River Plate (PAR) x Corinthians: prováveis escalações, desfalques e onde assistir

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians estreia na Copa Sul-Americana nesta quinta-feira (22), na cidade de Assunção, capital paraguaia, contro River Plate (PAR), pela primeira rodada do grupo E do torneio continental.

O técnico corintiano Vagner Mancini aproveitou a sequência de quatro jogos na última semana para rodar o elenco e fazer uma espécie de laboratório para definir o time titular para encarar o duelo contra El Kelito. O plantel viajou para o Paraguai na tarde desta quarta-feira (21), após finalizar a preparação, no CT Joaquim Grava, na parte da manhã.

Enquanto isso, o River não vem de uma boa fase no campeonato paraguaio, onde é lanterna, com apenas uma vitória em 11 jogos. Contudo, para chegar até a fase de grupos da Sul-Americana, a equipe precisou deixar para trás o Guaireña, também do Paraguai, com duas vitórias: 2 a 1 fora e 4 a 2 em casa.
O time vem como novo treinador, Celso Ayala, já que a derrota, em casa, por 2 a 0, para o Sol de América, no último sábado (17), determinou a demissão do antigo técnico, Enrique Landaida. Antes de Landaida, Mario Jara também treinou o River Plate (PAR) nesta temporada. Portanto, Ayala será o terceiro treinador do clube nesta temporada.

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RIVER PLATE (PAR) X CORINTHIANS

Local: Defensores del Chaco, Assunção (PAR)
Data e horário: 22 de abril de 2021, às 21H30
Árbitro:Dário Herrera (ARG)
Assistentes:Julio Fernandez (ARG) e Facundo Rodríguez (ARG)
Árbitro de Vídeo:Amelio Andino (PAR)
Onde acompanhar: Conmebol TV, Tempo Real do LANCE! e em áudio na parceria LANCE!/Voz do Esporte

RIVER PLATE (PAR)

Azcona; Saldivar, Navarro, Gimenez e Montiel; Molina; González, Quiñonez, Sosa e Godoy; Peréz. Técnico: Celso Ayala

Desfalques: –

CORINTHIANS

Cássio; Fagner, Bruno Méndez, Gil e Fábio Santos; Gabriel e Camacho; Gustavo Mosquito, Luan e Otero; Jô. Técnico: Vagner Mancini.

Desfalques: Mateus Vital (recuperação de artroscopia); Guilherme Biro (lesão na coxa); Rodrigo Varanda (trauma no pé direito); Danilo Avelar, Ruan Oliveira e Gustavo Mantuan (cirurgia no joelho).

دونجا يعلن حجم إصابته مع منتخب مصر وموقفه من مباراة موريتانيا الثانية

كشف نبيل عماد دونجا، لاعب منتخب مصر، عن تفاصيل إصابته التي تعرض لها خلال الساعات الماضية، قبل مواجهة موريتانيا.

وقال دونجا، في تصريحات تليفزيونية عبر قناة أون تايم سبورتس: “الإصابة قدر من عند الله، لدي شد بسيط في الخلفية، وبنسبة كبيرة لن أكون متواجدًا في المباراة الأولى”.

طالع..”بطولات” يكشف رسائل حسام حسن للاعبي منتخب مصر في معسكر مباراتي موريتانيا

وتابع: “شرف كبير لأي أحد يكون متواجدًا في المنتخب وسط المجموعة الكبيرة من الجهاز الفني، يارب إن شاء الله أكون متواجدًا في مباراة موريتانيا الثانية”.

وأضاف: “منذ أن انضممت لمعسكر المنتخب، يوجد نظام والكل متواجد في موعده مع عمل الجهاز الفني بقيادة حسام حسن، نأمل أن نفوز في المباراة”.

وأكمل: “أي فريق سيأتي سنحترمه، ونقدر أن نحقق الفوز في المباراتين”.

وأتم: “أي لاعب كبير يتمنى أن يكون الاستاد ممتلئًا عن آخره، مثلما نرى في مباريات الأهلي والزمالك، حيث الجماهير تساند وتحضر المباراة”.

ويلتقي منتخب مصر، بنظيره موريتانيا، في الجولة الثالثة من التصفيات المؤهلة لأمم أفريقيا 2025 المقامة في المغرب غدًا الجمعة، في تمام السابعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة.

