Brenden Aaronson, Josh Sargent and the biggest winners and losers from the USMNT's pre-Copa America squad announcement

Gregg Berhalter confirmed his 27-man squad on Monday with a few small surprises.

The squad announced on Monday isn't the official Copa America roster, but it does give us a very, very good idea of what that U.S. men's national team group will look like in late June.

Gregg Berhalter named a 27-man squad ahead of picking a 26-man tournament team before the Copa; it doesn't take a genius to see what's going on here.

Largely, this will be the USMNT's Copa America group and, generally, there are few surprises. The heavy-hitters are all here, save for the injured Sergino Dest. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson… all will be key players through the tournament in June and July.

There were some tough decisions, though. Berhalter had to make some difficult choices of who to bring and, just as importantly, who not to bring. Several players will be frustrated to be left out, while a few others will be eager to take their chance now that they're in the squad.

GOAL takes a look at the biggest winners and losers of Monday's roster announcement…

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    WINNER: The strikers

    For some time, the debate has centered around which strikers the USMNT would take to the Copa America. Would Berhalter go with two or three and which two or three would make the cut when all was said and done?

    Well, the expansion of rosters to 26 took the drama out of that scenario a bit. As a result, all four striker options are in the squad, and each may have a chance to contribute this summer.

    Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent and Haji Wright are all in the team, answering the first part of that big striker question. Sargent's inclusion is the most surprising, despite his success in recent months. The Norwich star is currently battling an ankle injury, but Berhalter believes he'll be ready, so he's in the team.

    As a result of the number of options up top, Berhalter also says that Haji Wright will be seen primarily as a winger. He's featured in the position plenty at Coventry City, where he scored 16 goals this season. With that in mind, Wright seems to be a perfect super-sub option that will give the U.S. tactical flexibility up top while letting Balogun, Pepi and Sargent battle it out for the starting gig.

    Either way, it seems that all four will have their place in the team, giving Berhalter different options and styles to choose from this summer.

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    LOSER: Brandon Vazquez

    It's unfortunate for Vazquez, but he seems to be the fifth guy in a four-horse race.

    The Monterrey star has already hit double figures this season for the Mexican club, but that wasn't enough to get him into this pre-Copa America squad. He'll be frustrated, but not all hope is lost ahead of a busy summer.

    Berhalter said on Monday that Vazquez is one of several players being considered for a spot at the upcoming Olympics, where he could very well be the starting No. 9. He'd be competing with Duncan McGuire, but it's safe to say he'd be much more likely to play a big role in Paris rather than in the Copa.

    An Olympic spot wouldn't be a bad consolation prize by any stretch, even if Vazquez will have been disappointed to miss out here.

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    WINNER: The Tillmans

    Both Malik and Timothy Tillman have already played for the USMNT, but, in June, they'll have the chance to do so together for the very first time.

    Younger brother Malik is the more experienced of the two on the international level. He's coming off a breakout season with PSV, one which earned him an Eredivise title for his resume and a permanent move to the Dutch giants.

    Older brother Timothy seems like a potential odd-man-out when this squad does get trimmed down, but the LAFC midfielder will get the chance to earn a spot. And he may get to do so alongside his brother, which, from a personal perspective, has to be really, really cool.

    The two are already the 10th set of brothers to both play for the USMNT and, if they feature together, they'd be the first since 1988 to take the field at the same time. That may or may not happen but, regardless, this will be a special camp for them.

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    LOSER: Auston Trusty

    You can take it as a sign of how far the USMNT has come. A player who played 32 games in the Premier League wasn't deemed one of the five best choices for this particular squad… what a thought that would have been a decade ago.

    Trusty, of course, will feel hard done by that decision. Despite Sheffield United's struggles this season, Trusty logged heavy minutes in the world's most-watched league. He didn't look out of place, either, as he did put in some solid shifts even as the ground collapsed around his club.

    Unfortunately for him, someone had to be the odd man out. Chris Richards and Tim Ream felt like locks, while Mark McKenzie, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Miles Robinson were selected with the other three spots.

