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تحدث محمد الشناوي قائد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، عن المواجهة المرتقبة أمام الرجاء المغربي، في إياب دور ربع نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

ومن المقرر أن يحل الأهلي ضيفًا على الرجاء على ملعب مركب محمد الخامس بالدار البيضاء، غدًا السبت، بعد أن حسم المارد الأحمر مباراة الذهاب لصالحه بهدفين دون رد.

وقال الشناوي في تصريحاته خلال المؤتمر الصحفي: “نعلم أن مباراة الغد قوية جدًا، وحققنا الفوز في الشوط الأول من مواجهة الرجاء في القاهرة، ولكن غدا سننسى الشوط الأول ونركز في المباراة”.

طالع أيضًا | الغيابات تضرب الرجاء المغربي قبل مواجهة الأهلي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

وتابع: “الرجاء استعد لنا بشكل قوي ونحن أيضًا، واعتدنا على اللعب في وسط هذه الأجواء أمام جمهور كبير مثل جمهور الفريق المغربي، وهذا لن يؤثر علينا سلبًا، نُفكر في اللقاء وكل لقاء مُنفصل بالنسبة للاعبين”.

وأضاف: “كنا نُعاني من ضغط مباريات ما بين دوري وكأس وإفريقيا؛ لذلك كنا نُعاني من تذبذب في المستوى في دور المجموعات، ولكن حاليا نحن فزنا على الرجاء في المباراة الأولى بهدفين”.

ووجه أحد الصحفيين في المؤتمر الصحفي سؤالا لـ محمد الشناوي عن فوز المارد الأحمر في النسخة الماضية في القاهرة من خلال ركلة جزاء غير صحيحة بعد عرضها من جانب مخرج المباراة من زاوية خاطئة دفعت الحكم إلى احتسابها، فرد قائد الفريق قائلًا: “نُفكر في مباراة الغد ولا نتحدث عن الماضي أو مباريات النسخة الماضية، الأهلي فريق كبير وكذلك نادي الرجاء المغربي قدم أداءً مميزًا في المباراة الماضية”.

واختتم: “لم نكن خائفين أمام الجماهير المغربية، ولكن نحن نستمتع بالحضور الجماهيري واللاعبون أيضا يصبحون مستمتعين في هذه المباريات”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Você sabe o que é Déjà vu, né? Resumidamente, é aquela sensação súbita que você tem de estar vivendo algo que já viveu. Pois senti algo parecido neste sábado ao fazer a cobertura de São Paulo x Atlético-PR no Morumbi. Foi minha primeira vez trabalhando no estádio reportando as notícias do Tricolor desde que deixei o dia a dia do clube há cerca de um ano para ser setorista do Corinthians aqui pelo LANCE!.Foi como se eu nunca tivesse deixado o clube e presenciasse as mesmas cenas dos últimos anos, aquelas que flertam, para desgosto do são-paulino, com a mediocridade.

E não que o São Paulo tenha feito uma partida de todo ruim. Teve até momentos de inspiração. Mas e também não teve nos últimos anos? Só que a imagem que fica gravada e o que gera a revolta do torcedor tão machucado é a do frio, do Morumbi vazio para só 13.053 pessoas e não 40 mil, da dificuldade do time em criar, de se impor em sua casa, de jogar como protagonista. O empate em 0 a 0 com o Furacão devolveu ao São Paulo, por um instante, o sabor que ele tem provado com frequência: o de coadjuvante.

Como já disse, estou distante do dia a dia do clube e não consigo apontar culpados para a queda de rendimento do time, que não vence há seis partidas e ganhou apenas uma das última nove, passando da liderança do Brasileiro para o risco de ficar sem Libertadores. Mas, mesmo à distância, é possível perceber que tem coisa boa sendo feita no clube, há pessoas competentes envolvidas com o projeto de recuperar o caminho dos títulos, mas há também ainda muito o que ser feito. Quem, hoje, é a referência do São Paulo, capaz de conduzir o time a uma taça? Nene? Nem o técnico, que agora já o deixa no banco, parece acreditar nisso, embora reconheça sua qualidade. Diego Souza? Sua biografia não aponta para esse sentido. Para 2019, e é bom que o São Paulo já esteja pensando nisso, é preciso conferir mais espírito vencedor a um time que não pode, com licença ao torcedor, ser chamado de “sem vontade”.

