Sussex 370 (Salt 64) and 74 for 2 (Salt 30*, van Zyl 30*) beat Gloucestershire 200 (Bracey 61) and 243 (Dent 72) by eight wickets

For some weeks one contest in the final round of Championship matches has leapt from the fixture list: Somerset entertain Essex at Taunton in an anticipated showdown for the First Division title. But it may well be that an alternative West Country game compels equal attention. The meeting of Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire is a potential play-off for promotion from the second tier.

Three counties will go up this summer and only one come down as the ECB switch from an eight to a ten-team first division from 2020. The consequence is that more candidates are still in the frame to be elevated. Even with Lancashire guaranteed one slot - four more points will mean they go up as champions - as many as five counties are realistically contesting places two and three.

Victory for Sussex at Nevil Road enabled them to climb a place to fifth, now 11 points behind Gloucestershire, who duly slipped from second to third. Northamptonshire moved above them, and are 25 points above Glamorgan, sixth. Things are that tight. The remaining games are:

Northamptonshire (161 points): Durham (Northampton) and Gloucestershire (Bristol)

Gloucestershire (156): Worcestershire (Worcester) and Northamptonshire (Bristol)

Durham (147): Northamptonshire (Durham) and Glamorgan (Chester-le-Street)

Sussex (145): Derbyshire (Derby) and Worcestershire (Hove)

Glamorgan (136): Leicestershire (Cardiff) and Durham (Chester-le-Street)

For the first time in two months, momentum will become a factor. Between mid-July and the latest set of matches, all bar Gloucestershire and Worcestershire played only a single Championship match. Now, they have just a two-day break before the penultimate round, with a three-day gap then before the last. Form, along with fitness and stamina, are now critical.

So, after a run of three losses in mid-season, Sussex are coming good again just in time. Jason Gillespie, the head coach, said: "There are always tough challenges at Bristol, and Gloucestershire are a strong side, but we are scoring runs again and winning. When we had that blip we were poor, especially with the bat. It sounds a simple explanation for what has happened, but it's true."

Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire have signed overseas players specifically for the last three weeks, Shannon Gabriel and Doug Bracewell respectively. Interestingly, Northants turned to Bracewell, who has played for the club before, only after failing to secure Gabriel's West Indies new-ball partner, Kemar Roach. Both counties want that something extra to make a difference.

It backfired for Gloucester as Gabriel conceded 121 runs from 20 wicketless overs in the Sussex first innings and did not bowl in the second, when his new team-mates rushed through to get their over-rate back on schedule and avoid a points deduction. Gabriel did not take the field with Richard Dawson, the head coach, suggesting that the bowler was "a bit under the weather".

Sport is not short of cases where a star name is drafted into a side to the detriment of team equilibrium. Faustino Asprilla's ill-fated signing for Newcastle United in 1996 is the prime example. But Dawson offered a sympathetic view. "He steps off a plane, everyone has expectations and obviously he wants to do well," he said. "It is one of those things. He had pace and he bowled balls that went past the outside edge and troubled the batsmen."

Gillespie confirmed that Sussex will not be in the market for overseas help, and it would be surprising if England allow Jofra Archer to play for them in their final game, against Worcestershire at Hove. Gillespie did reveal, however, that Archer wanted to appear for Sussex in their Blast quarter-final last Friday even though it fell on the third day of the Ashes Test at Old Trafford.

"If he is able to play [against Worcester] we will explore that, but I have absolutely no idea at the moment," Gillespie said. "We will see if he is able and willing. He is always willing. He wanted to play in the Blast quarter. I phoned Trev [Trevor Bayliss, the England coach] to say 'any chance, mate' but he just said 'nope'. We had a little laugh about it."

Gloucestershire themselves may have suffered from playing in the fourth and last of those quarter-finals, only three days before entertaining Sussex. The 20-over loss to Derbyshire on home soil, especially in so emphatic a fashion, must have hit them hard, and Dawson thinks they were simply unable to reproduce their standard level of performance back in red-ball mode.

"Up to this point, we have done well by grinding games out and keeping things simple," he said. "Possibly after the excitement of the T20s we need to remember to keep things simple again. We cannot worry about what is going on in the rest of the country, just concentrate on our own game. It is a tight division because all of the teams can pretty much beat each other."

Of the contenders, Gloucestershire and Glamorgan have been out of Division One for the longest, 14 years. Durham were there as recently as 2017 before being demoted by the ECB and handed a 48-point penalty for 2018. Their success has been based around the pace of Chris Rushworth and Ben Raine, who are both ever-presents and have shared 109 wickets. Promotion would be cheered far outside the county border, though Tom Harrison and Colin Graves would doubtless meet a frosty response from members if they went to Chester-le-Street to congratulate them in person.

