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A batting promotion worked wonders for Moeen Ali as he scored his second Test century, and the fourth-highest score by an England No. 7, to build an imposing total of 498 for 9 before Alastair Cook declared before tea

The Report by Andrew McGlashan28-May-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsTwo men of the day: Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali share a high five•Getty Images

Powered by Moeen Ali’s career-best 155 and three wickets on recall for Chris Woakes, England put themselves in position to push for another innings victory as Sri Lanka produced an insipid display on the second day at Chester-le-Street. The visiting batting subsided to 90 for 8 in reply to England’s 498 for 9, the follow-on surely set to be enforced in the morning, although they at least avoided being sent back in during the evening session, which looked a possibility at one stage.Moeen’s second Test century – his first also came against Sri Lanka, at Headingley in 2014 – allowed England to plunder 188 runs off 42 overs, of which Moeen provided 127, before Alastair Cook declared 40 minutes before tea. One down at the break was a passable start given what happened in Leeds, but things quickly unravelled in the final session, Woakes backing up the early incisions of James Anderson and Stuart Broad by quickly locating a challenging length with some late nip allied to eye-catching pace in the high 80s mph. Broad then returned in the final moments of the day to strike two more blows against the lower order.Regardless of the defences that can be given to Sri Lanka about the challenges of the conditions and the rebuilding phase the side is going through it was woeful performance from them. The tone was set early when, in stark contrast to their excellent catching on the opening day, they spilled two crucial chances in the first session: Moeen was dropped on 36 and Woakes on 8 inside the first four overs of the day, and from then on Sri Lanka were listless in the field.The second of those two chances, a regulation outside edge, was spilled by Dinesh Chandimal who was struggling with a thumb injury and at morning drinks was replaced by Kusal Mendis behind the stumps. It begged the question, given that Graham Ford had admitted the injury concern the night before, why the change hadn’t been made at the start of the day.Given a total of 298 at Headingley overwhelmed the Sri Lankans, 498 must have looked a fearful number looming from the scoreboard even as the sun shone brightly during the evening session. Mendis was again the best of an out-classed batting order, although Lahiru Thirimanne showed some pluck to see out the day, but their desperate state was summed up by Angelo Mathews’ review when he was given caught behind (having declined to review last week when he would have been saved from his lbw dismissal).Anderson picked up where he left off at Headingley when he found Dimuth Karunaratne’s leg stump in the third over when the left hander moved too far across to try and protect his outside edge. Anderson’s first spell, split either side of tea as Cook’s declaration allowed his new-ball pair a breather, also included Chandimal whose forgettable day continued when he edged to first slip with hard hands. Broad claimed Kaushal Silva when Jonny Bairstow took a sharp low catch which was referred to the TV umpire, Rod Tucker, although the on-field officials had given the soft signal as out.Woakes, who had played confidently for his 39 after the early life, was given the ball ahead of Steven Finn and in his second over found Mathews’ outside edge. A bowler who has recently taken 9 for 36 probably does not need much of a confidence boost, but when your Test average was upward of 60 removing the opposition’s best player is a perfect way to start.He then added Mendis, exaggerated lift finding the splice of the bat, and Milinda Siriwardana who edged a delivery that kept down – a pair of dismissals which further highlighted why Cook was happy to bat first. Still, it was not a 67 for 6 surface. Thirimanne and Rangana Herath resisted until the penultimate over of the day when Herath sparred to gully. Shaminda Eranga was then taken on the rebound by Joe Root at second slip after James Vince had done well to palm up a fast nick above his head.England resumed on 310 for 6, talking positively of 450 but probably willing to accept 400. By the time Cook declared, the last four wickets had added 271 runs with Moeen finishing with the fourth-highest score by an England No. 7. He received good support from the lower order, adding 92 for the seventh wicket with Woakes and 98 for the last two wickets combined, reaching three figures from 109 balls with a lofted drive down the ground. His next fifty took just another 43 deliveries, as he cut loose with Finn and Anderson for company, with the 150 being raised by a crunching six over deep midwicket off Suranga Lakmal.Although he made a half-century two Tests ago, against South Africa at Centurion, it has been a largely lean time with the bat for Moeen since last year’s Ashes series where his brisk lower-order contributions were vital at Cardiff and Edgbaston. He has not made any secret that he would prefer to bat higher in the order and in the absence of Ben Stokes he has, temporarily at least, moved up a spot. While not a chanceless innings, he appeared more focused than when he is lumped down with the bowlers.The only high point of the day for Sri Lanka was Herath’s 300th Test which finally came his way in his 28th over when Finn top-edged a slog sweep – Herath was not going to leave the catching to any of his team-mates. He became the third Sri Lankan bowler after Muttiah Muralitharan (light years ahead on 800 wickets) and Chaminda Vass (355) to cross the milestone. He was warmly applauded by the crowd and he raised the ball in acknowledgement, although a touch of reality soon dawned when No. 11 Anderson reverse swept him for four. The fact he had batted, and with more defiance than some, by the end of the day further summed up Sri Lanka’s plight.

