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Northamptonshire’s players will be utilising whatever methods they can to keep tabs on Essex’s progress with their promotion fate out of their hands

Andrew McGlashan at Derby25-Sep-2009
ScorecardIn years gone by the final stages of the Championship season were followed on Ceefax. Now the internet is a focal point or, in the case of this game at Derby, the television and Northamptonshire’s players will be utilising whatever methods they can to keep tabs on Essex’s progress with their promotion fate out of their hands.If Essex can somehow come out with a victory against Derbyshire, they will jump back above Northamptonshire and earn promotion. It still remains a long shot, although Danish Kaneria is the one man capable of an incisive enough spell to remove the need for a Derbyshire declaration. The home side will be in a delicate position when it comes to setting a target, which will have to be tough enough to remove any notion of it being too generous.After Essex passed 300 they had the bonus points required and 14 points for victory would leave them level with Northamptonshire. Both teams would also be level on victories, so the count-back would go to fewest defeats, putting Essex up. They have, though, been second-best in this match since bowling abjectly on the opening day despite being faced with a green pitch. And, with Derbyshire’s promotion hopes ended by Northamptonshire’s victory, they can’t expect any favours but will have no option but to chase whatever they are set.Ahead by 221 overnight, Derbyshire could feel comfortable leaving something around 350 in two sessions, or they could opt for a bigger target in fewer overs knowing the visitors would have to go down blazing. If Essex chased them, Northamptonshire wouldn’t be able to say anything other than ‘well played.’ After all, it was Essex who began this round in pole position.Derbyshire weren’t in any particular rush after Essex declared at 356 for 9, 118 behind. Wayne Madsen ended an impressive summer with a failure when he edged to slip. Play was briefly interrupted for bad light (now solely at the umpires’ discretion) in conditions that were gloomy, but surely not dangerous.Chris Rogers again battled with considerable ease, adding 42 to his first-innings double century, before pushing forward at Kaneria and edging to slip where Alastair Cook held a sharp catch. Kaneria then accepted a simple return effort from Greg Smith, taking his season tally to 74 wickets in 11 matches. If he’d played a full summer Essex would have been comfortably promoted. As it is, he needs to add a few more to that haul if Essex are to force the issue on the final day or wait and see what Derbyshire leave them.If Essex have to ultimately contend with the disappointment of missing out, they can at least look at the performance Tom Westley. He eased to his maiden first-class century with a strong pull off Graham Wagg, following that with a sweet back-foot drive and another pull as he continued to impress with a tight technique.The third-wicket stand with Matt Walker had added 224 when Jon Clare finally made the breakthrough as Walker was sharply held at mid-on by Wavell Hinds from a toe-ended pull. Essex hadn’t shown any great desire to push the scoring rate along – despite them being the team desperate to win – and just six more runs had come in six overs when Westley departed, strangled down the leg side, after nearly five hours of concentration, to give the hard-working Steffan Jones his first wicket.With the last ball before lunch Jones struck again, when Mark Pettini jabbed a edge to first slip and Essex had to ensure they didn’t fall short of 300 (the minimum they required to keep promotion alive) and then the follow-on. One run short of a third batting point, James Foster drove to cover and two balls later Graham Napier was athletically caught in front of first slip by Jamie Pipe – an impressive catch during his final first-class match.The expectation was that once the follow-on had been avoided that Essex would declare to try and set up a run chase, but they batted on to collect a fourth batting point. Kaneria’s four-ball innings was entertaining, as he top-edged a bouncer from Wagg (now in spin-mode) and then launched a straight six before carving to cover. The real fun and games, though, could still be to come.

As per Calciomercato.it, new Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has already made an eye-watering demand as he also eyes six ‘big name’ Serie A stars.

The Lowdown: Conte era begins…

As now officially confirmed, Spurs have commenced yet another new managerial era for the second time in the space of a few months after the premature sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo.

Indeed, serial winner Conte has now taken to the helm after managing director Fabio Paratici originally failed to land him in the summer. 

The transfer chief has now managed to convince Conte to sign with the north London club as the 52-year-old puts pen to paper on an 18-month initial deal with the option to extend further (The Evening Standard).

