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West Ham take on Liverpool this evening in a mouth-watering Premier League clash in which a win could give David Moyes’ men real breathing space away from the dreaded drop zone.

In their last outing, the Hammers produced one of their best performances of the season, ruthlessly dispatching Bournemouth 4-0 at the Vitality Stadium to secure their joint-biggest Premier League victory of the campaign.

It was a scintillating attacking display from the Irons, who netted three first-half goals to completely silence the in-form Cherries.

Meanwhile, the Reds dramatically edged past Nottingham Forest in an enthralling 3-2 encounter at Anfield as Mohammed Salah scored the winner.

With games coming thick and fast, Moyes is expected to name a rotated line up tonight ahead of another crucial domestic game against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Here is how we think the Irons starting XI could look this evening.

How could West Ham line up against Liverpool?

4-3-3 – Fabianski; Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell; Rice, Downes, Paqueta; Bowen, Fornals, Antonio.

Lukasz Fabianski will start in goal, having started every Premier League for which he has been available while Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, and Aaron Cresswell will retain their places in defence.

The English left-back whipped in a menacing delivery last weekend for Michail Antonio to open the floodgates, so his expertise from dead-ball situations will be pivotal this evening.

Thilo Kehrer could replace Vladimir Coufal at right back, in an attempt to combat Liverpool’s pacey and dynamic attack.

Declan Rice and Lucas Paqueta will keep their places, but a second change to the starting XI could be a rare start for Flynn Downes instead of Tomas Soucek.

The former Swansea ace ranks in the top 1% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for pass completion, whilst the "useless" £28m-rated midfielder – as per Alan Rzepa – dismally ranks in the bottom 6% for the same metric. Against a side that likes to dominate possession, Downes’ ability on the ball would be highly beneficial.

In the frontline, Jarrod Bowen and Antonio are expected to start. However, a final change for the Irons could see Fornals start instead of Said Benrahma.

The Spaniard was substituted during the second half against Bournemouth and scored an outrageous scorpion kick that Troy Deeney described as “unbelievable” on Match of the Day.

Whatever the team is tonight, the East London outfit will head into this brimming with confidence and will look to replicate their devastating goal-scoring touch in front of goal.

Liverpool threw away a three-goal lead, but came back to secure all the points in the most dramatic fashion at Anfield. However, not everyone in a red shirt impressed, and Andy Robertson was criticised for his display against Tottenham Hotspur.

How did Robertson play against Spurs?

Liverpool were cruising as they went 3-0 up within the first 15 minutes, but Spurs clawed one back in the first half through Harry Kane, and could have scored more as they found space on Robertson’s side.

The left-back was poor throughout, as he consistently gave the ball away and was defensively suspect.

Spurs eventually came back to equalise, before conceding again right at the end of the game – and Robertson will have been relieved that his side did not drop any points.

Journalist Neil Jones criticised the defender, giving him a 5/10 rating, lamenting his lack of awareness in defence.

Writing for Goal, he said: “Switched off towards the end of the first half and put his team under pressure. Then played Son onside for the second goal.”

On top of this, the Scotland international also gave away possession 20 times and made two errors leading to shots, as per Sofascore. It was a poor display from the left-back and one he will want to put past him despite the result.

Do Liverpool need another left-back?

Robertson is Liverpool’s clear first-choice in his position, so the 29-year-old will likely continue as Jurgen Klopp’s main left-back following years of consistently good displays.

But as the Scot gets older, he may need to be rotated more in order to preserve his fitness and maintain the quality of his performances. As he has made 39 appearances across all competitions this season already, it is clear that Kostas Tsimikas may not be able to slot in seamlessly for someone who has been such a key performer for the club over the years, judging by the amount of game time he has been afforded by Klopp, which may suggest he is not of the required standard to truly push Robertson.

There were even whispers that Tsimikas could move away, and although these claims were shot down, if he did depart, Liverpool could be presented with an opportunity to find someone who can play a proper understudy role to Robertson, with an eye to the future as his eventual successor.

For now, though, it may not be a priority given that both Robertson and Tsimikas have experience at the highest level. Although he was poor against Spurs, Robertson is still an important player for Klopp and Liverpool.

Sam Allardyce may consider dropping Patrick Bamford in favour of Rodrigo for Leeds United's next match, journalist Phil Hay has hinted.

What's going on with Leeds?

The club appointed Allardyce in a last-gasp gamble to help survive the threat of relegation, and with just three games left, Leeds have a mountain to climb.

