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عاني دفاع ريال مدريد من الاهتزاز في الموسم الماضي، وقد تم حل هذا الأمر هذا الموسم بالتعاقد مع دين هويسن وعودة إيدر ميليتاو من الإصابة.

وقد أدركت إدارة ريال مدريد هذه الثغرة في خط الدفاع قبل الموسم الماضي بوقت طويل، وقد وضعت ليني يورو مدافع مانشستر يونايتد الحالي في اهتمامها لتعزيز خط الدفاع.

وقد انضم ليني يورو إلى صفوف مانشستر يونايتد حيث فضله على ريال مدريد في يوليو 2024، ليتجاهل اهتمام العملاق الإسباني بخدماته.

وفي تصريحات لصحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، تحدث ليني يورو عن فخره بقرار تفضيله الانضمام لصفوف مانشستر يونايتد: “أحياناً يكون هذا قرار لابد منه في المسيرة”.

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وأضاف :”اليوم خياري هو مانشستر يونايتد وأنا سعيد جداً بذلك، وأعلم أن البعض لم يفهم ذلك بسبب نتائج الفريق، ولكن بصراحة هو قراري، إنه قرار مسيرتي وأعرف ما أفعله وسأتحسن في المستقبل”.

وسئل ليني يورو إذا كان قد ندم على انضمامه لمانشستر يونايتد في أي وقت الموسم الماضي: “لم أشعر بهذا الشعور أبداً، أعرف يونايتد جيداً وأعلم أنه قد يحدث موسم سيء أحياناً لكن هذا النادي لا يزال من الطراز الرفيع ولا شك في ذلك”.

ويشعر ليني يورو بالتفاؤل بشأن المرحلة القادمة وأنه لم يعد يفكر في ريال مدريد، حيث صرح: “لم أتوقع أن أنهي موسمي الأول في المركز الخامس عشر مع يونايتد لكن هناك أمور يجب التعامل معها، والجميع في يونايتد يطالبون بأقصى جهد يومياً، أنت تثق في هذا النادي، يجب أن ترفع رأسك كل يوم وتحاول تقديم أفضل ما لديك”.

As Eddie Howe aims to add depth to his side, Newcastle United and PIF are reportedly getting serious about signing a Champions League target in the January transfer window.

Eddie Howe: Newcastle missing "X-factor"

After losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool and only managing to welcome Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa late on in the summer transfer window, Newcastle were always likely to need time before finding their best form. Last weekend’s draw at Bournemouth summed that up more than previous games.

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The Magpies lacked the firepower that they once had. While Woltemade did score on his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers, he still needs time to find his full sharpness. Wissa, meanwhile, has been forced to wait for his debut after suffering the most untimely injury during this month’s international break.

Howe will be hoping that both players eventually make their mark, but did admit that Newcastle have so far missed the “X-factor” that Isak gave them for a number of years.

Of course, if things don’t quite click then the January transfer window represents an ideal time for those at St James’ Park to welcome further incomings.

To that end, names such as Conor Gallagher have already been mentioned as potential candidates to arrive. The Atletico Madrid man could be on his way to English football and to St James’ Park. It’s there that he could also be joined by another Champions League talent, too.

Newcastle seriously considering Brandt move

According to reports in Spain, PIF and Newcastle are now getting serious about signing Julian Brandt and are one of many clubs considering his arrival when 2026 arrives. The German has fallen down the pecking order at Borussia Dortmund and could be available at a cut-price in January with his current deal expiring next summer.

The winger could finally get his move to the Premier League as a result. For some time, it looked as though he was destined for Anfield and Jurgen Klopp, before the Reds instead moved for Mohamed Salah many moons ago. Now, years on, he could come back to haunt the Reds in Newcastle colours.

Although he’s fallen out of favour in Germany, Brandt could provide Howe with the versatility that he needs in his current squad. The Dortmund ace can play in attacking midfield and on both flanks in what would offer Newcastle support across their attack.

Having been praised as “outstanding” by teammate Nico Schlotterbeck in 2023, the 29-year-old still has plenty to offer if he gets back to his best form. Whether Newcastle get ahead of Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for his signature remains to be seen, however.

