Chris Cairns is back in action against his former team-mates © Getty Images

Chris Cairns will lead the MCC against his former team-mates when New Zealand kick off their tour of England with the traditional opener at Arundel.Cairns, who retired from international cricket in 2006, is one of three New Zealanders in MCC’s squad. He will be joined by his former Test and one-day colleague, Nathan Astle, and Rob Nicol, the Auckland batsman and former MCC Young Cricketer. Darren Bicknell, who cracked 132 for the club against Scotland at Lord’s earlier this week, will open the batting, and the squad also includes Steve Elworthy, the former South Africa fast bowler, Paul Nixon, John Stephenson and Min Patel.”Touring team matches are always a highlight in the MCC cricketing calendar and Arundel is a fantastic place to play cricket,” Stephenson, MCC’s head of cricket, said. “It promises to be a great day for players and spectators alike and, hopefully, an international scalp in the bag for the club.”New Zealand’s squad, depleted by five players participating in the Indian Premier League – including their captain, Daniel Vettori – arrived at Heathrow yesterday afternoon. The first Test gets underway on May 15 at Lord’s.MCC team Darren Bicknell, Hylton Ackerman, Richard Montgomerie, Rob Nicol, Nathan Astle, Sean Ervine, Chris Cairns (capt), John Stephenson, Paul Nixon (wk), Steve Elworthy, Min Patel

Wasim Akram in his column: “I think the ICC should … get into preparing Test pitches all over the world, or start deducting points that will affect a team’s ranking. Till then we will keep getting these (wrestling pits) like the one in Jamtha, where the ball hardly comes on to the bat.”Jacques Kallis in his column: “Ask a spinner whether he would prefer to bowl on a decent pitch with 400+ runs on the board, or on a dry turner with just 200 on the board where he has to worry about every run, and I think most will take the first option.”Not everyone was complaining though.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAndre Russell whacked 46 off 20 balls•Getty Images

Needing a win to stay in contention for their first Big Bash League semi-finals, Sydney Thunder turned out in style and sank Sydney Sixers in front of a record crowd. Thunder had lost their previous four games, missed their preferred opening partnership, but produced a clinical performance with the bat to post the season’s highest score. Quick contributions from Shane Watson, Michael Hussey, and Andre Russell powered Thunder to 202. The bowlers then dismissed Sixers for 156 to cap off an impressive all-round performance.Thunder are now safe, so long as one of the Melbourne teams lose their final games, or else they enter the murky world of net run-rate. Either way, in keeping their side of the qualification bargain, Thunder pulled the plug on Sixers’ season.It was not all plain sailing, though. To remain in contention for finals themselves, Sixers had to win inside 16 overs. And when Nic Maddinson was joined by Brad Haddin in pursuit of 203, Hussey, playing his final game in Sydney, looked anxious, and with good reason. Thirty of Maddinson’s first fifty runs came in sixes, and he was swinging with such power that the back of his bat simply flew off as he tried to drill offspinner Chris Green down the ground.

Players support Carters’ charity Batting for Change

Each six hit at the SCG had a touch more significance as the players personally pledged AU$775 to Sydney Sixers’ wicketkeeper Ryan Carters’ charity Batting for Change. In its second edition, the Batting for Change cup was retained by Thunder, after their opening night win at Spotless Stadium in December.
In total, 17 sixes were hit, raising $13,175, which will take Batting for Change to within $10,000 of their target of $120,000.
Shane Watson hit three sixes, raising $2,325, while Andre Russell’s supreme display saw him clear the rope four times. Remarkably, within 19 balls, Sixers captain Nic Maddinson – a long-time supporter of Batting for Change – had overtaken as the hosts set about chasing Thunder’s 202.
Carters founded Batting for Change ahead of BBL03. He raised around $30,000 for Heartland School in Kathmandu in the first season, and $108,000 (Sixers played two extra games as they reached the Grand Final) for the education of 500 women in Mumbai in BBL04. This season, the charity has been raising money to fund bachelor degrees for another 500 women at the SPRJ Kanyashala Trust in Mumbai, as well as for 100 women in rural Sri Lanka.
The charity works by taking pledges – say, $10 – from donors for every six hit by the Sixers during the BBL season.

