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A ninth-wicket partnership of 109 runs may have staved off an innings defeat for South Africa

The Report by Firdose Moonda12-Oct-20199:19

Agarkar: Will be surprised if India don’t enforce follow-on

Keshav Maharaj and Vernon Philander, the lead spinner and senior seamer of the South Africa team, were picked to do a job with the ball. But the pair frustrated India with the bat with a ninth-wicket partnership of 109 runs, South Africa’s third-highest in the series, and might have done enough to stave off an innings defeat.Watch cricket on ESPN+

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Virat Kohli will able to sleep on whether he wants to put South Africa, 326 runs behind, in again, but he will have plenty to consider. His bowlers were in the field for 105.4 overs and South Africa’s lower-order showed they are capable of making India work for their wickets. Kohli may also be wary of batting last on a surface that is taking turn, even if there is only an outside chance that India will need to chase a target. Either way, they sit in prime position to seal the series in the remaining two days and have asserted their dominance over a South African side whose quality remains in question.South Africa’s top-order batsmen were beaten at their own game as India’s seamers reduced them to 53 for 5. Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami maintained a slightly fuller length and bowled to attacking fields, whereas South Africa’s bowlers had erred on the side of too short and too wide, and the difference brought wickets. Nightwatchman Anrich Nortje was dismissed in the third over, caught at fourth slip, and Theunis de Bruyn, who looked confident on the front foot for much of his 30 runs, ended up stuck in his crease, uncertain whether to move forward or back to an Umesh delivery and was caught behind.Mohammed Shami takes flight•BCCI

That brought South Africa’s most accomplished pair, captain Faf du Plessis and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, together. They posted 75 runs, with du Plessis increasingly authoritative on the cover drive, but the resistance was broken when de Kock was bowled by an R Ashwin delivery that also tested his footwork. South Africa scored 100 runs in the morning session but the loss of three wickets and all but one of their top-six batsmen saw them staring down the barrel of being asked to follow-on for the first time since 2008. It seemed certain that they would be asked to bat again as Kohli saved his quicks and kept his spinners on for 38 overs, but South Africa’s tail had other ideas.Philander, who was coming off a pair in the first Test, faced 22 balls before he scored his first run, an indication that he was settling in for a long stay. With du Plessis having brought up his second half-century of the series and looking comfortable on the sweep as well, South Africa showed some fight, but Ashwin made a timely breakthrough when he found du Plessis’ outside edge with a delivery that went straight on. At 162 for 8, South Africa’s resistance seemed up but Maharaj and Philander stonewalled so well against a ball that was softening that they forced Kohli to bring back his seamers.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Maharaj’s effort was particularly impressive because he did it nursing an injury. He went down while fielding on the first day and was taken for scans on his right shoulder. They proved inconclusive so he returned for a second set of scans on Saturday and was cleared to bat, and make jaws drop. The team management certainly sat back and marvelled as he scored a career-best 72 off only 132 balls. It is, however, still unclear if Maharaj can bowl as the Test match drags on.The only chance of the entire partnership came when Maharaj, on 44, offered a return catch to Ashwin, but the offspinner could not hold on in his follow-through. Maharaj went on to a maiden Test fifty and his partnership with Philander leapfrogged the 91 runs put on by Dane Piedt and Senuran Muthusamy for the ninth-wicket in Visakhapatnam. They also faced the second-highest number of balls by any ninth- or tenth-wicket pair in India – 259.South Africa’s ninth wicket is only 30 runs off being their most productive pairing in this series. Under different circumstances, that would be something to celebrate. Now, though, it will only leave their top order wondering why they have not be able to put similar pressure on India when it mattered more instead of when the fight is already up. They will have a second innings to answer that question, and it may come as early as tomorrow.India bowled South Africa out in the dying stages of the day’s play, first removing Maharaj, who was caught at leg slip, and then trapping Kagiso Rabada lbw. Ashwin claimed both wickets. That leaves India with two full days, either to add to their total and then attempt to bowl South Africa out again or to try to take ten more wickets straight away. Given how porous South Africa’s batting has looked, either will be regarded as a safe option, putting India within touching distance of a series win.