'Man Utd fans must be glad to see the back of Mary Earps' – Social media reacts to blockbuster PSG transfer news with Sir Jim Ratcliffe warned he's 'ruining amazing work' at Old Trafford

Lionesses star Mary Earps is set to leave Manchester United to join PSG on a free transfer and fans have been reacting to the switch on social media.

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  • Earps to join PSG from Manchester United
  • Will leave on a free transfer
  • Fans react to switch on social media
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Earps has been unable to reach an agreement over a new contract with Manchester United and is set to leave the club and sign for PSG instead on a free transfer. The move will see Earps become the highest-paid goalkeeper in the women's game as she departs the Red Devils after five years between the sticks.

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  • WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

    Arsenal fan @MattyAwfc feels that United fans will be happy to see Earps go, posting on X: "United fans must be glad to see the back of Earps seeing as she was at fault for every goal they conceded last season."

    However, United supporter @BusbysAces_ explained why the transfer is bad news for new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. A post on X read: "INEOS’ obvious refusal to pay attention to the women’s team will ruin the amazing work they’ve done since they started. Last year Alessia Russo left for FREE. This year Mary Earps will be leaving for FREE. We need to watch out before we see Toone, Galton, Zelem etc all go the same way. How have we lost one of the best up and coming attackers and THE BEST goalkeeper in the world and recouped absolutely ZERO. They may have won the FA Cup this year but they have taken two huge steps back in the last two years. Poor from the previous, and new owners."

    United fan Chloe was just relieved the saga was over, writing on X: "We're finally free of the earps to arsenal transfer rumours".

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Ratcliffe has already made the rather worrying admission that plans for the women's team have not really been made in any great "detail" as he has been focused on the men's team instead. His comments will leave fans wondering about the club's commitment to the women's team. They won the FA Cup last season but finished in a disappointing fifth place in the Women's Super League.

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    WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD

    The women's transfer window is due to open on Monday, with United potentially set to lose more players before the start of the new campaign. Captain Katie Zelem is also out of contract along with attackers Lucia Garcia and Nikita Parris.

Fabrizio Romano: Ratcliffe wants new director at Man Utd; Neville loves him

Manchester United will look to bring in a new director of football over the coming weeks, with a current Premier League official seemingly top of the list, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Man United's January window

The Red Devils were quiet in the winter window, which shouldn’t come as a major surprise given current director of football John Murtough’s comments back in December.

“Looking ahead to the January transfer window, we are not expecting it to be particularly busy. There will always be the possibility of deals around the edges of the squad, particularly in terms of finding opportunities for players who are not playing as much football as they would like.

“However, we’ve always been consistent in saying that we do not see January as the optimal time to do business and our recruitment strategy remains focused on summer windows.”

In fact, United and Erik ten Hag failed to make a single signing in January, with the main focus being on several outgoings. A number of players left the club on loan, including Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek and Hannibal Majbri, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS now looking ahead to the summer to conduct the majority of their business.

The Old Trafford shake-up is already in motion with the news of Manchester City's chief operating officer, Omar Berrada, being appointed to replace Richard Arnold, and it looks as if one man is in line to replace Murtough as director of football.

Romano shares Man United director of football “plan”

Talking in his daily briefing in the last 48 hours, relayed by One Football, Romano said that the “plan” is to bring in Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth in the coming weeks.

“We know Man United need a new director of football, and the plan remains to try to bring Dan Ashworth to the club in the next weeks.”

This isn’t the first time that the 52-year-old has been linked with a move to Old Trafford, with reports back in December saying that the Newcastle man was “very keen” on the Red Devils role. He was named as the club’s top target at the time, and it doesn’t look as if that has changed.

Gary Neville is a fan of Ashworth, with the Red Devils legend taking to X earlier in the season to share an interaction he had with the Newcastle man prior to the Magpies’ 3-0 win at Old Trafford in the EFL Cup.

“On my way up to the gantry last night, I bumped into Dan Ashworth. He transformed the FA’s structure, set Brighton up for this incredible period of success and has now built a strong foundation for the new owners at Newcastle. He’s competent, highly qualified and knows what he’s doing.

“Will work with his coach, recruitment team and other departments coherently and calmly. In the last two matches, Manchester United have played two clubs that have installed proper football departments to support the team on the pitch and off it. The complete opposite of United. We haven’t got a sporting director! I used to travel up to Newcastle and feel sorry for their great fans when the energy and enthusiasm had been sapped from them under Mike Ashley. It was painful to see.

“Last night, we saw the Theatre of Dreams turn into the Theatre of Nothing. Every single United fan bored and flat. On the pitch, the players in shock, the performances woeful and a manager struggling in front of our eyes. We’ve seen it before, we know how it ends and we’ve had enough.”

