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Andrew Flintoff is set to make an early return to action in Lancashire’s National League match against Middlesex, at Lord’s on Sunday. Early indications were that he would not return to competitive action until mid-May and although he will only be playing as a batsman his comeback will be a boost to the England camp ahead of the Ashes.Flintoff underwent ankle surgery after returning from England’s Test series against South Africa at the end of January. He was originally given a timescale of around 12 weeks before he would be ready to play again, but he was worked intensively with Dave Roberts, the former England physio, and has been given permission to play by Dr Peter Gregory, the ECB’s chief medical officer.”I’m desperate to the back in action,” Flintoff told . “It’s over 10 weeks since I’ve had a game but I’ve felt in decent form in practice and I just want to get going again.”Dr Gregory visited Flintoff in Bolton and at Old Trafford where he bowled six overs in the nets. Mike Watkinson, the Lancashire cricket manager, said: “Dr Gregory spent time with Freddie watching him bat and bowl and there were no mishaps – he looks ready to play. It will be a boost for us but even more so for him because he has reached saturation point in his rehabilitation programme and just wants to get out there again with his bat.”If Flintoff gets through the National League match without any reaction he could make his first-class return in Lancashire’s County Championship clash with Worcestershire at New Road, starting on April 27. However, he will still miss England’s two Tests against Bangladesh.

At the Wanderers, Johannesburg the decision to put the Eagles in to bat first paid off for the Lions as they successfully chased down a target of 221, winning by 5 wickets and closing the gap at the top of the Standard Bank Cup table.Stephen Cook, batting right through the Lions innings, scored a match winning 87 not out while Dumisa Makalima waded in with 40 not out off 30 balls as the pair put on 68 for the sixth wicket to take the Lions through in 42.3 overs. Thandi Tshabalala, the 21 year old offspinner, was the most successful Eagles bowler picking up 3 for 51.The Eagles innings never gained any momentum until Johan van der Wath came in at number seven. Smashing 70 not out off 48 balls with four boundaries and five sixes he shared a 74-run partnership with Boeta Dippenaar (42) as the two brought some respectability back to the Eaglestotal of 220 for 7.The Titans retook the lead on the Standard Bank Cup table after a six-wicket win against the Warriors at Willowmoore Park, Benoni.Sent in to bat first the Warriors could only manage 186 for 8 as Dale Steyn, taking 3 for 29, made things very difficult at the top of the innings. Robin Petersen put together a useful 56 but could not find a willing partner as wickets fell at regular intervals.The Titans innings started exactly as ordered with Goolam Bodi (56) and Alviro Petersen (72) putting on 133 in 21.3 overs for the first wicket. Petersen, building quite a reputation for himself, hit 10 boundaries and a six. Two wickets from Robin Petersen was never going to be enough tosave the warriors with the Titans winning in 34.1 overs and earning the bonus point.Rain interruptions at Kingsmead, Durban saw a reduction in overs in an exciting tied match between the Dolphins and the Cape Cobras. To add to the rain the lights also failed reducing the overs even further.The Dolphins nearly blew away a semi-final spot as they set after the target of 195 off 39 overs and then 185 off 36. Doug Watson scored a solid 55, but scoring it off 88 balls increased the pressure on the following batsmen. With the crowd calling for Lance Klusener at the fallof every wicket, he left it till there was six wickets down, 39 runs and 26 balls remaining before he came to the crease and was run out for one. It was left to Duncan Brown, 27 off 25 balls, and Robert Frylinck, 18 off 8 balls, to get the Dolphins to within one run of victory.The interruptions had not done the Cobras innings any good as they lost wickets at each resumption of play but Derrin Bassage maintained his concentration scoring 81 out of a total of 193 in the 39 overs available. He was well supported by Con de Lange (30) and VernonPhilander (33 not out) while Andrew Tweedie was the pick of the Dolphins bowlers taking 3 for 47.

