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Robert Key is aiming to enjoy his first one-day series in England blues in the hope of upping the scoring tempo for the remaining two Test matches of the Ashes series.Key believes the less strict format of the triangular series with Australia and Sri Lanka may help to develop a fresh approach for the Tests at Melbourne and Sydney over Christmas and New Year.”I’m going to go out there to enjoy it, try a few things out that you don’t get the chance to do in Test cricket and hopefully if we take them into the Tests it might work,” said Key, who has joined the one-day squad in Sydney while Michael Vaughan rests his sore right knee.”They’re a really good side, but all they do is the basics really well. They don’t run up and bowl magic balls at you, they bowl outside off stump and they don’t let you score a run.”They are good but it’s their discipline that counts. None of their bowlers run up and bowl big outswingers, they know exactly how to bowl and set the fields according to how each of them bowls and their discipline and their basics are what it is all about.”They bowl in a decent place and give themselves a chance of getting you out – they very rarely bowl you a bad ball. There are ways to combat someone bowling outside off stump, leaving it and things like that, because it’s not as if you’re out there wondering how you’re going to survive, you’re just wondering how you’re going to score.”England captain Nasser Hussain tried unsuccessfully to charge Glenn McGrath in the Perth test, while Key was trapped leg before walking across his stumps.Nasser tried it a bit when I was batting with him in the last Test whenMcGrath just wasn’t bowling a bad ball,” explained Key. “He started running at him and I tried walking across a couple of times but I was out lbw – you have to work on a couple of things just to try and break up his rhythm.”I enjoy one-day cricket because it gives you a chance to play your shots a bit more, particularly against these boys when you’re fighting for every run, leaving a lot and deciding whether or not to have a go.”Sometimes you can’t wait for a bad ball out here and you have to try and make something out of nothing. This is a good chance to try a few things and possibly take things into the Test series.”England’s build-up for the first section of the one-day series – matches against Australia in Sydney and Melbourne, and against Sri Lanka in Brisbane and Perth – with day-nighters against strong New South Wales and Australia A sides at the SCG over the next few days.”After being beaten pretty comprehensively in three games it gives us a chance to get out there and get a few wins and get something positive to look at rather than almost drowning your sorrows,” admitted Key.”This will hopefully give us the chance to get a bit of confidence. It’s my first tour, but I just find it a bit bizarre to play a one-day series in the middle of a Test series. I suppose it’s come at quite a good time where we can come away with something positive – if we play well in this series it can only do us good going into the last two Tests.”Admirer of the Australian side though he may be, Key admits to being less impressed by the standards of the sledging dished out to him during the last two Tests.”Steve Waugh called it mental disintegration, but I wouldn’t call it that – they’re just talking rubbish most of the time,” Key said. “I quite enjoy all the banter.”When they start getting at you I try and stare them down or try and come back with something if I’ve got something decent stored up. They’re no different from anyone really. They might be the best team in the world but their sledging’s pretty ordinary.”England will practice under lights tomorrow before Friday’s match against a New South Wales line-up which includes seven players with Test experience for Australia, including McGrath, both Waugh brothers, Brett Lee and Stuart MacGill.

