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Hampshire’s badly out-of-form batting line-up collided with a superb Somerset bowling performance on the way to a crushing six-wicket defeat

Freddie Wilde at Taunton19-Jun-2016
ScorecardMax Waller finished with 4 for 33 as Hampshire slumped to 133 all out•Getty ImagesIs this where an era ended? Under a blanket of heavy cloud, on a damp and miserable day in Taunton, Hampshire’s age of dominance in T20 cricket in England has been left on the brink of collapse after their badly out-of-form batting line-up collided with a superb Somerset bowling performance on the way to a crushing six-wicket defeat.The loss leaves Hampshire’s 2016 NatWest T20 Blast season in tatters. With just one win from seven matches they are rooted to the bottom of the South Group and will require a dramatic turnaround to extend their record and reach a seventh consecutive Finals Day. “The weather has been pretty grey and miserable, it’s rained pretty much most of the game and our performance wasn’t much better really,” summarised Hampshire’s dejected coach Giles White at the end of the match.Beneath thick clouds and with rain forecast there was a serious possibility that this match would not be played. As it was the weather delayed the start, interrupted the first innings and threatened to end Somerset’s early, but in amongst persistent rainfall a match was completed to satisfy a near sell-out crowd in Taunton.With the possibility of a reduced-overs second innings and a favourable Duckworth-Lewis-Stern target, Somerset captain Jim Allenby had no hesitation in opting to bowl first after winning the toss. Having sweated under the covers all morning and only given 25 minutes to breathe before the match, the pitch displayed some zippy bounce early on.Despite the return of Michael Carberry from a wrist injury and James Vince from international duty, Hampshire appeared unsettled by the helpful bowling conditions and some tight lines from Somerset’s seamers to record their worst Powerplay of the season: 35 for 3. All three wickets, a run out on T20 debut for Tom Alsop, who replaced the dropped Jimmy Adams, a lazy uppercut straight to the fielder at third man from Carberry and a loose flat-footed drive from Vince were emblematic of a top-order lacking in form and confidence.With the Powerplay over Somerset shifted strategy and began taking pace off the ball, working together in pairs. First it was Allenby and Peter Trego; bowling tight, stump-to-stump lines they cramped Adam Wheater and Liam Dawson for room and conceded just nine in the two overs immediately after the Powerplay. It was the introduction of spinner Max Waller, however, that tightened the noose around Hampshire’s neck.With Wheater clearly keen to remain proactive he advanced down the pitch to Waller’s fourth delivery, but the legspinner saw him coming and fired it fast down the leg side where Ryan Davies snaffled a sharp take and whisked the bails off before Wheater could make it back. When Will Smith, promoted up the order to help rebuild, was trapped lbw first ball by a quicker delivery, Hampshire were reeling at 56 for 5.It was at stages such as these that Hampshire teams of years gone by would find a way out of trouble. No such rescue act was possible today. The dismissal of Sean Ervine, who has captained this season in the absence of Vince, charging furiously down the pitch for a huge heave to Waller before being stumped by some distance, was sadly fitting. Excluding his 56 against Kent, Ervine has scored 15 runs in his five other innings this season.Shahid Afridi and Dawson briefly threatened to elevate Hampshire towards a respectable total, striking a handful of boundaries between them, but faced with a powerful Somerset batting order at a high-scoring venue they couldn’t afford to hold back. Waller preyed on such reckless attack and completed an impressive four-wicket haul when he bowled Afridi with a quicker delivery that skidded on. Waller now boasts an average of 15.70 against Hampshire in T20 cricket.Moments after Dawson was run out for 46 the players were forced from the field for half an hour by the persistent rain. When they returned Darren Sammy and Gareth Berg missed more than they hit as they tried desperately to squeeze some extra runs from a tired and bedraggled innings. Overton matched Waller’s four-wicket haul when he removed the pair in the penultimate over, wrapping up Hampshire’s innings for 133 and with nine balls to spare.The target was never going to be enough for Somerset, especially with Hampshire having to cope with a wet ball, and after the erratic Tino Best conceded more than 10% of Somerset’s target from his first five legitimate deliveries there was an inevitability about the remainder of the contest that even the two Powerplay wickets of Allenby and Trego couldn’t dissipate.A hardy Taunton crowd who endured the poor weather were rewarded for their fortitude as Chris Gayle, in his last match for Somerset this season, and Mahela Jayawardene forged a partnership of steel and silk, clubbing and gliding their respective ways towards 52 and 45 not out and guiding Somerset to a valuable victory that keeps them within touching distance of the leading pack in the South Group.

