The full transcript of former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum’s MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture, delivered at Lord’s on June 6, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jun-2016To Roger Knight, President of the MCC and Derek Brewer, Chief Executive and Secretary of the MCC; thank you for the opportunity to deliver this lecture in the name of Colin Cowdrey.To Mike O’Farrell and Richard Goatley, Chairman and Chief Executive of Middlesex CCC respectively; thank you for the opportunity to play for Middlesex and to be in London.To the members of the late Colin Cowdrey’s family – it is a privilege to be with you.And to the members of the MCC – thank you for being here this evening.I was the kid in South Dunedin who lived for Saturday mornings, when I’d pull the curtains back and hope it wasn’t raining, that the wind was blowing from the north and the sun shining. Any of you who’ve spent a summer in Dunedin will know I was often disappointed. Scottish mist, the locals call it, but there’s a time and place for everything, and you could argue that summer in the South Pacific is neither. So I grew up not taking summer for granted. A day of sunshine was precious, because a day of sunshine meant cricket.I remember the excitement of travelling to the ground with kit bags in the boot of our mum and dad’s car, finding a park some distance from the entry to Logan Park, and walking past dozens of games being played by children of all ages.Turning up at the ground, my thoughts were not of nervousness or fame or fortune; nor of disdain for the opposition. It was all about the game; it really was the beauty and innocence that sport can bring.There were no concerns that if I didn’t perform I may lose my contract.No worries about lost fame or relevance in a game that can make you a household name in countries all over the world. There was no anxiety of having to testify against a former team mate in the Southwark Crown Court.No concern about how to integrate a team-mate who had lost the captaincy which I had since taken over. No media that seemed to delight in criticism.No second thoughts about charging the spinner only to check myself because I remember the mortgage, the mouths to feed at home and the ramifications if I ran past the ball.My father Stu played 76 first class games for Otago – he must have been a great team man and tourist as he sat on the bench for about the same number of games! The Otago team at the time are held in folklore back home as a group of gnarly uncompromising men from the deep south of New Zealand. They played the game hard, very hard. According to lore, they were remunerated with a per diem that covered a pie, a pint and a punt, of which my old man enjoyed all three in abundance.When dad talks today about his cricketing experiences he doesn’t refer to runs, wickets, averages or aggregates but, rather, the friendships, camaraderie and experiences of his time as a semi-professional cricketer.It is, of course, cricket that’s brought me here, to the other side of the world, to stand before you, one of the proudest and most distinctive sporting clubs in the world, to deliver the Spirit of Cricket lecture named after the great Colin Cowdrey.I may be a veteran these days, as my knees and back keep reminding me, but I’m almost ten years younger than Cowdrey was when he finally called an end to his involvement in Test cricket.I never saw him play, but he was one of the first great players I remember becoming aware of as a boy. My friend and lawyer, Garth Gallaway, who is here this evening, remembers the England side touring New Zealand in 1970-71. Cowdrey, a man of the church, missed the first Test in Christchurch through illness and travelled to Dunedin at the invitation of Garth’s father, Iain, to preach at St Paul’s Cathedral. He had dinner at the Gallaway home and brought with him the cricket correspondent, Michael Melford – and Cowdrey and Melford spent an hour on the back lawn bowling to seven-year-old Garth.Unfortunately, I can’t see that happening these days – a seven-year-old boy would be far too good for most of the cricket writers I know!Cowdrey’s record is there for all to see and, to my mind, he personified everything that is wonderful about cricket. He was (from all accounts) a courageous and skilful player but never combative and unpleasant – elegant, prodigious, calm and, most of all, he played the game fairly.Against the West Indies in 1963, Cowdrey’s arm was broken on the fourth day of the Lord’s Test, fending a Wes Hall bouncer from his unprotected face. On the fifth day England were battling for a draw and, with just a couple of balls to go and England nine down, Cowdrey, plaster-cast on his left arm, went to the crease and helped see England home.Just as inspirationally, he was summoned to Australia in 1974-75 after England had been hammered in the first Test at the Gabba. He hadn’t played a Test in four years and there he was, with no warm-up game and coming out from an English winter, batting at three for England against Thomson and Lillee.It’s no wonder the crowd gave him a standing ovation as he walked out to bat.Legend has it that he looked at Jeff Thomson and said, “Mr Thomson I believe? How good to meet you.” To which the Australian quick said, “That’s not going to help you fatso, piss off.”Some things never change!Cowdrey made 22 in the first innings facing 101 balls and batting for over two hours. In the second innings he offered to open and, in scoring 41, he withstood Thomson, Lillee, Walker and Mallet for over two hours. He was nearly 42 years old!If ever we needed proof that the game can be played with grit and determination, with courage and with dignity and, above all, in the appropriate spirit – we need look no further than Michael Colin Cowdrey.So it’s with considerable humility that I stand before you today and deliver this lecture in his name.Even though, for much of my career, I’m bound to say (sadly), I was very unlike Colin Cowdrey.In the early days of my international career I was proud to be called brash, aggressive and perhaps even arrogant.When I first made the New Zealand ODI team, there were at least a couple of guys who were my heroes who had a swagger and sense of entitlement and arrogance about them.Did I want to be like them? You bet I did!I became incredibly competitive; winning was everything and I didn’t really care what it took to win.I now look back on that part of my game with regret. There are many things I would change if I could. I guess growing up in a cricketing sense is no different to growing up in life, except that it’s a much more public rite of passage where everything you do is scrutinised.There’s no escaping some of the things I’ve done. It’s on video – posterity in the worst possible way.You probably want an example and fair enough too. Much as it pains me to talk about it publicly, I’ll tell you how I ran out Muttiah Muralitharan.We were playing Sri Lanka at Lancaster Park in Christchurch in late 2006. Kumar Sangakkara scored a magnificent 100 in the second innings. When Kumar reached his 100, Sri Lanka were nine down – the ball was still in the air being returned to me as wicketkeeper when Murali left his ground to congratulate Kumar. When the ball arrived in my gloves, I removed the bails and appealed. Murali was given out and we went on to win the match.Not surprisingly, the incident created controversy and bad feelings. The Sri Lankans were stunned. Their captain Mahela Jayawardene said at the time: “Legally it was run out, the ball was alive, but we play in an age where we talk about the spirit of the game. Hopefully it won’t happen again. It’s not the way to play cricket.”If I could turn back time, I would. We were within the laws of the game but not the spirit and there is a very important difference which is glaringly obvious to me years later, and it’s that aspect that I want to focus on a little more this evening.Because nearly ten years after running out Murali, I view things very differently and I would hope that I am am a very different person. Kumar Sangakkara is here tonight. Sanga, I admire you enormously. I regard you as a friend. And I take this opportunity to apologise to you and Murali for my actions on that day.I want to share with you the things that I think were the primary catalysts for my change of approach. And I think it’s fair to say that they came late in my career.At the time they were particularly challenging for me and forced me to confront my character and question why I was playing the game. Eventually, they allowed me to see what was important about playing cricket and, as a consequence, my love of the game returned – very slowly at first and then in a flood.The first event was my first Test as captain of New Zealand. I had taken over the captaincy of the team from Ross Taylor and, to put it mildly, it was a controversial decision – played out constantly in the national media. To give you an example of the depth of feeling in New Zealand, the late