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On the same pitch where 743 runs were scored in one of the greatest run-fests in domestic cricket history, three days later Essex staunchly committed themselves to a day of unremitting toil on a soporific summer’s day

David Hopps at Chelmsford19-Jun-2017
ScorecardNick Browne was rarely fluent but did an important job for Essex•Getty Images

How things change. On the same pitch where 743 runs were scored in one of the greatest run-fests in domestic cricket history, three days later Essex staunchly committed themselves to a day of unremitting toil on a soporific summer’s day.Spectators doubtless expected something less gung-ho as a remarkable Royal London Cup semi-final – which had an agonising outcome for Essex as Nottinghamshire took the prize in the final over – gave way to the gentler rhythms of a four-day Championship match. But at times this felt like slamming it from sixth gear to first in one movement. With a spirited change up to third near the close.From the boundary edge, a straw-coloured pitch gave the impression that its runs bounty would remain unlimited, but it did not turn out that way. It was 100 overs in and the sun was beating down upon it. Only in the final stages of one of the hottest days the English summer can deliver did Essex break free of Warwickshire’s shackles.They will feel that at 263 for 5 they have edged a hard-fought day. Nick Browne has begun to put right a lean season with three successive half-centuries. He perspired over 84 from 244 balls, a worthy affair which, nevertheless, was not about to entice a cricket poet to churn out a few stanzas on the beauty of leather on willow.Ravi Bopara might be worth a rhyming couplet, though, early on the second day. He hasn’t had a Championship century for three years, but he was 84 not out by the close. Both registered their highest scores of the season, Browne grinding on for five-and-a-quarter hours, Bopara comparatively spritely. Their stand of 127 in 42 overs was the substance of Essex’s innings.The weather was so idyllic that by start of play, the banks of the River Can adjacent to the ground were packed with sunbathers committed to nothing more strenuous than idling away a few hours. Browne’s mistiming was so pronounced that it might have brought a protest from the Noise Abatement Society. It took him 47 balls to reach double figures; Essex needed 46 overs to raise the hundred.His invaluable knock ended when he was bowled by a decent ball from Rikki Clarke. Clarke probably felt he deserved it: it was his 45th delivery of the day to Browne who had managed a couple of twos through the leg-side and nothing more besides. The worth of Browne’s innings was amplified when ten Doeschate fell soon after, Clarke bringing the ball back for an lbw.The surface will surely rag for the spinners long before the end, but it remains to be seen whether it will become so slow and low that it negates their effectiveness. Certainly Jeetan Patel roused Warwickshire hearts shortly before lunch when he had Alastair Cook lbw and then drew Tom Westley into an edge to slips. He might also have had Browne on 16, only for Rankin to drop a skier, pedalling back valiantly, at mid-off.When Patel took a breather, Varun Chopra was bowled by Boyd Rankin, leaving a ball that came back sharply, much to his obvous bewilderment. As Browne’s ball-count grew, his confidence began to return: Patel pummelled through mid-on and his fellow spinner, Sunny Singh, driven and swept in successive balls. Luxury indeed for a batsman who stuck at his job. Title challengers need days like this.

شارك المصري محمد صلاح أساسيًا في مباراة فريقه ليفربول أمام إيفرتون ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز. 

والتقى ليفربول وإيفرتون في مباراة مؤجلة من الجولة التاسعة والعشرين للدوري الإنجليزي “البريميرليج”.

وتعرض ليفربول للهزيمة في الديربي بهدفين دون مقابل أمام إيفرتون، بملعب “جوديسون بارك”.

في الدقيقة 35 مرر محمد صلاح تمريرة رائعة، وانفرد داروين نونيز وسدد بقوة من داخل منطقة الجزاء وتصدى له بيكفورد حارس مرمى إيفرتون بنجاح.

ومرر محمد صلاح كرة إلى نونيز الذي أرسلها إلى لويس دياز لكن تصدى له بيكفورد، في الدقيقة 44.

ثم صوب صلاح تصويبة قوية من خارج منطقة الجزاء، وارتطمت بالدفاع ثم وصلت إليه مرة أخرى وسدد كرة بعيدة عن المرمى، وذلك بالدقيقة 45.

وقبل نهاية الشوط الأول وصلت كرة من سوبوسلاي إلى محمد صلاح والذي سدد مجددًا من على حدود منطقة الجزاء وارتطمت الكرة بالدفاع.

