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Rangers’ wait for a first victory in this season’s Europa League goes on.

Prior to Thursday night, the Gers had lost seven successive European matches for the very first time and, while that streak has come to an end, they did not claim a much-needed victory, held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Braga.

James Tavernier broke the deadlock from the penalty spot, equaling Ally McCoist’s tally of 21 European goals for the club, chasing down Alfredo Morelos’ all-time record of 29.

This looked like being the decisive goal on the night, especially when Rodrigo Zalazar was sent off for gently headbutting Nicolas Raskin, only for Gabri Martínez to equalise for the ten-men Arsenalists soon after.

The match would end ten vs ten, Mohamed Diomandé rather softly shown a second yellow card by referee Allard Lindhout in injury time, as Rangers were booed off once again.

So, after five Europa League matches, the Light Blues have just one point on the board, probably needing to win their final three fixtures, against Ferencváros, Ludogorets Razgrad and Porto to avoid an ignominious early elimination, having finished all the way up in eighth in last year’s league phase.

This was only new manager Danny Röhl’s eighth match in charge, and he certainly has a tough job on his hands, so which summer recruits underlined why they cannot be trusted by the German coach during this latest poor result?

Nasser Djiga's poor Rangers form

With both John Souttar and Derek Cornelius suffering long-term injuries on international duty last week, Danny Röhl has no choice but to keep picking Emmanuel Fernandez and Nasser Djiga at centre-back, even though the latter once again let him down.

The Burkinabé international has, fair to say, not impressed since joining on loan from Wolves in the summer, very much at fault for Braga’s equaliser on Thursday, completely misjudging a ball into the box and allowing Martínez to slot the ball past Jack Butland.

Speaking during TNT Sports post-match coverage, former Celtic defender Johan Mjällby asserted that he would expect better from a 12 year old.

This though is not Djiga’s first high-profile error.

He was sent off on his home Premiership debut against Dundee before, later that month, running in the complete opposite direction as Romeo Vermant broke the deadlock just three minutes into the Champions League play-off tie, the first of nine goals Club Brugge would bag across the two legs.

Also speaking during commentary on TNT Sports on Thursday, when asked which position Rangers most urgently need to improve in the January transfer window, McCoist quickly answered centre-back, with Djiga clearly not at the required level, but which other summer recruit did not impress against Braga?

Rangers flop struggles again vs Braga

On Monday, Rangers confirmed that chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell had both been sacked, the pair widely blamed by supporters for the clubs, how shall we put this diplomatically, puzzling summer recruitment?

The most bewildering of their 13 new signings was the arrival of Youssef Chermiti for £8m, potentially rising to £10m with add-ons, making him the club’s most expensive signing of the post-liquidation era, having scored a grand total of, let’s count them up here, zero goals in two seasons at Everton.

The Portuguese under-21 international has got off the mark north of the border, on target during a 3-1 win over Kilmarnock, Röhl’s first Premiership match in charge, and the German coach has shown Chermiti plenty of faith thus far, making him a regular starter.

However, that could soon change, with the table below underlining that he did not impress against Braga.

Shots on target

Zero

10th

Shots off target

1

1st

Shots blocked

2

1st

Expected goals

0.09

8th

Attempted dribbles

4

5th

Successful dribbles

Zero

10th

Accurate passes

11

21st

Key passes

Zero

10th

Duels contested

15

3rd

Duels won

6

9th

Possession lost

18

4th

Touches

39

16th

SofaScore rating

5.9

28th

The table emphasises Chermiti’s difficult night.

He was successful with none of his four attempted dribbles, completed just 11 passes and lost six of the 15 duels he contested, as well as turning over possession on 18 occasions from 39 touches – essentially losing the ball every 2.2 touches.

Unlike at the back, Röhl does have options for his forward line.

Danilo and Djeidi Gassama were chosen to complete the front three on Thursday, with Oliver Antman, Theo Aasgaard and Bojan Miovski all introduced as substitutes, while Mikey Moore is nursing a knock.

Thus, while Chermiti continues to offer very little, he surely should be left on the bench for Sunday’s clash with Falkirk.

Rangers' £3.5m "colossus" can become the new Connor Goldson under Rohl

As Danny Röhl searches for his best Rangers starting XI, could his “colossus” in defence become the club’s new Connor Goldson, starting against Braga?

ByBen Gray Nov 27, 2025

Mike Yastrzemski made a "catch of the year" quality snag in Wednesday's Giants game vs. the Pirates. About 24 hours later, the outfielder was dealt by the Giants to the Royals right at the buzzer for the MLB trade deadline on Thursday, league insider Mark Feinsand reported.

