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Rob Bransgrove Photo © Victor Isaacs

Hampshire County Cricket Club announced today that Rod Bransgrove has been appointed as the County’s new Chairman.Mr.Bransgrove was elected unanimously at last night’s special meeting of Hampshire’s General Committee at which Brian Ford’s letter of resignation as Chairman was considered and accepted. Mr.Ford said he needed more time to concentrate on his personal affairs.Mr.Bransgrove said today: "I’m honoured to take over this role and I will discharge it to the very best of my ability".At the press conference held to make this announcement, 50 year old Mr.Bransgrove intimated his committment to the county that he had a deep passion for. With his businesses now in good hands he feels he can devote much more time to the task at hand. The smooth opening of the new ground was a major priority. He saw himself not so much as an overlord, more as a decision facilitator.The club under the new Chairman, will be forming a Fund Raising Committee to look into the shortfall needed for the Rose Bowl, and when pressed stipulated that his committment would also include some personal finantial obligation.When asked about an overseas player for next season, Mr.Bransgrove whose playing ability was mainly local league "stuff" in Sussex, stated he was not an expert on cricket matters, and would leave these in the hands of people in the know, all he could say was that the club were in advanced negotiations, and would expect to name a player soon.Hampshire’s Chief Executive, Tony Baker’s reaction to a question from the floor, stated he was very pleased with the appointment, he an Mr.Bransgrove had much in common and felt they could work well together in the name of Hampshire CCC.

According to The Daily Star, Antonio Conte has personally set his sights on a new top transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Conte wants backing…

Following his arrival in north London, an appointment which came with much promise given his record of winning silverware, much has been made of whether Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will back Conte to bring in fresh faces.

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The January transfer window saw both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur arrive from Juventus but moves for both Adama Traore and Luis Diaz were unceremoniously hijacked.

A mixed window puts much emphasis on the summer as pundits and fans alike urge Tottenham to give Conte what he needs.

The Latest: Levy pressured to ‘strike a £30 million deal’ for Botman

As per The Daily Star, the Italian has now set his sights on a new top target. According to their sources, Conte is ‘still to be convinced’ that Tottenham’s ‘hierarchy’ will back him.

This is apparently ‘cranking up the pressure’ on Spurs chiefs and chairman Daniel Levy to ‘strike a £30million deal’ to sign Lille star Sven Botman before Newcastle United, as they wish to ‘appease’ their manager.

The Italian is ‘demanding’ that Spurs sign Botman as an ‘absolute priority’ this summer, green-lighting a bid as he gives ‘his seal of approval’ to move for the 22-year-old.

The Verdict: Get it done…

One of the most highly sought-after left-footed central defenders in Europe, Spurs and Levy will face a battle to sign the Dutchman. However, for a reported £30m, Conte is certainly right to prioritise a swoop given just how brilliant Botman has been at the top level despite his tender age.

Already lauded as an ‘established Champions League player’ by pundit Noel Whelan, the defender has averaged more clearances per 90 in France than any Spurs regular has in the Premier League (prior to Lille’s clash with Lyon tonight), including the rejuvenated Eric Dier (WhoScored).

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He has also found a higher percentage of his passes to team-mates (87.7%) than Spurs’ entire defensive crop, highlighting his composure and maturity (WhoScored).

If Conte can win the race for Botman’s signature, there is no doubting that he would be a stellar capture.

In other news: ‘Worrying’…Insider shares what ‘in the know’ source is ‘reporting’ at Tottenham, find out more here.

