The ICC are understood to be looking at a relocation of group stage fixtures to Antigua, in response to torrential rainfall on the island
Melinda Farrell10-Nov-2018The ICC are considering moving Women’s World T20 group games from St Lucia to Antigua because of heavy rains and a grim forecast for the next week.The first St Lucia match of the tournament between England and Sri Lanka was rained off and thunderstorms are forecast until at least next Wednesday. The forecast in Guyana is, by contrast, fine and sunny which means if more games on St Lucia are called off the tournament – which is being played for the most part in separate groups on each island – would be vastly lopsided in matches completed.ESPNcricinfo understands that, while no formal discussions have taken place with teams or the host boards, and while there has only been one game cancelled so far, the ICC is exploring the logistical issues involved in relocating at least part of the group stage to ensure matches.Those logistic factors are significant and may be impossible to overcome. Television broadcast equipment, including the main satellite, would have to be flown between the islands and that would necessitate a charter to guarantee it wouldn’t be held in customs. The broadcasters would also have to agree to changes in the schedule.Other issues include the teams accepting the relocation, the wickets in Antigua being prepared for extra games and the cost of charter flights and availability of hotels.While officials are not yet panicking and remain hopeful the forecast will improve, ESPNcricinfo understands if the logistical problems could be easily resolved, the decision would be made sooner rather than later.If all remaining matches in St Lucia were to be washed out, then England would still qualify for the knockouts by virtue of being second seeds in their group, behind West Indies, who beat Bangladesh in the group’s opening fixture on Friday.Ironically, a relocation could end up counting against England, given that their second fixture, against Bangladesh on Monday, could come too soon to avoid another washout. If that were to happen, England could need to beat West Indies in their final group-stage match to reach the semi-finals.Heather Knight, England’s captain, said that the Gros Islet outfield was the wettest she had ever encountered in her career, and gave a cautious welcome to the prospect of a relocation.”If it meant we got the games in then potentially,” Knight said. “It hasn’t stopped raining since we arrived. We are hopeful that it will stop raining but if that is an option, it is up to the ICC to decide obviously, not me.”She was also critical of the lack of facilities available to her team, in the absence of any opportunity for middle practice.”At some point we will get some cricket in, whether it is a five-over smash, and we’re going to have to be ready,” she said. “We are probably going to have to be slightly inventive to keep the girls going. Cricket is hard to play without facilities.”
Rangers have been handed a financial boost after a significant update from the Scottish Premiership.
Rangers transfer news
The Gers have had a fairly tumultuous year on the pitch, with Michael Beale's spell as manager a disappointing one, leading to his sacking earlier in the season. Philippe Clement has come in in his place, and the early signs have been positive, with Rangers seemingly firing in all competitions since the Belgian's timely arrival.
For the team to continue heading in the right direction, however, new signings could be required during the January transfer window, adding more quality and freshness to the squad, with Clement reportedly set to make as many as three new additions.
A host of players have been linked with a move to Ibrox, with Rangers keen on signing Everton defender Ben Godfrey, seeing him as a top target to come in and improve the defence. Meanwhile, Aberdeen ace Bojan Miovski has also been tipped to join the Gers.
While there is plenty of focus on the team, a key claim has now emerged regarding the club as a whole – one that will no doubt please supporters.
Rangers handed financial boost
According to a fresh update from Football Insider, the SPFL enjoyed record-breaking revenue in 2022/23, with the eye-watering figures revealed:
"Rangers are set for a financial injection from the SPFL after they posted record-breaking revenue in 2022/23, Football Insider can reveal. The Scottish Professional Football League posted their updated accounts via Companies House for the fiscal year up to 31 May with a turnover of £42.6million.
"It was a record-breaking turnover figure for the Scottish Professional Football League and marked a £3million increase from the year prior."
The money will be distributed out to all clubs in the top four tiers of Scottish football, and while the exact amount heading to Ibrox remains undisclosed, the report claims it will be a record setting sum. It means that a few extra funds should be available for Clement to spend on new signings in January.
1. Tore Andre Flo
£15.7m
2. Michael Ball
£8.5m
3. Mikel Arteta
£6.9m
4. Arthur Numan
£6.7m
5. Giovanni van Bronckhorst
£6.5m
6. Barry Ferguson
£6.35m
7. Bert Konterman
£6.35m
8. Ryan Kent
£6.31m
9. Michael Mols
£5.6m
10. Gaby Amato
£5.6m
What this also does is help persuade potential signings to come to the club, showing that the league is moving in a positive direction and should continue to be able to compete in European competitions, something players are typically drawn to.
