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Monty Panesar defended England’s behaviour in the second Test defeat to India at Trent Bridge last week, saying the tense game was still played in the right spirit.Panesar was speaking ahead of the final Test of a series that has been distinctly rougher round the edges than previous encounters between the two sides.India’s convincing seven-wicket win was overshadowed to some extent by various incidents on the field, from Sreesanth shoulder-barging Michael Vaughan and hurling down a dangerous beamer to Kevin Pietersen to the now infamous jelly bean incident. Incessant sledging formed a constant backdrop.Panesar said, “We all want to see cricket played in the right spirit and that is what happened. You want to be competitive but you need to play the game in the right spirit, which is important.”Peter Moores is the new coach with new enthusiasm and we are trying to emulate that enthusiasm in the game. We haven’t had any instructions about how to conduct ourselves. We all knew the game was played in the right spirit and as long as we keep doing that I am sure everything will be fine.”I think [the jelly bean incident] probably something that happened accidentally,” said Panesar. “It was unintentional, it was just that during the drinks break accidentally a jelly bean went on the wicket. What is more important – what we all want to see – is cricket played in the right spirit.”England need to win the last Test to maintain their record of not having lost a Test series at home since 2001, while India are looking for only their second series win in England in the last 21 years.”India are a strong team and it will be tough but if we can play good cricket like we have been doing there is a chance we will do well,” said Panesar. “If we try and put too much importance on this Test and put pressure on ourselves it may not get the best out of us. All we can do is shift the momentum from the first Test and second innings of the second into the third.”Panesar also expressed his disappointment at his exclusion from England’s Twenty20 World Championship squad. “My character is that I like to be involved in all forms of the game – you want to be part of things like the Twenty20 squad,” he said. “But missing out does give you an opportunity to prepare for the winter [tour to Sri Lanka], so you can take it is a positive as well.”Panesar is, however, a member of England’s ODI squad to take on India in a series of seven one-dayers.

Jeremy Snape will team up with his England Twenty20 team-mate, Dimitri Mascarenhas, after joining the Rajasthan Royals franchise as a performance coach for the forthcoming Indian Premier League.Snape, 34, has made a name for himself as a Twenty20 specialist since the format was first piloted in England in 2003, and he has helped his Leicestershire team to each of the first four finals days, including the title in 2004. On the strength of these performances, he was selected for September’s inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa.The news comes a day after the chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board, Giles Clarke, hardened his stance against English participation in the IPL, but a statement from Snape’s county side said: “Leicestershire are very supportive of his involvement and are sure that he can pass on the experiences gained in India to our younger players, particularly, in our Twenty20 campaign.”Snape will miss four county games during his stint with Rajasthan; the Friends Provident Trophy tie against Northamptonshire followed by the first three rounds of the County Championship. Apart from Mascarenhas, he will be playing alongside the likes of Shane Warne and Justin Langer.

Anil Kumble, VVS Laxman, Wasim Jaffer and VRV Singh checked in at the National Cricket Academy for the fitness test ahead of the South Africa series, starting on March 26. Over the next few days, Sourav Ganguly, RP Singh and Pankaj Singh will also undergo routine tests.Rahul Dravid, who has been recuperating from a finger injury that he picked up in the Adelaide Test against Australia, was also seen at both the morning and evening nets. “My finger injury has healed and I am feeling fine now,” he said.Dravid has not played any competitive cricket since the Australian tour – he didn’t turn out for Karnataka in the recent Ranji one-dayers – but has had intensive practice with the bowling machine for the last few days.The tests today – held under the supervision of Paul Chapman, the physical conditioning coach, and Paul Close, the physiotherapist – included skinfolds, bleep tests, repeat sprint and aerobic strength tests.Pankaj was supposed to arrive today but it’s learnt that his physio in the Rajasthan Cricket Association wrongly believed that he could issue a fitness certificate himself. Pankaj is carrying a slight niggle in the back and it will be interesting to see how he fares in his fitness test on Friday.While the more well-known bleep test involves short sprints, the aerobic vertical jump test records the difference between the height reached at full stretch with feet on the ground and from a standing jump. The skinfolds test uses callipers to measure body fat.While Laxman, Singh and Jaffer left for the airport to catch their respective flights, Kumble, the local boy, bowled for 30 minutes at the NCA ground. He started off with some spot bowling before using his full regular run-up. As he left the ground, Dravid came in for his evening nets session.