في الشوط الثاني لعب لويس دياز عرضية وصلت إلى صلاح وسدد المصري لكن تسديدة سهلة إلى بيكفورد، بالدقيقة 56.

بالدقيقة 79 لعب محمد صلاح كرة وصوب من داخل منطقة الجزاء لكن بعيدة عن المرمى. 

وقبل نهاية المباراة، صوب صلاح تصويبة قوية من خارج منطقة الجزاء وتصدى له بيكفورد. ملخص لمسات محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وإيفرتون

While India will rely on Cheteshwar Pujara in the absence of their first-choice openers, much of Sri Lanka’s fortunes will depend on Kusal Mendis and stand-in captain Rangana Herath

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Jul-2017Match FactsJuly 26-30, 2017
Start time 1000 local (0430GMT)2:51

The team that tackles spin best will win – Arnold

Big PictureAt a glance, Sri Lanka’s recent home record is not so bad. They have won five of their six most recent Tests on the island and at least three of those victories were comprehensive. The whitewash over Australia, too, remains a source of enduring pride, even though it was achieved close to a year ago. Rangana Herath – the hero of that series – remains undiminished in his 40th year. Kusal Mendis, who produced pivotal performance, has also since made headway, hitting another mammoth match-winning innings, in Galle, against Bangladesh.And yet, there is fear in Sri Lanka that this series could go badly. Earlier this year, the hosts were beaten by Bangladesh for the first time ever and, less than two weeks ago, had been pushed by an even lower-ranked Zimbabwe side. How will they compete with India, the top-ranked Test team? How can Sri Lanka beat a side that, almost irrefutably, is fitter, better drilled, more confident and, probably, have comfier seats and softer suspension on their team bus?Since their arrival on the island, India have even made the kinds of noises that teams, who are runaway favourites, tend to make. While on tougher tours, words like “challenge” and “big effort” dominate the pre-series talk, here, they have spoken of respecting the opposition. They had, after all, won the series in 2015, when the Sri Lanka team seemed to be in much better shape. While for Sri Lanka the two years since have been characterised by resignations, new faces and flux, India have rocked up with a very similar squad. Stability, consistency, and excellence – right now, India represent everything Sri Lanka are not.Still, strange things happen on the island. No one expected a 3-0 thrashing of Australia last year, and, like a ball leaping out a footmark, that series produced a triumphant surprise for Sri Lanka. Besides, with so many developing players in their XI nothing is ever written in stone for Sri Lanka.Form guideSri Lanka WLWLL (completed matches, most recent first)
India WDWLWIn the spotlightOnly a year ago Upul Tharanga had been out of all Sri Lanka’s sides, but now, he finds himself not only embedded in them, but saddled with responsibility. That he is an outlandishly talented batsman has never been in doubt, but he has, at times, been wasteful – running down the pitch to play a lazy shot when well set, or fatally failing to ground his bat at the non-striker’s end, such as in his most recent game, against Zimbabwe. Having come into this series on the back of some form, here is Tharanga’s chance to prove he is not a fair-weather batsman – one who only prospers in friendly conditions, or low-pressure match situations. Runs against R Ashwin and co. will be hard-earned.India are without their first-choice openers in the most difficult country for openers this decade. It is time to rely on Cheteshwar Pujara again. India will need his solidity at the top to settle the team down at the start of the series. From their experience in Galle the last time, India know that things can go wrong quickly in Sri Lanka; Pujara has to be their assurance against that.Team newsDanushka Gunathilaka and Dhananjaya de Silva will fight for the No. 4 spot vacated by the newly appointed Test captain Dinesh Chandimal, who was ruled out of the Test owing to pneumonia. There is, however, a chance Sri Lanka could go into this match with five bowlers, in which case, left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara could pip them both for a debut instead. A fit-again Nuwan Pradeep may enter the XI.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Danushka Gunathilaka, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 7 Asela Gunaratne, 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Rangana Herath (capt), 10 Lahiru Kumara, 11 Nuwan PradeepVirat Kohli said India were not going to experiment at the top of the order, which means Abhinav Mukund and Shikhar Dhawan should open for India. Kohli also said the pitch looked good for batting, which could tempt India to play only five batsmen and opt for Hardik Pandya as the allrounder. If they do emphasise on security in the first Test of a series, India could go in with Rohit Sharma at No. 6.India (possible) 1 Abhinav Mukund, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rohit Sharma/Hardik Pandya, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ravindra Jadeja, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Mohammed ShamiPitch and conditionsThere was a light covering of grass on the pitch on the eve of the match, but rarely does a Galle surface fail to turn at the back end of a Test. For now, the teams expect the track to be good for batting on the first two days. Afternoon showers are always a threat in the region at this time of year.Stats and trivia This will be R Ashwin’s 50th Test match, and his fourth in Sri Lanka. Rangana Herath will be leading Sri Lanka for fifth time. He has three wins and a loss on his record – all previous matches having been against Zimbabwe or Bangladesh. There has not been a drawn Test in Sri Lanka for three years. Each of the 16 most-recent matches have yielded results.Quotes
“We totally respect the game, we totally how hard we need to work to win every Test match, every situation, every session and every ball is an event for us.””This looks a good pitch I can’t say whether there is going to be turn early on or not. But on the fourth and fifth days, there will be some assistance for the spinners.”
Rangana Herath on the conditions

