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Lyon was named Test Player of the Year, Marcus Stoinis took the ODI award and the T20I honour went to Glenn Maxwell

Andrew McGlashan11-Feb-2019Pat Cummins has been named the Allan Border medalist at the Australian Cricket Awards in Melbourne to confirm him as the standout performer in a tough and controversial year for the men’s game.In a period which included the ball-tampering scandal leading to Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft being suspended it was between Cummins, Nathan Lyon and Aaron Finch for the main award.The voting period of January 9, 2018 to January 7, 2019 took in Australia’s tours of South Africa, England, Zimbabwe and UAE, the one-day series against England after the 2018-19 Ashes, the T20 tri-series which followed plus the recent home season up to the end of the final Test against India at the SCG along with the ODIs against South Africa and T20Is against India.Cummins took 44 wickets across all formats, seven behind Lyon who had earlier been named Test player of the year, with Finch the only other serious candidate with 1302 runs in the voting period in which Test matches are given a greater weighting. Cummins tallied 156 votes, Lyon 150 and Finch 146.Pat Cummins was named the Allan Border medalist•Getty ImagesA look the through the Test batting statistics of the voting period (which doesn’t include the recent Tests against Sri Lanka when four centuries were scored or the suspended trio) highlights the difficulties Australia faced with the bat. Marcus Harris topped the averages with 258 runs at 36.85 and Usman Khawaja the run-scoring with 592 runs at 32.88.Though Cummins missed the two Tests against Pakistan he produced impressive performances in Johannesburg (the Test after ball tampering) and in Melbourne against India and only went wicketless once in a Test, at the SCG when India piled on the runs.His 4 for 24 in the Adelaide ODI against England last season will have earned him an extra points haul to keep him ahead of Lyon and Finch and in the final count that may have been the difference.Though yet to be elevated to the new-ball role, Cummins has become Australia’s most consistent pace bowler and has developed into a handy No. 8 which he showed by scoring half-centuries against South Africa and India.Beyond the wickets, and useful runs, the standout feature for Cummins has been his ability to stay fit throughout two full Australian seasons following an early part of his career that was hampered by regular injury.Marcus Stoinis with Cricket Australia’s Men’s ODI Player of the Year Award•Getty ImagesElsewhere, Marcus Stoinis was named ODI Player of the Year in a period where he was the only player to appear in all 13 matches. He made four half-centuries in 13 innings among his 376 runs and claimed 13 wickets to cement his position the ODI team. By the end of the international season last week he had also earned his first Test call-up and is tipped to be part of the Ashes squad later this year.Glenn Maxwell, fresh from his outstanding innings for Melbourne Stars on Sunday to secure a place in the BBL semi-finals, was named T20I Player of the Year after making 506 runs in 19 matches including an unbeaten century against England in Hobart. Barring a major reversal, Maxwell will be part of Australia’s squad for the World Cup in England but appears unlikely to appear in the Ashes.Someone whose numbers mean he probably should be under consideration for all squads but appears likely to find himself missing out is Matthew Wade. He claimed the Domestic Player of the Year title for his prolific form last season which carried into the 2018-19 of which the first part of the Sheffield Shield counts towards this year’s votes alongside the latter half of the 2017-18 campaign. Across all formats, Wade scored 1509 runs in the voting period with five centuries.The Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award went to Will Pucovski, the Victoria batsman who was part of Australia’s Test squad against Sri Lanka recently. Having been selected with a view to making his debut as part of a revamp of the batting line-up he then saw his spot go to Kurtis Patterson at the last moment. He was later released from the squad to allow him to continue to manage his mental health issues which kept him out of action earlier this season.

India’s captain and coach had different reasons for the same sentiment, as they celebrated India’s first series win in Australia since first playing there 71 years ago

