Sir Alex Ferguson insisted he is not worried by Manchester United’s defensive frailties at the start of the season, Sky Sports reports.
Manchester United secured a tense 3-2 victory at newly-promoted Southampton yesterday, thanks to a hat-trick from Robin van Persie.
But the win was not without its hairy moments, as United conceded two goals through headers from back-post crosses.
“Everything we did in preparation for the game has all been to deal with back-post crosses and they scored two goals off them so that was disappointing.
“But credit to Southampton they are good at it,” Ferguson admitted.
The Red Devils have had a number of key defensive personnel out through injury, with Johnny Evans, Rio Ferdinand, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones starting the season on the treatment table.
Ferguson was keen to highlight the problem after what was a tough game for his side: “This season we’ve had four centre-backs injured for the first game. Carrick has played centre-back at Everton and we’ve had Valencia at right-back.
“If we get the centre-backs back that’ll give us a really good chance.”
But the situation is improving for United with Ferdinand making his return to the side yesterday, while Evans is now available for selection.
The return of Ferdinand alongside Vidic would have been a welcome sight for United, although the way in which Rickie Lambert consistently caused problems for the duo means it will take some time for them to re-form their partnership.
The introduction of Paul Scholes was however, the difference. The influence of Scholes was evident, as he was given time and space to find the likes of van Persie and Javier Hernandez, create havoc in the Saints defence.
“His vision and consistency of passing gave us complete control of the game,” said Ferguson.
The performance of van Persie was also a major plus for United, with the Dutchman now scoring four goals in two starts for the club.
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Although he could have easily ruined Sir Alex’s 1,000th League match in charge after taking a soft penalty at 2-1, which Kelvin Davies managed to save easily.
But his two goals in the final five minutes of the match showed his class and typified a classic United comeback.
There is something of a symmetry about Arsene Wenger leaving Arsenal just as their bitter North London rivals Tottenham embark on the very project that hamstrung the Frenchman’s ability to provide success for so long; moving to a brand-new stadium.
There were years of austerity at the Arsenal for an extended period following the move to the Emirates Stadium; leaving the Gunners unable to mount a real title challenge and forced to sell their best players due to the greater financial packages and trophy aspirations on offer elsewhere.
That may leave Wenger uniquely qualified to comment on the challenges of keeping a North London side competitive while overseeing a stadium move and he commented that Spurs may be forced to sell Harry Kane to fund the new arena ahead of his final game at the helm of Arsenal.
We asked you whether there were any weight in Wenger’s argument but the response was fairly conclusive.
81 per cent of Spurs fans feel that they can afford their new home without the sale of the talismanic Kane and you can check out the full results of the poll below…
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West Ham may be in the early stages of a new era, with a new manager, new style of play and bunch of exciting new players. But there still remains a sense of familiarity in east London.
The Hammers have made hard work of their Europa League qualifying rounds thus far, and they’ve been less than convincing in their friendlies. New boss Slaven Bilic was never going to come in and get instant results from a group of players so used to playing hoof ball over the last four years, but some fans are already growing frustrated with the fact that they’re having to worry about a third qualifying round second leg trip to Romania on Thursday. Just how has it come to this already?
One thing that appears to have remained from previous eras is the Hammers’ rotten luck with injuries. A season rarely passes without the Irons losing a key man to a long term lay off. Last year, injuries to the likes of Winston Reid, Diafra Sakho, Alex Song and Andy Carroll arguably prevented the east Londoners from keeping up their early season flirtation with a top six finish – they ended up in 12th.
And just a month in to their new season (the Europa League qualifiers started on July 3rd), they’ve already lost Enner Valencia for up to three months with a knee/ankle injury, while Andy Carroll isn’t scheduled in for a return to action until October. This leaves Slaven Bilic with just Diafra Sakho, Mauro Zarate and young Elliott Lee for options up front, which isn’t ideal when you’re faced with a Europa League schedule and an opening day Premier League meeting with Arsenal.
So it’s no surprise to learn that buying at least one goal scorer is Bilic’s main priority this month, as well as adding some extra strength to other areas in the squad.
So we asked Hammers fans to vote for the players they want signed the most before the summer transfer window slams shut. The results, unsurprisingly, aren’t exactly unexpected. Though they are very much on the cards to becoming reality if reports are to be believed.
