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Big Picture

By coming so close in game two, Pakistan should have a spring in their step but England’s 12-run victory was also a resolve-bolstering exercise for the home team. Jos Buttler’s stunning 50-ball century was the decisive factor but the fact that four of England’s five batsmen passed 50 combined with their bowlers’ ability to to hold their nerve in the tense closing stages all point to why they are the No. 1 one-day side in the world. Jason Roy made a healthy return from injury and, having punched through some rustiness, should be better for it.Fakhar Zaman’s 138 off 106 balls very nearly handed his team an unlikely victory in what would have been their highest successful run chase and he was well backed up by Babar Azam and Asif Ali, either of whom could have finished the job had they managed to convert their half-centuries. It was Pakistan’s bowling which was of concern, however, with Yasir Shah proving impossibly expensive and likely to pay the price with his omission. His counterparts will be feeling the pressure too, with none able to make significant inroads on England’s formidable batting line-up.Both teams are expected to ring in the changes, with final World Cup selections unashamedly the priority here, trialing individuals and testing combinations the order of the day. Most notably, Joe Denly is set to play in place of the resting Adil Rashid, making this match an audition of sorts for Denly to prove his worth as a back-up leg-spin option. Pakistan will be forced into one change of plan after the viral illness which kept Mohammad Amir out of the match in Southampton now thought to be chicken pox, scuppering any hopes they had of bringing him back.Buttler could well be rested after his jaw-dropping display at the Ageas Bowl, while Adil and Jofra Archer did not travel to Bristol after being given some time off, perhaps suggesting that Archer has done enough already to secure his spot. That gives a number of fringe players – namely James Vince, Denly and any number of England’s fast bowlers another chance to really shout: “Pick me, pick me!”

Form guide

England WWLWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLLL

In the spotlight

As England’s white-ball attack leader during their rise to No.1, Chris Woakes has appeared to be exempt from the pressures swirling around the bowling attack as the selectors look to finalise their World Cup plans. And yet, in the wake of a bout of knee tendinitis, his form since he returned to action during the tour of the Caribbean has been solid but unspectacular. He claimed 2 for 59 in the first ODI against West Indies but his only multiple-wicket haul since then was his 3 for 47 against Yorkshire in the Royal London Cup. David Willey made a timely case at the Ageas Bowl, bowling an excellent spell at the death when Pakistan really pumped up the pressure, and Woakes could do well to find a similarly notable performance to ensure the focus doesn’t fall unkindly on him in the final reckoning.Asif Ali thrust himself into the spotlight during the last game, which was no small feat in the considerable afterglow of Buttler’s fireworks. Asif’s 36-ball 51, including four sixes, was his highest score in nine ODI innings and pivotal in pushing Pakistan so close following the dismissal of Fakhar. It also drew attention to his quality as a power-hitter which, in the context of his World Cup squad omission, is striking. Coach Mickey Arthur made it clear after his latest knock that Asif was very much in the frame for a late call-up, should this sort of form continue.

Team news

England appear set to rest new father Buttler after his star turn on Saturday, with Jonny Bairstow training behind the stumps on Monday. That opens the door for Vince to bat again, having re-joined the England squad immediately after helping Hampshire into the Royal London Cup final with an innings of 79 off 86 balls. The selectors will take another look at Denly as he continues to try to justify his provisional World Cup spot, coming into the side as a legspinning replacement for Adil. Tom Curran will have an outing in place of Willey. Mark Wood, who has bowled a lot of overs in training but none in a competitive environment since March, is still being kept on ice for this game.England: (possible) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan, 5 James Vince, 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Joe Denly, 8 Moeen Ali, 9 Tom Curran, 10 Chris Woakes, 11 Liam Plunkett.Pakistan stand to make some changes too, largely motivated by a desire to test their bowling options, with Amir’s absence a given for this match. Yasir Shah, who struggled to find his rhythm in the last match, will almost certainly make way for Junaid Khan, and Mohamad Hasnain could come in, possibly at the expense of Shaheen Afridi.Pakistan: 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Asif Ali, 5 Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt/wk), 6 Haris Sohail, 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Shaheen Afridi / Mohammad Hasnain, 11 Junaid Khan.

