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Lancashire chased down a revised 18-over target of 161 to beat Derbyshire in a thriller at Blackpool and significantly boost their hopes of qualification for the knockout stage of the Royal London One-Day Cup

ECB Reporters Network12-May-2017
ScorecardStephen Parry helped Lancashire sneak victory [file picture]•Getty ImagesLancashire chased down a revised 18-over target of 161 to beat Derbyshire in a thriller at Blackpool and significantly boost their hopes of qualification for the knockout stage of the Royal London One-Day Cup.Rain affected this North Group clash between two mid-table sides both hoping to seal a top-three berth.Derbyshire, invited to bat, initially posted 132 for 2 from 21.3 overs before their innings was ended by the weather shortly before 3pm.When play resumed at 5.30pm, the Lightning’s task was a stiff one. But Stephen Parry was their hero with 22 not out off nine balls as he helped take 27 off the last two overs, winning by three wickets with a delivery to spare.The Lightning have now won three on the bounce, and two more wins will see them qualify.Alex Davies and Karl Brown got Lancashire’s chase off to a flyer with an opening stand of 42 in 5.1 overs. Davies hit two boundaries in the first over from Ben Cotton before Brown hoisted the same bowler over long-on for six as 39 came off the first four overs.But Shiv Thakor, who had earlier hit a powerful 38 off 33 balls, then made the breakthrough when he had Davies caught at deep midwicket for 21.Liam Livingstone hammered a four and a six, over wide long-on, off the leg-spin of Jeevan Mendis early in the eighth over, but the Sri Lankan got his man as he miscued a catch to the same area.The hosts, who needed 96 off the last 10 overs, lost their third and fourth wickets in the 10th and 11th as the score fell to 81 for four, handing the hosts the definite advantage. Dane Vilas hammered a return catch to Thakor and leg-spinner Matt Critchley bowled Brown for 39.Mendis, who later left the field with a nasty looking hand injury, claimed his second, Jordan Clark stumped, as the score fell to 95 for 5 in the 13th. The target then became 60 off the last five: Derbyshire looked slight favouritesRyan McLaren hit a couple of sixes to take that to 32 off the last three before being bowled by Thakor.Haseeb Hameed was run out two balls later as Lancashire fell to 135 for 7. But Parry and captain Steven Croft, unbeaten on 26, dramatically turned the tide, with Parry hitting three boundaries in three balls off Hardus Viljoen in the penultimate over.Earlier, opener Ben Slater, fresh from scores of 30, 72, 43 and 82 in his last four innings in this competition, added a run-a-ball unbeaten 60 for the Falcons.Lancashire’s bowlers were put under pressure either side of two rain delays before the third came midway through the afternoon.Slater reached 50 in as many balls, but only after he had lost opening partner and captain Billy Godleman caught at long-leg off a short ball from Clark, leaving the score at 59 for 1 in the 12th.Clark later left the field with a suspected side injury, something which did not prevent him from batting.Thakor hit Clark and James Anderson for two huge leg-side sixes out of Stanley Park to really boost the visitors. But he was stumped off the off-spin of Croft in the 22nd over as the score fell to 128 for 2.Only two more balls were bowled in the innings. Derbyshire are now unlikely to qualify with two games remaining, although they are not mathematically out.

A sore finger, caused by the large workload of bowling in India, is creating concern for Nathan Lyon ahead of the third Test in Ranchi