    He could very well play this summer still though as an overage player at the Olympics or as an injury replacement.

Playoffs in Delhi Capitals' sights as Kohli comes home

It’s streak v streak now; one team gunning for the top spot, the other fighting for another match of life

The Preview by Sidharth Monga in New Delhi 27-Apr-20195:18

Kartik: Bowling a big worry for RCB at the moment

Big Picture

This is the third time this IPL that Delhi Capitals are coming back to their home venue, Feroz Shah Kotla, full of exuberance and positivity. They first did so on the high of having beaten Mumbai Indians in Mumbai. Then they did so having built a three-match winning streak on the road, in Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad. On both occasions they came crashing down thanks largely to a slow and low home surface.On this homecoming, Capitals are on their highest high. They have won seven out of their 11 matches – teams have previously qualified with seven wins – and are looking for that one win to all but ensure progress to the next round. You might wager they are more or less in, but these wins can take them into the top two, which gives them two shots at making the final.

Form Guide

Delhi Capitals: Beat Royals by six wickets, beat Kings XI by five wickets, lost to Mumbai by 40 runs, beat Sunrisers by 39 runs
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Beat Kings XI Kings XI by 17 runs, beat Super Kings by one run, beat Knight Riders Knight Riders by 10 runs, lost to Mumbai by five wickets

Up against them is an opposition on a streak itself, defying elimination, which has looked imminent for weeks now. Royal Challengers are hanging by a thread, but are not letting go of that thread. In their last three wins in a row, they have beaten Chennai Super Kings even though MS Dhoni needed two off the last ball, and Kings XI Punjab, who won the first 17 overs of each innings.It’s streak v streak now; one team is gunning for the top spot, the other fighting for another match of life. At the heart of it will be adaptation to a slow surface and an accurate forecast of the dew. In the last set of matches in Delhi, Mumbai Indians defended easily with no dew, and Capitals chased relatively easily thanks to the dew.

In the news

Dale Steyn won’t be coming back for Royal Challengers after he injected life into their campaign with a mid-season entry. His shoulder injury has cast a shadow over his participation in the World Cup too. That isn’t the only absence RCB will worry about. Moeen Ali too is back home for a preparatory camp with England ahead of the World Cup.

Previous meeting

Capitals went to Bangalore, restricted the hosts to 149 and then chased it down without much bother and with seven balls to spare.

Likely XIs

Delhi Capitals 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt.), 4 Rishabh Pant, 5 Colin Ingram, 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Sandeep LamichhaneRoyal Challengers Bangalore 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Virat Kohli (capt.), 3 AB de Villiers, 4 Shimron Hetmyer/Colin de Grandhomme, 5 Akshdeep Nath, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Washington Sundar/Pawan Negi, 8 Umesh Yadav, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Nitin Saini

Strategy Punt

  • AB de Villiers has been the spirit of Royal Challengers’ survival this season, but against Capitals he will have to work harder than against other teams. Since 2017, Kagiso Rabada has got him out in two balls. His problems against left-arm spin are well-documented too. So expect Capitals to attack him with Rabada and Axar Patel or even Ishant Sharma, who has managed to keep him quiet.
  • Shikhar Dhawan has been a success story for Capitals, playing the role of the senior batsman among extravagant youngsters but without dropping his strike rate too much. He had to work hard to get there after an insipid start to the season. However, he doesn’t have a great record against the traditional outswing bowling of Tim Southee and Umesh Yadav. Also Yuzvendra Chahal has troubled him. The trio could be Royal Challengers’ bowlers inside the Powerplay.

Stats that matter

  • Ten players have scored more than 4000 runs in the IPL. Only Chris Gayle has a better strike rate than AB de Villiers’ 151.57. Gayle scores 0.2 run more over 100 balls.
  • Second-innings scores at Kotla this year have ranged between 128 and 185, all depending on the dew in the night.
  • With 150 wickets to his name, Amit Mishra is the second-most successful bowler in IPL, behind Lasith Malinga’s 166.
  • Powerplay runs are crucial, and Shikhar Dhawan has scored the fourth-highest in that period this season. Among batsmen from these two teams, he also holds the best strike rate inside the Powerplay.

