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Within touching distance of Ipswich Town in the second automatic promotion spot, Southampton could use the January transfer market to gain an edge over their Championship promotion rivals, especially now that they're in such blistering form under Russell Martin.

The Saints boss, after an inconsistent start, has made his side one of the toughest to beat in the division and could now complete an impressive comeback in the race to reach the Premier League.

What could help their promotion pursuit is the January transfer window, which will reportedly see several Championship rivals compete for a Premier League youngster.

Southampton transfer news

Whilst much of Southampton's focus was on keeping hold of players in the summer transfer window, as the likes of Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong stayed put, they can now turn their attention towards further reinforcements in the January market.

Martin could particularly strengthen in midfield, given that Southampton lost both James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia to West Ham United and Chelsea respectively in the summer. That said, it's no surprise that the Saints have turned to the Premier League for a reinforcement.

According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Southampton have registered their interest in signing Lamare Bogarde on loan. The defender has just been recalled to Aston Villa from a loan spell at Bristol Rovers and is now reportedly attracting the interest of Southampton, Watford, Cardiff City and Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen.

In such a busy race, those at St Mary's may need to act quickly this month if they are to land the young Dutchman on loan for the rest of the season.

We've seen the likes of Amad Diallo drop down to the Championship on loan in recent seasons, before having an instant impact. Now, Southampton will hope to see Bogarde make a similar difference for them if they secure their move.

"Immense" Bogarde could realise potential at Southampton

Famous for developing stars such as Theo Walcott, Kevin Phillips, Adam Lallana and most recently Ward-Prowse within their academy over the years, Southampton could now help Aston Villa's Bogarde on his way to reaching a similar height.

The 20-year-old made 19 appearances for Bristol Rovers before seeing his loan spell cut short and potentially handed the opportunity to play at a higher level this season.

EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

As the January transfer window closes, FFC has you covered for every in and out involving your club in the EFL Championship.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Just how much of an impact Bogarde could make in the Championship remains to be seen, but according to Aston Villa academy manager Mark Harrison, the potential is certainly there. Harrison told the club's official website when Villa signed the defender: "We are delighted to welcome Lamare to the club. He is a player with immense potential and the commitment that will go in to fulfilling that starts now.”

With just one half of the season remaining in the fight for automatic promotion, Southampton will be looking to enjoy a successful month on and off the pitch, which could include the Dutchman's arrival and others. The Saints could be a club to keep an eye on in England's second tier.

Trevor Bayliss has hinted he would recommend splitting the England coaching job in the future

George Dobell in Barbados19-Jan-2019

Trevor Bayliss and Eoin Morgan•Getty Images

Trevor Bayliss has hinted he would recommend splitting the England coaching job in the future. Bayliss’ contract as head coach expires at the end of September and he has made it clear he has no intention of seeking an extension. Instead, he is likely to pursue a future as a freelance coach on short-term deals offered by competitions such as the Big Bash League and The Hundred.After four years in the England job, however, he is well-placed to advise on the pitfalls of the role. In that time, he has missed just one tour; a short, limited-overs trip to the Caribbean that was instead overseen by Paul Farbrace. And, having held a meeting with Ashley Giles, the new managing director of England men’s cricket, shortly before departing, it seems Bayliss stressed the difficulties of a role that entails the best part of 300 days a year in hotel rooms.As a result, it seems he would recommend either splitting the role into two, with a limited-overs coach and a Test coach both answering to Giles, or appointing one head coach with several deputies who could take charge of some series.”It’s very difficult,” Bayliss said. “I said to Giles the other day that if they go with one coach then it might help to have two or three assistants underneath. It could be that they take charge in some more series. Then the head coach gets a break and it gives experience to two or three homegrown coaches.”Part of the issue with the role as it stands at present is that it may deter some of the better candidates from applying. While it is a prestigious, well-paid job, it has also become so all-encompassing that it could take the incumbent away from their family for longer than they feel is acceptable. In the winter of 2019-20, for example, England face tours to New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka, which could see those involved on the road for around five months.Whatever happens next, Bayliss knows he faces an action-packed final nine months in the job. With a World Cup starting in June and an Ashes series to follow, he also knows his legacy as England coach will be decided by it.”It probably couldn’t get any bigger,” he said. “Especially happening at home and within a few months. That brings pressure, but one thing we have been working towards is playing under some pressure. When we get to the big stage it is out of our hands, it’s down to the guys to perform on the day. I don’t think we could have done too much more.”Some of the results and the way they have begun to play suggests we are heading in the right direction. There’s no secret we’ve been looking to fill a few spots in the Test side permanently and hopefully some are close to being filled.”While much of England’s strategy over the last few years has been geared towards success in the World Cup – a tournament they have never won and which is seen as vital in engaging a new audience – Bayliss is reluctant to view it as any greater a priority than the Ashes.”I’m not sure winning the World Cup would be more special,” he said. “There’s nothing like beating Australia in the Ashes, like we did in 2015. And having lost in Australia 12 months ago… it’s hard to pick between the Ashes and the World Cup. Hopefully we walk away with both trophies.”

