Stuart Broad struggles to make his case for an England recall

Stuart Broad fired some blanks in his shoot-out with Tim Bresnan for a place in England’s side for next week’s first Test against India while James Hildreth and Craig Kieswetter shared a record fifth wicket stand.

Broad, who was dropped by England for last Saturday’s one day decider against Sri Lanka, was sent back to county cricket to regain form after a lean spell at international level.

With national selector Geoff Miller looking on Broad had mixed fortunes on a Trent Bridge greentop.

He struck with his seventh ball when Arul Suppiah edged to second slip but Broad had to to wait until his last over of the day for his next wicket when Hildreth fended a leg-side catch to Chris Read.

There was a minor injury scare when Broad , who started the match with a bruised left heel, left the field to have his right ankle an ankle strapped.

He had summoned groundstaff to repair the footholds at the Radcliffe Road End during the lunch interval and switched ends after the interval.

“I thought that his first spell with the new ball was excellent and he bowled pretty well throughout the day, perhaps not so well at the end but we were trying to mix it up and come up with some funky plans to get a wicket after a 250 stand,” said Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell.

Those funky plans included Broad going round the wicket to change the angle of attack which finally broke a fifth wicket stand of 290, Somerset’s highest for any wicket against Nottinghamshire.

But not before Hildreth and Kieswetter had rescued Somerset from a perilous 48 for four on a pitch that was so green it was difficult to distinguish it from the rest of the square until the wickets were pitched.

It was tough going early on, particularly against Andre Adams who got bounce and movement from the green pitch.

Once Hildreth and Kieswetter were established Nottinghamshire could not dislodge them. Several edges fell short of the slips, but none went to hand and the played with increasing authority.

Kieswetter accelerated from an 83 ball 50 to his century in just 61 balls then pulled Broad for six on his way to an unbeaten 151.

Hildreth was less fluent in completing his first century of the season but his late dismissal will have lifted Broad’s spirits as he battles for his Test place.

“Stuart has perhaps suffered in comparison to [James] Anderson and [Chris] Tremlett throughout the Sri Lanka series and for the first time in his England career his place is under a little bit more threat than normal,” Newell said.

Broad's day

Mixed fortunes for the England paceman, who took two for 75 in 23 overs. He struck with his seventh ball but had to bowl another 21 overs before he claimed his other wicket. He also left the field for seven overs in mid-afternoon to have an existing ankle injury re-strapped.

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Surrey hit bullseye against Essex

During the innings break on Monday night, darts stars Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis were invited onto the outfield to take part in a demonstration.

In the end, though, the pinpoint throwing arms and the clinical finishing belonged to Surrey, who looked in the very best of order throughout.

It was a curious match, punctuated by arrows and tainted by tragedy: that of a pigeon whose fatal mistake was to find itself in the way of a crushing blow from Tom Maynard. Even with the bat, Surrey kept hitting the bullseye, and duly claimed their second win of the competition in five games.

For a county so nakedly geared towards the format, Essex were disappointing. They bowled well, restricting Surrey to a score they would have felt comfortable chasing, but batted poorly and ran abysmally. Surrey, meanwhile, demonstrated the value of sharp out-cricket.

The game turned on two run-outs that deprived Essex of two of their biggest hitters at just the stage when they were setting themselves. Jade Dernbach’s sharp throw at short fine-leg accounted for Scott Styris, while Ryan ten Doeschate was brilliantly run out by Zander de Bruyn, who collected the ball off his own bowling and hurled it off-balance in a manner that recalled his compatriot Colin Bland.

The third run out of the innings merely added a glug of farce to a casserole of ineptitude: As Tim Southee and Adam Wheater deliberated over whether to take a single through to Steve Davies, the Surrey keeper underarmed the ball into the stumps to run Southee out.

It epitomised a bizarre effort from Essex, who had found themselves in the curious position of five for one after one ball. After slinging down five wides, Yasir Arafat found Owais Shah’s outside edge, the ball flying down to third man to dismiss him for a golden duck.

Ravi Bopara looked in atrocious form and was trapped lbw on the crease, while the tail folded like an Ordnance Survey map. Only Wheater and James Foster, toiling gamely in a lost cause, offered any kind of resistance. He was perhaps a touch unfortunate to be out caught in the deep of what appeared to be a navel-high full-toss, but by then the game was already slipping from Essex’s grasp.

Maynard was the best of the batsmen, scoring 45 as Surrey recovered from a bad start. Graham Napier removed both openers, but Maynard and Jason Roy rebuilt the innings.

But it was geography student Zafar Ansari, 19, down from Cambridge, who took the match award. As well as bowling four overs of steady left-arm darts, he lifted Surrey with a butch cameo of 30 from 18 balls. It included a remarkable six off the last ball of the innings, which saw him stepping across his stumps and hewing the ball over square-leg into the crowd.

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V Sri Lanka England: I am fully fit and looking forward to Bowl in third Test, at the Rose Bowl said James Anderson

Injured England badly missed for the Lord against sri LankaTest, the ""head of their attack"as the game roam to a draw." But Anderson, acquired only for third Test Thursday at the Rose Bowl, the exalted status after Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison had completed dominant bowling on and off the field issues.

"When they settled on this left me as the Launcher senior in the side, if I had to intensify and more as a leader in this regard," Anderson admitted on Tuesday.

"I remember a New Zealand change in 2008 when Harmy and Matthew Hoggard were abandoned and me and Stuart Broad comes in.". I was certainly much more responsibilities.

"Having that means additional burden, that i've got to set the tone when I take the first, but the pressure of the example has helped me become more coherent.". But it is good to be spoken and failed in this regard. Often in the past, when I was injured I've been forgotten. »

His arrival at the Summit has long been after Anderson announced itself dramatically in the 2003 World Cup when he took four for 29 against Pakistan in Cape Town.

Is less dominant personality may be braked him at, but, as his bowling, has evolved into something bigger over the years to the point where it now uses luge in his armoury.

"I have always had that in me but has never been able to channel to work for me at the beginning," said Anderson. "In the past, I often had a very emotional, lost concentration on what we actually do and been aspirated in a battle with the opposition and not reversed very well."

"What I started to do over the past two years, and I felt, what I really well in Australia last winter, has been in a battle with one or two beaters but also be able to focus and calm when he came to deliver the next ball. "No Bowl at 90 km/h-more, but I always want to be aggressive as a fast bowler".

His 24 wickets series Ashes testify to the success of its strategies, but his methods also won another award: the best time to England of the year, after the members of the supporters club voted its silent Exchange with Mitchell Johnson at the Perth as the winner.

