His 107 and sixth-wicket stand of 148 with Luis Reece puts Derbyshire firmily in control against Middlesex

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Apr-2025Martin Andersson gave his former team-mates a big reminder of his qualities with a career-best century to put Derbyshire firmly in control of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match against Middlesex at Derby.The ex-Middlesex allrounder scored 107 and shared a county record sixth-wicket stand of 148 with Luis Reece, who made 60, to lift Derbyshire to 472 all out.Andersson’s memorable day continued when he took a catch and then had Stephen Eskinaz caught behind before Blair Tickner claimed his second wicket to leave the visitors on 101 for 3, 371 runs behind.Middlesex’s hopes of early wickets slowly evaporated in the hazy sunshine although Andersson looked fortunate to survive an lbw shout when he was beaten by Toby Roland-Jones.The Middlesex skipper and Dane Paterson both found some swing and seam movement to trouble Andersson and Reece but the pair batted with patience and discipline to frustrate the visitors.Andersson was made to wait for his 50, facing 12 dot balls on 49, before a thickish outside edge off Ryan Higgins flew to the vacant third boundary.Reece had combined watchful defence with calculated aggression and he brought up the 100 stand in style by coming down the pitch to launch Zahar Gohar over long on for six.He reached his first 50 of the season in the last over of the morning which had emphatically belonged to the hosts with 102 runs coming from 30 overs.The pair went on after lunch and eclipsed the previous Derbyshire sixth-wicket record stand against Middlesex of 130 by Michael Di Venuto and Graeme Welch at Lord’s in 2002 before they were finally parted.Reece came a long way down the pitch before he was sent back and wicketkeeper Jack Davies scored a direct hit at the bowler’s end to run him out.Alex Thomson was caught behind playing back to Gohar but Andersson reached an excellent hundred when he cut Nathan Fernandes for his 15th four.He was warmly applauded by his former team-mates who recognised how well he had played when the game was in the balance.Andersson missed a sweep at Fernandes before both Zak Chappell and Blair Tickner fell to catches in the deep leaving Middlesex to score 323 to avoid the follow-on.By now, the clouds had rolled in and Reece found some swing to take Eskinazi’s outside edge but the ball dropped just in front of first slip.Tickner made the breakthrough when Fernandes failed to get over a drive and sliced to gully where Andersson made no mistake and the allrounder then had Eskinazi caught down the legside off a glove with the total on 57.Middlesex lost the in-form Max Holden when Tickner got one to straighten and there was more concern for the visitors before the close.Former Derbyshire batter Leus Du Plooy had been struggling after he was struck a painful blow on the right foot by a Reece yorker and had to retire hurt on 10 towards the end of a day which belonged to Derbyshire and Andersson.

Manchester United had to make some difficult decisions during the summer window and could now be set to part ways with another star on a permanent basis in the near future.

Manchester United seek to build on Premier League momentum

Admittedly, the Red Devils are going to need more consistency to trouble sides near the top of the Premier League table, but a deserved victory over Chelsea has given Ruben Amorim space to breathe.

Now, back-to-back fixtures against Brentford and Sunderland offer an opportunity for the Portuguese boss to generate some much-needed momentum at Old Trafford, especially after he held face-to-face talks about Manchester United’s trajectory with Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Bruno Fernandes has been a leading light for the Red Devils, and there is an argument to say his side needs to find a level of self-sufficiency without relying on their awe-inspiring captain every week, though seeing off Enzo Maresca’s outfit has shown they can win when the pressure is on.

Amorim also needs to be applauded for his ruthless approach in the transfer market. Rasmus Hojlund, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho were among summer departures, indicating that the man in charge isn’t afraid to wield the axe when fresh ideas are needed across the squad.

Of course, some of their dealings during the window were enforced. Garnacho has experienced a taste of why the grass isn’t always greener. Still the main aim at Manchester United is building a squad capable of challenging for silverware.

