When welcoming a player, leagues or clubs usually put together well-produced announcements, accompanied by classy graphics made by some of the best social media teams around.An announcement, at the very least, should tick two vital boxes, however. Get the player’s name right, and make sure that the picture on your graphic is actually the correct player, and not a former Real Madrid right-back.So, when MLS took to Twitter to welcome Inter Miami signing Sergio Busquets with a picture of Alvaro Arbeloa, you can imagine the awkwardness. The post has since been amended, with the admin of the account even poking fun at themselves, admitting their hilarious mistake.

MLS hilariously get Sergio Busquets announcement wrong

As you can see, the original post features the correct amount of Champions League wins, the correct number of La Liga titles, and, in general, the right number of everything. There’s even a player wearing the Spanish kit, kissing the World Cup trophy. The issue is, that player is not Busquets.

Instead, it is Arbeloa, who is, by contrast, long retired and incredibly unlikely to be stepping foot in MLS any time soon.

After amending the mistake, MLS posted a picture of the two players for Spain, showing their similarities, whilst taking a chance to mock themselves, saying: “Why do arbeloa and busquets look so similar in these. Admin needs new glasses…”

And, they might just have a point. Busquets and Arbeloa, at a first glance, looked incredibly similar at the 2010 World Cup.

How many trophies has Sergio Busquets won in his career?

It’s fair to say that Inter Miami are getting themselves a serial winner in Busquets. The Barcelona legend has won it all for Barcelona and Spain, with a total of 34 trophies to his name for club and country.

The standout silverware has to be the World Cup, however, winning the famous trophy with Spain back in 2010, courtesy of an Andreas Iniesta winner against the Netherlands.

The defensive midfielder’s final trophy at Barcelona may carry significant sentiment, too, however, as Xavi’s side lifted the La Liga title after a fairly dominant campaign.

Now at Inter Miami, Busquets, joined by Lionel Messi, has the task of dragging them from the bottom of MLS right to the very top. Miami have welcomed winners, and will be desperate to reap the rewards.

So, whilst MLS has often been a destination for players at the end of their careers – as is the case with Messi and Busquets – the duo have given themselves quite the final challenge.

If they can transform this Inter Miami side into title winners, then it will only prove once more their ability to win no matter what.

Fans tuning into the league next season will certainly be entertained, that’s for sure, as Tiki Taka takes Miami, in what could be a transformative period for David Beckham’s side. The Manchester United legend has certainly made a statement this summer by welcoming two of the best players of their generation.

However, after this social media blunder from MLS and the recent footage of Messi nearly getting in a car crash in his new home city, it’s not exactly been the smoothest of starts to life in the US for the former Barcelona duo.

Leeds United are in desperate need of reinforcements ahead of their Championship campaign starting in a few weeks and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Emmanuel Dennis?

According to Football Insider, Leeds are now considering a move for Nottingham Forest forward Emmanuel Dennis.

As per the report, the Whites are weighing up a move due to a high number of players either already departed or in the process of making moves away from Elland Road after suffering relegation to the second tier.

It is claimed that Leeds are keen to strengthen their attacking options and are now doing background checks on Dennis to ensure he is the right fit for the club.

How good is Emmanuel Dennis?

There is no doubt that after already losing Rodrigo and Brenden Aaronson this summer so far, Daniel Farke will be keen to bring in new additions who can make a difference in the final third over the Championship campaign.

The former Norwich City boss has twice masterminded promotion to the Premier League from the second tier, proving that with the right backing and full investment into his philosophy there is no reason why Leeds can't bounce back to the top flight in no time at all.

As a result, the signing of Dennis could be a major coup for the West Yorkshire club and would provide Farke with a player who could be a great replacement for Patrick Bamford – who has been linked with a move away from Elland Road of late.

Whilst the Leeds mainstay was prolific during Leeds' last spell in the second tier – scoring 16 league goals during the 2019/20 campaign – his quality and consistency has declined due to injury issues and an inability to get a good run of form together – with just 11 goals netted in all competitions over the last two seasons.

Indeed, Dennis hasn't had the best time either since making the £20m move from Watford to Forest last summer and has struggled to get consistent game-time in the top flight at the City Ground.

