After suffering the heartbreak of Premier League relegation, Leeds United were forced to bid farewell to a number of players in the summer transfer window, giving new manager Daniel Farke an immediate headache at the start of his tenure.
The former Norwich boss recruited well, however, alongside new owners the 49ers Enterprises, and the Whites are now in the race for automatic promotion alongside Ipswich Town and Leicester City.
Farke's attention may soon turn towards the January transfer window and keeping hold of the new stars that have emerged this season at Elland Road. The last thing he'll want is to do is lose players once again in what would be a major dent in his side's Championship promotion push. And reports suggest that the manager is set to get his wish when it comes to keeping one particular player, too.
Leeds United transfer news
Whilst exits took place during the summer, they did at least give Farke the opportunity to discover new options at Elland Road, whether through the market or the academy. And that includes Archie Gray, who has emerged as one of Leeds' standout stars this season. The teenager has taken his opportunity incredibly well and has quickly become an important part of Farke's side – so much so that the Whites may face a battle to keep hold of him.
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According to Football Insider, Leeds and the 49ers are set to reject offers for Gray during the January transfer window and are adamant that he'll be staying at the club amid reported interest from Liverpool, Everton and Crystal Palace. The midfielder's current deal runs out in 2025, which hands Leeds a fairly urgent task when it comes to securing his future in Yorkshire, and talks are thought to be in the works over a new contract.
"Fantastic" Gray has become key for Farke
Gray's stats this season show just how important he's been for Leeds. The 17-year-old has started plenty of Championship games throughout the current campaign, whether that be in midfield or at right-back, proving his versatility. Still so young, Gray is only likely to get even better, which is exciting for those at Elland Road.
Leeds ace Archie Gray.
Farke is certainly a fan too, speaking about Gray's ability to fill in at right-back, saying:
"For Archie, it's definitely not a bad choice at times. We don't play him there just to develop him, it's more we've got the feeling for this game, we need a player there who is capable to handle the pace and the speed and the mobility of the opponent's wingers.
"Also to play a bit more like an inverted full-back, a bit more like a traditional midfield player, Archie would have been the right choice. Thank God he repaid my trust and played some really good games there. He was fantastic in the last home game, solid last away game and he was crucial, especially in the second half."
Jesse Lingard felt "blessed" as he played his first competitive match in over 10 months in South Korea.
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Lingard blessed to play after 10 months
Made his debut for FC Seoul on Saturday
Last played for Forest in the Premier League in April
WHAT HAPPENED?
The former Manchester United winger made his debut in the K-League on Saturday as he came on as a substitute in FC Seoul's season opener against Gwangju. Lingard, who last played a competitive match for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League against the Red Devils on April 16, 2023, took the field for the first time in over 10 months, although his first-ever K-League match ended in a 2-0 defeat for his side.
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WHAT JESSE LINGARD SAID
After playing his maiden game for Seoul, Lingard took to Instagram where he shared a series of photographs from the match with the caption, "Blessed and grateful to be back on the pitch doing what I love best."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The former England international was welcomed with loud cheers by Korean fans present at the stadium as he replaced Kim Gyeong-min in the 77th minute. Before making his competitive debut, the player participated in pre-season friendly games and even scored a goal in his club's 11-1 win over Japanese university side Kanoya.
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WHAT NEXT FOR JESSE LINGARD?
The 31-year-old will be next seen in action for his club on March 11 against Incheon in the second match of their K-League campaign.
da premier bet： A sexta-feira foi de boas notícias para os torcedores do Manchester United, tendo em vista que os Diabos Vermelhos acertaram a volta de Cristiano Ronaldo ao Old Trafford. Ainda, o Corinthians colocou um ponto final na “novela Roger Guedes”, o PSG pode contratar Haaland… Veja essas e outras notícias na galeria do LANCE! com o Dia do Mercado. Confira no link abaixo!
VEJA O QUE DE MELHOR ACONTECEU NO MERCADO DA BOLA NA SEXTA-FEIRA
Leeds United continued their fantastic run of form in the Championship as they beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 at Ewood Park on Saturday.
Goals from Dan James and Crysencio Summerville secured all three points for the Whites in Lancashire but it did nothing to close the gap on the top two.
Ipswich Town and Leicester continue to run away with the automatic promotion places as they sit on 48 and 49 points respectively, with a combined 31 wins from 40 matches.