Here’s the top five players Hammers fans are crying out for this month…
5. Moussa Sow
The Senegal international has been linked with a move to the Boleyn Ground, even before Enner Valencia’s injury last Thursday.
The Fenerbahce striker’s first team opportunities in Istanbul have been limited since the arrival of Robin van Persie and Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has reportedly identified him as the ideal man to come in and score some goals.
Bilic will know all about Sow’s ability from his time managing in Turkey with Besiktas and will no doubt have in mind the fact Sow has played alongside star striker Sakho for the national team, eliminating any fears of the two strikers failing to develop an understanding.
The fans also appear to have identified the pros of bringing Sow to the club, with 263 fans giving him a thumbs up in our poll.
4. Alex Song
Alex Song’s loan switch to West Ham raised eyebrows all over Europe last summer, and it wasn’t a surprise when the midfielder hit the ground running and bossed the Hammers’ midfielder during the opening half of the season. He was a key part of the side that occupied a top four spot over Christmas.
West Ham have made it no secret that they want to sign Song permanently this summer and with negotiations with Barcelona ongoing recent reports claim a deal is pretty close to being agreed.
With a Europa League schedule to negotiate alongside a league campaign, strength in depth will be vital for Bilic, and having an experienced midfielder like Song to call upon could prove vital for the Croat.
And West Ham fans are hopeful that Song will be donning the famous claret and blue next season, with a huge 342 giving him a big thumbs up.
3. Charlie Austin
Despite suffering relegation with QPR last season, Charlie Austin remains a much sought after striker who has been linked with the likes of West Ham and Newcastle this summer.
That’s partly down to Austin’s impressive tally of 20 Premier League goals last term, which ultimately proved that he’s a top flight striker and one that needs to continue playing at the level in order to boost his chances for England.
QPR are stubbornly holding out for £15million for Austin’s services and both the Hammers and Steve McClaren’s Newcastle have baulked at such a hefty price tag for a player with just a year remaining on his Loftus Road contract.
However, the Hammers claim to still have money in the bank for further reinforcements and despite trying to sweeten up the west London club with a £12million offer plus Matt Jarvis, may eventually give in and stump up the full asking price.
The Hammers faithful appear to be desperate for their club’s owners to do just that, with many on Twitter tweeting David Gold and demanding he does all he can to get Austin in claret and blue before the window shuts.
That’s reflected by the fact 360 fans voted him in as their third most wanted signing this month.
2. Javier Hernandez
Javier Hernandez’s Manchester United future looks to be in the balance after his unsuccessful loan spell with Real Madrid last term.
Old Trafford chief Louis Van Gaal hinted earlier this summer that Chicharito still has a part to play for the Red Devils, but you’d expect the Dutch boss to cash in if the right offer is put on the table for the Mexico international.
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Tottenham are also thought to be eyeing a move for the striker, but reports this morning claim the Hammers have made an offer of almost £12m to tempt United in to selling.
There’s no doubting how much of a coup a signing like this would be for West Ham, and it would certainly signal their ambition of reaching the proverbial ‘next level.’
Just the fact the Hammers have been mentioned in the same sentence as the striker this summer has had the fans excited, and 413 Irons fans who took our poll voted him in as a player they really want to see signed before the end of the window.
1. Alen Halilovic
The Croation wonder kid has previously been labelled ‘the next Luka Modric,’ which means his reported imminent switch to the Boleyn Ground is a surprise to everyone across Europe.
The Barcelona midfielder wants to be playing regularly and the Catalan giants look like they’re going to let him leave the Nou Camp this summer in order to fulfil his needs. Compatriot Slaven Bilic is an admirer of Halilovic and looks to have moved quickly to get his man before anyone else hears of his availability.
West Ham have already signed midfielders Pedro Obiang, Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini this summer but would have been mental to pass up the chance to sign Halilivic for just £5m, which is the fee they are reportedly paying Barcelona for his services.
So it’s no surprise 475 West Ham fans voted him in as the number one player they want to see in claret and blue by the end of the month. And if today’s reports are to be believed, they won’t have to wait too long – a deal is expected to go though by the end of this week!
Liverpool are set to go head-to-head with local rivals Everton in the race for Wigan striker Arouna Kone, according to reports from The Metro.