	Adam Gilchrist with the then coach John Buchanan ahead of Gilchrist’s Test debut at the Gabba in 1999-2000 © Getty Images

October 1996 – Makes his ODI debut at the age of 24. Scores 18 batting at No. 7 and grabs two catches in the loss to South Africa in Faridabad.April 1997 – Replaces the struggling captain Mark Taylor as a specialist batsman during the ODI tour of South Africa. Shows the first glimpse at international level of his batting potential, striking 77 from 88 balls in Durban.January 1998 – Is promoted by Steve Waugh to open the batting in the one-day team, and in just his second match in the new role strikes 100 from 104 deliveries to guide Australia to a comfortable win over South Africa at the SCG.February 1999 – Cracks 154 from 129 deliveries in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Melbourne. It was at the time the highest score by an Australian in a one-day international.November 1999 – Makes his Test debut at the Gabba, the home ground of his predecessor Ian Healy. Wins over the crowd with 81 from 88 balls, as well as five catches and a stumping. His first dismissal is Mohammad Wasim, caught off Damien Fleming.November 1999 – In only his second Test he is part of one of the most remarkable come-from-behind Test victories. At Bellerive Oval, Australia fall to 5 for 126 chasing 369 to beat Pakistan, when Gilchrist and Justin Langer combine for a 238-run stand to win the match. Gilchrist’s contribution is 149 not out from 163 balls.April 2000 – Collects five dismissals in a Test innings for the first time, then follows with another five in the second innings. His ten catches against New Zealand in Hamilton make him one of only three men – and the only Australian – to pouch at least ten chances in a Test.December 2000 – Is handed the captaincy in just his 12th Test after Steve Waugh is ruled out through injury. Leads Australia to a five-wicket win against West Indies in Adelaide.February 2001 – Turns another match on its head with Australia at 5 for 99 against India in Mumbai. Gilchrist’s 122 from 112 balls – the second fifty took 29 deliveries – helps set up a ten-wicket win.August 2001 – Stumps Darren Gough off Shane Warne at the Oval to register his 100th Test dismissal, in his 22nd match.February 2002 – Posts his highest Test score as Australia maul South Africa by an innings and 360 runs in Johannesburg. Gilchrist’s unbeaten 204 comes at almost a run a ball and features eight sixes, and says: “Gilchrist was playing with them like a cat keeping a half-dead mouse alive for entertainment”. Belts another century in Cape Town and finishes the series with 473 runs at 157.66.October 2003 – Becomes the third Australian wicketkeeper to reach 200 Test dismissals. Achieves the milestone by catching Tatenda Taibu off Brad Hogg at the SCG.January 2004 – Hammers 172 from 126 balls against Zimbabwe in a one-dayer at Bellerive Oval. It remains his highest ODI score.

	Gilchrist salutes the crowd after breaking Ian Healy’s record of 395 dismissals to become the leading Australian wicketkeeper in Tests © Getty Images

