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عاد فريق ليفربول لطريق الانتصارات مرة أخرى، على حساب آينتراخت فرانكفورت، بخماسية لهدف واحد، في الجولة الثالثة بمرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، وذلك بعد غيابه عن الفوز في 3 مباريات متتالية.

أنطلقت أحداث الشوط الأول بين ليفربول وفرانكفورت، وتصدى حارس فرانكفورت لأول تسديدة من ألكسندر إيزاك في الدقيقة 10.

وتوقفت المباراة لإصابة جيريمي فريمبونج واضطر آرني سلوت للقيام بتبديل اضطراري مبكراً بدخول كونور برادلي بدلاً من فريمبونج.

وفي الدقيقة 27 سجل فرانكفورت هدفه الأول عن طريق راسموس كريستنسن بعد تسديدة رائعة في الزاوية اليمنى لمرمى مامارداشفيلي، ثم هدد برادلي مرمى فرانكفورت بعد رأسية تصدى لها مايكل زيتيرر.

اقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | كوناتي يسجل هدف ليفربول الثالث أمام فرانكفورت

وتعادل إيكتيكي لصالح ليفربول بعد تمريرة رائعة من روبرتسون، لينفرد بمرمى فرانكفورت في الدقيقة 36، وبعد مرور ثلاث دقائق فقط يحرز فان دايك الهدف الثاني برأسية رائعة.

وقبل نهاية الشوط الأول أحرز ليفربول الهدف الثالث عن طريق الفرنسي إبراهيما كوناتي، لينتهي الشوط الأول بتقدم الريدز بثلاث اهداف لهدف.

وفي بداية الشوط الثاني أجرى سلوت تغييراً ثانياً بدخول كييزا بدلاً من إيزاك، وهدد الإيطالي مرمى فرانكفورت بمتابعة رائعة ولكن ذهبت الكرة بجوار المرمى في الدقيقة 48.

سيطر ليفربول على المباراة وحاول مدرب فرانكفورت قلب النتيجة عن طريق القيام بتغييرات، قبل أن يسجل الريدز الهدف الرابع عن طريق كودي جاكبو بصناعة رائعة من فلوريان فيرتز.

وعاد فيرتز ليهدي كرة أخرى لصالح دومينيك سوبوسلاي، الذي أحرز الهدف الخامس لليفربول من تسديدة رائعة من خارج منطقة الجزاء.

ودخل محمد صلاح كبديل قبل ربع ساعة من انتهاء الشوط الثاني، وأتيحت له فرصة تسجيل هدف، ولكن تسديدته تصدى لها حارس فرانكفورت في الدقيقة 89.

بهذا الفوز، ارتفع رصيد ليفربول للنقطة السادسة في المركز العاشر في ترتيب دوري أبطال أوروبا، وتجمد رصيد فرانكفورت عند النقطة الثالثة في المركز 22.

Toon boss Howe has delivered a simple rebuke to rumours linking him with the Manchester United job, confirming his commitment to the Magpies. Amorim’s job is seemingly hanging in the balance with Man Utd languishing in 14th place after a woeful start to the season, one point and one place above Newcastle. But Howe has moved quickly to squash any potential link.

Peter Crouch links Howe to Old Trafford

The finger of blame for the rumours should be pointed firmly at former Liverpool, Tottenham and Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch, who said: "Someone mentioned Eddie Howe to me, right, to go to Manchester United. But why would he leave Newcastle?" 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHowe’s no nonsense response to Man Utd link

Howe said: "I'm all in (at Newcastle). My commitment here is 100 per cent and always has been. My family is still here, and we are fighting every day to make a success of what we are doing. The season ahead could be a wonderful thing, and that is what we are trying to focus on, trying to make a success of the games we have coming up. It's never gone away, for me, the fragility of the profession that I'm in. Partly, I think that's healthy for me, though, because it drives me to work as hard as I do, because I want to stay in the job that I'm doing, and I want to be successful at it. You know I'm a believer – and I was the same in my playing career – you take your eye off the ball for a second, you get lazy, or you get used to the same habits, that's not going to work, that's not going to bring you results. You've got to continually think and push boundaries and get better, and to do that takes a lot of energy and a look of thought, which drives the people around me mad, I'm sure, but for me, that's part of what drives me and propels me forward."

