Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale will have a new-look set of attacking options at his disposal for the start of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign.

Alfredo Morelos departed Ibrox on a free transfer upon the expiry of his contract at the end of last season and Antonio Colak has since joined him in leaving the club with a permanent switch to Italian side Parma.

Which strikers have Rangers signed this summer?

The Light Blues head coach has replaced the two centre-forwards, who plundered a combined 25 league goals for the club last term, with Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers.

Feyenoord number nine Danilo is also reportedly closing in on a £6m switch to Glasgow, which would mean that Beale has three new strikers to pick from for the upcoming season.

The 42-year-old tactician could also bring through another fresh option in that position in the future by promoting 17-year-old forward Zak Lovelace, who could be the dream heir to Dessers at Ibrox.

How many goals did Zak Lovelace score last season?

The London-born dynamo scored 18 goals in 37 appearances for the first-team and B-team combined after his move from Millwall last summer.

His impressive goalscoring record for the young Light Blues, which included 15 goals and six assists in 26 Lowland League matches, suggests that the potential is there for him to develop into an excellent player for Beale if he can translate that form over to the senior squad.

No Rangers striker managed more than 14 league strikes last season and the prolific teenager has showcased his ability to find the back of the net with greater regularity than that, albeit at youth team level, which is why the head coach could already have the dream long-term heir to Dessers.

At the age of 28, the former Cremonese ace is by no means at the end of his career but the Nigerian international will be 32 by the end of his contract with Rangers in 2027, at which point Lovelace will be 21.

This means that the stars could align for the ex-Lions prospect to breakthrough into the first-team as Dessers comes to the end of his time with the Gers, should he stay for the entirety of his deal, as the B-team star would be heading into his formative years as a professional.

Lovelace, who was handed his senior debut by Beale against Celtic in May, was hailed as an "exciting" player by former sporting director Ross Wilson and the lethal teen marksman has lived up to the hype so far.

His return of 16 goals in 29 'B' team matches works out at an average of one strike every 1.81 games. Whereas, Dessers has scored once every 2.52 outings on average throughout his whole senior career, with 111 goals in 280 appearances.

Of course, there is no guarantee that Lovelace will be able to carry his sublime goalscoring form into professional football but his outstanding performances for the club's academy suggests that the potential is there for him to make the step up.

He could now have four years to continue his development, whether that is with the Gers' academy side or out on loan, before looking to step up to replace Dessers in 2027.

England ground their way into a dominant position in the first Test of the series on the back of handy contributions from Moeen Ali and Alastair Cook

