Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Spencer Johnson are also being released by the franchise
Nagraj Gollapudi15-Nov-2025
Venkatesh Iyer was part of the leadership group at KKR•Associated Press
Venkatesh Iyer, who made a name for himself and was elevated to the national team following a strong IPL debut season in 2021 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), is among the players being released by the three-time champions.ESPNcricinfo has learned that Iyer, who was bought for a record INR 23.75 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction by KKR, who used a right-to-match card to get him, is part of a lengthy list of high-profile names who are not being retained by the franchise.The other high-profile players being let go are the South African duo of Anrich Nortje (bought for INR 6.5 crore) and Quinton de Kock (INR 3.6 crore), Australian quick Spencer Johnson (INR 2.8 crore), Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz (INR 2 crore) and England allrounder Moeen Ali (INR 2 crore).Related
RR trade Samson to CSK for Jadeja and Curran
The uncapped Indian pair of Luvnith Sisodia and Chetan Sakariya, who had replaced the injured Umran Malik last season, are also being released.After making a big impression in his debut IPL season – which came after he had starred for Madhya Pradesh in the domestic limited-overs tournaments in 2020-21 – Iyer had a quiet IPL 2022, but was again a star for KKR in IPL 2023, when he scored 404 runs, including a century, to average 28.86 at a strike rate of 145.85 for the season.A key part of the team, he has even led the side on occasion and, last year, was talked about as a possible captain before Ajinkya Rahane was handed the reins. As it happened, Iyer scored just 142 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of 139.22.KKR, who won the IPL in 2024, finished near the bottom of the table the following season. Among the players to perform poorly was de Kock (152 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 129.91), while the likes of Nortje, Johnson, Gurbaz and Moeen didn’t get too many opportunities for one reason or another and weren’t too impressive when fielded.
أعلن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، فيفا، عن قرار جديد يخص بطولة كأس العالم نسخة 2026، والتي ستُقام الصيف المقبل في كل من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، كندا والمكسيك.
وتستضيف الدول الثلاثة المذكورة نهائيات كأس العالم في الفترة بين 11 يونيو و19 يوليو 2026، حيث أجرى فيفا مراسم القرعة يوم الجمعة الماضي.
وذكرت شبكة “nbcnews” الأميركية أن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم أعلن أنه سيُدرج فترة راحة، لمدة 3 دقائق، في شوطي كل مباراة في كأس العالم، وليس فقط في اللقاءات التي تُقام في الطقس الحار.
وأوضحت أن الحكم سيوقف المباراة بعد 22 دقيقة من بداية كل شوط حتى يتسنى للاعبين فرصة التقاط الأنفاس وشرب المياه، بغض النظر عن درجة الحرارة أو الدولة المضيفة، أو ما إذا كان الملعب مزودًا بسقف ومكيف هواء أم لا.
اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير: فيفا قد يورط مصر وإيران في كأس العالم بقرار صادم
وأشارت إلى أن ذلك القرار قد يُلاقي استحسانًا لدى هيئات البث، لأنه يُسهل من عملية التنبؤ بجدول المباريات، وتم اتخاذ ذلك القرار من جانب فيفا عندما حضر مانولو زوبيريا، كبير مسؤولي البطولات في الهيئة الحاكمة لكأس العالم 2026، اجتماعًا مع هيئات البث.
وأفادت بأن الحكام قد يتمتعون ببعض المرونة في حال توقف اللعب قبل الدقيقة 22 بقليل بسبب حالات الإصابة.
ويأتي هذا التغيير بعد أن أثرت الحرارة والرطوبة على اللاعبين خلال بعض مباريات كأس العالم للأندية الأخير في الولايات المتحدة، حيث عانى اللاعبون من مختلف الفرق، من تأثير الطقس بشكل سلبي.
O Santos superou a Portuguesa por 4 a 2 nos pênaltis, após empate em 0 a 0 no tempo regulamentar, pelas quartas de final do Paulistão, na Vila Belmiro. Destaque da partida foi o goleiro João Paulo, que fez ótimas defesas durante o jogo e pegou uma das cobranças da Lusa na disputa de penalidades.
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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte
O equilíbrio do confronto do início ao fim foi surpreendente, considerando os resultados das duas equipes até aqui no estadual. O Santos teve a segunda melhor campanha da fase de grupos, enquanto a Portuguesa foi a pior equipe dos oito classificados às quartas, com 15 pontos a menos do que o Peixe. Mesmo assim, o empate não saiu do placar e a decisão ficou para os pênaltis.
⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?
O Santos iniciou o jogo tentando pressionar a saída de bola da Portuguesa, mas foi a Lusa quem criou as melhores chances no primeiro tempo. Os visitantes apostaram na bola aérea e levaram perigo, até que Quintana perdeu chance claríssima aos 21 minutos. Depois, o Peixe cresceu e conseguiu bons ataques, principalmente com Otero no lado direito.
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Na segunda etapa, o duelo seguiu equilibrado, com ótimas chances para os dois lados. Contudo, quem teve a oportunidade mais clara foi a Portuguesa, quando Henrique Dourado ficou cara a cara com João Paulo e parou em um milagre do goleiro santista. Pouco depois, Otero foi expulso após pisão em Giovanni Augusto e deixou o Peixe com um a menos por 20 minutos. Ao final, nada de gols e a vaga na semifinal foi decidida nos pênaltis, e o time da Vila Belmiro venceu por 4 a 2, com JP defendendo uma das cobranças.
✅ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?
Com a classificação, o Santos irá enfrentar o Red Bull Bragantino nas na semifinal do Paulistão, marcada o dia 27 de marços, quarta-feira, ainda sem horário definido. Palmeiras e Novorizontino fazem a outra partida das semis.
Coritiba e Guarani se enfrentam nesta terça-feira (14), pela quinta rodada da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. A bola vai rolar a partir das 21h30 (de Brasília), no Couto Pereira, Curitiba (PR), com transmissão do Sportv e Premiere.
➡️ As melhores e mais variadas ofertas para o Brasileirão estão no Lance! Betting! Abra já a sua conta!
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Confira todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto entre Coritiba e Guarani (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).
✅ FICHA TÉCNICA CORITIBA X GUARANI 5ª RODADA – SÉRIE B DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO 🗓️ Data e horário: terça-feira, 14 de maio de 2024, às 21h30 (de Brasília); 📍 Local: Couto Pereira, Curitiba (PR); 📺 Onde assistir: Sportv e Premiere; 🟨 Árbitro: Jonathan Benkenstein Pinheiro (RS); 🚩 Assistentes: Alex dos Santos (SC) e Leirson Peng Martins (RS); 🖥️ VAR: Elmo Alves Resende Cunha (GO).
➡️ Assine o Premiere e assista esse e mais jogos de graça por 30 dias!
⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES:
CORITIBA (Técnico: James Freitas) Pedro Morisco; Natanael, Benevenuto, Maurício Antônio e Rodrigo Gelado; Sebastián Gómez, Morelli e Matheus Frizzo; Lucas Ronier, Figueiredo e Leandro Damião
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GUARANI (Técnico: Júnior Rocha) Vladimir; Heitor, Douglas, Lucas Adell e Jefferson; Matheus Bueno, Camacho e Luan Dias; João Victor, Caio Dantas e Airton.
أثار محمد صلاح النجم المصري الشكوك حول مستقبله بسبب التصريحات الصادمة عقب تعادل ليفربول ضد ليدز يونايتد، حيث انتقد آرني سلوت وناديه بشدة وألمح إلى أن هناك من يرغب برحيله من ملعب آنفيلد.
ولا تزال أندية الدوري السعودي للمحترفين مهتمة بالتعاقد مع محمد صلاح بعد فشل محاولات التعاقد معه في وقت سابق من هذا العام.
وأشار الصحفي “بن جاكوبس” في حديثه مع “TalkSport” حول مستقبل محمد صلاح، إلى أنه من المرجح أن يبقى النجم المصري في يناير.
اقرأ أيضًا.. هل يشارك محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون بـ الدوري الإنجليزي؟
وذكر جاكوبس: “ما زلت أعتقد أنه يمكننا القول إن ليفربول هو الأقرب للإبقاء على محمد صلاح، لأنهم يريدون أن يكمل عقده حتى نهايته”.
وأضاف: “لكن في حالة رحيله فإن الهلال يعتبر المرشح الأبرز، وقد حاولوا التعاقد مع صلاح قبل انطلاق بطولة كأس العالم للأندية”.
