England ban football warm-ups after Rory Burns injury

Ashley Giles has never made any secret of his disapproval of his side playing football

George Dobell in Cape Town03-Jan-2020England have sounded the final whistle on football as a warm-up activity in training sessions.Ashley Giles, the director of England’s men’s teams, has never made any secret of his disapproval of his side playing football. And, after Rory Burns became the latest player to sustain a football-related injury, Giles and Chris Silverwood, the England coach, have decided to ban the activity.Burns suffered serious ligament damage to his ankle after landing awkwardly while playing football as a warm-up to training on Thursday. He was subsequently ruled out of the rest of the series in South Africa and will fly back to England on Friday night. Jonny Bairstow also suffered a football-related injury in Sri Lanka at the end of 2018 while, in the past, Joe Denly and James Anderson have also been hurt playing the game.Giles said when he took the job that he was unhappy to see football as part of England’s warm-up. But he was persuaded by senior players that it was an important part of the bonding process of the squad and agreed to review it once the World Cup had finished. The injury to Burns appears to have strengthened his resolve.Giles banned football from Warwickshire when he was director of cricket there. England have denied suggestions football has been banned at all counties as a warm-up activity, saying it is up to each individual county to decide.The England management team will discuss whether they need to call-up a replacement for Burns over the next day or two. They have, at present, only one reserve batsman – Bairstow – in the squad and are likely to consider Dawid Malan, James Vince and Keaton Jennings as options. But with the squad size still 18 and only two Tests left after this, it is far from certain they will send for anyone.Meanwhile, Jofra Archer may also have played his final game in the series. He will undergo a second scan on his sore right elbow on Friday after the first one proved inconclusive.

No more 'heads or tails' – welcome to 'hills' or 'flats' in the Big Bash

The coin toss has been replaced by the bat flip, with the winner of the call begin decided by which side up the cricket bat lands

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-2018There will be no more “heads” or “tails” at the toss in the Big Bash. Instead it’s “hills” or “flats” as an Australian backyard tradition takes center stage.The coin toss has been replaced by the bat flip, with the winner of the call begin decided by which side up the cricket bat lands.On the backyards around Australia the favoured call is “hills” because of the natural tendency for the bat to rest on the flat side, but in order to retain the fairness in the Big Bash a specially modified bat has been made which, it has been assured, won’t favour the call.”For me it’s a great moment which reflects what BBL is about,” Cricket Australia’s head of the Big Bash League, Kim McConnie, told the ABC. “I’ve got it from great authority at our [bat maker] Kookaburra friends that this is a tested and weighted bat to deliver that equity.”McConnie expected some resistance to the new method of starting a match, but believed in the tournament trying innovations.”Some people don’t like change but I’d also challenge people to say when was the last time anyone watched the coin toss or really focused on it to a great extent?” she said. “Now we are making it much more relevant to families, we are creating a moment which is much more fitting with kids.”The first captain to flip the bat will be Brisbane Heat’s Chris Lynn against Adelaide Strikers on December 19. Who calls “hills” or “flats” remains to be seen as Travis Head is the Strikers captain but he is involved in the Test series against India.

West Indies ready for 'momentous' Lord's encounter

Jason Holder hopes West Indies can feed off their victory in the second Test and continue to defy expectations in the series decider at Lord’s

Melinda Farrell06-Sep-20173:24

‘I’m glad to be here with him’ – the Hope brothers on playing together for West Indies

Few would have predicted a decider at Lord’s after the thrashing at Edgbaston but West Indies captain Jason Holder believes the confidence born out of their performance at Headingley could lift his side to victory in a “momentous” match.Only two members of this West Indies squad – Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel – have played a Test at the home of cricket, adding to the sense of occasion for Holder’s men.”It’s obviously a momentous game for everybody,” Holder said, speaking at Lord’s on the eve of the match. “Especially in our group. A number of us are playing our first Test match here at Lord’s, our first series in England. There’s a lot to play for, and our guys are really up for it.”West Indies haven’t won a Test series in England for 29 years but go into the final match having beaten their opponents in two of their last three Tests (going back to Barbados in 2015). Victory at Headingley was West Indies’ first in England in 17 years and further history beckons.It is a rare challenge for Holder, still relatively callow in his captaincy. In some ways, his side has already surpassed expectations and inspired hope for the future. Should they acquit themselves well at Lord’s, no matter the result, they will have gained the respect of many who perhaps underestimated their qualities. But they would gain so much more with victory.”It would be great to win the series in England, but there’s a process towards going about that,” Holder said. “We can’t focus on the end result.”Our focus is our process. I spoke about consistency a lot on this tour, and that’s the main objective for me. Once we’re consistent and do the small things well, that end result should be more or less in our favour.”There have been unforeseen and unfortunate distractions in the build-up to the final Test. Bowling coach Roddy Estwick has returned to Barbados after the death of his mother and in his absence former Middlesex, Sussex and Yorkshire swing bowler Paul Hutchison has temporarily stepped into the role. Holder hopes Hutchison’s local knowledge will prove invaluable.Shai Hope chats with Brian Lara during West Indies training•Getty Images

