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What should have been the clash of the titans, turned into a wet squid as rain in Cape Town forced the Standard Bank Cup fourth round match between Western Province and Free State into a 32 over smash and grab with the hosts running out victor by six wickets.Free Sate winning the toss batting first, on an overcast afternoon, lost the wicket of Jonathan Beukus in the second over minutes before rain forced the players off the field for three hours.Restarting with the game reduced to 32 overs Free State immediately lost the wicket of Morne van Wyk and then had to leave the field again as the Newlands lights went out.Play eventually got under way with Free State unable to recover or get on top of some good swing bowling from Charl Willoughby taking 3-29 in seven overs.A 44 from Neil Dippenaar helped the cause with Nicky Boje (20) and Rayno Arendse (28*) helping Free State to 125/7 when the 32 overs were completed.With the two breaks in the innings, and Free State having lost early wickets, the Duckworth/Lewis method calculated a Western Province target of 124.With the likes of Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith, Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis in the Province line up the target was never going to be enough.Herman Bakkes was not going to let names get the better of him, having Gibbs (15) and Smith (12) back in the pavilion to leave Western Province 33/2 in the eighth over.Gary Kirsten, in excellent recent form, stabilised the innings with the help of first HD Ackerman scoring 17, and then Andrew Puttick making 15. Kirsten finished on an undefeated 53, seeing the hosts through to a 6-wicket win.For Free State, Bakkes ended with 2-26, Boje 1-27 and Allan Donald 0-19.

Trevor Ward struck a brilliant unbeaten 160 – his second CricInfo Championship century of the season – to lead Leicestershire to a nine-wicket win over Northants with a day and a half to spare at Grace Road.It was a spectacular innings from Ward who hit 28 fours and a six as the home side made light work of their victory target of 232.With the weather forecast threatening storms for the afternoon, they knocked off the runs in 53.3 overs, Ward smashing three successive fours off Kevin Innes to clinch the victory and 15 points, an hour after lunch.That brings Ward’s total Championship runs this season to 436 in six innings and he has an average of 87.2 – stark contrast to last summer when, in his first season at Leicestershire, he managed only 110 runs in seven matches and averaged just over 12.A delighted Ward put it down to a return of his confidence and self-belief and said: “I have been striking the ball well and it was nice to have a knock like this in a match we needed to win.”Leicestershire began the third day at five without loss, requiring 227 more runs to complete the win they needed to lift themselves up the table and leave Northants marooned in bottom spot.By lunch the match was as good as won with Ward and Iain Sutcliffe sharing an unbeaten partnership of 157 dominated by Ward.He enjoyed two moments of good fortune when he was dropped at square leg and at slip on 30 and 50 but they were both extremely difficult chances. Other than that he totally dominated the bowlers, striking the ball beautifully both sides of the wicket.Although Sutcliffe was out soon after lunch, caught at slip off Darren Cousins for 55, Ward continued to pound the Northants attack. He hit Cousins for three successive fours, pulled Lesroy Weekes for a six and reached his century off 127 balls.By the time he had won the game with his flurry of boundaries off Innes, the Leicestershire opener had faced 172 balls and hit 28 fours and a six.

Frank Lampard and Everton must do everything in their power to keep Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Goodison Park, with interest said to be high this summer.

What’s the latest?

The Everton striker has been heavily linked with a move to Mikel Arteta’s resurged Arsenal side, with reports suggesting that Calvert-Lewin could in fact leave in the summer to help the Merseyside club with the £373m losses suffered over the last few seasons.

The rules surrounding financial fair play allow for maximum combined losses of £105m over three years, with Everton looking as though they will be forced to sell one of their big-name players in order to comply with FFP.

Former Tottenham and Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has suggested that the 25-year-old England forward would be better placed at West Ham United:

“I think for Calvert-Lewin, West Ham. They need another centre-forward, they cross the ball.”

Though Bent also added that Everton would have to lower their reported asking price of £60m if they wanted to attract viable suitors for the 25-year-old.

“If Everton ask for £60m no one’s buying him for that.” When prompted on Calvert-Lewin’s worth, Bent said: “£35m-£40m”

No DCL, No Party

With the pressures of FFP surrounding them, Everton will need to offload one of either Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison in order to relieve some pressure and reach a more confident position when it comes to balancing their books.

