Nottingham Forest won the race for USMNT star Gio Reyna as they put a “higher offer” in place, with said deal leaving Fiorentina disappointed.
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Glasgow Rangers have been busy in the market throughout the summer transfer window and could take their incoming business into double digits before the deadline
Who have Rangers signed this summer?
The Light Blues have been able to bolster their squad in a number of areas as Michael Beale has snapped up nine new signings to date.
Leon Balogun, Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, Kieran Dowell, Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Jose Cifuentes, and Sam Lammers have all come through the door on permanent deals. They have also loaned in winger Abdallah Sima from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.
Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…
A tenth addition could be on the way over the coming weeks as they were recently touted with interest in Millwall centre-back Jake Cooper, who is now into the final 12 months of his contract with the English side.
How good is Jake Cooper?
The 6 foot 6 titan is a dominant defender who could arrive at Ibrox to form a monstrous partnership with Connor Goldson at the heart of Beale's backline.
John Souttar has started the current campaign on the left of the central defensive pairing but the Scotland international's fitness record in recent years suggests that the Gers need an excellent option to compete with or provide cover for him.
The former Hearts stopper has missed a whopping 87 competitive matches through injury since the start of the 2020/21 season and was absent for 43 Rangers games last term.
Cooper, on the other hand, has featured in at least 42 league matches for Millwall in each of the last five campaigns, which shows that he is a durable and reliable option on the left side of the defence.
The left-footed brute could form an intimidating partnership with Goldson as they are both able to dominate opposition attackers in the air. Cooper won 67% of his aerial duels last season and 73% of them during the previous term, as per Sofascore.
In fact, the English ace ranked within the top 5% of his positional peers at Championship level with 5.05 headers won per 90 during the 2022/23 campaign.
Meanwhile, the current Rangers colossus has won at least 63% of his aerial contests over the last three full Scottish Premiership years, which shows that both players come out on top in the majority of their headed duels and would be able to deal with teams who hurl balls into the box or try to play long to a target man.
Cooper, who was once hailed as "invaluable" by boss Gary Rowett, averaged Sofascore ratings of 6.94 and 7.13 across the 2022/23 and 2021/22 seasons respectively, whilst only Goldson (7.29) recorded a score higher than 6.96 last term.
These statistics suggest that the 28-year-old Gers target has the quality to be an excellent performer due to his consistently impressive performances, whilst also being more reliable than Souttar in terms of his potential availability throughout the year.
Therefore, Beale could land a monster partner for Goldson to start alongside the English battler when Souttar is unavailable by securing a deal to sign the dominant Millwall giant before the window slams shut.
Chelsea's summer move for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo could now collapse, following a "key development" regarding the potential signing of him this summer.
How old is Moises Caicedo?
The 21-year-old has emerged as arguably the Blues' biggest transfer target of the summer window, as their midfield goes through something of a rebuild ahead of the new Premier League season.
N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic have both left Stamford Bridge in recent times, while Jorginho joined Arsenal back in January, so new faces are needed to shine in the middle of the park alongside relatively new arrival Enzo Fernandez.
Caicedo enjoyed a fantastic season for Brighton, proving to be one of their most important players and excelling next to Alexis Mac Allister, who has already departed the Seagulls to join Liverpool earlier this summer. The Ecuadorian has seen his current club be extremely stubborn when it comes to accepting an offer from Chelsea, however, demanding huge money for his services, not helped by the amount Arsenal paid for Declan Rice, for example.
Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding the Blues' pursuit of the young midfielder – one that could cause plenty of concern among the fanbase.
What's the latest on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea?
According to Football Insider, and journalist Pete O'Rourke, Chelsea are "not currently in active talks" with Caicedo over a summer switch to Stamford Bridge, having seen a second bid for him turned down. The transfer is "now facing collapse", even though the player himself is "keen" on the move coming to fruition, in what is threatening to become a potentially ugly situation. The report has described it as a "key development".
Missing out on Caicedo now would be such a blow for Chelsea, considering how much they have tried to get him since the end of last season, and he remains a standout option who could help give their midfield such an injection of youth and quality. Graham Potter once said, "it doesn’t surprise me that people are looking at him because he is playing at a fantastic level", further outlining his class as a player.
Last season, the Ecuador international averaged 2.7 tackles per game in the Premier League, showing what a tenacious presence he is out of possession, but he is also a technically-strong footballer, completing 88.8% of his passes in the competition.
