West Bromwich Albion are still in the midst of financial difficulty at the Hawthorns, though some big comments which aren't under the restriction of NDAs have emerged regarding their future as a club.

West Brom news: Sarmiento injury, John Swift comments, Plymouth Argyle fixture

Cited by Birmingham Live, West Brom boss Carlos Corberan has been talking about loanee Jeremy Sarmiento's latest injury as he looks to keep the exciting winger fit upon his return to first-team action.

Corberan stated: "When I brought him to the club I knew he was a player we needed to control what we do with him. The positive thing was he was adapting very well to the training demands, because if you don't train the player he's not ready to compete and cannot perform. If you are training a lot with the player – then he cannot compete either. So we were managing with a lot of detail every single thing with him. I knew after Millwall the risk to have what's happened right now would be there."

In a transfer report from the same outlet regarding West Brom midfielder John Swift, it has been revealed that the 28-year-old instructed his agents to block any late summer transfer window exit from the Hawthorns despite late interest from the likes of Sky Bet Championship side Coventry City.

Swift explained: "To be honest it was so late in the window, I had no idea of it and when it did come about I knew it was two days left and nothing was going to get done – and even if it did I didn't really want to leave. As soon as I found out I rung my agent and told him I didn't really want to go, I wasn't interested in leaving.

"I wanted to stay and had my head on staying whenever we finished the game against Swansea last season. That's how it is in football, some things come right at the end [of the window], but for me it was a no-brainer to stay."

Next up for the Baggies is a home test against Plymouth Argyle next Saturday in the English second tier as Corberan's men aim to move into playoff contention despite continuous problems off the field at the West Midlands-based club.

West Brom takeover news – Managing director Mark Miles

As per The Express & Star, Baggies managing director Mark Miles has issued some huge comments in regard to West Brom's proposed takeover that could provide some much-needed clarity at the Hawthorns over the future of the club. Speaking at The Albion Assembly, Miles indicated that processes concerning new partial investment from elsewhere or a 100% sale of the club to succeed Guochuan Lai are on track to be signed off on before next summer.

Miles shared an expected timeline, which unlike much of the chatter around the deal is not under an NDA: "MM (Mark Miles) confirmed there were currently NDAs in place, which limited what he could say regarding investment/sale. However, he also confirmed he is speaking to a number of parties interested in investing in the club and expects this process to have concluded no later than the end of the season."

Speaking to West Brom News, columnist Dr Dan Plumley has given his own thoughts on when the Baggies could be taken over, as he said: "We know that these things take time in terms of a takeover, it’s never quick or easy, it will be one thing agreeing on a deal, but another thing getting it over the line.

"I think there is a time-pressing need for this given the state of the club, for sure, but I think it’s unlikely given everything we’ve seen that you would get a deal over the line by the end of the year. I think you’re looking into 2024 for that one."

West Brom continue to perform admirably on the field despite uncertainty reigning elsewhere at the club and supporters will hope a resolution can be found as soon as possible.

Glamorgan cantered past that modest target in only 12.5 overs to complete their third straight victory and strengthen their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals

