Kent replaced Essex at the top of Division Two to set up their meeting at Chelmsford on Sunday in a rain-hit season that still smacks of stalemate

ECB Reporters Network29-Jun-2016
ScorecardSam Northeast, Kent’s captain: top spot, runs but more frustration•Getty ImagesA lifeless pitch and two injury-hit bowling attacks provided all the ingredients for a high-scoring draw in Canterbury where promotion-chasing Kent drew with a Derbyshire side still fighting to open their win account in the Specsavers County Championship second tier.Derbyshire banked 12 points for the draw, while Kent claimed 10 to move above Essex to the top of the Division 2 table ahead of their four-day trip to Chelmsford starting on Sunday.Kent skipper Sam Northeast hit 191 and an unbeaten 76 on a surface he believed was too placid for four-day cricket.”Yes we’ve gone top of Division 2 but who knows if this was a good draw or not,” he said. “I’m a little bit disappointed if I’m honest. I felt we should have posted a bigger score to help set the game up, but it was a tough pitch to bowl on and I’m hoping that for our remaining games here we’ll produced a surface with a little bit more pace and carry in it.”After Derbyshire’s mammoth first innings total of 574 for nine declared had helped the visitors to secure a 195-run first innings lead, Kent set out their stall to bat out the final three-and-a-half sessions of the match for their sixth draw of the summer.That they readily achieved the stalemate was mainly due to dogged half-centuries from Tom Latham and Joe Denly and sprightlier 47-ball 50 by Northeast, yet it was tame fare for the handful of purists who remained in the drizzle to witness the umpires’ inspection and abandonment at 4pm.By then Kent had wiped out the Derbyshire lead and, at 238 for three, had edged 74 ahead on a day when Derbyshire had hoped to dismiss Kent cheaply in order to secure their first four-day win in 2016.They were hampered greatly by the loss of rookie pace bowler Will Davis through injury. The 21-year-old pulled up with a sidestrain after trying to stop the ball in his follow through and was unable to bowl throughout Kent’s second innings. He could be sidelined for several weeks.John Sadler, Derbyshire’s coach, said: “Will was our most threatening bowler on day one, having also bowled magnificently last week against Worcestershire. For such a young lad who has not played that much cricket he’s a really exciting prospect, so he’s one we really have to look after.”He’s being assessed by the physio right now, but the early signs are that he’s going to have a spell off, that’s a real shame for him. But he’s young and his body isn’t perhaps totally ready for fast bowling yet. It’s a shame, but we think very highly of him and hope to welcome him back soon.”Sadler also paid tribute to Wayne Madsen, who scored his 22nd century for Derbyshire during the four-day draw. “Wayne is a magnificent player in all formats and I’m wondering what else he has to do to prove he’s good enough to get noticed by England and talked about in terms of international cricket,” said Sadler.”You could plonk him into the middle of a Test or an ODI anywhere in the world and he would succeed – he’s that good a player in my opinion. He’s a great lad with a superb attitude and I look forward to him getting an opportunity to step up.”Derbyshire began their task well enough when Ben Cotton removed Sean Dickson for 22, barely 20 minutes into the final day. Dickson received a belting leg-cutter that lifted and left him as he played in defence. The ball feathered the edge and flew to wicketkeeper Tom Poynton to make it 39 for one – it proved to be the only delivery of the day that misbehaved.Second-wicket partners Latham and Denly combined to add 103 either side of lunch with New Zealand Test opener Latham scoring a 115-ball 50 with five fours. It was his first half-century in all forms of cricket since early May.Three overs into the mid-session and with his score on 74, the Kiwi left-hander lapped leg-side against Wayne Madsen only to pick out Rob Hemmings, the 12th man substituting for Davis, who took a simple catch at square leg.Denly soldiered on to go past 50 for the third time this summer. His watchful half-century coming from 135 balls and with five boundaries, then Northeast pulled a Ben Slater full-toss for four to wipe out the deficit, one of six boundaries in his eye-catching knock.To their credit, Derbyshire tried eight bowlers and set some enterprising fields in a bid to force an error – including a short spell of Tony Palladino leg-theory bowled around the wicket to a 7/2 split field – but Kent were not to be tempted into an indiscretion.With drizzle in the air, Nick Broom enjoyed yorking Denly for 64 for his sixth first-class wicket to break a third-wicket stand worth 93, but rain soon forced the players in for an early tea. The rain and wind strengthened thereafter forcing the abandonment.