You know that you have truly arrived when you win a luge competition without saying. Johnson had been nibbles Anderson noting that he had much to say for a man who was not taking any wickets when, hey presto, it was cleaned Peter Siddle with a the very next ball yorker.

With flourish the host of a television set, he turned to Johnson akimbo weapons and then put his finger to his lips.

His return to the team, probably place Steve Finn, will bring down the average bowling attack and its size. At 6 ft 1½in, he is atrophied to the three pace bowlers who played in the Lord, but height can have that you until this if control is default and in this Test, the big boys sprayed it.

With re-installed Anderson, England will seek to take advantage of a side of Sri Lanka which is without its captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, who has a fractured right thumb, and which will be led by a desire in Kumar Sangakkara.

Three days earlier, Sangakkara was inflexible, that it would not resume the role that he abandoned after the final World Cup, only to be satisfied by, among others, the Minister of sports, that his country needed him.

The irony is that it was probably political that precipitated the departure of the Sangakkara of employment in the first place. But while he has never publicly confirmed that policy was certainly responsible for the resurrection of Sanath Jayasuriya selected for a day of Sri Lanka at the age of 41, after his retirement last year.

Jayasuriya is a politician in the Party of Mahendra Rajapaksa, so the link is well established.

Chaotic leadership of Sri Lanka issues should make vulnerable but Anderson is not assuming an easy victory and not only because they have a reluctant captain.

The Rose Bowl pitch is unknown, at least during five days, but big scores have been made in the four-day cricket this season and perhaps will be Sri Lanka want their chance of levelling the series if they can get a total decent.

"We are completely focused on winning this series", Anderson said. "We want to become # 1 in the world and to do that we have to win series and win their by as big a margin as possible." Therefore, if we can win the series 2-0 and then who will be a huge step towards this goal. »

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V England Sri Lanka: third Test, day four report

Cruise control: Ian Bell has continued in its form in England Player for rich vein in touch the distance of victory Photo: GETTY IMAGES

England tried hard recapitulation of the third test Sunday after declaring their first sleeves with half the day remaining overs. A century of Ian Bell sumptuous gave them a 193 - run lead, but with the field more settled on the opening of trade and more resolved to Sri Lanka this time batting performance, they will be probably at least two sessions Monday to achieve a result after the visitors closed 81 runs behind on 112 for three.

It's a bold, proactive move by Andrew Strauss, who generally likes to secure a game before he said, especially with England set to bat last. But any attack of bowling to James Anderson give more than a fleeting impersonation of Graeme Pollock making 27 as a night watchman, should not be feared, and Strauss called in his batsmen at 3.05 pm.

Ambition to England to become the best Test team in the world means that they must take anticipate a habit. They certainly have the bowling attack to be bold: Anderson and Chris Tremlett showed when they rejected the two Sri Lankan openers.

Once again, Tremlett, with its height and a handful of pace is the choice of the bowlers, at least until Stuart Broad product beauty that gets rid of Mahela Jayawardene caught behind off who had left the lawn.

Their opportunity owes much to Bell, whose unbeaten 119 were 169 balls.

It was sixth test hundred in his last 20 sleeves drummer, a period where he averaged 91.4. It, in contrast to 140 in Durban, which has begun this heady scores term, was not against a large bowling attack but he had greatness in the way he released bowling Sri Lanka around the Rose Bowl.

On Saturday, Kevin Pietersen had played with impressive ease but Bell knock seemed lining extra velvet for it to that. His late cutting, fire almost lost to the modern Test cricket and quickly become a stroke for signing him, possessed the rare combination of authority and touch.

Some of the gaps that it threaded the ball through the now defensive area were so light that you would have to suspect arrogance at work, something not present in the days when Shane Warne referred to him as "Sherminator", a character in the American Pie film geek.

No there was not a hint of this reluctance Sunday, its presence, balance and vision all suggesting a man whose body and mind were one with the requirements of the Test match runmaking.

It is a State, as most of the batsmen you will tell, this happens not that often, but when it does only a self-inflicted error or a freak dismissal is likely to break the spell, and seemed likely here.

In fact, the only time it has been affected came when he had a bottom edge in its box. As expected, to a crowd in which a fair proportion would have been weaned on "Carry On" films, there was the usual end of tittering but that was soon replaced by a big cheer when a single quick showed he suffered no lasting effect. Moments later, after he cut Chanaka Welegedara for successive fours, they rose to applaud its hundreds.

A century had looked destined for Eoin Morgan, too, which casts almost and Bell. With two hundreds in one-day internationals here last year, Morgan has an affinity for the Rose Bowl and only the rush to declare, in which he and Bell took risks unusual test cricket, prevented him adding another after he was caught behind for 71 after giving himself room to smash Suranga Lakmal through the off side. As it was his own and Bell of the 137 - run partnership was a record for England for the sixth wicket against Sri Lanka.

For the second round in a row, Matt Prior was sacrificed on the altar of the needs of the team after falling for a duck as he hit. If a crushed window followed his disappointment, as he had done to the Lord where the broken component has been replaced by reinforced glass, it was not visible or audible.

Wide also went for zero, Sri bowlers of pace of Lanka willing to show him that he is not the only one who can Bowl bouncers. Rigging is not shot the tall man but broad is someone who adheres to promoter in England that "Impossible is Nothing" riff and promptly perforated off going for broke.

At this time the crowd was women pregnant may see a victory for England at the end, even if this mood dissipated quickly once it became clear the land had settled and bowlers will have to redouble our efforts for their rewards.

Their mood overshadowed briefly with clouds and the umpires decision to offer drummers of the Sri Lanka light, after tea even if this has been resolved once the projector switch had been deflected and lamps were warmed maximum brightness, a process that took about five minutes.

If it was an isolated incident that could go unnoticed, but there has been much criticism, most of it justified, on the time lost in this match.

Cricket is not airtight water and rain which fell on the opening three days made great moment of the Rose Bowl a few favours. But the dawdling over-rate, the timing of breaks and the need for each break in play to accompany men running about with isotonic beverages, must be addressed as a priority, and the price of tickets, if Test cricket is to remain as a Blue Ribbon of the game event.

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The ashes of 2010: Pivot Ricky Ponting can be bounced to said former England captain Tony Greig

"It is not enough reel that he used to be - it is one of the best ever - but it was hit a few times in the head and was to play shot traction."

"When you start to hit the or see them as well that you used (there are doubts)."

"If Ricky gets nailed a couple of times and gets off the hook, shot will be lifting English without end."

If I were in England, particularly at the Gabba, I have two back immediately to the limit and I would be right to him.

"This is the kind of philosophy which has been adopted by Jardine (Douglas) Bodyline.Il should halve Bradman averaged.".

