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Hampshire v Notts, Yorkshire v Surrey and more: county cricket day three – live | County Championship
Key events
An early wicket at Headingley as Jhye Richardson gets one to snort off the pitch and surprise Rory Burns, who can fend only to gully. Burns strides down the pitch and pokes pointedly at the offending area before stalking away. Yorkshire 41 for one.
Good morning Des Platt!
“I was up at 4:45 this morning hoping to see the young blue tits leave the nest as the first one was at the hole for the last couple of hours yesterday without leaving. Two textbooks I have on the subject say that they often leave at dawn. I’ve had blue tits or great tits nesting 15 years in the last 16 and have found they very rarely do as the book says. Mind you, I don’t blame them not leaving because it is damn cold here and I’ve actually put the heating on for an hour which is most unusual for me in May.
“I was hoping they would all have gone before my team Rainford, play at my local club Rainhill in a cup game later. I support Rainford because of the amateur philosophy ; Rainhill pay out a lot on pros. Rainford are just a bunch of mates who have done very well these last four years competing against semi professional teams but it is getting harder each year.”
How lovely! Crossing everything they venture out before your cricket game. I once delayed my kids going to school to see some butterflies hatch from one of those kits you can buy. It was amazing but they took their time and we were very late. I got a wrist slap.
Ali Martin
OK, scratch Beau Webster from the below, he’s just been wiped out by Tom Norton, a full delivery, and an edge snaffled up by Colin Inrgam low at first slip. Warks 141-7
Not much to report yet here at Headingley. St Michael’s church looks lush and lovely with greenery and that many-capped slip cordon awaits.
Paul Edwards phones in from Southport, where he’s enjoying bobbing home to get his seeds and cereal for breakfast before play. The sun is out, but there’s a chill, and not too many spectators through the gate yet. And the first ball of the day is a no ball.
Ali Martin
Glamorgan haven’t just been promoted to make up the numbers, they’re in Division One to compete. And with two wins on the board already, they could put themselves in pole position for a third if they get the better of today’s play at Edgbaston. Warwickshire are 123 for six and need two all-rounders, Beau Webster and Jordan Thompson, to take a huge chunk out of what is a 237 run deficit.
In other news, am enjoying one of the rare good days as a folically-challenged man following an outbreak of head lice back at base. Blimmin’ school kids.
Weather watch
Sunshine and showers, say the Met office, heaviest and most frequently in the west. Sorry, Southport.
“It could have bee very different”
A very happy Ben Aitchison, having a match to remember: “It was great fun. I’ve just said to Wayne, we were having a laugh out there and really enjoying ourselves. That’s what makes it so much easier when you’ve got someone at the other end who it is a joy batting with. There were balls out there that were doing all sorts and we couldn’t get near to them, so you just had to laugh it off and then go again.
“I nearly didn’t go out as second nightwatchman last night because I got told at the last second to get my pads on and I was almost not ready. So it could have all been very different. I definitely didn’t think that (a hundred) was going to happen this morning, but obviously very happy.
“I was on 64 and I was starting to think about it then as I’d had a little bet with the gaffer as well that I probably can’t tell you about here. It was when I got to 97 where the field was still up and I knew I was one four away and that’s when I thought I can actually do this.”
Apologies for plugging my own writing, but this is such a wonderful cricket set-up.
Saturday’s round-up
A rainy Saturday inspired county nightwatchmen. At Lord’s, Derbyshire’s Ben Aitchison followed up his five wickets with a maiden first-class hundred, stacked with charming drives. As he crossed the line, he got a huge hug from Wayne Madsen and smiled the widest of smiles. Madsen followed up with his first hundred at Lord’s on a tiring day for Middlesex’s bowlers.
Also on overnight duties was Jamie Porter, whose first first-class 50 was the Sellotape Essex needed from the mess of 39 for four. Charlie Allison put on 96 with Porter, and collected 72 before nibbling at Josh Hull. Wiann Mulder (70) and Simon Harmer (33) then punished Leicestershire further and took the to within 52 runs of parity.
