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Andy Bichel has been useful for Essex in coloured clothing, but his batting performances in the County Championship have been outstanding © Getty Images

Division Two

Andy Bichel’s stunning batting form in England continued as he picked up a career-high 148 against Nottinghamshire as Essex dominated in Chelmsford. Before the break for the Twenty20 competition Bichel posted 102 against Middlesex in his opening first-class outing of the season, and in his second appearance he thumped 18 fours and three sixes from 152 balls to help Essex to an intimidating 700 for 9 declared.Bichel also picked up the first breakthrough as Nottinghamshire reached 191 for 2 in their reply. James Foster’s double-century and a 78-ball hundred from Graham Napier had also contributed heavily to Essex’s strong position as the team scored at more than six an over during the day. Foster and Bichel extended their seventh-wicket stand to 254 and Napier was the heavy hitter as he and Foster added 195 for the eighth wicket in 26 overs.Paul Nixon marked his first game as Leicestershire’s Championship captain with a vital century as he and HD Ackerman led an impressive fightback against Glamorgan at Grace Road. The pair added 213 for the sixth wicket after three early wickets for James Harris put Leicestershire on the back foot at 88 for 5. Ackerman’s second hundred of the summer took 166 balls while Nixon’s first came off 128. Mansoor Amjad continued to extend the advantage and by the close it was 111. Harris was the pick of the attack with four wickets, leading the way ahead of his more experienced colleagues.The Twenty20 fortnight has done nothing to slow Tom Lungley’s Championship form as his fine season continued with 5 for 33 to put Derbyshire on top against Middlesex at Southgate. Lungley broke the opening stand by trapping Billy Godleman lbw then wrapped up the innings with four quick wickets as Derbyshire gained a valuable lead of 82. Ed Joyce offered the main resistance with 81, but he was seventh out as Middlesex slipped from 166 for 3. Andrew Strauss, in need of some runs ahead of the Test series against India, reached 38 with some fluent shots before being caught at midwicket off a mistimed pull. An early finish prevented Derbyshire building on their advantage.Chris Taylor hit an unbeaten 112 to keep Gloucestershire afloat against Northamptonshire at Northampton. The visitors fell to 52 for 5 against the new ball with Johan van der Wath doing the damage before the recovery began. Steve Kirby batted three hours as nightwatchman, but it was a seventh-wicket stand of 102 between Taylor and Steven Adshead which brightened Gloucestershire’s day. Taylor took 148 balls over his hundred, but despite his efforts they still conceded a lead of 60 while Monty Panesar wrapped up the innings with three wickets. Northamptonshire steadily extended their lead to 152 during the final session.

Division One

Events at The Oval continued to move along rapidly as 17 wickets fell on the second day to follow 16 on the first. However, a result is still too close to call as Durham began defending 152 with three early Surrey wickets. Steve Harmison ripped into the top order and removed Jon Batty, Mark Ramprakash – victims of sharp lifters – and Scott Newman before bad light ended play. The vital factor could yet be the 52-run lead Surrey managed during the morning session before reducing Durham to 132 for 7 second time around. Four middle-order wickets went for six runs against Chris Schofield and Neil Saker before stubborn efforts from Will Smith (41) and Liam Plunkett (33) gave Durham’s attack something to bowl at.Thunder showers and hailstorms restricted play at The Rose Bowl to 28.4 overs as Warwickshire built a strong total against Hampshire. Darren Maddy could only add two to his overnight score before being caught off Chris Tremlett, but Alex Loudon and Tim Ambrose put on 60 for the fifth-wicket. Hampshire’s wicketkeeper Nic Pothas has been ruled out of action for up to three weeks after being hit in the eye when a delivery from Michael Carberry bounced off Jonathan Trott’s pad on the first day. His deputy, Tom Burrows, took the catch to remove Maddy.Two heavy showers put paid to any chance of Lancashire and Yorkshire getting their Roses clash started at Old Trafford. Puddles formed on the outfield and the umpires called play off in early afternoon. The lack of cricket made Darren Gough, Yorkshire’s captain, feel he would have Michael Vaughan and Matthew Hoggard available for next week’s game against Warwickshire as they searched for match practice ahead of the first Test against India. “The decision was always dependent on how much part they could play in the game here,” Gough said, “so both of them will probably be available next week, as far as I’m concerned.”It didn’t take long for the inevitable abandonment at New Road as Kent continued to be frustrated by Worcestershire’s decision to play at their headquarters. Any hopes of a start vanished when a heavy shower made the outfield like a mud bath. Kent have lodged an official complaint with the ECB and it will look into it urgently.

