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Everton are back in discussions regarding a deal for Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto, and a fresh report has revealed his club’s stance on allowing their prized asset to complete a late move to Merseyside.

What is the latest Gnonto transfer news?

The Toffees have already seen several approaches rejected for the left-winger, and despite The Telegraph later claiming that Premier League rivals Burnley had joined the race to secure his services, the 19-year-old has only ever had his heart set on Goodison Park.

As per Fabrizio Romano, the Italy international previously agreed personal terms with the Blues, and for a short spell, he was refusing to play in order to try and force a transfer through, with the relationship with his club being described as “completely broken”.

At Elland Road, Gnonto currently pockets £20k per week following his move last summer from FC Zurich, and having impressed during his 31 senior appearances so far, he appeared to emerge as a priority target earlier in the window for Sean Dyche.

Are Everton signing Wilfried Gnonto?

According to Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre, Everton “remain in talks” with Leeds over a deadline-day deal for Gnonto.

The Merseysiders have made the attacker “one of their primary targets” for the remainder of the window and have “not given up” on getting him over the line before the end of play tonight.

The Whites star previously handed in a transfer request expressing his desire to leave, but as it stands, Daniel Farke’s side are certain that he is “not for sale”.

Discipline

Crossing

Finishing (via WhoScored)

How many goals has Wilfried Gnonto scored?

During his time at Leeds, Gnonto has racked up nine contributions (five goals and four assists) in 31 outings at first-team level, which shows how much of a positive impact he can have in the final third – and even though the ball might not be regularly hitting the back of the net, he poses a constant threat to an opposition's backline.

The Verbania native, who is sponsored by Puma, has so far recorded six shots this season, which is the joint-second-highest in the squad, (via FBRef).

He also loves to take on his marker as he currently averages 2.5 dribbles per game in the second tier – a joint-high alongside Luis Sinisterra.

Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE…

Farke’s “diamond”, as labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and three roles in the midfield, so he could be a great option for the boss to have at his disposal if any areas needed covering due to unexpected injuries.

The West Yorkshire outfit are in a strong negotiating position when it comes to Gnonto due to him having another four years remaining on his contract, but with Alex Iwobi set to travel to Craven Cottage to undergo a medical ahead of his proposed £22m move to Fulham, Everton should have sufficient funds to put towards signing his replacement.

The India quick admitted to bowling an “Indian length” on the opening day of the Cape Town Test, a tactic that hurt the visitors

Sidharth Monga in Centurion11-Jan-20182:42

Any wicket in Test cricket makes me happy – Bumrah

Bowling an “Indian length” in the first innings in Cape Town, on Test debut, is an error Jasprit Bumrah has admitted to. In a low-scoring match that featured no centuries, just three half-centuries, and assistance for seam bowlers throughout, India conceded 286 in the first innings after having reduced South Africa to 12 for 3. After that India were left to play catch-up, which they did with an improved performance with the ball in the second innings, but the damage had already been done on the first day.Bumrah himself was the main culprit, the only bowler to bowl half-volleys in the first session, which Faf du Plessis drove at with relish. “In the first innings we thought we bowled a little fuller than the normal because in India the wickets are different where we have to pitch fuller to get the swing and to get the batsmen on the front foot,” he said. “Over here there is bounce, there is a little bit of difference. We analysed that and tried to adapt in the second innings, and as a unit we were able to create pressure, so that was the basic plan going into the second innings. That worked well. So hopefully, we will see videos of these wickets, what happens over here and we plan according to it.”India didn’t train at all on the day before the first Test, and at the end of the match the visiting captain Virat Kohli said there was nothing wrong with the preparation. However, this is not the first time that India’s fast bowlers have failed to adjust to conditions, and it cannot be all down to preparation. What happens out in the middle is completely different.Bumrah is reputed to be a quick learner, which has already made him one of the best – if not the best – bowlers in limited-overs cricket. To his credit, Bumrah showed that ability to learn quickly and did not repeat the mistakes in the second innings. He was driven 28 times in 19 overs in the first innings, but once he realised the mistake, he pulled the length back and was driven only 12 times in the 11.2 overs he bowled. He began to hit the pitch hard on that heavy in-between length, and bowled a brute to dismiss du Plessis.”We realised what mistakes we made in the first innings, so we were trying to create pressure from both ends and focus on our lengths, which were wrong in the first innings,” Bumrah said. “We just tried to correct them and not overdo things because over here, when there is help from the wicket, you try to do extra but that won’t help. So we were just trying to be disciplined and stick to basics.”Jasprit Bumrah’s pitch maps•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe Cape Town Test was Bumrah’s first first-class match in a year although he did have 89 first-class wickets from 26 matches. Not having played the format for this long, he said, was not on his mind as he prepared for his debut. “Not nervousness, it’s not like in my life I was playing a first-class game for the first time, I have played a lot of four-day games,” Bumrah said when asked if he felt nervous when he was told he was going to play.”There was a discussion that I would play the match, so I was talking to our bowling coach on what kind of things I should do, what kind of wickets are over here or what should I expect. You can think ‘this is going to happen’ and ‘that’s going to happen’ but as soon as you’re in, things are different. My basic plan was to go inside and have a feel of the wicket and changes should be made accordingly.”The performance on the first day, and the part it might have played in the eventual result, didn’t hurt Bumrah’s confidence. “Confidence doesn’t dent after one match,” Bumrah said. “If it happens, then you don’t deserve to play. Learn from the mistake you made, and go forward. There is not a single cricketer who has not made a mistake. You keep learning and you keep improving all the time. We are trying to rectify our mistakes and move forward.”The team management seems to be impressed with how quickly Bumrah made amends to his lengths. Indeed, in admitting a mistake is the first step to rectifying it, but in a tight series such as this, India can’t afford to have a whole session of ordinary bowling because as Newlands showed us, the visitors only played catch-up thereafter.