Pitch and conditions

The Bristol County Ground pitch is looking good with short, straight boundaries. The weather looks good too, as it is expected to be only partly cloudy with temperatures of 19 degrees forecast.

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan return to Bristol County Ground for just the second time, almost exactly 20 years to the day since their first appearance, a 27-run win against West Indies at the 1999 World Cup.
• Eoin Morgan is set to pass Paul Collingwood as England’s most-capped player in ODIs, moving to 198.
• Only around 8,000 tickets have so far been sold for this contest, out of an 11,000 capacity, but the authorities hope that good weather will encourage some walk-up sales on the day.

Quotes

“All the world knows Pakistan is unpredictable. People are scared of the Pakistan team.”.”

“He’s as good as it gets. It’s not a shock, it’s getting a bit routine for him to play those innings. It’s demoralising the guys at the top of the order who go at a run a ball.”

Ben Stokes benefitted from a huge slice of good fortune – as well as a recent rewrite of the Laws of Cricket – as his counterattacking half-century on the opening day of the St Lucia Test was allowed to continue after he had left the field of play following his apparent dismissal by Alzarri Joseph.Stokes, on 52 at the time, had left the field aghast in the 70th over after pulling a short ball from Joseph straight back to the bowler, who checked himself well in his followthrough to cling onto a fast-travelling chance.However, replays on the big screen soon alerted both the crowd and the umpires to the possibility that Joseph had overstepped.That in itself is nothing new – this was, according to Sky Sports, the 18th dismissal that West Indies alone had had a wicket overturned due to a no-ball since January 2017.Unusally, however, Stokes had already crossed the boundary rope and climbed the steps into the pavilion. He had been replaced on the field by England’s No. 7 Jonny Bairstow when the onfield umpire, Rod Tucker signalled the no-ball, following confirmation from Chris Gaffaney in the third umpire’s chair.Until recently, Stokes’ departure from the field of play would have signalled the end of the matter. However, he was the beneficiary of MCC’s decision, in April 2017, to define Law 31.7, which governs the status of batsmen “leaving the wicket under a misapprehension”.The new code, which came into force in October 2017, includes an additional clause to reflect the ubiquity of televised replays in major matches.The law now reads: “An umpire shall intervene if satisfied that a batsman, not having been given out, has left the wicket under a misapprehension of being out. The umpire intervening shall call and signal Dead ball to prevent any further action by the fielding side and shall recall the batsman.”A batsman may be recalled at any time up to the instant when the ball comes into play for the next delivery, unless it is the final wicket of the innings, in which case it should be up to the instant when the umpires leave the field.”Stokes finished the day on 62 not out, as he and his fifth-wicket partner, Jos Buttler, batted through to the close without further alarm in their stand of 124.”Thank God for technology,” said Stokes at the close of play. “‘It’s a first for me and it’s probably something they need to get control of. In international cricket you shouldn’t be walking off, getting into the changing rooms, and then back out there two minutes later.”It’s a good job I didn’t take my pants off. It was just a bizarre bit of cricket all round.”I tried to get myself back in that same frame of mind I was when me and Jos were going well out there,” he added. “There was a lot of cheering going on so I had to blank that out and start again.”

After sealing new and improved terms for star left-back Destiny Udogie, Tottenham are now rumoured to be preparing another "huge" new contract offer.

Spurs confirm Udogie deal

Earlier this week, in some good news for manager Ange Postecoglou, the north Londoners moved to secure Udogie and tie him down till 2030. Spurs confirmed a new deal for their star left-back on Tuesday, with the former Udinese starlet putting pen to paper on a seven-year extension.

