ScorecardFile photo: Unmukt Chand hammered 80 off 86 balls to seal a chase of 201 for Delhi•PTI

Delhi will play their second Vijay Hazare Trophy final after a comfortable, six-wicket victory over Himachal Pradesh in Bangalore. The last time Delhi set up a summit clash was quite recent too – in 2012-13 – and they won it.The difference between both teams was the contrast in their batting styles. While Delhi were assured and always in control, Himachal were subdued and impatient and could only muster 200 for 9 after being put in to bat.No one epitomised Delhi’s confidence as much as Unmukt Chand, who became the first batsman from his team to cross 300 runs in the tournament. His unbeaten 80 today included nine boundaries and was his third fifty-plus score in List A cricket this season.Chand had walked in after Rishabh Pant became the first wicket to fall, but not before the opener had set the tone for the chase with three crunching fours in the first three overs.Chand too began with a solid straight drive, then moved inside the line of another fuller ball for a flick to the fine leg boundary and capped the series off by skipping down the pitch for a six over long-on. Ronit More was the bowler being targeted; he bowled only eight balls to Chand but gave away 16 runs.Chand’s positivity was apparent even in the break between overs during chats with senior partner Shikhar Dhawan, who joined in the early fun and punished Himachal’s 20-year old medium-pacer Pankaj Jaiswal for trying to bowl short. Delhi collected eight fours and a six in the first 10 overs to set up a strong foundation to their chase.Himachal did have a chance to turn things around. A lapse in concentration resulted in Shikhar playing on to Bipul Sharma’s left-arm spin in the 18th over. Delhi captain Gautam Gambhir misread the line of one from part-time spinner Nikhil Gangta and was trapped leg before, continuing a dismal season with the bat – he averages 24.85 after eight matches with only one fifty. Milind Kumar lifted Himchal’s spirit further when he was run out by Ankush Bains in the 29th over.But Chand was still out there and he remained in charge. Barring a misjudged sweep against Bipul when he was on 55, he dominated the Himachal bowling and sealed the chase without any further hiccups.That Himachal even managed to get to 200, and last the 50 overs, was because of an aggressive half-century from their captain Bipul. He made 51 off 45 balls, the only man from the team to have a strike rate better than 100 on condition of at least five balls faced.Bipul had walked in with his team on 98 for 4 in the 31st over. Allrounder Rishi Dhawan had just got out for 9. The other two batting mainstays – Robin Bist and Paras Dogra – did not make much of an impact either.So it was down to Bipul to provide some substance to the innings. His first boundary came off a back cut against Pawan Negi. Then Bipul went with the turn and lofted the left-arm spinner for a straight six. Next Nitin Saini was taken for consecutive fours, and Nitish Rana’s offspin was launched down the ground for another maximum.His third six – straight again, off medium-pacer Subodh Bhatti – brought up the fifty partnership with No. 9 Mayank Dagar off only 46 balls. A dab into the off side for a single brought Bipul his first fifty in the tournament. But the enterprise he showed was absent in the rest of the Himachal batting line-up.Rishi Dhawan, who is part of the India squad for ODI series in Australia, punched the back of his bat in disgust after he was bowled attempting to sweep across the line of a straight delivery from Negi. Bist, who hit a match-winning century against Punjab in the quarter-final, nicked off when Saini was able to get one to move away off the straight.Dogra, Himachal’s most experienced batsman, was a victim of impatience. He had been part of a slow partnership – 45 off 78 balls – with opener Prashant Chopra who struggled to shift gears during his 33 off 69 balls. Chopra failed to capitalise and cut straight to point, the pressure slowly increased and Dogra, 28 off 64 balls at the time, succumbed to it when he played a half-hearted loft against Negi and was caught at long-off.Himachal could only put up 77 after 25 overs in their first innings, and it was this conservative approach with the bat that proved fatal for them.

