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Paul Mullin will be auctioning off his famous customised "F*ck the Tories" boots. The boots, first unveiled in 2022, carried a message that caused uproar in the Wrexham boardroom. And now, the striker has announced that he is going to sell it off to the highest bidder.

• The boots that started a firestorm

  The bold slogan, emblazoned across his Nike Mercurials, instantly became a lightning rod for debate in football and political circles. Mullin had them custom-made as part of his personal protest against the Conservative Party’s handling of Britain’s working class. It was a stance rooted deeply in his Merseyside upbringing. But while Mullin saw it as a stand for ordinary people, his club at the time, Wrexham, saw it as a step too far. They were quick to distance themselves from the controversy once images of the boots surfaced on Mullin’s Instagram.

  A Wrexham statement read: “The club can confirm that the boots revealed by Paul Mullin on social media will not be worn tonight, or in any other Wrexham AFC fixture and that the photographs taken at the Racecourse Ground were done so without our knowledge or approval. For the record, the pictures wouldn’t have been permitted to be taken had we known, and the issue will be dealt with privately by the club.

  “The club has adopted a neutral position on many matters with a political dimension and intends to continue to do so going forward. The club also acknowledge that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, whether that be employees or supporters, but would also highlight that an individual's view cannot be fairly attributed as the view of everyone or the club itself.

  “There is no more prominent example of this than the fact that the MP for the constituency within which the club is found is a Conservative seat. After this unwelcome distraction, the club hopes the focus remains on our objectives of gaining promotion on the field and creating community benefit off it, in which Paul Mullin will continue to play a significant part."

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  Boots put up for auction

  Despite being banned from wearing the boots, Mullin kept them. In 2024, Britain changed political course. The Labour Party’s landslide victory ended 14 years of Conservative rule. As Rishi Sunak handed the keys of Downing Street to Keir Starmer, Mullin was quick to celebrate.

  Posting a waving hand emoji on Instagram, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "If you know anyone who needs some boots, I’ve got a spare pair now!”

  Now, the man himself has confirmed on social media that the boots will officially go under the hammer. "So a few months ago I said they would be up for auction and here they are," Mullin announced to his followers on Instagram.

  @paulmulin12 Instagram

• From cult hero to outsider

  After firing Wrexham to two promotions and scoring 110 goals in 172 games, Mullin earned cult hero status in North Wales. But last season, the fairytale began to drift apart. The 30-year-old found himself sidelined as Wrexham made the leap to the Championship. With new signings and bigger ambitions, Mullin became surplus to Phil Parkinson’s plans. Now, he’s swapped red for blue as he joined Wigan Athletic on loan for the 2025/26 season.

  A few days after completing the transfer, he said on Sky Sports: "Nothing really changes for me. I’ve always said that I never want to prove anyone wrong; I always want to prove myself right. There’s many reasons why I haven’t played at League One level through my career, that was purely due to choice a lot of the time, and obviously last year didn’t go the way I wanted. I think that was from a personal point of view, but many people will say ‘oh you didn’t score goals last year’, and they will be the same people that rely on xG, which, to be honest, I don’t believe in, but if that was the case, then I only had an xG of four and managed to score three, so it weren’t such a bad season for those people. I probably started 12 games and scored five goals, so I can spin it any way you want. For me, it wasn’t a successful season. I want to play games, never mind scoring goals, I just want to play and be part of a team that’s successful, that’s the most important thing to me, being successful as a team, and last year we were."

  Mullin added on his decision to join Wigan: "It is a fresh start. People could be sad about it, like, obviously, a lot of Wrexham fans, but for me, I’m excited about the next chapter of my book. In life, you have many opportunities to change paths and go in different directions, and sometimes you’ve got to be brave to go and take the next step and see what’s next for you. I’m really looking forward to the future; it’s something I’m really excited about, and yeah, I’m fully excited about what’s to come."

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  Wrexham redemption still on the cards?

