Notts on verge of Championship as hosts do their utmost to stay in Division One

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Sep-2025Hampshire 154 for 3 (Albert 37*) lead Surrey 147 (Sundar 3-5, Abbott 3-27, Fuller 3-46) by seven runsSurrey were rolled out for 147 to all but snuff out their Rothesay County Championship title-winning hopes, as Hampshire boosted their chance of remaining in Division One.The defending champions went into the last round 14 points behind Nottinghamshire – whom they lost to last week – but after they collapsed, their hopes of a fourth successive crown dwindled further.Kyle Abbott led the rout with three for 27 – taking his 50th Championship scalp of the season in the process – with James Fuller and Washington Sundar also picking up three-wicket hauls.Hampshire had eased themselves into a first-innings lead, picking up three vital bonus points in their fight for safety.Surrey chose to bat first and gave 17-year-old Ralphie Albert his first-class debut. The all-rounder wasn’t even born when Hampshire’s Liam Dawson made his professional bow.Surrey were massively depleted with Gus Atkinson, Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Tom Curran, Jordan Clark and Cam Steel all unavailable, but even still their display was surprising.Dom Sibley had already been dropped at second slip before he was lbw to Abbott, before the South African drew a loose drive out of Ryan Patel to celebrate his 50th wicket of the season.It is the sixth Championship campaign that Abbott has reached the landmark, and he would later add No. 51 when he bowled Albert.Fuller also grabbed three wickets to gut the rest of the top order, as Rory Burns wafted to a juggling Sundar at first slip before Ben Foakes was bowled by a nip backer and Dan Lawrence skied an attempted pull – the latter walked before the ball was caught having scrapped hard for his innings-high 36.The back end of the innings saw wickets fall to spin. Indian international Sundar was particularly wily in his 20 balls, in which he only conceded five runs while taking three wickets.Ollie Sykes went back to one that skidded into his stumps, Matt Fisher was undone by a stunner that ripped across him and into off stump, while compatriot Rahul Chahar guided to first slip. In the middle of it, Tom Lawes was caught and bowled by Dawson.Surrey were bowled out for 147 inside 44 overs – their lowest total of the season at the least opportune moment as the title slipped away from them.The pitch had offered a fair amount of movement, but not excessive, and wickets were mostly down to batting errors and high-quality bowling rather than the elements.Hampshire further suggested a poor pitch wasn’t to blame as Ali Orr glided through the opening overs.He smashed 18 of the second over of the innings and by the fifth over had already secured a partnership higher than anything Surrey had managed in their innings – their best being the 32 between Lawrence and Sykes.Orr’s fast start was undone by a careless swing down leg side but Fletcha Middleton and Nick Gubbins put on 50 to set the sort of foundation that the visitors couldn’t lay.Both the bowled Gubbins and leg-before Middleton fell to Lawrence – who ended the day with two for 12 after an exceptional nine-over spell of off-spin.But Hampshire avoided any serious wobble as Toby Albert and Ben Brown stayed cautiously positive to take them to close with a lead – despite 13 wickets falling on the opening day.

Youngster Diego Leon may “not have to wait much longer” for his senior Manchester United debut.

Despite only turning 18 in April 2025, Leon had already made over 30 appearances in senior football with Cerro Porteno in his native Paraguay. Since joining the Red Devils in the summer, Leon has played exclusively for the Man United Under-21s, where he has caught the eye with his performances.

Leon is evidently an exciting talent and Man United, no doubt, will aim to avoid a repeat of what happened with Alvaro Carreras. The teenager has been in several matchday squads for Ruben Amorim’s side, who have acquired 10 points from an available 12 in their previous four games.

Reports from Leon’s home continent of South America, as per The Peoples Person, have suggested that the wing-back could soon be handed his senior debut at Old Trafford.

Leon is highly thought of at Carrington

To be part of a Premier League squad in any capacity is a sign that Amorim has been impressed by Leon. As per journalist Christian Martin, the Paraguayan is a firm part of the club’s plans going forward.

Having signed in January, Patrick Dorgu is yet to make a strong impression for Man United. Formerly of Lecce, the left-sided player has not started a game for the Red Devils since a 3-1 loss against Brentford at the end of September.

Diogo Dalot has been starting as the left-wing-back in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system since Dorgu was dropped. Naturally suited to the right-hand side, Dalot has also struggled in the position and given the injury troubles that both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia have faced in recent years, Leon could well soon find himself involved in a first-team game.

Reportedly, Leon will “get his chance sooner rather than later.” Top flight football in Paraguay is, of course, a different level to the English Premier League, but Leon has already played consistent senior football, a rarity for a player of such a young age.

When exactly Leon will receive his chance remains to be seen, but given the impressions he has been making since arriving in the summer, it surely can not be long until the Paraguay international makes his bow for the Red Devils.

Man Utd offered chance to sign striker for bargain in January

Manchester United continue to eye a move for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, with the Seagulls star’s thoughts of joining the Red Devils clear.

Baleba was a strong target for the Red Devils during the summer transfer window, with Ruben Amorim eyeing a move for a natural Casemiro replacement, ahead of his contract expiring next summer.

