All posts by h79snht.top

Chelsea have endured a couple of testing campaigns in the Premier League, and while there is a lot of external noise around the bloated nature of Enzo Maresca's squad, there's reason to be optimistic in west London.

A host of the Blues' first-teamers are expected to depart before the window slams shut next week, with Raheem Sterling's chances of remaining at Stamford Bridge slimmed down after recent events…

As such, Chelsea are seemingly in the clear to complete the signing of Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid – with an agreement having now been reached – and he's not the only possible incoming to get excited about…

Busy finish to the transfer window

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are still locked in negotiations with Napoli for the transfer of Romelu Lukaku – with highly-rated Victor Osimhen looking to move to England in a separate deal.

The Serie A club are reluctant to let Osimhen depart for a fee below his £111m release clause, but all parties are eager for a resolution and there's tentative hope that the Blues can land an exciting new centre-forward to spearhead Maresca's team.

Imagine Victor Osimhen & Joao Felix

Osimhen, who earns £211k per week in Naples, has been hailed as "one of the best strikers in the world" by Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, scoring 76 goals and adding 18 assists across 133 matches for Napoli.

He's one of Europe's finest goalscorers but he is also blessed with natural creativity and sharp movements when on the press, drawing defenders away and creating space for his peers.

Indeed, during Napoli's 2022/23 Scudetto-winning campaign, Osimhen scored 26 goals and added four assists from 30 starting appearances, averaging 1.1 key passes per game.

This kind of profile could see an electric bond forged with Felix, who has never been regarded as the most prolific player around but actually maintained an impressive strike rate on loan at Barcelona last year, ranking among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

Felix, moreover, is one of the smoothest operators in the business, with a butter-soft dribbling ability that allows him to breeze past opponents. He's been dubbed "the football artist" by talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past, and he could paint quite the picture with Chelsea, under Maresca's wing.

Victor Osimhen: Last 5 Seasons

Season

Club

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

2023/24

Napoli

32 (27)

17

4

2022/23

Napoli

39 (35)

31

5

2021/22

Napoli

32 (26)

18

6

2020/21

Napoli

30 (19)

10

3

2019/20

LOSC Lille

38 (28)

18

6

Stats via Transfermarkt

Described as a "monster" by analyst Raj Chohan, Osimhen is a world-class striker, and he could be a real menace with Felix – and that's without mentioning the likes of Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku and co.

Chelsea need to get it done. Sure, the squad still needs trimming, but with the right outgoings, Felix and Osimhen could arrive and wreak utter havoc in the Premier League.

Related Chelsea hold talks to sign £153k-p/w star in swap deal for Raheem Sterling

The Blues could get a younger upgrade on their winger…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Aug 18, 2024

شن خالد الغندور، نجم الزمالك السابق، هجومًا لاذعًا على مجلس إدارة القلعة البيضاء برئاسة حسين لبيب، متهماً إياهم بالإهمال والتقصير في إدارة شؤون الفريق، موجهًا انتقادات حادة لقرارات المجلس، وأنها السبب الرئيسي في تدهور مستوى الفريق وخسارة العديد من اللاعبين المميزين.

وقال خالد الغندور في تصريحات عبر قناة “المحور”: “جمهور الزمالك كان يقول على أشرف بن شرقي “بن قلبي”، وكان يضرب به المثل، الآن لو رشيد أخوه ووكيل أعماله يتفاوض مع الأهلي والنادي دفع له ما يريده، كان اللاعب سينتقل للقلعة الحمراء”.

وتابع: “انسوا فكرة إن الأهلي أخذ إمام عاشور وهو كان لاعبًا في الزمالك، وانسوا إن أشرف بن شرقي يعود للأبيض، النادي الأهلي من حقه أن يضم ما يريده، لدرجة إن أحمد رضا الصفقة الجديدة للمارد الأحمر، كان لاعبًا في الزمالك”.

وشدد: “وبالتالي، لو أراد الأهلي أن يضم لاعبي الزمالك كلهم، هو حر، هذا احتراف وكل ناد يبحث عن مصلحته، (النادي الأهلي بيغيظك بينرفزك جايب لاعيبتك الي كانت متألقة معك) حقه هذه مصلحته”.

