so excited and nervous. The first morning was electric and I was so pumped up.I hit a four first ball off Daffy DeFreitas – it was swinging away but I saw it swinging, it was a bit short and wide enough for a good cut shot – and hit another later in the over. All my nerves went into the shot. The four later in the over went over gully and was out of control. At that point the Australian crowd went beserk and I noticed a few of the England players’ body language changed. A couple of heads – not all of them – went down and you could see they were thinking “here we go again”. At Edgbaston in 2001 it was a bit of blur when I hit Gough for 16 in the first over, but I remember the fieldsmen behind me almost giggling at what was happening.In Brisbane it was a terrific day, although I’d put on nearly 100 with Mark Taylor when I ran him out. The rate wasn’t something I was thinking of much [his strike-rate was 72 and he hit 25 fours]. It was very productive but I was still disappointed I got out. I was trying to accelerate and instead of lofting Graham Gooch I hit him to mid-off. Caught Gatting bowled Gooch hasn’t happened very often. I soaked up the crowd as I raised my bat and all but one of my team-mates was really happy with me. ‘Tubby’ Taylor was furious: “What did you do that for? You could have got through the day but you went and committed Hari Kari.”I got 103 in the second innings of the third Test at Sydney, where the end of the match was weird and we hung on. Tubby and I decided we’d bat normally [the target was 449] and we made a good start. The nature of my innings was the longer I was there the more aggressive I’d become, and Tubby was playing a lot of pull shots so we had a lot of confidence. We really enjoyed batting together and whenever I walked out with him I felt very secure. Our midwicket conferences would start off very focussed at the start and then get more light-hearted as we went on.We focussed right through this partnership and set little targets and at 0 for 200 we thought we might be able to do it. Then I got out and Tubby got out and wickets started to fall quickly [Australia went from 1 for 208 to 7 for 292]. We had to clamp down and at the end Tim May thought it was time, but because of some rain there were more overs to be bowled. We were starting to cheer the draw, but they had to go back for two more overs. That game showed how hard it is chasing big totals. There’s the pressure and things shift quickly. It was a draw but it felt like a win.I felt the gods were on my side in Perth when I was dropped three times. Dev [Malcolm] was bowling like the wind but didn’t get a wicket in the first innings. Dev had a slingy action and was so unpredictable. A couple of spells in that match were the quickest I ever faced. He forced me to fend a ball and the edge went to Gooch and he dropped it while diving.
|
|
|
When I was in about my 60s I hit an easy caught and bowled but Dev dropped it. I didn’t know it at the time, but Dev was quite blind. Then I top-edged a ball and started to walk off because thought I was caught by Dev – he made a mess of it. I was assisted with my 124, but once you get going at Perth you’re hard to stop.I hadn’t thought too much about the Man-of-the-Series award until just before the presentation when one of the guys said I was a chance. With three 100s I thought I might be and there were two Toyota Ravs. The prize went to Craig McDermott [32 wickets with four five-fors] and he had been awesome throughout the series. He was a great spearhead.It was Gatting and Gooch’s last Test and we sat in the home dressing room for hours and hours. There were about eight blokes and sitting there talking with guys I had watched for years was amazing. I was 24 and my friends would never have believed what was happening. We were supposed to get inoculations for the West Indies trip that followed and I got in trouble for not being there to get the yellow fever one.Series in England always feel different, but for this home Ashes I was still riding the crest of a wave. I was going up and up rapidly and my memories are it was the time of my life. I was such a free spirit when batting – I felt the most free of my whole career. My defence was solid, my technique was good and I wasn’t yet in the phase when I became a bit looser. My batting was safe and I just loved it.