Paratici, delighted to appoint his compatriot with ‘vast experience and trophies’, may also have to take into account Conte’s transfer wish list if the Italians are to transform Spurs into a Premier League and European force once again.

Reports from Italy indicate that the former Chelsea boss has already set his sights on numerous targets to strengthen the Lilywhites and Calciomercato.it in particular have now lifted the lid on an eye-watering budget demand.

The Latest: Conte makes £237m demand as he eyes six stars, including Chiesa…

According to their sources, the four-time Serie A winner is eyeing six ‘big name’ players from the division in Matthijs de Ligt, Stefan de Vrij, Marcelo Brozovic, Alessio Romagnoli, Dusan Vlahovic and, now, even Juventus superstar Federico Chiesa.

The latter man stands out as a very interesting name to become linked with Spurs considering he is deemed ‘untouchable’ by The Old Lady and valued at around €80-90 million (£68m-£76.5m).

As well as this, Conte has apparently already requested a €280m (£237m) transfer kitty at Spurs as he eyes a major overhaul.

The Verdict: Summary of ambition…

The ex-Juve coach’s eye-watering nine-figure Spurs transfer demand, not to mention the fact he is now keeping tabs on Euro 2020 star Chiesa, is perhaps the summary of why Paratici had to hire him as Lilywhites supporters yearn for ambition to return to their club.

While it remains to be seen whether he will be granted such extravagant resources, potentially signing Chiesa alone would come as a real statement of intent by both Conte and Spurs.

Lauded as a ‘huge player’ by Rio Ferdinand (BT Sport via The Daily Mail), with his exploits at the Euros under Roberto Mancini coming as a fine example of this, his attacking versatility is also a stand-out reason to attempt a swoop.

Indeed, Chiesa can play on the wing and further forward as a second striker – with Joe Cole even drawing comparisons with former Liverpool star Luis Suarez for his ‘hustling and bustling’ (BT Sport via The Daily Mail).

Signing the 24-year-old and the addition of a £237m transfer war chest are certainly tall orders by Conte but they exemplify his character and where he aims to take the club.

Newcastle are facing a battle to land one of their primary managerial targets after sources revealed question marks behind the club’s situation.

The Magpies have been in contention to land one of Antonio Conte, Paulo Fonseca or Lucien Favre but just who they appoint is becoming more unclear as time goes on.

What’s the word?

According to The Mirror’s sources, it’s becoming increasingly unlikely that Newcastle will be able to land another of their targets; Erik ten Hag.

This update is a fresh twist to the tale after it was made apparent that Marc Overmars could move to the Premier League and bring his Ajax colleague with him.

The biggest concerns for the 51-year-old lie in the club’s league position with Newcastle currently locked in a relegation battle.

One source told the newspaper: “Will it be Champions League or Championship? That is the ­question that bothers Ten Hag.

“Right now he is top of the group with Ajax in the Champions League and he can be sure of taking them into the knockout stages in 2022.”

Thus, the Magpies will need to do a lot of work in order to convince him to sign on the dotted line. Given Ajax’s success, that seems unlikely.

Fans gutted

Newcastle fans will surely be rather deflated by this news.

After all, this week it looked as though Amanda Staveley and co would really step up their attempts to replace Steve Bruce at St James’ Park.

The 60-year-old left the club by mutual consent over a week ago but with Graeme Jones failing to win a game after being handed the reigns on an interim basis, the need for a new permanent head coach has only been heightened.

With that in mind, the news that Ten Hag is unlikely to be appointed should be a crushing blow to the Toon Army.

After all, he is a wonderful coach who could bring a great deal to Newcastle.

His work with Ajax has been incredibly eye-catching, guiding the Amsterdam club to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2018/19 while bringing through some incredible talents in the Dutch capital.

The likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Sergino Dest, Hakim Ziyech, Donny van de Beek and Frenkie de Jong all rose to prominence under Ten Hag.

That proves that he has an eye for talent, something that would be invaluable when it comes to spending the vast sum of riches now at Newcastle’s disposal.

The Ajax tactician isn’t only adept when it comes to recruitment and the guidance of young players, but he’s also capable on the field of play.

Since joining the Dutch giants, he has won the Eredivisie on two occasions and even came fourth in FIFA’s Manager of the Year for 2019.

