UK News
Lancs v Kent, Jordan Cox joins England mid match and more: county cricket day three – live | County Championship
Key events
Have been waiting for the fabulously named Sheridon Gumbs to score one run for his maiden fifty at Grace Road, but must be patient as Leicestershire nail down their boots in their second innings. Rishi Patel was bowled by Snater for 58. Leicestershire 124-1, trail by 90.
Somerset have lost a couple of quick wickets to leave the brothers Rew batting together. Somerset 116-4, lead Notts by 233.
Glamorgan have had a cracking morning, 104-0, with Asa Tribe 58 not out, but they still trail Sussex by 232 runs.
Warwickshire have a first-innings deficit of more than 200, but Yorkshire have lost an early second-innings wicket – Lyth bowled by Bamber for for four. Yorks 19-1.
Here, Josh Bohannon has found his mojo – with 22 coming off Hasan Mahmud’s fourth over. The familiar figure of Matt Parkinson is now having a bowl against his old team from Stanley Park’s south end. Ah, now Matt Milnes has limped off so Mahmud is bowling again, from the north end this time, and that’s the end of Josh Bohannon. Lancs 58-2.
Time to go round the grounds on this sleepy Sunday, Lancashire making a better fist of things this morning at Stanley Park, 31-1. The sun is even straining to come out from net curtain clouds. Matt Milnes has swapped to the north end.
Harry Singh, slip catcher extraordinaire, is caught by his Kent counterpart, Ben Dawkins, off Hasan Mahmud’s first over of the day. Lancashire 19-1.
Ben Stokes and Lewis Moody at Chester le Street
Ben Stokes has once again been spotted at CLS in his pads. The second high-profile visitor was Lewis Moody, on his fundraising bike ride for Doddie Weir’s foundation, cycling from Newcastle RUFC to Twickenham. Moody is planning to ride the whole trip, with his sons, despite his own MND diagnosis
I read this lovely interview by Don McRae on the train up – well worth a few minutes of your time.
Jordan Cox pulled out of Essex match to join England
After Henry Crocombe was summoned from Sussex’s game yesterday, the ECB have pulled Jordan Cox out of Essex’s match against Leicestershire as cover for Jamie Smith – whose wife is due to have their second baby. Michael Pepper is his replacement in the Essex team.
Keaton Jennings has survived his nasty blow to the teeth yesterday and is out in the middle. Matt Milnes has the ball at the south end, there’s a brief pause because of movement near the sightscreen, and we’re off. Record run chase here we come – to date, the highest-winning fourth innings score at Stanley Park is 383 by Essex in 2023; while Lancashire’s highest winning fourth-innings total is 404-5 against Hampshire in 2010.
Lancashire need 424 to win
The new ball and Jimmy Anderson was all it took to remove Chris Benjamin for 103, a third catch for Harry Singh that we watched all the way from bat to palm as we waited for our coffees up the far bank. Kent 328-9, lead by 424, and there’s the last wicket, Hasan Mahmud caught by Joe Moores. Kent 332 all out, Lancs need 424 to win.
The weather gods are smiling at Stanley park, Just spotted Adam Hollioake, smart in a navy tracksuit, who seem to be in charge of the Kent boom box.
Scores on the doors
Division One
Grace Road: Leicestershire 180-9 v Essex 401
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 193 v Somerset 310 and 73-2
Hove: Sussex 521 v Glamorgan 155 and 42-0
Scarborough: Yorkshire 469 v Warwickshire 225-7
Division Two
Chester-le-Street: Durham 377 v Derbyshire 118 and 99-4
Blackpool: Lancashire 87 v Kent 178 and 320-8
Northampton: Northamptonshire 465 v Gloucestershire 233-5
New Road: Worcestershire 265 v Middlesex 339 and 5-0
Roundup: Stokes warms up as Durham run rings round Derbyshire
Ben Stokes trained with Durham on Saturday, after he was left out of England’s squad for the second Test against New Zealand for breaching a midnight curfew. Stokes and Surrey’s Gus Atkinson, who was also not considered for selection, were involved in an incident with a Saracens rugby player in a London nightclub while celebrating England’s victory in the first Test at Lord’s. Durham coach, Ryan Campbell, said that any decision on whether Stokes featured in Durham’s game against Northants on Friday was up to the player and the England and Wales Cricket Board “but I’ll definitely find him a spot”.