Over 19 Premier League appearances last season, the 25-year-old scored two goals, registered two assists and created one big chance, whilst averaging just 39 minutes per performance which made it difficult for the versatile forward to deliver at the best of his ability.

Having said that, in the 2021/22 season – despite being relegated with Watford – the Nigeria international was a stand-out performer for the club due to getting more minutes at Vicarage Road – scoring ten goals and registering six assists over 36 appearances, with a goal contribution every 176 minutes, which could be incredibly valuable if he could emulate this output at Leeds next season.

Dennis has been the recipient of high praise over his career so far, with former Watford boss Claudio Ranieri full of compliments for his striker when he was managing the side in the Premier League:

"[Dennis] is a very talented player. He’s fast, has good skill, always runs straight to the goal – I love these kinds of players."

Indeed, it is likely that the £40k-per-week menace will compete with Bamford for the starting spot in the centre-forward role, however, Dennis has experience also playing on the wider flanks of the forward line, so could be easily rotated in the team to give Farke more options across multiple positions.

With that being said, if Leeds can get a good deal for Dennis it would be a great piece of business for the club in their challenge to dominate the Championship next season, albeit while proving bad news for Bamford in his possible hopes of securing a regular starting berth.

Mark Taylor, the Cricket Australia (CA) board director, has admitted that compromise must be found between the game’s governing body and the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) before the game suffers further damage, in an ugly pay war that has put the national team’s upcoming series at risk of abandonment.In speaking at an Ashes event organised by the Nine Network in Melbourne on Tuesday, Taylor became the first senior CA figure connected to the MoU debate to offer a public opinion on the dispute in more than six weeks, since the chief executive James Sutherland was interviewed by the ABC on May 25. Taylor also remains the only board director to have spoken publicly about it at all.Prior to that, Taylor had spoken firmly about CA’s desire to breakup the revenue sharing model on Nine’s programme on May 14. But he took on a more conciliatory tone this time, 11 days after the expiry of the most recent MoU between the players and the board left more than 230 of the country’s cricketers unemployed and a mounting mess of commercial problems for the board. Not least of these is reassuring its chief broadcaster Nine – for whom Taylor commentates – that the Ashes will go ahead as planned.”I think there’s got to be compromise on both sides, I really believe that,” Taylor said on Tuesday. “I think at any negotiation you give and you take. I think when you get to that situation, which I hope we are getting very close to now, then you get close to a resolution. I’m confident there will be a resolution soon. I don’t know when but I just hope both sides keep working hard at it.”I think everyone has probably read and heard enough about things that don’t involve people scoring runs and taking wickets, me included, and I think that [the cricket] is what we all want to see. That includes sponsors, TV networks, past players, commentators, and I think the quicker we get to that situation the better for the game.”I’m still very confident there will be an Ashes series and I’m very confident there will be some Test-match cricket played by Australia before them. That’s certainly what I’m working towards and I’m assuming both parties are working towards that. It’s far from ideal and it’s cost an Australia A tour of South Africa which is disappointing, no doubt about it. But at this stage we haven’t lost a Bangladesh tour and we certainly don’t want to lose an Ashes tour here in Australia.”While Taylor has only recently returned home from holidays, he said all board directors had been kept informed of progress in talks by CA’s lead negotiator Kevin Roberts, including conference calls every three days that he had dialled in to from overseas. ESPNcricinfo understands that some progress appeared to have been made by the middle of last week before regressing and forcing the cancellation of the Australia A tour. While talks go on, little if any movement from entrenched positions has been discernible since.Mark Taylor said it was necessary for everyone involved to “be adult” about the pay dispute; Ian Chappell said while his sympathies lie on the side of the players, give how protracted this dispute is, there has to be fault on both sides•Getty Images