The Report by Alan Gardner08-Jul-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSouth Africa have not lost a Test at Lord’s since 1960, recording four victories and two draws in six visits post-readmission. That redoubtable record looked set to come under threat over the next two days as England ground their way into a dominant position in the first Test of the series.Inch by inch, Joe Root’s new(ish) England side took control on the third day. Moeen Ali again played a key role with the ball, his impressive personal contribution continuing with a four-wicket haul as South Africa settled for a first-innings deficit of 97; Alastair Cook then passed 50 for the 15th time in a Lord’s Test as England stretched their lead beyond 200 on another hot and hazy afternoon in the capital.The situation would have been trickier still for South Africa had it not been for contrasting half-centuries from Quinton de Kock and Vernon Philander earlier in the day. The majority of Philander’s innings came after he had been struck a painful blow on the hand by James Anderson, although X-rays confirmed he had not suffered a break. He did not return to the field until late in the evening session and was not called on to bowl, although South Africa hope he will be fit to play a full part on Sunday.Cook had missed out in the first innings but was not about to let a second opportunity go begging. South Africa lost both their reviews inside ten overs trying to dislodge him and although he was separated from his opening partner, Keaton Jennings, after an 80-run stand, Gary Ballance helped steer England to the close with the majority of their batting resources intact.At one stage in the evening session, Cook amassed a single run over the course of 40 deliveries, a man perfectly content to embody the statelier virtues of a bygone era amid the carnival of modern batsmanship. The practice of leaving the off side open to try and make Cook drive against Keshav Maharaj’s spin resulted in a brace of well-timed cover drives early on, while another four boundaries were eased behind square on the off side.He was inconvenienced, if not ruffled, by lbw reviews off the bowling of Morne Morkel, whose delivery was shown to have pitched outside leg stump, and Maharaj, who struck him outside the line of off with a sharply spinning ball. Morkel was eventually rewarded for a probing spell after tea as Jennings wafted flat-footed to be caught behind.The sense that South Africa were losing their way on a ground where they have enjoyed much success over the last 25 years was betrayed early on, when Temba Bavuma, who had recorded his seventh Test fifty during the opening exchanges, was dismissed by Moeen. Bavuma began heading off the pitch vaguely towards the gap in the boundary boards by the Warner Stand before realising his mistake and being redirected to the pavilion gate.De Kock was more sure-footed, marking his first Test innings at Lord’s with the second-fastest fifty on the ground, from 36 balls. Alongside Philander’s battling knock, they prevented South Africa’s first innings from being completely subsumed, although there was also a sense of good starts being wasted: of the four South Africa batsman to reach 50, including captain Dean Elgar on the second day, none managed more than Bavuma’s 59.Philander was struck several times during his stay but replied with a few hefty blows off the bat, despite his discomfort. De Kock dominated the scoring during their rapid stand of 66, before Philander helped add another 47 for the last two wickets.Root had turned to his spinners early on and, with the surface hinting at variable bounce and increased turn as it cooked under the sun, they will doubtless have an even greater role to play later in the game. Liam Dawson enjoyed a more successful outing as he and Moeen shared six wickets – only the second time since 1999 that two England spinners had done so in the first innings of a home Test.Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s nightwatchman, got through the first 40 minutes before nicking Dawson into Jonny Bairstow’s gloves to end a stand of 41 and England made an even bigger breakthrough in the following over when Moeen had Bavuma taken at slip, playing back as a delightfully flighted ball drifted away and then spun in to clip the outside edge.De Kock arrived low in the order, at No. 8, but not low on confidence. Stuart Broad was twice taken for three fours in an over as de Kock, who scored his maiden Test hundred against England last year, set about matching the grand surroundings with an innings of equivalent pomp. Philander, meanwhile, dealt bravely with Anderson from the Pavilion End.Although Broad found shape to beat de Kock’s outside edge in his first over with the second new ball, he was soon sent on to the back foot: Broad’s next three deliveries were dispatched to the rope – clipped off the legs, cut and then driven square. The final over of Broad’s spell saw him receive similar treatment, with the last of de Kock’s three fours in five balls a magisterial, rubber-wristed drive through midwicket.Moeen then replaced Broad from the Nursery End but de Kock got stuck into him, too, twice skipping out to loft the spinner over mid-on to go to his half-century. With the adrenalin still pumping, however, he threw his hands at a drive off Anderson from the ball he faced and was scooped up by the diving Stokes at point.Anderson had bowled almost exclusively to Philander to that point, though his only successes were counted in marks left on his opponent. One kept low, another hit a crack and jacknifed away from the right-hander – worrying signs, perhaps, for the team batting last – and Philander had just been beaten by a similar delivery when he was rapped on the bottom hand by a ball that came back and jumped venomously off a length. Philander grimaced, received some treatment and got back to the job. Come the close, there was more work to do still.

Chamara Kapugedara has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy with an injury to his right knee, which was sustained during training on Wednesday

Andrew Fidel Fernando07-Jun-2017

Sri Lanka batsman Chamara Kapugedera has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy with an injury to his right knee, which was sustained during training on Wednesday. He has been replaced with opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka, who was on stand-by in England.”Kapugedara [had] a heavy pounding on the right knee when he landed on it awkwardly during a fielding drill this morning, and radiographic investigation has revealed a meniscal tear coupled with an acute tendon injury,” a board release said. “Tournament and SLC Medical experts have recommended a supervised convalescence of two weeks, followed by a review of the injury.”Though Gunathilaka, who is likely to play the match against India on Thursday, is officially replacing Kapugedara, he will effectively be taking the place of Upul Tharanga at the top of the order. Kapugedara’s middle order position, meanwhile, will be assumed by Angelo Mathews, who is set to play his first ODI since August last year.Kapugedara was out first ball in Sri Lanka’s tournament opener against South Africa, but had been in some form in the approach to the tournament.