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Após goleada sobre o Santos, na Arena Castelão, o Fortaleza atingiu a segunda melhor campanha no primeiro turno desde que retornou à elite do Campeonato Brasileiro. Tendo 26 pontos e na 11ª posição, o Tricolor ultrapassou o aproveitamento do ano passado quando detinha apenas 15 pontos na mesma fase do torneio.

Além disso, o time fechou a primeira parte do campeonato com a segunda dupla que mais fez gols, considerando assistências e finalizações. Caio Alexandre e Yago Pikachu, juntos, criaram 14% dos gols da equipe. Foram três tentos em sete finalizações, com uma eficiência de 43%. A dupla está empatada com a parceria de Luis Suárez e Reinaldo, do Grêmio, e atrás apenas de Róger Guedes (atualmente no Qatr) e Yuri Alberto, pelo Corinthians.

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Em ritmo de crescimento, o Leão do Pici também encara o desafio das quartas de final da Sul-Americana, contra o América-MG. Até o momento, o Fortaleza já recebeu US$ 2,55 milhões (R$ 12,4 milhões) em premiações durante a competição. Na última participação do clube, em 2020, foi eliminado na etapa inicial para o Independiente.

– Conseguimos notar a evolução do Fortaleza a cada temporada, com campanhas de melhor aproveitamento e chegando mais longe nas competições. O segundo turno da Série A, com certeza, será muito difícil, com todos os clubes reforçados e com investimentos, mas vamos buscar os 45 pontos e continuar. A Sul-Americana também, com um grande grau de dificuldade. O América-MG se classificou contra Colo-Colo e Bragantino, estamos esperando um jogo duro também – afirma Marcelo Paz, presidente do clube do Pici.

No Brasileirão, o Tricolor enfrenta o Internacional, no próximo sábado (19), no estádio Beira-Rio, em Porto Alegre. Já na Sul-Americana, os jogos estão programados para os dias 24, no Independência, e 31 na Arena Castelão.

Manchester City are now one step away from completing a deal for a “phenomenal” star, as his club have recently dropped their asking price.

Man City targeting new signings after Tottenham defeat

After such a promising start to the campaign, winning 4-0 away at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Man City were brought right back down to earth on Saturday afternoon, with Tottenham Hotspur once again getting the better of them at the Etihad Stadium.

James Trafford was culpable for the second goal, with Joao Palhinha capitalising after the new City goalkeeper made a stray pass in his own area, although Pep Guardiola defended his decision to select the 22-year-old.

Pep said: “He made a good first game and I decided to continue. When I take decisions in the first part of the season – for all the players you play one or two [games] – everyone thinks: ‘OK, this is the starting lineup.’ It was just today I decided that.”

However, behind-the-scenes, there may be some doubts emerging about Trafford, given that the former Burnley man remains relatively inexperienced, and a report has revealed the Blues are closing in on a more proven goalkeeper.

According to The Mirror, Man City are now one step away from signing Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, with Guardiola’s side ready to get a deal done, as long as they can sell Ederson to Galatasaray.

Crucially, PSG have now slashed their asking price significantly, with the Italian now being allowed to leave for as little as £26m, given that he has just one year remaining on his contract with the French club.

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City are expecting Galatasaray to submit a new offer for Ederson, and if a suitable fee can be agreed, they will move swiftly to finalise a deal for Donnarumma, who is keen on a move to the Etihad Stadium.

"Phenomenal" Donnarumma could be instant Trafford upgrade

While Trafford impressed in the Championship last season, keeping a whopping 29 clean sheets, the PSG goalkeeper could be an instant upgrade on the Englishman, given that he is vastly more experienced at the top level.

The 26-year-old, who has been lauded as “phenomenal” by Walid Acherchour of RMC Sport, was a lynchpin of the PSG side that won the Champions League last season, with journalist Carlo Garganese highlighting him as the star against Arsenal across both semi-final legs.

That said, the Italy international isn’t the most adept with the ball at his feet, with Trafford vastly outperforming him in touches per 90 over the past year, and a number of other key metrics.

Average per 90

James Trafford

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Save %

85.6%

67.8%

Touches

39.88

29.97

Clean sheet %

67.4%

25%

Donnarumma may not be a Guardiola-style goalkeeper, but he is proven at the highest level, and a £26m transfer fee would be a bargain.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has been questioned about Kobbie Mainoo’s lack of game time in the Premier League so far this season.

