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Tottenham sit 11th in the Premier League table and results have not been good enough, but that goes beyond the manager and his players

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The cold and frosty animosity from Tottenham supporters towards the club's ownership has bubbled away over the last half-decade or so. It's now starting to reach a boiling point.

It's no longer only a social media phenomena limited to those donning purple and gold colours in their handles and bios – 'purple and gold until ENIC have sold' for those unaware of the trend. Chants demanding Daniel Levy's exit have been a common theme of home losses.

Sunday's 4-3 defeat to Chelsea was the nadir of the Ange Postecoglou era. Spurs have come up with some extraordinary big-game performances this season, notably thrashing both Manchester United and Manchester City on their travels, but this was a step too far up against the closest title challengers to Premier League leaders Liverpool. The very best and very worst of Postecoglou's Tottenham was on full display, with the hosts scintillating early on and then in small bursts, but ultimately too fragile to maintain the two-goal lead they built after 11 minutes.

The Australian manager cannot be absolved of blame and his tactics need adjusting, but Spurs' position of 11th in the table is on those upstairs at the club more so than any one person in the dugout or on the pitch.

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportThe stadium excuse

History is likely to look kindly on Levy and ENIC's ownership of Tottenham as a whole. And, despite these modern discrepancies, that would be fair. Spurs had wallowed towards the red line in both a financial sense and football sense prior to their 2001 takeover from Lord Sugar. The transformation into a 'Big Six' club boasting world-class infrastructure of their billion-pound stadium and Hotspur Way training ground has been hugely successful. It has, however, only taken them so far.

Tottenham left their old Spurs Lodge training complex in 2012. They've now spent five years in the new ground, seven years on from the demolition of White Hart Lane. Levy and Co. cannot dine on those off-field accomplishments any longer, particularly when the fortunes of the team are declining.

At times, it feels as if these state of the art facilities have given the club an over-inflated sense of worth. Those on the outside looking in seem to believe ranking high in Forbes and Deloitte lists is more of a priority than good finishes in the Premier League table and in the cups.

In terms of transfers (which will be discussed in detail later, don't you worry), Tottenham have spent a fair bit more in recent years. You'd hope that'd be the case given previous turnovers and recent hikes in ticket prices. The real sticking point comes to player wages. Little information on salaries is made public, but various sources rank Spurs as around seventh or eighth most-generous employers, dishing out pay-packets on a similar rate to Aston Villa, Newcastle and West Ham rather than their supposed 'Big Six' peers.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLevy losing media support

Tottenham fans' frustrations towards the ownership are not as widely documented as those of Manchester United or even Liverpool. This might be down to how the mainstream media report on Spurs compared to those two giants of the game, yet Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher didn't hold back with his public tearing down of the current regime.

After Sunday's loss to Chelsea, Carragher said: "They've changed so many managers. We talk about Daniel Levy a lot. What Daniel Levy's done here in terms of the training ground and and this for me, this is the best stadium in the world. And that's been Daniel Levy's strength in terms of a really stable football club. The stadium he's delivered. He's delivered the training ground.

"It's probably some time for somebody else to come in because to not win a trophy in that period of time, with the manager they've had. They've never really got out of the way in the transfer market, they've spent decent money without, you know, blowing other teams out the water. The wage bill is always one of the smallest. And you're never going to get the best players.

"So it might be a time for Daniel Levy – who I've been a supporter of because you look at the actual work that he's doing – but now that work's done, in terms of a stadium and a training ground, someone else needs to be in charge of this football club."

AFPFurniture doesn't match the house

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a palace, and it's widely believed among fans that the move was ultimately right and the ground itself is without much flaw. There was a great irony on Sunday when the club-led light show paled in insignificance to the dominative tifo across the single-tier south stand, a fan initiative which took several months to sort.

Mauricio Pochettino warned that the stadium project could not be the end goal for Levy. Prior to the 2019 Champions League final – reminder, he led to a – he said: "When you talk about Tottenham, everyone says you have an amazing house but you need to put in the furniture! If you want to have a lovely house maybe you need better furniture.

"And it depends on your budget if you are going to spend money. We need to be respectful with teams like Manchester City or Liverpool who spend a lot of money. We are brave, we are clever, we are creative.

"Now it's about creating another chapter and to have the clear idea of how we are going to build that new project. We need to rebuild. It's going to be painful."

