The County Ground at Taunton was today unveiled as the new home of women’s cricket in England.This initiative, the first ever of its kind for women’s cricket, gives the sport a permanent base. One of the key reasons behind the scheme is to assist with the fixtures in the women’s game, for both domestic and international matches. The ECB will endeavour to have domestic finals and key matches at Taunton every season with a view to bringing major domestic tournaments, such as the Challenge Cup and Junior Super 4s to Taunton in the future.At least one women’s international match is guaranteed at the ground every year. Crowds at Taunton have been the best away from Lord’s for women’s internationals ever since it first hosted a match in 1997. Promotion of women’s cricket will be an integral part of Somerset’s advertising and promotional campaign for cricket.Regional events, such as training camps and in particular the South Region winter training sessions, will be held at the cricket school on site at the ground. The regional women’s forums, which take place in October, will also now be hosted there.The new ground development which is planned by Somerset will incorporate suitable facilities for female athletes and the players will have access to all the services on a regular basis. Additionally, the South Women’s Regional Cricket Manager (WRCM) will have an office on site as part of the redevelopment.”Once again England is leading the way with new developments for women’s cricket,” explained Gill McConway, ECB executive director for women’s cricket. “We organised the first cricket World Cup for women and the first ever international Twenty20. We also instigated Super 4s, a competition which other nations are really keen to integrate into their domestic game.”For me this is a huge step for the women’s game – to have a first-class county ground wanting women’s cricket to be an integral part of their future is a definite boost. It’s an especially exciting time as there are stunning new development plans for the ground and to be associated with one of England’s most progressive county schemes can only benefit the game.”It will be the first time the women’s game will have continuity in the grounds where they play as Somerset have guaranteed us an international every year.”Charlotte Edwards, England’s captain, was equally excited. “I’m delighted with the choice of venue,” she told the BBC. “Taunton has always been a favourite ground, both personally and for the team: historically we have always done very well there, so hopefully we can continue that tradition!”I’m really excited about the development of the ground and what that also means for women’s cricket. It’s destined to become a great venue with brilliant facilities and it’s exciting that we’ll be a part of that vision and long-term development.”

Ranjan Madugalle, the chief adjudicator in Inzamam-ul-Haq’s ICC hearing, has called for more diplomacy if a situation similar to The Oval Test between England and Pakistan arises again.At the bottom of his lengthy decision Madugalle, who is also the ICC’s chief referee, says that every effort should be made to continue play before the ultimate call to abandon a match is taken. There is a feeling from the Pakistan camp that Darrell Hair was heavy-handed in the way he explained the situation to Inzamam, and his team, at the team interval and would not enter into any discussion.In his judgment Madugalle said: “The umpires would do everything possible to try to defuse tensions in the dressing-room by explaining that a team is entitled to raise any grievance through the ICC but that it is not in their interests, or in the interests of the game, for the team to interrupt play.”And he continued: “The umpires and other officials should do everything possible to ensure the resumption of play. And they should not return to the field of play and then declare the match to be forfeited unless and until they are absolutely sure that the team is refusing to play the rest of the match. All other options should first be exhausted, involving discussions with the team captains and management.”

Kevin Pietersen says his close friendship with Ashes nemesis Shane Warne doesn’t do him much good at the crease. Pietersen has become good mates with Warne through their time at Hampshire but even though some former Australian Test players frown on them being too ‘pally’ with each other, he says the friendship doesn’t work to his advantage.”I think he wants to get me out more than somebody else, so he can rib me,”Pietersen said. “I don’t think it works to my advantage, because he crosses that white line and I cross the white line and we’re out there playing for our countries and making sure that we go out there and do the best jobs we can. He really goes hard at me and does try to get me out as hard as I try to keep him from getting me out and to see if I can score off him.”Pietersen, now taking on more responsibility batting at No 4 in the England order,had some thrilling battles with Warne in last year’s series in England. He finished England’s leading scorer with 473 runs, crowned by his defining 158 in the final drawn Test at The Oval as England clinched the series and the Ashes after Australia had held them for 16 years.Warne claimed Pietersen’s wicket three times in the last series on the way tocapturing 40 wickets and Pietersen said he sees no reason why both sets of players should not have a drink together after each day’s play and enjoy each other’s company during this series.”If you look at the way the last series was played one of the biggest highlights of the series was when Fred [Flintoff] shook Brett Lee’s hand in Birmingham and the whole media took note of that and the way the series was played was fantastic.”That’s how sport should be played as tough as it is and mentally draining as itwas on the field from nine in the morning to six o’clock that night and then as humanbeings you could have a drink afterwards and chat and you can be friends. In the end I play this game to enjoy it, to challenge myself and to play this game to make friends.”It’s fantastic to know that I can ring up a bloke like Shane Warne after a day’s play and say ‘how do you do this’ and ‘how do you do that?’, speak to the bloke, he’s a legend and there a lot of players who learn from a lot of players. I don’t see any reason why anybody should be fighting and shouting and arguing and complaining and going at each other on and off the field.”

