Omarzai picked up 5 for 58 on a flat pitch after scoring 41 off 31 balls to beat England in the Champions Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-20251:40

Mumtaz: Fantastic execution under pressure from Omarzai

There was a moment that captured the tension beautifully in Lahore on Wednesday. With England needing 27 runs to get in 20 balls, Jamie Overton tapped a full toss to sweeper cover and the fielder just couldn’t pick it up. He tried once, didn’t work, he tried again, it was fumbled. Azmatullah Omarzai was watching it all, knowing he would be bowling the next over, knowing he couldn’t afford missteps like that.In a wildly see-sawing Champions Trophy game, where both teams had to win to stay alive, Omarzai produced a death-overs performance of 3.5-0-26-3. When he came on to bowl in this unforgiving phase of play, Joe Root was still out there, 114 not out, and it seemed like he had tilted the contest in England’s favour. Omarzai conjured an incredible effort ball that defied a lifeless pitch, got big on a set batter and bounced him out.”Omarzai is one who just flies under the radar,” former Pakistan captain Urooj Mumtaz said on ESPNcricinfo Match Day. “He is so effective with both bat and ball. He’s a very smart cricketer. I think he bowls the harder overs, the tougher overs, and what he did so well was obviously change the pace and continue to hammer down that length, and length on such placid flat tracks is the key. I think he’s got the makings of being one of those Hardik Pandyas or Azhar Mahmoods, the perfect utility allrounder for Afghanistan.”Related

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Zadran 177, Omarzai five-wicket haul knock England out

Stats – Ibrahim Zadran achieves new Champions Trophy high

Group B scenarios: How can Afghanistan qualify? Are South Africa favourites to finish on top?

Root was slow on the upper cut. That doesn’t happen a lot. It almost seemed like he was expecting the offcutter again. He had been deceived by one earlier in the over, but still managed to hit it for a boundary. And he might have been setting up for another, with short fine and short third up, but was caught completely off guard. Being unpredictable is a vital asset for a fast bowler in the back end of an innings. Omarzai couldn’t be lined up. Not even by a member of the Fab Four.”To outfox somebody of the calibre of Joe at the position of the game, batting well across a hundred, when he had the measure of the other bowlers, that is what [sets him apart],” Mumtaz said.Omarzai had provided Afghanistan with their first wicket as well, taking out the hard-hitting Phil Salt in just the fourth over of a chase of 326. He compensated for Rashid Khan having an off night with the wicket of Jos Buttler through the middle overs. An equation of 110 off 79 balls got that bit harder because England had only two recognised batters left – Overton and Liam Livingstone and – he knocked over one of them to drag a game with plenty of twists and turns back in Afghanistan’s favour.”He picked up Salt, he picked up Buttler, and he picked up Overton as well,” Mumtaz said, “All four of those wickets crucial, obviously in the end finished with a five-for, [with Adil] Rahid[‘s wicket] as well. He broke the game open not once but on three different occasions. I thought Root, Buttler and Overton, given the position of the game was quite spectacular.Azmatullah Omarzai is on top of the world after Afghanistan beat England•AFP/Getty Images”Afghanistan just held the nerve and I think that is the biggest transition for this side, that they now know how to win key moments in games and they know how to win against better-ranked sides in the international circuit. The crowd, obviously the England support was outnumbered 99 to 1%. The roar was magnificent, and I think a true victory celebration. They are one for the big events now, the Afghanistan side.”Former England batter Nick Knight looked back at Afghanistan’s history to highlight how far they had come. “You don’t have to go that far back. Before you looked at Afghanistan cricket and you just focused on one player. Rashid Khan. If he has a really good day, Afghanistan maybe had a chance of winning,” Knight said. “You think how quickly that’s moved on. Rashid, his figures in the last couple of games haven’t been great [1 for 125 in 20 overs]. His impact in the contest hasn’t been that great.”Yet they’re very competitive. You think of the trajectory that Afghanistan cricket has been on, perhaps the pioneer, you might say, has been Rashid Khan. He’s been a huge influence, but now you think of the other players that are making immense contributions in major competitions.”Omarzai has a cherished memory, one of his earliest associated with cricket, when he went out to celebrate Afghanistan’s first ever ODI victory against a Full Member. Eleven years later, he is the one inspiring others to take to the streets. His team faces Australia on Friday in a rematch of that epic from the 2023 World Cup and if they win, they will progress to a second successive ICC tournament semi-final.

