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Duo hand visitors victory that trims gap to leaders Essex to just two points

Jon Culley at Edgbaston21-Aug-2019In a match of ebbs and flows, the tide was ultimately strongest for Somerset, carrying them home with wickets in hand and the best part of two hours to spare after the promise of the morning ultimately came to nothing for Warwickshire.Chasing 258 to win, Somerset had been 49 for 3 inside the first hour’s play but half-centuries from their two brightest young batsmen, 21-year-old George Bartlett and 20-year-old Tom Banton, enabled them to close out a victory that trims the gap between themselves and leaders Essex to just two points.Yorkshire, famously involved in the three-way tussle with Somerset and Middlesex that went to the last day in 2016, are not yet out of the race and the finale to this season may yet be just as dramatic, not least because Somerset’s last two opponents at Taunton, either side of a visit to Hampshire, are Yorkshire and Essex, the latter in the last week of the season.It has not escaped their captain, Tom Abell, although the task facing him now is to ensure his team adhere to the mantra of taking one match, one session at a time.”That last game is something a lot of people have been talking about and potentially it is a great prospect, but we try not to look too for ahead,” he said.”We have two games before that and each game is massive at this stage of the year. We will take each as it comes and try not to think about anything else, try to focus on what we are doing.”He felt that this match served only to emphasise the point, the win all the more remarkable given that Somerset had to fight hard to avoid being required to follow on in the first innings after Warwickshire had piled up 419.Even after a fine hundred by Steven Davies had given them foundation, it needed gritty partnerships between Dom Bess and each of the Overton brothers to see them past the follow-on point in the face of some testing bowling by the Warwickshire seamers.”Warwickshire are a good side who had us in trouble in this match and that is the nature of this division, which is why you need to be on the money every session of every game you play,” Abell said. “We can’t afford to have sessions like we did on the first day.”But we do talk about that a lot, how we answer it when our backs are to the wall, and it really does give me a lot of satisfaction to see how we were able to come back from that position. It showed great character.”The partnership between Dom Bess and Craig Overton on day two came at a crucial phase of the match. Avoiding the follow-on was massive and then that spell from Jamie Overton yesterday, the kind of spell we know he can deliver that turn games on the end, changed the game.”The session to which he referred was the one in which Overton removed Rob Yates, Michael Burgess and Henry Brookes in the space of 12 deliveries – the catalyst for a Warwickshire collapse from 107 for 4 to 146 all out, requiring Somerset to score what came down to 250 on the final day, with all wickets in hand.On a fourth-day pitch, it was never going to be plain sailing and after losing those three wickets in the morning session, with Davies, James Hildreth and Abell all departed, the early part of the afternoon could have seen the balance tip towards the home side.But Banton and Babar Azam battled through that phase, adding 90 for the fourth wicket, the former displaying maturity and adaptability beyond his years as he has on several occasions this summer. He faced 119 deliveries spread across two and a half hours for his 66, little more than a week after he hit five sixes in a 51-ball Twenty20 hundred.George Garrett, another prodigious talent, bowled impressively again on his Warwickshire debut and the wicket of Babar will join his first-innings dismissal of Bartlett in taking up permanent residence in his memory.Yet Warwickshire’s bowlers as a collective bowled less well than they had at times in the first innings, offering too many opportunities for runs. They remain next to bottom of the table, although it probably matters little given Nottinghamshire’s seemingly irreversible spiral towards relegation.Jeetan Patel found some turn, getting the wicket of Banton via an inside edge onto pad and a super catch by Tim Ambrose diving forward, but could not land the ball on the right spot often enough and Bartlett and Bess were able to turn the chase into a relative stroll by the end.

Uncapped Anthony Bramble has been handed a call-up while Andre Russell is included but faces a fitness test

