Bangladesh women bowled out for their second sub-100 score as they go 3-0 down in the five-match series
ESPNcricinfo staff09-May-2018 ScorecardGetty Images and Cricket AustraliaBangladesh women are yet to bat out 50 overs on tour in South Africa. On Wednesday, they were bowled out for their second sub-100 score after which the dominant hosts, riding on an unbeaten 51-ball 44 from Lizelle Lee, cruised past the target of 72 in just 14.4 overs. The victory gave South Africa an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-ODI series.Barring Nigar Sultana, who occupied the crease for 122 minutes to make an unbeaten 97-ball 33, none of the other Bangladesh batsmen made much of an impression. Panna Ghosh’s 12 at No. 8 was the second-highest score of the innings that lasted 36.5 overs.The top four were blown away inside four overs by the new-ball pair of Ayabonga Khaka and Marizanne Kapp, who picked up two wickets apiece in their first spell. The 23-run stand that followed between Jannatul Ferdus and Sultana was the highest of the innings.Khaka, who was in line to record her ODI best, finished with her second successive three-for, while Kapp didn’t add to her first-spell tally. There was a wicket apiece for Masabata Klaas, Chloe Tryon, debutant Zintle Mali and Raisibe Ntozakhe.Bangladesh struck in the seventh over of the chase when left-arm spinner Nahida Akhter removed Andrie Steyn, but that would be their only consolation on the field. Trisha Chetty finished 15 not out to Lee’s 44, which contained five fours and a six.The fourth ODI will also be played in Kimberley on Saturday.
West Ham United insider and reliable club source ExWHUemployee has shared an important update on the club potentially re-signing Jesse Lingard.
Who have West Ham signed?
David Moyes and the Hammers board moved to bring in Mexico international ace Edson Alvarez, former Southampton star James Ward-Prowse, defender Konstatinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus during the 2023 summer transfer window.
Both Alvarez and Ward-Prowse have made particularly bright starts to their careers at the London Stadium. The former has been lavished with praise by sections of the media, while the latter really should have been included in Gareth Southgate's England squad.
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Going the other way, Declan Rice, Gianluca Scamacca, Nikola Vlasic, Arthur Masuaku, Manuel Lanzini, Mipo Odebuko and Armstrong Oko-Flex left West Ham, while promising young midfielder Flynn Downes joined Southampton on a season-long loan.
The Irons have enjoyed a sensational start to the 2023/2024 Premier League season, winning three out of their opening four league matches whilst remaining unbeaten prior to the international break.
Despite losing superstars like Rice over the summer, it has been a very promising start to this new campaign, and reports have suggested they could strengthen further by re-signing Lingard on a short-term deal.
Will West Ham sign Jesse Lingard?
The 30-year-old excelled during a 2021 loan spell at West Ham, bagging nine goals and four assists over 16 league appearances under Moyes.
Since being released by Nottingham Forest in the summer, Lingard has been without a club but is currently training with West Ham on a sort of trial basis.
The former Man United ace even featured for them during a behind-closed-doors friendly against Ipswich Town on Thursday, a match which also included the likes of Angelo Ogbonna, Danny Ings, Thilo Kehrer.
It finished 1-1 in the end with defender Aaron Cresswell getting on the scoresheet with a free-kick; while Ings apparently had a goal ruled out for offside.
That is according to club insider and behind-scenes source ExWHUemployee, who has shared an update on West Ham and Moyes potentially re-signing Lingard on a Bosman.
He says the midfielder impressed in "flashes" during the draw with Ipswich, but fitness concerns continue to surround Lingard who quite simply needs to build himself back up to match sharpness.
The current feeling is that the player will still be offered a short-term contract, but not until he is fully fit and firing again.
Jesse Lingard starred for West Ham in 2020-21.
“Jesse Lingard played for approximately 75 minutes and was good in flashes but apparently faded towards the end with his fitness still needing work,” stated Ex on The West Ham Way Patreon (via West Ham Way).
“A final decision is still to be made on his future and it is not known whether this game will have any baring. Our source, as we said above, said he was good in parts but didn’t have a huge impact and did get subbed off.
“The feeling is still he will be given a short term contract at the club but this won’t be issued until he is fully fit but this is still waiting confirmation and isn't a done deal.”
