All posts by h716a5.icu

Jude Bellingham's stunning start to life at Real Madrid has resulted in a boost in La Liga's popularity in the United Kingdom, Javier Tebas says.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Bellingham off to great start at MadridMidfielder has 13 goals for Spanish sideMore interest in La Liga from UK, says TebasWHAT HAPPENED?

Bellingham has already scored 13 goals and registered three assists in just 14 appearances across La Liga and the Champions League since joining from Borussia Dortmund in the summer transfer window.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The 20-year-old has been hailed as one of the best players in the world due to his spectacular form, and La Liga president Tebas says he has brought more British eyes to the top-flight in Spain.

WHAT JAVIER TEBAS SAID

"It's only been a few months, it's too soon to know the full extent, but in the viewing levels in the UK Bellingham is having a big impact in our league," he told the news agency.

"He's an important player and the United Kingdom and other English-speaking areas are attracted to our league because of him. Bellingham is a top player, we knew he was a great player but we didn't realise the level he could reach, at Real Madrid it's like he's from a different planet."

He added: "We have got the best player in Europe who is English. We can't compare the two countries. Obviously the Premier League is bigger but the best player in Europe is playing in Spain. So we have the choice to get the best players to come to Spain."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM?

Bellingham had to withdraw from the England squad for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifying games due to injury. He could be back in action for Real Madrid's La Liga meeting with Cadiz on November 26.

Luke Littler has taken the darts world by storm but he is also a keen football fan – GOAL takes a look at who he supports and his favourite players.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

The sporting story of the year could be written just a few days into 2024 if 16-year-old Luke Littler does the unthinkable and wins the PDC World Championship.

The teenage darts star has pulled off a stunning march to the final, beating established pros including Raymond van Barneveld, Brendan Dolan and Rob Cross to set up a final showdown with Luke Humphries at Alexandra Palace on Wednesday night.

It's no secret that Littler is a keen football fan – so who does he support, and who is his favourite player?

Getty ImagesWHO IS LUKE LITTLER?

Luke Littler is a 16-year-old darts player who – despite only making his senior tournament debut in 2023-24 – has reached the final of the PDC World Championship. He has produced some of the best performances ever seen in the competition, including the phenomenal 6-2 win over Cross in the semis that saw him achieve 16 180s, averaging a score of 106.05. Indeed, if Littler completes the job and wins the final against Luke Humphries on Wednesday night, he will take home the prize money pay-out of £500,000 ($630,000).

AdvertisementWHICH FOOTBALL TEAM DOES LUKE LITTLER SUPPORT?

Littler may have been born in Runcorn, but the teenager is a huge Manchester United fan. In a recent interview, the darts star said he will take a tour of Old Trafford after the PDC World Championship is over. Ahead of the final at Alexandra Palace, United players past and present including Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand and Luke Shaw sent the youngster their good-luck wishes, while the official Manchester United Instagram account wrote that they're "right behind" him in his quest for glory.

WHO IS LUKE LITTLER'S FAVOURITE FOOTBALL PLAYER?

Littler's favourite player is likely to be a United star, and it could well be Marcus Rashford. After his third round victory last week, the Reds fan copied the striker's trademark celebration, and posted a side-by-side photo on Instagram.

He is clearly a massive football fan in general, though, and recently posed for photos with Declan Rice and Aaron Ramsdale after watching Arsenal lose 2-0 to West Ham. He then attended Tottenham's 3-1 win against Bournemouth with injured Spurs midfielder James Maddison, who has helped put darts on the map with his infamous celebration. Littler has also been spotted sharing a selfie with United midfielder Donny van de Beek, using the caption 'legend'. The Dutchman has since left Old Trafford, however, after completing a loan move to Frankfurt.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty/GOAL/IG:@lukethenukelittlerDOES LUKE LITTLER PLAY FOOTBALL?

