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As part of the NxGn series, Goal takes a look at the most promising young players waiting in the wings at the Santiago Bernabeu

GettyVinicius JuniorThe Brazilian teenager signed for Real Madrid last year, but will not join Los Blancos until the end of the 2018-19 season, because he needs to be 18 for an international transfer to be completed. The young Flamengo forward scored seven times as Brazil won the U-17 South American Championship last year and he was named as the tournament's best player. Real Madrid have high hopes for him.AdvertisementGettyMoha

Mohamed Airam Ramos Wade, better known as Moha, is a goalkeeper with a bright future at Real Madrid. The Tenerife-born shot-stopper, who will be 18 next month, has already been training with the first team following the injury to Luca Zidane and the coaching staff are very impressed. Moha saved three penalties in the Youth League against Krasnodar in a shootout in February. He is tall (1.90m), agile and has impressive reflexes. Definitely an option for the future at Real.

GettyCesar GelabertSon of a former Sevilla and Sporting Gijon player, Juanmi Gelabert, Cesar is one of the most promising teenagers at Real Madrid. The 17-year-old can play as a central midfielder, a winger, a support striker or as a false nine. He has excellent technical ability and an eye for a final ball, as well as a good goalscoring record. He is currently playing for the Juvenil A side under former Madrid midfielder Guti and that experience should further aid his development.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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GettyMiguel BaezaAnother midfielder playing under Guti in Real Madrid's Juvenil A side, Miguel Baeza is a player known for his tactical awareness. Elegant on the ball and with a good understanding of the game, the youngster (who has just turned 18) can play centrally or on the wing and also boasts a powerful left foot.

After their respective bitter Barcelona exits, the South American duo look incredibly set to play alongside one another again…

Just this summer, Luis Suarez appeared on the verge of retiring from football. Because of osteoarthritis in his left knee, the striker was said to be in "constant pain". "Luis Suarez is reaching his limit," Gremio president Alberto Guerra lamented. "To be able to play, he is given almost daily injections and special treatments."

However, even though Suarez will turn 37 in January, he isn't going to quit the game, though. On the contrary, he's now set to continue his career in MLS with Inter Miami. Talk about 'the Lionel Messi effect'!

Of course, while the prospect of Suarez becoming the the latest addition to the Barcelona All-Stars assembling at the DRV PNK Stadium generated quite the buzz in American soccer when it was first mooted in July, Gremio were less than impressed by the Uruguayan's miraculous recovery from his seemingly chronic injury issue.

"Suarez is now a problem that is in the president's hands," coach Renato Gaucho told reporters at the time. "They are exchanging ideas. As a coach, I have to focus on leading the team. "It seems like a Mexican soap opera that should end now."

There is little chance of that now, though. The Luis Suarez show, a source of seemingly never-ending drama over the past 15 years, is now set for a fittingly grand finale alongside his great friend Messi.

Getty ImagesSuarez's bitter Barcelona exit

Suarez and Messi spent six years playing alongside one another at Barcelona, winning 13 trophies together. However, the way in which their time at Camp Nou came to an end never sat right with either man.

Suarez was one of the victims of Barcelona's disastrous 2019-20 season – the club's first trophy-less campaign in 12 years. Ronald Koeman had informed the Uruguayan just days after being unveiled as the Blaugrana's new boss that he no longer had a future at the club but, according to Suarez, the Dutchman was merely doing Josep Maria Bartomeu's bidding.

The Barca president had publicly intimated that Suarez was for sale by leaving him off a list of players that he deemed 'untouchable' but the forward still insists that Bartomeu never actually spoke directly to him.

"The president said everything in the press instead of calling me," he later told El Partidazo de COPE. "The moment they wanted Leo [Messi] to stay they called me to use me to convince him, to talk to [Antoine] Griezman… So why didn’t they call me when they wanted me to leave? Or why did the coach not come and tell me that he does not count on me because he wants another type of striker?