وواصل: “هناك فريقان آخران حسب علمي أيضاً يراقبان صلاح في السعودية وهما القادسية وهو نادي مثير للاهتمام لأنه مملوك لشركة النفط السعودية العملاقة أرامكو بالتالي فإنه بإمكانه إنفاق أمواله الخاصة”.
واختتم: “لذلك هما لا يعتمدون على أي تمويل من وزارة الرياضة أما النادي الآخر هو نيوم الرياضي، وهي مدينة رياضية جديدة ستفتح في الوقت المناسب لبطولة كأس العالم للأندية ويحظى النادي بدعم واستثمارات ضخمة”.
Fakhar Zaman, who suffered a hamstring injury in the first week of August, has recovered and is part of the squad
Danyal Rasool17-Aug-2025
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have fallen out of favour with Pakistan’s T20I plans•AFP/Getty Images
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have not been selected in Pakistan’s T20I squad for the upcoming Asia Cup in the UAE. Fakhar Zaman, who suffered a hamstring injury in the first week of August, has recovered and is part of the side.Salman Agha will lead the 17-member squad, which will also participate in the tri-series against UAE and Afghanistan in the lead-up to the Asia Cup.Babar last played a T20I in December 2024. In PSL 2025, he scored 288 runs in ten innings for Peshawar Zalmi. It included knocks of 56*, 53* and 94 but his overall strike rate was 128.57. He was part of the recent ODI series against West Indies where he had scores of 47, 0 and 9.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Rizwan, like Babar, has not been part of Pakistan’s recent T20I squads for the home and subsequent away series against Bangladesh, followed by the T20Is in the West Indies. He made 53 in the opening game of the ODI series against West Indies, followed by scores of 16 and 0.Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson said Babar had been challenged with improving his T20 game. I think it’s really harsh to challenge a player on their form on three games,” he said at a press conference. “Babar played nicely in the first ODI but missed out on the next two. There’s no doubt Babar’s been asked to improve in some areas around taking on spin and in terms of his strike rate. Those are things he’s working really hard on.”But at the moment, the players we have have done exceptionally well. Sahibzada Farhan has played six games and won three Player of the Match awards. A player like Babar has an opportunity to play in the BBL and show he’s improving in those areas in T20s. He’s too good a player not to consider.”Shaheen Afridi, who had also found himself out of favour in T20 cricket of late, retained his place for the tri-series and the Asia Cup, though Naseem Shah missed out once again. Naseem is currently in action in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).Lahore Qalandars fast bowler Salman Mirza, who was Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker with eight against Bangladesh in the away T20I series, was included in the side. Ahmed Daniyal, who also impressed briefly, though was not part of the squad. Both specialist wristspinners – Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem, kept their place.The squad is something of an amalgamation of the sides that have played T20I cricket under Hesson in the three T20I series over the summer. The recent ODI series – which Pakistan lost 2-1 in the Caribbean – appears not to have influenced decision making either way. Hesson said he intended to stick to the aggressive top-heavy approach he has championed in the format, and repeated that Pakistan’s game was suited to such a style.”We were challenged with three different surfaces [in each of the three series]” Hesson said. “In Lahore, the surfaces were flat and the batting excelled. We went to Bangladesh where they were incredibly challenging and low-scoring games. Our top order sets the game up. All the games we won the top order performed really well. The third game in the West Indies, our openers put on 140 [138]. We need that at a run rate that gets us ahead of the game. T20 is all about setting the game up and being ahead of the game all the time in case you get yourself out. From a batting point of view we’ve got a line-up that can continue to do that.”The tri-series in the UAE between the hosts, Afghanistan and Pakistan will serve as a warm-up to the T20 Asia Cup, which will begin on September 9. Pakistan have never won the T20 version of that tournament; they reached the final when it was last played in 2022.Pakistan squad for the UAE tri-series and Asia CupSalman Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem
O futuro de Wellington está cada vez mais distante do São Paulo. O atleta de 23 anos recusou duas propostas de renovação, e o Tricolor deve retomar a busca por um lateral-esquerdo.
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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte
Wellington tem vínculo com o São Paulo até o final da temporada e pode assinar pré-contrato com qualquer clube em julho. O Internacional monitora a situação do atleta e pode tirá-lo de graça do Tricolor.
