Sides trade blows ahead of anticipated final-day thriller between Championship rivals

Vithushan Ehantharajah15-Apr-2023Hampshire 254 (Brown 95, Lawes 4-58) and 198 for 5 (Gubbins 79*, Worrall 3-30) lead Surrey 270 (Pope 91, Abbas 6-64) by 182 runsWe might only be in the second round of the County Championship, but Sunday at the Kia Oval already feels like a pivotal day for the Division One title.Hampshire lead by 182, courtesy of an unbeaten 79 from Nick Gubbins that began as the sticking plaster in his side’s second innings before morphing into the catalyst of what could be something quite special. Surrey are five wickets from knowing what it is they will have to chase for a first victory of the season.Make no mistake – Surrey will chase it. Not because Baz and Ben say so, but because confrontational cricket is what this iteration of the county is all about. It is why they have no qualms telling you they are looking to go back-to-back in 2023. What better way to send that message than turning over a challenger in a thriller?And it really has been a thriller. Even with half of day two lost to rain, day three underlined the quality of these two outright. Whether it was Ollie Pope cursing the heavens after he was dismissed on 91, or Mohammad Abbas sending thanks that way via his upon finishing with 6 for 64, decorated cricketers, young and old, have fumbled and found individual milestones of their own since Thursday. All will be equal come day four with all results in play.Related

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Gubbins’ seamless drifting between attack and defence was best characterised by a cut for four, late in both execution and on the clock. A ninth boundary ran away well behind point at 6:09pm, before he and Ian Holland settled down for the final 20 minutes before stumps. Considering this second innings began 16 in arrears, it was a valuable position to protect.A patient half-century – from 132 balls – was Gubbin’s second of the season, having finished unbeaten on 54 in last week’s successful run chase against Nottinghamshire. This one already feels of greater value, especially if Hampshire can convert this into a second win of the season. Whether the left-hander himself converts to three figures feels like an aside, albeit a noteworthy one.The knock was a neat bookend to a Saturday, which began with a similarly accomplished one from Surrey’s own No.3. Pope resumed on 48, his team trailing by 101 on 153 for 4 in their first innings, shouldering both responsibility and expectancy.You could type the bare facts into ChatGPT – an England batter; Pope’s average just shy of 95 on this ground, the site of 10 of his 16 Surrey centuries; versus a team he had scored more runs against than any other – and be presented with pretty much exactly how things panned out.Perhaps the one error would have been the prediction of his final score. Pope fell nine short of what seemed an inevitable hundred once he had passed fifty. He took 19 deliveries to pass that first milestone before midday, then scored with typical abandon, as if he was just another twenty-something strolling through south London on Saturday afternoon.All five of Pope’s day three boundaries came in the 29 deliveries it took him to move from 51 to 80, in which time Surrey’s only loss was Jamie Smith, bowled through the gate by Kyle Abbott. Pope shifted down a gear when Cameron Steel chipped James Fuller to Fletcha Middleton at three-quarters midwicket, attempting a shot that earned him six in Fuller’s previous over. Attempting to shift back up proved his undoing, failing to manufacture a late cut just outside off and chopping onto his stumps.At that point, Surrey were 234 for 7, trailing by just 20. But a new ball was in play and in Abbas’ hands, thus the end was always going to come quickly.It was Abbas who snared Pope, a dismissal very much earned in a battle between the pair that, up until then, judges would have probably given to the youngster on a split decision. Now with only a tail to deal with, Tom Lawes was trapped in front with the very next ball and, though Kemar Roach survived the hat-trick, the West Indian was trapped in front in Abbas’ following over for a sixth five-wicket haul for Hampshire, and 43rd overall.The gloss of a sixth dismissal – already his second of the season after 6 for 49 against Nottinghamshire last week – was the nail in the coffin for Surrey’s first innings. But the hosts were ahead by 16 thanks to some quite spectacular striking from Sean Abbott.With just No.11 Dan Worrall for company, Abbott moved from 30 off 31 to a second half-century in as many matches in the space of just six deliveries, thanks to a brace of fours and sixes, starting with four-six-four against Keith Barker in the penultimate over. An attempt at a fourth boundary in the 85th over resulted breaking the toe of his bat, meaning the Australian began the 86th over with a replacement. It worked just as well, as Abbas was heaved over wide mid on for the biggest strike of the lot.Sean Abbott acknowledges his half-century•Ben Hoskins/Stringer/Getty Images for Surrey CCCThat lunch came immediately after Worrall was bowled did not take any enthusiasm out of Surrey’s work with the ball. Hampshire openers Middleton and Felix Organ had ticked off the deficit before both were back in the changing room within the first 10 overs – Worrall taking Middleton’s off stump for a walk, then coaxing Organ into a edge to first slip. The real sucker punch came when the far more experienced duo of James Vince and Liam Dawson replicated their first-innings dismissals within the next nine overs.Vince, once again, twitched outside off stump to Abbott for a catch to first slip – this time off Abbott’s second ball of the day rather than the first, as it was on Friday. Dawson was then squared up and robbed of his off stump by Lawes, leaving Hampshire four down and just 42 ahead.Gubbins had 18 at that point and, with the arrival of Ben Brown, an ally for the long haul. Brown set about replicating the keynotes of his 95 in the first innings, not necessarily taking risks but scoring briskly enough to offset the rhythm of an established set of seamers.The partnership between the pair had reached 61 – Brown with 32 – before we got our first sign of the pitch meeting bowlers more than halfway. Worrall hit a good length, as he usually does, only this time the bounce was not as Brown anticipated. Pad struck, finger up – suddenly Hampshire seemed to be approaching the verge.The response of a stand stand of 79 (and counting) speaks to the depth of this visiting line-up. Holland’s part in it – 25 from 76 and counting – was a throwback to a time not so long ago when he was considered a capable stop-gap as an opening batter.With Barker and Fuller still to come, and Gubbins capable of stepping up his scoring rate, Hampshire are perhaps shading this. But not by much.

