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Herschelle Gibbs scored an unbeaten century as South Africa crushed Sri Lanka by eight wickets to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in this five-match series at the De Beers Diamond Oval on Wednesday

Charlie Austin04-Dec-2002Herschelle Gibbs scored an unbeaten century as South Africa crushed Sri Lanka by eight wickets to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in this five-match series at the De Beers Diamond Oval on Wednesday.Sri Lanka had high hopes of leveling the series here after a resounding win in third game at Benoni but a combination of ill-fortune, electric fielding and sloppy batting now leaves them fighting for only pride in the final game on Friday.Sri Lanka threatened a competitive score after being asked to bat first, racing to 57 without loss after the first ten overs, but a freak run out sparked a dramatic top order collapse and they were bowled out for 184.Such a meager target was never likely to be sufficient on a flat batting surface, but new ball bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Pulasthi Gunaratne sent jitters through the South Africa top order with the early wickets of Andrew Hall (2) and Neil McKenzie (7),However, the experienced Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis quickly reasserted their authority over the visitors in a record unbroken 173 run partnership for the third wicket.Gibbs, who came into the game with three successive failures in the series, finally hit form after an awkward start, smashing a succession of boundaries, including a remarkable punch over mid-wicket to bring up his 11th one-day century.The right-handed opener finished with 108 from just 92 balls having hit 14 fours and three sixes.Kallis has had no such problems with his form coming into the game and he carried on where he left off at Benoni, cruising to his third half-century of the series, finishing unbeaten 64 from 83 balls having hit five fours and a six.Under pressure to take quick wickets, the discipline shown by Sri Lanka’s bowlers last Sunday evaporated and South Africa reached their target with an embarrassing 19.1 overs to spare.But it was the batsmen who shouldered most responsibility for the defeat, like they did at Wanderers and Centurion where they were bowled out for an unacceptable 140 and 128.They had started the day well enough with Marvan Atapattu playing gloriously against the new ball, driving through the covers on the up and cutting imperiously, as he raced to 39 from 46 balls.But his purple form was wasted by a lackadaisical piece of running, as the right-hander was adjudged to have not ground his bat or foot the crease by television umpire Brian Jerling after a cheeky backwards flick from wicket-keeper Mark Boucher.The Sri Lankans, who were seething immediately after the decision, will claim with some justification that there was too much doubt for Jerling to press the red light, but Atapattu was guilty of ignoring the basics as he failed to run in his bat properly after ambling back from a comfortable two.The incident changed the course of the game, visibly rattling the impulsive Sri Lankans, who hit the self-destruct button, losing four wickets for just seven runs.Kumar Sangakkara (1) pulled a Kallis long hop straight into the hands of square leg and Aravinda de Silva (0) followed his fine 71 in the last match with a duck as he top edged an attempted hook.An astonishing one-handed airbourne catch by McKenzie – playing his first game of the series – then accounted for Jayasuriya (27 from 33 balls) andMahela Jaywardene (9) was trapped lbw by Alan Donald to leave Sri Lanka on 97 for five.Russel Arnold produced provided some timely resistance with the Sri Lankan selectors set to finalise their squad for Australia on Saturday, scoring 50 from 88 balls, adding 34 for the seventh wicket with Hashan Tillakaratne.But the fight-back proved shortlived as Tillakaratne swung across the line against Pollock and was bowled. The rest of the tail were then blown away, although Gunaratne did add 29 for the last wicket with Arnold.Donald was the most successful bowler, taking three wickets for 18 runs from his allotted ten overs. Pollock also claimed a three-for.

