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Liverpool's title defence lays in tatters after a woeful run of six defeats in 14 matches leaving them ninth in the Premier League table and Reds captain Virgil van Dijk has taken aim at the club’s senior players, saying none of them can take their place in the starting XI for granted. Mo Salah has had to sit out the start of Liverpool’s last two games and has been warned his performances must improve.

Reds suffer early season struggles

Liverpool have suffered seven defeats in their last ten matches across all competitions, a run that included a demoralising 4-1 Champions League home loss to PSV and a 3-0 League Cup elimination to Crystal Palace. A major focal point of their struggles is the performances of talisman Salah. Last season, he was Player of the Year, with 29 goals and 18 assists in the Premier League, but during this campaign, the 33-year-old has managed just four goals and two assists in 13 league appearances. His dip in form, coupled with a change in his role under boss Arne Slot, has led to him being dropped from the starting line-up for the recent games against West Ham and Sunderland. He looks a shadow of his former self, struggling with his finishing and overall impact, which reflects the team's wider problems and lack of cohesion. 

And while captain Van Dijk believes Salah will remain an important figure for the club, he has urged the Egyptian icon to raise his game. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportVan Dijk: 'I need him around as one of the leaders'

Van Dijk said: "It's not like you have unlimited credit, everyone has to perform. Mo has been doing that but the manager made that decision in the last two games. We all want the best for the club. I am pretty sure Mo will still be a big part of what we are trying to achieve because he is an amazing player and he has shown it consistently. But we are all trying to find consistency and he needs us to be in our best shape and we need him and that's what we are all trying to find."

He added: "He is still a fantastic player and we still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that. I need him around as one of the leaders. I'm not worried. He's disappointed but that's absolutely normal as if you're not disappointed when you're not playing two games in a row then there is an issue as well."

Positive signs for Salah

While Salah has started on the bench for the Reds' last two fixtures, his Dutch boss has hinted he could be re-introduced for the match against Leeds on Saturday. Speaking to the press, Slot said: "I think for every player in my mind can start and Mo is an exceptional player for us. He is always in my mind to either start or to come (off the bench). The chatter, yes (I understand it) because he deserves that, he has been so influential for me for six or seven years. It's completely normal for people to talk about it when he isn't (playing)."

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Getty Images SportTough test awaits at Elland Road

Liverpool face Leeds on Saturday evening with the hosts buoyed by the performance and 3-1 result against Chelsea in the week. And the Reds’ recent away record is woeful, having lost seven of their last 11 on the road. And, speaking ahead of the match, Slot said: "Leeds went very aggressive in one-v-one (against Chelsea) and then a low block to stop chances. It is difficult for us that style, and many other teams. We saw them coming back from two down to Manchester City, Phil Foden made the difference with a moment of magic there and against Chelsea Leeds were very strong. What to expect is what we have faced in many other games."

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Palmeiras e Flamengo se enfrentam pela primeira vez em 2024 neste domingo (21), pela terceira rodada do Brasileirão, no Allianz Parque. Após o último jogo do Verdão, em que acabou derrotado para o Internacional, o técnico Abel Ferreira falou sobre as diferenças entre os adversários, que acumulam protagonismo no cenário nacional nos últimos anos.

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➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

Organizados financeiramente e com alto poderio econômico, Palmeiras e Flamengo praticamente concentram as grandes conquistas recentes. Mas quanto cada um investe e quem têm os melhores jogadores? Compare reforços, orçamentos e elencos!

REFORÇOS

O Palmeiras contratou seis jogadores em 2024: Caio Paulista, Bruno Rodrigues, Lázaro (empréstimo), Aníbal Moreno, Rômulo e Felipe Anderson (sem custos). Somadas, as contratações chegam aproximadamente a R$ 90 milhões investidos.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

O Flamengo contratou em menos quantidade (quatro), mas gastou mais. De La Cruz, Léo Ortiz, Carlinhos e Viña custaram em torno de R$ 166 milhões aos cofres rubro-negros.

ORÇAMENTOS

Em 2023, o Palmeiras arrecadou R$ 839 milhões, tendo conquistado três títulos (Supercopa do Brasil, Paulistão e Brasileirão) no ano. O Flamengo faturou R$ 1,37 bilhão, sem taças levantadas. São cerca de R$ 400 milhões de diferença.