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jul-2019Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard have been recalled to the West Indies T20I squad for the opening two matches against India, with uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Anthony Bramble also earning a call-up.Allrounder Andre Russell has been included subject to passing a fitness test following the knee injury which forced him out of the World Cup. John Campbell, the opening batsman, takes the spot vacated by Chris Gayle who is unavailable due to playing in the Canada GT20.Narine, who last played T20Is nearly two years ago, is joined in the spin attack by left-armer Khary Pierre. Narine was in the frame to be part of the World Cup, but did not feel confident getting through 50-over cricket after a finger injury. The selectors are casting their eye forward to next year’s men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, where West Indies will defend their title, with the captaincy reverting to Carlos Brathwaite after Jason Holder took charge for the series against England earlier this year to try and bring some continuity ahead of the World Cup.”We felt that players like Narine and Pollard, who have played well in T20 leagues around the world, once they are fit and mentally ready to play, we must give them the opportunity to represent the West Indies again,” Robert Haynes, the intern chairman of selection, said.”It’s not just about the present – the India tour of the West Indies – but we are also looking at the T20 World Cup coming up next year and it is important that we find the right combination of players and the right formula for defending our title.”We have to make sure that we put certain things in place now, so that when it comes to picking the squad for the T20 World Cup, it becomes easier, so we are giving more players the opportunity to play and get the exposure.”Bramble, 28, will provide wicketkeeping back-up to Nicholas Pooran despite not having played an official T20 in close to three years. He did, however, captain West Indies B at last year’s Canada GLT20 and was picked up by Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL draft in May.”He is young and has a lot of ambition, and we saw his character come out in the way he batted whenever Guyana Jaguars were in problems in the West Indies Championship and Super50 Cup, so we know he is capable of getting the job done,” Haynes said.The selectors could make changes to the squad for third T20I in Guyana. India’s tour also includes three ODIs and two Tests.Squad Carlos Brathwaite (capt), Anthony Bramble (wk), John Campbell, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Keemo Paul, Khary Pierre, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas

Jose Mourinho surprisingly claimed that his transfer to Fenerbahce "is not done yet" despite recent reports.

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Mourinho set to join FenerbahceTurkish club confirmed negotiationsTactician informed deal not yet over the lineWHAT HAPPENED?

The experienced Portuguese manager, who has been out of work since his dismissal from Roma in January, is seemingly close to making a return to management. Although the club confirmed the ongoing negotiations in a statement to its investors, Mourinho informed that the deal is not yet closed.

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Fenerbahce have been actively pursuing Mourinho as they look to end their league title drought that dates back to 2014. Despite a strong campaign in which they collected 99 points and suffered only one defeat, Fenerbahce finished as runners-up in the Turkish Super Lig, narrowly missing out to fierce rivals Galatasaray. The club is hopeful that Mourinho's vast experience and tactical acumen will help them reclaim the domestic crown.

Getty/GOALWHAT MOURINHO SAID

"I decided I want to go but it is not done yet. I cannot confirm officially, but yes I want to go," he told "In Fenerbahce's case, eight players are in the Euros. They are not coming for pre-season before the first round so it's hard. But if I go, you know I like challenges, so if I go you know we will fight hard to be in the Champions League."

DID YOU KNOW?

If Mourinho does finalize his move to Fenerbahce, he is expected to sign a two-year contract, which would keep him at the club until the summer of 2026. With a squad that already showed great promise last season, the addition of Mourinho could be the catalyst they need to finally overcome their domestic hurdles and make a significant impact in European competitions.

The fast bowler had reported discomfort in his left ankle following England’s victory over Bangladesh on Saturday

George Dobell in Southampton13-Jun-2019Fast bowler Mark Wood is set to undergo a fitness test on Friday morning ahead of England’s World Cup match against West Indies.Wood, who has bowled the fastest delivery (154kph) in the tournament to date, reported discomfort in his left ankle following Saturday’s victoryover Bangladesh. With rain forcing England to abandon most of their plans for outdoor training plans since, he has little chance to assess the severity of the problem.ALSO READ: Buttler reports for England training after recovering from thigh bruising”His ankle is a little bit sore at the moment,” England captain Eoin Morgan said. “We haven’t bowled for a few days so it depends how hefeels when he bowls in the morning. If it’s still sore, we probably won’t take a risk.”However, England had better news of Jos Buttler. He was able to take full part in training on Friday – he even performed some keepingdrills in the driving rain – after sustaining a bruised hip on Saturday that prevented him from keeping wicket. He is now consideredfully fit and will take back the gloves on Friday.Wood’s loss would be a significant blow to England. Several West Indies batsmen had looked distinctly uncomfortable against Wood in theCaribbean and, on a surface that generally offers a little bounce, both sides have talked of the potential importance of pace bowling.While the injury is not thought to be serious, England are unlikely to take a chance with Wood, considering he has undergone three operations on that left ankle.That having been said, this is an important game for both sides. Whichever loses it may face a real scrap to qualify for thesemi-finals.Moeen Ali, who was at his wife’s bedside as she gave birth to their second child on Wednesday, was back at training on Thursday and maywell return to the side instead of one of the seamers. With the Southampton pitch having been under cover for most of the week, theremight have been an increasing temptation to play the extra seamer but, with Wood an injury doubt, it is probable Moeen will return in hisplace.

