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A case study for how not to run a football club, Celtic are in such a mess right now, but can Martin O’Neill work his magic again?

From a relative position of strength at the end of last season, having secured a fourth successive Premiership title, the Parkhead hierarchy have made error after error, from failing to strengthen prior to Champions League qualifying, to hiring Paul Tisdale, to appointing Wilfried Nancy.

The only saving grace from that latter decision is that the Hoops have at least had the sense to nip things in the bud, bringing to an end a remarkable car-crash tenure that yielded six defeats in eight games.

The Frenchman might feel hard done by considering the litany of missed chances that he was forced to witness amid that losing run, although such results simply aren’t acceptable in Glasgow.

Nancy is gone then, with O’Neill back to pick up the pieces for the short-term – but what lies beyond for the Scottish champions?

Celtic's long-term managerial target after O'Neill

From seven wins in eight under O’Neill, to the misery of Nancy’s short-lived tenure, Celtic are in some ways back where they started, no doubt thankful that the gap to Hearts remains at just six points.

If the 73-year-old can recapture the magic of his prior interim stint, then this rollercoaster campaign could still end in glory, with the season not a write-off just yet.

Having seen the Nancy gamble backfire, O’Neill was undoubtedly the logical choice, although with such a move merely proving a stopgap rather than a long-term solution.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

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With a permanent successor needing to be named in the summer, TEAMtalk reported that Motherwell’s Jens Berthel Askou is now a top target, having earned admirers following his fine recent work in the Premiership.

Indeed, the 43-year-old has steered the Silkmen to fourth in the table, just two points behind Celtic, having only taken charge back in June after a string of jobs largely back in Scandinavia.

As per the report, the Dane’s ‘tactical acumen and attractive style align with the club’s vision’, ensuring he is now a ‘strong candidate’ for the post.

Why Askou could be another Brendan Rodgers for Celtic

It would be fair to say that Brendan Rodgers was a symptom, rather than necessarily a cause of the chaos at Parkhead, with the Northern Irishman’s resignation coming after a dismal summer of recruitment that ended without a genuine, proven replacement for Adam Idah and Kyogo Furuhashi arriving.

Rodgers, of course, certainly wasn’t blameless, not least for failing to steer his side past Kazakh minnows Qairat in Champions League qualifying, yet it is hard to doubt his proven record as a Celtic manager.

Indeed, across two spells, the ex-Liverpool and Leicester City man won four league titles, including that remarkable ‘Invincible’ 2016/17 campaign, arguably rivalling O’Neill and Ange Postecoglou for the club’s best modern manager.

Can Askou be the next man on that list? Well, in the view of Tawanda Maswanhise – who worked under Rodgers at Leicester – the in-demand coach is “similar” to both the ex-Celtic boss and current free agent Enzo Maresca.

Maswanhise is currently part of the surprise Motherwell story at Fir Park, with ‘Well only recently securing a 2-0 win over Nancy and co, following another error-strewn display from the visitors.

Jens Berthel Askou – Manager record

Club

Games

PPG

Motherwell

28

1.93

IFK Goteborg

35

1.43

AC Horsens

90

1.39

HB Torshavn

33

2.45

Vendyssel

43

1.21

Stats via Transfermarkt

Askou’s 4-2-3-1 set-up and exciting, attack-minded brand of football has proven a revelation in Scottish football this season, having already won 15 of his 28 games in charge in all competitions.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Celtic managerial insights Subscribing to the newsletter provides in-depth analysis of Celtic’s managerial search, candidate profiles (like Jens Berthel Askou), tactical fit and long-term implications – essential reading for followers tracking the club’s next move.

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It is even more remarkable that he has been defeated on just four occasions too so far in 2025/26, having spent recent seasons as an assistant coach at both Copenhagen and Slavia Prague.

Like Rodgers before him, who had worked at the likes of Reading, Watford, Swansea City and Liverpool before arriving at Celtic at the age of 43, Askou has racked up a fair chunk of experience in Denmark and Sweden.