Manchester United are working on a move to sign Urawa Red Diamonds goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news?

Off the pitch, a potential Old Trafford takeover involving the Glazers is still up in the air, however, that hasn’t stopped Erik ten Hag adding to his squad ahead of his second season in charge.

Mason Mount has signed from Chelsea in a deal worth £60m, taking the famous number seven shirt, and it looks as if Inter Milan’s Andre Onana could be the next to arrive after David de Gea officially left the club.

It seems as if a deal is close for the Cameroon international, however, another new ‘keeper could be required, especially if Dean Henderson re-joins Nottingham Forest on a permanent transfer.

Ten Hag could then be left with Tom Heaton as his only alternative option to Onana, and it appears as if Suzuki is another target at Old Trafford.

Transfer expert Romano took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share more Man United transfer news he’s heard, this time on Suzuki. He said the club are “working” on a move for the youngster, who is one of three options as a backup goalkeeper.

“Manchester United are working on Zion Suzuki deal. Japanese goalkeeper is one of 3 options as backup GK and talks are now taking place on player side.

“No talks yet with Urawa Reds as Man United are busy with André Onana deal being completed.”

This isn’t the first time Suzuki has been linked with a move to Manchester. Recent reports have claimed that the Red Devils have been scouting the goalkeeper since 2017 and believed a shock move to England was close to completion after a formal £5m offer was made. Should a £5m transfer go through, it would represent a record J League departure, surpassing the £4.5m Celtic spent on forward Kyogo Furuhashi.

Who is Zion Suzuki?

Suzuki is 20 years of age and was actually born in the United States of America, however, he has been in Japan with Urawa Red Diamonds for a number of years.

The shot-stopper has even represented Japan at international level, making his one and only senior appearance for the country last year. At club level, Suzuki has made 29 appearances for Urawa Red Diamonds, keeping 12 clean sheets, and he appears to be a potential star in the making.

In the media, Suzuki is ‘widely considered as one of the most exciting goalkeeping prospects coming out of Japan’. His ‘distribution is exceptional, he makes passes which would be talked about for weeks if it were Ederson’. Therefore, he could be an ideal long-term addition at Old Trafford alongside someone like Onana.

It appears as if a move is in fact one to watch over the coming weeks, but you’d expect the club will be focusing on finalising a move for Onana first, with Suzuki possibly coming in and playing second choice in domestic cup competitions during his first year, especially as the club are preparing for life back in the Champions League.

Everton target Anthony Elanga is 'veering away' from a move to Goodison Park and will instead keep his 'options open' this summer as he finds himself out of favour at Manchester United, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Anthony Elanga moving to Everton?

As per BBC Sport, Everton have been interested in Elanga this window and Manchester United are believed to be open to letting him go for a fee in the region of £15-20 million.

Nevertheless, The Daily Mail report that Elanga isn't keen on a move to Goodison Park this summer and has in fact turned down the chance to work under Sean Dyche as he assesses his options.

The outlet claim that Elanga and Everton have held discussions over a potential switch; however, the player has 'ruled out' the possibility of heading to the Toffees over doubts over his suitability as a player to Dyche's tactical framework.

Elanga has previously been linked with Everton and was close to joining the club on loan in January before his move was blocked by Manchester United at the last minute, according to The Manchester Evening News.

Intriguingly, the same publication state that Nottingham Forest have also expressed a desire to try and take Elanga to the City Ground and it is rumoured that Manchester United could half their asking price to £10 million.

And, it now looks as if he is set to join the Nottinghamshire club.

Last term, Elanga, who was hailed as a "quality" player, made 26 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United, registering two assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones doesn't think that Elanga will envisage himself moving to Everton any time soon.

