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The Lionesses winger was electric all night as Sonia Bompastor's side kept their quadruple dream alive with the perfect response to a first leg defeat

Until this week, it had been seven years since a team had come back from a two-goal deficit in a Women's Champions League knockout tie. Then, just 24 hours after Arsenal snapped that run by thrashing Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium to seal their place in this year's semi-finals, Chelsea followed suit at Stamford Bridge, bouncing back from a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City last week with a ruthless 3-0 victory that keeps their quadruple dreams firmly alive. Like London buses, as they say.

Unlike the Gunners' triumph, though, there was little jeopardy in this comeback. Whereas it took until the second half at the Emirates on Wednesday night for a goal to come, Chelsea bagged all three of theirs before the interval. Sandy Baltimore kickstarted things with a sumptuous strike after just 14 minutes and from there, the Blues had all the momentum. Hannah Hampton was forced into a couple of strong saves in the first period but most of the action was down the other end, as Nathalie Bjorn hit the post with one header and saw Vivianne Miedema clear another off the line, before she looped one over the Dutchwoman to level the tie up.

It was fitting that it was Lauren James, electric all night, who created the goal that made the difference in the end. Alert to a loose pass from Leila Ouahabi, the winger pounced in a flash, drove down the right and cut the ball back from the onrushing Mayra Ramirez, whose wastefulness stood out when Chelsea lost the first leg of this tie. She made no mistake on this occasion, though, picking out the far bottom corner to send the Blues into the semi-finals of the Champions League again, where they will face the side who crushed their dreams at that stage last year: Barcelona.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Hannah Hampton (7/10):

Made several strong saves to deny City on the counter, including a particularly impressive one to thwart Fowler in the first half.

Lucy Bronze (6/10):

A little loose in possession at times but generally supported the attack well and kept City's attack quiet.

Nathalie Bjorn (8/10):

Was a constant threat from set pieces, with her unlucky not to score twice before she eventually did.

Millie Bright (7/10):

Was impressively dominant in the latter stages of the game in particular, to help Chelsea see the result out.

Sandy Baltimore (8/10):

Delivered dangerous set pieces and scored a wonderful goal to kickstart the Chelsea comeback. Dealt relatively well with Kerolin, too.

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Keira Walsh (6/10):

Tidy on the ball and worked hard off it, without stealing the show.

Erin Cuthbert (7/10):

Covered plenty of ground and got stuck in when needed.

Wieke Kaptein (7/10):

Kept the ball well, made great runs off the ball and did plenty of dirty work, too. She's come into some great form in the last few weeks.

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Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (7/10):

Direct and positive whenever she got on the ball, often putting City on the back foot. That was especially beneficial in the closing stages. Defended well, too.

Mayra Ramirez (8/10):

Her final product was lacking at times but she always posed problems with her desire to run at the defence and get into dangerous positions. Great finish to put Chelsea in the lead.

Lauren James (9/10):

A thorn in City's side all night. Created plenty of chances and was full of running. It was impossible to get the ball off her at times.

AFPSubs & Manager

Aggie Beever-Jones (N/A):

Replaced Ramirez for the closing stages to inject some fresh energy into the attack after plenty of hard work from the Colombian.

Oriane Jean-Francois (N/A):

A late sub in stoppage time.

Sonia Bompastor (7/10):

Brought Baltimore back in and she dealt with Kerolin much better, after Niamh Charles had struggled to do so when the two met in the league at the weekend. That completed her strongest line-up possible and it got the job done ruthlessly.

Arsenal are now willing to make a huge offer to win the race for a striker who’s been described as a “monster”, according to a report.

Gunners searching for January forward signing

Gabriel Jesus has finally found his shooting boots in recent weeks, but it may be too little too late for the Brazilian, with manager Mikel Arteta still keen on bringing in a new striker, perhaps as soon as January. The Gunners are said to be plotting a move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani, who will be allowed to leave this winter after failing to force his way into Luis Enrique’s plans so far this season.

Victor Osimhen is another name on Arteta’s list of targets, with the Nigerian currently being monitored ahead of a potential “box office” move this January, although there is set to be competition from Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea.

