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ScorecardAmjad Khan was the hero for Sussex with the bat•Getty Images

Yorkshire had victory snatched from their grasp by Sussex off the last ball in a thrilling finish to the Clydesdale Bank 40 contest at Headingley which the visitors won by three wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis system.Defeat for Yorkshire in the 28-over game ended their hopes of making it through to the semi-finals whereas Sussex remain top of the Group C table.The visitors chased down a revised target of 207 after Yorkshire had knocked up 200 for 8 and they still required 16 with three wickets in hand off the last over which was bowled by offspinner Azeem Rafiq.The game swung dramatically their way as Amjad Khan lashed the first delivery for six and the next for four. Two were needed off the final delivery and Khan got them by managing to squeeze the ball through backward point.It was tough luck on Rafiq and fellow spinner, Adil Rashid, who had bowled splendidly together when Sussex were 156 for 4, needing 51 off six overs. The pair conceded only five apiece off the next two overs, Rafiq also bowling Joe Gatting, and he later dismissed Mike Yardy, leaving Sussex wanting 35 from 14 balls, their position improving through a six from Ben Brown.Brown fell to Tim Bresnan to make it 185 for 7 and Yorkshire were still firm favourites until Khan’s late onslaught, Sussex earlier having been well served with half-centuries from Chris Nash and Ed Joyce.Put in to bat, Yorkshire made 14 off the first four overs before rain caused a lengthy delay and on the resumption skipper Andrew Gale and Phil Jaques were eager to make up for lost time. They had advanced the score to 33 by the eighth over when Jaques was bowled making room to try and cut a yorker from Chris Liddle but the tempo increased still further with the arrival of Joe Root.He powered to 13 with three boundaries off the first four balls he faced while Gale launched himself at Monty Panesar with two big sixes over long on. The second wicket pair raced their stand to 50 off 34 balls and it had galloped on to 75 in 10 overs when Gale was caught on the boundary edge off Luke Wright for 43 from 55 deliveries with three fours and two sixes.A return catch to Nash ended Root’s spree on 41 from 26 balls with four fours and a six but Adam Lyth and Bresnan made sure that Yorkshire’s progress was maintained, Lyth making a bright 19 and Bresnan including a front foot cover drive for six off Khan and two consecutive boundaries off Yardy who pinned him lbw for 27 with his next delivery. Sussex employed seven bowlers, the most successful being Liddle with three for 44.

Three of the four Associate qualifiers for this year’s World Cup descend on Dubai on Thursday for some much needed fixtures ahead of the main event. Afghanistan, Ireland and Scotland would probably prefer to get some pre-World Cup opportunities against Full Member opposition instead of playing amongst themselves. Yet, they can be grateful for the fact that they now have a bit of a leg up on preparation over Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, both of whom are starved of ODIs from December 1 through the start of the World Cup.Each team arrives in Dubai with their World Cup 15 already chosen, so the main objective of the tri-series for the three Associates will be to establish their best eleven by the time they leave the UAE, so that they land in Australia and New Zealand next month ready to stir the pot with as many upsets as possible. Here’s a look at each team’s approach for the double round-robin series, which begins with Scotland taking on Afghanistan at the ICC Global Cricket Academy on January 8.Afghanistan
The de facto hosts won four of eight contests on their pre-World Cup tour to Australia and New Zealand in September and October, but had their confidence dented by a humbling 3-1 ODI series defeat in November at the hands of fellow World Cup qualifiers UAE. Former captain Nawroz Mangal has been superb since moving to the top of the order but his opening partner is yet to be confirmed. Both Javed Ahmadi and Usman Ghani will be eager to present their respective cases to join Mangal.The team management will be keeping its fingers crossed that fast bowler Hamid Hassan can make it through the series injury-free. Hassan took 5 for 45 against UAE on December 4, in only his second match back since pulling up lame in Afghanistan’s Asia Cup win over Bangladesh in March.Afghanistan’s chances of excelling in both the tri-series and the World Cup will be greatly enhanced if Hassan remains on the field instead of in the physio’s room. New bowling coach Andy Pick will be licking his lips at the chance to work with Hassan and the rest of Afghanistan’s pace troupe, including Shapoor and Dawlat Zadran.Squad: Mohammad Nabi (capt), Javed Ahmadi, Aftab Alam, Mirwais Ashraf, Izatullah Dawlatzai, Usman Ghani, Hamid Hassan, Nasir Jamal, Nawroz Mangal, Gulbadin Naib, Hasmatullah Shaidi, Samiullah Shenwari, Asghar Stanikzai, Dawlat Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Shapoor Zadran, Afsar Zazai (wk)Ireland
