Andrew Flintoff and Graeme Swann will reprise their mentorship roles with the ECB as part of the England Lions’ upcoming training camp in the United Arab Emirates.Flintoff and Swann, regarded as two of the country’s most talismanic cricketers, were both in attendance at Loughborough on Thursday, working with the 20-strong playing group that will fly out on November 17 for a three-week trip, primarily focussing on red-ball skills. It is a distinctly green-tinged party, with 10 players involved in the programme for the first time, and skewed towards spinners and all-rounders, making the presence of the two modern greats in those roles all the more valuable.Both Flintoff and Swann have been involved with the England pathway over the last 12 months. Flintoff recently completed an unpaid stint with the ODI squad during their series against Ireland, presenting fellow Lancastrian Tom Hartley with his maiden international cap in Nottingham. The series was Flintoff’s first public appearance since a serious car crash while filming an episode of Top Gear last December. He has since been compensated a reported £9 million by the BBC.The hero of the 2005 Ashes, who scored 3,845 runs and took 226 wickets across 79 Tests, has also worked with the Under-19s, and attended Ashes Tests during the 2023 summer alongside close friend Rob Key, England’s managing director. Key has been integral to Flintoff’s return to the game.Swann, who retired in 2013 as England’s leading off-spinner with 255 dismissals at an average of 29.96, accompanied the corresponding Lions tour in 2022. He was subsequently drafted as a coach for their tour of Sri Lanka at the start of this year. His input, both around spin and tactics, was such that the ECB have been keen to get him more involved between his existing commitments as a commentator and spin coach of Trent Rockets in the men’s Hundred.The pair will assist a coaching team headed by men’s elite bowling coach Neil Kileen, alongside Jim Troughton (Surrey) and Paul Tweddle (Somerset). Performance director Mo Bobat, who will be in the UAE for the duration of the trip ahead of leaving the ECB in February to take up a director of cricket post at Royal Challengers Bangalore, lauded the continued involvement of Flintoff and Swann.”He’s got a huge passion for helping people,” Bobat said of Flintoff. “He is going through a bit of a journey himself. He wants to give back to the game. He has a lot to offer, and there is a lot of energy and enthusiasm from him, and we have a desire to get him involved. It’s not often you get players of his calibre and experience wanting to get involved as proactively as he does. You have to really take that seriously.Swann and Flintoff (alongside Darren Maddy and Matt Windows) were contemporaries of Rob Key (right) during their playing days, including a tour of Zimbabwe in 1999•Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

“We got him around the U19s, and he was brilliant with them. We got him around the England lads, which I know Jos [Buttler] and Motty [white-ball head coach Matthew Mott] really enjoyed. I started speaking to him in the summer, saying I’d love you to come on this camp, and he said he’d love to.”At the moment, we have agreed that he will come for the whole camp, but he’s in demand and we will see. He also has a few medical things he is still working through which we have to be respectful of. The plan is that he’s there for the full camp.”We had Swanny with us last winter and he was amazing. He was even better than I thought he was going to be around the group – brilliant tactically, brilliant mentoring the spinners, great for the captains. He’s trying to bring that into the environment, and I’m sure Fred will be similar from what I’ve experienced of him so far from this summer.”Test players not involved in the ODI World Cup will also feature. Seamers James Anderson and Ollie Robinson will drop in, while wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, who was dropped this summer, will be with the Lions for the duration until December 7. Ollie Pope (shoulder) and Jack Leach (back) will also travel out to continue their rehabilitation from injuries sustained last season. Brendon McCullum will also be in attendance for a portion of the tour, accompanied by a handful of Test coaches along with Key, and will work separately with the Test group while he is out there.It will also be an opportunity for McCullum to run the rule over some of the Lions contingent ahead of the five-match series in India which commences in January. While quicks Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue and legspinner Rehan Ahmed are known quantities as far as Test cricket is concerned, it could present an opportunity for Hartley to impress.The tall left-arm spinner has been earmarked for this Test tour and, at the very least, will be in India on a Lions tour due to run parallel with the main event. That particular group will feature more senior fringe players playing a two-day warm-up followed by three four-day matches against India A – ideally first-class – pending confirmation from the BCCI.It is also likely some players will be pulled away from the Lions training camp for the white-ball tour of West Indies, which begins on December 3. England’s dire performance in the ongoing World Cup has put the onus on using the eight-match tour – three ODIs and five T20Is – as a chance to blood the next generation.Rehan, Potts, Tongue, Hartley and Hampshire’s young quick John Turner could be in contention. Brydon Carse, who has not featured for England since being drafted into the World Cup squad as an injury replacement for Reece Topley, has been stood down from attending the UAE camp, given what lies ahead.