Related Premier League manager admits star is unsettled due to Man Utd approach

The Red Devils are known to be big admirers.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Sep 22, 2025

Financially, that may prove tricky as the club tries to navigate PSR legislation. Sales will be necessary, and another high-profile departure could now be on the cards at Old Trafford.

Romano: Andre Onana's time is up at Old Trafford

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has delivered some telling insight on Andre Onana’s career at Manchester United after he was loaned to Trabzonspor.

Addressing his future, the renowned transfer specialist has confirmed that the Cameroon star now appears to be permanently out of the picture at Old Trafford, and there is no way back after Senne Lammens arrived from Royal Antwerp.

He stated: “My understanding is that both sides – Man Utd and Andre Onana himself – see this Man Utd chapter as almost closed. So it’s very difficult to imagine Onana staying at Man Utd beyond (next summer).

“Man Utd believe that Senne Lammens is going to be the goalkeeper for present and future, so unless something extraordinary happens, (Onana’s agreement) is a straight loan, and he might go somewhere else in the future, but it’s over between Man Utd and Onana, probably.”

Enjoying a solid start to life at Trabzonspor, the 29-year-old has featured against Fenerbahce and Gaziantep, even claiming an assist against the latter in a 1-1 draw.

Retaining a save percentage of 80% in the Super Lig, per Fotmob, it remains to be seen whether the Turkish outfit will look to deal him in permanently or whether alternative suitors will look to land the £120,000 per week earner.

Leeds United have always gained great pride from allowing their homegrown starlets eventual minutes in the first team.

Kalvin Phillips would become a household name in the Premier League after making his Elland Road breakthrough, with Archie Gray also going on to be a £30m purchase by Tottenham Hotspur after he exploded into life in the senior picture at the Whites.

With Daniel Farke also recently stating that the development of youth is one of the “cornerstones” of the club’s ongoing philosophy, it wouldn’t be a great shock to see a new Phillips or Gray emerge in the very near future.

Amazingly, another member of the Gray family in Harry Gray, is already making considerable strides to break into the men’s set-up.

Harry Gray's rise at Leeds

With the young pair also having Leeds royalty deeply ingrained into their family tree in the form of great uncle Eddie Gray, it appears as if Elland Road is just woven into their DNA.

Before anyone gets too carried away, the 16-year-old striker has only made one fleeting cameo in Farke’s first-team to date, but his future does look very rosy in West Yorkshire, with his early goalscoring form in the Premier League 2 this season only adding to his immense hype.

From just four games this campaign in all competitions, Gray has helped himself to a blistering four strikes, with his weighty goal tally for both the U18s and U21s now standing at a very impressive 15 goals from 22 outings.

Branded the “real deal” by analyst Ben Mattinson, it does only feel like a matter of time now before the teenage sensation is leading the line for Farke’s men, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin potentially pushed all the way for a starting spot very soon by the England U17 international.

However, he isn’t the only hotly-tipped youngster at this moment in time in the U21 picture.

Leeds could even be brewing their next Phillips when looking at this very promising midfield talent who just signed his first-ever professional contract at his boyhood employers.

Leeds' next Phillips

While his career path has hit many a bump since exiting Leeds in 2022, with just 31 Manchester City appearances coming his way in three years, it goes without saying that he is the standard that many of the new rising crop at Thorp Arch still try to hit.

Indeed, under Marcelo Bielsa’s transformative guidance, Phillips would turn into an extremely hot midfield commodity, with a senior Three Lions call-up even falling into the 29-year-old’s lap, before moving on to the Etihad for a substantial £40m.

While Ollie Pickles is way off hitting those heights at the moment, he will hope – sometime down the line – that he can experience these same amazing highs, having just penned his first-ever professional contract at Elland Road that runs until 2028.

The 17-year-old hotshot warranted that deal coming into play, too, with Pickles even donning the captain’s armband for the U21s last time out to show off similar leadership skills to those of Phillips in the main team.