"Koeman told me I wasn’t in his plans, then he said 'If we don’t figure this out by tomorrow, you’re back in my plans and I’m counting on you.' I saw then that the man had no personality. He was not strong enough to tell me I was not needed. The decision [to sell] came from the board."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMessi furious over friend's exit

Whatever the precise truth, Messi was enraged by his team-mate's treatment, which was hardly surprising. From the moment of Suarez's arrival at Camp Nou in 2014, the pair gelled as well off the field as they had on it, forming a formidable front three with another South American in Neymar, who would also become a close friend.

Suarez and Messi's families also formed a strong bond, their children played together and their respective partners, Sofia Balbi and Antonella Roccuzzo, even opened a boutique together in 2017.

So, Suarez's horribly handled sale, which reduced the No.9 to tears, was always going to upset Messi, who vented his fury on Instagram after his fellow forward's transfer to Atletico Madrid had been confirmed.

"You deserved a farewell befitting who you are: one of the most important players in the history of the club, achieving great things for the team and on an individual level," Messi wrote. "You did not deserve for them to throw you out like they did. But the truth is that at this stage nothing surprises me any more."

Getty ImagesSuarez's revenge

By that stage, it was already clear that Messi's relationship with Bartomeu had completely broken down. In an exclusive interview with GOAL, the captain had eviscerated the president, accusing him of breaking a succession of promises, so his very public criticism of the club was wholly unsurprising.

But the Suarez sale also made little sense from a sporting perspective. Suarez may have been slowing down a tad but it was clear that he wasn't completely finished, given he had scored 21 times in 36 appearances during the 2019-20 campaign.

There was an obvious risk that Barcelona were weakening their attack while simultaneously strengthening a rival's – and that's exactly how it panned out, with Suarez making a mockery of the decision to ditch him by firing Atletico to the Liga title.

And Suarez being Suarez, he made no attempt to hide the fact that he had been driven by the bitterness over the brutal nature of his Barcelona exit, admitting that he had even considered sending a photo of himself celebrating his Primera Division success to Bartomeu and the board members who had removed him so unceremoniously from his former club's roster.

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GettyThe 'impossible' dream

Of course, just a few months later, Messi left Barcelona in tears, too.

Despite the financial mess left behind by Bartomeu, who was forced to step down in October 2020 with the Catalans of the verge of bankruptcy, it was hoped that his successor, Joan Laporta, would find a way to keep the club's all-time leading goalscorer on the books. But the grim economic reality of the situation put paid to that pipe-dream.

Messi left for Paris Saint-Germain and with that, his hopes of ever again playing alongside Suarez appeared to be over. Suarez spent a second season at Atletico but returned to first club Nacional in the summer of 2022. He left just six months later, after playing a pivotal role in a Uruguayan title win, but joined Gremio on a two-year contract.

So, even after Messi sensationally announced that he would be moving to MLS on June 7, Suarez quickly dismissed the idea that the pair might enjoy a reunion in Miami.

"It is impossible," Suarez told Uruguayan newspaper El Observador. "I am very happy at Gremio and I have a contract until 2024."

USMNT striker Folarin Balogun scored on his return to Reims as Monaco stayed top of Ligue 1 with a comfortable 3-1 win.

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Balogun scores on return to ReimsMonaco stay top of Ligue 1USMNT striker gets standing ovation

Balogun got USMNT fans excited with his 21-goal league campaign with Reims last season, and it appears that he has hit the ground running at Monaco

The 22-year-old scored his third goal in five appearances for his new club since a €30 million (£26m/$32m) move from Arsenal, setting Monaco on their way to a 3-1 away win that keeps them top of the pile.

GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The opening stages of the match were certainly not for the purists; both sides could barely string more than a few passes together and instead exchanged petty fouls and misplaced passes.

It was starting to look like an extremely uneventful first half would end goalless, but Ismail Jakobs tore up that script when he side-footed home a few minutes before half-time.

If Balogun played a minor role in the opening goal – his presence in the middle of the penalty area forced the Reims defenders to leave Jakobs unmarked at the back post – he was the protagonist of the second.

Play had barely restarted when the 22-year-old found himself with grass to run into on the right of the box. Youssouf Fofana slipped Balogun in on goal and he kept his cool to rifle into the roof of the net, albeit via a slight deflection.