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Em jogo válido pela 29ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, Sport e Palmeiras se enfrentam neste sábado (09), às 19h (horário de Brasília), na Ilha do Retiro, em Recife – PE.

O Verdão entra na rodada na sexta colocação da competição nacional com 44 pontos conquistados e vem de uma vitória sobre o Red Bull Bragantino no Allianz Parque. Já o Leão da Ilha está em 14º lugar do torneio com 32 pontos. Na última rodada, o Sport venceu o Fortaleza, no Recife.

>> Confira a tabela atualizada do Brasileirão e faça sua simulação
>> Confira como estava o campeão após 28 rodadas no Brasileirão por pontos corridos desde 2006

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LUAN E DANILO RETORNAM E TREINAM NO VERDÃO SEM RESTRIÇÕES APÓS DESFALCAREM ATIVIDADES

O Verdão finalizou na manhã desta sexta-feira (08), na Academia de Futebol, a preparação para o confronto com o Sport, com novidades. O zagueiro Luan e o meio-campista Danilo participaram sem restrições das atividades aplicadas pela técnico Abel Ferreira.

Luan sentiu dores lombares no aquecimento e foi desfalque da vitória por 3 a 0 sobre o River Plate-ARG, na terça (05), pela Libertadores. O atleta realizou tratamento no centro de excelência na quinta (7) e trabalhou sem restrições com os companheiros nesta sexta-feira. Já Danilo cumpriu um cronograma de fortalecimento muscular na quinta e nesta sexta também treinou de forma integral.

MAIDANA E RONALDO HENRIQUE SÃO AUSÊNCIAS NO LEÃO

O zagueiro Maidana e o volante Ronaldo Henrique tomaram o terceiro cartão amarelo na vitória diante do Fortaleza e estão suspensos para o duelo diante do Palmeiras deste sábado (9).

Horário, transmissão, arbitragem, prováveis escalações: os dados de Sport x Palmeiras

Data: 09 de Janeiro de 2021
Horário: 19hs (de Brasília)
Local: Ilha do Retiro, em Recife – PE

Árbitro: Dyorgines Jose Padovani de Andrade-ES
Assistentes: Fabiano Silva Ramires-ES e Vanderson Antonio Zanotti-ES
VAR: Igor Junio Benevenuto de Oliveira-MG, Marco Aurélio Augusto Fazekas Ferreira-MG e Frederico Soares Vilarinho-ES.

Transmissão:
– PREMIERE (pay-per-view)

O assinante poderá assistir ao jogo online pelo PREMIERE PLAY.

ESCALAÇÕES, DESFALQUES, PENDURADOS E SUSPENSOS DE SPORT X PALMEIRAS

SPORT: Luan Polli; Raul Prata, Adryelson, Rafael Thyere (Chico), Júnior Tavares; Marcão, Betinho (Márcio Araújo ou Ricardinho); Thiago Neves, Patric, Marquinhos e Dalberto. Técnico: Jair Ventura

Desfalques: Iago Maidana e Ronaldo Henrique (Ambos pelo 3º Amarelo)
Pendurados: Thiago Neves, Lucas Mugni, Leandro Barcia, Patric, Jonatan Gómez e Hernane
Suspensos: Ninguém;
Voltam de suspensão: Ninguém;

