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Jon Culley reports on the third day of the Championship table-topper at Trent Bridge

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge26-Sep-2008
Scorecard
Michael Brown’s 93 put the skids under Nottinghamshire’s title ambitions © Getty Images
Back in May, when Nottinghamshire led the County Championship table after winning two of their first four matches, Chris Read was asked if he thought he had a team equipped to stay there. It was an unfair question to put to the rookie captain of a team just promoted, not least one with new players occupying three of its top five batting slots and two front-line bowlers likely to be unavailable for much of the summer, and while he was not about to demolish dressing room confidence by writing off their chances, he clearly had his doubts.So if Nottinghamshire do miss out on the big prize – and it looks odds-on now that they will – he might reflect in time that it probably was a task beyond them. Right now, however, it will be pretty hard to take.Midway through the afternoon session on day two, you may remember, Nottinghamshire, having bowled out Hampshire for 203, were cruising at 173 for 3 in reply. Having taken an eight-point lead into the last round of matches, it was a pleasantly comfortable place to occupy.Since then, it has all gone horribly wrong. Bowled out for 211 after losing seven wickets for 39, they have been unable to contain Hampshire’s second innings let alone take ten wickets. Day three began squarely to the visitors, who turned an overnight 102 for 1 into 376 for 5.The title has not yet eluded Nottinghamshire, whose simple requirement to win the game has not changed, regardless of what looks a certain victory for Durham over Kent at Canterbury. To do so, however, Read’s batsmen will have to pull off an extraordinary feat.Even were Hampshire to declare overnight – or lose their last five wickets without adding a run – Nottinghamshire would need to score 369 at close to four an over, some 119 more than their manager, Mick Newell, considered to be a gettable last-innings target, and with Imran Tahir, Hampshire’s prolific legspinner, itching to finish the season with another clutch of wickets to go with the 40 he has already, in the last six and a half Championship matches.It will not have helped Read to have three dropped catches playing on his mind, fate having cruelly chosen this day of all days to play havoc with his normally reliable glovework.The first of them, letting off Chris Benham on 5, was not easy, a ball from Charlie Shreck swinging away after clipping the edge to fall just out of reach of his right glove. But the chances offered by Nic Pothas on 39 off Samit Patel and Liam Dawson on 19 off Graeme Swann were, by Read’s standards, bread and butter.They weren’t cheap misses, either. Benham went on to reach 66 before Patel, the left-arm spinner, found just enough turn to dart one back to clip his off stump, while Dawson (48) and Pothas (104) have yet to be dislodged.Moreover, Read’s own skills were not the only weapon to desert him at the critical moment. Darren Pattinson, whose 47 wickets have been a major factor in making Nottinghamshire contenders, was able to bowl only six overs all day, Newell admitting that the former roofer turned sometime England bowler is exhausted. In the circumstances, Nottinghamshire supporters were questioning the point of having Stuart Broad on the club’s books, given that even the most critical match of his county’s season is not deemed important enough to interrupt his pre-England tour rest period.It left Charlie Shreck, Andre Adams, Patel, Swann and Mark Ealham to share most of the burden of bowling and with little success. Adams struck early to remove Michael Lumb leg-before, Swann turned one into Michael Brown’s pads to deny the opener what would have been an accomplished hundred, Ealham had Sean Ervine taken by Will Jefferson at slip and Patel accounted for Benham — but that was it.Not that it was all down to Nottinghamshire collectively running out of ideas on a slow and so-far fairly unresponsive pitch. Hampshire did bat commendably well, not least Pothas, whose 11th boundary, driven firmly through the covers off Patel, completed his 23rd first-class hundred off 176 balls.

An update has emerged regarding Wolves’ chances of signing Slavia Prague forward Lukas Masopust.

What’s the talk?

According to 90min, Wolves are one of the clubs who have been offered the chance to sign the winger this summer. West Ham, Crystal Palace, Watford, Brighton, Leicester and Newcastle have also been told that they can sign him before the end of the window.

The report claims that he could be available for a fee in the region of £6m, with Slavia Prague willing to cash in on the Czech international.