Surrey’s batters rampaged their way to a total of 258 for 6 as they hammered Sussex Sharks by 124 runs at the 1st Central County Ground, Hove, giving their run rate a boost on the way.It was their highest ever score in the Vitaly Blast – and the fourth highest by any side – beating their 250 for 6 against Kent in 2018. It left for dead their previous best against Sussex at Hove, the 221 for 8 they scored here in 2004.The Sussex bowlers had no chance as Surrey replicated their form of two days before, when they piled up 236 against Glamorgan. And once again it was Laurie Evans (93) and Sam Curran (68) who created most of the mayhem, with a second-wicket stand of 157, the highest for any wicket against Sussex. Surrey, one of the strongest sides in the competition, have lost just twice in eight outings – and one of those defeats, surprisingly, came against Sussex at The Oval last month.Sussex had gone into the match after their thrilling four-run victory at Lord’s the previous evening, but still knowing they had to win virtually all their remaining fixtures to progress in the competition.They got off to an encouraging start when Nathan McAndrew bowled Will Jacks with the last delivery of the opening over. But that was as good as it got for them.The form of Evans, who scored a century in the Glamorgan game, was a painful reminder of how many top-class white-ball players Sussex have lost in recent seasons. Evans was a member of the star-studded Sussex side that reached finals day in 2018, as was the Surrey captain, Chris Jordan.After ten overs Surrey were 107 for 1 (they were 107 without loss at the same stage against Glamorgan). Evans reached his fifty off just 28 deliveries when he pulled Henry Crocombe to cow corner for six – over the hospitality tents in the south-east corner of the ground.The 150 came up off the last ball of the 13th over, as Evans square-drove McAndrew for four. Curran was finally out at 163 when he edged Tymal Mills to short third man. He had hit six fours and four sixes, two in succession over wide mid-on.Evans looked destined for his second hundred in three days but he was caught at wide mid-on by James Coles off the bowling of Crocombe. But for Surrey there was no loss of impetus as Jamie Overton thumped 24 runs off 11 balls and Tom Curran 29 off nine, with three sixes and two fours. Crocombe and Mills went for 51 and 50 runs respectively, while Fynn Hudson-Prentice’s three overs cost 46. All the bowlers looked shell-shocked as they dragged themselves off the pitch.Sussex needed 13 runs an over and their task looked hopeless, especially when they lost Coles, pulling to backward square-leg, in just the second over. But after five overs they were 54 for 1, and ahead of where Surrey had been at that stage. But then the impressive Tom Clark was stumped for a 23-ball 43.It needed something special from the Sharks captain Ravi Bopara. But he had scored just one when he attempted a slog-sweep against Sunil Narine and skied the ball to the keeper.The Sussex batters had to keep swinging in pursuit of their improbable target and, inevitably, the wickets tumbled as the required run rate soared to 20 an over. They were all out for 134 in the 15th over and after Clark, Tom Alsop and Danial Ibrahim tied for the second-best score, 17.

