Shane Snater six ends Essex’s quarter-final hoodoo against Birmingham Bears

ECB Reporters Network06-Jul-2023

Essex became the first team through to 2023 Vitality Blast Finals Day after beating Birmingham Bears by two wickets in a thrilling quarter-final at Edgbaston.The Bears charged through the group stage with 11 wins out of 14 but bowed out at the quarter-final stage for the third successive year in the face of a commanding display from Simon Harmer’s side.Disciplined Essex bowling, backed up by excellent fielding, restricted the Bears to 167 for 6. Sam Hain struck a typically polished 52 (26 balls) but, tied down by Harmer (4-0-20-1) and Sam Cook (4-0-24-2), the home side needed some late flailing from Chris Benjamin and Dominic Drakes to at least approach par.Essex then reach 171 for 8 with two balls to spare. Dan Lawrence underpinned the chase with a high-class 62 (41 balls) and Paul Walter’s violent 15-ball 27 retained his side’s control at a vital time mid-innings. The Bears fought hard in the closing overs and Essex needed three from the last two balls before Shane Snater hit the first of them for six.Essex chose to field and started brilliantly as Daniel Sams delivered a wicket maiden. Rob Yates skied the third ball of the innings to third man and it was not until the eighth that the Bears opened their account with a top-edged two. 5 for 1 from 14 balls was not a start to excite the 10,812 crowd.Glenn Maxwell pulled the 15th ball for six but Alex Davies fell in the next over, adjudged, after an interminable review, to have gloved a pull at Aaron Beard.Maxwell added five fours to his six in a punchy 32 but then pulled Walter to deep mid-wicket where Sams took a calm catch and celebrated with a fist-pump to the raucous Hollies Stand. When, 17 balls later, the Aussie accepted another catch to oust Dan Mousley, this time he turned and shushed the Hollies… it had gone rather quiet.Harmer increased the pressure by conceding just three in his first over and bowling Jake Bethell in his second. Hain posted his 25th T20 half-century, from 33 balls, but then sliced Cook to short third.With Hain went the Bears’ hopes of a really imposing total and it was left to Benjamin and Drakes to eke 34 from the last 21 balls to heave the total over 150.The Bears needed to strike early but Adam Rossington clouted 21 from 11 balls to make immediate inroads into the modest target.Related

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Rossington was run out by smart work from Davies but Essex thundered to 77 for 1 from 41 balls before a wobble arrived with two wickets in three balls, Michael Pepper slicing to short third man and Feroze Khushi socking a Jake Lintott full toss to deep midwicket.Successive sixes by Walter off Maxwell reasserted the visitors’ control and Lawrence continued to work the ball round with consummate skill before his departure set up a tense finish.With seven needed from two overs, Lawrence lifted the next ball, from Drakes, to mid on. A superb over from the West Indian cost just a single and saw Harmer run out from the last ball, leaving six still to find from the last over, bowled by Olly Hannon-Dalby.That came down to three from the last two balls, the first of which Snater socked for a straight six to end Essex’s quarter-final hoodoo against the Bears who won both their previous meetings in the last eight.Having squeezed through the group stage by the skin of their teeth, and now survived a tight quarter-final, Essex will return to Edgbaston for Finals Day on July 15 believing this may well be their year.

Domènec Torrent's team set to face Inter Milan, followed by River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds in group stage

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Veteran defender Sergio Ramos expected to start

Monterrey in Group E with Inter Milan, Urawa Red Diamonds, River Plate

Rayados will play all three group stage matches in Los AngelesWatch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Ahead of Monterrey’s FIFA Club World Cup debut against Champions League runners-up Inter Milan, veteran defender Sergio Ramos expressed his excitement and expectations for the tournament.

“This is a unique opportunity, with a new format and a beautiful trophy to fight for. Winning it would be a dream,” said Ramos, who lifted the Club World Cup four times during his tenure at Real Madrid. “For me, it’s not about pressure – it’s motivation. I want to prove I can still perform. In our team talks, I’ve stressed the importance of staying united and bringing the right personality into a tournament of this caliber.”