The hope is that there is still time for the situation to change, allowing Brighton to finally accept a bid that suits all parties, but it looks increasingly as though Chelsea could have to look elsewhere for a high-quality midfield addition, which is far from ideal with the beginning of the new season edging closer all the time.
The Blues begin their campaign with a home clash with Liverpool next month, which promises to be an exciting match, and they will be coming up against a Reds side who have already made big midfield changes this summer, bringing in both Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
If Chelsea don't ensure the same has happened by the time the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge, they could find themselves in a sticky situation in Mauricio Pochettino's first game in charge at the club.
The concept of the points-based “Super Series”, trialled last summer to add over-arching context to the sport’s three different formats, was quietly put into mothballs ahead of this season. But had it still been in existence, we’d have been geared up for an improbably thrilling climax to the second tour of the English summer. Following West Indies’ victory in Saturday’s one-off T20 and their stunning run-chase in the second Test at Headingley, England’s lead would have been a narrow eight points to six with a possible 10 still up for grabs – an ideal level of intrigue leading into the latest finish to an English season on record.And yet … taken in its own context (and leaving aside the threat of cold, wet conditions and potentially indifferent crowds), this particular one-day series requires remarkably little artifice to have an interest all of its own. Part of that may be due to a tinge of desperation on the part of the visitors – West Indies, currently ranked No.9 in the world in ODIs, are in serious peril of missing out on automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup – they will need a 4-0 or 5-0 series win to vault into the top eight positions. And even if that challenge proves beyond them, the fact that the World Cup will be taking place on English soil in barely 18 months’ time means that there are still plenty of benefits to be had in this reconnaissance mission.More pertinently, however, the coming five matches represent the first trickle of a new era for West Indies cricket following the thawing in relations between their senior players and the CWI. A pair of star batsmen are back in harness for this trip – Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels – with the promise of more to come if further progress can be made in negotiations. It’s small steps, but significant ones, given how far apart the two parties have been since last year’s World T20, when it could be argued that the righteous fury that the board ignited within a tight-knit squad turned out to be a major factor in their surge to the trophy.For England, too, there is plenty at stake in the coming few days. They have put so much into their white-ball cricket in recent seasons that this brief outing – sandwiched as it is between seven home Tests and the rapidly approaching Ashes tour – seems an odd throwback to the pre-2015 era in which one-day cricket was seen as a second-class citizen. All the more reason, therefore, for Eoin Morgan’s men to put their best feet forward as the season draws to a close, and keep that precious “momentum” (whatever that really entails…) bubbling into their new-year engagements in Australia and New Zealand.It is a measure of the progress made by England in recent months that their last ODI outing was such a bitter anti-climax. Previous one-day teams might have been delighted to make it as far as the final four of a global tournament, but there was barely disguised dismay as England crashed to defeat in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy against the eventual champions, Pakistan, in Cardiff, after their riotous run-makers were left floundering by the pace and hostility of, in particular, Junaid Khan and Hasan Ali.
(last five completed matches, most recent first)
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He’s days away from his 38th birthday, and in terms of his career, he’s already deeper into autumn than even this English season. But there’s an inevitable sense of new beginnings for Chris Gayle, as he prepares for what will be his first ODI appearance since the 2015 World Cup, already two and a half years ago. Gayle showed during his brief and explosive foray at Chester-le-Street that he remains a formidable campaigner, still without equal when it comes to dispatching length deliveries into the ether, of which there were far too many in England’s gullible bowling performance in Saturday’s T20. His running between the wickets, never exactly a strength even in his heyday, remains an Achilles heel. But he’s got his sights firmly set on the 2019 World Cup, and amid the thawing of relationships with CWI, who would bet against him securing his dream farewell?It’s not the same format, but there will be several of the same players ready to greet him as he makes his return to the white-ball fray. Ben Stokes was controversially omitted from England’s ranks in the one-off T20 at his home ground in Durham, but now he’s back on parade, and reunited with the team that swiped his dream, and his final over, into the night sky in Kolkata 18 months ago. Most significantly, perhaps, Stokes will be reunited with Marlon Samuels – a player who has been under his skin and in his face for the best part of two years. Salutes, taunts and a truck-load of vitriol has flowed between two players who wear their hearts on their sleeves. It’s not always edifying viewing, but it’s rarely less than entertaining. And given the importance of the two characters to their teams, whoever wins their personal duel will go a long way to winning the overall contest.