Arsenal have already undergone a summer of revolution, yet manager Mikel Arteta remains undeterred to continue adding should the right personnel become available.

Is Michael Olise leaving Crystal Palace?

Whilst Declan Rice's huge move likely swallowed up the bulk of their remaining budget, the Spanish manager likely remains open to the idea of further acquisitions, should they move on some of the deadwood.

Given this is a venture they are undergoing, perhaps the links suggesting they could move to Crystal Palace's Michael Olise might come to fruition after all, even if it had once seemed somewhat sceptical.

The wide man does fit the bill as someone who would thrive under the conditions handed to the forwards within the Emirates, with his silkiness and creativity sure to aid his teammates. Not least Gabriel Jesus, who will be hoping to chase down the Premier League's top scorers, should he maintain a clean bill of health for the season.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Given how he has grown into their main man at just 21 years old, the Eagles are demanding a fee of £50m to even begin discussions.

How good is Michael Olise?

The youngster has enjoyed a true standout year in England most recently, having completed his meteoric rise to the top that began humbly at Reading.

However, it is worth noting that the France U21 international did enjoy a one-year spell within the Gunners' academy, suggesting a reunion could be on the cards.

Especially if he is to bring his quality back to north London, as he is fresh from a campaign where he boasted two goals and 11 assists in the league. The latter figure would have seen his creativity ranked joint-first among Arsenal's squad last term, just to emphasise what he adds to a side even as good as Arteta's.

His 7.13 average rating outlined this further, with the wide man averaging 1.9 key passes per game too. Only Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka managed more in the league last term, making it no surprise at all to see him branded "magic" by The Athletic's Ed Malyon.

As aforementioned, Jesus would likely benefit more than most, given he endured a profligate and injury-hit season most recently. Despite scoring 11 league goals, this came despite racking up an expected goals tally of 14.16.

To compare these figures with Erling Haaland, the Norwegian record-breaker instead found the net on 36 occasions from an expected goals of just 28.66.

The two are miles apart when it comes to being clinical, but the inclusion of someone else so insanely creative will aid in bridging this gap.

It is also worth mentioning how Olise's work rate will factor into added goals for the Gunners, as he could spearhead a press on his own, forging chances without even being credited with an assist. When compared to other wingers across Europe, he ranks in the top 5% for tackles per 90, the top 3% for interceptions per 90, and the top 1% for blocks per 90, via FBref.

Whilst Saka and Odegaard are two creative leaders for the Premier League, supplementing their Brazilian marksman with one more can't hurt. Palace's creative genius could provide the spark that takes Jesus to those lofty goalscoring heights.

Tottenham Hotspur have already enjoyed a fine summer of spending thus far, but they could be set to take it to new heights with a marquee signing sure to truly kickstart Ange Postecoglou's revolution.

Who are Tottenham Hotspur signing this summer?

That's according to journalist Christian Falk, who suggested that the Lilywhites remain interested in Eintracht Frankfurt's star man Randal Kolo Muani, despite Kylian Mbappe having previously implored his Paris Saint-Germain side to snatch him.

Speaking in his exclusive column, the German writer claimed:

"[Kylian] Mbappe asked Paris Saint-Germain to go for the striker of his national team and also Tottenham have registered an interest with the representatives of Muani, but the eventual transfer fee could be too high."