Rarely, through the bizarrely grueling itinerary this tour has charted, has cricket and all its pre-match rituals – the scouring of the ground, pre-match press conferences, press box arrangements, coming to the stadium in the morning – been as unpleasant an experience as it has in Jamshedpur.This is not intended as a slight on the city; it is an admirable construct and a curious blend of drab industry with pleasant foliage. In any case, the schedule is such that if sightseeing stretches beyond your hotel room wall, consider it a luxury. The residents of the city and the fans too are blameless.Although there is little that is inspiring about the Keenan Stadium – certainly not the hastily constructed rickety extra bamboo stands – it holds intrigue. Maybe it is the plumes of smoke drifting out of the steel mills blending into abundant greenery. Or perhaps it is because of its capacity; it holds only 20,000 and feels even more compact.And until Indian wickets began tumbling, the crowd at least had been an energetic one. Then, their energies were expended towards the exit, not a graceless departure, but a regrettable one nonetheless. They had been fitfully non-partisan and sporting, heartily acknowledging the arrival of Inzamam, politely clapping Pakistani boundaries and generously clapping Salman Butt’s century. The missile thrown onto the field in the 11th over was, thankfully, a solitary and minor aberration.So why will Jamshedpur be less than fondly remembered? Partially at least because, until yesterday afternoon, it looked barely capable of handling one journalist let alone the traveling circus that accompanies an India-Pakistan match. The press gallery, situated worryingly just above the sight-screen just to please Sachin Tendulkar, was full of those chairs with arm-rests more commonly associated with exam halls. No tables for laptops let alone plug points for them in sight. The media communication centre, bereft of phone lines and PCs was used for the pre-match press conference. The Pakistan Radio commentary team didn’t have a box until they rented a tent on top of the pavilion the night before the game.Was the Keenan stadium really fit to hold an international match of this magnitude? Obviously the PCB’s venue inspection team had thought so in February.But the Jharkhand State Cricket Association, to their credit, at least managed to get the press gallery into a minimum working order. They remained limited – we weren’t sure whether there was a scorer or not for Pakistan’s innings – but local staff were at least willing. And at least they provided snacks and a much-needed lassi in the morning session.No, the real basis of the distaste that Jamshedpur will unfortunately leave originates from the overbearing officiousness of almost all the security personnel. Actually officiousness is possibly too polite a word. At every level, every instance, in the ground, outside it, at team hotels, various police and private security forces have been obnoxious, antagonistic, disinterested and rude. If you asked them for directions they snorted gruffly, if you asked to be let through somewhere, they would be virulently obscurantist, even after passes had been shown.The day before the game journalists weren’t allowed onto the field during practice. The local association said it was under police orders not to. The police said they knew nothing about it but wouldn’t let journalists go on. Yet on the field, during practice, were families, happily strolling around, hunting autographs and taking pictures with players. Some of these fans left the ground later in police cars.Despite having arranged an interview with a team member in the afternoon, upon turning up at the hotel, I was brusquely evicted by a senior police official, trippy on power. My crime was to have forgotten to arrange the interview through him, now obviously an ad-hoc hotel media manager. “My job is not a pleasant one so don’t expect me to be pleasant,” he explained. No argument, no pass, nothing – out. So the stone-throwing incident on the team bus had concurrently rattled and raised stakes, but was there the need to be as abrupt, as obstinate and just so rude? Could not a little courtesy have been extended?Outside Keenan Stadium this morning, policemen were little more than uniforms on pot-bellied sticks, unwilling to help with directions but more than willing to become obstacles to entry. I asked one for directions to the media entrance as no maps or directions were forthcoming. He huffed that he didn’t know but that I should immediately turn around and go. Where? No answer.It’s not so much that they were like this. Police and security personnel, after all, are rarely polite in this part of the world but what has been shocking is how deeply it permeated. It wasn’t just one incident of surliness, it was sustained at every level and at every opportunity.Coming as it did on the back of a trouble and hassle-free tour, on the back of Cochin and Visakhapatnam – small venues which many thought wouldn’t be fit to host a tour as momentous as this but which had coped so well – it was surprising, unfortunate, unnecessary and ill-timed.