Fans will be fuming

Wolves fans will surely be fuming if the club take up the offer of signing Masopust in the weeks to come. The forward is not good enough for the current squad and supporters could well be aghast if he is brought in as a new signing ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

Bruno Lage needs to avoid his first howler as Wolves manager by rejecting the chance to land the 28-year-old, targeting alternative attacking options instead.

Masopust has never played outside of the Czech Republic, with more than 200 appearances in the Fortuna Liga throughout his career to date. The right-winger has 15 goals and 16 assists in 101 games for Slavia Prague in all competitions, which is hardly an impressive record in a division which ranks well below the Premier League in UEFA’s association club coefficient.

In 13 games for his country during the 2020/21 campaign, Masopust averaged a dismal WhoScored rating of 6.45 as he failed to register a single goal or assist from out wide. This suggests that he doesn’t stand out at international level either, along with his fairly average rate of goal contributions for Slavia Prague.

Why would he be a good addition for Wolves in the Premier League, then? If he is not able to score or assist regularly in the Czech Republic, then it seems unlikely that he would arrive at Molineux and become a potent presence for Lage’s side next season.

At the age of 28, he is not an up-and-comer who would arrive with potential. He is in the peak years of his career and may not have much room left to develop, which is why Wolves must avoid this deal. Fans won’t be happy if an underperforming winger comes through the door for £6m this summer and it would represent a first blunder at the helm for Lage…

AND in other news, Wolves must act on long-standing interest in “extraordinary” beast in cut-price deal…

Fulham look set to secure a deal to bring Matt Grimes to Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who claim that Tony Khan is hoping to finalise the signing of the Swansea City midfielder as soon as he has been given the all-clear after suffering from illness.

It was reported last week that the Cottagers were interested in a move for the former England U21 international, with the Welsh side believed to be demanding a fee in the region of £5m in order to part with the 26-year-old this summer.

However, the report continued by stating that, with only a year remaining on his contract at the Liberty Stadium, the Championship side would likely struggle to receive a fee anywhere near this amount.

Khan masterclass

Khan and his team are making a very strong case for Fulham’s transfer business being the best of any club in the second tier of English football this summer, with the director of football having already secured the impressive acquisitions of Liverpool winger Harry Wilson and former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, while also appearing close to landing Flamengo striker Rodrigo Muniz.

And, if the co-owner does indeed go on to finalise the signing of Grimes in the coming days, his case for Fulham having done the best summer business would be made even stronger.

Indeed, the £6.3m-rated man highly impressed over his 45 Championship appearances for Swansea last season, scoring two goals, registering three assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of one shot and making 0.8 key passes per game.

The £10k-per-week midfielder also made an average of 1.5 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, 1.3 clearances and won 5.3 duels in each league appearance.

These returns saw the man Steve Cooper dubbed an “excellent” player earn an average SofaScore match rating of 7.04, ranking him as the Swans’ fifth-best player in the second tier last time out.

As such, the addition of the 26-year-old to a squad that already looks more than capable of securing an immediate return to the Premier League next season would undoubtedly be yet another transfer masterclass of Khan’s this summer, with Marco Silva surely buzzing at the way his team is shaping up ahead of the opening fixture of the new campaign.

In other news: Imagine him & Muniz: Khan must sanction Fulham swoop for “dazzling” 21 G/A machine

A lower-order rearguard action from Chris Swan and Chris Hartley rescued Queensland, who reached 236 on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield season against Tasmania

