After being on the fortunate end of a washout in their first group game, Australia were denied victory at The Oval, where it began to rain after 16 overs of the chase

The Report by Mohammad Isam05-Jun-2017Match abandoned

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:34

Fleming: Frustrating for everyone but Bangladesh

After being on the fortunate end of a washout in their first group game, Australia were denied victory against Bangladesh at The Oval, where they were firmly in control of a small chase when it began to rain after 16 overs. They needed to play four more overs to ensure a result but the London weather did not allow it.The last action on the field, before the players went off at 6.43 pm, involved Steven Smith simply blocking five deliveries from Mashrafe Mortaza without attempting to score, in the hope of speeding up proceedings to get to 20 overs. Australia would have been well ahead of the par score. The match was eventually called off at 9.18 pm.With two points from two washouts, Australia now have to beat England in their final group game to have a chance of making the semi-finals. Bangladesh, who have only one point after two games, are not yet out of contention either.It had drizzled towards the end of Bangladesh’s innings and there was a small delay in the start of the chase. Australia began it confidently. Aaron Finch and David Warner clubbed a couple of boundaries each and the pace did not flag even after Finch fell lbw to Rubel Hossain. Warner became the fastest Australia to 4000 ODI runs.Bangladesh bowled only one over of spin, not hurrying the over-rate along by using their quicks for 15 overs. As Smith and Warner began a fluent partnership, their race was not against the bowling but the weather, and ultimately it was futile.The weather was fair for much of the first innings but Bangladesh’s batting was not, with the exception of Tamim Iqbal, who waged a lone battle against Australia’s pace battery.His 95 came off 114 balls, and included six fours and three sixes, but Tamim had little support from his team-mates and had to readjust his tempo every time a wicket fell. The first three went in the space of 11 overs – Mushfiqur Rahim did not review his lbw through he had got an inside edge – and Tamim began to rebuild the innings with Shakib. Their partnership had grown to 69 before Shakib was given out lbw to Travis Head; Nigel Llong’s decision appeared spot on despite the batsmen being well down the track.Legspinner Adam Zampa debunked any doubt about his inclusion by taking two wickets in consecutive overs, though Smith brought him into the attack in the 35th over.Mitchell Starc then ripped out the last four Bangladesh wickets in the space of nine balls, including three in one over – Tamim was caught pulling to fine-leg, before Mashrafe Mortaza and Rubel Hossain were bowled by full and fast deliveries. Mustafizur Rahman narrowly survived Starc’s hat-trick ball but Mehedi was clean bowled in the next over.The weather had begun to worsen, though, and the players spent the best part of the evening indoors.

Leeds United have been keeping tabs on AZ Alkmaar defender Milos Kerkez ahead of a potential move to the Championship, according to reports.

Who is Milos Kerkez?

Kerkez is primarily a left-back who currently plies his trade at the AFAS Stadium having moved there from AC Milan’s U19s back in January 2022. He’s since gone on to become a regular feature of the first-team having made 33 starts out of 34 Eredivisie matches last season.

The Hungary international’s contract isn’t set to expire for another three years, but after emerging as Pascal Jansen’s fourth best-performing defensive player during the previous term, he’s caught the eye of the 49ers, and not for the first time.

Back in April, Portuguese outlet Record reported that the Whites were applying pressure to sign the 19-year-old ahead of the ongoing window, and with Daniel Farke now in charge, it seems that they are still continuing to pursue a deal for their target.

In Yorkshire, Pascal Struijk, Junior Firpo and Leo Hjelde are the boss’ current options at left-back but it’s currently unknown as to which players will be departing over the coming weeks following relegation, so reinforcements may well be needed, which is where the teenager comes into play.

Are Leeds signing Kerkez?

According to The Daily Mail, Leeds have “checked on” Kerkez “over the past year” ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Premier League high-flyers Newcastle United, fellow second-tier rivals Leicester City and Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund are also keeping tabs, but it’s Bournemouth who are the first club to have “opened discussions”.

