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Legendary Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas has been named as the manager of Serie B side Como.

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Fabregas becomes new Como coachClub parted ways with Moreno LongoFabregas retired from football in 2023(C)GettyImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea star has been appointed as the interim manager of Serie B club Como after they parted ways with Moreno Longo on Monday. Fabregas, who was managing the club's B and youth teams, has been promoted as the interim head coach until the club finds a suitable replacement for Longo.

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The former Spanish international announced his retirement from football in the summer. He last plied his trade with Como in the 2022/23 season where he played a crucial role in the club finishing 13th in Serie B. Upon retirement, the 36-year-old took up coaching duties at the Italian side.

WHAT DID COMO SAY?

The club confirmed Fabregas' appointment via an official statement on Monday, which read, "The paths separated between Como 1907 and Moreno Longo. The search for a new coach begins immediately, with Cesc Fàbregas and the coaching staff taking on the duties on an interim basis. After several months of strategic planning, the Como 1907 board decided that dynamic change was in the club's best interest. Longo joined Como in September 2022 and helped the team avoid relegation, finishing in 13th place last season. Cesc Fàbregas, who currently coaches the Primavera del Como 1907, will have his first training session on Wednesday morning."

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WHAT NEXT?

The Spaniard's first game in charge of I Lariani will be against FeralpiSalo on November 25 in Serie B.

Harry Maguire has suggested that he could leave Manchester United in January, with the out-of-favour defender not prepared to “play once a month”.

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Defender has slipped down the pecking orderStripped of captaincy at Old TraffordMay have to seek a move elsewhere in 2024WHAT HAPPENED?

The England international centre-half has slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford, with the club captaincy being taken off him in the process. Maguire has taken in just 116 minutes of Premier League football this season, with Erik ten Hag not convinced by what the 30-year-old has to offer.

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Maguire saw a transfer speculated on over the summer and admits that he may have to seek a move in the next window. He has said while away on England duty: “I am not going to sit here all my life and play once a month and if it carries on, I am sure myself and the club will sit down and have a chat. I want to play minutes, I want to play football.”

WHAT THEY SAID

While being overlooked by Ten Hag on a regular basis, Maguire claims his record under the Dutch coach is deserving of more opportunities. He added: “If you look back on my last 15-20 starts for club and country, I would be happy to sit here and say I’m really happy with my performances. My record under this manager (Ten Hag) speaks for itself. I haven’t started as many games as I would like but my win percentage when I’ve played is ridiculously high. Of course there are times when I could do more and times when I could improve and help the team. I can only do what I’ve been doing when I’ve come into the team … bringing positive performances. But I’m just wanting to help the team, I’m wanting to help the team get out of this position we’re in at the moment.”

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United have made an inconsistent start to the 2023-24 campaign as a collective, with a 12-point haul from eight games leaving them 10th in the Premier League table. The Red Devils have also suffered back-to-back defeats against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray in the Champions League.

Jude Bellingham cannot even take his mum shopping in Madrid city centre without being mobbed by fans clamouring for a picture with the midfielder.

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Bellingham mobbed in Madrid city centreStar midfielder was out with his mumOff to incredible start at Real MadridWHAT HAPPENED?

Bellingham has been the talk of the town in La Liga due to his stunning performances since joining Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in the summer. The England international was out with his mum on Monday but was swarmed by fans as he posed for selfies with a few.

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The 20-year-old has rocketed to stardom in Spain. He is La Liga's top scorer with 13 goals from 15 matches and has chipped in with two assists, too. He has also found the net four times in the Champions League, adding three assists in the process.

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The ex-Birmingham star will hope to add even more goals to his record when his team take on Deportivo Alaves in their next La Liga game on December 21 – their last game of 2023. The Spanish giants will then kick off the new year with a home match against Mallorca on January 4.

Everything you need to know about Manchester United's Argentine centre-back Lisandro Martinez.

Lisandro Martinez is a young and talented football player from Argentina who has quickly established himself as a key player for both Ajax Amsterdam and the Argentina national team. Born on January 18, 1998, in Gualeguay, a small city in the province of Entre Rios, Martinez started playing football at a young age and quickly caught the attention of local scouts. He began his youth career at Club Atletico Gualeguay before moving to Club Atletico Newell's Old Boys in Rosario, Argentina.

