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One moment of fielding brilliance from Kieron Pollard turned Somerset from losers to winners and put them into the Friends Provident t20 final by three runs

Andrew McGlashan at the Rose Bowl14-Aug-2010
Scorecard
Jos Buttler lit up the Rose Bowl with a superb fifty to revive Somerset’s innings•Getty Images

One moment of fielding brilliance from Kieron Pollard turned Somerset from losers to winners and put them into the Friends Provident t20 final by three runs. Until Pollard leapt at long-on to remove Samit Patel, Nottinghamshire were ahead of the D/L target but that wicket changed the calculations and by the time the rain arrived five balls later David Hussey and Chris Read hadn’t managed to get their side back in front.It was a cruel way to end a compelling contest, especially as Hussey and Patel had done so well to give Nottinghamshire a chance after three quick wickets fell in pursuit of a tough adjusted target of 152 in 16 overs. They had raced out of the blocks as they knew they must chasing 10-an-over and were always likely to shed wickets, two of which went to the tournament’s leading wicket-taker Alfonso Thomas.However, from the seventh to the 12th overs Hussey and Patel added 62 as both sides frantically kept themselves informed of the moving target. The situation was changing ball-by-ball with a large cloud threatening to dump on the ground any moment. At the start of the 13th over they were one run ahead, but then Patel picked out the towering figure of Pollard although it was a worthwhile gamble because the end-of-over target was the same – 120 – with either three or four wickets down.However, Somerset were good value for their berth in the final after a powerful batting display led by two men at either ends of their careers. Marcus Trescothick led the early charge with a 22-ball half-century, but 19-year-old Jos Buttler went one better with a stunning 21-ball effort to lift his team to a commanding 182 for 5.Buttler is a wicketkeeper-batsman by trade but Somerset rate him highly enough as a specialist batsman and here he showed why with a wonderful display of striking and deftness after Nottinghamshire fought back through some fine spin bowling by Patel and Graeme Swann.A mark of the quality Buttler produced was that he overshadowed Pollard who had to wait until his 15th ball to strike a boundary, which also brought up the fifty stand, by which time Buttler had 37 off 16 deliveries. Buttler had opened his boundary count with a monstrous blow over deep midwicket off Ryan Sidebottom, but the highlight of his innings was the way he toyed with Stuart Broad’s final over.He twice guided boundaries to third man, including a six, then went the other side and paddled Broad’s final ball through short fine-leg. Buttler reached a breathtaking fifty in the final over with three boundaries in four balls off Sidebottom as 72 runs came off the last six overs.This was a contest that wouldn’t have been out of place in the IPL with a host of international talent on display as Nottinghamshire’s international-class bowling line-up went head-to-head with Somerset’s destructive batting. The batting was the winner as Nottinghamshire’s three much-vaunted quicks went for 119 in 11 overs; the spinners conceded 44 in eight.Trescothick was hit on the helmet by a rapid Dirk Nannes bouncer first ball, but rather than stun him it only spurred him on. Trescothick responded with consecutive boundaries off Broad and then used Nannes’s extra pace to upper cut him over third man for six.By now he was in full flow, but it was harder work for Craig Kieswetter who continues to battle for form following his diffcult one-day summer with England. However, he matched Trescothick by driving Sidebottom over cover before top edging an ambitious pull at Broad.Trescothick just kept only flying as he raced to fifty from 22 balls with a one-handed six off Steven Mullaney, whose first over was dispatched for 16. However, after one more slog-sweep against Swann, Trescothick was beaten by some subtle flight and overbalanced out of his crease.His dismissal changed the momentum as Zander de Bruyn was run out from cover as he attempted a non-existent single and watched as his partner didn’t respond, then Swann picked a deserved second scalp when he beat James Hildreth in the flight and accepted a return catch.Nottinghamshire were suddenly buoyant, but Somerset had plenty more power to come as Buttler demonstrated in thrilling style yet in without Pollard’s leaping intervention it could have all come to nothing.

أعلن نادي باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي تشكيل الفريق الكروي لمواجهة يوفنتوس الإيطالي في دوري أبطال أوروبا مساء اليوم الأربعاء.

ويحل باريس سان جيرمان ضيفًا على يوفنتوس بالجولة السادسة والأخيرة لدور المجموعات في دوري الأبطال.