That ensures the Hoops would be landing a young, hungry coach on the up, but with a proven track record behind him.

Of course, it remains to be seen just how well Motherwell do in the remainder of the campaign, although Celtic would be wise to have their man lined up, ahead of O’Neill’s exit this summer.

Related Celtic sack Wilfried Nancy, Paul Tisdale and three first-team coaches

They’re cleaning house at Parkhead.

Posts 4 ByBen Goodwin

While West Ham United and Nottingham Forest continue to be sucked further into the Premier League relegation zone, Leeds United are aiming to look up the division.

It’s been an unbelievable change of fortunes at Elland Road in such a short space of time, with November standing out as an extremely bleak month when Daniel Farke’s men lost four league games consecutively, leaving the German worrying about his job security.

Now, however, he looks to be just the right man who will guide Leeds to safety, with a draw at Liverpool to start the New Year pushing the Whites further away from their relegation rivals at the foot of the competitive division.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been key to Leeds’ recent uptick in form, with a stunning eight Premier League strikes next to his name.

Still, Farke could look to the January transfer window as a chance to add even more goals to his team’s reinvigorated ranks, as several strikers are now tipped to make the switch to West Yorkshire…

Leeds looking to sign new striker

The ex-Norwich City manager won’t want his team to be over-reliant on the free-flowing number nine as the fixtures continue to come thick and fast.

Recent reports have suggested that the Premier League newcomers have PSV Eindhoven centre-forward Ricardo Pepi on their shopping list in this regard, with a whopping £35m price tag allegedly above the 22-year-old’s head.

Alongside Pepi being chased, Leeds also have AS Roma marksman Artem Dovbyk in mind this January, with a new report from TuttoMercatoWeb stating that a loan departure from the Italian capital looks to be likely, as both the Whites and Sunderland remain interested. If he were to move permanently, then a fee of around £21m may well be needed.

With both Everton and West Ham United also previously noted as being onlookers, this might well be a transfer tussle to keep an eye on as the hectic month develops, with Farke no doubt keen to bring in the Ukrainian as the Serie A attacker’s goalscoring exploits in Italy and beyond make him a very exciting rival for Calvert-Lewin’s concrete starting spot.

Why Dovbyk is good enough to rival Calvert-Lewin

The instinctive centre-forward would surely be licking his lips at the prospect of being a deadly second-in-command to the former Everton marksman, having fired home 19 goals for Gian Piero Gasperini’s men to date.

There is also an arguable hole to be filled, with Lukas Nmecha unfortunately falling victim to some worrying injuries since joining the Elland Road ranks in the summer as another striker option.

Dovbyk’s career numbers vs DCL’s

Stat

Dovbyk

DCL

Games played

286

344

Goals scored

133

97

Assists

33

25

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Of course, even as he was dropped for the Liverpool away clash owing to the congested fixture list, Calvert-Lewin will remain Leeds’ star-man for the foreseeable future, with the Sheffield-born menace now up to 65 Premier League goals off the back of a red-hot streak in West Yorkshire, which has seen him power home eight league strikes.

But the table above backs up the notion that Dovbyk is more than good enough as a lethal finisher in his own right to push the revitalised Englishman all the way, with a standout 43 career goals plying his trade in both Serie A and La Liga.

Farke wouldn’t feel too perturbed by the prospect of a 40-time Ukraine international having to come into the side as his main marksman either, with his insane form for former employers Girona seeing him put away a stunning 24 goals from just 36 La Liga clashes during the 2023/24 campaign, as Dovbyk was even hailed as a “sensational” focal point up top by ex-boss Michel Sanchez.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Leeds transfer insight Curious how Leeds’ January targets could reshape their attack? Subscribe to the newsletter for detailed transfer analysis, rumor tracking, and expert context on Dovbyk, Pepi and other Premier League moves.

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It hasn’t gone Dovbyk’s way entirely at the Stadio Olimpico, with only three Serie A starts coming his way this season so far.