The Cherries are “in talks” regarding a deal for the defender, who is valued at “over” £20m by AZ Alkmaar, so the Whites hierarchy will have to act fast should they want to beat their competitors in the race for his signature.

Could Kerkez be a good addition for Farke?

Leeds will know that Kerkez would be more of a signing for the long-term future of the club being just 19 years of age, but having been hailed a “high-quality” left-back by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he would be a promising acquisition for Farke to have at his disposal.

Sponsored by Adidas, the left-footed gem won 32 out of his 54 tackles made last season which was the second-highest success rate throughout the whole of his squad, as per FBRef, whilst also averaging 1.5 clearances each outing, so he’s obviously strong in the natural aspect of his game.

The youngster however equally contributed to efforts in the final third having ranked in the 92nd percentile for attacking touches in the opposition’s area by players in his position, which resulted in him clocking up 12 goal contributions (seven assists and five goals) across all competitions, showing his desire to burst down the flank.

Finally, Kerkez would provide the manager with some great versatility with his ability to operate slightly higher up on the left side of the midfield and even on the opposite wing at right-back alongside his usual role in the defensive backline which is yet another attribute that the hierarchy will be attracted to.

Luke Fletcher ‘feels lucky to be here’ after his blow on the head while bowling in the NatWest Blast and he fears he may not be the last to be injured in this way

George Dobell12-Jul-20172:35

‘I’m lucky to be here’ – Luke Fletcher

Luke Fletcher feels “lucky to be here” after sustaining a ferocious blow to the head during Saturday’s T20 Blast match at Edgbaston.Fletcher, the Nottinghamshire seamer, sustained the injury when his first ball of the match was struck back at him by Birmingham batsman, Sam Hain and hit him on top of the head.While Fletcher didn’t lose consciousness, subsequent scans showed bruising and a small bleed on the brain with a decision taken to rest him for the remainder of the season. He will have a further MRI scan in the coming days to assess his recovery and currently sports a cut held together by eight stitches under the hairline.But while he is naturally disappointed to miss the rest of the season – Nottinghamshire are well-placed to push for promotion and are among the favourites in the Blast – and frustrated at being told he must not drive a car, he accepts his is a story that could have had a far more serious ending.Indeed, he has warned that something similar “will happen again” and said that, at Notts, the bowlers no longer take-part in net sessions with batsmen to avoid such injuries.”I’m really lucky to be here now and speaking to you today,” he said. “The doctors said I pretty much dodged a bullet. A few inches to the left or right and it could have been a completely different story. If it had hit the temple or straight in the face then…. I don’t really want to think about what may have happened.”In a weird way, I suppose I’ve been lucky. It’s hit me on a part of the brain or skull that the surgeon said you don’t use much.”He remembers every moment of the incident. And, having not seen the ball hit back at him – his head was down as he completed his delivery stride – or felt much pain, it was only when he saw the reaction of his teammates and then saw footage of the moment of impact that he started to realise how serious the episode was.”I remember letting go of the ball and I could see that Hain backed away,” he said. “The next thing I remember being hit on the head and thinking ‘I may be in a bit of bother here.’ I didn’t see the ball one bit. I just felt it.”When it hit me I went down and was waiting to go unconscious. When I realised I was all right, I had my hand on my head and the physio, James Pipe was asking ‘How are you?'”I said ‘I don’t feel too bad to be honest.’ And then I lifted my hand off my head. Steven Mullaney ran off – and a few other lads ran off – because of the bleeding. But I got to my feet pretty quickly and never really felt unstable at all and walked off. Which is absolutely amazing having watched it back. You’d probably expect a bit more, really. Having such a big ‘swede’ probably helped me out a bit.”In a weird way, I quite enjoyed watching it back. I quite like stuff like that. As long as I knew I was all right, it was quite good. It was just amazing how far the ball went. I couldn’t believe it. The first time I saw it, I was a bit like ‘off’ and that’s when I realised why everyone was so concerned.”The concern of Fletcher’s teammates was understandable. Not only is he a popular member of their squad, but it is only just over a year since the club was jolted by news of James Taylor’s illness.”Having spoken to a few of my mates – Mullaney and Jake Ball – that’s what was going through their minds,” he said. “And then there was Phil Hughes as well….”But once the lads came off the field and saw I was fine, they got on with the game. James Pipe has been unbelievable throughout; he stayed by my side for the next 48 hours, really. He’s been amazing.”Fletcher is guided from the field at Edgbaston•Getty Images