A calm approach and an appetite for accumulating runs held Anmolpreet Singh in good stead in the World Cup semi-final against Sri Lanka Under-19s

Vishal Dikshit in Mirpur09-Feb-2016Anmolpreet Singh’s batting position in the India Under-19s team is No. 3, squeezed in between three established names – Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan and Sarfaraz Khan. Anmolpreet can easily go unnoticed whether it’s because of his batting style or unfamiliarity with the fans. He didn’t play any of India’s league matches that were on TV, he has not played Ranji Trophy and his name was not in the recent IPL auction.In spite of all that Anmolpreet has stamped his name on the No. 3 spot by leading India to the World Cup final with a solid 72 that helped them put on a challenging score of 267 against Sri Lanka in the semi-final. He came out to bat with the score at 23 for 1 when the Sri Lanka Under-19s pacers were nipping the ball around on an overcast morning. The score soon became 27 for 2 and India’s top order was left shaken again.Anmolpreet had a more experienced Sarfaraz at the other end but his own inexperience hardly showed. He displayed impressive technique with plenty of classical straight-bat shots and gauged the situation like a player who had already played on the Mirpur pitch.”The wicket was tough and the ball was doing a bit. So my discussion with Sarfaraz was to rotate the strike,” Anmolpreet said after the match. ” [We wanted to bat long] and then we could hit boundaries.”Anmolpreet’s first chance in the World Cup came in the quarter-final, against Namibia, in which he scored a quick 41 and took three late wickets. Before that, he scored a heap of runs in matches that were not shown on television.He was recently named the Under-19 Cricketer of the Year by the BCCI for his prolific run in the 2014-15 Cooch Behar Trophy. He topped the run-scoring charts with 1154 runs in 10 innings at an average of 144.25 with the help of five hundreds and two fifties; no other batsman in the tournamnt scored more than 850. One of the centuries was a mammoth effort of 322 against Jammu & Kashmir.Anmolpreet’s nature of accumulating runs is not recent. In the 2013-14 season, he had helped Punjab Under-19s lift the Vinoo Mankad Trophy with a measured knock of 79 in the final against Bengal and finished the tournament with 300 runs at an average of 50 with three fifties to his name. In the Cooch Behar Trophy that season, he finished with an average of 107.80 by amassing 539 runs from five innings with two hundreds and as many fifties.His hunger to score big emerged during his early years in Patiala and a childhood spent following his cousins to cricket grounds to watch inter-college matches. Sports was running in the family a generation before: his father was the captain of the India handball team and represented the country from 1982 to 2000. When Anmolpreet’s talent came to the fore, he joined the DMW Academy and the Black Elephant Club in Patiala to hone his skills.”My father would guide me on how to go about things, but I have been coached by different coaches at different academies,” Anmolpreet told the BCCI website last month. “I started getting more matches from the Army Ground [in Patiala] and then I got a coach who also guided me. He taught me the basics. From there I shifted to the Dhruv Pandove Stadium where I still train.”He went on to represent Punjab Under-16s and Under-19s and made his Twenty20 debut for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year. He got a chance to bat only once in two T20s but his outings at the Under-19 level had impressed the selectors enough to try him out in two tri-series before the World Cup. On his Youth ODI debut, he scored 28, followed it with a fifty and averaged 27.25 with the bat before the World Cup started. It wasn’t enough to throw an established player off his perch in the XI that was taking shape.He didn’t get to bat in the warm-ups even as other batsmen registered fifties and hundreds. That was, however, followed by a poor stretch of runs from Ricky Bhui, India’s first-choice No. 3 who had also played the last World Cup in 2014. The Indian team management gambled by dropping an experienced player for a youngster for the knockouts and it paid off.”You can trust in each of the 15 players we have,” Kishan said about Anmolpreet’s inclusion. “We know they can perform when the team needs. We have seen Anmol’s batting and he performs in matches even if the situation is bad. He also bowls. We always think about the team, and he has proved himself.”Anmolpreet didn’t look perturbed at all that he had not been given a chance before the quarter-final. “When Ricky did not score, sir (Rahul Dravid) gave me a chance and I did well.”His offspin bowling option does provide India another spinner on the slow tracks in Bangladesh, even though their pacers and frontline spinners have not had to depend on part-timers so far. Whether you ask him about his batting approach today, or in the triple-hundred against J&K, or while batting in general, he says: . He will now hope he can do the same in the final, if the opportunity arises, and with his cricketing career.

