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The country’s first dedicated and fully equipped cricket venue will host its first international match this weekend

Firdose Moonda10-Oct-2025Never before have Namibian cricketers had their own facility to train and play at, but as of 2025, that’s changed.Construction of the Namibia Cricket Ground (NCG) was finished in August, and it’s now officially open, complete with an indoor centre and a gym. On Saturday it will host its first international match, between Namibia and their neighbours South Africa, the highest-profile fixture on Namibian soil to date.”It really feels like a new dawn and new age for the sport,” Gerhard Erasmus, Namibia’s captain says. “It’s our first high-performance venue and the first time that as sportsmen, we don’t have to drive around to two or three different venues in a day to go to different training sessions. That’s what it means for the players, but what it means for the community is also massive.”Cricket isn’t even one of the biggest sports in the country [but] all the tickets [for the one-off T20I] were sold out so quickly. People are buying their blue Namibia Eagles shirts in numbers from the offices, so we feel very proud. Usually, rugby and soccer are sports where you hear stories about full stadiums and lots of vibe, and it’s so cool that this is our first event and we’ll have 4000 people and everybody’s almost fighting each other in town for a ticket. I never thought I would say that as a cricketer.”Related

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The draw of seeing a South African side headlined by Quinton de Kock’s international return could be one reason for the interest in the match, but the thrill of watching their own national side at a brand new, centrally accessible venue is another. The NCG has been built in the heart of the country’s capital, Windhoek, in a precinct where the streets are named after different sporting codes. There’s Netball Street, Rugby Street, and even, you guessed it, Cricket Street, where a new paved road leads into and out of the stadium. The ground itself features one main building and grass embankments, giving it a hybrid feel – part big stadium, part club ground. All of this infrastructure is ensconced in an area dedicated to physical activity.Just next door is the national rugby stadium and a few blocks away is Independence Stadium, which hosted some of Namibian cricket’s early matches. Since then, fixtures have been played about five kilometres away at a privately owned club ground called Wanderers, which Cricket Namibia had to rent to use. Wanderers is a multi-sport facility that is also used by club members, which Erasmus has previously described as “not ideal” to have as a home base.Captain Gerhard Erasmus is hopeful of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup, part of which will be played in Namibia•ICC via Getty”We’ve all grown up at Wanderers and trained around there, but we didn’t really have our own home,” he says. “Now we have one and it’s right next to the other stadiums. Because it’s newly built, it really feels like a refreshment in that vicinity.”For Erasmus, the unveiling of a cricket-specific venue – especially when other sports are seeing a downturn – is also a reward for what Namibian cricket has achieved since 2021, when they qualified for their first T20 World Cup. The national rugby team have missed out on automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup for the first time since 1999, and the football team are on the verge of being knocked out of contention for the next year’s World Cup. But cricket continues to enjoy success.Last week, Namibia secured a fourth successive T20 World Cup qualification and dominated all their opposition until they lost to Zimbabwe in the final, a result that was irrelevant to their participation at the World Cup. In the four matches that mattered, Namibia posted totals over 200 twice and JJ Smit and Jan Frylinck both registered maiden T20I hundreds. Though their batting strength throughout the qualifiers was notable against opposition like Kenya, Nigeria and Malawi, none of whom have played at a T20 World Cup, Erasmus is careful not to get too far ahead of himself. “In all fairness, it was probably one of our easiest qualifications. It felt like it was written in the stars that we had to qualify because there’s lots of things going for us,” he says. “We’ve played most of our games at Harare Sports Club, so there were no upsets in terms of conditions. We really had it nice. As cricketers, you always tend to moan when it goes badly. This time around, it all went swimmingly.”Again, the importance of a dedicated venue was underlined but it is not the only reason Namibia enjoyed a good week in Zimbabwe. Erasmus also credited a change in approach, which has come with new management and head coach, Craig Williams, Namibia’s leading all-format run-getter. “With the new set-up and the new coach in the last couple of months, pressure has been taken off us in terms of having to score, having to bat a certain way or having to do a certain thing. It’s more of an assess-and-react blueprint we tend to follow,” he says. “Guys are much calmer and they’re setting a better foundation. We’ve always been known to hit the ball very well. We’ve got power and everybody knows our six-hitting ability, but [the ability] to construct an innings has sometimes been lacking. It feels like it’s really changed in the last couple of months. Even domestically, we have lots more hundreds over the recent past.”Wanderers, a multi-sport facility that also hosts rugby, hockey and netball, among others, was the principal venue for cricket in Namibia earlier•Getty ImagesNow that needs to translate into the 50-over game, because Namibia are not guaranteed a place at the 2027 ODI tournament – played across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia – and have a long way to go in qualifying. They are currently in sixth spot on the eight-team ​​World Cricket League Two table, 11 points off the leaders Scotland, with 12 matches left to play. Irrespective of where they finish on that table, they will still have a chance to get to the World Cup. The top four teams progress directly to the World Cup Qualifier and the bottom four to the playoffs, so the possibility of playing in a home World Cup is still alive and Erasmus knows how crucial it is that they give it their best shot.”For Associate nations it’s very important to qualify to stay relevant in world cricket,” he says. “Obviously we have fewer opportunities than Test nations, and in T20 World Cups we have the carrot dangling every second year, but even then, like you would have seen with Scotland, there’s big repercussions to not qualifying. As players as well, you feel like you’re missing out.” And missing out on their own party and their own venue in two years’ time is not something Namibia want at all.

