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Glasgow Rangers will start the 2023/24 season with a totally different look from how they finished the previous campaign.

Seven players have already been signed by Michael Beale and with moves for Danilo and Jose Cifuentes edging closer, it could be nine new arrivals by the time the Premiership season kicks off in just over a week.

Who will Rangers sign next?

With his business close to being completed, the Gers have been linked with a move for 19-year-old Dembo Saidykhan this summer, although the club could face some competition from the likes of Southampton and Toulouse for his signature.

Beale has signed just two defenders, Dujon Sterling and Leon Balogun, so another centre-back is a must in order to boost the squad depth ahead of a hectic schedule which could see the Ibrox side play in four competitions should they qualify for the Champions League group stages.

A move for Arsenal defender Auston Trusty appears to have gone cold as talks have stalled while Jonathan Panzo has also been linked with a move to Glasgow, but nothing has materialised yet.

Beale could perhaps sign the wildcard option that is Saidykhan, and he could forge a solid future defensive duo alongside young Ibrox talent Leon King.

Who is Dembo Saidykhan?

There is no doubt a young talent can make their mark at Rangers, especially considering King’s rapid ascent from academy prospect to securing regular first-team football during the first half of last season.

The 19-year-old played 23 senior matches during 2022/23, with six coming in the Champions League, and he was even ranked third across the squad for tackles per game (1.7) and fifth for clearances per game (two) in Europe’s premier club competition.

This clearly suggests that despite his lack of experience, he has the talent to become a mainstay in a few years.

Saidykhan could perhaps become his ideal defensive partner, notably shining recently for the Gambia at the U20 World Cup.

Not only was he the seventh-best performer for his nation via overall Sofascore rating (7.05), but the defender showcased his passing ability, ranking fourth for accurate passes per game (45.8), suggesting that he is able to comfortably pass the ball from the defence and begin regular attacks.

Having also made 1.5 tackles and one interception per game, there is also nothing wrong with the 6 ft 1 titan's defensive ability as these numbers ranked him as the third-best defender across both metrics in the squad.

He was hailed as “agile” by journalist Hernan Federico Pacheco following his displays at the aforementioned tournament and these have clearly put him on the map in terms of a potential move to Europe.

Although he may not make inroads straight away, there is no doubt Beale is looking at finding talented youngsters and luring them to the Light Blues as he bids to lower the average age of his squad.

It could take a while, but a central defensive partnership consisting of King and Saidykhan may well be the norm at Ibrox in a few years.

Steven Mullaney had put Notts on course for a strong day, but Sussex’s middle order wasn’t about to roll over at the end of the season

