Celtic have enjoyed an impressive week in the transfer market as they have been able to add three new players to the squad ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership opener next month.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

Hyeok-kyu Kwon, Hyun-jun Yang, and Maik Nawrocki have all joined the club over the last five days, which means that Brendan Rodgers has five fresh additions to work with so far.

Australia international Marco Tilio and Norwegian maestro Odin Thiago Holm had already been snapped up by the Glasgow giants earlier this summer to bolster the Northern Irish tactician's options in midfield.

That does not appear to be the end of the club's business before September's deadline, though, as the ex-Liverpool boss is eyeing a new player between the sticks.

It was recently reported that the Hoops remain interested in a deal to sign Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, who is also being pursued by Fenerbahce.

The Turkish giants had agreed a €9m (£7.7m) deal for the experienced shot-stopper earlier this month but they are yet to get the move over the line, which has seemingly opened up the door for the Scottish side.

How good is Dominik Livakovic?

During the 2022/23 campaign, the 28-year-old titan proved his quality with a string of outstanding performances for club and country.

His arrival at Parkhead would allow Rodgers to brutally ditch one of his current first-team goalkeepers – Scott Bain – as he already has three options at his disposal in Joe Hart, Benjamin Siegrist, and the 31-year-old Scot.

Livakovic averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 across 35 HNL matches for Dinamo last term. He saved 74% of the attempts on his goal and did not make a single error leading to a shot or goal for the opposition in the Croatian top-flight.

The £7.7m-rated ace also showcased his quality on the biggest stage at the World Cup last year, which led to his manager Zlatko Dalic hailing him as "fantastic".

Croatia made it to the semi-finals of the tournament and the 6 foot 2 colossus played a significant role in their progress with an average Sofascore rating of 7.33 across seven appearances, which included three saves in two penalty shootouts against Japan and Brazil.

Meanwhile, current first-choice Joe Hart averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.77 across 37 Premiership matches and Bain, who could be ejected from the squad as a result of Livakovic's possible arrival, recorded a score of 6.1 for his display against Hibernian in May.

The £7.6k-per-week dud made one mistake that directly led to a goal for the opposition and conceded four goals from five shots on target, as the Hoops lost 4-2.

His contract at Parkhead is due to expire next summer and Celtic could attempt to part ways with him now, whether that is by mutual consent or by finding a club to take him off their hands, if they are able to get another goalkeeper in to take over from Hart.

Livakovic's impressive displays for Dinamo and Croatia suggest that the quality is there for him to come in and be Rodgers' new no.1 option, which would leave the former England international as the number two, and Bain could be the fourth choice in that position.

There does not seem to be much sense in keeping four first-team goalkeepers on the books when you consider that Hart played 37 of the 38 league games last season, and that is why Rodgers must brutally ditch the Scottish liability with the signing of Livakovic.

Gabriel Agbonlahor was disappointed in Andre Onana's reaction to Harry Maguire in Manchester United's pre-season defeat to Borussia Dortmund.

The new signing was furious with the former captain for his defending on a Dortmund attack which ultimately missed.

What was the incident between Andre Onana and Harry Maguire?

The incident occurred in the 47th minute of the game, with Dortmund's first real attack of the second half.

Maguire sloppily gave the ball away halfway into United's half and Dortmund countered, with new signing Onana forced into a save, before the follow-up attempt was smashed into the side netting by young Karim Adeyemi.

Following the miss, the Cameroon international leapt up and sprinted toward the England international, shouting at the defender presumably about staying switched on and not making mistakes like that.

The goalkeeper was asked about the incident in a post-match interview, he stated:

"I try to talk to them a lot because I know he's a good player, he is one of the captains of the team. That’s big, and he is good with the ball, so I would demand [from] him a lot and he’s a good, great guy. For me, it's a great honor to play with these defenders. With Martinez, Harry [Maguire]. They are important players for the club. I'm very happy to be part of this team and to play with them."