It will be very interesting to see if Lingard does indeed finally get a second spell with the club he thrived it two years ago.
Aston Villa had an encouraging summer of business ahead of the eagerly anticipated 2023/24 season, however four games in and the Villans are without some key players in the squad.
Unai Emery and Monchi added five players to the side at Villa Park, including the blockbuster capture of Moussa Diaby, whose £51.9m price tag broke the club's record signing.
While the business side has been successful, the market progression has been tainted by the shortage of players due to early injury, with both Tyrone Mings and Emiliano Buendia being ruled out so soon in the campaign with long-term issues.
The list of absentees was added to after just 19 minutes at Anfield last weekend, when Diego Carlos was hauled off with discomfort, adding to pressures at the back.
Who did Aston Villa want to sign this summer?
While Pau Torres and Clement Lenglet were welcomed to the Midlands in the transfer window, two injuries in central defence have left Emery short in terms of his depth and ability to rotate.
One name that was linked to Villa Park during the transfer period was Aymeric Laporte, who was mentioned to be of interest to the Villans by the Mirror last month.
Despite the reports, the Spaniard departed Manchester City to move to Saudi Arabia to join Al Nassr in a deal worth only £25m, making his price tag seemingly cheap considering the talents and experience he possesses.
How does Aymeric Laporte compare to Diego Carlos?
While the decision is ultimately for the player to dictate, Villa could have been taken to the next level should they have made an official move to attempt to lure the 29-year-old to the Midlands, over someone of the calibre of Lenglet.
Looking back, the potential introduction of Laporte could have paved the way for additional strength and quality in the back line, something that is required currently considering the double injury blow.
As well as depth, the five-time Premier League winner could have offered a new level of player to Emery’s squad, with ability far beyond that of Carlos, who has missed the majority of his career at Villa so far due to injury.
Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte.
Recovering from a traumatic Achilles rupture in August 2022 was extremely tough on the defender as well as the club, making his departure last weekend even more worrying due to his track record.
While injury woes are out of Carlos’ hands, the fact remains that the Brazilian represents a less reliable figure in defence, making the lack of movement for Laporte frustrating in hindsight.
Diego-carlos-villa-injury
Previously hailed as an “animal” by journalist Enrique Noriega, the Spaniard is one of the most highly regarded defenders in Europe, as highlighted by his averages of distribution ranking him as one of the best in his position.
As per FBref, Laporte averaged an exemplary pass completion rate of 92.8% and an average of 6.94 progressive passes per 90 over the past year, with his progressive play ranking him in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe's top five leagues.
Going back to his last recordable season, Carlos averaged 3.01 progressive passes per 90 for Sevilla in the 2021/22 La Liga campaign, while maintaining a lower pass completion rate of 87.3%, suggesting the difference in calibre between the two players, via FBref.
Going the extra mile for Laporte could have been a fundamental move by Emery and Monchi, however, it wasn’t meant to be, leaving the Villans with decisions to be made over selection in the future with absentees in mind.
An update has emerged on Sunderland and their plans to add another centre-forward to their squad before the end of the summer transfer window…
What's the latest Sunderland transfer news?
According to the Sunderland Echo, the Black Cats are 'pursuing' a swoop to sign Jay Stansfield from Premier League side Fulham.
The report claims that Tony Mowbray and Kristjaan Speakman are eyeing up a loan deal for the number nine to bolster their forward options.
Fellow Championship teams Queens Park Rangers and Millwall have also been named as interested suitors, which means that the club are facing stiff competition to secure the talented youngster's signature.
How good is Jay Stansfield?
Mowbray could land the club's next Ellis Simms by securing a deal for the 20-year-old striker as he could make the step up to Championship football after an impressive spell in League One.
Stansfield went on loan to Exeter in the third tier last term and caught the eye with nine goals and seven assists in 28 starts, which means that he averaged a goal contribution every 1.75 starts.
Simms enjoyed an excellent time on loan at Blackpool in League One prior to his move to Sunderland as he scored ten goals and assisted one in 19 starts – an average of one every 1.73 starts.
After a stint at Hearts in Scotland, the then-Everton finisher moved to the Stadium of Light and impressed last season with seven goals and two assists in 14 Championship starts before being recalled in January.