طالع.. مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة يوفنتوس وباريس سان جيرمان في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. إعلان التشكيلين تشكيل باريس سان جيرمان ضد يوفنتوس

حراسة المرمى: دوناروما

خط الدفاع: حكيمي، راموس، ماركينيوس، بيرنات.

خط الوسط: فيتينها، فيراتي، فابيان رويز.

خط الهجوم: ميسي، مبابي، سولير. 

Tottenham are thought to be preparing a summer swoop for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Osimhen profiled

Osimhen is 23 years of age and has been a Napoli player for 18 months following a £67.5m move from Lille.

The Nigerian has scored 19 times in 46 appearances for his current employers and is under contract until 2025.

Also capable of playing on either wing, Osimhen is currently rated at £54m by Transfermarkt, the highest of his career, and it seems as if Tottenham are big admirers.

The Latest: Approach already made

According to Football Insider, who were informed by recruitment sources, Spurs made an approach for Osimhen last month but were knocked back by the Serie A side.

However, the report adds that Spurs chief Fabio Paratici is planning to swoop for the forward once again in the summer with an A-list striker on Spurs’ wishlist.

Antonio Conte wants competition for Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min, with Osimhen valued by his club at a whopping £70m.

The Verdict: A gamble…

Spurs have seen in the past that big-money moves for players abroad don’t always work out, with Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso examples after sealing late loan exits last month.

On that basis, paying a club-record fee for Osimhen could be a gamble, especially with Napoli requesting more than his current market value.

He has no experience of English football and has played just five games in the Champions League.

Conte wants a centre-forward, but perhaps it would make sense to look at cheaper alternatives, especially if Kane remains a Spurs player beyond the summer window.

In other news: ‘Understand…’ – Alasdair Gold drops fresh claim with ‘more’ Tottenham exit news. 

Everton will travel to the North East to face Newcastle United tonight in their first Premier League game under the guidance of new manager Frank Lampard, and he will be hoping he can emulate the energy and success from the FA Cup clash at the weekend.

The former Derby County manager made an outstanding first impression at Goodison Park as he led his team to their highest-scoring win of the season against Brentford, progressing into the last 16 of the domestic competition, which would have been a huge boost for fans who returned to the stands for the first time since they protested against the owners.

One player who didn’t start but made a great impact was Andros Townsend, with the 30-year-old scoring the fourth goal to seal the 4-1 victory in the last few minutes of the game.

Townsend is having an outstanding season for Everton compared to some of his peers, and when you consider that he was a free transfer for the Toffees, his impact and output has been worth its weight in gold during a season full of injury issues and poor form.

The right winger has managed 27 appearances, seven goals and three assists for the side this term, making him the Toffees’ top goal-scorer in 2021/22.

On top of that, he offers unrivalled experience in the challenges ahead of Everton, which is something Lampard must not overlook when making his team selection against the Magpies.

Everton have found themselves teetering on the edge of a relegation battle just four points off the drop zone currently in 16th, and this kind of must-win football in a scramble for points to climb back into safety is something Townsend is all too familiar with.

The £48k-per-week gem who was hailed “absolutely tireless” by football podcaster, Dan Cook, could be considered an expert in the challenge that lies ahead for the Merseyside outfit, as he played for tonight’s opponents in their bottom of the table battle in 2016, that saw Newcastle relegated, and then joined Crystal Palace for five years, who have had their fair share of relegation fights too.

Although Anthony Gordon has been in flying form, with four goal involvements in his last six outings, Lampard could think more outside of the box on the best way to tackle Eddie Howe’s Tyneside team this evening.

That’s by adding the experience and work rate of Townsend in the forward line over the youngster, unleashing the potential difference needed to secure the three points at St James’ Park.

In other news: Lampard reveals that Calvert-Lewin is available to return

أعلن الأرجنتيني رامون دياز عن تشكيل الهلال السعودي الرسمي لمواجهة الطائي مساء اليوم السبت 15 أكتوبر 2022، في إطار الجولة الثامنة من دوري روشن السعودي.