Tottenham Hotspur have now held talks with Simone Inzaghi's agent about the Inter Milan manager taking over at the end of the season, according to recent reports from Italy.

What's the latest Tottenham manager news?

The main story coming out of Tottenham this week has been that Julian Nagelsmann is no longer in the running for the manager's job, with Sky Sports reporting no meeting has taken place, nor is one scheduled for the future.

As such, Spurs will have to consider other managers for the role, and the same report details that Ryan Mason will be considered, while key figures in the boardroom also admire Bayer Lerverkusen's Xabi Alonso, who has now emerged as a target.

Other coaches in the frame to take over at N17 include Feyenoord's Arne Slot, who could cost £6m this summer, as well as Eintracht Frankfurt's Oliver Glasner, with it now being confirmed he is set to leave the German club at the end of the season.

According to a report from FC Inter News, Tottenham have now made contact with the agent of Inzaghi, Tullio Tinti, to discuss the possibility of the Inter manager taking the reins at N17 this summer.

However, it is detailed the 47-year-old is only focussing on the task in front of him at present, with his side now in a fantastic position to qualify for the Champions League final, having defeated AC Milan 2-0 in the first leg of the semi-final.

The tactician is set for talks with the Inter board about whether he will continue as manager at the San Siro, and the report does not state whether he would be interested in a move to the Premier League.

Should Tottenham appoint Simone Inzaghi?

In truth, it would be very surprising if Spurs were able to lure the Italian away from his current club this summer, given that they have one foot in the Champions League final, whereas the Lilywhites may not even qualify for Europe.

However, if the Piacenza-born coach was to be tempted into a move to Tottenham, he could be a very good appointment, given the exceptional job he has done at Inter, with members of the media claiming he's "working miracles" at the San Siro.

The former Lazio boss has been very successful during his time in Italy, winning a total of six major trophies, including the Italian Cup with Inter last season, and that proven track record of success would stand him in good stead to do well with Spurs.

That said, it seems unlikely Inzaghi will leave this summer, particularly if his side go on to win the Champions League, having put themselves in a good position to do so.

Pakistan A swept to a remarkable eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka A in Worcester, riding on the back of belligerent half-centuries from captain Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel to mow down a target of 148 in 19.1 overs

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2016
ScorecardPakistan A captain Babar Azam led his side’s final-day victory charge•Getty Images

Pakistan A swept to a remarkable eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka A in Worcester, riding on the back of belligerent half-centuries from captain Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel to mow down a target of 148 in 19.1 overs, with time running out on the final day.With a maximum of 23 overs to chase down the target, Pakistan went for the win right from the outset. They were reduced to 37 for 2 in the fifth over as Sharjeel Khan and Mohammad Nawaz both fell to new-ball bowler Vishwa Fernando in the quest for quick runs. But Azam (66 not out) and Shakeel (51 not out) then combined for an unbeaten partnership of 111 off 86 balls, hitting eight fours and three sixes between them to complete a thrilling chase.Pakistan’s task could have been easier but for Sri Lanka’s stubborn tenth-wicket partnership in the second innings. Half-centuries from opener Dhananjaya de Silva (88) and captain Ashan Priyanjan (66) had taken them to 309 for 9, before Minod Bhanuka, who scored an unbeaten 54, and Asitha Fernando combined for a 49-run stand that kept Pakistan’s bowlers at bay for 7.3 overs. When Fernando, who contributed just 2, finally perished to give right-arm medium pacer Hasan Ali his fourth wicket of the innings and seventh of the match, Sri Lanka were all out for 358 to set up the pulsating climax.Pakistan’s stranglehold of the match, however, had been established in the first innings. After Sri Lanka opted to bat, Mir Hamza (4 for 62) and Hasan (3 for 70) inflicted the bulk of the damage to bowl the side out for 250, with only Roshen Silva (57) and Udara Jayasundera (53) registering fifties. Pakistan responded by piling on 461 for 8 before declaring. Most of their batsman made solid contributions, with Shakeel top-scoring with 86.Battling a first-innings deficit of 211, Sri Lanka never really managed to claw back. Coming into the final day two down for 83 and still 128 behind, any hopes Sri Lanka may have had of saving the match came crashing down, thanks to a spirited effort from Pakistan.