Pochettino was sacked less than half a year later.

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Getty ImagesMourinho, Conte and delusions of grandeur

In Tottenham's Amazon Prime 'All or Nothing' documentary, Levy gave the simple reason for firing Pochettino and replacing him a day later with Jose Mourinho – he was one of the two best managers in world football.

It was an immediate red flag for the years ahead. Sure, Mourinho is one of the sport's best-ever coaches, but he was on the decline and nowhere near top two in 2019. Speculation arose over Levy's long-harboured ambition to bring in 'the Special One' having first approached him in 2007 after his first Chelsea exit and whether that had blindsided him.

Mourinho and Spurs never really clicked, which the former puts down to the pandemic and lockdown. He was given his marching orders in April 2021, just days before Spurs were due to meet Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.

An extremely lengthy search for a replacement led Tottenham to Nuno Espirito Santo, who lasted only 17 games before his own dismissal. And then there was Antonio Conte.

In fairness to the Italian, he did oversee the most successful period that Spurs have really had post-Pochettino, building a solid team of grafters that pipped Arsenal to a Champions League spot in style down the stretch of 2021-22. That work was then reversed by a poor 2022-23 and an infamous ten-minute rant in which he essentially called his players crap and the club losers. Yeah, you don't really come back from those.

This sequence of events wasn't a coincidence. Tottenham thought they had done the difficult thing by building under Pochettino and they could fast-track their way to tangible success from there, though that wasn't the case. That just isn't how football works.

In 2023, Levy admitted he was wrong to hire the high-profile duo: "I made a mistake. They were great managers, they were just not right for Tottenham… the way they want to win is different for how we need to win."

The insinuation is Mourinho and Conte wanted win-now transfer strategies, while the club preferred to plan for the long term. The truth is somewhere in the middle – Spurs can't compete for the superstars of today, yet they shouldn't leave themselves short in squad building for the present either.

MatériaMais Notícias

Virtual rebaixado para a Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro, a Chapecoense luta nas últimas rodadas e tem no técnico Pintado um norte para o futuro.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Consciente que o seu trabalho é praticamente uma missão impossível nesta temporada, o treinador começa a projetar 2022 e manifesta a sua vontade de permanecer na Arena Condá.

‘Eu acho que mereço e tenho convicção disso, do meu trabalho e da comissão. Vai além das quatro linhas. Entendemos o momento esportivo, financeiro e político da Chapecoense. Com certeza, o clube consegue encontrar profissionais melhores que eu, mas com mais vontade de vencer do que eu, isso garanto que não. Minha convicção é de ficar, mas não depende de mim. Não sou um treinador que cai de paraquedas. Eu me preparei’, afirmou.

Enquanto o futuro não chega, a Chapecoense de Pintado aparece na lanterna do Brasileirão, com 13 pontos conquistados.

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Chelsea have spent a couple of Premier League seasons embroiled in muddy mediocrity, but every dog has its day and Todd Boehly’s scattergun spending might just be shaping into something more streamlined.

Replacing Mauricio Pochettino with Enzo Maresca was a move that raised eyebrows, but the Blues now have a project manager who is inculcating a ball-playing style in the mould of his former master Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola, football’s tactical doyen, has seen his influence stretch into a host of corners across Europe, with Maresca his latest disciple to take the reins at a high-profile club with more than just shades of his playing style.

Maresca’s new imprint has seen divisive rumours surrounding Conor Gallagher’s future, with the England international seemingly the latest Cobham graduate to be shown the exit door.

Conor Gallagher's Chelsea future

It’s a convoluted situation. Gallagher has turned down a contract extension at Chelsea but remains open to extending his stay at Stamford Bridge.

The issue is that the 24-year-old, who started 37 top-flight matches last year, will be consigned to a squad role if he remains, something he is unwilling to agree to.

Gallagher’s strengths ostensibly do not align with the fluent design of Maresca’s set-up, and so, with one year left on his deal, Chelsea are searching for a solution.

Should the cogs all fall into place and Gallagher be shipped on, the west Londoners may well seek a replacement, and there might be no more suitable transfer target than Morgan Gibbs-White.

Why Morgan Gibbs-White could replace Conor Gallagher

Nottingham Forest signed Gibbs-White from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a figure rising to £42m in 2022, and he has established himself as one of the Tricky Trees’ most important players since his arrival.

