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New Zealand wrapped up victory in the second Test by 199 runs with time to spare, levelling the series and extending their unbeaten run

The Report by Alan Gardner02-Jun-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMark Craig picked up three wickets on the final day as New Zealand swept England aside•Getty ImagesHearts and minds are one thing but what New Zealand really wanted to win was this Test. At Headingley, the ground where they first claimed a Test victory in England more than 30 years ago, they had to battle the weather, which took almost a day out of the game, and an England side still swaggering from their heroics at Lord’s last week.They overcame both with time to spare, having scored 804 runs at almost five an over and twice rattled through England with pace, swing and, on the final day, spin. Every member of the side contributed to their victory in the second Investec Test, one which levelled the series and preserved a two-year unbeaten run. In 54 Tests against England in England, it was only New Zealand’s fifth victory and their first of the 21st century.Mark Craig followed some lower-order slugging and immaculate slip catching with three wickets on a wearing surface, finishing England’s resistance by having Jos Buttler lbw without playing a shot. Kane Williamson also picked up three-for with his part-time offspin, after Trent Boult, the joint-leading wicket-taker on either side, had struck twice early on to set New Zealand on their way.That England extended the game into the final session was chiefly down to dogged half-centuries from Buttler and Alastair Cook. Obdurate crease occupation is Cook’s greatest strength and he absorbed 171 balls in making 56, bowing his head over the bat like a monk at prayer. Buttler showed a different side to his game by playing with admirable restraint during his lengthiest Test innings, in terms of balls faced.England had gone to lunch five down, any bravado about attempting to chase 455 scattered to the far corners of the Yorkshire Ridings. Cook was their chief hope of saving the game but he fell shortly after having become the youngest man to record 9000 Test runs – when he failed in an attempt to reverse his lbw decision against Williamson, who struck in the first over of a spell for the second time, Brendon McCullum things were going his way.Buttler made it through to tea, surviving a review for caught down the leg side off Tim Southee and a working over by Matt Henry, who followed a throat ball with one that took the outside edge and fell short of slip; Buttler also required treatment after a length delivery from Henry leapt to strike him a vicious blow on the hand. He was later doubled up by the same bowler, winded by a blow to the stomach. It was an apt representation of England’s pummelling.New Zealand had enjoyed a perfect morning, Boult and Craig taking two wickets apiece in the first hour to help New Zealand once again seize the initiative. Only a scattering of spectators had braved another icy day – despite reduced ticket prices – as the people of Yorkshire wisely decided England were not worth the investment. This was a working Tuesday, after all, and England did not get close to replicating the final-day drama served up against Sri Lanka at Headingley a year ago, never mind their Auckland rescue act against McCullum’s New Zealand in 2013.Still, for the couple of thousand in attendance as well as those watching on television screens around the world, there was much to admire in the way New Zealand went about their business, each wicket celebrated with joyous collective abandon. McCullum’s side have not lost a Test series since their last visit to England and they have won many more admirers besides for the spirit in which they approach a challenge.It made the absence of a deciding Test all the more disappointing, though both sides could take credit from the fact that no two-match series has ever enjoyed such a glut of run-scoring (not to mention 78 wickets as well).If England did intend to play positively and keep the threat of a world-record run chase in the back of Kiwi minds, it was not easy to discern. Five of the first six overs were maidens, one of which included the wicket of Adam Lyth, caught behind after nicking yet another good one from Boult. With Boult making the ball swing under grey skies and McCullum able to do much as he pleased with his fielders, England regressed into the defensive posture that has frequently cost them in recent years.Lyth was always the likelier of England’s openers to press New Zealand back with his strokeplay but his dismissal without adding to his overnight score brought the seemingly ill-at-ease Gary Ballance to the middle. Despite an attempt to counter a perceived weakness against full, swinging deliveries by batting out of his crease (before stepping back in as per his trigger movement), he was undone by the skills of Boult for the second time in the match. Lightning struck twice, this time via a full ball deflecting off the pads and into off stump.The offspinner Craig, who England dealt with brusquely at Lord’s, was able to settle into a rhythm from the Kirkstall Lane End and he gained rich reward halfway through the session, removing Ian Bell and Joe Root within the space of three deliveries.Both fell to excellent leg-side catches, though the decision making – from Bell in particular – was questionable. Having seen McCullum instruct Kane Williamson to go and stand at leg slip, Bell went back into his crease and steered the ball obligingly straight to the fielder, who scooped it off the ground with glee. Root struck his leg glance much more powerfully, only for Tom Latham’s woolly jumper to absorb the impact and his hands to gratefully clutch the ball.Root had declared on the fourth evening that England still had a chance of chasing 455 but a slim chance had become no chance by the time he was the fourth batsman out inside the first hour. England attempted the talk but it was New Zealand who walked it.

