COME February 9 – Cape Town, South Africa – the West Indies will be ready.You can count on it.So says president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Reverend Wes Hall, who said the team heading to the upcoming World Cup would be the best prepared West Indies ever to attend the prestigious tournament. The Windies started a two-week camp in Antigua yesterday, and will leave via Barbados on January 28."The board has done everything to ensure the team is ready," Hall said yesterday afternoon. "During the two-week camp there will be a very packed programme and this will be the best prepared West Indies team ever."Hall, a fast bowling legend who took 192 wickets in 48 Tests between 1958 and 1969, also said the West Indies would be contracting a South African physiotherapist and massage therapist to join the team during the World Cup.Tour officialsThe officials on tour would therefore be manager Ricky Skerritt, chairman of selectors Sir Viv Richards, coach Roger Harper, trainer Ronald Rogers, analyst Garfield Smith, as well as the two to be contracted.The president also expressed delight at the wonderful form of star batsman Brian Lara during his 71 in the Gerry Gomez Classic on Saturday. The WICB had given Lara, who was out of the game with "suspected hepatitis" since last September, permission to miss the opening day of the camp and remain in his homeland for some time in the middle."It was a cricketing decision and those are decisions cricketers make," Hall said. "We understood the position and we recognised what would be needed after being out of the game for a long period."Hall was excited about the team’s chances and said as long as the groundwork was put in during the camp the West Indies should be among the top sides.He said that former West Indies batting legend Sir Everton Weekes, who is in Antigua for the WICB’s cricket committee meeting, was slated to deliver a speech tonight. Bob Wieland, the American motivational speaker with no legs, was invited through Barbadian Errol Griffith and will also deliver a lecture."We have been playing for the last ten months and this camp will be geared to suit the side," Hall said. "The players will be using the Jolly Beach facility with gym, pool, the grounds are wonderful and preparations have been carefully analysed to meet the team’s needs."We have come up with a great programme. The first week will be under Rogers and the second week under Harper. During the second week, when we have the simulated matches, we have asked Andy Roberts to make the pitches quicker; something along the line we would encounter in South Africa. We have [Vasbert] Drakes and [Nixon] McLean in the team and they would be able to share some of their knowledge of the conditions there."The West Indies are grouped in Pool B with South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Kenya and Canada.

The 2003 World Cup finally gets underway on Saturday with the opening ceremony at Cape Town. This after all the uncertainly that seems to have gripped the game ever since the ICC Champions Trophy last September. Unfortunately, that element of uncertainty still continues with New Zealand’s reluctance to play in Kenya, and England’s confusion over playing in Zimbabwe.Despite all this, I don’t think that there will be another World Cup, which will be as hyped as the current one. In fact, all the controversies leading up to this World Cup – be it the one over the player’s contract or the morality behind playing in Zimbabwe – have only helped to sustain this unprecedented media hype. In hindsight, perhaps it is only a reflection of our times that such tangential things are made to sound more important than the real event – the game itself.

With such uncertainty surrounding this World Cup, it becomes extremely difficult to predict a front-runner who will go on to win the World Cup. Had this been a World Cup for Test Cricket, well, I wouldn’t have thought twice before saying Australia. But when it comes to the ODI World Cup, I have serious doubts about whether Ricky Ponting has it in him to pull off what Steve Waugh would have definitely delivered as a captain.As for hosts South Africa, their record of having choked on numerous vital occasions goes against them. No doubt they play brilliant cricket, but the South Africans are past masters in putting themselves under tremendous pressure even when the going is great. Add to that the pressure of expectations of being the host country and it is tough to be optimistic of their chances.When it comes to India, my heart will understandably always beat for them. As always the key to their success will lie in their ability to convert the surplus potential energy to kinetic. Their batting is the most potent in world cricket if it starts firing. But therein lies the whole problem – ‘if only India play well’.The Achilles heel of Sourav Ganguly’s men has always been their inability to play to a plan. Take the case of Sehwag for instance. There is no batsman in world cricket today who is as exhilarating as him; the fiery opener can win a match on his own with his batting. But the hit-or-miss element of his exuberant batting, and the woeful run of form of Ganguly, could expose India’s batting line-up to some world-class fast bowling during the course of the World Cup.As we all know, one-day cricket is more or less a batsman’s game. This being the case, a team like India just can’t plan to set a target or chase a total with their uncertain batting. If they are to win games against serious opponents in this World Cup, it would be thanks to the individual brilliance of a Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh or Sehwag. The confusion in the Indian team when it comes to planning can be easily made out from the fact that they are willing to sacrifice a bowler to pack in seven batsmen. So much so for a team that has a famed batting line-up.

