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Robinson claims four wickets with hosts still 282 runs behind

ECB Reporters Network04-Jun-2019Sussex pace bowler Ollie Robinson left Middlesex facing the prospect of their heaviest County Championship defeat of the modern era after a rain-affected third day at Lord’sThe right-arm seamer tore out the heart out of the home side’s top order with figures of 4 for 23, which included a burst of 3 for 8 in 14 balls.When the weather closed in to provide temporary respite for the beleaguered Seaxes they were 61 for 4 still needing 282 to make Sussex bat again.Perhaps more pertinently, Stuart Law’s side require a further 51 to better their loss by an innings and 232 runs to Sussex at Lord’s in 2005 – their worst defeat against a county side since before the outbreak of World War II.Robinson, in his first match since injuring his shoulder against Durham in April, had taken three wickets on the first day as the Lord’s tenants were hustled out for 138. In more seamer friendly conditions he was close to unplayable second time around.The 25-year-old and his new-ball partner Mir Hamza set Middlesex openers Max Holden and Sam Robson a searching examination in the morning gloom.Both bowlers beat the bat a number of times and it was no surprise when Holden edged a ball leaving him a touch on the off-stump line to Luke Wells at fourth slip.Holden will have been left doubly frustrated by the fact just four balls later, rain and bad light intervened for the first time, driving the players off for an early lunch.The shortened first session meant Robinson had plenty of energy in reserve to take up where he left off upon the resumption and he did so to devastating effect.Moving the ball both ways off the seam, he castled Robson with one which trapped the batsman on the crease and bowled him through the gate.Home skipper Dawid Malan was then undone by one which went the other way, feathering the thinnest of edges to Chris Jordan at first slip.Worse was to come for Middlesex when Stevie Eskinazi poked tentatively at another ball on a nagging off-stump line to give Wells his second catch of the day.Nick Gubbins and James Harris staved off any further drama before the rain came again to prevent any further play.

Planning for a career after football is always wise, but that usually comes in the form of punditry or coaching. Gary Neville famously did one far more successfully than the other, whilst Mikel Arteta is now one of the best managers in the world.

Alfie Whiteman has done neither after leaving Tottenham Hotspur, however.

The 26-year-old has retired from football to pursue an entirely different dream. The goalkeeper was part of Ange Postecoglou’s Europa League-winning squad just last season, providing backup for Guglielmo Vicario and Antonin Kinsky, but failed to get a single minute on the pitch.

In fact, the goalkeeper’s last senior appearance came on loan at Swedish side Degerfors IF in the 2021/22 campaign. Playing 21 games in the Allsvenskan, Whiteman kept just two clean sheets and conceded 40 goals in a difficult spell.

Life as a goalkeeper and as a professional footballer, Whiteman admitted, was not the dream that he had imagined. The goalkeeper, who left Spurs as a free agent in the summer, recently told The Athletic: “I signed for Spurs at 10 years old. Then I left school at 16 and went straight into this full-time life of football.

“When I was around 17 or 18, living in digs, I just had this feeling inside of, ‘Is this it?’ Getting on the mini bus, going to training, doing the Sports Science BTEC (he also did an A Level in Economics) and going home to play video games. I realised, ‘Oh, I’m not happy here’ from quite a young age.

“The stereotype of a footballer is generally quite true. It’s the golf, washbag culture. I was that young footballer. I wanted the Gucci washbag and I drove the Mercedes. You all just become a reflection of each other. You’re a product of your environment. It’s the way football is in this country; it’s so shut off from anything else. You go to training and then you go home, that’s it.”

Unfulfilled and released from his boyhood club, Whiteman has since gone in pursuit of happiness in the film industry.

Whiteman swaps the football for the camera in stunning change

After earning £1.5m in wages at Spurs, Whiteman has retired from football at 26 years old to become a film director and photographer. The former goalkeeper now works for Somesuch – an award-winning production company – where he plans to take a much more fulfilling career path.

It’s been a long time coming too. During his time sitting on the Spurs bench, Whiteman was working as a runner for directors, photographers and producers in preparation for his dream role. Although the expectancy is for footballers to retire in their 30s, he didn’t wait until then to make the jump.

Although many goalkeepers can boast careers at the highest level, you’ll struggle to find a shot-stopper who’s got his hands on a European trophy and an Oscar, but that’s the dream for Whiteman.

Tottenham Hotspur player salaries 2025/26

BBC Radio 5 Live pundit and former Spurs full-back Alan Hutton has claimed that recruitment is the number one ‘underlying problem’ for Antonio Conte at Tottenham Hotspur following talks that his future at the club continues to be in doubt.