Cricinfo staff10-Oct-2008
Scorecard
Chris Hartley worked hard to get Queensland back in the contest © Getty Images
A lower-order rearguard action from Chris Swan and Chris Hartley rescued Queensland, who reached 236 on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield season against Tasmania. On a rain-affected day at the Gabba, the Bulls were shaking at 8 for 91 before being saved by a ninth-wicket stand of 135 between the pair. Tasmania didn’t quite end the day as they would have liked, losing Michael Dighton before bad light ended play.The match was particularly important for Andrew Symonds, returning to first-class cricket after being sidelined from national duty due to disciplinary reasons. His dismissal – off a loose drive to gully – was part of a forgettable morning for Queensland when they lost four wickets in the first half an hour. Overnight rain had spruced up the conditions for seam bowling and it was a good toss to win for Daniel Marsh, the Tasmania captain.The experiment of sending James Hopes as an opener failed as he lost his off stump to Ben Hilfenhaus in the second over of the match. Brett Geeves struck with the wickets of Ryan Broad and Martin Love and soon after, Queensland had lost half their side at 39. Greg Moller and Ashley Noffke knuckled down with a stand of 45 but Tasmania reinforced their grip on the game when they nabbed three wickets for the addition of just seven runs.Swan joined Hartley at the fall of the eighth wicket and took control of the stand. He was particularly harsh on Geeves and brought up his half-century with successive pulls off Hilfenhaus. He was, however, lucky to be let off before getting off the mark, when George Bailey spilled a catch at floating slip.Hartley also helped himself to a half-century, but it took a sharp catch at square leg by Rhett Lockyear to finally end the stand. Tim Macdonald, the seamer, accounted for three lower-order men and finished with a career-best 4 for 42. Swan remained unbeaten on 76 – more than he had previously scored in his entire first-class career – and his 84-ball knock included 13 fours.

Albie Morkel will represent his IPL franchise, the Chennai Super Kings, in the Champions League instead of his South African domestic side the Titans

Cricinfo staff12-Nov-2008
Caught in the middle: Albie Morkel will be playing against his domestic team-mates in the Champions League © Getty Images
Albie Morkel will represent his IPL franchise, the Chennai Super Kings, in the Champions League instead of his South African domestic side the Titans.Morkel is in the same situation as Michael Hussey, who has opted to play for Chennai instead of Western Australia at the club tournament which starts on December 3. The Titans will get $US200,000 in compensation for releasing Morkel, as Western Australia did with Hussey.Jesse Chellan, the Titans chairman, said: “It is most unfortunate that Albie Morkel will not be playing for the Titans in this inaugural competition. We understand the difficult position that Albie is in and the board of Titans has taken a supportive stance. Albie has been and continues to be a loyal and invaluable member of the Titans.”However this must not be seen as a precedent, and we have a commitment from Albie’s agent to resolve related player issues for future Champions League tournaments,” he added. “This now provides us with closure on this issue so that the Titans players and management can focus on accepting the challenge of testing ourselves against the very best in the world, in the Champions League.”Morkel admitted it will be difficult facing his own team-mates when the two sides meet on December 7 in Chennai. “[The] Titans is my home team and I have been and remain a committed and loyal team member. The IPL and its follow on, the Champions League will create an interesting dynamic for me while on the field in India and it is going to be difficult for me to face my team mates who know my secrets and the way I play.”Squad: Pierre Joubert (captain), Farhaan Behardien, Gulam Bodi, AB de Villiers, Francois du Plessis, Paul Harris, Heino Kuhn (wk), Ethy Mbhalati, Morne Morkel, Aaron Phangiso, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Roelof van der Merwe, Martin van Jaarsveld, Basheeru-Deen Walters (wk).

Many Wolves fans have been left buzzing as a transfer update emerged on Lee Kang-In.

As per AS, the Midlands club still have an interest in signing the South Korea international before the summer window ends, but Getafe now also hold an interest.

Lee can play in a wide variety of positions across the forward line and in midfield, and at just 20 years of age, may have the ability to reach the very top if he can supplement his versatility and potential with end product.

His signing would not only benefit the Molineux faithful on the pitch, but off it as well, as they would likely to benefit commercially from an upcoming Asian talent – just look at Tottenham mega star Son Heung-min.

Nonetheless, the Valencia ace is certainly a player who would help bolster Bruno Lage’s squad going into the new 2021/22 season.

Wolves fans on Lee transfer update

These WWFC supporters were left buzzing as the transfer update on Lee was shared by Talking Wolves on their Twitter page:

“Would be happy if this happens. We need a cam like player. He can play upfront too which is a bonus.”

Credit: @parker_bradley

“I would love to have the next Sonny in my team, I just hope he smiles as much”

Credit: @BramTrevorWelch

“He makes senses on and off the pitch for #wolves.”

Credit: @joshuabuckley

“Genuinely what our club needs and I think the owners have been crying out for since taking over @Wolves a young Asian talent who will sell shirts over there”

Credit: @Jaywolvesfc

“Would be a great signing, exactly what we need and he’s only 20”

Credit: @FPL_BakedBeans

“This is a total and complete no-brainer. Exactly what we need.”