Jones stated: "Elanga looked like he was going to be, not a central figure at Man Utd, but certainly a first-team figure at Man Utd at one stage and he was probably enjoying being part of that trajectory. If he's going to contemplate a move. I think that he'll want to be veering away from the side that has been so much of the game on the back foot and that are going to be relying a lot on set pieces and moments in games rather than dominating them. Maybe he's just trying to keep his options open to make sure that he lands a move that actually suits him, but from an Everton point of view, yeah, I think it'd be quite disappointing as he holds good value in this market."

Who else does Sean Dyche want to bring to Everton?

Renowned transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has detailed that Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma is closing in on a move to Everton, stating on Twitter: "Danjuma will undergo medical tests as new Everton player in the next days, it could be weekend — not today. Agreement reached on loan deal from Villarreal until June 2024, as reported earlier. Danjuma has accepted — he already spoke to Sean Dyche. Here we go."

Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto is reportedly willing to swap Elland Road for Goodison Park this summer, though a fee is still to be agreed by both parties, as per FootballTransfers.

Ajax striker Brian Brobbey is being lined up as a potential solution to Everton's goalscoring woes and boss Dyche is keen on pushing a move through for the Dutchman, as per Football Insider.

Everton look like they're about to start ramping up their transfer business and it could be an exciting few weeks for Toffees' supporters as new arrivals draw closer.

There is now a "serious possibility" that Chelsea could sign Flamengo's exciting young midfielder Matheus Franca this summer, transfers expert Fabrizio Romano has told GIVEMESPORT.

Chelsea transfer news – what's the latest on Matheus Franca?

It's been another busy summer of frantic transfer business in West London, but more due to outgoings than incomings for once, with the club selling a raft of first-team players to the burgeoning Saudi league, European leagues and even rivals in the Premier League.

The shipping off of so many players has now allowed the club to start looking towards incomings, with the young striker Nicolas Jackson already coming through the doors at Stamford Bridge from La Liga outfit Villarreal.

The club are also making a conscious effort to sign young, exciting players that are full of potential, with one of those targets being Flamengo's much sought-after Franca.

Fabrizio Romano confirmed on his YouTube channel last week that the Blues were preparing to make an opening offer for the youngster in the region of £17m, with additional add-ons driving the fee up further.

Things appear to have progressed yet further over the course of the week, with a deal now looking increasingly likely, according to the Italian.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Chelsea and Matheus Franca?

Romano was clear in confirming Chelsea's interest in the exciting youngster as well as revealing the club's overall strategy when it comes to South America in the future.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Matheus Franca is a serious possibility. They are already invested in Angelo Gabriel. Franca is another super talent.

"So, it seems very clear the idea is to invest in a big way in South American talents and hope to see them in a Chelsea shirt in the future."

How good is Matheus Franca?

It isn't easy to get a full picture of just how good Franca really is as he is still relatively new to senior football, having played just 28 times for Flamengo in Brazil's Serie A.

However, he has managed to impress in his short time as a professional footballer finding the back of the net five times in those 28 appearances and considering he has managed that feat while playing in five different positions, the hype might well be justified.

Football scout Jacek Kulig would likely agrees as he was full of praise for the player when he first flagged him to fans outside of Brazil almost two years ago, saying:

"Great midfielder, great striker, he can play almost everywhere. One of the most exciting teenagers in Brazil at the moment."

Even with his limited experience, some elements of his game jump off the page when you look at his underlying numbers.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position in what they define as the world's next best eight competitions, Franca sits in the top 2% for non-penalty goals, the top 3% for non-penalty expected goals and total shots, the top 4% for touches in the opposition's penalty area, and the top 11% for successful take-ons, all per 90.

If Chelsea can secure his signature for just £17m, it could prove to be a brilliant bit of business in a few years time.

دافع جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي مانشستر سيتي، جاك جريليش، عن نفسه ضد الانتقادات التي يتلقاها بسبب مستواه في الموسم الحالي.