Daniel Brettig13-Mar-2017Over the past six years, Nathan Lyon has often had reason to worry about his role in the Australian Test team. Seldom, though, has this had anything to do with a case of physical infirmity. A durable body has been central to Lyon’s tenure, even to the point that other challengers for a spin berth have missed chances to replace him by dint of their own injuries.However this week in Ranchi, Lyon is entering arguably the most important Test match of his career with a red-raw spinning finger on his right hand, the aftermath of a split callus caused by bowling so many overs in India’s spin-friendly conditions, often with a new and hard SG ball. Lyon would be the last man to play this up, but his discomfort during the latter stages of the Bengaluru match, having claimed eight memorable victims on day one, was obvious.”I’ve bowled a lot of balls over the summer and it usually happens once or twice a year,” Lyon said. “The last time I was here, the same thing happened in the third Test and I was able to play three days later. So I’m more than confident in turning out for the next Test, depending on selection I guess.”It’s just one of those things. It just split. It was pretty painful there for a bit. And you can’t bowl on tape – there’s rules and laws out there that you can’t bowl on tape. So I wasn’t even considering that. There was a little sharp bit on the quarter seam and I just caught it, catching a couple of times. It just split. There’s no rocket science to it. I had a split finger. That’s it.”Yeah it hurts a lot. I’m able to bowl cross-seam and stuff, so I can still try to spin it, but for variations and trying to get drift and drop and stuff – two go at the back of the ball – the way I bowl. It does impede it a little bit, but we’ve gone through that now and moved on from the second Test and now I’m just looking forward to Ranchi.”A sore spinning finger from plenty of bowling is the sort of problem many a spinner has dealt with, and a problem all would like to have. Lyon’s is in many ways symptomatic of Australia’s fortunes in this series – like the fallout from Bengaluru, it is a by-product of doing far better against India than many had expected.”Yeah definitely there’s a lot of belief. There’s a lot of people who wrote us off, before we even got on a plane and landed in Dubai. Let alone coming over here,” Lyon said. “Everyone said that we were going to lose 4-0. It’s 1-1, we’re one win away from regaining the trophy and that’s what we are here to do.”The pressure is right on India – there’s no pressure on us. Everyone said we were going to lose 4-nil, they’re no good. They’re a young cricket team learning. But we believe we can beat the best teams anywhere in the world. We proved that in the first Test, we came close in the second Test and even that hurt – that’s probably the best thing about that game. That hurt from losing, but being able to get so close to them.”So we know they’re a brilliant team in these conditions. So if we can keep competing hard against them, who knows. Keep batting well in partnerships, bowling well in partnerships, taking 20 wickets and we’ll see where we get to. I think they’re feeling the pressure a little bit to be honest. And it’s good.”A hallmark of Lyon’s work so far in this series has been the vast majority of his overs delivered from over the wicket to the right-handers. Gone are the days when Lyon used the line from around the stumps as a security blanket, but he said that the pitch chosen by India’s captain Virat Kohli for the Ranchi Test would play a role in which angle from he attacked – and also whether Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc’s replacement gained much in the way of reverse swing.”The last two pitches I’ve been able to get good bounce, sharp bounce and fast spin off the wicket as well,” he said. “If the wicket wasn’t doing that as much, then I’d look at the option of coming around the wicket. But it just really depends on the type of wicket. I know there’s three wickets at Ranchi, so we’ll just have to wait and see which one they play.”I think the wickets are abrasive enough in India that we can hopefully get the ball reverse-swinging. We saw Josh Hazlewood take six wickets and Mitchell Starc did what he did in the second innings. With our air speed and ability to get the ball reversing, and the earlier we can do that the better off it is, but the wickets here are that abrasive that normally the ball can tend to go reverse quite early anyway.”

Fiorentina defender Igor Julio has "already spoken to Marco Silva" about joining Fulham, but his potential transfer has now "seems to have vanished".

Will Fulham sign anyone?

The Whites enjoyed a successful first full campaign back in the Premier League following 2022 promotion from the Championship, having finished mid-table and above the likes of west London rivals Chelsea.

Fulham also briefly pushed for a European qualification spot but fell just short of Brentford, Aston Villa and Liverpool in that regard.

The foundations are certainly there but Silva may face a fight to keep his best players, with both Joao Palhinha and Antonee Robinson attracting interest.

In terms of incomings, Fulham could strengthen in a variety of key areas, with Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, Japan international Ao Tanaka, Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, Fenerbache defender Ferdi Kadioglu and Roma centre-back Roger Ibanez all being targeted.

It is claimed Fulham may also make a move for Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi, as Mauricio Pochettino's side are prepared to sell for just £15 million this summer (The Guardian).

Another player to have been linked with a move to Craven Cottage is Igor, but according to a new report out of Italy, it appears he won't be joining the club despite behind-scenes discussions.

Vocegiallorossa.it, in collaboration with Firenzeviola.it, claims Fulham have been chasing a deal for Igor and he has even "already spoken" to Silva about joining.