Credit: @Wolfus1492

In other news, find out what transfer update has Wanderers fuming here!

A number of Leeds United supporters have laid into Robin Koch’s first-half performance against Manchester United.

The White have started their Premier League season with a trip to Old Trafford, in the latest chapter in a long rivalry between the two clubs.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side are aiming to replicate last season’s performance, in which the Whites finished ninth in the table and impressed neutrals with their style of play.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359346″]

An entertaining opening 45 minutes saw the hosts have the better of the chances though, and Bruno Fernandes’ goal is the difference between the sides.

Bielsa has opted to play Koch in midfield, but it looks a decision that hasn’t paid off, with the centre-back struggling in an unfamiliar role.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-12/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Leeds fans react to Koch display

These Leeds fans took to Twitter to lay into Koch’s display against United.

“Koch is a CB not a midfielder. Doesnt put the hard work in”

Credit: @IDWakefield

“Really not impressed with Klich/Rodrigo/Koch so far. Leeds have been awful in the middle”

Credit: @jackelderton

“Koch cannot play the Phillips role at all. Not good enough in possession or tackling.”

Credit: @FragMeh

“Koch is nowhere”

Credit: @JHHorton

“Koch over Phillips was a mistake”

Credit: @yungyeetgod420

“Koch caught flat-footed not tracking & the midfield’s absolutely all over the place”

Credit: @scott08067

In other news, Leeds are still reportedly interested in signing a player who shone at Euro 2020. Find out who it is here.

Simon Jones is in a familiar position, going through another period of rehabilitation after his third knee operation in two-and-a-half years, and concedes there is a chance his career could be over

Cricinfo staff02-Nov-2008
Simon Jones hasn’t given up on resuming his international career © Getty Images
Simon Jones is in a familiar position, going through another period of rehabilitation after his third knee operation in two-and-a-half years, and concedes there is a chance his career could be over.All was looking good for Jones mid-way through last season as he bowled at consistently rapid pace for Worcestershire, stringing together a run of one-day and Championship matches, following his move from Glamorgan. There was even talk of an England recall to face South Africa when Ryan Sidebottom was injured at Headingley, before the selectors opted for the surprise call-up of Darren Pattinson, and he made it into the preliminary 30-man Champions Trophy squad.”I heard I was close,” Jones told the . “I was as shocked as anyone when Pattinson got called up. For myself, Hoggard and Steve Harmison, all the boys who had been busting their balls, it was a shock to the system.”However, he missed the end of the summer with another knee problem and has had to go under the knife again. Another winter of hours in gym is now facing Jones, and it could still all come to nothing.”The surgeon was happy,” Jones said. “He said, ‘You can never be 100% [but] I’m 80 to 90% sure you’ll be fine – you are always going to have 10 or 20% [chance that you won’t play again]’.”Jones, though, is happy with those odds. He has beaten worse predictions before after being given a 70% chance of recovering from his horrific cruciate ligament injury at Brisbane in 2002. “I’ll always back myself,” he said. “I know if I can bowl at the top of my game I can get in that side.”Jones still thinks back to that magical summer in 2005 when his devastating reverse swing was a key part of England’s Ashes victory but added he has more perspective on life. “The kids have calmed me down. You realise what’s important in life.”

Zimbabwe take on Sri Lanka in Harare in their first home international in almost a year

