Honing the talents: Edwards having a stint on the nets.
| Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B
England might have had a horrible time in its bid to defend the Men’s World Cup title. Still, the Netherlands assistant coach shunned stating Wednesday’s sport because the Netherlands’ greatest likelihood to beat England. In truth, he referred to the world champion as “a wounded buffalo”.
“England are world champions, I think they would do what’s necessary. They have prepared just as much. In South Africa, where I am from, there is a famous saying of never underestimate a wounded buffalo. We sit in a position where England is one of the best teams in the world,” Ryan van Niekerk mentioned on Tuesday. “And irrespective of how they are playing, they can produce incredible performances at any moment. So that’s what we are preparing for, the best England possible.”
England fielding coach Carl Hopkinson acknowledged that the Champions Trophy qualification situation makes it a essential sport for England, positioned on the backside of the desk. “I don’t think there is ever a dead rubber when you play for England, to be honest, the lads are completely up for — we have got two games in which we need to win both to qualify for the Champions Trophy, so that’s there for everybody to see and the guys are going to be obviously up for it,” Hopkinson mentioned.
While Hopkinson — fielded throughout England’s first public interplay after being formally ousted from the match — confronted a barrage of questions by the English press, even being requested why he was chosen to subject questions, van Niekerk was thrilled to return to Pune, the place he spent two years whereas establishing the Gary Kirsten Cricket Academy.
Not simply England, even the Netherlands has a respectable likelihood to complete in prime eight and qualify for the Champions Trophy. Van Niekerk pressured the Netherlands’ progress within the final two years has led to it being in with a likelihood to qualify for the marquee occasion.
“When we started the tournament the Champions Trophy wasn’t even an option. The team has grown immensely over the last two years and coming into the environment, you almost feel like every game means a lot, irrespective of whether it’s playing for Champions Trophy or playing for getting into a semifinal,” he mentioned.
