Queensland quicks hit back to reduce visiting side to 7 for 67 after folding for 115

The Report by Daniel Brettig11-Mar-2019Shane Warne’s favoured maxim “if it seams it spins” held true on day one of the Sheffield Shield match between Queensland and South Australia at the Gabba, as left-arm orthodox tweaker Tom Andrews plucked six wickets in the hosts’ paltry 115 before the Redbacks tumbled to 7 for 67 at the hands of the local pace attack in reply.Andrews was one of the inclusions as SA sought to pull themselves out of a pronounced rut this season – the experienced duo of Callum Ferguson and Tom Cooper were among the jettisoned players. His accurate finger spin delighted in the bounce and deviation available on a fresh Gabba pitch, the ground the last of the major ones still playing a part in the Shield competition during March with all the rest handed over to football.Having elected to bat, Queensland lost opener Matt Renshaw to Nick Winter’s left-arm swing early on, and Joe Burns was Andrews’ first victim when he was well held at mid-on, before seeming to steady via Marnus Labuschagne. However, his exit, pouched at gully when Andrews extracted steep lift, led to a slide that saw the final eight wickets go down for a mere 64 runs.Andrews’ haul was his first of five wickets in a first-class match, after he started the season behind wristspinner Lloyd Pope, who had also enjoyed himself against Queensland with a first-innings collection of seven wickets in the earlier head-to-head fixture at Adelaide Oval.Queensland had wriggled out of that match with a draw, and their defence of a meagre total in Brisbane was to be fired by regular wickets to Michael Neser, Luke Feldman, Cameron Gannon and Mark Steketee, while Jake Weatherald, Kelvin Smith and Travis Head all had reason to ponder their shot selection in hanging their bats out at balls angled across them.

The PCB’s first-ever board of governors meeting in Quetta had to be adjourned after five members walked out, demanding, among other things, the removal of managing director Wasim Khan

Danyal Rasool17-Apr-2019

A schism within the PCB Board of Governors erupted in Quetta today, leading to five BoG members demanding the removal of PCB Managing Director Wasim Khan, and walking out of the meeting, forcing its adjournment. The 53rd meeting of the PCB BoG, notable for being the first to be held in Quetta, was attended by eight of its ten members.Fve of them – Shahraiz Rokri from Lahore, Noman Butt from Sialkot, Shah Dost from Quetta, Kabir Khan from Fata and KRL’s Ayaz Butt – presented a resolution not initially on the agenda of the meeting. It listed six demands they wanted the BoG to adopt, most notably the appointment of Wasim to be declared null and void, terming the position unconstitutional. The resolution also called for the rejection of any move to abolish departments and regions in domestic cricket, and the setting up of a domestic cricket restructuring committee within the next 10 days, comprising all four members of the four regions.A PCB statement said, “The meeting was then adjourned for a brief period pursuant to five members attempting to table a resolution, which was not part of the agenda. The PCB Chairman had proposed any business other than the agenda could be considered under Any Other Items at the end of the meeting. However, the Khan Research Laboratory (KRL) and the four regional representatives refused to return to complete the meeting.”PCB chairman Ehsan Mani, who, along with Asad Ali Khan and Ex-Officio Akbar Durrani, was the only remaining BoG member present, declared himself “hugely disappointed”, warning that Pakistan cricket must not “get derailed by personal agendas”.”I was looking forward to an interactive, productive and constructive discussion, which was aimed at taking Pakistan cricket forward. Yesterday, we called on the honourable Chief Minister of Balochistan and engaged in fruitful and enlightening discussions to promote cricket in Balochistan. It is, therefore, particularly disappointing that the representative from Balochistan also refused to return for the BoG meeting.”Leicestershire chief executive Wasim Khan•PA Photos

The abandonment of the meeting poses a potential broader problem for the PCB. One of the items on the agenda was the approval of audited accounts for 2017-18 to be sent to the ICC, which form the basis of the ICC releasing Pakistan’s share of revenue for the year. That, ESPNcricinfo understands, amounts to USD 5 million, and with the failure to approve the release of audited accounts, that funding could be delayed. The threat of a delay isn’t acute for now though if divisions linger on, it could become pressing. At least part of that money would be spent on regional cricket associations, some of whom walked out of the meeting.Board officials expressed frustration at the demand to oust Wasim, whose arrival was seen as something of a coup for the board, particularly since he had been asked by the ECB to apply for a similar position.In October, the BoG approved the creation of the position of managing director, aimed at separating the positions of chief executive and chairman. Under the current PCB set-up, the chairman is also its chief executive, which was seen as a conflict of interest. However, a separate position for chief executive requires a constitutional amendment, and on that basis, the BoG approved the search for a managing director, who would assume the role of chief executive once the position was created. It was then the PCB began shortlisting candidates for the position, finally settling on Wasim.

