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Tottenham Hotspur lead the race to sign Franck Kessie after a huge claim emerged this week…

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge, Spurs have the best chance of sealing the AC Milan midfielder at the end of his current contract this summer.

“As I say, going back to my colleague Di Marzio, he said on our transfer show last week that Tottenham will lead the way in the summer, which is exciting,” he revealed to GIVEMESPORT. “The only thing with everything in life, and it’s like presents, you want everything now.”

The north London outfit have long been linked with a move for the Ivory Coast international, who is currently away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, thus making a switch this month a little complicated.

Kessie has turned down a new deal at the San Siro and will be free to leave the Italian giants in the summer.

Antonio Conte is said to have requested his signature during the current window but there is competition from Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool, among others across Europe.

Summer bargain

Whether the Lilywhites can secure Kessie now or in the summer remains to be seen but whenever he arrives, he will be an incredible signing for the club – even more so as he won’t cost a penny in terms of a transfer fee despite being valued at €30m (£26m).

The 6-foot powerhouse is capable of contributing at both ends of the pitch with his phenomenal box-to-box qualities.

Last season, he was Milan’s second-highest goalscorer in the league as he finished on 13 goals, just a couple behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and he’s since found the net five times this campaign.

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Also per WhoScored, Kessie has averaged 1.3 tackles, 1.1 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in 21/22, which only goes to show his ball-winning capabilities and his evident threat inside the final third.

His playing style has been likened to that of Yaya Toure and it’s easy to see why on the above evidence, seeing as he can drive the ball forward, defend and score goals.

“I want Kessie in my team, he scores, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he’s intelligent. I’m watching him carefully, with Roma it was devastating,” ex-Milan striker Antonio Cassano told Bobo TV (via MilanLive). “It reminds me of the Yaya Toure of the best times. He is a different player, but in terms of impact. He is holding Milan’s midfield alone.”

It’s not the first time that the bustling midfield beast has been lauded around the San Siro. His former coach Vincenzo Montella once hailed him as an “extraordinary player” with “sublime intelligence.”

Conte’s engine room may be rammed full of players right now but Kessie offers him something that very few of his current options do, not to mention the dubious futures of Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli, who could both depart N17 before January 31st.

If the Italian has actually requested the Ivorian’s signature, then he will surely be delighted to learn that Spurs are leading the race to sign him ahead of next season.

On the above evidence, with his encouraging statistics and lofty praise, Kessie would be a fantastic addition at Hotspur Way.

AND in other news, Forget Tanganga: £26m-rated Spurs calamity who won 33% duels proved Conte right again…

Ryan Harris and Brent Arnel couldn’t have wished for better conditions to begin their Test careers than the green-top at the Basin Reserve

Brydon Coverdale in Wellington18-Mar-2010Ryan Harris and Brent Arnel couldn’t have wished for better conditions to begin their Test careers than the green-top at the Basin Reserve, where both men have a strong chance of making their debuts on Friday. Harris will become the 413th Australian Test cricketer, provided he has no problems recovering from a minor side injury, while the grassy surface has pushed Arnel in to strong contention to bump the spinner Jeetan Patel out of New Zealand’s line-up.Pace and bounce have been the features of warm-up sessions in Wellington and Ricky Ponting said facing up on the practice pitches was “like we were batting at the WACA”, compared to the slower one-day surfaces used recently. That will encourage Harris, whose excellent ODI form over the past two months – 28 wickets at 14.14 in 11 games – has pushed him ahead of Clint McKay in the Test reckoning.”He is a guy who can genuinely swing the ball at brisk pace,” Ponting said. “You are always looking for someone who can use the new ball really well. We unearthed a couple last year who could do that in Ben Hilfenhaus and Dougie Bollinger.”With Hilfenhaus not being here and Siddle not being here, someone who can use that new ball, I think Ryan fits all those things really well. In the one-day games, I think it was three or four games in a row back in Australia he got a wicket in the first over of the game swinging the new ball. So hopefully he can have the same sort of effect if he comes up for this Test match.”It is remarkable that Harris could be in line for a Test debut in a season when he has played only one Sheffield Shield match due to an injury at the start of the summer and his one-day commitments. But it now seems the only thing that can keep him out is the side problem that prompted Australia to fly the South Australian fast man Peter George in to join the squad as cover.Harris bowled in the indoor nets at Westpac Stadium on Wednesday while rain scuppered his chances of having a run outdoors. The Australians were being extra cautious by bringing in George, with the expectation that Harris would continue to recover well with a lengthy session at the Basin Reserve on match eve.”He bowled about five overs yesterday indoors which probably wasn’t ideal for us or for him,” Ponting said. “He’ll do a lot more bowling today for us to get a bit more of a feel on where he’s at. But everything he has done in the last couple of days with his bowling has been good. Things at the moment are pretty positive with him. Ryan will play if he gets through as well as we want him to today and we’ll wait and see how he wakes up in the morning.”New Zealand have seen plenty of Harris through the one-day series but Australia know little about Arnel, the Northern Districts bowler who is likely to play his first Test. Daniel Vettori would not commit to Arnel over Patel with a day’s preparation remaining, but he said the conditions made it more likely than not that Arnel would have the edge.At 31, he has enjoyed the first-class scene after being a late starter, not making his first appearance until 27. This summer Arnel has taken 29 Plunket Shield wickets at 19.58 and Vettori said he was confident that Arnel could make the step up to Test level.”He’s been waiting in the wings a little while and has been involved in a few squads,” Vettori said. “Hopefully if he does get the nod then he is ready. He’s been bowling really well and that’s the main thing. He’s pretty consistent, he puts it in the right areas the majority of the time and on a wicket that’s got a little bit of something in it, that’s pretty crucial.”