Spurs hold "open" agent talks to sign "untouchable" player for bargain fee

He’s a star for his country.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 14, 2023

Udogie's been nothing short of a revelation this season, making 14 league appearances under Postecoglou who now appears to view the 21-year-old as a key player. He would've featured even more if not for an ankle injury and suspension earlier in the campaign, and Spurs' head coach is absolutely thrilled that the Italy international has committed to the club long-term.

"Really pleased with Destiny signing obviously," said Postecoglou on Udogie's new contract.

"This is the first phase of us trying to build something and the core of the group is fairly young and new to the Premier League. Destiny committing to us is an endorsement of what he sees as a good place for his future. It's his first year in the Premier League, he's adapting to a new role.

"He understands that, he's a willing worker in trying to improve himself but he's also made an impact, which is the big thing for us. Great to have him commit to the club long-term. It's something we want to continue to build on and hopefully keep the core of this group together for the coming years to build something special."

Following Spurs' big boost with Udogie's commitment, there are now reports that the Lilywhites aren't done there, as Postecoglou, chairman Daniel Levy and sporting director Johan Lange look to build a winning culture for the future.

Spurs preparing "huge" Son new contract offer

According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O'Rourke, star forward and club captain and Son Heung-min is next in line to be rewarded for his fine form.

The South Korea international has thrived both centrally and out wide under Postecoglou this season. He's scarcely recognisable from his damp 2022/2023 campaign, with Son's latest performance against Newcastle highlighting his true importance to the Spurs cause.

Now, as per O'Rourke, Tottenham are preparing a "huge" new contract for Son and the player himself is keen to commit the rest of his career to the club. Postecoglou's side would initially trigger the one-year extension clause in his contract, but it's believed they're ready to open talks over a brand new deal thereafter.

The 31-year-old's current terms run till 2025, and Spurs are very eager to make sure he stays beyond that point. Son is crucial to Tottenham beyond just his quality, as Postecoglou recently emphasised him embracing the new leadership role as captain.

Scoring frequency – every 134 minutes

Shots per game – 2.4

Shots on target per game – 1.3

Big chances missed – 2

Left foot goals – 3

Right foot goals – 7

"He’s taken over a leadership role within the group, and he’s taken to that really well," said Postecoglou on Son.

"He's embraced the extra responsibility, both in and around the culture here but also during games when we’ve needed him to step up."

UAE’s players criticised inadequate ground facilities at the Southend Stadium in Karachi, after a brief spell of rain wiped out their chances of a semi-final spot

Umar Farooq10-Dec-2018UAE’s players, participating in the Emerging Teams Cup, have criticised ground facilities in Karachi, after a rain-enforced exit wiped out their hopes of a semi-final spot. The players took to Twitter to express their frustration after the abandoned match against Hong Kong on Sunday, but the tweets were later deleted and the team management refused to comment.UAE had restricted Hong Kong to 87 for 4 in 31 overs at the Southend Stadium in Karachi, before a spell of rain that lasted for about half an hour interrupted play. However, the venue had inadequate tarpaulin covers to protect the pitch, and water leaked on to the square. Despite several hours of using sponges, the groundstaff failed to dry the pitch. As a result, the match was abandoned, with both teams sharing a point. Officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board, in charge of international and domestic operations, were also present at the ground. The Southend Stadium in Karachi has hosted one Test, in 1993, but doesn’t currently hold first-class status and is largely used for recreational cricket, warm-up matches or women’s games.A win would have boosted UAE’s chances of a semi-final spot. As it turned out, however, Bangladesh beat Pakistan to leapfrog UAE and qualified for the semi-finals, along with the hosts. UAE had beaten Bangladesh by 97 runs before losing to Pakistan by nine wickets, in their earlier league matches.UAE captain Rohan Mustafa was direct in his criticism, tweeting “Might the organiser don’t know the pain of when you get out of the tournament like that .. i am really sorry to say but we are out because of poor facility at the ground”Left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza, who had bowled seven economical overs before play was called off wrote: “We @EmiratesCricket sat in the Sun for more than 4 hours waiting for the pitch to get dry because of the club level covers at the so called “Test” venue @therealPCB. 20 mins of rain ruined our chances of going through to the semi final #unfair #noreserveday #poorfacility”UAE middle-order batsman, Rameez Shahzad, who was born in Lahore, also wrote on Twitter: “Never mind the security but there are more reasons to why international cricket has overlooked this part of the world when it comes to international cricket .. @ICC @icc_assoicates such a shame honestly #embarassing the way @therealPCB have dealt with it.”UAE coach Dougie Brown described the day was frustrating.”It is incredibly frustrating and we are all pretty flat at the moment,” Brown told . “It was a flat wicket and we had bowled magnificently. We were in a fantastic position, then it rained heavily for half an hour. When they took the covers off, the water had leaked all over the square. It was incredibly disappointing.”To know the whole outcome of this, having played really good cricket to beat Bangladesh convincingly a few days ago, beating them by [nearly] 100 runs, and had chances against Pakistan, is frustrating. The most annoying thing is we spent the whole day watching the pitch drying in magnificent sunshine.”Pakistan hosted all Group B matches of the Emerging Players Cup, which featured the home side, Bangladesh, UAE and Hong Kong. The Group A matches – featuring India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Oman – are being played in Colombo, which will also host the semi-finals on December 13 and the final on December 15.