Yastrzemski will be a good addition for Kansas City, especially with his glove. The Royals are trying to stay alive in the playoff race with a 54–55 record, while the Giants also currently hold the same record.

Adding an outfielder was one of the Royals' biggest needs when approaching the trade deadline. The team was looking for a player with experience to help conduct some outs and provide some strong hitting, too. The Royals hope the veteran Yastrzemski will be the answer they were looking for.

The outfielder has spent his entire career with the Giants since his debut in 2019. Through 96 games for the Giants this season, Yastrzemski is averaging .231/.330/.255 with 74 hits, 38 runs, 28 RBIs and eight home runs.

يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة لمواصلة موسمه بعد الفوز على آينتراخت فرانكفورت ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

واستضاف ملعب “كامب نو” مباراة برشلونة وآينتراخت فرانكفورت، في إطار منافسات الجولة السادسة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحقق برشلونة فوزًا مهمًا بنتيجة 2/1 على نظيره فرانكفورت بالمباراة التي جمعتهما مساء اليوم، الثلاثاء.

بتلك النتيجة، رفع برشلونة رصيده إلى 10 نقاط محتلًا المركز الثالث عشر في جدول ترتيب جدول دوري أبطال أوروبا. موعد مباراة برشلونة القادمة بعد الفوز على آينتراخت فرانكفورت في دوري أبطال أوروبا

ومن المقرر أن يواجه برشلونة في مباراته القادمة نظيره أوساسونا ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ 16 من بطولة الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا”.

ويستضيف برشلونة نظيره أوساسونا على ملعب سبوتيفاي “كامب نو” مساء يوم السبت المقبل في تمام السابعة ونصف بتوقيت القاهرة، الثامنة ونصف بتوقيت مكة المكرمة.

Blue Jays outfielder George Springer was on the wrong side of a pair of controversial decisions from the umpires during Tuesday's game against the Red Sox. The veteran was left irate after being rung up on a called third strike on a pitch that was outside of the strike zone.

But what truly had Springer irked was the decision from third base umpire Scott Barry, who ruled that his ground ball with the bases loaded was foul. During the second inning with Toronto trailing 1–0, Springer laced a ground ball down the third base line. It touched the ground in the infield before passing over the bag and landing in foul territory.

Barry, without much hesitation, declared it a foul ball, much to the chagrin of Springer. Sprigner looked bewildered at the call, and Blue Jays manager John Schneider came out to ask the officials to review the situation, only to be told it wasn't a play that could be challenged.

Because no review was allowable, Springer was sent back to the batter's box and it was ruled a foul ball. Springer struck out looking on the following pitch.

Springer slammed his bat on the ground and shotued in frustation as he walked back to the dugout following the questionable strike three call.

Having just been denied a potentially bases-clearing base hit, Springer clearly felt as if he'd been wronged twice in a span of two pitches. And for good reason, too.

Premier League clubs have voted against the introduction of a salary cap in top-flight football, but a serious overhaul of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) is still being lined up. The proposals put to teams at the highest level of the English game would have seen previous financial regulations ripped up, but not every suggestion has received universal approval.

• Premier League vote on introduction of a salary cap

  All 20 Premier League clubs convened in a vote that took place on November 21. Part of that polling saw plans for a salary cap vetoed. It is reported that 12 teams voted against the plans, while seven were in favour and one abstained.

  At a shareholders’ meeting, a range of topics were discussed – including top to bottom anchoring, squad cost ratio (SCR) and the Sustainability and system resilience (SSR). A vote on SCR was passed, while SCR proposals were pushed through unanimously. Of the 20 sides holding a vote, 14 must give a green light in order for 

  Premier League rules to be changed.

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  The 2025-26 campaign will be the last with PSR regulations

  It has been determined that SCR will replace the current PSR system, which limits losses to a maximum of £105 million ($137m) over a three-year period. With a fresh approach being agreed, the 2025-26 campaign will be the last under the PSR regulations.

  SCR dictates that teams can only spend 85 per cent of their total income on wages and transfer fees for players, coaches and agents. The plan has already been adopted by UEFA, meaning that English teams competing in Europe can only spend 70 per cent of their income on wages and transfers. UEFA’s SCR scheme follows the calendar year, but the Premier League’s version will mirror the domestic football season.

• What is squad cost ratio (SCR) & why is it being introduced?