Therefore, to lose out on a coach like that will no doubt leave supporters gutted. PIF must do all they can to secure him as their first major piece of business.

AND in other news, Duncan Castles drops exciting NUFC manager update that should leave fans buzzing…

The Irish will seek to become the ICC’s eleventh Full Member nation, and the first to rise from the Associate ranks since Bangladesh in 2000

Alex Brown03-Nov-2009Ireland have announced an ambitious plan to ascend to Full Member status within the ICC. The Irish will seek to become the ICC’s eleventh Full Member nation, and the first to rise from the Associate ranks since Bangladesh in 2000.Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland’s chief executive, has sent a letter to the ICC stating his board’s intention to apply for Full Membership – a potential pathway to Test cricket – and to seek clarification on the process. The ICC have since informed Ireland of the council’s criteria and expectations, and the matter will now be discussed at the next chief executives’ meeting, scheduled for later this month.”There’s a long way to go,” Deutrom told Cricinfo’s Switch Hit podcast. “Traditionally, applications have taken two, three or more years. There are clearly a large number of hoops we have to jump through. In terms of challenges that are facing us, yes, there is clearly an awful lot of work we need to do just to fulfill the compliance and existing criteria.”It perhaps sets in motion a process that allows others to see the levels they need to reach in order to fulfill the same ambitions. It shouldn’t be easy. Test cricket is regarded as the pinnacle of the game and it’s quite right that those trying to ascend to Test cricket, or just Full Membership without necessarily involving Test cricket, have to ensure that they are coming up to some pretty rigorous criteria.”Ireland’s cricketers have mounted a strong case for consideration as a Full Member nation with a string of solid performances in the four-day, 50 and 20-over formats, but still face a difficult task convincing existing members of the political and commercial benefits that their elevation would bring to the game. Unlike Bangladesh, the most recently-elected Full Member, Ireland does not boast a large population and player base to draw from. Bangladesh also provided India and its allies with another regional partner – and vote – at the ICC table. Ireland’s introduction could potentially upset that balance.The difficulties encountered by Ireland’s cricketing administrators were highlighted earlier this year when a television rights package could not be negotiated for the home ODI against an England side less than a week removed from winning the Ashes. Attendances for other international matches have been modest, as cricket struggles to gain a foothold in a nation already absorbed by Gaelic football, hurling, football and rugby. Despite such obstacles, Cricket Ireland has evolved commercially to the point that ICC funding only accounts for 30% of the board’s total revenue.If the ICC is serious about its long-espoused aim of expanding the game beyond its traditional strongholds, Ireland might be in with a chance. Full Member funding would better equip Ireland to retain its top players – the defections of Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan to England were evidence of Associate cricket’s glass ceiling – and offer a progression path for other aspiring nations to follow.”In terms of television, there is no doubt whatsoever that that was an issue last year,” Deutrom said. “We had television for our game in 2006 when Ireland played England and in 2007 when India and South Africa were here. We didn’t get a broadcaster for 2009. I think there were some financial problems involved in that. I think the problem by and large, from what broadcasters say to me, is that they don’t like to do deals on a one-by-one basis. They prefer to package things up. If we were in a situation whereby we were embedded in the Future Tours Programme, then we would have sufficient home cricket to be able to go out and talk to another broadcaster.”From a political perspective, I would regard many people on the chief executives’ committee and the board as extremely fair-minded. I hope this doesn’t come across sounding naive, but I think the decision should hopefully be made on its merits and not on the basis of any political alliances.”Ireland’s recent performances have raised hopes that they could prove competitive at the game’s elite level. In 41 one-day internationals since 2006, the Irish have won 17 matches, highlighted by their three-wicket triumph over Pakistan at the 2007 World Cup. Ireland won eight consecutive completed matches against Scotland, Kenya and Canada before suffering a narrow three-run defeat to England in their most recent ODI. That sequence included victory in the World Cup qualification tournament in South Africa earlier this year, which they capped with an emphatic nine-wicket demolition of Canada in the final.Ireland have proven similarly competitive in the 20-over ranks, winning four of their eight completed matches including a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh at the World Twenty20 in June that propelled them into the Super Eights stage of the tournament. They are currently vying for their fourth consecutive Intercontinental Cup crown, and remain unbeaten in four-day competition since 2004.”The key area where we see the strength of our proposal would be the performance on field of the senior men’s squad over the last couple of years,” Deutrom said. “In all three forms of the game we’ve proven ourselves above our associate rivals.”If you think about the reasons why (players) are going (to England), it’s because they want to be as good as they can be. They want to be able to find the vehicles and the forums to be able to express their abilities. In that way, we need to make sure that our players are aware of our ambitions. If we just happen to bump along as an associate and say, ‘We’re the No.1 associate now, that’s all we’re going to be forever,’ I think we’re going to lose more and more players. Our ambitions are surely to make sure that cricket is as successful as possible in Ireland … and to that extent we need to make sure that our players are aware that that is exactly where we’re going.”Even if it’s obviously too late for the likes of Eoin Morgan and Ed Joyce, what we’re saying to the next rung of Irish players coming through is: we are ambitious, we are interested in going for Full Membership but it may take some time, and we are doing our very best to put in a contract system that allows you to consider playing cricket as a career in Ireland in the same way as you might want to play cricket for England and to complement your county career.”