Littler has played darts since a young age, but as a child he also enjoyed playing football. He told reporters that he used to play at centre-back, and remarked that "no-one was getting past me". The teenager doesn't play the beautiful game now, after deciding to fully focus on darts at the age of 10, although is clearly a fan of the EA Sports FC/FIFA franchise, having admitted that he only knew Brazil legend Pele from playing the game.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been challenged to a race by Alica Schmidt – the German sprinter dubbed “the world’s sexiest athlete”.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Norwegian forward boasts plenty of paceGerman sprinter ready to take him onHummels beaten in previous raceWHAT HAPPENED?

Haaland was clocked running at 22.5mph during the 2022-23 campaign – in which he helped City to a historic Treble – and is famed for his pace and power in footballing circles. He hit 52 goals last season and boasts the kind of acceleration that would trouble any defence.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Schmidt has been in action at the 2023 World Athletics Championship in Budapest, with the 400m her go-to event – as she averages a speed of 17mph over that distance. The 24-year-old, who is also a model and boasts 4.3 million followers on Instagram, believes that she could take Haaland during a race around one lap of the track – although concedes that she would find it “more difficult” over 200m.

WHAT THEY SAID

Schmidt has told of potentially lining up against Norwegian hot-shot Haaland: “Hmm, I don't know – maybe. I think, on 400m, yes. On 200m, it would be more difficult. But I would be happy if the race takes place. I don't know, I have to ask him. But I'm always ready. So, Haaland, if you're ready to race, I would be happy. Let's see who's faster!”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Schmidt previously posed a similar challenge to Borussia Dortmund’s World Cup-winning defender Mats Hummels back in 2021 – a race she won comfortably, with Hummels admitting that his fellow German “makes it look so easy”. Hummels was, however, 32 at the time and Haaland is only 23.

Where to watch the Ligue 1 game between PSG and Lorient on TV, plus live stream options, team news and more.

Paris Saint-Germain will be hoping to continue winning to seal the Ligue 1 title soon when they take on Lorient at Parc des Princes on Sunday.

🖥️ Watch PSG Ligue 1 games with Sling TV in the US!

Since their back-to-back home defeats against Rennes and Lyon, PSG have put together three wins in a row and Kylian Mbappe scored a brace as the French champions beat Angers in their previous outing. With an eight-point lead over second-placed Marseille, PSG will be looking to wrap up their league campaign as soon as possible without any hiccups.

Their opponents Lorient are 11th in the standings but they are winless in their last five matches. Going up against the defending champions will be a difficult challenge for the team in the bottom half of the table,

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the game on TV and online, as well as team news, head-to-head record and more.

Getty ImagesPSG vs Lorient kick-off timeGame:PSG vs LorientDate:April 30, 2023Kick-off:11.05am EDT Venue:Parc des Princes

The fixture between PSG and Lorient will be played on Sunday April 30, 2023. The match will kick off at 11.05am EDT in the U.S.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesHow to watch PSG vs Lorient – TV channels & live streamsTV channels & live stream options

Country TV channel Live stream

U.S.beIN SPORTSSling TV

PSG vs Lorient can be streamed live with Sling TV in the United States and beIN SPORTS will be broadcasting the game live on TV.

GettyTeam news & squadsPSG team news

PSG will be without Neymar, Presnel Kimpembe and Nordi Mukiele, who have all been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Renato Sanches is yet to fully recover from his injury and is set to miss another game. Nuno Mendes and Timothee Pembele, who were injured, have resumed training and the latter is in the squad selected for the game against Lorient.

PSG predicted XI: Donnarumma; Pereira, Ramos, Marquinhos; Hakimi, Ruiz, Vitinha, Verratti, Mendes; Mbappe, Messi

Position PSG players

Goalkeepers:Donnarumma, Rico, LetellierDefenders:Hakimi, Ramos, Mendes, Marquinhos, Bernat, Bitshiabu, Fernandez-Veliz, Lamy, PereiraMidfielders:Ruiz, Vitinha, Danilo, Soler, Zaire-Emery, Gharbi, VerrattiForwards:Mbappe, Messi, Ekitike, HousniLorient team news

Jean-Victor Makengo and Igor Silva have picked up injuries in the last week and will miss Lorient's big game against defending champions PSG. The duo will join Theo Le Bris and Julien Laporte in the treatment room.