Speaking on talkSPORT, former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor revealed he was disappointed in the £120k-per-week Onana for the way he reacted to the incident, as well as suggesting that Maguire is an easy target at the moment, and that the shot-stopper wouldn't run after Lisandro Martinez:

"First of all, Harry Maguire didn't do anything wrong, he played the ball to a midfielder and the midfielder gave it away and I feel like he's an easy target. I don't like that from Onana, I feel he wouldn't do that to Martinez, are you running after Rashford like that? I don't think you are.

"Maguire's an easy target so I think I'd look at that. I'd understand it if it was a big mistake, and it's cost a goal, or it was Harry Maguire's fault, fair enough. But, I want to see that energy for every player."

What is next for Harry Maguire at Manchester United?

The England international's future at the Red Devils is up in the air.

The defender was recently stripped of the Manchester United captaincy by manager Erik ten Hag, with the defender taking to Twitter to say:

"Whilst I’m personally extremely disappointed, I will continue to give my all every time I wear the shirt." Portuguese star Bruno Fernandes replaced the English international as captain.

The defender is also reportedly up for sale by the Red Devils, with Ten Hag hoping that the sale of his former captain could help increase his budget and fund future incomings.

Conference League winners West Ham United are the club who have shown the most interest in signing the defender, with manager David Moyes eying up a double United swoop for the defender as well as teammate Scott McTominay.

The Manchester club have reportedly put an asking price of £50m on the defender, which is expected to drive away a number of potential suitors, whilst West Ham submitted their opening offer of £20m, which was rejected by the Red Devils.

It is also unknown whether Maguire is interested in a move to the Hammers, with the report stating that the England international intends to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford ahead of Euro 2024.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in LaLiga machine Guido Rodriguez, as Julen Lopetegui desperately seeks reinforcements this summer.

The Spaniard has admitted that he is “worried” going into the new season with his current squad, as the Old Gold continue their financial battle despite making numerous sales.

Despite money being inaccessible of late, the Midlands club could still make moves this window.

What’s the latest on Guido Rodriguez to Wolves?

As reported by journalist Rudy Galetti via GIVEMESPORT, Wolves have made contact over the availability of Real Betis midfielder Rodriguez.

Following the first report of interest last week via journalist Cesar Luis Merlo, Galetti said that there have been “some contacts” over the 29-year-old, adding that there is “nothing concrete” to report at this stage.

The Betis star has one year remaining on his current contract at the club and is valued by FootballTransfers around the €20m (£17m) mark.

How good is Guido Rodriguez?

Once lauded as being “brutal defensively” by analyst Marcus Bring, the World Cup winner has been one of Betis’ most important players in the Spaish top-flight.

Last season, the midfielder ranked in the top three of the club’s best-performing players via Sofascore, averaging a match rating of 7.07 in the league.

Deployed in deep midfield, the 29-year-old has a keen eye for fulfilling the defensive duties in the engine room, as highlighted by him winning a monstrous 60% of his total duels in LaLiga, averaging 7.2 per game, via Sofascore.

For Wolves, the contract scenario regarding the Argentine could play into Lopetegui’s favour, as Betis face the decision of whether to extend his contract or cash in this summer to avoid a free transfer next year.

The Spaniard is at a point of desperation to install upgrades at Molineux this window, with the squad not meeting the standards to compete in the Premier League to his beliefs, as per his words during Wolves’ pre-season festivities.

Following the colossal £47m sale of captain Ruben Neves to Al-Hilal earlier this summer, the Old Gold are yet to replace the talent of the Portuguese gem, which is where Loptetegui could seek treasure in Rodriguez.

As two deep-lying midfielders, the duo share similar qualities to their playing style, as highlighted by their numbers accumulated in their respective 2022/23 campaigns via FBref comparisons.

Described as a “monster” by Bring, the Argentine excelled defensively in similar ways to Neves, making 3.60 tackles and 1.32 interceptions per 90 to the former Wolves skippers’ 2.36 tackles and 1.49 interceptions per 90 in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old’s most prominent attribute at Molineux was his assured passing ability in the middle of the park, in which he maintained an average completion rate of 82.1% per 90, succeeded by Rodriguez in LaLiga with 86.7% per 90.