Liverpool are reportedly considering an audacious swoop for Newcastle United machine Bruno Guimaraes, who has arguably been the centrepiece of the Tyneside club's resounding revival.

Signing for the Magpies for £40m in January 2022, arriving from French Ligue 1 outfit Lyon, Guimaraes swiftly asserted himself as an integral cog in manager Eddie Howe's system.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is in the market for midfielders, and he's targeting the cream of the crop.

According to Spanish outlet AS, the Reds manager would be willing to part with £85m to facilitate the Brazilian's arrival, with his outfit having hit a bump in the road this season and seen progress derailed.

James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita are all leaving Anfield in a matter of months with their contracts set to expire, while stricken loanee Arthur is also on the way out.

It is important to regard, however, United's likely qualification for the Champions League this season, perched in third place, four points above Liverpool ahead of the Reds' trip to Leicester City on Monday.

Should Klopp's outfit fail to secure a seventh successive season in Europe's premier competition, there is no reason why Guimaraes should switch such a free-firing and affluent outfit that has clinched Champions League football ahead of schedule.

Who could Bruno Guimaraes replace at Liverpool?

While there is set to be ample room freed up in the Merseyside club's midfield this summer, the arrival of someone of Guimaraes' ilk could displace the first-team regulars, such is the scope of his skill set.

Prior to the weekend, the 25-year-old recorded a 7.25 rating in the Premier League last season, as per Sofascore, arriving in January, scoring five goals from 11 starts, completing 86% of his passes and making 2.6 tackles per game.

This term, while he has only scored three times from 28 starts, he is just as impressive and boasts a 7.13 average rating, completing 84% of his passes, making 2.4 tackles per match and supplying five assists.

Lauded as "world-class" by teammate Dan Burn, Guimaraes ranks among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe's big five leagues over the past 365 days for rate of assists, the top 19% for shot-creating actions, the top 17% for progressive passes and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, illustrating the dynamism and energy of his output that could enrich Liverpool's fortunes.

The £120k-per-week phenom could be the perfect man to take over from Curtis Jones, who is perhaps unlikely to be deemed irreplaceable in the Reds midfield, especially when presented with the potential acquisition of a first-rate star such as Guimaraes.

The Liverpool ace ranks among the top 4% of positional peers for pass completion, as well as the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 14% for shot-creating actions per 90, described as the "complete #8" by one analyst & scout. However, he is arguably nowhere near the stature of Guimaraes, who has performed on the European and international stages.

With similarities easily drawn between the respective aces, Liverpool could sign a huge upgrade in Guimaraes and a player who could slot sweetly into the fold at Anfield.

