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Alexi Lalas brutally criticised the USMNT after shock Nations League defeat to Trinidad and Tobago.

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USMNT went down 2-1 to Trinidad and TobagoLalas critiqued USMNT's performanceVoiced concerns about the team's depth WHAT HAPPENED?

The former USMNT player labelled the 2-1 loss as a concerning indicator of the team's overall quality. Despite advancing to the Nations League semifinals with a 4-2 aggregate win, Lalas questioned the team's depth beyond elite players, highlighting their vulnerability when key individuals are unavailable. He challenged the notion that the team is as formidable as perceived, leading to a broader conversation about realistic expectations for the upcoming 2026 World Cup and the Copa America.

AdvertisementWHAT LALAS SAID ABOUT THE USMNT

While speaking on his , he said: "We as an American soccer community leading up to 2026 may have to come to terms with this team, when all is said and done, might not be as good as we thought. I know that's a difficult thing to hear – it is a difficult thing to say given all of the talent we have, all of the pathways, all of the success and let's be honest, all the expectation we have for this group. Is that unfair? Or is that lowering expectations going to hurt this group going forward?"

Getty ImagesLALAS WANTS A REALITY CHECK

Star players Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams were absent in the recent defeat to Trinidad & Tobago. This prompted Lalas to raise concerns about the lack of depth of this team and insisted that there must be serious questions asked before the 2024 Copa America and the 2026 World Cup.

"I will say that all of the talk of the depth and all of the talk of all of this talent, I think we are finding out now on multiple occasions that once we get past those elite players, or as has happened in this window – some of those players aren't available, we become very mediocre very quickly," he said.

"Does it mean we can't beat great teams? Does it mean we can't have great moments? No.

"But this whole foundation has been built on winning a World Cup, on the premise that these players are so much better and there are so many more of them. 

"Not saying I yet believe this but it is a question that needs to be asked if our expectations are out of whack with what the reality is when it comes to this team. It's an important conversation to have leading up to next summer and 2026."

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WHAT NEXT FOR USMNT?

The Copa America next summer will serve as a vital test for the USMNT, providing insights into the team's progress and capabilities against top-tier competition. Lalas's critique sparks a necessary conversation about the team's true potential and the expectations surrounding their performance in major tournaments.

A ground as large as the MCG calls for a batting line-up to not just rely on their power hitting, according to Virat Kohli

Abhishek Purohit in Melbourne21-Feb-20151:36

‘Whenever I meet Dale, he gives me the biggest hug’ – Kohli

Sustained momentum, Virat Kohli said. He was talking about how it was crucial to bat at a high tempo throughout the innings at grounds such as the MCG where the large boundaries make it difficult for power-hitting to come off at the death. Sustained momentum worked for India against Pakistan. It worked for them against South Africa in the Champions Trophy, the last time the two sides met in a world event. It is what they will try to achieve against the same opponents in their second World Cup game on Sunday.”I think in Melbourne we have seen that sustained momentum throughout the innings has probably been the successful way,” Kohli said. “Teams that have tried to slug it out in the last 10 usually don’t end up pulling off that many runs, especially teams that are not familiar to these conditions, because there’s more bounce, the boundaries are bigger, so it’s not that easy to clear boundaries on a regular basis.”India lost five wickets for 27 against Pakistan in the last five overs in Adelaide. They were 185 for 4 in 35 overs against Australia at the MCG in the one-day tri-series a month ago. They managed 4 for 82 off the last 15 overs. No one apart from centurion Rohit Sharma could manage a six in the innings.What’s the watchword? Virat Kohli wants India’s batsmen to adapt to the larger size of the MCG boundaries•Getty Images’Best for me to bat at No. 3′ – Kohli

The search to find the best combination had India shuffling Virat Kohli down the order in the lead-up to the World Cup, but that ploy appears to have run its course.
“I’ve played enough number of games to try and experiment [with my] batting position for the team to be in the best combination possible,” he said, “But we figured out that it’s best for me to bat at No. 3 which I’ve done over the last few years, and we have got success because me or one of the top three batsmen has been able to bat through.
Kohli was used at No. 4 on three occasions during the recent one-day series with Australia and England and tallied only 15 runs, but he was quick to defend the move despite the results.
“We were trying to figure out the best combination for the team. People really need to have some patience with something that we try to do. We do a few experiments, and if they don’t pay off, it’s regarded as something which is going to be our downfall. We don’t think like that.
“Unless you try, you would never know if you’re right or wrong. You make mistakes and you have to learn from them, and that was one situation where we wanted to try things out, and we could not have done it at any time apart from the tri-series, and yeah, that was the main plan behind it.”

