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Seamer managing “chronic” problem and won’t return before India series but Ben Stokes is progressing well after a hamstring injury

George Dobell18-Jun-2018England have confirmed that Chris Woakes will take no part in the limited-overs series against Australia as he deals with a “chronic” knee injury. Ben Stokes is also not expected to play in the three remaining ODIs but could return in next month’s T20 series with India.Woakes sustained a tear in his right quad during the second Test against Pakistan in Leeds, but a statement released by the England management now suggests it was caused in part by “a flare-up of a chronic right knee problem”. He was given an injection in the knee a week ago and has begun a rehabilitation and conditioning programme.England are putting no date on his return to action, but he will not feature in any of the games against Australia or the T20s against India. He will be reassessed ahead of the ODI series against India that starts on July 12.”I’m aiming for the India ODIs and fingers crossed I can play some cricket before then so I’m ready,” Woakes said. “Whether it’s for Warwickshire or England I’m not sure. The word chronic makes it look like it’s drastic but the knee is not something I’m worried about.”Woakes’ absence has been felt keenly by England in recent days. As their top-ranked ODI bowler, and easily most impressive white-ball seamer in Australia and New Zealand, he has the responsibility for bowling at the start and end of the innings; areas that have been exposed a little in the defeat against Scotland and, at times, during the victory over Australia in Cardiff.Woakes missed almost the entire Champions Trophy in 2017 after sustaining a side strain during the opening moments of the game against Bangladesh. He has managed the knee problem for several years, having had surgery in 2015.”I’ve had the same problem for about eight or nine years and it’s been niggling away at me but I’ve got on with it and put up with the odd niggle because it’s not the sort of thing that will get better overnight,” he said.”With the quad injury it was a good time to get a jab in there and settle it down. I don’t know what the definition of chronic is but it doesn’t really stop me from playing cricket. It just flares up and during Headingley it felt sore but compared to a couple of weeks ago it feels like a million dollars.”There may also be some concern at Warwickshire. The county felt that Woakes required more bowling before returning to Test cricket following his spell in the IPL. To go from bowling a maximum of four overs to bowling in a Test, they felt, required more time and conditioning work. It will have been noted that both England seamers who went from the IPL to the Test team – Woakes and Stokes – without a warm-up match sustained injuries.With the World Cup looming as England’s priority for next year, Woakes suggested he would consider whether managing his fitness might mean missing out on the IPL.”IPL is a great thing for players to have the opportunities to improve themselves, at the same time as earning a hell of a lot of money, but I think next year will be tricky,” he said. “If I don’t get retained that’s when I will have to ask myself whether it’s worth going in the auction again, with such a big summer ahead. It’s something I’ll know nearer the time, especially going into what could be the biggest summer of my career. You want to make sure you’re in tip-top condition for a home World Cup.”There is better news of both Stokes and Eoin Morgan. Morgan, who missed Saturday’s game in Cardiff due to a back spasm, took part in training at Trent Bridge on Monday morning and hopes to play in the third ODI against Australia on Tuesday, while Stokes is said to be “progressing well” after sustaining a torn left hamstring a couple of weeks ago. His batting is unrestricted and he is able to run at 90% capacity so will begin a “return-to-bowling programme” this week.Stokes will be with the squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs in the hope that he is fit to play in the T20s against India in July.

For a while tonight it looked as if Bangalore Royal Challengers were going to live down to the tag which last year turned into an albatross: that of the Test team trying to play Twenty20

