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Kevin Pietersen has backed the actions of Jonathan Trott in standing his ground during their run-out mix-up at Centurion, which ended a partnership of 145 that was taking England towards a comfortable draw in the opening Test against South Africa

Andrew McGlashan in Durban23-Dec-2009Kevin Pietersen has backed the actions of Jonathan Trott in standing his ground during their run-out mix-up at Centurion, which ended a partnership of 145 that was taking England towards a comfortable draw in the opening Test against South Africa.Pietersen was on 81 when, shortly after tea, he pushed the ball into the off side and sprinted for a single, but didn’t realise that Friedel de Wet, the bowler, could intercept the ball in his follow through. Pietersen continued to charge up the pitch which left Trott with a decision whether to sacrifice himself or preserve his wicket.Trott chose the latter by dropping his bat in the crease and continued to use up valuable time in a stand with Paul Collingwood before falling to the second new-ball to begin England’s late collapse.”There wasn’t a run there, he did the right thing and I was the one sent packing,” Pietersen said. “Hopefully it won’t happen again because we enjoyed batting together. We were trying to keep the South Africans quiet but they had a good go at us the last hour.”It was just a case of rotating the strike. We had been doing it the whole the game and it was a case of playing the ball into the off side and running. I couldn’t really hear him [Trott] shouting and the South Africans were also shouting. It was my mistake, I hold my hands up, but these things happen and hopefully we can form a great partnership again.””It wasn’t something I wanted to do. Trotty and I were doing so well for the team and we were in such a comfortable position to take something really positive out of the Test. But we still got a positive draw out of it and these mistakes happen and hopefully they won’t happen again.”Pietersen wants TV to check no-balls

Kevin Pietersen has followed England coach Andy Flower in saying that TV technology should be used to check for no-balls with every delivery. Replays showed Pietersen was bowled off a no-ball in the first innings at Centurion and he said such moments can change a Test.

“I think something needs to be done about it,” he said. “If you’re going to use the ‘referral’ system the way we’re using it now it should go all the way.

“You can win and lose Test matches on no-balls. For a [non-striking] batsman to be standing and watching whether the bowler is bowling a no-ball and then concentrating on the other end doesn’t seem good to me.

“If Graham Onions had lost his wicket to a no-ball in the last over of a Test match and we’d lost the Test series, with the technology we have nowadays there’s no excuse for it.”

Much is always made of whenever Pietersen returns to Durban but he admits this Test “will be special”. Ten years ago he played against the England touring side, captained by Nasser Hussain, for KwaZulu-Natal, scoring an unbeaten 61 at No. 9 alongside figures of 4 for 141. It was during that time that he began enquiring about opportunities in county cricket and the rest, as they say, is history.”It is incredible. But life changes, these things happen,” he said. “Who knows where all of us are going to be in 10 years’ time. My life has turned around in a big, big way from running around here as a kid to where I am now. I love it; I would never ever change anything.”However, he insisted the prospect of making Test runs where he used to play as a youngster is no different than any other occasion he has played for England. “I love getting Test runs at The Oval; I love getting Test runs at Lord’s; I love getting Test runs anywhere, I don’t mind. Here is absolutely no different.”But Graeme Smith hopes that Pietersen’s latest homecoming can be used as an advantage by South Africa. “If he is carrying any emotions in this Test the better for us,” he said.This Test will also bring the curtain down on a difficult year for Pietersen. He began as England captain before losing the position after the fall-out with Peter Moores and Pietersen was his normal, strutting self on the Caribbean tour. Then he was troubled by the Achilles injury – the first major injury problem in his career – and he missed the final three Ashes Test and only returned to action last month.”I just see every day as a challenge,” he said. “To be back playing Test cricket is something that I love doing and something I’m very fortunate to be doing. It’s not something I take for granted. 2009 hasn’t been the most fantastic time but I’m still playing cricket for England, we all love playing for England and are very privileged. This year hasn’t been fun, but hey-ho, life isn’t always good.”

