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Leeds United need to get bodies through the door quickly if they are to get their league campaign back on track, with one touted addition certain to have a monumental impact…

Who are Leeds United signing?

With Ethan Ampadu comfortably their star addition for the window thus far, his impact has been stellar despite only making three Championship appearances.

With experience and quality that belies his youth, there is a fine foundation for a stunning engine room to be forged should Daniel Farke recruit intelligently to rebuild his shattered squad.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Reeling from the permanent exits of Rodrigo and Tyler Adams, alongside no less than six loan departures, the need for additions is huge.

Therefore, reports linking them with a swoop for Jonjo Shelvey should not be turned away, as he would bring an immense level of talent and many appearances at a level way above the Whites’ current one.

Despite having only joined Nottingham Forest in January, already it seems like the 31-year-old is ready to move on from his £75k-per-week deal and pursue regular first-team football elsewhere.

How good is Jonjo Shelvey?

Having starred for prestigious clubs such as Liverpool and Newcastle United, making 202 appearances in total for the latter as he went down and earned promotion back to the top flight, to add Leeds to this list would not look out of place.

Historic in size and stature, the west Yorkshire outfit have endured a troubled past two decades, the bulk of which they were absent from the Premier League.

Farke will not only be desperate to ensure they can earn an instant return, but also build a solid foundation for consistent and longstanding success that helps cement their status alongside the elite of English football.

Therefore, pairing the ageing but experienced maestro in question with Ampadu could mark a dream combination, placing two tough-tackling and tireless midfielders at the heart of the German’s all-action system.

Given his lack of playtime over the last year, it is Shelvey’s 2021/22 season that is the most relevant for analysis given he featured 24 times as the Magpies turned a relegation-threatened term on its head.

His 6.93 average rating was admirable and was underpinned by his three goal contributions, 81% pass accuracy, and 1.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

However, at his peak, the maestro was a combative and cultured ace who could score and create. During the 2019/20 season, his 7.14 average rating fed into his eight goal contributions, via Sofascore.

Former teammate Isaac Hayden even went as far as to brand him a “Rolls-Royce of a player”, with his conduct and personality emphasised by his “classy” departure from Tyneside, as journalist Dominic Scurr outlined.

Should he recapture that kind of goalscoring form, which Ampadu’s presence would facilitate, then he could actually be the shock signing that spurs them towards promotion.

Especially given how the 22-year-old has taken to life at Elland Road, maintaining an 87% pass accuracy alongside 1.3 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

He is incredibly solid yet economical with possession, and he could help bring back the firepower that once made Shelvey so great.

Jaffer, Ramaswamy help Vidarbha dominate, Bengal’s Abhishek Raman one short of second 150 plus score this season

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2017Sanjay Ramaswamy extended his impressive form this season, scoring 87 as Vidarbha were in line for the first innings lead after Goa posted 239 in Porvorim. After a half-century stand with Faiz Fazal, Ramaswamy put together 117 with Wasim Jaffer before falling to Darshan Misal’s slow left-arm spin. Vidarbha ended the day on 199 for 2, with Jaffer (70*) and Shalabh Shrivastava (9*) at the crease.Openers Abhishek Raman and Abhimanyu Easwaran’s 222-run partnership underpinned Bengal’s dominance as they posted 309 for 3 in response to Punjab’s 147 in Amritsar.Resuming from 76 for no loss, the openers lasted till the 67th over, before Easwaran (117 off 215 balls) was dismissed by seamer Siddarth Kaul, who also went on to remove Sudip Chatterjee within the next two overs. Shreevats Goswami (29*) and Raman battled to help Bengal recover from another loss, that of captain Manoj Tiwary. Bengal went to stumps with Raman one run shy of his second 150-plus score this season.Seamers dominated on the second day in Raipur as Services folded for 272 against Chhattisgarh. Shahnawaz Hussain’s five-for, along with two apiece from Pankaj Rao and PR Sinha, lead the rout for the hosts, despite a middle-order resistance from Services’ left-hander Vikas Hathwala (76 off 84 balls).In their second innings, Chhattisgarh finished on 24 for no loss at stumps, trailing by 118 runs, with Siddharth Chandrakar (5*) and Abhimanyu Chauhan (14*) at the crease. Opener Rishabh Tiwary retired hurt for one run after facing five balls.