First
Leicester
49
Second
Ipswich
48
Third
Leeds
41
Fourth
Southampton
38
Fifth
West Brom
32
Sixth
Sunderland
30
Daniel Farke's side, meanwhile, have won six of their last seven league games and sit seven points behind the Tractor Boys with 41 points in third place.
The Whites must continue to bring in the results and hope that the current top two slip up at some point and provide them with a chance to move up into the promotion places.
Bolstering the playing squad in January could give Leeds a boost and help them push for an automatic spot in the second half of the season.
Leeds transfer news – Sam Curtis
One player who has been linked with a potential move to Elland Road at the start of next year is impressive teenage full-back Sam Curtis.
90min reported last month that the Whites are one of a number of clubs eyeing up the 18-year-old defender ahead of the January transfer window.
The outlet claimed that Premier League giants Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, and Manchester City all want to sign him next month.
It added that Leeds, Middlesbrough, and Hull City are three Championship sides interested in Curtis, whilst reigning Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have also had an eye on the Irish prospect.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke.
He currently plays for St Patrick's Athletic in his home country and his club are said to expect him to move on before they return to league action in February.
This suggests that a January transfer is on the cards for the right-back and this means that Leeds will need to move swiftly if they want to beat off the competition for his signature.
However, the report does not reveal how much it would cost to secure a deal for his services and that could play a telling role if it is out of the club's budget.
If they can afford him, though, Leeds could have an edge over the Premier League giants as they could offer the allure of regular first-team football, which the likes of City and Liverpool may not be able to offer with Kyle Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold standing in his way.
Farke could unearth his next version of Max Aarons, who he uncovered at Norwich City, by winning the race for Curtis' signature ahead of the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.
Max Aarons' Championship form for Farke
The German tactician placed his full faith in the talented right-back during their time together at Carrow Road as he handed the academy prospect a full first-team league debut at the age of 18.
Farke chucked Aarons in at the deep end in an East Anglian derby against Ipswich at the start of the 2018/19 campaign and the full-back went on to play a crucial role in the club's promotion to the Premier League.
The Canaries youngster went on to start 41 Championship matches in his first season at senior level and contributed with two goals and six assists.
Daniel Farke and Max Aarons at Norwich.
He caught the eye with 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game to go along with a duel success rate of 58%, which shows that the impressive youngster made an impression at both ends of the pitch.
Norwich found themselves back in the Championship again for the 2020/21 campaign and Aarons, once again, produced fantastic performances.
The former England U21 international started 45 of their 46 league matches and made his presence felt with two goals and two assists from right-back. He also ranked within the top 4% of his positional peers at that level for progressive carries (3.27) per 90.
Aarons was rewarded for his stunning form with a place in the PFA Team of the Year for both the 2018/19 and the 2020/21 season respectively. He was also named the EFL Young Player of the Season at the end of his first campaign for Norwich.
These statistics and achievements show that Farke unearthed a gem in Norfolk and the German boss could do something similar with Curtis at Leeds.
The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Curtis
The talented prospect, who journalist Seán O'Connor dubbed a "rising star", has already played a full season of senior football despite the fact his 18th birthday was earlier this month.
Teammate Tom Grivosti hailed the 18-year-old whiz as "unbelievable" and claimed that he is "mature" beyond his years, which is a ringing endorsement for such a young player.
Curtis assisted three goals in 18 Premier Division appearances during his first foray into senior football during the 2022 campaign for St. Patrick's.
The Republic of Ireland U21 international followed that up with three goals and three assists in 34 outings in the Irish top-flight this year.
Alongside his attacking contributions, the teenage sensation caught the eye with his impressive defensive work. He made 3.4 tackles and interceptions and 5.2 ball recoveries across those 34 matches, to go along with a duel success rate of 63%.
For a point of reference, Archie Gray, who has been utilised out of position at right-back this season, has averaged 2.8 tackles and interceptions and won 54% of his battles across 19 Championship appearances.
The Thorp Arch youngster has, however, only contributed with one assist as he is yet to register the first senior goal of his promising career.
Gray has been a solid performer at right-back but the signing of Curtis would provide Farke with a natural player in that position and a potential upgrade given his defensive and offensive contributions in the Premier Division this year.
Leeds could, therefore, land the German his next version of Aarons as a fantastic 18-year-old right-back who could develop over time, whilst it would also allow Gray to play in his natural position in midfield.
