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The opener was originally set to play two first-class games as well, but was forced to miss them due to a visa delay

Shashank Kishore31-Jul-2023

India batter Prithvi Shaw is set for his maiden stint in the English county circuit after formalising a deal with Northamptonshire for the upcoming One-Day Cup, which is set to run from August 1 to September 16.Shaw arrived in the UK on Sunday and will feature in his first game this Friday, against Gloucestershire, in Cheltenham. Shaw was earlier in line to play two four-day County Championship fixtures as well, but was forced to miss them due to a delay in securing a visa.”It’s a great opportunity for me and I’m really thankfully to Northamptonshire for giving me this chance to express myself here,” Shaw was quoted as saying in a media release. “It’s going to be amazing I think and I’m really looking forward to it.”Related

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Shaw has a formidable record in List A cricket. He averages 52.54 across 53 innings that have brought him 2627 runs. These include eight hundreds and 11 half-centuries, with a highest of 227 not out in February 2021.Shaw is currently out of favour as far as national selection goes, having been ignored for the West Indies T20Is as well as India’s Asian Games squad. He last played for India on the tour of Sri Lanka in July 2021, and was most-recently part of the squad earlier this year for the T20Is at home against New Zealand. That was followed by a disappointing IPL 2023, during which he was dropped midway through the competition.He was most recently in action in India’s season-opening first-class competition, the Duleep Trophy, where he made one half-century in four innings. Shaw was subsequently permitted to miss the Deodhar Trophy, the zonal 50-over competition, to allow him to play in England.”The goal for me wherever I play is about the team,” Shaw said. “So winning games for Northamptonshire is the first goal for this season and then it’s about scoring as many runs as I can, I just want to give 100%.”John Sadler, Northamptonshire’s head coach, hopes a hungry Shaw, who is “coming over with a point to prove”, will lend “high class” to the team.”He’s coming over with a point to prove and to enhance his own game. He’s had some pressure on his shoulders for some time living up to the expectation of his career so far, he’s probably fallen off the radar a little but he’s very, very hungry to come and get himself back to his very best and get back into the India team.”Shaw is the fifth Indian to feature in the county circuit in England this year after Cheteshwar Pujara (Sussex), Ajinkya Rahane (Leicestershire), Arshdeep Singh (Kent) and Navdeep Saini (Worcestershire).There was a possibility of a sixth signing, with India allrounder Vijay Shankar potentially lining up a gig with Kent as a replacement for Arshdeep, who will join the Indian team in the Caribbean for the T20I series. However, the deal is believed to have fallen through due to visa issues. Shankar is currently playing league cricket in Chennai.

Some of the biggest news surrounding Chelsea over the international break has been the future of Jadon Sancho at the club, who joined on an initial loan deal from Manchester United in the summer, with an obligation to buy of around £20-25m.

However, it has now been reported that the west Londoners have the option to pay £5m as compensation, which would allow the Blues to break their obligation clause and send the winger back to Old Trafford.

Sancho has made 28 appearances for Chelsea since arriving, scoring twice, providing six assists and totalling 1,725 minutes played.

But if he doesn’t improve his form at the back end of this season, could Chelsea choose to send him back and go in another direction for that left-wing spot?

Chelsea's search for a winger

According to Fabrizio Romano (via Simon Phillips), Chelsea’s “dream” transfer target is Atlético Bilbao winger, Nico Williams, someone they have shown extensive interest in during prior windows.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, Romano also mentions Williams as a “dream” target for other clubs such as Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

The main factor in any deal for Williams would be convincing him to join, as per Romano. His current salary – which is reportedly as high as £167k-per-week – could become a factor for Chelsea when discussing any deal for the winger.

Williams has made 37 appearances so far this season, scoring nine goals, providing seven assists and totalling 2,599 minutes played. So how could Williams be a huge improvement on Sancho, and why does he fit Enzo Maresca’s system so well?

How Nico Williams compares to Jadon Sancho

In Maresca’s system, the wingers are often tasked with 1v1 isolations against the opposition fullback, looking to use these moments to be direct, attack and create chances.

Noni Madueke has thrived in this area for Maresca, often being direct and driving his way into the penalty area, creating dangerous opportunities for himself and others.