The Ivorian was one of the Latics’ main stars last term, turning in a number of impressive displays to help them claim the FA Cup.
However, he could not steer them clear of relegation, and, as a result, is said to be keen to move on.
Roberto Martinez was said to be hopeful of tempting the 29-year-old to follow him to Goodison Park, but the Spaniard will have to fend off interest from Merseyside rivals Liverpool.
The Reds are said to be in the market for attacking reinforcements this summer, with the future of star striker Luis Suarez far from certain.
Brendan Rodgers is thought to see Kone as an ideal candidate to add another dimension to his front-line, and is keen to press ahead with a cut-price move.
The Wigan star is said to have a £6.5m release clause in his contract, a figure that the Anfield giants could easily match.
Liverpool are reportedly close to completing a move for Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas, but Rodgers is still keen on Kone due to his knowledge of the English top flight.
Liverpool fans, is Arouna Kone the man you want? Or should Brendan Rodgers be looking at bigger names?
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West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce admits he was disappointed with the lack of defensive quality his side showed in their 9-0 Capital One Cup Semi-Final aggregate loss to Manchester City.
The Hammers succumbed to a record League Cup Semi-Final loss at the hands of Manuel Pellegrini’s goal-hungry City after respective 6-0 and 3-0 defeats to heap more misery on their season.
And Allardyce admits believes his side didn’t give themselves much of a chance after some horror defending in both legs.
“City have scored 19 goals and conceded one to get to the final, which shows you the quality of their team, but I was a little disappointed with the way we conceded the goals,”Allardyce told whufc.com.
“We’ve got to protect our goal better and, while that might be harsh in this game, it’s about making sure we make teams work much harder for the goals that they score.
“Ultimately, if you give a team like this the chances we gave them, then they are going to punish you and they did.”
And Allardyce also bemoaned his side’s current shortage of luck after he felt Ravel Morrison should have been awarded a penalty in the second-half last night’s second leg at Upton Park.
“Of course, Rav should have had a penalty but the way it is for me, we aren’t going to get one even if one of their players punches one of our players in the face,” he added.
“Everything is conspiring against us, but we have to keep our heads up and play some of the football we played with an effective finish and be tighter at the back.”
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England seamer starts to see rewards of revamping her action while playing on the international stage
Valkerie Baynes03-Jul-2024Tears, drama and disagreements… but it all felt worth it as Lauren Bell claimed her maiden international five-wicket haul to help seal a 3-0 sweep for England in their ODI series against New Zealand.Speaking after her figures of 5 for 37 from nine overs had helped contain an improved White Ferns batting performance, Bell went into detail for the first time about the difficulties of remodelling her bowling action while playing on the international stage.”It’s been a tricky few months, so yeah, it was nice to come out of today with some real success, it was a great day,” Bell said, after half-centuries from Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones had helped ensure her efforts did not go to waste. “I got back from the series in New Zealand and we just thought to push my career on, make me a better bowler, we’d changed a few things with my action.”But obviously when you bowl a certain way for however long, it has been tricky. I don’t really have a training block, I’ve just been playing, but it’s definitely for the best in the long term and I guess today shows that it is going to push me forward. But yeah, it is obviously hard doing it on an international stage.”Related