Vontade não falta ao São Paulo, mas será preciso mais para fazer o torcedor voltar a ter orgulho de ir ao estádio de ponta a ponta, sem precisar ser para ajudar o time a lutar contra o rebaixamento, por uma liderança ilusória ou por qualquer outro motivo. A razão do São Paulo tem de ser sempre aquela condizente com sua história. E não é a da mediocridade do Morumbi às moscas, com protestos e assistindo a um time que luta, mas não vence.

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يستعد نادي ليفربول للتقدم بعرض من أجل الحصول على خدمات أحد لاعبي فريق مانشستر سيتي، في موسم الانتقالات الصيفية المقبل.

وذكرت صحيفة “ديلي ميل” الإنجليزية، نقلًا عن نظيرتها “ديلي ستار”، أن ليفربول يسعى للحصول على خدمات اللاعب كالفين فيليبس من مانشستر سيتي نهاية الموسم الحالي.

وكان فيليبس قد انتقل إلى مانشستر سيتي قادمًا من ليدز يونايتد، الصيف الماضي، ولم يشارك إلا في 16 مباراة في مختلف المسابقات، ولم يلعب في الدوري الإنجليزي.

وتسبب ذلك الأمر في انتشار التكهنات حول مستقبل صاحب الـ27 عامًا مع حامل لقب الدوري، حيث ارتبط بإمكانية الرحيل في صيف هذا العام.

اقرأ أيضًا.. محمد صلاح يكشف عن لقبه المفضل مع ليفربول وعلاقته بـ يورجن كلوب

وأوضحت الصحيفة المذكورة أن ليفربول يأمل ضم كالفين فيليبس مقابل 35 مليون جنيه إسترليني في الميركاتو الصيفي المرتقب.

ويرغب ليفربول في تعزيز مركز خط الوسط خلال فترة الانتقالات، ويقوم حاليًا بتقييم الخيارات المتاحة بعد الانسحاب من صفقة جود بيلينجهام لاعب بوروسيا دورتموند.

وأشارت إلى أن القيمة المالية لعرض ليفربول المرتقب لضم فيليبس، يعني خسارة لـ مانشستر سيتي قدرها 10 ملايين جنيه إسترليني، مقابل العرض الذي دفعوه لحسم الصفقة من ليدز قبل عام.

تحدث توماس توخيل بعد قيادته لفريقه بايرن ميونخ للفوز في أولى مبارياته كمدير فني للفريق الألماني، أمام بوروسيا دورتموند في كلاسيكو البوندسليجا.

وتغلب بايرن ميونخ على بوروسيا دورتموند بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدفين، ضمن مواجهات الدوري الألماني، ليستعيد الصدارة.

وقال توخيل في تصريحاته لـ “سكاي ألمانيا”، وخلال مؤتمره الصحفي بعد المباراة: “كان اليوم خطوة أولى جيدة، كانت المباراة جامحة بعض الشيء، أردنا أن نمتلك المزيد من الهيمنة والسيطرة، بدأنا بتوتر شديد، كانت المباراة بأكملها في الواقع ضبابية للغاية”.

وأضاف: “لا يزال هناك مجال للتحسين، كان الجميع على علم بما كان على المحك اليوم، دائمًا ما يؤدي تغيير المدرب إلى الاضطرابات، وكان هناك الكثير من الأمور التي يجب استيعابها، كانت الرغبة في تنفيذ كل شيء موجودة 100٪، هذا هو أهم شيء”.

وتابع مدرب بايرن ميونخ: “عندما لعبنا بهدوء، صنعنا فرصًا من الدرجة الأولى، نحن الآن على قمة الترتيب، وهذا سيمنحنا السلام والثقة”.

واصل توخيل: “بعد التقدم 4-0، كنت أتمنى المزيد من الهيمنة وأخطاء أقل، لقد فقدنا الكرة عدة مرات، كان بإمكاننا تسجيل المزيد، الهدفان اللذان استقبلناهما مزعجان، لا يزال هناك مجال للتحسين، هذا ينطبق على الجميع”.

وبشأن قبوله تدريب بايرن ميونخ على الرغم من خطر حدوث خطأ في كل شيء، أجاب: “سادت الرغبة والإثارة في المهمة على كل شيء، لأكون قادرًا على اللعب على جميع الألقاب، لأكون قريبًا من عائلتي، هذا الفريق، كان هذا المزيج هو سبب مجيئي إلى هنا، لقد فاقت المخاطرة”.

