Zak Crawley insists motivation will be no problem as England attempt to round off a memorable Ashes summer by levelling the series at the Kia Oval.
Without two days of rain at Emirates Old Trafford, this week’s clash was shaping up as an all-or-nothing shootout for the urn and would surely have been the most hyped Test match in this country since the touchstone summer of 2005.
The stakes are smaller for England now, but the prospect of securing a 2-2 draw and denying rivals Australia a first outright win on these shores since 2001 remains a prize to play for.
Crawley, whose outstanding 189 in Manchester became an instant Ashes classic as he flayed the Test world champions to all four corners of the ground on day two, admitted the soggy conclusion was frustrating but has no doubt about the hunger in the home dressing room.
“We’re massively up for it. Any game, you want to win,” said the opener, who sits as the top run-scorer in the series with 385.
“As Ben Stokes says, we’re building as a team, this isn’t the end just because it’s the end of the Ashes. Hopefully, it’s very much the start.
“I think 2-2 would be fair. They had the better of us at Lord’s, Edgbaston could have gone either way, we probably deserved this one and Headingley could have gone either way. So I think 2-2 would be right.
“It felt like we were getting on top of them for sure and if we’d won this game it would have been very interesting to see. They’ve got some very good players and would have bounced back but the momentum would have been with us for sure.”
England have named an unchanged 14-man squad for the fifth Test, leaving question marks over the make-up of their pace attack.
Record wicket-taker James Anderson, who turns 41 on day four of the match, is under the microscope after a disappointing series that has seen him take just four wickets at an average of 76.75.
He managed a single breakthrough in what was his farewell Ashes outing at his home ground last week and a familiar bout of speculation around his future follows him to south London.
Anderson has defied expectations around the longevity of fast bowlers for so long that it has become an almost annual tradition to wonder if he might be set for an emotional swansong.
His prospects of getting one more chance to make his mark on this series are improved by worries over Chris Woakes, who has been excellent for the past two games but complained off stiffness in the second innings at Old Trafford.
Woakes had not played Test cricket for 18 months before returning to the side at Headingley and three games in quick succession may be too much of an ask.
England also have the up-and-coming Josh Tongue at their disposal, as well as a fit-again Ollie Robinson, and may also ask to check on leading wicket-taker Stuart Broad, who will be eager for the challenge of playing a sixth consecutive game in little more than seven weeks.
It is understood that Anderson has given no indication at all that he is planning to hang up his boots, and the notion of a grand, emotional farewell in the vein of Sir Alastair Cook is unlikely to appeal.
Rob Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, may find himself with a decision to make when the next batch of central contracts are awarded later this year but the three-day break between back-to-back Tests is hardly the time for such debates.
For once, Crawley’s continued selection faces no discussion whatsoever. His imperious century explained perfectly the faith he has enjoyed during leaner times and could act as a springboard for a new chapter.
“I feel I’m as good a player as I have ever been, I feel good about my game,” he said.
“Fast bowling suits my game and the Australian attack is a quick attack. I think a bit less when they’re faster.
“I’m pleased with how I’m playing, I’ve just got to build on it.
“I have a bit more experience now, things to fall back on in different conditions, so I feel I can kick on now. I’ll be keeping myself to myself and listen to close friends and family. They’re the only opinions I care about.”
Powell fancies Windies chances against Sri Lanka amid unpredictable conditions
West Indies captain Rovman Powell is embracing the challenge to come as he leads his team into the first encounter of a highly anticipated three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka on Sunday.
Having touched down in the Subcontinent to less-than-ideal weather conditions, Powell declared his squad's readiness to battle not only their opposition but also the elements.
First ball is 9:30am Eastern Caribbean time and 8:30am in Jamaica.
"It's always challenging for a West Indies team to tour Sri Lanka. Fortunately for us, we have guys that have toured Sri Lanka before and it's also an opportunity for guys to get their feet wet in conditions that will play the next T20 World cup," Powell said in a pre-game interview.