Someone like Godfrey for example could jump at the opportunity to earn more regular playing time at Ibrox, and while there's still no chance of the Gers paying him the £76,000 per week he earns at Everton, every little helps.
Rangers defeated 10-man St Mirren 3-0 to return to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership after a week to forget, which included the dismissal of Michael Beale, and defeats against Aberdeen and Aris Limassol.
It was James Tavernier who got the scoring underway, converting from the spot after Zak Lovelace's pass resulted in Ryan Strain's red card, and the subsequent Rangers penalty in the 30th minute. From there, it was a comfortable day for the Gers, who sealed victory in the second half through Abdallah Sima's finish in the 71st minute before Tavernier's rocket added the icing on the cake late on.
GK: Jack Butland – 6/10
Butland arguably had one of the simplest games of his Rangers career, despite the narrow scoreline, with St Mirren rarely, if ever, really threatening the former Stoke City man, who kept his seventh clean sheet of the season in all competitions.
RB: James Tavernier – 8/10
Tavernier, as ever, did well to remain calm and collected to convert from the spot to give Rangers the lead following a tumultuous week for his side. The captain then finished things off late on with a thunderous strike.
CB: Connor Goldson – 7/10
Like Tavenier, Goldson was given a fairly simple game defensively, and could have followed his captain's goal with one of his own, when he forced Zachary Hemming into a solid save with a powerful header from a Ranger's corner. The centre-back will just be happy to have kept a clean sheet, however, after the Scottish giants had gone two games without one.
CB: John Souttar – 7/10
Again, like Goldson, Souttar wasn't exactly forced into action too many times against St Mirren, and had a simple afternoon to help his side return to winning ways.
LB: Borna Barisic – 6/10
Unable to make an attacking impact in similar fashion to Tavernier, Barisic still kept to his defensive duties in a display which may not have been glamorous, but more than got the job done.
CM: Jose Cifuentes – 6/10
Once Strain had been given his marching orders, the Rangers midfield were always on course for a routine afternoon, and Cifuentes ensured that this was the case, in a near-flawless performance.
CM: John Lundstram – 6/10
Like his fellow midfielder, Lundstram kept things ticking over in the middle of the park, allowing those in the forward line to seal all three points in a solid display.
CM: Nicolas Raskin – 7/10
Playing a crucial part in the 2-0 victory by assisting Sima's goal, Raskin enjoyed a comfortable and solid display without ever really looking troubled at the heart of the Rangers midfield.
RW: Zak Lovelace – 8/10
On his first senior start, Lovelace, who Peter Smith described as "electric", made sure to make his mark, with his pass across the face of goal leading to Ryan Strain's red card for handball, and Tavenier's subsequent opener from the spot. The winger's debut was then cut short, as he was stretchered off in a devastating way for a memorable day to end in the first half.
ST: Kemar Roofe – 5/10
Roofe's slow start to the season continued against St Mirren, before exiting proceedings mid-way through the first-half. With just one goal in 10 games in all competitions, the forward may need to start worrying about his place in the Rangers side, particularly after he failed to show signs of life in the Gers' return to winning ways.
LW: Abdallah Sima – 8/10 (Man of the Match)
It was the game of the wingers as far as Rangers were concerned, with Sima adding to Lovelace's first-half goal with a strike of his own to seal all three points in the second-half. Scoring his sixth goal in his last six starts, Sima was clinical for the Gers.
Substitutes
Ross McCausland (41' for Lovelace) – 6/10
Cyriel Dessers (61' for Roofe) – 5/10
Lammers (90' for Sima) – 5/10
Rice (90' for Cifuentes) – 5/10
Subs not used: Yilmaz; Sterling; Davies; McCrorie; McKinnon
Manager
Steven Davis – 8/10
Managing just his second game as interim boss, Davis did well to return Rangers to winning ways after a difficult week, and if that is to be his last moment at the helm, the former midfielder can hold his head up high.
Newcastle United boast a crop of players of a far greater collective quality than anything England's north east has witnessed over the past few decades.
True enough, the Magpies clinched Europa League football in 2012 and did so with a sturdy defence and a scintillating attack, but Eddie Howe has constructed a squad capable of sustaining success for many years, something Alan Pardew's team failed to do in their one-season European sojourn.