  A statement from the league read: "SCR will regulate clubs’ on-pitch spending to 85 per cent of their football revenue and net profit/loss on player sales. Clubs will have a multi-year allowance of 30% that they can use to spend in excess of the 85 per cent. Utilising this allowance will incur a levy and once the allowance is exhausted, they will need to comply with 85% or face a sporting sanction.

  "The new SCR rules are intended to promote opportunity for all clubs to aspire to greater success and brings the League’s financial system close to UEFA’s existing SCR rules which operate at a threshold of 70 per cent. The other key features of the League’s new system include transparent in-season monitoring and sanctions, protection against sporting underperformance, an ability to spend ahead of revenues, strengthened ability to invest off the pitch, and a reduction in complexity by focusing on football costs.

  "The Sustainability and Systemic Resilience rules assess a club’s short, medium and long-term financial health through three tests – Working Capital Test, Liquidity Test and Positive Equity Test.

  "Since 2023, the Premier League and our clubs have worked collaboratively to develop the financial controls with the objective of maintaining the League’s value, protecting competitive balance and ensuring clubs operate in a financially sustainable way.

  "The process has included extensive consultation at Shareholder level at clubs, as well as senior finance and legal executives, and club working groups. In addition, independent economic and legal analysis was sought.

  "As part of the development of the proposed rules, clubs agreed at the Premier League Annual General Meeting in June 2024 to trial SCR and TBA on a non-binding basis. The shadow monitoring of SCR and TBA rules has also continued this season.

  "This enabled the League and clubs to fully evaluate the system, including the operation of UEFA’s equivalent SCR regulations, and to complete the consultation with all relevant stakeholders including the PFA and football agents."

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  Explained: SSR & top to bottom anchoring

  SSR consists of three prongs. One of those seeks to ensure that teams have sufficient resources to manage outgoings and any revenue fluctuations. The others focus on long-term financial plans and the health of a club’s balance sheet.

  Top to bottom anchoring (TBA) would have effectively seen a salary cap put in place. That is because those proposals limit spending on wages and transfers to five times the amount paid in prize money and broadcast revenue to the team that finishes bottom of the division. The Premier League could, as reported by , have faced legal action from players had anchoring been introduced.

Let’s lead off with a spoiler alert. The documentary—not unflawed, but quite a good one, on balance—is titled, provocatively, But the demise of Canada’s beloved National League team was not a murder (who) so much as it was a death from natural causes (what).

The film depicts a cast of heroes, including the universally beloved Felipe Alou, a very cool Pedro Martínez, Canadian star Larry Walker and an assortment of beleaguered fans whose loyalty wasn’t reciprocated. And there are villains—cloying David Samson and his former stepdad, owner Jeffrey Loria, and, to a lesser degree, the hapless Claude Brochu.

But above all, there were immutable, unsentimental forces at play. That is, the usual suspects: An unfavorable exchange rate meant that the Expos took in revenue in Canadian dollars, but paid players their ever-escalating salaries in stronger American dollars. A provincial government that—agree or disagree—took a stand that other cities did not, and refused to commit public money to funding a new sports venue. There were the revenues lost and revenues spent maintaining the old venue—Olympic Stadium, a charmless white elephant on the wrong side of town, built to host a few events for the 1976 Summer Games, not 80-plus baseball games a year in a flourishing pro sports sector decades later. 

Rule of thumb: When you play in a domed stadium and still face rain delays because the roof springs leaks, you know you’re in trouble. The Expos’ death? Olympic Stadium wasn’t the scene of the crime so much as it was the proximate of the crime.

Nevertheless, the Netflix documentary, which premieres Oct. 21, offers both a poignant, locally flavored love letter and an earnest post-mortem for a franchise that deserves better. The Montreal Expos’ last game was held in 2004 after a strange sort of three-way trade that brought MLB franchises to Miami and Washington, D.C., and eliminated one from Quebec. And more than 20 years later, countless fans have yet to work through their grief. Now here comes the film—explicitly geared to the French-speaking locals—that will provide a bit of balm for what remains an open wound.

The timing for the doc’s release works as well. Never mind that the lone remaining Canadian team, the Blue Jays, of course, are amid a deep postseason run. At a time of tariffs, rhetoric over a 51st state and “American betrayal” chilling neighborly relations, the story of a foreign baseball team, brash Americans and the winners-take-all realities of capitalism add resonance.

recently spoke to Montreal-based director Jean-François Poisson and producer Marie-Christine Pouliot.