Alexia Putellas has decided to turn down interest from NWSL clubs and sign a two-year deal with Barcelona Women.

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Putellas extends her stay at BarcelonaAgreement reached with the clubSet to see her wages getting doubledWHAT HAPPENED?

The two-time Ballon d'Or winner has spent the last 18 months overcoming an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and a subsequent keyhole surgery to her knee. Now back to regular match fitness, Putellas has been convinced by Barcelona's proposal, with the club confirming her contract extension on Tuesday.

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Despite receiving lucrative offers from the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Putellas has always intended to stay at Barcelona. However, she sought assurances regarding the club’s future direction and her role within the team before committing to a new contract, as per The Athletic.

DID YOU KNOW?

In December, Barcelona offered Putellas a contract that would make her the highest-paid player in the squad, effectively doubling her salary. However, her decision to join the Spanish national team camp in February did not go down well with the club as the medical team had advised otherwise. Despite the initial friction caused by her national team call-up, both parties managed to reach an understanding and have now ironed out their differences.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PUTELLAS?

Putellas can potentially end the current campaign by bagging the treble. The Catalan club have already clinched the Liga F and Copa de la Reina trophies with a UEFA Women's Champions League final against Lyon to come.

Erik ten Hag admitted that Manchester United's Premier League performance was "not good enough" after they finished eighth in the division.

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United had lowest ever Premier League finishRed Devils can still win FA Cup next weekTen Hag admits his side have been disappointingWHAT HAPPENED?

United slumped to their worst ever finish in the English top-flight despite beating Brighton 2-0 on the final day of the campaign. The Red Devils also posted a -1 goal difference – their worst record in 34 years – and lost a total of 14 games, but could still enjoy a strong end to the season if they upset Premier League champions Manchester City when they meet in next week's FA Cup final.

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There has been plenty of speculation surrounding Ten Hag's role at United amid his team's disappointing campaign. There have been reports of the Dutch coach being sacked by the Red Devils this summer, and Ten Hag is aware that results have been unacceptable.

WHAT TEN HAG SAID

Speaking after the Brighton game, Ten Hag said: "It is not good enough by far. Eighth is the worst performance. It is the truth, but we should have done better. Hopefully we will have a good week and everyone is on board. We will put a competitive team out and we will fight for the [FA] Cup."

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United grinded out a 2-0 win against Brighton on Saturday despite the Seagulls dominating for much of the match, with Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Hojlund grabbing the goals. Ten Hag will be hoping for a much better display when his team meet Pep Guardiola's City at Wembley next week.

With the Australia A tour of England having begun here’s a quick look at the form of the Australians who are plying their trade in county cricket

Andrew McGlashan23-Jun-2019Cameron Bancroft (Durham) We’ve had the comeback stories of Steven Smith and David Warner over the last few weeks. Will Bancroft add his name to the list during the Ashes? That opportunity is probably drifting away after a lean time for Durham. His last six innings have brought a top score of 40 and he is averaging an underwhelming 23.66 from five Championship matches, albeit in a Durham line-up that has struggled for runs throughout. With Joe Burns currently recovering from his chronic fatigue there may yet be a spot for a reserve opener, behind the likely first-choice pair of David Warner and Marcus Harris, but at the moment a call-up would seem unlikely.Marnus Labuschagne (Glamorgan)It is worth remembering that Labuschagne is an incumbent member of the Test side having faced Sri Lanka earlier this year and it has been a promising few weeks for the allrounder as he has helped Glamorgan climb the Division Two table. He now has 704 runs at 64.00 including three centuries, one of which was a career-best 182 against Sussex, and his legspin has collected 16 wickets at 32.18. Australia appear to have moved away from a seam-bowling allrounder at No. 6, but Labuschangne’s ability to provide more-than-useful overs over a crammed five-Test series could yet keep him in the frame.Callum Ferguson (Worcestershire)Ferguson’s international days appear behind him, destined to remain with that single Test cap against South Africa in Hobart where he was swiftly discarded after a crushing defeat. He was in the mix for a one-day recall earlier this year, but that ship also sailed for the 34-year-old. Runs have not flowed by the bucketload in recent weeks at Worcestershire, with one half-century in four matches since the Championship resumed after the one-day competition, although he has had to contend with two particularly strong attacks in Lancashire and Middlesex.James Pattinson (Nottinghamshire)The Ashes beckons for Pattinson and after overcoming a niggly side injury, coupled with a lack of overs due to the recent wet weather, he was back to full force with 6 for 73 against Kent albeit in what became a heavy defeat for Nottinghamshire. Tim Paine has spoken about saying prayers that Pattinson can stay fit to play a role against England with him potentially being earmarked for the flatter pitches during the series. He is due to link up with the Australia A tour shortly and all eyes will be on how he builds over the next month ahead of the Ashes selection.Peter Siddle (Essex)It has since been admitted that not playing Siddle until the final Test of the 2015 Ashes was a major mistake – compounded by the fact he then took six wickets in the dead rubber at The Oval. There has been much talk of him getting another go this time around having found a new lease of life over the last couple of seasons, but it has been a quiet for weeks for him with eight wickets in his last three Championship outings. He has not been included in the Australia squad because of his county deal and he might yet need a couple of compelling performances to avoid drifting down the pecking order.Chadd Sayers (Gloucestershire)It is probably a longshot for Sayers, who has one cap under his belt from the Johannesburg Test last year, to claim an Ashes berth and there has been some toil since he arrived to replace the injured Daniel Worrall at Gloucestershire. In his most recent outing he claimed 3 for 91 in a runfest against Leicestershire that included two triple-century stands.