It doesn’t take long to understand Fletcher’s popularity. He has a good line in self-deprecating wit – “I don’t know how the ball is,” he says at one stage. “Someone had better check up on it; the lads said it was reversing a bit later” and, later “My mum and dad were a bit annoyed as they had paid £30 and they only saw me bowl one ball” – and knows many of his team-mates well having come through the club’s system from his teenage years.He didn’t have things easy, either. When he was initially offered a place on the staff as a 16-year-old, he was obliged to turn it down as it didn’t pay as much as the job he was currently in – he was a grill man at Hooters – so the club arranged for him to have a stint on the gates letting lorries come in and out as the Radcliffe Road Stand was redeveloped. “It was freezing,” he recalls with a smile. “It was much better in the kitchen.”But he has developed into a fine cricketer. While not an especially fast bowler – probably somewhere around 80 mph – he can move the ball in the air and off the pitch, is considered one of the best death bowlers in the county game and was recently run-out just eight short of a maiden first-class century. He is out of contract at the end of the season but the club will look after him: a new contract will be announced shortly.The worrying aspect of this incident is that it could easily have ended much worse. Indeed, Fletcher warns that in training, bowlers are already reluctant to bowl at batsmen practising their T20 skills.”I think it’ll happen again,” he said. “Most bowlers – certainly at Notts – in the nets tend to go away and do target practice on the side in one-day and T20, just because balls are coming back at a speed you can’t react to. You get hit all over your body. I certainly think the chances are it will happen again.”I’m sure after this people will come up with some sort of theories and some sort of technologies or protective equipment. You can’t be running in with a helmet, can you? But maybe something to protect your head?”I’ll certainly bowl again. I’d bowl now if I could.”There are huge questions here for the game. While some level of risk may be considered unavoidable, incidents such as this – coming on top of the incident that caused such devastating damage to club cricketer Alex Tait a few months ago – might be considered warnings. With bats better, batsmen seemingly more powerful and the aggression of the game having undergone a transformation since the introduction of T20, it seems inevitable that, sooner or later, we’re going to see a bowler killed by a return hit. The game, or at least the look of the game, might have to change radically to counteract such a threat.

Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo is 'available' for a transfer this summer following his return from a spell on loan at Bayern Munich, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Joao Cancelo?

Following concerns over his playing time last season, Cancelo was shipped out to Bayern Munich on loan and the German giants had the option to make the deal permanent for over £61 million, as per Sky Sports.

In his time at the Allianz Arena, Cancelo helped Bayern Munich to narrowly seal Bundesliga glory, registering one goal and six assists in 21 appearances, as shown on Transfermarkt.

German outlet Kicker report that Arsenal are keen on Cancelo amid uncertainty over his future at the Etihad, with RB Leipzig defender Benjamin Henrichs and Galatasaray's Sacha Boey also being monitored by the north Londoners this window.

Manchester City would demand a significant fee for Cancelo, who still has four years remaining on his contract at the club. Bayern Munich passed on the chance to sign the Portugal international, which may pave the way for the Gunners to firm up their interest in the coming weeks.

One outlet in Spain claim that Barcelona are also keeping an eye on Cancelo's situation and could initiate a loan bid to try and secure his signature.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has indicated that Manchester City would be open to letting Cancelo move on this off-season.

Jones stated: "Cancelo is available. There has been no obvious change in that and he can leave. We can see Kyle Walker has been talked about leaving too. They're kind of open to even that happening, so Cancelo definitely could leave."

