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West Bromwich Albion will want to break free of their promotion nearly-men title come the end of the current Championship campaign.

The Hawthorns hierarchy certainly went in a bold, fresh direction this summer in attempting to reinvigorate proceedings in the West Midlands, with the appointment of Ryan Mason taking many by surprise, considering Tony Mowbray – who is a tried and tested figure in the EFL – was the Baggies’ previous manager before the 34-year-old took on the reins.

The West Brom novice has shone in spurts since taking on the daunting gig, with four wins already collected from nine second-tier clashes, but a 3-0 loss suffered away at Millwall just before the international break has shoved his inconsistent side down to seventh spot in the early league standings.

Thankfully, Mason does have a lot of quality at his disposal as he tries to pick his team back off the floor after the international break, with both Josh Maja and Isaac Price clear bright sparks in attack.

Maja and Price's start the season

Despite being riddled with injuries most of 2025 to date, Maja is now up and running under Mason when he instinctively fired home this poacher’s effort against Norwich City at the start of the month.

With another 12 league strikes next to the ex-Sunderland centre-forward’s name at the Hawthorns already, it goes without saying really that if West Brom do want to finally break out of the EFL’s elite league, they will need their number nine to be – most importantly – fit, but also firing on all cylinders for the rest of the long campaign.

Price will also be keen to shine alongside the 26-year-old in attack, having already collected four goal contributions this season, with two whirlwind strikes from the number 21 against Wrexham towards the start of the season, clinching a big 3-1 win for the visitors to Wales.

He has since seen his goals and assists dry up, but Mason will believe he can get back to his best, with the Northern Ireland international perhaps picking up goal contributions aplenty again, partnered next to a lethal Maja.

Yet, despite the electric Baggies duo amassing four goals between them this season so far, there is one former West Brom attacker who is actually outscoring both the Nigerian striker and the ex-Everton man, who was allowed to exit the West Midlands giants last year for just £2.25m.

The "shining light" now outscoring Maja & Price

West Brom have had their fair share of promotion near misses in recent years, with the Baggies usually falling just short of what is required of them in the intense lottery of the playoffs.

With Carlos Corberan at the helm, West Brom finished in a respectable fifth position come the end of the gruelling 2023/24 campaign. Despite their best efforts, they would come unstuck in the semi-final stages to eventual playoff winners Southampton, with Brandon Thomas Asante left to rue his luck.

Come the end of that competitive season, Thomas Asante would stick out as West Brom’s top goalscorer, as seen in the left-footed menace bagging 11 goals from 39 outings.

However, there would have still been grumbles surrounding the Ghanaian’s wastefulness that same season, with a whopping 18 big chances also missed, on top of his goal conversion percentage only coming in at 15%.

Therefore, when West Brom were met with a £2.25m bid from Coventry last summer, the Baggies clearly felt they had got the maximum out of their former “shining example”, as he was once labelled by Steve Bruce during the early days of his 78-game stint at the Hawthorns.

Thomas Asante’s league numbers for Coventry

Stat

Thomas Asante

Games played

45

Minutes played

2312

Goals scored

9

Assists

6

Sourced by Transfermarkt

They were very much wrong, though, with the “outstanding” Sky Blues marksman – as his new manager Frank Lampard has labelled him – already up to a jaw-dropping eight goal contributions from eight second-tier contests this season, with five of those being clinical goals that have helped bump his side’s overall goal count number in the division to a remarkable 27 strikes.

Clearly, Lampard is the manager Thomas Asante has been dreaming of working with, with the ex-Derby County boss playing him down the wings, too, to devastating effect, as opposed to the isolated figure he sometimes cut at West Brom when lining up regularly as a lone centre-forward presence.

