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West Bromwich Albion will be thanking their lucky stars that they gambled on signing Celtic loanee Mikey Johnston in the January transfer window, with the slick Hoops winger becoming an instant fans' favourite at his new loan club.

He wasn't quite at his spell-binding best against Sunderland last match, with West Brom falling to a disappointing 1-0 loss in the Championship to Mike Dodds' topsy-turvy Black Cats, but he will still be one of the first names on Carlos Corberan's team-sheet until he moves back to Scotland.

West Brom are already looking for replacements to fill the eventual void left behind by the 24-year-old when he links back up with Brendan Rodgers' side at the end of the campaign, seen in their reported interest of Oxford United winger Josh Murphy.

Yet, this situation with Johnston could offer up a final last chance saloon for this forgotten Baggies man who has starred in spurts out on loan at Cardiff City from down the left wing.

One last chance for forgotten West Brom man

Karlan Grant could well want to come back off his loan spell with the Bluebirds and fight for his spot in Corberan's XI, having shown his quality occasionally in the Welsh capital.

The 26-year-old has helped himself to six goals and three assists from 40 games in all competitions, fading in and out of games under Erol Bulut but impressing all the same in some key moments.

Often deployed as a striker in the West Midlands, Grant switching to playing down the wings for Cardiff predominantly – and mainly the left wing – has seen his game improve in Wales and could give him a final chance to shine back at his parent club subsequently.

Grant's performance against Hull City at the start of this month would have been encouraging viewing for Corberan, the 26-year-old bagging Cardiff's only goal of the contest in a 3-1 defeat but he looked lively and energetic down the channels.

It could be a risk trying to bed Grant back in after it was made abundantly clear to him that his Spanish Baggies manager didn't really want him, but with the news that Johnston might not stick around in the West Midlands past his impactful loan stint, all options should be assessed.

Karlan Grant's West Brom future

Grant was once a well-liked figure at the Hawthorns, tearing Championship defences to pieces with blistering attacking displays.

The 2021/22 season for Grant in a West Brom strip was the former Huddersfield Town man at his vibrant best and also his goalscoring best for the Baggies, firing in 18 strikes from 44 second-tier games before his time in the West Midlands started to go sour.

Position

Games played

Goals

Assists

ST

44

13

4

LW

34

10

4

RW

2

0

0

RM

1

0

0

SS

1

0

0

As can be seen above, Grant has excelled down the left-hand side at West Brom in the past, with the Baggies more than content with sticking by Brandon Thomas-Asante in the centre-forward spot.

Still, with former Baggies player Carlton Palmer praising Grant as a "versatile" player when discussing his original loan switch to Cardiff, there might be a way back for the 26-year-old if West Brom need an additional body up top as well as down the channels.

There will no doubt be a number of crunch talks with Grant this summer over his immediate West Brom future, with one outcome being he is given another shot at redemption in the absence of Johnston.

West Brom could ease Johnston exit with "fantastic" free transfer

West Bromwich Albion will hope this potential incoming is as effective as Mikey Johnston next season.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 17, 2024

For them to compete overseas, the head coach believes Bangladesh need to play on better wickets at home