March 2004 – Helps Australia recover from what appears a losing position to beat Sri Lanka in Kandy. Bats at No. 3 in the second innings – Australia made 120 in their first – and puts on a 200 partnership with Damien Martyn. Gilchrist makes 144 and Australia win by 27 runs.October 2004 – Captains Australia to their first series win in India for 35 years, guiding them through their first three Tests as they take an unassailable 2-0 lead.January 2005 – Belts Pakistan into oblivion once again, hammering a century from 109 balls in Sydney. Gilchrist brings up the milestone with a straight six off Shahid Afridi and finishes with 113.February 2005 – Creates the only wicket that Glenn McGrath ever wanted to disown, by stumping Craig McMillan while standing up to the stumps to McGrath in an ODI in Wellington. It was the first stumping off McGrath in any senior match, and it came from a delivery timed at 136kph.March 2005 – Hammers 162 from 146 balls against New Zealand in Wellington. It is his third century in consecutive innings, making him the first Australian batsman since Don Bradman in 1947-48 to achieve the feat.July-September 2005 – Australia lose the Ashes in England and Gilchrist has a poor tour, with only 19 victims from the five Tests. He later singles out the Old Trafford Test as the lowest point. He drops Michael Vaughan on 41 – he went on to make 166 – and misses two simple stumping chances off Shane Warne.August 2005 – Collects his 300th Test dismissal when he catches Ian Bell off Shaun Tait at Trent Bridge.October 2005 – Makes a mockery of the ICC World XI with 103 from 79 balls at Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium. Achieves the feat against an attack boasting Muttiah Muralitharan, Daniel Vettori, Shaun Pollock, Andrew Flintoff and Shoaib Akhtar. Gilchrist is eventually dismissed by Virender Sehwag.April 2006 – Saves Australia from potential embarrassment against Bangladesh in Fatullah. After Bangladesh make 427, Australia stumble to 6 for 93. Gilchrist combines with the bowlers beautifully, and manages 144 to get his team back in the match. The bowlers and Ricky Ponting secure the win.November 2006 – Passes Rod Marsh’s mark of 355 Test victims when he catches Paul Collingwood off Stuart Clark in the opening Ashes Test at the Gabba.December 2006 – Destroys England with the second-fastest Test century in history, taking 57 balls and falling one delivery short of Viv Richards’ record. Achieves the feat at his home ground at the WACA and thrills the crowd as he bashes his second fifty in 17 balls. Deals with Monty Panesar especially harshly, taking 24 from one memorable over.January 2007 – Equals his personal best of five dismissals in an innings. Finishes the Test against England at the SCG with nine victims as he helps secure Australia’s Ashes whitewash.April 2007 – In a breathtaking innings of clean hitting and bravado, strikes 149 from 104 deliveries in the World Cup final as Australia beat Sri Lanka in Bridgetown. Is named Man of the Match and later reveals part of his success was due to using a squash ball inside his glove.November 2007 – Becomes the first man to strike 100 sixes in Test cricket, when he slog-sweeps Muttiah Muralitharan out of Bellerive Oval. The ball disappears and after numerous pleas for its return it is tracked down to Melbourne and given back to Gilchrist.December 2007 – Takes a regulation outside edge from Wasim Jaffer off Brett Lee to register his 396th Test victim. The catch at the MCG moves him past Ian Healy to become Australia’s leading wicketkeeper in terms of dismissals.January 2008 – Becomes the second wicketkeeper to reach 400 Test dismissals when he catches MS Dhoni off Brett Lee in Sydney.January 25, 2008 – Takes a regulation outside edge to remove Anil Kumble off Mitchell Johnson’s bowling in Adelaide. The catch takes Gilchrist to 414 Test victims and he passes Mark Boucher to become the world-record holder for most wicketkeeping dismissals. He achieves the milestone in his 96th Test.January 26, 2008 – Announces his retirement from all forms of cricket, effective from the end of the CB Series.February 15, 2008 – Gilchrist scores 118 against Sri Lanka, his 16th and last ODI hundred as he bids farewell to the WACA.February 29, 2008 – Blitzes 83 off 50 balls in his last appearance at the MCG, but his knock proves to be in vain as Australia succumb to a 13-run loss.March 4, 2008 – Gilchrist bows out quietly when he scores just two runs in Australia’s nine-run loss to India in the second final of the CB Series at the Gabba.

A pall of gloom fell over the World Cup following the death of Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, in hospital in Jamaica on Sunday, hours after he was found unconscious on the floor of his hotel room. He was 58.Tributes poured in from across the cricketing world, where Woolmer was known as an innovative coach and a scholar of the game. The Pakistan team, already eliminated from the World Cup on Saturday, said it would play its final match, against Zimbabwe, on Wednesday as scheduled.”We’ve been speaking to the doctors and they think it is either stress or a heart attack,” Russell Woolmer, his son, told South African radio from Cape Town. “There was a lot of stress in his job and it may have been stress that caused it. We’re all very shocked and we don’t know what to do.”The news of Woolmer’s death was announced by Pervez Mir, Pakistan’s media manager, a couple of hours after it first became known that he had been taken ill. “Bob Woolmer has passed away. I am speaking from the hospital and all the team management is also at the hospital. Doctors have pronounced him dead. Bob has passed away and it is very shocking news to all of the team and the team management.”Bob’s family and wife were informed by the management about his condition when he was brought to hospital”, Mir said, adding that Woolmer’s wife was on her way from South Africa.Mir’s statement added that there would be a coroner’s inquest and, in keeping with Jamaican law, an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Woolmer, a diabetic, was found unconscious on his hotel-room floor at around 10.45am after team officials grew concerned that they had not seen him since the previous evening. Mir said he had blood on him and there was vomit on the walls.Karl Angell, director of communication for the Jamaica Constabulary Force, said Woolmer was pronounced dead by doctors at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, where he had been rushed to, at 12.14pm on Sunday.Woolmer’s death comes less than 24 hours after Pakistan were knocked out of the World Cup following their defeat by Ireland. After the match, Woolmer spoke of the pressures of coaching. “Doing it internationally, it takes a toll on you,” he said. “The endless travelling and the non-stop living out of hotels.”I am deeply hurt and cannot tell you how it is going to affect me,” Woolmer told AFP late on Saturday after the Ireland defeat, saying he would answer more questions on email later in the week.Mir said Pakistan would still play their final World Cup group match on Wednesday. “The Pakistan team will continue its participation in the tournament. We are due to play Zimbabwe and we will play that match,” Mir told AFP by telephone from Jamaica.”Obviously the boys are extremely sad, they are very disturbed, they are shocked, but the boys have to play the match and they will.”