Shivnarine Chanderpaul will be the eighth West Indian to reach the 100-Test milestone when he takes the field for the second Test against Pakistan at Multan. He said he was “very satisfied” to have reached the 100-Test milestone because it is a “goal he had set himself” when he started to play Test cricket.”It’s obviously a great achievement, to actually make it to a hundred Tests knowing how my career has been with a lot of injuries and a lot of ups and downs it is very satisfying,” said Chanderpaul. “I feel happy to make it there yet the game tomorrow is still a Test match and you have to go out there and play so your mind has to be focused on going out there and playing another game.”Twelve years after his debut against England at the Bourda Oval, his home ground, Chanderpaul has accumulated 6617 Test runs and 14 hundreds at an average of 44.70 but still felt he “loves batting more now”. He said that it was desire to “bat all the time” that helped him through the difficult periods in his career.On the eve of his 100th Test and a wealth of experience in his safe, Chanderpaul felt that being more experienced made it easier to bat. “When you’re young it is easier to come out and bat freely with nothing on your mind,” he said. “Now you know more about the game you feel more mature, you feel a little more confident in doing things, you understand more about everything that comes with the game.”Chanderpaul career has had its fair share of troughs because of injuries and other issues. He said it took “a lot of determination and perseverance” to pull through the difficult times the most recent being his resignation from captaincy after the tour of New Zealand in March.”In cricket and in life you have to be disciplined. You have to keep fighting for what you want because nobody is going to get it for you. Even when you make mistakes you cannot sit back and relax, you have to get out there and work on it and avoid making the mistakes again. It’s good to make one or two mistakes, you learn from them and you get better.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out

A sensational spell of seam bowling from Sreesanth inspired a rampage like few others in India’s cricket history, as South Africa were shot out for 84, their lowest total since readmission to the international scene. Only once had a home team capitulated for less against India – Australia collapsed for 83 at Melbourne in 1981, though that was the final innings of the match – as South Africa were positively outplayed on a day where 20 wickets tumbled at the Wanderers.India’s batsmen had a chance to control the game either side of the bowling carnage. Sourav Ganguly almost ran out of partners in the morning, before a surprising burst from No.11 VRV Singh boosted the total to 249 and allowed Ganguly to complete a pugnacious half-century. VVS Laxman’s classy unbeaten 42 stretched the overall lead to beyond 300 as India inched closer to their first Test win in South Africa.History might have pointed to India’s batsmen crumbling against South Africa’s pace battery but their fast bowlers reversed the trend dramatically at the Wanderers, conjuring up an incandescent spell in conducive conditions. And it was largely thanks to Sreesanth’s glittering maiden five-wicket haul.Starting with a peach of an inswinger to dismiss Graeme Smith, then replicating the delivery to the right-handed Hashim Amla, summoning a jaffa to undo Jacques Kallis, screaming past Mark Boucher’s defences and swinging out Shaun Pollock with a fuller one, Sreesanth was simply unstoppable. The seam position rarely wavered, the swing was mostly controlled and the pace was up near the 140 kph mark. In ten overs, he administered to South Africa a dose of their own medicine.Kallis’s dismissal summed up the story. First over after lunch. First ball shaped away and ricocheted off the splice; the second shaped away and turned Kallis inside out; and the third one, the , shaped away yet again, kissed the edge and flew to second slip. It was seam bowling of the highest class and South Africa’s best batsman was made to look like a novice.Sreesanth wasn’t without support. Zaheer Khan’s lifter that accounted for AB de Villiers, taking off from a good length and deflecting off the outstretched bat, was simply unplayable. The fielding – Virender Sehwag’s superb catch at gully and Laxman’s sharp takes at second slip -backed them up spiritedly as India entered unfamiliar territory in an overseas Test. Ashwell Prince and Andre Nel ensured against abject humiliation – Nel frustrated India with both his cross-batted swipes and cheeky outstretched tongue – but Kumble returned, removed the sticky Prince and blasted through Makhaya Ntini’s defences.

