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Ben Stokes has spoken about the “complete devastation” he felt after the last over of the World T20 final

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Apr-2016Allrounder Ben Stokes has spoken about the “complete devastation” he felt after the last over of the World T20 final when Carlos Brathwaite had taken him for four consecutive sixes to snatch the title away from England.In the immediate aftermath of the conclusion to the final, Stokes admitted trying to block out the emotions and he said it is only since returning home that he has really reflected on what took place.The final over began with West Indies needing 19 to win and England favourites despite having struggled to 155 for 9 with the bat. But then Brathwaite swung Stokes’ first delivery over deep square leg, then connected sweetly against two full deliveries to suddenly level the scores and leave a distraught Stokes with his head in his hands.”I thought, ‘I’ve just lost the World Cup’. I couldn’t believe it,” he told the . “I didn’t know what to do. It took me so long to get back on my feet. I didn’t want to get back up. It was like the whole world had come down on me. There weren’t any good things going through my mind. It was just complete devastation.””It is probably only now really that all the emotions have started to come out about it. I couldn’t reflect on it at the time. There was just shock.”Stokes had developed his reputation as a death bowler during the tournament with important spells against Sri Lanka and New Zealand. He said he did not panic after the first ball of the last over had cleared the boundary and was still backing himself to defend 7 off 4 before being crushed by the third six.”It was not until they needed one off three that I knew the game was gone. When they needed seven I was still backing myself to get us over the line but I just couldn’t. It was amazing hitting. I just did not execute what I wanted to do.”A host of current and former players – not just from England – have come out in support of Stokes, praising his desire to be the man under pressure at the end, and he said he would not have a second thought about putting himself back in that position.”A hundred per cent. Definitely. It is something I work at a lot. Some days they go well. Some days they don’t. That was a bad day but I won’t be shying away from it. You almost want it to happen because if you nail it everyone forgets.”Stokes was at the centre of another spat with Marlon Samuels during the final – Samuels was fined 30% of his match fee for foul language – and Samuels was far from glowing about Stokes during his post-match press conference. Stokes has no issue with how events transpired and acknowledged Samuels played “a brilliant” innings.He also revealed that Brathwaite, who was fulsome in his praise of Stokes, had asked for a signed shirt.”We did not have a beer with them afterwards but Brathwaite came up to me and asked for a shirt. He is a brilliant lad. I wanted to make sure I spoke to them and say well done because I did not want people to think I was bitter. I wished them all the best. It is about respect to the opposition.”Stokes will return to action for Durham on April 24 in their County Championship match against Middlesex.

Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to compete with Newcastle United to sign Ruben Neves from Al-Hilal in January.

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Arteta wants Ruben Neves in JanuaryPlayer joined Al-Hilal in the summerThe Gunners will face competition from NewcastleWHAT HAPPENED?

reports that Arsenal manager Arteta is keen on signing Neves from Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal in January and has requested the board to go all out for the player.

The Gunners are eyeing a replacement for midfielder Thomas Partey who is likely to depart the club in the next window and Arteta thinks that the Portuguese is the perfect alternative. They will though have to face competition from Newcastle United who see Neves as a replacement for Sandro Tonali,who is serving a 10-month ban for breaching betting rules.

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Several European giants like Barcelona and Arsenal were interested in signing the Portuguese international in the summer transfer window but it was Al-Hilal who won the battle by paying a sum of €55m, which according to the other competitors seemed like a lot of money for a player who was heading into the final year of his contract with Wolves.

Neves eventually committed his future to the Saudi Arabian club by signing on a three-year-long deal.

DID YOU KNOW?

The 26-year-old has become a key member of Jorge Jesus' squad since joining them in the summer. He has appeared in 17 matches for the team in all competitions and has scored two goals and provided an assist.

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After losing to Newcastle United on November 4, Arteta's side came back strongly by beating Burnley in their last Premier League encounter. They will now aim to extend their winning run on Saturday when they take on Brentford.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has revealed the England midfielder that he thinks may contend for the Euro 2024 next summer.

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England looking for options for third midfielderCarragher thinks Alexander-Arnold could be the optionEngland one of the favourites for Euro 2024WHAT HAPPENED?

Last month, Gareth Southgate's team easily qualified for their eighth major tournament in a row after defeating Italy 3-1 at Wembley. In recent international matches, players like as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson, Kalvin Phillips and Conor Gallagher have been tested alongside Southgate's first-choice midfield choices, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham.

