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Chris Rogers is set to be clear to play in the third Test of the Investec Ashes series in Birmingham after scans cleared him of serious damage following his retired hurt on the final morning of the Lord’s Test

Daniel Brettig in London20-Jul-2015Chris Rogers is set to be clear to play in the third Test of the Investec Ashes series in Birmingham after scans cleared him of serious damage following his retired hurt on the final morning of the Lord’s Test.On day two of the Test, Rogers was struck on the helmet near the right ear by James Anderson, and two days later had to leave the field as he complained of dizziness while standing at the non-striker’s end.There was considerable concern for Rogers due to a recent history of concussion – he missed both Tests of the West Indies tour after being struck on the helmet by the Dominican net bowler Anderson Burton – and the team doctor Peter Brukner sought independent medical advice in London the day after Australia’s 405-run victory at Lord’s.Rogers did not take the field after his dizzy spell but stayed with the team for their celebrations in the dressing rooms, after levelling the Ashes series at 1-1. Brukner said the signs of Rogers’ progress were promising.”Chris’s condition is certainly improving. He has had scans and seen a specialist since yesterday to help determine the cause of his dizziness,” he said. “The initial scans have cleared him of any serious damage and we await the results of further tests.”It appears the most likely diagnosis is a delayed ear problem related to being struck on day two of the Test match. We are confident that this is something we can manage in the lead up to the third Test at Edgbaston.”As a precaution he’ll be reviewed by the specialist in London again on Wednesday morning before re-joining the touring party. Chris was not scheduled to play in the tour match against Derbyshire, so he has time to continue resting ahead of the Test match.”Having made his highest Test score of 173 and then 49 in the second innings at the time of his retired hurt, Rogers is a central plank of Australia’s batting order in this series, though he has flagged he will most likely retire from international cricket after the Ashes.”He’s important for a period of time,” the coach Darren Lehmann said. “I think he’s made it clear he’s not going to come on the next Ashes tour, although he’d probably like to, as a tour host. He knows these conditions so well, he loves England and he helps our batters out, that’s the most pleasing thing.”He helps our batters and bowlers about conditions here and for example Middlesex and Lord’s, all the angles you’ve got to play with the slope. He knows them so well, he’s a very important part of this tour.”

Everton boss Sean Dyche has revealed how he and his players reacted to being deducted 10 points by the Premier League.

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Everton handed strongest punishment in EPL historyDyche admits surprise at verdict Toffees looking to shock Man Utd on Sunday Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The Toffees received the punishment after being found to have breached Profit and Sustainability Rules. The deduction leaves them in the relegation zone on four points heading into Sunday's meeting with Manchester United at Goodison Park.

AdvertisementWHAT SEAN DYCHE SAID ABOUT POINTS DEDUCTION

“Like everyone, well everyone in these parts, we’re shocked. With the wave of noise after that, it seems as though most people in football are shocked… the enormity of it, disproportionate is a word that’s been used by the club," Dyche said.

WHAT DYCHE SAID ABOUT HOW EVERTON WILL BE AFFECTED

Despite the bad news, Dyche insisted that his team's task has not shifted as a result. He added: "Obviously we’re going to feel a bit aggrieved by that. On the other hand it doesn’t change the focus. The focus since I got here has been sorting things out on the pitch. Getting the team to win, getting the team to feel different, the performances to be different and we were obviously on the right lines for that and delivering strong performances, I felt, and this has just given us a push backwards to then come forwards again. The job hasn’t changed for me. It’s just made it more difficult in the current circumstances until the appeal of course."

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Last week's bombshell points deduction news came as a shock, not only to the Toffees but rival clubs and supporters as well. The decision led to a Premier League shareholders meeting to discuss the verdict, while potential punishments for other sides may well have been on the agenda. Indeed, Manchester City have previously been charged for 115 alleged breaches of FFP regulations and, following the strict action taken against Everton, they may well be worried about what could be to follow for them.

Lionel Messi has a World Cup win to his name, and he may have helped to inspire India captain Rohit Sharma to glory in cricketing circles.