Keep or sell? Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and the transfer decisions Liverpool must make this summer

With big changes happening behind the scenes at Anfield, the future of several high-profile players is now in doubt

The 2023-24 season has been a real rollercoaster ride for Liverpool. It's gone better than they would have expected last August, with the Reds lifting the Carabao Cup and getting back into the Champions League, and yet there's an undeniable sense of anti-climax surrounding a side that was challenging for four trophies at one point.

Jurgen Klopp's decision to step down this summer also came as a massive shock, one that many supporters are still struggling to accept, and it's only added to the sense of uncertainty around Anfield right now, with the future of several senior stars now in doubt.

Liverpool certainly don't need a complete overhaul, as Klopp began the rebuilding process last summer. But it's clear that changes will be made, given Michael Edwards is now in charge of football operations at Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Richard Hughes will be Liverpool's new sporting director, and Arne Slot is ready to take over as manager.

So, which high-profile players should Liverpool keep this summer – and which ones should they sell?…

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    Mohamed Salah

    The biggest and toughest call of the summer? Salah is Liverpool's talisman, still their most reliable source of goals by some distance, but he's 32 in June and has just one year left on his contract – if the Reds don't sell him now, they'll never get big money for a player that seems destined to eventually end up in Saudi Arabia anyway.

    Replacing him will be nigh on impossible. We're talking about a Premier League legend here, one of the finest players ever to grace England's top flight, and the word is that Liverpool are even entertaining the idea of offering Salah a new contract. That's somewhat understandable, given Salah looks like he could continue shining at the highest level for a few more years yet.

    But it's hard not to shake the suspicion that cashing in on Salah while they still can makes the most financial sense for everyone involved, particularly as the Egyptian is showing signs of wear and tear for the very first time in his career – and is clearly not the kind of character that would take kindly to being rotated as he gets older.

    Verdict: Sell – but only if another massive offer is made from the Middle East.

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    Darwin Nunez

    What on earth to do with Darwin Nunez? The Uruguayan has come on leaps and bounds this season, as underlined by his haul of 31 goal involvements. Only Salah (25) has scored more times than Nunez (18), while they both have 13 assists to their name.

    And yet doubts persist. Why? Because Nunez continues to fluff his lines on the game's grandest stages. There have been several decisive displays this season, but 'Captain Chaos' has squandered so many chances in massive matches towards the tail end of the campaign, and he's hardly helped quell the speculation surrounding his future by deleting every image of himself in a Liverpool shirt on his Instagram page – bar his profile pic.

    Still, Nunez has done enough to deserve another chance to realise his full potential at Anfield, which is just as well, really, given no club in Europe would be willing to offer anything remotely close to the £64 million ($80m) Liverpool paid for the striker's services in 2022.

    Verdict: Keep – unless a big-money bid unexpectedly arrives.

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    Virgil van Dijk

    Liverpool's defence has collapsed during the final two months of the season, failing to keep a clean sheet in nine consecutive Premier League matches. As club captain and, more importantly, the leader of the back four, Virgil van Dijk has to accept his share of the blame for that rotten record.

    However, things would have gone a lot worse without the Dutchman, who has rediscovered something resembling his best form this season. He ranks second at Liverpool for possession won and duels won, while nobody has come close to winning as many headers or making as many blocks.

    Van Dijk has also stated that he wants to be part of the new era under Slot, and Netherlands legend Marco van Basten has already argued that the 32-year-old should relish the incoming coach's style of play.

    There is, as Van Dijk said himself, "a big transition" coming, and it will definitely run a lot smoother if the veteran centre-back plays an integral role in the inevitable period of adjustment. So, the real question regarding Van Dijk's future is not whether he will stay, but who should play alongside him next season.

    Verdict: Keep!

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    Trent Alexander-Arnold

    Just like Salah and Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold has just one year left on his contract, but his situation is very, very different to theirs in that Liverpool's homegrown hero is approaching his peak years and has some of Europe's top clubs sniffing around.

