Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has issued an urgent appeal to find his dog, Lucci, after it was stolen when his house in Los Angeles was burgled on Monday.

The 29-year-old, who is without a club after being released by Liverpool, was not home when his house in L.A. was burgled, with the striker confirming that his dog, as well as a number of bags, were stolen.

"Somebody's broke into the house in L.A., took my dog from the house," Sturridge said in an appeal video sent exclusively to ESPN. "Listen, whoever knows who broke into my crib, I'll pay you anything. I'm dead serious.

The forward said that he is willing to offer a £20k-£30k reward in return for his dog.

"How can you break into a house in L.A. and take somebody's dog? Are you crazy? You've come into a house to take a dog?

"Yo, somebody please find my dog. I'll pay anything, I'm dead serious. I want my dog back man."

The summer transfer window in MLS is now open, and there are assuredly some teams in the market for reinforcements. Here is a breakdown of who might be looking for what.

Atlanta United | Third in East

Atlanta coach Frank de Boer has not hidden the fact that the Five Stripes will be active this summer, and they got an early start by signing Emerson Hyndman on loan from Bournemouth. He's a versatile midfielder who should plug in nicely into the Atlanta starting XI. Adding some full-back depth would also not be the worst thing for the reigning champs.

Chicago Fire | 10th in East

Firming up the defense is a big need, according to president and general manager Nelson Rodriguez. With an international slot available, the Fire will have more flexibility in the summer window.

FC Cincinnati | 12th in East

FC Cincinnati need help just about everywhere, maybe with the exception of defensive midfield; they have plenty of those. The glaring need, of course, is up top. Cincy has just 15 goals in 18 games. It has also coughed up 42 this season, so help in the back is necessary.

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Colorado Rapids | 12th in West

Colorado's unexpected rise under Conor Casey continues, and though the playoffs are still unlikely, it would be wise for the Rapids to add a center-back or defensive midfielder this summer. By shoring up the back, the Rapids can set themselves up nicely in 2020 to make a run at a big-time attacking player using the money they'll save once Tim Howard's contract comes off the books.

Columbus Crew | 11th in East

Right now the Crew are near Cincinnati levels when it comes to scoring: just 16 goals in 19 games. Adding Romario Williams from Atlanta United and young Costa Rican winger Luis Diaz will provide some depth in attack, but there is still a big need to add creative talent in midfield, especially with Federico Higuain out for the rest of the season. Adding Curacao keeper Eloy Room on Thursday was a savvy signing.

D.C. United | Second in East

D.C. will definitely be in the market for an attacking player, preferably with speed. Coach Ben Olsen has missed his players who have been away on international duty, such as Paul Arriola and Junior Moreno, but adding an attacking piece -- maybe a Yamil Asad return? -- would provide a boost.

FC Dallas | Fifth in West

It has been a busy summer in Dallas, with Carlos Gruezo packing his bags for German club Augsburg. Coming into the mix is winger Edwin Gyasi on loan from Bulgaria's CSKA Sofia, but a reliable striker who can score goals is still needed in Big D before the Jesus Ferreira/Ricardo Pepi era takes off in 2020-21.

Houston Dynamo | Seventh in West

There is a lot of talk that forward Mauro Manotas might be on his way to Cruz Azul, and of course the possibility of an Alberth Elis transfer away lingers. Should one of those two come to pass, the Dynamo will need some reinforcements up top, especially if they want to have any chance of hanging in the West.

LAFC | First in West

With midfielder Andre Horta back in Portugal, LAFC have the ability to add some significant talent if they want, which for the rest of the league has to be a scary thought. There has been talk of Roma legend Daniele De Rossi, but otherwise it has been quiet. One has to think, though, that a move for a midfielder is coming from the league leaders in some form.

LA Galaxy | Second in West

There are signs that the Galaxy will add Cristian Pavon, an Argentine winger with Boca Juniors. It would be a massive pick-up for the Galaxy and would certainly make star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic happy. With Pavon in the mix and Uriel Antuna returning from a breakout Gold Cup with Mexico, the Galaxy would have the attacking parts to do major damage.