However, as the Whites move on to alternative defensive targets who could sign on more "favourable terms", a transfer for Igor now "seems to have vanished".

He was initially the Cottagers' main target, according to this report, but it appears Fulham could swoop for a rival Serie A defender instead.

Who is Igor Julio?

The Brazilian ranked in Firoentina's top three for tackles made, interceptions and clearances completed per 90 in the Italian top flight – standing out as one of La Viola's key defensive assets (WhoScored).

Igor also has just 12 months remaining on his Fiorentina deal, and as he enters the final year of his contract, it is reasonable to believe the defender could be available for a fairly cheap fee.

The 25-year-old was one of Fiorentina's most selected players last season – even sitting sixth in their squad listing for most Serie A minutes played over 2022/23.

Igor, who has been described as a "crazy" asset for Fiorentina, may well have been an astute signing for Fulham based on these stats, but this latest report from Italy indicates he won't be signing any time soon.

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag is keen to sanction deals for Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic and Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Onana, Vlahovic and Hojlund?

As per La Gazzetta Dello Sport via Sport Witness, Manchester United remain keen on signing Inter Milan goalkeeper Onana this summer as Ten Hag looks to draft in a new man between the sticks, though he is valued at £51 million.

The report states that no official bid has been made to try and acquire the £63k-a-week ace; however, ‘contacts are constant’ between the Red Devils and the Cameroon international.

Atalanta forward Rasmus Hojlund has also emerged as a target for Manchester United, with talks continuing over a potential transfer, which could reach a fee of £86 million, as per The Daily Mail.

Manchester United were previously keen on both Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, though they were priced out of a move for the pair, leaving £10.5k-a-week earner Hojlund in their sights.

Calciomercato claim that Juventus striker Vlahovic, who is valued at £70m, may be on the move this summer and his agent has held talks with Manchester United over a move to Old Trafford. Capology report that the Serbia international earns €249,231 (£214,242) per week on a contract that runs until June 2026.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has stated that all three players are potential targets for Manchester United this summer.

Jones said: "There is a Serie A exodus on the cards this summer and Man United are well-placed to take advantage of it. Onana is the prime target in this moment, but Vlahovic and Hojlund are in their sights too and this is a market whereby Italian clubs are finding it extremely hard to fend off bids for their top talent.

"We have seen [Sandro] Tonali nabbed by Newcastle and Kim [Min-jae] being picked up by Bayern Munich — the feeling is that much more is to come and United are looking at that situation right now to see how it can force further deals."

Who else has been linked with a move to Manchester United this window?

As per The Daily Mail, Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount is undergoing his medical at Manchester United before being officially unveiled as their first summer signing.

The report states that Mount could make his debut as soon as next week, with Manchester United pencilled in to take on rivals Leeds United in a friendly at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo.

Mundo Deportivo via 90min claim that the Red Devils have made a late offer to try and sign Athletico Paranaense striker Vitor Roque, who is being heavily courted by Barcelona.

According to The Mirror, Eintracht Frankfurt stopper Kevin Trapp has also been linked with a move to Old Trafford, signifying that a busy transfer window may be on the way for Manchester United.

Sri Lanka rode a fast start and a fast finish to a competitive score, bowled with discipline, and found some spirit in the field to defeat Bangladesh by 70 runs and snap a six-match losing streak that stretched back to January