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➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do Brasileirão

O Verdão projeta uma arrecadação de R$ 880 milhões em 2024, e o Rubro-Negro planeja faturar R$ 1,15 bilhão.

ELENCOS

Tanto Flamengo quanto Palmeiras preservaram a base da última temporada e tiveram saídas pontuais no elenco. Na última Data Fifa, o Rubro-Negro teve seis atletas convocados para seleções: Fabrício Bruno e Ayrton Lucas (Brasil); Matías Viña, Arrascaeta, De La Cruz e Varela (Uruguai). No Verdão, Murilo e Endrick foram chamados por Dorival Jr, e Richard Ríos reforçou a seleção da Colômbia.

Tudo sobre

FlamengoPalmeiras

Rashid Khan has been rested for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe as a “precautionary measure to prioritise his well-being and sustained performance for upcoming international events,” according to an ACB statement. He will, however, return to lead the side in the three-match T20I series that follows.With Rashid sitting out of the Test, Afghanistan’s selectors turned to a mix of fresh and familiar names. Right-arm quick Ziaur Rahman, left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf, and legspinner Khalil Gurbaz, all of whom impressed in the domestic red-ball season, earned call-ups to the Test squad.Shahidullah, the left-arm spin-bowling allrounder, has been rewarded for consistent performances and was included in both the Test and T20I squads. Bashir Ahmad, the left-arm pacer who featured in recent white-ball matches against Bangladesh, retained his place in the Test side. Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the Test team, which also included Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Bahir Shah, and wicketkeepers Afsar Zazai and Ikram Alikhil.In the T20I squad, Rashid returned as captain with Ibrahim his deputy. Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai made a comeback after debuting earlier in 2024. Experienced players Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad were also part of the T20I side, along with pacers Fareed Malik and Abdullah Ahmadzai.The tour will run from October 20 to November 2, with Harare hosting all games.

Afghanistan Test Squad

Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Abdul Malik, Afsar Zazai (wk), Ikram Alikhel (wk), Bahir Shah, Shahidullah, Ismat Alam, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Ziaur Rahman Akbar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Khalil Gurbaz, and Bashir Ahmad.
Reserves: Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai, Sediqullah Atal, and Shams Ur Rahman.

Afghanistan T20I Squad

Rashid Khan (capt), Ibrahim Zadran (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Bashir Ahmad, Fareed Malik and Abdullah Ahmadzai.
Reserves: AM Ghazanfar and Faridoon Dawoodzai.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians começou a temporada com o pé direito e venceu o Guarani por 1 a 0 na Neo Química Arena, em partida válida pela 1ª rodada do Paulistão. O gol corintiano foi marcado por Romero, que acertou lindo voleio no primeiro tempo, sacramentando o resultado em Itaquera.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Com a vitória, o Timão soma seus primeiros pontos e assume a liderança do Grupo C, que conta com Mirassol, Inter de Limeira e RB Bragantino. Já o Bugre segue zerado no Grupo B, que tem Água Santa, Palmeiras e Ponte Preta.

Cinco lances que marcaram a partida

> !ESPALMA, CÁSSIO! O Guarani quase abriu o placar aos 14 minutos. Mayk cruza na área corintiana, Léo Santos subiu mais alto do que a defesa e manda uma bomba de cabeça, mas o goleiro do Timão conseguiu espalmar para escanteio.

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> !INACREDITÁVEL FUTEBOL CLUBE! Maycon poderia ter feito o primeiro gol do Corinthians após cruzamento de almanaque de Yuri Alberto, mas o camisa 7, livre na marca do pênalti, chutou para fora.

> !GOLAÇO DE ROMERO! Na metade do primeiro tempo, Fagner cruzou na área, e o atacante paraguaio acertou um lindo voleio de perna direita, estufando as redes do goleiro Douglas Borges.

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> !QUASE O EMPATE! No início do segundo tempo, Matheus Bueno aproveitou cobrança de escanteio no primeiro pau, ganhou da zaga corintiana e mandou no travessão de Cássio.

> !BUGRE SUFOCA O TIMÃO! Nos 15 minutos finais da partida, o Guarani se lançou ao ataque e encurralou o Corinthians na defesa, mas a equipe de Campinas pecou nas finalizações e não conseguiu o empate.

Como foi o primeiro tempo?