Yet, he knows, when an opportunity comes his way, that he can fire home a chance at a moment’s notice, with a sublime three goal contributions next to his name for Roma this campaign, even as he is primarily utilised as a reserve option.

Leeds will no doubt see how impressive Dovbyk has been during his cameos in Italy as a major reason why they want to secure his loan services, with an added injection of attacking quality in some crucial games to come, making survival feel even easier to clinch.

Calvert-Lewin would be kept on his toes by the Roma number nine, leaving Italy behind for West Yorkshire, as Farke goes about using the full squad available to him, to ensure his troops don’t fall victim to rusty displays.

Related Farke can sign "incredibly prolific" £35m star to end Nmecha's Leeds career

Leeds United could already move on from Lukas Nmecha by swooping to sign this reported transfer target.

Posts ByDan Emery

Tottenham Hotspur have a lot of up-and-coming quality, but it’s up to Thomas Frank to put it into practice after an opening half to the 2025/26 campaign that has left plenty to be desired.

Chelsea are the only team in the Premier League to have a younger average age than their north London neighbours, but ENIC Group appear set on strengthening with further rising stars to create a lasting period of success.

Premier League 2025/26 – Youngest Average Ages

Club

Squad size

Av. Age

Chelsea

31

23.4

Tottenham

29

24.8

Sunderland

34

24.8

Man City

26

24.9

Brighton

26

24.9

Data via Transfermarkt

The likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Mathys Tel have big futures ahead of them, but Spurs are eyeing another rising talent who could surpass them all, and it comes as Brennan Johnson inches toward the exit.

Spurs lining up Brennan Johnson replacement

Crystal Palace have agreed with Tottenham a £35m fee for the transfer of Welsh winger Johnson, who has slumped considerably in Frank’s system.

The 24-year-old is a talented player who scored the winning goal against Manchester United in the Europa League final last season. Last year, he posted 18 strikes in all competitions for Ange Postecoglou, but he hardly looks like matching that this year, and probably needs to move after falling to the fringes.

While Johnson has fallen flat after that hefty £47.5m arrival from Nottingham Forest in 2023, it’s clear that Tottenham cannot sell themselves short throughout the business months of the campaign, and a replacement is needed, with RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande earmarked.

As per TEAMtalk, the 19-year-old winger is open to a Premier League move this winter, and though Spurs are circling, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United have all registered interest of their own.

Previous reports suggest that it would cost suitors a staggering £87m sum to prise him away from his German club – but then, he is that good.

How Diomande could improve Spurs

Diomande only joined Leipzig from La Liga side Leganes last summer, but he’s taken to life in the Bundesliga with ease, scoring seven goals and supplying four assists across 16 appearances.

He’s already showing more of a clinical edge than Johnson, and offering more besides.

Hailed as a “generational talent” by journalist Bence Bocsak, the Ivory Coast international ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for tackles and the top 1% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.

He plays with an intensity and aggression that can only serve him well down the line, establishing him as one of the biggest and most coveted names on the global stage.

Subscribe to our newsletter for Spurs transfer insight Curious for deeper coverage of Tottenham’s transfer moves and rising stars? Subscribe to the newsletter for detailed analysis of targets, youth prospects and squad strategy, with expert takes on Spurs’ player plans.

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Spurs already know a thing or two about plucking an up-and-coming sensation from the German scene, with Tel arriving from Bayern Munich last year.

The versatile forward is still working toward superstardom in the Premier League, but his potential is indisputable, and in Diomande, Spurs could not only repeat the trick but sign an even bigger talent.

Not long ago, coach Harry Brook asserted that he will “be worth £100m plus” down the line. Already, Diomande is nearly there, and Tottenham need to put everything into signing him before things get silly.

After all, they would land an instant Johnson upgrade and another Bundesliga prodigy to rival Tel as the Frenchman cuts his teeth down N17.

Related Big Johnson upgrade: Spurs in talks for "the most direct winger in Europe"

Tottenham have already upped the pace ahead of the imminent January transfer window.

