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There are two playoff spots and several seeds still to be claimed in the National League as the final weekend of the 2024 MLB season approaches.

While we don't know the playoff matchups yet, we do know there is no lack of story lines among the NL contenders. Can Shohei Ohtani do enough to push the Los Angeles Dodgers to the promised land and erase their recent October failures? Will the surprising, youthful Milwaukee Brewers be able to bring their regular-season magic into the playoffs? Is this the year that Manny Machado will have his signature moment in a San Diego Padres uniform?

Those questions, and more, will be answered soon enough.

Last year, the Arizona Diamondbacks cruised through the first two rounds and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in an exciting NLCS to represent the NL in the 2023 World Series. The 2024 Diamondbacks, who shook off a World Series hangover to start the year, are far from a perfect team, but they're not alone. Every MLB team has a vulnerability somewhere on its roster that could cost it this fall.

After we covered the American League last week, let's dive into each NL contender's biggest weakness.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Current playoff spot: NL West leader
Biggest weakness: Starting pitching

There are absolutely no questions about the Dodgers' explosive lineup, which could make up about half of the NL All-Star roster. The bullpen is in good shape, too. But thanks to a flurry of injuries, the Dodgers still have plenty of questions about who is taking the ball in the playoffs.

Two of the Dodgers' starters entering the year—Tyler Glasnow and Gavin Stone—are out for the season. James Paxton now resides in Boston. Clayton Kershaw remains on the injured list with a toe injury and only has seven starts this season. Bobby Miller has been dreadful this year, allowing 36 runs in his last 31 innings pitched.

That leaves Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler and Landon Knack to duke it out for postseason starts. It's not a bad group, it's just not as big of a strength in October as the Dodgers imagined back in spring training, especially with Buehler often looking like a shell of his former himself after returning from Tommy John surgery.

Philadelphia Phillies

Current playoff spot: NL East champion
Biggest weakness: Offensive slumps

There's not much to nitpick with the Phillies, who own the most wins (94) in all of baseball.

Philadelphia boasts arguably the best starting rotation of any playoff contender, as Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Christopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez all have taken care of business this season. The bullpen is nice, too, and the lineup features a couple of the league's biggest sluggers in Bryce Harper (.902 OPS) and Kyle Schwarber (.859).

Can the Phillies sustain this level of play, though? Philadelphia was on pace for a 114-win season back in May before playing sub-.500 ball in July and August. The team has figured it out since then, but offensive slumps have cost them in October the past two years, scoring just three combined runs in Games 6 and 7 of the NLCS last year and three total runs in the final three games of the 2022 World Series.

Milwaukee Brewers

Current playoff spot: NL Central champion
Biggest weakness: Starting pitching

The underdog Brewers defied all odds during the regular season, making manager Craig Counsell look foolish for joining the rival Chicago Cubs by winning the NL Central by double-digit games. They'll be underdogs again in the playoffs. But who says this team can't make a memorable run?

The biggest problem with Milwaukee—which was rarely an issue during the Counsell era—is the starting pitching. Freddy Peralta (3.69 ERA in 31 starts) assuredly will get the ball in Game 1. But who starts Game 2? Or Game 3?

Tobias Myers has been a pleasant surprise this season, but he only has 25 career starts under his belt. Colin Rea hasn't logged a quality start in over a month and owns a 4.89 ERA since the All-Star break. Frankie Montas, who arrived from Cincinnati at the trade deadline, is putting up big strikeout numbers but also just surrendered seven earned runs in 2 2/3 innings to Arizona.

Christopher Nkunku could mark a sensational return to RB Leipzig as Chelsea remain keen on Xavi Simons. But the Frenchman must accept a hefty pay cut.