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Bell returned from England’s tour of New Zealand earlier this year with a remit to bowl more upright, and an emerging by-product of that has been an ability to swing the ball both ways.Hints were there during successful her white-ball series against Pakistan at the start of the English summer and Heather Knight, England’s captain, lauded Bell and others for their bravery in trying new things in match situations.And while Bell’s wickets on Wednesday – her first five-wicket haul since she played at Under-15 level – largely came from a back-of-a-length, top-of-the-stumps approach, the tall seamer said she had felt immense support from her team-mates and England’s coaching staff throughout the process.”I fell away a lot, and so we thought if we could get me more upright, it’d be safer. It means I can bowl more and it means I should be quicker and from being taller I get more bounce,” she explained. “So it came from that point of view initially, to add pace to my bowling, pace and bounce, and leading me to be more upright allowed me to then be able to swing it both ways.Key among her supporters has been England Women’s fast bowling coach Matt Mason.”I think he would’ve felt like a proud dad today,” Bell said. “There’s been tears, there’s been drama, there’s been disagreements. We work really closely and he’s put in a lot of time to get me here.”I think my bowling coach knew that one thing was going to lead to another,” she added. “I guess it got really exciting and now it’s just honing in on the consistency of being able to swing it both ways and bowl a wobble-ball obviously. It’s something I’m just going to learn, but hopefully in the long run will be really exciting.”The breakthrough, lightbulb we’ve had in the last couple of weeks has been a lot to do with the mental side of it and how I approach it in a game. Training’s been great, but you get to a game and it’s a totally different story, so I’ve done a lot of work on my focus and my concentration. I think I’ve gone in two-feet, I’m in now, there’s not really any turning back. So I’m committed to it and I know it’s for the best.”I’ve gone a long time not really having to think much about how I bowl. Now, my change in action, I very much have to concentrate on it, so I’ve learned that I need to focus and I’ve got a couple of cues that help me with that. I reset every ball and I focus in on my cues. It is a bit of a routine that I’ve picked up in the last couple of months that I think will take me a long way, especially in pressure situations.”Bell, who is just 23, made her England debut in the 2022 Test against South Africa at Taunton, where she was presented with her cap by Anya Shrubsole, the World Cup-winning seamer who had just retired at the time and for whom Bell was seen as a replacement.Since then, she has played three Tests, 14 ODIs and 20 T20Is and is seen as a linchpin of England’s seam attack, which has made it all the more difficult for her see beyond the short-term effects on output, and focus on long-term benefits – until now.”I definitely haven’t been used to having a few games in a row not quite going my way,” Bell said. “But everyone I’ve spoken to has said, unfortunately that is what professional sport is, whether it’s because you’ve changed something or you just go through a tough patch of form, it’s going to happen and it’s probably going to happen again, and it happens to the best players in the world. It’s another experience I’ve got under my belt that should push me forward in the future.”
English batter gets INR 2.8 crore deal with Shreyas Iyer and Shakib Al Hasan already ruled out for the franchise
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2023Kolkata Knight Riders have signed up England batter Jason Roy as a replacement player with two of their big names Shreyas Iyer and Shakib Al Hasan already out of the tournament. Knight Riders signed Roy for INR 2.8 crore (USD 341,000 approx.); his base price listed at the pre-season auction was INR 1.5 crore (USD 183,000 approx.).Most English players are only permitted to sign replacement deals at the IPL before a cut-off date of March 1, in order to help their counties plan for the early months of the County Championship season. However, players with ECB central contracts or incremental deals are eligible to be signed after that date. Roy lost his central contract in October, but still has an incremental deal.Roy last played the IPL in 2021, having opted out last year – after being bought by Gujarat Titans in the auction – while taking an indefinite break from cricket. In 2021 he represented Sunrisers Hyderabad and scored 150 runs from five games, averaging 30 and striking at 123.96.In 2020 too he had opted out of the IPL because of personal reasons, when he was with Delhi Capitals.Knight Riders have played just one game so far, which they lost to Punjab Kings by seven runs (DLS method) in Mohali. They play their second game against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Thursday at their home ground Eden Gardens.They have lost Iyer to a lower-back injury for which he needs surgery, and Shakib has opted out of the season for personal reasons.