Wrong light casts game in bad light as Gloucestershire slip off pace

Sussex build useful position between stoppages as Shannon Gabriel suffers no-ball problem

Richard Hobson at Bristol11-Sep-2019
How to explain certain happenings – or non-happenings – at Nevil Road? Not to the aficionados of the game, the true cricket lovers who follow their county faithfully from the same seat each and every day. But to the man or woman or boy or girl with a casual interest. The type, say, who might think of having a look at the Hundred out of curiosity next year.On the first day here, we had a brief stoppage because the sun was reflecting off glass at an awkward angle towards the pitch. Effectively, we couldn’t play for nearly ten minutes because the light was in the wrong in the place.Now, on the second, a late start and three subsequent stoppages because of bad light. This despite the fact that at all times, five towering floodlights were beaming full strength directly into the arena. We are told about natural light and artificial light and of one taking over from the other. Not so much bad light, it seems, as the wrong light.To the layperson, this looks ridiculous and they put it pretty simply: How can you go off for bad light when the lights are on? It might even be the single most ridiculous thing in a sport that does have an unfortunate eye for the absurd. If this was a Monty Python sketch – and John Cleese for one is a great cricket lover – Graham Chapman would have marched on to to field calling an end to proceedings with the words: “Stop that! It’s silly.” Except we had stopped already.In front of the pavilion, Gloucestershire supporters chuntered as they stared out at the heavily illuminated but vacant field. Presumably their membership fees were going towards the cost of electricity maintaining the lights while players sat and waited in the dressing rooms. The meter must have been spinning like a one-arm bandit.All in all, this was not a day of great economic fortune for Gloucestershire. A (justified) delayed start and total of three ‘bad’ light stoppages cost 23 overs in total, and there was a second case of poor returns in the contribution of Shannon Gabriel, the West Indies overseas player signed for the last three games of their promotion drive.Gabriel bowled some good balls, and some quick ones. He may well take 6 for 20 at some point over the next fortnight, especially if rhythm coincides with the appearance of the tail-end. But his debut so far has been marked with waywardness and no-balling. Doubtless the light restrained Chris Dent from using his fastest bowler for more than ten overs; the sight of Gabriel unpeeling his sweater did tend to provoke the umpires into reaching for their meters.Figures of 16-0-94-0 tell an unhappy story of profligacy, especially alongside the meanness of David Payne, a good servant of the club and easily the best of their bowlers so far. Batting was not easy at any period and for chunks it became particularly difficult with the clouds low and Payne and Ryan Higgins, a left-right combination, swinging the ball from an accurate line. Overall, Gloucester may well think they should be better placed.Victory for Sussex in their most recent game, versus Middlesex, ended a run of three successive defeats stemming from first innings totals of 232 (against Durham), 106 (Northamptonshire) and 127 (Lancashire). That poor run explains why they have dropped to sixth place, but they have enviable depth to the batting and, for the second day in a row, enjoyed a good end to proceedings. This time, David Wiese and Will Beer saw off the early overs of the second new ball with an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 46.Play had begun at 11.10am and Phil Salt added only ten to his overnight 53 before pushing at a good ball angled across by Payne, giving the first of three catches to James Bracey in the slips. Tom Haines and Luke Wells built slowly before Haines succumbed to the left-arm spin of Tom Smith, by which stage Sussex were more than three-quarters of the way to matching their opponents.But Gloucester strangled the batsmen immediately after lunch. Luke Wells (42) scythed his bat through the air in self-reproach after lunging forward to Payne and edging to Bracey, although he probably had to play at the ball. Delray Rawlins was the polar opposite of his patient captain and in attempting to hit his way out of trouble eventually skied to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick.Since then, a succession of twenties have built Sussex an advantage. Wiese (40 not out) has been relatively restrained, lofting Smith for a six but otherwise respecting the bowling, while Ben Charlesworth, who recently left St Edward’s School in Oxford after A-levels, built on his reputation as a talented but thoughtful cricketer with a consistent fourth-stump line with his medium pace. Ben Brown and Chris Jordan duly erred.All in all, though, Gloucester’s head coach Richard Dawson was right to think that the bowling should have been better. And the concession of 38 runs in no-balls having scored only 200 in first innings borders on the criminal.