Sunderland reportedly have another attacking target on their list in a "fast" Championship star, according to one reliable journalist.

Sunderland targeting new striker

The Black Cats appear to be searching the market for a new striker this month and Michael Beale is hoping to “excite” supporters with one or two additions.

“We have a clear idea on one or two of the areas we would like to strengthen this month, if we can. It’s never an easy month, but we are certainly going to try and do something to strengthen and boost the squad, and to hopefully excite the fans. Those discussions are going on in the background. This (derby) game has been a bit of a distraction, if I’m honest, but those discussions were happening even (Tuesday) morning and late on in the afternoon.”

Winger Jack Clarke has been the main source of goals this season, netting eight more goals than any other Sunderland player. (Sunderland top scorers – BBC) However, Clarke, due to his fine form, has been linked with a move to the Premier League, with West Ham believed to be exploring a potential transfer.

Even if the Sunderland star remains at the Stadium of Light, a new forward appears to be on the agenda, and Bournemouth striker Kieffer Moore is on the list of targets.

Recent reports have claimed Sunderland are in pole position to sign the Wales international ahead of a number of other Championship sides, and a new update has emerged including the name of a new attacking target.

Sunderland eyeing Sam Gallagher move

According to The Northern Echo’s chief reporter Scott Wilson, Sunderland have held preliminary talks with Bournemouth for Moore and are waiting to hear the final decision. However, the reliable reporter added that the club’s recruitment team, led by sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, also have Sam Gallagher of Blackburn Rovers on their transfer wishlist.

Gallagher, who can play anywhere across the front three, completed a permanent move to Blackburn in 2019 after a previous loan spell and has been a regular at Ewood Park ever since.

The 28-year-old has plenty of experience in the Championship, mostly with Rovers, so could be a shrewd addition, potentially alongside Moore to rival the likes of centre-forward options Nazariy Rusyn and youngsters Mason Burstow, Eliezer Mayenda and Luis Semedo.

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Former Blackburn and Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray is also a big fan of Gallagher, describing him as a “monster” back in 2022.

“I don’t know how many appearances he (Gallagher) has made but I think his goals per starts is pretty good. He’s missed a fair whack of the season. He scored tonight with his right foot. I’m always encouraging him to hit it because when you watch it in training it’s like a bazooka, his right foot. It’s a great strike.

“Gallagher is fast, strong, good in the air, rocket in his right foot. He has all the attributes to be a top player. His ambition has to be to get to the Premier League, hopefully with this club, but if not, the Premier League look at this monster of a boy who can run like the wind with a rocket in his boots, why can’t he play in the Premier League?”

Liverpool kept their Premier League title dreams alive against Aston Villa last night, however, the victory was bittersweet after an in-game injury worry occurred in the first half of the clash.

What’s the latest?

Fabinho hobbled off the pitch in the first half an hour of the game at Villa Park on Tuesday night and now Jurgen Klopp has given an update on the midfielder’s condition following the full-time whistle.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano” title= “Read the latest Liverpool news!”]

Jurgen Klopp updated in his post-match interview on Sky Sports casting doubt on his player’s condition (via Metro):

‘That’s a massive problem. That’s a big blow for us. I don’t know (how bad), hopefully not that bad, but I don’t know.’

Klopp will be frustrated

There is no doubt that the Liverpool manager will be massively frustrated to potentially lose such a key player in his team ahead of the FA Cup final and Champions League final coming up over the next few weeks.

The Brazilian midfielder has been one of the most influential players in the centre of the pitch and has been integral in Liverpool’s chase for multiple trophies this season so to lose him when the side has one hand on two huge trophies is a massive blow.

Fabinho has been involved in Liverpool’s incredible 17-game unbeaten run, scoring four goals during this time as well as providing consistent solid defensive performances in his role in the centre of the pitch.

According to SofaScore, the Liverpool star has been successful in an impressive 73% of his dribbles, wins 63% of his aerial duels and makes 1.6 tackles and 1.4 interceptions on average per game in the Premier League this season.