ويدخل أزرق العاصمة السعودية اللقاء على ملعب الأمير عبد العزيز بن مساعد في مدينة حائل السعودية منقوصا من خدمات الثنائي سالم الدوسري وسلمان الفرج للإصابة، كما يتواصل غياب متعب الفرج ولوسيانو فييتو وياسر الشهراني، بينما يعود لقائمة الفريق الأزرق لاعب الوسط ماثيوس بيريرا.

اقرأ أيضًا | الهلال يفقد لاعبيه أمام الطائي في الدوري السعودي

ويفتقد الطائي لخدمات الفنزويلي أدريان مارتينيز ومتوسط الميدان البرازيلي دينر غوميز كليمنت بسبب الإصابة، بجانب فقدان عبد العزيز الحربي للايقاف.

ويتواجد الهلال في المركز الخامس في ترتيب الدوري السعودي برصيد 14 نقطة، وفشل في تحقيق الفوز في آخر 3 مواجهات، حيث خسر 2-1 أمام التعاون وتعادل سلبيًا أمام الاتفاق وبنتيجة 1-1 أمام الشباب.

من جانبه، فإن الطائي يحتل المركز الرابع برصيد 15 نقطة، بفارق 4 نقاط عن الشباب المتصدر، ونقطة وحيدة عن النصر الوصيف. تشكيل الهلال الرسمي أمام الطائي

حراسة المرمى: عبدالله المعيوف.

خط الدفاع: سعود عبد الحميد ــ جانغ هيون سو ــ علي البليهي ــ ناصر الدوسري.

خط الوسط: جوستافو كويلار ــ مصعب الجوير ــ أندريه كاريلو.

خط الهجوم: أوديون إيجالو ــ موسى ماريجا ــ ميشيل ديلجادو.

Celtic’s pursuit of a permanent deal for Jota could be ‘close to reaching completion’, according to The Daily Record. 

The lowdown: Busy Hoops

Celtic have had a busy January transfer window so far, with four deals already completed.

Reo Hatate, Yosuke Ideguchi and Daizen Maeda have all arrived from the J1 League, while Johnny Kenny has joined from Irish outfit Sligo Rovers.

The Hoops are also lining up another new face in the form of Charlotte FC midfielder Riley McGree.

And on top of that, they’re hoping to turn summer loan deals for Jota (who belongs to SL Benfica) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (a Tottenham Hotspur player) into permanent moves.

The latest

The Record’s Craig Swan and Michael Gannon write that the club have been in talks with Benfica over a ‘long-term agreement’.

And those discussions ‘have progressed well’, with Jota now described as being on the ‘brink’ of becoming a Celtic player.

It’s thought that he will cost them around £6million, potentially ranking the deal as one of the ten biggest in their history.

The verdict

You could make the argument that tying down Jota would be Celtic’s most important piece of January business so far.

The 22-year-old has proven that he can light up Scottish football, scoring five goals and providing four assists in his first 11 Premiership appearances.

Jota has also shone on the continental stage with four direct goal contributions in his five Europa League group stage outings.

Overall, only Kyogo Furuhashi (15) can boast more goal involvements, and he’s played four more games.

Jota may only get better in the coming years too, and so there’s also significant resale potential here if he keeps playing at the level he has this term.

Ange Postecoglou certainly can’t complain about a lack of backing midway through the season, with the McGree (£2.3million) and Jota deals set to take their January spend to roughly £10.5million.

In other news, Celtic are willing to sell a fan favourite on the cheap.

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left buzzing over the assist that Joe Aribo picked up for Nigeria in their 1-0 over Egypt at the African Cup of Nations.

As per footage shared by the official Twitter page of the Ibrox faithful, Aribo cushioned a header into the path of Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho, who then thumped the ball into the top corner of the net to give the Super Eagles the win in their opening AFCON group game.

The 25-year-old was impressive throughout the match, winning all four of his duels, while he also recorded a successful dribble, clearance, two tackles and two key passes in total (SofaScore).

Journalists hailed his display as ‘absolutely outstanding’ and even called him the ‘best player on the pitch’, while his national side’s fans were busy comparing him to the legendary Edgar Davids.

Aribo has been linked with a move to Aston Villa in the January transfer window, and while performances like these showcase what he can do, some Light Blues supporters may now be worried that a bid could be put in from the English Premier League team, of course managed by former boss Steven Gerrard.

Rangers fans on Aribo assist

These Teddy Bears buzzed as the assist was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to call Aribo a ‘king’:

“Yessssss Joe!!!!”