Of course, if the Toffees are to suffer relegation to the Championship this season, both would likely depart.

Having featured just 11 times for Everton this season, scoring on just three occasions, Calvert-Lewin’s goals have been a big miss for the Toffees and it is no coincidence that the Merseyside blues find themselves in the precarious position of 17th, having played their fair share of games without the star man.

It’s easy to forget that the £72k-per-week forward netted a solid 16 Premier League goals just last season and 13 the season prior, which showcases how big a disaster it would be to lose him permanently.

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Calvert-Lewin has been a big miss for the Toffees and his importance has been evidenced this season, as Lampard’s side are battling to avoid what would be a catastrophic relegation to the second-tier.

The Toffees faithful will be hoping that Calvert-Lewin can return to his goalscoring ways before the end of the season.

In other news – Forget Keane: “Embarrassing” Everton dud who lost 100% duels let Lampard down…

	Harbhajan Singh: “I can understand the [Australian] public wanting to support their team but I made them realise that I also played cricket the tough way” © Getty Images

Harbhajan Singh, embroiled in more than one controversy during India’s tour of Australia, has, in separate newspaper interviews, criticised the Australian team for being “arrogant” and has also come out strongly against Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist.This trip, he told the , was the most challenging of his career. “It was as if the series was Harbhajan Singh versus Australia.”Harbhajan was charged with – and subsequently cleared – making a racist remark at Andrew Symonds and said he was upset when Hayden and Gilchrist both supported Symonds.He was quoted by the Delhi-based tabloid calling Hayden “a big liar”, though he later denied those comments. The paper also quoted him as saying Gilchrist was “not a saint”.He was, however, all praise for Brett Lee, saying he was different from his team-mates. “Lee never spoke in the same manner as the rest of his team-mates. He never uttered any nonsense to us and kept visiting our dressing-room even after Sydney,” he said.”I had always wanted to do well against Australia. We were all proud of ourselves that we did well in Australia. They are a dominating team but I have had a good record against them. I had to match their aggression and that is what I did.”According to Harbhajan, it wasn’t just the Australian players, but also the public and the press, who were against the Indian team. “I can understand the public wanting to support their team but I made them realise that I also played cricket the tough way. I was not in Australia to make friends. I was there to play for my country and win. And win we did.”

Laura Newton: a flamboyant player with natural timing © Will Luke

Laura Newton, England’s vice-captain, has announced her retirement. She was quick to rule out applying for the England coaching role, despite her Level 3 coaching qualifications, telling Cricinfo that, understandably, she did not want to be pigeonholed in cricket.She is halfway through her Masters in biomechanics, and has taken an interest in working in that field, but concentrating on gymnastics and athletics, once she graduates in 2008.Newton, who is 29, alluded to the trials of being an amateur player in an era where there are more and more international matches. She said: “The demands of being an England cricketer require a sacrifice I am no longer able to undertake from this point onwards.”Her retirement means that, as well as studying, she can spend more time with her two children, George, 8, and Harry, 5. But in relinquishing her England role, she will also give up her ECB funding, and so she plans to undertake clerical temping while she completes her studies.From England’s perspective, they now have the task of appointing a new vice-captain alongside a new England coach. Arran Brindle, who would be her natural successor, is no longer in the frame, having announced a break from the game. Claire Taylor may make a useful deputy – despite being 31 she has her sights firmly on the 2009 World Cup – but otherwise the role is likely to go to one of the younger players, who could benefit in learning from the current captain, Charlotte Edwards.Newton’s retirement before the age of 30 brings to mind Clare Connor quitting at the same age – Connor’s decision was also one borne of the demands of representing the country. Both were tirelessly dedicated to the cause and, like Connor, Newton gave her all. Her experience will be hard to replace.Newton, who played for England for a decade, started off as a fast-bowling middle-order batsman, but – as a natural sportswoman – she adapted her game to become an offspinning opening batsman. In all of her roles she was an integral part of England’s recent success, including winning the Ashes.