With it reported back in May that the Bundesliga outfit will command a €90m (£77m) fee for his services, this is a claim well-supported.

His acquisition would supplement the earlier signings of James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario and Manor Solomon, as well as turning Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski's loan deals into permanent ones.

How many goals has Randal Kolo Muani scored in his career?

Signing such a high-quality star would be a huge step forward for Spurs, seeking to usher in a new era under their Australian manager.

Whilst the outlay would be significant, he boasts all the hallmarks of a player who could underpin the regime for the next decade.

After all, the 24-year-old has already lit up German football, having notched 23 goals and recorded 17 assists across all competitions last term for a side that could only muster a seventh-placed finish.

He is young, hungry, dynamic and technically exceptional, with a physicality that could allow him to thrive in the Premier League too. Especially when considering he already has 62 career goals to his name, outlining his experience for someone with so much of their sparkling career left.

It is all these facets that likely spurred FBref to liken him to Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund, including the Denmark international on Kolo Muani's 'similar players' list.

This tool also helps paint the picture of the French marksman as a powerful creative threat too, as when compared against other forwards in Europe he sits in the top 3% for assists per 90, and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.

The 20-year-old has also starred of late in Italy, with his physical assets having been lauded by writer Sacha Pisani: "Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund is scary quick."

Manchester United, who too are seeking to cement their early success under Erik ten Hag, continue to push for his signature, in a deal that could reach similar financial heights as Spurs'.

Should they both join these respective English clubs, it is expected that a rivalry will be forged between these two teams in transition, seeking to take the next step up under their new managers.

However, at this moment in time, Hojlund is nowhere near the level of Kolo Muani, with the France international representing a far more mature and developed version of the pacy hitman.

Just nine goals in the Serie A last season emphasise this, as he still has a long way to go before he can be an outstanding asset for a club.

Meanwhile, Postecoglou would be gaining a readymade star, with praise also flying in for the versatile trickster. Germany legend Lothar Matthaus even noted:

"He has remarkable technical ability, he's ice-cold in front of goal and he really throws himself into challenges. The most impressive thing is that he's performing in every game. I can't remember a match where he's played badly. That's the mark of a future superstar."

It is also worth emphasising his physical assets, as he had clocked his team's fastest sprint at 21.68 mph earlier last season.

Kolo Muani and Hojlund are both a couple of gems just waiting to be unleashed on the biggest stage, and in the former, Postecoglou could secure his very own starring striker set to spearhead a new-look team finally set to break the stigma surrounding Spurs.

كشف محمود حرب، مدير منتخب مصر الأولمبي عن تفاصيل زيارته إلى مقر إقامة بعثة الفراعنة خلال دورة الألعاب الأولمبية في باريس.

ومن المقرر أن تنطلق منافسات أولمبياد باريس 2024، يوم 24 يوليو المقبل حتى 10 أغسطس موعد المباراة النهائية.

وقال محمود حرب في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “صدى البلد”: “جاءت لي دعوة من فيفا واجتمعنا أمس في مقر اللجنة الأولمبية في باريس، لمناقشة طلبات المنتخبات في الأولمبياد، وتنسيق بعض الأمور، بعض الأشياء سيوفروها لنا والبعض الآخر يكون على نفقتنا الشخصية”.

وأكمل: “أجرينا الزيارة الميدانية اليوم، وسافرنا إلى نانت، لأن مجموعتنا ستلعب هناك، وزرنا ملاعب التدريب، وملعب نادي نانت”.

مدير منتخب مصر الأولمبي: تلقينا عرضين من الأرجنتين وأوكرانيا لإقامة وديتين.. وسأنتظر رد ميكالي

وبسؤاله هل ميكالي طلب تفاصيل معينة؟، أوضح: “منذ أن بدأنا ويوجد نظام للمنتخب في توزيع الغرف والمطاعم الخاصة بنا، وكل شيء متوفر هنا، وكان لي بعض الطلبات وسيوفرونها”.

وتابع: “مثلا الاستشفاء يكون في ملاعب التدريب، ولكننا أحيانًا نفعله في الفندق، وهم لم يمانعوا طالما سنحضر معداتنا معنا، وطلبنا الطعام الحلال ووعدونا أنهم سيوفروه في الفندق”.