The form book was well and truly thrown out of the window in the fourth round of the ICC World Cricket League Division Five as Singapore blew Group B wide open with a 69-run win over Afghanistan. With Jersey, USA and Nepal booking their semi-final places, it left Afghanistan and Singapore battling for the remaining spot.Afghanistan had been expected to maintain their unbeaten record against Singapore and, in a 30-over match, they appeared to be on course when they bowled Singapore out for 145. But in reply Afghanistan were skittled for 76, Chris Janik producing outstanding figures of 5 for 9 off just 3.2 overs.”It feels great, although it is all about the team. Afghanistan don’t lose every single game so it is a great win for us, especially since the game yesterday was rained off” Janik said adding “for a small country like Singapore with four million people it would be absolutely fantastic for us [to reach WCL Division Four]”.Taj Malik, coach of the Afghanistan team was extremely disappointed with the performance and believed the damp Jersey conditions were unfavourable to his side. “The weather has caused a lot of problems for us. We are never sure when we will start and whether the matches are reduced in overs,” said Malik. “The weather is the enemy of the Afghanistan cricket team.”But he still believes that his side is capable of qualifying for the semi-finals, although they will face a massive test against Jersey tomorrow knowing that even a win will not guarantee them a place in the top four. “I have told the guys they are still in the tournament and if we want to get a place in the semi-final then tomorrow is do or die.”The equation is further complicated by the washout of Singapore’s game against Japan on Sunday which might be replayed on Thursday, the official rest day.In other matches today, USA skipper Steve Massiah helped his side into the semi-finals of the competition with a solid all-round performance. Massiah was in excellent form with both bat and ball in a comprehensive six-wicket win over Germany to ensure that his side remains unbeaten at this event. Bowling first USA dismissed Germany for 104, with Massiah taking 2 for 11, before they reached their target with 4.5 overs to spare in a 33-over per side game.Nepal joined the USA in ensuring a top two place in Group A with a comfortable 137-run win over Vanuatu, although once again it may have been slightly disappointed with its batting performance. Mahesh Chhetri made 65 and Mahaboob Alam scored 34 as Nepal struggled to reach 220 for 9 in 46 overs in another game which had been reduced due to a delayed start. But once again Nepal’s bowling helped them recover and they never looked in any trouble as they bowled out Vanuatu for 83, with Paras Khadka the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 26. Nepal play the USA tomorrow to decide who finishes top of Group A.In Group B, Ryan Driver and Peter Gough were the heroes for Jersey as they coasted to a seven-wicket win over Botswana. “Four out of four … I couldn’t ask for anything more. We’ve got Afghanistan next so I hope we keep our winning run going and make it five from five,” said skipper Matt Hague. Another disciplined bowling performance, which saw Ryan Driver (3 for 10), Tony Carlyon (2 for 12) and Andy Dewhurst (2 for 19) share the wickets, dismissed Botswana for 66. And although Jersey didn’t look entirely comfortable, Peter Gough’s outstanding run with the bat continued as he made an unbeaten 39 not out.Hague admitted that he was looking forward to the challenge of taking on Afghanistan but believed his side had nothing to be afraid of. “We haven’t looked at them that much but looking at their scores they seem to quite go quite hard, but we fear nobody at the moment,” he said.There was a thrilling tie between Japan and Bahamas in another game which was reduced overs due to bad weather, with Japan narrowly failing to reach their target of 116 with a run out off the final ball of the match as they desperately tried to gain the second run that would have sealed the win.Mozambique registered an outstanding win over Norway by three wickets to gain their first victory of the tournament.

Oran Bristol yesterday advanced to the final of the Barbados Fire & Commercial Shield competition amidst some heated discussion and debate after their victory over Malvern.Bristol will have to wait to see who their opponents will be as the other semi between Wotton and Piton Dover will have to be replayed because play could not resume after rain fell.Malvern 188 in 39.4 overs lost to Bristol 155-2 in 30 overs by virtue of faster scoring rate.At Old Coleridge: Bristol outplayed the visitors, but at the end the Malvern camp left promising to protest the result after they were surprised when light was offered to the batsmen at 5:30 p.m.Bristol were making light work of their target with Man-Of-The-Match Norton Thompson paving the way with a polished 68 not out. He added an unbroken third-wicket stand of 40 with Michael Shepherd (24 not out).The umpires offered light and the Bristol batsmen accepted, thereby securing the victory and giving their supporters much to shout about.Bristol were scoring at 5.16 runs per over when the match concluded ahead of Malvern’s rate of 4.7 per over. Midway in the Bristol innings there was a break for rain but the officials did not revise the target and this seems to be the "major beef" for Malvern.Rule 21 governing the competition states: If the team batting second has not had the opportunity to complete the agreed number of overs and has neither been bowled out nor passed the opponents score, the following shall apply, provided that at least 15 overs have been bowled:1. The result shall be decided on the run rate throughout each innings and the team with the higher run rate shall be the winners.2. If, due to a suspension of play, the number of overs in the innings of the team batting second has to be revised, their target shall be calculated by multiplying the revised number of overs (this includes overs before interruption) by the run rate of the team batting first.There was no stopping Thompson, who added 59 for the first wicket with Owen Skeete (24), and 56 for the second wicket with skipper David Carrington (26).Earlier, play started 30 minutes late due to rain and Malvern were kept in check by John Greaves, who bagged three for 33.Jefferson Goodridge topscored with 34, and former Division 1 batsman Kirk Clarke chipped in with 27. Ivor Holligan made 22 not out at the bottom of the innings.Wotton 171-6 in 38 overs vs Piton DoverAt Wotton: A spot at the southern end of the pitch forced the umpires to call off the match at 3:30 p.m. before defending champions Dover could start their reply.The umpires decided to abandon the contest after seepage under the covers from rain during the lunch break.The match was dubbed the "Christ Church Derby" but both sides left the ground contented with the officials’ verdict and will be looking forward to the rematch.A hard-hitting 64 not out by Leon Layne kept the Wotton innings together. The former YMPC batsman hit four fours and four sixes off just 68 balls before a large crowd as Wotton left Dover requiring 4.5 runs per over.

