Offtopic/fun » any record, he said. I was just so hap

Stuart Broad has warned that Englands rejigged seam attack will have to adapt quickly to what promises to be another slow and unforgiving Lords surface, as he prepares once again to lead the line in the first Test against Pakistan in the absence of his long-term new-ball partner, James Anderson.Anderson was omitted from Englands 12-man squad due to a shoulder injury, meaning that Broad, with 94 caps to date, will have played more than twice as many Tests as the rest of Englands seam attack combined when the series gets underway on Thursday. Steven Finn (32 Tests) and Chris Woakes (eight) look set to be joined in the starting XI by one of two debutants, Jake Ball or Toby Roland-Jones, with Moeen Alis offspin completing a five-man attack.However, the Lords Test will be only the ninth time in his career that Broad has taken the field without his senior partner at the other end. And while he has relished that responsibility in the recent past, not least at Trent Bridge in last summers Ashes when he claimed a career-best 8 for 15 on the opening morning of the fourth Test, Broad knows that the Lords surface is unlikely to offer anything approaching the same sort of assistance to Englands quicks.That, in turn, spells danger for an England team who were thrashed by 405 runs during last summers Lords Test against Australia, and also succumbed 2-0 to Pakistan on the flat decks of the UAE last winter. With a bowling attack led by the left-arm pace duo of Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, and complemented by the attacking legspin of Yasir Shah, the first Test is arguably Pakistans best opportunity to land a telling blow in a four-Test series that their captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, last week identified as their biggest challenge.Broad and England were given an early indication of what might be in store on the Lords surface when they were held to a draw - albeit rain-affected - during the third Test of the Sri Lanka series last month, having bundled their rivals out for scores of 91, 119 and 101 in their first three innings of the series at Headingley and Chester-le-Street.Our biggest challenge is going to be this wicket, Broad said during an Investec event at Lords. The Test match against Sri Lanka was a bit of a bore draw so it will be interesting to see what they produce. The biggest test for the bowling unit will be trying to do what no other team has done this year, which is to win a game and take 20 wickets at Lords. It was a challenge when we had Jimmy in the side four weeks ago, so it will be an even bigger challenge this time.The Sri Lanka wicket [didnt offer] a regulation nick, he added. They got wickets with lbws and bowleds so it will be about adjusting as quickly as possible. If we play on a wicket at Lords similar to the one against Australia that will be right up Pakistans street. Wahab and Yasir Shah is a similar sort of attack. If we do come across a wicket like that, which is always a lottery at Lords, we have got to be better at adapting.To that end, Broad recognises the importance of his role, both as a leader by example, but also as the de facto captain of an inexperienced bowling line-up. One of the secrets of his successful partnership with Anderson has been the ease of communication between the pair, and he knows he may need to be available to lend an ear to his team-mates if the going gets tough during the coming days.Our success comes from communication so the key will be get a bond between the bowling unit and sharing a lot of information, he said. We always talk, not as an ego thing, but to try to get one over the opening batsman. A series can be a long time, so lets try and stamp our authority quickly on them.Bowlers spend more time with each other. Batsmen are at the other end in the nets, so you feel like you have to get to know the bowlers to help the captain out. You become a bit of a go-between as a senior bowler. A bowler might be really struggling with the wind, or the foot-holes, but does not want to tell the England captain he is struggling, so you can easily pass a little message on quietly.We will be talking what seam is working. Is it a wobble seam? Should we hold it up dead straight? Like Headingley, can we push it fuller, or do we need to drag our lengths? With Jimmys experience, that happens within three or four overs, so I would expect the bowlers to be talking all the time in the first hour, just trying to figure out what is happening. It will be our job to get as much out of the wicket as possible.Where those lines of communication are concerned, England should be well served by the quicks at their disposal, seeing as Broad and Jake Ball have an existing relationship from their time at Nottinghamshire, while both Finn and Roland-Jones play most of their cricket for Middlesex at Lords and so are well used to the vagaries of the slope. Nevertheless, Broad suggested that the selectors had missed a trick by failing to include Anderson in a 13-man squad, both to give him the chance to play if deemed fully fit, and also to provide the sort of dressing-room know-how that comes from 116 Tests and 454 wickets.I would have been tempted, he said. because at least you have got him around working with the bowlers, and pushing his fitness to play on Thursday. I saw him all last week and he seemed okay, to be honest. He was pretty certain he would be in the squad and I am sure there must have been a huge temptation to have him in the 13, so Jake and Toby could learn something from him leading in to the match. He was with us last year in the Ashes when he was injured, and he was with us in Durban [for the first Test against South Africa in December].And despite all his own experience, Broad indicated he too would have benefited from the familiarity of Andersons presence in the squad, as he recalled the events surrounding that crazy first day at in Nottingham last summer, when Andersons side strain forced him to miss a Test match for the first time in four years.Yes, I was nervous at Trent Bridge, he said. It was the first time I had bowled the first over in a Test match ever, at 29 years old. That is still different. Especially when, all week, Trevor [Bayliss] had been saying that the opening bowler or batsman sets the tone and that will win us the Test match. That added pressure can either melt you a little bit or get you excited to push you through. Trent Bridge went well, Durban went well, l so hopefully itll be similar here.Despite the intensity of the preparations that Pakistans cricketers have put themselves through since arriving in England, Broad warned that even the best-laid plans sometimes go awry - as England discovered during their