No Awoniyi in Nottingham Forest predicted lineup vs Man Utd

Nottingham Forest will be looking to make it into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup when they take on Manchester United at the City Ground tomorrow night.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side come into the encounter on the back of a 4-2 defeat away at Aston Villa, with the Reds looking to return to winning ways once more.

Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag's side will be looking to end a disappointing season with some silverware, with the FA Cup the club's only real chance of ending the 2023/24 campaign with a trophy.

The Red Devils come into the fixture having lost 2-1 at home to Fulham on Saturday afternoon after a late Alex Iwobi goal condemned United to their first league defeat in 2024.

The two sides last met at the end of December, with Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolas Dominguez on the scoresheet for the Reds as they claimed all three points in a 2-1 victory.

Since the encounter, both sides have had contrasting form, with Ten Hag's side finally starting to show consistency – however anything can happen with the magic of the FA Cup.

Striker Taiwo Awoniyi was substituted at half-time on Saturday, with Felipe also replaced at the break with both the Nigerian and the £80k-per-week centre-back set to miss out for the clash against United.

Nottingham Forest star who lost 100% duels let Nuno down vs Villa

He was replaced at half-time after a poor first half.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 25, 2024

With that in mind, here's a look at the potential Forest starting XI that will take on Manchester United…

1 Matz Sels

Matz Sels

Goalkeeper Matz Sels has enjoyed a solid start to life in Nottingham, starting all the Reds' Premier League games since his arrival in the January transfer window.

He missed the FA Cup fourth-round replay against Bristol City, however, he is set to start between the sticks once more ahead of Matt Turner and Odysseas Vlachodimos.

2 Neco Williams

Leeds United transfer target Neco Williams in Premier League action for Nottingham Forest.

A player who has certainly benefitted from consistent game time in recent weeks is Neco Williams.

The right-back, who has made the most tackles of any Forest player this season, has started the last five Premier League games under Nuno with the Welshman impressing with his ability to motor down the right-hand side – a characteristic the Reds boss likes in his full-backs.

3 Murillo

Murillo

The Brazilian produced one of the most disappointing displays of his Forest career away to Aston Villa last weekend, with the 21-year-old substituted at half-time by Nuno.

However, he's only young and bound to have an off day, with the former Corinthians more than capable of putting in an improved performance against United on Wednesday night.

4 Moussa Niakhate

Like Murillo, the Senegalese defender endured a tough opening 45 minutes at Villa Park, with Nuno opting to start the centre-back out of position at left-back.

He's well suited at the centre of the Reds' defence alongside Murillo, with the pair building a solid partnership earlier in the season. His long throw has caused other sides endless problems this campaign, with his ability to hurl the ball into the 18-yard box a danger for any team.

5 Harry Toffolo

Harry Toffolo

With Nuno Tavares set to miss the next month through injury, Harry Toffolo should start at left-back for the Reds.

The former Huddersfield Town man came on at the break for Murillo against Unai Emery's men, with the left-hand side of Nuno's defence looking much better after the 28-year-old's introduction.

6 Nicolas Dominguez

Having scored against the Red Devils last time out, Nicolas Dominguez will be looking to inflict yet more pain against United.

The Argentinian has enjoyed a brilliant start to life in Nottingham, scoring three times in 20 appearances for the club, with the midfielder impressing with his pressing and ball-winning ability.

7 Danilo

danilo-forest

With Ibrahim Sangare away at the African Cup of Nations and Orel Mangala leaving to join Lyon, Danilo has often been the partner alongside Dominguez at the base of Forest's midfield.

The Brazilian hasn't matched the levels he achieved last season, but his partnership against Dominguez has injected a new lease of life into the Reds' midfield.

8 Morgan Gibbs-White

Nottingham Forest player Morgan Gibbs-White

The attacking midfielder has been a revelation under Nuno, with his all-round game seeming to have improved from the start of the season.

As previously mentioned, he scored during the last meeting at the City Ground, with the 24-year-old potentially holding the key to another famous FA Cup victory at the City Ground.

9 Callum Hudson-Odoi

Nottingham Forest player Callum Hudson-Odoi

In recent weeks, Callum Hudson-Odoi has enjoyed a purple patch of form which has seen him score three times in his last Premier League outings – including against Newcastle United and Bournemouth.

His pace and direct dribbling could cause the United defence endless trouble at the City Ground, with the former Chelsea winger starting to show glimpses of his former self.

10 Anthony Elanga

Anthony Elanga.

A player looking to get one over his former employers is Anthony Elanga. The Sweden international joined the Reds in a deal worth £15m during last summer's transfer window, with the 21-year-old currently enjoying the form of his life.