Glamorgan have not been the same since Marnus Labuschagne was pulled away by Australia. He is still the leading run-scorer in the division. They must be an outside bet, but a single win may prove enough for Northamptonshire as it would simultaneously dent a rival. That is the positive slant on a run-in versus Durham, then that one against Gloucester. At Bristol, they will have the considerable advantage, as visitors, of bowling first. It may make the difference.

Having established himself as a red-ball player over the years, South Africa batsman Temba Bavuma said he was "surprised" by his call-up to the T20I side to play India later this week.

In a post World Cup shake-up, South Africa had made a number of changes to their squad for this tour, including appointing Quinton de Kock as captain, keeping next year's T20 World Cup in mind. Bavuma, who will function as Faf du Plessis' deputy when the Test series begins on October 2, is extremely keen to showcase his white-ball credentials as well.

"I was surprised to be honest," he said at a press conference in Dharamsala. "Back home there's a perception that I'm a red-ball player. I knew at the back of my mind that white-ball cricket was something I wanted to play. Fortunately from my good performances in the past season this opportunity has come. It has come a bit earlier than I thought. I'm here now and I'd like to do the most I can.

"I'm 29 at the moment. I'm sure when I get the debut I'm going to feel I'm 21 again. I think it's just another opportunity to contribute to the team's winning cause."

Bavuma's selection has come as a result of his recent success in domestic T20s. Since the start of 2018, he has made 491 runs in 19 games. Although he had a poor run in in the Mzansi Super League, where he made just five runs in three innings, he finished the third highest scorer in the CSA T20 challenge earlier this year with 326 runs at an average of 46.57. His maiden T20 hundred came in the final, where he led Lions to a win against Warriors.

"Last year I made a conscious effort to improve my white-ball game," Bavuma said. "I tried to play as many as T20 games as I could in amateur cricket and all the other competitions there. Even in our domestic cricket. And these were the goals that I set. Things that I wanted to achieve and not what other people are saying. You only want to be listening to the voice between your ears as an international player and not all the noise out there."

He also said he wasn't bogged down by all the perceptions people had on him, especially one being that he was best suited only for the longer formats. "As a player you are put through a lot of challenges. There's lot of pressure as an international player. People are quick to label you as certain type of player and that could be a good and a bad thing. Proving people wrong is always an extra bit of motivation."

Wide receiver Torrey Smith delivered a heartfelt retirement announcement on social media Friday morning, wrapping up a career that produced 5,141 yards and two Super Bowl titles.

One of the best deep threats over the past decade, Smith entered this season ranked third in yards per catch among active players. His 16.1-yard average was behind DeSean Jackson (17.4) and Josh Gordon (17.3).

Smith, 30, played eight NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers. Smith's decision comes 12 days after the Panthers cut him.

He announced his retirement in a video posted on the Twitter account Uninterrupted. It was in the form of a letter to the sport.

For those of you who have been wondering why things have been quiet, it was my decision https://t.co/SBdnwVgPyZ

— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) September 13, 2019

"Dear football, I knew this day would come, and to be completely honest, I've been preparing for it my entire career," Smith said. "You and I both knew the game for me wouldn't last forever. It's the NFL circle of life and I'm prepared for what's next."

Smith, a 2011 second-round pick of the Ravens, enjoyed his best seasons in Baltimore. He won a Super Bowl title in 2012 and produced his best season in 2013, when he finished with 65 catches for 1,128 yards and four touchdowns. He had a career-high 11 touchdown receptions in 2014, the season before he left the Ravens in free agency.

One of the most emotional moments of Smith's career came in Week 3 of the 2012 season, when his younger brother Tevin Jones died in a motorcycle accident the morning before a Monday Night Football game against the New England Patriots. To honor his late brother, Smith played and led the Ravens to a 31-30 win by catching six passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

Smith signed with the 49ers in 2015 and never lived up to expectations of a big-money contract. He bounced around three teams in his final four NFL seasons, but he won his second Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2017.

"God put you in my life for a reason, and I'm sure it wasn't about X's and O's," Smith said. "Every catch, every drop, every win, every loss, every trade, every cut -- all of it -- was a part of my journey. But remember, football is what I did. It's not who I am. I'm looking forward to using the platform you have given me to continue to serve my true purpose -- changing my community for the better."

Doug Pederson, Smith's coach with the Eagles, said, "Just want to congratulate him and his family. It's a great opportunity for him in his next chapter of his life. He helped us win a championship and he is a great man."

Smith has been at the forefront of player activism off the field, especially with at-risk youth in Baltimore. He has held annual charity basketball game there even after leaving the Ravens.

"I can't wait to begin my next phase of my life where my heart is and never left -- Baltimore," Smith said in ending his announcement.