With several players making their debut in the competition, Ramos has taken on a mentoring role. He encouraged his younger teammates to seize the stage, saying, “Playing in a Club World Cup is a huge showcase for anyone who dreams of making it to Europe. We’ll face Inter head-on."

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The defender shared with what it’s been like to share a locker room with the World Cup-winner.

“Honestly, I never imagined I’d be playing alongside Sergio Ramos. We even joked among ourselves, wondering how we were going to handle it – he’s a global icon,” Victor Guzmán said. “What surprised us the most wasn’t his résumé – we all know what he’s accomplished on the field – but his humility. There was a lot of uncertainty when his signing was announced, and we weren’t sure what to expect.

"But from day one, he’s been incredibly down-to-earth, always greeting and saying goodbye to everyone. That might sound normal, but in football, big-name players often keep their distance. With Sergio, we’ve never felt that -and I don’t think we ever will. He’s just a great guy.”

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Rayados de Monterrey is set to make its sixth appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup, a record among Liga MX clubs. Their journey to this point began with a historic three-year streak of CONCACAF Champions League titles from 2011 to 2013, securing them consecutive spots in the global tournament.

In 2011 and 2013, Monterrey finished in fifth place, while they achieved third place in 2012. After a six-year hiatus, they returned in 2019, once again clinching third. In their most recent participation in 2021, they were narrowly defeated in the fifth-place match.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MONTERREY

Domènec Torrent's team are set to face Inter Milan on Tuesday night, followed by River Plate (June 21) and Urawa Red Diamonds (June 25).

England fast bowler faces another prolonged spell on the sidelines

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2023Lancashire have confirmed that Saqib Mahmood has been diagnosed with a recurrence of the back stress fracture that sidelined him for much of 2022.Mahmood has only played five games this summer and, as revealed by ESPNcricinfo, was sent for a specialist consultation amid concerns he could miss the rest of the season.No timeline has been put on his return and he will undergo rehabilitation under the guidance of Lancashire and the ECB, with whom he has an pace-bowling development contract.Mahmood, 26, has been capped in all three formats for England, most recently playing in the ODI series in Bangladesh in March. He made his Test debut on the 2021-22 tour of the West Indies, but was diagnosed with a lumbar stress fracture shortly after returning from the Caribbean.As well as being ruled out of action for Lancashire, Mahmood will also miss the Hundred, for which he was part of Oval Invincibles’ squad. Surrey allrounder Tom Lawes is set to be brought in by Invincibles as an injury replacement.

Australia have rediscovered their mojo, but simply retaining the Ashes is not enough for a world-beating side who have been pushed to their limits by England.The hosts can make it victories in two white-ball series from two if they clinch the final ODI in Taunton on Tuesday, although the best they can do points-wise is to move to equal with Australia on eight, which will mean the overall contest is a draw and the tourists still heading home with the Ashes. Ellyse Perry, whose innings of 91 set Australia up to break a three-game losing streak in the second ODI in Southampton, said that wouldn’t do.”That last game in Taunton is really important to us because I think a few of us have been involved in campaigns where we’ve retained the Ashes, but it’s always nice to win the Ashes so it’s a good challenge for us,” Perry said on Sunday. “It’s the last game so everyone has that in their sights.Related