Aston Villa are interested in a deal to bring Borna Sosa to Villa Park in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

According to reports from Germany (via the Express & Star), Steven Gerrard is keeping a very close eye on the situation of the VfB Stuttgart left-back ahead of a potential move during the winter market, as the 41-year-old manager is keen to bring in a top-class addition to challenge Matt Targett for his starting spot in the position.

The report goes on to state that the 23-year-old would likely be available for a fee of around £25m, and, while Gerrard is also thought to be considering an £8m move for Rangers defender Borna Barisic, Sosa is believed to be Villa’s favoured option due to his potential resale value.

Lange must act

Considering just how impressive Sosa has been for Stuttgart this season, in addition to the fact that Gerrard currently lacks a considerable amount of depth at left-back, a deal for the Croatia international would appear to be a very wise piece of business for Johan Lange to get over the line in the January transfer window.

Indeed, over his 12 Bundesliga appearances this term, the £14.4m-rated man has already registered three assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.9 key passes, 2.4 crosses and 1.4 long balls per game.

These returns have seen the £15k-per-week defender average a SofaScore match rating of 7.05, ranking him as Pellegrino Matarazzo’s third-best performer in the top flight of German football.

Furthermore, the 23-year-old has also received extremely high praise for his style of play, with Stuttgart’s sporting director, Sven Mislintat, comparing Sosa to a very notable former England captain.

Speaking about the ability of the left-back, Mislintat said: “Borna’s said himself that David Beckham is his role model, and I think he has the same qualities. He puts in crosses from every angle: sometimes chipped, sometimes drilled, sometimes flat, sometimes in behind, sometimes to the front post, other times to the back post. His left foot is a real weapon.”

As such, considering all of the above, a deal for Sosa would indeed appear to be a very smart move for Lange, as the signing of a player who boasts the talent of the Croatian defender would very much appear to be one Gerrard would love.

In other news: “Some contact”: AVFC handed potential transfer boost that will leave Gerrard buzzing

The IPL’s third auction has been preceded by hectic activity with league officials fixing base prices for the 66 overseas players involved and franchises pruning their squads by buying out player contracts

Nagraj Gollapudi18-Jan-2010The IPL’s third auction has been preceded by hectic activity on Monday with league officials fixing base prices for the 66 overseas players involved and franchises buying out player contracts to free up squad places. There were several surprises during the day, among them the news that Kolkata Knight Riders had bought out Ricky Ponting’s contract and that Mohammad Kaif, the former India batsman, had been included in the auction list – the only Indian – after being released by Rajasthan Royals.The star attractions are a mix of old hands and exciting new faces, with players from Pakistan – the current world Twenty20 champions – likely to be among the most sought after, providing they get their paperwork sorted out. The two biggest names are the hard-hitting allrounders Kieron Pollard, from West Indies, and Shahid Afridi, both of whom are currently representing South Australia in the Twenty20 Big Bash. Afridi, Pakistan’s captain in the format, is one of three players priced at $250,000 – the others who fall in the same bracket are Australia’s Brad Haddin and England’s Graeme Swann ().The biggest surprise as far as base prices go is the 40-year-old former England batsman Mark Ramprakash, who is priced at $200,000.The auction itself – at noon on Tuesday – is likely to be a more low-key affair than the past two events; there are a dozen spots in all, a spending cap of US$750,000 and few established stars to spend it on, with most already with the IPL.”Each team is very clear in what they want. I don’t think there is going to be any fierce bidding,” Amrit Mathur, Delhi Daredevils’ chief operations officer, said. Mathur reckoned though there are some players who would be more in demand than others, it would ultimately boil down to what gaps each team has.The auctions of the past two years have taught the teams some lessons. According to Mathur the most important one came from last year: “You will not spend money on buying a player who is going to sit on the bench.”While the list of players up for auction is more or less finalised, the number of free slots could change before the first bid goes under the hammer. Teams have till noon on Wednesday to buy out any more player contracts they wish and as such their squad lists can be fluid till just before the auction starts.Sundar Raman, the IPL’s chief operating officer, said it was difficult to confirm the exact number of slots that would be filled up at the auction but expected the number to be around 12. What could be confirmed through conversations with some franchises was that Delhi, Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata have a slot each open. Deccan Chargers have two vacant seats to fill.In Chennai Super Kings’ case, technically they have one slot to fill after Stephen Fleming moved on to become a full-time coach from being player-cum-coach last year. Andrew Flintoff’s injury, which has ruled him out of IPL III, opened up another, but Chennai can either buy a player at the auction or use the US$1.5m purse they bought Flintoff for last year to buy a replacement player outside the auction. “They can use that slot at the auction within the available purse or take a replacement outside of the auction as replacement,” Raman said.Mumbai Indians, too, are in a similar position having bought out Mohammad Ashraful’s contract, but the injury to Kyle Mills has created another vacancy which they will fill either via the auction or by picking a player outside it.List of players with base price