And it is the lack of that one bowler, which worries me the most. Apart from Zaheer Khan, I just can’t see any other attacking bowler in the Indian line-up. Whether India will play Harbhajan Singh ahead of Anil Kumble also seems uncertain at the moment.If you ask me, the absence of a fifth bowler surely is the destabilising factor that India will have to deal with. In the circumstances, I reckon someone like Sehwag will have to play a crucial role as an off-spinner and claim wickets in the middle overs.A quality all-rounder would definitely have boosted India’s prospects in this World Cup. But let us face the truth; India does not have an all-rounder who can score runs when it matters and also claim crucial wickets. The all-rounder is the pivotal man, one who contributes to a team’s success when the going really gets tough. Look at someone like Brad Hogg who scored 70-odd runs when Australia were struggling against England in the VB Series final.On rational assessment, it is none of the above teams but New Zealand whom I rate as having a very good chance of winning this World Cup. It is quite another matter if the Kiwis decide to shoot themselves in the foot by not playing in Kenya. But if New Zealand qualify to the Super Sixes, they have the best chance of going the distance and taking the World Cup home. And Chris Cairns could well be their man of the tournament.

It certainly is not a wild guess that I am making. In Stephen Fleming, New Zealand have the best captain in the competition. In my book, he ranks just below Steve Waugh, who is arguably the best captain in world cricket today.As a team, New Zealand are super-efficient. Put in a thinking captain like Fleming, match-winners like Cairns and Nathan Astle, genuinely wicket-taking bowlers like Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey, the best left-arm spinner in the world today, Daniel Vettori, that quintessential superman Chris Harris and you certainly have a team capable of winning the World Cup.My mind, then, says New Zealand, while my heart says India will win the World Cup. That said, whoever wins the tournament will certainly be a worthy champion.On a sad note, this World Cup will be the last one featuring Allan Donald, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Muttiah Muralitharan and others. But the beauty of the game of cricket is that worthy champions will emerge. Personally, I would advise you to keep an eye on this chap from West Indies – Marlon Samuels.

Only a miracle can save New Zealand’s World Cup now after a poor 47-run loss to Sri Lanka in their opening game at Bloemfontein.Worst of all, the batting woes of the home summer were exported with the side to South Africa.Only Scott Styris’ 141 off 125 runs, the second highest score by a New Zealander after Glenn Turner’s 171 not out against East Africa, was anywhere near representative of the batting ability in the side.But having to chase 273 to win, the appalling start made it all but impossible. No side can afford the carnage New Zealand experienced in its top-order. All the hope and expectation lay in tatters by game’s end.Nathan Astle 0, Stephen Fleming one, Craig McMillan three.New Zealand 15 for three wickets says it all.The first wicket lost from a suicidal run out of Astle’s choice, and two more examples of wooden shots played by leaden footed top-order batsmen Fleming and McMillan.A pitch tailor-made for run scoring, as Styris and Sanath Jayasuriya proved.Jayasuriya scored 120 off 125 balls but New Zealand started this run chase in the most important match of their World Cup campaign with an attitude as carefree as if it was going to be a dawdle in the park.The only dawdle was for the Sri Lankan bowling attack.Styris offered defiance of the type expected from all members of the side to achieve a fine maiden One-Day International century off 104 balls, a perfectly-paced innings but which went largely unsupported.The looseness in thinking from the batsmen should not have been a surprise, it was evident throughout New Zealand’s bowling effort.Had it not been for the employment of Astle as the seventh bowler, who was basically asked to put seven stitches in the artery of cheap runs that had haemorrhaged, and Jacob Oram, whose 10 overs cost only 37 runs, Sri Lanka would surely have scored 320.Having chosen to bowl first, Fleming would have had to be disappointed with his bowlers.Certainly there was frustration over umpire Neil Mallender’s failure to give out Jayasuriya to what was a blatant catch behind from Daryl Tuffey’s bowling when he had scored only 14.But to see Tuffey go for 36 runs from his five overs, and for Andre Adams see his first three balls despatched to the boundary en route to 58 off his nine overs was not, surely, in Plan A, B or C.From the moment the team for this vital match against Sri Lanka was named there was a nervousness about how New Zealand were attempting to play this game.It is difficult to understand why it was decided to reduce the effectiveness of one area of consistency in the New Zealand side this summer, the fielding in the circle. Lou Vincent is crucial to that strength because of the sheer dynamism he gives the side.To ask him to take the wicket-keeping gloves is to reduce one outstanding strength of the side, while also reducing the effectiveness of the ‘keeper.And his batting was ineffectual facing only three balls before attempting a cut shot as loose in its way as the dismissals of the top order.For all the talk about having batting length, it proved a false claim, a dream shattered. No side can afford to lose two of its batsmen after 1.5 overs, and certainly not three by 5.3 overs.Apart from the softness of the top-order dismissals, Chris Cairns will have nightmares about offering Aravinda de Silva an easy return catch while Chris Harris and Oram were too easily undone by Muttiah Muralitharan and Adams’ mid-wicket blast was desperation plus.The selectors have some work to do because if New Zealand’s lack of ODI success in South Africa is growing longer, the prospect of beating South Africa, a South Africa who will be equally desperate for success, has suddenly assumed huge proportions.Will there be blood on the floor in the aftermath of this loss?Something certainly has to happen if the slight crack in the Super Six door is to be pushed open a little.