  Despite his loan spell, the door isn’t shut on Mullin’s Wrexham story. With two years left on his contract, a return to the Racecourse isn’t impossible. Even former Wrexham boss Dean Saunders believes the striker could earn a second chance in north Wales.

   “One thing about Paul Mullin is that he is a goal scorer, and he always will be," he said. "He knows where the net is, and when he is in form on a scoring streak, I’m not sure there is any forward scarier in the EFL. Wrexham have signed players from higher up and have decided to send him out on loan, which I think is fair enough, as they have Premier League ambitions.

  “One thing Paul needs to do is keep at it. He needs a manager who backs him to score goals and lead the line, which he seems to have found at Wigan. He needs to stay fit and bang in goals to show Wrexham what they are missing. I actually think Wales could still use him in an international squad. It’s hard to find natural goal scorers, and that’s exactly what Paul is. Wales could use some of his firepower."

  At Wigan, Mullin is determined to remind everyone why he’s one of the most prolific forwards outside the Premier League. With four goals in 16 appearances, he’s aiming to break his recent dry spell when the Latics face Mansfield Town on Saturday.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na virada do Santos sobre o Grêmio, a torcida, com mais de 12 mil presentes na Vila Belmiro, teve papel essencial neste capítulo da intensa luta contra o rebaixamento no Campeonato Brasileiro. Pirotecnia, mística e tensão foram alguns dos ingredientes que cercaram o duelo deste último domingo (20).

A importantíssima partida contra os gaúchos começou um dia antes da bola rolar. Com a presença de torcedores de torcidas organizadas do clube no CT Rei Pelé, a torcida prometeu uma grande festa, apoio incondicional e motivou os atletas a salvarem a reputação do Alvinegro Praiano “pelo Pelé”. Ao que parece, com o pacto cumprido, tudo isso surtiu efeito sobre os jogadores.

+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!

Após os torcedores arrecadarem R$ 9 mil reais para realização do “corredor de fogo”, a festa pré-jogo foi intensa e marcante, com milhares de santistas nas ruas de acesso ao estádio.

NÚMEROS DO SANTOS NA VILA BELMIRO

Se existe uma dobradinha que historicamente funciona, e por muitas vezes funcionou, é a junção entre a torcida do Peixe e o estádio da Vila Belmiro.

Apesar das estatísticas pouco animadoras do Alvinegro Praiano em casa se comparadas com outras temporadas do clube, existe um abismo entre a campanha do time dentro e fora dos seus domínios.

Jogos do Santos em casa em 2023: 23 (9 vitórias, 11 empates e 3 derrotas) = 55,07% de aproveitamento

Jogos do Santos fora de casa em 2023: 21 (4 vitórias, 3 empates e 14 derrotas) = 23,8% de aproveitamento

FOI PELÉ?

O lance que não saiu da mente e da lista de vídeos mais assistidos dos torcedores do Santos nesta semana carrega a seguinte mística: Foi Pelé que impediu a bola de sair do campo de jogo no segundo gol?

Verdade ou não, a crendice reforça toda mística e força que o time possui dentro de sua casa. Para conseguir os mágicos 45 pontos e, dessa forma, virtualmente escapar do rebaixamento, o poder da Vila Belmiro não só é importante, como também será o definidor para sabermos se o Peixe permanecerá ou não na elite do futebol nacional.

* Gabriel Teles sob supervisão de Sidney Daguano

It may seem crazy at this early stage of the season, but it would appear as though Russell Martin’s days at Rangers are numbered.

On Sunday, the first Old Firm of the season took place and to say it wasn’t a classic would be a contender for understatement of the century; it finished goalless, with Rangers’ xG 0.16 to the opposition’s 0.17.

After both Glasgow giants were ignominiously dumped out of Champions League qualifying during the week, neither are at the peak of their powers just now, but the crisis in Govan is certainly the more alarming of the two, so could this result in the shortest managerial tenure in the club’s 153-year history?

Russell Martin a man under pressure

Not including caretakers, Pedro Caixinha holds the record for the shortest tenure of any permanent Rangers manager, overseeing 26 matches in 2017, infamously knocked out of Europa League qualifying by Luxembourgish minnows Progrès Niederkorn.

