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Manchester United were 'always confident' that they would be able to tie Marcus Rashford down to a new long-term deal at Old Trafford, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Has Marcus Rashford signed a new contract at Manchester United?

As per The Daily Mail, Rashford has signed a new five-year deal at Manchester United that will see him earn a basic wage of £300,000 per week at Old Trafford.

Bagging a wage increase of £50,000 per week from his previous deal, the England international couldn't contain his excitement when discussing his decision to commit his future to his boyhood club, stating in an interview: "I joined Manchester United as a seven-year-old boy with a dream. That same passion, pride, and determination to succeed still drives me every time I have the honour of wearing the shirt.

I've already had some amazing experiences at this incredible club, but there is still a lot more to achieve and I remain relentlessly determined to win more trophies in the years ahead."

Last term, Rashford was the catalyst for the Red Devils' improvement under boss Erik Ten Hag, as he notched 30 goals and 11 assists in 56 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The Athletic have revealed that Rashford rejected offers from at least one Premier League rival to stay at Manchester United and Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain were also believed to have been sniffing around the 25-year-old.

Rashford's contract renewal is the latest positive in a recent flurry of good news surrounding the club and follows on from Mason Mount's arrival last month from Chelsea for an initial fee of £55 million, as per Sky Sports.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones has indicated that Manchester United were always relaxed during the process of trying to get Rashford to commit his future to the club.

Jones told FFC: "They were always confident for quite a long time now that the Rashford deal was shaping up in the way they wanted it. I guess the best news to come out of this is that they've definitely got an option at number nine for the start of next season, because Marcus Rashford will be there and he is certainly somebody that Ten Hag has trusted in that role and he'll be able to fill that role if he needs to."

What next for Manchester United?

Undoubtedly, Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag will now be keen to continue his recruitment spree at Old Trafford as he gears his side up for a tilt at the Premier League title.

Journalist Samuel Luckhurst, who is the chief Manchester United writer for The Manchester Evening News, has taken to Twitter to reveal that Andre Onana's pending transfer to the Red Devils from Inter Milan is nearing completion, as he stated: "Andre Onana is at Carrington now for his medical."

Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund looks to be the next port of call for Ten Hag and Manchester United are believed to be in 'advanced talks' with the Serie A outfit to negotiate the structure of the potential transfer, having already thrashed out personal terms with the Denmark international, according to The Independent.

Respected transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that Urawa Red Diamonds goalkeeper Zion Suzuki has emerged as another target in the goalkeeper department and the Red Devils will focus on trying to bring in the Japan international once the addition of Onana is finalised.

Michael Beale has already made six summer signings for Glasgow Rangers during the transfer window and he doesn’t appear to be slowing down as the Ibrox side have been linked with a move for Burnley defender Bobby Thomas.

Could Rangers sign Bobby Thomas?

Writing via his Patreon account, The Sun journalist Alan Nixon claimed the Gers are in the hunt for the centre-back alongside Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City as they look to add some depth to their defensive options.

Nixon doesn’t state whether any potential move will be on a permanent basis or if the Light Blues are looking at securing a loan deal, yet it appears they face some competition with regard to a move.

Among his six signings so far, Beale has added just one defender, Dujon Sterling and with the rigours of another Champions League campaign alongside a hectic domestic schedule, luring another one or two defenders to the club would be a wise idea.

Who is Bobby Thomas?

The 22-year-old centre-back plays for Burnley, but he has only made one first team appearance for the side, spending the embryonic stages of his career on loan in League One and League Two during spells with Barrow, Barnsley and Bristol Rovers.

Thomas has played just 73 senior matches over the previous three seasons, yet Beale could perhaps see the player as a long term heir for Connor Goldson, who much to the dismay of the Ibrox faithful, won't be around forever to marshal the defence.

The 30-year-old has been a rock at the heart of the defence since arriving in the summer of 2018, going on to make 261 appearances and with his contract not expiring until 2026, Beale will be hoping he can stay at the top of his game over the next three years.

Thomas is a far cry away from the standard Goldson has set across his five years in Glasgow, yet that isn’t to say he won't improve vastly should be make the move North of the border, learning under the former Brighton and Hove Albion defender in the process.

