csconstantine.com

(adds missing topic codes)

By Philip O’Connor

VIBORG, Denmark, June 19 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic scored two late goals to knock England out of the European Under-21 Championship and Spain beat 10-man Ukraine 3-0 to top Group B on Sunday.

Striker Danny Welbeck looked to have headed England into the semi-finals when he powered home a cross from Daniel Sturridge 11 minutes from time but substitute Jan Chramosta equalised for the Czechs in the 89th minute.

A draw would have been enough for the Czechs but as England poured forward in search of a winner Chramosta turned provider, setting up Tomas Pekhart for a simple finish into an empty net to seal a 2-1 win for his side.

The reward for the Czechs is a semi-final meeting with Switzerland on Wednesday, while Spain, who comfortably beat Ukraine courtesy of two goals from Mata and one by Adrian, will face Belarus on the same day.

(Writing by Philip O’Connor in Stockholm) (Editing by Ed Osmond)

Labels: Cruise, Czechs, England, Reuters, Spain, strike

ZURICH (AP)—England escalated the crisis at FIFA on Tuesday by calling for a postponement of the presidential election amid a burgeoning bribery scandal that led to the withdrawal of incumbent Sepp Blatter’s only challenger for the top job in football.

The English Football Association said the election lacks the credibility FIFA needs to counter the flood of ethics scandals rocking the sport’s global body.

The FA called for more time to allow “any alternative reforming candidate” to come forward to challenge Blatter, who has been president for 13 years and is seeking a final fourth-year term.

On the eve of Wednesday’s scheduled election, Blatter also had to deal with leading sponsors criticizing FIFA’s inability to deal with pervasive corruption claims, and with his second-in-command under fire for saying Qatar had “bought” the 2022 World Cup.

England’s intervention took European football body UEFA by surprise, with its president Michel Platini saying the FA did not bring it up at a meeting on Monday.

“They did not ask” for support to postpone the election, Platini said. UEFA is expected to largely back Blatter in Wednesday’s election.

Any postponement of Wednesday’s election would need the backing of three-quarters of the 208 federations attending the Congress, which was scheduled to be opened by Blatter late Tuesday.

The English FA had already said it was abstaining before the allegations emerged that led to presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam and fellow FIFA executive committee member Jack Warner being suspended.

The two were suspended by an ethics committee pending a full probe into allegations that Caribbean football leaders were paid $40,000 each to back bin Hammam’s presidential bid. Bin Hammam, the head of Asia’s regional body, withdrew his presidential candidacy before the ethics hearing.

Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, became the latest FIFA sponsor to express concern about the scandal, joining fellow World Cup sponsors Coca-Cola and Adidas.

“Emirates, like all football fans around the world, is disappointed with the issues that are currently surrounding the administration of this sport,” Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ senior Vice President for Corporate Communications, said in a statement.

“We hope that these issues will be resolved as soon as possible and the outcome will be in the interest of the game and sport in general.”

Coca-Cola said in a statement to The Associated Press on Sunday that “the current allegations being raised are distressing and bad for the sport,” adding “we have every expectation that FIFA will resolve this situation in an expedient and thorough manner.”

If Blatter was feeling the strain of the most damaging scandal in FIFA’s 107-year history, however, his words didn’t betray him.

“Crisis? What is a crisis? Football is not in a crisis,” Blatter said at a news conference Monday.

“We are not in a crisis, we are only in some difficulties and these difficulties will be solved—and they will be solved inside this family.”

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke admitted he wrote an email to Warner saying bin Hammam might have been thinking in his now-abandoned campaign that “you can buy FIFA as they bought the WC.”

Blatter turned down an opportunity to defend Valcke. When asked for a reaction, the president said: “I don’t answer this question,” before adding, “we will come back inside the FIFA on that.”

Qatar’s World Cup organizers “categorically” denied Valcke’s claim. Qatar 2022 said it was “urgently seeking clarification from FIFA about the statement from their general secretary. In the meantime, we are taking legal advice to consider our options.”

Valcke tried to clarify his remarks on Monday, saying he used the word “bought” in reference to Qatar’s “financial strength” which allows large sums to be spent on legitimate lobbying, and did not mean to suggest any bribery.

“I have at no time made, or was intending to make, any reference to any purchase of votes,” Valcke said in a statement.

Bin Hammam said he would appeal his suspension, saying “the way these proceedings have been conducted is absolutely not compliant with any principles of justice” and that they “had been defined from the very beginning.”

The 62-year-old Qatari, who is also suspended from his role as president of the Asian Football Confederation, published his submission to the ethics committee on his personal website.

In it, he acknowledges that he provided $360,000 for “travel and accommodations” of the 25 Caribbean Football Union members attending a May 10-11 extraordinary meeting in Warner’s native Trinidad.

Chuck Blazer, the American general secretary of CONCACAF and a longtime FIFA executive panel member, sparked the crisis by submitting a file of evidence.

In a statement issued early Tuesday, the AFC backed bin Hammam and confirmed that its most senior vice president, China’s Zhang Jilong, will be acting president of the confederation.

AP Sports Writers Graham Dunbar and Rob Harris and Michael Casey in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Labels: Blatters, England, problems

So lightning doesn't strike twice. But short of bowling and fielding in metal boots in Nagpur yesterday, England could not have left themselves more open to another shock defeat by the Dutch before eventually launching their World Cup with a badly needed win.

The batting was hardly electrifying, either, but having allowed the opposition to score 292 for six – and that is to take nothing away from a brilliant knock of 119 by Ryan ten Doeschate – Andrew Strauss's team hauled themselves across the winning line with half a dozen wickets and eight balls to spare.

It sounds almost comfortable, doesn't it? Make no mistake, though, England were sweating until the penultimate over when Ravi Bopara – the injury replacement for broken-finger victim Eoin Morgan – hit a six, the only one of the entire innings, and two fours off medium-pacer Bernard Loots.

With those blows, Bopara made sure the Netherlands would not repeat their stunning, last-ball victory over England at Lord's in the 2009 World Twenty20. Strauss's men can also say they have registered the third highest run-chase in World Cup history. But the feeling in their dressing room last night had to be one of enormous relief – and a realisation that a repeat of this sort of performance against better sides than the Dutch will bring only humiliation.

Strauss had warned his team they would be in trouble if the Netherlands played well and their own performance was 10 per cent under par. In fact, the men in orange were terrific – and England dire in the first half of the game with some dreadful bowling and fielding.

