VB Series (Aus, SL and Eng)

England captain Nasser Hussain paid tribute to Andrew Caddick after the fast bowler led England to a crucial 19-run victory over Sri Lanka in Adelaide.

Caddick's figures of four for 35 took England to within a point of a meeting with Australia in the VB Series finals.

And his performance follows a match-winning seven-wicket second innings spree in Sydney as England clinched the fifth Ashes Test.

"The wicket in Sydney at the Test match helped him regain his confidence," said Hussain.

"And he's always been fit, which means he will always grow as a tour continues whereas others fade away.

"Also, the responsibility he has taken without Darren Gough has been fantastic."

Caddick added: "I'm quite happy to take the responsibility on but it would be nice if the youngsters pull through and get the experience they are having now."

Darren Lehmann's English county club Yorkshire has defended the Australian batsman after he was charged under cricket's racism code, saying he is not a racist.

The chief executive of Yorkshire, a multi-racial county with many vibrant Asian cricket leagues, believed Lehmann's case would not affect his or the club's standing in the community.

"You can't say it was malicious, far from it," Yorkshire chief executive Colin Graves said.

"I'm just disappointed the ICC has taken it down this route, he is not a racist.

"The guy has apologised. He'd been run out and said something in the heat of the moment. We've all done it. We don't hold anything against him. We just wish it to be sorted out quickly."

Yorkshire want Lehmann back next season, depending on his selection for Australia's tour of the West Indies which starts in April.

The Australian Cricket Board has reinforced the importance of the requirements set out in the ICC's code of conduct after batsman Darren Lehmann was reprimanded over remarks he made to the Sri Lankan players during Wednesday's triangular series match in Brisbane.

An ACB statement, issued yesterday, quoted chief executive officer James Sutherland as saying that the requirements were not only a contractual obligation for ACB contracted players and officials, but they were also an important part of the spirit of cricket, which is an intrinsic part of the game's unique appeal.

"Cricket's distinct place in Australian society brings with it a necessity for players and officials to exhibit high standards of personal behaviour on and off the field," he said.

"Any action or behaviour that contradicts this should be taken  seriously," he added.

Miscellaneous

It was hardly the big statement on his future everyone was waiting for from Steve Waugh.

He said only that he was not looking too far ahead and a decision was still to be made.

If talking to the media is like "feeding the chooks", as ex-Queensland premier John Bjelke-Petersen said, yesterday's statement was more like a grain of rice.

But, with little else to interpret, a comment from Waugh while discussing Ricky Ponting's expected takeover as Test captain in the future should encourage those hoping the 37-year-old will continue.

Saying Ponting was the obvious choice - and a worthy one - Waugh noted there were other candidates for the job.

Significantly, too, the man who saved his team place with his fifth-Test century against England this month, indicated Australia's selectors would have "a period of time" to make their choice.

Australia's champion leg-spinner Shane Warne will give his right bowling shoulder another work-out when he captains Victoria in an inter-state one-day match against Tasmania at Bellerive Oval, Hobart, here on Sunday.

Warne, 33, injured the shoulder in a one-day match against England on December 15, and is aiming to return to peak form for the World Cup limited-overs contest starting in South Africa and Zimbabwe next month.

He gave the shoulder its first match test in a one-dayer for Victoria against Western Australia eight days ago.

His performance at Bellerive -- and how he pulls up afterwards -- is likely to decide whether he returns to the Australian team for the tri-nations series finals or is saved for the World Cup.