MS Dhoni made 19 off 31 deliveries at No. 6 and later said he had to be more watchful than usual in the absence of Ravindra Jadeja’s hitting ability down the order. Having recovered from a shoulder injury, Jadeja is available now, but was out for 3 off 5 in the 49th over in the Pakistan game. He was second in the nets after Shikhar Dhawan on Friday at Junction Oval for a long batting stint. R Ashwin also struck some powerful punches, as India sought to get their lower-order in good batting shape.Dhoni has also said that teams are resorting to bowling back of a length in the tournament and challenging batsmen with the buffer of longer boundaries. In the lead-up to this game, India have practiced with a focus on that length.India were able to touch the 300-mark against Pakistan despite the late collapse because of the platform the top order had given them, although they looked good for 330 at one stage. Their opponents then started steadily, but crumbled under the pressure of a tall chase in an India-Pakistan match. There will be no such pressure on the South Africans. Not only does that make it important for India’s batsmen to finish better than they did against Pakistan, it also calls on the top order to set up the game again.Which is where the size of the MCG outfield factors in again. The square boundaries are especially long, unlike Adelaide Oval. India’s top-order batsmen love to play their cover drives and square cuts and back-foot punches. Those strokes come naturally to them and are used as reliable methods to collect runs, especially under fielding restrictions against the new balls. On other venues, once you clear the infield with decent timing, you do not have to bother running. Such strokes might bring only two, or three at best, at the MCG. Doing that against Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander regularly will be still harder.Kohli was clear that the India batsmen would have to adapt on Sunday, drawing on their experience of having played at the MCG as recently as January. “You have to hit angles, you have to hit gaps, you have to run hard, and you have to place the ball more than power the ball over the boundary. It will be a calculated approach towards our batting, and we’ll have to make some changes according to how big the field is. All the guys have played on this ground, and I’m sure they are thinking about it.”

Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga has joined the Guyana Amazon Warriors for the last stage of the Caribbean Premier League

Nagraj Gollapudi15-Aug-2013Lasith Malinga has joined the Guyana Amazon Warriors for the last stage of the Caribbean Premier League. Malinga will replace Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Hafeez, who will leave after the league stages to play for Pakistan on their Zimbabwe tour, which starts on August 23.The Barbados Tridents have also made a change to their squad, signing Azhar Mahmood to replace Umar Akmal. The allrounder is a sought-after player in most major domestic T20 leagues around the world. He is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket, with 213 wickets from 188 games, behind Alfonso Thomas, Malinga and Dirk Nannes.Malinga, one of the most lethal fast bowlers in the shorter formats, is the third Sri Lankan to play in the CPL. Muttiah Muralitharan is part of the Jamaica Tallawahs while Mahela Jaywardene is set to join the Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel from Thursday. Malinga will be the fourth overseas player for Guyana, who had earlier signed the New Zealand pair of Martin Guptill and James Franklin along with Hafeez in the original squad.The Antigua Hawksbills have confirmed Orlando Peters as a replacement for injured South Africa batsman Justin Kemp. Kemp was ruled out after suffering an injury to his right gluteal muscle.The contest for the top four places will intensify as the CPL enters its last week. Guyana play Jamaica in an away match at Sabina Park in the first of the two matches on Thursday. They have won three of their five matches so far and are second on the points table behind leaders Barbados, who have played an extra game. In the second match, Antigua Hawksbills, placed fourth in the league, will take on St Lucia Zouks.

Cricket could return to the Commonwealth Games as early as 2018 if the International Cricket Council (ICC) accepts an invitation from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).

