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Jake Ball has clocked up nearly 600 miles switching from his Test call-up from England to a couple of days county cricket at the Ageas Bowl – and there might not even be a Test debut at the end of it

Vithushan Ehantharajah at the Ageas Bowl22-May-2016
ScorecardJake Ball joins an England fielding session after his call up at Headingley•Getty ImagesThe county summer is entering that period when players jump from one format to another, from one side of the country to another, via coach or carpool. Dubbed “silly season” by some, the next 30 days sees the NatWest T20 Blast and the Royal London Cup fight for schedule space with the County Championship which will take a two weeks hiatus at the beginning of June.Nottinghamshire, for example, played a Friday night T20 in Birmingham before coming down to the Ageas Bowl for their four-day tussle with Hampshire. Jake Ball, however, has notched a few more miles on the clock.Released from his maiden England squad after day two of the first Test, Ball was given permission to play in the first two days of this match, at which point he will make his way from Southampton to Durham (he is expected to be replaced in the Notts side for Brett Hutton). The roundtrip, from Test to Test, will be 576 miles.Even then, all that travelling might only result in a second “thanks but no thanks” in the space of a week. Still, as a Test hopeful, he is more than happy to do it all again and make The Proclaimers look like slackers in the process.On today’s evidence, it looked like he took plenty of breaks on the way down – maybe even a few dynamic stretches at Winchester Services to get going before the Ageas came in view.Bounding in from the Pavilion End like a returning hero charging back through the city gates, his opening delivery – the very first of the match – beat Michael Carberry’s outside edge. Two balls later, that same edge was found only for Chris Read to drop the chance, diving full stretch to his left. Only in hindsight can you say it could have been left to first slip, such was the movement of the ball in the last few feet before it clanged into Read’s gloves.Ball would eventually get his man, changing his angle from around the wicket and enticing a drive from Carberry, who had reeled himself in for 19 off 58 deliveries up until that point. He had the number of both of the hosts’ opening southpaws. One of the more noticeable aspects of Ball’s game is his ability to move the ball away and into a left-hander, from both around and over the wicket.Jimmy Adams in particular was caused a great deal of discomfort: when he wasn’t playing and missing on a spicy track, he was taking all sorts of blows to the glove and torso. His innings of 30 from 79 deliveries was reminiscent of the opening scene of Robocop.Hampshire, sitting bottom of Division One, have been ravaged by injuries and had to dip into the free agency and Kolpak markets. Two of their walking wounded, Reece Topley and Chris Wood, used the delay of the late afternoon downpour to check out the new media centre.They would be mistaken for thinking it was safer haven for staff up there: even the club’s press officer is facing a period on the sidelines having worn a yorker on the toe in a local league match. Somewhere beneath the Ageas Bowl sits an ancient Indian burial ground filled with deceased black cats.Sean Ervine, too, was sent limping to square leg after jabbing a Harry Gurney yorker onto the top of his foot. His pre-lunch walk to the crease was instigated by a fine spell by Luke Fletcher, who was rewarded by his persistence with the wickets of Adams (caught and bowled) and Liam Dawson (lbw, walking across his stumps) in successive balls.However, for all the feeling of an innings collapse, the rain delays – the first seeing no play at all in the afternoon session, the second breaking up a long evening – and an unbeaten partnership of 65 between Ervine and 20-year-old Tom Alsop sees Hampshire in a healthier state. Ervine got by on experience and, when dropped on 26 by Dan Christian at third slip off Gurney, compounded Notts’ misery by smashing a four through point the very next ball.By contrast, Alsop played with the freedom of a youngster coming in at number six: punching straight and square of the wicket for a relatively sprightly 32. Early on in his innings, he nearly rearranged Ball’s teeth with an uppish drive down the ground for two. As much as those at the ECB rate the Mansfield-born quick, he might have had trouble claiming a trip to the dentist as part of his fuel allowance.

West Ham endured a difficult evening in their last Premier League outing against Liverpool.

The Reds ran out as supremely dominant 2-1 winners and restricted the Hammers to only two shots on target throughout the game.