Yes, the pitch was good and the outfield fast. But Jimmy Anderson, who conceded 72 runs from his 10 overs and bowled more dross in this match than throughout his three-month tour of Australia, set the tone for a performance which only Graeme Swann saved from being a total write-off.

Anderson began so badly with the new ball that Strauss hauled him out of the firing line after a couple of overs. But it did not get any better for the Ashes hero when he returned later on – and he could have been ordered from the attack by the umpires for sending down two illegal deliveries above waist height. Unfortunately for Anderson, the officials were lenient. He stayed on and Dutch captain Peter Borren promptly hit him for three consecutive boundaries at the end of the innings.

England surely erred by not picking a second specialist spinner with both Michael Yardy and James Tredwell left redundant. Swann, who could have been excused for looking rusty after not arriving in India until Sunday night, conceded only 35 runs from his 10 overs while taking two wickets. And while it could be argued that extra batsman Bopara came in handy, another slow bowler might have kept the target to much more manageable proportions.

But it was not only the bowling that betrayed England. A side that has come to pride itself on being a top-class fielding unit had a day that will give specialist coach Richard Halsall nightmares for weeks to come. At least three catches were dropped, there were misfields and overthrows and even a complete lack of concentration by Paul Collingwood, who failed to give England a fourth man inside the circle and therefore turned the delivery from Stuart Broad that bowled Borren into a new ball.

Nothing, though, summed up England's performance in the field better than the moment when Ten Doeschate skied a shot and watched with as much amazement as anyone else as Anderson and Pietersen left the catch to one another. Ten Doeschate, the 30-year-old Essex all-rounder, had made 47 – and he went on to more than double that score before being dismissed by Broad.

"We got a lot of things wrong with our bowling and fielding," said Strauss, who could do no more, at least in public, than state the obvious. "We have to improve as the tournament goes on."

The saving grace, of course, is that England did not lose – leaving Ten Doeschate with nothing more to celebrate than a man of the match award. For a long time it looked as if the player whose three previous ODI centuries were scored against Kenya (two) and Bermuda would be a match-winner.

He began slowly, taking 12 balls to get going. From then on, though, the innings was perfectly paced with 52 coming off his final 26 deliveries as the Dutch showed how to make good use of the final power play – plundering 50 from five overs towards the end.

England could not afford to make a stuttering start. They didn't, with Strauss and Pietersen putting on 105 at the required rate. But Pietersen lost his way and it was left to Strauss to take control with a reassuring innings of 88. And yet, whenever it looked as though the favourites would win at a reasonable canter, the Dutch struck back to keep the contest on a knife edge.

Jonathan Trott fell victim to a wonderful stumping and Ten Doeschate looked every inch a hero once again when bowling Ian Bell as the batsman tried to make room with 52 runs needed and only seven overs left.

It was crisis time, but fortunately for England, Collingwood and Bopara were cool enough to cope.

England's field day

1st over, Netherlands 7-0

Tim Bresnan misfields, deflecting Wesley Barresi's shot over the boundary.

19th over, 88-2

Further sloppy fielding allows the Netherlands to add runs, as Ian Bell's needless throw bounces over Matt Prior's head and runs away for overthrows.

28th over, 136-2

Tom Cooper cuts to long leg where Kevin Pietersen drops a catch to his right.

31st over, 147-3

James Anderson and Pietersen both go for a Ryan ten Doeschate shot before leaving it for one another to claim.

41st over, 199-4

Ian Bell slides to prevent a two but kicks it a further 10 metres instead.

45th over, 239-5

Jonathan Trott's direct hit deflects off the stumps past Andrew Strauss's dive and goes for four overthrows.

46th over, 253-5

Anderson bowls a full waist-high delivery to Ten Doeschate, which is declared a no-ball. It whistles past Matt Prior's glove, conceding a no-ball and four byes.

47th over, 259-5

Peter Borren sweeps Bresnan to short fine leg but Trott fails to hold the catch.

49th over, 284-6

Stuart Broad bowls Borren, only for the umpire to signal a no-ball owing to four fielders not being inside the 30m circle.

50th over, 292-6

Graeme Swann drops a simple catch off Borren.

Harry Brooks

Nagpur scoreboard

England v Netherlands

Nagpur: England (2pts) beat Netherlands by six wickets; Netherlands won toss

Netherlands

A N Kervezee c Prior b Bresnan 16/0/2/25/24

†W Barresi st Prior b Swann 29/0/6/25/48

T L Cooper c Anderson b Collingwood 47/0/3/73/83

R ten Doeschate c Bopara b Broad 119/3/9/110/160

B Zuiderent c Collingwood b Swann 1/0/0/10/18

T N de Grooth b Broad 28/0/3/31/47

*P W Borren not out 35/0/4/24/41

Mudassar Bukhari not out 6/0/0/5/10

Extras (b3 lb3 w2 nb3) 11

Total (for 6, 50 overs) 292

Fall 1-36, 2-58, 3-136, 4-149, 5-213, 6-274.

Did not bat P M Seelaar, B P Loots, B A Westdijk.

Bowling J M Anderson 10-0-72-0, S C J Broad 10-2-65-2, T T Bresnan 10-0-49-1, G P Swann 10-0-35-2, P D Collingwood 8-0-46-1, K P Pietersen 2-0-19-0.

England

*A J Strauss c Cooper b Bukhari 88/0/9/83/113

K P Pietersen c Borren b Seelaar 39/0/5/61/70

I J L Trott st Barresi b ten Doeschate 62/0/4/65/89

I R Bell b ten Doeschate 33/0/1/40/61

P D Collingwood not out 30/0/3/23/39

R S Bopara not out 30/1/2/20/25

Extras (b1 lb2 w11) 14

Total (for 4, 48.4 overs) 296

Fall 1-105, 2-166, 3-224, 4-241.

Did not bat †M J Prior, T T Bresnan, S C J Broad, G P Swann, J M Anderson.

Bowling Mudassar Bukhari 9-0-54-1, B A Westdijk 7-0-41-0, B P Loots 9.4-0-74-0, P M Seelaar 10-0-54-1, R N ten Doeschate 10-0-47-2, T L W Cooper 3-0-23-0.

Umpires Asad Rauf and B N J Oxenford.

England's remaining Group B fixtures (times GMT)

27 Feb India, Bangalore, 09.00

2 Mar Ireland, Bangalore, 09.00

6 Mar South Africa, Chennai, 04.00

11 Mar Bangladesh, Chittagong, 08.30

17 Mar West Indies, Chennai, 09.00

Labels: abysmal, after, Bopara, England, errors, fielding, Independent, saved

Captain Andrew Strauss kept his cool to help England scrape an opening World Cup win over the Netherlands after enduring a "shemozzle" of a performance in the field.