وأكمل توخيل بشأن المفاوضات مع بايرن ميونخ: “لقد فوجئت في البداية بأنهم يريدونني على الفور، اعتقدت أنها كانت مجرد مكالمة لاستكشاف الأمر بشأن تولي المسؤولية في الصيف، كان الرؤساء واضحين للغاية، لم تكن هناك تكتيكات من جانبي، ولا خطة ب”.

وأتم: “كانت هناك بعض الاستفسارات، لكن بالنسبة لي كانت الخطة هي العمل في الخارج في الصيف، ولكن في كثير من الأحيان، أثناء وضع الخطط، الحياة تقرر لك، إنها البداية الآن، لقد كان أسبوعًا مكثفًا للغاية، لا أريد التقليل من شأن اليوم لأنها كانت النتيجة التي أردناها حقًا”.

A half-century for Gareth Rees and an all-round contribution from Jim Allenby helped Glamorgan to a comfortable CB40 victory over Scotland

29-Jul-2012
ScorecardA half-century for Gareth Rees and an all-round contribution from Jim Allenby helped Glamorgan to a comfortable Clydesdale Bank 40 Group B victory over Scotland in Cardiff.Scotland, who had beaten Bangladesh in a T20 international on Tuesday, were restricted to 151 for 9 in their 40 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat. Glamorgan then reached their target of 152 without too many scares and with 12 overs to spare.Rees finished on 60 not out from 81 balls and Allenby, who also recorded figures of three for 16, hit the winning runs to end on 39 not out.Allenby and John Glover (3 for 34) were the main destroyers as the Saltires struggled to recover from being reduced to 54 for 5 in the opening 16 overs. They made a decent enough start through their openers Josh Davey and Calum MacLeod, who put on 27 for the first wicket.But when Davey was caught low down by wicketkeeper Mark Wallace off Simon Jones the wickets began to tumble on the slow pitch. Three wickets fell in the space of 23 balls including the key wicket of Jean Symes, who was caught one handed by Allenby off his own bowling.But just when the visitors feared they might be bowled out for less than 100, skipper Preston Mommsen and Ewan Chalmers did their best to rebuild the innings. The sixth-wicket pair added 60 in 19 overs as they tried to get Scotland to a respectable score.Glover returned to take two wickets in three balls, bowling Mommsen middle stump and trapping Ryan Flannigan leg before. New-ball bowler James Harris returned at the end to take the wickets of Ewan Chalmers and Craig Wallace.Glamorgan’s openers – Rees and Wallace – made their intentions known as they raced to 63 within the first eight overs. They were helped in their task by Davey, who conceded 30 runs in his opening two overs.The momentum was halted briefly when Wallace was caught at midwicket from Richie Berrington’s first ball. Berrington then struck again to remove Chris Cooke, who made a century in a losing cause against Somerset yesterday.That left Glamorgan 91 for 2 in the 14th over, but there were no more blemishes as Rees and Allenby saw their side home with 72 balls to spare.

You cannot beat experience. Although 22-year-old James Harris tried to stand alone on centre stage, it was two thirty-somethings, Brendan Nash and Darren Stevens, who ended up sharing the honours by scoring unbeaten centuries

David Lloyd at Canterbury19-Jul-2012
ScorecardDarren Stevens played a stand-and-deliver innings•Getty Images