Mitchell Starc has admitted to feeling a little frustrated at having to sit out of matches in the ongoing tri-series in the West Indies, but said he understood that his workload management was important

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jun-2016

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has admitted to feeling a little frustrated at having to sit out of matches in the ongoing tri-series in the West Indies, but said he understood that his workload management was important with a busy season ahead.Starc, who made his international return in this series after a long injury lay-off, played only two of Australia’s four matches so far, taking five wickets. He is expected to play against South Africa on Sunday.Khawaja acknowledges team support during Ramadan

Australia batsman Usman Khawaja has acknowledged the support of the team management while he observes the Muslim fasting period of Ramadan. Khawaja told that he had been fasting whenever possible during the series, while managing playing and training.
“It’s been alright. It’s something that I really enjoy doing, but if it’s affecting my cricket or my training in too much of a negative way, then I probably won’t do it,” he said. “It just depends on the situation.
“They don’t force me to do anything. It’s a choice, it’s my personal choice. They know that at the end of the day I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise the team in any way.
“And what I’m doing now, I’ve said to them before that when I fast, I make sure I do everything as well as I can. And if I’m not doing it as well as I can, I will stop doing it and catch it up later on, which is always an option.”

“It’s part of the plan unfortunately,” Starc told . “Being fit this time around and watching from the side can be a little bit frustrating. But I’ve got to look at the bigger picture and there’s a lot to come in the next six months, so I’ll stick by the plan and stick by what the medicos tell me to do. I don’t have too much say in it. I want to play every game.”The bigger picture (is) we have three Tests against Sri Lanka, a one-day series that follows that, a one-day series in South Africa and then we’ve got the home summer. It’s feeling really good, but I’ve just got to manage that at this point in time. That’s for the medicos to do and me to sit back, unfortunately.”Starc said he was accustomed to having the team’s medical staff determine his playing schedule to keep him fit over the course of a season, particularly after his previous struggles with fitness. Starc battled long-term ankle problems and the injury flared up again during the Ashes Test in Cardiff last year. He then underwent surgery on the ankle in December while recovering from a fractured foot he suffered during the Adelaide Test against New Zealand.Australia also have a packed calendar in 2016-17. After the tri-series, they will tour Sri Lanka and then play an ODI series in South Africa. They will host four teams over the home summer – South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka – before ending their season with a tour of India in February-March 2017.”I’m getting used to being told what to do,” Starc said with a smile. “It’d be really nice to play every single game, but the sheer amount of cricket we play these days, if you play every game, you’re going to break down at some point, so you have to be a little bit smarter about it.”At the moment, I’m feeling really good. I’m feeling strong and ready to go at every point. It’s about me getting right for the next game, and if that involves playing, that’s lovely. But if it means I have to rest or sit out here and there, I’ll have to cop that on the chin as well.”It’s about finding that happy medium, where you’re not bowling yourself into the ground and you’re injured every 12 months. But at the same time, you want to keep that rhythm and be fresh enough to play as much as you can.”Starc, who has played 48 ODIs and taken 95 wickets, is within sight of a record. He needs five wickets to become the fastest bowler to 100 ODI wickets, a record currently held by former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who got to the landmark in 53 matches.Incidentally, Australia have lost both matches in which Starc was rested. With two wins in four matches, they are placed second on the points table, behind South Africa, who lead with 10 points after their two bonus-point victories.

A number of fans online have slammed Manchester United winger Antony after he failed to set up a teammate with a simple pass on the weekend.

What did Antony do wrong against Wolves?

The Red Devils gave their hopes of securing Champions League football a major boost on the weekend as they beat Wolves at home 2-0.

Indeed, Anthony Martial opened the scoring in the first half but it then took until the fourth minute of injury time for Alejandro Garnacho to seal the win with a second.

Wolves didn’t manage to have a single shot on target, while Man Utd had nine on target and 27 in total, showing just how dominant they were (via BBC Sport).

Speaking to the press after the game, manager Erik ten Hag seemed annoyed by his team’s inability to kill off the game sooner, saying: “We are very good in making the [opposition] goalkeeper man of the match!