Stansfield could follow in his footsteps by taking his game to the next level in a move to Wearside after an excellent level of production in League One.
Fulham striker Jay Stansfield.
Ross Stewart (ten) is the only current Sunderland player who scored more than nine league goals and only Jack Clarke (12) managed more than seven assists, which shows how impressive the youngster's displays were last term.
Fulham boss Marco Silva claimed that the 6 foot 1 whiz became stronger and developed as a player during his spell at Exeter, which suggests that he could now be ready to take the next leap in his development.
The 20-year-old marksman's form for the Cottagers at youth level suggests that there is a prolific centre-forward to be unearthed there as he racked up a staggering 38 goals and seven assists in 49 U21 and U18 matches combined.
Therefore, the England U20 international has the potential to be a fantastic scorer for Sunderland if he is able to push on and improve upon his performances for Exeter. He now has experience of playing first-team football week-in-week-out and could use that to thrive for the Black Cats.
Stansfield, whose runs were hailed as "powerful" by journalist Josh Bunting, is yet to prove himself at Championship level but neither had Simms when he arrived on Wearside on loan from a Premier League side, which is why he could be the next version of the now-Coventry ace.
It would be a gamble from Mowbray but one that has the potential to result in a huge pay-off for Sunderland if the exciting talent is able to hit top form and make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch.
Arsenal have already sufficiently bolstered in the market thus far, but manager Mikel Arteta might be wary that missing out on a few key targets could leave them lagging behind their rivals. As such, late movement could be expected as the summer window winds down…
Have Chelsea signed Michael Olise?
One target they did have was Michael Olise, which they seemingly took a back seat for as Chelsea stormed into the driving seat. Immediately paying his £35m release clause, all signs pointed towards Crystal Palace losing another star man for well below his market value.
However, in a shocking turn of events, it was announced that the France U21 international would be snubbing the Blues, instead opting to pen a new four-year contract at Selhurst Park. Thus brought to an end a truly baffling transfer saga.
Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…
Whilst that likely left Mauricio Pochettino reeling, it could now provide a fine pathway for the Gunners to reignite their interest in an old target, given the viable options on the market are dwindling fast.
With Mohammed Kudus a long-term target of theirs, perhaps they will now be incensed to simply pay his £40m valuation, especially with West Ham United looming as they await the outcome of a potential Lucas Paqueta exit.
How good is Mohammed Kudus?
Although they had no skin in the deal that collapsed very recently, it will still be a blow to see such a fine option removed as a potential signing for the foreseeable future.
Despite being so young, the tricky winger arguably had the perfect skillset to thrive under Arteta, with an impossibly high ceiling that he certainly would have shattered when surrounded by other stars at the Emirates.
However, he is not the only option who remains young, hungry, skilful and available this summer.
mohammed-kudus
It could even be argued that, given his vast experience despite being only 23 years old, Kudus even represents an upgrade on the former Reading star.
After all, he has been a mainstay for the historic Amsterdam club, even posting nine Champions League appearances too.
To compare their two recent campaigns as well and it becomes easy to see why the Ghana international might offer far more than Olise. Especially considering he scored an impressive 18 times across all competitions, assisting a further seven having featured in no less than three different attacking roles.
The Eagles star, meanwhile, could only muster two Premier League goals alongside his admirable 11 assists. Undoubtably a creative threat, it could therefore be argued that he remains slightly more one-dimensional than the World Cup star.
FBref help to further emphasise the gulf in quality, as when compared to other wingers across Europe, Kudus ranks in the top 2% for non-penalty goals per 90, the top 4% for total shots per 90, the top 1% for pass completion per 90 and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90.
It is no surprise to see him branded a "starboy" by former teammate Calvin Bassey, with the sky truly being the limit for the enigmatic maverick.
His competition instead showcases a penchant for the defensive, starring by sitting in the top 9% for blocks per 90 and the top 15% for interceptions per 90, via FBref.
Although Olise is more well-versed in English football, the potential upside that his alternative brings somewhat makes the failed deal a blessing in disguise.
Arteta must now act quickly to ward off the competition and secure such an impressive upgrade.