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Hove25-Sep-20171:24

County Championship Round-up: Yorkshire secure safety

It began with only one team in mind. Nottinghamshire, needing 12 points for a promotion to Division One that should have been wrapped up with a bow on it by now. Sussex? Well, Sussex were just fulfilling their last fixture of the season. One that promised much: a tilt at promotion or a cup run of sorts with a blend of old, young and new. A neat run of results got them back on track but, ultimately, it has been a summer of four different first-class captains and little else of note.When play did get underway at 1pm, overnight rain and morning mizzle preventing an earlier start, Nottinghamshire did as Nottinghamshire have done. Even with key men missing – only Chris Read (playing in his last professional match) Samit Patel, Jake Libby and Riki Wessels played in the demolition of Sussex at Trent Bridge earlier this year – their alternates stepped up, as they have done all season.In Luke Wood and Brett Hutton, they have two bowlers who, were they not so wedded to Nottinghamshire, would be ever-presents in other attacks. As it happens, they make do as back-ups: waiting in the wings to come in when international call-ups and whatever else take their toll, as they have done this season, with just 13 Championship matches between them coming into this final round. Today, they shared the new ball.Inside 15 overs, Sussex were two down: Wood getting Harry Finch to edge behind from his left-arm approach, Hutton drawing an airy drive from Philip Salt to Cheteshwar Pujara at cover. Not long after, Steven Mullaney took over and Laurie Evans’ struggles against the red ball continued as he played across the line to be trapped in front to leave Sussex 52 for 3. And, more importantly, a first bowling point for Nottinghamshire. Just 11 more to go…For a moment, it looked like Mullaney was on a mission to accrue all the points himself. A spell from the Sea End of 15 overs, 3 for 24 cut through the middle order, as Chris Nash played to point and captain Luke Wells caught on the crease for a smartly crafted 46. Sussex were 107 for 5 in the 34th over. Never mind that a second bowling point was one away – victory was already in sight.By stumps, however, Nottinghamshire were still waiting for that second point and the win was a bit blurrier, thanks to a thrilling sixth-wicket partnership between Delray Rawlins and Michael Burgess that was uninterrupted on 123 at the close.Thrilling is probably the right word for it. The 20- and 23-year-old, respectively, went about their business with an attitude that only youth brings. They weren’t concerned that Notts had more to play for, nor were they coloured by the collapse of more experienced heads before them. That’ll be why Rawlins, on nought, walked down to Mullaney, third ball, and pulled straight to Pujara at catching midwicket, who put down a firmly struck chance. It would have been 107 for 6.It took a while for Rawlins to shake the skittishness. Every drive he attempted early on either plinked over the fielders down the ground or skewed off an inside edge, just past his stumps and away to fine leg. His wagon wheel for the beginning of his innings resembled an umbrella in the wind. Slowly but surely, he got his groove back – the sort of groove that Sussex tried to utilise at No.3 when the season began.Now in the middle order, with an older ball to deal with, he caressed through the off-side and began hooking with ease. When Patel was brought on for something different at the Sea End, Rawlins used his feet to thump him down the ground for the first six of the innings. Eventually, after 115 balls and seven fours, he had his first half-century of a testing summer that, while not a success, can be chalked up as “character building” for a very highly rated England U-19 player.By that point, Burgess already had his fifty to his name – his third in the Championship in his first season with Sussex. Much of Burgress’ career has been character building: a nomadic trail that started out at Surrey, where he is still spoke of in glowing terms, before three years spent at Loughborough, studying Sports and Exercise Science. It was for the university that he made his first class debut in 2014, against Sussex.Loughborough’s proximity to Leicestershire saw him taken on by the county from 2015, but despite scoring an accomplished 98 against the touring Sri Lankans at the beginning of 2016, no contract of note was forthcoming. When an opportunity arose at Sussex this summer, he was quick to take his chance, scoring runs in Second XI cricket and impressing when first-choice wicketkeeper Ben Brown fractured a finger during the Royal London Cup. Now, with Brown out for the season with a sore back, a steady run has seen Burgess build on his first-team cricket. Last week, he signed a deal with the club to keep him on until the end of the 2018 season.Surrey and Leicestershire’s loss looks to be Sussex’s gain. A slog sweep for six took Burgess to his half-century from 71 balls, but most of his scoring shots came through the covers. His judgement of length stood out most and, while he clubbed a few fours with full-blooded drives, he was able to show some finesse to pick gaps when Nottinghamshire reinforced the off-side.Sussex may have less to play for but Rawlins and Burgess have given them two knocks to give them some warmth over the winter. For Nottinghamshire – 11 more points.