Alongside solving their midfield crisis this summer, Liverpool are reportedly targeting another central defender before the transfer window slams shut in just under two weeks.

As things stand, Jurgen Klopp has Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate, and Joe Gomez to call upon.

The German could yet welcome one more centre-back, however, with the Reds reportedly turning their attention to Bayer Leverkusen.

What's the latest on Piero Hincapie to Liverpool?

Amid their search for a centre-back, Liverpool are one of the clubs interested in making a move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, according to Dominik Schneider of Fussball Transfers.

The Ecuadorian is currently out injured, but is on course to return at the end of August, potentially making him available for a move to Anfield, before the window closes.

The Premier League giants may have to act fast to secure Hincapie's signature, however, given that West Ham United and RB Leipzig are also reportedly interested in making their moves for the Leverkusen man this summer.

West Ham, of course, just saw their deal to sign Manchester United's Harry Maguire reportedly break down, meaning that their search for a central defender remains ongoing.

Meanwhile, as per Schneider, Hincapie is Leipzig's backup option if they fail to sign Lyon's Castello Lukeba this summer. With that said, it looks set to be a busy end to the window for the Leverkusen centre-back.

Should Liverpool sign Piero Hincapie?

As Matip enters the final year of his Liverpool contract, welcoming 21-year-old Hincapie wouldn't exactly go amiss at Anfield. Swapping an ageing Matip for the far younger Ecuador international would represent an incredibly smart piece of business for the Reds.

It remains to be seen just how much Leverkusen will demand for their defender, but, according to Transfermarkt, Hincapie is currently worth €35m (£30m), potentially making a deal feasible for Liverpool in the coming weeks.

The praise that he has received speaks for itself, with former Leverkusen manager Gerardo Seoane saying, via the official Bundesliga website: "We knew he had the potential, but the way he's rising to the challenge and coping with the intensity levels is really impressive. We're pleasantly surprised with how he's performing in the Bundesliga and Europe."

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The club's sporting director also had positive things to say. Simon Rolfes said: "Piero’s signing 18 months ago was an investment in the future, back then he was a talented central defender with really big potential.

"He became a key performer for our Werkself a long time ago, he has shown his international quality in the Bundesliga, in the Champions League and recently at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Piero is one of the key elements in the team who we can count on to help us achieve ambitious targets in the next few years."

So, with that said, everything points towards a player on the up, and one that Liverpool are right to be targeting.

Of course, time is running out in the summer transfer window, but anything could still happen, making Hincapie's future an interesting one to keep an eye on.

Aiden Markram fell close to the line as his maiden century approached last week, but made no mistake second time around

Firdose Moonda06-Oct-2017Aiden Markram has developed a habit of making his girlfriend, Nicole, cry.Last week, when he was run out for 97 on debut, his long-time partner was spotted in the Senwes Park stands wiping away tears of disappointment. This week, when Markram banished 97 with a swat to fine leg, there were emotions on show again – but this time of joy.”She knows how much it means to and that’s probably why,” Markram said.It’s been a big week for the young couple. Between Markram’s South Africa debut and his first major milestone, he also turned 23. Next week, he will return to his franchise Titans, which he captains, a vastly more experienced man than the one who started the season. Although a young skipper, Markram will take a lot of lessons with him from his first international experience. “I am still a young guy and I have never been one to stamp my authority on environments. But I will take what I have learnt and share it with the guys.”Lesson number one has been not to underestimate anyone, especially not Bangladesh. Though their attack has barely threatened, Markram was full of compliments. “They were at us quite a bit. The score says they didn’t bowl that well. I don’t think that’s the case. It’s a quick outfield and all of that reflected in the score,” he said. “They had a plan to bowl short. As comfortable as you can be on the short ball, it’s never a great thing to keep facing. They bowled with great energy, good intensity.”Markram batted with even more energy and intensity, almost as though he was trying to make up for not reaching the milestone last week, by scooting passed it when his chance came again. He admitted it was special to have the man who played a part in his run out then, Dean Elgar, to be in the middle for his achievement.”It hasn’t quite hit home yet. I think it will at some stage tonight. It’s quite a proud moment for me, especially after last week,” Markram said. “Today I had a little bit of extra focus in the 90s. Dean was with me. And he said it’s a special moment to have shared with me. It was nice for him to have been at the other end.”If you look at the replays closely, there may have been a glint in Elgar’s eyes too.