Goals

0.30

0.10

Assists

0.21

0.31

xG

0.21

0.10

xAG

0.18

0.20

Progressive Carries

6.04

5.22

Progressive Passes

3.10

4.47

Shots Total

2.75

1.09

Key Passes

2.13

1.82

Shot-Creating Actions

5.45

3.52

Successful Take-Ons

3.40

2.64

When comparing Williams and Sancho’s underlying metrics this season, you can see Williams is more direct with his actions, providing more goal threat, having a higher shot volume, creating more for his team and carrying the ball more frequently.

Sancho, on the other hand, helps to progress play more with his passing and has better assist numbers per 90, but perhaps doesn’t possess that same explosiveness that Williams does.

The 22-year-old Spaniard has been labelled a “world-class prospect” by writer Zach Lowy in the past, praising his ability to cut inside, test the keeper but also constantly beat his fullback, being a real “menace” for the opposition to deal with.

Sending Sancho back to Manchester United and picking up a more direct winger, who can offer similar qualities to those Madueke has offered on the right wing for Chelsea this season, could suit Maresca’s system slightly better, having wide players on either side who can force the issue and drive the team forwards.

Williams could then represent the ‘dream’ upgrade that the Blues are looking for on the flanks.

Not just James: Chelsea are brewing 19-year-old future England superstar

Chelsea are brewing a “dominant” future England star at Cobham

ByConnor Holden Mar 28, 2025

Turning their attention towards rising stars yet again, Chelsea have reportedly made contact in the race to seal a double swoop to sign a 17-year-old talent alongside a young midfielder.

Chelsea transfer news

It’s a rare day when the Blues aren’t in the transfer headlines and about to splash the cash. So far, however, spending that money under Todd Boehly is yet to take them back to the top of English football. But the American will persist with his transfer strategy nonetheless, with the focus set on finding the next generation of impressive stars.

It’s a strategy which has seen the likes of Aaron Anselmino and Marc Guiu arrive in the last year and one which is likely to see further young players make their way to Stamford Bridge. Currently tasked with putting a winning squad together using those talents, meanwhile, is Enzo Maresca who at least got his side back to winning ways over Southampton last time out.

When the summer arrives, the Italian is likely to receive even more backing in the form of rising stars, which could yet include two Greek talents in the coming months.

According to The Boot Room, Chelsea have now made contact to seal a double deal for Christos Mouzakitis and Charalampos Kostoulas this summer. The two teenagers have impressed at Olympiacos to create a line of top suitors ahead of the summer transfer window.

Chelsea leading race to sign "superb" £37m star keen on Premier League move

The Blues could sign yet another winger…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 28, 2025

Joined by Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are among some of Europe’s top clubs already setting their sights on Kostoulas and Mouzakitis – igniting quite the race for their signatures.

Mouzakitis, an 18-year-old midfielder, and Kostoulas, a 17-year-old striker, look set to have quite the decision to make when the summer transfer window swings open and those clubs potentially come calling.

Mouzakitis and Kostoulas are on the rise

It says an incredible amount about just how talented Mouzakitis and Kostoulas are that such a hectic line is already forming in pursuit of their signatures. It’s a line that Chelsea – among others – will be desperate to win in the coming months as they look to welcome two more young gems to add to a growing collection.

Both players have already been making their mark on senior football this season, even featuring for Olympiacos in the Europa League with Mouzakitis earning the praise of analyst Ben Mattinson for his “powerful” ball-striking and “tenacious” work off the ball. Now, there’s every chance that the teenager becomes the future of Chelsea’s midfield.

Kostoulas, meanwhile, has been quite the sensation himself – scoring six goals for the senior side in just 20 league appearances.

Real Madrid legend Raul has reportedly been approached by Premier League-bound Leeds despite Daniel Farke leading the club to promotion.