Manager Focus

However, this record could be smashed in the coming weeks, with Martin having taken charge of just 11 fixtures to date; his 26th would come on 27 November against Braga, but many are forecasting that he’ll be long gone before then.

Sunday’s goalless stalemate with Celtic means Rangers have now drawn all four Premiership matches so far, previously held by Motherwell, Dundee and St Mirren, making this their worst start to a season since 1983, going on to finish all the way down in fourth back then.

Meantime, while they did enjoy impressive victories over Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzeň, Rangers’ Champions League dreams were crushed by Club Brugge in the play-off round, steamrollered 9-1 on aggregate, their biggest two-legged European defeat for 65 years.

Following last Wednesday’s 6-0 annihilation at Jan Breydelstadion, speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Ewan Murray believes that never before has there been a managerial appointment so instantaneously “doomed” as Martin at Rangers, adding that supporters didn’t want him in the first place, and the atmosphere has truly turned toxic following “horrendous” results and performances.

So, with games against Hearts, Hibs and then Genk to come after the international break, the new ownership group 49ers Enterprises have to be considering other managerial candidates, despite publicly backing Martin, so should a “serial winner” be very much at the top of their list?

Rangers' dream Russell Martin successor

In shock news last Friday, it was announced that Fenerbahçe had sacked José Mourinho, following their own elimination in the Champions League play-offs, defeated at Estádio da Luz on Wednesday, thereby ousted 1-0 aggregate by Benfica.

The İstanbul-based giants still have not qualified for the Champions League group stages since 2008, their most recent Turkish Süper Lig title coming in 2014, appointing Mourinho to change both of these facts, but he ultimately achieved neither during 14 months in the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium dugout.

In fairness, this has proved a salient strategy for numerous clubs in the past.

Before Mourinho, Porto hadn’t won the Champions League for 17 years, Chelsea hadn’t won the Premier League for 50 years, Inter hadn’t been European champions for 45 years and Roma hadn’t won a continental title for 62 years.

Well, given Celtic’s dominance of Scottish football recently, Rangers appears to be the perfect next destination for Mourinho, given his cult of personality, with reports late last week suggesting that the Gers could be set to open talks with the veteran coach.

For context, not only have the Hoops won 13 of the last 14 Premiership titles, since 2011/12, Celtic have picked up 28 major honours, during which time Rangers have won three, the same number as St Johnstone.

Well, speaking on BT Sport following Roma’s Conference League triumph over Feyenoord, Owen Hargreaves labelled Mourinho a “serial winner”, adding “football is about winning” and that is why he has brought Rome to life, so could the Special One do something similar on Glasgow’s south side?

Well, when 49ers Enterprises took a majority stake in Rangers earlier this summer, many were expecting them to target a big name; Martin doesn’t really fit that billing, does he?

Also, ahead of Fenerbahçe’s Europa League round of 16 tie at Ibrox in March, Mourinho intimated that he would like to manage one of Glasgow’s big two in the future.

When asked, he stated “why not in the future?”, adding that the Scottish league is a “league of passion…. which is everything”, and that he only wants to work at a club with “big fan bases, big emotions, big responsibilities and big expectations”.

So, could the recently out-of-work 62-year-old soon be unveiled in Glasgow?

Should this happen, it would, without doubt, be the most excited the Rangers support have been about a new manager since Steven Gerrard arrived seven years ago.

Back in 2018, thousands of supporters descended on Ibrox just to welcome the rookie manager, who would eventually deliver the Premiership title in his third season.

None of his successors, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale nor Philippe Clement, have been able to repeat this feat, but Mourinho-mania would go through the roof in Glasgow, and he wins wherever he goes, except Tottenham, so why not Rangers?

Martin cost Rangers the win by playing star who was worse than Aasgaard

Russell Martin may look back on this tactical decision with regret after his underwhelming display.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 31, 2025

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O Fluminenseficou próximo de garantir o retorno de um atacante conhecido da sua torcida. O clube encaminhou acordo com Yony González, que teve passagem no clube em 2019. A informação é do “ge”.

