Manchester United have a huge couple of weeks ahead of them, with Ruben Amorim desperately needing to find a solution to various issues across the squad.

The attacking department has been hugely improved in 2025/26, as seen by their tally of 30 goals in their first 16 Premier League matches of the campaign.

However, INEOS have made it clear they want further attacking reinforcements in January, which has seen Antoine Semenyo just one player shortlisted at Old Trafford.

The Ghanian has already netted seven goals in England’s top-flight this campaign, with his latest effort coming against the Red Devils on Monday evening.

However, the move could come as a surprise to many outsiders, but there is a huge reason why Amorim’s men are in the hunt for added attacking reinforcements.

Why United are set to struggle due to AFCON

The African Cup of Nations comes round every two years, giving players from such a continent to make themselves heroes for their respective countries.

However, it does pose a huge issue to many Premier League clubs, with Amorim’s United one of the sides hugely affected by this year’s edition of the competition.

Three players, Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui, have all linked up with their nations, which has left a huge issue for the manager to contend with down the right-hand side.

Losing three players would be a challenge to any manager, but the aforementioned trio have arguably been the Red Devils’ best players in the 2025/26 campaign to date.

Mbeumo and Amad have been two of the club’s star performers in England’s top-flight, subsequently registering 11 combined goals and assists between them to date.

Such a tally is 36% of the whole club’s goal tally in the league, with the former of the duo currently sitting top of the goalscoring charts with his tally of six.

The competition ends on the 18th of January, which could see the pair miss seven games between them should their nations both reach the final, which may leave Amorim with a huge decision to make.

The solution to United’s AFCON troubles

Given the impact of losing Mbeumo and Amad, United currently have two separate solutions to fix the issues they could face as a result of the African Cup of Nations.

Option one could be to delve back into the transfer market and once again bolster the frontline, with Semenyo one name that continues to be linked with a switch to Old Trafford.

He’s set to be one of the most in-demand players in the Premier League, especially when his £65m release clause becomes active on the first day of the new year.

However, the Red Devils will need to act swiftly to secure the 25-year-old’s signature, with his current clause only lasting for the first ten days of the January window.

Another option the manager could choose is to put faith in the academy ranks, subsequently handing Shea Lacey the chance to prove his worth in the absence of Mbeumo and Amad.

The 18-year-old is yet to make his senior debut for the first-team, but has been consistently on the bench this campaign, with Amorim yet to hand him his big break.

However, he has impressed for the U21 side throughout the ongoing campaign, as seen by his incredible tally of goal contributions from his nine appearances to date.

Lacey, who’s an England U20 international, has five combined goals and assists despite playing three years above his age group, even scoring a double in a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace.

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It could be a huge step up for the teenager, but he does possess very similar traits to the outgoing African talents, which could make him the perfect short-term replacement.

Like Mbeumo and Amad, Lacey is a left-footed attacker who loves to play off the right-hand side, often cutting inside onto his favoured foot and finding the top corner. In the words of journalist Jack Kenmare, he looks like “a Phil Foden regen”.

Like Foden and indeed Semenyo, Lacey has rapidly become known for his dribbling ability in recent years, as seen at youth level, leading to one analyst labelling the teenager as “impossible to dispossess”.

Shea Lacey – stats against Notts County

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

71

Passes completed

80%

Passes into final third

10

Dribbles completed

3

Ground duels won

8

Fouls won

2

Gosls scored

1

Stats via FotMob

His recent showing in the Vertue Motors Trophy against Notts County was evidence of such talent, subsequently scoring whilst also completing three dribbles – the most of anyone in the match.

It may not be the most popular of decisions this January, but catapulting Lacey into the first-team reckoning could well prove to be an excellent option for the manager.

Semenyo would no doubt be a phenomenal addition, but it’s £65m worth of funds that should be directed into other areas of the pitch to bolster their Premier League standing.

Related Amad upgrade: Man Utd in talks "this week" to sign "unplayable" PL talent

Manchester United’s search for new attack-minded wing-backs appears to be stepping up.