George Dobell27-Jun-2012Cricket could return to the Commonwealth Games as early as 2018 if the International Cricket Council (ICC) accepts an invitation from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).HRH Prince Imran of Malaysia, the Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation, made a presentation to the ICC board on Wednesday, inviting cricket into the 2018 Commonwealth Games, to be held on the Gold Coast in Australia, and the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games, which will be held in St Lucia.Cricket has been included in the Commonwealth Games just once – in Malaysia in 1998 – when South Africa won gold by defeating Australia (silver) in the final. New Zealand won bronze. The Games have a worldwide TV audience of over 400 million.”I gave the ICC board a brief introduction to the Commonwealth Games,” Prince Imran told ESPNcricinfo. “I told them that the feeling from our AGM in St Kitts in November was that we were keen to have cricket back in the Games and, with Australia hosting in 2018, that might present an ideal opportunity.”I hope this will be a win-win situation. Including cricket within the Commonwealth Games would present an opportunity to showcase the sport not just to a new audience, but to other sports administrators. Just as Rugby 7s got into the Olympics after making a good impression in the Commonwealth Games, so could cricket.”But the greatest benefit of inclusion is not commercial; it is about the globalisation of the game. I believe inclusion within the Commonwealth Games would be particularly beneficial for the development of the women’s game. It would provide a high-profile tournament for them to take part in.”While there is little opposition to cricket’s inclusion in the Commonwealth Games on principle, the practical obstacles remain substantial. Even if the Future Tours Programme left room for another event and even if the issues with long-term broadcast contracts could be resolved, the fact is that the 2018 Commonwealth Games are scheduled for the prime weeks of the IPL; between April 4 and 15.Such is the CGF’s desire to see cricket included within the Games, however, they stressed to the ICC that they would be happy to see the “best available” players selected.”We understand that the cricket schedule is very busy,” Prince Imran continued “and selection, of course, is the prerogative of the board. We would understand if the players selected were the best available.”I am sure that the players would like to participate. Shaun Pollock and Steve Waugh both appeared in the Games in 1998, while Sir Viv Richards was there as team manager of the Antigua side: I know they all enjoyed and valued the experience.”The ICC will now investigate the costs and benefits of inclusion in multi-sports games, with Prince Imran not anticipating a formal response until the next ICC board meeting in October.

Rohit Sharma, the India batsman, has said that Australia have a weakness against swing bowling that India will seek to exploit

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Dec-2011Rohit Sharma, the India batsman, has said that Australia have a weakness against swing bowling that India will seek to exploit during the upcoming Test series.”I heard they’re having some problems against swing bowling, so we are very much putting all our thoughts together,” Rohit said. “We will try and come hard at them where swing is concerned. We have a very good bowling unit which can put pressure on the Australians.”Rohit’s comments echoed those of Zaheer Khan, who said on Thursday that India’s bowlers will be aiming to exploit Australia’s problems against the moving ball.Australia were dismissed for less than 150 five times over the last two years, and collapsed for 47 against South Africa and 136 against New Zealand in their last two Test series. But Rohit said India were focussed on their own preparations rather than their opponent’s struggles.”We’re not really concerned about what’s going on their side. We want to focus on our preparation. It’s a good sign they are having a batting camp, so we know their weaknesses and what they’ve gone through the last couple of weeks. We have all kept that in mind going into the first Test match. We will walk out there and we need to put pressure on them rather than taking the pressure on us.”India drew their two-day game against CA Chairman’s XI, making 6 for 320 in reply to CA’s 6 for 398. Rohit scored an unbeaten 56, while Sachin Tendulkar made 92 and VVS Laxman 57 before both retired to give others a chance to bat.”It was a good preparation. We just wanted to get into the groove first. There’s another practice match as well. [There wasn’t] much for the bowlers on a flat track and the batsmen also got the runs, so I think we should be very happy with the way things have gone for batters and bowlers.”There was some concern for India when Ishant Sharma left the field after bowling only 5.3 overs on the first day, but Rohit said it was “just some discomfort” and that Ishant had seen a doctor and should be ready for the Boxing Day Test.India have never won a Test series in Australia and Rohit admitted it was something that they think about, but “we would like to take one Test match at a time and see how it goes”.The first Test is at the MCG, where Tendulkar will resume his quest for his 100th international hundred. “Me and my team-mates, all of us and all the Indians, we don’t want him to wait for too long now,” Rohit said. “It’s been a while, but I hope he gets the 100th century in the first game.”