One of the best teams in cricket history playing against an injury-hit England squad which has fumbled through its warm-up matches wouldn’t normally point to an enthralling summer.But it’s the Ashes – and that is why fans will pack grounds around the country.While those close to the Australian team are wary of writing off England, among those preparing to take their places in the stands to watch their heroes, it’s a different story.Australian cricket fans are gearing up to have another go at the Poms, while British expats and the Barmy Army hordes puff their chests out and begin sentences like: “Well you never know, we just might…”.Then they stop and, as if realising the absurdity of what they are about to say, mutter with familiar self-deprecating humour something about fully expecting to get soundly thrashed.With world champion Australia on home soil chasing an eighth consecutive Ashes series, fans may have little doubt about the outcome but they still want to be there.Former Test great Alan Davidson, NSW Cricket’s long-serving president, says the Sydney Cricket Ground has already recorded unprecedented figures for people wanting reserve seats at the fifth and final Test.So what is it about the Ashes that it can still pull such big and passionate crowds.”I think basically England-Australia in Test matches have always had that special significance,” says Davidson, who played his first Test at Trent Bridge on Australia’s Ashes tour of England in 1953.”It’s this little colony that had the hide to take on England at a game which was started in England and the pupils, I suppose you could call us, have taken on the masters and we’ve beaten the masters.”Now the Australians are the masters and England has not won an Ashes series since 1986-87.People love to watch winners and this Australian side has proven time and again that it’s the best in the world.But it hasn’t always been this way. Australia is some way from dominating Ashes cricket overall.Of 61 series played, Australia has won 29 and England 26 with six draws.Australia has won 121 of the 301 Tests between the nations with England winning 94 and 86 drawn matches.And there have been significant periods when England has been on top.In 1953, England wrested back the urn to break an Australian stronghold on the trophy dating back to the 1930s.Australia had to wait until its summer of 1958-59 to reclaim the honours and went overseas in 1961 determined to beat England on its home soil, which it did.There is something else that gives The Ashes its mystique and inspires the young to dream.”My grandfather on my mother’s side one day showed me a photograph of the ship taking our team to England in 1938,” Davidson says.”I was nine at the time and I said, ‘well one day I will, Grandad.'”A sport and rivalry steeped so firmly in tradition inspires the desire to emulate past heroes like no other competition.”What made Australia during The Depression, when things were at their toughest? There was a horse called Phar Lap and a bloke called Bradman,” Davidson says.There is no greater Australian hero than Don Bradman – the man whose astounding talent prompted England to resort to leg-theory in a bid to stop him, resulting in the infamous Bodyline series of 1932-33.Davidson remembers watching the fifth Ashes Test of 1946-47 in Sydney as a teenager.”I actually wagged school and went with my uncle down to watch the Test match,” he says.”I saw Bradman score 12 runs and, whilst it was a very modest score for him, it was amazing … I don’t recall a shot that he played but I do remember how he used his feet.”While Australian-English relations had long since recovered by the time of that Test match, Bodyline will never be forgotten.The game has changed, the names have changed.But, with another breed of heroes to worship, Australian punters are set to relish a fresh tilt at the old enemy.

KARACHI, July 26: All the major Test centres of the country require minor modifications to help the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) fight against the menace of match-fixing.Col Nooruddin Khawaja, ACU’s regional security manager, Friday said the National Stadium and the Gaddafi Stadium were upto mark. But added that a little more improvement was essential.”I have surveyed and inspected all the stadia of the country, except the Multan Cricket Stadium. And except for minor improvements, the stadia look fine and in accordance to ACU’s universal procedures,” he said.He, for the sake of confidentiality, refused to highlight the `minor’ adjustments but emphasised that the stadia were built when the game was not marked by unsporting activities.”The stadia will be upgraded, not only in Pakistan but everywhere in the world because of something ugly things that have happened in the recent past. ACU’s task is to keep the sport as clean as a whistle and in that context, it has taken several measures. Upgradation of the stadia, including installation of surveillance or spy cameras, if required, is one of the standard procedures,” he said.He said the home board would be responsible for installation of modern equipment. He further said during international matches, he would report directly to the ACU if he had any suspicious.Noor said he would also be talking to the Pakistan players and would be informing them about the latest measures the ACU was taking to deter foul play. But he insisted that the ACU was not suffocating the players.”The cricketers will be briefed about the steps the ACU was taking and the cooperation it would be expecting from them. At the same time, the players will be given assurances that the ACU would neither be spying nor shadowing them.”The players are entitled to free movement and the ACU would maintain that sanctity. But the players need to be explained as to what happened in the past, and what needs to be done in future.”He said most of the recommendations of the ACU have been enforced. He said the contracts the players were signing nowadays with their parent boards included fresh clauses, including penalties and punishments the players were liable to, for violation of code of conduct.Interestingly, the ACU, that has a four million pounds budget and include highly paid officials from Scotland Yard, has failed to identify one single cricketer of being involved in match-fixing.Sir Paul Condon, chief of the ACU, recently claimed that the game was now free of corruption. But everyone believes thatmatch-fixing was still ripe but as always, without any proof.