Green proved an unlikely staller for the Thunder. Brought into the attack with Sixers on the charge, he had Haddin caught sweeping second ball and conceded just five runs in his first two overs. Maddinson’s blitz ended when he was caught brilliantly by a diving Henry Nicholls at long-on off legspinner Fawad Ahmed the following over. Sixers were 118 for 4 in the 13th over, and they added very little to that.With the bat, Thunder could have done little more. Watson, promoted to open in the absence of Usman Khawaja and Jacques Kallis, veritably ghosted to 66 off 41 balls. Hussey anchored the innings, while Russell was in brutal form, fearlessly clearing his front leg and throwing his hands to launch four sixes in the death to propel Thunder.Despite a torrid start to the tournament, Watson has been in fine form in 2016. This innings was marked by his staples: hard-hit pulls, booming front-foot drives, attractive cuts, slog-sweeps to the spinners and three stunning sixes too. All good signs with the World T20 around the corner. Either side of sending Doug Bollinger sailing down the ground, he went after Nathan Lyon, nailing him over cow corner, then long-on. Aiden Blizzard, who joined Watson at the top, pulled a Johan Botha half-tracker for a six, but fell to the first ball of the seventh over, Sean Abott’s first.Watson built for six more overs with Hussey, before he was caught at long-on attempting another biff. Hussey was smart as ever, pulling boundaries behind square and running with the speed of a man half his age. It was a surprise to see Nicholls come in at No.4 before Russell, but the New Zealander did not last long, miscuing Lyon to backward point.Russell then set to work immediately, with a violently-pulled six followed by a magnificently orthodox cover-driven four off Ben Dwarshius. Jackson Bird was then belted for a six, before Russell got stuck into Bollinger. There was a six over cow corner, a drive through cover, and a pull despite taking his eyes off the shot contained in a single over, the 18th. It took a moment of genius to eventually dismiss Russell as Botha tossed up catch on the long-off fence to his alert team-mate Jordan Silk. A cameo from Ben Rohrer then took Thunder past 200, where they looked safe.After Michael Lumb fell early, Sixers’ chase was all about Maddinson. He was in sublime touch and looked set to pull off a heist, even if not quite quickly enough. He struck Russell for successive leg-side sixes, then gave Fawad the same treatment down the ground. Watson was next to be sent for a six and a four, before the debutant Nathan McAndrew was bullied.Green, however, arrived and slows things up, while Fawad attacked the new batsmen. Slowly but surely, Sixers’ dominoes fell, and Thunder completed the job.