Tottenham Hotspur defeated Crystal Palace in a one-goal affair on Saturday afternoon to return to winning ways and take the sixth-place spot in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites took the lead on the stroke of half-time through talisman Harry Kane's resounding header, ending a run of four games in the top flight without victory.

Three points in north London leave Ryan Mason's outfit on 57 points after 35 outings, although a top-four finish looks to be an unattainable prospect with fourth-placed Manchester United six points ahead with two games in hand.

The emphasis must now be on securing nine points from nine in the culminating phase of the campaign, serving the club with the optimum chance of qualifying for the Europa League next term – a questionable prospect itself with the Seagulls just two points below in seventh – and with three games in hand.

The display against the Eagles claimed a first clean sheet in ten matches, which was largely down to the imperious performance of Argentinian centre-back Cristian Romero, whose all-encompassing work will embolden his teammates ahead of the crucial forthcoming period.

How did Romero perform against Crystal Palace?

Having signed for Spurs from Italian Serie A outfit Atalanta for £50m in 2021, Romero has made 63 appearances, scoring one goal and assist apiece.

The World Cup winner has played 33 times at club level this term and been an ever-present for his side.

The £165k-per-week gem ranks among the top 8% of centre-backs across Europe's big five leagues over the past year for tackles and within the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, and was able to demonstrate his aptitude at the back and then some against Roy Hodgson's resurgent Palace.

As per Sofascore, the 20-cap star recorded a match-best 8.5 rating, was an insurmountable wall with eight clearances, posted five interceptions and three tackles, and showcased himself as a ball-playing master with 99 touches and a pass completion rate of 88%, while succeeding with four of his five long balls.

It was the robustness and the tenacity that will have been so eye-catching to the Spurs hierarchy, who witnessed the unstoppable force bulldoze into 12 duels, of which he won 10 – a remarkable 83.3% success rate.

Romero also exhibited the offensive prowess of his arsenal by hitting the woodwork, creating one big chance and being hailed as a "Rolls-Royce" by Martin Keown.

With Tottenham needing a leader with iron-clad resolve to galvanise the squad at this late stage of the campaign, Romero proved that he is that man, and with the new campaign on the horizon, his brilliant display will undoubtedly evoke optimism that a return to prominence could be enacted next year.

Tottenham Hotspur need a manager. If that was not already clear, then their showing on Sunday made it abundantly so.

Cristian Stellini could not have looked more out of his depth than when he deployed Antonio Conte's team in a starting back four, despite both full backs being natural wing backs, and the centre backs having seldom played in such a system.

It took him just 23 minutes to revert back to their natural formation, but by that point, five goals had already sailed past Hugo Lloris. It was one of the most embarrassing halves of football in Spurs' Premier League history, and only exacerbated Daniel Levy's failures that had led to such a point.

Despite having been coached by both Conte and Jose Mourinho within the last three years, it seems defensive solidity still escapes the Lilywhites.

It is a wonder how they have been involved in a battle for top four at all this season, although that ship now seems to have sailed. They are now six points adrift having played a game more than Newcastle United, who were the perpetrators of Sunday's massacre.

Shipping six goals to a team that were only recently beside them in the table only exacerbates the issues that have plagued this side at the back, as their 51 goals conceded is among the worst in the division. Only five teams have shipped more, all of whom are 15th and below.

Levy needs to buck his ideas up this summer, but his first port of call must be to find a new boss who can add at least a little bit of solidity without relinquishing all offensive threat.

With Mauricio Pochettino seemingly closing in on a move to Chelsea amid other links to Spurs, the outstanding alternative has to be Roberto De Zerbi.

Do Roberto De Zerbi's teams defend well?

Having inherited Graham Potter's high-flying Brighton and Hove Albion outfit, the Italian has managed to take them to new heights as they remain firmly in the European picture.