Osimhen is not the only high-profile name who Arteta has in mind, however, with reports from Spain detailing that Dusan Vlahovic is now a target for Arsenal, and there are indications they could be willing to spend big to win the race for his signature. The Gunners are now prepared to ‘invest a significant amount’ to beat Chelsea to the Serbian’s signature, with Arteta seeking a top-tier forward capable of bringing goals and leadership to the frontline.

The 24-year-old, who cost Juventus £67m back in January 2022, would be willing to listen to offers from the top clubs lining up for his signature, and the Italian club could be willing to sanction his departure in order to balance the books. As such, it appears as though a deal could be there to be done, should Arsenal meet Juventus’ asking price.

Jesus upgrade: Arsenal pursuing £202k-p/w "superstar" who's just like Henry

Arsenal are on the lookout for reinforcements after Bukayo Saka’s recent injury blow.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 30, 2024 Why Vlahovic could be the answer for Arsenal

Although Kai Havertz has scored in his last two Premier League outings, there are doubts over whether he is at the level to lead the line for Arsenal long-term, and Jesus has been inconsistent in front of goal for quite some time.

As such, it makes sense that Arteta is keen on bringing in a top striker, and Vlahovic could be the answer to his problems, given his impressive goal record in Serie A over the course of a number of years.

Season

Serie A appearances

Goals

2019-20

30

6

2020-21

37

21

2021-22

36

24

2022-23

27

10

2023-24

33

16

2024-25

16

7

Such is the 24-year-old’s ability, he has been lauded as a “monster” by members of the Italian media, and his keen eye for goal could be exactly what Arsenal need to hunt down Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title.

After the Reds’ impressive 5-0 victory against West Ham United yesterday, the Gunners are trailing by nine points, so they will need a near-perfect second half of the season if they are to close the gap.

Coach supported an attacking approach with the bat but said technique was a problem

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Jul-2022Sri Lanka crashed and burned in the second innings, nosediving to 113 all out in 22.5 overs. Four of their top seven fell attempting sweeps or reverse sweeps. And of that top seven, only Dhananjaya de Silva was out not playing an attacking stroke – he left a ball that would have hit leg stump.Still, it wasn’t Sri Lanka’s approach that paved their way to such a swift and comprehensive defeat, it was their execution, according to coach Chris Silverwood.”I enjoyed the batters’ intent,” he said. “They were positive. They looked to score runs. If we’d gone out there and looked to block it, I don’t think that would have worked. I want us to be positive. There was no point just trying to block it today. On wickets like that, with people around the bat, the pressure is on, so you have to look to score. We had to look to try and get past the Australian score and make them bat again. It’s not always going to work. “Silverwood had been England’s coach when they beat Sri Lanka 2-0 in Galle in 2021. He used the example of Joe Root, who had made 228 and 186 in that series, to underscore how vital sweeping the ball is in these conditions.Related

How it happened: Sri Lanka – 113 all out in 22.5 overs

Pat Cummins lauds 'brave' Australia for facing challenge head on

Australia's rare high with spin, Sri Lanka's shortest innings

“We’ve just got to be better at playing the sweep, to be honest. We saw the Australians use the sweep to great effect. When I was here with England, we saw Joe Root and Jos Buttler use the sweep to great effect. Root gave an exhibition on how to play on spinning wickets, which led to the best season of his career.””If we’re going to play on turning wickets, it’s something we’re going to need to be able to do. There are other things we could do – use the depth of the crease, and use your feet to get to the pitch of the ball. But the sweep is something that when you’re playing on turning wickets you have to do. It’s a productive shot.”In the preparation leading up to the series in which I was in the England camp, we ensured that the guys swept well, got to the pitch of the ball, and used the depth of the crease. It’s a very simple game plan. If they were sweeping and then got out, they were happy with that, because when you go to sweep you mean to hit the ball. You’ve got to have the confidence to do that.”Sri Lanka’s best bowler in that England series last year had been left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya, who took 15 wickets at an average of 27.66. But in this match, Embuldeniya was a shadow of the bowler seen in that series, going at 4.86 runs an over across his 15 wicketless overs. He had also been modest in his sole outing in Bangladesh, in May.”He’s finding it tough at the moment,” Silverwood said of Embuldeniya. “He’s getting a lot of support in the dressing room because he’s a great lad. If you look at the data that gets thrown back, you’ve got Nathan Lyon operating between 4.5 and 4.4 metres [distance from where the ball pitches to the stumps], and Embuldeniya was a good foot-and-a-half fuller than that on the first day, which made life easier for the Australian batsman. We’ve got to work on him holding a consistent length.”It’s not just him not holding a consistent length. As a group we need to do that better. You look at the various pace the bowlers bowl at as well. There’s a few factors there, one of which is confidence. We’ve got to give him support and get him back to where we know he can be. He’s trying hard. It’s just not happening for him at the moment.”