After their glum-faced humiliation against India the smiles returned to SriLanka’s players on Saturday as they booked themselves into the World Cupsemi-finals with a 74 run victory against Zimbabwe at Buffalo Park.Needing to 257 to win after opener Marvan Atapattu, the Man of the Match,scored a polished and hard-working tenth one-day hundred, Zimbabwe werebowled out for 183 in 41.3 overs.Sri Lanka will now face tournament favourites Australia in the firstsemi-final at Port Elizabeth on Tuesday, a venue that promises to suit theirspin-based attack.And despite Australia’s aura of invincibility and Sri Lanka’s earlier Super Six thrashing, Sanath Jayasuriya believes that his side has a chance against the world champions, saying afterwards: “History suggests that the ball will turn and anything can happen on the day.”Jayasuriya’s side had looked in firm control of this match after winning animportant toss and then producing a solid batting performance, thecornerstone of their large total being provided by Atapattu who carried his bat throughout the innings.The patient right-hander compiled significant partnerships with Jayasuriya(41 in 12.2 overs), Avishka Gunawardene (83 in 18 overs), Aravinda de Silva(51 in 10 overs) and Kumar Sangakkara (52 in 6.2 overs).But Sri Lanka’s opening bowlers took a pounding early on and Zimbabwe wereon target for victory whilst stalwart left-hander Andy Flower, who had earlyreleased a statement confirming his retirement from international cricketafter the World Cup, milked Sri Lanka’s spinners easily.Zimbabwe were 140 for three in the 29th over of the innings and thepossibility of Flower, Zimbabwe’s outstanding cricketer during the pastdecade, who had nudged and nurdled his way to 38 from 50 balls, bowing ofthe game with a match-winning innings loomed increasingly large.However, a poor lbw decision by umpire Brian Jerling off the bowlingof Aravinda De Silva handed Sri Lanka back the initiative. Flower stoodaghast and replays showed him to be justifiably aggrieved as the ballclearly hit his bat.Sri Lanka then tightened the screws, grabbing two more quick wickets.Tatenda Taibu was bamboozled by a fizzing off-break from MuttiahMuralitharan and Andy Blignaut tapped a simple catch to de Silva at shortcover to leave Zimbabwe on 151 for six.Grant Flower, who scored 31 from 52 balls, tried to glue the inningstogether but the runs dried up as Jayasuriya, so well versed in the art ofdefending totals on slow turners, rotated his spinners cleverly.Rookie all-rounder Sean Ervine added 27 in 36 balls with Flower beforeChaminda Vaas, whose first five overs leaked 40 runs, pegged back his middlestump with the second ball of his third spell.Heath Streak came to the crease stocked full of confidence after his battingheroics against New Zealand as Zimbabwe started the final ten overs needing79 runs for victory.But the match lurched to a quick conclusion as Streak holed out in the deepand Jayasuriya clung onto a stinging return catch from Flower.Vaas wrapped up the match when he bowled Douglas Hondo to take his 20thwicket of the tournament, equaling Geoff Allot and Shane Warne’s recordWorld Cup tally.Earlier, Sri Lanka’s batsmen had eschewed their normal free-flowing stylewith the bat, opting instead for a strategy of steady accumulation afterwinning the toss and batting first.Even the normally explosive Jayasuriya struggled to time the ball on theturgid surface, facing 44 balls for his 22 and waiting until the 11th overbefore finding the fence.The skipper eventually nicked a catch behind before Avishka Gunawardenejustified his inclusion ahead of the out-of-form Mahela Jayawardene with 41from 62 balls.Atapattu played the sheet anchor role perfectly, patiently waiting for runscoring opportunities and running hard between the wickets, before reachinghis second hundred of the tournament in the final over of the innings,finishing with 103 from 127 balls.The right-hander was well supported by the middle order, particularly deSilva and Sangakkara, who added impetus to the innings after Gunawardene wascaught off a leading edge.De Silva maneouvred the ball around expertly for his 25 before edging anattempted late cut and Sangakkara made the most of Hondo’s spilled chance atmid-wicket, crashing 35 from 25 balls.Heath Streak, the Zimbabwean skipper, was the pick of the bowlers – eight ofwhom were used during the course of the innings – claiming two for 40.