Why would Howe move?

Amorim faces an uphill battle to improve Man United’s fortunes, including integrating new signings, goal scoring, and establishing consistent team performances. One of the main difficulties Amorim faces is adapting the squad to his preferred 3-4-3 formation, which is a significant change from the formations used by previous managers. While he has reportedly been given considerable backing in the transfer market to shape the squad, the team's performance has been inconsistent. United lost 3-1 to Brentford and suffered a Carabao Cup defeat by Grimsby Town earlier this season, increasing pressure on the Portuguese. The team hasn’t achieved consecutive wins under Amorim, and while he retains the backing of the United board, his long-term tenure remains uncertain without a significant upturn in results.

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Getty Images SportThe future’s bright, it’s black and white

An emphatic 4-0 away win against Union Saint-Gilloise was a major boost, with new club-record signing Nick Woltemade impressing and demonstrating his potential as a new attacking focal point. New winger Anthony Elanga is also finding his rhythm, suggesting the team is starting to gel. And off the pitch, the club's financial situation is positive, with a 28 per cent revenue increase for the year ending June 2024, fuelled by Champions League participation and a focus on commercial deals, provides a strong foundation for future investment.

West Ham United may have seen the transfer window come to a close, though they have concluded a surprise deal at the London Stadium as Graham Potter searches for unattached reinforcements.

West Ham look for togetherness with Premier League set to return

The Hammers have endured a mixed start to the Premier League campaign, and heavy defeats to Sunderland and Chelsea didn’t leave supporters feeling a great deal of optimism about what is to come.

However, a rousing 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground before the international break has stirred a little bit of excitement that West Ham could start to enter an upward trajectory, though Jarrod Bowen believes togetherness will be key to maintaining some form of momentum.

He stated: “It’s been an up and down couple of weeks,” he reflected. “The Premier League starting, you are on a high as you have waited so long for it. Then, to lose the way we did to Sunderland, followed by a defeat by Chelsea and one in the cup where we were in a good position to win the game was difficult.

“But I think the one thing we have got with this group is a real resilience and togetherness. You saw that at the weekend. I think everyone would have wrote us off at Nottingham Forest so to win 3-0, and it that could have been even more on another day, just shows that resilience to keep going even in the difficult times.”

Speculation over Potter’s position at West Ham has seen Frank Lampard mentioned as a potential successor. However, the former Brighton & Hove Albion is still firmly in charge, and will believe his side can string together a run of results in the English top-flight.

Still, his squad are short in a couple of positions, which has led Hammers chiefs to open talks over a deal for a veteran star who is known to supporters.

West Ham seal deal for Lukasz Fabianski

Despite his exit from the London Stadium this summer, West Ham have moved to bring Lukasz Fabianski back to the club on a free transfer following Wes Foderingham’s departure to join Aris Limassol.

Mads Hermansen and Alphonse Areola are the Irons’ only senior options between the sticks, creating a scenario where they have now drafted in their former stopper to fill the third-choice goalkeeper berth under Potter, with initial talks over a move reported by talkSPORT.

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Labelled “world-class” by Don Hutchinson, Fabianski is now 40 years of age and has kept 55 clean sheets in 216 appearances for West Ham, becoming a reliable presence during seven years in East London.

In addition, he also shares the same ROOF agency as Niclas Fullkrug, which perhaps helped to hasten negotiations between all parties in recent days. The Polish veteran has signed on a deal until the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

Intriguingly, West Ham passed up the opportunity to sign Andre Onana on loan from Manchester United before the deadline passed last week, something that may have paved the way for their swoop to land Fabianski.

An unpredictable Afghanistan start as favourites, however, there’s rain threat across all five days

