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Fifties for Rob Newton, Richard Levi and Ben Duckett helped Northamptonshire enjoy the better of the opening day against Gloucestershire at Wantage Road

ECB Reporters Network06-Aug-2017Ben Duckett took his T20 form into the four-day game•Getty ImagesFifties for Rob Newton, Richard Levi and Ben Duckett helped Northamptonshire enjoy the better of the opening day against Gloucestershire at Wantage Road as they were bowled out for 343 but they should have been in a more dominant position.It was a solid day for the hosts but the top six all got set only to fall in series of poor dismissals with several catches in front of the bat. Having been 153 for 1 and later 269 for 4 four overs before the second new ball, they slid to 315 for 9 before debutant Simon Kerrigan made an unbeaten 26.Gloucestershire picked themselves up after a very poor morning session and could have faced a far more punishing day in the field. But their three seamers, David Payne, Liam Norwell and Craig Miles, made a smart comeback sharing seven wickets.Duckett was the first of the half-centurions. Making the quick transition from Saturday’s T20 where he made a career-best unbeaten 92, he made a 46-ball fifty here. He flicked two boundaries through square leg off David Payne before imperiously driving him through extra-cover.Another leg-side flick, this off Craig Miles, brought his side’s 50 up in just the ninth over of the morning. Duckett helped himself to 10 boundaries before lifting a drive from Miles to extra-cover to fall for 52. But his bright start saw Northants rattle to lunch 153 for 1.Duckett’s opening partner Newton was badly dropped at point on 30 off Jack Taylor shelled an easy chance but went on to drive the offspin of 18-year-old debutant George Drissell through the covers for his eighth boundary to raise fifty in 80 balls. Newton went to lunch 70 not out but was caught at short-midwicket second over into the afternoon.Alex Wakely, also badly dropped – by Iain Cockbain at mid-off on 45 – added four more before pushing at a ball from left-armer Payne that slid across him and he got a thin edge to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick. Wakely fell just after the first hour after lunch where 16 runs came in 16 overs.A stand of 68 between Levi and Rob Keogh put Northants into a good position after tea at 269 for 4 in fairly benign conditions against the older ball. Keogh played a perfectly-timed flick through midwicket to bring up the second batting bonus but when he lazily chipped the part-time offspin of Taylor to short midwicket, the innings fell away.Levi was the third player to pass fifty, playing very smartly for his 59-ball half-century including a cover drive that was perhaps the shot of the day. But he was well caught at slip trying to run Payne to third man, Adam Rossington pulled Liam Norwell straight to midwicket for just 5 and Rory Kleinveldt and Richard Gleeson were both caught at the wicket driving loosely outside off stump.Just when Northants were about to be rolled over Kerrigan slapped Kieran Noema-Barnett down the ground and over midwicket for boundaries and smashed Payne over long-on to almost deliver a fourth batting bonus point.

Silko Thomas is a target for Leicester City this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The 19-year-old is a free agent following the expiry of his contract at Chelsea this summer.

Who is Silko Thomas?

Thomas is a young full-back who is attracting the attention of many clubs around England ahead of a potential free transfer this summer.

The Englishman originally started out as a versatile winger able to play off of both the left and right, shining in the Chelsea youth academy, which he joined at age 10, before making his debut for the Blues under-21 team in the 2020/21 campaign, where he assisted recent Reading loanee Tino Anjorin in a 3-1 victory.

The youngster stayed in and around the Chelsea U21 setup for the following two years, but when it was made clear that his contract at the club would not be getting renewed, the youngster headed on a trial to then Championship side Sheffield United.

The 19-year-old impressed many at Sheffield United, with manager Paul Heckingbottom stating "I've not seen him yet, he played in a game we couldn't get to. All my feedback has been through Del and Micky regarding him. We know what his qualities are in terms of his attacking intent. He's a front-footed player. He played wing-back for us and it adds a different dimension to his game there. Macca [Stuart McCall] watched him in the game, but I couldn't get. It's something we'll be led on by Del and Micky. If we get to a point where everyone's happy, then we'll come and have a good look."

The Blades are not the only side interested in the youngster however, with recently relegated Southampton also interested in the former Chelsea man, and the Saints may be a more attractive proposition due to their previous history of handing out first-team opportunities.