Former Pakistan captains have criticised the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt for the timing of his announcement that Mohammad Yousuf will be replaced as captain after the ongoing tour of Australia, saying it will leave the struggling team further disjointed and dispirited.Under Yousuf, Pakistan squared a three-Test series against New Zealand but lost three Tests in a row to Australia before they surrendered the first ODI in Brisbane on Friday. Butt said Yousuf was appointed only for these two tours, but did not guarantee that he would be retained. Aamer Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq felt that Butt’s announcement came too early.”Why announce this in the middle of the Australia tour? What’s the urgency?” Sohail told PTI, adding that it could affect the team’s morale for the remainder of the tour, which includes four more ODIs and a Twenty20.Inzamam agreed that such an announcement will cause more confusion within the team, after Younis Khan quit the captaincy in a huff. “Even if the board thought that Yousuf is not good enough to captain the team, they should have waited till their return,” he said. “Ever since the team had gone to New Zealand and Australia, there is total chaos and lack of communication between the team management, selectors and board. This is another example of that lack of communication, which will only contribute to the team’s poor show.”Moin Khan, the former wicketkeeper, said that though Yousuf exposed his own shortcomings as captain during the tour, he did not deserve to be put under so much pressure by the PCB by way of this announcement.”He accepted the captaincy at a time when no one was willing to do it and he has given his best, but the same is also true that he lacked the aggression required in Australia to win matches,” Moin said. “But this does not mean that the board should announce that they will change the captain after the Australian tour. It will leave the team further disjointed and dispirited.”The relationship between Yousuf and the selection committee, headed by Iqbal Qasim, has been tense over the course of the long tour of Australia. He had Misbah-ul-Haq sent over to New Zealand after the player had been dropped from all three formats of the game just a month before. He also requested the committee to fly in Younis during the Tests to arrest the team’s batting woes but expressed his disappointment at the former captain’s late arrival.

A Newcastle United transfer claim has been made regarding their business in the window in the coming days…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Pete Graves has dropped an exciting update which promises a huge week for those associated with the Magpies.

He tweeted: “Expecting transfer breakthroughs at #nufc this week. Been fairly amused by some of the names mentioned in certain places recently, however there are players under serious discussion that haven’t been mentioned anywhere yet.”

Fans will be delighted

Newcastle fans will be delighted with this update as it suggests that they are in for an exciting week of action in the transfer market.

The Magpies are in a desperate situation in the Premier League and new additions could be vital to their efforts to remain in the top flight. They are 19 games into the season and have mustered a measly 11 points, just one more than bottom-placed Norwich, with a mere one win to their name so far.

Dean Smith’s Canaries are also the only team who have conceded as many goals as the Toon (42) in the league, highlighting their fragility at the back. Eddie Howe’s side have conceded far too many goals, during his tenure as well as under Steve Bruce and Graeme Jones, and that could need to be addressed this month.