A director since 2004, apart from a brief absence in 2012-13 when the CA board was changed from a body of 14 state representatives to an independent group of nine, Taylor agreed that it was vital to find a way for the two parties to coexist in whatever new landscape was drawn up as a result of the next MoU.”Day to day it’s management’s job, I’ve been away for the last couple of weeks, only got back on Sunday night myself, but I’ve been kept abreast of the situation,” he said. “Calls every three days, sometimes a bit more often if need be, and now I’m back in Australia I’m well aware of the situation. And I’ll be doing everything I can to try and find a resolution to this.”I think we all have to be adult about it. It’s a big game these days. Players are fully professional. Cricket boards are trying to do what they think is right for the game in general, so there’s going to be times when you disagree and that’s where we are at the moment. But I think both sides have to work towards finding a resolution which is in the best interests of the game and the players.”From a game point of view, it’s far from ideal. We are in July, the Ashes are still four months away, but the Bangladesh tour is only a month away. The quicker we can get it resolved the better, the quicker we can move on and rebuild the relationship [that] I think is important between CA and the ACA. The quicker we can start rebuilding that, I think that’ll be good for the game.”The former captain Ian Chappell, meanwhile, termed the standoff as “the biggest bust up since World Series Cricket between players and administrators” and reckoned both sides of the argument, whatever their merits, had begun to be damaged from the moment the previous MoU expired on July 1.”I think once it went past the June 30 deadline I think it started to hurt the game from both points of view,” Chappell said. “I think the public were probably sick to death of it by then it was a plague on both their houses as far as the public are concerned. I think the quicker it gets resolved the better and if it’s going to be a partnership, which I think it needs to be, it’s not a boss-employee situation.”If it’s going to be a partnership there’s got to be give and take on both sides, and probably most importantly there has to be a bit more respect, that’s the first thing that needs to happen to help rebuild the relationship. My sympathies are always going to be on the side of the players, but when a dispute goes on this long there has to be fault on both sides.”The job of the players association is to work with the administrators. Your job as a cricketer is just to play the game and having come from an era where the players had to fight the fight, that’s not an ideal situation at all. To me it’s up to the players association to get the thing sorted out with the board, and for the players to just play their game.”

Faf du Plessis wants Kagiso Rabada to stay fierce and fiery and thinks cricket is poorer following his sanction. Rabada will miss the second Test at Trent Bridge after earning the suspension

Firdose Moonda10-Jul-2017Despite earning a sanction for a shove and a vociferous send-off, Kagiso Rabada does not need to tone down his aggression. That’s the message from Test captain Faf du Plessis, who is on three demerit points himself after shining the ball with saliva that had also come into contact with a mint during the series against Australia last year, and who has taken a grim view of the ICC’s code-of-conduct protocols in the past.Not only would du Plessis like to see a clearer definition for the artificial substances that are not allowed to come into contact with the ball but he also wants Rabada to stay fierce and fiery and thinks cricket is poorer following his sanction. Rabada will miss the second Test at Trent Bridge after earning the suspension.”I would never say to KG change the way that you are. It’s important that he plays the way that he plays the game. Every guy within cricket needs your natural instinct and personality to come out because that creates the best you,” du Plessis said, after South Africa were defeated in his absence at Lord’s.Stand-in captain Dean Elgar revealed that Rabada had said sorry to senior management and felt he had let the team down with his behaviour but du Plessis said he did not expect Rabada to do any more. “I would never expect him to apologise to the team. For me that’s showing what you’re made of. He is showing that he wants to do desperately well for his country,” du Plessis saidHe also does not expect Rabada to change the way he approaches the game, saying the isolated incident in which he swore at Ben Stokes was simply a moment of frustration for a bowler who did not have things going his way and was not a personal attack on the batsman involved. In fact, du Plessis believes Stokes is capable of dishing out much of the same medicine and has even given him a nickname to reflect his on-field anger.Kagiso Rabada earned a fourth demerit point for giving Ben Stokes a send-off•Getty Images”I don’t think it was anything to do with Ben. I think it was a little bit of frustration from KG. He didn’t have the rhythm that he wanted to and it was just frustration coming through,” du Plessis said. “I played with Ben and I can tell you he is just as fiery and that’s what makes him so competitive and so skillful. I called him ‘The Dragon’ in the IPL because he breathes fire when he gets angry. That’s important, when you have characters to come through like that. That’s what I say about KG. Not for one second must he lose that.”South Africa have lost Rabada for the second Test though and du Plessis, like Elgar, thinks both the team and the fans will miss out. “It’s a big disappointment for us not having him. It’s a shame. He is a real big part of this team. In big Test series like this you want to see your big Test players compete against each other,” he said.Rabada should be back for the third match at The Kia Oval and du Plessis hopes Rabada will pick up where he left off at Lord’s, but perhaps be a little more mindful of saying things a safe distance away from the stump mic.”When you play Test cricket you are fighting for your country and you are doing everything you can to win a game of cricket. Controlled emotion is really important. For me, it’s the most important thing as long as it doesn’t take you away from your skill. KG doesn’t do that, that was just frustration,” du Plessis said. “I know his personality. He is a very relaxed and quiet guy. He hardly ever swears at the batsmen in the times we’ve played together. That was purely just frustration.”

