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Sidebottom, playing in just his ninth first-class game, tore through the Northants lower order to claim a maiden five-wicket haul

ECB Reporters Network20-Apr-2018
ScorecardRyan Sidebottom took a career-best 6 for 35 as Warwickshire enjoyed a dominant first day at Wantage Road, bowling Northamptonshire out for just 147 before closing 113 for 3, trailing by 34.Sidebottom, playing in just his ninth first-class game, tore through the Northants lower order after lunch to take a maiden five-wicket haul, providing the fire-power Warwickshire thought they had lost when Olly Stone went down injured in the warm-up.Having fired Northants out so cheaply, Warwickshire briefly wobbled to 28 for 3 with Ian Bell held at second slip for a three-ball duck and Jonathan Trott lbw for 4 before Sam Hain and Will Rhodes compiled an unbeaten stand of 81 to ensure the visitors were well on top by the close. Hain passed fifty in the final over of the day in 103 balls with his fifth four.It was Sidebottom who set up their position. His first wicket came with his opening delivery of the season, having not played last week, as Ben Duckett drove at a full ball slid across him and edged to gully where Rhodes claimed a sharp catch above his right shoulder. After lunch, a straight full delivery took out Richard Levi’s middle stump after Levi had settled Northants getting to 41, and a sharp short ball at Adam Rossington’s throat produced a simple catch to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose off the shoulder of the bat.After Josh Cobb’s brief counter-attack, Doug Bracewell slashed Sidebottom to Bell in the gully, Richard Gleeson was bowled for just 1 and and No. 11 Ben Sanderson was pinned lbw second ball to complete Sidebottom’s haul.Northants lost 7 for 46 after lunch in a third successive batting failure after totals of 71 and 142 in the opening round at Lord’s. But unlike that fixture, where a soft green-top made batting perilous, here the toss was contested, both side wanted to bat, and Northants contributed to their own downfall with a slipshod display.After Duckett fell driving loosely to his first delivery, Alex Wakely hooked Chris Wright to long leg and Rob Newton pulled Henry Brookes and gloved a catch to Ambrose to hand Brookes, one of three changes for Warwickshire from the side who drew with Sussex in the opening round, a first County Championship wicket.Levi and Keogh saw Northants through to lunch with Levi producing the strokes of the morning with a sweet cover-drive off Sanderson and a slog-sweep against Jeetan Patel over long-on for six. But Keogh went to pull Patel after lunch, only for the delivery to skid under his bat into his off stump and Cobb, having hit Patel onto the balconies of the old and new pavilions, cut the off spinner to slip.By contrast, Rhodes and Hain were careful to judge the slightly two-paced wicket and took no chances in nudging Warwickshire into three-figures shortly before the close. Hain’s cover-drive off Gleeson was the pick of the strokes and as he held the pose, it confirmed Warwickshire’s dominance of the day.

Tottenham Hotspur's start to the season has been electric, and completely unpredicted by even the most optimistic of fans.

It even has led many to wonder whether Ange Postecolgou's magic touch could be extended to other areas, perhaps even reigniting the careers of those who have failed thus far. Pape Matar Sarr perhaps stands proud as the Australian's best project so far.

How has Pape Sarr started the season?

For now, Postecoglou is likely enjoying the services of his current squad which have led him to an unbeaten start in the Premier League, with their football and the results it is gaining having been praised.

One of the surprise standouts for the Australian has been Sarr, with the youngster having been thrust into the first team, where he has shone.

The midfielder already boasts a 7.40 average rating in the league, having featured in all four of their fixtures, and thus when compared to others in his role across Europe he is one of the outstanding players. After all, he sits in the best 1% for total shots, the top 1% for assists, the utmost 5% for pass completion per 90 and the best 8% for tackles, all per 90 via FBref.

There is seemingly little the Senegalese star cannot do, with Postecoglou having rushed to laud his start to the campaign: "Yeah, brilliant. He’s been great from the moment I arrived. He’s got a great energy about him, but he’s got quality there too.