There have been several outfits sniffing around for the Englishman, with Nuno Espirito Santo and his transfer team consequently listing their midfield talisman at £60m earlier in the window. Gibbs-White still has three years left on his deal, so completing a move this summer will come with its difficulties.

And indeed, according to transfer specialist Graeme Bailey – as reported earlier this week – Chelsea continue to show an interest in the £80k-per-week talent (alongside a host of rivals including Aston Villa and Newcastle United), though Forest are unwilling to sell their star man in the middle.

His ability to split opponents in two with incisive deliveries highlights the kind of strengths that have seemingly arrested Chelsea’s interest of late, and if Gallagher is sold to Atletico Madrid, there may well be a revised sense of optimism that the financial means to sign the player are within reach.

After all, despite Forest spending both of their two top-flight campaigns struggling against the threat of the drop zone, Gibbs-White has still posted 11 goals and 18 assists for his outfit, even being praised for his “sensational” performances by journalist Josh Bunting.

Matches (starts)

37 (37)

37 (35)

Goals

5

5

Assists

7

10

Pass completion

92%

77%

Big chances created

11

16

Key passes*

1.4

2.0

Ball recoveries*

6.0

5.1

Dribbles completed*

1.3

1.2

Total duels won*

5.7

5.3

As you can see, Gallagher is a more accomplished box-to-box midfielder, but he’s not as naturally creative, is not capable of unlocking backlines with the same kind of fizz and sharpness.

Gibbs-White – who “adds the chaos” according to data analyst Ben Mattinson – ranked among the top 13% of positional peers in the Premier League last season for passes into the final third and the top 14% for through balls per 90, as per FBref.

One analyst has also hailed him for being a “monster in transition”, which further corroborates the point that he has the requisite skillset for success under Maresca’s wing, with the Italian tactician dominating on the ball with Leicester City last season en route to winning the Championship, retaining 62% of possession on average.

The Foxes also completed 48 progressive passes per game last term, as opposed to 42 per match for Chelsea in the Premier League. This speaks of faster, more fluid play at Stamford Bridge this year, with Gibbs-White sure to flourish in the system.

There’s no denying Gallagher’s influence in Pochettino’s midfield last season, with his high-level athleticism and tenacious approach providing the kind of energy and optimism needed – the Argentinian manager even hailed him as “priceless”, though such wording seems to have been negated in hindsight.

But he was also found to lack a clinical touch in final phases, with a bit of technical quality lacking at crucial moments; Chelsea football writer Will Faulks said that he ‘is going to have to add that technical polish to his game’, and now that the managerial cogs have shifted, it seems he has been left behind.

Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo operate in deep-lying positions in the Chelsea engine room and complement each other with contrasting individual strengths. Gallagher, perhaps, is understandably being viewed as a utility option of sorts by the club’s new boss, who is shouldering the weight of responsibility to lift a fallen giant back to the limelight.

Gibbs-White would dovetail into the central triumvirate, more seamlessly, more successfully, with his ball-playing expertise serving as a conduit between the midfield base and the final third, enhancing and enriching ahead of a new era.

It’s tough, and Gallagher’s prospective departure will understandably rankle more than a few staunch Chelsea supporters, but if Maresca can’t promise him a regular starting berth, perhaps it could be a move that works out for all parties – especially if Gibbs-White makes his way down to the capital.