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Apr-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKusal Mendis, who top scored for Sri Lanka with 54, was named Player of the Series for his 160 runs in three innings•Associated PressSri Lanka rode a fast start and a fast finish to a competitive score, bowled with discipline, and found some spirit in the field to defeat Bangladesh by 70 runs and snap a six-match losing streak that stretched back to January.Perhaps encouragingly for the hosts, the architects of the victory were many. Upul Tharanga and Danushka Gunathilaka cracked 76 runs in the Powerplay, Kusal Mendis contributed a half-century, Thisara Perera produced a finishing salvo, and virtually all the frontline bowlers delivered good spells – though Nuwan Kulasekara was the best among them, claiming 4 for 37.Bangladesh, meanwhile, will rue the batting collapse that cost them a series victory. Sri Lanka’s 280 was competitive, but achievable, on a surface that remained good enough to allow No. 8 Mehedi Hasan hit a maiden ODI fifty. However, the match had slipped from them long before Mehedi came to the crease. Three batsmen were out inside four overs, and though Soumya Sarkar and Shakib Al Hasan staged a 77-run recovery, the middle order collapsed after that partnership was broken. At 11 for 3 it seemed unlikely they could hunt down the target, but at 127 for 7, the match was effectively sealed.The result saw the teams share the ODI series 1-1, just as they had shared the Tests. Two T20s are scheduled for next week.Kulasekara, who was added to the squad only after the series had begun, relied more on tight lines and intelligent bowling than his characteristic inswing to make incisions. He should have had Tamim Iqbal off the fourth ball of the innings, when an edge flew at a catchable height between keeper and slip – neither of whom attempted the catch. At times over the past few months, missed chances such as this have hurt Sri Lanka, but not today: Tamim sent Kulasekara a return catch two balls later.Sabbir Rahman’s dismissal in Kulasekara’s next over perhaps had more to do with the batsman’s loose shot, than good bowling – Rahman nicking a very wide ball through to the keeper. Kulasekara came back later to mop up the innings – dismissing Mehedi and Taskin Ahmed. These were his best ODI figures since November 2013.Bangladesh’s middle-overs capitulation – in which they lost four wickets for 39 runs – was largely the work of Sri Lanka’s spinners. Dilruwan Perera recovered from a 20-run first over to have Soumya stumped, then had Shakib caught at short cover a few overs later. Seekkuge Prasanna also bowled Mosaddek Hossain and Suranga Lakmal had Mahmudullah caught behind during this period.Through the course of the second innings, Sri Lanka also fielded better than they have all year, with plenty of sharp work in the infield, and visible pep among the boundary riders as well. The first-over missed chance off Tamim was their only real mistake.Bangladesh too, had squeezed Sri Lanka during the middle overs, but were not capable of preventing the final surge that propelled Sri Lanka to a good score. They had had the hosts at 230 for 7 in the 45th over, before Thisara and Dilruwan Perera bludgeoned 45 off 27 deliveries. Thisara built his innings with a little more intelligence than has recently been seen in his batting, laying low for a few balls before venturing his more ambitious shots. He hit four fours and a six in his 40-ball 52, but was constantly looking for the singles and twos as well.Earlier, it had been Tharanga that set the innings off apace. His runs came through delectable cut shots, and effortless drives. In the fifth over he played a pull shot off Mashrafe Mortaza that seemed languid to the point of being casual, yet the ball carried all the way over the midwicket boundary. After the Powerplay, Bangladesh would impose themselves on the Sri Lanka, first through good bowling by the likes of Mehedi and Taskin, but also through sharp fielding, with which they effected two run outs.When Mustafizur Rahman had Mendis nicking behind to leave Sri Lanka 194 for 5 in the 37th over, the hosts were in danger of squandering their good start. However, Sri Lanka’s unusually long batting line up bailed them out. Mashrafe Mortaza, the captain, collected the innings’ best figures of 3 for 65.

Former Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris and batsman Matthew Elliott have been appointed to coaching roles at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2017Former Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris and batsman Matthew Elliott have been appointed to coaching roles at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane. Both men will work with the National Performance Squad and Cricket Australia XI youth squads, and their first task will be coaching Australia’s Under-19s in a home series against Sri Lanka in April.Harris has worked in coaching roles with Australia, Queensland and the Brisbane Heat since retiring as a player in 2015, following a career that brought 113 Test wickets at an average of 23.52. Elliott played 21 Tests from 1996 to 2004 and retired from all cricket in 2008, after which he has worked as a batting consultant and yout coach for Victoria.”We have undertaken a thorough process to find the best coaches to mentor Australia’s emerging talent, and we are extremely excited to have both Matthew and Ryan joining team performance,” Pat Howard, Cricket Australia’s executive general manager of team performance, said.”Both have come through the Cricket Australia coaching pathway, being involved in underage national championships, and have a strong understanding of the challenges that lie ahead in developing Australian cricketers to be ready for first-class and international cricket.”Ryan and Matthew join what is already an experienced and highly credentialed coaching team at the National Cricket Centre, led by Troy Cooley, and both will be instrumental in guiding the young talent within our ranks.”Graeme Hick, who had worked in a similar role at the National Cricket Centre, now serves as Australia’s batting coach, while the second coaching role has been newly created.