West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin faced questions about his leadership after presiding over a second hefty defeat to Australia in as many matches

Daniel Brettig in Kingston14-Jun-20152:00

‘I did not stand up with the bat’ – Ramdin

West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin faced questions about his leadership after presiding over a second hefty defeat to Australia in as many matches, this time a 277-run mauling in three and a half days at Sabina Park.Ramdin top-scored for the hosts but it was the most measly of achievements, an innings of 29 serving only to ensure the West Indies managed to limp past three figures after at one point looking capable of emulating their dismissal for 51 by Australia at Trinidad in 1999.The abiding feeling was that the West Indies had slipped back into bad habits following the promise of a shared series against England, and plenty will wonder what effect Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s omission had on the dressing room, even if the 40-year-old’s supply of runs had dried up ahead of this encounter with Michael Clarke’s men. Certainly Ramdin looked wooden as a tactician, seldom reading the game in the optimal manner.”There’s a few bowling changes maybe when you look back at it, players who got starts and didn’t carry on,” Ramdin said. “Myself, not standing up with the bat as well, being able to contribute down the order. Some of our senior batters didn’t get off as we wanted to. Each series we look for a century from one of our top five and we didn’t get that. We need to go back to the drawing board.”They’re a good attack. They keep coming at us. We didn’t bat the amount of overs that we wanted to and they took all their chances. Everyone is disappointed. I think we didn’t bat as well as we wanted to, losing early wickets this morning. We had our plans to try to bat out the first hour and take into that afternoon session, bat out the day and return tomorrow, see how much we’d need. The Australians came at us all the time and they didn’t give us anything easy. That put us under some pressure.”Never was Ramdin’s captaincy more open to question than when he looked to have under-bowled a venomous Jerome Taylor on day one of the match at his home ground. Taylor took two wickets and did not conceded a run before lunch, but was restricted to a five-over new-ball spell before coming back to bowl a solitary over just before the interval.”When he bowled that long spell, when you look at our attack, you need to have him come back for a second spell,” Ramdin said. “That’s how it goes in cricket. Some guys need to step up. I don’t think Kemar Roach had the best of mornings that day. He came back on the second and third day. Other players just need to step up.”To some degree Ramdin was hamstrung by having only four bowlers at his disposal, whereas Australia’s consistent desire to play an allrounder provides them with far greater versatility. Jason Holder stepped up to top the West Indies batting averages this series, a sign he may well be ready to bat at No. 6.”The Caribbean gets very hot,” Ramdin said. “When you look at top teams they have an extra bowler in the top five in their batting lineup. That’s where we lack a fast bowler like a Watson or Ben Stokes or someone like that. Maybe if we can develop a player, our own player, like that, it’ll come in handy for us.”Jerome Taylor was bowling well for us in the last two series against England and Australia and there’s only so much one guy can do. I just hope the other guys can learn from that and step up.”

