logo
Compton makes 221 as Kent draw with leaders Leics

Compton makes 221 as Kent draw with leaders Leics

BBC News5 days ago
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury (day four)Leicestershire 471: Ahmed 119, Scriven 99; Parkinson 7-137Kent 445-8: Compton 221; Ahmed 3-134Kent (13 pts) drew with Leics (14 pts)Match scorecard
The County Championship match between Division Two leaders Leicestershire and Kent at Canterbury ended in a draw, after the hosts reached 445-8 on day four, trailing by 24 when bad light stopped play.Ben Compton hit a career-best 221 and Harry Finch made 54 not out, while Rehan Ahmed took 3-134, but the chances of a positive result were effectively neutered on day three, when a mere 9.5 overs were bowled.Leicestershire remain top of the table, while Kent stay bottom.Conditions were significantly better on Friday but as soon as Kent passed the follow on target of 321 a draw seemed inevitable.The nightwatchman, George Garrett, survived 67 balls spread across days two, three and four but he was the first man out when he edged Logan van Beek to Louis Kimber for 10.The first shot of Ben Dawkins' first-class career was a stylish drive that might have gone for four but for the slope, but he was out for seven, inside-edging Ben Green behind.Compton, 111 not out overnight, reached 150 in the penultimate over of the session when he cut Tom Scriven for four and Kent eased to 307-4 at lunch.Scriven subsequently had Joey Evison caught behind for 38, but an elegant sweep off Rehan saw Compton to 200. He took a single off Patel to pass his previous highest score of 217 and was finally out when he came down the wicket to Rehan and was stumped.Rehan then had Matt Parkinson lbw for two and Kent were 429-8 at tea, after which Finch cover-drove Rishi Patel to bring up his half-century, but play was suspended at 16:40 BST and both sides looked as eager as the umpires to shake hands on the draw.ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Chelsea rocked by disappearance of £30,000 worth of equipment from Blues' Cobham training ground
Chelsea rocked by disappearance of £30,000 worth of equipment from Blues' Cobham training ground

The Sun

time2 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Chelsea rocked by disappearance of £30,000 worth of equipment from Blues' Cobham training ground

CHELSEA have been rocked by the disappearance of £30,000 of camera equipment from their training ground. The Blues called Surrey Police after the gear was reported missing from their Cobham HQ. 2 2 It remains unclear whether the hi-tech video equipment has just been mislaid and will come to light once all staff have returned from holiday. But the incident is suspicious enough for the club to have involved the police. Top football clubs like the world champion Blues make extensive use of video footage from training and matches to help players' physical, technical, tactical and mental performance. Chelsea declined to comment about the timing and circumstances of the discovery that the equipment was not where it should be. But if a crime has been committed, it won't be the first in the leafy Surrey suburbs to affect the club. A number of Chelsea players have been the victims of break-ins at their mansions near the club's training base. Raheem Sterling's home was targeted in December 2022 while he was with England at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with a group of burglars stealing £300,000 of designer watches. Sterling flew home from the tournament to comfort his family before returning to the Middle East. Albanian Emiliano Krosi was later jailed for more than 11 years for his part in the raid and 32 other burglaries across the South East. Sterling was the fourth Chelsea player to have his home burgled in a relatively short space of time. Current club captain Reece James slammed the 'cowardly thieves' who broke into his house in December 2021 while he was playing for the Blues in the Champions League. The burglars got away with a safe that contained James' medal from Chelsea's Champions League win of that year, as well as the Euro 2020 runners-up medal he earned with England. At least two other unnamed Chelsea players were understood to have suffered similar experiences around the same time

Man Utd fans vow to ‘call first born child INEOS' if Ruben Amorim completes incredible transfer for Brighton star
Man Utd fans vow to ‘call first born child INEOS' if Ruben Amorim completes incredible transfer for Brighton star

The Sun

time2 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Man Utd fans vow to ‘call first born child INEOS' if Ruben Amorim completes incredible transfer for Brighton star