Canada have announced squads for their forthcoming ICC Intercontinental match, their first of the competition, against Kenya which gets underway on July 29 in Toronto.The selectors named a 14-man squad for the match against Kenya, the nucleus of which will also play against Bermuda in August; it was confirmed that Pubudu Dassanayaka will be replaced by Ian Billcliff, however.Kenya, whose team is a blend of youth and experience, recently recalled Kennedy Otieno and, after drawing against the Netherlands in their opening encounter in April, need to beat Canada to maintain their hopes in the competition.Canada recently signed a two-year sponsorship deal with the cricket manufacturers Slazenger who will provide their senior team with clothing, as well as supplying seven players’ equipment each season.Canada squad to face Kenya1 John Davison, 2 Qaiser Ali, 3 Ashish Bagai, 4 Geoff Barnett, 5 Umar Bhatti, 6 Ian Billcliff, 7 Pubudu Dassanayaka, 8 Sunil Dhaniram, 9 Haninder Dhillon, 10 Stewart Heaney, 11 Don Maxwell, 12 Henry Osinde, 13 Naresh Patel, 14 Puvendran Ravishankar

Warne: ‘Old Trafford has been a happy hunting ground for me’ © Getty Images

Shane Warne’s Ashes career is set to come full circle when the third Test of the series starts at Old Trafford on Thursday. Twelve years ago at Old Trafford Warne’s first delivery in Test cricket against England saw him dismiss Mike Gatting.A vicious turner that pitched outside the batsman’s pads before clipping the top of off-stump, the delivery was latter dubbed ‘the ball of the century’. Now Warne returns to Old Trafford needing just one more wicket to become the first bowler to take 600 in Tests.Warne is in prime form after taking 10 for 162 during England’s thrilling two-run win at Edgbaston that saw them level the five-Test series at 1-1. Warne couldn’t quite believe how his on-field life had panned out. “Old Trafford has been a happy hunting ground for me. It’s one of my special memories in 15 years of international cricket, the Gatting ball was my first one against England.”Whoever writes my scripts over the years, well it’s quite something to be on 599 going back to Old Trafford. My parents are coming over for that Test match which has been planned for a long time. They’ve supported me through a lot of things in my private life.”But Warne, whose gutsy 42 on Sunday helped Australia get close to pulling off a seemingly impossible chase, said individual success would mean little unless it helped his team win a Test. “I feel good about my bowling. But to take 10-for doesn’t mean anything. I took 12 for 128 against South Africa in Sydney in 1994 and we lost the Test by five runs.It means nothing in the context of things. When we all sit around at a barbecue and have a beer it won’t be one I’ll be taking about.”Warne said wickets had been harder to come by in recent years given that so few of Australia’s games were reaching the fifth day when a wearing pitch usually offers the spinner more assistance than at any other time in the match.”Over the last few years especially there haven’t been a lot of five-day Test matches, so you’re not exploiting the conditions late [in the] fourth day and fifth day,” explained Warne, who also took six wickets in Australia’s 239-run first Test win at Lord’s last month.”I’m bowling a lot more on day one, two and three these days so to spin the ball, as I have done at Lord’s, and in this game means I must be doing something pretty right. I’m not a big stats man but my stats over the last couple of years bowling on day one, two and three, stand up to any stage in my career.”Warne found himself upstaged at Edgbaston by Andrew Flintoff’s man-of-the-match winning display with both bat and ball. However Warne, who was the first Australian to congratulate the England all-rounder after bowling him for 73 in England’s second innings, had nothing but admiration for Flintoff, who himself was the first member of the home side to shake Brett Lee’s hand after he finished the Test on 43 not out. “I think he’s a guy anyone would want in their side. It’s always nice to see someone like ‘Freddie’ do well because he’s one of the good guys of cricket.”Asked how long he might continue, Warne, who is 50 wickets ahead of Muttiah Muralitharan in the list of leading Test wicket-takers, replied: “As I’ve probably said 500 times, when the enjoyment stops I’ll stop. At the moment the enjoyment is going pretty well. The way the Lord’s Test match was played, the way England have fought back here, who wouldn’t want to be involved and how can you not enjoy it?”

