Wenger turns on his players

LONDON. - Arsène Wenger turned on his players after watching them go out of the FA Cup to Nottingham Forest on Sunday and admitted it “hurts very much” to experience a third-round defeat for the first time since he took over as Arsenal’s manager in 1996.

Wenger had made nine changes for the trip to the City Ground, but said he was entitled to field such an experimental side with the tough Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea coming up tomorrow night and added that Arsenal needed to take responsibility for themselves rather than adding to his criticisms of referees.

The Frenchman also expressed his disappointment with the mistakes made by his team in an early FA Cup exit at Nottingham Forest on Sunday. - AFP.

SYDNEY. - Steve Smith’s 687 runs were one clear point of difference between the two sides in the Ashes cricket, but the Australia captain was happier to talk about his bowlers after wrapping up a 4-0 series triumph over England yesterday.

The 28-year-old looked all but immovable at the crease at times during the series and three centuries, one a double and two unbeaten, left him with an average of 137,4 and his status as the world’s best batsman intact.

His own particular style, shuffling back and forwards across the crease, paid huge dividends, but he said he had been pleased with how all the Australian batsmen, who backed him up with six more centuries, had measured their innings.

“At times we had to bat for a little bit longer for the runs that we wanted.

“It was a series of patience and perhaps our batters had better patience throughout the series,” he said.