Minnesota United | Fourth in West

Minnesota is in the market for a left-sided attacker to ease the creative and goal-scoring burden on Darwin Quintero and a left-back to replace former captain Francisco Calvo, but Kevin Molino's return from a lengthy injury absence and the emergence of rookie Chase Gasper has lessened the urgency to add in either position. But with the Loons in the midst of a U.S. Open Cup run, more bodies wouldn't go amiss.

Montreal Impact | Fourth in East

Injuries are hammering the Impact at present, especially in attack with Ignacio Piatti sidelined for the summer, so Montreal could use some help up front. The Canadian side has a history of going big during the summer window -- Piatti in 2014, Didier Drogba in 2015 -- and with a DP spot open, it will be interesting to see if any big names land in Quebec.

New England Revolution | Eighth in East

Things are better in New England with Bruce Arena around, but the back line needs some shoring up, especially at the center-back position. There has been an uptick in scoring of late, but the Revs could use a striker to pair with attacking midfielder Carles Gil.

New York City FC | Fifth in East

NYCFC got their window going early by adding Scottish winger Gary Mackay-Stevens, and there is talk that Danish midfielder Anders Christiansen could be coming to the Big Apple soon as well. But the boys in the Bronx could still use some help at the striker position to complement Heber.

New York Red Bulls | Sixth in East

There is an open DP spot, so the Red Bulls would be able to open their wallets this summer. Injuries have exacted a big toll, so some able bodies to provide depth would be crucial, especially in midfield. Bradley Wright-Phillips' return from injury means no forward is likely to be added, so expect some movement to come in the middle of the park or on the wings.

Orlando City | Ninth in East

The good news for Orlando is that forward Tesho Akindele is enjoying his best form of the season, with four goals in the past six games. The bad news is that the Lions can't expect that to continue, and for most of the season, scoring has been a problem. Bringing in another attacking piece to push Dom Dwyer would be a wise move and maybe get Orlando to its first playoff game.

Philadelphia Union | First in East

The Union have been very solid defensively this year, and the addition of RJ Allen provides depth and veteran experience. This will help in the postseason. Philly has also inked forward Andrew Wooten to help bolster its attack, but another player up top would be a smart decision, especially now that Marco Fabian finally appears healthy.

Portland Timbers | Ninth in West

Portland made the transfer pickup of the season so far when it acquired Argentine striker Brian Fernandez, but in the summer window, things likely will be quieter. If Portland is to do anything, it will be to add depth in defense and midfield.

Real Salt Lake | Eighth in West

Real Salt Lake's transfer window seems like it will depend on what happens with Joao Plata, who looked set for a Liga MX move, but that now appears dead. The club will need some help in attack if he does leave, but otherwise, GM Craig Waibel and coach Mike Petke's phones will stay quiet.

San Jose Earthquakes | Sixth in West

What Matias Almeyda has done this season in San Jose borders on miraculous, and adding winger Carlos Fierro -- a player he knows from Chivas -- is smart. There is also talk of Argentine forward Andres Rios coming into the mix, which would give Almeyda another attacking piece from his past. It would also not be surprising to see the Quakes add another defender for depth purposes.

Seattle Sounders | Third in West

The summer transfer window has historically been the time when Seattle goes in for an attacking player -- Clint Dempsey, Nicolas Lodeiro, Victor Rodriguez, Raul Ruidiaz -- but this year, one would be hard-pressed to find a major area of need. If anything, it would be depth at striker or perhaps defensive midfielder.

Sporting Kansas City | 10th in West

Sporting Kansas City have been ravaged by injuries this season, so their summer transfer window is probably more about getting the existing roster healthy. A lot of players were called upon to fill in spots, which will help coach Peter Vermes as the summer progresses. That said, some depth in defense and midfield would be wise for if/when the injury bug strikes again.

Toronto FC | Seventh in East

Toronto FC were in need of some defensive help and got it at the end of the previous window with Omar Gonzalez. Talk of a Jozy Altidore-to-China move makes for fun in the Twittersphere, but it isn't realistic, which means TFC won't have to fill that void. But they do have some TAM and salary-cap room, and another winger or midfielder looks to be the priority. Could Ali Curtis maneuver Sebastian Giovinco's return?