The position had been vacant since December 2022, when Ramesh Powar was removed as part of BCCI’s “restructuring module”

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2023

Amol Muzumdar, the former Mumbai batter, has been named head coach of the India women’s national team.”This is a huge responsibility and I look forward to working closely with talented players and providing them with the right preparation and guidance to excel,” Muzumdar said in a BCCI statement. “The next two years are extremely important as two World Cups are scheduled in the period. Together with the coaching and support staff, we will look to tick every box and give ourselves the best chance to succeed.”The statement added that the three-member cricket advisory committee of the BCCI had interviewed the shortlisted applicants for the position and unanimously recommended Muzumdar for the role.The position had been vacant since December 2022, when Ramesh Powar was abruptly removed as part of BCCI’s “restructuring module” two months ahead of the T20 World Cup in South Africa. Since then, Hrishikesh Kanitkar has been in the top job in an interim capacity, overseeing the team for the home T20I series against Australia in December last year, the tri-series in South Africa, the T20 World Cup earlier this year as well as the Asian Games, in which India won the gold medal, in September. Former India bowler Nooshin Al Khadeer was the interim head coach during the white-ball tour of Bangladesh in July.Muzumdar has been an active coach since he called time on a 21-year first-class career during which he became one of the highest run-getters in the Ranji Trophy. Following 15 years with Mumbai, he moved to Assam in 2009 and later to Andhra.He amassed 11,167 runs from 171 first-class matches with 30 centuries, but never got the chance to represent India. He went on to win eight Ranji Trophy titles with Mumbai.After his retirement, he has coached age-group sides at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy, has been at the helm for Mumbai, and has been part of the coaching staff at Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, and with South Africa during their tour of India in 2019.

Napoli are closing in on the signing of Noa Lang from PSV after agreeing a transfer fee for the Netherlands international.

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Napoli sign Noa Lang for €28m including bonusesLang scored 11 goals and added 10 assists last seasonHe will become Napoli’s third summer signingFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Napoli have finalised a €28 million (£24m/$30m) deal with PSV for the winger, according to Fabrizio Romano. The agreement includes a 10% sell-on clause for PSV, with Lang set to sign a long-term contract worth €2.8 million (£2m/$3m) net per season. Medical tests are scheduled, and the clubs have exchanged all required documentation to complete the move.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Lang will become Napoli’s third signing of the summer following Kevin De Bruyne and Luca Marianucci. The 26-year-old will add depth to Conte’s attack, particularly on the left wing after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s January departure to Paris Saint-Germain. Napoli targeted Lang in January but were turned down by the Eindhoven side.

DID YOU KNOW?

Lang registered 11 goals and 10 assists in 29 Eredivisie appearances during the 2024–25 campaign. PSV’s sale of Lang at €28m marks a major profit, having signed him from Club Brugge in 2023 for €12.5m (£11m/$14m).

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IMAGOWHAT NEXT FOR NAPOLI?

Lang is expected to join the squad for pre-season training once his medical is completed. Napoli may continue their summer spending as they seek further attacking reinforcements amid persistent uncertainty over Victor Osimhen's future. Lang is likely to compete for a starting role with Matteo Politano and David Neres in Conte’s system.

