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Chris Adams, who left Sussex for Yorkshire in the close season only to stage a remarkable u-turn days later, is again being linked with a move away from Hove.Adams, who led Sussex to two Championships in 2003 and 2006, admitted that he has held talks with Derbyshire but denied that he had applied for the vacancy as their director of cricket following the resignation of David Houghton last month. At the weekend Derbyshire chairman Don Arnott said that Adams was among 30 applicants for the post.”I want to clear this mystery up once and for all,” Adams told the Argus newspaper. “I have not applied for the Derbyshire job and I will not be applying. Obviously the situation up there is always of interest to me. I had 11 years there and still have some close friends in Derbyshire.”I was flattered by their interest but I am 100% focused on trying to bring more success to Sussex. I have a two-year contract and I am 100% sure that I will end my playing days with Sussex.”

Scorecard
Points table

The morning after: Shane Warne sports an eye injury © Getty Images

Worcestershire kept the pressure on at the top of Division Two after beating the rain at The Rose Bowl and winning under the Duckworth-Lewis method. On a bowler-friendly service they skittled Hampshire for 131 and were well ahead of the asking-rate when the late-evening thunderstorms arrived.The Hampshire top-order slumped to 49 for 4 to some fine seam bowling from Zaheer Khan, Matt Mason and Kabir Ali. Their position wasn’t helped when Shane Warne had to retire hurt with a nasty gash above his right eye after he missed a pull and the ball went straight between his visor and grill.Warne went to hospital but was told the cut was too deep to stitch so returned to ground, ate a cheese roll, was patched up by the physio and returned at the fall of the eighth wicket. He didn’t last long before becoming Khan’s second wicket while Gareth Batty bowled well for his three strikes.James Bruce replied with a fine opening burst, but despite his two wickets Worcestershire remained well ahead of the D/L target thanks to Lou Vincent’s 28-ball 32.They are now level on points with Gloucestershire at the top of the table and both teams have one match left.

John Buchanan, Australia’s coach, feels that the change in the bowling laws could give bowlers greater variety, and this, in turn, would make batsmen play differently. The ICC’s recent law-change for what constitutes a legal delivery had been criticised by past and present players, but Buchanan’s positive assessment meant that the ICC had at least one of modern-day cricket’s most influential figures on its side.After comprehensive testing, the ICC recommended that bowlers could straighten their arm up to 15 degrees. Muttiah Muralitharan’s doosra, a delivery that some reckoned explored that boundries of legality, was tested at 14 degrees earlier this year. Buchanan said that if Muralitharan’s delivery, as well as others, was now permitted, it would add to the game.”I believe it’s exciting what Murali, Harbhajan and Shoaib, and whoever else that has been under investigation, what they do in their bowling,” Buchanan said to AFP. “If bowlers can actually increase the variety of the type of deliveries they can bowl, then that’s a good thing for the game, because that means batsmen have got to counter that with their own skills.”It may mean that captains have got something else to work with. In a sense I think there’s a real gain in it if it’s handled correctly.”Policing bowlers has also been an issue raised by people with an interest in the game. Shane Warne recently asked, “I think it might [create confusion]. How does an umpire tell if it’s 12 degrees, 10 degrees, nine, 13, 14, whatever it is when it happens like that?”Tim May, a representative of the ICC panel that recommended that the law be changed, said that advanced technology and stricter guidelines would be put in place next year. He added that bowlers would have a fresh start with regards to reports for suspect actions.