The proof will soon be in the pudding as to whether the red-hot 26-year-old can keep up this sterling form across the full 46-game campaign, as Thomas Asante continues to battle against his former club in the promotion hunt, and both Maja and Price in the goal charts.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Oct 7, 2025

Board secretary Devajit Saikia says there has been no communication from the BCCI to the ACC regarding upcoming events

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-2025

Amid growing speculation over whether India will play in this year’s Asia Cup, in the wake of tensions with Pakistan, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has downplayed reports that India were pulling out, insisting that the issue was yet to be “discussed”.India are due to host the six-team event in the T20 format but the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which runs the Asia Cup, has not yet announced the schedule or the venue. September has unofficially been pencilled in as the window.”The Asia Cup matter or any other ACC event issue has not come up for discussion at any level,” Saikia said in a statement on Monday. “… till now, BCCI has not even discussed or taken any such steps regarding ensuing ACC events, leave alone writing anything to the ACC. At this stage, our prime focus is on the ongoing IPL and subsequent England series, both men and women.”Related

Women's Emerging Asia Cup postponed due to weather and health concerns in Sri Lanka

Gambhir: India should not play Pakistan at all

Saikia said the BCCI had not communicated any decision to the ACC concerning India’s participation in the Asia Cup as well as the Women’s Emerging Asia Cup in Sri Lanka in June.However, ESPNcricinfo has learned the women’s Emerging Asia Cup has been postponed though the reason could not be confirmed. The ACC has not yet made any formal announcement on the postponement.Speculation about India’s participation and the fate of this year’s event has arisen as tensions between India and Pakistan soared this month after the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The two countries engaged militarily briefly, temporarily halting both the IPL and PSL. Both leagues resumed on May 17 after the countries agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, though bilateral relations remain fraught.India head coach Gautam Gambhir recently said there should be “absolutely no” cricketing ties between India and Pakistan. Speaking in his personal capacity, Gambhir said: “Till all this [terrorism] doesn’t stop, there should not be anything between India and Pakistan.”The BCCI has normally sought permission from the Indian government to play Pakistan in multinational events. In 2023, when Pakistan were the host of the Asia Cup, a precursor to the ODI World Cup, the BCCI said it did not have the Indian government’s permission to travel to Pakistan. Consequently, PCB adopted a hybrid model to conduct the tournament in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with the latter hosting all of India’s matches including the final. Earlier this year, India did not travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy for similar reasons, and played all their matches including the final in Dubai.India-Pakistan contests are among the most-watched cricket matches and play a significant role in the valuation of broadcast rights both for the ICC (at World Cups) and ACC (Asia Cup). Several editions of the Asia Cup have been hit by strained political ties between the countries, leading to withdrawals and the entire tournament being shelved in the past.

League leaders buck the earlier trend where teams batting first were winning in the PSL

Danyal Rasool20-Apr-2025

Islamabad United kept their stranglehold on PSL 2025, swatting aside Karachi Kings and romping to a seven-wicket victory on Sunday night. Bucking the trend of sides struggling to chase, United inserted Kings and kept their batters in a vice-like grip with regular wickets. Shadab Khan led the way with both ball and bat, taking 2 for 17 in his four before steering the chase with a composed 40-ball 47. It meant United made short work of Kings’ 128, winning with three overs to spare.United flew in the face of recent history; the last six matches this tournament have seen the side batting first win with ease. Upon winning the toss, they put Kings in, and Naseem Shah wasted no time cleaning up David Warner with a slower delivery that cut in. He was followed up by Jason Holder, the tournament’s lead wicket-taker, seaming one away to rock James Vince’s off stump.United’s bowling quality prevented Kings from getting off to the kind of powerplay start teams commonly have this season. The first five overs produced just 29 runs, with Shadab and Imad Wasim posing further difficulties after the powerplay. The two spinners combined for three wickets and conceded just 34 in eight overs, with Saad Baig’s 17-ball 20 the only instance of a top-seven batter succeeding in scoring at over a run-a-ball.Abbas Afridi slammed a 9-ball 24•PCB

It was only in the final two overs that Kings truly cut loose. Abbas Afridi smashed Naseem for a pair of sixes and flew to an unbeaten 24 off the nine balls he faced, helping Kings get past 120.It never looked enough for a United side so adroit at working their way through low targets and storming to big wins. Sahibzada Farhan’s dream season continued as a cameo broke the back of the chase early on, his 30 off 18 enough to guarantee the required rate would not pose problems for his side. Azam Khan, opening alongside Farhan, was uncharacteristically subdued, but in a chase that only required him to anchor, he did just that.Hasan Ali’s two-wicket over, which got rid of Farhan and Colin Munro, offered a brief moment of optimism for his side, but just as United did on the opening day chasing a low total, they hunkered down and made sure they weren’t giving wickets away cheaply.Shadab and Azam combined for 65 in 52 balls to take the sting out of Kings’ attack, a masterclass in drawing jeopardy out of a modest T20 chase. With the scores level and Shadab three away from a half-century, Afridi knocked his middle stump back, but the rueful smile he exchanged with Shadab made clear who really had the upper hand. The winning run was knocked off the following delivery to confirm United’s fourth win in as many games.