Ravi Shastri, the former India allrounder and team director, has been appointed head coach of the national side until the 2019 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jul-20172:11

Timeline – Ravi Shastri’s road to the coaching job

Ravi Shastri, the former India allrounder and team director, has been appointed head coach of the national side until the 2019 World Cup. Zaheer Khan has been named bowling consultant for the same tenure, while Rahul Dravid will be India’s batting consultant for overseas Test series.The confirmation came late on Tuesday night after the CoA impressed upon the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendullkar and VVS Laxman, the urgent need to end the uncertainty over the next India coach.The vacancy arose because Anil Kumble resigned after the Champions Trophy in June, stating that his partnership with India captain Virat Kohli had become “untenable”. India went to the West Indies to play a limited-overs series without a head coach.Shastri was one of five candidates the CAC interviewed for the role, along with Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus and Lalchand Rajput. He had not applied when the BCCI invited applications for the first time, but did so after Kumble was no longer in the fray.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Shastri had applied for the role in 2016 as well, and was disappointed to lose out to Kumble, because India had done well during his tenure as director.He had been appointed team director in August 2014 and under him, India made it to semi-finals of successive global events – the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20 – and also climbed to No. 1 on the Test rankings for a period of eight weeks until February 2016. During that time, India also won their first limited-overs bilateral series in Australia, whitewashing the hosts 3-0 in a T20I series. While he worked alongside Duncan Fletcher in the early part of his tenure, Shastri had sole responsibility of the team after the 2015 World Cup.Zaheer, a former India fast bowler, has no formal coaching experience but he has been part of the Delhi Daredevils thinktank in recent IPL seasons. He was offered the role of bowling consultant last year by the BCCI, but both parties could not come to an agreement over remuneration.Dravid recently gave up his position as the Daredevils mentor, after accepting a two-year contract to coach the India A and Under-19 teams.The appointments bring to an end a period of uncertainty over the India coaching job that began at the end of May, when Kohli told BCCI officials that some players were uncomfortable with Kumble’s approach to man management. Following Kohli’s feedback, the BCCI advertised for the position and Kumble was one of several candidates to apply. While Kohli maintained in public that there were no problems with Kumble, the issue came to a head soon after the Champions Trophy when, with no new coach in place, Kumble was offered an extension to cover the tour of the West Indies but decided to step down instead.Shastri’s first assignment as head coach is the Test series in Sri Lanka, which begins on July 26.

Tom Abell, Somerset’s talented but beleaguered young captain, has been dropped for Somerset’s Championship match against Yorkshire at Scarborough

David Hopps03-Jul-2017

Tom Abell, Somerset’s talented but beleaguered young captain, has been dropped for Somerset’s Championship match against Yorkshire at Scarborough.But Somerset remain adamant that the decision to have appointed him captain at 22 remains the right one with director of cricket Matt Maynard praising him as “a genuine leader of men.”Abell’s season hit a new low point when he made a pair during Somerset’s draw at Ageas Bowl last week – a match in which their top-order frailties were again exposed by two wholesale collapses.Abell, now 23, is not the only batsman out of form, far from it – only the South African Dean Elgar averages more than 30 – but his decline is marked nevertheless, with 171 runs at 14.25. Even his season’s-best 71 came during a stalemate against Middlesex on a docile Lord’s pitch.Somerset go into the Yorkshire match 29 points adrift of safety with half the season gone and Elgar now on South Africa Test duty. They will draw some hope from the fact that Yorkshire lack three senior batsmen in Joe Root, Gary Ballance and Jonny Bairstow, all on England duty..Somerset’s other alternative would have been to have rested Abell from the captaincy, and encouraged him to regain his form in the 1st XI, playing only as a specialist batsman, because not to do so has left their top six looking strikingly raw.But that would have conveyed the message that their captaincy decision was a flawed one at this stage of his career, and they remain insistent that this is not the case. Their faith in him both short-term and long remains unstinting.Abell, well respected but a less bullish individual than many who have made a success of captaincy at a young age, will now search for form in the 2nd XI without the added pressure of leading a struggling side. Tim Rouse, a 2nd XI batsman, replaces him with Lewis Gregory standing in as captain.Happier times as Abell is named as captain•Getty Images

Abell said on the Somerset website: “It’s been a tough start to the season for me and the team has to come first. The support that I’ve received has been incredible and hugely appreciated, as has the backing from the team and coaches.”Maynard added: “Every single person connected with the club, from the members and supporters up to the committee, are desperate for Tom to return to form and I have no doubt that he will do just that.”He is an outstanding player, a genuine leader of men and as the old adage says: form is temporary but class is permanent.”We’ll be working hard with him in the nets and he’ll be playing some Second XI cricket – I’m confident that he will be back in contention for First XI selection again sooner rather than later”.Abell had been full of optimism as April dawned, observing a Somerset season in 2016 in which they were pipped for the title on the final day and saying: “I am convinced we have the squad and the coaching staff to win the title.”