Posts 3 ByAngus Sinclair

Match facts

January 5, 2016
Start time 1100 local (2200 GMT)Tom Latham will be keen to impress after posting middling scores in the series so far•AFP

Big Picture

Following two humbling defeats at the beginning of the series, would anyone have given Sri Lanka a chance of finishing the series level? With a bounce in their step since Nelson, and a number of injuries having eroded New Zealand, Sri Lanka might have a nearly-even shot at finishing 2-2. Having defeated only West Indies in the past 12 months, a drawn away-series will count as something of a moral victory.When Brendon McCullum aggravated a long-standing back injury by skidding into the advertising hoardings, New Zealand had hoped the pain would pass, and that they would get their captain back before the end of the series. Coach Mike Hesson has now said McCullum’s condition is more serious than initially thought. As such, he is unlikely to play in the deciding ODI. Kane Williamson is set to take the reins again.Though Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell are both out of contention, but through Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Trent Boult and Mitchell McClenaghan, the hosts still possess a pace battery capable of exposing Sri Lanka. They may be hampered slightly by a Bay Oval surface that is known to be a little sluggish though, and the less-heralded spin-bowlers – Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi – may have roles to play.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)

 New Zealand: LWWLW
Sri Lanka: WLLWW

In the spotlight

Tom Latham may not have played any matches in the series if the top order had all been fit, but injuries to Williamson, then McCullum have enabled his inclusion – probably for all five matches. He was steady in the Test series, but has so far been only middling in the ODIs – with a high-score of 42 in the third game, in Nelson. A good score in the final game will help signal to the selectors that he is indeed the man to replace McCullum at the top of the order, once McCullum retires at the end of the home season.Once Sri Lanka’s frustrating, unfulfilled talent, Chamara Kapugedera has had something of a rebirth in the past year, in which he played two excellent middle-order innings in Colombo T20 internationals. In Christchurch, he played two typically aggravating innings, in which he hit promising lovely early boundaries, but fell before he had made a significant contribution. He didn’t have the chance to bat in either of the Nelson games, but he will know that the back-end of this tour is crucial for him. Strong performances here will likely see him through to Sri Lanka’s World T20 squad.

Teams news

New Zealand’s major selection conundrum will be which seamers to play. Bracewell has left the squad and Boult has been brought in. McClenaghan may be the man to miss out.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Kane Williamson (capt.), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 Mitchell Santner, 7 Luke Ronchi (wk), 8 Trent Boult, 9 Adam Milne, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Ish SodhiWith Thisara Perera having delivered two decent overs in the rained-out match in Nelson, Sri Lanka may consider playing him in Mount Maunganui as well – though Nuwan Pradeep is the more aggressive bowling option. The top order is likely to stay in tact. Jeffrey Vandersay failed to contend with a slippery ball in the fourth game, but will probably retain his place.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka , 3 Lahiru Thirimanne, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Milinda Siriwardana, 7 Chamara Kapugedara, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Jeffrey Vandersay, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Nuwan Pradeep/Thisara Perera

Pitch and conditions

The strip at Mount Maunganui has generally played slow and low, and has not been conducive to high scores in the past. The weather forecast suggests a full, uninterrupted match will be played. It is expected to be cloudy but dry, with the temperature rising to 21 degrees.

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand have played two ODIs at Bay Oval, against South Africa, and lost both. The highest total in these matches was 282 – the other three scores were all below 250.
• Chamara Kapugedara – a specialist batsman – has played 78 ODI innings, and averages 21.70. Before this series he had last played an ODI for Sri Lanka in August 2012.

Quotes

“Brendon’s really struggling with his injury. He hasn’t progressed as well as we would have thought, so he’s probably unlikely to play tomorrow. Long-term he will get some further assessment. He’s not playing the T20s, so he’ll get a decent break before Pakistan arrive, and certainly before Australia arrive.”

