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ScorecardThe One-Test Club might be thought a rather melancholy society. You have had recognition but not much. The cap-badge is still bright and the sweater doesn’t need washing. For whatever reason, a single look has been enough. It may be even worse if you are picked to play in a losing side. Scott Borthwick was selected for the last Test of the 2013-4 Ashes series, a dubious honour roughly comparable to a German soldier being asked to help out at Stalingrad in January 1943. He took four wickets and made five runs.Since that dalliance with fame Borthwick has moved from Durham to Surrey and has remained one of the more stylish batsmen in the English game. On what was effectively the second day of this match he made a composed 79 off 137 balls, cutting and driving the majority of his ten boundaries with considerable elegance.And it looked as though Borthwick’s innings would help Surrey get a comfortable draw out of this game until Tom Bailey, whose devotion to an off-stump line had earlier removed Rory Burns and Dean Elgar, took the new ball and added Ollie Pope and Jade Dernbach to his bag. Those wickets were just part of a dramatic final hour or so which saw Surrey lose five wickets for 29 runs in 14.1 overs. They left Lancashire needing 11 wickets in a day if they are to secure a remarkable win.Borthwick, of course, would have liked to add another century to the three he has already scored against Lancashire, a county who are probably his favourite opponents. That he did not do so was thanks to a good length ball bowled by his former team mate, Graham Onions, who tempted his old mucker into a drive and saw the ball fly off the edge to Alex Davies.Scott Borthwick bats for Surrey•Getty Images

But that dismissal was only the day’s second internecine mini-drama. With the tenth delivery of the innings the Gateshead-born Onions had plucked out the leg stump of the Novocastrian Mark Stoneman when the Surrey opener was attempting a somewhat limp push. One might think this is hardly the way one Geordie should treat another, especially a former Durham team-mate.No matter, what Onions, Borthwick and Stoneman shared for a decade is far greater than whatever will divide them for a summer or two.The merit of Lancashire’s bowling late in the day was reinforced by the fact that this was still a very sound second-day wicket. The quality of the pitch was displayed when Joe Mennie and Tom Bailey extended their overnight partnership to 118, thus setting a new ninth-wicket record for matches between these counties, The stand was only ended when Bailey was caught at deep midwicket off Amar Virdi for a career-best 66.The saddest piece of news coming out of Emirates Old Trafford over the weekend was that Simon Kerrigan has decided to put his playing career on hold and will now concentrate on coaching. Kerrigan won his one cap when he played for England against Australia at the Oval in 2013. He was savaged by Shane Watson. Yet whatever the future holds for him, Kerrigan can take comfort from the barely disputable truth that in 2011 his left-arm bowling did as much as anything to bring Lancashire the title. Such memories should warm him.In a rhapsody to a great English fast bowler, Neville Cardus once suggested that cricketers like Tom Richardson should never know old age. “Every springtime should find them reborn, like the green world they live in,” he wrote.In that he will be joined by the many spectators who were at Aigburth in 2011 and whose cheers lifted the roof off the old place when Kerrigan took nine wickets in one afternoon against Hampshire. Distant summers, different springs.

Aston Villa have been revolutionised by Unai Emery, who joined the club in October 2022 following the dismissal of Steven Gerrard.

The Englishman had run the squad into a poor run of form, leaving them sat in 16th at the point of his departure, with the former Arsenal boss seen as the ideal figure to take the reins.

Villa’s club hierarchy were right to be inclined to hire the Spaniard, who fired the Villans to a European finish, earning more points in the Premier League in 2023 than every manager but treble-winner Pep Guardiola.

The Midlands club’s rise to form bolstered their outlook going into the summer, as five new faces arrived, representing a new wave of quality to strengthen the squad already on show.

Emery and Monchi shattered Villa’s club-record transfer fee to welcome Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby in a £51.9m deal, however, it wasn’t the first time the Premier League side have sought reinforcements from the German representatives with Leon Bailey arriving not long ago.

How much did Aston Villa sign Leon Bailey for?

Signed by Aston Villa in 2021 from Leverkusen, the Midlands side announced their capture of Leon Bailey, in a deal worth £25m.

At just 23, the lively forward had made a name for himself in Leverkusen after joining the Bundesliga from Belgian outfit Genk, becoming a master of his trade by exploiting his talents on the flank in north-west Germany.