Martin Crowe, a magnificent player, announced to the media that he had burned his New Zealand blazer in disgust. Strong stuff.In early January 2013, we played South Africa at Cape Town. It was a gorgeous day, but the pitch at Newlands looked a little bit green. I’d read about ‘the table cloth on Table Mountain’. If there was no table cloth – no cloud cover – then the theory was that you bat first on winning the toss. But if there is cloud on the mountain then the rule is to put South Africa in. I stared at the mountain looming over the city and saw bright blue sky, not even a wisp of cloud. So when I went out out to the pitch to toss the coin with Graeme Smith, I’d decided that if we won the toss, we’d bat. I wanted to make a strong statement, particularly to my team but also to the opposition.Nineteen overs and two balls later we were all out for 45. I’m not sure what happened to the table cloth – it felt like Steyn, Morkel and Philander had whipped it away under us.The tenth lowest total in 2069 Tests.If an innings of 45 all out doesn’t force you to reconsider what you’re doing, I guess nothing will.After returning to my room that evening, there was a knock on my door. It was the coach, Mike Hesson. Soon after we were joined by Mike Sandle, the manager, and then Bob Carter, the assistant coach. This uninitiated meeting was to play a significant part in what was to unfold over the next few years.We grabbed beer from the fridge and talked. We didn’t ‘white-board’ it, we just spoke from our hearts; about who we were as a team and how we were perceived by the public. It was agreed that we were seen as arrogant, emotional, distant, up-ourselves and uninterested in our followers.The environment that the younger players were being welcomed into was really poor – there was a very traditional hierarchy, where senior players ruled the roost.Ultimately, we concluded that individually and collectively we lacked character. The key for all of us was the team had no ‘soul’. We were full of bluster and soft as putty.It was the first time I had really stopped to consider this in 11 years of international cricket.The significance of what occurred that evening day was that we recognised that we had to change. We wanted to personify the traits that we identified in New Zealanders – to be humble and hardworking. We wanted to be respected by our long-suffering fans in New Zealand. We wanted to be respected by our opposition; and before we could demand this we had to learn to respect them.A lot has been written about how the New Zealand team played in subsequent years. I think that no one has captured it better than former Middlesex captain, Ed Smith. Writing for Cricinfo, he said: The manifestations of that contribution are well known – freedom, openness, sportsmanship, the embrace of risk and adventure, and rowing back from the toughness-is-sledging delusion. But how did McCullum reach the insights that led to those characteristics and opinions? And why was he able to stay true to them on the big stage?He went on to say: Athletes and sports teams waste huge space and energy on external motivators – mission statements about trying to be the best team in the world by 2057; blueprints for global dominance; strategic flow charts about key performance indicators. In fact, if every sportsman simply tried to be the best he could be, and attempted to behave decently along the way, you’ve pretty much summed up every available optimal strategy in one simple sentence. After all, you can’t be better than your best. And nothing matters more than how you feel about the way you’ve lived your life.I couldn’t agree more with Ed’s comments. The things that worked for us may not work for everyone. In changing the way we approached the game, and respected the opposition, we wanted to be true to our national identity.In terms of that, New Zealanders identify with strong silent types. Perhaps our greatest hero is Sir Edmund Hilary – the first person to climb Mt Everest.He had a chiselled jaw – he never spoke boastfully about his remarkable achievements and he devoted a considerable part of his life seeking to improve the quality of life of the Nepalese people he loved so much.Ed Smith recognised in his article the fact that sports people can spend an awful lot of time deep in analysis – every breath they take is analysed, nothing is left to chance. For us as New Zealand cricketers we wanted to remove a lot of the analysis; we wanted to be ‘blue collar’ in how we went about things, not aloof and superior. We reduced the various theories that had dominated so much of what we did; we planned less, had fewer team meetings and we tried to be the very best we could be. We wanted to be a team that people could be proud of; and if in doubt we wanted to play the game aggressively, not fear failure. I have been given far too much credit for what we achieved – the approach was taken by every member of the squad. Everyone bought into it and lived and breathed it.And the joy of respecting the opposition was a revelation. There are times in a game where you simply have to enjoy the skill of the opposition and acknowledge it appropriately. Recently I played for the Gujarat Lions in the IPL. We took on the Royal Challengers Bangalore, who batted first. After three overs RCB were 10 for 1 with Chris Gayle back in the pavilion. From there followed a slaughter of our attack by AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli – they broke the world record for the highest T20 partnership, scoring 229 runs between them. We tried everything to remove them; we bowled full, short, wide, into the pads and so on. The quicks tried taking the pace off the ball. Nothing worked. AB and Virat’s batting that day was breathtakingly skillful.Fielding at cover or mid-off for most of the innings the fan in me, the cricket lover, had the best seat in the house. Rather than admonish our bowlers for what occurred this was a time to celebrate genuine mastery.In a similar vein, I was interested to see the reaction to Alastair Cook’s very considerable achievement of becoming the youngest player to score 10,000 runs. In an age where superlatives are thrown about willy-nilly, Alastair’s achievement is truly remarkable. But much of the coverage that followed focused on whether he can beat Tendulkar’s record tally of Test runs – with calculations being undertaken of how many Tests he may play, how many runs per season he could score and a prediction being provided accordingly.It is, I suppose, only natural that people would want to speculate in this way; but in doing so, in my view they risk failing to enjoy the moment; to reflect on what has been achieved here and now by a very fine player.I want to talk now of the other really significant happening that affected my approach to the game. The events leading to it took place at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 25 November, 2014. On that day, Phil Hughes suffered injuries that were to prove fatal, playing for New South Wales against South Australia. Phil was a good man. He was likeable both on and off the field. The outpouring of grief that followed the tragedy were testimony to how much he was loved at home in Australia.The New Zealand team was in Sharjah playing in a Test series against Pakistan when the news came through that Phil had been hit and was in intensive care.We were about to begin the third and final Test against a dominant Pakistan side; they had recently demolished Australia 2-0 at the same venues as we were playing. We had been well beaten in the first Test at Abu Dhabi. To put the thumping we received in context, it was the largest winning margin (by runs) by Pakistan against any New Zealand team; and we took just five Pakistan wickets in the match.We drew the second Test but certainly performed better.Going into the third Test, we were very conscious that we hadn’t lost a test series since 2012, and we desperately wanted to preserve that record by getting a win at Sharjah to level the series. But even as an eternal optimist, I had my doubts that a Test win in the UAE is possible.Misbah won the toss and at the end of day one Pakistan were 280 for 3. Just before the start of play on the second day, the bombshell arrived – Phil had died.On hearing the news, my initial attitude was that we shouldn’t be playing. I looked around the dressing room and felt that no one wanted to be playing cricket. It had lost all meaning. There was also the realisation that it could have been any one of us. None of us ever anticipated that someone could die from a cricket ball, not in this day and age. I always wanted our fast bowlers roaring in, having a winning attitude; intimidating, ready to exploit any lack of certainty or technique in a batsman, but not at the expense of someone’s life. Cricket was meant to be a game, not a life or death struggle. It hit us all hard that for Phil, it had become exactly that.Mike Sandle, Mike Hesson and I spoke to the match referee, Andy Pycroft from Zimbabwe. We told him we didn’t want to play. The