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Cricket World Cup reaching conclusionIndia captain a clear Messi fanInter Miami owner provides special giftWHAT HAPPENED?

The 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup continues to play out on Indian soil, with the hosts preparing to lock horns with old adversaries Australia in an epic final showdown in Ahmedabad. Rohit, along with team-mates such as Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, will be called upon to deliver on the expectations of millions in their homeland.

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Virat has been rubbing shoulders with a man that knows all about the challenges of performing under pressure, with Manchester United and England legend David Beckham paying a visit to to India in his role as a UNICEF ambassador.

DID YOU KNOW?

Beckham swapped jerseys with Rohit during their brief encounter, as a Real Madrid shirt featuring his name and No.23 was passed on, while the Inter Miami co-owner was also able to deliver a Messi top for one of the Argentine icon’s biggest fans – with Rohit’s daughter proudly taking ownership of that gift.

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WHAT NEXT?

Rohit’s wife, Ritika Sajdeh, said in a post shared on her Instagram account: “Thank you for making this little Leo Messi fan very happy David Beckham.” India will compete for a global crown against Australia on Sunday, while Messi is readying himself for a 2026 World Cup qualification clash with Brazil next Tuesday.

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The newly-elected BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur has denied either knowledge or clue of the activities “as a suspected bookie” of an individual called Karan Gilhotra

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Apr-20151:24

Kalra: Thakur sends a clear message

The internal tussle for control of the BCCI was played out in public via a letter from the newly-elected BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur to the ICC chairman N Srinivasan on Monday. In the letter, Thakur accused Srinivasan of not being ‘reconciled’ with his election to the post of BCCI secretary and therefore launching a ‘counter offensive.’ This counter offensive, Thakur wrote, was the leak of an internal ICC document regarding his association with a ‘suspected bookie.’Thakur, however, has denied having knowledge or clue of the activities of one Karan Gilhotra “as a suspected bookie.”Srinivasan responded to Thakur’s letter by saying he was not in the habit of leaking information. “If I have to talk to Anurag, I will write a letter to him in private or have a word with him,” he told . “I don’t need to go to the media with allegations against BCCI officials.”The letter from the ICC was dated April 22 with a copy marked to the ICC chairman Srinivasan. ICC chief executive David Richardson had written to BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya over an allegation that Thakur was spotted with Gilhotra, who “appears on the ICC ACSU database… following rumours … about his involvement in betting on cricket.”Richardson said, “during the 2014 edition of the IPL, unverified information was received by the ICC ACSU that Mr Gilhotra was seen trying to befriend players and support staff during the tournament and that there were rumours (again unverified) about his involvement in betting on cricket.”The letter was sent to Dalmiya as it fell, “outside the jurisdiction of the ICC’s anti corruption code” so he could “handle as appropriate.” The original email sent by a journalist carried photographs of Gilhotra and Thakur together.Thakur, in his letter on Monday, said that the BCCI had “received information from the ICC ostensibly under your [Srinivasan’s] direction that I should keep away from one Mr Karan Gilhotra who is a ‘suspected bookie… I only wish that you had shared the list of ‘unverified suspected bookies’ with me and other colleagues, so we could identify such persons and keep away from them.”Thakur added he had, known Gilhotra “who has been active in the political and cricket in activities in Punjab and adjacent states. I had no knowledge about his activities as a bookie.”The ICC letter states that on the basis of the information, Ravi Sawani, the director of the BCCI’s anti corruption unit, “wrote to all the IPL franchise managers in 2014 advising them that they should take steps to ensure Mr Gilhotra was not entertained by any of their squad members.” The letter then ended with the following: “we believe however as the allegation involves Mr Thakur for his own benefit, it would be advisable for its contents to be drawn to Mr Thakur’s immediate attention.”Thakur said the ICC advisory was made public at Srinivasan’s “behest” around the working committee meeting in Kolkata on Sunday. He also asked Srinivasan to, share this information (regarding the list of suspected bookies) “with your family members, whose involvement in betting has been proved.” A reference to the 2013 IPL corruption case when Srinivasan’s son in law and Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan was charged with betting by the Supreme Court.Thakur’s letter ended with a statement that, “since the ICC advisory had been made in public, I would be making this letter to you public” circulating its contents and details on social media and on the BCCI’s official mailing list to media outlets.