Rahul Dravid: “For strategic reasons, I wouldn’t reveal my final XI. It’s always good to keep the opposition guessing.” © AFP

Rahul Dravid has admitted that going one-nil up is an ideal situation, while playing a three-match Test series, but was quick to add that they had to be good enough to fightback, in case it doesn’t go their way. Stating that the pitch at the Gadaffi Stadium was a “good wicket” that will help both the fast bowlers and spinners, Dravid said he was totally satisfied with his side’s preparation for the first Test.While playing his cards close to his chest, Dravid refused to divulge any team information, but admitted that he had decided on the final XI. “For strategic reasons, I wouldn’t reveal my final XI. It’s always good to keep the opposition guessing. It’s good to be in a situation where one can choose from so many good players. Five will be unlucky to miss out. Better to be in a position where we have choices rather than the other way around.”Adding that he was “very happy” with their preparations for the game, Dravid spoke about the quality net facilites that his team had been provided with. “We’re happy with everything – the hospitality, the net facilities, the practice pitches. We had a few sessions at the NCA”Dravid said that it was important for the team to win crucial points and big moments during the series and that could have a decisive influence on its outcome. He also added that the last tour in 2004 was also very much about cricket, though it was historic for a lot of other reasons.

Mark Waugh: ‘In 50-50 calls, the Queenslanders are getting the rub of the green’© Getty Images

Mark Waugh has slammed the current Australian selection panel and claimed that there is a bias towards picking players from Queensland. Waugh, who is being pushed as the New South Wales candidate for the national selection panel, revealed that he had been baffled at Andrew Symonds playing ahead of Simon Katich on Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka last year and even termed it as “one of the worst decisions” he had seen. He also felt that Nathan Hauritz and James Hopes were undeservedly given chances ahead of Stuart MacGill and Cameron White.In a column for , Waugh wrote that half the selection panel was from Queensland (Allan Border and Trevor Hohns) and said that “people subconsciously favour what’s close to their heart and home.””I think there are a couple of Queenslanders in the past season or two who have been lucky to gain a spot in the one-day or Test teams,” Waugh continued. “Andy Bichel is probably the exception, but I can count three players and situations that would support the theory that the bananabenders are receiving a leg-up.”Though Queensland have been the benchmark in recent years in domestic cricket and that inevitably gives you more oomph at the selection table, there is that lingering thought that in 50-50 calls, the Queenslanders are getting the rub of the green.”Speaking about Katich’s exclusion from the side after making a brilliant hundred in the Sydney Test against India, Waugh said: “Admittedly, Symonds’s offspin may have been handy on the spin-friendly pitches but Katich can bowl decent left-arm spinners and the position was primarily for a batsman.”The next selection, which was a major surprise, was the inclusion of Nathan Hauritz in the tour party to India ahead of the second-best spinner in world cricket, Stuart MacGill. Hauritz is a pretty good one-day bowler but he was averaging about 50 or 60 with the ball in first-class cricket at the time and to think he could be Australia’s second spinner on such an important tour was a selection totally from left field.”Waugh was also surprised at James Hopes being picked for Australia’s current tour of New Zealand. “I played against Hopes last season,” he said, “and I couldn’t see him wearing Australian colours. Despite Hopes’s recent improvement, I believe Cameron White could consider himself most unlucky. He has better overall figures than Hopes and led Victoria to a Pura Cup win last year.”The strength of the current Australian team, Waugh believed, allowed the occasional blunder and he also acknowledged that “by and large the selectors have done a good job.” Yet, he thought it was a time for change so that other states could get “a fairer run for their money”.