Tottenham Hotspur seem to be closing in on what could be Ange Postecoglou's first blunder of his tenure…

What's the latest on Clement Lenglet to Tottenham?

That's according to Spanish outlet Sport, who suggest that the Lilywhites have now agreed personal terms with Clement Lenglet over his proposed return on a permanent basis.

The Barcelona man spent last term on loan in north London, and despite having not set the world alight, has come available for just €10m (£9m). Whilst this might mark a coup, negotiating a change to his £200k-per-week wages should have proved more of a stumbling block than it apparently has done.

It now falls to the two clubs to try and iron out an acceptable fee that would see the 28-year-old finally end his miserable spell with the Catalan giants.

Should Tottenham sign Clement Lenglet permanently?

Having temporarily moved to England with a big reputation, this left-sided defender joined in what many believed to be an intelligent swoop for the club.

However, it quickly became clear why Xavi was so willing to allow the France international to depart the Camp Nou, with his displays in the English capital nothing short of abysmal.

Despite making 26 appearances in the league, he could only muster a 6.65 average Sofascore rating, only the 20th best in a Spurs side that missed out on European football. Gazing back through his recent campaigns in La Liga though, this should not have come as a surprise.

The term before his arrival he could only post a 6.67 average rating in the league, suggesting his steady decline has been there for all to see.

Journalist Jonathan Johnson sought to outline it too, when he took to Twitter to write in 2021: "Lenglet. A complete & utter liability of a defender."

Despite this, in what was a torrid season for Spurs, it was Davinson Sanchez who remained in the firing line for the bulk of the year. The Colombian was even booed off the pitch during one substitution, in which he cut a visibly upset figure.

This was whilst recording a higher average rating than Lenglet in the league of 6.87, even impressing the year before with his 7.08 average rating.

Although he may have been a big-money acquisition back in 2017, the investment into his potential was one worth making at the time, even if he is yet to fulfil it. With 205 games for the club under his belt, the 27-year-old has at least returned some value from his switch.

To sign Lenglet would be a huge blunder for Postecoglou, as he would only repeat the same mistakes that have led to their decline in stature.

The Australian must expel the failures of the past in order to command a brighter future for his new club, the likes of which these kinds of signings should not be a part.

Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka’s second-innings centurion, credited Mustafizur Rahman for a potentially match-turning spell after lunch on the fourth day