The darlings of the last two World Cups had a hit and miss autumn tour of Australia and New Zealand. The team suffered collectively due to the absence of Paul Stirling, Ed Joyce and Tim Murtagh, and it showed in the results.A silver lining on the batting side was that the absence of Stirling and Joyce offered an opportunity for Andy Balbirnie to seize an opportunity to force his way into the World Cup squad. The former Ireland Under-19 captain made three fifties in his last four matches on tour then followed it up a month later with a century against New Zealand A in Dubai. The challenge now for Balbirnie is to force his way into the starting eleven, now that the first-choice players have returned.On the bowling side, youngsters Craig Young and Peter Chase started off their acclimatisation tour down under with promise, but ended it with mental scars at the hands of opening onslaughts from Ronnie Hira and Jesse Ryder. Young claimed a five-for on ODI debut in September against Scotland and will be happy to see them again in an effort to rediscover the form he had at the end of the northern summer. The return of Murtagh should also ease pressure off the younger parts of the pace unit.Squad: William Porterfield (capt), Andy Balbirnie, Peter Chase, Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Andy McBrine, John Mooney, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien (wk), Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig YoungScotland
Despite coming away with just two wins on their September tour down under, Scotland turned in some encouraging performances including a nail-biting one-run loss to a virtually World Cup strength New Zealand XI. Scotland’s improved depth over the past year was evident in the fact that they nearly chased down New Zealand XI’s 263 despite Kyle Coetzer and Preston Mommsen scoring no runs on the day.Aside from that blip, the decision to switch the captaincy from Coetzer to Mommsen has continued to have a positive impact for both players. However, Scotland needs more incisive contributions from their fast bowlers.The last time a Scotland pacer took four or more wickets in an innings in an ODI was Iain Wardlaw’s 4 for 43 against Kenya in June 2013. They will struggle to beat their fellow Associates, let alone Full Members, unless big hauls are taken on a more regular basis.Squad: Preston Mommsen (capt), Richie Berrington, Kyle Coetzer, Freddie Coleman, Matthew Cross (wk), Josh Davey, Alasdair Evans, Hamish Gardiner, Majid Haq, Michael Leask, Matt Machan, Calum MacLeod, Gavin Main, Safyaan Sharif, Rob Taylor, Iain Wardlaw

Benoni’s Willowmoore Park’s status as an international venue could be under the microscope after a domestic one-day cup match between Titans and Knights was abandoned because of a dangerous pitch. This is the second time in five years a fixture has been called off at the venue, meaning CSA’s board can recommend that the ground not be included in the roster of international matches in the season that follows.According to CSA’s administrative conditions clause 5.3, if a playing surface is deemed unsuitable for play, “CSA would have a range of options available to deal with its findings on the pitch in question, including the deduction of points from the home team, the imposition of a fine not exceeding R150,000 or both. A further option available is a recommendation to the Board that the ground in question be excluded from the next season’s roster of International and/or Test matches.”Titans, who use Willowmoore Park as one of their two home grounds, have already been punished with points for the game awarded to Knights. Play was stopped after 19 overs with Titans on 45 for 3. At that stage, the umpires had already seen at least four incidents of inconsistent bounce and, in consultation with the match referee and captains, opted not to continue with the game.”The new balls were jumping up and rearing quite badly and then it just got worse. By the 13th over, it was really bad,” Barry Lambson, the match referee, told ESPNcricinfo.Lambson went on to describe how medium-pacer Malusi Siboto hit both Henry Davids and Heino Kuhn on the arm before the first drinks break. “The umpires consulted but we carried on,” Lambson said.”After drinks, Theunis de Bruyn got a ball at about ankle height and then the next ball just took off. The same thing happened to Dean Elgar – one kept low and then the next one he had to swerve out of the way. The umpires consulted again and we decided it was too dangerous to continue. Someone could have been badly injured and we didn’t want to wait for that. Bowlers who are not that quick where getting it to rear up. Imagine what