The England coach Trevor Bayliss has admitted England’s wicketkeeping position remains a debating point for the selectors ahead of the Test series against Pakistan.Bayliss was as impressed as anyone with Jonny Bairstow’s batting during the series against Sri Lanka – “nobody is hitting the ball better than Jonny,” he said – but confirmed that Jos Buttler would keep wicket for the limited-overs games and revealed that other names were being considered for the Test team.Bairstow claimed 19 dismissals against Sri Lanka – a record for an England keeper in a three-match series – but also missed four chances, including a straightforward effort off Chris Woakes at Lord’s. He also missed, by conservative judgements, six chances in the four-match series against South Africa. While his position in the team as a batsman is beyond question after he contributed two centuries and was named Man of the Series, his future as keeper is less clear.CricViz, the analytics company, gave Bairstow’s keeping a rating of -111 for the Sri Lanka series. For comparison, they rated Dinesh Chandimal -22 for the same games, gave Sarfraz Ahmed a rating of +20 for the Pakistan series and AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock and Dane Vilas ratings of -62, -21 and +41 respectively for the series against England in South Africa. Bairstow finished that series with a -28 rating.

Bayliss on…

Tymal Mills
“I’ve only seen him at one practice in South Africa and the reaction of our batters at the time said enough: there was plenty of them lining up in the spinners’ net to have a bat to stay away from him. It will be exciting to see what he’s got.”
Resting players
“If there was a World Cup just round the corner I’d be playing our strongest team. But it’s just a one-off match. It is a chance to give them a little bit of a break and get about 12 days off. And it’s a chance to look at a few new, younger players.”
Broad’s limited-overs future
“The limited-overs team has been picked on merit but that does not mean that it’s the end of his career. There’s bowlers in the team that still haven’t cemented their spot. He’s there or thereabouts. He’s keen to play at home in the 2019 World Cup and we are aware of that. There is no reason why he couldn’t be playing in the Champions Trophy next year.”

Describing himself as an “old school” judge who would always prefer to pick the “best wicketkeeper” rather than a batsman who can do a job with the gloves, Bayliss mentioned Ben Foakes, the young Surrey wicketkeeper, as one man under consideration.”I am a little bit old school,” Bayliss said. “I think the best wicketkeeper should be the wicketkeeper.”Our wicketkeepers – and there are three of them if you include Sam Billings – are young and inexperienced, I suppose. They are probably batters who are wicketkeepers.”I’ve said to all three of them that I believe the wicketkeeper in the team should be the best we have. Basically just to make sure they continue to work hard. Jonny, Jos and Sam certainly have stepped it up with the practice.”Personally I believe it is a wicketkeeping position. Ben Foakes is one name that has been mentioned, along with two or three others. From the selectors’ point of view, it is something we are going to have to work through and think pretty carefully about.”Foakes is only 23 and enjoying his first season as first-choice wicketkeeper at Surrey. While he developed at Essex, he was obliged to leave for more opportunity as his progress was blocked by the brilliant James Foster. But Foakes was identified as a player of great potential long ago: he was selected for the Lions side for the 2012-13 tour of Australia before he had played a List A game and has been invited to train with the full England team several times since.He is a good enough batsman to have played for much of last year as a specialist and, while Bayliss has yet to see him play, Surrey’s director of cricket, Alec Stewart, rates him as “the most talented keeper in the country” and Andy Flower has long recognised him as one for the future.Whether that future is now remains uncertain. In an ideal world, Foakes would be allowed to continue to develop in the county game before being exposed to the pressure of international cricket. But the England management are concerned about the prospect of a winter where England will play seven Tests in Asia, with the keeper expected to spend a large amount of time standing up to the stumps against the spinners.In the short term, Bayliss has reassured Buttler that he remains first-choice keeper in the limited-overs sides and suggested he could go some way to convincing the selectors to recall him to the Test team with a strong performance in the white-ball matches. Realistically, though, he will need to prove himself in the County Championship with Lancashire; he has not played a first-class game since he was dropped from the Test team in October and he is not scheduled to play one ahead of the Pakistan series.”Jos will be the wicketkeeper for the limited-overs games,” Bayliss said. “He has been in the last few white-ball series.”Runs could put him back in the frame for the Test side, but the selectors would like to see him score runs in the four-day game to show us he’s back in form. We know the devastating player he can be. It’s a bit unfortunate we don’t have any games for another couple of weeks, but he will get his opportunity I’m sure.”Bayliss also hinted that Scott Borthwick was in pole position to replace Nick Compton as England’s No. 3 against Pakistan. While he is another player Bayliss has yet to see play in the flesh, his record on Durham’s tricky surfaces is exceptional. He has passed 1,000 first-class runs in each of the most recent three seasons and also offers legspin bowling – he won a Test cap as a spinner in early 2014 – and strong fielding.”I haven’t actually seen him bat,” Bayliss said. “But the feedback I’ve got is that he is a player who is in form. He is a tough sort of a cricketer playing at Durham where sometimes the wickets have got a little bit more in them. He is very enthusiastic; a great guy to have in the team. But he’s not the only one. There’s a few others around that could get a game.”

