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National League Division One
TableSurrey 198 for 9 beat Glamorgan 190 by eight runs at Cardiff
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They may have blown the Championship, but Surrey were today crowned the National League champions after beating last year’s winners Glamorgan by eight runs in a low-scoring match. It wasn’t a vintage performance, but it was another allround team display which won them this match, and the title. Mark Ramprakash (53) and Adam Hollioake (51) held Surrey’s innings together after they had stumbled to 61 to 4. Hollioake clubbed five fours and two sixes and gave Surrey some oomph, while Ramprakash dug in to help them up to a respectable 198 for 9. All the bowlers then chipped in with a wicket or two each, but it was Rikki Clarke, England’s newest allrounder, who was the pick of the bunch. Michael Powell top-scored with 40, and Robert Croft and Mike Kasprowicz, who both scored 20, threatened to spoil Surrey’s party, but Clarke kept his cool. He grabbed 2 for 19 and signalled the win when he clean bowled David Harrison to start the celebrations. After the game, a relieved Hollioake said: “We have played some good cricket in the Sunday League this year and we are very happy to come away with it. We are limping over the line as we are on our last legs and to get this side together today was hard work.” He added: “I would like to pay credit to what they have done here. They have stuck to it and got their rewards.” It followed their Twenty20 Cup win earlier this season, but the only strange sight was of Ian Ward, who this morning announced he is to leave Surrey at the end of the season, watching all the fun from the commentary box, well away from the celebrations. Kent 101 for 2 beat Leicestershire 98 by eight wickets at Leicester
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Leicestershire slipped down another slot in the table after they were skittled for only 98 and duly hammered by Kent. Amjad Khan took the first four wickets in quick succession to leave Leicestershire in trouble at 37 for 4 and Kent didn’t look back. Mark Ealham then matched Khan with four wickets as only Paul Nixon put up a fight. Nixon was last man out for a dogged 32, but the fact that he was only one of three to make it to double figures tells its own story. With only 99 to get, Kent made light work of their easy challenge as Rob Key (44*) and Andrew Symonds (45*) got them home in just over 19 overs.National League Division Two
Table Sussex 128 for 1 beat Lancashire 125 by nine wickets at Old Trafford
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Just as Lancashire spoiled Sussex’s Championship celebrations earlier this week, Sussex got their revenge in the National League with a thumping nine-wicket win. A win for Lancashire would have ensured their position as division winners, but Billy Taylor and Mark Davis made sure they will have to wait a little longer. Taylor took the early wickets of Mal Loye and Stuart Law as Lancashire slipped to 39 for 3. Mark Chilton (43) and Chris Schofield (32) then started the rescue act, but after adding 61 to push the score to 101-4, the last six wickets fell for only 24 runs. Most of that was down to Davis, who took 4-14 in a nine-over spell. Chasing 126, Richard Montgomerie (66*) and Murray Goodwin (59) didn’t hang around as Sussex romped to a comfortable win, and only their sixth of the season. Middlesex 278 for 4 beat Hampshire 277 for 7 by six wickets at Lord’s
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Paul Weekes starred for Middlesex with bat and ball as they squeezed past Hampshire with only one delivery left. After being asked to bat, Hampshire rattled up 277 with Nic Pothas and Simon Katich blasting an opening stand of 144. Pothas scored 78 from 77 balls, while Katich creamed 106, including 13 fours. Katich was eventually bowled by Weekes, who went on to take 4 for 45, and then provide the platform for Middlesex’s superb victory. He scored 104, and shared crucial partnerships with Andy Strauss, Chad Keegan and Owais Shah to keep them flowing with the tide. Needing nine runs to win off the final over, Shah hit a six, but was out the next ball. However, Ed Joyce and Jamie Dalrymple kept their nerve to steer Middlesex home.Nottinghamshire 185 for 3 beat Scotland 183 by seven wickets at Trent Bridge
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After such an unexpectedly bright start to their first season in the National League, Scotland’s rapid demise was capped off with another defeat in the final match of their campaign. Nottinghamshire haven’t had a great summer either, but at least Chris Cairns took out some of their frustration with a booming 76, featuring three sixes, in their comfortable win. Cairns earlier grabbed two wickets, and Stuart MacGill three, as Scotland were bowled out for 183, James Brinkley top-scoring with 67. Kevin Pietersen, who could well be leaving at the end of the season, hit a quick 20 before Jason Gallian (43*) and Cairns clubbed together 111 in Notts’ seven-wicket win. Derbyshire 249 for 8 beat Somerset 243 for 9 by two wickets at Taunton
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Derbyshire, led by Michael Di Venuto, hung on to pull off an impressive run-chase against Somerset, sneaking home by two wickets and with one ball to spare. After Ian Blackwell (60 from 47) and Matthew Wood (58) helped Somerset to 243 for 9, Di Venuto played a well-paced knock of 113 to keep Derbyshire in touch. He received support from Andrew Gait, Steve Stubbings and Dominic Hewson, all of whom scored in the 20s, but after Di Venuto was caught off Nixon McLean, Derbyshire still needed 20 to win. Up stepped Nathan Dumelow (28*) to take the responsibility and he made sure of the victory by smashing Simon Francis for six to win the game in style.