The Yankees finished off a two-game sweep of the Rays in style on Wednesday as they blasted two home runs in the top of the 10th and then were able to hold on for a 6-4 win.

They also tied some impressive MLB history in the series as they hit an astounding 14 home runs in the two games. The last team to do that was the Cincinnati Reds back in 1999, which included a home run by current Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

New York hit nine home runs on Tuesday night and then hit five more in the finale. All 19 of their runs in the series came on home runs.

They Yankees have now won four games in a row heading into a key series against the Red Sox, who they lead by 1.5 games in the wild-card race. They are 4.5 games behind the AL East-leading Blue Jays, who lost to the Pirates on Wednesday.

Giancarlo Stanton had a pinch-hit two-run home run in the top of 10th on Wednesday night, after blasting two homers in the series opener. Later in the inning Austin Wells hit his second dinger of the night to give the Yankees a three-run lead.

Antoine Griezmann has opened up about the "mental" toll of Atletico Madrid's collapse in La Liga and the Champions League last season, admitting his "spirits plummeted" during the difficult month of March. However, following his contract renewal until 2027, the French forward is determined to achieve more with the club, targeting major trophies and aiming to finally exorcise the demons of his 2016 Champions League final penalty miss.

Griezmann reveals mental struggle after Atletico's collapse

Atletico Madrid's all-time leading scorer, Griezmann, has candidly discussed the psychological impact of his team's slump during the crucial final months of last season. Speaking to , the 34-year-old forward admitted that Atletico's fading challenge in both La Liga and the Champions League in March affected him deeply. Diego Simeone's team entered the month top of the Spanish league table with a two-point lead over Barcelona and Real Madrid. They were also gearing up for a round of 16 tie against their city rivals in the Champions League. Unfortunately for the Rojiblancos, their season capitulated in just over two weeks. They lost 2-1 to Madrid in the first-leg before suffering a league blow by going down to Getafe by the same scoreline. Despite a strong second-leg against Real, they were defeated in a controversial penalty shootout. Four days later, they lost to Barcelona and then drew with Espanyol. By the end of March, they were out of the Champions League and nine points behind eventual La Liga champions Barcelona.

"It was very tough for me mentally," Griezmann revealed. "Because I had so much hope, so many dreams, and March wasn't a good month for anyone; we lost La Liga and the Champions League. And my spirits plummeted, it hurt me a lot mentally, and that affected my game later on."

Griezmann confessed that this "mental pain" distracted him from his individual pursuit of his 200th goal for the club, a milestone he eventually achieved. "I wasn't overwhelmed, but it's true that it felt like a long process. Especially last year at the end of the season, when I wasn't focused on pursuing it," he explained. "When the 200th goal arrived and I got closer, in the end the goals just came."

AdvertisementAFPFrench forward aims for 'more' after contract renewal

Despite already cementing his legacy at Atletico with 203 goals in 461 matches and surpassing club legend Luis Aragones, Griezmann has no intention of resting on his laurels. Having recently renewed his contract until 2027, he is driven by a desire to achieve even "more" with the club he considers home.

"I want more: La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League with Atletico," he added. Explaining his decision to extend his deal early, Griezmann stated: "Because I want more. I still have many minutes left to play, plenty of legs and mental strength to play with and be someone important at the club. And I know I have to prove that to everyone, and I still want to be even more important."

Griezmann also acknowledged his changing role within Simeone's side this season, where he has been rotated more frequently. "Ultimately, you always want to play. But I understand that I have to be professional, that I have to set an example for all my teammates and then show the manager that I'm still ready to play, that I have everything I need to play and earn a place in the starting eleven," he said. 

So far in the 2025-26 La Liga season, he has made 12 appearances, scoring four goals.

Champions League redemption and persuading Julian Alvarez

A significant part of Griezmann's motivation stems from a desire to finally win the Champions League with Atletico and atone for his penalty miss in the 2016 final against Real Madrid in Milan. Losing 1-0 at San Siro, Griezmann had the chance to pull his side level shortly after the restart but saw his effort smack the bar. The game went on to end 1-1, but Atletico lost on penalties, with Griezmann netting his that time around.

"Yes, you always think about it," he admitted regarding the miss. "The thorn of the penalty in Milan will remain until I win the Champions League with Atletico."

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Getty Images SportWhat next for Griezmann and Atletico Madrid?