Newton and Charlotte Edwards, who formed a formidable opening partnership, celebrate a wicket © Getty Images

She made her ODI debut against South Africa in 1997 and two years later she made her Test debut in the series against India. Her one-day top score of 79 belies her talent – but then her role was as a flamboyant batsman, with licence to strike. She hit nine half-centuries in total, and while she admits that she would have liked a one-day century “it’s not the be-all and end-all.”She does have a Test century to her name, 103 against New Zealand in 2004. She was also awarded the NatWest Player of the Series in 2003 for her consecutive scores of 68 and 77 not out.In the most recent quadrangular series in India in February she was the pick of England’s bowlers, but again her best-ever return of 2 for 17 in one-dayers and 3 for 10 in Tests is frustratingly short of her potential. Still, statistics aren’t everything, and her enthusiasm, professionalism and tireless hard work – not to mention her expert fielding – contributed exceptionally to the team, and as yet another example to the younger players, alongside Connor, Edwards and Taylor to name a few.Naturally, she will miss her team-mates. “Playing cricket for England has given me wonderful experiences, opportunities and memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I’ll be supporting the team avidly this summer from the sidelines as they take on New Zealand.”Her best memory is taking a match-winning catch in the Stratford Test as England’s women won the Ashes in 2005 for the first time in 42 years. “Lottie [Charlotte Edwards] nearly knocked me and my cap for six!” she remembers.Gill McConway, the executive director for women’s cricket, said: “Laura has been a fantastic ambassador. I hope she returns to cricket some time in the future.”Edwards, Newton’s opening partner for so many matches, said: “Laura will be a huge loss to the team as she offered a huge amount of experience and all-round talent. She sacrificed a great deal to play international cricket.”Now, 73 ODIs later, there are few goals left unfulfilled. “When you get to late-60s caps, you think maybe I’ll go for a hundred,” said Newton, “but I want a life.” And, after a decade working hard for England, nobody can blame her.

The ICC have approved four venues for the Champions Trophy which will be held in India later this year.Previously they had insisted on the host country using just three venues but accepted the Indian board’s compensation offer of US$200,000 to add a fourth venue. The BCCI had requested the extra venue because of the size of India and the demand of its members to host matches.Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium, the Sardar Patel stadium in Ahmedabad, the Punjab Cricket Association ground in Mohali and the Sawai Man Singh stadium in Jaipur will host for the limited-overs tournament which lasts for a month.West Indies are the current holders, having beaten England in the final at The Oval in 2004.

Peter Chingoka: ‘We have done everything in our power to resolve this issue once and for all’© AFP

Peter Chingoka, Zimbabwe Cricket’s chairman, has said that the dispute with Zimbabwe’s rebel players is officially at an end and that it’s now “business as usual”.In an interview with Zimbabwe’s Independent newspaper, Chingoka said that he believed the board had “done everything in our power to resolve this issue once and for all. ZC employs over 200 people and they are treated just like the other employees. We have a system in place, and that is what we are using as a guideline.”Chingoka stressed that the side would be picked on merit and said that “the players’ return means that we have got a good blend of senior and younger players. It fits well with our target of doing well at the World Cup in 2007.”He also denied reports that Zimbabwe’s Central Intelligence Organisation were investigating ZC over its new logo, insisting that he only learnt of the story through the media. “We can’t stop such mischievous and malicious rumours,” he said. “ZC is an apolitical organisation. When the agent designed that logo, we explained what the colours and emblem mean. To us that should not even be a subject for discussion.”Cricinfo was told by a senior official inside Zimbabwe Cricket that the matter of the logo was raised at board level.

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Moin Khan swatted, swished and clubbed his way to a career-best 137 © AFP

