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National Cricket League Division One
Table

Gloucestershire (246 for 6) beat Warwickshire (244 for 7) by 2 runs
Scorecard
Gloucestershire’s hopes of a one-day double following their C&G win at Lord’s on Saturday remained alive – if slim – after their win over Warwickshire. The impressive Alex Gidman stroked 73 at almost a run-a-ball after Gloucestershire had made a pedestrian start, Philip Weston taking 16 overs to reach double figures, to enable them to post a respectable 246 for 6. Even though Gidman fell to a direct hit from cover by Nick Knight, Gloucestershire showed their one-day pedigree by taking 62 runs from the last five overs. Warwickshire slumped to 98 for 5 (with Jim Troughton unable to bat because of a muscle tear) before Trevor Penney (88*) and Dougie Brown (48) added 99 for the sixth wicket to bring them back into contention. With 39 needed from the final two overs the game appeared over, but Penney smashed four fours from the penultimate over from Harvey, leaving 20 required from the final over from Mark Alleyne. Penney slammed 16 from the first five balls but could only manage a single from the last ball. Gloucestershire are four points behind Surrey but have only two games left compared to three for the leaders.National Cricket League Division Two
Table

Lancashire (310 for 7) beat Somerset (286) by 24 runs
Scorecard
Lancashire recorded their highest National League total but they were still run close by a Somerset side who had looked down and out midway through their innings. Lancashire made Somerset’s captain Mike Burns pay for his decision to put them in, scoring 310 for 7 in an innings built around a maiden National League hundred from Mark Chilton (103), and good support from Carl Hooper (82 from 78 balls) and Stuart Law (51 from 36). Somerset, handicapped by batting in the twilight, slid to 87 for 5, but Keith Parsons gave the decent home crowd some cause for cheer with a 79-ball 90 but Lancashire’s total was never really under threat. The result took Lancashire back to the top and made them favourites to clinch the title.Sunday’s National League Review

The decision of Nasser Hussain to allow his team to bat on during the fourth afternoon has drawn criticism from some quarters but he took the best possible decision after weighing the circumstances. In fact, most captains would have taken the same course. Hussain is aware of the inexperience of his team and also the fact that the home team has enough batting to pull off victories if given a gettable target. It was no surprise, then, that he ensured the target was out of reach for the hosts. The only factor he had to take into account was the time available for his bowlers to bowl India out. With just two finger spinners in his ranks, Hussain only had the option of going for a win if England got early wickets.

Harbhajan Singh was not at his best in the first innings and one gets the feeling that he is too reliant on the . He must understand that the will fetch him success provided he bowls the stock delivery consistently well. On the other hand if he over bowls his there is every chance of him losing the ability to spin the off-spinners. The way he bowled in the second innings indicated that he took stock of his bowling and bowled the way he normally does.

The Indian openers Shiv Sunder Das and Deep Dasgupta gave a slow but solid start and they were only separated after a century partnership and that also due to a misunderstanding. The pace at which India scored the runs and the tactics of Hussain made the game a trifle tedious towards the fifth afternoon. Hussain though cannot be faulted as he was trying to keep his side in contention at least to square the series at Bangalore.There can be no doubt that the visiting captain would have been mightily pleased with the result and he may feel that his side has scored a moral victory over the Indians. The pitch at Motera played contrary to expectations and played true enough over the entire five days. It was a strange sort of surface where neither the bowlers could run through a side nor the batsmen could play shots freely.On reflection, the Indians need to realise that they played well below par even after providing allowance for the determined effort from the visitors. The medium-pacers did not get enough rewards for their hard work due to lack of support from the fielders and the wicket-keeper, Dasgupta.Harbhajan Singh was not at his best in the first innings and one gets the feeling that he is too reliant on the . He must understand that the will fetch him success provided he bowls the stock delivery consistently well. On the other hand if he over bowls his there is every chance of him losing the ability to spin the off-spinners. The way he bowled in the second innings indicated that he took stock of his bowling and bowled the way he normally does.The Indians would do well to accept that they are not batting at their best and except for Tendulkar there is a lot of indecisiveness among the batsmen. In terms of averages and experience, the Indian batting is as good as one could get and that is the reason why they should be dominating the current inexperienced English attack. Agreed the visitors are bowling to a plan that may not be termed as positive but the Indian batsmen have to come up with something to counter Hussain’s ploy.The third Test at Bangalore may throw a result as the surface helps the spinners normally but the Indians still have to play better to win the Test, as the morale of the English team will be high. The visitors have gained a lot in confidence after the draw at Motera and they will go for broke. The young side under Hussain will be considered as heroes either way because this tour is dubbed as an educational one by the former English players and also by the media.All things considered there will be one major interest at Bangalore with the local lad Anil Kumble set to reach another milestone in his glittering career. He will be the first Indian spinner and only the second Indian bowler to reach the 300-wicket mark. The crowd at Bangalore would hope that Kumble goes on to bowl India to victory after achieving his personal milestone.