Credit: @speedy430

“GOAT”

Credit: @SpecksRSC2

“He’s the best in the world his name is Ariboooooo”

Credit: @kyleewen14

“Unbelievable player, going be to tough to keep hold of him”

Credit: @pendy_c

“Get the new contract sorted! Give him whatever he wants.”

Credit: @FacelessRanger

“The king”

Credit: @TroyTh3Gardener

In other news, find out which Ger has now been backed to leave this month here!

Australia’s bowlers vindicated Ricky Ponting’s bold first-innings declaration with a disciplined, aggressive display on the second day at the MCG

The Bulletin by Alex Brown27-Dec-2009Pakistan 4 for 109 (Butt 45) trail Australia 5 for 454 dec (Katich 98, Watson 93, Hussey 82, Hauritz 75, Ponting 57) by 345 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMitchell Johnson removes Imran Farhat lbw as Australia ran into Pakistan on the second afternoon•Getty ImagesAustralia’s bowlers vindicated Ricky Ponting’s bold first innings declaration with a disciplined and aggressive display on the second day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Shane Watson and Nathan Hauritz followed their enterprising half-centuries with a top-order wicket apiece, but the major blow was landed by Peter Siddle on the stroke of stumps when Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan captain, was ruled by Billy Doctrove not to have edged to Brad Haddin, only to have the decision overturned by the video umpire.Asoka de Silva’s ruling left the Pakistanis reeling at 4 for 109 in pursuit of Australia’s 5 (dec) for 454. Hot Spot and slow motion replays supported de Silva’s assertion that Yousuf gloved the ball down the leg-side in a flinching motion, but the knowledge will come as little comfort to the tourists, who are now faced with a mountainous climb to remain competitive in the match.Ponting demonstrated Australia’s ruthless intent by delcaring less than an hour after the lunch break on Sunday, having watched each of his first five batsmen, the nightwatchman included, notch half centuries. Mitchell Johnson was first to back-up his captain’s endeavour by trapping Imran Farhat lbw to a tailing delivery, while Watson, Hauritz and Peter Siddle swung into action in the final session to leave the tourists in a grim fight for survival.Hauritz, contending with a groin injury that hampered him throughout his 152-ball stay at the crease, coaxed Faisal Iqbal into a cut-shot that was accepted by Michael Clarke at slip. Watson then pressed home Australia’s advantage with an excellent spell of reverse swing bowling that accounted for Salman Butt (45) and severely tested the defences of Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Akmal.Much of the pent-up frustration of the previous day’s run-out was released when, from the beginning of his spell, Watson hooped the old ball both ways. His set-up of Butt was one to make Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, Pakistan’s pioneers of reverse swing, proud – a succession of away-swingers followed by one which attacked the pads and survived a video appeal.Doug Bollinger ensured there was no respite for Pakistan’s batsmen, attacking the stumps consistently and conceding runs at less than two-per-over. But the final indignity for the tourists was inflicted by Siddle, whose removal of Yousuf eroded any optimism Pakistan had mustered on the second day. Yousuf looked the most assured of Pakistan’s batsmen, opening his account with a straight six off Hauritz and battening down thereafter, but his dismissal left only the brothers Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq standing between Australia and the tail.Earlier, Michael Hussey (82) and Hauritz (75) took Australia’s unconverted century tally to an unflattering 20 for the summer, but not before they had propelled the hosts into a position of dominance. Like Watson, Simon Katich and Ponting before him, Hussey appeared in superb touch on a flattening MCG surface. Strong on the cut shot and off his pads, the veteran left-hander provided further reason to believe the worst of his extended form trough was behind him as he registered his 19th Test half-century with a degree of fluency and poise all but absent in his batting for much of 2009.But with a ton in sight, Hussey fell victim to the impressive Saeed Ajmal, who posed a constant threat to the Australians with deft changes of pace, flight and turn. Ajmal rapped Hussey on the pads while attempting to sweep and was awarded a well-deserved wicket by Doctrove – one upheld by the video umpire on appeal.Ajmal might well have had Hauritz, the nightwatchman, dismissed earlier in the morning with a direct-hit run-out. Replays showed the ball striking the stumps with Hauritz short of his ground, however they could not prove definitively whether the bail was entirely out of the groove. Hauritz advanced his total to a career-best 75 with a series of strokes more befitting the Twenty20 arena before eventually falling victim to Abdur Rauf via the video. He was ruled lbw by de Silva after being initially spared by Rudi Koertzen, the on-field official.Of some concern to the Australian camp was Hauritz’s grimacing reaction to a quick single taken late in the first session. A groin injury almost ruled him out of this Test – Steven Smith, the New South Wales legspinner, was called in as cover – however his introduction into the attack after just nine overs of the Pakistan innings allayed concerns.The early use of Hauritz, coupled with the surprise declaration, were the latest in a series of aggressive captaincy moves from the reputedly conservative Ponting. An early closure and a rare enforcement of the follow-on in Brisbane last month set the tone for the summer, and the Australian captain maintained course in the first innings at the MCG with his pursuit of Pakistan.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a surprise move for Andreas Christensen this week…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Star, the north Londoners have joined Manchester City and Manchester United in the race to secure the 25-year-old on a free transfer in the summer.