Not only has St. James' Park been transformed with new additions such as Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier and Alexander Isak, but players such as Joelinton and Fabian Schar have harnessed their potential and are thriving at the centre of the system.
Another, Miguel Almiron, has been positively radiant in the Magpies attack over the past few years after initially struggling.
How did Miguel Almiron previously perform for Newcastle?
The Paraguayan dynamo was signed from MLS outfit Atlanta United in a club-record £21m transfer in February 2019, having just posted 13 goals and assists apiece in the United States of America.
However, he did not hit the ground running and failed to register a direct contribution across ten Premier League appearances before the summer of 2019, starting nine times.
His first full season was not much better; while the 50-cap international bagged eight goals across all competitions, half of those came in the FA Cup against lower-league opposition, scoring just four times from 35 starts in the English top-flight.
This was the same tally as Dwight Gayle, who actually achieved the total in just ten starting displays, and despite this, he was branded a "shocking" player by journalist Matt Murphy.
In fact, Almiron actually failed to surpass that four-goal tally across any of his first three campaigns in the Premier League, plundering a measly five goals across the subsequent two terms.
Criticised for his lack of end product, the 29-year-old has always been held in good regard by the Tyneside faithful despite his profligacy due to a tenacious approach and unwavering work-rate, but there was an undeniable desire to start seeing the goals rain down with more satisfying regularity, and that they did.
How good is Miguel Almiron now?
Last season, the £60k-per-week wideman scored 11 times in the Premier League while supplying two assists from 29 Premier League starts, with eight of those goals coming in a ten-match burst of prolific form.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 14% for goals scored per 90, highlighting a crispness in possession and newfound predatory instinct in front of goal that has left him a starring member of Newcastle's flourishing squad.
This term, he has only scored twice from nine contests but both strikes have arrived in the past two divisional clashes – promising form considering Paris Saint-Germain are now just around the corner in the Champions League.
Heralded for his “sensational” rise to the fore by journalist Josh Bunting, Almiron has now subjectively cemented himself as Newcastle's finest right winger in many years, perhaps even eclipsing the impact of Moussa Sissoko, who arguably played his finest football at St. James' Park.
Tottenham Hotspur signed Sissoko in a £30m transfer on deadline day in 2016 after the Frenchman had made 133 appearances for the Magpies, scoring 12 goals and providing 19 assists. It's safe to say despite his positive performances, making an impact in the final third was not his forte, as is the opposite with the now resurgent Almiron.
Praised for his "technical quality" and "power" by former boss Pardew, Sissoko was adept at collecting the ball and charging at opponents, thriving down the right channel, but it's probably safe to say that given Almiron's performances and role in Newcastle's rise to the Champions League, he has eclipsed Sissoko's impact and legacy at the club, with the Toon sitting in mediocrity at the time.
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is "going to have to move" in the near future, according to talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor.
Is Aaron Ramsdale leaving Arsenal?
Ramsdale's future at the Emirates Stadium was plunged into doubt when Arsenal completed the surprise signing of David Raya in the summer, with the goalkeeper joining on an initial loan from Brentford, although the move is set to be made permanent.
Mikel Arteta started the England international at the beginning of the Premier League season, but he has since made the decision to drop him, with the manager claiming it was for tactical reasons. When asked why he brought Raya into the starting XI, Arteta said:
"Why? Why not?. We have all the qualities in another goalkeeper to do something when something is happening and you want to change momentum. Do it. Now my feeling is to get everybody engaged in the team. They have to play, regardless of the competition. We have to do it."
However, it is unusual for clubs to keep two top goalkeepers in their squad, given that it is difficult to keep them both happy, and Football Insider reports that suitors are lining up to sign the 25-year-old in the January transfer window.
At the moment, the shot-stopper is focused on regaining his place in the starting XI, but Agbonlahor believes he is going to have to leave if he wants to play for England at Euro 2024 next summer. The talkSPORT pundit said:
"I don’t see goalkeepers at Ramsdale’s age accepting being number two.
“He’s going to have to move because Raya will be the number one from now on. Henderson had to move from Man United, and this is the same. It’ll be frustrating for Ramsdale because he hasn’t made any real mistakes in an Arsenal shirt. He’ll be thinking ‘How’s this happened?’