Vancouver Whitecaps | 11th in West

Vancouver had a major roster overhaul over the winter, and there will be more movement this summer. The defense has gelled nicely in British Columbia, but the attacking players brought in have disappointed. Vancouver needs goals, so a striker or attacking midfielder is the biggest need. Costa Rican Bryan Ruiz was on their radar last winter. Maybe it's time to revisit that.

Tottenham have many reasons to be thankful for Mauricio Pochettino's approach to management but extra gratitude should be reserved for his talent in unearthing solutions instead of spotlighting problems. Following the recruitment of Lucas Moura on Jan. 31 last year, the Argentine was made to wait 517 days before further strengthening his first team, a period during which Spurs became the only Premier League club to go a full season without making a signing.

Last Tuesday, midfielder Tanguy Ndombele joined from Lyon for an initial £55 million, his unveiling at Hotspur Way signalling the end of that 74-week spell where the club crossed their fingers and banked on the brilliance of the coaching staff.

As per the "He's magic, you know" ditty from Tottenham fans, Pochettino worked his wizardry despite receiving no financial support in the transfer window, being forced to oversee a squad that was significantly delayed from moving into their new stadium and hamstrung by injuries to key players for large chunks of the 2018-19 campaign. Regardless, he guided Spurs to another top-four finish at the expense of Arsenal and Manchester United, as well as to a first European Cup final in their history, where they succumbed 2-0 to Liverpool in Madrid.

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Jurgen Klopp's side were well below their best at the Wanda Metropolitano and Tottenham were average, yet the Reds were comfortable winners. In the aftermath of the Champions League showpiece, Pochettino underscored an issue he'd previously flagged to chairman Daniel Levy: the team were capable of smashing anyone on their day -- home wins against Borussia Dortmund (3-0) and Chelsea (3-1) were cases in point -- but they were too inconsistent to compete over the long term.

Pochettino believed this was best evidenced in the league, with Tottenham finishing 27 points behind champions Manchester City last season. Their tally of 71 was also a drop from the 77 posted in 2017-18 and the high of 86 in 2016-17. This downward trend was concerning and could not solely be corrected on the training pitches. If Tottenham were to progress rather than stall, addressing the staleness and shortages in the squad was non-negotiable.

Pochettino also noted that Liverpool reacted to losing the 2018 Champions League final to Real Madrid by adding Alisson, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri, in addition to the pre-planned arrival of Naby Keita. On the same stage a year later, Klopp's men were a completely different prospect. They possessed unshakeable confidence, trusting themselves to manage the encounter and manufacture defining moments as they had done throughout the season.

Without rectifying the weaknesses in their squad, Liverpool would not have pushed City so close in the league and become champions of Europe. Similarly, Pochettino feared Tottenham would regress in 2019-20 and that he'd need to reconsider his future if there was no refresh forthcoming this summer.

There are only so many tricks, tactical tweaks and motivational talks that can mask a lack of depth. And so Pochettino handed Levy a list of priority targets before departing to Spain for his post-season holidays, with Ndombele high on the agenda.

Signing their top target

Tottenham's chief scout Steve Hitchen, an expert in Ligue 1 who previously lived in France and advocated for the purchase of Moura from Paris Saint-Germain, identified the 22-year-old as the perfect replacement for Mousa Dembele. His dossier on Ndombele, seen as a dynamic dribbler with a high propensity for key passes and the desire to break into the box, stretched back to 2014 when the player joined Amiens.

Pochettino travelled to Lyon in February to see the dynamo excel during a goal-less Champions League last-16 clash against Barcelona. A month later, he took in the reverse leg at Camp Nou while Tottenham were based in the city for warm-weather training. Lyon were pummeled 5-1 but it did little to alter their assessment of Ndombele, whom they felt possessed the ability to become one of the finest midfielders in Europe.

Spurs were certain he was the perfect fit and were encouraged by feedback from the player's representatives, but discussions between the clubs were not expected to be straightforward. Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, a very public figure who openly comments on the state of transfer business, is in sharp contrast to the quiet, notoriously stringent Levy, whom former Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once stated was more painful to deal with than his hip replacement.