Posts 1 ByRobbie Walls

Tottenham Hotspur’s spineless defeat against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground last weekend was a mess.

Thomas Frank has since been entrusted by the Lewis Family with the responsibility of turning things around, but it’s hard to see that Spurs have made headway after dismissing Ange Postecoglou at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

That being said, Frank has what it takes to lift this project off the ground, having exceeded expectations in west London with Brentford. He is steadfast in his belief that he will make discernible progress soon.

The Danish coach needs time, but, more importantly, he needs results, and he must navigate through a number of obstacles down N17.

The biggest problems facing Frank at Spurs

Frank was visibly incensed as his Tottenham team trudged off after defeat at Nottingham Forest. After all, it was a display littered with issues.

The likes of Pedro Porro have been abject all year. The Spanish right-back is a creative expert, but he’s struggling to bring it all together, so flimsy and, it looks at times, disinterested.

Sofascore record that Spurs lost 57% of their aerial challenges against the Tricky Trees; moreover, only three of 19 attempted crosses found their target.

It’s not just a struggle to implement Frank’s vision. Individual errors are costing Tottenham dearly too. There are deep-rooted problems for the Lilywhites boss to wrestle with, but mistakes make up some of the biggest creases, and they need to be ironed out.

Premier League 25/26 – Most Errors Made

Club

Goals Conceded

Errors

Tottenham

21

20

Everton

19

19

Nott’m Forest

25

18

Wolves

20

17

Man City

16

16

Sunderland

17

16

Data via FBref

Perhaps this means certain members of the squad need to be evicted. We’ve seen before the hindrances that error-prone players can have, even against their natural talent, and Frank may have landed his own version of Serge Aurier in that regard.

Spurs' new version of Serge Aurier

Aurier spent four years in north London with Tottenham, enjoying highs and lows under Mauricio Pochettino and then Jose Mourinho’s wing.

An athletic and creative right-back, Aurier arrived from PSG for a hefty £23m fee, and while he boasted a suitable athletic and technical profile for the Premier League, the Ivorian defender was culpable of many “ridiculous and rash” decisions, making many an “elementary mistake”, as had been said by pundit Jamie Redknapp.

Talented but guilty of error-strewn displays? Tottenham may have their new version between the sticks, with Guglielmo Vicario having played an epicentral role in his side’s mistake-filled performances this season.

Vicario, 29, is into his third campaign in north London after joining from Empoli for an initial £17m fee, and while has saved 70.6% of the shots he has faced in the Premier League this term, putting him seventh in the standings for that metric, he has also blundered on several occasions, drawing the ire of Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher and many Spurs supporters besides.

Also branded “embarrassing” and “in a tough spot” by former Premier League forward Nigel Reo-Coker after blundering against Forest, Vicario’s job is not at risk yet, but he’s ostensibly entered the beginning of his prime as a shot-stopper and needs to be producing more convincing displays.

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He was at fault both times as Callum Hudson-Odoi worked his way onto the scoresheet, and it’s hardly as if that dour defeat stands as an outlier.

In fact, the Italy international has made a sum total of 11 direct errors since moving to the Premier League, including a woeful return of six from just 24 appearances last year.

Aurier had his uses in a Tottenham shirt, but his strengths did not outweigh the weaknesses that bogged Spurs down after that post-Champions League decline.

Now, Vicario is proving himself to be the new version, and if Frank is serious about making sustained headway, it might be that the shot-stopper needs to be cut loose down the line.

Related A better signing than Simons: Spurs hold talks to sign big-money PL star

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher claims that Manchester City star Yaya Toure will be judged on his defensive performances rather than his attacking forays this season, Sky Sports reports.

City made easy of their season-opening fixture on Monday night, brushing aside West Bromwich Albion 3-0 at the Hawthorns with Toure grabbing the first two goals.

His first strike took a lucky deflection off both David Silva and Craig Dawson’s legs, but his second was an immaculate side-footed finish right into the top corner.

