BEN’S SIX OF THE BEST BUT WINDIES ROAR BACK
BEN STOKES said he had never bowled better after taking six for 22 on a chaotic first day of the deciding Investec Test against West Indies at Lord’s. England closed on 46 for four, with Stokes unbeaten on 13, after his career-best haul had helped skittle the tourists for 123 — leaving Jimmy Anderson, who claimed two early scalps, stranded on 499 Test wickets. And the all-rounder, who bowled unchanged for 14.3 overs, said: ‘That’s the best I’ve bowled for England. The ball was swinging around and Joe Root let me bowl for a long period, which I like doing. ‘I felt like I’d been letting the team down a little bit with the ball, so hopefully this is a starting point and I can kick on. ‘If we can get up to their score and 100 past, we’ll fancy ourselves to win.’
LORD’S legendary groundsman Mick Hunt, who has worked at cricket’s headquarters for 48 years, is preparing to retire after next summer — one year short of his half-century working for MCC.
Hunt, 65, feels in good health after fighting cancer since 2008, something which has never affected his ability to do the job. But he has told his MCC bosses that he doesn’t want to continue with the major responsibilities that go with the Lord’s role for more than another year.
The summer of 2019 will bring the extra spotlight of a World Cup final and an Ashes series, but Hunt says: ‘I’d rather go out on 49’. Although he is happy to stay in the background and advise his successor.
The MCC are expected to launch a global search to find the right replacement for Lord’s longest serving employee.
further the upset of Leicester City at missing the deadline to sign Sporting Lisbon’s Adrien Silva by 14 seconds, the jet to bring him over from Portugal cost £40,000 to hire. Jet companies know they can name their own price on the frantic last day of transfer business. GEOFF BOyCOTT (right), one of cricket’s best- known pundits, is expected to be part of BT Sport’s team for the Ashes this winter. Boycott is in negotiations to join a group of analysts that will include Michael Vaughan, Graeme Swann, Ricky Ponting and Damien Fleming. All-round sports broadcaster Matt Smith will present the coverage, replacing Greg James, the original choice, who is no longer available after preferring to sign a BBC deal to present a new entertainment show.
HAM, who finally host their first Premier League game of the season against Huddersfield on Monday night, are insistent they can block the European Athletics Championships being held at the London Stadium in 2022. British Athletics are considering bidding to stage the event in Stratford as their 50-year tenancy contract allows them to host major events every four years, provided they give owners E20 two years’ notice. But the Hammers’ anchor tenant agreement states there is a priority privilege for Premier League fixtures to take precedence during the football season. And, to complicate matters further, West Ham can’t just veto the event and must show their ‘best endeavours’ to accommodate it.