Victor Brown03-May-2009For a while tonight it looked as if Bangalore Royal Challengers were going to live down to the tag which last year turned into an albatross: that of the Test team trying to play Twenty20. Wasim Jaffer, one of the chief culprits in 2008, was struggling to make headway against Zaheer Khan, and – after Jaffer clipped him straight to square leg – Robin Uthappa was busy (or not very busy) playing out a maiden against Lasith Malinga. Bangalore fans could have been forgiven for shivering for reasons other than the cool Johannesburg evening.But Jacques Kallis was having none of it. Kallis, too, came in for criticism last year when an average of 18 and a strike-rate of 108 did not quite match up to his $900,000 valuation (and that’s before we even get onto his bowling figures of four wickets at 77 each and nine runs an over). But he has never stopped tinkering with his technique, spending time with those he trusts and ironing out the kind of flaws which, for example, persuaded him to shoulder arms fatally to the first ball of the match against Delhi at Port Elizabeth last week.The results were on show here, never more so than during the fourth over of Bangalore’s pursuit of Mumbai’s 149 for 4. Malinga, previously the tournament’s most miserly bowler, was flicked nonchalantly behind square leg for six, then square cut for six more two balls later. A less brutal flick off the hip for four in the same over showed Kallis’ timing was intact too.If anything, the early demise of Jaffer had been a blessing in disguise. It meant memories of last year were not able to linger for long and allowed Uthappa – whose previous six innings had brought a top score of only 20 – enough time to get to grips with conditions before cutting loose towards the end with three boundaries in an over off Sachin Tendulkar and a violent pull for six off Dwayne Bravo that skimmed off the roof of one of the stands and flew into a neighbouring block of flats.Kallis can still infuriate with his running between the wickets, but almost everything else about this innings was perfectly timed, including the passing of the baton to Uthappa for the final onslaught. Seventy-six off 10 became 28 off five became a stroll in the park.Bangalore have now won three in a row dating back to the game at Durban in which Kevin Pietersen daringly opened the bowling against Kolkata Knight Riders with two spinners – including himself. And, in a table which – with the exception of poor old Kolkata – currently resembles Johannesburg at rush-hour Bangalore are now joint-top on points with Delhi and Deccan.For Mumbai, this was a missed opportunity. They came into the game having won every match in which they had batted first and lost the ones where they had batted second. Victory here would have made them outright IPL leaders, and Bravo’s late blast with the bat seemed to have given them a decent chance. But Kallis lined up Zaheer in the first over of the Bangalore reply and – one half-chance at point aside – never looked back on his way to an IPL best of 69 not out off 59 balls. Test team? Perhaps no longer.

Victor Brown30-Apr-2009Suresh Raina hammered a low full-toss from Munaf Patel through extra cover last night and punched the air in delight. He had just become the first Indian to score a hundred in the IPL (the previous seven had been made by four Australians, a New Zealander, a Sri Lankan and, last week in Durban, a South African). And he had done it in 55 balls, one fewer than Viv Richards needed to reach three figures in a Test match against England in Antigua 23 years ago. No wonder he looked thrilled.At the time it didn’t seem to matter when Raina skied the next ball, the ante-penultimate of the Chennai innings, to deep backward point, where Graeme Smith judged the catch nicely. Then it all went horribly wrong. A mistake by the scorers had gifted Raina two extra runs somewhere along the line. Suspicion centred on the 19th over, which, according to the scoreboard, Raina finished on 95 rather than 93. Somehow, he had pinched two of his partner MS Dhoni’s runs. The conclusion was grim: Raina had made 98 and the happy-go-lucky swipe that cost him his wicket had also, it now transpired, cost him a hundred.Wisdom after the event is only supposed to happen in sports like formula one or horse racing, where obscure contraventions and animals get in the way, or when a football club goes into administration. But this was a cock-up plain and simple. And it was one that highlighted cricket’s obsession with milestones and the problems that can come with it. The England opener Martyn Moxon never made a hundred in his 10 Tests, but once fell at Auckland for 99. He later complained that a sweep for three had been wrongly signalled as leg-byes. These fine lines can haunt a man.Would Raina have played a different shot from the one he got out to had he known he was on 98? Quite possibly. Should he have played a different shot? Not according to the letter of cricket’s oft-repeated law that there is no ‘I’ in team. And yet the realities of the game – particularly in a competition where a hundred is treated with the same reverence afforded to the bloke who split the atom – may have dictated otherwise. “Cricket, a team game?” scoffed the novelist VS Naipaul. “Teams play, and one team is to be willed to victory. But it is the individual who remains in the memory, he who has purged the emotions by delight and fear.”Raina, who later had a stumping missed off his bowling by his new pseudo-nemesis Dhoni, probably felt a few other emotions besides. Crucially, though, the error had no effect on the team score – and a total of 164 for five had only been surpassed by two teams batting second and winning in this year’s IPL. Rajasthan Royals never looked becoming the third.Their 2009 IPL has inevitably struggled to live up to 2008. Five previous matches had brought two wins – one of them courtesy of the Super Over, another thanks to fireworks from Yusuf Pathan – two defeats and a washout, and the feeling is that Shane Warne is struggling to get quite the same out of his young squad this time round. The absence of Shane Watson has not helped; neither have Swapnil Asnodkar’s struggles on the quicker pitches of South Africa. But the way three of his players dived over the ball to concede boundaries in the first 10 overs of the Chennai innings would not have happened last year.No doubt the old master will surprise us all, sneak into the semi-finals on run-rate, then pinch a couple of late wins to retain the trophy. But for the time being Rajasthan look all too susceptible to the kind of knock Raina played today – hundred or otherwise.