The brevity of success in football is a puzzle that all teams are aware of, notably Liverpool, with efforts made year after year to effectively equip for the season during the summer, and then instil a philosophy fit for illustrious success across the campaign.

The Reds' seasonal demise last year punctuated this point, with Jurgen Klopp's dynasty teetering on the cusp of its culmination as dreadful form and a loss of life unravelled the years of hard work at Anfield.

There's optimism anew now and the Reds are back fighting for a place at the forefront of the Premier League, with Saturday's fixture of the utmost importance: a clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

For Pep Guardiola's side, silverware certainly hasn't been in short supply over recent years, with Manchester City winning 14 major honours in just seven seasons since the sagacious Spaniard's appointment; Klopp has won six major honours on Merseyside.

On Saturday, Liverpool have a glorious opportunity to leapfrog their rivals to first place by defeating them in their own backyard, with the stakes high in one of the global game's most compelling and eagerly-anticipated fixtures.

Liverpool team news vs Manchester City

Liverpool are boosted by the return of multiple first-team stars, with the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle allaying fears of respective issues and additionally revealing that the South American players are fit and raring to go for the trip to Manchester.

Andy Robertson is taking his recovery from a shoulder injury "week by week", with the Scotland captain not expected to return to match action for the foreseeable future.

Likewise, Spanish midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcantara remain out and may well be shackled to the medical room until after the new year.

It is galvanising that so many players are in contention to start against the Sky Blues, but nothing surpasses the importance of having Virgil van Dijk in top form to stifle the threat of one of the greatest offensive squads in modern history.

Virgil van Dijk's season in numbers

The Athletic's James Pearce recently remarked that the Dutchman is "back to his brilliant best", having flattered to deceive as Liverpool toiled last year.

Liverpool signed Van Dijk from Southampton for a staggering £75m back in December 2017, with the 32-year-old since making 233 appearances for the club, scoring 19 goals, supplying 14 assists and winning the whole gamut of silverware under Klopp's wing.

Statistics (per game)

#

Apps

10

Goals

0

Assists

2

Clean sheets

3

Pass completion

92%

Key passes

0.6

Tackles

1.3

Interceptions

1.4

Ball recoveries

4.7

Clearances

5.3

Ground duels won

1.5 (75%)

Aerial duels won

5.1 (82%)

*Sourced via WhoScored

The club captain will be crucial in preventing the hosts from gaining a foothold, and the best way to do this is to negate the threat of Erling Haaland, who is a seemingly indomitable force in front of goal.

Erling Haaland's season in numbers

Some would argue that Haaland, aged 23, deserved to win the Ballon d'Or over Lionel Messi this year, having plundered 52 goals and nine assists from just 53 matches as his remarkable side soared toward an incredible treble.