Ian Bell has been named as captain of the MCC side to take on Yorkshire in this year’s Champion County match in Abu Dhabi. Bell, who still hopes to add to his tally of England caps, was handed the Warwickshire captaincy last month.The four-day first-class match between an MCC XI and the reigning county champions, traditionally the season’s opening fixture, will begin on March 20. Unlike previous years, when the match has been used to trial the pink ball, this time it will be played during daylight hours with a red ball, at Yorkshire’s request.It could be the first of several duels with Yorkshire for Bell, as he attempts to lead Warwickshire to the Championship title they last won in 2012.”This match is perfect for me to get some time in the middle ahead of the new season and I’m very grateful to MCC for offering me the chance to both play for and captain the team,” Bell said.”It’s a nice opportunity for some practice in warm weather, and it will of course be a privilege to represent MCC again. Yorkshire’s team is full of top quality players so it will be great for myself and the rest of our guys to test ourselves against them, and hopefully I can contribute to an entertaining match.”Bell, 33, has previously played for the MCC in 2004 and 2009 but this will be the first time he has done so out in the UAE, which is hosting the Champion County match for the seventh time. The team for this year’s fixture has yet to be announced.John Stephenson, MCC’s head of cricket, said: “Ian Bell is one of the best England cricketers of his generation and I’m delighted that he has agreed to captain MCC for this year’s Champion County match. It’s an ideal opportunity for him to gain match practice ahead of the new season, and I’m sure his experience will prove beneficial for our squad too.”

Slow-burn thrillers aren’t for everyone. Mount Maunganui’s been screening one for the past three days and just as the draw was starting to turn favourite, things started to happen. “Ooooh my Goooddddd,” cried Kavem Hodge rolling around on the floor. Apparently, he was only allowed a second Test match century if he could show he could take a cricket ball to the crown jewels. He did. On 97, he put his agonised body through the trauma of a quickly run two, and on 99, decided running is for losers and whacked a pull shot to the square-leg boundary.West Indies went to stumps on 381 for 6, and trailing by 194, but there is uncertainty around two of the wickets they have in hand. Shai Hope was holed up in his hotel all of Friday and he hasn’t really been seen since. It is reported that he is unwell and as team-mate after team-mate came in ahead of him, it is starting to look serious enough to prevent him from batting. Kemar Roach is down with a hamstring injury he picked up on the first day and his status is unclear as well.New Zealand will remain hopeful of a positive result, particularly on the evidence of how they roused themselves in the final session. They were tired. The slow pace of the pitch was negating the movement that was still on offer. So there was a lot of oohs and aahs but never the aha! Until Daryl Mitchell was given the ball and he just trundled in and had Justin Greaves lbw. Three balls later, Ajaz Patel had Roston Chase trapped in front as well.West Indies had racked up fifty partnership after fifty partnership – four of their top five wickets were able to bed in. Then all of a sudden, a dibbly-dobbly bowler and a man who had never taken a Test wicket at home broke through.Slow burn thrillers. Gotta love ’em.Hodge batting in the 90s started to get uncomfortable. Anderson Phillip was hit in the head. New Zealand missed an edge through to the keeper. The replay went up on the big screen and Tom Latham said, “Oh, not again!”, throwing back to the missed opportunity when they had no reviews in Christchurch and Roach lbw only for the umpire to shake his head. There’s still two more days of this left.Ajaz Patel celebrates his maiden home Test wicket•AFP/Getty Images

Hodge’s Test career has been a slow burn too and at one point was in danger of being put out. He had been dropped during the home summer with only two of his previous 15 innings crossing the 30-run mark. Speaking at the end of the day’s play, he had the grace to accept that, saying if the employees aren’t giving what is expected of them, bosses will look elsewhere.West Indies came back to him for this tour of New Zealand and he made it a priority to figure out a way to bat against the moving ball. This challenge, far from making him shrink, triggered the analytical side of him. He has a degree in sports science and those principles might have come in handy to recognise that he could leverage his strength, scoring square of the wicket, into runs, “Plan your work, work your plan,” he said at the end of the day on 109 not out.Hodge looked suspect initially, surviving outside edges through the slip cordon and berating himself about his front foot’s reluctance to get in line with the ball. But none of that deterred him from doing the basics right; from being ready for the next ball; from gaining better awareness of his off stump. With more and more time in the middle, he was able to get his body moving the way he wanted. The strength of his defence began to shine through – soft hands, bat face pointed down to make sure the ball didn’t reach the close catchers – and the bowlers began looking elsewhere. Hodge punished them for their lack of perseverance, playing some of the most crisp pull shots. The early struggle and the method to get out of it made the final yield all the better.Tevin Imlach, batting at No. 4 in place of Hope soon after his captain had wondered where he was trying to score his runs, put in a decent shift which included running down the pitch at Ajaz and hoisting him over the top for a straight six. That shot was a direct response to the left-arm spinner almost running through his defence with an arm ball.Alick Athanaze was all class. He, like Hodge who was his room-mate as they came up playing together in Dominica, was back-foot dominant. Punches and whips and cuts all eye-catching for the sound off the bat and the balance at the crease.The Grinch made an appearance on dress-up day in Mount Maunganui•Getty Images