Gloucestershire dominated the final day of their LV= County Championship game at Cheltenham, beating Leicestershire by 155 runs to register back-to-back wins in a season at the picturesque college ground for the first time since 1998

ECB/PA18-Jul-2015
ScorecardCraig Miles took three wickets to help Gloucestershire complete victory•Getty ImagesGloucestershire dominated the final day of their LV= County Championship game at Cheltenham, beating Leicestershire by 155 runs to register back-to-back wins in a season at the picturesque college ground for the first time since 1998.Having set the visitors 325 to win a four-day game for only the second time this summer, Gloucestershire were never in any danger of losing a contest – and they finally wrapped up victory shortly before tea.Leicestershire, who are still rooted firmly to the foot of Division Two, have now lost eight Championship matches.The visitors resumed on their overnight total of 11 without loss – but soon found themselves in trouble when Angus Robson and Ned Eckersley departed off successive balls from Craig Miles.Robson had his off stump removed by Miles off the first ball of the 13th over and Eckersley edged the seamer to Michael Klinger at slip, off the next delivery.Mark Cosgrove and Matt Boyce dropped anchor as Leicestershire swapped their run chase for survival. However, the introduction of Kieran Noema-Barnett brought about the downfall of Boyce, leg before wicket for 22 at 61 for 3 – and in the next over, Cosgrove was trapped lbw by Benny Howell’s third ball of the innings.To compound a bad morning for Leicestershire, Greg Smith edged James Fuller to Chris Dent at second slip to leave Leicestershire struggling at 77 for 5 at lunch.If the morning session had been rewarding for Gloucestershire, the afternoon session was equally impressive, despite the efforts of Aadil Ali and Ben Raine. The pair came together when Leicestershire wicketkeeper Lewis Hill was brilliantly caught at gully, by sub Miles Hammond, off the bowling of Miles.Ali, who made his Championship debut against Kent last week, led the way with Raine providing stern support until a slice of misfortune brought to an end their 54-run partnership for the seventh wicket.Having hit Jack Taylor for a straight six, over long-off, Ali’s next straight drive was deflected back onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end, by Taylor, with Raine stranded out of his crease. Ali added another six, over midwicket, to move on to 41, but off the next ball holed out to Fuller at mid-off.Jigar Naik followed next ball, caught at leg slip and though Charlie Shreck was dropped at slip by Klinger off Noema-Barnett in the 64th over, the game was over when Liam Norwell had Clint McKay caught behind for 18.

Afghanistan stretched their T20I record against Scotland to 6-0 courtesy a 14-run win was facilitated by Mohammad Shahzad and a spin-heavy attack that helped them defend 170