Who could replace Joao Cancelo at Manchester City?

Manchester City have been linked with potential targets to replace Cancelo this summer in the event he completes a transfer elsewhere in the duration of the window.

As per Football Insider, the Citizens hold a 'strong interest' in Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi and he 'features highly' on a list of targets that Guardiola could target to bolster the ranks in defence.

In all likelihood, Manchester City will need to fork out a large sum of money to hold any hope of capturing Hakimi, though the outlet claim that they are 'ready to pay' for the Morocco international.

Veteran defender Kyle Walker could also make way for fresh blood amid interest from Bayern Munich; nevertheless, Manchester City are prepared to offer the 33-year-old a two-year contract extension to tie him down in the North West, according to Telegraph Sport.

The former Tottenham Hotspur full-back has a big decision to make surrounding his future, which previously looked to be doubtful earlier this year.

Of course, Manchester City could promote from within to replace Cancelo and there would be no better candidate on the books at the club already to step into his shoes than youngster Rico Lewis, who made 23 senior appearances for his boyhood club last season, scoring once, as per Transfermarkt.

Despite his supreme level of talent, Cancelo looks like he has run his race at Manchester City and is likely to depart for a new challenge should appropriate opportunities arise for him.

AB de Villiers has said he was “pretty upset” at being asked by the umpires to explain the condition of one of the balls during South Africa’s narrow defeat against England at the Ageas Bowl

Alan Gardner at the Ageas Bowl27-May-20173:03

‘Upset at being held responsible for condition of the ball’ – de Villiers

AB de Villiers has said he was “pretty upset” at being asked by the umpires to explain the condition of one of the balls during South Africa’s narrow defeat against England at the Ageas Bowl.Rob Bailey and Chris Gaffaney, the standing umpires, spoke to de Villiers before the start of the 34th over in England’s innings, bowled by Keshav Maharaj. De Villiers was animated in his response on the field and the ball was not changed; afterwards, South Africa’s captain said he felt it was being implied that his players were at fault for scuffing up the ball.”The umpires felt the condition of the ball changed,” de Villiers said, “in a way, making me feel that we are responsible. I was quite upset about that. I don’t know what else I can say, I was pretty upset. It’s done and dusted now, nothing happened, there were no fines given or anything like that.”I honestly told the umpires we have nothing to do with the condition of ball, except for the fact that Maharaj bowled five overs on the trot from that end. The ball generally scuffs up when the spinner bowls a few overs. I expressed my views about that and we move on.”Asked if he felt that the implication from the umpires was that his side had been engaging in ball-tampering, de Villiers replied: “Yes. That’s the feeling that I got and I expressed that I was quite upset about it. But like I said, no further steps were taken from both parties.”If I can give my five cents, I felt it was a bad ball and that happens sometimes. The leather comes off and you do get that. Unfortunately the umpires didn’t agree. [But] nothing happened, generally there’s a warning or a fine, none of that happened, which tells me they realised we were innocent in this case.”South Africa were sanctioned last year for altering the condition of the ball in a Test against Australia in Hobart, after their captain, Faf du Plessis, was filmed by television cameras with a mint in his mouth when applying saliva to shine the ball. In 2013, during a series against Pakistan, du Plessis also pleaded guilty to a charge of ball-tampering after rubbing the ball near the zipper on his trousers.Eoin Morgan, England’s captain, said his team were unaware of any suggestion that the ball had been scuffed up. “Normally, if there’s any dispute about the ball, they change it straight away,” he said.The umpiring team of Bailey, Gaffaney, the third umpire, Rod Tucker, and match referee, Andy Pycroft, were engaged in their customary debriefing after the game, with no suggestion that the matter would be taken further.Having seen his team lose out off the final ball by two runs, de Villiers praised England’s bowlers for closing out victory and the series. With ten balls to go, South Africa needed ten runs to win but Jake Ball and Mark Wood conceded just six singles and a leg bye to deny David Miller and Chris Morris.”I thought the boys played a great hand at the end there, to get us so close,” de Villiers said. “I got a bit excited, thought we had it in the bag. Got to give credit to the last two bowlers of England, who finished there, they showed some great skill and good plans.”Unfortunately it didn’t go our way, we didn’t get the lucky bounce – if you want to call it that, a little edge over the keeper. We were just waiting for one little break and it would be game over. The boys gave it their best shot. Chris and David played a great knock, built a great partnership but unfortunately we couldn’t cross the line.”