After Lucas Paqueta’s sublime strike gave the Irons an early lead, they rarely troubled the Reds and failed to construct any periods of sustained pressure.

With the Europa Conference semi-final looming next week and a London derby against Crystal Palace this weekend, David Moyes should shuffle the pack to make his side more threatening.

One way that this could be done would be to replace the underperforming Michail Antonio with Danny Ings, who offers a far more complete package as the focal point up top.

Should West Ham start Danny Ings over Michail Antonio?

Antonio has surprisingly risen above the Englishman in the pecking order but drastically struggled in the last encounter.

After registering an assist in the early stages against Liverpool due to some slick and intricate link-up with Paqueta, the Jamaican was anonymous for the rest of the proceedings and recorded the lowest Sofascore rating of any West Ham player (5.8).

In a miserable evening for the Hammers’ record Premier League goalscorer, he only managed one successful dribble, had zero shots on target, missed two big chances, and failed to produce any accurate crosses, as per Sofascore.

Meanwhile, Ings has netted double the amount of goals (eight) as his fellow striker (four) in the Premier League this campaign and is surely a more logical option on Saturday in terms of rotation and tactics.

Across the £125k-per-week striker's career, the former Liverpool man has forged a respectable reputation for his link-up play and eye for goal.

During his stint with Aston Villa, retired forward Noel Whelan commented on his style of play and partnership with Ollie Watkins.

He said: “He’s showing what a good player he is and how dangerous he can be when he drops between the lines to feed Ollie Watkins. He is a phenomenal finisher as well, and we’re really seeing that partnership work with Watkins."

With top four yet to be secured and the Irons having only netted 34 goals in 32 games, the reintegration of the ex-Villa man could be the perfect antidote to bounce back against the Eagles this weekend.

Leeds United could only muster a 1-1 draw in their crucial relegation six-pointer with Leicester City on Tuesday night, to put Javi Gracia’s side in even more trouble at the bottom.

The Yorkshire outfit were perhaps fortunate to even earn a point as both Jamie Vardy and Youri Tielemans had goals ruled out for offside, although Patrick Bamford should have secured the win for the hosts when he inexplicably fired wide in the final moments.

Although Leeds were able to arrest their losing streak on Tuesday night, it was still a disappointing performance from Gracia’s side and with five tough fixtures to come, fans will recognise how difficult it will be to stay up now.

However, there was one silver lining from the game at Elland Road, and it was the strong performance of Jack Harrison, who has been a man possessed since Gracia took over as Leeds manager.

How did Jack Harrison play for Leeds against Leicester?

As per Sofascore, the former Manchester City man would earn a superb 7.7/10 rating for his performance, which ranked him as the second-best player on the pitch from both sides, with only James Maddison (8/10) rated higher.

It was the Englishman’s superb cross which led to Leeds’ only goal of the night, as Luis Sinisterra headed in at the back post, and he was a constant threat to Leicester’s backline throughout the game.

Although he would lose possession on 22 occasions on Tuesday night, the £90k-per-week winger was always looking to create something and contributed an impressive four key passes as a result, which is far better than his season average of 1.6 key passes per game in the Premier League.

He also created two big chances, completed four crosses and was fouled four times, which suggests that he really raised his game against Leicester, and the Foxes’ left-back Victor Kristiansen simply couldn’t deal with him, earning a shocking 5.8/10 rating for his display.

While Harrison was clearly Leeds’ most creative outlet, he also showed an extraordinary willingness to get back and help his team in defence, contributing two clearances, two interceptions and three tackles, again a big increase on his average of 0.5 clearances, 0.7 interceptions and 1.3 tackles per game in the top flight.

If Leeds are to stay up this season, then the “outstanding” Harrison – as per Gracia – will certainly have been a big factor, as the 26-year-old now boasts three goals and three assists in 11 Premier League appearances since the Spaniard took over.

Arsenal's campaign has been near-faultless under Mikel Arteta, with the Spaniard having masterminded a turnaround that has seen last year's fifth-place finishers challenge for the title.