Andrew Fidel Fernando at P Sara Oval18-Mar-2017

A home loss to Bangladesh will be a blemish on Sri Lankan cricket, said Dimuth Karunaratne, while his side hung precariously in the Test at the P Sara Oval.Having lost five top-order wickets for 47 runs in the middle session, Sri Lanka are in danger of losing their first Test at home in seven matches. They are 139 runs ahead, with two wickets in hand. The lowest target successfully defended at this venue is 244 – in the last Test Sri Lanka played here, in 2015.”We have never lost a Test to Bangladesh, and we have a good home record recently, thanks to the win over Australia,” Karunaratne said. “If we lose here it could be a big scar on our cricket as well. We are at fault and we do need to own that mistake. I’m sure we’ll come out firing tomorrow to save the game.”The man largely responsible for backing Sri Lanka up against the wall was Mustafizur Rahman, who claimed 3 for 24 in what may be remembered as the spell of the series – at least from a seam bowler. Sri Lanka had progressed to 143 for 1 with relative comfort before Mustafizur was brought into the attack after lunch. At the end of that seven over spell, Bangladesh had a firm grip on the match, with a wicket having fallen at the other end as well.”Mustafizur took the game away from us,” Karunaratne said. “He reverse swung the ball well. He was bowling around the wicket to right-handers and the angle he was creating was difficult for the batsmen. We knew what he was doing and we had a plan to play the ball that was coming in and leave the ball that was going away. He bowls a maximum of five overs in a spell and we should have played that out. We panicked. We didn’t plan things out well. The wicket was set and maybe that gave us a false sense of security to go for runs instead of seeing off that period.”Though they scored only 214 runs in the day for the loss of eight wickets, Karunaratne also said the pitch held no major terrors. He had himself made 126 on it, and Sri Lanka’s ninth-wicket pair of Suranga Lakmal and Dilruwan Perera put on 30 in the span of 52 deliveries towards the end of play.”A batsman needs to have some time to get set, and that period can produce a few chances, but the way that Dilruwan and Suranga batted shows that wicket hasn’t become that bad yet,” he said. “The fast bowlers are having some reverse but I would say it is still a good wicket to bat on.”We have close to 140 lead, but if we can get a lead closer to 200 it will be much better. Or else we have to take quick wickets. Their openers are the key – they’ve scored a lot of runs this series, and we can put them under pressure if we dismiss them early. Before that, the remaining batsmen have to remain positive and rotate the strike and see how it goes.”

India have named an unchanged 16-man squad for the first two Tests of the upcoming series against Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-20171:28

Kalra: Don’t be surprised if Kuldeep Yadav gets a game

India have named an unchanged 16-man squad for the first two Tests of the upcoming series against Australia, starting February 23 in Pune. There was no press conference or an explanation in the BCCI press release, but it can be assumed that batsman Rohit Sharma, fast bowler Mohammed Shami and legspinner Amit Mishra had not recovered from their injuries.The three national selectors met in Mumbai a day after India won the one-off Test against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, and the recovery of the injured players would have been the only reason to change a winning combination. Shami is considered to be India’s best pace bowler and an expert at reverse swing. He had injured his knee during the England Test series.Karun Nair, who scored a triple-century in the Chennai Test against England, is available as a middle-order back-up, the spot Rohit vacated when he injured his thigh during the ODI series against New Zealand. Rohit had to undergo surgery in England and only resumed training last week.Mishra was named as the fourth spinner in the squad for the Bangladesh Test, behind R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Jayant Yadav. However, he injured his knee while diving on the bumpy Bangalore outfield during the final T20I against England. Kuldeep Yadav, the Uttar Pradesh left-arm wristspinner who was brought in as a replacement, retained his place in the squad.Kuldeep, who was named in the India A squad to play the tour game against the Australians, is likely to be withdrawn from the fixture, which starts from February 17. Allrounder Hardik Pandya, another member of this Test squad, is captain of India A and is expected to play.Squad: Virat Kohli (capt), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinav Mukund, Karun Nair, Hardik Pandya, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma, M Vijay, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav

Steven Smith, Australia’s captain, praised Travis Head for taking his opportunity at No. 6 in Australia’s 68-run victory over New Zealand in the first match of the Chappell-Hadlee series

