NatWest series (India, Sri Lanka and England)

NatWest Series, Trent Bridge:
England (293-6 from 50 overs) beat Sri Lanka (249-9 from 50 overs) by 44 runs.

Andrew Flintoff turned in a match-winning all-round performance as England beat Sri Lanka by 44 runs in the NatWest Series day/night match at Trent Bridge.

Flintoff blasted a 28-ball half century to boost England's innings to 293-6 and followed that up by claiming three Sri Lankan wickets.

Veteran wicketkeeper Alec Stewart weighed in with a fine 83 off 103 balls, including eight fours, to hold England's innings together following a mini collapse.

England got off to a flying start with Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight helping themselves to boundaries, before both batsmen fell in quick succession just as they were getting going.

Scorecard | Match report

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England captain Nasser Hussain said his side's 44-run victory over Sri Lanka in the opening NatWest Series match was a "great team performance".

"Everyone had a good game and it was nice after last summer to get off to winning start," he said.

"We made three good catches but every part of our game was good today. "We have still got work to do but we are pretty pleased with our start.

"We have got India at Lord's and they are a top side but if we play like we did here we have got a chance."

Man-of-the-match Andrew Flintoff, who scored 50 runs and took three wickets, was delighted with his own performance.

World Cup 2003

Cricket's corruption buster, Lord Condon, has drawn up a blacklist of around 100 people who will be banned from attending the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.

Condon, who also admits cricket matches were still being fixed up until spring 2001, said the list would include former players and known bookmakers.

And he added that in an ideal world certain people still playing professional cricket would not be allowed to do so.

The former commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London was giving his first public address at an International Cricket Council business forum at Lord's.

He said: "Until the spring of last year serious match-fixing was still taking place. I think we are now on top of that situation but we certainly cannot be complacent."

New Zealand in West Indies

Captain Carl Hooper believes that the spirit that brought West Indies back against India will save their current series with New Zealand.

The Kiwis clinched their first ever Test win in the Caribbean last week with an emphatic 204-run victory in Barbados.

Poor mental attitude was blamed for a series of cavalier shots from batsmen that saw West Indies bowled out for 107 in their first innings.

And, with just one further Test, beginning in Grenada, time is running out for the home side to turn things around.

"We were 1-0 down in the series against India and came back to win it. We just have to put together a big team effort," Hooper said.

Triseries in Pakistan

A decision on the venue for Pakistan's one-day series against Australia and New Zealand in August is expected by the end of this week.

But England is a decreasing possibility because of logistical difficulties. The ongoing threat of terrorism, and tension with India, continues to rule out any international cricket in Pakistan.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia said: "We have suggested to Australia to play the tri-series in England in early August, and we will talk to the England and Wales Cricket Board."

But International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed told that it was now unlikely that the plan would go ahead.

"Until a couple of days ago it was a real possibility," he said.

"But we realised that with time zone issues, the sale of television rights was not feasible."

Miscellaneous

England batsman Mark Butcher has been fined £1,000 plus £500 costs over his comments about the action of Sri Lankan bowler Ruchira Perera.

Left-arm pace bowler Perera's action was reported to the ICC by the umpires following the drawn first Test at Lord's.

And Butcher claimed in column in local newspaper the Croydon Advertiser, that the bowler, "definitely straightens his arm".

The Surrey left-hander initially refused to pay a £1,600 fine handed out by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), forcing a hearing at Lord's on Thursday.

But the three-man panel stopped short of imposing a maximum fine of £2,000, or a possible suspension of up to five playing days.

"The panel found that the terms of the article were in breach of the board's directives in relation to public statements," said an ECB statement.

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English cricket authorities have confirmed the successful prosecution of an individual for invading the pitch during the third Test between England and Sri Lanka at Old Trafford.

A 26-year-old male pleaded guilty at Trafford magistrates court to the offence of aggravated trespass under the Criminal and Public Order 1994.

He received a 12-month conditional discharge and was awarded costs against him.

Under the law, the man could have received up to a three-month jail sentence or a fine up to £2,500.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been pushing for greater use of legal powers against invaders following crowd trouble during the 2001 NatWest Series.

ECB chief executive Tim Lamb was pleased with the success. "I am delighted that our hard work during the winter is paying off," he said.

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