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan04-Jul-2006India
|
|
|
9
Rahul Dravid
No one would grudge him the Man of the Series award, especially after his never-to-be-forgotten twin fifties in the final Test at Kingston. With four half-centuries and one hundred, he was the talismanic presence in the Indian side and took some bold decisions throughout. His catching at slip was a bit suspect at times, and his field placements, on occasions caused a few heads to spin, but those were just small blips in a memorable summer. Purely on batting alone, he had no peer.Anil Kumble
Tireless as ever, Kumble showed his unquenchable thirst for a fight. In a series where no bowler managed more than 150 overs and on pitches that didn’t offer him much support, Kumble sent down 223.1 overs and always provided some solidity at one end. He was streets ahead in the wicket-takers’ lists (with 23 wickets he had eight more than Corey Collymore at second place) and it was only fitting that he finished it off at Kingston. His batting was crucial too – his partnership with VVS Laxman at St Kitts went a long way in thwarting West Indies while his 45 at Kingston proved vital in the final analysis.8
Munaf Patel
On his first foreign tour, bowling largely on shirt-fronts, Munaf took several strides forward. He cranked up the pace consistently and hit the splice of the bat even when the pitch didn’t offer any assistance. Barring a brief session at St Kitts, when Sarwan pelted him for six fours in an over, he managed a steady length and troubled all with reverse swing too.Virender Sehwag
For sheer impact, it would be tough to find an innings as glorious as Sehwag’s hundred at St Lucia. On the first morning of the Test, with speculation rife about a green pitch, he manhandled the bowling as only he can. His rapidfire fifty at St Kitts gave India a whiff of winning a contest where they had played catch up throughout. Sehwag’s bowling also developed wonderfully on this tour – the fact that India chose four bowlers reposing faith in his bowling ability must tell you something. He teased with his offbreaks and his nine wickets in the series at 23.22 were thoroughly deserved.Wasim Jaffer
India’s fightback in the first Test at Antigua revolved around Jaffer’s magnificent maiden Test double hundred, an innings where he produced some gorgeous strokes on a slow pitch. The value of his twin fifties at St Kitts, when India had their backs to the wall, should also not be underestimated. He fumbled a few chances at slip, surprising given how safe he is while fielding in that position for Mumbai.7
Sreesanth
Sreesanth showed why he was rated so highly by the team management with some inspired spells when they were needed. He gave India a wonderful start on the final day of the Antigua Test, only to be thwarted by the last-wicket partnership, and was outstanding in the decider at Kingston. His batting too showed some promise though his out-fielding, at times, left a lot to be desired.
|
|
|
Harbhajan Singh
Shrouded by intrigue for the first half of the series, Harbhajan delivered fine spells in the final two games. His two five-wicket hauls were a study in contrast – the first, at St Kitts, came when West Indies were looking for quick runs, the second came in just 4.3 overs on the second day of the final Test. His unbeaten 38 at St Kitts also proved crucial in frustrating West Indies.VVS Laxman
Laxman’s workman-like hundred at St Kitts helped India claw their way back into the game, one in which they were heavily up against the odds. He showed glimpses of his vintage best but mostly preferred to grind it out on a pitch that was slow from the outset. He followed it up with a fifty in the second innings ensuring that they left unscathed.Mohammad Kaif
Kaif’s maiden hundred at St Lucia put India on course for a big first-innings total. After nearly seven years in international cricket, he finally seemed to have cemented his place in the middle order. However, he looked out of place in the next two games and needs to show more consistency if he harbours hopes of a permanent slot. He was an energetic presence while fielding in the covers but his close-in catching wasn’t upto the mark.6
VRV Singh
VRV Singh showed tremendous promise in the two Tests he played, turning in some fiery spells. He even impressed Brian Lara, who didn’t hesitate to complement him at the end of the series. One thought he was under-bowled in the second innings at St Lucia, despite having a good outing in the first innings. His batting though, an aspect where he has shown some ability at domestic level, produced more humour than results.Mahendra Singh Dhoni
It was unfortunate that the Caribbean public didn’t get to see Dhoni in his full splendour. He carted the bowling around in the second innings at Antigua, when India were pushing for a declaration, but managed only 99 runs in the other six innings. His wicketkeeping, though, improved as the tour went along and he gave a good account of himself against both spin and pace.5
Yuvraj Singh
An average of 17.33 in four Tests, with a highest score of 39, tells you what a poor series it was for Yuvraj. He gave glimpses of overcoming the lean run, especially in Kingston when he began with some confident drives, but invariably got out owing to poor shot selection. His fielding, though, remained sharp.4
Irfan Pathan
It was a harsh learning curve for Pathan, going from India’s golden boy to fifth-choice bowler in a span of a few months. After a poor showing in the one-dayers, he only played in one Test and, though he showed signs of improvement, was nowhere close to his best.
Riyad Mahrez's wife Taylor Ward has warned friends she would look like "the biggest tramp" after her husband's big-money move to Saudi Arabia.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Ward speaks of struggles to adapt to Saudi cultureAl-Ahli move came as shock to Manchester lassAmazon series lifts lid on player relationshipsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
A new reality series revealed the model's anxiety over her husband's summer departure from Manchester City and her difficulties adapting to a new life in the Middle East. Faced with suddenly having to move away from her native north west, Ward is featured in Amazon's emotionally addressing of having to suddenly pack their bags.
AdvertisementWHAT TAYLOR WARD SAID
"No lashes, no nails. Oh my god, I'm going to be the biggest tramp when I come home you're not even going to recognise me," Ward told a group of friends about the move.