At Newell's Old Boys, Martinez quickly made a name for himself as a versatile and technically gifted player. He made his professional debut for the team in 2017 and quickly established himself as a regular starter, impressing with his composure on the ball, his physicality, and his ability to read the game.

In July 2019, after just two seasons with Newell's Old Boys, Martinez was signed by Ajax Amsterdam. He quickly adapted to his new surroundings, impressing with his performances in pre-season and establishing himself as a regular starter in the team.

During his first season with Ajax, Martinez played an important role in the team's success, helping them to win the Eredivisie title and reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. He continued his strong performances in the 2020-21 season and helped Ajax to another league title. Martinez's performances were recognized with a call-up to the Argentina national team, where he made his debut in a friendly match against Chile in June 2021.

Martinez's time at Ajax attracted interest from other top clubs in Europe, and he reunited with Erik ten Hag, former Ajax manager, at Manchester United in the summer of 2022, for a reported transfer fee of between £47 million to £49 million, plus £8.5 million in add-ons. He has since won the Carabao Cup with the Red Devils.

Martinez is a talented and versatile football player who has quickly established himself as one of the most assured ball-playing central defenders in the world.

Here are 11 interesting facts about Martinez that you absolutely need to know.

Family matters

Martinez is a family man. He is very close with his parents, including his grandparents. Raul Martinez and Silvina Cabrera, his mother, have always supported him throughout his career. Martinez is closer to his mother, who has been present through all his career achievements. Furthermore, Martinez also has a little sister to whom he serves as godfather.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesNickname at Ajax

Man United’s centre-back inherited the nickname of ‘The Butcher of Amsterdam’ during his time at Ajax.

The Argentine centre-back revealed the reason behind his nickname. “I am called the Canisero – the Butcher of Amsterdam," he told NOS (via Mirror)

“We Argentines do everything with passion – and when I go out on the pitch I fight for every ball. In Argentina, not everyone is brought up with enough resources. Sometimes you can't even eat. As a child I suffered from hunger. When I step on the pitch I think back on the times I couldn't even buy shoes. This is why we are so combative. Argentinians kill to win. If I have to step over dead bodies I do it. I want to win every 50-50 situation because I know that I am fighting for food for every member of my family and for my friends."

“That is the feeling I have – and every Argentinian has. It is the kind of motivation I cannot explain.”

GettyPitbull in Argentina

Now, this is a name that Martinez has got behind. He is called a “pitbull” in his native country. Speaking about the nickname, Martinez said, “In Argentina, they called me The Pitbull. That covers my playing style better. I bite into my opponent.”

He can be seen snarling at opposition attackers and forces them into giving up possession as much as possible.

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Tough start at Ajax

The 25-year-old central defender established himself as one of the best players in the world but life at Ajax was not always what glitters for the Argentine.

According to a statement given in an interview with La Nacion (via SkySports), “In the first three weeks, I had a miserable time. It was totally different. At first, I wanted to go home and cry. I felt bad. I’m a player who likes to have the ball, but when they got me into one or two quick touches, they killed me. It was amazing how off pace I was to everything."

Disappointing levels of spectator “graduation” from T20 to international cricket are a major reason for CA’s decision to significantly cut prices for Test and limited-overs matches ahead of the next summer

Daniel Brettig27-Apr-2016A growing number of people sated by the Twenty20 entree have compelled Cricket Australia to go back to work on the main course. Disappointing levels of spectator “graduation” from T20 to international cricket were a major reason for CA’s decision to significantly cut prices for Test and limited-overs matches ahead of the next summer.A review of ticket pricing and availability was undertaken by CA’s commercial department after a series of disappointing international crowds at various points of the past two summers, a trend in direct contrast to the burgeoning attendances for the Big Bash League.Cricket Australia’s tickets review

Extensive consultation process internally

Comprehensive review of ticket prices from other sporting and major entertainment events

Market research involving surveying a representative sample of people across Australia to assess propensity to attend cricket at different price points

Referred to learnings from other cricket events, including the 2015 World Cup and BBL