umpires were Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker, both Australians. They were broken and barely able to leave their room at the ground.It was decided that we should take the day off and see how things looked the following day.That night I rang Gilbert Enoka and told him that I didn’t know what to do.Gilbert is a sports psychologist in New Zealand who is held in very high regard. He has worked with the All Blacks and New Zealand cricket teams for years.I explained to Gilbert that we had a group of men who were shattered and wanted to get on a plane home as soon as possible. It didn’t feel right to continue playing, but we knew there was a good chance we’d have to. We were the only international game underway at the time and I felt we had to plan for the fact that we may be told we had to carry on.Gilbert was incredible. He said we should not judge anything that anyone did during the week, and that people should grieve in their own way and concentrate their energy and emotions on themselves rather than the team.He told me to try and bring everyone together; to try to lighten the mood if at all possible. Most meaningfully Gilbert said: ‘All your preparation, all you have ever thought about in cricket, just throw it out the window for this one game.’In saying this, it was like Gilbert took the weight off my shoulders and gave me a way to deal with what was happening – to realise that there were no rights or wrongs and the rule book could be thrown away.That night most of the team shared a few beers in my room. The mood lightened at times but there was such a profound sense of disbelief, shock and sadness. We knew had to be at the ground the next day but deep down I think we all hoped the game would be abandoned and we’d be heading home.Soon after arriving at the ground we were told that the game was going ahead, like it or lump it. The decision had been made for us. Looking back, I think this was the right decision but, at the time, it seemed wrong. In our dressing room there were a number of players weeping uncontrollably. It was to remain a common theme – as we walked onto the field the tears rolled down the faces of many of the lads and this continued sporadically during the day.As a captain, I felt unable to protect the team and, as we stood in the middle before play began, I apologised to them for having to play.I fell back on Gilbert’s words; ‘All your preparation, all you have ever thought about in cricket, just throw it out the window for this one game.’I reminded the team that there would be no harsh judgement on any player’s performance and no consequences for failure. I believe that what motivated us was Phil Hughes. We knew we had to play and we would do that as best we could, to honour Phil and the game itself.The outcome of the ‘uncaring’, no-consequence play was a revelation to me. I suspect it was something I had been trying to achieve on a personal level for years; but I had been unable to do so, except for fleeting moments. Here there was a release of many of the external factors that can creep in and influence a player. There was an instinctiveness that took over – no fear of failure, just playing and being ‘in the moment’.From 281 for 3 at the end of day one, and 311 for 5 at drinks in the first session of what was effectively day two, Pakistan lost their last six wickets for 40 runs; and that opened the door for us, a little.We put together 690 runs, the biggest total ever by a New Zealand side and the second-highest score against Pakistan by any team. As a team we averaged nearly five runs an over and we hit 22 sixes; a world record number in a Test innings. In my new-found mental freedom, I managed a double-century and Kane Williamson scored a much finer 192.Pakistan were all out for 259; a splendid win by an innings and 80 runs and the Test series was squared.This test was New Zealand’s first win against Pakistan in Asia in 18 years, and the first innings win by New Zealand against any team in Asia in 30 years.The way that Phil’s death affected what happened didn’t go unnoticed by those who witnessed it. Cricinfo saw it this way: ‘The Kiwis were badly affected by the incident and didn’t even celebrate any of their achievements. A remarkable thing to note here is that they barely applauded a wicket. Consider this: just the two bouncers bowled today and no close-in fielders in front of the wicket! Takes some doing and still they won the game in four days to level the series 1-1… full marks and hats off to the Kiwis for the spirit they have shown throughout the series. Certainly an example set for all the other sides to follow and act upon. Long live their attitude!’The realisation of how we achieved the result through the manner of our play came sometime later. The team had drawn strength from one another and Gilbert Enoka’s ‘no consequences’ brought a ‘joy of life’ in a cricketing sense that was richly ironic but, nevertheless, liberating. The big thing I took away from this Test is the way Phil’s death affected our mind-set and the way we played in the rest of the match. It was so strange, and yet it felt so right, that after Phil’s death we didn’t really care any more about the result. Because nothing we could or couldn’t do on the field really mattered in comparison to what had happened to Phil. Our perspective changed completely for the rest of my time playing Test cricket for New Zealand, and we were a much better side as a result.Many observers have said that we were playing the way it should be played; as gentlemen who respected the history of the game. People undoubtedly warmed to the fact that we no longer sledged the opposition.We worked out what would work for us, based on the traits of being Kiwis. To try to be humble and hardworking and to enjoy what we were doing. It is vital that you understand that we were never trying to be ‘nice guys’. We were just trying to be authentic in how we acted, played the game and carried ourselves. For us, sledging in an abusive manner just didn’t fit with who we believed we had to be. It wasn’t authentic to being a New Zealander.This is not the time to go through a microscopic examination of ‘what is sledging’ and to seek to define it. Everyone has a view of how the game should be played and everyone is entitled to their view – Jeff Thomson probably shouldn’t have called Colin Cowdrey ‘fatso’ and told him to ‘piss off ‘. But it’s a great story and Colin had broad shoulders from all accounts.The truth is that cricket is unique – you spend a lot of time out there, ‘in the middle’. Humorous comments made in the heat of battle are gold. And when Colin Cowdrey’s funeral took place at Westminster Abbey (with 2,500 people in attendance), it was Thommo who carried the Australian flag. Enough said.In terms of our New Zealand side, we weren’t righteous in our stance and demanding that other teams follow our lead, but for us it was so good to play free of the shackles – to genuinely love the game again, to acknowledge and enjoy the opposition. And for me, when I pulled back the curtains in the morning, wherever we were, I smiled when the sky was blue and felt the same anticipation I did growing up in Dunedin.And so, in reflecting on my 14 years of international cricket, I again acknowledge my numerous failings and mistakes throughout my career. But I also celebrate that when I retired from international cricket the New Zealand team, through the contribution of everyone, has rediscovered its soul. It’s now a team that our country is proud of. Our followers know that New Zealand won’t win every game or be the world’s best team, but I think they are able to look at the team as a representation of our culture. The team now has a magnificent player and leader in Kane Williamson – he will rightly stamp his own leadership style on the environment but I am certain he will always play the game with a strong influence of being a New Zealander – humble and hardworking. Like Sir Edmund Hilary.I have talked about the final three years of my career in particular and the fact that during that time, I rediscovered my love of cricket. It wasn’t, however, all ‘beer and skittles’. Throughout much of that period the spectre of the allegations of match-fixing by Chris Cairns hung over me – and then, of course, the trial at the Southwark Crown Court, London, when Cairns faced charges of perjury.I have no doubt that you will be very familiar with the evidence I gave in the trial in London last year. Namely that Cairns, my former hero, approached me to fix matches in 2008; once in Kolkata when I was playing in the IPL for the first time, and again during the New Zealand tour of England when we were in Worcester.At the outset, I think it is appropriate, standing here at the ‘Home of Cricket’, to confirm that I stand by everything said in my statements and the evidence I gave at the Southwark Crown Court.I did not initially report Cairns’ approaches to me. As I said in the witness box when under cross-examination, it’s not easy ‘ratting’ on someone I regarded as a