Strauss resisted the temptation to vent his frustration as England verged on the shambolic with a series of mis-fields, dropped catches and comical mis-communications

to allow the Netherlands to pile up 292 for six.

Ryan ten Doeschate took advantage with a career-best 119, before England responded to a largely self-inflicted mini-crisis with a well-drilled run chase, sealing victory with six wickets and eight balls to spare.

Strauss (88), who shared a century stand with his new opening partner Kevin Pietersen at their first attempt, and Jonathan Trott (62) scored the bulk of the runs.

But an unbroken half-century stand in under six overs between Paul Collingwood and Ravi Bopara was needed to complete the job and ensure there would be no repeat of the defeat to the Dutch at the start of the 2009 ICC World Twenty20.

Asked if it amounted to an acceptable performance in their first match of the tournament, Strauss said: "Certainly not with the ball and certainly not in the field.

"The first 50 overs was a very poor performance, and certainly the last 10 overs was exceptionally poor."

England's worst moments were a reprieve for Ten Doeschate on 47 - when James Anderson and Pietersen let an outfield catch drop between them - and then a needless no-ball for deploying too many men outside the fielding circle which meant Peter Borren was recalled after being bowled by Stuart Broad.

Strauss could hardly believe his eyes at times, but did not lay into his team-mates or start throwing the crockery between innings.

"We were a little bit shellshocked by what happened in those last 10 overs," he said. "But it wasn't a time to be dwelling on it, it was time to move on.

"There were a few teacups on the field, but not in the dressing room. You can't afford to drop that many catches and we were pretty untidy on the ground as well.

"That meant Holland probably got 30 or 40 more than they should have done. We were way off where we want to be in the field.

"We came in very determined to start the tournament well. But it was one of those days in the field where everything seemed to go wrong.

"There were balls bouncing everywhere, shies at the stumps taking deflections and going for four, mis-communications between fielders going for catches, and certainly the last 10 overs was very frustrating."

As for Borren's no-ball escape, Strauss admitted a breakdown in communication between himself and Collingwood was to blame.

"It doesn't often happen but it did and, needless to say, when things are going against you, you happen to take a wicket off that ball," Strauss added.

"It was a bit of a shemozzle on the field and we need to improve pretty quickly."

Even so, Strauss stressed that Essex all-rounder Ten Doeschate deserved the plaudits.

"I think you've got to give a lot of credit to Ryan ten Doeschate for the way he played," he added. "We've seen him do that for Essex, but on the big stage it's a hard thing to do and he played exceptionally well."

Strauss was also heartened by England's successful run chase.

"We needed to get back on the horse pretty quickly with the bat and make sure we put in a good, solid, professional performance," he added.

"It was a little bit tighter than we wanted it at the end, we probably didn't use the powerplay as we would have liked, but I think we always had the batting under control.

"We can take some confidence out of that."

Ten Doeschate, who also took two wickets, gave his side a great chance of a shock win.

He said: "It's a massive disappointment. You could see it when we came off the field there.

"We genuinely thought we had a chance of defending 290 and at a lot of stages in the game we looked like doing that."I don't think it was our best bowling performance and I think if we'd bowled well we would have won that game.

"I didn't strike it all that well for the first 20 balls or so. But then, as does happen in cricket, I got into that zone and felt like I could hit every ball.

"I guess those are the days where you've got to cash in and score some heavy runs."

Labels: England, ESCAPE, EXCEPTIONALLY, Sportinglifecom

RBS Six Nations: England v France
Venue: Twickenham Date: Saturday, 26 February Kick-off: 1700 GMT
Coverage: Watch on BBC One, BBC HD channel, Red Button and BBC Sport website; post-match forum 1900-1930; listen on BBC Radio 5 live & online; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

Sebastien Chabal, Vincent Clerc, Dimitri Yachvili and Yannick Jauzion are recalled while Maxime Medard switches from wing to full-back.

Medard replaces Clement Poitrenaud, who drops to the bench with Damien Traille.

Morgan Parra and Julien Bonnaire are also omitted for the eagerly awaited meeting between the two remaining teams with 100% records in the competition.

Meanwhile France defensive coach Dave Ellis has revealed that plans have been devised to stop wing Chris Ashton, who scored four tries as England thrashed Italy 59-13 last time out.

Ashton, who began his rugby career in league with Wigan Warriors before switching codes to join Northampton in 2007, also scored twice in the opening Six Nations match against Wales but Ellis told the Daily Telegraph: "Ashton can be stopped.

"We used to stop [former England winger] Jason Robinson from scoring. You've just got to make sure that he doesn't get the ball when he wants it.

"It's not just about closing one man down. If you concentrate on doing that, then it only takes away your focus from elsewhere.

Former London Irish defensive coach Ellis, who now also advises Gloucester on defensive policies, added: "First and foremost, you've got to stop giving England decent ball.

"Italy gave them far too much. They just let them play. They were allowed to play at their own tempo. We won't let them do that."

France: Maxime Medard; Yoann Huget, Aurelien Rougerie, Yannick Jauzion, Vincent Clerc; Francois Trinh-Duc, Dimitri Yachvili; Thomas Domingo, William Servat, Nicolas Mas, Julien Pierre, Lionel Nallet, Thierry Dusautoir (captain), Sebastien Chabal, Imanol Harinordoquy.

Replacements: Clement Poitrenaud, Guilhem Guirado, Sylvain Marconnet, Jerome Thion, Morgan Parra, Julien Bonnaire, Damien Traille.

Labels: changes, England, France

Labels: England, first, Guardian, Netherlands, Round

England have lost the latest ODI in Sydney by two wickets after Australia completed their highest-ever one-day run chase.

The hosts now lead the series 5-1 after they secured a dramatic win in the final over of the game when chasing England's 333-6 - which had included Jonathan Trott's career-best score of 137.
His performance - and an all-round better display from England - looked to have set Paul Collingwood's men up for a morale-boosting victory but the Aussies produced a wonderful innings to again claim the win.
Australia largely had a superb 70-ball knock of 82 from under-fire acting captain Michael Clarke to thank for the win as they eventually reached 334-8 with just four balls remaining.
England's woes were compounded when Collingwood suffered a back injury at the end of the visitors' innings and did not bowl, while Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) and Chris Tremlett (side) also picked up knocks and are expected to fly home early on Friday.
Andy Strauss revealed Collingwood should be fit for the final one-dayer of the series but the Test skipper admitted losing after posting such a big score was tough to take.
"We had a very good batting performance, Jonathan Trott played outstandingly well and was well supported by a few of the lads and 333 is a good score on any ground," he told Sky Sports.
"It was a good wicket but obviously we were not helped by Paul Collingwood not being able to bowl but he's okay.
"He had a back spasm so hopefully should recover fairly quickly."