Western Australia’s Ryan Campbell is the surprise choice as wicketkeeper in the 12-man squad selected to represent Australia ‘A’ in matches against New Zealand and South Africa next week.Campbell has played only three ING Cup matches for his state this season, and scored a total of 135 runs from his ten appearances last summer. But, on the back of a thrilling innings of 77 against Victoria last week, the 29-year-old vaulted past New South Wales gloveman Brad Haddin and Queensland’s Wade Seccombe to win a berth.”I gave myself no chance (of selection), really,” said Campbell this afternoon.”I’ve worked really hard just to get back playing for WA and doing whatever I need to do for our team. I haven’t really thought about personal honours at all this season.”It’s very surprising but, in the same breath, it’s very pleasing.”Campbell, a clean-hitting batsman and athletic gloveman, also played with Australia ‘A’ in the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons. But he was used primarily as an opening batsman in those games.”I’ve been playing a different role this year; people normally think of me as an opening batsman who likes to tee off.”But my role’s changed: I’m batting in the middle order in both forms of cricket and I’ve changed my game a bit to try and settle our order down. I’m therefore giving myself more of a chance to be consistent – that’s something that I’m really working hard at doing.”Haddin, meanwhile, was one of only a handful of players from his state to miss out on selection in Australian teams today. Five Blues were included in Australia’s VB Series squad, and another five of the 12 positions in the Australia ‘A’ squad – seen as the country’s second-tier group of one-day cricketers – also went to players from New South Wales.Pending the outcome of a fitness test, captain Darren Lehmann will have fellow South Australian Jason Gillespie at his disposal as the speedster returns from a shoulder injury. But the remainder of the positions in the side’s attack will be filled exclusively by New South Welshmen. Left armer Nathan Bracken and tall right armer Stuart Clark are the other pacemen chosen; all-rounder Shane Lee will contribute medium pace; and Stuart MacGill and Mark Higgs are the slow bowling options.In a team that contains few genuine all-rounders, as many as five specialist batsmen have also been selected. South Australia’s Greg Blewett and Queensland’s Jimmy Maher are likely to fill opening batting roles, while Western Australians Simon Katich and Mike Hussey will join Lehmann in the other key positions.Along with Haddin and Seccombe, Queensland’s Martin Love, Victoria’s Brad Hodge and Tasmania’s Damien Wright – each of whom has starred at domestic one-day level over recent seasons – appear particularly unlucky to have missed selection.Australia ‘A’ meets New Zealand at the ‘Gabba on 8 January before flying to Adelaide to battle with South Africa two days later. Both are day-night games and precede the three-cornered VB Series of one-day international matches between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.The full squad is: Darren Lehmann (c), Simon Katich (v/c), Greg Blewett, Nathan Bracken, Ryan Campbell, Stuart Clark, Jason Gillespie, Mark Higgs, Michael Hussey, Shane Lee, Stuart MacGill, Jimmy Maher.