Chelsea have already struck gold on star who's worth way more than Chiesa

He could make the club a hefty profit in the coming weeks…

ByEthan Lamb Aug 3, 2024

A 145-run opening stand between Matthew Wade and D’Arcy Short, the highest of this year’s Big Bash League, laid a sturdy foundation for the Hobart Hurricanes in a seven-run win over the Sydney Sixers, keeping the Hurricanes’ hopes alive of reaching the finals stage. Both made half-centuries in what ended as the joint 12th-best stand in BBL history, leading to a total that was too much for the Sixers to overhaul.The Hurricanes were in control with the ball for the majority of their defense as well, as entering the final over, the Sixers needed 28 to win. Riley Meredith bowled two waist-high full tosses for no-balls, the second of which went for six, thus reducing the equation from an improbable 28 off six balls down to 15 off four. But the Sixers’ last hope was snuffed out two balls later when Jordan Silk heaved a length delivery to Short on the rope at deep midwicket for 78.The Hurricanes are in control of their own destiny for a place in the playoffs, needing a win over the last-place Melbourne Renegades in the regular season finale to keep their season going. Whereas despite the loss, the Sixers only need a bonus point from their final match against the Melbourne Stars to secure their place in the top two, guaranteeing them two shots to make the tournament final.Wade and Short go long
The roaring stand had got off to a quiet start as the Hurricanes’ opening pair only managed four runs off the first 11 deliveries of the match. But a strike over mid-on by Short off Ben Dwarshuis got the ball rolling and spurred Wade to attack Carlos Brathwaite for three more boundaries in the third over, working his way across from midwicket to mid-off before capping the sequence slicing over point. Short then punched two more boundaries through the off side against Jake Ball in the fourth over to keep the momentum flowing, as they ended the powerplay at 33 without loss.The spinners fared no better as Short seized on the introduction of Ben Manenti in the fifth, heaving his second ball over midwicket for six before tonking him straight for another after he switched ends for the eighth over. Wade got to his half-century first off 28 balls, flicking a short ball angled down the leg side for a boundary off Ball to start the 11th, as the century stand was brought up with a single two balls later. The pair called for the Power Surge to begin the 12th as Short surged past 50 off 36 balls in the process, smacking a full toss from Dwarshuis back over his head for six during a 19-run over.The partnership finally came to an end three overs later, as Wade’s license for risk-taking with all ten wickets in hand finally brought about his downfall while ramping Sean Abbott to short third man. Abbott claimed Short as well a few overs later with a well-directed yorker. With the set pair finally gone, the Sixers continued to gain confidence through disciplined death bowling from Ball and Dwarshuis, as five wickets fell off the last 12 balls to give a brief lift to the Sixers while heading into the break.Jordan Silk’s 78 off 49 balls went in vain, as Sydney Sixers fell short in the chase•Getty Images

Short nearly goes from hero to villain
The Sixers suffered an unlucky setback early in the chase when Josh Philippe was given out lbw on a delivery which ball-tracking showed was heading past leg stump. James Vince and Daniel Hughes fell soon after to make it 37 for 3, which could have been even worse had Short held onto a straightforward chance at short midwicket for what would have been Scott Boland’s third wicket in the powerplay. The Sixers meandered through the next several overs as the required run rate reached 11, but captain Moises Henriques jolted the Sixers back to life while taking on Short’s left-arm spin. Consecutive sweeps sailed over the leg side for six and four during a 14-run over, but even bigger damage followed.Henriques flicked Meredith over long-on for six, who created a chance next ball as Henriques mistimed a length ball that fluttered gently towards Short at midwicket. For the second time in the innings, Short spilled Henriques on a painfully simple chance only for the former to rub salt into the wound by smashing Meredith behind square for six off the next delivery he faced in what ended as an 18-run over.Sandeep Lamichanne to the rescue
Nepal legspinner Lamichhane had conceded 13 runs off his first two overs and began his third by leaking a boundary to Silk through wide long-on. But by the end of it, he had inflicted severe damage. Henriques looked like he was going to clear the ropes again when Lamichhane sent down a half-tracker on the fourth ball, which he pulled too fine to pick out Ellis at deep backward square. Silk’s inability to cross strike with the ball in the air meant Dan Christian entered and was straightaway exposed by a googly that ripped past his forward prod to put Lamichhane on a hat-trick at 107 for 5.Whereas Wade and Short blitzed the Sixers in the Power Surge, the Sixers stumbled immediately when trying to utilize it for a rebuild, as Brathwaite chipped Ellis to extra cover at the start of the 15th over. Silk lacked the support to be able to meaningfully attack down the stretch even as he passed 50 off 35 balls. He survived a drop on 58 at fine leg in the penultimate over, but a comeback seemed unlikely until Meredith briefly left the door ajar in the final over with the pair of no-balls. However, Short redeemed himself for the earlier pair of drops by denying Silk a six on the midwicket rope, taking the catch that sealed the match.

MatériaMais Notícias

No sábado, o Náutico terá um compromisso importante na briga pelo acesso à elite do Brasileirão. Trata-se do Botafogo, que vive um bom momento e aparece no G-4.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Fora de casa, o Timbu sabe da importância do confronto e pretende surpreender o time carioca, que surge como favorito para voltar a principal divisão do futebol nacional.