Brad Hodge scored his second century of the week at Adelaide Oval to drive Victoria to a comfortable five-wicket win over South Australia

Cricinfo staff04-Nov-2009Victoria 5 for 248 (Hodge 114*, McDonald 58, Tait 3-57) beat South Australia 9 for 247 (Borgas 90, Pattinson 3-34) by 5 wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBrad Hodge finished unbeaten on 114 and confirmed Victoria’s five-wicket win•Getty ImagesBrad Hodge scored his second century of the week at Adelaide Oval to drive Victoria to a comfortable five-wicket win over South Australia. After Cameron Borgas struck a career-best 90 and gave the Redbacks a defendable total, Hodge batted throughout the chase and finished unbeaten on 114 to add to the 195 he posted in the Sheffield Shield match.South Australia didn’t help themselves with three missed run-out opportunities against Hodge and his main supporter Andrew McDonald and the Bushrangers at one point threatened to gain the bonus point. Hodge and McDonald combined for a 125-run partnership that made victory a certainty after Shaun Tait gave the Redbacks hope with a couple of wickets.Hodge, who turns 35 next month, has started the summer in peak form and scored at better than a run a ball, despite looking scratchy early in his innings. McDonald’s 58 was fluent and it was a well-timed innings for him personally as the Australia ODI team in India consider flying in an extra player to cover for their injury problems.The Victorians were on top since the early stages of the match after the stand-in captain David Hussey sent South Australia in on a good batting pitch. The Redbacks slipped to 3 for 46 in the 11th over and it was left to Borgas and Daniel Christian (45) to rebuild and give their bowlers something to defend.Darren Pattinson was especially impressive with the ball and collected 3 for 34, finding some movement off the seam. The Bushrangers lost Damien Wright to a hamstring injury after he had bowled eight overs but it was the only negative in Victoria’s opening match of the tournament, while South Australia have now slumped to three losses from three games.

Steven Gerrard will formally begin his new job as Aston Villa manager on Monday.

That’s according to reliable reporter Ashley Preece, who also shared news on the backroom staff that Gerrard will bring with him to the Midlands.

The 41-year-old is set to be joined by assistant Gary McAllister, first-team coach Michael Beale, head of fitness Jordan Milshom, set-piece coach Tom Culshaw and first-team performance analyst Scott Mason.

He is also set to keep hold of Villa goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler, and a number of the club’s supporters have been reacting to that specific piece of news on social media.

The 45-year-old made the move to Villa back in 2018 from West Brom and has worked with numerous shot-stoppers at Bodymoor Heath. The latest is Emiliano Martinez, with the Argentine keeping 18 clean sheets in 48 appearances for the club.

Cutler looks set to work under Gerrard, with Rangers’ goalkeeping coach Colin Stewart definitely staying at Ibrox.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful shared the news about Cutler on Twitter on Thursday. Here is what these fans had to say in reply, with many excited at the update.