“I just wanted to get a score and ease the nerves down,” Rickelton says after scoring his first IPL half-century

Matt Roller01-Apr-20250:57

Bangar hails Rickelton’s ‘subcontinental’ approach against spin

When most players arrive in India for their maiden IPL season, they pull on their new franchise’s kit for the first time. But for Ryan Rickelton, the royal blue and gold trim of Mumbai Indians (MI) was reassuringly familiar.Rickelton has spent three seasons playing for their affiliate MI Cape Town in the SA20, where all six teams are run by IPL owners. Surprisingly, he is the only South African to have played matches for the same franchise in both leagues this year, a route that will surely become increasingly familiar as the global game evolves.Aged 28, Rickelton is a relatively late newcomer to the IPL but has made significant strides under the guidance of MI Cape Town’s batting coach, Hashim Amla, and is the leading run-scorer in the SA20’s brief history. While the two teams’ squads are very different, the crossover in support staff has been beneficial for Rickelton since he arrived in India.Related

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Rookies Ashwani and Rickelton lead MI to first win

Ashwani Kumar on his debut: 'Was feeling pressure, didn't have lunch'

“It’s been a nice introduction into the group, the family – and obviously meeting Akash [Ambani, the MI owner] and everyone as well,” Rickelton said. “It’s not just coming in blind, so it has been an easier transition. But the IPL is a different beast on its own, so to mentally work my head around that is a bit of a different one for me… Luckily, I’ve got a few familiar faces around.”After starting IPL 2025 with scores of 13 and 6, Rickelton hit 62 off 41 balls on Monday night in his first innings at the Wankhede. A target of 117 was never likely to prove challenging, but his attacking intent secured an eight-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) with 43 balls to spare – enough to put MI’s net run-rate firmly in the black, despite starting the season with two defeats.”Opening the batting for Mumbai Indians with Rohit Sharma, there’s always going to be pressure internally and obviously externally as well,” Rickelton said. “Hardik [Pandya, the captain] was emphasising today, ‘Raise intensity, this is our home ground.’ We needed to be better and obviously we couldn’t be zero [wins] from three [games].”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Rickelton believes that the IPL brings with it “a lot more pressure” than the other franchise leagues he has experienced. “The standard is incredibly high, and the conditions are all changing,” he said. “A year ago, [you] turn on the television and teams are getting 260 and you think it’s a free-for-all, but you come out and it’s actually not that easy.”Different grounds have unique characteristics. The pressure factor internally is big, but externally is huge. You’re playing with some of the world’s best players, not just in this team but around the country, so that extra pressure is there and it’s hard. I’m not going to lie: it’s hard. [I’m] just trying to find my way through that, and trying to adjust my game in order to give the team the best chance of being successful.”Rickelton was bowled off his inside edge in his first two IPL innings, and joked: “I was just trying to not chop it on, in all honesty.” But after two streaky boundaries early in his innings, he grew in confidence and hit three leg-side sixes off Sunil Narine – with the second bringing him a 33-ball half-century.Ryan Rickelton hit five sixes – and four fours – in his innings•Associated Press

“I was a bit nervous,” he said. “I just really wanted to get a score and just ease the nerves down. It was a relatively low total [target], so I knew I could afford a bit of time and just give myself those extra couple of balls… I felt like if I could face 18-20 balls, I’d have some kind of impact on the game and luckily I managed just to get through. It wasn’t as fluent as I’d have liked it to be, but I’ll take it.”It was a massive relief, in all honesty. Our first two games were tricky, on some tough wickets. To get out here in Mumbai and have Spencer [Johnson] turn me inside out was quite a tough battle to get through, but once I managed to get through that it was really pleasing to get a score – but relief, more than anything, and to get two points on the board is great for the team.”The extra bounce at the Wankhede compared to most IPL pitches should provide Rickelton with some home comforts this season, but his main challenge will be to have an impact on the road. Next up for him is a trip to the league’s lowest-scoring venue over the last three years, as MI face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) away on Friday night.

Bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch has been named as the replacement for the injured Anrich Nortje in South Africa’s 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan later this month.The 30-year-old Bosch made his ODI debut against Pakistan in December, returning figures of 1 for 69 in nine overs, but was one of the standout seamers in SA20 champions MI Cape Town’s campaign. Fast bowler Kwena Maphaka has also been added to the squad as a travelling reserve. They are already without Gerald Coetzee, ruled out with a groin issue, while Beuran Hendricks and Lizaad Williams have been recovering from injuries too.Related

• Youthful Maphaka finds – and gives – joy on challenging debut

• Back injury rules Nortje out of Champions Trophy

• SA's rash of injured quicks hints at systemic issues for CSA

• Champions Trophy 2025 FAQs

Bosch and Maphaka, along with opener Tony de Zorzi, depart for Karachi on Sunday to join the squad for the remainder of the tri-nation ODI series against Pakistan and New Zealand.Meanwhile, former Pakistan allrounder Yasir Arafat has joined the South Africa men’s support staff as a consultant for both the tri-nation series and the Champions Trophy.

South Africa’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad

Temba Bavuma (capt), Corbin Bosch , Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen

Perth Scorchers import Finn Allen says it was fair for fans to doubt him following four consecutive failures, and he hopes he’s now won them back over.Allen, a devastating top-order batter for New Zealand, started the BBL season with scores of 6, 4, 0 and 0. But a rollicking 50 off 23 balls against Adelaide Strikers on New Year’s Eve and 68 off 31 in Friday night’s four-wicket loss to Sydney Thunder have Allen back in the groove.Allen’s fireworks against Thunder set the 46,471 Optus Stadium crowd alight, with one fan even holding up a sign saying “sorry I doubted you”. The 25-year-old could see the funny side.Related

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“I scored 10 runs in four games. I probably should have been doubted,” Allen said. “It’s nice, a few less people hate me [now]. T20 is pretty fickle. You’ve got to laugh, otherwise you’ll cry.”It is what it is, you know. People are going to get upset when you don’t do well, and they’re going to love you when you do well.”Allen said the backing from the team’s coaching staff, including head coach Adam Voges, was crucial for him rediscovering his mojo.”V was just saying he backs me in to just keep playing my natural game,” Allen said. “I think for me, it was just being brave.  It’s always easy to go into your shell after four failures, but that’s not what’s going to bring out the best of me and the best of my game.”It’s almost harder, but I had to be brave, and I guess go out there and play the way I play.”Allen looms as a key cog for the Scorchers (3-3) as they attempt to snare a finals berth. They will be back in action on Tuesday night when they host Melbourne Renegades.Spinner Ashton Agar (back spasms) is a chance to return for that match, but there are doubts over allrounder Aaron Hardie after he appeared to injure his side while batting on Friday night.Hardie winced in pain and grabbed his side/rib region after attempting a reverse sweep, and he didn’t make it out on the field for the Thunder’s innings.He missed the start of the season with a quad injury, and he has been scratchy upon his return with scores of 24, 2 and 10.Scorchers will have to wait to see whether Mitchell Marsh, who was axed from the Test team, and Jhye Richardson will be given clearance by Cricket Australia to play against Renegades.

Nicolas Jackson’s shock switch from Chelsea to Bayern Munich – which was agreed a year out from signing a new contract at Stamford Bridge – has been branded a "bit harsh" despite the Senegal international striker not being a "natural goal-scorer". Blues legend Roberto Di Matteo has offered his take on a surprising switch agreed late in the summer window.

• New contract ultimately meaningless

  Jackson only committed to fresh terms 12 months ago, with that agreement supposed to keep him in west London through to the summer of 2033. The 24-year-old now finds himself at the Allianz Arena.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Competing with England captain Kane

  He has swapped being back-up in England – behind new arrivals Joao Pedro and Liam Delap – for a similar role in Germany. When fit, England captain Harry Kane will be Bayern’s go-to goal-getter.

• Will £70m purchase option be triggered?