Greaves spoke on Friday about bringing glory back to West Indies and it is clearly not beyond him. Once, a mere forward defensive was almost enough to carry the ball to the long-off boundary.Each of those three players had the chance to go big in largely placid conditions but they were all cut short. Imlach out for 27 driving at a ball that wasn’t pitched up and could’ve been left alone. Athanaze left a nothing ball from Ajaz that would’ve comfortably missed leg stump but for a cruel deflection off his front leg. He was 45 off 57. Greaves (43 off 69) missed a straight ball from Mitchell and needed a review to see just how plumb he was. New Zealand’s batters had been ruthless. West Indies’ had work to do.Jacob Duffy, the highest wicket-taker of the series, ran in with purpose whether his job was to strike early – which he did, John Campbell falling without adding to his overnight score of 45 – or do some donkey work – he cranked his pace up to 144kph for the last over of the day which he spent banging the ball into the pitch to see if he could benefit from a bit of variable bounce.Ajaz, who hasn’t played a Test at home for five years, and whose 85 wickets until now were all the result of work done away from home, made the most of the wind blowing across the ground, just lobbing the ball up at the high-70-low-80 kph range and getting good drift and dip. Michael Rae overcame a laceration to his shin to keep trucking in. Zak Foulkes, a swing bowler out of place on a pitch which was helping only those who could hit the deck hard, tried his best. New Zealand were a much-improved bowling side. Their discipline was up. They didn’t let their shoulders sag even as the ball got soft and partnerships kept building. That mentality is going to be crucial as the slow burn in Mount Maunganui continues.

Nottinghamshire have signed George Linde, South Africa’s spinning allrounder, for the 2026 Vitality T20 Blast. Meanwhile, Daniel Sams will swap Trent Bridge for Taunton after agreeing a deal with defending champions Somerset.Linde, 34, will be available for the entire group stage and knockouts, which will be played from May to July next year in a newly condensed structure for the Blast.The well-travelled left-armer has experience of playing in T20 leagues around the world, including SA20, MLC, the CPL and PSL. Linde represented Kent between 2022 and 2023, taking 26 wickets in 27 Blast appearances, and called Trent Bridge home last summer when helping Trent Rockets to reach the final of the Hundred.Related

• Gabe Bell joins Gloucestershire for start of 2026 season

• Hampshire appoint Domingo as head coach

• Anderson named as Lancashire's Championship captain

“It’s a great opportunity to play for Notts Outlaws, and I’m very excited to be coming back to the Blast, which is a competition that is a lot of fun to play in,” Linde said. “I’m looking forward to joining up with the team, and I’ll be aiming to contribute with bat and ball as we look to return to the knockout stages!”I’m really excited to return to Trent Bridge, which I had a lot of fun calling home with the Rockets last year. It’s a great venue, and I’m really excited to join a new team that has a very strong past record in T20 cricket.”Peter Moores, Nottinghamshire’s head coach, said: “I’m excited that George has agreed to join us for the entire Blast season next summer. He has the ability to bowl at any stage of the innings, as well as being a powerful left-handed middle-order batter.”George will add valuable experience to an already-talented spin group, making sure we’re covered for all conditions during the Blast. After spending some time with him at the Rockets, it was clear he has a real hunger to play in the Blast again after his first experience with Kent. We can’t wait to welcome him as part of our team.”Daniel Sams has plenty of experience of English T20•ECB via Getty Images

Sams, meanwhile, will make Somerset this third county, having previously represented Essex and Nottinghamshire. He was the Blast’s MVP in 2023, last man out in the final as Essex fell short in their chase against Somerset.He is expected to be available for the full season as Somerset look to defend the title they won in 2025, their second success in three seasons.”This is an exciting opportunity and hopefully I can help the team retain the trophy,” Sams said. “Having played against Somerset, I know how good a T20 side they are and I’m looking forward to being a part of the team. I know a few of the guys already and I’ll be doing everything that I can to help them win games of cricket in 2026.”Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said: “Daniel has shown his quality all around the world and we are delighted that he will be joining us for our Vitality Blast title defence.”He has demonstrated over the last few years that he can excel and really impact games in English conditions, and he will certainly bring a powerful blend of bowling finesse, explosive batting, and all-round adaptability.”