PALMEIRAS: Weverton (Jailson), Garcia, Luan, Kuscevic e Lucas Esteves; Emerson Santos, Patrick de Paula e Lucas Lima; Gabriel Veron, Breno Lopes e Willian. Técnico: Abel Ferreira

Desfalques: Felipe Melo, Wesley e Luan Silva (lesionados); Mayke (Covid-19);
Pendurados: Raphael Veiga, Gabriel Menino, Luiz Adriano, Abel Ferreira, Marcos Rocha, Mayke, Emerson Santos, Rony, Gustavo Scarpa e Wesley
Suspensos: Ninguém;
Voltam de suspensão: Ninguém;

Chelsea are close to sealing a £24 million payoff from Newcastle as the Magpies are close to triggering the terms to make Lewis Hall's loan permanent.

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• Hall joined Newcastle on loan with option to buy
• Terms to make deal permanent close to being triggered
• Left-back has made just three league starts this season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 19-year-old joined the St James' Park team on loan last summer, but the deal will become permanent if certain conditions are met this season. If Newcastle finish higher than 15th in the Premier League table, they will have to pay £24m ($30m) to the Blues to sign Hall outright, Ben Jacobs reports, and they are close to mathematically confirming that will happen.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Newcastle paid an initial £4m to sign Hall on loan from the Blues, but his time in Eddie Howe's side has not gone according to plan. The left-back has made just 11 Premier League appearances this season, but only three of those have been from the start. Newcastle recently saw defenders Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman ruled out with anterior cruciate ligament injuries, so Howe called on Hall to start each of their last two league games.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chelsea are said to have already added the £24m they will make from Hall's sale to their budget for next season. The London side are expected to bring in new players in the summer window, with coach Mauricio Pochettino admitting they must address the lack of maturity in the squad ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NEWCASTLE?

  The Magpies can ensure they will finish above 15th place as early as this weekend when they come up against Tottenham at St James' Park. Chelsea, meanwhile, will take on relegation candidates Everton on April 15.

Roberto De Zerbi has been tipped to be a candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp, however, a former Liverpool star has explained why it won't happen.

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Klopp set to leave LiverpoolDe Zerbi linked with move to AnfieldEx-star says Italian won't be hiredWHAT HAPPENED?

With Klopp set to leave the Merseyside club at the end of the season after a nine-year-long stint, the biggest question has been set as to who will replace the German at the helm of the club. While Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso seemed to be the first choice, his declaration to remain with the German club has now pointed towards options such as Sporting's Ruben Amorim and the Brighton boss. However, former Reds star Mark Lawrenson has explained why the Anfield hierarchy will not sign De Zerbi.

AdvertisementGetty WHAT LAWRENSON SAID

Speaking to Paddy Power, the former Liverpool star said: "We've seen how much money they’ve made this year. I thought Roberto De Zerbi was a bit naughty last week, saying he wants more players. Brighton gave him his big gig, and he’s done very, very well. But once you go down that route of asking for more players, and maybe his agent is speaking to other clubs, I don’t think Liverpool will go anywhere near him.

"He’s a good manager, but I think he is getting carried away – Brighton haven’t had a particularly good season. He’s not dealt with the extra games and blamed it on not having enough players. De Zerbi won’t go to Liverpool, and he might’ve put one or two prospective club owners off him. Brighton are a well-run club – they got £22 million for Graham Potter and his backroom staff. They’ll just get another manager in – and being run the way that they are, they probably know who their next manager is."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Klopp and Liverpool are still alive in their desire to win the Premier League in the German coach's last season. They currently sit atop the league with a two-point buffer to Arsenal and are three points ahead of Manchester City. With just eight matches remaining, the Reds will put all efforts towards the league and the Europa League.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

The Reds will likely make their decision on the next manager at the club, the onus will stand on De Zerbi to prove his worth with Brighton, if he wants to remain the man of interest for Liverpool.

Gareth Southgate's side struggled to create anything of note before Endrick's late goal secured victory for the visitors

England may have been without a number of key men, including Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and an array of full-backs, but the way in which they struggled against an inexperienced Brazil side in their 1-0 defeat on Saturday should be a real cause for concern so close to Euro 2024.

The Three Lions dominated possession in the first half but it was the visitors who had the better chances, as Kyle Walker cleared off the line from Vinicius Jr before Lucas Paqueta struck the post and Raphinha fired wide after robbing Harry Maguire on the edge of the England box.