However, according to Jacobs, Thomas has made his decision on his new club, with recently relegated Leicester City being in "advanced" talks with the player.

What did Ben Jacobs say about the potential move?

Speaking to FootballFanCast, Jacobs stated: "I'd also keep an eye on another young player, very good talent in Silko Thomas, who Leicester are very keen on. Only 19, nearly went to Sheffield United in the January window, has been on trial with Sunderland this summer as well and that will be another player for the future that Leicester will probably put in there under 21's if they're successful. I think the last time I checked on that the talks were advanced, advanced."

Will Thomas play at Leicester City?

First-team opportunities may present themselves to Thomas at the King Power next season.

Currently, the Foxes have two senior right-backs at the club in Ricardo Pereira and Timothy Castagne, however, both of those players are linked with potential moves away this summer, with the Portuguese man linked with a return to French side OGC Nice whilst the Belgian full-back is the subject of interest from both Fulham and Crystal Palace. It remains to be seen if the players are open to spending a season in the Championship, and should they decide to move on from the Foxes this summer, a position at right back suddenly becomes available in the first team, which may give Thomas the quickest path to senior football should he impress if he makes the move.

Leicester could sign a right-back in this scenario, however, if Thomas is able to get through the door first and make his mark on both the Under 21 team as well as in senior training sessions, a first-team berth may not be too far away for the 19-year-old at a side that just two years ago were FA Cup winners.

Ryan McLaren removed the two key names in Warwickshire’s middle order as Lancashire closed in on victory

David Hopps at Old Trafford30-Aug-2017
Ryan McLaren appeals for the wicket of Ian Bell•Getty ImagesThey have been a familiar sight for both Warwickshire and England, redoubtable batsmen both, stacking up runs with reliability since the turn of the century. But suddenly when Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott walk to the crease, the question is not how many but how long?Many England batsmen leave the game quickly after their international career, some like Marcus Trescothick just as predictably bring delight for years as they spread themselves capaciously around the county circuit. Bell and Trott continued beyond England but their future is now harder to call: quite unexpectedly as Warwickshire flounder at the foot of Division One, time is intruding upon their careers. They are in their mid-30s now, but Bell in particular seems to be living through a little hell. It all seems a little premature.Warwickshire have staved off defeat in three days against Lancashire, but they are still 29 runs behind with only four wickets left and the weather forecast, although a little damp first thing, suggests Lancashire will have ample time to finish the job.Neither Bell nor Trott could take much personal solace from their part in Warwickshire’s close at 275 for 6, organised around Tim Ambrose’s third half-century of the season and generally spirited enough considering their first-innings deficit of 304.Both grandees fell cheaply in an afternoon spell from Ryan McLaren, Lancashire’s leading wicket-taker, Trott lbw as he walked across his crease to work a straight ball in time-honoured fashion, Bell more static, but also lbw as one rattled low into his pads. As they returned to the pavilion, Trott with a plod, Bell a little brisker, they could dwell not just on a single dismissal, but upon life and exactly what lies ahead.As they were dismissed, the thought occurred that they might not even take that walk again, the scarlet of the Old Trafford hotel and The Point at their back; Warwickshire, after all, barring something extraordinary, are bound for the second division, and as for T20 their days may already be behind them – neither are expected to figure in the Birmingham side that will contest NatWest Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston on Saturday.Their career statistics are remarkably similar – more than 36,000 first-class runs between them, 94 centuries and averages heading towards the mid-40s. Only in the number of Tests played does Bell clearly exceed his team-mate – 118 to 52.Image had a lot to do with that. Whereas Bell’s grace has lightened many a day, if not changing the course of quite so many, Trott has been an admirable yet tough watch. Presented with a barred oak door, Bell would be expected to melt ethereally through it whereas Trott would glower at it meaningfully, work out a way then methodically chip a way through, however long it took.When they reflect back in years to come, they will probably conclude that Old Trafford 2017 was a rum old do. Bell has just resigned from the Warwickshire captaincy after his omission from the Blast quarter-final, a role he had long cherished and which sadly, when it came, brought him little reward. Having stood down, he somehow needs to summon new ambitions. Trott, a senior pro, helping out, finds himself saddled with a job he could never have imagined himself possessing.Bell and Trott have never been perceived as a double act, irrespective of their county links. By the time Trott was scoring heavily for Warwickshire, Bell was already a fixture with England. By the time Trott became Andy Flower’s rock at No. 3, Bell’s England place was a regular source of debate despite periods of prolific scoring. Players of contrasting moods, they might almost have played in a different universe. When Trott batted it was immensely personal, he bared his soul, and, indeed, left a tour of Australia when his it all became too much. When Bell batted, he barely left a mark. You felt you hardly knew him and, at times, wondered how much he knew himself.Quite how Warwickshire will extricate themselves from all this remains to be seen. Dom Sibley, a mid-season acquisition from Surrey, should bring quality to the top order in all three formats and he made a decent half-century here, his first in the Championship for his new county, before Liam Livingstone, a career-best 224 behind him, extricated Sibley at leg slip as Lancashire made extensive use of his developing offspin.At tea, Lancashire would have envisaged a three-day win. Matt Parkinson made further inroads on a gorgeous Manchester evening, spoiled only by the sound of over-optimistic Lancashire appealing. Parkinson’s legspin removed Matthew Lamb at slip and then drew Keith Barker into an ungainly reverse sweep. Rain is forecast in the morning, but a Lancashire win is forecast just as confidently for the afternoon. About Trott and Bell, it is a risk to make any forecast at all.