Anfield and Brazil teammate Alisson Becker even called Fabinho “the most important” player for Liverpool and his national team in an interview:

“I believe that Fabinho is the most important player for both the club and the national team, this is my opinion about that, he’s a very important player wherever he is, he always proves his worth on the pitch.”

With that being said, there will surely be a further update on the star player’s condition ahead of the Chelsea clash on Saturday afternoon at Wembley and supporters will be anxiously hoping for positive news on Fabinho’s availability.

AND in other news: Klopp must now finally axe Liverpool gem who lost the ball every 3 touches yesterday

England boss Gareth Southgate was asked if he had any advice for Sir Keir Starmer after the Labour leader became the UK's new Prime Minister.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Sir Keir Starmer becomes UK's Prime Minister
• Southgate quizzed on Labour's election win
• Starmer backing England to beat Switzerland

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Labour's triumph in the UK General Election was the topic of conversation as Southgate spoke to the media ahead of England's Euro 2024 quarter-final meeting with Switzerland. Starmer is a keen football fan – an Arsenal supporter – and, like Southgate, now finds himself in a position where a nation holds high expectations.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Starmer's Labour party secured a landslide election win to end 14 years in the political wilderness. Southgate has frequently shown a willingness to discuss non-football matters since he became England manager in 2016, so it was hardly a surprise that he was asked for his thoughts on Starmer's success.

• Getty
  

  WHAT SOUTHGATE SAID

  Southgate knows what it's like to work in an extremely demanding job and the England boss joked that he isn't jealous of Starmer's new position.

  "I'm not envious of his job," Southgate said, per The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke. "No, I don't have any advice. When you're in a position of responsibility you realise that comes from every direction, everyone has a simple solution to complex problem, I'm sure he’s going to be inundanted with that."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Starmer is backing Southgate's men to overcome their quarter-final opponents on Saturday. "I think they'll beat Switzerland," he also told Virgin Radio.

  On what he would say to the players, he added: "I would say, 'just forget where you are in the competition. Forget all the noises off. I have to do this. Just go into a sort of tunnel. Know what you're trying to achieve and just don't listen'."

When Liverpool announced the arrival of Hugo Ekitike earlier this week, it would have been easy to assume that the Reds had ended their search for a striker. But since then, there has been an almighty twist to the tale.

As reported by David Ornstein and the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Alexander Isak now wants to leave Newcastle United this summer and explore options elsewhere. The Swede was sent home from the Magpies’ friendly against Celtic amid all the speculation, before being left out of their Asia tour courtesy of a ‘thigh injury’.

However, it has since emerged that Isak was left out of the tour after his request to leave St James’ Park ahead of next season. It’s an undeniable blow for the Magpies – their biggest yet in a summer full of disappointment – but Newcastle’s loss could quickly become Liverpool’s gain.

Liverpool informed Newcastle before signing Ekitike that they were willing to break their club record for the second time this summer to sign Isak in a £120m deal. And whilst that becomes more difficult after splashing out £69m to welcome their new French forward, fresh sales could yet leave Liverpool in dreamland.

With the potential to have both Isak and Ekitike at their disposal, AI assistant Grok has predicted and ranked the different formations that Liverpool could use to incorporate the two forwards.

3 4-4-2 (dual strikers)

The natural way to accommodate two talented strikers would be to play the trusty and reliable 4-4-2. The sytem would be a new one for Arne Slot, but could be one worth playing if he is to get the best out of Isak and Ekitike.

In this formation, Isak would likely take up the role of primary goalscorer whilst Ekitike takes up the job of chief creator. The latter’s task would be to drop slightly deeper into the No.10 role or even the false 9 role that Liverpool fans will know so well from Roberto Firmino’s time at the club and provide the link between midfield and attack.

Isak, meanwhile, would be asked to do the very thing that only Mohamed Salah did better than him in the Premier League last season and that’s score goals. The big questions here, though, would be whether Slot would be willing to sacrifice his numbers in midfield and just where he would find a place for Florian Wirtz.