Brett Lee has been included in Australia’s 14-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy and the Videocon Trophy against Pakistan and India in Amsterdam, AAP has reported. But Adam Gilchrist will be missing from the first tournament, as his wife is expecting their second child, and will only play in the Champions Trophy. Brad Haddin will take his place for the Videocon Trophy.Lee underwent ankle surgery after sustaining an injury during a first-class game in Sri Lanka in March, and was out of cricket for more than three months, before rejoining the Australian squad for net practice at Cairns. He is also expected to visit the MRF Pace Foundation in an effort to prepare himself for the upcoming Test series against India.Allan Border, a selector, had said that Lee would be hard-pressed to reclaim his place after Michael Kasprowicz had performed well against Sri Lanka at both, home and away. In any case, Kasprowicz has been named in the squad as well, with Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie taking up the role of the senior fast bowlers. Brad Hogg is the sole specialist spinner, while Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds and Darren Lehmann will provide backup.Fox Sports website quoted Lee as saying: “I have been working really hard since the setback in Sri Lanka. After the initial disappointment of that injury, I focused all my energies into getting back for the ICC Champions Trophy, which is really the only one-day tournament that has so far eluded us. I guess the whole break has given me a chance to reflect on the past five years and assess where my career is.”The ankle feels fine, my body feels fresh and I just can’t wait to pull on an Australian uniform again.”The team, led by Ricky Ponting, is a formidable one even without Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, and the batting line-up – consisting of Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Lehmann, Symonds, Clarke, and bowlers who can bat – makes for an intimidating presence on the field.It’s not news that Australia have dominated most Test teams in recent years, but in one-dayers, the gulf is even bigger. Since January 1, 2003, the team has won 44 out of 53 one-dayers, and with Pakistan starting under a new coach, and India struggling to find form, Australia are pretty much favourites for the Videocon Trophy, which begins on August 21.Squad Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist (wk), Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke, Ian Harvey, Brad Hogg, Shane Watson, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz, Glenn McGrath.

The back page of today’s Adelaide Advertiser provided a mocking commentary on a dismal week for England’s cricketers. “L-Plater,” gloated the headline accompanying “the photos they didn’t want you to see” – photos of England’s broken spearhead, Steve Harmison, walking through his wonky action in Tuesday’s one-on-one coaching session with Kevin Shine. When England boasted in the build-up to the series of the youth and vigour of their squad, they never quite envisaged that one of their most important assets would be sent back to school for remedial work.”It’s hard to watch somebody struggling, especially in front of a lot of people when they are getting abused from all sides,” said Matthew Hoggard, Harmison’s new-ball partner on that first morning at the Gabba. “He openly admits he didn’t bowl well, but he’s worked hard – he was down here yesterday and again at 8.30 this morning. He’s been putting in the hard yards and I think we’ll see a different Steve Harmison come Friday morning.”England’s first full training session at the Adelaide Oval was a vigorous work-out, with Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and Sajid Mahmood all cranking through the gears in a bid to lift England’s prospects ahead of the second Test. But so far in this series it is the Dad’s Army of Australia that has gone about its work with real energy and enthusiasm, something that Matthew Hayden attributed directly to the Ashes defeat of 2005.”We were hungry and ruthless at the Gabba, but it was everything Australia had promised over a 14-month period,” he said, referring to his team’s wake-up call last summer. “It was a very good and convincing win, but our attitude remains that we are second still. We’ve got a point to prove and an unquenchable thirst, and the simple recognition of that fact will stand us in good stead throughout the series.”It’s little wonder Australia are so upbeat. They have just swapped one stronghold at the Gabba for another at Adelaide – a ground where they have won nine of their last 11 Tests, dating back to England’s win in the 1994-95 series. In that time there has been just one draw and one freakishly high-scoring defeat, against the Indians in 2003-04. “Batting here is such an important part of the game,” Hayden added, just to underline the cruel importance of Friday’s toss. “Whatever you do first here is so crucial to the game.”