Happy with the batting and bowling, West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin asked his team to improve their fielding ahead of the second Test in St Lucia

Mohammad Isam09-Sep-2014Happy with the batting and bowling, West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin asked his team to improve their fielding ahead of the second Test in St Lucia. West Indies won the first Test by ten wickets, with more than two sessions to go, but five dropped catches soured the bonhomie at Arnos Vale.The win was put together by Kraigg Brathwaite’s maiden double-hundred, Suleiman Benn’s five-wicket haul and a late burst by Kemar Roach, who took four wickets in the second innings. But Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored his third Test century, was the biggest beneficiary of West Indies’ fielding lapses.He got four lives – Chris Gayle dropping him at first slip on 10, Darren Bravo dropping him at gully on 25, Gayle again dropping him on 71 and finally Jerome Taylor dropping a sitter at mid-on when he was on 115.Kirk Edwards also put down a simple chance offered by Mahmudullah on the fourth day when the batsman skied the ball straight to cover.”It [the dropped catches] is a cause for concern,” Ramdin said. “It is very important we work on those areas. Our slip catching has hampered us in the past and in St Lucia we definitely need to hold all our chances.”I think our team is in a good place. Our batsmen are getting runs and our bowlers are getting wickets. We hope the pitch at St Lucia will be a lot greener than the one we have had here.”Ramdin commended Bangladesh for their fightback in the second innings and said that the 130-run partnership between Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah had taken the game away from West Indies a little, helped along by their poor slip-catching.”I think after the first innings, they came back and batted well in the second innings. They applied themselves. It was going to be hard following on, our bowlers had a good run in the first innings,” Ramdin said. “It was a good pitch, I would say, went better as the game went along.”Mushfiqur Rahim came in and batted really well with Mahmudullah. I think that was the partnership that took it away a little from us. But we bowled in some good areas and created chances. We didn’t take our slip catching as well as we wanted to.”Ramdin praised Kemar Roach’s four-wicket haul on the final day but he was profuse while talking about Kraigg Brathwaite who made his maiden Test double-hundred to help set up West Indies’ first innings.”Roach bowled exceptionally well on a flat pitch, and he was backed up by the bowlers as well,” Ramdin said. “Brathwaite is definitely going from strength to strength and is displaying immense maturity. We hope he can continue on to bigger and better things. [Shivnarine] Chanderpaul also batted well to support Brathwaite.”Brathwaite, adjudged man of the match, was understated when talking about his own performance, calling it a result of training harder to play against spin.”It was a difficult pitch but I worked hard and it brought me success,” Brathwaite said. “I got a lot better against spin bowling and I have been working on some things with the bowling machine, but I still have a long way to go. Every time I go out I try to get as much as possible. Next game I will come back and work hard for the team.”

The Red Devils have broken the transfer record a number of times in the last three decades, but which players have been their best signings?

Getty Images1Eric Cantona – 1992 – £1.2 million from Leeds UnitedManchester United started the Premier League era with a couple of marquee signings, bringing in Dion Dublin from Cambridge United and Eric Cantona from Leeds United. Dublin was Alex Ferguson's second-choice in the transfer market, bringing him to Old Trafford after Alan Shearer moved from Southampton to Blackburn Rovers. He scored just two league goals for the Red Devils before leaving for Coventry City in 1994. On the other hand, Cantona was a revelation for the club, reaching double figures in the Premier League in four of his five seasons, picking up four league titles and two FA Cups along the way.AdvertisementGetty2Roy Keane – 1993 – £3.75m from Nottingham ForestRoy Keane became the most expensive player in English football when he joined United as a 21-year-old and was the face and heart of the team for the next 13 seasons. He played 480 times for the Red Devils winning seven league titles as well as the Champions League in 1999. The Republic of Ireland midfielder was the team's captain for their European success, but missed the final due to suspension after picking up a yellow card during a career-best performance against Juventus in the semi-final.Getty Images3Andy Cole – 1995 – £7m from NewcastleAndy Cole was an immediate success at Manchester United after signing in January 1995. The England attacker ended the season in double figures in the Premier League despite playing just 18 times in half-a-campaign. He went on to score 121 times in all competitions for the club, finishing with five league titles and a Champions League medal.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty Images4Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – 1996 – £1.5m from MoldeOle Gunnar Solskjaer would go down in Manchester United history for one single moment, but scored almost 100 Premier League goals as he became the world's best 'super sub' under Alex Ferguson. He was signed by United after local rivals Manchester City were not willing to take a chance on him, and ended up coming off the bench to score the winner in the club's miraculous comeback in the 1999 Champions League final.