A target of 144 was chased by Pakistan with 24.5 overs remaining, giving them a third consecutive ODI series win over SA

Hemant Brar08-Nov-2025Abrar Ahmed bamboozled South Africa with a career-best 4 for 27 to give Pakistan a series-clinching seven-wicket win in the third and final ODI. This was Pakistan’s third ODI series win in a row over South Africa.Batting first on a slow, low Faisalabad pitch, South Africa started strongly with Quinton de Kock and Lhuan-dre Pretorius adding 72 for the first wicket. They were 106 for 2 at one point but Abrar dismantled them with three wickets in two overs. In the end, South Africa were bundled out for a mere 143 in 37.5 overs.Pakistan started the chase tentatively but Saim Ayub’s unbeaten 77 off 70 balls helped them reach the target with almost 25 overs to spare.Ayub, in the first innings, opened the bowling with Shaheen Shah Afridi. South Africa captain Matthew Breetzke had hoped for runs on the board in a big game but Pakistan set defensive fields and conceded only ten runs in the first four overs.Then, in the fifth, Afridi bowled a back-of-the-hand slower ball. De Kock spotted it early and lofted it over the bowler’s head for a four. Afridi went pace-on for the next ball, only to be drilled down the ground for another boundary.Haris Rauf, who returned to the side after serving a two-match ban, came into the attack in the seventh over and induced an outside edge of Pretorious’ bat. It would have been a regulation catch for first slip had there been one. Instead, the ball raced away for four. Pretorius rubbed it in by smashing Rauf for two more fours in the next three balls.The pair brought up their third successive fifty stand before Salman Agha had Pretorius caught at long-off for 39. Tony de Zorzi fell soon after, chipping Agha tamely to extra cover.Saim Ayub goes aerial•Associated Press