2 4-2-3-1 (Ekitike as No.10)

There is, of course, another way around this. Liverpool could simply revert to a 4-2-3-1 formation – which they used at times last season to great success – and utilise Ekitike as a No.10. The former Frankfurt forward would then have Isak in front of him and likely Cody Gakpo and Salah beside him.

Suddenly, Slot would have a scintilating front four all featuring at once. The last time that Liverpool had something close to such attacking quality were the few months prior to Philippe Coutinho’s exit when the Brazilian stood alongside Salah, Sadio Mane and Firmino. Years later, however, Anfield could be about to see that front four eclipsed.

Alas, there are some downsides to the 4-2-3-1. Where would Wirtz slot in? Liverpool broke the British transfer record to sign the German and for very good reason. There’s no disputing that he should be an instant starter. What’s more, there would be question marks over Ekitike’s ability to remain consistent as No.10 with such little experience in the role.

The Frenchman would be shoe-horned in more than anything and there’s certainly a better way for Slot to get the best out of every one of his stars if Liverpool sign Isak.

1 4-3-3 (Ekitike wide left)

Another option, and one that Slot is more familiar with, would be a 4-3-3 with Ekitike playing out wide. Forming a front three between Ekitike, Isak and Salah, the Reds would have their best trio since Mane, Firmino and Salah and one that would arguably be capable of putting up similar numbers.

Given that Luis Diaz could yet join Bayern Munich in a big-money deal this summer too, moving Ekitike into his left-wing spot would certainly make sense. There may be some concerns that the Frenchman lacks experience in the role, given that he played just 5% of his minutes at Eintracht Frankfurt on the wing, but he certainly has the creative talent.

With 12 assists to his name last season, Ekitike could provide a similar threat to Cody Gakpo by cutting in from the left-hand side using his physical stature. Isak, meanwhile, would once again benefit from the No.9 role, whilst Wirtz could take his much-needed role in midfield.

In terms of familiarity and player roles, utilising a 4-3-3 looks like the best way that Slot would be able to take a squad full of stars to a second-consecutive Premier League title.

Manchester United are looking for consistency on the pitch and Ruben Amorim is at the centre of plenty of debate as INEOS aim to build for the future at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim firm on his future as United cruise past Sunderland

The Red Devils are hoping to climb their way up the Premier League table despite suffering an inconsistent start to the campaign, moving into the top half courtesy of a smooth day despite the blustery conditions against Sunderland.

Benjamin Sesko scored his second goal of the season and first at Old Trafford after a fine finish, after Mason Mount had given the hosts the lead on a windy Saturday afternoon.

As expected, the former Sporting boss is adamant that he is the man to take the club forward and won’t leave of his own accord, claiming that he will give ‘everything’ to succeed under the pressure of the job.

He stated before his side took on Sunderland: “No, that is a decision of the board. I cannot do that (resign). Sometimes I have that feeling and losing is hard, not to create the momentum. It’s so frustrating when you create the momentum, go to the next game, something happens. That feeling sometimes hurts me a lot. Also the players and especially the staff here.”

Later, he added: “It’s a dream to be here and I want to continue here and I want to fight for this. But the problem is now what makes me suffer is to lose games, not to lose my job. You fear to lose your job when you have to pay the bills and I don’t have that feeling.”

On the pitch, calls for Kobbie Mainoo to be a regular Manchester United starter moving forward are amplifying, and it remains to be seen if other changes are made to build momentum once the international break concludes.

Nevertheless, contingency planning is an important part of football, and the Red Devils could turn to an internal face who is a renowned name at Old Trafford.

Darren Fletcher could take over at Man Utd

According to The Sun, Manchester United Under-18 coach Darren Fletcher could succeed Amorim on an interim basis after his impressive start to life with the academy outfit.

Making a positive impact with his dynamic style of play, the former Scotland international has internally wowed Old Trafford chiefs and could make a surprise return to the Old Trafford scene, this time in the dugout.