You cannot beat experience. Well, not always at any rate. And although 22-year-old James Harris tried with all his might to stand alone on centre stage, it was two thirty-somethings, Brendan Nash and Darren Stevens, who ended up sharing the honours by scoring unbeaten centuries to mastermind a spectacular Kent fightback.Harris still deserved plenty of praise for an encouraging performance that, at its peak, saw the young fast bowler boasting figures of 4 for 33 from 12 overs – a burst that gave Glamorgan real hope of following Tuesday’s win against Northants with a commanding start to this game.But, by close of play, even he looked battle-worn as century-makers Nash and Stevens took their well deserved applause for innings of contrasting style but equal worth. Their unbroken stand of exactly 200, in 46 overs, left Kent in command and ready to push for a victory that would underpin their promotion challenge. For both batsmen, this was a second championship hundred of the season. And by joining forces so effectively they not only lifted the hosts away from the early difficulty of 110 for 4 but also quashed at least some of Glamorgan’s enthusiasm.Harris, who missed the first half of the campaign while recovering from a groin operation, produced a beauty with the new ball to remove Rob Key and then needed something a little less menacing to find the edge of Ben Harmison’s bat.But it was two wickets in two balls from Harris soon after an hour’s stoppage for rain that really threatened Kent- and left Glamorgan believing they could quickly follow Tuesday’s first win of the season with a second four-day success. Sam Northeast’s attractive half-century ended when he played across the line while Mike Powell – up against the county who bade him farewell after last summer – snicked fatally to fall for a painful golden duck.Enter 36-year-old Stevens to face the hat-trick delivery. He blunted that threat with a forward defensive but, within minutes, boundaries were flying off his bat. Three came off Huw Waters, three more flowed in quick succession when John Glover took up the attack and for a time it looked as though Stevens would reach three figures before Nash – even though Nash had a 30-run start.Nash is not the sort of batsman to be easily ruffled by a friend or foe, however. The 34-year-old former West Indies Test batsman carried on in his unhurried way, punishing the bad ball when it came and happy to admire Stevens’ stand and deliver style at the other end.In fact, having rushed to 50 from 42 balls, Stevens slowed a touch while Nash accelerated – duly completing his century from 158 deliveries with 14 fours and celebrating the landmark with a rocking-the-cradle salute to his new-born son. As for Stevens, there was a rare scare on 92 when he almost ran himself out. But the hundred arrived, safely enough, from 125 balls with 18 fours and, like Nash, he looked hungry for more at the close.During the course of his innings, Stevens passed 10,000 first-class runs. On top of that, the power of his hitting damaged Marcus North – who needed ice treatment on his left ankle after stopping a shell of a drive at short extra cover – and almost removed umpire David Millns, who was struck, but not harmed, by a fierce pull while standing at square leg.For Glamorgan – who also had Waters off the field at one stage with a stomach upset – some good news was needed. It came at tea with the announcement that head coach Matthew Mott is staying with the county, despite having been interviewed for the head coach job at New Zealand.

Nick Compton, that most consistent of runmakers, guided Somerset past the follow-on figure and made Warwickshire’s task of forcing victory doubly difficult.

Ivo Tennant at Taunton20-Jul-2012
ScorecardNick Compton guided Somerset past the follow-on figure to make Warwickshire’s chance of forcing victory doubly difficult•Getty Images

The fact that there was no play at Trent Bridge should have been a boon for Warwickshire, who began this match with a mere one point advantage over Nottinghamshire at the top of the first division table. It would have proved just that had they made Somerset follow on, as really ought to have been the case. Only Nick Compton, that most consistent of run-makers, prevented this from happening.It is barely two month since Compton’s name was being floated as an England candidate, but it seems much longer: the t20 window and sundry other events have occurred and obscured such thoughts since then.He had scored 862 championship runs before this match started and added a further unbeaten 73 as he shepherded the middle order and the tail towards reaching the 251 they required to avoid the follow-on.Somerset accomplished that with two wickets intact, but for much of an unexpectedly sunny day, it had not looked likely. Jeetan Patel, obtaining some turn and occasional bounce from the Pavilion End, took five key wickets through catches close to the bat or, in the case of Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler, in deeper fielding positions through an inability to hit him over the top. Compton’s concentration and application remained steadfast throughout it all.The difficulty Warwickshire now have is self-evident: they lead by 212 with seven wickets remaining but only one day’s play remains in a game that was restricted to only 10.4 overs on the first day. They needed to force the follow-on.If Jim Troughton had not gone to the second ball of the morning, without adding to his overnight 132, or the last two wickets not fallen at the same score, 400, there would in all probability have been enough runs in the bag to achieve it. But all that is hypothetical.Alfonso Thomas was responsible for this sudden fall of wickets, having Troughton caught behind, aiming to hook, and swiftly accounting for Keith Barker and Patel. His figures of 6 for 60, achieved largely through swinging the ball, equalled the best of his career. When Marcus Trescothick returns, possibly this Sunday in the CB40 match against Durham, Thomas will willingly stand down as temporary skipper.Of the Somerset batsmen, Arul Suppiah managed to run out Alex Barrow before atoning to some extent with a characteristically stylish half century at almost a run a ball with eight fours and Craig Kieswetter made a brisk 44 before Patel lured him into misguided aggression. Compton was much in need of partners to enable Somerset to reach the follow on target.Indeed, when Peter Trego fell to Patel’s arm ball, caught at slip, and Thomas went the same way, Somerset were still 34 runs short of so doing. Max Waller was then missed off the same bowler when one run was still required. It was only just that the off spinner should take his wicket and then bowl Gemaal Hussain first ball. As for Compton, his championship average for the season now stands at 93.05.The best option for Warwickshire, it seemed, was to make runs swiftly in the final session and then again in the morning before declaring around lunchtime on the final day. Maybe the best scenario would have been for them to lose wickets quickly because all captains, in the modern mode, delay their declarations too late. The great Garry Sobers, who did exactly the opposite and hence enabled England to win a series in the Caribbean in 1967-8, has something to answer for.As it was, Varun Chopra and Ian Westwood progressed somewhat conservatively until the latter was out, leg before to Hussain, and two other wickets, including that of the captain, run out for a single, fell besides. Troughton’s timing of his declaration on the final day will need to be better than his running between the wickets…