Somerset claimed three Middlesex wickets before the rain arrived at Taunton as the looked to secure the victory that keeps them in Division One for 2018

George Dobell at Taunton27-Sep-20172:06

County Championship Round-up: Final-day drama awaits

So it comes down to the final day. After six months of competition, relegation will be decided in the final few sessions of the season.It was the weather that delayed Somerset most on the third day. Gentle but persistent rain took the players off the pitch at around 1.40pm and never relented long enough for a re-start. The forecast is better for the final day, so Middlesex will need to produce a magnificent performance with the bat if they are not to join Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire as sides relegated the year after winning the Championship (unless Warwickshire do them a favour by beating Hampshire).There is some precedent. In 2016, Middlesex chased 302 in 45 overs here to clinch an unlikely victory that helped take them to the title. And in 2015, they chased 402 to pull off another memorable win on the same ground.But this pitch is different. While it has slowed, it still offers generous assistance to the spin bowlers. And you wonder if Middlesex, a not especially happy camp, might have allowed the look of this surface to prey on their minds even before a ball was bowled.It is a mercy, at least, that matters will be decided on the pitch. There will be no intervention from lawyers or administrators demanding the sort of recount that saw Hampshire reprieved and Durham relegated after the competition finished in 2016. However much Middlesex may have complained about this pitch in private – they have been dubbed “Moaning-sex” by wags around these parts – there will be no points penalty imposed. They have also confirmed that they have no intention whatsoever to explore legal options to overturn the deduction of two points for a slow over rate at The Oval last month (a game abandoned after a crossbow bolt landed on the pitch).Good for them. They were unfortunate that the ECB took such an inflexible approach to the incident – Middlesex unable to make up their tardy over rate after the game was called off – but nobody benefits once the game is dragged in front of lawyers. Well, nobody except lawyers. A period in Division Two isn’t a death sentence.The first 20 overs of the Middlesex second innings provided little reason for optimism for them. Despite Sam Robson surviving a run-out chance before he had faced a ball – Nick Compton called him through for the sharpest of singles – and a dropped catch at extra-cover, as he pushed at one from Jack Leach but Tom Abell was unable to cling on the chance, they were still three down within an hour.Leach may have been deemed surplus to requirements by England, but he provided a fine demonstration of his abilities here after taking the new ball for the second time in the match. Yes, the pitch is providing him with assistance but bowling on such surfaces demands a certain composure and Leach must have an outstanding chance of going to Sri Lanka next year. He could yet feature in the Ashes if Moeen Ali suffers an injury; it seems unlikely that England will go into a Test with Mason Crane as their one spinner.Leach’s first wicket came when he forced Robson into a forward defensive, but spun the ball enough to take the edge. The second came when Compton, back rather than forward, was undone by a little extra pace and more than a little low bounce.But the best delivery of all might have been the one that accounted for Dawid Malan. Drawn forward by Dominic Bess’ second ball, Malan was unfortunate to see it turn, bounce and be well held by Steve Davies, who was awarded his county cap during the day.Jack Leach gets a hug from his captain, Tom Abell•Getty ImagesEarlier James Hildreth completed his second century of the campaign to take Somerset’s lead well over 300. He struck three fours – each one more beautiful than the last, including a rasping cut that was played with both feet off the ground – in Steven Finn’s first over of the day, showing again what a high-class player he can be. Ravi Patel described him as “the difference between the teams”.Patel was the beneficiary while wickets tumbled as Somerset’s batsmen selflessly attempted to set-up a declaration. He followed his career-best first-innings figures with a second five-for to take his overhaul match-haul to 12 for 173. Afterwards he felt he may yet have a key role to play with the bat, too.”I knew I had a chance of doing well, but 12 wickets is beyond anything I could have hoped for,” he said. “It has been a dream for me. The game hasn’t panned out as we would have liked so far, but that doesn’t mean we can’t save it. The pitch is easier to bat on than on day one because the turn is slower.”We faced a similar situation in 2014 against Lancashire when we had to bat the day out to stay up and we did it. I was No. 11 in that game and it was the nine and ten batsmen in when the game ended so I will never forget it.”All of which means Middlesex are likely to keep a very close eye on events at Edgbaston on Thursday. That game was broadcast on the electronic screen at Taunton after rain intervened.It also means that Marcus Trescothick may well go into the 2018 season with his dream of playing in Somerset’s first Championship-winning side still alive. The decision to part company with Matt Maynard is likely to see the club embrace a coaching staff who are once again steeped in the culture of Somerset cricket, with Andy Hurry and Jason Kerr tipped to fill the roles of director of cricket and head coach respectively. The new chief executive, Lee Cooper, is a former 2nd XI player for the club, too.Indeed, you wonder how much progress they made since they parted company with another man steeped in Somerset cricket, Brian Rose, after growing tired of finishing second. This year they have flirted with life in the second division and might reflect that finishing second wasn’t so bad.