250,000$ Shahid Afridi, Brad Haddin, Graeme Swann

200,000$ Kieron Pollard, Eoin Morgan, Wayne Parnell, Doug Bollinger, Sohail Tanvir, Mark Ramprakash

100,000$ Shane Bond, Mohammad Kaif, Kemar Roach, Umar Akmal, Shakib Al Hasan, Tim Bresnan, Daren Ganga, Justin Kemp, Nuwan Kulasekara, Wavell Hinds, Kamran Akmal, Phillip Hughes, Damien Martyn, Imran Nazir, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chamara Silva, Lendl Simmons, Upul Tharanga, Jonathan Trott, Sulieman Benn, Grant Elliott, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Misbah-ul-Haq

50,000$ Tyron Henderson, Rory Kleinveldt, Jason Krejza, Nathan McCullum, Thissara Perera, Johan van der Wath, Rizwan Cheema, Zander de Bruyn, Chinthaka Jayasinghe, Graham Manou, Anthony McGrath, Vernon Philander, Morne van Wyk, Adam Voges, Nuwan Zoysa, Yusuf Abdulla, Clint McKay, Monty Panesar, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Chanaka Welegedara, Darren Bravo, Murray Goodwin, Thilina Kandamby, Robert Key, Luke Pomersbach, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Lou Vincent

20,000$ Ashley Noffke, Ryan ten Doeschate, Ben Laughlin, Kaushalya Weeraratne

Officials from the remaining two teams – Rajasthan and Bangalore Royal Challengers – refused to reveal any details but it is understood that Rajasthan might have at least three vacancies and Bangalore one. Last year, Rajasthan had placed the contracts of Kamran Akmal and Sohail Tanvir under suspension after the Pakistan players were asked by their government to not participate in the tournament. It was the same situation with Misbah-ul-Haq, who was contracted with Bangalore. It is unclear whether those two teams have signed contracts with the three replacement players or opened up those slots. In the case of Kaif, Raman said since he is a “capped” player he could be part of the auction.Teams would also be wary of the player availability during IPL III, which starts on March 12 and ends on April 25. During this period Australia would be engaged the trans-Tasman battle in New Zealand between March 3-31 while England are touring Bangladesh for a two-Test series between March 12-24.Meanwhile, Darren Lehmann, Deccan’s head coach, has denied reports that his team are looking at Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin as deputy to Adam Gilchrist. “We won’t be going for Brad Haddin,” Lehmann said. “He is very good cricketer, but we got a great leader and great wicketkeeper in Adam Gilchrist. We’ve got a couple of young kids in the squad who are good keepers too.”Last year, players like Bangladesh’s Mashrafe Mortaza and South African Tyron Henderson, were the most surprising buys in 2009 having been bought at record prices. Mortaza was snapped for a whopping US$600,000 by Kolkata, who pipped Punjab after some fierce bidding. The amount was 12 times Mortaza’s base price. Henderson, who had just played one game for South Africa going into the auction, was bought by Rajasthan for US$650,0000 because he was then the world’s highest wicket-taker in Twenty20s. In the end, Mortaza played a solitary match while Henderson featured in two of Rajasthan’s contests.”Teams would pay decent money for the player provided you are sure you are going to use him,” Mathur said. Interestingly, Henderson’s contract has been bought back by Rajasthan and he is back on the bidding block with a base price of $50,000.Comparatively, the case of Ramprakash is not so absurd. An established batsman in the classical mould, Ramprakash became only the 25th batsman to score hundred first-class centuries two years ago and also boasts a healthy Twenty20 average of 31. He is also the fifth-highest English player on the all-time list of Twenty20 run-scorers.Ponting agreed a buyout fee with Kolkata, ending his association with the team after only four matches over two seasons. “Ricky was only going to be available for a maximum of five of the Knight Riders 14 games due to the Australian tour of New Zealand coinciding with more than half of the IPL season,” James Henderson, Ponting’s agent, said. “The Knight Riders obviously want their international players to be available for all games and we agreed financial terms to buy out Ricky’s contract.”