The 6 foot 1 gem could offer Beale something different from the back as across 51 games during his spell in the English third tier, he registered ten goal contributions – seven goals and three assists – with only defender James Tavernier scoring more last term, suggesting he could be a useful option to have in the squad.

Journalist Sam Frost claimed Thomas “has the makings of a good defender” back in January following his exit from Bristol Rovers and across his spell in League One last term, he averaged 1.3 tackles per game, which was just fewer than Goldson’s 1.5 tackles per game and the youngster also displayed his strength in the air by winning four aerials duels per game, which was more than the 2.6 won by Goldson during last season, indicating that he could be an ideal heir for the Rangers stalwart.

Thomas may not be an automatic first choice for the Ibrox side if he moved to Scotland, yet there is plenty of talent there, and he could develop into a solid centre-back over the coming years.

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Cricket Australia chairman David Peever: “This resolution is a clear indication that whilst the Board may not yet agree on the detail of our reform process, we are committed to the overarching philosophies of it. We all believe that Shashank should be the man to see it through and whilst respectful of a decision made for personal reasons, we are delighted that he has agreed to remain in post until the completion of the 2017 Annual Conference where we can elect a successor.”
BCB president Nazmul Hassan: “For the greater interest of cricket, we need Shashank as the chairman of ICC especially at this critical juncture. He can be assured of our full support.”
ECB president Giles Clarke: “I am very pleased that the team effort has convinced Shashank about how important it is he leads through these discussions to take us to the new constitution, new Full Members and respecting the rights of all Full Members. It has been a great collegiate effort.”

Shashank Manohar has agreed to defer his resignation as ICC chairman until the body’s annual conference in June this year. That, cricket’s leading administrators hope, will give them enough time to implement the changes to the governance and financial models of the ICC, changes behind which Manohar has been a significant presence.The u-turn in Manohar’s stance, following his surprise resignation earlier this month, came after an ICC board resolution earlier this week that requested him to stay with “overwhelming support”.”I respect the sentiments expressed by the Directors and the confidence they have reposed in me. In the light of this, and although my decision to depart due to personal reasons has not changed, I am willing to continue as Chairman till the responsibility as per the resolution is complete,” Manohar said in an ICC release.”I have a duty to work with my colleagues to enable a smooth transition and continue our work on the governance of the ICC.”Efforts to try and convince Manohar to change his mind had begun almost as soon as his resignation was made official. A number of board directors have been in touch with him since. Those contacts were supplemented by a meeting in India a few days ago between Manohar and the CA chairman David Peever and ICC Development Committee head Imran Khwaja, which is believed to have been an important one in convincing him.On March 15, Manohar had caught much of the cricket world by surprise when he announced his decision to step down as ICC chairman, offering nothing more than “personal reasons” as an explanation. The development raised concerns over whether the new ICC constitution, for which Manohar was the driving force, would be passed at the April meetings, when specific points in the document will come up for vote.In principle the constitution had passed at the ICC board meeting in February. Seven Full Members had voted in favour but the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket had voted against the new constitution, while Zimbabwe Cricket abstained. Since then, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has expressed reservations against some aspects of the new constitution.The Indian board’s primary objection to the new constitution is the financial model, according to which the BCCI stood to make substantially less than it did under the existing model, which was devised by the Big Three.It was revealed that Manohar had met with the BCCI’s Committee of Administrators the evening before he announced his resignation to discuss the new ICC constitution, though he said he had already made up his mind to quit before the meeting.Significantly, the BCCI, with whom Manohar has had a complex relationship since he became an independent ICC chairman last year, endorsed the decision, along with other major directors. “It is important that the current issues are resolved to everyone’s satisfaction,” Vikram Limaye, a member of the BCCI’s CoA, said. “We had a productive meeting with Mr Manohar recently wherein we outlined the concerns of BCCI on the financial model and governance issues and our suggestions for resolution. We are committed to working with ICC for a satisfactory resolution of these issues.”On Wednesday, the CoA had also spoken of how they intend to proceed on issues related to the ICC in the run up to the April board meeting. The tone of those messages suggested a shift from the more abrasive stance the BCCI has employed towards the ICC in recent years, to a more conciliatory one.