  It is considered unlikely that a £70 million ($95m) purchase clause in Jackson’s deal in Munich will be triggered, meaning that his long-term future remains uncertain – with parent club Chelsea seemingly ready to move forward with alternative options.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  What Di Matteo said about Jackson's loan transfer

  Discussing Jackson’s slightly surprising departure, former Blues player and manager Di Matteo – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “We can’t have too many sentiments in football. I like him. He’s not naturally a goal-scorer. Joao Pedro has shown that he can be a natural goal-scorer, so that’s going to make a huge difference for the team because sometimes – many times – you play against teams that just sit back and you don't have space. You need some match-winners in your team, some players that can unlock a defence, like [Cole] Palmer, like Joao Pedro, Estevao – he has started his career with Chelsea on a really positive note. And then Delap, every time that he plays or comes on he looks very strong, very sharp, physically very good.

  "A bit harsh but maybe he didn’t want to be around as second or third striker, he wanted a different challenge. He’s gone to Bayern, I mean that’s a top world club, it’s not a small club."

Abhimanyu and Jagadeesan lead India B’s strong charge in the face of India C’s first innings score of 525

Shashank Kishore13-Sep-2024On a day dominated by the batters, Manav Suthar proved his all-round chops as India C posted a mammoth first innings total in Anantapur. India B responded solidly, their new opening pair of Abhimanyu Easwaran and N Jagadeesan hitting unbeaten half-centuries by stumps.Suthar, fresh off a match-winning seven-for in India C’s Duleep Trophy 2024-25 opening game, built on Ishan Kishan’s century on Thursday. Resuming on 8, Suthar brought up his fourth first-class half-century, but fell 14 short of his first-class highest of 96 not out.He was the last batter out as India C, resuming on 357 for 5, finished with 525. Kishan and Suthar aside, there were also half-centuries from B Indrajith and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Anshul Kamboj, the Haryana allrounder, struck a breezy 27-ball 38 in his 56-run stand with Suthar to swell their total further.2:38

Manav Suthar: ‘Ashwin is my bowling idol, Yuvraj my all-time favourite’

Suthar’s Rajasthan teammate Rahul Chahar was among the best India B bowlers, picking 4 for 73, while Mukesh Kumar, who began the day by having Gaikwad bowled, also ended with a four-for.Having been dismissed cheaply while attempting to drive at the Chinnaswamy last week, Abhimanyu would be relieved at having somewhat made amends. He faced 145 balls while hitting seven fours, and will resume on day three looking to get to his 24th first-class century.For Jagadeesan, coming in for Rishabh Pant, the game time couldn’t have come at a better time as he seeks to reinvigorate a first-class career that was seemingly at the crossroads not long ago.

أعلن نادي مانشستر سيتي لكرة القدم، في بيان رسمي منذ قليل، توقيع أحد لاعبي الفريق الأول على عقد جديد لمدة خمس سنوات، حسبما نُشر عبر الموقع الرسمي للسكاي بلو.

ويستعد مانشستر سيتي لخوض مباراة الديربي ضد نظيره مانشستر يونايتد، يوم الأحد المقبل على ملعب “الاتحاد” في قمة منافسات الجولة الرابعة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وأصدر مانشستر سيتي بيانًا رسميًا للإعلان عن توقيع ريكو لويس على عقد جديد لمدة خمس سنوات، حيث سيظل بمقتضاه في ملعب “الاتحاد” حتى صيف 2030.

كان ريكو لويس قد انضم إلى أكاديمية مانشستر سيتي في الثامنة من عمره، وتدرج في الفئات السنية المختلفة للنادي قبل أن ينضم إلى الفريق الأول في موسم 2022/23.

وشارك ريكو لويس في 97 مباراة مع الفريق الأول في مانشستر سيتي، وسجل 5 أهداف، حيث أعرب عن سعادته الجمة بعد توقيعه على العقد الجديد اليوم.

اقرأ أيضًا | المباريات التي سيغيب عنها عمر مرموش مع مانشستر سيتي بعد إصابته.. مواجهتان ناريتان

وقال ريكو لويس: “مانشستر سيتي يعني لي كل شيء، ومن ثم فإن حصولي على فرصة توقيع هذا العقد الجديد لحظة مميزة جدًا لي ولعائلتي، ما زلت أتطور وأتحسن كلاعب، أعلم أن فرصة مواصلة العمل مع جوارديولا وجهازه الفني وفريقنا الرائع ستساعدني على مواصلة التطور”.