Sreshth Shah25-Dec-2024Big Picture: Zimbabwe gets a home Boxing Day Test in 28 yearsThe final week of the year is like a Roman feast for the Test cricket fan, and Boxing Day this year promises mouth-watering contests in Melbourne and Centurion, but look this way too, will you? Bulawayo is set to host Zimbabwe’s first Boxing Day Test in 28 years too, and with unpredictable Afghanistan on the other side, a real tussle is expected between two teams, who despite their recent underwhelming performances, would feel like they’re favourites. After all, the last time either side won a Test was against each other.But that was way back in 2021. Since then, they have not found a way to win. And one look at the Zimbabwe and Afghanistan squads for this two-Test series suggests that they’re both looking to change that by taking a different direction for 2025 and beyond. A splattering of Test debutants are expected – theoretically, there could be as many 15 debuts across the two XIs – and this series could very well be the one that births a new generation.The keys to success, nonetheless, will still be best known by the experienced heads. Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Blessing Muzarabani, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Rahmat Shah will all be there, but Rashid Khan has made himself unavailable due to personal reasons for the opening Test. He had originally made himself available for both Tests after recovering from injury; teen spinner AM Ghazanfar was added to the squad late on Tuesday to accommodate his absence.However, all the headlines could be stolen by the weather unfortunately. Like Afghanistan’s last encounter in Greater Noida that got washed out without the toss, this one could go to similar territory, although some action is promised every day amid forecasts of rain and thunderstorms every afternoon.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe LLDLL
Afghanistan ALLLWIn the spotlight: Ben Curran and GhazanfarZimbabwe have been looking for one person to hold onto one position in their top order for a long time, and potential debutant Ben Curran could be one to steady the wobble. Left-hand batter Curran – the middle brother of England internationals Tom and Sam, and son of former Zimbabwe international Kevin Curran – has been rewarded for being the leading run-scorer of the Logan Cup this season, averaging 74.14 in seven innings with two centuries and two fifties. However, he has had a difficult start to his international career, with scores of 12, 0, and 15 in the three ODIs against Afghanistan.AM Ghazanfar was impressive in the ODIs•ACBCould 18-year-old AM Ghazanfar walk into the Test XI right away? A late addition to the squad, Ghazanfar has not played any first-class cricket, but his T20 average of 11.62 and ODI average of 13.57 makes him an exciting prospect for any form of cricket. He has been the flavour of the season in T20 leagues around the world, and he spun a web around Zimbabwe with figures of 3 for 9 and 5 for 33 in his last two ODIs. With teams likely to race against time in this Test, a spinner who can run through opponents is a deadly weapon.Team newsZimbabwe: 1 Joylord Gumbie (wk), 2 Ben Curran, 3 Dion Myers, 4 Craig Ervine (capt), 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Sean Williams, 7 Brian Bennett, 8 Johnathan Campbell / Brandon Mavuta, 9 Blessing Muzarabani, 10 Richard Ngarava, 11 Newman NyamhuriAfghanistan: 1 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 2 Sediqullah Atal, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Bahir Shah / Riaz Hassan, 7 Zia-ur-Rehman, 8 Zahir Khan, 9 Fareed Ahmed, 10 Naveed Zadran, 11 AM GhazanfarPitch and conditionsBulawayo usually offers dry pitch conditions. The surface largely assists fast bowlers and helps spinners later, but with cloudy conditions expected, the fast bowlers may have a bigger role to play across the five days. Rain is forecast across all five days, especially during the second and third sessions.Stats and trivia Zimbabwe have lost six out of their last seven Tests with one resulting in a draw. The Queen’s Sports Club is an inauspicious Test venue for Zimbabwe. They have not won a Test here since April 2001. Since that win, they have played 17 more Tests, losing 13 and drawing four. If Ghazanfar makes his debut, he will be the eighth teen debutant in Tests for Afghanistan. This will be Zimbabwe’s fourth Boxing Day encounter in their Test history and Afghanistan’s first.

Tottenham Hotspur want to showcase ambition in the transfer market before deadline day, and this has been backed up by their moves thus far.

Fabrizio Romano: Tottenham working on signing attacker after Gibbs-White blow

Spurs are swiftly moving on after an eventful saga.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 29, 2025

The standout signing has been Mohammed Kudus, who arrived from West Ham in a £55 million deal earlier this month. The Ghanaian, famed for his versatility, flair and explosive pace, fits seamlessly into Thomas Frank’s setup, and he’s already impressed in flashes during pre-season.

Kudus brings both Premier League experience and creativity, qualities Spurs lacked in stretches of last season, mainly due to their injury nightmare. The 24-year-old also brings Champions League know-how from his time at Ajax, and in an alternate universe, he would’ve been joined by Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White in a statement £60 million move.

Spurs were on the verge of completing a sensational, quick-fire £115 million double deal for both Kudus and Gibbs-White, but chairman Daniel Levy was forced to settle for just the former with Forest blocking the Englishman’s exit.