Sylhet Superstars were left wondering what might have been, for the third time in four days. But while the focal point of their third successive defeat, to Rangpur Riders by six runs, should be a misfiring batting line-up, they were also left wondering whether a single could have been avoided at a crucial stage when the game could still have gone their way.With eight runs needed off seven balls, the Rangpur captain Shakib Al Hasan set his in-fielders back to the edge of the 30-yard circle to allow the Sylhet No. 11 Ajantha Mendis a single. With Mushfiqur Rahim at the other end, that’s what that Shakib was hoping for. Mendis worked that delivery from Darren Sammy on the leg-side, and Mushfiqur called for the single.Mendis, as a result, faced the first ball of the final over of the innings, with the task of finding another single to get the set batsman Mushfiqur, batting on 25, on strike. He survived a leg-before shout and a run-out off the first ball, before slogging to long-on where Sachithra Senanayake took the crucial catch to end the game.”We were hoping that they take a single,” Shakib said. “It worked in our favour. We wanted to give away that single, so I asked everyone to stay on top of the 30-yard circle. And if we got him, even better. So in that way, it was good for us.”Ravi Bopara, the Sylhet Superstars batsman, later said that he too was surprised to see Mushfiqur and Mendis take that single. But he added that it wasn’t the job of the tail to score 110 runs, rather that of the first six batsmen, which they failed to do.”It doesn’t make sense to me why we took that single,” Bopara said. “I guess the two batters out there thought that every run is crucial. You got to take the opportunity to score the run. It is not down to the last two batsmen. Your top six has to score the runs. You can’t leave it to seven, eight, nine, ten and eleven. But the top six didn’t do the job.””It is very disappointing. It is hard to take it lightly when you lose three games, especially when you lose two games by one run. To be honest, we should be chasing those totals as a professional unit.”

Celtic travel to Almondvale on Sunday to face Livingston in a clash that’s proved difficult for the Hoops in recent times.

This time the game holds extra significance though with Ange Postecoglou’s side needing to win in order to open up the gap to them and their fierce rivals in the Premiership to three points.

It has been a difficult few weeks for Celtic who will need to bounce back after scoring just twice in their last three matches in all competitions.

With that in mind, will the manager make any changes for the clash with Livi today? Here’s the starting XI that Football FanCast predicts to see…

We are predicting to see two changes from the squad that beat St Mirren 2-0 last time out.

We anticipate the backline to stay the same which means there is no place for Anthony Ralston with Josip Juranovic and Greg Taylor maintaining their places at full-back.

There is one change in midfield, however, where Matt O’Riley drops out in favour of Tom Rogic.

The winter signing has been in and out of the starting XI since being acquired from MK Dons and we reckon he’ll have to take his place on the bench once more.

Rogic has been inconsistent himself but his cutting edge and drive from midfield could be exactly what the Bhoys need to beat Livingston.

The only other change is at the top of the team where Giorgis Giakoumakis returns to the squad. The Greek forward, who was once dubbed a “phenomenon” by Jeroen Kapteijns missed out last time through illness but has been in a rich vein of form, scoring a hat-trick against Dundee FC just a few games ago.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

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He comes in at the expense of £1.3m acquisition Daizen Maeda who in the words of former Scotland international Alan Hutton, has been “struggling” of late.

The Japan international signed just a few months ago but has now failed to score in his last four Premiership outings. As a result, he is axed from the team as Postecoglou aims to secure all three points.