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Raul set to leave CastillaLeeds are interested in the Spaniard

Villarreal and Schalke are also in the mix

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Spanish outlet , Raul is weighing up a new chapter in his managerial career as he prepares to leave his role in charge of Real Madrid Castilla, with a compelling offer already on the table from Premier League newcomers Leeds. Despite steady progress and internal support, he has repeatedly been passed over for promotion to the senior bench, most recently missing out to Xabi Alonso following Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to step down at the end of the season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Leeds' offer to Raul may seem surprising given Farke’s recent success, but the move could be viewed as a forward-looking contingency by the Leeds hierarchy should the transition back to top-flight football prove rocky. However, his coaching experience is largely limited to Castilla and youth-level tournaments such as the UEFA Youth League, which he won in 2020.

DID YOU KNOW?

Sources close to the situation suggest that more clubs could enter the race in the coming weeks, particularly as managerial vacancies begin to open up during the summer reshuffle. A couple of them have already shown serious interest, including Villarreal in Spain and Schalke in Germany, both of which have historical ties to the former forward.

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AFPWHAT NEXT?

Raul's appointment at Leeds would mark a significant step into senior football management and bring global attention to Elland Road. However, it will be a tough call to remove Farke from the hot seat, especially after guiding the team to the English top flight.

Ruud Gullit reveals he never sought management roles and reflects on the harsh realities of being sacked and the lack of control managers face.

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Gullit reflects on managerial careerDutchman was sacked by Chelsea in 1998Admits being dismissed is 'not a nice feeling'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ruud Gullit has admitted he never aspired to be a football manager but was thrust into the role at Chelsea. The Dutchman was named player-manager at Stamford Bridge in 1996 and went on to win the FA Cup a year later, but a dispute with the hierarchy over compensation led to his dismissal in 1998.

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Gullit's comments shed light on the pressures and uncertainties of modern football management, highlighting the demanding nature of the role and the brutal decisions that can override on-field performance. Chelsea notoriously ran through managers during the Roman Abramovich era and have already been led by Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca since BlueCo completed their takeover in 2022.

WHAT GULLIT SAID

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Gullit said: "I didn't want to be a manager anyway. I never wanted it. I just got dragged into it.

"The one certainty you have is that you get sacked, that is what you know for sure, and it's not a nice feeling when you get sacked.

"There's a lot going on behind your back, a lot of things happening around you that you have no influence on. And that's what I hate about the job."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR GULLIT AND CHELSEA?

Many managers are now scrutinised more than ever and a shorter tenure is commonplace, with Pochettino only getting a season at Chelsea before current boss Maresca was brought in as his successor. Gullit, meanwhile, remains retired from management and focuses on punditry.

Fabrizio Romano says Burnley have reached a “verbal agreement” with the club of a player who has been compared to Lionel Messi, with a loan move to Turf Moor set to be sealed.

Latest Burnley news

The Clarets drew 0-0 yet again on Saturday afternoon, only managing to get a point away to a struggling Portsmouth side in the Championship. Incredibly, it means that Scott Parker’s side have still only conceded nine goals in the league this season, although this will feel like two points dropped.

In terms of Burnley transfer news, Tottenham youngster Will Lankshear was linked with a move to the club, although a host of other teams were also interested and the 19-year-old has since joined rivals West Brom for the second half of the season.

NEC Nijmegen attacker Sontje Hansen is another potential addition for the Clarets before the end of the January transfer window, but as of now, he hasn’t moved on to pastures new.

Similarly, Rangers ace Tom Lawrence is a rumoured target for Burnley, having not only proven himself at the Scottish giants but also impressed in the English game throughout his career. He has scored 50 goals and registered 40 assists in 264 appearances in the Championship, highlighting his pedigree.

Burnley reach "verbal agreement" to sign Edwards

According to a new update from Romano on X, Burnley are now closing in on the loan signing of Sporting CP attacker Marcus Edwards, bringing him in on loan initially:

This could be such an exciting signing for the Clarets, considering Edwards is a player who has been rated highly since his teenage years, with Owen Hargeaves lauding him back in 2022, saying:

“When [Pochettino] was there, he said he moved a little bit like Messi. That touch there, boom, that’s Messi-ish. Just the balance and the touch of it, great dribbler, great balance. The young man has great ability with the ball at his feet, great finish. He is obviously quite shy. You know off the pitch, but his game on the pitch is pretty special to watch.”