Leeds United seem set to continue their summer overhaul, with another move to snatch a gem from a top Premier League club…

Is Oliver Skipp leaving Tottenham Hotspur?

That's according to the Express, who suggest that Whites boss Daniel Farke is plotting a double swoop from Tottenham Hotspur, one of which will be a loan move for Joe Rodon.

However, deeper in the report it is suggested that the German head coach has considered a move for Oliver Skipp, seeking to reunite with the man who helped his Norwich City side win the Championship title back in 2021.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

The 22-year-old machine still has four years left on his £40k-per-week deal, and could be tough to pry from the Lilywhites given his recent starring displays in pre-season.

How many goals has Oliver Skipp scored for Spurs?

Should they pull such an unlikely move off, it could prove to be one of the signings of the season for this division.

He would join a host of other talent who boast experience at a level way beyond the second tier, with the hope being that they can all combine to propel them up during this campaign, and then have the foundation for a long-term stay in the top-flight.

Despite his youth, the midfield general has slowly begun to establish himself as a more influential star within the Spurs dressing room, having now made 82 appearances for the club across his 15 years there, scoring just once.

Last term even saw him feature in 23 Premier League games too, impressing at times.

However, the 2021/22 campaign arguably has marked his best in the top flight, with his 6.81 average rating suggesting he could more than hold his own in the engine room. He offered a calming presence that year, with his 90% pass accuracy and 1.8 tackles per game suggesting he was busy, industrial and economic in possession, via Sofascore.

Journalist Sam Smith even noted: "Think Oliver Skipp has been outstanding for Spurs."

Should he be handed one further term to star in the Championship, forging a new partnership with Ethan Ampadu in the engine room, they could both return to the Premier League ready to show them what their former clubs have been missing.

After all, Skipp did end up featuring in the PFA Team of the Year during that aforementioned loan stint, in which he maintained a 7.02 average rating, again posting an 88% pass accuracy and 2.2 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

To pair such quality with Ampadu, who summed up exactly what he offers his new side last Saturday in their 2-2 draw with Cardiff City, and there are few games this season in which they would not hold total control.

That game saw the Wales international record a 7.7 rating, enjoying 92 touches and maintaining an 89% pass accuracy. He would also win seven of the nine ground duels he competed in, making four further tackles, via Sofascore.

Both of these midfield generals boast the ability to break up play and keep it ticking over, with their workmanlike styles sure to offer the perfect foundation for Farke's all-action brand of football.

Their shared calming presence could allow the likes of Luis Sinisterra, Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto to thrive this year.

The ECB has been forced to delay its plans to finalise the commercial terms of the new-team T20 competition after key aspects were rejected by the first-class counties