Stokes bowled in the middle before play and later had a bat in the nets, while on the field Durham ran rings around Derbyshire, who were forced to follow on after being dismissed for 118, with five wickets for Kasey Aldridge. They were 99 for four at stumps, Matthew Potts the sole incisor, and still 160 behind.
At Hove, James Coles waltzed to a glorious 224 not out, a maiden double century full of delicious strokes, including 11 sixes. He and Jaydev Unadkat added 103 for the last wicket, much to Glamorgan’s frustration. Sussex lost a man during the day as Henry Crocombe was called up by England as cover for Ollie Robinson, who was due a knee scan after complaining of soreness. Crocombe’s replacement was Dom Goodman.
The Blackpool tower covered its eyes as Lancashire were dismissed for 87 by Kent. Keith Dudgeon grabbed six for 21, while Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud, on his Kent debut, threatened from Stanley Park’s north end, finishing with three for 32. Kent then made merry, with an unbeaten century from Chris Benjamin, spraying sixes over the wall, and a studious 83 from Harry Finch.
Somerset finished a satisfying day at Trent Bridge with a 190 run lead and toe towards the tape. There were four wickets for Lewis Gregory and three for Jack Leach as Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 193. Earlier, Fergus O’Neill finished with a career-best six for 72 as Somerset’s last three wicket added only 16.
Leicestershire grabbed Essex’s last five wickets for 58 runs but still ended up following on at Grace Road. Jordan Cox was finally out for 204, then Leicestershire were 187 all out, Charlie Bennett and Simon Harmer taking three apiece and only Nick Kelly (78) resisting. Sheridon Gumbs, 22 and on debut, batted patiently opening the batting as Leicestershire closed on 51 without loss second time around.
While floats from the Northampton carnival danced past Wantage Road, James Bracey (72) and Graeme van Buuren (75 not out) rescued Gloucestershire from the doldrums of 56 for four, with a partnership of 148. Earlier, New Zealand’s Krisitian Clarke finished with six for 109 on Gloucestershire debut as Northamptonshire strolled to 465.
Yorkshire had the upper hand at Scarborough, collecting maximum batting points before reducing Warwickshire to 225 for seven; Toby Roland-Jones (four for 41) led the Middlesex attack as they bowled Worcestershire out for 265, a first-innings deficit of 74.
Preamble
Good morning! A cloudy start to day three, at least at Preston station, with just the right overhead conditions to please a suddenly rampant Kent. It doesn’t bode well for Lancashire’s batters who have a nasty incline ahead – 411 behind, and counting. Saturday was a bad day at the office for Leicestershire and Derbyshire too, both following on against Essex and Durham respectively.
Somerset have the upper hand over Notts, Sussex over Glamorgan and Yorkshire over Warwickshire, with things still in the balance at Wantage Road and New Road.
Play is due to start at 11am round the grounds, do join us in your Sunday best.
Japanese firms will spend billions on UK infrastructure and offshore wind, Downing Street says.
Source link
Key events
14 min The indefatigable Maeda spins away down the left and wins a corner off Dumfries. Nothing comes of the corner, but Japan comes again down the left. Kubo plays in the underlapping Nakamura, whose dangerous low cross towards Maeda is crucially cut out at the near post by Van Hecke.
11 min Netherlands have come closest to scoring but Japan have been better on the ball. As they pop it around in midfield, the great commentator Jon Champion delivers an excellent stat on ITV: this is the first time the Netherlands have started a World Cup game without a player from their own domestic league.
8 min Maeda pulls into space on the left and hits an early cross that is swept away on the bounce by Van Dijk.
It’s been a bright and breezy start, with both teams going for it.
6 min Nakamura beats Van de Ven on the left wing and is pulled back. That could easily have brought a yellow card. Don’t ask me why Van de Ven was temporarily playing right-back, because I have no idea.
3 min: Fine save by Suzuki!
After a long, windng move from the Netherlands, Malen receives the ball just inside the area with his back to goal. In a flash he rolls Taniguchi and whacks a shot that is punched over the bar by Suzuki.
At first it looked a great save but in fact Malen’s shot, though very well struck, was pretty close to the keeper. He still had to sort his hands out and get the ball out of a dodge, a task he performed excellently.