After Forest threatened legal action against both the Lilywhites and Gibbs-White’s camp for an alleged ‘illegal’ approach (Sky Sports), Spurs were in limbo hoping for the 25-year-old’s transfer over the next fortnight (Fabrizio Romano).

However, it was all in vain, with Gibbs-White signing a record-breaking new £150,000-per-week contract at Forest to end all hopes of Frank welcoming the attacker to N17.

The statement of intent was there from Levy and Tottenham, but an unprecedented chain of events means that the north Londoners must now turn to alternative forward targets in their quest for upgrades.

Frank needs to be backed with fresh faces ahead of his first ever campaign managing in the Champions League, and according to recent reports, Spurs are now turning towards Real Madrid star Rodrygo.

Tottenham want to make Real Madrid star Rodrygo their new "crown jewel"

Reports earlier this week claimed that Tottenham have opened discussions with intermediaries over a potential deal for Rodrygo, who faces an uncertain future under new Los Blancos boss Xabi Alonso.

Now, journalist Eduardo Burgos has shared an update on the situation in a piece for Diario AS.

Spurs have apparently approached Madrid, requesting their green-light to formally speak with the Brazil international, and they want Rodrygo to be the “crown jewel” of Frank’s new-look squad for 2025/2026.

This follows the arrival of a “new investor” in the club which has given them “significant financial muscle”, but they still want to lower Real’s £78 million asking price. Tottenham are said to be moving for Rodrygo’s signature through an intermediary, and they might actually have a free run at signing the 24-year-old.

While Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is a fan of Rodrygo, they’re yet to move, and it is believed both Liverpool and Chelsea are dropping out of the race with their eyes on Alexander Isak and Xavi Simons respectively.

AS and Burgos state that Spurs are the only club in a solid position to sign the “superstar” former Santos sensation right now, and he’s also open to leaving the Bernabeu before September 1.

Kuhnemann took 4 for 67 but Tasmania will resume play on the final day at 41 chasing 429 for victory against South Australia

AAP08-Dec-2024

Tasmania hit back with the ball thanks to Matt Kuhnemann’s four-wicket haul but still face a daunting fight for survival on the final day of their Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at Bellerive Oval.The Tigers went to stumps on day three at 41 for 1 chasing 429 for victory, with Jake Weatherald and Tim Ward at the crease. Tasmania lost Nivethan Radhakrishnan early in their run chase when the opener was bowled by Nathan McAndrew.The Tigers have a big mountain to climb to win, or even draw, the match. South Australia took control of the contest by posting 398 for 6 declared in their first innings and skittling Tasmania for 203, with McAndrew, Liam Scott and Henry Thornton each bagging three wickets.Things were looking even more dire for Tasmania as South Australia moved to 117 for 0 and 211 for 3 in their second innings.But the Tigers’ attack hit back hard, sparking a collapse of 6 for 22 before South Australia declared at 233 for 9.Conor McInerney (75 off 73 balls), Henry Hunt (31 off 57) and Jason Sangha (61 off 92) had set an excellent platform for South Australia before Tasmania clicked into gear.Kuhnemann, who has his eyes on a Test recall for the tour of Sri Lanka, was the chief destroyer with 4 for 67.Kuhnemann produced a spectacular one-handed catch off his own bowling to remove Hunt, and bowled Scott and Jake Fraser-McGurk as they attempted to heave him for six.Nathan McAndrew became his fourth scalp, with paceman Gabe Bell the only other multiple wicket-taker for the Tigers.