The youngster held his hands up in apology to his former fans, but moments later he was celebrating another goal. This time strike partner Wissam Ben Yedder applied the finishing touch, heading home Jakob's dangerous cross across goal.

Reims pulled one back from the penalty spot through Teddy Teuma, but it was Balogun and Monaco who emerged victorious in northeast France.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Balogun was a revelation in France last season, scoring 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances during a season-long loan at Reims from Arsenal. Finishing fourth in the scoring charts made clubs across Europe sit up and take notice, and it was Monaco who won the race to sign him.

There were some worries about whether Balogun would be able to replicate his scoring antics at a club with greater standards, expectations and pressure, but three goals in five appearances this term seem to have put those concerns to bed.

At Monaco, Balogun has already formed a partnership with veteran marksman Ben Yedder. The 33-year-old scored his 150th Ligue 1 goal on Saturday; there are probably worse strikers Balogun could learn from.

After suffering the embarrassment of missing two penalties in a 1-0 defeat to Nice a couple of weeks ago, Balogun has shown maturity and resilience in scoring in back-to-back outings.

GettyUSMNT IMPACT

USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter will be pleased that the youngster has now started three consecutive games for his new club, and that his goal-scoring exploits at Reims last season clearly wasn't just a flash in the pan.

Balogun has started all four of the USMNT matches he has featured in since making his senior debut in June, suggesting that Berhalter sees him as his best striking option.

That the 22-year-old has found his shooting boots in Monaco is only a good thing for the national team.

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GettyGOAL'S RATINGS

Folarin Balogun (7/10):

Balogun was a constant thorn in Reims' side, using his pace to lead dangerous counter-attacks and his technical ability to link up with Ben Yedder and Aleksandr Golovin.

The Arsenal academy graduate took his goal well, and would have bagged a brace had he not lost the ball under his feet moments after Reims pulled a goal back.

He did lose nine duels – more than any other player on the pitch – so that's something to work on.

New USWNT boss Emma Hayes delayed start with the U.S. poses an issue, per sporting director Matt Crocker, but the USSF is happy to wait for her.

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Emma Hayes delayed start presents issues for U.S. SoccerUSSF 'hopeful' Hayes can travel to meet squad

USWNT host China PR on December 2

WHAT HAPPENED?

In a press conference on Monday, Crocker said that despite the complications with the current situation regarding Hayes' status with the USWNT, he's 'hopeful' that the new boss will be able to visit the squad in Florida next week. The U.S. has a pair of December international friendlies against China PR to end the calendar year.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Hayes is a picture-perfect hire for the USWNT, and the way they negotiated her contract, she will still end on good terms with her beloved Chelsea; it's an ideal scenario. The 47-year-old manager will still be on the touchline for at least four games prior to her first major tournament with the national team in the Paris Olympics, too. However, the one negative is that for any matches played in 2024 from January until the end of the WSL season, Hayes won't be on the bench with her squad.

WHAT CROCKER SAID

"It's not ideal Emma can’t start with us right away. But from my perspective, what was important is that we’ve got the best candidate for the long term rather than wrong candidate for short term," he said.

The USSF Sporting Director added: "We're just again working to final details around her schedule… it would be an ideal situation for her to come and meet the players and staff and we're very hopeful that that can happen."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR HAYES AND THE USWNT?

The current Chelsea boss will continue out the WSL season with the Blues before joining up with the USWNT on a permanent basis in 2024. They're back in action on Thursday in the UEFA Women's Champions League against Paris FC. The U.S. meanwhile, announced the November camp roster Monday morning ahead of a pair of December friendlies against China PR.

The 2017-18 FIFA Ultimate Team of the Season has been revealed, with all this year's biggest and best performers getting huge ratings boosts

EA SportsSergio Aguero – Man City89 > 97AdvertisementEA SportsDele Alli – Spurs84 > 92EA SportsCesar Azpilicueta – Chelsea86 > 92ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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EA SportsDavid Silva – Man City89 > 95

Michael Holding, Ian Chappell, Rahul Dravid and Martin Crowe have urged the ICC to regulate the depth of the bat, and not just keep it to the existing size but pull it back