The NFL will not place New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown on the commissioner's exempt list at this point, making him eligible to play Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The league has opened an investigation into Brown that will include interviews with the wide receiver and Britney Taylor, Brown's former trainer who filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida on Tuesday in which she accused him of sexually assaulting her on three occasions in 2017 and 2018.

Taylor has scheduled a meeting with the NFL for next week, a source previously told ESPN.

Sources told Schefter that Brown won't be placed on the exempt list, as there is no criminal investigation into Brown.

Asked Friday whether Brown would play, Patriots coach Bill Belichick answered, "We'll do what's best for the team." He later added that the team is trying to get Brown, who signed Monday, up to speed as quickly as possible.

"Long way to go, obviously. Not familiar with our offense," Belichick said of Brown. "The systems he's been in have been quite different. He's working hard to pick it up and we're working hard to get it to him."

On Thursday, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that the Patriots and Oakland Raiders had not been aware of the pending lawsuit against Brown, who had been in discussions with Taylor over the past few months. They had agreed that their communication would remain confidential until the filing of Taylor's sexual assault lawsuit, sources told Fowler.

Brown's lawyer, Darren Heitner, said in a statement Tuesday night that his client and Taylor were involved in a "consensual personal relationship."

After the lawsuit's filing, the Patriots said they were taking the allegations seriously but would not comment further during the NFL's investigation.

On Wednesday, Belichick wouldn't commit to Brown playing, saying the team was taking it "day to day." Since then, Brown has participated in two practices -- with a third to come later Friday -- and has impressed his new teammates.

"AB is AB. We all know what he brings to the table. Excited to have him here," safety Duron Harmon said, adding: "He's doing everything the right way."

Said wide receiver Phillip Dorsett: "He is a hard worker, [has] a lot of energy, a playmaker."

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – In order to help as many racers from across the United States, Canada and Mexico make the Grand Nationals, Briggs & Stratton has worked with Cup Karts of North America to develop its first travel assistance program.

One of the things that many racers say prevents them from coming to an event are the travel costs. For racers traveling 500 miles or more, many times their fuel bill is their largest single expense for the weekend.

“A gas card program allows us to offset some of the cost for our Briggs racers who will be coming great distances to compete in one of the best 206 series at one of the best facilities in the country,” said Dave Klaus, director of Briggs & Stratton Motorsports.

Grand Nationals 3, scheduled for Oct. 4-6 at New Castle (Ind.) Motorsports Park, is not only going to be the largest 4-cycle sprint race for karts this season, but it will also feature the best competitors from all of North America at the same track for the first time.

To help us make this the biggest 4-cycle event in a very long time, Briggs has dedicated $8,000 to fund this gas card promotion! Only pre-registered drivers will qualify for a gas card.

Additional details can be found here.

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – The Korda sisters rocked the first tee together Friday making a spirited entrance at the Solheim Cup while also making some history.

And then they rocked Europe.

Americans Jessica and Nelly Korda, the first sister combination to pair together in a Solheim Cup, won the first two holes of their foursomes match and never looked back in a 6-and-4 rout of Caroline Masson and Jodi Ewart Shadoff.

The Kordas put the first point of the competition on the board.

“It was awesome,” Jessica said. “We had fun starting on the driving range, actually. So, it was really relaxed.”

They walked through the tunnel on the first tee clapping together with smoke spewing around them. Nelly said she has dreamed of that moment together since she followed her big sister in Jessica’s first Solheim Cup, outside Denver, six years ago.

“Ever since Colorado, that was the goal that I set in my mind,” Nelly said. “I think both of us did.

“On the first tee, it was so fun. And we had such a good day, really lighthearted.”

They weren’t the first sisters to play in a Solheim Cup. Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam played together for Europe in 1998. But the Kordas were the first sisters to be paired in the competition.

Jessica, 26, and Nelly, 21, have similar games. They aren’t just two of the longest hitters playing the LPGA. They’re two of the straightest long hitters. At one point this year, they ranked 1-2 in total driving.

Jessica said being alongside Nelly made this start less nerve wracking than it might have been.

“I was definitely a lot more calm than I was the last Solheim Cup,” Jessica said. “So, I think that helped me as well.

“Just joking around with her all day. There's nothing I can say wrong. I know where her buttons are, so I know where not to step, and vice versa. I was very comfortable with myself and just being out there with her.”

U.S. captain Juli Inkster said her inclination was not to play them together, but they showed her they could perform well at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational team event in July. They tied for 12^th there.

Still, Inkster split them up for afternoon fourballs in Scotland.

Lexi Thompson, whose run of nine consecutive matches without a loss in Solheim Cup play ended Friday morning, was paired with Jessica in the afternoon. Brittany Altomare, who played with Thompson in a morning foursomes loss, was paired with Nelly.