Julien Ponceau missed a training session earlier this week due to illness but is expected to take the field on Sunday.

Lorient predicted XI: Mvogo; Le Goff, Meite, Talbi; Kalulu, Innocent, Abergel, Yongwa; Le Fee, Faivre; Kone

Position Nice players

Goalkeepers:Mannone, MvogoDefenders:Talbi, Matsima, Yongwa, Meite, Kalulu, Le Goff, Wackers, JamesMidfielders:Innocent, Adil, Faivre, Abergel, Ponceau, Le Fee, Kari, Lebas, Nagera, Bellon, DoumbouyaForwards:Diarra, Kone, Dieng, Cathline, Kroupi, Doucoure, Doumbia, Colas, NilorHead-to-head record

Date Result Competition

November 2022Lorient 1-2 PSGLigue 1April 2022PSG 5-1 LorientLigue 1December 2021Lorient 1-1 PSGLigue 1January 2021Lorient 3-2 PSGLigue 1December 2020PSG 2-0 LorientLigue 1

PSG won the reverse fixture 2-1 earlier in the season and will be confident of getting another win against the same opponents at home. Lorient's last win over PSG was in 2021 and a shock result looks very unlikely.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyUseful linksPSG newsLigue 1 newsLive soccer to watch in the U.S. today

Goal takes a look at the interesting monikers of the 32 teams that are travelling to Qatar in November 2022…

The World Cup is the grandest stage of international football where people, art, and culture from across the globe come together. It is a month-long carnival where the finest footballing nations lock horns for the ultimate prize in football.

Almost every football team has got nicknames that gives an insight into their roots or their distinct characteristics. There is usually a story behind each of these monikers that also resonate well with the fans at large. These nicknames would be used by commentators and journalists.

In fact, Brazil, the most successful nation in World Cup history, has got around six nicknames. Argentina are popularly known as for its colour of the flag and jersey. Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal are known as for their rich naval history whereas England are known as

GettyAustralia – Socceroos

The term 'Socceroos' was coined by Sydney-based journalist Tony Horstead who wanted to highlight Australia's iconic kangaroos. The words  and  are combined into a portmanteau word as 

AdvertisementGettyIran – Team Melli

in the Persian language means "The National Team". There are a few other nicknames as well such as meaning the "The Iranian Lions", meaning the "Lion Hearts" and "Princes of Persia".

Getty ImagesJapan – Samurai Blue

The Japanese team is nicknamed the in close reference to their historical Samurai background.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyQatar – The Maroon

Qatar is nicknamed The Maroon, corresponding to the colour of their home jersey.

Guyana Amazon Warriors captain Denesh Ramdin steered his side to a slender three-wicket win after legspinner Keron Cottoy rocked their middle order in the chase of 112

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKeron Cottoy bowled 13 dot balls and took four wickets•Caribbean Premier LeagueGuyana Amazon Warriors captain Denesh Ramdin steered his side to a slender three-wicket win after legspinner Keron Cottoy rocked their middle order in the chase of 112. After Sunil Narine’s 3 for 6 restricted St Lucia Zouks to 111 for 7, Warriors were reduced from 59 for 1 to 87 for 8 before Ramdin’s unbeaten 39 led Amazon Warriors to second place in the points table, one point behind Barbados Tridents.Amazon Warriors were given a strong start by Lendl Simmons and Ramdin after opener Assad Fudadin fell in the third over. Simmons and Ramdin put on 40 runs to bring the required run rate down to 4.41 but Cottoy struck twice in three balls in the ninth over, having Simmons caught at long-on for 31 and Brad Hodge caught and bowled for a duck. Amazon Warriors were dented further when Umar Akmal was adjudged lbw in Cottoy’s next over despite a very thick inside edge. Cottoy came back in the 13th over to knock over Christopher Barnwell’s off stump with a yorker to finish with 4 for 18 from four overs, his best T20 figures.Amazon Warriors made things worse by inflicting two run-outs on themselves. First David Wiese fell to a direct hit from mid-on, for a duck, and seven balls later Narine ran for an overthrow Ramdin did not want after the wicketkeeper failed to collect a throw from long leg. Ramdin, on 24, was now left with the tail to wipe off the remaining 25 runs in six overs. He found an able partner in Veerasammy Permaul who survived ten deliveries in their stand of 25. Ramdin eased their nerves with two consecutive fours in the beginning of the 17th over and Permaul later sealed their nervous win with a six over the wide long-on boundary, with two overs to spare.Earlier, Zouks were put in to bat and their flow of runs was stalled when Narine came on in the eighth over to dismiss Andre Fletcher and Delorn Johnson off consecutive balls. He also trapped Kevin Pietersen lbw for 24 in his next over. Only Henry Davids’ unbeaten 25 off 34 and Jerome Taylor’s run-a-ball 20 pushed their score past 100 after they were 63 for 5 in the 12th over, but it did not prove to be enough.