However, with Manchester City, the crucial part of the claim is that it has nearly been so. Unless a team attains perfection, Pep Guardiola will always be there waiting to strike, keeping his immense group of world-class players motivated until the final ball is kicked on the final day of the season.

It takes something truly special to topple this side; something which Liverpool could only manage on one occasion for all their talent and accolades.

Whether this season brings the trophy they so desperately desire back to the Emirates or not, to continue at this level the squad must be bolstered. The stars of this year cannot allow complacency to set in, and as such Edu must secure adequate back-ups to ensure they retain their levels.

Leandro Trossard already stands as an impressive addition to an already firing front line, but in Samuel Chukwueze, Bukayo Saka could truly have a test on his hands in keeping his spot in the side. Premier League full-backs wouldn't know what had hit them if they had to face one or both of these tricky customers.

Arsenal are reportedly 'going crazy' over his signature, however, Villarreal are allegedly holding out for a mouth-watering €80m (£71m) fee.

How has Samuel Chukwueze played this season?

Boasting a wicked left foot to cut off his right flank, already the Nigerian boasts keen similarities with Arsenal's number seven.

However, this trademark also draws comparisons to the legendary Arjen Robben, who he mentioned revering in an interview: "He’s the king, to me. He’s the perfect player. I watch so many YouTube clips of him, and there are so many things I can learn from watching him.

“On the way to games, even now, I will still stick on clips of Robben and watch his goals, his dribbling. He’s my inspiration, one of the greatest. I like to be me, and of course you have to be yourself, but you need to learn from people like him. What a player."

The Dutchman would certainly be proud to see how the 23-year-old is thriving under his phantom tutelage, as this season he boasts 13 goals and 11 assists for Villarreal.

Having recently scored twice to defeat Real Madrid, further outlining his pedigree, manager Quique Setien was quick to praise the winger: "He is a boy who is a great footballer. He is in a moment of fantastic inspiration. He has the desire to improve, is responsive and is a hard worker."

It is this fine form that likely has caught the attention of numerous clubs, with the Gunners headlining such a list.

Despite Saka having recorded similar numbers, with 14 goals and 11 assists from the same role, it seems like these two would offer a like-for-like solution should one be out of form.

However, if Chukwueze is to trade Spain for north London and continues his fine scoring record, Arteta will have quite the selection headache on his hands; a nice problem for someone seeking to do battle with the Cityzens for the foreseeable future.

Tottenham Hotspur have held 'positive' talks with the agents of former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, and he is now happy to sit down with them.

Who could Spurs replace Conte with?

The north Londoners, over a month after parting ways with former boss Antonio Conte, are still very much on the look out for his permanent replacement. Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason have taken interim charge of the Premier League top four hopefuls in the meantime, with the aim of securing Champions League qualification.

The Lilywhites have reportedly drawn up their shortlist of managerial candidates to succeed Conte with the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Julian Nagelsmann and Enrique among their most high profile options as free agents.

Those in-work are also attracting attention from Tottenham, with perhaps most notably Arne Slot of Feyenoord and Oliver Glasner of Eintracht Frankfurt being the most heavily tipped to potentially join. Whoever chairman Daniel Levy chooses to appoint will be a crucial, crucial decision – especially as voices in the stands grow ever more restless with the ownership of ENIC.

Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter have also been sporadically mentioned by members of the media, though the British duo don't appear to be as regularly talked about as the likes of Enrique. Going back to the Spaniard, after reports of Spurs planning to open talks with him, an update has come to light courtesy of 90min.

The outlet claims that Tottenham have held 'positive' talks Enrique's entourage, and after these optimistic discussions, Spurs are set to sit down with the 52-year-old. He is now apparently happy to talk with Spurs over their vacancy as both sides prepare for 'face-to-face' negotiations.

Should Spurs go for Enrique?

One big obstacle in Tottenham's way will be rivals Chelsea, who could surely be stepping up their pursuit of a new manager after they crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

They're apparently targeting Enrique as well, but if Spurs can somehow convince the tactician to move to their side of London, he could be an exciting appointment. Boasting multiple La Liga titles and a Champions League winner's medal on his CV, Enrique encourages an attack-minded 4-4-3 formation (Transfermarkt) – being called a 'genius' by members of the press.

