Ben Raine hit the second-fastest century by an Englishman – from just 41 balls – as Birmingham Bears suffered a shock at Edgbaston

ECB Reporters Network13-Jul-2018

ScorecardA brilliant century from Ben Raine lifted Leicestershire Foxes to a 102-run victory over Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast at Edgbaston.Former Durham all-rounder Raine smashed his way to 100 from just 41 balls, the second-fastest T20 century by an Englishman, on his way to a blistering 113 from 46 balls with eight fours and ten sixes.Leicestershire are desperate to keep Raine on their books, valuing his combative talents with bat and ball, but he is being pursued by a number of counties – and nights like this will not do anything to calm them down.His first century in any format for Leicestershire featured some magnificent straight hitting and lifted the Foxes to their record T20 total – 229 for five.Talking T20 Podcast

This week Dan Norcross is joined by David Hopps to debate world records feats in the Vitality Blast from Ed Pollock, Joe Denly and (nearly) Dan Christian and still finds time to discuss carrots with Isabelle Westbury.
Listen on ESPN radio
Subscribe on iTunes

Raine then took two wickets in his first over to leave Birmingham’s reply in early disarray 36 for three. There was no way back from that for the Bears who folded to 127 all out with five overs unused to leave the Foxes – the North Group dark horses – with their record T20 win and both teams with two wins and two defeats from four games in the North Group.Raine said: “It was one of those night when everything came off. You have got to back yourself and I am not worried when I come up against good teams like these. The coaches have come up with a lot of strategies for my white-ball game and I have come up with a method which has been working for me this season. “For me, it’s not a shock that an innings like this has come along. I knew I had it in me.”Put in, the Foxes were flying from the word go as Cameron Delport blasted 27 from 14 balls before sending up a skier off Olly Hannon-Dalby. Four balls later, Dom Sibley took a smart catch at cover to remove Neil Dexter but the fielder might soon have reflected that he’d have been better off dropping it as Raine launched his onslaught.He raced to 50 from 21 balls, reaching his half century in the midst of a barrage which brought 20 from four balls from off spinner Sibley.Raine sustained his punishment of a Bears team which was untypically ragged in the field. He dominated a third-wicket partnership of 142 in 66 balls with Mark Cosgrove (42, 41 balls, three fours, one six) and departed, having skied a return catch to Colin de Grandhomme, to a standing ovation from the home fans who appreciated the quality of Raine’s hitting even at the expense of their own team.Under immense pressure from the word go, Birmingham took 17 from the first over but that pressure soon took its toll. Ed Pollock (25, 14 balls) was bowled by Colin Ackermann’s third ball before Raine’s golden day got even better as his fourth and sixth deliveries removed Ian Bell and Sam Hain, caught at deep fine leg and extra cover respectively.Raine had not finished, taking a fine catch to remove the dangerous de Grandhomme, and when skipper Grant Elliott was stumped off spinner Callum Parkinson’s second ball, the Bears’ last vestige of hope disappeared.The Foxes’ perfect day ended with Parkinson rifling through the lower order for a T20 career-best four for 20.

Fading away in the Premier League title race last season – the juggernaut of Manchester City unsurprisingly crowned as top-flight champions once more after the Gunners had battled toe-to-toe – Arsenal have not let any festering disappointment from that collapse impact their performances in the infancy of this new campaign.

Mikel Arteta's North Londoners are currently unbeaten in the league to date, only suffering one defeat in all competitions so far this season when travelling to France to face off against RC Lens in the Champions League and leaving empty-handed in a 2-1 loss.

Their most impressive victory of the season so far has to be their 1-0 victory over Pep Guardiola's Man City, Guardiola's understudy in Arteta – Arsenal's Spanish boss once assistant to Pep at the Ethiad – masterminding a gritty win as boss over the side that pipped them to the top-flight honours in May.

Still, not everything is rosy with the Gunners to date. New recruit Kai Havertz has yet to get going in an Arsenal strip, concerns surrounding the German's quality growing with fellow midfielder Martin Odegaard also underperforming of late.

How is Odegaard performing this season for Arsenal?

Compared to last season's high standards, the Norwegian midfielder – who now has the responsibility of wearing the captain's armband for the Gunners – hasn't been quite as instrumental for Arsenal in games this campaign so far.