Emilio Gay celebrated his England call-up with a duck at Beckenham, where Durham found themselves in surprise trouble on a pitch where Kent merrily gathered 523. David Bedingham was 72 not out at stumps but found little other support. Earlier, Matthew Potts had collected six for 92.
A morning’s play was enough for Surrey to rattle through the rest of Yorkshire’s batting. Matt Fisher gathered four for 92, removing Friday’s centurion Jonny Bairstow in the second over of the day. After Adam Lyth fell for 141, George Hill (34) and Dom Bess (42) hit Yorkshire towards 500.
Rain and Abell were the dominant themes at Taunton, where Tom Abell, Division One’s second highest scorer, reached his third century of the season, accompanied by Craig Overton, who biffed his second. Somerset declared on 525 for eight, and there was just time for Overton to send Sussex’s Tom Haines on his way, before the floodlights failed.
Kyle Abbott bowled Nottinghamshire’s Haseeb Hameed for a duck shortly before a lunchtime ceremony to celebrate the South African’s 500th Hampshire wicket. Sonny Baker, running in with pace, then removed Ben Slater and hit the fingers of Freddie McCann, who subsequently retired hurt. After play, Baker said of his England call-up: “It is a dream come true. I feel like I’ve beaten the bat a lot this season, which has been frustrating, but in terms of the outcomes I’ve had, I’d be lying if I wasn’t pretty pleased.”
Glamorgan picked apart Warwickshire’s batting on a damp day in Cardiff. Alex Davies and Dan Mousely carefully collected 30 apiece, but there were slim pickings elsewhere, to leave Warwickshire 123 for six, 237 runs in the red.
There were chaotic scenes at in a low-scoring shootout at Bristol, after Northants were skittled for 127, with five wickets for Matt Taylor. Gloucestershire then opened their second innings with two tailenders, one – Will Williams – returning to the crease shortly after being out to act as a runner for the other – Craig Miles – who was out soon afterwards.
There was no play at Southport with Lancashire still trailing Worcestershire by 242 runs.
Scores on the doors
Chelmsford: Essex 281-8 v Leicestershire 333
Southampton: Hampshire 214 v Nottinghamshire 124-3
Taunton: Somerset 526-8dec v Sussex 22-1
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 123-6 v Glamorgan 360
Headingley: Yorkshire 486 v Surrey 17-0
Division Two
Bristol: Gloucestershire 154 and 21-3 v Northamptonshire 127
Beckenham: Kent 523 v Durham 173-5
Southport: Lancashire 28-0 v Worcestershire 270 no play today
Lord’s: Middlesex 177 and 13-1 v Derbyshire 376
Preamble
Good morning! From unpromising beginnings under south Manchester skies, it’s a fine truck through the Pennines this morning. Mytholmroyd station looked so pretty and I now know, thanks to the station noticeboard, that it was the birthplace of Ted Hughes in 1930.
A draw already looks on the cards at Headingley, but maybe Surrey will collapse in a heap and surprise us all. Elsewhere, Middlesex need to dig in, Durham are in trouble, everything is going in fast-forward on the hybrid pitch at Bristol, Essex are fighting back, Glamorgan are suprising (or maybe not, after two wins on the bounce) Warwicks, Sussex have a fight on their hands and it is early days at Southampton. Fingers crossed for some play at Southport.
All swings into action at 11am. Do drop in.
The family of Shaun Burton, say they are “devastated” by the loss.
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Key events
In the opening half an hour against Cape Verde, Mikel Oyarzabal, the centre-forward, did not get a single touch.
Kyle Green gets in touch: “Your highlighting of Lalas and his absurdity is something that has prevented me from wanting to watch the coverage on Fox. While every channel has its pros and cons I just can’t.
“I’m 45 and probably the youngest of anyone who remembers him as a player instead of an opinionated insert insult here. As for the match this could be more competitive than it looks on paper Spain need a win the pressure is on them. Saudi Arabia could hold out for a draw and see what happens in their last match. “
News from the England camp, and it seems to be good news on Declan Rice.
“I’m ready and fit, raring to go. I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time. Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that. It was all behind-the-scenes stuff but it was a smart decision.