While the Portuguese star came out on top in terms of his progressive play with 6.50 progressive passes per 90 to the Betis sensation's 3.85 per 90, the evidence is there to portray that the 29-year-old could follow such paths as a dominating presence in midfield.

If the finances can locate a path to increase the possibility of reaching common ground with Betis to sanction a move for Rodriguez, Lopetegui could finally locate his heir to Neves and a player that could significantly strengthen the squad’s spine.

In an unprecedented move by a Bangladesh cricketer, the allrounder has requested time off apparently to prolong his international career

Mohammad Isam10-Sep-2017Shakib Al Hasan has submitted a letter to the BCB requesting a break from Test cricket for six months. The board will discuss the matter on Monday afternoon, hours before it is scheduled to announce the South Africa-bound Test squad.ESPNcricinfo has learned the BCB has taken the matter seriously and is considering giving Shakib a shortened break, and is likely to ask him to be available for the Sri Lanka Tests at home in late December. Shakib apparently wants the break to prolong his international career.”Shakib has submitted a letter to the BCB asking for a six-month break from Test cricket,” Jalal Yunus, BCB’s media committee chairman, confirmed.Over the next six months, Bangladesh have four Tests scheduled, two each against South Africa and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh play three ODIs and two T20s during the South Africa tour while there are ODIs and T20s also scheduled against Sri Lanka. Shakib will be available for the limited-overs series.The letter is an unprecedented move by a Bangladesh cricketer. Shakib has been Bangladesh’s most consistent performer in the team in the last 10 years, and, since 2011, he has also become a regular in the franchise-based T20 leagues. He is currently the No. 1 ranked allrounder in cricket across the three formats.

تقام اليوم الجمعة 3 مايو، المباراة النهائية لبطولة كأس آسيا تحت 23 عاماً، بين منتخبي اليابان وأوزبكستان، في البطولة المقامة على الأراضي القطرية والمؤهلة إلى دورة الألعاب الأولمبية في باريس 2024.

وتلعب بطولة كأس آسيا تحت 23 عاما في قطر، حيث انطلقت 15 أبريل الماضي وتنتهي اليوم الجمعة 3 مايو 2024 بمشاركة 16 منتخبا.

وتعد مباراة اليابان وأوزبكستان مهمة للجماهير المصرية، في تحديد منافس منتخب مصر الأولمبي في بطولة أولمبياد باريس 2024 القادمة.

وكانت قرعة بطولة دورة الألعاب الأولمبية لمنافسات كرة القدم، أوقعت منتخب مصر الأولمبي في المجموعة الثالثة مع وصيف كأس آسيا، إسبانيا والدومينيكان.

طالع | نتائج قرعة أولمبياد باريس 2024 كرة القدم رجال.. مجموعة صعبة لـ مصر وصدام مغربي أرجنتيني

وتلعب منافسات أولمبياد باريس 2024 في الفترة ما بين 24 يوليو حتى 9 أغسطس من العام الحالي.

منتخب مصر الأولمبي كان قد تأهل إلى أولمبياد باريس بعدما احتل المركز الثاني في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 23 عاماً خلف منتخب المغرب الذي توج بالبطولة. موعد مباراة اليابان وأوزبكستان اليوم في نهائي كأس آسيا تحت 23 عاماً

تقام مباراة اليابان وأوزبكستان في تمام الساعة 6:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة اليابان وأوزبكستان اليوم في نهائي كأس آسيا تحت 23 عاماً

تنقل المباراة عبر قنوات “beIN Sports AFC ” وSSC Extra 2 والكأس 9 HD وأبو ظبي آسيا.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Leeds United could be set to continue their summer of spending, adding to the acquisition of Ethan Ampadu by signing a tireless midfielder to protect him.