Jadon Sancho has reactivated his Instagram account ahead of his return to Borussia Dortmund on loan from Manchester United.

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Sancho already in DortmundReturns to Instagram just hours after landingLoan deal set to be announcedWHAT HAPPENED?

The 23-year-old has already flown to Germany before his impending move to the Black & Yellows. And immediately upon his return, Sancho reactivated his Instagram account which he had to deactivate due to a row with Erik ten Hag for his'scapegoat' remark that left him exiled from all first-team facilities since August.

He has deleted all former posts and teased his imminent move to Dortmund on his display picture with an image from his earlier stint at Signal Iduna Park.

@sanchooo10 Instagram

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It will be a straight short-term loan with no-buy option, which means that Sancho will return to Manchester in the summer. He had been training with the academy players at Carrington to keep himself fit and ready for a fresh challenge after it was made abundantly clear that he had no future at Old Trafford.

DID YOU KNOW?

Jadon Sancho is the only player since 2004-05 who has scored and assisted at least 15 goals each within a single Bundesliga season, doing so in 2019-20 (17 goals and 16 assists).

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Sancho is set for his medical at Dortmund before re-signing with his former employers until the end of the campaign. It remains to be seen if Sancho is handed a run-out on Saturday by coach Edin Terzic against Darmstadt in the Bundesliga or if he is made to wait until January 20 to get back to competitive action against Koln at RheinEnergie Stadion.

It looks as if Mason Mount may not be the only midfield addition at Manchester United this summer, with the Red Devils reportedly eyeing a move for Southampton sensation, Romeo Lavia.

What's the latest on Lavia to Man United?

According to 90min, the Old Trafford outfit are still seemingly keen on strengthening in the centre of the park despite the recent £60m capture of Mount, with young Lavia said to be among the options being considered by Erik ten Hag.

While the report suggests that the signing of a new striker and goalkeeper remains the 'priority' for the former Ajax boss ahead of next season, a move for a player like the Belgian teenager – who has been valued at around £50m – could also be considered.

This comes amid a similar piece from Manchester Evening News which also revealed that Ten Hag is contemplating whether to make a second midfield signing, with the 19-year-old maestro believed to be being 'monitored' at present.

Who is Romeo Lavia?

The former Manchester City youth star – who made the move to St Mary's on a £14m deal last summer – was arguably one of the breakout stars of the 2022/23 campaign despite his side's eventual relegation, having been tipped to be a "top player" in the future by international colleague, Kevin De Bruyne.

Also regarded as a potential "leader" for his country and for a top Premier League club in the years to come – in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig – Lavia has already made a strong impression during his embryonic senior career, having also earned notable praise from United legend Paul Scholes last season:

"He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend. He does not want to get forward too much and sits in-front of the back four and sets the play in motion from there."

As has previously been suggested, Ten Hag is believed to view the youngster as a potential successor to experienced Brazilian, Casemiro, in that defensive midfield role at the Theatre of Dreams, with further midfield depth also needed amid the uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Fred and Scott McTominay.

To be able to bring in such a highly-regarded wonderkid could have the adverse effect of harming one of United's own teenage gems, however, in the form of Kobbie Mainoo, with the 18-year-old Englishman potentially set to see his chances of game time hampered as a result of Lavia's possible arrival.

The "exceptional" talent – as described by MEN journalist Steven Railston – enjoyed a handful of outings in Ten Hag's senior set-up last term, with the expectation being that he will earn a permanent promotion to the first-team ranks moving forward.