Javagal Srinath: aggressive in his own way

Why did you retire from Tests so suddenly?
It was a question of body and mind. It had been on my mind for a while and I got enough signals from the body during the series in the West Indies. I really wasn’t prepared for that, and my body didn’t respond during the last two Tests. Like the team, I started the series well, but things fell away after the first two Tests. Also, I don’t think I was bowling upto to my expectations on a consistent basis. I was looking for a green patch or two to help me and to be honest, at this point in time, I don’t see myself in the Test squad on Indian wickets.I’ve always advocated that only the best fast bowlers should play and I had reached a stage where my body couldn’t do what my mind asked of it. I was running out of steam and I was depending on helpful wickets, regardless of the fact that I was still bowling a decent line and length. The results also played their part. Had we won in Jamaica, I might have changed my mind and played through the tour of England.Why did you want to carry on playing one-day cricket then?
A lot of wrong signals have been given by certain sections of our board. I love one-day cricket with its entertainment value and high intensity, but the real game is Test cricket. Having played so much cricket – and bowled so many overs in both forms of the game – it wasn’t possible to keep going without a break. I did ask the selectors to rest me for one or two one-day tournaments just so I could be fit for the Tests. The bowlers who are playing now will face the same problem soon enough, with so many matches being played.I still maintain that Test matches are special. You win one, you’ll cherish it for life; and if you lose, it might haunt you forever. In the one-day game, you can win today, lose tomorrow and then win again the day after. It’s not right for people to say that I pick and choose my matches. I took the break because my body needed it but when I’m not playing, I really miss the game. I don’t think it’s right to perform well below your best – but just about good enough – merely to keep your place in the side. In such a case, it’s better to take a break and come back refreshed.Disappointed to miss out on the one-day squad?
Not really. I expected these things to happen. A few people in the system haven’t understood me. After all, how many have bowled for the country as much as I have? Only someone who has done that can understand the plight of fast bowlers in this country.Wasn’t the English tour a big temptation for you, having done so well the last time?
You could say that, but the West Indies tour was very disappointing, especially after we started so well. If we had won in Jamaica, things might have been different. But by then I was tired, body and mind, and bitterly disappointed with my own performance.When you look back at your Test career, are you satisfied?
There are highs and lows.But do you feel you’ve underachieved?
To some extent, yes.You once said that you were a mediocre performer compared to someone like Glenn McGrath…
I don’t like to make excuses for myself. For example, I could say that I have played half my cricket on docile tracks that aren’t conducive to fast bowling. Even if it’s a good grassy pitch overseas, you still have to bowl well to take wickets. At the end of the day, it comes down to your own performances and how they’ve served the team, and in that aspect I don’t think I’m in the same bracket as Waqar [Younis], Wasim [Akram], McGrath and a few others.Your strike-rates and averages are much better at home…
I think one of the biggest problems when we go abroad has been the lack of a third seamer. The situation is getting better now. But over the last 10 years, how often have we had an effective third seamer? Why didn’t the third seamer deliver most of the time? We invariably got breakthroughs in most of the games but the third seamer failed because he had no experience at that level. Why is that? Because he can never find a place in the team when we play at home. I think the change has to come at the grassroots. We need to see pitches that allow you to play three seamers.One of the biggest criticisms directed at you down the years has been your comparative lack of aggression…
I respect those opinions but I’m aggressive in my own way. It’s just that my brand of aggression is not for the TV. I just take the ball and do my job.But could your body language have encouraged the opposition?
Body language doesn’t get you wickets. I don’t believe that aggression can get you wickets…Of late though, you had taken a different approach to your bowling, pitching the ball up a lot more…
Things were getting better, yes, but the results still weren’t there. I was trying my best to do that. You have to adapt as you go along and this was one of the changes that paid dividends. When you’re a young fast bowler, there’s always a tendency to pitch it a little short. It depends on the conditions too, to an extent. But sooner or later, a bowler realises that pitching the ball up is the key.Did you get the right advice in the early stages of your career?
Yes, I did. Kapil [Dev] was great and I used to speak to him all the time. Dennis Lillee was another great influence. The sad thing is that I didn’t get to play enough with Kapil.But did any of them tell you to pitch the ball up more?
Yes, they did but I used to get wickets even otherwise. Maybe if I had pitched it up more, I might have got more wickets. That is certainly one of my regrets.You once said that most Indian captains were batsmen, which was why you never got bowler-friendly pitches here. Can you elaborate on that?
That’s a matter for the captains and the team management. They need to realise that if we are to win consistently abroad, we need to produce pitches that give at least some encouragement to the fast bowlers.How disappointing was it for you to see a grassy pitch shaved off on the captain’s instructions?
This was one of the factors that contributed to my retirement. Earlier, I never used to think about how the wicket might play, whether it had grass or not. But with age catching up, you look at these things.Did your relationship with the captain have anything to do with the decision to retire?
A lot of people have been talking about my relationship with [Sourav] Ganguly. As such, there is no problem between us. Why would my decision be based on someone else’s actions or reactions? Ganguly and I go back a long time. I’m much senior to him and I know him very well.Expressing your emotions on the field doesn’t mean that we don’t get along well. People have read it wrong. As long as our expressions are directed towards winning the match, there is no problem.We are both very frank people who have known each other a long time. People just try too hard to read something into certain gestures.Any regrets when it comes to your batting?
It was disappointing, but with the amount of bowling I did, it was hard to concentrate with the bat. The injuries and the fractures didn’t help.Talking of injuries, how much did that shoulder injury in 1997 set you back?
Tremendously. That was a period when I was peaking and had I maintained that form for three or four years, I might have been a very different bowler. That pushed me back to square one and it took eight to nine months just to get back.Who complemented you best with the new ball?
Look, I don’t have any favourites. [Venkatesh] Prasad and I got the chance to bowl together for quite a long time; Zaheer [Khan] is a very good bowler. So is Ashish Nehra. He moves the ball well. Tinu Yohannan is one of the best athletes I have ever seen in Indian cricket.You were a young man when you first toured abroad. How did you think the touring experience can be made easier for rookies?
Long tours are always hard. I think fitness is key, and in that regard Andrew Leipus has done a fantastic job for us. The physiotherapy aspect is just as important. You need to get to the root cause of the injury and treat it…But from a mental aspect?
That’s all part and parcel of the game. When you go abroad, you have better conditions, better practice facilities and the best food. There is nothing to complain about. The only thing is, when you lose, your mental state can become quite fragile and you start doubting your own capabilities. The food, the travelling, the different culture, that shouldn’t really bother you. It’s for the seniors to buck up the young players if they’re going through a bad patch.Were the seniors very supportive when you were starting out?
Yes, and that’s still the case. The players take a great deal of interest in each other’s game and the youngsters get a lot of encouragement. Some of the youngsters – [Mohammad] Kaif, [Dinesh] Mongia and the fast bowlers to name just a few – have a great attitude and that helps.What does the future hold for Javagal Srinath?
I believe I just need to work hard and keep myself fit for the World Cup. I’ll make myself available and it’s up to the selectors to pick me. It’s only right that they groom players for the future but I’ll keep working and see how it goes. I really want to play the World Cup though.That would be the logical conclusion to your career…
Yes. I don’t see anything beyond that.