Labels: again, Clubcall, England

We are still waiting for a close game in the World Cup and England will be fervently hoping that this pattern remains. On Tuesday they take on the Netherlands in one of those matches that the professionals dread. Victory is expected, but never applauded. Defeat would be a calamity. The usual truism on these occasions is that the minnows have "nothing to lose" and therefore they have the luxury of a pressure-free game.

This is not quite the case on Tuesday.. There has already been much debate and considerable opposition to the fact that the next World Cup will comprise 10 teams rather than 14. The associate sides feel locked out. The Netherlands coach, Peter Drinnen, has explained their position. "The gains of playing against full members are significant. It is so important that we keep getting those opportunities as that only enhances our development and increases our progress."

To justify playing in the World Cup, however, the matches have to be competitive. So far Kenya and Canada have been thrashed so decisively that the games have offered a dreadful spectacle, albeit a brief one in Chennai where New Zealand beat Kenya with 252 balls to spare. So, curiously, there is an unusual pressure on the Netherlands for this game: to fly the flag for the little teams.

An alternative view – and apparently a minority one, which happens to be mine – is that the World Cup, a tournament whose attractions have withered over the past decade, is so diminished by so many one-sided contests that its very existence is jeopardised. Cricket cannot afford many more of these mis-matches.

The Twenty20 World Cup is a more appropriate place for associate sides to play the big boys and that is what is planned. Moreover, an arrangement that required the full member countries to play a certain number of 50-over games against associates would be a much better way of giving the minnows experience.

Andrew Strauss, speaking at the out-of-town stadium, which is expected to be very sparsely populatedfor the match, stressed that his side will give the Netherlands "due attention and respect. We will take nothing for granted".

For these games the backroom analysts earn their corn. The England players will know a bit about Ryan ten Doeschate of Essex and Alexei Kervezee of Worcestershire; Tom Cooper has one-day experience – and success for South Australia. Peter Borren and Wesley Barresi have full time contracts with the Netherlands. Otherwise, the opposition are amateurs. Those analysts may not dwell too long on the fact that the Netherlands famously defeated England at Lord's in the first match of the World Twenty20 in 2009, an outcome that is much more likely the shorter the game.

Strauss was determinedly upbeat ahead of the game, despite the recent exertions of his team. "We are very excited. The World Cup is one of those events that capture the imagination, especially in India. And arriving in a new country is a good way of refreshing."

Strauss has a new opening partner in Kevin Pietersen. "We have been thinking about that idea for a while, especially in the subcontinent," he said. "He did not need any persuading to do it; in fact he was very keen."

Another key player for England over the next six weeks should be Graeme Swann, who arrived in India on Sunday after witnessing the birth of his first child, Wilfred. "He's a bit jetlagged – and elated – and like everyone else is available for selection," said Strauss.

England are eager for the penetration that Swann might bring to the middle overs on pitches around India and Bangladesh that are bound to favour spinners. It would be very surprising if Swann were not pitched into the team straightaway for two good reasons: he needs the practice and England need his flair.

Strauss has one dilemma when selecting his best team. He must choose between the doughty Michael Yardy and the flighty Ravi Bopara. It is an interesting choice, leaving aside the different attributes of the two. Does he go for the archetypal, gritty old pro, who is solidly dependable, or the more gifted, but more wayward Bopara? It should not make much difference against the Netherlands, but it might later in the tournament.

Labels: aiming, associates, belong, England, Guardian, Netherlands, prove, World

Bobby Zamora is again targeting an England place after making his Fulham return on Sunday.

The striker broke an ankle against Wolves in September, but has come back with goals against Everton and Brighton for the Cottagers’ reserves.

And Zamora, 30, remains hopeful about his England international chances.

“I think there’s a place for my sort of player with the way I play, as I like to hold the ball up,” he said.

“They have (Andy) Carroll now, but I would like to think that I am up there with him – and also Carlton Cole.

“Obviously I will look to get back playing for Fulham, but who knows after that? If I get my goals, there is no reason I can’t play for England.”

Labels: Carroll, compete, England, MirrorFootballcouk, place, ready, Zamora

BAGSHOT, England | Wed Feb 2, 2011 4:24pm GMT

BAGSHOT, England (Reuters) - Flanker Tom Wood, who will make his England debut against Wales on Friday, followed a well-trodden path to improve his game and outlook when he decamped to New Zealand to get a feel for 'real rugby'.

Feeling a little spoiled in the cloistered world of Worcester's academy, the teenaged Wood set off to Otago where, just as current England manager Martin Johnson found during his formative trip south in his youth, he learned to grow up very quickly on and off the pitch.

"I wanted to break the mould a little bit from coming through the academy system and progressing into the first team, I wanted to be in the real world and play some rugby so I went out to New Zealand for around eight months," the 24-year-old said on Wednesday after being named at number six for the opening match of the Six Nations at the Millennium Stadium.

"I played an amateur season there and was selected for the NPC 2, the tier below the top sides.

"I went out there predominately for rugby but enjoyed every aspect of it. I worked full time and managed my rugby around it and tried to keep a professional approach."

Wood worked as a farm labourer, a builder and then a store manager by day and trained hard at night as he sought to win over his new team mates.

"I was Tom the Pom from the start and the abuse was coming from all angles," he said. "In some of the academies here it becomes the norm being a professional rugby player, it becomes about prestige, and I wanted to go back to the amateur game.

"There were guys there working all day on farms then running over hot coals to make a Tuesday night training session and I just wanted to get back to that a bit really and get that real desire to play rugby back into my game."

Johnson spent two of his formative seasons at King Country and has said the experience was hugely influential to his development as one of the toughest locks in the game.

"I had read his book and was aware it was a similar kind of thing - it worked for him and I thought 'why not?," Wood said of the man who handed him his first international start.

"I think I came on leaps and bounds. I feel I went out from the academy as a boy and came back ready for first team rugby."

Wood spent three years with Worcester before moving to Northampton this season and his all-action performances as Saints marched through Europe soon caught the eye.