ECB Reporters Network05-Aug-2018

Ruaidhri Smith in his followthrough•Getty Images

ScorecardBirthday boy Ruaidhri Smith recorded the best-ever economy rate by a Glamorgan bowler in T20 cricket as his side demolished Middlesex by seven wickets at Richmond.Smith celebrated turning 24 with the remarkable figures of 4 for 6 from four overs as the home side were rolled over for just 131 – and slid to their eighth Vitality Blast defeat in nine games.Glamorgan cantered past that modest target in only 12.5 overs to complete their third straight victory and strengthen their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals.Glamorgan elected to bowl first after winning the toss and that decision was proved resoundingly correct as Smith immediately blew away the hosts’ top order.Nick Gubbins was the first to go, neatly caught by Graham Wagg at short cover, and Stevie Eskinazi chopped on for a fifth-ball duck at the end of the same over.Eoin Morgan also played on and, when Smith uprooted the off stump of Paul Stirling, Middlesex were already sinking fast at a wretched 20 for 4.There was no sign of the carnage abating as Timm Van der Gugten removed James Franklin and Robbie White, both lbw in the space of three deliveries.James Fuller led a mini-recovery, hitting Craig Meschede for three boundaries in an over as he and George Scott put together a partnership of 40.Fuller’s undefeated knock of 46 from 30 balls at least dragged Middlesex’s total in the direction of respectability as they posted 131 all out which was aided by six penalty runs awarded for a slow over-rate.Glamorgan suffered an early casualty in their run chase as Meschede flicked the second ball of the innings into the hands of Gubbins at deep square leg.Aneurin Donald also perished, swinging at Steven Finn and missing but any whiff of hope for Middlesex was extinguished by Kiran Carlson, who set out to dominate from the off.He crashed Fuller through the covers for four, following that up with a leg-side six, and had reached 40 from 22 balls when he fell to an impressive catch by Eskinazi, diving forward at deep midwicket.Colin Ingram took up the baton, smashing an unbeaten 46 off 30 deliveries while Chris Cooke clubbed Stirling for successive sixes to finish on 25 not out and complete a comfortable win.

Signing an eye-catching amount of players this summer – American billionaire Todd Boehly bankrolling the expensive overhaul – Chelsea's new-look team have not quite reached the heights expected of them on the pitch yet.

With Mauricio Pochettino in the Blues dug-out now also, instead of former Brighton boss Gareth Potter and dismal caretaker Frank Lampard both crashing and burning on the sidelines, there was an anticipation that Chelsea would deliver this season and aim for a much more positive position in the table after a dire 12th placed finish.

The Argentine head coach has unfortunately had his work cut out for him, despite the Blues splashing out on new acquisitions such as Moises Caicedo for a whopping £115m.

Chelsea find themselves in 11th spot at the time of writing, with new summer recruit Nicolas Jackson up top frustrating fans at Stamford Bridge with toothless displays in attack to pile on the misery.

The 22-year-old has only netted twice in the Premier League so far since leaving Villarreal, leading to murmurs that Chelsea could well swoop for a replacement in January already with former attacker Tammy Abraham tipped for a return to Stamford Bridge.

Jackson has missed seven 'big chances' in nine top-flight outings and is yet to prove himself to be a quality goalscoring option at this level, since his move to the club over the summer.

Chelsea transfer news – Tammy Abraham

Linked with a move back to the club who discarded him in 2021, according to a report from Spain, Pochettino's side would be getting a far different and more confident striker than the one who walked away from West London if he were to rejoin.

Finding his shooting boots once more under ex-Blues boss Jose Mourinho at AS Roma, after netting a meagre six goals in his final full season with Chelsea before the Serie A move materialised, it is a deal the West London club could be desperate to get over the line to add some much-needed firepower back into their game.

Abraham's numbers for Roma

Drawing similarities to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in style of play – with the ex-Chelsea great even stating himself that the 26-year-old marksman has shades of his former excellence – the Blues were left ruing their luck that Abraham would go on to become a potent finisher when swapping the Premier League for pastures new abroad.

In all competitions, the 6 foot 3 forward would net a blistering 27 goals from 52 starts in his first season in Rome – nearly eclipsing his 30-goal total for Chelsea in one singular season in the Italian capital.

Last campaign, Abraham did suffer from bouts of not finding the back of the net regularly however, only scoring eight times in the Serie A.

Overall, the 26-year-old has accumulated an impressive 36 goals from 107 appearances at the Stadio Olimpico which will have Chelsea wondering whether or not they should swoop in for their former academy talent, providing healthy competition to Jackson as a result.

The West London strugglers are not the only interested party however, with reports even suggesting that another of Abraham's ex-clubs in Aston Villa are sniffing around for Abraham.

It will be intriguing to see how this potential transfer tussle plays out in January, with Villa surely having the upper-hand in proceedings with Unai Emery's men in a far more impressive fifth spot in the Premier League standings at this moment in time than Chelsea's mid-table predicament.

Yet, former ties to his boyhood club could see the £96k-per-week finisher fancy a reunion with Chelsea. However, it remains to be seen how much it would cost to secure his services in January.