There was some improvement in Allardyce's first game in charge as they lost 2-1 away at league leaders Manchester City, and Rodrigo pulled a goal back off the bench in the defeat.

Speaking on The Athletic Football Podcast, Hay claimed that Allardyce may strongly consider starting Rodrigo ahead of Bamford for Leeds' next game, as they host Newcastle at Elland Road.

"Defensively you could see what he was trying to do," he stated of Allardyce.

"There was a big, big gap between the line of four or five and then Bamford further forward, and it was a really difficult afternoon for Bamford, and I do think as it stands, the option of playing Rodrigo just seems to be screaming at Allardyce I think."

Can Leeds stay up?

The biggest issue for Leeds under Javi Gracia was the defence, which conceded a record 23 goals in the month of April prior to his sacking, and if Allardyce can tighten it up in these few games and secure some points, Leeds still have a chance of survival.

However, Everton's shock victory at Brighton and Nottingham Forest's win against Southampton have put further pressure on the Whites against a strong Newcastle side who are fighting for Europe.

Bamford has been disappointing this season, scoring just four times in 26 league appearances, and his display at the Etihad will not have filled anyone with confidence that he is suitable to save Leeds from relegation.

Rodrigo's strike at City was his 12th in the league this season, and given that his form in front of goal is better than Bamford's, there is a strong case to be made that he should replace the £70k-per-week star as a striker.

Bamford lost possession 10 times and failed to register a shot on target before being withdrawn in the 80th minute, and he won none of his five attempted ground duels as per SofaScore, highlighting how ineffective his display was at both holding the ball up and providing a goal threat.

It is a huge decision for Allardyce to make, and he has little time to be patient with underperforming players when results are needed instantly.

Glenn Maxwell has said his offspin will remain crucial if he is to nail down a long-term place in Australia’s Test-match plans

ESPNcricinfo staff29-May-2016Glenn Maxwell has said his offspin will remain crucial if he is to nail down a long-term place in Australia’s Test-match plans. Batting is Maxwell’s primary skill, but he does not want to go down the path taken by Steven Smith, whose rapid rise since his comeback to the Test team in 2013, after two years out, followed a decision to focus more on his batting.”I don’t think I can rest on just being a batsman,” Maxwell told . “I know Steve Smith went that way when he lost his Test spot, not really bowling much at all. But I don’t think I can go that direction. I have to keep working on both parts of my game and make sure they’re good enough.”I’ve decided not to play in England for the first time in four years. It might be a good chance to get a pre-season under my belt and spend a bit of time working on my game.”Maxwell was part of the Test squad that was scheduled to tour Bangladesh last year, but did not do so owing to security concerns. But he has not found a place in the 15-man squad for Australia’s next subcontinental assignment, the Sri Lanka tour in July-August, with Moises Henriques, a seam-bowling allrounder, taking his place.Steve O’Keefe, who bowls left-arm orthodox, is the second spinner in the squad, and Maxwell has admitted it will be difficult for him to take that slot, given he turns the ball the same way as Nathan Lyon, Australia’s lead spinner.”Competing with Nathan Lyon is always going to be tough,” Maxwell said. “I’ve just got to improve my batting to the point where they can’t resist having me as an allrounder and a back-up to him.”With the bat, Maxwell has shown good red-ball form in the limited first-class opportunities he has had in recent months, amidst all his limited-overs commitments. In the six Sheffield Shield matches he played in the 2015-16 season, Maxwell made 392 runs at an average of 56.00, with four half-centuries and a highest score of 98. Still, he feels he will need to keep scoring runs, starting with the ODI triangular in the West Indies, to keep himself in the frame for Test selection.”If I can make some runs then and also hopefully in Sri Lanka for the one-day series, it still puts pressure on those guys in the squad,” Maxwell said. “I was obviously a bit disappointed initially but having a look at the squad they’ve picked for Sri Lanka, I can understand. They’ve got all bases covered. I think it’s a squad that is going to win the series. It’s a really strong squad and I fully understand why I’m not in it.”