Gabriel Jesus and Co had an afternoon to forget as the Gunners posted their first draw of the season at St Mary's

Arsenal saw their eight-game winning run in all competitions come to an end as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at struggling Southampton.

The points extends the Gunners' lead at the top of the Premier League table to two points over Manchester City, but Mikel Arteta will know his side threw away the chance of a ninth successive victory.

It looked like they would be cruising to another win when Granit Xhaka swept in a stunning half-volley after just 11 minutes to open the scoring.

But the visitors wasted several chances to extend their lead, with Gabriel Jesus the main culprit, and the misses were to prove costly in the second half.

Arsenal were sloppy after the interval, just as they were at Leeds last weekend, and this time they were punished when Mohamed Elyounoussi played in Stuart Armstrong to equalise.

Getty ImagesThe Winners

Winner: Granit Xhaka

Xhaka stealing the headlines is becoming all too familiar now.

This was another fine performance from the midfielder, who must be in the running for Arsenal's player of the season so far.

His finish was exceptional and takes his tally for the campaign to four, more than he has amassed in each of his last three seasons combined.

It was also the first time he has scored in competitive games since he netted against Hull City and Nottingham Forest in 2016.

Winner: Ben White

It will be laughable if Ben White doesn't make the England squad.

Gareth Southgate may be blessed with right-back options, but there is no one playing better football in that position than White right now.

He was good again against Southampton and looks like he has been playing the right-back role for years, rather than just a couple of months.

White's run and cross for Xhaka's goal was excellent and his all-round performance was typical of what he has been producing since the start of the campaign.

Winner: Kieran Tierney

It's been a frustrating season so far for Kieran Tierney, who has had to watch Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu move ahead of him in the pecking order.

But this could be the game that sees Tierney come back into the Premier League starting XI.

Arteta once again started Tomiyasu at left-back after his strong recent performances on the left-hand side of the defence.

But the Japan international really struggled, especially in the second half, and you wonder if Mikel Arteta might opt to restore Tierney to the lineup against Nottingham Forest next weekend, if Zinchenko continues to be unavailable.

AdvertisementGettyThe Losers

Loser: Gabriel Jesus

Jesus has had such a good season so far for Arsenal, but he had an off day here.

The Brazilian had several opportunities to extend Arsenal's lead and couldn't take any of them.

He's now gone five games without a goal in all competitions and that will be a concern for Arteta.

Jesus had one big chance when he went through one on one in the second half, but he never looked confident and his shot was eventually blocked.

It proved to be a costly miss as Southampton got their equaliser soon after.

Loser: Takehiro Tomiyasu

The Japan international has adapted well to the left-back role, having been asked to play out of position by Mikel Arteta in the absence of Oleksandr Zinchenko.

But this was a tough afternoon for Tomiyasu, who was put under a lot of pressure in the second half as Southampton looked to get back into the game.

The hosts targeted him a bit and it was no surprise to see Arteta make a change, bringing on Tierney and moving Tomiyasu back to his natural position on the right side of the back four.

Loser: Robert Jones

You know the referee is bad when he infuriates both sides.

Jones had an absolute stinker, making questionable decisions throughout the contest.