However, what is most impressive is that the 43-year-old has the Seagulls playing stunning football with an unflinching backline that has conceded just 37 goals. The gulf in defensive quality is vast between them and Spurs, although on paper their players are no better.

This is a figure that only the top three and Chelsea can better. For comparison, even with a squad far greater than any other in Ligue 1, during his last season at Paris Saint-Germain his side conceded 36 goals; not too dissimilar from Brighton's current season.

Employing a fluid 4-2-3-1 shape, it is certain that Levy would have to allow the new man time to gut the squad, who proved on Sunday that four at the back was not within their skillset. However, to collapse in such a fashion was more down to a mentality issue than any tactical shift.

This is a squad full of spineless and toothless duds, who De Zerbi must cleanse should he continue his success at a new club.

A former player of his, Andrea Orlandi, had detailed just how impressive the coach could be if handed time and resources:

"De Zerbi is kind of a football genius in Italy. He was a bit of a rebel as a footballer. An attacking midfielder, a quality player, never really fulfilled his potential and then as a coach he is a student of the game.

A key point was that the Spaniard also described him as "Guardiola-esque" in his play style, with the Manchester City coach being one transformative manager Levy would love to have in his dugout.

As a more than capable alternative, De Zerbi can solve their biggest issue at the back by translating his tried-and-tested philosophy onto a squad which he would seek to overhaul this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur could finally sign James Ward-Prowse this summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Ward-Prowse to Tottenham?

According to Football Insider, the 28-year-old playmaker will definitely leave Southampton if they are relegated from the Premier League this season and the Lilywhites are among the most likely destinations.

It's thought that Spurs are big admirers of the England international, and it is expected that they make their move before next term.

It does, however, remain to be seen how much Ward-Prowse would command, with FootballTransfers currently valuing him in the region of £36m. Presuming the Saints do go down, you'd imagine that they would struggle to garner anywhere near that sort of figure.

When Burnley were relegated last year, the Clarets' biggest sale that saw a player instantly return to the top-flight was Nathan Collins, having cost Wolverhampton Wanderers just £20.5m.

Is this Paratici's last roll of the dice?

Spurs have long been linked with interest in the Southampton skipper, having been mooted with interest via the Telegraph back in the summer of 2021.

Just like first-team manager Antonio Conte, sporting director Fabio Paratici is facing immense pressure over his job security right now because ultimately, he was the one that pushed to sign the Italian on an expensive contract and signed off questionable transfer dealings, such as Clement Lenglet in the summer and Arnaut Danjuma in January.

Bringing Ward-Prowse to the club this summer could save face as it would fulfil one of the squad's biggest gaps – the need for an attacking midfield maestro.

Truth be told, the north London outfit have never replaced Christian Eriksen, with players such as Dele Alli, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso failing to stake a claim in such a role.

The 28-year-old dynamo – renowned for his set-piece ability – is a proven Premier League playmaker, having provided over 100 goal contributions across 399 appearances for the Saints. As Roman Selles' top-performing player this campaign, via WhoScored, Ward-Prowse leads the squad for key passes by quite some margin (2.2 per game).

These returns would also see the "unbelievable" £100k-per-week "machine" – as lauded by his former manager Ralph Hasenhuttl – rank first among the current Spurs squad, with Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski ranking joint-first on 1.8 attempts per game.

As such, the introduction of Ward-Prowse would be a good way to kickstart a new era because whoever walks into the dugout will have one less gaping void to worry about and at the same time, this calibre of signing could well keep Paratici in a job, at least in the short-term.

Journalist Julien Laurens has heaped praise on ‘genius’ manager Will Still amid claims West Ham United want him to replace David Moyes.

The Lowdown: Moyes under-pressure…

The Scotsman has found himself under consistent pressure this Premier League campaign after failing to build upon West Ham’s two successful previous seasons.

Moyes lead his side to back-to-back European qualification campaigns in the build up to this season but have ultimately underachieved after a summer of heavy spending.

West Ham put pen to paper on deals for Alphonse Areola, Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet, Thilo Kehrer, Emerson Palmieri and club record signing Lucas Paqueta last year but find themselves in the drop zone.

18th and battling relegation to the Championship, there has been plenty of talk as to who could replace Moyes if West Ham eventually decide to part company.

Still, who has been doing a phenomenal job with Reims this season, is reportedly attracting interest from the east Londoners.