The Report by Vishal Dikshit08-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMohammad Shahzad struck five fours and three sixes in his 39-ball 61•International Cricket CouncilAfghanistan stretched their T20I record against Scotland to 6-0. The 14-run win was facilitated by their belligerent opener Mohammad Shahzad and a spin-heavy attack that helped them defend 170. Scotland were well on course in the chase after George Munsey and Kyle Coetzer wiped off 84 in under nine overs, but the Afghanistan spinners dismissed the openers and then strangled the middle order to throw the chase off track.Scotland needed 77 runs from the half-way mark with eight wickets in hand, but the Afghanistan spinners lived up to their captain’s decision of batting first to allow the slower bowlers to do their work later, on a surface that played into their hands. The win may have helped Afghanistan bury memories of their Asia Cup opening-match loss to UAE in Mirpur last month.Shahzad started in his usual aggressive fashion and overcame some improvised bowling from the Scotland pacers in the Powerplay to cut loose later on. Shahzad and Noor Ali Zadran provided a flying start by putting on 25 in under three overs before Noor Ali steered a short ball straight to third man. Shahzad followed that by targeting the leg-side and straight boundaries to race towards a 32-ball fifty, his ninth in T20Is.Scotland bowled 15 boundary-less balls after Asghar Stanikzai’s second-ball six, but could not build on the momentum as Shahzad used his brute force to strike three sixes within four balls to accelerate the innings again. Stanikzai was more subdued at the other end, but it worked only till Shahzad was unbeaten. Shahzad injected the run rate with more fuel in the 13th over with two fours off left-arm spinner Mark Watt, but fell on the third attempt when he miscued one high and down the ground.Watt targeted the stumps from wide of the crease and Safyaan Sharif didn’t offer much pace to make Afghanistan lose a bit of steam. Afghanistan stuttered by losing Gulbadin Naib and Mohammad Nabi in quick succession before Shafiqullah found the boundary thrice towards the end. Stanikzai and Dawlat then collected 15 from the last over to finish with a flourish. Had Stanikzai not struggled with timing during his 50-ball 55, Afghanistan would have perhaps ended with a bigger score.Scotland muscled their way to a start more powerful than Afghanistan’s. Munsey and Coetzer took only two overs to set their eyes in and started collecting boundaries at will thereafter. While Coetzer set things up with a four and a six in the third over, Munsey deflated the Afghanistan attack by hammering six fours in the next two overs. He exhibited crunchy drives and perfectly-timed flicks to first take on the experienced Dawlat Zadran and then Naib, to take the team total to 60 in the Powerplay. Change of bowlers and tactics barely changed the scenario as the duo welcomed legspinner Rashid Khan with nine runs.Afghanistan finally got a reason to celebrate in the ninth over when Coetzer top-edged the most innocuous half-tracker of the day to deep square leg to end the 84-run stand. The spinners saw a small opening and stuck their necks through it. Rashid trapped Munsey lbw with a googly two balls later and Calum MacLeod slipped in the middle of a mix-up to be run-out for 2, that saw Scotland slip from 84 for 0 to 94 for 3 within a space of nine balls.With the spinners doing the trick, captain Stanikzai brought back left-arm spinner Amir Hamza, who stemmed the flow of runs as Rashid had Richie Berrington stumped for 8. The gap between runs required and balls widened to 20 now and stump-to-stump lines from the spinners stretched it further to push the required rate above 10 per over.Matt Machan tried to keep his side in the hunt but ended up facing 25 balls without a boundary. When he struck a straight six in the 18th over, the asking rate had shot up and wickets in hand could also not save Scotland.

England survived a major scare against Afghanistan to sustain their World T20 hopes, recovering from 85 for 7 to steal home by 15 runs