طالع أيضًا | خاص | وكيل بنتايج يخطر الزمالك برغبة اللاعب في الرحيل وفسخ تعاقده بالتراضي

واستدرك: “لكن على نادي الزمالك ومجلس إدارته أن يركز مع فريقه ويقويه، وقولًا واحدًا مع كل الاحترام لمجلس الإدارة، أقول لهم (اعطوا العيش لخبازه) لو أحد طلب من الكابتن حسين لبيب أن يرشح لاعب كرة يد للانضمام للنادي سنضرب تعظيم سلام، لكن أن يطلب أحد منه أن يضم لاعب كرة قدم للفريق، أقول له (أسف يا كابتن حسين إنت ملكش في الكرة)، إنت رئيس النادي ونجم من نجوم كرة يد، وعليك أن تقوم بتعيين لجنة فنية تُجيد الاختيار، وتعيين مدير رياضي”.

وأردف: “لكن لو ستقول إن فلان ينزعج لو أنت قمت بتعيين لجنة تخطيط! أنت في عمل عام، وتوليت منصبك من أجل أن يقف الزمالك على قدمه وتُسعد الجماهير (مش قادر توقفه إمشي) وإن كنت لا تستطيع أن تضم لاعبين على قدر النادي، ابحث عن الأشخاص الذين يستطيعون ضم لاعبين جيدين للفريق، وليس لاعبين من الدرجة الرابعة، الأهلي الآن ضم تريزيجيه ويبحث عن بن شرقي، ويبحثون عن لاعبين في الدوريات الأوروبية، لأن عندهم القدرة المالية”.

واختتم: “إذا لم تكن تمتلك القدرة المالية، لا تستمر في الشكوى وأن تُظهر للجميع أن نادي الزمالك (مش لاقي ياكل) لو ستفعل هكذا ارحل وأحد غيرك يتولى المسؤولية”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Com seis jogos de invencibilidade, o Bahia volta a campo no próximo domingo, quando encara o São Paulo, na Arena Castelão.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Ciente que não pode desperdiçar as oportunidades de somar pontos, o técnico Guto Ferreira promete um time intenso e que ocupe o campo do Tricolor.

Nesta sexta-feira, o Bahia realizou mais um treino no CT Evaristo de Macedo. Acompanhado dos pares de Guto Ferreira, o grupo fez uma atividade física e encerrou com um treino tático.

Antes do jogo de domingo, o elenco Tricolor faz mais um treino neste sábado pela manhã, antes do grupo entrar em concentração.

O Bahia é o 16ª colocado do Campeonato Brasileiro, com 33 pontos. O Sport, primeiro time do Z-4, aparece com 30 pontos.

RelacionadasCearáTiago Nunes explica mudança no gol do CearáCeará05/11/2021FortalezaConfira o provável Fortaleza que encara o CorinthiansFortaleza05/11/2021Futebol NacionalGre-Nal terá torcida única pela primeira vez na história do clássicoFutebol Nacional05/11/2021

Southampton are eyeing a late summer move for a "brilliant" Premier League player, according to a report from journalist Darren Witcoop.

Southampton transfer news

Saints supporters will be delighted with some of the transfer business the club have completed this summer, including bringing in Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes on permanent deals, but they will still want further signings to come in this month.

One new report has claimed that Mateus Fernandes is closing in on a move to St Mary's Stadium, with the Sporting CP midfielder coming in as an exciting young addition. Still only 20, he has represented Portugal at youth team level and could be seen as an eye-catching acquisition for many years to come.

Lazio goalkeeper Christos Mandas has also been mentioned as a summer option for Southampton, as Russell Martin looks to sign an upgrade on Alex McCarthy between the sticks. The Englishman has been a good servant for the south coast club, but it has to be argued that he isn't at the level required to be a Premier League starter week in, week out.

Saints are also thought to have submitted an offer for young Antwerp midfielder Mandela Keita, as they look to add more options in the middle of the park.

Southampton keen on "brilliant" Premier League ace

Taking to X, Witcoop claimed that Southampton are keen on a move for Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele before the end of the month, with his ball-playing expertise potentially an ideal fit.

Steele could be a great signing for Saints, not only because of his vast experience, but also due to the fact that he is renowned for being good with his feet – something that is so important under Martin, given his style of play.

The 34-year-old started Brighton's 3-0 win away to Everton on Saturday afternoon, enjoying a 90% pass completion rate at Goodison Park, and Graham Potter heaped praise on him during his time as manager of the Seagulls.

"I think his role around the club, his role in the dressing room, his role with the boys has been brilliant. I’ve got to say that he is very supportive of them, he has been really supportive of Rob. He puts his own personal ambition to one side for the team which is not so easy to do and is actually quite rare. I have the utmost respect for Jason in that regard."