“He’s one of those midfielders who causes the opposition real problems because whether it’s him running with the ball or without the ball, he runs forward, he runs aggressively and he disrupts the opposition. He’s just got a great temperament for a young guy. So really pleased for him.”

However, his position in the side could be under threat, should the Australian perform a similar trick on a different midfielder. Step forward Giovani Lo Celso.

How good is Giovani Lo Celso?

Lo Celso set the Lilywhites back significantly with his big-money acquisition, spending £55m to tempt him from Real Betis in 2019 after the Argentine had enjoyed a stellar period in Spain.

His final full season there saw him score nine and assist four to uphold a 7.13 average rating (via Sofascore) yet swiftly fell out of favour as numerous Spurs managers opted against reintegrating him back into the squad, despite Antonio Conte suggesting he was a "top player".

Given his recent performances whilst out on loan with Villarreal, it seems that the Italian may have been right about something during his tenure in north London.

Having posted a 7.10 average rating in La Liga, his five goal contributions fed into his 1.4 key passes per game, marking him out as a keen attacking threat from the engine room. However, he partners this with 1.5 tackles per game, as if to emphasise the tireless work rate he merges into his elegant play style, via Sofascore.

With Postecoglou seemingly keen to hand him another chance in the side once again, should he shrug off his persisting injury concerns, the 27-year-old could well grow into a hugely influential creator for the team beside James Maddison.

At the very least he is worth investing some time in, given the quality he continues to show and the money spent to bring him to N17.

Reliable Tottenham Hotspur journalist Dan Kilpatrick has shared how Spurs are planning for life without Harry Kane as they prepare a move for Gent striker Gift Orban.

Who will Spurs replace Kane with?

Last week, one of the biggest transfers of this summer window started take shape, when David Ornstein broke the news that Bayern Munich had finally reached an agreement to steal Kane away from Tottenham.

It was then up to the player, but after some waiting, the 30-year-old decided to join Bayern just two days before the opening game of Spurs' season away to Brentford.

Kane has since made his Bayern debut and Ange Postecoglou must now plan for life without him – which comes as a huge task for the Australian who has been linked with a host of possible replacements.

Postecoglou, though, knew the striker was going to leave this summer after speaking to Kane personally.

"I had a conversation with Harry the first day he arrived and he was up front and honest, and I was the same," the 57-year-old said before their 2-2 draw on Sunday.

“You get an indication there that he kind of made up his mind: that if the clubs agreed he would go, particularly if it was before the first game. That was my preference as well.

“There's nothing along the way that's sort of made me feel there's anything other than this outcome. None of these things happen in isolation, everyone is pretty clued into what's going on, so from my perspective I hadn't received anything from Harry, the club or anyone else to suggest to me anything had changed about his stance."

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE..

Montpellier striker Elye Wahi, Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku and Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic have all been mentioned as Kane's possible successors in the last few days, alongside Orban.

The latter man, who has been in sublime form for his club this year, is firmly on Tottenham's radar with reporter Kilpatrick sharing their transfer plan for him.

Writing for The Standard, the journalist claims Spurs are expected to make a formal move for Orban in the final weeks of this window, with their headline saying a bid is "readied".

The north Londoners really rate Orban, who they believe has "enormous potential", but must first prioritise player sales before making their move. Gent value their star forward at around £25 million and Tottenham are conscious they may face stiff competition for his signature.

How good is Gift Orban?

The Nigeria international bagged a brilliant 20 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions last term, and he has continued that fine form this season with five goals in four matches overall.

Orban has marked himself out as one of Europe's most exciting, young and in-form strikers – with members of the media like Sport 1's Patrick Berger calling him one of Nigeria's "very interesting" group of breakthrough stars.

Journalist Ryan Taylor, taking to X, also praised Orban as a name to remember.

"Gift Orban, Victor Boniface & Tolu Arokodare. Remember these names," wrote Taylor.

"Making waves in Belgium & on European stage. Throw in Victor Osimhen & Terem Moffi – future looks very bright for Nigeria. Quickly approaching a golden generation for the Super Eagles."

