Broad hat-trick revives England

By Sam Sheringham
BBC Sport at Trent Bridge

Second Test, Trent Bridge (day two):

England 221 & 24-1 v India 288 - England trail by 43 runs

Broad's place in the team was in doubt heading into this series Stuart Broad took a sensational hat-trick to fire England back into contention in the second Test against India at Trent Bridge.

The tourists were in total control of the match, leading by 46 on 267-4, when Broad dismissed Yuvraj Singh for 62 to break his partnership of 128 with centurion Rahul Dravid.

Then in his next over Broad had Mahendra Dhoni caught in the slips, Harbhajan Singh trapped leg before wicket and Praveen Kumar clean bowled in successive balls to send the crowd at his home ground into delirium.

Broad was the 12th Englishman to take a hat-trick in Test cricket and the first since Ryan Sidebottom in Hamilton in 2008.

Dravid was caught soon afterwards for 116, before Broad removed Ishant Sharma to wrap up the India innings for 288.

That wicket gave Broad Test-best figures of 6-46 and completed an astonishing 16-ball spell of five wickets for no runs.

It was a breathless period of play, and all the more remarkable for the fact that Broad was once again the instigator of England's comeback - the Nottinghamshire all-rounder having struck a rapid 64 to rescue England from 124-8 to 221 all out in their first innings on Friday.

Continue reading the main story Phil Tufnell,
Former England spinner and BBC summariser

Absolutely riveting day's cricket. This series is getting better and better, a great effort by Stuart Broad really dragged England back into the match. It looked like India would bat us out of the game but England will be thinking if they bat well and get a lead of 250-260 they will have a great chance. I can't wait to come back tomorrow

India's collapse left England 11 overs at the end of the day and they finished up 24-1, 43 runs behind, after Alastair Cook was caught off a leading edge.

Up until Broad's dramatic intervention the day had been entirely India's, with Dravid and VVS Laxman scoring 69 in the first hour - 56 of those runs coming in boundaries.

Laxman advanced untroubled to his 54th Test fifty before the return of Tim Bresnan from the Pavilion End brought about his downfall. One away swinger beat the bat, but the following ball caught the outside edge and was snaffled by a jubilant Matt Prior.

Sachin Tendulkar received a standing ovation as he set out once more in search of his 100th international century. But the Little Master's poor run of form continued as he was caught in the slips off Broad for 16 before Suresh Raina glided a catch straight to Eoin Morgan at point.

With the seamers bowling well, England were on top, and they should have reduced India to 144-5 when Yuvraj - on four - was dropped by Kevin Pietersen in the gully.

The error proved costly as Yuvraj and Dravid batted India well beyond England's total, with Dravid reaching three figures for the second successive Test and the 34th time overall.

The duo scored at almost four runs per over but just when they seemed to be taking the game away from England, the second new ball provided the catalyst for Broad to unleash an unforgettable spell.

Continue reading the main story Malcolm Ashton,
Test Match Special scorer Broad is the 12th Englishman to take a Test hat-trick and the 39th in Test historyRyan Sidebottom was the last Englishman to achieve the feat - against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2008Broad was the final victim of the last Test hat-trick - Peter Siddle v England in Brisbane in November 2010England are first side to take a Test hat-trick against India

It started when a ball angled across Yuvraj drew an edge and the catch was taken by Prior.

With the baying crowd roaring him to the crease, Broad produced a quicker ball that Dhoni slashed to second slip and a straight one that trapped Harbhajan on his crease, although replays revealed the ball took an inside edge on his pads.

The hat-trick ball was superb, moving in off the seam and slamming into Kumar's middle stump.

England's reply got off to an inauspicious start when Cook was removed cheaply, but Strauss and Ian Bell survived a testing period at the end.

Bell was forced to bat at number three after Jonathan Trott suffered a shoulder injury in the field, although a scan revealed no bone damage and he will be assessed again on Sunday morning.

Listen to Jonathan Agnew and Geoff Boycott's review of the day's play on the TMS podcast.

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England women fight back to beat Kiwis

By Tom Rostance
BBC Sport Venue: GermanyDate: 26 June - 17 JulyCoverage: Watch all England matches live on the Red Button and BBC Sport website (UK only); listen on BBC Radio 5 live; highlights on BBC Two; final live on BBC Three England will progress with a draw against Japan on Tuesday Jessica Clarke came off the bench to put England's women on course for the World Cup quarter-finals as they beat New Zealand 2-1.

New Zealand striker Sarah Gregorious struck first as Hope Powell's side struggled in the opening half.

But Everton midfielder Jill Scott headed in a leveller before Clarke drilled in a late winner in Dresden.

England now face Japan next Tuesday where a point would secure a place in the last eight.