Duncan Fletcher: ‘We haven’t been able to move on in nine months’© Getty Images

The frustration of everyone associated with this one-day series is clear to see. The players are prowling like caged animals, desperately seeking outlets for their energies – whether it be head-tennis, basketball, or the ubiquitous PlayStations – the few hundred travelling supporters have shopped and drunk themselves to a standstill, and the journalists have exhausted all alternatives for “rain” and “wet” in their thesauruses.From soggy Grenada, where Wednesday’s one-dayer never looked like getting off the ground, the circus splashed on to an equally sodden St Lucia, where it has been raining solidly for a week, and where the forecast is for more of the same. Today (Friday) was sunny, though, so the players might yet make it onto the field at last for at least part of this weekend’s scheduled double-header.For England, it has been a winter of one-day roadblocks. The three matches in Bangladesh were all won easily, two of the three games in Sri Lanka were washed out, and now this. One of the this morning’s newspapers pointed out that since last July, England have contested only 376 of the possible 1000 one-day overs they should have played. Some players have hardly needed to unpack – Ian Blackwell has batted twice and bowled six overs, while Anthony McGrath hasn’t even taken to the field.”We haven’t been able to move on in nine months,” admitted a glum Duncan Fletcher, England’s coach. “It’s severely hindered our progress. Imagine how frustrating it must be for the likes of Anthony McGrath, who has put in all that work and effort and not played at all. Here in the West Indies we wanted to have a look at everyone in the squad, and there were seven games to do that. We need to get guys with games under their belts, to see how they shape up in proper 50-over matches that run their full length.”Fletcher admitted that the endless rain has led to mental issues as well as physical ones. “In addition to the simple business of playing and practising, the travelling, touring, packing, unpacking, early-morning flights, and everything else makes people mentally stale and tired. And that can be when they pick up stupid little injuries because they are not alert. At the moment we are just trying to keep people occupied, trying not to let their minds wander. But for the situation as it stands, there is no saving grace at all. None.”But Fletcher dismissed suggestions that he was considering sending fringe players home to allow them to get some practice in. “It’s important that they play some cricket, but each person who is not playing is cover for someone,” he said. “If we get an injury or a stomach bug, which can happen on a tour, we will need someone to replace them. We can’t start sending people home. We’re on tour and we just have to put up with what is going on here.”If the two matches this weekend do fall foul of the weather, then that leaves the final match in Barbados as the last chance for some meaningful action. It almost goes without saying that it’s been raining in Bridgetown for almost a week, although better weather is expected for a few days … before the rain returns.The only consolation for the players as they go stir-crazy is that it’s almost as bad back home. There was no play in any of yesterday’s County Championship matches, and the situation is much the same today. Perhaps PlayStation should be England’s new sponsor.