The BCCI’s cricket advisory committee, appointed to pick the India coach, has carried out interviews with six to seven candidates on Tuesday in Kolkata

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jun-2016

The BCCI’s cricket advisory committee, appointed to pick the India coach, carried out interviews with six to seven candidates on Tuesday in Kolkata. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who is one of the three members on the committee along with Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, said that the panel was likely to pick its final choice by the end of the day and forward it to BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke by Wednesday.While Ganguly had told reporters early in the day that ten candidates were to be interviewed, he later said that the panel had met with six to seven candidates. He added that he could not divulge any other details and would want the BCCI to announce all further information.Anil Kumble and Ravi Shastri were the most high-profile candidates who made their presentations on Tuesday. While Kumble appeared in person for the interview, Shastri spoke with the panel through Skype as he was overseas.The other candidates who were interviewed were Tom Moody, Stuart Law, Lalchand Rajput, Pravin Amre and Andy Moles. Amre told ESPNcricinfo that he had laid out his vision for the Indian side and told the panel that one of his main aims as head coach would be to help the team perform well consistently overseas.”It was also a good learning experience for me as the panel wanted to know exactly how I would achieve the objective of [helping] India become the No. 1 team in all forms,” Amre said. “We went in detail on each criterion listed in the job application.”Sandeep Patil, the chairman of selectors, once again confirmed on Tuesday that he had “not been invited for an interview.”The hunt for a new coach began after Shastri’s contract as team director expired at the end of the World T20 in April. The application process started on June 1, with an advertisement on the BCCI website, and the board set a deadline of June 10. It received 57 applications, and the list of candidates was trimmed to 21 last week.Among the important qualifications listed in the advertisement included coaching experience at the international or first-class level. The BCCI had also stated that candidates who were qualified with a certification/assessment programme conducted by any of the Full Member nations and currently hold such certification, would be preferred.

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany has “every club in the entire world” trying to steal him away from Turf Moor, according to former NFL star and new Clarets investor J.J. Watt.

Will Vincent Kompany leave Burnley?

The Belgian only arrived in the Championship back in July 2022, but having achieved promotion to guide his team back to the top-flight at the first time of asking, has been attracting significant interest in recent weeks.

Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea were both reportedly interested in securing the 37-year-old’s services in their hunt to find a permanent coach, with Manchester City even earmarking him as a potential boss for the future, as per Sky Sports. However, this outside speculation of an exit was soon put to bed after the former centre-back put pen to paper on a new five-year contract which keeps him in Lancashire until at least 2028.

Speaking on the Pardon My Take podcast on Monday, Watt, who recently bought a stake in Burnley alongside his wife Kealia, an ex-USA Women's international, dropped an intriguing comment on just how badly teams want to steal Kompany away. He said:

“Our coach is pretty good. I’m trying to knock his value down because every club in the entire world is trying to take him away from us right now. Everybody is trying to take him and he’s been very loyal.”