Antonio Conte’s side finally return to Premier League action this evening as they host Brentford at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs’ trip to Burnley was postponed an hour before kick-off on Sunday, leaving the north London outfit without a match for the past seven days, meaning last time out, they were humiliated by NS Mura in the Europa Conference League.

We had the benefit of seeing the lineup that the Italian would’ve selected at Turf Moor but after several days of training back in N17, it will be interesting to see if he has had any second thoughts over the team.

So, here’s the XI we’re predicting tonight…

There could be eight changes from last week’s embarrassing defeat in Slovenia.

Between the sticks, club captain Hugo Lloris should resume his no.1 duties over Pierluigi Gollini but Conte has a decision to make in defence with Cristian Romero still absent through injury.

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Ben Davies and Eric Dier are likely to return and they could be joined by Japhet Tanganga, who remains from last Thursday and is selected over Davinson Sanchez and Joe Rodon.

In midfield, Oliver Skipp should also remain and he’ll have Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg back alongside him, meaning £25m-rated Tanguy Ndombele, once dubbed “unplayable” by Joe Hart, is axed.

Conte’s usual first-choice wing-back duo Sergio Reguilon and Emerson Royal are set to return on either flank, so Ryan Sessegnon – who was sent off against Mura – and Matt Doherty drop to the bench.

Keeping with his 3-4-3 system, the Italian may turn to Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura to support Harry Kane as he often has done in the league.

Predicted Spurs XI (3-4-3): Lloris; Davies, Dier, Tanganga; Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Emerson; Son, Moura, Kane

AND in other news, Conte must axe “shocking” £14.4m-rated Spurs flop v Brentford, he’s a walking disaster…

Having watched his new suitors defeat Arsenal on Thursday evening from the stands, interim Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick took charge of the Red Devils from the dugout for the first time on Sunday.

The German got off to the perfect start as United scraped a 1-0 victory over a resolute Crystal Palace outfit at Old Trafford with Fred’s late stunner the decisive moment.

None of the Manchester club’s stellar attacking options stood out, with the winning goal having to come through a rare strike from the Brazilian midfielder.

However, there was one man who was particularly disappointing in Rangnick’s first game: Jadon Sancho.

It’s no secret that the 21-year-old has struggled to replicate his fabulous form at Dortmund for Manchester United since arriving for £73m in the summer. However, there had been signs of late that the winger was starting to blossom.

The Manchester United Evening News stated that Sancho now “looks like a different player from the one who started the season”, however, he was ineffective on Sunday afternoon.

In what was a quiet game, Sancho struggled to make any sort of impact, losing possession 15 times (every 3.2 touches) as well as failing to win any of his aerial duels and coming off best in just two of six ground duels (72% overall).

As a result, Rangnick opted to withdraw the Englishman in the 62nd minute as United looked for an alternative strategy to secure the three points.

Despite an ineffective performance, there is still optimism that United fans are starting to see glimmers of the Sancho they hoped for after goals against Villareal and Chelsea in recent weeks. Ironically, both came after the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

It took Sancho 15 games to net his first goal in a United shirt against Villareal and is still yet to register an assist for the Red Devils.

There is undoubtedly potential there, but Rangnick will have to find a solution to get the best out of the £81m-rated man. For now, however, the wide man has already failed his new interim manager.