Philippe Clement will head into his first summer transfer window as Glasgow Rangers manager with the aim of moving out some deadwood while bringing his own targets to the club.

Several players look to be departing upon the expiration of their contracts at the end of the season, which will free up some of the wage bill for Clement to utilise, but he will also need to sell players for transfer fees in order to improve his budget.

There should be no shortage of offers for a few of his first team regulars, although it appears a former Rangers manager has his eyes on not one, but two current players…

Rangers transfer news

According to the Daily Record, Steven Gerrard is eyeing a shock double swoop for James Tavernier and Connor Goldson this summer as he looks to bring the duo to the Middle East.

Both players, of course, worked under the former Liverpool captain during his three and a half year spell as Ibrox boss, helping the club win their first league title in a decade during the 2020/21 season.

Both players are on the wrong side of 30 and have two years left on their current deals, which suggests it could be a tempting proposition for Clement to move them on if he receives a sizeable transfer fee.

Goldson hasn’t quite been in the best of form in recent weeks, whereas Tavernier’s goal contributions have been vital for the Light Blues this season.

James Tavernier’s stats for Rangers this season

Once again, the defender is currently the top scorer in the squad, scoring 24 goals along with registering ten assists in what has been a career-best total for the former Newcastle United gem.

Tavernier notched his 131st goal of his career against Hibs in March, coming via one of his customary penalties which have formed the bulk of his goals. In the process, he became the highest-scoring defender in British football history, a stunning achievement for a right-back.

His goal involvements have been crucial to the club regaining their footing after a poor start under Michael Beale, and it appears as though Clement has placed his full trust in the 32-year-old to lead his team.

Among his teammates this term, Tavernier currently ranks first for overall Sofascore rating (8.08) in the top flight, while also ranking first for goals and assists (25), fifth for shots per game (2.1), first for big chances created (17) and for key passes per game (3.2), showing just how much of a positive influence he has in the current side.

Without his goal contributions, there is no telling where Rangers would be. One day, however, the club will need to find a replacement for him, which could prove to be extremely tough considering how much he offers, especially from an attacking perspective.

Metric

Europa League

Premiership

Goals

0

17

Assists

0

8

Big chances created

0

17

Key passes per game

1.1

3.2

Successful dribbles per game

0.3

1.1

There will be players Clement has his eyes on in terms of potential long-term Tavernier successor, yet there could be someone who is currently out on loan who could forge his way back into the first-team picture next season – Adam Devine.

Adam Devine’s Rangers career so far

The right-back made his first team debut for Rangers during a clash against Dundee United towards the end of the 2021/22 season as Giovanni van Bronckhorst was looking to rest senior players due to their involvement in the run to the Europa League final.

His first start came a week later in the final match of the season against Hearts, and he impressed during a 3-1 win, succeeding with 100% of his dribbles while taking 79 touches, showing his willingness to get on the ball.

The youngster had to wait until December to feature for the first team again, as injuries meant Beale called him into the starting XI for three successive games, playing particularly well against Ross County a few days before Christmas.

Not only did he make four key passes during the tie, but Devine also succeeded with both of his dribbles, won four of his seven ground duels contested along with making two tackles, and it looked as though he had a bright future ahead of him.

In total, Devine played eight times for the senior side throughout the whole of last season, gaining vital experience, and it looked as though he could push on this term. After playing just nine minutes in the League Cup for the Light Blues, Clement sent the defender on loan to Motherwell in order to give him some much-needed game time.