Leeds United need a miracle to remain in the division, with one of the toughest run-ins and just three Premier League games left to play. Having enlisted the late help of Sam Allardyce, the hope is that this relegation stalwart can pull one last magical run out of the bag to retain their place in the division.

For a club as huge and historic as the Whites to return to the Championship would be a travesty, but years of mismanagement have led to this abysmal point in time.

Newcastle United, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur stand in their way, and on current form, they stand no chance.

Through enlisting the same tired squad full of those who have let them down all campaign, Javi Gracia drew criticism for claiming just one win since the start of April.

Although their loss against Manchester City was unfortunate, fans could remain pleased that at the very least they battled with the potential champions as a few key names were recalled under the new head coach.

Crucially though, Patrick Bamford retained his spot. The English forward is arguably the farthest away from those deserving a starting berth, and so his 68-year-old boss might seek to place his trust in someone who's actually playing well.

To feature alongside Rodrigo, surely the young prodigy Mateo Joseph is worth a shot.

Who is Mateo Joseph?

The 19-year-old has been in imperious form for the U21s this campaign, with a remarkable tally of 15 goals in just 18 appearances. Surely it marks a no-brainer to start someone brimming with confidence, over the English forward who has never looked so goal-shy.

Although the £70k-per-week marksman has been branded "unlucky" in the past by pundit Alan Hutton, few can excuse his recent form. Bamford boasts just four league goals all season, with his late miss in their draw with Leicester City drawing particular scrutiny.

After a late corner was flicked on at the near-post, as the scores remained level, the 29-year-old stood unmarked by the back stick. Unable to adjust his feet, the forward's strike was high and wide and the points were frustratingly shared. That is not a striker in form.

Meanwhile, his teenage competition is earning rave reviews from all who watch him, with his youth boss Michael Skubala reserving particular praise: "He’s in a good place, he’s scoring goals, he’s a character, but he still needs to keep working hard. His finishing ability is top drawer."

He continued: "He’s been training like a warrior and you can see that in his game."

Such hunger, added to a youthful exuberance and unpredictability could be key in bamboozling their next three opponents. Everyone knows that Bamford has lost his threat, but in Joseph, the sky really is the limit. This could be Allardyce's wild card option.

Tottenham Hotspur will need to provide whoever takes over at the club this summer with new signings in the summer transfer window, as the current squad has proven far from good enough in the current campaign.

One man who would certainly improve the north London club's leaky defence is Manchester City star Aymeric Laporte, who is reportedly likely to leave the Etihad this summer and has been targeted by Spurs.

Could Spurs sign Aymeric Laporte?

According to The Times, the Spain international could be sold by Pep Guardiola's side this summer having lost his starting berth in the Premier League this season, with the Citizens also likely to target RB Leipzig sensation Josko Gvardiol.

The report mentions that both Spurs and FC Barcelona would be keen on signing the centre-back, who has made 176 appearances in total for City, helping them to win four league titles thus far, with a fifth likely to be confirmed this weekend.

The 28-year-old was once a regular starter for the Spaniard alongside Ruben Dias but the form of John Stones, as well as the switch to a versatile three-at-the-back with Manuel Akanji on the left, has meant that Laporte has mustered just 10 appearances in the top flight so far this campaign.