None more so than in the first half when he decided to book Bukayo Saka for diving when the Arsenal winger went down as he was racing through on goal.

Whether it was a foul was debatable, but there was clearly enough contact from two Southampton defenders for Saka to go down.

It was an awful decision from Jones to show the 21-year-old a yellow card, but one that summed up his performance.

GettyArsenal Ratings: Defence

Aaron Ramsdale (6/10):

Did well to cope with Southampton's set pieces.

Ben White (7/10):

Good again. Great assist for Xhaka's goal.

William Saliba (6/10):

Couple of sloppy moments, uncharacteristic for him.

Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

Dealt with Southampton's aerial bombardment well.

Takehiro Tomiyasu (5/10):

Really struggled during the early moments of the second half.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyMidfield

Thomas Partey (6/10):

Not at his best. Never really got control of the game.

Granit Xhaka (7/10):

Another excellent finish.

Martin Odegaard (6/10):

Couple of excellent passes to create chances for Jesus, but should have done better himself in front of goal.

Ricardo Pepi continued his remarkable run of scoring off the bench as PSV's USMNT contingent played their part in a 7-1 rout of PEC Zwolle.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

PSV thump Zwolle 7-1Pepi scores off bench againUS players star in win GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

PSV moved one step closer to winning the Eredivisie with an emphatic win on the road, thanks to a Luuk de Jong hat-trick, a brace from Johan Bakayoko, an own-goal from Sam Kersen, and a late strike from substitute Pepi. The league leaders, who conceded through Eliano Reijnders to make it 2-1, were also helped by assists from American stars Malik Tillman and Sergino Dest on Saturday. Incidentally, according to Opta, only Twente's Ricky van Wolfswinkel (seven) has scored more goals than Pepi (six) off the bench this season in the top 10 European leagues.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

This win took PSV 13 points clear of second-placed Feyenoord in the Dutch top-flight with just 11 games remaining. Remarkably, Peter Bosz's side have dropped just four points in the league this season, with the Dutch giants winning 21 of their 23 games this season.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

PSV won the Johan Cruyff Shield last August, beating last season's league winners Feyenoord 1-0 in a match where the victors in the Eredivisie and the KNVB Cup meet. The Dutch outfit, who lost in this season's KNVB Beker to Feyenoord, are also into the last 16 of the Champions League where they face Borussia Dortmund.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT?

PSV are next in league action on March 3 when they host title contenders Feyenoord in a top of the table clash, before travelling to Go Ahead Eagles five days later. The second leg of their Champions League clash with Dortmund is on March 13, with the tie currently at 1-1.

Angelo Mathews hit fifty and Dinesh Chandimal an unbeaten 47 off 31 balls to set up a hefty thumping of Kent in Sri Lanka’s second tour match in England