A round-up of the Regional Four-Day Tournament matches that were played between April 7 to 9

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-2017An unbeaten first-innings century from Devon Smith, coupled with Kyle Mayers and Shane Shillingford’s resounding returns, piloted Windward Islands to an eight-wicket victory inside three days over Jamaica at the Arnos Vale Ground.Jamaica’s decision to bat received little validation from their batsmen as they were bowled out for a paltry 56 in 19.4 overs. Only two of their batsmen got into double-figures, with wicketkeeper Devon Thomas registering a top score of 15. Their undoing was spearheaded by the fast-bowling duo of Mayers (6 for 29) and Delorn Johnson (4 for 26).Windward’s reply was led by Smith’s unbeaten 253-ball 100. His second ton in three matches, and 29th overall, all but nullified opposition captain Nikita Miller’s 5 for 58 and secured a lead of 167 for his side. That began to look match-winning as soon as Mayers picked up two wickets in successive overs to reduce Jamaica to 21 for 2. Offspinner Shane Shillingford then took over, picking up his 37th first-class five-wicket haul and finishing with 7 for 91. Raul Palmer, with 46 off 128 balls, and Fabian Allen, with 77 off 95 balls, were the strongest sources of the Jamaican resistance as they were bowled out for 262.Left with a target of 96, Windward were able to win despite Smith retiring hurt and Tyrone Theophile (36) and Jerlani Robinson (19) losing their wickets.Two half-centuries and a match haul of 9 for 42 from Roshon Primus helped Trinidad and Tobago hammer Barbados by 130 runs at Kensington OvalBatting at No. 7 Primus lifted T&T from 122 for 5 to 196 in the first innings with an 80-ball 60 – his third first-class fifty. It was the only notable contribution besides a 53-run second-wicket stand between Amir Jangoo (32) and Isaiah Rajah’s (38) and at that point it seemed like Barbados had the upper hand with Kevin Stoute and Justin Greaves taking seven wickets between them.But then they slumped to 34 for 6 in their first innings with Primus doing the star turn again as he removed three of the top five batsmen for single-digit scores. Stoute (81) and Kenroy Williams (46) tried to wrest the initiative back with a 90-run stand for the seventh wicket but Primus’ returns of 4 for 21 along with Bryan Charles’ 3 for 32 bowled Barbados out for 168 and gave T&T a 28-run lead.T&T wicketkeeper Jangoo then plundered seven fours and two sixes to amass a top score of 71 off 131 balls in the second innings, while Primus chipped in with a 62-ball 51, before Greaves’ 5 for 63 ended the T&T innings at 211.Set a target of 240, Barbados plummeted from 62 for 4 to 78 for 9 within the space of eight overs, with Primus taking 5 for 21. No batsman scored more than 20 as Barbados were bowled out for 109 in 40 overs.

Leeds United are yet to engage in any transfer activity this summer, likely stuttered due to the length of the 49ers' takeover. However, they could now be set to bring in the first of what promises to be a comprehensive transfer window…

What's the latest on Sam Field to Leeds United?

That's according to Football Insider, who suggest that the Whites are plotting a move for Queens Park Rangers midfielder Sam Field.

With the Yorkshire outfit set to battle with newly-promoted Burnley for his signature, with the hope being that their stature alone can prove more of an allure than Vincent Kompany's project at Turf Moor.

With just one year left on his £7k-per-week deal, the 25-year-old would represent a fine option for either of these clubs. To tempt him to Elland Road would reaffirm the status of these English giants, and hand them a huge boost in their pursuit of a Premier League return.

Does Sam Field improve Leeds United?

Field featured heavily last term for the Rs, having moved from his boyhood West Bromwich Albion in 2021. Despite their looming relegation threat, the tough-tackling ace managed to maintain a 6.98 average rating in the Championship, chipping in with two goals and three assists, via Sofascore.

However, it is defensively where he truly shines, with his figures suggesting that should Tyler Adams choose to depart Yorkshire, this star would represent a fine alternative to step into his role.

Last year the USA international blended one key pass per game with 3.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game (via Sofascore), with his exploits earning praise from journalist Tim Thornton: "There are similarities in the way he plays with Phillips in the way that he breaks play up and screens the defence. But he’s also very different in a lot of ways. So, he’s done brilliantly.”