O Guarani aguentou a pressão inicial do Corinthians e criou ao menos três boas chances de perigo pelo lado esquerdo, mas parou em Cássio. O Timão não conseguiu se impor fisicamente no meio-campo, mas contou com golaço de Romero para terminar o primeiro tempo em vantagem no placar.

E a etapa final?

O Guarani voltou com postura mais ofensiva e ameaçou o Corinthians através do jogo aéreo. O Timão novamente oscilou e não conseguiu conectar no contra-ataque, mesmo com as alterações de Mano Menezes. Nos minutos finais, o Bugre se lançou ao ataque, mas o sistema defensivo corintiano conseguiu segurar o resultado em Itaquera.

O que vem por aí?

O próximo compromisso do Corinthians é na quarta-feira (24), contra o Ituano, pela segunda rodada do Paulistão, no Estádio Novelli Júnior. Mais tarde, às 21h30, o Guarani recebe o São Bernardo em Campinas.

➡️ Veja os grupos e datas dos confrontos no Paulistão

CORINTHIANS 1 X 0 GUARANI
PAULISTÃO – 1ª RODADA

Local: Neo Química Arena, São Paulo (SP)
Data e hora: 21 de janeiro de 2024, às 18h (horário de Brasília)
Árbitro: Thiago Luis Scarascati
Assistentes: Danilo Ricardo Simon Martins e Gustavo Rodrigues de Oliveira
Árbitro de vídeo: Jose Claudio Rocha FIlho
Público e renda: 42.608 / R$ 2.551.343,50

Cartões amarelos: Romero (COR); Matheus Bueno (GUA)
Cartões vermelhos: –

GOLS: Romero (1-0, aos 27′ do 1ºT)

CORINTHIANS
Cássio; Fagner, Félix Torres, Caetano e Hugo; Raniele, Maycon, Rojas (Fausto Vera, aos 29′ do 2ºT), Matheus Araújo (Yago, aos 46′ do 2ºT) e Romero (Gustavo Mosquito, aos 39′ do 2ºT); Yuri Alberto (Wesley, aos 29′ do 2ºT). Técnico: Mano Menezes

GUARANI
Douglas Borges, Diogo Mateus (Anderson Leite, aos 26′ do 2ºT), Léo Santos, Rayan e Mayk; Matheus Bueno, Wenderson (Gabriel Santos, aos 16′ do 2ºT) e Camacho (Lucas Araújo, aos 26′ do 2ºT); João Victor (Bruno Mendes, aos 42′ do 2ºT), Reinaldo (Gustavo França, aos 16′ do 2ºT) e Derek. Técnico: Umberto Louzer

Jason Gallian to take charge for final weeks of difficult first season for Tier 1 team

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Sep-2025Andy Tennant has stepped down as Essex Women’s head coach after less than a season in the role. Tennant was appointed last year to take charge of the club’s first fully professional women’s team after Essex were awarded Tier 1 status, but departs with a record of five wins across all competitions.Despite securing a maiden trophy for Sunrisers in the final season of the regional women’s structure, he was unable to produce the same success with a group at Essex featuring many of the same players. They are out of contention in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, with one win and eight defeats, and finished second from bottom in the Vitality Blast group table. Essex were also knocked out by Tier 2 Yorkshire in their only game in the T20 County Cup.”With the break in the fixtures for the Hundred, it has been an opportunity for both the club and myself to reflect and look ahead to next season,” Tennant said. “Following those conversations, it feels like now is the right time to step aside and seek my next opportunity.Related

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“I am proud of what we have achieved together as a group and I would like to thank Essex for giving me the opportunity to continue the job we started with the Sunrisers three years ago. I wish the club well and I am confident this outstanding group of young female athletes will continue to develop and go from strength to strength.”Danni Warren, Essex Women’s performance director who worked alongside Tennant at Sunrisers, will continue to oversee the team, with Jason Gallian, chair of Essex’s cricket committee, leading the coaching staff for the final month of the season. Essex’s hunt for a new women’s head coach will begin during the off season.”I have built a strong working relationship with Andy since he joined the Sunrisers in 2022, which culminated in the Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy triumph during our final season in 2024,” Warren said. “The transition of the group to Essex has been an exciting challenge, and Andy’s hard work in ensuring this process was as seamless as possible has been hugely important to the progress we have made on and off the field.”He should be proud of what he has achieved during his time at the club, which has also included many individuals starring in this year’s Hundred competition and representing their country at international level. We all wish him the very best of luck in his future endeavours within the game.”