The January transfer window reopening could come at the perfect time for Wayne Rooney and his new Birmingham City side, the former Manchester United great turned Blues manager struggling in the St Andrew's dug-out so far.
New fresh bodies into the building handpicked by Rooney himself could be the catalyst for change as the under-pressure boss begins to leave his mark on the Blues, Birmingham falling down the Championship table at a rapid pace under the former Derby County manager's doomed reign to date with only one win from eight.
Rooney could well have a number of Red Devils players on his shopping list, relying on his ties still to Old Trafford in order to gain some exciting talents in through the door at St Andrew's to stop the rot.
Here are three Man United players the already under-fire Blues boss could attempt to sign on loan this January to liven up proceedings…
1 Joe Hugill
Joe Hugill
Rooney could well opt to bring in a fresh face up top this January, with Joe Hugill potentially his desired target who continues to be prolific at youth level for Man United.
Birmingham's strikers are struggling for goals minus young hot-shot Jay Stansfield – with five goals – who is on loan from Fulham, so Rooney could decide another loan buy is worth pursuing.
Hugill has seven goals in all competitions for the U21's side this season, scoring twice last time out in Premier League 2 action versus Everton.
The 20-year-old did struggle out on loan at non-league Altrincham recently – only netting one goal from seven National League appearances in 2022/23 – but Erik ten Hag might well see Hugill going under Rooney's wing on a short-term basis as a beneficial learning curve for his exciting prospect.
2 Omari Forson
Another youngster exciting those at Man United is Omari Forson, who would also benefit from a taste of senior action if he was to be loaned out.
Forson has been deployed at U23 level this season down both flanks and even through the centre of the park, with Forson excelling mainly down the left wing – four of his seven goals in all competitions coming from this role in the side.
Birmingham are light on numbers down the flanks so Forson could well be a worthwhile short-term buy this January, with Koji Miyoshi in recent weeks even moving over to the wing despite starting his career at the Blues mainly as a central attacking midfielder.
Other options in the winger positions such as Oliver Burke have just failed to acclimatise to St Andrew's – the Werder Bremen loanee routinely firing blanks for the Blues with zero goals – and so the skilful and clinical attacker from Man United could be a wise acquisition in the transfer window.
3 Radel Vitek
Manchester United's Radek Vitek warming up.
Lastly, the final name on Rooney's potential shopping list from the Red Devils could be Czech goalkeeper Radel Vitek.
Vitek was a surprise inclusion on the bench against Sevilla in last season's Europa League for Man United, with the 20-year-old shot-stopper highly thought of at Old Trafford.
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Amassing 55 appearances in numerous age brackets at the club, the time could be right for Vitek to experience the cut and thrust of EFL football on loan.
The Blues do have two experienced goalkeeper options on their books, with former Norwich City and Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper John Ruddy the preferred number one, but Vitek could offer the ageing shot-stopper some healthy competition if he was signed by Rooney.
Ruddy has struggled to keep the ball out of his net this season, only keeping four clean sheets from 19 appearances. Could a fresh recruit from the Red Devils hungry for more minutes come in and steal his number-one jersey?
Leeds United are loving life in the Championship at the moment, recent wins against Norwich City and Huddersfield Town showcasing Daniel Farke's men at their very best – coming from behind at Carrow Road in dramatic fashion to beat the Canaries 3-2, whilst a barnstorming 4-1 win at home over the Terriers was far more straightforward but equally as entertaining.
Joel Piroe continues to lead the line for the Whites, but it's the displays of Crysencio Summerville in recent weeks that have got supporters purring in West Yorkshire.
The Dutch winger helped himself to four goals in total versus Norwich and Huddersfield, the 22-year-old arguably Leeds' star-man now after a mass exodus from Elland Road this summer saw players such as Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra depart.
With the first team firing on all cylinders – Leeds third in the current Championship standings – it'll be even more pleasing for the die-hard Whites masses that youth players such as Sean McGurk are excelling for the U21's who could go on to be heroes themselves at senior level.
Currently scoring at a faster rate than Piroe, McGurk is already being tipped for greatness when he eventually pulls on a first-team jersey.
His performances at youth level have been electric, considering Piroe's own blistering goalscoring form.
Piroe's numbers this season
Leaving Swansea behind for pastures new in the Whites, the 24-year-old has not regretted swapping the Swans for Leeds at all.