Is Glen Kamara leaving Rangers?

With rumours having persisted throughout the window touting Glen Kamara with an Elland Road switch, it truly does seem like there is some credence to these reports.

Especially given the availability and affordability of the Rangers midfield general, who is noted to have just a £5m release clause which could pique the interest of Daniel Farke.

After all, it seems like he is finally gaining some stability within his squad, having ushered out most of those unwilling to partake in their Championship crusade.

With experience battling in Scotland, whilst also honing his technical assets, the 27-year-old ace could provide a calming presence in the engine room for the German manager, who will seek to ensure that the rest of his side subscribe to his all-action high-pressing philosophy, hell-bent on securing an instant promotion.

How good is Glen Kamara?

As a solid stalwart at the base of midfield, willing to sit and dictate play whilst sticking a foot in when needed, it is hard not to draw comparisons with Manchester City's revolutionary stopper Rodri.

The Spaniard moved to England amid Fernandinho's Etihad exit, with many worrying how Pep Guardiola would replace such a legendary figure within the side.

However, it took no time at all for the young Atletico Madrid ace to emerge as an ample successor, having since gone on to play 207 times for the Citizens, seldom overlooked by his Spanish boss despite his tendency to rotate often.

This culminated in last season's treble success, of which the 27-year-old even fired home the winner to claim the club's first-ever Champions League title.

Meanwhile, in the Premier League he would maintain a 7.32 average rating, buoyed by his 91% pass accuracy, 1.9 tackles and 0.9 key passes per game, via Sofascore.

Without his metronomic style in the midfield, the rest of Guardiola's revolutionary system could not function.

Whilst on a far smaller scale, Kamara could act as that same calm dictator in Leeds' midfield, able to retain possession amidst all the chaos. When viewing his 2021/22 campaign, he clearly has the skill set to do so.

As he would record a 7.01 average rating in the Scottish Premiership, his 91% pass accuracy outlines a similar penchant for ball retention. He would add one tackle and 1.3 key passes per game too, with six goal contributions showcasing his ability to also offer an offensive threat, via Sofascore.

Steven Gerrard, during his time in charge at Ibrox, sought to outline the former Dundee United star for praise, promising a great future should he apply himself: "He’s a terrific footballer in possession, always playing with his head up and looking to connect defence and attack.

“But what pleased me most is what I spoke about when we signed him in terms of how he’ll be out of possession. Will he hunt the ball back, be aggressive, work hard for the team and be a monster in the middle of the park?"

It seems he has finally realised that potential, with a move to England sure to test these talents he has honed. When placing his aforementioned figures beside that of Rodri's, it is clear that he at least has the mindset to emulate such a revered figure.

Everton are interested in raiding Southampton for winger Kamaldeen Sulemana following the south coast club's relegation from the Premier League.

What transfers have Everton made?

Sean Dyche has admitted that his side have missed out on several key targets this summer but has completed the signing of Ashley Young on a free transfer and the loan capture of Arnaut Danjuma.

With talented teenage striker Youssef Chermiti also nearing a transfer to Goodison Park for around £13m, the summer reassemble is taking shape.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

And now, according to the Daily Mail, the Toffees are poised to shift their attention to Sulemana after Leeds United rejected a £15m offer for Wilfried Gnonto.

Sulemana signed for Saints for £22m in January but now could look for a swift departure after the side's relegation, and the Merseyside outfit could now offer a lifeline.

How good is Kamaldeen Sulemana?

There would perhaps be some doubts over forging ahead with a move to sign Sulemana for Everton, with the Ghanaian gem only scoring twice – both on the final day of the season against Liverpool – and assisting once from 18 appearances.

Despite this, Sulemana is a high-speed vehicle and would undoubtedly improve the Toffees' ability to drive into dangerous areas and pump life and energy into the system, having ranked among the top 20% of attacking midfielders and wingers for total shots and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90 over the last year, as per FBref.