mate. And, frankly, I was scared; and, frankly, I felt completely out of my depth. I unreservedly accept that I should have reported the approaches at the time that Cairns made them; but it was a dreadful situation to be in.In any case, before the New Zealand team’s first game in the World Cup of 2011, John Rhodes, a representative of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, addressed us. He told us that if we had been, or were, approached about match-fixing and we did not report it then we were, in the eyes of the ICC, just as guilty as the person who approached us. I had told other people about Cairns’ approaches – one of them was my captain and friend, Dan Vettori.After John Rhodes completed his address I approached Dan and we went and saw Rhodes, telling him I had something to share with him. Rhodes took us to his hotel room where I detailed the approaches made by Cairns. Rhodes took notes – he did not record our conversation. He said he would get what I said down on paper and that it would probably end up at the bottom of the file with nothing eventuating.Looking back on this, I am very surprised by what I perceive to be a very casual approach to gathering evidence. I was reporting two approaches by a former international star of the game. I was not asked to elaborate on anything I said and I signed a statement that was essentially nothing more than a skeleton outline.Needless to say, by the time I sat in the witness box in London in October 2015, I had made three statements in relation to the issues. The second statement was requested by the ICC’s anti-corruption unit much later on – a clear indication that my first statement was inadequate – but how on earth could I have known that. As a player I had reported an approach – and it was recorded sparsely by the person I reported to.My third statement was requested by the Metropolitan Police – later still – and, suffice to say, they were streets ahead in terms of professionalism. They asked me so many questions, testing my memory, and took a much more comprehensive brief.Cairns’ lawyer made much of the fact that I had made three statements and, when I was cross-examined, he hammered me on the basis that my evidence was unreliable because I did not say everything at the outset when interviewed by John Rhodes.In fairness to Rhodes, I don’t think either of us could ever have foreseen that my first statement would be used in a perjury trial in London four years after it was made. But the point I wish to make is that it must have been feasible that I would have to give evidence somewhere, sometime. I think players deserve better from the ICC and that, in the future, the evidence-gathering exercise has to be much more thorough, more professional. In my opinion a person taking a statement should ensure that the witness is advised about what may occur – that if evidence were to be given in the future and the witness did not put everything in that initial statement or changed what they said in any way, then this would likely impact on their credibility. When I made my first statement to the ICC, my impression was that it would be put in the bottom draw and never see the light of day again. No attempt was made to elicit a full and comprehensive statement from me on that occasion.I had no legal obligation to turn up in London and give evidence against Cairns. Living in New Zealand, I could not have been compelled to give evidence and, frankly, I would much rather have stayed at home. But I believe I had a moral obligation to tell the truth – and I believe that the interests of the game of cricket and common decency demanded my attendance. But I do wish that the ICC had handled my initial approach more professionally for the reasons I have given.Worse still (in May 2014) my testimony was leaked to Ed Hawkins at the . Everything I had said was in the newspapers for everyone to see.I do not wish to dwell on the personal effect that the leak had on me – suffice to say it was, however, a dreadful situation as the media attention then focused on me. No witness who has provided evidence to the ICC should ever have to go through such a scenario again. The leak has never been explained to me; to my knowledge no one has been held accountable and, in those circumstances, it is difficult to have confidence in the ICC. To report an approach and to give evidence requires considerable courage – players deserve much better. How can the game’s governing body expect players to co-operate with it when it is then responsible for leaking confidential statements to the media? It goes without saying that if players do not have confidence in the organisation, they will be reluctant to report approaches and the game is worse off. If we are to get rid of the scourge of match-fixing, a robust governing body is essential.The other aspect that I want to touch on very briefly before closing is the position Lou Vincent is in – I played with Lou for a number of seasons. As will have become apparent during the course of his testimony in the Cairns’ trial, Lou has his demons. He was always a vulnerable character; there are many similar characters who play the game. While loathing the fixing activities Lou took part in, I have nothing but admiration for him for the way in which he accepted responsibility for his actions and acknowledged guilt. I also think he demonstrated remarkable courage in giving evidence against Cairns.The insight that Lou was able to provide into the dark and sinister world of match-fixing was, I think, invaluable. It would have been very easy for Lou to say nothing – to refuse to co-operate – but instead he laid his soul bare at considerable personal cost.Lou’s punishment from the ECB was to receive 11 life bans; one for each offence which carried that penalty. Lou is banned from having any involvement whatsoever in cricket. Perhaps the worst part is that Lou is unable to go to a cricket ground anywhere in the world. He can never watch his children play at any level. I struggle with the severity of this when a player has co-operated fully and accepted responsibility. While it was reported that Lou had agreed to the 11 life bans, I suspect that sitting in New Zealand without a dollar to his name, he was unable to do anything else. In the criminal law in New Zealand a defendant is given some clemency for co-operation and entering a guilty plea. It seems to me that Lou did not receive any such acknowledgement but, rather, had the book thrown at him.I raise this issue because if we are to expect players to feel able to come forward and confess all, then there has to be some recognition of this. Many of the players who become involved in match-fixing in the way that Lou did will be weak or vulnerable; it is well known that the people who seek to engage players in this way will look for players of a similar disposition. If players co-operate with the authorities and provide the game with a rare and critical insight into the workings of this pernicious influence, then there must surely be something that can be done beyond giving them the maximum ban available. I have no doubt that the ECB’s severe punishment of Lou has robbed the game of a golden opportunity to have him provide education to players, something I feel could have made a difference in the future. Further, it ignored his extreme vulnerability in a callous way.In conclusion, none of what I have said changes my view that all players must report any approaches. It is a fundamental responsibility that we all share for the greater good of the game. But it is equally vital that players who do report are treated professionally and that their report is kept confidential.Unless players can have confidence in the authorities and their processes, then I am sorry to say that the game will be the loser. Similarly, it is vital that players found guilty of offences having acknowledged wrongdoing are shown a degree of clemency – failing which there seems to be very little incentive for them to come forward.I have talked for far too long and it is time to close. Before doing so, I would like to acknowledge the considerable assistance I received from New Zealand Cricket throughout the period that I have referred to in my address. In particular I acknowledge the Chief Executive, David White, for his unwavering support of me – I remain eternally grateful.If I may be permitted to make one final comment – then it is this. Cricket is a wonderful game that is played in many parts of the world. It is unique and it should be treasured and preserved; players and administrators alike are guardians.I feel incredibly fortunate to have played the game for so long and to have had the experiences I have had. While I have earned more than a pie, a pint and a punt per day through being a professional cricketer, I have retired from first-class and international cricket without memories of aggregates, runs, wickets, catches or matches won. Rather, I treasure the memories of playing with and against so many wonderful people – as my father did before me.