England's best chance of the first half came when Ollie Watkins was played in by Phil Foden, but he was denied by a fine challenge from Fabricio Bruno. Debutant Anthony Gordon was then denied twice by Bento either side of half-time, but the home side struggled to create much of note.

They were made to pay with 10 minutes left, too, as Vinicius broke clear of the England defence, and though Jordan Pickford saved his shot, teenager Endrick was on hand to tap into an empty net for his first international goal.

GOAL rates England's players from Wembley Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Jordan Pickford (6/10):

Didn't really have to stretch himself to make a save until Vinicius' effort in the build-up to the goal. Distribution decent, as always.

Kyle Walker (6/10):

Got back well to deny Vinicius on the line, but in doing so tweaked his hamstring, forcing him off after just 20 minutes.

John Stones (6/10):

Carried the ball out of defence and showed some nice touches when stepping into midfield. Lost Vinicius a couple of times, however, and was left in his wake for the goal.

Harry Maguire (4/10):

Fortunate not to be punished by Raphinha after his poor touch on the edge of his own box. Looked shaky at other times, too, as his performance didn't inspire confidence for the summer.

Ben Chilwell (3/10):

Failed to take his opportunity. Looked off the pace from the outset, while his final ball when attacking was abysmal. Replaced midway through the second half.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Conor Gallagher (7/10):

Was excellent for the first 30 minutes, as his pressing caused a number of turnovers high up the pitch. Faded thereafter as he began to run out of steam.

Declan Rice (6/10):

Not asked to provide as much going forward as he does at Arsenal, and therefore felt a little shackled. Barely put a foot wrong, however.

Jude Bellingham (7/10):

Looked the most likely to create opportunities for England, and was the target of a number of fouls from the Brazil midfield. Couldn't quite provide that killer moment, but that wasn't necessarily his fault.

Getty ImagesAttack

Phil Foden (6/10):

Couldn't influence the game from the right-hand side as he has done for Manchester City this season. Had a couple of nice touches around the penalty area, but they never came to anything.

Ollie Watkins (4/10):

Stepped into Kane's shoes but struggled to get involved in the game. Fabricio's challenge kept him from breaking the deadlock in the first half.

Anthony Gordon (7/10):

Grew into the game after a quiet start, and combined excellently with Bellingham down the England left. Denied on a couple of occasions by Bento.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Ezri Konsa (5/10):

On for his debut after Walker's injury but doesn't offer anywhere near as much as the Man City man from right-back.

Jarrod Bowen (6/10):

Was bright after coming on down the right.

Joe Gomez (6/10):

Got 25 minutes but didn't really make his mark on the game.

Lewis Dunk (4/10):

Gave the ball away too often in dangerous areas, most notably with a poor header that led to Endrick's goal.

Kobbie Mainoo (6/10):

Had a couple of neat touches during his 15-minute cameo on debut.

Marcus Rashford (5/10):

Too often ran down blind allies as he looked to force something.

Gareth Southgate (5/10):

Hamstrung somewhat by the amount of players he was unable to call upon, but this was still an uninspiring showing from his team. Can't just rely on Bellingham to produce everything in the final third.

Having grown up just outside Johannesburg before moving to Australia, the middle-order batsman was at ease against South Africa A, despite the occasional sledge from his opponents