Gianluca Scamacca was the latest striker to flop in a West Ham United shirt and following his €25m (£21m) sale to Serie A side Atalanta, the Hammers are in the market for another forward.

It won't be difficult for his replacement to have a bigger impact in east London, though. After costing the club a whopping €40m (£35.5m) last summer, Scamacca would go on to return just three goals in 16 Premier League matches.

With David Moyes gearing up for another campaign in the Europa League, West Ham are eyeing up a move for a striker who has tremendous European experience, winning the Champions League with Liverpool in 2019 and scoring in the final.

West Ham transfer news – What's the latest?

The latest reports are linking Divock Origi with a move to West Ham.

According to Tutto Mercato Web, AC Milan's want-away striker has turned down a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, showcasing his desire to return to the Premier League and become an instant hit in east London.

Valued at £7m by Football Transfers, Origi's stock has fallen since joining Milan, appearing 36 times for the club but only scoring twice.

With the 28-year-old deemed surplus to requirements by Stefano Poli, the prospect of a European adventure at the Hammers could offer the Belgium international a chance to resurrect his career.

Would Divock Origi succeed at West Ham?

Despite not starting as much as he would have liked during his time at Liverpool, Origi will be remembered for scoring some of the most crucial goals in the club's history, often from the bench.

Many lauded the Belgian as a "cult hero" for the crucial goals he scored, including presenter Laura Woods, who praised Origi for his ability to pop up when it matters, namely a stoppage winner in the Merseyside derby and the strike against Tottenham in the 2019 Champions League final.

In 175 appearances for the Reds, Origi scored 41 goals and although that isn't a prolific record by any means, most of his contributions came from the bench.

After departing the club on a free transfer to AC Milan last summer, the "tremendous finisher", as described by former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch, the Belgian would have hoped that regular chances to feature in Serie A could have seen him demonstrate his deadly finishing attributes on a regular basis.

While that move failed to take off as he would have liked, a return to the Premier League can see Origi become a livewire at West Ham and recent numbers back up that claim.

The 6 foot 2 marksman averaged 2.10 progressive carries, 1.31 successful take-ons and 1.14 carries into the penalty area per 90 in the Serie A last season, via FBref.

Since David Moyes operates with a lone striker, it's imperative that they're physically imposing, strong at holding the ball up and intelligent enough to run the channels. Based on the numbers above, Origi fits that profile perfectly and if they can secure a deal for Mohammed Kudus from Ajax, who is another reported target, then the pair could become a deadly duo in the Hammers forward line.

Kudus would offer an exceptional supply line in behind the Belgian having ranked in the top 5% for his long pass completion, successful take-ons and non-penalty xG per 90 when compared against his positional peers in the Dutch top-flight, via FBref.

While the profile of West Ham's recent striker signings have struggled to adapt to the demands of English football, Origi is already Premier League proven and could be exactly what Moyes needs.

Combine him with the Ajax sensation and the Hammers would surely become a much larger threat in the final third.

