Warne strikes one-day form

LONDON: Shane Warne and Stuart Clark helped bowl Hampshire one step closer to a place in the Friends Provident Trophy finals with a thrilling two-run win over Kent at Tunbridge Wells. Warne claimed 3 for 30 and Clark took 3 for 42 as Hampshire tried to defend their total of 220.
The visitors were cruising when Kent wobbled to 8 for 136 after the early breakthroughs from Warne and Clark. However, a 69-run ninth wicket partnership between Matt Walker and the South African Ryan McLaren had Hampshire on edge.
In a dramatic finish Warne asked Chris Tremlett, the fast bowler who played for England in the CB Series, to send down the final over. With three runs still required, Walker was trapped lbw for 83 from Tremlett’s third ball, handing Hampshire a vital victory with one round remaining.
They now sit on top of the South Conference table, just ahead of Kent. A win over Surrey in their last match will earn Hampshire a spot in the semifinals but a loss would leave them relying on other results.
Brad Hodge continued his run of form with his third one-day century in five games for Lancashire. Hodge struck 119 as the visitors comfortably overcame Derbyshire’s 232 at Derby. Hodge has been by far the most impressive batsman in the competition and averages 205 from his five matches. However, his efforts against Derbyshire will mean little for Lancashire, who cannot make the finals.
There is a slim mathematical chance for Somerset to steal a semifinal berth after their three-wicket victory over Surrey at Bath. A late 16 from Matthew Nicholson helped the struggling Surrey up to 214 but Somerset won with 13 balls to spare. Cameron White contributed 31 in the chase while Justin Langer managed 18.
David Hussey’s hopes of finals action slipped when he made only 7 of Nottinghamshire’s 238 at Chester-le-Street. Stephen Fleming’s 98 was insufficient to stop Durham grinding out a tense one-wicket win. Nottinghamshire now have to beat Lancashire later this week and hope Durham defeat Warwickshire to keep their season alive.
A few days earlier, Hussey was more impressive in the first-class arena but remarkably his top-of-the-table Nottinghamshire lost to the last-placed Glamorgan at Swansea. In a classic case of failing to capitalise, Nottinghamshire had Glamorgan at 8 for 193 on the first day before allowing them to reach 429. The key for the home side was the 185-run ninth-wicket stand between Robert Croft (115) and James Harris (87 not out).
In reply, Hussey top-scored with 98 and was also dangerous in the second innings, when Nottinghamshire needed 263 to win. But Hussey (63) had little help and the visitors were dismissed for 207.
Phil Jaques enjoyed a batsman-friendly pitch at Worcester, where he made 124 — his first century in the County Championship in 2007 — as Worcestershire piled on 6 for 701 declared against Surrey. The star was Vikram Solanki with 232, while Graeme Hick, who was often labelled a “flat-track bully”, managed only 15.
Surrey narrowly held on for a draw with their No 11, Nicholson, batting for 67 minutes for his 20, in a match-saving partnership with Mark Butcher. Jaques’s New South Wales and Worcestershire teammate Doug Bollinger had a hard time, taking 0 for 68 and 0 for 35. He now has four wickets at 83 from his three games this season.
White also made use of a batsman’s paradise at Taunton, where he made 114 for Somerset against Leicestershire. But White was only the fourth-highest scorer for the home team; the best was Marcus Trescothick (182). Leicestershire did not find the ground so accommodating and lost by an innings and 259 runs.
Stuart Law was consistent if not spectacular for Lancashire against Durham at Chester-le-Street, where he made 60 and 61 in a drawn match. Michael Di Venuto made starts for Durham but could not build on his 32 and 15. Hodge was also consistent; he scored 1 in each innings and both times was dismissed by Scott Styris.
Sussex jumped to second on the Division One table in spite of the best efforts of Warne, whose 5 for 91 helped restrict Sussex to 341 at Arundel. Hampshire’s 202, however, put them on the back foot and no wickets to either Warne or Clark in the second innings set up the win for Sussex

Ashes series proves money-spinner

Last winter's Ashes series provided a £133m boost for the Australian economy and led to the creation of 793 jobs.

The figures have been revealed in an Economic Impact Study report commissioned by Cricket Australia.

More than 813,000 tickets were sold for the Tests and one-day matches, and 37,000 overseas tourists visited Australia during the series.

"This shows cricket is good for business in this country," CA chief executive James Sutherland commented.

Explaining the reasons for the study, he added: "The EIS gives Cricket Australia the opportunity to better understand the impact cricket has on the Australian community and state economies across the country.

"It will provide Cricket Australia with information to help deliver the game more effectively and efficiently to the cricketing public."

The Ashes series was arguably the most eagerly anticipated in history following England's win on home soil in 2005, but it proved to be one-sided affair as Australia achieved a 5-0 whitewash triumph.

Despite England's poor performance, the study also showed that each tourist stayed for around 30 days and spent almost £4,400.

And they were rewarded in the limited overs competition when England gained a measure of revenge by beating Australia 2-0 in a best-of-three final.

Tourism Minister Fran Bailey welcomed the report and said the challenge now was to maximise economic benefits from forthcoming series against Sri Lanka and India, especially the latter.

"Cricket provides one of Australia's strongest links with India, and through our new tourism office in Mumbai and our partnership with Cricket Australia, we intend to bowl in a tourism bonanza this coming summer," she commented.