O jogador de 28 anos estava no Portimonense, de Portugal, e ficou livre no mercado neste mês. Seu nome foi aprovado pelo técnico Fernando Diniz, mas o atleta ainda terá de desembarcar no Rio de Janeiro e fazer exames médicos antes de assinar contrato.

+ Confira a classificação do Brasileirão

+ IMPERDÍVEL! Transmissão ao vivo dos jogos do Tricolor na Liberta por apenas R$1,00!

Yony González chamou atenção do Tricolor das Laranjeiras em 2019, após ter se destacado pelo Junior Barranquilla. No clube, marcou 17 gols no período no qual foi comandado por Diniz.

+ Para os tricolores apaixonados: produtos a partir de R$34,90 na FutFanatics!

Após ser contratado pelo Benfica, o atacante teve passagens pelo Corinthians, LA Galaxy e Ceará. Além disso, atuou no Deportivo Cali antes de jogar no Portimonense.

O atacante postou em seu Instagram um story enigmático no dia anterior.

O jogador de 28 anos divulgou uma mensagem dizendo “Minha alegria vai voltar”.

In an emotional message on social media, Inter Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets confirmed what had been rumored in recent weeks: he will retire from professional football at the end of the playoffs as the Herons chase their first MLS Cup. The 37-year-old has made 69 league appearances for the club and his contract expires in December

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  An unforgettable career

  Busquets wraps up what will be an unforgettable run: 722 appearances for FC Barcelona, nine La Liga titles, and three UEFA Champions League trophies on the club side. With the Spanish national team, the midfielder earned 143 caps and lifted the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa.

  At Inter Miami, he's lifted two trophies – the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters' Shield. 

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  'I retire happy, fulfilled, and, above all, grateful'

  The veteran revealed that the feeling of fulfillment guided his decision to finish his career at the end of the season. 

  “It’s been an incredible journey,” Busquets posted on social media. “I feel that the time has come to say goodbye to my career as a professional footballer. It’s been nearly 20 years of enjoying this incredible story I always dreamed of. These will be my final months on the pitch. I retire happy, fulfilled, and, above all, grateful. Thank you all so much – see you soon." 

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  How many games Busquets has left

  With five games left in the regular season, Miami have already clinched the playoffs and are now aiming to secure a direct spot in the playoffs. They could even climb higher from their current third-place position, as they have two matches in hand and sit just five points behind Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union.

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  Toronto next…

  Javier Mascherano’s squad will fly to Canada tomorrow to face Toronto FC this Saturday.

يلعب منتخب ليبيا مباراة قوية مساء اليوم الأربعاء ضد نظيره الرأس الأخضر، ذلك في إطار منافسات تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة إلي كأس العالم 2026.

منتخب ليبيا يلاقي الرأس الأخضر، ضمن مواجهات الجولة التاسعة من مباريات المجموعة الرابعة لـ تصفيات كأس العالم المقرر إقامتها العام المقبل في الولايات المتحدة وكندا والمكسيك.

منتخب ليبيا يتواجد في المجموعة الرابعة من تصفيات كأس العالم، بجانب منتخبات الرأس الأخضر والكاميرون وأنجولا وموريشيوس وإيسواتيني.

ويمتلك منتخب ليبيا 14 نقطة، ويحتل المركز الثالث في ترتيب المجموعة من تصفيات كأس العالم، بينما يتصدر منتخب الرأس الأخضر، الترتيب برصيد 19 نقطة.