"We brought Tom into the squad in the autumn and he impressed us with his demeanour on the training field. He showed by what he was doing he wasn't just there to make the numbers up," Johnson said.

An injury to Lewis Moody opened the door and he was promoted straight from the Saxons squad to the starting team on Friday.

"It's been a really inclusive environment and I do feel part of the team but I don't think you fully earn the respect of the guys around you until you've played alongside them so I'm anxious to get out on the field," said Wood.

Labels: debutant, England, follows, footsteps, Johnsonaposs, Reuters

As trip wires go, it lacks the element of surprise. But the fact that England have fallen flat on their faces once before when confronted by the Dutch national cricket team is no guarantee against them again coming a cropper in Nagpur today.

"It underlines the point that you cannot underestimate teams like the Netherlands," said captain Andrew Strauss when asked about England's last-ball Lord's loss to the men in orange during the 2009 World Twenty20. "They have played a lot of cricket now and are a side with some obvious strengths. We need to be good enough to overcome those. If we are 10 per cent off and they have a good day, we're in trouble."

Bas Zuiderent, the former Sussex and now the Netherlands' most experienced batsman, agreed. "There is massive belief in our team that we can beat them," he said.

Whatever happens today, England's attempt to win the World Cup at the 10th time of asking will not be made or marred. Such is the format of this competition that big boys can lose to lesser lights at the group stage and still finish in a top four qualifying spot.

Being beaten, however, would leave only the minimum of margin for further error. And, in any event, a team that quietly fancies its chances of spreading a thick layer of icing on top of that perfectly created Ashes cake should not just put the Dutch in their place but do so with some style.

New Zealand, thumping Kenya by 10 wickets, Sri Lanka – crushing Canada by 210 runs – and Australia, overpowering the Zimbabweans, showed the sort of ruthlessness that has generally eluded England when up against small fry. Embarrassing losses have been few and far between but, generally, they make heavy weather of their task and, as a result, confidence levels take a hit.

England will hope to avoid any nervous moments today. But as for their chances of making a real impact over the next six weeks, it is difficult to know whether to feel optimistic about their prospects or simply resigned to witnessing another disappointing campaign to follow those let-downs of 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007.

The captain is not one for finding his way onto the nearest rooftop and then shouting the odds. He spoke in measured terms before the Ashes series and did so again last night.

"Everyone is fit and healthy and ready to go," said Strauss, who indicated that a decision over whether to play No 1 spinner and new father Graeme Swann against the Dutch would be left until this morning. Swann arrived in India on Sunday following his paternity leave but the rest of the party were together in Bangladesh for a week.

"The six days we had there were really good in terms of preparation for the tournament. We were quite buoyed by our performance against Pakistan [a 67-run, warm-up match victory to follow the considerably less impressive 16-run win over Canada]. "It was a frustrating two or three weeks in Australia [losing the one-day series 6-1], with some key performers injured at the wrong time and not playing smart cricket. So it was reassuring to play the way we did against Pakistan."

Stuart Broad – bursting with energy and intent once again after having his Ashes tour cut short by injury – was the star act of those two practice games, taking five wickets in each. And Matt Prior produced a pair of promising innings at No 6. But the main talking point has been Kevin Pietersen's new job at the top of the order, a role which will continue to attract attention for as long as England remain in the tournament.

England have done very little to make opponents sit up and take notice during the last four World Cup campaigns (we can probably discount the tactic of opening the bowling with spinner Richard Illingworth in the 1996 quarter-final against Sri Lanka as he went for 72 off 10 overs and the game was lost with nine overs to spare). But the Pietersen ploy will cause a bit of head scratching.

It should not matter too much either way whether Pietersen piles in against the Dutch today. But if he can get a real feel for the job – and there were signs that he was doing that while making 66 against Pakistan last week – then England could be on to something (as they were when Ian Botham opened with a fair amount of success during the 1992 tournament).

There is plenty to be said for opening the batting in one-day cricket when the ball is hard and the field is up. But knowing when to attack and when to defend has not always come easily to Pietersen, to put it mildly, so watching him trying to weigh up situations should be fascinating.

Labels: England, flying, Independent, Pietersen, Running, start

Labels: Associate, boost, England, ESPNcricinfocom, image, Netherlands

Knocking over France, the only other unbeaten team in the Six Nations, is the toughest assignment in northern hemisphere rugby and with their coach Marc Lievremont stoking up the anti-English feeling, this is a job for fearless characters.

That is why Moody's return looks certain when Martin Johnson names his side for Twickenham on Thursday with the team manager knowing the flanker is equipped to take the fight to the French and their formidable back row in particular.

After five weeks out with a knee injury, Moody made his comeback on Saturday, playing for 23 minutes of Bath's 38-8 hammering of Northampton.

He said: "It was a little bit stiff after the game but I didn't feel the knee during it, which was good. Fingers crossed, we've got through everything.

"Full credit to the physios, who put up with my whingeing and shouting at them over the last five weeks. They worked like stink. I've said all along I wanted to be back for this French game. We said it was a realistic target, so we've all been proved right at the minute.

"We will see what happens, but it is just nice to be fit. It has been wonderful to see the boys do so well so far in the Six Nations.

"Mike Tindall has done a cracking job as captain and the guys who have come in have stuck their hands up, which bodes well in a World Cup year. But it has also been soul-destroying for me. I am a terrible spectator and I have found it difficult."

Leicester flanker Tom Croft also made a comeback as a replacement in Leicester's 21-12 win over London Wasps but will have to wait longer for his recall as Tom Wood deserves to retain the No6 jersey.

France, who kept up their Grand Slam bid with a 25-22 win over Ireland eight days ago, rested all of their players at the weekend and left it to Lievremont to set the tone for the week.

"Well we don't like them [the English], and it's better to say that than be hypocritical," he said smiling.

"We have a bit of trouble with the English. We respect them, well in my case at least I respect them but you couldn't say we have the slightest thing in common with them. We appreciate our Italian cousins with whom we share the same quality of life, we appreciate the Celts and their conviviality . . . and then among all these nations we have one huge thing in common: we don't like the English!

"We left Dublin last week with the encouragement of all the Irish who said 'for pity's sake, beat the English'. The Scots, it's the same thing. It is also what gives you strength against the English, more than just because of rugby.

"This insular country who always drape themselves in the national flag, their hymns, their chants, their traditions. They are people who one regards as a very proud people."

Those observations will add spice to the build-up and ensure little attention is focussed on the battle for the ascendancy in the Aviva Premiership.