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“We’ve also probably been chasing a complete performance from the group and that hasn’t come yet. We’ve played patches of really good cricket and today, the way that we fought the whole way through and wrestled back momentum at different stages is one of our better outings on this trip, but I think there’s still a really great opportunity for us to play to our potential. That’s a great carrot and, as I said, to win the Ashes rather than retain them.”In a quick turnaround of just over 48 hours between matches, both sides must overcome the emotion of playing through another nerve-jangling finish after Australia won by three runs on the final ball at the Ageas Bowl, Nat Sciver-Brunt’s unbeaten century taking England to the brink of another victory that would have kept the series alive.The closeness of the contest was in keeping with the entire series, which has been hard-fought throughout, and Heather Knight, the England captain, said afterwards that victory in the final match would prove there was no longer “a gap” between the sides. Meanwhile, Alana King, the legspinner who turned the game Australia’s way with three key wickets, believes her side is still some distance ahead and keen to show it in Taunton. But Perry has a more nuanced view.”I actually have probably a slightly different look on the gap,” she said. “If you look across the last four or five years, we’ve had lots of really, really close games against different opponents, whether that’s been India or England, New Zealand at times, South Africa. But I think something that probably has been key to those last few years has been the consistency of our play and the ability to find ways to win lots of matches.”So I don’t know if there’s always been a huge gap. I think teams are certainly finding different ways of playing and improving and I think that’s no different for us, so we’ve got to keep evolving and keep improving. But, in terms of gap, I think it’s just that we’ve been really consistent and England have played some really consistent cricket this series so it’s pushed us often and I think we’ve pushed them as well. Hence why it’s been so tight.”Ellyse Perry proved the difference in a tight Southampton ODI•Getty Images

Amy Jones, the England wicketkeeper-batter, first mooted the idea that England were closing on Australia during this series after her explosive innings of 40 not out from 21 balls lifted her side to a respectable total in the first T20I at Edgbaston before the visitors managed to scrape past them by four wickets with just one ball remaining. That was a turning point for the hosts, who went on to win the next three games to claim honours in the T20 leg 2-1 and take a 1-0 lead in the ODIs, as it was the catalyst for England to play with the confidence of a side that knew their opponents were beatable.Australia, in the unfamiliar position of losing a string of close encounters, were forced to change things up and they opted for a four-pronged spin attack for the Ageas Bowl.King, who hadn’t played since Australia’s victory in the Test which opened the series, claimed 3 for 44 while offspinner Ashleigh Gardner – who bagged 12 wickets in the Test – took 3 for 54 and bowled a tight penultimate over before left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen reprised her role of ice-cool death bowler with great success for the third time in four ODIs against England. Jonassen had bowled the last over during the group stage and in the final of last year’s 50-over World Cup, with Sciver-Brunt also scoring a century in each of those games. At Bristol last Wednesday, Knight and Kate Cross managed to get one up on Jonassen as they guided England to victory with 11 balls to spare.Georgia Wareham was their other spinner in Southampton, taking 1 for 47 from her 10 overs, but it was her unbeaten 37 off 14 balls, including 26 runs off Lauren Bell in the final over of Australia’s innings that lifted the total to 282 for 7, asking England to produce their second record ODI run chase in as many matches to win.”It was really deliberate selection decision for us to have the four spinners in the team and they did an amazing job,” Perry said. “For Alana to come in and play a first white-ball game of the series and perform the way she did, Georgia’s been consistent the whole way, Ash is so dependable and then JJ closing out – I’ve just named four of the best spinners in the world there, which is amazing to have at our disposal.”I think what our spinners have done really well is just built constant pressure. I think from a pace group, and it’s something that we’ll keep working on and it presents a really awesome opportunity for us to take our game to a new level, is just to be able to build that consistent pressure. We’ve bowled well in patches at times but often let players off the hook and with England’s aggressive approach to that, especially at the start of their innings, that’s kind of got away from us at different points in time.”That’s why the spin has been so effective, the ability to maintain pressure throughout an over and a spell, and then that’s picked up wickets. As I said ,I think the pace group’s probably been off at different times, but that’s a really exciting thing because if we can get that right then I think there’s a complete game of cricket in us.”

Liverpool are reportedly considering a £100 million move for Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon as Arne Slot's summer rebuild kicks into gear.

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• Liverpool eye shock bid for Gordon
• Rekindled interest in Newcastle winger
• Considering shock £100m offer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool are weighing up a big-money bid for boyhood fan Gordon, with the club looking to continue strengthening under Slot. Talks over a move were held last summer, and the Reds are now revisiting the idea as they look to reinforce their attack after they finalise a deal for Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz.

