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She has been withdrawn from the squad on the advice of CA medical staff

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2023Australia captain Meg Lanning has been ruled out of the Ashes due to medical reasons. Alyssa Healy will lead the side in the multi-format series which begins on June 22.Lanning returned to playing in January after taking an extended break from the game to manage her mental health and led Australia to the T20 World Cup title in South Africa during March before going on to feature in the inaugural WPL.”It’s an unfortunate setback for Meg and she’s obviously disappointed to have been ruled out of the Ashes; it’s a significant series for the team and she’ll be missed, but she understands the need to put her health first,” Shawn Flegler, CA’s head of performance for women’s cricket, said.Related

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“Meg will remain at home where she will continue to work with medical staff with the aim to return to playing as soon as possible. We ask that Meg’s privacy is respected at this time.”A CA statement added: “On the advice of CA medical staff, Lanning has been withdrawn from the squad due to a medical issue which requires management from home. A timeline for Lanning’s return to play will become clearer in due course.”It will be the second Ashes series that Lanning has missed after she sat out the 2017-18 series in Australia due to a shoulder injury.Lanning was part of the promotion of the fixture announcement for next summer little more than a fortnight ago.During Lanning’s absence from the team last year Healy stepped into the captaincy and will again be supported by Tahlia McGrath as vice captain.Australia will not replace Lanning in the Ashes squad with Australia A touring concurrently for the first part of the trip meaning they can draft players in as required.The loss of Lanning will leave a huge hole to fill in the top order across formats. There could be significant rejigging for the Test match with Healy having recently indicated she will consider a move down the order to manage her workload.

Antony admits that he “hit rock bottom” after flopping badly at Manchester United, but an “emotional” return to the Brazil squad is being embraced.

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Forward struggled at Old TraffordRediscovered spark on loan at BetisEarned Selecao recall under AncelottiFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Tricky winger Antony moved to Old Trafford as part of an £85 million ($115m) transfer package in the summer of 2022. He was reunited with former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag in England and enjoyed a bright start to his spell with Premier League heavyweights.

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Things quickly unravelled from there, on and off the pitch, with Antony mustering just 12 goals for United through 96 appearances. He was deemed surplus to requirements in January 2025 and allowed to link up with La Liga side Real Betis on loan.

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A spark was rediscovered in Spain, with nine goals being recorded while also gracing the Conference League final, and Antony has been drafted back into the Brazil ranks by new Selecao boss Carlo Ancelotti.

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The 25-year-old has told of earning an international recall after coming through some dark days: "It was one of the most emotional moments. I mentioned to some friends here in the national team that this call-up was more exciting than the first time I came here [October 2021], and it was even more emotional because of everything I've been through.

"Being in good shape, hitting rock bottom, and having the resilience that I had, with the help of God and my family, was very important."