The Jamaican signed on a four-year contract, earning a salary of £5.2m a year which equates to a weekly wage of £100k.

What was the reaction when Bailey signed for Villa?

In signing Bailey, Villa were receiving a player highly skilled on the wing and a menace in the final third.

Described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as being part of a “deadly” combination on the flank with fellow teammate Diaby during their time in Germany, the Jamaica international was tipped to bring Villa fans “entertainment."

That was the prophecy of former footballer and pundit Adrian Clarke who lauded Dean Smith’s capture of Bailey at the time of his arrival, comparing him to Jack Grealish following the Englishman’s departure from his boyhood club that summer.

Grealish was a hugely influential figure at Villa Park, however, Clarke claimed that his sale merged with Bailey’s arrival could hand the squad a “less predictable” advantage, due to the winger’s positive play.

Due to the timing of his signing with reference to the farewell to the Manchester City ace, the then 23-year-old had high expectations before he had even kicked a ball in the Premier League, with the subtle hope that he could fill the Englishman’s boots.

There was fuel behind Clarke’s claims that the £25m man could fill the void left by Grealish, as he arrived with a more prestigious scoring record than the academy graduate left Villa Park with.

In 213 appearances for the Villans, the academy graduate scored 32 goals in all competitions, compared to the new arrival's 39 goals in 156 appearances for Leverkusen alone.

Based on his numbers, it was clear why the Jamaican was so highly thought of and tipped to be the star to fill the gap in Grealish’s absence, however, history hasn’t repeated itself in England quite how it did in Germany for the forward.

Was Bailey worth his price tag?

In his final campaign for Leverkusen, Bailey shone in his ball carrying and contributions to goals in the final third, as communicated by his averages in the 2020/21 Bundesliga season.

As per FBref, the winger averaged 4.71 progressive carries and 3.11 successful take-ons per 90, as well as maintaining an average of 0.38 non-penalty goals per 90.

His level of performance has dropped significantly since joining Villa, as highlighted by his numbers last season, in which he averaged just 0.18 non-penalty goals per 90, along with 3.89 progressive carries and 1.83 successful take-ons, via FBref.

The danger that drew Villa into signing him has been diluted as he continues to struggle to adapt to the demands of the Premier League, with his contribution to goals taking a huge dip along with his in-game averages.

How many goals has Leon Bailey scored?

During his final season in Germany, the former Genk maestro scored nine goals in the league, adding to the 19 he had netted in years prior to take his total to 28 in the Bundesliga.

Leon Bailey league record for Aston Villa & Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen

2016/17

8

0

1

Bayer Leverkusen

2017/18

30

9

6

Bayer Leverkusen

2018/19

29

5

2

Bayer Leverkusen

2019/20

22

5

3

Bayer Leverkusen

2020/21

30

9

9

Aston Villa

2021/22

18

1

2

Aston Villa

2022/23

33

4

4

Aston Villa

2023/24 TBC

3

1

1

All figures via Transfermarkt

To put into perspective just how little the winger has contributed in comparison, the nine goals scored in the 2020/21 campaign equal the amount he has bagged in all competitions during his 59 appearances in claret and blue so far.

The 26-year-old’s best scoring tally for Villa was the four goals he scored in the Premier League last term, averaging a strike every 496 minutes, via Sofascore.

Has Leon Bailey lived up to expectations?

From a “deadly” talent to an “inconsistent” dud, as described by club legend Gabriel Agbonlahor, the former Villa striker claimed earlier in the summer that the Jamaican is in a “dangerous position” with reference to his future at Villa Park, via Football Insider.

Around the same time as Agbonlahor’s comments, journalist Dean Jones explained to GIVEMESPORT that he would be “surprised” if Bailey was at Villa in the foreseeable future due to his form.

The signing of Diaby reflected a statement of intent relating to the quality of player the Emery wants to build his attack around, leaving question marks over just how long his former teammate will remain in the Midlands.

Next year, the 26-year-old will enter the final year of his contract with Villa, meaning that the club will have a decision whether to offer him an improved deal, or cash in on him to avoid losing him as a free agent in 2025.

Considering the excitement and form that the Jamaican arrived in England with under his belt, his performances ultimately haven’t been translated at Villa Park, with his numbers very replaceable in Emery’s current set-up.