George Dobell23-Oct-2017The ECB has been forced to delay its plans to finalise the commercial terms of the new-team T20 competition after key aspects were rejected by the first-class counties.The ECB recently circulated a framework agreement for the tournament in the hope it would be signed by now, but feedback from several counties suggested they felt the goalposts had been moved significantly since they agreed to support it. As a consequence, the ECB chairman Colin Graves, wrote to the counties on Friday to reassure them he was “very aware” of the “legitimate questions and concerns” they had raised and to inform them the ECB was “dropping the deadline” for feedback over the agreement to allow a longer period of consultation.That means counties will be asked to tender to host the matches without an accurate idea of the costs or revenues involved.The ECB will distribute tender documents to the counties (and the MCC) on Tuesday for the allocation of major matches from 2020. It will be followed by a presentation period in January – an opportunity for the grounds to show what they can offer – with the allocation set to be announced on February 14. There will, as ever, be significant winners and losers from the announcement with the decision over which clubs will host the new-team T20 competition and the 2023 Ashes series especially intriguing.Central to the delay in agreeing the commercial terms of the new-team T20 competition is a divide between those clubs likely to host it and those that will not. While some of the hosting clubs feel the financial rewards are inadequate, some of the smaller venues are concerned they are too generous and will put their own clubs at a significant long term disadvantage. The current plans would see the hosting clubs receive an annual fee of £150,000 and 30 per-cent of their own gate revenues. The first-class counties have already been guaranteed £1.3m a year each for lending their support to the new competition.Some of the hosting clubs are also uneasy that the ECB’s demand for ‘clean grounds’ during the tournament will incur huge costs and damage their own commercial agreements. A clean ground, as defined by the ICC, means the hosting club cannot use it for games (or, potentially, conferencing purposes) or retain any of its own sponsorship agreements visible in the stadium for the entirety of the tournament. Effectively, therefore, clubs would have to move out of their own grounds for five-weeks in mid-summer. They are also concerned that the offer of 30% of gate revenues is nebulous until the ECB establishes the price of tickets. Previous comments suggest they will be priced low to attract as wide an audience as possible.There are also concerns that new competition will not, in the short term at least, offer the increase of funding to grass roots cricket that was anticipated. While there is an appreciation that the new competition – and a partial return of free-to-air broadcast coverage – will provide the oxygen of publicity the game has long required, it was also initially suggested that 10% of the new-competition revenues would go to grassroots cricket. But the framework agreement makes clear that figure will come from “net revenues”. Many (though not all) insiders do not expect the competition to make a profit in its opening years due to set-up costs, so the benefits to the grass roots game may be less tangible than originally hoped.Managing such expectations may be a recurring theme at the ECB in the coming years. Having secured an impressive-looking broadcast deal – £1.1 billion over five years from 2020 – they have raised hopes for increased funding across the game. They are now finding the demands for that money, not least in terms of player salaries, is going to require careful negotiation and planning.Meanwhile, the ECB hopes to finalise the composition of the board that will run the new-team T20 competition before the end of the year. The board, effectively a subcommittee of the full ECB board, will comprise two directors elected from the county game and five independent directors.

Arsenal remain keen on signing a new midfield maestro, to compound their already bolstered engine room with one crowning jewel…

Is Douglas Luiz leaving Aston Villa?

Whilst Declan Rice will likely remain the biggest deal that Gunners boss Mikel Arteta accomplishes this summer, that's not to suggest that others could not prove as imperative on the pitch.

Kai Havertz showcased his usefulness in their Community Shield win, as he occupied space up front in Gabriel Jesus' absence, whilst Jurrien Timber was economical as an inverted left-back.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

However, all of these stars could be usurped should Football Insider's claims be true, as they suggest that Aston Villa are already working on a replacement for Douglas Luiz.

It is noted that the Midlands outfit have begun this process given the fact that both north London sides are reportedly keen on signing the player, who FootballTransfers value at €39.8m (£34m).

How good is Douglas Luiz?

The offensive attributes of the Brazilian in question could provide some much-needed firepower into Arteta's midfield for the coming campaign, to partner his England international who starred most recently as a defensive asset for West Ham United.

Maintaining a 7.19 average rating in the Premier League, the 24-year-old also recorded an 88% pass accuracy and six goal contributions alongside one key pass, 1.7 interceptions and 2.1 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

Only Thomas Partey could equal his tackling proficiency within Arsenal's squad.

To now pair the metronomic, calming yet combative presence with the all-action style of Luiz, and the two could form an instant partnership that allows the two to both push forward at opportune moments, safe in the knowledge that the other will be there to cover.

The 25-year-old's average rating during that term sat at 7.10, with his goal contributions rising to 12, pass accuracy dropping to 86%, whilst also managing 1.2 key passes, 1.1 interceptions and two tackles per game, via Sofascore.

It is clear that the former Manchester City man has that preference towards attacking, but that does not see him shirk his defensive responsibilities – as such, he was lauded by writer Martin Laurence, who suggested he had a truly bright future:

"Realise he conceded the pen (not a foul in my opinion) but Douglas Luiz is just outstanding. He's 22! Will play for one of the biggest clubs in Europe before long. Enjoy him while we can".