Of course, his lack of Premier League experience could be seen as something which may count against him, but Enrique's status as a free agent opens the door for clubs like Spurs to make a risk-free move financially.

We believe he should, at the very least, be up there on Levy's list of serious options.

Burnley are plotting a move for Ajax forward Sontje Hansen, Football Insider report.

What’s the latest on Burnley and Hansen?

The Clarets have one foot back in the Premier League after an extremely successful first season under Vincent Kompany. The club are currently 11 points clear of second place Sheffield United and 17 clear of third place Middlesbrough after losing just two of their 38 Championship fixtures.

Burnley can seal an immediate return to the top flight over the Easter weekend, and it looks as if Kompany is already planning ahead for the summer transfer window, with news of a new target emerging.

Football Insider shared a story regarding Hansen in the last 24 hours regarding Burnley and Hansen. They revealed that the Clarets are plotting a summer move for Hansen, with Kompany pushing the Burnley board to get a deal over the line as he is keen to add more creativity and goal output to his side.

Who is Hansen?

Hansen is just 20 years of age and has been on the books of Ajax since 2013. He is primarily a right-winger who can play anywhere across the front three and is represented by well-known agency Wasserman, which also looks after five Burnley players.

The Dutch attacker is on course to become a free agent in the summer after making just two appearances for Ajax’s first team. He has impressed in the youth sides, though, making a total of 157 appearances in the academy, scoring 37 times and registering 32 assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Once valued at €6m (£5.3m), Hansen was attracting interest from Manchester City, Juventus, Inter Milan and RB Leipzig back in 2020 but ended up remaining with the Dutch giants.

A move away appears to be a possibility over the coming months, and a switch to Turf Moor could be a wise move by the Claret as the player looks to make an impact at first-team level.

Kompany appears to be a big fan of the forward who stole the show at the U-17 World Cup in 2019 for Holland, winning the Golden Boot at the tournament. Burnley currently have two right-wingers on the books in Manuel Benson and Johann Berg Gudmundsson, with the latter 32 and out of contract next year. Nathan Tella is on loan until the end of the season from Southampton, so perhaps Hansen could come in and provide another versatile option in the final third, possibly alongside Tella should the club target a permanent deal.

Celtic right-back Anthony Ralston appears to have picked up an injury scare on international duty with Scotland, VideoCelts report.

The Lowdown: Injury concerns

There are nine Scottish Premiership fixtures to go with the Hoops currently nine points clear of rivals Rangers at the top of the table. A domestic treble is also on the cards for Postecoglou and his side, with a Scottish Cup semi-final with Rangers at Hampden Park scheduled for the end of April.

However, Ange Postecoglou has a number of off-field concerns heading into the run-in, with Liel Abada, Daizen Maeda, Sead Haksabanovic, Greg Taylor, Aaron Mooy, Reo Hatate and Cameron Carter-Vickers all dealing with injury issues.

The Hoops boss appears to have been handed another injury scare during the break, with an update emerging on Ralston.

The Latest: Training knock

Ralston was included in the Scotland squad for European Championship qualifiers against Cyprus and Spain, however, the Celtic full-back didn’t make the squad in a 3-0 win over Cyprus on Saturday.

VideoCelts have reported in the last 48 hours that Ralston didn’t make the 22-man squad as he actually picked up a knock in training on Friday and will return to Celtic as a result.

The Verdict: Not ideal

The club’s medical team appear to have their hands full at Lennoxtown, so this news on Ralston certainly isn’t ideal. The 24-year-old has made just 12 appearances under Postecoglou this season so hasn’t exactly been a regular, with January signing Alistair Johnston establishing himself as first choice since arriving.

However, the pair provide Postecoglou with plenty of versatility, with Ralston and Johnston capable of turning out as right-midfielders if needed, while the latter of the two can also turn out as a centre-back if required.

Therefore, with a number of injury issues to deal with, Ralston may have been a player in Postecoglou’s thoughts ahead of the trip to Ross County. The Hoops boss has even hailed the right-back previously for playing when not fully fit, describing Ralston as a ‘warrior’.