Tasmania relied on three half-centuries before Steve Magoffin rocked them late on the first day as they finished at 8 for 254

Cricinfo staff19-Feb-2010Tasmania 8 for 254 (Bailey 58, Cowan 57, Doolan 53, Magoffin 4-40) v Western Australia
ScorecardEd Cowan added 57 to his impressive summer collection•Getty ImagesTasmania relied on three half-centuries before Steve Magoffin rocked them late on the first day as they finished at 8 for 254. Ed Cowan began with a fifty and was joined on the list by Alex Doolan and George Bailey, who top scored with 58, but there was frustration that none of them went on, especially when Magoffin struck to collect 4 for 40.Cowan leads the Sheffield Shield run list with 861 at 66.23 and he set up the platform with 57 before he was caught behind off Magoffin early in the second session. Doolan, who survived a drop from Mitchell Marsh, took over and had 53 when he was taken by Luke Ronchi off Michael Hogan.Bailey, the captain, was also in control before slipping to the debutant Nathan Coulter-Nile and the side’s position worsened with the loss of four wickets for 18. Dan Marsh (21) also made a start before he played on to Magoffin before Xavier Doherty was taken at second slip off Brad Knowles. Brendan Drew’s edge gave Magoffin another victim and his final blow came in the last over when he removed Adam Griffith to another edge.The late burst helped Marcus North feel more comfortable after his decision to send the Tigers in. Western Australia are fourth and Tasmania fifth on the table, with both needing to win to remain a chance of making the final.

As per reliable transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano, West Ham may now have some competition in a race to sign Manchester United star Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: Lingard on the radar…

Reports over the last month have suggested that the 29-year-old could be on his way out of Old Trafford in January after a lack of chances under former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

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ESPN reported that talks over a new deal for Lingard stalled last month with the playmaker now weighing his winter window options and West Ham have been tipped as real frontrunners.

The England international himself even dropped a cryptic Instagram hint as to where he may end up, uploading a picture of himself on loan at the London Stadium last campaign in a teasing message.

Romano, however, sharing the latest on his future, claims the race to sign Lingard may just have turned up a notch as another competitors sets their sights.

The Latest: Romano makes Lingard claim…

Writing for The Guardian, Romano believes that Newcastle United and Eddie Howe are also ‘looking to sign’ Lingard, either temporarily or in a permanent move.

He backs that West Ham are also in the hunt to sign the Champions League man in January after an impressive stint over the second half of 2020/2021.

The Verdict: Pull out all the stops…

As manager David Moyes scours for more attacking options, with Lingard believed to be one of his targets (The Evening Standard), the Scotsman and recruitment chief Rob Newman simply must do everything possible to win the race.

Showcasing how perfect he is for West Ham already with nine goals and four assists in just 16 Premier League appearances for the Irons last season, Lingard’s numbers are matched only by his plaudits.

The Hammers’ own Declan Rice, for example, hailed the Three Lions ace as a ‘real gem’ and the player West Ham ‘needed’ during his spell at the club (Redknapp’s Big Night Out via The Evening Standard).

Meanwhile, former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell told Football Insider that Lingard is an ‘incredible player’ even amid his lack of game time in Manchester (Football Insider).

As West Ham fight on all fronts over what is, arguably, their most challenging top level campaign for years, the Red Devils outcast could find a new lease of life with a stunning return to the English capital next month.

In other news: Approach already made: West Ham now willing to pay asking price to sign 47-goal striker! Find out more here.

Abdul Razzaq produced a blistering innings of 46 not out from 18 balls as Pakistan squared the two-match Twenty20 series in dramatic style in Dubai