Cricinfo staff19-Nov-2008On Thursday, England take on India in Kanpur while Australia return to their favourite fortress in Brisbane to face New Zealand, and there’s also the second day of South Africa’s warm-up Test series against Bangladesh at Bloemfontein to enjoy. With that amount of cricket action around the world, the Harare Sports Club is unlikely to be the centre of much attention. Nevertheless, for the home side, Zimbabwe, the venue plays host to a significant occasion, as they take on Sri Lanka in their first home international in almost a year.West Indies were the last team to visit the troubled country, back in December 2007, when they wrapped up a 3-1 victory in a five-match ODI series. Since then, the team has endured an itinerant existence against a backdrop of political unrest – in January they lost a low-key away series against their fellow outcasts, Pakistan, before taking part in a rain-ruined triangular tournament with Kenya and Ireland in Nairobi in October, and a Twenty20 tournament in Canada. A five-match series against Sri Lanka, World Cup finalists in 2007, is the most appetising contest they’ve had in months.To judge by recent history, however, the visit could be another embarrassment for Zimbabwe. On their last visit in 2004, Sri Lanka’s unchallenged dominance paved the way for the country’s ongoing suspension from Test status. They lost both five-day games by margins in excess of an innings and 200 runs, then were overwhelmed 5-0 in the ODIs. To make matters worse, Zimbabwe’s captain and lone star of that series, Tatenda Taibu, could be missing from this encounter. He is currently embroiled in a dispute with Zimbabwe Cricket over pay and conditions.On the flip side, Zimbabwe could welcome back the services of their talented but temperamental allrounder, Sean Williams, who announced last month that he was pulling out of the series out of frustration at a lack of proper cricket. He missed the pre-series training camp but was back in action in the nets during Sri Lanka’s warm-up match at Bulawayo last week. Given the paucity of their resources, the selectors are unlikely to leave him on the sidelines regardless of his attitude towards them.That Bulawayo match – a four-day affair – finished as a draw to give Zimbabwe some hope that they’ll be able to muster a challenge, although with Kumar Sangakkara rattling up a massive 174 and Chamara Kapugedera 150, there aren’t many doubts about the form of Sri Lanka’s batting line-up. That said, they were bowled out for 235 inside their allotted 50 overs in their final warm-up on Monday, prompting their coach, Trevor Bayliss, to accuse them of lacking application.”We need to get back into gear and quickly,” Bayliss told AFP. “I’m sure it will be very different when things get serious from Thursday.” With Muttiah Muralitharan still lurking and as hungry as ever for wickets, not to mention their new spin sensation, Ajantha Mendis, it’s hard to see how Zimbabwe will muster enough runs to mount a serious challenge in the course of the series.Zimbabwe squad Prosper Utseya (capt), Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Shingirayi Masakadza, StuartMatsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Forster Mutizwa, RaymondPrice, Edward Rainsford, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Tatenda TaibuSri Lanka squad Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Udawatte, Chamara Kapugedera, Jehan Mubarak, Thilina Kandamby, Upul Tharanga, Farveez Maharoof, ThilanThushara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Angelo Mathews, Dammika Prasad.

Paddy Kenny says he wouldn’t be surprised if Newcastle had to ‘balance the books’ through player sales following the signing of Joe Willock.

The former Sheffield United and Leeds United goalkeeper was speaking to Football Insider.

The lowdown

Newcastle sealed their first signing of the summer on Friday, capturing ‘number one target’ Willock for a fee of around £25m – believed to be the second-highest transfer outlay in the club’s history behind Joelinton.

It had been reported that the Magpies were working with a ‘meagre’ transfer budget this summer amid Mike Ashley’s ongoing attempts to sell the club.

According to The Athletic’s Chris Waugh, there are ‘whispers’ that the Willock deal may have been financed independently. Steve Bruce would still like two more signings, with a ‘no 6’ and a centre-back on the list. The transfer window is open until 11pm on August 31.

The latest

Kenny has said that Newcastle can’t invest £25m in the carefree manner of their Premier League rivals and that players may duly need to be moved on in the next couple of weeks.

He told Football Insider: “Whether they sell players depends on the financial situation there at Newcastle.

“It seems like a huge amount of money for them, that fee. But to everyone else in the league that’s peanuts.

“That just goes to show you the way Mike Ashley runs the club. It wouldn’t surprise me if he does get players out the door to balance the books.

“We’ll have to wait and see what happens with the takeover stuff as well because that could have an impact.”

The verdict

Who might Newcastle sell to recoup some of that outlay? Sean Longstaff could be a candidate, having been left out of the starting line-up by Bruce on 23 occasions last season, while former Magpies boss Rafael Benitez is believed to be interested in a reunion with the midfielder at Everton.

Longstaff may be into the final year of his contract, but as a talented young Englishman he should still be able to fetch in excess of £10m, so he might be a prime candidate to be sold if, as Kenny suspects, Newcastle are compelled to trim their squad to make back the fee they paid for Willock.

In other news, Newcastle are said to be on the verge of completing this transfer.