“We’re here to win,” added Hayden, bullish sentiments that Hoggard, on England’s behalf, couldn’t quite bring himself to share. “It’s important we don’t lose,” was his underwhelming call to arms. It was understandable in the circumstances, but nevertheless it was several worlds away from the in-your-face attitude that this same squad of players – give or take a few notable exceptions – had shown in the same circumstances in 2005. England are playing with their tails between their legs, and that has been as apparent in their off-field comments as their on-field actions.Even so, it’s unlikely England’s toiling bowlers could have chosen a less hospitable venue for such a make-or-break encounter. The cracked, dry heat of South Australia makes for a lower-bouncing, more batsman-friendly surface, although Hoggard vowed to call on all his experience – particularly his arduous, accurate spells on the subcontinent – to carry England through a pivotal five days.Both Hoggard and Hayden were mystified as to why the new ball had not swung on that first morning at the Gabba, although the drier Adelaide surface should offer some reverse swing by way of compensation. That brings Mahmood very much into the reckoning for his first outing, but it seems more likely that England will opt to play both their spinners, Ashley Giles and Monty Panesar.Hayden, however, didn’t appear overly alarmed by the threat posed by the pair – he was so laid-back, in fact, he seemed to mistake Panesar, his old county colleague, for an offspinner. “We’re not overly concerned, because there’s not a lot of threat with either of those two players,” he said, before adding: “Monty’s a good young cricketer who bowls with beautiful flight, very similar to Daniel Vettori’s from New Zealand, only with a different arm.” Vettori and Panesar, of course, are both left-arm spinners.Adelaide’s short square boundaries – 60 metres on either side of the wicket – can be an inviting target when spinners and wayward fast bowlers are in operation, but Hayden refused to get carried away by the momentum that Australia has already gathered in this series. “The thing about batting is it’s such a reactive game,” he said. “You can only bat how they bowl. I think we’ll be looking to play pretty straight as always, and if we have to run a bit more than we’d like to, so be it.”Meanwhile, the buzzword in the England camp this week is “fight”. Flintoff spoke of it in his post-Gabba press conference; Panesar and Mahmood were both pugilistic in their respective columns for Cricinfo and the , and today Hoggard also had his fists up for the cause. “We need to go out and show the Australians we’re here to fight,” he said. “England have shown good resolve and the ability to bounce back in the past and that’s exactly what we need to do this time.”

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Andrew Strauss became only the fourth player to score a Test century on debut at Lord’s to put England on top in the first Test. After New Zealand were bowled out for 386 shortly before lunch, boosted by a whirlwind innings from Chris Cairns, Strauss scored a memorable 112 on his home ground, and put on 190 with Marcus Trescothick as England closed on a healthy 246 for 2.Apart from that thumping thunderbolt of a knock by Cairns – 82 from 47 balls – in which time he went past Viv Richards for the most sixes ever hit in Tests, it was unquestionably England’s day. Stephen Harmison helped wrap up the tail with three quick wickets in the morning, and then Trescothick and the impressive Strauss put their side in control with a commanding batting display.It couldn’t have gone much better for Strauss, who joined several exclusive clubs. He became the first England player to score a hundred on Test debut since Graham Thorpe in 1993, and the first Middlesex player to do so for England at Lord’s (indeed no Englishman had ever scored a Test-debut century on his home ground before). He also became the second Englishman, behind John Hampshire, to score a debut ton on this ground, and the second Middlesex cricketer to make a century in his first Test match, after Pelham Warner against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1898-99.Strauss must have had a few extra nerves jangling when he came out to bat shortly before lunch. However, he was in good touch from the off and looked like an old hand. He was surprisingly assured for a debutant, driving well through the off side, and also quick to pick off anything on his legs. He was positive from the start, smacking Chris Martin through the covers, and then lifting him over gully for his half-century.His confidence then grew and grew, and Martin, in particular, came in for punishment as Stephen Fleming was left scratching his head for ideas to break Strauss’s impressive partnership with Trescothick. Strauss did have one spot of bother when, on 74, he was nearly run out by Mark Richardson at short leg after coming down the track to Daniel Vettori. He continued to make good progress towards his century, but became stuck in the nervous nineties – and also survived an enormous slice of luck at 91, when he inside-edged Martin firmly onto his off stump, but the bails miraculously stayed put as the ball flew for four.He spent all of 40 minutes scratching around in the nineties, but it was worth the wait when he stroked Martin through the covers to start the celebrations. Strauss punched the air and took off his helmet as the crowd rose to their feet. He even got a handshake from Fleming, the New Zealand captain and a former Middlesex team-mate. His adventure finally came to an end, though, when he clipped Vettori, via his pad, to Richardson at short leg with four overs remaining (239 for 2).Strauss’s enthralling entrance to Test cricket rather overshadowed the captain Trescothick’s innings, which was all about timing and placement. As usual, he didn’t move his feet much, but waited for the ball to come to him. He got going by punching Daryl Tuffey down the ground for four, and then cut Jacob Oram to the boundary in the next over. Not even Cairns could repeat his earlier heroics with the ball, as he was cut and driven with ease. Trescothick then signalled his half-century, and the hundred partnership, with a crunching cover-drive off Martin. Trescothick received the applause, but he was quick to thank Strauss at the other end.However, Oram finally put a smile on the New Zealanders’ faces when Trescothick nibbled at an awayswinger through to Brendon McCullum, the wicketkeeper, for a captain’s innings of 86 (190 for 1).Mark Butcher survived a few close shouts for lbw before the close, but he played an important part in helping Strauss before finishing on 22 not out at the end of a good day’s work for England, started by Harmison under early gloomy skies. Harmison struck on his fifth ball of the day when Oram nicked him through to Geraint Jones for 67 (287 for 6). But just when England managed to get rid of one big hitter, another one, in the form of Cairns, strode to the crease with intent.