Scoring a career-best 15 goals during the 2022-23 league season, assisting a further eight, the one-time Real Madrid starlet has matured into an elite talent in England.

It is why his current performances feel so underwhelming in contrast and might be why Arteta didn't even use him as a substitute against Sheffield United last time out, the Gunners convincingly dispatching of the Blades 5-0 even without their main creator centrally.

His displays in recent matches show a player running somewhat on empty, Odegaard nowhere near his best in Arsenal's 2-2 draw at Chelsea in their last away outing – not even registering a single shot on goal at Stamford Bridge all game per Sofascore, the Gunners bailed out by late impact man Leandro Trossard who netted the crucial equaliser.

Yet, even with his three goals and one assist from nine contests, the 24-year-old ace is still head and shoulders above Havertz who is frustrating another set of football supporters in London after departing Chelsea.

How is Havertz performing this season for Arsenal?

Raising eyebrows at the time, Havertz's move to the Emirates for £67.5m felt make or break for the misfiring German after a poor couple of seasons at Stamford Bridge.

"Underwhelming for far too long" in a Chelsea shirt before moving on, according to football journalist Jai McIntosh, Havertz is yet to prove his critics wrong for Arteta's men with his recent performances for the Gunners just giving his naysayers more ammunition.

Averaging a sub-par 6.89 rating for the Gunners from their first 10 games per Sofascore, his only goal so far for his new employers came from the penalty spot versus AFC Bournemouth – Arsenal cruising at 3-0, Havertz afforded the opportunity to convert the penalty to boost his wavering confidence.

Against Sheffield United, Havertz could not capitalise on the Blades' frailties in defence and help himself to a second goal in Arsenal colours.

The German attempted one shot all game and missed a 'big chance', per Sofascore, hitting his effort wide as an Eddie Nketiah hat-trick helped Arteta's men seal an emphatic win versus the Premier League's basement club.

Arteta will still have everything crossed that Havertz can kickstart his career in North London soon, the 24-year-old finding life in the Premier League hard.

But, as was the case with Granit Xhaka and many more that Arteta improved last season with the Gunners, all hope should not be lost that the dud can reach new heights and live up to his billing as the next best thing after starring with Bayer Leverkusen as a youngster.

However, for now, the ex-Chelsea man is worse than Odegaard and is yet to prove that he has the ability to score or assist goals on a regular basis in the way that the Norwegian ace did last season, which is why he must be ditched from the XI for now.

Leeds United made the decision to part ways with their sporting director Victor Orta in May of this year shortly before their relegation to the Championship was confirmed.

The Whites relieved the Spaniard of his duties alongside manager Javi Gracia and opted to bring the experienced Sam Allardyce to keep them in the Premier League.

They were unable to prevent the club from finishing in the bottom three and the ex-Leeds chief may shoulder plenty of the blame as his transfer dealings and managerial decisions played a part in the side's downfall.

Orta had a number of questionable big-money signings throughout his time at Elland Road, including the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Dan James, and Luis Sinisterra, who all struggled to make an impact at the top level.

However, the now-Sevilla sporting director also enjoyed plenty of success as he appointed Marcelo Bielsa and achieved promotion to the Premier League, alongside two seasons of survival in the top-flight.

He also picked up a number of talented young gems in the transfer market and Daniel Farke is now reaping the benefit of some of those moves; including current first-team star Crysencio Summerville.

The fee Leeds paid for Summerville

Orta swooped to sign the then-18-year-old winger from Dutch giants Feyenoord for a reported fee of £1.3m ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

He put pen to paper on a three-year contract with the Whites at the time and was billed as one for the future under Bielsa's reign, having signed alongside Cody Drameh and Joe Gelhardt that summer.

The teenage maestro arrived in England off the back of a season playing regular first-team football for ADO Den Haag on loan in the Eredivisie.

Summerville racked up 21 top-flight appearances throughout the 2019/20 season and contributed with two goals and one assist from a wide position.

Despite his young age and lack of experience, the 18-year-old ace did showcase his exciting dribbling ability with 1.5 completed dribbles per match that term, with an impressive success rate of 63%.

His promising displays for Den Haag on loan may have convinced Orta and Bielsa that he was an excellent prospect who could grow and develop into being a useful first-team player for Leeds over the subsequent years, and so it has proven.