Given how tough Jonny Bairstow has found it to break into England’s first-choice XI, it is quite a surprise – though an entirely merited one – that he has been preferred once again to Jason Roy at the top of England’s order. Roy received unequivocal backing throughout the group stages of the Champions Trophy, but eventually had to give way through his sheer dearth of runs. Bairstow did his best with 41 from 57 balls in a low-scoring semi-final – only Joe Root managed more for England – and, in the words of his captain, Eoin Morgan, “he deserves a chance to make the position his own.” England will be strengthened significantly from the T20 line-up with the return of their two allrounders, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali. Chris Woakes may be in line for his ODI return, having suffered a side strain in the opening match of the Champions Trophy, but Tom Curran – impressive in his three T20s to date – could be in line for a debut.England (possible) 1 Alex Hales, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Tom Curran, 10 Jake Ball, 11 Liam PlunkettWest Indies’ T20 squad contained none of the Test players who made names for themselves during the first leg of their tour, but the ODI squad is an amalgam of the two formats – with the likes of Shai Hope, the breakout star of the Test series, and Jason Holder, blended in with the likes of Gayle and Samuels. Jason Holder returns to his leadership duties in place of Carlos Brathwaite.West Indies (possible) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Shai Hope (wk), 5 Kyle Hope, 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Jason Holder (capt), 8 Jason Mohammed, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Jerome Taylor, 10 Kesrick Williams
It promises to be bright and intermittently warm at Old Trafford on Tuesday, which ought to cheer up West Indies after their less-than-enthusiastic tackling of the chilly evening conditions at Chester-le-Street on Saturday. It’s been a while since Old Trafford hosted a 50-over game, but Lancashire amassed 300-plus scores in both of their Royal London Cup fixtures earlier this season, so plenty runs could be in the offing.
“I don’t think anyone knows [how to bowl to Gayle], do they? He’s such a good player he just hits the ball out of the park wherever he wants.”
“It’s obviously a huge boost with the calibre of player Chris is. We can expect some really good things from him.”
Sri Lanka Cricket, who had already named a T20 squad ahead of the ODI series against India, have now announced a new 15 two days ahead of the one-off game
Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Sep-2017
Jeffrey Vandersay was one of Sri Lanka’s better performers at the 2016 World T20•Associated Press
Although Sri Lanka Cricket had already named a T20 squad ahead of the ODI series, two days out from the one-off match against India, the board has released a new squad, this one featuring legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay and seam-bowling allrounder Dasun Shanaka.Sri Lanka’s revised T20 squad
Upul Tharanga (capt), Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilshan Munaweera, Dasun Shanaka, Milinda Siriwardana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Isuru Udana, Seekkuge Prasanna, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Vikum Sanjaya
Also in this side are spinner Akila Dananjaya, who was Sri Lanka’s most penetrative bowler in the ODIs, seamer Suranga Lakmal, who has recovered from a back complaint, and allrounders Wanindu Hasaranga, Thisara Perera and Milinda Siriwardana. Seam bowler Isuru Udana has also been named, while Dushmantha Chameera and Vishwa Fernando have been omitted.Kusal Mendis, whom the management feels is suffering from mental fatigue, has been rested as well.Vandersay has not played a T20 for Sri Lanka since the World T20 last year, which is perhaps surprising, as he had been one of the team’s standout players in that tournament. His return was complicated by injury, but the selectors have tried other spinners ahead of him as well. Notably absent from this 15 is left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan – a more aggressive but expensive option.*On the seam-bowling front Sri Lanka have Lasith Malinga, in addition to Lakmal and Vikum Sanjaya. The most senior batsman is Angelo Mathews, and this will also be Upul Tharanga’s first match as full-time T20 captain.T20s are the one format in which Sri Lanka have a creditable record in 2017. They won both the three-match series against Australia and South Africa, and drew the two-match series against Bangladesh to keep a 5-3 win-loss record. The victories over Australia and South Africa, however, were against substantially depleted teams.The match is scheduled to be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 6.*The story had earlier stated Seekkuge Prasanna had been ommittted. However, he is in the squad.