Zaheer Khan – sidelined© Getty Images

Ashish Nehra has been named as Zaheer Khan’s replacement for the remainder of the Test series in Pakistan. Zaheer played the first Test, at Multan, but bowled only one over on the fourth day before retiring hurt with a hamstring injury in his right leg.Nehra had been part of the Indian one-day squad, but was forced to pull out after tearing the webbing on his left hand during the second ODI.India will almost certainly go in with three seamers in the second Test, which starts on April 5 at Lahore. With Irfan Pathan and Lakshmipathy Balaji sure to play, Agarkar and Nehra will fight it out for the third seamer’s spot.

Shane Warne’s mum and an exhaustive analysis of his urine sample will be key elements of the biggest drugs hearing in Australian sports history.Warne will front an Australian Cricket Board anti-doping committee on Friday morning and no verdict is expected until late afternoon, at the earliest.He will face a minimum two-year ban if found guilty of using a prohibited method.Warne tested positive to a banned diuretic on January 22 and the casehas attracted enormous interest since it became public early last week.The leg-spinner, 33, would have to think seriously about retirement if he received the two-year penalty.But even if he is found guilty, Warne could receive a lesser sentence or even escape penalty under an “exceptional circumstance” clause in the ACB’s anti-doping policy.A report from the board’s anti-doping control officer Dr Peter Harcourt could also help or hurt Warne in terms of penalty.Warne has said he tested positive because of a pill his mother Brigitte gave him, apparently to help his appearance. Brigitte is yet to comment publicly on the saga.Warne received the results of his B sample earlier this week and his legal team has since spent plenty of time pouring over the laboratory report.They will try to use the test results to show Warne has been telling the truth and the diuretic was not being used as a masking agent for something more sinister, such as steroids.The hearing will be closed, with Justice Glen Williams, medical expert Dr Susan White and former Test spinner and national selector Peter Taylor making up the committee.The ACB has appointed barrister Elizabeth Brimer to assist the anti-doping committee, while board chief executive James Sutherland and its legal and business development Andrew Twaits will also attend the hearing.Warne’s lawyer Ian McCubbin, plus a QC, and his brother and manager Jason Warne will most likely be with the star and his mother.West Australian Duncan Spencer received an 18-month ban two years ago after testing positive to the steroid nandrolone. Then a year ago New South Wales batsman Graeme Rummans was fined $2000 and was banned for a month after testing positive to probenecid.Earlier today, World Anti-Doping Agency chairman Dick Pound again weighed into the Warne saga.World sport’s top anti-drugs official said Warne should receive a two-year ban if found guilty.”The source is not relevant, the responsibility of an athlete is not take prohibited substances,” Pound said.”You cannot have an IQ over room temperature and be unaware of this asan international athlete.”This is original: ‘My mum gave it to me’.”He also dismissed as “nonsense” criticism from Australian Sports Drug Agency chief executive John Mendoza for commenting on the case before tomorrow’s hearing.

The BCCI is yet to respond to the request of Asian Cricket Foundation(ACF) to recommend development officers for taking up coaching jobs indifferent Asian nations to promote the game in the continent.The Chairman of the ACF, Jagmohan Dalmiya, told PTI in Kolkata onSunday that ACF had sought names of three candidates each fromPakistan, Sri Lanka and India with the former two already despatchingthe list.The Screening Committee, he said, would meet on August 1 to choose oneamong the three names submitted by each of these nations to depute ascoach to countries like Hong Kong, Nepal, Maldives, Singapore andQatar where cricket is still in its nascent stage.”Though Pakistan and Sri Lanka have submitted three names each, we arestill awaiting a response from the BCCI. We will send them a remindersoon and if no response comes by July 30, the ACF will announce namesfrom among the former players in its list,” said Dalmiya. Dalmiya,however, expressed the hope that the BCCI would send the names soon.While Pakistan has sent a list comprising former skippers MushtaqMohammed and Zaheer Abbas and medium pacer Iqbal Sikander, Sri Lankarecommended classic batsman Roy Dias, former pacer Rumesh Ratnayekeand wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon Kuruppu.Asked why the ACF did not send a similar despatch to Bangladesh,Dalmiya quipped Bangladesh itself needed a development officer. “But Ihope within two or three years Bangladesh can send coaches.”He also said Sri Lanka Sports Minister Lakshman Kiriella, accompaniedby former medium pacer Asantha De Mel, would visit India on July 22 todiscuss the development of the game.