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2016Steven Smith, Australia’s captain, praised Travis Head for taking his opportunity at No. 6 in Australia’s 68-run victory over New Zealand in the first match of the Chappell-Hadlee series. Smith said the decision to prefer Head in the middle order had nothing to do with Glenn Maxwell’s comments about team-mate Matthew Wade ahead of the match, describing Head’s batting as “beautiful” after the two put on a century stand to revive Australia from 92 for 4 in Sydney.Head made 52, his highest international score and second half-century in 13 ODIs, to help set up the Australia innings, while Smith went on to record 164 – a record at the SCG – as New Zealand conceded a total that proved to be well out of their reach, despite a fighting hundred from Martin Guptill.”It was more about giving Travis another opportunity, he played well last week, scored a hundred in Shield cricket so he’s in good nick,” Smith said of the decision to pick Head ahead of Maxwell. “I guess it was about giving him an opportunity first and obviously he played pretty well, so he’s taken that opportunity.”Asked about the relationship between the two Victorians, after Maxwell’s criticism of Wade, Smith said: “I think they’re okay. I made some comments in here the other day about him, the comments that he made were disappointing and disrespectful towards Matty and I think we’ve moved on from that now and it’s about focusing on this series. It was great for us to get a win tonight and hopefully we can play some more good cricket in the nation’s capital.”Maxwell has not played an ODI since the tri-series with West Indies and South Africa in June, during which Head made his debut. Since then, Head has made a number of handy starts – only twice failing to reach double-figures – but he needed some luck in Sydney, with Matt Henry fluffing a simple catch when he had 7.”When he came out to bat, we were just communicating, saying that we’d try and get through to about 40 overs and then we’d have a bit of a crack at them,” Smith said. “We were able to still play quit positively through that period and score five an over, so we set ourselves up nicely with that partnership and I thought the way he played was beautiful, he obviously got dropped that one at mid-off, but besides that I think he played some really good cricket. And it was nice to see Matthew Wade come in at the end and play a good little cameo as well.”It looks like [Head’s] improving every game, he’s in good form, coming off the back of a hundred last week in the Shield, so he’s playing some good cricket and I’m sure he’s going to continue to improve.”Smith chose not to dwell on his own innings, calling it “pleasing” and saying he preferred the century he made at the SCG during the 2015 World Cup semi-final. He was also grateful for the indecision among the New Zealand ranks after Trent Boult appealed for an lbw when Smith had made 14 – Kane Williamson chose not to review, possibly on the suggestion of a team-mate that there was bat involved, only for Hawk-Eye to show it would have been overturned on DRS.”I was pretty glad they didn’t review it. I think it was out, so yeah, of course I’m glad,” Smith said. “But not much was really going through my head, I let it go pretty quickly and moved on. Thought he set me up pretty well, actually, Boult wasn’t swinging any so I was moving across even further and then he got one to come back quite late. So set me up pretty well and fortunately it got given not out, and unfortunate for NZ that it was.”I think someone said that I’d hit it, from point, I reckon I heard someone say that I’d hit it, and I think they ran with that. I may have looked at my bat at one point as well, to throw them.”

Tim Bresnan made an unbeaten 72 to keep Yorkshire’s Championship hopes alive, as Nick Compton’s dropped catch cost Middlesex