Elder statesman’s 73 combines with 22-year-old Zain-ul-Hassan’s 4 for 25 as Glamorgan address one-day slump

ECB Reporters Network13-Aug-2023The strength and class of Colin Ingram overcame a challenging pitch at Hove to give Glamorgan their second win in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at the expense of Sussex.Ingram, returning to the side, hit 73 off 75 deliveries, with eight fours and a vast six over mid-on, as Glamorgan chased down a modest target to win with 21 balls remaining. But it might have been a different story if the powerful left-hander had not been dropped by Harrison Ward at point off Sean Hunt when he had made just three.Glamorgan lost opener Tom Bevan in the second over, bowled by Fynn Hudson-Prentice for a duck. But then Ingram and Eddie Byrom (69) piled on 145 for the second wicket in 23 overs to put Glamorgan on top.Glamorgan continued to lose wickets – with cameos coming from captain Kiran Carlson and Ben Kellaway – against a tight ring of Sussex fielders. But a typically cool-head innings by Sam Northeast, who made an unbeaten 40, saw his side home.Both sides had gone into the match with one victory in four matches and needed to win all their remaining fixtures to have any realistic chance of progressing to the latter stages of the competition.Sussex decided to strengthen their batting by bringing in Ward for his first game in the competition this season. Sussex had chosen to bat but their innings was a strange affair, the best of it coming in a stand of 113 in 15 overs between James Coles (59 off 56) and Hudson-Prentice (66 off 54).Ward and Tom Haines made a ponderous start, with just 14 runs coming off the first five overs. But they accelerated with such purpose that they scored 50 off the first ten-over powerplay and looked set for a total of well over 300.They lost momentum when the unfortunate Ward, who had struck a six and five fours in a 32-ball 35, was run out responding to Haines’ call for a quick single that really didn’t exist, especially as the ball went to such a fine fielder as Carlson.After that, Sussex’s top-order batters struggled on a slow pitch, which Glamorgan exploited by bowling 29 overs of spin, with Carlson and Kellaway impressive, though the slow left-armer Prem Sisodiya proved a little expensive.Durham had scored 427 on this track earlier in the month. But yesterday, until Coles and Hudson-Prentice got together, and Glamorgan batted later in the day, scoring quick runs looked tricky, with the ball not coming onto the bat.Tom Alsop, cutting at a delivery that was too straight and full for the purpose, fell cheaply, Haines was bowled by what appeared to be a slower delivery from Zain-ul-Hassan and Tom Clark, playing too soon, was caught off a leading edge. Cheteshwar Pujara, who averaged 89 in this competition last year, and already has two centuries in the current campaign, normally scores steadily while others bat around him.But now, needing to be more aggressive, he stepped down the pitch and crashed the ball straight and was caught and bowled for 27. At 142 for five in the 32nd over the Sussex innings had reached its low point before Coles, who struck five fours, and Hudson-Prentice, who hit three fours and two sixes, pulled the innings round. But it never looked likely to be enough against a strong Glamorgan batting side.