An outstanding all-round performance led by Harry Gurney’s four wickets gave the Notts Outlaws a convincing seven wicket win over the Derbyshire Falcons who crashed to a third consecutive NatWest Blast defeat

ECB Reporters Network24-Jun-2016
ScorecardHarry Gurney’s four wickets left Notts with an easy target•Getty ImagesAn outstanding all-round performance gave the Notts Outlaws a convincing seven wicket win over the Derbyshire Falcons who crashed to a third consecutive NatWest Blast defeat.The Outlaws bowled superbly with Harry Gurney taking 4 for 20 and Andre Russell and Jake Ball both claiming two wickets to restrict the Falcons to 114 from 19.3 overs with only Chesney Hughes and Jimmy Neesham getting into the 20’s.That was never likely to be enough and an unbroken stand of 58 in seven overs between Riki Wessels and Dan Christian settled the North Group game with 33 balls to spare.The Falcons started badly when Russell had Hamish Rutherford caught behind for a duck off the second ball and Chesney Hughes should have gone in the same over but Jake Ball spilled the catch diving forward at long leg.That threatened to be expensive as Hughes pulled Russell through midwicket for four before a top edged hook at the West Indian sailed over fine leg for six.Ball produced a yorker to remove Neil Broom in the fourth over and in the next, Hughes played across Harry Gurney and was lbw for 26 from 21 balls to leave the Falcons on 29 for 3.Shiv Thakor drove Gurney for two fours but was bowled aiming a slog-sweep at Steve Mullaney and Russell returned to deceive Wayne Madsen with a slower ball.Neesham top-edged a hook at Russell for six but the Outlaws built up pressure with clever bowling and sharp fielding that restricted the Falcons to 29 in seven overs.Alex Hughes swung Samit Patel to deep midwicket, Neesham pulled Ball to wide midwicket and Tom Poynton also picked out a boundary fielder on the legside.When Matt Critchley cut Russell for four in the 19th over, it was the first boundary for 43 balls but there was no late flourish for the Falcons as Gurney bowled Ben Cotton and Andy Carter.Derbyshire needed early wickets and after Riki Wessels and Michael Lumb drove Neesham for boundaries in the second over, Madsen had Lumb lbw in the third.Greg Smith straight drove Carter for six and upper cut him for four but was run out for 12 off the next ball by a direct hit from Alex Hughes at mid off.The Falcons had a chance to put pressure on the Outlaws when Russell pulled Alex Hughes to midwicket on one but Chesney Hughes put down the chance and in the next over, the Jamaican pulled Cotton onto the pavilion roof before lifting him over backward square for another six.Cotton hit back by having Russell caught at third man for 15 off eight balls but the Outlaws went into the last 10 overs needing only 42 and Dan Christian drove Alex Hughes for consecutive sixes before finishing the contest with another maximum off Neesham.

While Manchester United bolstered their midfield ranks last summer with the signings of the experienced pairing of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, the centre of the park looks set to be another priority area for Erik ten Hag ahead of next season.

As per Manchester Evening News, the Dutchman is said to be targeting a 'younger midfielder' in order to freshen up the current ranks, with the likes of Eriksen, Casemiro and Fred all now in their thirties and hardly long-term options.

Amid that search for a more youthful addition, there have been notable links to West Ham United skipper, Declan Rice, with the 24-year-old – who's been described as "world-class" by manager Danny Cowley – seemingly the type of figure who could be a fixture of the Red Devils side for the foreseeable future.

It is then something of a surprise to see the current speculation that United are also said to be keen on signing Croatian star, Mateo Kovacic from rivals Chelsea, with Football Insider recently stating that the Old Trafford outfit are willing to splash out £30m on the wantaway playmaker – who has just a year left to run on his existing deal at Stamford Bridge.

At 29, the former Real Madrid man – who is also reportedly of interest to Manchester City – would appear to be at odds with Ten Hag's desire for a 'younger' acquisition, with it perhaps wise for the top-four hopefuls to think again before sanctioning such a move.

Should Man United sign Kovacic?

The Red Devils should wish to avoid a repeat of the signing of another midfield maestro from the Blues in the form of Nemanja Matic, with the Serbian colossus having been snapped up from west London on a £40m deal back in 2017.

While the one-time Benfica ace arrived at the Theatre of Dreams with a wealth of experience having claimed two Premier League titles during his time with Chelsea, the 6 foot 4 brute's age meant he was never likely to be a long-term solution, having been 28 at the time of his capture.

Although the 48-cap destroyer did make a strong early impression during Jose Mourinho's tenure – having been described as a "genius" by the Portuguese coach – he was unable to maintain that influence during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's time at the helm, notably making just 12 league starts in the 2020/21 campaign.

As it proved, United ultimately took a hefty loss on Matic as he was allowed to leave for nothing last summer after five years at the club, with that again showcasing the perils of signing a player who is potentially past their peak.