Saracens defeated Leeds 39-0 yesterday and stand second just five points behind Leicester courtesy of tries from Michael Tagicakibau, Brad Barritt, James Short, Richard Wigglesworth and Chris Wyles.

Despite this attacking power, it was another area of Saracens' play that really pleased director of rugby, Mark McCall.

"It was important to us to do a very professional job in this game," he said. "Our defence was critical, as we discussed all week, and we were determined to take it to a new level. A lot of our points and our pressure actually came from our defence, which was as good as I have seen it."

Former England skipper Steve Borthwick made his return after a month out with a shoulder injury. McCall added: "His experience in the second row and leadership are very important to us."

London Irish went down 23-9 at Gloucester while Harlequins bounced back from defeat at Exeter to beat visitors Sale 21-9.

Labels: England, fired, Lewis, London, Moody, torment

England are taking no chances as they prepare for tomorrow's opening World Cup match against the Netherlands in Nagpur – right down to refusing to play ball with the Dutch when it comes to virtual cricket.

Andrew Strauss's team need no reminding that the men in orange caused major embarrassment by beating them in a World Twenty20 game at Lord's in 2009 and they are determined there will be no repeat in the 50-over format – so determined that, according to the Dutch, cheeky requests to borrow video footage of Jimmy Anderson and Co have been rejected.

"The funny thing is there is a new practice facility called 'ProBatter' with a hole in the screen where the ball pops out from footage [of various bowlers so batsmen in the nets feel like they are facing the real thing]," said Netherlands team manager Ed van Nierop. "The boys really like that the England team management refused to give us the footage of the England bowlers, so they must be a little afraid of us!"

What England must be, of course, is respectful. And they are, insists Matt Prior. "Netherlands are a team you absolutely cannot be complacent against," said the keeper-batsman. "We've seen what happened in the past and we don't want that to happen again."

A few weeks ago, Prior was expected to watch the World Cup from home. Then, having been recalled to the one-day squad at the last minute instead of Steve Davies, he seemed certain to open the batting. Now, with Kevin Pietersen promoted to the top of the order, Prior is being cast as England's "finisher" – the middle-order batsman with the responsibility for seeing the team to a big total or guiding them to a target.

"The middle overs in this World Cup are going to be very important, playing the spin and with the seam bowlers using a lot of cutters and slower balls – trying to manipulate the ball around," said Prior. "It is going to be hard, but playing on the subcontinent is something I feel confident about, so I'm looking forward to it.

"The minute anyone says the word 'finisher', you panic a little bit and think: 'That's a lot of responsibility.' But I love being a part of a team, and you want to be a cog in the wheel and one of those that wins games and helps set up games.

"Being a 'finisher' gives you the responsibility, and I enjoy that. I don't think Eoin Morgan's boots can be filled – he's a phenomenal player – but I'll certainly try my best."

If Prior could pick his own position it might not be six. But he knows he cannot – so will continue to give it his best shot, wherever he is deployed. "I've always thought opening suited my game better," he said. "But the way the last couple of games have gone I've found a tempo I'm very comfortable with.

"I don't think, opening, I managed to get that tempo ever – which was hugely frustrating, because I know that if I get that tempo right I can be very, very successful. Right now, this role is suiting me – and I feel very comfortable in it."

Prior averages only 25 in ODIs, compared to almost 43 in Tests. "People throw stats around and say your one-day stats aren't that good," he said "They aren't. But I'm working very hard to improve them."

Labels: Avoiding, Dutch, England, Independent, preview, refuse, sneak, upset

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes England should follow the German model and implement a winter break.

The Scot believes a month's break in January is the way forward for the Premier League and sees nothing wrong with the season ending later in the summer.

Ferguson wrote in Saturday's match programme: "What is worth looking at is the German model of a month's break in January and then launching the second half of the season with their Cup competition.

"I know this would mean spilling over into the summer season but I see nothing wrong with that and playing league fixtures beyond the end of May.

"We are playing internationals in June and we could accommodate a league extension."

Manchester United controversially withdrew from the FA Cup in 2000 when European success saw them compete in the World Club Championship.

As a result of Wembley hosting the Champions League final, this year’s FA Cup final will be played two weeks before the end of the season, timing which Ferguson believes could be improved.

He added: "What I'd like to see preserved is the timing of the FA Cup final to fall on the last day of the season, with the big day at Wembley a natural climax."

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Labels: believes, break, England, Ferguson, Follow, German, Goalcom, Implementing, Manchester, Model, Should, United, winter

Captain Andrew Strauss admitted England's injury crisis had left him a bowler short as Australia completed their highest-ever run chase to win the sixth one-day international in Sydney by two wickets.

Jonathan Trott hit a career-best 137, from 126 balls, to play the lead role in stifling heat as England cast their recent batting woes aside to post 333 for six.

But it was not enough as a depleted bowling line-up allowed Australia, led by 82 from their under-fire acting captain Michael Clarke, to run down their record chase with four balls to spare.

It was a morale-sapping defeat for England made worse by a back injury to Paul Collingwood which was suffered attempting to heave the final ball of the innings and prevented him from bowling.

With Collingwood already filling an unfamiliar fifth bowlers' role due to England's injury problems, it was left to Trott and Kevin Pietersen - who also briefly left the field after rolling his ankle - to make up the lost 10 overs.

It proved costly as they conceded 72 runs between them to allow Australia to maintain their blazing start, after opener Shane Watson hit 51 from 34 balls.

"At the moment we are a bit short on bowlers full stop," said Strauss, after news during the game that quicks Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) and Chris Tremlett (side) were set to fly home tomorrow due to injury.

They join Graeme Swann (back/knee) and Tim Bresnan (calf) in leaving the tour early,.

Strauss added: "We have been forced into (playing a bowler light) right at the moment.

"It's not ideal, I need five bowlers, there is no doubt.

"Ideally you will have six bowlers at your disposal; five specialists and a Collingwood-type bowler."

Strauss is likely to have more options when the World Cup starts later this month, with all of his bowlers due to be fit in time for the February 22 opener against Holland.

"We are going to have to decide what the best way of winning games out on the sub-continent is," he added.

"The likelihood is there are going to be two spinners involved and that allows you to play with six bowlers."

Strauss blamed the batsmen after they conceded the series with a 51-run reverse in Brisbane, but after Trott anchored a cohesive batting performance he was left to lament another defeat which leaves England 5-1 behind heading into the final match of the series in Perth on Sunday.

"It's very frustrating because it was a top-notch batting performance all-round," Strauss said.