He is currently out with an ACL injury but his aforementioned statistics, in comparison to Jackson's struggles this term, suggest that he could be an upgrade on the current Blues forward upon his return if Pochettino is able to snap him up.

Barcelona hope that a renovated Camp Nou will play a decisive role in convincing Erling Haaland to join from Manchester City in the near future.

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• Barca dreaming of Haaland signing
• May move for striker in summer of 2025
• La Liga side need Lewandowski replacement

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Catalan club are making plans for the summer of 2025 and have their heart set on luring Haaland away from City, reports. Barca are currently struggling with financial issues but they hope the refurbishment of Camp Nou will help solve their troubles and provide the funds to sign the Norwegian striker ahead of the 2025-26 season.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Blaugrana are currently relying on Robert Lewandowski up front and are satisfied with the Polish striker, who recently rejected an offer of a €100 million salary from a club in Saudi Arabia. They are, however, in need of a replacement given the ex-Bayern Munich star is now 35 years old.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Haaland's agent, Rafaela Pimenta, has a good relationship with Barca and could prove crucial in the club's bid to beat Real Madrid to his signing. The Santiago Bernabeu side are expected to sign Kylian Mbappe this year but have also been linked to Haaland in recent transfer windows.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND?

  City superstar Haaland will hope to fire the Premier League team to further silverware this season, having helped them to European and domestic glory last term. It remains to be seen whether he will opt for a new challenge when Barca come calling in 2025.

A blockbuster London derby takes centre stage this evening as Tottenham Hotspur host Chelsea.

The Blues have only won two of their last seven matches in the Premier League as injuries to several key players, including Christopher Nkunku and Ben Chilwill, have curtailed their early season hopes.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have been in imperious form since the arrival of Ange Postecoglu and remain the only side in the division to have their unbeaten record intact.

Postecoglu's unstoppable duo of Heung-min Son and James Maddison will be looking to cause further damage this evening by adding to their 17 goal contributions between them in the league.

They face a Chelsea defence that is only behind Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle United for expected goals against (xGA), as per Understat.

One man who has featured heavily in Mauricio Pochettino's backline this term is centre-back Axel Disasi.

Axel Disasi's season in numbers

Disasi arrived for £38.8m from Monaco in the summer and has since established himself in the Argentine's plans, featuring in nine of their ten Premier League fixtures.

The 25-year-old has impressed with his ability to carry the ball out of defence and make killer passes through the thirds, complementing his 50% dribble success rate with a 92% pass completion, as per Sofascore.

With Pochettino deploying a possession-based style that requires patience in their pursuit to exploit gaps, Disasi's elegance and ability on the ball have played a vital role in the Blues build-up phase.

In their match against Tottenham this evening, however, Chelsea will likely have to surrender possession and set-up to hit Spurs on the counter-attack.

Given the threat posed by the hosts through the devastating Son and Maddison, the Frenchman will need to be on the ball defensively.

Unfortunately, the £80k per-week titan hasn't performed particularly well in a defensive capacity, ranking in the bottom 8% against his positional peers in the Premier League this term for interceptions, bottom 10% for blocks and bottom 1% for tackles, as per FBref.

That said, Pochettino could ruthlessly ditch Disasi for his former Monaco teammate, Benoit Badiashile, this evening.

Benoit Badiashile's Chelsea career in numbers

Badiashile capped his return from injury in style with a goal against Blackburn Rovers that sealed Chelsea's place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

It was a goal that meant everything, not just for the Blues, but for a player who had suffered an injury-ravaged spell and had been forced to watch on from the sidelines since May.

Benoit Badiashile 22/23

Stats per 90

Axel Disasi 23/24

1.39

Tackles

0.57

1.59

Interceptions

0.46

0.99

Tackles (Def 3rd)

0.23

3.48

Aerials won

2.52

0.90

Fouls committed

0.57

7.56

Ball recoveries

5.50

3.38

Clearances

2.75

All stats via FBref.