“In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it’s where you play a 70-minute match. But that last 20 is where you really feel your body going for it. And I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I felt really, really good.”
Alex Reid has penned today’s weekend special Football Daily.
Portugal v Uzbekistan on Tuesday enticingly pits the incredibly nice, incredibly 41-year-old-superstar-tolerant Roberto Martínez against Fabio Cannavaro, who’s won a Ballon d’Or as a player and the Chinese Super League as a coach. While the fixture following that game really does see the dream of Thomas Tuchel – in his first international job with England – taking on Queiroz, who is in charge of his ninth national side with Ghana.
The expected formations are 4-2-3-1 for Spain, and 5-3-2 for the Saudi Arabians.
The Saudi team features two Donis changes: Ali Lajami, a defender, and Nasser Al Dawsari, a midfielder, are preferred to Mohammed Abu Al Shamat and Mohamed Kanno. You may recall Salem Al Dawsari, the Saudi captain, as the man who scored the winner against Argentina.
An entertaining read, even for those of us who have just seen the clips.
In a conversation where his co-panelist is casually reminiscing about his days playing alongside Messi or exchanging shirts with Ronaldo Nazário at the World Cup, what exactly is Lalas going to talk about – coming on as a second-half substitute for Earnie Stewart in a friendly against Scotland in 1998? Helping the Kansas City Wizards finish last in the 1999 MLS Western Conference? Did Lalas enjoy an elite playing career? No. But does he do the background reading that could compensate for his relative lack of standing in a conversation with titans like Henry and Zlatan? Also no. But is he charming or funny or charismatic or otherwise magnetic on screen? Eh, no.
For the record, I once interviewed Alexi Lalas on the challenge of playing against Romario in the 1994 World Cup. He had this to say:
“He could kill you in so many different ways. If you remember from that World Cup, he scored so many types of goals. That ranged from solo adventures to an outside-of-the-right-foot half-volley off a corner kick. Romario was both the most difficult to play against and the best that I have faced.
“Roberto Baggio was doing his thing, but in terms of consistency and living up to the hype, he [Romario] was the best. As with all stars, there was a moment when the fans sit up in their seats, and that was a feeling I got with Romario. When it got close to him and the potential for his involvement in a play was there, everybody sat up in their seat. They knew that something spectacular would be happening.”
Saturday’s match reports here.
The Saudi Arabia coach, and Blackburn legend, Georgios Donis, spoke about the challenges facing his team: “Spain is not the same team when Yamal or Williams are on the bench.
“While they still have plenty of possession, they lack the individual one-on-one penetration when these two are missing. I’m not saying it’s a problem for Spain, but when those players are missing, they play in a different way. We saw this very clearly against Cape Verde.
“We are playing against one of the best teams in the world, and it’s very important that when you play against these kinds of teams, you should enjoy the experience and respect the opponent, but not too much.
“It is very hard for any team playing against Spain to have any time in possession. So what we must do is to be more in control of our movement and compact, and when the ball goes through the lines, be able to defend dynamically.
“It’s nice to see miracles in football, and we’ve seen favourites losing against underdogs. Of course, it’s great for Saudi football to have a great memory of the result against Argentina, but we aren’t drawing anything from that.
“I think we’ll feel more pressure in that [Cape Verde] game than we will against Spain.”
The Spain coach, Luis De La Fuente had this to say in his Saturday press conference: “This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up… It’s going to be a completely different story,” he said at his pre-match press conference on Saturday. There is no drama or crisis. The bottom line is simply that we need to win tomorrow.”
Four changes for Spain: Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also come into the side with Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Gavi dropping out.
The teams – Lamine Yamal starts
Spain: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Gonzalez, Rodri, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal. Subs: Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Fabian, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Munoz, Iglesias.
Saudi Arabia: Al Owais, Abdulhamid, Tambakti, Lajami, Al Amri, Al Harbi, Nasser Al Dawsari, Al Khaibari, Al Juwayr, Al Buraikan, Salem Al Dawsari. Subs: Al Aqidi, Al Kassar, Majrashi, Yahya, Al Shehri, Al Boushal, Kadesh, Al Johani, Al Ghannam, Al Hajji, Al Hamdan, Mandash, Kanno, Thakri, Abu Al Shamat.
