An update from BBC Sport claims that Derby County have moved to sign a "game-changer" of a striker in the January transfer window.

Derby eyeing new striker

The Rams have been linked with plenty of attacking players during the January transfer window, with manager Paul Warne seeing it as a key area to improve in before the end of the month. A recent report suggested that Derby have made a "very good" offer to sign a striker, but the individual in question wasn't named, leading to plenty of guesses from supporters. One player who it could potentially be is Sheffield Wednesday ace Michael Smith, who has been backed for a reunion with Warne after enjoying a successful time together at Rotherham United in the relatively recent past.

Another possible target is Bradford City forward Jake Young, who has scored 16 goals in 22 starts in League Two this season, as he enjoys a successful period on loan at Swindon Town. He was seen as an alternative to Corey Blackett-Taylor, however, who has now sealed a move to the Rams this month, which may end their interest in the former.

Now, another significant update has emerged regarding Derby's business in the January window, and it seems the whispers around Smith were in the right vicinity.

Michael Smith transfer update

According to BBC Sport Derby on X, Derby have tabled a loan offer for Sheffield Wednesday striker Smith, although the finances of the deal are looking slightly tricky.

"BBC Derby Sport understands Derby County have made a loan offer for Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith including a significant wage contribution but we're told the Owls are demanding an excessive fee in return. Smith has made 14 league appearances this season."

Smith could be an excellent option for Derby, as they look to bring in extra firepower to give themselves the best possible opportunity of making the leap from League One to the Championship this season.

Granted, the 32-year-old has struggled to make an impact in a relegation-threatened Owls side of late, only scoring three goals in 14 Championship appearances this term, but he may flourish in the league below, especially under a manager that he knows so well in Warne. Former Wednesday boss Darren Moore has heaped praise on him in the past, saying:

“Michael Smith is a game-changer today. The quality showed at the end of it, and that’s what Michael is. He was in the right place at the right time and that’s what quality strikers do."

Derby have made “very good” offer to sign new forward

A bid is believed to have been submitted.

ByHenry Jackson Jan 21, 2024

That seems like a good way to describe Smith, whose aerial ability and eye for goal can impact any game on his day, and he scored 37 League One goals in 2021/22 and 2022/23 combined – the first was at Rotherham and the other was with the Owls – showing that he can be a real force in the division that Derby are currently trying to get out of.

كشف زوران مانولوفيتش مدرب الاتحاد السكندري السابق والهلال الليبي الحالي حقيقة تلقيه عرضًا لتدريب الأهلي في وقت سابق، موضحا رأيه في الفائز بمباراة السوبر الإفريقي المقبلة.

وكان المصري قد خسر، أمام نظيره الهلال الليبي، بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدفين، في المباراة المثيرة التي أقيمت بينهما الأحد الماضي، في إطار لقاءات دور الـ32 من البطولة القارية.

طالع.. فيديو | المصري يخسر أمام الهلال الليبي بثلاثية في مباراة مثيرة بـ الكونفدرالية

وقال زوارن مانولوفيتش في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة اون تايم سبورتس2: “أنا فخور جدًا أنني قضيت فترة في الدوري المصري أحد أفضل الدوريات الإفريقية، وذلك كان وقت جائحة كورونا وكان من الصعب الاستمرار، مصر من أفضل الدول الإفريقية في كرة القدم”.

وبسؤاله هل بالفعل حدث مفاوضات معك من الأهلي؟، أوضح: “لم يتحدث إلي أحد من مصر حول هذا الأمر، ولم أتلق أي اتصالات في هذا الشأن”.

وحول رأيه في مباراة العودة أمام المصري بالكونفدرالية، أجاب: “المباراة الأولى كانت أكثر من رائعة أمام فريق متميز، لم تكن هناك جماهير، لكن بالتأكيد عندما نلعب في مصر سيكون المصري أقوى بكثير في حضور جماهيره، لكننا مستعدون بشكل قوي وسنبذل أقصى ما لدينا من أجل التأهل”.

وبشأن توقعاته بشأن مباراة السوبر الإفريقي بين الأهلي والزمالك، أردف: “الفرص أكثر في صالح الأهلي، هو أكثر الفرق التي فازت بدوري الأبطال، ولديهم مدير فني كبير، أرى أن فرصة المارد الأحمر في الفوز 70% مُقابل 30% لـ الزمالك”.