With a semi-final spot on the line, West Indies captain Darren Sammy opted to bowl against South Africa in Nagpur, a decision he took because he did not know what to expect from the Nagpur surface

The Report by Firdose Moonda25-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA composed knock of 44 from Marlon Samuels saw West Indies through to their third win on the trot•AFPWest Indies secured their spot in the World T20 2016 semi-finals with a third successive win but made hard work of chasing a small target of 123. With just a shave over a run-a-ball needed, West Indies were routinely dragged back, to a point where they needed 20 off the last two overs. However, a solid start from Johnson Charles, a composed innings from Marlon Samuels and a six from Carlos Brathwaite in the final over saw them sneak over the line.South Africa’s bowling attack did their best to make up for the blunders of their batsmen, who had slumped to 47 for 5 in the ninth over before eking over 120. Aaron Phangiso, playing in his first international match in five months and the first since remodeling his action last month, and David Wiese both conceded under six runs to the over, but it was Imran Tahir who kept South Africa in the match. The legspinner gave away only 13 runs in four overs and took two wickets off successive deliveries in the 17th over. In the end, it was not enough and South Africa could exit the tournament before playing their final group match. If England beat Sri Lanka on Saturday, South Africa’s campaign will be over.Unusually for the format, this was a battle of the ball. Batsmen from both sides failed to adjust to the sluggish pace of the pitch but South Africa’s line-up were also caught unawares by a surprise addition to West Indies’ attack. Chris Gayle proved their nemesis in an unexpected way by removing two of South Africa’s top six, and he played his part in pegging them back in the Powerplay, a situation from which they never really recovered.The match-day pitch was not the same as the one used for the qualifying phase or the game between India and New Zealand, so there was some uncertainty as to what a good score would be. That’s why Darren Sammy chose to chase and why South Africa were anxious for every run.Their desperation showed as early as the third ball when Hashim Amla was run out by Andre Russell, who carried that success to his bowling by dismissing Faf du Plessis, caught by Sulieman Benn at mid-off. Russell also took a catch at point when Rilee Rossouw, promoted to No.4 in his first appearance in the tournament, skied the ball.South Africa held AB de Villiers back after their initial setbacks and he came in at No.5. He saw the side through to the end of their most meagre Powerplay so far – 39 for 3 compared to scores over 60 in the previous two matches – but could not do too much more.When Dwayne Bravo, the sixth bowler used by Sammy in the first eight overs, was brought on, de Villiers’ innings ended. Sammy sensed South Africa were shaken and brought Gayle back on, with success. He broke through David Miller’s defences to leave South Africa at 47 for 5.That score could have become 59 for 6 had Denesh Ramdin completed a stumping off Benn, who foxed Wiese with a flighted delivery. Wiese had come out of his crease and missed, but Ramdin also missed and the reprieve proved a gift for South Africa.The Quinton de Kock-Wiese partnership, worth 50 runs for the sixth wicket, was the most profitable of their innings. But the going was tough for the pair. They only found the boundary three times in the 44 balls they were together but, by the time de Kock was bowled around his legs by Russell, they had given South Africa something to work with.Chris Morris took South Africa over 100 but they could only find eight runs off the last two overs and it did not seem enough until they received some reassurance that it could be.Kagiso Rabada found late swing with his fifth delivery and beat Gayle to remind West Indies it was not going to be easy. West Indies, however, showed they were up to shifting gears.They waited until the last ball of the third over for their first boundary, when Andre Fletcher lofted Rabada over midwicket for six. Johnson Charles found the going slightly easier off Chris Morris, whose second over cost 11 runs. In the absence of Dale Steyn and Kyle Abbott, Faf du Plessis recognised the need to try something and turned to spin in the Powerplay.Tahir was brought on to bowl the fifth over and he proved difficult to get away. Wiese was tasked with doing the same at the other end. Collectively, South Africa frustrated West Indies into trying to steal a single where there wasn’t one. Fletcher was halfway to the striker’s end in the sixth over when Charles sent him back but, even if he had not slipped, Rossouw’s direct hit was always going to beat him.With the fielding restrictions lifted, South Africa brought on their second specialist spinner, Phangiso. Although he has changed his action, his approach appeared the same and he was typically strangling. Phangiso conceded just one run off his first over and six singles off his second. His third over was headed for a similarly economical result but Charles had had enough. He heaved Phangiso over long-on for six and the pressure dissipated.Charles’ aggression did not serve him well a second time. When he swiped at Wiese three balls later, he only managed to sky the ball to du Plessis at cover and the tension was back.Du Plessis wanted more wickets and brought Rabada back. He started with a leg-side half-volley that Bravo flicked for four. That was followed up by two similar deliveries to Samuels, who carved one over point and then played an upper-cut to third man. West Indies scored 14 off that over to bring the required run rate to under six.South Africa switched to squeeze mode again. Phangiso’s final over cost only three and included Bravo’s wicket. West Indies needed 36 off six overs but Samuels was still there. With Andre Russell, he took eight off the next over before du Plessis played his strongest hand.Tahir’s final over – the 17th of the innings – could have seen Samuels dismissed off the first ball but the bowler could not hold on to the return catch. Three balls later, Russell holed out and, the next ball, Sammy was bowled off a googly. Advantage South Africa. The next over – Wiese’s final – cost just three. Advantage South Africa. Even though Samuels was still there with West Indies needing 20 off the last two overs.He hit the first ball of Morris’ final over through third man for four and, off the fourth ball, found the same area with the same result. Then he skied the ball. Still advantage South Africa.Rabada was asked to defend nine off the final over and started with a slower ball. Brathwaite hit the second ball for a six to break the tension, and West Indies completed the win with two balls to spare.