But Greig conceded any plan target Ponting should be carried out perfectly or it could backfire spectacularly.

"It is the second number one", added Greig.

"A Australia perspective, I think Ricky performance is essential."

"If Ricky gets off the coast, a good start and a few tracks and then I think that the whole place will be thrown."

Former Captain Mark Taylor Australia recognizes the Ponting with bat form will go a long way to the series to decide.

But he says England are on the wrong path if they believe that the Australian skipper is in steep decline.

"He was off hooking a few times during the past year and a half it might work, but it is the kind of tactics that could also backfire" Taylor said.

"If Ricky began playing the hook shot and concludes in the middle of the bat there mark quickly enough."

"He bats three, is a hub for the Australia man, if he has a good series I'm sure that the Australian side will just follow him."

"If they can inconvenience Ricky and he beats so that he would like bat, it will go very far to England to win the series."

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V Sri Lanka England: Player by player ratings

Preaching by example: a day of Alastair Cook, England captain, impressed Steve James Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Alastair Cook
Quite beautiful. The loudest statements are generally made on the ground rather than in press conferences. Cook proved that there is a fine one-day international opening batsmen and a competent master, which will significantly improve with experience. 9/10.

Craig Kieswetter
Excellent. A classic example of a young player of cricket with withdrawal from international cricket after the initial success. It has improved - gone is the freneticism replaced per measured room. Can still hit the ball to the ground, too. 8

Jonathan Trott
A series of moderate, but still run-scorer in the world of international of a day in 2011, with 933 runs at a little less than 55 years. Not a man you seek to abandon really, but, curiously, is that some Defender. Beneficial to the first sheet was too. 6

Kevin Pietersen
Another series of poor. This day of the last century at Cuttack in 2008, later disappears into the distance. The sadness is that Pietersen really looked in splendid nick. He copped a decent ball yesterday, but doubts will persist on its future in a day. 4

Eoin Morgan
Lacking an innings final, won a match in this series, but the class and the invention remain. The placement of Morgan and ability to manoeuvre the ball in the gap are quite remarkable. On Saturday, where he spent fifty, he had hit only four. 7

Ian Bell
It is easy to say that no. 6 is not his place, but he has tried many other spots in ODIs and cracked is. The truth is that this position must be learned in international cricket, because no drummer calibre will bat at six to the County of their. 4

Stuart Broad
It is a concern that Captain ttwweennttyy declined yesterday on exactly the kind of pitch likely to be encountered in the world ttwweennttyy in Sri Lanka next year. It was deserved, but you can be sure that it will be a return. 4

SAMIT Patel
Just the single game (final match on Saturday) and that, without great effect. You hope that the greatest lesson of the all-rounder left arm has learned from his international return is the standard of fitness required at this level. There are still some out of it. 3

Tim Bresnan
Care to prove this is a resourceful cricket player. Perhaps relaxed its training too early in the season, leading to injuries, but it is in the form of fine even today, as shown by his return catch a hand to the Trent bridge which was one of the strengths of the series. 7

Graeme Swann
Always excellent. You are concerned that that would do without him in England. It is the ability to adapt that makes him such an active, although sometimes you want that it would ask its master in define fields attackers more cricket one day. 8

James Anderson
Home is where the heart is in one day cricket. Steps from Lancashire, you understand, but in England in General where, if the conditions suitable, Anderson has no equal as a swing bowler in the game of the world. She obtained a few vital tracks, too, Saturday. 7

Jade Dernbach
Relatively promising. Looks like a player of cricket that will improve the international game. Only concern is if his stock ball is enough quite consistent. More slow ball, reverse-swing and York all are seeking in order. Unfortunately, dropped a guardian of Saturday. 6

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The ashes of 2010: Peter Siddle shamelessly Matt prior war of words

Siddle sprayed out beforehand according to bowling 12, which prompted the wicketkeeper to fire back a few words before his own choice under sail off the coast of the field.

Front vented his anger in his newspaper column Tuesday: "there are not many boxing matches when a guy someone strikes and through him then when him while he was on the floor,"he wrote.""

But Siddle describes the episode as "part of the game.

"There will always be there, beating strong in the field and emotions emerge." It is still around and no doubt be around for the future, "he said."

"I think it's part of my game anyway." When I play my best, it is what I'm doing anyway. Sometimes it comes from and sometimes it is not, in this case there.

"This is just the two teams goes to it." It's fun right there - they are to us, we at makes them the game a little more lively and doubtless spectators like to see.

Australia pacemen skittled in England to 187 and 123 in a surprising shift form to get a victory of race series in Perth after management only six wickets for series 1 137 in their two previous sleeves in Adelaide and Brisbane.

The series of five - test relates to 1-1, but the Australia have the momentum they have heads in the fourth test at Melbourne, which starts on 26 December.

26 Years Siddle, a red-headed fiery country Victoria, managed as a single window in Perth, where Mitchell Johnson and rapid colleague Ryan Harris took 18, but said he was quite happy marking verbal England wire issues.

"I'd like some fun with frying and this is just the way I play my cricket, therefore if it helps the other boys do the job, I am pleased to do so", he said.

The Australia selectors are likely to persist with four pronged pace attack on the Melbourne cricket ground where the counter is intended to promote their seamers.

Only the captain Ricky Ponting remains a doubt after breaking his little finger in an attempt to catch during the dismissal of Jonathon Trott in the second round in Perth.

Siddle is bullish on the recovery of the Ponting and said that Tasmania should be adapted to the selection.

"It looks good, he came here confident and he said that he wished the fine bat and that kind of thing."

"Regardless of how painful you injured how you or I do not believe that you never want to miss the next test, so I think that everyone will certainly be 100 percent for the same adjustment."

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V England Sri Lanka: Tim Bresnan called for one-day series against Sri Lanka

Bresnan will join the team at the oval in advance ODI first tomorrow and is available immediately responding to treatment on the injury which kept him of the three-match test series and ttwweennttyy autonomous Saturday.

His presence will strengthen the options of England, after they less than Bristol, landslide defeat of nine-window.

Calf problem dates back to the Bresnan tour of the winter of the Australia.

Having played an important role in securing the ashes in the last two trials, Bresnan vola series House a day after experiencing discomfort in his right leg.

He returned to the World Cup, but has been once more troubled by the injury in the subcontinent.

He played two matches ttwweennttyy Yorkshire in the last week, with modest yields zero for 27 off the coast, and three overs for 47 off the coast of four overs but England will be pleased to have back.

With 42 selections from one day to his name, it offers more experience than Jade Dernbach or Chris Woakes, whereas it is also regarded as one of the limited-overs more reliable part seamers.