It was a frenetic day, one that began with India losing their way and then recovering due to a battling effort from Ganguly and some hilarious slogging from VRV Singh. Ganguly, who continued his composed effort from last evening, appeared to be running out of partners at 205 for 9 but VRV Singh not only provided him valuable support but also crunched a quickfire 29.Ganguly impressed in both attack and defence. A clattered pulled six off the ferocious Ntini was straight out of the memory bank and it was followed by a thumped straight shovel off Kallis. He didn’t farm the strike, allowing VRV Singh a chance to free his arms, and was vindicated by some effective slogs that boosted India’s total. It also allowed Ganguly a chance to get to half-century, a gritty effort in trying circumstances.He played a role in the second dig as well, as India rode on several cameos. Sehwag’s chancy, yet splintering, 29-ball 33 set the tone before Ganguly and Laxman steadied the innings. Laxman was regal in his strokeplay, making exquisite drives and even venturing some confident pulls. A couple of swished straight drives, with the bat in a horizontal position owing to the twist of the wrist, sent gasps around the Bullring.South Africa’s bowlers let them down yet again, favouring a short length on a pitch that demanded pitching it up. Incidentally, Pollock became the first South African, and tenth bowler, to reach the 400-wicket mark, a fully deserving milestone for such a champion peformer. South Africa were expected to have home advantage but they played their part in handing India the advantage on one of the most memorable days in their Test history.Short Cuts
Dileep Premachandran at Jo’burgHighlight of the day: On any given Saturday, it would have been ShaunPollock’s 400th wicket, but today he was eclipsed by a young man who canpoint to a haul of 24 Test wickets from five-and-a-half Tests. Sreesanthwas consistently the quickest bowler on either side, and he hit the seamas effortlessly as Glenn McGrath on a good day. Some atrocious battinghelped, but this was a day that will live long in India’s cricket lore, aday when the quick bowlers outgunned the opposition with their weapons ofchoice.Lowlight of the day: Several of the South African batsmen could tussle forthat accolade, but Herschelle Gibbs probably shades it for the half-asleepshot he played to get out. Lucky for him that it’s Mickey Arthur and notRay Jennings that’s coaching the side.Shot of the day: VRV Singh’s swat off Jacques Kallis that screeched to thecover fence. He batted only 19 balls, but his 29 was still more thananything South African managed.Ball of the day: It takes a special ball to get rid of a great batsman,and Sreesanth produced one to Kallis. It arced in a touch and then movedaway just enough to catch the outside edge. That was half the job done.VVS Laxman did the rest, pouching a superb low catch, even as Gangulydived across him.Catch of the day: Pollock’s stunner at mid-off to send off Mahendra SinghDhoni. Most eyes were already on the boundary rope when the shot was hit,but Pollock threw himself to his left, stuck out the left hand and held ondespite landing fairly heavily.Message of the day: Should have been: “Can we change to colouredclothes?”. South Africa have made tremendous progress as a one-day sideover the past two seasons, but their Test displays have been embarrassingat times. Too many of the players seem to be stuck in a complacent secondgear, a state of affairs that shouldn’t be acceptable.Off the park: All eyes turned to the Indian dressing room as SouravGanguly reached 50 in the first innings. Greg Chappell was on his feet andapplauding, like everyone else. Those who expected anything else appear tohave forgotten that Chappell needs a victory as much as every man in theXI. If they can pull it off, it will be an unparalled achievement.