Journalist Charles Watts has slammed Arsenal for not selling Ainsley Maitland-Niles sooner as he looks set to leave this summer.

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At the start of the Premier League season, the 25-year-old was sent out on loan to Southampton and it looks as though that spelt the end of his time in north London.

Indeed, in a recent interview with The Athletic, he confirmed he will be leaving Mikel Arteta's team at the end of the campaign when his contract expires.

Maitland-Niles said: “It’s been a great journey but it has come to an end. It’s time for a fresh start and to find a new home. I’m looking forward to that, but at the same time my head’s not quite there yet and it’s all about what’s happening now with Southampton.”

This means, of course, the player is going to depart without Arsenal receiving any transfer fee for the £35k-per-week England international.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts expressed his disappointment at this, noting that the club should have chased in on the defender when his value was higher.

He said: "Arsenal turned out so many bids, or certainly more than one bid from Wolves a few years ago after that FA Cup win to keep him – you know, bids over £20m – and then they kept him and then just didn't play him, and he didn't want to play in the position they were hoping to play him in and then the relationship broke down a little bit, and now he's going to end up leaving on a free.

"And you just think, why didn't you just accept those bids from Wolves after the FA Cup final and get £20m or whatever it was at the time from them, bank it, let him go and move on?

"You just look back at that as a big missed opportunity for Arsenal to get some money in, and a missed opportunity for Ainsley Maitland-Niles, really, to build on because he's just stagnated since then."

Is Ainsley Maitland-Niles leaving Arsenal?

As alluded to by Watts, Premier League rivals Wolves did once bid at least £15m for the player but it seems as though the Gunners were holding out for upwards of £20m.

In the end, the negotiations broke down but it seems as though the player's value has only deteriorated from there.

Indeed, that offer came in the summer of 2020, with Maitland-Niles also making his international debut and playing five times for England in the same year.

Since then, however, he has not added to his Three Lions caps – proving how he's hardly excelled at club level.

All in all, it does feel as though if Arsenal could turn back time they would simply accept whatever bid was on the table from Wolves as he will now almost certainly leave for free just a few years later.

Kalabagan Krira Chakra beat Kalabagan Cricket Academy by 29 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday

Mohammad Isam07-Jun-2016

Kalabagan Krira Chakra beat Kalabagan Cricket Academy by 29 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday.After rain had stopped play on Monday, with KCA 35 for 4, they were bowled out for 128 in 39.2 overs. Kalabagan were 91 for 4 in 23 overs in reply before heavy rain suspended play on the reserve day as well. Kalabagan were found to be 29 runs ahead of the D/L par score at the end of 23 overs.Kalabagan’s sixth win helped them move to seventh place, leaving them with an outside chance of making it to the six-team Super League, provided other results on Wednesday and Thursday go in their favour.Nuruzzaman, the right-hand batsman, top-scored for KCA with 42, and was among only three batsmen in their top-seven to register double-digit scores, Myshukur Rahaman (17) and Mehedi Hasan Miraz (22) being the others. Nuruzzaman struck five fours in his 66-ball knock.Veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak took three wickets while Kalabagan captain Mashrafe Mortaza and left-arm spinner Shahbaz Chouhan took two each.Hasanuzzaman, fresh from his 95 against Mohammedan Sporting Club, led Kalabagan’s reply with a 57-ball 47. He struck three fours and as many sixes before being caught at sweeper cover off Abu Jayed in the 21st over. Jayed, the right-arm pacer, finished with 2 for 15.If Brothers Union beat Legends of Rupganj at the BKSP-3 ground tomorrow, the relegation play-off will be redundant, sending KCA and Cricket Coaching School into next season’s Dhaka First Division Cricket League.

Paris Saint-Germain are thought to be interested in signing Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes in the summer transfer window, according to a new report.

Just how good is Bruno?

The Brazilian has been a transformative figure since joining the Magpies in January 2022, becoming an instant hero at St James' Park and appearing to raise the level of those around him. His box-to-box quality has been so key since his arrival and he is enjoying a superb 2022/23 season to date.

Bruno has scored three goals and registered four assists across 24 Premier League appearances, with Alan Shearer describing him as "absolutely magnificent" earlier in the campaign. He has been a big reason for Newcastle's strong top-four push and it was no surprise to see their form dip when he was unavailable through suspension in the lead-up to the EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester United.

The Brazilian is contracted to the Magpies until the summer of 2026, but now a worrying exit rumour has emerged, as one of Europe's leading clubs eye up a move for him.

Could Newcastle star depart this summer?

According to iG Esporte [via Sport Witness], PSG are interested in signing Bruno in the summer transfer window, as they look to bolster their midfield options. He has been "evaluated internally" inside the Ligue 1 club, although an offer hasn't been tabled yet.

They are believed to "regret" the decision not to sign the Newcastle ace back when he was at Lyon, considering the impact he has gone on to make at St James' Park. It is noted that the Magpies are "looking to fend off" an interest in Bruno by offering him a new deal, however, so the hope is that he is happy in England and wants to extend his stay.