The pair also had a history of arduous negotiations when Tottenham made a play for goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in 2012. Aulas accused Levy of repeatedly going back on his word during the process, calling that transaction "the hardest I have ever had to undergo in 25 years."

This time around, Lyon's chief was frustrated with the way Spurs dragged talks and low-balled the club with an opening bid of £40m. Eventually, much to Pochettino's relief, an agreement was reached: Ndombele inked a six-year deal becoming Tottenham's record signing in a total package worth around £64m. It shattered their previous benchmark of £42m, spent on Davinson Sanchez from Ajax 678 days prior.

Now Tottenham, who also signed teenage winger Jack Clarke from Leeds United and loaned him back to the Championship side for the 2019-20 season, must ensure it's only the first step in lessening the reliance on Pochettino's mastery.

Lack of depth holding Spurs back

The manager's selection gymnastics were one of the more underreported stories of Spurs' 2018-19 campaign. While elite clubs sketch their matchday strategy on how to underscore their strengths while preying on the opposition's weaknesses, Pochettino's game plan was dictated by who could play rather than how he wanted the team to play.

A fine example was the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against City, in which he was without Eric Dier, Serge Aurier and Erik Lamela and had no wiggle room. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, had a bench of Vincent Kompany, John Stones, Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus. Tottenham won that match and the tie but to truly compete with a juggernaut like City over the course of a campaign, they need to be in control of situations rather than have it dictated to them.

While Pochettino is aware he does not have the luxury Guardiola has and that Klopp enjoyed last year of considerably improving multiple positions, but he should be rewarded with notable upgrades. The deal for Ndombele has to be the norm and not the exception if Spurs are to "behave like a big club," to borrow the manager's words.

Roma's Nicolo Zaniolo, valued upward of £40m, is another premier target and Tottenham have attempted to pull off a player-plus-cash trade. The Serie A side were told Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose are available but showed no interest, yet they are reportedly considering whether to move for centre-back Toby Alderweireld. The 30-year-old is in the final year of his contract and would only cost £25m if a transfer is finalised at least 14 days before the close of the window on August 8. Roma are looking at other options too and the Belgium international could yet decide to see out his terms in North London.

Spurs also want to add the young, versatile winger/full-back Ryan Sessegnon to their ranks, but need Fulham to come down from the prohibitive £45m price tag. The 19-year-old is eager to develop under Pochettino and only has 12 months to run on his deal, which gives Tottenham a strong negotiating hand.

His brother, Steven, is a candidate to operate on the right defensive flank if Trippier can be offloaded, with Norwich right-back Max Aarons another option. Tottenham have also been heavily linked with midfielders Giovani Lo Celso of Real Betis and Dani Ceballos of Real Madrid but incomings, especially of such an expensive nature, need to be offset by exits.

There is an expectation that Christian Eriksen, who has been at Spurs since 2013, will get his wish of a new challenge this summer. Levy has quoted £130m for his services, and while Tottenham would do well to get that, the funds generated from a substantial sale will help balance the books.

Eriksen's desire to depart did not shock anyone at Hotspur Way. Part of the problem with not regenerating a group is that players ultimately enter a comfort zone without competition and grow bored with their surroundings, no matter how much innovation gets introduced during training and analysis sessions. The playmaker has served Tottenham exceptionally well and his exit could be helpful too, much like Philippe Coutinho's proved to be for Liverpool given how the Merseysiders reinvested his £142m fee.

Pochettino has felt that Spurs tick every box required for advancement -- improving their structure, how they operate, their facilities -- bar one: squad enhancement, though it seems like the wait is almost over on that front. Patience can then be replaced by a powered-up push for a first trophy under Pochettino's watch.

Australia have called spinning allrounder Sophie Molineux into their squad for the Women's Ashes Test, which starts next Thursday in Taunton. The left-armer has played three ODIs and 15 T20Is, taking 21 wickets for her country, but has yet to feature in Tests.

Molineux missed the original cut for the Ashes squad in June, as she was continuing to recover from shoulder surgery, but has now been brought into the group with the expectation that the Test surface could be receptive to spin. Her last outing came for Victoria in February, but she could get game time in a three-day tour match against England Academy at Marlborough College, starting on Thursday.