While Edwards, 26, hasn’t necessarily reached the heights some thought he would – with all due respect to Burnley, he wouldn’t be moving to the Championship if he had – he is a huge talent who could take Parker’s side to another level.

Sky Sports: Burnley in late talks to sign £3.5m star who Sheff Utd want

The Blades tabled a bid earlier in the window.

1

By
Charlie Smith

Jan 30, 2025

The Englishman has two goals and assists apiece in the Champions League, and four each in the Europa League, and with the Clarets not exactly scoring for fun this season, he could add the attacking spark that they need to seal promotion back to the Premier League.

اختتمت منافسات بطولة الدوري الإيطالي لموسم 2024-2025، مساء يوم الأحد، بعد مرور 38 جولة.

وتوج فريق نابولي بطلاً لـ الدوري الإيطالي، بعدما تصدر الترتيب بفارق نقطة واحدة عن إنتر ميلان.

وتغلب نابولي على كالياري بنتيجة 2-0، وفاز إنتر ميلان على كومو بالنتيجة ذاتها، يوم الجمعة.

وشهدت مباريات اليوم، فوز يوفنتوس أمام فينيزيا بثلاثية لهدفين، وحقق روما الفوز أمام تورينو بهدفين دون رد، وتعرض أتالانتا للهزيمة من بارما بنتيجة 3-2. ترتيب الدوري الإيطالي

1- نابولي، 80 نقطة.

2- إنتر ميلان، 79 نقطة.

3- أتالانتا، 74 نقطة.

4- يوفنتوس، 70 نقطة.

5- روما، 69 نقطة.

6- فيورنتينا، 65 نقطة.

7- لاتسيو، 65 نقطة.

8- ميلان، 63 نقطة.

9- بولونيا، 62 نقطة.

10- كومو، 49 نقطة.

11- تورينو، 44 نقطة.

12- أودينيزي، 44 نقطة.

13- جنوى، 43 نقطة.

14- هيلاس فيرونا، 37 نقطة.

15- كالياري، 36 نقطة.

16- بارما، 36 نقطة.

17- ليتشي، 34 نقطة.

18- إمبولي، 31 نقطة.

19- فينيزيا، 29 نقطة.

20- مونزا، 18 نقطة.

Manchester Originals never in contention during chase of 161

ECB Reporters Network08-Aug-2022Jordan Thompson produced the best Hundred bowling figures of the season as London Spirit trounced Manchester Originals by 52 runs to register a second successive win and go top of the table.Seamer Thompson, who took two wickets at The Oval last week, followed that up with a remarkable 4 for 21 from 20 balls to steamroller the Originals for just 108 at Lord’s. He was ably backed up by the rest of the Spirit attack to ensure a second successive defeat for the Manchester side as the home side’s total of 160 for 6, Zak Crawley top-scoring with 41 from 34, proved to be more than enough.The result continued a notable turnaround for Eoin Morgan’s team, who have already recorded more victories than they managed when finishing bottom in last year’s inaugural tournament.Having opted to bat, Spirit soon lost Adam Rossington to a first-ball duck, leg before to Sean Abbott, and they struggled for momentum despite some powerful blows to the boundary by Crawley. His partnership of 54 from 33 with Morgan raised the home side’s prospects of a sizeable score, with the skipper walloping both Tom Hartley and Matt Parkinson over the fence to reach 37 from 26.However, the batting side could make little of Paul Walter’s nagging line and changes of pace – the Originals’ left-armer finishing with miserly figures of 2 for 18 from his 20 deliveries.With Morgan eventually mistiming a drive off Walter that sailed into the hands of long-on, another two quick wickets left Spirit wobbling slightly at 120 for 5. They were revived by a belligerent cameo from Kieron Pollard, who smashed 34 from just 11 deliveries – including two brutal sixes off Fred Klaassen’s final set – to propel his side up to the 160 mark.Originals were counting on an explosive start from Jos Buttler – but England’s white-ball captain departed for just 6, skying Thompson as Mason Crane raced from short third to grab a difficult diving catch behind the keeper, Rossington.Spirit’s seamers ensured boundaries were few and far between in the early stages, with only three registered from the first 37 balls and the visitors continued to shed wickets at regular intervals. Thompson foxed Wayne Madsen with a slower delivery and then had Walter caught at point, while the most eye-catching dismissal was that of Andre Russell, run out at the bowler’s end by Liam Dawson’s direct hit from point.Viewing the carnage from the other end, Phil Salt (36 from 34) did his best to hold Originals’ innings together – but, when he was bowled by Dawson, any faint hopes of a recovery evaporated.