George Dobell at Lord's21-Sep-2016
ScorecardHe may have scored two Test centuries and played a part in England series victories in India and South Africa but, around these parts at least, Nick Compton is in danger of being remembered as the man who dropped the 2016 Specsavers County Championship.Had Compton, in the slips, held on to the relatively straightforward chance offered by Andy Hodd on 22 off Steven Finn, Yorkshire would have been 87 for 5 and in danger of seeing their relatively long tail exposed. One of the runners in this three-horse race may well have fallen away.Instead, the chance went down and Hodd, in partnership with the wonderfully resolute Tim Bresnan, added 116 for Yorkshire’s fifth wicket to keep their side in the game. The extent of the dent put into Middlesex’s Championship aspirations remains to be seen but it may well be that Compton has inadvertently done his former club, Somerset, a huge favour. A future in ‘He should have gone to Specsavers’ adverts is unlikely to provide much consolation.Such a reputation would be harsh, of course. Compton played crucial roles in two recent victories against Durham and Nottinghamshire and may yet have a defining contribution to make here. But when title races become as tight as this – and this one is beautifully, breathlessly tight – the importance of such moments is magnified.The concern for both these teams is that their excellence – and this has been a terrific game of tough, high-quality cricket albeit one marked by some significant dropped catches – is in danger of cancelling each other out. While Somerset do battle with a foe currently boasting the resilience of a butterfly, these two teams are bashing each other into a double knockout.For victory alone is unlikely to be enough for Yorkshire. With Somerset seemingly on course for victory at Taunton, Yorkshire need to not only win but win with a minimum of four batting bonus points. They therefore have to score 350 (or more) within the first 110 overs of their first innings here. With 115 more runs required from 41 more overs and three bowlers with modest batting pretensions to come, much remains required of the two batsmen who will resume in the morning.That Yorkshire remain in the race at all is largely due to Bresnan. Having bowled with skill and persistence to help squeeze the life out of the Middlesex batting, he then produced his highest score of the campaign – and his fifth half-century – to take his side within sight of first-innings parity.It’s hard to imagine Bresnan pulling out of a game like this due to weariness or lack of focus. Indeed, you imagine he may well report for duty with an arm hanging by a thread or nursing a nasty attack of the bubonic plague. While there were some murmurs ahead of the game that he was a little high at No. 5 in the batting line-up, he justified his promotion with a mature innings featuring much patient defence and some fine shot selection.Six of his seven fours came on the off-side – a couple of meaty drives, a couple of beefy cuts and a well-judged reverse sweep the most memorable of them – with one laced through midwicket. Reflecting the improvement in his batting, he took his career average above 30 for the first time during the course of this innings and, if he makes the 100 his side probably requires, it will stay there.He came to the crease with the three batsmen above him in the order having failed to contribute a run. Toby Roland-Jones, comfortably the pick of the Middlesex seamers, had defeated Alex Lees with a full ball and drawn edges from hard-handed prods by Gary Ballance and Andrew Gale. By the time the previously fluent Adam Lyth played on in Steven Finn’s first over, perhaps slightly surprised by the pace of a fuller delivery, Yorkshire were 53 for 4 and in danger of seeing their challenge fall away.Had Compton been able to cling on to the chance offered by Hodd – instead he seemed to go at it with hard hands – Middlesex may have taken an unassailable advantage in this match. But, as the sun came out and the ball softened, so batting started to look a little easier and the teams go into day three with the game all but even.Hodd played Ollie Rayner especially well. Refusing to let him settle, he scored at almost a run-a-ball off him, hitting him off his line with reverse sweeps and punishing him if he dropped short. Even after he departed, beaten by a full one from Roland-Jones that he tried to force, Rayner was unable to gain much purchase from the dry-looking square and was twice thrashed for sixes – one drive, one pulled – by David Willey. Though Willey also departed before the close, Azeem Rafiq gave Bresnan good support to keep Yorkshire’s hopes just about alive. Still, 350 looks some way distant.”We just tried to take the game situation – and the table situation – out of it,” Bresnan said. “We tried to focus on little goals: ten runs at a time. They bowled really well at us for a little spell and made it really tough for us. But cricket is about little battles and we managed to overcome that challenge and kick on.”With the clientele we’ve got in dressing room we never say never. We’ve managed to win from some unbelievable positions this season and if we can get up to 350 we’ll be in a good position. We’ve got 40-odd overs left to get 350, which should be plenty of time. We’ll just take it in tens.”Yorkshire’s bowlers were little short of magnificent in the morning session. While Jack Brooks, as accurate and whole-hearted as ever, finished with career-best figures of 6 for 65, he would be the first to admit he was the beneficiary of a sustained performance by all five seamers that never allowed Middlesex to score at even 2.5 an over. It was relentless in the way Test bowlers tend to be relentless: building pressure; forcing batsmen to earn every run. Even with little help from the pitch or the overhead conditions, they were so disciplined that Middlesex were never able to get away from them. Yorkshire aren’t giving up on their status as champions without a hell of a fight.Eventually that pressure showed. Nick Gubbins, perhaps mindful of Middlesex’s sluggish run-rate and keen to gain at least a third batting bonus point, was drawn into a loose drive that ended his fine innings, before James Franklin edged a good one that demanded a stroke. Unsure whether to go for a third batting point or deny Yorkshire a third bowling point, Middlesex blocked for a while only to then give it away when Tim Murtagh slogged to mid-off with just 20 balls left before the cut-off. It may yet prove to be crucial. In all, Middlesex were able to add only 62 runs for the loss of five wickets in 26.3 overs in the morning session. Without Gubbins’ century – and the dropped catch that allowed him a life on 22 – they would have had no answer to Yorkshire’s fine attack.”We’re in a dogfight, but we’re hanging in there,” Brooks said. “We didn’t let them get away and we’re still in there fighting. Bressy has worked his way up from eight to five with his batting and he’s probably been our best bowler in this game as well after coming in as fifth seamer. It shows what a world-class bowler he is.”The equation for Middlesex is, at least, simple. If they win this match, the Championship is theirs. The winning bit is far from guaranteed, though.”It’s nicely poised,” Roland-Jones said in understated fashion afterwards. “We’re trying to treat it as if it’s any other game when it’s obviously an experience you want to be part of and it’s quite high pressure.”You try not to pay too much attention [to what has been happening at Taunton], but of course you see it there. Our attitude coming into the game was to win it. If you come into the last game and dangle the carrot that if you win it you win the Championship, you take that. It’s not a bad place to be.”It will probably be no consolation to any of the sides that fall short – and truly, all three deserve better than disappointment – but the quality and intensity of this encounter reflects wonderfully well on English cricket. Perhaps familiarity has invited a certain complacency (if not contempt) to England’s first-class competition but if we still value developing Test players we will tinker no further with this great competition. The 9000 or so spectators who have attended over the first two days know this already; it’s a shame not all those inhabiting the ECB offices just beside the Nursery Ground share their enthusiasm.