Having started the 2023/24 campaign off with a goal and assist in three appearances, there’s hope that the winger can rediscover the form of his past to strengthen his claim to being an important player going forward in the squad.

Everton manager Sean Dyche will have been pleased to have preserved the club's Premier League status after joining at last season's midpoint, with a final-day victory over Bournemouth enough to save the Toffees and relegate Leicester City.

Victories over Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion will remain fondly in memory, but Everton will now need to use the escape from danger last term as a launchpad for brighter prospects, and Dyche has certainly gone to work over the summer to reform the frontline, which scored the second-lowest amount of goals last season.

Beto

£25.8m

Youssef Chermiti

£15m

Jack Harrison

Loan

Arnaut Danjuma

Loan

Ashley Young

Free

All statistics sourced via Sky Sports

Ashley Young is the only summer acquisition who is not likely to feature around the offensive third with regularity, and even he, now aged 38, played the lion's share of his career as a winger before converting to a full-back when in his thirties.

Dyche is clearly seeking to mould Everton to his own creation now, attempting to emulate his own fantastic feats with Burnley, who he kept in the Premier League against the odds for so many years.

While the Blues now boast a reformed attack, there was plenty of upheaval over the past few months, with Yerry Mina, Conor Coady and Mason Holgate departing from the defensive line and a wealth of further outgoings.

One player who left Goodison Park for the very first time is homegrown midfielder Tom Davies, who completed a free transfer to newly-promoted Premier League side Sheffield United upon the expiry of his contract in June.

Why did Tom Davies leave Everton?

Explaining his leave from a club of which he had risen through the youth ranks, Davies said: "I think it’s hard for a footballer to reach their potential when they’re constantly being changed around and there’s people coming and going.

“You’re trying to make connections with different teammates, different managers, different formations. So for me, yeah I think that [stability] is a big thing that I need.

“Just knowing that I fit into a team and they want me to be here for the player who I am, I think that then gives you that confidence and that stability to then go and express yourself on the pitch.”

The Englishman had forged 179 appearances for the Toffees, scoring seven goals and supplying eight assists, before making his switch, and while he had shown promise earlier in career, injuries and a loss of form and trust amid the numerous managerial switches at the club of late made for an inevitable departure.

Indeed, branded an “extremely poor footballer" by one Everton podcaster, Davies has never really managed to cement his spot, and given that he had been on £39k-per-week upon his contractual conclusion, Dyche seemingly strove to discard a player earning a pretty penny for a role in the shadows. Such a sum of money means that when you consider he only featured 20 times last term, means he cost them an alarming £96k-per-match.

What is somewhat concerning, however, is the fact that Everton have allowed Davies' departure to be followed by that of Alex Iwobi, who was sold to Premier League rivals Fulham in a transfer believed to be in the region of £22m on transfer deadline day last month.

Having failed to welcome a single addition to the central midfield, have Everton sold themselves short for a pivotal year of football?

How good was Tom Davies for Everton?

A product of Everton's Finch Farm youth academy, Davies looked to be an exciting talent after making his debut aged 17 against Southampton in the Premier League.

There was a period, in the latter half of the 2020/21 season, that Davies looked to be coming into his own and wedging his way into plans as a first-team regular at Goodison Park, having been praised for his "outstanding" form by former Everton goalkeeper Nigel Martyn.

Martyn also said: “There are piano players and piano carriers as it was once explained to me – and your team needs quite a few piano carriers."

Indeed, the 25-year-old looked to be an industrious, hard-working midfield force in the making, having completed 81% of his passes, averaged 1.2 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game, won 75% of his dribbles and 57% of his ground duels, as per Sofascore.

Demonstrating signs of a refined and multi-faceted player, Davies received a tactical analysis from Sky Sports explaining how he had married his dynamism and intelligence to resounding effect.

It all came crashing down.

Missing 31 matches due to a knee injury throughout the 2021/22 campaign, Davies would only play eight times, and while he regained fitness last year, he suffered a similarly inauspicious fate, starting just four Premier League matches all season.

He possibly deserved to be handed "his coat" – as is the view of journalist Jonathan Thompson – for his failure to impress over the past several years, with too many facets of his game leaving him flattering to deceive.