Derbyshire need eight wickets on final day after batting dominance at New Road

ECB Reporters Network27-Jun-2023Captain Leus du Plooy struck his maiden double century as Derbyshire took control of a record-breaking day against Worcestershire in the LV=Insurance County Championship encounter at New Road.Du Plooy and Anuj Dal came together at 320-5 and put on an unbroken 258, the Peakites record stand for the sixth wicket against any opposition in first-class cricket.Derbyshire’s mammoth total of 578 for 5 declared was their highest against Worcestershire and earned them a first innings lead of 341.Dal also emulated his achievement of in the corresponding game last summer of scoring a century and taking five wickets in an innings.Du Plooy was unbeaten on 238 and his marathon knock spanned nine hours and contained two sixes and 25 fours.Dal ended on 141 not out from 193 deliveries with five sixes and 13 fours when the declaration came mid-way through the afternoon session.Worcestershire were left to reflect on a below-par bowing performance, with only Joe Leach emerging with much credit, and a slipshod fielding display.Derbyshire will have aspirations of chasing a first Championship victory in 10 games stretching back to when they recovered from 14 for 5 on the opening morning to defeat Worcestershire at New Road last summer.Their bowlers then made early inroads with Jake Libby and Azhar Ali falling cheaply as Worcestershire reached 70 for two before bad light ended play with 16 overs remaining.Derbyshire resumed on 374 for 5 and Dal survived a chance to Josh Baker at second slip off Leach before he had added to his overnight 20.Du Plooy went past his previous first-class best of 186 for South Western Districts versus Northern Cape at Kimberley in February 2022 when he cut Navdeep Saini for four.The 28-year-old is certainly in prime form after over-taking his Derbyshire best of 170 against Yorkshire at Chesterfield earlier this month.He went onto become the first Derbyshire player to score a double hundred at New Road and a late cut for four off Saini took Dal to three figures.Worcestershire were powerless to halt the onslaught before du Plooy called a halt to the Derbyshire first innings and then his bowlers went to work.Stand-in captain Libby went for a pull to the first delivery from Luis Reece and keeper Brooke Guest ran around to deep backward square to hold onto a skier.Azhar Ali survived 33 deliveries for just three runs before he tried to work Nick Potts to leg and was lbw.There was just time for debutant Rehaan Edavalath to get off the mark – after his first innings duck – before the light closed in with Gareth Roderick unbeaten on 38.

Barcelona reportedly "called FIFA" regarding a late invite to the 2025 Club World Cup, but saw that approach knocked back.

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Mexican outfit removed from competitionBlaugrana hoped to fill spot in the United StatesSnubbed as place went to MLS side LAFCFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

FIFA had a space to fill in their global gathering on American soil following the decision to remove Club Leon from the competition due to multi-ownership rules – with the Mexican outfit run by the same group as domestic rivals Pachuca.

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Their spot eventually went to MLS outfit LAFC, as they emerged victorious in a play-in clash with Club America. FIFA wanted to ensure that said place went to another team from the CONCACAF region.

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Barcelona had thrown their hat into the ring, according to , having missed out on automatic qualification. Despite being La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup winners in 2024-25, the Blaugrana were not invited to the Club World Cup.

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FIFA initially dictated that only two teams from any one nation could compete, with Spain being represented by Real Madrid and their neighbours Atletico. They are set to be richly rewarded for their participation, with it possible that they could pull in €135 million (£115m/$156m).

Raul is in contention to coach Spain U21 after leaving Real Madrid Castilla, as the Spanish Football Federation plans a new cycle post-Santi Denia.

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Raul leaves Castilla after six years in chargeSpanish FA in talks to appoint him U21 coachSanti Denia departs to coach in QatarFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Raul has emerged as the top candidate to replace Denia as Spain’s U21 head coach. After ending his six-year tenure at Real Madrid Castilla, Raul is now in early discussions with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

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Denia is set to leave his role after his side's Euro 2025 exit at the hands of England on Saturday and will take over Qatari side Al-Shahaniya, bringing his long and successful journey with Spain’s youth teams to an end. Raul’s potential appointment fits a long-standing RFEF tradition of hiring former national team stars with youth coaching experience.

His deep ties to Spanish football and success developing players at Castilla make him a natural successor. If selected, the 47-year-old would lead Spain’s U21 side into a new competitive cycle, eyeing qualification for the 2027 Euros and the 2028 Olympics.

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The former Real Madrid striker played 102 matches for Spain and scored 44 goals, second only to David Villa (59). He turns 48 this week and is seen as a long-term coaching option for the senior national team. Previous U21 coaches like Julen Lopetegui and Luis Milla also transitioned from youth to senior roles in Spain’s setup.

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For now, it's just a matter of making contact. Raul has offers, with German teams still valuing the strong image he built during his time at Schalke. However, taking charge of the Spain U21 team fits well with his current priorities, as joining the national setup could position him as a strong future candidate for the senior team role.