AND in other news, Sold for £2.1m, now worth 224% more: Celtic may rue call on 26-cap “laughing stock”…

Australia have not yet officially retained the Ashes, but it already seems a matter of “when” not “if” after England’s challenge wilted in the heat on day two in Adelaide. Ben Stokes battled defiantly, facing 151 balls and batting for more than four hours for his unbeaten 45, but the captain found few allies on the burning deck as England were left staring at a hefty first-innings deficit amid ever-diminishing hopes of keeping the series alive until Christmas.Stokes had asked for his players to “show a bit of dog” in their bid to make an improbable comeback from 2-0 down, but England were all too easily brought to heel by an Australia side with more than enough pedigree, despite the absence of Steven Smith and Josh Hazlewood. Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon both made an immediate impact on their return to the XI – Cummins taking 3 for 54 in his first competitive outing since July’s tour of the Caribbean – as England were rounded up without much fuss on what looked like the perfect day for batting.Their one minor victory came in keeping Mitchell Starc wicketless for the first time in the series; though, as he had started off proceedings by thumping a flurry of fours to bring up his second half-century in as many games, with Australia merrily adding 45 runs to their overnight 326 for 8, that could only be claimed as a partial success.Ollie Pope throws his head back after dismissals in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide•Gareth Copley/Darrian Traynor via Getty Images

There was more Snicko aggro, too, with both sides making their frustrations with the technology clear. England were aggrieved at Chris Gaffaney, the third umpire, giving Jamie Smith out caught behind off Cummins on the evidence from Real-Time Snickometer, following the controversy around Alex Carey’s non-dismissal on day one. Smith had survived moments before in bizarre circumstances, with Gaffaney determining the ball had come off his helmet, despite TV pictures suggesting contact with the glove, as Australia argued (although whether the ball had carried to Usman Khawaja at slip or not was a different matter).Related

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Joe Root was also reprieved, with Gaffaney unconvinced that an inside edge on to pad had reached Carey’s gloves on the full. None of which detracted from the fact that England had seemingly torpedoed their own hopes once again with another flaccid batting display as temperatures approached 40C in Adelaide.A sloppy start with the ball, which led to a heated exchange between Stokes and Jofra Archer even as the latter was on his way to securing a first Test five-for since 2019, was compounded by England losing their top three in the space of 15 balls before lunch. Root was then dismissed for the 12th time in Tests by Cummins – nobody has had more success against England’s key batter – and the innings fell away after a 56-run stand for the fifth wicket between Stokes and Harry Brook.Archer did manage to stick around alongside Stokes to the close, putting on the second-longest partnership of the innings, though Australia’s lead was still above 150 and England faced the prospect of batting last on a surface that’s expected to break up in the heat.The suspicion at the end of day one was that Australia had left plenty of runs on the table, despite Carey’s maiden Ashes hundred taking them beyond 300. England needed to make good on the promise of runs, that anticipation only sharpened by Starc striking five boundaries in 12 balls as Australia’s tail wagged to good effect. Archer was leaky but removed both Starc and Lyon on the way to a third five-wicket haul against Australia.Nathan Lyon picked up two wickets in his first over•AFP/Getty Images

England’s openers made a solid enough start, though Ben Duckett rode his luck early on. Already Australia were showing a greater propensity to bowl with the discipline required on a baking morning, and Cummins made the breakthrough with a fine delivery that straightened and bounced to graze the shoulder of Zak Crawley’s bat through to Carey.Much had been said about Lyon’s absence in Brisbane after he had only bowled two overs in the victory at Perth. He came into this game one wicket behind Glenn McGrath’s tally of 563 for Australia, having sat there since July when he was also omitted for the Jamaica Test against West Indies. But within the space of six balls, he had drawn level with and then overtaken McGrath to go second on the all-time list for Australia.Ollie Pope’s dismal record against Australia only got worse as he chipped tamely to midwicket, before Duckett was removed by a jaffa that pitched on middle and turned past a defensive prod to hit the top of off.Jofra Archer finished with 5 for 53•Getty Images