وبشأن تطور مروان عطية مع الأهلي، أوضح: “عندما كان لاعبًا في الاتحاد كان أفضل لاعب في الفريق، كان ناضجًا، وعندما انضم للأهلي حقق تقدمًا كبيرًا وأتمنى له النجاح لأنه لاعب متميز”.

يذكر، أنه من المقرر أن تقام مباراة الإياب بين الفريقين في ملعب برج العرب بالإسكندرية، يوم 22 من شهر سبتمبر الجاري، لحسم المتأهل إلى دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية.

Mary Earps, Steph Houghton and Georgia Stanway were among the Lionesses to receive top prizes at the Women's Football Awards this week.

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• Earps awarded major prize
• Houghton also receives award
• Stanway among other winners

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The award ceremony took place on Thursday to recognise those who have contributed to the growth of women's football over the last year. Several current and former Lionesses scooped big honours, including the Manchester United, Manchester City and Bayern Munich heroes.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Having played a key role in England reaching the World Cup final last year, United goalkeeper Earps was handed the World Cup Hero prize, edging out Spain and Barcelona superstar Aitana Bonmati. Houghton, who recently announced her retirement from the game, was voted by her peers as the winner of a special Inspirational Role Model award. Stanway, who helped fire Bayern to domestic success, was voted the International Football Player of the Year ahead of Spanish and European champion Lucy Bronze.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  They were not the only stars to be honoured in the end-of-season awards. City's star forward Bunny Shaw was named Football Player of the Year after scoring 21 goals and setting up a further three for the Women's Super League runners-up ahead of Chelsea's Sam Kerr. United's 22-year-old centre-back Maya Le Tissier was given the Young Football Player of the Year prize, beating competition from City's Laura Blindkilde-Brown.

  Despite leading Chelsea to yet another WSL victory before she departs to take over the USWNT, Emma Hayes was not named the Coach of the Year this time around, losing out to England manager Sarina Weigman instead.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Many of the WSL superstars will be joining up with the England national team ahead of their upcoming Euro 2025 qualifying matches before the y head off for a summer break. They will then begin preparations for the 2024-25 WSL campaign, with the likes of City and Arsenal looking to take the crown from Chelsea.

Waugh will link up with the tour ahead of the first Test at Edgbaston on August 1 as Australia seek to win their first away Ashes since 2001

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2019Australia will continue to dip into their deep supply of former greats with former captain Steve Waugh joining the Ashes squad as a mentor.Waugh will link up with the tour ahead of the first Test at Edgbaston on August 1 as Australia seek to win their first away Ashes since 2001.Waugh played in nine Ashes series, losing just his first in 1986-87, and piled up 3173 runs in the contests at an average of 58.75. He captained two of the series, including 2001 on English soil.Head coach Justin Langer has been keen to integrate the knowledge and experience of former players. Ricky Ponting has been an assistant coach during the World Cup while Matthew Hayden and Mitchell Johnson worked with the squad on the tour of India earlier this year.”I know it is something that JL [Langer] and myself have been quite big on, that is to try and get some of our past legends in and around the team,” Test captain Tim Paine told . “I think to have someone like him around during a Test series is going to be great for our whole group.””I know I will be trying to bounce off him as much as I can. As I said, coming to England at times, particularly with the pressure and scrutiny that is around the team at the moment, I think he is someone who is regarded for handling that sort of stuff really well.”

Just over a month ago, it looked as if Chelsea's season was over, but with four wins out of the last five games, passage through to the Fourth Round of the FA Cup and the opportunity to book their place in the League Cup final tonight, things aren't looking quite as desperate.

That said, Mauricio Pochettino's side are only ninth in the Premier League and the prospect of Champions League football next season is quickly fading away.

However, with the transfer window in full swing, the Blues have the chance to give their fans something else to cheer about, and with the latest player touted for a move to Stamford Bridge likened to Lisandro Martínez, their defence could look significantly more impressive in no time at all.

Chelsea look to the French Riviera for defensive reinforcements

According to a report from French football broadcaster Telefoot on Sunday, Chelsea are among a number of top-flight clubs interested in signing OCG Nice's incredibly talented defender Jean-Clair Todibo this year.

The organization has revealed that, alongside the Blues, Tottenham Hotspur and Napoli have already held talks with the player's representatives. However, the French club themselves are keen to hold on to the player until the summer window, and any sale could end up being the biggest in their history.