The England international only played 45 minutes of football across the first three matches, and was an unused substitute in the first two games, playing the second half against Burnley.

Amorim has explained, in the quotes above, that the central midfielder is competing with the captain, Bruno Fernandes, for a starting berth in the team, which seems like a bit of a waste of talent when you consider that he is one of the most valuable players in the squad.

Where Mainoo ranks among Man Utd's most valuable players

Mainoo is currently valued at £43m by Transfermarkt, having come through the academy system at Carrington, but finds himself out of the picture at Old Trafford, when it comes to making the starting line-up.

It feels like a waste to have such a valuable and promising young talent rotting away on the bench, particularly when the system – a 3-4-2-1 formation – keeping him out of the side has yielded eight wins in 30 Premier League games under Amorim.

Benjamin Sesko

£60m

Matheus Cunha

£52m

Bryan Mbeumo

£48m

Leny Yoro

£48m

Kobbie Mainoo

£43m

Bruno Fernandes

£43m

Amad Diallo

£39m

Manuel Ugarte

£39m

Lisandro Martinez

£35m

Matthijs de Ligt

£33m

As you can see in the table above, only four other players in the squad are more valuable than Mainoo. Three of them, Yoro, Mbeumo, and Cunha, are locked in starters, and Sesko may be a starter once he is up to speed.

Whilst it is a shame that the England international cannot get into the starting XI at the moment, United also had a nightmare with another academy graduate midfielder who is now valued as much as Mainoo, Scott McTominay.

Man Utd's Scott McTominay howler

The Scotland international came through the youth ranks at Carrington, just like Mainoo, and racked up 29 goals in 255 matches for the first-team in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

He had shown some very promising signs throughout his time in the senior side. Gary Neville claimed that he “turned into Paul Scholes and Roy Keane” after scoring twice in a Premier League game against Leeds, for example.

Last summer, however, Erik ten Hag decided to part ways with McTominay and sanctioned a £25m transfer to Italian giants Napoli. It is fair to say that the decision has turned out to be a poorly-judged one.

Manchester United replaced him by agreeing a deal worth up to £50.5m to sign Manuel Ugarte from Sporting, and the two players have had hugely contrasting fortunes since those two transfers.

As you can see in the graphic above, McTominay has delivered 20 goals and assists combined for Napoli, helping them to win the Serie A title last season.

The 28-year-old star won the Serie A Player of the Year award and his Transfermarkt value has shot up to £43m as a result of his exceptional performances, taking him on par with Mainoo and significantly higher than the £25m fee that Napoli paid for him.

Meanwhile, Ugarte delivered one goal and two assists in 29 appearances in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore, and has not started a single game in the current campaign.

At the time of writing, the Uruguay international’s Transfermarkt value is £39m, which is less than McTominay’s and far less than the £50.5m deal that was agreed for him last summer.

This shows that United had a howler last summer because they essentially swapped McTominay for Ugarte in the middle of the park, and are worse off for it at this moment in time given how the two players have performed and how their values have changed.

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Manchester United, as evidenced by his form for Napoli, did not get the best out of McTominay, and they must now avoid repeating the same mistake with Mainoo by leaving him on the bench and in a set-up that seemingly does not suit him.

Shubman Gill has confirmed his availability for Punjab for their sixth-round Ranji Trophy fixture against Karnataka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru starting January 23. The squad hasn’t been announced yet.Gill’s possible return to the Punjab fold gives him an opportunity to work with Wasim Jaffer, the highest run-getter in Ranji history who is now the Punjab coach. It comes at a time when his poor returns outside Asia – he averages 17.64 in 18 innings since June 2021 – have come in for sharp scrutiny, especially with India slated to tour England for five Tests in the summer.His return will shore up a squad that will be without senior players Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh, who have both been picked in India’s T20I squad for the five-match series against England starting January 22 in Kolkata.Gill’s last Ranji Trophy appearance for Punjab came in 2022, when he played against Madhya Pradesh in the quarter-finals in Alur. His return coincides with the Indian team management having laid down strict protocols for national players in the wake of India’s 3-1 Test series loss in Australia.1:47