To make that move to the Emirates could see him realise his potential even sooner than expected, with all the aforementioned figures certain to skyrocket when surrounded by the endless improved quality on display within their title-chasing outfit.

One of the big issues Arteta faced last season was a lack of depth following poor form or injuries, and with Granit Xhaka now gone, Rice hardly profiles well to offer the goals that would be missed with the Swiss star's absence.

Luiz would not only offer this but also incomparable reliability, given he featured in 40 games across all competitions last campaign.

Should he and Rice hit the ground running as their respective play styles suggest they would, then it could truly provide a frightening foundation for the rest of the Premier League to try and compete with their energy, defensive work rate, creativity and ability to score.

A new logo representing the new governing body was unveiled on Sunday, on the 173rd anniversary of the first international sporting contest between USA and Canada in New York City played in 1844

Peter Della Penna24-Sep-2017In one of the first tangible representations of progress in the reformation of American cricket governance in the wake of USACA’s expulsion at the ICC annual conference in June, ICC Americas has announced that the new governing body being formed to replace USACA will be known as USA Cricket. A new logo representing the new governing body was unveiled on Sunday on the 173rd anniversary of the first international sporting contest between USA and Canada held in New York City on September 24, 1844.”One of the things we really tried to do is build a brand that not only connected with our past and 300 years of cricket in the United States, but also helped paint a picture for what the future of this sport could be,” Eric Parthen, USA project manager for the ICC, told ESPNcricinfo in an interview during the event. “We started the process working with Adrenalin, a company out of Denver that has done some work with the NHL, Phoenix Coyotes, Los Angeles Kings.”The logo process engaged a wider population of people through surveys. Once we got through the survey process, we drove it more internally with Adrenalin, taking the feedback we got both from the [ICC’s USA] advisory groups and from the surveys in the wider population within the cricket community and ultimately used that as the guiding principles for creating this logo.”Unlike the USACA logo, which featured an eagle embedded in a cricket ball, the new USA Cricket logo looks similar to the shield logo of the National Football League (NFL). The logo prominently features a cricket bat, something that was non-existent in the USACA logo and a trait that Parthen feels would help signify a new identity to bridge the gap between mainstream American sports fans and the core cricket membership base of expatriates from South Asia and the Caribbean.”As we want to take this sport mainstream and not just be a sport for the people that are currently playing it or the expats, that bat was the single most identifying factor for cricket within the United States,” Parthen said. “Maybe that’s not true for Australia or England or India, but in the United States, the one thing that mainstream America associates cricket with, is the bat.”So we felt it was an important part and we wanted it to be detailed enough that it didn’t look like a rowing paddle, an oar or a fraternity paddle. We looked at a number of different iterations and we felt this was the bat that had the detail that really looked like the cricket bat. So it’s a prominent feature of the logo but something we feel is pretty important to try to connect the sport to mainstream America.”USA CricketAccording to Parthen, a cricket ball appears in the majority of logos throughout the cricket world. He also noted that the logos of most American sports leagues and teams also include a ball in their logo.”In line with winning the Auty Cup for the first time in 26 years, we felt like this logo needed to be something that’s fresh and unifying in rebuilding and something that everybody could connect with.”Not just connect with the past or the future but embrace the past and look to the future and the goals we have for developing and promoting cricket, the goals we have for creating more competitive teams for competing on the highest stage. We just wanted something that resonated with the American public. If we were going to be relevant to the American people as a sport, we needed an element that clearly defined our game.”The logo’s red, white and blue color scheme is a nod to the American flag while Parthen says the other main characteristic is a single star placed inside the ‘U’ in ‘USA’ which he cites as a symbolic touch for what USA Cricket should represent both on and off the field.”The single star in the U speaks to a couple different things,” Parthen said. “One, through this whole process we’ve tried to be a unifying body. We want this to be a unifying organization so we felt the star speaks to one organization providing that strong leadership and also equally as important this one star represents cricket being one team that’s necessary to be successful.”It’s not a great individual, great bowling, batters are more important than bowlers or vice versa. It takes a full team to win and we felt that star ultimately spoke to the fact that if we’re going to succeed, we need to do it both on the field and off the field working together.”