Will Burnley stay up?

Burnley not only getting promoted back to the Premier League but also securing the Championship title ten points clear of rivals Sheffield United was a result of Kompany’s tactics and instant impact on the squad, so the hierarchy offering him a fresh deal was nothing less than he deserves.

The Clarets boss won 34, drew 15 and lost just five of his 54 games in charge, averaging 2.17 points per match, via Transfermarkt, and this consistent run of form has seen him receive bundles of praise from journalist Josh Bunting. Taking to Twitter, he said:

“I think that’s the most impressive thing about what Vincent Kompany has done, he’s changed their culture and play style and the players bought right into it. The transition was excellent, really looking forward to seeing what they can go and do in the top flight under him.”

Kompany, whose preferred formation is a 4-2-3-1, will no doubt already be underway with his transfer plans for the upcoming summer window as he looks to recruit fresh faces to help maintain his team’s status next season, but should they replicate the same high standard of performance as this term, Burnley should have no worries during the 2023/24 campaign.

William Saliba is expected to miss the rest of the season through injury, but there is positive news for Arsenal as the defender does not need surgery, journalist Chris Wheatley has confirmed.

What's the latest on William Saliba?

The centre-back was withdrawn in the first half of Arsenal's Europa League exit against Sporting CP in March, and has not featured since as he struggles with a back injury.

Arsenal's title challenge is all but over, having faltered defensively in the absence of Saliba, and with two games left this season, it seems the Frenchman will not feature again in this campaign.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Wheatley confirmed that Saliba would not be seen in the Arsenal team again this season, but that there is relief that he does not need surgery on the injury.

"William Saliba, he's out for the rest of the season, this is what was expected," he stated.

"He won't require surgery on his back injury, which is good news for Arsenal. But these two games are going to come too soon for the defender currently on the treatment table."

How much have Arsenal missed Saliba?

Arsenal's form has taken a nosedive since the France international's injury, as Rob Holding and later Jakub Kiwior have failed to replace his presence in the back four.

Saliba has been described as "superb" by Mikel Arteta, and Arsenal's defensive records highlight how much of an impact his injury made.

Arsenal have conceded 17 league goals in the eight league games since his injury at a rate of 2.1 per game, having only conceded 25 times in the 28 games with him in the side, a rate of 0.89 per game.

This is a significant drop-off, and one that led to Arsenal's collapse in the title race, having picked up just nine points out of the last 21 available.

Saliba's impact in the side was immediate as he finally broke into the Arsenal side following a few loan spells back in his native France, winning the player of the match award on his Premier League debut away at Crystal Palace, and helping Arsenal sustain an unexpected title challenge.

Arsenal will look back at his injury as a defining moment in the title race, but given that he does not need surgery, there may be optimism that Saliba can return to action in pre-season and start the next campaign fully fit.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has done an 'unbelievable' job at Villa Park as his side go into the business end of the season with a shot at continental qualification, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

What's the latest news involving Unai Emery and Aston Villa?

Aston Villa sit seventh in the Premier League standings on 54 points with four matches left to play, with only goal difference separating them from Tottenham Hotspur in sixth position.

Since arriving at Villa Park to take over from Steven Gerrard last October, the 51-year-old Spaniard has taken 42 points from 21 fixtures in the English top flight, winning 13, drawing three and losing five of his encounters in charge, working out at a points total of roughly two per game, as per Transfermarkt.

Last weekend, the Villans suffered their first defeat since February at Old Trafford in an unfortunate 1-0 defeat to Manchester United, bringing to an end a ten-match unbeaten run, as per Sky Sports.

As per the official Aston Villa website, Emery spoke of his desire to see his team bounce back following the loss to the Red Devils, stating: “I think today we can be bitterly disappointed but, overall, we have to analyse everything, in the way we are now. Adding the new step ahead we have in front, facing the possibility to play for a European place. We are going to think and analyse the next match against Wolves on Saturday because we have in front a new opportunity.”