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs hold 'reservations' over the possible appointment of Mauricio Pochettino, even if he could 'take the job immediately'.

What's the latest on Pochettino to Spurs?

The Argentine's prospective sensational return to Spurs, the club where he arguably made his reputation as an elite coach, has been a much discussed topic in north London.

Pochettino's name has been repeatedly mentioned both in the press and in the stands, with supporters heard chanting for his comeback at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The 51-year-old lead them to a Champions League final in 2019, their first ever as a football club, and earned praise for his work on a shoe-string budget.

Pochettino's exit from PSG last year, having signed off with a Ligue 1 title, makes him a readily-available free agent for hire with it being zero surprise he has been linked to Spurs.

He is even thought to be open to returning as Antonio Conte's replacement, yet according to recent reports, it appears the only thing standing in Tottenham's way is, in fact, Tottenham. There have been suggestions that chairman Daniel Levy favours a move for Burnley boss Vincent Kompany, even if members of the Spurs squad are yearning for Pochettino's return.

Now, a report from The Evening Standard claims that it isn't just Levy – with other members of the hierarchy holding 'reservations' over his return. This is apparently down to how the final five months of his tenure played out.

Indeed, even though Pochettino 'could potentially take the job immediately', as explained in the report, it appears there are those within the Tottenham boardroom who are opposed.

Should Spurs move for Pochettino?

We believe the South American is both a very safe and exciting choice – possibly standing out as their most attainable and obvious managerial candidate. Pochettino encourages the 4-3-3 attack formation, and for Spurs supporters who want to see the return of open, expansive football, this could be a real attraction.

Called a 'ruthless' tactician by talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, it perhaps speaks volumes that Tottenham players reportedly want him back at Hotspur Way.

Pochettino's experiences winning silverware in France, not to mention managing players of Lionel Messi's ilk, will have only strengthened the coach's credentials whilst making him an even more tantalising option for Levy.

He is currently ripe for the taking with zero obstacles standing in the way of Spurs, surely this is a no-brainer?