Alan Gardner at Canterbury16-May-2014
ScorecardAngelo Mathews was the one Sri Lankan batsman to pass fifty but plenty had useful innings•Getty ImagesAngelo Mathews hit fifty and Dinesh Chandimal an unbeaten 47 off 31 balls to set up a hefty thumping of Kent in Sri Lanka’s second tour match in England. Having put out a strong side – only Lasith Malinga was rested – Sri Lanka gave a truer measure of themselves than in defeat to Essex on Tuesday, sweeping up a mixture of Kent first-teamers and irregulars for 173 on a cool, clear evening.Suranga Lakmal immediately applied a tourniquet at the top of the innings, his opening spell of 4-1-10-2 providing both control and penetration. Alex Blake played neatly for his 60, which included reverse-sweeping Ajantha Mendis for four, but Thisara Perera plucked out key wickets during the middle overs and a long tail succumbed quickly. Without the likes of Rob Key, Darren Stevens and Brendan Nash, a Kent target in excess of 300 proved steeper than the Dover cliffs.A partnership of 84 between Lahiru Thirimanne and Mathews provided the ballast for Sri Lanka, after a sprightly but evanescent performance from the top order. Thirimanne’s high front elbow was a feature of his strokeplay, his first and only boundary coming off his 63rd delivery, while Mathews showed greater muscularity in an innings replete with bottom-handed clubs to the rope.Mathews struck the first sixes of the contest before spooning a full toss to mid-off but Chandimal and Perera skipped along in his footprints during a rapid 71-run stand from 48 balls. Chandimal might have been caught at deep midwicket attempting to go to his half-century from the penultimate delivery of the innings but Fabian Cowdrey had to throw the ball back in as he fell towards the boundary rope.Robbie Joseph, the one-time England Lions bowler who returned to Kent at the start of the summer, claimed 4 for 58, while James Tredwell also put in the sort of dependable shift he is known for, ahead of his involvement in the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka. He dismissed Thirimanne with one that lured the batsman out to be stumped for 49, though his figures were slightly smudged when Chandimal lofted the fourth and fifth balls of his final over for four and six.Kent lost Daniel Bell-Drummond and Cowdrey, grandson of Colin, with the score on 17, as they struggled to get going during the Powerplay. Blake’s half-century, his third in the format and first since 2010, came at a run-a-ball and a stand of 68 with Sam Billings kept them afloat but, from 148 for 5, Kent lost their last five wickets for 25. Only the combined figures of spinners Mendis and Tillakaratne Dilshan – 3 for 92 from 15 overs – would have given the tourists a moment’s pause.Sri Lanka were beaten in their first warm-up fixture, a soggy, 21-over affair in Chelmsford, but with the sun shining over hop country they found the St Lawrence ground to be a more welcoming venue. Kent’s is probably the closest English ground to Colombo (though still 8,000km as the crow flies) and there were several Sri Lanka shirts on display in the crowd, as well as a flag being waved in the breeze on the Old Dover Road grass bank.The vexed issue of Sri Lanka’s junior-senior question will not be solved by one tour match but, after Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene fell for scores between 30 and 35, the contributions from Nos. 5, 6 and 7 will have encouraged Marvan Attapatu, the team’s interim coach.Sangakkara joined up with the Sri Lanka squad on Thursday, having missed the early part of the tour to play in two Championship matches for Durham, and reclaimed the wicketkeeping gloves off Chandimal (before swapping halfway through the innings). Following his 159 at Hove, he looked in good order until playing down the wrong line against Kent left-armer Adam Ball to have his stumps rattled.After Sangakkara’s dismissal, Sri Lanka appeared content to settle in, only for the longueurs to get the better of Jaywardene. Between the end of the 14th over and the beginning of the 36th only three boundaries were struck, before Mathews and Thirimanne, then Chandimal and Perera redoubled their efforts. The rate had dipped below five an over but 129 runs flowed from the last 15 as a team that should be a contender at the 2015 World Cup flashed their credentials.After Sri Lanka’s well-oiled start on a decent pitch, 300 always looked in range. Dilshan could not be much more buccaneering if he batted with a parrot on one shoulder while wearing a tricorne hat. He cut, pulled and drove his way to 35 off 28 balls before Joseph, bowling with decent pace and hitting an awkward length in his first List A game since August 2012, had him caught skying a piratical hack high to third man.That was Joseph’s second wicket, having removed Sri Lanka’s other opener, Kusal Perera, with his first delivery, the batsman caught on the crease and fencing to slip. David Griffiths was not able to match Joseph’s economy, however, as the tourists reached the end of the ten-over Powerplay on 64 for 2.Charlie Hartley, Kent’s 20-year-old debutant, came on for his first bowl against a pair with more than 25,000 ODI runs between them. Both Sangakkara and Jayawardene dismissed him for boundaries as the over leaked 10 runs but Hartley found better control after switching ends. Jayawardene became the third member of Sri Lanka’s illustrious triumvirate to depart in the 30s when he miscued a lofted drive to mid-on to provide Hartley with his first senior wicket.