Alastair Cook begins his reign as Captain a day today, skipper of third side in as many games suite of Test leader Andrew Strauss and the new man ttwweennttyy Stuart Broad.

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Sri Lanka v Kenya: Lasith Malinga hat-trick sets hosts up for easy win in Colombo

Demolition man Lasith Malinga became the first bowler to pick up two hat-tricks at World Cups as he led Sri Lanka to a nine-wicket flattening of Kenya on Tuesday.

The seamer, who missed his side's opening two Group A matches with a sore back, roared back with the wickets of Tanmay Mishra (0), Peter Ongondo (0) and Shem Ngoche (0) with successive, full deliveries, the latter two clean bowled.

After finishing with a career best six for 38 to dismiss the Africans for 142, a relaxed Malinga sat back in the pavilion and watched his team mates barely break sweat as they overhauled the total in just 18.4 overs.

In 2007, Malinga grabbed four in a row against South Africa.

"Lasith, as usual, the champion that he is, the ball reversing, he did a great job for us," summed up Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, whose team finished on 146 for one.

His Kenyan counterpart Jimmy Kamande was equally impressed: "We know Malinga, we have seen him before, though we haven't played against him. He's a world-class bowler and congrats to him for the hat-trick and all the wickets he got today."

It was the second hat-trick in two days at the World Cup after Kemar Roach took the last three Dutch wickets in West Indies' 215-run victory in Group B on Monday. This was the seventh hat-trick in a World Cup.

The last time the teams met in the World Cup, Sri Lanka suffered a shock 53-run defeat in 2003.

However, an unstoppable Malinga made sure there would be no repeat of that result in Colombo on Tuesday.

Kenya crumbled from a respectable 102-2 to 142 all out in 43.4 overs after choosing to bat first, with the Obuya brothers the only batsmen to reach double figures.

A 94-run partnership between Collins Obuya (52 off 100 balls) and his elder sibling David (51 off 106 balls) raised hopes that Kenya might cross the 200-run mark before Malinga flummoxed them with a stunning final burst to blow away the Kenyan tail.

He got rid of Collins with a toe crusher in the 32nd over before returning for his final burst to flatten the Kenyans with near-unplayable inswinging yorkers as he bagged four wickets in five legal balls over two overs.

Malinga trapped Mishra lbw with the final delivery of his seventh over and then returned to knock over the stumps of Ongondo and Ngoche with the first two balls of his next over.

Sri Lankan fans were already dancing in the stands to celebrate the achievement and when Malinga grounded Elijah Otieno's leg stump to grab his sixth victim of the day, a deafening roar reverberated around the R Premadasa Stadium.

Malinga could only shake his mass of blond-tinted hair in disbelief as he looked up to the arena's giant scoreboard which displayed a sign reading 6-38 underneath a picture of the man of the moment.

The Kenyans were left to reflect on their dramatic collapse as it took only 22 deliveries for them to go from 127 for four to being bowled out - with four batsmen falling for a duck.

Once Malinga had played his part, Sri Lanka knocked the runs off the runs in double quick time, with Tillakaratne Dilshan the only man to fall for 44.

Upul Tharanga ended the match with a boundary struck over cover to remain unbeaten on 67 scored off 59 balls with 12 fours. Sangakkara was 27 not out.

This was Sri Lanka's second win out of three matches in Group A, while Kenya slumped to their third successive defeat.

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Steven Davies: the smallest club in sport

But, feel-good stories apart, there is no point in pretending that all is well in the relentlessly macho world of professional sport. Sports fans hate to admit it, but many of their idols evince attitudes that should have gone out with the brontosaurus.

Heaven help the Premier League footballer rumoured to be gay. The abuse from the terraces is incessant, the willingness of the authorities to stamp it out conspicuous by its absence. Casual homophobia is tolerated in a way casual racism is not. Nasty Britain bares its teeth.

Cricket may be a gentler, more civilised game, but it is vitiated by the same prejudices. If gay cricketers were as common as gay actors or civil servants or accountants, Steven Davies would not have felt the trepidation he did before making his announcement. The fact that he is the first professional cricketer to come out while still playing is a black mark against our national game. There must have been others. That seems statistically certain. But they clearly felt intimidated at the prospect of admitting it.

Davies’s England team-mate Jimmy Anderson, a married father of two, insists that there is no homophobia in cricket and, to prove his point, cheerfully posed for the gay magazine Attitude last year. Anderson may be right, but rank-and-file cricket fans are likely to remain sceptical. Are things really that simple?

Like many sports, cricket revolves around competitive displays of toughness. If you can take a bouncer on the chest without flinching, you are a man. If you back away, you are a wimp and should be playing netball. The game is like war by other means: a testing ground for virility.

It was not always thus. In its infancy, cricket attracted some outlandish fops, such as Regency dandy Beau Brummell, who played a first-class match for Hampshire, scoring 23 and three. Nobody minded sharing a dressing-room with a man who wore silk cravats and was rumoured to have lovers of both sexes. There was a tolerance of human diversity.

But as a friendly amateur game metamorphosed into the professional sport we know today, cricketers increasingly found themselves expected to conform to cartoon stereotypes of manliness. The ideal cricketer came from a Yorkshire mining family, wore size 12 boots and could drink for England. On retiring from the game, he would turn up in the commentary box and opine that the cricketers of today were going soft and that he had never needed a sports psychiatrist, eaten broccoli or worn a helmet.

If Steven Davies was nervous before coming out, it was not because he felt surrounded by ignorant bigots, incapable of behaving decently towards a team-mate, but because he knew that his sexuality would make him the odd man out in a world fuelled by testosterone. If a cricketer has a feminine side, he is not interested in exploring it. He would rather face West Indian fast bowlers on a bumpy pitch. A culture of laddishness pervades every dressing-room in the country.

As with cricket, so with sport as a whole. When it comes to combating racism, professional sport can hold its head up high. The fact that every football team in the land comprises black and white players has provided the world with a powerful image of racial harmony.

Its record in combating homophobia is far less honourable. Indeed, the history of professional sport is littered with examples of homosexuals who came out of the closet, sometimes after dithering for years, and paid a heavy price.

One of the first openly gay US sportsmen was baseball’s Glenn Burke, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1970s and died of Aids. Rumours of his off-the-field activities so alarmed his club that it offered to pay for a lavish honeymoon if he agreed to get married. Burke treated the proposal with the contempt it deserved and was drummed out of baseball.

Burke’s tragically short life was echoed in the career of Justin Fashanu, still the only high-profile British footballer to declare himself gay. He came out officially in 1990, but only after suffering years of prejudice and abuse. Brian Clough, his manager at Nottingham Forest, was so brutally unsympathetic that he barred Fashanu from training with the rest of the team. The player had a nomadic, unsettled career, was offloaded by club after club, and eventually committed suicide.