Losing the 10-cap Brazil international at his point would be a huge blow for Newcastle, at a time when they are on the cusp of returning to the Champions League and potentially embarking on a memorable era at the club. He is so essential to everything they do as a team, whether it is chipping in with end product from midfield or providing great off-the-ball work – he has averaged 2.4 tackles per game in the league this season – so it is essential that they keep hold of him.

The lure of PSG could be great, given their Champions League aspirations and financial power, but even Lionel Messi has struggled to truly excel there at times, so Bruno should see Newcastle as his best option moving forward.

The BBL’s oldest player, spinner Brad Hogg, has joined the Melbourne Renegades for the 2016-17 season

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jul-2016The BBL’s oldest player, spinner Brad Hogg, has joined the Melbourne Renegades for the 2016-17 season. Hogg, 45, has spent the past five seasons as something of a cult figure with the Perth Scorchers and is their all-time leading BBL wicket taker, and second on the wicket tally for all teams since the tournament began in 2011-12.However, Hogg has decided against remaining in his home state, much to the disappointment of Scorchers coach Justin Langer. “I have been a very fortunate man in every respect and had five great seasons with the Scorchers,” Hogg said on Monday. “It was simply time for me to move on.”I had been rejecting other BBL offers for years, but this year I realised the end is coming closer – hopefully it’s still a few years away yet – but I know this is the time to grab those opportunities and experience everything I possibly can. The competition between the two Melbourne teams is a fierce rivalry and I want to be a part of that intensity over the BBL season.”Melbourne is the sporting hub of the country so I see it as a great honour to play there. It’s also a great team, and the fever pitch of a two-team rivalry, within the competition will be brilliant. Coming from Perth, the only time we get a taste of that is in AFL with the Dockers and Eagles. It’s electrifying.”The Renegades and Stars games will offer an intense rivalry within the competition itself. It adds an element to the game that I haven’t experienced. The Renegades can win this league and I cannot wait to get out there and feel the roar of that competition.”Hogg played in successful back-to-back BBL campaigns with the Scorchers in 2013-14 and 2014-15, and became Australia’s oldest T20 international player at the age of 43. This year, at 45, he became the oldest man ever to play in the IPL.”It’s just amazing when you consider that Brad’s still fit, got the fire and more to the point in-demand around the world,” Renegades coach David Saker said. “I don’t think there are many recent summers where we haven’t stood there and applauded his BBL performances”His experience goes without saying. He’ll be great for the guys in the group to learn from and you can’t teach the energy and enthusiasm he brings to the club. He loves the battle on the field and we can’t wait to see his competitive side come out in red.”

Tottenham Hotspur have been a side in disarray of late, and although they might have won at the weekend, it was hardly a performance to write home about.

Many have argued that Cristian Stellini’s side came away from the clash very fortunate, as their slender 2-1 victory hides the two questionable handball decisions and dismissed penalty shout, the latter of which the PGMOL has since apologised for.

It was a game that truly had everything, with VAR drama spilling over into the dugout, where both managers were sent off. Again the officials came under fire, as Stellini’s lack of involvement in the touchline fracas still earned him a red.

The main takeaway for the Lilywhites however was the fine strike that came from Heung-min Son, which finally brought the 30-year-old’s Premier League tally up to 100.

In curling in the opener, he became the first Asian to hit such a mark in the division's history.

However, this performance again papers over the cracks of what has been an abhorrent season for the South Korean speedster.

Typically keen to oversee the goalscoring burden alongside Harry Kane, it seems this season the £190k-per-week wide man has shirked his duty on numerous occasions.

After 28 league games, he has just seven goals to his name, whereas the last two campaigns had commanded tallies of 17 and above.

This in turn led journalist Jason Lee to take to Twitter to admit that the forward had been “underperforming”.

One goal should not expunge a season of disappointment, and such poor displays should give way to the youth talent who have instead earned their spot. One such name that springs to mind is Oliver Irow, a player hoping to make a breakthrough in the coming years.

Who is Oliver Irow?

Listed as part of a “bright” future for the Lilywhites by journalist Sohail Shamsudeen, the 16-year-old sensation has been tearing it up for the U18s outfit this season and is certainly one to watch at Hotspur Way.

The teenage gem already boasts four goals across 13 appearances, having finally burst into the youth side as a versatile attacker.

Clearly a goalscoring winger just like Son, to boast such a fine proficiency in front of goal at such a tender age marks him out as a truly valuable asset, one who could dislodge the South Korean once his career in north London comes to an end.

Indeed, to fast-track him into the seniors could be vital in offering the teenager that key experience to help him dominate the various youth levels, encouraging growth at a rapid rate.

Given how his potential predecessor in that role has underwhelmed this campaign could only ease such a surprising entry into the first team, allowing the youngster the platform to catapult himself into the stratosphere.

Joe Root produced a seamless 93 from 106 balls and Jos Buttler made 70 from 45 balls as England wrapped up victory by 122 runs for a 3-0 series win

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Jul-2016England 324 for 7 (Root 93, Buttler 70, Vince 51) beat Sri Lanka 202 (Chandimal 53, Willey 4-34) by 122 runs

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJoe Root’s 93 set up a 122-run win for England•PA Photos