Ever since the BBL was ushered into existence at the Australian Cricket Conference in 2010, CA and its chief executive James Sutherland have maintained that the tournament was designed to bring new fans to the game who would ultimately take on a love for Tests and ODIs.However, a call to cut prices significantly – each state will offer general admission tickets at a mere $30 for adults while also scaling back the cost of higher grade reserve seats – has been made out of concern that the BBL’s growth has not caused the sort of “trickle-up” effect CA had hoped for.This is largely because while BBL tickets have been kept affordable – general admission tickets around $20 for adults – despite their popularity, international pricing has reflected an era before the emergence of the T20 competition. This has resulted in vast swathes of empty seats at matches where spectators could be hard pressed to find anything for under $50. Sutherland said the BBL’s success had helped encourage a rethink.”Clearly the reason why we’re breaking records in terms of aggregate attendance is off the back of BBL growth in attendance,” Sutherland said when announcing the price changes. “More people attended the BBL last year than attended the World Cup. Over a million people came through the gates to attend BBL cricket.”International cricket is still really strongly supported. And part of our strategy has been for us to bring new people to the game, through BBL cricket and at the same time graduate their interest into international cricket. And part of our pricing review and our research has been with that in mind, to continue to graduate that interest … into the premium form, being international cricket.”I think we’ve learned a lot from the BBL and I think we’ve taken some of the best parts of that and incorporated that into the review. But it’s also a lot about positioning and ensuring that international cricket is the premium format and we continue to bring the best possible teams into the country to play the game, play international cricket over those three formats.”Since selling the BBL to free-to-air television where it has been a major success for Network Ten, CA has faced a balancing act between its two broadcasters. Nine has been synonymous with the game in Australia for nearly 40 years, and the need to build a more compelling international television spectacle has also played a part – it is felt that empty grounds discourage viewers from tuning in.”Certainly our focus is to get as many people into our grounds as possible – we make no bones about the fact that our desired state is full grounds,” Sutherland said. “We face challenges from time to time, certainly with Test cricket to get people into grounds when people have work commitments and kids are still at school but there’s lots of different ways in which we are trying to change that.”Obviously day-night Test cricket is one of the things but also this pricing strategy is taking a lot of those things into account as well. The backdrop for television is always something that looks better. From our perspective the whole thing is greater fan engagement.”Another factor in the pricing changes is the unknown about how much more the BBL can continue to grow. Recent downturns in T20 competitions in England and India’s IPL have suggested that the more youthful Australian tournament cannot be expected to keep building at its current rate.”We don’t see ourselves as a competitor with IPL. We’ve been very, very focussed with BBL as something which is tailored to the Australian market,” Sutherland said. “Coming off the trajectory we’ve had, it’s going to be always challenging to maintain that growth. To some extent it will be cyclical.”But at the same time we lift our sights high in terms of our aspirations with BBL and see no reason why we can’t continue. We’ll continue to develop our event presentation to ensure those who pay good money to come and watch the cricket are entertained, not just when the cricket is being played but in other aspects of what’s offered at venues.”

A collective bowling performance, followed by Thirush Kamini unbeaten 62, led India Women to a nine-wicket win to complete a 3-2 series victory in the final ODI against New Zealand Women in Bangalore

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:05

‘We need to build partnerships’ – Satterthwaite

A collective bowling performance, followed by Thirush Kamini’s unbeaten 62, led India women to a nine-wicket win to complete a 3-2 series victory in the final ODI against New Zealand women in Bangalore.Having opted to bat, New Zealand were reduced to 12 for 2 in five overs. Rachel Priest was run out for a duck without facing a ball before Jhulan Goswami had Amy Satterthwaite nicking behind for 5 off 14 balls. Suzie Bates (42) and Sophie Devine (18) mounted a brief fight with a 49-run partnership but New Zealand lost their last eight wickets for 57 runs, folding for 118 in 41 overs.Anna Peterson (22), coming in at No. 8, was the only other batsman to have moved into double figures. Goswami, left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad and seamer Deepti Sharma took two wickets each while Ekta Bisht and Harmanpreet Kaur pitched in with a wicket apiece to jolt the visitors.Even though opener Smriti Mandhana fell by the third over, Kamini underpinned a steady chase with 62 off 78 balls, including 13 fours. Sharma also sparkled with the bat, making 44 off 78 balls in an unbroken 103-run stand, as India sealed the match and the series in 27.2 overs.Despite taking the series, India were still at the bottom of the ICC Women’s Championship points table with only two wins in nine matches.