Their struggles on the pitch over the course of the first 19 games suggest that the current playing squad is not good enough to save their top-flight status. The lowest points tally to secure Premier League survival in the competition’s history has been 33 and the Magpies are currently on course to end with 22, falling well short of what is required to remain in the division.

This is why strengthening the squad with new signings this month could be crucial to Howe’s chances of avoiding the drop. Therefore, fans will be delighted that the club are expecting ‘breakthroughs’ in negotiations in the coming days, for it suggests that players will be coming in to bolster the squad as soon as possible.

Supporters will surely not want any deals dragging out until late in the month, particularly near deadline day, and they will be buzzing to see some business being done early. It means that they may be able to relax during the latter stages of the month instead of watching the club rush around and potentially make panic buys which do not make sense from a footballing or financial point of view.

AND in other news, “I am told…” – Journalist drops big Newcastle transfer claim which will deflate Toon fans…

Rangers defender Connor Goldson is a potential transfer target for Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa, Pete O’Rourke has told GIVEMESPORT. 

The lowdown

Gerrard has been linked with a host of his former Ibrox players since he opted to move south of the border, including Ryan Kent, Glen Kamara and Borna Barisic, but Goldson’s case is unique because his contract is due to expire at the end of this season.

It’s possible that January will be Rangers’ last chance to cash in on the 29-year-old, who will otherwise be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement ahead of the summer transfer window.

Football Insider have previously reported that, as per Ibrox sources, the former Brighton centre-back Goldson wants another crack at the English top flight.

The latest

O’Rourke thinks that Gerrard may deem Goldson to be Premier League standard and could look to engineer a reunion with the player in the Midlands, adding that the defender’s contract situation could lend itself to a ‘relatively cheap’ move in January.

The journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “One of the names in the frame would be Connor Goldson, who is yet to sign a new deal at Rangers. I think his contract is up in the summer, so Villa might be able to get him for relatively cheap in January.”

The verdict

There’s no escaping the reality that Goldson would be a big loss for Rangers as they look to retain their Premiership crown.

He has started 18 of their 19 league matches so far this season, and his average SofaScore rating of 7.19 ranks him fifth in the Rangers squad, indicating that he’s a hugely dependable performer.

Goldson helps the Gers to build attacks with his ‘next level’ passing, and Gerrard was also keen to point out his intangible attributes, such as the ‘incredible leadership’ he provides. Therefore, it’s little wonder that the 41-year-old wants to team up with the defender once more, so Rangers best be ready for an approach to come their way.

In other news, some Gers fans were buzzing over this news ahead of the upcoming Old Firm derby

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos terá quatro caras novas no elenco nos próximos dias, mas não se trata de novas contratações. Os garotos do tão badalado time sub-17 serão as novidades no grupo comandado por Levir Culpi.

Os atacantes Rodrygo e Yuri Alberto e os meias Victor Yan e Lucas Lourenço terão suas promoções antecipadas. A ideia da diretoria era promovê-los no ano que vem, mas a situação do time no Brasileirão facilitou o processo de profissionalização das joias. O Peixe é o segundo colocado do Brasileiro e está a dez pontos do Corinthians, líder.

A princípio, o quarteto vai participar de dois treinos por semana e eventualmente um será relacionado por Levir para um jogo do Brasileirão. No combinado com a comissão técnica do sub-17, nenhum deles serão desfalques em jogos da Copa do Brasil ou do Campeonato Paulista da categoria, que ainda está sendo disputado.

O atacante Yuri Alberto e o meia Victor Yan estão com a Seleção Brasileira e se apresentam a Levir depois. Rodrygo e Lucas Lourenço serão os primeiros a conhecerem o trabalho do time de cima.

O atacante Rodrygo é um dos jogadores que mais chama a atenção. Antes mesmo de completar 18 anos, coleciona convocações para a Seleção e tem contrato com a Nike.

Yuri Alberto não fica por menos. Com1,83 m aos 16 anos, já fez mais de 50 gols em um ano na base, recorde que era de Diego. O centroavante já chamou a atenção de Manchester United (ING) e Real Madrid (ESP).