The Lowdown: Kane’s confession

There has already been plenty of speculation about whether the 52-year-old will leave the Premier League giants at the end of the season after it was rumoured just last month that the Italian had offered himself as a candidate to replace former Lilywhites boss Mauricio Pochettino at Paris Saint-Germain.

Captain Harry Kane also made an honest confession earlier this week, admitting that he has ‘no idea’ if Conte would still be in charge at the start of next term, causing even more uncertainty over his future.

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The Latest: Conte needs Levy’s backing

Hutton made it clear that he can see the manager staying in north London for the ‘foreseeable future’, but it all depends on Daniel Levy.

He told Football Insider in reaction to Kane’s comments: “I think with Antonio Conte, he’s an emotional man. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He opens his mouth and he just talks from the heart, if you want.

“Conte’s probably just too honest at times. Where he has spoken about: ‘If I’m not doing a good job, I’ll leave,’ it’s the heat of the moment.

“But I think also there’s an underlying problem here where he’s maybe saying to the likes of Daniel Levy: ‘I need help here. I’m trying to make this squad, mould it, into a winning squad and I need help. I need people through the door, I need my targets within this squad to make them.’

“I believe he’ll be the manager for the foreseeable future. It’s about who can you bring in to help him out.”

The Verdict: All about the Champions League

Following Tottenham’s 1-0 away defeat against Burnley back in February, Conte suggested during his post-match interview at Turf Moor that the hierarchy at N17 should consider his future at the club after a run of disappointing results, and while that belief has surely changed, much will depend on Sunday’s events.

The Italian is reportedly looking to offload eight of his players in the summer and sign at least six new replacements, and so if a top four spot is secured, Levy can give him the transfer funds he requires to assemble a new squad ahead of next season.

After picking up three wins out of their last four, Spurs now find themselves sitting just a point away from that coveted place amongst Europe’s elite, and reports have suggested a place in the competition’s group stages banks as much as £40m right off the bat – that would surely do enough to convince Levy to boost the boss’ coffers.

In other news… a transfer insider has claimed that Tottenham have the chance to bring back a fan favourite.

Billy Stanlake was Tasmania’s bowling hero as they made it five wins in five in this season’s One-Day Cup

AAP15-Nov-2025Beau Webster will enter Australia’s Ashes Test squad in good batting form after guiding Tasmania to a four-wicket win over South Australia in a One-Day Cup match on Saturday.Webster didn’t bowl, letting an on-song Billy Stanlake do the damage as the Redbacks made just 195 in Saturday’s match in Kingston. He made his mark with the bat, though. Batting at No. 3 with authority, Webster’s 78 off 96 helped the Tigers home with more than ten overs and four wickets to spare.It was the Tigers’ fifth win from as many 50-over fixtures this year, pushing them well clear on the top of the table.Billy Stanlake celebrates a wicket with Riley Meredith•Getty Images

Webster fell with some work to be done, but Nikhil Chaudhary (19) and Nathan Ellis (20) guided them home.Earlier, Stanlake (3 for 31 from ten overs) made the most of the early movement to torment the Redbacks’ top order. He trapped Jake Fraser-McGurk on the crease for four and grabbed the key wicket of Jake Lehmann, bowled for 29.Nathan McSweeney (49 off 92) tried to steady the innings while Nathan McAndrew (40 off 29) provided some late fireworks.Webster will head west with the Australia team on Sunday, hoping there is room for him in the first Test XI.He’s made four fifties in 12 innings in his seven Tests, often arriving in tricky situations, while taking eight wickets at an average of 23. But he could be squeezed out if selectors opt to shift Cameron Green to No. 6, give opener Jake Weatherald a debut,. and reinstall Marnus Labuschagne at No. 3.

Meredith, Faulkner and Ellis pick up three wickets each before Short and McDermott hit half-centuries

