England's all-time leading test wicket takers James Anderson and Stuart Broad will always be named in the playing 11 if the two fast bowlers are fit, new test captain Ben Stokes said on Tuesday as he looks to wipe the slate clean and start afresh.
All-rounder Stokes was unveiled as England's captain last week by the country's cricket board (ECB) as the struggling team look to bounce back from a long slump.
James Anderson (L) and Stuart Broad (R) Photo: © Action Plus
Stokes took over from Joe Root who led England in a record 64 tests.
Anderson and Broad, who have taken a combined 1,177 wickets in test cricket, were surprisingly left out of the test tour of West Indies earlier this year and England struggled in the Caribbean without their experience, losing the series.
"I've made it pretty clear to Rob (Key, ECB managing director) and he's on the same wavelength as me. You pick your best 11 players. If Stuart Broad and James Anderson are fit, they're definitely a part of that," Stokes told reporters.
In a separate interview with Sky Sports, he said Anderson and Broad were two of the greats of the game and it would be "stupid to never consider them for selection".
Stokes said being named captain was a "huge honour" and that he was looking forward to "very exciting times" as England prepare for the visit of world test champions New Zealand next month.
"One thing I feel like I've got to do is to make sure I get everyone not focusing on the past. We want to turn (things) around and it's all about the future, what we've got ahead of us. If anything, it's a clean slate," he added.
"Being a captain is not just about focusing on what goes on between 11 o'clock and 6 o'clock. It's a job that continues after those hours.
"It's also not just about controlling things on the field, it's about building yourself to be someone that your players can always come to... I've always felt like I am that person in the team, I hope that doesn't change now just because I'm captain."
England have yet to replace Chris Silverwood as head coach, with the position vacant. Stokes said a lot of names have been "thrown around" but confirmed he would be involved when the decision is made on the next appointment.
- Reuters
Figure skating - ISU proposes raising minimum age to 17 for competitions
The International Skating Union (ISU) has proposed raising the minimum age for senior figure skating competitions to 17 from 15 before the 2026 Winter Olympics to help young athletes cope with the physical and psychological demands of the sport.
Under proposals listed in the agenda for its 58th congress in Thailand next month, the sport's governing body said it hoped to gradually increase the minimum age over the next three years before the Milano Cortina Games.
Photo: AFP
"It is conceivable that allowing underage athletes to compete may subject them to loads and risks that are thought to be inappropriate for their age," the ISU's medical commission wrote in the proposal.
"Not only physically, but in terms of the psychological and social development of the child. Junior athletes need to cope with multiple stressors on their pathways towards elite sport."
The proposal comes after then 15-year-old Russian Kamila Valieva tumbled to fourth place in the women's singles event at the Beijing Winter Olympics this year, yielding to the pressure of a doping controversy.
The ISU medical council said young athletes were exposed to high physiological loads caused by training and competitions.
"Ultimately, performance enhancements are normally the central concern for ambitious athletes, as athletes themselves and by others are continually evaluating their accomplishments," the medical commission added.
- Reuters
Tennis - Big-serving Anderson retires at 35
Former Wimbledon and U.S. Open finalist Kevin Anderson announced his retirement on Tuesday aged 35, bringing to an end a career that showed immense promise but was derailed by injuries.
The big-serving South African, who stands 6-foot-8 and towered over his opponents, achieved a career high ranking of fifth in the world in 2018 before sliding out of the top 100 following a succession of knee, shoulder and ankle injuries.
Kevin Anderson finished runner up at Wimbledon in 2018 Photo: © Actionplus 2018
"I've experienced so many different challenges and emotions, this sport can be exhilarating and at the same time lonely. I've had ups and downs, but I wouldn't change it for anything," he said in a statement on Twitter.
"My journey helped me become the man who I am today. Today I finally arrived at the difficult decision to retire from professional tennis.
"As a kid, my dad used to tell me that success isn't defined by results, but by the effort and sacrifice you make along the way in becoming the best you can be. I gave it my best."
He came close to winning a Grand Slam twice, losing the U.S. Open final in 2017 and the Wimbledon final in 2018 to Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic respectively.
- Reuters
U.S. says Brittney Griner 'wrongfully detained'
The U.S. government now says WNBA star Brittney Griner is being "wrongfully detained" in Russia, ESPN reported Tuesday.
The Phoenix Mercury center was arrested at a Moscow-area airport on Feb. 17 when a search of her luggage allegedly revealed vape cartridges containing hashish oil.
She has not been formally charged but is scheduled to have a hearing on May 19.
"The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner," a State Department official told ESPN. "With this determination, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens will lead the interagency team for securing Brittney Griner's release."
The official said that doesn't mean Griner, 31, is being treated as a hostage, but as a wrongful detainee. Her case, previously handled by the consular office, has been moved to the special envoy's office.
"We feel really good about (this change)," a source close to Griner told ESPN. "But we also know it can drag out, so we don't want to get our hopes too high."
The WNBA on Tuesday announced plans to acknowledge Griner's importance to the league when the 2022 season tips off on Friday.
Griner's initials and jersey number (42) will be featured on the sideline of all 12 WNBA courts.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft, Griner is a seven-time All-Star with career averages of 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 254 games with the Mercury.
- Field Level Media