وشارك جريليش في الموسم الحالي في 7 بطولات مختلفة بقميص مانشستر سيتي بإجمالي 32 مباراة، لكنه لم يسجل سوى 3 أهداف وصنع مثلها في 1958 دقيقة.

ترى الجماهير والصحافة الإنجليزية أن جريليش لا يقدم ما عليه مع مانشستر سيتي هذا الموسم، مقارنة بالمبلغ الذي تم شراؤه به في صيف 2021 من أستون فيلا والبالغ 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

اقرأ أيضًا | أوزيل: بيلينجهام لديه فرصة للتتويج بـ الكرة الذهبية.. وهالاند كان يهرب من روديجر

وتحدث جريليش عن موسمه الحالي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الكتالونية، وقال: “هذا الموسم صعب للغاية، خاصة بعد كل ما قدمته في الموسم الماضي”.

وتابع: “كنت أحد اللاعبين الأساسيين في مانشستر سيتي، قدمت كل ما لدي، لكن مع بداية الموسم الحالي، تعرضت لإصابة في الساق أبعدتني عن الملاعب لمدة شهر”.

واستمر: “كنت بحالة جيدة، لكنني لم أقدم مستواي الفني المعروف، الآن أشعر بأنني جاهز وأريد مساعدة الفريق بعد عدة إصابات في الفخذ أثرت على أدائي”.

وعن الانتقادات: “من المعروف أن مانشستر سيتي اشتراني بمقابل 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني، لكنني لم أسجل أكثر من 8 أهداف في الموسم الواحد”.

وواصل تصريحاته: “مانشستر سيتي لم يوقعوا معي لأكون هالاند وأسجل الكثير من الأهداف، لكنني بالطبع أتمنى أن أفعل ذلك”.

وأضاف: “اعتقد أن مانشستر سيتي يعرف ما يمكنني تقديمه في أشياء كثيرة، لكن الجميع يفضل التحدث عن الأهداف وصناعتها، أمر مزعج بعض الشيء”.

وأتم: “يمكنني أن أقدم مباراة رائعة ولا أسجل أو أصنع أي هدف، لكن الجميع لا يزالوا يقولون إنه لم يفعل أي شيء من الأمرين”.

ScorecardThe final day of this game began with Hampshire’s batsmen hoping that the weather might save them only to find the Mancunian climate contributing to their slow doom. Overcast conditions and James Anderson with a fairly new cricket ball in his hand rarely make pleasant viewing for batsmen, let alone those aspiring to engineer a miraculous escape.That contention was made evident to Matt Salisbury as early as the fifth ball of the day when the nightwatchman prodded forward to Anderson but only edged to Dane Vilas at first slip. The tone of the day had been set and although it was not until 3.02 that Lancashire completed their innings-and-30-run victory there was really little doubt they would win this game at some stage.There was rain for almost an hour soon after Anderson took his only wicket of the day but in the pavilion terrace settled down to their knitting secure in the knowledge that the guillotine had been sharpened. The next neck upon which it descended belonged to Sean Ervine, who attempted to drive Kyle Jarvis but only inside-edged the ball onto his leg stump. Hampshire lunched with their score on 81 for 7 and their chances of making Lancashire bat again were slim at best; nothing to disturb the Château Lynch‑Bages and ripe reblochon in the 1864 suite at any rate.It was an indication of Lancashire’s comfort in the afternoon session that Anderson was not needed. Figures of 15-5-20-4 had offered clear proof of his form and on Sunday evening he will practise with a pink ball for the first time in his life. Next week he may be bowling under the Edgbaston floodlights and quite possibly in the early twilight of an English summer evening. One imagines that the Warwickshire batsmen cannot wait for the fun to start.In a week or two Anderson will probably be required by England. For the present he is clearly enjoying being part of a Lancashire team whose performance in this game mocked the pre-season pessimists. Steven Croft’s team are now second in the table after seven games; some folk thought they would be seventh or even cut adrift by now.”Not many people would have expected Essex and Lancashire to be first and second after seven games but we’re in a really strong position and we have a lot of competition for places,” said Anderson. “But we’re not going to get carried away. We have a big game against Warwickshire and if we get a result there it will put us in a great position before the back end of the summer.”Hampshire batted perfectly respectably in the afternoon session, albeit that they had not a hope in hell of saving the game. Lewis McManus, never one to give his wicket away, defended stoutly for 79 minutes before umpire Paul Baldwin finally acquiesced to Ryan McLaren’s fourth lbw shout in about two overs. A callow observer might imagine that he simply tired of being shouted at.The last two batsmen fell to leg-side catches by Alex Davies, whose century in Lancashire’s only innings is in danger of being overlooked amid the blitz from Vilas and McLaren which followed it. But it was McLaren who engineered the authentic dismissal of Kyle Abbott by bowling around the wicket and digging the ball in. The ex-Hampshire allrounder thus ended this game against his former employers with a catch, five wickets and a century to his credit. One hopes that chivalrous fellow Daniel Gidney has sent Rod Bransgrove a thank-you card.The game ended when Gareth Berg, having batted well for his 49 runs, was strangled down the leg side off Jarvis. Within ten minutes or so a net was put up on the square and Glen Chapple was conducting a pink-ball practice session. Soon after that, a group of happy Lancastrians were playing football on the boundary edge; contented, professional men, they were enjoying deserved relaxation at the end of one busy week and before the start of another.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson will seal his move to Saudi Arabia at some point "this week", according to a new update on the saga from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Is Jordan Henderson leaving Liverpool?