    Indeed, the word is that Real Madrid would love to sign Alexander-Arnold this summer. Having already won all there is to win at his hometown club, the 25-year-old may well be tempted by the prospect of joining Jude Bellingham at the Bernabeu, and Florentino Perez would obviously be willing to pay a hefty fee to make it happen.

    However, as former striker Daniel Sturridge said on on Sunday, "Liverpool have got to do everything in their power to get Trent to sign on the dotted line." Much is made of his defensive deficiencies, but it's worth noting that even though injury has restricted Alexander-Arnold to just 25 starts in all competitions this season, only two Liverpool players have won possession more times than the ridiculously versatile right-back, while his incredible importance to the attack is underlined by the fact that he ranks second for chances created and successful crosses.

    Verdict: Keep at all costs!

Amy Jones, Danni Wyatt guide England women to T20I series win

England’s women made it five wins out of five on their tour of Sri Lanka, after easing to another untroubled eight-wicket win

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Mar-2019England women 109 for 2 (Jones 36, Wyatt 37) beat Sri Lanka women 108 for 6 (Brunt 2-31) by eight wickets
England’s women made it five wins out of five on their tour of Sri Lanka, after easing to another untroubled eight-wicket win in the second T20I in Colombo.After their 3-0 clean sweep in the ODI leg of the tour, England ensured they wrapped up their second trophy of the trip with a match to spare as well, after restricting Sri Lanka to 108 for 6 in their 20 overs.The spoils were shared around, with five different bowlers claiming a wicket, and Katherine Brunt claiming a brace to finish with figures of 4 for 31. Freya Davies, who opened the bowling with Linsey Smith, didn’t pick up a wicket but set the tone for England’s performance with four economically delivered overs conceding just 15 runs.Sri Lanka started their innings with resolve, adding 45 for the first wicket in seven overs as Chamari Atapattu and Imalka Mendis laid something of a foundation.But Nat Sciver struck with her first delivery to bowl Atapattu for 24, before Shashikala Siriwardene and Mendis fell to Sophia Dunkley and Heather Knight in consecutive overs to keep the run-rate in check.In reply, England wasted little time in getting ahead of the requirement. Amy Jones, in a fine vein of form, added 79 in 7.2 overs with Danni Wyatt before Wyatt was stumped off Siriwardene for 37.And when Jones fell to the same bowler with 19 runs needed, Tammy Beaumont and Sciver knocked off the final requirement with 37 balls to spare.

What next for Vitor Roque? Barcelona's plans for out-of-favour €30m striker revealed

Barcelona are planning to send striker Vitor Roque out on loan this summer to speed up his adaptation to the rigours of La Liga.

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  • Joined Spanish club in January
  • Has two goals in 11 La Liga appearances
  • Down the pecking order under Xavi
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Barcelona agreed a deal to sign the 19-year-old from Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense last summer for an initial €30 million (£26m/$32m) before he made the move in January. Roque has since featured regularly for the Catalan club but mostly as a substitute and backup to Robert Lewandowski.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    According to , Barca want to prioritise Roque's development and are seeking a loan move for him next season. Ideally, Xavi would like him to go to another top-flight side in Spain so he can adjust to the style and tempo of La Liga.

  • WHAT XAVI SAID

    Xavi was asked about Roque's future recently and admitted he will sit down with the player and his family to discuss his next steps. He said: "We will sit down to see what is best for each player. It’s not easy to come from Brazil, to adapt at 18, to make a difference at Barca. He needs time, minutes, and maybe more confidence. He is capable of playing for Barca for a long time. At the end of the season, we will decide."

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    WHAT NEXT FOR VITOR ROQUE?

    In 's report, it says many were unsure what to expect from Roque when he arrived in January. Sources say players immediately saw room for improvement from the young Brazilian who struggled to keep up with the elite in training. Roque is now a full Brazil international and has a lot of untapped potential, but also a lot of time left in his career. A temporary move away from the lights and attention of Barcelona could be the perfect next step in his developing career.