Ten days ago, the South Africans would have swaggered into Kingsmead like a top gladiator into the Circus Maximus, but after the 123-run capitulation at the Wanderers, the step has become a little less sure, and the brows a little more creased with worry. Apart from Australia, and Pakistan in Azhar Mahmood’s match, no team has won here since South Africa returned from isolation. India drew in 1992-93, on the back of a doughty century on debut from Pravin Amre, but were thrashed in ’96-’97 on a pitch that afforded extravagant movement off the seam.Yet, when confronted with a bit of movement at Johannesburg, it was South Africa that folded tamely, lasting just a few minutes longer than a Twenty20 innings, and Graeme Smith has a huge task on his hands to restore morale ahead of what has become a must-win game. And it wasn’t only the batsmen that let the team down at the Wanderers. With the exception of Shaun Pollock who was quite magnificent, the bowlers bowled far too short, buying into the stereotype of Indian frailty against pace rather than making optimum use of the conditions.Dale Steyn, who was supposed to rattle the cage with the new ball, barely induced a stroke and limped off after 10.1 overs, and with Makhaya Ntini also off-colour, India’s marquee batsmen all produced innings that were worth far more than a cursory look at the scorecard suggests. With the exception of Ashwell Prince, and Jacques Kallis, who got starts in both innings before falling to Sreesanth’s wonderfully controlled swing bowling, no South African batsman could do the same.The rot started right at the top. During his tenure as captain, Smith hasoften led from the front, scoring superb centuries in England and NewZealand that inspired famous victories. Throughout this series though,both he and Herschelle Gibbs have appeared highly suspect, and a change iscertain at Kingsmead. At the press conference on Saturday, Smith confirmedthat AB de Villiers, who opened with him against Australia a few monthsago, would move up the order, with Gibbs moved all the way down to No.6.It will also be massive game for Hashim Amla, who has captainKwazulu-Natal at provincial level. Prolific in domestic cricket, he hasyet to convince at this level, and there’s always the additional andunfair pressure of being one of the poster boys of the controversialtransformation process. The likes of Jacques Rudolph and Boeta Dippenaarwait in the shadows, and you also wonder how long it will be before NeilMcKenzie gets an opportunity to resume a stop-start career that has neverdone justice to what is undoubtedly a special talent.Smith spoke of how he had worked with Jimmy Cook, formerly of Somerset andthe Transvaal Mean Machine, and “just getting away from it” in a bid torediscover the scoring touch. He might also need to revisit the all-pacebowling strategy, though Paul Harris’s left-arm spin is unlikely tofeature even if Steyn fails to recover from his quadriceps strain.Morne Morkel is tipped for a debut, having impressed against the Indiansat Potchefstroom. His display there told you just why the likes of AllanDonald rate him so highly, but a Test match in such circumstances mightask an awful lot of a young man, even one with a wonderful future. Thesameness of their attack has been South Africa’s Achilles Heel in recenttimes, especially when compared to the likes of Australia and England, andMorkel’s inclusion won’t alleviate that problem.Despite the Wanderers fiasco, South Africa remain favourites on a bouncyKingsmead pitch that will certainly be quicker than the two-paced surfacein Johannesburg. Having been blanked 3-0 by Australia earlier this year,defeat against India doesn’t bear thinking about. If Kingsmead offersredemption, some might look back on what happened at the Wanderers as anaberration. But if it turns out to be a harbinger of things to come,either Smith or Mickey Arthur will surely have to pay the price.

Stephen Fleming is confident that recalled opener Lou Vincent can once again rise to the occasion against Australia when the two sides meet in the next CB series match on Sunday. Vincent, who has played 87 ODIs and spent his teenage years in Adelaide, has flown to Perth to join the New Zealand squad following Nathan Astle’s shock retirement.Vincent is expected to open the batting alongside Fleming and should have fond memories of the WACA ground after scoring a century on Test debut there in 2001.Fleming said although Astle’s retirement was a blow, Vincent was a capable replacement. “It changes the fabric,” he said, referring to the loss of Astle. “But you get Lou in, who has got skills to offer, and he’s experienced.”Not the experience that Nathan has got, but he has played against these guys quite a bit. He has opened the batting for New Zealand a lot. He has worked hard after getting a setback at home and he is coming into form, which is a positive sign.”Astle’s departure also increases the pressure on Fleming, who has himself been battling for form in the CB Series. However, Fleming believes he and Vincent can create a successful partnership at the top of the order.”My view is that I obviously need to get the majority of the runs, being the experienced player, and I haven’t done that so far. Lou can create a strike-rate with the way he plays and if he comes off then it makes my job easier.”New Zealand are contemplating resting Shane Bond for Sunday’s game, with oppressively hot conditions forecast. Kyle Mills’ comeback could also be delayed because of the heat.Fleming said his team wanted to beat Australia, but admitted their main focus was on finishing above England in the tri-series in order to reach the finals. He added this would be reflected in team selection, with New Zealand to play England again on Tuesday in a match that could decide which side made the finals.”You have got to prioritise a little bit,” he said. “You want to win each game and I want to beat Australia, but we have to be smart about our resources and look towards the finals, if we can get there.”But he remained confident Australia were within reach despite being unbeaten after five games. “Of course they are beatable, but you have to play well to do it and we haven’t played well enough so far. We played OK in Sydney and got close. We’ve competed in good areas for pockets, just not long enough. I don’t think we are too far away.”