The Report by George Dobell23-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMoeen Ali’s wise innings shepherded England to a winning score•Getty ImagesThe final margin of victory might not show it, but England survived a major scare against Afghanistan to sustain their World T20 hopes.At 85 for 7 in the 15th over of the match, England were teetering on the brink of a defeat that would have reverberated around the cricket world.But, through the calm head of Moeen Ali and the broad shoulders of David Willey, England cast off their shackles in the final overs to set a target that proved sufficient on a tricky surface on which batting was never completely straightforward.Perhaps Afghanistan can feel a little unfortunate. Replays suggested that Moeen was fortunate to survive a leg before appeal off the bowling of Shapoor Zadran in the 18th over when England were 102 for 7. Moeen was on 20 at the time and, with Willey, went on to plunder 35 from the final two overs of the innings.That Moeen-Willey partnership was crucial. The pair added 57 from the final 33 deliveries of the innings thrashing Amir Hamza for 25 from his final over. His first three overs had cost just 20.Until then, it had been hard to be certain which side contained the pros who are extended every advantage and which was the side that gained Associate status less than three years ago. With England’s panic-stricken batsmen struggling to adjust to a surface far removed from the Mumbai pitch where they made their highest T20I score a few days ago, they seemed to have no idea what constituted a par total. Indeed, it was a surprise they elected to bat first upon winning the toss.It wasn’t that the ball turned especially far for Afghanistan’s four spinners. It was that it skidded through and sometimes gripped just enough to plant seeds of doubt. Conditions were not dissimilar to the UAE and England supporters will need little reminder how their batsmen have fared in Test series there.While James Vince, in the side due to Alex Hales’ back injury, had given England a fluent enough start in reaching 42 for 1 in the sixth over, his loss precipitated a collapse that saw them lose five wickets for 15 runs including a spell of three in four balls.Mohammad Nabi was the unlikely destroyer. After clinging on to a return catch off the leading edge to dismiss Vince, he saw Eoin Morgan – who is in the middle of another fallow patch of form – inexplicably leave a straight one, first ball, which drifted into his off stump.While Ben Stokes survived a confident leg before appeal from the hat-trick ball, Joe Root was run-out from the next delivery after over-committing to an optimistic single. Nabi, while initially breaking the stumps with his elbow before taking the throw, had the composure to rip a stump from the ground to defeat Root’s despairing attempt to recover his ground.Suddenly England looked petrified. Ben Stokes, losing his balance and his feet as he tried to pull a long-hop out of the ground, was bowled off a bottom edge, Jos Buttler’s drive was brilliantly caught at extra cover and Chris Jordan was caught off the leading edge as he tried to turn one into the leg side. Had Moeen been adjudged leg before, England would have been in deep trouble.But he was reprieved and he made the most of it. Hamza was slog-swept over mid-wicket for six then driven back over his head for four, before Shapoor was lofted over extra-cover for four more. Meanwhile Willey, good enough to open in T20 in domestic cricket, heaved successive sixes over long on off Hamza.While probably under par, England’s final total of 142 was only 20 under the IPL average on this ground.If Afghanistan were to get close, they probably required a significant contribution from Mohammad Shahzad in reply. But, in the first over of the chase, his attempted heave into the leg side was beaten by Willey inswing and he was struck on the back leg in front of leg stump.Jordan, bowling at a sharp pace, had Asghar Stanikzai taken at slip off fencing, and Liam Plunkett proved to have too much pace and bounce for a line-up lacking experience against such qualities. Plunkett, preferred to Reece Topley in the England attack, started his World T20 campaign with a maiden and conceded just 12 from his entire spell.Nabi was lured into a drive to long-on, Rashid Khan was well caught at extra-cover and by the time Najibullah Zadran was run out by Jordan’s direct hit – replays suggested his bat was over the line but in the air – and Samiullah Shenwari carved a filthy ball to cover, it became clear it was not to be Afghanistan’s day.While Shafiqullah’s late impetus – he thrashed 35 from 20 balls including a magnificent straight six off Jordan to become the highest contributor from No. 9 in this format of international cricket – came too late to save Afghanistan, it may yet condemn England. They required not just victory here, but a victory that significantly improve their net run-rate. A 15-run win does not really provide it.They will know this was not a convincing performance. Quite apart from their nervous batting, they donated overthrows, misfields and a drop – Buttler failing to cling on to a chance offered by Nabi off Adil Rashid on four – in the field. England will know that more experienced sides will punish them.That experience is the key ingredient missing for Afghanistan. While they couldn’t quite finish the job, they gave one of the Big Three who have made it so hard for them to gain further opportunities a bloody nose. They’ve proved they deserve their chance.It is to be hoped that the ECB management who watched this game squirming with discomfort take up their cause in the board meetings that have a disproportional influence on their future advancement.

Lancashire supporters have fond memories of Taunton, having clinched their first outright title in 77 years here in 2011, and after two relegations in the interim they had another good day on their return to the west country