WANT MORE? >> Manchester City Transfer News | Latest Transfer News

However, Kop icon Carragher claims that if the Citizens want to overcome champions Chelsea to the Premier League crown this season, the Ivory Coast international will need to perform his defensive duties.

He said: “That criticism could still come again, because it’s not in games like this. It’s games where he’s got to do a defensive job.”

“The system looks like Sterling on the left, Silva off the front and Yaya Toure will play central midfield.

“The power and pace he shows going forward, he doesn’t show it going back. I’ve said it time and time again, he’s like a sprinter going forward, and a marathon runner coming back. He doesn’t want to come back.

“And that’ll be the problem for him at the weekend. In those big games can he be trusted to play in the two?

“He was fantastic tonight, but over the course of the season in those big games, Champions League games, that’s where the criticism will come from. Not in terms of going forward, because he’s still as good as anyone.”

Carragher went on to admit that Toure is one of the best central midfielders in Premier League history, and that he could be the difference between winning the title or another trophy-less campaign for the Sky Blues.

He continued: “Have we ever seen anyone better in Premier League history, a central midfield player, dominating, sprinting forward from that central midfield with power, coming on to things, but also that finishing.

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“For the criticism he got last year, he was still among the highest-scoring midfield players. But because of the year before, when he got 20, you automatically give him criticism and stick.

“He’s driven them to the title before. If they could get the Yaya Toure of the last couple of years, in title-winning seasons, they have a fantastic chance of winning the league.”

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Amassing 525 in their first innings and then taking two Madhya Pradeshwickets for only 10 runs by stumps, Railways were in a commandingposition on the second day of their Central Zone Ranji Trophy leaguematch at the Karnail Singh stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday.Resuming at 267 for two, Railways lost Amit Pagnis (143) and skipperAbhay Sharma (76) early. But there was a lot of substance in themiddle order. Raja Ali got 40, Yere Goud scored 56, Prahlad Rawat hit67 and Santosh Sahu at No 8, slammed an unbeaten 45. Raja Ali and YereGoud added 99 runs for the fifth wicket and Rawat and Sahu added 86runs for the seventh wicket.When MP batted, left arm spinner Kartik Murali and medium pacerHarvinder Singh opened the bowling. Murali struck in his first over,Harvinder in his second and MP were gasping for breath when play endedfor the day.

Wellington kept their hopes of reaching Sunday’s semi-finals alive with a 21-run victory over Central Districts in Palmerston North. Stephen Fleming’s 45 was one of many useful contributions from the Wellington batsmen, who were led by Neal Parlane’s attacking 65, which included seven fours and two sixes, as they posted 274 for 8. After being boosted by Ewen Thompson’s 5 for 45, the home side’s chase began well as they reached 89 for 1, but they lost three quick wickets before Mathew Sinclair (69) regained control with Bevan Griggs (74). However, they were unable to keep up with the required rate and were dismissed in the 48th over, with Iain O’Brien capturing 4 for 44 and Jeetan Patel closing out the game with 4 for 47. The result left Wellington in third on 19 points while their opponents have 18 with one round of group matches remaining.Auckland will finish top of the State Shield table and have a home final even if they lose to Central Districts on Wednesday after a tight five-run win over Northern Districts in Hamilton. The match was reduced to 49 overs and Auckland’s total of 278 for 7 relied on contributions of 77 from Richard Jones and 72 from Scott Styris, who warmed up for the important fourth ODI against England on Wednesday. Andrew Strauss put Northern Districts in a strong position with 106 from 127 balls and when he left Peter McGlashan took over, blasting 62 off 26, including five sixes. It was not enough and the home side, which is last, narrowly missed out on staying in the race for the finals.Rain in the lead-up to the game ruined the clash between Canterbury and Otago in Christchurch. The conditions were fine, but the ground was not fit for play due to the wet weather over the previous week. Both teams earned a couple of points, with Canterbury in second on 21 while Otago are tied on 18 with Central Districts.