Arsenal could potentially sell Thomas Partey and Jorginho, and sign Romeo Lavia in a complete midfield rebuild this summer, journalist Graeme Bailey has claimed.

What's the latest on Arsenal's midfield options?

Kai Havertz has joined from Chelsea, whilst Declan Rice is expected to follow suit, with both 24-year-olds arriving for big fees.

Granit Xhaka is expected to join Bayer Leverkusen, and losing the Switzerland captain will be a big loss. As one of the main midfield starters alongside Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard, Xhaka was one of the main leaders and one of the most experienced players within the squad.

Partey could also depart amid reported interest from Saudi Arabia, and it has now also been mooted that Jorginho could also leave just six months arriving from Chelsea.

Romeo Lavia has been linked with a move to the Emirates, in what could be a window in which three experienced midifelders depart and three younger ones arrive.

Speaking on the Talking Transfers Podcast, Bailey claimed that Partey and Jorginho could follow Xhaka out, and that Arsenal could spend big on yet another midfielder this summer.

"I think they want more, that's what I'm hearing, I think Thomas Partey will go to Saudi Arabia," he stated.

"I wouldn't necessarily rule Jorginho going out. It's just that he's on so much money, at Arsenal, and what Lazio can do now, it's a massive discrepancy is what they can do.

"So I wouldn't necessarily rule Jorginho going out. I think Partey will go to Saudi, I wouldn't rule Arsenal out for another midfielder. I think [Moises] Caicedo will be Chelsea bound, but Lavia, someone like that.

"I wouldn't rule that out, Arsenal getting another top class midfielder and in fact, I'll be shocked if they don't."

Should Arsenal tear up their midfield?

Xhaka is in the last year of his contract, and it seems that the long-serving midfielder wanted to return to Germany, so Arsenal's hands were tied over the 30-year-old.

Partey is 30, and has two years left on his deal. Whilst he has been crucial at times, his injury record has been inconsistent since his arrival three years ago, and if a big offer arrives, it may be too tempting to decline.

Jorginho has one year left on his initial deal. The veteran has proven to be a smart acquisition from Arsenal's London rivals, and he recently admitted that he wanted to continue at the club.

Even if a talent like Lavia was to come in, losing three vastly experienced and talented players in one summer could be damaging, and it could take a while for three new signings to fully adjust to playing in a new team.

So it will be interesting to see if Arteta does look to keep one of those experienced heads in the squad for the upcoming campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur forward Dejan Kulusevski may have to win over new manager Ange Postecoglou who, as things stand, is "not too convinced" by him.

Who could leave Spurs this summer?

Chairman Daniel Levy finally landed on Postecoglou to replace Antonio Conte last week, after over two months of searching for the Italian's replacement.

The 57-year-old set to officially start work on July 1, and Levy has explained exactly why he opted for the ex-Celtic boss in an interview with the club's official website.

“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play," said Levy.

"He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our Club. We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead."

Tottenham are now tasked with backing Postecoglou in the transfer market whilst reshaping the team in his image, with the club identifying targets for their goalkeeping, central defensive and attacking midfield positions.

However, there are a few faces who could also depart N17 to make way, and it will be very interesting to see who Postecoglou does and doesn't fancy.

Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Davinson Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon, Lenglet, Eric Dier and Ben Davies have all been tipped for the axe. Meanwhile, Spurs are also thinking of selling Giovani Lo Celso, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Winks with Tanguy Ndombele's future uncertain (The Telegraph).

According to a new report by 90min, they are not the only ones, with defender Eric Dier's talks over a new deal stalling. As well as the Englishman, there is a very interesting line concerning Kulusevski, who starred under Conte during the 2021/2022 season.

As per their information, the Sweden international "may have to win over Postecoglou", with the Australian "not too convinced" by him right now.

Kulusevski's loan-to-buy deal from Juventus is still yet to activated and the 23-year-old is still very much there on a temporary deal.

Who is Dejan Kulusevski?

The forward, despite a mixed 22/23, seriously impressed under Conte the season prior after signing in January of that year.