It’s about as surprising as hearing of another Ashes defeat for England, but Nasser Hussain has been confirmed as England’s Test captain for the coming summer. Hussain, who stood down as one-day captain after the World Cup, will take charge of seven Tests – two against Zimbabwe, and five against South Africa.The England selectors met at Edgbaston yesterday, and agreed that Hussain should carry on the job he began against New Zealand in 1999 – also at Edgbaston, as it happens. Since then Hussain, who was 35 on March 28, has captained England in 42 Tests, winning 15, drawing 12, and losing 15, eight of them to Australia.The ECB said that Hussain’s replacement as one-day captain would be announced by the end of April.

When the teams arrived in the morning, with the ground cloaked in drizzle and the pitch wrapped in tarpaulins, Sri Lanka feared the worst. To share the points and travel to monsoon-soaked Colombo for the next round of matches was potentially disastrous. But seven hours later, their worst dreams had not materialised as Sri Lanka pocketed five points after a nervous five-wicket win.Unfortunately, the most crucial part of the match was the toss. MarvanAtapattu won that contest and Sri Lanka were afforded the considerableadvantage of bowling first on a moist pitch with a serious overnightsweating problem. Sure enough, the ball darted around viciously during the first hour and a double strike from Prabath Nissanka with the new ball left New Zealand tottering on 18 for 3.New Zealand, who consider themselves experts in these low-scoring dogfights, rallied briefly with Lou Vincent compiling useful stands with Chris Cairns (28 in 30 balls) and Jacon Oram (48 in 81 balls). But as the pitch dried, Muttiah Muralitharan started to find it to his liking. He took his second three-for of the tournament and New Zealand were bowled out for 139 in 43.1 overs.However, Sri Lanka’s middle order was so shaky, and the pitch so dicey, that the result was still not a foregone conclusion. But New Zealand missed an early chance off Sanath Jayasuriya – a shotgun cut that nearly blew a hole through Chris Harris’s midriff at short point – and Sri Lanka survived the threat of the new ball. Soon Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana, who was promoted up the order as Sri Lanka looked for the bonus point, were motoring towards victory.Even after the dismissal of Jayasuriya, who miscued an attempted pull to end a 68-run stand for the first wicket, and Kumar Sangakkara, who trod on his stumps, Sri Lanka looked certain winners as Atapattu and Kaluwitharana added 47 runs for the third wicket. However, if was not plain sailing for Sri Lanka as they first lost their momentum – after deciding against the pursuit of a bonus point – and then lost three wickets for four runs, slipping from 116 for 2 to 120 for 5. Kaluwitharana, who top-scored with 48, edged behind, Atapattu was well caught in the covers and Mahela Jayawardene nicked one to the wicketkeeper.With 18 runs need from the lasted 24 balls it was suddenly a tight match and a quiet crowd suddenly came alive. However, Tillakaratne Dilshan (18 not out), who was recalled for this match in place of Russel Arnold, smacked 17 runs in the over, including four boundaries. Chaminda Vaas lofted the winning runs in the next over.Although the toss was important, Sri Lanka produced a mighty impressivedisplay in the field. A few weeks ago they wouldn’t have caught a cold in a monsoon downpour, but in this tournament they plucked catches out of the air like greedy children do ripe mangoes. Kumar Sangakkara led the way with an acrobatic effort at slip in the second over to dismiss Stephen Fleming (6 for 1). He followed that up with a nimble catch diving forward off Scott Stryis after Atapattu had knocked down the stumps from cover-point to dismiss Chris Nevin (18 for 3).New Zealand decided that the best form of defense was attack and Cairnsdecided that he was the man for the job. He smote one imperious lofted drive and crunched another off the back foot as Dharshana Gamage’s first over in international cricket cost 11 runs. Twenty-eight runs flowed in 30 balls but Atapattu’s faith in Gamage paid dividends. Gamage’s bald head may make him look double his 24 years but he proved his reactions as sharp as any youngster’s as he clung on to a mistimed drive from Cairns (46 for 4).Oram (20) and Vincent (32) continued the fightback, though. They punished anything loose against the seamers and frustrated the spinners for a while too as they added 48. On 94 for 4, New Zealand were heading for a defendable total but Muralitharan intervened. He took a simple return catch after deceiving Oram in the air.Jayasuriya followed up soon after, trapping Vincent leg before, and Muralitharan dismissed Brendon McCullum for a duck in similar fashion. Harris biffed some meaty blows in an unbeaten 20 before Muralitharan wrapped up the innings to finish with 3 for 16 from 8.1 overs.Sri Lanka’s fine performance in the field ensured a level pegging at the end of the first round, with all the teams on six points. Unfortunately, with the remaining matches now having being shifted from Colombo to Dambulla because of the southwest monsoon, there is no hope of bat dominating ball in the next stage. During the four-day break before the nest match, all three captains will be sharpening their coin-tossing skills.