This season, he has been as imperious as ever and has already scored 17 times from just 18 matches across all competitions – including 13 strikes from 12 matches in the Premier League.

As per FBref, the Norwegian machine ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 10% for assists and the top 11% for touches in the attacking box per 90, which is rather remarkable considering the amount of football that he has played.

Dubbed a "generational talent" by pundit Rory Smith, Haaland has been the ultimate centre-forward under Guardiola's guidance, an arrowhead with sharpness unseen on English soil, finishing off City's slick passing play with the deadliest of final touches.

Interestingly, he doesn't have a very good record against Liverpool, scoring twice from five matches but losing on four occasions, with his only victory coming in the Carabao Cup fourth round last December, where he scored as his side progressed.

Guardiola is a master strategist and he will know that to maximise his talisman's efficacy he must be channelled away from Van Dijk, whose masterful blend of qualities makes for a pretty good chance of diminishing the threat

As such, it's likely that he will be angled toward the other side of the central defence, and because of this, Joe Gomez must receive the nod ahead of Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate.

How Joe Gomez can stop Haaland tomorrow

Having been branded a "footballing nightmare" by journalist Uri Levy last season – very much at the epicentre of Liverpool's struggles – the £85k-per-week Gomez has been enjoying an almighty revival since the summer.

Frankly, bullying the £375k-per-week goalscoring monster into submission is not going to be an easy task, but the 26-year-old has been noted for his "brilliant" renaissance this term by the likes of reporter Neil Jones – an apt remark.

The dynamic defender ranks among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 13% for tackles, the top 17% for interceptions and the top 1% for shot-creating actions per 90.

The final metric there is less important when discussing how he can disrupt Haaland's goal-grabbing flow, but it is indicative of his playmaking ability and ease in progressing the play, keeping it away from the danger area.

Gomez also found success in the Premier League last season against Haaland, with his performance against the 6 foot 3 force at Anfield last season more than catching the eye.

With a struggling Liverpool emerging 1-0 victors, Gomez's defensive display was imperative, not dribbled past once and winning possession ten times, negating Haaland's attacking weapons considerably.

They say that lightning doesn't strike twice, but the Englishman will feel that he can subdue Haaland alongside an in-form Van Dijk, offering pace, precision and composure to produce a statement victory for the Reds.

Glasgow Rangers boosted their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the Europa League as they secured a 2-1 win over Sparta Prague at Ibrox on Thursday evening.

The win gave Philippe Clement his fifth win across his opening six matches in charge, and it appears as though he is slowly but surely building the confidence back up at the club.

The Gers currently sit second in the group, just a point behind Real Betis, yet with a home tie against Aris Limassol to come at the end of the month, Clement will be hopeful that another three points can be secured.

Despite the win and an overall solid performance, there were a few underperformers during the tie, with Sam Lammers being one.

Sam Lammers’ game vs Sparta Prague in numbers

The Dutchman was once again deployed behind main striker Danilo in the number ten role, and he was looked upon to be one of the main creative outlets for the side against Sparta.

The 26-year-old largely allowed the game to bypass him, however, as he failed to generate any meaningful attacking contributions, while he also managed to take just 39 touches, two fewer than Jack Butland in goal.

Lammers completed just 77% of his attempted passes while he also failed to have a shot on target during the tie and lost possession nine times throughout, proving to be lackadaisical with the ball at his feet.

Thankfully, the Light Blues managed to win the match, yet Lammers wasn’t at the races and this is fast becoming a regular theme since he moved to the club in the summer.

Sam Lammers’ season in numbers

The forward cost £3m from Serie A side Atalanta, yet he has failed to deliver performances of that type of quality.

Indeed, he has played 22 matches for the Gers since the start of the current season yet managed to find the back of the net on just two occasions, a poor record considering the financial outlay required to sign him.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt player currently ranks fourth across the squad for big chances missed in the Premiership this term (four) while also ranking in a lowly tenth for big chances created (one) and 20th for key passes per game (0.5), hardly the statistics of a £3m signing.

