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Saif Zaib leads resistance but hosts reassert command in final innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-May-2025Glamorgan wrapped up a second consecutive three-day win to propel themselves up the table after an all-round performance to blow away Northamptonshire by eight wickets at Sophia Gardens.Northants had a respectable day from a troubling 49 for 3 to make Glamorgan bat again in the evening session, preventing the innings result. Saif Zaib’s 71 along with gritty knocks of 66 and 56 from Lewis McManus and Luke Procter respectively weren’t enough to pile on pressure into a final day.Set just 66 to win thanks to shared wickets, with Asitha Fernando the best of the bunch with twin three-fors, Glamorgan eased to victory despite an early wobble at 6 for 2. Sam Northeast and Asa Tribe negotiated the Ben Sanderson charge with the ball to see the hosts home.Northants entered day three in an unlikely position after Andy Gorvin dismissed George Bartlett controversially and nightwatcher Calvin Harrison in the penultimate over on day two. The goal for the visitors had been to bat as long as possible from 190 behind.Procter continued to impress with the bat, leading from the front. His stubborn effort to support James Sales’ stroke-playing was not too dissimilar to Sam Northeast and his array of partners on day two for their half-century partnership kept Glamorgan bowlers at bay.The hosts eventually struck, Sales with a false shot to edge behind, a common theme in this match as the former England youth international still has to wait for a second half-century for the season despite six matches played.Rob Keogh was next to go before lunch, also one of the Northants batting contingent with worrying form at the start of this season. Zaib’s season of ups and downs consists of two ducks and two hundreds but he found some middle ground,making the most of an aging ball together with Procter and then Lewis McManus for a couple of milestone partnerships.McManus also found a way to play himself into form after an inconsistent start to 2025. Making most of his time at the crease, the keeper-batter spent the majority of his innings scoring at a strike-rate under 30 in a slow-scoring day while Glamorgan looked to wrap up the final wickets.A few attacking shots from McManus did get brought out when persisting with the tail-end against plenty of loose bowling and a short-ball ploy to the majority by the expensive three-wicket-taking James Harris, playing a key part in making Glamorgan bat again as the visitors passed 300, making for a respectable day.With 20 overs to secure the win with a day off, the Glamorgan batters stumbled their way to victory in a bizarre day of events which saw the visitors have the best of the day’s play. Nonetheless, the Glamorgan win breaks the run of draws between these two sides in the last three meetings.

Ecclestone, Morris claim five wickets between them as Lancashire take charge in low-scoring contest

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-May-2025Lancashire overpowered fellow Tier One side The Blaze in a rain-affected second semi-final of the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup Finals Day. Following their seven-wicket victory, they will join Surrey in an all-Tier One final under the floodlights in Taunton, as they look to lift the first silverware of the new women’s era.The Blaze looked to be on top of an international-studded Lancashire bowling line-up before the rain delay, reaching 73 for 5 from 13.2 overs. After losing the toss and being put into bat first, the East Midlands outfit got off to a flyer as opener Marie Kelly scored a quick-fire 23 from 12, including five fours, before being bowled by Sophie Morris. Sarah Bryce was second top-scorer for The Blaze, hitting 18 from 22 before being caught and bowled by England international Kate Cross.However, the break in play stalled their momentum, as Thunder restricted them to 13 for 3 off their remaining 2.4 overs as the game was reduced to 16 overs a side. Lancashire’s spin duo of Morris (2 for 16 from three) and Sophie Ecclestone (3 for 19 from four) took the bulk of their wickets, with all three of Ecclestone’s wickets coming after the rain delay. That helped restrict The Blaze to 86 for 8, setting Thunder 90 to win after DLS was calculated.Requiring less than a run a ball to advance to the evening’s final, Thunder entered the chase as clear favourites. However, the run-out of Tilly Kesteven for a diamond duck on the second ball of their innings, taking on the arm of McCarthy, created some nervousness for the rest of their chase. Emma Lamb was caught off the bowling of Grace Ballinger by Ella Claridge in the next over, also for 0, before Fi Morris was run out in identical fashion to Kesteven for 9, leaving the team at 19 for 3 from 4.3 overs.The Blaze’s bowling attack did well to restrict Thunder to 45 for 3 after the opening 10 overs, six runs behind The Blaze’s 51 for 4 at the same stage. Cassidy McCarthy and Kirstie Gordon were the pick of the bowlers during this stage, with economies of 2.00 and 2.33 respectively.However, a 72-run partnership between wicketkeeping duo Ellie Threlkeld (34 from 34) and Seren Smale (35 from 42) allowed Thunder to fight back, chasing down the target with an over to spare.The Blaze will face Surrey in the final, where they have the opportunity to become the inaugural champions of the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup, a knock-out tournament created by the ECB to allow all three tiers of the domestic women’s game to come up against one another.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Rangers winger Glenn Middleton well be sent out on loan this summer, with three clubs chasing his signature, according to The Evening Times.