Mohammad Isam21-Feb-2020Bangladesh will retract from their all-spin plan at home, with head coach Russell Domingo announcing they will field two quicks and two spinners in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe. In their last Test at home, the 224-run defeat to Afghanistan last year, Bangladesh did not field a frontline pacer, much as they hadn’t against West Indies in the home Test before that. While the nature of the spin-friendly surfaces is unlikely to change overnight, the move is the first firm step in Domingo’s broad plan to help Bangladesh become a consistent Test side that travels well.Domingo said that playing with one pace bowler – or none – is a self-defeating decision that hurts them the moment they play overseas Tests. He has called for better pitches, where batsmen, pace bowlers and spinners can all have an equal part to play.It is a departure from Chandika Hathurusingha’s preferred plan since the 2016 England series of having pitches stacked heavily in favour of spinners. In a little over the last four years, Bangladesh have defeated England and Australia once each, also beating West Indies twice, at home. However, Domingo felt that Bangladesh needed to develop a game suited to good wickets, rather than relying just on spinners to win them home Tests on raging turners, which also stunted the growth of batsmen and pacers, besides giving the spinners a false sense of security about their skills.”For Bangladesh to improve in Tests, we can’t play on raging turners all the time,” Domingo said. “We pick one seamer, and then we go to India, South Africa or Australia, we wonder who our three seamers are because they haven’t played any cricket. It is a fine balance. We know the strength of the team is playing on spinning wickets particularly when you play teams like Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. You want the wickets to spin. But we also have to learn how to play on good wickets, so that our seamers can be in the game.”If we play on a tough wicket, the batsmen can’t get big hundreds. It also puts the bowlers in a false sense of security that they think they are great bowlers because the wicket is spinning. It is a tough thing for the team to come to grips with, but it is something that I am pretty strong about. We need to play on good wickets so that we can develop our game not just in Bangladesh but outside too.”ALSO READ: Domingo the ‘in-between guy’ for BCB and playersDomingo said he wants a healthy contest between bat and ball, where the seamers and spinners would have specific roles to play at different times during the game.”I want good cricket wickets. We want our seamers to be able to bowl on day one, and the spinners come into the game in days three, four or five. Batters must work hard in the first session and then it gets better to bat on, and then hard to bat on.”For sure, Bangladesh have done well when the wickets have spun, particularly against Australia, England and South Africa, and that’s important for us. But for the holistic development of the team, we need to have a bigger picture in mind as well,” he said.Mahmudullah has had a lean run in Test matches•Getty ImagesDomingo was also adamant that he has passed on the message to both Mahmudullah and Mustafizur Rahman about their future in the Test team. Mahmudullah was dropped from the Test side, for the first time since 2017, and was even told to consider his future in the format so that he can solely focus on white-ball cricket. According to Domingo, Mahmudullah said he will fight for his spot.”He is out of the team at the moment. I put it to him to consider his future. I see him very much part of our white-ball cricket. Riyad [Mahmudullah] is adamant that he wants to fight back into the Test side. He has played 49 Tests and has been a fantastic performer for Bangladesh. At the moment, there isn’t a place for him [in the Test side]. He is one of our main players in white-ball cricket. It is good to have that sort of determination and fight to get back to the team.”It is not for me to tell a player to stop playing. A player who has played for that long and with that sort of success, he deserves the right to decide when he is finished trying to play for his country. I have to give him that benefit of the doubt.”About Mustafizur, Domingo said that he was recalled in the Test squad to only work closely with new bowling coach Ottis Gibson, and will have no part to play in the one-off Test. Mustafizur has to work on bringing the ball back into the right-hander, which Domingo believes is the key for the left-armer to get back into the Test side.”I know there’s been a bit of miscommunication regarding the Mustafiz situation. I don’t think he is ready for Tests until he does some technical work, so that it allows him to swing the ball back into the right-hander. Getting him back into the squad is the start of that process that he can spend some time with our new bowling coach.”He was put back into the squad not to play, but to train and get some shape back. To get a connection with Ottis [Gibson], develop a bit of trust and relationship. He will stay with the team. Mustafiz is not playing this Test match. He is going to be bowling every day, and I have told him that, to make sure that he gets the shape that’s required as that benefits him in Tests and white-ball cricket,” he said.Domingo was also critical of Bangladesh’s recent scheduling, particularly for the Pakistan tour, which has been split over three legs. It left Bangladesh with just one day of training in Rawalpindi before the Test, which they lost badly. Domingo said the same will happen in Karachi next month, but he wants to ensure that his side gets more training sessions ahead of a Test in future.”Winning is of paramount importance but we do need to develop a Test culture within the playing group,” he said. “The way we prepare and schedule Tests… I am going into this Test as a coach more confident that any other Test because we have been together for 4-5 days. I have never had a Test match where we flew into a place, practice a day and played a Test.”The next schedule in Pakistan: we fly in, play a one-dayer, practice and then play a Test match. No serious Test team has scheduling like that, and we have to change that.”It is a cultural thing. We have to pay a lot more attention to Tests. I have been impressed with this group of players. There seems to be a big desire to do well in the Test arena.”