تأهل منتخب السعودية إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026، المقرر إقامته في أمريكا وكندا والمكسيك، بعد التعادل مع العراق، مساء الثلاثاء.

والتقى منتخب السعودية مع العراق، في الجولة الأخيرة من مباريات المجموعة الثانية للمرحلة الرابعة والنهائية من تصفيات آسيا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم.

وانتهت المباراة بين السعودية والعراق، التي أقيمت في السعودية، بالتعادل السلبي بدون أهداف، لينهي المرحلة الرابعة والنهائية من تصفيات كأس العالم في صدارة المجموعة الثانية برصيد 4 نقاط، متفوقًا على العراق بفارق الأهداف المسجلة.

وكان منتخب السعودية فاز على إندونيسيا في لقاء الجولة الأولي 3-2، وأيضًا منتخب العراق انتصر على إندونيسيا 1-0.

طالع | المنتخبات المتأهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026 (محدث باستمرار)

ويأتي تأهل منتخب السعودية إلي نهائيات كأس العالم، للمرة السابعة في تاريخها ذلك بعد أعوام، 1994، 1998، 2002، 2006، 2018 و2022.

بينما منتخب العراق سيخوض ملحق قاري آسيوي ضد منتخب الإمارت صاحب المركز الثاني في المجموعة الأولي، الفائز منهما، يلعب ملحق عالمي مع القارات الأخرى.

وكانت 6 منتخبات حسمت التأهل بشكل مباشر من المرحلة الثالثة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم، وهي إيران وأوزبكستان وكوريا الجنوبية والأردن واليابان وأستراليا.

ومن ثم حسم منتخبا قطر والسعودية، التأهل إلى كأس العالم من المرحلة الرابعة والنهائية للتصفيات الآسيوية. ترتيب مجموعة السعودية في تصفيات كأس العالم

1- السعودية، 4 نقاط ( له 3 أهداف وعليه 2).

2- العراق، 4 نقاط ( له هدف ولم يسكن مرماه أي أهداف).

3- إندونيسيا، بدون نقاط.

The EFL has confirmed that Blackburn Rovers' abandoned Championship clash with Ipswich Town will be replayed in full, despite the Lancashire club's frustration at losing their late advantage. The match was called off in the 79th minute with Blackburn leading 1-0 against ten-man Ipswich, but a majority EFL Board vote has ruled the fixture must restart.

• Blackburn-Ipswich abandoned; EFL wipe unfinished match

  Blackburn were leading Ipswich 1-0 at Ewood Park when torrential rain waterlogged the pitch and forced the referee to abandon play just ten minutes from time. The visitors had already been reduced to ten players after Jacob Greaves' dismissal, with Todd Cantwell's penalty putting Rovers ahead. Despite being in a strong position to have gone and win the game, the score-line has now been wiped away, as revealed by EFL's statement on Thursday.

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  EFL Board reveal decision to restart game from scratch

  The EFL Board said: "The Sky Bet Championship fixture between Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town should be replayed in full following its abandonment.

  "The Board comprehensively considered all options alongside representations made by both clubs and decided by a majority that the fixture should be replayed. This decision follows recent precedents relating to abandoned fixtures and upholds the integrity of the league."

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  Blackburn Rovers rage at EFL's decision

  Blackburn responded angrily to the announcement, saying they were denied a deserved win given their late advantage in the original fixture.

  In a lengthy statement, the club said: "At the time of the abandonment, Rovers were leading 1-0 and Ipswich Town had been reduced to 10 men…Rovers were on course to record a third Championship victory in four games. The club is extremely disappointed by the outcome, which fails to take into account the significant advantages Rovers held at the time of abandonment."

