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The current England Under-19 players were not even born the last time their team lifted the trophy. Three from the squad of 1998 - Owais Shah, Rob Key and Graeme Swann - have gone on have illustrious careers in the game. The last of them had retired by 2016, and now all of them are established names in coaching or broadcasting. That's how long it's been.South Africa was supposed to be tricky, but England laid down a marker by not only chasing 212 comfortably, but doing so in a manner - inside 31.2 overs - that sent a signal to every other semi-finalist - England mean business.The man doing the leading, not only on the field but also with the bat, is Tom Prest. Prest is a right-handed, middle-order batter who possesses strong arms and a clean bat swing. When he hits them, they stay hit. Ask UAE, against whom he hammered an unbeaten 154 in 119 balls. Or Canada, against whom he scored 93.And he's already shown an aptitude for the big occasion. In his very first knockout game for Hampshire, the T20 Blast quarter-final against Nottinghamshire last August, Prest's 44 from 34 balls dragged them to a winning first-innings total, and ultimately into Finals Day, after D'Arcy Short and James Vince had both failed before him. Prior to that, in only his third first-team appearance for the club, against Gloucestershire in July, he smacked a match-winning 59 not out from 42 balls.

He's a man of many talents too. He grew up enjoying Coventry City's football and Rafael Nadal's forehand, and so football and tennis competed with cricket for Prest's attention. Hockey was another favourite, and as it did for Tom Banton and Eoin Morgan, the sport also helped him develop a love for the sweep and reverse-sweep.

"Morgan is pretty calm under pressure," Prest tells ESPNcricinfo. "I am probably not the loudest member of the team, but kind of a quiet leader. Not someone like Virat Kohli who is very passionate on the pitch. I try to think about things logically and stay calm in the key moments of the game.

"What [Morgan's] done with bowling changes, like using Adil Rashid at the end, it's not something teams have done before. It's considered unorthodox, but he does whatever is needed on the pitch, he thinks quickly and clearly under pressure. From the outside, it looks like he does it very well."

"Tom is a very modest guy, and fits in with the group. He hasn't been seen as a prodigy, instead he's seen as a good young cricketer who has come through the system. Whenever he steps up a level, he seems to do that in a seamless way and looks comfortable"

Hampshire director of cricket Giles White

"The pitches are obviously quite different to England," Prest says. "Quite spin-friendly and tricky in the opening period. New-ball spin bowlers are tricky too, because some balls skid and some spin. The 9am start can be tricky batting first, since the ball obviously does a bit.

"But I am probably quite attacking. I like playing my shots. But with that, I like batting for long periods of time as well. I sometimes take my time to get in, but I like to score quickly after that. Watching T20 cricket and the Hundred last summer has reinforced the fact that scoring quickly... everyone loves watching it really. Good entertainment."

But England are far from being a one-dimensional side. Batting alone cannot inspire a team to win a championship. England have also taken ten wickets in every game thus far.

So the team is well-rounded, the players are in form. But does the captain have the temperament to see the side through the high-octane moments that lie ahead? Hampshire's director of cricket Giles White sums up Prest's credentials.

"Sometimes in England, when you're a young player like Prest that's got a lot of talent, you tend to play above yourself [in age groups] and there are captains in place so you can't lead much yourself," White says. "But Prest is good with his peers and has a good feel for the game. The England U-19s have toured Sri Lanka before, so they have practice on surfaces that turn.

"Tom is a very modest guy, and fits in with the group. He hasn't been seen as a prodigy, instead he's seen as a good young cricketer who has come through the system. Whenever he steps up a level, he seems to do that in a seamless way and looks comfortable."

Despite not winning a World Cup in over two decades and not even making it out of the group stage in the last edition, Prest's Under-19 England team is aiming for the stars. However, he's aware there are some factors, particularly at this late stage of the competition, that are not in one's control.

"We've all come with the intention of winning the whole competition," he says. "Without a doubt. To play those three group games and win every one convincingly, it's given us a lot of confidence. But from here, we can only take it game by game from here, since we haven't played the other opponents."

Standing in England's way for a final spot, though, lies their biggest challenge yet - Afghanistan. They have the most revered spin combination of the competition, with two bowlers already on the radar for IPL teams. Against Bangladesh, chasing 98 meant that England were not really put under the pump by a good spin-bowling unit, and the other teams so far have not offered much to dent the confidence of England's batters. Will the lack of a prior spin challenge, or the lack of pressure in their previous fixtures, come back to bite England?