The Englishman made his international umpiring career in 2006 and stood in his first Test two years later

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2019English umpire Ian Gould will retire after the 2019 World Cup to finish a 13-year career as an official in the international game.Gould, who played 18 ODIs for England and was part of the 1983 World Cup, joined the ECB’s first-class umpires’ list in 2002 and made his debut as an international umpire in a T20 between England and Sri Lanka in 2006. He stood in his first ODI a few days after that and his first Test – between South Africa and Bangladesh in Bloemfontein – two years later.This year’s World Cup will be Gould’s fourth and he is one of 16 ICC umpires confirmed for the tournament.”Ian has made an outstanding contribution to the game over a long period, particularly in the last decade as an international umpire for the ICC,” Geoff Allardice, the ICC general manager of cricket, said. “He has always put the interests of the game first, and in doing so has earned enormous respect from his colleagues and players across all countries. His presence on the field will be missed, but I am sure his lifelong association with the game will continue.”To date, Gould has stood in 74 Tests (alongside being the TV umpire in a further 25), 135 ODIs and 37 T20Is.ICC umpires for 2019 World Cup Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker, Joel Wilson, Michael Gough, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Paul WilsonICC match referees for 2019 World Cup Chris Broad, David Boon, Andy Pycroft, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Richie Richardson

A fuming Massimiliano Allegri tore off his tie and his jacket after he was sent off during Juventus' Coppa Italia final win against Atalanta.

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Allegri given marching ordersConfronted fourth official after decisionYet Juve prevailed 1-0 over AtalantaWHAT HAPPENED?

The Bianconeri put in a remarkable defensive performance to eke out a hard-fought clean sheet against an enterprising Atalanta after Dusan Vlahovic scored the decisive goal as early as the fourth minute. Known for his passionate demeanour, Allegri's reaction to a refereeing decision took his behaviour to unprecedented extremes.

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The incident occurred when referee Fabio Maresca did not immediately call a foul for a push on Juventus defender Danilo in the penalty area. In a fit of rage, Allegri tore off his jacket and furiously screamed at the fourth official. His actions earned him a red card, leading to his dismissal from the touchline. Not content with simply exiting, Allegri sarcastically applauded Maresca's decision, removed his tie, and began unbuttoning his shirt. The Juventus coach's theatrics continued as he shouted "shame on you" and demanded to know "where is Rocchi?" referring to the refereeing designator, into the stands.

GettyWHAT NEXT?

Juventus' 15th Coppa Italia title win was a much-needed boost for the club amidst an underwhelming season in Serie A where they are currently placed fourth in the standings after five consecutive draws. Their next fixture is an away game against Bologna, followed by a home match against Monza.