Tier 1Defending champions Khulna avoided their first scare this season, but ended up drawing the game against Dhaka at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.Batting first, Dhaka banked on centuries from Nadif Chowdhury and Mosharraf Hossain to put on 519 for 9. Nadif made a career-best 166 off 239 balls with 17 fours and 6 sixes. He added 227 runs for the seventh wicket with Mosharraf, who also made his career-best score, 125 off 245 balls with 12 fours.Khulna were bowled out for 247 runs with Ziaur Rahman top scoring with 104 off 116 balls. He struck five sixes and 12 fours. Nazmul Islam took four for 79. Following on, they reached 180 for four on the final day, having survived 90 overs in total. The in-form Tushar Imran battled for more than three hours to make 63 off 189 balls.Rain ruined the Barisal-Rangpur encounter in Rajshahi which ended in a draw. There were only 16.2 overs possible in the entire match, on the third day, after the first two days were washed out. On the fourth day, the match was called off at 12.15pm.Winning the toss, Rangpur reached 61 for two with Jahid Jabed unbeaten on 24 and Suhrawadi Shuvo making 34 not out.Tier 2The match between Chittagong and Sylhet was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Bogra. Rain ruined all four days with play being called off after mid-day every day.On the fourth day, the umpires called off the match at 1.30pm. This was Sylhet’s second consecutive full abandonment.Rain also affected the Dhaka Metropolis-Rajshahi match in Khulna, as this match too ended in a draw.Batting first after a rain delay on the first day, Rajshahi were bowled out for 220 runs with Junaid Siddique top scoring with 85. Mizanur Rahman also made a half-century. Dolar Mahmud and Sharifullah took three wickets each for Dhaka.Dhaka took a 109-run lead thanks to Marshall Ayub’s 132 and Mehrab Hossain Jnr’s 89. The pair added 175 runs for the fourth wicket as Dhaka declared on 329 for nine on the fourth day. Rajshahi could bat only three overs before play ended. Marshall was adjudged the Player-of the Match.

Aston Villa are ready to make an offer to bring Juventus forward Federico Chiesa to the Premier League, according to fresh reports.

Is Federico Chiesa leaving Juventus?

The Italy international, who is naturally a left-winger, still has another two years to run on his contract with the Serie A outfit, but having been handed just six starts in league competition last season, he’s fallen significantly out of favour under Massimiliano Allegri at the Allianz Stadium.

As a result, Calciomercato have reported that the Turin giants are keen to sell the 25-year-old before the end of the ongoing window, and should he indeed look to seal a departure, he won’t be short of potential suitors with three clubs in the top-flight having already been linked with a swoop.

Read The Latest Aston Villa Transfer News HERE…

Italian newspaper Tuttosport previously claimed that NSWE, Monchi and Unai Emery are, as it stands, the most interested hierarchy in the experienced attacker despite rival interest from Liverpool and Newcastle United, and the following update would suggest that is very much still the case heading into the final few weeks of the summer.

Are Aston Villa signing Federico Chiesa?

According to Tuttosport once again (via Sport Witness), both Aston Villa and the Magpies are “ready to put €50m [£42m] plus bonuses on the table” to sign Chiesa ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Premier League “sirens” are going off and it’s claimed that the forward has rejected big-money offers from Saudi Arabia to explore his options elsewhere, likely in England.

Juventus appear to have since had a change of heart regarding his future though as it’s stated that they are planning to offer him a new deal, but it’s “not clear” whether their stance could alter for a second time should an irresistible offer arrive at their door.

In the Serie A last season, Chiesa posted seven goal contributions (five assists and two goals) in 21 appearances, which shows just how much of a positive and instant impact he made despite receiving limited minutes, so should he put pen to paper, the winger would be an extremely exciting acquisition for Aston Villa.

The Genoa native, who’s sponsored by Nike, also averaged 4.34 shot-creating actions per league match which was the third-highest total throughout the whole of his squad, via FBRef, highlighting his constant desire to produce chances for himself and his fellow teammates in the final third.

Juventus’ “magic” dynamo, as dubbed by members of the media, is additionally a versatile operator having been deployed in seven various positions across the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, so he’d be a useful option for Emery to have at his disposal.

Furthermore, Chiesa knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level with four pieces of silverware to his name, so he would be able to match the positive, winning mentality of the squad who are already getting to work in the Midlands.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in ongoing "negotiations" regarding a summer deal to bring Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez to the Premier League, according to journalist Cesar Luis Merlo.

Who is Guido Rodriguez?

Rodriguez is naturally a defensive midfielder who has played his football at the Benito Villamarin Stadium for the past three years since joining from CF America back in January 2020, and during that time, he’s become a regular feature of Manuel Pellegrini’s side having started 33 out of 38 La Liga matches last season.

However, the 29-year-old’s contract is set to expire in less than a year meaning that there’s a strong chance he could be sold for a decent fee before the end of the current transfer window, and should he depart, he won’t be short of potential suitors waiting to snap him up.