All those present at De Soysa Park Stadium today were robbed of apotentially appetising contest on the final day of this practicematch. Robbed by a Sri Lankan team too concerned about losing andunprepared to take minimal risks in an effort to win the match. Deniedan opportunity to learn from a run chase the players had to settle fortedious and quite pointless last two sessions. Required to score 269in just 56 overs the Zimbawean’s unsurprisingly decided not to chasethe runs, finishing 81-4.Sri Lanka’s unwillingness to set a reasonable target, say something inthe region of 210-220 is really quite inexplicable on a pitch that wasgiving plenty of assistance to their spinners and against a team witha relatively inexperienced top order. One hopes that the approach ofboth sides will improve in the next match. So far we have no resultsfrom the first three matches.Starting the day with a lead of 117 the Sri Lankan openers extendedtheir fine opening partnership to 128. Ian Daniels (52) took over therole of the aggressor this morning and started well. Looking to beexpansive they soon started to struggle against the Zimbabweanspinner’s leg stump line. Neither Daniels nor Kalavitigoda (72) wereable to increase the scoring rate sufficiently and in the 90 minutesthey batted this morning they only scored 50 runs.When Daniels was eventually adjudged LBW off the bowling of RaymondPrice it precipitated a dramatic collapse as the Sri Lankan’s tried toincrease the tempo but only succeeded in losing wickets. Five wicketsfalling for just 16 runs in 28 minutes.However, spurred on by lunch the Sri lankan’s came out in the nextsession all guns blazing, scoring 70 runs from just nine overs. KumarSangakkara (48*) continued his good form of the first innings with asparking 48 from just 37 deliveries. Prepared to improvise and use hisfeet he countered the leg stump line of the Zimbabwean’s with avariety of entertaining shots, some of which were quite unique. Hispartner, Suresh Perera (38), was also in fine form. Returning tocompetitive cricket he showed why he is rated so highly as a promisingallrounder with some classy shots, two of which sailed over theboundary for six.Whilst the Sri Lankan’s continued to bat on the Zimbabwean’s slowedthe game down to a crawl. Gavin Rennie bowling some of the slowestovers of left arm spinners ever witnessed. Frustration started tocreep in to the visitors cricket though and at least four catches weredropped. Tiredness may well be starting to take its toll.Once the declaration did finally arrived it was clear that theyZimbabean’s would not try to win the game. A target of 210-230 wouldhave been chased but a run rate in excess of 5 runs per over was justtwo much on a pitch that was now turning sharply.Even though they lost Alester Maragwede (4) early on, when he wascaught by a juggling Sangakkara behind the stumps, they survivedwithout much trouble until tea and never looked like losingthereafter. Despite mass appealing from the Sri Lankan’s and some fineattacking spin bowling from Dinuk Hettiarachchi the visitors lost onlyfour wickets. They will now travel to Galle for the second testundefeated when they could have lost two.

Liverpool arguably have the best full-back pairing in the world in Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who have both become an integral part of Jurgen Klopp’s team.

A pathway to the first team for Kostas Tsimikas and Neco Williams has thus far been difficult and limited to mere cup appearances and the odd game where one of the regular full-bacvs isn’t fit – so much so that the latter has gone out on loan to Championship leaders Fulham.

However, with the Reds still fighting on all fronts for the quadruple after winning the Carabao Cup a couple weeks ago, opportunities to impress Klopp could be available. Should that also prove to be the case in future seasons, the importance of having depth in the wing-back positions will soon be realised.

One player who has been tipped to become a Liverpool star in the future is left-back Callum Scanlon, who penned his first professional deal with the club this week after signing from Birmingham City as a 15-year-old in December 2020 for £500k.

An England youth international, the 17-year-old is described as ‘highly rated’ at the club, where he has nailed down a starting spot with the under-18s after making his debut last May. The youngster’s former academy coach James Atkins has hailed the starlet as “lightning quick” and “technically very good”.

Scanlon has also shown the ability to play in midfield, just like Alexander-Arnold, who himself graduated from the Reds’ academy.