At 42 for 3, England were already feeling the glare of the southern sun. Australia thought they had got Root early, too, when reviewing for a caught-behind of Scott Boland. But although replays confirmed he had edged the ball, Gaffaney concluded that it had bounced on its way into the gloves.Root did not last long after lunch, however, as Cummins lured him into poking at one defensively in the channel. Brook was more measured, after his “shocking” dismissals in the first two Tests, but showed flashes of aggression – skipping down to lamp Boland all the way for six over cover, and thrashing Starc to deep backward point to bring up the fifty stand with Stokes.He survived being given out caught down the leg side off Lyon on 44, technology this time backing up the belief that he hadn’t hit the ball – but only added one to his score before being dislodged by Cameron Green’s second legitimate delivery, another pearler that reversed just enough to catch the outside edge.Stokes had buckled down at the other end, facing 35 balls before scoring his first boundary and adding only two more in an innings of monk-like self-abnegation that at least saw England fight to the close. He scowled furiously from beneath his helmet peak when Smith was told to go, despite more uncertainty surrounding the synching of Real-Time Snickometer, his mood only darkening as Boland removed Will Jacks and Brydon Carse in quick succession. Stokes has produced his fair share of miracles in an England shirt; it may need another to keep this Ashes campaign alive.

Mahkaya Ntini’s return to form was one of the huge gains on a day when South Africa did everything almost perfectly © AFP

On days like this, Graeme Smith must feel cricket is an easy game. Batsmenscore runs, bowlers take wickets and fielders back them up. What betterway to celebrate an outstanding Test series win than by comfortablywinning the first ODI five days later?”We’re very happy with the way we played today,” Smith agreed. “Wecontrolled 90% of the game and the majority of it was very comfortable forus. They were always behind the eight-ball [even when Pakistan’slower-order briefly rallied] and we always knew one good over would changeit.”The game was set up, Smith acknowledged, by Herschelle Gibbs and AB deVilliers; both scored hundreds in a 137-run partnership for the thirdwicket. And if ever instructions were needed on how innings should bepaced, both provided it.de Villiers began solidly. His fifty came from 62 balls, which isn’t slow,but his hundred only 31 balls later. Gibbs’ second fifty came at arun-a-ball. “I was especially happy to push through and get to hundred,”said de Villiers. “I gave myself time to get in. It wasn’t easy againstthe spinners early and Hersch told me just to settle down first. Once Igot to fifty, I thought I’d push and suddenly I was in the nineties.”More than any bowler, however, his own body challenged him. As he pushedon, the heat, the lack of water brought on cramps. He reacted to it incelebratory fashion though, hitting two sixes and two fours in the 47thover when he was really struggling to stand up. “It wasn’t as bad as itwas in the World Cup,” he said, referring to his hundred against the WestIndies, before joking, “Good to see it’s not because of the alcohol.”South Africa’s top order has been the least of Smith’s concerns on thistour, for all of them have contributed at one stage or another. The onlynagging concern has been over Makhaya Ntini, who looked so flat during theTests. Even that was put aside today, as the bounce returned to his run-upand his bowling.If de Villiers and Gibbs set it up, then Ntini finished it off, taking outPakistan’s top four all by himself. He went for runs in his second spellbut that will not bother Smith. “It’s good to see him come back. He’shitting his straps now. He’s not been up to his own standards so farthough he improved during the second Test, but it was good to see him backup to his standards today.”South Africa have maintained high standards from the day they landed andwith the second game on Saturday, more of the same will be expected.”We’ve played really good cricket since we’ve been here, right from dayone. 1-0 is always a good start and there are a lot of positives to takeout from today. Maybe we can talk about our death bowling but we were verygood.”