Roma chief Tiago Pinto has received interest from Fulham over signing defender Roger Ibanez after his latest trip to London, according to reports.

Who will sign for Fulham this summer?

Marco Silva will be looking to build upon what was a successful first campaign back in the top flight, with Fulham securing a mid-table finish and comfortably avoiding relegation.

In what was a memorable season in parts, the Whites finished above west London rivals Chelsea, as Silva even mounted a challenge for European qualification over much of 2022/2023.

While they fell just short of Aston Villa, Brentford and Liverpool in that regard, the foundations are certainly there, with Fulham now turning their attention to the transfer market.

There have been reports of many targets, particularly midfield, as Man United's Fred, Southampton star James Ward-Prowse and Lyon's Romain Favre attract their interest.

Defence is also said to be a priority position for Silva, with Fulham reportedly eyeing moves for Leicester City full-back, Timothy Castagne, Norwich's Max Aarons and centre-back Igor from Fiorentina.

The latter man, however, isn't the only Brazilian defender from Serie A who Fulham hold a firm interest in.

According to Italian media outlet RomaGialloRossa.it, they are also targeting Ibanez from Roma, with their transfer chief Pinto receiving an expression of interest from Fulham after a trip to London.

Pinto has been in the English capital for two reasons, as he looks to seal a deal for striker Gianluca Scamacca from West Ham and find suitors for Ibanez.

The transfer chief "collects Fulham's interest" in the South American, and while that is yet to evolve into concrete negotiations, Silva's side have apparently expressed their desire to sign him.

Who is Roger Ibanez?

The 24-year-old was one of Roma's best defensive assets last season, at least statistically, with WhoScored detailing that none of Jose Mourinho's other players made more top flight interceptions per 90 over 22/23.

Ibanez also sits tops Roma's charts for successful tackles per match alongside Bryan Cristante, all whilst averaging a solid 88% pass accuracy out from the back as a brilliant ball-playing defender (WhoScored).

Mourinho, speaking to the press last season, called Ibanez an "untouchable" in his starting eleven and praised the player's attitude.

"When we went to Seville to face Real Betis earlier this season, the morning of the game I saw him and thought it was going to be impossible for him to play. And yet he played," said Mourinho.

"He’s one who always fronts up. When we win, we all win together. When we lose, we all lose together. For me he is untouchable."

The one-off Test between India and Bangladesh next month has been pushed back by one day

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jan-2017The one-off Test between India and Bangladesh next month has been pushed back by one day. It was originally supposed to start on February 8, but the BCCI have opted for a late change to the schedule. The game, now, would span Thursday to Monday instead of Wednesday to Sunday.”The Test was originally meant to start on a Wednesday. So we thought it would be better on all fronts if it starts on a Thursday and we could get crowds in for the Test,” a BCCI official said.Bangladesh return home from their tour of New Zealand on January 26 and after a short break would travel to India on February 1. It was also understood that they would play a three-day warm-up match against India A from February 3 in Hyderabad, although it won’t be at the same ground as the Test match.Although Bangladesh have toured India four times – 1990, 1998, 2006 and 2016 – they have never played Test cricket or even a bilateral series in the country. India were their opposition in their inaugural Test in 2000 and have toured Bangladesh to play them in the longest format in 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2015.

Pinpointing a new midfielder to partner Enzo Fernandez at Chelsea is arguably one of Mauricio Pochettino’s biggest challenges, which he simply must get right.

Getting the perfectly curated protector with a tough-tackling ferocity and keen athleticism is a tricky task.

The club has been incessantly linked to Moises Caicedo, however, Brighton are supposedly demanding around £120m for the Ecuadorian’s services.

Nevertheless, a cheaper, more realistic, and attainable alternative has emerged in the form of Aurélien Tchouaméni, whose signing would be a humongous statement of intent from the West Londoners.

What’s the latest on Aurélien Tchouaméni to Chelsea?

According to reports in Spain, the Blues offered €60m (£51m) for the Frenchman which was immediately rejected, and they are planning an improved bid of €80m (£68m), which will give Real Madrid something to think about.