Sidharth Monga in Sydney07-Jan-20198:23

‘No one plays Test cricket with more passion than Kohli’ – Shastri

India’s captain and coach are both World Cup winners but they rate this series win in Australia higher than those triumphs, albeit for different reasons. Ravi Shastri, the coach, was part of the India squad that won the 1983 World Cup although he didn’t play in the final. Virat Kohli played through the 2011 World Cup that India won.”I was part of 2011 World Cup team,” Kohli said, “but I didn’t have the emotion of not having been able to win a World Cup before. Playing at home and winning it eventually… a lot of the senior players had that emotion. Yes, it was a great moment for me but if you ask me which moment is more emotional, I would say this one because this is my third tour here and I have seen how difficult it is to win here. And all the struggles that we have gone through in the past 12 months as well as the team.”So, from that point of view this one is more emotional for me. It will definitely be more special, purely because of the fact that we really wanted to win a series away from home. We didn’t want to be a one-match-wonder kind of team. So, having stuck to our task and executed what we wanted and got the result, we, as a team, feel absolutely complete now that we have done what we set out to do…not to show to anyone else but to prove ourselves that yes, we could do it and we have done it. From that point of view this one is more special for me.”For Shastri, this is a win achieved in a purer format. “I will tell you how satisfying it is for me,” Shastri said. “World Cup ’83, World Championship ’85. This is as big, or even bigger, because it is in the truest format of the game. It’s Test cricket, which is meant to be the toughest.”There was the usual combative reaction to criticism – Shastri took another potshot at Sunil Gavaskar’s criticism, calling his shots “blanks” that are “blown away like a tracer bullet” by the time they reach the southern hemisphere – but there was a genuine feeling of relief and pride in Kohli. All the psyching up he had to do, all the effort put in to not let the mind wander ahead of himself, could now be laid to rest. He was asked about his comments before the Test that history doesn’t mean much to him.Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri share a light moment before team photos•Mark Kolbe/Getty Images”We all play mind-games, don’t we,” Kohli said with a smile. “Look, it’s obviously a very proud moment, more so because we understand what we have gone through as a team for the last 12 months. We understand the kind of cricket that we have been able to play, and I was just mentioning the fact that after losing tosses, we have been in competition throughout in the games that we have lost. We understood as a team we were on the right track. What has come in the most historic series for Indian cricket is the cherry on the cake and something that, as I said, in the 10 years that I have played, is the proudest moment that I have experienced.”I am so happy for the whole team because a young bunch of guys, to have that belief and to keep striving for excellence on a daily basis and to get a reward like this, we definitely have to be happy. Although changing history or creating history is still not what I am thinking of, it is pure satisfaction of the hard work of 12 months to understand that what we believed in has been proven right and regardless of the whole world being against you, if you are striving in the right direction with good intent, God’s going to reward you. So that’s what I am more happy about.””So history does matter?””Of course it does.”Shastri, though, continued to be caustic. He was asked if he would like to share this success with captains who – from Lala Amarnath to MS Dhoni – tried their best to win in Australia but couldn’t. “Past is history, future is a mystery,” Shastri said. “Okay? We have won today after 71 years, I’d like to live in the present. And salute my captain for being the captain of the team that beat Australia for the first time in Australia in a series.”When talking about the satisfaction of winning this series, Shastri again referenced teams from the past, and also said Kohli shows more passion for Test cricket than any other captain in the world.”I don’t think anyone plays Test cricket with more passion than he [Kohli] does,” Shastri said. “At least I don’t see any other international captain coming close to him on the field when it comes to showing that passion needed to play the game. He is very expressive, which is different to others. Other captains could have different personalities but Virat is someone who is in your face and it rubs off on all the youngsters who are watching the game in India. His team-mates watch him, they want to emulate him. And to believe that they can be someone like him who can go out there and strive for excellence.”So when an individual puts his neck on the line as captain then the others follow. And you have seen that transition happening over the last two-three years where guys in the team have become more and more confident, about their own ability and the ability of the team as well and it’s made all the difference. I said in Melbourne – I think I mentioned people taking pot shots and firing blanks. I wasn’t joking there, because I knew how hard this team had worked. When you fire from there, by the time it crosses the southern hemisphere, it’s blown away by the wind like a tracer bullet. But lead with something in it can be pretty serious. And that’s what we have fired right through the series against Australia. We were committed, and it jolly well made a bloody difference at the end of it all.”This is not a team of gods or demigods, seniors or juniors. This is an Indian cricket team that will jump over a cliff to win a match for the country. And that’s the determination, that’s the ruthlessness, that’s the mindset with which this team went to play in this series. And hats off to them to show that courage. Today I can say I am proud of my boys and I can also tell them one thing which Virat touched in the presentation – that this team now has an identity to look at any other Indian team from the past in the eye and say, ‘We play proper Test match cricket. You did, we did too,’ without being intimidated.”

