STEVE HARMISON and the rest of England’s out-of-touch players have been warned they need to lift their performance level to guarantee a place in next week’s first Test line-up.

TALISMANIC all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was dispatched to see his ankle surgeon yesterday as England prepared for last-minute selection issues for the World Twenty20.

ENGLAND coach Peter Moores has refused to blame their under-par over-rate as a reason for England’s failure to wrap up the opening npower Test before bad weather came to India’s rescue.

HAMPSHIRE began the defence of the C&G Trophy with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Ireland in Dublin, despite the absence of star names Shane Warne and Kevin Pietersen.

Hampshire began the defence of the C&G Trophy with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Ireland in Dublin, despite the absence of star names Shane Warne and Kevin Pietersen.

ENGLAND are facing an anxious wait to determine whether captain Michael Vaughan is fit enough to feature in the second Ashes Test after sustaining another injury in the nets at Edgbaston.

ENGLAND have named an unchanged squad for the second Ashes Test against Australia starting at Edgbaston on Thursday.

ENGLAND have become the second best Test side in the world by persevering with selections — so to ditch such a policy when beaten once by the best would be premature and could be ultimately damaging.