From February 2022 onwards, Kulusevski chipped in with five goals and eight assists as Tottenham secured Champions League qualification.

The former Parma star has showcased his serious ability on more than one occasion and we believe he'd be a useful asset for Postecoglou.

Even last season, talkSPORT pundit Ally McCoist was blown away by some of his showings, even calling Kulusevski "absolutely different class" after a performance against Chelsea in February.

Arsenal seem to have identified one of their key targets for this summer, having already made a move towards securing his signature.

What's the latest on Joao Cancelo to Arsenal?

That's according to Fabrizio Romano, who spoke to GIVEMESPORT on the Gunners' pursuit of Manchester City star Joao Cancelo.

He said: "For Cancelo, yes, they are interested. They had some contact, and they have very good relationship with these agents. So there was a conversation over the possibility to sign Cancelo."

Whilst Bayern Munich has opted against pursuing the €70m (£60m) buy option they held in his loan deal, apparently the treble-chasing outfit are now reportedly willing to lower that price to around €40m (£34m). This has alerted Barcelona as well as Mikel Arteta, which could make for an interesting battle this summer.

Would Joao Cancelo fit Arsenal's system?

Whilst Ben White and Bukayo Saka boast a fine partnership down the right flank, with the latter allowed to flourish offensively given he is backed up by the pure defensive exploits of the former, the Citizens have proven that offence is often the best form of defence.

Their all-out philosophy strangles the opposition of the ball, and their relentless waves of attack almost always bear fruit.

Therefore, by replacing the former Brighton and Hove Albion centre-back with the Portugal international, at the very least that right-wing will almost guarantee success in the final third, by having two players of such immense quality combining.

Last term Saka notched 15 goals and 11 assists, whilst the season prior Cancelo would offer up seven assists whilst maintaining 1.1 key passes and a further 2.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

He does not completely sacrifice solidity to be a key creative influence, yet manages to remain the "playmaker" that Rio Ferdinand branded him back in 2021.

His perfection of the inverted full-back role made him such a mainstay under Pep Guardiola, starting 36 league matches that term, and in moving to the Emirates, he could force a huge reshuffle in their defence that would make them more solid, stronger in depth and more potent in attack.

White could shift across as a more capable backup for William Saliba, and in having the 29-year-old on the opposite flank to Oleksandr Zinchenko, they would truly emphasise all-out control in every phase of the match.

However, the most exciting combination would undoubtedly be with Saka, as a couple of creative leaders to overload one side. They both boast pace and dynamism, yet technical quality beyond most in their respective positions.

It is a partnership that would strike fear into every left back in the country, and likely have Guardiola worried about just how strong he continues to make his nearest rival.

أجرى مهاجم روما والمنتخب الأرجنتيني، باولو ديبالا، مقابلة مع إحدى وسائل الإعلام السعودية تحدث فيها عن رحيل جوزيه مورينيو عن النادي الإيطالي.

وعلق ديبالا أيضًا على علاقته بكل من قائد منتخب الأرجنتين، ليونيل ميسي، بالإضافة إلى قائد منتخب البرتغال، كريستيانو رونالدو، لاعب يوفنتوس السابق.

اقرأ ايضاً.. ديبالا يحسم مستقبله مع روما بعد ارتباطه بالانتقال للدوري السعودي

وقال ديبالا في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” عن وسائل الإعلام السعودية: “العمل مع مورينيو كان محفزًا ويمثل نموًا كبيرًا بالنسبة لي، المدرب الذي فعل الكثير في حياته المهنية، يساهم بلا شك بخبرته ويساعدك على النمو كلاعب كرة قدم”.

وتابع: “بصراحة، لا أعرف ما يخبئه المستقبل له، لكنني متأكد من أنه سيستمر في القمة بلا شك”.

وأفاد: “ميسي ورونالدو وهيجواين هم زملائي الثلاثة المفضلين في مسيرتي، كريستيانو رونالدو يعد بطلاً، اللعب معه في يوفنتوس كان رائعًا، تعلمت منه التفاني في مهنتي والرغبة في الفوز، رغم كل ما حققته بالفعل، أنا لست مندهشًا من أن الأمور تسير بشكل جيد في المنطقة العربية أيضًا”.