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist O'Rourke believes that appointing Emery is the best decision Aston Villa majority owners NSWE have made since taking control of the club.

When asked about their decision to bring Emery into the club has been their most notable, O'Rourke told FFC: "It's hard not to argue with that assessment; he's been unbelievable. I think, since he's taken over, Villa are only second to Arsenal in the amount of points won in the Premier League. Remarkable turnaround, they were in a relegation fight when he took over, but he's transformed things since replacing Steven Gerrard."

How far can Aston Villa go under the stewardship of Unai Emery?

Emery is the sort of manager who takes things a game at a time. However, he'll certainly be encouraged by the strides his Aston Villa side have made and where that could lead them in the coming months.

For now, at least, securing some sort of European access for 2023/24 has to be their main goal, whether that be in the form of the Europa League or Europa Conference League.

Then their focus will likely move on to scouting potential summer recruits, who will likely be enthused by the prospect of competing in continental competition next term.

Nevertheless, this feat can only be achieved if Villa continue to perform under Emery over their next four fixtures, which is something the Spaniard will be doing everything he can to try and ensure his side finish this campaign with a flourish.

Tottenham Hotspur have given themselves the unenviable task of finding a manager that can surpass Julian Nagelsmann, after it was reported last week that Daniel Levy had not considered the German as a contender for their vacancy despite many viewing him as the outstanding option.

It was a decision pundit Jermaine Pennant could only describe as "crazy", before noting: "It’s like a circus there, at the minute. From top to bottom."

It is just one in a long line of eye-brow raising decisions made by the chairman, who continues to spark debate among the fanbase for his work in plunging the club into disarray.

From consistent Champions League football and progression with each campaign under Mauricio Pochettino to where they are now marks a culmination of years of failure, in which managerial and personnel moves have been consistently flawed.

To right these wrongs, they need a head coach who can reset the culture within the club, purging the playing staff whilst reinstating a style of play that the fans can get behind. No longer should they have to suffer the turgid football of recent years, especially when an alternative free agent remains ripe for appointment.

Although perhaps not as glamorous an option, Brendan Rodgers remains a valid alternative to the former Bayern Munich tactician, as someone well-versed with English football, aligned with a free-flowing philosophy, and with a history of winning trophies. He could prove to be the appointment that eases fan concern over the decision to snub the alternative.

Would Brendan Rodgers be a good fit for Spurs?

To outline just how good an appointment this could be, former Spurs star Darren Anderton has already endorsed the move whilst speaking to The Express: "He plays a brand of football that Tottenham fans want to see. I think that's fair to say. Since Pochettino, with Mourinho and Conte, the football has been dour at times.

"I feel like he plays a brand of football that is the Tottenham way, and I think that would work."

Given his success in winning an FA Cup with Leicester City and a treble with Celtic, this 4-3-3 play style marries well with a pedigree of snagging silverware that is so richly craved in north London.

Preferring to dominate possession and always keep the ball moving, the northern Irishman also seeks to employ a counter-press higher up the pitch that would have fans of the club elated. Finally, some energy could be injected into this tired-looking outfit.

Although the end of his time with the Foxes might have marred his reputation as they veered towards relegation, the coach was often hamstrung in the transfer market and thwarted by injuries.

Should he receive ample financial backing from Levy, perhaps he could quickly turn around a squad in desperate need of a refresh, and bolster it to avoid a repeat in north London.

After all, during his early days at the King Power Stadium, Gary Neville had noted: "Leicester are an awkward, awkward proposition. They do a lot of things very well, they're efficient, well-coached. It proves it's no one-season wonder, there's continuity now, and he's one of the outstanding managers in the league, Brendan Rodgers."

With a record of scoring 1268 goals during his 689 games in management, at the very least Spurs fans will see some action return to their viewing experience.

The Northern Irishman is a more than capable alternative to Nagelsmann, who could even prove to achieve more success than the 35-year-old might have given his roles at Liverpool, Watford, Swansea City and Reading have prepared him for such a task.