Referee: Raphael Claus (Brazil)
Perhaps one of the Saudi -players can write themselves into this high-grade selection?
Perhaps it can be their goalkeeper.
Madrid screening of Spain v Saudi Arabia cancelled due to heat
The public screening of Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia in Madrid on Sunday has been cancelled because of extreme heat forecast for the Spanish capital, officials said.
The match, due to kick off at 6pm local time on Sunday, had been scheduled to be shown on a giant screen installed by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) at a fan zone in Plaza de Colón in central Madrid.
Madrid city council and the federation decided to cancel the screening after national weather agency AEMET issued an orange heat warning – the second-highest level – for the Madrid region, with temperatures forecast to reach 40C.
“The decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the health of attendees, event staff and support services involved in the event,” Madrid city hall said in a statement, apologising for any inconvenience.
Officials urged supporters to watch the match indoors in air-conditioned spaces and avoid prolonged exposure to the heat.
Large parts of Spain are experiencing unusually high temperatures for June as a mass of hot air from North Africa moves across the Iberian Peninsula.
A total of 13 of Spain’s 17 regions are on orange alert for heat on Sunday, while the northern Basque Country bordering France is on red alert, the highest level.
Authorities advised residents and visitors to take precautions during the heatwave, including drinking water regularly, staying in cool environments, limiting outdoor physical activity during the hottest hours of the day and taking extra care of vulnerable people. AFP
Can Saudi Arabia repeat the magic of 2022?
Argentina arrived in Qatar on a 36-game unbeaten run. When Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 10 minutes, a comfortable afternoon seemed in the offing. Saleh al-Shehri and Salem al-Dawsari had other ideas, Argentina had three goals disallowed for offside in the space of 13 minutes and the greatest comeback in Saudi Arabia football history was made. Argentina went on to lift the trophy, while defeats to Poland and Mexico meant the Saudis did not reach the knock-out stage.
Unai Simon over David Raya is a controversial choice for De la Fuentes. The Arsenal keeper could lay claim to being Europe’s best this season.
“Those at the Champions League final had a few more days, so I got there on the Wednesday night,” Raya says. “I arrived a bit before Fabián [Ruiz]. I was saying hello to some of the others in reception when he arrived. I went to say congratulations; that was almost the first thing I did. I couldn’t really talk [to him] after the final; I just didn’t have it in me. The next day we talked about the game properly. Just two mates chatting … I was happy for him that he could lift the trophy for a second time.”
A high pressure game for the European champions, as Sid Lowe reports.
“If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” Martín Zubimendi said. Immediately after the game, De la Fuente had offered a simple analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in it doesn’t want to go in, he insisted. Spain had racked up 27 shots, after all. Ferran Torres had hit the bar and seen another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more and was named the man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri said. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.”
We wait to see what role Lamine Yamal will play today. His coach would surely like to be able to use him.
The worst mistake we could make would be to compare him to anyone. He is the midst of a process. He has exceptional footballing maturity and lives it all with total naturalness. He has great serenity and strength. We have to let him follow his path but those players who have something different are ready for that. They’re geniuses, like Dalí [who] can paint a picture, or Michelangelo. They’re different. What is exceptional to us, isn’t to them. In those extremes, they feel comfortable. Why? Because they are different. What we think is exceptional, they consider normal.
Preamble
Spain’s campaign did not get off to a flying start, and Luis de la Fuentes may wake up in the night to visions of Cape Verde’s Vozinha. He will have Georgia on his mind ever since Monday. Saudi Arabia are no pushovers and gave Uruguay a scare in their opening match. Memories of downing Argentina four years ago still abound, and so Spain might beware. They can ill afford to go into the final game with Uruguay at a disadvantage. All eyes on Lamine Yamal, whose fitness situation remains opaque, though Spain need their other forwards to come to the party.
Kick-off 5pm UK, 1pm ET, 2am AEST. Join me.
A topless man can be seen driving erratically in Edinburgh before abandoning his car and attacking a black man and a delivery rider.
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