Scoring five goals in 14 starts for his new employers to date in the second tier, the Dutch attacker stood out in particular in Leeds' 3-0 win over Millwall with two of those goals coming in the clash at the Den.
Leeds forward Joel Piroe
Netting both opportunities he put on target with cool precision, the ex-Swansea Player of the Year winner singlehandedly helped his outfit pick up only their second Championship win of the season at that point.
Piroe's effectiveness has lessened in recent encounters – the Dutchman only netting once in his last six – but he's still picked week in, week out by Farke in the attacking ranks.
McGurk, however, continues to be deadly for Leeds at U21 level, the ex-Wigan Athletic attacking midfielder crucial for his Premier League 2 side.
McGurk's numbers this season
The 20-year-old has received plenty of praise from the football world off the back of his impressive performances and raw potential, McGurk himself even stating – when first signing for Leeds – that he would be best described as an "exciting" player to watch.
He certainly has been exciting for the Whites this campaign in the Premier League 2, scoring at a faster rate than Piroe even whilst playing primarily behind the forwards in a central attacking midfield role.
McGurk has six goal contributions in total, including four goals in seven outings alongside two assists – a better scoring rate than Piroe's return of five in 14.
Last time out, he helped his team race into a 2-0 goal lead against Liverpool U21's – scoring within the first few minutes himself, before assisting number 9 Mateo Joseph.
The game would finish 2-2, but McGurk was a key performer again with his current displays suggesting that he could be given a first-team opportunity soon.
With Leeds developing the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Lewis Cook through their Academy who have gone on to have established careers at top-flight level, they'll hope they have another gem in McGurk who becomes a star at senior level for the Whites.
While Premier League table-toppers Tottenham Hotspur are currently flying under new boss Ange Postecoglou, that has not prevented speculation regarding the club's desire to build on this momentum by strengthening even further in the New Year.
Tottenham transfer targets for January
As per a report from journalist Graeme Bailey earlier this week, writing on Twitter, the Lilywhites are one of a "host of Premier League clubs" who have an "active interest" in Athletic Bilbao sensation, Nico Williams, with the 21-year-old having come onto the "radar" of those at N17, as well as the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool.
In his attached piece for 90min, the respected insider revealed that the promising Spaniard faces an uncertain future with the Basque outfit with just over six months left to run on his existing deal, ensuring that any interested parties can potentially pounce in January ahead of a free transfer move next summer.
The suggestion is that competition will be rife in the battle to land the fleet-footed starlet, with the likes of Bayern Munich and Juventus also said to be showing an interest, while Aston Villa are believed to have made a move during the recent window for the ten-cap international – who is valued at €80m (£69m), according to CIES Football Observatory.
The stats to show why Tottenham should sign Nico Williams
That wave of interest in the Bilbao talent is telling of just what a standout prospect he truly is, having previously been described as an "extremely dangerous" asset who can simply "torment the opposition", in the words of journalist and U23 scout, Antonio Mango.
As Mango also noted, the young winger is also known for "his pace, quick feet and creativity", as well as having "dynamite in his footwork", with such hefty praise likely to pique the interest of Postecoglou, who will be looking for further attacking reinforcement following the exit of Harry Kane over the summer.
While the north Londoners did recruit Brennan Johnson on a £47.5m deal, further additions may be needed with Richarlison still struggling to fire, the former Everton man scoring just two league goals since signing last year.
Recruited as a potential understudy to Kane, the Brazilian has since been shifted onto the flanks this season, albeit with limited success, hence why the addition of Williams could be a perfect upgrade on the misfiring marksman.
Not only does the latter man boast the benefit of being a more natural, out-and-out winger, but he has also been far more clinical and creative in recent times, having contributed nine goals and six assists in all competitions last term – far beyond Richarlison's tally of just seven goals and assists in 2022/23.
As for the current campaign, Williams already has four assists to his name from just seven La Liga appearances, with the current Tottenham man, by contrast, racking up one goal and just three assists in nine league games in England's top-flight.
What particularly sets the Bilbao man apart is his ability to beat a man down the flanks and drive forward with the ball at every opportunity, ranking in the top 3% for progressive carries among his peers in Europe's top five leagues, as well as the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.
With Richarlison, by contrast, ranking in just the bottom 21% and the bottom 23% for those same two metrics, respectively, it indicates the improvement that Spurs could make by bringing in the in-demand wideman in 2024.