“The news all Villa fans wanted to see”

Credit: @MalachiObrey

“Get in @Bigcuts”

Credit: @AverageBaz

“Best news of the day saved for last”

Credit: @UpTheDeano

“This is fantastic news”

Credit: @AvfcU

“Yesssss! The only one remaining who deserved to stay”

Credit: @andrewstone85

“YYYYYEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS”

Credit: @maxavfclove

In other news: Villa could now swoop for Rangers beast who Gerrard called a ‘Rolls Royce’

Dale Steyn is unlikely to be risked for the final one-day international against England to ensure he recovers from a hamstring strain in time for the Test series which starts on December 16

Cricinfo staff01-Dec-2009Dale Steyn is unlikely to be risked for the final one-day international against England at Durban to ensure he recovers from a hamstring strain in time for the Test series which starts on December 16.Steyn missed the fourth ODI in Port Elizabeth after suffering the injury at Newlands when he managed just six overs in South Africa’s 112-run victory before leaving the field. Even though the home side trail 2-1, and can only earn a share of the series, they will resist the urge to rush Steyn back into action knowing the major challenge of the Test matches is around the corner.”For us the priority is the Test series and we would never compromise Dale’s chances of being 100% fit for the first Test [at Centurion] by playing him on Friday,” South Africa coach Mickey Arthur told reporters in Durban. “Dale had an MRI scan yesterday which showed no major damage. It is only a grade one strain, which is minor, and we will monitor him.”Arthur’s cautious approach to Steyn’s fitness is understandable given that Jacques Kallis is only rated 50-50 for the opening Test as he recovers from a fractured rib that has ruled him out of the one-day series. However, Arthur said he was confident that Kallis would be back to full fitness in time for the Boxing Day Test in Durban and even if Kallis can’t bowl South Africa could play him as a specialist batsman at Centurion Park.Without Kallis in the one-day side South Africa have looked unbalanced with Mark Boucher and Ryan McLaren both a place too high in the batting order and they were exposed when the top-order failed at Port Elizabeth.Following their seven-wicket defeat on Sunday, South Africa joined up again a day earlier than planned in Durban but were prevented from having a proper training session as heavy rain fell.

West Ham have had an incredible start to their season, currently sitting third in the Premier League, four points from top of the table. For Hammers fans this is the season of dreams so far.

Last term, West Ham finished in a respectable 6th place and it’s safe to say a certain injection of energy and attacking talent in the January transfer window played a huge part in the European qualifying position.

Jesse Lingard joined the Hammers on a loan deal from Manchester United during the winter transfer window and nobody could’ve predicted how integral he’d become for West Ham in the second half of their Premier League campaign.

The 28-year-old attacker in just 16 appearances for the East London scored nine goals, not to mention the impact he had on the players around him, assisting five strikes scored by his teammates too.

There was no doubt that after an impressive loan spell, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was keen to snatch Lingard back from West Ham, and David Moyes was well aware that was the case.

‘Ole made it clear to me quite early in the transfer window that he wanted to keep him. I knew pretty early in the transfer window that he was staying at Manchester United,’ Moyes said.

Despite committing to Manchester United, the England international, who’s contract ends in the summer, has failed to get the game time he had the pleasure of having at West Ham, and as a result, has been linked with a permanent move away from Old Trafford to east London.

West Ham should do everything in their power to secure the signature of the attacking midfielder. His versatility and determination going forward will add further cover in the attacking prowess and threat that West Ham must excel in to stay inside the top four this season.

There are so many benefits to signing Lingard to the London club, with not only his experience, in general, as a seasoned professional with 218 Manchester United appearances and 29 England caps, but he already has 4-5 months of experience playing in this West Ham side, understanding the vision and the culture of the team.

Lingard really enjoyed playing in particular with, West Ham number nine, Michail Antonio, in February he spoke about his ‘connection’ with his West Ham teammates.

“In training we have that connection and built it up fairly quickly. On matchday it is fairly easy to play with Michail Antonio and Declan Rice.”

The thought of those three players lining up alongside each other is a salivating thought for Moyes and the club’s supporters who would no doubt be delighted to see him back in claret and blue.

It would also ensure that West Ham start the Daniel Kretinsky era with a bang by signing the £80-per-week gem, continuing to challenge for the top four providing they can convince the midfielder to leave Manchester United before his contract ends.