Although far-fetched and extremely ambitious, the 2021 Champions League winners possess a ludicrously excessive budget, which could be shrewdly sprayed upon this ball-winning machine.

Who can Aurélien Tchouaméni emulate at Chelsea?

The 25-cap international joined the 14-time European Champions last summer for €100m (£86m) and made 50 appearances for Los Blancos.

As per FBref, the former Monaco prodigy has been compared to the current talk of the town, Declan Rice, due to their strikingly similar attributes.

Defensively, both these titans are formidable protectors for their backlines, with Tchouaméni averaging slightly better numbers in most departments as he has more tackles per 90 (2.61 vs 2.17), interceptions per 90 (1.98 vs 1.73), clearances per 90 (1.87 vs 1.59), and aerials won per 90 (1.91 vs 1.02), according to FBref.

The £206k-per-week man also outperforms his positional peers in pass completion (92.9% vs 86.5%), but Rice makes more progressive passes.

Tchouaméni’s compatriot Paul Pogba has lauded the sensation for his quality saying: “Very very good. He's not a boy, he's a man.

“It was a pleasure to play next to him. He brings a lot of energy. A lot of energy, and extraordinary technical and physical quality.”

Indeed, that's a review that could well describe Rice too.

The 22-year-old has started every game for his nation at the 2022 World Cup and scored in the 2-1 quarter-final victory over England.

Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol has said that Chelsea’s new ownership has targeted the world’s “best young players” and Tchouaméni certainly fits that bill.

The pivot ranks within the best 8% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for interceptions, pass completion, and clearances per 90.

For the West London outfit to get back to where it belongs, this is exactly the type of scintillating Rice-like signing to reinvigorate the fanbase with a new-found belief that its new setup can take the club forward.

Investec are to end their sponsorship of England’s Test side four years early after the ECB agreed a separate deal with a rival

George Dobell06-Jan-2017Investec are to end their sponsorship of England’s Test side four years early after the ECB chose a rival financial services company to become their “principal partner”.Investec, the specialist bank and asset manager, were five years into a 10-year deal with the ECB – dubbed, at the time, as “the longest sponsorship agreement secured in ECB’s history” – when it was announced that rival banking firm NatWest would be taking over as the team’s main sponsor from May 2017. As part of that deal, the players’ shirts will carry the NatWest logo.NatWest themselves had stepped into the role after the supermarket giant, Waitrose, announced last year that it would not be renewing its own three-year sponsorship of all levels of English cricket, a decision that came as a blow to the commercial team, and one that was partially attributed to the changes in the ECB hierarchy since the original deal had been struck in May 2013.While Investec will continue to sponsor the side until the end of the 2017 season – meaning they will be in place for the home series against South Africa and West Indies, including the first day-night Test in England which is to be staged at Edgbaston in August – the ECB will need to find a new partner ahead of the 2018 season. They do have an attractive range of fixtures to offer, though, with the new deal containing a series against India, the primary tourists in 2018, and an Ashes series in 2019.The Investec deal, which provides naming rights and branding at home Tests in England and Wales, is understood to be worth around £4million a year. It is understood there was a break clause in the contract which has allowed them to pull out without incurring any penalty.While it is not unique to have rival brands within their array of sponsors – several of the ECB’s two-dozen or so business partners offer alcoholic drinks, for example – the decision to sign two competitors as such high-profile sponsors does not reflect especially well on their commercial team. In particular, it doesn’t suggest great loyalty towards a sponsor in the middle of a long-term deal.But NatWest have themselves been involved as partners for the best part of four decades. And, until recently, there was little conflict between their sponsorship – which has traditionally been focussed on limited-overs cricket – and that of Investec, who have focused on the Test team. It may also be relevant that the Investec business has evolved in recent years to include more services that replicate those offered by NatWest.Both Investec and the ECB would agree the deal has proved successful. An unusually proactive sponsor, Investec has made a much stronger impression upon the players and the media than most rivals and has, therefore, gained greater goodwill and probably column inches.”Investec have been our official partner for Test match cricket since 2012,” Sanjay Patel, Commercial Director of ECB, said. “They have worked hard to bring their distinctive personality to cricket and the relationships they’ve created in the game. In doing this, they’ve helped to promote Test cricket and to connect England’s players to the public.”