Lauded as a "complete defender" by his former Monaco coach Nelson Caldeira for his ice-cold temperament, ability with the ball at his feet and exceptional tackling ability, the 22-year-old has combined those three attributes to leave a lasting impression at Chelsea.

Whilst his ball-playing abilities are a vital cog in Pochettino's machine, they will be compromised against Tottenham with the likelihood that the visitors will need to do a lot of defending, and that is where Badiashile's freak physical attributes could come into play.

The two-cap France international showcased with his performances last term that he has the edge over Disasi in a defensive capacity when comparing their respective statistics in the Premier League (table above).

With the likes of Son and Maddison terrorising their back line, Chelsea will need to be organised at the back and by taking the above statistics into account, 6 foot 4 Badiashile has demonstrated that he's the better all-round defender than Disasi and could be the better option to combat the hosts attacking prowess.

Manchester United will be grateful the international break has arrived when it did, as they are going through a difficult stage under the leadership of Erik ten Hag.

Having secured a top-four finish in the Premier League last season – ensuring Champions League football in the process – along with winning the Carabao Cup, it appeared as though Ten Hag was finally the right man in charge at Old Trafford to return the Red Devils to the summit of English football.

However, it looks as though second-season syndrome has struck the Dutchman and while he hasn’t been helped with injuries to key players or missing out on some transfer targets, he still has a strong enough squad to be doing better.

United have lost four of their eight league matches thus far, while losing their opening two Champions League group games and things will need to be turned around in swift fashion if they want to play European football beyond Christmas.

Rasmus Hojlund has scored three goals in these two Champions League matches, but none in the Premier League so far, while fellow summer signings Andre Onana and Mason Mount haven’t exactly been spellbinding either.

Defensively, United have been poor, conceding 19 goals in all competitions so far this term, including two or more in six of these games.

Ten Hag hasn’t been helped by still having to rely on Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, and he should be looking to offload them as soon as possible.

How have Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof performed for Man Utd?

Maguire saw a move to West Ham United collapse during the summer transfer window, preferring to remain and fight for his place in Manchester, while Lindelof is out of contract at the end of the current season and his seven-year spell at United could soon be over, especially if Ten Hag has his way.

The Swede has featured in all but one of United’s fixtures this term while Maguire has made only four appearances, including just two starts, yet their performances haven’t exactly been wonderful.

2023/24 Premier League statistics per game	Harry Maguire	Victor Lindelof
Accurate passes	24	50
Tackles	0.3	0.6
Interceptions	0.7	0.4
Clearances	Zero	One
Total duels won	Two	1.3
Stats via Sofascore

Both Lindelof and Maguire rank outside the top five across the United squad with regard to league stats for tackles, interceptions and clearances per game, and it's clear that the duo are underperforming when it comes to these key defensive metrics.

Indeed, when compared to positional peers, the Englishman fails to rank in the top 35% with regard to tackles (1.11), interceptions (1.2) and clearances (4.07) per 90, while Lindelof fails to even rank in the top 60% when compared to positional peers for the very same metrics, proving that they are not at the required standard for the current regime at United.

With the January transfer window fast approaching, Ten Hag will be hoping to add a defender or two to his senior squad, yet much of this might depend on who he could offload first.

Maguire and Lindelof are clearly the two frontrunners in terms of being sold, and it appears United are keen on a duo who are shining in Portugal – Antonio Silva and Goncalo Inacio.

Who could Man Utd sign in January?

According to Portuguese newspaper Record (via Sport Witness), United are extremely keen on bringing both Inacio from Sporting CP and Silva from Benfica to Manchester in the coming months with the report even claiming that the Red Devils have been ‘attentive’ to both players over the course of the previous few months.

The Dutchman couldn’t spend as much during the summer transfer window as he would’ve liked, meaning he missed out on several targets and with the Portuguese giants clearly not letting their players leave unless their release clauses are met, it could be a case of Deja Vue.

Indeed, the report states that Silva could potentially cost €120m (£104m) and while Inacio would cost slightly less at €60m (£52m), the £156m fee for both may prove to be far too much for Ten Hag to splash out in one window for just two players, especially in January.