يواصل برشلونة استعداداته للموسم الجديد 2025-2026 بمواجهة ودية أمام سيول الكوري الجنوبي، يوم الخميس، ضمن جولته التحضيرية في آسيا بقيادة المدرب هانز فليك.

وكان الفريق الكتالوني قد استهل جولته الآسيوية بانتصار مقنع على فيسيل كوبي الياباني بنتيجة 3-1، ويأمل في مواصلة تحقيق النتائج الإيجابية وبناء الزخم قبل انطلاق الموسم.

طالع موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة برشلونة وسيول الودية اليوم

برشلونة، بصفته بطل الدوري الإسباني، يمتلك قائمة قوية دون توقعات بضم لاعبين جدد هذا الصيف، لكن المباريات التحضيرية تمنح فليك فرصة لاختبار عناصر الفريق وتحديد الشكل النهائي للقائمة، في وقت لا يزال النادي يسعى للتخلص من بعض الأسماء خلال ما تبقى من سوق الانتقالات.

وأبرم برشلونة بعض التعاقدات هذا الصيف، بضم ماركوس راشفورد وروني برادجي وحارس المرمى خوان جارسيا.

ومن المتوقع اعتماد فليك على ماركوس راشفورد في تشكيل برشلونة لمباراة اليوم أمام سيول، في خط هجوم الفريق الكتالوني. تشكيل برشلونة المتوقع أمام سيول اليوم

حراسة المرمى: تشيزني.

خط الدفاع: أليخاندرو بالدي، باو كوبارسي، أندرياس كريستنسن، جول كوندي.

خط الوسط: مارك بيرنال، مارك كاسادو، داني أولمو.

خط الهجوم: ماركوس راشفورد، لامين يامال، رافينها.

Sarina Wiegman has big decisions to make as the European champions' title defence begins in Zurich on Saturday

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The 2025 European Championship is well under way, and the reigning champions will kick-off their campaign on Saturday, as 2022 winners England face a France team that has regularly reached the latter stages of major tournaments, albeit without ever having won one. Les Bleues look good coming into this summer, though, with them winning every single game so far in 2025 to mark themselves out as a real contender for the trophy in Switzerland.

It's not long since these two last met, as they were in the same qualifying group for this very tournament last summer. In that, they traded blows, with France winning 2-1 in Newcastle before England were victorious by the same scoreline in Saint-Etienne just four days later. Those recent meetings only emphasise the widespread belief that this instalment will be another extremely tight and competitive affair.

There is little room for margin for either team, too, as the Netherlands – as well as Wales – are also in this group. It means at least one genuine challenger for this Euros title is going to go out in the first round, making a good start in Saturday's game all the more important for the Lionesses. So, who will head coach Sarina Wiegman put her faith in from the start as England's title defence begins? GOAL takes a look at how the European champions line up in Zurich…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  GK: Hannah Hampton

  There are a lot of places in this England team that are just not up for debate, and it starts in goal, where Hannah Hampton will make her major tournament debut on Saturday. After being in a fierce competition with Mary Earps for the No.1 shirt for the last year or so, Wiegman reportedly decided that she had won that race before Euro 2025 began – and it was her place as second-choice that prompted Earps to retire from international duty so suddenly.

  It's vital that Hampton plays well and is consistently available through this tournament, too, as neither Anna Moorhouse nor Khiara Keating – England's other two goalkeepers in the squad – have even got a senior cap to their name.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  RB: Lucy Bronze

  Another position that is seemingly nailed on for the entire tournament is right-back, where Lucy Bronze will be integral for the Lionesses for a sixth time at a major tournament. No one has more caps and, with them, experience in this squad than the Chelsea defender, who heads to Switzerland in some quite impressive attacking form, actually, after returning two goals and an assist in her last three England outings.

  There will be particular emphasis on her defensive work in this fixture though, with France boasting an electric left-side which features Sandy Baltimore, her Chelsea team-mate, and Selma Bacha, the attack-minded left-back.