+ Revanche? Ganhe mais de R$450 na vitória do Corinthians sobre o São Bernardo
Ciente de que pode perder um titular, a diretoria são-paulina não vem tendo sucesso na contratação de um jogador para a posição. Marlon, do Cruzeiro, despertou interesse, mas o atleta está próximo de renovar com a Raposa.
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SOLUÇÃO CASEIRA
A comissão técnica de Tiago Carpini avalia que Patrick, da base, ainda não está pronto para assumir a titularidade na posição. Assim, uma alternativa avaliada é colocar Moreira, lateral-direito de origem, para ser o substituto de Wellington. O garoto se colocou à disposição para desempenhar a função
Rangers invested heavily in the summer but, given their current predicament, expect plenty more signings in January too.
During the summer transfer window, led by manager Russell Martin and sporting director Kevin Thelwell, the Gers signed 13 new players, splashing around £30m, a huge amount for a Scottish club.
The most expensive of these additions was striker Youssef Chermiti, arriving from Everton for £8m which could rise to £10m, their second-most expensive signing of all-time, but the Gers still appear light in attack, so could new manager Danny Röhl demand the addition of a new centre-forward he knows rather well.
Rangers' search for reinforcements
Even before appointing out-of-work Röhl, Rangers had taken advantage of Sheffield Wednesday’s predicament, signing winger Djeidi Gassama for a cut-price £2.2m in July.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The EFL Championship club entered administration this week, usually a dark day for any football club, but on this occasion it was a day of celebration, because it means Dejphon Chansiri is no longer running the club.
Supporters rushed to Hillsborough to buy tickets and merchandise, having been boycotting both, but there are serious ramifications, given that the Owls were slapped with a 12-point deduction, more could follow for failing to pay staff, meaning relegation to EFL League One appears inevitable, while a new owner still has to be found, all why Röhl walked away in July.
Thus, for as long as the administrators remain in charge, their task is to raise as much cash as possible, which includes selling players.
As a result, Sports Boom are reporting that Röhl is targeting a move for Sheffield Wednesday striker Bailey Cadamarteri, with the new boss telling the Glasgow side to put together ‘a proposed deal” for the youngster.
They add that Röhl is ‘eager to bolster his attacking options’, while adding that the German coach was an ‘influential figure in Cadamarteri’s development’, thereby potentially set to take advantage of the financial crisis in South Yorkshire by snapping up a bargain
So, could the 20-year-old soon be swapping Owlerton for Govan?
What Bailey Cadamarteri would bring to Rangers
Born in Leeds, Cadamarteri joined Sheffield Wednesday as an eight year old, making his senior debut in the EFL Trophy against Leicester City’s under-21s in October 2022.
He did not then feature for the Owls’ first team again for over a year, largely due to surgery, handed his league debut by Röhl against Millwall in November 2023, before scoring his first senior goal during a 3-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers a few weeks later.
He then also netted against Norwich, QPR and Swansea, before spending last season on loan at Lincoln City, scoring eight times in 31 outings for the Imps, his campaign at Sincil Bank cut short by a groin injury suffered mid-way through the season.
Now back at Sheffield Wednesday, given that many of the Owls’ senior players departed during the summer due to financial turmoil, he has started nine of their 12 EFL Championship matches, with the table below documenting his importance to Henrik Pedersen’s side.
Cadamarteri’s stats 25/26
Stats
Cadamarteri
Sheff Wed rank
Minutes
838
7th
Goals
1
4th
Expected goals
1.8
2nd
Shots
20
1st
Shots on target
5
2nd
Big chances missed
2
1st
Key passes
6
5th
Attempted take-ons
23
2nd
Touches in box
39
1st
Stats vs FBref & SofaScore
As the table emphasises, Cadamarteri has been an integral figure for Wednesday this season, scoring during a 2-2 draw with Wrexham at the Racecourse in August.
He has though had the most shots of any Wednesday player, missing two Opta-defined big chances, while over 18% of his total touches have come in the opposition penalty area, showing that he offers an attacking presence.
Meantime, the 20-year-old has also made an interesting choice when it comes to international football.
After representing England at youth level, he switched his allegiance to Jamaica earlier this year, debuting for the Reggae Boyz in Bermuda in September, scoring against Trinidad & Tobago in Kingston a few days later.
Thus, if Steve McClaren’s team collect four points from their two qualifiers in November, again Trinidad & Tobago and then Curaçao, they’ll be heading for a first World Cup since France ’98, which could give Cadamarteri a platform to increase his exposure and market value, currently valued at around £1.1m by Football Transfers.