A midfielder by trade – who operated in a deeper role in front of the back four during the club's glorious FA Youth Cup run in the 2021/22 season – Mainoo may then find that pathway blocked by the addition of Lavia, with it likely that the United boss would be more prone to handing minutes to a £50m, marquee signing, rather than a promising academy talent.

Of course, there may be hope for the Stockport native to ply his trade in a more advanced midfield berth, although the increased competition that would be provided by the Southampton star's arrival could prove to be bad news for his development.

Pakistan “proved everybody wrong” in the 2017 Champions Trophy, according to allrounder Imad Wasim.Despite Pakistan coming into the event as the bottom-ranked team and starting with a chastening defeat at the hands of India, Imad rubbished the suggestion that Pakistan were unpredictable and instead claimed they were “one of the best in the world”.And he had special praise for Mohammad Amir, whose spell in the final proved decisive, and who Imad hailed as “the No. 1 bowler in Pakistan”.”This is not a fluke,” Imad said. “We’ve got a great side; one of the best in the world right now. I don’t see that we’re an unpredictable side. We’ve won our last four games and we’ve proven everybody wrong. We won against South Africa, who are the No. 1 side in the world, so we had the belief we could take anyone down.”Imad credited the experience of playing in the PSL, and the confidence inspired by the team management as key factors in the success.”The PSL is a big event for us,” he said. “You do improve from playing in it. Look at Fakhar [Zaman], Shadab [Khan] and other youngsters who came into the side and made an impact in this major tournament. Credit goes to all the young cricketers who stepped up.”And credit to the management, too. I’ve been really lucky to play under Mickey Arthur and Sarfraz Ahmed. They get along really nicely. It’s great for bonding. Arthur has supported us throughout the campaign. Even when we lost, he told us we were going to come back and turn things around, and we did.”Our bowling has been unbelievable, and [in the final] our batting was absolutely fantastic.”He had particular praise for Amir. “I’ve always believed in Amir. I’ve played with him since 2007 and captained him for Pakistan Under-19s. I’m one of his best mates, and we really wanted him in the team. He has always been world-class and he is a big-match player, too.”I met up with him when he had the ban and it was not a good feeling. To live for five years without cricket… he was absolutely distracted from everything. He was down and out.”Luckily, I played with him in his first game when he was coming back in domestic cricket and I saw him bowling. It was unbelievable – same pace, same everything. He’s a natural.”He’s working hard at it now and you can see the way he’s bowling. Whatever happened, happened, but he’s the No. 1 bowler in Pakistan cricket. After five years out, you imagine how tough he is mentally. The best is yet to come from him.”Imad also believed the best is yet to come from this young Pakistan team. “Imagine the confidence we get from this,” he said. “It’s a young team and to win this major event – which we’ve never won before – is a big achievement for us.”

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo can be “challenging” to work with, admits former Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta.

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• All-time great moved to Turin in 2018
• Inspired those around him
• Not always the easiest to work with

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The five-time Ballon d’Or winner completed a stunning transfer to Turin from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018. He was one of the last marquee signings put in place during Marotta’s time with the Bianconeri and registered 101 goals for the Serie A giants through 134 appearances.

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  WHAT MAROTTA SAID ABOUT RONALDO

  Ronaldo delivered two league titles and a Coppa Italia triumph during his time with Juve, but he was not always the easiest to work with. Marotta has told of bringing the all-time great on board and how he acted behind the scenes: “He was a very good player, he still is and above all he is a great champion. The champion is that person who manages to convey beliefs to his team-mates. He was a bit of a leader of the team, he was the most famous and he dragged the others into the game. So, it was challenging, but he didn’t make me angry.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo did go on to ruffle feathers back at Manchester United, leading to his release in November 2022, with Paul Pogba doing likewise during his time at Old Trafford. Marotta says the French midfielder was his most difficult piece of recruitment business when first taking him to Turin in 2012. He added: “There is a player today who’s at Juventus called Pogba. It was a very complicated deal. Because he came from Manchester United, he hadn’t signed a contract so there were many teams that wanted him. It was difficult to negotiate his purchase, it was very complex.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Pogba returned to Juventus in 2022, but he has suffered a number of injury issues back in Italian football and is currently serving a ban after failing a drugs test. Ronaldo, meanwhile, is still going strong at the age of 38 with Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr.

