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Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club are ready to proceed with an £8.2million redevelopment project at Trent Bridge this autumn, thanks to funding from East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and three local authorities: Rushcliffe Borough Council, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.The scheme will involve the creation of a new stand on the Bridgford Road side of the ground, which will replace West Wing and Parr Stand and increase the ground capacity to more than 17,000. The county also plans to install permanent floodlights and create a new office and administration block, which will be the base for match officials and will incorporate a replay screen and electronic scoreboard.Derek Brewer, Nottinghamshire’s chief executive, said, “As a sporting venue of world renown, it [Trent Bridge] is hugely important to the local economy and our partners recognise the need to help us do all we can to retain Test-match status in the face of stiff competition from other parts of the country.”With the funding package in place and planning permission confirmed, we are delighted that we are now able to go ahead as planned, starting on August 28,” Brewer added. It is planned that the redevelopment will be completed in time for next year’s Trent Bridge Test against New Zealand.Jeff Moore, the chief executive of emda – who are investing £2.5million in the project, said, ” It is estimated that every time a Test Match is played at the ground an additional £1million is generated for the Nottingham economy. Our investment will ensure that Trent Bridge remains in a position to compete for high profile tournaments, and help maintain the East Midlands as a region with a strong sporting heritage.”The support from the three councils amounts to £3.7million, split equally. It is provided in the form of a loan at a discounted rate of interest in recognition of community benefits from the club. Leaders of Nottingham City Council, Coun Jon Collins, Nottinghamshire County Council, Coun David Kirkham and Rushcliffe Borough Council, Coun Neil Clarke said: “We are all delighted to be able to support the ambitions of the cricket club.”They said the redevelopment would keep Nottingham and Nottinghamshire on the world map and help the club to expand its community and youth development work across the region.

Brian Lara once again cited Greg Chappell’s comments – that West Indies’poor run of form had made it difficult for them to win close games – as the spur for athrilling three-wicket triumph at the Motera Stadium. The victory not onlytook West Indies into the semi-finals as they seek to defend the trophythey won two years ago in England, but it also ensured that eitherAustralia or India, two of the pre-tournament favourites, will be missingfrom the climactic week of action.Addressing the media after his batsmen had chased down 223 with two ballsremaining, Lara said: “Going back to that statement that Greg [Chappell]made in Jamaica, the guys are really determined each time they get out onto the field against India. We’ve done that in the Caribbean, and inMalaysia we had a win and a loss. Here again, most importantly, playingIndia at home, the guys knew the enormous task it was.”Yes, we were winning against them, but in foreign conditions to them.Playing here in Ahmedabad, they definitely had the advantage, with thecrowd and knowing the pitch. We wanted to win, and we planned to win, andthe guys executed well.”Despite a worrying wobble at the end, Lara was more than satisfied withthe manner in which the top order went about the task, propelled byanother blistering cameo from Chris Gayle. “I thought it was very wellcalculated by all the batsmen,” he said. “Partnerships were veryimportant, and it was a lot of mature batting from the likes of ChrisGayle and right through. Dwayne Bravo, batting for the first time at No. 3,had a 50-run partnership with Chanderpaul, the man of the match, whoguided it.”Sarwan seems to be gaining more and more with experience, showing theclass and determination that he has. It was a good victory, but notcomprehensive. It came down to the last. Someone was saying: ‘West Indieswill always give you excitement’. We gave you this match and we gave you ado-or-die in Mohali on Sunday (laughs).”Though he didn’t focus too much on individuals, Lara was delighted withthe form shown by Runako Morton, who followed up a superb 90 againstAustralia with a vital 45 in this game. “We’ve been working on getting himto play a lot of shots and manoeuvring the ball around the field,” hesaid. “He knew he had to work on it, and was willing to do it. What weknow about Morton is that he doesn’t give up his wicket very cheaply, andhe’s someone that done very well in Test matches in recent times. Now’s headapting to the one-day game, and he’s definitely someone we like havingaround. The last two games, he’s shown that he wants to be in the team.Consistency is now what’s expected.”