• Leipzig could make a move for Nkunku
• Frenchman keen on leaving Chelsea
• Forward must accept 75% pay cut at German side

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  RB Leipzig are reportedly seriously considering a sensational return for former star Nkunku, according to . The 27-year-old Frenchman left Leipzig for Chelsea in 2023 for €60 million (£52m/$70m), and although initial rumours seemed unlikely, talks are now gaining traction.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A potential Nkunku move could serve as a key bargaining chip in Leipzig’s negotiations with Chelsea over Xavi Simons. The Netherlands international has long agreed personal terms with the Premier League side and is pushing for a transfer. However, the Blues must first offload players like Nkunku before making an official offer, as the Bundesliga side remain adamant on their asking price of €70 million (£60m/$82m).

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The major hurdle remains Nkunku's reported €20m (£17m/$23m) salary in London, double what he earned in Leipzig. With a new internal salary cap of €5m, Leipzig would only consider a deal if the Frenchman agrees a 75 per cent pay cut. Indeed, per , sporting director Marcel Schafer has been informed by the Leipzig hierarchy to reduce the salary budget by 20%.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Nkunku was inching closer to a move to Bayern Munich, but the deal is on the verge of a collapse after Chelsea refused to send the forward on loan. The Club World Cup winners value Nkunku — on a contract until 2029 — at €50m (£43m/$58m). The player is also eager to make a permanent switch in order to put an end to his misery at Stamford Bridge. It also remains to be seen what happens to Chelsea's pursuit of Alejandro Garnacho, with Manchester United slapping a £50m ($68m) price tag on the Argentine.

Andrew Strauss and Tamim Iqbal are as different as two characters and batsmen can be

Sidharth Monga in Chittagong10-Mar-2011Andrew Strauss and Tamim Iqbal are as different as two characters and batsmen can be. Strauss, always well prepared, almost general-like, relies on taking emotion out of it when he goes out to bat or lead the side. He doesn’t force you to the edge of your seats; in fact he makes you sit back further, his presence is reassuring. Tamim is not that easy on the watcher. He relies on the eye and the adrenalin. “Watch me,” he seems to say every time he goes to bat. He is the loudest presence in team gatherings, be it nets sessions or matches or off the field. He is cool with the attention he gets; he knows he deserves it.In another world, they could perhaps have been perfectly complementing opening partners; on Friday they remain crucial to their own sides’ fortunes in their won different way. The two have one thing in common, though. They love playing each other. Strauss averages 99 in seven ODIs against Bangladesh at a strike-rate of 106, which are both a massive improvement on his overall statistics, 36 and 81 respectively. Two of his three 150-plus scores have come against them. In ODIs, Tamim’s figures go up, not that drastically: he averages 32 and strikes at 105 runs per 100 balls against England, as opposed to 30 and 80 respectively. It is still a considerable show of affection for the English attack, especially when you see his Test record against England, an average of 63 and two of his four hundreds.It is hardly any surprise, though, that Strauss should do well against Bangladesh. Their attack is based more on containment getting wickets than wickets getting containment. For accumulators, for workers of singles, for batsmen who don’t panic or get overly restless after four-five low-scoring overs, this attack doesn’t pose that much of a challenge. Plus his being a left-hand batsman negates Bangladesh’s left-arm spinner a bit, something Strauss himself acknowledges.On the other hand, Tamim preys on unsettled bowlers. And England, skilful as their attack might be, are not the most consistent bowling unit. They are a bit like Indian attack who are irresistible when they are good, but uninspiring when bad. Tamim takes his chances, and tries to lay into them early. In Tests, more than in ODIs, it has worked, except that the batsmen following him haven’t made full use of the starts Tamim has given them against England.In the week after the embarrassment against West Indies, Bangladesh – the team and the country – have looked to Tamim even more than they usually do. It’s not always just the runs that he scores. When Tamim does well, he lifts the whole team up. The rest of the batsmen become more confident when he does well.And in the last week, Tamim seems to have taken the extra responsibility to try and bring the team out of the shock of 58 all out. Two days ago, he took them all out to play golf and fish, away from the media attention, away from former players’ criticism, away from thinking about the disaster last week. He has been cheerful at the nets sessions, and has had the air of a man who knows he has the ability to bring a turnaround.”Very dangerous player,” Strauss says of Tamim. “We know clearly he takes the game to the opposition. He has done well against England in the past. I think we know a little bit more about him as a player now, but we are going to have to make sure we get our plans right straightaway from ball one, otherwise he will get off and running.”Strauss himself doesn’t make too much of his record against Bangladesh, mostly because “I haven’t played against them in Bangladesh, so that’s going to be a different scenario for me”. Apart from that, Strauss also knows his side hasn’t been too good with banana peels this tournament. He helped them out after the stumble against Netherlands, but Ireland proved to be too slippery. On the evidence of the matches so far, Strauss knows his side can lose to Bangladesh, more so now that they are without Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broad.Strauss has decided on his opening partner, but is keeping his cards close to his chest. What is not a secret is that Strauss will want to do the job himself, add to his dominance of Bangladesh, and just make sure there are no more stutters before they qualify for the quarter-finals. As the captain of the side, he will also have to plan how to keep Tamim quiet.