Related Southampton close in on signing their next Gaston Ramirez

Southampton could sign their next Gaston Ramirez with this purchase.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Aug 18, 2024

This shows that the £20,000-a-week Steele is a good character in the dressing room, which can only aid Southampton's survival bid in the Premier League, and he could be more suited than McCarthy straight away.

The Punjab Kings captain says the team bowling second shouldn’t have such a “huge disadvantage” because of dew

Hemant Brar18-Apr-2021KL Rahul, the Punjab Kings captain, feels there should be a provision to change a wet ball during the second innings of a T20 game, especially in dewy conditions else the bowling team faces a “huge disadvantage”.Defending 195 against the Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, the Kings’ bowlers struggled with the dew, forcing Rahul to even check with the umpires if the ball could be changed. The playing conditions didn’t allow that and the Capitals went on to win the game with ten balls to spare.”I think that [the ball change] will really be fair to the team bowling second, and I am not just saying that because I am on the losing side,” Rahul told Star Sports at the post-match presentation. “I think that’s only fair that the team bowling second doesn’t have such a huge disadvantage. Our bowlers try and practice their skills with the wet ball, but when you go out in the middle with the pressure it’s always difficult. I did ask the umpires to change the ball a couple of times, but again, it’s not in the rulebook, so that’s how the game goes, we’ve got to take it.”Related

Bowling with a wet ball: 'It's about training your brain to understand that it is going to be extremely difficult'

KL Rahul feels changing wet ball during second innings 'will really be fair'

IPL games at 7.30pm give team bowling first an advantage, says Dhoni

Dhawan smashes 92 as Capitals cruise past big target

The dew has been a big factor at the Wankhede, making it easier to chase totals in night games as the ball comes better on to the bat in the second innings. Moreover, spinners too struggle to grip the wet ball and find it hard to get any purchase from the surface, as was seen on Sunday when the ball slipped from Jalaj Saxena’s hand during his delivery stride and landed behind him. Rahul said his side expected those challenges but it’s not easy to overcome them.”It was not something that was unexpected. When we come to Wankhede, we know that bowling second is always a challenge. We, as a bowling unit, tried to prepare for such conditions as well, but, again, it does get a bit difficult in a game situation, and especially when you are bowling against quality batters.”Mayank Agarwal, who scored a brilliant 36-ball 69 for the Kings, also said that dew made batting easier in the second innings.”It wasn’t as easy [in the first innings] as it looked in the second innings,” Agarwal said at the press conference after the game. “I thought the Delhi Capitals batted exceedingly well and also there was as dew factor. We cannot do much about it as players. It just boils down to execution under pressure and practising that. That’s as much as you can do as a player. Those are the things that are in our control. Obviously, we cannot do much apart from that.”In the five games played so far at the Wankhede Stadium in IPL 2021, the side winning the toss has opted to chase every single time. On four occasions, they ended up winning the game. The Rajasthan Royals, the only side to lose after winning the toss, came within a shot of chasing down 222 against the Kings.The Kings have played their three games at the Wankhede so far and were asked to bat first on all three occasions after losing the toss.After the Chennai Super Kings’ first game this season, their captain MS Dhoni had also stated that 7.30pm IST starts were giving an advantage to the team bowling first. His reason: when you start at 8pm, the dew has already set in, thus not giving the chasing side any real advantage.

The summer transfer window officially slammed shut on Friday night and it was an eventful day for Celtic as they made three new signings for their squad.

Arne Engels, Luke McCowan, and Auston Trusty arrived from Augsburg, Dundee, and Sheffield United respectively on permanent deals to bolster Brendan Rodgers' options across the park.

Engels and McCowan were both handed their debuts off the bench in the convincing 3-0 win over Rangers in the Old Firm clash at Parkhead on Sunday in the Scottish Premiership, but Trusty was an unused substitute.

Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Callum McGregor scored the goals for the Hoops, who did not have any outfield starters who were not at the club last term.

Paulo Bernardo, who was secured permanently from Benfica after his loan last term, was the only outfield player signed in the summer transfer window, whilst Kasper Schmeichel kept his fourth clean sheet in goal.

Adam Idah, Engels, and McCowan, meanwhile, all came of the bench and Alex Valle and Trusty were unused and will have to wait for their respective debuts.

This shows that Rodgers trusts his current starting XI and it may take time for his deadline day signings to work their way into the starting XI.