Náutico x Cariocas

Apesar de não vencer nos últimos três jogos, o Náutico aposta no retrospecto contra os cariocas na Série B. Diante do Botafogo, o Timbu venceu nos Aflitos por 3 a 1. Contra o Vasco, a vitória escapou nos minutos finais e o empate por 1 a 1 ficou com o gosto amargo.

Veja o desempenho:

2 jogos

1 vitória

1 empate

4 gols marcados

2 gols sofridos

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Despite news filtering through recently that their reliable number one goalkeeper John Ruddy had moved onto Newcastle United in a shock deal, Birmingham City still look strong in goal going into the new League One campaign.

Ryan Allsop and former Leeds United shot-stopper Bailey Peacock-Farrell must have been purchased in-between the sticks knowing that the ex-Norwich City man was going to move onto Tyneside shortly, with a need now at St. Andrew's to start recruiting some centre-backs to further bolster defensively.

Birmingham are short when it comes to numbers in the heart of defence, with Blues stalwart Marc Roberts being let go of this off-season from this position, but one potential signing could sort the third tier giants out soon.

Birmingham closing in on deal for Dutch defender

It has been reported by Dutch outlet De Telegraaf that Chris Davies' side are close to sealing a deal for Sparta Rotterdam centre-back Mike Eerdhuijzen, as the new Blues boss continues to reshape his team ahead of a promotion challenge to come.

Birmingham are prepared to spend in the region of £2.1m to land the 23-year-old, to then hopefully partner him up with the likes of Dion Sanderson back in the West Midlands.

This is backed up by BirminghamLive journalist Alex Dicken, who also states that the Blues will get a deal over the line for current League One Golden Boot holder Alfie May to join as well, with Birmingham fans excited already at the prospect of watching their team next campaign.

What Eerdhuijzen can offer Birmingham

The current Rotterdam man will no doubt embrace the challenge of relocating to England and battling it out for his new employers, with his 6 foot 5 frame potentially intimidating League One attackers trying to get past him.

Roberts was only one inch shorter, and so the left-field acquisition of the Dutchman could prove to be a stroke of genius in helping Birmingham become defensively solid ahead of what they hope is a title-winning season to follow.

Although Roberts had become somewhat part of the furniture at St. Andrew's, with 197 appearances under his belt for Birmingham before his departure, it was the correct call to move him on.

Davies will want fresh blood at this disposal ahead of a promotion push, and with the 33-year-old only making 14 Championship appearances on the way to relegation being confirmed, it was an apt time to pull the plug on his time at the club.

League games played

19

14

37

Goals scored

1

0

1

Assists

0

0

0

Touches*

58.5

41.5

46.3

Accurate passes*

40.4 (86%)

25.1 (77%)

30.7 (85%)

Interceptions*

1.2

0.6

1.4

Tackles*

0.9

0.6

1.0

Ball recoveries*

2.4

2.7

3.4

Clearances*

4.3

2.8

3.3

Duels won*

3.3

3.5

3.4

Looking at the table above, it's now more even understandable why Roberts was let go of this summer, with the potential for Sanderson now to form a daunting duo with Eerdhuijzen.

The Dutchman is arguably more comfortable with the ball at his feet as a calm operator compared to his ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers counterpart, who shines doing different defensive tasks away from playing out from the back.

This is a risky signing on Davies' end, with the Rotterdam defender not used to the cut and thrust of the EFL yet, but it could be a risk that pays off, especially if Eerdhuijzen goes on to have a breakout season that results in his new employers taking League One by storm.

Birmingham could sign perfect Miyoshi partner in swoop for deadly forward

Birmingham City would surely be overwhelming favourites for promotion if they signed this deadly Koji Miyoshi partner.

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Chelsea are now open to selling a 2023 summer signing just under one year after he put pen to paper on a move to Stamford Bridge, as the west Londoners look to trim their bloated squad as well as acquire upgrades.

Players who could be sold by Chelsea this summer

Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher, Malang Sarr, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Trevoh Chalobah, Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson and Conor Gallagher have all been linked with the Chelsea exit door already, with Enzo Maresca looking to make room for key new additions.

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Gallagher is set to be the most headline-grabbing name of the aforementioned group, especially given his importance under Mauricio Pochettino last season. The 24-year-old, who was rewarded for his fine form with a place in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 England squad, became a Chelsea mainstay and supporters are keen not to see the boyhood supporter depart.