Tottenham Hotspur have now made contact with the agent of Fiorentina's Arthur Cabral to discuss a summer move, with the striker viewed as a potential replacement for Harry Kane, according to a report from Goal.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham?

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has recently called on the club's hierarchy to resolve the situation surrounding Kane's future, saying: "[It’s] fair to say I am not relaxed about it! It’s not something you go: ‘Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen!’ I mean it’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club."

"So, you’ve got to deal with it, and I think, for everyone concerned, we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that is good for anyone."

However, it appears as though the transfer saga is going to continue for a little while longer, as Bayern Munich are now preparing to put a third offer on the table for the England international, which is expected to arrive at the end of the month.

The striker allegedly believes he would have a strong chance of winning the Champions League with Bayern, and he is ready to make a move to the Allianz Arena this summer.

Sky Sports reports that the 29-year-old will not sign a new contract this summer, and he remains open to formal talks with Bayern Munich.

As such, Spurs have started to run the rule over potential replacements for their talisman, and they have now made their first move to sign Cabral, according to a report from Goal Brasil (via Sport Witness).

With the Lilywhites worried about Kane's potential departure, they have made contact with the agent of the Fiorentina striker, who is valued at around €40m (£34m) by his current club.

As it stands, Tottenham are just gathering more information about the situation, and he is not the only striker being considered, with several other names on the list of targets.

Who is Arthur Cabral?

The Brazil-born forward first started to make a name for himself during his time with FC Basel, scoring a total of 65 goals in 106 appearances for the Swiss club, before completing a move to Fiorentina, where he has continued to impress.

Last season, the 25-year-old scored 17 goals in all competitions for the Europa Conference League runners-up, having found his feet in the Serie A after a slow start to life in Florence, scoring just two goals in 14 games during the 2021-22 campaign.

The former Basel man has been lauded as a "goal machine" by football scout Jacek Kulig, with Daily Mail reporter Matt Barlow claiming he is good with both feet, and strong in the air.

Although Cabral had a solid 2022/23 campaign with Fiorentina, he is still yet to prove himself at the highest level, so there are question marks about whether he would be a suitable replacement for Kane.

Of course, Spurs are unlikely to bring in anyone capable of scoring 30 Premier League goals in a season as Kane did last term, though they should still be able to attract a better replacement than the Fiorentina striker.

Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in Juventus defender Andrea Cambiaso, as Steve Cooper eyes star quality for his side ahead of the upcoming season.

Adding sufficient reinforcements this summer is integral to ensure that the Reds move away from the relegation zone, after leaving it to the penultimate game of the campaign to confirm safety.

Could Nottingham Forest sign Andrea Cambiaso?

As reported in Italy, both Forest and Tottenham are interested in Juventus left-back Cambiaso.

The report claims that the two Premier League sides have approached the Italian giants over the availability of the 23-year-old.

It’s added that Juve would expect a fee of at least €20m (£17m) for the youngster to allow him to depart.

How good is Andrea Cambiaso?

A product of Genoa’s academy, the defender was snatched by Juventus last summer after a series of loan spells around Italy.

Making a permanent exit to Turin didn’t halt the movements of the 23-year-old, who departed on loan last season to Bologna to gain added experience under the watch of the Bianconeri.

With his future at his new club unknown, fellow suitors have come knocking, which may see the Italian re-locate once more in his budding career.

The full-back made 32 appearances for Bologna last term, making the loan move a positive one in terms of his journey in Serie A.

For Forest, the signing of Cambiaso could be an encouraging coup, with the left-back showcasing the potential to be the dynamic defender that is required to spice things up at the City Ground.

Lauded as being “on fire” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Juve youngster could be the perfect acquisition for Cooper to chase in the absence of Renan Lodi, who shone on the left side for the Reds last term.

