ScorecardTitle-chasing Kent will require a backs-to-the-wall batting effort on Sunday if they are to protect their unbeaten Division Two status after tomorrow’s final day of their Specsavers County Championship clash with Durham in Canterbury.Having been set an unlikely victory pursuit of 484 in a minimum of 90 overs, the hosts started their second innings just after 5.30pm and went in unscathed at stumps on 35 for nought – still needing 449 for an unlikely win.Openers Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sean Dickson escaped the 30-minute examination without alarm despite a pitch that is waring and beginning to show signs of variable bounce.A Durham victory would finally take them above zero after they began the season with a 48-point penalty from the ECB.Kent had started the day hanging on grimly in their first innings with skipper Sam Northeast leading their fight to avoid the follow-on. However, Paul Collingwood’s side needed only 12 overs and 50 minutes’ play to mop up Kent’s two remaining first-inning’s wickets and secure a 212-run lead.Barry McCarthy polished the job off by having Yasir Shah caught behind by a tumbling Stuart Poynter for 48 and then, with his next delivery, snaring Mitchell Claydon lbw with the home score on 236.Debutant Shah featured in a ninth-wicket stand worth 113 in 34.2 overs with his new captain Northeast, who was left unbeaten on 109 after posting his 18th first-class hundred from 162 balls and with 13 fours.McCarthy finished with a career-best 6 for 63, while Chris Rushworth bagged 3 for 69 in a much-improved Durham bowling performance.Batting again before noon and after deciding not to enforce the follow-on, Durham suffered a near immediate blow with the loss of left-handed opener Keaton Jennings.Prodding half-forward and inside the line of Darren Stevens’ first delivery, an off-cutter, the ball thudded into the right pad forcing umpire Jeff Evans to raise his finger.Paul Collingwood has put Durham in sight of their first win•Getty Images

Stephen Cook needed a stroke of luck to survive with his score on 25. Driving loosely at one from Will Gidman he watched as Matt Coles, at second slip, dropped a tough chance diving in front of first slip.After lunch, Durham continued at a surprisingly sedate pace, adding 100 in the mid-session for the loss of Stephen Cook who, with his score on 44, fenced at one from Claydon to edge to the keeper.Kent’s short-leg fielder Dickson went off for treatment just before tea when Graham Clark’s full-blooded sweep against Yasir Shah struck him a fearful blow at the back of his neck and immediately drew blood. Thankfully, the South Africa-born player emerged after the interval to take up a fielding spot on the ropes as Durham started to increase their run rate.Cameron Steel miscued a hook against Coles to hole out to mid-wicket, then Clark, after reaching an 81-ball 50, was bowled around his legs by Shah.In the quest for quicker runs Ryan Pringle was stumped off the bowling of Joe Denly and Stuart Poynter holed out to deep square leg to gift Yasir Shah his second scalp of the innings.Paul Collingwood upped the tempo further with a 49-ball, unbeaten 50 that took his side to 271 for six before his declaration with 10 overs remaining in the day.

We have a great selection of opening day and weekend fixtures with Man City looking to defend their title with a tricky opening encounter away at Burnley on Friday. The match can be watched live on Sky Sports. Pick of the Saturday action includes Arsenal at home to Nottingham Forest and Newcastle v Aston Villa is the Sky Sports match. Chelsea v Liverpool is arguably the match of the weekend on Sunday with Man Utd vs Wolves rounding things off on Monday.

First round matches in the Premier League in full:

Friday 11th August

Saturday 12th August

Sunday 13th August

Monday 14th August

Live Football on TV and streaming service: Our complete listing

The India captain feels development of a tight-knit team is the biggest success of his captaincy apart from the rise to No. 1 on the rankings