Arsenal seem to be a quiet contender to pull off one of the greatest transfers the Premier League would have ever seen…
Is Kylian Mbappe leaving Paris Saint-Germain?
That's according to Football Transfers, who attest that the Gunners are keeping a close eye on the developing situation regarding Kylian Mbappe's drawn-out exit from Paris Saint-Germain.
With Sky Sports having detailed the deterioration of the relationship between player and club, suggesting the former is willing to sacrifice his next year of football in order to leave for free next summer, many clubs have been put on high alert as such a generational asset becomes available.
Not least Mikel Arteta, who will reportedly use Gabriel Martinelli as a makeweight to convince the Parisian giants to allow him to join them.
A package is in place for the France international should he choose an Emirates switch, although it would hinge on the move happening in January or next summer.
It had previously been suggested that his exit would not come unless a €200m (£173m) fee was stumped up, although that could drop dramatically given the fresh update.
How many goals does Kylian Mbappe have?
It does not need much to outline just how utterly exceptional Mbappe is and would be wherever he chooses to play.
With 212 goals in 260 games for PSG and a total of 244 strikes across an already illustrious career thus far, the 24-year-old truly has the world at his feet.
Even teammate Neymar would agree with that notion, as he claimed last year: "He’s a world-class player, present and future of this club. I’m very happy that Kylian – who’s my friend and teammate – he’s staying here at Paris."
It, therefore, goes without saying that he would walk into virtually every team in the world, even if elite stars stand in their way.
Martinelli enjoyed arguably the best year of his career since moving to north London and finished as the club's joint-top scorer as they made the lofty step up to title challengers.
Scoring 15 times and assisting a further six across all competitions, it is hard to imagine many who would even challenge the 22-year-old, let alone completely usurp him.
gabriel-martinelli-arsenal
However, his tally pales in comparison to his potential successor, who notched 41 goals and assisted a further ten in just 43 games in all competitions in France.
What makes Mbappe even more special, aside from his remarkable goalscoring figures, is the imperious technical quality he boasts on the ball.
His dribbling technique is exemplary, and his creativity is unparalleled. When compared to other forwards across Europe, he ranks in the top 5% for progressive passes per 90, the best 1% for progressive carries per 90, and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.
The former AS Monaco star is the perfect all-around attacking package, and for all Martinelli's progress in recent years, there is little chance he will grow to such an unparalleled level.
Upon securing the Brazilian's contract extension, Arteta noted earlier this year: "He’s a player with enormous potential – he still has so many things to improve but he’s already performing at a really high level.
“He can develop physically. He can develop mentally. He can develop in terms of consistency. He can develop defensively. He can develop in the final third and in the spaces that he occupies. His numbers can be improved, and he’s so willing – that’s the best thing about Gabi."
Whilst this is outlined to excite fans at the ceiling he boasts, there are a few attributes with which Mbappe could improve. It is this gulf that separates the two, with his potential acquisition set to turn Arsenal from mere contenders into the team to beat.
تحدث لوكاس فاسكيز لاعب ريال مدريد بعد فوز فريقه القاتل أمام برشلونة بكلاسيكو الدوري الإسباني، مساء الأحد.
ورفع ريال مدريد فارق النقاط مع برشلونة إلى 11 نقطة، ليقترب من حسم اللقب، حيث حقق الفوز بثلاثية لهدفين على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”.
وقال فاسكيز في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية، عن الاحتفالات مع الجماهير: “مذهل، لقد أمضينا ليلة رائعة مع جمهورنا، وهو أمر نستحقه جميعًا، لقد خطونا خطوة كبيرة جدًا نحو لقب الدوري”.
وأضاف: “الفريق، على الرغم من مجهوده الكبير في المباراة أمام مانشستر سيتي (الفوز بركلات الترجيح والتأهل لنصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا)، أظهر وجهه مرة أخرى”.
وتابع: “لقد لعبنا مرة أخرى مباراة رائعة، وبذلنا كل ما في وسعنا لتحقيق هذا الفوز الذي يمنحنا تلك الميزة في الدوري التي تجعل اللقب أقرب”.
