England in India

The Bengal XI side were dismissed for 150 in 42.3 of their allotted 45 overs in their tour match against England, and then the tourists reached their target in 25.1 overs.
Openers Michael Vaughan and Nick Knight both retired out to give others some time in the middle, but they were the only wickets to fall.

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England coach Duncan Fletcher faces an anxious wait to see if Marcus Trescothick will be fit for Saturday's one-day international against India. Trescothick is the latest victim of the stomach bug which has affected numerous other members of the tour party.

The Somerset left-hander was unable to bat during England's comprehensive victory over a sub-standard Bengal Cricket Association line-up on Thursday.

He contracted the illness shortly after keeping wicket for 18 overs of their innings, and was immediately sent back to England's hotel.

Triangular in Australia

Australia lost their third straight match in the VB Series after their batting once again showed up unexpected frailties.

Chris Harris starred with bat and ball for the Kiwis. He hit 42 not out off 43 balls as the Kiwis totalled 235-9 batting first, pouched a brilliant catch to remove Steve Waugh and took 3-37 from 8.2 overs.

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There's no reason why we can't come back from here," Steve Waugh said on Thursday night. "We've been in a position to win three games but we've lost three so obviously we're not playing good cricket."
In both matches against New Zealand, Australia have collapsed to finish 20-odd runs short of their target, with overs in hand.
They now face a make-or-break game on Sunday with South Africa, who beat them by four wickets and also beat the Kiwis in their one meeting so far.

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"I wasn't sure, I must say. I wasn't certain either way," said Boucher referring to the full toss he belted back at Chirs Cairns.
While Cairns claimed the catch the rest of his team-mates were surprisingly silent as an uncertain Boucher hung around, apparently believing Cairns had caught a bump-ball.
The South African vice-captain went on to say, When I looked at the replay on the big screen I felt a bit of an idiot but I wasn't going to walk because the umpire is there to do his job and he decided I wasn't out.

Pakistan in Bangladesh

Yousuf Youhana tore into Bangladesh to put Pakistan in an impregnable position on day two of the second Test at Chittagong.
Youhana exploded into life in the last session of the day's play taking his score from 59 at tea to 174 not out by the close.
Chittagong: 2nd Test, day two, stumps: Pakistan (427-9) lead Bangladesh (148 all out) by 281 runs

England Women in India

Hemlata Kala made most of the conditions to post her maiden Test century even as the one-off eves' Test between India and England ended in a tame draw on the fourth and final day in Lucknow on Thursday.
It was mainly through the efforts of Kala that India reached 312 for 9 in their first innings in reply to England's 314 after poor weather rendered a draw as the only possible outcome.
Kala cracked her first Test hundred in her second outing and bagged the woman-of-the match award as a result.

Miscellaneous

Former Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee is to coach two of England's most promising pacemen. Mark Footitt and Adam Harrison, both 16, will travel to India for two weeks of tuition at the MRF Pace Foundation in Madras.

Footitt, a quick left-armer with Nottinghamshire, and Glamorgan's right-armer Harrison both played for England Under-15s last season.

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The ICC has announced that the Referee's Commission will sit for the first time in February, despite objections from the Indian board. The three-man panel was set up by the ICC after India had match referee Denness sacked without ICC permission during their tour of South Africa late last year.

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