What makes the 23-year-old such an important player in the Liverpool team, perhaps even more so than Robertson, is his ability to not just double up as a winger in attack, but also occasionally drift into the middle of the pitch to make things happen, much like Manchester City’s inverted full-back Joao Cancelo.

However, the West Derby native does this more because he has the technical ability to play in those areas, compared to Cancelo who also has that technical ability, but is a right-footed defender playing on the left, and cutting in is natural to him.

If Scanlon also has the technical ability to play in midfield, he could follow in the footsteps of Alexander-Arnold as opposed to Robertson. However, should he continue to develop at the same rate, but with his athleticism, aggression and strong delivery, he could perhaps play more like the Scottish defender, bombing up and down the left flank to good effect.

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Klopp may already have a long-term successor to Robertson at his disposal on Merseyside, potentially saving the club a few million quid in the transfer market as they would be spared the need to splash out on a new left-back.

In other news: Liverpool could sign their own Haaland in “atomic” £34m animal who’s “ice cold”

Adam Gilchrist says Australia’s new-look attack, which is spearheaded by Brett Lee, can rattle the experienced India batting line-up © Getty Images

Adam Gilchrist believes Australia’s attack is much better prepared to challenge India’s strong batting line-up than when the teams last met in Australia in 2003-04. During that visit India drew the series 1-1 and they posted strong first-innings totals of 409, 523, 366 and 705.Australia were without Shane Warne, who was sitting out because of his drugs ban, and Glenn McGrath, who had an ankle injury. Those two stars are now retired but Gilchrist is confident that any of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Shaun Tait, Mitchell Johnson and Brad Hogg can trouble India this time around.”They [India] have done well before without those two guys around, but I sense we’ve got a much more mature bowling group this year than what we did four years ago,” Gilchrist told the . “We have no doubt teams will feel a bit more confident without those guys in the line-up and that’s the challenge for us.”During the 2003-04 campaign Australia used five fast men – Lee, Jason Gillespie, Andy Bichel, Brad Williams and Nathan Bracken – and Stuart MacGill struggled to claim wickets. But Gilchrist was pleased with the way Australia’s new-look attack handled the recent Tests against Sri Lanka and he felt the bowling performances of four years ago would not be repeated.”The reality [of missing Warne and McGrath] kicked in during those first two Tests [against Sri Lanka],” he said. “I thought our bowling efforts didn’t wane at all. The guys stepped up in the absence of those two legends.”[India] certainly presents a bigger challenge because we’re playing against a more reputable batting line-up that will be confident against a team without those two players. There will be some hard slogs, but I think we’ve got the maturity there now to deal with it.”

Turning to Lara: Trinidad and Tobago wouldn’t want to take risks against a solid opposition like Barbados © Getty Images

West Indies captain Brian Lara is available for selection for defending champions Trinidad and Tobago against Barbados in the five-day Carib Beer Series Challenge Final, which starts on Thursday at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.T&T team manager Omar Khan did not give any details on the final composition of the national squad to face Barbados, but he did indicate the possibility that Lara could play, along with his West Indies team-mate Dwayne Bravo. “Barbados is no easy side to beat. We had some good battles in the past and this one will be no different,” Khan commented.”But we have the upper hand,” he continued. “We have had a good season going into this final. We only played one bad day of cricket this season and that was on the third day of the first game against Barbados, which cost us the match.”Speaking about T&T’s five-run victory in the KFC Cup final against the Windward Islands last Saturday in St Vincent, Khan said: “It was a tremendous team effort.”Trinidad and Tobago have been unbeaten throughout the tournament and to have won makes it even more special. No other team has managed to go through the season undefeated and the guys will feel very proud to hold that special honour.”Trinidad and Tobago had some nail-biting matches in the KFC Cup which had many fans on the edge of their seats. In the semi-final against Guyana and then the final, T&T found themselves in some perilous positions. According to Khan, complacency is something the team has to work on, but he also noted that close finishes are what finals are all about.”The team that keeps their head on until the end and proves their character, displays their determination, heart and passion will win the game,” Khan said.”All team members put up a fight. When one fails, the others know it is time to come to the party. Everyone plays a part in the team’s success, it is a total team effort.”Commenting on Kieron Pollard’s performance, Khan said: “He has been excellent for us this season but now he needs to work on his shot selection. He needs to choose which ball to go after and to understand that at this level you need to play sensible cricket.”Pollard is a good player and a talented all-rounder. He has a very effective slower delivery. He has broken some crucial partnerships this season and he will definitely be a good addition to the West Indies World Cup team.”Khan also commended T&T skipper Daren Ganga for his excellent leadership on and off the field. The T&T squad will have a training session tomorrow at Gilbert Park, California before their clash with Barbados.

