Martial helps United sink Spurs
A YEAR on as the Zimbabwe national cricket team coach, Heath Streak highlights that the Chevrons are still a work in progress with the big goal being qualifying for the 2019 World Cup in England.
Streak was appointed national team coach on October 11, 2016 and sounds content with the progress the team has made under his watch.
“I think we have been good, we have made some progress especially in Oneday cricket. If you look at our winning ratio this year, it is about 50 percent higher than teams like the West Indies (18,75 percent) and Bangladesh (36,36 percent). We are pretty happy with that, but we are still a work in progress,” he said.
Zimbabwe will host the World Cup qualifiers next year and will have to finish in the top two to make it to England.
“Definitely, we want to qualify and we will make sure that we are ready. Obviously playing at home gives us a strong chance to be one of the two teams that qualify, but we still have to ENGLAND. — Substitute Anthony Martial’s 81st minute strike yesterday gave Manchester United a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford to keep them in touch with Premier League leaders Manchester City.
After last week’s surprise defeat at Huddersfield Town, Jose Mourinho’s team could ill afford another slip-up and they had to battle hard against a resilient Spurs to take the points.
United move on to 23 points, five behind leaders City who saw off West Bromwich 3-2, while third-placed Spurs remain on 20 points.
The impact from substitutes Jesse Lingard and French forward Martial proved decisive in the latter stages of a largely attritional battle in sweeping rain.
Tottenham, without their top scorer Harry Kane who was ruled out with a hamstring injury, played some tidy and progressive football in midfield.
But although South Korean winger Son Heung-min, playing in a central striking role, provided some intelligent movement and linked up well, the threatening presence of Kane, the league’s top scorer with eight goals, was not surprisingly missed.
Spurs have now lost 21 of their 26 trips to Old Trafford in the Premier League era – their worst away record against any club in the division.
Marcus Rashford provided an early play good cricket,” said Streak, whose reign started with a 0-2 Test series defeat to Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club in the month of his appointment.
Zimbabwe went on to play a oneoff Test away to Sri Lanka in July this year and lost by four wickets despite a promising start.
And after another encouraging start in the first Test against West Indies last week, Zimbabwe lost by 117 runs.
The second Test starts today and Streak is eager to bag his first win in the longest format of the game.
“I think the guys know where we can improve, and if we can improve by about 20 percent we will have a good chance,” he said.
Streak has Indian Premier League experience as bowling coach for the Gujarat Lions after also being Bangladesh’s bowling coach, but he says he still views himself as a student of the game.
“The day you think you know it all is the day you should retire. It’s not just about knowing cricket, but also managing people and creating the right environment,” he said.
Had Alli chosen his right foot, and opened up more space for his shot, he may well have found the target.
Lingard’s deep cross towards the back post was headed firmly - but against the post - by Lukaku and it was beginning to feel like it might not be United’s day.
But then Mourinho’s side grabbed the win and in the most basic of manners.
A long ball from De Gea was flicked on by Lukaku into the path of the on-running Martial and the Frenchman confidently slotted past Lloris. — Reuters.