The Liverpool full-back, who played in midfield against North Macedonia and Malta has been a subject of considerable debate recently, and Carragher believes that he could be the perfect complement to the existing duo of Rice and Bellingham.

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"Southgate demonstrated his foresight when identifying this a few years ago, initially criticised for using Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder," Carragher wrote in his Telegraph column. "Although England were not great against Malta and North Macedonia, there was plenty to like about Alexander-Arnold’s performances, especially in the first game."

"An exciting, balanced midfield trio of [Jude] Bellingham, [Declan] Rice and Alexander-Arnold can take the national team close to winning Euro 2024. They would be my first choice."

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Speaking on international duty last week, Alexander-Arnold also hinted that an opportunity further forward is something he relishes: "My specific skill set and what I’m best at is someone who plays in the middle. You probably get more out of me from being in the middle and I’m able to show off that skillset as much as possible."

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WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

Southgate will now have almost four months to strategise his potential plans for the midfield as the next international break does not arrive until March.

Ben Stokes is aware that he carries a major responsibility as England’s allrounder in the Ashes series and to no-one’s surprise, it is a challenge he is looking straight in the eye

Andrew McGlashan02-Jul-2015It has already been an interesting year for Ben Stokes as he has forged his way back into the England Test side. Saluted off the field in Grenada by Marlon Samuels, then saluted as a hero at Lord’s with the finest all-round performance by an England cricketer since Andrew Flintoff was at his peak.It can be assumed that 2015 is unlikely to quieten down for him over the next few weeks as the Investec Ashes unfolds following a typically pantomime-esque phoney war. Stokes was one of the few players to emerge with credit from the debacle Down Under in 2013-14 after scoring a bristling maiden Test hundred in the toughest of conditions at the WACA, then claiming a six-wicket haul amid England’s final mauling in Sydney.”It sounds like all I want to do his fight them,” he laughed when asked if the memories of that whitewash was extra motivation for what lies ahead. “That was the first taste of it, it didn’t go well, and there a wrongs that we want to right.”Stokes does not need to underline his competitive edge. Mitchell Johnson remarked earlier this week that the Australians quickly cottoned on that he was one of the few Englishmen up for the fight and they soon started to target him for some special attention.Eighteen months later, Australia know how many of England’s Ashes hopes are pinned on Stokes making a success of the allrounder’s role – as his performance against New Zealand at Lord’s suggested he can do – so that they can retain his counterpunching batting at No. 6 and his zippy seam bowling which enables a five-pronged attack. He will likely be the focus of plenty more attention over the coming two months.One of the challenges for Stokes early in his international career has been to control his temper. He was fined for giving a send-off to James Faulkner in an ODI at Perth and there was the infamous exchange with a locker in Barbados which left him with a broken hand. But the way he held himself together during the exchange with Samuels in April hinted at the maturing of a cricketer, not that his natural instincts will be dulled.”I’m definitely expecting there to be a few feuds out on the pitch, but I’m not one to go looking for it and cause an argument,” Stokes said. “If anyone comes at you in the heat of the moment, with the adrenalin going, I don’t think anyone in our squad will shy away. We have different ways of handling it, some turn their backs and walk away but I’m sort of the other way – look them in the eye and probably say something.”England’s allrounders after 11 Tests

Ben Stokes: 683 runs @ 34.15, 2 hundreds; 29 wickets @ 43.24
Andrew Flintoff: 259 runs @ 14.38, 0 hundreds; 9 wickets @ 58.22
Ian Botham: 500 runs @ 41.66, 3 hundreds; 64 wickets @ 16.54
Tony Greig: 783 runs @ 48.93, 1 hundred; 27 wickets @28.11

What chances a repeat of Samuels? “I’m not sure they’ll salute; they might. It will be good banter if they do.”Stokes admitted that the likeliest chance of a flashpoint is when he has ball in hand – his bowling role is one of striking rather than containment – but he insisted it is part of his DNA as a cricketer.”I’m not sure cool and calculated is the right way to describe my batting, but my emotions certainly do come out when I’m bowling – there’s a lot more adrenalin involved compared to batting. If there are any incidents it will probably be when I have the ball in hand. It’s definitely a strength of mine, you are in a battle and you don’t want to be losing. I don’t want to take a backward step and let them think they are on top.”Stokes’ own memories of the 2005 series, for which the 10-year anniversary is providing a regular reference point, are of being involved in an Under-15 tournament for Cumbria where the parents sat around their cars more interested in the Ashes score than what their children were up to. That series is largely viewed as having been played in good spirit, centred on Flintoff’s arm-round-the-shoulder to Brett Lee at Edgbaston.