Pujara: Gill’s hard hands and lack of footwork causing trouble in Australia

Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have spoken of the need for top players to make themselves available to play for their respective state teams when free of international commitments.Gill was among those who endured a disappointing run in Australia, where he managed a highest of 31 in five innings following a return from a finger injury that kept him out of the series opener in Perth. He averaged 18.60 for the series. He was also left out of India’s XI for the Boxing Day Test, with the team management slotting in KL Rahul at No. 3 after Rohit Sharma reverted to his opening position having initially started the series, in the second Test, in the middle order.At the time, though, the team management said that Gill hadn’t been dropped and was merely “unfortunate” to miss out owing to team combination, as India went in with two spin-bowling allrounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.Punjab’s hopes of qualifying for the Ranji Trophy playoffs hangs by a thread; they are currently fifth in Group A with a solitary win in five games.

Regular captain Shanto continues to miss out due to a groin strain

Mohammad Isam02-Dec-2024

Mehidy Hasan Miraz will continue to lead Bangladesh in regular captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s absence in the ODI series against West Indies. Mehidy was named captain for the ongoing two-Test series in the Caribbean, which the hosts are leading 1-0, with Shanto missing out due to groin strain. Shakib Al Hasan, who has not played for Bangladesh since the Tests in India, continues to miss out, with BCB president Faruque Ahmed saying the senior allrounder was not “in a mental state to play for the country”.Middle-order batter Towhid Hridoy also misses out due to a groin injury which he picked up while playing football recently. Mushfiqur Rahim also misses out as he recovers from finger injury, while Mustafizur Rahman has opted out of the series due to personal reasons. Left-handed opener Zakir Hasan, meanwhile, has been dropped. Litton Das, who missed the ODIs against Afghanistan in November, returns to the side, while Parvez Hossain Emon, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Hasan Mahmud and Tanzim Hasan Sakib have also been included.Shakib, who retired from Tests and T20Is in September, missed the ODIs against Afghanistan last month too. He was part of the Abu Dhabi T10 where he played seven matches for Bangla Tigers. He had not traveled to Dhaka to play his farewell Test, against South Africa, in October because of protests against him after being named in an FIR for an alleged murder during the political unrest in the country.BCB president Ahmed said Shakib remained in contention for selection in ODIs, adding that he needed sufficient preparation to get back into the national side.”Right now, he [Shakib] is still in the list,” Ahmed said. “We hope that the issues get solved in the way he wants. Definitely, he still possesses the capability to play for the national team. Playing for a franchise and playing for the country is not the same thing. You need preparation and also you really need to gel with the team. Since he can’t do those things, I don’t think he is in a mental state to play for the country. Because of that, we have left this thing up to him.”The players named for the ODIs will leave Dhaka on Monday to link with the rest of the players in St Kitts to play the three ODIs on December 8, 10 and 12.Bangladesh ODI squad vs West IndiesMehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Litton Das (wk), Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Afif Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Nahid Rana.

The uncapped pair of Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan are also set to be retained by the franchise

Nagraj Gollapudi28-Oct-2024

Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi along with the uncapped pair of Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni are set to be retained by Lucknow Super Giants for IPL 2025.With KL Rahul, who has led the franchise since its inception in 2022, unlikely to be retained barring any last-minute change of mind from both parties, LSG will have one right-to-match (RTM) card at the auction.The exact amount the five players have been signed up for is not yet known, but based on the retention slabs put in place by IPL, INR 51 crore will be deducted from LSG’s purse. In case aggregate sum paid to the five exceeds 51 crore, then the higher number will be deducted from the INR 120 crore purse each franchise has been given to build their squads for IPL 2025.Related