He walloped Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones all round Lord’s with some outrageous and extravagant strokes. But the fun really started as he approached a lightning half-century, which he notched up from only 37 balls by flicking Jones over midwicket. Jones was then deposited into the Mound Stand for six, and then Cairns somehow squirted Harmison over point for another. That shot took him to 84 Test sixes, equal with Richards at the top of the list.The six which took him clear was probably one of the highest of the 85, over square leg. For good measure, he hit the next one into the crowd over point. Andrew Flintoff did get his man the third time, when Cairns went for another big one, but scooped it down to fine leg, where Harmison took a good running catch to close the innings.Cairns’s cameo was all the more important considering the tumble of wickets around him. Tuffey, the nightwatchman, was bowled all ends up by Harmison (324 for 7), McCullum inside-edged a Jones half-tracker into his stumps (329 for 8), and Vettori also played on, to Harmison, for 2 (338 for 9).

New South Wales 4 for 255 (Bevan 110*, Katich 53) trail Tasmania 322 (Dighton 69, Clingeleffer 53, Mason 51, Lee 5-124) by 67 runs
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A Michael Beavan hundred put New South Wales in a solid position at the end of the seocnd day of their Pura Cup match against Tasmania at the SCG. Bevan hit an unbeaten 110 to guide NSW to 4 for 255 in reply to Tasmania’s first innings of 322.As debate rages over whether Martin Love, Michael Clarke, Darren Lehmann or Brad Hodge should replace Steve Waugh in the Australian Test team next summer, Bevan proved he remained one of the most prolific batsmen in the country.He’s never even mentioned as a Test candidate these days, but with an average of 76 in the Pura Cup last season, a wealth of international one-day experience, more than 9,000 first-class runs, renowned calmness under pressure and limitless ambition, his claims are probably as good as anyone’s.Supposedly suspect against the short ball, Bevan pulled a bouncer from the sharpish Andrew Downton to reach his 59th first-class century. It was his 25th first-class ton at the SCG, three more than Sir Donald Bradman and Alan Kippax.Still a regular in the Australian limited-overs side, Bevan said at the start of the season he hadn’t given up hope of wearing the baggy green cap again. He’s probably on the wrong side of 30 years of age, though. While Steve Rixon, NSW’s coach, can count on Bevan in a mini-crisis, he must be pulling his hair out over Mark Waugh.Waugh, having one last season before retirement, came up with another frustratingly short but sweet innings when his side needed something more substantial. Blessed with all the natural talent in the world and a long and illustrious Test career, Waugh was expected to be a force to be reckoned with as NSW attempted to defend the Cup this season.Arriving at the crease at 3 for 99, Waugh got off the mark first ball with a trademark flick off his legs to the fence, then peeled off four more quick boundaries to reach 20 in a hurry. He didn’t have a hair out of place.But on 28, when he was making it all look so easy, he missed a seemingly innocuous ball from medium-pacer Adam Griffith to be clean bowled.NSW were rescued from the perils of 2 for 29 by Simon Katich (53) and Bevan in a 70-run partnership. Bevan and Waugh put on 61, then Bevan and Dominic Thornely conspired to put on 95 runs late in the day.Brett Lee finished with 5 for 124 from 30 overs in a promising effort ahead of his certain Test recall next week. Rightly or wrongly, there’s little hope of Bevan joining him.