The 17-year-old defender has already played in the Premier League and Champions League, and looks to have a big future at the Etihad Stadium.

When a team as well-run as Manchester City allow a player with the qualities of Oleksandr Zinchenko to leave the club, you just know that it's all part of the wider plan. Replacements will be, or have already been, found.

The obvious alternative is to recruit a replacement, but that comes with risks. How will they settle in? Do they fit the system? Or, as was the case in the summer of 2022, will the deal get over the line at all?

That was the case with Marc Cucurella, who many presumed would be a City player by the start of the 2022-23 campaign, only for the Premier League champions to baulk at Brighton's demands as Cucurella instead joined Chelsea.

There was no panic at City, though. They knew that gap in the squad could be filled by pursuing other avenues, including their uber-talented academy system.

That has led to Rico Lewis, their 17-year-old England youth international, making his way into Pep Guardiola's plans, and the early signs are good that he will remain there for a good while longer.

But who is City's latest teenage prodigy? NXGN takes a closer look…

Getty ImagesWhere it all began

Lewis hails from the Greater Manchester suburb of Bury, a town that has produced more England players for international tournaments than any other.

But unlike fellow Bury-born full-backs Gary and Phil Neville, he headed straight to Man City, and has followed the path from the academy all the way to the first team.

"It started with my friend getting me a trial when I was about seven," he told reporters. "Then they signed me at the start of Under-8s, and since then I've just been at City.

"I've obviously been a City fan since I was about five or six and my journey through the academy has been nothing but good. To come all the way through and get to this point, it's the dream."

Lewis has cited his family as a driving influence behind his career, ever since kicking a ball around his father's gym as a youngster.

“[My dad] was the main point that pushed me, he didn’t force me towards things but pushed me in directions to get myself out there," he told City's official website.

"My family saw me make my debut. They were in a box and I could see them, and being able to meet them after was like, 'I’ve worked hard for this and they’ve also worked hard for it', so they are proud of me and I am proud of that."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe big break

While he was captaining City to the Premier League's U18s title last season, Lewis also spent some time training with the first-team squad.

But it was on their pre-season tour to the United States in the summer of 2022 that he began to gain some recognition as he earned his first minutes in Guardiola's side.

He impressed with lively cameos against Club America and Bayern Munich, hitting the post after a driving run against the German champions.

And after allowing Zinchenko to leave for Arsenal in the summer and missing out on their preferred replacement in Cucurella, the field was open for back-ups to Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo to state their case.

City did sign Spanish full-back Sergio Gomez from Anderlecht, and also have fellow academy star Josh Wilson-Esbrand pushing for opportunities, but Lewis has still managed to make his presence felt.

He made his senior debut against Bournemouth in August and has had occasional minutes off the bench ever since, including in the Champions League win over Copenhagen.

He also looked comfortable as a starter in the recent prestigious friendly against Barcelona at Camp Nou.

Getty ImagesHow's it going

Guardiola believes that the best way for his young players to develop is to be working around the first team, and he has shown patience with Lewis' predecessors such as Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.

Rule changes allowing five substitutions have allowed the City boss to give his youngsters more opportunities, while also giving his more established players time to rest on the regular occasions that they find themselves comfortably ahead in games.

Lewis is certainly making the most of those chances: "Rico showed me again that we can rely on him perfectly,” Guardiola said after his performance against Copenhagen.

With Walker expected to be out until the World Cup, opportunities for Lewis are even greater, and it would not be a surprise to see him make his first competitive start before the six-week break for Qatar 2022.

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Getty ImagesBiggest strengths

High quality full-backs are expected to do so much more than simply run up and down the wing these days, and Lewis is no different.

England currently has a group of exciting, young, attacking full-backs such as Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold and Chelsea's Reece James, and Lewis is seen as being able to play a similar role.

He likes to get forward and supplement the attacking options, which is particularly important in a City team that so often spends the majority of matches with the ball in the opposition's half.

But under Guardiola, the full-back role is even more complex, with Cancelo and Walker having learned to step inside and act as an extra midfielder.

Lewis will have to show that he can learn that role too, though versatility is not something he is unaccustomed to. In his short career he has already played as both a right-back and left-back, as well as as a holding midfielder.

PSG forward Kylian Mbappe is seeking exclusive rights to his signature celebration and last name.