What’s the story?

Middleton was in and around Steven Gerrard’s team in the first half of last season, making 25 appearances prior to the Scottish winter break.

From then on he barely got a look in though, demoted to the club’s reserve and youth sides.

The Evening Times now report that Hull City and Coventry City could look to beat Doncaster Rovers for his signature this summer, with the Ibrox side looking to send him out on loan for the entire 2019/20 season.

You won’t believe which of Liverpool’s Champions League winning side of 2005 is still playing in the video below…

Big decision

With Gerrard adding Jordan Jones, Jake Hastie, Greg Stewart and Sheyi Ojo to his squad ahead of the new season, competition has increased even further from January when Middleton found himself struggling for appearances.

Heading out on loan makes perfect sense, but if he’s to return to try and make an impact at Ibrox next summer then he must choose his destination very carefully.

There’ll be a temptation to make the switch to Hull City, given they play at a higher level than the other two interested parties, but that could make it tougher to get game time and to stand out in a very competitive league.

The rewards are high but it could be considered something of a risk too. Still just 19, he could struggle in the English Championship at this stage of his career.

Middleton need only look at teammate Greg Docherty to see the benefits of a move to League One with either Doncaster or Coventry.

Watch Rangers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The Rangers 22-year-old spent a season at Shrewsbury Town last term, making 50 appearances, scoring ten goals, assisting 11 more and winning player of the year awards.

He’s now returned to Rangers and is involved around the fringes of Gerrard’s team.

If that’s Middleton’s end goal, the English third-tier looks like the smart choice to prove to his manager he has what it takes to succeed in Glasgow.

Alastair Cook’s England team-mates were among those who reacted on Twitter following his decision to step down as Test captain

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2017Only Michael Vaughan has won more Tests as England captain than Alastair Cook, and he felt the timing was perfect.

Timing in life is everything .. and once again Alastair Cook has got it spot on .. A Great man who I hope plays on for many more years #Cook

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 6, 2017

A Cook…59 Tests as Captain in just short of 5 years …a good stint …time to re-energise himself and the team …

— David 'Bumble' Lloyd (@BumbleCricket) February 6, 2017

His team-mates showed their appreciation.

Sad to see Cooky step down! Legend of a person and always backed me. Thanks skip! pic.twitter.com/YqK2FJay6R

— Moeen Ali (@MoeenAli) February 6, 2017

Thanks Skip! pic.twitter.com/cvw0oZeaPw

— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) February 6, 2017

Alastair Cook – great batsman, successful captain, & determined character. Most of all a fantastic friendly & funny guy. Privilege to know. pic.twitter.com/CmBmyxBk8k

— Philip Brown (@dudleyplatypus) February 6, 2017

James Anderson looked forward to playing many more years in Cook’s company.

So many great memories & achievements with Cooky as captain. I have a lot to thank him for. Looking forward to more playing years with him pic.twitter.com/94uG0sKd5R

— James Anderson (@jimmy9) February 6, 2017

The fans paid their tributes too.

Thanks for all of your hard work Captain Cook, it's been a pleasure to watch you marshal the troops with such skill and pride #thankschef

— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) February 6, 2017

Will giving up captaincy spur Cook the batsman? He is 4864 runs short of Sachin Tendulkar’s Test record.