Newcastle United will be looking to make it five Premier League games unbeaten when they travel to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park this evening.

Eddie Howe's side produced a sensational display against Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park last time out, with the Magpies defeating Ange Postecoglou's men 4-0.

Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Fabian Schar all found themselves on the scoresheet, as the Magpies look to close the gap on the European places between now and the end of the campaign.

However, they will face a tough test in London tonight, with Oliver Glasner's side winning their last two outings, including a 1-0 victory at Anfield against Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool.

Unsurprisingly, very few changes will be made from the convincing victory over Spurs last weekend, but Howe must recall one Newcastle player to give himself the best chance of claiming all three points.

21/10/2023

St James' Park

4-0 (W)

21/01/2023

Selhurst Park

0-0 (D)

03/09/2022

St James' Park

0-0 (D)

20/04/2022

St James' Park

1-0 (W)

23/10/2021

Selhurst Park

1-1 (D)

The man to make way against Palace

Despite being part of a backline that kept a clean sheet against Spurs, Howe must replace Emil Krafth for the trip to Selhurst Park this evening.

The Swedish defender completed 14 passes at a completion rate of 70%, whilst also winning two of his five duels that he contested.

Krafth was also awarded a 7/10 rating for his performance by Shields Gazette journalist Dominic Scurr, with the defender forming a solid partnership with goalscorer Schar.

It has to be said, considering the recent injury crisis within the Newcastle squad, the 29-year-old has filled in when needed and produced some solid performances.

However, despite his admirable displays, he should make way for another Magpies player, given how Palace are likely to set up for the Premier League clash.

Under new boss Glasner, the Eagles have switched to a 3-4-3 system, putting a lot of emphasis on creating opportunities and overloading in wide areas.

6 foot 6 defender Dan Burn has often featured at left-back this season under Howe, but his lack of pace may be a weak point for the Magpies in the crunch clash.

The Newcastle-born defender still deserves to start, with Burn needing to shift to a more natural central role alongside Schar, thus ensuring Howe may utilise another talent in Krafth's place.

The man to replace Krafth vs Palace

After signing for £28m from fellow Premier League side Chelsea this season, full-back Lewis Hall has found opportunities hard to come by since his move to St James' Park.

The "quality" youngster, as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig, has only featured in 12 Premier League games this season, failing to have the immediate impact he would've envisaged.

However, with the season drawing to a close, Howe must give the 19-year-old a run in the side to stake his claim for a regular first-team spot next season.

His energetic and aggressive playstyle would combat the Eagles' system and restrict the opportunities they can create down Newcastle's left-hand side.

Hall – who ranks in the top 13% among his European peers for touches in the opposition box – has the ability to create frequent attacking opportunities, something which Burn struggles with, allowing the likes of Isak and Gordon to create more problems in the final third at Selhurst Park.

It certainly would be a bold call to drop Krafth given his recent performances. However, given how the opposition are likely to set up, it would be the perfect opportunity for Howe to reintroduce the youngster to combat the threat that the Eagles pose.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

“We’re just going to have to rue that first game and try to move on but it’s going to be a bitter pill to swallow for a few of us”

Andrew McGlashan in Sydney05-Mar-2020England captain Heather Knight hoped that the semi-final washout which dumped her “gutted” team out of the T20 World Cup would lead to a rule change to ensure there were reserve days for future events.As had looked likely all day – and for much of yesterday – their semi-final against India was abandoned shortly after 4pm with heavy rain falling at the SCG.There were glum faces across the England balcony as their tournament was brought to a close without them having to take the field. Their opening-games loss against South Africa ultimately proved vital as they finished second in the group.”They’re the rules that everyone signed up to,” Knight said of the absence of a reserve day. “You’d hope now that there has been this situation and the game tonight is potentially going to be rained off as well, so you’d hope now there is going to be a rule change and moving forward, no other team will have to experience going out of a World Cup purely because of rain. Hopefully it changes.”It’s gutting. you put in a lot of hard work. There’s not a lot we can do about it..we’re just going to have to rue that first game and try to move on but it’s going to be a bitter pill to swallow for a few of us now.”ALSO READ: Cricket Australia sought clarification over semi-final reserve dayEngland had arrived at the ground in hope more than expectation with the forecast which had been lined up since early this week come to fruition as one of the biggest days for women’s cricket (until Sunday at the MCG) headed for a damp squib.While distraught on a personal level, Knight believed the tournament has provided a new benchmark for the women’s game.”It’s sad for the tournament. You’ve got four really good teams competing, hoping to play some really good cricket. That’s taken away from us but I’m sure the final will be a great event. It’ll be great day and game for the sport. I’ll be there as a fan. It has been a brilliant tournament, which has made it even more of a shame that we lost today.”Today is disappointing but it won’t take too much shine off where the sport has gone and you see if the money is put into publicising it that people do want to come and watch.”

Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed responded to rumors that the hit series is about to announce a fourth season

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Series Ted Lasso rumoured to be returningWas due to end after Season 3Announcement teased by key cast memberWHAT HAPPENED?

Popular show Ted Lasso has been doing the rounds of social media recently after reports emerged suggesting it could return for Season 4. This is despite star Jason Sudeikis – who plays Ted Lasso – confirming the end of the series following the Season 3 finale. The show follows London club AFC Richmond and their journey up the football pyramid, eventually ending in the Premier League in the most recent episodes.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT NICK MOHAMMED SAID

Nick Mohammed, who portrays Nathan Shelley in the show, previously campaigned for Ted Lasso to continue and always retained hope on social media that his role would not end just yet. Following the recent reports, he took to X, posting "told ya! 😂".

THE GOSSIP

While nothing has been confirmed, Forbes report that Warner Brothers have exercised their option to extend several key cast members' contracts for the Apple TV series. Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca Walton), Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent) and Jeremy Swift (Leslie Higgins) have all been picked up while negotiations are underway with other actors to reprise their roles.

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Manchester City SocialWHAT NEXT FOR TED LASSO?

Series 3 of Ted Lasso ended with AFC Richmond finishing second in the league, behind Manchester City. Lasso quit his managerial role and went on to coach his son's football team back in the U.S. While we await official confirmation of the show's return, we can only speculate on how the story could advance in Season 4.

Chelsea and Todd Boehly have been given a transfer boost with their top target now open to moving to Stamford Bridge.

Latest Chelsea rumours

The Blues have had a frustrating first season under Mauricio Pochettino, failing to win a trophy and out of the race for a top-four finish in the Premier League. However, despite this, Chelsea have actually only lost one of their last 12 top-flight games, with that defeat coming at the hands of table toppers Arsenal.

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It may show that things are slowly turning around for Pochettino in London, with Chelsea winning their last four games at home, keeping clean sheets in three of those.

Despite this, there have been rumours of Boehly and co making a change in the dugout, with former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick the latest to be discussed internally. Former Blues bosses Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte have also been mentioned.

It could be another busy summer on the transfer front as well, with Chelsea in talks to sign Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Georgiy Sudakov in a deal which could be worth £65m. Their top target though is thought to be Napoli striker Victor Osimhen. Reports in recent months have claimed that contacts have been ongoing to sign the Nigeria international, who could earn more than £90m across a seven-year Stamford Bridge contract. Fabrizio Romano has also said on Chelsea and Osimhen:

“I think Chelsea will be there. The interest is still there. It is really important to understand what is happening; first of all with the FFP situation because Chelsea do not want to overpay, so it is important to know how much the package is going to be for Victor Osimhen.

"We already know about the release clause between €120m-€130m with Napoli so Chelsea and other clubs are waiting to see if Napoli can be flexible but usually with their president, De Laurentiis, it is usually very tough to go there and negotiate, especially for a fantastic player like Victor Osimhen."

Victor Osimhen to Chelsea update

Now, according to GiveMeSport, Osimhen is open to the idea of moving to Chelsea this summer and is the club’s top target. However, French giants Paris Saint-Germain could still beat them to a deal due to being able to offer Champions League football.