Moin Khan produced a Test-best 137 at a time when Pakistan needed it, and took his team out of the woods in the first Test against New Zealand. After Moin led his team to 463, New Zealand faced two overs and were 4 for 0 at stumps on the fourth day. Play will start half an hour early, at 10.30am, on the final day, to make up for time lost because of rain.Moin came to the wicket when Inzamam-ul-Haq fell to the new ball. And despite losing Abdul Razzaq soon after, Moin found a staunch, if unlikely, ally in Mohammad Sami to see Pakistan past the follow-on mark of 364.The day had been cut short because of overnight rain and only half an hour’s play was possible before lunch. Fourteen tentative runs were added in that time, after Inzamam survived a first-ball chance when Lou Vincent dropped a catch in the gully region off Chris Cairns’s bowling.Inzamam scored his 34th half-century but then fell to Daryl Tuffey, clearlyNew Zealand’s best bowler. Tuffey, operating with the new ball, beat Inzamamwith successive balls that slipped past the bat, and then got one inside itthat trapped him leg-before. Razzaq had demonstrated some of the touches that made him such a fearless hitter at the death in the recent one-day series against New Zealand, and was on 48 when he nicked a rare leg-side ball from Tuffey and Robbie Hart took the chance low down.Pakistan still required 79 runs to avoid the follow-on, and Moin and Sami had to contend with an improved New Zealand bowling approach. Chris Cairns and IanButler found better rhythm. Butler was especially unlucky in having goodyorker balls take the inside edge, miss the stumps and go for boundaries onseveral occasions. He hit Moin once when he ducked into a shorterone, but in a show of the type of mood he was in, Moin clouted the nextball back down the pitch for four.Moin survived a close call for a run-out when taking on Cairns’s arm fromthe outfield. It took a long look at video evidence before Tony Hill, the third umpire, was able to rule that he had just made his ground.Moin brought up his 50 off 75 balls, and then freed up once the follow-onmark had been passed, using some more innovative shots. He brought up hisfourth Test century by hitting a boundary, a six and another boundary offsuccessive balls from Daniel Vettori. He and Sami shared the only centurypartnership of Pakistan’s innings, adding 152 before Vettori finallyhad Sami caught at the wicket 25 (437 for 7). Soon after Jacob Oram trapped Moinleg-before for 137 and Pakistan were 453 for 8.

Daryl Tuffey bowled his heart out, and was rewarded with a five-wicket haul © AFP

Tuffey was outstanding. He secured his sixth five-wicket bag in Tests andwas consistent in his line on or about off stump. He was tireless and hiswork was rewarded. Ian Butler polished off the last two wickets and Pakistanwere all out for 463.There was still some excitement left in the day when New Zealand batted out a small passsage of play. Mark Richardson hit a four off the first ball of the second innings, and then at the end of the over appeared to have a disagreement with Mohammad Sami, who had bowled his most fiery over of the match.

A strokeful and chanceless century by Imran Javed put Karachi Whites in the drivers seat against Faisalabad at stumps on the second day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy match at the National Stadium Wednesday.The fast-improving 21-year-old Imran finished unbeaten at 112 as the home team recovered from a precarious 135 for five to 311 for six. They lead Faisalabad by 88 runs with two days and four wickets to spare.Imran added 134 runs for the fifth wicket in as many minutes with Shadab Kabir who battled flu to contributed 48 at No 6 before being declared caught behind. Shadab’s walk to the dressing room suggested he might have been a bit unlucky.Faisalabad paceman Moazzam Ali caused the maximum damage when he finished with four wickets for 95 runs from 23 overs, including three wickets in 38 balls in a post-lunch spell. But the hero of the day was Imran Javed who is rapidly blossoming into a fine stroke-maker.The youngster has fully capitalized from his excellent form as he has amassed runs 456 (67*, 78*, 125*, 0, 41, 18, 15, 112*) in the ongoing tournament. He averages 114.Imran’s commitment and concentration can be judged from the fact that he has faced 160 balls during his 205 minutes innings while 82 of his runs have come from 19 boundaries and a six.Experienced Ghulam Ali was the other notable Karachi batsman while scoring a typical attractive 54 that included nine punishing boundaries. Fortunate to have been caught off a no-ball and then dropped when 24, Ghulam Ali added 82 for the second wicket with Saeed bin Nasir (38) who also benefited from a dropped catch by Aqeel Khan off his own bowling.If three Karachi players were down with flu, three Faisalabad boys were injured. But the injury to Aqeel while attempting to catch Saeed proved costly as he failed to take the field after bowling 28 deliveries.

Top of the table Hampshire will select the same side that defeated Derbyshire this week, for the CricInfo Championship second division clash with neighbours Sussex on Wednesday at West End.The Eleven: Giles White, Derek Kenway, Will Kendall, Robin Smith (captain), Neil Johnson, Lawrence Prittipaul, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Adi Aymes (wicket-keeper), Shaun Udal, Alex Morris, Alan Mullally.Sussex also have no injury problems and chose from 12:Richard Montgomerie, Murray Goodwin, Michael Yardy, Bastiaan Zuiderent, Chris Adams (captain), Umer Rashid, Robin Martin-Jenkins, Matthew Prior (wicket-keeper), Mark Davis, Robert Kirtley, Jason Lewry, C Hopkinson.Umpires: Tony Clarkson and Bob White