Australia are already 6-0 up in the points-based Ashes, having won all three ODIs. They only need a draw in the one-off Test to retain the trophy.

"I think it's a wonderful addition to our squad, Soph's done exceptionally well in the short international career she's had," team-mate Beth Mooney said. "She throws a lot of banter around the group and has a great time. It's really nice to see her back amongst the group after she had shoulder surgery. She's ticked all the boxes she can and put her hand up for the Test match."

Australia were dominant in the one-day matches, culminating in a 194-run thrashing at Canterbury on Sunday, with England unable to cope with the pace of Ellyse Perry in particular. They also have several slow-bowling options, in Jess Jonassen, Georgia Wareham and Ashleigh Gardner, if a spinning deck is rolled out at Taunton.

"There's been a bit of chat about that, we've played a few games at Taunton in the past, whether it's with Australia or the KSL," Mooney said. "The wicket's generally pretty good but if it's a bit drier we think it'll take a bit more turn. We've got some really good options there, pace bowling and spin. Once we get closer to d-day they'll have a good look at that wicket and make a decision.

"We'll try not to get too ahead of ourselves, obviously there's a lot that could happen in a four-day game. The carrot that's dangling in front of us means we'll go really hard early doors and makes sure we get ahead as much as we can as early as we can in the Test."

It's one of the biggest matches in the recent history of England cricket and it has been a sell-out for weeks, but there seems a good chance there may be many empty seats at Edgbaston on Thursday.

What is the problem?

It looked, for a while, as if India may be involved in Thursday's match. As a result, the side's supporters snapped up many of the tickets. But now, with India not involved in the game, those spectators are not expected to attend.

Can't they just sell their tickets to people who want to go?

Yes, up to a point. The ICC has a resale platform for such an eventuality that has resold 70000 tickets in this tournament to date. But it appears some - presumably wealthy - ticket holders cannot be bothered with the effort, while some others have taken to unofficial resale sites in an attempt to sell their tickets for a profit.

What's the matter with unofficial resale sites?

They aren't illegal in cricket. But they are contrary to the terms and conditions of ticket sale. That means the ICC can - and they have done on occasions throughout the tournament - cancel any tickets it sees for sale on such sites or in the hands of touts. That means that would-be spectators buying such tickets run the risk of not being allowed in the ground despite having paid for them.

So people should just use the official resale site?

That's the safest way to buy a ticket, yes. And probably the cheapest. Tickets on the official site can only be sold for their original face value. The ICC insist their opposition to unofficial resale sites is designed to protect spectators.

And that's working?

Yes.Thousands of tickets for the game have changed hands in the last few hours in such a manner. But anecdotal evidence from would-be ticket buyers suggests there is a great deal of frustration inherent in using that platform. There is evidence of crashing pages and tickets that look as if they are available proving impossible to buy; tickets show as available on the site until the fan who has them in their basket has completed the transaction. As a result, users are having to be immensely patient. There are tickets becoming available all the time, however, and they are being bought almost immediately.

What is the ICC doing to help?

They tell us they have emailed or texted every ticket holder for the game and reminded them to use the official resale platform. They are also warning those tempted by using the unofficial sites that tickets are being cancelled all the time.

How did Indian supporters end up with the bulk of the tickets?

Good question. It would appear the answer is they wanted them more and applied for more. A priority ticket ballot was, for example, offered to both the Barmy Army and the Bharat Army at the same time in May 2018. There was almost six times as much uptake from the Bharat Army.

Really?

Yes. Many Barmy Army supporters are far more keen on Test cricket. With an Ashes series coming up, it seems they may well have saved their money for that. And, to be fair, they may have had modest hopes of England's success in this tournament (have you seen England in recent World Cups?). It is probably a reminder, too, of the decline in interest in cricket in England and Wales and the reliance upon the Asian audience for the game's financial health.

Can't resale platforms be banned from selling such tickets?

They could, if the government legislated. Certainly cricket's authorities have been asking for that for a long time. And the government has indicated it is willing. But perhaps because parliament has achieved little in recent months - the Brexit debate has taken up a disproportionate amount of time - legislation remains a work in progress. As things stand, it is illegal to resell football tickets but not illegal to resell cricket tickets.