Ball interception

Concentration

Tackling

Passing

Strengths & Weaknesses provided via WhoScored

Last season, across his 19 appearances in the English top-flight, the 5 foot 11 ace recorded a lowly average rating of 6.52, completing 75% of his passes, making just 0.1 key pass per game, and forging 0.8 tackles, 0.2 interceptions and 0.4 clearances per game – discernibly less robust than he had been at the peak of his powers, and even that should have been used as a framework to kickstart his career.

It's perhaps telling that Football Transfers value the player at just £5m, emblematic of his failure to kick on under droves of managers on Merseyside.

While Davies looked a promising prospect during the early days of his career on Merseyside, he failed to kick on for numerous reasons and has indeed spent the past few seasons on the fringe.

Everton are perhaps lucky that Davies was homegrown, and not another exorbitant purchase to have fallen flat; having now made his move to the Blades, perhaps he has the opportunity for a new lease of life, but based on the evidence of the past few years, ridding themselves of a lacklustre presence was a good move for club owner Farhad Moshiri, Dyche and co.

Chelsea have joined the race to sign NK Kustosija teenager Dino Klapija this summer, but a fresh report has revealed they aren't the only club looking to bring him to the Premier League.

Who is Dino Klapija?

Klapija is naturally a striker who began his career with New York City’s academy before joining Dinamo Zagreb’s U17s, to now being a regular feature of NK Kustosija’s youth side, as per Transfermarkt, but there’s a chance that he could be on the move before the end of the window.

Croatia’s youth international still has another three years remaining on his contract with Petra Mandic’s side, but after training with the senior first team on several occasions, he’s already caught the eye of Manchester United, where Fabrizio Romano recently delivered an update on the 16-year-old’s future. Taking to X, he wrote:

“Understand Manchester United and RB Leipzig are both negotiating to sign top talent Dino Klapija — also an option to close the deal now for January. Decision on player side expected soon as 2007 born striker will leave Croatian side Kustosija soon.”

Are Chelsea signing Dino Klapija?

According to Sportske Novosti (via Sport Witness), Chelsea are also "showing an interest" in Klapija and are set to battle it out with Manchester United having entered the running to secure his services. The Premier League pair are "in the hunt" for the centre-forward who is viewed as a "top quality talent" and a "jewel" by his current club.

NK Kustosija sources have revealed that "numerous scouts" have been in attendance at some of their recent games and have "made their presence" known, with Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan and RB Leipzig also firm contenders.

The European clubs have already "expressed their desire" that they would be willing to offer more than €5m (£4m) for their target, though it's unknown as to whether the top-flight clubs would be willing to do to the same.

How good is Dino Klapija?

Chelsea are reportedly looking to bolster their attacking ranks with young up-and-coming talents who will be able to develop and push to compete for a first team place in years to come, and whilst he’s not a household name, Klapija is set to have an extremely bright future ahead of him.

The USA born gem made his debut for Croatia’s U17s during their 2-0 victory over Montenegro back in December 2022, and has since gone on to pick up a second cap, with his nation clearly seeing the potential he has to offer and rewarding him for his efforts.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

With the exciting prospect still only being a teenager, it would make complete sense for him to be immediately sent out on loan should he put pen to paper in order to give him the necessary game time, experience and exposure so that he'd be ready to return and challenge for a spot in the senior fold.

Mauricio Pochettino is clearly open to handing opportunities to the younger players who deserve it with the likes of Levi Colwill and Carney Chukwuemeka having been regular features at the start of this season, and Klapija could follow in their footsteps in the near future.