Jose Mourinho is reportedly set to rival Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti for the Brazil national team job after being put on a four-man CBF shortlist.

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CBF has put together a four-man listMourinho & Ancelotti includedDorival Junior sacked after Argentina thrashingFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazilian football federation (CBF) parted ways with Dorival Junior following the Selecao's heavy 4-1 loss to arch-rivals Argentina in World Cup qualifying. Now, according to Brazilian outlet , Fenerbahce boss Mourinho is one of four high-profile names being considered by the CBF to replace Dorival and lead the Selecao in their push to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

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Alongside Mourinho are Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, Al Hilal boss Jorge Jesus, and Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira. The quartet represents a blend of experienced European minds and successful figures from the South American club circuit.

Ancelotti has long been admired by the CBF, and although he has flirted with the idea of managing Brazil, the Italian has publicly stated that his current role at Real Madrid will be his final managerial post. While the CBF has not completely given up hope, Jesus is currently viewed as the most probable candidate due to his previous experience in Brazilian football at Flamengo and more immediate availability.

DID YOU KNOW?

Mourinho’s stint at Fenerbahce has been anything but serene. Since arriving in Istanbul ten months ago, the former Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Roma boss has courted controversy with his frequent criticism of match officials, which has led to several touchline bans.

His team’s form has taken a hit in recent weeks, with Fenerbahce suffering a Europa League elimination at the hands of Rangers and crashing out of the Turkish Cup following a painful defeat to arch-rivals Galatasaray. These setbacks have ramped up pressure on Mourinho, whose side now sits second in the Turkish Super League table, trailing Galatasaray by three points.

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MOURINHO?

While Brazil offer a historic and high-pressure opportunity, it remains to be seen whether Mourinho would be willing to walk away from his Fenerbahce project so soon. The upcoming clash with Sivasspor on Sunday is another crucial game in the club’s quest for Super Lig glory, and if the Portuguese indeed manages to topple Galatasaray, he might continue with his Istanbul sojourn.

Aston Villa are blessed with two exciting strikers. Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran are two of the most reputable centre-forwards in the Premier League, and both have excellent goal records this season to show for it.

The “unstoppable” Watkins, as Jamie Carragher once described him, has scored eight times and has six assists in all competitions for the Villans this term. Emi Martinez believes Duran can be “one of the best strikers in the world”, and his 12 goals this season suggest he is playing well.

Although they are already spoiled for choice up front, Unai Emery seems eager to add even more depth to their frontline. They have recently been linked with one man who will bring quality to their attack.

Aston Villa target new attacker

The player in question here is Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani. The 26-year-old has not been a regular under Luis Enrique this season, and could now leave the club in the January transfer window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to a report from journalist Ben Jacobs, the Villans are one of the sides to have “considered” a move for the Frenchman this winter. However, they will not be alone in their race for his signature.

Fellow Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are also interested, as are Italian giants Juventus and German outfit Bayern Munich.

Should Villa manage to win the race for Kolo Muani, it seems like it would only be on a loan deal. However, it is not clear at this stage if that would include a buy clause, obligatory or otherwise, or whether it would just be a loan.

Why Kolo Muani would be a good signing

As aforementioned, it has not been an easy season for France international Kolo Muani. The striker has barely featured for PSG this term, playing 14 times across all competitions, with two goals to his name so far.

Incredibly, the PSG number 23 has played just 453 minutes in the 2024/25 season, which is the equivalent of around five full 90-minute games. It is fair to say opportunities have been sparse for him this term.

However, there is no doubting Kolo Muani’s ability, even if he has not been able to show that in the French capital this season. He is a France international who has eight goals in 27 caps and has scored at the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.