Aches perhaps for wannabe Ashes keeper, but pains reserved for Yorkshire as Glamorgan take control

Vithushan Ehantharajah04-May-2023There can’t be much Jonny Bairstow and the Archbishop of Canterbury have in common. But for the next few days at least, their hands are of great interest.Different levels, of course. The duties in Westminister Abbey of popping a crown on the head of King Charles III ranks higher than standing up to the stumps for Ben Coad. But even two days earlier and some 195 miles north of Saturday’s Coronation, a different pair of king-making hands were being scrutinised.Thursday’s opening day to this Division Two bout between Yorkshire and Glamorgan by another name was The Much-Anticipated Return of Bairstow, Even with two teams desperate for a first win of the season, this felt as much about one man’s return as it did about a county looking for light to break through the years of dark cloud. And to arrive at the ground in the morning was to know the bright spots were very much to do with one son’s return. Nine months from suffering multiple fractures in his left leg in a freak accident on a golf course, 2022’s Bazball totem was back.It was, in many ways, the perfect scenario. The buzz around the stands dulled slightly when Yorkshire decided to bowl first after winning the toss. And while it was a shame to have to wait to watch Bairstow bat, more insightful was the 71.5 overs spent keeping wicket. Even after a spectacular last summer – 681 runs, four hundreds and an average of 75.66 – his work behind the stumps between now and Tests against Ireland and Australia will guarantee he reclaims a spot in the XI he feels is rightfully his. Ultimately, by taking it away from Ben Foakes.That Yorkshire followed up their removal of Glamorgan for 245 with 62 for 5 of their own leaves more out there for Bairstow. Originally carded at five, he flexed seniority to call on two nightwatchman – Mickey Edwards and Matt Fisher – before having to walk out at 6:36pm for the final two overs anyway. Presumably sending out a third would have been poor form. Either way, a few hours of vintage on Friday Jonny will echo far beyond this match.Before the two sacrificial lambs were three catches of varying degrees of difficulty across a keeping performance that was surprisingly assured. The aches will no doubt come, but there were no pains evident in real-time.The first dismissal got him up and about, in amongst it a matter of minutes after the team huddled beyond the boundary’s edge. Four balls in, a comically loose drive from visiting skipper David Lloyd gave Bairstow an excuse to test out his side-to-side, shuffling to his right to complete the dismissal.Number two gave us a sense of his athleticism, diving to his left to take a spectacular grab with his left-hand a matter of inches off the turf after George Hill had taken Kiran Carlson’s inside edge. The third was as vital to Yorkshire’s cause as it was to the Ashes narrative: Marnus Labuschagne feathering an edge off Hill for 65.The Australian came to the crease with nothing on the board, and together with Sam Northeast dragged Glamorgan out of the Coad-induced hole of 1 for 2. The pair made 83 between them before Northeast, the aggressor, was sent back by Edwards three deliveries after the lunch break, unable to get his bat (and handle) out of a delivery that exploded off a length. Soon afterwards, Coad left the field – this time the explosion was in his groin.Labuschagne had played possum early doors. He took lunch on 19 from 101 deliveries but soon moved to a second half-century of the season just 32 deliveries later. He had just started looking like Test cricket’s number one ranked batter when Hill got one to hold its line off the seam from the Rugby Stand End.This was the one that drew the most emotion from Bairstow, and not just because of their nationalities. Bairstow had been getting in Labuschagne’s ear since the end of the 21st over when the right-hander, on 10, seemingly edged Edwards behind. Labuschagne’s unperturbed demeanour worked well enough to keep the umpire’s finger down, much to the annoyance of the fielding team and those in the stands.That should have been 42 for three, and who knows what that might have meant for Glamorgan this early on in the piece. Contributions from Timm van der Gugten and Billy Root got them within five of what they considered a par first innings score. To have led by 194 with five Yorkshire wickets already is sure more than they would have expected, considering how the day began.Though even Thursday’s conclusion gives the scoreboard an artificial look. Both of Bairstow’s nightwatchmen fell in the space of two balls, meaning he had to come out at anyway under floodlights and with Labuschagne taking the opportunity to return serve now the shoe was on the other foot. Barring a stifled lbw shout second ball, it was largely without issue. A nudge around the corner off his fourth delivery face brought a first first-class run since 49 against South Africa last August, nine months ago.Nine months or “36 weeks” as Bairstow put it on Instagram on Wednesday night. The content of the post spoke of pain, emotions and unanswerable questions during this long stretch on the sideline. What those closest to him knew was distilled in those 115 words for the rest of us.Privately, the 33-year-old’s angst is as much about the crushing disappointment of losing it all when he finally felt settled as it is about having to watch the last six months from home. The T20 World Cup win, the historic Test series in Pakistan, the rise of Harry Brook from place-holder to wunderkind. There’s FOMO, and then there’s whatever Bairstow went through.There were a few byes, notably one for four which wobbled devilishly past his right after sending him left, but nothing worrisome. At times, he was childlike, at one point running over to an advertising board blown onto the field and lying across it, looking to the stands for laughs like this was panto. It duly came.This is only day one of his return, but to see him with a smile on his face, even as he walked off sheepishly at the end, felt like a positive step forward to all this. Even if it moves us closer to an awkward call for the Ashes, that Bairstow is back is only a boost for English cricket.