De Kock carried on and reached 7000 ODI runs. He became the second-fastest to the mark, behind countryman Hashim Amla, getting there in 158 innings. He brought up his fifty with a reverse-swept four off Mohammad Nawaz but was lbw two balls later when he tried to slog-sweep the spinner.Abrar ran through the middle order with a three-wicket burst. Debutant Rubin Hermann was the first to go, bowled after failing to pick the googly. Donovan Ferreira was next, bowled after missing a sweep and then having the ball clip the exposed leg stump. Corbin Bosch was bowled first ball, undone by the low bounce.There was no hat-trick for Abrar but he had Breetzke caught behind in his final over to hasten the end. South Africa’s lower order tried to resist but Afridi wrapped up the innings with two wickets in two balls.Pakistan did not have a smooth start to their chase as Nandre Burger dismissed Fakhar Zaman for a duck for the second successive game. Burger moved the ball both ways and it took Pakistan 14 balls to score their first run. Both Ayub and No. 3 Babar Azam were circumspect at the start. In fact, Ayub took ten balls to open his account.However, the wait was worth it. Burger bowled a length ball and Ayub drove on the up through covers for four. That opened the floodgates as Pakistan hit eight fours and two sixes in the next five overs. By the tenth over, the scoreboard was reading 59 for 1.Babar was run out for 27 when going for a third run, but Ayub was unstoppable. Although not always in control of his shots, Ayub did not hesitate playing them. He often took the aerial route, bringing up his fifty off just 39 balls. It paved the way for what turned out to be a comfortable win in the end.

The captain and chief selector have indicated there is plenty to play for over the next few weeks

Andrew McGlashan26-Jun-2021Josh PhilippePhilippe, who has been one of the standout players in the BBL over the last two seasons, made his debut on the tour of New Zealand earlier this year. He twice got himself set with promising scores in the 40s – both coming at impressive strike rates too, as he batted at No. 3 – and in the absence of David Warner and Steven Smith for this tour, it seems likely he will get further chances at the top of the order. He did not keep wicket in that series, that role went to Matthew Wade, but if all ten T20Is take place, there could be a chance to see him there. With the logjam for top-order spots, though, he still faces being squeezed out of the final World Cup squad, but with uncertainty over Smith’s elbow, a strong few weeks would come at a good time.Dan ChristianIt would be a terrific story if Christian makes the World Cup. And it now feels like he has a solid chance despite being a last-minute addition to this tour. The area Australia have most struggled to nail down is the middle-order batting positions and national selector Trevor Hohns, captain Aaron Finch and his BBL coach Greg Shipperd have lauded his ability to close innings. Christian was given the option as to whether he wanted to give up his Nottinghamshire T20 deal and go through two weeks’ quarantine ahead of this trip but said it was never in question.Related

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Riley MeredithLike Philippe, Meredith got his first chance in New Zealand where he caught the eye with his pace and twice pinned Kane Williamson lbw. He is likely already in the frame for the World Cup but fast bowling is an area Australia are well-served in. However, in the absence of Pat Cummins, Kane Richardson and Jhye Richardson, you would imagine Meredith will have a decent amount of game time to further his case. While Cummins is a certain starter at the World Cup, Meredith has the opportunity to push the two Richardsons given their decision to opt out of the trip.Mitchell SwepsonSwepson was one of the standout bowlers of the last Australian season with white and red ball. He returned to the national side in the T20Is against India where he claimed five wickets in three matches, but was then a victim of bubble life as he spent weeks as a travelling back-up in the Test group. When finally able to play again, he finished the BBL strongly with the Brisbane Heat – forming a legspin pair with Marnus Labuschagne – and then was picked in the Test squad to tour South Africa ahead of the T20I series in New Zealand. However, even if the South Africa trip had gone ahead, he would have been ruled out with a stress fracture in his neck. Now he has the chance to push his white-ball claims again having moved back above Tanveer Sangha in the pecking order. With enlarged squads a possibility for the World Cup, there could be room for three specialist spinners.Josh HazlewoodWhen Hazlewood faced India in Canberra last year, it was just his ninth T20I in more than seven years since making his debut. It’s a format he has never quite found a home in – the metronomic line and length that is such an asset in Tests and one-day cricket perhaps perceived as a weakness (along with Australia’s desire to manage their fast bowlers). He could get a few more chances on this tour to show what he can bring to the T20 side and make a case for inclusion in the World Cup party. But, while T20s are the main focus over the next few weeks, there are also three ODIs in the West Indies with important World Cup qualifying points on offer.