They would be worthwhile purchases however, especially with United’s leaky defence and the duo should be top of Ten Hag’s list in terms of potential new signings.

How good are Goncalo Inacio and Antonio Silva?

Inacio has already gained three caps for Portugal – scoring twice in these games – while making 132 appearances for Sporting, and he has only turned 22 in August, indicating a bright future.

The defender would be an excellent fit for Ten Hag and his style of play as he currently ranks in the top 1% for progressive passes per 90 (8.84) and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90 (2.01) when compared to positional peers, showing how often he likes to get forward during games.

Silva is three years younger than Inacio, yet has made over 50 appearances for Benfica while even gaining five caps for Portugal since making his debut in 2022, and he even featured at the World Cup last year, proving he is one of the finest young defenders in the country.

While he doesn’t quite have the same forward-thinking qualities that Inacio has, Silva more than makes up for this with his strength in the tackle and while compared to positional peers, he ranks in the top 7% for tackles per 90 (2.2) along with ranking in the top 1% for pass success rate per 90 (91.7%) and these are attractive qualities no doubt about it.

The talented duo could forge a strong partnership at the heart of the United defence for the foreseeable future, especially with their respective strengths.

Inacio would move the ball forward from the back often, starting attacks from the defence, while Silva would offer more in the tackle and would rarely misplace a pass, offering a comfortable presence alongside the current Sporting centre-back.

Ten Hag needs to totally revamp his defence and making moves for both Silva and Inacio, whether it's January or next summer, should be integral to how successful the former Ajax manager becomes at United.

Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk has revealed he is "gutted" about a huge Reds injury update that has emerged recently, with "tough weeks" ahead for the player in question.

Liverpool injury updates

The Reds have experienced plenty of bad luck with injuries in recent years, with the 2020/21 season standing out as particularly bad, with Van Dijk one of many who was absent for a long period.

Last term was also difficult at times, however, with Jurgen Klopp having to make do with a host of key players for months on end, whether it be Luis Diaz, Ibrahima Konate or Thiago, to name just a few individuals.

Fortunately, Liverpool don't have as many absentees at the moment, but that's no say that certain important figures aren't available, with Andy Robertson injuring his shoulder while on international duty with Scotland, which will rule him out of action for a number of months. Midfield pair Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic are also still out, limiting the midfield options currently.

Van Dijk "gutted" over Robertson injury

Speaking about the injury update on Robertson, Van Dijk bemoaned his teammate's recent setback, saying there is a tough road ahead for his teammate in the coming months:

"Of course. I spoke to him when it happened. I'm gutted for him. It's not nice to have an injury that is bad, the shoulder is hard work, we've seen it with Mo [Salah], there's so much work to go through but we are here to support him all the way through and he will be fine. Tough weeks ahead of him."

Robertson has been a legendary player for Liverpool since arriving from Hull City back in the summer of 2017, joining as a relatively low-key signing but becoming one of the greatest left-backs in the club's history over time, if not the best.

Robertson's stats speak volumes about what a fabulous player he has been, with 57 assists coming his way in 260 appearances for the Reds, and no other defender in the history of the Premier League has registered more than him.

The 29-year-old is arguably only fully appreciated when he is out injured, and this is going to be an extremely testing period for Klopp without one of his most consistent players, with lots of pressure on Kostas Tsimikas to come in and perform on a regular basis.

1. Steven Gerrard

92

2. Mohamed Salah

62

3. Steve McManaman

58

4. Trent Alexander-Arnold

55

5. Andy Robertson

53

There is also the option of playing Joe Gomez at left-back, as he has done sporadically in the past – he could thrive as a slightly more central left-back, with Trent Alexander-Arnold drifting into midfield from right-back – while youngster Luke Chambers could also be given some minutes in that position.

Either way, not having Robertson around for the remainder of 2023 is a long way from ideal, and his combination of quality, fight, defensive nous and attacking class will be an enormous loss for Klopp, possibly having a negative impact on Liverpool's Premier League title hopes.