اقرأ أيضًا | أنشيلوتي يتجاهل اعتراض تشافي: الفوز على برشلونة أفضل استعداد لـ دوري أبطال أوروبا
وبشأن تسجيل ريال مدريد مجددًا لهدف في الوقت المحتسب بدلاً من الضائع، علّق: “قبل خمس دقائق من نهاية المباراة، كنا نرتكب خطأ ونقول لأنفسنا دعونا نذهب نحو الهدف، سنفوز، هذا ما يمثله هذا النادي وهذا الشعار، أننا نريد الفوز دائمًا، ونقاتل حتى النهاية ولا نستسلم أبدًا”.
وعن مدى الجدارة الموجودة في الجهد الذي بذلوه بعد المباراة أمام مانشستر، أفاد: “كثيرًا، كنا نعلم أن اليوم هو نهائي الدوري، كنا نعلم أن الفريق يحتاج إلى هذا الفوز، لقد حققنا ذلك، وقمنا بعمل رائع ونحن سعداء للغاية”.
وفيما يتعلق بأدائه ومساهمته مع ريال مدريد في الفوز أمام مانشستر سيتي وأمام برشلونة، أستطرد فاسكيز: “سعيد جدًا لأنني قادر على مساعدة الفريق، لقد سارت أشياء كثيرة بشكل جيد اليوم وهذا مهم للجميع”.
وأتم بشأن رفع فارق النقاط مع برشلونة إلى 11 نقطة: “أعتقد أنه يتحدث بشكل جيد للغاية عن عملنا، لقد قدمنا دوريًا جيدًا جدًا، ونحن نسير على طريق جيد جدًا”.
Pune’s bowlers have been the reason for their 3-0 head-to-head against Mumbai. They have only allowed one half-century to the most prolific middle-order in the tournament
The Preview by Alagappan Muthu20-May-2017Match factsFinal, Mumbai Indians v Rising Pune Supergiant Hyderabad, May 21, 2017 Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)2:45
Agarkar: Mumbai have gained from lesser-known players
Form guide
Rising Pune Supergiant: beat Mumbai by 20 runs; beat Kings XI by 9 wickets; lost to Daredevils by 7 runs.
Mumbai Indians: beat KKR by six wickets; lost to Rising Pune by 20 runs; beat KKR by 9 runs.
Head-to-headOverall: It’s 4-1 to Rising Pune Supergiant. Mumbai Indians’ most recent win against their opponents in the final came last year.This season: Rising Pune won home and away in the league stage, and then shocked Mumbai again at the Wankhede in the first qualifier.Big pictureIt’s groundhog day in the IPL, and Mumbai have gone to great lengths to make it happen. Now all they have to do is figure out a way to end the loop and get the girl. But if not that, then at least the trophy.Twice in the league, and again in the first qualifier earlier this week, Rohit Sharma and his men have come up against Rising Pune, done everything they can, only to wake up and see its still February 2. Bill Murray’s character – spoiler alert – eventually escaped his fate by accepting his curse. While that makes rom-com fans go “aww”, those that frequent the Wankhede would go “&^%$*”. Mumbai are two-time champions. Rising Pune won’t even exist in the IPL after Sunday. They want a win before this rivalry ends.Krunal Pandya was seen receiving treatment to his groin during the second qualifier but Rohit has said he should be okay to play. Mitchell McClenaghan, who did not play that game, will be assessed on the morning of the final in Hyderabad.The likely XIsMumbai Indians 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Rohit Sharma (capt), 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Karn Sharma, 9 Mitchell Johnson/Mitchell McClenaghan, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Jasprit BumrahRising Pune Supergiant 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Manoj Tiwary, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Dan Christian, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Adam ZampaStrategy puntThere are statistics to suggest the legspinner Karn Sharma, Mumbai’s unexpected trump card, and left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya, should be saved for the Rising Pune middle order. They have been hit for 20 runs off nine balls by Rahul Tripathi and 25 runs off 13 balls by Steven Smith. But they have managed five dots in nine balls to MS Dhoni and 11 dots in 22 balls to Manoj Tiwary, at an economy rate of six or less.Stats that matter Rising Pune have kept a lid on Mumbai’s power players. Rohit and Kieron Pollard average 20.66 and 14.33 against them this season. In three matches, Rising Pune have only allowed Mumbai to hit 23 sixes and 35 fours. In comparison, Mumbai thrashed 29 sixes against Kings XI after only two meetings, and 47 fours after three rounds against Knight Riders. One of Rising Pune’s biggest strengths is their ability to strangle teams in the middle overs. They have taken the most wickets – 41 – established the lowest run-rate – 7.16 – and accumulated the most dots – 321 – between overs seven and 15 