“It happened today and at Brighton. We need better conversion, definitely.

“We have to match the highest standards – winning games. But I heard United don’t do it the easy way, that is in the DNA.”

And it seems Antony was perhaps the most guilty of all his players (via SofaScore) as he finished with an xG 0f 0.75, hit the woodwork and missed one big chance, all without getting his name on the scoresheet.

On top of that, he also could have helped set up Martial but unselfishly, failed to attempt the pass – as the image shared on Twitter below shows.

Although he did eventually end up getting an assist for his teammate to net the opener, supporters apparently didn’t haven’t forgiven the £200k-per-week winger for his earlier mistake.

Indeed, here are some of the more brutal comments on Twitter.

Some at least found the humour in it all…

أوضح التلفزيون الأرضي الجزائري إمكانية بث مباراة مصر والكونغو الديمقراطية في إطار مباريات دور الـ 16 من بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.

وتأهلت مصر والكونغو الديمقراطية كوصيف المجموعتين الثانية والسادسة، وسيلتقي المنتخبان يوم الأحد المقبل، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”.

ولكن هل تذاع المباراة على قناة الجزائرية الأرضية التي أصبحت يتجمع أمامها المشاهدون المصريون بتلك النسخة من البطولة لسهولة فك تشفيرها.

اقرأ أيضًا.. كيفية ضبط قناة الجزائرية الأرضية على جهازك

تواصل “btolat.com” مع مصدر داخل التلفزيون الجزائري الأرضي، لمعرفة ماذا سيحدث خاصة أن محاربي الصحراء خرجوا مبكرًا من دور المجموعات.

وتمتلك قناة الجزائرية الأرضية مباراتين يجب نقلهما في دور الـ 16 عبر البث المشفر بشفرة Biss، على قمر “نايل سات”.

وقال المصدر: “هناك قرار بالفعل مثلما حدث في نسخة عام 2021 بأن يتم نقل جميع مباريات مصر طالما الفراعنة مستمرين في البطولة بعد خروج منتخبنا الوطني”.

وأضاف: “سيتم بث مباراة مصر والكونغو الديمقراطية مباشرة عبر قناة الجزائرية الأرضية يوم، الأحد المقبل”.

Durham challenged Hampshire to set them a target on the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match at Chester-le-Street by declaring 51 behind on 421 for 9

ECB Reporters Network05-Jul-2016
ScorecardKeaton Jennings’ unstoppable season goes on•Stu Forster/Getty Images

Durham challenged Hampshire to set them a target on the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match at Chester-le-Street by declaring 51 behind on 421 for 9.With six overs to bat, Will Smith and Jimmy Adams stretched the lead to 60. But however desperate Hampshire might be for a win, it would be an enormous gamble to set a target on the flat pitch.Keaton Jennings followed his unbeaten 221 in the second innings of Durham’s last match, against Yorkshire, by making 129, his fifth century of the season.With Jack Burnham scoring 74 and Ben Stokes a run-a-ball half-century, Durham reached 288 for three before subsiding to 349 for 9.But with ten overs to score 51 for maximum batting points, Barry McCarthy and Graham Onions got there with ten balls to spare.The Irishman hit two sixes in reaching his maiden 50 off 47 balls, while Onions contributed 23 to the unbroken stand of 72.Watched by national selector James Whitaker, Stokes clobbered three back-foot fours in four balls off Tino Best, who finished with none for 104 in 19 overs.There were also some cracking drives among Stokes’ eight fours but he fell for 51 when he was bowled off his pads, looking to force acting captain Smith’s occasional off-spin through mid-wicket off the back foot.With the overnight pair putting on 158, it was well into the afternoon before Durham lost a wicket when Burnham chipped to mid-on.At that point Ryan McLaren had all three wickets, but shortly after the second new ball was taken he pulled up and was escorted off by the physio.His first ball in the day’s second over struck Burnham on the helmet, but the youngster shrugged it off, as he did the rest of the short stuff which came his way.He was not in total control of a hook for four off McLaren, but showed great composure in completing his first 50 since his maiden century at the Oval in the third game.Jennings, resuming on 36, scored one run from 35 balls under the heavy morning cloud before a ten-minute stoppage for rain.Under brighter skies runs flowed more freely and after Burnham’s exit Stokes got the better of an entertaining joust with Best, who almost snared him at deep backward square on 13.Best was driven wide of mid-off by Jennings for the two runs which took the opener to his hundred off 201 balls.He fell in the third over of the new ball, pushing forward and edging Gareth Berg to Adams at second slip.Gareth Andrew replaced the injured McLaren and chipped in with three wickets as Durham crumbled without their cornerstone until McCarthy took a hand.