Sidharth Monga in Galle25-Jul-2017On the eve of India’s first Test series since an acrimonious coach swap, Virat Kohli spoke of a tight-knit team as the biggest success of his captaincy apart from the rise to No. 1. He spoke of the “outstanding bond” when asked what satisfied him most apart from the obvious winning feeling.”Just to see the responsibility taken by such a young bunch of players; to go out there and make a difference for the team,” Kohli said. “Even the substitutes that sit on the sidelines, their efforts, their energies, their concerns for the team when they are running in to provide to with the essentials… It’s great to see them also almost feeling like they are part of the playing XI that’s on the field.”That’s the kind of culture that has been created. It’s taken a while. Whoever steps into the dressing room, immediately feel comfortable because of the way they are embraced and how people are taking responsibility to maintain that culture. The bond within the team is outstanding and that is something that makes me really proud that we are all really close to each other and really enjoy playing alongside each other. That for me stands out the most because that shows on the field. Even in the most difficult of situations all guys believe that we can do it together and we have been able to overturn situations more often than not just because of that belief and the trust that we have between the players. So, that for me is most special thing apart from cricket performances.”That is perhaps why Kohli sees not many weaknesses in his side. “Well I don’t think there are any massive areas of concern for us,” he said. “We’ve been looking to fine-tune smaller areas during the course of the games, which probably people might not be able to pick up. [Areas] that can lead us into a situation which is not ideal. We have given responsibility to the players to identify those areas and work on those areas themselves. We have been able to put ourselves in a position in games, 80-85% of the games, where there’s only one winner left.”That’s the kind of sustained pressure that we’ve been able to build. But the key, as I said, is to go out there and repeat those things again and again. You can’t expect things to happen by themselves. You need to work hard every ball that you play on the cricket field and that applies to batsmen and bowlers collectively. So, the smaller areas we keep identifying and keep working on them.”With the confidence running that high, there is an obvious danger of letting the guard drop against Sri Lanka, who have not had the best of time in Test cricket of late. “For us we are playing a game of cricket, it doesn’t matter which opposition we are playing against,” Kohli said. “For us it’s all about identifying the players that they have, their strengths, their areas of weakness and focussing really on our performances and what we can do as a team. The moment you start focussing on the opposition and try to adjust your intensity according to who you are playing against, then that’s a very dangerous thing to do because if you don’t respect the game the game will sort you out and expose you.”We totally respect the game, we totally how hard we need to work to win every Test match, every situation, every session and every ball is an event for us. So we are willing to put in the hard yards for that and something that everyone in the team respects. As I said it’s something that is built as a culture and I am proud of it and the whole team is proud of it. We take a lot of pride in playing Test cricket for India and doing the hard yards that win the games.”

Crystal Palace could be in for a busy few weeks ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign as they are potentially forced to seek a replacement for in-demand Marc Guehi.

The Eagles are interested in signing Torino's Perr Schuurs, according to the Evening Standard, and journalist Dean Jones believes he could be the perfect player to replace Guehi at Selhurst Park.

What is the latest with Marc Guehi?

Football Insider reports that Liverpool are ready to battle it out with Premier League rivals Newcastle United for Guehi, who is valued in the region of around £60m by Palace.

That fee would allow Roy Hodgson's side to bring in a high-quality replacement, and Jones is not surprised Schuurs is wanted by so many of Europe's elite clubs.

Speaking to FootballFanCast, the reporter said:

"If Guehi was to leave, and they got the money in for him that they want, they'll have to scout around quickly to find a talent as good – and Schuurs is a big talent.

"He's got a great ability to read the game, so no surprise at all that he's been on the radar of the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool – he has a profile that fits those sides well."

Schuurs is under contract with Torino for another three years, with the option of another, meaning the Serie A side are under no real pressure to cash in unless their reported €40m (£34.2m) valuation is met.

How good is Torino defender Perr Schuurs?

Schuurs joined Torino from Ajax last August and played 30 times in 2022-23 for a side boasting the fifth-best defensive record in the Italian top flight.

The Netherlands U21 international rated particularly highly in metrics such as possession won and aerial duels won, with The Analyst ranking him in the top 7% and 23% respectively among defenders across Europe's top five leagues.

For comparison, Guehi – eight months younger than Schuurs at 22 – was among the top 10% for possession won and in the bottom 45% for aerial duels won.