Even during his consecutive half-centuries for Ruhuna in the Champions League Twenty20, he has shown that he prefers playing orthodox shots better suited to the longer format

Abhishek Purohit in Hyderabad21-Sep-2011Dinesh Chandimal carries himself with the smile of a schoolboy. His batting does not have the regal touch of Kumar Sangakkara or the raw power of MS Dhoni. What he has displayed so far in his short career is the pluck of Romesh Kaluwitharana allied with the patience to build an innings, a skill that has brought him consecutive half-centuries in the Champions League Twenty20 qualifier.In both matches, he came in early at No. 3 following the fall of Sanath Jayasuriya – the past of Sri Lankan cricket – and provided a glimpse into its future. He batted like he keeps wicket, busily and intelligently. It took him seven balls to get off the mark today but not once did he betray any signs of desperation. And the way he scored his first runs was telling. Offspinner Jigar Naik had kept him quiet with a succession of quick deliveries fired in full. Off the last ball of the over, Chandimal coolly made some room and lofted Naik over extra cover for six.As he had done against Trinidad and Tobago, he played spin with assured hands and quick feet, lofting cleanly whenever the opportunity was there. In the subcontinent, where he will play most of his cricket, that usually proves to be a productive combination.Chandimal chose the right pace to target when he picked on Abdul Razzaq, pulling and flicking him for three of his six fours. The quicker Wayne White, however, troubled him as had T&T’s Ravi Rampaul, who had dismissed him when he top-edged a pull. There will be time for the 21-year old Chandimal to work on that aspect of his game.He has expressed his desire to take over from Prasanna Jayawardene for Sri Lanka in Test cricket. And that is why it was a touch pleasing to see that he struggled to time the cross-batted swipes at the death. It is clearly not something that comes naturally to him. He is much more comfortable batting the correct and orthodox way, even in the shortest format.He is safe behind the stumps and bustles with energy on the field. He cringes at dropped chances and has regular words of advice for his captain. A first-class average of 58.52 points at huge potential and it is inevitable that Chandimal will increasingly put more and more pressure on the much older Jayawardene for the Test keeper’s slot.Chandimal has been judged good enough to be played as a specialist batsman in ODIs with Sangakkara still having not given up keeping in the format. With Sri Lanka opting to ignore Thilan Samaraweera for the upcoming Tests against Pakistan, Chandimal’s Test cap might not be far away, whether with the larger gloves or without them.

Allan Donald, the South Africa bowling coach, has refuted claims linking him to the Bangladesh coaching job

Firdose Moonda06-May-2012Allan Donald, the South Africa bowling coach, has denied claims linking him to the Bangladesh coaching job. Donald, along with Mick Newell and Dermot Reeve, was understood to be on the BCB’s wishlist but said he will not consider the offer if he is approached.”I have not had any approach but I would not be interested,” Donald told ESPNcricinfo. “I am doing a job I always wanted to be involved in and I have no inclination to make a move. My interest is with South Africa and I won’t give that up at all.”Donald was named South Africa’s bowling coach in June last year, when the national team management underwent a complete change of guard. Gary Kirsten replaced Corrie van Zyl as coach and headhunted his former team-mate Donald.At the time, Donald was in the process of finalising an agreement with New Zealand, where he had worked as bowling coach. Donald was part of the New Zealand management when they defeated South Africa in the 2011 World Cup quarterfinals and was on the verge of signing for a full-time role when Kirsten came calling. Donald immediately cancelled his deal with New Zealand to take up a position which he said he “always wanted to do.”Donald had previously had roles as England bowling consultant and had done work in Zimbabwe but had not coached in South Africa, even at domestic level. He had often expressed his desire to work in the country he had played for, but opportunities were few. Only when Kirsten chose to involve him did Donald get a taste of coaching in South Africa.Donald has also been allowed to explore other options while with South Africa. He is currently in India for the IPL, where he is working as Pune Warriors’ bowling coach.Donald is the second South African bowling coach to catch the BCB’s eye. They also targeted Vincent Barnes, who was South Africa’s bowling coach for eight years from 2003, when Jamie Siddons resigned mid-2011. Barnes turned down the Bangladesh job and opted for a role at South Africa’s High Performance Centre instead.