Another gay sportsman who had to go through purgatory was the American diver Greg Louganis, who won gold at the Los Angeles and Seoul Olympics. At Seoul, in 1988, he had still not come out and, unbeknown to the sporting world, was HIV-positive. When he cracked open his head during a dive, and blood seeped into the pool, he was in a state of emotional turmoil. Only when he finally told the truth, in a TV interview in 1995, could he come to terms with his demons.

Attitudes do seem to be changing, albeit slowly, though the very fact that gay sportsmen still make headlines shows how far we have to travel. But every milestone is cause for celebration.

In the build-up to the 2008 Olympics, the Australian diver Matthew Mitcham declared that he was gay. Nobody batted an eyelid. A year later, the ultra-macho world of rugby union had to digest the news that former Welsh captain Gareth Thomas was gay. Rugby took the revelation in its stride; indeed, as soon as Thomas had bared his soul, he realised that the hostile reaction he was dreading was largely a figment of his imagination.

Steve Davies is likely to go through similar emotions: relief that he has shared his secret with the world; gratitude for the support he will get; and exhilaration that he can finally be true to himself. But we should not underestimate the momentousness of his decision or the courage needed to take it. To admit you are gay in an environment in which there are plenty of other gay people is daunting, but hardly petrifying. To admit you are gay in the England dressing-room, surrounded by the type of men who tend to measure their virility by the number of beers they have drunk and the number of women they have bedded is another matter.

It is the stuff of which true sporting heroes are made.

'Fields of Courage: The Bravest Chapters in Sport’ by Max Davidson is published by Little, Brown at £16.99

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Surrey CCC announce £500k loss after disappointing summer ticket sales

Turnover was down £5 million from the 2009 Ashes summer and Surrey have blamed a Wednesday start for the Oval Test against Pakistan, which was only a week before the Lord’s Test, for poor ticket sales and hospitality revenue.

Surrey’s Friends Provident T20 receipts crowds were also down on 2009.

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The ashes of 2010: Kevin Pietersen learns to play with patience and calm

Kevin Pietersen, even though he had not the best part of two years, 100 entered into Adelaide review with 16 and an appetite for more.

Visit the Pietersen has been a smooth progression from the moment where that it has started 58 and 35 against the Australia. He has not played the flamant stroke and yet his signature shot played by midwicket leg.

But then only standing on one leg when they are resting flamingos and Pietersen still clearly love angels, as well as showing plumage.

Pietersen had casts with exceptional calm at the Gabba, taking Britain score-117 for two with Cook, that he had edged a Peter Siddle drive.

He then wait for 11 hours for his next sleeves, whereas Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott added 329 runs uninterrupted in the first test, partnered 173 tracks followed in the second. This is quite a wait, but 30 Pietersen has learned a lot about waiting.

He and Cook had a mutual admiration society since Cook said that he wished he had beaten the Pietersen and Pietersen said that he wished he had patience sound.

Little by little the two have come close together, the original defensive lefthander and righthander attacking, for the benefit of England.

First round of the Pietersen has been relatively reasonable: thrust in a gap in the covers off the coast of his first shot right in mid - on and a dash headlong, as was his wont not blow.

And, at the end of the day, it was not news to reach hundreds but merely play for the next day.

In the meantime Pietersen may not in England a favor, but it could not be helped. Australia selectors should have realized by now Xavier Doherty is not a melon test. His record speaks for itself: it takes its first class - ATMs as they are - in 50 years runs each.

True, Pietersen was once have trouble with arm left tops, but now no more than anyone else. He has used its buffer before planting and working leg against spin; now, he retains his leg before and readers across the offside.

Pietersen marked 31 flows 36 balls Doherty ousted on day two and only once he nothing less that the command completes, when he landed on the ground and line thickness reader on the cover.

Otherwise, this series has gone, the Doherty more appeared to realize that it was not until red-ball test cricket, all white-ball one day confinement; or and Nathan Hauritz gave way to Doherty, last week took five wickets in a round of New South Wales, in Perth, the third test site.

Hauritz will be certainly be floating its offbreaks in Fremantle Doctor with the next batch of pacemen who try the Australia selectors.

Balance appears to have taken the Pietersen life if it is in the fold or outside of the scope. It brings as well as Jonathan Trott, by the bias of the legside and Mike Hussey through the offside. He knows when to strike instead of trying to find all the time.

It would be an exaggeration to say that Pietersen has softened completely as a cricket player. He attempted a stupid throw at the Gabba would never exhausted a drummer and gave four reversal, but these wild shies are much less likely that they were used, because it has become a human team.

Therefore if Strauss does not define a new England for centuries test record Pietersen - three years his junior - will certainly be. This visit has proved flame still exists in it, but other is no longer likely to be burned.

And over time, of course, Cook take recording. It has the great advantage of not being one of the more than 20 of the England players, or even a 50-plus one at present, although it may be open in internationals after Strauss moves.

In the meantime, even though most of its peers as Pietersen plays each format, Cook has the luxury of being able to specialize.

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V Sri Lanka England: failure of Stuart Broad to find the right length will continue to see falling short

Here we go again: a broad inconsolable Stuart watches the ball through another gap race as his search for the perfect length continued Photo: REUTERS

Broad has a barren spell. It was just his ninth wicket in five trials, extending the ashes, at a rate of more than 100 strike - almost double what expect you of an opening bowler. And with only two of these wickets having been among the top five batsmen, his right to take the new ball is at risk.

What is worrying, despite its considerable efforts, broad result not threatening. Almost every delivery of James anderson and Chris Tremlett at the Rose Bowl was spiced with threat. Most of the offshore seemed to fade, they the korma to vinderloo of the Tremlett. Spoilt for choice in the Department of fast bowling, England could have granted to abandon wide had their summer another match test from next week. He has just three crops of five-window in 37 tests. Tremlett and wide are rhythm and similar height. The two are more seamers than swingers. However, there is a significant difference in their actions of body which makes the former aspect a drummer in the world and the latter a brow-beater.

Tremlett, an intimidating presence, running jumps in his delivery stride and gets lots of front arm and shoulder in his release. There are lot of kinetic energy on the ball and the vertebral column in his bowling.

Large, which has a spindlier framework, sipman wicket but not rotate so the fold and throws his arm out front to the offside just before the exit. This is more of a bowler "arm", and the momentum of the body are not in agreement with the direction of the delivery. It is not completely "behind" the ball. Bowlers with actions of good body - Tremlett, Anderson and Tim Bresnan, for example-, are able to make the ball apparently kick or zip off the coast of the surface. When perfectly synchronized step, wide soft to plop out of it. Any swing goes early flight, its stock has less obvious venom delivery.