طالع | موعد والقنوات الناقلة لمباراة مصر وجيبوتي اليوم في تصفيات إفريقيا لـ كأس العالم 2026.. والمعلق

وتعد حظوظ المنتخبين ليبيا والرأس الأخضر، قائمة في التأهل إلي نهائيات كأس العالم القادم، للمرة الأولي في تاريخهما. موعد مباراة ليبيا والرأس الأخضر اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

تقام مباراة ليبيا والرأس الأخضر، اليوم الأربعاء، 8 أكتوبر 2025، في تمام الساعة 4 عصرًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، 3 بتوقيت ليبيا. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليبيا والرأس الأخضر اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

تنقل مباراة ليبيا والرأس الأخضر، على قناة ليبيا الرياضية Libya Sport TV‏.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Kylian Mbappe admitted it was "stupidity" after error during France's 2-0 win over Ukraine

• French star admitted to a moment of "stupidity" after miss
• Mbappe equalled Henry in the scoring charts
• Eyes Olivier Giroud’s all-time Les Bleus record

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The world champions looked composed throughout, breaking down a stubborn Ukrainian defence with patience before Mbappe sealed the contest in the 82nd minute. His clinical finish moved him clear of Michel Platini and side by side with Henry in the national team’s history books. Only Olivier Giroud, sitting top with 57 goals, now stands between Mbappe and outright immortality.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  But even the greats have their blunders. In stoppage time, Aurelien Tchouameni threaded an inch-perfect pass into Mbappe’s path. With just keeper Anatoliy Trubin to beat, the French captain opted for flair over efficiency, attempting a delicate lob. However, his effort fell flat on its face. 

• WHAT MBAPPE SAID

  Reflecting afterwards, Mbappe didn’t sugar-coat his verdict: "That was mostly just stupidity. A move like that is only beautiful if it works. Next time, I need to score it…or not attempt it at all.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  With six more goals needed to catch Giroud’s haul of 57, Mbappe is within touching distance of the summit. Given his age and scoring rate, few doubt he’ll rewrite the record books sooner rather than later. However, speaking to after the win, he downplayed his obsession with records: “The record is getting closer, it’s not something I’m thinking about. I don’t know if it’s because I think I can beat it or because I think there are more important things. But it’s true that being the top scorer in the history of the French team is no small feat.”

Chelsea certainly appear to be a team who are aiming for a big season in 2025/26.

Enzo Maresca not only led the Blues to a wonderful triumph at the Club World Cup, but he simultaneously managed to bolster his squad in the process.

In came João Pedro and Liam Delap. Elsewhere, Jamie Gittens was signed to bolster Maresca’s wide options, while Brazilian sensation Estevao will link up with the club ahead of the new season.

It is a summer of change at Stamford Bridge, and the victory stateside will only heighten expectations once the Premier League season gets underway in a few weeks.

The $125m that the club won at the tournament this summer will help fund a few of the summer signings, but Maresca will be looking to sell a raft of players to fund more incomings.

João Felix and Christopher Nkunku could be set to leave the club this summer. As to Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga and Raheem Sterling in the coming weeks.

These players could fetch decent fees, which, in turn, will allow the club to further bolster key positions.

Noni Madueke has also been sold to Arsenal, while Nicolas Jackson is being heavily linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge. These two might be the biggest losses.

Chelsea looking to sell more players

Given the imminent arrival of Estevao at Stamford Bridge, plus the presence of Pedro Neto, it was evident that Madueke’s chances of regular game time on the right flank would be limited next term.

When Arsenal began to show serious interest, it was only a matter of when and not if the Gunners would seal the deal.

His sale could earn Chelsea around £50m, which is a remarkable sum for a player who scored seven Premier League goals for the Blues last term.

Jackson has been subject to interest from a host of clubs since the summer transfer window opened a few weeks ago.

Recently, however, it is Manchester United who are keen on securing a move for the Senegal international.

According to reports, United have already held talks with Jackson’s representatives regarding a potential move to Old Trafford.

With Pedro and Delap looking like they will share the centre-forward workload this season, is there any room for Jackson?

Last term, he made just 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring only 13 goals in the process for the club.

His form tailed off towards the end of the season after a decent start, going on to find the back of the net on four occasions after Christmas.

Given his competition for a place in the starting XI combined with his poor form throughout 2025, Jackson could seek a fresh start by moving away from London.