Australia’s wicketkeeper Tim Paine expects Ben Duckett’s suspension to be raised as a way of distracting England on the field during the Perth Ashes Test, as he joined other members of the home side in denying their sledging of Jonny Bairstow crossed the line into inappropriate personal territory in the first match at the Gabba.Paine, who also revealed the nature of his Adelaide exchange with England’s captain Joe Root, said the Australians had little time to think about England’s off-field troubles. However he did say that Duckett’s sanction – fined and banned from the remaining England Lions matches – for pouring a drink over the head of the vice-captain James Anderson after the team’s arrival in Perth last week, would likely be used against the tourists.This would be consistent with the use of Bairstow’s head-to-head encounter with Cameron Bancroft to try to put the English gloveman off his game in Brisbane, and with Australia’s uncompromising approach to a series that invariably carries plenty of ramifications for failure. However Paine said he was surprised to read Bairstow’s comments in a newspaper column that if some words exchanged in Brisbane were ever repeated then he would take the matter up with higher authorities.”I certainly haven’t heard anything that has crossed the line since I’ve been out there,” Paine said. “I don’t know – it might have been between overs or I was down the other end, I’m not too sure. I said it after the last Test as well, there has been nothing that I’ve heard that has been too untoward or anything that has been particularly nasty. It has just been tough Test match cricket.”I’m sure someone will bring it [Duckett] up at some stage. But what’s happening in their camp off the field has no effect on the way we’re going to go about our cricket this week. The time we start worrying about them too much is the time when we’re not thinking about our own backyard enough. It hasn’t affected me going out to keep and it’s not going to affect the way our team plays.”As for the confrontation with Root in England’s second innings, Paine said it had been a case of reminding each other what they were out there for, and what they were not. “There wasn’t too much to it. It was played up a bit,” he said. “He raised his bat to the umpire to let him know he hit the ball. I said just to let the umpire umpire and you bat, he said no worries, you wicket-keep. That was about it.”I don’t think it has been as bad as it has been made out to be, it has been played in pretty good spirit from what I’ve seen and heard. So I’m sure that won’t change. But what I do know is both teams have – despite what it may look like – a huge amount of respect for each other. And I’m sure this week will be another tough week of Test cricket.”In making vital first innings runs for the hosts, Paine had to cope with receiving a couple of blows on the finger that he broke repeatedly in past years, to the extent that he was almost forced into retirement. The prospect of another such blow has been a mental as well as physical hurdle for him, so he was understandably happy to come through not only with runs but also minimal new damage.”I’ve been hit a few times over the last four or five years,” he said of the digit, which was operated on no fewer than seven times before finally settling down. “I was a bit lucky, it kind of missed the bad part of my finger, which was nice. But it’s pulled on really well, had a few days off and been home, so looking forward to this week.”One thing Paine will not be changing is his desire to take on the short ball, after falling twice to the pull shot in Adelaide, first with a middled shot straight at deep square leg, and then a second innings top edge as Australia sought to extend their lead. A former team-mate and powerful exponent of the shot, Ricky Ponting, has been on hand to encourage Paine not to shelve the stroke. “I’ve always tried to take the short ball on and the pull shot has certainly been a strength of mine for the majority of my career, so I won’t change that,” he said. “I’ll just try and play it a little bit better.”I did ask him [Ponting] about it and he just said ‘play it better’, which is pretty good advice. The one in the first innings I just hit a little bit better than I thought and the second innings I tried to hit it over the grandstand. I’ll certainly be doing some work on it, I’d be silly not to, but I’ll still look to take it on, just play it better.”One of Paine’s earliest Sheffield Shield matches was at the WACA Ground, where he made a double-century – still his only first-class hundred – in a Tasmanian win. Judging it to be the hardest place in Australia to start an innings due to the extra bounce, Paine said he would be sad to see major matches moved to the new Perth stadium, now clearly visible from the WACA itself.”I think all Australian players, domestically and internationally, have enjoyed coming to the WACA,” he said. “It’s a place that other international teams find really uncomfortable, which is again a bonus for us. It’s kind of sad that this will be it for the international game here, but a lot of Australian cricketers and Australian cricket fans will have a lot of great memories from WACA Tests from a long time ago. I’m sure they’ll live on.”

Michael Carberry has signed a two-year deal with Leicestershire, while Clint McKay has been released as overseas player after three seasons at the club