I'm surprised he's stepped down but hes a great man and a brilliant ambassador for the sport!lots more runs from Cooky in an Eng shirt #cook

— James Taylor (@jamestaylor20) February 6, 2017

Thanks Cooky, some great memories, you're a fine man of great integrity. Now please keep playing for years, and bat and bat and bat and bat

— Billy Cooper (@billbarmytrump) February 6, 2017

Can't wait to watch Cooky score tons more for England. Sachin better make the most of having the Test run record while he has the chance

— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) February 6, 2017

Joe Root is tipped to take over from Cook, but will England see a change in limited-overs captaincy as well?

Cook resigns as England captain. Wasn’t always an easy ride, but won Ashes twice & leaves with great respect. Will Root now be ODI captain?

— Jonathan Agnew (@Aggerscricket) February 6, 2017

Bayern Munich have reportedly drawn up a four-man list of strikers as they look to bring in another big-money No.9 to challenge Harry Kane.

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• England star shining in Germany
• Competition being lined up
• Gyokeres & Marmoush on list

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Bundesliga giants invested around €100 million (£83m/$108m) in England captain Kane when prising him away from Premier League side Tottenham in the summer of 2023. He claimed the European Golden Shoe during his debut season in Germany after plundering 44 goals across all competitions.

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  Kane has added a further 17 to his impressive tally this term, through just 15 games, but has been unable to break his trophy duck with Bayern and has faced questions of his contribution in the biggest games – when end product matters most.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  With that in mind, and with Kane now 31 years of age, Bayern are said to be identifying potential competition and long-term cover. A trio of rivals currently plying their trade in Germany are, according to , registering on recruitment radars at the Allianz Arena.

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• TELL ME MORE

  Omar Marmoush has become a prolific presence for Eintracht Frankfurt, while 21-year-old Slovenia international Benjamin Sesko has shown at RB Leipzig why he is considered to be such a hot prospect – with club colleague Lois Openda also catching the eye.

Virgil van Dijk has explained how he collided with Ibrahima Konate as the Liverpool defender was taken off with an injury against Brighton.

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• Van Dijk collided with Konate in first half
• Injury less serious than first feared
• Dutchman expects him to be okay

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Late in the first half of Liverpool's comeback victory over Brighton, Van Dijk collided with Konate while both were attempting to play the ball, and the Frenchman came off worse. He was seen using his shirt as a sling for his arm as he plodded off at half-time and was replaced by Joe Gomez.

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  At the time of injury, Liverpool were trailing to Brighton, courtesy of an early Ferdi Kadioglu strike, and were looking to hit back before the break after what was a sluggish first half showing. A late corner provided a potential goal scoring opportunity, and both Van Dijk and Konate went forward to provide aerial threats.

  Both men attempted to head the ball, and Van Dijk, with his eyes closed, pre-emptively nodded goal-wards. However, instead of connecting with the ball, he made heavy contact with Konate's upper arm, leaving the French defender in clear discomfort as the whistle was blown for half-time.

• WHAT VAN DIJK SAID

  Speaking to , Van Dijk explained the situation: "There were so many bodies around the ball and I think I headed him on the arm. Hopefully it is not too bad, we'll just have to wait and see. You can be quite ok as a player with an arm injury so hopefully he will be fine."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR VAN DIJK, KONATE AND LIVERPOOL?

  With reports after the match stating the injury is less severe than it first appeared, it seems Konate will likely return a key run of Liverpool fixtures before the November international break. The Reds face former player Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen side in the Champions League on Tuesday, before hosting Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday, fixtures that Arne Slot would like Konate to be available for.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos possibly looking to bolster the playing squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, Manchester United are in for a busy few months.

Plenty of positions need recruitment, but one that proved to be an issue last season was at centre back, hence the interest in English titan Jarrad Branthwaite.

However, it seems that the Red Devils will not repeat their previous mistakes this time around, as they’re now willing to pull out of any deal unless Everton make their asking price more realistic.

This could be a blessing in disguise, particularly if United instead opt to sign one target who’d be a big upgrade on Branthwaite.

Man Utd’s search for a new centre-back

According to reports in Spain via TEAMtalk, Man United are interested in signing Jules Kounde.

It’s said that a bid in the region of £34m is currently being prepared, but Barcelona will reject the offer.