However, when compared to Field's campaign, it is clear that the two are more similar than one would initially think. After all, he also recorded 2.5 tackles per game, alongside a further 2.4 clearances and 1.8 interceptions, as per Sofascore. Given both were embroiled in their respective relegation battles, they proved themselves more than capable of starring in a dogfight.

When compared to Leeds' squad for that season, this relentless midfield general would have posted the joint-best rating of those who played more than five games, and the joint-fourth-best tackler too.

Such imperious form was always foreseen by those who viewed him in his infancy, with one of his former coaches, Gary Megson, noting: "If he can just grow into himself in terms of confidence and get that little bit of belief in himself it wouldn't surprise me if he goes on to have a real top-class career.

"He's big, he can run and he's got a great left foot. He's one of the best two-footed players I've seen and he's got a great amount going for him."

Perhaps a move to Elland Road could help realise that potential, stepping up to fill the hole that could be left by Jesse Marsch's star signing.

Glasgow Rangers have shown plenty of improvement in recent weeks, which has eased the pressure on Philippe Clement.

At the end of November, it looked as though it was a matter of when, not if, he would be sacked from his position at Ibrox. Fast-forward a month later and the Gers have delivered some decent performances in both the Premiership and Europa League.

The Gers drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur, for example, taking the lead against the North Londoners, while coming so close to defending their League Cup trophy, losing on penalties to Celtic.

The next few games could make or break the Light Blues season. If they can win them all, then the gap to Celtic will close at the top of the league table. Could a title challenge be on the cards?

Several players have finally begun to showcase their true talents under the Belgian, including Hamza Igamane, who is now a key member of the squad.

Hamza Igamane’s Rangers stats

Eyebrows were raised during the summer when the Ibrox side spent £1.7m on signing Igamane from the African side AS FAR.

He was certainly a signing that looked like one for the future as Clement began to establish a player trading model at the club which could reap the benefits in the future.

Indeed, Igamane didn’t make an appearance for the Gers until a ten-minute cameo during the first Old Firm game of the season, enduring a baptism of fire in the process as the club slumped to a 3-0 defeat.

It has been in Europe where the young centre-forward has begun to prove just how important he is to Clement, scoring four goals in just four games for the club, including that wonderful effort against Spurs.

Across these four appearances, Igamane has also averaged 1.3 key passes and succeeded with 1.3 dribbles per game, indicating that he has been a major threat in Europe.

Even more impressive is the fact that Igamane is the highest-ranked player in the competition, according to FotMob with a rating of 8.18.

Recently, Everton sent scouts to monitor the player during the match against Spurs and if he keeps up these performances, especially on the continent, there will be plenty more suitors taking an interest, that’s for sure.

While it is inevitable that his future lies away from Ibrox, when the time comes, Rangers will be hoping to make a serious profit on the player. In recent weeks, his market valuation has risen.

Hamza Igamane’s market valuation

While £1.7m appeared to be a rather lavish fee for a player who had not played senior football outside of Africa before, this could soon turn into a bargain.

Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, Igamane has a current market value of £2m and this is only going to rise exponentially as time goes on.

Goals

4

2

Assists

1

0

Successful dribbles per game

1.3

0.9

Key passes per game

1.3

0.8

Shots per game

1.5

2.3

Imagine if he maintains his performance level until the end of the season. This value might end up skyrocketing which could allow Clement to cash in on the striker.

He isn’t the only player who has seen their valuation soar in recent weeks, however, as Nicolas Raskin has become one of the most valuable players in the first-team squad.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

The Rangers star who is worth more than Igamane

Michael Beale may have lasted just ten months at the helm of the Ibrox side, failing to win a trophy in the process, but he did sign Raskin for the club.

As the 2023 January transfer window was entering the dying embers, Beale was working hard to bring the then Standard Liege midfielder to Scotland in order to bolster his midfield.

In the end, he managed to secure his signature and during the second half of 2022/23, Raskin offered glimpses of his talents and it looked as though Beale had signed a player with a bright future indeed.