In terms of how much that might actually be, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed earlier this month that a transfer fee for the talented Frenchman could reach around €60m, or about £52m.

How Jean-Clair Todibo compares to Lisandro Martínez

While Manchester United have not had the best track record when it comes to transfers in the last couple of years, the signing of Martinez from Ajax in the summer of 2022 has been an unequivocal success, he even won the fans' Player of the Year award in December 2022. It's just a shame that the foot injury he sustained in September last year has kept him out for so much of the season.

So, when it comes to comparisons to current Premier League defenders, there aren't much more flattering than the combative Argentine, and that comparison comes from FBref.

In their assessment, Martinez is the most similar to Todibo in those competitions, with the pair most notably alike in their ability to play out from the back – the World Cup winner ranking in the top 4% for progressive carries per 90 among his European peers, while the Nice star ranks in the top 7% in that regard.

Player

Club

Lisandro Martínez

Manchester United

Dante

Nice

Ibrahima Konate

Liverpool

Warmed Omari

Rennes

Danilo Pereira

Paris Saint-Germain

While comparisons to other elite defenders are always welcome and a great way of getting noticed, it should also be noted that the "solid as a rock" Todibo, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, has some impressive statistics of his own.

Chelsea could sign £100m "world-class" Caicedo partner likened to Enzo

The 26-year-old could be the final addition to Chelsea’s expensive midfield.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 23, 2024

When compared to other centre-backs from Europe's top five leagues, he ranks highly in several metrics, sitting in the top 5% for attempted passes, the top 12% for progressive passes, tackles and interceptions and many more, all per 90.

Per 90

Percentile

81.26

Top 5%

0.64

Top 7%

5.00

Top 12%

1.62

Top 12%

2.13

Top 12%

90%

Top 14%

1.05

Top 23%

Ultimately, if Chelsea want to push on, make the most of their position in the domestic cups and rebuild their league form this season and beyond, then signing a "Rolls-Royce" of a centre-back like Todibo, as U23 scout Antonio Mango described him, is a great place to start.

Arsenal roared back into the Premier League title race on Sunday afternoon by beating Liverpool 3-1 at the Emirates, with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard striking in the second half after a Gabriel own goal had cancelled out Bukayo Saka's opener.

The result sees the Gunners move to within two points of the table-topping Reds, but Manchester City have the opportunity to go a point clear in first if they're able to win their games in hand, both of which are against Brentford.

9/10 Arsenal star was as good as Jorginho vs Liverpool

Jorginho put in a colossal performance vs Liverpool but another star stood out for Arsenal.

ByMatt Dawson Feb 4, 2024

On Monday morning, some more good news emerged for Mikel Arteta as Arsenal reached an agreement they'd been chasing behind the scenes. The club had reached the "final stages" of talks with defender Takehiro Tomiyasu over a new contract, and planned to complete the process "in the next weeks". As it turns out, though, things have proceeded ahead of schedule after Tomiyasu and Japan exited the Asian Cup at the hands of Iran in the quarterfinals over the weekend.

Arsenal now reach Tomiyasu agreement

According to Fabrizio Romano, Tomiyasu's new deal has now been agreed and sealed. The 25-year-old will soon put pen to paper on a long-term contract in North London, with an announcement imminent.

There was never any prospect of him being allowed to leave, with Arteta and the club hierarchy instead both pushing for him to be rewarded with fresh terms.

Versatile Tomiyasu gives "his life" for Arsenal

Tomiyasu has played 73 games for Arsenal since his £16m move from Italian club Bologna in the summer of 2021, with 20 of those coming this season. He's made ten starts so far – five in the Premier League, four in the Champions League and one in the Carabao Cup, and there are signs that he's climbing the pecking order. Prior to an injury lay-off and his trip to the Asian Cup, he made the XI for four consecutive league games.

Previously, Tomiyasu had been one of Arteta's most trusted substitutes, coming off the bench more often than any defender as the Spaniard looked to shore things up. As you can see in the table below, he ranks fifth in the squad for substitute outings this season.

1

Leandro Trossard

12

2

Eddie Nketiah

11

3

Reiss Nelson

10

4

Jorginho

9

5

Takehiro Tomiyasu

8

One of the things that makes him invaluable in this regard is his versatility – he's played almost as much football at right-back as he has at centre-back, and he also has experience on the left of a four too. That means Arteta is able to utilise him wherever he sees fit late in games.