Karunaratne confident Sri Lanka can 'find a way' to score runs in South Africa

The newly installed captain wants his team to capitalise on their previous experiences of touring South Africa

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Durban12-Feb-2019Sri Lanka are missing their two most experienced batsmen in Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews, and have several uncapped players in the squad, but new captain Dimuth Karunaratne believed his team can still “find a way to score some runs” in South Africa.Given the magnitude of the challenge that awaits them, Sri Lanka’s outlook is not great. Over the past three years, there has been no greater challenge for batsmen in world cricket than facing South Africa’s bowlers in their home venues. But although the squad appears very green, there is knowledge and know-how here, Karunaratne said. He hoped batsmen who had played on the 2016-17 tour to South Africa, and those who have come to the country on Sri Lanka A tours, would translate that experience – however modest – into Test runs.”Most of us know how to play in these conditions,” he said. “We can find a way to score some runs here. A couple of new guys have come into the side. That’s also a good sign. They’ve done a lot of good things at home. A few players have got 1,000 runs in domestic cricket. I’m excited to see how they will play in these conditions and score runs. As a captain I’m giving them good confidence. I’m trying to tell them how I played last time in these conditions, and trying to give them some advice.”Myself and a couple of other guys played last time here. Those batsmen know how to make a gameplan. We need to tell the youngsters how these conditions are. As a group we need to communicate about those things.”He did acknowledge, however, that he had been saddled with the captaincy at an especially difficult time. At present, there are ICC match-fixing allegations swirling around Sri Lankan cricket, while the Sports Ministry and board at home are also moving to change the leadership and coaching staff of the top team. The squad for this tour is also substantially different to that which toured Australia over the past few weeks, which is also understood to have created insecurity within the camp.”It’s not easy when you play cricket and there’s other stuff coming from the outside,” Karunaratne said. “As a team we’re trying to focus on the cricket and not the outside things. The changes are up to the selectors. We are trying to focus on our things and play good, competitive cricket with the South Africans.”On a personal front, Karunaratne had an outstanding series against South Africa in July last year, when he hit over 350 runs across a two Test series, in which no other batsman could score more than 175. He said that those performances didn’t mean much in the context of a series in South Africa, where conditions will be radically different. However, his performances in that series, and his scores through the year in general, had landed him a place in the ICC’s Test team of 2018 – an honour he says he had not been expecting.”It’s like a dream come true. When you’re doing well, you get rewards. I never thought I’d be in the ICC Test side. I like stats, and I want to improve every year. I got 1,000 runs in 2017, but missed out in 2018 because I missed three Tests. When I get a chance, I want to win games with my performances.”

'Even before my missus' – Wrexham hitman Paul Mullin reveals co-owner Ryan Reynolds is lightning quick to get in touch after a game

Wrexham hitman Paul Mullin has revealed that co-owner Ryan Reynolds is always the first one to text him after a game, even before his wife!

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  • Mullin going through a purple patch
  • Shares a close bond with his Hollywood owners
  • Hailed them for their hands-on approach at Wrexham
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The English striker keeps banging in the goals for Wrexham which has endeared him to the fans and his Hollywood owners – Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. He has already notched up more than 100 strikes for the Welsh outfit and if he finds the net again on Saturday against Stockport County, he will boast of having at least 25 goals in four consecutive seasons across the top five flights of the English football pyramid – a rare feat that will put him on an equal footing with Premier League legend Alan Shearer.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Mullin has been one of the instrumental figures in Wrexham's phenomenal rise since Reynolds and McElhenney took over the club a few years back. He has witnessed firsthand the extent of involvement, the personal touch that the two superstars lend to the club and revealed that the Deadpool famed actor is, more often than not, the first person to drop him a text after the match.

  • WHAT MULLIN SAID

    When asked if Reynolds and McElhenney will be in attendance on Saturday for the final league game, Mullin told I think Rob’s intending to be there. But they’re always there in spirit, and online, at every game. As soon as we leave the pitch, Ryan’s the first to text me, even before my missus.”