Sidharth Monga31-Mar-20155:16

Chappell: Field restrictions should make captaincy imaginative

Restoring the balance between bat and ball, including regulating bat thickness, easing fielding restrictions and reverting to one white ball per innings, was the way ahead for the one-day game, according to a panel of ESPNcricinfo’s experts. The experts – Michael Holding, Ian Chappell, Rahul Dravid and Martin Crowe – felt these would encourage imaginative captaincy and more aggressive cricket.They were participating in , an ESPNcricinfo discussion on the future of the ODI game, in Sydney after the second World Cup semi-final.The most important issue, they felt, was for the ICC to regulate the depth of the bat, and not just keep it to the existing size but pull it back. As the regulations stand, a bat’s width cannot exceed 10.8cm, but there is no bar on the thickness of the bat. The width of the bat for the purpose of the regulations is the width of the edge or the side face, and not the thickness of the middle of the bat.”I don’t know if the ICC is afraid of the people who manufacture the bat to say exactly what has to go into a bat,” Holding said. “They have limited the width of the bat, but they have never limited the depth. There used to be a sweet spot on the bat years ago. Actually one company – I don’t want to name it – used to have a spot on the back of the bat, which was pretty much parallel to the one on the front of the bat. Now that would have to cover the entire bat because there is no sweet spot, there is a sweet bat.”Once you get a piece of bat on the ball, it disappears. You can see it on the television. There are a lot of slow-motion replays where you see a batsman hitting the ball, you can see the bat actually twisting in their hands. Obviously not hitting the ball well, and the ball disappears nonetheless. That is one aspect that has to be looked into. If the ICC do nothing else, they have to look at that.”When people used to hit sixes at the MCG, you used to think they were Superman or Samson. Now a No. 11 can hit a six at the MCG because of the bats they are using. You have to look at that.”Chappell said the unfair domination of batsmen was only one of the problems that the thick bats have brought to the game. “Sooner or later, a bowler or an umpire is going to getting seriously hurt,” Chappell said. “Because the ball is getting back so quickly they have got no time to react. They have got a similar problem in baseball, another game that I follow. It has got to a point where last season they were offering pitchers padded caps. Because guys were getting hit in the head more regularly. Because the ball was getting back to the other end so quickly. Even if we don’t believe that the balance is out of whack because of the depth of the bat – and if they don’t believe that they are out of whack – there is this danger aspect and they have got to seriously look into that.”Apart from leading to an unfair domination by batsmen, thicker bats also present a safety challenge, for the crowds and on-field officials•AFPCrowe brought up the issue of the safety of the crowds. An unattended kid was hit by a David Warner six in Perth, but it was a surprise none of the other 460 sixes hurt anyone in the stands. Dravid, though, worried about the safety of the lesser-appreciated net bowlers. “One of the people who I really worry for is net bowlers,” he said. “I have worked in the IPL. We have young kids who bowl in the nets. All university kids, college kids. All 17-, 18-, 19-year-olds bowling in the nets, and you have the likes of Shane Watson and Chris Gayle batting in the nets and practising T20 batting. I am amazed no one has seriously got hurt.”Two of the big talking points of this World Cup have been the field restrictions that allow only four fielders outside the circle in non-Powerplay overs and the two new balls. Both have resulted in higher scores. Chappell wanted most of the restrictions removed thus allowing the captains to captain the sides and not the regulations. There was also an agreement that bowlers be allowed to more than 10 overs with a restriction on a certain number of overs to be bowled by five bowlers so that teams don’t stack their teams up with eight batsmen and just three bowlers.”As far as restrictions are concerned, I like as few as possible,” Chappell said. “I’d like to something as simple as a regulation that stops a cluttering of the boundaries at any stage of the innings. The rest of it I’d like to leave it to the imagination of the captains. You might say they are all going to go defensive, but I don’t think they will. You are going to have captains like Michael Clarke and Brendon McCullum who will attack. What I think would happen is that the negative ones will be shown up because they would probably lose more often. Ones with more imagination would win more often. What you generally find in sport is that if some team is winning a lot, people tend to follow their example. That’s the first thing with field restrictions.”As far as the overs are concerned I’d like something as simple as: ‘Five bowlers have got to bowl 25 overs and the rest of them the captain makes up however he wants.’ If he has got someone bowling well, he can bowl 14, 15, whatever he can fit in. The reason I say that is, you would hope if you have got better bowlers he will attack. Whereas if he has got lesser bowlers and he is having to bowl them for 10 overs then he is more likely to be defending. It will encourage more imaginative captaincy if you allow the better bowlers to bowl more overs. It’s also a captain’s gut feel, who is bowling well today.”If I was a current captain, I’d say to the ICC, ‘If you want to captain this bloody team, you come and captain it. Allow me to captain. Don’t try to captain with your bloody regulations.'”Dravid and Holding agreed that the new fielding restrictions did part of their job successfully by forcing the captains to pick five specialist bowlers and eliminate the part-timer, but they worried about the consequent domination of the bat. “I can understand what Rahul is saying, that now teams have to pick better bowlers, better bowlers now get more opportunities,” Holding said, “but at the same time, a lot of teams, especially the Associate teams, are not going to be able to find those five good bowlers to be competitive.”The panel could see why two balls were being used but agreed that it took reverse swing out of the game, and that on flat pitches they only helped the batsmen. “It [this World Cup] has clearly shown that on flat good wickets and especially in the subcontinent the two new balls and fielding restrictions are not working because the scores are just going out of hand,” Dravid said.”The white ball behaves a little bit differently to the red ball,” Holding said. “If the manufacturers can get the white ball to behave similarly to the red ball, you would have to look at two new balls as well. If you had two red balls, because years ago, if you had two red balls, bowlers would have dominated. With two white balls the bowlers have no chance of dominating because the balls don’t do enough.”