Sruthi Ravindranath24-Dec-2019An impressive show from the fast-bowling trio of Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith and James Faulkner backed up by a solid batting display by D’Arcy Short and Ben McDermott helped the Hobart Hurricanes consign the Melbourne Renegades to their third straight loss this season.The strong performances from Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh with the bat were the only positives on the day for the visiting Renegades, who were treated to some disciplined bowling from the Hurricanes’ quicks, who combined to take nine wickets. Finch fell soon after bringing up his fifty, and the Renegades batting disintegrated after that, the last six wickets falling for just 14 runs to finish on a below-par 147.In reply, Short helped his side get off to a quick start. He was joined in the fourth over by McDermott, who played a patient innings, hitting just one four on his way to a half-century and staying till the end to take his side past the line.Short, McDermott play it smartShort’s exploits in the format are well-known, and the opener had yet another impressive outing on the day. The top run-scorer of last season brought up his second fifty of the season, plundering the Renegades bowlers for seven fours and a six to lead the chase of the small target.But it was McDermott’s innings which stood out. Playing sensibly, the Hurricanes captain stuck to quick singles, especially against the spinners. He had come in after two quick wickets in the fourth over, and both batsmen slowed it down for a while, not attempting any big shots from the sixth to tenth overs.When Short got to a 37-ball 50, McDermott was on 20 off 22 balls without a single boundary against his name. Shortly after their partnership crossed 70 runs, the Renegades got the breakthrough with Boyce striking Short’s pads. But it did not set any alarm bells ringing for the Hurricanes, who needed 49 off 37 balls at that stage and had David Miller at the crease. While McDermott stuck to his plan, Miller helped reduce the equation further by smoking two sixes off Harry Gurney, one of which went out of the ground.McDermott went on, bringing up his fifty off 47 balls at the end of the penultimate over, and the win was sealed soon after.Riley Meredith bowled superbly at the death•Getty Images

Finch and Marsh play their partAfter Sam Harper holed out to Faulkner for a duck in the third ball of the match, Finch was joined by the in-form Marsh. The duo showed their fondness for spin as McDermott introduced left-arm spinner Clive Rose up front. His very first delivery was swept away to the boundary by Finch, and while he managed to keep the batsmen quiet for the rest of that over, he was taken for two more fours in his second.Finch and Marsh took the total to 1 for 50 by the end of the powerplay, but the run rate gradually slowed down over the next three overs, with Meredith, Ellis and Qais Ahmed giving away just 18 runs. Marsh was eventually undone by Ellis’ slower ball, which he hit straight to long-on. But Finch carried on, bringing up his 16th BBL half-century off 36 balls, hitting six fours on the way.Hurricanes’ quicks call the shotsFinch couldn’t make it a big one, sent back caught trying to whip Meredith’s full delivery over midwicket, and the Hurricanes did not let the opposition take the upper hand from there on. Ahmed pinned Beau Webster in front and it was one-way traffic after that. The quicks ran riot, combining to pick five wickets for just eight runs and bowl the Renegades out for 147. Ellis and Meredith, in particular, bowled with discipline, using changes of pace and probing lines to keep the Renegades quiet.Merdith bowled the big 18th over and did superbly – getting Dan Christian to edge a short ball to the keeper and then pinning Tom Cooper in front with a near-145kph yorker. In the next over, Ellis bowled a slow short delivery that Cameron Boyce sent to long-on, and he then took out Richard Gleeson with an inch-perfect yorker. Faulkner came back to finish off the job in the first ball of the final over when he had Kane Richardson caught at mid-off.

Batter joins Sri Lankan fast bowler Suranga Lakmal as the club’s overseas signings

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2023Haider Ali, the Pakistan batter, will join Derbyshire for the 2023 county season.Haider, 22, has played 35 white-ball matches for his country, including two appearances at the recent ICC T20 World Cup, where Pakistan were runners-up to England. In 33 T20I appearances, he has scored 499 runs, including three half-centuries, one of which came against England at Emirates Old Trafford in 2020.Announcing Haider’s signing on Friday, Derbyshire recognised his red-ball abilities also, citing an average of 54.33 from 11 first-class appearances, including three centuries and four half-centuries. He will be available in all formats during the 2023 county season, subject to international commitments, and joins Sri Lankan fast bowler Suranga Lakmal as the club’s two overseas signings.Mickey Arthur, Derbyshire’s head of cricket and the former Pakistan coach, said: “Haider is an immensely talented young player who already has a wealth of international experience, which will be key for us in all formats.Related

• Shan Masood signs for Yorkshire on two-year deal

• County ins and outs 2022-23

• PCB's talks with Mickey Arthur to coach Pakistan fall through

“I spoke with him at the T20 World Cup, and again during the Lanka Premier League, and he’s so hungry to come to England and prove himself in all formats, that’s exactly the attitude we want in our dressing room. Of course, he still has a lot of developing to do, but I’ve outlined what I expect from him and I have no doubt Haider will succeed in county cricket.”Haider said: “I’ve seen over the last few years how many Pakistan players have improved their game by playing at a high standard in county cricket, and that’s something I think could really help my development.”Mickey Arthur is such a respected figure in world cricket and he’s still so highly regarded within the Pakistan set-up, so the opportunity to learn from him is one I’m so excited about… there’s a lot of good players here and Mickey wants to achieve something big with this club. Hopefully I can contribute a lot of runs in 2023 and entertain the Derbyshire crowd.”Haider’s move to Derbyshire comes after fellow Pakistan batter Shan Masood left the club where he scored 1,766 runs across formats last season for a two-year deal at Yorkshire, where he will be captain in 2023.