Dale Steyn will lead South Africa’s World T20 attack, subject to his regaining full fitness. Steyn sat out six of South Africa’s eight Tests this summer and broke down in the two that he played, first with a groin injury and then a shoulder niggle from which he is still recovering. He has not played any part in the ongoing ODI series against England and will not play the T20 series either, but should return for the T20 series against Australia in the build-up to the tournament.The rest of the pace pack has a fresh look about it with Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott the frontline quicks and Morne Morkel, who has not been part of the T20 set-up since the series against New Zealand last August, missing out. Chris Morris and David Wiese provide the two seam-bowling all-round options. Albie Morkel, who was part of South Africa’s last T20 squad in India, was also left out.Albie Morkel was being primed for the allrounder’s role and took 3 for 12 on international return in Cuttack last October. He was due to play in South Africa’s ongoing ODI series against England but was ruled out before he could be included in the squad with a back problem. At the time there was some suggestion he would recover in time to play some part in the series, although it was never clarified. Morkel has since stated that he is “certainly not injured, not picked. that’s all.”There are two specialist spinners in Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso, who was preferred over Eddie Leie, and eight batsmen including two wicket-keeping options in AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock. De Villiers was tasked with opening the batting and keeping in South Africa’s most recent T20 matches against India even though de Kock was also in the squad. De Kock sat out those matches but, having regained form in recent weeks, is certain to be included in starting XIs at the World T20.That may mean South Africa’s plan of using de Villiers in the top two and behind the stumps is scuppered and de Kock will assume that role with de Villiers moving down the order. An experienced middle-order made up of captain Faf du Plessis, de Villiers and JP Duminy will likely leave room for only one of Farhaan Behardien or Rilee Rossouw, with an allrounder to follow.Albie Morkel was being primed for that role and took 3 for 12 on international return in Cuttack last October but has since suffered a back injury that has kept him out of the England ODIs. Morris, the IPL’s newest dollar millionaire, and Wiese will compete for a spot with Rabada, Steyn and Abbott forming the core of the attack. There may only be space for two of them at a time if South Africa play both Tahir and Phangiso, although they may also call on Duminy’s offspin as an additional slower bowling option.Phangiso was not part of the squad that played T20s in India but he did play in the ODI series there, which South Africa won 3-2. He made headlines for his behaviour on the way home when he was prevented from boarding a flight from Dubai to Johannesburg because he had insulted airline personnel after overindulging in alcohol. News of Phangiso’s indiscretions only broke mid-January in the Afrikaans newspaper . CSA confirmed they had sanctioned Phangiso, although they did not make public what his punishment was, but said it did not involve leaving him out of national squads.Russell Domingo, South Africa’s head coach, hoped South Africa could build some momentum ahead of the World T20 with their performances against England and Australia.”We take some confidence from our T20 series wins against Bangladesh and India and kept relatively the same players who have had success on the sub-continent,” Domingo said. “We have been playing good T20 cricket of late and this is our opportunity to showcase our skills at a World event. The upcoming T20 series’ against England and Australia will be the ideal platform for us to fine-tune some combinations and to hopefully gain some winning confidence ahead of the tournament next month.”We are in a tough group in the tournament with England, West Indies, Sri Lanka and a qualifier. All of the top six teams on the world rankings have the skill and ability to lift the trophy so it’s a completely open competition with high stakes.”Du Plessis reflected on South Africa’s past heartbreaks at ICC events, and said the team was hungry to “lift that elusive ICC trophy”.”The ICC World T20 is the competition that we have been working towards over the last 18 months,” he said. “We have had disappointments in the past and this year is another great opportunity for us to lift that elusive ICC trophy. We have been playing together as a squad for some time now and are really hungry and motivated to put in the performances to bring us success. I’m really excited about the group of players who will be representing the country and hope we can make everyone proud.”South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Chris Morris, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, David Wiese.

Rain left Natal 63 runs shy of what would have been their first win in a first-class match this season.Instead, the match was drawn as Natal’s progress was halted at 198 for four in search of a target of 261 with 36 overs still to be bowled.The home side earned their shot at victory by efficiently wrapping upGriqualand West’s second innings for 222 after they had resumed on 167 forfive. Griquas scored 279 in their first innings, to which Natal replied with241.That meant Griquas’ last five wickets, which tumbled in 17.1 overs, wereworth just 55 runs. As has been the trend throughout this match, battingerrors rather than penetrative bowling caused most of those wickets to fall.The last of them belonged to 20-year-old number seven Johan Louw, whoconverted his overnight 14 into a solid 50, his maiden first-classhalf-century in only his second match.The visitors’ most stubborn partnership on the final day was mounted by Louwand Zahir Abraham, who added 49 for the eighth wicket.Natal’s run chase was entertainingly sparked by Ahmed Amla, who went afterGriquas’ mediocre bowling with gusto to score 69 off 115 balls with ten foursbefore being trapped in front by medium pacer Louw ten overs from theenforced close.The elegant Amla rode his luck and was dropped three times, each time offthe bowling of off-spinner Martyn Gidley and twice by the bowler himself.Amla’s dismissal ended a fourth-wicket stand of 55 shared with his captain,Dale Benkenstein, who took over the aggressor’s role impressively to finishwith 42 struck off 53 balls, including two fours and three sixes.Griquas were hampered by the absence of fast bowler Wayne Kidwell, whorequired four stitches after splitting the webbing between his thumb andforefinger while fielding.