The Latest: Laurens hails Still…

Speaking on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), reporter Laurens has heaped praise on the 30-year-old after claims West Ham want him.

The journalist says Still is a ‘bit of a genius’ and his Ligue 1 rise is nothing short of ‘huge’ and ‘remarkable’.

When asked about Still’s journey, Laurens explained:

“Huge, really, the story of course. For someone so young to show so much maturity, tactically to start with, cause he’s a bit of a genius tactically, but also in his man-management with the players, again, with some of them being older than him, is remarkable.

“He’s got an incredible future ahead of him, there’s no doubt.”

Laurens went on to comment on the links to West Ham, believing that while be may not be ready for such a big job, what he has showed so far is ‘incredible’.

The Verdict: Exciting manager…

The young tactician recently went on a Ligue 1 record 17-game unbeaten run recently, propelling his name into the headlines and making supporters take real notice.

If West Ham wish to turn to Still after Moyes, they could be boosted by the fact he is more-than open to managing in England one day.

“Being English and growing up in an English environment in Belgium, England has always felt like home and a place that I’d love to go back to,” said Still (via Sky).

“It would feel like coming home, just because the English culture is part of me, part of my roots, part of my family, part of who I am.

“I think if you asked any kid what they would like to do, they’d say they’d love to be a Premier League footballer or manager and I’m no different. I was brought up like everyone else and had the same dreams. I’ll keep at them.”

Journalist Gregg Evans hailed Emiliano Martinez’s ‘brilliant’ save in Aston Villa’s 0-1 win away to Everton on Saturday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Villa draw at Everton

Unai Emery’s faced another important Premier League encounter, making the trip to a Blues side currently threatened by relegation to the Championship.

It wasn’t a classic game, in truth, with both Villa and Everton struggling to consistency produce any real quality and chances coming at a premium.

However, a penalty from Ollie Watkins mid-way through the second period was enough to edge a victory for Villa and clinch all three points for Emery.

The Latest: ‘Brilliant’ Martinez hailed

Taking to Twitter, Evans lauded a standout moment from Martinez during the game – an heroic first half stop to thwart midfielder Amadou Onana during a period of pressure for the away side.

“Brilliant save from Martinez to deny Onana. #AVFC are really under the pump.”

The Verdict: Such a key player

This was another day that highlighted the importance of Martinez to Villa, with the 30-year-old such an influential presence between the sticks.

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His superb save against Everton also showed how vital it is to keep hold of the 26-time capped Argentina international beyond this summer – that wasn’t his only stop – although it may be hard to.

On current form, there are arguably few better ‘keepers in Europe than the £120,000-a-week Martinez, so he would take a huge amount of replacing if he does move on to pastures new.

Nottingham Forest have reportedly made a permanent move for Dean Henderson in the summer one of their main priorities.

The Lowdown: Henderson at the City Ground

The goalkeeper was one of numerous players to make the move to the City Ground in the summer and had been a regular under Steve Cooper before suffering a thigh injury last month. The 25-year-old has made 20 appearances for the Reds, keeping six clean sheets.

Keylor Navas has been brought in on loan from Paris Saint-Germain as a result of Henderson’s injury, but it looks as if Evangelos Marinakis and Forest have long-term plans when it comes to the Manchester United loanee.

The Latest: Transfer meeting

The Telegraph’s John Percy shared an article on Saturday looking at the inside story of a move for Navas.

The reliable reporter claimed in the article that a transfer meeting has already been held ahead of the summer window, with the Forest deciding that a permanent move for Henderson is one of their priorities for this year.

The Verdict: Could well happen

It seems as if Henderson turned down the chance to return to Old Trafford in January after Martin Dubravka was recalled by Newcastle, something which may impact his chances of a long-term future at Manchester United.

Should that be the case, Forest may well fancy their chances of securing a permanent move for the shot-stopper, who Paul Taylor hailed as ‘truly outstanding’ earlier this season.

He appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €22m (£19.8m) Transfermarkt valuation; and with regular game-time when fit, Henderson could be open to the idea of making a permanent move to the City Ground.

Paris-Saint Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas has said ‘yes’ to a Nottingham Forest after they ‘accelerated’ talks, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Forest links…

The Costa Rica legend hasn’t started a league game all season for PSG as links surround his possible January exit, and Forest have been credited with real interest.