Griezmann will aim to translate his renewed determination into performances on the pitch as Atletico Madrid chase success in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Despite ongoing speculation linking him with a future move to MLS, which he acknowledges as a "dream" and "goal," his immediate focus remains firmly on Atletico. With his contract now running until 2027, the French forward has committed his short-to-medium-term future to the club, aiming to add more silverware to his collection and further solidify his legendary status at the Metropolitano.

There was a common theme in the four wild-card series games that kicked off Major League Baseball's postseason on Tuesday. Three of the four winning sides received dominant pitching from their southpaw starters and the fourth benefitted from a very serviceable effort as well.

Detroit's Tarik Skubal got the ball rolling by striking out 14 and holding the Guardians to a single run in 7 2/3 innings. Chicago's Matt Boyd left his start in the fifth inning down 1-0 but the Cubs rallied for a victory. Garrett Crochet matched Skubal's line with three fewer strikeouts during a 117-pitch masterpiece. Dodgers ace Blake Snell put a capper on the night by taking care of the Reds with seven innings of two-run ball.

All told, lefty starters threw 28 2/3 innings while surrendering five earned runs and racking up 36 punchouts. In the cases of Skubal and Crochet, the electricity of their performances were through the roof and a reminder that both have a reasonable case to claim the title of best arm in baseball.

The quartet of performances led MLB Network analyst Chris Young to offer up a take that might be hard to completely fact-check yet seems legit.

"Today was the best day ever that I've seen with left-handed starting pitching," he said.

Young then asked purists to go back through the record books and prove him wrong.

On its surface what he's saying holds some water. Especially if extra weight is given to the magnitude of the games being played. It helps a lot that the baseball playoffs have expanded to the point where there are four games per day in the earlier rounds yet doesn't diminish the accomplishments.

Everything you need to know about Division Two in our Rothesay County Championship preview

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2025DerbyshireLast season: 8th in Division Two
Head of cricket: Mickey Arthur
Captain: Wayne Madsen
Overseas: Caleb Jewell, Blair Tickner
Ins: Martin Andersson (Middlesex)
Outs: Sam Conners (Durham), Matt Lamb (retirement)The good news is Derbyshire’s 2024 season was an improvement (of sorts) on the year before. The bad news is, having gone winless in 2023, their one County Championship victory last summer could not prevent them finishing bottom of Division Two.The lead-in to 2025’s campaign has not been smooth. David Lloyd, handed the captaincy upon joining from Glamorgan last year, relinquished it in March, with a view for better returns after posting sub-par numbers with bat (23.47) and ball (31.00). Club legend Wayne Madsen, 41, steps up to reprise the role he had between 2012 and 2016.A lot of pressure rests on Mickey Arthur. Since his arrival in 2021, there has been little by way of tangible progress. And though this summer is the third of a “four-year project” he set in motion in 2022, there will need to be a big uptick to keep that on track. A public vote of confidence from Derbyshire chief executive Ryan Duckett last July summed up the disgruntlement among the county’s fans towards Arthur, who has since taken a “hands off” role as director of cricket at Northern Superchargers.Related