whitewashing in the 2013-14 Ashes. And, bearing in mind the reception that he and his fellow players received from Mitchell Johnson et al on that trip, he added that relentless pressure would be the key to success for the bowling attack, especially early in each batsmans innings.Misbah hit the nail on the head, Broad said. When Asians come to England, there are always question marks over their batting, which puts question marks on our bowling unit because those first ten balls at every batter are vital.We could go bang, bang and put them under pressure straightaway. But if you bowl long-hop, half-volley, long-hop, they will feel settled and relaxed. I will make a point on Tuesday that we build on what we did in South Africa when AB [de Villiers] or a key batsman came to the crease. You swarm them with four or five slips. If they make one mistake, there is a chance of getting them out.If we get Younis [Khan] or Misbah for 0 or 10, that can change a Test match, so I would expect us to swarm key batsmen early just to try and get any mistake out of them.Wed be prepared to sacrifice a couple of fours to, maybe, get that nick to fourth slip but, again, if the wicket is not carrying to fourth slip it is not going to work.Investec is the title sponsor of Test match cricket in England. For more on Investec private banking, visit investec.co.uk/bankingUSA Soccer Shirts . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. 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His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months.WASHINGTON -- Its the opening week of the NFL season, but Jakob Silfverberg will jokingly admit he doesnt know too much about American football.Hes not concerned that the New England Patriots will be without star quarterback Tom Brady for the first four games because of a suspension. Silfverberg knows the difference between Eli and Peyton Manning, but it doesnt matter. Theres only one thing the 25-year-old forward for Team Sweden is concerned about right now and thats the World Cup of Hockey.He already owns an impressive international resume for Sweden, most recently earning a silver medal with the team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. As surreal as that moment was for Silfverberg, hes in awe every time hes in the locker room or on the ice with some of his hockey idols, including teammate Erik Karlsson, whos only seven months older. Silfverberg also appreciates the fact that when he glances into the stands during a practice, theres Swedish hockey legend Daniel Alfredsson.Silfverberg is humble. Hes modest and sometimes cant believe he has reached the highest levels in hockey. A combination of work ethic and talent has earned him that right.Always as a kid I wasnt really anything special, he said. I was usually a two-way forward and just kept working hard and thats kind of stuck with me. Ive never been a superstar. Ive just been a hard-working guy whos been able to work his way up. Internationally, I was in the Olympics and that was a lot of fun. I didnt play much but I learned a lot from it and just being around these guys is a great honor. Its nice being around these superstars.Sweden coach Rikard Gronborg has witnessed the young players work ethic first-hand.Thats why hes here, Gronborg said. Thats why hes playing in the National Hockey League. Hes a tremendous competitor. Hes diligent with everything he does when it comes to [nutrition] and everything he puts into his body, and hes top-notch when it comes to that.Said a Western conference coach, via text: I love Silfverberg. I think he has become a very dangerous all-around player. Can produce and play in any situation. I think he keeps elevating his game.Most of the best players in the world play a solid two-way style. It was in his late teens when he figured out that was the type of player he needed to be in order to have success.Its always been there, Silfverberg said. I started off playing center until I was 17 or 18, and thats when I switched to wing and always took defensive responsibilities. Even as a kid, my mom and dad always had to tell me I wasnt supposed to be a defenseman. I was supposed to score goals because I was a forward, but its beeen sticking with me for a long time.dddddddddddd Thats how I am off the ice too. I like to take responsibility and I like to know whats going on. Its been there my whole life.Selected by the Ottawa Senators in the second round (39th overall) in the 2009 draft, Silfverberg made his NHL debut during the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. He was 22 at the time and had just won the Swedish championship when the Senators summoned him. He played only two games in those playoffs but it was an invaluable experience.My strongest memory of that is when we won the championship back home in Sweden and then a week after that I flew [to Ottawa] and was playing in the playoffs with Erik Karlsson, Alfredsson and [Jason] Spezza, and we were playing against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, said Silfverberg, who was traded to the Anaheim Ducks, along with Stefan Noesen and Ottawas first-round pick in the 2014 draft for Bobby Ryan on July 5, 2013.That was one of my strongest memories. Even though I didnt play my best hockey, there was a lot of stuff going on, it wasnt my best hockey but it was a really good moment.It made me realize that its a bigger step than I thought it was. I thought the adjustment was going to be easier. It was alarming and Alfie said, This isnt going to be easy. These guys can really play. I thought the step was going to be easier but that was a good way to realize that this is the best league in the world.Before his NHL arrival, Silfverberg broke Alfredssons Swedish Elite League single-season playoff scoring record with 13 goals.?At that point and time I wasnt too concerned with any record, he said. I was just so happy that we managed to win the championship. It wasnt until I actually arrived in Ottawa a week and a half later, and Erik told me I beat Alfies record and he was upset with me. Obviously, it was in a fun tone. [Alfredsson] was laughing a little bit about it and obviously its extra special taking it from Alfie.Alfredsson, who retired after 17 seasons in 2013-14, has been impressed with Silfverberg since seeing him during those playoffs in 2012.I thought he was very mature for a young guy, said Alfredsson, an adviser for Team Sweden. I knew he was a scorer but he was all-around really responsible, and being thrown into that situation is not easy, but he did a great job for us. You can tell right away his shot is exceptional. He, too, felt the pace is different but with his smartness you knew he could go out and play and contribute and obviously keep it simple. ' ' '