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Division One

Anthony McGrath’s defiant century took Yorkshire to a decent lead ahead of the final day at Old Trafford. After the early loss of Joe Sayers (6), the senior pairing of McGrath and Craig White added 183 before McGrath fell just before the close, to take Yorkshire to 192 for 2, with White making 78 not out. Earlier, Luke Sutton had made his way to 151 not out, just about reaching the 150-landmark before the Lancashire innings came to a close on 441, to give Lancashire a first-innings lead of 96.Shane Warne opened up Hampshire’s contest against Middlesex at Lord’s with a positive declaration as soon as his team had reached 400, and taken maximum batting points. Nic Pothas’s third century of the season compensated for the early loss of Michael Carberry in the day’s fifth over after adding just a single to his overnight 103. Sean Ervine contributed a forthright 42 before edging the new ball to first slip, but Pothas pressed forward and reached three figures with a Chinese cut. In the next over Warne carved the ball to the cover fence and promptly jogged off the park, aware that Hampshire need to win this match to maintain pressure on the top-of-the-table teams.An intriguing final day is in prospect at Edgbaston after Nottinghamshire‘s openers made inroads into their mammoth target of 404. Darren Bicknell and Jason Gallian shared an unbeaten stand of 88 to set up a tester tomorrow. Bicknell had reached his fifty by the close, with Gallian making 30. Warwickshire had earlier made their way to 230 for 9 before declaring, Mark Wagh topscoring with 70.

Division Two

Craig Spearman made his second century of the match – and just missed out on his 150 for the second time – to take Gloucestershire to 272 for 2 by stumps, a deficit of six runs. He and Phil Weston put on 227 for the first wicket as Gloucestershire worked their way towards parity. Matthew Nicholson eventually grabbed both openers, but they were to prove the only wickets for Northants on a frustrating day for their bowlers at Northampton.Surrey strode to an emphatic victory at at New Road, crushing Worcestershire by an innings and 108 runs to keep their title contention firmly on track. Ahzar Mahmood took 4 for 53 to start Worcestershire’s slide and then Ian Salisbury (3 for 36) and Anil Kumble (2 for 28) wrapped up the tail between them. Vikram Solanki offered the only resistance of note, his 56 propping up the home side for a while, but the rest of the wickets slid away, until they were all out for 165. Rikki Clarke had earlier lifted Surrey’s total past 500 with a firecracking 40 not out.Derbyshire stand on the brink of victory following another authoritative day against Somerset at Derby. The visitors have just three more wickets left in their pursuit of a further, and unlikely, 179 runs. Cameron White is still there, though, having already gamely fought his way to a valiant 197 and he will be Somerset’s biggest hope tomorrow. Steffan Jones is Derbyshire’s most successful bowler so far this innings, taking three wickets to bring his match haul to seven.

Kevin Pietersen: accepted into the fold © Getty Images

On the eve of the second Test at Edgbaston, Kevin Pietersen has been awarded an ECB central contract on the recommendation of the selectors, after making a remarkable start to his international career.During the first Test at Lord’s, Pietersen was the only England batsman to come to terms with the challenge posed by Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, thumping a half-century in each innings of his debut. That followed on from his stunning first foray in one-day cricket, in which he has amassed 786 runs in 15 innings, including three centuries in quick succession against his native South Africa.”By following up an outstanding ODI tour of South Africa with impressive performances in the NatWest one-day international programme, Kevin forced his way into the Test side and he fully deserves being upgraded to Central Contract status,” said David Graveney, England’s chairman of selectors.Pietersen’s acceptance into the fold has been a gradual process. He became qualified to play for England last October, but was initially omitted from the South Africa one-day series until Andrew Flintoff’s ankle injury gave him a late opportunity to impress. He was the pundit’s choice to play in the Tests against Bangladesh earlier this summer, but was again overlooked, this time in favour of Ian Bell.His inclusion takes the total number of players contracted to the ECB to 13, after 12 players were awarded 12-month contracts for the year from October 1, 2004. These players have their salaries paid by ECB and are available to their counties on a free-of-charge basis when released from international duties at the discretion of the coach, Duncan Fletcher.