“He’s been enormous for us all year and he continues to be.

“He wasn’t even 100% tonight, with his ankle. But he’s a warrior, he’s a soldier, he loves this football club and he wants to make a career for himself.”

Therefore, should Ralston’s injury prove to be minor following a Lennonxtown assessment, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Postecoglou looked into selecting the defender in his matchday squad next weekend.

Tottenham Hotspur could soon be boosted by the potential return of Richarlison after he suffered his latest injury setback before the international break.

What happened to Richarlison?

The Brazilian has struggled with injury issues through the 2022/23 campaign which may have also been a reason behind his restricted game time.

However, in the final game of Antonio Conte's reign, the 25-year-old was withdrawn in the early stages against Southampton through injury.

It is believed the forward suffered a recurrence of the calf injury which had troubled him earlier in the campaign prior to the World Cup.

But speaking on his YouTube channel, Alasdair Gold has been able to provide some positive injury news coming out of Hotspur Way on the £90k-per-week forward:

"Richarlison should be back, I'd say, what I'm told is, sooner rather than later. I can't imagine it'll be for the Everton match, but there's some suggestions It should be not too long after that."

What has gone wrong for Richarlison at Spurs?

It has been a season the Brazilian will want to forget about and move on from, with his £60m move to north London failing to hit the high expectations to date.

Richarlison is still carrying the burden of not finding the back of the net in the Premier League for the Lilywhites – which has come with some bad luck along the way.

The 25-year-old's only goals for Spurs came earlier in the season during the Champions League group stages when Marseille visited N17.

However, there have been some promising moments along the way, including his recent performance against Nottingham Forest which saw him earn the Player of the Match award from supporters but denied his first league goal by VAR.

As well as a lack of consistent game time, the Brazilian had been played out of position on the wings regularly throughout the season by Conte.

During the 2021/22 campaign at Everton, Richarlison played 78% of his games as the centre-forward. In comparison, he has played just 21% of his games up top for Spurs.

With Harry Kane at the club, this is something that he will likely have to adapt to, but this could be another reason behind the Brazilian's slow start to life in north London.

Next up for Spurs is an away trip to Richarlison's former club, but it is not believed he will be fit enough to return to Goodison Park in just under a week's time.

The chances of Richarlison uprooting Kane from the starting XI are almost nil, but with the striker's future in doubt ahead of the summer, he may view next season as a potential opportunity to claim the starting spot if the Englishman does leave.

Manchester United have ostensibly been behind the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City in the race for precocious talent Jude Bellingham, but a new report tantalises a promising fresh stance from Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag.

What's the latest on Bellingham to Man United?

According to a recent report from The Telegraph, United's interest in the Yellow Wall's golden gem has ranked up a notch and could he be targeted more concretely as the season approaches its culmination, with a minimum fee of €125m (£110m) touted for his signature.

The saga surrounding Bellingham's next destination has arguably been the most prominent in world football this season, with European powerhouses Real Madrid and the aforementioned Liverpool and Man City all the clear favourites.

But with Man United crafting a resurgent outfit under Ten Hag's wing, Bellingham's inclusion could be the final piece of the puzzle to unleash the full might of the club once again.

Would Casemiro be Bellingham's perfect central partner?

Last season, United were woeful and finished the league season in sixth place with just 58 points, devoid of silverware once again and facing alarming uncertainty after failing to qualify for the Champions League.

Fast track one year and the Red Devils are comfortably within the top-four after 26 matches, having already triumphed in the Carabao Cup, still challenging across every front for major silverware, although closing the gulf on Premier League leaders Arsenal might be unattainable.

Continuing the club's comeback by signing the "generational talent", as proclaimed by Raphael Honigstein, could indeed be the perfect move to fortifying the ranks, providing a dynamic edge having scored ten goals and six assists from 33 outings this term.

As per FBref, the 19-year-old "prodigy" – as also dubbed by Honigstein – ranks among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe's 'big five' divisions for goals, the top 13% for assists, the top 1% for successful take-ons, the top 7% for progressive passes and the top 11% for progressive carries per 90, so would be a superlative transitional force to ascend the United midfield to the very forefront of European football.