The 2023/24 campaign didn’t quite go to plan as Raskin suffered from a couple of injuries while failing to break into Clement’s starting XI as he preferred others at the heart of the midfield.

By the end of the season, his future at Ibrox was in doubt and when he suffered yet another injury setback during pre-season, it looked as though he was never going to live up to his full potential.

Six months later, the midfielder is arguably Rangers’ most consistent performer of late. In the Premiership, the Belgian gem has averaged a 90% pass success rate along with averaging 3.5 tackles per game and winning a staggering seven total duels per game – a success rate of 63% – which has enabled the midfielder to break down opposition attacks with ease.

His former boss at Standard, Luka Elsner, hailed Raskin during an interview with the Rangers Review, saying: “Nico is able to bring fire to a game by himself and always gives his best. For me, those are the qualities that stand out and make him some kind of special player.”

Nico Raskin’s market value in 2024

Due to his stunning displays for the Light Blues in recent weeks, his market value has increased as he is now worth more than twice the value of Igamane.

According to Transfermarkt, Raskin is now worth £5.4m and there is no doubt that this valuation will continue to rise between now and the end of the season, especially if he continues to impress.

Given how well Igamane has improved in the previous few weeks, having someone such as Raskin who is worth two times more proves that the club could certainly be onto a winner with the Belgian.

Clement now has a midfield trio which could become mainstays in the heart of the pitch, pushing the club towards glory before the end of the campaign.

Like Igamane, Raskin’s future will be away from Scotland, but if any club wishes to snap him up, they are going to have to pay a lavish transfer fee, that’s for sure.

Rangers could repeat Barisic masterclass with exciting January transfer

Rangers could make a move for a talented midfielder in January…

ByRoss Kilvington Dec 24, 2024

After his appointment last month, Ruben Amorim is the latest Manchester United manager tasked with ending the club’s decade wait for a Premier League title.

The Red Devils haven’t finished top of the table since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final campaign at the helm way back in 2012/13 – an unthinkable time period given their success under the Scotsman.

Various managers such as David Moyes, José Mourinho, and Louis van Gaal have all tried to fill the void at Old Trafford, winning multiple cup competitions but failing to secure the biggest trophy in English football.

Such a responsibility now falls to the 39-year-old, but he will need time to get his ideas across to the first-team if they are to be a success during his tenure in the North West.

There’s no denying that the side is glittered with stars, but he may wish that the hierarchy decided to keep numerous players who would’ve aided his attempts for success at the Theatre of Dreams.

Manchester United’s departures in the summer of 2024

The transfer window of the summer just gone would be Erik ten Hag’s last as United boss before his dismissal at the end of October.

During such a period, he offloaded various players, including academy graduate Scott McTominay, who ended his 22-year affiliation with the club, joining Napoli for £25m.

The Scottish international has wasted no time in impressing in Serie A, scoring three times in his first 12 outings, potentially seeing his former employers regret their decision, having the quality at both ends of the pitch – something which Amorim could have loved.

Jadon Sancho is another who was forced out the door, after the relationship between him and Ten Hag became untenable after a bust-up between the pair during the 2023/24 season.

He subsequently joined Premier League rivals Chelsea on loan with an obligation to buy, registering six goal contributions in his first 10 matches for the Blues, following in McTominay’s footsteps in making the Red Devils regret their decision.

However, it was the permanent sale of one player that appeared to be the biggest blunder, with his ability undoubtedly making him the ideal fit for Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.

The former United ace who has outscored Amad in the Premier League

Ivorian star Amad Diallo has been one of the players to thrive in a new role under the new boss, switching from his attacking role to a more defensive wing-back position.

However, he’s still managed to notch four assists in his four starts since the arrival of the former Portuguese international, but failing to score, with his Premier League tally for the season sitting at just one.

Such a figure has seen former United full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka outscore him after his summer move to West Ham United for just £15m.

The 27-year-old has scored twice in his first 14 outings for Julen Lopetegui’s side, often being the shining light within the Hammers side despite their dismal start to the ongoing season.