Summerville's Premier League statistics

Leeds opted against sending him out on loan during the 2020/21 campaign but the teenager was unable to force his way into the first-team squad.

He made 14 appearances for the club's U21 outfit in all competitions and caught the eye with six goals and seven assists in total, which is almost one goal contribution every match on average.

His outstanding performances for the academy side led to him making his senior bow for the Yorkshire-based team against Newcastle United in the Premier League in September of 2021, under Bielsa.

Summerville went on to play six top-flight matches, and nine senior games in total, throughout the 2021/22 season, along with seven goals and one assist in 14 U21 clashes.

The talented whiz was then able to establish himself as a regular first-team figure last season under Jesse Marsch, Gracia, and Allardyce as Leeds were relegated from the Premier League.

He featured in 28 of the club's 38 top-flight matches and chipped in with four goals and two assists in 12 starts for the Whites, as they dropped down to the Championship.

Interestingly, though, Summerville ranked within the top 34% of his positional peers at Premier League level for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.25) that season, which suggests that his goalscoring threat was above average.

He also put the hard yards in defensively and ranked within the top 25% or higher among his peers in the top-flight for tackles (1.89) and interceptions (0.82) per 90 respectively.

Summerville's statistics this season

The club's relegation to the Championship provided the talented forward with the perfect opportunity to really hit his stride in a Leeds shirt and become an influential figure on the pitch.

German head coach Daniel Farke was brought in to replace Allardyce and has made Summerville one of the key cogs in his attack, which has proven to be a fantastic decision by the ex-Norwich City tactician.

The 22-year-old forward has been one of the standout performers on the pitch for the Whites with his ability to score goals and create chances for his teammates on a regular basis to spearhead their promotion charge.

Summerville has recorded an impressive six goals in ten Championship starts so far during the 2023/24 campaign, which is a tally that none of his teammates have been able to match. Joel Piroe (five) is the only other Leeds player with more than three strikes, and this illustrates how important the Dutch winger's contributions have been.

The former Feyenoord prospect also leads the way for the Whites with 2.6 key passes per game and only Georginio Rutter (five) has managed more assists than him (four) for the club.

Summerville's current market value

Summerville, who Voetbal International journalist Suleyman Özturk hailed as "complete", has caught the eye with his performances this season and there has been speculation over his future at Elland Road.

Football Insider recently claimed Leeds value the talented gem at a figure of at least £25m and that fee would likely increase if Farke leads the team to promotion to the Premier League this season.

The outlet added that two unnamed top-flight clubs have shown an interest in the Dutch phenomenon but there is no mention of how serious that interest is.

It is also stated that Leeds are not looking to sell Summerville as they see him as being crucial to their hopes of returning to the top table at the first time of asking.

Irrespective of whether or not they decide to cash in on him in January, the club seeing him as a £25m player proves that Orta hit the jackpot by signing him from Feyenoord in 2020.

The 22-year-old whiz is now worth a staggering 1,823% more than the £1.3m they paid to sign him in the summer of 2020, whilst Football Insider's report left the door open for that value to increase further if the club achieve success on the pitch this term.

Orta, therefore, deserves praise for his particular deal as it is now benefitting Leeds due to his performances and his possible resale value in the future.

كشف جوهر العذار المتحدث الرسمي باسم نادي الصفاقسي التونسي، تفاصيل ضم محمد الضاوي كريستو إلى صفوف الفريق لمدة موسم على سبيل الإعارة.

ونشر نادي الصفاقسي التونسي عبر صفحته الرسمية على موقع التواصل الإجتماعي “فيس بوك”: “مرحبا بك كريستو في قلعة الأجداد، كريستو صفاقسي لمدة موسم مع أحقية الشراء”.

وقال العذار في تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “توجد توأمة بين الناديين، العديد من اللاعبين التونسيين أو الأجانب انتقلوا من الصفاقسي إلى الأهلي وهناك علاقات كبيرة بيننا”.

طالع أيضاً.. رسميًا | الصفاقسي يعلن ضم لاعب الأهلي على سبيل الإعارة

هل إعارة كريستو بنية الشراء؟: “الإعارة لمدة سنة واحدة، ويتم تفعيل الشراء إذا كانت هناك نية من الصفاقسي، كما يوجد مقابل مادي معين في حالة الشراء، لكني أرفض الحديث عن الماديات”.