It is a technical defect wide works continuously to iron out. It compensates for its lack of rancour natural with an intelligent understanding of the game and an agile mind. It assesses heights, drummers and conditions carefully, to research, for example, at the speed of the wind and the direction, would not help swing but the calculation of which end a bouncer be more effective because a hooking drummer could be struck in the breeze. He has great adaptability, capable of converting to 80 high pace bowling cutters or cross-seam deliveries dotted with sharp bouncers. In the opinion of his colleagues in England, he has the most awkward bumper in cricket world.

But the orientation of the coast is tilted at the start of the match and he resorted to the using the bouncer as the ball stock rather than shock, cancel its effectiveness. More than half its shipments have been little or very short, when conditions requires even fuller than usual. Good length deliveries lacked power, he returned to the short mode.

It must have been galling, after his sincere but efforts remains unsuccessful Friday, to see Graeme Swann stroll, lob down and take a wicket second ball. Such is volatility in this game, almost at random, he smiles on some and banned on others. It challenges your self belief. For Broad, series one day next week will be a blessed relief.

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V England-Sri Lanka: second preview Test

Hot stuff: Alistair Cook is about to equal a record of England for centuries half consecutive Photo: ACTION IMAGES

VEngland Sri Lanka
The Rose Bowl, Southampton
Start: Thursday, June 16, STB 11.00
TV: Sky Sports 1

It was spicy his early years but that, in the recent period favoured the batsmen. It was under cover on Wednesday, but he had a good sprinkling of grass before the match, which suggests a bit of life for the launchers.

James Anderson v Kumar Sangakkara: Sangakkara has a poor record in England with an average of 26. He has never marked a century of Test in English conditions. Anderson is back after a side strain and England missed its control to the Lord.

Weather Watch

Rain and more rain is predicted first striker Shiva Rose Bowl England, 1-0 up, will be not as alarmed as the Sri Lankan.

Run great in England

England are unbeaten in eight test series, their best run since 1967-71, when they went 10 series without defeat. Last series defeat England was by West Indies in the spring of 2009, when Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower supports on the side.

Cook hot streak

Alastair Cook could equal a record of England for centuries the consecutive half if he handles his sixth in the first round. Three batsmen have done for England - Patsy Hendren, Ted Dexter and Ken Barrington.

If Cook scores a fifty in each channel, it is equal the record for the world organized jointly by Andy Flower, Everton Weekes and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Five s Cook

82 against the Australia, 189 Melbourne, Australia, Sydney v Sri Lanka, Cardiff 96 v Sri Lanka 133, 106 v Sri Lanka of the Lord, Lord of v

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Ryan McLaren's last-over blitz gives Middlesex a Twenty20 tie against Somerset

Middlesex hit 17 runs off the final over to secure a dramatic tie against Somerset in the Friends Life t20 game at Southgate.

The result was enough to ensure Somerset reach the quarter-finals, but they will wonder how they failed to send Middlesex to their 12th defeat in 14 games in the competition this season.

Ryan McLaren, who had earlier taken three for 37, scored two off the first ball of Kieron Pollard’s final over before hitting consecutive sixes.

He was caught on the midwicket boundary next ball, but Tom Smith scrambled a two and a single off the final deliveries to bring the scores level.

Pollard had earlier hit 33 off 18 balls to give impetus to a previously sluggish Somerset innings.

An unbroken 97-run partnership between Steven Croft and Tom Smith helped Lancashire crush Nottinghamshire by nine wickets at Old Trafford.

In a match reduced to 15 overs per side because of rain, Lancashire opted to field first and restricted the visitors to 105 for five. They passed the total with nine balls to spare, Croft ending on 53 and Smith on 45.

Richard Pyrah claimed the best figures recorded by a Yorkshire bowler in the competition’s history as his side beat Durham by three wickets at Scarborough to keep alive the home side’s slender hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.

The medium-pacer took five for 16 off his four overs to help restrict Durham to 144 for eight.

In reply Gary Ballance made 48 before Pyrah topped off a great day’s work by thrashing a six to win the match with three balls remaining.

Robert Croft produced the most economical figures by a Glamorgan bowler in Twenty20 cricket as his side thumped Gloucestershire by 10 wickets at Bristol.

The veteran off-spinner conceded only 10 runs from his four-over spell to restrict the home side to a paltry 81 all out after they had won the toss.

In reply, Glamorgan cruised to their target with six overs to spare, openers Alviro Petersen and Mark Cosgrove finishing unbeaten on 42 and 37 respectively.

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Sachin Tendulkar determined to enjoy pursuit of 100th 100 at Lord's in England v India Test series

As such, he must take measures for his own protection. Plus, he is compelled to modulate his language with the utmost care. This might seem like a convivial, no-limits conversation on the extremities of north-west London, yet he grasps that one infelicitous phrase could be seized upon by a billion disciples following his every word.

Nine days from now, Tendulkar is primed to open his assault on a barely conceivable landmark. One hundred hundreds: it is poetic, fanciful, perhaps Bollywood-esque.

To perceive its true magnitude, we need reminding that Ricky Ponting, the next most gluttonous accumulator in the middle, is still 30 centuries behind him on 69.

Mindful of Bradman’s perfectly imperfect Test average of 99.94, Tendulkar can seize an invitation at Lord’s to register a record that will, almost certainly, never be emulated.

That his quest should take place on a ground where he is yet to score above 37 scarcely obtrudes in his thinking. He needs little tutoring as to the significance of the moment that could define India's four-match series against England - the scoreboard here has, already, been mischievously turned over to read ‘99’.

“I’m not thinking of records,” he says, ever so quietly. “I’m just thinking of enjoying this tour. The secret to any performance is not in chasing records. I think about, ‘What is the best way to enjoy the game, and how can I enhance that enjoyment factor?’

"If I enhance the enjoyment then, naturally, the standard of play becomes higher. To me, that is more important. If I’m playing well, things can happen. I don’t need to go around chasing them. It’s a process. You construct a solid foundation and build on it.”

The voice is mellifluous, the enunciation beautifully crisp. Tendulkar provides riveting company not because he seeks to drain his statements of any controversy but because he affects to care about their expression.

Do not suppose for a second, either, that he is unbothered by his looming milestone. In March, prior to reaching 85 during a febrile World Cup semi-final against Pakistan in Mohali, he was almost caught twice as the tension bit.

“The only easy chance was where I looked to chip the ball over midwicket, and I mistimed it!” he claims, making light of the lapses.

“The other one was deflected and went to third man.” Not even he could downplay, though, the remorseless pressure he endured during that tournament or the glorious catharsis of India’s ultimate triumph.