  The 1994-95 Premier League champions confirmed they are considering an appeal.

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• When will the match be replayed?

  A new date for the replay will be agreed between both clubs and the EFL in due course. Blackburn will now have to refocus on their upcoming league fixtures while deciding whether to pursue further action against the ruling.

  Ipswich, meanwhile, may benefit from the reset as they prepare to go again with a full squad.

Lionel Messi made a bold claim when talking about the best player England have ever produced, naming a 114-cap star as the “greatest”, ahead of Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane and a storied list of strikers.

Messi continues to light up the global game

The great Argentine may now be 38 years of age but he’s continuing to perform remarkably well, standing the test of time compared to some of his peers.

He scored twice during Inter Miami’s recent 4-0 victory over Atalanta United in MLS, taking his tally across his last ten outings to nine goals and seven assists. He notably picked up a hat-trick of assists during their 4-1 win over New England Revolution at the beginning of October.

He also starred for Argentina in October’s international break. Although he did not score, Argentina defeated Puerto Rico 6-0.

The Inter Miami star is yet to decide whether he will go to the 2026 World Cup, but if he is able to do so, Argentina should be in a strong position to go all the way once again, having blitzed their way through qualification.

England, on the other hand, officially qualified for the tournament in America with a 5-0 win over Latvia. The Three Lions will be hoping 2026 is finally the year when football ‘comes home’, but talisman Harry Kane will need to be at his best.

England have a great recent record of producing top strikers, with Rooney scoring 53 goals in 120 international appearances, but Messi has suggested a different Liverpool-born player is the best-ever.

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The former Chelsea boss isn’t afraid to make some bold choices…

ByTom Cunningham Sep 7, 2025

Speaking after Steven Gerrard’s retirement in 2016, Messi picked Gerrard as England’s greatest player of all time.

Gerrard without doubt among England's best-ever players

It is arguably a bold claim to suggest Gerrard is the Three Lions’ greatest-ever player, but he is certainly in the conversation, given the instrumental role the 114-cap star played in Liverpool competing for major honours until the mid 2010s.

Of course, it will probably haunt the 45-year-old that he never managed to win the Premier League title, but the former Liverpool captain certainly wasn’t unsuccessful, winning 11 trophies during his time with his boyhood club, including the FA Cup in 2006.

Most famously, the Whiston-born midfielder instigated the comeback in arguably the greatest final in Champions League history, with the Reds coming from 3-0 down to beat AC Milan on penalties in 2005.

Not only did the Liverpool legend always step up when required, scoring a number of crucial goals in finals, but he has also received praise for the impact he had on his teammates, with Gerard Houllier once saying: “He is a natural born leader, a very inspirational leader. He is somebody you want to follow.”

To this day, Everton’s £75m sale of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United remains the biggest in their history.

Comfortably, the Belgian sits in that top spot, even eight years later and just under a month before Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain and changed the landscape of the transfer market irrevocably.

He was brilliant for Everton, still having played more games for the Toffees than for any other club across his wandering European career.

Lukaku: Stats in England

Club

Apps

Goals

Assists

Everton

166

87

27

Man Utd

96

42

12

Chelsea

59

15

2

West Brom

38

17

4

Stats via Transfermarkt

Everton have made many profitable sales since, selling Amadou Onana and Richarlison for hefty fees, to name a couple, but David Moyes will want to retain his prized players in this current Premier League climate, with the early readings from the current campaign suggesting his side have the capacity to reach heights long unscaled.

The most valuable players in the Everton squad

Everton have spent too long competing against the threat of relegation, and Moyes is intent on changing that. Indeed, four games into the 2025/26 season, the Scot has picked up seven points from 12, and Everton sit sixth in the standings.

They have a squad of new potential and possibilities. Iliman Ndiaye joined from Marseille for just £15m last summer, and yet he looks a top player indeed, the club’s top scorer last term and showing more quality over the opening weeks of the campaign. Perhaps he stands a chance of emulating Lukaku in the final third?