Fabrizio Romano says a "big name" player is "absolutely ready" to leave his club as Arsenal target him for manager Mikel Arteta.

Who will Arsenal sign in 2024?

The north Londoners, despite links to other transfer targets like Royal Antwerp's Arthur Vermeeren and Club Brugge forward Andreas Skov Olsen this week, are widely tipped with potentially signing the likes of Brentford star Ivan Toney or Wolves winger Pedro Neto. The former, who scored 20 league goals for the Bees last season prior to his gambling ban, looks set to be one of England's hottest transfer commodities in the new year. He returns to action on January 17, and given his excellent past form under Thomas Frank, it's little surprise big clubs like Arsenal are circling.

Neto, meanwhile, has been dazzling under manager Gary O'Neil this season; scoring one goal and assisting five others already after coming back from a serious injury. This has prompted some rumours that the Portuguese could come as an alternative to Bukayo Saka on that side. Whichever position Arteta decides to shore up, there are many calls for Arsenal to bring in a centre-forward and proven goalscorer.

Ivan Toney transfer update

Going back to Brentford's star man, respected transfer journalist Romano now has a Toney transfer update as he gears up for a move away from west London. According to this reporter, writing on his Daily Briefing, the 27-year-old "big name" is "absolutely ready" to leave in the new year – which could come as a boost for Arsenal as they keep tabs on his situation alongside English capital rivals Chelsea.

"He’s another big name to watch for January," wrote Romano.

"In any case, Toney is absolutely ready to leave Brentford."

We believe the striker would be an ideal fit to bolster Arteta's forward line, especially considering his already-proven Premier League experience and the fact he could cost just £60 million. In this day and age, that kind of fee for a 20-goal-per-season forward is arguably bargain material.

His manager has also called Toney an "amazing" and "remarkable" player, saying this on his star man earlier in the year.

“Ivan is amazing in many, many aspects,” Frank told Brentford's official website.

“The way he copes with pressure and distractions is amazing. He’s been scoring goals, performing for the team and driving the team. He’s remarkable.

“I can only talk about the Ivan that I see every day around the place and he’s a fantastic person around the group. He’s got that unique emotional intelligence to be aware of all the players, and every staff member."

The Three Lions boss got it all wrong in a worrying friendly defeat to Brazil, which doesn't bode well for the summer

England are heading to Euro 2024 as favourites to win the competition, which is a testament to how far they've come since Gareth Southgate's appointment in 2016. He has created a sense of togetherness in the squad that had seemingly been lacking for decades, eliminating the cliques formed by club team-mates while making sure the players properly acknowledge the responsibility that comes with representing their country, giving supporters reason to believe again in the process.

At the last European Championship three years ago, Southgate came within millimetres of delivering England's first piece of silverware since 1966, and they will be motivated to take that final step this summer. But it's the hardest one for a reason, and one that only the very best managers in the game are able to take.

For all the good work he has done since stepping into the England hot seat, Southgate still does not fall into that bracket. He is blessed with a pool of talent greater than perhaps any of his predecessors, dating all the way back to Sir Alf Ramsey, but individual brilliance won't be enough to finally end almost 60 years of hurt.

Southgate has come up woefully short when it really matters, and his poor judgement and lack of bravery will probably lead to more heartbreak in Germany.

• Getty
  

  Damning record

  England suffered their first defeat at Wembley in 21 games on Saturday, as Brazil ran out 1-0 winners in a heavyweight friendly clash thanks to a late goal from Real Madrid-bound teenager Endrick. Both teams currently sit in the top 10 of FIFA's world rankings, at third and fifth, respectively, with Argentina, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Croatia, Italy, Portugal and Spain completing the list.

  Germany are down in 16th at the time of writing, as a consequence of a turbulent transitional period, but they remain one of the most successful nations in the history of international football, and so it feels necessary to include them in any debate over Southgate's record as England manager. He's yet to face Argentina or Portugal, but has now played a total of 27 games against the other eight teams listed, winning on just six occasions.

  He's also posted 12 losses and nine draws, which takes away from his impressive overall win percentage at the helm of 62.6 – the second-best in England's history (discounting Sam Allardyce's one-game reign).