James Hopes has failed to recover from his thigh strain in time for Queensland’s limited-overs match against South Australia at Brisbane on Wednesday. Hopes hurt his leg on the first day of the Pura Cup clash between the two sides on Friday but the Bulls remain confident it will not be a long-term injury.Ryan Broad has been rewarded for his 95 in Queensland’s first innings and will replace Hopes at the top of the order. Ray Phillips, the Bulls’ chairman of selectors, said Hopes was expected to be fit for the Ford Ranger Cup final on February 25 should the top-of-the-table Queensland make it.”If the final had been this week, then James probably could have played at a pinch but with ten days until the final, the medical staff recommended he miss Wednesday’s game in order to be 100% for February 25,” Phillips said.The Bulls have made two more forced changes from their last one-day game more than two weeks ago, with Shane Watson now on national duty and Michael Kasprowicz out with an abdominal strain. Nathan Reardon, the allrounder, and Scott Brant, the fast bowler, were both included in the 12-man squad.South Australia made three changes to their line-up, recalling Callum Ferguson and regaining Darren Lehmann from his hamstring injury and Shaun Tait from his ODI call-up. Ken Skewes, Mark Cleary and James Smith made way for the returning trio.Queensland squad Jimmy Maher (capt), Ryan Broad, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, Aaron Nye, Michael Buchanan, Chris Simpson, Nathan Reardon, Chris Hartley (wk), Andy Bichel, Ashley Noffke, Scott Brant.South Australia squad Matthew Elliott, Daniel Harris, Callum Ferguson, Mark Cosgrove, Darren Lehmann (capt), Nathan Adcock, Simon Roberts, Graham Manou (wk), Ryan Harris, Jason Gillespie, Dan Cullen, Shaun Tait.

The players in St Kitts currently seem to exist in a parallel universe. Upsets may be raining down in Jamaica and Trinidad, but the status quo in the World Cup’s smallest base camp hasn’t come close to being rattled. As Australia went through the motions ahead of their clash with The Netherlands at Warner Park on Sunday, Adam Gilchrist gave an indication of the relaxed mood in their camp, by admitting he didn’t even know how crushing South Africa’s 221-run victory over the Dutch had been.It’s a safe bet that this match won’t be providing the next great upset of what is already proving to be a spectacular World Cup. Herschelle Gibbs’ historical onslaught has left the Dutch morale dangling at their bootstraps, and their captain, Luuk van Troost, conceded that they would be hard-pressed to get over such a beating in just 24 hours.”We must clear our minds and try to forget what happened on Friday,” van Troost said. “We didn’t enjoy what happened against South Africa, there weren’t many positives, and I don’t want any more world records against my team. We need to do the basics right against Australia. If we bowl well and field with discipline we can be a better side.”Gilchrist did his best to avoid any complacency, although his confidence was understandable. “No result is a given, we’re well aware of that,” he said. “But winning is expected of us and we’d be disappointed if we lose. Some of the wickets here are going to provide assistance to slower bowling and that brings everyone into the game a bit more than an absolute flat road does where batsmen can swing freely. But securing the victory is the main thing.”Australia are unlikely to risk a recall for Andrew Symonds for such a low-key battle, although his return cannot be far off. In the nets on Saturday he was bowling his offbreaks for the first time since tearing his right bicep seven weeks ago, and to judge by some of the straight drives that scudded into the sightscreen, his big hitting has not been diminished by surgery.”It’s been really good solid progress from Symmo,” Gilchrist said. “He is right on track from where we had planned and plotted [he would be] prior to coming over here. When he gets back to playing an actual game, I’m not sure when that it is, but as far as being where we would like him to be, he’s progressing well.” The South Africa game next Saturday is the most likely option.