The Bulletin by Andrew Miller in Dubai20-Feb-2010Pakistan 149 for 6 (Razzaq 46*, Swann 3-14) beat England 148 for 6 (Pietersen 62) v Pakistan
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKevin Pietersen returned to his best form with a 40-ball 62, but he was overshadowed by Abdul Razzaq’s late show•PA PhotosAbdul Razzaq produced a blistering innings of 46 not out from 18 balls as Pakistan squared the two-match Twenty20 series in dramatic style in Dubai. Defending a target of 148 following a timely return to form for Kevin Pietersen, England’s bowlers looked to have the game in the bag as Pakistan slumped to 78 for 5 after 13 overs, following a two-wicket debut over from Ajmal Shahzad, and a brilliant spell of 4-1-14-3 from Graeme Swann.Razzaq, however, decided that aggression was the best route out of the hole that Pakistan had dug for themselves. After a solitary sighter, he launched Paul Collingwood over midwicket for six twice in two balls, and then repeated the dose one over later, as Luke Wright was battered into the long-off stands.With 44 runs required from the final five overs, the momentum of the match had suddenly turned, and Fawad Alam kept up the pressure by milking 13 runs from Stuart Broad’s next over, including four consecutive twos, and a last-ball boundary as Shahzad on the edge of the circle muffed a half-chance for a diving catch. Three balls later, Fawad continued the onslaught by bludgeoning Tim Bresnan straight down the ground, and though he picked out Eoin Morgan on the midwicket boundary soon afterwards, he had helped add 48 match-changing runs in four overs.The equation was 18 runs from 12 balls when Shahzad was recalled to bowl the penultimate over of the innings, but Razzaq was ready for his bustling approach and slotted him into the long-off stands for his fourth six of the innings, before sealing the contest with his fifth and largest blow of the night, a mighty heave into the heavens. The game was done and dusted with a full over in hand, to give Pakistan their first victory in 11 outings in all internationals.Such a finale hadn’t looked at all likely for much of the evening, not least when Shahzad – a late replacement for Ryan Sidebottom – was handed the ball to bowl the first over of England’s innings. His first delivery was inauspicious, as Imran Nazir clunked him back over his head, but two balls later he had his revenge, as Nazir charged down the pitch to a short but straight delivery, and top-edged a wild smear into the hands of Bresnan at third man.Before the over was complete, Shahzad had claimed his second, as Imran Farhat flapped another loose pull, this time to Broad at mid-off, and at 4 for 2 after five deliveries, Pakistan were in some serious strife. Though Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal redressed the balance of the innings with an aggressive third-wicket stand of 36 in five overs, Swann suckered Malik with the first ball of his spell – a leg-side wide that resulted in a smart stumping from Prior – before Shahid Afridi and Akmal both launched ambitious hoicks into the hands of Morgan at midwicket.Once again, England found themselves unable to defend a total of less than 150 – they have never yet managed that feat in Twenty20 internationals. But it was far from a gloomy evening for their long-term prospects, not least because Pietersen confirmed that he is close to finding his best form. With Jonathan Trott providing solid support in a 98-run stand for the second wicket, Pietersen cracked four fours and three sixes – including one of the biggest hits of the week – to power England along to 148 for 6.It was blistering batting from Pietersen, whose confidence was sky-high after a measured 43 from 43 balls in Friday’s opening contest. Whereas in that encounter he had been happy to play second-fiddle to an excellent performance from Morgan, this time he was ready to resume his more typical front-running approach.After a sighter from Arafat that fizzed past his leg stump for five wides, Pietersen got into his stride by advancing down the pitch to Razzaq to swing a lofted drive over wide mid-on. His next boundary had a modicum of good fortune as he threaded the gap between gully and backward point with a cramped cut shot, but his next shot in anger was one of pure class – a rifling drive off Saeed Ajmal, that rebounded off the steps of the second-tier hospitality boxes, and left one embarrassed spectator on his backside.The biggest let-down for England was the continuing poor form of Joe Denly, whose place at the top of the order is now in serious jeopardy following England’s decision to call the big-hitting Craig Kieswetter into the one-day party for Bangladesh. Denly came into the contest with a total of 15 runs in his previous four Twenty20 innings, but he managed to add just five more runs to that tally from a further 10 deliveries, before Yasir Arafat nipped a good-length delivery back through his gate.