The youngster's strengths do not necessarily lie in winning the ball in the air, but he was also outperformed by Schuurs in terms of defensive actions – tackles, interceptions and blocks – as he was in the bottom 19 percentile and the latter in the bottom 37.

That is not to say Guehi is necessarily a worse player than Schuurs – his huge valuation says as much – but the Dutchman appears a more-than-adequate option to come in for half the price.

Indeed, Schuurs also came out on top last season in areas such as passing accuracy (88.1% v 85.3%), take-on success rate (71.4% v 66.7%) and direct goal involvement (0.08 goals or assists per 90, compared to 0.03 for Guehi), which is always a handy bonus for a centre-back.

In an ideal world, Palace would have Schuurs and Guehi lining up alongside each other in one of the most talented partnerships in Europe next season. But if the former Ajax player is instead bought solely as a replacement, then he would be close to the ideal successor for the Eagles.

حرص محمود الخطيب، رئيس النادي الأهلي والمشرف العام على الكرة، على التواجد مع اللاعبين قبل مغادرة بعثة الفريق إلى الكونغو، لملاقاة مازيمبي في ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أفريقيا.

الأهلي يحل ضيفًا على مازيمبي، في مدنية لوبومباشي بالكونغو، في إطار ذهاب دور نصف النهائي ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، يوم السبت المقبل 20 أبريل.

والتقى الخطيب مع اللاعبين خلال المران الختامي الذي أقيم ظهر اليوم على ملاعب النادي بفرع مدينة نصر.

طالع أيضًا | مازيمبي لـ “بطولات”: مستوى الأهلي لم يكن جيدًا أمام الزمالك.. ولكن

ووجه كلمة مُلهمة للاعبين، شدد فيها على أهمية المرحلة القادمة، سواءً محليًا في الدوري المصري الممتاز، أو قاريًا في دوري أبطال أفريقيا.

وأظهر اللاعبون حماسًا كبيرًا خلال المران، عكسًا لتأثير كلمات الخطيب، وحرصهم على تقديم أداء قوي في مباراة مازيمبي، وتحقيق نتيجة إيجابية تُمهد الطريق نحو الدور النهائي من البطولة.

واختتم الأهلي مرانه ظهيرة اليوم، قبل أن يتوجه الفريق مباشرة إلى مطار القاهرة، حيث ستُغادر البعثة، برئاسة الدكتور محمد شوقي، عضو المجلس، إلى الكونغو استعدادًا لمواجهة مازيمبي.

West Ham United are now ready to test Harry Maguire's resolve to stay and fight for his place at Manchester United, with the centre-back high up on David Moyes' list of centre-back targets, according to a report from The Telegraph.

Is Harry Maguire leaving Manchester United?

Journalist Ben Jacobs believes that Maguire may seek pastures new this summer, despite the fact Erik ten Hag may want to keep hold of him as a back-up option, recently saying:

"Obviously, ten Hag's perspective is that Maguire is going to get diminished game-time, but he is valued as a leader at the football club. Maguire may look to go elsewhere because he has to start thinking about the Euros and, ultimately, the long-term England game-time."

There have been several Premier League clubs linked with moves for the England international, with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and Sheffield United recently being named as potential suitors by transfer insider Dean Jones.

Jones also details that £35m could be enough to seal a deal for the centre-back, although some of his sources believe that Man United will ot be able to receive that figure, so they may have to consider selling him for a lower fee.

According to a report from The Telegraph, West Ham are now ready to test the defender's resolve to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez now above him in the pecking order.

The Englishman believes he can force his way back into the Man United starting XI, and he is currently happy at the club, but he is now emerging as one of Moyes' top targets to bolster the centre-back area.

The offer of first-team football would give the 30-year-old a huge decision to make ahead of the European Championships next summer, with the Hammers looking to bring him in on loan at this stage, rather than on a permanent basis.

How good is Harry Maguire?

The Man United defender, hailed as "fantastic" by former teammate David de Gea earlier this year, has received heavy criticism over the past few years, and he has admitted he has found it difficult to ignore the critics at times, but a lot of it has been unwarranted, given the level of some of his performances.