As for Australia making their own assault on the record books, Gilchrist wouldn’t be drawn into a six-hitting competition with the South Africans, although he was pretty confident his team-mates would put on a similar show. “Most of the top teams have got power hitters now in one-day cricket,” he said. “I don’t see any team really having an advantage. Most of the grounds in this region are pretty small, and such is the way that batsmen approach the closing overs in one-day cricket, there is going to be a lot of sixes hit.”As for the Dutch, to judge by van Troost’s resigned air, they are braced for the inevitable. “We haven’t decided on our final line-up,” he said, although having omitted both of their spinners, Adeel Raja and Mohammad Kashif for the South Africa match, that mistake is unlikely to be repeated. “We have a meeting coming up in the evening and only then we will decide. As for whether we bat or bowl first, we have no idea.”Australia (probable) 1 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Brad Hodge, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Shane Watson, 8 Brad Hogg, 9 Nathan Bracken, 10 Glenn McGrath, 11 Shaun Tait.The Netherlands (probable) 1 Darron Reekers, 2 Bas Zuiderent, 3 Alex Kervezee, 4 Ryan ten Doeschate, 5 Daan van Bunge, 6 Eric Szwarczynski, 7 Tim de Leede, 8 Adeel Raja, 9 Luuk van Troost, 10 Billy Stelling, 11 Jeroen Smits (wk).

Shot of the Day 1
‘Anything KP can do I can do better’ … Paul Nixon’s obsession with the reverse-sweep attracted mild derision during the CB Series in Australia, when he unfurled it with the same compulsion that Andrew Hilditch once reserved for the hook shot. But suddenly it was the shot that brought England back into the game, as he dropped to one knee and connected sweetly with a shot that sailed over point’s head, to cue a rapturous fit of splashing in the England dominated paddling-pool.Shot of the Day 2
Ravi Bopara’s blazing square drive off the final ball of Lasith Malinga’s spell. Nixon had just fallen, and the requirement had climbed to an uncomfortable 16 from seven balls, when Bopara latched onto the meagrest hint of width and screeched the ball to the backward point fence. It gave his side hope, as did his delicate paddle-sweep off Dilhara Fernando one ball later. Unnoticed amid the excitement, Bopara moved along to his maiden ODI fifty. He didn’t deserve such a cruel denouement.Slow starter of the Day
The match didn’t begin at quite such a frantic tempo. Upul Tharanga grafted his way through the early part of the innings and managed his first boundary off the 79th ball he faced, lofting Monty Panesar over mid-off. Tharanga eventually finished with 62 from 103 balls. Suddenly the scoring rates of England’s top-order didn’t seem quite so torpid.

Fielder of the Day
Ian Bell has the misfortune of looking a little innocuous in everything that he does, but on this occasion it worked in his favour. Tillakaratne Dilshan’s fierce cut into the covers looked like an easy single and probably more. But Bell, quick as a flash, pounced on the ball as it sped to his left, sprang back to his feet in an instant and, having taken a split second to size up his options, pinged down the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Underestimate him at your peril.Technological glitch of the Day
For the duration of this tournament, the umpires are experimenting with an earpiece wired up to the stump microphone. In theory, the equipment should help clarify marginal caught-behind decisions, but today Michael Vaughan suffered for a gremlin in the system. Chaminda Vaas speared one down the leg-side and, to the naked eye, Vaughan appeared to be nowhere near making contact. Unfortunately for him Billy Bowden’s earpiece clicked as the ball entered Kumar Sangakkara’s gloves, and up came the crooked finger.Cataclysmic dismissal of the Day
Bell’s run-out could be considered unfortunate, but Pietersen’s departure five overs later, as so often, was the death knell for England’s prospects. He had just got into his stride as well, slapping Muttiah Muralitharan for an extraordinarily forceful sweep through square leg. But two balls later his aggression got the better of him, as he chipped a leading edge into Murali’s midriff. It was the pivotal moment in a collapse of 4 for 32, and for all the excellence of the recovery through Nixon and Bopara, England were never again in control of the contest.Belated gesture of the Day
Even when they do the right thing, the ICC can’t help but get it wrong. They’ve had ten days to size up the dismal crowds in Antigua and do something about it, and have persistently done diddly-squat. Until, that is, the 48th over of Sri Lanka’s innings, when a press release arrived declaring that, as a “pre-Easter gift”, local residents would be given free entry for the second half of the match. The timing of the announcement was barking, but even more ridiculous was the insistence that they wouldn’t be doing the same for England v Australia on Easter Day itself. Wouldn’t it be nice, just once in this competition, to have a packed stadium regardless of the coffers?