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Eurocopa – Qualificações, Amistosos de Seleções e Brasileirão – Série B são os principais destaques desta sexta-feira (13) de futebol. Confira onde assistir ao vivo e os horários das partidas.

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Simpson continues form with 85 as contest peters out on flat deck at Chester-le-Street

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 25-Jun-2025

Danial Ibrahim shapes to smack the ball•Brody Grogan/ECB via Getty Images

A watchful century from Danial Ibrahim and a gritty 85 from John Simpson guided Sussex to a draw on the final day of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Durham.The pair were watchful as they looked to protect their position in the match, with a probing opening spell from Matthew Potts the most trouble the visiting batters faced on a sedate final morning.Simpson and Ibrahim got the Sussex lead past 200 and resumed after lunch. Sam Conners removed Simpson 15 runs short of another century, but Ibrahim remained calm to reach three figures for the second time in his first-class career.Sussex finished on 322 for six with the teams shaking hands at 4.50 pm.The draw means that both sides have consolidated their position in a congested mid-table region following this game, with Sussex hosting Warwickshire in the next round that starts on Sunday, while Durham travel to The Oval to face second-placed Surrey.Resuming on 111 for four with a lead of 145, Sussex pair Simpson and Ibrahim were watchful in the face of some probing bowling from Potts and Ben Raine.Sussex continued their plan, taking time out of the game, with the pair rarely letting their rearguard action slip in the first hour.Potts had a couple of LBW shouts against Ibrahim turned down as the Durham quick searched for a breakthrough.Simpson broke the shackles as he got the first boundary of the day 50 minutes into proceedings, flicking a Raine delivery off his legs for four.The first hour was successfully negated and Alex Lees brought Bas de Leede into the attack, which brought around some aggression from Ibrahim, who picked up back-to-back boundaries, his first of the day.Ibrahim then brought up his first half-century of the season from an attritional 161 deliveries, while skipper Simpson pulled a Conners ball for four to reach his fifty from 106 balls.The lunch break came and things continued in the same vein, with the Durham bowlers toiling while Sussex were happy to edge further towards the draw.Ibrahim did punish any freebies offered by the Durham bowling attack as he pulled a Will Rhodes short ball for four, but he survived an LBW shout from Raine when Durham took the second new ball.He then responded by playing a delightful cover drive off the bowling of Raine, but the Durham man was testing the 20-year-old.The Sussex lead was edging towards an insurmountable target for Durham with the clock ticking and overs running out.Simpson was also having a testing time against Potts, with the England man sending a couple past the Sussex captain’s outside edge, but he responded by playing a crunching cover drive off Raine for four.Potts came so close to a breakthrough, but Ollie Robinson dropped Simpson on 77 as the Sussex skipper gloved one down the legside, but Conners got him soon after for 85 when he chipped one up in the air and Lees produced an excellent catch at mid-off.Ibrahim then reached his first century of the season from 264 deliveries with a single on the legside.The 20-year-old guided his side to tea alongside Fynn Hudson-Prentice, who tried to be aggressive after the break but Drissell bowled him for 26 as he missed one completely.That brought Jack Carson to the crease who was there with Ibrahim when the two sides settled for a draw.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin is under immense pressure heading into the clash with Hibernian at Ibrox in the latest round of the League Cup.

It feels like a huge game for the former Scotland international after a tricky start to life in Glasgow, losing 2-0 to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox last weekend.

As the title of the highlights above suggests, the pressure is mounting on the Rangers manager due to the poor start to the season, with no wins in their first five league games.

The Scottish giants were also knocked out of the Champions League at the play-off phase with a 9-1 defeat to Club Brugge, which did little to help supporters warm to the new head coach.

On top of the poor results on the pitch, both domestically and in Europe, Martin has ousted Nicolas Raskin from the first-team squad for the last two matches.

The Belgium international did not feature at all in the 0-0 draw with Celtic or the 2-0 defeat to Hearts either side of the international break, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will get any minutes against Hibernian this weekend, although it has been confirmed that he will be a part of the squad.