“We’ve tried to get as much information as possible coming into this game,” Holder said. “We’ve got the luxury of having an outsider, Paul Hutchison, give us some tips about how to bowl here at Lord’s. He’s had some experience of bowling here at Lord’s.”There’s a lot of talk about the slope and such and we’ve studied it and had a chance to formulate some plans about how we go it. But cricket is always played on the day. You may be faced with different dilemmas and you just have to adjust and cope with it. That’s the nature of professional sport.”The threat of devastation from Hurricane Irma throughout the Caribbean has also loomed large in the thoughts of the players, particularly for Antiguan Alzarri Joseph, whose island was originally feared to be in the direct path of the storm.”I understand it hasn’t done major damage to Antigua, where Alzarri is from,” Holder said. “It’s gone further up north. We just hope the islands it is going to affect, the people prepare well and hopefully they are not hurt too badly.”We send our prayers back home, we have everybody back home in our thoughts and prayers. There’s not much we can do from here but sit and pray and wish them all the best.”West Indies declined to name a team before the toss, deciding to take another look at the pitch. It will, no doubt, have surprised them to see it displaying odd markings, known as ‘fairy rings’, caused by fungus spores below the turf. One perfect ring sits just short of a length for batsmen at the Pavilion End – perfectly positioned as a ‘bullseye’ for short balls coming from the Nursery End.But who will bowl them for West Indies remains unclear. It could be the case that Devendra Bishoo misses out on the final Test – he bowled 31 overs at Headingley, compared to the 44 bowled by Roston Chase – giving West Indies the option of including an extra seamer. Miguel Cummins and Joseph played in the first Test at Edgbaston while Raymon Reifer was particularly impressive in the nets at Lord’s on Wednesday.But whoever walks out at Lord’s will have the opportunity to create their own history, the challenge put to them by their coach, Stuart Law, at the start of the series. Some have already done so, with Shai Hope becoming the first batsman to score two centuries in a first-class match at Headingley. But, for a team which – more than any other international side – seems to have the ghosts of the past constantly hovering, making history at Lord’s would quieten talk of past legends and garner hope that last week’s victory was no false dawn.”It has done a lot,” Holder said of the Headingley win. “The first game, pretty much everybody wrote us off. Our heads were a bit down after how we got defeated in the first Test match.”To pick ourselves back up and come back and respond how we did at Headingley was remarkable. It’s obviously given us some new life. We’ve got a chance to win this series so we are going out in this last Test match to win it.”

CA chairman pushes ICC reforms in Sri Lanka

David Peever, the Cricket Australia chairman, has delivered a pointed message to nations opposing proposed changes to the structure of international cricket – tradition must not stand in the way of progress