The £10k-per-week dynamo was once praised for bringing "power and depth" and for his "incredible speed" by Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag – then in charge of Ajax – and given this, partnered with his illustrated skill in carrying the ball up the pitch, he could serve as Dyche's very own version of Wilfried Zaha.

Zaha is listed as the 21-year-old's most comparable player on FBref, and would by no means be a poor choice to emulate, given his dazzling exploits with Crystal Palace over the past decade, scoring 90 goals and supplying 76 assists from 458 appearances for the Eagles.

Having joined Turkish giants Galatasaray this summer upon the expiry of his contract at Selhurst Park, Zaha leaves having been praised as "unstoppable" by Clinton Morrison and "unplayable" by talkSPORT's Tony Cascarino.

Himself ranking among the top 24% of positional peers for total shots, the top 20% for successful take-ons and the top 13% for touches in the attacking box per 90, Sulemana has already found the blueprint, now is time for the application.

Everton, for their part, will be hoping that a prospective move for Sulemana would open up a myriad of attacking avenues this season after only just surviving the drop on the final game of the campaign, Abdoulaye Doucoure's second-half striker against Bournemouth on the final day enough to relegate Leicester City.

Only Wolverhampton Wanderers scored fewer strikes than the Blues' 34, and it is imperative that the summer strategy is on the money if a third successive campaign at the pit of the Premier League table is to be avoided.

Sulemana could be the precocious, dynamite prospect to have the desired effect and unlock the potential of this Everton side, perhaps adopting a talismanic mantle in the future, just like Zaha at Crystal Palace.

Leeds United could be set to continue their summer of spending, adding to the acquisition of Ethan Ampadu by signing a tireless midfielder to protect him.

Is Glen Kamara leaving Rangers?

With rumours having persisted throughout the window touting Glen Kamara with an Elland Road switch, it truly does seem like there is some credence to these reports.

Especially given the availability and affordability of the Rangers midfield general, who is noted to have just a £5m release clause which could pique the interest of Daniel Farke.

After all, it seems like he is finally gaining some stability within his squad, having ushered out most of those unwilling to partake in their Championship crusade.

With experience battling in Scotland, whilst also honing his technical assets, the 27-year-old ace could provide a calming presence in the engine room for the German manager, who will seek to ensure that the rest of his side subscribe to his all-action high-pressing philosophy, hell-bent on securing an instant promotion.

How good is Glen Kamara?

As a solid stalwart at the base of midfield, willing to sit and dictate play whilst sticking a foot in when needed, it is hard not to draw comparisons with Manchester City's revolutionary stopper Rodri.

The Spaniard moved to England amid Fernandinho's Etihad exit, with many worrying how Pep Guardiola would replace such a legendary figure within the side.

However, it took no time at all for the young Atletico Madrid ace to emerge as an ample successor, having since gone on to play 207 times for the Citizens, seldom overlooked by his Spanish boss despite his tendency to rotate often.

This culminated in last season's treble success, of which the 27-year-old even fired home the winner to claim the club's first-ever Champions League title.

Meanwhile, in the Premier League he would maintain a 7.32 average rating, buoyed by his 91% pass accuracy, 1.9 tackles and 0.9 key passes per game, via Sofascore.

Without his metronomic style in the midfield, the rest of Guardiola's revolutionary system could not function.

Whilst on a far smaller scale, Kamara could act as that same calm dictator in Leeds' midfield, able to retain possession amidst all the chaos. When viewing his 2021/22 campaign, he clearly has the skill set to do so.

As he would record a 7.01 average rating in the Scottish Premiership, his 91% pass accuracy outlines a similar penchant for ball retention. He would add one tackle and 1.3 key passes per game too, with six goal contributions showcasing his ability to also offer an offensive threat, via Sofascore.

Steven Gerrard, during his time in charge at Ibrox, sought to outline the former Dundee United star for praise, promising a great future should he apply himself: "He’s a terrific footballer in possession, always playing with his head up and looking to connect defence and attack.