It is a boost knowing that the striker, believed to be on more than £250,000-a-week including bonuses with his current employers, is keen on a move to London, though, with Chelsea doing all they can to win the race for the 25-year-old, who has scored 17 goals in 30 appearances for Napoli this season.

Should Osimhen arrive at Stamford Bridge, you’d expect he’ll rival Nicholas Jackson in attack in the long run, with the current Blues forward netting a respectable 16 goals in 41 games during his first campaign in England, finding some form in front of goal in recent weeks.

Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is heading to Southampton after the Gunners agreed a £25 million ($33m) fee with the Saints.

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Ramsdale a backup at ArsenalWas dropped for David RayaSet for Southampton switch WHAT HAPPENED?

Ramsdale is on the verge of departing north London after his current employers agreed a deal with Southampton worth an initial £18 million ($24m) that could rise to £25m ($33m). The Gunners stopper has been linked with a move away from the Emirates since being relegated to second-choice goalkeeper following the arrival of David Raya last summer.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The 26-year-old's exit has been a long time coming and the change is needed if Ramsdale is to keep himself in the frame for a spot in the England squad. He sat on the bench for the Three Lions during Euro 2024 but will fancy himself to cause a headache for interim boss Lee Carsley with some regular game time for Southampton.

The deal also allows Arsenal to push forward in signing Joan Garcia as his replacement. Mikel Arteta is keen to get a €30million (£25m/$33m) over the line before the transfer deadline.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ramsdale's last Premier League appearance came in March, in a 2-1 victory over Brentford. It was one of six outings he made in the top flight, but his only one so far in 2024.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR RAMSDALE?

The former Bournemouth stopper is leaving a side that will be challenging for the title to a team fighting for their survival. Ramsdale was loved at Bournemouth and will hope to recapture his Cherries form in a different part of the south coast.

Sofyan Amrabat's future has been decided, with the Moroccan midfielder set to join Turkish side Fenerbahce.

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Fiorentina agree deal with FenerbahceAmrabat set for switch to Turkish giantsSpent last season on loan at Man UtdWHAT HAPPENED?

The Super Lig side have reached an agreement with Fiorentina that will see Amrabat head to Istanbul, Fabrizio Romano reports. Fenerbahce will pay a €2 million loan fee for Amrabat which will be followed by a mandatory €13m (£11m/$14m) fee to sign him outright at the end of the season, with Fiorentina possibly pocketing a further €3m in add-ons.

AdvertisementImagoTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Amrabat spent last season on loan at Manchester United and went on to make 30 appearances in all competitions, though only 17 of those were from the start. There was talk of a possible return to Old Trafford this summer, but Erik ten Hag's team prioritised the £51m ($60m) signing of Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain instead.

DID YOU KNOW?

Amrabat's transfer to Fenerbahce will see him team up with former United coach Jose Mourinho as well as ex-Red Devils midfielder Fred. The Istanbul club are currently top of the Turkish top-flight with seven points from three matches.

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

The Turkish giants will look to continue their unbeaten start to the Super Lig campaign when they take on Alanyaspor on Friday. United, meanwhile, will hope to get Ugarte's signing over the line after seeing Scott McTominay leave for Napoli.

Anfield sang as the Liverpool squad walked onto the pitch against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, but the cry of the Reds was raised a little louder than in recent weeks.

It was as if a weight had been lifted, unshackling the Liverpool squad from the cumbersome burden that had stemmed from fighting and firing on all cylinders for Jurgen Klopp's last hurrah.

The fist pumps were just as emphatic, the cheer at full-time just as triumphantly resounding. Perhaps Klopp won't get the storybook farewell that ends in Premier League gold, but this is a football club that has risen from ruin to revel in a lasting role at the forefront of European football.

Spurs were thrashed for the most part on Merseyside but did, to their credit, launch a counteroffensive that saw goals from Heung-min Son and substitute Richarlison halve the deficit and give Ange Postecoglou some consolation – a 4-2 defeat in the Premier League.

But it wasn't enough. Liverpool are back to winning ways for the final stretch of Klopp's tenure, and the future will be bright with Harvey Elliott performing so well.