Evergreen seamer Darren Stevens exposed Leicestershire’s hapless first-innings batting until the last pair summoned an impressive response

ECB Reporters Network28-Aug-2017Darren Stevens claimed seven wickets•Getty Images

Last-wicket partners Lewis Hill and Callum Parkinson hit half-centuries to scrub a little lustre off Darren Stevens’ seven-wicket haul on a fascinating opening to Kent’s Specsavers County Championship clash with Leicestershire.On an ideal batting day in Canterbury, the visitors were in danger of underperforming as they slid to 174 for eight – with Stevens bagging their first seven. But the Foxes’ tail wagged and, as the host attack tired, their last pair counter-punched to add an unbroken 98 that sent their side in at stumps sitting pretty on 326 for 9.The opening two sessions had belonged to Kent with Stevens making his first breakthrough in the 10th over, nipping one through the defensive push of left-hander Harry Dearden to hit the back pad and secure the first of three successful lbw appeals.Kent’s three other seamers; Adam Milne, Matt Coles and Mitch Claydon, toiled manfully in the heat but without ever matching the sustained accuracy or continued threat posed by Stevens’ ‘dibbly-dobbly’.Stevens struck again by trapping Michael Carberry lbw. The former Kent opening batsman jumped back across his stumps when aiming to work to leg only to miss an in-ducker and become Stevens’ 400th first-class victim.Four balls later Colin Ackerman, the tall South Africa right-hander, pushed outside the line of a leg-stump away-swinger that thudded into his pad and left umpire Russell Warren with little option but to raise his trigger finger once again.Stevens struck for a fourth time in his second over after lunch when Mark Cosgrove, having smashed nine fours in a counter-attacking 40, flicked airily in the region of mid-wicket only to hole out to long-on via a leading edge.Stevens nipped one back off the seam and through the gate of Ned Eckersley’s drive to hit the top of off stump and secure his sixth five-wicket haul of the season and the 18th of a prolific all-roundcareer.Neil Dexter, a crowd favourite during his time with Kent, joined forces with Lewis Hill to add 67 inside 25 overs for the sixth wicket. But, after a short rest, Stevens returned to end Dexter’s 86-ball stay for 40 with a beauty that pitched on middle and grazed the top of off.Stevens bagged seven for the second time in his career when Ben Raine jabbed down late on an in-swinger and edged low to Coles at second slip. Raine, stood his ground, believing he had played the ball into the ground, but the umpires conferred before upholding the appeal.Any hope of a Stevens clean sweep ended just before tea when Matt Pillans swung lustily and edged one from Milne through to the keeper Sam Billings.After tea, Leicestershire’s ninth-wicket partners Hill and Clint McKay opted to throw the kitchen sink at anything pitched up to them, a ploy that seemingly bemused the Kent attack.Stevens’ figures took a relative battering as the pair went aerial, clubbing fours to all parts in taking their side past 200 for a first batting bonus point. The little and large pairing added 54 before McKay, on 32, sliced a lofted drive against Qayyum into the hands of Milne at deep extra cover.Hill’s impish approach took him to a deserved 129-ball half-century, his first of the season and Leicestershire’s sole first innings 50 in their last five championship matches.Foxes’ last man Callum Parkinson joined in the fun by clubbing one from Stevens into the top tier of the Frank Woolley stand to secure a third batting bonus point as the home attack ran out of steam.Parkinson reached his maiden first-class 50 from 48 balls, with four fours and a six as he and Hill beat Leicestershire’s previous best 10th wicket stand against Kent of 96, set by George Geary and AlexSkelding at the Aylestone Road Ground, Leicester, in 1925.