Former Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is back in football after landing his first job since his Old Trafford exit.

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Woodward left Manchester United in 2022Has now taken up new football-related roleWill work with London-based charityWHAT HAPPENED?

Woodward has been appointed to the board of trustees for Bloomsbury Football Foundation. The charity has described Woodward's appointment as a "huge signing" as he takes up his first football-related position since leaving United in 2022.

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Woodward spent a decade at Old Trafford but was unpopular with supporters, largely due to some poor transfer decisions. He took up a position in 2023 as a non-executive director at eSports company EStars but his latest role is his first football-related position since leaving United. The Bloomsbury Football Foundation is a London-based charity that offers an inclusive football programme aimed at young people.

WHAT WOODWARD SAID

He said: "I am thrilled. This is an exciting opportunity to join a charity that is already having a significant impact on the lives of young Londoners using the power of football. Visiting a Bloomsbury Football session reaffirmed my belief that football has the power to change lives. It is clear the support the charity is already receiving is making a real impact on the pitch. The session represented the diversity of London – the coaches were supportive, players were engaged, and they seemed to be enjoying every minute."

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Woodward will be hoping he can make an impact in his new role but will likely also be watching events at Manchester United with interest. The Red Devils are also set for major changes this summer, with Omar Berrada set to take over as CEO, while the club are also hoping to bring in Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox as part of a shake-up.

Jude Bellingham came up with a hilarious reaction after a foul did not go his way, as he returned to Real Madrid action from suspension on Sunday.

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Bellingham's hilarious gesture after not getting foulProvided assist in Real's win Los Blancos beat Athletic Club 2-0 WHAT HAPPENED?

Bellingham picked up a red card against Valencia on March 3 for hurling abuses at match officials after a late Los Blancos goal was disallowed. He served a two-match suspension and returned to action only on March 31 against Athletic Club.

It seems the England international has now learned his lesson as he was seen making a 'zipping his lip' gesture after the referee did not give him a foul.

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The Spanish giants extended their lead to eight points over rivals Barcelona at the top of the table as they defeated Athletic Club 2-0 riding on Rodrygo's brace. While the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder could find the back of the net, he did provide the assist for the Brazilian's second goal.

DID YOU KNOW?

With his assist on Sunday, the 20-year-old became the first La Liga player to reach double digits in both goals and assists across all competitions this season. He has scored 20 times and provided 10 assists.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

Carlo Ancelotti's side will now prepare to take on reigning European champions Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final fixture on April 9.

The BCCI had asked the fast bowler to limit his workload to 15 overs an innings, but he overshot the mark in Bengal’s game against Kerala at Eden Gardens

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-2018Only days after the BCCI had asked Mohammed Shami to limit his workload to 15 overs an innings, the fast bowler overshot the mark playing for Bengal in the third round of the Ranji Trophy.Shami, who is part of the set of fast bowlers that India are taking to Australia, has had trouble with injuries in the recent past and the board, while granting him permission to play the game against Kerala, also insisted that he shouldn’t take on too much of a burden.However, by the time Bengal bowled their opposition out on the second day at Eden Gardens, Shami had delivered 26 overs to pick up three wickets.”I decided [it] on my own,” he told reporters at the end of play. “it was better to bowl for your team and state rather than practising somewhere else. The more you bowl here, the more it will help in Australia. It was good preparation. For me, bowling in a match is the best preparation. I prefer that any day.”I was feeling well to bowl at home after a long time. All my friends were here. It was after a long time I could play with my team.”Shami was the only Bengal bowler to go past the 20-over mark in the first innings and coach Sairaj Bahutule told that it was entirely the player’s call. “He was absolutely willing to bowl; so he continued. Nobody put pressure on him.”Kerala did win the match, eventually, riding on a century from Jalaj Saxena and a five-for from Sandeep Warrier.Shami’s attention now turns to the four-match Test series that starts in Adelaide on December 6. “I’ve prepared well, had good training and match preparation. I’ve a practice match there. I will be ready for the Tests.”

Lionesses star Lauren James provided a no-look assist to Aggie Beever-Jones as Chelsea took the lead with a second-minute goal at West Ham.

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Chelsea take early lead at West HamLauren James provides no-look assistAggie Beever-Jones with opener in WSLWHAT HAPPENED?