Reaching for the superlatives, Tendulkar admits: “I was extremely delighted. It was something I had always dreamt about. You start playing cricket, and one day you walk away as part of a world champion team.

"I took up playing serious cricket because in 1983, we won the World Cup, and that was a big turning point in terms of considering cricket a full-time profession. That moment was a decisive one. I felt, ‘I want to play for India one day’. It was a huge boost. From then I started working hard.”

Tendulkar was a mere 10 in 1983, but a talent of staggering precocity. The son of Ramesh, a celebrated novelist in his local Marathi dialect, he spent most days in his uncle’s garden as he began fashioning an immaculate batting technique.

His school mentor, Ramakant Achrekar, would place a one-rupee coin on the top of the stumps if he could survive a practice session without dismissal. The 13 coins he earned remain integral to his vast trophy collection.

Murmurs of the young Sachin’s prodigious abilities soon rippled across the Mumbai metropolis. At 16, this slender soul was stepping out at Karachi’s National Stadium, primed to confront a fearsome Pakistani seam attack of Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. So to ask Tendulkar about the notion of pressure, about the burden of not letting down countless besotted admirers, is to receive a quizzical look.

“I’m used to it,” shrugs the man whose face has since launched a thousand Pepsi billboards. “It’s the kind of lifestyle that I lead in India. It began around the age of 16, at the time I would start going out and mixing with friends. But I don’t feel suffocated. I feel extremely comfortable back home in whatever I do. That’s how my life has been, so I believe it’s normal.”

Even so, Tendulkar is forced to live for much of the year in his flat in St John’s Wood, to escape the maelstrom of hysteria that attends his every appearance in India.

Never, however, will you hear a word of resentment pass his lips. He explains: “I have been rewarded, and God has been kind to me. I have no complaints. I am very grateful to all the people who have appreciated and supported me over the years, and who have accepted me in the manner that I am.

“When I spend time in England, it’s different. I get to do certain things that I wouldn’t be able to do in India: to go into the park with my children, to do whatever they want to do, whether it be a game of soccer or cricket. I enjoy the best of both. The idea is to balance life in India with life away from India, to get the best of both and to be a happy man.”

If you dare interpret these remarks by Tendulkar - among the game’s elders at 38 - as a sign of imminent retirement, forget it. Even once he clutches his century of centuries, he has no plan to take his leave of the stage he has graced so magnificently for 22 years.

Asked if he has even contemplated the end of his playing career, he replies: “I haven’t. I’m enjoying every moment. It has been fun. In fact, I’m looking at how to enjoy the game more and how to improve the standard of play. It’s about getting better. Nobody knows what is going to happen tomorrow. At least today I know that I want to enjoy cricket, to enjoy the moment.”

Sacrilegious as it might sound to Australians, a debate is running on whether Tendulkar should be acclaimed as the greatest batsman, better even than Bradman for his adaptability whatever the bowling, and for his sheer longevity. All that matters to him is that the Don was alive to watch him when he reached his peak. India’s Test in Adelaide in 1992 yielded a searing memory, as he paid Bradman a visit in the lounge of the family home.

Bradman, often outspoken about unbearable ordeal of living every minute under public scrutiny, confided to wife Jessie that Tendulkar was the batsman who, by an ingrained, insatiable appetite for runs, reminded him most of himself.

“At possibly the best time in my career, when I was doing well at international level, it was a notch higher to have the statement from Sir Don that my batting resembled his, that my style was exactly like his,” Tendulkar says.

“Coming from Sir Don himself, it meant a lot. It was perfect that it happened to me at that stage. I needed to take my game to a different level, and I really felt proud.”

Once the thunder of this series passes, Tendulkar is convinced he has a vivid imprint still to leave.

“For me, it’s not about breaking records or creating new ones. It’s about adding value to my team. Records will be set by me, they might be broken by someone else.

"They’re not going to stay permanently. But the impression that I leave on people will last forever, I feel. The impression that I leave behind - to me that is important. If I can motivate the next young cricketers, that will be a big contribution.”

By his devotion, his achievements and his sheer, ineffable dignity, Tendulkar has bequeathed a motivation fit to last a generation. This much will be evident from the reception that washes over him at Lord’s next Thursday.

Best of all, we console ourselves, he is not going anywhere yet.

Sachin Tendulkar is supporting the NatWest Cricket Club, having visited Kenton Cricket Club in Harrow. Launched in partnership with the ECB, the club aims to highlight a number of ongoing challenges surrounding funding, facilities and participation at grassroots level and seeks to galvanise the support of fans across the country to generate £20 million worth of support for grassroots cricket.

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Ruthless England send out message that form matters by dropping Paul Collingwood for opening one-dayer

After eight years as a fixture in the one-day side, Paul Collingwood missed out on selection for the MCG international - the first time he has been dropped since the summer of 2003. Back then, Michael Vaughan was just starting out as one-day captain, and the selectors were experimenting with players like Anthony McGrath, Rikki Clarke and Jim Troughton.

The announcement of England’s XI came as a surprise. It seemed for a moment as if Collingwood might have been rested to give a chance to the other batsmen jockeying for a World Cup spot - notably Jonathan Trott.

But the England camp later confirmed that the decision had been made on form alone. It was a typically ruthless move from the team management, who also left Kevin Pietersen out last summer after he had gone 16 one-day innings without a half-century.

Collingwood finished last summer in passable fettle with an influential 47 against Pakistan, but his batting has gone walkabout in Australia.

An Ashes tally of 83 from six innings, followed by 22 in two appearances in the Twenty20s, has relegated him to the status of a walking wicket.

This run-drought persuaded him to announce his Test retirement, and concentrate on the pyjama game instead. But he was surely not expecting to find himself out of the one-day picture so soon, just nine days after England’s riotous celebrations in Sydney.

Asked about Collingwood at the weekend, Andrew Strauss replied: “We’re expecting him to come back strong. He’s a strong character and a resilient bloke. And there have been plenty of incidences in the past where he has come back with a bang - not least four years ago.”

Collingwood did indeed come good at the end of England’s last visit here, finishing with a sequence of 106, 120*, 70 to carry his team to an unlikely triumph in the Commonwealth Bank Series. This time around, though, he may have a job to fight his way back into the first XI.

Pietersen made a fluent return at the MCG, scoring an eye-catching 78 before running himself out. So if Collingwood is to have another crack at this series, the most likely candidate for replacement could be Trott, whose last four 50-over scores are 2, 4, 3 and 6.

The other question is whether Collingwood’s World Cup place could be in any danger. There are many arguments for picking him, not least his 189 one-day appearances - an English record.