In order to secure his services, that fee will have to increase up to at least £50m, which would still make him a cheaper option than Branthwaite.

The report mentions that Kounde will be one of the players who are ‘sacrificed’ to raise funds, which will give United an advantage in the negotiations as they know that the Spanish giants need to cash in at some point.

Kounde would be an upgrade on Branthwaite

Prior to joining Barca in 2022, Kounde had already established himself as an experienced centre-back in Spain, but his time at the Spanish giants has seen his game go to another level.

During his debut season at the club, the French defender featured rather heavily, starting 28 league games as he helped his side lift the La Liga trophy.

Last season, his involvement increased, making 35 appearances in the league and playing a huge role in keeping 15 clean sheets.

However, he proved to be an incredibly valuable asset due to his ability to thrive at right-back, which gave Xavi plenty of tactical flexibility, as he can stay wide on the right or drop into a central area to create a situational back three.

Nonetheless, it’s clear that Kounde would be an upgrade on Branthwaite if Man Utd did decide to drop their interest in the Toffees defender.

Firstly, the former Sevilla ace is extremely technical, boasting the ability to play out from the back with ease, even under pressure, while his quality on the ball would help United assert more control and dominance.

All of Kounde’s possession stats are far superior to Branthwaite’s, as not only does he retain the ball well, but he can also progress play brilliantly, which will help Erik ten Hag’s team perform better against teams that sit deep.

On the other hand, despite the France international’s defensive stats not being quite as impressive as the 21-year-old’s, the number 23 is an extremely dominant defender, mainly due to his athleticism, speed, and proactive approach.

This is what makes him a “sensation,” as dubbed by football scout Antonio Mango, as unlike Branthwaite, he doesn’t always need to engage in duels to get the better of his opponent.

On top of his ball-playing ability, which makes him an upgrade, Kounde’s ability to serve as a versatile defender and play as a full-back is extremely priceless, particularly given the number of injuries United suffered last campaign.

Overall, Kounde would be a fantastic signing for Man United this summer, and given he would be cheaper and potentially better than Branthwaite, the deal is a no-brainer.

What Man Utd's dream XI could look like after £230m spending spree

Marcus Rashford doesn’t make the best eleven.

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By
Tom Lever

Jun 7, 2024

Manchester United have been handed a positive boost in their chase of Ruud van Nistelrooy this summer as Sir Jim Ratcliffe aims to secure his backroom staff target ahead of the new Premier League season.

Ten Hag set to be offered new Man Utd deal

An FA Cup win followed by two weeks of Manchester United interviewing multiple other candidates for the role eventually culminated in the Red Devils deciding to keep the faith with Erik ten Hag heading into the 2024/25 season.

The Dutchman oversaw one of the worst seasons in Manchester United's Premier League history, finishing eighth and conceding as many goals as 16th-placed Brentford, while his side faced the second most shots per game of any side in Europe's top five leagues, behind only Sheffield United and behind relegated Luton Town.

However, there were mitigating circumstances, most significantly a lengthy injury list which led to defenders being played out of position and Casemiro ending the season at centre-back, making up the 14th different Red Devils centre-back pairing of the season.

According to Opta, the Dutchman was only able to call upon his first-choice pairing of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane for 11% of his side's Premier League games, while his most used pairing of Jonny Evans and Raphael Varane started just six games together.

Perhaps with this in mind, the Dutchman was granted a stay of execution and is set to be offered a new deal, with ESPN reporting that the Red Devils are hoping that they can reach an agreement over a new contract "before their pre-season tour of the US", which begins on July 27th when they face Arsenal.

Though it is claimed negotiations are "complicated", it is added that talks have "progressed well" and a deal is now thought to be close. There could also be another new face in the dugout by then too, if all goes to plan.

Romano provides positive Van Nistelrooy to Man Utd update

That comes as transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Van Nistelrooy is "tempted by Man United" as they look to make him a part of the club's coaching staff.

The ex-Manchester United striker was understood to be the subject of interest from Championship side Burnley, who were looking at the Dutchman to potentially replace Vincent Kompany in the Turf Moor hot seat.

Man Utd willing to bid for £50m+ winger alongside Zirkzee

The Red Devils have been linked with a mega-money move.