Já Victor Yan se destaca pela mobilidade e velocidade de transição para chegar ao ataque. Lucas Lourenço tem características de armador e já fez parte das Seleções Brasileiras de base.

Mesmo com a promoção ao elenco profissional antecipada, a diretoria santista planeja que os quatro atletas sejam peças principais do time que vai disputar a Copinha no ano que vem.

Além do talento do quarteto e de outros jogadores da categoria, o sub-17 do Alvinegro é tratado com zelo também pelo insucesso do sub-20. Nesta temporada, o juniores foram eliminados precocemente no Paulista, na Copa do Brasil e na Copinha.

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This weekend sees Liverpool continue their push for the Premier League title with a tough clash against West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday evening, with the Hammers just two points behing Jurgen Klopp’s side in the table.

Looking ahead to the match in east London, it seems as though the Reds have been handed yet another injury issue which Klopp will need to work around when considering his starting XI against the Irons.

What’s the news?

Speaking ahead of the match against David Moyes’ side, Klopp revealed that Curtis Jones suffered an eye injury in training which kept him out of the club’s midweek Champions League win over Atletico Madrid and will also rule him out of Sunday’s clash. That will surely have a lot of Liverpool fans fuming given the likely accidental nature of the injury on this occasion, on top of the fact that he struggled with a muscle injury he picked up on international duty in October.

So far this season, Jones has made nine appearances for the Reds across all competitions, scoring one goal and providing three assists in the process and proving himself to be useful midfield option for Klopp, especially in an attacking sense.

Additionally, the 20-year-old has averaged 1.2 shots at goal per game in the Premier League so far this season, as well as an impressive passing accuracy percentage of 94%.

This shows why he will be a big miss for the Reds on Sunday, especially considering that West Ham have conceded fewer goals (11) than the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton prior to today’s fixtures, so Jones’ prowess in the final third of the pitch could have been vital for Liverpool on Sunday.

His absence will also be a big miss for the Reds considering that they have the likes of Naby Keita and James Milner also ruled out with hamstring injuries, leaving Klopp with few midfield options at his disposal when selecting his starting XI.

Those other absences could’ve presented Jones with the perfect opportunity to firmly cement a starting berth in Liverpool’s midfield. Instead, he can only watch on tomorrow evening, which will surely come as a real frustration for him and for Reds fans.

In other news: Forget Salah: FSG must strike a deal with LFC’s “important” machine, Klopp loves him

Leeds United, Everton and Newcastle United have been linked with a move for midfielder Ross Barkley, TEAMtalk report.

The Lowdown: Barkley’s struggles…

Barkley, who shares the same agency as Whites midfielder Adam Forshaw, has had his struggles in 2021.

He spent last season on loan at Aston Villa, however, he started just four of Villa’s final 15 Premier League games last season.

The Englishman’s last appearance for his country came over two years ago and he’s failed to make an impact under Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge during the current campaign.

Tuchel recently labelled Barkley as ‘strong’, but he has started him just twice in all competitions this season, and it seems as if Victor Orta is keen to bring the attacking midfielder back to Elland Road following a loan spell in 2013.

The Latest: Whites interest

According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle are thought to be leading the chase for the 27-year-old’s services.

The report adds that Leeds and Everton are also keen, with an initial loan with option to buy preferred.

Barkley is still hopeful of making Gareth Southgate’s England squad in 2022 and has 18 months remaining on his Chelsea contract.

The Verdict: Avoid…

Leeds are fairly short of midfield options at this moment in time and haven’t signed a central midfielder on a permanent deal under Marcelo Bielsa. However, bringing in a player like Barkley, who is on big money and was labelled as ‘lazy’ by Roy Keane when playing for England, could be a risk.

He hasn’t exactly been a regular in the Premier League over recent years and has a lengthy injury history, so there’s no guarantee he’d hit the ground running in Bielsa’s high-intensity Leeds side.

Perhaps the Whites would be better off looking for a more versatile midfielder similar to Mateusz Klich, who would be able to provide cover in multiple areas such as an eight or 10.

In other news: Joe Donnohue states how much it could take for Leeds and Radrizzani to cash in on Raphinha. 

تلقى الدولي المصري مصطفى محمد إشادة كبيرة من الصحف ووسائل الإعلام الفرنسية والتركية، بعد تألقه في فوز نانت على تولوز.