Robert Lewandowski was at his best in Barcelona's 5-1 win over Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday.

If anyone had any doubts about Lewandowski's move to the Blaugrana – which they shouldn't have given his entire career – those are quickly fading now.

The Polish star was spectacular in his first Champions League game since making the move from Bayern Munich, scoring a hat-trick to lead Barcelona past Viktoria Plzen.

He was joined on the scoresheet by another new signing, Franck Kessie, as well as Ferran Torres, who came off the bench to provide a goal and an assist.

Yes, it was Viktoria Plzen, certainly no match for Barcelona, but what a performance it was from the Catalan side, led by their star striker.

Xavi's team will be so difficult to stop when he's in this mood.

GettyThe Winners

Robert Lewandowski:

No matter what shirt he's wearing, Lewandowski gets his goals.

He delivered three of them in this one, his first Champions League finishes since making the move to Barcelona. The first was a lovely one, a perfectly-place finish into the bottom corner. The second? A header on the back post thanks to the work of Ousmane Dembele (more on him later). And then a third in the second half, another absolute missile of a finish.

This is what Lewandowski does. He scores and scores, then scores some more. It's why Barcelona brought him into the club, and why there is reason for optimism about their chances in this competition.

Ousmane Dembele:

Now that's a £100 million player right there!

Dembele is finally looking like the player Barcelona thought they bought from Borussia Dortmund, with the second half of last season showing the level he can reach when healthy.

On Wednesday, it wasn't the £100 million talent, but the £100 million effort that shined through. Barcelona's third goal was all Dembele, as he made a tackle, recovered the ball, dribbled to the line and played an absolute peach of a cross straight onto the head of Lewandowski.

What a sequence from Dembele, and what a player Barcelona have on their hands.

Ferran Torres:

Talk about taking your chance…

Inserted into the game in the second half, Torres made his presence felt immediately, assisting Lewandowski's hat-trick goal. Moments later, he had a goal of his own, a lovely volleyed finish to make it five for Barca.

In a crowded Barcelona attack that includes the likes of Dembele, Ansu Fati, Memphis Depay and Raphinha, every moment matters and every showing could be the difference between starting or sitting the next game.

Torres made the most of his moment, perhaps earning more time going forward.

AdvertisementGettyThe Losers

Ansu Fati:

Fati is a young player who still has plenty of growing to do. That was on full display as he made his first start in quite some time.

The young winger was the weakest of the front three, although that's to be expected considering the level that Lewandowski and Dembele are playing at. He was active, sure, but Fati was also wasteful, squandering several chances with poor shots.