With the World Cup impetus and increased revenues, Garber said there's 'no reason why our league can't be a dominant league'

• Says 2026 World Cup to eclipse record-setting 1994 event
• Garber identifies youth development as a key priority
• "MLS can be one of the top leagues in the world"

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  WHAT HAPPENED

  With the 2026 World Cup less than 10 months away and MLS celebrating its 30th season, Don Garber outlined his vision for maximizing next year's tournament – co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the U.S. – for positive effect on soccer in North America.

  The MLS Commissioner underscored the importance of channeling the energy and excitement around the tournament into permanent improvements in the American soccer ecosystem. Noting that the 1994 World Cup sparked the formation of MLS, Garber said 2026 edition will surpass its predecessor's record-setting metrics.

  “I think it's more interest overall in the game, right?” Garber said on the US Soccer podcast. “Whether it's the men’s World Cup or the women's World Cup, we still as a sport are trying to find our way. Where are the big moments that can break through, so that, you know, we're talking about culturally. In the late night talk shows, or at the water cooler or throughout social media and MLS. Or when it's a women's World Cup – I’m sure the NWSL will feel the same way – well, we're the center part of that conversation.

  “So I don't think there's any shortage of interest in the game, where the '94 World Cup was the most successful World Cup of all time, and it'll be eclipsed by the '26 World Cup. But how do we connect all that with those that are really trying to build the game for a better future? Better opportunities with professional players, more opportunities for youth players, perhaps less pay to play, better infrastructure, both of the youth level and at the professional level."

  Garber said the best measure of achievement will be the halo effect, converting temporary enthusiasm into permanent growth for domestic leagues, particularly MLS.

  “I think the overall interest in the World Cup is going to help drive that," he said. "All the research we've done is every time there's been a World Cup in the modern era…. those domestic leagues have grown by 15 to 20 percent in overall interest…. I expect people will become more interested in MLS, but how do we get somebody who's engaging with a national team celebration to now be a fan of one of our clubs?

  “And that's just work. We've got to do the work. We've got to have great fans-fests. We've got to have great contact. We've got to link our players that are playing for their national teams. We have to put MLS in the middle of the conversation. And if we do that, I think overall the league will ultimately benefit. And it won't be a Taylor Swift concert. I worry about that – you just don't want it to be something big. You want it to be something big, long-lasting and legacy-making and meaningful.”

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• WHAT GARBER SAID

  Speaking about long-term objectives, Garber evaluated MLS's current position against international rivals and identified strengths established within the North American soccer landscape. He referenced the massive attention MLS and LAFC have benefited from after the recent signing of former Tottenham legend Son Heung-Min.