Adam Devine’s statistics for Motherwell

The 21-year-old was hailed by former Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall after the Jags signed him on loan in 2021, describing him as “a highly rated young player” and his current spell at the Steelmen may have given Clement plenty to think about.

So far, he has played nine games for the club since his arrival in January, scoring once and grabbing an assist. Of the eight league matches, Devine has started in six of them, averaging 0.4 key passes per game, succeeding with 100% of his dribble attempts, recovering three balls per game and winning 0.9 ground duels per game – an impressive success rate of 70% – which has proven his ability to perform on a consistent basis in the top flight.

While he may not offer the same sort of attacking qualities as Tavernier, Devine could be a solid option for Clement to call upon next season.

He still has plenty of time to develop as a player, while being homegrown will be advantageous with regard to European games, as the squad has to have a certain number of homegrown players present.

Hopefully, Tavernier still has a year or two left at Ibrox before he moves on to pastures new, but that’s not to say Devine should be intimidated by his presence.

Gaining minutes in certain matches next season could allow him to continue his rapid development while demonstrating his talents to Clement in the process, as the manager could save millions in the transfer market by trusting the youngster.

Rangers sold a "fantastic" gem who'd be worth more than Tavernier in 2024

Rangers sold a player in 2001 who is worth more than Tav in 2024 money

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 26, 2024

As Southampton eye instant promotion back to the Premier League, reinforcements to ensure that they both secure their place in the top flight and then keep it will be more important than ever. The last thing that the Saints will want is to drop back straight back down to the Championship if all of their hard work takes them to Wembley glory under Russell Martin in the current campaign.

With that said, reports suggest that Southampton are set to rival Premier League sides and play-off rivals in a race to sign a 17-year-old gem who looks destined to become a future star, wherever he ends up.

Southampton transfer news

More often than not, Southampton have been a club blessed with young talent, either through their own academy or the transfer market. Just last season, they had Anderlecht and Manchester City academy graduate Romeo Lavia at their disposal, before selling him on for big money to Chelsea.

Meanwhile, one of their most famous academy graduates and captain, James Ward-Prowse, also moved back into the Premier League and has starred ever since at West Ham United. Their departures have paved the way for new arrivals, however, and now the Saints could use January to welcome fresh talent.

Southampton readying offer to sign "superb" gem from European giants

The Saints could get a major boost in pursuit of promotion…

ByTom Cunningham Dec 20, 2023

According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Southampton are eyeing a move to sign Larne youngster Jack Hastings. The Championship side have reportedly already sent scouts to watch the Northern Irishman and have joined the race to secure the forward's signature alongside play-off rivals Leeds United.

The two second-tier sides may well struggle to compete for Hastings' signature, however, amid reported interest from Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers in a busy race for his potential arrival. Given the amount of interest that Hastings is reportedly receiving, Southampton will have to act fast if they want to land the youngster, making January all the more interesting.

20-goal Hastings is one for the future

Still just 17-years-old, Hastings has already made significant strides to attract such high interest within English football. The forward has impressed at youth level, finding the back of the net an incredible 20 times already this season, and now looks on the brink of earning a permanent place in the Larne first team after making his first appearance in the Irish Cup in the last campaign.

Only likely to get better, Southampton may need to act soon if they want to secure the best deal possible for the future star. When it comes to the Saints' current attacking options, the main man for Hastings to eventually take over is Che Adams. The 27-year-old could be the perfect tutor for the young forward if he decides to make the move to St Mary's over other options.

When the winter window swings open, Hastings looks likely to have the biggest decision of his career and one that could see him reach his ever-growing potential. Having seen talents like Ward-Prowse, Kevin Phillips and Theo Walcott all emerge and turn into stars from their academy over the years, Southampton may well find their next academy star in the form of Hastings.