Kyle Mills maintains that New Zealand will refrain from mentally testing Australia’s pros and debutants © Getty Images

Kyle Mills, the New Zealand fast bowler, says that there shall be no premeditated sledging against Australia in the forthcoming Chappell-Hadlee Trophy which starts on December 3.Mills, who was among the wickets during New Zealand’s recent one-day series loss to South Africa, also featured prominently in some visible exchanges with Graeme Smith. He has, however, dismissed any chance of such banter with Australia, a side whose reputation for mentally testing its opponent is well known.”It’s nothing really, it’s just verbal banter,” he told stuff.co.nz. “It’s what happens out there at the time. Emotions get into it and it goes from there. But you’ve got to control what you control best. Most guys have played enough first-class and international cricket and what goes on the field stays on the field.”Mills even went to the extent of saying that Australia’s newbees – Michael Lewis and Stuart Clark, both fast bowlers, and Cameron White, the spin bowling allrounder, will be spared the psychological gibes. “You don’t pinpoint a player at the start of the series or the start of the game, it’s what happens out there,” Mills said. “That’s the beauty of cricket, I guess.”Probed to comment on his claims of becoming an allrounder, Mills said that it was still an aspiration – he hopes to bat at No.7 some day – but that he had neglected his batting in recent times. “There’re a few allrounders I have to get past first. It’s something I’d like to work towards but I just want to keep my bowling as it was in South Africa.”The first of three one-day matches will be played at Eden Park on Saturday.

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Tim Welsford claimed his first wicket for Victoria after nailing Brian Lara at the MCG© Getty Images

Matthew Elliott and David Hussey led Victoria’s charge and helped them race to a comprehensive seven-wicket win in the warm-up game against the West Indians at the MCG. Chasing a modest 202 for victory, Elliott and Hussey added 129 in quick time as Victoria romped home with 18 overs to spare.After a hesitant start, Hussey’s excellent knock came from just 62 balls and included five sixes as the West Indian bowlers were taken apart. Elliott played the anchor role to near-perfection and though he was out late in the innings, the victory was all but ensured by then. Pedro Collins, the left-arm seamer, was the most impressive of the West Indian bowlers. He trapped Brad Hodge lbw for 3 and finished with figures of 2 for 26.Earlier in the day, the West Indian batsmen failed to capitalise on starts and no-one went on to post a big score. Chris Gayle gave them a blistering start with a 23-ball 33 but he fell in the fifth over and the rest didn’t cash in on the momentum. Apart from Gayle, six other batsmen – including Brian Lara – reached double figures but none was able to kick on to a sizeable score.The West Indians were reduced to 6 for 63 and only a fighting ninth-wicket partnership between Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw, the same pair who had starred in a historic triumph in the Champions Trophy final in September, enabled them to cross the 200-mark.For Victoria, Michael Lewis, Cameron White and Hodge, who bowls part-time offspin, snapped up two wickets apiece. Tim Welsford, the allrounder, claimed his first wicket for Victoria and it turned out to be the prized one of Lara – caught behind by Adam Crosthwaite for 24.”The players have played enough international cricket to do better than they did today,” the West Indies coach Bennett King told the AAP news agency.”Five of our top eight looked like they were in very good form and showed some very good signs but unforced outs can really cruel you in this game and that’s what what we had today.”We were playing a very good side but again I’d expect a lot better from our bowlers.”The players will only have two chances to practise ahead of the VB series which starts on January 14, when West Indies take on Australia at the MCG. They will play two more warm-up games – both against Australia A – in Hobart on Saturday and Sunday.”We’ve got a lot of work to do in the next week or so and with the week leading up to the VB Series we’ve got some good plans in place,” added King.