"First class" manager who brings "fun factor" to training speaks about links to Man Utd

Ruben Amorim is under increasing pressure…

ByBen Goodwin Oct 3, 2025

Of course, that will only happen if Amorim were to move on. It would cost the Red Devils £12 million to make a change, which isn’t the type of capital they would throw around lightly as they aim to bring in reinforcements once the New Year comes around.

Either way, there appears to be a plan in place if option A is scrapped, albeit it remains to be seen how the situation plays out at Manchester United.

Mahmudullah admitted the batsman lacked a clarity of plan to counter Neil Wagner’s “bouncer theory”

Mohammad Isam in Wellington12-Mar-2019Neil Wagner’s sustained short-ball attack has dominated Bangladesh over the first two Tests of the series, with the tactic fetching the New Zealand quick 15 out of his 16 wickets so far. Batsman after batsman fell to Wagner’s short-ball persistence: Mahmudullah and Mohammad Mithun were dismissed by the bowler three times, while Liton Das, Mominul Haque and Mehidy Hasan each fell twice. Wagner’s short ball also claimed the wickets of Shadman Islam and Tamim Iqbal.Mahmudullah said that many of the Bangladesh batsmen, including himself, were caught in two minds against Wagner’s lines of attack. Often, their proclivity for attacking to counter Wagner landed them in more trouble. Tamim, Mahmudullah and Soumya Sarkar played Wagner well but apart from Soumya, the other two failed in their attempts to pull off the short length on four occasions.Mahmudullah conceded that the batsmen need to carry much of the blame for the Wellington defeat, where they were effectively bowled out in 117 overs in a match that was already restricted to a maximum of 315 overs, after two days were lost to rain.”In the first innings, Tamim and Shadman gave us a good start and even after Wagner started with his bouncer theory, we were handling him well but then we gave it away,” Mahmudullah said. “We have to bat with more guts for longer periods. A number of our batsmen are playing half-hearted shots, or we are not committed. We are in two minds whether to play a shot or not. You need to back yourself. If you want to attack, you should know how you want to cope with their bouncer theory.”They will probably have a fast wicket in Christchurch, so our batsmen have to be more responsible, particularly with three new bowlers in the side. I think it is the batsmen who should take more of the blame. We were bowled out twice inside two-and-a-half days.”Mahmudullah said that Wagner had had to pitch the ball very short in Hamilton where Mahmudullah and Soumya Sarkar staged a fightback on the fourth day. But in Wellington where the pitch had more bounce on offer, he could pitch the bouncer slightly further up.”We knew about him from the last time we were here. Now we are talking a lot about the Wagner factor,” Mahmudullah said. “There was certainly help in the pitches for both sets of pace bowlers but we couldn’t utilise it as well as they did. I believe that our batsmen have the skill level to handle their short-ball tactics.”Wagner had to pitch it really short in Hamilton while here he got bounce from a length slightly further up. It was easier to play or leave in Hamilton. Here there was a bit more in the pitch. He made use of it. He was successful to his credit.”Mahmudullah also regretted the reprieves to Ross Taylow, after he Shadman put down chances off Abu Jayed’s bowling when the New Zealand batsman was on 20. Ross was on 20 at the time and he went on to score 200 in quick time to take the game away from Bangladesh.But Mahmudullah also urged the bowlers to find ways to control the flow of boundaries. This was the first time that Bangladesh conceded 400-plus runs in an innings at more than five an over.”If we had captured those chances, we could have given better momentum to the bowlers. It may have brought us few more wickets. They were playing with seven batters and with the kind of help that this pitch produced for the bowlers, it would have helped our guys.”Jayed, Mustafizur and Taijul bowled quite well but we ended up conceding five runs an over. We have to find ways to bowl better in the next match,” he said.