  “I do believe that MLS can be one of the top leagues in the world, if not top league of the world," he said. "You see what's going on now, just signing Son… you know some of the better players in the world want to be here. Question is, when do we have them here? Some of the best young American players, young Canadian players coming up, want to be here. Some of them stay, some of them get sold on, just like the rest of the world. Our facilities are among the best in the world."

  Garber said a major factor in the league's evolution will be continued investment and revenue generation. 

  “So what we're really missing is, how could we compete on the field against the best clubs in the world?  And that's really just about money. It's just about how big an MLS be from a business perspective to generate enough revenue to be able to do what all leagues do, which is pay players the vast majority of the money you earn.

  “And if we're able to do that, able to create a dynamic where MLS is a much bigger enterprise, I think just based on how good it is to live in our country, how popular our culture is…. I see no reason why our league can't be a dominant league. I really don't. I think the only thing holding us back is our ability to fund salary budgets that they could fund at the top levels in the five, six top European leagues. "

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The formation of Major League Soccer was directly tied to the United States' bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup. MLS has since expanded to 30 teams, making it one of the biggest leagues in world soccer.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  MLS is considering a schedule shift to better align with FIFA's international calendar. At last month's MLS All-Star Game, Garber indicated that there is increasing momentum. The league had previously said no change would take affect until at least 2027.

  "If it's going to happen, it's going to happen after the 2026 World Cup," Garber said. "So making this change is seismic. It's not something we should do lightly. We obviously have teams across multiple climate zones, multiple time zones, unlike any other league in the world. And if we do make the change, we're not going to go back on that decision.

  "There are a number of key benefits to it. Aligning with the world standard, we think, is important for our brand as we try to continue to engage as one of the important, influential leagues in the world. We want to align with on the calendar to be able to be even more engaged on the player transfer market."

Reporter Pete O'Rourke has dropped a worrying update regarding the future of Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, ahead of a potentially major summer saga.

Everton incomings & outgoings

The Merseysiders will be hoping to get to the end of the season as unscathed as possible, retaining their Premier League status amid a number of point deductions.

As long as Everton avoid relegation to the Championship, they should still be able to entice good players to the club, and VfL Wolfsburg centre-back Maxence Lacroix has been linked with a move at the end of the current campaign.

Juventus youngster Samuel Iling-Junior, who has been hailed as an "assist machine", has also been backed to join the Blues in the near future, with the young Englishman struggling to nail down a regular spot at his current club. He has scored seven times for England at youth team level, representing six different age groups including the Under-21s.

There are also plenty of players who could leave Goodison Park this summer, with Amadou Onana arguably the player who has been linked with a move away most often. The Belgian midfielder is thought to be wanted by a host of big clubs, including Premier League pair Arsenal and Newcastle United, along with La Liga giants Barcelona.

Branthwaite is also a target for some huge teams, from Manchester City to Manchester United, with the centre-back possibly feeling that now is the right time to enjoy a new challenge at a club challenging for major honours. He has been hailed as "magnificent" by Alan Shearer and "very brave" by Ian Wright.

It remains to be seen if Jordan Pickford will still be an Everton player when the 2024/25 season gets underway, too, but Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar has been lined up as a positive replacement for him, should he move on.

Everton suffer brutal Jarrad Branthwaite update

According to Football Insider's O'Rourke, Everton could now lose Branthwaite for a cut-price amount in the summer, having wanted £70m for him originally. It is described as an "unexpected and demoralising twist", as the club may be forced to cash in for a lower sum in order to raise funds before the next financial accounts deadline on June 30.

Losing the 21-year-old in the summer is bad enough, considering what a fantastic young player he is, but having to let him go for less than the desired amount would be an extra blow, especially at a time when the Blues are having financial issues already.

In truth, it almost makes the most sense for Everton to cash in on Branthwaite, using the funds to bring in a number of strong signings instead rather than one outright replacement. The same applies to Onana, but it should only be for massive figures that both balance the books and allow for reinvestment into the team.

The hope is that the situation surrounding the Englishman and his price tag changes, but it would be typical of the Blues' struggles at the moment to have to accept losing a prized asset on the cheap.