MANCHESTER UNITED fans have vowed to make some madcap life decisions if the club complete a stunning deal to sign Carlos Baleba. Reports suggest Red Devils transfer chiefs have made contact with Brighton over the possibility of signing the 21-year-old. 5 5 5 5 Baleba is seen as one of the brightest talents of his age group, and as reported by L'Equipe in France, United are currently in pole position to sign the midfielder amid a host of interested parties. In the CIES football observatory, Baleba is valued at up to £76million, though it is understood Brighton have no intention to sanction a sale for the rising star this summer, with Seagulls chief Paul Barber denying that an approach had been made at all. Barber said: "There is always going to be interest in our players. Manchester United have not been in touch with me, speculation is speculation. "Carlos is a fantastic talent and we hope he will be here for years to come. But it's subject to the dynamics of the football world, which is not always predictable." Baleba's contract at the Amex Stadium runs until 2028 - while there is also an option to extend for a further year. United are on the hunt for a dynamic midfielder to go in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 pivot after unconvincing displays by Manuel Ugarte in pre-season, with his display against Everton coming in fro particular scrutiny. Baleba was one of the Premier League's top ranked midfielders last season for tackles, blocks, interceptions and recoveries, while his progressive carries and forward passing numbers were also impressive. And such is the fervour for United to sign Baleba - who exclusively told SunSport about his ambition to win the Ballon d'Or - that the thought of getting the deal over the line has seen some of the Red Devils faithful make some stunning promises. One excited fan declared: "If we sign Baleba then I'm calling my first born child INEOS." A second said: "Throw the f***ing bank at him. Incur a lifetime transfer ban. Pull every credit facility necessary. "Include the new stadium naming rights in the deal. Do anything and everything in your power to sign Carlos Baleba." A third said: "I swear, if we sign Baleba after signing Sesko, Mbeumo, and Cunha, then I'm driving down to Sir Jim Ratcliffe's house and kissing his feet while apologising for all the bad things I've said about INEOS." Another said: "Get Baleba and it's the best window since 2007." A fifth said: "Bro what the f*** were we gonna do if we got UCL???????" A sixth said: "Nah the way United fans manifested this Baleba [move] through pure faith and blind optimism We are massive man." A seventh speculated: "[Kobbie] Mainoo-Baleba for the next decade genuinely sorts out the base of the team in every single facet in every single system/shape." These opinions come before a fan protest against Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, organised by The 1958, ahead of United's opening Premier League game against Arsenal on August 17. Baleba made his international debut for Cameroon last year and has played in seven games for the Indomitable Lions so far. And his high ambitions of winning football's ultimate individual prize is sure to go down well with Man Utd fans and transfer chiefs as they look to bring the club back to its former glory. He told SunSport in an exclusive interview: "Declan Rice, Matheus Cunha, Joelinton, they've all told me I've got it in me. I want to win the Ballon d'Or like Rodri. "I watched him during the Euros and before his injury I played against him and time I got the ball, he was right in front of me. 'It was my first game against Manchester City, and it was very difficult. He made it so hard to dribble or pass. That showed his class. 'His success has opened the door for midfielders like us to believe we can win the Ballon d'Or someday... I can get to the very top of world football. 'But I need to stay focused, stay calm, not rush, and not let what people write get in my head. If I keep working hard, I can be like Luka Modric or Toni Kroos, I just need to stay grounded." Baleba's journey to football stardom is nothing short of remarkable. He tragically lost his mother three years ago just as he got his breakthrough European move to French side Lille. But he explained the pain of his loss drives him forwards to be the best version of himself. Baleba continued: "It was very difficult for me because I didn't see my mum. I wanted her next to me, but when I signed for Brighton, she wasn't here. 'That's why the first season was really hard. I thought about her a lot. But I vowed that I would be the best version of myself and go as far as I can in my career." His English is still a work in progress, but he's proud of the steps he has taken to settle in, even if the British weather isn't always his cup of tea. He added: "I love it here, to be honest. My favourite English food is the English breakfast, if I'm allowed to say that! But the weather is the only issue, it changes all the time." 5