Powell said: "We enjoy making these tournaments hard work. Credit to New Zealand, they really put us on the back foot and we struggled with it in the first half, but I think we had most of the opportunities and play.

"We are not at our best, I think there is more to come but hopefully a win will relax us. We are expected to get out of the group, we are not quite there yet.

"It is tough and we just need to relax."

England made a bright start with Rachel Yankey a threat but it was the Kiwis who took the lead in the 18th minute.

Amber Hearn got in behind England captain Faye White and crossed from the left where Gregorious arrived between Casey Stoney and Rachel Unitt to divert the ball past goalkeeper Karen Bardsley.

Gregorious was then in on goal again but miscontrolled as Unitt made a fine recovery challenge to keep England in the game.

Powell made a change at the break, with Karen Carney coming on for Eniola Aluko as the influential Kelly Smith was deployed further forward.

But England were almost two down as Hearn headed onto the roof of the net before Jill Scott levelled in the 63rd minute.

Smith found Alex Scott on the right and when the full-back swung over an excellent cross, namesake Jill was able to loop a header beyond Jenny Bindon and into the top corner.

Lincoln winger Clarke put England ahead with nine minutes remaining.

Jill Scott was again involved after Bindon flapped at a cross and rolled a ball across the six-yard box for Clarke to fire into the roof of the net.

Fara Williams was denied a late third as Bindon made a sharp save down to her left as New Zealand went out.

Earlier in Group B, Japan captain Homare Sawa scored a hat-trick as her side trounced Mexico 4-0 to reach the quarter finals.

Sawa, playing in her fifth World Cup, opened the scoring in the 13th minute, and added her second in the 39th after Shinobu Ohno had made it 2-0 in the 15th.

The 32-year-old was in plenty of space when she was picked out by Yukari Kinga to complete her treble in the 80th minute.

Japan will now play France or hosts Germany in the last eight.

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Jayawardene century sinks England

By Oliver Brett
BBC Sport

Second one-day international, Headingley

Sri Lanka 309-5 beat England 240 by 69 runs

Mahela Jayawardene's highest score in one-day internationals set Sri Lanka on their way to a 69-run victory as the tourists levelled the five-match series against England at one win apiece.

Jayawardene hit 144 in 150 balls with no hint of savagery as Sri Lanka, put in by Alastair Cook, made 309-5.

On a wonderful wicket for batting at sunny Headingley, England nevertheless struggled during the chase.

Eoin Morgan top-scored with 52 from 40 balls in a total of 240 all out.

The final wicket fell with 25 balls remaining, and the series moves to Lord's on Sunday where England will have to improve markedly.

Though the most obvious difference between the two sides was Jayawardene's delightful century, his 15th in ODIs, Sri Lanka's fielding was excellent throughout while England's was woefully shoddy.

As expected, the hosts named a line-up unchanged from the team that had coasted to victory in the rain-affected series opener at The Oval.

Continue reading the main story

This performance again raises questions about England's batting order, while Sri Lanka also had more variety to call on from the bowlers

Test Match Special's Vic Marks

With Sanath Jayasuriya having played his last game, Jayawardene was promoted to open the batting with Tillakaratne Dilshan, while youngster Dinesh Chandimal took the vacant batting slot at number three.

England began with some accurate bowling, but the first two wickets came about as a result of sharp fielding and terrible judgement from Sri Lanka's batsmen.

The direct hits from Stuart Broad and James Anderson - running out Dilshan and Chandimal respectively - did not reflect England's general performance in the field.

Jayawardene was critically dropped at slip by Graeme Swann when on seven, while Cook spilt a much tougher chance when he had already reached his century.

Swann then dropped a second catch in the closing overs at short fine-leg, palming the ball away for four.

There were overthrows and basic errors as well, while the bowling, with the exception of Swann and James Anderson, was also poor, with too many wides and full tosses.

Jayawardene and by Kumar Sangakkarra (69) put on 159 in 29 overs before Swann hit back when Sangakkara was stumped from a ball that turned sharply.

Sri Lanka stepped up the scoring in the final overs, with 59 runs coming in the five-over batting powerplay and some muscular strikes from Angelo Mathews (46 not out from 30 balls) ensuring England would need more than a run a ball from the very start.

Cook and Craig Kieswetter started brightly before both were caught in the deep - Cook's 48 from 52 balls emphasising that he has the ability to score at a decent rate in this format - but Jonathan Trott began slowly and Kevin Pietersen was nicely caught by Lasith Malinga in the deep for only 13.

When Trott was bowled by a perfect inswinging yorker from Suranga Lakmal for 39, Morgan played beautifully until he was stumped off Suraj Randiv.