دخل مصطفى محمد بين شوطي المباراة، وحوّل تأخر فريقه للفوز بثلاثية مقابل هدف، بعدما ساهم في صناعة الأول، وسجل الثاني وصنع الثالث، ليحقق نانت أول فوز في الموسم.

النجم المصري تلقى إشادة كبيرة من الصحف الفرنسية والتركية، ووصفوا لاعب الزمالك الأسبق، بالمهاجم الحاسم.

طالع أيضًا.. فيديو | تعرف على تقييم مصطفى محمد بعد تألقه في مباراة نانت وتولوز

الأناكوندا المعار من جالطة سراي حتى نهاة الموسم، شارك في 45 دقيقة فقط، تمكن خلالها من تغيير كل شيء، وتصدر عناوين الصحف الفرنسية والتركية. ردود أفعال صحف تركيا وفرنسا بعد تألق مصطفى محمد في مباراة نانت وتولوز

صحيفة “ouest-france” كتبت في تقريرها: “مصطفى محمد، شارك وسجل وصنع، لقد كان الرجل الحاسم”.

موقع “Score.fr” كتب: “تولوز يسقط بمجرد دخول مصطفى محمد”.

موقع “ladepeche.fr” المقرب من نادي تولوز: “تولوز لم يفهم شيئًا في الشوط الثاني.. ودخول مصطفى محمد صنع الفارق مع نانت”.

موقع “Mynet” التركي كتب في عنوانه لتقرير المباراة: “مصطفى محمد يهز فرنسا ويقود نانت للفوز الأول”.

صحيفة “ليفيجار” الفرنسية، كتبت: “مصطفى محمد يوقظ هجوم نانت ويحوّل تأخرهم لفوز بثلاثة أهداف أمام تولوز”.

صحيفة “فاناتيك” التركية، كتبت: “دخل لينقذهم، مصطفى محمد يسجل بالرأس وينقذ نانت”.

Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus claimed five England wickets for 20 runs in the space of 44 balls in a thrilling final hour of the second day at Headingley