50 overs Australia 5 for 205 (Gilchrist 75, Symonds 73) beat India 203 (Yuvraj 47, Lee 3-22) by five wickets
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Brett Lee’s searing spell in the morning set the tone and the Adam Gilchrist-Andrew Symonds pair completed the dominance as Australia walloped India by five wickets with 18 overs to spare at the WACA in Perth. After Lee had caused India all sort of problems, they did well to muster 203, and when Australia lost three early wickets aupset was briefly on the cards. But then a whirlwind partnership between Gilchrist (75) and Symonds (73) left them bereft of ideas and completely battered.The two came together when Michael Clarke (2) had attempted to drive through the covers and edged a simple catch to Virender Sehwag at first slip (3 for 37). Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn had already departed to acrobatic catches; Rohan Gavaskar pulling off a reflex grab diving to his right and VVS Laxman stretching full-length at second slip (2 for 16).Gilchrist was dropped in the second over of the innings, slashing wildly at a wide ball from Ajit Agarkar, and what a costly miss that proved for the Indians. In the next over from Irfan Pathan he pierced the field with a similar slash and followed it up with a rollicking six over backward square leg. Agarkar and Pathan served up some wide half-volleys and he blitzed a few sizzling square-drives. Going down on one knee, Gilchrist used the full arc of the bat and pounded the fence with regularity.Once Symonds came in, India were bombarded from both ends. Barring Lakshmipathy Balaji, who bowled a very accurate spell in the face of brutal hitting, the rest sprayed it around and played into the batsmen’s hands. Symonds received half-volleys with plenty of width and smashed them freely through cover. Neither batsmen ducked when the ball was pitched short, and just swivelled back and swatted it away. Symonds took a special liking to Murali Kartik and deposited one of his flighted balls onto the rooftop at midwicket. The 15.1 overs that they batted produced 122 runs before Symonds pulled Pathan to midwicket and Laxman caught a sharp chance (4 for 159). Gilchrist hit 11 fours and a six and Symonds smashed 11 fours and two mighty sixes. Gilchrist fell soon after, top-edging a cut to Balaji at third man (5 for 165), but Michael Hussey (17), on debut, and Simon Katich (18) ensured that the target was reached without further alarms.Earlier in the day, India had been restricted to 203 largely due to a blistering spell of fast bowling from Lee (3 for 22). Clearing the 150 kph mark with ease, Lee troubled all the batsmen by mixing up his length while maintaining an accurate line. A few perished trying to jab and flirt with deliveries probing on the off-stump line. Sachin Tendulkar (5) got a peach of a ball that pitched on off and just seamed away a bit to clip the edge of the bat (1 for 20). Laxman (1) didn’t have too much of a clue in his short stay at the crease and edged a short ball fishing outside off (2 for 32). Sourav Ganguly, who might have regretted his decision to bat first, resorted to some wild swinging when he was peppered with the short stuff but fell victim as he poked at one that bounced steeply (4 for 57).Sehwag’s breezy 32, including some ferocious driving, and Yuvraj Singh’s 47 were primarily responsible for India posting a modest total. Yuvraj’s shot-selection was near perfect and he showed that the pitch wasn’t a vicious one by any means. He didn’t flinch when hit high on the arm by Brad Williams, and answered the very next ball with a glorious square-drive. He pasted Symonds to midwicket with a pull but fell soon after to the same bowler. He chased a wide one and handed Gilchrist an easy chance (8 for 142).Before this dismissal, Gavaskar’s off stump was cleaned up by a screaming straight one from Lee and Agarkar (9) was run out after a 39-ball struggle. The total was shored up by Kartik (32) and Pathan (20) who eked out some valuable runs, with Balaji (11) providing some good support at the end.Gilchrist and Symonds ensured that the total wasn’t even close to enough. No arguments about which team won the psychological brownie points before they clash again in the finals.