Manchester United are plotting a loan swoop for a “complete” £64 million player in January, according to a recent report.

Ruben Amorim completed his first training session as Man Utd head coach on Monday afternoon, as he prepares his new side to face Ipswich Town on Sunday, in what is his first game in charge of the Red Devils.

Man Utd transfer news

All focus around Old Trafford will be on that first game under the Portuguese and then the many other matches United face in the next few weeks. However, as the days and weeks go on, the January transfer window is getting closer and closer, and it seems United are slowly putting potential plans in place.

One player United could look to sign in January is midfielder Oihan Sancet, as the Red Devils have been linked with a move for the Athletic Bilbao midfielder. Sancet has a release clause of £67 million, but United are not the only team interested, as Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are also keen on signing the Spanish international.

Amorim now thinks he's found a £54m upgrade on Rashford for Man Utd to sign

Amorim wants United to sign a player he thinks is better than Marcus Rashford.

By
Brett Worthington

Nov 19, 2024

As well as Sancet, Man Utd have their sights set on AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic, as Amorim sees the USA international as an upgrade to Marcus Rashford. The winger has been in excellent form in Italy, and that has put him on the radar of the Red Devils as well as Arsenal and Liverpool. But Pulisic doesn’t come cheap, as a minimum offer of £54 million would be needed to get negotiations underway.

However, both these deals could be difficult to do, as United may have to settle for loan deals in January, and they have their eye already on one potential target.

Man Utd plotting January loan swoop for Randal Kolo Muani

According to L’Equipe, relayed by Fussball News, Manchester United are interested in signing Randal Kolo Muani on loan in January. The Paris Saint-Germain striker, who is used to a 3-4-3 formation from his time at Frankfurt, has been with the French giants since September 2023, but it has been a testing 18 months or so, as he’s yet to nail down a regular starting spot.

The 25-year-old, who has been labelled “complete” by Kylian Mbappé in the past, scored six goals in 26 Ligue 1 appearances last season. In this 2024/25 campaign, Kolo Muani has started just two of the 12 games he has played in all competitions, but he has scored two goals during that time.

This report states that United are thinking about a loan swoop for Kolo Muani, who is in the 90th percentiles for non-penalty XG per 90 minutes for forwards, in January, as their expensive summer business may mean they can only do loan deals in the New Year. So, the fact that Kolo Muani’s contract runs until 2028 allows the Red Devils to take the Frenchman on loan.

However, United could face a potential stumbling block as the striker, who cost PSG £64 million, has stated that he has not thought about leaving the French club. He said: “No, I never thought about it. You have to keep the mentality. It’s up to me to keep working so that the coach trusts me.”

Lamine Yamal received a special welcome at a WWE Smackdown taping in Barcelona on Friday, meeting legend Triple H and receiving a personalised belt.

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• WWE Champ Cody Rhodes poses for pic with young star
• Triple H heralded Yamal and Barcelona's bright future
• Wonderkid appeared with teammates Balde and Fort

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The WWE rolled out the red carpet for Barcelona's wunderkind on their first official televised event in the Catalonian capital. Yamal took the time to pose with Triple H, Drew McIntyre, and current Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yamal attended the event alongside his Barça teammates Alejandro Balde and Hector Fort. The three youngsters received a rapturous welcome by the fans in attendance. Playing to the crowd, the 17-year-old gleefully flashed his new hardware while sporting a massive grin.

• WHAT TRIPLE H AND DREW MCINTYRE SAID

  Both Triple H and Mcintyre took to their own X accounts to brag about meeting the young star.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LAMINE YAMAL?

  Luckily, Yamal doesn't have to worry about defending his ceremonial belt. Instead his focus will turn to Barcelona's top-of-the-table clash with Atletico Madrid on Sunday night. Next week, he'll report for duty with Spain ahead of their Nations League double header against the Netherlands.

Mohammed Shami had broken the stumps with the Sri Lanka captain on 98

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-20232:58

Run-out controversy: should India have gone ahead with their appeal?