Australia’s selectors are set to announce the squad for the Test series in India on Sunday

Daniel Brettig14-Jan-2017At the end of Australia’s humiliation in Sri Lanka last year, we were told emphatically that the team’s plans for Asian conditions had to change fundamentally if they were to succeed next time. The announcement of the touring party for four Tests in India in February and March will be a measure of the selectors’ resolve.The coach and selector Darren Lehmann has overseen five consecutive Test losses in Asian conditions, from the 2014 tour of the UAE to the Sri Lanka visit. He was appointed coach in the aftermath of the previous trip to Asia – the infamous 2013 visit to India that featured a 4-0 defeat and the “homework-gate” fiasco. His words after the conclusion of the Sri Lanka series bear repeating:

Possible squad

Steven Smith (capt), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Agar, Steve O’Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Nathan Lyon

“The difference is we’ve got to change in the subcontinent. Results will say that with India, UAE and now Sri Lanka. We’ve got to change the way we pick and shape up the squad for a subcontinent [tour]. We have to look at all different angles I suppose. The shape-up of the side, whether you need one quick, two quicks, three quicks, allrounders, and see how we play.”It certainly hasn’t worked the way we’ve played. We think we’ve had the right balance but our batters haven’t made enough runs. It’s pretty simple. When you look at [Sheffield] Shield cricket, it’s very hard to determine who’s going to be a good player of spin and not on Australian wickets. So for us somehow we’ve got to find a way.”To that end, the likes of Peter Handscomb, Steve O’Keefe and Ashton Agar were shuffled into the Test squad over the course of a tumultuous home summer. Others, like Shaun Marsh and Travis Head, were present in Sri Lanka. Glenn Maxwell, who has spent much of the season dealing with the fallout of his attempt to move from Victoria to New South Wales, appears to have rehabilitated his reputation, and has past experience on his side.More problematic for the selectors are the Queensland duo of Usman Khawaja and Matt Renshaw. Khawaja has never passed 50 in four Tests in Asia and looked no closer to unlocking the secrets of playing spin on the last Sri Lanka visit. Renshaw possesses many of the natural attributes that once aided Matthew Hayden in India, but at 20 years old he will have to prove a rapid learner.One thing in favour of both batsmen is the keen sense among Australia’s planners that the touring team will have to bat for long periods of time in order to succeed. Renshaw and Khawaja love nothing more than to spend hour upon hour at the crease: the question is whether they have the requisite methods to stay there.While wicketkeeping skills are tested to extremes by the variable bounce and degree of spin expected in India, the selection of Matthew Wade as the gloveman does not appear to be in dispute. Though his work behind the stumps lacks the polish of others, notably the man he replaced in Peter Nevill, Wade’s ability to help contribute to a winning attitude in the team – evidenced by his century in the Gabba ODI against Pakistan on Friday – will help him.”I’d be nervous if we’d lost four Test matches in a row, but we’re winning games,” Wade said. “The team’s going well, the young guys are playing well and I feel like we’re in a really good spot. “Selection is selection. The team will get picked and hopefully I’m in it, but I don’t feel nervous when the team’s winning the way it is.”Nothing will stretch the captaincy skills of Smith, nor the coaching abilities of Lehmann, like the trip about to be undertaken. The squad unveiled on Sunday will need to be, above all else, resilient.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has adopted a firm behind-the-scenes stance, as one member of Ange Postecoglou’s squad gets out-of-window offers to leave the club.

Tottenham refuse to sanction January exits amid injury crisis

Postecoglou is currently without a host of first-team players – including Cristian Romero, Guglielmo Vicario, Dominic Solanke, Wilson Odobert, Destiny Udogie, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin – prompting Spurs to not sanction any January exits.

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The Lilywhites’ has been stretched to the bare bones in recent months, which has given the likes of Djed Spence a chance to battle their way back into the starting eleven to positive effect.

