Texas tycoon R. Allen Stanford was convicted today of bilking investors out of more than $7bn in a massive Ponzi scheme he operated for 20 years.

THE England and Wales Cricket board have threatened Ijaz Butt with legal action after he claimed that English players received “huge amounts of money” to lose the third one-day international against Pakistan.

A post on Kevin Pietersen’s Twitter account has said the England batsman has been dropped from the one-day international squads for the series against Pakistan.

The Pakistani cricket team ploughed on with their British tour today, dogged by accusations of match-fixing, after the man at the centre of the alleged plot was bailed by police.

The man at the centre of match-fixing allegations involving the Pakistan cricket team was last night bailed without charge.

The world of cricket was left reeling today following allegations of a betting scam focused on the current England and Pakistan Test match.

New England captain Andrew Strauss began his permanent term of office with the backing of fallen predecessor Kevin Pietersen.

Kevin Pietersen has quit as England captain, according to reports this morning.

ENGLAND will fly to Abu Dhabi tomorrow to begin preparations for the two-Test series in India according to a report in the United Arab Emirates.

Ireland is sending a top diplomat to Zimbabwe to check the welfare of Irish citizens as voters go to the polls in tomorrow’s re-election of president Robert Mugabe.

Robert Mugabe was more isolated than ever today after Nelson Mandela condemned the “tragic failure of leadership” in Zimbabwe.

ZIMBABWE will not tour England next year after cricket chiefs in London officially severed ties with the African country with full support from the British government.

IRISH Cricket Union chief executive Warren Deutrom aims to build on Ireland’s fairytale World Cup debut by asking the ICC for more funding.

Pub and brewery group Marston’s said today its investment plans should help it overcome the impact of the UK-wide smoking ban later in the year.

PAKISTAN’S cricket manager Bob Woolmer has attempted to dampen growing tensions by claiming his side are keen to play in the forthcoming one-day series against England.

EXILED victims of President Robert Mugabe’s regime staged a noisy protest at Lord’s cricket ground as play began in the first match of the England-Zimbabwe cricket Test series.

The International Cricket Council have promised to give a written response tomorrow to the England and Wales Cricket Board to their request to move England’s controversial World Cup opener from Zimbabwe.

A question mark was today still hanging over the England cricket team’s opening World Cup match in Zimbabwe on Thursday as the wrangle over security concerns surrounding the game continued.

England have lost their appeal against an International Cricket Council ruling that their controversial World Cup match against Zimbabwe must go ahead in Harare next week.

Sport will unite this weekend to pay tribute to the memory of murdered Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.