In the space of little over a week, West Indies have prevailed over bothAustralia and India, and Lara, who played his part in the first triumphwith a dazzling 71, refused to rate one above the other. “We spoke aboutthese two games, playing against the No. 1 team in the world and playingagainst the hosts, and I don’t think any one gave us more satisfaction,”he said. “If we get past the first round in the World Cup, Australia andIndia are two teams we’re going to meet in the second round. Getting thatadvantage, playing away from home and beating them, is good. But we’ve gotto move on. This is just the build-up to it [the World Cup], and I’m veryhappy with the way we’re approaching it.”The upswing in West Indies’ one-day fortunes has coincided with Lara’sthird stint at the helm, and he attributed recent impressive victories tomore thorough preparation off the field. “I think regrouping and findingout exactly where we’ve been going wrong,” he said, when asked if he couldpinpoint a factor or two for the reversal of fortune. “It’s never been asituation where we’re short in confidence, or on talent. It’s aboutgetting it together, and doing a lot of background work. The guys talk alot of cricket off the field, that’s where you learn the game. It’s verygood to see the younger players make a contribution and that’s where we’rewinning the game – off the field.”There was some sympathy for an Indian line-up that will face intensecriticism if they exit their own party on Sunday. “The conditions arepretty difficult, the pitches are not batting paradises,” he said. “Indiaalso have a lot of their experienced batsmen up in the top five. So if youkeep them tight, contain and take wickets, it’s a little vulnerable in themiddle. But the likes of [Suresh] Raina and [Mahendra Singh] Dhoni haveless than 100 one-day matches. They’re going to learn the game as they goon, and you expect India in their conditions to excel. In a tournamentlike the World Cup in the Caribbean, where the pitches are similar toIndian ones, I think India are going to be a force to be reckoned with.”His own participation in the game was in doubt till the very last, butLara suggested that pulling out had never really been an option, givenwhat was at stake. “I wasn’t a hundred percent, but I thought we’d leaveit as late as possible,” he said. “This morning, I did some work with thephysiotherapist and felt a lot better. I thought it was a very importantgame for us. We didn’t want to come back on Saturday and have to winagainst England.”The fact that he made only five didn’t bother him, with Marlon Samuels’slash to third man ensuring that there would be no fatal twist in thetale. “It was a short ball, but I didn’t pick up the slower ball,” he saidwhen asked of his dismissal. “I had to try to change the shot midway. Itwas unfortunate to drag it back onto the stumps. But we knew exactly whatwe had to do. We kept wickets in hand, and won at the end of the day.”And after an outing where nearly everyone impressed, it’s going to be abrave man who ridicules their chances of going all the way again.

Faisalabad were left with only 76 runs to win the opening match of the 2005-06 Pentangular Cup Cricket Championship, when they bowled out Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for 283 in their second innings at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.After having dismissed PIA for a pathetic 69 runs on the opening day, Faisalabad had gone on to make 277 in their reply, which gave them a first innings advantage of 208 runs. Although PIA did considerably better in the second innings, with two full days to go, their effort has not been enough.The depleted PIA team once again faltered against the relentless medium-fast attack of Samiullah Niazi and Asad Ali. Samiullah captured 4 for 74, taking his match haul to 8 for 105. Asad Ali’s 3 for 71 gave him an analysis of 7 for 90.Following his first innings duck, Agha Sabir made a worthy 44 off 93 balls for PIA with eight fours. Captain Yasir Hameed, the Pakistan discard, hit 10 boundaries in his 55 off 90 balls. Veteran Mahmood Hamid (47), young allrounder Jannisar Khan (44 not out) following his bowling figures of 5 for 63, and offspinner Tahir Khan (34) contributed substantially but PIA, batting one man short due to an injury to Aizaz Cheema, were all out before the day’s close.The season’s Patron’s Trophy champions National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) ran up an impressive total of 357 for 6 on the opening day of their match against national champions Sialkot at the Multan Cricket Stadium.Captain Naumanullah scored his eighth first-class hundred, as he compiled the day’s top score of 142. He stayed at the crease for five hours 24 minutes, facing 213 deliveries and hit 25 fours.With Hyderabad’s Faisal Athar, his second-wicket partnership was worth 112 runs. Faisal scored 72 that came off only 94 balls with 15 boundaries. Later, allrounder Mansoor Amjad capped off a satisfying day with an unbeaten 62, having faced 110 balls with eight fours.Incidentally, three Sialkot players are assisting National Bank in this match. Imran Nazir, Shahid Yousuf and Mansoor Amjad are on the Bank’s rolls and thus unavailable for their home region’s cricket team.