A loss for New Zealand would dent their chances of a straightforward entry into the semi-final, while a defeat for West Indies would further hurt their net run-rate, which is already down in the negative
The Preview by Annesha Ghosh06-Jul-2017With one win, one loss, and one washed-out match, New Zealand are tottering at fifth place on the points table. They are coming off a narrow five-wicket loss to Australia, which went down to the penultimate over, but will take heart from the resistance offered by their bowlers in that match. They will also take heart from the form of their opponents – West Indies, finalists in 2013, have yet to win a match and come into this game having been dismissed for 48 against South Africa, their second-lowest total in ODIs.A loss for New Zealand would dent their chances of a straightforward entry into the semi-final, while a defeat for West Indies would further hurt their net run-rate, which is already down in the negative.West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor has stressed that “panic is not in our books”, but has also acknowledged it was “down to business time” for her side, with the threat of falling out of contention for a semi-final berth. “All the teams are in the business mood; we, too, do need to get into the business mood. It’s all about belief, going out there and getting the job done,” she said.No West Indies batsman has made a half-century in the tournament so far and they would look to heed the advice of coach Vasbert Drakes, who emphasised the importance of clarity: “I want the players to be clear in what they want to do, be clear in their decision making, be clear in their thinking.”Their chances of a turnaround will depend heavily on former captain and wicketkeeper Merissa Aguilleira finding form in her 100th ODI appearance, after scores of 1, 6 and 3 so far. Allrounder Deandra Dottin, who followed her 20-ball 29 against Australia with scores of 7 and 0, will also look to summon her might with the bat and deliver breakthroughs with her medium-pace.No West Indies batsman has yet struck a half-century in the tournament•AFPA cloud cover is likely to loom over County Ground for a major part of the day, which could assist the medium-pacers early. However, considering spinners have bagged 21 wickets as opposed to the 10 by the seamers in the three matches played so far at the venue, it’s unlikely New Zealand would risk tweaking with their four-spinner attack, led by the offspin-legspin pair of Anna Peterson and Amelia Kerr.New Zealand allrounder Amy Satterthwaite, who had returns of 6 for 17 – the best T20I bowling figures – with her medium-pace at this ground in 2007, could also find purchase with her offspin should the match be played on a used pitch. In assessing the challenges West Indies may pose, Satterthwaite echoed coach Haidee Tiffen, underlining the need for her side to guard against the mercurial nature of the opposition. “They are a dangerous side and a quality side as well and must be hurting with their start and we know that they’ll come back strong. They showed that in the way they won the World T20 title last year, so they know how to win games,” Satterthwaite said.West Indies’ resources in the bowling department are limited. Having lost their fast-bowling strike bowlers Shakera Selman and Shamilia Connell to injuries, their effectiveness revolves largely around Taylor’s offbreaks – she is the side’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with three dismissals. West Indies will look to left-arm spinner Shanel Daley and offspinner Afy Fletcher to back Taylor up in their pursuit of their first win on the tour so far.
Shai Hope battled to a gritty 90, leading West Indies into a handy lead, before Yasir Shah claimed another six-wicket haul to push Pakistan ahead on an attritional fourth day
The Report by Danyal Rasool03-May-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsYasir Shah claimed five wickets in the final session to turn the second Test in Pakistan’s favour•AFPIt was a memorable day of Test cricket at the Kensington Oval, but for West Indies, it was a cruel finish. After all, West Indies – led by a resolute 90 from Shai Hope that lasted over five hours – made Pakistan’s bowlers graft and toil for the majority of the day, but the defining period will be five minutes of chaos that saw his side lose three wickets in eight balls for one run. It might yet lose them a game they have grated their way back into on more than one occasion, but with the lead already 183 with one wicket in hand, the Test is still alive. Yasir Shah claimed another six-wicket haul to lead Pakistan’s fightback in the final hour.With West Indies leading by 154 runs with six wickets still in hand, thoughts may already have been turning to an early declaration on the final day. But all of a sudden, Hope sought to cover drive a flighted Yasir delivery through the air, perfectly picking out Azhar Ali at cover. The next ball saw Vishaul Singh, the other set batsman, drag an inswinging delivery from Mohammad Abbas onto his stumps. Six deliveries on, Jason Holder poked at one from Yasir, and even as the light eroded, Younis Khan was never going to drop that.There was still enough time for West