A previous report from Football Insider suggested that City would be willing to take a loss on the £57m they paid to Athletic Bilbao, with a bid of £40m likely to be enough to sign him this summer, which could represent a bargain for Daniel Levy given Spurs' defensive woes so far this campaign.

Would Laporte be an upgrade on Lenglet?

Only five teams in the Premier League have conceded more than the Lilywhites this season, which suggests that wholesale changes are required at the back if Spurs are going to re-establish themselves in the top four again in the 2023/24 campaign.

Certainly, Laporte could prove to be a big upgrade on current starter Clement Lenglet in the left-sided centre-back position, with the Barcelona loanee failing to impress during his stint at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

This season has seen the Frenchman make 24 appearances in the Premier League, averaging a disappointing 6.52 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Laporte boasts a 6.67 average rating across his 10 appearances and has also averaged more clearances, committed fewer fouls and has been dribbled past on fewer occasions per game in the Premier League this term.

It was not long ago that Guardiola described Laporte as the "best in the world" in his position and at just 28, the Spanish defender could show his quality at Spurs for a number of seasons to come, and be the ideal first signing of whoever takes over in north London.

His vast experience in the top-flight and international level surely makes him a far more reliable and interesting proposition than the Antonio Conte dud, given the evidence above.

It would also mean that Levy could avoid paying the fee to make Lenglet's move permanent, as it seems clear based on performances and reputation that Laporte would be a far better option for Spurs in the long term.

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a "top target" for AC Milan this summer, according to an update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Is Loftus-Cheek set to leave Chelsea?

The Blues have had an awful season in the Premier League and are now guaranteed to finish in the bottom half, which seemed unthinkable back in August when pre-season predictions were made. They have had three different managers throughout the campaign, with performances and results nowhere near good enough.

Too many players have also slipped well below their usual level and one player who has struggled to play a pivotal role is Loftus-Cheek, who has found regular minutes difficult to come by. He has only started 18 of Chelsea's league games and it has become increasingly clear that his future could lie away from Stamford Bridge.

The £120,000-a-week midfielder's current deal expires at the end of next season, meaning the 27-year-old would be able to leave the Blues on a free transfer in 2024. That is something the club likely won't want to happen and would rather receive a fee for him in the coming months.

Could Loftus-Cheek join Milan?

Taking to Twitter, Romano offered the latest update on his future, revealing that Milan are working hard on a deal to sign Loftus-Cheek this summer, seeing him as a "top target":

"Talks continue behind the scenes for Ruben Loftus-Cheek to AC Milan. He’s top target for Milan, as revealed last week. Chelsea and Milan are discussing about the fee for permanent deal, no way for loan. RLC, keen on Serie A move."

This feels like the right time for Loftus-Cheek to move on, and Milan could be ideal for him, with a move allowing him to test himself in a different league. It has worked out well for Fikayo Tomori, who left Chelsea permanently to join the Serie A giants, which is something the 10-cap England international could take inspiration from.

With Mauricio Pochettino coming in, he is sure to want to bring in his own players and get rid of the deadwood, and unless he sees Loftus-Cheek as a key figure all of a sudden, offering him an extension on his current contract makes little sense.

He has been a solid servant for Chelsea and was previously called "fantastic" by Rio Ferdinand, but now is the time for him to test himself elsewhere, with a move away from west London making sense for all parties.

Craig Ervine’s maiden Test ton and 148-run sixth-wicket stand with debutant Peter Moor took Zimbabwe to within 77 runs of avoiding the follow-on

The Report by Firdose Moonda in Bulawayo08-Aug-2016Stumps
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details0:58