Marchant de Lange could have done later.”Lambson has compiled a report which will be submitted to CSA – the board will decide on further action.Under consideration will be that the groundsman informed the officials that he prepared the pitch in the “normal way”, according to Lambson, and that little more than a fortnight ago Willowmoore Park hosted a fist-class match on what Lambson described as a “great wicket”.However, the venue has been problematic in the past too. In 2009, a four-day match was called off after seven overs because of unsuitable pitch. On that occasion, it was found that the surface had been overwatered and the bowlers were creating dents in the pitch. The points for the match were shared, which Titans coach Rob Walter would have preferred to see happen this time as well.”If we’re affected from a points point of view, that would be unfair. We just rocked up to play a game of cricket,” he told journalists in Benoni. “The four-day wicket was great, and a few days later this happens.”While Willowmoore Park is not a regular host of international matches, with its last men’s ODI played in March last year, it a common venue for practice matches for touring teams. Last year, unseasonably high rainfall meant it could not stage India’s practice match.It is not due to host any international games this summer but is scheduled for a significant number of domestic cricket games and one fixture involving an international side, which organisers will want to ensure it is properly prepared for. The ground will see two domestic twenty-over matches staged on November 21 and 26, the warm-up match between a South African Invitation XI and the touring West Indians in December, two domestic four-day games next January and March, and another one-day cup match on February 1.

USACA put on notice

Cricket’s ongoing power struggles in the United States have resulted in USACA being placed officially on notice for failing to meet the ICC’s membership criteria. Disputes between USACA and the American Cricket Federation mean the former body cannot claim to be the sole organisation representing the game in the USA. This has resulted in a warning that the board could be suspended if the matter is not cleared within the year.
“They are up to be put on notice, however that issue is going to be discussed at the governance committee meeting and by the ICC board on Thursday before the annual conference,” ICC global development head Tim Anderson said. “USACA have been suspended in the past but these criteria weren’t in place then. This is a new process that hasn’t been tested yet. That’s one of the things the governance committee has to talk about.”

Wally Edwards and Giles Clarke turned on the charm at the MCG on Tuesday as they attempted to reassure Associate and Affiliate nations that the “Big Three” will lead cricket with more benevolence than belligerence.Edwards and Clarke spoke on behalf of the boards of Australia and England at an informal meeting ahead of the official Associates & Affiliates gathering in the Jim Stynes Room. Alongside India’s BCCI, they have hatched plans for the game’s strongest nations to lead the rest.The third member of their triumvirate, the barred BCCI president and yet ICC chairman-elect N Srinivasan, was not at the MCG, relying instead on his colleagues to articulate the new landscape they have created together, stressing meritocracy and closer bilateral links between nations.Edwards told members that the path was now open for cricket’s second- and third-tier nations to earn their way up the ladder through success on the field and sound governance off it. Tim Anderson, the ICC’s head of global development, said the management of the governing body in Dubai had grown more at ease with plans for the next eight years after working at turning broad resolutions into more detailed blueprints.”ICC management didn’t have a large role in the proposals when they were first put up four or five months ago, but as we’ve moved through this phase we have been able to get more involved and talk to our full members about what’s important, and as far as I can gather a lot of that’s been taken on board,” Anderson said.”I’ve had conversations with CA, ECB and the BCCI over the past couple of months along with our own development committee, and all of those discussions have been really positive about what the future might look like. I feel pretty good about the future even though there are some changes to come. The fact that our full members seem to be engaging more and more with other countries is a very good thing.”Among the major concerns raised by Associate and Affiliate members are changed financial modelling, which will offer nations a reduced percentage of ICC revenues when lined up against the previous plan, even if the next set of television rights is set to fetch an appreciably larger price and thus an increased injection of cash for