After a through ball found its way to James in the box, without looking, the England star laid it off to team-mate Beever Jones – whose strike found the corner to make it 1-0 to the Blues at the Chigwell Construction Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

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Beever-Jones' goal means Emma Hayes' Chelsea are currently back on top of the Women's Super League due to a superior goal difference to second-placed Manchester City. The Blues are aiming to win a fifth straight WSL title in Hayes' last season with the club before taking up the head coach role at the United States Women's National Team this summer.

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After this match, Chelsea host Ajax in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday, with the Blues currently holding a 3-0 first-leg advantage. Four days later, they take on Arsenal in the FA Women's League Cup final.

Manchester City's impending trial over their 115 Financial Fair Play (FFP) charges may be affected by new information involving the club's sponsors.

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City face 115 FFP chargesEtihad Airways to be floated on stock exchangeFull access to accounts suggests no wrongdoing WHAT HAPPENED?

The 2023 Treble-winners face allegations over breaching FFP in multiple instances, with Etihad Airways thought to play a huge role in said breaches. German outlet (via ) has claimed that the Emirati airline paid just £8 million ($10.1m) of their £67.5m ($85.3m) obligation to City, with the rest made up by disguised equity funding from the club's owners. However, the recent decision to float Etihad Airways on the stock exchange, per , may suggest these claims are not true.

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According to reports in the Middle East cited in 's report, the airline's decision to be floated on the stock exchange would require an Initial Public Offering. This would involve Etihad allowing full disclosure of their accounts, including all financial affairs and corporate practices. Stock market insiders believe that this unrestricted access would not be provided if Etihad – and by extension, City's owners – had anything to hide. In other words, if fraud had been committed, as has been suggested.

WHAT WAS SAID

A senior figure in the banking industry is quoted in 's article as saying: "If it came to light that Etihad executives were indeed involved in manipulating the sponsorship deal with City, it could cause serious damage to the company’s reputation in the eyes of potential investors. Etihad would also have an obligation to disclose any ongoing investigation into the company’s accounts or conduct before the IPO was launched.

"What the Premier League are alleging is extremely serious, not just in terms of football’s rules and regulations. The accusation is that City executives have colluded with officials from Etihad and have lied not only to the club’s independent auditors but to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“By extension, that also calls into question what information was disclosed by City’s owners to Silverlake before the American private equity firm bought a significant stake in the club in 2019. That’s why the Premier League’s allegations go way beyond accusing City of failing to meet Profit and Sustainability Rules.”

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The Premier League champions continue to maintain their innocence and they will feel this evidence will have major implications in them beating the 115 charges to their name. An approximate hearing date for the trial into City's alleged wrongdoings was set for late autumn of this year, at the earliest.

Everton are believed to have entered the race to complete the signing of a relegated Premier League player in the summer transfer window.

Moyes pushing for new Everton signings

The Blues continue to be linked with new signings on a daily basis, with David Moyes knowing the importance of bringing guaranteed quality to the club this summer. One such figure is reportedly Fenerbahce ace Oguz Aydin, with the 24-year-old winger enjoying a strong 2024/25 season with the Turkish giants, bagging 10 goal contributions (seven goals and three assists) in 18 Super Lig starts.

VfB Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade has emerged as arguably one of Everton’s more exciting rumoured transfer targets, especially as the likes of Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid are also eyeing him up. A tally of 12 goals in 17 Bundesliga starts in 2024/25 sums up why he is such a sought-after attacking player, having recently broken into the Germany set-up.

Jarrad Branthwaite isn’t guaranteed to remain a Blues player beyond the summer window, so a top-quality replacement needs to be looked at, and Burnley’s Maxime Esteve has been talked about as a potential successor. He enjoyed a fantastic campaign with the Clarets, playing a huge part in them conceding just 16 goals in their 46 Championship matches.

Everton enter race to sign Premier League defender

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, Everton are interested in signing Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters ahead of next season. The Blues are “among the clubs joining the race” to snap up the 28-year-old, who will no doubt be keen to stay in the Premier League, following Saints’ relegation to the Championship. West Ham and Fulham are named as suitors, too.