Luke Wood takes three in first 10 balls but visitors recover to pull off narrow defence

ECB Reporters Network09-Aug-2023Northern Superchargers made it two wins from their two completed matches as they held off Trent Rockets’ chase to win by three runs at Trent Bridge.Superchargers were defending 142 for 5, having recovered from a devastating burst of 3 for 8 in 10 balls by Luke Wood at the start thanks to David Wiese, who made 54 from 25, and Brydon Carse (33 from 29) adding 72 unbroken from 48 balls, of which 47 came off the last 15 deliveries, including four sixes from the Namibia allrounder.After Alex Hales hit 29 from 22 balls at the top of the Rockets innings, Sam Hain (20 from 12) and Daniel Sams (27 from 14) took them close but ultimately Reece Topley (2 for 20) defended nine off the last five balls to see the Superchargers home. Wayne Parnell (3 for 21) and Callum Parkinson (2 for 27) did the damage earlier.After judging that bowling first was the best option on this pitch, Rockets could not have had a better start, left-armer Wood delivering back-to-back sets from the pavilion end and hitting the stumps three times to dismiss Tom Banton, Harry Brook and Matthew Short, each with full, swinging deliveries that he celebrated spectacularly.After sharing 180 of the Superchargers’ massive 201 for 3 against Southern Brave last time out, the trio’s combined contribution this time was 8 – all to Short. Responsibility sat with Adam Hose to lead a rebuild from 9 for 3 but after finding the boundary three times he shanked one from Joe Root – in his first appearance of the competition – and was caught at wide long-on.With Root’s offbreaks and canny left-arm spinner Imad Wasim both making scoring difficult, Root picked up a second wicket when a Saif Zaib paddle went wrong. Superchargers looked in desperate need of a strong finish at 83 for 5 after 75.Wiese provided it, hammering four sixes and three fours in a 25-ball unbeaten 54 – albeit having been gifted 10 of those runs by drops on the boundary rope by Hales and Hain – alongside a steadier innings from Carse to give themselves and the other Superchargers bowlers something to defend.Rockets lost Dawid Malan to ball 13 when he found Brook at deep square leg off Parkinson but Hales and Munro were quickly into a rhythm, Munro lofting Parkinson over deep midwicket for six before Hales adeptly found the fence four times in five balls against Short’s offspin.However, both were out in the space of four deliveries to bring Superchargers right back into it as Parnell bowled his second set, Munro slicing to deep point and Hales aiming an inelegant swipe at one that kept a tad low and scattered his stumps.It left two new batters at the crease and though Root was one of them, the former England captain lasted only eight deliveries, failing with the reverse sweep as Parkinson grabbed his second wicket. Hain lofted Parkinson beautifully over cover on the short side and Tom Kohler-Cadmore cleared the long-on boundary off Adil Rashid, leaving 51 required from the final 25 balls.Hain and Kohler-Cadmore holed out in the space of four balls. Sams cleared the leg-side boundary twice off Wiese and Lewis Gregory defied Wiese’s brilliant attempted stop to clear the long-on boundary off Parnell, Sams perished off ball 98 as he skied to long-on and the Rockets fell four short of their target.

The ACU has also charged seven others associated with Pune Devils during the 2021 season of the Abu Dhabi T10

Nagraj Gollapudi19-Sep-2023Eight people associated with Pune Devils franchise in the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament including Bangladesh allrounder Nasir Hossain have been charged by the ICC’ anti-corruption unit for alleged corrupt activities. The charges concern the 2020-21 edition of the tournament, which was played in Abu Dhabi.Apart from Nasir, the other seven charged are Krishan Kumar Chaudhary and Parag Sanghvi (two of the Devils’ co-owners), Rizwan Javed and Saliya Saman (two domestic players), as well as Ashar Zaidi (batting coach), Sunny Dhillon (assistant coach) and Shadab Ahamed (team manager).The 2021 edition was the last time the Devils were part of the tournament. They finished last with just one win in six matches in the Super League.The ACU was appointed as the watchdog for the T10 tournament by the Emirates Cricket Board, which pressed the charges. All eight have two weeks to respond from Tuesday.ESPNcrcinfo has learned that well-known corruptors in the game, who are high on the ACU list, were trying to infiltrate the Devils camp to influence their matches. However, those attempts, the ICC said in a media release on Tuesday, were “disrupted” by the ACU.In addition to charging the eight for not reporting any approach or any conduct that could be deemed corrupt as well as failing to cooperate in the investigation or attempting to delay it, the ACU has also laid several other charges. Sanghvi faces the charge of “placing bets on the results, progress” of a match. Zaidi, Javed, Saman and Dhillon have been charged with “being party to an attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly matches or aspects of matches.”Javed and Saman also face a separate charge of “offering a reward in exchange for that player engaging in” corrupt practice. Among the eight, the 31-year-old Hossain, an all-format player who last represented Bangladesh in 2018, is the most high-profile name. He has been pulled up for not reporting receiving a gift worth more than USD 750, a mandatory rule in the ACU code.