Piran Holloway and Richard Johnson rescued a modicum of pride for Somersetbefore they succumbed to an innings defeat by Lancashire at Taunton.Resuming their second innings on 106-6 after the third-day wash-out, the home side still required 68 runs to make Lancashire bat again. This time there was no assistance from the weather. And when Keith Dutch fell lbw to Peter Martin’s loosener without adding to his score of 12, a one-sided opening Championship fixture looked to be heading for a quick finish.But Holloway can be a gritty competitor in such circumstances. The littleleft-hander was soon in obdurate mood and found a willing eighth-wicket partner in Johnson as the pair added 55 in 21 overs. Johnson hit 4 fours in his 37 and can reflect on an encouraging Somerset debut, which saw him take five wickets in the Lancashire innings, despite the disappointing result.Just when it seemed the partnership might spare Somerset the indignity of defeat by an innings, Johnson attempted a forcing shot off Andy Flintoff’s first ball of the day and edged to wicketkeeper Warren Hegg. Steffan Jones was soon struck on the helmet by a Martin delivery and then played over the top of a fuller length ball to have his stumps shattered for four.The game ended with the opening delivery of Flintoff’s next over as Holloway lost his leg stump, having made 74 off 197 balls, with 6 fours and a five.Somerset had been bowled out for 170 to lose by an innings and four runs.Flintoff’s remodelled action brought him 2-7 from 5.1 overs, while Martin’stwo final day victims left him with 3-55 from 21 overs. Lancashire took 19 points and Somerset four.

If the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) finally decides to proceedwith the introduction of the country’s third lottery, local clubswould benefit from the estimated $3.5 million the BCA stands to gainannually from the lottery.That’s the word from Robert B. Washington, chairman and chiefexecutive officer of the Leeward Islands Lottery Holding Company(LILHC), the company which the BCA board of management two years agovoted to enter into a contract to operate a lottery on behalf ofcricket.Our single objective is to work with the cricket community on asustainable revenue source for cricket, Washington told reportersyesterday at the Desmond Haynes Sports Complex in Holder’s Hill, St.James.We will be announcing on Sunday a special programme to ensure that theclubs also have an independent sustainable revenue source as well.We have a proposal that we would like to give to them to ensure thatthere are two independent, distinguishable revenue sources one for theBCA and the other for the local clubs.It was the intention to get the lottery off the ground two years ago,but it was delayed after the BCA membership opted not to proceed withthe lottery at an extraordinary general meeting on June 3, 1999.On Monday, the BCA will hold an extraordinary general meeting at theLester Vaughan School, St Thomas, at which members will receive areport from the board of management pertaining to the operation of thelottery.The meeting will seek to confirm, annul, vary or discharge theresolution surrounding the operation of a lottery passed at theextraordinary general meeting of June 3, 1999.Over two years have passed since that initial vote and agreement tooperate a lottery, and more importantly since then, the BCA has beenfrustrated by a lack of financial resources and the declining glory ofcricket, Washington said yesterday at a venue that was chosen becauseof the history of an area which has produced so many outstandingcricketers.We feel that loyal, passionate BCA members want to restore theprogrammes that will lead cricket back to its glory days, he said.Washington, a Harvard Law School trained Washington-based seniorcounsel who up until recently was a senior partner in a leading firmin Washington, believes that the BCA leaders who approached the LILHCtwo years ago had a proactive and viable idea to increase theassociation’s financial resources.Continuing to delay this plan for generating revenue for theorganisation only further hastens the decline of cricket, added theLILHC chief executive.That is why we are calling on all members of the BCA to support andapprove the immediate implementation of the Barbados Cricket Lotteryand confirm the agreement that enables the BCA/LILHC partnership tocontribute to the glory of cricket in Barbados.