Keith Dudgeon has Kent stint cut short by knee injury

Leicestershire sign Shan Masood on all-format deal

Shoaib Bashir set for loan spell with Glamorgan

Harry Conway joins Northamptonshire on four-match deal

Kent sign seamers Kashif and Dudgeon to cover for Agar absence

Reinforcements have been made, with Australian Caleb Jewell and Kiwi Blair Tickner on hand for all formats for the entire season, reinforcing the batting and bowling, respectively. Allrounder Martin Andersson has joined permanently from Middlesex, and will need to hit the ground running to supplement the likes of Madsen, Anuj Dal, Luis Reece and Zak Chappell, who shouldered more than their share of responsibility last time out.One to watch: The excitement around 17-year-old Harry Moore can be gauged by his winter, spending both sides of the New Year in South Africa, first training with England Lions and then impressing on an U19 tour, before rejoining the Lions for a bowling camp in the UAE last month. Very much part of England’s fast-bowling future, he was picked up by Birmingham Phoenix for £41,500 in last month’s Hundred draft. At 6ft 7in, with an imposing action that generates exciting bounce and nip off the pitch, Moore has been likened to Morne Morkel. Oh, and he can bat, too. Vithushan EhantharajahBet365: 25/1New Zealand’s Blair Tickner returns for Derbyshire•Getty ImagesGlamorganLast season: 6th in Division Two
Director of cricket: Mark Wallace
Head coach: Richard Dawson (interim)
Captain: Sam Northeast
Overseas: Colin Ingram, Asitha Fernando (April-May)
Ins: Ned Leonard (Somerset), Shoaib Bashir (loan, April)
Outs: Harry Podmore, Prem Sisodiya (both retired)The sacking of head coach Grant Bradburn in January had the potential to rock Glamorgan, particularly given the nature of his dismissal. But the county have worn it well, not least because of their swift dealing with the situation. In the months that followed, they came to an agreement in principle with Washington Freedom owner Sanjay Govil for 50% of Welsh Fire, securing a significant windfall. But perhaps the most beneficial deal for Glamorgan on the field came with the acquisition of Richard Dawson as interim head coach.Dawson is highly regarded, which made it a little odd that the ECB was happy to part ways with the 44-year-old at the end of last year. Nevertheless, England’s loss (for now) is Glamorgan’s gain, and with former England white-ball head coach Matthew Mott returning to the club to work part-time, the Cardiff brains trust is in rude health.As for the squad, it is one of the more peculiar in the Division. For all its mix of experience – led by 39-year-old South African Colin Ingram – seasoned talents and up-and-comers, success has been sporadic, even taking into account 2024’s One-Day Cup win. A solid Welsh core has sated local desire for better attachment to the county, and meaningful success does not feel far off. The acquisition of offspinner Shoaib Bashir for the first three games of the season as cover for the injured Mason Crane brings plenty of English interest, too. There remains uncertainty around how much they will see of Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne.One to watch: A batting allrounder, whose ability to bowl both left-arm and right-arm orthodox is more than just a gimmick, Ben Kellaway will get the chance to establish himself in Glamorgan’s middle-order this season. His 12 wickets in 2024 came at an average of 22.50 from four matches and exceeded his exploits with the bat (80 at 13.33). With the county keen to explore the option of playing two spinners in their XI, he’ll get the chance to improve on the latter. VEBet365: 11/1GloucestershireLast season: 7th in Division Two
Head coach: Mark Alleyne
Captain: Cameron Bancroft
Overseas: Cameron Bancroft, Cameron Green (April-May)
Ins:
Outs: Zafar Gohar (Middlesex)Nothing could take the shine off Gloucestershire’s 2024, as they lifted the domestic T20 trophy for the first time. But while they made progress in Championship cricket, too, it was only incremental – up a place to second from bottom, having finished with the wooden spoon the year before.They showed fight in early season encounters with Yorkshire and Sussex, both of whom eventually won promotion, before winning their first red-ball game since September 2022 when crushing Northants by 256 runs. There was also the drama of salvaging a tie against Glamorgan off the final ball at Cheltenham, just when the visitors seemed poised to pull off a world-record chase of 593. The batting was strong, led by James Bracey’s 1089 runs at 60.50, but draws predominated and their only other victory came in the last month of the season at Lord’s.The man who hit the winning runs that day, Zafar Gohar, has since decamped to Middlesex as a locally registered player, adding to the sense that Gloucestershire are under-resourced with the ball – albeit a pace attack of Ajeet Singh Dale, Zaman Akhter and Marchant de Lange is among the quickest on the circuit (if they can all stay fit).One to watch: The signing of Australia’s Cameron Green, funded by an unnamed benefactor, for a five-game spell at the start of the season was eye-catching, but for local flavour look to loose-limbed seamer Archie Bailey. An academy product, Bailey has only played two first-class games but 4 for 30 on debut helped set up Gloucestershire’s surprise win over promotion-chasing Middlesex. Alan GardnerBet365: 20/1Cameron Green will attempt to push his case for an Australia recall with Gloucestershire•Getty ImagesKentLast season: 10th in Division One