Leeds United have endured a tough transfer window, made even more frustrating when sure-thing deals begin to fall through. However, Daniel Farke cannot allow himself to become complacent amidst all the misery…

Who are Leeds United signing this summer?

In what promised to be a summer of vast revolution in Yorkshire, it has instead seen a mass exodus with little recuperation, as ten first-team players have departed with just four having been brought in.

This frustration was exacerbated when, despite seemingly agreeing a deal to sign Max Aarons from Norwich City, late interest from AFC Bournemouth spurred him to make a late change of heart. He would instead join the south coast club for £7m, breaking the hearts of Leeds fans and his former boss in one fell swoop.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

However, journalist Dean Jones has now suggested an alternative that could allow them to speedily move on, with the availability of Djed Spence a fine option for them to explore. Especially given how out of favour he has fallen at Tottenham Hotspur despite joining for £20m back in 2022.

The transfer insider told GIVEMESPORT:

"Yeah, I think in the light of the Max Aarons move not working out it seems like a good idea to explore the situation with Spence.

"There’s huge competition at right-back at Spurs, and while there’s been a resistance to letting him out so far, I think that might have to change at the very end of the window. Both Leeds and Southampton should probably be interested in something like that if it came about."

How good is Djed Spence?

As a couple of young, dynamic, English full-backs, it would be easy for the Elland Road faithful to get behind such a talented ace who could not only help their current situation, but lead them into a brighter future too.

After all, before moving to north London, the former Middlesbrough star had shone in the Championship, particularly on loan with Nottingham Forest.

Yet, as Antonio Conte was guilty of with many players, the 23-year-old saw his chances limited before being forced out to France on loan to reignite a stuttering career.

It is his exploits at the City Ground, which massively aided their Premier League return, that Farke should keep fresh in his memory, as the speedster offered plenty at both ends of the pitch in a way potentially even more potent than Aarons has ever shown.

Spence featured 42 times during that league campaign, posting six goal contributions as he marauded down that right flank. However, despite his one key pass per game he never shirked his defensive responsibilities, also maintaining 1.5 interceptions and 1.4 tackles per game, alongside 15 clean sheets, via Sofascore.

Such form caught the attention of many, with former Forest star Brian Laws leading the praise:

"His rise has been remarkable. He has been the standout player in the Forest side and we are talking about a full-back. Full-backs do not tend to get many headlines. He grabs them by the handful. In every single game, he has a positive impact.

"He has power going forward, he has electric pace, he has an abundance of skill, he can drop his shoulder, step-over, go inside or outside — he is a major threat. I’ve been impressed with his one-to-one defending. He is decent on the back post, he is strong in the air.

"There is nothing I have seen that you could call a weakness.”