Pune Warriors succumbed to the tournament’s whipping boys, Deccan Chargers, batting them out of the match for the second time in less than a week

The Report by Kanishkaa Balachandran01-May-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsCameron White scored his second fifty against Pune Warriors•AFP

Pune Warriors succumbed to the tournament’s whipping boys, Deccan Chargers, batting them out of the match for the second time in less than a week. It wasn’t a flawless win for the Chargers’ though, as their ground fielding and catching continued to look sloppy. Their saviour was an explosive stand of 157 between the two experienced hands – Cameron White and Kumar Sangakkara – which took them to 186. The Warriors slumped to their third consecutive loss and remained third from bottom in the points table.The Chargers won the toss but got off to a poor start when they lost Parthiv Patel first ball, dragging Marlon Samuels onto his off stump.The pressure increased on the inconsistent White and out-of-form Sangakkara, who brought himself back after sitting out the last match. The first ten overs was a slow and steady build for the Chargers, who struggled to get the run-rate above six.Sangakkara didn’t look convincing at the start, playing and missing and also getting an under-edge off a drive. Chargers managed only five boundaries in the first nine overs, before a straight six by White off Murali Kartik in the tenth over gave the Warriors a sign of things to come.It was as if the Chargers began on a fresh slate. The run-rate began creeping over six after the 12th over, the point from which Chargers took control. The 15th over was Sangakkara’s turning point in this tournament as he smashed four boundaries off Samuels. He lofted inside out over extra cover, edged to third man, smashed one over the bowler’s head and swept past short fine leg.Sangakkara brought up his fifty the following over with a chip to short fine leg after which he pumped his fists. Sourav Ganguly, who had conceded 15 off two overs, brought himself back on to stem the runs but it turned out to be a tactical blunder as his meaty offerings cost the Warriors 25 runs. White slogged three consecutive sixes over the on side before clipping one to fine leg for four, in the process outscoring Sangakkara.Sangakkara then took on Nehra, showing the confidence to innovate by shuffling at the crease and fetching four boundaries, including two sixes. Attempted yorkers turned into friendly full tosses, which Sangakkara pounded over the leg side. Chargers ransacked 50 off two overs before the pair fell off successive deliveries. They smashed 95 off the last six overs and gave themselves a shot at beating the Warriors for the second time.The Warriors too dubiously lost a wicket off the first ball of the innings – the first such occurance in the IPL. After Manish Pandey tamely chipped Ankit Sharma to mid-on, Ganguly walked in, ahead of Steve Smith, as if taking a cue from the Chargers to have two experienced players in the face of a big task.The start was still encouraging for the Warriors as Ganguly and Clarke unsettled Dale Steyn, hammering 17 off his second over. Ganguly fetched a four over cover at the start, before Clarke fetched three consecutive fours consisting of a flick and two cuts square on the off side. The bowler who had figures of 2 for 10 in four overs against Mumbai Indians a few nights back, ended with figures 4-0-46-0.Ganguly took charge against the spinners and as the partnership mounted, aided by a couple of dropped catches off Ganguly’s bat – honours were even. A top edge by Clarke was spilled by Shikhar Dhawan at point, but to his luck, the batsmen risked a second run and an alert Amit Mishra gathered the ball and fired it to the wicketkeeper with Clarke a yard short of his crease.Dhawan made amends the following over when Ganguly scooped one straight to cover. Embarrassed at falling to a part-timer, a peeved Ganguly walked back, flinging his bat and gloves as he headed to the dug-out. Robin Uthappa and Smith added 62, but their efforts could only get them close to the target. The Chargers toasted their second win, but left their coaching staff with plenty of headaches over the fielding.

أكد مصدر داخل نادي سموحة، أن الإدارة أنهت التعاقد مع محترف جديد لتدعيم صفوف الفريق الأول لكرة السلة، خلال الفترة القادمة.

وأوضح المصدر في تصريح خاص لـ بطولات، أن سموحة أنهى التعاقد مع المحترف الأمريكي دومينيك موريسون لاستكمال الموسم معه.