 كشف أسامة نبيه مدرب ولاعب الزمالك السابق، عن موقف نجله يوسف أسامة نبيه من العودة إلى القلعة البيضاء مجدداً، كما أكد أن رحيله كان بسبب الإدارة في ذلك التوقيت.

يوسف أسامة نبيه كان قد انتقل إلى صفوف بيراميدز بداية من الموسم الحالي، وذلك بعد فشلت محاولات تجديد عقده مع الزمالك.

وقال أسامة نبيه خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر”، تعليقاً على عودة يوسف نبيه: “يوسف تربى داخل الزمالك ودائمًا لديه حنين للعودة مرة أخرى”.

وأوضح: “نادي الزمالك بيتنا وإذا لنا نصيب في العودة سنعود”.

وعن كواليس رحيله عن الزمالك، أشار نبيه: “لدي عقود فاضية لنجلي مع الزمالك موقع عليه وعليها بصمته، ولكن بسبب العشوائية المتواجد عليها الزمالك لفترات كبيرة هذه العقود متواجدة لدي في منزلي، معي أربع نسخ من هذه العقود، الصدفة وقعت العقود في يدي”.

وأضاف: “يوسف أسامة نبيه عندما خرج للإعارة لنادي أسوان، وقع على عقود فارغة وبصم، كان لا يوجد طرف آخر يوقع أمامه، هذه العقود وقعت في يدي، وللاعب آخر اسمه حمدي علاء (المتواجد في صفوف سموحة حالياً)”.

طالع | يوسف أسامة نبيه يوضح موقفه من العودة لـ الزمالك حال رحيله عن بيراميدز

وتابع: “بعد رحيل مجلس الإدارة، الذي كان يتحدث معنا على التجديد مع يوسف لم يكن له هوية أو صلاحية أو صفة، وأنا تحدثت مع عبد الواحد السيد على ملف التجديد وقال لي إنه ليس له علاقة بهذا الملف وكان هو مدير الكرة”.

وواصل: “عبد الواحد السيد خرج بعد ذلك وقال في قناة الزمالك إنه عرض التجديد على نجلي و(عمل نمرة في القناة، رغم أنني قلت له يوسف وقع لنادي بيراميدز وحصل على مقدم عقد)”.

وأكمل: “الزمالك كان في مرحلة فراغ إداري، أوسوريو تحدث مع يوسف أسامة وقال له أنت مجمد لحين تحديد موقفك”.

Even before he was confirmed as Leeds United's manager until the end of the season, Sam Allardyce had spoken glowingly about Wilfried Gnonto's ability on the pitch.

Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast, the experienced Englishman said:

"There are a couple of players who in my opinion should be playing. Wilfried Gnonto, the young Italian kid.

"Fantastic. He's so positive, so driven, so direct with the ball, he gets the play up the field, and he doesn't mind defending as well."

How has Gnonto performed under Allardyce?

Allardyce stuck to his word and started the 19-year-old against Manchester City but would drop him to the bench against Newcastle United, and the youngster will be hoping to have more of a say in the final two games of the campaign which will decide Leeds' fate.