All the stories and reaction following the death of one of the game’s greatest
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2022March 30
As it happened – Shane Warne’s state memorial service
News – Shane Warne Stand unveiled as MCG crowd bids their hero an emotional farewell March 29
Interviews – Tendulkar, Lara, Dravid, Jayawardene, Younis, Kirsten and Bell on the magic of facing Shane Warne
Video – Tendulkar: Warne could spin the ball from day one on Australian surfaces
Video – Lara: ‘Warne never gave up, he always produced that miracle delivery’
Video – Dravid on Warne: ‘What amazed me was the amount of time he spent discussing cricket’
Video – Shastri: ‘Warne’s knowledge of cricket was unreal’March 21
Video – Ponting: ‘Warnie would’ve said don’t sit back and do what you love’March 20
News – Shane Warne’s funeral takes place in MelbourneMarch 12
Shannon Gill – Warne’s magic was made for televisionMarch 10 Osman Samiuddin – What Shane Warne’s greatest deliveries tell usMarch 9
Photo feature – Goodbye, Hollywood: pictures of Warne’s life off the fieldMarch 7
Mark Nicholas – Warne gave us so much and he had so much more to give
News – ‘Dad, this doesn’t feel real’ – Shane Warne’s family speak of their pain and loss March 6
Brydon Coverdale – In praise of Shane Warne, cricketing genius
News – Warne had chest pains before leaving Australia – Thai police
Ian Chappell – ‘People put down their beer every time Warne came on to bowl’
Reactions – Matthew Hayden – ‘Shane Warne mesmerised the best of the best’
Reactions – Brett Lee: ‘Every young kid that watched Test cricket wanted to be Warne’March 5
News – Great Southern Stand at MCG to be named after Shane Warne
Andrew Miller – Shane Warne: the showman who could do hard graft
Alex Malcolm – Everyone wanted to be ‘The King’
Mark Nicholas – ‘Warne never gave us someone he was not
Ian Chappell – Warnie was a generous, honest champion
Feature – Shane Warne’s greatest hits: bossing World Cups, to blindsiding England
Reaction – Border: Warne is the Bradman of legspin
Reaction – Kumble: ‘Next generation will miss experience he had to offer’
Reaction – Jadeja: ‘Thankful to Warne for providing me the IPL platform in 2008’ March 4
News – Shane Warne dies aged 52
As it happened – Tributes and reaction
Reactions – Warne’s death leaves cricket fraternity ‘shocked and gutted’
Timeline – The highs and lows of Shane Warne’s cricketing career
Stats from the archive – A magician and a match-winner
In photos – Remembering Shane Warne
Reaction – Cummins: ‘Rest in peace, King’
Reaction – Root: Warne ‘loved the game of cricket and was a joy to be around’
Chigumbura – who has past personal success in Pakistan to draw from – also says Super-League points are on Zimbabwe’s mind
Danyal Rasool21-Oct-2020For much of the first decade of his career, Elton Chigumbura was among the first names on the Zimbabwe team sheet. Known for his power-hitting at a time when Zimbabwe lacked players with that attribute, and crucial to balancing the side thanks to his ability to bowl medium pace, Chigumbura seemed to be the full package. But, over the past five years, people’s patience with the 34-year-old, no matter how decorated his CV, has seemingly begun to run thin.There was forensic scrutiny in Zimbabwe after Chigumbura kept his place in the side for the upcoming tour to Pakistan. For one, he’s no longer a bowler, just a middle-order batsman. And one who has scored a grand total of one half-century in ODI cricket in the past five years, and managed a T20I score higher than 35 in just one innings since May 2015.Speaking to the media after the Zimbabwe team landed in Pakistan to play three T20Is and three ODIs, and having begun a six-day quarantine period, Chigumbura said injuries had played a part in the drop in his performance, but he was raring to go once more.”I have struggled with my form,” he said. “I had a couple of injuries that put me away for quite some time. So it was down to my injuries I was out for almost a year, not playing international cricket. And when I came back again, I got another injury, for which I had to go and get surgery done. Right now, I’m looking forward to this series, hopefully to get back to where I was. And these wickets in Pakistan are good wickets to bat on. So hopefully I can carry on from last time when I was in Pakistan.”I am fully fit now. I got an Achilles injury last year. When I was about to just start playing again, then the Covid-19 pandemic happened. So I’m happy to be back in the squad. Hopefully we get a chance to enjoy every moment.”Chigumbura has reason to be optimistic about his prospects in Pakistan. When Zimbabwe became the first side to visit the country after the 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lankan team, the-then 29-year-old was the star of the visiting side. He struck a career-best 54 in the first T20I, before going on to smash a 95-ball 117, also a career high, in his only ODI innings as the visiting side posted 334 in their 50 overs. He would carry on that form, making it back-to-back hundreds by hitting an unbeaten 104 against India six weeks later. He was in the form of his life, before it all suddenly slipped away.But when you’re around the Zimbabwe set-up for as long as he has been, you’ll likely have seen enough rough times to understand there is a way to come out of it.Elton Chigumbura winds up for a big hit•AFP