Celtic have backed Brendan Rodgers in the summer transfer window since the head coach returned to Paradise to replace Ange Postecoglou.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

The Hoops have brought in five new signings to bolster their playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign, which kicks off against Ross County on Saturday.

Odin Thiago Holm, Maik Nawrocki, Hyun-jun Yang, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, and Marco Tilio have all been snapped up on permanent deals to offer the Northern Irish boss more options to work with.

However, the former Leicester City boss has also lost one of the key players behind the treble success of last season as Jota completed a £25m transfer to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad Club last month.

Who could replace Jota at Celtic?

Rodgers could unearth a surprise replacement for the former Benfica starlet by helping David Turnbull to rediscover his best form for the Hoops this term.

Instead of dipping into the transfer market to splash out millions on another attacker to score and assist goals on a regular basis, the Northern Irish tactician could save Dermot Desmond and the rest of the board millions by finding a solution within the pre-existing squad.

Turnbull is coming off the back of a disappointing season under Ange Postecoglou as the ex-Motherwell man only started six Premiership matches and played the majority of his minutes as a central midfielder.

He is an attacking midfielder by trade and excelled during the 2020/21 campaign under Neil Lennon when the manager deployed him as a number ten more often than not, which is a role that is available in Rodgers' preferred 4-2-3-1 system.

The 24-year-old whiz averaged a phenomenal Sofascore rating of 7.47 across 30 league starts that season, which would have placed him top of the Bhoys roster last term, as he scored nine goals and created 12 'big chances' for his teammates.

Turnbull, who was recently hailed as a "terrific" player by ex-Hoops ace Peter Grant, also created an eye-catching 2.9 key passes per match for his teammates, which is 0.8 more per outing than any Celtic player managed in the season just gone.

Throughout the 2022/23 campaign, Jota averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.45 over 33 league outings and chipped in with 11 goals and 13 'big chances' created. He also produced 1.9 key passes per game for the side, which was the second-most within the squad.

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for Turnbull to score goals and create opportunities for others on a regular basis to make himself a constant threat at the top end of the pitch, which is exactly what the Al Ittihad ace was for Postecoglou's side over the last 12 months.