Alastair Cook played down fears that England are over-reliant upon James Anderson as the fast bowler almost single-handedly hauled his team to victory

George Dobell at Trent Bridge14-Jul-2013Alastair Cook has stated that there is no bowler in world cricket he would rather have in his side than James Anderson, but insisted that England were not over-reliant upon him.Anderson delivered a 13-over spell on the final morning to break the back of the Australian resistance and then, despite an attack of cramp, was forced back into service to claim the final wicket. He finished with 10 for 158 in the match and bowled a total of 55.5 overs earning England a 14-run victory and himself the Man-of-the-Match award.Cook did admit, however, that Anderson had carried a heavy burden in this game and accepted that workload concerns were an issue with the second Investec Ashes Test beginning at Lord’s on Thursday and nine more Ashes Tests to come before the end of January.”Jimmy was outstanding,” Cook said afterwards. “He always wants one more over, though 13 was probably quite a lot in that first hour.”But no, I don’t think we’re over-reliant on him at all. He’s a world-class bowler and you sometimes use him in these situations when you know there’s a time-frame. He had an amazing rhythm in this game.”Stuart Broad and Steven Finn have done outstandingly well for us over a huge amount of time, but it just happened to be Jimmy’s day and Jimmy’s game. Sometimes it happens like that.

Yeeeaaahhhhh!!! Emotional rollercoaster what a great Test match win! Atmosphere was insane I love Trent Bridge!!

— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) July 14, 2013

“When a bowler hits a rhythm you just keep asking him if he’s feeling alright. That’s why you do the training in the gym: when your captain needs you to do it you are physically fit to do it. We know his skill but his heart to keep running in on a hot day on a flat wicket was outstanding.”No, there’s no bowler in the world I’d rather have. Not in any conditions. These were very subcontinent conditions and he was outstanding. He swings it both ways on an immaculate length and makes it very hard to score.”You do worry about his workload in one sense but, when you’re out in the middle, that is kind of irrelevant. You have to think about what is best for the team at that precise time. You can’t be thinking about what will happen in two months time.”It’s the job for our backroom staff and us as a team to make sure we recover well because back-to-back Test matches are hard physically. We have to come back for Thursday ready.”Cook scored Test runs galore in Australia two years ago but his first Ashes Test as captain was something different. “I always said I would be the only England captain not to go bald, but after days like today, it might not help that,” he said.

What an amazing atmosphere and test match! Amazing! #ashes

— Joe Root (@joeroot05) July 14, 2013

Asked by Sky Sports whether it had been his best performance in an England shirt, Anderson said: “Yeah I’d say so. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy at the start of the day, but I thought the lads stuck to it and stayed calm when it was getting tough.”I’m just delighted to get the win. I had the nerves going a little bit but I love bowling here, it’sbeen good to me over the years and I’m happy that I could pick up some more wickets.”Asked if he could maintain the same levels of workload across the series, he said: “If I’m bowling 13-over spells it’s going to be difficult! But it’s Ashes cricket. I love playing Test match cricket and the Ashes is right up there, and that’s why we do the hard work in the gym – to get out there and bowl long spells.”Australia’s captain, Michael Clarke, was proud of his team in defeat but credited England’s victory to the efforts of Anderson and Ian Bell, who made the only century of the match.”I think the boys can certainly hold their head high. It was a wonderful game of cricket. Credit to England. England fought hard really hard throughout the five days and I think the two best performers of the Test match were Ian Bell making a hundred and Jimmy Anderson getting five-for in each innings, so they deserved the win.”