Spanish reports claim Manchester United are interested in both Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale this summer, but which one would fans rather they sign?

According to Spanish outlet Don Balon, Manchester United have “made offers” to both Bale and Ronaldo.

The report claims the pair are both seeking reassurances from Real Madrid in the wake of Zinedine Zidane’s departure, and could make the switch to Old Trafford.

Bale has been frustrated by injuries and a lack of playing time, and both players made comments after the Champions League final that had fans and clubs on red alert.

The report from Don Balon claims Bale is Jose Mourinho’s priority, and that he could swoop for Ronaldo if Bale decides to stay in Spain, but which one would be a better fit back at Old Trafford?

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]

Bale is five years younger than the Portuguese sensation, but Ronaldo of course already has a great relationship with the fans at Old Trafford, and has never suffered the same injury issues as Bale.

One would have to think Ronaldo would also be cheaper given his age, even though he will expect a massive wage packet.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

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The 33 year-old scored 84 league goals in nearly 200 appearances for the Red Devils, and if they could get even two good seasons out of him then it would be worth the risk.

So, Manchester United fans, which superstar would you rather sign? Let us know by voting in the poll below…

Match facts

Sunday, May 11, 2008
Start time 10.00 (local), 04:30 (GMT)

	Can Shashikala Siriwardene lead Sri Lanka to their first Asia Cup title? © ICC

The Big Picture

This is the fourth time in as many Asia Cups that India and Sri Lanka are going to meet in the final. India has won each of the previous three matches and Sri Lanka will hope that playing this edition at home will help them reverse the trend.India, though, have been by far the best of the subcontinent sides and haven’t dropped a single game since the tournament began in 2004. This year they have continued to win convincingly – twice by more than 180 runs and twice by five or more wickets. They beat Sri Lanka by 29 runs and by eight wickets in the league stage. Their top order is brimming with runs and three Indians lead the wicket-taking list.

Asia Cup form guide

India – WWWWWW
Sri Lanka – WLWWLW

Watch out for …

Dedunu Silva v Jhulan Goswami – Sri Lanka’s opener has got three half-centuries in the tournament. How she counters the pace of Goswami, who is yet to dismiss her, will make for an interesting contest.

Pujare Seema – The Indian offspinner has made her debut at 31 and impressed with 11 wickets at 10 in four games.

Mithali Raj v Sri Lankan attack – Raj is in formidable form, having scored one hundred and two half-centuries in five games. If they are to have any hope of winning the Asia Cup, Sri Lanka will need to dismiss her cheaply.

Team news

In their last match India dropped out-of-form medium-pacer Amita Sharma for Snehal Pradhan, who picked up 3 for 21 on debut. But it is unlikely India will go for an inexperienced bowler to open their attack in the final, so Sharma should find a place. But Anangha Deshpande and Gouher Sultana may replace Thirush Kamini and Priyanka Roy, who have hardly scored in the tournament.India (probable) 1 Karu Jain (wk), 2 Jaya Sharma, 3 Rumeli Dhar, 4 Mithali Raj (capt), 5 Amita Sharma, 6 Anagha Deshpande, 7 Jhulan Goswami, 8 Rumeli Dhar, 9 P Seema, 10 Gouher Sultana, 11 Neetu David.Sri Lanka dropped legspinner Sadamali Kumuduni for offspinner Janakanthy Mala for their last two games and it is likely they will go with Mala, who took four wickets at an average of seven, for the final.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Dedunu Silva, 2 Chamari Polgampola, 3 Dilani Maodara (wk), 4 Shashikala Siriwardene (capt), 5 Suwini de Alwis, 6 Eshani Kaushalya, 7 Shiromala Weerakkody, 8 Inoka Galagedara, 9 Deepika Rasangika, 10 Janakanthy Mala, 11 Chamani Seneviratna.

	India aim to win their fourth Asia Cup © Tigercricket.com

Stats and trivia

Jhulan Goswami is only the fourth woman and the second Indian – after Neetu David – to reach 100 wickets in ODIs.

India’s opening bowlers – Goswami (11) and Amita Sharma (2) – have aggregated 13 wickets in the tournament, while Sri Lanka’s – Chamari Polgampola (9) Shiromala Weerakkody (3) have taken 12 together.

India’s opening batsmen – Jaya Sharma and Karu Jain – have a century- and half-century stand each in the tournament, while Sri Lanka’s openers – Silva and Polgampola have only one half-century partnership.