  Southgate has been almost faultless against the lesser nations and the Three Lions have had no problem qualifying for major tournaments on his watch, but in the most important games, when tactical nous and man-management often prove decisive, he's been found out time and time again.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  'Ruthlessness of football at this level'

  It must be noted that Southgate was hampered by the absence of 12 first-team regulars against Brazil, including star attacking duo Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka, but their opponents didn't come into the game in great shape either. The Selecao had lost their previous three outings in 2026 World Cup qualifying, and were also decimated by injuries, with rookie head coach Dorival Junior handing five players their debuts in his starting XI.

  What followed was a tentative contest that looked very much like an experiment for both sides, and it was there to be won heading into the final 30 minutes. Brazil eventually stepped on the gas to break the deadlock, with Andreas Pereira playing a beautiful pass in behind for Vinicius Jr, who saw his shot parried by Jordan Pickford before Endrick was able to tap in the rebound from close range.

  Worryingly, England always looked vulnerable at the back, and they struggled to create clear chances at the other end of the pitch, despite matching Brazil's shot count of 14. "The difference in the end was one moment really, and that is the ruthlessness of football at this level," Southgate told reporters after the final whistle.

  It was a fair assessment from the England boss. But it's not the first time that "one moment" has led to his team's downfall, and it won't be the last. Luck favours the bold, and Southgate is far too cautious in these situations. Dorival went for the victory by throwing on Endrick and Savio in the final 20 minutes, giving Brazil a timely boost in the final third, while in typical fashion, his England counterpart left his own potential gamechangers to freeze on the bench.

• Getty
  

  Poor in-game management

  Southgate rang the changes in the 67th minute at Wembley, with Jude Bellingham making way for Jarrod Bowen after a frustrating evening for the Real Madrid superstar. He also brought on like-for-like replacements for Harry Maguire and Ben Chilwell in the form of Lewis Dunk and Joe Gomez – who had not played for his country since 2020.

  You'd be hard pressed to name three better impact players than James Maddison, Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney, all of whom are capable of opening up defences in the blink of an eye, but Southgate just doesn't seem to have any kind of natural instinct when it comes to in-game substitutions.

  It was also another example of him waiting too long before mixing things up, which has been a running theme against world-class opposition. Against Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, Italy in the Euro 2020 final and France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, he didn't make any substitutions until after the 70th minute, despite seeing England's opponents seize control in all of those fixtures far earlier.

  The 2-1 defeat against France was particularly frustrating, with Rashford not introduced until the 85th minute while Jack Grealish got just three minutes of action deep into stoppage-time. Properly utilising the bench is vital at major tournaments, especially in the tightest matches, and it's down to the manager to spot areas to exploit and fix issues as they arise – but Southgate tends to stand still while his opposite number reacts accordingly.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Misusing Foden

  Bellingham has been tipped to light up Euro 2024 after exceeding all expectations in his first season at Real Madrid, who have already seen a massive return on their initial €103 million (£88m/$110m) investment in the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder. Brazil certainly gave Bellingham the respect he deserves, jumping in to foul him at every opportunity, and he may have secretly been relieved when his number came up before the final 20 minutes of the game.

  Madrid have used Bellingham in a No.10 role regularly this season, and so Southgate saw fit to do the same, but he remains at his most effective as a box-to-box midfielder – a traditional No.8 in a similar mould to Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. Southgate's decision to play Bellingham just behind Ollie Watkins also left Phil Foden languishing out on the right flank, where his creative genius went to waste.

  As per , Foden has averaged 72 touches per game for Manchester City this season, but he only managed 44 over the course of the 90 minutes against Brazil, and none of them came in the penalty area. The 23-year-old was asked to work around Bellingham instead of dictating the pace of the game himself, as he does so brilliantly for his club, and it passed him by as a result.

  Foden is used to rotation under Guardiola, but he has licence to operate in central positions for City, and would be a real weapon for England as a No.10. It makes little sense for Southgate to ask him to operate as an orthodox winger when he can cause so much damage on the half turn and find little pockets of space in the middle.

  If England are to have any chance of winning Euro 2024, they need Foden firing on all cylinders, which he won't be if isolated out wide. But again, it remains to be seen whether Southgate will trust the youngster to be the main man in the team, or indeed whether he even knows how to get the best out of him.

Leeds United have learned of a fresh injury setback for a young talent at Elland Road, acting as a blow to their Championship promotion hopes this season.