"Tomi is a player that everybody loves in there," he said in October. "He’s always the first (in training) and he’s always the last out. You tell him to do something and he will give his life for it.

"He’s an exceptionally professional player who gives us a versatility and qualities that nobody else has in the squad. For me he’s a really important player."

Tomiyasu's deal had been due to expire in 2025, and now midfielder Thomas Partey is the only other player in that boat. It remains to be seen what decision Arsenal make with regard to his future.

Actor Danny Dyer was bursting with pride when he discovered his son-in-law Jarrod Bowen had made England's Euro 2024 squad live on air.

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• Bowen's partner is Dyer's daughter Dani
• West Ham star named in England squad
• Danny finds out Bowen's Euro selection on air

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  West Ham ace Bowen impressed in England's 3-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovinaat St James' Park on Monday and on Thursday, the winger was selected for Gareth Southgate's final 26-man Three Lions squad to go to the Euros. Despite the public announcement, Dyer, whose daughter Dani Dyer has been dating Bowen for a couple of years now, was not aware of the news, until he found out while appearing on talkSPORT.

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  WHAT DANNY DYER SAID

  When talkSPORT host Andy Goldstein told him the good news, Hammers fan Dyer exclaimed, "Yes!", while grinning and punching the air.

  He added: “I swear to God I had no idea! So he’s going, he’s on the plane – as he should be! Listen, I’m over the moon mate. This kid, he deserves it. He’s worked hard. I thought he had a lovely 90 minutes [against Bosnia]. I’ve been listening to your lovely show of course, the governors, having a debate over playing time and what does that mean? If they play a lot that means they might not go and you two were in debate about maybe if they don’t play they’re certain to go. Or, they’re a certainty to go as [Southgate] knows what he’ll get from them. I just think – he should have nicked a goal at the end, obviously, [Ezri] Konsa got in the way! They’re good pals them two. But I’m over the moon! That’s great for my Dani as well, and Jarrod, because they didn’t quite know what they were doing this summer you know having a holiday or not. That also means I’m going to the Euros!”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bowen, 27, enjoyed a superb individual season for the Hammers, scoring 20 goals and bagging 10 assists in all competitions. Now his form has been rewarded and he will head off to Germany with the Three Lions squad in search of silverware.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Prior to his call-up, Bowen quipped heading to the Euros will give him a break from his twin baby daughters.

  He told reporters this week: "My little girls have just turned one. When you come away you miss them. It’s my first experience with children. To FaceTime them during down time, they recognise you and get excited. It gives you that bit of a buzz because you know what you’ve got back home. But when I’m on FaceTime with my missus, they’re all causing carnage – crawling around the house, and the little one running. Sometimes, I’m glad I’m here! But from where I’ve come from, to go to a major tournament would be the pinnacle. There’s a lot that goes into getting to that stage."

Paul Pogba's Manchester United career was a strange one to say the least. It's a cautionary yet fascinating tale.

Released by Sir Alex Ferguson when he was a youngster, the Frenchman returned to the club in August 2016 for a world-record fee (at the time) of £89m.

The fact he then left once again on a free transfer in 2022 quite possibly means this is one of the worst business deals we've seen in football. Ahem…Antony might have something to say about that.

The best of Paul Pogba

Pogba was a true showman and each time he stepped on the field was well and truly worth the admission fee.

From long-range screamers to dazzling footwork and silky skills, to the odd dab here and there, he was one of the finest entertainers we've seen in football over the last decade.

Ten years ago, Patrick Vieira once admitted that "I believe that he [Pogba] is a better player than I was at his age" while Zinedine Zidane commented in 2014 that the French star could "become one of the best players ever."

For a whole host of reasons, the now 30-year-old who is back in Turin with Juve, didn't live up to that prophecy. Either way, he is certainly one of the best all-round midfielders to grace European football.

Despite his troubles in England, Pogba still recorded 39 goals and 51 assists in 233 matches; not bad indeed.

Man United's best talent since Pogba

Not many left quite as big a lasting impression on football in the Premier League and indeed in the Serie A as Pogba did.

He is a World Cup winner and no one can ever take that away from the midfield entertainer. Yet, United could well secure the hottest French talent in Europe since Mr Pogba.