Former England opener Sam Robson has finally found form, but it’s too little too late to join the list of potential Test openers in Sri Lanka

ECB Reporters Network20-Sep-20181:38

Worcestershire relegated after Essex hammering

ScorecardMatt Critchley became Derbyshire’s youngest ever centurion at Lord’s – but his side will face an arduous challenge to overcome Middlesex on the final day of their County Championship clash.The 22-year-old all-rounder top-scored for the visitors with 105 before picking up four wickets as Middlesex ended day three with a healthy advantage of 327 runs.Critchley’s ton made him the youngest Derbyshire player to achieve three figures at Lord’s – Stan Worthington was eight months his senior when he scored 101 on the ground 90 years earlier.Despite Critchley’s efforts with both bat and ball, Middlesex hold the upper hand after Sam Robson’s knock of 73 enabled them to reach 199 for 7 in their second innings.After a morning downpour had delayed the start by an hour and a half, Critchley immediately set about knocking off the 52 runs still required for Derbyshire to avoid the follow-on.Resuming on 87, he drove James Fuller for successive leg-side boundaries and then cut another four past gully to bring up his century.But James Harris (4 for 83) regained the initiative for Middlesex, persuading Critchley to attempt a hook shot that somehow sailed into the hands of second slip, and then removing Anuj Dal and Tony Palladino in quick succession.However, Hardus Viljoen, with an unbeaten 31 from 25 deliveries, and Lockie Ferguson threw the bat as they put together a crucial last-wicket partnership of 43.Ferguson smote Tim Murtagh back over his head for six to save the follow-on before the Middlesex bowler took revenge, uprooting his off stump as Derbyshire were dismissed for 295.Boosted by his first innings century, Robson looked in good nick again as Middlesex began the task of extending their lead of 128 as swiftly as possible.Robson went for his shots on both sides of the wicket, displaying sound timing and dominating an opening stand of 58 with Nick Gubbins, ended in bizarre fashion when the left-hander dislodged his bails while attempting to leg-glance Ferguson.Critchley then regained centre stage with his leg-spin, bamboozling Stevie Eskinazi for a leg-side stumping and having Dawid Malan caught after his sweep struck close-range fielder Gary Wilson and ballooned up to backward square.And Critchley also accounted for Robson on the stroke of the tea interval, running the opener out from mid-off after he had been sent back by Max Holden to end his hopes of completing a second ton in the match.Holden was one of two further victims to fall to the leg-spinner in a truncated final session, but Martin Andersson accumulated an undefeated 23 from as many balls, increasing Middlesex’s lead beyond 300 before bad light brought play to a premature close.

TNT Sports pundit and Man United legend Rio Ferdinand has suggested that he's completely changed his mind on one transformed Arsenal player.

Latest Arsenal news

It was a night to forget for the Gunners on Tuesday with Ligue 1 side RC Lens overcoming them Mikel Arteta's side on matchday two of the Champions League group stage. Goals from Adrien Thomassson and last summer's in-demand striker Elye Wahi cancelled out an early opener from Gabriel Jesus; bringing the north Londoners right back down to Earth after their 4-0 thrashing of Bournemouth last weekend.

The Premier League title hopefuls arguably failed to seize proper control of the match and allowed Lens to fight their way back into the contest, with Arteta praising the home side but also criticising Arsenal's poor finishing on a night to take lessons from.

"They are a really good side, exceptional opponent," said Arteta.

"We took the lead and then in one action they managed to score. We had a big chance straight after the break. In many occasions we attacked the space – but it was [decided] in the boxes. We missed some big chances and didn't defend well enough for their goals. Mistakes happen in football and they will continue to be there somehow but the difference was made in both boxes. You have to put the ball in the back of the net and defend well. It was a big night for us. We weren't able to take the result we wanted but we were able to learn."

It's now back to the drawing board for Arsenal and Arteta, who must bounce back quickly this weekend as they gear up for a highly-anticipated clash against title rivals Man City on Sunday.

Arsenal's star players

While Tuesday evening was one to forget for supporters, they're still in good stead domestically – remaining unbeaten over their opening seven top flight matches despite, at times, not playing at their imperious attacking best. Arsenal's latest league win over Bournemouth, though, showcased some of the club's undoubted attacking flair as goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, summer signing Kai Havertz and Ben White capped off a 4-0 hammering.

There is clearly potential for Arsenal to go and challenge yet again for the domestic crown this season after spending north of £200 million on fresh faces in the summer transfer window. TNT Sport's Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel this week, reserved special praise for one man who has seemingly transformed thus far.

Odegaard, who has scored three goals and bagged an assist over seven league matches, has "got bigger" in an Arsenal jersey after being handed the captain's armband, according to Ferdinand.

