DeGALE SET TO BOW OUT AFTER LOSS
BOXING
BY RORY DOLLARD CHRIS WOAKES will return for the third match of England’s one-day series against the West Indies – and insisted there are no fears over his long-term fitness.
The Warwickshire ace has been battling a long-standing tendon issue in his right knee and was rested from the series-levelling defeat in Barbados, with England keen not to put him through two games in three days.
The 29-year-old was also unavailable throughout the recent Test series in the Caribbean, raising doubts about his readiness to take a lead role in the World Cup campaign this summer.
But Woakes will resume new-ball duty in Grenada today and played down concerns over his condition.
He said: “Of course people are going to ask those questions when you get rested from a game and you’ve not played much cricket, I understand that, but in my own mind I’m fine.
“By no means do I feel I’m coming to the end. It’s something I’ve had to manage for the past six, seven, eight years and not something I’m overly worried about.
“A lot of people call it tendinopathy, tendonitis... it’s just a dodgy knee from too much bowling. It’s not a concern for me.
“It comes with the territory. It’s in the back of my mind but I’m keeping it in the right place, keeping the rest of my body in good condition and doing everything I can to stay fit.
“If something freak happens and I break down, that’s part of professional sport. I feel fit now and I’m good to go.”
There is no doubt England are a stronger team with Woakes on board.
He’s one of the world’s most effective powerplay bowlers, a talented lowerorder batsman and came off well in his head-to-head with the dangerous Chris Gayle in Bridgetown.
The 39-year-old finished with 135 in that match, including a dozen sixes, but managed only nine singles from the 15 deliveries he faced from Woakes.
He said: “Up front Gayle hasn’t got away from us, we’ve got a lot of dot balls on him.
“Don’t get me wrong, that’s not always the way he plays. It has been in the first two One-day Internationals but we’ve played games against him where he’s gone from ball one. You need to expect the unexpected with him.
“He can easily come out and try and hit you for six from the first few balls. Dot balls are great but at the same time we want to be getting him out.
“We’re looking at a few different plans to try and get him a bit earlier because when he gets in, he’s destructive.
“It’s exciting to watch unless you are bowling.”
Darren Bravo will win his 100th cap for the Windies in St George’s, a milestone that once looked out of reach during a two-year international exile.
Now fully reintegrated, the classy left-hander praised Gayle for his influence on his team-mates.
“The experience of having Chris in the dressing room is priceless. He puts a smile on each and every player’s face,” he said.
“He’s not even a hero, he’s a legend. He’s a special player and we’re really happy to have him.”
As for his own return to favour, Bravo added: “I was quietly confident I’d be back and it’s a great feeling indeed to achieve 100 games.
“Hopefully I can contribute to a winning cause.” JAMES DeGALE admitted it may be time to hang up his gloves after a damaging defeat to Chris Eubank Jnr on Saturday night.
The bout at the O2 was seen as career-defining for both men with the loser expected to walk away from the sport.
DeGale struggled to find his flow in a contest that went all the way but handed Eubank a unanimous 114-112 115-112 117-109 win on the cards.
The Londoner boxed tentatively from range but paid in the 10th when a close-range left hook forced a count.
And the 33-year-old believes now could the time to call it quits.
DeGale said: “I’m going to go back, talk to my team and talk to my family, but I’m pretty sure I’ll retire. “I’ve been to the heights of boxing, I’ve won an Olympic gold medal, won the world title twice, made history and I’ve boxed the best around the world. I’ve left my mark on boxing – I’m the history man.”
The crowning moment BY MARTIN DOMIN of a decade-long pro career was DeGale’s victory over Andre Dirrell in 2015 which anointed him the first Brit to win Olympic gold and a world title.
The subsequent two years saw him box exclusively in North America as the home crowd he so often divided missed out on his prime.
DeGale’s draining draw with Badou Jack two years ago signalled the beginning of the end as he went on to lose his world title to the unheralded Caleb Truax.
He dragged his injuryravaged body through last year’s rematch to avenge the defeat but could not rally it again on Saturday.
Having previously fallen short against Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves, Eubank Jnr hailed his coming of age.
He said: “This was a career-defining fight for me, this was make or break, do or die. I had to win. I had to make a statement, and I believe that’s exactly what I did.”