After the Krishnagiri Stadium in Wayanad received scathing feedback for producing spicy pitches for Kerala’s Ranji Trophy knockout matches, it rolled out a more benign surface for the opening day of the first unofficial Test. By stumps, England Lions held the advantage, getting to 303 for 5 thanks to well-paced fifties from Ben Duckett and Sam Hain, and handy contributions from the middle order.Fear of extra moisture under the surface delayed the start by half an hour, and with both sides unsure as to how the pitch would behave, India A captain Ankit Bawne sent England Lions in.The new ball, however, didn’t do any tricks for either Shardul Thakur or Navdeep Saini, and Duckett and Max Holden got off to a brisk start, the two left-handers putting on 82 for the first wicket in 23.3 overs. Holden, the less aggressive of the two, hit four fours in getting to 26 before Saini got him to edge one to the keeper.Duckett felt India A’s fast bowlers may have been unclear in their approach. “They tried too many things,” he said at the end of the day’s play. “Maybe they searched a little bit more with the new ball. The three of them bowled fairly good pace. The wicket was slow, maybe it quickened up towards the end. I felt comfortable against all of them.”Today, they bowled quite wide to me. Maybe they could have bowled a bit straighter.”Duckett feasted on the width, cover-driving Thakur for successive fours in the 33rd over. He raised his fifty by caressing one to the point boundary, and England got to lunch at 92 for 1.With the pitch offering minimal help, India’s quicks tried different approaches. While Avesh Khan went at full throttle relentlessly, Thakur and Saini mixed up their pace and waited for errors in judgment.Thakur finally reaped the reward, getting Duckett to drag one on at 80. Avesh then got Ollie Pope with one that sped through him and crashed into his off stump.Then on, Hain kept the momentum going, making India’s bowlers, especially spinners Jalaj Saxena and Shahbaz Nadeem, toil hard. Even as the Lions lost Pope and captain Sam Billings after the second drinks break, Hain carried on, grinding his way to his fifty in the afternoon heat, allowing himself only a few moments of flamboyance. His dismissal came off a poor shot, though, as he top-edged a pull off Saxena to the keeper.That was the last wicket India would take on the day, as Steven Mullaney and Will Jacks put on an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 65. Jacks ended the day on 40 and the composed Mullaney on 39, leaving the Lions looking poised for a big total.

Kent beat Somerset for the 11th successive time in a high-scoring affair at Canterbury – a remarkable sequence which put them alongside Somerset in the knockout stages

ECB Reporters Network16-Aug-2018
ScorecardKent Spitfires downed South Group leaders Somerset by five runs in a high-scoring thriller at Canterbury to book their place in the last eight of this year’s Vitality Blast T20.Kent’s seventh south group win inflicted Somerset’s fourth defeat in their final game of the campaign and extended the West Country county’s woeful, winless T20 run against Kent to 11 matches dating back to 2011.Batting first, Kent posted their highest short-form score against Somerset and equalled their best ever T20 total, matching their 231 for 7 scored against Surrey at The Oval in 2015.Somerset chased manfully throughout, and needed a six off the last ball to tie only for Mitch Claydon to send down a near perfect yorker to seal the triumph.