Jarrad Branthwaite has not yet kicked a ball this term due to injury, but has been courted by the Premier League’s top outfits in the past and has been priced at £75m, a fee which would level him with Lukaku.

And how could we forget Jack Grealish? A loanee he may be, the £100m Manchester City man has enjoyed an electric start to his stint on Merseyside, and after claiming August’s Player of the Month, fans clamour for a permanent deal down the line, although it may cost in the region of £40m-£50m to get it done.

However, Everton have another talent who actually has the potential to match Grealish’s one-time price tag, and that would see him topple Lukaku as the record holder.

Everton's new "world-class talent"

Maybe it would be unfair to speak of Tyler Dibling’s potential for a record sale at this nascent stage of his Everton career. After all, Moyes will hope that the English playmaker remains at the Hill Dickinson Stadium for many years to come.

Hailed as a “world-class talent” by Southampton youth coach Andy Goldie, Dibling is an exciting player indeed, endowed with a strong athletic style and silky dribbling skills, jinking his way past defenders and into the danger area.

Dibling stood out at Southampton last season, and Everton were tenacious in their bid to sign him, winning the tussle and paying a £42m fee.

He only registered seven goal involvements last year, but the 19-year-old’s potential is undeniable, with Saints sources revealing Dibling was valued at a whopping £100m by his former club as interest intensified last year.

Perhaps unrealistic, but at least it stood as a marker of the kid’s potential, so robust and at ease in the top flight despite Southampton’s woes. Indeed, he played more minutes than any other teenager in the Premier League last term, ranking impressively when compared to his younger peers.

His fleet-footedness has seen him play regularly on the right flank, but Dibling also has a skill from the centre, taking on his man and creating and weaving into space. Is it any wonder he’s already been compared to Grealish and Wayne Rooney since trading the south coast for the north west?

The options are many, and Moyes will crack the best method to see the player rise to the fore and perhaps creep closer toward Southampton’s lofty valuation from last season.

Dibling is the real deal, all right, and may well become a Premier League superstar over the coming years. Moyes will want to keep onto the speedy teenager, but if the day comes when Everton cash in, they will receive a paycheck surpassing even that one-time agreement to part with Lukaku.

Related Now worth more than Grealish: Everton must regret selling "phenomenal" star

Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa brought into sharp focus Everton’s lack of quality strikers, so they must regret selling this phenomenal striker.

Posts ByBen Gray Sep 14, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Após a vitória do São Paulo diante do Palmeiras por 1 a 0 na noite desta quinta-feira (5), no Morumbi, pelas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil, o técnico Dorival Júnior, em entrevista coletiva, explicou a mudança de esquema realizada pelo Tricolor durante a partida. O treinador reiterou que a alteração no posicionamento acabou trazendo mais dificuldades ao Verdão, o que permitiu que a equipe são-paulina aumentasse a pressão e conseguisse buscar o resultado.

RelacionadasSão PauloDorival Júnior abre possibilidade sobre reestreia de Pato pelo São Paulo: ‘Talvez em Bragança’São Paulo05/07/2023São PauloCaio analisa vitória do São Paulo e diz qual deve ser o comportamento da equipe no estádio do PalmeirasSão Paulo05/07/2023São PauloDorival mostra preocupação com Alan Franco e comenta lesões do São Paulo: ‘Precisamos de um benzimento’São Paulo05/07/2023

+ ATUAÇÕES: São Paulo se organiza, e Rafinha garante vantagem contra o Palmeiras na Copa do Brasil

– Um jogo desse tamanho, um clássico como foi disputado, dificilmente nós teríamos um resultado elástico, tanto para um lado quanto para o outro. Eu acho que foi uma grande partida, o Palmeiras teve um início muito bom, nós não encaixávamos a nossa marcação. Conseguimos ali por volta de 20 minutos, alguma coisa desse tipo, chegar um comunicado para que houvesse uma mudança principalmente no posicionamento de um dos jogadores para que encurtássemos um pouco mais o campo e começamos a pressionar um pouco mais, retomando algumas bolas da intermediária para frente – disse Dorival Júnior.