Lancashire sign Mitch Perry for Championship

Mitchell Perry celebrates a wicket•Getty Images

Lancashire have bolstered their bowling stocks for the first block of six County Championship games by bringing in Australian seamer Mitchell Perry.Perry, 25, has built a strong red-ball record with Victoria and been capped by Australia A. In 49 first-class matches, he has taken 140 wickets at 29.32, as well as scoring five fifties.”I’m really excited to join Lancashire for the 2026 County Championship,” Perry said. “It’s a huge opportunity for me, and playing county cricket is something I’ve always wanted to experience. Lancashire is a club with a proud history and a strong squad, and I’m looking forward to contributing on and off the field.”I have heard great things from my Victoria team-mate Marcus Harris. I can’t wait to get over to Emirates Old Trafford, meet the boys, and get stuck into a big red-ball season.”Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, said: “We’re really pleased to bring a talented bowler in Mitch to Lancashire for our first block of red-ball matches in the 2026 season. We have seen the strength in depth of Australia’s seam bowling ranks, and the impact they’ve had on county cricket in recent seasons, and Mitch comes to us highly recommended.”His skillset with the ball is well suited to English conditions, and we believe he will complement our existing attack perfectly. He will also strengthen the lower order batting which fits the profile of player we have been looking to bring to Emirates Old Trafford this summer.”

Ryan Kent would likely be open to joining Leeds United if they triggered the release clause in his Rangers contract. 

That’s according to sports journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking to GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Kent’s £18,000-per-week deal only has 14 months left to run, which means this summer could be Rangers’ last chance to cash in if he is not going to extend his stay.

It’s believed to contain a release clause of £20million, potentially setting up the most lucrative sale in Rangers’ history. Nathan Patterson, who joined Everton for an initial £12.6million in January, currently holds that record.

Leeds have been long-term admirers of Kent, though the now-sacked Marcelo Bielsa may have been one of the driving forces behind their interest.

The latest

O’Rourke reckons that former Liverpool man Kent may fancy another crack at the Premier League.

If Leeds trigger the clause, then, Rangers may be able to do little to prevent his departure.

“If Leeds were to meet [his release clause], I’m sure it’s something that Ryan Kent would seriously consider, moving back down to England and to the Premier League at this stage of his career,” he said.

The verdict

Rangers may already be resigned to losing the winger and his suitors may see an opportunity that’s too good to turn down this summer.

Indeed, this is a player who’s scored 30 goals and provided 44 assists in 164 appearances for the Gers since he joined, setting up a squad-high 16 this season.

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Kent, who featured in the Scottish Premiership’s official 2020/21 Team of the Year, was called a ‘sensational’ talent by former manager Steven Gerrard.

He did come in for some criticism following Sunday’s Old Firm derby defeat, with Ally McCoist calling one mistimed run ‘inexcusable’, but you’d expect his time at Ibrox to be remembered fondly overall.

In other news, Rangers are eyeing this Championship star. 

Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez has admitted he would like to bring Leon Britton to the DW Stadium.

The Spaniard coached the diminutive midfielder during his time at Swansea City and he is out of contract at the Welsh club at the end of the month.

Speaking to reporters, he said:"In my eyes he is a player who has probably been one of the best central midfielders in the Championship over the last two years and he is someone who I know really well.

"I worked with him for a few seasons and I played with him, so he is someone I really know well.

"Obviously, I know he is out of contract, he has had a few offers and I am sure it is the most important decision of his football career.

"It is something where I am not too sure what is going to happen."

Meanwhile, Martinez has also said he will keep his eyes open for new talent at the Word Cup finals in South Africa this summer.

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"I'm going to the World Cup and we are going to see a few players," he added.

"I think it is important that you sign the right characters and the right personalities. It is a large list in terms of names and it will carry on in that way until we make a signing.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Everton boss David Moyes will not pay over the odds for players who star at the World Cup finals.