• Getty
  

  CB: Leah Williamson

  After having to miss the 2023 Women's World Cup due to a devastating ACL injury suffered only three months before it began, Leah Williamson will be relishing the honour of leading her country out at a major tournament once again this summer.

  The Arsenal icon was a star of England's Euro 2022 triumph and she will hope to showcase similar form this time around, something she will surely be confident of doing after ending her 2024-25 season in such wonderful fashion by helping the Gunners win the Champions League.

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• Getty Images
  

  CB: Alex Greenwood

  Williamson will have a different centre-back partner at Euro 2025 when compared to 2022, as it is likely to be Alex Greenwood alongside her this time around. That comes off the back of Millie Bright's decision to withdraw from selection this summer, but it is also a well-deserved berth, given the Manchester City star has been one of the best players in her position in England and, really, the world over the last few years.

  Greenwood was excellent as the Lionesses reached the Women's World Cup final in 2023 and she'll be keen to prove her worth again on a big stage. It starts with quite a challenge, too, with her likely to be lining up against Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Paris Saint-Germain's all-time top goal-scorer.

تفاعلت جماهير فريق ليفربول، عبر شبكة “إكس”، مع أداء النجم المصري محمد صلاح في المباراة الودية الثانية أمس، ضد أتلتيك بلباو، في ختام الاستعدادات الخاصة للموسم الجديد 2025/26.

وواجه ليفربول نظيره أتلتيك بلباو، في مباراتين مختلفتين أمس على ملعب “الأنفيلد”، حيث فاز في الأولى بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف، بينما انتصر بصعوبة في الثانية بثلاثة أهداف لهدفين.

وشارك محمد صلاح في المباراة الودية الثانية، حيث خاضها حتى النهاية مرتديًا شارة القيادة، وسجل الهدف الأول، وأهدر ضربة جزاء. ملخص لمسات محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وأتلتيك بلباو

وكعادتهم، تفاعل جمهور ليفربول مع أداء محمد صلاح عبر منصة “إكس” رغم كونها مباراة ودية، وذلك على النحو التالي:

“إنهاء رائع من محمد صلاح”.

Beautiful finish from Mo salah — dints (@dintsfi) August 4, 2025

“لقد عاد”، مضيفًا رمز تعبيري يوحي بتاج الملك، وهي الصفة الملاصقة لـ محمد صلاح منذ تألقه مع ليفربول.

He’s back 👑 — Otamendi (@OtamendiG30) August 4, 2025

“دائمًا ما يكون هو”.

It’s always going to be him — Del🐐 (@Xpertx_) August 4, 2025

“محمد صلاح أفضل ممرر للكرات في العالم”.

Salah is the best passer in the world — Ahmed (@Xhmed_7_lfc) August 4, 2025

“أفضل لاعب في الدوري الإنجليزي”.

The best player in the league — AnfieldCuler (@ItsSomaliLad) August 4, 2025

“نحن قادمون أيتها الكرة الذهبية”.

BALLON D’OR we are coming — King 👑 (@GundaSpammer) August 4, 2025

“إنه الملك، والتسجيل وصناعة الألعاب لا يشكلان مشكلة بالنسبة له”.

He’s the king, scoring and playmaking is no problem for him — Userr (@Userq1244) August 4, 2025

“محمد صلاح وحش”.

Salah is a beast — TechAbdullahi (@TechAbdullahi) August 4, 2025

Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the New Year’s Test against India, after suffering a hamstring strain that kept him out of most of the Boxing Day match. Dean Elgar, fresh off a match-winning 185 in Centurion, will lead South Africa in what will be his final Test. Meanwhile, Zubayr Hamza has been added to the squad.Bavuma hurt himself on the first morning of the match, in the 20th over, when he chased a ball towards long-off and got to it as it stopped before the boundary. He left the field immediately and was sent for a scan, which revealed a strain, but not a tear, and Cricket South Africa said he would be monitored daily to determine his further participation in the match.He was seen briefly at the morning warm-ups, but not at all after that and over the next two days, there was no communication from team management, particularly on whether Bavuma would bat. Since it was an internal injury, he could bat only after he had served the time he was off for, or after the fall of the fifth wicket, whichever was earlier. But repeated questions to the changeroom went unanswered and speculation over the severity of his injury grew.Related