Ricky Ponting has capped off another remarkable year with nominations for the Cricketer of the Year, ODI Player of the Year and Test Player of the Year © Getty Images

Ricky Ponting could become the first player to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy twice after he was shortlisted with three other players for the ICC’s major prize. Ponting will compete with Kevin Pietersen, Mohammad Yousuf and Shivnarine Chanderpaul for the Cricketer of the Year award, which will be announced in Johannesburg on Monday.The four players were selected from an extended list of 12, while the nominations for the Test Player of the Year and ODI Player of the Year have also been cut to four. Ponting is the only man with a chance of winning all three titles, which was a reward for another superb year in which he made 1185 ODI runs at 51.52 and 576 Test runs at 82.28. He also led Australia to triumphs in the World Cup, Champions Trophy and the Ashes.Pietersen, Yousuf and Muttiah Muralitharan are also up for the Test player award, with Yousuf’s record of five centuries and 944 runs at 94.40 from his six Tests making him hard to beat. However, Muralitharan had a stellar year with 43 wickets at 11.60 and Pietersen scored 1255 runs at 57.04.The ODI title is an Australian-dominated affair with Ponting, Glenn McGrath, Matthew Hayden and Jacques Kallis the four nominees. Hayden’s remarkable return to the Australian line-up brought 1368 runs at 62.18, Kallis scored 1149 runs at 60.47, while McGrath enjoyed his farewell year with 50 wickets at 19.34.
Cricketer of the Year
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI)
Kevin Pietersen (Eng)
Ricky Ponting (Aus)
Mohammed Yousuf (Pak)
Test Player
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL)
Kevin Pietersen (Eng)
Ricky Ponting (Aus)
Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)
ODI Player
Matthew Hayden (Aus)
Jacques Kallis (SA)
Glenn McGrath (Aus)
Ricky Ponting (Aus)
Emerging Player
Ravinder Bopara (Eng)
Shakib Al Hasan (Bang)
Shaun Tait (Aus)
Ross Taylor (NZ)
Captain of the Year
Mahela Jayawardene (SL)
Ricky Ponting (Aus)
Associate ODI Player of the Year
Ashish Bagai (Can)
Thomas Odoyo (Ken)
Ryan ten Doeschate (Neth)
Steve Tikolo (Ken)
Umpire of the Year
Mark Benson
Steve Bucknor
Simon Taufel
Women’s Cricketer of the Year
Jhulan Goswami (Ind)
Lisa Sthalekar (Aus)
Claire Taylor (Eng)

Chaminda Vaas bowled with his usual control, but some of the other Sri Lankan bowlers were off colour in their first match of the Champions Trophy © AFP

Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain, is looking forward to a disciplined performance from his bowlers in the remaining qualifying matches of the Champions Trophy after making a winning start.Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 37 runs in the opening qualifier under lights here on Saturday, but their bowling left a lot to be desired. They conceded 36 extras, the second-highest contributor in Bangladesh’s total of 265 for 9, after posting a challenging 302 for 8. Their bowlers sent down 13 wides and six no-balls.”We did not play our A-class game and there are certain areas where we have to improve and we will do that in remaining games,” said Jayawardene. Sri Lanka play Zimbabwe at Ahmedabad on October 10 and defending champions West Indies on October 14 at Mumbai in their last two qualifying matches. The top two sides will advance to the main draw that features world champions Australia, England, India, South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan.Jayawardene said his team did not perform up to the mark in the opening game because they had not played much international cricket in recent months. They played their last full one-day international three months ago. “We didn’t play a smart game, especially in the second half of their innings but we have not played many one-dayers recently and that was one of the reasons why we were not able to perform to our potential.”He didn’t blame the dew for his bowlers’ below-par performance when they fielded under lights at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium. “The dew came on only around 8.30pm and by that time the spinners had nearly bowled their overs,” he said. “We have to expect such things in day-night matches. I think it is good that we fielded in the evening. It will give us an idea what to expect in remaining matches.”Habibul Bashar, the Bangladesh captain, defended his decision to field first after winning the toss, saying his bowlers failed to make the most of conditions in early stages. “It was a good toss to win,” he said. “There was grass on the wicket, but we didn’t put the ball in the right areas in the opening 10 overs.”Seamers Mashrafe Mortaza, Syed Rasel and Farhad Reza failed to get early wickets and went on to concede 188 runs in 28 overs. “In the end, the target proved too high for us,” said Bashar, whose team still managed to post their highest-ever total against Sri Lanka in 18 one-day internationals.Jayawardene, however, said he would have batted first had he won the toss. “It was a good wicket to bat on. I think it is always better to set a target when you play against teams like Bangladesh.”Bangladesh will now meet the West Indies on October 11 and Zimbabwe on October 13 at Jaipur.