Whilst the £16k-per-week magician plays in a different position to Jota, through the middle of the pitch instead of out wide, his ability to make things happen in the final third with goals and assists could replace the impact that the Portuguese talent had for the Hoops.

Two goals in four pre-season friendlies for Turnbull suggests that he is on the right path to getting back to his best but it is now down to Rodgers to deploy him as a no.10, instead of in central midfield, in order to revive his Celtic career.

Halfway through a South African first-class season full of runs but low on wickets for quicks and decisive results, here’s a review

Firdose Moonda31-Oct-2017Summer officially starts in South Africa around about now, but already half of the franchise first-class fixtures have been completed and so it’s time to take stock.Of the 15 matches played across five rounds, only one game was not drawn which suggests a conservative competition. In fact, it could end up as the most conservative of its time. Already the 14 draws amount to more shared spoils than in completed tournaments in all but three summers since the franchise system came into effect in 2004-05. In 2008-09 also there were 14 draws – in the entire competition – and in 2007-08 and 2010-11, there were 15 draws each. And there’s a reason for the spike in stalemates.A dramatic change to the points structure now sees six points on offer for a draw compared to none last season, and 16 points for a win rather than 10. At the start of the summer CSA General Manager Corrie van Zyl said the new system was aimed at encouraging “more aggressive cricket” but it has actually had the opposite effect.Instead of teams taking risks to try and win matches, they’ve been ultra careful not to lose and have been helped by a combination of placid early-season pitches, weather interruptions and the absence of any real firepower in attacks across the country.To date, there have only been six five-wicket hauls and only one of those has come from an out-and-out quick: Lungi Ngidi’s 6 for 37 for Titans against Lions marked a stirring comeback for the young quick, who took nine wickets in the match. But it’s the modest Malusi Siboto, an honest Titans medium-pacer whose ability to control is lauded as his biggest asset, who leads the wicket charts, followed by a six spinners barring another Titans’ seamer Alfred Mothoa.Given that South Africa have already had seven frontline quicks (Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Chris Morris, Duanne Olivier and Ngidi) injured this summer, convener of selectors Linda Zondi admitted the lack of success among the seamers so far is a worry. “It is a concern from our side that we have not seen more quick bowlers coming through so far but maybe as the season progresses, we will see the bowlers dominating,” Zondi told ESPNcricinfo.That could well happen because the next half of the tournament will be played in February, when surfaces will be well-juiced from the summer rains (except in Cape Town, a winter-rainfall area experiencing its worst drought in history) and, already, signs of life have been seen. At the Wanderers last week, Lions opted to play on the more lively end of their square in the hope they could force a result. “We chose the pitch with more grass on it and we decided we would back our batsmen on our home ground and try to make something happen,” Geoffrey Toyana, the Lions coach, said.They did exactly that, except it was not the something Lions wanted and Titans’ Mark Boucher thinks that now that a play has been made, there will be more to come. “We’ll see the competition open up a bit more in the second half and teams more likely to roll the dice,” he said.Especially now that the Titans have broken away. Their lead over their nearest rivals in 10.98 points but even the last placed Lions – who are 23.84 points behind – are not out of it and Zondi is also looking forward to the prospect of greater competition later in the season. For now, though, he is focusing on the reams of runs that have been scored which includes 40 hundreds – more at the halfway stage this season than in the whole of last season.While the run-fests are symptomatic of conditions, Zondi was pleased with the number of players scoring big hundreds. “When guys get in, they are really kicking on and that’s what we want to see,” he said.So far, there have been two double hundreds – 237 not out by Dean Elgar and 203 not out from leading run-scorer Rudi Second – and seven other scores of 150-plus. Given how much South Africa’s batsmen, both senior and in the A team, struggled on their winter tour of England, the restoration of confidence may be more important than the results ahead of the bigger challenges against India and Australia later in the season.Though South Africa’s cricketers will not play any first-class cricket ahead of their next Tests, which begin against Zimbabwe on Boxing Day, the first-class competition will resume in February and continue concurrently with the Australia Tests in March. Zondi believes the national squad will have the resources it needs for those challenges: “We feel we have got enough in terms of the squad that beat Bangladesh and with the guys who will be coming back from injury.”South Africa’s season segways into a franchise T20 tournament, which starts on November 10, before international action resumes in December. Though there is no T20 Global League on the roster, Zondi wants to see the players who have become recent internationals step up on the domestic circuit. “I am expecting those guys who have been capped to go back to franchise cricket and dominate and perform, so that they enhance and improve our local T20,” he said. “We want to see a competitive event.”Zondi is not the only one who is hoping for a bit more excitement as summer truly arrives.