Viktor Gyökeres labours as Arsenal fall short against Villarreal and Pépé
Viktor Gyökeres labours as Arsenal fall short against Villarreal and Pépé

The Guardian

time32 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Viktor Gyökeres labours as Arsenal fall short against Villarreal and Pépé

New season, same old Arsenal? On an evening when Viktor Gyökeres was meant to announce himself as the solution to all of Mikel Arteta's problems, instead it was a figure from Arsenal's past who stole the show. At £72m – £8m more than they may end up paying for the Sweden striker – Nicolas Pépé remains Arsenal's record signing, a few months before Arteta replaced Unai Emery in 2019. Most of the fans who packed out the Emirates Stadium for this pre-season friendly will not have many fond memories of the Ivory Coast international's spell in north London, but he clearly had a point to prove here. Pépé's early goal and strikes from Karl Etta Eyong and the former Tottenham loanee Arnaut ­Danjuma sealed an impressive win for ­Villarreal, and left Arteta with plenty of ­questions to resolve before ­Arsenal's opening game of the season next weekend against Manchester United. Gyökeres, who is the headline act of a spending spree that could exceed £200m, looked short of match fitness as he toiled up front for 62 ­minutes. Only the ­introduction of the 15‑year‑old Max Dowman for his first senior appearance at the ­Emirates Stadium could lift the mood as he won a penalty that allowed Martin Ødegaard to make the scoreline more respectable. But there were more reasons to be fearful for Arsenal's fans as they aim to improve on finishing as Premier League runners-up for a third successive season. There had been a sense of anticipa­tion in the late summer air as they queued patiently at the club shop before kick‑off, with several already sporting Gyökeres's new replica No 14 shirt. Having made his debut last week as a substitute against Spurs in their 1-0 defeat in Hong Kong, the ­Sweden striker is still playing catch‑up ­having stayed away from pre-season with Sporting as he attempted to force through his move. But he was included in a strong starting lineup, with Ethan Nwaneri deputising for Ødegaard alongside the new signing Christian Nørgaard and Mikel Merino in midfield. The match programme featured pictures of all six of Arsenal's summer arrivals on the cover, with ­Martín Zubimendi, Cristhian Mosquera, Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga on the bench. Arteta used his programme notes to express his belief they 'will add quality and depth to the squad, which is what we are going to need throughout the season'. Arteta added: 'We know what our targets are and what we want to achieve this season – there is a big belief in our ability to achieve that. We have been very, very close the last few seasons and the whole team is going to determine whether we achieve that or not.' It was Nwaneri, who has signed a new contract this summer, who caught the eye early on. A cross from Merino that was meant for the ­forehead of Gyökeres instead found Bukayo Saka at the back post and he could not direct the ball on target. But with only Gabriel Magalhães missing from his first-choice back four, Arteta will be concerned with how easily ­Villarreal established a 2-0 lead. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Pépé, who joined Villarreal last year on a free transfer and is set to be joined by the former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey after he agreed an initial one-year deal, was unlucky when his shot came back off the post before he eventually forced the ball past David Raya when Arsenal failed to clear. The Spaniard was left ­fuming with his defence when Etta Eyong doubled the Spanish side's lead just after the half-hour, although ­Nørgaard immediately pulled one back from a corner. Like last season when they struggled from a lack of creativity, that seemed to be Arsenal's best chance of scoring as Gyökeres was forced to live off scraps before the break. Mosquera and Zubimendi were summoned for the second half and there was an immediate improvement. Gyökeres finally had a sight of goal when played in by Merino but his shot was well saved by Luiz Júnior. It needed Dowman, who has been hailed as a 'special talent' by Arteta despite his tender years, to save some face after Danjuma had raced clear to make it 3-1, although Madueke missed the decisive penalty in a post‑match shootout.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store