His contract expires next year, though, and with no extension in sight, Chelsea may have to make the ruthless business decision of finding a buyer for him this summer – or risk seeing him leave for nothing in 2025.

The likes of Lukaku, Broja, Maatsen, Sarr and Arrizabalaga appear out of favour at the club, so decisions on their futures will be much easier, but there are reports that Chelsea are open to offers for Chalobah despite the Englishman's re-emergence at the end of last season.

Pretty soon, a few of these players could join Thiago Silva in leaving Chelsea in the coming weeks, and it is believed that 2023 arrivals are not excluded from the chopping block. There have been suggestions that Chelsea want to attract bids for David Datro Fofana, who only joined last January from Molde.

Chelsea apparently don't need to sell players by June 30 of this year to avoid PSR sanctions, but they do need to sell in preparation for the June 30 deadline next year.

Chelsea's most expensive signings under Todd Boehly ownership

Price tag

Moises Caicedo

£115 million

Enzo Fernandez

£107 million

Mykhalo Mudryk

£88 million

Wesley Fofana

£72 million

Marc Cucurella

£58 million

“We’re likely to see departures at Chelsea this summer, particularly with the players who are currently out on loan," said Fabrizio Romano to GiveMeSport.

“As previously reported, the plan is for Armando Broja to be sold once he comes back from his loan at Fulham, and Hakim Ziyech can already be considered to have played his last game for Chelsea.

“I also expect Romelu Lukaku and Ian Maatsen to leave Chelsea, but for the others, we have to wait and see what happens.”

Chelsea open to selling Lesley Ugochukwu

Now, alongside the likes of Fofana, it is believed midfielder Lesley Ugochuwku is being nominated for the transfer list.

The 20-year-old, who joined Chelsea from Rennes last summer and signed a seven-year contract, made 12 Premier League appearances last term. The Blues could send him out on a temporary deal to accumulate more game time, but journalist Simon Phillips also claims Chelsea are open to completely selling Ugochukwu for the right offer.

Less than 12 months into his long-term deal, it would be an unceremonious end for the Frenchman, especially after praise from Chelsea chiefs last year. Pochettino called Ugochukwu a "talented" player, while co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley called him "impressive" (via The Metro).

Ian Cockbain proved the scourge of Birmingham Bears again as Gloucestershire sealed qualification for the Vitality Blast quarter-finals with a 50-run Central Group win in Bristol.Having smashed an unbeaten 84 in the corresponding game at Edgbaston, the 33-year-old Merseysider hit 44 off just 21 balls to boost his side’s total to 173 for 6 after winning the toss.Chris Dent and Miles Hammond had led the way with an opening stand of 88, but it was Cockbain’s blistering knock that ensured an above-par score. Olly Stone was the pick of the Birmingham attack with 2 for 31.In reply, the Bears could manage only 123 all out, Matt Taylor returning 3 for 29 and Graeme van Buuren 3 for 33. Only Sam Hain offered much resistance with 43 not out.It was the home side’s sixth successive group win and they are now assured of a place in the last eight, while the Bears have some work to do.Dent wasted no time signalling Gloucestershire’s intentions, with two fours off the opening over, bowled by Tim Bresnan. Hammond was quickly into his stride too, a couple of reverse-sweeps to the boundary off Jeetan Patel taking his side’s score to 21 off two overs.The two left-handers continued to score freely and by the end of the six-over Powerplay Gloucestershire’s total was a healthy 49 without loss.That became 86 for 0 after 11 overs. But Dent was then caught and bowled off a steepler by Patel, having hit five fours in his 34-ball innings. Hammond went in the following over, well caught on the run at deep midwicket by Dom Sibley off Stone. He had faced 41 balls and notched seven boundaries.The Bears began to put a brake on the scoring rate and the 16th over was reached without a six in the Gloucestershire innings. Cockbain put that right with two in succession off Patel and was looking in prime form when caught on the deep cover boundary off Henry Brookes, having hit four sixes and three fours.From 144 for 2, Gloucestershire lost four wickets for 28 runs, but their score still looked more than competitive. Ryan Higgins was unbeaten on 21 at the end.The Bears made a poor start to their chase, losing Dom Sibley lbw in the first over, sent down by van Buuren. Soon it was 24 for 2 as Rob Yates cut a catch to point off David Payne.Adam Hose hit the first six of the innings off Matt Taylor in the fifth over, but perished tamely two balls later, pulling a catch straight to Higgins at midwicket. The next over saw Rhodes bowled trying to drive van Buuren and the Bears were in disarray at 37 for 4.Gloucestershire lost skipper Jack Taylor to a hand injury when he tried to catch a fierce drive from Sam Hain in the eighth over, Cockbain taking over the captaincy.Michael Burgess holed out to long-off as Tom Smith began to weave his customary spell at the Ashley Down Road End. His first three overs cost just 11 runs. Smith bowling in tandem with fellow left-arm spinner van Burren has been one of Gloucestershire’s strengths in the competition and when the latter bowled Tim Bresnan to make it 83 for 6 the outcome was beyond doubt.Hain did his best, with little support, but it was another impressive success for a Gloucestershire side who will be no-one’s pushovers as the tournament moves to its climax.They were all but guaranteed a spot in the last eight after this win, with Northamptonshire’s defeat against Worcestershire later in the day confirming their progress.”To win six on the bounce in the Vitality Blast is a great effort by the lads,” Cockbain said. “What we want now is to earn a home quarter-final because we know the conditions here and play them well.”It’s just one of those things that I have been able to score big twice against the Bears. Sometimes you just feel it is your day and I’ve hit the ball sweetly in both games. Today I probably got out to my sweetest hit of the lot.”We rested Benny Howell because we didn’t want him playing back-to-back games after such a long injury lay-off and Jack Taylor’s hand should be fine, so both should be available for the next game.”