“Out of nowhere, he’s lost his shirt.
“If he’s not playing, and Pickford, Henderson, Johnstone all are – he could miss out on the Euros.”
Will Aaron Ramsdale leave Arsenal?
The Englishman may have a big decision to make in the January transfer window, should he be aiming to start at Euro 2024 next summer, but you'd think that Gareth Southgate is unlikely to select him over Jordan Pickford if he is not even the first-choice for his club.
At this stage, the former AFC Bournemouth man has only been benched for two Premier League games, and he showed his support for Raya by applauding his fellow goalkeeper for a superb save to deny Brennan Johnson in the North London derby.
However, there is a chance the 6 foot 2 'keeper could become unsettled if he has a prolonged spell out of the team, particularly considering his chances of representing his country are on the line.
At the moment, Ramsdale should continue to focus on regaining his place in the starting XI, as displacing Raya, who has been lauded as "excellent" by Arteta, would make a real statement to Southgate.
However, if the "incredible" goalkeeper does not feature regularly before January, then he could consider moving elsewhere, as he may not want to play second fiddle at this stage of his career.
Arsenal can now sign a January striker target for a very affordable fee this summer, following their rejected bid in the winter transfer window.
Arsenal targeting Alexander Isak alternatives
Newcastle United star Alexander Isak is a priority transfer choice for manager Mikel Arteta, according to various reports, but a deal for the superstar Premier League striker will be very hard to pull off.
Arsenal seriously considering £60m Isak alternative after 17-goal haul
The Magpies star could be too unattainable.
ByEmilio Galantini Feb 19, 2025
Arteta is a real fan of Isak, and has the Swede at the very top of his personal striker wishlist, according to David Ornstein, but Newcastle have zero intention of selling and he could be priced out of the market.
“The way he [Isak] has developed and flourished is just spectacular, and it probably makes Arsenal rue their missed opportunity,” said Ornstein on the Sky Sports Back Pages podcast earlier this month.
West Ham (home)
February 22nd
Nottingham Forest (away)
February 26th
Man United (away)
March 9th
Chelsea (home)
March 16th
Fulham (home)
April 1st
“There’s no doubt that he is the player that Mikel Arteta has at the top of his list. If he was to sign a striker, he’s seen as perfect for Arsenal’s system and everything he offers. But Newcastle fans will hate hearing that, because they’ve got him under contract for a few years yet. He’s their key player. He’s at the centre of what they and their Saudi-led ownership are doing.
“And they’ve got no intention of seeing him go anywhere. They want him to sign a new contract. If they don’t qualify for the Champions League, maybe there’s a consideration, but the price will be phenomenally high.”
Some reports this week have even suggested that Newcastle could demand around £160 million to sell Isak, which would be the second-highest fee in football history after Neymar’s £198 million move to PSG.
As such, Arteta’s side are weighing up other options, with Arsenal seriously considering Eintracht Frankfurt sensation Hugo Ektike. Meanwhile, they’ve also been repeatedly linked with Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović.
Arsenal can sign Dušan Vlahović for just £33 million
The Serbian is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract at the end of this season, meaning Arsenal could sign Vlahovic for just £33 million in a bargain deal, according to Calciomercato.
Fiorentina’s ex-star has scored 13 goals in 29 appearances for the Old Lady this season, with Arsenal having a loan bid rejected for Vlahovic in January.
Serbia'sDusanVlahovicand Nikola Milenkovic before the match
However, it appears the 25-year-old’s contract situation and fall behind Randal Kolo Muani could hand Arteta the chance to sign a prolific alternative to Isak at a very reasonable cost. Vlahovic has also been called the “strongest striker” in Serie A by his compatriot, Filip Kostić.
“He is very happy with my arrival. It feels wonderful to be a part of Juventus, which is among the biggest clubs in the world. It fills me with pride. It is important to have someone who speaks the same language. Having Dusan by my side is essential,” said Kostic in 2022.
“He is the strongest striker in the league. I’m fortunate to be able to play alongside him.”
It is safe to say West Ham’s recent history has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, though many fans would say the past two seasons have has some of the best times in memory.
Since being relegated from the Premier League in the 2002/03 season, the Hammers have overseen 15 managerial appointments at the club, including caretaker roles.
With David Moyes now seemingly well settled into his second spell at the club, the fortunes have started to turn in their favour, particularly last season, when they won the Europa Conference League – their first trophy since 1980.