Jorginho made the move across London from Chelsea to Arsenal back in January. There have been rumours of him moving on from the Emirates already but Ryan Taylor of the Daily Express has offered an update to GIVEMESPORT.

Will Jorginho stay put?

Since arriving in North London, Jorginho, who was hailed for being a "top guy", has hardly had the smoothest of journeys. Arsenal may have enjoyed a successful 2022/23 season but the Champions League winning midfielder remained on the outskirts of the team.

As a result, there have been rumours swirling that point towards his imminent departure. The most likely destination is said to be Turkey with Fenerbahce leading the charge.

Granit Xhaka already left the club though, returning to the Bundesliga to join Bayer Leverkusen and Thomas Partey also faces an uncertain future as well. This means that Mikel Arteta can hardly boast loads of midfield depth and will need contributions from as many players as possible as they take on European football in the coming season, after they of course came second and secured a Champions League spot.

What is Ryan Taylor's update?

"I expect him to stay 100%. I think the only way that would probably change is if Arsenal decided they wanted to bring in another midfielder.

"But even still, I can't really see Jorginho leaving, he's only just joined. I think long term, he will probably depart in the next year or so.

"But I think it seems to have been quite settled in pre-season and there's not really anything concrete.

"There's talk of interest from Fenerbahce, but from what I understand that's not genuine at the moment and his agent has ruled out a return to Italy on a lot of occasions this summer.

"So unless something changes, I think he'll be remaining with the club."

What else is going down at the Emirates?

The Arsenal starting XI was more or less perfect last year and so a lot of the transfer business this summer was geared towards adding further depth.

One position of note is in between the sticks where Aaron Ramsdale thrived last term. USMNT number one Matt Turner was his deputy but, as per Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth, a move to Nottingham Forest is “advanced and progressing” for him. Brentford’s David Raya is the man being touted as the next goalkeeper to join Arsenal although given the fee and his ability, he is more likely to push than Ramsdale for the starting spot as opposed to settling for the rotation role.

Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz are the notable new arrivals already through the Emirates’ door and they all started the Community Shield success over title rivals Manchester City. Rice and Timber in particular played really well and have showed positive signs of what Gunners’ fan can expect from them this season.

Folarin Balogun is a final name worth mentioning when it comes to his potential departure from Arsenal. Turner’s international teammate excelled on loan with Stade Reims in Ligue 1 last season and, according to reports from The Daily Mail, a sizable offer has been rejected by Arsenal from another French team. The English side are holding out for £50 million which is more than Monaco are willing to offer at the time of writing.

In the other camp, Sri Lanka bowling coach Ratnayake praised Lakmal, saying his spell was among the best he has seen “in a long time”, but was also wary that batting would be equally difficult for his team on this surface