Neil Dexter continued to stake his claim to be one of the signings of the season as Leicestershire reached 299 for 7 against Worcestershire

ECB Reporters Network03-Jul-2016
ScorecardNeil Dexter’s third hundred of the season made for an even opening day•Getty ImagesNeil Dexter continued to stake his claim to be one of the signings of the season as Leicestershire reached 299 for 7 against Worcestershire on a hard-fought opening day in the Specsavers County Championship at New Road.The former Middlesex batsman completed a third century for his new county and at the same time made it back-to-back hundreds when adding 109 to last week’s 136 against Gloucestershire.He was by no means completely fluent, more than one of his 18 boundaries coming off the edge during an impressive first spell by Ed Barnard, but his application could not be faulted following the early dismissal of Paul Horton.Barnard claimed that wicket with his fifth delivery, Tom Kohler-Cadmore holding a fizzing overhead chance at first slip, and he should have had another when Angus Robson was dropped at gully.The opener was on 27 and went on to make exactly 50, his third half-century in four Championship innings, before he gave a low catch to wicketkeeper Ben Cox in Barnard’s second spell.The second-wicket partnership yielded 79 from 32 overs and this was followed by a stand of 54 as Mark Cosgrove perked up the innings until he became another victim for Cox, aiming to force legspinner Brett D’Oliveira square on the off-side.There was something in the pitch to encourage Worcestershire – if not for Kyle Abbott on his Championship debut for the county – but tight bowling by Barnard and Jack Shantry only served to underline the value of Dexter’s performance. He maintained his focus throughout and made it clear that he is enjoying life with his fourth county.If Barnard was the pick of the seam attack with three for 49, D’Oliveira showed impeccable control, and a nice variation, in bowling 23 overs for his 2 for 53.He was also involved in the fourth wicket, not as the bowler but in running out Mark Pettini for 16 with a direct hit from backward point. Dexter was on 98 at the time and eventually got to his century after taking 22 minutes to add four singles to his score at tea.The end for him came with a smart third catch for Cox, standing up to Joe Leach, and Robert Taylor soon drove D’Oliveira to extra cover, but Ned Eckersley and Clint McKay added valuable runs late in the day. McKay was leg-before to Barnard, bowling with the second new ball.While not taking total control, Leicestershire have gone some way towards burying a bad memory from earlier in the season. They were dismissed for 43 on their own ground in May when Worcestershire registered their only win so far in a Division Two campaign following relegation last year.The home side have included Tom Fell after his recovery from two forms of cancer since making a career-best 171 against Middlesex in his final innings of last summer.

Arsenal are "doing all they can" to stop prodigy Ethan Nwaneri from joining Premier League rivals Man City, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The north Londoners are attempting to back manager Mikel Arteta behind-the-scenes after what has been, overall, a very strong campaign – even if Arsenal end up missing out on their first league title in nearly 20 years.

City's incredible form has resulted in the Gunners playing catch up, with Arteta relying on a slip up from his former mentor if his side are to stand any chance of winning the league.

Regardless, just one year ago, Arsenal were pipped to a top four finish by arch rivals Tottenham – and now they're guaranteed the riches of Champions League football for next campaign in a major boost for the club.

2023/2024 is a prime opportunity to build upon this season and challenge for honours, but as well as incomings, there have been reports of certain players potentially leaving the Emirates Stadium.

The likes of Kieran Tierney and Emile Smith Rowe have been mentioned in this regard, with highly promising starlet Nwaneri also attracting major interest.

According to Football Insider and reporter O'Rourke, City have been targeting the 16-year-old and are increasingly confident they can land him, but Arsenal are desperate to stop it.

Indeed, it is believed the club are "doing all they can" to prevent Nwaneri's departure to the Etihad Stadium, and while City think they can sign him, it is by no means a done deal.

As the youngster is yet to pen a professional deal, Arsenal would only be due a compensation package if he were to move up north.