Walker-Peters looks like an ideal option for Everton this summer, with the Englishman now a proven Premier League player who can thrive as both a right-back and a left-back. He would come straight in as a key starter, replacing Ashley Young, and it would be a surprise if he looked out of his depth, having matured into such a reliable performer, being lauded by journalist Adam Blackmore in the past.

“I wonder how important he’s become. You look at what happened in the summer [rumoured transfer interest] and you just wonder by the end of the season how important keeping him will have been. He’s such an integral part of what they’re doing. It’s almost like the team is built around him to get the most out of him.”

At 28, Walker-Peters isn’t past his best, so there wouldn’t be that risk with Everton signing him, and there is no reason why he can’t be an important player for Moyes for the next four or five years.

Better than Delap: Everton make approach for "menacing" £34m CF

David Moyes wants to sign a new centre-forward at Everton this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 6, 2025

He now has 148 Premier League appearances to his name, not to mention two caps for England, so it is difficult to see many negatives to the Blues securing his services.

One of the areas Manchester United have struggled for depth this season has been at centre-forward. After loaning out Marcus Rashford, Ruben Amorim has been limited to three real options up front.

One of those, Joshua Zirkzee, has recently excelled as a number 10. The Dutchman has showcased elite technical skills, and his performances in that deeper role could make Amorim reluctant to start him up top.

That leaves Danish duo Rasmus Hojlund and 17-year-old Chido Obi as the two players tasked with leading the line. Hojlund’s run of goalscoring form was lean, but he now has two goals in three games for club and country. Obi is an exciting talent but still inexperienced.

Thus, it might not be a surprise that United are targeting a new striker ahead of the summer window.

Man United's hopes of signing a new striker

One of the strikers who many clubs across Europe seems to want this summer is FC Porto star Samu Aghehowa.

The Spaniard has made a big impression this term in Portugal and is now a target for some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Indeed, according to a report from Caught Offside, one of those sides is the 13-time Premier League champions. The report suggests that Amorim ‘is a big fan’ of the centre-forward and is thought to be ‘driving the Red Devils’ interest’ in Aghehowa.

However, they will not be alone in their pursuit of the Spanish striker this summer. La Liga giants FC Barcelona are strongly interested, and Lamine Yamal is ‘understood to be personally pushing’ for the club to sign his Spain teammate.

German giants Bayern Munich and United’s Premier League rivals West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are also believed to be interested in a deal. As for a fee, Aghehowa reportedly has a £84m release clause in his contract.

Why Aghehowa would be a good signing

What a fantastic debut season it has been for Aghehowa as a Dragoes player. The 20-year-old has been on fire, scoring 21 goals across all competitions, as well as chipping in with three assists in that time.

United know all too well how dangerous the 2024 Olympic gold medalist can be in front of goal. Two of his six Europa League strikes this term came against the Red Devils, back in October in a game that ended 3-3 thanks to a last-gasp equaliser from Harry Maguire.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described Aghehowa as a “monster in the making”, for the early impression he has made in his career. He possesses all sorts of important traits one would want from a top striker: quick, physical and intelligent in front of goal, just as he displayed against United.

The young attacker is capable of scoring all kinds of goals, the hallmark of all good strikers. Take this strike against AS Roma, also in the Europa League. His control in the box to bring the ball down and then the composure to execute the overhead kick is second to none.

Samu could be the dream alternative for Viktor Gyokeres this season. Although it seemed like Ruben Amorim might try to bring the Swede with him to Old Trafford from Sporting, The Athletic recently reported that Arsenal are strongly interested in the former Coventry City star.

Gyokeres has been even more prolific than the Porto star this season in Portugal, scoring 42 times in 42 games for the Lisbon club, grabbing 11 assists, too. That includes 30 goals in 26 games in the top flight in Portugal.

Despite the difference in goal numbers, the pair are still comparable via FBref, and the similarities are there to see.

For example, Aghehowa averages 0.54 goals per shot on target and 0.12 goal-creating actions each game this term, compared to 0.35 goals per shot on target and 0.15 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes. That said, the former is a far greater threat in the air.

Goals

0.72

1.22

Goals per shot on target

0.54

0.35

Shot-creating actions

2.36

2.85

Goal-creating actions

0.12

0.15

Aerial duels won

2.24

0.59

The deal to sign Aghehowa would be an expensive one for the Red Devils, just shy of £100m. However, that might be the investment they need to make in order to supplement the goals of Hojlund, ZIrkzee and Obi.