Pair put on opening stand of 153 in 66-run victory, despite teenager Groves’ half-century for Lightning

ECB Reporters Network16-Jul-2022

Even with five of their squad on international duty, defending champions Southern Vipers were too strong for East Midlands side Lightning as they made it three Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy wins from three at the Incora County Ground, Derby.Maia Bouchier and Freya Kemp, named in the squad for the Commonwealth Games, joined Danni Wyatt, Lauren Bell and Charlie Dean on England duty but Vipers still posted 294 for 6 in their 50 overs before dismissing Lightning for 228 in 44 overs.Hitting 10 boundaries each, Vipers skipper Georgia Adams (82) and 19-year-old Ella McCaughan, whose 72 was a career-best in List A matches, shared a partnership of 153 for the first wicket before Emily Windsor swelled the Vipers’ total with an unbeaten 47.Josie Groves, Lightning’s 17-year-old leg spinner, showed she can also bat by hitting a maiden half-century to go with two wickets, but it was a performance in vain as her side finished 66 runs short, off-spinner Charlotte Taylor taking 3 for 31 as the stand-out bowler, Tara Norris picking up 3 for 35.Without Grace Ballinger, their hero with the ball in the win over Thunder last weekend, the Lightning attack were made to struggle when Vipers won the toss and chose to bat first in ideal conditions, their cause not helped by giving McCaughan a life on 43, when she was dropped at mid-on off spinner Lucy Higham.After treating the new ball with respect, posting 37 in the opening 10 powerplay overs, Adams and McCaughan hit the accelerator as McCaughan completed her half-century from 69 balls, having given just that one chance. Adams soon reached the milestone herself, from 57 deliveries.Three wickets in as many overs suggested a Lightning fightback as Vipers went from 153 without loss in the 28th to 155 for three. Groves turned one nicely to bowl McCaughan before a Kathryn Bryce inswinger bowled Georgia Elwiss for a second-ball duck. An lbw decision against Chloe Hill gave Groves a second scalp.Paige Scholfield hit 18 off 17 balls but was denied more when Groves safely pouched the ball at deep backward square before Adams saw the chance of a century slip away as Piepa Cleary caught a steepling top-edge to off her own bowling.But Lightning could not dislodge Windsor and Vipers’ last two wickets added 85, including 23 off 12 balls by Nancy Harman.In reply, Lightning were ahead in runs after their opening 10 overs but at 49 for two had lost Beth Harmer, leg before trying to pull Scholfield’s medium pace, and Kathryn Bryce, who offered Taylor a simple return catch, falling for just one after a match-winning century against Thunder.With Marie Kelly missing through injury, it placed an onus on Kathryn’s sister Sarah to carry the Lightning innings and though she and third-wicket partner Bethan Ellis were still together at 109 for two in the 25th over, they were a daunting 185 runs behind as the disciplined Vipers bowlers offered few easy opportunities.Both then departed in turn, Sarah Bryce falling one short of a half-century when she went after Harman but picked out the fielder at deep midwicket, before a thin edge off the excellent Taylor saw Ellis caught behind.Groves kept Lightning’s hopes alive with her uninhibited hitting, picking up six fours and smashing Schofield for six over long on, riding her luck on 39 when dropped off Elwiss, but after she sliced to backward point for 55 from 39 balls, with 96 off 13.3 overs required, Sophie Munro was bowled by Taylor, Norris dismissed Higham and Piepa Cleary in the same over and had Alicia Presland stumped in her next over to wrap up the win.