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It is understood that Pooran will be the top retention followed by Mayank and Bishnoi. In 2024, Pooran was just behind Rahul on the run-charts and he also was the interim captain-cum-wicketkeeper during the first half after Rahul sat out due to a niggle.Considered one of the best power-hitters in the game, Pooran, 29, was bought by LSG ahead of the 2023 season for INR 16 crore (USD 1.927 million approx). Pooran’s price tag has continued to soar since his maiden IPL season in 2017 when Mumbai Indians bought him for INR 30 lakhs. Two years later, Punjab Kings bought him for INR 4.2 crore ($575,000 approx). At the 2022 mega auction, Sunrisers Hyderabad paid INR 10.75 crore ($1.433 million approx then) before releasing him a season later.Mayank picked up two Player-of-the-Match awards in his first two IPL matches clocking 150-plus kph deliveries in 2024. While a side strain restricted him to play just four matches, the national selectors quickly added him to the list of quicks handed fast-bowling contracts. Bought by LSG for INR 20 lakhs in the 2024 auction, Mayank has only played seven matches, all T20s: four in the IPL followed by his international debut in the T20 series against Bangladesh recently. Mayank is currently at the BCCI’s newly opened Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.Bishnoi was one of the three players LSG picked ahead of the mega auction before IPL 2022 for INR 4 crore, as he was then an uncapped player. In 2022, when LSG made the playoffs, Bishnoi picked up 13 wickets at 8.44. A year later, now an international, Bishnoi was 13th on the list of leading wicket-takers, with 16 wickets at 7.74 and played a role in LSG reaching the playoffs once again. Last season, though, he picked up only 10 wickets in 14 matches at 8.77.Mayank Yadav’s maiden IPL season was disrupted by injury•AFP/Getty Images

Badoni and Mohsin, both uncapped and bought for INR 20 lakhs each in the 2022 auction, have been integral to LSG’s success. An aggressive middle-order batter, Badoni’s best season came in 2023 when he made 238 runs at a strike rate of 138 in 12 innings. He recently also played in the Emerging Series for India A.Mohsin, the 6’3″ left-arm fast bowler from Uttar Pradesh, impressed straightaway in his maiden IPL season in 2022. He picked up 14 wickets at a sub-6 economy in just nine matches which made him one of the potential candidates for the T20 World Cup later that year. He was not considered due to a career-threatening injury where he nearly lost an arm. Mohsin, however, bounced back playing in the second half of the 2023 season and finished 2024 with 10 wickets in 10 matches.

أشاد مايكل أوين، أسطورة الكرة الإنجليزية، بنجم نادي ليفربول، موضحًا أن هذا اللاعب يستحق أن يدفع أكثر من 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني من أجله.

ليفربول واصل سجل انتصاراته خلال هذا الموسم وحقق الفوز أمس السبت على حساب نظيره إيفرتون بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد، ضمن منافسات الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وجعل هذا الانتصار ليفربول ينفرد بصدارة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز برصيد 15 نقطة وبالعلامة الكاملة.

وشهدت هذه المباراة تألق ريان جرافنبيرخ، نجم خط وسط ليفربول، حيث سجل الدولي الهولندي هدفًا وصنع آخر.

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وتغنى أوين بقدرات جرافنبيرخ وبمستوى اللاعب مع ليفربول، وذلك في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “مترو”.

وقال أوين عن جرافنبيرخ: ”هو لاعب موهوب للغاية ويمكنه القيام بأي شيء على أرض الملعب”.

وأضاف: “أحب تواجده في مركز الارتكاز رقم 6، لكن هذا يظهر أنه يمكنك دفعه للأمام وأن يأخذ مراكز هجومية ولا يزال بإمكانه التأثير بشكل كبير، مثل ديكلان رايس فهو لاعب إرتكاز، لكنه يستطيع اللعب في الهجوم أيضًا”.

وأوضح: “أنظر حول العالم حاليًا وأتساءل من يقدم أداءًا أفضل منه؟ لا أرى الكثير منهم على الإطلاق”.

وأردف أوين: “أعتقد أن جرافنبيرخ من اكتشافات الموسم الماضي تقريبًا، كان من الممكن أن تمنعه ​​ظروف معينة من اللعب، لو حصل ليفربول على مارتن زوبيمندي عندما أرادوه، لما كان يلعب هذا العدد من المباريات”.

وتابع: “حتى عندما لعبوا ضد إيبسويتش تاون في أولى مباريات الموسم الماضي، كنا جميعًا نتساءل من سيلعب كلاعب خط وسط اليوم؟، وترددت أنباء من غرفة الملابس بأنه سيكون جرافنبيرخ. لم ينظر إلى الوراء منذ ذلك الحين وإنه لأمر مذهل”.

وواصل: “بايرن ميونخ لا بد أنهم يتساءلون ويقولون يا إلهي، لماذا تركناه يرحل؟، هو لاعب قادر على فعل أي شيء”.