Reports over the weekend from Le10Sport, via Sport Witness, claims that United are one of the sides interested in 18-year-old Lille centre-back Leny Yoro.

That said, they will face competition from rivals Manchester City and Liverpool for the teenager's signature. French giants PSG are also believed to be in the race to complete a move that could well cost in the region of £60m.

The report rounds off with the suggestion that all of the interested parties are set to lodge a bid in the summer.

Leny Yoro's style of play

So, why is Yoro such a hot property in 2024? Well, he's one of the finest young defenders in the modern game.

After the young centre-back starred against Montpellier in a 0-0 draw on Sunday, analyst Ben Mattinson took to social media to laud him, comparing him to another French centre-half in Arsenal's William Saliba.

Further described as "one of the most talented young centre-backs in world football" by scout Jacek Kulig, it's clear that Yoro has plenty of talent to be extracted.

He is already starring in Ligue 1, notably ranking particularly highly among defenders in the French top flight for stats associated with a modern ball-playing defender.

Indeed, the teenage sensation sits inside the best 8% of centre-backs in France for pass completion, the top 18% for carries per 90 minutes and the best 21% for successful take-on percentage. Again, consider his age and those stats are rather remarkable.

Yoro is already playing with a layer of composure that defies his age. He might not be the showman that Pogba once was but this is still evidently one of the best French talents to burst onto the scene since the Juventus midfielder.

For a United side lacking progressive defenders, notably Jonny Evans (worst 35% in Europe for carries) and Victor Lindelof (only the best 35% in Europe for carries), the Lille sensation would improve Erik ten Hag's side significantly. Just imagine him with Lisandro Martinez…

MatériaMais Notícias

Nos últimos meses, o discurso deausteridade por parte da diretoria do Flamengo não é tido como novidade. No recuo quanto às negociações com Rafinha, o assunto voltou à pauta. E Rodrigo Tostes, vice-presidente financeiro do clube, frisou valores que o Rubro-Negro espera alcançar em vendas até julho deste ano: R$ 91 milhões.

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– A gente tem uma entrega de venda de jogadores aproximadamente de 91 milhões (de reais) nessa janela de julho. O clube tem trabalhando arduamente e estamos bem confiantes de que vamos conseguir cumprir essas vendas. Só para lembrar que exercemos a compra do Pedro, o que mostra a capacidade de investimento do clube. Com exceção da bilheteria, não tivemos nenhuma linha pior do que imaginávamos. Nós achamos que as vendas do ano de 2021 vão ocorrer – disse Tostes, em entrevista ao “ge”.

Para 2021, o Flamengo só anunciou a contratação de Bruno Viana, por empréstimo (e opção de compra) junto ao Braga-POR, até aqui. Em entrevista anterior, no início deste mês, Rodrigo Tostes já havia dito que o Flamengo “só vai comprar depois que vender”.

A pandemia de Covid-19 custou ao Flamengo R$ 110 milhões. E o impacto no orçamento foi de R$ 200 milhões, de acordo com o próprio VP de finanças. A ausência de receita via bilheteria tem pesado significativamente contra o clube, que já negociou cerca de R$ 50 milhões em 2020, nas vendas de Yuri César (Shabab Al Ahli-EAU) e Lincoln (Vissel Kobe-JAP) – veja mais aqui.

Tostes também respondeu acerca da parceria comercial com a “Rede Globo”:

– A Globo é o maior parceira comercial do Flamengo, de longe, não existe uma briga entre o Flamengo e a Globo. O que existe é a gente precisa é testar esse modelo (streaming próprio) para a gente saber quanto ele vale. A gente entende que acessar o cliente diretamente é necessário para termos base de negociação. É simplesmente isso, a Globo é o maior parceira comercial do Flamengo, e vem sendo há muitos anos.

– O que a gente entende é que temos que buscar modelos alternativos. O clube precisa estar preparado para negociar tecnicamente, tecnologicamente. Não é fácil montar uma plataforma de streaming própria (“FlaTV+”), nós temos aprendido muito, estamos em evolução. Não tem nenhuma briga nisso – completou.