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Auckland	9	7	2	0	0	29	+0.377	2286/420.3	2217/438.1
Canterbury	9	4	4	0	1	20	-0.017	1882/375.4	1917/381.2
Wellington	9	4	4	0	1	19	-0.256	1872/379.5	1900/366.3
Central Dist	9	4	5	0	0	18	+0.040	2079/412.2	2130/425.5
Otago	9	4	4	0	1	18	+0.009	1913/384.3	1825/367.3
Northern Dis	9	2	6	0	1	10	-0.196	2071/399.0	2114/392.3

ScorecardRob Key was one of five Kent batsmen to pass fifty•Getty Images

Ravi, Jesse, Hoddy and Napes. As rampant seam attacks go, it’s not really a patch on Josh and the Three Mitches. But, for most of the patrons at the Nevill Ground in Tunbridge Wells, that was a somnambulantly pleasing fact.Thirty miles and several light-years from the scene of yesterday’s crime at Lord’s, life went on as normal in Kent’s most idyllic of outgrounds. Kent churned out the runs, 352 of them on the day, for the loss of four wickets. Essex stuck wilfully to their task, outplayed on the day maybe, but proving positively incisive compared to the horrors being endured by Sussex’s and Glamorgan’s bowlers at Horsham and Colwyn Bay.Fourth versus eighth in the second division of the LV= County Championship brought with it an excuse not to be drawn to the edge of one’s seat, or chew one’s nails to the quick. Instead it was an excuse to sit back and soak in, as Kent closed on an imposing 420 for 4, a lead of 160 leaving them well placed to exact revenge for their five-wicket defeat on a Chelmsford minefield in April.The spectators who bimbled around the boundary’s edge included plenty refugees from England’s Ashes debacle: horrified survivors of that grim fourth day, as well as mildly bewildered holders of those now-redundant fifth-day tickets, all booked up but with nowhere to go.In between their perusals of the second-hand bookstall at midwicket, or their chats with Jack Russell – the Gloucestershire and England legend was incongruously in situ, selling signed copies of his painting compilations – the faithful were rewarded with a meandering day of accumulation.None of Kent’s batsmen made fewer than Sam Northeast’s 43, but Daniel Bell-Drummond’s 81 from 71 balls – 46 of which had come in his first-evening onslaught – remained the clubhouse-leading score by the close.His aggression and timing was matched, in the gloaming, by the evergreen Darren Stevens, who enlived the evening session with 11 fours and a fierce six over midwicket off David Masters, as he and Ben Harmison laid into the new ball to carry the total past 400 in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 117.In between whiles, Kent’s batsmen took turns to drive the innings along without ever seizing the day by the scruff of the neck. Bell-Drummond looked the likeliest to do so, but with the third ball of his second spell, Ryder bowled him off a big inside-edge, his deceptively lolloping run-up giving way to a command of swing and seam that has now earned him 34 wickets at 23.76.Rob Key, restored to the opener’s role that he had relinquished during his last stint as captain, made a confident 71 – a lower-octane affair than his 87 against the Australians at Canterbury last month, maybe, after which he had joked that he wasn’t paid enough to face Mitchell Johnson at full tilt, but one which ended amid the threat of unexpected bounce. Graham Napier kicked one off a good length and Key, visibly taken aback, flapped an uncommitted pull to a stooping Nick Browne at square leg.That ought to have been Napier’s second of the day after Joe Denly had been dropped by Ryder at slip before he had scored. But he was quickly into his stride thereafter, clipping Napier through midwicket to get off the mark, and moving serenely along to 69 from 121 balls before Ravi Patel, the left-arm spinner, bowled him through a loose drive.Northeast, by that stage, had lost his leg stump to Jamie Porter, Essex’s quickest bowler whose methods were less suited to the conditions than those of his team-mates – his 18 overs were milked for 105 runs, including a loose morning spell in which Key and Bell-Drummond had picked off the boundaries at will.”I always enjoy playing at Tunbridge Wells, it’s always a decent wicket and enjoyed spending some time out there today,” said Denly at the close. “It’d be good to get one over Essex, and we are in a very strong position. Hopefully tomorrow we can kick on again, get a good lead and hopefully put them under some pressure.”It was very slow wicket,” he added. “Early on, Keysy and Deebs [Bell-Drummond] played very well with the newer harder ball, but when it got softer it was pretty hard to score and time, and my innings was a little bit scratchy. But at the end when the new ball was taken, Stevo and Ben were able to score a bit more freely and put us in a good position.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLahiru Thirimanne and Angelo Mathews added 127 for the fourth wicket•AFP