Alan Gardner at Taunton01-May-2016
ScorecardAlviro Petersen ensured a good Lancashire day•Getty ImagesLancashire supporters have fond memories of Taunton, having clinched their first outright title in 77 years here in 2011. The club’s Championship cricket has come nowhere near to matching that moment of ecstatic release since, having suffered two relegations in the interim, but they made a strong start on their latest return to the west country, just as they have to life back in Division One.A comprehensive eight-wicket win over Nottinghamshire two weeks ago signalled the Red Rose might prove thorny opposition this season. That performance was based around the prowess of Lancashire’s three seamers, Neil Wagner, James Anderson and Kyle Jarvis; here it was the batsman who staked their case. All that was missing was a century, Alviro Petersen falling to the second new ball just as his was beginning to look inevitable, but the captain Steven Croft was in pugnacious form as his side jousted for the ascendency on a slow pitch against a hard-working Somerset attack.In the absence of the retired Ashwell Prince – who scored the small matter of 1478 Championship runs in 2015 – Lancashire need someone to loosen their belt and match his insatiable appetite. Petersen, once of Somerset and in his second year as a Kolpak signing for Lancashire, spent much of last season in Prince’s shadow but he played an authoritative innings here, replete with pressure-releasing boundaries around the wicket.He had not been long at the crease when he struck his first six, lofting Jack Leach back down the ground towards the River End. Leach was two-thirds of the way through a 19-over spell either side of lunch and he had taken the first two wickets to fall but the proactive approach of Petersen and Croft – who later took Leach for sixes over long-on and deep midwicket – ensured that the spinner would not be allowed to tie down an end completely while Chris Rogers rotated his seam attack.Somerset included the Overton twins in their XI for the first time this season, with Lewis Gregory rested as part of an apparent rotation policy. Jamie produced some fine, fast deliveries – hitting Luke Procter on the shoulder and seeing a low outside edge from the same batsman missed by Marcus Trescothick at slip – but he tired as the day wore on and proved increasingly expensive.A back-foot drive during the afternoon session demonstrated both Jamie Overton’s pace and Petersen’s timing, while after tea the former South Africa opener stepped out to crash Peter Trego insouciantly through the covers; the 77th over, Jamie Overton’s 16th, went for 14 runs, with Petersen pulling four through midwicket and then slapping a wide, rising delivery all the way over backward point for six.Apart from that spell before second new ball, Somerset had bowled diligently and Craig Overton quickly came to his brother’s aid by trapping Petersen lbw as the batsman attempted to play across the line, ending a 125-run stand for the fourth wicket.That partnership helped shore up Lancashire’s position after they had stuttered to 125 for 3 on an increasingly cold and gloomy afternoon. Confronted earlier by a dry-looking surface over towards the west of the square, Lancashire requested and won the toss – meaning that for the third time out of three this season, Somerset will have to chase the game – but a relaid outfield meant the runs rarely flowed.Matthew Maynard, Somerset’s director of cricket, conceded the pitch was “not ideally what we would have wanted” but put it down to the difficulties of preparation amid recent unsettled weather.The Quantocks were visible to the north of the ground until late in the day, despite low, grey cloud cover that loomed over proceedings. There were occasional spots of rain but nothing more severe than spray blowing in over a sea wall and Somerset’s attack hurried through their overs, trying to keep warm: 97 were bowled in the day, despite a brief interruption for bad light.The official gate was more than 1600, although Somerset were hopeful of more for their first home game of the season. The new pavilion is an eye-catching draw but their team have made a tepid start to the season, drawing games at Durham and Surrey, and neither the weather nor the pitch was particularly hospitable for the paying spectator.A solid clutch of members were bunched together in the Marcus Trescothick Stand to applaud Leach back to fine leg after the over in which he picked up his second wicket early in the afternoon session. A bespectacled slow left-armer with shaven head and tightly cropped beard, Leach has the benevolent air of young pastor and he induced a confession from the umpire when appealing for an lbw against Karl Brown, after he had made a compact 47.Leach made the opening breakthrough as well, having Haseeb Hameed well caught on the drive at extra cover following a stand worth 56, during which time Somerset’s seamers had found little to their liking. The change to regulations around the toss look set to give bowlers such Leach many more overs of employment this summer, although the unflustered progress of Petersen and Croft during the afternoon and evening suggested this was an especially sepulchral surface.