all.According to an insider, the ICC is showing a “lack of care for Associate cricket,” underlined by their narrower focus on the tier below Test members. The High Performance Program will, for the next few months, concentrate on the four teams participating in next year’s World Cup – Ireland, Scotland, Afghanistan and the UAE – leaving the rest wondering how they will keep cash flow going and whether their teams will get sufficient game time.They have managed to attain some certainty in terms of the new financial model. Associate and Affiliate members will receive a total amount of US$225 million but it will be divided according to a new model. Half of that money (US$112.5 million) will go to top performing Associates but it is yet to be decided who those teams will be while. The other half will be shared among the rest. There is also the possibility of another tier of Associate countries who will be classed as high-performing countries, who may not benefit from the high performance program but will receive additional financial support.”Change is difficult at any stage, and we go through a process of change every eight years given our new rights and events cycle, different structures and funding models come through,” Anderson said. “I think what’s been good for this group today is Wally Edwards and Giles Clarke came in and spoke to them this morning and talked to them about the background of some of the changes.”Some of them who were involved in our committees have a broader understanding of what’s been happening, but this has really helped get their head around what’s going on and maybe more why it’s happening. I think they understand that the rights for world cricket are going to be sold very well, the international game’s in a good place and we expect our media rights will go for significantly more than they have in the past, which will mean more money will flow down.”I would imagine that coming into this meeting there would have been uncertainty, but now there’s a bit more comfort with what’s going on.”Also a source of disquiet is the plan to reduce the number of competing teams at the World Cup from 14 to 10 from 2019, though two qualification places will still be open. “One of the things they are perhaps understandably worried about is the World Cup and why are we going from 14 teams to 10 teams,” Anderson said. “As a member that’s a fair enough question, and in isolation I can understand where they’re coming from – you don’t want to lose something because you don’t want to lose something.”As a package though if you look at the opportunities coming in T20, opening up Test cricket and a big shift is the fact that up until now Full Members have by right received an automatic spot in the World Cup. At 2019 that won’t happen anymore. If they play well at the next World Cup they can put forward a case to say it should probably be more than 10, and if I were them I’d do the same thing.”Thirdly the game’s smaller nations have wondered aloud about a wider philosophical shift from expansion to consolidation, with Edwards, Clarke and Srinivasan eager to improve the performances of numerous existing Full Members. However Anderson suggested that targeted expansion into cricket’s major untapped markets – namely China and the USA – was now more likely than before.”There might be more of a focus on that moving forward as opposed to having a wide strategy to try to grow everybody, to really target some of those key countries and say ‘We really want to have a go there because we think they’ll make a big impact moving forward’,” he said. “Even though there’s been a lot of talk about China and the USA, there hasn’t necessarily been a huge amount of investment or events haven’t been put in those places.”I’m not sure the action has backed up some of the words, but moving forward I think that’s one of the things that’ll probably happen.”The three Associate and Affiliate positions on the ICC board will be taken up by Imran Khawaja of Singapore, Neil Speight from Bermuda and Francois Erasmus of Namibia. There was no room for Keith Oliver from Scotland which is believed to have caused consternation among the European Associate and Affiliate members who were lobbying for Oliver to get a position on the board. Oliver was instrumental in winning the right for Associate nations to have a pathway to play in international and many Associate members believed he would continue to champion their cause.The day was rounded off by the first installment of the two-day Chief Executives Committee meeting, at which recommendations from the cricket committee’s discussions in Bangalore were to be discussed. The Associate and Affiliate nations also discussed their situation with regard to the Big Three administrative and revamp of the ICC and arrived at the conclusion that “rebellious” postures would not help their cause at a time when “logical” thought was required.