+ Para os tricolores paulistas apaixonados: produtos a partir de R$39,90 na FutFanatics!

– Eu acho que no segundo tempo nós voltamos com a postura que finalizamos a primeira etapa, querendo o resultado, encurtando o campo, buscando um pouco mais o gol. O Palmeiras teve um pouco mais de dificuldades na saída, começaram a alongar algumas bolas, coisa que dificilmente fazem. Nós estávamos tendo uma retomada rápida e o reinício da nossa construção.

Dorival valorizou o resultado conquistado pelo São Paulo no Morumbi, mas pediu cautela e enalteceu o poder do Palmeiras no Allianz Parque, afirmando que a vantagem construída não é definitiva e que ‘muita coisa ainda pode acontecer’.

– Chegamos com boas jogadas pelos lados do campo, ora por dentro ora por fora, fomos felizes, o Rafinha acertou um belo chute. A vantagem ela é importante, não é definitiva. Nós sabemos o que representa o Palmeiras quando fora e principalmente dentro da sua casa, o que torna o jogo ainda mais perigoso e competitivo, e nós temos que ter consciência que será um jogo desse nível para cima. Não tenho dúvidas que será um grande clássico como foi essa partida inicial. Fomos felizes com o resultado, mas muita coisa ainda pode acontecer. Serão mais 90 minutos de uma partida disputadíssima – concluiu o treinador do São Paulo.

+ Dorival Júnior abre possibilidade sobre reestreia de Pato pelo São Paulo: ‘Talvez em Bragança’

Com o resultado, o Tricolor o fica com uma vantagem de 1 a 0 no agregado e pode até empatar por qualquer resultado no casa alviverde, na quinta-feira (13), às 20h, que ainda assim levará a vaga para a semifinal. Antes disso, pelo Brasileirão, a equipe de Dorival Júnior vai até Bragança para enfrentar o Bragantino, no domingo (9), às 16h.

South Africa batter also available to play County Championship during south-coast stint

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2025Hampshire have signed South Africa batter Dewald Brevis to play in their Vitality T20 Blast campaign. Brevis, 21, will also be available for Hamphire’s two County Championship fixtures during the break in the Blast.Brevis joins fellow South African overseas signing Lhuan-dre Pretorius in an attacking Hampshire batting line-up, with the 2022 champions looking to secure a return to Finals Day.Brevis, who won his two T20I caps in 2023, has made his name in franchise tournaments around the world, including playing in the IPL, CPL and MLC, as well as the SA20, where he was the sixth-highest run-scorer with 291 at a strike rate of 184.17, helping MI Cape Town to their first title.He has also made a solid start to his first-class career, with three hundreds in 17 matches and an average of 38.14.”I’m hugely excited about joining Hampshire Hawks for the Vitality Blast this summer, the team has a great history in the competition, and I look forward to being a part of that,” he said.”It’s great we have Lhuan-dre with us as well and hopefully we can put on a good show and entertain the crowd at Utilita Bowl on our way to reaching Finals Day and lifting the trophy. I’m also looking forward to playing in the County Championship, the team were so close last year, and I hope I can help the club push for the title in 2025.”Hampshire’s director of cricket, Giles White, said: “Dewald is an exceptional young player who will add firepower to our batting line-up this summer. He will arrive having enjoyed good recent form, and alongside Lhuan-dre Pretorius we will have two young cricketers that are hungry to make their mark.”

France head coach Didier Deschamps admitted that he has no doubt that Paul Pogba's goal is to return to the national team ahead of next year's World Cup in the USA. At a press conference on Thursday, Deschamps explained what the 32-year-old must do in order to earn a recall to Les Bleus' squad, with the ex-Manchester United and Juventus player expected to make his Monaco debut later this month.