Leeds injury news

The Whites didn't necessarily make an eye-catching start to the campaign, with Daniel Farke taking a little time to settle into his new surroundings, but his side have impressed the more the season has gone on so far. Leeds currently sit third in the Championship table, having won four of their last five league matches, and on Friday night they face a huge test away to current leaders Leicester City, who have only failed to win one league match in 2023/24.

Unfortunately for the Whites, they have not been without injury problems going into the game, with Joe Rodon, Sam Byram and Crysencio Summerville all doubts leading up to the clash, even though they may end up being available. A key update has now emerged over the fitness of another influential Leeds figure, however, and things don't look as positive with him.

Gelhardt suffers injury setback

According to a new update from Farke, Leeds attacker Joe Gelhardt has suffered a new injury setback, having fractured his hand during a training session:

"Sadly, some bad news was that Joe Gelhardt, who suffered a hand fracture yesterday in training and we will wait for some further assessment. He will definitely miss out the next couple of weeks, so we need further assessment, perhaps if he needs surgery if it rules him out even longer, but this will happen in the next days and he's definitely not a topic for this next game."

This is a massive blow for Leeds, with Gelhgardt such an exciting player who has made the step up from the academy to first-team level in recent years. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp is certainly a fan of the Englishman, once saying of him in the past:

"You see him on the pitch, he made a real difference. I like him, he’s really exciting. He’s fast, he’s aggressive, he gets on the ball, takes people on. Once he gets into the box he loves it and where he can cause most of his damage."

Gelhardt's statistics show that he has failed to get going this season, though, with only five Championship appearances coming his way and no goals to date, and this latest injury will only cause more frustration.

Appearances 48 Goals 3 Assists 7

The 21-year-old is someone who can play a really positive role in Leeds' promotion push as the season continues, however, possessing the tenacity and quality in the final third to cause defences huge problems on his day.

Granted, Gelhardt may not find it easy to be starting games every week upon his return, considering Farke has the likes of Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter to call upon, but he has scored some huge goals in the Premier League in the past, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him find the net in similarly dramatic fashion later in the campaign.

James Harris took five wickets on the opening day but the honours went the home side’s way on a green-tinged pitch

ECB Reporters Network19-Aug-2018

ScorecardRicardo Vasconcelos made his maiden century in county cricket to give Northamptonshire an excellent opening day against Middlesex on the return of the Specsavers County Championship to Wantage Road.Vasconcelos equalled his career-best 140, occupying the crease for 210 balls, as Northants made 332 for 8 having been sent in on a green-tinged pitch where movement with the ball was evident all day.Having initially been signed as batting cover, Vasconcelos has made a great impression for Northants and here, ground out a century in 161 balls, taking full advantage of a terrible dropped catch by Eoin Morgan at first slip when the left-hander only had 28.Resuming after lunch on 47 not out, Vasconcelos steered a boundary to third man to raise fifty in 74 balls with six fours before driving further boundaries through cover point and mid-off.He played second fiddle in a stand of 77 with Richard Levi for the fourth wicket but after Levi fell for 41, drove Tim Murtagh through cover for his 14th boundary to go to his third first-class century and first in county cricket.Vasconcelos played the stroke of the day – an imperious drive on the up through the covers – but eventually fell dragging Ethan Bamber into his stumps, handing 19-year-old Bamber a wicket on his first-team debut. It ended another of the four fifty-plus partnerships Northants built as they steadily accumulated throughout the day.Ben Duckett was the only single-figure score of the top-order but after James Harris sent one through his gate to bowl him for 7 in the sixth over of the morning Middlesex were not as sharp in the field as they would have liked having not contested the toss.Luke Procter and Vasconcelos added 59 for the second wicket before Procter fell over a Harris inswinger and was lbw for a carefully-compiled 26. Alex Wakely edged Harris behind for 18 just after lunch but not after another handy stand of 58.Levi joined Vasconcelos and the pair moved Northants into a strong position at 210 for 3 with Levi, returning from a quad injury, beginning to pull with authority – one such stroke carried deep-square for six – but a miscued pull found mid-on and Levi fell for 41 just when poised to take the afternoon away from Middlesex.But the visitors remained game and the wicket of Vasconcelos came just before the second-new ball was due and saw a fightback from 273 for 4 to 312 for 8. Murtagh trapped Steven Crook lbw for 31 before Harris struck twice in two balls, bowling Rory Kleinveldt for 7 and having Nathan Buck caught behind to finish the day with 5 for 81 – his third five-wicket haul of the summer.