With a host of January signings set to make their bows this weekend, Goal looks back at those who endured debuts to forget in years gone by…

Getty ImagesZlatan IbrahimovicGiven both his talent and his character, it is difficult to imagine Zlatan Ibrahimovic not making a huge impact when he first joins a team. At Milan, however, his first day on the job was one to forget following his arrival from Barcelona. The Swedish striker missed a penalty as the Rossoneri lost 2-0 to newly promoted Cesena, though he did go on to score 28 goals in 32 games for the San Siro outfit.AdvertisementGetty ImagesAli DiaOne of football's greatest lies resulted in Ali Dia making his debut for Southampton in 1996, as Saints boss Graeme Souness was tricked into signing the unknown midfielder on the proviso he was George Weah's cousin. Needless to say, there was no relation or similarity in style to the great Liberian, and having replaced Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier in the first half, Dia was hooked after just 53 minutes, never to be seen at The Dell again.Getty ImagesJonathan WoodgateHaving been forced to wait to make his Real Madrid debut for around a year due to injury, Woodgate's time at Santiago Bernabeu could not have got off to a worse start. The former Leeds and Newcastle centre-back netted a spectacular own goal during the first half against Athletic Club before picking up a second yellow card after the break as his opening night was cut short.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty ImagesJason CroweCrowe might have become a journeyman of the lower leagues for much of his career, but the full-back started life as an academy graduate at Arsenal. However, he only made one appearance for the Gunners, though it was certainly one to remember albeit for all the wrong reasons. Substituted on against Birmingham City during extra-time of a League Cup tie in 1997, Crowe's excitement got the better of him as a high foul saw him receive his marching orders after just 33 SECONDS – the fastest sending-off on debut in footballing history.

The 2016-17 Ligue 1 champions are presently languishing in the relegation zone but their new coach has inherited a squad still packed with talent

VALERY HACHERadamel Falcao

Club captain and star man, Radamel Falcao joined Monaco in 2013 and has hit double figures in the two seasons since his ill-fated Premier League adventure, which consisted of frustrating loan spells at Manchester United and Chelsea.

The 32-year-old is also Colombia's skipper and all-time leading goal-scorer, with 32 international goals.

Falcao's leadership skills and goals will be key to Henry's hopes of turning Monaco's season around.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesAleksandr Golovin

Aleksandr Golovin was one of the hottest properties on the market during the summer after helping Russia reach the World Cup quarter-finals and it was Monaco who secured his signature despite reported interest from many of Europe's elite.

The creative midfielder is only 22 but he has already been a title winner with CSKA Moscow and has a UEFA European Under-17 Championship winners' medal too.

GettyBenjamin Henrichs

Benjamin Henrichs is a typically versatile German youth product who primarily operates as a right-back but has been used as a left-back and even a left winger since making his senior debut for Bayer Leverkusen at the age of 18.

He made 75 appearances for his boyhood club in total before joining Monaco in the summer and has also already won three senior caps for Germany, as well as a Confederations Cup title.

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AFPKamil Glik

An experienced centre-back at club and international level, Kamil Glik secured a move to Monaco back in 2016 after four strong seasons in Serie A with Torino and is now vice-captain at the Stade Louis II.

He has been capped 62 times by Poland, appearing at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, and is also a proven threat from set-pieces, with 31 career goals to date.

Fans will decide the order of this year’s GOAL50 lists but our correspondents are also sharing their preferences during the voting period

With voting under way in this year’s GOAL50, fans around the world are having their say on which men’s and women’s players had the best 2021. 

Our team of correspondents are also having their say, revealing their GOAL50 preferences this week. 

Women's football correspondent Ameé Ruszkai has compiled her list, which you can see below…

10Ashley LawrenceDefenders can be overlooked during award season but Ashley Lawrence was superb this past year and one of only a few players to star in successful teams for club and country -winning the league with Paris Saint-Germain and Olympic gold with Canada. A full-back who defends as well as she attacks, she deserves all the recognition she's getting.AdvertisementGetty9Lieke MartensAfter some difficult spells with injuries, Lieke Martens took her game to the another level this year. She doesn't always start for Barcelona's star-studded team, which takes her down a few places, but she always makes huge contributions – scoring twice in the Champions League semi-finals and shining in the final as they won the treble.Getty8Kadidiatou DianiThe best player in France last season, Kadidiatou Diani's brilliance can often go unnoticed as the statistics don't do her justice. The winger's intelligent movement off the ball, excellent footwork and positivity in possession made her not only excellent to watch, but helped PSG win their first-ever Division 1 Feminine title.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty7Vivianne MiedemaLast season wasn't Arsenal's best, and therefore wasn't Vivianne Miedema's best, but she still scored a ton of goals and shattered plenty of records. How she contributes in the build-up, on and off the ball, can be forgotten because of those stats, too. Watching her play is to wonder what she can't do.