this IPL. Mumbai, with 10, have the record for the most fifty-plus scores from the middle order in 2017. But only one of them has come against Rising Pune. Rohit’s batsmen from No. 3 to No. 7 average only 13.86 and strike at 113 against Smith’s bowlers. Dhoni, who will be playing his seventh final in ten IPLs, averages 64.66 and strikes at 161.66 against Mumbai in IPL playoff and knockout matches. Among those who have bowled at least six overs against Mumbai in this IPL, offspinner Washington Sundar’s economy-rate of 5.25 is the second best, behind Rashid Khan’s 5.12. Ajinkya Rahane has struggled all season, but he has contributed two of the four fifties Rising Pune have against Mumbai. No other team has managed more than two 50-plus scores against Mumbai. These statistics indicate how Rising Pune have kept the head-to-head in their favour so far, but Mumbai are big-match specialists. Lendl Simmons had three successive fifties in IPL play-off and knockout games before this year. Jasprit Bumrah has bowled more deliveries (152) in the last five overs than anyone else, and was resplendent when he bowled the first Super Over of his career earlier this season. He will go into the final on the high of recording his best figures in T20s – 3-1-7-3 – in the second qualifier against KKR on Friday. Pollard has faced 273 balls in the 2017 season – his second-highest tally in 10 IPLs. Nine more and he’ll eclipse his personal best. But here’s the kicker: Mumbai have won the title in two out of three previous seasons that he has batted more than 200 balls. In 12 innings this season, Krunal has conceded runs at only 6.72 per over. Here are the strike-rates of batsmen who have faced at least 10 balls from him. Tiwary (83), Manish Pandey (117), AB de Villiers (118), Hashim Amla (133), Rahane (135) and Suryakumar Yadav (161).
Angus Robson, who negotiated his release from Leicestershire last week, has signed for Sussex.Robson had fallen out of favour at Grace Road after a modest 2016 season and the arrival of a new head coach. He was out of contract at the end of the season but, realising that he might struggle to break back into the first team, asked for his immediate release in order to pursue opportunities elsewhere.But nobody in either division of the County Championship reached 50 more often than him between the start of the 2014 season and the end of the 2016 one and, aged 25, there is no reason he should not have his best years ahead of him.ESPNcricinfo understands that Sussex plan to announce his signing on Tuesday in a deal that lasts until the end of the current season with a view to extending his stay if it goes well. Several counties were understood to be interested in talking to him.The speed with which Robson has been picked-up by other counties might have a few Leicestershire supporters scratching their heads. Leicestershire were bowled out for 81 as they lost their first match of the season by 10 wickets before, in the current round of games, they lost by an innings to Gloucestershire. Their opening stands so far this Championship season have been 6, 2, 10 and 10.
Joe Clarke put an unproductive England Lions tour of Sri Lanka behind him when he made 89 as the MCC struck 332 all out on the opening day of the Champion County clash against Middlesex in Abu Dhabi
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Mar-2017 ScorecardJoe Clarke was in good touch for MCC•Getty ImagesJoe Clarke put an unproductive England Lions tour of Sri Lanka behind him when he made 89 as the MCC struck 332 all out on the opening day of the Champion County clash against Middlesex in Abu Dhabi.Clarke struck 11 fours to guide MCC past 300 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium before he fell lbw to the Middlesex fast-medium bowler James Harris. Harris also removed Tom Alsop for a sixth-ball duck and Liam Plunkett as MCC were dismissed shortly before the close.He gained support from another England Lions batsman who had an in-and-out Lions tour, Ben Duckett, who played with his usual enterprise in making 69 from 88 balls before falling lbw toMiddlesex’s off-spinner Ravi Patel.Three good wickets for Patel, who also removed MCC captain Alex Lees and Lewis Gregory, was encouraging for Patel who, at 25, will be anxious to make good the early promise that won him England Lions honours.