The 26-year-old was also fantastic for his old club, Eintracht Frankfurt. In his only full season with the Bundesliga outfit, he scored 23 goals and grabbed 17 assists in 46 appearances. Off the back of that campaign, German legend Lothar Matthaus described him as a “future superstar”.

Interestingly, the striker’s best season in the Bundesliga is far better than another Villa target, Donyell Malen. The Dutchman, who plies his trade at Borussia Dortmund, is a target for the Villans and negotiations are ongoing.

Malen, who used to be part of Arsenal’s academy, has scored and assisted 16 goals in a single German top-flight season twice. In 2022/23 he was fantastic, with nine goals and seven assists, although he was still outperformed by Kolo Muani.

Not only did the Frenchman get more goals and assists in 2022/23 than Malen, but he also outperformed him in several key FBref metrics.

For example, the PSG star averaged 0.43 goals per shot on target and 0.89 goals and assists per game. In comparison, Dortmund’s number 21 averaged 0.3 goals per shot on target and 0.79 goal involvements per game.

Stat (per 90)

Kolo Muani

Malen

Goals and assists

0.89

0.79

Goals per shot on target

0.43

0.3

Assists

0.38

0.32

Goal-creating actions

0.75

0.74

Carries into penalty area

2.26

2

As the statistics show, signing Kolo Muani on loan might be a better option for Villa than bringing Malen to the club. It is a temporary fix, and allows the club to reassess in the summer rather than spending money on the Dutchman.

Matthaus said it himself, Kolo Muani is going to become one of the deadliest strikers in the world. He already showcased what he can do during his stint in Frankfurt; perhaps Villa is the place where he can get back to his very best again.

Shades of Grealish: Aston Villa can ditch Bailey by signing £30m sensation

Aston Villa are already eyeing up potential signings…

1 ByRoss Kilvington Jan 3, 2025

Aston Villa's hopes of keeping Ollie Watkins after this season were given a significant boost by reports Arsenal no longer want to sign him.

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Arsenal made £60m bid for Watkins in JanuaryWill not return with new offer in the summerGunners going after younger targetsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners attempted to sign the England international with a reported £60 million ($75m) offer at the end of the January transfer window. Watkins was said to be open to the move, but Villa turned down the bid and instead sold Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr in a lucrative move.

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Watkins, 29, remains in good form for Villa having scored 13 goals and set up a further six in the Premier League this term. However, Arsenal will not return with a new offer for him in the summer, reports. The Gunners are set to target younger options, including Newcastle star Alexander Isak, Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko.

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Watkins and Villa could still come up against Arsenal this season. Should both teams win their Champions League quarter-final ties, they will meet in the next round.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR WATKINS?

Watkins will hope to add to his goal tally when his side take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Next Wednesday, they will visit Paris Saint-Germain for the first leg of their Champions League tie.

Newcastle United are among the front-runners to complete the signing of an “excellent” new defender in 2025, according to a new transfer update that has emerged.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies are believed to be pushing to sign Southampton teenager Tyler Dibling, who has been one of the few bright sparks during a difficult season for Saints. Still only 18 years of age, the Englishman has scored twice in the Premier League this season, as well as registering a couple of assists in the EFL Cup.

Lens centre-back Kevin Danso has also been mentioned as a potential target for Newcastle in the near future, seeing him as an ideal option alongside Sven Botman at the heart of Eddie Howe’s defence. Reinforcements are needed in that area sooner rather than later, considering several players are now in their 30s.

The Magpies have also been linked with a move for Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush, who is in the middle of a stunning season for his current club. The Egyptian has scored 13 goals and registered seven assists in just 15 Bundesliga appearances in 2024/25 so far, showing what an enormous influence he has had in the final third.

Young Manchester City ace James McAtee has been mentioned as an option for Newcastle, too, with the 22-year-old potentially keen on sealing a move away from St James’ Park, in order to enjoy more regular minutes elsewhere.

Newcastle among favourites to sign "excellent" Khusanov

According to a new claim from Give Me Sport, Newcastle remain interested in signing Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov in 2025, possibly seeing him as an alternative to his teammate Danso.

The 20-year-old has been linked with a move to St James’ in the past, and it looks as though the Magpies are one of the leaders in the race to snap him up. There is competition for his signature, though, with City, Tottenham and Wolves all believed to be in the mix.