The saga has an unmistakeable realpolitik whiff. The current prime minister and patron of the board Imran Khan has been vocal about his intentions to downgrade and, if possible, completely eliminate departments in domestic cricket. It was notable that a guarantee against that was the first item on the proposals the five dissenting members moved. Just three weeks ago, Imran Khan had given short shrift to a new model the PCB proposed that still aimed to retain departments in domestic cricket, insisting they had no role in the game.Mani and Imran Khan are scheduled to meet later this week to discuss issues related to the infrastructure development of the Pindi cricket stadium, which is owned by the province of Punjab rather than the PCB. With the ground being looked at as a potential venue for the next edition of the PSL, its dereliction was a cause for urgent concern. However, with half the BoG membership rejecting the patron’s explicit demands with respect to departmental involvement in the domestic game, it seems hard to believe that will not be a key item of discussion when the pair meet.

Jude Bellingham will be “at Wembley for the 15th” after helping Real Madrid to reach another Champions League final in the most dramatic of fashions.

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• Blancos trailed Bayern in semi-final tie
• Joselu stepped off the bench to bag a brace
• England star heading to familiar venue

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blancos have made a habit down the years of completing remarkable European rescue missions. That was the case once again in 2024 during a semi-final showdown with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich at Santiago Bernabeu.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Real trailed to an Alphonso Davies goal with just three minutes left on the clock, but had turned the tie on its head by the 91st minute thanks to a deadly double from substitute Joselu. They are now heading to the home of English football for a final showdown with Borussia Dortmund on June 1.

• WHAT BELLINGHAM SAID

  Bellingham is revelling in a stunning debut season In the Spanish capital, with the 20-year-old enjoying a dream run since completing a 2023 transfer from Dortmund. He has posted on Instagram of lining up another shot at continental glory for record-breaking Real: “How could i not love you? At Wembley for the 15th.”

• WHAT NEXT?

  Bellingham has already savoured Spanish Super Cup and La Liga title glory during his first season with the Blancos. He now has the biggest prize of all in his sights, with England team-mate Harry Kane being downed en route to what will be an 18th European Cup final for Real.

Erik ten Hag is confident that Bruno Fernandes will remain a Manchester United player, despite the Portuguese midfielder dropping a transfer hint.

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Portuguese star to mull over his optionsRed Devils captain has contract to 2026Movement expected in summer windowGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils captain has told reporters in his homeland that he will weigh up his options once a bid for Euro 2024 glory alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Co comes to a close. There has been plenty of speculation to suggest that United are willing to listen to offers for just about every member of their squad.

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Ten Hag, who is facing future questions of his own, is adamant that Fernandes is not for sale and that the 29-year-old is prepared to stay put. He said when asked about the exit talk: “I know he is very happy to be here.”

Ten Hag added on Fernandes, who is under contract until 2026 and has registered 79 goals for United through 230 appearances: “Taking responsibility is one of the biggest assets top footballers have to show and deliver. Bruno is always available, he never misses a game and always plays in a good level and always gets energy to a team. Such assets are necessary to be successful. Bruno is a real fighter. Last year for instance when we played Brighton in the FA Cup semi-final, we played with an ankle that was so thick, it was unbelievable. Bruno is a very good example for other players.”

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While Fernandes has a useful habit of making himself available, United have endured injury struggles in 2023-24 and Ten Hag admits that whoever is charge next season will require further reinforcements in the summer transfer window. He added: “That is one of the issues in our constructing the squad. We have to improve to do things better to construct a squad with more depth. For over 10 years I am managing. I never had this experience, so huge with so many injury issues. So it can happen once in 10 years. Hopefully now can wait another 10 to have so many [again].”

WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

United, who are still in the hunt for a top-six finish and European qualification this season, will be back in action on Monday when taking in a trip to Crystal Palace. They have four top-flight fixtures on their schedule before facing arch-rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25.