Worries about his health have forced the former Test fast bowler Wes Hall not to offer himself for re-election as the president of the West Indies Cricket Board next month.The Rev. Hall issued a statement today saying he had informed the West Indies Board and the Territorial boards of his decision before the annual general meeting on July 13. “I am not seeking re-election because of a pre-existing medical condition which is exacerbated by stressful situations and constant travel,” he said. “As a consequence, I have decided to pay maximum attention to my health at this time.”He added that these were exciting times for West Indies cricket, and that he would have liked to have been involved in the processes – but he admitted that his unspecified condition meant he would have to help where he could from “beyond the boundary”.According to Hall, the continuing climb towards regaining the goal of sides of excellence from the region, and the hosting and winning of the World Cup in 2007 were two aspects of this development in the West Indian game. “I would wish to have continued in the capacity of president to guide the organisation along the path of achieving these and other goals, but I must now be contented to help wherever I can from beyond the boundary.”At this stage I would first like to thank God for his guidance and allowing me to continue to fulfill my desires which include serving West Indies cricket. I would also like to thank the many persons and organisations who have been helpful in expediting my duties as president.”And he concluded: “I look forward to observing the steady progress of West Indies cricket at a time that presents many challenges but even greater opportunities.”

Alec Stewart has followed in his father’s illustrious footsteps by being awarded an OBE for his services to cricket in the Queen’s Birthday Honours’ List.Stewart passed Geoffrey Boycott and David Gower to move into second place in England’s list of Test run-scorers against Zimbabwe at Durham last week, and was also awarded the MBE in the 1998.On receiving the honour, Stewart said: “The great thing is that I’ve now managed to catch up my Dad because he was awarded the OBE a good few years ago.””It’s a terrific honour and it’s really pleasing to be recognised in this way.I’ve always gone about my cricket in a professional way and to be honoured in this way for it makes me very proud and it’s a moment I’ll treasure.”Stewart, now 40, has continued to defy his critics by making more appearances than any other England player at both Test and one-day level, and his ability with the bat and behind the stumps has stood the test of time since making his international debut 14 years ago.He retired from one-day international cricket after the World Cup, but has no plans to do the same in Tests. He recently said: “All I’ve ever said about the future is that while the enjoyment is there and I feel I’m playing well enough to warrant a place in the side, I see no reason to give it away myself.””I feel exactly the same as I did 20 years ago. I have the same buzz and pre-match nerves I’ve always had and that’s a good thing because that shows you’re still up for the game.”