Moyes is out in South Africa scouting players while working as a media pundit but is wary of spending big on players who make a major impact on the world stage.

"I don't think you tend to come away from the World Cup and buy because in the past a lot of people have bought from the World Cup and it's not quite worked," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"Also it's expensive when you come back if someone has had a really good World Cup, their clubs you are taking them from are asking even more money."

Meanwhile, Moyes has vowed to keep hold of his star players despite recent transfer speculation.

South Africa midfielder Steven Pienaar has been linked with a move to Arsenal, while England Under-21 international Jack Rodwell continues to be mentioned as a Manchester United target.

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"Everyone wants something don't they?" continued Moyes."We've got a lot of good players at Everton just now, who could play at the top level. They really could.

"I've seen nearly all of my players out here. I want to see that my boys are doing well and enjoying their football for their countries."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Blackburn Rovers chairman John Williams does not expect the possible sale of the club to impact on Sam Allardyce's transfer plans.

Williams has dismissed suggestions that Allardyce is unable to strengthen his squad during a summer of uncertainty at Ewood Park.

"Obviously we are aware of fresh impetus with regards to the potential sale of the club, with at least one potential new buyer being identified," Williams told the Lancashire Telegraph.

"In the event of a successful sale and money being made available, we do have a list of players available in the back of our minds.

"But in the meantime we have a job of work to do and we are not allowing any talk regarding potential new ownership put us off that.

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"We will continue to go on as we are and we are still weighing up different options we have available to us."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Some of the transfers that take place in the summer never cease to amaze me. The imminent transfer of Wigan defender Titus Bramble to Sunderland is one of those moves, but a closer look and it makes much more sense. Bramble of course used to play under Steve Bruce at Wigan, and the Sunderland gaffer obviously liked what he saw in the much-maligned defender. Just because the move makes sense, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a good one though, but could the acquisition of Bramble turn out to be a good little bit of business for the Black Cats?

Titus Bramble isn’t exactly held in the highest regard by Premier League fans around the country. His five years up the road at Newcastle were littered with numerous calamitous errors and the promise seen in him by Sir Bobby Robson never came to fruition. A string of poor performances resulted in the name of Titus Bramble becoming associated with that of an accident waiting to happen. Three years at Wigan have done little to change that feeling, although Bramble has clearly shown more consistency at the DW Stadium. Is he really the man to provide solidity at the heart of the Sunderland defence?

Steve Bruce clearly thinks so and given the defensive problems at the Stadium of Light Bramble will at least add to the numbers they have at the back. The 2009/10 Premier League campaign for Sunderland was blighted by injuries in defence, and a permanent deal for Ghana international John Mensah still looks some way off due to his long-term fitness problems. Bramble himself missed the end of last season due to a foot injury as well. But Sunderland were in need of a defender, and Bruce certainly hasn’t hung around in pushing through a deal for Bramble as they start to step up preparations for this season. However, is £1m for Bramble money well spent?

Ultimately given the small amount of money Sunderland are spending on Bramble compared to the cash being splashed around by other Premier League clubs, the Black Cats don’t have much to lose and stand to gain plenty if this long-shot comes off. It might just be that the 28-year-old now has the experience and has learnt from his mistakes (there have been plenty of them), but will a central defensive partnership with Michael Turner be a successful one? I think it might just transpire that Bruce gets stung by this Bramble transfer, and he won’t have any excuse for not seeing it coming!

Click on image to see a gallery of the BEST BABES at the World Cup this summer

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West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has again warned Tottenham Hotspur off making a renewed offer for England midfielder Scott Parker.

The 29-year-old has already been the subject of one approach from Spurs, but Sullivan is in no mood to sell.

He told the Daily Mail:"I have told Spurs again that he's not available and not to bother us any further, or we'll report them to the Premier League.

"I made a promise that I would not sell Scott and I will not, for any amount of money, break that promise to the West Ham supporters."

Meanwhile, the agent of Hammers midfielder Valon Behrami has admitted that his client would welcome a move to a big club before the transfer window shuts at the end of the month.

Alessandro Beltrami told tuttomercatoweb:"There would be the will to play at a club of a high level and participate in European competitions.

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"We'll see if this will be possible in the next few days in the market.

"However, it doesn't depend on us – if any club is interested in Behrami they must speak with West Ham."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email