Why Arsenal need to halt Nwaneri exit

Nwaneri is, arguably, the most exciting young and upcoming player Arsenal have in their ranks.

The midfielder has already broken a Premier League record, becoming the youngest player to ever make a top flight debut earlier this campaign at just 15 years and 181 days old.

The England Under-17 international has dazzled for Arsenal at youth level this season too – scoring six goals and four assists across appearances in Premier League 2, The Under-18s Premier League and FA Youth Cup (Transfermarkt).

Jack Wilshere has also heaped praise on Nwaneri, calling him an "exceptional talent", and losing him to one of Arsenal's biggest rivals will be a sore, sore blow for Arteta to take.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly eyeing a move for Brentford boss, Thomas Frank, as chairman Daniel Levy continues his search to find a permanent successor to Antonio Conte in the dugout.

What's the latest on Frank to Spurs?

According to talkSPORT, the Lilywhites have reportedly 'identified' the Danish coach as a "contender' to take on the top job at N17, with Levy still yet to name a long-term replacement for the aforementioned Conte, following the Italian's dismissal back in March.

While Ryan Mason is currently taking charge on a short-term basis – after the sacking of interim coach Cristian Stellini – it would appear that Frank is among those who could be handed the reins this summer, with the report suggesting that the 49-year-old is on the club's 'radar'.

As per the piece, journalist Alex Crook has provided more depth on that apparent interest, with the respected insider stating that an 'approach' could well be in the offing: “Thomas Frank is name that increasingly keeps coming up in conversations as someone Tottenham have an admiration for.

“I would go as far as to say that Brentford are even anticipating an approach for Thomas Frank."

Should Spurs appoint Thomas Frank?

On the face of it, there may be concern among supporters as to whether the Bees boss is a "big enough name" – as per Crook – to take on the role, particularly following the recent news that ex-Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann remarkably isn't in the running for the job.

Given his youthful exuberance, the German appeared to be a good fit for Spurs, only for it to be revealed they wouldn't be bringing him to north London in a bizarre set of news reports that suggested they hadn't even been in contact with him.

However, after recent moves to appoint "serial winners" such as Jose Mourinho and Conte – as described by journalist Samuel Luckhurst – a shift in direction may well be needed, hence turning to a figure such as Frank who has already proven his credentials in the Premier League.

Name checked by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher as one of the "candidates" to be the top-flight's manager of the season, the former Brondby boss has enjoyed another fine campaign in charge in west London, with Brentford currently in ninth place – ten points clear of Chelsea.

Not just a "manager of the highest calibre", according to talkSPORT's Simon Jordan, the highly-rated coach could also offer the benefit of being able to work effectively with Spurs talisman, Harry Kane, provided that the latter man – who has been linked with a move to Manchester United – remains at the club beyond this season.

Frank has been working wonders with former Newcastle United reject Ivan Toney in recent years, with the 27-year-old currently the second-highest scoring Englishman in the top-flight behind Kane with 20 league goals, while scoring 68 goals and providing 21 assists in just 124 games in total for the Bees.

It would appear that Frank's approach could well benefit the current Tottenham star as the Dane has previously spoken of the similarity between both Toney and Kane, having stated back in November 2021:

"[Kane is] a world-class striker. I think both of them are very good finishers in terms of they are technicallly very good at finishing, and they are very composed and take good decisions. I think that’s the key to being a top scorer.

"On top of that, both of them are very good in link-up play. Harry Kane is dropping deeper and deeper and setting players up, you can see that throughout the season with Ivan as well."

While Kane – who has 27 league goals to his name this season – seemingly needs little help when it comes to remaining consistently prolific, it is interesting to note that the 29-year-old could comfortably slot into Frank's style of play, hence just why the latter man would be a particularly suitable candidate to fill Tottenham's managerial vacancy.