What has the ICC said?

"The only way fans can guarantee their ticket will be valid is to buy it from the Official Ticket Re-sale Platform, which allows fans unable to attend the remaining matches to sell to other genuine fans at face value," an ICC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo. "Anyone purchasing tickets from an unauthorised source, either online or in person, faces the risk of being left out of pocket and unable to enter the venue." They also point out that many ticket holders will want to attend such a high-profile fixture irrespective of the teams involved. They point out the game is a sell out and hope the ground will be full.

How many empty seats are we expecting?

It's impossible to say. But it is likely to be in the thousands. There has been an issue throughout the tournament with non-attendance from those with sponsors' tickets.

Alright, so what's the official website address?

Click here.

Marcus Stoinis will be fit to play in Australia's semi-final against England and Peter Handscomb will be in the XI as a replacement for Usman Khawaja, according to Justin Langer.

Stoinis appeared to have recovered from a side strain he sustained in Australia's loss to South Africa and batted and bowled during Tuesday's training session at Edgbaston.

"He looks good," said Langer after training. "It was a very good nets session actually, there was a bit of heat in there again and it was very competitive and that always brings the best out in 'Stoins', so he did a good job today and he's fit to go."

Handscomb initially joined the squad as a replacement for Shaun Marsh, who was earlier ruled out of the tournament with a broken forearm. Matthew Wade and Mitchell Marsh were also called in as cover for Khawaja and Stoinis, but Langer indicated that only Handscomb was likely to come straight into the team.

"I'll tell you the truth. Peter Handscomb will definitely play, 100 percent" said Langer. "He deserves it. He was stiff not to be on this tour, he was so unlucky not to be in the initial squad after what he'd done to get us to that point. He's in good form, he played well for Australia A, gives us that nice balance in the middle order. He's got good temperament, he plays spin well, he's on top of his game, so Pete will definitely play."

Australia's relaxed air was evident as they prefaced their training session by singing happy birthday to Austin Marsh, son of Shaun. Later in the afternoon, some of the players wrestled with the toddler on the outfield. The previous day the entire squad walked barefoot around the outfield, a practice described by some onlookers as a type of connecting or 'earthing', but the notion of any new-age ritual was shot down by Langer, who said it was something he would often do with his opening partner, Mathew Hayden.

"What was it called?" asked Langer. "I don't know what you call it, we just took our shoes and socks off and walked a lap of the oval. It's a nice thing to do, it's a nice place to be. Haydos and I used to do it, just as a bit of a ritual before every Test match.

"You can walk on the best grounds in the world with your shoes off. So there's nothing to it. We walked a lap of the oval, we had a tough game against South Africa, it's just about staying as relaxed as possible.

"We know we're going to be up against it. England are a great team and we've got to be at our best, and the best way to be at your best is to be nice and relaxed. It was just walking a lap of the oval with our shoes off. We could've done it with our shoes on and nobody would've said anything."

There is certainly a far more laid back appearance to this squad than the last time they faced England at Edgbaston. In the only T20I of their 2018 tour, Australia lost by 28 runs before going on to lose all five ODIs of the series. But this Australian squad has a very different look, both in personnel and mental state.

"Peter Handscomb will definitely play, 100 percent. He deserves it. He was stiff not to be on this tour, he was so unlucky not to be in the initial squad after what he'd done to get us to that point." Justin Langer

"If you go back 12 months ago there wasn't too much to be relaxed and chilled about in Australian cricket, was there?" Langer said. "And that's the truth. We went through a major crisis in our cricket. It didn't just affect our cricket, it affected our country, so there wasn't too much to be relaxed about. We've had to work hard on being more humble in what we do and being focussed on playing good cricket but also being good people as well. And I know there will be some English people who will laugh about that but its actually true. We had to work hard on that and that's a good bunch of players.

"You get more relaxed as you start playing better as an individual or as a team. Maybe we are a bit more relaxed but only on the back of playing good cricket and having had to work hard on that."

While Australia's squad bears little resemblance to the one that was trounced last summer, Langer said he admires the way England have built a strong squad through continuity.