Ali Maxwell labels the young striker a “finisher” while Röhl, when the pair were still together in South Yorkshire, described him as “dangerous”.
A report by Total Football Analysis agrees, noting that he ‘consistently moves around to find pockets of space’, while praising his ability to ‘occupy spaces intelligently’ and excellent penalty box positioning.
Thus, it is clear that Cadamarteri is a talented young player, one who could well be available for a slashed price, while he may be eager to re-untie with Röhl north of the border.
Summer signing Chermiti has scored only once for Rangers to date, his first goal for anyone since May 2023, looking very unconvincing overall, while fellow centre-forwards Danilo and Bojan Miovski have only two goals to their name so far this season.
Given the dearth of quality in Rangers’ striker department, the young Jamaican international could come in and be first-choice from the word go, firing the Gers up the table.
Rohl could now turn "exciting" Rangers star into his own Shankland at Ibrox
Following Rangers’ 3-1 home win over Kilmarnock on Sunday, has Danny Röhl unearthed an “exciting” attacker who could be their own Lawrence Shankland?
Tottenham Hotspur are a club who are looking to reach the next level under the guidance of Thomas Frank, with the first-team making huge strides since his appointment.
The Dane has largely worked with the players already at his disposal in North London, but he has also delved into the transfer market to bolster his chances of success in the role.
He spent over £100m on new additions during his first window, with Mohammed Kudus already having a huge impact during his first handful of Premier League outings.
The Ghanaian may have cost £55m in the summer, but he’s been worth every penny, as seen by his tally of one goal and four assists – with the latter the joint-highest of any player in the division.
With the January transfer window rapidly approaching on the horizon, the board and manager will be hoping that any new additions could follow in the same vein in North London.
Spurs’ hunt for added signings in the January window
Over the last couple of weeks, a new striker has been firmly in Spurs’ sights, which has led to numerous names being linked with a winter move to join the Lilywhites.
Dušan Vlahović is just one name on their shortlist, with returning Sporting Director Fabio Paratici no doubt playing a key role given his previous stint at Juventus.
He’s not alone in their sights for a new talisman, as Porto star Samu Aghehowa is also another option, but he could be slightly realistic given the £87m release clause within his current contract.
Other areas of the pitch are also being subject to potential investment, with the winger department also one of interest – leading to Brentford star Kevin Schade being named as one target.
According to CaughtOffside, Paratici is already working on a potential deal for the German, who joined the Bees back in 2023 under Frank’s tenure at the helm.
Another report states that Keith Andrews’ side are reluctant to offload the 23-year-old in the coming months, but could listen to offers in the region of €55m (£48m) for his signature.
Why Spurs’ £48m target could end Johnson’s Spurs career
Brennan Johnson’s time at Spurs has been a rollercoaster to say the least, with the winger often a hugely inconsistent figure within the Spurs first-team.
He joined in a £47.5m deal from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, but came under huge fire from the fanbase for his lack of impact in the first 12 months in North London.
However, his Europa League-winning goal and total of 18 efforts last year subsequently papered over the cracks of his career with the Lilywhites – as seen during the early stages of 2025/26.
The Welsh international has since dropped down the pecking order after Kudus’ arrival, often showing he can’t be relied upon to provide the goods by Frank.
His latest showing showcased his struggles, as Johnson scored the opener against FC Copenhagen, but was subsequently sent off for a rash tackle in the second half.
The manager will no doubt be disappointed with the winger after his actions in the Champions League, which in turn could only fuel rumours over a winter move to land Schade.
When comparing the German’s stats with those of Johnson from the ongoing campaign, he’s managed to outperform him in key areas, which could push the Welshman further down the pecking order.
Schade, who’s been labelled a “world-beater” by Dietmar Hamann, has already achieved a higher tally of combined goals and assists in the Premier League this season.
He’s also placed more of his shots on target so far in 2025/26, arguably making him a more efficient and effective option within in the final third for Frank in North London.
How Schade & Johnson compare in 2025/26
Statistics (per 90)
Schade
Johnson
Games played
10
10
Goals & assists
3
2
Shot on target accuracy
46%
40%
Key passes
1.2
0.7
Shot-creating actions
1.6
1.4
Take-on success
32%
25%
Carries into final third
1.1
0.7
Aerials won
2.8
0.4
Stats via FBref
The German’s talents are further reflected in his higher take-on success rate and tally of key passes completed per 90 – subsequently offering the Lilywhites a phenomenal creative outlet.