Chelsea will face either LAFC or Club America as the last team in their FIFA Club World Cup group after Club Leon remained removed on appeal.

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CAS rejected appeal from Leon, Pachuca & Deportiva AlajuelenseFIFA had disqualified them for breach of multi-ownership rulesPlayoff will decide who will take vacant placeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

FIFA’s original ruling excluded Leon from participating due to a violation of the tournament's multi-ownership policy. Leon and fellow Mexican side Pachuca are both owned by Grupo Pachuca, and FIFA regulations prohibit clubs with the same ownership from competing in the same tournament to avoid conflicts of interest. Leon had originally secured a place in the competition by winning the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup, which served as the region’s qualifying tournament.

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Pachuca challenged this ruling by appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in hopes of reinstating Leon into the competition. But on Friday, the panel ruled against the appeal, confirming FIFA’s decision as valid and binding.

WHAT CAS SAID

In a statement, CAS said: "All appeals were consolidated into a single CAS case which was heard at CAS headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 5 May 2025. The President of the CAS Panel for this case was Prof. Roberto Moreno (Paraguay), with Prof. Massimo Coccia (Italy) and Dr. Daniel Cravo Souza (Brazil) as co-arbitrators. The CAS Panel has issued an Operative Decision dismissing the three appeals and ruled that Pachuca and Club León failed to meet the criteria in the Regulations for the FIFA World Cup Club 2025 (Art.10.1) concerning multiple club ownership.

"A full CAS Award with reasons for the Decision will be issued in due course. A separate appeal by LDA against Club Leon, Pachuca and FIFA, filed on 3 February 2025, requested that Club Leon and Pachuca’s participation in the Club World Cup was contrary to FIFA regulations and that one of the clubs, or both, should be removed.

"The appeal also requested that LDA should be admitted to the competition in place of a removed team. This case was heard by CAS in person in Madrid on 23 April 2025 and was also rejected today, with reasons to follow later in the full award. The President of the CAS Panel for this case was Prof. Roberto Moreno (Paraguay), with Mr David Arias (Spain) and Mr Juan Pablo Arriagada (Chile) as co-arbitrators. As a result of the CAS ruling, FIFA is responsible for designating the final qualified team to participate in the Club World Cup 2025."

WHAT FIFA SAID

With Leon officially ruled out, FIFA are now organising a one-off playoff match between LAFC and Club America to determine who will take their place in Group D of the competition. The group already includes Chelsea, Brazilian giants Flamengo, and African representatives Esperance de Tunis.

"LAFC would participate as runner-up to Club Leon in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League through which Club Leon had qualified," FIFA's statement said. "Club America would participate as the top-ranked team in the FIFA Club World Cup confederation ranking through which qualification is also determined. The winner of the play-off would qualify unless legal proceedings rule otherwise."