That is the big unknown when they step out at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Tuesday. A 100-over match, against a team that is high on morale after winning an epic quarter-final against Sri Lanka, could very well send them out of contention.

If it does, however, it will be an anti-climactic end for a team that's been one of two countries to have a 100% win record so far. That's been the impact England have had on the 2022 U-19 World Cup, and for that alone, it has been a memorable campaign under Prest's captaincy.

Sreshth Shah is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @sreshthx

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No pressure for Tom Prest as high-flying England target their final berth - ESPNcricinfo

Jan 28, 2022

Ed DoveSpecial to ESPN

After a group stage and Last 16 characterised by narrow score lines, the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals could see a couple of shock results emerge this weekend, with the action continuing as scheduled despite the Stade d'Olembe tragedy.

On the field, the tournament brought drama, excitement, and no shortage of controversy as the group stage unravelled and gave way to the gripping Last 16. Almost every game has provided tension and intrigue -- even if referees and VAR have been a little too prominent in the discussions.

Even the questionable interventions, the suspicious oversights, the speed at which red cards have been whipped out haven't (completely) detracted from the fairytale stories, the unexpected results, and the edge-of-your-seat thrill of elimination football.

On paper, two of the quarterfinals appear to be mismatches, but the tournament has demonstrated that the big boys can come unstuck against would-be minnows, and while individual talent alone can get you so far, the strength of the collective has been apparent to Ghana, Algeria and Nigeria.

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Gambia's achievement in reaching the tournament alone was remarkable, while their performances in Cameroon -- victories over Mauritania, Tunisia and Guinea, drawing with Mali -- have represented the all-time greatest moments in the nation's sporting history.

There's no doubt that Saturday's quarterfinal against Cameroon is the biggest match Gambia have ever contested, but their mentality, tactical approach, and the sterling work of head coach Tom Saintfiet leave them perfectly placed to give the hosts a run for their money and perhaps even register an almighty AFCON shock.

After a troubled build-up to their clash against Guinea, with the Gambia camp complaining about their accommodation and the way they had been left to deal with their coronavirus cases, they've reported a clean bill of health heading into this one...

Can Saintfiet's strategy -- inspired by the team's Scorpions nickname -- to remain coiled, compact, conservative until the dying embers of the game, then strike late with a sting in the tail, see the tiny West African minnows through yet past another major challenge?

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Ed Dove discusses whether there is concern from other teams that there is more favoritism with the Cameroon team in AFCON.

They'll be hoping that Cameroon's defensive failings -- they've conceded in every game so far, including against a Comoros side without a goalkeeper -- can be exploited, although the Indomitable Lions have the kind of attacking options to hurt Gambia that none of their opponents so far have been able to call upon.

With Vincent Aboubakar in the form of his life and dovetailing well with Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting, with Collins Fai providing width on the right, and with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa providing thrust from the midfield, Cameroon have the quality to end the minnows' historic campaign.

On the field of play, however -- and particularly on the maligned turf at the Stade Japoma in Douala -- things may not be so straightforward for the Afcon hosts.

These two limped into the knockout stages after underwhelming and unconvincing group-stage displays, with Tunisia labouring their way through Group F, with a thumping victory over Mauritania the only thing saving them from elimination.

However, after a sense of injustice fuelled their early performances in the competition, both will feel they're picking up momentum heading into this fairly even quarterfinal.

After their losses against Mali -- overshadowed by Janny Sikazwe's referreeing and the touchline fury of their coaching staff -- and Gambia, it was a surprise when Tunisia were able to ride out Nigeria's early onslaught in their Last 16 meeting in Garoua and ultimately see off the Super Eagles.

Defensive resiliency, midfield neutralisation, and a control of emotions were all central to that triumph against much-fancied Nigeria, and with veterans Youssef Msakni and Wahbi Khazri both likely to be available from the off against the Stallions, the Carthage Eagles should have some bite as well.

That match in Garoua was only the second knockout game Tunisia have won in regulation time at the Nations Cup since defeating Morocco to win the title on home soil in 2004, and it will give them a major boost as they look to advance to the final four for the second consecutive campaign.

Burkina Faso, like Tunisia, were also motivated by a sense of injustice in the group stage, with Bertrand Traore denouncing as 'scandalous' the side's coronavirus testing treatment ahead of their opener with Cameroon.

Their lack of experience showed during their opener against the hosts, but after they got the better of Gabon in their exhausting, exhilarating Second Round bout, there will be a sense of momentum about the Stallions.

