Sunday 27 January 2013

England warned over Cup defence

Venue: Mumbai and Cuttack, IndiaDate: 31 January-17 FebruaryCoverage: Ball-by-ball commentary of all England's games and the final on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra & BBC Sport website; live text commentary on England's televised games on BBC Sport website & mobiles

Coach Mark Lane has warned England that retaining the Women's World Cup this year will be harder than winning it.

England lifted the trophy with a thrilling four-wicket victory over New Zealand in Sydney four years ago.

Captain Charlotte Edwards will lead the team in India as they attempt to defend their title. Their first match is against Sri Lanka on 2 February.

"Defending a title is harder then winning it in the first place," Lane told the BBC's Test Match Special.

England women in "a good place" for World Cup defence

"Once you get to number one, you have to stay ahead of the pack and a lot of that comes down to hard work.

"We are there to be shot at but we are not worrying about what other people think. We are concentrating on what we do.

"We know what we are going to do and we will be focused on that."

Edwards is one of eight players in the 15-strong squad who were in the victorious 2009 squad.

England World Cup squad: Tammy Beaumont (wk), Arran Brindle, Katherine Brunt, Holly Colvin, Charlotte Edwards (capt), Georgia Elwiss, Lydia Greenway, Jenny Gunn, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor (wk), Danielle Wyatt.

Full World Cup squad details

28 Jan Warm-up v South Africa, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium) (03:30 GMT)

29 Jan Warm-up v New Zealand, Mumbai (BKC) (03:30 GMT)

1 Feb Group A match v Sri Lanka, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium) (03:30 GMT)

4 Feb Group A match v India, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium) (03:30 GMT)

5 Feb Group A match v West Indies, Mumbai (BKC) (03:30 GMT)

Full World Cup fixture schedule


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VIDEO: Samuels throws his bat at Warne

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VIDEO: England women ready for World Cup

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VIDEO: Chanderpaul a legend - Krikken

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Richardson to step down at Glos

Gloucestershire chief executive Tom Richardson has announced he will step down in September.

Richardson has been with the club for 12 years and played an instrumental role in the the development of their Nevil Road ground in Bristol, which is due to be completed next summer.

"It's a natural break point," he told BBC Gloucestershire.

"The pavilion will have been completed at that stage and it feels like the right time to do something else."

He continued: "The development is massive for the club. There's a real buzz about the place and a lot of positive things happening.

"Hopefully we've taken a big step forward in the last few months."

Gloucestershire first submitted plans to extend and develop their ground in 2009.

The club wanted to increase the capacity to 17,000 and upgrade facilities in a bid to bring international games to Bristol.

Disputes over the plans delayed their progress, but the development was approved in May and building work is under way.


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Woakes replaces Bresnan for NZ

Tim Bresnan will miss England's tour of New Zealand because of an elbow injury and has been replaced by Chris Woakes.

Bresnan will return home after the current tour of India and consult specialists regarding his right arm.

Batsmen Eoin Morgan and Samit Patel have been dropped from the Test squad which won 2-1 in India before Christmas, while Craig Kieswetter has been left out of the one-day party.

England will play three T20s, three one-day internationals and three Tests.

Woakes, 23, made his England debut against Australia in January 2011, and has played seven one-day internationals and three T20s - his last appearance coming in the second match of England's current ODI series in India.

The Warwickshire all-rounder has taken 254 first-class wickets at an average of 25, and has also scored more than 2,600 runs at 38.

"With Bresnan currently unavailable while his elbow is assessed there is a good opportunity for Woakes to gain further experience in the international environment," said national selector Geoff Miller.

4 & 6 February: T20 warm-ups v New Zealand XI (Whangarei) 9, 12 & 15 February: T20 internationals (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington) 17, 20 & 23 February: ODIs (Hamilton, Napier, Auckland) 27 Feb-2 March: Warm-up v New Zealand XI (Queenstown) 6-10 March: 1st Test (Dunedin) 14-18 March: 2nd Test (Wellington) 22-26 March: 3rd Test (Auckland) Wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow is included in all three squads after missing the one-day series in India because of family illness.

Woakes, Middlesex seamer James Harris and Yorkshire batsman Joe Root have also been added to the limited-overs squad.

However, wicketkeeper Kieswetter, who only managed 42 runs in three matches before being dropped in the current one-day series against India, has been left out.

"Kieswetter has had an extended opportunity in ODI and T20 cricket," added Miller. "He has shown evidence of delivering performances on the international stage, however we don't feel these have been delivered consistently enough.

"The door is not closed to Craig, and he can fight his way back into contention for international selection through consistent high performances with Somerset."