The 54-cap Denmark international is yet to sign a new deal at Stamford Bridge, meaning he is currently expected to become a free-agent at the end of the current campaign.

As a result, several Premier League teams have been put on high alert, including Spurs, where manager Antonio Conte is seeking defensive reinforcements.

Christensen is currently valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt.

Bargain raid

The defender dubbed the ‘Danish [Paolo] Maldini’ would be quite the coup for the Lilywhites, particularly snatching him from their rival’s grasp.

Of course, he is also a player that Conte knows well having managed him during his time at Stamford Bridge. Christensen played 40 times under the Italian, who also once backed him to become a leader for the club.

“Christensen is having a fantastic season and showing great maturity. For me, apart from the mistake, his performance was great, was wonderful,” he said (via the Evening Standard).

“I have a lot of trust in Christensen. This player is a player for the present for Chelsea, and for Chelsea’s future for 10 or 12 years. He can also become the captain of this team in the future.”

Indeed, the Danish star has emerged as a solid option for Spurs’ arch-rivals in recent times, starting ten of his 11 appearances in the Premier League this term, which comes off the back of 27 appearances last season, including 51 minutes in their Champions League triumph against City.

Christensen played the entire match during the clash between the two sides back in September, where he proved to be a massive nightmare for a front two of Heung-min Son and Harry Kane.

Nuno Santo’s side were thrashed 3-0 with is strike duo managing only two shots on target between them all game. SofaScore also grade the pair at 6.5 or lower – the two lowest of any starter. Son lost 75% of his duels and Kane was dominated in the air, winning just two of six aerial duels.

The Chelsea defender won 80% of his duels, earned a 7.5 rating and registered three interceptions (second-most in the game).

In the past, he has been dubbed a “really special talent” and “colossal” by TalkChelsea’s Simon Phillips, so that only goes to show how important he has been for the west Londoners and Denmark in recent times.

On the above evidence, sporting director Fabio Paratici could land Spurs an absolute bargain and quite the coup, should he win the race to seal Christensen’s signature.

Whether they truly stand a chance remains to be seen.

AND in other news, Paratici must brutally axe “terrible” £19.8m-rated Spurs flop, he’s cost £8m per goal…

Wicketkeeper Lee Goddard will return to Derbyshire next season after a gap of three years as a replacement for James Pipe, who is retiring to take up the position as the club’s physiotherapist.Goddard began his first-class career at Derbyshire in 2004 before moving to Durham in 2007. His first-team opportunities were limited at The Riverside, with the presence of Phil Mustard, and he played just one first-class and three one-day games for the county.During his previous stint at Derbyshire, Goddard made a career-best 91 against Surrey and also set a record for the largest total against Derbyshire without conceding a bye when he kept a clean sheet against Essex as they scored 580.”It’s a pleasure to be back at Derbyshire and I am already looking forward to the new season,” Goddard said. “Three years at Durham have been a good experience for me and I believe that I am returning to the County Ground a better player that when I left.”Derbyshire’s head of cricket, John Morris, said: “It is great to have another young cricketer coming in to join us as we look to continue our progression in 2010. Furthermore, Lee has joined us having spent time at a successful club, Durham, and I hope that he will bring some of that winning mentality to Derbyshire.”