标签： Asia

MELBOURNE, Australia – In a significant tactical departure from tradition, Australia’s cricket selectors have announced a pace-heavy 12-man squad for the pivotal fourth Ashes Test against England, opting against including a specialist spin bowler despite Nathan Lyon’s series-ending injury. The decision, announced Thursday, reflects the team’s strategic response to the unusually grassy surface at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Offspinner Todd Murphy, who was called up as a potential replacement for the injured Lyon, has been omitted from the final squad. Captain Steve Smith confirmed the final playing XI would be announced at the toss on Friday, leaving open the possibility of further adjustments based on last-minute pitch conditions.

This selection marks a rare instance of an Australian side entering an MCG Test without a frontline spinner, a venue where legendary bowlers like Shane Warne and the recently injured Lyon have historically excelled. The move is driven by the current nature of pitches, which team analysis suggests favor seam bowling.

“The wickets we’re encountering presently are decidedly more seam-friendly than spin-friendly,” Smith explained during Thursday’s press conference. “Last week in Adelaide was an anomaly where rough conditions allowed Nathan to play a crucial role. Our strategy must adapt to the surface presented, and this one appears to offer substantial assistance to seam bowlers.”

Australia heads into the match having already retained the Ashes urn following three consecutive victories in the first eleven days of play. England, meanwhile, faces additional challenges with the confirmed loss of star bowler Jofra Archer for the remainder of the series.

The Australian squad sees the inclusion of fast bowlers Jhye Richardson, Brendan Doggett, and Michael Neser, while veteran left-handed batsman Usman Khawaja retains his place following impressive performances in Adelaide. Richardson stands to play his first Test in over four years following an extensive recovery from injuries.

England named its team on Wednesday, with both sides finalizing their approaches for what promises to be a seam-dominated contest at one of cricket’s most iconic venues.

England cricket captain Ben Stokes has made an impassioned declaration placing his team’s psychological welfare above all else as they approach the final two Tests of the Ashes series against Australia. The emotional leader addressed mounting concerns following England’s decisive 82-run defeat in Adelaide, which secured Australia’s series victory and retention of the coveted urn with an unassailable 3-0 lead.

The team faces intensified scrutiny after media reports emerged depicting some players adopting a ‘Stag Party’ mentality during a trip to Queensland’s Noosa resort between matches. These accounts, amplified through social media channels, have compounded the pressure on the struggling squad. Team director Rob Key has committed to investigating allegations of excessive drinking during the excursion.

Speaking at Melbourne Cricket Ground ahead of Friday’s fourth Test, Stokes emphasized his protective role: ‘With current reports circulating, my primary concern remains my players’ wellbeing. How I navigate this challenging period represents my most crucial responsibility as captain.’

The all-rounder drew upon personal experience with mental health challenges, having taken an extended break from cricket in 2021 to focus on psychological recovery. This followed his 2017 involvement in a Bristol street brawl that resulted in criminal charges—though he was ultimately acquitted—and disciplinary action from the England and Wales Cricket Board for posting inappropriate content online.

Stokes differentiated between legitimate cricket criticism and potentially harmful social media exposure: ‘When you’re 3-0 down in a major series, performance scrutiny is justified. However, the constant piling from both traditional media and social platforms creates an extremely difficult environment for individuals.’ The captain stressed the importance of leadership support during such challenging periods, vowing to shield his squad from unnecessary psychological strain as they prepare for the remaining matches.

Arsenal’s Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has set his sights on eliminating former club Chelsea from the League Cup following his decisive performance in Tuesday’s quarter-final victory against Crystal Palace. The Gunners secured their semi-final berth through an intense 8-7 penalty shootout triumph after regulation time ended 1-1 at Emirates Stadium, with Kepa’s crucial save against Maxence Lacroix’s spot-kick proving the difference.

The 31-year-old shot-stopper, who spent seven seasons with Chelsea before transferring to North London during the preseason, now stands to potentially deny his former team a place in the campaign’s first major final. Having made all three of his Arsenal appearances exclusively in the League Cup, Kepa emphasized the team’s trophy ambitions: “Right now, if you want a trophy, and that’s something that we want, we have to fight against good teams. Both semi-finals are big games, and it’s going to be tough, but we’ll prepare well.”

Arsenal’s path to Wembley will feature a two-legged confrontation with Chelsea, commencing at Stamford Bridge on January 14th followed by the return fixture at Emirates Stadium on February 3rd. The Gunners nearly secured victory in regulation time before Marc Guehi’s late equalizer—marking the third instance in Arsenal’s last five matches where their defense conceded during or beyond the 90th minute.

Kepa, currently deputizing for first-choice keeper David Raya, acknowledged the concerning pattern: “We’ve conceded in a couple of games in the last minute so it’s something that we have to look at.” Reflecting on the match dynamics, the Spanish international noted, “We made a huge effort. We should have scored a couple in the first half. We played so well. Then the second half was more like 50-50.”

The goalkeeper praised his teammates’ composure during the shootout, stating: “Credit to the guys, they took amazing penalties. They kept us in the game, and they gave me an opportunity to make a save.” He elaborated on the mental transition required after the late equalizer: “Emotionally, you have to be focused, be strong, because obviously when you concede in the last minute and then you have to go to penalties, you need to 100 percent be focused on your penalty takers. It was a change of mindset, and it worked.”