George Dobell22-Sep-2017

Michael Carberry in action for Hampshire•Getty Images

Michael Carberry has signed a two-year deal with Leicestershire.Carberry, the former England opener, joined the club from Hampshire on loan in August, with a brief return to the Hampshire side on T20 Finals Day.While he has not enjoyed an especially prolific start to life with Leicestershire – he has scored 42 runs in six innings with five single-figures scores and a high of 18 – he is seen as the experienced figure the side requires at the top of the order as they once again seek to rebuild after a disappointing season.”We have been looking to add an experienced opener to our squad and Michael fits the bill for us,” Wasim Khan, the Leicestershire chief executive, said. “Michael’s first-class record speaks for itself and this, coupled with his international experience and hunger to perform, will add significant value to the development of our younger players both on and off the field. It is great to have Michael with us for the next two seasons.”Carberry, who will be 37 at the end of this month, is far from the first experienced player signed by Leicestershire in recent times. The likes of Mark Pettini, Neil Dexter, Mark Cosgrove, Paul Horton, Colin Ackerman and Arun Harinath (on loan) have also featured in the Leicestershire top-order this season. All of which raises questions about how much opportunity is actually available to those younger players.The move brings to an end a Hampshire career that stretches back to 2006. During that time the club won four trophies – two in List A cricket, two in T20 – with Carberry featuring prominently.He also won England caps in all three formats during that period, most memorably opening on the Ashes tour of 2013-14 when he stood up to the hostility of Mitchell Johnson as well as anyone. He has previously had spells at Kent and Surrey and missed the second half of the 2016 season as he received treatment for cancer.”Michael has been an outstanding professional for Hampshire,” Hampshire’s director of cricket, Giles White, said. “He has been an integral part of many successful campaigns and has always been a very popular figure at the club. We all wish him well with the exciting challenge at Leicestershire and look forward to seeing him back at the Ageas Bowl in the future.”Leicestershire have also announced that Clint McKay will not be returning as overseas player in 2017. He has spent the last three seasons with the club but will finish 2017 supporting the coaching staff as Leicestershire look to the future. He claimed 136 first-class wickets for the club at an average of 25.79 apiece, including a best of 6 for 54 against Kent in 2015. He also contributed 1,099 first-class runs at an average of 21.54.”Clint has been a model overseas player and has made a brilliant contribution both on and off the field,” Wasim Khan said. “On behalf of the club, I’d like to thank Clint for all of his efforts and endeavours.”

Luis Reece left his mark on his former county with a T20 best unbeaten 97 from 55 balls as Derbyshire beat Lancashire by 35 runs in the NatWest Blast game at Derby

ECB Reporters Network25-Jul-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Luis Reece made his best score in T20 of 97 not out•Getty Images

Luis Reece left his mark on his former county with a T20 best unbeaten 97 from 55 balls as Derbyshire beat Lancashire by 35 runs in the NatWest Blast game at Derby.Reece hit 10 fours and four sixes and with Daryn Smit who made 42 from 20 balls added 77 in seven overs to take Derbyshire to an imposing 211 for 5. Liam Livingstone threatened to chase that down by smashing five sixes in an 18-ball 44 and Karl Brown made 41 but the Derbyshire bowlers hit back to end a run of two defeats in the North Group as Lancashire finished well short on 176 for 9.The visitors had elected to bowl first but Reece struck the ball cleanly from the start, driving Ryan McLaren straight for six and pulling him for four as 59 came from the first five overs.Reece dispatched Jordan Clark over the midwicket boundary and drove Matt Parkinson for a third six before Stephen Parry removed the dangerous Wayne Madsen who missed a reverse sweep in the ninth over.Derbyshire were well placed at 103 for 3 at the halfway point of the innings and although Gary Wilson was stumped charging at Parry, Reece drove Parkinson for his fourth six after reaching 50 from 26 balls. Arron Lilley also had Alex Hughes stumped in the 14th over but Lancashire’s bowlers could not exert any sustained pressure and Smit joined Reece to take Derbyshire past 200.Both batsmen improvised well with Smit plundering three consecutive fours from Junaid Khan as 62 came from the last six overs to leave Lancashire facing a tough chase under the lights.Livingstone moved into overdrive from the off, pulling and cutting Matt Henry for three sixes and two fours in the second over which cost 26 and he clubbed Hardus Viljoen over the ropes at midwicket from the last ball of the third.Imran Tahir was driven for a fifth six but Madsen’s offspin ended the onslaught when Livingstone skied a drive to long on where Hughes took a well judged catch. Brown picked up the baton by pulling Madsen and Tahir for sixes before he played on to Matt Critchley and the legspinner Derbyshire hopes soaring in his next over when Jos Butler failed to clear long off.Dane Vilas was run out when he was stranded at the same end as Lilley who kept Lancashire believing by driving Tahir for six but after Steven Croft drilled the South African high over the long-off boundary, Henry returned to york him.When Lilley drove Ben Cotton to cover in the next over, Lancashire were fading fast and Derbyshire comfortably closed out the game.