Then, to compare those earlier figures with Aarons' most recent full Championship campaign, it is clear that there is little to no comparison to be made. His 2022/23 league term saw him average a 6.78 rating, scoring once, assisting twice and recording just one interception and 1.9 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

He too may have pace, but it seems Spence has already learnt how to harness that into a tangible threat. Perhaps a return to the second tier could help reignite his career, and help fans forget about the former Canaries ace in a heartbeat.

AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn last played Test cricket in 2016, while Vernon Philander made a return after an injury lay-off that had ruled him out of the Bangladesh series

Firdose Moonda19-Dec-20175:39

Cullinan: I wouldn’t select Dale Steyn to play against Zimbabwe

AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn have returned to South Africa’s Test squad for the inaugural four-day, day-night Test against Zimbabwe, which starts on Boxing Day in Port Elizabeth. De Villiers last played a Test in January 2016, while Steyn has not played international cricket after suffering a shoulder injury in Perth last year.South Africa Test squad

Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn

The duo were joined in the squad by Morne Morkel, who has recovered from a side strain that has sidelined him since late October, and Vernon Philander, who is fully fit after a back problem sustained in England. Captain Faf du Plessis, who is in the final stages of recovery from a shoulder operation, has also been named.Chris Morris, who bowled Titans to victory in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge final, has not been included. Morris suffered a slight groin strain in that match and has also been withdrawn from the South African Invitation XI to play Zimbabwe in a three-day warm-up match in Paarl from Wednesday. De Villiers was initially due to participate in that match but will no longer play because of a lower back strain. De Villiers remains available for selection for the Test but there is no confirmation that du Plessis is guaranteed a start. ESPNcricinfo understands the Test captain may be granted an extra week’s rest to ensure he is ready for matches against India, which begin in early 2018.”It is a very exciting moment not just for South Africa but for world cricket to have Dale and AB, two icons of the game, back in the multi-day format,” Linda Zondi, CSA’s convener of selectors said. “AB and Dale bring loads of experience to the side apart from being two of the South African all-time greats. It is also good to have Vernon back and it is very encouraging that our four premium fast bowlers – Steyn, Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel – are all back in the selection mix.”South Africa’s pace pack will use the Zimbabwe match to find rhythm ahead of a summer which includes seven more Tests – three against India and four against Australia.With all the premier quicks available, there was only room for one more seam bowler – allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo – as neither Duanne Olivier nor Wayne Parnell were included.The squad is also heavily stocked with batting options. Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram will open the batting, with Hashim Amla to follow. But, if South Africa stick with the same team balance they employed against Bangladesh, there may only be space for two out of Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, Temba Bavuma and Theunis de Bruyn, with Quinton de Kock at No.6, followed by the bowlers. Against Bangladesh, South Africa used six batsmen, two allrounders, two seamers and a spinner.They may, however, revert to a seven-batsmen strategy, which would likely see Phehlukwayo miss out completely and leave the selectors with a choice between three of the four seamers and Maharaj. The possibility of an all-pace attack, especially on green Highveld pitches, against India, cannot be ruled out.

Usman Khawaja accepted there was a lingering frustration that Australia’s top order had spurned a chance to bat England out of the game

Daniel Brettig in Adelaide02-Dec-2017Usman Khawaja admitted Australia’s top order batsmen needed to go on from the sorts of starts made on day one in Adelaide to have the desired impact on this Ashes series. In making 53, 47 and 40 respectively, Khawaja, David Warner and Steven Smith missed the chance to bat England out of the day/night Test at Adelaide Oval.”It was good, but Davey myself and Steve, all of us would’ve liked to go on with it a bit more, really set the game up and get a big one,” Khawaja said. “You can’t always do it but it’s there in the back of our minds that we want more runs. We did have a good start today but there’s more improvement to come from the top of the order. As the series gets on hopefully we’ll see that.”Their dismissals meant Pete Handscomb and Shaun Marsh were left to negotiate the toughest of batting conditions for the night, but both were able to survive in their contrasting styles.”A lot of credit to both of them because it is a tough time to bat,” Khawaja said. “Petey batted beautifully, he’s obviously very different the way he goes about it, and Shaun as well. It’s a pretty tough time to come in, you know that if you can get through that then the next day you can cash in a little bit more. If you lose a wicket there, at night time, it can be very tough work.”Smith was subjected to the most intense of England’s hostility, but Khawaja brushed off the notion the captain had been unsettled by it all. “No he’s playing beautifully, he got 40 and looked like he was doing it easy as he does a lot of the time,” Khawaja said. “It was unfortunate: it came off his pad, off his bat and went back onto the stumps. He looked like he batted really well.”