ScorecardSteven Patterson recorded career-best figures•Getty Images

At a time when a potential home Test debut for Scott Borthwick against Pakistan has been widely floated, it is perhaps inevitable that the Durham wicket that gained most attention was the one where Steven Patterson just vaguely stood there at the end of his run and happened to get in the way.Borthwick, who began the match with a Championship average top side of 80, has had a prolific season, in contrast to the current incumbent as England’s No. 3, Nick Compton, who has mustered 151 runs at 16.77 in a troubled season for both Middlesex and England.Patterson, one of the stingier bowlers around, was probably silently berating himself for allowing Borthwick something as self-indulgent as a front-foot drive when the ball was parried at mid-off by the diving Andrew Gale. Borthwick first held the pose – as if displaying his England credentials for a dozing photographer – then sensed a single, aware that Gale is carrying a few niggles and is a bit exposed in the field these days.But there was a Patterson roundabout to negotiate and Borthwick was still a foot short of the crease, sliding in on his knees, when Gale’s direct hit struck the stumps. The physio had to come on to give Gale attention, but it was only a graze and he was safe in the knowledge that he had pronounced he has not become an automatic single just yet.That was England affairs done and dusted, Borthwick left to curse a scorecard showing two runs in six balls. Attention turned to the Championship, the arena in which, day in day out, Patterson proves his worth. This time, with career-best figures of 6 for 56 to celebrate, and Durham dismissed for 172, he might get a share of that headline.Chris Rushworth, who two seasons ago took nine wickets in an innings, did his best to upstage Patterson late on, serving up a draught of local defiance. Shaven pate shimmering in rare evening sunshine, he claimed all four Yorkshire wickets to fall, including Alex Lees for 71 and Patterson, loping out as nightwatchman, for a second-ball duck, to leave Gale and Gary Ballance playing charily for the close.With the bat, Jack Burnham stuck it out, his 49 from 134 balls representing a mature contribution in a decent first full season, showing the sort of resilience that is expected from this Durham side, no matter how inexperienced. He drove pleasantly at times, but he never drove Patterson, wisely settling for suspicious pushes into the leg side.”Patto does what Patto does,” his coach, Jason Gillespie, is fond of saying. He does not so much hit a length as beat it into submission at speeds just above the motorway speed limit, but not quite fast enough to make the camera flash. But when he hits the seam he can change lane as sharply as the best of them. On a nibbly Chester-le-Street seamer, he was a permanent irritation: as nagging as a wasp in the kitchen, the thing you can’t quite remember, the noise in the car you can’t quite place.Every team needs a Patto, someone to throw the ball to when the pressure is on, and for Yorkshire the pressure was at maximum. They have four senior pace bowlers absent – Jack Brooks, Ryan Sidebottom, David Willey and Liam Plunkett (the latter with England) – their hugely promising fast bowler, Matt Fisher, is plagued by hamstring trouble, and England have also called up the legspin of Adil Rashid.Add Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root, and Yorkshire had eight missing in all. Two seamers were on Yorkshire Championship debut, Ben Coad and Josh Shaw, although Shaw had at least had some experience at Gloucestershire, where he has been called back from an intended season’s loan.With one point separating Lancashire, Durham and Yorkshire at the top of Division One, the table is a triumph for the north, although this being the north, the did curb its regional pride with the observation that Lancashire are in a false position.Durham were reasonably placed at 74 for 2 when Patterson struck for the first time with his second ball after lunch, having Mark Stoneman lbw, pushing well forward. Then came a run of 3 for 8 in 18 balls: Michael Richardson edged a brute of a ball which spat off a length; Paul Collingwood, who seemed intent on breaking him early, managed one cover drive but then mistimed a wide one to backward point; and Ryan Pringle’s off stump was removed as he groped forward.Coad and Shaw both acquitted themselves well, and Tim Bresnan produced a decent delivery of his own to have Usman Arshad caught at the wicket, but Gale ran Patterson for 14 overs in all, a spell broken by lunch, his value never more apparent. A brief second spell went unrewarded before Gale turned to him again after tea and he ended the innings courtesy of two off-side catches. A bowler just doing his job, and doing it well.