It is now clear that Clement must move Todd Cantwell back into the number ten position and give someone like Ross McCausland the opportunity to shine on the right wing, as it isn’t working out for Lammers.

His signing proves that Michael Beale failed to really improve the side during the summer transfer window, despite undergoing a major rebuild of the senior squad.

Clement may be able to get a tune out of him, yet for the current moment in time, a shake-up is drastically needed, and the Belgian must ditch him in order for his team to grow.

The Light Blues face Livingston this weekend and all three points would be the perfect end to a wonderful seven days, no doubt about it.

Newcastle United have walked away from a deal to sign an exciting new defender, with a fresh report detailing the reason why he’s no longer wanted in the Premier League.

Where are Newcastle in the table?

In the top-flight this season, Eddie Howe’s side have won four, lost three and drawn one of their opening eight fixtures, meaning that they find themselves eighth in the table, and here is how all of those matches have played out so far:

Wins	Draws	Defeats
Aston Villa (5-1)	West Ham (2-2)	Manchester City (1-0)
Brentford (1-0)		Liverpool (2-1)
Sheffield United (8-0)		Brighton (3-1)
Burnley (2-0)

The Magpies also haven’t had it easy considering that several players are currently missing through injury, including the likes of Joelinton, Joe Willock and Sven Botman, and with the latter’s absence highlighting the lack of options at centre-back, that’s an area that the hierarchy are looking to address in January.

Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio has been a long-term target for the club, with Liverpool and Manchester United also credited with an interest, as per the same outlet, but should any of his three potential suitors decide to pursue a deal, it won't come cheap.

The Portugal international still has another four years remaining on his deal which has a £52m release clause included (Sporting CP contracts), so Ruben Amorim’s side are in a very strong negotiating position, and that’s apparently one of the reasons why the 22-year-old has been removed from the radar in the northeast.

Goncalo Inacio transfer update

According to Portuguese outlet Radio Renascenca, sharing a transfer update on Goncalo Inacio (via Sport Witness), Newcastle have “edged away” from a move for the colossus in January.

Magpies chiefs believe that their former target has “no evolution”, and therefore, they “refuse to go crazy” over a player that they are not impressed by.

In addition, St. James’ Park chiefs think Sporting’s prized asset is too expensive with the above figure it would take to reach an agreement, so it would appear that this is a deal that is definitely off the cards.

How good is Goncalo Inacio?

Standing at 6 foot 1, Inacio is currently averaging 2.4 clearances and 1.6 aerial wins per game in Liga Portugal (WhoScored – Inacio statistics). He provides a real physical presence at the heart of Sporting’s backline, and it may have been a mistake for Newcastle to end their pursuit.

The Almada native, who is naturally left-footed, is also capable of contributing to efforts at the opposite end of the pitch having posted 19 involvements, 11 goals and eight assists, in 132 senior appearances in his homeland (Transfermarkt – Inacio statistics).

Furthermore, Inacio, who has been dubbed a “leader” by BBC writer Premier League Panel, knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured four trophies during his time at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, so he would be able to match the winning mentality of the squad who are already in NE1.

Bruno Fernandes sent a touching message to Kobbie Mainoo after his Manchester United team-mate earned his first senior England call-up.

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Mainoo called up by Gareth SouthgateRewarded for consistency with Man UtdFernandes glad team-mate earned international call-upGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Mainoo's inclusion in Gareth Southgate's squad for the upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium has been met with widespread excitement among England fans, particularly in anticipation of Euro 2024. Despite initial disappointment when he was omitted from the squad, Southgate's change of heart reflects Mainoo's impressive performances, especially in United's recent triumph over Liverpool in the FA Cup.

AdvertisementWHAT FERNANDES SAID

Fernandes, recognising Mainoo's talent and dedication, took to Instagram to express his support and wrote: "Well deserved kid ❤️ @kobbie," underscoring the sentiment shared by many in the football community.