The World Cup winners didn't need their superstar as they made it three wins from three in qualifying with a 1-0 victory over Paraguay.

Lionel Messi did end up making an appearance, featuring off the bench as a substitute. As it turns out, though, Argentina didn't really need him to take care of Paraguay in Thursday's World Cup qualifying clash at the Estadio Monumental.

Argentina got their goal early from an unlikely source as another familiar face led the way in the 1-0 win. Defender Nicolas Otamendi fired home a fantastic volley just three minutes in, and Argentina never looked back.

Thanks to fantastic performances from the midfield trio of Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo de Paul and Enzo Fernandez, Paraguay never really got a sniff of the game. By the time Messi came into the match early in the second half, replacing the impressive Julian Alvarez, it felt like the game was only going one way.

Messi hit the post twice, despite looking far from his best, but it wouldn't come back to bite Argentina, who made it three wins from three in CONMEBOL's qualifiers as they march on in their World Cup defense.

GOAL rates Argentina's players from the Estadio Monumental.

ALEJANDRO PAGNI/AFP via Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Emiliano Martinez (6/10):

Had just one save and didn't have to do too much else as Paraguay were contained by those in front of him.

Nahuel Molina (7/10):

Similar to Tagliafico, but just a bit less involved. Still, a very good day out for the Atletico Madrid man.

Nicolas Otamendi (8/10):

A striker's finish! The defender smashed a fantastic volley for his fifth international goal and then turned around and locked down Paraguay for all 90 minutes. A massive performance.

Cristian Romero (7/10):

Didn't do as much on either end as his centerback partner, but was still as solid as can be.