Equally, at a time when Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr have forced their way into Postecoglou's starting side, such an exciting, youthful addition would help to maintain that trend of assembling a young and hungry squad that can be nurtured for years to come.
Tottenham Hotspur signing an in-form star is "on the cards" this winter, and it is believed that manager Ange Postecoglou is personally a "big fan".
Will Spurs sign anyone in January?
While Spurs are absolutely flying under Postecoglou so far this campaign, enjoying their best ever start to a Premier League campaign and most superior since the 1960/1961 season, there is still work to be done on the signings front. Recent Spurs transfer rumours suggest they're chasing the signing of a new central defender for January, with Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, Juventus star Gleison Bremer, Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly and Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba all mentioned as rumoured Tottenham targets.
Meanwhile, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg news over the last few weeks indicates that the Denmark international is now considering his options in the winter window. Juventus are apparently eyeing a move for the Spurs midfielder, who has since found himself on the periphery of Postecoglou's first team despite being a mainstay under Antonio Conte last term. As a result, Chelsea star Conor Gallagher is one of the names under consideration, if he doesn't end up signing a new contract at Stamford Bridge.
While Tottenham are really impressing without star striker Harry Kane, who joined Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in a multi-million pound move over the summer window, it has also been claimed that a new number nine could join Spurs in 2024. Indeed, the likes of Brentford star Ivan Toney and even marquee Napoli striker Victor Osimhen have been linked in this regard.
Santiago Gimenez transfer news
Another striker who's found himself on the list of Tottenham transfer targets is Feyenoord star Santiago Gimenez. The Mexico international has scored an exceptional 12 goals in just eight Eredivisie appearances this season, making him one of the most in-form strikers in Europe. Postecoglou is currently lacking an out-and-out striker of real quality, with Son Heung-min instead dazzling in a more central role.
Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez.
The South Korea international has been one of Tottenham's players of the season so far, but if they're to maintain their place among England's most elite sides, more strength in depth may be required. According to TEAMtalk, Gimenez is a candidate to fill Kane's shoes and could even join as soon as January.
Sharing their information at the bottom of a piece about Tiago Pinto, they claim the 22-year-old's potential move to Spurs is "on the cards" for the new year. They add that Postecoglou is personally a "big fan" of Gimenez, who may become one of European football's hottest commodities next year.
Finishing
Holding on to the ball
Passing
Defensive contribution
The North American, branded a "machine" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, has been praised by sections of the press for his excellent form this season. Journalist Graeme Bailey, recently sharing his own update on Tottenham's transfer plans to the Talking Transfers Podcast, absolutely heralded Gimenez as one to watch.
“Santiago Gimenez looks sensational by the way, he looks so good. He looks amazing to me,” Bailey said. “Teams have been watching Feyenoord, of which there is a few, they are the best team in Holland, we know Arsenal and Tottenham have been watching Gimenez as of late.”
Ryan ten Doeschate and Ravi Bopara both struck hundreds with ease on a Chelmsford pitch on which Somerset will hope to meet just as successfully
Dan Norcross26-Jun-20181:34
Surrey hit with five-run penalty
ScorecardTalk to any professional cricketer, past and present, and they will tell you that it is a horrible game to master. It plays devilish tricks on the mind, and even worse ones on the body. In a few fleeting moments you may enter the fabled “zone” but beware, for Mother Cricket is waiting to bite you on the arse at any, or indeed every moment.It is the cruelty of cricket that so attracts its supporters. The fine balance between bat and ball. That sense of jeopardy that accompanies every delivery in the very best of matches; a jeopardy that has led some, famously, to chew through their umbrellas or even drop down dead.While Ravi Bopara and Ryan ten Doeschate, in his first game back since a two-game suspension, were compiling a fifth-wicket record partnership for Essex against Somerset of 294, cricket, however, looked the easiest game in the world, at least for the batsmen. It was a stupendous feat of concentration on another blistering day by two men with decades of experience between them.There were some elegant strokes, plenty of immaculate defence and, towards the end, when the imperative was to speed towards a declaration target, some genuinely spectacular hitting, but it was impossible to escape the impression that it was all too easy.Runs, certainly for the first two hours today, weren’t so much scored as extracted from Somerset’s bowlers; a tithe to be paid if they