‘You know that if you chose to pick a battle you have the other 10 guys backing you. That doesn’t mean I’m going to start throwing punches’

But there were flashpoints, too, not least when Ricky Ponting was run out by Gary Pratt at Trent Bridge and before the series when Matthew Hayden and Simon Jones went chest-to-chest in an ODI at Edgbaston, a moment often cited by England players of the time as when they made it clear to Australia they would hunt as a pack. It is a mindset Stokes hinted would be used again if needed.”You know that if you chose to pick a battle you have the other 10 guys backing you. That doesn’t mean I’m going to start throwing punches, but you know your team-mates will back you.”Beyond all the pre-series bluster, enacted for the third time in two years, Stokes has every right to believe his cricketing skills alone will be enough to carry him through the Ashes. He has emerged from a difficult 2014 following the tour of Australia, which included three consecutive ducks against India, with a period of consistent cricket, highlighted by his Lord’s heroics where he made 92, 101 – the fastest Test hundred on the ground – and claimed three second-innings wickets including a wicked inswinger to remove Brendon McCullum.”Since I first came in I’ve been in and out of the side, so this is the first time I’ve really been involved heavily for a good amount of time,” he said. “I do feel a bit more part of it, part of a team and a group that is making people want to watch cricket again.”Flintoff has been among those to laud Stokes’ ability – saying Stokes is a better player than he was while he “bluffed his way through” – but Flintoff’s Ashes of 2005 came when he was seven years into his career and had dominated the world stage for the preceding 18 months: from The Oval Test of 2003 against South Africa to start of 2005 Ashes, Flintoff scored 1268 runs at 43.72 and claimed 78 wickets at 24.60.Expectations of Stokes then can get out of hand, although after 11 Tests he has a significantly superior batting tally to Flintoff and also better bowling figures.Stokes insisted he had not let himself ponder what life might be like if he has a telling impact on this year’s Ashes. “I’ve not really thought about anything like that to be honest. We know how big the Ashes is: I was part of one in Australia and on the receiving end of a few mad Aussies when walking around the street. But we are in England now and have the support of the nation for seven weeks. It will be a bit different for Australia.”

Canterbury’s top-three batsmen pulverised Otago to set up a 69-run victory in Dunedin

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Nov-2014Canterbury’s top-three batsmen pulverised Otago to set up a 69-run victory in Dunedin. After getting sent in, Canterbury’s openers Neil Broom and Ronnie Hira put on 114 in 11.5 overs, before Hira was dismissed for 42 off 31 balls. He was the only batsman to fall, as Broom went on to make an unbeaten 96 off 59 deliveries and Henry Nicholls scored 61 off 31. Canterbury finished on 211 for 1, the second-highest Twenty20 total for the loss of one wicket or fewer.Otago were without Jesse Ryder, and their chase foundered after a strong start. Aaron Redmond and Sam Wells put on 56 for the first wicket inside six overs but they then slipped to 93 for 5 in the 13th. Their openers apart, none of the Otago batsmen got past 20 and the lower order collapsed from 121 for 5 to 142 all out in 18 overs. Andrew Ellis and Cole McConchie took three wickets apiece for Canterbury.

The two have been consistent figures in the Pharaohs' starting team since they began this year's tournament with a loss to Nigeria.

With Ahmed Hegazi ruled out and doubts hovering over first and second goalkeeping choices, coach Carlos Queiroz is expected to tinker with Egypt's starting team for the semi-final game against Cameroon on Thursday at Paul Biya Stadium in Yaounde.

Meanwhile, the Pharaohs have won three of their last four Afcon games against Cameroon (L1), scoring nine goals, this after netting just twice across their previous six encounters against the Indomitable Lions in the competition (W1 D2 L3).

Egypt Football Association.Goalkeeper:  Mohamed Sobhy

He is set to make his first start in the tournament as Mohamed El Shenawy and Mohamed Abou Gabal – the first and second goalkeeping choices, respectively – remain doubtful after picking up injuries in the last two games.