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Superstar hopes iconic celebration will be protected as intellectual propertyHas already protected two phrasesExpected to move to Real Madrid this summerWHAT HAPPENED?

The PSG winger is seeking intellectual property rights for his iconic arms-folded celebration, as well as his last name, according to . If he is awarded those privileges, any products or brands looking to use his name or celebration will need to pay Mbappe – or be granted permission by the player himself.

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Mbappe's celebration originally came from his younger brother, Ethan, he revealed in his autobiography: "He scored a goal and celebrated by crossing his arms. Five minutes later, he stopped and said, 'Kylian, you could do that in a match.' So, I did it."

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Mbappe isn't the first footballer to seek intellectual property rights. Vinicius Jr has three different registrations for protection in the EU. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have also trademarked their names and celebrations.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

The winger is set to join Madrid next summer, and has reportedly agreed on a massive contract to seal his move to the Spanish capital. Until then, he will continue to appear for the Parisians, who take on Rennes in Ligue 1 play on Sunday.

A round-up of Syed Mushtaq Ali matches played on April 1, 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-2014North ZoneGautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag struck forties and guided Delhi’s successful chase for a six-wicket win over Himachal Pradesh.Gambhir and Sehwag shared an opening stand of 82 in little more than 11 overs. Sehwag was the first to be dismissed for a 32-ball 42 which included five fours and a six. Gambhir was out two overs later for 41 off 40 balls with six fours. Delhi lost Mithun Manhas and Unmukt Chand in the next over but Rajat Bhatia and Milind Kumar ensured Himachal would have no more successes, reaching the target in the 19th over.Earlier, Paras Dogra helped Himachal overcome a shaky start to post a competitive 134 for 6. Himachal were 10 for 2 in the second over, before Dogra strung partnerships with Prashant Chopra (24), Nikhil Gangta (29) and Rishi Dhawan (27) to rescue the side. Dogra was unbeaten on 40 off 41 balls with one four and a six.In Chandigarh, fast bowler Shadab Nazar’s 4 for 13 set up Services’ comfortable, seven-wicket win over Jammu & Kashmir.J&K had a reasonable start to the innings after opting to bat, but they struggled to keep the score moving after Adil Reshi was dismissed by Nazar. Arshad Kawaja’s dismissal in the sixth over sparked a period where J&K slid from 26 for 1 to 59 for 8 in 10 overs. Samiullah Beigh’s 23-ball 24, which had just one boundary shot, and a useful 16 from No. 10 Vijay Dogra helped J&K to 91 before they were dismissed in the 19th over.In spite of the loss of their openers Nakul Verma and Yashpal Singh within three overs, Services reached the target in the 17th over, guided by Rajat Paliwal’s unbeaten 29 off 27 balls.Three-wicket hauls by Harshal Patel and Jayant Yadav triggered a batting collapse that handed Haryana a 32-run victory over Punjab in Mohali. Chasing 137, Punjab were struggling at 49 for 5 and there was no resistance from the lower order as they ended on 104 for 9. Patel, the right-arm seamer, took 3 for 35 while Yadav, the offspinner, took 3 for 10 from four overs. For Haryana, the captain Rahul Dewan top scored with 38 before he was stumped off Harbhajan Singh. There were no major contributions from the middle or lower order as Harbhajan and legspinner Himanshu Chawla shared five wickets between them. Chawla finished with 3 for 23.East ZoneAn unbeaten 53 from Laxmi Shukla and five wickets shared between offspinners Aamir Gani and Saurasish Lahiri helped Bengal beat Assam by 44 runs at Eden Gardens.Laxmi Shukla’s 53 off 42 balls provided impetus to Bengal’s innings and his fifth-wicket partnership of 38 with Arnab Nandi came off just 15 balls. Most of those runs came from Nandi who hit 28 off nine balls with five fours and a six.In reply, Assam’s batsmen, save for Dheeraj Jadhav, struggled against Bengal’s bowlers, specially the off-spin duo of Gani, who was making his T20 debut, and Lahiri, who ran through the side’s batting line-up. Jadhav scored 38 off 30 and Sibsankar Roy and J Syed Mohammad contributed a few runs lower down the order but Assam were too far behind to pose a threat to Bengal. Gani, who also represented India U-19 at the World Cup in February, finished with 3 for 18 in his debut T20 game.Odisha won their opening game against Tripura by six