By the numbers – Ervine’s ton and Moor’s record on debut

Zimbabwe celebrate their heroes on August 8, and in Craig Ervine they certainly found one. His maiden Test ton and 148-run sixth-wicket stand with debutant PJ Moor took Zimbabwe to within 78 runs of avoiding the follow-on. Perhaps more crucially, he frustrated a New Zealand attack that now has a maximum of two days – could be lesser if the visitors have to bat – to take 14 wickets and on a flat Queens Sports Club surface.In their favour is the fact that New Zealand have discovered the best way to break through – reverse swing. With the second new ball that is more than 30 overs old, they may start looking for it again early on fourth morning. When they found it with their first ball, they made life uncomfortable for the Zimbabwean line-up, who were suffocated with close fields to the spinners.With just eight Tests under his belt, Ervine, the most experienced of Zimbabwe’s line-up going into this match, played the way a senior should. His approach combined caution with clever stroke-play and ensured the scoreboard kept ticking over. Zimbabwe scored 250 runs on the day, 120 in the final session alone. The dismissal of Moor for 71 in the last half hour lifted the morale of the visitors, who were run ragged after a spirited start.Ervine was needed after Zimbabwe’s openers – Chamu Chibhabha and Tino Mawoyo – gave the team their best start in 13 Tests, over five years, with a 65-run stand. Chibhabha was lucky to survive a confident shout off a Trent Boult delivery that tailed back in late. There was a bat-pad noise which may have put umpire Paul Reiffel off.His opening partner Mawoyo appeared to be better equipped to play defensively and bullishly. He fronted up to Neil Wagner’s short-ball strategy before inside-edging a drive onto the stumps.After they were separated, Sikandar Raza, batting at No. 3 in place of the injured Hamilton Masakadza, squandered an opportunity to present his case further. By then, a spell of uncertainty had been woven into the Zimbabwean mindset. For 9.3 overs, Raza looked to have put away his aggressive streak but then drove lazily at a wide Wagner delivery with no foot movement to give Kane Williamson at gully a present on his 26th birthday.Chibhabha, for all his fidgeting, had shown ability to occupy the crease. He fought his way to fifty and looked like he would see out the opening session. But Williamson’s decision to introduce spin in the form of Mitchell Santner paid off as Chibhabha drove with hard hands to find short cover.New Zealand could have had one more in the opening session when Southee tempted Ervine to drive, only to see Ross Taylor grass an opportunity in the slips. Instead, they had to wait until after the break when Prince Masvaure brought about his own dismissal as the ball bounced back off a half-hearted defense to hit leg stump.That brought Zimbabwe’s most assured pair of Ervine and Sean Williams together. While they were watchful, they also cashed in when the bad balls came their way. Williams, fresh off a century in the previous Test, was in sparkling form till he was adjudged lbw off a premeditated reverse-sweep against Ish Sodhi.After a period of settling in, Moor scored freely, especially off the second new ball, which became available with 25 minutes left in the session. But Williamson, who waited until there were only 10 overs left before taking it, may need to wait a little longer before it brings rewards.

Australia batsman Nic Maddinson has been called up to the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad as a replacement for captain Martin Guptill, who is leaving to join the New Zealand squad ahead of the two-Test series against Zimbabwe beginning July 28.Maddinson has played two T20Is for Australia, scoring a total of 38 runs in two innings against India and South Africa. In the most recent 2015-16 Big Bash League, Maddinson captained the Sydney Sixers, who finished last, and scored 141 runs in seven innings with a best of 70 against Sydney Thunder. In his T20 career, he averages 23.93 with six fifties in 50 innings.Guptill’s last game prior to departing was Friday’s encounter against Jamaica Tallawahs at Sabina Park where he scored a duck in his team’s loss.

There have been a number of factors behind Tottenham Hotspur's dreadful campaign, with the north London club arguably a mess both on and off the pitch.

Antonio Conte left his position as manager nearly two months ago but no permanent replacement has been brought in, with the embarrassing away defeat against Newcastle United seeing Spurs become one of few teams in history to sack an interim manager in Christian Stellini.

While Ryan Mason has brought a little more stability, the performances have still been far from good enough and Spurs could well find themselves playing in the Europa Conference League next season, which would represent a disaster for Daniel Levy.