AdvertisementBackpagepixRight-back – Omar Kamal

Kamal has been a consistent figure in the Egyptian team and is highly likely to keep his place. Kamal's ability to effectively block the opponents' attacks and offer additional attacking threats will be key for the Pharaohs as they face the hosts.

Sports Mole.Left-back – Ahmed Abou El Fotouh

The Zamalek full-back was solid against Morocco as he was able to frustrate the Atlas Lions' strategy of attacking from the wing, and such a performance should certainly guarantee him a start against the Indomitable Lions.

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Backpagepix.Centre-back – Mohamed Abdelmonem

Since he replaced Akram Tawfik, who got injured in the group opening game against Nigeria, Abdelmonem has been an ever-present figure in Carlos Queiroz's starting team and his consistent performances should keep him among the starters.

It was a positive fortnight for the competition's Premier League contingent, with Liverpool and Manchester City in particular making a big impression

Getty Images1Sadio Mane (Liverpool) Three goals for the Senegal sharpshooter mean the Reds should have an easy stroll into the last eight, after blowing away Porto 5-0 in Portugal. Mane became the fourth Liverpool player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League, after Michael Owen, Yossi Benayoun and Philippe Coutinho.AdvertisementGetty Images2Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) Another Champions League night to remember for Lewa as he helped put Besiktas to the sword with a late double in Bayern's 5-0 walkover. Since 2015/16, only Cristiano Ronaldo scored more Champions League goals (39) than Lewandowski (22 – Lionel Messi 3rd with 21).Getty3Willian (Chelsea) Was unlucky to see two cracking long-range attempts hit the woodwork, but it was third-time lucky for the Chelsea star as he beat Marc Andre ter Stegen to put the Blues temporarily ahead. Since joining Chelsea in 2013/14, Willian has scored more Champions League goals from outside the box than any other player (6, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo & Neymar on 5).ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty Images4Mousa Dembele (Tottenham) Man of the match in Turin as Spurs secured a famous draw against the Italian giants. Dembele sent 95 successful passes v. Juventus: only Harry Winks has sent more successful passes for Tottenham in a Champions League game.

U.S. men's national team stars Tim Weah and Weston McKennie started for Juventus as they stole a result in stoppage-time against Verona

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McKennie and Weah startedJuve win 1-0 in stoppage timeAllegri's tactics holding them back

Andrea Cambiaso's 97th minute winner for Juventus stole the show as the Turin side miraculously secured victory at the Allianz Stadium after an incredibly boring 96 minutes of soccer. It may sound harsh because they still earned the result, but Juventus played incredibly poorly against the 16th placed side in Serie A. They need more from their attack and more from their boss, Massimiliano Allegri.

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Bianconeri forward Moise Kean had not one, but two goals called back in the match. First up, just 12 minutes in, Kean thought he fired home but an offside Dusan Vlahovic flicked it on, seeing it called back. Then, eight minutes into the second half, Kean headed home a McKennie cross only to see it called back for a foul he himself committed.

Cambiaso's brilliant winner in stoppage-time saw him swarmed by teammates after Arkadiusz Milik's header shattered the woodwork, before the Italian put it into the back of the net.

The 1-0 scoreline was a replication of their form of late, with this being their fifth-straight clean sheet, but overall, a lack of excitement and speed overtook the match. It was slow, yet composed in the middle of the pitch, however, neither team looked like they had any interest in pushing the ball into the opposition's box.

It was a brilliant opportunity for McKennie and Weah to both start, but it's starting to feel like Massimiliano Allegri's choice of formation and tactics is going to hinder Juventus's chance to excel against the top sides in Serie A and Europe.

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This was the third-straight match where Weah and McKennie started alongside each other for Juventus, and it's beyond evident that their chemistry from playing on the national team has transferred over to their form for the Bianconeri. However, it just feels like Juve are hokding themselves back with five defenders and three midfielders. There isn't enough in their attack, and in a match like this, seeing Weah in a higher attacking role next to Vlahovic may have been a better shout.

For the Turin side as a whole, they no doubt expect more from themselves in a match like this. Verona never really threatened Juve, but they themselves never got going as a whole, either. However, good teams find results, even in stoppage-time, with seconds to spare.

GettyUSMNT IMPACT

It's a big positive for the USMNT to have both Weah and McKennie starting for Juventus, especially on the same side of the pitch. Despite Weah's early exit, he performed well, and for Wes – he continues to impress in that central midfield role under Allegri.