Indies’ last recognised batsman – Shane Dowrich – to edge one that ballooned up for an easy catch to second slip. Yasir dismissed Alzarri Joseph soon after to take his innings tally to six, and West Indies’ hard work crumbled.They had begun the final session with the resoluteness that characterised their batting all day. The runs, which had begun to flow a little too freely, dried up after tea as Misbah operated spin from both ends, waiting for the new ball. The likelihood of a wicket seemed to recede with both Vishaul and Hope looking increasingly comfortable, and West Indies began to take hold of the game. Shadab came closest to a breakthrough with an lbw shout against Vishaul that Pakistan decided to review, only to be thwarted by the on-field umpire’s call. As a result, the breakthrough Yasir provided through Hope’s moment of ill-judgment will seem even more fateful, coming as it did at a time when the hosts were looking to bat Pakistan out of the game.Momentum in the first session had fluctuated, a half-century partnership between Kraigg Brathwaite and Hope steering West Indies into the lead. West Indies got off to a terrible start, having added only one run to their overnight score when Shimron Hetmyer, who had looked convincing on the third evening, was dismissed by Mohammad Amir. The manner of the wicket was identical to his dismissal in Jamaica, the ball seaming back in sharply to crash into the stumps.Hope and Brathwaite batted more positively after coming together, but just as it looked like West Indies might creep into the ascendancy once more, Brathwaite was undone by a combination of vicious spin from Yasir and staggering reflexes from Younis. Yasir pitched one well outside leg stump from around the wicket, which spun sharply across and clipped the shoulder of his bat. Younis dived to his right with agility and reflexes that belied his age, holding on to a splendid one-handed catch that could end up being as crucial as any runs he scores this game.The afternoon session was a cagey affair as Yasir resumed the session by bowling around the wicket again to exploit the rough, while Roston Chase and Hope kept him at bay. Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Amir kept chipping away laboriously from the other end, as Misbah appeared reluctant to trust a misfiring Shadab with runs at a premium. But it was Yasir’s persistence from around the wicket that finally paid off for Pakistan when he drew Chase into driving him on the up. Chase hadn’t been able to get to the pitch of the ball, and the drive came straight back to Yasir for an easy catch, giving Pakistan a breakthrough they needed badly.
Four-fors from Varun Aaron (4-20) and medium-pacer Rahul Shukla (4-32) helped Jharkhand defend a total of 125 to beat Saurashtra by 42 runs at Eden Gardens. Saurashtra’s chase lasted only 25.1 overs with all ten wickets falling to pace. Aaron prised out key wickets in the middle order, before Shukla and left-arm seamer Jaskaran Singh cleaned up the tail.Like Saurashtra, Jharkhand, too, lost all their wickets to pace. Kushang Patel carved up the top order, first getting the early wicket of opener Anand Singh and then breaking a 43-run, second-wicket stand to trigger a Jharkhand slump in which they lost nine wickets for 64. Kushang, who was on a hat-trick in the 10th over, finished with 4 for 39, while Shaurya Sanandia cleaned up the lower order for career-best returns of 5 for 47. Jharkhand were propped up by a 40-ball 53 from Ishan Kishan and MS Dhoni’s 24-ball 23.Ashutosh Singh’s 98-ball 65 was in vain as Chhattisgarh suffered a four-run defeat against Hyderabad in Kolkata. Ashutosh’s wicket off the first ball of the final over left Chhattisgarh needing eight runs from five balls, of which they could only manage three. His half-century, however, had helped them rally after they were struggling at 78 for 5 in the 20th over. Ravi Kiran, Chama Milind and Mehdi Hassan and Mohammad Siraj took two wickets each for Hyderabad.Bavanaka Sandeep’s unbeaten 70 off 99 balls was the top score in Hyderabad’s innings as they were bowled out for 197 despite starts from the top order. Three run-outs and a slump in the middle overs – they lost four wickets for eight runs between the 25th and 28th overs – limited Hyderabad’s total.Jammu & Kashmir suffered a 24-run defeat against Services. Chasing 215, J&K were bowled out for 190, having lost their middle order during a four-wicket slide for only 20 runs between the 21st and 27th overs. Puneet Bisht and Ram Dayal resisted for J&K but once Bisht was dismissed for 45, J&K collapsed quickly and were out in the 46th over. Ahmed Bandy top-scored for them with 59 off 65 balls, having contributed heavily at the start. Left-arm spinner Vipin Singh took 3 for 41.Services, too, crumbled in the middle overs, after their top order, particularly Nakul Verma (68) and Shamsher Yadav (52), had done the hard work of establishing a platform with a 99-run partnership for the third wicket. They lost five wickets for only one run between the 37th and 40th overs, collapsing from 164 for 2 to 169 for 7, before eventually being bowled out for 214. Parvez Rasool took 3 for 36 while Mohammed Mudhasir and Manzoor Dar took two wickets each.