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  Gordon impressed at Newcastle last season with six goals and five assists, and has been a long-term target. has now reported that Liverpool are considering putting in a bid worth £100 million ($135.6m), despite the 24-year-old having signed a new deal with the Magpies this season. Gordon is also close friends with Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Liverpool have already signed right-back Jeremie Frimpong and are closing in on Wirtz in a record-breaking deal. With Luis Diaz’s future uncertain and Darwin Nunez attracting interest from abroad, Liverpool could accelerate their pursuit of Gordon in the coming weeks.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  Liverpool have already won their first Premier League under Slot; however, they had a disappointing season in other competitions. As such, the Reds are willing to splash the cash this summer to ensure that they can challenge for more honours.

MatériaMais Notícias

Segundo informação apurada pelo Futebol Latino e confirmada pelo LANCE!, o atacante Matheus Davó teve a sua situação sondada por uma equipe do futebol da Rússia. Para preservar uma possível negociação, o nome do clube tem sido mantido em absoluto sigilo.

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Segundo a apuração, as conversas estão em estágio inicial, tendo como um dos principais trunfos a boa relação existente entre a empresa que administra atualmente a carreira de Davó e transações recentes de outros agenciados para o futebol russo. Casos, por exemplo, de nomes comoClaudinho, Mantuan, Malcom (todos no Zenit) e Moisés, atualmente no CSKA Moscou.

Apesar do bom desempenho recente do atacante com a camisa do Bahia desde sua chegada por empréstimo (nove gols e três assistências em 28 jogos), o Esquadrão tem pouca influência na decisão final, já que os direitos do atacante de 23 anos de idade estão ligados ao Corinthians.

Ganhando visibilidade quando atuava nas categorias de base do Guarani, Matheus Davó foi contratado em 2020 pelo clube da capital paulista, mas, depois de sete partidas e dois gols, começou a rodar em acordos de empréstimo por diversas equipes.

Além do próprio Guarani, Davó jogou, antes do Bahia, com a camisa do Philadelphia Union, da Major League Soccer (MLS) e no São Bernardo. Porém, no Tricolor, o avante já atingiu a sua maior marca de gols desde sua profissionalização.

Manchester United made two signings in the January transfer window, bringing in Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu.

The new Red Devils pair have caught the eye so far with Heaven costing Ruben Amorim’s side an undisclosed compensation fee, buying him out of his Arsenal contract six months early.

So far, the 18-year-old has made four appearances in the famous red shirt. That includes a 45-minute cameo against the Gunners in his first Premier League game, before making starts against Real Sociedad in the Europa League and Leicester City in the top flight.

Heaven has made a real impression so far for United, and the same can certainly be said for Dorgu, in his short United career.

Why Patrick Dorgu has been a good signing for Man Utd

20-year-old Denmark international Dorgu has made a great start to life at Old Trafford. He made the move from Serie A strugglers Lecce in the winter transfer window for £25m up front, and a further £4.2m in add-ons.

Dorgu has made a big impression already with Football statistician Statman Dave stating the wing-back is a player who “brings balance and quality” to Amorim’s United side.

He has played six times so far, particularly impressing against Sociedad in the Europa League, where he made major contributions both in defence and attack, winning a penalty from which Bruno Fernandes scored.

One of the key features of Dorgu’s game is his speed. The 20-year-old is rapid and able to cover so much ground in a short amount of time. Of course, this is helpful to United in transitional situations, helping them get up the pitch and hurt teams on the counter very quickly.

The January arrival has been a revelation for the Red Devils, some might say the perfect addition at wing-back for Amorim’s system.

However, if things had gone differently years ago, perhaps the United boss could have had another flying wingback at his disposal.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Man United academy gem is now similar to Dorgu

United’s academy can take credit for producing several exciting talents in the Premier League, or at least contributing to their footballing education.

One player who certainly fits that latter category is Dwight McNeil.

