| Di Venuto charge tests Somerset nerves Durham 286 & 171-2; Somerset 426For the first time Somerset are starting to feel nervous in the north-east. They have been lucky to have played so much cricket in this match. They have gleaned all the bonus points possible. But the combination of a docile pitch, which was first designed for the ODI between England and Pakistan last Friday, and some spirited Durham batting means that the victory, which would have finished Yorkshire's challenge and severely dented Nottinghamshire's, now seems elusive.At the end of another long day (the last one will be 12 overs shorter than usual so that Somerset can head south in preparation for Saturday's Lord's final) , Durham were 171-2. So the county champions – for another few hours – lead by 31.It all went according to plan in the first half of the day. Peter Trego continued where he left off on Tuesday, striking the ball with gusto while making 69, until he was bowled by Liam Plunkett by the only type of delivery that is giving batsmen problems on this surface: the scuttler.But James Hildreth was still around to ensure that Somerset acquired their maximum batting points with his seventh Championship century of the summer. Hildreth was both aggressive and discreet, which is a handy combination. He must be going somewhere with the Lions this winter. He scored freely square of the wicket with cuts, square drives and pulls. Nowadays Hildreth can score runs beyond Taunton.Jos Buttler, after three consecutive ducks in the Championship, flickered briefly until he was defeated by another ball that kept low from Ben Harmison and was lbw. Ben Phillips went the same way to his first ball whereupon, Harmison at the start of the next over bowled a very disappointing hat-trick delivery. It could easily have been called a wide.So Somerset had a lead of 140. Soon Michael Stoneman was lbw to another grubber – from Phillips. But thereafter batting did not seem too taxing for Michael Di Venuto and Gordon Muchall. Trescothick switched his seamers around; he tried Murali Kartik in the hope that a spinner might eventually take a wicket in this match. Against all of them Di Venuto was typically forthright. This pair had added 113 together when the junior party, Muchall, was finally beaten by another low-bouncing ball – from Trego. But there was no more success for Somerset as the shadows enveloped the ground.Now there is no guarantee that they have time to win this game. That is all they can strive to do, but they will be looking anxiously southwards today and at what might happen down in Manchester and Leeds. They fear contrivance at Headingley. They have to trust that Robert Key of Kent drives a harder bargain than Duncan Bannatyne of the Dragons' Den, who owns the health club that peers out at the square at Chester-le Street. And while it is too much to hope for another day of rain at Old Trafford they would be grateful if Mark Chilton and Peter Moores could ensure that Lancashire are at their most stubborn.DurhamSomersetCounty Championship Division OneCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
NHL sees breakthrough in local streaming The NHL believes it has a game-changer in convincing regional sports networks to embrace in-market streaming of live games — by extending the rights to mobile devices. feeds.bizjournals.com |
Ex-Seton Hall basketball player pleads guilty in armed robbery A former Seton Hall basketball player has pleaded guilty in an armed robbery at a house near the school's northern New Jersey campus. Twenty-four-year-old ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Chris Borg: QPR v Norwich offers nostalgic appeal For QPR and Norwich fans of a certain vintage, a top of the table clash between the clubs has a nostalgic appealFor Queens Park Rangers and Norwich City fans of a certain vintage, a top-of-the-table clash between the clubs has a nostalgic appeal. In the late 1980s and early 90s, both defied expectations, punching above their weight in the top division to challenge near the summit thanks to a mixture of attacking football and shrewd signings that made the most of relatively limited resources.There were other similarities, too: tight and atmospheric home grounds that didn't – back then – witness too many defeats, managers admired outside their clubs (Jim Smith, Dave Stringer, Gerry Francis, my all-time favourite Norwich manager Mike Walker) and the affection of a fair smattering of neutrals.While Norwich finished third in the inaugural Premiership in 1992-93 (negative goal difference and all), Rangers ended up fifth – London's highest-placed club – and when the unlikely title challengers met at Loftus Road towards the end of that season, QPR won 3-1 in an open, gung-ho match. The teams of that era contained players of the calibre of Les Ferdinand, Ray Wilkins, Roy Wegerle and Andy Sinton (Rangers) and Bryan Gunn, Chris Sutton, Jeremy Goss and Ruel Fox (Norwich). It's safe to say we probably didn't realise quite how lucky we were.The glory days, though, turned out to be all too short. Both clubs fell a long way - boardroom upheaval, financial problems, managerial instability and a spell in the third tier were to follow.But tomorrow's first versus third match in the Championship suggests that both the west Londoners and the East Anglians are enjoying the kind of renaissance that seemed pretty unlikely a few gloomy seasons ago, and the common thread seems to be that both have – after quite a wait – found the right manager.It's absurd that Neil Warnock still seems, in some circles, not to get the credit he deserves for a career littered with success, but his pragmatism has been an ideal tonic for QPR. An underperforming and often disjointed-looking bunch of players has been transformed into a team that scores at will, defends outstandingly and has – in Warnock signings Jamie Mackie and Adel Taarabt (a move made permanent by the new manager) – two of the stars of the Championship so far. Rangers aren't short of money these days, but Warnock seems, even at this relatively early stage, likely to be the man to at last give them something to show for it.Cash is in far tighter supply at Norwich, but I wouldn't have thought many Canaries fans would trust anyone to spend it better than Paul Lambert. With Gunn in charge at Carrow Road on the opening day of last season, Lambert brought his Colchester United team to Norwich. Their 7-1 win – the most surreal professional football match I've ever seen – set in motion the chain of events that saw Lambert take over a few weeks later, with his backroom team including Ians Culverhouse and Crook, two Norwich legends of those 80s and 90s days.The result was dramatic: a club at an incredibly low ebb ended the season as League One champions. Lambert added smartly and sensibly to his squad both then and this summer, with his tactical approach (a diamond formation midfield getting the best from playmaker Wes Hoolahan and summer signing Andrew Crofts) and emphasis on patient, passing football continuing this season. An opening day home defeat to Watford didn't dent the momentum built by the title win, and a mangement team that hasn't previously been in charge at this level ("We're still learning," said Culverhouse) has continued to shine.There seems plenty, then, for both sets of supporters to look forward to. And maybe, in years to come, names like Taarabt, Hoolahan, Warnock and Lambert will be spoken of in the same way as people such as Ferdinand, Francis, Walker and Goss.Norwich CityQPRChris Borgguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Missouri upsets No. 3 Oklahoma 36-27 By R.B. FALLSTROM 2010-10-24T05:59:02ZCOLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Oklahoma's stay at the top of the BCS will be brief.... hosted.ap.org |