England’s start was swift, their middle overs lively, and their finish was efficient. In response to an imposing total of 324, their visitors stuttered at the outset, lost wickets through the middle, and arrived at a limp finish. Sri Lanka’s 122-run defeat was an apt reflection of the chasm between the quality of the teams on display this series, which England have sewn up 3-0.Joe Root produced a seamless 93 from 106 balls to underpin his team’s dynamic innings, but it was arguably Jos Buttler who played the most electric knock within it. He set off with a four to fine leg, collected quick runs into the outfield for a while, then after facing 25 deliveries, let fly with the boundaries. There were shovels over the shoulder, searing cuts, crunching drives and a six over long off, all executed with a powerful bottom hand. His tally was 70 off 45. James Vince had also hit a half-century at the top of the innings.Erratic seam bowling at either end of the innings had helped England to their imposing total. Most hopes of Sri Lanka running that score down then dissipated in the first 22 overs, after which they were 107 for 5. Dinesh Chandimal made his fourth consecutive fifty as the wickets fell around him, before David Willey wiped out the tail to finish with four wickets for himself. Sri Lanka were all out for 202, and never in the course of their chase, did they appear to have the measure of their target.In England’s innings, Danushka Gunathilaka’s part-time offspin claimed three wickets for 48 from his full quota of overs, but it was debutant left-arm seamer Chaminda Bandara’s 1 for 83 which was the more definitive set of figures. Bandara was wayward at the outset while the other seam bowlers failed to pose a consistent threat, and costly at the death when everyone was going for runs. Nuwan Pradeep was also expensive again, giving away more than seven an over, as he attempts to come to grips closing out an innings.England had purred into motion with a cover-driven boundary from Jason Roy’s bat, third ball. Though play was soon left suspended for about 25 minutes by a passing shower, the hosts’ tempo rarely wavered over the following three-and-a-half hours. Bandara bowled overs that cost 11 and 14 in the Powerplay, while more experienced bowlers delivered more disciplined, but hardly miserly, spells. By the tenth over, only seven boundaries had been struck in all, yet 66 runs had been gathered. The green tinge on the pitch, which had put both captains in the mood to bowl first, offered only modest sideways movement. The overhead cloud made for only the slightest swing.The dismissal of Roy came somewhat against the run of play – caught on the midwicket boundary off Suranga Lakmal for a run-a-ball 34. Root, the next batsman, sent his first ball skipping through the covers for four, and Vince continued his pretty progress alongside the new man, the pair flitting efficiently between their wickets until Vince reached his first international fifty, off 54 balls. He was soon out charging Gunathilaka, who pulled his length back and slipped a ball past Vince’s advance, but neither that wicket, nor the next one, really dented England’s rate of progress. Halfway through the innings, the hosts were 138 for 3.With a confident Gunathilaka proving so successful, Mathews banked on spin through the middle overs. Jonny Bairstow was occasionally tested by it during his 21 off 28, but Root’s mastery of the single prevented Sri Lanka from making substantial headway. This steady beat of ones and twos was occasionally enlivened by the crash of cymbals: the reverse-paddle for four off the exceptionally part-time bowling of Kusal Mendis, the clatter through the covers at the end of the 38th over.Buttler twice hit Pradeep for consecutive fours, and thwacked a six off Lakmal in the 44th over, as he scored 45 runs from the last 20 balls he faced. It was he who propelled England’s run rate past six, and though he was out in the 48th over to give Bandara his first international wicket, had laid the groundwork for a fast finish. Thirty-three runs were hit off the last three overs.When the chase got under way an inability to pierce the lively infield drew a fatal mistake from Kusal Perera, not for the first time in the series. He was out lbw to Willey at the end of the fourth over. Mendis and Gunathilaka attempted to build the platform Sri Lanka required, before committing another of Sri Lanka’s most common mistakes through the series: attempting to come back for a second run in the 14th over, Mendis was caught short by Bairstow’s throw.From 66 for 2, the match slipped quickly. Gunathilaka was lbw to Liam Plunkett for 48. Mathews had his stumps splayed by a yorker from the same bowler. Upul Tharanga was bowled first delivery by Adil Rashid, and Dasun Shanaka was stumped off him, some time later. When Seekkuge Prasanna was caught at fine leg by a diving Willey, Sri Lanka had crumbled to 170 for 7 in the 35th over. A brittle tail didn’t hang around long.

ScorecardChris Jordan’s five wickets completed Sussex’s win•Getty Images

Chris Jordan starred with 5 for 28 and teenager Phil Salt hit 81 from 76 balls as Sussex bowled out Middlesex for 191 to win by 31 runs in a rain-shortened Royal London One-Day Cup South Group game at Hove.Jordan, bowling with impressive pace and firing in his toe-crushing yorkers seemingly at will, topped and tailed the Middlesex innings after Sussex had totalled 222 for 7.It was Sussex’s first win in the competition this season, at the third attempt, and Salt was joined in a third-wicket stand of 125 in 18 overs with New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor, who hit a 44-ball 54 despite finishing his innings with a runner because of a pulled hamstring.Ben Brown’s entertaining cameo of 31 not out from 13 balls pushed Sussex on to a challenging total in a match reduced to 32 overs per side, and it proved too much for Middlesex despite both Brendon McCullum and Eoin Morgan getting starts with 44 and 31 respectively.England one-day fast bowler Jordan struck twice with the new ball to bowl Dawid Malan for a duck and have Paul Stirling caught – after a juggle – by Brown behind the stumps for 4, and he later returned to pick up three tailend wickets as Sussex wrapped up the match with little fuss with eight balls remaining unbowled.Left-arm seamer George Garton and legspinner Will Beer also made important breakthroughs for Sussex after McCullum, who hit a six and six fours in his 37-ball effort, and Morgan, with five fours, threatened to mount a challenge with a third-wicket partnership of 40.Garton, 19 and in only his third List A appearance, had McCullum well held on the deep square leg boundary while Beer bowled Morgan behind his legs and then flummoxed John Simpson with a googly to have the left-hander caught by Jordan at slip.Beer’s seven overs brought him 2 for 34 and Garton later had Nick Gubbins caught behind for 37 after he and James Franklin had offered some defiant blows. Franklin’s 28 was ended when he swung Danny Briggs’s left-arm spin to deep midwicket where substitute fielder Luke Wells dived forward to take a fine catch.Play did not get under way until 2pm due to overnight and morning rain but, when it did, there was some rich entertainment for a sparse crowd well down in numbers on the 2,500 or so who would have been expected to attend on a sunny day.Chris Nash survived a difficult high chance to slip, one ball before Toby Roland-Jones nipped one back from down the Hove slope to bowl him for 11. And Sussex looked to be vulnerable when Luke Wright, after one hoicked six off Roland-Jones, was held at mid-on off the same bowler for 15 in the seventh over – the last of the initial powerplay in this reduced-overs contest.Salt and Taylor, however, grew in authority the longer they were together and also capitalised on some moments of good fortune. Salt, on 15, was beaten by a beauty from James Fuller which jagged away from his defensive bat and on 32 edged Fuller just short of first slip. Taylor, on 24, was badly missed by Fuller at deep mid wicket when he skied a pull at Franklin’s left-arm seamers.Fuller, in fact, did not lay a hand on the ball. Running in too fast from the boundary edge to position himself for the catch, he momentarily lost his footing and the slip disorientated him so much that, in the end, the ball sailed over his head and plopped to the turf as the batsmen ran two.Salt and Taylor added 125 in 18 overs, and there were some memorable strokes in the partnership which provided the meat in Sussex’s total. A reverse-sweep four by Salt off Stirling’s off spin was followed later by an extraordinary reverse flip which went high for four to the unguarded third-man ropes. The teenager also produced a superb straight-driven four off Fuller to reach his 52-ball 50, while Taylor merely upped his own tempo after calling for Nash to act as his runner when, on 26, he strained a hamstring muscle.In the 22nd over Taylor mowed Nathan Sowter’s leg spin over midwicket for six and, next ball, swept him hard for four before reaching his own 50 three overs later with a six swung off Stirling. From the next ball, however, attempting something similar, he was well held by Sowter on the deep square leg boundary.Salt soon followed, bowled by Franklin, and neither Harry Finch, Jordan nor Beer lasted long as Sussex slumped from 164 for 3 to 185 for 7. Finch, after one lovely straight four, was bowled swinging at Franklin for 8, Jordan was comically run out for 7 by the bowler after trying to swing Roland-Jones to leg, slipping over when looking for a sharp single and failing to crawl back into his crease, while Beer was leg-before to the next ball.Brown, however, hoisted Fuller for successive sixes in the final over after previously ramping Roland-Jones brilliantly for four and also earning seven runs in total for two pulls to deep square leg. In all, 30 runs came from the last two overs as Sussex, thanks to Brown, finally managed to build significantly on the Salt-Taylor stand.