Warne open to England coach offer

Legendary Aussie spinner Shane Warne says he would consider any offer of a coaching job from England in future.

Head coach Duncan Fletcher admitted he would be interested in using Test cricket's leading wicket-taker.

"Australian cricket is my priority. I want the team to stay number one in the world and to help the sport to remain number one in the country," said Warne.

"[But] I would not have any problem with helping in England, New Zealand, South Africa or anywhere else."

Warne, who took 708 Test wickets, retired from the international game after the Ashes but has two years left on his county contract with Hampshire.

606 DEBATE: Could England benefit from Warne?

"I haven't heard anything from the ECB, so I can't say yes or no," he told the Times newspaper.

"I have an affection for England and a house in Southampton and I've helped out England bowlers in the past.

"I am a big believer in players learning from each other. That is what happens - or should happen - at the end of every match or series."

"I am sure the Australians will want to keep hold of him, but the idea of working with him is so exciting"

Monty Panesar

After Australia wrapped up an Ashes whitewash with victory in Sydney on Friday, Warne spent half an hour chatting with young England spinner Monty Panesar.

And Panesar admitted it would be "beyond my wildest dreams" to work with Warne on a more formal basis.

"Perhaps I am getting too far ahead of myself even thinking about it," he told the Daily Mail.

"He is pure gold so I am sure the Australians will want to keep hold of him, but the idea of working with him is so exciting.

"He could be an incredible inspiration to me because he has so much knowledge and experience."

England may turn to Aussie Warne

Duncan Fletcher says he would consider asking Shane Warne to help him resurrect England's fortunes.

The world's leading wicket-taker has been England's nemesis down the years but quit international cricket following Australia's 5-0 Ashes win.

Now under-fire England coach Fletcher admits he could seek out his advice.

"Someone of that calibre now would be very useful for England," he said. "He's got the capabilities of helping anyone at international cricket."

Fletcher thinks Warne will be particularly useful grooming England's spinners, having taken 708 Test wickets with his own leg-spin.

Monty Panesar is the obvious candidate, but Fletcher believes the likes of Ashley Giles could prosper from Warne's influence, too.

"Can you imagine the help he could give to a very, very experienced spinner in the side?" said the England coach.

Fletcher has not ruled out seeking the advice of Glenn McGrath either, admitting: "We are prepared to speak to anyone. There's no doubt about it."

Like Warne, fast bowler McGrath brought the curtain down on his Test career following Australia's victory in Sydney on Friday.

Unlike Warne, McGrath plans to continue playing international cricket until the World Cup in the West Indies.

Warne has not called time on his playing career completely, though. He has a two-year contract with county championship side Hampshire.

Meanwhile, Fletcher has insisted once again that he will not quit as coach.

The England Cricket Board announced a wide-reaching review of the squad and team management within hours of the 10-wicket loss in the fifth Test.

But Fletcher, a Zimbabwean who orchestrated the upset 2-1 Ashes series win over the Australians in England in 2005, says he will stick to his original plan and only reconsider his position after the World Cup in the Caribbean.

"I really believe I have the confidence of the players and the backing of the players and that's what is very, very important," he said.

Despite being the first in 86 years to be whitewashed in a five-Test Ashes series, Fletcher says his England squad was in better shape than the 2003 tourists, who lost the first four Tests before salvaging a win in Sydney.

"We're in a better position than we were the last time we were here when we lost 4-1," he said.

"There's a young group of cricketers here who performed at the highest level in other conditions. I just feel they just need to play together as a unit for longer.

"Even though they lost 5-0, they were competitive. They do have a belief they can do it."

England sledging spurs Warne on

Shane Warne says sledging from England fielders helped fire him up to make a rapid 71 and put Australia in control of the fifth Test in Sydney.

They look to be closing in on an Ashes whitewash as England crumbled to 114-5, a lead of just 12 runs, at the close.

"A few of them decided to have a bit of a say," said Warne, who is playing in his last Test match.

"That's fair enough. No drama. It just made me concentrate a bit more. Some days it works some days it doesn't."

Paul Collingwood had led the England sledging when umpire Aleem Dar failed to give Warne out caught behind off Monty Panesar early in his innings.

But it backfired as a fired-up Warne put Australia firmly in command, taking a 102-run lead.

Warne admitted he had begun to dream of making a century in his final Test match before being stumped by Chris Read off Panesar.
"In the context of the game to get a 100-odd lead was pretty crucial and I was thinking, 'surely not, I can't do this' (get a century). I thought, 'keep swinging and see how we go'."

Warne expects Australia to finish England off on Friday with only Kevin Pietersen remaining among the recognised batsmen.

"I would be pretty disappointed if we can't win this game tomorrow," he said.

"Once they are four or five down we always feel we can knock over their tail."

The 37-year-old struggled to cope with back trouble during the day's play and believes he has definitely made the right decision to quit international cricket.

"I thought R Mortis (rigor mortis) was coming in to bowl. I was stiff in the back, I couldn't move, so I was happy to get one (a wicket) in the end."

And as he prepared for what could be his final day in Test cricket he added:

"I suppose I will be a little bit sad but I am excited for what the future holds.

"I can spend more time with my children and my family and I can celebrate my career. The game's been kind to me and hopefully I have entertained and put a smile on a few people's faces.

"I'll be more happy than sad, that's for sure, because the body is telling me it is time to go."