The Argentina international firmly established himself as the Spanish outfit’s both defensive and overall top-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.98 during the previous campaign, and it appears that his high standard of displays have caught the eye of Fosun and Julen Lopetegui at Molineux.

Are Wolves signing Guido Rodriguez?

Taking to Twitter, Merlo revealed that Wolves are currently in talks for Rodriguez, though at this stage, it doesn't sound as if a deal is anywhere close to completion between the two parties. He wrote:

"Wolves is interested in signing Guido Rodriguez, a Betis midfielder whose contract ends in June 2024. There are negotiations underway between the clubs, but for now nothing close to being finalised."

Wolves recently lost their talisman in Ruben Neves, who has completed a move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal, so Lopetegui will need to enter the market for a suitable replacement in that defensive midfield position, and having been lauded a “creative” number six by journalist Josh Bunting, Rodriguez could be the perfect heir.

Last season he ranked in the 99th percentile for tackles and the 98th percentile for clearances versus other players in his position, form which saw him receive three man-of-the-match awards, highlighting his desire to get stuck in and clear the danger to protect his backline.

Real Betis’ £28k-per-week earner, however, is also capable of contributing to efforts in the final third having scored seven goals and provided three assists since joining, so the fact that he’s impactful at both ends of the pitch will be yet another attractive attribute to those at Molineux.

Furthermore, the Betis star has the flexibility to operate in four different positions across the pitch, including three roles in the midfield and even at centre-back, so he would be an excellent versatile option for the manager to have at his disposal.

Finally, Rodriguez already knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured eight pieces of silverware since the start of his career, the most notable being when he was crowned 2022 World Cup champion with Argentina, so he could instil a much-needed winning mentality into the rest of the squad in the Midlands.

It’s been a 41st birthday to remember for Durham captain Paul Collingwood, as he struck 127 off 174 balls to aid his team’s recovery on the first day of their County Championship Division Two clash against Glamorgan

ECB Reporters Network26-May-2017
ScorecardPaul Collingwood’s century underpinned Durham’s recovery•Getty Images

It’s been a 41st birthday to remember for Durham captain Paul Collingwood, as he struck 127 off 174 balls to aid his team’s recovery on the first day of their County Championship Division Two clash against Glamorgan at St. Helen’s in Swansea.However, it was also a day to remember for new Glamorgan captain Michael Hogan, whose three wickets in a four-ball spell saw him end his first day as skipper with a five-wicket haul. His figures of 5 for 49 helped to bowl Durham out for 342 by the close of play.The visitors wobbled early on, losing two wickets in the first eight overs of the match, including that of key opening batsman Keaton Jennings, clean bowled by Marchant de Lange for four in the fifth over. Subsequently, Stephen Cook was trapped lbw by Australian-born Dutchman Timm van der Gugten, leaving them 17 for 2.Hogan will have felt disappointed at losing the toss. But a poor start left the visitors up against it at 92 for 2 at lunch, having failed to capitalise on an ideal batting wicket, although Graham Clark and Cameron Steel built an 86-run partnership for the third wicket as the visitors began to rebuild.And Glamorgan certainly built on their own morning success with a quick wicket after lunch, Clark falling to a superb low slip catch by Nick Selman off Hogan, the visitors having reached 103 for 3.Steel brought up his fifty off 134 balls, hitting seven fours, but all eyes were on birthday boy Collingwood who had raced to 30, with six fours on all sides of the wicket, by the time his partner had reached the milestone.A useful 60 partnership came to an end when Nick Selman claimed his second slip catch of the innings off Hogan, as Steel departed for 59 to leave the visitors 163 for 4 in the 57th over. Just three overs later, Durham lost their fifth wicket as Ryan Pringle was caught by wicketkeeper Chris Cooke off de Lange for 5, and the visitors were struggling once again at 169 for 5.At tea, Durham were 183 for 5 and the skipper reached the half-century mark just after the break off 100 balls. A sixth wicket partnership of 91 with Paul Coughlin put the visitors back in the game as they claimed a second batting point. However, the stand came to an end when Coughlin was lbw to van der Gugten for 31 and the visitors were 260 for 6.Collingwood went on to reach his century off 158 balls, and had hit 17 fours on his way to 127 before he was trapped lbw by Andrew Salter. An eighth wicket soon followed, Stuart Poynter caught behind off Hogan for a useful 38 as Durham reached 342 for 8.Hogan claimed his second wicket in the over when he bowled George Harding off his second ball and completed a three-in-four-ball stint – and four in seven balls – when Chris Rushworth was caught behind off the last ball of the day to end Durham’s first innings on 342.