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John Eugene blasted the first century in Stanford 20/20 history, but could not prevent St Maarten from falling short of St Vincent and the Grenadines by ten runs at the Stanford Cricket Ground in Coolidge.Eugene, who claimed the US$25,000 Man-of-the-Match award, gave St Vincent a scare by launching into a late-over blitz with the run-rate having climbed to 18 runs an over, smashing 20 off the 17th over, 24 off the 18th and 14 off the 19th. But with 14 required in the final over, Eugene could not sustain the momentum against left-arm seamer Keon Peters, who conceded only four runs to clinch a ten-run win for St Vincent. Eugene, however, managed to bring up his hundred off 46 balls.St Maarten, chasing 169, found it difficult to get off the blocks, scoring just 50 in ten overs, and slumped further to 88 for 5 as legspinner Orlanzo Jackson claimed three wickets. But the tide changed when the 37-year-old Eugene, who hit seven fours and six sixes, added 66 for the sixth wicket with Kenroy David, who contribution with eight.Opting to bat, St Vincent rode on an unbeaten 37-ball 73 by wicketkeeper Lyndon James. James took his team to a commanding position after they had lost four wickets for 50. Most of James’ runs came during his unbroken 118-run fifth-wicket stand with Alston Bobb (38 off 27 balls),During his innings, James seemed to have his sight set on hitting the clock tower at the top of the Southern Stand, with two of his four sixes coming close to fetching him a US$100,000 bounty. But he had to be content with the Play-of-the-Day award worth $10,000 for launching a six out of the ground and into the adjoining airport runway.

As the clock winds down to the ICC’s executive board meeting in Dubai, the selection of the next chief executive is developing into a potentially fractious matter with the Indian board backing the candidature of IS Bindra, its former president, who, the ICC secretariat is keen to point out, is over the specified age. In the event of Bindra failing to get the job, it is likely to go to Imtiaz Patel, a South African, who heads Supersport, the broadcast network.Dave Richardson, the ICC general manager, and Haroon Lorgat, the former chief selector of South Africa, are said to be the other names in the fray to replace Malcolm Speed.Bindra’s candidacy is viewed with some concern given that, once Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, takes over as ICC chairman in 2010 as scheduled, the top two positions in world cricket will soon be held by India.The BCCI has already faced a hurdle which it tried to sidestep. Pawar is learnt to have recently sent a letter to the ICC picking out holes in an “age rule” that could hamper the chances of their candidate. The letter was apparently sent in response to a note from the ICC to all national boards pointing to the age bar prevalent in the UAE, where it is based.Pawar’s letter asks the ICC not to attach much value to the rule, which bars those above 65 from taking up employment in the country, because it refers only to a particular category of employees. “The rule refers only to a specific category of candidates, essentially government employees, and Bindra doesn’t fall in that group,” a top source said. “Bindra is above that age limit but he is a veteran in these matters. He knows enough about the rules and regulations of the ICC and helped Pawar prepare the letter.”The chief executive will be selected by a four- person sub-committee comprising Ray Mali, the ICC chairman, David Morgan, the ECB head and Mali’s chosen successor, Creagh O’Connor, the Cricket Australia chairman and Pawar. Bindra has confirmed to Cricinfo that he was contacted by a head-hunting firm early this year regarding a shortlist.”A recruitment firm called Egon Zehnder International was appointed to source potential candidates and make recommendations to the four-person sub-committee. That process is complete,” an ICC spokesperson told Cricinfo. “The sub-committee will make its recommendations to the ICC board and then it will discuss the matter at the meeting.”However, with Pawar slotted to take over as ICC chairman in 2010, after Morgan’s two years at the helm under a compromise formula reached last year, the other national boards are concerned that an all-India show may lead to a monopoly on world-cricket administration.Already, the WICB, which has supported India over various issues in the past, is learnt to have switched sides, leaving Bindra with the BCCI’s traditional support base of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.But Bindra told Cricinfo that he would take a call on this issue only after he was offered the job. “Even if I am offered the job, I will have to take a call on whether I need to take it up or not. I have certain issues to work out even if the job is offered, about my quitting the Punjab Cricket Association (he heads the association), my daughter’s education and other personal issues,” Bindra said.If the BCCI is not able to get its way on Bindra, then Patel, a former director with the then United Cricket Board of South Africa, is likely to emerge as the candidate who will fit the bill. “The key criteria for selection: Whatever makes them the best person for the job,” the ICC spokesperson said.