DM

22

2 + 1

CM

10

3 + 2

AM

5

1 + 0

RW

1

0

LW

1

0

The similarities don’t just end there, however, with Pickles also showing off a similar eye for a goal and an assist to that of the former Bielsa favourite, with a standout five-goal contributions tallied up from the central midfield position from just ten outings.

Arguably, his added adaptability to slot into a right-wing or left-wing spot if needed also stands him in good stead to replicate Gray’s sharp rise, with the Spurs number 14’s malleable nature turning him into a constant regular under Farke.

Still, with previous interest in his services coming from the likes of Gray’s new employers, it could be that Pickles goes on to be another major sale for Leeds in the midfield department, like Phillips.

Before anything more concrete pops up over Pickles leaving, however, the teenager will have to prove himself in the senior side, with chances potentially handed to him in the near future.

Danny Murphy says Leeds "will" go down and names Farke's "biggest problem"

The talkSPORT pundit has revealed why he thinks the Whites will go down, despite the victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

2 ByDominic Lund Sep 23, 2025

Alisha Lehmann has often attracted attention for her glamorous on-field appearances and a lifestyle rarely seen among the majority of women footballers in Europe. The Swiss star, however, explained that having a social media presence can accelerate the growth and popularity of women's football. Lehmann left Juventus over the summer and joined Como, where she believes women are able to yield all the power.

• Backlash over Lehmann's on-field appearance

  Lehmann is fond of having long hair, long nails, and wearing makeup, whether it be off the football field or on it. Her preferences have, however, often been scrutinised. Sporting a glamorous on-field appearance has come at a cost for the former Aston Villa star, with doubters often claiming she lacks professionalism and commitment to the sport. Despite the backlash, the Swiss international continues to do what she believes to be right for her, living life by the motto "haters gonna hate, lovers gonna love."

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Lehmann speaks words of empowerment, addressing young girls

  Recently speaking at the Trento Sports Festival in Italy, Lehmann said: "I want people to know that playing football and being on social media are not mutually exclusive. Social media makes women's football more popular, and we need fans and platforms. I want young girls to know that you can play football even with long nails and makeup. I like wearing heels, but I'm still a professional. The important thing is to feel comfortable, because that's the only way you can pursue your passion. As a teenager, I liked eyelashes, nails and nail polish, which wasn't the ideal profile for a footballer. People think of baggy shirts and shorts, but I was different. I liked taking care of my appearance; I wore tighter shorts, but it wasn't a problem for me. I've always been like that and I didn't pay attention to people."

• A new chapter for Lehmann at Como

  Over the summer, Lehmann joined Como after spending one year at Juventus, describing her exit as a "very difficult decision." She has started in both Serie A Femminile games, including Como's 1-0 win over her former team Juve last weekend. 

  Her life at Stadio Ferruccio has been off to a good start, with Lehmann sharing her thoughts on her experience with her new team so far. “I really like the fact that it's an all-female team and that there's a kind of 'power' that we women can wield without being subordinate to men," she said. "Beyond that, we're a great team that helps and supports each other. We just need to work on our teamwork and we'll win a lot.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Como Women
  

  Lehmann's next match: A tricky trip to Sassuolo

  Como Women will travel to Sassuolo on October 18 in what could be a tough fixture for Lehmann and her team-mates. Then, she will be expected to be called up by Switzerland for the upcoming international break.

Liverpool have opened the 2024/25 season in perfect fashion, sitting top of the Premier League with four wins from four.

Under Arne Slot, they’ve quickly shown resilience and attacking flair, but the journey has not been without its flaws.

Three times already this season – against Bournemouth, Newcastle, and Atlético Madrid – the Reds have let two-goal leads slip, only to be rescued by late winners. The most special of all perhaps being Rio Ngumoha’s strike at St James’ Park.

That ability to find decisive moments in the dying stages has become a hallmark.

The 93rd-minute strike against Atlético was Liverpool’s fourth goal scored in stoppage time across all competitions this season, underlining the winning mentality that carried them to their second Premier League crown last season.

While Dominik Szoboszlai has been central to the team’s fluid play, it is a different player who increasingly embodies the leadership once associated with the great Steven Gerrard.