وأضاف: “قضيت وقتًا طويلًا في هذا النادي، مانشستر سيتي يعني لي كل شيء، لذلك فإن البقاء لفترة أطول يجعلني سعيدًا للغاية، تمثيل ذلك النادي كل يوم يُعد شرفًا وامتيازًا لي”.

وواصل: “سأبذل قصارى جهدي لمساعدتنا على تحقيق المزيد من النجاح هذا الموسم وما بعده، ومع فريقنا العالمي، أنا متحمس للغاية لما يحمله المستقبل للنادي”.

Building on good work by Ed Barnard and Will Rhodes, Burgess is 126 not out against Somerset

ECB Reporters Network30-Jun-2024

Michael Burgess hit his seventh first class century to cement a determined Warwickshire fightback on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship Division One match with Somerset at Taunton.Going in at No. 8, the 29-year-old wicketkeeper made an unbeaten 126, off 167 balls, with 14 fours and three sixes, to build on the good work of Ed Barnard (92) and skipper Will Rhodes (63) after their side had slumped to 40 for 4 on losing the toss.Chris Woakes contributed 39 to an eighth-wicket stand of 110 with Burgess that enabled Warwickshire to close on 373 for 8. Migael Pretorius was the pick of Somerset’s bowling attack with 4 for 72 from 20 overs.Josh Davey made the first breakthrough with the Warwickshire total on 19 as Alex Davies edged a defensive push to Tom Abell at first slip in the fifth over.It was 34 for 2 when Rob Yates, on 15, nicked a lifter from Pretorius and Kasey Aldridge accepted a sharp chance at second slip. The South African struck again in his next over with an excellent delivery that clipped the top of off stump to send back Sam Hain for a duck.Warwickshire were in a deep hole at 40 when the inspired Pretorius induced Dan Mousley to edge an attempted leg-side shot to give Aldridge another slip catch at which point the seamer’s figures were 3 for 6.Rhodes survived a couple of scares before lunch, which was taken at 97 for 4, the skipper having made 42 and added 57 with Barnard, who was unbeaten on 25.The afternoon session saw Rhodes move to fifty off 87 balls, with seven fours, and the partnership with the unflappable Barnard extend past the century mark before Somerset struck two blows in rapid succession.Jack Leach, preferred to Shoaib Bashir as the only specialist spinner in the side, tempted Rhodes into an error as an ugly mishit saw him cloth a gentle catch to Andy Umeed at mid-on. The following over saw Craig Overton force a defensive edge from Jacob Bethell through to wicketkeeper James Rew.Barnard remained a solid presence, having moved to a chanceless half-century off 94 balls, with eight fours. He was unbeaten on 79 at tea, sensibly picking the right balls to attack, and had helped his side to 214 for 6, with the help of Burgess, on 33 not out.Somerset began the final session with the occasional leg-spin of Umeed, who was quickly dispatched for six by Burgess over a short leg-side boundary. It proved a solitary over as Leach changed ends to good effect.Burgess moved to an impressive fifty off 87 balls, with five fours and a six, but Barnard fell unexpectedly with the stand on 99 as the England left-arm spinner bowled him attempting to cut a slightly quicker delivery.Barnard had faced 159 balls and struck 12 fours on the ground where he claimed his best Championship bowling figures of 6 for 37 (11 for 89 in match) for Worcestershire in 2018.A Burgess single of Leach took Warwickshire to a first batting point at 250 for 7. As the time for the second new ball approached, Burgess went on the attack, launching Leach for two sixes over long-on.It was 291 for 7 when the new ball was taken, with Burgess and Woakes looking well set. Woakes brought up 300 with a glorious cover driven four off Overton as Somerset’s bowling lacked the accuracy of the pre-lunch session.Burgess went to three figures with a straight drive for two off Overton, having faced 146 balls and hit 10 fours and three sixes. The pitch was offering precious little seam movement as he and Woakes batted with increasing comfort and aggression.Woakes suffered a couple of painful blows, one to his right hand, but the England allrounder battled bravely through until chipping a catch to Umeed at mid-on to give Pretorius his fourth wicket. Michael Booth then survived a caught and bowled chance to Davey to increase Somerset frustration.