@brunofernandes8 InstagramTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Southgate's decision marks a notable shift, as Mainoo was initially overlooked in favour of more seasoned players and was included in the U21s squad. The call-up has naturally elated Mainoo and the youngster admitted that the news has not "sunk in yet, but I'm excited."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Mainoo's upcoming stint with the England squad presents a significant opportunity for him to showcase his skills on the international stage. He might earn his debut when England play Brazil on Saturday or against Belgium on Tuesday in two friendlies. Following those friendlies, he will rejoin Manchester United for their Premier League clash against Brentford scheduled for March 30.

An afternoon start because of the World Cup meant a sparse crowd at Bristol but they watched Gloucestershire sneak a thrilling encounter

David Hopps11-Jul-2018
ScorecardIf Kent were under any illusions about the difficulty of their run chase at Bristol, they were shattered within nine balls. Joe Denly, regularly acclaimed with five hundreds bagged across all formats this season, pushed forward to the left-arm spinner Graeme van Buuren, the ball gripped and turned to hit off stump. Their target of 185 seemed a speck on the horizon.To trim that target to six to win from the last ball was a redoubtable effort in an excellent game, but it was to no avail. Kent’s No. 10 Mitch Claydon swung wildly enough for the bat to escape his grasp, but the ball passed by harmlessly and Gloucestershire claimed a five-run win. Kent are fancied in the South Group, Gloucestershire are not, but both counties now have two wins in three.You have to hand it to Gloucestershire. Benny Howell, their great innovator, has a hamstring injury, and Andrew Tye, who was the leading wicket-taker in the IPL, has been held back a while by Cricket Australia for workload reasons, and was limited to talking on the boundary edge about how a secret new delivery was in production.Such talk was once limited to Shane Warne, the great legspinner, who was so full of bluff about his repertoire that he might easily have claimed a new variation that detoured twice through the burger fan while playing the tune of Advance Australia Fair. Now, in T20, quick bowlers claim the same.Talking T20 Podcast

This week Dan Norcross is joined by David Hopps to debate world records feats in the Vitality Blast from Ed Pollock, Joe Denly and (nearly) Dan Christian and still finds time to discuss carrots with Isabelle Westbury.
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The slow, grippy wicket was succour for Gloucestershire’s unsung medium-pacers against a highly-rated batting line-up. Heino Kuhn held the innings together for 44 from 33 balls until he chipped back Noema-Barnett’s knuckle ball – the first delivery he had bowled, at a man well set. Ryan Higgins cut his pace to 60mph and was obligingly slapped to deep cover; Higgins struck again when Alex Blake chipped weakly to short extra.Carlos Brathwaite, the man who once struck Ben Stokes for three successive sixes in the last over to win a World Twenty20 title, managed two in five balls, bowled as he pushed forward to Matt Taylor with great sobriety.The angriest exit, though, came from Sam Billings, as he seeks to make the transition from dressing room attendant to exhilarating cricketer. He looked attuned to the task, his first 10 balls bringing 24, including three imperious sixes, then Tom Smith, another left-arm spinner, held one back, Billings swung and missed and stalked from the field, swinging his fist in self-admonishment. Kent lacked the decisive innings.Gloucestershire’s victory was just about secured when Higgins – with 30 needed from 14 balls – stopped Sean Dickson’s return drive, swivelled and throw the stumps down at the non-striker’s end. Nineteen were needed off the last over, but Higgins began with a wide then conceded two leg-side boundaries to Adam Milne. Dickson was run out by Jack Taylor’s throw from long on from the penultimate ball, meaning that Claydon – not Dickson, was charged with attempting the last-ball six.Tension for the last ball? Not when half the country had been ridiculously nervous all day over the approaching World Cup semi-final in Moscow. More the sort of day for someone to tell Higgins: “Look, it’s not penalties, mate. Get it won.” And so he did.On an old, ugly surface, Gloucestershire had batted ugly to good effect. Kieran Noema-Barnett (31 from 15 balls) and Jack Taylor (42 not out from 23) are hardly the most stylish batsman in the land, but Noema-Barnett slugged it down the ground, Taylor hauled through midwicket and an innings that might have faltered from 82 for 4 at midway instead came to rest with a challenging total on the board.Denly’s leg spin has also found unparalleled success this season – two more victims as Michael Klinger confidently deposited him to long-on and Ian Cockbain was bowled pulling – but surprisingly Imran Qayyum’s slow left arm was seen for only one over. Kent got a bonus wicket when Gareth Roderick was lbw to Calum Haggett, trying to switch hit a yorker, not the greatest shot selection admittedly, but the ball struck him well outside the line.It was a strange afternoon, the Blast at its least atmospheric (watch out for its detractors using this one as anti-marketing video). It had been brought forward to a 3pm start because of England’s presence in the World Cup semi-final at 7pm and the crowd was sparse at the Brightside Ground – appropriately named for the Gloucestershire treasurer because looking on the bright side was necessary on a day like this.Joe Root, England’s Test captain, had said that he was more nervous about the football than playing cricket, knowing that an entire nation would nod wisely rather than berate him for not concentrating on the task in hand. Gloucestershire’s win was all done and dusted in slightly less than three hours, leaving time not just for the match but the build-up. These days it can take IPL nearer to four. Perhaps the best thing India can do to remember how to quicken their T20 overrate is to improve their football?