He could easily command a fee of over £50m in the current market, and he wouldn’t exactly be a massive loss to Maresca.

The Blues might have to brace themselves for a potential offer for one of their star players, however, and he would be a far bigger loss than Madueke and Jackson combined…

Chelsea could receive an offer for Cole Palmer

While Maresca is keen on selling several of his first-team players this summer to raise funds, certain players won’t be for sale.

Cole Palmer is one such name. The Englishman is at the forefront of the club’s recent success, and he will have another big part to play next season.

An extraordinary recent report from Spain has claimed that Manchester City are looking to bring him back to the Etihad, just two years after selling him.

Indeed, Pep Guardiola is willing to offer Chelsea £147m to seal a swoop for the former City academy graduate, and he could be the final part of the jigsaw for the Spaniard.

It is highly unlikely that Maresca will even consider such an offer, despite it meaning the club could rake in £100m profit on the midfielder. He is far more important than that ahead of the new season.

What Chelsea would lose if Palmer leaves

For a fee of just £40m, Palmer has arguably been one of the finest signings in the club’s recent history.

Hailed as having a “special quality” in front of goal by Guardiola a few years ago, Palmer soon emerged as one of the finest talents in the Premier League during his maiden season at Stamford Bridge.

Palmer scored 27 goals and grabbed 15 assists for the Blues as they sealed a return to European football under Mauricio Pochettino.

Last season, the former City starlet registered 32 goal contributions across all competitions, particularly shining at the recent Club World Cup.

Indeed, the attacking midfielder was in sublime form stateside. Aside from his five-goal involvements, Palmer averaged 3.5 shots per game, created four big chances while also averaging two key passes each game.

He powered the club to the title, and it sets him up for another wonderful campaign at Stamford Bridge.

This will be the first time the Blues will play in the Champions League since 2022/23, highlighting how important it is for them to keep Palmer.

Palmer’s Premier League stats for Chelsea

Metric

2023/24

2024/5

Goals

22

15

Assists

11

8

Big chances created

17

24

Key passes per game

2.1

2.5

Shots per game

3.2

3.4

Via Sofascore

While everyone has their price, Maresca will surely be ready to turn down any official bid should it arrive in the coming days; that’s for sure.

Jackson and Madueke are certainly dispensable, with the Blues already having players better than them in the current squad.

As for Palmer, there might not be a better attacking midfielder in the whole of England who has offered as much as the Englishman since he moved to London.

There are plenty of weeks left in the transfer window, but every single Chelsea fan will be hoping that their talisman remains at the club. Not just for next season, but for the foreseeable future too.

Related Chelsea in talks with agents of "amazing" £40m star, he's open on the move

The Blues have made an approach for a Premier League player, who could now be tempted by a move to Stamford Bridge.

Posts ByDominic Lund Jul 21, 2025

Hampshire’s top order score 40 in 28 overs to leave game heading for a draw

ECB Reporters Network24-Aug-2024Hampshire 40 for 1 trail Essex 438 for 8 dec (Cox 141, Elgar 136, Westley 64) by 398 runs Toby Albert and the rain frustrated Vitality County Championship title-chasing Essex against Hampshire at Utilita Bowl.Only 34 overs were bowled after a rain-soaked morning and afternoon, but after Sam Cook and Shane Snater had taken their partnership to 49 and Essex to 438 for 8, Tom Westley declared.Hampshire lost Fletcha Middleton, but Albert dropped anchor with 18 from 69 balls, with Nick Gubbins even more defensive in his 8 off 58. They ended the day on 40 for 1, 398 runs in arrears, with the likelihood this will turn into a final-day bonus-point match, unless the hosts fail to avoid the follow-on.But Storm Lilian deposited a significant amount of rain on Saturday morning, but the hard work of Simon Lee and his groundstaff made sure action got under way after tea. The first part of the session was a battle for bonus points before a declaration. Hampshire needed one wicket for another point, Essex needed 46 runs.Neither of which came to pass, but Snater and Cook had a good go at the runs part of the equation in putting on an unbroken 49. Hampshire had one massive chance to claim maximum bowling points, but Cook was put down by Tom Prest at first slip with what became the penultimate delivery before Westley called his side in.The blue skies suggested batting might be relatively simple, but Cook and Jamie Porter initially put Hampshire’s young opening batters Middleton and Albert under the microscope.There wasn’t significant movement but the odd late ball tailed in and super-disciplined bowling made scoring runs almost impossible early on. It took 23 balls before Albert scored the first run of the innings, and when Snater entered the attack in the ninth over, only five runs had been scored.The Dutchman may have offered up a half-volley for Albert to strike the first boundary of the innings, but he made the breakthrough.He found movement into Middleton, and helped by some low bounce, caught the outside edge, before Michael Pepper brilliantly caught on the forward dive.From then on, Albert and Gubbins battened down the hatches and simply refused to get out – which never looked like happening as the ball aged.In the 28 overs Hampshire batted, there were 150 dot balls.