“I love him. I like the way he plays. He’s an artist the way he plays off the left foot as well. Left footers always just look a bit different,” he explained.

“There’s pressure in that as well, being the captain. That’s why I questioned Odegaard. Has he got the personality? Will he be able to deal with all of the pressure that comes with being the captain of a big club like Arsenal? So young as well. But you have to say, since the armband went on him, I think he’s got bigger.”

A career best 73 for Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman set Pakistan up for a convincing win over Australia in Harare

The Report by Daniel Brettig05-Jul-2018
Pakistan gained a mental advantage over Australia by dominating Aaron Finch’s team in a match that served as a dress rehearsal for Sunday’s Twenty20 triangular tournament final at the Harare Sports Club.Having beaten Pakistan comfortably in their first meeting, the Australians put in an unfocused performance, dropping far too short with the new ball after Finch sent Sarfraz Ahmed’s side in to bat to allow Fakhar Zaman to fire off a succession of pull shots on his way to the highest score of the match. They then lost a series of early wickets to the late moving ball in the hands of Faheem Ashraf and the 18-year-old left-armer Shaheen Afridi.Having slid as low as 75 for 5, Australia never looked likely to get close to their target, though the wicketkeeper and vice-captain Alex Carey played another intelligent innings down the order. Pakistan’s victory also served the purpose of preventing Australia from taking their place at the top of the ICC’s T20 international rankings.Both sides had already qualified for Sunday’s tournament final, making this game chiefly a chance to gain information and psychological high ground. Australia kept the same side that delivered comfortable wins over Pakistan and Zimbabwe to be the first team to reach the decider. Pakistan included the youthful Afridi for his second T20I in place of Hasan Ali, while Usman Khan came in for Mohammad Nawaz.4:18

‘Steven Smith is the toughest batsman to bowl to’

On a cold morning in Harare, Billy Stanlake failed to induce the sort of early collapse he had been responsible for in Monday’s match. While Jhye Richardson enjoyed the good fortune of having Haris Sohail clip his first delivery straight to square leg to depart for a golden duck, the Pakistan top order were able to feast on a generous helping of short stuff.Fakhar was the major beneficiary, flashing nine boundaries and a trio of sixes on the way to the highest score of his T20I career thus far – he is Pakistan’s leading run-maker in this tournament by a distance, and will require far more careful planning by Australia’s pacemen and coaches ahead of the decider.They reached 80 inside nine overs before Hussain Talat was cramped for room by Glenn Maxwell’s off-breaks and bowled, and from there a series of nifty partnerships ensured that Finch’s side was unable to restrict the run rate. A particularly heavy toll was taken from the bowling of Ashton Agar, while 18 runs from the final over rather disfigured Aaron Tye’s previously excellent figures.Needing a rapid start given the task they were facing, Finch and D’Arcy Short were instead confounded by Pakistan’s fast men pitching the ball much further up to the bat and finding movement both in the air and off the seam. Finch was cornered by an Afridi delivery bending back at him and was caught behind off the inside edge, then Travis Head’s minimal footwork was exposed when Faheem Ashraf seamed one back to pluck out middle stump.Maxwell managed a pair of boundaries before he played around a late inswinger from Afridi that pinned him in front of middle stump, and the innings of Nic Maddinson – who made the squad despite being cut from the New South Wales contract list – lasted only eight balls before he misread a well-pitched wrong’un from Shadab Khan and was comfortably stumped.Short had persevered without timing the ball with anything like the power of which he is capable, but was well and truly beaten by the yorker Afridi served up on his return to the bowling crease. From there it was largely a matter of damage limitation for the Australians, as Carey knocked the ball around with the sort of resourcefulness that is quickly becoming his trademark without ever looking likely to threaten a distant target.Pakistan will now go into the final with plenty of confidence, while the Australians must face Zimbabwe before reconsidering their approach to Fakhar, Afridi and the rest of Sarfraz’s team.

After winning three MVP awards in the past four seasons, the fact that Shohei Ohtani is a tough hitter to face on the mound is not a shocker.

But hearing from one of the players stuck going up against him, the challenge of taking on Ohtani becomes a whole lot clearer, and much more fascinating.