Rahane duck as Harmer claims five-for and Bopara hits unbeaten fifty to hand Essex early lead

David Hopps16-Jun-2019

Simon Harmer in action•Getty Images

India vs Pakistan in the World Cup in front of a capacity crowd at Old Trafford. One cricket writer exulted that he felt at the centre of the sporting world. Ajinkya Rahane often imagined he would share in the most overwrought occasion that cricket can deliver. Instead, he was making do in a County Championship match at Chelmsford.It would have taken a world record to provide much consolation for Rahane because there is nothing more certain to fire the imagination of an India cricketer than a match-up with Pakistan. Instead, a second-ball duck afforded no release and by the time he entered the Hampshire dressing room he was probably wondering how he could catch up with India’s innings without it appearing that his priorities lay elsewhere. He was 225 miles away from Old Trafford; it must have felt like a million.Rahane survived the first ball from Jamie Porter in routine fashion, defending a rising ball into his body. An over to reflect at the non-striker’s end and he faced Porter again. A full ball was eminently driveable – not to have driven it in a World Cup tie would have sent India’s selectors into emergency session – but he pushed forward warily and Adam Wheater, back behind the stumps after injury, took the catch. He was part of Hampshire’s slump to 8 for 3 in the first 5.3 overs, a position from which they never recovered.His #SaturdayThoughts on Twitter had told his 5.41m followers “for positivity in life, you need to have a positive mind!” It wasn’t sure if the message was to himself or to India, but if it was to himself it didn’t work out too well. For his Sunday thought, he played safe and stuck to #Father’s Day and didn’t even chide his Dad for not perfecting his off drive.The last of Rahane’s 96 ODIs was against South Africa in Centurion 16 months ago. He averaged 35 over five matches but his strike rate was only 76.92, a touch below his career average. Even England in the bad old days scored faster than that. There were no vacancies at the top of the order and India wanted more destructiveness in the middle. He was dropped, but even in February he was striving for optimism, saying that “playing the World Cup is a dream that every cricketer cherishes”.Rahane made a century on debut for Hampshire against Nottinghamshire, replacing Aiden Markram, but as he enters his fourth Championship match the sense is of a waning Hampshire title challenge. They lie 26 points behind Somerset, but England’s summoning of James Vince and Liam Dawson for the World Cup squad (both as yet unused) will test their resources.On the opening day against Essex they were feeble. They already trail and were blown aside for 118 in 34 overs on a Chelmsford pitch that offered hope to the new-ball attack and to the offspinner Simon Harmer, who finds purchase on most surfaces, and who collected 5 for 23 in 11 overs with embarrassing ease. He now has 35 Championship wickets at 19.4, the most in the Division alongside Warwickshire’s Jeetan Patel and Somerset’s Lewis Gregory. Essex had rested Peter Siddle because of a few niggles and his replacement, Aaron Beard, never got a go.All five of Harmer’s wickets came after lunch in an hour and a quarter of growing resignation. Short leg was set from the outset and was soon joined by a second. Three were lbw to balls that turned – Keith Barker, the left-hander, could regard his decision as a marginal – another left-hander, Rilee Rossouw, was stumped having a swipe and James Fuller was caught at short leg.It is questionable whether they should even have been batting. Hampshire had opted for a toss and chosen to bat first, in defiance of a showery morning. By doing so, they avoided facing Harmer in the fourth innings, but the first innings turned out to be disastrous enough. Adi Birrell, Hampshire’s coach, insisted: “The stats were the reason we batted first. We can’t get away from the fact we didn’t bat well.”Rossouw’s 34 from 32 balls represented Hampshire’s chief resistance, but he is an explosive cricketer and when his furtive edge sneaked past first slip for four, the need to dominate welled up inside him. Harmer tossed the next higher and closer to leg stump and the ball turned sharply past a flailing bat as he failed to launch him towards the thumping sounds emanating from Essex Pride across the river.Essex closed the first day at 147 for 3, 29 ahead, and although they had the benefit of a sunlit evening they still put the pitch into perspective. Nick Browne and Alastair Cook raised 50 before both were lbw in successive overs and Tom Westley missed a work to leg, confounded by the angle of the left-armer Barker around the wicket. Barker was the most insistent of the Hampshire attack.That left Ravi Bopara to make a relaxed half-century. On a pitch where Harmer had prospered, Hampshire’s legspinner, Mason Crane, bled four overs for 30. Bopara’s dismissive yet somehow kindly straight six with four overs remaining took Essex into the lead and encapsulated a final hour that shifted the game firmly into Essex’s favour.