In the case of Kovacic, the one-time Inter Milan man has been lauded as a "baller" – in the words of podcaster Dan McCarthy – after racking up 220 appearances for his current side to date, notably winning the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel in 2020/21.

As for the current campaign, however, the £100k-per-week asset has found life difficult after being restricted to just 17 league starts for the mid-table outfit, providing just one goal and two assists from his number eight role.

Having hardly done much this season to warrant a move to Old Trafford – notably having 'failed to impact the game' against Nottingham Forest last time out, as per football.london's Sam Hill – it could well represent another short-term, transfer gamble for United if they are to push for a move, much like the case of Matic.

A hurricane century off 60 balls for Adam Lyth set up Yorkshire for victory by two wickets over Northamptonshire in the Royal London One-Day Cup at sunny Scarborough

ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2016
ScorecardAdam Lyth’s rapid century helped Yorkshire chase down a stiff target•Getty ImagesA hurricane century off 60 balls for Adam Lyth set up Yorkshire for victory by two wickets over Northamptonshire in the Royal London One-Day Cup at sunny Scarborough.Lyth thrashed eight fours and seven sixes in completing the second List A century of his career and he went on to make 125 off 78 deliveries with ten fours and eight sixes before thumping Graeme White to Richard Gleeson at deep mid-on.Yorkshire were then 189 for 3 in 25 overs as they chased 311 and although Lyth was the first of three wickets to go down in nine balls for three runs, they still made it to their first one-day win of the season after four consecutive defeats and two ‘no results’.It was a hard earned win against plucky opponents who were splendidly served by a belligerent Ben Duckett, who hit 121, and Alex Wakely with 71.Lyth totally dominated an opening stand of 106 in 12 overs with his captain, Alex Lees, who had contributed 20 when he played Steven Crook to square leg where Ben Sanderson took the catch after not holding it cleanly at the first attempt.Lyth’s fierce blows early on included two consecutive sixes off Azharullah, the second of them crashing into the mobile fish and chip van.New Zealand captain, Kane Williamson, in his first innings of the season for Yorkshire, played Gleeson into his stumps for 10, and after Lyth had gone, Jack Leaning was caught and bowled by Josh Cobb without scoring and Adil Rashid drove White gently to mid-on.But Gary Ballance and Bresnan steadied Yorkshire with a 58 stand which closed when Bresnan became White’s third victim, caught on the cover boundary for 38.Ballance’s nicely judged 50 came off 62 balls and David Willey soon made an impact against his old club with a couple of big sixes but as Yorkshire were approaching the winning line, Azharullah shook them by bowling Ballance and Liam Plunkett in the space of three balls to leave them on 303 for eight in the 47th over.Willey kept his nerve however and he blasted Crook for six to win the game with 15 balls remaining.Put in to bat on a greenish pitch and soft outfield, Northants batted with positive intent from the onset of their innings and although luck was sometimes with them they thoroughly deserved their competitive total of 310 for 7.Duckett’s maiden century in List A cricket – his previous best score was achieved only last week when he struck 98 against Lancashire at Northampton – contained cleanly timed strokes of the highest quality.He was joined by Wakely after openers Cobb and Rossington had gone with 35 scored and the pair brought momentum to the innings with a 166 stand in 27 overs.It was Northamptonshire’s highest third wicket stand against Yorkshire in List A matches, overtaking the 131 by Rob Bailey and Allan Lamb at Headingley in 1995.Whereas Duckett was virtually faultless, Wakely had two escapes, first on three when Plunkett failed to hold on to a sharp return chance low to his right and then on 38 against Bresnan when Ballance got underneath the ball at deep square leg but the catch dropped out of his hands.Neither batsman wasted scoring opportunities as Northants cruised in into three figures in the 25th over and Duckett hurried to his third consecutive one-day half-century from 61 balls with six fours.Their century stand arrived in 18.5 overs, the second 50 taking them only 32 balls, and Wakely celebrated by smacking Rashid through the leg side for six to register his 50 from 60 deliveries with four fours and two sixes.Yorkshire were forced to bring Lyth into the attack with his offspin and it was he who made the breakthrough. Wakely, in two minds over what stroke to play, gave a gentle return catch and was out for 71 from 79 balls with five fours and two sixes.Rob Keogh fell to Plunkett without scoring but Duckett swept Rashid for two to complete a run-a-ball century which contained 11 fours and two sixes and he added a couple further boundaries before skying the leg-spinner to Leaning just inside the midwicket rope.Northamptonshire were 246 for 5 in the 43rd over and they remained in control as Rob Newton hit 26 from 15 balls with a four and two sixes and Crook went in unbeaten on 46 from 41 deliveries with three fours and a six. It was a particularly expensive day for Bresnan whose ten wicketless overs cost him 76 runs.