San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King spoke with Rob Friedman (known as @PitchingNinja across baseball social media) and broke down in detail how hard it is to get an out from Ohtani.

“You have to be able to command all four quadrants. You can’t sit on a certain area, even if you’re throwing multiple pitches in that area, he’s going to get you,” King said. “The scouting report that I had on him was that we had to get in on him. I threw a first pitch four-seamer, up and in, dotted up and in, and he ripped it 110 MPH down the right field line.”

King also praised Ohtani’s ability to make adjustments mid-game, citing a battle between him and Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes. After Skenes got the better of Ohtani in their first matchup, Ohtani made him pay.

While taking on Ohtani is one of the toughest assignments King gets as a pitcher, it’s one he faces with pride.

“It’s a good challenge. I’d much rather face the best of the best and hopefully dominate the best of the best,” King said. “It’s a blessing and a curse to be able to face guys like that, because they’re definitely going to get you, and they definitely got me last year. But it’s a really fun kind of cat and mouse game, and it’s my favorite part of pitching.”

Alastair Cook’s autobiography offers little that’s new or interesting

Freddie Auld12-Oct-2008
It would be far too easy to compare Alastair Cook’s new autobiography with his batting: determined and dependable, with the odd thrill. But sadly, it isn’t even that. For determined, read drab; for dependable, “dreary”; and as for the odd thrill, er, Cook had a game of darts with Freddie and Harmy on the eve of his Test debut. And that’s about as good as it gets.Most Cooky fans, of whom I am one myself, will be disappointed with his first, shamefully premature effort. The blurb promises a “fascinating insight” into one of the most “exciting and brightest players to burst on to the cricketing scene in recent years”. So I was hoping for juicy anecdotes about the Essex dressing room, the latter years of Duncan Fletcher’s reign, the disastrous Ashes campaign, the jelly bean files, and Michael Vaughan’s retirement. But no.Once you get past Cook’s early years – where he attended St Paul’s Cathedral School as a promising chorister – the book is mostly a combination of condensed match reports of Tests and ODIs mixed with Cook’s run-of-the-mill views on walking, sledging, captaincy, and the advent of Twenty20.Cook points to the influence of Graham Gooch and Andy Flower in his early years at Essex, and how a season of club cricket in Perth helped him develop. After deciding not to go to university, against the advice of the Essex authorities, he looks back with pride on his 214 against the touring Australians at Chelmsford, which, as he says, “made my name”. Then comes his unexpected call up to the full squad in India from the A tour in the Caribbean, a journey he shared with Jimmy Anderson, who he is now best mates with. Before Cook knew it, he was walking out to open the batting in Nagpur, and in his own words, “Strauss said ‘good luck’ in his posh accent, and away we went.”His champagne moment, following his 60 in the first innings with a remarkable debut hundred, was an ecstasy he says he has not experienced before or since. When he was sweating on 99, Kevin Pietersen had a sweepstake on how many balls Cook would take the reach his landmark, but disappointingly Cook can’t remember how many it actually took, or who won the cash.In the endless match reports that follow, he speaks of his surprising friendship with the northerners in the England team: Anderson, Paul Collingwood and Steve Harmison. He also reveals his superstition about odd numbers: hence why he has an even number on his shirt, and why he only has the volume of his radio on 8 or 10. The chapter on the Ashes is disappointingly bland, with the usual stuff of how the Aussies rip you to bits on the pitch but are great value off it. And the jelly-bean mystery remains unresolved, as Cook strongly denies any part in the bizarre saga that left Zaheer Khan hot under the helmet.Cook does reveal that the ECB asked him to have a chinwag with Mike Brearley, which suggests that he may have inherited the FEC (future England captain) tag from Pietersen, but again he doesn’t elaborate on what was said. After Vaughan stood down, Cook admitted the England captaincy was too early for him. It is certainly too early to start writing books about yourself.Perhaps I expected too much, but there wasn’t much in this I didn’t already know, and what I did discover wasn’t particularly interesting. However, even though Cook’s isn’t exactly riveting, here’s hoping that Cook waits until his story is complete before his next effort.Starting Out: My Story So Far
by Alastair Cook
Hodder and Stoughton £19.99