New Zealand News

The first day of the second Investec Test between England and New Zealand has been washed out after persistent rain at Headingley.

The Nottinghamshire bowler - who was once reckoned to be a future genuine all-rounder - has always been a hugely frustrating mercurial talent, and that shows no signs of changing any time soon.

It did him good, judging by his 5-39 to put Durham in control of their game against Middlesex yesterday.

Buy this photo Find these models, give them a copy of the Daily Echo and you could win tickets to the Ageas Bowl! Order no: 16465452 Daily Echo readers are being encouraged to track down a pair of glamorous England cricket fans - and be in with a chance of winning tickets to see the team in action at the home of Hampshire cricket next weekend.

The oracle Ian Ward brings bleak news from the middle at Headingley. He's stood next to the covers where there are puddles of water forming already and the earlier forecast for the weather to start clearing up around 1pm now looks horribly optimistic.

In First-Class cricket, the first man to be suspended for selling a match was the old Surrey wicketkeeper Ted Pooley.

Nasser Hussain uppishly drove Chris Martin down the ground for four to take him to 98.

Kidsgrove finished in mid-table last season, and find themselves in similar surroundings in the early stages of this campaign.

Lancashire's finest, Jimmy Anderson, couldn't choose a more fitting place to go past Fred Trueman's England wicket-taking mark than on his old stomping ground.

DUBLIN: His fans have come to expect thunderous innings and Kevin O'Brien didn't let them down, with his 84 off 47 balls seizing a tie for Ireland against Pakistan in the first of two ODIs at Clontarf.

Fleming v Vettori - Andrew Alderson measures the achievements of two of New Zealand cricket's most respected names ... and comes up with an answer The natural fence sitting - but probably correct - answer is to say they have added equally in their own estimable ways.

Kevin Pietersen is currently on the sidelines with a troublesome knee injury that will also keep him out of next month's Champions Trophy, but England are confident the batsman will be back in time for the Ashes.

The International Cricket Council Thursday withdrew Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf from next month's Champions Trophy in England and Wales after his name cropped up in the Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal.

The Black Caps go into the final match of the series knowing that their best chance for a victory may have gone Neil Wagner and New Zealand had England pinned down for much of the first Test at Lord's, but still ended up losing.

Woorkeri Venkat Raman, born May 23, 1965, was an Indian Test cricketer whose international career never fully took off, although there was no denying his prowess with the bat.

Prime Minister John Key helps out the Farmy Army volunteers, at Linwood College, following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in March 2011.

It has already brought the tall 24-year-old seamer a first-class and a LV County Championship debut for his county and he hopes more appearances will lead to winning back his place with his country.

The 'F' word has been used a lot in local cricketing circles so far this season, in fact it was the first thing Nigel Jones said to me at the start of our conversation.

A British newspaper journalist, James Fuller, has written a biography of former West Indies captain Brian Lara, one of the greatest cricketers of all time.

London: May 22, 2013 Sir Ian Botham is confident James Anderson will far exceed his England record of 383 Test wickets after the Lancashire seamer broke the 300 barrier during last week's series-opening victory over New Zealand at Lord's. Lancashire paceman Anderson took seven wickets in England's 170-run first Test win to become only the fourth ... (more)