Good news for some meant bad news for others as Australia laid down their plans for the World Cup, Ashes and beyond

Andrew McGlashan15-Apr-2019Cricket Australia made a raft of announcements on Monday with the World Cup squad, central contracts and two Australia A squads all named. That’s a lot of cricketers getting good and bad news. Here are some of the happier and less happy players today

Winners

David Warner and Steven SmithFinally, after more than a year, the pair can put their minds towards resuming their international careers after the fallout to the ball-tampering scandal. There remain questions to be answered, and the process may yet have some bumps in the road, but they are back for a huge year with the push at a World Cup and Ashes double. Judging by the IPL, Warner looks primed to make up for lost time, but it may take Smith a little longer.James PattinsonQuite how much Pattinson plays remains to be seen, but the growing feeling is that when he gets on the park he can be a matchwinner for Australia. There will be a lot of crossed fingers that his body stands up through his spell for Nottinghamshire and it’s perhaps not surprising that the selectors want him under their watch as much as possible. England will face a battery of quicks during the Ashes – Pattinson could be the fastest of the lot.Marcus HarrisChairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said cross-format players had been at the forefront of the mind in naming the central contracts – hence the absence of Kurtis Patterson, Joe Burns, and Marnus Labuschagne – but Harris has been rewarded for his first-class returns which included a 1000-run Shield season and a promising start to his Test career. The contract indicates he is locked in for the Ashes despite a wobble against Sri Lanka after the consistent returns against India.Nathan Coulter-NileCoulter-Nile had a little moan at the selectors during the season when he was overlooked for a one-day squad in what he perceived as a breakdown in communication. How things have turned for the allrounder, who also had to battle a nasty bout of vertigo during the BBL, and now he finds himself off to the World Cup and in possession of a central contract. His all-round package – pace and bounce with the ball, strong lower-order hitting and superb fielding – will make him a candidate for the No. 8 spot in the ODI team.

Losers

Peter HandscombThere was so much in favour of Handscomb: his quality against spin, recent solid returns and a maiden ODI hundred, brilliance in the field and wicketkeeping skills. But he was the batsman forced out of the World Cup by Smith’s return to the middle order. His initial recall in the summer had come as somewhat of a surprise, but he had barely put a foot wrong since averaging 43.54 in 13 matches. Now he’ll have to focus on a Test recall for the Ashes – his central contract suggests he remains firmly in the planning across all formats.Josh HazlewoodIn the end, Hazlewood’s troublesome back and the strength of Australia’s pace-bowling resources persuaded the selectors to show caution, holding him back for the Ashes. It will be a bitter blow for a man who played five matches in Australia’s successful 2015 campaign and overall has 72 ODI wickets at 25.15 and an economy rate of 4.73. The Ashes, of course, is also a major prize and at 28, he is young enough to have another tilt at the World Cup in 2023.Mitchell MarshIt was pretty much a season to forget for Marsh. Last September he was named one of the Test vice-captains and appeared earmarked for a key role under Justin Langer. However, the balance of the side changed from the start of the India series, and when he was called in, he had a nightmare with the bat at the MCG and was swiftly dropped. Now his central contract has gone as well, leaving a career needing to be rebuilt. That could start with the Australia A tour, however, with him having been named in both the one-day and four-day squads.Scott BolandThe Sheffield Shield player of year can feel harshly done by. He is the only member of the four-pronged Victoria pace attack which won the Shield final not to have been offered the hope of an Ashes berth in today’s announcements. Having just had his 30th birthday, and in an era when Australia are well-stocked for pace bowling, it feels as though Boland is destined to remain uncapped at Test level.