Nathan Astle’s 103 off 207 balls enabled New Zealand to save some face on the third day of the first Test between India and New Zealand, even if it didn’t quite take New Zealand to safety. Here is what he had to say:On his innings
Well, I was going to play my game, right from themorning, and I think I did that pretty well. I got outto a reckless shot. I had wanted to be more assertive,and I just picked the wrong ball to do it. Everybodyin the New Zealand middle order plays shots, and Ithink we did that today. Craig McMillan took thepressure off me and played well, and we were able tokeep the runs ticking along.On the wicket
It is a good wicket, although the heat is getting tous a little bit. We have to keep up our water intake,and it has become a mental game more than anythingelse. The wicket is getting a little turn, and it willturn more as the game goes on. Zaheer Khan’sfootmarks are also creating a rough for the Indianspinners, so if we do have to follow on, that willhelp them quite a bit.On being the first New Zealander since 1976-77 toscore a Test century in India
Yes, actually I was aware of that. Before playstarted, we had a few facts put before us, and thiswas one of them. So it was actually good motivation.On the Ahmedabad ground
It’s always nice to come back to a ground with goodmemories. [Astle scored a World Cup century againstEngland here in 1996.] It becomes easier to go outthere and bat, your mind is at ease a lot more.On New Zealand’s strategy for the remainder of thegame
Well, we’re going to try to get to 300 first, and thenmaybe get a few more past it. If we do that, we’ll bea lot happier. We’ll have a shot at drawing this game,and can then go on to Mohali. If we are made to followon, however, it will be tough to last two days.

New Zealand’s world champion women cricketers fly out of Christchurch tomorrow morning after a week’s build-up at the High Performance Centre to top off a programme designed to compensate for the loss of their tour to India.The cancellation of the tour, due to security reasons, was a body blow for the CLEAR White Ferns who need to start working towards rebuilding their side.But the hastily-arranged three-game tour to Queensland is some compensation.The game has been viewed by the side’s administration as a six-game tour, three games having been played at Lincoln University this week as part of the tour and also an assessment of some of the younger promising players in the country.Team coach Mike Shrimpton said that before the cancellation of the Indian tour the players had built up well through the winter with fitness training, regular visits to Lincoln and, latterly, matches and were in a very buoyant frame of mind.”The cancellation was a huge mental letdown and I suspected it would be hard for them to get up again,” Shrimpton said, “but we’ve had a good week out at Lincoln in very good conditions and we are looking forward to it now.”A lot of runs were scored and the players looked in good shape and form.”The exercise was also beneficial from a selectorial point of view as some of the younger players were looked at in conditions tougher than what they had been in before.Shrimpton said he had a lot of time around the country during the winter and saw many of the younger players in action.”They are young in experience but rich in talent,” he said. And some of those players would benefit from the A team tour to Australia in February.Some were capable of forcing their way into consideration for New Zealand’s tour to Europe in the winter when they will take part in a tri-series with England and India.”Initially the players were a little rusty and there were a few cobwebs but we got some game plans set and our routines re-set.”It will be very competitive in Australia, our players have not had a lot of cricket and they lack playing time,” he said pondering the bad weather to have plagued New Zealand so far this summer.All players would play at least four of the six games in the programme in New Zealand and Australia.CLEAR White Ferns captain Emily Drumm said the week had been good and a full on experience.”I am quite excited by what has been done. It has been a really good opportunity to enjoy a bat on quality wickets. They are very good wickets at Lincoln and it is easy to score runs quickly and it was enjoyable to have a long innings,” she said.The tour and the preparations for the new players to learn what it was to be part of the White Ferns and it was also a chance for the older players to get out of New Zealand, and the cycle of playing among themselves for some fresh competition.The tour games are: all against Queensland on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday next week.