The 25-year-old spent the year on loan in the Premier League from Atletico Madrid, before returning to Spain and being swiped up by Marseille shortly after his return.

The Brazilian added a host of quality to the squad, however, Cooper may have the opportunity to swoop for a player of similar potential in Cambiaso.

While the two are competent defenders as highlighted by their averages in their respective 2022/23 league campaigns, with the Italian averaging 2.36 tackles per 90 to Lodi’s 2.11, the 23-year-old showcased a more progressive side to his game.

As per FBref, the Forest target made an average of 74.24 touches per 90 for Bologna in comparison to their former left-back's mere 46.46, highlighting his desire to be involved in the game.

Influential in his progressive game, Cambiaso averaged 2.65 progressive carries and 3.44 progressive passes per 90 in Serie A, while maintaining a pass completion rate of 84.0%.

Despite being adored at the City Ground, Lodi’s numbers in the Premier League last term were incomparable to those of the Juve man, averaging a pass completion rate of 66.5% and making 1.26 progressive passes.

A prominent area of the Italian’s game is his eye for playmaking, evidenced through his average of 1.16 key passes per 90, presenting Cooper with the option to recruit added quality and a fresh outlet in defence.

With Spurs also watching the 23-year-old, the Welshman must act fast if he is to obtain the young talent.

تحدث عامر حسين رئيس لجنة المسابقات بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، عن أزمة مباراة الأهلي وإنبي في بطولة دوري 2003، مؤكدًا أنه لا علاقة له بالأزمة.

وقال عامر حسين في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “أون تايم سبورتس”: “أزمة دوري 2003 حدثت في وقت سابق مع نادي سموحة ولم يوجد أي نادي على علم بالتزوير، ولجنة المسابقات لا علاقة لها بالتحقيقات”.

وأضاف: “الأمر يعود لشؤون اللاعبين وبعد ذلك الإدارة القانونية هي التي تتحرى عن اللاعب، إجراءات طويلة ليس من السهل أن تجزم بوجود تزوير”.

وتابع: “الأندية لا علاقة لها بالتزوير، اللاعبون الصغار يمكن أن يغويهم أحد والوكلاء يزورون سنهم، والأمر ليس له علاقة بالأندية”.

فريقان يحتفلان باللقب.. تفاصيل أحداث مباراة الأهلي وإنبي مواليد 2003 في دوري الجمهورية

واستكمل: “الإعلان عن نتائج التحقيقات قبل مباراة الأهلي وإنبي ما كانت ستصنع الفارق، كما أن الشكوى مقدمة من يوم 16، وتأخذ وقتها، والمسابقة تستمر وفي النهاية كل طرف سيحصل على حقه، لكن ليس من الطبيعي إن كل من يتقدم باحتجاج نؤجل المباراة التالية لحين الفصل”.

واستطرد: “الخطاب خرج من اتحاد الكرة بفوز الأهلي في الدوري لحين الفصل في الأمر، وهذا الموضوع لا دخل للجنة المسابقات به”.

وواصل: “الأهلي تقدم بشكوى أيضًا بشأن وجود لاعب مزور في نادي الاتحاد السكندري”.

واستأنف: “ليس لي شأن باحتفال أي ناد سواء الأهلي أو إنبي في الملعب بالتتويج بالدوري، أنا ليس لي سلطة على الأندية من يحتفل ومن لا”.

وأضاف: “أيمن الشريعي رئيس نادي إنبي قال إنني أضع الدوري وفق أهوائي، وفي نفس الوقت قال إننا أجلنا المسابقة بسبب منتخب 2007، وتم الموافقة على الإشتراك في بطولة لمنتخب 2007، هل أنا أرفض قرار اتحاد الكرة واللجنة الفنية؟ ما المطلوب مني؟ إنبي أرسل خطابًا بأن الفريق مُرهق وتم تأجيل مباريات لهم، هل بذلك أنا أعاند إنبي؟”.

وعاد ليؤكد: “إنبي قدم شكوى يوم 16 والموضوع لا يخص لجنة المسابقات، الأمر يخص لجنة شؤون اللاعبين، والتحقيقات مع الإدارة القانونية، الأمر لا يخصني، ولن ينتهي في يومين أو ثلاثة”.