طالع…انضمام رباعي الأهلي وثنائي الزمالك لـ منتخب مصر الأولمبي استعدادًا لـ زامبيا

وأتم المصدر: “اللاعب الأمريكي سيخوض مع سموحة مباريات البلاي أوف في بطولة دوري السوبر لكرة السلة وكأس مصر”.

وكان قد أعلن فرج عامر رئيس نادي سموحة عبر صفحته الرسمية على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيس بوك”: اللاعب الأميركي المحترف دومانيك مورسين الذي سوف ينضم لفريق سموحة لكرة السلة لن يكلف خزينة النادي جنيها واحداً، لأن من تحمل تكلفته بالكامل لاعبي الفريق الأول لكرة السلة والجهاز الفني للفريق”.

Andy Flower, the England team director, is keen to ensure lessons are learned on the team’s recent overseas tours are not limited to the senior squad and get passed down the chain to younger players.

Andrew McGlashan08-Apr-2012

Andy Flower, the England team director, is keen to ensure lessons are learned on the team’s recent overseas tours are not limited to the senior squad and get passed down the chain to younger players. Flower was boosted by the strides made by the batsmen in Sri Lanka as they fought back to level the series with a convincing eight-wicket win in Colombo following the whitewash against Pakistan in the UAE.The success was set up by Kevin Pietersen’s barnstorming 151 but Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and Andrew Strauss all played important innings. But the revival was started by Trott in the second innings in Galle when his 112, although not able to prevent defeat, showed how batsmen can succeed by playing to their strengths.England’s other representative sides – the Lions and Under-19 team – also toured Asia over the last six months with mixed results. The Lions lost in Bangladesh but won in Sri Lanka, while the Under-19s were beaten 5-2 in a one-day series in Bangladesh. Flower wants all levels of the professional game to work together to improve England’s cricket in these conditions.”It is our job, not only to embed all those lessons but also to continue building on want we’ve learnt,” Flower said. “We also need to pass on those lessons to younger English cricketers so that when they are playing international cricket they don’t make the same mistakes as ours did this winter. I think that’s quite important.”It has been a tough winter but our focus has never wavered, our determination has never wavered and I think you would probably have see that best in the field. I think that was a good indication of where the group was. Yes it’s been tough but it’s brilliant to come back and level the series. It’s a real pity that it’s not a three-Test series – both Tests were excellent matches played on good pitches.”England almost left it too late to put in a complete batting performance and while Flower acknowledged it was a lengthy phase of trial and error, the end result has left him very hopeful of what can be achieved in the future.”We all want instant results but the world doesn’t work as easily as that but I do think it’s exciting watching excellent cricketers still have the capacity to learn and improve themselves,” he said. “I think good sides and good players have that capacity and are humble enough to open themselves up to new learning experiences. And I think we did see evidence of our guys learning in the second dig in Galle and out here.”Eoin Morgan was the one batsman to pay with his place after the Pakistan series and there will be focus on Ian Bell and Strauss when England resume action against West Indies in May. Bell has had a poor few months with just one half-century, in the first innings in Galle, to show as reward and his dismissal in Colombo – pulling a long hop to midwicket – was an inglorious way to finish.Strauss, meanwhile, struck an important 61 to lay the foundation alongside Cook in Colombo but has now one Test hundred in 50 innings. From within the team there remains no doubt over his position – something reiterated by Flower – yet he could still do with a productive summer against West Indies and South Africa. Bell, too, will not be dropped although will need to convince the selectors that he has the game to succeed in India next winter with Flower insisting no one is immune to scrutiny.Heading into the home season, No. 6 is the likely spot up for grabs if England revert to their regular balance of six batsmen, a keeper, three quicks and a spinner. Ravi Bopara was the spare batsman on the two recent tours after picking up a side strain in Sri Lanka being overlooked for Samit Patel.”Not one player owns a position in the batting order,” Flower said. “There’s competition for all places. Of course some are more secure than others but I don’t want to comment who’ll bat at six against the West Indies as I need to talk to the selectors. We’ll be having a selection meeting later this month and that’s when we’ll be discussing it in greater detail.”Neither would Flower be drawn on whether he thought the top six that played in Sri Lanka was the ideal combination for India at the end of the year. “I think it’s a little early to say that this batting unit will be there at the end of the year, we don’t know how things are going to pan out,” he said. “Yes, this batting unit is good enough to score heavy runs in India but part of our job is to ensure it isn’t a closed shop and if there are other players in England, we want them pushing the top seven here, constantly. That will drive our standards upwards.”