All you can ask and hope for is that they both continue to get minutes on a consistent basis if you're Gregg Berhalter. Juve boss Allegri is rather stubborn when it comes to adjusting to modern-day tactics, so his side's formation is set in stone. Weah in a more attacking role would be preferred, but at this point in time, you cannot be picky.

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Getty ImagesGOAL'S RATINGS

Weston McKennie (7/10): Played his role well, completing 29/32 total passes while creating one big chance

Tim Weah (5/10): Weah was subbed off at the halftime break, despite having a lively first 45 minutes. He ran the right flank well, and connected with McKennie centrally at times, too.

While losing the Asia Cup final was a disappointment, Pakistan could take ‘a lot of positives’ from the tournament, captain Misbah-ul-Haq has said

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Mar-2014While losing the Asia Cup final was a disappointment, Pakistan could take ‘a lot of positives’ from the tournament, captain Misbah-ul-Haq has said. Among them, was the ‘morale-boosting’ win against India in the round-robin stage, a victory which meant the team got a warm welcome at the Lahore airport on arrival, being showered with rose petals despite not bringing back the trophy.”Losing the final was a disappointment, but overall it was a very good tournament and we move on with a lot of positives,” Misbah said. “I think the team put in a lot of hard work, the way we won matches. As a team the performance was terrific, but at the same time no doubt it is disappointing that we didn’t win the tournament.The match against India, Misbah said, put Pakistan in the right frame of mind for the World Twenty20. “Winning against India was important because people have a lot of expectations and have lots of interest in it. With such performances, the morale of the team is very good. In this condition, we definitely have a chance [at the World T20].”Misbah did not take questions on his “slow” batting in the final against Sri Lanka lightly, cutting off one reporter mid-way through his question by saying: “When you are 18 for 3, even big teams also bat like we did in the final to recover.”Pakistan had lost their top three by the fourth over of the game, before Mishah and Fawad Alam were involved in a 122-run stand. Misbah made 65 off 98 balls before being dismissed, while Alam went on to remain 114 not out off 134. Pakistan reached 260 for 5, before Sri Lanka eased home with close to four overs to spare after taking a toll on Pakistan’s pacers.Misbah defended his fast bowlers, saying that the spin- and batting-friendly pitches of the subcontinent made life tough for the pacers. “It wasn’t an easy tour, especially for fast bowlers. You know in Asian conditions, it’s difficult for fast bowlers.”Overall if you look, barring one or two bowlers, fast bowlers struggled. Conditions are conducive for spin bowlers and it doesn’t help fast bowlers.”

Nottinghamshire have secured two overseas signings for 2015 with Vernon Philander and Ben Hilfenhaus set for stints at Trent Bridge next season.

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Dec-2014Nottinghamshire have secured two overseas signings for 2015 with Vernon Philander and Ben Hilfenhaus set for stints at Trent Bridge next season.Philander, the South Africa seam bowler, will join the club in April and feature in six County Championship matches and three NatWest T20s before he resumes duty with South Africa.He has previously enjoyed spells at Kent, Middlesex and Somerset, for whom he took 23 wickets at 21.34 in 2012.Hilfenhaus will take over as overseas player from the NatWest T20 against Leicestershire on June 5. It will be the Australian seamer’s first taste of county cricket.”It is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit an overseas player of high quality to spend an entire season in county cricket so we’re very pleased to have two high quality bowlers sharing the spot,” Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell said.”We made the decision to recruit bowlers because we felt that we needed to add some experience to enable us to take 20 wickets in Championship matches more regularly. Ben and Vernon were keen to have stints in county cricket in 2015 and it’s pleasing that they have chosen to join us.”Hilfenhaus, 31 has not played for Australia since 2012 said he has always been keen for a spell in county cricket: “Nottinghamshire is the ideal club for me given their track record of competing for trophies and the proud history of Australians enjoying success there.”It’s hard to find time in the schedule to commit to a full season so sharing the overseas spot with Vernon is ideal for both of us. I’ve had some good discussions with Mick Newell and Ed Cowan and I’m looking forward to getting started at Trent Bridge.”Philander added: “I’ve got a lot of cricket to play in the lead-up to my time with Nottinghamshire but I know the job that I have to do and I’ll be well prepared for the county season. There is always responsibility to make a personal contribution and hopefully the results will follow and I can help Nottinghamshire make a good start to the season.”