Erling Haaland has revealed the unusual sleeping habits that help to make him a goal machine, with the Manchester City striker taping his mouth shut!
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Norwegian hit 52 goals last seasonIn prolific form again this termAlways looking to improveWHAT HAPPENED?
The Norway international hit 52 goals for Treble-winning City last season, allowing him to collect the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, and has already found the target on three occasions in 2023-24. The 23-year-old frontman continues to terrorise opposition defences, with few able to find a way of containing the obvious threat that he poses.
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Haaland is always looking to better himself – allowing him to remain one step ahead of his rivals – and that process extends as far as his bedtime routine. In order to be in peak condition every time that he takes to the field, the fearsome forward leaves no stone unturned in a bid to achieve marginal gains.
WHAT THEY SAID
Haaland has told Logan Paul’s YouTube show of his somewhat bizarre sleeping rituals: “Movement, training, biomechanics, I’m a bit into, to use your body and make it work and function in the best possible way – I’m really into that. And I think sleep is the most important thing in the world. So to sleep good, simple kind of things – blue blocking glasses, shutting out all the signals in the bedroom, I think is really important. [It’s about] small things. I think to do a lot of things is not good but to do small things every single day for a longer period really pays off.” He added when Paul revealed that he uses tape on his nose in a bid to open up his airways: “You should try and tape your mouth then! Why not! [Or] when you train? It would be a bit difficult. I have it, I sleep with it.”
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Haaland also said of using a sauna on a daily basis: “I have it at my home so I try and do it not every single day but almost every day. Sauna, steam room.” His methods may not be to everyone’s taste, but they are clearly working and there is the promise of many more goals to come from the current holder of the Premier League’s Golden Boot.
New Zealand opener Tom Latham has said his team will “certainly” be looking to go after whatever target Bangladesh set, if they can bowl them out quickly enough on day five
Mohammad Isam at Basin Reserve15-Jan-2017
Tom Latham: ‘We like to play a winning brand of cricket’•Getty Images
New Zealand opener Tom Latham has said his team will “certainly” be looking to go after whatever target Bangladesh set, if they can bowl them out quickly enough on day five. The key to bowling them out, he said, would be to sow “doubt” in their batsmen’s minds.That the hosts could even think of chasing a win was down to Bangladesh’s late collapse on day four at Basin Reserve. The visitors ended 122 ahead with seven wickets in hand, but, in addition to some carelessness in the final half hour, they also had injury issues: Imrul Kayes was stretchered off with a thigh injury, while Mushfiqur Rahim will have to bat with hurt fingers should he be needed. Among the wickets were Tamim Iqbal – bowled by left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner after misjudging the length on an attempted cut – Mahmudullah – caught down the leg side – and nightwatchman Mehedi Hasan run out looking for a second off what turned out to be the last ball of the day. Bangladesh slipped from 46 for no loss to 66 for 3.”I wouldn’t say you sense the panic [in the Bangladesh batsmen], but we’ve got three world-class seamers and a very good spinner. If we can put the ball in good areas for long enough then hopefully we can create that doubt,” Latham, who registered his highest Test score of 177 in getting New Zealand to 539, said. “If we can keep taking wickets in clumps and if they don’t build any partnerships, that’s the key for us.”Possibly it might start going up and down and might start turning a little bit more. I still think it’s a very good batting surface though, and if we are chasing a score partnerships will be a key to winning. We like to play a winning brand of cricket and whatever the score is, hopefully it’s a reasonable chase and we’ll certainly be having a go at it. It’s a massive day tomorrow and that first hour is going to set the tone.”Latham said that fast bowler Neil Wagner was fine despite being struck three times during his 31-ball innings. Wagner was first hit on the helmet by a Kamrul Islam Rabbi bouncer before the same pacer struck him twice more off consecutive balls, one of which left him with a cut on his chin.”It’s never nice to see a team-mate get hit,” Latham said. “The medical team were out there and they were assessing him, and we’ve got to leave it in their hands. He was fine, he’s a pretty tough character.”