But in the end, the 21-year-old decided to remain at Brighton for the time being, where he was compared to Leicester City legend N’Golo Kante by Adam Virgo when he joined in 2023.

“For me, he’s not a Caicedo, he’s not like that at all. For me he’s more like an N’Golo Kante, in terms of his power and his pace to get around, he covers so much ground. He can certainly be slightly better on the ball, so he’ll have to adjust his game in that way but Brighton always do their due dillegence in terms of finding players of this age. He’s a typical Brighton signing.”

There is every chance that Baleba leaves Brighton sooner rather than later, though, potentially even in 2026, and a new update has dropped regarding United snapping him up.

Baleba "clearly" wants to join Man Utd

Speaking to TEAMtalk, transfer insider Dean Jones claimed that Baleba “clearly wants” to seal a move to Man Utd, but they won’t pay £100m for his services.

“It is being talked about again that Baleba is a priority target, but it has to be stressed that they [United] are not paying £100million for him any time soon. The player clearly wants the move, and their attempt to turn his head in the summer has worked, but his form has actually been worse since then, and so I do not see United going close to the level Brighton value him at.

“The message remains clear that United want a midfielder in January and also a midfielder in summer. So they are working on targets that are attainable in each of those, and the ones from the Premier League seem unattainable in January. That’s how the picture is for now.

“Obviously, these things can change, but Baleba is going to have to be very patient here because a lot is going on. United do still like him; they do still think he would suit the role, but his form and valuation do not match up at the moment. And on top of that, Brighton don’t want to sell him in January.”

Appearances

11

Starts

10

Minutes played

653

Goals

0

Assists

0

Tackles per game

1.1

Interceptions per game

0.9

Pass completion rate

85.3%

Baleba may not have necessarily found top form this season, possibly because of his head being turned by a move to United, and he should continue to be looked at as a leading option to be Casemiro’s successor.

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The Cameroonian has been hailed as “wonderful” by Alan Shearer, and his box-to-box midfield brilliance could add so much to the Red Devils’ side, coming in as a long-term signing with world-class potential.

No Casemiro; Guehi & £100m "monster" sign: Man Utd's dream XI after January

Well, it appears that Liverpool are back in their biannual rut. Just as the Anfield side have shown themselves to be capable of hitting staggering heights over the past decade or so, they have also battled through several challenging campaigns in recent years.

This is, sadly, a crisis for Arne Slot, whose tactics aren’t working after a summer transfer window of sweeping change.

The likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have been disappointing, and no mistake. However, Liverpool’s wider systematic issues have made it difficult for such players to bed in.

Could it be that, against the cascade of arrivals on Merseyside, sporting director Richard Hughes oversaw one too many sales too?

How Luis Diaz has sparkled at Bayern Munich

After 11 Premier League fixtures this season, Liverpool are eighth in the standings. It is not so much Arsenal’s eight-point advantage over last year’s champions as the difference in fluency and solidity that has made the gulf insurmountable.

The upheaval could have been eased, to be sure, had certain measures not been taken this summer. For example, it was probably a mistake to have sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich. He has been rampant since moving to Germany, scoring 11 goals in his first 17 matches.

The 28-year-old had stepped toward the penultimate year of his contract at Anfield, and despite efforts to spark a renewal, it became clear from all parties that a deal could be struck if Liverpool’s valuation was met.

And it was. The Bundesliga champions paid £65.5m for the versatile forward; the money was good, but Liverpool lost a winger who scored 17 goals and provided eight assists last season, and offered so much pressing impact and tenacity, both on and off the ball.

However, Diaz’s departure was an understandable one, given the circumstances, and there’s another Redman whose efforts overseas this season have shown that Slot and co made a big error in letting him leave.

Hughes made a bigger mistake than selling Diaz

Liverpool are bound to smooth out the creases in Slot’s side at some stage, but there’s no escaping the fact that it hasn’t been good enough this season.

Out of the Carabao Cup and facing a fight for Champions League qualification, let alone the Premier League title, Liverpool have a whole host of problems, but there’s unquestionably been something missing in central midfield, and Tyler Morton might have been able to do something about it, had he not been sold to Lyon in France for around £15m in August.

Hailed for his “incredible IQ” by journalist Bence Bocsak, the 23-year-old Morton is a creative and enterprising midfielder, industrious in his work ethic and more than happy to cover ground across the engine room, working hard to protect the defence and win back the ball before driving it forward and into the danger area.

He is early into his career with Lyon in Ligue 1, but the Wallasey-born midfielder has demonstrated remarkable confidence and maturity to make headway after a difficult, peripheral year under Slot’s wing, commenting since leaving that he didn’t “feel the trust” from the Dutch coach, not handed a single minute in the Premier League.

Matches (starts)

11 (11)

Goals

1

Assists

1

Touches*

63.1

Accurate passes*

40.0 (86%)

Chances created*

1.3

Dribble (success)*

0.6 (70%)

Recoveries

4.2

Tackles + interceptions*

2.4

Ground duels won*

3.2 (61%)

His league form so far this season would suggest that a mistake has been made, especially when considering Slot’s reluctance to play veteran Wataru Endo.