In other news: Lingard could be Pogba’s replacement long term

Rangers midfielder Steven Davis is out of contract at the end of the season and it remains to be seen whether or not Giovanni van Bronckhorst wants him to remain at Ibrox for another year.

He has been a regular in the side in the 2021/22 campaign, making 10 appearances in the Premiership and four in the Europa League to date.

Dream deal for Rangers

Irrespective of what happens to him next summer, he has been a fantastic servant for Rangers, and the club sealed a dream deal when they brought him in from Southampton in 2019. They paid nothing for him as a free agent, after taking him on loan for six months initially, to hand him a second spell at Ibrox after spending four years in Glasgow earlier in his career.

Despite joining in his mid-30s, he has been superb for the Gers and an integral part of the squad over the last three-and-a-half years. He has racked up 129 appearances in that time, taking his total for the club to 330 in all competitions across both spells.

Earlier this year, former Gers boss Steven Gerrard claimed that the midfielder ’embodies professionalism’ and hailed him as a role model.

The 41-year-old said: “Steven embodies professionalism and continues to set the standards required to be a Rangers player. He has been instrumental this year, playing a key role in our league success. Steven is low-maintenance and has much more to give our team, not only for the rest of this season but beyond.

“He is a role model to his team mates and continues to strive to be a better version of himself. I am very pleased to have a player with Premier League and international experience on board as we look towards next season.”

Last season, he averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.06 across 35 appearances in Rangers’ title-winning season, showing his class on a regular basis. This proved that he was still able to play week in, week out and perform consistently to a high level despite his age, which is why signing him on a free transfer was a dream deal for the club.

They have been able to get well over 100 appearances and an important contribution to a title-winning season out of a player who they signed for nothing whilst he was in his 30s. Not bad business at all…

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst aims to complete big off-field Ibrox deal which will surely have Rangers fans buzzing…

Vinayak Samant, the Mumbai wicketkeeper, has announced he is quitting the domestic side after spending eight seasons with them

Cricinfo staff16-Jan-2010Vinayak Samant, the Mumbai wicketkeeper, has announced he is quitting the domestic side after spending eight seasons with them. Samant, 37, said he still has hopes of prolonging his first-class career with another team.Samant played an important hand in Mumbai’s recent Ranji Trophy title win against Karnataka in Mysore, scoring 67 under pressure in the first innings to arrest his side from a dicey 84 for 4. Mumbai won the title for the 39th time following a nail-biting final, winning by six runs on the fourth day.In an interview to the , Samanth said he had made his decision at the start of the 2009-10 Ranji season. “At the start of the season I informed coach Praveen Amre and skipper Wasim Jaffer that it would be my last year with Mumbai. I had heard rumours about a state selector saying that I am growing old and unfit. So, I preferred to take a call before going through any unpleasant situation.”I will inform the Mumbai selectors about my decision soon. But I will continue playing first-class cricket for some other state maybe.”Though originally from Mumbai, Samant had to compete with Samir Dighe for the wicketkeeper’s place. He moved to Assam and represented them between 1995 and 2001. After an acrimonious stint, he decided to move back to Mumbai, once Dighe retired.”The politics there started getting to me. I was being tossed around in the team and after six years, I said enough is enough,” Samant said. “If I have to face hurdles, let that be for a champion side. After performing at various tournaments in 2001, I finally made my Ranji debut for Mumbai in 2002.”Samant was part of the winning squad five times. During his time with Mumbai, he played 69 first-class matches, scoring 2010 runs at 26.10, taking 225 catches and effecting 29 stumpings. However, his most memorable moments were with the bat.”I scored four 50s and salvaged the team from very bad situations in my debut season. Even my innings of 66 in the 2006-07 semi-final against Baroda, when Mumbai were 0 for 5, is memorable. All were tough challenges,” he said. “Your attitude is very important. Being good at your job is not the lone criteria to cement your place in the squad. Playing for Mumbai is like a competition within a competition because there are so many match-winners in the side.”Among the contenders to replace Samant are Omkar Gurav and Sufiyan Shaikh, the promising wicketkeeper who’s currently with the Under-19 squad for the World Cup in New Zealand.