Daniel Brettig in Galle03-Aug-2016David Peever, the Cricket Australia chairman, has delivered a pointed message to nations opposing proposed changes to the structure of international cricket – tradition must not stand in the way of progress.Speaking at the official banquet to mark Australia’s series in Sri Lanka on Tuesday night, Peever stressed the importance of keeping the game relevant and balancing tradition with progress. Sri Lanka Cricket and its president Thilanga Sumathipala have been outspoken critics of the proposal for two-tier Test cricket and radical changes to the game’s financial model.”There is no better community of people than the cricket community. But I have to say I think in terms of responsibility and the place that cricket needs to hold globally today and tomorrow,” Peever said. “I do respect traditions but am conscious of not loving them at the expense of progress. Progress and tradition, in our view, need to have at least equal weighting.”Cricket is the people’s game. Without fans it would have little value or relevance. Fans provide the money for us to sustain the game, to invest in the pathways, to help us support the grass roots. We have to always be guided by what they want, but also continuing to stay ahead of the curve and keep the game relevant, in all parts of our society. We need to continue to be a sport of choice for all, men women, boys and girls and girls of all backgrounds all over the world.”Since replacing Wally Edwards as the CA chairman, Peever has kept a low profile, but his words at the dinner marked a statement of intent, even as he sat next to Sumathipala. The pair are expected to hold further talks over the next two days, with SLC’s opposition to ICC reforms likely to be a major topic for discussion. The ICC chairman Shashank Manohar is believed to desire any constitutional and structural change to be approved by unanimous vote.”Sri Lanka Cricket has decided not to support two-tier Test cricket as we have decided it’s detrimental to SLC and for its future,” Sumathipala said last month. “We feel that to make it a top seven – you are virtually relegating the bottom three to a different level.”Among other topics in a wide-ranging address, Peever pointed towards day-night Tests as a major reform, and thanked Australia’s cricketers for taking part in the inaugural pink ball match in Adelaide last year. At the same time he admitted the concept “needs some further refinement”.”In Australia recently we embarked on innovation in our last season and held our inaugural day-night Test in Adelaide,” he said. “We did this to encourage more fans to the game, both watching at home and attending the ground at times when it fits their lifestyle, to make the game more accessible to fans.”We do accept the concept needs some further refinement, and I want to thank the New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa players and their boards for helping us with this important reform. In particular I want to thank our Australian players for the way they have helped lead this change in putting the long term health of the game first. They’re leading change in a way that was similarly led back in the World Series Cricket era.”Peever also argued that international cricket had to be maintained as the game’s pinnacle, rather than allowing further erosion of contests between nations by domestic Twenty20 leagues. We’re very lucky in cricket that we have three viable formats of the game,” he said.”T20 cricket is enticing kids and families to become fans, and I want to take the opportunity to stress here the importance and primacy of international cricket to continue nourishing the game. Money is fundamental to our game, but it has to follow strategy and not the other way round.”

Weary Gale concedes limited-overs captaincy

Andrew Gale has relinquished the Yorkshire captaincy for all limited-overs cricket with immediate effect in the wake of a poor Twenty20 campaign which saw the county finish bottom of the North Group.

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Aug-2015Andrew Gale has relinquished the Yorkshire captaincy for all limited-overs cricket with immediate effect in the wake of a poor Twenty20 campaign which saw the county finish bottom of the North Group.Gale, 31, who has missed the last three Royal London One-Day Cup matches because of a wrist injury, will continue to lead Yorkshire in the LV= Championship, but his continued presence in one-day cricket is far from guaranteed. Yorkshire’s media release merely stated that he “will be available for selection for all other cricket as a batsman going forward.”Alex Lees has been given a short-term opportunity to prove himself in the role, but Yorkshire have delayed their decision about Gale’s long-term successor as the transition, which had been seen as a growing possibility at the end of the season, took place sooner than expected.Gale cut a frustrated, and somewhat exhausted, figure during Yorkshire’s T20 campaign as the high-profile signing of Australians Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell failed to deliver expected results and the county’s death bowling, in particular, became a glaring weakness.”After nearly six seasons of being club captain across all formats, I now feel the time is right to step down as List A and T20 captain and solely concentrate on captaining the Championship team,” Gale said.”I feel it’s beneficial for a fresh voice and new ideas in the shorter format of the game and with the current demands of the schedule I need to manage my body in preparation for Championship cricket. I still hope to play a large part in the club’s future success with the bat in the shorter format.”I’ve enjoyed every minute in leading the team: participating in the Champions League in South Africa was a highlight, along with reaching a One-Day semi-final. I would like to wish Alex Lees all the best in the short-term and whoever the club appoint in the long-term.”Director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, added: “Andrew has developed into an outstanding captain of Yorkshire. He leads from the front and is a very passionate and proud leader. To relinquish the captaincy of our one-day teams, therefore, has been a very difficult decision for him to make. However, the physical demands of the shorter format of cricket eventually take its toll and consequently affects the energy you require to lead the team in all formats.”Andrew will continue to captain the side in the LV= County Championship and I believe this decision will enable him to fulfil this role for many years to come.”