Nicolas Tagliafico (8/10):

Won't get the attention, but put in a quietly solid defensive shift at left-back while being near-flawless with the ball at his feet.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Alexis Mac Allister (7/10):

A few fantastic tackles and did what he always does to keep things ticking with the ball. Absolutely dazzled on one Messi-esque sequence at the edge of the Paraguay box.

Enzo Fernandez (7/10):

Did a little bit of everything for Argentina, proving once again why he fits so perfectly in this team.

Rodrigo De Paul (8/10):

Provided the assist from the corner on Otamendi's goal and nearly scored himself by hitting the post later on in the first half. Totally ran the game from the midfield, ensuring Argentina didn't have much trouble with whatever Paraguay threw at them.

GettyAttack

Julian Alvarez (7/10):

Was unlucky to be taken off somewhat early for Messi, as the Manchester City star was the best player in Argentina's attack. Played a big role creatively, even if he didn't get a goal or an assist on the day.

Lautaro Martinez (5/10):

He continues to score for Inter, but it's now been over a year since he scored for Argentina. With Alvarez shining, is his place in danger? This performance won't help as he mustered just one total shot.

Nicolas Gonzalez (6/10):

Had a chance just before the half, but couldn't convert. Pretty wasteful, overall, as Paraguay were happier to let him have the ball than the other two in attack.

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Lionel Messi (6/10):

Didn't look fit, but still hit both an Olimpico and a free-kick off the post because he is who he is. Probably didn't need to be risked in this game, though.

Leandro Paredes (N/A):

Came on late to provide fresh legs in place of Fernandez, who was also sitting on a yellow card.

Lionel Scaloni (8/10):

Got the team selection spot on as Argentina navigated a Messi-less line-up. Another game, another win on the road to the World Cup. Questions to be asked of his usage of Messi remain, however.

A round-up of President’s Trophy matches that ended on December 16, 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2013Pacer Sarfraz Ahmed’s nine-wicket match haul helped Water and Power Development Authority rout Pakistan Television by an innings and 137 runs.Ahmed picked up 4 for 20 to bundle out PTV for 69 in the first innings and followed that up with a five-for in the second innings, after WAPDA enforced the follow-on. Adnan Raees’ 13th first-class century, and fifties from Rafatullah Mohmand, Aamer Sajjad and Ayaz Tasawwar had earlier helped WAPDA post a commanding 475 for 7 declared. In reply, PTV were dismissed for 69 and although they managed a better batting performance in the second innings – half-centuries from Fahad-ul-Haq and Yasim Murtaza took them to 269 – it wasn’t enough to avoid an innings defeat. The win gave WAPDA 10 points, helping them move up to the fourth place on the points table.Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited opened up a 16-point lead at the top of the league with a 109-run win over State Bank of Pakistan.Chasing a target of 326, the State Bank batsmen failed to convert their starts into substantial scores, falling to the SNGPL attack led by pacer Samiullah Khan, who took four wickets in each innings.Earlier, a second successive first-class hundred from Azhar Ali had led SNGPL to 403 for 9, in spite of the efforts of Tabish Khan, who picked up 5 for 132, and Rizwan Haider. In reply, State Bank were struggling at 59 for 6 before a lower-order rally helped them post 204. With a lead of 199, SNGPL batted for a little more than 27 overs in their second innings, declaring their innings at 126 for 5 to set their opponents a target of 326.Khan Research Laboratories took away three points from a draw against National Bank of Pakistan, after failing to build on Sadaf Hussain’s first-innings haul of 8 for 50. Hussain had reduced NBP to 25 for 4 before Kamran Akmal’s 71 guided the batting side to 158.In reply, KRL, anchored by Shoaib Ahmed’s 92, were on track to posting a big score but Wahab Riaz thwarted the opposition, picking up three of the last five wickets. KRL lost their last five wickets for 18 runs, going from 254 for 5 to 272 all out. At 56 for 4, National Bank’s second innings seemed to be heading the same way as their first, but Fawad Alam stepped up, scoring an unbeaten 112 to help National Bank reach 235 for 5 before the match was called off.