Two more wickets quickly fell, leaving Bell, again looking ill-suited to the number six slot, to try to pull the game out of the fire. But he swept meekly to short fine-leg and it all ended when Jade Dernbach holed out to long-off.

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Tremlett haul puts England on top

By Sam Sheringham
BBC Sport at the Rose Bowl

Third Test, The Rose Bowl (day two):

Tremlett tore through Sri Lanka to earn his second Test five-wicket haul Local hero Chris Tremlett enhanced his growing reputation as a top-class fast bowler as England took a firm grip on the third Test against Sri Lanka on another rain-hit day at the Rose Bowl.

The 6ft 8in paceman, born in Southampton and a former Hampshire player, took a Test-best 6-42 as England reduced Sri Lanka to 177-9 before wet weather brought a premature end to the second day.

Steaming in from the Pavilion End, Tremlett generated both lift and movement to single-handedly reduce the tourists from their overnight 81-4 to 117-7 and ensure he became the first name on the honours' board at Test cricket's newest venue.

Prasanna Jayawardene (43) and Dilhara Fernando stemmed the flow of wickets with a partnership of 41 in 11 overs before Graeme Swann struck with his second ball to remove the former, and Tremlett had Suranga Lakmal caught behind for a golden duck before heavy rain took the players off shortly after 1500 BST.

Tremlett's superb performance contrasted sharply with that of Stuart Broad, whose own attempts to unsettle the Sri Lankan tail with short-pitched bowling were wholly ineffective, leaving him with figures of 0-50 from 18 overs.

In his four Tests before this one, Broad has taken just eight wickets at 56.13 and another poor return at the Rose Bowl could see his place under threat ahead of the India series later in the summer.

With Broad struggling, Andrew Strauss unsurprisingly asked James Anderson and Tremlett to open up the bowling when the rain stopped to allow the second day's play to get underway at 1310.

And Tremlett repaid his captain's faith in his first over, roughing up Thilan Samaraweera with a lifter that slammed into his bottom hand and required treatment, before dismissing the batsman for 31 with a fuller delivery that caught a thick edge en route to Kevin Pietersen at gully.

Thisara Perera lasted just six balls before he attempted to pull a short-pitched ball from Tremlett and was caught by Matt Prior behind the stumps.

And the Surrey paceman took his third wicket in 20 balls when Rangana Herath - after a quickfire 12 runs - top-edged a slog down to Jimmy Anderson at fine leg.

"I tried to bowl a bit fuller but I don't think the Sri Lankans like it round their ear holes," said Tremlett.

"I got good bounce from back of a length and was a little more consistent.

"I'm very happy with my performance and hopefully I can do it again in the second innings."

Jayawardene, Sri Lanka's most consistent performer with the bat in this series, showed great courage to weather the Tremlett and Broad barrage, only to be undone by the off-spin of Swann.

Perhaps sensing the opportunity to counter-attack, he aimed a heave to the leg side and was snaffled by Eoin Morgan at deep midwicket.

Lakmal was caught behind off a top-edged hook from the first ball of the next over from Tremlett to leave Sri Lanka nine down, before heavy rain forced the players off for what proved to be the end of day two.

If the weather improves over the final three days, England will be hopeful of wrapping up the win that would give them a 2-0 series victory.

"The weather has been unkind, but the game is moving on," added Tremlett.

"Hopefully we can take the last wicket quickly, bat positively and then bowl Sri Lanka out again. We want to win this series 2-0."

Only 23.2 overs were bowled on Friday as the adverse weather conditions frustrated players and spectators alike.

Under England and Wales Cricket Board regulations, all Rose Bowl ticket holders are entitled to a 50% refund because less than 25 overs were bowled in the day.

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Anderson returns to England squad

Venue: The Rose BowlDate: 16-20 JuneStart time: 1100 BST each dayCoverage: Live ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave & BBC Sport website; live video scorecard on Red Button (not Freeview); live text commentary on BBC Sport website & mobile; watch live on Sky Sports (subscription required); highlights on Channel 5 England missed Anderson's variety during the drawn second Test James Anderson has been recalled to the England squad for the third Test against Sri Lanka, starting on Thursday at the Rose Bowl.

The seamer picked up a side strain injury in the surprise first Test win before missing the drawn second Test.

Anderson will have the chance to prove his fitness in Lancashire's Twenty20 match at Worcestershire on Sunday.

His England return is likely to mean one of Stuart Broad, Steve Finn or Chris Tremlett being dropped.

While Broad, Finn and Tremlett offer height and pace, the trio, along with spinner Graeme Swann, struggled to take 20 wickets against Sri Lanka.

Anderson provides variety to the attack with his ability to swing the ball and, if he comes through the T20 match on Sunday, is set to be an automatic choice for the first Test match to be played at the Rose Bowl.