Manchester United reportedly want to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich ahead of the new season and are expected to make an offer in the coming days.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news?

The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag have managed to bolster the first-team squad this summer despite the ongoing takeover saga at Old Trafford.

Midfielder Mason Mount was the first to arrive from Chelsea in a deal worth £60m, and the England international has been joined by Andre Onana, who has arrived from Inter Milan at a cost of £47m.

More could still be yet to come, though, with a new striker on United’s radar, specifically Rasmus Hojlund. Alongside a forward, another midfielder appears to be of interest to the Red Devils, with Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat heavily linked with a move to Manchester.

However, it looks as if the club are also keen on Kimmich, with an update emerging. The Faithful MUFC relayed news from Spain regarding Kimmich in the last 48 hours.

It is believed that the £300,000-a-week player is willing to leave the German giants this summer, with Man United, Liverpool and Manchester City all expected to make offers in the coming days.

The report states that United want to reinforce its midfield with a defensive player, and Kimmich fits perfectly into the profile they want due to his ability to recover balls, his game vision and his ability to initiate plays from the back.

Who is Joshua Kimmich?

Kimmich joined Bayern Munich from VfB Stuttgart back in 2015 and has gone on to become a club icon, making 347 senior appearances for the club, scoring 40 times and providing 94 assists.

The 28-year-old has won 20 honours with Munich, including the Champions League back in 2020 and has played in a number of different positions throughout his career, which was picked up by former United manager Jose Mourinho, who previously hailed the German for his versatility.

"I see him as a top right-back, left-back, centre-back, No.6, No.8, No.10… he has the qualities to be anything!

"I think he looks to me, very intelligent related to football, very intelligent, understands the moments of the games and understands the difference between positions and understands what he has to do here and what he has to do there.

"I think he’s phenomenal, an absolutely phenomenal player."

Meanwhile, pundit Alan Hutton described Kimmich as an “outstanding football player”, and should he head to Old Trafford, Ten Hag would be getting an option at right-back, defensive midfield and central midfield.

He has experience at the highest level for club and country, and as per FBref, Kimmich has impressed over the last 12 months. He ranks in the top 1% of midfielders for passes attempted, progressive passes and key passes, showing how he could bring control in midfield alongside the likes of Mount, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes.

It could well be one to keep an eye on over the coming days, but by the looks of things, United may need to pip two of their fiercest rivals to a deal for Kimmich.

Tottenham Hotspur seem to finally be honing in on one much-needed signing, to continue Ange Postecoglou's impressive summer rebuild.

Who have Spurs signed?

The latest on their pursuit for Micky van de Ven comes courtesy of Football Insider, who are suggesting that the Lilywhites have cleared a big hurdle towards bringing him in on a permanent deal.

Having now agreed personal terms, there is a confidence around north London that a deal can finally be struck despite a fee having not been agreed with VfL Wolfsburg.

It is noted that Spurs are only willing to pay around £25m for the Dutch U21 international, whilst the German club is holding out for just £30m. This narrow disparity in valuation would prove a minor stumbling block for most clubs, but with Daniel Levy likely leading the negotiations, his patented frugality could stutter a deal that is there to be completed.

This comes following the earlier signings of James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario and Manor Solomon, on top of the permanent acquisitions of Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski following loan spells.

Is Micky van de Ven good?

Despite being so young, Van de Ven already boasts vast top-flight experience that suggests he would be able to make an instant impact for Postecoglou.

With all the physical attributes to dominate English football, and youth on his side with regard to development, under this Australian tactician he could develop into the next big defensive icon to star in the Premier League.

It has only been six years since Liverpool unloaded a mouth-watering £75m to sign his compatriot Virgil van Dijk, who proved to be a revolutionary addition for Jurgen Klopp. The German had been slowly building towards greatness, and in tempting Southampton to sell they added one of the final pieces of the puzzle.

The 32-year-old has since featured 222 times for the Reds, playing vital roles in their Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup victories.

He was famed for his casual approach to defending, and despite standing at 6 foot 5, had a fine turn of pace as well as technical prowess beyond many in his role.

As such, when compared to other centre-backs across Europe he ranks in the top 4% for passes attempted per 90, and even clocked the fastest speed in the Champions League during the 2018/19 season.