Director of cricket: Simon Cook
Head coach: Adam Hollioake
Captain: Daniel Bell-Drummond
Overseas: Wes Agar (May-July), Kashif Ali, Keith Dudgeon (both April-May)
Ins: Chris Benjamin (Warwickshire)
Outs: Hamidullah Qadri, Arafat Bhuiyan (both released)Adam Hollioake joked that he didn’t know how he’d ended up at Kent, given that the fans all “hated” him during his legendary stint as Surrey captain, but after a self-imposed 20-year exile from English cricket, Kent’s new head coach is back as one of the most fascinating appointments imaginable.He arrives at a club that could hardly be more down on their luck. Last summer’s Championship relegation was compounded by a rock-bottom finish in the T20 Blast South Group, but such is Hollioake’s force of personality, it encourages the belief that he can instil the same sort of mindset shift that Brendon McCullum achieved with England’s Test team.It could prove to be quite the cultural shock at Canterbury, however, with Hollioake’s renowned backstory meaning there’ll be no room for self-pity among his charges – including Zak Crawley, one of Bazball’s ultimate acolytes, whose form across formats has fallen off a cliff this winter, and whose alarmingly plumb second-ball duck against Loughborough UCCE was not the most auspicious of starts to 2025.Already Hollioake has taken aim at basic standards, such as the management of the club’s practice balls, as an example of the one-percenters that he hopes can get the club punching above its perceived weight. “We need to respect ourselves and expect more from the club,” he told ESPNcricinfo last month. “If that message is helping them, then great. If it’s not, then they’ll learn.”One to watch: The sky ought to be the limit for Tawanda Muyeye, a sumptuous strokemaker with a compelling backstory, whose career has just begun to click into a higher gear in recent seasons, including bit-part roles in Oval Invincibles’ two title-winning campaigns. His challenge is to add more substance to his style, and as templates go, his superb 211 against Worcestershire last August is hard to better. Andrew MillerBet365: 9/2LancashireLast season: 9th in Division One
Director of cricket: Mark Chilton
Head coach: Dale Benkenstein
Captain: Keaton Jennings
Overseas: Marcus Harris, Anderson Phillip (April-July), Ashton Turner (May-July)
Ins: Michael Jones (Durham)
Outs: Steven Croft (retired), George Lavelle (released)James Anderson’s highly anticipated career extension beyond the age of 43 hit pause on the eve of the Championship amid news the ex-England stalwart had suffered a calf niggle, expected to keep him sidelined for the first three games. During that time, Lancashire will be looking to start well in their bid to bounce straight back into Division One following their relegation at the end of last season, their fourth demotion since they last won the title in 2011.Captain Keaton Jennings again looks to be key after amassing 1006 runs at 45.72, including an unbeaten 187 in a draw with Nottinghamshire. He and Josh Bohannon are set to be bolstered at the top of the order by Australia’s Marcus Harris. Lancashire’s bowling stocks will be boosted by the return of another Anderson, West Indies quick Anderson Phillip, who is available for the first 11 games after taking 15 wickets from the last three matches of 2024.One to watch: Rocky Flintoff, the son of England legend Andrew who turns 17 on the final day of the opening round, has already drawn attention to himself with four outings for Lancashire last season. With a highest Championship score of 32 so far, a century for England Lions against a Cricket Australia XI in a four-day game in January and a maiden half-century for Lancashire in last year’s One-Day Cup suggest he is ready to build on his considerable pedigree. Valkerie BaynesBet365: 7/4James Anderson is back for another season with Lancashire•Getty ImagesLeicestershireLast season: 5th in Division Two
Director of cricket: Claude Henderson
Head coach: Alfonso Thomas
Captain: Peter Handscomb
Overseas: Peter Handscomb, Logan van Beek, Shan Masood (May-Sept)
Ins: Ian Holland (Hampshire)
Outs: Sam Evans (released)Leicestershire solidified their midtable position in Division Two – the first time they had avoided the wooden spoon across two consecutive seasons of the County Championship since 2007-08 – but it was nevertheless a turgid campaign for the Foxes, with 10 draws and only one win from their 14 games. Notably there was a lack of incision among the bowling, with no one averaging below 30; their best performer was Scott Currie, with 29 at 31.17, but he has returned to Hampshire after a season on loan.Nevertheless, Alfonso Thomas still has credit in the bank after overseeing the club’s feelgood One-Day Cup success in 2023 – a competition in which Leicestershire also reached the semi-finals last year. While Lewis Hill resigned the captaincy after a tough season in which he averaged 20.52, Australia international Peter Handscomb, the club’s leading run-scorer last term, is back to take the reins. He will be supported from the end of May onwards by Shan Masood, who averages 64.27 in the Championship across spells at Derbyshire and Yorkshire.Chris Wright’s availability should provide a lift after the veteran seamer missed most of the 2024 summer serving a doping ban. If Rehan Ahmed and Josh Hull can live up to their billing as England wildcard picks, Leicestershire’s prospects of upward mobility will only increase.One to watch: At 6ft 7in (“and still growing” according to his most recent interview on the Leicestershire website), teenaged fast bowler Alex Green is the latest Foxes academy product to get tongues wagging. He has made rapid strides at age-group level, playing for the Young Lions at 16 and England Under-19s at 17 – bagging a five-for in his second appearance. Green only turned 18 in February but is already on a three-year deal with his county. AGBet365: 10/1MiddlesexLast season: 3rd in Division Two