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to continue their summer spending spree by making a move for Nottingham Forest forward, Brennan Johnson, albeit with the Lilywhites like to face competition for the youngster's signature.

How much would Brennan Johnson cost?

According to the Daily Mail, the north Londoners are seemingly considering whether to make a move for the 22-year-old if they are to lose talisman Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, with the Wales international among those list of potential targets who could replace the England skipper.

The report suggests that the Forest ace would suit the needs of what Ange Postecoglou and co are looking for as he qualifies as a homegrown talent and already has Premier League experience under his belt, having helped his current side to stave off relegation last season.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

As per the piece, the City Ground outfit are likely to demand as much as £50m if they are to sanction a sale this summer, although Spurs will seemingly be hoping to find a 'middle ground' rather than meeting that sizeable asking price.

Those at N17 aren't alone in their interest in the versatile forward, however, with Brentford having only recently seen a £35m bid rejected.

How good is Brennan Johnson?

There may be those scratching their head at the prospect of replacing Kane – who scored 30 league goals last season – with a player who has only played in the top flight for a solitary campaign thus far, although Johnson may help to form part of a fluid forward line alongside the likes of Heung-min Son, rather than directly filling the shoes of the Bayern target as a central striker.

That is the view of the Independent's Miguel Delaney, who previously shared the alterations that could be made if Tottenham's record scorer is to depart: 'Should Spurs sell Kane, the idea would be more to reshape the attack amid Ange Postecoglou’s fluid new style, rather than directly replace the forward. That is seen as virtually impossible.'

Johnson, therefore, could prove to be a dream option for that new-look attack as a player who can feature out wide or through the middle, with the emerging talent having proven himself to be a real "livewire" of late, as per journalist Ciaran Kelly.

In his debut season in the Premier League last time out, the one-time Lincoln City loanee scored eight goals and provided three assists in Forest's battle for survival, having previously been crucial in the club's promotion push after contributing 26 goals and assists in the Championship in the 2021/22 campaign.

That time in the second tier showcased the forward's ability to provide quality service to his teammates as he created 15 big chances in 2021/22, ensuring he could well help to tee up the aforementioned Son where possible next season – with Kane, for reference, creating 14 big chances in the top flight last term.

The latter man did endure something of a dip by his own standards after scoring 'just' ten league goals last season, although the 31-year-old remains an undoubted goal threat having scored 23 top-flight goals the year prior to claim the Golden Boot.

With the South Korean star likely hoping to get back to his best under Postecoglou in the upcoming campaign, having another attacking weapon alongside him to help carry the goalscoring burden could be crucial, hence why Johnson could emerge as a wise investment for those in north London.

Mohammad Amir’s five-for and an unbeaten half-century from Ryan ten Doeschate helped Essex take charge at North Marine Road