Eoin Morgan is a man who revels in inscrutability, but as he strode from the nets at the Wankhede Stadium, it was possible to detect a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. The project of which he has been at the helm for little over a year now embarks on its acid test at 7.30pm on Wednesday evening. Whatever the outcome, few doubt that England, finally, are ready to fizz.On his way to the changing rooms, Morgan paused to pose with a giant England flag bearing a range of good luck messages from fans who sense that something is changing in their country’s attitude to limited-overs cricket. The misery of England’s eviction from the 2015 World Cup is a sufficiently recent memory that few would dare to get too carried away. And yet, there’s no doubt that something is stirring. And, clearly, not before time.”I think this feels different because we’ve a different group of players,” Morgan said. “It’s a new energy, it’s an exciting time for English cricket given the talent that we have in our group, and the attitude in taking the game to the opposition. It certainly feels different in that regard.”The most fundamental shift, Morgan added, is that his post-World Cup England team has offloaded the reticence of the former regime and is now brave enough to “play with no consequences”. It’s an attitude that, as he has previously intimated, could go some way to surmounting their lack of experience in Indian conditions. And to that end, he insists that defeat against a hugely experienced West Indies team would not be the “be-all and end-all”.”Going into any tournament, it’s not about getting out of the traps early and playing your best game first up,” he said. “It’s about pacing yourself and picking up confidence and putting in performances when they really matter. [But] the first game is a tough game – I do agree with that.”West Indies, with wearying familiarity, come into the World T20 to a back-beat of politics and infighting, and yet, with the exception of the injured Kieron Pollard and the blacklisted Sunil Narine, all of their big guns are back out in force for one last tilt at a title that they won in some style only two editions ago.No fewer than eight of the West Indies squad are IPL veterans (compared to the solitary figure of Morgan in England’s camp), and in Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo, West Indies possess two of the most established matchwinners the format has ever known. That is sufficient reason for Morgan to embrace the role of the underdog, and his dead-batted lack of interest in his opponents’ recent issues merely reinforced that position.”They have a number of dangerous players,” Morgan said. “West Indies have been a strong side in the past. They have a number of individual players who are very strong. It’s important for us as a young talented side to focus on what we do best and execute that as part of anything. There are plans in place, but ultimately it’s how we execute them.”Those plans, on what for the moment remains a green-tinged Mumbai surface, look set to revolve around a four-pronged pace attack, with the allrounder Ben Stokes creating wriggle-room in England’s bowling options. Reece Topley is sure to take the new ball and Chris Jordan is set to continue his death-bowling duties following the success of his Yorkers in England’s warm-up matches. Which leaves a toss-up between the height and pace of Liam Plunkett or the left-arm wiles of David Willey for England’s final slot.”You can keep guessing,” Morgan joked. “If you could guess me a few winners at Cheltenham today that’d be great as well.”Of the two, it is Willey who has had the more impact in the course of England’s preparations. His hat-trick while playing for the opposition down the road at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday provided a late varnish to figures that had been somewhat dented at the top of the innings. Plunkett, by contrast, has bowled four overs in two games, and was dumped for 19 in his solitary effort against New Zealand, although his hostility could be vital if the Wankhede pitch has any sort of pace and carry.”Wills swings it up front, comes back into middle and bowls change-ups,” Morgan added. “He has a canny knack of taking wickets, which is something that we’ve struggled doing for a while. But given the circumstances of any pitch, whether it’s two-paced or quick, [Plunkett] is an important player in the squad, with his extra bit of height and different trajectory to everyone else.”If there is one area in which England appear to have an edge over their opponents, it is in the skill and confidence of their legspinner Adil Rashid. His huge development at Adelaide Strikers during the Big Bash is both a boon to England’s prospects of going deep into the tournament, but also a warning that all too few of their players have been similarly exposed in franchise tournaments. But, with Narine’s career in turmoil following the ICC’s clampdown on illegal actions, Rashid’s mystery in the middle overs could prove vital.”It’s a very touchy subject,” said Morgan, a former team-mate of Narine’s at Kolkata Knight Riders. “I know Sunil and I’m not pleased to see what he’s going through, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. He’s bowled the same way since he was 15-16 years old, and the fact that he’s got to this stage of his career and it’s only being looked at now is probably disappointing from his point of view. But there are set rules in place that are being deployed.”As for Rashid, Morgan was happy to back his man to continue his impressive form, but warned that his most significant role might come later in the campaign. “Adil’s come a long way in the last couple of years,” he said. “I know in the nets we find him very hard to pick, let alone play, and I think given the conditions, he and Moeen [Ali] can play a big part, though here I’m not quite sure. It might not turn as much as it does in Delhi.”It’s normally a pretty good batting surface here. Again, it’s another challenge for the bowlers to try to emphasise taking wickets and halting momentum throughout the innings. It’s a challenge we’ve come up against in the past, and will continue to do so in Twenty20 cricket.”