Mohammad Khalil took 6 for 60 to bowl Zarai Taraqiati Bank (ZTBL) to an emphatic 174-run victory over Pakistan Customs, in their Patrons Trophy match at Karachi on Monday. Customs, who began the day on 97 for 5, had little answer to Khalil, who was cleared of ball-tampering charges during the course of the first innings, and were all out for 220 an hour after lunch on the fourth day.Kashif Siddiq, the Customs captain and opener, top-scored with 77 with 11 boundaries in a little over three hours. Hanif Malik, the wicketkeeper, contributed a fighting 51 off 76 balls which included five fours and a six.This was ZTBL’s second win in as many matches after they beat holders National Bank of Pakistan by an innings. ZTBL now have 18 points.Habib Bank Limited (HBL) jumped on top of the Patrons Trophy Pool A table with a 90-run win over National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) on the final day at Karachi. NBP, resuming on their overnight score of 146 for 5, were bowled out for 168 an hour before lunch. Azhar Mahmood broke the 73-run sixth-wicket stand between Naumanullah (73) and Qaiser Abbas (40).Kamran Hussain, the left-arm fast bowler, and Shahid Afridi, who was leading the side, took two wickets each to polish off the tail. Earlier, Irfan Fazil rattled the top order with three quick wickets.With back to back victories in two games, Habib Bank have raised their points tally to 18 while NBP have collected just nine points in three matches with one win and two defeats.Neither Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) nor Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) were able to gain any points from their rain-hit draw at Rawalpindi. With the first two days disrupted, the match was called off as KRL replied to WAPDA’s 365 with 201 for 4.For KRL, Abdul Rauf, the right-arm fast-medium bowler, bagged 5 for 67 in 22.4 overs. With the bat, Mohammad Wasim, KRL’s captain, hit 79 and Mohtashim Ali 52 in a second-wicket stand of 106.With first innings completed, neither side got any points. But both KRL and WAPDA had already qualified for the Quadrangular Stage of the tournament that starts on December 5.The match between Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) ended in a draw on the final day at the Sheikhupura Stadium. Neither side collected any points and have failed to make the Quadrangular Stage.In a rain-interrupted match, SNGPL scored 253 in their first innings after being put in by PIA. In reply, PIA reached 205 for 8, with the lead issue remaining inconclusive. Agha Sabir, the opener, top-scored for PIA with a resolute 74. Down the order, Bazid Khan made 42. For SNGPL, Asad Ali’s medium pace accounted for 3 for 62.

Saqlain Mushtaq is recovering well but has ruled himself out of the England series © AFP

Saqlain Mushtaq, the Pakistan off spinner, says he doesn’t expect to be picked for the forthcoming England series.Saqlain, who last played for Pakistan against India in Multan last year, has been suffering from a chronic knee injury for much of the last year, and despite recovering well, he believes it unlikely that he will play against England.Saqlain told Reuters, “The injury has healed and I resumed playing first-class cricket for Surrey this season. But a comeback against England is not likely because I still need more match practice and training.”But he warned Pakistan that England will provide an extremely difficult challenge during the series. “After beating Australia, England are keen to win in Pakistan and show everyone their Ashes victory was not a fluke. Pakistan should expect, on and off the field, pressure tactics and mind games.”Saqlain also cautioned against attacking the tourists with spinners on slow pitches. This was a strategy Pakistan adopted when England visited last in 2000 but one that met with little success. Saqlain took 18 wickets during that series, including 8 for 164 in the first innings at Lahore.”Pakistan will have some home advantage but I really don’t know how much it will affect the outcome of the series. The last time England came in 2000, only Graham Thorpe could play spin well now they have several good players of spin.”Pakistan has been toying with the idea of recalling Mushtaq Ahmed in a bid to boost their spinning options and provide Danish Kaneria with some support.

Will the track be another typical turner when play gets underway on Tuesday?© Getty Images

The green Nagpur pitch is likely to be shaved bare before the start of the third Test, has reported. Kishore Pradhan, the curator at the ground, said that Ganguly convinced him that a grassless pitch would give India a better chance.”He explained to me the difference between the Indian and Australian teams and their respective strengths and weaknesses, as also the position of the series. And he requested me to shave off the grass one last time,” said Pradhan. “I would have done one last mowing in any case, but his request convinced me. Till the mud beneath doesn’t get caught in the machine, we will continue. I will not let the wicket break. It will remain a sporting wicket.”This was a come-down from Pradhan’s earlier stance of not shaving the wicket. The green look of the track had forced John Wright to state that his expectations from the Indian batsmen would be fairly modest if they were asked to bat first. “It will be similar to jute wickets and help pace bowlers and the batsmen,” Wright had said. “I would be most happy with a score of 250 for 6 or 8 on day one.” However, if most of the grass is shaved off before the game gets underway, chances are that neither captain will be happy with such a score after the first day.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has voiced concerns over a lack of consistency among the elite panel of International Cricket Council (ICC) umpires.Speaking at a news conference in Karachi, Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia, the chairman of the PCB, told reporters that his board was “concerned with the inconsistency shown by umpires on the elite panel,” adding that it had “sent a letter to the ICC on this issue”.The PCB has made public its unhappiness with the performance of certain officials on the 11-man panel. “We have suggested that the ICC appoint a review committee for the purpose of monitoring their recent performances,” Zia said, “and recommended to bring more consistency in the performances of the elite panel of umpires.”He explained that the review committee should be made up of former players, umpires and independent observers, and that the performance of the umpires on the elite panel should reviewed after every series.