“But what pleased me most is what I spoke about when we signed him in terms of how he’ll be out of possession. Will he hunt the ball back, be aggressive, work hard for the team and be a monster in the middle of the park?"

It seems he has finally realised that potential, with a move to England sure to test these talents he has honed. When placing his aforementioned figures beside that of Rodri's, it is clear that he at least has the mindset to emulate such a revered figure.

Celtic midfielder Ismaila Soro could reportedly leave Parkhead for free, but there is interest from Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Be'er Sheva.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops have been busy so far this summer, with Brendan Rodgers returning as manager after Ange Postecoglou left for Tottenham.

Since then, a number of new players have arrived ahead of the 2023/24 season, the first of which was midfielder Odin Thiago Holm from Valerenga. Winger Marco Tilio then signed from Melbourne City, and he was followed by Polish defender Maik Nawrocki from Legia Warszawa.

Tomoki Iwata’s loan move has become permanent in Glasgow, and the club have also managed to sign winger Hyun-jun Yang from Gangwon FC and defensive midfielder Hyeok-kyu Kwon from Busan IPark.

In total, Celtic have spent just under €15m, but they have brought in around double after star winger Jota completed a big-money move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Itiihad. Goalkeeper Conor Hazard has also left on a permanent basis for Championship side Plymouth Argyle, and by the looks of things, Soro could also be on the way out over the coming days.

According to The Scottish Sun, Soro looks set to return to Israeli football this week after Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Be'er Sheva both made approaches to sign the player.

The report even claims that ‘Celtic are weighing up whether to rip up his contract and allow him to leave for nothing’, as he has no future in Scotland under Rodgers. The Hoops could still look to recoup a modest fee, but with around 43 weeks remaining on his £8,100-a-week contract, Celtic could seemingly rip up his remaining £350,000 deal.

Ismaila Soro’s Celtic career…

Soro made the move to Celtic Park from Israeli side Bnei Yehuda back in 2020 in a deal worth €2.3m. Neil Lennon, manager at the time, said that Soro "stood out" in the Israeli top flight, however, things haven’t gone to plan for the player in Glasgow.

After joining, Soro did feature heavily in the remainder of the 2020/21 season, turning out on 23 occasions in all competitions. Since then, though, he has only managed a further 20 appearances, taking his overall tally to 43.

Lennon’s departure and Postecoglou’s arrival saw him fall out of favour, and he spent last season on loan with Portuguese side FC Arouca. Soro got plenty of game time in the Portuguese top flight, turning out on 30 occasions in total, but it does look as if a permanent transfer away would be best for all involved.

Celtic have eight alternative central midfield options to choose from without Soro, including new signings Kwon and Holm, whereas Iwata’s loan spell has become a permanent deal. Regulars Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley and captain Callum McGregor are also expected to feature heavily under Rodgers, so there doesn’t appear to be room for Soro.

It will be interesting to see if Celtic let him go for free or look to bring in a low transfer fee, but by the looks of things, Soro’s days at Parkhead appear to be numbered.