واختتم: “حلمي منذ الصغر كان اللعب مع ميسي ، كان مصدر إلهامي الدائم بالنسبة لي، ومشاركتي معه والفوز بكأس العالم متعة لن أنساها أبدًا”.

West Ham United are reportedly looking ahead to the transfer window for reinforcements this summer.

While the narrative surrounding West Ham on the transfer front has been mainly targeting the future of Declan Rice, the Hammers have been linked with a Premier League attacker, taking some attention from their proposed outgoings.

With his future in doubt and his reluctance to sign a new contract public, Arsenal forward Reiss Nelson is expected to be on the move this summer, with interest from East London reported.

What’s the latest on Reiss Nelson to West Ham United?

As reported by the Daily Mail last month, the 23-year-old has gained interest from a number of clubs both inside and out of the Premier League, including West Ham.

It’s now understood that the Gunners have made three offers for contracts to the young Englishman, with a solution not set to be found with his wishes to have more game time.

The Hale End graduate will leave on a free transfer from the Emirates this summer, with his next destination being monitored by many.

What could Reiss Nelson offer West Ham United?

Having been at the club since the age of nine, Nelson has enjoyed two loan spells since graduating from the academy, representing Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga and Feyenoord in the Eredivisie.

Following his stay in Germany, the winger’s market value hit a high of €12.7m (£11m) – as per FootballTransfers – for his praised performances in which he scored seven Bundesliga goals in 23 appearances.

Praised as having “great pace” and the ability to do “a lot” with the ball by former Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann, the forward has a bright future ahead of him and would be a worthy addition for West Ham.

While Jarrod Bowen has been strong this season for the majority, scoring 11 goals and assisting eight, introducing a player as hungry as Nelson could spur the 26-year-old on to improve performance and compete for a place.

Despite being a squad player this season in Arsenal’s rising young side, the 23-year-old has made an impact when required, showing his resilience and patience as well as his skill set to provide with little practice.

It’s common for players to drop off performance-wise when not playing frequently, however, Nelson has defied such expectations, with his cameos from the bench ranking him in the top 3% in Europe’s top five leagues for most goals scored per 90, with a massive 0.56 – as per FBref.

Described as having an “elite” mentality by former teammate and fellow Arsenal academy graduate Alex Iwobi, the forward has flourished statistically this season, with FBref comparing him to the likes of Vinicius Junior for his numbers.

The youngster also ranks highly for his work on the ball, averaging 2.63 successful take-ons per 90, placing him in the top 10% for his position in Europe.

The right-winger has a host of potential, as well as experience in playing and competing with a side as bustling with talent as Arsenal’s, making him a forward that could excel at the club and push those around him.

Nick Browne posted his highest List A score to keep Essex top of the Royal London Cup South Group table, but the opener might have been celebrating a first 50-over hundred if he had not been run out on 99

ECB Reporters Network26-Jul-2016
ScorecardNick Browne made his highest score in limited-overs cricket•Getty Images

Nick Browne posted his highest List A score to keep Essex top of the Royal London Cup South Group table, but the opener might have been celebrating a first 50-over hundred if he had not been run out on 99.Browne slipped as he turned for a second run and failed to beat home Andrew Salter’s throw from deep mid-on. He had faced 104 balls, and in partnerships of 82 with Jesse Ryder and 85 with Ravi Bopara laid the foundations for Essex to chase down 325 with five balls to spare.The left-hander’s previous best had been the 69 he recorded against Hampshire at Southampton last year. Coincidentally, Browne’s previous highest score in this season’s competition was 49 before he was stumped in the win against Kent.Ryder and Bopara both contributed half-centuries and Ryan ten Doeschate and James Foster thrashed 36 off 20 ball to finish the chase as Essex claimed their fourth win in six games after their 66-run defeat by Surrey on Sunday.That Essex faced such a big target was down to a 66-ball hundred by Colin Ingram, containing six sixes. The South African needed just 73 balls to reach 107 – which also included seven fours – and dominated stands of 83 and 87 with Will Bragg and Graham Wagg for the third and sixth wickets.Ingram took 41 balls to reach his half-century, and then accelerated to the extent that his next fifty took just a further 25 deliveries. But the biggest partnership of Glamorgan’s innings went to openers David Lloyd and Jacques Rudolph, their 105 partnership spanning 23 overs.Four of Essex’s seven bowlers went for more than seven an over, and only the steady David Masters kept Glamorgan under control with two for 44 from his 10 overs. Graham Napier finished with three wickets, but at a personal cost of 73. In the end it mattered not.