Yorkshire remain top of the Championship and as they reflect on a tense and ultimately frustrating final day at Headingley

David Hopps at Headingley10-Jul-2014
ScorecardMichael Richardson gave Yorkshire a headache again although fell short of his hundred•Getty ImagesYorkshire remain top of the Championship and, as they reflect on their failure to break stubborn Durham resistance on a tense final day at Headingley, they will at least console themselves that they have seen the last this season of Michael Richardson.Just the sight of Richardson is enough to send their bowlers queasy in the stomach. He bats with a dedicated, upstanding air – and, as the son of the ICC chief executive, somebody would have blabbed by now if he was not that type – but as far as Yorkshire are concerned those virtues are wearing thin. They have outplayed the defending champions twice this season and they do not have a victory to show for it.Richardson’s maiden Championship hundred at Scarborough turned the Championship in Durham’s favour last season, he took another off the Yorkshire attack at Chester-le-Street earlier this season and only the most one-eyed observer would have resented him making a third as he intervened to Yorkshire’s despair yet again.Instead, he had 95 from 165 balls when Jack Brooks exploded his middle stump, but the gamest of innings had done enough to secure a draw and stymie Yorkshire’s Championship challenge in the process. His average against Yorkshire now stands at 85. Pressure stiffens his resolve and when his own captain, Paul Collingwood, remarked after three days that a pitch was full of holes then he did not need reminding that, in his own words, Durham were “staring down the barrel”.Yorkshire must have feared their wickets column would never quite add up on the third evening when Adil Rashid assessed their challenge. A couple of wickets a session should do it, was the gist of Rashid’s message. Durham began the day one down; Yorkshire got their couple of wickets a session, and even added one for good measure. Durham finished with eight down: do the math. Yorkshire supporters yearning for another Championship should demand an emergency Ofsted inspection of arithmetical standards in Yorkshire schools.Yorkshire’s lead was 136 at start of play so runs were important but even so, considering Collingwood’s remarks, it was a surprise that Rashid did not bowl to more attacking fields until later in the day; it seemed a perfect time for a bit of psychological pressure. He was solid and he beat the outside edge intermittently but rarely suggested that he could be a matchwinner. He is an improving cricketer. He is not yet an England spinner. Nobody is.Yorkshire eventually took a big wicket in the morning when Mark Stoneman stalked off cursing Adam Lyth’s lbw decision, 86 to his name. Rashid added Gordon Muchall. But at 2.30pm, Durham took the lead with six wickets left and 49 overs left to bat. A desultory cry of “Come on Yorkshire” disturbed a stiflingly hot day. It was a call of creeping desperation, the sort of call that has become common on Yorkshire grounds when Richardson comes into bat.Richardson’s partnership with Collingwood reached 44 before Brigadier Block fenced at one that bounced and turned from Rashid. One of those holes, no doubt, betraying the man who had dared to mention them. But Richardson remained unshakeable. When he stole a legside single off Tim Bresnan in mid-afternoon, a lone cry of “Have A Collection” rent the air. He was scoring rather more quickly, if surreptitiously, than that.Up above, the jet2 planes glimmered in deep blue skies as they flew into Leeds/Bradford airport. This time there would be no cocky “We have begun our descent into Leeds/Bradford where the temperature is 14C and raining” from the crew, bringing groans of contentment from passengers as their belief was confirmed that every penny spent on 35C temperatures in Malaga was worth it. “It’s been beautiful here,” is the cruellest thing you can say to anybody back from holiday.Still, Yorkshire’s supporters hoped. When Paul Coughlin became the eighth wicket to fall, a bronzed, bare-chested supporter – almost a Malaga refugee – scratched his chest so excitedly he might have bled at the prospect of victory. Durham were 93 ahead with a minimum 23 overs left. But it was the last wicket they managed as Phil Mustard’s well-paced half-century took Durham to safety.Yorkshire dropped four catches, all of them challenging. Bresnan would have hoped to hang on to a diving chance at short extra when Richardson was 27; Jonny Bairstow had a very difficult leg-side chance off the glove when Richardson was 36. The two after tea were less costly, Bairstow failing to grasp another.Bresnan was solid, but unspectacular, which must have influenced the decision by his captain, Andrew Gale, not to give him the second new ball. England discard or not, he needed to earn the chance. Instead, he returned with the match virtually dead and the PA announcer gave his name with a resigned air. By then, it might have suited his mood.