Kenya were no match for West Indies. All thoughts of replicating their 1996 upset went out of the window as a strong West Indian bowling performance saw them bundled out for a mere 104 in pursuit of 247. With this 142-run victory, West Indies secured a consolation win, ending their World Cup campaign on 14 points.Jermaine Lawson, playing his first game of this World Cup, worked up a good pace, hitting the 150 km/h mark from early on in his spell. The pace of Lawson was a bit too much for the Kenyan batsmen and they were constantly pushed back.It was however, not Lawson who did the majority of the damage. Making good use of the pressure Lawson created, Vasbert Drakes cashed in. Bowling a steady line and length, varying his pace well, Drakes scalped his second five-wicket haul of the tournament, returning figures of 5/33. With this, Drakes’ tally of wickets in this World Cup moved up to 16, making him the leading wicket-taker along with Chaminda Vaas.Merv Dillon (1/31) and Lawson (2/16) too were among the wickets as Kenya failed to get a partnership going at any point.The fall of wickets at regular intervals, coupled with the fact that the top score by a Kenyan batsman was just 24 ensured that the minnows were knocked out for 104.Despite the loss, Kenya will be happy with their position. They go into the Super Sixes with 10 points in hand, having beaten Sri Lanka and New Zealand (forfeit) the other two qualifiers from Pool B.Earlier in the day, West Indies put together 246/7, and should have really done better, but it appeared as though the men from the Caribbean already had their minds on the flight back home.After a 122-run opening partnership with Gayle, Chanderpaul, the most impressive West Indies batsman on the day, became the first to be dismissed. His fall came when he top-edged leg-spinner Collins Obuya, after making 66 off just 72 balls; Joseph Angara completing the easy catch.Brian Lara, who replaced Chanderpaul, continued to struggle yet again. After making an unconvincing 10 off 29 balls, the ‘Prince on Trinidad’ attempted to launch the 30th ball he faced for a six. But David Obuya completed a handsome catch near the boundary as the West Indies lost their second wicket with their score reading 158.The man who replaced Lara at the crease, Marlon Samuels, playing his first match of the World Cup, had an early let-off when he got a leading edge that Obuya failed to cling onto. But he failed to capitalise on it, being dismissed for a 14-ball 17.Ricardo Powell too fell cheaply, making just eight runs.At the other end, Gayle had in the meantime managed to bring up a patient 100 off 143 balls, including seven fours. After that the well-built West Indies opener, opened out, clattering two huge sixes. But after making 119 off 151 balls, he holed out at deep cover in an attempt to hit another delivery clean out of the ground.Carl Hooper, the West Indies skipper, was another of the West Indies batsmen destined to fail on the day, making just six before being stumped by Kennedy Otieno off a Joseph Angara delivery that he tried to run down to third man.Wavell Hinds (10 off 9 balls) in the unlikely role of No. 7 and Ridley Jacobs (9 off 8) contributed a few useful runs towards the end, as their team ended their innings at 246/7. For Kenya, Martin Suji, who conceded just 38 runs in his 10 overs while claiming one wicket, was the most economical bowler.The victory showed up the difference between the minnows and the genuine contenders in his World Cup. The Super Six stage is supposed to be a level harder than the preliminary matches. However, the fact that two teams forfeited matches means that the best six teams have not really progressed to the next stage. Without being too hard on Kenya, this will make for some very one-sided matches at a stage in the tournament where this really should not be the case.

Only 11 balls were bowled in the day as rain and bad light frustrated players from Kent and Somerset on day two of their Festival Week championship match in Canterbury.Morning showers delayed the start until 12.30 before Matthew Bulbeck finally ran in to bowl the first ball of the day from the Nackington Road End as Kent resumed on their overnight score of 381 for four.The country’s leading run-scorer David Fulton, with 1,313 already to his credit, was unbeaten on 160 overnight but fenced at the first ball of the day to hear a huge appeal for a catch at the wicket by Somerset keeper Rob Turner.Umpire John Steele dismissed the appeal, allowing Fulton to take three off the over to face up to Steffan Jones’ next over from the Pavilion End.Fulton then steered a boundary to third man to move Kent’s score on to 388 for four, but with only five deliveries of the over gone the rain returned and the players trooped off for lunch.The Canterbury ground-staff started to remove the covers mid-afternoon but another torrent forced umpires Steele and Vanburn Holder to abandon the day’s play at 5pm.Somerset seamer Richard Johnson, pulled out of the match yesterday on standby for the England Test squad at Trent Bridge, returned to St Lawrence to resume his role in the match but the afternoon’s weather prevented his recall to arms.

According to ESPN, newly-promoted Wolves are interested in West Brom’s freshly relegated Egyptian centre-back, Ahmed Hegazi.

Hegazi spent some of his summer in Russia, starting all three of Egypt’s group games as they failed to escape amid the likes of Uruguay, Russia and Saudi Arabia. With his adventure in Russia brought to a premature end, he now potentially faces the considerably less arduous journey across Birmingham, from West Brom to Wolves.

Nuno Espirito Santo, the Wolves manager, is currently preparing for life in the Premier League and is clearly prioritising ensuring defensive stability.

The Breakdown

Despite the recent misfortunes of his teams – relegation, early World Cup exit – Hegazi has regularly emerged with some credit on an individual basis. He was also central to Darren Moore’s late, and ultimately futile, revival of West Brom last season. 