Lanning helps Australia draw level

Australia Women leveled the two-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand with a close, five-wicket win in Melbourne on Tuesday

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2013
ScorecardMeg Lanning steered Australia’s chase, scoring 64•Getty Images

Australia Women leveled the Twenty20 series against New Zealand with a close, five-wicket win in Melbourne on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, New Zealand Women had beaten Australia by six wickets.Chasing a target of 132, Australia’s innings revolved largely around opener Meg Lanning – who was their batting mainstay in the first T20 too – whose knock of 64 included seven fours. Although the New Zealand bowlers picked up wickets regularly, the target was too small for them to defend and Australia knocked off the runs with a ball to spare.Having chosen to bat, the New Zealand batsmen got off to a solid start and looked set to rattle up a big total. However, the Australia bowling unit managed to peg them back, as New Zealand went from being 2 for 121 to 6 for 130. Medium-pacer Megan Schutt and offspinner Erin Osborne were the most effective bowlers for Australia.

Test Championship not until 2017 – Lorgat

The ICC Test Championship will not be held before 2017, Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, has said

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2011The ICC Test Championship will not be held before 2017, Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, has said. The tournament was initially scheduled for 2013, but it cannot be conducted before 2017 due to the ICC’s commitments to its broadcaster and sponsors.”I am afraid that [the Test championship] is no longer going to happen in 2013,” Lorgat said in Dubai, where he was attending the second ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. “At the last board meeting we decided the first opportunity to play the Test championship is 2017. I am disappointed it is not going to take place sooner but it is a reality of the commitments we have already got through to 2015.”The ICC’s broadcast partner is ESPN STAR Sports*, with whom they have a contract till 2015. The Champions Trophy, the ICC’s second-most significant one-day tournament, is scheduled to be played in June 2013 in England, but the ICC had hoped to convince all interested parties to switch that tournament to play-offs between the top four Test teams as per the ICC Test rankings.However, after the ICC’s executive board meeting in October, it released a statement saying there would be significant commercial challenges in replacing the Champions Trophy without the support and consent of the ICC’s broadcast partner since the financial implications on the Members would be significant. Changing the tournament from a one-day one to Test play-offs would have required a substantial cut in the broadcast rights fee, which would have repercussions on the Members.Lorgat, on Monday, said the switch would not be possible. “We attempted to switch the Champions Trophy to become a Test championship but that is not going to be possible.”The MCC criticised the ICC’s decision, calling it “disappointing”. “MCC has been very consistent in its support for Test cricket and the need for governing bodies to give the five day game a bit of a boost,” John Stephenson, MCC Head of Cricket, said. “Today’s announcement is a setback for Test cricket, at a time when we need to work to find the optimum balance between all formats of the game.”The Test championship is a concept aimed at increasing the popularity of Test cricket, something the ICC has consistently pledged their commitment to. Lorgat had said ahead of the ICC’s last board meeting that hosting a Test Championship in 2013 would be ideal since “player and public interest in Test match cricket is at an all-time high”. Lorgat, on Monday, maintained his stance that a championship would have been a positive move for Test cricket. “We attempted to form the World Test Championship which I think would have been a very good context in ensuring the primacy of Test cricket but again we will have to wait for 2017 to see that as a reality.”

Lawson is Kochi coach. Or is he?

Geoff Lawson has said he had signed up as the head coach of the controversial Kochi team in the IPL, but his appointment could not be confirmed as the franchise is caught in a dispute over ownership