1 min Peep peep! Netherlands, dressed in brilliant orange, kick off from left to right as we watch. Japan are wearing their blue home strip; and whether you’re into the game or into fashion, the Japan Home Kit is a piece that shows ambition and pride with subtlety. With a wave-inspired white graphic on deep blue, this kit is a nod to national identity – made to inspire you to go beyond the horizon.”
“I followed Andrew Goudie’s link to Joachim Klement’s analysis and, even though it’s by an economist, it’s a cracking read,” begins Charles Antaki. “Sample:
Group D is the most evenly matched group of all … It will all depend on the form on the day who will succeed, but I think the Australians will summon their cricket spirit and win the group in the same way they win the Ashes – mostly due to the ineptitude of their opponents, and if that isn’t enough, then cheating.
“He’s also willing to predict that ‘Japan will win against Brazil’ .. though he does go on to claim that it’ll be ‘one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history’, which looks a bit charitable to Brazil at the moment.”
A reminder of the teams
Netherlands (4-3-3) Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo.
Subs: Roefs, Flekken, Geertruida, Ake, Wieffer, Hato, De Roon, Kluivert, Til, Q Timber, Koopmeiners, Weghorst, Depay, Lang, Brobbey.
Japan (3-4-2-1) Z Suzuki; Watanabe, Taniguchi, H Ito; Doan, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; Kubo, Maeda; Ueda.
Subs: Osako, Hayakawa, Sugawara, Itakura, Nagatomo, Seko, Tomiyasu, J Suzuki, Tanaka, K Ito, Y Suzuki, Machino, Goto, Ogawa, Shiogai.
Referee Ismail Elfath (USA)
“Ah, Mogwai,” purrs Matt Dony. “Magnificent. Been reminding myself of their genius recently. Ceiling Granny from 2021’s As The Love Continues is a better Smashing Pumpkins song than anything Billy Corgan has written in the last 20 years.
“Similarly, in Liverpool’s title season (feels a long time ago), Ryan Gravenberch was a better Claude Makelele than almost any other player has managed in the last 20 years. I hope he can bring that energy, disruptiveness and ball-playing to this tournament.
“I’m hoping the Netherlands go far. Mind you, Japan are always a likeable team, too. Argh, I don’t know! Let’s simply hope it’s entertaining!”
May nothing but happiness come through your door.
“‘An entire postcode of imaginary farms’ sounds like a chapter in Cruyff’s autobiography, tbh,” writes James Humphries. “One of the later ones just before he unretires, I guess.”
You need space to teach people Total Football, mate, and you need an imagination too.
“I was in the middle of writing a witty message on the mathematician who claimed the Dutch would win, only to see that somebody has beaten me to it,” writes Eva Maaten. “Oh well. But, I can share with you the reaction of my Dutch husband and half-Dutch daughter which one of slightly amused disbelief – not much confidence in this Dutch team.”
Let’s accentuate the positive: if this relatively unfancied Netherlands side win the World Cup, we’ll know for sure that Joachim Klement’s model is bulletproof. And I’ll own an entire postcode of imaginary farms.
A couple of DMs to look out for tonight
Spain, who are going to win the World Cup since you asked, get their campaign under way against Cape Verde tomorrow. Sid Lowe’s preview is as readable as ever.
“After seeing that Curacao are as good as the 2014 Brazil side, I am now all set for this mouthwatering contest,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “Will this be the first goalless draw of the tournament? Or an engaging 2-2 draw? I will settle for anything if someone can recreate the Bergkamp magic just one more time.”
Fun fact: in a world of VAR, Bergkamp would have been suspended for the France 98 quarter-final against Argentina.
“German economist Joachim Klement’s mathematical model has predicted the winner of every World Cup since 2014, and this time he’s predicting the Netherlands to beat Portugal in the final,” writes Andrew Goudie. “I’m all for a bit of maths, but in this case I think I’d prefer my predictions done by an octopus.”
That slimy fraud has been winging it for years. And as for Paul the Octopus, etc.
(But seriously, three winners in a row is pretty persuasive. If I had a farm, I’d be tempted to put in on the Netherlands.)
Full time: Germany 7-1 Curaçao
For David Narey v Brazil in 1982, read Livano Comencia v Germany in 2026. Don’t poke the thing!