Referee Michael Salisbury and his VAR team may have made a big mistake after denying Wilfried Zaha a clear penalty for Crystal Palace.

What's the latest on VAR and Crystal Palace?

It's been a real spell of success for the Eagles under interim manager Roy Hodgson and the good form continued against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Indeed, with both teams set to avoid relegation, the pressure was off in a sense but Palace were still more than up for the game, winning 2-0.

Two goals from the brilliant Eberechi Eze were enough to seal all three points at Selhurst Park but things could have been even easier for the home team had they been awarded an early penalty.

Certainly, they looked to have a strong case for a foul when Zaha drove into the box before then having his back leg kicked by Philip Billing – as seen in the official Sky Sports highlights.

Did Zaha deserve a penalty against Bournemouth?

As you can see in the replay, it's a real tangle of legs but the Bournemouth midfielder seems to trip Zaha and definitely gets nowhere near the ball as the winger is brought down inside the box.

Referee Salisbury evidently didn't spot the contact in real time but it certainly seems quite questionable that VAR didn't then get involved to help overturn what looks to be a clear and obvious mistake from the officials.

In the end, it didn't prevent Palace from going on to win the game but seeing as the incident occurred when the score was still a 0-0 it could have easily been a controversial turning point in the match.

What's more, had the penalty been awarded, this could have been an opportunity for Zaha to score what could be his last goal for the club.

After all, his contract is up in at the end of the season and he limped off early in this fixture after picking up what looks to be a bad hamstring injury.

Worryingly, when speaking to the press after the game, Hodgson didn't sound too confident about the player's fitness, explaining: “Zaha felt his hamstring which is worrying, but we won’t know how serious until he has the scan.

“Hopefully it will only take a few days rather than a couple of weeks.”

No doubt all Palace supporters will be desperate to play again for the club but that now looks to be in real jeopardy.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering an approach for Sporting CP boss, Ruben Amorim, with chairman Daniel Levy still deciding on a suitable candidate for the club's managerial vacancy.

What's the latest on Amorim to Spurs?

According to journalist, Rudy Galetti, the 38-year-old remains in the running to take on the top job at N17, having also previously been linked with a move to rivals Chelsea prior to Mauricio Pochettino's recent agreement with the Blues.

Writing on Twitter regarding that developing situation, the respected insider revealed: "Tottenham bench: Ruben Amorim – current Sporting manager – is among the names still in the race.

"To date, the talks between Nagelsmann and THFC are stalled and the [English] club is exploring other profiles: evolving situation."

As Galetti noted above, ex-Bayern Munich man Julian Nagelsmann is no longer believed to be a candidate for the position, while fellow target Xabi Alonso has also seemingly ruled out a move to north London.

Would Amorim be a good appointment for Spurs?

It has been another frustrating week in Levy's search for a successor to Antonio Conte following the recent news surrounding both Nagelsmann and Alonso, although in Amorim, the Lilywhites could well find a dream alternative and a highly-regarded figure.

As Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola stated earlier this year, the emerging coach is arguably "one of the best" in the game at present, having guided his current side to a league and cup double during the 2020/21 campaign.

The former Braga boss also followed up that success after winning both the Portuguese League Cup and Super Cup last season, having "achieved an incredible amount in his brief coaching career", according to writer Zach Lowy.

The Lisbon native – who typically favours a 3-4-3 formation – has also been hailed as "the most exciting young manager in European football" in the recent past by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke, with that a further indication of the potential diamond that Levy could have on his hands.

Tottenham saw first-hand the quality of Amorim's work when Sporting met the north Londoners in the Champions League earlier in the campaign, with the Primeira Liga side running out 2-0 winners on home soil, before holding Conte's men to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture.

The young tactician also endeared himself to his potential future employers by dumping Arsenal out of the Europa League in the round of 16 stage earlier this year, further showcasing his ability to better English opposition.

That impressive body of work bodes well for the impact that Amorim could make at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Levy needing to keep the one-time Casa Pia gem in mind as the club's managerial search hots up.