Liverpool are having "concrete" talks to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, according to a key update from reliable journalist Florian Plettenberg.

How much does Romeo Lavia earn?

The 19-year-old is arguably one of the most talked-about young player in the country at the moment, having caught the eye with his performances for Saints last season, despite their relegation from the Premier League to the Championship, finishing bottom of the table in the process.

Lavia, who currently earns £38,000 per week at St Mary's Stadium, was a commanding presence in front of the defence, starting 26 league games and averaging 2.1 tackles per match, outperforming almost everyone around him, despite his tender years.

It seems clear that the Belgian will not be a Southampton player once the 2023/24 season gets underway, however, with a move to one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League clubs seemingly on the cards. Liverpool have emerged as one of the front-runners to snap up the teenager, but they are far from alone in expressing an interest, with rivals such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle all thought to be in the mix.

The Reds are perhaps still in need of signing one more midfielder this summer, despite Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai already arriving at Anfield, and it does look as though Lavia is now their primary target to add to the squad.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

Reports over the weekend suggested talks had started between the Reds and Southampton, and now taking to Twitter, Sky Germany's Plettenberg has revealed the manager's personal desire to sign the player, confirming there are "ongoing" negotiations:

"Talks between Liverpool & Lavia are concrete and ongoing. Understand there is no agreement in terms of salary conditions yet.

"As reported: His price tag is around £50m. Klopp wants him! Very press resistant player – even in high pressure situations, he loses the ball only once out of 10 times."

This is a hugely encouraging update regarding Liverpool's pursuit of Lavia, with the player himself seemingly keen on the idea of moving to Merseyside, despite them missing out on Champions League qualification last season. The lure of working with Jurgen Klopp is certainly a massive positive for the Reds, given the German's reputation as one of the outstanding managers of his generation, and he seems keen on signing the Saints ace.

The one-time capped Belgium international is someone who could be viewed as Fabinho's long-term successor in the No.6 role, with the Brazilian turning 30 later this year and arguably being past his very best, so he could arrive at Anfield as a squad player, before eventually becoming one of the first names on the team sheet.

Pep Guardiola has called Lavia "incredible" in the recent past, with the midfielder leaving Manchester City last summer in order to enjoy regular football elsewhere, and he could give Liverpool's long-term midfield a perfect balance, sitting behind the likes of Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott, and combining a potent mix of tackling excellent and quality on the ball in defensive midfield to perfection, especially as he matures as a player.

تعرض منتخب إسبانيا للهزيمة، مساء يوم الجمعة، أمام نظيره كولومبيا في إطار مباراة ودية جمعت بينهما في فترة التوقف خلال شهر مارس.

واستضاف ملعب “لندن” مباراة ودية جمعت بين منتخب إسبانيا ونظيره الكولومبي، حيث فاز الأخير بهدف دون رد. هدف فوز كولومبيا على إسبانيا

كان الشوط الأول من المباراة قد انتهى بالتعادل السلبي بين المنتخبين.

وظلت النتيجة كما هي حتى الدقيقة 61 من عمر المباراة حيث تمكن دانيال مونيوث من تسجيل هدف كولومبيا، والفوز.

ويستعد منتخب إسبانيا لخوض مباراة ودية جديدة يوم الثلاثاء أمام البرازيل، في حين يلتقي منتخب كولومبيا مع رومانيا وديًا كذلك.