The Australia captain hopes that a return to the cricket field will help focus minds ahead of the home summer

Daniel Brettig03-Sep-2020Australia’s T20 captain Aaron Finch has stated his frank belief that the Big Bash grew too quickly in size when it leapt from a 10 to 14 match regular season either side of the most recent broadcast rights deal currently being disputed by the free-to-air rights holder Seven in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.Desperate for a discount in their share of the A$1.2 billion rights deal struck in 2018 due to a worsening financial outlook for the network, Seven and its outspoken chief executive James Warburton have repeatedly asked Cricket Australia for fee reductions. First they did so on the basis of content being reduced due to Covid-19 and more recently on the flimsier premise that quality will be affected by Australian players going into quarantine hubs for international fixtures against India.In truth, the BBL has always been part of delicate scheduling dance between formats and competitions for CA, and the major jump in the length of the tournament in 2018 has made it still less likely that the likes of David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, plus any number of high-profile overseas names, would be involved.ALSO READ: Tim Paine urges Cricket Australia and broadcasters to ‘work together’ for benefit of the gameFinch, who led the Melbourne Renegades to their first title in 2019, said that while players would have varying views depending on how well or otherwise they were playing, he felt the jump to 14 games, to help bump up the broadcast asking price two years ago, was too much, too soon.”All in all, I think going from 10 to 14 was probably a little bit too drastic a jump straight away, maybe if there was a middle ground there for 12 and trial that for a little period, but it’s still a great product and something that we’re proud of. I think that’s all a bit subjective to how you’re playing as a person at the time – I think if you’re flying as a batter you want to keep playing as much as you can, but I know there’s been some stats around potentially cutting it back and what that looks like for fans.”We want to play as much cricket as we can and I’m not sure exactly what that right number is. I think as long as the quality stays there, I know it’s going to be a little bit different this year with Covid-19 and the potential for some hubs that will change the outlook.”Finch’s words were not dissimilar to the earlier suggestion of the former Seven and Ten executive David Barham, instrumental in building the BBL’s rights value between 2013 and 2018, that bigger was not always better as far as audiences were concerned.”It’s so easy for sporting administrators to think we need more money, let’s play more, let’s do more,” he told SEN Radio earlier this year. “It’s not necessarily the best answer; the NFL rights have been going through the roof and they haven’t changed the number of rounds ever as far as I can tell.Aaron Finch would be needed to captain Australia in white-ball cricket•Getty Images

“It depends on your ratings…35 games to 61 is a massive increase that is way out of proportion. That’s really tested everybody, and it was a school holidays sport that was doing a million people a night on Channel Ten averaging more than what AFL and NRL did on a per-game basis. So you go from a million people a night, and I think they’ve dropped 40% in ratings by expanding. You’ve got to look and think carefully before you think that the answer is just putting on more games.”Having been a part of the BBL since its conception, Finch admitted he had become concerned by the amount of speculation surrounding the competition as CA, Seven and Fox Sports wrestled with how to stage it this summer. For his part, Finch was hopeful that the return of the national team to play after a lengthier break than planned due to coronavirus would help shift focus from the game’s finances and politics to cricket itself.”I think it’s a great product, and yes it’d be nice if Australian players were available more, but I think just in the current climate with the scheduling there has to be a little bit of give and take from everywhere,” he said. “I know CA are working really hard to try and work around it as best they can and come up with some really positive solutions.”Whenever there’s no content being played it gives people a lot of time to sit around and come up with a lot of theories. The fact we’re back tomorrow is really exciting and hopefully we can let the cricket do the talking from a lot of different aspects. I think that one thing that’s been really pleasing is coming over here and letting go of everything else and really digging into training and focusing on the game coming up.”It’s going to be a quick series and then on the back of that, there’s domestic cricket around the world and at home. Guys are excited but really looking forward to trying to put some positive headlines out there.”CA’s chief executive Nick Hockley had scheduled meetings with the chief executives of Foxtel and Seven on Thursday and Friday this week.