ScorecardA career-best haul for left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza and a half-century from Shaiman Anwar helped UAE push ahead of Namibia on the opening day of the Intercontinental Cup match that saw 15 wickets.Namibia, who chose to bat at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, were in trouble early on as debutant pacer Kamran Shazad struck in successive overs to dismiss opener Xander Pitchers and Stephan Baard. But from that point onwards, the innings belonged to Raza, whose dominance of the Namibia batting was reflected in his figures of 7 for 37 off 20.4 overs.Raza, introduced into the attack in the ninth over, bowled three maidens first-up and had debutant Michau de Preez caught behind for his first wicket. Bowling unchanged from one end for the rest of the Namibia innings, Raza induced a batting collapse that saw the visitors fold for 90.UAE were shaky at the start, too, as Namibia’s left-arm pacer JJ Smit struck off successive balls in the fifth over to dismiss Saqib Shah and Saqib Ali. UAE’s recovery was led by the in-form Shaiman Anwar who shared a 123-run third-wicket stand with Khurram Khan. Anwar scored a 90-ball 81, which included 10 fours and three sixes while Khurram played a more sedate 49 off 111 balls.Namibia tried out nine bowlers, including captain Raymond van Schoor, who temporarily gave up his wicketkeeping gloves to pitch in with three overs. The breakthrough, however, came from part-time offspinner Pitchers, who dismissed Anwar. Du Preez took the wicket of Khurram Khan with his legspin, while Smit got his third leg-before victim in Rohan Mustafa.

Brendon McCullum is not the sort to shirk a challenge so when New Zealand’s wicketkeeper, BJ Watling, was ruled out of the second Test at Headingley because of injury, he wasted little time in deciding to take up the gloves that he supposedly relinquished for good in Test cricket nearly three years ago.McCullum kept for part of England’s second innings at Lord’s – without pads on day three – after Watling injured his left knee attempting to run out Joe Root with a dive. Watling left the field and speculation began over who would take the gloves at Headlingey.Watling seemed to come through practise on Wednesday reasonably well to most observers, which begs the question whether New Zealand viewed his bruised knee as an injury of convenience after what McCullum himself described as their “hour of madness” – the collapse to 68 all out as England forced an abrupt victory in the opening Test at Lord’s.Watling’s absence allows New Zealand to slot in Martin Guptill, who has extensive experience in English conditions with Derbyshire, as an extra batsman at No. 6, rather than as an opener in place of Peter Fulton whose tour of England has so far brought 34 runs in five knocks.Captain, wicketkeeper and New Zealand’s most pugnacious batsman: McCullum will not be short of roles when the second Test begins in Leeds on Friday. All this with a back complaint which puts him under strain whenever he returns to the keeping role.McCullum announced that he would only keep wicket for New Zealand in limited-overs cricket after the IPL in 2010. In New Zealand’s next Test against India in Ahmedabad, Gareth Hopkins deputised and in 24 subsequent Tests, the role has passed between Hopkins, Reece Young, Watling and Kruger van Wyk. Watling has been the only one to suggest he might make a long-term go of it and he can expect to return after this series.Such heavy demands upon McCullum make it almost inevitable that Dan Vettori, a former New Zealand captain, will make his Test comeback for the first time for almost a year’s absence with Achilles trouble. McCullum, an “ideas” captain, likes to keep lines of communication open with his bowlers, but he feel less need for endless dashes up and down the pitch in the middle of an over if he sees the familiar figure of Vettori fielding.One of the New Zealand bowlers to recognise the advantage of that was Neil Wagner. He is a garrulous sort – a refreshing change in the sanitised media conferences of today – and it was all he could do to stop himself pronouncing that Vettori would definitely get the final place ahead of Doug Bracewell and an all-seam attack. These days at Headingley, the temptation to rely on pace bowling alone should be resisted because the pitches can show extremes of character and are just as likely to go flat if the clouds lift. Adil Rashid, the Yorkshire legspinner, took five wickets in the second match of the season at Headingley, so it should not automatically be assumed that a spinner has no role here.”Brendon’s back has been playing up a bit, but he is going to grit his teeth and do a job for the team, that’s just the sort of guy that Brendon is,” Wagner said. “There is going to be quite a bit of running up and down because he likes to talk to the bowlers about plans but having the opportunity maybe to have Dan at mid-on and mid-off and pick his brains and pass on messages will be pretty awesome.”It’s exciting seeing Dan around the changing room and training with us again. He is just one of those guys you can always rely on. He brings a good