واختتم: “لو كان يلعب لفريق آخر الآن لسعى الجميع لضمه كلاعب خط وسط جديد، هو يستحق أن يدفع من أجله أكثر من 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني”.

Smith maintains form as two wickets before close leave challengers in strife

ECB Reporters Network02-Jul-2024A brilliant 107 from Ryan Patel, necessarily watchful at first but buccaneering by its end, built on Jamie Smith’s classy 70 and enabled Surrey to reach a second innings 278 and set Essex a formidable 361 to win the top-of-the-table clash at the Kia Oval.By stumps, they were 21 for two with Nick Browne edging Jordan Clark to keeper Ben Foakes – via a push-up from a diving Smith at third slip – to depart for nine, and nightwatchman Eathan Bosch bowled for one as he shouldered arms in Clark’s next over. Dean Elgar is 11 not out.Patel thumped paceman Shane Snater for two legside sixes in an over and soon afterwards hit Simon Harmer’s off spin into the Bedser Stand during a 125-ball knock that also featured 15 fours – the 14th of them a stunning straight drive off Matt Critchley to complete the 26-year-old’s fourth first-class hundred.Smith had earlier lit up a stop-start day as, for the second time in the match, he made sure Division One leaders Surrey stayed in control of a vital fixture against second-placed Essex.With 35 overs ultimately lost to bad light and rain, across an infuriating five separate interruptions in the first half of the day, Surrey stretched their 126-run overnight lead to 360 as first Smith and then a 65-run seventh wicket partnership between Patel and Clark denied Essex a way back into the game.Patel’s superb late hitting then saw him plunder the bulk of the 85 runs Surrey managed to score for their last two wickets. Overall, indeed, it was a great effort by Surrey, who began day three on 44 for three, and the only consolation for Essex was seamer Jamie Porter claiming his 500th first-class wicket by having Clark caught at third man, uppercutting, for 30.Leading Essex by 12 points coming into the match, Surrey would stretch that gap to 29 if they go on to secure victory on day four and – if that does happen – they would chiefly have Patel and 23-year-old Smith to thank for a sixth win from nine Vitality County Championship outings so far this season.Smith’s opening day 100 did much to take Surrey to 262 in their first innings and, resuming on 11, the player selected at the weekend to be England’s new Test wicketkeeper-batsman later this month again showed his sublime strokemaking skills even in such bowler-friendly conditions and with the need to keep starting again and again after each break for bad weather.After an initial 30-minute passage of play, in which Foakes was dropped on nine at first slip off Porter as Surrey edged to 63 for three, there were three mini-sessions of 10 balls, one ball, and then another 10 balls, either side of an early lunch.More rain then followed a 27-ball session, driving the players off yet again at 2.12pm, but after a fifth re-start of the day at 2.38pm there was at last a prolonged period of play – broken only by the tea interval – until stumps.By then Smith had moved smoothly past fifty, despite seeing Foakes fall for 13 when he edged Snater and was smartly held above his head at second slip by Harmer.Left-hander Sai Sudharsan, the India international, helped Smith to add 45 for the fifth wicket, taking Surrey’s overall lead beyond 200, but it was Smith who was the main aggressor with a booming extra cover drive off Snater and a gorgeous on-drive off Porter perhaps the pick of his eventual 11 fours.And Smith, who came in on 25 for two, had scored 70 of Surrey’s next 98 runs when he greeted left-arm seamer Paul Walter’s first ball by pulling it straight to deep square leg in the 38th over.When Sudharsan fell for 12 in the next over, thin-edging Bosch behind, Surrey were suddenly 127 for six and Essex knew they had probably their last chance to stay in the contest.Patel and Clark, however, both batted with grit and no little skill to defy the Essex seamers for almost 20 overs, and Surrey’s lead had reached 274 before Porter’s dismissal of Clark was quickly followed by Bosch bowling Tom Lawes for a first-ball duck.That was the signal for Patel, who had survived a caught and bowled chance to Bosch on 40, to press hard on the accelerator and although James Taylor (3) was bowled sweeping at Harmer he found in last man Dan Worrall a steady partner while a further 43 runs were added in, by now, bright sunshine and until Patel was bowled swinging at Critchley.