Hampshire field two Young Cricketers sides in Guernsey and Sussex during the half-term holiday week.With Raj Maru’s Under-19 travelling to St Peter Port, the Under-17s face Sussex at Worthing on Monday and Tuesday.Under-17s v Sussex : Doug Bellchamber (Portsmouth), David Griffiths (Academy), James Manning (Andover), Matt Metcalfe (Calmore Sports), Mark Mitchell (Academy), Graham Noble (BAT Sports), Alex Richardson (Locks Heath), Mitchell Stokes (Basingstoke & North Hants), Cille van der Merwe (Andover), Chris Wright (Liphook & Ripsley), Gareth Ransley (Locks Heath).

Rob Quiney, the Victoria opening batsman, is likely to become Australia’s 429th Test cricketer after he was called up as cover for the injured Shane Watson ahead of the first match against South Africa in Brisbane.John Inverarity’s selection panel chose 30-year-old Quiney as an in-form top order batsman rather than picking one of several allrounders who took part for Australia A against the South Africans at the SCG.His first innings 85 demonstrated confidence and poise, before an undefeated 11 in the second showing some steel against a revved up Dale Steyn.”It was good to have a good hit out against them, albeit the wicket in Sydney compared to the one we’re going to play on is going to be a bit different and to see Steyn crank it up today,” Quiney said. “It’s good to have a little taste of it but obviously you’re going to step up even more from this game.”I think I’ve been fairly consistent in the last 18 to 24 months, so that’s something I’ve been working on. Not such a great start in the Shield stuff for me this year but it’s an opportunity, it comes through timing, and if it does eventuate then I’m hoping to enjoy it, soak it up and do as best I can.”Given Watson’s calf injury history and the captain Michael Clarke’s preference for the allrounder to capable of bowling and batting whenever he plays, Quiney’s chances of being handed a baggy green cap on the first morning of the Test appear strong. No replacement player was named for Ricky Ponting, meanwhile, as he is making rapid progress in recovering from a hamstring niggle.Inverarity indicated that a call on Watson would be made “sooner rather than later”, and lauded Quiney for his consistent run-getting in recent summers. Last season he compiled 938 runs at 49.36, to follow up 724 at 42.58 in 2010-11. He had made a quite modest start to 2012-13 with only 68 runs in three matches, but there was plenty of fluency at the SCG.”Rob Quiney has impressed the NSP with his performances in all formats in recent years. He was particularly impressive in the Australia A game that concluded at the SCG today,” Inverarity said. “His 85 from 113 balls against the strong South African attack demonstrated a good range of shots and a sound technique. He is in good shape at the moment and he is ready to grasp his opportunity should he get the nod for Friday.”Rob is a mature player with an equable temperament who has been on the verge of higher honours for some time, and I note his achievements for Victoria were recognised last year when he was named State Player of the Year at the Allan Border Medal evening.”Quiney’s first taste of national duty came when he was chosen in the squad but did not play any matches in a Twenty20 series against New Zealand in 2009. He has flown up from Sydney to Brisbane on Sunday night to join Australia’s Test 12.

If the second-day honours in the final of the Patron’s Trophy were won by National Bank, the third day certainly belonged to Pakistan Customs. The tables turned dramatically as the events at Gaddafi Stadium took a dramatic twist. Nadeem Iqbal, the right-handed pace man, bowled with fire and venom to claim a five-wicket haul, thus, bringing Customs on the brink of victory at the end of third day in this absorbing encounter.Having started the third day with little hopes of survival, the Customs side sprung amazingly back to not only snatch the upper hand but also giving them a fair chance of picking the coveted trophy.Starting the day with 245 for seven, the Customs players applied themselves perfectly to the task. The last three wickets added 96 runs to the total, including a ninth wicket stand of 65 between Wasim Yousufi and Stephen John, taking the score to 321.Yousufi seems to be in excellent form in this final, as after taking four catches in the National Bank, he contributed with a handy 54 to boost his team’s total.And when it came their bowler’s turn to have a go, they did an excellent work in restricting the opposition to 110 in their second innings. Nadeem Iqbal proved to be the main tormentor taking five wickets for 27 in 16 overs. Stephen John took 2 for 24, whereas the trio of Azhar Shafiq, Naved-ul-Hasan, and Ali Naqvi claimed one wicket each.Requiring 155 to win the match, the Customs opened their second innings with Azhar Shafiq and Azam Khan. However, the National Bank bowlers struck early, with Shabbir Ahmed removing Azhar with the very first bowl. Azam made 16 before being adjudged lbw off the bowling of Zahid Saeed. After that Nasim Khan, the highest scorer for Customs in the first innings, and Aamer Bashir took the score to 51 without further casualities.Requiring 104 more to win the match, the Customs’ batsmen have quite a task ahead before claiming the ultimate honours. They will have to apply themselves to the task, and try to stay at the wicket, as any lose cricket on their parts can very easily their bowler’s hard work.