At the 2022 World Cup with England, the former Leicester City man averaged a 7.34 SofaScore match rating, the second-highest figure in the squad, showcasing that he is still very capable of competing at the top level.

The Sheffield-born centre-back only received limited game time for the Red Devils last season, making a total of 16 Premier League appearances, but he did impress at times, ranking in the 88th percentile for aerials won per 90, and the 89th percentile for blocks in the past year.

A move to the London Stadium could be exactly what Maguire needs to reignite his career, particularly if he wants to keep his place in the England team for next summer's Euros, and West Ham should undoubtedly pursue a deal. However, a loan move is probably wise, as it may be difficult to match the defender's £200k-per-week wages if he is signed on a permanent basis.

An update has emerged on Southampton and their plans to add to the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Championship campaign…

What's the latest Southampton transfer news?

According to The Sun on Sunday (16/7; page 61), the Saints are one of the teams eyeing up Sunderland centre-forward Ross Stewart during the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Russell Martin's side are plotting a swoop to sign the Scottish finisher in the event of one of the manager's current number nine options moves on over the coming weeks.

It states that fellow second-tier teams Middlesbrough and Stoke City are also keen on securing his signature, as the ex-Ross County star's contract at the Stadium of Light is due to expire at the end of the season.

Burnley, Nottingham Forest, and Everton are all reportedly interested in snapping up Southampton striker Che Adams, who has been valued at £15m, and this could open the door for another marksman to come in.

How many goals has Ross Stewart scored for Sunderland?

The 6 foot 2 titan has been a prolific goalscorer for the Black Cats since joining from Ross County in January 2022 and has racked up 40 goals in 80 competitive appearances to date.

He has proven himself to be an exceptional performer at League One and Championship level, which could make him a big upgrade on Adams at St. Mary's.

His teammate Alex Pritchard once described him as an "unbelievable" player who has been a "revelation" throughout his time on Wearside, which is backed up by the 27-year-old ace's statistics.

Stewart, who scored 26 goals in 49 third tier outings during the 2021/22 campaign, missed 36 competitive games through injury last term but was able to showcase his quality in the final third when he was fit.

The Scotland international averaged a phenomenal Sofascore rating of 7.40 across 13 Championship matches, which is a score only two players throughout the division managed to better, as the talented hotshot plundered ten goals to go along with three assists.

Adams, meanwhile, is coming off the back of scoring five goals in 28 Premier League games and has never hit double figures for strikes in the top flight.

He did, however, catch the eye with his Championship performances for Birmingham during the 2018/19 campaign. The 27-year-old ace averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.11 across 46 outings to go along with his 22 goals and four assists prior to his move to Southampton.

This means that the Scottish forward averaged a direct goal contribution every 1.77 games on average in his last season at that level, which is unimpressive in comparison to Stewart's sublime return of one every match on average.

These statistics suggest that the Sunderland star has the quality to be a significant upgrade on Adams as his sensational form for the Black Cats has proven that he has what it takes to be a prolific scorer in the second tier.

Stewart's Championship performances and impact at the top end of the pitch have dwarfed the current Saints number nine's achievements at that level, which is why replacing the ex-Birmingham man with his compatriot could be a shrewd piece of business by Martin this summer.

Hampshire channeled the sadistic spirit of Surrey’s Gareth Batty in racking up 648 for 7 declared before attempting to force victory with the ball

Tim Wigmore at Kia Oval04-Jul-2017
ScorecardGeorge Bailey’s 161 piled the pressure on Surrey•Getty Images