• Shardul Thakur hit on the shoulder at India's nets session

• Jubilant South Africa put their name up in lights

• Rohit backs under-fire bowlers after three-day loss in Centurion

• Elgar and South Africa pacers flatten India inside three days

• Classy Elgar unveils a new dimension in farewell series

South Africa’s Test coach Shukri Conrad confirmed Bavuma was “not in a great physical state” but that the situation was “fluid” and the team did not want to make any public comments before they knew if Bavuma would be needed to bat. Ultimately, Conrad decided not to risk Bavuma because he deemed South Africa’s lead comfortable enough, at 163.”Temba is not in a great physical state,” Conrad said afterwards. “He was ready to bat at every turn, and we kept monitoring it. When we reached where we reached, not because we felt that was enough, we felt that if we sent him out then there was a potential risk that he could aggravate the risk even further. We were constantly giving ourselves maximum time so we could give out the right information. If we lost wickets early, he would have walked on. With 150 runs ahead, I felt it wasn’t necessary to risk Temba.”Bavuma will be assessed to determine his availability for his next assignment, with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape at the SA20. He will not play in South Africa’s two-Test series against New Zealand early next year because of his SA20 commitments.This was Bavuma’s first outing since South Africa’s semi-final at the ODI World Cup against Australia on November 16, where he was carrying a right hamstring strain. Bavuma picked up that injury while fielding in their final group match against Afghanistan in Ahmedabad on November 10 but did not leave the field at any stage and batted for 49 minutes as South Africa successfully chased down 245. He did not have a scan in India but progressed with a rehabilitation program at training and was cleared to play the semi-final, even though he conceded that he was not 100% fit. South Africa lost that match by three wickets.Bavuma was rested from South Africa’s next assignment of three T20Is and three ODIs against India, which started on December 10, and was due to play a four-day first-class match between December 14 and 17 to prepare for the Test series. He missed the practice game because of a family bereavement. On the eve of the Test, Bavuma declared himself “mentally as fresh as ever” and he was a strong presence in the field for the first 90 minutes of play.In his absence, Elgar took over the leadership duties and will do so again next week when he signs off from South African cricket. Conrad put to bed conversations that his relationship with Elgar had turned sour after Elgar was removed as captain when Conrad took over and has since decided to retire. “If there was this frosty relationship, then he wouldn’t have captained [now],” Conrad said.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo está próximo de atender ao pedido de Rogério Ceni e acertar a renovação de contrato do lateral-direito Rafinha.O veterano de 37 anos, que chegou no início do ano, virou uma espécie de homem de confiança de Ceni e da cúpula de futebol pela sua liderança dentro de campo.

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+ Confira as notas dadas aos jogadores do São Paulo no empate com o Atlético-MG segundo a avaliação da equipe do LANCE!

Conforme o LANCE! revelou, a prorrogação do vínculo de Rafinha foi um pedido de Ceni.

O L! apurou que o estafe do lateral-direito vê com bons olhos a permanência no Tricolor. E por isso não terão empecilhos para que o veterano aceite o acordo.

Assim como outros atletas experientes do plantel, como Miranda e Reinaldo, a diretoria são-paulina oferece um ano de renovação, além de redução salarial, que pode variar entre 20% a 40% dependendo do caso.

Esse é um dos empecilhos pelo qual Reinaldo está em impasse para a permanência. O camisa 6 tem do Fluminense a oferta que quer: dois anos de vínculo e manutenção do salário atual (no caso os cariocas ofereceram até um valor superior).

Por enquanto, Rafinha, dono de 48 jogos e quatro assistências neste ano pelo clube, é o único veterano encaminhado para permanecer no Morumbi.