“She can put us with anyone and it would be fine,” Jessica said. “I don’t feel like it’s that difficult in terms of how our personalities match up. We have a lot of friends on the team. We all get along.”

Northamptonshire 357 (Keogh 132, Rossington 63, David 4-73) and 142 for 3 beat Leicestershire 308 (Azad 86, Cosgrove 65, Rhodes 61) and 189 (Ackermann 60) by seven wickets

Northamptonshire moved into second place in Division Two after completing a seven wicket victory over Leicestershire in the Specsavers County Championship match at the Fischer County Ground.

Beginning the day on 22-0, with a target of just 141 to win, openers Ben Curran and Rob Newton extended their partnership to 68 before Newton went leg before to an Alex Evans delivery that came back in to the right-hander.

Curran, on 40, edged a flat-footed drive at Will Davis to Colin Ackermann at second slip, and Ackermann picked up a second catch when first innings centurion Rob Keogh edged a drive at left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson.

The odd ball was beginning to turn for Parkinson, but by that stage Alex Wakely was well established, and the vistors' former skipper saw his side across the line with an unbeaten 40.

After a gruelling few months of preparation, South Africa women's head coach Hilton Moreeng feels his team has given itself "a good chance" ahead of the trip to India for five T20Is and three ODIs.

"The preparation building up to the India tour has been very good," Moreeng said. "Playing Bangladesh [in the emerging series] was important because we will face similar bowlers in India."

The South Africa emerging side went down 2-1 to Bangladesh Emerging Players in the one-dayers, but won the three-match T20 series 2-0, with the third match tied. Trisha Chetty topped the batting charts with 153 runs at 51.00 in the one-dayers, while medium-pacer Tumi Sekhukhune shone in the T20s, taking seven wickets at just 9 and an economy of 5.25. Both have been included in South Africa's touring party.

Several members of the national squad took part in the emerging series, as well as spending time at the National Academy in Pretoria. More recently, they came together for a ten-day training camp in Pietermaritzburg to firm up plans ahead of the tour.

"In Maritzburg, we also practised in slow and low conditions," Moreeng explained. "The planning has been spot on, now it's about execution in those tough conditions. But we have given ourselves a good chance."

The trip to India forms an important part of South Africa's preparations for next year's T20 World Cup in Australia, while the three ODIs will provide valuable game time ahead of crunch fixtures in the ICC Women's Championship (IWC), away against New Zealand and at home against Australia.

Allrounder Sune Luus will be captaining both ODI and T20I sides during the India tour, with regular captain Dane van Niekerk having suffered a recurrence of the foot injury - that had kept her out of much of the home summer - during a recent stint in the Kia Super League in England.

"It will be very exciting to see how things go in India where we are playing against one of the top teams and in their conditions," Moreeng said. "If we can do well, I think it can set us up nicely for the season ahead, including our IWC series against New Zealand in January.

"Maritzburg was very good for us. It was sort of a pre-season for us as a team. A lot of the focus was on skill work, not just at the camp but throughout the pre-season at all the different levels. It's very important for us to improve. We want to have a better season ahead, thus the camps and all the planning."

The South Africans endured a poor 2018 T20 World Cup in the West Indies, where they failed to progress to the knockouts. This time around, they will be aiming for much better and the trip to India will aid those preparations.

"The bigger picture is always the World Cup," Moreeng said. "Knowing what is coming, how you're going to test yourself there against a very good team that knows the conditions well. This tour to India will also be about giving youngsters an opportunity knowing that you want to continue growing the team because we know that World Cups are going to come thick and fast now. The IWC is also crucial. It's two-fold for us."

Moreeng believes his squad is now in a much better space in terms of depth compared to 12 months ago. The touring party was named on Monday with unfamiliar faces like Anneke Bosch - who last played for her country nearly three years ago - and the uncapped Nonkululeko Mlaba included. There was also a return for senior players Ayabonga Khaka and Chetty after injuries.

"The youngsters are coming through and I think we can safely say that we have three players per position that are competing," Moreeng said. "This puts us in a better position compared to where we were 12 months ago.

"We also have to look at 2021 when there's another 50 overs World Cup, so have to be thinking long-term. The youngsters coming through also have a great opportunity to play alongside the experienced girls in the squad. Remember some of these girls are playing in T20 leagues and lining up alongside these players is of huge benefit. It's a really exciting time for young girls to be involved in cricket."

T20I squad: Sune Luus (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tasmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Ayabonga Khaka, Lara Goodall, Lizelle Lee, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Mignon du Preez, Lara Wolvaardt

ODI squad: Sune Luus (capt), Anneke Bosch, Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Lara Goodall, Marizanne Kapp, Lizelle Lee, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Mignon du Preez, Lara Wolvaardt