The senior allrounder scored his first T20I fifty in two years to help Bangladesh beat Netherlands

Shashank Kishore13-Jun-20241:42

Maharoof: Shakib was prepared for Netherlands’ short-ball tactics

Prior to Thursday, Shakib Al Hasan had last registered a T20I half-century in October 2022. Since then, he’s battled a number of issues, on and off the field, including an eye condition that has hampered his batting.In his first two matches at the T20 World Cup, he was knocked off for 8 and 3. But in a vital group fixture against Netherlands, he broke the 19-match streak without a half-century with an unbeaten 46-ball 64 that helped Bangladesh post 159, which proved to be 25 too many for Netherlands. This puts Bangladesh in an excellent position to make the Super Eights going into their final league fixture against Nepal on Monday.”It was important for someone from the top four to bat throughout the innings,” Shakib said after being named Player of the match. “Happy with the way I contributed. It wasn’t an easy wicket [to bat on] but we held our nerves and put on a decent total.”Related

Shakib has arrived at the T20 World Cup, finally

Shakib, Rishad and Mustafizur take Bangladesh one step closer to Super Eight

Shakib walked into bat with Bangladesh in trouble at 23 for 2 but looked in sparkling form right from the outset. His counterattack along with Tanzid Hasan, with whom he added 48 in just 32 balls, caught Netherlands briefly off guard.The acceleration gave Bangladesh a little bit of breathing space on a surface that slowed down considerably as the match progressed. It set up cameos from Mahmudullah and Jaker Ali as Bangladesh made 54 off the last five overs.Shakib admitted assessing the surface wasn’t easy considering this was the first T20I at the venue in over 10 years. Shakib himself has had some experience of playing here, having featured in Bangladesh’s first-ever Test win overseas, back in 2009.While that may have elicited happy memories, it’s unlikely they could’ve drawn upon something from that experience. “There’s hardly been an international game here in the last four-five years, so we didn’t know what a good score was,” Shakib explained.”We had to keep wickets in hand to see where we would be after 14-15 overs and then see how far we go. Our total [159] was decent, in a World Cup can it’s always tricky to chase. I won’t say it was a winning total, but it was a challenging total.”Netherlands were in the hunt for the first 14 overs of the chase. After losing openers Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd inside the powerplay, they accelerated courtesy Vikramjit Singh and Sybrand Engelbrecht. Then with Scott Edwards coming in and picking off runs against spin, especially towards the shorter leg-side boundary with the breeze, they brought down the equation to 56 runs needed off 36 balls.It’s at this point that legspinner Rishad Hossain turned the game around by picking up Engelbrecht and Bas de Leede in the space of three deliveries to turn the game around. He would finish with figures of 3 for 33 to take his wickets tally to seven in the competition, just two behind the leader, Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi.”They [Netherlands] had their moments,” Shakib said. “In the 12th over, they were close to 90 for 3. Ten an over from there on this wicket with the wind going one way, it wasn’t easy to restrict them but credit to our bowlers for the way they held their nerve.”