Tymal Mills and Dawid Malan have been named in England’s T20 squad to face Sri Lanka next month while Jonny Bairstow has been included for both the ODIs and T20 but there is no place for Stuart Broad

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2016Tymal Mills, the Sussex left-arm fast bowler, and Middlesex batsman Dawid Malan have been named in England’s T20 squad to face Sri Lanka next month. Jonny Bairstow has been included for both the ODIs and T20 but there was no place for Stuart Broad.Alex Hales, Joe Root and Moeen Ali were rested for the T20, which takes place at the Ageas Bowl on July 5. There was no place in either squad for Jake Ball, who was part of the Test squad through the series against Sri Lanka.Mills, who was forced to retire from first-class cricket last year after being diagnosed with a congenital back condition, is limited to the four-over workloads of T20 cricket but has the ability to bowl above 90mph. Prior to his diagnosis he was already on England’s radar because of his extreme pace – he was used as a net bowler during the 2013-14 Ashes tour – and continued to be involved in the fast bowling programme during last winter.”The guy can bowl quickly. It’s a shame his back has robbed him of first-class cricket, but he seems to have thrown all his efforts into becoming a really skilful one-day bowler,” Alastair Cook, England’s Test captain, said. “He’s obviously worked on his skills: he can change-up from a 93mph thunderbolt to a slower ball. There’s no substitute for pace. I’ll be very excited to watch him bowl.”In a recent televised T20 Blast match against Somerset, Mills was clocked at 93mph when he gave Chris Gayle a working over before shattering his stumps, and also showed his variety of slower balls he often uses at the death. On Friday he claimed 3 for 15 from his four overs against Kent.Earlier this month he told ESPNcricinfo about his ambitions to be a T20 specialist for England. “In a perfect world I could make a career doing this for a long time. I’ve just got to stay fit,” he said. “Everything I do is aimed at being a top T20 player. I want to play for England even if it’s just in T20 cricket.”Malan was rewarded for impressive form against Pakistan A in the UAE, where he scored 253 runs at 50.60 and a strike rate of 131.77 in the five T20s, alongside 211 runs in four one-day games. He will likely open the innings alongside Jason Roy, with Hales given a brief break after the five-match ODI series. Liam Dawson, the Hampshire allrounder who was part of the World T20 squad but did not make his debut, retained his place.”Tymal Mills has been one of the standout performers with the ball in the NatWest T20 Blast competition this season and deserves his chance,” James Whitaker, the national selector, said. “Dawid Malan has made great strides as an attacking batsman, both with Middlesex and the England Lions. We were particularly impressed with his three fifties during the winter tour of the UAE against Pakistan A.”The 14-man one-day squad had a familiar look except for the enforced absences of Ben Stokes (knee injury), Reece Topley (back injury) and James Taylor. Liam Plunkett, the Yorkshire fast bowler, retained his place with the other pace bowlers being David Willey, Chris Jordan, Chris Woakes and Steven Finn. Moeen and Adil Rashid again offer the option of a twin-spin attack.”We have made good progress over the past 12 months in all white ball cricket, which has been very encouraging,” Whitaker said. “The six matches coming up against Sri Lanka will give the players a good test of their credentials. It is important for this group of players to make a mark this summer as we continue to improve ahead of hosting the ICC Champions Trophy tournament this time next year.”ODI squad Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Chris Jordan, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, James Vince, David Willey, Chris WoakesT20 squad Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, James Vince, David Willey

Since the departure of record goalscorer, Alan Shearer, Newcastle United have seemingly been longing for a quality centre-forward to lead the line, with it looking as if summer signing Alexander Isak – who now has eight goals in just 13 Premier League games – could be an ideal candidate to fill that long-running void.

Prior to the Swede's arrival, there had likely been continued frustration among supporters with regard to the strikers that former owner Mike Ashley had allowed to depart, with current Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic one such talent who has gone on to shine elsewhere.

The Serbia international – who arrived on Tyneside from Anderlecht back in 2015 – scored just 17 goals in 71 games for the Magpies in all competitions during his three-year spell at the club, before ultimately joining the west London outfit on a £22m deal.

Since then, the 28-year-old has proven remarkably prolific for the Cottagers after scoring 108 times in just 202 games across all fronts, leaving the northeast side to potentially rue their decision to move him on just under five years ago.

That being said, however, the formidable marksman hardly pulled up any trees during his time at St James' Park – as his underwhelming goal record points to – while Ashley and co were at least able to recoup a sizeable fee with the 6 foot 2 man's sale.

The same can not be said, however, with the exit of another former Newcastle man, Ivan Toney, with the Englishman having hardly been handed a chance to impress at the club, before being moved on to Peterborough for just £650k in 2018 – potentially representing a far bigger error for the club than that of Mitrovic's departure.

Why did Newcastle sell Toney?

The Magpies had initially snapped up the young striker from Northampton Town for a fee of just £500k back in 2015, albeit with the 6 foot 1 ace going on to spend much of the next three years out on loan, after making just four first-team appearances at the club.

That lack of action ultimately led to a move to Posh, where the dynamic marksman scored 49 goals in just 94 games to earn a £5m switch to current side Brentford in 2020, quickly establishing himself as a leading man for the Bees.

A player with the "mindset of a lion", according to manager Thomas Frank, Toney netted a standout haul of 33 goals during the 2020/21 campaign in the second tier, having since gone on to net 30 goals and provide nine assists in the Premier League over the past two seasons.

The current campaign, in particular, has proven rather remarkable as the 27-year-old has 18 league goals to his name to date – more than that of Mitrovic (11) – having even been linked with a return to Tyneside last summer.

Such has been the £20k-per-week man's rise of late he was even said to be valued at around £50m amid that interest prior to the start of the season, with it undoubtedly set to sting that Ashley sold him on the cheap – more so than with regard to Mitrovic.