Why Russell Martin is making a mistake with Nicolas Raskin

Before the defeat to Hearts, Martin said: “Nico is back training with the group but he won’t be in the squad. He has a duty to make sure he earns the trust of all his other team-mates.”

Of course, we are not privy to what goes on behind the scenes. Martin could be in the wrong. Raskin could be in the wrong. Both parties could be in the wrong. What is for sure, though, is that this situation does not benefit the football club.

Legendary Rangers striker Ally McCoist said “you cannot bite your nose off to spite your face” when asked about the situation with the midfielder. He is spot on.

Raskin has proven that he can be a difference-maker for the Gers, as shown in the clip above, after a return of five goals and 11 assists in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

Rangers have scored two goals in their last five matches in all competitions, failing to score in any of their last three, and this shows that they are lacking his quality in possession at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

33

12

Tackles per game

2.8

3.7

Interceptions per game

0.6

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.6

7.4

Ground duel success rate

57%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

56%

55%

As you can see in the table above, Raskin also brings defensive quality to the pitch that could have helped the Gers in their 2-0 loss to Hearts and the first half against Club Brugge, when they conceded five before only letting in one with him on the pitch in the second half.

Ultimately, performances and results have not been good enough for Rangers. Another loss, particularly if Raskin is not involved as a starter, should force the board to part ways with the boss.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

With this in mind, Kevin Thelwell and the board must consider swooping to appoint Kevin Muscat, whose contract at SH Port expires at the end of this year, per Transfermarkt.

Rangers Journal’s Kai Watson described the English-born head coach as a “perfect” choice and one the fans have “wanted” for several seasons earlier this month. He has been linked with the Ibrox post in previous years as well.

Why Rangers should appoint Kevin Muscat

Unless Martin can turn things around, starting against Hibernian on Saturday, the Light Blues should fire their head coach to appoint Muscat because he could resurrect Raskin’s Ibrox career and get the team back on track this season.

Above all else, the 52-year-old manager has proven that he can win trophies. He has won a league title and a domestic cup with SH Port, on top of two league titles and one cup with Melbourne Victory and one league title and a super cup with Yokohama F. Marinos, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that he knows how to build teams that can win major trophies. Perhaps the most impressive part of his record is that he has done it in three different countries: Australia, Japan, and China. This shows that he can adapt to different cultures and ways of playing and still build a side to win consistently.

2025 (24)

2.13

2nd

2024 (30)

2.60

1st

2023 (34)

1.88

2nd

2022 (34)

2.00

1st

2021 (18)

1.83

2nd

As you can see in the table above, Muscat has won two league titles in the last four seasons, and still has six games left of the current campaign to make it three in four.

Rangers could tempt him to give up on a chance to turn things around and win the league title with SH Port by offering him the job at Ibrox, should they decide to part ways with Martin.

As well as being a winning manager, Muscat also has a style of play that could get the best out of Raskin. The aforementioned Kai Watson claimed that the manager plays “fast attacking football” with “relentless pressing”.

This suggests that he would be the perfect head coach to get the best out of Raskin because that combines the two parts of his game that he thrives on, fast attacking play and pressing to win possession back.

As aforementioned, the Belgium international is a creative midfielder who can set his teammates up for high-quality chances on a regular basis, but he is also a combative and tenacious defender who wants to get stuck in and win the ball back high up the pitch.

Putting him in Muscat’s favoured 4-3-3 formation, per Transfermarkt, could allow him to thrive both in and out of possession at Ibrox once again, rather than having to sit at the base of a ball-dominant Martin side that does not give him as much freedom to burst forward or to get up the pitch to be combative off the ball.

Once worth £30m, Rangers flop now looks like he's worth less than Tavernier

This Glasgow Rangers flop who was once valued at £30m now looks worth even less than James Tavernier.

ByDan Emery Sep 17, 2025

Therefore, Rangers could revive Raskin’s Ibrox career by firing the underperforming Martin and appointing a head coach whose system and style would maximize the midfielder’s potential, while also enhancing the team’s overall winning culture.

