Shubman Gill is batting on 91 for Glamorgan; England's Harry Maguire reacts; taly's Giacomo Raspadori controls the ball. (Twitter | Reuters | AP)Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 91 to put Glamorgan in a good position when bad light ended play after 41.2 overs on the opening day of their rain-affected match against Sussex at Hove.
A win will help Glamorgan to secure promotion into Division One for 2023.
Shubman Gill, that is ๐ผ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ผ๐๐ ๐คฏ
Glamorgan 217/3
๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ: https://t.co/7M8MBwgNG2#SUSvGLAM | #GoGlam pic.twitter.com/FtMX1c7cue
โ Glamorgan Cricket ๐ (@GlamCricket) September 26, 2022
Gill led the way with an unbeaten 91 off just 102 balls while skipper David Lloyd, fresh from his triple hundred against Derbyshire last week, scored 56. Gill, strong on the front foot and dismissive of anything short, has so far hit two sixes, including an effortless pick-up over mid-wicket off Currie that was the shot of the day, and 11 fours.
How good is this from ๐ฆ๐ต๐๐ฏ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐น๐น!? All the way for 6โฃ๐คฉ
Glamorgan 126/2
๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ: https://t.co/7M8MBwgNG2#SUSvGLAM | #GoGlam pic.twitter.com/lzLrYKTzxC
โ Glamorgan Cricket ๐ (@GlamCricket) September 26, 2022
Brad Currie was the pick of the Sussex attack and took two wickets on a flat pitch.
First batting bonus point ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ โ
Glamorgan 203/3
๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ: https://t.co/7M8MBwgNG2#SUSvGLAM | #GoGlam pic.twitter.com/krpMO145Pa
โ Glamorgan Cricket ๐ (@GlamCricket) September 26, 2022
Gill and Lloyd put on 57 in 12 overs between further stoppages either side of lunch with few alarms with Lloyd, who scored an unbeaten 313 in his last Championship innings, passing fifty for the sixth time this season. Lloyd’s 56 came off 64 balls with six fours and two sixes.
Sam Northeast became Currie’s second victim when he edged an outswinger which Tom Alsop caught low at first slip with the total 151 in only the 27th over.
๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ
Shubman Gill makes his second half-century for Glamorgan ๐ช
Glamorgan 156/3 after Northeast was caught for 13
๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ: https://t.co/7M8MBwgNG2#SUSvGLAM | #GoGlam pic.twitter.com/GlXdWxU586
โ Glamorgan Cricket ๐ (@GlamCricket) September 26, 2022
Even with the floodlights on, Gill and Billy Root had little trouble in adding a further 70 runs in 15 overs before the players came off again 20 minutes after tea because of bad light. Root is unbeaten on 17.
England 3-3 Germany: Maguire’s place in question
Under pressure for his starting place in England’s team, Harry Maguire didn’t help his cause against Germany. Some fans booed when Maguire’s name was announced before kickoff against Germany in the Nations League. The central defender continues to be selected by the England manager despite his poor club form meaning he cannot command a starting place with Manchester United.
๐ฟ A six-goal second half thriller at Wembley! ๐ฅ
โฝ๏ธ๐ฉ๐ชโฐ Gรผndoฤan 52โ
โฝ๏ธ๐ฉ๐ชโฐ Havertz 67โ
โฝ๏ธ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟโฐ Shaw 72โ
โฝ๏ธ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟโฐ Mount 75โ
โฝ๏ธ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟโฐ Kane 83โ
โฝ๏ธ๐ฉ๐ชโฐ Havertz 87โ#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/DDxLEJwr7jโ UEFA Nations League (@EURO2024) September 26, 2022
Southgate had pointed to the fact that Maguire was a key part of England’s run to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and made the Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament selection, becoming something of a cult hero with fans. But the 29-year-old’s display on Monday was that of a player struggling for form and confidence.
He was badly at fault as Germany took the lead early in the second half, giving the ball away to Jamal Musiala, then clumsily hacking him down to concede a penalty that Ilkay Gundogan converted past Nick Pope.
Never in doubt ๐ฅถ
๐ฉ๐ช ฤฐlkay Gรผndoฤan scores from the penalty spot ๐ฏ#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/6DTZrBN62W
โ UEFA Nations League (@EURO2024) September 26, 2022
Maguire then lost the ball high up the pitch shortly afterwards, resulting in the counter-attack that ended with Kai Havertz making it 2-0 with a sublime finish.
England would fight back to lead 3-2 before Pope’s error gifted Germany an equaliser, but not even a morale-boosting draw will deflect attention from the debate over Maguire as the World Cup fast approaches.
Italy secure spot in Nations League finals
Giacomo Raspadori and Federico Dimarco goals helped Italy to beat Hungary 2-0 and secured their place in the next year’s Nation League finals, after failing to qualify for a second straight World Cup.
The man of the moment ๐คฉ
๐ฎ๐น Raspadori gives Italy the lead against Hungary! โฝ๏ธ#NationsLeague https://t.co/KmMuBonj4L pic.twitter.com/0i93qHH7Cg
โ UEFA Nations League (@EURO2024) September 26, 2022
The defending European champions finished top on 11 points from six games, one point above second-placed Hungary who needed to avoid defeat to secure a place in their first Nations League semi-finals.
Raspadori took advantage of a mistake by the defence in the 27th minute to convert a rebound from the edge of the box.
Hungary then had a great chance to equalise just after the break but goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma kept out a flurry of shots by Loic Nego, Callum Styles and captain Adam Szalai, who on Monday ended his international career.
Midfielder Federico Dimarco made it 2-0 for the visitors in the 52nd minute when he blasted the ball into the roof of the net from close range.