A "world-class" Manchester City star has made a big decision over his future, according to a significant update, with one key factor behind his reasoning.

Man City transfer news

Pep Guardiola will want some impressive new signings to once again come in and freshen things up this summer, with various big names linked with moves to the Etihad of late. Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite has been backed to move down the M62 this summer, having been one of the few shining lights in a disappointing season for the Blues. He is seen as a potential long-term successor for John Stones, possessing some similar attributes to the current Cityzens star.

Meanwhile, Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar has also been linked with a move to City, should Stefan Ortega move on, with the Serbian making a combined 18 appearances in Serie A and the Europa League this season.

Perhaps the most exciting option to emerge recently is Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala, however, with the 21-year-old possibly keen on sealing a return to England in the summer window, having joined the Bundesliga giants from Chelsea back in 2019.

It is also essential that City's current big stars remain at the club moving forward, with one encouraging recent update suggesting that Rodri is set to be handed a big-money new deal. The Spaniard is arguably his side's most influential performer, having now gone a record 60 matches unbeaten in the Premier League.

Now, a big update has emerged regarding another undisputed City legend, in what represents worrying news for supporters.

"World-class" Man City ace wants to leave

According to a new claim from Football Insider, Manchester City ace Bernardo Silva wants to leave this summer, citing the bad weather in England as a reason for his decision. He wants a "better style of living" away from his current location, suggesting that a move abroad is now on the cards at the end of the season.

The 29-year-old has been linked with moves away from the Etihad in the past, but ended up staying put, and he now has 345 appearances to his name, winning five Premier League titles and one Champions League, among numerous other trophies.

The £300,000-a-week star has been hailed as "world-class by pundits on Sky Sports News, while Guardiola has waxed lyrical over one of his favourite players he has ever coached in his career.

Granted, Bernardo does turn 30 in August, so some could see sense in cashing in on him this summer, but he is showing absolutely no sign of being past his best.

Tensions between Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Barcelona have been resolved, but Joan Garcia is still unsure if he will be registered on time for La Liga.

• Garcia keeps clean sheet on debut
• Barcelona preparing for league clash
• Ter Stegen registration problem resolved

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona’s pre-season preparations were overshadowed by a public standoff with one of their most senior figures. Ter Stegen’s refusal to authorise the release of his post-surgery medical report to La Liga sparked disciplinary action and saw him briefly stripped of the captain’s armband. Barca needed his signature on the report to prove to La Liga that he will be out for more than three months, allowing the club to free up 80 per cent of his salary which could be used to register their new first choice goalkeeper, Garcia. 

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  That dispute has now been settled, with the German shot stopper and captain gicing permission for the report to be submitted and urging the club to "look forward" as he addressed the fans after the 5-0 win against Como in the Joan Gamper Trophy match on Sunday. While Garcia has not yet been registered, the new signing says he has been assured that all will be taken care of ahead of their opening game of the new La Liga season on Saturday.

• WHAT GARCIA SAID

  "I felt very comfortable. And with a win, that always helps. I'm very happy," the Spanish goalkeeper told . "I was looking forward to the presentation. We're all looking forward to going to Camp Nou, but it was here [at the Johan Cruyff Stadium] and it was also good. I'm satisfied."

  On the ongoing wait for his La Liga registration, he added: "The club and those around me reassure me that everything will turn out well. I really can't do anything. I can only focus on my own things and hope that everything turns out well."

  When he was asked about the recent controversy with Ter Stegen, Garcia emphasised that "there is no problem in the locker room. Ter Stegen is the captain, we respect him a lot, and it seems that everything has been resolved with the club, so there are no problems."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GARCIA?

  With his debut behind him, Garcia’s immediate goal is securing full registration before the La Liga opener against Mallorca. Hansi Flick’s side will return to the Camp Nou later in the season once redevelopment work is complete.