He wasn't bad, but in a performance this complete from most of those around him, he stood out.

With Fati, things will take time, given his layoff and age. Are Barcelona patient enough to give it to him given the embarrassment of riches in the attack? Time will tell.

There's a hell of a player somewhere in there; he just wasn't quite there today.

Inter:

Bayern are Bayern, so you know they won't slip up. And, knowing that, the race in this group always looked like it would be for second.

Barcelona's new-look squad vs. Inter's Serie A champions. That was the expected battle.

If Wednesday was any indication, Barcelona will feel good about their chances.

As Inter were thoroughly beaten by Bayern in a 2-0 defeat, Barcelona ran rampant. They now have three points and six goals on Inter in the goal difference column, giving them a massive advantage.

There are plenty of twists and turns to come, but Inter will have work to do after checking the Barcelona score.

The doubters:

"I want you to put the word out there that we back up."

It may be a BIT too soon to coronate Barcelona, especially since they just beat a team from the Czech Republic. But given what Barcelona fans have had to watch the last few years, this was a refreshing scene.

The transfers have shined, with Kessie, Lewandowski and Kounde all playing well. Dembele, a player who nearly left this summer, was fantastic as well.

Lots to feel good about at Camp Nou.

GettyBarcelona Ratings: Defence

Marc-Andre ter Stegen (6/10):

Not too much to do as Barcelona held the ball.

Jordi Alba (6/10):

Helped set up one goal and was solid enough on the left. Was caught out on Plzen's finish, though.

Jules Kounde (7/10):

Fantastic header on the opener set up Kessie. Looked solid enough.

Andreas Christensen (6/10):

Took an elbow to the face and was also nearly sent off, only for VAR to intervene to correctly overturn the call.

Sergi Roberto (6/10):

Had a good first half before being taken out at half-time due to an apparent injury.

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Getty ImagesMidfield

Franck Kessie(8/10):

Great finish and lots of energy. Was everywhere.

Frenkie de Jong (6/10):

A few very nice passes, playing the Busquets role well enough as he continues to adjust to it.

Pedri (8/10):

Does so many little things well. Deservedly saluted by the crowd on his way out.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola saw his side have just two shots against Aston Villa, the fewest ever by a team under his management.

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City lost 1-0 at Villa ParkChampions had just two shots on goalTitle race wide openWHAT HAPPENED?

City were roundly outplayed by Villa on Wednesday evening in a 1-0 defeat away from home. The Premier League champions had just two shots on goal, the fewest ever recorded by a team managed by Guardiola. Villa, by comparison, had 22 shots, the joint-most faced by a Guardiola side in his career, per .

AdvertisementGetty/ GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

City have been in poor form in recent weeks and have failed to win their last four games. The defeat to Villa has followed draws with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, and has left them six points behind leaders Arsenal. They are also now two points behind fourth-placed Villa, who leapfrogged them in the table.

DID YOU KNOW?

The two shots recorded by City came within seconds of each other, as Erling Haaland first saw a shot and then a header saved by Emiliano Martinez. After the 11th minute, the champions failed to test the opposition goalkeeper, and Leon Bailey's goal proved decisive.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CITY?

The champions must refocus. They have not gone on a run of four games without a win since before Guardiola was manager. They face Luton Town this weekend and will be out to break their unwanted streak.

James Vince, the 23-year-old Hampshire batsman has been appointed the county’s new T20 captain