After failing to avoid the drop last season, Leicester City were forced to open a new chapter in the Championship under Enzo Maresca, who has got off to the perfect start. The Foxes are on course for a stunningly comfortable promotion, already sitting 14 points clear of third place Leeds United, and much of the credit deserves to go to those who worked hard off the pitch to keep the majority of their squad together.

Now, Maresca's focus will likely be on adding to his squad ahead of what looks likely to be a return to Premier League action next season. And that could include the addition of one particular midfielder.

Leicester City transfer news

Although the majority of Leicester's good work came through keeping hold of their key players, they also did well when it came to incomings. By the end of the summer transfer window, the Foxes had welcomed the likes of Harry Winks, Conor Coady and Stephy Mavididi, who has got off to a particularly blistering start. They could yet return to the transfer market once more in January, too, as they look to strengthen even further.

According to TeamTalk, Leicester are eyeing a move for Jhon Arias. The Championship leaders have sent scouts to watch the Fluminense midfielder, who has reportedly attracted the interest of West Ham United, Leeds United, Burnley, Wolves, Crystal Palace and Rangers in what could quickly turn into a hectic race for his signature.

On the up, the idea of a move to Leicester is a far more convincing one to pitch these days. That said, given how many clubs are reportedly interested in Arias, those at the King Power will have to be swift when making their move. If they did manage to secure the midfielder, then it would represent a major coup ahead of other chasing English clubs.

How good is Jhon Arias?

As things stand, Maresca's side sit five points clear of Ipswich Town and well on their way to silverware come the end of the season, but a deal for Arias would undoubtedly improve their chances of sealing the Championship title – it speaks volumes about just how impressive the midfielder has been that a number of Premier League clubs are reportedly interested in welcoming him at some stage in the near future.

Arias' stats show exactly why he's in demand, too, having scored nine goals and assisted a further 13 in 53 appearances in all competitions in Brazil. It's the kind of numbers that would only elevate Leicester upon their potential return to England's top flight. The hope from Maresca's perspective will be that the Foxes don't just survive next season, should they earn promotion, but instead push on into mid-table comforts.

When January arrives, Arias will certainly have a decision to make, with the race only likely to heat up even more for his signature. As of right now, his focus may well be on Fluminense, but that could quickly change if the bids begin to come flying in.

Surrey took another significant step on their way towards a first Championship title since 2002 as they bowled Essex out for 126 and enforced the follow-on at Chelmsford