GettyTHE GOSSIP
In other scenes, Ward breaks down in tears as she talks about the upheaval and recounts a story where she is told by staff that the hotel pool was only available to be used by men.
The show features the partners of Arsenal's Jorginho and City's Ilkay Gundogan among others and attracted some typically forthright social media interest when a trailer featuring Everton's James Tarkowski in flirting mode went viral earlier in the week.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
WHAT NEXT FOR TAYLOR WARD & RIYAD MAHREZ?
The former City winger will be hoping to turn fortunes around on the pitch as Al-Ahli look to breathe life into a difficult season when they take on Al-Tai on Saturday afternoon.
Wataru Endo left Wembley on crutches after Liverpool's Carabao Cup final triumph over Chelsea, adding to the Reds' injury crisis.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
USMNT star Sergino Dest has revealed who edits the popular clips of his stellar performances for runaway Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
New Chelsea signing Romeo Lavia has revealed why he signed for the Blues despite also being wanted by Liverpool this summer.
Why did Lavia choose Chelsea?
The Belgium midfielder has now officially completed a move to Stamford Bridge, joining for an initial £53m transfer fee which could rise by a further £5m with add-ons.
Of course, though, the 19-year-old – who has now signed a seven-year contract – was also wanted by some of Chelsea's Premier League rivals, with Liverpool among those to lodge a bid for the player.
In fact, as per ESPN, the Reds even previously had a £60m offer for Lavia accepted by Southampton but the player expressed a desire to head to Stamford Bridge instead – actually allowing the Blues to negotiate a slightly lower fee.
Having now spoken about his decision for the first time, the midfielder told the Chelsea website why he wanted to join Mauricio Pochettino’s project this summer.
He began by saying: "I’m really happy join Chelsea and be a part of this exciting project. It’s an amazing football club with a great history and I’m really excited to get started.
"I can’t wait to meet all my new team-mates and build a chemistry together to achieve great things together."
But when talking specifically about his call to snub Liverpool, he said (via SportBible): "I think the project and ambitions of the club were key factors, but also the history behind it. So, these three factors determined my decision.
"The players that we've signed are players that we've played against and I've thought, 'wow these players are good', so be able to work with them is a great feeling. I think we're all young so it will be good to make each other better.
"I know Diego Moreira from young. I spoke to Wesley Fofana as well, he's a good friend of mine. It seems to be a dressing room with a great vibe and i just wanted to be a part of it.
"Mauricio Pochettino is a great manager. I think we all know what he's done before and when I spoke to him he was pretty clear on what he wanted and the direction he wanted the team to go in. His energy matched with mine, so I'm really excited to start working with him."
How much did Southampton pay for Lavia?
While it's bad news for Liverpool, and exciting news for Chelsea, it's also not a bad outcome for Southampton who have made a great profit on their signing who joined just last summer.
Indeed, Saints paid an initial £10.5m for Lavia before the start of last season as he arrived from Manchester City and played in 29 Premier League games (via ESPN).
While City will be owed a 20% sell-on fee, it's still a great bit of business for Southampton as they now look to reinvest that and help them push for promotion from the Championship this term.
All in all, it seems as though this is good business for three clubs (with Man City included) but unfortunately for Liverpool, they're left in the lurch yet again.
Indeed, after seeing Moises Caicedo also snub Jurgen Klopp and co – to complete a £115m move to the Blues instead – it's been a pretty painful few weeks for those at Anfield.
A huge protest by Reading fans against their ownership caused their side's game against Port Vale in League One to be stopped after just 16 minutes.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Reading fans protesting against owner Dai YonggeRoyals were relegated to League One for first time in two decadesFans want change of ownershipWHAT HAPPENED?
Thousands of Reading fans ran onto the pitch demanding owner Dai Yongge sels the club. The game had to be suspended on the 16 minute mark with fans refusing to return to the stands. The Reading fans received support from opposition supporters who joined in calls for Yongge to leave the club. The side were relegated from the Championship last season and are fighting relegation again – under Yongge's ownership the club appear to be in freefall.
AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The Royals' owner has been in charge of the club since purchasing 75 per cent of the shares in May 2017 and has overseen a period of complete turmoil. With the club driven into financial and administrative chaos, Reading were relegated to League One last season – making it the first time in over two decades they would compete in the third tier of English football. Protests against Yongge have been ongoing for a considerable time, with the pressure group 'Sell Before We Dai' created to try and save Reading from their turbulent ownership.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
WHAT READING SAID
The club asked for fans to return to the pitch and tweeted a statement. It read: "We are fully aware of and understand our supporters’ frustrations, but we must reiterate to our supporters that entering or throwing items onto the pitch can put the fixture at risk of abandonment and can result in personal consequences including banning orders. Thank you for your support today."