wickets in Kolkata.Chasing 117, Odisha secured the win in 19 overs, losing four wickets in an otherwise easy chase that was set up by opener Paresh Patel’s 37-ball 43. Earlier, Tripura struggled to post a challenging total after being put in to bat and were dismissed for 116. Manisankar Murasingh was the top-scorer with a 31-ball 38 but no other batsman managed a score of more than 20 as the team lurched from one wicket to another. Jayanta Behera took 3 for 22 in four overs while Basant Mohanty took 2 for 17.Central ZoneKuldeep Yadav’s left-arm chinaman had an emphatic impact in his first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match as he picked up 3-15 to usher Uttar Pradesh to a five-wicket victory. Rajasthan had progressed to a decent start but from 74 for 2 they crumbled to 115 all out and posed little challenge with the ball thereafter.Rajasthan’s No.4 Puneet Yadav with 33 off 34 balls was the top-scorer, but since him none of the batsmen could reach double figures. Kuldeep’s strike of Rajesh Bishnoi in the 12th over kick-started the slide and Rajasthan barely held on till the 20th over as he claimed two additional wickets in the death. Piyush Chawla, the UP captain, contributed two wickets and a run-out while seamer Amit Mishra had dented the top order with two wickets of his ownA double-strike left Rajasthan at 12 for 2, but Eklavya Dwivedi stood firm with 45 off 39 and was in the middle when the winning runs were struck.The Saxena brothers ripped through the Railways batting, picking up six wickets between them, to send them crashing to 86 all out and take Madhya Pradesh to victory by seven wickets and with more than eight overs to spare.Jalaj, the offspinner, was the wrecker-in-chief with 4 for 12. A horrid start had enhanced his threat with two of Railways’ top-three being dismissed by the seventh ball of the match. A brief 38-run stand for the third wicket between Amit Paunikar and captain Mahesh Rawat sought stabilise the innings, but Saxena broke the middle-order and Jatin cleaned up the tail in the 19th over.A similarly poor start – Anureet Singh struck twice in four overs – would not prove too difficult to overcome as Harmeet Singh and Udit Birla guided the side from 24 for 3 to a straightforward victory.South ZoneA century from DB Ravi Teja laid the platform for Hyderabad to beat Kerala by 34 runs in Visakhapatnam. Sent in to bat, Hyderabad made a solid start before losing their captain Akshath Reddy in the sixth over. Ravi Teja and Hanuma Vihari took over after that, putting on 126 in 76 balls, before Vihari was run out three short of a half-century. Vihari had struck two fours and two sixes in his 36-ball innings. Ravi Teja went on to finish on an unbeaten 101 off 68 balls, with 11 fours and a six, as Hyderabad posted a daunting 179 for 2 in their 20 overs.Kerala were on course till they lost their first wicket at 56 in the eighth over. After that, the Hyderabad spinners struck regular blows, as the batsmen failed to convert starts. Opener KJ Rakesh top-scored with 48, but no one else crossed 24, as Kerala ended their innings on 145 for 9. Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha took three wickets, while legspinner Akash Bhandari, offspinner Amol Shinde and seamer Ashish Reddy took two apiece.An opening stand of 87 between Manish Pandey and KL Rahul was the bedrock of Karnataka’s seven-wicket win over Andhra in Vizianagaram. The target of 132 was achieved in 18.1 overs as Manish Pandey top scored with 60 while Rahul made 34. Rahul’s knock came off 34 balls before he was bowled by B Sudhakar who took 2 for 19. Pandey’s came off 51 balls before he was bowled by AG Praveen. Their knocks overshadowed Ricky Bhui’s unbeaten 53. Bhui came in with the score at 30 for 2 and added 47 for the fourth wicket with GK Chiranjeevi. Bhui’s knock came off 34 balls with four fours and three sixes. Abrar Kazi, the left-arm spinner, took 2 for 25.An unbeaten 89 by Sagun Kamat helped Goa ease to a seven-wicket win over Tamil Nadu in Visakhapatnam. Kamat and Swapnil Asnodkar took the game away from Tamil Nadu with an opening stand of 112, and that allowed Goa to overhaul the target of 149 easily. Kamat smashed seven sixes and five fours in his 61-ball knock. Asnodkar made 41 off 27 balls before he was dismissed by B Aparajith. Kamat ensured he stayed till the end to achieve the target with more than two overs to spare. After Tamil Nadu opted to bat, they lost M Vijay and Aparajith in quick succession. Dinesh Karthik and B Indrajith hit a couple of 30s to lift the innings with a stand of 47. Late hitting by M Shahrukh Khan took the score close to 150 but it wasn’t enough. Harshad Gadekar, the right-arm seamer, was the most effective for Goa with 2 for 17.