With Morton so early into his career and without the top experience of many ahead of him, there’s so much reason for Lyon to be excited about this talent and where he might take them.

Not Liverpool, though. Morton has been released from the books, and this might just come back to bite Slot, with the homegrown star’s sale more puzzling than that of the 28-year-old Diaz, who wanted to leave.

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The Pakistan batter was arrested on suspicion of rape by the Greater Manchester Police in the UK last month

Danyal Rasool04-Sep-2025The investigation into Pakistan cricketer Haider Ali, who was arrested on suspicion of rape by the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in the UK last month, has been closed, with all charges against the player dropped. Haider, who had been released on bail following his arrest, is now free to leave the UK.”We always take allegations of this nature very seriously and will assess each incident thoroughly,” the GMP told ESPNcricinfo. “Following a comprehensive review of all available evidence, the investigation has been closed at this time. Should any further information come to light, we would review the material and case again appropriately.”Related

Haider Ali under criminal investigation in the UK, suspended by the PCB

Haider Ali arrested and granted bail after report of alleged rape

Haider, 24, was part of a tour by the Shaheens – effectively a Pakistan A side – to the UK, playing matches against a select XI in Beckenham and Hove. During a game on August 3, GMP officers arrived at the ground in Beckenham, where Haider was arrested during the game. According to a GMP statement at the time, the alleged offence leading to the arrest had occurred in Manchester on July 23, the day after the Shaheens’ first tour game, which Haider played. Haider was bailed at the time and the alleged victim was being “supported by officers”.The PCB confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that charges against Haider had been dropped. At the time of his arrest, the PCB had put out a statement saying it “reserve[d] the right to take appropriate action under its Code of Conduct, if necessary”.ESPNcricinfo understands a decision on whether to take action against Haider has not been made yet, with the PCB waiting on the player to return to Pakistan before it takes a decision.Haider has played two ODIs and 35 T20Is for Pakistan. Initially feted as a destructive hitter, he burnished his reputation with standout performances in the PSL with Peshawar Zalmi in 2020, when he scored 239 runs at a strike rate of 157.23. He was called up to the national side later that year, his international debut coming in a T20I game in Manchester, where he scored a 33-ball 54 as Pakistan won by five runs.Inconsistency has dogged him since, and he has repeatedly found himself in and out of the Pakistan side. However, his talent and explosiveness have kept him in international contention, and the current Shaheens tour was widely viewed as an opportunity to reintegrate a player whose batting approach aligns with the aggressive style Pakistan’s current T20 set-up has made no secret it wants to pursue.

Everton are now preparing a club-record bid for Napoli star Scott McTominay, amid doubts over the future of a first-team star.

The Toffees’ interest in signing a new midfielder perhaps also stems from the fact Idrissa Gueye is now in the twilight years of his career at 36-years-old, with the 120-time Senegal international’s contract set to expire in the summer, although there is an option to extend it by an extra year.

Based on recent performances, it may be worth triggering the extension, with the central midfielder scoring the opening goal in the 2-0 victory against Fulham last time out, while also winning three duels and making three clearances.

Not only is Gueye’s future up in the air, but there is also doubt over whether James Garner will remain at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with both Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest making contact over a deal for the 24-year-old, who has impressed at times this season.

Everton preparing club-record bid for Scott McTominay

According to a report from Spain, McTominay could be a game-changing signing for Everton in midfield, should Garner leave or lose his place in the starting XI, and the Merseyside club are now preparing a club-record bid in the region of €70m (£62m).

David Moyes is an admirer of the Napoli star, who could be the manager’s new Marouane Fellaini, given his physicality and ability to arrive into the opposition penalty box from deeper areas, and the former Manchester United man may be tempted by an enticing offer to return to the Premier League.

With the Toffees looking to bring in an experienced, versatile midfielder, the Scotland international fits the bill, and there are signs he could be a fantastic addition to Moyes’ squad, having been lauded as “sensational” by broadcaster David Tanner in the past.

Not only that, but the 28-year-old is also vastly experienced in the Premier League, having made 255 appearances for Man United, and he has since really kicked on since moving to the Serie A, chipping in with 12 goals and six assists during Napoli’s title-winning 2024-25 campaign.

Everton should look to secure the futures of Gueye and Garner regardless, but McTominay could be a real statement signing, as they look to start competing for the European places again, rather than looking over their shoulders at the wrong end of the Premier League table.

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The numbers that describe the highs and lows from the second day of the Adelaide Test

Sampath Bandarupalli07-Dec-20241:10

Manjrekar on Head: The only batter in both teams with a clear mind

111 Balls needed by Travis Head to reach his century against India. He surpassed his previous record of 112 balls against England in Hobart in 2022. Head also holds the third fastest century in day-night Tests, scoring off 125 balls against the West Indies in 2022, also at the Adelaide Oval.3 Centuries scored by Head in day-night Tests across 13 innings. Only Marnus Labuschagne has more centuries in day-night Tests than Head, with 4 tons in 15 innings.