Leicester City may have splashed a war chest of funds on summer recruits but the latest reports linking them to a "top class" central midfielder suggest their business isn't stopping there.

Who are Leicester signing?

According to TEAMtalk, Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill is on Leicester's radar as they aim to bolster their squad, but the Foxes face strong competition from several Premier League clubs, including Wolves, Everton and Crystal Palace.

The 27-year-old captained Burnley for much of their title-winning campaign last term, featuring 41 times, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists with his performances for the Clarets sparking interest.

With Brownhill becoming an important player in the dressing room, Vincent Kompany has expressed a strong desire to keep the midfielder but given he only has a year remaining on his current deal, Burnley either agree to terms on a new contract or cash in now to avoid losing him on a free next summer.

How good is Josh Brownhill?

After signing the highly-rated Cesare Casadei on-loan from Chelsea, Brownhill could follow suit and form a dream partnership with the Italian.

First and foremost, Casadei and Brownhill are two different types of midfielders. While the former is known for his exquisite passing range and goal-scoring ability, Brownhill's constant pressing and all-action performances make him the perfect type of Championship midfielder.

During the U20 World Cup this summer, Casadei finished as top scorer with seven goals, which emphasizes how effective he can be in the final third and if played alongside the Burnley man at Leicester, the 20-year-old would thrive knowing he has the energy and dynamism of Brownhill behind him to help unlock his potential in the final third.

It's also easy to understand why Enzo Maresca would be interested in capturing Brownhill with the midfielder impressing across several passing, shooting and defensive metrics.

According to FBref, the 5 foot 11 midfielder excelled across all areas, ranking for Championship midfielders last term inside the top 5% for tackles in the attacking third (0.50), top 8% for shot-creating actions (3.70), top 10% for goals and assists (0.38), top 9% for short passes completed (23.90) and top 10% for key passes (1.81), all per 90.

While his stats paint him to be an industrious, all-action midfielder, Brownhill is also relentlessly consistent with his output as he ranked second only behind Joao Pedro for his match rating of 7.27 across the season, as per WhoScored.

Leicester certainly don't lack quality in their midfield with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Harry Winks and Dennis Praet all playing their part in the Foxes opening two victories but when Maresca needs to a close out a game, perhaps the Italian could do with Brownhill's energy and dynamism.

Despite having an outstanding impact on the field, his impact off it is just as important and given he helped lead Burnley to a Championship title as captain, the £40k-a-week ace would add crucial experience and leadership to a squad that is already brimming with it.

Described by Aston Villa icon, Lee Hendrie, as a "fabulous player", £9m-rated Brownhill's performances for the Clarets last season make it easy to see why he fits that tag and if Leicester were to successfully strike a deal for the player, he would add strength and tenacity to their embarrassment of midfield riches.

Proactive step comes in the wake of rains that have lashed the city over the last two weeks

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2017TN’s games moved out of ChennaiTamil Nadu’s last two games against Madhya Pradesh and Baroda have been moved out of Chennai following persistent rains over the last few weeks. ESPNcricinfo understands that Tamil Nadu will now take on Madhya Pradesh in Indore from November 17, before flying to Vadodara to face Baroda from November 25. The secretaries of both the Baroda Cricket Association and the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association – Snehal Parikh and Milind Kanmadikar respectively – confirmed that the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association had approached the BCCI to move the matches out of Chennai following which the venues were changed.Tamil Nadu have already had one rain-affected game, against Tripura, and possibly didn’t want to risk their prospects of qualifying for the knockouts. With three games left, Tamil Nadu are fourth on the Group C standings, behind Andhra, Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai, and are still in search of their first outright win. Tamil Nadu’s immediate challenge will be their game against Odisha in Cuttack from November 9.Test players to skip but Iyer, Pandey, Rahul join squadsThe forthcoming round of the Ranji Trophy beginning on November 9 is expected to be low on star quotient with most of the India internationals away on national duty. With India’s first Test against Sri Lanka beginning in Kolkata on November 16, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav are set to join the national side. Delhi, too, will miss the services of captain Ishant Sharma. Rishabh Pant will lead the side in his stead. However, Shreyas Iyer, India’s newest T20I debutant, has been added to Mumbai’s squad for their game against Baroda.Wriddhiman Saha has also been named in the Bengal squad that will take on Vidarbha in Kalyani. Meanwhile, Karnataka will also be boosted by the presence of Manish Pandey and KL Rahul, who were both part of India’s T20I squad against New Zealand, as they take on Delhi in Alur.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has given his thoughts on Bayern Munich's handling of the Harry Kane transfer with Tottenham Hotspur.