Shashank Kishore26-Aug-2018Marnus Labuschagne’s Australia A debut was memorable for two reasons. One: he could understand every little sledge South Africa A’s players dished out. Two: he struck a half-century and forged a formidable association with Travis Head, the captain, to set up their first win on tour in the Quadrangular series in Bengaluru.Labuschagne grew up in Klerksdorp, 130 kilometres south-west of Johannesburg, before moving to Brisbane, where his father took up a job in the mining industry. Growing up predominantly in an Afrikaans-speaking household, he had little exposure to English until he moved to Australia. When he finally settled in school, he found the Australian pronunciations and the accent hard to understand.When his class teacher asked the students to remove their “rubber and ruler”, he had no clue what she was referring to. However, instances such as these are things of the past now. “When I came here, I mainly spoke only Afrikaans,” he said. “Over the years, just learning English and what not, my speaking has gotten a lot better. I wouldn’t say the same about my spellings though (laughs), but yeah it’s better now. It’s great being able to communicate with the boys well now.”In September last year, Labuschagne, who debuted as a 20-year old in 2014, became part of cricket trivia for being penalised under the new ‘fake fielding law’. But by the end of the season, he was being talked about for his run-scoring when he finished just nine short of Matt Renshaw’s tally of 804 runs, the most in Queensland’s victorious 2017-18 Sheffield Shield season, their first in six years.He has also been a standout in the 50-over format, where he was named Player of the Tournament just a season earlier, in 2016-17. It coincided with Queensland finishing runners-up. Now he hopes to sustain his form across formats on his first tour of India with Australia A.He isn’t a stranger to the country though, having had a stint in 2017 as part of the National Performance Squad. “I learnt a lot from the tour last year,” he said. “Just spending time in the nets here and batting a lot over here is key. Been working with Sri [S Sriram, Cricket Australia’s spin consultant] on those plans and how to approach spin, and what the benefits are for approaching pace and spin in India.””It’s always good to contribute to a side that wins at the end of the day. It was nice that I was able to do my job [on Australia A debut]. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go on and make a big one at the end there, but it was good to get the team in a good position. We spoke about how one of the top four needs to get big hundreds. We did that perfectly; we had people who supported Travis (Head) on the way to a big total.Labushagne is far from a white-ball destroyer. He prides himself on being able to keep runs ticking as a middle-order batsman, preferring the patience route to consistency. “I think it’s about being calm,” he said. “It’s about knowing if the bowler has bowled a few good balls, to then go ‘righto, we will be still able to score.’ Just trusting your game is the key. If you panic under the circumstances and think you need to hit out, the next ball for six, you can put yourself under unnecessary pressure.”He has already had a taste of international cricket, when he was brought in as a substitute during a Test against India at Brisbane in 2014. He even took a reflex-action catch at short leg to mark his presence. Obviously, Labuschagne doesn’t want that to be his only memory of international cricket.”It’s great to have a good Shield season, I’m trying to learn as much as possible all the time,” he said. “I’m trying to improve my game as much as I can. [In that sense], its good to be tested here, and having to adapt here to the conditions in India. Queensland won the Shield last year, we had a very good team, and we obviously have a few players from the team here in the Australia A side, pushing for places. It’s a good thing.”

Tottenham Hotspur could move to sign a "game-changer" if out-of-favour midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg departs in the January transfer window.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg latest

The biggest casualty of Spurs' blistering start to the new Premier League season has been, without question, Antonio Conte's former midfield favourite. Hojbjerg, once a mainstay and lynchpin of Conte's midfield at Tottenham, now finds himself on the periphery of Ange Postecoglou's starting eleven – watching on from the sidelines as his side enjoy an imperious run of form without him.

Hojbjerg has started precisely zero games under Postecoglou this season, making all of his appearances from the substitute's bench as both Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma become stars of Spurs' new-look dual midfield pivot. The Denmark international, as a result, is said to be weighing up a January transfer away from north London (Fabrizio Romano), and Serie A giants Juventus are billed as top suitors.

The former Southampton star made 35 league starts last season, scoring four goals and assisting five others, all while featuring amond Tottenham's best-performing players per 90 according to WhoScored. As a result, members of the media praised the "sensational" Hojbjerg for his contribution (Seb Stafford-Bloor). Former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson also told Football Insider that he was playing his best football at one point during 22/23.

"I’ve been surprised by how much he has stepped up this year," said Robinson.

"I thought he was the one who would make way for Yves Bissouma. The club spent a lot of money on Bissouma. I think Hojbjerg recognised that and stepped up. He is playing to a level that we have never seen before. He is playing his best football in a Spurs shirt."

Who could replace Hojbjerg at Tottenham?

Despite the Dane's past form, he doesn't quite fit into Postecoglou's system, meaning Spurs are now weighing up possible replacements. Tottenham's new manager appears to favour more creativity in his midfield, as emphasised by the club's summer signing of James Maddison, who has gone on to absolutely thrive at his new club after joining from Leicester City.