Glenn Maxwell is proud of his team for finding ways in foreign conditions to make it 4-0 against Pakistan, but he wants just a little more from them

Daniel Brettig30-Mar-2019Glenn Maxwell and Australia are targeting a 5-0 sweep of Pakistan to finish their dual tour of India and the UAE, which has delivered the tourists as a group and Maxwell himself an enormous amount of growth.Clearly benefiting from added responsibility as an advisor to the captain Aaron Finch, Maxwell has played a pair of his finest limited-overs innings since the 2015 World Cup to help the Australians seal the Pakistan series and get within one game of 5-0. His role in the team, a subject of considerable debate this summer, appears to have crystallised as a middle-order specialist with the occasional promotion, and peaked with an innings of 98 on Friday night that ensured the team had just enough runs to squeak past Pakistan.”It’s very exciting for us, and that’s all the motivation you need, to have a clean sweep in a foreign country after we haven’t had a lot of success over the last 12 months,” Maxwell said. “It’d be great for this group to win 5-0, I feel like we’ve played some extremely good cricket over here, we’ve adapted brilliantly to different conditions and everyone’s chipped in at different times as well. It’s been a really good team effort the whole time. One more big effort for us over here, then blokes can take their holidays.”Much was made of the fact that Maxwell gave up the chance to score a century by chasing a dicey second run in the final over of the innings, leading to his dismissal for 98, but he had no qualms about giving up a personal milestone for the team. “It would have been nice to get a hundred but I was really happy with the way I played today,” Maxwell said.”To put that partnership on with [Alex] Carey, to get us to a total we thought we could defend – I was really proud of the way I went about it. The hundred doesn’t really matter too much to me. I’m not going to look back on my career when I’m done and think about all the hundreds I’ve missed. I’m going to think about the wins we had.”Finding a way to better contribute to wins has been a theme of Maxwell’s recent months in the team, as he, Finch and coach Justin Langer have worked towards the current formula. Maxwell was happy to admit he had made plenty of errors along the way, but showed in a vital stand with the wicketkeeper Carey that there is growing maturity to his expansive game.”The last two games I’ve come in a bit earlier when we’ve lost a few wickets back to back and there’s been a little bit of pressure on when I’ve gone out. It’s actually been nice to get through that, be able to get myself into my innings and not just go out and play a cameo knock in the last 10 overs.”I was able to get myself in and really assess the conditions. That’s playing to the conditions and playing how you should as a middle-order batter and those sorts of opportunities come up when conditions are tough and the top order’s found it difficult. That’s why they get out and that’s why you go in at those times. For me it’s about getting through those tough times and giving myself that chance to go at the back end.”I’ve made a lot of mistakes as a middle-order batter and not quite made it to the time where I can go. It was nice to be there for the back end and delay the bigger hitting until a little bit later when we felt like we could comfortably get to a total we could defend.”More broadly, the team found a way to outlast Pakistan despite the chasers getting themselves in a position where, needing 49 from seven overs with seven wickets in hand, they really should have won. “It’s one of those games where because we’ve got a bit of winning momentum behind, you find a way to win these. If you look back six to seven months ago, probably even less, we were probably on the other side of it,” Maxwell said.”We were finding ways to lose when we were in winning positions [a few months ago]. It’s a funny thing winning momentum. When you’re winning games, you just find a way to win. That’s the great thing about this group at the moment. We’re finding ways to win in different conditions, different ways.”With that ball getting really wet it was hard for us to control that partnership through the middle and they were batting really well, the wicket was skidding on nicely and we just had to hang in there for a little bit longer. That’s where I’m really proud of this group, we just hung in there and kept the run rate at bay.”

MCC 265 and 221 for 1 (Sibley 102*) trail Surrey 520 (Pope 251) by 34 runsOllie Pope laid down a timely reminder of the credentials that earned him a Test debut against India last summer, as he converted his overnight century into a career-best 251 to cement Surrey’s control of the Champion County fixture at Dubai.By the close of the third day, however, their march to an apparently comfortable victory had been held up by a doughty response from MCC’s openers.Faced with a deficit of 255, the Warwickshire duo of Will Rhodes and Dom Sibley added 190 for MCC’s first wicket to help reduce their side’s arrears to just 34 runs with nine wickets standing.Though Rhodes eventually fell for 88 – bowled by the legspin of Scott Borthwick – Sibley was unbeaten on 102 at the close, a telling display from a player who left Surrey under a cloud last season, having felt his opportunities for first-team cricket had been limited since becoming, in 2013, the second-youngest player after WG Grace to score a first-class double-century.He went to his hundred with 11 fours, and had faced 194 balls by the close, in compiling his fourth first-class century in five innings, after finishing the 2018 county season with a flurry of 106, 44, 144 not out and 119 for Warwickshire against Leicestershire, Sussex and Kent.Earlier, Surrey had tightened their grip on the contest by adding a further 131 runs to their overnight 389 for 4, to finish on an imposing 520. They lost one of their overnight centurions, Jamie Smith, for the addition of just four runs, but Pope – who resumed on 183 not out – did not miss out on the chance to convert to a mighty innings.In the midst of a sandstorm, Pope soon went past 200 for the first time in his career, then launched the spin of Dom Bess for consecutive sixes to reach his 250 in style.MCC did battle back with the ball, however. Pope holed out to mid-off against Rhodes’ medium pace to open up an end, whereupon Stephen Parry, the former England left-arm spinner, picked through the tail with three quick wickets.