Michael Vaughan hopes Andrew Flintoff can make his Test return during the upcoming series against New Zealand, however he said it was vital that Flintoff not rush back too soon and risk aggravating his ongoing ankle problems. Flintoff has not played a Test since the 2006-07 Ashes loss in Australia and a fourth operation on his left ankle ruled him out of the recent tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand.”He has got three or four four-day games for Lancashire, so hopefully he will come through those with overs under his belt, runs by his name and give himself a good chance because we want him back,” Vaughan told . “An England side with Freddie in is a better team.”He wants to be there. He is the only one who knows what his anklefeels like. He hasn’t bowled 18 to 20 overs in a day yet and had to go out and bowl five or six the next day yet, so hopefully he will get through that.”Flintoff himself was aiming to be ready for the first Test, which starts on May 15, however that will depend on his progress during Lancashire’s initial games. His first big trial will be in a four-day match against Surrey beginning on Wednesday, and Vaughan said there was no point hurrying him into the national side before he was ready.”We just want him right, whether that means he misses the first game, second game and comes back for the third,” Vaughan said. “I just want him back fit and ready; whether it’s first or third, that will do me. It is so important you listen to your body and know yourself.”Flintoff’s fast-bowling colleagues Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard are also desperate for a successful start to the county season following their axing from the Test side during the tour of New Zealand. Vaughan said Hoggard would undoubtedly be working overtime to put his name back in the frame, while Harmison would be fired up and keen to prove a point.”Harmy has been given a harder time and I wouldn’t want to be a county batsman over the next month having to face him because I think he has got a bit of a bee in his bonnet and a point to prove,” Vaughan said. “That is exactly what I want – I certainly don’t think it is the end of their careers yet.”Regardless of how the attack looks, there could be adjustments to England’s top order for the first Test with Vaughan himself keen to drop down the order. He had a poor series personally in New Zealand, scoring 123 runs at 20.50, and a direct swap with the No. 3 Andrew Strauss might be on the cards.”I wouldn’t say I would carry on opening for England, no,” Vaughan said. “We will have to sit down with Peter Moores and the selectors. Straussy is at three at the minute – he likes opening and I am at two and like batting at three – so maybe that will be a little bit of a change.”

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Leicestershire’s 66-run victory over Somerset booked them a place in tomorrow’s finals day. Set 173 to win, Somerset failed to take the attack to Leicestershire’s bowlers, and wickets continued to tumble. Only John Francis, with an innings of 49 from 44 balls, threatened to deny Leicestershire a victory; Jeremy Snape and Dinesh Mongia both bowled remarkably tidily, each picking up two wickets. Mongia’s figures of 2 for 6 from four overs were particularly impressive. Leicestershire’s innings was built around the top four batsman, with Darren Maddy hitting 42 from just 27 balls, and Mongia 39 from 23 balls; Mongia’s innings, and his two cheap wickets, earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.
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Sri Lankan champions Chilaw Marians booked their place in the finals of the International 20:20 competition by cruising past Titans. Setting Titans 180 for victory, the South African side could only manage 112.Janaka Gunaratne claimed 4 for 21 to polish up the Titans’ lower order as they lost wickets at regular intervals in the run chase, while Dinuk Hettiarachchi claimed three victims to give the Marians a further boost.The Marians had chosen a bold approach when batting first with Ishan Mutaliph blasting 32 as they raced along to 98 for 1 off eight overs. Nimesh Perara hammered eight fours in his 39 off 18 balls to give them further momentum, after Paul Harris had claimed two wickets with successive balls and come very close to claiming a hat-trick.But Johann Myburgh three wickets for seven runs in his first two overs as the Marians’ failed to bat out their full 20 overs. In the end, their total of 179 proved more than enough.But it wasn’t to prove costly as they came out on top, and will accompany the PCA Masters XI in Finals Day tomorrow.