Szoboszlai: A creative hub and tactical fix

Szoboszlai’s start to the season didn’t go smoothly.

Slot publicly criticised him for his role in Bournemouth’s opening goal during the 4-2 win at Anfield on the opening weekend.

Since then, however, the 24-year-old has responded with consistent excellence and versatility.

Last season, the Hungarian produced 12 goal involvements this campaign, a reminder of his value in the final third. His numbers reflect a midfielder who drives play forward relentlessly:

Progressive Carries per 90

2.60

Progressive Passes per 90

4.73

Shot-Creating Actions per 90

4.30

Pass Completion Rate

84.3%

Progressive Passing Distance per 90

131.4m

These metrics paint a picture of a player who not only initiates attacking moves but sustains them with precision passing and clever movement.

His decisive 30-yard free-kick against Arsenal was the standout moment of Liverpool’s season so far, sealing a 1-0 win that kept their perfect record intact.

What makes Szoboszlai even more valuable is his tactical adaptability.

Against Newcastle, with Liverpool stretched at St James’ Park, he filled in at right-back and barely put a foot wrong all evening. He did the same when Arsenal came to town a few weeks ago.

This flexibility makes him a manager’s dream – a midfielder capable of influencing games both with creativity and discipline.

It’s tempting to compare Szoboszlai to Gerrard, as many pundits have, but this season he is functioning as Liverpool’s alternative to Florian Wirtz.

While Wirtz has struggled to adapt since his high-profile Premier League arrival, Szoboszlai has thrived in high-pressure situations, reinforcing why Liverpool chose him as a centrepiece in midfield.

That said, the Hungary international isn’t quite as iconic as Gerrard just yet.

Liverpool's new Gerrard

If Szoboszlai is Liverpool’s creator, Virgil van Dijk is their leader.

At 34, the Dutchman remains a colossal presence at the back, but this season he has added moments of attacking inspiration too.

His stoppage-time winner against Atlético epitomised a player taking responsibility in decisive moments.

Football analyst Josh Williams has described Van Dijk as “outrageous” this season, adding that he “takes responsibility like Gerrard used to.”

It is rare for a centre-back to be compared with Liverpool’s most iconic midfielder, but the parallels are clear.

Just as Gerrard dragged teams through games with moments of inspiration, Van Dijk is now doing the same from defence.

Statistically, his influence remains elite and he showcased that against Atletico.

To illuminate his qualities, Van Dijk ranks in the 86th percentile among his fellow central defenders for pass completion (91.5%) over the last year, ensuring that Liverpool can build calmly from the back.

He is also in the 90th percentile for progressive passes (5.24 per 90), showing how often he breaks lines with distribution from deep.

Defensively, he dominates in the air, winning 3.02 aerial duels per 90, placing him again in the 86th percentile among centre-backs.

Statistical comparisons with Ronald Araújo and Gabriel Magalhães highlight his profile: a defender who combines physical dominance with elite ball progression.

But Van Dijk’s role extends beyond numbers. As club captain, with a contract running until 2027, he is the figure setting standards in this rejuvenating side.

Liverpool’s start has not been flawless. Throwing away leads three times already is a warning sign for a team with ambitions of another title.

Yet those setbacks have been countered by players willing to step up in decisive phases.

Szoboszlai has driven the creative rhythm with his passing and chance creation, while Van Dijk has shown the authority and timing to decide contests late on.

Together, they have shaped Liverpool’s early-season identity: a side capable of brilliance, but reliant on its big leaders to seize the big moments.

Not Salah or Van Dijk: Liverpool star is now "one of the best in the world"

Liverpool left it late once more to collect a Champions League victory at Anfield over Atletico Madrid.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 18, 2025

Arsenal have received a fine of £500,000 ($665,000) from the Professional Game Board (PGB) for breaching FA Cup rules during last season's third-round tie against Manchester United in January. The breach concerned FA Cup Rule 192, which stipulates that for matches other than a semi-final or the final, the away club is entitled to claim 15 per cent of the tickets issued.