For the first time in 19 matches, and nearly 15 years, England’s men experienced a Test victory in Australia as the MCG raced to the second two-day finish of the Ashes series. On a tough surface which will continue to come under the spotlight in the aftermath, England’s top order met their target of 175 with aggression and they eventually got home with four wickets in hand.It was only the fifth time in Test history that a series had included multiple two-day finishes, and before this summer, there had only been two in history in Australia. Although more than 186,000 had attended the match across two record-breaking days, it left Cricket Australia facing another significant financial loss – the Ashes has proved a costly affair, and Ben Stokes acknowledged it was far from ideal, but England have avoided the risk of another whitewash down under.Jacob Bethell, who was recalled for this match, compiled 40 to give a glimpse at his potential, but his dismissal meant this would be the first Test in Australia without an individual half-century since 1932 and just the fifth overall. Bethell’s wicket was followed by a little wobble with the winning line in sight. Joe Root was lbw to Jhye Richardson and Stokes carved an edge off Mitchell Starc with ten need, but four leg byes finished the job to roars from the travelling support, although more muted celebrations from England.Related

• Australia's batting unit is drifting without a plan

• Stokes pleased to end Australia drought, but circumstances 'not ideal'

• Atkinson leaves field clutching hamstring in latest England injury blow

• CA CEO: 'Short Tests are bad for business'

Australia, who had earned a first-innings lead of 42 on the manic opening day which brought 20 wickets, could only manage 132 the second time around as Stokes and Brydon Carse shared seven wickets, while Josh Tongue added two more to his impressive match tally. It meant they were able to overcome the loss of Gus Atkinson to a hamstring injury early in the day.Still, the target was comfortably the highest total of the match. But the intent from Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett was clear and they wiped off 51 inside seven overs. Duckett pinged Starc through the leg side first ball and Crawley launched Michael Neser down the ground in his first over to set the tone. Starc produced some gems, especially to Duckett, and came within fingertips of getting to a return catch from a leading edge.Tellingly, though, the first ball that Alex Carey came up to the stumps against Neser, Crawley launched him straight down the ground for six and followed that with a blazing drive through the covers. Duckett also took on Neser, a top-edged hoick flying to deep third and then, most stunningly, a scoop going for six. Perhaps there was life in Bazball, after all.Scott Boland got rid of Zak Crawley to raise Australia’s hopes•Getty Images

The ball after Duckett cracked his fourth boundary behind point, Starc speared a full delivery through him, but the openers had shifted the mood. England pulled a trick, promoting Carse to No. 3, but he sliced down to deep third, which opened the door for Bethell to play what could prove a significant innings.Bethell got away with a leading edge first ball, then drove Scott Boland confidently down the ground. He started the final session by reverse-scoping Boland over Carey, then nailed a cover drive.Boland, who curiously had not been introduced until the 11th over by when England already had 70 on the board, conjured thoughts of another MCG burst from him when he trapped Crawley lbw and had Bethell caught at cover, but Australia didn’t have quite enough runs to play with.Australia had resumed one over into their second innings with Boland having survived amid heady scenes the night before. He hung around for five more overs before Atkinson found the outside edge to remove a potential frustration for England. However, Atkinson’s day – and potentially series – was soon done when he walked off holding his hamstring at the end of his fifth over, leaving three frontline quicks.The captain took on the task, Stokes striking in his first over when Jake Weatherald misjudged a delivery from around the wicket which he left alone at the last moment and was bowled. After his excellent first innings in Brisbane, returns have been lean for Weatherald, who faces a big outing in Sydney next week before Australia’s lengthy gap in Test cricket.By now, the pitch was offering some uneven bounce as well as sideways movement. Marnus Labuschagne took two blows on the gloves before being drawn into poking outside off stump, edging to first slip in a manner that suggests his game is still not in top working order, although conditions provided some caveat.Travis Head was bowled by a beauty from Brydon Carse•PA Photos/Getty Images