Khusanov is a young defender with so much potential, so he should be considered a primary option for Newcastle, both this month and in the summer. The Uzbekistan international has averaged 4.3 clearances and 2.2 aerial duel wins per game in Ligue 1 one this season, while journalist Coralie Salle has described him as an “excellent” player.

Newcastle need at least one new centre-back in the current or next transfer window, in order to provide Howe with more long-term depth in that area, and Khusanov stands out as a great option.

Newcastle could sign new Ben Arfa with move for £30m Premier League star

Newcastle United could find their new version of Hatem Ben Arfa in the Premier League gem.

ByDan Emery Jan 7, 2025

At 20, he has already won 18 caps for the Central Asian country, which is hugely impressive, not to mention also being an important squad player for a team in one of Europe’s five biggest leagues.

Afif’s 50 and Litton’s 49 in vain for Bangladesh

Associated Press08-Jul-2022Captain Nicholas Pooran came down the pitch and smashed Bangladesh counterpart Mahmudullah over the fence to complete West Indies’ T20I win and series sweep on Thursday.Pooran’s career-best 74 not out off 39 balls finished off Bangladesh by five wickets with 10 balls remaining.West Indies scored 169 for 5 in reply to Bangladesh’s 163 for 5 in the third T20I to win the series 2-0. The first match in Dominica last weekend was washed out.Bangladesh chose to bat first, and a 20-run over plundered off Odean Smith by Litton Das and Afif Hossain gave the visitors a big boost. Their 57-run stand ended when Litton charged Hayden Walsh and edged to point. Litton made 49 off 41 balls.In the 19th over, Walsh trapped Mahmudullah on 22 and Afif was run out on 50 off 38 balls. He’d hit only two boundaries and two sixes in his second T20I fifty.Chasing 164 to win, West Indies overcame a spin-heavy attack from Bangladesh. Opener Kyle Mayers got going to his 55 from 38 balls when he blasted his first six off Nasum Ahmed over long-off. He linked with Pooran at 43 for 3 in the seventh over, and they combined for 85 in 8.3 overs.Mayers launched sixes against Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Mosaddek Hossain, one of them into the sight screen. He earned his maiden T20I fifty.In the same 15th over Mayers was out to Nasum, Pooran hit two sixes. The over went for 19 runs.Pooran maintained the onslaught, his ninth T20I fifty, by hitting Afif over long-off in the 18th over and his fifth and final six back over Mahmudullah’s head to end the series.The three-match ODI series will begin on Sunday, in Georgetown.

Arsenal are laying the groundwork to bring in a new centre-forward after Gabriel Jesus’ season-ending injury, and they’re considering a new transfer target as a potential alternative to Juventus star Dušan Vlahović.

Arsenal making January moves for Dušan Vlahović

Vlahovic is a very familiar name to Mikel Arteta, as the Gunners once attempted to beat Juve to his signature back in 2022.

Arsenal submit opening January bid for £360k-per-week forward as club reply

The Gunners have come in with a winter offer.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jan 14, 2025

Arsenal were very keen on the Serbian in January that year, during his days with Fiorentina (Sky Sports), but the Old Lady eventually managed to sway Vlahovic into swapping the Artemio Franchi Stadium for Turin.

Tottenham (home)

January 15

Aston Villa (home)

January 18

Wolves (away)

January 25

Man City (home)

February 2

Leicester City (away)

February 1

Juve sealed a £67 million deal for Vlahovic, but reports now suggest that he could potentially join Arsenal exactly two years after the Gunners fell short in their pursuit of the 24-year-old.

There are suggestions that Vlahovic is a top striker target for Arsenal in January, and Arteta’s side have reportedly already seen a loan bid rejected (Football Transfers).

If this is indeed the case, it appears they still won’t stop in their chase for the centre-forward, as multiple media sources report that Arsenal’s pursuit of Vlahovic remains very much alive.

This is echoed by CaughtOffside, though they also report Arsenal have an astute alternative in mind if they cannot strike a deal for the hitman with 12 goals in all competitions this season.

Arsenal weigh up January move for Marseille striker Elye Wahi

According to their sources, Marseille striker Elye Wahi is on their list of potential centre-forward options. The 22-year-old scored 19 French top flight club goals for ex-club Lens in the 2022/2023 season, and his form across the channel eventually did enough for him to seal a switch to Marseille last summer.

