Skipper Justin Langer led from the front as Somerset thrashed Ireland by 128 runs to record their second Friends Provident Trophy win of the season.

IRELAND have been given some timely advice on spin ahead of their World Cup Super Eights clash against England from West Indies legend Lance Gibbs.

Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen entered Ashes folklore today with big hundreds as England approached a formidable first-innings total in the second Test.

ANDREW STRAUSS is backing England’s inexperienced batting line-up to overcome their nerves and deliver in the forthcoming Ashes series.

IRISH cricket chiefs expect the sport to benefit from Ed Joyce’s call up to England’s Ashes squad.

PAKISTAN paid a high price for a series of dropped catches as unbeaten hundreds from Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood put England in a strong position on the first day of the first Test at Lord’s yesterday.

ENGLAND relied on their established players rather than their newcomers to ensure a comfortable victory in their inaugural one-day international against Ireland.

England completed a remarkable final-Test victory at the Wankhede Stadium to share the series with India.

ENGLAND captain Michael Vaughan will miss the one-day series in Pakistan to undergo exploratory knee surgery.

ENGLAND coach Duncan Fletcher has accepted his team are almost certain to suffer their first Test series defeat for two years.

England suffered a damaging collapse to turn an anticipated last-day victory over Pakistan into more likely defeat as they stumbled in pursuit of the 198 runs required to take the first Test.

Kevin Pietersen’s maiden Test hundred powered England to Ashes glory as the fifth Test finished in a draw at The Oval.

England’s hopes of mounting a fightback in the deciding Ashes Test were frustrated by Australia’s best opening partnership of the summer at The Oval.

BRETT LEE took two late wickets to remove some of the shine from England captain Michael Vaughan’s 166, the first century of this Ashes series, on the first day of the third Test at Old Trafford yesterday.

ENGLAND responded to the partisan atmosphere of Edgbaston by exploiting Australia’s injury-hit attack and dominating a dramatic opening day to the crucial second Ashes Test yesterday.

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.

Shane Warne and Brett Lee put Australia on course to win the first Ashes Test as they instigated a post-tea England collapse before bad light and rain halted proceedings at Lord’s 25 minutes before the scheduled close.

England openers Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss gave England a solid start in pursuit of the record-breaking 420 target needed to defeat Australia in the first Ashes Test at Lord’s.

GLENN McGRATH settled back into his usual Lord’s routine to secure his place in cricket’s hall of fame and ruin England’s fine start to the first Test yesterday.

Glenn McGrath joined cricket’s hall of fame today by becoming the fourth player in history to claim 500 Test wickets on the first day of a first Ashes Test at Lord’s.

Kevin Pietersen earned England a dramatic victory to piled on the agony for Australia in their NatWest Series meeting at Bristol.

Matthew Hoggard produced the best English bowling performance in a quarter of a century to propel Michael Vaughan’s men to a breathtaking win against South Africa at the Wanderers.

ENGLAND openers Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss produced a record-breaking stand to thwart South Africa’s ambitions in the second Test.

A TYPICALLY aggressive 72 not out from Andrew Flintoff tipped the balance in England's favour on the first day of the fourth Test against the West Indies at the Oval yesterday.

The sports agency which represents Wayne Rooney today created a wealth management division for use by its all-star client list.

NASSER HUSSAIN ended any doubts about his desire to continue playing international cricket with a trademark century which guided England into a commanding position against South Africa in the crucial third nPower Test.

A TEARFUL Nasser Hussain walked away from the England Test cricket captaincy last night admitting that he “felt tired and stale”.

Atomic Kitten and a host of other showbiz names have created some rather risque designs for a new testicular cancer campaign.

Mark Butcher marked his 50th Test for England with a determined century today after he battled through an uncertain start to his innings in the final Test against a new look Australian line-up at the SCG.

ENGLAND’S Barmy Army have been branded a disgrace after playing an unwitting role in inspiring Brett Lee’s most hostile spell of the series and plunging the tourists further into trouble in the fourth Test.

Brett Lee delivered another sustained spell of hostile fast bowling to halt England’s counter-attack and ensure Australia remain dominant in the fourth Test at the MCG today.

Steve Waugh hit a defiant half-century to power Australia towards a major first innings total in the fourth Test at the MCG today to demonstrate his determination to continue his illustrious international career.

Myles Hodgson

England are heading for another convincing defeat in the third Ashes Test after conceding a major first-innings lead and then losing an early wicket on an eventful second day at the WACA.

MICHAEL VAUGHAN benefited from the hard nosed approach of modern cricket to continue his prolific year for England and provide Australian audiences with evidence of real competition during the remainder of the Ashes series.

GRAHAM THORPE has described his inclusion in England’s 16-man party for this winter’s Ashes tour as ‘‘the biggest challenge’’ of his career after taking time out from cricket to resolve his personal life.

Mark Butcher steered England to a six-wicket victory in the fourth Test at Headingley with an unbeaten century as the hosts made light of work of reaching the 315-run target.