spirit into the team, and brings in humour in tough situations sometimes, but he also has such massive experience. If as a bowler you want to pick someone’s brain, he is going to be the one you want to talk to.”Vettori will be a like-for-like replacement for his fellow left-arm spinner, Bruce Martin, who has left the tour because of a calf injury he picked up at Lord’s. That will at least stop the England fans wondering – as they have for the past three months – why nobody is clobbering him down the ground.Vettori, veteran of 112 Tests, bowled for half-an-hour, had a bat against some throw-downs and took some high catches on a middling Leeds morning, dry and largely overcast. Mike Hesson, New Zealand’s coach, then rejected requests to speak to him, leaving the bowling coach, Shane Bond, to indicate that Vettori himself would be trusted to make the call on his fitness.”He’s the sort of guy who will know whether he can do it or not,” Bond said. “He’s got that experience and he knows how he’s going physically. Either way I’m sure the right decision will be made.”Vettori’s last Test came against West Indies in Antigua last July. After an inactive time in the IPL, even a long-haul flight from New Zealand could not disguise the feeling that he was itching to play again.Vettori would join an attack that has come close to breaking England’s batting on several occasions over the four Tests stretching back to March, something Wagner takes comfort from.”We have come close a couple of times so it has been a bit frustrating for us as a bowling unit,” he said. “At Lord’s we got ourselves into a perfect position and then two guys came out with serious class and bowled unbelievably well.”Jonny Bairstow at the moment is trying to find his feet a bit. Nick Compton played a bit of a rash shot in the first innings after showing a bit of patience. Matt Prior hasn’t got a run in two innings. There is stuff we can thrive on.”

ScorecardBJ Watling and Grant Elliott both struck hundreds in Ayr•Donald MacLeod/Cricket Scotland

Hundreds from Grant Elliott and BJ Watling powered New Zealand A to a comprehensive victory in Ayr, as Scotland, without a number of their top-order batsmen, succumbed in the first of three matches.Scotland had started well with the ball but lost the plot at the back end of the innings, conceding nearly 150 runs in the last ten overs as Watling and Elliott piled on the misery. In reply the home side never threatened, with only Richie Berrington and David Murphy displaying any fluency with the bat.Without eight regulars due to injury and county commitments, including captain Kyle Coetzer, Scotland were forced to field a weakened side, handing a debut to 21-year-old Gordon Munsey; by contrast, the New Zealand A side featured six players with Test match experience.Having won his first toss as Scotland captain, Matt Machan would have been delighted with the way his bowlers started, removing both openers inside the first ten, including in-form Hamish RutherfordAfter the seamers’ hard work, it was the introduction of spin from the Cottage End that broke the third-wicket partnership, when Dean Brownlie chopped the third ball of Majid Haq’s first over on to his leg stump; seam struck an over later when Evans trapped Daryl Mitchell lbw to leave New Zealand A 92 for 4.However, as the sun and stiff breeze dried the pitch, batting got easier and easier. Both Machan and Michael Leask were deposited over the boundary by Colin de Grandhomme, and had he not missed a straight one off Haq the No. 6 might have caused some real damage. But for Scotland, the worst was yet to come.Once Elliott reached an obdurate fifty, he accelerated alongside Watling, who batted with total ease. Their partnership was eventually worth 185 from 19 overs. Elliott scored his second half-century off 26 balls, while Watling’s second came off just 13, as they battered Safyaan Sharif’s final three overs for 57 runs. Still 20 short of his hundred, Watling mistimed the ball over mid-off but Machan, running back, never quite settled under it; the drop seemed inevitable, as did defeat even at that point.If Scotland’s bowling was ultimately sub-par, their batting was dire. From the moment Hamish Gardiner became the first of Matt Henry’s four victims, Scotland never looked like threatening the target of 348. There were bright patches for Grant Bradburn, Scotland’s coach, to focus on: Munsey looked at ease with the pace and bite of the attack until he played a loose drive and Berrington once again showed form with the bat, although by the time he got into his groove the game was well done. In truth, it had the feel of a square practice for both sides after Henry and Scott Kuggeleijn blew away the top order.”The first 35 overs, we bowled well, we fielded well, and then we let it get away from us,” Bradburn said. “We’ve got a lot of high-level cricket between now and the World Cup, and we have to try and improve those skills, and try and be comfortable chasing. At the moment, we’re more comfortable setting than chasing, and we have to be able to do both. We have the skills to go out and chase big scores, but what we need is the belief.”