Angelo Mathews scored his sixth Test century and dominated a wicketless first session but Sri Lanka lost their way thereafter, losing their last seven wickets for 65 runs as India ran to a dominant position at the end of day three. Mathews and Lahiru Thirimanne resisted the steady drip of pressure exerted by India’s bowlers, adding 127 for the fourth wicket, but the rest of Sri Lanka’s batting couldn’t cope with it. Having secured a first-innings lead of 87, India extended it to 157 for the loss of just one wicket.

Thirimanne fined for dissent

Sri Lanka batsman Lahiru Thirimanne has been fined 30% of his match fee after he was found to have breached Article 2.1.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an International Match”.
The incident in question occurred in the 85th over of Sri Lanka’s innings, when Thirimanne stood his ground after being adjudged caught behind, and eventually left the field shaking his head.
The charge was laid by on-field umpires Bruce Oxenford and Rod Tucker, and third umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge.
Thirimanne admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, meaning there was no need for a formal hearing.

India lost KL Rahul in the first over of their second innings, bowled off the inside edge by a Dhammika Prasad inducker, before Vijay and Rahane saw them through to stumps. They did this without too many alarms, though Rangana Herath troubled both batsmen with his straighter one, having two strong lbw appeals turned down. Rod Tucker made the right decision each time, with one striking the inside edge and two seeming to be missing leg.Just as they had done on day two, India’s bowlers probed away with discipline on a pitch offering them just enough to keep asking questions, but Mathews and Thirimanne were more than equal to the task. In all, it was riveting Test cricket, with Mathews using his nous and Thirimanne showing impressive patience to strengthen Sri Lanka’s position and leave them the happier of the two sides at lunch.India seemed to be letting the initiative slide even further when, in the second over after lunch, Ishant Sharma went around the wicket to try and bombard Mathews with bouncers. He had long leg and deep square leg in place, but the deliveries he sent down were so lacking in venom that Mathews still managed to pull and glance him for three successive fours. Wisely, India shelved the short-ball tactic.The round-the-wicket angle, however, brought Ishant reward in his next over, though it was Thirimanne who succumbed, nicking behind while trying to drive one that straightened from a fullish length. He looked displeased with the umpire’s decision, but replays were inconclusive.A short rain interruption followed, after which Ishant struck again to remove Dinesh Chandimal, who pressed forward and pushed away from his body at one that seamed away. During his spell, Ishant’s use of the bouncer became less predictable and harder to play, and he struck Chandimal’s helmet and Jehan Mubarak’s glove while they ducked with their eyes off the ball.Mathews moved to his hundred – his sixth in Tests – with the most audacious shot of his innings, reverse-sweeping R Ashwin against the turn, off a ball that straightened from middle stump, and finding the gap to the left of point. But he was gone three balls later, poking at a good-length ball outside off – a shot he may not have played had he not been batting on three figures – to give Stuart Binny his first Test wicket. The frenetic action continued in the next over, when Mishra bowled a legbreak laden with overspin and bounce to force Dhammika Prasad to pop a simple catch to slip.Ishant Sharma exults after taking the wicket of Lahiru Thirimanne•AFP