Dempsey said that drama was avoidable had the federation communicated differently and the two parties had aligned messaging

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Dempsey questions USSF over Pulisic situationClaims summer drama was avoidableUSMNT currently playing in Gold CupFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

National team legend Clint Dempsey questioned U.S. Soccer's communication and approach regarding Christian Pulisic's absence from the CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer.

When Pulisic was not included in Mauricio Pochettino's roster for the summer tournament, U.S. Soccer released a statement, with sporting director Matt Crocker saying, "Christian and his team approached the Federation and the coaching staff about the possibility of stepping back this summer, given the amount of matches he has played in the past two years at both the club and international level with very little break."

Since the announcement in late May, the decision was criticized by multiple former USMNT players, including Landon Donovan,Alexi Lalas, Tim Howard, and Dempsey himself.

Pulisic subsequently made an attempt to clear things up, but only added another layer to the conversation, saying he asked to play in two June friendlies but was turned away. That prompted a response from Pochettino, while multiple first-team players, such as Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, also chimed in to defend Pulisic.

Speaking to The Athletic, Dempsey said that was all avoidable had the federation communicated differently and the two parties had aligned with their messaging.

“Why wasn’t there a way that we could have been more unified in the messaging that’s going out to the public?" Dempsey said. "You have one of the best players for the national team, and if it had been England, if Harry Kane was missing a tournament or the Nations League or World Cup qualifying, there would be people asking questions.

“It’s important to be unified and to have that conversation. Then there’s no back and forth looking like two people are at odds with each other, especially a year out from the World Cup. It could have been handled better. Still, the best way to solve problems – whether you get a red card in the game or you do something stupid – is to get back on the pitch and let your play do the talking for you.”

Dempsey, who represented the USMNT 140 times, had previously revealed he once had an injection in his adductor to play for the USMNT, and that he would do whatever it takes to represent his country. The now 42-year-old was asked if players are accountable for their actions in such moments.

“You would like to think you have a good enough relationship with your teammates that you could put a call in and ask, ‘Hey, what’s going on? Is there something I can do for you? We need you in this tournament.' At the same time, for me, it was never a question if I was going to go into the national team and play,” Dempsey said. “Whether it was Gold Cup, World Cup qualifying, the Confederations Cup, Copa America, the World Cup, I wanted to be there because as a kid, I dreamed about representing my country.

“I knew that there were a lot of kids where I am from that didn’t make it. You’re representing for them, your town, your city, your state, your country. So everybody’s going through different things. Everybody’s dealing with different injuries and different things mentally. I’m not privy to those conversations to know what’s going on."

The drama was exacerbated by the fact the USMNT had lost four straight matches entering the Gold Cup.

“What’s made this situation difficult is what happened with Copa America when we did not get out of the group stage, then losing to Panama and Canada in Nations League and then the four losses in a row, the worst streak we’d had in a long time," he said. "It put more pressure on this Gold Cup. There are not many opportunities left after this for meaningful games, and you want to try to get things right.”