Cricket Australia has ordered Shaun Tait to rest from South Australia’s Pura Cup match starting on Friday as he continues to recover from an elbow injury. Tait played in the Redbacks’ one-day win over Western Australia on Wednesday, taking 2 for 50, but Australia are concerned that too much bowling could delay his progress.”Cricket Australia do not believe that playing Shaun in back-to-back four-day domestic matches is in the best interests of his pending return to the Australian team,” Mark Sorell, the South Australia coach said. “While we had hoped to play Shaun we are fully supportive of Cricket Australia’s decision.”While Tait will not play in Darren Lehmann’s farewell game against Western Australia at Adelaide Oval, he might be considered for the match against Queensland, which starts in eight days’ time. Sorell said the Redbacks understood the need for Tait to be handled carefully in the lead-up to Australia’s Chappell-Hadlee Trophy games in December and the Test series against India that follows.Tait had surgery on his right elbow in June and his recovery has been much slower than anticipated. He has played only one Pura Cup match this season and had been targeting an international comeback in the Chappell-Hadlee Series.South Australia squad Matthew Elliott, Callum Ferguson, Mark Cosgrove, Nathan Adcok (capt), Darren Lehmann, Andy Delmont, Graham Manou (wk), Ryan Harris, Jason Gillespie, Cullen Bailey, Dan Cullen.Western Australia squad Justin Langer, Chris Rogers, Adam Voges (capt), Liam Davis, Luke Ronchi (wk), Theo Doropoulos, Brad Hogg, Darren Wates, Aaron Heal, Steve Magoffin, Ben Edmondson, Mathew Inness.

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Kent claimed only their third domestic title in 29 years with a thrilling four-wicket victory in an action-packed and controversial Twenty20 final against Gloucestershire. Needing 13 off the final over, Darren Stevens crunched two boundaries off an overawed Carl Greenidge, but in chaotic scenes there was confusion over if the match had actually been won.The equation had come down to six off three balls when Stevens launched Greenidge over cover. Kent’s batsmen ran off to begin celebrating, but Gloucestershire were ready for another ball and the umpires weren’t sure either. It had been missed, apparently by everyone except TV, that a no-ball had also been called. After a consultation between the umpires the Kent celebrations began in front of a near full-house.The champagne spraying was led by Robert Key, but the final was tinged with a moment of controversy involving the Kent captain’s dismissal for 18. He flicked a ball from Greenidge and Hamish Marshall dived forward at midwicket to claim, what appeared, another impressive catch. Key took Marshall’s word and made his way off, but in similar scenes to Kevin Pietersen’s ‘dismissal’ at Lord’s against India earlier this season the big screen flashed up a replay before Key reached the boundary.He lingered inside the rope, but by now the umpires (Neil Mallender at square leg had been happy about the catch), and players were ready for the next delivery and the TV replay wasn’t called for. Clearly unimpressed, Key flung his bat across the boundary and stormed into the Kent dug-out. A short while afterwards, having calmed down in the dressing-room, he told : “I’m surprised they didn’t take it to the third umpire. The boys told me to go back like Kevin Pietersen.”Repercussions are likely for such a clear show of dissent, but it proved how much the players now want to win the Twenty20 and that it is played as intensely as the other tournaments. “I’ll probably cop it,” admitted Key afterwards. However, it shouldn’t take away from an impressive performance by Kent who were on-song throughout the day. In the end, Key was able to smile with his first trophy as captain and said: “Two overs from the end I was back in the dressing kicking a few things around thinking we were done for, but it’s pretty special.”Ryan McLaren’s hat-trick, the fifth in English Twenty20, helped restrict Gloucestershire to 146, a total around par for the day where scoring never appeared quite as easy as first imagined. After slipping to 62 for 4, Gloucestershire threatened a recovery as Marshall, with a 49-ball 65, formed a useful stand with Mark Hardinges before McLaren intervened. Marshall chopped into his stumps as he tried to glide a ball to third man, Stephen Adshead was cleaned-up by a beauty that held its line and took off stump and Ian Fisher was trapped in front.As in the semi-final against Sussex, Kent’s chase was handed a flying start by Key and Joe Denly. After Key’s dismissal Denly and Walker continued to make good progress. However, Hardinges removed Denly and Martin van Jaarsveld as the pressure mounted. Then Jon Lewis brought himself back and picked up Matthew Walker on the deep square-leg boundary and bowled McLaren. When Geraint Jones was involved in a manic run out, slipping as he tried to abort a second run, Gloucestershire were sensing the win.But Lewis had gambled on giving the final over to Greenidge, the weakest link in his attack, and the move backfired badly as he followed long-hop with half-volley, even bowling one delivery off two steps. Stevens connected cleanly with two mighty swings and the first trophy of the season was heading to Canterbury. That, though, was only one of the talking points from another eventful Twenty20 final.