The 33-year-old has enjoyed a legendary Anfield career, arriving from Sunderland way back in the summer of 2011 and maturing into arguably one of the best skippers in the club's history.

Henderson's Reds story has been such a heartwarming one, having recovered from a really tough early spell at the club to eventually became a leader who has lifted endless trophies along the way, including the Premier League and Champions League.

From nowhere, however, the midfielder looks set to bring an end to his time at Anfield, with endless recent reports claiming he will join up with former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard at Saudi side Al Ettifaq. While his best days look to be behind him, given his age and form last season, it is a move that very few saw coming, with the general consensus being that he would remain on Merseyside as a squad player.

Henderson's decision appears to be made up, however, and a new update has now emerged that outlines exactly when his Reds departure will likely be announced.

What's the latest transfer news?

Taking to Twitter, Romano dropped a short but significant update regarding the England international's future, saying he expects his exit to be completed in the coming days:

"Jordan Henderson deal to be signed this new week."

It almost still feels quite bizarre that Henderson is leaving Liverpool for Saudi Arabia, with his Anfield career coming to a surreal and underwhelming end. Given what he has achieved at the club, he deserved a memorable send-off, with images of him being serenaded by the Kop, but instead, he is slinking out of the exit door in unsatisfactory fashion.

It is certainly disappointing to see the veteran choosing to move to Saudi Arabia for what is seemingly a financial decision, especially when he has stood up so valiantly for the LGBT community down the years, and it is hard not to see his Liverpool legacy being tarnished a little.

Of course, Henderson will always be appreciated for being a great captain, not to mention making 492 appearances and providing so much underrated quality along the way, but things could have ended up so much better, in terms of his departure.

In hindsight, offering him a new long-term deal in 2021 was a poor decision by the club, tying him down until 2025, when it would have made far more sense for him to just see out of old contract until 2023, leaving on a free transfer at this point and receiving the kind of goodbye that Roberto Firmino did at the end of last season.

The key now is for Liverpool to make sure they bring in outstanding replacements for both Henderson and Fabinho this summer – younger midfield options such as Romeo Lavia and Cheick Doucoure who are capable of covering ground, bringing intensity and generally enjoying the influence the Reds pair once had.

