Stokes does not need extra captaincy pressure, says Pietersen

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“England’s Ben Stokes. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – Kevin Pietersen does not think Ben Stokes should captain England if Joe Root is forced to miss a game against the West Indies because it would heap too much pressure on the all-rounder. Root’s wife is due to give birth in July, meaning he risks missing one of the three behind-closed-doors Tests against the Caribbean side next month. Root has backed vice-captain Stokes to do a good job in his absence, but former England skipper Pietersen is wary about the all-rounder assuming…

England’s Stokes runs half marathon for NHS charities

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“England’s Ben Stokes has run a half marathon for NHS charities. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – England all rounder Ben Stokes has run his first half marathon to raise money for Britain’s National Health Service. World Cup winner Stokes completed the run in one hour and 39 minutes and will donate the money raised to NHS Charities Together and national children’s cricket charity Chance to Shine amid the coronavirus pandemic. Stokes, who completed the run near his home in the North-East of England, urged fans to donate to a fundraising…

England’s Roy desperate to return to cricket, even behind closed doors

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“England’s Jason Roy is missing playing cricket. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – England opener Jason Roy is desperate to get back to playing cricket, even if matches have to take place behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic. Roy, who was part of England’s World-Cup winning team last year, had a taste of playing in an empty stadium in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this year and said it was a bizarre experience. “No atmosphere,” said the 29-year-old.”Simple as that to be honest.It was a very strange feeling.…

England’s Roy says Hundred postponement a ‘huge shame’

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“Jason Roy kisses the World Cup trophy after England’s 2019 triumph. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – England batsman Jason Roy believes the coronavirus-enforced postponement of the Hundred is a missed opportunity for cricket to capitalise on the buzz from last year’s World Cup triumph. With a new tournament, a new format and new city-based franchises, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was aiming to attract a fresh audience to the game. England, with Roy in the side, defeated New Zealand last year in an unforgettable Lord’s final that captivated…

Smith is ‘strange’ but a ‘genius’, says Stokes

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“Australia’s Steve Smith was the top-scorer during last year’s Ashes series in England. ©AFP” /> New Delhi (AFP) – England’s Ben Stokes has said his Australian rival and IPL teammate Steve Smith is a “genius” as well as “strange” as he hailed the number one Test batsman. “He’s still strange to play against and he’s still strange to play with.And the best thing about it is that he admits it,” Stokes said in a podcast broadcast by their Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday. “But I feel to…

Australia’s Warner says England tour ‘highly unlikely’

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“Australia’s David Warner cast doubt on the tour in July. ©AFP” /> Sydney (AFP) – Veteran batsman David Warner believes Australia’s upcoming limited -overs tour of England will be scrapped because of the coronavirus pandemic.The Australians were scheduled to play three one-dayers and three Twenty20 matches against England in July. But last week the England and Wales Cricket Board delayed the start of their season until July 1 at the earliest and players may need some warm-up cricket before returning to the international arena. There has been speculation the tour…

Archer finds his World Cup medal at last

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“Medal find – Jofra Archer was a key figure in England’s 2019 World Cup triumph. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – England’s Jofra Archer said Sunday he’d finally found his World Cup winner’s medal after “going mad” looking for the prized possession following a house move. The 25-year-old Sussex fast bowler published a photograph of the medal on a bed with the caption: “Randomly searching the guest bedroom and boom.” Archer, when previously asked about the whereabouts of his medal, told BBC Radio on Saturday: “I had it hanging off a…

England cricket captain Knight concerned for women’s sport post-virus

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“Concerns – England captain Heather Knight (right) has worries about the future of women’s sport following the coronavirus outbreak. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – England women’s cricket captain Heather Knight revealed on Sunday her “worry” that all women’s sport could get left behind once the coronavirus pandemic ends. Sport around the world has been left in limbo by COVID-19 and now there are concerns that cash-strapped governing bodies, desperate to regain lost income, will prioritise money-spinning men’s events over generally less lucrative women’s fixtures when live action resumes. Asked if…

No particular Australia player on target: Shoaib Malik

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Muhammad Asif Khan SHARJAH: Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has said that they were ready for the challenge in the one day series against Australia. He however added that no particular Australia player was considered a threat. “One or two players can change the course of the game in a Twenty20 game however in an ODI match, a number of players have to chip in. The bowling unit has to be on top of its game to dislodge the opposition batsmen”, Shoaib Malik said on the eve of the first ODI…