Além do caso de Reinaldo, Miranda também não respondeu os diretores são-paulinos. Alega que quer tratar do assunto somente após o término da temporada. O atacante Éder está fora dos planos para 2023.

Entre os outros jogadores cujo vínculo está terminando, a indefinição é total. Somente Luizão (contrato até janeiro) e Igor Gomes (até março) estão com as saídas encaminhadas, para o futebol europeu. Além de Colorado, emprestado pelo futebol colombiano e que não agradou.

> Confira classificação, jogos e simule resultados do Brasileirão-22
> Conheça o novo aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

Sixers overcame an all-round challenge from Will Sutherland to notch up their eighth straight win over Renegades

Tristan Lavalette08-Dec-2023Steven Smith smashed a half-century in another statement as Sydney Sixers overcame a superb allround performance from Will Sutherland to edge Melbourne Renegades out at the SCG.In what will be a rare BBL appearance this season, six days before the first Test between Australia and Pakistan, Smith again relished opening the batting to top-score in Sixers’ 175 for 6.No.3 Jake Fraser-McGurk made Sixers’ veteran attack nervous with a furious 48 off 24 balls, but his dismissal just before drinks left Renegades in peril at 78 for 4.Sixers were made to work with Sutherland, having earlier starred with the ball, providing a late twist. He bludgeoned an unbeaten 51 from 30 balls before Sixers secured their eighth straight win over Renegades.Several of the high-profile signings for Renegades, who last season made finals in a bounce back, did not play including Test spinner Nathan Lyon. But legspinner Adam Zampa performed well with 2 for 24 after crossing over from Melbourne Stars.It wasn’t enough for them to break a Sixers hoodoo with Smith once again relishing returning to the BBL.Smith has openly stated his desire to open the batting for Australia at next year’s T20 World Cup having shuffled around the order previously. He auditioned for the role late in last season’s BBL with blistering centuries in consecutive innings.Smith also made a half-century against India during the recent T20I series in his first opportunity to open at the international level.After Sixers were sent into bat, Smith starred with 61 off 42 balls in a knock mixing gorgeous traditional strokes with inventive tennis-like swats. He waited patiently for the strike with opener Josh Philippe hitting a boundary off the first ball of the innings to foreshadow what was ahead.Philippe, once a BBL standout who has endured a torrid run in this season’s Sheffield Shield, was in superb touch with five boundaries in his first 11 deliveries.Smith wasn’t to be overshadowed and made his move in the third over by whipping seamer Tom Rogers through backward square before bludgeoning a six over deep square on the next delivery.With pace having no impact, offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman was thrusted into the attack in the powerplay but Smith treated him with disdain by striking three straight boundaries through the offside.Smith raced to 25 off 10 balls as Sixers stormed to 48 for 0 after four overs. Zampa hoped to stem the onslaught, but Philippe slog swept him for six into the famous Member’s Pavilion.Ben Dwarshuis picked up three crucial wickets to dent Renegades•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesSutherland provided a much-needed breakthrough with his first ball after Philippe chopped on and James Vince fell in similar fashion later in the over. Bowling a hard length, the towering Sutherland led a fightback with a brilliant four-over spell.He was difficult to score off as Smith reverted to unfurling the ramp shot to hit a rare boundary in the middle overs. Smith reached his half-century off 31 balls, but struggled to regain his earlier fluency and eventually holed out to deep midwicket off Zampa.Zampa on his next delivery clean bowled Tom Curran with a brilliant googly to continue Renegades’ stirring comeback. But late hitting from Jordan Silk and Jack Edwards lifted Sixers to a strong total.Renegades’ hopes rested on Fraser-McGurk just two months after he entered the record books for the fastest ever List A century. Wickets fell around him, but Fraser-McGurk was undaunted and whacked 18 runs in the third over off seamer Jackson Bird.He then whipped quick Sean Abbott for six to race to 24 off nine deliveries before pulverising Edwards over long-on and onto the roof.Fraser-McGurk, playing his 26th BBL game, rapidly closed in on a maiden half-century before being bamboozled by a clever slow bumper from veteran quick Ben Dwarshuis.Veteran Aaron Finch overcame a scratchy start to provide support for Sutherland, but Renegades were always pushing an uphill battle. Sutherland tried his best and a huge six off Dwarshuis meant Renegades needed 14 off the last four balls.But Dwarshuis did enough to complete a resilient performance after his father passed away this week.