Crucial rearguard puts nominal target beyond visitors’ reach on final day at Trent Bridge

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay14-Apr-2025Jack Haynes, the 24-year old batter who moved to Nottinghamshire last season, not only surpassed a previous best of 77 for the county, posted in his maiden innings a year and eight days, but continued to a crucial first century to add to the five he had made for Worcestershire.After three men had gone in the day’s first seven overs to leave his side just 222 ahead at 242 for 8, his final career-best 142, following a key 77-run recovery stand with Brett Hutton, secured the draw in the Rothesay County Championship first division against Essex at Trent Bridge.By the time Haynes’s hundred arrived, after eleven balls on 99 with the last man now in, the lead was 320 and 60 overs remained but Notts declined to declare and, when eventually all out for 385 after a delayed lunch, the nominal Essex target became 366 at seven per over.Though Nottinghamshire relaxed their bid for breakthroughs only in the last over, there never seemed the remotest chance they might induce panic as Paul Walter reached 41 and his captain Tom Westley a brisk 28 for Essex’s unbroken second-wicket before the umpires pulled stumps at 5pm.The frantic start first thing thus proved the falsest of dawns for the visitors who had seized their own trio of wickets in the opening 30 minutes only to be thwarted for 24.2 overs by the ninth-wicket pair as No 10 Hutton solidly bedded in.The new ball was available after six overs in the day but by then Shane Snater had already removed both nightwatchman Farhan Ahmed and Lyndon James, each caught behind for one, dangling the bat.A stupendous catch from Noah Thain, diving at mid-wicket to hold on inches above the grass as Fergus O’Neill middled a sweet clip off his pads, left Notts in deep peril with effectively 86 overs still to come.But wicket-taker Jamie Porter and partner Sam Cook proved far less threatening with the new ball than at any stage in the match hitherto and it was not until the last scheduled over before lunch that Hutton finally fell, heaving a catch to the boundary off Matt Critchley for 38.With the last pair together the interval was delayed and Haynes, now 94, was joined by Dillon Pennington. After several agonising attempts to pierce the infield on 99, he at last drove a four and broke into jubilant celebrations of a first hundred in sixteen games for Notts after his five seasons at Worcester.By lunch, with Essex now spreading the field far and wide to give Haynes singles he refused, the lead was 355 with 56 overs remaining. But Notts opted to bat on in the afternoon until Haynes hammered Thain down the ground and was held at long-on by Jordan Cox who threw the ball up, skipped over the rope and nipped back to complete the catch. In a final stand of 66 from ten overs, Haynes made 48 to Pennington’s unbeaten 13.When Essex batted again at 2.20pm, Pennington, taking the new ball, soon had Charles Allison missed at second slip on seven but later pulled up in his fifth over to leave the field with an apparent side strain. But Hutton, hero with the bat earlier, had Allison lbw to end his third championship innings for 27 in the third and last dismissal of the 65 final overs.

For the first time in 4671 completed ODIs, fast bowlers did not bowl a single ball in the game

Sampath Bandarupalli18-Feb-2025

Left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige took 5 for 11 in 7.3 overs against Oman•ICC/Getty Images

USA have broken the record for the lowest total successfully defended in a full men’s ODI. They beat Oman by 57 runs after scoring just 122 in their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match in Al Amerat.The previous lowest total successfully defended in a full ODI (not reduced) was India’s 125 against Pakistan in the Rothmans Four-Nations Cup in 1985. They won that match by 38 runs in Sharjah.USA’s fixture against Oman was dominated by spin. All nine bowlers used in the game were spinners, making it the first completed men’s ODI ever – after 4671 matches – without a single ball bowled by a fast bowler.The 19 wickets that fell also equalled the record for most wickets taken in an ODI by spinners, level with a Bangladesh-Pakistan ODI in Chattogram in 2011. Nosthush Kenjige took a career-best of 5 for 11 as Oman were dismissed for 65 in 25.3 overs.USA and Oman scored a total of only 187 runs in 61 overs, the second-lowest aggregate in an ODI where both teams were dismissed. The 41-over game between India and Bangladesh in 2014 had an aggregate of 163 runs.The dominance of spinners and low totals have been a trend at Al Amerat in this tournament, especially in games involving the hosts Oman. Teams batting first have been dismissed for fewer than 170 in all eight of Oman’s matches , while the other four games had 240-plus totals.In the previous match at Al Amerat on Sunday, Oman lost eight wickets in their chase of 96 against Namibia. JJ Smit was the only fast bowler in that game who bowled an over. Three of the four men’s ODIs where spinners took 17 or more wickets have been at Al Amerat.