As exciting as this current Wolves squad is, they lack Premier League experience. Nuno then will be hoping Hegazi can come in and become a leading, marshalling presence amongst his back line. 

The Egyptian’s aerial prowess could also become a key asset for Wolves, making them more of a threat from set pieces. He chipped in with a couple of goals last season, and was often to be seen giving opposition defenders a hard time in their own penalty area. 

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Wolves’ recent capture of Willy Boly from Porto on a permanent deal could signal that Nuno has settled his defensive business for the summer, but it could be that he is still looking to bring in some more depth at the back.

If that is the case then the acquisition of Hegazi, valued at £4.5 million by Transfermarkt, would signal the completion of a mean-looking collection of centre-backs set to ply their trade at Molineux in the Premier League this season.

ScorecardIt seems curious, counterintuitive even, that on a perfect summer’s evening and with 18,000 people at Lord’s, the powers-that-be served up a used, sickly pitch not conducive to free-flowing cricket.Sure, they like televised games to be played on the more central strips. Sure, there’s a hell of a lot of cricket played at Lord’s, not least an Ashes Test in exactly a fortnight. But surely – especially with Middlesex, with many explosive batsmen suited to marmalising on flat decks, in such dire straits in the South Group – the pitch could have been better than this?Not that Sussex minded. They strolled to an under-par target with 28 balls to spare to take their place atop the South Group and give their net runrate a shot in the arm, too. They have now won four consecutive games and four consecutive away from home, too. Another insipid Middlesex performance – as grey as the pitch – leaves them firmly bottom.More eye-catching was the performance of Tymal Mills. At his best, his pace, his leftiness and his clever slower balls mean that the Mills bandwagon is never far from gaining pace even in a season when he has admitted that a congenital back condition might force him to consider a future as a T20 specialist.He was flattered a bit by his return of 4 for 22, with three caught on the fence, but he impressed nevertheless, bowling in the powerplay and at the death, picking up wickets at both ends and not leaking runs as he often does, with 14 dot balls.He took wickets with the first ball of his first two overs – Dawid Malan knocking a loosener straight to third man and Nick Compton playing on when trying to pull. His final over – the last of the innings – produced the wickets of Andy Balbirnie, caught at cow, the run out of James Franklin, then, next ball, another Kiwi, Mitchell McClenaghan.Middlesex’s captain Eoin Morgan was quick to praise Mills’s man of the match display. “The pitch was very slow which made it tough to get going. But Mills was impressive, and showed tonight he has something about him.”

‘I’m getting by – Mills

Tymal Mills marked his eye-catching night in front of the cameras by suggesting he was having to manage on his four overs a week before resting up because of a long-standing back ailment.
“I’m getting by – I’m able to be wheeled out for my four overs! I’m not going to be playing four-day cricket for the rest of this year so I put all my efforts into my one or two games a week and I look forward to it. I can give my all in these four overs and then put my feet up.
“I got a few wickets that I wouldn’t usually get – they usually go over the boundary so to get a few caught was nice. It was my night tonight. I’ve been pretty happy with how I’ve bowled all competition so to carry that on and help the team to another win is nice.
“I trust my slower ball, it’s a ball I’m happy to bowl. You can’t become too predictable because especially with that bit of extra pace that I’ve got, people try and line me up if they think I’ll bowl short so you have to mix it up and tonight that went well.”I’m getting by – I’m able to be wheeled out for my four overs! I’m not going to be playing four-day cricket for the rest of this year so I put all my efforts into my one or two games a week and I look forward to it. I can give my all in these four overs and then put my feet up.”