"A lot of rain has been around as well since we've been here on Thursday. It's typical Sri Lankan conditions because the ball will spin and grip, and they tend to make those type of wickets for their advantage. But this is a West Indies team that has quality spinners also, so we're definitely looking for the challenge," he added.
Adaptation is something Powell has grown used to throughout his career and, as such, knows the importance of experience.
Alongside senior players like Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, and others, Powell aims to set the tone early for the team, especially for rising talents such as Terrence Hinds, Shamar Springer, and others, as he emphasized the value of leadership, not just through words but by example.
"Yeah, I think it's exciting times for new talents to come through in the T20 setup. You know, it's also important for me as a leader to lead from the front. You know, once I lead from the front, the young guys will naturally follow. Myself and a few other experienced guys are here, so hopefully we can lead from the front so that young Terrence Hinds and Shamar springer, those guys would follow," Powell stated.
The Sri Lankan team, known for its craftiness in home conditions, will be no easy task. But Powell's confidence in his squad remains steady.
"Yeah, a Sri Lankan team at home is always challenging; you know, world cricket need a good Sri Lanka team just as much as they need a good West Indies team. It goes well to see both teams playing good cricket at the moment, so it should be a fascinating series and I think our guys are upbeat about our chances of playing Sri Lanka and beating Sri Lanka at home," the Jamaican noted.
With his eyes set on victory, Powell is hoping his team can continue to command the support of Caribbean fans with another series of quality performances.
"I think for the last 12 months or so, the Caribbean have been rallying around us. When we play our home games, they have supported us in their numbers in the stadium. Now provides a different challenge where they have to wake up early in the morning and tune in, whether it be via radio or via TV, but hopefully we can put on a good show for them and I'm sure once we are playing good cricket, they will look forward to watching us," he ended.
Samson proved no one bigger than the team, says India captain Yadav
India captain Suryakumar Yadav praised a 'selfless' Sanju Samson after his maiden T20I century helped the hosts defeat Bangladesh by 133 runs and win the series 3-0 on Saturday.
Samson's 111-run knock, which came off just 47 balls, helped India storm to 297-6 after batting first, before they restricted the tourists to 164-7 in the third match of the series in Hyderabad.
The 29-year-old reached his century in just 40 balls to become the second fastest among India's batters to bring up a T20I ton after Rohit Sharma's 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2017.
"I think we've achieved a lot as a team. I had said we wanted to have selfless cricketers and want to be a selfless team and enjoy each other's performances. That camaraderie is coming off," Yadav said after the game.
"Gautam Gambhir said the same thing before the series that no one is bigger than the team, no matter if you are on 49 or 99, you have to hit the ball out of the field. That's what Sanju [Samson] did today."
Samson, who hit 11 fours and eight sixes, also became the seventh India opener to score a ton and his strike rate of 236.2 was second only to Sharma among Indians when scoring a T20I ton.
He was ably supported by Yadav, who reached 75 from 35 balls before Ravi Bishnoi picked up three wickets and Mayank Yadav took two to keep Bangladesh at bay.
A memorable evening
Sanju Samson smashed the second fastest T20I century for #TeamIndia , off just 40 deliveries
Live - https://t.co/ldfcwtHGSC #INDvBAN | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/UC7Iy1j6yY
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 12, 2024
"We have to be flexible when it comes to batting and bowling. Bowlers have to chip in. Batters have to be flexible, and their performances were commendable," the captain added.
India also posted commanding wins against their opponents in the first two matches on their way to winning their 16th consecutive T20I series at home, where they are unbeaten since 2019.
As for Bangladesh, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto indicated it will be a case of going back to the drawing board.
"We didn't play our best cricket. We didn't execute our plans as a batting unit. For a couple of overs, we bowled well in some matches, but today we didn't bowl well," Shanto said.
"We need to believe in ourselves that we can compete against any team. We need to change our home wickets and players need to take responsibility.
"The way [Towhid] Hridoy batted today was impressive. I liked that the seamers were trying to execute their plans. Our top order needs to improve though."
India will next be in action against New Zealand as the sides play the first of three Tests in Bengaluru from Wednesday.
Charles returns home to welcome party after CPL triumph with St. Lucia Kings
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