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After yesterday’s near washout, the International 20:20 got underway today with Somerset against Faisalabad Wolves, and the Wolves eased through to victory by 30 runs. Mohammad Hafeez got proceedings off to an electric start, clobbering 79 from only 35 balls to give the Wolves early momentum. He then took three wickets in Somerset’s reply in what was an excellent all-round effort.Hafeez hammered six sixes and six fours in his explosive innings, four of his sixes coming off one over from Keith Parsons. The opener received good support from Asif Hussain, whose 30 from 32 balls was positively pedestrian in comparison to Hafeez’s knock. The Wolves, who yesterday lost their opening game in a bowl-out against Leicestershire, needed a good score and a high run-rate in order to qualify for the finals, ending on 207 for 5 from their 20 overs.Haveez was eventually out to Ian Blackwell, who trapped him leg before, but Ijaz Ahmed struck a quickfire 40 to see the Wolves past the 200 mark.Somerset couldn’t match the Wolves’ run-rate, and lost crucial early wickets. Despite a predictably violent innings from Blackwell, the outcome of the match was never in doubt. He came to the crease in the second over of the innings, and smashed 12 fours and two sixes in his knock of 82 from just 48 deliveries. When he holed out to long off, it spelt the end of Somerset’s hopes, although John Francis did strike a quick 41.Hafeez was the chief destroyer for the Wolves, picking up 3 for 23 from 3.4 overs and deservedly collecting the Man-of-the-Match award.

New Zealand Cricket Board (NZC) confirmed the appointment of JustinVaughan and Steven Riddell as its two new directors, at NZC’s AnnualGeneral Meeting in Christchurch today. They will replace Terry Jarvis and Peter Sharp, who did not seek re-appointment.The outgoing directors were congratulated by Martin Snedden, the chiefexecutive of New Zealand Cricket. “Both these directors selflessly gave their time and expertise to assist with the governance of cricket in New Zealand and have assisted in steering NZC to develop and maintain cricket as the country’s number one summer game,” he said.Vaughan is the chief executive of a medical technology company and has played six Test matches and 18 One-Day Internationals for New Zealand. He was the captain of the Auckland team for four seasons and was twice voted Auckland Player of the Year. He has served on the board of Auckland Cricket since 2001.Riddell is a company director who has served on the board of Canterbury Cricket since 2001. He has served on the management committee of the Buller Cricket Association and is its life member.The new directors will be faced with the task of lifting the board out of its current financial crunch.New Zealand Cricket posted a loss of $6,105,152 in the 2004/05 financial year, NZC announced in its annual report.”Revenue was down on budget as NZC felt the full impact of theabandonment of the Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand. Fortunately we shouldrecover most of these lost revenues when Sri Lanka tour in January nextyear,” NZC Chief Executive Martin Snedden said today.”Revenue was also affected by the ICC’s continued prudent retention offunds from the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup.”It is hoped the ICC’s contractual dispute with the Global CricketCorporation can be brought to an end during the current financial year, at which time NZC should receive a final distribution from the retainedfunds.”NZC operates a four year financial cycle to cope with the fluctuatingnature of revenues received between world cups. In some years revenue is significantly higher due to NZC’s participation in international cricket tournaments and in other years revenues are significantly reduced due to lower overseas broadcasting income from inbound tours. The 2004/05 year is the third year of the current cycle.