Hong Kong bowlers Aizaz Khan and Ehsan Khan ran through Nepal’s batting order to thrash them by 83 runs in the 47th match of the World Cricket League Championships in Mong Kok. The duo shared eight wickets between them as offspinner Ehsan finished with his List A career-best figures of 5 for 17.Hong Kong, put in to bat first, lost their opener Anshuman Rath for a duck in the fourth over. At the other end Jamie Atkinson was more successful, carrying his team past 100 even despite regular blows. His lone hand was not enough to carry them past 200 though; Hong Kong slipped from 3 for 108 to 194 all out, with Atkinson top-scoring with his 76.In their chase, Nepal lost wickets regularly to leave the match in Hong Kong’s possession. Medium-pacer Aizaz dismissed three of the top-four batsmen, while Ehsan worked through the rest, dismantling Nepal for 111.
A few days before the Test, the track was nearly indistinguishable from the outfield, and with persistent rain keeping it under covers, the pitch may prove to be tricky for batsmen on both sides
Firdose Moonda in Bloemfontein04-Oct-2017The pace and bounce South Africa wanted but didn’t get in Potchefstroom is likely to be around in Bloemfontein for the second Test against Bangladesh, if visual evidence is anything to go by. Photographs taken on Sunday showed a strip so green it almost could not be distinguished from the outfield. By Monday some of the grass had been shaved off, as shown in the accompanying picture, and since then, persistent rain has kept the pitch under covers. More showers are forecast for Thursday, which means the track may not see much sunlight before the first ball is bowled on Friday, and it could be tricky for batsmen on both sides.For Duanne Olivier, who plays his first-class cricket in Bloemfontein for Knights, the news cannot be better. “I saw a few pictures. I think on day one it will be a bit slow but then there’ll be some bounce and it will quicken up towards day three and four,” the fast bowler said. If that is the case, Manguang Oval will depart heavily from its norm of flat and run-laden tracks.Just two weeks ago, in the first-class season opener, the Knights and Cobras played out a high-scoring draw at the venue, albeit on a different pitch to the one that will be used for the Test. After Cobras were bowled out for 159, 1190 runs were scored in two innings, including seven centuries, for the loss of 10 wickets.Cobras’ coach Ashwell Prince said the track was so flat both teams felt they could “bat for another week”, and that was not a good thing. He criticised the surface as “definitely not good for South African cricket” because the “bat dominated” and he pointed out that it did not even break up for the spinners to come into the game.Olivier played in that match and bowled 44 overs, 31 of them in the second innings when he went wicketless. Though that experience was forgettable, he has enjoyed more successful outings at the ground in the past, and was the leading wicket-taker in first-class cricket last season, when Knights won the title.”Two weeks ago, the wicket was quite flat and there wasn’t much assistance but it will be different this time,” he said. “Previously, too, the wickets were a bit slow up front and Marchant (de Lange) and I bowled really well together. It’s about being aggressive and being patient. At times Marchant was the aggressor and other times we changed roles with me being more aggressive.”Given that the combination of Olivier and de Lange worked so well for Knights, the South Africa Test team may want to try something similar for the second match. However, the bowler closest to de Lange in physique and style is Morne Morkel, who has been ruled out with injury. Instead, it will up to a young crop – Olivier, who is not sure whether he will be given the new ball, Kagiso Rabada and two of Andile Phehlukwayo, Wayne Parnell or Dane Paterson – to step up.”Of course, Morne is a massive loss. He’s been bowling really well but it gives an opportunity to other guys to stand up and make a name for themselves,” Olivier said. “KG [Rabada] will be leading the attack now and I can learn a lot from him. I also learn a lot from the senior players so I really don’t feel there’s added pressure on me or the rest of the guys.”But there is some pressure on Olivier. After four Tests, his returns – 13 wickets at an average of 24.15 with an economy rate of 4.02 – are acceptable without being outstanding. In England, his inconsistency became an issue as he struggled to maintain lines and lengths for long enough to create or sustain pressure. There were glimpses of the same in Potchefstroom, where Olivier’s early spell was expensive and over-reliant on the short-ball. He admitted he wants to correct that by focusing on holding an end for a little longer.”I felt like I didn’t start well (in Potchefstroom). Maybe it’s because I try to put too much pressure on myself. But later on I settle and became more aggressive,” he said. “You want to contain and take wickets at the same time but you need to find the balance.”Bloemfontein may just be the place to start finding that balance.