Osman Samiuddin04-Oct-2010Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson has said he has signed up as the head coach of the controversial Kochi team in the IPL, but there remains confusion over his appointment – the franchise is in the middle of a dispute over ownership and control among consortium members.Lawson told ESPNcricinfo that the official designation was that of ‘head coach’ over a two-year-period, adding, “I have shaken hands on the deal and will probably be in India late next week to get started.” Yet, in keeping with the recent confusion around the Kochi IPL franchise, team owners – who paid $333.33m for the franchise earlier this year – contacted by ESPNcricinfo would not confirm Lawson’s new job, stating that they were in discussions with other candidates.The Kochi consortium is expected to register itself as a joint venture company following the BCCI’s demands – made at its recent AGM – that the two groups fighting for control reach an agreement.At that meeting, Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president, said it would issue a show-cause notice to Kochi because it had received two letters from rival groups of Kochi owners, with each group asking to be recognised as the franchise owner and wanting the other de-recognised. In order to sort out the ownership issue, the BCCI has asked them to be incorporated into a single company within ten days of receiving the show-cause. “If they do that in accordance of the original rules of the IPL ownership, we are okay with the Kochi franchise,” Manohar said.Lawson’s highest-profile coaching job was his 15-month stint in charge of the Pakistan team from July 2007. He helped them reach the final of the inaugural World Twenty20 but his partnership with inexperienced captain Shoaib Malik did not get to blossom as 2008 was a barren year for Pakistan – Australia pulled out of a full tour, the Champions Trophy was postponed and Pakistan were left to play minnows like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

Poor start and lack of early wickets cost India – Dhoni

A poor start from the batsmen and the failure to get early wickets by the bowlers cost India the second ODI, MS Dhoni, their captain, has said

Cricinfo staff19-Dec-2009A poor start from the batsmen and the failure to get early wickets by the bowlers cost India the second ODI, MS Dhoni, their captain, has said. Dhoni scored a century after the early loss of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, taking India to 301, but Sri Lanka, boosted by a second successive ton from Tillakaratne Dilshan, sealed a three-wicket win in the final over.”We did not get a good start. We got some partnerships going but also lost wickets regularly,” Dhoni said after the game. We capitalised on the Powerplay to get to a total, which I thought was par for the course. But in these conditions you need to get early wickets. We did not get those.”If we had got wickets with the new ball things would have been different. Though we got three-four wickets in a clutch it was too late to make a difference.”Dhoni admitted poor fielding was also a factor in India’s failure to defend a competitive score. “This team is the best in batting and we have the best bowlers, but we are not the best fielding side in the world,” he said. “We need to score 20 more runs to make up for the fielding lapses.”There were several misfields and fumbles when India were fielding, and one that virtually sealed a Sri Lankan victory came in the penultimate over. Zaheer Khan, fielding at mid-on, allowed a drive from Angelo Mathews go through his legs to the boundary to bring the equation down to four runs off eight balls.India have been relying on the services of former Australia fielding coach Mike Young, who is a part of the support-staff in his capacity as a consultant. But Dhoni said results could not be expected overnight. “You have to see the individuals also and then you have to decide on how much you can upgrade yourself. It’s not that if I am fielding or you are fielding and all of a sudden there comes the coach and you become Jonty Rhodes,” he said. “It’s like a bowler. A spinner can’t bowl fast bowling. The same way fielding is something that comes naturally. Somebody is a good fielder or he’s not.”However, Dhoni praised India’s middle-order batsmen, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli, who hit half-centuries and played key roles in India’s recovery. “Virat batted very well. When he came in there was a lot of pressure. The spinners were bowling well and the fast bowlers were using the bouncers. He is also an excellent fielder either inside or outside the circle. It’s exciting to see characters like him,” he said. “Raina is a batsman who, after he is well set, goes for the big shots, sixes and fours. That’s the hallmark of his batting.”Dhoni has had a successful 2009 with the bat, scoring two centuries and nine fifties and currently heads the run-scoring charts along with Ricky Ponting. “If we have to score more runs I promote myself. I try to be there till the end so that in the slog overs we can score more freely when one set batsman is there. By batting at different slots I have learnt what kind of pressure every individual has,” he said.Sri Lanka’s response was led by Dilshan’s typically attacking 123 and Dhoni lauded his consistency. “He’s a very aggressive batsman and has been very consistent. On his day he can be dangerous. He has got all the shots, the cut, the pull or the shot over the bowler’s head.”Dilshan has scored four out of his five centuries while opening the batting, and he acknowledged that promotion up the order had brought about a transformation in his batting. “Opening has certainly helped me,” he said. “I have changed my mindset and started converting my 30s and 40s into big scores.”An unbeaten 37 from Mathews took Sri Lanka past the finish line after India had struck back with quick wickets. “We had to take our chances and Angelo Mathews (37 not out) made sure we did not go down,” he said. Mathews appeared to pull his thigh muscle during his innings and had to rely on a runner. Sri Lanka’s team manager Brendon Kuruppu said the extent of damage was not known as yet. “We don’t know exactly what has happened to him. We have to wait for 24 hours before deciding the course of action.”