Kumble strikes, finally
Never before in a Test has Anil Kumble waited so long for hisfirst wicket. After 46 overs in the first innings – where he wasmilked, cut and blasted – and 16 overs in the second – where he wasreduced to firing it down legside to stem the run-flow – the momentfinally arrived. Shifting to the pavilion end, reverting to over thewicket, he speared one on middle stump and managed to break it justenough. Yasir Hameed, who was in the midst of a superb spell as heupped the ante, pushed forward and was beaten by both spin and pace.Kumble spun around to ask the question, Simon Taufel’s hand slowlybegan its ascent and the Bangalore crowd let out a mighty relievedgasp before going completely berserk. (SV)Glorious certainty
In an unpredictable game, there is at least one element that is always predictable, though not monotonously so: Shahid Afridi will attack. The first time he gets strike in Pakistan’s second innings is off the last ball of the first over, from Irfan Pathan. Pathan drops short. Afridi pulls him for four.He comes on strike to play the fifth ball of Lakshmipathy Balaji’s over. No-ball short outside off, Afridi slashes and misses. Next ball, drifting down leg, glanced for four to fine leg. Last ball, lofted off-drive for four. That’s now 12 off 4, an average of 3 runs per ball. But don’t be misled – Shahid Afridi does not deal in threes. (AV)Siddhartha Vaidyanathan is on the staff of Cricinfo.

The news that Michael Vaughan will, almost certainly, be unavailable for the Ashes this winter has dented England’s defence of the urn markedly. But before the Ashes, there is the small matter of facing Pakistan for a four-Test series and in the next week the selectors will choose Vaughan’s replacement as captain.Andrew Flintoff filled in for Vaughan during England’s tour of India in the winter, as well as the Sri Lanka Test series. He too, however, was forced out of the current one-day series against Sri Lanka and will almost certainly miss the first Test against Pakistan. Andrew Strauss has had the unenviable job of leading a depleted and confidence-shot England side in the one-dayers, which Sri Lanka lead 4-0 with one to play.”From my point of view I just want the best person for the team and we’ll be deciding that before the first Test,” Duncan Fletcher, the England coach, commented.The other alternative could be Marcus Trescothick, who has filled in on occasions, but he has only just re-established himself back in the side after flying back from India with personal problems. On Wednesday, he flat-batted suggestions that he was the man in waiting but said he has “done it in the past – and if they offer it to me again then I’ll think about it.”We won’t be making any quick decisions about who is going to captain the side in the winter because at the moment we don’t know,” explained David Graveney, chairman of selectors.”Until the situation becomes a little clearer later in the summer we won’t be looking at that issue. We need to get as much information as possible about the injured players before we consider things.”I have been ringing him every day during this period and he has been battling really hard to recover from this injury, working long hours on his own in the gym so we all feel for him.”He is a human being so he’s bound to have got down during this period,” he said. “He is desperate to play for England and has been hearing how England can’t play without Michael Vaughan so you can just imagine how that has made him feel.”

ScorecardNick Compton took on the extra pace of Uxbridge, and Steve Finn, with aplomb•Getty Images