West Indies captain clinches four-wicket win with 16th ODI century

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Dec-2023

So much for a white-ball reboot. Three weeks after their disastrous World Cup campaign came to an end, England suffered defeat to West Indies in the first ODI in Antigua, trumped by four wickets thanks to a magnificent 109 not out from Shai Hope.That they reached their target of 326 with seven balls to spare was down to Romario Shepherd’s 48 from just 28 deliveries, coming at a time when the hosts looked to be circling the drain. West Indies were 213 for 5 in the 39th over, seemingly having wasted an unbeaten opening stand of 104 between Alick Athanaze and Brandon King. Shepherd, having overturned an lbw decision against him with just three runs to his name, breathed life into the chase with his powerful cameo.By the time he departed lbw to Gus Atkinson, the equation was a more palatable 24 from 17. Hope, who had found his six-hitting touch as Shepherd’s understudy in their 89-run stand (from just 51 balls), finished the match with three sixes in four balls, all to the leg side. The second took him to a 16th ODI century from 82 deliveries, before immediately clearing the boundary for the seventh and final time to send the crowd wild.Related

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Sam Curran was on the receiving end, not just of those final strikes but brutal treatment throughout the final stretch, leaving him nursing 0 for 98 from 9.5 overs – the worst ODI figures for an Englishman. Earlier on, his 38 had boosted England to 325 all out, with Harry Brook’s 71 the standout in an innings littered with unconverted starts.At the halfway stage, England’s total – the highest achieved at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium – looked to have them comfortably out in front. But the hosts now possess that record by a single run, having clinched it in emphatic fashion.Not for the first time in the last three months, Jos Buttler cut a forlorn figure, and registered another failure with the bat when dismissed for three. Having called correctly at the toss, his decision to bat first looked vindicated, particularly as Salt and Will Jacks raced to 77 for no loss after 8.2 overs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

By then, Hope had turned to Gudakesh Motie with the dual purpose of slowing the pace of the ball and rate of scoring. It did not take long for both to come to pass, and it was the start of what would turn out to be a big day for the West Indies captain. He would go on to pass 5,000 ODI runs in just his 114th innings, equalling Sir Vivian Richards’ record as the fastest West Indian to the figure, with the man himself in situ at the ground bearing his name.Motie, a left-arm orthodox spinner, removed Salt in his second over, albeit with a short, wide delivery that should have been hit anywhere but the hands of Keacy Carty at cover. Seven deliveries (and no runs) later, Alzarri Joseph, who had changed ends for Motie’s introduction, produced a delivery with extra bounce and seam to remove Jacks for 26, caught behind by Hope, making it 77 for 2.After Ben Duckett had inadvertently paddled legspinner Yannic Cariah into his leg stump, Zak Crawley and Brook managed 71 between them, taking the score to 181 for 4 midway through the 30th over. Their stand of 71 should have ended earlier; Crawley was dropped appallingly on 30 by Motie after skying an unconvincing slog-sweep off Cariah, before edging the leggie between keeper and slip on 33.Brook’s late call of “no” when Crawley then dropped and ran into the covers saw him run out by Athanaze. And when Buttler gloved a reverse sweep to first slip to give Motie his second dismissal, continuing a grim streak since the start of the World Cup of just 141 runs across 10 innings, the impetus looked to be draining from the innings.Alick Athanaze celebrates his half-century•Getty Images