Five delays for rain and bad light cost Leicestershire the chance of a rare Lord’s win

ECB Reporters Network17-May-2019Leicestershire’s hopes of a first County Championship win at Lord’s for 39 years were thwarted by rain as their see-saw clash with Middlesex ended in a draw.The pendulum had appeared to swing back in the visitors’ favour, with Colin Ackermann unbeaten on 70 from 88 balls, and five wickets standing as they chased a victory target of 305. But the overcast conditions, which led to five separate stoppages during the final day, eventually triumphed as the match was abandoned with the Foxes on 226 for 5 – still 79 short.Middlesex, who have yet to record a Championship win this season, dropped three catches, but were still scenting an opportunity after removing the visitors’ top four, all to lbw decisions, with 154 on the board.Leicestershire began the fourth day on 38 without loss, needing another 267, but they had shaved only three more off that target when the darkening St John’s Wood sky brought about the first of the weather delays.With the Lord’s floodlights switched on and the players back on the field, Leicestershire extended their opening stand to 51 before James Harris made the breakthrough, trapping Ateeq Javid in front of his stumps.One other wicket fell during the morning session, with the consistent Ethan Bamber removing Paul Horton – but Middlesex should have claimed at least a third before lunch. Hasan Azad, who made a slow start to his innings, was the fortunate recipient of two reprieves with just seven runs to his name.First, Sam Robson spilled an edge at first slip off the bowling of Harris and, in the next over, when Azad drove Ollie Rayner, Nick Gubbins was unable to pocket the chance at short cover.That double escape appeared to help Azad lift the shackles and he and Mark Cosgrove, with a breezy 22 from 42 balls, guided the Leicestershire total past 100.Rayner removed Cosgrove in the third over after lunch, but Ackermann immediately displayed an attacking intent, using his feet to the off-spinner and climbing into Harris as he struck successive boundaries. The South African dominated a fourth-wicket partnership of exactly 50 with Azad, contributing 34 before Harris registered his second lbw of the innings to dismiss the latter.Harry Dearden, who had shared a century partnership with Ackermann on the second day, survived an early scare when he miscued Rayner to mid-off, but the chance eluded the diving Bamber.Despite a further half-hour’s delay due to rain, the fifth-wicket pair added another 52 before Tom Helm uprooted the off stump of Dearden. Ackermann did his best to maintain the Leicestershire charge in tandem with Lewis Hill, but a further downpour finally put paid to the visitors’ hopes of forcing a victory.

Alex Lees made his first List A fifty for Durham but they could not hold off Worcs’ charge after a four-hour delay