وأشار: “ولا أعلم متى ستنتهي التحقيقات هذا أمر لا يخصني، قبل ذلك سموحة توج بالدوري، وبعد شهر التحقيقات أسفرت عن وجود حالة تزوير وتم سحب اللقب منهم”.

وأتم متحدثًا عن جدول الدوري المصري الممتاز “النيل”: “النادي الأهلي يعتب علي ويقول إنني أضغط الفريق في مباريات، والبعض الآخر يرى إنني (أدلع الأهلي) وأوجل له مباريات، أنا لا أعرف ماذا أفعل”.

West Ham United have been "hopeful of getting a deal done for £30 million" to sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher with talks already held, according to reports.

Who will West Ham sign?

The Hammers and manager David Moyes saw their star player of the last two seasons, England midfielder Declan Rice, leave West Ham for title contenders Arsenal recently.

Mikel Arteta's side put pen to paper on a club-record £105 million deal for Rice (including £5m in add-ons), which makes him the most expensive English player ever ahead of both Man City's Jack Grealish and Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham.

Such a loss of quality could be majorly detrimental to West Ham's chances of building upon their Europa Conference League triumph last season, if they don't source capable replacements.

West Ham, in response to losing Rice and after receiving their huge financial windfall, are being linked with a plethora of midfielders this summer.

Juventus ace Denis Zakaria, who has featured at World Cups for Switzerland, is among the names mentioned with West Ham also reportedly plotting an ambitious move for Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka (footballtransfers).

Gallagher is another name being targeted by West Ham as they aim to shore up key areas across the middle of the park, with his future at Chelsea also looking quite uncertain.

The 23-year-old has previously professed his desire to stay at the club, saying he "loves" Chelsea and wants to work under "top manager" Mauricio Pochettino.

“I love Chelsea,” said Gallagher.

“It has been a tough season for me and the whole team so I think we will just be working hard to get us back to where we belong.

“(Pochettino) is a top manager, everyone at Chelsea is happy he’s here and we’re looking forward to working with him.”

However, reports suggest that he is on the chopping block regardless, with Football Insider claiming West Ham talks have been opened over a move.

Negotiations apparently started at the weekend and the Irons "have been hopeful of getting a deal done for £30m". However, Chelsea are more likely to demand around £40m for the former Crystal Palace star.

West Ham may also need to be wary of competition from Spurs, with the Lilywhited joining them in a race for Gallagher's signature this summer.

How good is Conor Gallagher?

Despite making 35 league appearances for Chelsea last season, around half of those came from the bench, and the quality in Pochettino's squad could make it difficult for him to battle his way in.

Indeed, a move could certainly be the best option for Gallagher.

The player thrived on loan at Palace two seasons ago, ranking as their best-performing player per 90 whilst chipping in with eight goals and three assists (WhoScored).

Gallagher has been praised for his quality by pundit Jermaine Jenas, who told Match of The Day (via The Sun) that he is a "game-changer".

“He reminds me a lot of Lampard," said Jenas.

"I think he is a game-changer aswell Conor Gallagher. He’s the type of player that you bring on and he has an impact on the game.

“Also, he’s won a World Cup. He was part of the U17 World Cup-winning side so he understands tournament football and I’m pleased for Conor.”

As day turned to night a familiar figure made light of the creeping darkness to leave England in the pink