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Kolkata16-Nov-2017Rumesh Ratnayake, Sri Lanka’s bowling coach, has termed Suranga Lakmal’s spell of 6-6-0-3 as among the best he has seen “in a long time”. Lakmal’s relentless probing on a green Eden Gardens pitch and under overcast skies left India struggling at 17 for 3 at the end of a first day during which only 11.5 overs were bowled.”I would say it is one of the finest I have seen in a long time,” Ratnayake said. “I am not sure if it’s the best spell I have seen but one of the finest I have seen for a long, long time. Saying that, the wicket was very receptive, it was very helpful, and it’s going to be a big challenge [for Sri Lanka’s batsmen later on].”We were sort of expecting, looking at the wicket, we knew that it was going to seam. By saying that, the job isn’t finished. It’s only started, it’s just started.”Ratnayake admitted it was a good toss for Sri Lanka to have won, but he expected conditions to remain helpful to fast bowlers for a while longer.”Yeah, certainly a good toss to win, but I personally feel that it may last about one-and-a-half days or so, maybe more. We can’t play God here and say it will last for two-three days but I would say it will last at least for two days. But since it’s a new wicket, I believe it might be an extra day or two because there is a certain amount of grass. The surface is grassy.”Before they went out to bowl, Ratnayake said he stressed that the fast bowlers pitch the ball up.”As much as we push the batsmen back, it is very important that we keep it up because, as you may have seen, the movement or the vulnerability was more as the bowler pitched it up and also within the wicket. Our tactics on a normal wicket would be different, our tactics in this game are different. So it’s just keeping the ball up.”It was also important for the fast bowlers to make the batsmen play as much as possible; while Lakmal did this, his new-ball partner Lahiru Gamage struggled with his line, bowling too far outside off stump, though Ratnayake suggested he got better as his spell wore on.”Did you see the difference after the [stoppage due to bad light]?,” he said. “It was a matter of him getting his rhythm right and more importantly the timing also right.”So he was not having that right and when you get your rhythm and timing right, you get the place where you want to hit it in a much easier way for the body. As much as you need timing in batting, you need timing in bowling as well. If you rush through the delivery, the chances of you hitting the right place is not as great as when your timing is right.”India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar, meanwhile, said his batsmen were tested not just by the conditions but also by the fact that there were so many interruptions in play. With the floodlights turned on right through, he felt it resembled a day-night Test.”The conditions were pretty tough for batting, and what didn’t really help us was that we didn’t get an extended passage of play, wherein you had 15-20 overs bowled at a batsman in a particular fashion,” Bangar said. “So that didn’t allow the batsmen to get into any sort of a rhythm.”It didn’t seem to be a day Test match. It was more like a day-night Test match and at times when you play in such circumstances, playing with the red ball becomes pretty tough because it’s more difficult to pick the red ball.”Given how much help there was for the quicks, there was a case for India to pick three fast bowlers and just the one spinner to enable them to play an extra batsman. India, however, picked three fast bowlers and two spinners.”This team management has believed in going in with five batsmen and the quality of the allrounders that we have – Ashwin, Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and also Wriddhiman Saha – we think that that gives a lot of depth in the lower order and it gives us a lot of bowling options as well to pick up 20 wickets in a Test match. That has really worked well for us,” Bangar said. “If you look at the last two-and-a-half seasons, we’ve won nearly 20 Test matches. So that’s mainly due to the team composition that we have opted to play.”The spinners, Bangar felt, would come into the game as it progressed, particularly if the pitch dried out and the dents caused by the ball’s impact on a damp surface hardened.”I think we’ve got all bases covered,” he said. “As the game progresses into the fourth and fifth days, you’ll also find that because of the dampness, there would be dents on the wickets. As the game progresses, there will be variable bounce which might come into play. So both the spinners are really vital to us and we’ve got all bases covered – we’ve got the swing and seam and the pace we require. We’ve got a variety of bowlers and we’ve got all bases covered.”Before that, however, India’s batsmen will need to put up some sort of total on the board.”Yes, you’ll have to grind out quite a bit because there are going to be a lot of balls which are going to beat the outside edge as well as the inside edge of the bat,” Bangar said. “We need to respect the conditions as a batsman and think about the next ball. If you start thinking or worrying about the amount of times you’re getting beaten, it plays on your mind.”The best mindset is to forget the previous ball and accept that you’re going to get beaten on a number of occasions. Probably, on such a wicket, you might not play really, really beautiful shots, but you’ll have to grind it out and take runs. So most of the runs might not be beautiful or elegant but those are equally important runs.”

Aston Villa were recently hit with a devasting injury blow to Argentina international Emiliano Buendia ahead of the start of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign…

What's the latest on Emi Buendia's injury?

Villans head coach Unai Emery recently confirmed that the former Norwich City winger is set to be out of action for up to eight months, and at least six, after damaging his knee in training earlier this month.

The 26-year-old wizard, who scored three goals during pre-season, is now in danger of missing the majority, if not the entirety, of the season as he recovers from this horrific injury.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

This has left the Spanish manager with a creative hole to fill within his squad as Villa must now plan for life without the talented magician.

Who could Villa replace Emi Buendia with?