Man United (home)

February 16th

Ipswich Town (home)

February 22nd

Man City (home)

February 26th

Bournemouth (home)

March 9th

Fulham (away)

March 16th

However, it has mostly debilitated Tottenham, who currently sit 14th in the Premier League table after a very disappointing first half of the 2024/2025 campaign.

Even left-back Sergio Reguilon, who was previously outcasted by Postecoglou, has been handed first-team minutes and spots in Tottenham matchday squads lately.

The £120,000-per-week defender was widely tipped to leave N17 in January, with La Liga sides reportedly holding an interest in signing Reguilon as his contract ticks down towards its final months.

There were even murmurs that Reguilon could mutually terminate his Tottenham contract, but those reports have since died down, amid Postecoglou’s need for bodies in every area of the pitch.

The former Real Madrid gem spent time out on loan at Man United and Brentford last season, and while Reguilon currently has a spot in Postecoglou’s matchday squads, it won’t be for long with his deal up at the end of the campaign.

Daniel Levy stance revealed as Sergio Reguilon gets offers to leave Tottenham

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Reguilon has received out-of-window offers from Galatasaray and Besiktas, as the Turkish Süper Lig giants look to prise him away from N17 early.

The Turkish transfer window doesn’t shut until February 12th, meaning that either side could still sign the Spaniard if Spurs give the green-light. However, chairman Levy is currently blocking the left-back’s departure, with the Lilywhites chief reluctant to let him leave.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2020/21

27

0

3

2021/22

31

2

3

2022/23

0

0

0

2023/24

0

0

0

2024/25

5

0

0

Udogie isn’t set to return until around midway through this month, according to reliable Tottenham source Paul O’Keefe, so Postecoglou remains in need of Udogie until a fair bit after the Turkish window shuts.

All signs point towards Reguilon staying until the end of 24/25, where he will then be free to find a new club on a Bosman deal. With Udogie expected to potentially return for their game against Man United, his counterpart is a solid alternative in the meantime.

“I’ve been an admirer of Reguilon for some time,” said pundit Noel Whelan in 2021 to Football Insider. “He really stamped his authority on the game and grabbed the winner to show what a quality player he is.”

Newcastle United have now held fresh talks over signing an “incredible” £84m striker, amid fears over Alexander Isak’s future, according to a report.

Update on Alexander Isak's future

Isak is right at the top of Arsenal’s transfer shortlist, but the striker made it clear he is very happy at St. James’ Park on Saturday, saying: “Everywhere you go in this city, everyone is loving Newcastle, which is special. It is the best feeling I have had in my career. Scoring goals in front of these fans, it is special.”

The Swedish striker remains contracted until the summer of 2028, so the Magpies are in a strong bargaining position, but there is widespread interest from some of the Premier League’s top clubs, with Chelsea also being named as potential suitors.

As such, Eddie Howe is now running the rule over potential replacements for the striker, with PAOK’s Stefanos Tzimas now on the list of targets, and there is deemed to be a 35% chance the forward moves to St. James’ Park in the summer.

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There has now been a new update on another player Newcastle are targeting, with Football Transfers revealing they have now held fresh talks over a deal to sign Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.

Gyokeres has a release clause of €100m (£84m) in his contract with the Portuguese club, but it is believed they would be willing to sanction his departure for a lower fee this summer.

The Magpies have stepped up their pursuit of the 26-year-old as they are concerned about Isak’s long-term future at St. James’ Park, with the striker aware there is widespread interest in his signature.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are also named as potential suitors for the Swedish striker, although a move to Old Trafford is deemed unlikely, as he wants to play for a club in the Champions League.

Gyokeres could be the perfect Isak replacement

There is no doubt that Newcastle’s primary concern will be keeping hold of Isak this summer, considering the 25-year-old has been in inspired form this season, bagging 15 goals in the Premier League.

However, should the Solna-born striker decide to move on this summer, there may be no better replacement than his compatriot, who has put in some top performances in the Liga Portugal and Champions League this season.