واختتم: “قابلنا مصطفى محمد وعرض علينا المساعدة وكأنه السفير، لم يتركنا وتابعنا وهو مُسيطر هنا”.

Sri Lanka’s new Test captain Dinesh Chandimal’s objective is to take a languishing Sri Lanka side to the top of the rankings, but insisted on patience in their climb

Andrew Fidel Fernando13-Jul-2017

Sri Lanka’s new Test captain Dinesh Chandimal has hopes of taking the team to the top of the rankings, but expects the climb to be hard-fought, beginning with Friday’s Test against Zimbabwe.Having been as high as No. 2 in 2010, Sri Lanka have now slipped to No. 7 on the table, and have lost four of their five most-recent games. They have sprung most surprises in Tests, however, having unexpectedly won a series against Australia a year ago.”My final goal is to take the team to No. 1 in the world,” Chandimal said ahead of his first Test as captain. “But we can’t do that in one day or one year. We have to work hard with our cricket to get there. We have young players, and we have to give them experience along the way. We have to take it step by step – go to No. 6 first, then No. 5 and so on. We have a long way to go.”The first step on that journey is to ensure a Zimbabwe tour that has already caused strife for Sri Lanka does not get any worse. Zimbabwe’s top order shone in their ODI series victory but Chandimal believes the experience Sri Lanka carries in their Test attack will pose sterner questions of the opposition.”The Zimbabwe batsmen, in particular, played very well during the five ODIs, and we can’t underestimate them,” Chandimal said. “But we do have Rangana Herath in our Test team, who is an extremely experienced player. We also have Dilruwan Perera. I don’t think we will let Zimbabwe get into rhythm too easily. We have plans against them, and we have good spinners. So I’m hoping we can bowl well and restrict them.”With Herath leading the attack, the bowling is in good hands, and the batting appears somewhat settled, but Sri Lanka’s catching has been woeful over the past year. Their Test loss to Bangladesh in March may well have been avoided had Sri Lanka taken all their chances. As a result, fielding will be a priority in the early days of his captaincy, Chandimal said.”I’ve thought about how we became so weak in fielding, and tried to work out how we can fix it. I talked with the coaches as well. Even in training, if we catch 100 flat catches, 100 high catches, and 100 ground fielding balls, the pressure that we have in the game is missing. I talked to the coaches and told them that what I want is to do those drills under something similar to match pressure. Then we have a target and feed off each other’s energy. In the last few days that’s what we did. I think we’ll be able to improve a lot in our fielding with those measures.”Though he played as a specialist batsman in the most-recent Test series, against Bangladesh, Chandimal has kept wicket in 24 of his 36 Tests. He was unwilling to commit to giving up the gloves in light of his captaincy, but suggested he may play as a specialist batsman in the short term. Limited-overs wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella is in the squad.”Dickwella is in form in ODIs and is a young player, and we also have to push him forward as someone who will improve our cricket,” Chandimal said. “He will probably do the job most times. But I will also consider the team’s balance, and am prepared to keep. For this match he will probably keep.”

Jack Leach and Dom Bess claimed seven of the eight Lancashire wickets to fall as Somerset closed in on a victory that would take them out of the bottom two