ScorecardSeven hundred and thirty five days and counting. That’s how long it has been since the Sydney Thunder last won in the Big Bash League and on Friday, not even the most remarkable innings from a most remarkable cricketer could break that drought.Michael Hussey’s extraordinary 85 from 56 balls wasn’t enough, as Shaun Tait and the Strikers held their nerve to inflict the Thunder’s 15th consecutive defeat.Michael Hussey’s 56-ball 85 could not take the Sydney Thunder over the line•Getty Images

Hussey could not have done more to win this game for his new team. Aged 39, and nearly 12 months since retiring from international cricket, his superpowers have not diminished even the slightest.He entered at 2 for 20 in the fourth over, chasing 154 to win, and watched from the non-strikers’ end as Michael Neser claimed Ryan Carters to be on a hat-trick and send the Thunder further into the mire.But Hussey remained unfazed and accumulated eight runs from his first 12 balls in a typical risk-free manner. Then on the 13th delivery, on a wicket where it was difficult to score off balls that were banged, Hussey advanced at Neser and lofted him into the stands over long-on.In the next over, he charged at the legspin of Adam Zampa and hit him inside out over wide long off for six. The Thunder needed 96 runs from 60 balls and Strikers captain Johan Botha turned to the raw pace of Tait, but Hussey still didn’t blink. He hooked the first-ball bouncer for six, glided a length ball fine of third man for four, and pulled another short ball though square leg for four more.Seventy-nine off 54 became 56 off 42 after Zampa’s third over, as Hussey reached his fifty with another six. Eoin Morgan, who played Robin to Hussey’s Batman, hit a trademark reverse sweep for four in the same over to keep the runs flowing.The pair combined for 109 off 75 balls and by the time Morgan had holed out to Callum Ferguson at backward point, the Thunder needed just 25 from 22.But the youngster Kurtis Patterson struggled to get Hussey back on strike, and ran himself out with 11 to win. Tait was thrown the ball for the final over and Hussey fell 15 metres short of victory, getting caught by Johan Botha at deep long-on.Earlier, the Strikers were pleased when asked to bat first after losing the toss. Michael Klinger cover-drove the first ball for four to lay the foundation for a classy 44. The Thunder bowlers, led by Dirk Nannes, Gurinder Sandhu and Chris Woakes adjusted their lengths on the unique drop-in wicket to restrict the Strikers after their positive start.But a very skilful innings from Nathan Reardon tipped the total past 150, and in the end, it was just a little too much for Hussey and the Thunder to overcome.

ScorecardJayde Herrick and John Hastings rumbled Western Austraia for 181 then Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell sprinted with the bat to deliver a bonus point for Victoria in the domestic limited overs match at the MCG.The Bushrangers prevailed with 16.4 overs to spare, adding to the Warriors’ difficulties on the day they lost their coach Lachlan Stevens and little more than a week after their captain Marcus North also resigned.Winning the toss and batting first in his first match as WA’s interim captain, Adam Voges made only 18 as all of the WA top four passed 15 but failed to go past 27.The only innings of any substance was 51 from Mitch Marsh, having come to the wicket at 4 for 70. Herrick bowled with his usual vigour, and earned his best limited overs figures.WA’s bowlers charged in at the start of the defence, none more so than Mitchell Johnson, who had one bouncer fly over the ‘keeper Tom Triffitt’s head and into the fence on the first bounce.But Finch and Chris Rogers weathered the early storm, and Maxwell helped ensure that the Bushrangers would register a most comfortable victory over their bedraggled opposition.