Harvey Elliott's performance vs Spurs

Elliott has been regarded as one of the Premier League's most promising rising stars since before he moved to Liverpool from Fulham as a 16-year-old, but he has really come into his own this season as one of the division's most influential midfielders.

Sure, he's not a regular starter in Klopp's midfield, with his performance against Tottenham just the ninth from the outset in the top flight this term, but a goal and assist apiece in a commanding display doesn't even paint the full picture of a brilliant effort.

Writing in his post-match player ratings, the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle was effusive in his praise for the 21-year-old, handing him a wonderful 9/10 match rating and saying: 'Pressed strongly when possible and had one shot cleared off the line by Romero and among those to test Vicario before interval. Superb second half, creating goal for Gakpo and then smashing home an excellent fourth.'

Minutes played

83'

Goals

1

Assists

1

Touches

68

Accurate passes

47/53 (89%)

Shots on target

4

Key passes

5

Dribble attempts

1/1

Duels won

3/4

Tackles

1

Elliott has always been a brilliant creative threat and while that side of his game was at the forefront against sorry Spurs, he was confident and commanding in the duel and crisp in possession to speak of his quality as a high-level, all-encompassing midfielder.

While Liverpool will not secure any more silverware under Klopp, with stars like Elliott pushing for a prominent role for years to come there is surely faith from the Anfield bosses in this team's ability to sustain a position of power.

So there it is. Klopp isn't going to get his mitts on a second Premier League title but he has lifted Liverpool to the fore once more and has cemented his legacy as eternal on Merseyside's red half.

Elliott's imperious playmaking performance has set Liverpool back on track, and maybe, just maybe, he's rekindled the flame that will ensure that a late-season purple patch is crafted to give this esteemed manager the send-off he deserves.

Slot could sign "elite" £70m Van Dijk replacement for Liverpool

Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes would pull off a blinder by signing this “elite” talent.

ByAngus Sinclair May 2, 2024

Derbyshire stay top of North Group with second win in as many matches

ECB Reporters Network10-Aug-2020Legspinner Matt Critchley picked up career-best figures of 6 for 73 as Derbyshire extended their lead at the top of the North Group by completing a nine-wicket victory over Leicestershire in the Bob Willis Trophy match at the Fischer County Ground, Grace RoadCritchley had Colin Ackermann caught at first slip by a diving Wayne Madsen, Ben Mike caught at second slip by Leus du Plooy and Dieter Klein caught behind by wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein in the space of five balls as the Foxes collapsed from 104 for 2 to 140 for 8. Only a defiant last-wicket stand of 52 between Harry Swindells and Chris Wright, batting with a runner, prevented Leicestershire being beaten by an innings.The morning had seen a double wicket maiden from first-class debutant Ed Barnes raise Derbyshire’s hope of forcing a three-day win. The young Yorkshireman, on loan at Derbyshire until the end of the season, bowled nightwatchman Callum Parkinson off the inside edge as the batsman tried to leave a delivery just outside off stump, and three balls later found the edge of left-hander Ben Slater’s bat and saw Madsen hold a waist-high catch at first slip to leave Leicestershire struggling on 34 for 2.They would have been in even deeper trouble if Leus du Plooy had been able to hold a chance given by Harry Dearden soon afterwards, the batsman edging an attempted cut at a wide delivery from Dustin Melton to second slip, where du Plooy got both hands to the ball but could not hang on.Dearden played aggressively after lunch, hitting 21 runs off 14 balls and raising a 50 partnership with opener Hassan Azad, but an attempt to clear mid-on off the bowling of Critchley gave Luis Reece a simple catch. Azad followed, leg before wicket on the back foot to the occasional left-arm spin of du Plooy, and the writing was on the wall for the Foxes when George Rhodes tried to clip a full straight ball from Melton through midwicket, missed, and was palpably leg before wicket.Critchley’s three in five made the win all but certain, though Will Davis, Swindells – who finished on a career-best 41 not out – and Wright battled impressively to ensure the home side avoided the ignominy of an innings defeat.With the pitch offering increasing turn, left-arm spinner Parkinson then had Derbyshire captain Billy Godleman caught behind before Reece and Madsen saw their side over the line for their second win in as many matches.