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Apr-2014James Vince, the 23-year-old Hampshire batsman, has been appointed the county’s new T20 captain. It is a further rise in Vince’s responsibility after he was made vice-captain of both the County Championship and 50-over sides.Vince, an attractive batsman who toured Sri Lanka with England Lions in February, takes on the challenge of keeping Hampshire’s superb run going in T20.They have reached the last four finals days, lifting the trophy in both 2010 and 2013. Vince played in both successes under the captaincy of Dimitri Mascarenhas, who retired at the end of last season.Vince has a solid record in T20s with almost 1500 runs at 27.49 coming at a strike-rate of 127.24. 23 is a young age to be placed in charge but Vince has now been a fixture in the Hampshire dressing room for four years.”I’m looking forward to the challenge of captaining the side,” Vince said. “It will be a very proud moment to lead the lads out in our first game. I’m lucky that we have a very talented squad and one that has already had a lot of success in the competition.”I’ve played under some very good and successful captains who I’ve learnt a lot from so I will try and follow in their footsteps and hopefully we can have another enjoyable and successful T20 season.”Hampshire have been installed as favourites for this seasons NatWest T20 which will see group matches spread over the season in a regular Friday night slot, bringing in a new challenge for counties having to switch quickly between the longest and shortest formats.Hampshire director of cricket Giles White naturally thinks Vince is capable of leading the transition: “James has impressed both on and off the pitch and this is a great opportunity for him. He has the respect of the group and thinks about the game well and for those reasons I am sure he will do an excellent job.”

Victory for Yorkshire at Chester-le-Street last season did not stop Durham ultimately winning the Championship but Andrew Gale will feel there is no harm in setting down a marker again

Jon Culley in Chester-le-Street04-May-2014
ScorecardGraham Onions was repelled for once on his favourite hunting ground•Getty ImagesVictory for Yorkshire in this match last season did not stop Durham ultimately winning the Championship but Andrew Gale will feel there is no harm in setting down a marker again, not least with the wounds inflicted at Scarborough last August still feeling raw. It was there that Durham effectively clinched the title.Joe Root’s second-innings 182 was at the heart of Yorkshire’s April win. In the first innings they had been bowled out for 177, which was as good almost as any visiting team fared in the bowler-friendly conditions that are the norm at Chester-le-Street. Only Warwickshire topped 200 all season, and even then only just.Yorkshire will use that as they measure of their performance this time. Not since Lancashire in May 2011 have Durham conceded 300 first-innings runs to anyone here yet Yorkshire stand just one run away and only three men down, a handsome reward for Andrew Gale’s boldness in choosing to bat first. Gale does not shy away from tough decisions, as he demonstrated last week at Lord’s, when the name omitted from the scorecard to accommodate Root was his.There is no Root this time, of course, following his selection, along with Gary Ballance, for the opening one-day international of the summer. They might see little more of them, which will make their performance here doubly reassuring if they are again to sustain a title bid.Jonny Bairstow and Tim Bresnan are back, at least for the moment, although it was to Adam Lyth and Kane Williamson that Gale was indebted for supporting his bravery. Lyth made his ninth first-class century, batting with a level of self-restraint that goes against his natural instincts; Williamson very nearly matched it.Lyth was not flawless, although with plenty in the pitch and the atmospheric conditions to interest the bowlers that came as no surprise. Of his streaky moments, the streakiest came when he was on 88, when an edge off Mark Wood flew high to Scott Borthwick, who parried the ball high enough for Paul Collingwood to scamper round from first, hoping to catch it coming down. He got his hands to it but it did not stick.Yet the left-hander did not take risks unduly, curbing his aggression for much longer periods than is his normal habit. He picked up a boundary, squirted off the edge, in the first over of the day but had faced 69 balls before he hit another. When he did attack, though, he made it pay, gathering 15 fours along the way.He was out just after tea, a little tamely in the end, pushing at a ball from Jamie Harrison he might have left alone, to be caught at second slip. By then Yorkshire had claimed their first point. Williamson, solid where Gale scratched around at the other end, guided them to a second before on 97, equalling his best so far for Yorkshire — in the Scarborough match, as it happens — he drove at a full-length delivery from Chris Rushworth, in his first over with the second new ball, and was bowled through the gate.Durham, it should be pointed out, bowled well short of their usual standards. Graham Onions, who took five first-innings wickets in this match last April, struggled with his line and length and while Harrison and Rushworth looked threatening sporadically, no one in the home attack achieved any consistency.They did not catch that well, either. Apart from giving Lyth a life, they allowed Williamson to escape on 92, when Phil Mustard, diving to his right, dropped a low chance offered off Mark Wood’s bowling. And a forgettable day for Onions was compounded when Gale, on 13, edged at comfortable height to third slip where Kumar Sangakkara, on his Durham debut, had the ball in his grasp only to let it pop out again.