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    WHAT NEXT?

    Having already secured promotion to League One and the Championship already decided, Wrexham have little to play for against Stockport on Saturday. Nonetheless, Mullin and Co. will look to finish the campaign on a high by beating the champions in front of their fans.

Mark Wood stars in five-wicket rampage as England give Windies a trial by pace

Moeen Ali chimes in with four wickets as tourists take command

The Report by Valkerie Baynes10-Feb-2019
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA maiden five-wicket haul for Mark Wood has put England in command for the first time this series, with a 142-run overnight lead against West Indies in the third Test.He had had to wait for his chance, but when it came, Wood lunged at it like a caged animal released.A late call-up to the England squad after Olly Stone returned home with a back injury before the first Test, Wood remained on the sidelines until he was named to play his 13th Test, and first since May. It may have been a dead rubber, but it looked anything but, on an action-packed second day in St Lucia.It was not until the 22nd over, with West Indies suddenly looking vulnerable – thanks to Moeen Ali – in their reply to England’s first-innings 277, that Wood was finally let loose. What followed was a display of genuine pace, with Wood claiming 4 for 13 in the space of 4.2 overs, including two wickets in as many balls, to devastate West Indies’ pursuit.Wood, who has battled ankle problems for much of his career, finished with his best figures of 5 for 41 off 8.2 overs, while Moeen played a pivotal role – his 4 for 36 included the wickets of West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell, who had threatened to run rampant.Moeen came into the attack in the 13th over after James Anderson and Stuart Broad had become increasingly frustrated by the opening pair, who had piled on their fourth half-century partnership of the series, in addition to their unbeaten stand of 17 in the series-clinching victory in the second Test.Moeen had enjoyed some success against them, having dismissed both during the first Test in Barbados and Brathwaite again in the first innings in Antigua. And he repeated the dose at a critical juncture, with England in danger of losing control having lost their last six wickets for 45 in the morning session.Campbell, in particular, looked threatening in St Lucia, surviving a couple of lbw appeals off Anderson and treating the England spearhead with disdain at times, not least with a lofted drive over the bowler’s head and a nonchalant six flicked off his hip in the same over.Anderson’s reaction when he caught Brathwaite in the deep off Ali was low-key but then, on the next delivery, Moeen trapped Campbell lbw for 41 off 63 balls, his fourth score between 33 and 47 in this, his debut series.Emboldened by the opportunity to charge in and rattle two new batsmen, Wood also responded two wickets in as many balls. His fourth delivery, to Shai Hope, was a 145kph bouncer that sent the batsman ducking to his knees out of harm’s way, while his fifth – at 148kph – was sent by Hope straight to Rory Burns at gully. One ball later, the mode of dismissal was similar, with Roston Chase edging to Burns again.Wood may have missed the hat-trick, but his next wicket was of enormous value to his team, removing the threat of another dangerous batsman, Shimron Hetmyer, caught cheaply by Joe Root at second grab in the slips with the final ball before tea. Wood and Root combined again after the break to dismiss Darren Bravo for 6, West Indies’ most obdurate batsman of the Antigua Test unable to cope with the extra pace outside his off stump.England had relied heavily on Ben Stokes to do a job with the ball in Antigua and while he appeared to bat without any discomfort from the bruised heel that had him in some doubt for this Test, he was not called upon to bowl after looking sore as he went through some warm-up deliveries in the field.Broad shut down the resistance of Shane Dowrich (38), trapping him lbw with they type of legcutter that had proved effective for him in the previous match. When Broad then took a spectacular one-handed catch while reeling backwards from mid-off to dismiss Alzarri Joseph and hand Moeen his fourth wicket, Root threw the ball back to Wood to account for West Indies’ last man, Shannon Gabriel, bowled for 4.Gabriel had displayed some breathtaking pace of his own in England’s first innings, breaking the fifth-wicket partnership of Stokes and Jos Buttler. The pair added just one run to their overnight stand of 124 before Gabriel’s 146kph gem clattered into Buttler’s stumps.Jonny Bairstow endured a torrid time a the crease, not least when he was struck on the grill of his helmet as he bent back to dodge a 150kph Gabriel delivery. He was unscathed, but the same could not be said when he was stuck three times in the groin during the course of his innings, which produced just two runs off 33 deliveries.Bairstow was bowled, a victim of Kemar Roach, who claimed four wickets as England produced another notable collapse – but, for once in this series, it did not seem likely to impact their prospects, courtesy of Wood’s performance.