And with £70m summer signing Casemiro anchoring the central engine, Bellingham's remarkable metrics could only blossom further.

The five-time Champions League winner with Los Blancos has been a revelation this term, scoring five goals and registering seven assists form 40 appearances across all competitions and being heralded as a "diamond of a footballer" by writer John Ludden.

With the 69-cap gem making 3.1 tackles, 2.2 clearances and 1.4 interceptions per match with the Theatre of Dreams squad, Bellingham would have the perfect sturdy support to allow him to exhibit the full scope of his dynamic prowess.

Ten Hag deserves all the plaudits for the work he has done in such short time at Man United, who have so often looked a shadow of their former selves over the past decade, and with Bellingham's acquisition, a return to the former throne could indeed be forthcoming.

Arsenal's Hale End academy is as prestigious as it is effective, with some of the most integral members of the high-flying senior squad graduating from the outfit's youth ranks.

The Premier League table-toppers are currently five points clear of Manchester City, with Mikel Arteta currently leading the race against his former mentor Pep Guardiola and on course to glean the Gunners' first divisional triumph in almost two decades, and while shrewd signings over the past several years have indeed been imperative in the laudable ascension, the homegrown talent has been just as important.

Bukayo Saka is Arsenal's leading right-winger, while Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson also owe their career births to the north London club, with the latter recently starring off the bench and scoring a resounding late winner against Bournemouth, preserving the coveted advantage over the Cityzens.

One prodigy who could find himself next in line to take a starring role in Arteta's system is Charlie Patino, who has impressed on loan at Championship outfit Blackpool, and while he won't be able to contribute to his parent club's title-chasing endeavours this term, his deployment into the fold could preserve the newfound prominence for years to come, as he grows into one of the Premier League's most dazzling midfield dynamos.

Who is Charlie Patino?

The 19-year-old Patino has been a highly-regarded starlet for some time, making two appearances for Arsenal last season in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup respectively and taking his chance to shine with aplomb.

Defeating the Black Cats 5-1 to advance to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup last year, Patino was bestowed the honour of making his senior debut under Arteta's wing, and indeed got off to a flying start after thumping a late strike into the back of the net to seal an emphatic victory and his own emergence as one of English football's most exciting and precocious talents.

With regular minutes unlikely to arrive this term, with the Gunners' Spaniard manager crafting – successfully – a team capable of competing for major honours against the established powerhouses in Man City and Liverpool, the decision was made to ship him out for one year, with Blackpool confirming a loan deal to provide an edge in their bid to preserve status in the second tier.

As per Sofascore, the "gifted" gem – as lauded by journalist Josh Bunting – has recorded an average league rating of 6.85 during his time with the Seasiders, commendable considering the club languish in 22nd place in the division, three points adrift from safety after 37 matches.

Scoring two goals and serving four assists, Patino has indeed been a dynamic central presence, with his most glistening performance arguably coming in his last game, where Blackpool incredibly defeated Queens Park Rangers 6-1.

Earning a stunning match-best 8.6 rating, the "special talent", as hailed by Phil Smith, supplied two assists and won 11 of his 16 total duels, also making four tackles and two interceptions.

With the likes of Ethan Nwaneri also on Arsenal's books, the 15-year-old midfielder becoming the youngest Premier League player ever when making an appearance against Brentford earlier this term, Arsenal's future looks set to stand in sunlight.

That said, Nwaneri is still some way off a regular role in Arteta's set-up and indeed the Gunners are now at serious risk of losing him too, with the teenager having attracted suitors from elsewhere.

Patino, therefore, must be the man to step up to the plate and provide a roaring new dimension to the club, perhaps even linking up with his Hale End team-mate in future seasons should they be able to keep him, unleashing a deadly partnership on the rest of the division.

If they can't then Arteta ought to fear not with the Tangerines loanee catching the eye at youth level, and now in the Football League. Thus, it would be a surprise if Arteta does not entrust him with a role in the senior set-up in short time.