The Bulletin by Andrew Miller at Headingley08-Aug-2009England 102 and 82 for 5 (Anderson 0*, Prior 4*) trail Australia 445 (North 110, Clarke 93, Ponting 78 Broad 6-91) by 261 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBen Hilfenhaus began England’s second-innings demise•PA PhotosMitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus claimed five England wickets for 20 runs in the space of 44 balls in a thrilling final hour of the second day at Headingley, as Australia built on the batting efforts of Marcus North to surge towards a stunningly comprehensive Ashes-squaring victory. North’s 110 from 206 balls, coupled with 93 from Michael Clarke and some spirited thwacking from the tail, converted Australia’s overnight lead of 94 into a formidable first-innings advantage of 343 which paved the way for the dramas that followed – and had North himself held onto a sharp chance at third slip from the final ball of the day, Ricky Ponting would have had a case to claim the extra half-hour and push for an incredible two-day winInstead, Australia will have to settle for a three-day finish, in a match that is proving as abjectly one-sided as any of England’s Ashes humiliations of the past 20 years. The only remote challenge to Australia’s dominance came while Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss were repelling the new ball in a first-wicket stand of 58 that spanned 22.4 overs. Hilfenhaus, however, zipped one back off the seam to slam into Strauss’s back pad to expose England’s flimsy middle-order, and sure enough, Australia surged through the opening.Ravi Bopara’s torrid series continued when he was late coming forward to his very first delivery, and adjudged lbw by Asad Rauf despite a sizeable inside-edge, and though Ian Bell survived the hat-trick ball by a whisker, Johnson didn’t allow him to savour the moment. For the second time in the match, he was cowed into submission by Johnson, pushed back by a fizzing bouncer, then drawn forward to poke a limp catch to Ponting at second slip for 3.Next to go was Paul Collingwood, his form now in freefall after his match-saving 74 at Cardiff. Following on from his first-innings duck, Collingwood played all round a full swinging delivery from Johnson, and was plumb lbw for 4. Still England’s humiliation was not complete, however. For the second innings running, Cook had attempted to stand firm while all around him wavered, but having ground his way to 30 from 84 balls, he hung out his bat to a Johnson outswinger, and snicked a low edge through to Brad Haddin. And Johnson should have claimed his fourth in the space of 20 balls, when Matt Prior edged him straight through North’s hands.With three days remaining and the weather set fair, it is inconceivable that Australia will not wrap up a hugely deserved victory with several sessions to spare, and stride on to The Oval in a fortnight’s time with the Ashes once again in a vice-like grip. But for all the drama of England’s batting capitulation, the man to whom the day’s credit belonged was North, who followed on from his 96 at Edgbaston last week with yet another performance that put England’s flappable temperaments to shame. His 110 from 206 balls was Australia’s seventh century of the summer, compared to Strauss’s solitary offering at Lord’s last month, and their dominance of the series statistics will at last be rewarded on the field.Marcus North scored his third century in six Tests to hurt England•Getty ImagesResuming on 196 for 4, Australia’s middle- and lower-order had all the time in the world to accentuate England’s humiliation after they had been rolled over for 102 in the first 33.5 overs of the match, but in the end they needed only two sessions to capture a formidable advantage. North added exactly 150 for the fifth wicket with Clarke, who fell seven runs short of his third century in consecutive matches, and then sat back in the final overs before tea while the tail ran amok around him, not least Stuart Clark, who smacked three of the biggest sixes imaginable in a 22-ball 32, including one tee-shot back over Graeme Swann’s head that landed in the media toilets.Not for the first time in the match, England had absolutely no say in the flow of events. Stuart Broad kept the ball pitched up (more often than not) to finish with figures of 6 for 91, his best in Tests, but it was hardly an achievement he felt worthy of celebrating. The brief flicker of momentum that England had generated through Steve Harmison’s hostile performance on the first evening had effectively vanished inside the first half-hour of the day.James Anderson, who entered the day amid concerns about the hamstring he tweaked while stretching for a quick single on the first afternoon, looked semi-fit at best as he started with a diet of half-volleys and finished with throwback figures of 18-3-89-0, while Harmison’s first three-over spell was short, wide and clobbered for 23 agenda-setting runs, including a brutal first-ball pull for four from Clarke, who once again set the tempo for Australia’s performance.Clarke’s fourth half-century of the series was brought up from 78 balls with a tuck off the hips from Harmison, and thereafter he went into overdrive, particularly against the labouring Anderson, whom he belted on the up, through the covers, twice in four balls, before working him sublimely through the leg-side from consecutive deliveries. In between whiles, North greeted Broad by clipping a first-ball half-volley through midwicket for four, as the pair brought up their hundred partnership from 152 balls – their third in six innings this series.Clarke has now emerged as the outstanding batsman of the summer, and looked a dead-cert for his third century in as many Tests. But not for the first time, the nervous nineties undermined his previously serene progress. On 92, he attempted to work Onions through midwicket, but instead looped a leading edge into no-man’s land in the covers, but he was unable to make his good luck count. He had not added to the single he had run from that let-off when Onions found a full and inswinging length, to pin him lbw on his bootlaces.Despite the loss of his domineering partner, North was perfectly content to sit in and bide his time. With three scores in excess of 96 and five below 12 in his five previous Tests, he is a player who knows how to make his starts count. Harmison struck with his second delivery with the new ball, as Brad Haddin spooned a miscued pull to short backward square, but North rode the extra bounce with typical insouciance, joined in a 70-run stand for the seventh wicket with Johnson, who continued his consistent form with the bat with 27 from 53 balls.Johnson’s innings finally came to an end when he pulled a Broad long-hop to Bopara on the midwicket boundary, and in the same over, Peter Siddle was too slow on a full and straight delivery that took out his off stump first-ball. But Clark, who has enjoyed himself in this match so far, climbed into two further Broad short balls to deposit him over the leg-side ropes, before under-edging another attacking stroke into his stumps.With his partners starting to run out, North decided to chance his arm, and his century-securing six off Swann was just about the only liberty he permitted himself in a studious and vital match-seizing performance. He holed out to midwicket soon afterwards to bring the innings to a close on the stroke of tea, whereupon England’s openers, for a misleadingly serene hour-and-a-half, set about chiselling away at the deficit. Hilfenhaus and Johnson, however, were lurking. And the momentum of the series has lurched violently out of England’s grasp.