Even if he is underperforming with the bat, he still offers his canny medium-pace and unparalleled fielding. And his bottom-handed, shovelling technique is probably better suited to the low-bouncing pitches of the sub-continent than the livelier ones of Australia.

The 15-man squad is announced on Wednesday, and you would have to imagine that he will be there. But then there is no room for sentiment in this dressing-room, which is the way it should be. Whatever the song may say, Collingwood cannot go on forever.

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V England Sri Lanka: fourth one-day international match report

Sri Lanka bowling, being more singular than England, were less well prepared to make the ball to leave the couture. Skidders low Lasith Malinga came to bat nicely while others were unable to Bowl in their field.

In a clever gesture, given the forecast showers, Cook has compounded their misery by taking the frappeurs PowerPlay in the 11th, the four overs (reduced due to the two lost overs) the transferor 38 runs.

England are often won by 10 wickets and it was the fourth time it happened. But this game, the lawn bowling and the manner in which the batsmen were harried by the threat of rain to achieve their total (reduced to 171 by Duckworth Lewis) off the coast of 23.5 overs, was designed and executed perfectly to set up a thrilling deciding at Old Trafford Saturday.

With conditions perfectly suited to James Anderson and Tim Bresnan, the pair set the mowing high order of the visitor.

Anderson struck in his first, third and fifth overs, after England had won the toss and put Sri Lanka into bat, while Bresnan got the wicket of Mahela Jayawardene award in his second over.

Jade Dernbach then found the channel with a golden period for three wickets in 10 balls as the tail floundered against his mixture of York swinging and slower balls.

The Commander in the two games which have won Sri Lanka, Jayawardene, with many others it seems, appears has a mental block when the ball moves laterally off the coast of sewing.

He did well in the series of trials, showing hesitant bags instead of his usual lavish features, and he died playing another here.

When the new ball twitches and snakes on off the field, England pace bowlers become batsmen in the world and at a certain time, Sri Lanka, which sank quickly at 20-4 a little chance to make three figures.

Two years ago, when the distinctive bridge Trent projectors were to be unveiled, South Africa were dismissed for 83, winning before they even in England was to be turned on.

This nasty has been avoided this time on the basis of some threatening clouds (they have been initiated by 3 pm) and a wonderful knock combat Kumar Sangakkara 75.

Earlier this week, Sangakkara delivered the Colin Cowdrey lecture to the Lord, an inaugural event on the spirit of the CMC of cricket initiative. By all accounts, it is an impressive matched here by a masterful innings including three phases have been survival, consolidating and accelerating until it was the last man out for 75.

His only true alliance came with Angelo Mathews, arriving seven hours after Sri Lanka had sent Randiv to try to hit the pins off the coast of their length.

Randiv is 18, but prior to be taken on the side of his leg to become the first victim of a day for four months a broad grateful Stuart. It could not be how broadly expected to break his drought but when you're desperate means will be.

Mathews, fine, wide thrown forward and Jade Dernbach for six as he and Sangakkara added 72 for the sixth wicket.

But just as he and his mentor threatened to take the total of Sri Lanka in the competitive field, Bresnan withdrawn a wonderful caught and flipped with his fingers that looked like little potential even when slow proper motion cameras revealed how he had succeeded to make up the ground to turn on the edge of terminal Mathew.

Later, Sangakkara found anyone who could remain in the first major race and four taken Dernbach last wickets in 25 balls.

Even his words warning could not prevent the batsmen from ways daft, there too was convicted after calling for the Powerplay frappeurs in the 40th on only three balls after Nuwan Kulasekera came.

With men up to and singles suddenly cut off, the desire of her biff above the becomes irresistible to tail-enders told not to do something stupid. Not for the first time the advice fell on deaf ear.

Three previous 10-window WINS England in more than 50 international representatives

Beat the West Indies, Chester-le-Street - July 15, 2000.

Beat Bangladesh, the oval - June 16, 2005.

Fight the South Africa, Nottingham - August 26, 2008

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V Sri Lanka England: Ian Bell over there with the world of the best after unbeaten century in the third Test at the Rose Bowl

Sitting pretty: Ian Bell unbeaten century against Sri Lanka showed why he has become one of the top batsmen of the world Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Comparisons to the Sherminator, character in the film American Pie, overwhelmed Bell after in 2006-2007 ashes whitewash. But with a 18 productive months behind him, Bell played in a new image and begins to search for a competitor to one of the best batsmen cricket world.

"Play good cricket is all about consistency and Ian that made in the course of 12 to 18 months, said law." It has improved the level of consistency in his game and he begins to fulfill the promise, he showed very young in the ranks to Warwickshire.

"He played a great other sleeves and becomes a pain in the back by the way he plays." He keeps very simple. It has rapidly partitions and strike the ball in an arc of 360 degrees, so it is very difficult to contain. "It is full of confidence and you can see that the way in which he plays".

Bell, who finished the round with an unbeaten 119 of 169 balls, has had productive periods in the past and its sleeves of 199 against South Africa at Lord's in 2008 has been billed at the time as the breakthrough. But a few months later it was abandoned from the side in the West Indies after England were dismissed for 51 in Jamaica. This time Bell has the confidence to believe that the false dawns are more.

"It was a good series," he said. "I feel like I am the stick thus possible for the moment, which is nice." The objective is to be as consistently as possible. In the past, I played well sometimes, but not when he was very hard.

"I hope that in the last 18 months I started to implement performance when the team need to more systematically and more is what you want as a drummer.

"I am confident." I upgraded how to play spin and I feel over my game at this time. »

The passage of the game when Bell and Eoin Morgan were batting in England to a declaration was one of the more entertaining of the series and the pair perform a formidable force momentum is with them.

"The England team is happy and settled at this time, said right." They know their roles and it is a big bonus when you come into a team as Morgan.

"He knows exactly what to do - mark for runs and mark their quickly." It is not on the defence. It is the attack and it is one of the best attacker drummers autour. It strikes the funny areas and plays the unique features. He started very well in his career. It is a very good player. »

The future of fortunes insri Lankatoday can dictate the law. He said he spoke "good people" and that "I hope it is resolved real soon."

The right is acting coach and an offer to Bangladesh for a permanent job. Others seem to have jumped ahead of him for the work of Sri Lanka with the coach of Kent Paul Farbrace a solid competitor with the support team.

During this time, England and Wales Cricket Board country confirmed discussions are underway to hold two ttwweennttyy internationals against the West Indies in September.

The games will play 21-22 September and extend the season of the English per week.

The ECB has taken a step without precedent of adding fixtures to date of late summer schedule to fulfill the obligations of sky left by the collapse of the agreement of Stanford.

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