The summer signing, who earns £20k-per-week, mustered just 15 touches against City and 19 against Newcastle, which suggests that he could be far more involved in a more central, attacking-midfield position as both Rodrigo and Patrick Bamford mustered more than 30 against the Toon.

The move to a central position certainly makes sense when you consider that the second-striker role is where Gnonto has made the majority of his appearances in his short career thus far, and it could help him rediscover some of the goalscoring form he showed in Inter's academy and at FC Zurich.

Pundit Tam McManus was full of praise for the teenager after his assist against Bournemouth earlier in the season, dubbing him a "pocket rocket" and waxing lyrical about his potential.

He added: “Wow, what a performance from him. He looks like he has a really low centre of gravity and he looks absolutely tremendous."

Should Gnonto play more centrally for Leeds?

The prospect of Gnonto picking the ball up centrally and running at midfielders and defenders would be a frightening prospect for opposition sides, who have so far been able to shut him out on the wing far too often, so this is surely something Allardyce should consider for the weekend trip to West Ham.

Only four players in Leeds' squad have played more key passes and three players contributed more dribbles per game in the top flight this season, so he certainly has the ability to be a difference-maker in the final third.

The former Bolton boss hasn't shied away from bold decisions in his brief time at Leeds, with Rasmus Kristensen and Robin Koch both taking on new roles at centre-back and defensive-midfield respectively, so this tactical switch certainly isn't out of the question.

Leeds need something special from the final two games of the season if they are going to retain their Premier League status and moving Gnonto to a more central position could just help to provide it.

Aston Villa have enjoyed a season of unpredicted success, with the Villans being just one game away from securing European football next term.

When Unai Emery took over in October, the squad was one lurking around the bottom half of the table, lacking creativity and stability under Steven Gerrard.

The Spaniard’s arrival turned the table at Villa, who have progressed at an astounding rate, ranking as the second-best team of 2023 in the Premier League behind champions Manchester City.

Things are going from strength to strength at Villa Park, as the club look to be in for a busy summer with a reported £150m budget being handed to Emery to improve his squad.

While Villa have been linked to a host of attractive talent from all over the continent ahead of the transfer window, the latest name speculated with a potential move to the Midlands is a more cost-effective option.

Who is Azeem Abdulai?

Swansea City midfielder Azeem Abdulai has made just one appearance for the Swans, but is a valued member of the academy in south Wales.

The 20-year-old has gathered interest from a number of clubs, as per a report by the Daily Mail, with Bayer Leverkusen, Newcastle United and Villa “keeping tabs” on the youngster's progress.

Playing as a defensive midfielder, the Glasgow-born talent captured the eye of Scotland’s U21 team, and was handed his call-up to the international games played in March.

The budding talent was signed by Celtic’s academy before being released in 2019. He signed for the Swans in 2021 after spending some time at Leicester City.

Now, it looks as though the Scotsman may get his breakthrough at the age of 20, perhaps conventionally later than normally expected in today’s game – though what is age when undeniable talent is on show?

What could Azeem Adbulai offer to Aston Villa?

Lauded as “fantastic” by Swansea’s departing senior professional development phase coach Jon Grey, Abdulai has been likened to Jude Bellingham for his playing style.

The 20-year-old’s ‘stature, playing style and ability’ were noted by the Daily Mail as being his key attributes that bear similarities to the Borussia Dortmund ace, and a style that would suit the requirements in Emery’s Villa midfield.

The Spaniard has an impressive track record when it comes to developing the careers of young players, and as seen throughout his previous clubs, isn’t afraid to drop senior players for a budding star if performance is evident.

Villa’s deep midfield often consists of 25-year-old Douglas Luiz and 23-year-old Boubacar Kamara – two young talents that tick together in marshalling the engine room.

A player such as Abdulai could provide added depth to Emery’s midfield plans for the future, as well as seeing Villa Park as an appropriate place to grow in seeing that the progression of young players is alive and kicking.

When Bellingham joined Dortmund from Birmingham City, the evidence was there of the player he could become, and with comparisons to the England international there, Villa could have their answer to the 19-year-old ace valued at £173m (€200m) – as per CIES Football Observatory.