Ben Stokes guided Durham to victory over UAE with 81 from 40 balls to clinch the Emirates Airline Forty40 title

Mark Pennell in Abu Dhabi26-Mar-2010
England Under-19 batsman Ben Stokes showed exactly why Durham have him signed up on a two-year contract with an eye-catching innings of 81 from 40 balls that helped the county to an emphatic victory over UAE to clinch the Emirates Airline Forty40 title.Stokes, who was one of England’s leading players at this year’s Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, clattered seven sixes and four fours as the reigning county champions rattled along at seven an over to post a matchwinning 279 for six at the Sheik Zayed Stadium.After the early loss of Ian Blackwell, who edged a defensive push to the keeper for seven, Durham’s one-day opener Phil Mustard bossed a steady partnership with Ben Harmison (38) that took the score on to 121 before the latter holed out to wide long on. Having been given a life on 57 when host keeper Naeemuddin Aslam missed a stumping chance, Mustard finally went for a run-a-ball 84, clipping straight to long on where Fayyaz Ahmed took a stunning catch on the run.That brought in Stokes at No. 5 for a stand of 124 in 14 overs with the experienced Gordon Muchall, who was happy to give way to youth by playing second fiddle to Stokes’s virtuoso. He raced to 50 from 29 balls and celebrated by clubbing three sixes in an over from Arshad Ali, whose six, wicketless overs cost 60 runs.Stokes blotted his copybook slightly by failing to see the job through and fell 19 short of a century when he toe-ended another leg-side bludgeon into the hands of Mohammad Iqbal at deep midwicket to make it 254 for five. Muchall marched on to complete a workmanlike unbeaten 52 with only two fours in the final over, but he lost Gareth Breese in the quest for late runs and then his skipper Will Smith, who was run out from the final ball of the innings.The hosts were in deep trouble at 16 for two after early strikes by Neil Killeen and Callum Thorp sent back Arshad Ali and Mohammad Iqbal. But once the hardness went off the new ball and the floodlights came into full use, they started to look a little more comfortable against the pace of Killeen and Steve Harmison.Captain Khurram Khan and Nigel Fernandes added 94 for the fourth wicket before both fell in successive overs. After a bright 55 from 51 balls, Khan miscued a cut to backward point, and Fernandes was caught at long on in the next over from Ian Blackwell.Harmison took his third successive catch to account for Naeemuddin off Breese, who pegged back Salman Farook’s off stump three balls later. In his next over, Shoib Sarwar obligingly holed out to deep midwicket to give Breese the tidy figures of 4 for 34. Fayyaz Ahmed then heaved across the line to go leg-before to Killeen and Chris Rushworth claimed his first wicket for Durham as the hosts’ run-chase ran out of steam.

West Ham United were dealt a frustrating setback in their quest to qualify for the Champions League this season after they were held by relegation-battling Burnley at Turf Moor.

And it was yet another game in which Michail Antonio struggled in the final third.

The Clarets, who have won just once all season, largely matched the fourth-placed Irons and were resolute enough to not hand them many chances. That said, the 31-year-old put in another lacklustre display and that would’ve undoubtedly contributed to their futile attempts up top.

Across the 90 minutes he had on the pitch, Antonio failed to register a single shot on target, with both his efforts going wide. Even central defenders Issa Diop and James Tarkowski managed to hit the target.

His lack of influence for the visiting east Londoners was reflected by the fact that he recorded the fewest touches of any Hammers starter (34). One less than even goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (35), as well as managing only ten accurate passes all game, too.

Elsewhere, the Jamaican international struggled to combat the physical threat on offer from the home side, losing possession a whopping 16 times, almost once every other touch of the ball, whilst he also won just 46% of his 15 battles, both on the ground and in the air, only further highlighting the way in which he was dominated by Sean Dyche’s towering backline.

‘Another Hammer who had a quiet game with the striker’s poor touch on a couple of occasions costing him the chance of a sight of goal,’ was how football.london reporter Tom Clark described Antonio’s performance after the match.

Indeed, that was the case and it has been that way for several games now. The former Nottingham Forest ace has scored just once in ten games and has now failed to surpass a 6.9 WhoScored rating in five of his last six matches.

His form has to be a major cause for concern to manager David Moyes and the club. He will certainly feel badly let down by his star man once again because if Antonio isn’t firing, West Ham often aren’t either.

The £70k-per-week forward must do better in the coming weeks, especially as he’s the only option in the role. He must do better.

AND in other news, Rob Newman can seal West Ham’s biggest signing since Payet in “complete” £24.3m-rated gem…