Abbott and Edwards shared 15 wickets in the match as Essex were comfortably beaten by an innings

Valkerie Baynes at the Ageas Bowl08-Apr-2019Kyle Abbott is confident he and Fidel Edwards can form a formidable strike-bowling partnership for Hampshire this season and, on the strength of their innings-and-87-run win against Essex in the opening round of the Championship, his faith is not misplaced.Abbott claimed a five-wicket haul in Essex’s second innings after they were forced to follow on when Edwards tore through them with his own bag of five.Between them, Abbott and Edwards took 15 wickets out of 18 (the injured Adam Wheater did not bat in either innings) as Essex were bowled out for 164 and 274 – meagre returns after the home side declared on 525 for 8, an innings which featured a host of strong batting performances, highlighted by Sam Northeasts’ anchoring 169.”I don’t think we could have scripted that any better. A pretty perfect start to say the least,” Abbot said of the victory, which puts Hampshire on top of the fledgling Division One table with a maximum haul of 24 points.”Bowling with Fiddy at the other end I think I’m going to get a few wickets because of him. I can see the guys aren’t fancying him. It’s nice to hit a rhythm and bowl well in tandem with Fid and hopefully we can carry on and this is just the start of good things.”Our plans are pretty much bowling straight and I think we’re going carry on through this whole season, just making the batsmen play as much as possible.”Edwards’ 5 for 51 in Essex’s first innings was devastating, his sheer pace belying his 37 years and scattering stumps on four occasions. Only Alastair Cook, Dan Lawrence and Ravi Bopara managed to pass 30.Bopara made a gallant 107 in the second innings as he and Simon Harmer (62) put on a 111-run stand for the sixth wicket. But, after Edwards had trapped Ryan ten Doeschate lbw with his second ball of the final day, Abbott struck with the second new ball to have Bopara caught behind off a loose shot by stand-in wicketkeeper Lewis McManus.While Bopara and Harmer had frustrated the Hampshire bowlers throughout the morning session, the home side bided their time, using James Vince and Liam Dawson to chew through the overs with the old ball, which had become damp with dew, until the new ball was taken and Abbott and Edwards could do their thing.Once Harmer, who had escaped unscathed after being rapped on the helmet by Edwards, was dismissed lbw, Abbott ran through the tail, with Essex wicketkeeper Wheater unable to bat after injuring the tendons in his right hand on day one and taking no further part in the match.”He’s looking good and it’s nice to see him firing,” Abbott said of Edwards. “He brings something totally different, especially to the tail. It’s as good as having a mystery spinner to the tail when he’s going upstairs and then fast at the stumps, so he’s a good asset to have in our side.”He loves his cricket and I think he enjoys this environment and if we can strike up a half-decent partnership – we’re totally different bowlers but trying to do the same job at the end of the day – and if we can keep that going through the season I think we’ll be in good stead.”The home side belted out their song, “Glory, glory we are Hampshire”, with great gusto at the close of play, exuding the confidence Abbott said new first team manager Adrian Birrell had brought to the team. The pair worked together for four years when Birrell was assistant South Africa coach and Abbott was full of praise for Birrell and the team as a whole.”It’s easy to say now but I must admit, I felt coming into this game it’s the calmest I’ve felt the team,” Abbott said. “I’ve felt in the past we’ve had a lot of energy but I think it’s been nervous energy because we’ve been scrapping in seasons past to stay up.”With Aidy Birrell coming in, he’s brought a great sense of calm to the change-room and just some pretty clear plans that he keeps drilling into us. It proved today that the simple plans work. Yes, it is the first game but from the feeling in the change-room I think it feels totally different and I feel a lot of the guys are playing with a lot more confidence knowing that, one, Aidy’s backing us and, two, the plans he’s given us are pretty simple and hopefully we can just carry on playing them out.”We’ve just had a bit more of a clear path and a clear vision. That’s all he’s really brought in and just pumping up our tyres, I guess. He has a lot of belief in us and that’s where it starts. After a performance like this we can only start backing ourselves even more.”Abbott claimed the wicket of retired England opener Cook twice, caught behind in the second innings and taken at short midwicket in the first, thanks to a leg-side trap devised by Dawson.”Credit to Liam Dawson,” Abbott said. “He came to me in my first spell from the hotel end and one had popped up, I hadn’t really noticed it and he said, ‘no, put one up’. He said he’s seen him do it a few times. So we put Gareth Berg in there and one fell short and the second spell, coming around the wicket again from this end when we had two guys in we just thought we’d try something.”Vince even had to keep wicket during this match in which six glovemen were used because of injuries to Wheater and Hampshire regular Tom Alsop, who hurt his hand on day three. Vince filled for a handful of overs on the third day in until McManus, who was halfway through a round of golf, could get to the ground, while Dan Lawrence filled in for Essex back-up Will Buttleman.