A trio of teenage pace bowlers will enjoy a taste of history on Thursday when they use a pink ball under match conditions for the first time. Queensland Fire’s Delissa Kimmince, Taija Davis and Jo Verrall will take part in the ground-breaking Twenty20 match between Queensland and the Western Fury at the Gabba as the women trial the pink balls.The following day, South Australia Scorpions will host Victoria in a WNCL match that will be under lights – the first women’s match to be held as a day-nighter. Those matches are crucial, with South Australia needing two wins in two to guarantee a place in the final which will be hosted by New South Wales later this month.Over in Queensland, Davis, 16, will make her state debut while 18-year-olds Kimmince and Verrall will shoulder additional responsibility with Kirsten Pike being rested ahead of Friday and Saturday’s WNCL encounters. The Twenty20 game is also the first time the Fire have played at the Gabba and will be the curtain-raiser to tomorrow’s KFC Twenty20 game between Queensland and Tasmania.Additionally, the Fire players will wear pink caps and pink wrist bands with Queensland Cricket and the National Breast Cancer Foundation combining for the match to raise awareness and funds for research towards finding a cure for breast cancer.Queensland selectors have left out spinner Dawn Holden and included off-spinner Kirby Short for her first match this year, as well as adding Rikki-Lee Rimmington the squad.Queensland Twenty20 squad Melissa Bulow (capt), Jude Coleman, Lyndall Daley, Taija Davis, Danielle Hollis, Delissa Kimmince, Kasee Marxsen, Jodie Purves, Casey Reibelt, Rikki-Lee Rimmington, Kirby Short, Jo Verrall.Queensland WNCL squad Melissa Bulow (capt), Jude Coleman, Lyndall Daley, Danielle Hollis, Delissa Kimmince, Cindy Kross, Kasee Marxsen, Kirsten Pike, Jodie Purves, Rikki-Lee Rimmington, Kirby Short, Jo Verrall, Megan White.Western Fury squad for both Avril Fahey (capt), Renee Chappell, Emma Biss,,Nicole Bolton, Lauren Ebsary, Angele Gray, Peta Merrilees, Lauren Stammers, Holly Hyder, Charlotte Horton, Jenny Wallace, Amanda Williams, Jaimi Wilson.

After four-and-a-half hours of waiting, Chris Adams punched the air with delight as Dominic Cork was bowled 60 miles away at The Oval. Sussex had won their third title in five years in what he described as “the best County Championship season ever”.Talking to Sky Sports, Adams said: “I’m just overwhelmed. We started the day needing five wickets, we got them and then we had to watch that. I’d say to Lancashire ‘you played well, you had a hard season, there’s no shame in your performance and you nearly did it’.”It’s been the most excruciating afternoon. We were panicking like hell in there. My team have been brilliant. They’ve been awesome on and off the field. The test of a true team is if you retain your trophy and we did it. You play 16 games of four-day cricket so the best team has to win, we proved that but only by the slimmest of margins. We got there by the skin of our teeth.”At The Oval, Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s captain, was in tears as he admitted that he had “never seen a changing room like it in my life.”I’m extremely proud of what our guys have achieved though. As captain I’m privileged to have seen the efforts they have put in. To get close to our target was a phenomenal effort but the lads are just broken. Our players have risen to an almighty challenge and to come so close is an enormous effort.”Mushtaq Ahmed, who took 13 wickets in the match and whose 90 wickets in the season were again instrumental in Sussex’s success, said: “I had an extra pray and asked Allah to give us another Championship. If you give 100% then Allah will always favour you.

“The people here are so kind and lovely. It’s a family club and I’d like to thank them. But you have to give 100% and the players cheer each other up and are united – when people are not doing well we back them up. You have to stay together when there are ups and downs. It’s a very special moment for Sussex but we’ve had to work hard for our win.”Adams singled out Mushtaq for praise. “He’s been bowled into the ground … not that he’ll mind. It’s not only his ability, it’s his commitment, his desire to keep bowling overs. He just turns up and keeps churning out the overs and waning to take wickets. He’s a fabulous character and he inspires so many of the other players. It’ll be a sad day when he goes.”

The English season may still be another six months away but Mahela Jayawardene is already looking forward to making his county debut. Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, signed for Derbyshire yesterday as the county ring the changes with a new-look squad which includes Wavell Hinds.”It’s good,” he told Cricinfo in Adelaide, as he warmed up for Sri Lanka’s tour match here this weekend. “I haven’t played before. It’s a great opportunity.”I don’t think I will be there for long because of my international commitment. But they’re trying to start all over again, Derby, and they’ve got a few good players coming in. It’s going to be good fun and hopefully I can learn something at a different level of cricket.”And he promised to lend new captain Rikki Clarke, who will be joined by former Surrey team-mate Nayan Doshi, the benefit of his experience. “I’ve played against him a few times and I think he’s a very good cricketer.”Give him the responsibility, he’s a young guy and I think he’s looking forward to it. It’s a good challenge for him as well, so if I can help him in any way it would be great and try to start anew at Derby. A good challenge for me, as well.”Jayawardene will arrive towards the end of April and stay until the middle of July after which he can be replaced by another overseas player.