Yorkshire may learn between now and the end of the season how much they have missed Ryan Sidebottom during the seven matches he has been forced to miss because of an ankle injury

Jon Culley at Headingley05-Aug-2016
ScorecardRyan Sidebottom is back in the wickets after a seven-match lay-off•Getty ImagesYorkshire may learn between now and the end of the season how much they have missed Ryan Sidebottom during the seven matches he has been forced to miss because of an ankle injury. In that time they have won only twice and while there have been other factors at play, not least the weather, it is not unreasonable to speculate that, had he been steaming in, business as usual, they might have created a few more opportunities at the very least.The veteran left-armer will be 39 in January, far too old, you would say, to be doing what he does, yet there has been no evidence during the last couple of years that his powers are waning. Last year he finished top of Yorkshire’s averages with 41 wickets at a stingy 17.9 runs each; in 2014 it was 48 at 18.35.His longevity as a bowler is a wonder, given that he hardly lopes in off a few gentle strides. It would not be Ryan Sidebottom if he were not thundering in, nostrils flaring, that familiar leonine mane adding to the sense of speed and menace. It is a testament to how well he looks after himself, and how well Yorkshire have managed his workload.It was doubtless a little embarrassing, then, that the hairline fracture that has kept him out of action since April had to be put down not to what he did to himself in that match against Warwickshire, but to a mishap incurred subsequently, when he managed to do further damage to the same ankle playing a football game in the dressing room.It goes without saying that the consequences of this could have been pretty depressing. Happily, though, all looks well. Reassuming his customary role as the leader of the Yorkshire attack, he bowled 15 overs, taking the second Warwickshire wicket and the last, either side of the one that happened to be the 400th first-class wicket of his Yorkshire career.”It is a relief to be okay, a huge relief,” he admitted afterwards.”It was one of those stupid accidents that can happen and at this stage of my career, of course there is always that worry in the back of you mind. You wonder what’s going to happen, am I going to be back next year?”But Yorkshire have looked after me well, I’ve played the last three weeks in the seconds to get some bowling under my belt and it is great to be back and to contribute.”We’ve got seven games left and if I can contribute to the team winning a couple we are going to be there or thereabouts again at the end of the season.”There was pride, too, that he had been able to add another milestone, having passed 700 career first-class wickets last season. “Dizzy (Jason Gillespie) congratulated me and announced it to all the lads in the dressing room and that was really nice of him,” he said.The bigger proportion of those Yorkshire wickets – 238 out of 401 now – have come since he returned to his home county from Nottinghamshire in 2011, when the Trent Bridge club decided the three-year contract he wanted was too big a risk. Even he thought it would be the last one he signed. In the event, he has extended it twice, to six years. Moreover, those 238 wickets have come at 20.99 runs each, compared with an overall career average of 23.99. He genuinely has improved with age.The 400th, fittingly, was an important one, prising out Sam Hain on 48 when it seemed the talented 21-year-old right-hander could be set to compensate for the failures of Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell by bookending a string of good performances in white-ball cricket with back-to-back Championship hundreds, following on from his one against Hampshire in early July.Trott, miscueing a pull, gave a return catch to Jack Brooks, another whose return from injury may have come at a timely moment, while Bell, on the drive, sliced a ball from Steve Patterson straight to backward point. With Hain’s demise, Warwickshire were in trouble at 112 for 6.That they managed to scrape their way from there to 179 all out was almost entirely down to Rikki Clarke, another who would argue that age is just a number. At 34 he’s just a young ‘un next to Sidebottom but there are a few miles on the clock. Yet as an all-rounder – batsman, bowler and brilliant slip fielder – he still stands above the rest in the county game.He proved it here, first with the unbeaten 50 that kept Warwickshire in the game and then, in a superb evening’s work, with four wickets, reducing Yorkshire to 68 for 5. He had Adam Lyth and Travis Head caught by Varun Chopra at first slip and later, in consecutive deliveries, bowled Jack Leaning with a swinging full-length ball and had nightwatchman Patterson leg before.”To score an unbeaten 50 and then take four wickets in 15 overs made it an outstanding day for him,” Warwickshire’s director of cricket, Dougie Brown, said. “We needed someone to step forward and do something and that is exactly what Rikki did. He has brought us back into the game and far closer than before Yorkshire started their second innings.”Yorkshire closed on 78 for 5, their lead just 156. The pitch is dry, there is turn and bounce and what Jeetan Patel does on day three could be as important as Clarke’s contribution on day two.