Journalist Rudy Galetti, sharing some Spurs transfer news for Tribal Football, writes that Hojbjerg's exit could open opportunities this January. Indeed, dropping the latest transfer update on Conor Gallagher and his future at Chelsea, the reporter claims Tottenham could move for the 23-year-old if Hojbjerg does indeed depart.

He adds that Giovani Lo Celso is a "main name" on the Lilywhites exit list.

"The main names are Giovani Lo Celso and Pierre Hojbjerg," wrote Galetti this week.

"The chances of seeing them leave in January – towards Spain – are growing: For the Argentine midfielder, Tottenham are also open to evaluating the idea of a loan, while the eventual farewell of the Danish midfielder – Atletico Madrid are always interested – could open up some scenarios, including the possible assault on Conor Gallagher."

Likes to play long-balls

Plays the ball off the ground

Gallagher has gone on to become a fixture of Mauricio Pochettino's starting eleven this season, having also once been called a "game-changer" by ex-Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas on Match of the Day.

Manchester United were contemplating a summer swoop for an interesting central midfielder as an alternative to Mason Mount, a reliable journalist has confirmed.

Which players have left Man United?

Over the summer, Erik ten Hag sanctioned the exits of 14 stars in total, with David De Gea, Fred and Anthony Elanga being some of the bigger names to depart on a permanent basis, alongside the likes of Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams who were sent out on loan.

The Red Devils therefore created space in the squad for seven new faces in the form of Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, Sofyan Amrabat, Jonny Evans, Sergio Reguilon, Altay Bayindir and Mount, but the latter may not have even ended up putting pen to paper at Old Trafford.

At Benfica, Orkun Kokcu made the switch to Roger Schmidt’s side from Feyenoord back in July despite attracting significant interest from Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Newcastle United, and they weren’t the only clubs hoping to bring the 22-year-old to the Premier League.

Back in April, The Mirror reported that the M16 outfit sent scouts to watch the Turkey international live in action as they weighed up whether to make an approach, and whilst that never came to fruition, it sounds like chiefs were seriously thinking about the possibility.

Did Man United nearly sign Orkun Kokcu?

According to Fabrizio Romano in his Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside, Man United were indeed interested in Kokcu, but instead chose to pursue Mount as their top target in that central midfield position. He said:

“Manchester United considered signing Orkun Kokcu when he was still at Feyenoord this summer. The 22-year-old Turkey international ended up joining Benfica this summer, but he was also considered by Man Utd before they decided to go for Mason Mount as their priority in that area of the pitch.”

How good is Orkun Kokcu?

According to talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kokcu is a “leader” in the centre of the park so he clearly possesses excellent organisational skills, but there is so much more he can bring to the pitch to show it might have been a mistake for Man United not to pursue him.

The Haarlem native has clocked up 96 involvements (57 goals and 39 assists) in 257 appearances since the start of his career, displaying how prolific he can be in the final third, but even if the ball doesn’t always hit the back of the net, he’s constantly posing a threat to the opposition’s defence with his attacking skills.

Benfica’s two-footed ace, who pockets £49k-per-week, ranks in the 98th percentile for most shots and has recorded 19 crosses so far this season, which is the second-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef, showing what a standout performer he is.

Whilst at Feyenoord, Kokcu was even named the Netherlands’ Footballer of the Year for 2023 so he’s getting the individual recognition that he deserves, and Ten Hag will now be hoping that Mount can perform to the standard he requires having put his full faith in him.

Victoria vaulted back into contention for the Sheffield Shield final after bowling out Western Australia for 213 on day four

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-2018

Chris Tremain celebrates a wicket•Getty Images

ScorecardVictoria has vaulted back into contention for the Sheffield Shield final after a crushing 255-run win over Western Australia at the WACA.The Bushrangers needed just two wickets on the final morning to complete the rout but they were frustrated by Josh Inglis and Matt Kelly, who put together a 109-run partnership for the ninth wicket.Victoria opted not to bowl any of their frontline quicks on the final day leaving Daniel Christian, Cameron White and Glenn Maxwell to try and finish the job. Inglis moved within sight of his first Sheffield Shield century before he was trapped in front by Christian on 87.Kelly also fell to Christian nine balls later for his highest first-class score. Christian finished with 2 for 27. Chris Tremain was named Man of the Match for his first career 10-wicket haul.