Former Lioness Alex Scott reveals secret to her successful media career as ex-Arsenal defender becomes Women's Health cover star

Former England ace Alex Scott has spoken about her successful transition from football to the media after becoming a Women's Health UK's cover star.

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  • Scott had successful playing career
  • Smooth transition to media work
  • Front cover of Women's Health UK
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    After spells with Arsenal, Birmingham City, and Boston Breakers – plus racking up 140 appearances for England and five for Great Britain – Scott has seamlessly transitioned to TV work. And the former right-back says it was all down to hard work, backing her ability, and having an open, curious mind.

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  • WHAT ALEX SCOTT SAID

    In the clip, she says: "I never thought, 'I can't do that'. It was always, 'What if?'. I remember sitting in my media degree and I was like, 'Oh god, if I manage to have a part time job or do something after football' – because I was worried about paying my mortgage, how am I going to pay my bills? I didn't want my mum to worry and I remember sitting in that media degree being like, 'Imagine one day if I ever presented BBC Sports Personality of the Year'. I remember sitting in that class and then here I am. I've done it for the last four years. Not only that, I've done Children in Need, I've been on Strictly [Come Dancing], and a Comic Relief challenge. All the shows that I've managed to be a part of but I said it was because I've never limited myself, like I never thought, 'I can't do that'. My mind was just always open and bringing it in."

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Scott had a distinguished career in women's football and now she is matching that off the pitch and behind the lens. While playing for Arsenal, she completed a degree in professional sports writing and broadcasting at Staffordshire University and that has proved to be the foundation for her success today.

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    WHAT NEXT?

    Scott, who wore the OneLove armband in an apparent gesture of solidarity with LGBTQ+ people in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup, spoke to the magazine ahead of her 40th birthday later this year. The former defender is likely to continue presenting sporting shows for the BBC and more in years to come.

Arsenal to show Tottenham game? Gunners invite fans to watch Spurs pre-season clash at Emirates Stadium

Arsenal have confirmed that they will screen their pre-season friendly with rivals Tottenham in Hong Kong at Emirates Stadium.

  • Arsenal face Spurs in pre-season game
  • Rivals face off in Hong Kong
  • Emirates Stadium to screen clash
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Arsenal take on Tottenham on July 31 as part of their pre-season campaign, and now the Gunners have decided to hold a screening of the match on Club Level at their home ground. However, it appears to be only open to Arsenal fans, rather than Spurs ones, which is likely to be a wise move.

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    WHAT ARSENAL SAID

    A post on the club's website reads: "If you’re looking for the perfect place to watch our pre-season friendly against Tottenham in Hong Kong, then why not head to Emirates Stadium to witness the thrills and spills with a host of fellow Gooners? We are holding a screening of the match on Club Level at Emirates Stadium on Thursday, 31 July, with doors opening at 10:30am and kick-off at 12:30pm (UK Time). Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Red members can purchase tickets for just £5 for adults and £2.50 for concessions. Food and drink will be available to purchase, as well as official merchandise, plus the entertainment continues with a live band roaming around to help build the atmosphere."

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Arsenal will have been left smarting after seeing their trophy drought extend to five years this summer, plus, rivals Tottenham won the Europa League to end their 17-year wait for silverware. Both teams will look to start the season with a bang but before then, this match will provide bragging rights for a short time.

  • Getty

    WHAT NEXT?

    Arsenal and Tottenham will contest the first north London derby outside of the United Kingdom when they lock horns in Hong Kong later this month. In the days prior to this encounter, the Gunners also take on AC Milan and Newcastle United.

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