How much Celtic paid for Auston Trusty

The Hoops swooped in to sign the USA international from Sheffield United for a reported fee of £6m on deadline day to bolster their defensive options, after Gustaf Lagerbielke was allowed to join FC Twente on loan.

Rodgers did not have another naturally left-footed centre-back in his squad aside from Liam Scales prior to this move for Trusty, which has now provided him with two players for that role on the left side of the defence.

There may be high expectations for the former Arsenal defender because he has arrived for a whopping fee of £6m, which – per Transfermarkt – makes him the fourth-most expensive centre-back in the club's history, behind Christopher Jullien, Jozo Simunovic, and Rafael Scheidt.

However, his price tag does not mean that he should be allowed to walk into the starting XI, particularly as he has arrived at Parkhead off the back of a dismal season in England.

Trusty was part of a Sheffield United team that amassed a measly 16 points and conceded a Premier League record 104 goals as they were relegated from the division.

23/24 Premier League

Auston Trusty

Appearances

32

Pass accuracy

79%

Error led to shot or goal

3

Penalties committed

1

Duel success rate

55%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the American defender struggled as part of a poor Blades defence, with four major errors in his 32 appearances.

That came after he had won 57% of his duels and not made a single error that led to a shot or goal in 44 Championship games for Birmingham in the 2022/23 campaign, which may be the kind of form Celtic are hoping to extract from him.

Trusty may, though, find game time difficult to come by after Scales put in an Old Firm performance that should have made him undroppable for Rodgers.

Liam Scales' Old Firm masterclass

The Ireland international lined up on the left side of the defence and put in an outstanding showing next to Cameron Carter-Vickers to keep a clean sheet against Rangers.

His defensive partner endured rare struggles on Sunday, losing five of his nine duels and being dribbled past twice, and that meant that Scales had to step up and be relied upon, which is exactly what he did.

The left-footed titan won 100% (8/8) of his duels and dominated Cyriel Dessers from start to finish to ensure that his side kept yet another clean sheet.

Vs Rangers

Liam Scales

Clearances

5

Blocks

2

Tackles

3

Interceptions

2

Duels won

8/8

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Scales made a number of key defensive interventions to protect Schmeichel's goal and came out on top in the physical battle, as he won 100% of his duels against the Rangers players.

After the match, Rodgers explained that the defender may not be the "sexiest" player but is crucial to Celtic and that they would have been lost without him in the 2023/24 campaign.

His latest masterclass in the Old Firm on Sunday reaffirmed his importance to Celtic and showed that he is currently undroppable, despite the club's deadline day splash to sign Trusty for £6m.

Why Liam Scales is undroppable

Whilst it was a terrific performance against Rangers, that one game is not the only reason why Scales should consider his place in the XI safe for now, as the centre-back enjoyed a strong 2023/24 season.

He returned from a loan spell with Aberdeen in the previous campaign and established himself as a regular starter alongside Carter-Vickers for Rodgers.

Scales played in 34 of the club's 38 Premiership matches, as the Hoops won the title, and was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year for his efforts at the back.

23/24 season

Auston Trusty (Premier League)

Liam Scales (Scottish Premiership)

Appearances

32

34

Pass accuracy

79%

88%

Error led to shot or goal

3

1

Ground duel success rate

55%

67%

Aerial duel success rate

55%

61%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Irishman fared considerably better, defensively and in possession, than Trusty did in the Premier League.

Whilst it is fair to acknowledge that the American was playing in a struggling Blades team and Scales was in a title-winning outfit, there is not much to suggest that he is going to come in and immediately displace the former Dons loanee.

The 26-year-old star's superb start to the Premiership season, winning 71% of his duels and keeping four clean sheets in four games, does not suggest that his starting berth is in any danger.

Related 9/10 Celtic star just showed why Rodgers can forget O'Riley

The Hoops central midfielder enjoyed a terrific afternoon at Parkhead on Sunday.

Posts ByDan Emery Sep 1, 2024

If Scales' form dips and Trusty proves himself to be an excellent option when called upon, then it can be reassessed, but – for now – the Ireland international has made himself undroppable for Rodgers at the back.

أعلن السويسري كريستيان جروس، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، تشكيل الأبيض الأساسي، لمواجهة الإسماعيلي، بعد قليل، ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

يستضيف استاد السلام المواجهة المرتقبة بين الزمالك والإسماعيلي، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية عشر من الدوري المصري الممتاز.