Wahi’s scored just three goals in all competitions since joining Roberto De Zerbi’s side, so he hasn’t exactly enjoyed the best of starts to his Marseille career, and it is now believed that Arsenal could offer him a route out of Ligue 1.

CaughtOffside write that Arsenal are weighing up a January move for Wahi, who’s viewed as another option should they fail to land Vlahovic, and other reports claim the Frenchman is valued at around £25 million – potentially making him a more doable mid-season transfer from the club’s perspective.

That being said, West Ham are also badly in need of a striker, and have set their sights on Wahi as a target themselves.

Wahi, called a “real beast” for his past form by members of the press, cannot be discounted as a good choice to come in for Jesus.

Home side outgunned as Warwickshire openers put on 152 in 21.4 overs

ECB Reporters Network02-Aug-2022An opening stand of 152 between centurion Dom Sibley and Rob Yates paved the way for Warwickshire’s emphatic eight-wicket Royal London Cup win over Gloucestershire at Cheltenham College.The home side posted 264 all out from 48.5 overs after losing the toss, Ben Wells and Zafar Gohar hitting career-best List A scores, while former Gloucestershire seamer Craig Miles claimed 3 for 53. That total looked below par on a true pitch and a lightning outfield. So it proved, as Sibley finished unbeaten on 106 off 107 balls and Yates blasted 87, with 11 fours and a six, as Warwickshire raced to their target with 11.2 overs to spare.Gloucestershire were left to rue too many batting errors as they suffered a third defeat in as many Cheltenham Festival fixtures, despite an encouraging start.Wells, making only his fifth List A appearance, timed the ball sweetly in overcast conditions, sharing an opening stand of 48 in 7.2 overs with Chris Dent, who hit a brisk 23 before chopping a ball from Miles onto his stumps.Wells pulled Miles for six over midwicket as the hosts progressed to 63 for 1 off the initial ten-overs powerplay before Marcus Harris was caught behind, driving at Oliver Hannon-Dalby. Miles claimed his second wicket when James Bracey was brilliantly caught by diving wicketkeeper Michael Burgess down the leg side to make it 78 for 3.Wells went to his maiden List A fifty off 49 balls, with 6 fours and a six. Ollie Price had helped take the score to 126 when falling for a stylish 36, lbw to Indian left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya, making his Warwickshire debut. Jack Taylor smacked Pandya for six over midwicket before carelessly driving a catch to cover off former team-mate Liam Norwell and departing for 22.Wells’ 87-ball innings ended when he skied a catch to deep cover off Rhodes, who also claimed the wicket of Tom Price, caught at mid-on to make the score 217 for 7.Tom Smith was bowled by Pandya sweeping and Josh Shaw lofted a catch to deep square off Hannon-Dalby, but Zahar boosted the the total with some lusty blows, reaching his half-century off 46 balls, with 6 fours. He had some luck late on, dropped by Miles off his own bowling on 44 and given another life by Burgess who failed to realise he was short of his ground with the chance to run him out.Warwickshire’s openers took a heavy toll on Dutch seamer Paul van Meekeren, whose opening two overs from the Chapel End cost 27 and included a six over midwicket by Yates. The half-century stand with Sibley occupied 7.1 overs and put the visitors in command. By the end of the tenth over they were cruising at 69 without loss.Yates breezed to fifty off 38 balls, with seven fours and a six. The 22-year-old left-hander brought the hundred up with successive fours off van Meekeren, whose second spell was also expensive.With his partner flying along, Sibley was able to build a more measured half-century, off 58 deliveries, with seven fours. Neither player looked in the slightest trouble. Their opening stand became a List A record for Warwickshire against Gloucestershire, beating the 150 put together by Dennis Amiss and Alvin Kallicharran at Moreton-in-Marsh in 1979, before Yates fell lbw attempting to sweep Ollie Price.Rhodes soon joined in the run-fest, pulling Shaw for six over square-leg. The skipper then brought up 200 with a cracking back-foot shot through the covers off Tom Price, who responded by having him caught behind for 40 to claim his first List A wicket.Sibley launched a free hit off Price for six in moving imperiously to three figures off 104 balls, having also struck 11 fours.