He was in the Red Devils academy in his younger days, notably training alongside the likes of Brandon Williams and Angel Gomes but was released by the club. It was a decision that certainly left him heartbroken.

After making his way through the Burnley academy, he became a vital part of the Clarets first-team under Sean Dyche.

Now plying his trade at Everton, McNeil has also become a key player for the Toffees. Although he has played in a number of positions, the Englishman has excelled out wide on the left, where Amorim surely would have deployed him if given the chance. This term, he has three goals and three assists in 13 Premier League games but has been out for some time with a knee injury.

One of the key features of McNeil’s game is his threat from open play when crossing the ball. Described by Statman Dave as an “excellent crosser”, the 25-year-old can whip a deadly delivery into the box, as he showed in Everton’s 5-1 win against Brighton a few seasons ago, a game where he also scored two goals.

To get an idea of how McNeil might have suited this United system, a comparison via FBref between his and Dorgu’s stats can be drawn. The Everton ace completes more crosses than the Dane per 90 minutes, with 0.79 compared to 0.39, but does complete less progressive carries per 90, with 2.44 compared to Dorgu’s 3.45.

On reflection, McNeil could have been a fantastic option for United. Of course, he left the club at a young age, but seeing how his career has turned out, perhaps they wish they still had someone in the squad so suited to Amorim’s system.

He is statistically similar to Dorgu, and worth £25m according to Football Transfers, around the fee United paid for their new wing-back up front in January. He is surely a player Amoirm would have loved to have at his disposal.

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Aston Villa are now seen as the favourites to sign a winger who’s been likened to star loanee Marcus Rashford, despite reports the Man United outcast could remain under Unai Emery next season.

Aston Villa keen to explore £40m buy-out clause for Marcus Rashford

No final decision has been made just yet on Rashford staying at Villa Park beyond 2024/25, but according to reports, Emery’s side are keen to explore this option after the Englishman’s sensational start to life in the Midlands.

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Rashford boasts four assists from nine appearances in all competitions since joining Villa on a temporary deal in the January window, and according to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, the 27-year-old has impressed club chiefs both in training and in the dressing room as well.

Player

Average match rating

Youri Tielemans

7.05

Marcus Rashford

6.96

Morgan Rogers

6.83

Tyrone Mings

6.80

Marco Asensio

6.79

However, there is still plenty to iron out before either party ultimately decides that the in-form forward remains where he is for next season. Rashford is attracting interest from Bayern Munich and other elite clubs abroad, and it is believed he would be open to a move to Europe (Ben Jacobs).

There is also the matter of Rashford’s seismic £300,000-per-week wages. He would almost certainly need to take a pay cut for a permanent Villa move, and even then, Rashford could end up being Emery’s highest-paid player by some distance.

While Fabrizio Romano has reported that Rashford staying at Villa is entirely possible, these factors could mean that a transfer may not be feasible for NSWE after all, especially depending on where they finish in the Premier League table and how much money they’ll have to spend this summer.

It is prudent for Villa to identify alternatives, and one of them could actually come in the form of Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.

Aston Villa in pole position to sign Noni Madueke from Chelsea

As per GiveMeSport, echoing other reports, the England international is attracting serious interest from Villa, who are eyeing a move for him alongside Newcastle United.

However, GMS reports that Villa are “leading the race” to sign Madueke this summer, and Chelsea are growing more tempted to cash in on the ex-PSV Eindhoven star despite his initial electric start to the campaign.

Madueke has been sidelined by a hamstring injury in recent weeks, but has returned to training and could feature against Tottenham next week. The 23-year-old boasts 12 goal contributions in all competitions (eight goals, four assists), though Chelsea would be prepared to sell if a suitable offer is made – one which would allow them to make a “marginal profit” off his £29 million signing back in 2023.

Members of Villa’s recruitment team are eager for the club to capitalise on Madueke’s uncertain future, and it is even believed that he could be open to leaving Stamford Bridge if there is no longer consistent game time on offer for him.