طالع.. وكيل صلاح مصدق يعلن انتقاله إلى الزمالك.. ويؤكد: سيتواجد في مباراة الإسماعيلي

يدخل الزمالك اللقاء وهو يحتل المركز الثالث في جدول الترتيب برصيد 20 نقطة، بعدما حقق 6 انتصارات وتعادل في مباراتين، فيما تلقى 3 هزائم.

في المقابل، يحتل الإسماعيلي المركز الرابع عشر برصيد 12 نقطة، جمعها من 3 انتصارات و3 تعادلات، مقابل 5 خسائر.

ويطمح الزمالك إلى تحقيق الفوز وحصد النقاط الثلاث لتعويض جماهيره عن الهزيمة القاسية أمام بيراميدز بثلاثية نظيفة في الجولة الماضية.

بينما يسعى الإسماعيلي إلى الخروج بنتيجة إيجابية، سواء بالفوز أو التعادل، لتحسين مركزه والابتعاد عن مراكز الهبوط. بدلاء الزمالك اليوم أمام الإسماعيلي في الدوري المصري

محمد صبحي وجيفرسون كوستا ومحمود بنتايج وأحمد محمود ومحمد حمدي وسيف جعفر وناصر ماهر ومحمد عاطف وحسام أشرف.

MatériaMais Notícias

Com a Seleção Brasileira já classificada para a Copa do Mundo de 2022, o técnico Tite abrirá espaço para oportunidades na equipe para o confronto com a Argentina. A escalação divulgada há pouco para o Superclássico que será realizado em San Juan (ARG) traz um ataque com Vinicius Júnior e Matheus Cunha ao lado de Raphinha.

O atacante do Real Madrid terá a responsabilidade de substituir Neymar, que sentiu problemas musculares durante um dos treinos. O técnico Tite também dará uma oportunidade a Matheus Cunha, que vem se destacando nas atividades nesta Data Fifa.

Enfim, sai a escalação. Vinicius Júnior substitui Neymar e forma o ataque com Matheus Cunha e Raphinha. #lanceSELECAO pic.twitter.com/Ja5K1J535G

— Vinícius Faustini (@v_faustini) November 16, 2021

Fabinho, por sua vez, voltará a substituir Casemiro. O volante cumpre suspensão automática por ter recebido cartão amarelo. Edenílson foi convocado para a partida contra a Argentina.

Éder Militão será testado ao lado de Marquinhos. Thiago Silva foi poupado no duelo.

A equipe traz: Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Éder Militão e Alex Sandro; Fabinho, Fred e Lucas Paquetá; Raphinha, Matheus Cunha e Vinicius Júnior.

O Brasil encara a Argentina às 20h30 (de Brasília). O LANCE! acompanha em tempo real a partida.

Batter was stand-in captain for first two rounds, but left out of squad following Peter Handscomb’s arrival

Matt Roller17-May-2021

Stevie Eskinazi is looking for a short-term load deal•Getty Images

Stevie Eskinazi is looking for a short-term loan deal after being dropped from Middlesex’s County Championship side.Eskinazi, 27, stood in as captain during defeats to Somerset and Hampshire in the first two rounds of games, but was left out of the squad for their win against Surrey following Peter Handscomb’s arrival from Australia. He has not been picked in a first-team squad since, with Middlesex opting to give 21-year-old Jack Davies a Championship debut in last week’s defeat to Hampshire instead.He is now actively seeking opportunities elsewhere, and has been added to the loan list that is regularly circulated around the counties in the hope of playing some Championship cricket in the next three weeks.Eskinazi’s contract expires at the end of the season, and he has been given permission to speak to other clubs before the usual date of June 1. ESPNcricinfo understands that Middlesex have offered him a one-year extension, but after a difficult start to the season for both himself and the club, he may look for opportunities elsewhere.Eskinazi, who is England-qualified, enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2016, scoring 609 runs in nine appearances to help Middlesex win the Championship, but has struggled for form more recently, averaging 21.65 in first-class cricket since the start of 2019*. He was the second-highest run-scorer in the T20 Blast last summer, and remains an important part of the club’s white-ball plans for the summer.Middlesex have struggled for runs throughout the Championship season so far. They have the fewest runs per wicket (20.10) of any side in the country and find themselves four points off the bottom of Group Two, having played a game more than sixth-placed Leicestershire.”It is tough to turn things around quickly and the game can kick you when you’re down, unfortunately,” Handscomb said after the defeat to Hampshire. “Hopefully we’re sort of one or two hits away from gelling as a batting unit and then we can get on a bit of a run. It’s obviously tough at the moment but the game can change pretty quickly.”May 19, 0930 BST – An earlier version of this article said that Eskinazi was averaging 29.13 since 2019. This has been corrected.