Wan-Bissaka, who’s previously been dubbed as “one of the best defensive right-backs” by Mark Goldbridge, has thrived since his move, able to showcase his talents at both ends of the pitch with regular game time – something he wasn’t getting at United.

Games played

14

Goals scored

2

Pass accuracy

83%

Successful dribbles

22

Tackle success rate

73%

Duels won

62

Recoveries

64

The Red Devils paid £50m for his services in the summer of 2019, losing £35m on their mammoth investment, potentially going down as another player who they offloaded way too prematurely.

His tally of goals from the current campaign has already seen him match his record at Old Trafford, doing so in 175 fewer matches, looking more of a threat going forward, which was often his biggest concern in Manchester.

His defensive quality, given his impressive tackle success rate, could have made him a great option as part of Amorim’s back three, but unfortunately, it’s another case of what could’ve been had they kept hold of the Englishman.

However, their loss is West Ham’s gain, with Lopetegui now having a hugely talented player at his disposal after the Red Devils’ blunder in allowing him to leave.

Bigger mistake than Zirkzee: Ashworth messed up offloading £25m Man Utd ace

Former Manchester United Sporting Director Dan Ashworth made some huge calls in the role.

1 ByEthan Lamb Dec 14, 2024

The Vince cover drive, so often a double-edged sword, was in glorious working order

Alan Gardner22-Apr-2022The breeziest of hundreds from James Vince helped grease the wheels for Hampshire on a chilly afternoon in Canterbury, the visitors pushing into a first-innings lead with alacrity after wrapping up Kent inside the first hour of day two. The Vince cover drive, so often a double-edged sword, was shown to be in glorious working order as Hampshire’s captain brought up his first Championship hundred since making 231 at Grace Road in the first round of last year’s competition.These are times of flux in English cricket, and while it is more than four years since Vince’s last Test appearance, he has nevertheless been mentioned in dispatches as a potential captaincy option in the wake of Joe Root’s resignation last week. Though he seems destined to go down as an unfulfilled talent at the highest level, Vince did prove a point when scoring a maiden England hundred against Pakistan in last summer’s ODI series; he is an experienced leader, in good form – this was his third 50-plus score in four innings – and perhaps, as former Kent captain David Fulton suggested on commentary for the livestream, more at ease with his game than during previous assignations.Ben Stokes is, of course, favourite to be offered the job by Rob Key, England’s new managing director of men’s cricket, and Vince would probably be behind a number of younger candidates to bat in the middle order. But watching Vince in full flow is wont to make the dreamers dream.Related