wanted to share the same pitch. Dominic Bess, who finished yesterday’s play covered in more grit, dust and grime than a Victorian child chimney sweep, struggled manfully on a pitch that offered him nothing.Again he kept the Essex duo in check until ten Doeschate shifted gears late in the first session, driving the increasingly battered ball with perfect precision along the ground through the covers like a European Central Bank mandarin scything through the more hopeful parts of a Greek finance minister’s budget with a pink marker pen. Bess’ reward for 49 overs of earnest, and committed toil was figures of 2 for 132.Jamie Overton, playing his first championship match of the season after injury, tried a different approach. Banging the ball in halfway down the wicket he generated decent pace, but the ball was soft, the pitch was docile and the batsmen, in particular ten Doeschate, adapted with ease. Overton’s 22 overs yielded 110 runs, but at least it broke the monotony. Instead of a modest tithe, the batsmen were now extracting Super Tax.Nearly four hours into the day, Bopara slogged at Trego and paid with his middle stump. His 118 was, astoundingly for a man who is the seventh highest run scorer in all cricket worldwide over the last decade, only his second championship century since July 2, 2014. There was time for ten Doeschate (173*) to go past his highest championship score before he declared10 overs before tea on a mere 515 for 5.Somerset were able to negotiate the short session to tea easily. All too easily. And then the game burst into life. Neil Wagner, who gave the full pitched swinging ball two or three attempts, promptly and with commendable devotion, explored the middle of the pitch, much as Overton had earlier, but at greater pace and at a nastier angle.The last eight overs of his marathon ten over spell consisted almost entirely of short balls. A couple, suddenly, shot along the ground. Most of them reared to chest and throat height. Davies glanced one to Wheater behind the stumps to depart for 41. Byrom and Bartlett channelling their inner Andrew Hilditch, pulled and hooked at pretty much every ball. They even middle the occasional one. It was baffling. Westley was stationed at back-stop for the top edged hook. You could hear Geoffrey Boycott mithering at their failure to sway and duck, and he may have had a point. It was ludicrous stuff, but, after hours of somnolent dominance by the bat, it was marvellous fun.And then it stopped again. Wagner couldn’t bowl all day. Sam Cook and Jamie Porter adopted a more orthodox approach. Byrom and Bartlett settled back into the rhythms of this match and the day dawdled to its close with the lights finally taking effect, Somerset comfortably enough placed on 140 for 2.
James Vince and Mark Stoneman produced valuable fifties to build on England’s hard-earned advantage at Christchurch
The Report by Andrew Miller01-Apr-2018England 307 (Bairstow 101, Wood 52, Southee 6-62, Boult 4-87) and 202 for 3 (Vince 76, Stoneman 60) lead New Zealand 278 (Watling 85, Broad 6-54) by 231 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAt the Gabba in November, James Vince and Mark Stoneman began a long and arduous winter as a pair of question marks in England’s Test-match top three. At Christchurch in April, the pair came good in a vital century partnership for England’s second wicket – good enough, that is, to set their side up for what may yet turn out to be a series-levelling victory against New Zealand, if not quite good enough to assuage the lingering doubts about their futures at the highest level.For the record, Vince made 76, and Stoneman a career-best 60 – a pair of crucial, balm-applying performances that helped to turn a slender 29-run first-innings lead into an overall advantage of 231 on the third day at Hagley Oval, with seven wickets in hand.By stumps, Joe Root and Dawid Malan – himself in a lean run of form – had added 37 for the fourth wicket with few alarms beyond a mix-up between the wickets, as the Barmy Army went through their full repertoire at a sleepy and autumnal venue, where the overnight changing of the clocks had lent a decidedly end-of-season feel to the contest.And if, in two days’ time, England do manage to secure their first overseas win in 13 attempts, they will owe a major debt to a 123-run stand for the second wicket between Vince and Stoneman, who showcased from the outset the sort of fluency and resolve that the selectors have long believed was within their capability.They came together in the ninth over, following another troubling failure for Alastair Cook, and were not separated until the 47th, by which stage the shine had long gone from the new ball and New Zealand’s over-reliance on the brilliance of Tim Southee and Trent Boult was beginning to be felt.Both men began their innings knowing that further Test chances could not be guaranteed, especially after such a winter of underachievement from England’s red-ball outfit. And Vince in particular – recalled for this Test having sat out in Auckland – seemed determined to go out on his own terms. He lashed his second delivery from Boult for a typically glorious cover-drive, the sort of flash of beauty that has earned him selectorial forgiveness in spite of his very average average.