He's scored five and assisted seven so far for the Reds, with his pace and eye for goal developing each week, with Elanga starting to look like a potential bargain and a player United might regret selling.

مروة عيد عبد الملك: محمد عبد المنعم لا يعاني من أزمات مع نيس.. وتستشهد بـ صلاح

تحدثت مروة عيد عبد الملك لاعبة كرة اليد بنادي نيس الفرنسي، عن تطور مستوى محمد عبد المنعم المحترف ضمن صفوف فريق الكرة.

وكانت إدارة نادي نيس قد استعانت بمروة عيد لترجمة تصريحات عبد المنعم في مؤتمر تقديمه لاعبًا ضمن صفوف الفريق الفرنسي.

اكتمال صفوف منتخب مصر استعدادًا لمواجهة موريتانيا في تصفيات أمم إفريقيا

وقالت مروة: “محمد عبد المنعم لا يعاني من أزمات، الموضوع ما هو إلا تغيير الأجواء”.

وأضافت: “علاقة عبد المنعم بنادي نيس جيدة جدًا، هو فقط يحتاج لوقت أكثر لكي يتأقلم بشكل جيد”.

وتابعت: “محمد عبد المنعم مجتهد جدًا في التدريبات، والمدير الفني لنيس يتحدث عنه بشكل جيد، هو يحتاج للوقت ليس أكثر”.

أسبوع المحترفين.. مرموش يتألق أمام بايرن ميونخ ومحمد صلاح يغيب عن التهديف

واستكملت: “عبد المنعم من أفضل المدافعين في إفريقيا وسيكون من الأفضل في العالم، نريد بعض الهدوء لكي يتأقلم مع الفريق”.

واختتمت: “أتمنى أن يصبر الناس على عبد المنعم، محمد صلاح في بدايته لم يلعب كثيرًا مع تشيلسي، الأمر يحتاج للوقت”.

Em boa fase no Brasiliense, Carlos Eduardo elogia forma da equipe dentro de campo

MatériaMais Notícias

Um dos destaques do Brasiliense, o meia Carlos Eduardo, ex-Hoffenheim, Grêmio, Flamengo e Atlético-MG elogiou o elenco candango nesta temporada. Segundo o jogador, o grupo tem feito um grande trabalho neste ano.

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– A equipe vem em uma crescente ao longo dos últimos meses e fazendo uma ótima temporada. Vamos procurar manter um ritmo forte para melhorarmos ainda mais nosso desempenho em campo na temporada – disse.

Ainda para o jogador, sua fase tem sido muito especial e exalta o clube pelo momento que tem vivido na carreira.

– Estou vivendo um bom momento aqui e agradeço ao clube por isso. Venho trabalhando para ajudar o clube dentro e fora de campo.

Jude Bellingham set for 'urgent talks' with Gareth Southgate as England boss bids to reignite Real Madrid superstar's form at Euro 2024

England midfielder Jude Bellingham has lost the immense form he had at Real Madrid and Gareth Southgate plans to hold talks with him.

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  • Bellingham struggling for form for England
  • Southgate will hold private talks with midfielder
  • England will take on Slovakia in round of 16
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    WHAT HAPPENED?

    Since his move to Real Madrid last summer, Bellingham has been in top form as he led Los Blancos to a La Liga trophy and the club's 15th Champions League title. However, leading into the Euros this summer, the same form has not been visible for Southgate's side as the Three Lions have struggled in the group stages of Euro 2024.

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    WHAT SOUTHGATE SAID

    When Southgate was asked by the media if he would speak to Bellingham, he replied: “I will have those messages with him rather than plaster them over the papers.”

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    England only managed to win one game in the group stages of the Euros which came against Serbia thanks to Bellingham's goal. However, the last two games against Denmark and Slovenia have seen the Real Madrid midfielder struggle for form. In their last match against Slovenia, Bellingham failed to register a single shot or make a key pass.

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  • WHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM?

    England luckily made it to the knockout stages as the top nation in their group and will now take on Slovakia in the round of 16 on Sunday, June 30 with Bellingham likely to start yet again.