Man Utd left short by Gunners

Man Utd were due 9,000 tickets for the match at the Emirates Stadium, but were left over a thousand short, receiving just 7,956. This was attributed to safety concerns by Arsenal, who cited issues with housing away supporters in the upper tier due to persistent standing. The PGB determined that Arsenal had failed to comply with the rule, but the £500k fine is suspended, conditional on the Gunners confirming their ability to comply with ticketing requirements for the upcoming FA Cup third round and demonstrating continued compliance in any subsequent rounds of the current season's competition. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportUnited fans denied chance to watch penalty thriller

Unfortunately for United fans who weren’t able to secure a ticket they missed a classic. United dumped Arsenal of the cup in a dramatic third-round clash, winning 5-3 on penalties after the game finished 1-1 following extra time. The visitors initially took the lead courtesy of a Bruno Fernandes strike in the 52nd minute, but their advantage was short-lived as Diogo Dalot received a second yellow card for a foul, reducing United to 10 men and Arsenal quickly capitalised, equalising two minutes later through Gabriel. The game intensified with a controversial penalty awarded to Arsenal for a foul on Kai Havertz by Harry Maguire, but Altay Bayindir, saved Martin Odegaard's penalty. Arsenal pressed for a winner in the remaining time, creating numerous chances including a missed open goal opportunity by Havertz, but Bayindir's performance kept United in the game. In the shootout, United converted all five of their penalties, with Joshua Zirkzee scoring the decisive spot-kick after Havertz missed for Arsenal. The win saw United progress to the fourth round, where they beat Leicester City at home before being eliminated on penalties by Fulham in the fifth round.

Grand ground plans for Gunners

Arsenal are exploring a significant expansion and modernisation of the Emirates, nearly two decades after moving from Highbury in 2006. The current plan aims to increase the stadium's capacity from 60,700 to over 70,000 seats, which would make it the largest club ground in London, surpassing Tottenham and West Ham. This proposed £500 million ($664.2m) project seeks to boost matchday revenue and address a season ticket waiting list exceeding 100,000 fans. A dedicated working group is actively assessing design options, including altering the gradient of the stands and reconfiguring seating arrangements, with most changes expected to occur within the existing structure. However, the tight 17-acre site, nestled in a residential area with nearby railway lines, presents a complex logistical challenge and planning permission could take up to five years to secure. Should construction commence, Arsenal may be required to temporarily relocate their home matches, potentially to Wembley Stadium, echoing a move made by Tottenham during their stadium rebuild. While the expansion aims to secure the club's financial future and competitive edge, the move could impact the men’s and women’s teams. No final decision has been announced, as the club continues to weigh-up various options.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportThird round drama returns in January

The draw for the third round of the will be held shortly after the completion of the second round proper, which takes place around the weekend of December 6. This is when clubs from the Premier League and Championship enter the competition and the third round ties themselves are scheduled to be played on/around the weekend of January 10 next year. 

حسم فريق نادي الزمالك مباراة القمة أمام الأهلي، لصالحه، في اللقاء الذي أقيم بينهما، اليوم السبت، في منافسات بطولة دوري الجمهوربة مواليد 2009

والتقى فريقا الأهلي والزمالك، على ملعب النادي الأهلي بمدينة نصر، ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة من بطولة الجمهورية.

طالع | القنوات الناقلة لمباريات كأس السوبر المصري 2025

وحقق الزمالك الفوز على غريمه الأهلي، بنتيجة 3-1، سجل ثلاثية الفارس الأبيض، طارق هشام، أدهم محمد حسيب، وأحمد صفوت.

وسجل هدف الأهلي، لاعبه أحمد عبد الهادي بتسديدة من داخل منطقة الجزاء.

وشهد اللقاء، تصدي حارس النادي الأهلي لركلة جزاء من لاعب الزمالك أحمد عبد الله.