Sri Lanka Cricket’s executive committee has recommended that the national selection panel be increased to five selectors, including two full-time selectors, when the sports minister names a new panel

Andrew Fernando22-Jan-2013Sri Lanka Cricket’s executive committee has recommended that the national selection panel be increased to five selectors, including two full-time selectors, when the sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage names a new panel at the end of the month. Sri Lanka’s present panel consists of three part-time selectors, with at least one usually accompanying the team for each series.”We thought [we should] create a greater diversity of opinion, it would be better to increase the number of selectors to five,” SLC CEO Ajit Jayasekara said. “At the moment the selectors have their own source of income, and having two full-time selectors should improve the selection process as well.”The new panel will likely be appointed for a period of a year, and one of their initial tasks will be to choose a new captain for the ODI and Test teams, after Mahela Jayawardene’s resignation from the post.Aluthgamage has spoken out in favour of a split captaincy after Sri Lanka’s 3-0 loss to Australia in the Test series. Aluthgamage has also expressed desire to build a distinct team for each format, and he may appoint a panel that shares his vision for the team. Under the sports law, the minister must also approve each selection before the team is finalised.”Whether or not to have a split captaincy is ultimately the selectors decision,” SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said.SLC has forwarded the names of 11 candidates to the minister, from among whom the new selection panel will be appointed. Sri Lanka’s sports law dictates that the sports minister must appoint the selection panel.Current selectors, Ashantha de Mel, Don Anurasiri and Hemantha Wickremeratne are all on the SLC’s list, which also includes former players Hashan Tillakaratne and Mahes Goonatilleke.

Dwayne Bravo said the team management had sent a message to Chris Gayle to target a win with a bonus point against Sri Lanka on Friday

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2013Apart from setting up a six-wicket win against Sri Lanka on Friday, Chris Gayle’s dominating innings also helped West Indies grab a bonus point – a target that Dwayne Bravo had clearly set for his opener. West Indies sauntered past the 209-run target in 37.5 overs, claiming the extra point awarded if the batting side achieved a run rate 1.25 times that of the opposition.”In the 29th over, we sent a message to Chris to try and win it with a bonus point,” Bravo said after the match. He praised Gayle for capitalising on a good start, and putting an average Champions Trophy behind him to score his first ODI century in almost a year.”It will ease pressure off him,” Bravo said. “I know, at the back of his mind, that he felt he wasn’t scoring big runs. But he knows how important a player he is for us. I am very happy that he scored a hundred again and batted deep into the innings. When Chris is in that kind of form, it’s only good for us as a team and for West Indies cricket.”Bravo also said the team had a plan to attack Sri Lanka’s inexperienced middle and lower order. Sri Lanka got off to a solid start, after being put in to bat, as Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene added 62 runs for the first wicket, but their innings never recovered after they lost the wickets of Jayawardene and Sangakkara in the space of five overs. Angelo Mathews scored an unbeaten 55, but found little support from the other batsmen.”One of their best batters is batting up the order and the other, Sangakkara, is batting at No. 3,” Bravo said. “We know their middle order and lower order is not that experienced, so we had to keep picking up wickets, that was the game plan. Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach and Sunil Narine said they’d do it for us. One can’t forget Darren Sammy’s spell. I think that killed the momentum in the Sri Lankan innings. Bowling them out for 208 was a fantastic effort by the bowlers.”The win, Bravo said, also lifted the spirits of the team after their exit from the Champions trophy following a tied match against South Africa.”In the Champions Trophy, we were not disappointed with the way we played, especially in the league stages,” he said. “We felt the way we exited the tournament was unfortunate, but as a squad we think that we did a lot of right things. That game against South Africa could have gone either way and, who knows, we could have reached the semi-finals or the final. But we take a lot of positives out of England. We were disappointed with the way that game was called off but we used it to get stronger as a group.”Bravo also backed Roach, who conceded 41 runs in seven overs and was the most expensive bowler for West Indies, and said that there was no reason to change the line-up on the basis of a few innings.”There was never an issue with Kemar’s bowling performance,” Bravo said. “In the first game [of the Champions Trophy] against Pakistan, Kemar was the bowler who got us in the position we were in. Today, he created chances and that is what we want from him. One or two bad games don’t say anything. He’s still one of our best bowlers. It’s good to have someone like Tino Best on the sidelines, that’s good bench strength for us as a team.”Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said his side’s inability to get their innings going handed the advantage to West Indies. “It was an important toss, the pitch was two-paced and holding up a bit but it got easier,” Mathews said. “We had to adapt to the pitch but we lost wickets and could not get going. Mahela batted brilliantly but he had no partners. We thought we had a chance, but the track flattened out. When Gayle gets going, no attack is enough and no ground big enough.”