It seems a pretty safe bet to assume that neither Haseeb Hameed or Jos Buttler will be in the England squad for the first Test against South Africa when it is named at 9am on Sunday

George Dobell at Edgbaston28-Jun-2017
ScorecardIt seems a pretty safe bet to assume that neither Haseeb Hameed or Jos Buttler will be in the England squad for the first Test against South Africa when it is named at 9am on Saturday.Both were in the side the last time England played a Test series – December in India, though Hameed missed the final Test through injury – but, for various reasons, it seems neither will retain their place.Haseeb Hameed has simply not scored enough runs. In 15 first-class innings this season, he has failed to make a 50 and only reached 25three times. He’s been out for a duck four times.By the time the India series finished, it seemed unthinkable that Hameed would not be retained for England’s next Test. But, whetherit’s a case of county bowlers learning how to bowl at him after a successful first season in the game, or whether he is strugglingmentally with the new levels of expectation with which he is confronted, is hard to say. His balance at the crease might also be a factor; his movements certainly don’t seem as sharp as they did in India with a prop onto the front foot perhaps leaving him exposed whenhe has to play back.Butter was promoted to open in the second innings here. It was a tactical decision based upon the hope that he might enjoy the pace ofthe harder ball and also soften it more quickly. Worcestershire enjoyed success with similar tactics against Durham.It was selfless of Buttler to agree to such a ploy. But whether it’s what he needs at this stage of his career is debatable. Rather thanbringing his undisputed white ball skills to play in red (or pink) ball cricket, he might be better served developing his long-form skills.He hasn’t had much chance to do that. Since the end of the 2014 season, he has played just two Championship games and scored 45Championship runs. He has played 15 Tests, it is true, but few learn their trade at the top level without an apprenticeship. It is asking alot of him to do so.It would be understandable if Buttler didn’t continue to pursue a future as a red ball player. He doesn’t need to: his status as a whiteball player – and his earning potential – is strong. If he helps England win a World Cup, he can retire with a proud record.He has always said, however, that he is keen to make it as a Test player and he clearly has the raw ability to do so. But, as JohnLennon put it, life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. And the down side of England’s new prioritisation ofwhite ball cricket – the decision to play in the IPL rather than County Championship; the decision to allocate a window in prime summerto a new-team T20 competition – is that there is simply no time for players like Buttler to learn their red-ball trade. It’s no-one’s fault, it’s just a reflection of the modern world.Haseeb Hameed has done nothing to retain his England place•Getty ImagesAnyway Buttler, having attempted a lavish swipe outside off stump, soon departed to a catch at mid-wicket as he tried to clip one throughthe leg side. And Hameed, who survived a strong leg before shout on 15, was then trapped by a little away swing as he shaped to playthrough mid-wicket and was beaten by one that looked as if it were heading on to his pads, but straightened towards middle and off.Both might have learned a thing or two from Andy Umeed’s innings. While both Hameed and Buttler paid for playing across the line, Umeed played resolutely straight and demonstrated remarkable patience in adding 100 for Warwickshire eighth-wicket with Jeetan Patel.It has emerged – courtesy of Robert Brooke, co-founder of the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians – that Umeed’scentury was the second slowest (in terms of minutes; records in terms of balls have only been reliably kept since about 1987) in the history of the County Championship after Jason Gallian’s 453 minute effort for Lancashire against Derbyshire at Blackpool in 1994. It took Umeed 429 minutes to reach three-figures, which was nine minutes slower than WH ‘Billy’ Denton’s 420-minutes century for Northants against Derbyshire in 1914.Warwickshire’s management have been asking for their batsmen to show some fight for a few weeks; in Umeed they found an old-fashioned battler. It is not a fashionable quality, but then nor are good manners or driving on the inside lane on a motorway and those things have value, too.The most fluent batting on day three of this game came from Alex Davies. Driving, cutting and pulling with more freedom than anyoneelse has managed all game, Davies helped Lancashire wipe off the first innings arrears of 48 and gain a lead of 130 going into the final day.But when he fell top-edging an attempted pull and Steven Croft laced another pull to mid-wicket where Umeed took an excellent catch – itseems he can move pretty fast when required – Warwickshire clawed their way into the game once more. If the weather holds, we might yethave a terrific finish here.