Can captain Traore, so clearly a cut above his teammates but yet so prone to costly lapses, harness his undeniable talent and inspire the Burkinabe to their third semifinal in five editions?

The pick of the quarterfinals is this absolute blockbuster bout between North African giants Egypt and Morocco at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, where one side with genuine title ambitions will fall by the wayside.

The Atlas Lions -- despite encountering injuries and coronavirus cases during the early days of the tournament -- have been overt about their aims of winning the big one, and despite not having gone beyond the quarterfinals in 18 years, they've become increasingly convincing.

In the likes of Sofiane Boufal and Achraf Hakimi - who's netted magnificent free kicks in their last two matches - they have genuine match-winners, and it's surely only a matter of time before an attacking unit containing Ayoub El Kaabi, Youssef En-Nesyri and Ryan Mmaee finds more precision in their finishing.

Despite the absence of Hakim Ziyech, the Lions are creating no shortage of chances, and while they may not have been made to pay for missing them against Comoros or Malawi, the same may not be said against Egypt.

After a fairly stodgy group stage -- and an opener in which they were blown away by Nigeria -- the Pharaohs hit a different gear in their Last 16 victory over the Ivory Coast.

Helped, doubtless, by Franck Kessie's early exit due to injury, the Pharaohs took 21 shots throughout the course of the contest -- not bad for a team supposedly over-reliant on Mohamed Salah -- and held their own against a stacked Ivorian midfield.

Both Carlos Queiroz and Vahid Halilhodzic have notable achievements in knockout competitions, and both are managing the rigours and routines of tournament football with expertise as their sides grow into the AFCON so expect an engrossing tactical battle.

Morocco may have greater quality in almost every area on the pitch, but this is Egypt, and this is Salah, so nothing can be taken for granted.

Both of these two survived - albeit bruised - from Last 16 bouts against Cape Verde and Mali respectively, with Senegal talisman Sadio Mane replaced early after a collision with goalkeeper Vozinha, and Equatorial Guinea's match being the subject of a formal complaint by the Eagles.

The Equatoguineans can indeed count themselves lucky that VAR appeared to decree in their favour in their last match, although their ascent to the quarterfinals has been down to much more than luck.

Ranked outside the FIFA top 100 in December, their performance at the Nations Cup shouldn't come as a massive surprise to anyone who witnessed their encouraging World Cup qualifying campaign -- they defeated Tunisia in November -- and they're benefiting from an influx of players playing in the lower leagues of France, Spain and Italy.

READ: Everything you need to know about AFCON

The likes of Jose Machin and Pablo Ganet allowed them to hold their own in a battle against Brighton & Hove Albion's Yves Bissouma and Mohamed Camara of Red Bull Salzburg in the Mali game, and expect a similar story against Senegal.

Senegal's decision to allow Mane to initially play on against Cape Verde has been criticised -- even if he did break the deadlock -- but the Teranga Lions will be desperate for him to be back at 100 percent and firing on all cylinders for their Last Eight clash.

The West Africans have lots of speedy dribblers, and players who can strike at goal, but they lack guile and creativity, placing immense burden on Mane's shoulders.

When he plays on the left - as he did against Cape Verde - Senegal's play is funnelled through him and they can become easy to neutralise, but Aliou Cisse's seeming unwillingness to sacrifice any of his three defensive midfielders means that you shouldn't expect anything too different from the Lions.

What they do have is defensive resiliency, and a unit containing Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly, protected by that midfield, makes them favourites to go the distance in the competition.

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AFCON quarterfinals are wide open, shocks are on the cards - ESPN

West Ham reportedly rejected the opportunity to sign Aaron Ramsey during the January Transfer Window, according to Joe.co.uk.

Throughout the transfer window, West Ham were linked with the likes of Duje Caleta-Car, Kalvin Phillips and Jesse Lingard. And Aaron Ramsey is the latest name to have been linked with a move to the London Stadium.

The Welshman was reportedly keen on a return to the Premier League to pick up regular playing time ahead of Wales upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

He was offered to Brentford, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Wolves as well as a return to Arsenal, however, they all turned down the opportunity. He went on to join Rangers on a six-month loan. Sadly, he will not be ready to make his debut in Wednesdays Old Firm derby against Celtic.

Prior to his move to the Serie A giants in 2019, he was at Arsenal for more than ten years. During his time at the Gunners, he made 262 appearances and scored 40 goals. Ramsey has also won the FA Cup three times, including in 2014 when he scored a 109th-minute winner against Hull.