Craig Spearman: highest score for Gloucestershire© Getty Images

While his former New Zealand team-mates played for pride against England at Trent Bridge, Craig Spearman today broke the record for the highest first-class score by a Gloucestershire player.Spearman flayed the Middlesex attack, smashing his way to 341 off 390 balls. He hit 40 fours and six sixes in his innings, moving past 318, and the record – previously held by none other than WG Grace – with a leg-side clip for two off Ben Hutton, whose grandfather Len was no stranger to triple-centuries himself. Grace scored his 318 not out against Yorkshire at Cheltenham back in 1876. Spearman’s innings was only the fourth triple-century scored by a Gloucestershire player, and the first since Wally Hammond’s 302 against Newport in 1939. Hammond also made another 302, his time not out, against Glamorgan at Bristol five years earlier.Spearman was eventually out, caught by David Nash off Hutton, but his 341 will go down as the highest first-class score in England since Brian Lara’s 501 not out in 1994, and is the joint eighth-highest in all County Championship cricket. It is also the third-highest score by a New Zealander, behind Bert Sutcliffe’s two knocks of 385 and 355.Chris Taylor’s first century since becoming captain was almost overlooked in the circumstances. He was dismissed for exactly 100 just before lunch, but Spearman went on and on, and eventually Gloucestershire declared at 695 for 9. Spearman, whose previous-highest score was 180, made the Middlesex bowlers look tame. His innings included a repertoire of reverse sweeps and massive sixes, as well as his trademark flowing cover-drives.Spearman, who has a business-studies degree, decided to give up his New Zealand career in 2001, after 19 Tests and 51 one-dayers, for a career in banking, which brought him to London. It was there that John Bracewell, a fellow New Zealander and the Gloucestershire coach at the time, asked if he fancied a few games at Bristol. He has not looked back since, and after a fairly ordinary international career has become one of the county’s most consistent batsmen. He does not play as an overseas player as he holds a British passport – his mother is Welsh.

Sri Lanka look set to employ an interim coach for the forthcoming New Zealand Test series following current incumbent Dav Whatmore’s request for early leave from his contract.The Sri Lankan born Australian’s contract expires at the end of May and the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) has yet to decide upon a replacement.With Sri Lanka due to start a two-match Test series against New Zealand on April 25 there appears no other option but to appoint an interim coach.Whatmore communicated his willingness to step down early shortly after being informed that his contract would not be renewed before the Sharjah Cup.On Friday morning he handed over an official letter confirming his position, explaining that it would not be in the interests of the team for him to continue."We want Dav (Whatmore) to continue for the New Zealand tour and the triangular series but he has indicated an unwillingness to do so," said Anura Teenekoon, the BCCSL chief executive.The frontrunner for the temporary post appears to be former Sri Lanka captain Duleep Mendis, who was employed as an advisor during the run-up to the World Cup.Australian Steve Rixon, New Zealander John Bracewell and South African Graham Ford have all been short-listed as potential full-time coaches but a final decision remains some weeks away.Captain Sanath Jayasuriya also confirmed his resignation on Friday morning, handing over a letter to Teenekoon, who then informed the new chairman of the selectors Lalith Kaluperuma.His successor will not be announced until after the Sinhalese New Year but Marvan Atapattu is the clear frontrunner for the high-profile job.

Veteran batsman Aravinda de Silva, on the verge of retirement after hisrecent omission from the national squad, blamed Sri Lanka’s bowlers andfielders for their seven-wicket defeat by India in the second Test Kandy.De Silva, writing for the wicket.com, said: “Sri Lanka’s bowlers were unableto disrupt the Indian batsmen’s concentration and delivered too many fourballs, which enabled them to score far more freely than should have been thecase.””The Sri Lankan bowling also failed to respond to the challenge, with themain attack force, especially Muralitharan, failing to get as much turn outof surface as he normally does in the fourth innings,” he said. “The seamerswere just as disappointing in their length and direction.”De Silva, not the sharpest in the field, went on to criticise the home sidesfielding: “Sri Lanka’s patchy fielding effort did not help, with too manycatches being dropped at crucial stages of the innings. It was so unlikeMuttiah Muralitharan to drop a catch at a crucial moment.””It was also disappointing to see Russel Arnold, one of the more brilliantfielders in the side, dropping an easy catch which could have changed thewhole course of the match,” he added.De Silva pointed out, however, that Sri Lanka were unlucky: “Sri Lanka alsohad their moments of misfortunes. There were several confident appeals forleg-before decisions, which did not earn the umpires approval.”He did, though, comment that: “Compared to the previous match in Asgiriya inMarch against England, the umpiring was of a far higher standard in thisgame.”

Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has criticised the decision of Younis Khan to announce his retirement from one-day internationals, only one match into his recall to the team.Younis, 37, made the shock announcement on the morning of the first ODI against England at Abu Dhabi, having previously been outspoken in his criticism of the selectors for dropping him in the wake of Pakistan’s World Cup exit in March.He was dismissed for 9 in his 265th and final appearance during Pakistan’s run-chase at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, bringing to an end a 15-year career in the format that had begun against Sri Lanka at Karachi in March 2000.However, Shaharyar was unimpressed by Younis’s actions. “I am disappointed at not only his decision to retire from ODIs but also the timing of his decision,” he was quoted as saying by .”Younis has been doing well and that is why the selectors felt he should be played again in the one-day matches. For me it is surprising he announced his retirement today.”Shaharyar did, however, confirm that the PCB would arrange a suitable send-off for a man who has scored 7249 runs in the format at 31.24, with seven centuries, albeit just the one since 2008.Haroon Rashid, Pakistan’s chief selector, also expressed his confusion at Younis’s actions.”When I went to Sharjah to meet with the team management and I also talked to Younis, he gave me no indication he was planning to retire from ODIs after the first match of the series,” Haroon said.”We picked him keeping in mind that we needed an experienced batsman in the middle order to stabilise the batting. We picked him keeping in mind our future assignments. He never discussed this retirement thing with us.””The team will remain balanced but at no stage did Younis convey any desire to us he wanted to retire,” he added.Mohsin Khan, the former coach, speculated that Waqar Younis’s reluctance to have Younis back in the one-day squad may have played its part.”It makes no sense that after being picked for the full series in the one-day squad after such a big gap he should decide to retire after playing the first match. Definitely I think something has happened in the last 48 or 24 hours to have upset Younis who is very sensitive and a self-respecting individual,” Mohsin told Geo Super channel.”I think the job of the captain, manager and coach is to not only motivate the players but also make them feel comfortable and wanted. I think in Younis’s case this didn’t happen and no one tried to speak to him to find out his feelings.”

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford should be back in action against Aston Villa on Thursday. 

The lowdown

The 28-year-old hasn’t played for the Whites since the 2-2 draw with Brentford on 5 December. In fact, he has only made six Premier League appearances (totalling 459 minutes) this season owing to ankle and hamstring injuries.

He was back on the bench for Jesse Marsch’s first game in charge on Saturday afternoon against Leicester City, but the American decided against bringing him on even with his team 1-0 down.

The Villa game at Elland Road looks crucial for Leeds, who are hovering only two points above the relegation zone and have played a game more than 18th-placed Burnley.

The latest

The Athletic’s Leeds correspondent Phil Hay relayed an update from Marsch’s post-match press conference on Twitter.

As per the journalist’s update, the manager apparently ‘expects Bamford to be involved against Villa on Thursday’.

The verdict

This is an almighty boost for Marsch and Leeds.

Bamford demonstrated his value to the team last season, top-scoring for the Whites with 17 goals and also contributing eight assists.

In his absence, you could argue that Leeds are short of match-winners. Indeed, even though he has played so little football, only three players in the squad – Raphinha, Jack Harrison and Dan James – have racked up more goal involvements in 2021/22 (via BBC Sport).

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Therefore, it’s little wonder that the 28-year-old has been labelled a ‘massive’ player by former Elland Road goalkeeper Paul Robinson; and with Kalvin Phillips potentially returning next weekend, the fitness outlook may now be getting brighter for Leeds – and in good time, too.

In other news, read this injury expert’s claim on Liam Cooper

Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath farewelled Test cricket together but they could be reunited in the Indian Cricket League © Getty Images

Shane Warne will join Brian Lara in the Indian Cricket League if his conditions are met, however Warne’s manager conceded that such an agreement was still a long way off. Glenn McGrath has not ruled out his involvement and his manager said negotiations could progress in the next week.The ICL on Monday announced Lara as its first big signing, two months after his name was initially linked with the group. Warne’s manager James Erskine said he had been in talks with ICL officials including Tony Greig.”They haven’t offered what we have asked for, so negotiations are proceeding,” Erskine told the . “Provided the terms and conditions are right, Shane Warne will play, but it’s a long way off before we get the contract signed.” The paper reported that Warne’s proposed pay package was worth up to $2 million.McGrath’s manager, Warren Craig, said he had met with ICL officials some time ago and although there had been few developments since then, this week’s events were likely to speed the process up. “We certainly haven’t ruled it out,” Craig said.”Now Lara has signed, things might start to hot up a bit. Things could start to move over the next week or so.” However, Craig said the ICL had given no indication what salary it would offer to lure McGrath out of retirement six months after his final ODI appearance. The league wants to run its first Twenty20 tournament this October and November with six teams, each of which would ideally feature four international players and two Indian stars, with the rest made up of younger players.