Despite the recent success, there are still a handful of bad decisions made previously that David Moyes and the club will still be regretting, with poor signings high on that list.
Who are David Moyes’ worst signings at West Ham?
Since starting his second spell at the club in late December 2019, Moyes has proved a lot of doubters wrong by keeping West Ham in the Premier League and then of course achieving European success.
Moyes, however, can’t hide from some of the mistakes he’s made in signing certain players in that time.
One player West Ham fans were happy to see the back of was midfielder Alex Kral. The Hammers signed the Czech international on a costly season-long loan from Spartak Moscow in the 2021/22 season. He would play just 256 minutes across six games over the whole season, scoring or assisting none for the club, before being swiftly sent back upon the end of his loan.
West Ham midfielder Alex Kral in action against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup
Another disappointment was forward Gianluca Scamacca.
The Italian signed only last summer for a hefty fee of around £35.5m, and only scored 8 goals in all competitions for the club. After just one season, he returned to Italy with Atalanta for £27m.
A name that perhaps stands out above all else though, would be Nikola Vlasic.
Who is Nikola Vlasic?
The Croatian midfielder signed for West Ham from CSKA Moscow in August 2021 for an initial £25.7m, before add-ons of around £7.7m, totalling £33.4m.
Vlasic was signed by Moyes to fill the void left by Jesse Lingard, who had impressed during his loan spell the season before but could not agree a permanent move with the club.
Following the arrival of his new signing, Moyes said:
“I am delighted to welcome Nikola to West Ham United. I have been watching Nikola improve over recent seasons – he has got a good goals and assists record in that time.”
While his managers’ public seal of approval would have certainly excited fans about their new arrival, it wouldn’t take long to realise Vlasic might not be the solution he was brought in to be.
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The midfielder didn’t score a goal for the club until the end of December 2021, which came in a 4-1 win over league strugglers Watford.
It would be his only goal in his time at West Ham, while his assists record didn’t flatter him either.
He earned just two assists for the club, leaving his manager red-faced for his comments praising his ability to contribute to goals.
What was Vlasic’s salary at West Ham?
As well as costing the club a hefty initial transfer fee, Vlasic was reportedly earning a very lucrative weekly wage in east London.
According to Spotrac, Vlasic’s five-year deal at the club saw him earning an extraordinary £70k-per-week, totalling a little over £3.6m-per-year and being right up there with West Ham’s highest earners, amongst the likes of much more established names at the club in Kurt Zouma and Michail Antonio.
Player
Wage per week
Kurt Zouma
£120,000
Andriy Yarmolenko
£115,000
Michail Antonio
£85,000
Manuel Lanzini
£70,000
Nikola Vlasic
£70,000
His singular season at West Ham in the 2021/22 season saw the club set back a sizable cost of more than £12m for each of his contributions.
Where is Nikola Vlasic now?
After his disastrous debut season at West Ham, Vlasic wasn’t given a second chance to impress under David Moyes and was promptly sent out on loan to Serie A side Torino ahead of the 2022/23 season.
The Croatian’s season in Italy saw his contributions increase slightly, but still not to the standards expected by Moyes or of that he was registering in his time in Russia prior to his move.
He played 37 times in all competitions in his season on loan, scoring five goals and recording eight assists and did enough to impress his coaches at Torino enough to earn himself a permanent move upon the end of the season.
In August 2023, just two years after signing for West Ham, Torino completed the signing of Vlasic for around £10.3m, less than half the fee the east London side paid for him.
Still only 25-years-old, the midfielder certainly has time to turn his career around despite his two failed spells in the Premier League, having already disappointed at Everton after spending two seasons there from the 2017/18 season to the 2018/19 season.
Vlasic’s position in the Croatian national team has never been under threat, regardless of his poor performances for David Moyes’ side, although his numbers aren’t particularly impressive, being without a goal for his country for over two years now and having just one assist in that time.
How have West Ham moved on from Vlasic?
After allowing the departure of Vlasic, West Ham didn’t waste any time in finding a replacement.
Shortly after the Croatian’s initial loan move to Torino went through, the Hammers announced the club-record £51m deal to sign Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who has certainly been a success in his time so far.
In his debut season, Paqueta scored five goals and assisted a further seven in all competitions, and was a pivotal figure as West Ham won the Europa Conference League.