Lili Jones' 'wondergoal' left Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds mesmerized as the actor hailed it as the 'best goal ever'.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Reynolds mesmerized by Jones' wondergoalBroke the deadlock against SwanseaWrexham went down 3-2WHAT HAPPENED?

The Hollywood star was blown away by Wrexham women's star Lili Jones' brilliant goal against Swansea City in a Welsh Premier Women's League clash on Sunday. Jones found the back of the net with a brilliant strike more than 30 yards away from the goal as she lobbed the ball over Swansea's goalkeeper who came out of her line.

AdvertisementWHAT RYAN REYNOLDS SAID ABOUT JONES' GOAL

Reacting to the wondergoal, Reynolds shared one of Wrexham's Instagram post on his story with the caption, "One of the best goals ever."

Ryan Reynolds InstagramWATCH THE CLIPENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Instagram @wrexhamafcwomenTHE BIGGER PICTURE

In front of 2000 fans at Racecourse Ground on Sunday, Jones broke the deadlock with the sublime long-range finish before Robyn Pinder and Monet Legall put Swansea in front. Rossie Hughes then equalised for the hosts 10 minutes before the regulation time ended but Ellie Lake's stoppage-time strike broke the Red Dragons' hearts.

MatériaMais Notícias

Duílio Monteiro Alves foi eleito novo presidente do Corinthians no último sábado, com 1.081 votos, vencendo Augusto Melo e Mario Gobbi.

VEJA A SITUAÇÃO DO CORINTHIANS NO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO

O mandatário corintianotem 45 anos e foi escolhido por Andrés Sanchez, em 2010, para ingressar no departamento de futebol e trabalhar ao lado de Roberto de Andrade, em substituição a Mário Gobbi, depois de liderar o departamento cultural durante o centenário.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansEm discurso após vitória, Duílio prega união e gestão participativaCorinthians29/11/2020CorinthiansDuílio consegue a maioria das chapas no Conselho Deliberativo; veja eleitasCorinthians29/11/2020CorinthiansMateus Vital é a grande novidade no treino de sábado do CorinthiansCorinthians28/11/2020

O candidato também foi diretor-adjunto de futebol no mandato de Mário Gobbi, entre 2012 e 2015. Voltou em 2018, assim que Andrés Sanchez foi eleito para sua segunda passagem pela presidência, como diretor de futebol.

Em conversa com o LANCE! antes das eleições, Duílio comentou sobre alguma de suas propostas, entre elas a revitalização completa da Fazendinha, estádio do clube localizado no Parque São Jorge.

– Vamos viabilizar o projeto Arena Fazendinha, que irá trazer grandes shows e eventos para nossa querida Fazendinha, que será revestida com gramado sintético padrão Fifa, trazendo novas receitas, facilitando a montagem e desmontagem dos eventos sem prejudicar os jogos e a utilização de outros espaços, viabilizando também seu uso frequente pelos sócios, além de poder voltar a receber alguns treinos do time principal e apresentação de novas contratações – prometeu.

Entre as obras para o futebol, Duílio comentou sobre a inauguração do CT da base, que ficará localizado em anexo ao CT do clube profissional, o Dr. Joaquim Grava e também falou sobre os programas para o Fiel Torcedor.

– Teremos a finalização do alojamento do CT da Base, que já está em uso, e que certamente irá ajudar bastante na formação e revelação de novos atletas. Com isso teremos retorno dentro e fora de campo, sendo que as receitas geradas serão essenciais para equilibrar as contas mais rapidamente. Por fim, temos que tornar o Fiel Torcedor mais atrativo, aumentando os benefícios para quem não mora em São Paulo, trazendo conteúdos exclusivos, experiências e vantagens diferenciadas, buscando também inspiração em planos de torcedores que são sucesso pelo mundo, como o do Benfica-POR, por exemplo, que dá um desconto de R$ 1 por litro de gasolina abastecido. Há muito a ser criado nesse sentido e estamos preparados para isso.

Resta saber se Duílio conseguirá cumprir o prometido e fará um bom trabalho comandando o Corinthians até o final de 2023.