The New York Knicks’ NBA glory has absolutely nothing to do with the World Cup – but only if you take these things literally. In Manhattan right now, it’s an essential part of the 2026 World Cup story.
On Haiti v Scotland
William MacGregor, 41, from Dumbarton, described the post-goal atmosphere as “bouncing … Drinks were flying everywhere when the goal went in. Not mine, I kept mine.”
“Thoroughly looking forwards to this,” says James Humphries. “Japan are great fun every time I watch them and my understanding is that the Dutch aren’t defensively at their best, so could be the game of the tournament so far.
”I hope it’s exciting, anyway, because, I didn’t get to my pit till about half five last night (along with about half the population of Glasgow, given the number of cheery wasters I passed on the way) and then had to get up at ten to go take my daughter swimming; if I was about ten years older, medics would probably describe my current mental state as “a bit confused”, in the sort of tones used to tell family members news that could be worse but still nonetheless isn’t great.
“So, um, what… what was I talking about, again?”
Cheery wasters? Japan? Something like that.
Matthew Engel
The connection between King Lear and the 1966 World Cup is little known, mainly because it affected very few people at a now defunct boarding school. I had been a surprise selection to act in the school’s production of Lear (yes, I played the Fool; yes, I was typecast). The day before one of the performances I fell and twisted something and was a doubtful starter for a part that required a lot of dashing about.
Matron prescribed sleeping pills. That night England were playing Mexico in that now-sanctified tournament – almost a must-win after a goalless start against Uruguay. I went to bed early, tucked my transistor under the pillow to hear the commentary, went spark out and only heard the result next morning: England 2 Mexico 0. The rest is national history.
Team news
Ronald Koeman sticks with the same XI that beat Uzbekistan 2-1 in the Netherlands’ final pre-tournament friendly. Memphis Depay, who is fit again, starts on the bench. Crysencio Summerville, who only made his international debut last week, begins on the right wing.
Nine of the Japan XI started their victory at Wembley in March. The exceptions are Takefusa Kubo and Celtic’s Daizen Maeda, who come in for Junya Ito and the sadly injured Kaoru Mitoma. The World Cup is a whole lot poorer for his absence.
Netherlands (4-3-3) Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo.
Subs: Roefs, Flekken, Geertruida, Ake, Wieffer, Hato, De Roon, Kluivert, Til, Q Timber, Koopmeiners, Weghorst, Depay, Lang, Brobbey.
Japan (3-4-2-1) Z Suzuki; Watanabe, Taniguchi, H Ito; Doan, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; Kubo, Maeda; Ueda.
Subs: Osako, Hayakawa, Sugawara, Itakura, Nagatomo, Seko, Tomiyasu, J Suzuki, Tanaka, K Ito, Y Suzuki, Machino, Goto, Ogawa, Shiogai.
Referee Ismail Elfath (USA)
Jonathan Wilson
In 2002 there was a sense that Japan had slightly missed an opportunity. South Korea may have enjoyed the benefit of some favourable refereeing, but they also impressed. They were quick, technically good and tactically extremely flexible and they progressed to the semi-final of their home World Cup.
Japan did not do much wrong, topping their group before going down 1-0 to Turkey in the last 16, but the contrast with their co-hosts was inevitably underwhelming.
Although Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo earned moves to PSV off the back of South Korea’s performances, and subsequently joined Manchester United and Tottenham respectively, Japan already had four players with European clubs, although one of them, Junichi Inamoto, had briefly returned to Gamba Osaka from his loan at Arsenal before leaving for Fulham. He never played a league game for Arsène Wenger, his next permanent move taking him to West Brom, where he struggled to make an impact.
The poor Japanese journalist whose job it was to cover him became a great figure of sympathy. The final question of each of Bryan Robson’s pre-match press conferences would always be him asking politely about Inamoto’s progress in training – at least until the moment, after almost two years, when he finally snapped and demanded, with despairing incredulity: “Mr Robson, why do you pick Darren Carter?”
Germany are cruising to victory over Curacao in today’s first game. But whatever the score, the match will be remembered for the greatest moment of Livano Comenencia’s career.