Two things happened on this dark, drizzle-haunted day at Cheltenham. The first was that Hampshire made 457 and then took two prime Gloucestershire wickets, thereby establishing a position from which they will hope to force a vital victory in the second half of this match. The second was that James Vince made 95.Yes, before you say it, the two achievements are intimately bound up with each other. Vince is Hampshire’s skipper, after all, and he had judgements to make about batting points, the shape of the match and other stuff. Yet anyone who has watched him drive through the on side or past point knows that when Vince bats as he did early this afternoon this, his innings transcend their context and become separable from everything else we are watching. So often when he is in this mood, there is a simple alchemy to his batting and a suggestion that however remarkable his gifts might appear to others, they seem terribly straightforward to him. And now that Ian Bell has retired and James Hildreth is not in Somerset’s team, there is no more aesthetically pleasing strokemaker in English cricket than Vince.But this was also a day of four interruptions and they had their impact on Hampshire’s captain. After batting prudently to be unbeaten on six from 35 balls overnight, Vince reached his fifty off a further 68 deliveries with seven fours and a six, the latter being struck straight and clean into corporate hospitality in Zafar Gohar’s first over of the morning. Included in that half-century was a square drive off Tom Price and a back-foot punch off Zak Chappell, and it was difficult to think those strokes could have been played much better.By that time, though, we had lost most of the morning’s play but at least watching any cricket was vastly more pleasurable than it had been 24 hours earlier and parlour games about movie stars had nothing to do with it. The 15 degrees of separation between Tuesday’s play on the College Ground and this morning’s cricket concerned only the thermometer. The folk who filled the small stand opposite the pavilion wanted merely to see whether Gloucestershire could contain a Hampshire side that was clearly intent on rattling up a big total and batting once. A day earlier, one speculated that the people occupying the scalding plastic seats were masochists who liked reminiscing about the Raj, which has often been a topic of conversation in Cheltenham.The weather soon took a role, though, and one didn’t need to be steeped in English cricket to see the irony of it. Seven overs into what was likely to be a long day, mizzle and heavy cloud drifted in from the south-west and soon became sufficiently heavy for the umpires to take the players off the field. We anticipated a brief delay but the bowlers’ run-ups were soon covered and an early lunch was taken. When play resumed at 1.25 it was announced that a further 84 overs would be bowled and the umpires’ determination to squeeze in as much cricket as possible was not greeted with universal rejoicing. correspondent fretted that at this rate he was going to miss his dinner and pointed out with some asperity, that those langoustines weren’t going to eat themselves.The cricket resumed and while Vince batted with perfect precision, wickets were falling at the other end. Felix Organ, who had reached his second century of the season early in the morning’s play, fished rather horribly at Zak Chappell and was caught behind for a career-best 118. Liam Dawson opened with a six and two fours but was well caught at midwicket by Graeme van Buuren off Josh Shaw.Something of a pattern had been established. Ben Brown and Aneurin Donald both made entertaining twenties as Vince sought to recapture his earlier rhythm. There were three more interruptions in late afternoon but none of them trimmed as many overs from our allotment as we had supposed. Keith Barker blasted a half-century in 37 balls and took three-quarters of the strike during his 66-run stand in nine overs with his captain. Eventually, after batting for 263 minutes and facing 162 balls, Vince was bowled by Tom Price with one that squirmed between bat and pad and may even have shaved the inside edge. The last three wickets fell in as many overs and we steadied ourselves for Gloucestershire’s reply.The bad light and rain that had plagued our cricket earlier stayed away during that last hour or so and home supporters must have cursed their absence. Muhammad Abbas’s tenth ball of the innings swung in to Chris Dent, who was pinned without a plea on the back foot for nought. The light closed in a little but only enough to bring on the spinners and that didn’t help Gloucestershire either. In his second over, Dawson turned one out of the rough to the left-handed Marcus Harris and Graham Lloyd raised his finger for the second time in ten minutes. Dawson wheeled away in a celebration that would have done credit to Jack Brooks and there can be no higher praise.Miles Hammond and Ollie Price saw their side to the close amid a cacophony of leg before shouts and a gaggle of near things. The question now is whether van Buuren’s batsmen have the skill and fibre to resist Hampshire’s fine attack for something like two days. We shall see but at least other matters reached a clear conclusion. For example, epicurean correspondent filed his copy and skedaddled. Things were looking bleak for the crustaceans. Some gloomy folk think they are not that much rosier for Gloucestershire.