The final schedule for England’s tour of Sri Lanka later this year has been confirmed after slight changes by the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka.The BCCSL is determined to take cricket away from Colombo to more far-flung areas, where larger crowds can be expected, and has now scheduled the first one-day international at Dambulla, and the second Test at Kandy rather than the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.England will play a total of three ODIs before a three-match Test series, which will start at the picturesque Galle International Stadium on the south coast.Schedule:November 13: arrive in Colombo
November 15: v Sri Lanka A, Moratuwa (previously Colombo)
November 18: v Sri Lanka, first one-day international, Dambulla (previously Colombo)
November 21: v Sri Lanka, second one-day international (day/night), Colombo
November 23: v Sri Lanka, third one-day international (day/night), Colombo
November 26-28: v Sri Lanka A, Colombo
December 2-6: v Sri Lanka, first Test, Galle
December 10-14: v Sri Lanka, second Test, Kandy (previously Colombo)
December 18-22: v Sri Lanka, third Test, Colombo
December 23: depart for England

One-nil down with three to go. It’s not that bad, is it? Well, after a lacklustre losing draw and an abysmal innings defeat, the England selectors will no doubt think it is. However, as the four wise men ponder their options for the third npower Test at Trent Bridge, and Michael Vaughan has more time to prepare to lead his own team, rather than Nasser Hussain’s, one message they should take on board is, don’t panic.Considering the trend of the series so far, and if you except the first-innings shambles at Lord’s – the batting department is fairly settled. Hussain has dimissed speculation that he is about to hang up his boots by making himself available for the next Test, much to the support of David Graveney, the chairman of selectors.But it is, however, crying out for one major tweak. The selectors have made their point over not letting Graham Thorpe waltz back in to the side, but now they have to swallow their pride and just get him in there. Vaughan, and the whole of England rate him highly, and even if it is harsh on Vaughan’s Yorkshire mucker Anthony McGrath, that’s tough. McGrath did well against Zimbabwe, but playing South Africa is a whole different ball game. Even though he can bowl useful outswingers and even keep wicket as he showed at Lord’s, England don’t need versatility, they need stability.Alec Stewart will continue to give them his usual 110 per cent which footballers talk of, even though there were hints at Lord’s that he is starting to lose his sharpness. He unluckily copped one in the eye – thankfully he doesn’t wear glasses yet – and followed that up with a few uncharacteristic fumbles and a missed catch. However, it is unlikely that Vaughan will want to be deprived of another rock in the team after Darren Gough’s departure, so Chris Read should be made to wait at least one Test longer.The bowling is a whole different kettle of fish, and at Lord’s most of the bowlers performed with the memory of one, forgetting the basics of line and length on a good batting pitch. Gough has saved the selectors one tricky decision, but they have two more concerning James Anderson and Steve Harmison.Anderson’s golden-boy status has started to slip slowly into the red, like his hair. He has taken 3 for 219 in the last two Tests and for the first time in his brief comet-like international career, he is short of confidence. Dropping him would plunge his self-esteem even lower, and he deserves to keep his place and prove he can recultivate those wicket-taking jaffas. Harmison has even worse series figures (3 for 241), and though he has still has not convinced that he can constantly channel his extreme pace into controlled aggression, he is the quickest bowler on both sides and England need to stick with him and watch him improve.And who might replace them? The leading candidates – Matthew Hoggard, Simon Jones and Alex Tudor – are not fully fit, which leaves the likes of perennial squad-filler James Kirtley, Jimmy Ormond and Martin Bicknell. With Gough gone it would be too risky to play another new seamer, and Anderson and Harmison should by now have worked out not to bowl short or on leg stump to Graeme Smith. Gough’s place should go to Richard Johnson, who is back from his injuries and did well in his two Tests against Zimbabwe – and not least that because he has a canny knack of taking a wicket in his first over. Graeme Smith take note.Under Duncan Fletcher, England have made huge strides forward, mainly due to their new team ethos which has been built on continuity and harmony, rather than the manic chopping and changing in of the dark days of the 1990s. So let’s keep it that way.Probable XI 1 Marcus Trescothick, 2 Michael Vaughan (capt), 3 Mark Butcher, 4 Nasser Hussain, 5 Graham Thorpe, 6 Alec Stewart (wk), 7 Andrew Flintoff, 8 Ashley Giles, 9 Richard Johnson, 10 Steve Harmison, 11 James Anderson.