Angelo Mathews has spoken of his shock at feeling Shaminda Eranga’s racing heartbeat during Sri Lanka’s second ODI at Malahide on Saturday.Eranga was rushed to hospital as his team-mates took to the field for the second innings of the match and remains in Ireland where he is undergoing tests to determine the cause of his elevated heartbeat, which is understood to have reached an alarming 220 beats per minute.

Mathews would Mankad again

Angelo Mathews has stood by his decision, during the 2014 series, to enforce the Mankading of Jos Buttler, a move that was at the time decried by Alastair Cook as “a pretty poor act”.
Sachithra Senanayake ran out Buttler at the non-striker’s end during the fifth ODI at Edgbaston after the batsman had repeatedly been warned for backing up early. But Mathews said he wouldn’t shy away from a repeat performance if a similar situation occurred.
“You face challenging moments in life,” he said. “Being in the hot seat is not easy. Sometimes you have to make those hard decisions, Unfortunately I had to make that. I still stand by it, because we warned him twice before. That’s all we could possibly do at that time.”
“We are not looking forward to doing the Mankading. We will play our cricket within the rules. If someone is trying to take advantage of the rules then we will probably warn him. But the Test series was played in very good spirit, so hopefully we’ll play the ODI series in very good spirit, too.”

The 29-year-old had gone out to bat in the first innings and faced a single delivery, the final ball of Sri Lanka’s innings. According to the team management there were no warning signs of any ill-health and and they are not aware of Eranga having any previous heart conditions.It was during Sri Lanka’s warm-up in the innings break that Eranga realised something was wrong.”At the time he called me and said ‘something has happened to me’,” said Matthews. “He was warming up and just before we went on the field, he said something happened to me, can you touch my heart because it is beating fast. I felt something unusual so I quickly called the physio and the physio went for the doctor with him. It was a shocking incident.”While Eranga’s health is of the utmost concern, he received a separate blow on Sunday when the ICC deemed his action to be illegal. The seamer had been reported after the second Test against England in Durham and subsequent tests in Loughborough showed the flexion of his elbow exceeded the legal maximum of 15 percent.ESPNcricinfo understands Eranga was not showing signs of undue stress before the ODI on Saturday and that doctors have ruled out anxiety as a cause of his condition.”It has been a tough 48 hours for him,” said Matthews, “And the whole team is behind him and we are fully supportive of him. It was an unfortunate incident just before we went on to the field.””It’s another unfortunate incident where his action has proved to be illegal and he will have to go back and work with the fast-bowling coaches and come back strong.””We are very confident he will come through both – his condition as well as his action – so we are very supportive of him and the whole team are behind him.”Eranga will remain in Ireland until the results of the tests are known and, once he is declared medically fit to fly, he will then return to Sri Lanka.His absence leaves a hole in a bowling attack that has already been depleted by injuries to Dushmantha Chameera and Dhammika Prasad, Sri Lanka are preparing to call in at least one replacement from the Sri Lanka A squad, which arrives in England tomorrow ahead of two four-day games against Pakistan, followed by a 50-over tri-series also involving the England Lions.During the three-Test series Sri Lanka struggled with the early season English conditions but showed gradual improvements and Matthews hopes the change in formats will lead to a change in fortune for his side.”It was pretty unfortunate that we haven’t performed well in the Test series but we kept improving game by game and as time went on we really started hitting our straps and we had some convincing wins in Ireland,” he said.”But England is a completely different team, we still have to play our best cricket to beat them here.””We haven’t done well in the recent past but we’ve played a lot of T20 games rather than one-dayers. We are a forceful unit when it comes to one-dayers, we’ve got a good set of guys and a bit of experience.”