Stumps The fourth day of the Irani Cup started with Rest of India well placed to challenge Mumbai’s first-innings score of 537, and overnight batters Abhimanyu Easwaran and Dhruv Jurel did well to begin with. Shams Mulani, however, sent them back in back-to-back overs to finish off the fight, and from 393 for 4, Rest of India collapsed to 416 all out. That gave Mumbai a handy lead of 121, which Prithvi Shaw has added to since, putting the team in a strong position to finish on top.Abhimanyu and Jurel were on 151 and 30 overnight, and Jurel was the quicker of the two on the fourth morning, scoring at 76.85 to get to 93 before Mulani sent him back gloving an attempted sweep through to wicketkeeper Hardik Tamore. That ended the fifth-wicket stand of 165, and one wicket led to another when Abhimanyu also fell to the sweep, sending the ball pitched in the rough outside leg stump to Tanush Kotian at short fine-leg. He fell for 191.No one from Rest of India reached double figures after that as Mulani and Kotian finished with three apiece.The Mumbai second innings was all about Shaw. As wickets fell at the other end, all courtesy spin – Saransh Jain the offspinner and Manav Suthar the leg-arm spinner – Shaw went about his job merrily, scoring 76 in 105 balls with eight fours and a six. Shaw, who had missed out in the first innings, scoring only 4, became the fifth Mumbai wicket to fall late in the day, to Jain, who has 4 for 67 to Suthar’s 2 for 40.Rest of India will hope to finish off the Mumbai innings quickly on the fifth morning and give themselves a chance of pulling off the chase, however steep and unlikely – seeing that spinners are very much in the game at this stage – but Mumbai will start the day feeling the better of the two camps.

No Manchester United supporter could’ve envisaged the impact Bruno Fernandes would’ve had at the club after his £47m move from Sporting CP back in January 2020.

The Portuguese international has exceeded all expectations over the last five and a half years, helping the Red Devils claim multiple trophies in such a period.

He’s registered 98 goals and 83 assists in his 290 appearances at Old Trafford, averaging a goal contribution every 1.6 matches he’s appeared in, a truly staggering record for a midfielder.

Fernandes has no doubt been their shining light over recent seasons, managing to register 37 goals and assists this campaign, despite the club finishing in a measly 15th place in the Premier League.

He will want to push the side back up the table next season, but if he is to have any chance of doing so, it’s vital the board back Ruben Amorim in the transfer market this summer.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Hugo Ekitiké has become the main target within the final third over the last couple of days, after it became apparent that Viktor Gyokeres preferred a move to Arsenal over United.

He’s not the only attacker currently on their radar, with a move for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo advancing after the club agreed personal terms with the Cameroonian international.

However, other areas of the pitch have also been of keen interest, with Amorim’s side making progress on a deal to land Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez, according to one Spanish outlet.

They claim that the Argentine international is now keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, after the hierarchy made preliminary contacts with his agents in recent days.

It also states that Unai Emery’s side need to sell players to avoid a breach of the division’s PSR rules, which could see them demand a fee in the region of £40m this window.

Why Martinez would be United’s best signing since Bruno

The hierarchy at United have constantly tried to inject quality into the side during recent seasons, as seen with their £70m deal to land Casemiro from Real Madrid back in 2022.

The Brazilian has won five Champions League titles during his professional career, but has been unable to add to such a tally, often being an inconstant figure at the heart of the side.

He’s made 125 appearances for the Red Devils, but has often had to resort to minutes off the bench in recent times, starting just 18 league outings this campaign.

Matthijs de Ligt is another player with elite level experience in Europe’s top five leagues, but like Casemiro, has struggled in England, with injuries massively halting his progress under Amorim.

Both players have the pedigree, but their lack of experience in the Premier League before joining have seen them take time to adapt in order to make the desired impact.

The same can’t be said for shot-stopper Martinez, with the 32-year-old pretty much spending his entire career in the British Isles and starring for various different sides.

His figures from his 2024/25 campaign are evidence of the talent he possesses, offering Amorim that world-class goalkeeper he desires amid Andre Onana’s constant disappointment.

He’s massively outperformed the Cameroonian in countless key areas, including fewer mistakes leading to goals and a higher pass completion rate, offering the side the option to play out from the back should they need it.

Martinez has also starred at international level, winning the World Cup back in 2022, producing a miraculous save from Randal Kolo-Muani in the closing stages – forever writing himself into Argentina history.

He was named FIFA’s best men’s goalkeeper back in 2024, winning the award for the second time in his career, demonstrating the elite level he’s been performing at for the last couple of seasons.

£40m for such a player would prove to be sensational business, offering an immediate improvement on the current goalkeeping situation at Old Trafford.

If he can replicate the performances produced by Fernandes over recent seasons, he would be worth every penny, pushing the club one step closer to returning to their former glory under Amorim.