Interestingly, Football Transfers has called Madueke a “similar” player to Rashford, so he could be an excellent fall-back option in place of the United wantaway.

AC Milan ditch plans to sign Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko as they look to add Tottenham's Destiny Udogie after Theo Hernandez's exit.

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• AC Milan more interested in signing Udogie
• Had Zinchenko in plans but Udogie now preferred
• Italian side eager to strength on the flanks

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Milan have been scouting for options in London. Previously, the Italian side gad shortlisted Oleksandr Zinchenko as their top priority, but the feeling around the club has changed. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tottenham's Destiny Udogie has become the top contender to replace Theo Hernandez as the French defender closes in on an transfer to Atletico Madrid.

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  A deal with Arsenal to bring Zinchenko to San Siro may have been the best-suited transfer, considering the club's finances. However, Milan feel Udogie is young, has already won the Europa League, and is a player they can count on in the long term. Udogie has also previously played in Serie A for Udinese and had an impressive spell in Italy in the 2021-22 season. The Italian club also believe the left-back has considerable experience, making him a suitable fit for head coach Massimiliano Allegri.

• TELL ME MORE

  To bring Udogie to San Siro, the Italian club will have to dig deep financially. The club have already experienced some financial issues and even had to part ways with Tijjani Reijnders to balance their books. As of now, Udogie is tied to the London club until June 2030.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MILAN?

  Milan are also reportedly the next destination for Luka Modric. The Croatian is currently playing for Real Madrid in the Club World Cup and will decide on his move after the competition. Sporting director, Igli Tare, is also interested in bringing Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen to Milan this summer.

Southern Brave romped to a comfortable nine-wicket win over Welsh Fire, the bowlers setting the tone with Tymal Mills taking only the second hat-trick in the Men’s Hundred.That came off the final three balls of the Welsh Fire innings as they fell to 87 all out, the pattern started with returning England star Jonny Bairstow falling early for a four-ball duck.Craig Overton took two early wickets for Brave, including Bairstow, while George Garton took 3 for 8 off 15 balls through the middle of the innings to block any momentum for the home side, Mills finishing with four wickets in all.Stephen Eskinazi’s 38 was the only bright spot in a total easily chased down by Southern Brave. Finn Allen scored a quick 31 before Devon Conway, 35 not out, and Leus du Plooy, 17 not out, saw them through to victory with 41 balls spare.Welsh Fire could not have got off to a much worse start, losing Ashes hero Bairstow cheaply in his first game for them since 2021. He tried to hit Overton over mid-off, but was caught off the mistimed shot without scoring, with Overton getting bounce and movement to also dismiss captain Tom Abell, caught behind by Devon Conway.Joe Clarke also went for a duck, caught Conway off the bowling of Garton, and when Mills dismissed Glenn Phillips with his first ball, giving Conway a third catch, Welsh Fire were in deep trouble at 34 for 4 after 41 balls.David Willey’s cameo of 16 was also ended by Overton, this time with a sliding catch in the deep off the bowling of Garton.While everyone else was losing their wicket, the player keeping his at the other end was opener Stephen Eskinazi who plotted his way to 38 off 34 balls. However, when he was also out skying the ball off Garton, Welsh Fire were running out of options.In the first game between these two sides, Brave had been in even deeper trouble before Chris Jordan played a match-winning innings, but Fire had no equivalent as the lower order slipped away. It fell to Mills to take a hat-trick with the last three balls of the innings as Fire were dismissed for 87 – the lowest total in a completed 100-ball innings – and left needing their bowlers to produce something remarkable to save the game.The player with the best chance of doing that was Pakistan opening bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi and he delivered an effective first set that did everything other than pick up a wicket for Fire. Willey’s first two balls then went for 10 as Brave opener Finn Allen started to find his range before he was caught on the long-on boundary by Willey off the bowling of David Payne for 31.Welsh Fire tried seven bowlers, but there was little pressure on Conway and du Plooy as they knocked off the winning runs with great ease.