Matt Roller at Chelmsford05-Sep-20181:45

Drama at Taunton as Somerset and Lancashire tie

ScorecardSurrey took another significant step on their way towards a first Championship title since 2002 as they bowled Essex out for 126 and enforced the follow-on at Chelmsford.With Somerset’s game against Lancashire ending in a spectacular tie as they failed to chase 78 on a turning pitch at Taunton, Surrey will go 43 points clear at the top if they complete victory here, and if this performance from their bowlers is anything to go by, they may not even have to bat again.Their four-pronged seam attack of Morne Morkel, Tom Curran, Rikki Clarke and Conor McKerr shared ten wickets between them, and it was Clarke who did most of the damage. In a nine-over spell from the River End he removed Ravi Bopara, Ryan ten Doeschate, Tom Westley and Simon Harmer to quash any hopes of an Essex recovery after they had slumped to 20 for 3.Clarke moved the ball considerably in the air, finding late swing and benefiting from the variable bounce on offer – a handful deliveries shot up off the pitch – as he rattled through the middle-order in conditions that could hardly have suited his medium-fast seamers better; the sun did not so much as threaten to escape behind a sheet of clouds, and bad light and drizzle brought proceedings to an end only seven overs after tea.As much as Surrey’s season will be remembered for Rory Burns’ runs and Morkel’s fearsome mid-season form, it is impossible to overlook Clarke’s contribution. He now has 37 Championship wickets at a shade over 20, to go with 392 runs and 13 catches; he turns 37 at the end of this season, and not even his most ardent supporters could have predicted the transformative effect he would have on this side when his move from Warwickshire was confirmed last season.Clarke also added useful runs in the morning session in an enterprising innings of 56. After pulling his first ball for a nonchalant four, he offered stubborn resistance in bowler-friendly conditions alongside Curran, before clubbing 26 runs off his final 13 balls as he ran out of partners.It was a largely brutish innings, with a couple of orthodox slogs down the ground for six, but he threw in a deft reverse-sweep and an elegant cut as if only to prove how malleable his game is.Rikki Clarke produced a penetrative burst•Getty ImagesWhile Essex will attribute their surrender to poor shots and a batting order that has not fired all season, Surrey were irresistible with the ball. Curran and Morkel were hostile in their opening spells, as their accounted for Nick Browne, Varun Chopra, and Dan Lawrence, before Clarke ran through the middle order and McKerr mopped up the tail.On the day that Alastair Cook’s new three-year deal at the club was confirmed, Chopra must have felt disappointed with his dismissal, caught well by (guess who?) Clarke in the slips playing a flashy drive at a ball he had no need to play. He now averages 16.7 this season; when Cook returns, he looks like the man most likely to drop out.Tom Westley, another Essex batsman struggling for runs, was the only one in the top eight to reach double figures, and fought hard before falling one short of just a second half-century of the season.Westley was not at his fluent best – as was the case in his gritty 56 at Taunton and in last week’s win over Hampshire – but he was organised, determined, and creamed a pair of cover drives for four in the space of three Curran balls. He looks to have benefitted from the decision to leave him out of the second half of Essex’s Blast campaign, and will hope that he can find his best form before the season’s close.The tag of champions-elect can loom over a team at this stage of the season, but Surrey look good value for it. Their visit to Taunton in the penultimate round of games had been highlighted as a possible title-decider – and they can expect another lively wicket if the Championship race is still alive – but wins here and at New Road next week would effectively wrap the pennant up.On the basis of this performance, it would be impossible to argue that they have not been good value for it.

ScorecardYoung Gloucestershire opener Miles Hammond registered his second first-class hundred of the season as the Specsavers County Championship match against Middlesex ended in a draw at Bristol.Making only his eighth appearance in red-ball cricket, the 22-year-old left-hander batted for four-and-a-half hours in raising a career-best 123 not out from 268 balls before Gloucestershire declared their second innings on 251-8.Required to score a notional 306 from a minimum 40 overs for victory, Middlesex gave up all hope of chasing after being reduced to 29-4, eventually reaching the close on 111-5.Gloucestershire garnered nine points to consolidate fifth place in Division Two, while Middlesex banked eight, a return which all but ends their interest in the promotion race.Still in a precarious position when resuming on 87-4, Gloucestershire showed no interest in risking defeat via a sporting declaration. It became apparent that no agreement had been reached between the two captains when Middlesex took the second new ball in an attempt to bowl the hosts out after lunch, at which point an already sparse audience dwindled further.That will not concern Hammond, however, who followed up his maiden century against Sussex at the Cheltenham Festival in July, with another mature innings of substance.Intent upon little more than survival to begin with, his 50 occupied 134 balls, after which he asserted himself. Especially effective square of the wicket, he moved to three figures via a further 94 deliveries, bringing up that landmark by pulling Fuller to the boards for his tenth four.Jack Taylor kept him company during the morning session, contributing 43 in a revitalizing stand of 94 for the fifth wicket before edging a catch behind off Tim Murtagh shortly before lunch.Fuller ran out Ryan Higgins for 23 and accounted for Craig Miles, caught behind for nine, while Ben Charlesworth chipped Dawid Malan to extra cover for 10 after Middlesex had taken the new ball in an attempt to force the issue. But the visitors could find no way past the obdurate Hammond.Buoyed by three straight wins, Middlesex went hard at it in their second innings, only to lose wickets quickly. Paul Stirling was run out by James Bracey in the first over, Malan top-edged a pull shot to mid-wicket, Nick Gubbins was pinned lbw by Miles and Eoin Morgan scooped a leading edge to mid-on to become David Payne’s second victim.Higgins accounted for Fuller lbw for 16, but Sam Robson and Steve Eskinazi stood firm, finishing unbeaten on 41 and 20 respectively to rebuff Gloucestershire.