Director of cricket: Alan Coleman
Head coach: Richard Johnson
Captain: Toby Roland-Jones
Overseas: Kane Williamson (May-Sept), Dane Paterson (April-May), Josh Little (May-Sept)
Ins: Ben Geddes (Surrey), Zafar Gohar (Gloucestershire, UK passport)
Outs: Martin Andersson (Derbyshire), Ethan Bamber (Warwickshire), Mark Stoneman (Hampshire), Thilan Walallawita (released), Robbie White (retired)The existential angst hangs heavy over St John’s Wood, where Middlesex’s stark financial hardships have been an especially awkward look given the vast sums of money that their landlords MCC are about to rake in from the Hundred equity sale. But, even if the club’s long-term future is hard to gauge, the short-term outlook seems unusually upbeat, after a near-miss 2024 in which their third-place finish wasn’t quite enough for an immediate return to the top flight.That mood-boost is thanks, in part, to London Spirit’s largesse. Middlesex forewent an overseas player in 2024, but Kane Williamson will be rocking up this summer for at least five County Championship fixtures ahead of his role in the Hundred, while Dane Paterson’s arrival from Nottinghamshire is a valuable signing too – with South Africa set to play at Lord’s in June’s World Test Championship final, it’s a win-win for all parties as he seeks to get to grips with the ground’s renowned dimensions.Ireland’s Josh Little will take the overseas mantle thereafter, to provide quality seam support to a hard-toiling attack that will led once again by Toby Roland-Jones but has a big hole to fill following Ethan Bamber’s departure to Warwickshire. Zafar Gohar – the former Pakistan spinner who now has a UK passport – has arrived from Gloucestershire too, a big signing that takes pressure off Josh De Caires, who had been the club’s frontline spinner almost by default in recent seasons.One to watch: Middlesex’s batting has been notoriously flaky in recent years, and Mark Stoneman’s departure for Hampshire robs them of further experience. However, Ben Geddes’ arrival from Surrey is a potential coup. At the age of 23, his eight first-class matches to date have been spread across four seasons, but include two hundreds in 2022. The chance for a regular starting berth will be a step-up from his bit-part opportunities at The Oval. AMBet365: 7/2The Middlesex squad line up for their Championship photo-call•Getty ImagesNorthamptonshireLast season: 4th in Division Two
Head coach: Darren Lehmann
Captain: Luke Procter
Overseas: Matthew Breetzke (April-July), Harry Conway (May), Yuzvendra Chahal (June-Sept)
Ins: Dom Leech (Yorkshire), Liam Guthrie (Queensland, UK passport)
Outs: Emilio Gay (Durham), Jack White (Yorkshire), Alex Russell, George Gowler, George Weldon (all released)It is not often a coaching appointment ranks as one of the highest-profile moves ahead of a County Championship season. But the big job at Northamptonshire now belongs to a big name (and personality) in Darren Lehmann.The former Australia head coach has already proclaimed his hatred for draws, which is just as well given his side played out nine of them last term. Without Jack White, converting those into wins will prove harder, but the bowling has been reinforced by an array of acquisitions from beyond these shores, including sprightly left-armer Liam Guthrie who has used his British passport to sign a three-year deal at Wantage Road from Down Under. Factor in Indian legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal for the last four months of the season and South Australian Harry Conway’s four-match stint in May, and there is a well-rounded attack brewing. They have also yet to see the best of George Scrimshaw after injury restricted him to two appearances in 2024 following his move from Derbyshire.As ever, Luke Procter will operate as the lynchpin of the side, the skipper leading the club run-charts last summer while also contributing 21 wickets with his wrong-foot wobblers. Coping for the loss of Emilio Gay will require others to step up with the bat in meaningful ways. That they’ve managed to keep hold of Ricardo Vasconcelos is a huge boost, particularly if Lehmann can liberate the classy left-hander. Likewise James Sales – son of Northants legend David – who is a real talent.One to watch: When Phil Rowe was academy coach at Wantage Road, he regarded a 16-year old Saif Zaib as one of the most gifted batters he had seen at that age. Ten years on – Zaib turns 27 in May – it is fair to say that potential has yet to be fully realised. And yet, while he only has three first-class centuries to his name, there remains a sense of excitement around the left-hander. Classy to watch, tidy with his left-arm orthodox and one of the club’s better fielders, he will need a statement summer. Gay’s depature leaves a vacancy for a reliable stylist that Zaib has the wares to fill. VEBet365: 6/1