GOOOOOAAAAAALLLL! Germany 1-1 Curacao (Comenencia 21)
Do not adjust your screen! This is actually happening! And you know what? It’s almost been coming! Again, Curacao attack, slipping a pass into the box, and when the ball breaks to Locadia, he shoots, the effort blocked, but Comenencia arrives on to it, his shot flicks off a Kimmich, the deflection taking it over Neuer’s hands, and CURACAO HAVE LEVELLED IT AGAINST GERMANY! THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT, AND IMAGINE THE SOUTH CARIBBEAN RIGHT ABOUT NOW!
Team guide: Japan
By Takashi Ogami
Japan are no longer at a stage where speaking openly about “winning the World Cup” invites ridicule. Their historic victories over Germany and Spain in 2022 proved that they are capable of producing much more than just a one-off upset. Over nearly eight years in charge the head coach, Hajime Moriyasu, has built a side capable not merely of surviving against the world’s elite, but of defeating them too. This was backed up by wins against Brazil in October and England – at Wembley – in March.
The expected system is a 3-4-2-1, though Japan also experimented with a 3-1-4-2 against England, suggesting tactical flexibility depending on the oppostion. Pressing aggressively from the top is important, with players such as Takefusa Kubo, Ritsu Doan, Keito Nakamura and Junya Ito all excellent at putting pressure on opponents.
Hopes are high back home, though, and the former Japan coach Akira Nishino, who led the side at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, says of the current squad: “It’s not about individuals acting like egoists. This group of players fight together and within that unity, individuality emerges. There is a strength in these ‘Japanised’ individuals.”
This team genuinely believe they can win the World Cup.
Team guide: Netherlands
By Marcel van der Kraan
Has Ronald Koeman ever started a major tournament with more headaches? Probably not. He is known as an exceptionally ambitious perfectionist, which means the preparation for this World Cup has been the most troublesome of all his years as the national-team head coach.
Injuries are part and parcel of the game but it becomes a real problem when, in the run-up to a major tournament, around half the starting XI is either ruled out completely or sidelined for months. In the spring Koeman said he would only take players who were fully fit and playing regularly, but that stance became difficult to maintain.
Tottenham’s Xavi Simons suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April and won’t be back until next year. The PSV midfielder Jerdy Schouten is also recovering from the same injury. Matthijs de Ligt, who has often partnered Virgil van Dijk in central defence, has not regained full fitness after a back problem.
Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong missed most of the season, Inter’s Denzel Dumfries was out for four months. Manchester City’s Tijjani Reijnders and Nathan Aké were often on the bench while Memphis Depay sustained a serious hamstring injury at the end of his season in Brazil.
Preamble
Hello, how do you do and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Netherlands v Japan in Texas. This is one of the most enticing games of the group stage, a cruiserweight contest between two teams who are desperate to break new ground at the World Cup.
The Netherlands are probably the best team never to win the World Cup and definitely the only team to lose three finals without winning one. Japan are surely the best team never to reach the quarter-finals.
They look in good shape to right that particular wrong. Since completing their qualification campaign a year ago, Japan won have nine of their 12 games, including first ever victories over Brazil and England. Now they’re hunting a first win over the Netherlands.
If Japan are the hipster’s choice at this World Cup, then the Netherlands continue to go under the radar. The squad doesn’t have the same stardust as more famous Dutch teams, but their recent record is strong. They lost to the eventual winners Argentina in the quarter-final of the last World Cup and went toe-to-toe with England before losing a dramatic Euro 2024 semi-final.
This is a tricky group, which also includes Sweden and Tunisia, so a draw tonight would be a decent result for Netherlands and Japan. Let’s hope they’re not thinking that way.
Kick off 3pm local/4pm EDT/9pm BST.
Former Lord Provost Dr Michael Kelly has told the BBC scenes over the past week were disgraceful.
Source link
-
Crime & Safety4 weeks agoWhat happens to Halifax customers if Lloyds makes changes?
-
Crime & Safety4 weeks agoFlock of clay birds set to take flight in special exhibition
-
Crime & Safety4 weeks agoOxfordshire bridge closure comes as management ‘weaknesses’ found
-
Oxford News4 weeks agoActor steps down from major role in new Harry Potter series
-
Oxford News4 weeks agoHenley pub once owned by Russell Brand reopens after 6 years
-
Oxford News4 weeks agoNHS fracture service helps support extra 1,000 patients
-
Crime & Safety4 weeks agoFriends of the Ridgeway appoint Matthew Barber as president
-
UK News4 weeks agoBurnham seeks to calm markets by committing to fiscal rules