His performances have seemingly justified his record fee in the eyes of many fans, as he has arguably solidified his signing as a success, which cannot be said for the now-departed Vlasic.
Manchester United are reportedly still looking to make signings in two key positions in the summer transfer window, but it depends on one important thing.
Will Man United make more signings?
The Red Devils have had an up-and-down summer to date, bringing in new signings but arguably not doing enough business up until this point. Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund have all come in as players who should strength the starting lineup, instantly strengthening the squad depth at Erik ten Hag's disposal.
United do still look a little short of genuine top quality throughout the team, however, as last Monday's disappointing performance at home to Wolves showed, even though they ended up winning 1-0. The likes of Raphael Varane, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are now all in their 30s, while younger players such as Antony and Alejandro Garnacho are still learning their trade.
The hope was that Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay would complete moves to West Ham, generating transfer funds and freeing up space in the squad to improve it, but as of now, the pair remain at Old Trafford.
There is now less than two weeks of the transfer window remaining, highlighting the need for United to act quickly, and a key update has emerged regarding their potential upcoming business.
Who do Man United want to sign?
According to Football Insider, United are still intending to sign a new defender and midfielder this summer, but only if players like the aforementioned duo head out of the Old Trafford exit door:
"Man United are still keen to sign a defender and midfielder but cannot strengthen until they sell players, sources have told Football Insider. The Old Trafford club had hoped West Ham’s moves for Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay would provide them with the requisite funds to complete their summer business.
"But those moves have recently broken down, leaving Erik ten Hag unable to add to his squad just days out from the 1 September deadline."
This is an encouraging update and one that suggests that Ten Hag remains hellbent on making further reinforcements before deadline day arrives. As mentioned, the display against Wolves left a lot to be desired, and while it is admittedly only one game, the team did look disjointed and lacking composure on the ball.
If United could sell Maguire and bring in a superior replacement, that would be an ideal start – someone who can really push Varane and Lisandro Martinez for minutes – while a creative midfielder who sits deep is also required, in order to ease Casemiro's workload as age slowly begins to catch up with him.
Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…
Failure to address both positions could ultimately prove to be fatal this season, in terms of United's top-four hopes, with Liverpool, Chelsea and even Tottenham potentially being much-improved in 2023/24, following hugely below-par campaigns last time around.
The money should be there for the Red Devils to spend, given what they generate as a club, so it is unacceptable if the Glazers don't back Ten Hag and ensure that another couple of signings come in before the end of the month.
Joe Root was as surprised as anyone to see pictures of Ben Stokes at Heathrow on Monday and thought it may be a “wind up” at first.But although Root would “love to have” Stokes back, he accepts there is no point dwelling on the possibility of him returning during the current Ashes series.Stokes’ appearance with his England kit sparked speculation that he could be about to bolster the Ashes squad, but those suggestions were soon scotched when it was confirmed he was heading to New Zealand. Initially that was said to be for a “family” visit, but it soon emerged he had been handed a No Objection Certificate by the ECB to pave the way to play domestic cricket.A deal with Canterbury was confirmed on Thursday and Stokes is set to appear in the Ford Trophy for Canterbury against Otago on Sunday. But the news a few hours before that agreement was announced that Avon and Somerset Police had passed his case onto the CPS for “charging advice”, following the incident in Bristol on September 25 which led to Stokes’ arrest, has made it ever more unlikely that he will play a part in Australia.”From my point of view, anytime you can have Ben in your side it would be great,” Root said. “When I saw the pictures I was wondering whether he was going on holiday with his England bag just to wind people up.”But I would personally love to have him back. As a team, we’d love Ben to be part of the squad. Travelling to play in New Zealand just shows how much it means to him to play for England and how desperate he is to do well for his country. It is testament to his character. Fair play to him to do everything he can to get himself in the best possible place to play cricket again.”But we have to move forward and make sure guys stand up. These things are completely out of our hands and we just have to move on. All of our planning and preparation has been without Ben and how we go about things won’t change.”While the case is in the hands of the CPS – and their decision could take a number of weeks to be confirmed – Stokes will remain unavailable for England selection. There had been much debate that he could be available for Perth in mid-December but that timescale appears to have vanished.”Without the investigation being closed or moving forward, he won’t be able to play for England,” Root said. “So whether he’s here in Australia or in New Zealand or back home, the stance is the same. Until that changes there is no point in thinking otherwise. I know these things can take time.”