Ravi Bopara plays his role perfectly as Essex beat Lancashire in Blast quarter-final

This was one of the great county cricket fixture shambles of all time. Lancashire forced to play a home Vitality Blast quarter-final on a neutral ground because of a clash with the Old Trafford Test.Not that it will overly concern Essex. They became the first county to qualify for Finals Day, driven there by Ravi Bopara, their reluctant No 6, who nevertheless fulfilled the role to perfection with an unbeaten 39 from 18 balls, leaving four balls in hand when Essex got home by six wickets.Lancashire’s 159 for 5 was the highest score made at Chester-le-Street this season. They handled the vagaries of the ground with aplomb. As so often with T20 pitches in county cricket’s most northerly outpost, batting was an endurance Test. The pitch was slow and low, the boundaries were far flung and the ball bit into the surface as certainly as a chill northern wind bit into the couple of thousand hardy souls who had made the trip.But Essex’s captain Simon Harmer had jettisoned their normal preference for batting first in the hope that dew would quicken the surface later in the evening; he was rewarded not as much by dew as by several bursts of heavy drizzle which sharpened the surface slightly and hindered Lancashire’s spinners. “The conditions might have changed a little bit,” Harmer conceded.With 23 needed from two overs, Lancashire’s captain, Dane Vilas opted for the leg spin of Liam Livingstone, ahead of two specialist bowlers, legspinner Matty Parkinson, the joint leading wicket-taker in the tournament this season, and the pace of Saqib Mahmood, who had bowled two overs for 10.”I didn’t know which way to go,” Vilas admitted. If the decision was influenced by a preference for a staunch character in a pressure situation (not that the other two aren’t), it backfired. Bopara pulled the second ball for six and, next ball, cleared the ropes again. Ryan ten Doeschate was missed at long off, fifth ball, by James Faulkner, who barely laid a hand on it. A third six to finish, over long-on, and Livingstone had disappeared for 22.Essex had earlier lost the bludgeoning Cameron Delport at long off for 44 and Adam Wheater, run out by a direct hit by Josh Bohannan from deep square leg. A brilliant diving catch by Faulkner at long off left Bopara facing 61 from 34 and, with ten Doeschate, he found his long game in the nick of time, a six over long-off against James Faulkner with 29 needed off 13 when Steven Croft overran the ball in trying to make the catch signalling the start of the charge.Perhaps it was always destined to end this way: with Lancashire the victims. Once the fixture clash was apparent, they conceded their advantage, especially as TV coverage demanded an evening match under lights, so ruling out outgrounds such as Liverpool.And that fixture clash was apparent many months before the start of the season. The fact that the potential for such a fixture oddity in county cricket’s most popular format was not intercepted and remedied when the draft fixtures were published late last year, and was not publically rejected by Lancashire from the outset, was a betrayal of the status of county cricket.Lancashire’s provision of three free supporters’ coaches was a gesture, but a hollow one. The North Group winners, and a county that this summer has enjoyed the biggest growth in T20 crowds in the country, could not deliver the match that mattered most of all: a last-eight tie on its home turf. Excuses about a particularly crowded fixture list are unacceptable. Talk about the obvious need to prioritise the Ashes is just a side issue.Midway through the match, it appeared as if Alex Davies would appease their supporters with victory. He batted through the Lancashire innings in imperturbable fashion for 80 from 55 balls, a judicious fourth-wicket stand of 89 in 68 balls with Vilas, as calm a batting partner as you could wish to have, setting up the victory. Davies recognised immediately that this was not a night to thrash through the line, but to deflect, to run hard and gather what he could.Of Davies’ nine boundaries, eight were on the off-side, most of them wristily angled square or behind the wicket, rounded off by two little ramps on both sides of the wicketkeeper against Aaron Beard. With patience and perseverance, Davies eked out what he could when he could, a dapper cricketer cutting his cloth.When Lancashire were 47 for 3 after 6.4 overs, they were under pressure. Livingstone’s leg-side swing and miss was a reminder to Davies of the challenges to follow, as was Croft’s drag to long-on off Bopara which dyed many metres in front of the boundary. Even more disturbing was the near-shooter from Bopara which had Maxwell lbw – all deterrents that Davies immediately logged away.During a rain stoppage, the TV cameras caught Glen Chapple, Lancashire’s coach, staring blank-eyed into the distance, a picture of misery. And he was born in Skipton where it has been known to rain occasionally. Nothing captured Lancashire’s night so well.The cross-your-fingers-and-hope-for-the-best approach to the staging of a big night in the county calendar defied belief. Here was the arrogance of administrators who still regard T20 cricket as inconsequential light entertainment, as a useful money-raiser rather than a sporting competition with intrinsic importance. Here was yet another example of the ECB’s shameful undermining of a county game that has underpinned professional cricket in this country for more than a century.

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