Australia's new-look batting order 'prepared for anything'

Travis Head says Australia are ‘prepared for anything’ in Barbados in their first Test in seven years without either Smith or Labuschagne in the XI

Andrew McGlashan23-Jun-20251:10

Head not fazed by big-name absences

There are only four members of the Australia squad in the West Indies who were part of their previous Test series here in 2015, and one of those, Steven Smith, is currently recuperating from a finger injury in New York. So it’s perhaps not surprising that there is an element of uncertainty over what conditions they will be confronted with for the opening match in Barbados.Their first training session of the tour at Kensington Oval, an optional one where all the batters attended but all the bowlers sat out bar Matt Kuhnemann, was interrupted by showers on a blustery day with the Test pitch uncovered only briefly. The batters made use of what time was available on the adjacent surfaces but the players have kept an open mind, with the Dukes ball used in the Caribbean – a variant on the English version – adding another layer of intrigue.”I think we’re prepared for anything, really, and prepared for maybe both [seam and spin] in the same game,” Travis Head said. “We could be starting the game and then it could shift into different modes and plans of attack. So, as a batter, you’re just sort of planning for anything at the moment. And then once you get a look at the lay of the land, come up with a plan, and try to cover all bases.”Related

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Since the 2015-16 tour, Australia’s only visits to the West Indies have been for the Covid-time white-ball tour in 2021 – where Barbados staged the three ODIs – and then last year’s T20 World Cup of which Head was a part. “They [the pitches] spun a little bit here,” he recalled. “They were pretty slow, but I’ve heard different things, especially with the Dukes and what that brings.”Australia will have a deficit of 14,570 Test runs in their top order compared to the previous outing at Lord’s against South Africa owing to Smith’s injury and Marnus Labuschagne’s axing, with Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis replacing them. While Smith may return for the second Test in Grenada (and Labuschagne is only one injury away from getting back as the lone spare batter currently in the squad) it is certainly a chance to have an early look at the “reset” that Pat Cummins spoke about after the World Test Championship final.It will be the first time since 2018, when they played India at the MCG, that an Australia Test XI will not feature Smith and/or Labuschagne. The latter was recalled for the final match of that series and Smith returned from his ban for the start of the 2019 Ashes with the pair becoming fixtures together by the Old Trafford Test.”When we get into the game, it’ll be a little bit new look,” Head said. “But guys have already played, so [they have] experience already in a short amount of Test cricket. There’s some guys there that have been a part of the group for a long time now, so it shouldn’t feel too much different.”The batting order has yet to be confirmed, but while coach Andrew McDonald had previously left the door ajar for Head to open should conditions resemble those of the subcontinent, Head considered that an unlikely option with Konstas expected to get three games at the top to settle in alongside Usman Khawaja with an eye on some stability for the Ashes.Sam Konstas is set to open in Barbados•ICC via Getty Images

There is a school of thought that as a senior player, Head could move up to No. 4 in Smith’s absence, but it may be that Inglis, who scored a century on debut against Sri Lanka, gets that role in what could be a one-off outing if Smith recovers for the second Test. However, should Inglis take his opportunity as he did in Sri Lanka, then it would certainly put pressure on the selectors to find him a regular home in the batting order.”He can cover so many bases,” Head said of Inglis. “[He’s had] limited opportunity in a long time being in the squad. It feels like he’s played a lot more than he has for Australia. Once he gets his extended stay in the team, I think he’ll excel. He’s already showed great application in Sri Lanka. He’s [been] in some tough roles as well… I think he’s well-adapted and ready to go. He’s been waiting for a long time.”Whereas two years ago Australia went straight into an Ashes series on the back of beating India in the World Test Championship final, this time they have had to reflect on the loss to South Africa, which came after they had the game for the taking on the second day.”It’s unfortunate we put two years of hard work into one week and [it] didn’t quite go to plan,” Head said. “Fair play, the opposition played really, really well.”We’ve got two more years to build, and this is a first look at it. I think if you dwell on it for too long, or if you look back, you forget about what’s moving forward. Of course, we care and, of course, it’s not ideal. But at the end of the day you can’t change it. You have to move on. You have to get back on the horse.”

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