Darren Gough: “I honestly believe England have got the attack for all conditions now” © AllSport UK Ltd

Darren Gough believes England have the firepower to conquer the world, after their dramatic Ashes victory over Australia this summer. England embark on tours to Pakistan and India this winter, with selectors due to announce the touring squad on Monday.Gough, who played 58 Tests and 157 one-day internationals for England, believes England now have the capacity to win against any opposition in any conditions following this summer’s historic triumph.”I honestly believe England have got the attack for all conditions now,” he said. “The last time we played there [in Pakistan], it was all about mixing it up with slower balls and offcutters; but this England attack do that naturally anyway – I don’t think the conditions will faze them.”Earlier today, Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq stated ‘the conditions in Pakistan will not suit’ England’s attack, which Gough disagrees with. “It won’t be easy for them and it’s a difficult tour, but it won’t be beyond them,” Gough added. “In Pakistan you tend to get flat wickets and a lot will depend on team spirit away from the cricket, which won’t be a problem with this side.”England are poised to name a 16-man Test squad, but with the 12 players who featured in this summer’s Ashes series virtually picking themselves, the selectors’ main discussions will centre on the back-up players.Wicketkeeper Geraint Jones still has the support of coach Duncan Fletcher and captain Michael Vaughan despite an inconsistent summer behind the stumps; Nottinghamshire’s Chris Read, Essex’s James Foster and Matt Prior of Sussex are vying for the back-up spot.Worcestershire’s Gareth Batty and Northamptonshire’s Monty Panesar are possible inclusions as reserve spinners, while James Anderson and Chris Tremlett are fighting for inclusion as the back-up seamer. Robert Key, Ed Joyce and Owais Shah will battle it out for inclusion as a spare batsman alongside Paul Collingwood.The 15-man one-day squad also virtually picks itself having done well during the one-day series against the world champions, although England may choose to include some younger players to give them experience as part of the long-term build-up to the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.That could mean Gough being replaced, possibly by Gloucestershire’s Jon Lewis, which Gough concedes is a possibility:”I know they want me around, but the one thing they’re going to have to discuss is whether they need to have a look at someone else just in case I’m not around for the 2007 World Cup,” he said. “This winter would probably the ideal time to do it and that’s the decision they’ve got to make. Either way it’s fine with me as long as the communication is good and they tell me what they’re planning.”

Cricket Australia will request the ICC to grant next year’s Super Series official status, thus raising the stakes in the high-profile clash between the world’s number one team and the best of the rest. reported that James Sutherland, chief executive of Cricket Australia, and Matthew Hayden believed that the matches were important enough to merit mention in the record books.”I see that at the moment the ICC haven’t given the matches official Test status or one-day status, ” said Sutherland. “I actually don’t agree with that. I think the matches are big enough and worthy enough of having official status so that they do go in the record books. That’s something that we’ll certainly be talking to the ICC about into the future so they can re-address that issue.”Hayden was just as enthusiastic about the high-profile series, and said that the Australians would take the competition seriously. He too wanted to see the series made official. “I’d prefer to see it as Test-match status,” he said. “It’s a genuine, best-of-the-era side versus what has been a really great side in the Australian cricket team. It’s unique in that we’ve never come across a tournament like this in the past. It certainly begs to be a great competition.”While he was eager to take on the rest of the world, Hayden believed that the six-day Test could be the start of a new wave of timeless Tests, because sometimes, five days just weren’t enough. The Sydney Test against India last January was a case in point. Fox Sports quoted him as saying: “I know it’s a lot of cricket and a massive ask, but there are just some things you can’t get a result out of. That wicket last time at the SCG in particular was an absolute belter. It tended to be more of a bat-a-thon than anything, so it would have been good to see that played out over time.”The bat-a-thon Hayden was referring to resulted in 1747 runs scored over five days, at an average of 350 runs a day, for the loss of only 25 wickets. But while Hayden believes that it would result in more decisive matches, timeless Tests are an unlikely proposition because of commercial considerations and broadcasting limitations. Incidentally, the last was played between England and South Africa at Durban in 1939, and it dragged on for 10 days. Well-placed at 654 for 5, England needed only 42 runs for victory. However, they were thwarted by the fact that they had to catch a ship back home on the eleventh day.