If they miss out on Gyokeres this summer, perhaps Aghehowa is the perfect alternative to help take Amorim’s side to the next level.

De Gea 2.0: Man Utd already let an "underrated" Onana upgrade leave for £0

Man Utd could be set for a summer of change in the goalkeeping ranks

ByRobbie Walls Mar 31, 2025

With a performance that helped secure a battling three-wicket win, England saw another piece of the jigsaw fall into place

George Dobell at Trent Bridge18-May-2019Perhaps this was the game where the final pieces of England’s World Cup jigsaw fell into place. First there was Mark Wood proving his form and fitness. Then Tom Curran demonstrated his all-round value and Joe Denly enjoyed a much-improved performance.It all combined to ensure England held their nerve to secure this series with a match to play. It is now 20 run-chases in a row in which England are undefeated at home.With no candidates ruling themselves out, England’s selectors have been left with some delightfully tough decisions to make. But it seems, right now, as if that final decision may be made between David Willey, who offers left-arm variation and the possibility of swinging the new ball, and Denly, who offers cover in a variety of areas and can be relied upon to be a low-maintenance, high-quality substitute fielder. The emergence of new-ball alternatives, in Wood and Jofra Archer alongside the established Chris Woakes, may not bode well for Willey. The squad is announced on Tuesday morning.But perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the victory at Trent Bridge, from an England perspective, was the contribution of Ben Stokes.Rumours of Stokes’ recent decline could easily be exaggerated. While it is true he had not, until Friday night, produced an especially eye-catching performance in ODI cricket since the Bristol incident in 2017, his numbers really aren’t too bad. He is actually averaging 49.63 with the bat – albeit at a strike rate of 83.23 – in ODI cricket since the start of 2018.And while his bowling has been a bit anonymous – he has not taken an ODI wicket in seven matches in England since his return – you could make a strong case to suggest Stokes’ big problem of late has simply been a lack of opportunity. He bats behind the likes of Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow, after all, with Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Eoin Morgan also eating up chunks of the 50-overs available.The first-choice England bowling attack, meanwhile, may well only see Stokes used as a sixth bowler. Only once in his last 18 ODIs has he been required to bowl his full allocation of 10 overs and in his last four games he has not bowled more than four overs. That previous statistic about not claiming a wicket in England since 2017 bad, but it actually amounts to just 28 overs. He had bowled his full allocation of 10 overs only once in 11 ODIs before Bristol.Ben Stokes’ body language said it all•Getty ImagesStill, he hasn’t dominated quite in the way we were coming to expect. He had, for example, made two centuries in the six innings he played before night, with a career strike rate of 98.74. He also had a bowling average of 38.20 with an economy rate of 6.12. Since Bristol (SB, as it may come to be known) his bowling average is 62.10 and his economy-rate is 6.21.The suspicion remains that Stokes is so keen to make-up for his irresponsibility in Bristol that he has taken on just a little bit too much responsibility since. So where his batting once seemed gloriously uncomplicated, there is now more knowledge of the consequences of failure; an irony in a team that prides itself on a fearlessness that was largely inherited from Stokes. As Moeen Ali put it recently: “The difference is that his batting has become careful now whereas before it was carefree. I think he feels like he’s let us down a little bit and he’s trying to make it up.”For that reason, giving Stokes the role of middle-order finisher – a position where every innings’ importance can be magnified – may not be especially helpful. But it’s the only place available. And while there’s no guarantee that Stokes will ever completely recapture the he once enjoyed – like Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones after the mid-70s – the signs on Friday night were that, given the opportunity, he could still do the job.Make no mistake: this was not a perfect performance. Had Pakistan’s fielding been better – even barely competent, might have done it – England could have been in real trouble. But with their outfielding ragged, their catching fallible and their captain apparently not knowing the updated Laws of the game, England found a way to win. Good, confident teams do that.There is now only one proper match to go – Sunday’s ODI in Leeds – before the World Cup. The warm-up games will involve up to 15 players a side, do not carry List A status and may well, as a result, lack intensity (even if Australia are the opponents in one of them). As a result, England are likely to field something close to a full-strength batting side on Sunday. That definitely includes Stokes and it can only be good news for England that he goes into the tournament having recovered some form and confidence.