Brook, with the help of Liam Livingstone, ensured that wasn’t the case as the pair exchanged four sixes between them. The first from Brook ended a 33-ball wait for a boundary, as Shepherd was pulled high over deep midwicket, taking England beyond 200. A single off the next delivery moved the Yorkshireman to 50 from 58 for a third half-century in the format.He began the next over from Cariah with a powerful slap-sweep behind square leg to clear the fence once more. Livingstone finished the over with back-to-back sixes to ensure 23 was ransacked from the 38th.Livingstone’s demise – lbw to a grubber from Shepherd – was as good an indicator as any of the changing nature of this surface and suggested the tourists were in good shape with the 232 they had in the 39th over. And though Brook walked off after failing to force Shepherd’s slower ball beyond the reach of Joseph at mid-off – moments after Athanaze had almost pulled off a spectacular catch at backward point to remove him on 70 – a reinforced tail was able to provide the necessary final flourish.Curran and Brydon Carse set about a blitz of 66 from 38 to lift the score beyond 300, to eventually set West Indies 326 for victory in the first of this three-match series.If the late flourish looked to have lifted England comfortably above par, the start from Athanaze and King showed just how necessary it had been, as they got the chase up and running with 104 for the first wicket.Athanaze’s hooked six off Curran in a first over that went for 11 signalled his intent at least, finishing the powerplay with his second – another hook, this time off Atkinson – as West Indies reached 55 for no loss after 10 overs.Rehan Ahmed kept England competitive through the middle overs•Getty Images

The languid left-hander had 41 of them at the time, eventually making it through to a second ODI half-century with an imperious cut off Carse at the start of the 15th over. That was the first of three boundaries in four balls – pulled in front of square, then another threaded behind point – as the Durham quick struggled for the right length.But just as in the first innings, spin wrestled back control for the fielding side. Rehan Ahmed trapped a sweeping Athanazer lbw from around the wicket, then Livingstone bowled King seven deliveries later. By the time Keacy Carty’s stodgy 16 off 39 was brought to an end by a scuttler from Carse (lbw) at the start of the 30th over, the required run rate had ticked to 8.70.Hope was in his usual accumulation mode, and as Shimron Hetmyer came and went for 32, and Sherfane Rutherford’s debut ODI knock lasted three deliveries, including a first-ball six and a second-ball DRS reprieve for lbw, before he was caught at deep square leg, giving Rehan his second wicket for impressive figures of 2 for 40, West Indies were up against it.Hope, who had fetched Rehan straight down the ground amid the Rutherford drama to move to a 40th fifty-plus score from 51 deliveries, was always going to need a helping hand, and there was no guarantee it would come from Shepherd. The best of the 29-year-old’s batting has primarily come on the franchise circuit, with just one international half-century in 35 white-ball innings.Perhaps fuelled by his reprieve after being given lbw on the field to a Curran slower delivery, he puffed his chest out and showed clear method in his malice. After seeing out Rehan’s final over, and with Livingstone already through his 10 overs with 1 for 50, a diet of seamers awaited on the back nine, with 101 to get. Using the pace on the ball, he and Hope picked their targets. Carse was taken for 11 in the 42, then Curran for 19 in the 43rd, with two slower balls heaved down the ground and over midwicket.Curran was then taken for 15 in the 45th, this time Hope punishing a slower ball to the wind-assisted leg side, before he sent Carse the same way as the 47th went for 17. Atkinson held his own to go full and straight and pin Shepherd, but the damage had been done.With 19 needed from 12, Hope took the opportunity to end the match sooner rather than later. Curran, clearly struggling, served up a full toss that was devoured for 93 metres over wide long-on, then followed a dot with an equally juicy length ball dispatched into the stands. Once Hope’s subdued century celebrations were done, he blitzed a short ball back towards the same stand to really get the party started.For England, there is yet more wound-licking to be done. Though this XI featured just six players who were on deck for the dismal World Cup campaign, the manner of this defeat feels on a par with some of those out in India. Worst of all, it has been inflicted by a team who were not even good enough to get there in the first place.