Travis Head was playing as well as anyone had all game, latching onto anything loose but not breaking into the full-blown attack seen in the second innings in Perth. However, even someone who had survived more than an hour and a half could do nothing about the delivery from Carse, which jagged off the seam to take the top of off stump.Three balls later, Usman Khawaja top-edged a well-directed short ball from Tongue to long leg. There was no rescue act from Carey this time as he steered a delivery to second slip, where England’s catching continued to be secure.Either side of lunch, Steven Smith and Cameron Green held firm for nine overs, adding 31 runs, to tip the balance once again. Without ever looking entirely secure, Green again got himself set, as he had in the first innings before running himself out, but flashed an edge to second slip when he drove at a short delivery.In the absence of Atkinson, Carse lifted impressively and clutched a sharp return catch, full stretch to his left, to remove Neser. Then, with the seventh delivery of the over after a no-ball, he had Starc edging to slip.Smith showed no inclination to shield No. 11 Richardson (who has a first-class average of 20.70) and a crunched straight drive suggested it was a fair call, but Richardson carved Stokes into the off side to leave England with their target. The pubs, golf courses and Boxing Day sales around Melbourne could get an unexpected boost.

A West Indian cricketing crisis has been averted, with near full-strength team set to participate in the World T20; 12 of the original 15 picked by the WICB for the tournament have signed the required contracts. Among the three who have not signed is batsman Darren Bravo, who has written to the board saying he wants to focus on Test cricket. Allrounder Kieron Pollard and spinner Sunil Narine had pulled out a few days ago, citing incomplete rehab work on injury and bowling action respectively.The WICB named allrounder Carlos Brathwaite and offspinner Ashley Nurse replacements for Pollard and Narine, and an alternative for Bravo will be picked soon.The threat of the WICB sending a second-string squad to the World T20 escalated after Darren Sammy, West Indies’ Twenty20 captain, exchanged a series of emails with board chief executive Michael Muirhead, asking for the player remuneration to be revised. Muirhead was unrelenting on the matter, though, and told Sammy that if each member of the original squad of 15, which was picked on January 29, did not write individually to the WICB by February 14, the board would conclude he “refused” selection.An episode like the controversial pull-out from the India tour in 2014 – over the revised contracts that significantly cut the internationals’ salaries – will not be repeated emerged last week after Sammy told Muirhead that the players will play in the World T20, but the WICB “cannot continue to be unfair and unreasonable”.Meanwhile, Bravo said the reason he was opting out was because his long-term goal was to do well in Test cricket. “I’m very grateful and humbled for the opportunity to represent the West Indies at the World Cup,” Bravo was quoted in a WICB media release. “However, I’m of the firm belief that I have a very big part to play in the resurgence of West Indies cricket in the longer formats of the game and I will like the opportunity to play in our Professional Cricket League [the regional first-class tournament] because it will put me in good stead and will allow me to achieve those goals that I have aligned myself for the year 2016 and beyond.”

England striker Peter Crouch has hit back at his doubters after defending his record in international football.

The Tottenham striker is expected to be part of Fabio Capello's final 23-man squad for South Africa after scoring 21 goals in 38 international appearances.

Despite his healthy scoring record, Crouch's involvement in international football continues to raise eyebrows among a band of detractors.

They claim the 6ft 7in former Liverpool and Portsmouth striker only scores against lesser nations and has never performed against the top teams.

However, Crouch claims he is ready to silence a few of his doubters and spring a few surprises in South Africa.

He explained:"I think people look at how tall I am and just see me as the kind of player that can only play when the ball is in the air.

"I think my goals record at international level speaks for itself, to be honest.

"You have to back yourself – and I do believe I am good enough to play for England and do well at the World Cup. Why not? I certainly think there is a shock value when I play.

"Perhaps defenders who haven't played against me before will look at me and think that I am only a threat when I'm heading the ball.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

"I'm better than that and maybe defenders will get a surprise at the World Cup when I've got the ball at my feet if I am picked.

"I think my team-mates will tell you that I am much more than an old fashioned targetman who can only play one way."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

For some performing at the World Cup proved to be too big of an ask. Here are the top five players who failed to impress in South Africa:

5. Claudio Marchisio

Italy manager Marcello Lippi said before the tournament that the Juventus midfielder would be Italy’s playmaker. A lot was expected of him given Andrea Pirlo’s injury that kept sidelined for the Azzurri’s first two games, it was believed that he could be a key player for his side and really make a name for himself in the tournament. However this didn’t prove to be the case, he started Italy’s opening games against Paraguay and New Zealand, firstly playing behind the strikers in the first game and then out on the left hand side in the second, however he just could not get a foothold in either game and was substitued in the second half of both matches. As a result of his two awful performances he didn’t start Italy’s final World Cup match against Slovakia and with the form that he was showing wouldn’t have made the slightest difference.