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Kent captain Sam Billings led the run spree with an unbeaten 57 from 35 balls, but Sean Dickson’s cameo 20 from nine balls and a belligerent 42 from 22 deliveries by Alex Blake after a sloppy display in the field by the south group leaders.With their place in the last eight already assured, Somerset elected to bowl after winning the toss, but Jerome Taylor’s second over conceded a brace of boundaries to Daniel Bell-Drummond and 14 in total.Joe Denly, Kent’s leading T20 run-getter, plundered a straight six in Jamie Overton’s first over that ended with a deft late cut for four, as the hosts, aided by six Somerset wides within five overs, raced to 50 after only 4.3 overs.Taylor had Denly caught at short third man for 26 from the penultimate delivery of the powerplay to make it 67 for one then, with 37 off 21 balls to his name, Bell-Drummond pushed inside the line of a Max Waller legspinner that clipped off stump.Waller and Roelof van der Merwe, the slow left-armer, stemmed the flow of Spitfires’ boundaries until Heino Kuhn broke the stranglehold with a reverse sweep for six against Johann Myburgh as Kent reached the mid-point on 99 for 2.Kuhn perished attempting to repeat the shot against a Waller full toss, picking out Corey Anderson at point, but Blake opened his boundary account with a straight six off Waller and greeted Overton’s return with another maximum into the retirement complex adjacent to the ground.Waller finished his stint with 2 for 29 as Kent reached 150 in their 16th over with Blake and Billings posting a 50 stand in 4.4 overs.Billings unfurled his ramps, paddles and pulls to collect three successive boundaries in a Taylor over that cost 25 in total, but the partnership ended for 82 when Blake was superbly caught overhead by Overton at long-off for 42.Kent’s skipper reached his third 50 of the campaign from 31 balls, Taylor was taken out of the attack for his second beamer and the visitors conceded six penalty runs for failing to bowl their overs in the alloted time.Chasing 232 at 11.55 an over, Somerset lost Myburgh after 15 balls to a stunning over-the-shoulder catch by Imran Qayyum that gave T20 debutant Grant Stewart his maiden wicket.Steve Davies and Peter Trego, the former Kent allrounder, clattered a quickfire 59 in five overs before Trego holed out to deep square leg then Davies blotted his copybook by chipping Qayyum’s second ball of the night straight to extra cover.Qayyum conceded a huge leg-side six to James Hildreth as Somerset reached 102 for 3after 10 overs but, with the required rate rising to almost 13, Corey Anderson heaved against Calum Haggett to see Billings cling onto a skier running back towards third man.With 82 needed from 30 balls, James Hildreth hooked a Mitch Claydon bouncer to long leg and despite late clubbing from Gregory and Tom Abell Somerset just fell short.

Six wickets for Mohammad Abbas has left a tense third day ahead at Grace Road between two sides in the top four

ECB Reporters Network20-Aug-20181:43

Moeen and Mitchell leave Yorkshire feeling Toxic

ScorecardMohammad Abbas took 6 for 48, his best return for Leicestershire, as the bowlers continued to hold the upper hand in a Specsavers County Championship match against promotion rivals Kent that ended the second day very much in the balance at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road.The Pakistan international seamer, who was named Man of the Series after his country’s two Tests against England earlier this summer, took full advantage of the heavy cloud and used pitch to move the ball both in the air and off the seam, with only Joe Denly standing firm as visitors were bowled out for just 195 in their first innings.Kent struck back strongly however, with Ivan Thomas taking 4 for 50 as the Foxes ended the day on 126 for 5, a lead of 151 with five second innings wickets in hand.Resuming with Kent on 53 for 3, Denly and Sam Billings were made to work hard for their runs as the ball continued to swing and nip off the pitch. Abbas had beaten Billings on numerous occasions before he found the edge of the Kent captain’s bat and Ned Eckersley held a outstanding low catch diving to his right behind the stumps.Zak Crawley went the same way, feathering a thin edge off Abbas to give Eckersley a more comfortable catch and reduce the visitors to 100 for 5, but Denly was joined by debutant Ollie Robinson in building a substantial partnership for the sixth wicket, helped by frontline seamers Abbas and Ben Raine coming to the end of their spells.Denly broke the shackles by hitting four boundaries in one over from Gavin Griffiths, bringing up his half-century with a fine straight drive to the rope off the same bowler, but Raine returned to the attack to pick up three quick wickets before lunch.Robinson, on the back foot, edged an outswinger to Eckersley, and in the same over Darren Stevens glanced down the leg-side only for Eckersley to pull off another brilliant catch flinging himself to his left. In the over before the break Denly, having battled his way to 62, missed a full inswinger from Raine and was plumb leg before wicket.Abbas returned after the break to bowl Harry Podmore off the inside edge before Grant Stewart was caught at cover driving.Kent picked up an early wicket of their own when Horton was leg before to a Stewart in-swinger, but Dearden in particular was batting positively, and he and Colin Ackermann added 69 for Leicestershire’s second wicket before Ackermann went leg before to a Thomas delivery that seamed back in.Mark Cosgrove, going through a bad patch by his high standards, nicked off to Thomas without scoring, and though Dearden passed 50, he lost two further partners, both to Thomas, as Ateeq Javid was caught down the legside by Billings and Eckersley fell leg before before rain and bad light saw play close 13 overs early.