Five overs into the post-tea session, Sri Lanka were all out. Mishra picked up two of the last three wickets, and bowled the ball of the day to ensnare Mubarak. The left-hander pressed forward to defend, not realising that late drift away from him had subtly changed the line of the ball; it pitched on off stump, rather than off and middle, and straightened past his outside edge to clip off stump. It had taken India only 22.1 overs to pick up the last seven wickets. Sri Lanka’s situation had been utterly transformed from the calmness of the first session.There was a sense of opportunism about the way Mathews batted, using the angles to create run-scoring opportunities, particularly through the leg side. In the sixth over of the morning, Mathews flicked Umesh Yadav square of midwicket, from an off-stump line, to pick up a boundary. The last ball of the over wasn’t quite as full, and he delayed the moment when he closed the bat face to work it wide of mid-on for a single. First ball of the next over, he repeated the same shot against Ishant Sharma. Three fairly good balls, six runs scored.But above all, the innings showcased Mathews’ ability to make his game work for him. His technique isn’t flawless – his front-foot stride isn’t the longest, and his bottom hand often dominates – but while the odd ball leaves him looking uncomfortable, he finds ways to minimise any damage it may cause.Late on day two, Umesh had opened him up three times with his outswinger. But he made sure he didn’t edge any of them, refusing to follow the ball with his hands. It happened again when Umesh was re-introduced to the attack ten minutes before lunch on day three. Again, Mathews played with bat close to body, happy for the ball to beat his edge by a fair distance. In between, Amit Mishra frequently puzzled him with his flight and dip, but he adjusted and played the second line, with soft hands.Thirimanne, usually easy on the eye but prone to errors, followed Mathews’ example beautifully. There was an early period of discomfort against Ishant, who angled it across the left-hander from a tight, off-stump line and found bounce and occasional seam movement, but he grew increasingly solid as the day progressed.Thirimanne was happy enough to defend ball after ball, and waited for the delivery he could cut: that shot brought him all three of his fours in a morning session that saw him advance his score by 29 runs, off 74 balls. In the process, he showed a glimpse of what he could offer Sri Lanka if he marries grit to his natural ability on a more frequent basis.

Just when Tamil Nadu’s tailenders were getting a feel of the bat towards the end of their training session at the the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai’s business hub, M Vijay padded up to take guard for the second time in an hour.Vijay, seeking to return to match fitness after missing two of India’s three Tests in Sri Lanka due to a hamstring injury, defended balls from pacers for a while. Vijay’s defence, which has been the hallmark of his game during his resurgence as a Test opener over the last two years, was tight as ever.Tamil Nadu may be taking on Mumbai in one of the more high-profile clashes of the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy season, but more than the rivalry between the sides, the spotlight over the next four days will be on Vijay, with the Test series against South Africa starting in three weeks.Vijay may have emerged as the leaver in Tests over the last couple of years, but he started his prolonged training stint in an unusual manner. He first asked spinners and seamers to bowl onto his pads for a good 20 minutes. Then, the line changed to outside off stump. But Vijay hardly had any difficulties in judging it. He returned towards the end of the session to finish off with a string of defensive strokes.It was Vijay’s first serious net session since scoring 82 in Kumar Sangakkara’s farewell Test. His stint at the crease on Tuesday, hours after joining his team-mates in Mumbai, was all about expressing himself freely.”I am pretty excited to play this game because it has been a long gap,” Vijay said. “After the Sri Lanka tour, I did not get any game at all. I am really working hard on my fitness. I am looking forward for a positive result if I play all four days of this match and get some confidence going.”It will be music to the ears of his Tamil Nadu team-mates, as well as the national selectors if Vijay gets into his groove straightaway. It will not be that way for the hosts, though.After earning a bonus point against Punjab at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai will be striving for consistency. They will be banking on the new-ball duo of Dhawal Kulkarni and Shardul Thakur to pull the brakes on Vijay early on.Six years ago, Vijay scored a breezy 154 against the same opponents. If he can produce a knock of similar quality over the next four days, it would be the most opportune manner for him to prove his fitness.