Reduction in playing days from four to three and the removal of relegation and promotion on the cards

Madushka Balasuriya09-Jul-2020Sri Lanka Cricket is aiming to resume its halted 2019/2020 domestic season by the end of July, with the country’s sports ministry having already given the go-ahead, ESPNcricinfo understands.The 14-team Premier League Tier A Tournament was suspended in March following the Covid-19 outbreak, with just the group stages completed. Upon resumption the Premier Super Eight and Premier Plate rounds will be contested, though the exact restart date is subject to SLC holding a Special General Meeting (SGM), where member clubs will be asked to approve certain changes to tournament rules.As per the SLC constitution, members need to be given 14 days’ notice ahead of an SGM being held; as such the earliest the season can resume is in the final week of July. Among the rule changes to be discussed will be a reduction in playing days from four to three and the removal of relegation and promotion, according to SLC CEO Ashley De Silva.”Sometimes the four-day game might become three days,” De Silva told ESPNcricinfo. “We also don’t know if the clubs will want to go ahead with promotion and relegation, taking into consideration the disrupted nature of the tournament.”The Premier League Tier B tournament however will not be resuming as yet, with SLC likely to complete it in the months ahead.The Tier A tournament will be the first sporting event to take place in Sri Lanka following the easing of curfew measures, and with Sri Lanka’s international tours for the year all postponed, a host of top players are expected to take part.

Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of Brazil international Gabi Nunes for a club record fee.

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• Nunes joins from Levante
• Villa activate £250,000 release clause
• Replaces Lehmann in the side

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Nunes has signed a two-year deal with Villa, with the option of a further year, arriving from Spanish side Levante. The club announced the transfer on deadline day, with Nunes expected to fill the void left by Alisha Lehmann's move to Juventus.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Brazilian forward has 22 international caps and represented her country at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris, where she scored one goal. Brazil reached the final of the competition but were beaten by the United States in the gold medal match.

• WHAT ASTON VILLA SAID

  Villa manager Robert de Pauw said: "I first saw Gabi a few years ago; she is a technically gifted player who knows how to find the goal. Gabi is a player who knows how to play in tight areas as well as arriving into the box and getting on the end of crosses. She can play in several attacking positions and will contribute towards our continued development. We are very pleased to welcome her to our team."

  Meanwhile, Head of Women's Football Lee Billiard said: "We are delighted to welcome Gabi to Aston Villa. She is a talented player who brings plenty of experience at both domestic and international level. Gabi is a player we believe can make an impact in the WSL as well as add further depth to our squad. She will excite fans and we look forward to seeing her in claret and blue."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Villa, who finished seventh in the Women's Super League last season, begin their campaign next Friday with a trip to defending champions Chelsea.