The 31-year-old has struggled for regular game time since signing for Juventus, making just 49 appearances. He has not featured since October due to recurring injury problems as well as catching Coronavirus.

David Moyes side failed to make a single signing in the January transfer window, despite their best efforts. This left many fans angry, with many taking to Twitter to express their views at the lack of ambition as the club mount a serious top-four challenge.

It is unknown why West Ham rejected the opportunity to sign Ramsey. His experience fighting for Champions League football in the Premier League would have been key.

The Welshman has amassed more than 50 European appearances, more than any current West Ham player. Although Moyes preference for signing players is those eager to play at the highest level, there is no doubt that European experience would have been beneficial.

West Ham breezed through the group stage of the Europa League. However, big game players such as Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund are waiting in the wings to join the competition in the knockout stages. These are the types of teams Ramsey has a plethora of experience playing against.

The Hammers also have a paper-thin squad as it is. Angelo Ogbonna is out with a season-ending injury, while his defensive partner Kurt Zouma is only just coming back from a spell on the sideline. Michail Antonio has also struggled for form in recent weeks and is the clubs only recognised striker.

Things may look good for the Hammers as it stands. Fifth in the league, still in the FA Cup and preparing for their first-ever Europa League knockout game. However, the games will start to come thick and fast once the Premier League winter break comes to an end. And the West Ham hierarchy may soon regret that lack of investment in the January transfer window.

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Report: West Ham turned down the opportunity to sign three-time FA Cup winner - TBR - The Boot Room - Football News

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed he does not expect anything special from Pep Guardiola's Manchester City as the two sides prepare to face off on Saturday afternoon.

The two teams have faced each other once already this season in the Premier League back in September when Guardiola's men got the better of Tuchel's side.

Since then City have gone on to establish themselves as the favourites to win the league this season, now sitting 10 points ahead of second-placed Chelsea.

IMAGO / NurPhoto

Speaking ahead of the Saturday lunchtime clash, Thomas Tuchel revealed that he is not expecting anything out of the ordinary from Guardiola's tactics tomorrow.

To be honest I dont expect nothing special tomorrow because it is a league game and not a knockout game," he said, as quoted by football.london. "They are comfortably ahead so I think they will try to be the best version of themselves.

"I expect no tactical, nothing new. Just the best of City and its enough to deal with it.

Tuchel then went on to be questioned about the gap between his side and Manchester City in the league table.

IMAGO / PA Images

At the moment it is a significant one. If you look at the points in the table, the consistency, it is a significant one and we have to prove.

"We have to prove to ourselves that we can step up and close it day in day out.

"We have trust in what we do, in our players and trust in the mentality of our club that we can do it.

"We have a strong squad, belief in what we do. We will be there but the situation is very particular in which we are trying to do it.

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Thomas Tuchel Expects Nothing Tactically Special From Man City as Chelsea Prepare for Premier League Encounter - CalBearsMaven

Bara face none other than Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia; coach Xavi Hernndez's first Clsico in charge.

In the run up to the game captain Sergio Busquets appeared before the press on Tuesday, stressing the need for Bara to be "faithful to themselves" in terms of how to approach the game.

In a remote press conference, Sergio pointed out that the team come into the game "full of excitement and ambition" with the chance to earn their first piece of silverware for the season.

"We have a great chance to win a trophy at this point and it will give us great confidence for what is to come. It's true that there is a big gap in the league but this is a different competition and it's a knockout game. Real Madrid are in good form but it will be a tight contest. Being faithful to our way of playing, we will have a chance. We are confident and are looking forward to being in the final on Sunday," continued the midfielder.

I think we are on the right track, and when we look after the details, the wins will come

"Things are going well and the team feels better. It is true that we are having problems closing out wins, taking care of the little details but and we will grow even more as a team. We have to be patient."

Sergio also touched upon Real Madrid's role as favourites coming into the semi-final given their form in the league and on recent meetings. "The important thing is what you see out there on the field," he said before adding that to be break the run of negative results against their biggest rivals Bara "have to be more solid and look at the specifics as in these games it's key as Real Madrid can do you damage at any moment."

To conclude, the midfielder spoke about Bara's young talent coming through: "I am very happy when young players come up through the youth teams for what it represents for the first team. Football has changed and everything moves really quickly. That means young players are ready to come through earlier. However, we should not pile pressure on them but take advantage of their ambition and talent. They are players who will mark the current and future path for the club."

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Sergio Busquets says Bara have to stick to their style - FC Barcelona