His creativity, coupled with his goalscoring prowes,s could make Schade an excellent addition, potentially putting an end to Johnson’s spell at the club as a result.
Frank’s previous stint working with the youngster could also hand the manager another reason to prioritise him over Johnson, with the Dane having the keys to unlocking Schade’s success.
At just 23, he has bags of time to improve in the years ahead, potentially replacing Johnson and playing a key role in any success during the Frank reign at Spurs.
Spurs star is now "very similar to Saka" and he's better than Johnson
Tottenham Hotspur already have a star who could reach the levels achieved by Bukayo Saka.
Spinner takes six wickets as Somerset come close to leaving visitors in deep relegation trouble
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Sep-2025
Archie Vaughan finished with six wickets•Getty Images
Hampshire 172 (Leach 7-69) and 201 for 8 (Sundar 46, Gubbins 37, Vaughan 6-96) drew with Somerset 454 for 8 dec (Aldridge 180, Abell 118, Overton 50*) Nick Gubbins led a determined rearguard action as Hampshire eased their relegation fears with a battling draw on the final day of the Rothesay County Championship Division One match with Somerset at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.The experienced left-hander faced 203 balls to score 37 and shared a crucial fourth-wicket stand with skipper Ben Brown that occupied 40 overs after their side had begun the day on 35 for one, needing a further 247 runs to avoid an innings defeat.Washington Sundar top-scored with 46 as Hampshire fought their way to 201 for eight by the close, despite the best efforts of Somerset off-spinner Archie Vaughan, who finished with a career-best six for 96 from 50 overs, and Jack Leach, whose two for 40 from 49.5 overs, including 33 maidens, gave him match figures of nine for 109.Somerset took 16 points from the game to consolidate third place in the First Division table, while the eight points for the draw plus two bowling points meant Hampshire stayed out of the bottom two going into the final round of fixturesThe visitors had added only two to their overnight score when Vaughan struck the first blow for Somerset, Fletcha Middleton getting an inside edge to be caught at leg slip by Kasey Aldridge.It was soon clear that Hampshire were going to rely on application, concentration and skilful defence to avoid defeat. Toby Albert had faced 52 balls to score ten when pinned lbw on the back foot by Vaughan with the total on 57.At times, Somerset had as many as seven fielders crowded around the bat for Vaughan and third day hero Jack Leach, but Gubbins and Brown displayed solid resistance to take the score to 82 for three off 57 overs at lunch.The pattern continued in the afternoon session, Brown surviving a tough stumping chance to James Rew off Vaughan when on 16. It was a rare moment of anxiety as the fourth-wicket partnership continued to frustrate all Somerset’s efforts to force another breakthrough.The second new ball made the difference. After Craig Overton had taken it from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End, bowling in tandem with Leach, skipper Lewis Gregory soon recalled Vaughan to his attack with almost immediate effect.The sixth over with the new ball saw Gubbins push forward defensively as he had done successfully on numerous occasions, only to edge in the direction of Aldridge, fielding in a kneeling position at a close-in gully. Out went a right hand to take the ball fractionally before it pitched and the reflex catch reignited Somerset’s victory hopes.Gubbins had battled away for three hours and three quarter hours, barely risking an attacking shot in an innings perfectly suiting his team’s situation and the stand of 67 with Brown had proved hugely frustrating to Somerset.But there was still time before tea for Leach to strike Brown on the back pad and earn an lbw verdict after the Hampshire captain had faced 128 deliveries. At 129 for five, Hampshire were back in a position of peril.The final session saw Sundar bat with authority, counter-attacking when possible and striking 9 fours before being bowled through the gate by a ball from Vaughan that went on with the arm from around the wicket.Felix Organ then added studiously to the Hampshire resistance, facing 82 balls for his four runs before falling to another brilliant close-in catch, this time from substitute fielder Josh Thomas off Leach, with less than half an hour left to play.The tension grew when James Fuller, who had played solidly to reach 20, was bowled between his legs by Vaughan to become the bowler’s sixth victim. But Keith Barker and Kyle Abbott saw out the final 15 minutes to seal a potentially huge day in their side’s season.