"They've been together for four years," said Langer. "And going back to the question about this being a more relaxed squad, you get to know each other and enjoy each other's company. They've got great continuity, England, and obviously have unbelievable confidence because they have played together for four years.

"And they've obviously got a good game plan and a lot of very talented cricketers. All those factors combined is why they're the best team in the world at the moment. And we're aware of that - it's going to be a really tough game on Thursday - but looking forward to it as well. It's always nice, England playing Australia in the Ashes or big games like this. We're looking forward to it. It's going to be a lot of fun.

"I have maintained it from day one, England are going to be really hard to beat in this tournament. They had a couple of little blips, but they fought back really strongly and that's what we expected to happen."

"Regardless of what happens on Thursday - and I'm sure Trevor Bayliss and Eoin (Morgan) are saying the same thing - regardless of what happens Thursday they would very proud of what's happened in the past four years."

46.1 overs New Zealand 211 for 5 (Taylor 67*, Williamson 67, Bumrah 1-25, Bhuvneshwar 1-30) v India
As it happened

Rain pushed the Old Trafford semi-final between India and New Zealand into its reserve day. When the players went off the field at the start of the 47th over, New Zealand had struggled to 211 for 5 on a distinctly two-paced surface.

Under the tournament playing conditions, the match officials tried their best to complete the match on Tuesday, even if it meant a reduction in overs, but the rain didn't let up. This means that the match will resume on Wednesday - weather permitting - as a full 50-overs-a-side contest.

WATCH on Hotstar (India only): How the game unraveled before the players went off

The five most recent matches at Old Trafford leading into this one had all been won by the team batting first, and that's what Kane Williamson decided to do upon winning the toss, though he said it had been "a toss-up with the overheads", given the threat of rain and a revised target - which usually favours the chasing team.

India's new-ball bowlers relished the overheads first up, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar finding swing straightaway and a cracked surface also affording him and Jasprit Bumrah seam movement. Their lengths were immaculate, and both began with maidens. When extra bounce forced Martin Guptill to fend Bumrah to Virat Kohli at second slip, New Zealand were 1 for 1 after 3.3 overs. It had been a near-perfect opening salvo from India, save a wasted review first ball when Bhuvneshwar struck Guptill on the front pad with a ball that ball-tracking suggested hadn't straightened enough to hit leg stump.

New Zealand didn't lose any more wickets in the first ten overs, but their score at the end of the first Powerplay - 27 - was the lowest of the World Cup. Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah gave nothing away, and frequently beat the bats of Henry Nicholls and Williamson, who for their part didn't take any risks, mindful of the need to keep wickets in hand.

By the first drinks break, the second-wicket pair was beginning to gain a bit of momentum, with Nicholls sweeping Ravindra Jadeja for four in his first over, and Williamson pulling and steering Hardik Pandya for boundaries in successive overs. When Pandya hobbled off the field after the 16th over, looking in some discomfort with his groin, India may have begun to feel a little concerned. They had left out Kedar Jadhav once again, and only had five bowlers. With six overs of Pandya's quota still left, would they need to turn to Virat Kohli's highly occasional medium-pace?

As it turned out, Pandya soon returned to the field to resume bowling his cutters and slower bouncers, and Jadeja delivered an important breakthrough.

Having been swept for that early boundary from left-arm over, he went round the wicket to the left-handed Nicholls. This meant Jadeja would largely be pitching within the stumps and straightening the ball, rendering the sweep a risky option. Forced into the defensive, Nicholls was bowled by one that turned sharply past his inside edge.

The amount of turn Jadeja was getting vindicated India's decision to stick with him. They must have been tempted to pick both their wristspinners, but Jadeja's value with the bat tilted the scales in his favour.

Rather than the left-arm wristspin of Kuldeep Yadav, India went with the legspin of Yuzvendra Chahal, and with the ball gripping, turning, and often stopping on the batsmen, Williamson and Ross Taylor had to bat with caution. From the start of the 19th over - in which Nicholls departed - to the end of the 27th, New Zealand only scored 20 runs. When Taylor swept Chahal to the backward square leg boundary in the 28th over, it was the first boundary in 81 balls.