Canterbury will need no special motivation for their State Shield opener against Central Districts in New Plymouth tomorrow.The two teams are the finalists from last year’s one-day competition and with Central Districts upsetting Canterbury there is every incentive to give the holders a reminder of who the real bosses are.On the occasion, Canterbury has to be favoured. With its internationals back in for the match it has a formidable look to it.Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Shane Bond and Chris Martin give the side a real edge, and CD without their mastermind captain from last year Jacob Oram will have a real battle to take this game out.Canterbury will also be looking to get a good start to the competition as they follow up with a game on Thursday in Auckland, so maximum points would be a good start from which to launch the remainder of the campaign.CD are not without hope however, as Mathew Sinclair especially is looking for runs in a big way and if he could get going on the Pukekura Park pitch there could be some scoring fireworks.The teams are:Central Districts: Glen Sulzberger (captain), David Kelly, Jamie How, Mathew Sinclair, Ben Smith, Richard King, Campbell Furlong, Bevan Griggs, Andrew Schwass, Michael Mason, Brent Hefford, Richard Scragg (12th man).Canterbury: Gary Stead (captain), Craig McMillan, Chris Harris, Chris Cairns, Paul Wiseman, Shane Bond, Chris Martin, Brad Doody, Michael Papps, Darron Reekers, Gareth Hopkins, Carl Anderson, Warren Wisneski.