At the Ageas Bowl a year ago, Gareth Batty decided that Surrey’s first innings should bat on and on, until after tea on the second day. The reason was simple: “To piss their batters off”. Only when Surrey had reached 637 for 7 did Batty finally declare.Here, Batty was injured. But Hampshire channeled his sadistic spirit: Surrey were pummeled.From the moment that Sean Ervine eased the opening ball, from Amar Virdi, through long-off for four, the entire second day seemed an exercise in waiting for the moment when George Bailey would take pity on Surrey and declare.He did not seem in a generous mood. This was a characteristic innings – remorseless, efficient and exactly in keeping with his team’s needs. There were two sixes thundered over long-on against spin; mostly, though, his near six hours at the crease were characterised by cold, bloodless accumulation. Only when attempting his third six was Bailey dismissed, for 161. No matter: he had already continued his supreme recent form against Surrey; Hampshire had a round 600 runs and Surrey their spirits sapped.All Hampshire batsmen on the second day were united by their ravenous run-scoring. Ervine combined with Bailey to add a record fifth-wicket stand against Surrey of 167 in 44.5 overs, his seamless ascent towards a second Championship century of 2017 ended only when he dragged Conor McKerr on. It was McKerr’s maiden Championship wicket for Surrey but, after match figures of 10 for 141 in his last game of a profitable loan spell at Derbyshire, he will not be lacking in awareness of the gulf between Division One and Two.If there was a criticism of Hampshire’s approach, perhaps they could have been even more attacking. Not that they dawdled: the run rate for the innings ended on exactly four, thanks to late pyrotechnics from Gareth Berg, who gleefully feasted on Surrey’s spin in harrumphing 35 off 16 balls. When he was caught at long-on, Hampshire had already surpassed Surrey’s gargantuan total from last summer. The 648 for 7 declared they mustered was not merely their highest ever first-class score against Surrey, it was the fifth-highest total in Hampshire’s 153-year history.The upshot was that Surrey needed an absurd 499 just to avoid the follow on. Hampshire had clearly recognised that, on a pitch that has so far proved particularly docile, batting once, and very, very big, was their best and only hope of forcing a win.At 3.58pm, Kyle Abbott was entrusted with the new ball. Over 60 overs in the day had already passed, and yet they all seemed a mere prelude to the 30 that Surrey had to face. Three slips waited purposively as Abbott ran in to bowl, and all the intensity that had seeped out of the game on a meandering day suddenly returned. Abbott, the most potent pace bowler in county cricket this summer, had a couple of left-handers – his preferred prey – to feast upon, and could bowl without any regard for defending runs.His initial six overs could not, though, overcome an alliance of the pitch and some commendable opening batting. Mark Stoneman was renowned for stolid defence at Chester-le-Street but has shown an altogether more assertive game after moving south; fresh from 144 not out in Surrey’s cup final defeat on Saturday, he drove and cut with wonderful authority.So well-timed were his shots that they only needed to locate a couple of unguarded inches on the off side to reach the boundary. Together with his immaculate defence off Abbott – a contest that could easily have been played out at Lord’s on Thursday instead – it added to the impression that Stoneman might well be the finest English first-class batsman not required for the national team this week.The sight of Ervine bowling some exploratory offspin after Surrey’s openers had reached their century stand seemed to encapsulate Hampshire’s uncertainty over how they would be able to winkle out 20 wickets on this surface. And yet Ervine proceeded to snare Stoneman, who had looked so serene: he was caught at first slip from a flighted delivery, though he gave the impression of being underwhelmed by the decision.With that, and the knowledge that Kumar Sangakkara is absent for this game, Hampshire were imbued with a sliver of hope that a fourth victory of the season might be within their grasp. But as Rory Burns swept the day’s final ball, from Mason Crane, to fine leg for four, it reaffirmed the sense that this is the sort of wicket to make bowlers weep.Of course, the same seemed true at the Ageas Bowl a year ago, until Surrey clinched a fraught victory in the dying embers of the match. For all that, basic arithmetic remains squarely against Hampshire: a match that has seen only eight wickets in its opening two days will now require another 19 in the final two.

Manchester City star Kyle Walker could make a move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich this summer as the Germans are willing to offer him a contract for "two years plus an extra year", whereas the Citizens are willing to offer just "one further season", claims Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam.

Is Kyle Walker leaving Manchester City this summer?

It was truly a season to remember for the blue half of Manchester last year. Not only did they win the first treble in the club's history, but they did it while beating local rivals Manchester United in a tightly contested FA Cup final.