When Nick Compton was dropped by England, it was suggested that his batting was too slow and stodgy. He didn’t have enough shots and, with Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott also in England’s top three, the side would get stuck.It always seemed a slightly peculiar logic. And slow batting was hardly England’s problem during the Ashes series in Australia.In the first innings Compton scored 94 off 278 balls. Laborious, perhaps, but without those runs – or if he had been taken by Paul Stirling at second slip on 16, when Eoin Morgan was off having been stung be a bee – Somerset may well have lost this game.If Compton felt the need to show Angus Fraser, Middlesex’s director of cricket and the watching England selector, that he could play more expansively, he took the opportunity the last day at Uxbridge presented. He pulled particularly pleasingly, displaying a relish for the short ball that those in England’s Test side have sometimes lacked.”He’s at his best when he’s facing the likes of Steven Finn on these type of pitches when there’s a bit more bounce and a bit more pace,” Marcus Trescothick purred.For Chris Rogers, the upshot of Compton’s defiance was to reflect once again on his declaration. He set Somerset 390 in 72 overs, which sounded on the cautious side, though he had a rapid outfield to consider as well as the memory of Nottinghamshire’s heist of 385 last month.”Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Maybe we could have pulled out a bit earlier but we had a hard loss a few weeks ago and that’s in the back of our minds. I think if we were to lose this game we’d probably fall off that chasing group so it was probably important that we didn’t lose.”Both sides retain title pretensions. Somerset are in third, and have both their games against Northamptonshire to play, while Middlesex go to Scarborough next week to play Yorkshire. “I think they’ll be a bit wary of us and hopefully we can pull off an amazing win and then we’ll be right up there,” Rogers said.The spectre of a drab final day, for all the fine cricket in the match, also prompted discussion over the lack of disintegration in the pitch. “I was hoping for a bit more up and down on day four but it didn’t really do that. It was essential you used the new ball but after that it became a bit lifeless,” Rogers said.”With the sun out the wickets here become a bit dead and then it is hard to bowl teams out, particularly as they don’t seem to be breaking up that much. I’m sure groundsmen are trying their best. They probably just need a bit of rain!”If the crowd felt underwhelmed at the spectre of early handshakes, at least they had a morning of pyrotechnics to enjoy. Paul Stirling, promoted to number five, bristled with stocky intent. He followed an uppercut off Lewis Gregory for six with a bludgeoned straight drive and reached 50 in only 37 balls.It was his fourth in five Championship innings in 2014, seemingly rendering his years marooned in the 2nd X1 all the more curious. But not to Rogers.”He was still developing his own game and he’d be the first to say he had no form with the red ball but he’s come round and he’s doing very well,” Rogers said. “It’s great to say we should have picked him early in hindsight but that’s a rubbish call. I’m just really happy he’s doing well.”Rogers’ new opening partner is also in fine form. Nick Gubbins reached 95, including lofting George Dockrell for six over midwicket, but was run-out after a mix-up with Stirling. Still, on the evidence of his composure and mature shot selection, Gubbins’ maiden first-class century will not be long in coming.Somerset’s prospects of threatening their target always depended inordinately upon Trescothick, especially with Craig Kieswetter missing this game because of a family funeral.He flickered briefly, swatting a few trademark late cuts, but when Eoin Morgan smartly took him at second slip a meandering draw seemed inevitable. With a lively spell that accounted for Chris Jones and Alviro Petersen, Toby Roland-Jones briefly offered the prospect of Rogers being vindicated.But James Hildreth made a second silky half-century of the game, adding 93 with Compton. As he accelerated, unfurling a reverse-sweep, Somerset may have entertained fanciful notions of a run chase. He was caught at long on to end those. No matter: Compton remained unperturbed.

Sajid Mahmood has told the BBC that he believes it is only a matter of time before England players put the Indian Premier League ahead of representing their country.”A lot of people on the circuit are saying the IPL is the way forward,” Mahmood said. “My aim is and always has been to play for England, but if you’re not getting in the side the IPL is a big carrot.”He said that two IPL franchises had approached him but, so far, he had rejected their overtures as he still has ambitions to play more for England. “That’s the reason why I got into cricket in the first place and the desire is still burning brightly. I’m only 26, I’ve got a lot of years ahead of me in the game, and it would be great to spend those years representing my country and taking wickets … [but] if things don’t work out, the IPL is a massive draw. There’s a hell of a lot of money on offer out there and a cricketer’s career is a short one.”There’s not much I or anyone can really do at the moment, though, with the way things are. My aim is by the end of this year, three-quarters into the season, to be back in the England side. If not then I can start having a chat and see about looking at my options.”Mahmood’s comments come a day after Ravi Bopara said that he had turned down IPL offers. Last month, Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, sent a clear message that players would not be allowed to join the IPL if it impinged on the English season, but that stance appears to becoming increasingly isolated and risks causing a showdown between players and board.”If players can go out there, benefit financially as well as test themselves against the top players in the world, they can come back better for it,” Mahmood told the BBC. “It’s only three or four weeks out of the season.”