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Vince added two more off-side boundaries in his first seven deliveries (one of them a bit chancy, if truth be told), to establish the parameters of his innings. And his commitment to calculated aggression served him well in a typically attractive performance studded with ten boundaries, arguably the best of which was a trademark creaming through the covers, shortly before tea, to bring up the third half-century of his Test career.At the other end, Stoneman took a more attritional route to the top – at least in the early part of his innings – as he drew the sting of New Zealand’s new ball before cashing in with a quartet of rifled boundaries through the covers. He played his strokes with less flourish than Vince, maybe, but no less authority, as he bided his time on each occasion and made sure he punished the loose delivery.But then, on 35, the composure of Stoneman’s innings seemed to dissipate after he was struck on the shoulder by a Neil Wagner lifter and given out caught behind. He successfully reviewed the decision, but seemed unable thereafter to shake off the shadow of impending doom, as he developed a death wish to balls outside the off stump, particularly against the medium pace of Colin de Grandhomme.Twice in the space of three balls, he edged de Grandhomme into the slips from round the wicket – the first looped safely away to the boundary but the second, an open-faced steer, went into Ross Taylor’s right hand at first slip and straight out again. Two overs later, Stoneman brought up his fifty with another chancy slap over the cordon, off Southee, and was dropped for a second time off de Grandhomme when Southee himself, now at first slip with Taylor off the field, tipped a flying edge over the bar.In the end, it took a brilliant spring-loaded leap from BJ Watling to bring Stoneman’s innings to an end, but the manner of his departure had been sadly telegraphed for several overs before his demise.And the same, cruelly, could also be said of Vince, who had not played with such fluency since that fateful 83 on the first day of the Ashes in Brisbane. That effort eventually ended with a “what if?” run-out, but today’s provided a more familiar ending. Another ball in the channel, this time from Boult, and a cramped drive straight into the hands of first slip. He’s not the first batsman whose greatest strength is also his greatest weakness – David Gower, for one, endured a career of stick for getting out so often on the drive. But Gower also averaged 44.25 to Vince’s 24.90.Still, at least England’s Nos. 2 and 3 produced scores that enhanced their reputations. The same unfortunately could not be said of Cook, England’s leading Test run-scorer, whose dismissal for 14 took his tally for the tour to a dismal 23 runs in four innings, at an average of 5.75 that is, by a distance, his worst return in any completed Test series.Stuart Broad finished with a six-wicket haul•Associated Press
After his tentative displays in the first three innings of the series, Cook seemed determined to make his presence felt this time out. His footwork was more confident as he latched on a brace of short balls from Southee to pick up his first boundaries of the series, but from his very next delivery, he was trapped in no-man’s land by his nemesis Boult, who nipped a length ball off his outside edge to claim his wicket for the ninth time in Tests. Cook trudged off for 14 with a huge amount to ponder before England’s next Test engagement, against Pakistan in May.Cook might have anticipated being called on to bat earlier in the day, but for a combative morning’s work from New Zealand’s lower order. Stuart Broad eventually wrapped up the innings for 278 with figures of 6 for 54, but not before Southee had posted his first Test half-century since 2014 and Wagner and Boult had reduced the deficit to 29 in an enterprising 39-run stand for the tenth wicket.After resuming on 192 for 6, Southee signalled New Zealand’s intent by pulling the fourth ball of the morning over wide long-on for the 64th six of his Test career, drawing him level with AB de Villiers for the most by any active player, and it took the arrival of the second new ball for England to regain a measure of control, as Watling was uprooted for 85 by the ball of the innings, a full-length outswinger from James Anderson that bent from leg to off to smash the stumps. Watling had been denied his seventh Test century, but having hauled his team off the canvas at 36 for 5, he had more than played his part.Ish Sodhi edged to the keeper to give Broad his first five-wicket haul since the Johannesburg Test against South Africa in January 2016. And when Anderson ended Southee’s fun, plucking out his middle stump three balls after he had reached his fifty, England were looking at a substantial lead.Boult and Wagner, however, had other ideas. Wagner, pinned on the helmet by a fierce Broad lifter early in his stay, slapped Anderson out of the attack with a 13-run over, including an impulsive hook over fine leg for six, while Boult – as idiosyncratic as Courtney Walsh in his pomp – ducked and dived at the crease, and occasionally connected with power. He rattled along to 16 from 22 balls before top-edging Broad to fine leg to ensure, for the second innings in the match, that all ten wickets were shared by just the opening bowlers.