The Report by Andrew Miller17-Aug-20171:13

Root and Cook set solid platform

England 348 for 3 (Cook 153*, Root 136) v West Indies
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAs day turned to night, and while a historic fixture was being graced with a far more impressive sunset that a dank morning in Birmingham had threatened, a familiar figure made light of the creeping darkness to leave England in the pink and Edgbaston’s 21,000 punters in beery good spirits – not that West Indies’ toiling attack had quite so many reasons to be cheerful.Alastair Cook has been threatening a big score all summer long – his 88 against South Africa at The Oval was arguably the most important innings of England’s season to date – but at the scene of his career-best 294 against India in 2011, he racked up his 31st hundred, and his first since returning to the ranks, to grind England into a position of utter dominance in their maiden pink-ball Test.He did so, for the most part, in the company of the man to whom he had passed the reins. In the course of a stand that spanned 66.5 overs and the best part of five hours, Cook and Joe Root added 248 for the third wicket to atone for another flimsy display from their top-order rookies and cement England’s status as runaway favourites in this three-Test series.Root, in keeping with a remarkable run of form that has now carried him to half-centuries in each of his last 11 Tests – a new England record – was, as usual, the principle aggressor. Until he missed a loose drive in the 75th over – beaten by late inswing from Kemar Roach, the most energetic and impressive of an outclassed pace quartet – he had scarcely played a false stroke in racking up 136 from 189 balls, his 13th Test century and second of the summer.West Indies’ hangdog day in the field was epitomised in bizarre circumstances in the closing half-hour of play. For reasons known only to the captain himself, Jason Holder chose, in the 81st over, to pass over the chance to attack England with the shiny new pink ball and instead brought himself on to bowl three tepid deliveries before limping off the field with cramp.To compound the sense of a side that had lost their bearings, the spinner Roston Chase was called upon to complete an over in which England brought up their 300th run, and he might have carried on for the 83rd as well had it not been for late change of heart – presumably initiated by the coach Stuart Law on the player’s balcony.That passage of play was a dereliction of opportunity from West Indies, particularly given how tentatively Dawid Malan had been playing since replacing Root at the crease – he had been dropped on 2 as he cut Kraigg Brathwaite through the hands of slip, before completely losing sight of a Roach bouncer that didn’t get up nearly as dramatically as the jerk of his head had indicated. But Malan endured to the close, on 28 not out, still a long way from convincing as a Test batsman but armed with the sort of reconnaissance that could yet pay dividends when play resumes tomorrow afternoon.In a parallel universe, West Indies might have been drawn to the lights like a swarm of moths and given England’s middle-order the sort of test that the conditions merited. But they already had the look of a team that had seen enough. Cook, crucially, had not, and though the prospect of an evening new-ball attack from James Anderson and Stuart Broad surely will not be passed over should England be in a position to declare at tea tomorrow, he has a monster in his sights if he can get going again.Throughout the first two sessions, both of which had been played without the floodlights so much as blinking, only two deliveries had truly troubled any of the batsman – it just so happened that both claimed wickets in England’s wasteful first half-hour, as their unstated ambition of using this series to resolve their top-order issues in good time for the Ashes received an early reality check.Mark Stoneman, whose impending debut had been confirmed on the eve of the game, duly received his cap from Jonathan Trott in the team huddle before play and emerged from the pavilion shortly before 2pm to become Cook’s 12th opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss in 2012.And briefly, he looked like one of the more accomplished candidates for the long-term role. After being granted a yawning sighter from Roach – a Harmison-esque wide that stung the fingers of second slip – Stoneman eased himself off the mark with a beautiful cover drive from his second legal delivery, before clipping a second four, off his pads and through square leg, in the same erratic over.But Roach, it transpired, was merely finding his range, and with the first ball of his second over, he nailed it to deadly effect. Stoneman propped half-forward to a good-length delivery on middle and leg, only to lose the top of his off stump as the ball zipped off the seam and past his outside edge.Enter Westley, who once again looked settled at the crease in an 18-ball stay, without translating that serenity into a telling performance. He too chipped in with a brace of boundaries – all told England amassed 22 in the morning session alone, more than 80% of their lunchtime total of 102. But, without addition to his 8, Westley was pinned on the front pad by Miguel Cummins’ third delivery and sent on his way via a review.Cook, as he has become accustomed, watched the events unfold at the other end with a faint air of bemusement, and simply got on with his job. His innings was a classic example of playing each ball on its merits – he got off the mark with a first-ball tap into the covers, and had picked off five fours from his next 13 balls before resorting to another single.Once Root had joined him, with the score on 39 for 2 in the eight over, he reverted to his familiar holding role – not that either man needed to be especially sluggish against a samey attack who served up too many freebies on both sides of the wicket. With his cut, flick and punch through the covers in full working order, he ground his way towards one of his trademark daddies.Cook’s 150 arrived via a familiar nudge off the hip for four, as Edgbaston burst into a tuneless chorus of “Ali-Ali-Cook Nah Nah Nah” that must nonetheless have sounded like a celestial hosannah to Edgbaston’s beancounters. By that score, at least, the first day of floodlit Test cricket in England had been a resounding success. The future of the format may, however, rely on stiffer competition in the long run.