The “incredible” Sporting talisman has 22 goals and three assists in 18 league games this season, and he dismantled Manchester City by scoring a hat-trick in a 4-1 victory in the Champions League back in November.

Gyokeres has proven he is capable of playing for one of Europe’s top clubs, so it is promising news that Newcastle have now opened talks, but they will likely have to qualify for the Champions League to stand a chance of winning the race for his signature.

Monday’s deadline looms large and as yet, Tottenham Hotspur’s only senior arrival has been that of 21-year-old goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, having been knocked back in their bid to sign fellow youngster, Mathys Tel.

As Ange Postecoglou said himself last week, the north London side would be “playing with fire” if they did not bring in further reinforcements before the window closes, particularly amid their worsening injury crisis.

Across the park, the Lilywhites appear more depleted with each passing game, having seen Radu Dragusin – who arrived from Genoa a year ago – cruelly struck down by injury after entering the fray at half-time against Elfsborg.

With Spurs still competing on all four fronts, this threadbare squad simply needs help, with Daniel Levy running the risk of letting his club slip further into the mire, if he does not back his manager over the next 48 hours or so.

Latest Tottenham transfer news

The blow of missing out on wantaway Bayern Munich man, Tel, has been somewhat eased amid the news that Tottenham could be looking to land the signing of AC Milan defender, Fikayo Tomori, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that the Serie A side are keen to move the centre-back on in the coming days.

Interestingly, the Englishman may not be the only player with Chelsea connections to have come onto Levy’s radar, with Caught Offside reporting that the north Londoners are also ‘exploring the possibility’ of signing Axel Disasi from Stamford Bridge on loan.

The report suggests that the Blues are willing to allow the Frenchman to leave the club amid his limited role under Enzo Maresca, with Aston Villa having also been in the race for his signature of late.

Transfer Focus

As Romano reported early on Saturday, the loss of Dragusin could see Spurs move for two centre-backs, ensuring that there is a chance both Tomori and Disasi could arrive at N17.

Indeed, Romano has also revealed that Spurs have made contact regarding a move for the Chelsea man, even though he has already agreed terms with Villa.

What Disasi would bring to Spurs

It may be somewhat difficult to judge Disasi based on his peripheral role at Chelsea in recent times – having started just four Premier League games this season – yet those of a Spurs persuasion will likely be concerned at the prospect of signing the former Monaco man from their rivals.

Stat (*per game)

Record

Games (starts)

17 (4)

Goals

0

Assists

3

Big chances missed

2

Big chances created

5

Key passes*

0.6

Pass accuracy*

74%

Successful dribbles*

0.6

Possession lost*

6.3x

Total duels won*

43%

Indeed, have they not learned their lesson from the loan capture of Timo Werner last year, with the German signing from RB Leipzig in January 2024, having previously failed to thrive at Stamford Bridge.

Signed by the Blues for £45m in the summer of 2020, Werner went on to win the Champions League during his time in west London, albeit while scoring just 23 goals in 89 games over the next two seasons.

Now under Postecoglou’s wing at Spurs, the forward’s woes have been replicated in Lilywhite, with just three goals coming his way in 40 games over the last 12 months. The 28-year-old also came under fire from his manager for an “unacceptable” showing against Rangers in the Europa League.

The fear would be that looking to sign another player who has ‘failed’ at Chelsea in the form of Disasi could lead to a similar result, with the 26-year-old having endured a wretched time of it in his current home.

Described as a “disaster” by pundit Andy Jacobs, Disasi’s Chelsea stint has been littered with mistakes, including his wayward own goal against Leicester City in the FA Cup last season, as well as his stray pass in the build-up to Omari Hutchinson’s clincher against Ipswich Town this term.

Equally, his statistics across the last 365 days make for grim reading, as he ranks in the bottom 35% for tackles and the bottom 15% for interceptions among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, as well as in just the top 41% for aerial duels won, as per FBref.