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Pulisic played more than 3,500 minutes for AC Milan this past season as the competed in the UEFA Champions League, Serie A, and domestic competitions. In his interview with CBS, the 26-year-old claimed his mind and body "started talking" to him, and that the best course of action was to ensure he was fit for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Dempsey believes it could have been handled better, and perhaps, more privately.

“It shows there’s a climate where people care,” Dempsey said. “I’m not trying to be a part of the drama. You’re asking me my opinion, and I’m giving you how I look at things. In terms of the Christian situation, all I think is U.S. Soccer could have been more unified about how that gets out to the public… you never want to get in a situation where it’s tit for tat.

"Everybody wants the same thing: to have the U.S. playing well. We want to be excited. I’d like to focus more on the positives of the new faces. They’re gonna be in this Gold Cup, they’re gonna push to get into the lineup and get this fanbase and team back on track to being inspired because we are one year out from the greatest tournament.”

WHAT DEMPSEY SAID ABOUT USMNT

The former U.S. striker added that he believes development with the current USMNT group has become stagnant, and that the young core that carried them into the knockout round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup was the last real sense of growth from young prospects within the program.

“You’ve had this new talent, you’ve developed it so far, but then where’s this next young talent that’s coming up and pushing these guys and having competition for spots?" he said. "That would create an environment where you have to look over your shoulder and be on your game to make sure that someone’s not taking your spot.”

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The USMNT are currently competing at the Gold Cup, topping their group. They will play Costa Rica in the quarterfinals on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

GOAL pays tribute to the beloved Liverpool and Portugal attacker, who has passed away at just 28 years of age

On Thursday morning, reported that Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota, along with his brother Andre Silva, had been killed in a car accident in Spain. The initial reaction was disbelief.

There'd clearly been some sort of horrible mix-up. Jota had only just got married, after all. He was young, healthy and happy. There was just no way this could be true.

But denial was soon forced to make way for devastation. The heart-breaking news of Jota's passing was confirmed by his club at 10:23am. A wife had lost her husband, three children had lost their father, and Liverpool had lost one of its most beloved adopted sons.

Getty ImagesSurprise signing

Jota had been an unexpected Anfield icon. The vast majority of Liverpool supporters will openly admit that they weren't really sure what to make of the club's decision to sign the Portugal forward from Wolves late in the 2020 summer transfer window. Jota had looked a good player at Molineux, but the fee was an eyebrow-raising £41 million ($56m).

The fans feared they'd overpaid, but Jota had been on Klopp's wishlist "for two or three years". The German was convinced that the Portuguese was perfect for his style of play – and he was right. In fact, as Klopp later admitted, Jota turned out to be even better than even he expected.

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With his versatility and incredible work-rate, Jota slotted seamlessly into Liverpool's starting line-up. This was an intelligent, industrious and multi-functional forward who would excel no matter where he was deployed in attack.

Consequently, Jota looked right at home on Merseyside from the get-go, becoming the first Red since Robbie 'God' Fowler to score seven times in his first 10 appearances for the club – a sensational start that featured goals in four consecutive appearances at Anfield.

By the end of November 2020, it was clear that the Kop already had a new idol. 'Jota the slotter' wasn't just a pressing machine; he was a wonderfully composed finisher too.

AFP'Mentality mixed with quality'

But then came the first of the fitness issues that plagued Jota during his time at Liverpool, with the attacker suffering a knee injury in December 2020 that kept him out of action for three months.

A fully-fit Jota showed exactly what he was capable of during the 2021-22 campaign, however, as he scored 21 goals in 55 appearances as Liverpool won the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup before finishing as runners-up in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

"We were completely convinced when he arrived at the club he would help us massively," Klopp told reporters in January 2022. "Since he has been here, he has made another step, he has turned into a really world-class striker. Mentality mixed with quality is the reason we signed him."

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Getty Images Sport'Double frustration'

However, it felt like that every time Jota built up some serious momentum, his body would betray him. The 2023-24 season was a case in point; Jota made a flying start, only to be sidelined by a muscular problem. He then scored five times in his first six games after returning from injury, but made just one start during the title run-in due to separate ligament and hip issues.