Fortunately for Spurs, Van de Ven would arrive already boasting the foundation to emulate these attributes, which Wolfsburg’s managing director for sport, Marcel Schäfer outlined: "Left foot, extreme speed, plays every second. Micky [has performed] consistently very well throughout the season. He’s a player with huge potential and this season in particular has shown incredible development."

This was supplemented by Ruben Jongkind, the former Head of Talent Development of the Academy at Ajax, who noted: "I worked at Ajax with the biggest talents but the speed that this guy has for a defender? It is crazy."

To pair this with his performances in the Bundesliga last term, he would maintain a 6.85 average rating which was supported by his 88% pass accuracy, 1.4 tackles and 3.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Clearly in possession of defensive steel, but with speed and power to rival that of a prime Van Dijk, perhaps Postecoglou could also build his own dynasty on the back of this Dutch defender with the world at his feet.

Pakistan, by virtue of a resolute 155-run opening partnership, and some sloppy work from West Indies, assumed control of the Bridgetown Test

The Report by Danyal Rasool01-May-2017
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:02

‘We were very sloppy between lunch and tea’ – Estwick

There was no knockout punch today, more gradual asphyxiation. As genuine moments of excitement and drama came few and far between, Pakistan, quietly and ruthlessly, wrapped the West Indies in a bear-hug and slowly squeezed the life out of them. There was some exceptionally generous bowling – Ahmed Shehzad made 70, having been gifted three lives – but Pakistan were efficient enough to capitalise on those mistakes, and end day two in a commanding position.West Indies eventually perked up halfway into final session, taking three wickets for six runs to send Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq back into their shell. But with an opening batsman not out on 81, alongside a captain who loves a firefight, there was a lot of work left to do for Jason Holder’s men.For now, though, they can be relieved they were even able to take wickets. Devendra Bishoo extracted an outside edge from Shehzad to have him caught at slip with the score at 155. The Pakistan batsman had enjoyed a charmed life; he had a catch dropped as early as the third over, and was dismissed twice off deliveries that turned out to be no-balls. Shannon Gabriel was the first culprit, Roston Chase was the other. Shehzad made the most of it, but the question of whether he has returned to form is very much up for debate. He went through periods in his innings where run-scoring almost screeched to a halt; at one point, he made three off 59 balls.West Indies were buoyant when they followed up Shehzad’s wicket with those of Babar Azam and Younis Khan, the heir-apparent and the master. You would have to search far and wide to find a Younis dismissal off a poorer delivery than the one that felled him for a duck in Bridgetown. Bishoo bowled a classic long hop, and the batsman gave it the whack it was begging for, only he picked out short midwicket. Azhar and Misbah then went into power down mode, scoring 11 runs off their 58-ball partnership, ensuring there was no further damage.The day had begun with a couple of West Indian wickets that were mirror images of each other. Holder attempted leave when a shot should have been played, and Chase attempted a shot when the ball was better off being left. But the effect of their dismissals was the same; it wrenched all the momentum the home side had built up over a painstaking 132-run partnership, putting them back to the place they are so dreadfully familiar with: square one.Ahmed Shehzad enjoyed three lives. He was dropped on three, lbw to a no-ball on 21 and stumped off another no-ball on 32•AFPA breezy partnership between Alzarri Joseph and Bishoo ensured the West Indies made it past 300 but the optimism with which they had begun the day had long since evaporated. Mohammad Abbas – the most successful bowler today – got rid of Bishoo soon after. Yasir Shah cleaned up Joseph next over, and West Indies found themselves shot out for 312.The Pakistan openers then consolidated their position of strength, although the cricket they played to get there fell some way short of attractive. Azhar and Shehzad combined for a century partnership, buying themselves precious time after coming in for sharp criticism for their lack of runs in the first Test. Some of their watchfulness was down to disciplined bowling from the West Indian quicks, although it was noteworthy that the sustained pressure never really felt like spilling over into a wicket.The hosts could have done better to exploit a rapidly wearing pitch. There were balls that Azhar and Shehzad had to dig out from ankle-height, while the footmarks outside the off stump gave wings to the offbreaks pitching into them. The abrasiveness of the surface impacted the ball too, scuffing it up so badly that it had to be changed twice. Even so, Pakistan found ways to hang on, and though it wasn’t always pretty, it certainly was pretty effective.