Durham County Cricket Club’s Frizzell County Championship fixture againstWorcestershire on 14-17 May will be played at Grangefield Road, Stockton CC.The game will give Head Groundsman, Dave Measor, every chance to prepare aworld class pitch for the npower Test Match between England and Zimbabwe on5-9 June 2003.Durham County Cricket Club Chairman Bill Midgley said: “We are delighted tobe playing at least one of our games at an outground in the south of thecounty this season.”Tickets for the npower Test Match are on sale now priced at £25 for adultsper day for the first four days and £10 for U16s for the first three daysand £5 for the Sunday. Call the Ticket Hotline on 0191 387 5151 orTicketmaster on 0870 90 90 190 or visit www.CricketTickets.net.

Wardown Park:
Hertfordshire 206-8dec & 231-2dec (D Lowe 142*)
Bedfordshire 126 & 244 (A Roberts 113)
Herts (21 pts) bt Bedfordshire (3 pts) by 67 runsFinchampstead:
Dorset 203 & 175 (DJ Cowley 55; RP Davis 4-48, PR Carter 4-32)
Berkshire 160-6dec & 219-6 (J Wood 65)
Berkshire (20 pts) bt Dorset (3 pts) by 4 wicketsMarlow:
Buckinghamshire 269-5dec (PD Atkins 55, RP Lane 81)
Suffolk 266-6dec (R Catley 100no, I Graham 52)
Match drawn: Buckinghamshire 4 pts, Suffolk 4 ptsBowdon:
Cheshire 208 & 72 (K Evans 5-15)
Shropshire 119-4dec & 119-8 (SJ Renshaw 5-57)
Match drawn: Cheshire 6 pts, Shropshire 8 ptsExmouth:
Cornwall 98 & 157 (J Bishop 6-44)
Devon 177 & 80-0
Devon (21 pts) bt Cornwall (4 pts) by 10 wicketsGrantham:
Lincolnshire 129 & 192 (MA Fell 66*)
Cumberland 397
Cumberland (24 pts) bt Lincolnshire (4 pts) by an innings & 76 runsJesmond:
Northumberland 200-9dec & 198-4dec (J Graham 70, A Heather 55)
Cambridgeshire 179-8dec (SA Kellett 73) & 179-6 (SA Kellett 72, B Potter 50)
Match drawn: Northumberland 8 pts, Cambridgeshire 9 ptsBanbury:
Oxfordshire 91 & 318
Herefordshire 208 & 165 (P Sarfraz 52)
Oxfordshire (20 pts) bt Herefordshire (5 pts) by 36 runsWalsall:
Norfolk 173 & 314-4dec (C Amos 138, CS Carey 72*)
Staffordshire 228-4dec & 200-7 (GF Archer 71)
Match drawn: Staffordshire 10 pts, Norfolk 5 ptsWestbury:
Wales Minor Counties 163 & 204 (A Jones 56)
Wiltshire 163 & 205-2 (R Howe 67, M Coxon 62*, M Soully 53)
Wiltshire (20 pts) bt Wales Minor Counties (4 pts) by 8 wickets