One senses that some of those who attend for their slice of Thursday night fun – the Tesco on nearby Circus Road around 6pm more resembles Piccadilly Circus as fans flock to pick their allotted bottle of wine or four cans of cold stuff – don’t entirely mind what happens in the middle.But there’s little doubt that when a game can’t manage a close finish (as this one most certainly couldn’t) many measure the entertainment value of a night at the white-ball stuff by the number of times the ball sails into the stands. A sorry four here said plenty.Middlesex’s innings was one of those stuttering, sluggish efforts their fans have become so accustomed to in a format that has now surely reached bête noire status. To illustrate, the ball crossed the rope as often as Middlesex batsmen did – nine.Six overs of crabby, miserly slow bowling from Mike Yardy and Matt Machan – the latter has admitted to modelling his bowling on the former in this format – proved almost impossible to off the square, with each picking up the wickets of relatively set batsmen and only twice between them being hit for more than a single run off a ball.Paul Stirling briefly gave hope of a respectable Middlesex total – they seem to rely on the impetus provided by his starts – by giving himself room and carting Mills into the Grandstand, then taking three fours from Chris Liddle’s second over, through cover, to fine-leg and over mid-off, before meekly lofting Yardy to Mills at short fine-leg.Morgan himself never got going, and fell amid an arid patch that saw Middlesex go 56 balls without a boundary. Balbirnie and Franklin added 38 to add respectability to the total, before the innings ended with that Mills-made whimper.Sussex’s chase was a far more fluent effort, but there was an air of generosity about Middlesex’s bowling, and even fielding, right from the off. With the first two balls of the innings, Ollie Raynerwas swept to the fence by Chris Nash, while the third delivery was worth two, but only because the ball went straight through Ravi Patel at point. Nash was lbw to McClenaghan’s second ball for Middlesex, struck in front.Tymal Mills’ injury fears have not undermined his threat in T20•Getty Images

Luke Wright continued his fine form in sharing 75 with Matt Machan. Both batsmen showed incredibly fast, powerful hands and disdain for meek bowling. Machan flashed his wrists to batter Harry Podmore’s first over down the ground, then over mid-off, then through midwicket for four, while Wright bunted Patel over long-off for six.Only McClenaghan threatened, and he was rewarded with both players’ wickets. For Machan it was ouch then out, wrapped behind dead in front behind the pad and limping from the field, while Wright top-edged a pull. Alas McClenaghan picked up an injury himself, with a dislocated, possibly fractured finger.Craig Cachopa – who sent consecutive Patel deliveries over midwicket for six – and George Bailey saw Sussex home. Perhaps only they will have left having felt like they had got their money’s worth.

As floods continue to wreak havoc in the Midlands, another county has rallied to help Worcestershire restage one of their matches.Warwickshire have said that Edgbaston can be used for the Pro40 match with Sussex on Sunday – and their members will be allowed to watch the game for free. The match will start at 1.45pm.The move follows Derbyshire’s offer of using the County Ground the other week – although the match was washed out.The ECB have also announced a change to the rules which govern a switch of venue in the event of poor weather. They have relaxed the requirement that the match must still be played in the home team’s county, although still say it should be in the same region if possible.During the first batch of floods three weeks ago, Worcestershire wanted to play a Twenty20 match at Edgbaston but the ECB turned down the request before later moving their Pro40 match against Hampshire to Derby.The new rule 40 states: “The venue should preferably be within the county or a recognised venue used by the County in question. If no such venue is available then a neutral venue preferably within the region of the originally scheduled match may be considered. In no circumstances will it be permissible for the match to be re-scheduled at a venue normally or occasionally used as a home venue by the scheduled away county.”Worcestershire’s chief executive, Mark Newton, said: “We would like to thank Edgbaston for agreeing to stage this game and the ECB for allowing us to switch to a venue outside the county.”Whilst we realise that most counties are suffering badly from the extreme weather conditions, we are suffering more than most and all we want to do is play some cricket. I think everybody is desperate just to watch a normal game of cricket!”The club has announced that all Worcestershire and Warwickshire members will gain admission to the game upon production of their membership cards. In addition any person still in possession of unused tickets from previously abandoned games at New Road will be able to use them at this game.Public admission on the day will be £15 for adults and £5 for 16 and under.