Worcestershire have signed Kyle Abbott, the South African pace bowler, as their overseas player for the second half of the 2016 campaign – subject to him obtaining a visa and a No Objection Certificate from Cricket South Africa.Abbott, a regular member of South Africa’s ODI and T20I squads, including the series last month against India, is scheduled to be available for Worcestershire from early July until the end of the season. South Africa have two Tests against New Zealand in that period, but he does not anticipate being called into the squad.Promotion will be the priority for Worcestershire, whose reputation as county cricket’s Yo-Yo club remained intact when they were relegated from Division One last year.Steve Rhodes, Worcestershire’s director of cricket, had indicated he wanted to sign another quality pace bowler to aid the trio of Joe Leach, Jack Shantry and Charlie Morris who sterlingly bore the brunt of the workload in 2015. They bowlewd more than 1400 Championship overs between them and were among the hardest-worked pace bowlers in the country.”It is very exciting to welcome Kyle on board for the last three months of next season,” Rhodes said. “He will be available after the Tri-Series in the Caribbean with Australia and the West Indies in June. To have him for an extended period of time, July, August, September, I think he will be a real asset”He will pass on, I’m sure, some excellent experience to our younger bowlers and we know he is the type of person that will fit into our dressing room as well. We look forward to him doing well. He is not just a Test match bowler, he is a one-day bowler and he has also got good T20 skills. He will potentially be playing in all three formats.”Abbott has to date played three Tests for South Africa and on his debut in 2013 returned the outstanding figures of 7 for 29 against Pakistan at Centurion when his victims included current captain Misbah-ul-Haq and the former Worcestershire spinner Saeed Ajmal.He has previous experience of county cricket with Hampshire in 2014, helping them to promotion from Division Two of the Championship with 36 wickets in nine matches at 20.33 runs apiece.He also made 12 appearances that season for Hampshire in the NatWest T20 Blast – a competition he played in last summer for a six-match spell with Middlesex.As a Division Two side, Worcerstershire will regard him as quite a coup. His 232 first-class wickets have come at 21.30 apiece and he was also signed up by Chennai Super Kings in 2015 to play in the Indian Premier League.

Northants ended the second day at Cheltenham looking for a convincing win over Gloucestershire to lift them clear of the bottom rung of the second division.A decisive breakthrough in the evening session saw them reduce the home side of 77-4 still 466 behind on a College Ground wicket showing signs of wear.Having built their first innings score of 543 around the meaty blows of their England-qualified Australian Jeff Cook as he made 137 in four and a half hours, Northants then found the right mix of pace and spin to leave Gloucestershire with a sense of inferiority.This was only too evident when the makeshift opening pair of Dominic Hewson and Rob Cunliffe were both back in the pavilion by the end of the seventh over, Hewson not offering a shot to a ball which went straight through into his stumps and Cunliffe edging to Matt Haynes in the slips.Gloucestershire, for all their earnest approach, had never found the swing Darren Cousins uncovered to claim those two wickets but then the pitch had been deadened by several days’ rain and then scuffed as the bowlers ran through.With the openers gone with only 18 scored Northants’ skipper Haynes quickly brought Tony Penberthy on at the College Lawn end and his medium pace gave him two quick wickets.Home captain Mark Alleyne has been largely out of form with the bat since leading the England A tour in the winter and like Hewson he made no attempt to play the ball which went through to strike his back pad, departing for six to his 12th ball.Then Matt Windows clipped a ball off his pads to Jason Brown and at 40-4 there was a possibility a demoralised side might not last the 35 overs of the evening session.They did by promoting the combative Jack Russell to encourage that first-season batsman Chris Taylor. The wicket-keeper drew the flak leaving Taylor to strike out a determined 27 with four boundaries although the partnership was lucky to survive when Adrian Rollins at short leg juggled with a prod by Russell but failed to hold on to it at the second attempt.Where Gloucestershire struggled Northants had been composed building a variety of solid innings around Cook who waited patiently for the right ball.Ninety two of his runs came in boundaries before he was undone by a ball from his fellow-Australian Ian Harvey which cut in to find his middle stump.Cook in the 209 balls he faced saw the score rise from 131-1 when he went in to 416-5 when he left with Northants by then on course for a maximum five batting points.They sailed past their previous highest total in matches between these counties – 516 at Bristol back in 1913 – as their last five batsmen put on 127 with David Ripley unbeaten on 48.The best of the home bowling came from the uncapped Mike Cawdron who kept up a whippy pace and line through several spells to finish with three for 70 off 28 overs.