Liam Norwell and David Payne produced an inspired new-ball spell as Gloucestershire roared back into the game at Wantage Road

Jon Culley at Wantage Road07-Aug-2017

An impressive performance by a patched-up attack to secure a first-innings lead of 78 for Northamptonshire was severely undermined when they lost their first five second-innings wickets for 19.In a terrific display of new-ball bowling – in complete contrast to the first innings – Gloucestershire’s Liam Norwell and left-armer David Payne left Northamptonshire’s outside chance of promotion to Division One looking decidedly fragile in a match they probably need to win.They were backed up by some fine catching, too, as George Hankins dived to his right at third slip to snap up an edge as Payne removed Rob Newton for a single, before Will Tavare moved sharply to snare Ben Duckett at second slip and give Norwell his first success.Payne then came up with a beautiful delivery to uproot left-hander Max Holden’s off stump, before Norwell pinned Rob Keogh in his crease and produced another cracker four balls later to clip the top of off as Richard Levi groped helplessly.It had taken only six overs to wreck what had been shaping up as an excellent day for the perennial over-achievers, who are nicely placed to advance to the knockout stage again in the NatWest Blast, in which they are looking to become Twenty20 champions for the third time in five seasons, and had put themselves in contention to return to the top division by winning three of their last four red-ball matches.They recovered a little to 50 for 5 at the close but will need a big innings from captain Alex Wakely if they are to construct a lead substantial enough to have a chance of defending.A maiden five-wicket haul for Richard Gleeson had been the key factor in dismissing Gloucestershire for 265, despite the absence of their leading wicket-takers, Ben Sanderson and Nathan Buck, as well as spinner Graeme White, whose injuries have left them seriously short of bowling resources.In addition to Gleeson, the late starter whose success so far has been mainly in T20 and who had played only one first-class match in 2017 before this one, their attack included left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan, who has arrived on a month’s loan after falling down the pecking order with Lancashire, and Atif Sheikh – remember him? – who had played only one first-class match in more than two years.Each of them claimed a wicket, although neither seized his chance anywhere near as impressively as Gleeson. The 29-year-old right-arm seamer from Blackpool had not played any county cricket until two years ago and did not have a contract until this year.A huge success already in T20, in which he took 14 wickets last season despite missing Finals Day through injury and has another 10 this summer, Gleeson demonstrated transferable skills by removing both Gloucestershire openers with the new ball, backing that up with a fine spell in the afternoon that saw Jack Taylor and Craig Miles dismissed off consecutive deliveries and, after Kieran Noema-Barnett had defied his hat-trick attempt, completing the quintet with the wicket of academy offspinner George Drissell, who was making his debut.Late movement accounted for Gareth Roderick and Tavare, who edged to wicketkeeper and second slip respectively, while it was a brute of a ball that did for Taylor, who could only fend to the one slip. The yorker that he has used so effectively in T20 then did its job against Miles and Drissell.Gleeson was understandably chuffed with 5 for 46 against his name, although it would have been better still had Adam Rossington been able to bring the ball safely under his control as Hankins, who went on to make 73, edged one on 33 just before lunch.Kerrigan, who has never been the same since that horrible Test debut in 2013, has made only two Championship appearances this season for Lancashire, where Stephen Parry, Matt Parkinson and perhaps even Arron Lilley are seen to have moved above him in the spin-bowling hierarchy.He showed the skills were still intact when he lured Phil Mustard down the track and spun the ball on to the stumps past the inside edge, although Keogh’s offspin did more damage overall, removing Hankins and Ian Cockbain in the space of seven balls after a fourth-wicket stand of 69. Keogh later dismissed Noema-Barnett, lbw slog-sweeping for a feisty 59.Sheikh, who played for Derbyshire in 2010 and for Leicestershire from 2014 to 2016, does have a hat-trick against Gloucestershire to his name, in 2014, albeit one of limited impact given the opposition total was 591 at the time. He has been playing 2nd XI cricket for Northamptonshire in the hope of rebuilding his career.He took a while to find his rhythm but was eventually rewarded when he took out Payne’s middle stump.The weather forecast for the final two days is not encouraging, although the action thus far has unfolded swiftly enough to suggest a positive result is still likely.