“We have to try and start winning games. Everyone is really focused. It’s not just the series that will determine our future – every game that you play in the [ODI] Super League is very important for the team so that we qualify for the next World Cup overseas. And we take it one game at a time, but everyone in the team is very ready and eager to go.”It’s important that we have to play to win, not to just compete. So all those mindsets are things that we have spoken about in training and everyone is aware of what we need to do as a team and as individuals when it comes to these international games. And hopefully we start on a good note.”I believe we can be competitive. We came here to win. Everyone, they’re willing to go out there and express themselves. Everyone is raring to go, especially after being out of cricket for almost six, seven months.”Chigumbura insisted the absence of their head coach, Lalchand Rajput, would not have an adverse effect on the side. Rajput, a former Indian cricketer, pulled out of the tour of Pakistan after the Indian High Commission in Zimbabwe wrote to Zimbabwe Cricket requesting he be exempted from touring Pakistan. As a result, bowling coach Douglas Hondo took over full coaching duties for the tour, and Chigumbura said the side would be in regular touch with Rajput online.”Nothing’s going to change. The same system, same system coaches that were under him are the ones that are leading the team. So all the values of the team are still the same. We’re having a meeting over a conference call and I’m sure he’ll be part of the strategy. So it’s just a matter of us as players to carry on and make sure that we implement what he always emphasised to us.”Chigumbura said the mood in the camp this time was worlds removed from when they last visited in terms of Zimbabwe’s outlook on security in Pakistan. “Obviously it’s good to be back in Pakistan. The first time we came here five years ago, everyone was a bit scared. But I think the way they hosted us last time, we are confident that we are in safe hands and so far everyone is comfortable. And after having our first training session today, we are looking forward to the matches.”Much has changed in Pakistan and elsewhere in the five years since Zimbabwe arrived on these shores in May 2015. But when he steps out in the middle, Chigumbura will be hoping things go back to the way they were when he last felt ball on bat in Pakistan.
Young batsman stranded two runs shy of maiden century
Paul Edwards04-Jun-2019 This has been a fine week for officials at Liverpool CC. While they could do nothing about the rain that allowed only one session’s play on this second day, they have proved themselves perfectly capable of hosting first-class cricket, a claim some had doubted in the very recent past.However, when this game is over and a review is taking place, someone should suggest the value of a scoreboard people can see in bright light. Many spectators squinted in vain at the small electric effort in the corner of the ground and their irritation was only aggravated by the placement of a completely blank, old-style board directly alongside its wretched counterpart. Perversely, of course, as the rain fell the dratted board displayed for hours the one number which had disappointed Lancashire supporters. Underneath No. 20 shone 98, the career-best score Josh Bohannon had made when last man Richard Gleeson edged Dieter Klein to Harry Swindells just before lunch.Until that reverse Liverpool’s green stage had offered fine cricket to a sparse audience. Indeed, the attendance on Tuesday morning suggested people might have paid too much attention to the regional weather forecast and nothing like enough to a microclimate which often ensures Aigburth remains dry while rain falls in the city centre. The most famous instance of this meteorological quiddity occurred late in Lancashire’s championship season when Simon Kerrigan bowled his side to a tremendous victory over Hampshire while adjoining districts were cursed with storms, tempests and plagues of frogs.Perhaps forgetting that day of glory, Merseyside folk remained by their hearths this morning, and that was a shame because those who stayed at home missed an entertaining session, albeit under lowering skies. The best fun was supplied by Bohannon and Tom Bailey, who had extended their eighth-wicket stand to 131 before Bailey carved Chris Wright to Neil Dexter on the deep point boundary. In the previous over Bailey had reached his fifth first-class fifty with a siege-gun six off Wright which arced over the sightscreen at the River End.However, the changed balance of the contest was shown by Wright’s almost impassive reaction to his dismissal of both Bailey and Graham Onions. By then the crowd’s interest had shifted to Bohannon and the few dozen spectators wondered if he could reach his century.He couldn’t. All he was able to do was watch as Gleeson fenced fatally at Klein. Bohannon immediately turned on his heel and casually tossed his bat into the air, catching it in the manner of juggler with a club. It was the gentlest of gestures, one which revealed more phlegm than fury. Then, mindful of his responsibilities to his team, Bohannon slapped reconciliatory gloves with Gleeson as the pair returned to the pavilion.Yet there is surely consolation available to this fine player, who only celebrated his 22nd birthday in April. Josh Bohannon, you see, county cricket in a way that cannot be coached. In just seven first-class matches he has proved himself well-suited to his chosen trade. And so when he scores his maiden hundred, which he should do quite soon, let us hope he achieves the feat before a few thousand spectators in a match blessed by generous skies and a kind sun.