Nottinghamshire batsman James Taylor, 23, who played two Tests against South Africa last summer, leads the England Lions to Australia, following Root's elevation to the senior ODI squad. Stuart Meaker, Rikki Clarke and Craig Overton are additions to that squad.

England Test squad for New Zealand: Alastair Cook (capt), Nick Compton, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, James Anderson, Monty Panesar, Graham Onions.

England Twenty20 squad for New Zealand: Stuart Broad (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Stuart Meaker, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes, Luke Wright.

England ODI squad for New Zealand: Alastair Cook (captain), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, James Harris, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Joe Root, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes.

England Lions squad for Australia: James Taylor (captain), Gary Ballance, Scott Borthwick, Danny Briggs, Varun Chopra, Rikki Clarke, Matthew Coles, Ben Foakes, Alex Hales, Simon Kerrigan, Stuart Meaker, Craig Overton, Toby Roland-Jones, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, Reece Topley, James Vince, Chris Wright.


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Worcestershire announce profit

Worcestershire have announced a post-interest profit of £225,009 for the year ending 30 September 2012.

Despite a disappointing campaign in which they suffered relegation, this is the third successive year that the club has made a profit.

A major factor in the positive figures is the money made from land leased to a hotel company.

The club are currently building new facilities which they hope to use to increase their revenue streams.

"This will create a truly 365-day-a-year business with a long-term viable and sustainable future, ultimately allowing further investment both on and off the pitch," chief executive, David Leatherdale said.

"As we head into 2013 it is hoped the visit by Australia on the 2-5 July, as they warm up for the eagerly anticipated 2013 Ashes series, will also give the club and city a boost at the height of summer."


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Quiney to help 'badly hit' Essex

Essex head coach Paul Grayson has said the arrival of Australia batsman Rob Quiney will ease concerns over a drain of talent in April.

The Chelmsford club could be without Alastair Cook, Ryan ten Doeschate, Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara for the start of the 2013 season.

"We needed to bring somebody in," Grayson told BBC Essex.

Born 20 August 1982 in Brighton, Victoria Two Test appearances, scoring nine runs in three innings Averaged 36.48 from 55 first-class matches with Victoria, scoring seven 100s and 16 50s Two domestic one-day centuries with an average of 37.57 from 50 innings "We're one of the few counties hit badly by the IPL. Potentially you're losing four of your best players."

Opening batsman Cook is rarely seen in action for his county due to his commitments as England Test captain.

Ten Doeschate and Shah will be on IPL duty, potentially until the end of May, which is a prospect all-rounder Bopara is also considering.

But Grayson has recruited 30-year-old Quiney, a top order batsman with two Test appearances to his name, initially until the end of the FL Twenty20 competition in mid-August, at which point the Essex coach has said they will "revisit" the arrangement.

"Australia are touring this summer, he's keen to play county cricket and he wants to get back into the Australia side," he added.

"I see this as something hopefully long term - if he does well for us we could maybe have him back for two or three years. It's nice to get continuity in the side and hopefully he can give us that."


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Lancashire complete White signing

Lancashire have signed Leicestershire all-rounder Wayne White, who has agreed a three-year contract at Old Trafford.

The 27-year-old is their third new arrival ahead of the 2013 season.

Former Australia opener Simon Katich and ex-England paceman Kabir Ali have also joined the Red Rose, who were relegated to Division Two of the County Championship in September.

White began his career at Derbyshire, making his first-class debut in 2005, before moving to Grace Road in 2009.

"I am excited at the prospect of challenging for trophies in all three formats," he told the club website. 

“I have enjoyed my time with Leicestershire, and it will be a wrench to leave, but I am looking forward to a new, exciting chapter in my career with Lancashire”

Wayne White "Playing at Old Trafford is something I am really looking forward to.

"Working with Peter Moores and his staff is a great opportunity for me and I am excited by his plans for the playing squad.

"I have enjoyed my time with Leicestershire, and it will be a wrench to leave, but I am looking forward to a new, exciting chapter in my career with Lancashire and to be part of a successful playing squad."

Lancashire coach Moores added: "Wayne is a rapidly emerging cricketer, whose passion to improve and win trophies will match that of the rest of the squad.

"He will give us the depth we need to compete in all three competitions and create healthy competition within the squad for a position in the first team."

Meanwhile, Leicestershire coach Phil Whitticase told BBC Radio Leicester that he was disappointed by White's decision to leave.

"It came as a bit of a shock to us," he said. "We had discussions with Wayne at the end of the season and he said he felt he needed opportunities elsewhere and wasn't committed to the club.

"He was moving forward as a player and we saw him as a part of what we were doing, but obviously he's made the decision that he wants to further his career elsewhere. I only want players here that are committed to Leicestershire."


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