In many ways, it felt like the culmination of everything that Pep Guardiola and the City Group had been working towards since the Spaniard's arrival back in 2016, and for one of the club's longest-serving players, it seems like it's the perfect time to bid farewell.

According to The Athletic, England and City star Kyle Walker has courted the interest of German behemoths Bayern this summer and has now reached a verbal agreement with the side for a two-year contract.

While an agreement between the two clubs has yet to be formally agreed, it's expected that the treble winners could make upwards of £15m.

Reporter Mark McAdam explained the situation live on Sky Sports News (via Football Daily), saying:

"He's currently going into the last year of his contract at City. Now, there are talks that they would be willing to extend that, but only for one further season, whereas Bayern Munich are offering him two years plus an extra year – so he would extend his career at the very highest level for another three seasons, in theory.

"There is no agreement in place between Bayern Munich and Manchester City, but talks continue between the two clubs – and this is fascinating because it's always the way with these situations: guess who's playing each other next week in Japan on a pre-season tour? It's Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

"So that's the latest with that situation, but again, would Bayern Munich be making these noises publicly about Kyle Walker if they hadn't been given an indication that he would be interested in talking to them, should the two clubs agree a fee?"

How good was Kyle Walker last season?

Despite starting just 29 times across the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League last season, it was yet another campaign in which Walker demonstrated to the world just why he is so well thought of by Guardiola and why he'll go down as one of the most successful English full-backs of all time.

According to Sofascore, the Sheffield-born dynamo averaged a match rating of 6.74 in the Premier League and a seriously impressive rating of 6.96 in the Champions League, where he was included in the Team of the Week twice for his efforts.

As you'd expect for a full-back in a Pep system, his underlying offensive numbers are brilliant.

According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the dynamic defender sits in the top 3% for attempted passes, the top 5% for progressive passes, and the top 6% for pass completion per 90.

That said, for as "exceptional" as Walker is, he is now 33 years old, and having won everything there is to win at the club, a move away to prolong his career at the very highest level could be what's best for everyone involved.

ScorecardJofra Archer was in the wickets for Sussex [file picture]•Getty Images

Another eye-catching performance from Jofra Archer allowed Sussex to glimpse an improbable fourth championship victory over Gloucestershire at Hove.Gloucestershire had been set 351 to win in 75 overs – a motorway maximum of seventy an hour over five hours.At lunch, at 30 for three, they were out of it. Once again Archer had been at the heart of the Sussex challenge, with two wickets. He had Chris Dent caught behind and then plucked out Gareth Roderick’s off stump with a snorter in the last over before the break. Abi Sakande had taken the first wicket, bowling Cameron Bancroft for 13.After lunch it was Archer the fielder who inspired his side, with two magnificent catches at long-leg off the bowling of Chris Jordan. First he dismissed Phil Mustard, high above his head and inches away from the ropes. Then, just before tea, he pulled off an even better one, this time diving forward to catch George Hankins. The obdurate Hankins had provided Gloucestershire’s main middle-order resistance, with a two-hour 51.That left Gloucestershire in serious danger of defeat, at 117 for six with one session to go. But Jack Taylor played a feisty innings in the gloaming, scoring 69 not out, and they did not lose another wicket.Gloucestershire had declared their first innings overnight, on 150 for one, conceding a disadvantage of 208 runs.When Sussex batted in their second innings it resembled the sort of pre-declaration bowling that was so common on Tuesdays and Fridays in the days of three-day cricket.But with 150 overs lost to bad weather, including the whole of the second day, both sides needed to do something positive to produce the excellent finish we saw on Thursday.Sussex thrashed 142 from 18.1 overs in their second knock, for the loss of just one wicket. It took them only 55 minutes. Harry Finch scored 74 from 59 balls, with a dozen fours, and Luke Wells hit five fours and a six in his 44.The bowling, though, was very friendly, opened by Will Tavare and Bancroft, a fine young batsman, an occasional wicket-keeper but only a very occasional bowler, with only six balls in first class cricket before this spell, in which he conceded 67 runs from seven overs. Some lobbed-up leg-breaks from Mustard added to the general geniality of the attack. But it all contributed to an absorbing conclusion.