Ian Bell has been recalled following his 74 for England A against Pakistan © Getty Images

Ian Bell, the Warwickshire batsman, has earned a recall to the England squad for the first Test against Pakistan at Lord’s on Thursday. Steve Harmison has also been named in a 13-man squad announced this morning which includes five fast bowlers and one spinner, Monty Panesar.”We have included five pace bowlers in the squad, because we need cover for Matthew Hoggard following the hand injury he sustained while with England A yesterday,” David Graveney, England’s chairman of selectors, told BBC Radio Five Live.”Matthew’s injury will be reassessed by our medical staff on Tuesday, and we will give him the maximum time he needs to prove his fitness because he is the most experienced member of our attack,” he added.There was no place for Jamie Dalrymple, however. Dalrymple was the sole bright light for England during their calamitous one-day 5-0 whitewash in the one-day series against Sri Lanka and was their second highest run-scorer. He further enhanced his credentials with a slick performance for England A yesterday where he took 4 for 61 to help dismiss Pakistan for 242, but the selectors have instead opted to attack Pakistan with pace.Bell last played for England against India at Mumbai. Although he was arguably England’s most solid batsmen in the preceding tour of Pakistan, he struggled in India with just one fifty in six innings.Regardless of Hoggard’s availability, there is added pressure on Harmison to return to something resembling his best. He missed the third and final Test against India in the winter, and the Test series against Sri Lanka this summer. Though he returned for the one-day series, his radar was sadly lacking and a worrying 24 wides were sent down.”Yes, without [Andrew Flintoff], there’s a great responsibility on our bowlers,” Graveney said, “so the likes of Harmison and Hoggard, if available, [have a lot of responsibility]. We had a difficult time against Sri Lanka, but we’re looking to change that for Thursday.”England squad:
Andrew Strauss (capt), Marcus Trescothick, Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Geraint Jones (wk), Liam Plunkett, Matthew Hoggard, Sajid Mahmood, Steve Harmison, Jon Lewis, Monty Panesar.

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Scorecard

Asim Kamal – what would he have given for just one run more? (c) AFP

Despite the best efforts of Asim Kamal, who became only the third player to be dismissed for 99 on his Test debut, Pakistan’s batting crumbled in the second session of play on the third day, allowing South Africa to reach 99 for 1 by stumps and regain the lead.Pakistan had a splendid chance to build a substantial lead that, given their spin-fortified attack on a fourthand fifth-day track, might have ensured that they only needed to bat once. But after Kamal was dismissed, Paul Adams broke through the lower order to finish with 7 for 128, his best Test analysis.Shoaib Malik and Kamal, when they began the day, seemed grimly determined to make sure that Pakistan got past South Africa’s first-innings total. The runs, consequently, came slowly and stodgily, and the only excitement for much of the morning session lay in a close shave for Malik after an lbw shout. But he did not last much longer after that; once Pakistan got past 320 and into the lead, Malik played inside the line to Adams and had his off stump uprooted (322 for 5).Kamal, the 27-year-old Karachi left-hander, seemed certain to become the tenth Pakistani to make a century on his Test debut. Instead, he achieved a more exclusive but more unwanted record shortly after lunch, becoming only the third player – after Robert Christiani and Arthur Chipperfield – to be out for 99 in his first Test.Kamal went to 98 by tonking a full-toss from Adams back over his head to long-off, but then had to sweat for a few overs on 99. The stroke that was meant to fetch him the crucial single, therefore, was perhaps a bit loose; trying to cut a ball that was too close for the stroke, Kamal edged it into his stumps and departed in an understandably blue mood (363 for 6). It was a sad end to what had been a neat, responsible innings, with nudged singles and occasional fluid cover-drives.While Kamal battled away, Moin Khan batted as if he had never been out of the Test side. He ran hard, placed the ball well, and struck Adams for six over long-off with the same misleading ease that he has brought to his game ever since the 1992 World Cup. At the other end, however, Adams struck twice in an over, first luring Shoaib Akhtar out of his crease to get him stumped (366 for 7), and then pushing one through to induce Mohammad Sami to chop the ball on (366 for 8).Adams bowled well all day, tossing the ball up and varying his pace well while remaining uncompromisingly accurate. He took the final two wickets as well, trapping Moin lbw for 38 (401 for 9), and then persuading Danish Kaneria to offer a tame catch to extra cover.South Africa started their second innings as rollickingly as the first, with Herschelle Gibbs top-edging a pull off Akhtar over fine leg for six. Although Gibbs’s knock put South Africa back on top by the close of play, it was not one of his best. Early on he collected a lot of his runs from edges, and only after the spinners came on did he start to settle down.Akhtar got rid of Smith early on, when a swift delivery rose off a good length to take the shoulder of the bat and fly to slip (43 for 1). But after that Gibbs and Boeta Dippenaar dropped anchor, shrugged off some absolute jaffas from Akhtar and Sami, and refused to be worried by the sharp break that Pakistan’s spinners extracted from the pitch.Gibbs might have departed, but Moin put down the thinnest of edges off Akhtar just before tea. He was a picture of despair after grassing the chance – symbolic of the manner in which Pakistan threw away a perfectly good position in a little less than two sessions of play.