MatériaMais Notícias

da doce： O lateral Da Silva é um dos reforços do Rio Branco-PR, para a disputa do Campeonato Paranaense 2023. Seu último clube foi o Paracatu-MG.

Com apenas 23 anos, Da Silva acredita que o estadual será uma oportunidade de ter boa visibilidade.

– Assinei um pré-contrato com o Rio Branco-PR, estou animado com a oportunidade. É um estadual importante e que vai me dar bons frutos – afirmou.

RelacionadasFora de CampoMeteu essa? Jornalista afirma que Messi é melhor do que PeléFora de Campo15/11/2022PortugalJoão Cancelo e João Félix se estranham em treino de PortugalPortugal15/11/2022

da fazobetai： O ano de 2022 foi cheio para o defensor, que esteve em três clubes. Além do Paracatu, ele atuou pelo Treze-PB e Independente-SP.

– Me marcou mais o Treze, foi o primeiro clube deste ano, abriu portas pra mim. A torcida é apaixonada, dá uma grande visibilidade. A gente conseguiu fazer uma boa campanha, sentir a experiência de disputar um estadual de primeira divisão foi bom demais – finalizou o jogador.

A Catalan journalist admits he feared “going to jail” after almost mowing down and injuring Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal.

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• Catalan celebrations on Sant Jordi Day
• Teenager almost mown down by journalist
• Barca preparing for cup final date with Real

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Jose Antonio Ponseti, who works for media outlet Cadena SER, was busy with work commitments as Sant Jordi Day was celebrated on April 23. He found himself rushing around as part of his day job.

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  At one point, he came close to knocking over 17-year-old sensation Yamal. Fortunately for all concerned, disaster was averted. Barcelona are eager to ensure that the latest superstar to emerge from their famed La Masia academy system avoids any untimely knocks.

• WHAT JOURNALIST SAID

  Ponseti told : “I had a very funny anecdote when I was running from booth to booth during Sant Jordi Day. At the turn of the afternoon I almost ran over Lamine Yamal! I ran into him in a huff and I said, 'Man, what are you doing here?' He was with his entourage.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  When it was pointed out that he could have caused quite a “mess” ahead of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey final clash with arch-rivals Real Madrid, Ponseti added: “If I injure him or take him down, imagine… Oh my God! I'll go to jail and never return to Barcelona!”

Harry Brook stars with 85, but Australia respond in composed fashion in final session