The England captain completed his switch to the Bavarian side recently but it is believed that he did have a wobble late in the negotiations over his future.

Has Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich?

The Kane transfer saga has finally reached its conclusion.

The Tottenham Hotspur record goalscorer has completed his £100m switch to the Bundesliga champions, signing a four-year deal and taking the iconic number 9 shirt.

The saga has dragged on all summer long, with Bayern seeing three offers rejected for the player before finally reaching an agreement with Spurs on Thursday morning. The agreement with the player took longer, however, with Kane reportedly leaning towards staying with his boyhood club as he was enjoying life under Ange Postecoglou. German outlet BILD also reported that late on, an unnamed club had come in with a "much better offer" to the forward ahead of his contract expiry in the summer of 2024, but that ultimately proved to be fruitless.

The striker released a farewell video on Saturday morning for the Spurs faithful, where he thanked the fans for their support throughout the years, and wished new boss Postecoglou and his former teammates luck for the season ahead saying:

"I’ll be watching from a fan point of view now and really hope the team can be successful.” The forward also hinted to a potential return to the club in the future stating "It’s not a goodbye because you never know how things pan out in the future, but it’s a thank you and I’ll see you soon.”

Speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Gold revealed his distaste towards the way Bayern Munich conducted themselves throughout the transfer saga, making reference to the methods some German journalists used, suggesting it showcased a lack of objectivity throughout.

He said: "I think that’s a little part of it that irks me as well, that Bayern have kind of bullied their way to this deal. They’ve treated Spurs like they would any other Bundesliga team that they can kind of have the power to just get what they want, and they have.

"Yeah, it’s cost them. It’s cost them a lot of money, especially in terms of Bundesliga revenue but they’ve got what they wanted and some of their reporters out there, let’s be honest, haven’t reported with the most incredible objectivity in the world. I was sat next to one thrusting a shirt in Ange Postecoglou’s direction in Thailand, it’s just been all very distasteful the way it’s done."

"Genuinely, Harry Kane did have a wobble in terms of what he wanted to do, that’s well known in the corridors of Tottenham Hotspur that having told Postecoglou on the first day that he met him that yeah, he did want to move if a deal could be done, but he was happy to stay and play for him if it couldn’t.

"When it came to it yesterday [Friday] there was a bit of a wobble, that’s why you saw some stuff about potentially he could end up staying, and even by the end of play Friday, despite the confidence coming out of Germany, back in England and around Spurs there was a feeling that he might end up staying, but in the end we woke up to everything being near done."

How can Tottenham replace Harry Kane?

Spurs have two options to replace their former talisman.

One is to use the options within their squad. Kane's departure could be a major opportunity for forward Richarlison to step up and live up to his £60m price tag. The Brazilian had a tough opening campaign in a Lilywhites shirt, managing just one goal and four assists in the Premier League last season. However, now that he can be given the opportunity to make regular starts, the striker could be revitalized and start to show why Spurs spent £60m on him in the summer of 2022. Spurs also signed young striker Alejo Velez this window, who could be given opportunities this season to showcase why Spurs committed £13m on him.

The club could also delve into the market. According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the London club were considering Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo-Muani should Kane depart this summer, and it will be interesting to see if the North London side will act upon that interest. The forward is said to cost £69m and is also a target of Paris Saint-Germain this summer. Tottenham are also considering Gent striker Gift Orban, with Tavolieri reporting that talks are ongoing between the sides, with the Belgian side wanting €30m plus add-ons to part with the Nigerian forward.

Aston Villa have enjoyed a fine transfer window thus far, with Unai Emery adding to his ever-evolving squad that he hopes will build upon last season’s European finish…

Is Brennan Johnson leaving Nottingham Forest?