Paul Edwards at Taunton14-Sep-20171:31

County Championship Round-up: Essex on the brink of glory

When, in due time, one receives that peremptory invitation to attend the Clogpoppers’ Ball, it will be a comfort to recall this day’s cricket at Taunton.Lancastrians will select their side’s resilience and the fifties made by Haseeb Hameed and Liam Livingstone as the most pleasing features of affairs; Somerset followers in the Marcus Trescothick Stand might bemoan the opposition’s scoring rate but salute their own spinners’ persistence and accuracy in taking them to the brink of their second successive victory.And so they should, m’dear. A glorious day ended with Jack Leach and Dom Bess bowling in tandem, just as they had done for most of three sessions. The pair bowled 85 overs to take seven wickets for 164 runs. They wore down Lancashire’s batsmen and at some stage around lunchtime on Friday they should receive their due reward with the sight of a Division One table showing Somerset out of the relegation positions. Lancashire’s chances of the title are with cricket’s undertakers but the survival hopes of Tom Abell’s team live and breathe.Yet there was even more to the day than food for partisans or points for tables. There was a richness to the cricket, an intensity of competition which was only augmented by September’s elegiac sunlight and the possibility that showers might halt our sport. The game unfolded on one of early autumn’s more blustery days when clouds raced across an unsettled sky and barged each other out of the way like shoppers at the January sales. Sunlight and shade flitted over the Blackdowns like skittish girls and there were rumours of heavy rain in Wales. Trains raced through the distant station and the man was a fool who wished himself aboard one of them.The first hour of the day belonged to Lancashire and in particular to their openers, Alex Davies and Hameed. Both batsmen played cautiously, their memories of the second day’s rapid collapse fresh in their minds. Davies was busier and bustled about the crease, as if reminding the bowlers that he knew what their little game was. But he was also the first to be dismissed when he attempted to drive Leach through wide mid-on but only gave a sharp return catch to the bowler off a thickish leading edge. He departed one short of his fifty, smacking his bat and doubtless offering a rich Darwen curse or two.Hameed was as watchful as ever, as if determined to reinforce his critics’ astringent judgements that he “pokes about” too much. Then, as classy players always will, he confounded that view by taking three boundaries off successive Bess overs: a late cut and drives through the covers off front and back foot. In the innocence-light of early morning the wind had tossed the field maples and alders in Vivary Park yet the breeze hardly ruffled Hameed, who on occasions has the air of a man who would rehearse letting the ball go even as the jaws of Armageddon snapped around him. A square drive off Craig Overton’s half-volley left him undefeated on 31 when an early lunch was taken, itself prompted by the morning’s second brief shower.For the first hour of the afternoon session Lancashire’s progress was untroubled. The pitch lost much of the life it had offered Leach and Bess on the previous afternoon and for the first time since lunch on the first day Somerset’s cricket lost a little of its fiery purpose. Hameed cut Tim Groenewald backward of square for four and reached his half-century off 151 balls with a cover-drive for two off Leach. That made it the quickest of his three first-class fifties this year, although rapidity is becoming a relative concept when applied to Hameed.But just when Bolton’s “Great Wall” seemed set on constructing his first century in over a year, Leach dismissed him for 62 when Hameed drove a catch straight to Abell at short cover. Some thought the ball had stopped but Somerset supporters were not about to concern themselves with the “filthily technical” as Mr Pickwick might have put it. What mattered was that Hameed was gone and the joy on Gimblett’s Hill was unbounded, although it may not compare with the euphoria in that sacred area once occupied by the Sydney Hill should Hameed be dismissed at the SCG in a few months’ time.More joy lay in wait for the locals. Steven Croft was leg before on the front foot for 5 when sweeping at Bess and the offspinner then took the even more valuable wicket of Shiv Chanderpaul who broke the habit of a career by letting the ball pass between bat and pad. At tea Lancashire were 175 for 4 and Somerset’s players enjoyed their fruit salad in the knowledge that a new ball was available.Overton made the best use of that ball when he had Dane Vilas caught behind for 14 and that dismissal heralded a fine session for Somerset as they finally broke Lancashire’s batsmen on the twin wheels of the spin and flight. The crucial wicket of Livingstone was taken by Leach, who had the mystified batsman caught behind when wicketkeeper Steve Davies and the close fielders were appealing to Billy Taylor for a stumping. But those dozy folk inclined to stereotype cricketers and place them in the convenient pigeonholes should note that Livingstone had batted two minutes longer for his 62 than Hameed had for his 57. Their scoring rates were almost the same. Livingstone is a very serious cricketer and it is fascinating to ponder what lies ahead for him.Barring one of cricket’s most improbable recoveries, Lancashire’s fate was decided in the last half hour when Ryan McLaren and Stephen Parry fell to close catches off Leach and Bess. That Lancashire had lost seven wickets for 94 runs hardly reflected their stubbornness or their determination to compete until the very end. The mood was buoyant at the County Ground in the evening as the locals savoured a probable victory. But no one should be too downcast if they were at Taunton, for they had seen the county game at something like its very best and the cricketers on their green fields of praise.

Tottenham Hotspur's search to find a suitable successor to Harry Kane continues, with the latest reports indicating that the Lilywhites are plotting a move for Nottingham Forest speedster, Brennan Johnson.

How much would Brennan Johnson cost?

According to Football Insider, the north London outfit are currently 'keeping tabs' on the 22-year-old in their bid to land a possible replacement for Kane, with the latter man still looking set for a summer move to Bayern Munich.