Therefore, it seems clear that he must hire an ambitious manager with a proven track record to take over at Spurs, and he could find an ideal option in Feyenood's title-winning coach, Arne Slot.

Could Spurs hire Arne Slot this summer?

A recent report from Sky Sports has suggested that the Eredivisie champions are increasingly resigned to the fact that Slot could move to Spurs this summer, although there are plenty of other options on the shortlist for Levy.

While Feyenoord are said to be willing to double the 44-year-old's wages in an attempt to keep him in the Netherlands, he has already admitted that his next job will be in a new country and suggested that the Premier League was the best division in the world.

Slot has unsurprisingly earned a huge amount of praise after delivering the Eredivisie title and taking Feyenoord to the Europa Conference League final last season, with Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan hugely complimentary on talkSPORT.

He said: “He is very similar to Pep Guardiola, his ideas are very similar, he is a massive fan of Pep and he plays the same time.

“He goes ultra-attacking, he is almost like a maniac. Not on the touchline but it is fantastic to see how he has turned an average side into a wonderful attacking machine."

With Harry Kane potentially on his way out of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, the key to getting Spurs back to their best could lie in talismanic forward Heung-min Son, who has struggled to replicate his performances from the 2021/22 campaign.

Could Slot get Son back to his best at Spurs?

After winning the golden boot in the Premier League last season, fans were hoping for more of the same from the South Korean forward this season, but he has mustered just ten goals and five assists in 35 top-flight appearances.

Now 30, the former Bayer Leverkusen man is undoubtedly a fan favourite in north London, having contributed 145 goals and 79 assists in 371 appearances but has shown worrying signs of regression in a season where Spurs arguably needed him most, due to the mess behind the scenes.

Spurs pundit John Wenham didn't hold back in his criticism of the £190k-per-week winger when speaking to Football Insider after the home defeat against Aston Villa earlier in the season.

He said: “Son’s lack of form is a real concern now. He was horrendous against Aston Villa. I love Sonny to bits as a player, and I always have but he was absolutely horrendous."

However, the right manager with the right style of play could still revive Son at Spurs and given how well wide players have done under Slot in his preferred 4-3-3 formation at Feyenoord, the Dutchman could be the perfect candidate.

Both Oussama Idrissi and Luis Sinisterra have excelled as left-wingers in Slot's system, contributing 46 goals and 32 assists in a combined 128 appearances for the De Kuip outfit.

Sebastian Szymanski, Javairô Dilrosun and Igor Paixão all registered above ten goal contributions as wide options for Feyenoord in the Eredivisie this season which emphasises that the talented 44-year-old manager clearly knows how to get the best out of his wingers.

Goalscoring certainly hasn't been a problem for the Dutch giants this season, with 110 to their name in all competitions, which suggests that a number of Spurs attackers could prosper under Slot next season if he can replicate his attacking style of play in the Premier League.

Therefore, Levy should definitely be looking to appoint Slot, as there is plenty to suggest that he could be the man to get Son back to his best in Tottenham colours.

نجاح نادي الاتحاد السكندري في التأهل إلى دور نصف النهائي من كأس الرابطة للموسم الثاني على التوالي بالتفوق على إنبي بهدفين دون رد.

انتهى الشوط الأول من اللقاء بالتعادل السلبي وسط غياب الخطورة على المرمى الفريقين.

اقرأ أيضًا.. الفرق المتأهلة إلى دور الـ8 من كأس رابطة الأندية المصرية

وحقق الاتحاد الفوز في الشوط الثاني بثنائية بتوقيع خالد الغندور في الدقيقة 72 وعبد الغني محمد في الدقيقة 81.

ويلعب الاتحاد السكندري في دور نصف نهائي كأس رابطة الأندية المصرية أمام  الفائز من لقاء سيراميكا كليوباترا وسموحة، بينما يلتقي  طلائع الجيش مع الفائز من مباراة المصري وبيراميدز في نصف النهائي الآخر. أهداف مباراة الاتحاد السكندري وإنبي اليوم في كأس الرابطة