In the 35th over, Williamson - who had by then brought up his fourth 50-plus score of the World Cup - made a visible effort to quicken the pace of scoring, lofting Jadeja over extra-cover for three and slog-sweeping him for four. But it remained difficult to go after the spinners, as was apparent when he played and missed at the last two balls of the over, attempting to make room to hit inside-out.

A similar shot in the next over brought about Williamson's downfall, Chahal's turn and bounce inducing him to slice to backward point. James Neesham fell five overs later, finding long-on with a leading edge off Pandya. New Zealand were still struggling to come to terms with the slowness of the pitch, and by the end of the 41st over their run rate was still below four an over.

The change of gears came in the 44th over, when Taylor brought up his half-century - off 73 balls - with a trademark shovel-sweep for six off Chahal. Two more boundaries - a whip against the turn from Taylor, and a slap through point from Colin de Grandhomme - gave New Zealand 18 for the over.

De Grandhomme edged Bhuvneshwar to the keeper in the next over, but Taylor was just beginning to look dangerous - he had scored 23 off his last 13 balls - when the rain arrived.

Various scenarios could have played out depending on when the rain stopped. India could have been set a revised target of anything between 148 in 20 overs and 237 in 46. An inspection looked imminent at one point, only for the rain to resume, and in the end - weather permitting, of course - we will get a full 50-overs-a-side contest. Not ideal, perhaps, for the spectators, but just right for the semi-final of a 50-overs World Cup.

Ben Stokes believes he is in good shape with bat and ball for the "most important game" of his career.

Stokes is no stranger to the big occasion having memorably played in a World T20 final, a Champions Trophy semi-final and numerous other high-profile international and IPL matches. But he feels the chance of reaching a World Cup final and beating England's oldest cricketing enemy on the way, add up to make Thursday's semi-final against Australia more significant than any of them.

"Is this the most important game I've played? Yes, to date. Definitely," Stokes said. "Playing against Australia is a big occasion in any sport. The rivalry goes way back. Beating them is that touch better than any other team. Losing to them at Lord's was massively disappointing, so I think there will be a bit of redemption in knowing we have the chance to beat them and get to that final."

While Stokes has, at first glance, enjoyed a much better tournament with the bat than the ball, averaging 54.42 with the bat at a strike rate of 95.01, it is his bowling that has given him most satisfaction. For although he has bowled only 43.5 overs in the nine games to date and claimed a relatively modest seven wickets, he is conceding only 4.65 runs per over, making him England's most economical bowler. The secret of that success, he feels, is understanding his role with the ball.

"The thing I have been most happy with has been my bowling," Stokes said. "I'm in a very good place with my batting. I have just continued to work on the same things but also tried to test myself. I'm not letting up because this is the crucial moment: lose this and we're out. I think just having the confidence of being in lots of situations over the past four years has made it easier. Batting at No. 5, I either rebuild or have to get on with the game.

"But the most pleasing thing has been my bowling. I had a chat with Eoin Morgan to get my head around my role. Being fourth or fifth seamer, I sometimes put too much pressure on myself to influence the game. So I spoke to them about not trying to take a wicket every ball and instead aim at going for five or six an over. I might get a wicket doing that anyway and it's helped offer the team more. In the last couple of years, it's probably where I have let the team down."

Stokes has made between 79 and 89 four times in the tournament so far, but insists he is not bothered by falling short of individual milestones. Instead, he is only motivated by contributing to team victories.

"I'm not too fussed," he says. "I won't walk away disappointed if I don't get a hundred - that's not what I'm about. I think going into a semi-final knowing all of our top four have hundreds is a great place to be. Both openers have hundreds, Joe Root and Morgs have hundreds. It's very impressive.

"I'm massively proud [to be part of this team]. When our careers end we'll be able to look back and say we have played with the world's best, got to No. 1 but more importantly, played with a good bunch of people. I believe this team is the best at what they do and we're trying to build a path for many years to come: this is what England stand for and how we want to play.

"I don't feel like I have to prove anything to anyone except myself. [The Bristol incident] opened my eyes to a lot of things, but I don't have to prove anything to anyone. It's just showing I can deliver on the biggest stage. Winning is the most important thing and if you can help the team out with an individual performance, that's all that counts. People can say good things, bad things, it just won't bother me."