Dane Vilas leads the way in fine fielding effort but Leicestershire escape with point

ECB Reporters Network29-Aug-2020Rain forced the match to be abandoned with the points shared after Lancashire had restricted Leicestershire to 150-9 in the North Group Vitality Blast match at Grace Road.It was particularly frustrating for the visitors, who played some fine out-cricket after captain Dane Vilas won the toss and put the Foxes in.Vilas himself led the way with a hat-trick of catches, including a brilliant one-handed effort leaping backwards to dismiss Leicestershire danger man Arron Lilley, and a diving two-handed take after a sprint along along the boundary from long-off to end Ben Mike’s innings and secure Lightning seamer Tom Bailey his best T20 return of 5-17. Lancashire had arrived at Grace Road with confidence taken from the manner in which they beat Durham by a comfortable 27 runs on Thursday. Understandably, they made no changes to the side which started at the Emirates Riverside, 22-year-old left-arm spinner Tom Hartley retaining his place, while Leicestershire gave T20 county debuts to Tom Taylor, George Rhodes and Ireland international Gareth Delany, signed at short notice last week after it was confirmed South African batsman Janneman Malan would be unable to travel due to pandemic restrictions.Delany, opening the innings, did not last long, losing his off stump to Bailey in the second over, but Lilley hit both Hartley and Liam Hurt for straight sixes in going to 26 before Vilas’ athletic leap as he tried to chip a Danny Lamb full-toss over mid-on brought his downfall.It set a pattern for the innings. In the 12th over Bailey took an equally brilliant catch, one-handed low to his left at extra cover, to catch Rhodes off Hurt, and wickets continued to fall as Leicestershire tried to pick up the scoring rate, though Mike hit Lamb for consecutive sixes in the penultimate over.The rain had already begun to fall, however, and after 90 minutes umpires Nick Cook and Rob White decided there was no prospect of play resuming.”I’ve not played white ball cricket in three years, and I didn’t think I was going to play this year either, so it’s nice to have an opportunity and I’ve taken it with both hands,” Bailey said. “We’re such a strong white ball side it’s always going to be tough to get in and I’ve had to wait in the wings.”We were good in the field in our first game but we fielded so well today as a group. My catch was an absolute worldie – I’ll never take one like that again. It was the highlight of my day, better than taking five wickets. And for a 35-year-old [Vilas] to throw himself around the field like that, it’s great to see.”Leicestershire captain Colin Ackermann said: “You want to get on a roll in this format, especially when there’s only ten games, so to lose the first two to the weather is frustrating. Saying that, I thought we were about 15 runs short. They were exceptional in the field and took four outstanding catches and saved 20 runs.”It’s our first chance to bat in the comp, we’ll learn from that display and come back strong against Durham at Headingley on Monday.”

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been granted bail after appearing in Westminster Magistrates' Court on charges of rape and sexual assault.

• Partey appears in court on Tuesday
• Facing charges of rape and sexual assault
• Granted conditional bail

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Partey arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday for a hearing after being charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The 32-year-old denies all allegations and has now been granted bail after appearing in court. His lawyer Jenny Wiltshire has previously said that Partey welcomes "the opportunity to finally clear his name", per BBC Sport.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Partey was charged by the Metropolitan Police in July, four days after leaving Arsenal when his contract expired, with the alleged incidents relating to three women and having taken place between 2021–2022. The midfielder is expected to continue his playing career despite the charges against him and is reportedly set to sign a contract with La Liga side Villarreal following his Arsenal exit, although a supporters' club has criticised the Spanish team's pursuit of the midfielder.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  When discussing bail in court, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring said: “I understand he’s no longer employed in this country and playing in Spain now.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR PARTEY

  Partey's bail conditions mean he cannot contact any of the three women and must also notify police of any permanent changes of address or international travel, according to the Evening Standard. He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on September 2.