David Hopps at North Marine Road06-Aug-20171:14

County Championship round-up: Yorkshire crumble against Essex

Roll up, roll up, for the greatest Seaside Extravaganza in the Land. The start of the 131st Scarborough Festival saw Yorkshire fall quicker at Scarborough than the 10p pieces in the Penny Falls machines that after all these years occasionally tempt holidaymakers into the amusement arcades. Eighteen in the day and, at the end of it all, Essex holding the advantage.If you shove a round of Championship cricket into an otherwise non-stop programme of T20 cricket, don’t be surprised at the outcome.As Yorkshire tumbled to 74 for 9 before lunch, Adam Lyth was the coin that would not drop. He was last out for 68, scoring 63.5% of Yorkshire’s runs off the bat as they scrambled a pitiful 113 in 35.2 overs against the swinging ball. The only other batsman to look secure was Ryan Sidebottom, who helped add 39 for the last wicket in little bother, the most meaningful 8 not out of the season. You can signify a lot with a silent defensive push.Considering their disastrous first session against Mohammad Amir and Jamie Porter, Yorkshire would be relatively content with the position at the close of the first day. Essex’s lead with two wickets remaining was 75, still within range, and even that owed a lot to Ryan ten Doeschate’s unbeaten 61 from 83 balls.Yorkshire lack three England batsmen in Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance (lest his detractors forget, not yet dropped by England but injured, although the difference might be nit-picking) and have no overseas batsman on hand. Essex are without two batting rocks in Alastair Cook and Tom Westley. The bowlers could remain on top until the end.Lyth narrowly failed to carry his bat, although the distinction does not particularly interest him. Not like Geoffrey Boycott or the Great Stonewaller of days of yore, Louis Hall. He has managed it a couple of times and at the time didn’t really see what the fuss was about. “I always have to carry it,” he said. But he played late and within himself and drove judiciously. His cover drive against Mohammad Amir to reach 50 was as good as it got for Yorkshire.Twice, he might have fallen. On 28, a T20-style uppercut against Paul Walter was tipped over the bar by Varun Chopa at slip. Walter also surprised him with a languid bouncer on 63 but it fell safely at leg slip.When the ninth Yorkshire wicket fell, a spectator stood in front of the Tea Room, so identified by whitewashed capitals on its tiled roof so large they could be seen from the moon, observed the sun shining on the North York Moors and uttered: “Summat’s up.” Summat was up indeed. This match was billed as Yorkshire’s chance to launch a Championship challenge, but they have lost two of their last three matches and should they lose here, and Somerset start winning, they will start looking at the other end of the table.Mohammad Amir claimed his first five-wicket haul for Essex•Getty ImagesIt possible to discover a couple of contented Yorkshiremen in a 6000-plus crowd at North Marine Road, but as they were Chris Silverwood and Anthony McGrath, coaches of an Essex side standing proudly at the top of Division One, that did not noticeably lift the holiday mood.Yorkshire’s chief tormenter was Amir, a mid-season replacement for Neil Wagner and playing only his second Championship match of the season. The last three wickets rewarded 11 graceful overs with 5 for 18. As the last of them, Lyth, succumbed at first slip eight balls into the afternoon, Amir’s strangled cry of celebration cut through an air of stony silence.Amir struck twice in his new-ball spell. Alex Lees departed to the pavilion with an aggrieved look after an 11-ball duck, but as he could conceivably have been given out lbw or caught at fourth slip off an inside edge, the details didn’t really matter. Tom Kohler-Cadmore was bowled, undone by inswing.But the incursions with the new ball were not just about Amir. Jamie Porter made excellent use of helpful conditions as Yorkshire fell to 25 for 5 by the time bags had been unpacked and requisite layers of clothing decided. Harry Brook, released by England U-19s, pushed hard at one, Jack Leaning edged one that bounced and left him just enough and Tim Bresnan fell lbw second ball.As wickets continued to fall, though, there was something to engage the crowd. With Yorkshire nine down, lunch was delayed for half an hour, as per regulations, in a search for the last wicket. But when the umpires trooped off at 1.30pm, they were curtly instructed on their headsets by the Yorkshire scorer, John Potter, that they were one short of the statutory eight overs and should remain where they were.By the time they retraced their steps, in an atmosphere of confusion, the groundstaff had already pushed their wheelbarrows onto the wicket, and impromptu games of cricket were well under way on the outfield, so much so that one young lad had already scored more than every Yorkshire batsman but Lyth. They were ushered off, at which point a further over of utter inconsequence took place.Silverwood went to chat in the crowd as Essex batted, but as relaxed as he looked, the loss of three wickets before tea underlined Essex would not find things easy. Ravi Bopara pulled the second ball of the evening from Jack Brooks for six, just out of Sidebottom’s reach at long leg, but then pulled a long hop to square leg.Yorkshire hit back again midway through the evening session with three wickets in eight balls. Ben Coad, the most insistent of Yorkshire’s attack, is one fast bowler who will have welcomed the mid-season switch to T20 after an arduous debut season. He ended Adam Wheater’s useful resistance and had James Foster caught at second slip in the 42nd over before Sidebottom removed Paul Walter in the next over.As so often, Essex looked to ten Doeschate. Playing with selective aggression, he did not disappoint.