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There are not many more swoon-inducing batters on the county circuit, and Vince’s full repertoire was on display during an innings that gambolled along at pretty much a run a ball throughout. He was involved in substantial stands for the third and fourth wickets alongside Nick Gubbins and Liam Dawson, with scoring rates of 4.91 and 4.96 respectively, which set the tempo for a confident reply to Kent’s first-innings total of 305.Daniel Bell-Drummond, Kent’s centurion on day one, had admitted the feeling in the dressing room was “pretty mixed” after they had reached 271 for 7 at the close, and the sense that they had passed up the chance to post a really significant score deepened throughout Vince’s time at the crease. Although he fell shortly after reaching three figures, visibly aghast at steering tamely to slip off Nathan Gilchrist, Dawson proceeded past fifty at a good clip and was joined by Ben Brown in adding another, unbroken partnership before bad light took the players off early.The wicket of Hampshire opener Ian Holland brought Vince to the crease, and he was quickly into his stride on a true surface, picking off Darren Stevens for three boundaries inside his first 15 balls. Gubbins elected to follow the skipper’s lead, and Kent were made to chase leather through a 20-over period in which the Hampshire pair scored 22 boundaries and took the total on by more than 100.Nick Gubbins drives during a productive third-wicket stand•Getty ImagesVince was the first to raise fifty, from 48 balls with ten crisply struck fours; five of them coming during a costly two-over spell from Jackson Bird, Kent’s Australian seamer. Gubbins, though crabbier in aspect and slightly less secure – he slashed Gilchrist over the cordon on 10 and got away with an edge that didn’t carry, off Matt Milnes, on 33 – unfurled several good-looking strokes of his own, and brought up a 77-ball half-century with a whip through midwicket. His was the only wicket to fall, well caught by a diving Jordan Cox at slip after pushing forward at Gilchrist, as Hampshire rattled the score on by 172 runs between lunch and tea.Vince had 82 from 87 at that stage, having eased off a touch while Dawson took up the cudgels. Kent’s problems were exacerbated when Bird left the field after another two-over spell – which this time included being hooked for six by Dawson – and Ollie Robinson was forced to turn to Bell-Drummond’s gentle seam-ups. Vince duly pulled a leg-side long hop for four, then produced possibly his only ungainly stroke in hacking Stevens through backward point, before a nudged single brought up his century, from 99 balls. Barring a couple of inside-edges that could, on another day, have disturbed his stumps, it was a chanceless knock.Gilchrist was the standout bowler for Kent, claiming three of the four wickets to go down, but there was little assistance from either the surface or the conditions, despite persistent cloud cover. Only Milnes, who made the opening breakthrough when he had Joe Weatherley caught behind looking to drive, and offspinner Hamidullah Qadri, managed to go at less than four an over.The morning session was notable for Hampshire completing a fine comeback with the second new ball that saw them whistle out the last seven Kent wickets for just 66 runs, in the wake of Bell-Drummond’s 149. Keith Barker picked up two more, including his 100th first-class wicket for Hampshire, to finish with figures of 24-10-53-6 – an illustration of the high standards that the Kent attack were subsequently unable to match.

Forgotten Chelsea man Omari Kellyman has confirmed his season has come to a premature end due to another hamstring injury.

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Kellyman signed from Aston Villa last summerHas yet to make Chelsea debut due to injuriesNew setback means he's out for the seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Chelsea signed Kellyman from Aston Villa in June 2024 in a deal worth £19 million ($24m/€22m) but the 19-year-old will have to wait until next season now to make his debut for the Blues. Kellyman's campaign has been plagued by injury and he's now confirmed he's suffered another setback which means he won't be able to play again until the 2025-26 campaign.

AdvertisementWHAT KELLYMAN SAID

He wrote on Instagram: "Beyond gutted to say that this season has come to an early end for me due to a reinjury of my hamstring, despite only just returning after having hamstring issues for a massive part of this season. 24/25 has been a tough season for me mentally and physically due to injury but it’s important now that I take time to get this right and come out the other side stronger and better ready for what next season brings."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Kellyman joined Chelsea after making just six first-team appearances for Aston Villa and was handed a six-year contract by the Blues. However, he's gone on to endure a nightmare first season in west London due to physical issues and joins a lengthy injury list at Stamford Bridge that also includes Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke and Marc Guiu.

(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT

Kellyman's focus will now be on recovering from his latest injury in time to be ready for the start of next season. The teenager was linked with a loan move away from Chelsea in January and that may become an option again in the summer in order for him to enjoy regular football after almost a year on the sidelines.

After Todd Boehly’s takeover of Chelsea back in May 2022, no one could have predicted the massive influx of transfers that would take place at Stamford Bridge.

The American purchased the club from Roman Abramovich for a reported £4.25bn, but despite the huge acquisition to buy the Blues, he’s since invested a whole heap of cash into the playing squad.

Nearly three years on since he arrived in London, Boehly has spent around £1.2bn on new talents, investing for the present whilst also keeping one eye on the future.

Somehow, the club have avoided any punishment from the Premier League for breaking PSR or FFP – an unthinkable situation given the funds they have spent in recent times.

With such an array of transfers made, it’s obvious that some were going to fail to live up to expectations, but there are numerous who have caught the eye since their move to the Bridge.

Some of Chelsea’s best signings of the Boehly era

Striker Nicolas Jackson was a player who came under fire during last season under the former management regime despite scoring 14 Premier League goals.

However, since Enzo Maresca’s appointment during the summer, the Senegalese has taken his game to the next level – starring in front of goal.