Yorkshire Diamonds were struck down by Loughborough Lightning who beat them by 43 runs with 17 balls remaining at Headingley in the first match in the new Kia Super League

ECB Reporters Network30-Jul-2016Loughborough Lightning 128 for 9 (Devine 52) beat Yorkshire Diamonds 85 (Grundy 3-21)
ScorecardYorkshire Diamonds were struck down by Loughborough Lightning who beat them by 43 runs with 17 balls remaining at Headingley in the first match in the new Kia Super League.In front of a crowd approaching 1,000, Lightning had to work hard for their 128 for 9 but it was easily defended after Diamonds’ captain, Lauren Winfield was controversially run out for a rapid 23 from 13 balls with five fiercely struck boundaries.It appeared that if she may have been impeded by the bowler, Ellyse Perry, when turning for a second run and she was unable to make her ground in time. Winfield spoke to the umpires but they were happy that she had been fairly dismissed.”I felt I may have been obstructed by the bowler when going for a second run and I had a word with the umpires but it was just one of those things,” Winfield said. “Perhaps if there had been the chance to see it again I may not have been given out but it was a situation which couldn’t be changed.”Diamonds were 37 for 2 in only the fourth over when Winfield left the field but they were never able to regain their early momentum against tight bowling, Rebecca Grundy finishing with 3 for 21 from her four overs while Sophie Devine and Georgia Elwiss had two apiece.The experienced Katherine Brunt managed 16 before being fifth out, bowled by Elwiss, and Danielle Hazell hit a couple of boundaries in her 15 but her dismissal off Devine brought the game to an early conclusion.Four of the wickets fell to lbw decisions and there were two stumpings late in the innings for Amy Jones.Winning the toss, Lightning chose to bat first on a green tinged pitch and captain Elwiss got her side off to a perfect start by delicately cutting Shabnim Ishmail’s first ball for four.But Brunt’s first delivery from the Kirkstall Lane end brought her a wicket as she found the edge of Dane van Nierkerk’s bat and Hollie Armitage held a splendid catch at slip, Brunt going on to complete a wicket maiden.Devine helped Elwiss take the score to 29 in the seventh over before Elwiss took a step down the pitch to the spin of Hazell and was smartly stumped by Beth Mooney but Perry responded positively in the same over by on-driving the first six of the match.Devine hit a big six over midwicket off Katie Levick and Lightning were well placed at 66 for 2 with half their overs gone. Perry then produced one of the shots of the day with a glorious straight drive off Ishmail.It was Devine, however, who was playing the major innings and she reached her 50 off 35 balls with five fours and two sixes but the 55 stand for the third wicket ended at 85 with the running out of Perry for 17 from 20 balls with two fours.Without addition, Amy Jones was lbw to Hazell and Gunn took a hard return catch to send back Sonia Odredra before Levick captured the important wicket of Devine who was well caught by Gunn running in from long on for 52.Lightning’s progress was slowed down by Jenny Gunn who was hard to combat and she well deserved figures of 2 for 20 from her four overs.Thea Brookes was run out as Lightning dipped to 96 for 7, five wickets going down in three overs for 11 runs, but in the end they had sufficient runs on the board to complete an easy win.New Zealand’s vice-captain, Devine, said: “I was really nervous after a winter in New Zealand and a bit scratchy at the start but it was nice to be able to get some runs on the board.”I thought we may have been 15-20 runs short of the score we needed and Yorkshire came out really hard at us and the run out probably helped us. It was a great team win and our bowling performance was very good. Our fielders did well on the big outfield and we took a couple of great catches.”Winfield said: “It was very disappointing to lose because I thought we did a lot right and we were in a good place at half time. I was not too unhappy with their total and we got a decent start but fell away in the middle. It is important that we learn from today’s performance. We probably hit the self-destruct button after losing a few early wickets.”