Martin Bicknell bowling blitz – the best since Laker’s record Photo © Paul McGregor

Surrey completed a resounding victory over Leicestershire by 10 wickets atGuildford today – their sixth win in the championship this summer. The homecounty scored 119-0 from 39.3 overs with Mark Butcher (47 n.o.) and Ian Ward(61 n.o.) taking the title-holders home with a day and a half to spare.Martin Bicknell, who took all four wickets in the first innings, producedyet another magnificent display of fast bowling. His return of 9-47following 7-72 in the first innings gave him a match analysis of 16-119 -the best achieved in England since Jim Laker, also of Surrey, took 19Australian wickets in the Test Match at Manchester in 1956. Bicknell becamealso the first bowler to achieve 50 wickets in the championship this summer.
The 47 runs put on for the seventh wicket by Vince Wells and Phil DeFreitas,who hit 24 in one ball less, alone provided any resistance. Bicknelldismissed both within three deliveries to catches by Butcher and Brown. Withthe last two wickets folding tamely Leicestershire were all out for 87. Incontrast to that batting debacle the Surrey opening batsmen showed howplacid for run-scoring the pitch could be, and they knocked off the runswithout giving a chance. Butcher brought up the victory with a cover-drivefour, one of eight boundaries in his innings.Bicknell, who played club cricket for Guildford, said: “I love playing atGuildford, it’s my home ground and I know a lot of people here. Playing thisweek every year is something I look forward to.”He has taken five-wickets in an innings three times this season – a feat hewas not able to achieve once last year. Although he claimed to be doingnothing different this summer to the blast four or five seasons Martin washappy for the figures to speak for themselves. He recognised that chanceshad to be taken when they arose because otherwise Saqlain Mushtaq and IanSalisbury would take the wickets, but he would gladly exchange this analysisfor another championship.

	Ray Price believes spending time out in the middle is paramount as Zimbabwe try and find their way back into Test cricket © Getty Images

Zimbabwe may be facing certain defeat in their four-day match againstPatron’s XI at Karachi, but Ray Price, the veteran left-arm spinner,believes there are still positives to be drawn from the game.Zimbabwe have largely struggled through three days, bowled out for 209 onthe first day and struggling at 111 for six in their second innings. Theirbowlers fared little better, conceding 479 runs, though admittedly thelocal squad has been a strong one.But Price maintained at the end of day three that the game was a significant one. “The game is very important, especially to get some time out in the middle for our guys. It is important for our batsmen to spend time in the middle and doubly important as we are such a young side,” Price said.Price is one of only two players in the 15-man squad to have played more than ten Tests (and of only two men over 30 years in age) and has only recently returned to the national side. Zimbabwe have been suspended from Test cricket since January 2006 but have since been playing four-day matches against representative sides in order to find a way back.”It’s important for us to keep progressing towards starting to play Test cricket again,” said Price. “We’re very positive about it. We played some good cricket in South Africa before this [where Zimbabwe won four four-day matches].”Ultimately, these matches are more beneficial to us, playing four-day cricket against good sides, because we’re trying to spend some time in the middle and improve.”Price, one of Zimbabwe’s most successful Test bowlers before their suspension, was the tourists’ best bowler against the Patron’s XI, picking up 4 for 130. “This is my first time in Pakistan but I always enjoy bowling in the subcontinent.”