Glasgow Rangers secured their biggest win of the season last night, defeating Livingston 4-0 in what turned out to be a rather comfortable League Cup encounter.

The result sends the Gers into the semi-finals of the competition for the third year in a row and although Michael Beale isn’t quite out of the woods yet, there were no boos at Ibrox following the win.

Progress is progress, but this performance will be in vain unless the Light Blues secure all three points against Aberdeen at the weekend and the 43-year-old may be buoyed by a few of his players following their display last night.

Who scored for Rangers against Livingston?

The Ibrox side took an early lead via a wonderful finish from Abdallah Sima, who cut in from the left-hand side and struck a right-foot shot into the far corner.

The match stayed this way until the 66th minute when Ridvan Yilmaz embarked on a solo run that ended up with him scoring the second goal and all but securing the victory.

Late goals by Sima and Ryan Jack were the cherry on top and truthfully, the game should have been over way before then, yet the performance was much better compared to the Motherwell tie last week.

Yilmaz’s performance was arguably the most pleasing aspect of the night and the defender finally looks like he could make a claim for a regular spot in the left-back position during the remainder of the campaign.

Will Ridvan Yilmaz replace Borna Barisic?

Following his first goal for the club, former Ibrox striker Kenny Miller dubbed him “incredible” and he certainly offers something different from the Croatian, that’s for sure.

Barisic has averaged 3.3 crosses per game in the Premiership this term along with making 2.8 key passes per match, yet he has lost possession a staggering 17.8 times each outing. This indicates that while he tends to push forward often, he is being caught out regularly and this isn’t helping the club from a defensive point of view.

Yilmaz on the other hand, didn’t push forward up the left-hand side as often as Barisic would have, but he offered a greater threat by drifting into the middle of the pitch, providing an option for a wide range of teammates.

His goal was a prime example as he burst through the heart of the pitch before unleashing a shot that the goalkeeper had no chance of saving. Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie ultimately hailed the youngster.

He said: “Brilliant play from Ridvan Yilmaz, that's the variation of options he gives you!

“Runs the full length of the Livingston half driving beyond two men before finishing from range. That's some goal from your left back.”

He also marvelled at his playing style giving the Gers another few options, saying: “Think Ridvan's forward running and combination play has made a big difference tonight. Just gives you more options, and the opposition a greater variety of problems.”

It’s evident that if the £12k-per-week gem stays fit and healthy over the coming weeks, the defender certainly deserves to be unleashed on a regular run in the starting XI in order to gain more confidence and showcase his abilities on a more consistent basis.

After last night’s display, I don’t think anyone would have any complaints, that’s for sure.