However, to compete with the additional fixtures such success will bring, he will not only need to add quality to this outfit, but quantity too.

Their three shrewd additions will certainly improve that first XI, but he will need competition to keep everyone invested in progressing the Midlands outfit back to where they will feel they belong.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

Especially following the devastating injury to Emi Buendia, which has opened up fierce competition for the coming campaign. It could be this vacancy that might spur the Villans to push once again for Brennan Johnson, snagging Nottingham Forest’s main man.

Even if the reported £40m price tag might seem lofty, it would mark an intelligent investment in not just filling that gap, but also the sparkling future that his electric play style promises.

How many goals did Brennan Johnson score last season?

Whilst vastly differing with regard to their play styles, Johnson’s direct and dynamic mindset would offer a refreshing divergence from the close control and incisive movements of the Argentine.

Such was the effectiveness of the former, he managed to post an admirable eight goals and three assists in what was his debut year in the Premier League, arguably spearheading his side's push for safety.

His braces against Everton and Leicester City, along with the only goal in their win over Leeds United, saw him claim seven points from his exploits alone against sides that finished below them.

The 21-year-old boasts a penchant for the big occasion, and yet already has 106 appearances for the Tricky Trees across his short career.

During the 2021/22 season, in which he also helped propel his side to promotion, Antonio Mango took to Twitter to brand him a “real handful” as he sought to transfer his Championship form into their FA Cup game with Liverpool.

To see Villa once again swoop for a star from Forest would be to emulate a very recent success of theirs, given Matty Cash also took that same path with unbridled success.

Since moving to Villa Park, the energetic full-back has seen his career soar, featuring 97 times for the club and becoming a mainstay for his national team Poland.

Although he struggled for fitness last term, the 2021/22 campaign saw him establish himself as one of the division’s finest offensive right-backs, favoured by Emery too.

The 26-year-old maintained a 6.94 average rating, recording seven goal contributions, 0.8 key passes and 2.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

He was even handed a new deal back in April 2022, to which his former boss Steven Gerrard explained why:

“He’s all in,” he started. “He’s been fantastic to work with, I love his energy, I love his character and his personality. He brings a lot to the group on a daily basis.”

Whilst Johnson is already a fully-fledged member of his national team, his touted Villa move could help him skyrocket his career to new heights, mimicking the same career path and even surpassing the success earned thus far by Cash.

The two New Zealand internationals bagged 11 wickets between them to secure 17 points for Otago in their season opener

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Oct-2017Fifties from openers Hamish Rutherford and Brad Wilson ensured Otago chased down 239 against Canterbury, and opened their Plunket Shield campaign with a seven-wicket victory at the Hagley Oval.The openers had added 162 runs before they were dismissed in a space of two overs on the third day, leaving the side with 47 runs to win on the final day. Captain Rob Nichol and Neil Broom – who had been left out from the New Zealand squad for the ongoing limited-overs series in India – then added 72 runs for the third wicket before Broom offered a return catch to offspinner Tim Johnston with his team four runs away from victory. Nichol and allrounder James Neesham – who had also been omitted for the India tour – then applied the finishing touches as Otago secured 17 points.The win, though, was set up by the bowlers, who dismissed Canterbury for 155 in the first innings and paved the way for a 61-run first-innings lead. Seamers Neil Wagner and Jacob Duffy made the early inroads and helped pin down Canterbury to 57 for 5. Michael Pollard’s 54 and contributions from the lower order then dragged the side past 150. Duffy returned three wickets while New Zealand internationals Wagner and Mark Craig picked up two wickets each.In response, Otago were reduced to 63 for 3 at stumps on the first day. Wagner, the nightwatchman, did not last long on the second, falling for 17. But Wilson ground out a fifty – he would go onto make another in the second dig – and was complemented by Neesham (38) and Craig (46) as Otago snatched the first-innings advantage.Canterbury fared better in their second innings, with 10 of their 11 batsmen entering double figures. However, among them, only one passed fifty with Brett Hampton punching 60 off 55 balls. Wagner and Craig led Otago’s bowling again, claiming seven wickets between them to bowl their opponents out for 299.Canterbury’s left-arm wristspinner Blake Coburn – who was playing his maiden first-class game – picked up two wickets in the second innings in addition to his three in the first, but it wasn’t enough for his side.