By
Ben Browning

Jun 25, 2024

However, any hope of that seems to have gone up in smoke, with Romano explaining that a move to Old Trafford is "advancing fast", which could see him turn down the change to manage his own side and instead join compatriot Ten Hag at Old Trafford.

Van Nistelrooy scored 150 times in 219 appearances for the Red Devils, and United fans will be hoping that his arrival will allow them to get the most out of young talent Rasmus Hojlund, who blew hot and cold last season.

Kylian Mbappe just stopped short of matching Cristiano Ronaldo's despicable offside record at Real Madrid after a nightmarish El Clasico performance.

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• Mbappe struggled against Barcelona in Clasico
• Was caught offside eight times by Barca's high-line
• Came close to matching Ronaldo's 2013-14 offside metrics

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In a one-sided El Clasico showdown at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, Barcelona overwhelmed Real Madrid with a stunning 4-0 victory, leaving the European champions searching for answers. Robert Lewandowski led the charge with two goals, and Lamine Yamal and Raphinha contributed to complete the rout. For Mbappe, it was a horrific introduction to the historic fixture as he struggled to make an impact.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite his undeniable skill and goal-scoring prowess, the French forward was repeatedly caught offside, underscoring his difficult night against Barcelona’s organised defence. Mbappe had two goals disallowed for offside, and in total, he was flagged offside a staggering eight times, unable to find the rhythm to break through Barcelona’s meticulously executed defensive line.

  This performance brought Mbappe dangerously close to a record associated with one of Madrid’s all-time greats, Ronaldo. During the 2013-14 season, the Portuguese was caught offside 22 times in his first 10 La Liga games, a statistic that Mbappe now approaches with his tally of 17 offsides in the current season, the highest of any player in Europe’s top leagues – surpassing players like Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton and Fiorentina’s Moise Kean, both with 16 offsides each.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The record for the most offsides in a single game is a three-way tie at 10 offsides, held by Kevin Phillips (for Southampton against Wolves in 2004), Steven Savidan (for Valenciennes versus Sochaux in 2006), and Sergio Pellissier (for Chievo against Roma in 2010). Although Mbappe came close with his eight offside calls against Barcelona, the 2018 World Cup winner fell just short of this dubious benchmark.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

  In his 14 appearances across all competitions for Madrid this season, Mbappe has notched eight goals and provided two assists. He will look to make amends to his form when he travels to Mestalla over the weekend. However, concerns are mounting that the fixture might be postponed due to heavy flooding in the Valencia area. If the game proceeds, it presents a chance for Mbappé and Real Madrid to reset their campaign and return to winning form before hosting AC Milan in a Champions League clash at the Santiago Bernabeu on November 5.

Norway boss Stole Solbakken has revealed that he plans to call up Martin Odegaard in November despite the Arsenal captain's injury absence.

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• Odegaard out injured since September
• Solbakken reveals recovery on track
• Hoping to call up Odegaard in November

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Due to an ankle injury he sustained while playing for Norway in September, Odegaard has been sidelined for over six weeks. The Arsenal captain has reportedly begun the last stage of his recovery but has been unavailable for Mikel Arteta's side as their injury struggles continue.

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  Odegaard was unavailable for Norway as well earlier this month when they took on Slovenia and Austria. Solbakken's men won their clash at home against Slovenia 3-0 but fell to a disappointing 5-1 loss to Austria, and they now sit atop their Nations League group stage level with the aforementioned sides. Solbakken has now revealed that he plans to call up Odegaard for the last two group-stage clashes in November as Norway look to qualify for the knockout stages.

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  WHAT SOLBAKKEN SAID

  Speaking to VG, Solbakken said: "Odegaard's recovery? Everything indicates that things are going according to plan.

  “So it's about the last steps when you have to train with opponents and in team training. It depends on how he responds to that, but we have a legitimate hope that he is ready.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR NORWAY?

  Solbakken's men will be in action up next when they take on Slovenia and Kazakhstan on November 14 and November 17, respectively. Norway will be hopeful that Odegaard will be fit enough to affect those games as they look to secure promotion to League A as Group B3 winners.