Bangladesh A won the deciding game of the five-match series after posting a challenging 240 for 8 in 40 overs. Zimbabwe lost wickets regularly and were all out for 188. Manjarul Islam played a pivotal role in both innings, first with his unbeaten 40, and then with two wickets that knocked the wind out of Zimbabwe A.Al Shahriar, opening the innings for Bangladesh, was at it again with his third consecutive fifty, and he partnered Alok Kapali in a third-wicket stand worth 46. Kapali’s all-boundary innings of 24 ended when Thinashe Panyangara trapped him in front of the stumps. Islam’s innings followed, and late order cameos boosted the team total.Trevor Gripper’s (35) dismissal highlighted the difference between himself and the other batsmen. After he fell, Zimbabwe’s batsmen all but surrendered, and only Richard Simms (36) showed the stomach for a fight. However, it required a greater collective effort if they were to win it. But Bangladesh’s spinners, Abdur Razzak, Jamaluddin, and Islam, denied them any chances, picking up two wickets each to restrict the team to 188.***Zimbabwe A levelled the five-match series at two-all with a 16-run victory over Bangladesh A after putting up 275 for 9. Faisal Hossain smashed an unbeaten 74 off 62 balls, but the constant fall of wickets left him short of partners at the end, and Bangladesh A got to 259 all out.Alester Maragwede, Zimbabwe A’s captain, elected to bat first. His openers justified the decision by putting on 67 within 10 overs before Abdur Razzak broke through, having Piet Rinke stumped. Brendon Taylor went on to 72, hitting eight fours and a six before being run out. Elton Chigambura then struck a half-century and struck a vital partnership with Richard Simms, who scored 49. Razzak was the most successful bowler for Bangladesh, with 4 from 54 from 10 overs.Bangladesh lost an early wicket, but Al-Shahriar struck his second consecutive fifty. A collapse followed his dismissal, but Hossain took over with his whirlwind knock and took his team close. His knock, which contained seven fours, earned him the match award.

Michael Vaughan has been appointed as England’s new Test captain after an emotional Nasser Hussain stood down at the end of the first Test at Edgbaston. Hussain keeps his place in the team for the second Test at Lord’s starting on Thursday, with England’s selectors naming an unchanged XI.Hussain, 35, explained that he had “grown tired” after four years as captain. This announcement comes less than five months after he resigned the one-day captaincy following England’s World Cup exit.Hussain told the post-match news conference at Edgbaston that he felt the time was right to hand over to Vaughan. “I feel it is coming to a slight change in era,” he said “I think Michael has shown in the last few months that he is a very capable leader and that’s what I have been waiting for. There are some good lads playing under him and the last thing they want is a tired leader.”It’s not the sort of job where you just take the cash and plod on and stand at mid-off. I’ve always felt it’s the sort of job where you have to give it everything. After last winter the stuff that went on off the field and on the field in Australia there were a lot of difficult times. I’ve tried to play these mental games but I found myself out there on Thursday not the kind of captain I wanted.”Hussain, who at times appeared close to tears, dismissed suggestions that he no longer had the full backing of his team-mates. “I never felt I had lost the team,” he insisted. “I never walked out on the field without everyone’s support. A lot of stuff has been written and spoken. I have always had 100% support. It has been nice to have had them [players] behind me.”The captaincy always affects your game. Every England captain will say that. As far as batting goes I am happy to take my chances. You get runs, you get picked, if not you go off to county cricket. I’ve taken the decision, now it’s up to others.”He insisted that he was keen to continue playing for England for as long as the selectors picked him. “I’ll play and get some runs but if David Graveney rings and says I’m not needed I’ll go off and do something else.”I had a chat with the chairman of selectors this morning, I left the coach out of it. Basically I just want to go back to being a batsman, picking my bat up and batting if I’m good enough to stay in the Test side. I’d love to carry on playing, I’d love to play 100 Test matches. I just want to be treated like how I’ve treated my players in the last few years.””I’ve had many highlights … any moments where we have won and been together have been good. Any little plan that comes off cheers you up.I have been thinking about this since the end of the World Cup. No one then knew who the real successor was – now we have seen Vaughan.”Asked how he would like to be remembered, Hussain said it was as “someone who tried his hardest at all times, someone whose players played for him, not someone who did it just because there was a few quid involved.”Hussain admitted that the wear-and-tear of the job had taken its toll.”Four-and-a-bit years in the job can be a bit repetitive and it tests you mentally. I just felt I wasn’t on the boil. I just felt it was time for someone else to do it.”He hinted that the split captaincy, with Vaughan leading the one-day side, had made his position harder. “It was very difficult for me – my style of captaincy had been about aggression. On my first day back it was very difficult for me to stand up there and do something different to Michael.”Review: The best England captain since Brearley
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