Dream Gyokeres alternative: £25m "superstar" set to be offered to Man Utd

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Five-wicket win follows command display from Wood, Turner, Neser and Fuller

ECB Reporters Network07-Jun-2024

Hampshire 128 for 5 (Albert 41*, Payne 3-17) beat Gloucestershire 124 (Turner 3-24, Wood 2-13, Neser 2-24) by five wicketsToby Albert anchored Hampshire Hawks to a hard-fought five-wicket Vitality Blast triumph over South Group rivals Gloucestershire beneath the Seat Unique Stadium floodlights at Bristol.The 23-year-old Academy product top-scored with 41 not out from 32 balls and dominated a match-winning stand of 61 for the fifth wicket with James Fuller as the visitors chased down a modest victory target of 125 on a used pitch with 3.1 overs to spare.But they were made to fight hard by Gloucestershire’s front-line seamer David Payne, who took 3 for 17 in four overs to at least make a game of it in front of a crowd of nearly 4,000.Hampshire’s second successive win was founded upon a disciplined performance from their seam bowling unit, John Turner claiming 3 for 24 in 3.2 overs and Chris Wood, Michael Neser and Fuller each weighing in with two wickets apiece as Gloucestershire were bowled out for 124 in 18.2 overs.Cameron Bancroft top-scored with 29, Beau Webster made 28 and Matt Taylor hit a quickfire 27, but the hosts never really recovered from the loss of early wickets and only managed three double-figure partnerships in an innings that failed to achieve lift-off.Buoyant Hampshire head to Taunton and a showdown with title holders Somerset on Sunday, while Gloucestershire attempt to recover from back-to-back defeats when they take on Sussex in Bristol.Put into bat, Gloucestershire slipped to 15 for 2 in a powerplay that yielded 40 for the loss of Miles Hammond and James Bracey. Wood accounted for both, having Hammond held at mid-on and then persuading Bracey to hit high to deep mid-wicket where Benny Howell took a fine catch on the run.Overseas signings Bancroft and Webster staged a recovery of sorts, the Australians adding 45 in five overs. Opening his shoulders, Webster smashed Fuller for a straight six that cleared the stand as Gloucestershire passed 50 in the seventh, but Turner broke the third wicket partnership when Bancroft, having accrued 29 from 23 balls with 4 fours, holed out to long-on.And 60-3 became 60-4 later in the same over, James Vince scoring a startling direct hit from mid-off to run out Ben Charlesworth without scoring. When Jack Taylor missed a straight one and was bowled by Fuller in the eleventh, the home side were in a spot of bother on 65 for 5.Australian seamer Neser piled the pressure onto Gloucestershire, having compatriot Webster held at long-on for a 27-ball 28 and then inducing Marchant de Lange to find long-off and finishing with 2 for 24 from four overs as the hosts further subsided to 74 for 7 by the end of the thirteenth.Gloucestershire needed something special and Matt Taylor did his best to oblige, helping himself to 3 sixes and a four on his way to a T20 career-best score of 27 from 14 balls and staging a restorative alliance of 42 in four overs with van Buuren before falling to Fuller in the seventeenth. Turner then accounted for David Payne and van Buuren, who raised 22 at a run a ball, as Gloucestershire were dismissed with 10 deliveries unused.Gloucestershire’s best hope of achieving an unlikely turnaround in fortunes, veteran left arm seamer Payne removed the openers inside his first two overs, bowling Ben McDermott and having Vince caught at the wicket to sow uncertainty in Hampshire ranks. His next over saw him pin Nick Gubbins lbw for 14 as the visitors lurched to 31 for 3.Joe Weatherley did a good job of calming any nerves in the Hampshire camp, scoring 24 in 25 balls and dominating a stand of 32 in 4.4 overs with Albert, only to then shuffle across his crease and fall lbw to de Lange with the score on 63. But the visitors were still well-placed when reaching halfway with only 57 more runs needed.Albert now took centre stage, finding the gaps, running hard between the wickets and punishing the poor ball when it came along to keep Hampshire on track. Former Gloucestershire man Fuller provided solid support at the other end and, once these two emerged intact from Payne’s final over, with 31 required from 42 balls, Hampshire’s success was more or less assured.In cruise control by the end, Albert had mustered six boundaries by the time Fuller was bowled by Ajeet Singh Dale, having made 27 from 23 balls. Howell then hit the winning boundary as the Hawks won with plenty to spare.