While a 91% pass completion average is encouraging, it is difficult to overlook the £80k-per-week defender’s defensive woes, with it tricky to see just why he’d fare any better in Postecoglou’s struggling side.

The flawed signing of one Chelsea ‘flop’ in Werner should be enough for Levy and co to think again, amid their apparent pursuit of Disasi.

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Bowlers squeeze Lancashire chase after Dawid Malan’s second successive half-century

David Hopps01-Jun-2023

Dawid Malan has steeled Yorkshire’s season•Getty Images

There have been many wonderful Roses contests in the Blast, but perhaps for a truly momentous night there has never been one quite like this. Yorkshire, trying to rise above off-field difficulties, with one win since last August; Lancashire, with Jos Buttler added to their star-studded ranks.But it was Yorkshire, beaten eight times in the last 10 Roses encounters, who emerged against many expectations with a 15-run win. There was no immediate joy for Butter, who followed up an increasingly jaded IPL by falling second ball for 1.Victories change tournaments. Sometimes they change seasons. Is it hyperbole to wonder if this has saved a club? A club dicing with bankruptcy. A young side psychologically shaken by events beyond their control. But Yorkshire have summoned back-to-back wins against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge and now in a Headingley Roses match, a result that few predicted on the most boisterous night on the Blast’s calendar.As the winless run became almost unbearable, Dawid Malan has come into his own with two match-winning performances: 95 at Trent Bridge, now Lancashire taken for 83 from 50 balls. When the going gets tough, and all that…Yorkshire’s 195 for 6 felt 15 or so under par, but they took early wickets and when Tom Hartley threatened to pull off a heist, Jordan Thompson and Matthew Revis provided nerveless contributions in the final overs that seemed beyond them a week ago. Thompson’s variations, with 60 needed from five, were at the height of his game, his confidence suddenly reborn.Related

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Darren Gough, a director of cricket who has dared to take on the hardest job in the county game, had the guts to appear on with the game in the balance. “You learn from failure then suddenly you get to the point where it just clicks,” Gough said. It is far too early to suggest that it has, but it is a start. Lancashire remain far likelier to claim a top-four spot, but they have now lost two from two and will lack Saqib Mahmood for the foreseeable future with another as yet unspecified injury.”Ah wun’t be goin’,” a few Yorkshire old-timers would have been saying. Perhaps, instead, it was another vaguely slighted evening in front of ITV3 and a re-run of , where appropriately enough DI Vera Stanhope was “sifting evidence of grief, love and addiction.” They missed a treat.Despite deflating results on the field, and the crippling overspend and dubious decisions that marred Lord Kamlesh Patel’s time as chair and chief executive, Yorkshire, to their credit, have remained stoutly committed to a more diverse and inclusive future. The Roses match coincided with the announcement of a new LGBTQ+ supporters’ group – Yorkshire and Proud – which the club said it hopes “is an important step towards ensuring Headingley is a welcoming place for all.”If Adam Lyth made an initial batting statement for Yorkshire, taking four successive boundaries from Luke Wood’s first over, it was Malan who carried it forward. His timing was not always immaculate, but strength of body was allied to strength of character and his manipulation was precise. He has come to know the Headingley square, and as good a pitch as it was, he says that he tends to play squarer these days to combat a more tennis-ball bounce.Even as he took the third over, Lancashire’s captain, Liam Livingstone, must have wondered if his uncertain decision to bowl was wise. To make life tougher, several mishits fell short of him in the field. A catch was impossible, but the crowd took its chance to ridicule all the same. It was a bad night, too, for Wood, Lancashire’s leading wicket-taker, who conceded 55, a joint Lancashire record.By the time Malan took two steps down the pitch – not a regular sight – to deposit Matt Parkinson’s legspin into the Rugby Stand, Livingstone was not as much rotating his bowlers as running through the card. He found his solutions in unpredictable places: Luke Wells’ leg spin began to arrest Yorkshire’s charge; Colin de Grandhomme came up trumps with 3 for 24.