Toby Rolland-Jones 12 for 105 send Middlesex top of the Championship with an innings victory over Northamptonshire. This was their first win away from Lord’s and they were without Steven Finn too

Jon Culley at Northampton21-May-2014
ScorecardToby Roland-Jones bounced back to form with a career-best 12 for 105•Getty ImagesMiddlesex are playing down the likelihood that they will be able to sustain a title challenge over a full season but for the moment they are in front, with a lead of 19 points over Yorkshire, having won four matches out of six. All the other Division One teams have played a match fewer but it is a decent advantage.What’s more they have won away from Lord’s for the first time, which may be significant, and without Steven Finn, whose 29 wickets have been a large part of their early season success. Here they were driven to a thumping victory by the outstanding performance of his career from Toby Roland-Jones, a seam bowler who could not get in the side when the fixture programme began last month.Thanks largely to his six wickets, Northamptonshire succumbed by 2.30pm, having been four down overnight. There was a show of resistance from Ben Duckett, the 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman (although not Northants’ regular keeper), who made a career-best 56, in conjunction with Ian Butler, the New Zealand allrounder, who preserved his wicket for almost two hours, facing 119 balls for his 14 runs – a commendable effort from a player whose more customary approach would have taken him to a century in that sort of time. But once they were parted the end came swiftly.Without much at all in the way of warning, Roland-Jones took a career-best 6 for 55 in Northamptonshire’s first innings and bettered it again with 6 for 50 in their second. His match figures of 12 for 105 are new territory for him as well. And there was that 60 off 30 balls with the bat, another career-best. For him it was quite an occasion.Chris Rogers, the Middlesex captain, sung his praises, but as ever in the context of an honest appraisal. “We know what Toby is capable of,” he said. “He’s probably gone missing a bit for a little while and he will admit that. But when he is at his best he is an exceptional bowler and this was as well as I have seen him bowl since a couple of years ago at Worcester, when he took ten wickets in the game and was outstanding.”He is still in the developmental stage and still has ups and downs but if he can put in performances like that, who knows?”It is all about rhythm for bowlers. He was getting it in the right place and looked like taking a wicket every ball and not many bowlers can say they could do that on a wicket like the one we have had here.”On day one when it was really flat he took responsibility and between him and Ravi Patel they made it happen. We did not have Finny to bowl this game but it was a great performance from that attack. To take 20 wickets on that surface was not easy.”Rogers was frank enough, too, to ask the questions that others might about Middlesex’s claim to be title contenders.”It is hard to tell where we stand, really,” he said. “We are going to come up against teams stronger on paper than Northants and we have not played great cricket consistently. Tests will be coming thick and fast – we have Sussex in the next game and they have turned us over already this season. We will have a bit more of an idea after that one.”From their overnight 88 for 4, Northamptonshire lost three more wickets in the first half-hour. Tim Murtagh took a wicket with his first ball when he came on for Joe Denly at the Lynn Wilson Centre end, dismissing Rob Newton caught behind, then Roland-Jones increased his tally to 10 in the match when Andrew Hall drove loosely and edged to the wicketkeeper and David Murphy lost his off stump to one that may have nipped back a touch.Middlesex broke the Duckett-Butler alliance when the latter edged a good delivery from Roland-Jones to John Simpson behind the wicket, ending a stand of 62 that spanned 38 overs. Butler, who took 112 balls to get into double figures, contributed 14.Nine balls later, Duckett gave Roland-Jones his 12th wicket in the match when he was out hooking for the second time, after which Azharullah was run out by Dawid Malan’s throw from fine leg.It completed a fourth defeat in five for Northamptonshire, three of them by an innings. At least they began the defence of their Twenty20 crown with a win over a strong Yorkshire side. They need to breed some confidence in the short form and transfer it to their four-day game; but it needs to happen quite soon.