India captain Rohit Sharma defused a potentially controversial situation by withdrawing a run-out appeal against Dasun Shanaka, despite the Sri Lanka skipper being out of his crease at the non-striker’s end in the first ODI in Guwahati.The incident occurred in the final over of the game, when Mohammed Shami ran in to bowl but broke the stumps at the non-striker’s end before delivering the ball. Sri Lanka needed 83 off three balls at the time and Shanaka was batting on 98.

Watch on ESPN Player in the UK

WATCH the first India vs Sri Lanka ODI full replay

“I had no idea Shami had done that,” Rohit told Star Sports after the game. “When he went up in an appeal… Again, he [Shanaka] is batting on 98. The way he batted was brilliant. We got to give it to him. We cannot get him out like that. We wanted to get him out the way we thought we would get him out. But that was not something that we thought of. But again, hats off to him, he played really well.”Had Rohit not withdrawn Shami’s appeal, Shanaka would have been out, but the Sri Lankan captain was allowed to continue his innings and went on to finish 108 not out off 88 balls. India ended up winning the game by 67 runs, after Virat Kohli’s 113 off 87 balls – his 45th ODI century – had powered the hosts to 373 for 7 in 50 overs.After winning the T20I series 2-1, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The teams now travel to Kolkata for the second ODI at Eden Gardens on January 12.

The international break looks to be coming at the best possible time for Aston Villa, who succumbed to a fourth straight defeat in all competitions away at Liverpool this Saturday.

It wasn’t quite the pasting they were handed on their travels to Tottenham Hotspur, with Arne Slot’s Reds having to dig deep to overcome Unai Emery’s men 2-0, but it was still a defeat at the end of the day that leaves the low on confidence Villans in eighth spot in the Premier League, which is a worrying ten points behind table-topping Liverpool.

There were various different Villa underperformers that failed to step up to the mark under the intense lights of Anfield, as Emery attempts to get more out of his team on the training ground between now and their next Premier League clash, knowing that a break could be what his team desires.

Main Villa underperformers at Anfield

Before he can get to work in this department, however, the stinging defeat versus Liverpool will be firmly on his mind, with the likes of Diego Carlos struggling at the back throughout to contain the hosts’ firepower up top.

The Villa defence were all at sea for Liverpool’s opening breakaway goal, which saw Darwin Nunez fire home after Mohamed Salah rampaged forward, but the game-deciding second strike from the Egyptian at the death saw the Brazilian centre-back inexplicably head it off the electric number 11, who then ran through unchallenged to confidently seal the win.

Away from the defenders having a shaky night, the attackers were also below-par, with Morgan Rogers giving possession away a costly 21 times across the course of the game.

Ollie Watkins also fired more blanks for the away team, as the usually potent 28-year-old’s barren patch in front of goal now stretches to five games in all competitions, with the former Exeter City wonderkid only managing six accurate passes away from missing a single big chance.

But, although Rogers and Watkins underwhelmed, they have shone for their team this season away from this match in isolation.

Whereas, across the campaign to date, Leon Bailey keeps mustering up weak performances and his outing at Liverpool unfortunately followed that trend.

Bailey's performance in numbers

It could be argued that Bailey was lucky not to receive a booking in the build-up to Nunez’s opener, having hauled down Salah viciously before the Uruguayan got the better of Martinez.

Away from that contentious moment, the Jamaica international barely got into the contest, with only 23 touches of the ball coming his way. Even the aforementioned Martinez managed more than that, with the busy Villa shot-stopper registering a heftier 36.

There are more numbers, when looking at the table above, that further demonstrate how passive Bailey was against Slot’s hosts, with only 11 accurate passes coming his way from a lack of touches, alongside only managing one shot the entire game before being substituted just after the hour mark.

Thankfully for Bailey, his replacement in Jaden Philogene-Bidace failed to also flicker into life – as the ex-Hull City winger only managed eight touches himself – but Emery will be searching for better alternatives down the right flank away from the former Bayer Leverkusen attacker during the break to come.

After firing home ten goals and picking up nine assists last season in the top flight, it’s hard to not ponder why Bailey’s form has taken such a sharp and sudden decline, with zero goals and two assists coming his way this campaign from ten Premier League clashes.

Handed a 5/10 match rating after the game by Birmingham Live’s John Townley, with the journalist simply stating that the Villa number 31 is ‘struggling for confidence’, the time could now be right for Bailey to be given a break from first-team duties, as Emery goes about reinvigorating his troops to bounce back from the sorry state they’re currently submerged in.

Aston Villa's "outstanding" loan ace is worth more than Rogers after exit

The Villa striker has excelled this season

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 8, 2024