ECB Reporters Network24-Apr-2019Durham suffered their first defeat of the campaign in the Royal London Cup as Ross Whiteley and Ben Cox guided Worcestershire Rapids to a four-wicket success under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method at Blackfinch New Road.The visitors had won their opening games but Cox and Whiteley tipped a see-saw contest in favour of the Rapids with a half-century stand for the sixth wicket before victory was completed with 10 balls to spare. Cox, so often the cool head in a crisis, ended unbeaten on 31 from 26 balls.Victory enabled Worcestershire to bounce back from the weekend defeat to Leicestershire and move level on points with Durham.Durham were restricted to 114 for 4 in 27.2 overs before the heavens opened after being put into bat, despite Alex Lees scoring his first List A half-century for the county. Worcestershire were eventually set a revised target of 152 in 24 overs after a delay of more than four hours.Hamish Rutherford and Riki Wessels quickly established a position of command for the home side as the half-century came up in only 4.5 overs.Rutherford had become the second Worcestershire player to score centuries on his County Championship and List A debut and he continued in the same vein. He deposited Matt Salisbury and Matt Potts for six on his way to 33 from 22 balls before nicking a widish delivery from Ben Raine through to keeper Cameron Bancroft.Wessels was also full of attacking intent in making 29 until he was caught off a skier by Bancroft running back towards the boundary from a Salisbury delivery.Daryl Mitchell dragged a slower delivery from Brydon Carse on to his stumps for a second successive duck in the competition at 71 for 3 in the 10th over.Carse struck again in his next over as Tom Fell went for a pull and top-edged a simple catch to Graham Clark at mid-on. When captain Brett D’Oliveira was caught behind off Salisbury, Worcestershire had lost four wickets for 10 runs in the space of five overs.But Whiteley and Cox turned the game back in the Rapids favour by adding 51 in seven overs before the former provided Bancroft with another catch, this time off Raine. Cox and Ed Barnard saw Worcestershire over the finishing line.Durham had been put into bat and new-ball bowler Charlie Morris made the first breakthrough in his third over as Scott Steel went for a drive and was bowled by a delivery which came back sharply.Lees, who moved to Durham from Yorkshire after an initial loan spell last summer, had been dismissed for 4 and 6 in Durham’s opening two Royal London Cup games He looked in good form and cover-drove Morris for successive boundaries. But Clark paid the penalty for a poor shot as he pulled a short delivery from Josh Tongue straight to Whiteley at deep square leg.Durham skipper Bancroft went into the game on the back of unbeaten centuries in the competition – 151 versus Northamptonshire and 118 against Leicestershire.He moved confidently to 20 but the introduction of Mitchell into the attack led to his downfall. The Australia batsman drove loosely and Morris held on to the chance at short third man with the total 78 for 3.Lees completed his half century off 75 deliveries with four boundaries. But Gareth Harte, making his first RLC appearance of the campaign, fell shortly before an elongated break. He took a stride out of his crease before driving at D’Oliveira and was stumped by Cox.Only two more runs were added before the players were forced off by driving rain.

England batsman Alex Hales has failed a drugs test. Hales, who was named in England’s provisional 15-man World Cup squad last week, is understood by ESPNcricinfo to have tested positive for a recreational drug in recent weeks. The England selectors are not thought to have known about the test result at the time the squad was announced.According to a report in the , he is currently serving a 21-day ban after returning a second positive test, having pulled out of Nottinghamshire’s Royal London Cup campaign, shortly after the World Cup squad was announced, for undisclosed personal reasons.An ECB spokesman said: “We have a duty of confidentiality, therefore we are unable to provide any further comment.”The drugs violation is understood to have been detected after Hales underwent a routine hair-follicle test, which all professional men’s cricketers and centrally contracted women’s players undergo at the start and finish of every season. The policy was introduced in 2013 in the wake of the death of Surrey’s Tom Maynard, and can detect banned substances in the system for up to three months.For a first offence, which is treated as a health and welfare issue, players are offered advice and support with few people being notified. They are the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) director of development and welfare, the ECB anti-doping and recreational drugs manager, the chief medical officers of the ECB and the county involved.A second violation can invoke a three-week ban and a 5% fine of the player’s annual salary, at which point the player’s county is informed, as well as the ECB chief executive, Tom Harrison, and PCA chief executive, David Leatherdale.A third offence, such as that committed by Durham’s Jack Burnham in 2017, can lead to dismissal – although in Burnham’s case, the club chose instead to ban him for 12 months and give him the chance to revive his career this year.It is nevertheless another significant black mark for Hales, who was recently banned for six white-ball games (four of them suspended) and fined £17,500 by the ECB for his part in the Bristol brawl that led to Ben Stokes’ arrest and subsequent acquittal. England are not obliged to name their final World Cup squad until May 23.Although the loss of Hales at the World Cup would be significant, as things stand he would have served his suspension. He is still expected to join up with the squad for their training camp in Cardiff at the weekend and, according to reports, could be available for next week’s ODI in Dublin and the subsequent five-match series against Pakistan.While he is not currently seen as part of the first-choice side, he was set to be the reserve batsman in the squad. He has an outstanding ODI record: only nine men have scored more than his six ODI hundreds for England; only Jason Roy has a higher individual score in the format than the 171 Hales made against Pakistan. With Roy (back spasm) having recently experienced some fitness concerns, there was every chance he would win an opportunity at some stage during the tournament.Ashley Giles, the England men’s team director, and Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket, both declined to comment when contacted by ESPNcricinfo.