Fabrizio Romano has shared some news out of Arsenal, with one highly-rated young player about to swap north London for another club.

With the international break soon drawing to a close, Mikel Arteta is about to prepare his side for an intriguing face-off against Nottingham Forest, who have just parted company with Nuno Espírito Santo in what was a shocking overnight move.

Former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is set to replace Nuno at Forest, and Evangelos Marinakis will also have the Australian through the door in time for Saturday, which makes Arsenal’s Premier League return part of a major story.

For the Gunners, it represents an opportunity for Arteta to steal some much-needed three points off a Forest side who’ll be finding their feet under a brand-new manager, and Arsenal really cannot afford to slip up.

Their 1-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield just prior to the international break handed Arteta his first defeat of the campaign, and perhaps emphasised that the Merseysiders are indeed outstanding favourites to retain their Premier League crown after a summer of lavish spending.

Arsenal showcased real ambition in the summer transfer market as well, spending north of £250 million on an array of key signings in Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapie.

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£5m

Martin Zubimendi

£60m

Christian Norgaard

£15m

Noni Madueke

£52m

Cristhian Mosquera

£13m

Viktor Gyokeres

£55m

Eberechi Eze

£67.5m

Piero Hincapie

Loan

Hale End academy sensations Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri, who are the two youngest debutants in Premier League history, are also expected to play a role amid this serious hype surrounding them and fellow teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Arsenal have high hopes for young signing Mosquera too, and there is a reported belief behind-the-scenes that the Spaniard could become one of the best centre-backs in the world over these next few years.

18-year-old Dan Casey was also praised by coaches for his potential at Arsenal, but the 2007-born attacking midfielder is about to join Crystal Palace after snubbing a contract to remain in N5.

Dan Casey set to join Crystal Palace after leaving Arsenal

That is according to Romano, who reports that a deal is agreed for Casey to leave Arsenal for Palace as the two clubs shake hands on a compensation fee.

The teenager attracted praise from Arsenal Under-18s coach Adam Birchall for his performances at academy level, including as recently as February, but the prospect of any senior debut for them is now off the cards.

A three-member probe team collected documents and records following allegations against the board

Mohammad Isam15-Apr-2025

A three-member probe team collected documents and records following specific allegations against BCB•Tanvin Tamim

The Bangladesh government’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) raided the BCB’s headquarters on Tuesday to collect documents and records following allegations against the cricket board. The three-member probe team held a press briefing following their raid, alongside BCB chief executive Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.The allegations include financial misappropriation of ticket sales during BPL and irregularity in expenses for cricket-related activities around a political programme called “Mujib 100″ (to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) in 2020 but which got cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. The ACC team also looked into details about the rule change in Dhaka’s third division qualification competition. All three allegations fall under the time when Nazmul Hassan was the BCB president.”We will file a report in the enforcement unit after verifying all these documents,” ACC’s assistant director Al Amin said. “The ACC will then decide what the next step will be. Every one of the ACC’s raid is due to a specific complaint. We collect complaints from the media. We have a committee that verifies these complaints. Once it is approved, we go on a raid. It is the same in this case.”The ACC officials said they are looking into the financial anomaly in the BPL’s ticket sales since the third edition. Ticket sales have earned the BCB around BDT 15 crore (1.2 million USD approx.) from the eight seasons, but in the eleventh season alone it was BDT 13 crore (1.07 million USD approx.).”One of BCB’s revenue streams is ticket sales. There was 15 crore in eight years, and then 13 crore in a single year. We are trying to collect documents to find out what the anomaly is,” Al Amin said.He added that there are allegations that the “Mujib 100” programme also had some financial anomalies, including misappropriation of funds of around BDT 17 crore (1.4 million USD approx.).”There’s also some anomaly in the expenses shown in the “Mujib 100″ programme. It showed expenses worth 25 crore, but actually it was around 17 crore. There’s allegations that they didn’t show the expenses of almost 19 crore. We have asked for those documents and records from the finance department,” he said.The ACC has also spoken to the BCB about their rule change in the Dhaka Third Division Qualifying tournament, which was introduced in the late 1990s. It is the non-league tournament from where the top two teams enter the third division league, the lowest in the Dhaka league pyramid. During Nazmul’s reign, the BCB hiked the team’s entry fee to BDT 5 lakh (4,000 USD approx.) from BDT 50,000 (412 USD approx.).Since these were amateur clubs, many refrained from taking part in the competition. However, some clubs paid the hiked fee to participate. They played out a knockout scenario to determine which clubs entered the league; sometimes only two paid the fees which meant direct entry into the Dhaka Third Division League.”Among the specific complaints is the illegal money involved in the Third Division Qualifying competition,” Al Amin said. “We found out how the teams were selected before 2023. Their competition fees used to be BDT five lakh. Only two or three teams would apply for it, and from them the BCB would choose one or two teams. When the fee was reduced to BDT one lakh, sixty clubs applied to play in the competition.”Our point is that, why did only two or three teams apply in previous years, and why did 60 teams apply this time? We have collected documents. There could be personal influence in the selection process of the Third Division Qualifying tournament. We found out that neighbourhood clubs found it hard to meet the criteria set for playing in the tournament.”We have collected the list of teams who took part in the Third Division Qualifying tournament in the last five to seven years. We will compare the requirements to participate in this competition between this year and those from previous years. You must have seen that two to four clubs used to take part in this tournament. This year, 60 teams participated. We can deduce that there was no independence of participation in the previous years. There must have been some pressure that prevented them from participating in the tournament. We are trying to find out why.”BCB’s chief executive Chowdhury vowed to cooperate with the ACC, saying he would direct the relevant departments to help them with documents.