The 23-year-old has already found the back of the net eight times in his opening 13 matches, sitting as joint top scorer in the league alongside Cole Palmer with a third of the season already complete.

Moises Caicedo arrived in West London with huge expectations after his £115m transfer from Brighton – a deal that broke the record for being the most expensive in English football.

However, he’s already made 63 appearances, scoring twice, including a phenomenal long-range effort against Bournemouth towards the back end of the season.

The price tag would’ve played on the mind of the 23-year-old, but he’s proven to be worth every penny of the fee paid for his services, but the same can’t be said for one of his current teammates.

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After his summer arrival, boss Maresca has already created a settled side, as demonstrated by their current league standing, which sees them sit third and level on points with second-placed Arsenal.

His arrival has allowed for a fresh start for numerous players, including left-back Marc Cucurella, who has nailed down the position in recent months, featuring in 12 of the 13 Premier League games this campaign.

Other players have not been so lucky, including central defender Benoit Badiashile, starting just one league meeting to date, featuring for a combined 157 minutes.

However, the Frenchman arrived with high hopes after his £35m transfer from Monaco back in January 2023, but he’s only made 44 appearances since his big-money deal, finding himself down the pecking order this season.

Badiashile, who earns £90k-per-week at the Bridge, has mainly been restricted to Europa Conference League appearances this campaign, not at the level required for Maresca given his lack of league action.

1) Levi Colwill

1169

2) Wesley Fofana

1017

3) Marc Cucurella

919

4) Malo Gusto

733

5) Reece James

241

6) Tosin

172

7) Benoit Badiashile

157

8) Axel Disasi

95

9) Ben Chilwell

0

He still has plenty of time on his side given his tender age of just 23, but it’s safe to say that the move hasn’t worked out, especially after owner Boehly was “delighted” to secure his services nearly two years ago.

Given his £35m fee, the defender has currently cost the club £800k per appearance he’s made, a huge amount given his lack of impact in recent months.

His hefty wage, unfortunately, doesn’t reflect his game time since the appointment of the Italian, with a transfer away from the Blues potentially needed to kickstart a career which has become rather “dreadful” at Stamford Bridge in the words of pundit Gabby Agbonlahor.

There’s no way given his recent form, that the hierarchy would be able to make a profit, potentially taking a massive hit on their investment, but giving him the opportunity to resurrect his once-promising career.

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Xabi Alonso has urged Bayer Leverkusen to channel Liverpool's 'Miracle of Istanbul' after racking up a three-goal deficit against Bayern Munich.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Leverkusen lose 3-0 in first leg against BayernAlonso urges side to channel 'Miracle of Istanbul'Liverpool came back from 3-0 half-time deficit in 2005Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bayer Leverkusen have had Bayern Munich's number over the last season and a half, with the Bavarians not beating Die Werkself since September 2022; however, as the two sides faced off in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 on Wednesday, Vincent Kompany's side blew the visitors away with a 3-0 win thanks to a Harry Kane brace on either side of Jamal Musiala's strike.

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In the Champions League, a team has only come back from a three or more goal deficit from the first-leg on four occasions. As such, Alonso has urged his players to channel Liverpool's 'Miracle of Istanbul' when the Reds, who featured Alonso as a player, had come back from a three-goal deficit against AC Milan during the 2005 Champions League final.

GettyWHAT ALONSO SAID

Speaking to the media, Alonso said when asked about using the 'Miracle of Istanbul' as inspiration: "Absolutely. It will take time to analyse and go through this result because we have been beaten well. Everything went against us because of us.

"But it is not over until it is over and, as you said, anything can happen. The mindset has to be that and if there is a chance, we will fight for it. We have to fight back. We will learn from this and believe in our return leg. We don't give up so easily. Three goals? You never know. One goal can change anything."

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WHAT NEXT FOR BAYER LEVERKUSEN?

Die Werkself will now prepare for their Bundesliga clash against Werder Bremen before they get set to host Bayern Munich at BayArena on Tuesday, March 11, as they look to come back in supreme fashion to keep their Champions League dream alive.