England boss Gareth Southgate said he would pick a World Cup squad based on form, which explains James Maddison's selection, but not Harry Maguire's.

So now we know! Gareth Southgate’s 26-man England squad has finally been revealed.

As always, there are plenty of names included that have generated widespread debate, while others who have been left behind will justifiably be feeling quite hard done by at missing out.

So, who are the big winners and losers from the England squad that will be travelling to Qatar?

GOAL takes a look below…

Getty WINNER: James Maddison

There is no doubt that Maddison deserved to be in the England squad. A quick look at his numbers over the past 18 months tells you all you needed to know.

Since August 2020, he tops the charts when it comes to goal contributions (30) from English midfielders in the Premier League. He’s ahead of the likes of Bukayo Saka, Mason Mount, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish.

And he’s done that in a struggling Leicester City side, which makes his output all the more impressive.

Yes, there are some question marks over his temperament and how he handles himself off the pitch. His decision to go out to a casino when he had pulled out an England squad through illness in 2019 was certainly ill-advised.

But players make mistakes. Other players in this England squad have and they haven’t been permanently banished by Gareth Southgate.

So, it would have been a travesty had he not made it on the plane to Qatar. This is football and you have to be rewarded for your performances in the here and now.

And right now Maddison is as good as it gets when it comes to English midfielders, so it’s good to see Southgate swallow some of his pride and make the right call.

Maddison isn’t the answer to England’s prayers. He’s not the wildcard who is suddenly going to come in and win them the World Cup.

But the simple fact is that he deserves to be in the 26-man squad.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Tammy Abraham

“Tammy has had a poor run of scoring form at the wrong time.” That was Gareth Southgate’s explanation for leaving the Roma striker out of his squad.

Abraham has undeniably struggled to replicate the goalscoring form he showed during his debut season in Serie A, but his omission still feels harsh.

The former Chelsea man must have thought he would be going to Qatar given he has been so heavily involved in the England set-up during the last 18 months.

But the fact he has scored just four times this season, coupled with Wilson's fine form in the Premier League, has clearly worked against him.

This setback will certainly be a tough one for Abraham to take.

GettyWINNER: Kyle Walker

As soon as he went down injured during the Manchester derby on October 6, Walker would have been fearing for his World Cup chances.

It looked almost certain he would miss out when he was forced to undergo groin surgery, but remarkably he has recovered in time to make the plane to Qatar.

Whether he is fit enough to feature straight away remains to be seen, but just the fact he has been included in the squad is a victory for Walker.

There aren’t many players Southgate would have gambled on, but he trusts Walker implicitly and his ability to play on the right side of the back three has clearly been a major factor in the manager’s decision.

Walker’s inclusion is a risk, but it’s one you can understand Southgate taking.

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Getty ImagesLOSER: Fikayo Tomori

The fact that Tomori has not made the squad and Harry Maguire has is pretty laughable.

Maguire may have been an excellent servant to England in the past, but his form has been awful for months now – so much so that he barely gets a look in at Manchester United anymore.

Quite how Southgate can use a loss of form as the reason for Abraham’s omission from the squad and then turn around and take Maguire over Tomori is anyone’s guess. It just doesn’t stack up.

Tomori will understandably feel very hard done by and it is tough not to come to the conclusion that the only reason he isn’t going is because he’s playing in Italy, rather than England.

And that is frankly ridiculous, given how well he has performed for reigning Serie A champions AC Milan.