Quotes

“She has the slow loop of an offspinner and on a turning wicket she can give a lot of problems.”
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Tatenda Taibu: ready to resume © Getty Images

Cricinfo can reveal that Tatenda Taibu, the former Zimbabwe captain, is talking to the board about a possible return to the Zimbabwe team.Taibu walked out of Zimbabwe cricket in November 2005 after falling out with the Zimbabwe board – in particular chaiman Peter Chingoka and managing director Ozias Bvute – over player welfare and governance issues. He also claimed his family had been threatened.He had stints in the UK and Namibia, where he never really established himself, and has periodically returned home. However, in the last month, Taibu has been training with the Zimbabwe team in Harare and looking very much involved in the thick of things, although at first he was said to be practicising to stay in form.”There are talks going on between him and Zimbabwe Cricket in a bid to try and get him back,” Givemore Makoni, the team manager, told AFP. “I think he wants to play. I can’t disclose much, but at the moment he is with us to try and maintain form. He is also n camp and he is training. Negotiations are still in progress at the moment. If he makes himself available, obviously selectors will be looking at picking him.”It is said Taibu has received support from most of the players who want him to be reinstated as captain, but it is unlikely anything will be decided until Chingoka and Bvute return from an ICC meeting in London.Aside from the personal differences with the pair, Taibu is owed tens of thousands of dollars in back pay and is unlikely to do anything until that is handed over.

Mushtaq Mohammad, in his much-awaited autobiography , writes about his experiences as player, captain and coach of Pakistan © Getty Images

Mushtaq Mohammad, the former Pakistan captain, has rejected claims made by Allan Border, the former Australian captain and current national selector, that Mushtaq offered him $1million to lose in fifth Ashes Test at Edgbaston in 1993.Last week Mushtaq released a new book titled in which he wrote that he approached Border before the Test to get autographs for his two sons. “I respected him a great deal as a player and the way he played his cricket, and he was a hero to my sons.”That was the reason I approached him for the autographs in the first place. But I have lost respect for him as a man because he damaged my reputation and integrity.”If I wanted to do anything like that, which I never would have, I would have done it in my playing days when I might have had more influence. I retired in 1979 and I am supposed to have tried to fix a game in 1993, after 14 years? It’s laughable.”Mushtaq, however, does admit to having asked Border what he would do if some one offered him money to lose a match. “As we all know now, Dennis Lillee and Rodney Marsh had a bet against their own side [Headingley Test, 1981] with ridiculously high odds and made a lot of money from what was a pretty miserable result for them.”So I said, with Marsh and Lillee in mind, ‘What would you do if someone offered you big money to lose this Test match?’ He just laughed it off and said he had never played his cricket like that and had always played hard and honest, which I already knew.”That was it; tongue in cheek conversation you could call it. I never had any intention of inviting him to fix the match and he didn’t take it that way.” Border declined to make any comments on the book’s claims.Mushtaq has also written about his experience as the coach during Pakistan’s unexpected defeat against Bangladesh in the 1999 World Cup. “I didn’t want to say anything at the time and I kept quiet. If I had said something to the team or asked if it was fixed I would have rocked the boat and wrecked our whole tournament. I figured it was only one game and we had still qualified for the Super Sixes, although I had a very unpleasant feeling inside me.”I could have exploded, but I decided for the good of the team to stay tight-lipped. It was the flurry of wickets we lost and the manner of the dismissals that made me believe something wasn’t right. They were just such talented players and I couldn’t comprehend that these boys could get out in the way they did.”I was sick and it was very, very difficult for me to digest. I kept asking myself, `How could we not chase 223 against this lot? Was this pre-planned?'” Pakistan were bowled out for 161, with no batsman scoring more than 30.He also referred to the Melbourne Test in 1978-79, when Sarfaraz Nawaz took 9 for 86 and Pakistan won by 71 runs. Mushtaq, who was the captain for the series, says that though Sarfaraz bowled an exceptional spell, the entire team “worked on the ball” and gave the seam a lift. The victory is one of four out of 29 Tests that Pakistan have played in Australia.Mushtaq, 62, played 57 Tests and scored 343 runs at an average of 39. He was also a handy legspin bowler, and took 79 wickets at 29. He held the record of being the youngest centurion in Test cricket before Mohammad Ashraful broke it. Mushtaq now lives in Birmingham, where he settled down after retirement.