Thrilling contest goes down to wire as Lewis Gregory hold his nerve at Taunton

Matt Roller25-Jun-2021

Tom Banton drives through the covers during his impressive innings at Taunton•Getty Images

At the highest-scoring T20 ground in the world defending a total of 172 is near-impossible, not least with an in-form Colin de Grandhomme hitting 66 off 34 balls in a run-chase. But an extraordinary fightback and a dramatic collapse meant Somerset did just that to kick their Vitality Blast season into life and leaving Hampshire, once a proud T20 force, facing a fourth successive group-stage exit.Hampshire needed 53 off 36 balls when Lewis Gregory, Somerset’s captain, returned for his third over of the night, and when he conceded 18 off the first five balls with de Grandhomme cutting him away with disdain, it looked as though the game was up. But Gregory went round the wicket to angle one across de Grandhomme, who holed out to deep cover; Hampshire lost their heads, and five for 27 off the last 31 balls. When Chris Wood skewed a catch to cover off the last ball, Gregory roared in celebration: Somerset had a win in front of a home crowd under the Friday-night lights for the first time in two years.This was the second-lowest 20-over total that Somerset had ever defended at Taunton, two runs more than the 170 they had managed against a Gloucestershire side captained by Kane Williamson a decade ago. They were reliant on Tom Banton and Will Smeed’s half-centuries – they were the only two Somerset batters to reach double figures – but it was Marchant de Lange, recalled after missing the win at The Oval on Wednesday night, who was the real match-winner.This was not the flat track that is usually served up here. “There was a lot more grass and the bounce was a bit tennis-bally,” Banton said. “[de Lange] didn’t play the last game and was pretty upset but he showed his class.” He didn’t concede a boundary in his four overs, defending the short leg-side boundary to the right-handers, and started the squeeze in the middle of the innings to keep the game alive.It had looked for all money like it would be de Grandhomme’s night, only half an hour before he was sat in the makeshift away dressing room listening to a long enquiry into Hampshire’s fourth defeat in five completed games. He had taken the wickets of James Hildreth and his New Zealand team-mate Devon Conway, both chipping to mid-on in the second over – “I know how to bowl to him,” de Grandhomme smiled wryly afterwards – and while Banton had dished out some rough treatment in his last two overs, he was in the mood with the bat.Colin de Grandhomme drags himself off•Getty Images

De Grandhomme had driven straight down the A303 this evening from the Ageas Bowl, having taken a recovery day in the on-site hotel following New Zealand’s World Test Championship final win. “I had a good rest yesterday all day,” he said. “We had a good night, but then had a good day yesterday in the pit.” He hit 18 runs off his first four balls, including one six off Craig Overton that cleared both pavilions at midwicket and must rank among the biggest on this ground, and tucked into Gregory’s first two overs.Wearing a shirt bearing only his initials – perhaps Hampshire’s kit supplier charges by the letter – he put on 78 with D’Arcy Short for the second wicket and 44 with Joe Weatherley for the third, but with Liam Dawson absent on England duty, the rest of the middle order was unable to get Hampshire over the line. The decision to leave Sam Northeast out of the matchday squad for the last two weeks looks ill-advised at best, though at least their seven-match stretch of away games has finally come to an end.Related

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The win was set up by Banton, whose 77 was the second-highest score of his T20 career and a welcome return to form after a difficult year for him. He was the aggressor in a 58-run stand with Smeed – three years his junior in a boarding house at King’s College Taunton – and played his full range of shots, tucking into de Grandhomme over the leg side and reverse slog-sweeping Mason Crane for six.”In previous games [this season] I’ve just gone too hard, too early,” he said. “I’m quite emotional talking because that means the world to me to win that game. I’ve come back off a weird 12 months. It’s been hard for me – I’m not going to lie and I’m not going to hide behind that. It’s one of the worst games ever when it’s not going for you.”Smeed, meanwhile, found scoring much harder early on, eking out 26 off his first 30 balls before finally kicking on towards the end of his innings, dragging Somerset towards something defendable and marshalling the tail – no mean feat for a 19-year-old. Scott Currie, who took 4 for 31, was the pick of the Hampshire attack, hanging the ball wide outside off stump and taking the pace off; less than two hours later, he was trudging off in defeat after two hopeful swings from No. 9.