If the role of a county cricket club is to win trophies and produce players for England, Yorkshire are doing an excellent job

George Dobell at Trent Bridge12-Sep-2014
ScorecardYorkshire get into their victory huddle•PA PhotosIf the role of a county cricket club is to win trophies and produce players for England, Yorkshire are doing an excellent job.A club that was, in the words of its chairman, 48 hours from going out of business a few years ago has now lifted the 32nd County Championship title in its history. No club has as many.And they have done it while providing several players for England – five of this team have played Test cricket for England in the last 12 months – and while developing a production line of talent that will serve club and country for years to come.On the final day of this match, their hero was Ryan Sidebottom. He claimed four wickets for six runs in 7.2 overs to complete the 26th five-wicket haul of his first-class career and end Nottinghamshire’s resistance. Bowling a tight line and nipping the ball away off the seam, he produced beauties to account for both Chris Read and Luke Fletcher and, when James Taylor, left in a desperate position, slashed to cover, the match and the title were Yorkshire’s. Victory was wrapped up by 11.36am.”Pride” is a word that occurs often in conversations with those associated with Yorkshire. Pride in the club’s history, pride in the club’s values, pride in the club’s role. Cricket still matters in Yorkshire. And Yorkshire cricket matters most of all.That explains the spirit and unity which has seen this squad through the dark days. The spirit and unity that gave the team strength when they gained only one win in their first five Championship games of the season. The spirit and unity that saw them overcome the England withdrawals and the crushing defeat at Lord’s when an inspired Chris Rogers led Middlesex to a miraculous victory.The captain and coaches will, quite rightly, gain many of the plaudits for this victory. Certainly Yorkshire’s record since Jason Gillespie arrived is exceptional: the club have lost three Championship games in three years. The director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, has made some shrewd signings and remains largely responsible for the development of the batsmen, and Andrew Gale remains a calm and selfless leader.But the skills and spirit that have led to this title are generated long before players reach the first team. When you have coaches like Ian Dews, steeped in Yorkshire cricket, in the academy and others likes Richard Dawson and Kevin Sharp (now with Worcestershire) working below the first team, players graduate to the first-class game knowing what is expected of them and prepared technically and temperamentally.This, truly, was a victory not just for the team but for the entire club.It was telling that, of the 19 men who represented Yorkshire in the Championship this season, only five were not born or brought up in the county. Two of the team that lifted this trophy are the sons of former Yorkshire and England players. It brings a unity of purpose and understanding to the dressing room. It brings shared values and a sense of pride in representing this team that, on the tough days, just might make all the difference.Certainly, they were at their best when they were challenged. In these last few weeks, they have won five games out of six and four games in succession. When confronted by their closest rivals – Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire – they responded with innings victories. Such has been their dominance this season that five of their eight victories came by innings margins, another by nine wickets and two more by 220 runs or more. They have proved themselves, by a distance, the best side in the land.And there is more to come. In Alex Lees and Adam Lyth they have an opening pair who have contributed, on average, 76 runs per stand and both have realistic England aspirations. They have a legspinning allrounder in Adil Rashid who continues to press for international opportunities and, just below the surface, the likes of Matt Fisher, a young seamer who could not break into the side this season, but who has a wonderfully bright future. Throughout the club, from first team to academy to youth teams, talent is burgeoning.It was a shame, therefore, that their captain was not able to share in the moment of triumph. The exact nature of Gale’s misdemeanour remains, at the time of writing, unclear but it does seem odd that ECB, who have failed to make any specific comment or condemnation of the shameful booing of Moeen Ali at Edgbaston, appear so keen to flex their muscles here.But such a controversy should not overshadow Yorkshire’s success. Nothing should deflect the credit that the likes of Jack Brooks, who has taken 64 Championship wickets, or Lyth, who has scored 1,428 Championship runs, deserve. Nothing should deflect from that fact that, for the second year in succession, a club has won the Championship not through its expensive imports, but through its home-grown talent.Yorkshire have endured many setbacks over the years. They have suffered internal conflict, economic catastrophe and such bitter infighting. Until today, no club in the land had gone so long since they last won a trophy.But, on the pitch at least, they are delivering. Yorkshire cricket is strong again. And for that, all England should be grateful.