"For Trotty to bat through the innings in that sort of heat was an outstanding performance, it was a monumental innings. He deserved to be on the winning side.

"We weren't helped with Paul Collingwood not being able to bowl his 10 overs, but ultimately we allowed then to get off to far too fast a start with the new ball."

Strauss also revealed that Collingwood's injury could rule him out of the final match in Perth.

"He had a back spasm so he couldn't walk very well and he certainly couldn't bowl," he added.

Trott's century was his second of the series and his fourth of a rich tour of Australia with the bat.

The right-hander may not have been regarded as an automatic selection in England's one-day team before the series, but he is now set to head into the World Cup as the in-form batsman.

"I don't think it's about proving anyone wrong, it's about proving to yourself more than anything," said Trott, who was forced to call a runner soon after bringing up his milestone after he started to cramp in the heat.

"I've always felt I can contribute towards the team in one-day cricket and all forms of the game.

"It's nice to be able to do it but it feels better when you are winning games."

Clarke has silenced a number of his critics in the past two games with back-to-back half-centuries, having been booed to the crease during Sunday's victory at the Gabba.But after receiving a rousing reception from his home-town crowd, Clarke produced the decisive innings as he hit 82 from 70 balls.

He was run out by Trott with seven needed, but his side snuck home when John Hastings' inside edge ran to the boundary in the final over from Chris Woakes.

"To make some runs is always satisfying and it's great to make them in front of my family and friends, my home crowd," he said.

"I love playing at the SCG. Like I've said before I've had a lot of support from a lot of people. They just don't happen to be in the paper."

Clarke also said the chase would stand the team in good stead for their World Cup defence on the sub-continent.

"The boys are stoked. It's a huge win for us and again we can take a lot of confidence from that run chase going into the World Cup," he added.

"I think there's going to be some pretty big scores in the World Cup, some pretty flat wickets similar to that."

Clarke also revealed that all-rounder Steven Smith would not travel with the team to Perth tomorrow due to a hip injury that left him needing the use of a runner in Australia's chase.

Labels: BOWLER, England, INJURIES, LEAVE, SHORT, Sportinglifecom, STRAUSS

By Lawrence Booth
Last updated at 9:21 AM on 18th February 2011

England take on Pakistan today in a warm-up game that feels more like a grudge  match following the acrimonious events of 2010.

The sides have been staying in the same Dhaka hotel during the build-up to the  World Cup, which starts here tomorrow with Bangladesh against India following  last night's colourful opening ceremony, but Stuart Broad admitted the two  teams – who have not met since the summer – have given each other a wide berth.

'We’ve seen them but not spoken to them,’ said the England fast bowler. ‘And it’s not like we've been going out for dinner with them.’

The banned trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer are absent  following their part in the no-ball scandal that wrecked the Lord’s Test.

But  Wahab Riaz – the seamer who clashed with Jonathan Trott before the one-day  international at the same ground – is in Pakistan’s squad.

Broad, whose career-best 169 at Lord’s was all but forgotten amid the controversy, admitted: ‘Obviously it was a tough time for us last year: all  England players will say the same.

'We enjoyed the cricket, but the  off-the-field incidents did damage our wonderful summer of cricket. But you've  got to move on and the World Cup campaign is our sole focus.’

England made an unconvincing start to their tour on Wednesday when they  squeezed out minnows Canada by 16 runs in their opening warm-up match Fatullah,  but Broad’s haul of five for 39 in his first game since tearing stomach muscles  in Adelaide in December was a rare ray of light.

‘It was great to get back on the pitch,’ he said. ‘I was a bit nervous before  the start, but I feel very fresh having not played for a long time and very fit  after all the gym work.’

Labels: daily, England, final, friendly, hardly, Itaposs, Match, Pakistan, warmup

England, thrashed 6-1 in the recent one-day international series in Australia, narrowly avoided being embarrassed by minnows Canada on Wednesday, when they laboured to a 17-run win in Dhaka.

England play a final warm-up match against Pakistan in Dhaka on Thursday before transferring to India where they face Holland, who stunned them in the World Twenty20 opener at Lord’s two years ago, in their first World Cup match.

Strauss was one of the batsmen dismissed cheaply in the Canada match as England struggled to adapt from quicker, bouncy pitches in Australia to the slower surfaces on the subcontinent.

“We only arrived here a couple of days ago and the conditions are clearly very different to what we experienced in Australia, so the key for us is making our adjustments,” Strauss said. “It is important we improve quickly.”

England have been runners-up in the World Cup three times, but failed to make it beyond the Super Eight stage in 2007.

Memories of the defeat by Holland at Lord’s in the 2009 World Twenty20 are still reasonably fresh in the memory and Strauss has warned his players that there will be no easy matches in the World Cup.

“There is going to be no easy fixture in this tournament and that bodes pretty well for the success of it as a whole,” he said.

The 14-nation tournament opens tomorrow with a match in Dhaka between co-hosts Bangladesh and India. The final is in Mumbai on April 2.

England off-spinner Graeme Swann will be available to play against Holland having delayed his arrival to await the birth of his first child, a son called Wilfred, who was born on Thursday.

Swann was always expected to miss England’s warm-up games but he will fly to India at the weekend after his wife, Sarah, gave birth.

“This is an incredibly special day for us, and we are both absolutely delighted and very proud parents,” Swann said.

“Both Sarah and Wilfred are doing very well, and I am looking forward to enjoying the next couple of days with them both before I fly out to join the team for the World Cup.”

The birth completed a busy 24 hours for Swann, who was found not guilty of a drink-driving charge on Wednesday after a long-running court case.

Strauss and the rest of the England team attended the opening ceremony at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka yesterday. The highlight of the two-hour spectacle was an aerial cricket match, where high-flying acrobats hit and chased after a laser-beamed ball against a vertical backdrop of a playing pitch.

Indian singer Sonu Nigam and Bangladesh-based Runa Laila, as well as veteran Canadian rocker Bryan Adams, were the headline acts in front of a crowd of 25,000.

Labels: Andrew, approach, change, Cricket, England, rapid, Strauss, Telegraphcouk, wants, World

Last updated at 12:10 AM on 18th February 2011

UEFA made the astonishing decision to have a shamed powerbroker from the 2018 World Cup vote as their head of delegation yesterday at the Champions League final ticket launch in London.

Cypriot Mario Lefkaritis was one of the six FIFA executive committee members accused of telling 'blatant lies' to Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince William after reneging on their promises to vote for England 2018.