Pogba nearing Monaco debut

After being hit with an 18-month ban from football for testing positive in doping tests, Pogba is inching closer to his much-anticipated return to football. Over the summer, the former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder signed a two-year deal with Ligue 1 outfit Monaco and broke down in tears. The France international has already expressed his ambition to feature for Les Bleus at next year's World Cup.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesDeschamps opens up on possible Pogba return to France squad

Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Thursday, Deschamps said: "Yes, he's getting closer to the moment when he'll become a football player again. A return to the French team? That he wants it and that it's a goal in his mind, I have no doubt. After that, he has steps to take. The next one is when he has the Monaco jersey and sets foot on the pitch. I hope it goes well for him. After that, we'll see. That's all I wish for him, just to get through this first step. That will be a huge joy for him.

"Whether it's possible [to return to the France team], if I say yes, it will be: 'Wow, Pogba's back.' If I say no, I'll look like an idiot, so that's not going to work either. That's all the bad I wish for him to already get through this first stage."

Pogba's last game for France came in 2022

It's been almost four years since Pogba last played a game for France and Deschamps. Indeed, the last time he featured for the 2018 World Cup winners was on March 29, 2022, in a friendly against South Africa. France registered a comfortable 5-0 win, with Pogba assisting Wissam Ben Yedder's goal to make it 4-0 after coming on as a substitute for Olivier Giroud in the 65th minute. 

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Getty Images SportWhen will Pogba make his Monaco debut?

In June, Monaco mapped out a three-month training program to help Pogba get up to speed after being out of action for two years. Head coach Adi Hutter reiterated back in July that the 32-year-old was still a long way away from regaining match fitness. However, fans can expect Pogba to make his Monaco debut this month, after Hutter confirmed earlier this week that the midfielder could be named in one of his squads after the international break. At the earliest, he could make his first appearance for Les Rouge et Blanc on October 18 against Angers.

Warwickshire 223 for 3 (Yates 113*, Davies 66) trail Sussex 528 (Simpson 181*, Bamber 4-105) by 305 runsBowlers continue to suffer in the Birmingham sunshine as an opening-round runfest unfolds between Warwickshire and Sussex in the Rothesay County Championship Division One at Edgbaston.Sussex have returned to the top tier in style by amassing 528 all out after captain John Simpson added a superb unbeaten 181 from 262 balls to Tom Clark’s opening-day century. Warwickshire’s injury-hit attack, led by debutants Ethan Bamber and Tazeem Ali, plugged away nobly but found the going tough in good batting conditions.Sussex’s hopes of turning that strong total into a victory were then held up by the home batters who responded with 223 for 3. Rob Yates closed the second day on 113 from 148 balls after captain Alex Davies launched the reply with an aggressive 66 off 65.Edgbaston pitches in recent years have tended to flatten out as matches lengthen, so it is difficult to see either side forcing a victory. Both would probably be happy enough with a solid draw from their season-opener.Sussex resumed on the second day on 386 for 5 and were given early impetus by Jack Carson’s punchy 28 before he lifted Ed Barnard to deep square leg in pursuit of his fourth boundary of the over. Fynn Hudson-Prentice was soon lbw to Bamber but the implacable Simpson was joined by Danny Lamb in a stand of 85 in 25 overs.Lamb and Ollie Robinson fell lbw to successive balls from Tazeem and Simpson’s hopes of challenging his career best 205 ended when Jayden Seales scooped Michael Booth to midwicket.Warwickshire opening batters Davies and Yates enjoyed their moments of good fortunes against the new-ball attack of Robinson and Seales but batted positively and the score advanced briskly as soon as the ball softened. Davies hit 11 fours on his way to a 48-ball half-century as his side eased to 112 without loss from 21 overs at tea.They reached that point without taking risks, which made Davies’ departure, slashing the third ball of the evening session, a wide, short offering from Seales, to third man all the more strange. Hamza Shaikh helped the steady Yates to add 56 in 14 overs but was undone by a lovely ball from Carson. Having seen a flighted delivery driven for four earlier in the over, the offspinner looped up another which turned sharply to bowl the batter through a drive.That left Warwickshire, needing 379 to avoid the follow on, 172 for 2 with 17 overs left in the day. Yates chugged on to a 132-ball hundred but the departure of Sam Hain, who edged Seales to slip with 17 balls remaining, sent Sussex off the field with a spring in their step and feeling that a strong third morning could keep the door open to them returning to Division One with a very impressive win.