As per the piece, Forest could be willing to sanction a sale if they are to receive a bid in excess of £40m, with both Aston Villa and Brentford – the latter of whom has already seen a £35m offer rejected – also in the race for his signature.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

This follows similar claims made by the Daily Mail's Simon Jones earlier this week, with the transfer insider reporting that while those at the City Ground are looking for a figure close to £50m, Spurs are keen to find something of a 'middle ground'.

How would Brennan Johnson fit in at Tottenham?

As the Independent's Miguel Delaney previously wrote, Spurs are unlikely to try and acquire a direct replacement for Kane through the middle, with the desire instead 'to reshape the attack amid Ange Postecoglou’s fluid new style'.

Johnson, therefore, could represent the attacking figurehead of that new-look front line, with there a potential for the former Lincoln City loanee to be flanked by the likes of Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski next season.

If the 19-cap international is to arrive through the door at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium it could then spell bad news for last year's summer signing, Richarlison, with the £60m addition potentially set to see his hopes of taking on the central striker role threatened.

The former Everton talisman endured a dismal debut season at N17 after scoring just a solitary Premier League goal, with Johnson, by contrast, scoring eight times to help Steve Cooper's men stave off relegation.

While the Brazilian did recently net a hat-trick against Lion City Sailors while on pre-season, it remains to be seen if the 26-year-old can replicate such heroics in the upcoming campaign, with talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor previously criticising the mercurial talent for having no "standout attributes".

Having failed to fire in 2022/23, Richarlison was also rather limited in a creative sense after creating just a solitary big chance from his 27 league outings, while his Forest counterpart created four big chances from his 38 appearances for the Midlands side.

Described as a "superb talent" by scout Jacek Kulig, Johnson had previously illustrated his devastating brilliance after registering 26 goal involvements as part of his current side's successful promotion charge during the 2021/22 campaign,

While that stellar haul did come in the second tier, it is still beyond anything that the current Spurs man has achieved during his time in English football to date, with the £90k-per-week man having hit career-best figures of 16 goals and assists in the league during the 2019/20 season while at Goodison Park.

That could well suggest that if Postecoglou does reinvest any potential Kane funds in Johnson, it could be Richarlison that proves one of the notable victims of that transaction.

اعترف ديفيد مويس، المدير الفني لفريق وست هام، أنه سيكون سعيدًا للغاية برحيل يورجن كلوب عن ليفربول نهاية الموسم الحالي.

تصريحات ديفيد مويس جاءت بعد تعادل ليفربول مع وست هام في مباراتهما اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف ملعب “لندن الأولمبي” مباراة الفريقين في الجولة الخامسة والثلاثين من البطولة، حيث تعادلا بهدفين لمثليهما.

اقرأ أيضًا.. جاكبو بعد التعادل مع وست هام: الكرة لا تدخل الشباك.. والمنافسة على اللقب ليست مستحيلة

وقال ديفيد مويس في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “إندبندنت” الإنجليزية: “سأكون سعيدًا برحيله، إنه كبير جدًا، وأسنانه مشرقة جدًا، أكره أن أقول ذلك لأنني عملت ضده في الأندية الأخرى التي ربما تكون أكبر منافسيهم، لكنني أعتقد أنه كان رائعًا بالنسبة لـ ليفربول، كان هكذا حقًا”.

وأضاف: “أعتقد أنه المتحكم هناك، لقد كان قادرًا على السيطرة على نادٍ كبير، وهو ليس بالأمر السهل في بعض الأحيان، أنا سعيد برؤية رحيله، يجب أن أقول ذلك، لكن الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز يجلب الكثير من المدربين من أماكن مختلفة”.

وواصل: “البعض يأتي ويذهب بسرعة كبيرة، يمكن للبعض أن يستمروا حتى إنهاء أعمالهم، مورينيو، فيرجسون، جوارديولا، فينجر، ومن الواضح كلوب، في حين لا يمكن للآخرين الاستمرار في هذا المسار، يجب أن أقول أن كلوب كان جيدًا حقًا مع ليفربول”.

واستمر وكأنه يتحدث مباشرة إلى كلوب: “اسرع وابتعد، سأكون سعيدًا برؤيتك تمضي قدمًا، لكي تدرب فريقًا مثل ليفربول، عليك أن تكون جيدًا جدًا، وهو جيد جدًا في وظيفته”.