Yet UEFA, in their wisdom, sent vice-president Lefkaritis as their senior representative when they announced excessive ticket prices for the Wembley final on May 28, which will produce record-breaking match revenue of ?14m.

Along with tickets costing from ?150 to ?300, revealed by Sports Agenda yesterday, is an extraordinary administrative charge of ?26 for delivering them to households. This compares with the ?6 London 2012 will charge for their signed delivery of Olympic tickets.

Lefkaritis so enraged England 2018 with his double dealing - he blamed the English media for losing the vote - that bid chief executive Andy Anson confronted him in the FIFA hotel. Yet senior FA board member Barry Bright introduced him to the media yesterday as a 'good friend of English football'.

Lefkaritis said: 'I was asked to come here by UEFA and I agreed. I can't see any problem with that. The FIFA 2018 vote is nothing to do with the Champions League final.'

The first action of Mark Gonnella, Arsenal's new director of communications, has been to reduce press access to Arsene Wenger. And Gonnella didn't impress either by parading his wife and son through the Emirates press room before the Barcelona game - for which the club had to turn down 60 requests for media passes. Arsenal say it was Wenger's decision to alter his press arrangements and Gonnella's family did not take up press box space.

Hollywood A-lister Mickey Rourke created a stir by attending the Millennium Stadium last weekend for the start of rugby league's Super League season while researching his film role of Crusaders player Gareth Thomas. That prompted England rugby union manager Martin Johnson to be asked this week whom he would like to play him on screen. Johnson's choice was professional bodybuilder and The Incredible Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno (right). 'He's got the looks,' Johnno told compere Ben Kay at a Matt Hampson Trust charity function.

London 2012 and the specialist Met Police unit Operation Podium face a huge task keeping track of the near one million tickets allocated to national Olympic Committees - always the main source for touts. London have warned NOCs to abide by the rules and say they will ensure each country is given an allocation that reflects past applications, competitors and their particular events. So having approved Ipswich Town owner Marcus Evans - described as the world's biggest ticket tout - as the official ticket reseller for Ireland, Greece and Malta, they should at least keep an eye on how many opening ceremony and 100m final tickets those countries want.

The biggest challenge for London 2012 will be attracting full houses for Olympic football - especially the women's final at Wembley, for which the cheapest tickets are ?30. Seats at the women's Champions League final at Craven Cottage will cost ?5.

Labels: Charles, daily, dealer, double, England, haunts

Perhaps a lack of intensity was part of the problem for England during their uninspiring 16-run victory over Canada earlier this week. Well, there should be no shortage of either passion or full-blooded commitment in Fatullah today with Pakistan providing the opposition.

In football, it would be termed a friendly international. In cricket, it is called a World Cup warm-up game, which is probably for the best considering the less than cordial relations between these two countries in recent times.

The other 12 teams have completed their preparations, and all 14 captains lined up alongside one another at last night's opening ceremony in Dhaka. But with most attention now switching to tomorrow's first match of the tournament proper – between many people's favourites, India, and co-hosts Bangladesh – there is a bit of unfinished practice for England and Pakistan to squeeze in.

England won a five-match one-day series against Pakistan last September by a margin of 3-2. What most people remember, though, is the bad feeling between the two sides in the immediate aftermath of the spot-fixing storm that engulfed the tourists during the Lord's Test.

Andrew Strauss and his team were furious that their summer of triumph had been soured by events completely beyond their control – and anyone needing confirmation of their anger received it when Jonathan Trott and pace bowler Wahab Riaz clashed in the nets before the penultimate match of the one-day series.

Both teams are presently staying in the same Dhaka hotel, but have not been chatting about old times by all accounts. "We have not seen a huge amount of them in the hotel," said Stuart Broad. "We haven't been going out for dinner with them.

"Obviously it was a tough summer for us last year – all England players will say the same. We enjoyed playing the cricket but our wonderful summer of cricket was damaged. But you've got to move on. It is international sport and we've got a job to do."

Right now, that job is to suggest Wednesday's performance against Canada was a one-off so far as this World Cup campaign is concerned. Apart from Broad, who returned from his Ashes-wrecking side injury with a five-wicket haul and some aggressive lower-order batting, there was precious little to indicate England are anything other than the long shots most people believe them to be.

Kevin Pietersen's first attempt at an opening was a partial success, at best, and Canada – World Cup no-hopers – not only hit more boundaries than England but also threatened to pull off a remarkable victory.

England have argued that they had only been in Bangladesh for a few days and were still acclimatising to playing conditions different in just about every aspect to those they encountered in Australia while losing that one-day series 6-1. Today, though, there needs to be significant improvements in all departments.

Pakistan, as ever, are just about impossible to weigh up. They have sufficient talent – even without the banned Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – to win this World Cup, and the capacity to self-destruct so completely that a first-round exit is not impossible.

On the evidence of their first warm-up game, though, the good Pakistan are in town. They trounced potential dark horses Bangladesh by 89 runs on Tuesday with the mercurial Abdul Razzaq taking three wickets after centuries from opener Ahmad Shahzad and Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

That was one of several impressive victories this week. No one, though, will enter the tournament in better heart than India, who defeated holders Australia by 38 runs and New Zealand, by a whopping 117 runs.

Sri Lanka have also looked good. And South Africa's supporters will feel entitled to predict a first ever World Cup triumph after the way their side performed against Australia – winning by seven wickets.

Few people, though, will be brave enough to write off the Aussies on the strength of two defeats in warm-up matches. And even fewer, perhaps, will want to talk up England's chances too much, regardless of how they perform today.

Some signs of encouragement would be handy, though, with Strauss's men facing a potential banana skin, in the shape of the Netherlands, in their opening match of the tournament on Tuesday. Thankfully, Graeme Swann, England's all-important spinner, will be available: his wife gave birth to their first child, 8lb 9oz Wilfred, yesterday.

Probable teams

England A J Strauss (captain), K P Pietersen, I J L Trott, P D Collingwood, M J Prior (wkt), M H Yardy, J C Tredwell, J M Anderson, S C J Broad, A Shahzad, R S Bopara

Pakistan (from) S Afridi (captain), M Hafeez, M ul-Haq, A Shafiq, Y Khan, U Akmal, A Shehzad, K Akmal (wkt), A Razzaq, A Rehman, W Riaz, S Ajmal, U Gul, S Akhtar, J Khan

Today, Fatullah, 8.30am

Umpires B Oxenford (Aus) & B Doctrove (WI)

Weather Expected to be warm and sunny, with a maximum temperature of 27C.

Labels: desperate, England, grudge, Independent, Match, Pakistan