4. Kaka

The Brazilian midfielder is regarded as one of the best players in the world yet found it hard to breathe any life into the Brazil side. Robinho and Elano turned out to be the Selecao’s most creative outlets, and although Kaka did show some glimpses of his quality it just wasn’t enough from a player of his standards. He didn’t have a great season for Real Madrid and found himself in and out of the side, although hit may seem unconceivable from such a player her may have lost some confidence due to his poor first season. But that still isn’t an excuse for him not to play to his best for his country; and a player who should be lighting up a tournament with his skill and great goals is going to be best remembered in the tournament for getting harshly sent off against the Ivory Coast.

3. Fernando Torres

Liverpool’s number 9 has found the World Cup very tough, he hasn’t a scored a single goal in the tournament and has looked like he couldn’t hit a cow’s backside with a banjo in front of goal. Had it not been for David Villa shouldering the team’s attacking responsibilities then Spain could well have crashed out by now. Apart from Spain’s opening group game Torres has started every single one of their games, and you would have thought that a great striker like him would have hit the back of the net at least once by now. Torres was injured at the end of Liverpool’s season last year so it could be that he was rushed back too quickly to play for Spain, whatever his condition though El Nino has definitely disappointed at this World Cup.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

The most expensive player in the world failed to live up to his reputation in the World Cup and was very lacklustre, scoring only one goal in the tournament in Portugal’s 7-0 mauling of North Korea. Ronaldo had a great debut season for Real Madrid scoring 33 goals in 35 games for the club and for the past few season has been a fantastic player both at Madrid and for Manchester United. However he wasn’t able to take that form to South Africa, and with his ability really should have been one of the players of the tournament. What makes his underperformance worse is that manager Carlos Queiroz entrusted him with the captain’s armband, yet a no point during the tournament did he ever look like a leader out on the pitch. Love him or hate him, everybody surely wanted to see him have a good World Cup as he is fantastic to watch and Ronaldo really disappointed with his performances.

1. Wayne Rooney

The man who was to shoulder England’s World Cup responsibilities was the biggest flop at the World Cup by far. Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed that the pressure got to Rooney, but he should know as well as anybody that a great player like him should thrive under the pressure and not become overwhelmed by it. Also it’s not as though he was unlucky in the tournament or simply didn’t play well but he looked like he couldn’t be bothered and wasn’t trying. Whether or not that’s a case of burnout from playing too many games in the season is unknown, but you would think that he would give that bit extra for his country and at least try.

Who do you think flopped at the World Cup?

Message me on Twitter with your thoughts

Get the latest World Cup 2010 news on Twitter

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

**

Click on image below to see the Argentinean babes at the World Cup

New Liverpool signing Joe Cole claims he has joined the biggest club in the country purely for footballing reasons.

Cole, 28, chose the Reds ahead of Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham United when he officially put pen to paper on a four-year contract on Wednesday.

The England international was a free agent after being released by Chelsea at the end of the last Premier League campaign.

"I set myself a deadline to make a decision and when I made it I sent a text to (managing director) Christian Purslow and Steven Gerrard and then turned my phone off," he told the club's official website.

"I know I have made the right decision and I am looking forward to the challenge.

"This is a challenge for me. I have played in London all my life. I could have stayed at Chelsea because the fans loved me and I won things, but I wanted to challenge myself and when I knew Liverpool were interested it was a no-brainer because they are the biggest club in the country.

"This is a massive club. I tried to take everything out of the equation, take the financial and location side out and just thought in football terms."

Meanwhile, Cole also admitted the prospect of playing at Anfield helped sway his decision.

He continued:"I thought about the semi-final of the Champions League in 2005 when I ran onto the field and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I was thinking about playing in that atmosphere every week and that swung it for me.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

"That's the thing I am looking forward to. You talk to Liverpool players and talk about the European nights. I experienced it as an opponent and it was immense.

"To go out there and play in that atmosphere every week will be phenomenal."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email