The common consensus was that Liverpool's season simply would not have unravelled in the same fashion had Jota been to able to play – and that only made him feel worse: “You feel double frustration when results aren't good as you feel that you could have been there to help and maybe things would have been different. That feeling isn't nice at all."

“It’s put us under a lot more pressure than we’d like. But there’s still a lot of clarity about us having to play our game and getting back on the road with that”

Matt Roller17-Oct-2023England’s players are desperate to win a second consecutive World Cup – so desperate that they have reverted to playing risk-averse cricket during their first three matches. That is the view of their coach Matthew Mott, who also hopes that his players will gain “perspective” from the arrival of their families in Mumbai this week.The white-ball revolution that resulted from an early exit from the 2015 World Cup saw England embrace a positive, attacking style with the bat. It has eluded them in the first three games of the 2023 edition, with the majority of their batters dismissed while playing defensive or rotating shots in Sunday’s defeat to Afghanistan in Delhi.”I thought the boys were really up for it, but we didn’t really fire a shot from the start,” Mott said on Tuesday, the day after England travelled south-west. “The facts were, we were just a bit off in every aspect of the game. It’s not panic stations yet, but it’s nowhere near the start that we were hoping for and the time is now to really turn that around.Related

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“The overwhelming emotion I could sense [in the dressing room] was disappointment. The heads were down, as you’d expect. We tried to give the players a bit of perspective: we’ve come back from spots like that before, other teams have come back from spots like that before. You’re never going to go through this World Cup winning every game.”It’s put us under a lot more pressure than we’d like. But there’s still a lot of clarity about us having to play our game and getting back on the road with that. Once we start putting that together, you build momentum and then hopefully you peak at the right time.”ODIs have been a distant third in England’s priorities since they won the World Cup in 2019, behind Tests and T20Is, and Mott admitted that some of his players are “really struggling for that rhythm of 50-over cricket” as a result. But he insisted that the format is not “unloved” – and that his team might even care too much.”Players love playing World Cups,” Mott said. “Make no mistake: this is massive for every player in our group. If anything, we’ve probably just tried a bit too hard, because it’s such a big lure for all these guys. It’s what they play the game for in white-ball cricket; the one-day World Cup doesn’t come around that often. It’s very special.”Matthew Mott and Jos Buttler have had tough questions to answer•Getty ImagesBrendon McCullum, Mott’s Test counterpart, is in Mumbai on personal business this week and the pair spoke in the lobby of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel on Tuesday. “I said, ‘do you want to do a little swap?'” Mott joked, before adding: “I’ve got one of the greatest jobs going around, so you have to take the rough with the smooth.”England will not train until Thursday and several players’ partners and children arrived in Mumbai on Monday. “When you have a loss like the other night, the first thing people want to do is get straight back into training,” Mott said. “But sometimes, that’s the worst thing you can do.”You can have your rough days and your bad days, but [being at a World Cup] is a great time. There are families coming in at the moment. Players will get a little bit of perspective. You get a lot of perspective travelling around here as well: we’re incredibly fortunate to do what we do. The odd bad day, you’ve got to cop on the chin.”Mott also clarified that England will not make sweeping selection changes before they play South Africa on Saturday. “We’ll always make to look subtle changes, but I can guarantee you now there won’t be any wholesale changes with the team,” he said. “I’m not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater after a couple of bad performances.”He also pushed back against criticism of Chris Woakes, who has combined figures of 2 for 135 from 18 overs at this tournament. “I’m not sure you quite understand how tough it is, particularly bowling in the Powerplay,” he said, when asked if Woakes’ performances rendered him unselectable. “You’re going to have bad games.”There is always pressure in international cricket. There’s nowhere to hide. If you have a bad performance, everybody knows about it. But the key for us is he’s in a great headspace, he puts himself up for selection and he can come back really well. If that happens, we’re doing our job – but he’s also a great problem-solver himself.”