Andrew McGlashan27-Jul-2023

Australia 61 for 1 (Khawaja 26*, Labuschagne 2*) trail England 283 (Brook 85, Starc 4-82) by 222 runsThe final match of the Ashes began in similar fashion to the first, with England hurtling along on the opening day with the bat. Harry Brook led the way with a sparkling 85, but this time they could only reach 283 in overcast, bowler-friendly conditions despite Australia shelling five catches along the way.Mitchell Starc, who hurt his shoulder at Emirates Old Trafford but gave another display of his resilience, finished with 4 for 82 to take his series tally to 19 – the best of his four overseas Ashes series – while the rest of the wickets were shared around. Pat Cummins bowled much better than 1 for 66 would suggest while there was a brace for the recalled Todd Murphy, although he was again used sparingly.By stumps, Australia could say they’d had the better of day as they negotiated 25 overs for the loss of David Warner. He and Usman Khawaja added 49 for the first wicket before Warner fell to Chris Woakes for the third time in a row, edging to second slip, having earlier survived a review by England when Stuart Broad thought he found the glove, but it was only arm.Although the destination of the Ashes had been rubberstamped at Old Trafford there was plenty left riding on this final Test – 3-1 or 2-2 makes very different reading. That is especially true for Australia, having held a 2-0 advantage before defeat at Headingley and all-but certainly being saved from another by the Manchester rain.Cummins is not one to worry about what has happened in the past and he showed that by following Tim Paine’s erroneous route from 2019 of asking England to bat when, for the first time on this tour, the coin fell in his favour.For a while it appeared Australia might, again, fluff their lines with the ball; firstly when England’s openers reached 62 for 0 inside the opening hour and then at 184 for 3 as Brook and an injured Moeen Ali forged a rapid century partnership. But, though they again conceded runs at an eye-watering rate, enough chances were created to compensate for the missed ones.The initial drop had come from Warner when he gave Ben Duckett a life at slip on 30 against Cummins’ first ball of the match. It was Duckett who dominated the early scoring, including a thumping drive down the ground against Josh Hazlewood as he leapt out of his crease. His spritely stay was ended with a glove down the leg side against Mitchell Marsh, although Australia needed DRS (having already burned a review for lbw against Zak Crawley) to overturn Kumar Dharmasena’s not out decision.Straight after drinks Cummins, who was under some scrutiny after his struggles at Old Trafford, was rewarded for an excellent opening spell when he had Crawley edging into the slips having previously beaten him three times in a row as he found good bounce from the Pavilion End. When Joe Root dragged on against Hazlewood, England were 73 for 3 and in danger of losing their way.It should have been 78 for 4 a few moments later when Brook edged Cummins but Alex Carey couldn’t hold on, going one-handed to his right in front of first slip. Brook counterattacked while Moeen held firm. There was no playing for lunch by Brook as he swiped Marsh over the leg side for six then hammered Starc for two fours and a six in consecutive deliveries moments before the interval.Brook’s half-century came from 44 balls, but he could have fallen without addition had Cummins managed a hit direct at the non-striker’s end after collecting the ball in his follow through, turning on his heels and throwing.It was shortly after that when Moeen pulled up lame with a groin injury after running a single. Following treatment he continued his innings but was barely able to walk, let alone run, and a frenetic period of cricket ensued which included a huge mowed six over deep midwicket off Cummins and another top-edged to fine leg, as well as a ramp over the keeper, while using his bat as a crutch to limp between the wickets when he had to.The century stand came up in 17 overs. Murphy, who had been recalled in place of Cameron Green, was introduced for the first time in the day for the 34th over. His second ball was dragged down and pulled away by Moeen, but then the next was more of a heave across the line which he missed. How much a role he could play for the rest of Test was uncertain.There was momentary calm as Brook and Ben Stokes tried to set up another partnership, but the England captain received one of Starc’s crackerjack deliveries which straightened late and ripped back off stump as Stokes looked to play to the leg side.Neither did Jonny Bairstow last long as he dragged on against Hazlewood and, four balls later, after another crisp straight drive brought Brook’s 11th four, his dreams of an Ashes hundred vanished when a booming edge was snaffled by Smith at second slip.England had lost 4 for 28 in 55 balls and there were visions of Australia batting before tea. However, Woakes and Mark Wood, the heroes of Headingley, added 49 with more freewheeling strokeplay. Woakes had been given lbw to the first ball of the final session but DRS, asked for almost apologetically, showed a thin edge which even Woakes had not felt. Two balls later, Australia dropped another catch when Marsh spilled Woakes in the gully.Murphy claimed his second of the day when he cleaned up Wood but Woakes, who was also dropped by Murphy off his own bowling, kept swinging including a towering blow for six straight down the ground off Starc before the innings ended with a top edge to deep square leg.

Hampshire avoid follow-on as 20-year-old takes down Essex spinners

ECB Reporters Network21-Sep-2023

Tom Prest scored his maiden LV= Insurance County Championship century to frustrate title hopefuls Essex, despite Simon Harmer’s 35th first-class five-wicket haul for the county.Former England Under-19 skipper Prest masterfully scored an unbeaten 102 to guide Hampshire past the follow-on score with vital contributions from Toby Albert, Fletcha Middleton, James Vince and Keith Barker.Harmer claimed 5 for 143 as he churned away from the River End for 36 overs but Hampshire ended the day on 322 for 8 – and 125 runs adrift – with the potential to set up a result on the final day.Albert and Middleton had seen out seven overs the previous evening and combined on the third morning with a mix of patience and skill to clear the new ball with little problems.