It was recently reported that the Villans are considering a swoop to sign Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho, who has been valued at around £60m, and sporting director Monchi could make him the dream replacement for Buendia this summer.

The injured Villa star has produced nine goals and eight assists across his two Premier League seasons with the club but Emery may have been hoping that this would be a breakthrough year for the exciting maestro, as his previous form for Norwich indicates that he has the potential to make a greater impact at the top end of the pitch.

Buendia registered an outstanding 15 goals and 16 assists in 38 Championship outings during the 2020/21 campaign, which came after he managed seven assists and 2.3 key passes per game for the Canaries in the top-flight the previous year.

No Villa player produced more than seven assists or 1.2 key passes per match last term and this suggests that the potential was there for the Argentine gem to be a standout performer if he could hit his top level.

Sancho, like Buendia, is a creative winger who has not showcased the best of his abilities in recent seasons. The England international has only scored nine goals provided six assists in 55 Premier League matches for United.

However, his performances for Borussia Dortmund were outstanding and Emery could hope to unlock the 23-year-old sensation by bringing him to Villa Park.

The former Manchester City prospect proved himself to be a lethal attacking threat as he notched 38 goals and 51 assists in 104 Bundesliga games for Dortmund, which included at least 12 league assists in each of his last three years in Germany.

Sancho, whose ability was dubbed "frightening" by ex-teammate Jude Bellingham, averaged at least 2.1 key passes per match across those final three campaigns as he displayed his ability to consistently open up opposition defences in order to create chances for his teammates.

The Red Devils whiz, who achieved double figures for goals and assists in two Bundesliga seasons with Dortmund, has the quality to be a fantastic option for Emery at the top end of the pitch, if he can rediscover his form from his time in Germany.

Therefore, Monchi could land a dream replacement for the injured Buendia by completing a swoop for the £60m-rated dynamo before next month's deadline.

Manchester United suffered a poor 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur during their first away Premier League fixture of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Red Devils weren’t at their finest during their narrow 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday evening, and it looks as though Erik ten Hag failed to inspire the side once again.

How did Manchester United perform against Spurs?

New Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou was taking charge of his first competitive match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium having got off to a solid start against Brentford last week – and his team exploited United’s shortcomings.

Ten Hag’s side lacked any sort of cutting edge, despite Marcus Rashford leading the line. The Englishman netted 30 goals last term, yet he had just one shot on target during his spell on the pitch and missed two big chances, failing to reproduce the form displayed last season.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

Goalkeeper Andre Onana was arguably one of United’s better performers, and if it wasn’t for him, Spurs could have scored more than the two they managed.

The Cameroonian made five saves during the tie while taking 39 touches and completing 22 accurate passes, suggesting he was comfortable on the ball while looking to start attacks from the back.

There was a player for the Old Trafford side who struggled throughout the match and made fewer passes than the ‘keeper – fellow new arrival Mason Mount.

How much did Mason Mount cost Manchester United?

Ten Hag pursued the former Chelsea gem for a couple of months before finally securing his services in a deal which could be worth up to £60m.

He failed to impress during his competitive debut against Wolves in United’s first league tie of the season, taking just 30 touches, losing possession nine times and winning only two duels from seven contested – and it got even worse on Saturday evening.

Against Spurs, the Englishman was deployed in a slightly deeper role alongside Casemiro and was expected to get on the ball often to make things happen.

It didn’t quite work out that way, as he managed a paltry 26 touches and completed a woeful return of 14 accurate passes.

Onana recorded more touches and passes than Mount, while the midfielder failed to complete a single dribble attempt, won just one duel from six, lost possession six times and was dribbled past twice.

He looked like a passenger for large durations of the tie and was criticised by journalist James Benge, who said:

“Through nearly an hour, Mason Mount has the fewest touches of any United player on the pitch. Considering what you'd expect him to bring when he's playing deeper alongside Casemiro, that stat is pretty indicative of an insubstantive game.”

For such a high fee and the vast promise that Mount looked like he could bring to the Red Devils, this performance was far from the standard that Ten Hag will have demanded from him before the season began.

United aren’t in disarray, but another shoddy display during their next tie against Nottingham Forest next week could see murmurs of discontent start to ring out around Old Trafford.