Australian overseas takes four wickets on debut but visitors construct solid first innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Apr-2025

Durham 370 for 9 (Ackermann 116, Lees 52, O’Neill 4-74) vs NottinghamshireColin Ackermann posted the first century of the Rothesay County Championship season as Durham recovered to 370 for 9 on the opening day against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.Australian pace bowler Fergus O’Neill took 4 for 74 on his debut for the home side but it was Ackermann – celebrating his 34th birthday – who delivered the outstanding performance in the Nottingham sunshine as the visitors battled back from 171 for 5 after being asked to bat first.On what looked a good pitch, the South African-born allrounder enjoyed a moment of freakish good fortune on 80 when a ball from Lyndon James clipped his off stump only for the disturbed bail to drop back into its groove, but otherwise did not offer a chance until he was dismissed on 116, having hit 17 fours and a six.Alex Lees marked his first match as Durham’s club captain with a half-century, while Josh Tongue took two wickets on his much-delayed Nottinghamshire debut, although he looked nowhere near the form that catapulted him into England’s Test side in 2023. Graham Clark and George Drissell each made 45.O’Neill arrived at Trent Bridge in outstanding form after taking 38 wickets at 21.07 for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield and struck here in just his third over as Durham’s 20-year-old England prospect Ben McKinney nicked behind.O’Neill, 6ft 4ins but with a slingy action, backed up his maiden success in his next over, dismissing Emilio Gay in similar fashion, leaving the former Northamptonshire batter to reflect on an eight-ball duck.If O’Neill was the standout bowler in the opening session, the dismissal of Lees by Farhan Ahmed for 52 felt like an important breakthrough.Lees was dropped on 17 at first slip off Dillon Pennington and looked in the mood to make Nottinghamshire pay heavily, reaching 51 from 60 balls. But when Farhan, the 17-year-old offspinner, sat one up to tempt the left-hander to clear the short Bridgford Road boundary, his mistimed shot merely found the fielder at mid-on.After taking 25 wickets in five first-class matches in his debut season last year, Farhan has quickly overtaken Calvin Harrison and Liam Patterson-White as Nottinghamshire’s first-choice slow bowler. As the bowler who also dismissed Ackermann, caught at slip pushing at a ball that drifted away to find the outside edge, and maintaining impressive economy to boot, he justified his selection.With Ollie Robinson and Will Rhodes falling cheaply in the first hour of the middle session, Ackermann’s innings proved vital to keeping Durham’s innings from falling away.His moment of good luck apart, he rarely looked in any difficulty and after stands of 78 with Lees and 93 with Clark was furious with himself for not sticking around to cash in even more against an ageing ball.Robinson gave Tongue his maiden wicket as a Nottinghamshire bowler, edging to first slip, while Rhodes, making his debut for Durham after his winter move from Warwickshire, fell to an outstanding catch by Joe Clarke, one-handed low to his left, as O’Neill claimed a third.Clarke is covering behind the stumps for new signing Kyle Verreynne, who like Durham’s leading runscorer David Bedingham remains in South Africa as Western Province bid for domestic glory.Tongue, who joined Nottinghamshire from Worcestershire 20 months ago only to be out of action for the whole of that time with pectoral and then hamstring injuries, picked up a second wicket as a fine catch by second slip Freddie McCann accounted for Clark, before O’Neill removed Drissell to raise his tally to four.The 27-year-old Tongue is centrally contracted with England, whose plan was for he and Olly Stone essentially to alternate appearances in Nottinghamshire’s early championship rounds, although Stone is now himself sidelined following a knee operation and is not expected to return before August.