Ben Brown scored his first century as Hampshire captain to eliminate fears of an innings defeat to Durham in the Rothesay County Championship.Hampshire were still 92 runs away from avoiding the follow-on when Toby Albert was the sixth man to depart, but Brown and Felix Organ ticked through the required runs with a 164 stand.Brown replaced James Vince – who has moved to Dubai – as club captain in the winter and led from the front with a patient unbeaten 143.Hampshire ended the day on 429 for seven, trailing by 82, with Organ, Mark Stoneman and Nick Gubbins also recording half-centuries – with Matthew Potts’ three for 62 the best for Durham’s bowlers.The hosts have very little hope of winning the match after Durham had racked up 511 on the opening two days, and regular wickets through the morning put them in deep peril.Stoneman only added three runs to his overnight 57 – which had been his first half-century sine arriving on the south coast from Middlesex – before he edged Potts behind off his inside edge.Tom Prest was guilty of stretching too far outside off stump when he was caught behind, while Liam Dawson was bowled by a Potts delivery which kept a tad low – as the pitch appeared to be working slightly better for the bowlers.The opening two days have been a turgid batting-fest with a used pitch not disintegrating has expected in the hot sun.But some occasional turn for the spinners and bouts invariable bounce gave Hampshire’s batters a few moments of worry.Toby Albert was more out-gunned by Codi Yusuf’s pace when he was bowled, as Hampshire’s fears of being asked to bat again began to raise.But Organ, a highly competent batter who has opened the batting regularly in the past, was a welcome sight coming in at No.8.Brown had bumped himself higher up the order from seven to five, seemingly to give more stability in the face of wickets.He picked his moments to jab at deliveries in his textbook manner, while occasionally negating the lower bounce by crouching lower to meet the ball at its trajectory.A half-century came in 102 balls before a fifth century for the Rose and Crown came in 178 balls – it was the 26th of his first-class career.Hampshire only picked up two batting bonus points, but at 17:00 BST their deficit had dipped under 150 and the game felt safer – only a monumental effort could stop this match from becoming a draw.Organ, on his first appearance of the summer, reached his half-century in 124 deliveries but fell when he edged George Drissell to first slip.His partnership with Brown was the highest seventh wicket stand for Hampshire against Durham almost doubling a 2007 record set by Michael Brown and Shane Warne.