Underfunded, underrated but rarely underfed, Northamptonshire’s cricketers love to thumb their noses at the power-houses of English cricket. Overlooked, overshadowed but seldom overpaid, they delight in making the established hierarchy look dull and daft. Welcome to Wantageworld.Rarely have these insubordinate traits been more obvious than on an astonishing second day of this game when Rory Kleinveldt’s career-best 9 for 65 and a mighty century by Richard Levi gave their side a good chance of victory in a game which may yet decide which counties are promoted to the First Division. Northamptonshire, of course, hope the match will do no such thing. Alex Wakely and his players need to win this game to ensure they are still in the hunt at Grace Road next week.They prosecuted their cause in the most gloriously uninhibited fashion on a day when 374 runs were scored, 16 wickets fell and the cricket became progressively more deranged. For in Wantageworld problems provoke attack and dismissals only engender further aggression from batsmen like Levi, Mjolnir in his hand. Having obtained a first-innings lead of 43 on a wicket where batting had looked difficult, Northants smacked 270 in 52.2 overs on one of the season’s most entertaining days. And all this was achieved without any material help from either Alex Wakely or Ben Duckett, both of whom were injured when fielding in the morning session.Duckett’s broken finger prevented him batting at all while Wakely, who had taken a blow to the face, came in at No8, just in time to see his side lose their last four wickets for ten runs. Three of those wickets were taken by Wood who has taken eight wickets in the match and done the nightwatchman duties twice in 24 hours. That of Kleinveldt was claimed by perhaps the first relay catch in first-class cricket, a diving Hutton lobbing the ball back to the substitute fielder, Matt Milnes.Before that collapse – “this is so Northants” said a spectator – Levi had played one of the finest attacking innings of summer, reaching his century in 92 balls and adding four huge sixes to 14 fours. There was no slogging; this was hitting at its finest. As soon as the ball was pitched up, Levi trusted his eye and it did not betray him. He added 147 for the second wicket with Rob Newton, who had passed fifty 11 times this season but made only one century. Steven Mullaney was hit for four successive boundaries to different corners of the ground; Samit Patel was hoisted for two sixes, the second of them bringing up Levi’s half-century in 40 balls.The full madness of Levi’s 104-ball 115 and the subsequent assault on Chris Read’s dazed bowlers by Kleinveldt, who added a mere 48 off 41 balls, can only be fully appreciated when one realises that 20 wickets had fallen for 345 runs in the first two innings of the game. Levi’s success was to attack the bowlers’ presumptions of dominance and to shred them, something he did with marvellous violence until losing his off stump to Brett Hutton. Before long, though, Northants’ lead was over 300 and the whole architecture of the game had changed. Chris Read’s batsmen may still secure the win they require but they face a far tougher task than they envisaged and it will be a win worthy of champions if they manage it.Some suggestion as to how difficult tomorrow’s cricket may be for Nottinghamshire was offered in the final hour of the day when Mullaney lost his off stump when well beaten off the seam by Kleinveldt and the same bowler had Billy Root caught by Rob Keogh at second slip, apparently off the glove, when attempting a pull.The loss of those wickets gave Kleinveldt a career-best 11-wicket return in the match and he has considerable power to add. They also took one back to the distant morning session when Root, had been caught at slip by Duckett off the second ball of the day and Tom Moores leg before when playing vapidly across the line of a straight one in the third over. Both those wickets were taken by Kleinveldt, who, so the Nottinghamshire players later attested, “had the ball on a string”.That quality was made even more evident in the second hour of the morning’s play when Kleinveldt added the wickets of Read, Hutton and Wood to his bag and finished with a career-best 9 for 65, beating the 8 for 47 he took for Cape Cobras against Warriors at Stellenbosch 11 years ago. Well as he bowled, one would not be astonished to hear that Chris Read did not join in the applause which greeted the South African from all sides of Wantage Road on his return to the pavilion. As so often, Read’s was the vital wicket and he was not chuffed to be given out caught at the wicket by David Murphy. Indeed, he departed waving his arms and muttering darkly against the injustices of the green world he loves but will soon leave.Kleinveldt became the first of two Northamptonshire players to receive a standing ovation on this glorious day and his efforts probably enlivened the luncheon party gathered in the Ken Turner Stand. The women stylish and immaculate; the men blazered, scarved and Playfaired; a nine-wicket haul to speed the Beaujolais. It was a fine lunchtime for the Clarins and chinos brigade. White-spotted red handkerchiefs peeked discreetly from top pockets and the gathering boasted the shy smiles of the gently affluent.And all this took place in a place as strange as Wantageworld and on a day when Nottinghamshire supporters reflected on the signing of Paul Coughlin and wondered if the rumours about the imminent arrival of Keaton Jennings were true. It made one wonder for a gorgeous moment whether the Durham pair had ever considered joining Northamptonshire. They might not have made as much money but one suspects they would have had more fun. But how many of us are so blessed that we find the back of the wardrobe?