There have been reports of the Premier League side pushing to sign Navas this window as they search for an alternative to Dean Henderson, who is currently sidelined.

Now, French sources have shared a potentially promising update on their pursuit.

The Latest: Navas says ‘yes’ to Forest…

le10sport now claim Navas has said ‘yes’ to joining Steve Cooper’s side after Forest ‘accelerated discussions’ with both PSG and the player’s representatives recently.

The 36-year-old has apparently ‘chosen’ Forest ahead of other competitors from across Europe and in the Middle East.

Of course, this hands the club a real advantage, but it is believed a financial agreement still has to be reached with PSG.

The Verdict: Right man?

Even as a back-up/alternative to Henderson when he returns, Navas comes as an option with proven pedigree at both club and international level.

The veteran has over a century of caps for his country and has featured at three World Cups, playing every game for Costa Rica at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

Navas would bring highly valued experience to the Forest dressing room and the former Real Madrid star has been heralded for his exploits in-between the sticks.

He was once a regular for both his current club and Real Madrid with ex-PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino calling him a ‘great goalkeeper’.

It’s unclear how much PSG would demand for their second choice, but if reasonable, Cooper could land a very shrewd acquisition in Navas before January 31.

Aston Villa have enjoyed a rejuvenation of sorts under Unai Emery, losing just once in the Premier League since he took charge in November and the Spaniard will now be looking to steer his side into the top half of the table.

A trip away to Southampton is a chance to secure another three points and although the Saints are fighting to stay in the division, Emery’s men should have just too much for them this afternoon.

The 2-1 victory over Leeds United last week will give Villa plenty of confidence heading into the match today and there were some excellent performances.

Emiliano Buendia scored what turned out to be the winner, while Ezri Konsa was a rock at the back, winning 100% of his duels, yet it was Douglas Luiz who stole the show with his performance and Emery must unleash him against Southampton.

“Dictates rhythm”

Luiz ranks as Villa’s best performer this season with an average Sofascore rating of 7.00 and his performance against Leeds was one of his finest of the campaign. Brazilian journalist Fernando Campos lauded his display, saying: “Another great performance by Douglas Luiz with the Aston Villa shirt. He scores a lot, circles the entire field and dictates rhythm with quality.”

Statman Dave also sang his praises, claiming Luiz put in an “excellent performance” and his statistics during the game certainly justify the credit.

The £75k-per-week midfielder played the full 90 minutes and received the best Sofascore rating on the pitch, 7.70, as he took 73 touches, made two key passes and created a big chance during the tie.

It was his defensive display that was key to Villa securing all three points, as the Brazilian won ten duels, made two clearances, four interceptions, five tackles and was dribbled past just once – demonstrating just how good he can be when his side are under attack.

Emery must unleash him and hope he can replicate this type of form not only against the Saints but for the rest of the season. Although he could face a fight to keep him at the club come to the end of the campaign.

Celtic are set to ‘listen to offers’ for Scottish Premiership defender Stephen Welsh, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

The Hoops are already flying high at the top of the table, but January presents the perfect opportunity for the club to cash in on some of their out of favour players to generate transfer funds for future signings.

The centre-back’s current deal at Parkhead isn’t set to expire until 2025, but having fallen down the pecking order under Ange Postecoglou, an early exit could now be on the cards.

The Latest: Welsh set to depart?

Taking to Twitter, Joseph revealed that Celtic are now open to considering bids for Welsh this month, with the boss having acknowledged he needs to find more game time elsewhere.

“Celtic are now willing to listen to offers for defender Stephen Welsh in this window.

“Welsh is attracting interest from clubs in Europe & the MLS.

“Ange Postecoglou clearly likes him, but recognises his needs & desires for regular football to progress.”

The Verdict: Allow him to leave

Welsh has been a magnificent servant to Celtic having worked his way up through the ranks from the club’s academy, but now seems like the right time to let him go.

The Coatbridge-born talent has only made four league starts this season which just shows that Postecoglou doesn’t view him as part of his long-term plans moving forward.

Nevertheless, Welsh has been hailed a ‘leader’ by Josh Bunting and will go on to make a great signing for any of his potential suitors.