Bergbau » drew the left-handers outside edge.

CHANTILLY, France -- The day after the night before, the confusion and pain from the seismic defeat that cost Roy Hodgson his job as manager of England was still written large on his craggy face.But, to his credit, Hodgson didnt hide away.Feeling very fragile, Hodgson reluctantly appeared for one last England news conference on Tuesday, against his better instincts.All that Hodgson wanted to say about his teams 2-1 loss to Iceland the previous night in the European Championship round-of-16 had been said, he felt, in his resignation statement immediately after the defeat that sent England out of a major tournament early, yet again.But he also didnt want anyone to think that he was frightened to face the music. So he roused himself for the TV cameras and assembled journalists at the chateau north of Paris where England, briefly, set up base.I dont really know what Im doing here, Hodgson said. But I was told that it was important for everybody that I appear and I guess that is partly because people are still smarting from our poor performance.I suppose someone has to stand and take the slings and arrows, he added.While critics agreed that England played appallingly, they disagreed on just how badly the defeat ranked in Englands sorry history of underperforming at major tournaments. For some, it was the worst loss ever. For others, just the worst in a generation.Im very fragile today. It wasnt a good night, for anyone, Hodgson said.I was not forced to come here. I did so because I have never shirked a press conference, because I have never run away from anybody, he said. So much is going to be written about our failure to get to the quarterfinals that nothing I can say would do anything other than fuel the flames, possibly.He insisted, however, that his players showed good signs of good football in three group stage games before they melted -- Hodgson called it a one-off -- against Icelands team drawn from a tiny pool of professional players among the islands 330,000 people.One particularly bad game has caused a lot of damage, Hodgson said, adding that the loss could weigh on Englands young team going forward.Theyve got a major bridge to repair, he said.The England Football Associations CEO, Martin Glenn, said the post-failure inquest, the latest of many, must fathom out why the nation that invented the laws of football repeatedly stalls early, with the World Cup in 1966 its only major tournament win.Its a national imperative that we become more resilient, he said. England seem brittle and we need to understand why.Glenn, too, clutched at positives, saying England became a much stronger team during Hodgsons four years in charge.Iceland is not your epitaph, he told Hodgson.And he rejected the idea that Englands players didnt care enough to win. Glenn said he visited the England dressing room after the defeat and the scene was devastation and personal grief.This hurts, he said. This is not about a lack of passion. Cheap Custom Jets Jersey .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Custom Jets Jerseys .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. http://www.customnhljetsjersey.com/ . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. Custom Keith Tkachuk Jersey . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Custom Jets Jersey China . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. Upon touching down in Sri Lanka, Australia had received quite the reception. There were no cultural dances, as anyone was aware. No fruit drinks at the airport, nor the privilege of being daubed in the glorious palm sweat of one of the nations politicians.The welcome, instead, was sweetened by news of the ever-growing delegation of injured Sri Lanka seamers. Dushmantha Chameera would not rush Australia with his pace. Dhammika Prasads eyebrows would not haunt their nightmares. Having been unavailable for so many recent Tests, Suranga Lakmal also gallantly re-twinged his dodgy hamstring, like a musician obliging a swaying crowd with his greatest hit. Not long after, Nuwan Pradeep felt the peer pressure and followed suit.On the spin front, Jeffrey Vandersay had also busted a finger, but more importantly, Sri Lankas greatest player grinned himself over to the opposite camp, and cocked that Aussie-bashed elbow in the direction of his own team. One thing, comfortingly, did stay the same. Six years after Test retirement, Muttiah Muralitharan was still finding ways to get himself blamed for the spin-friendly nature of a Sri Lankan pitch.In addition, for Australia, there was a welcome banquet at their High Commission, kind words from the opposition captain, and a self-insertion and capitulation from Sri Lanka to set the series off. Short of having groundstaff fan their fielders with banana fronds, Australia had had the best possible welcome on a foreign tour.Sri Lanka, meanwhile, arrived with tattered recent records, an under-pressure captain, and arguably a better attack in triage than the one they have been forced to field. An Aussie whitewash, went many predictions. Others looked into the crystal ball of the islands cricket and saw, oh dear, the West Indies.Where then, six days into the series, did Angelo Mathews find the gall to run at Nathan Lyon and club him into the distance, second ball? Who signed off on a run rate north of four in the first 45 overs today? Who suggested a No. 3 batsman be made of Kusal Perera - who is only a recently reintegrated agent of lower-order slash and burn?It seems to be a solitary Test win that has made the difference. One great Pallekele innings and some quality spin bowling that has been the shot in the arm that has set adrenaline surging again.And it is in Mathews day one doings that this restored confidence was most apparent. In Pallekele he had plodded morosely to 15 and 9. In Galle, he hit two reverse sweeps in his first 19 balls, and loped to 35 at a strike rate over 100.dddddddddddd In England, only restaurants that are fronts for criminal operations would have been caught up in so many terrible reviews. But in Galle, he had his highest scorer overturn an lbw decision, and late in the day, declined to refer speculative shouts from his bowlers.We have always wanted to bat reasonably positively, but the problem we have faced is that we hadnt got off to good starts and that has led to a defensive mindset, coach Graham Ford said after stumps. But we always want to play positively. Angelo is capable of playing spin bowling well. He tries and score off them and disrupt them. When I first started with Sri Lanka that was the general approach followed by Mahela Jayawardene, and no surprise Angelo has continued that. At times in England, Mathews had captained with all the zest and creativity of a tube light, but suddenly in Galle, his bowling changes began to seem inspired. Offpsinner Dilruwan Perera had been the worst of the frontline spinners in the first Test, but Mathews had him bowl at a charging David Warner, and eventually, drew the left-handers outside edge. Lunging forward, low to his left, Mathews held a very tough chance himself.With so much inexperience in this squad, which features two Kusals, two Pereras, two Fernandos, a Silva and a de Silva, it was easy to think the selectors had been so short of options theyd been forced to thumb through the phone book picking out clumps of names. But contributions came from all over this XI, which suggests a little belief has built. The openers glove-punched their way to the crease and made the customary head-shaking retreat to the pavilion soon after, but in Kusal Mendis and Pereras 108-run recovery, there was evidence of both grit and ability. In Dhananjaya de Silvas breezy strokes from No. 7, there were healthy signs of another decent player emerging.Sri Lanka will know they have hardly made a dent in Australias batting yet, but with Lakshan Sandakan as yet unloosed on a devious surface, and a half-decent score accrued, they will begin day two with optimism. A series victory seems far off, but for now at least they have competed. At the beginning of this tour, it is more than they were expected to do. ' ' '