England national selector Geoff Miller said: "Jimmy Anderson is the leader of our bowling attack so clearly he will be a significant inclusion should he get through Lancashire's Friends Life Twenty20 match against Worcestershire unscathed.

"Side strains can be particularly troublesome for bowlers but given Jimmy's injury was a grade one strain and therefore a low grade injury, he is expected to be fit for selection.

"A period of rest and recovery has certainly been beneficial and we obviously wouldn't include Jimmy in the squad if the medical staff weren't confident of his fitness."

On the selection dilemma facing England's management, Miller added: "When you start being a successful side you do have to make difficult decisions so we will wait and see what the conditions are in Southampton and make the decision accordingly."

Anderson comes in for Jade Dernbach, who was named in the 12 for the second Test at Lord's but remains uncapped after not playing.

"I've had a chat with Jade and explained the situation but he now knows what the England set-up is all about, and we widen the squad," said Miller.

Other than the inclusion of Anderson, England are unchanged and, even though they had to settle for a draw last time out, Kevin Pietersen's second innings 72 provided encouragement that he is returning to form.

"He'll be pleased himself," said Miller. "Kevin Pietersen is a top quality player, we know that.

"He's had a tough time. He had a bad run and, yes, it eases the condition for him the fact that he knows he can score runs internationally and again he has proved it."

England squad v Sri Lanka, The Rose Bowl, 16-20 June: Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (wkt), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, James Anderson, Steven Finn.

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Jayawardene makes England suffer

By Sam Sheringham
BBC Sport Venue: CardiffDate: 26-30 MayStart time: 1100 BST each dayCoverage: Live ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave & BBC Sport website; live video scorecard on Red Button (not Freeview); live text commentary on BBC Sport website & mobiles; watch live on Sky Sports (subscription required); highlights on Channel 5 Jayawardene scored a century in his first Test on English soil Prasanna Jayawardene hit 112 to put Sri Lanka in control of the first Test against a weary England in Cardiff.

James Anderson struck in the third over of the day but Thilan Samaraweera kept the tourists on top with an elegant 58.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Jayawardene then took centre stage, reaching his third Test century from 147 balls as Sri Lanka racked up 400 all out.

Captain Andrew Strauss was caught at slip in the penultimate over as England finished day two on 47-1.

The late wicket capped an excellent performance from the tourists on a day when the vulnerabilities of England's four-bowler strategy were exposed.

Part-time seamer Jonathan Trott, filling the role previously performed by Paul Collingwood, gave up 29 runs from his six overs, while the Sri Lankans coped comfortably with Graeme Swann's off spin.

Suranga Lakmal struck a late blow with the wicket of Strauss

That put pressure on England's trio of seamers and when Anderson was forced off with back and side injuries - which require a precautionary scan - Strauss was left short of options.

Nonetheless, the hosts stuck to their task, with the luckless Broad eventually becoming the second youngest Englishman after Ian Botham to reach 100 Test wickets, and Swann helping to wrap up the tail.

And with plenty of batting still to come, there is every reason to believe they can get back into the game over the weekend.

With Sri Lanka resuming on 133-2, England needed early wickets on Friday morning and Anderson delivered the goods from the final ball of the third over.

It was a brilliant piece of bowling from the Ashes hero as he followed five outswingers with a fierce inswinger that caught the shoulder of Mahela Jayawardene's bat and flew to first slip, where Strauss took a sharp reaction catch.

Tharanga Paranavitana continued to favour caution over aggression as he added just seven runs to his overnight 58 in the first hour of play.

His cause was not aided by a straight ball from Chris Tremlett which struck him full in the groin, requiring lengthy treatment. The left-hander never looked comfortable thereafter, surviving a leg-before appeal from Broad before he was bowled by Tremlett two deliveries later off a thick inside edge.

Samaraweera kept the scoreboard ticking over with a regular supply of attractive boundaries, reaching 23 off 37 balls before he survived a close shave. A poorly-executed cut shot looped towards Eoin Morgan at point, but the ball dropped just short of the fielder as he dived to his left.

If that incident left Tremlett cursing his luck, Broad's efforts to claim his 100th victim were littered with misfortune as Jayawardene twice edged at a catchable height between third slip and gully.

Samaraweera reached his 26th Test fifty from 72 balls as his partnership with Jayawardene reached 84. But the second new ball proved his undoing as Anderson got a delivery to straighten off the seam and catch the outside edge before flying through to Swann at second slip.

There followed a period of immense frustration for England, and especially Broad, who had a flurry of marginal leg-before-wicket appeals rejected by umpire Aleem Dar.

But the wheel of fortune turned full circle as Farveez Maharoof was run out for 16 in a desperately unlucky manner. Bowler Trott got a hand to a Jayawardene drive and deflected the ball onto the stumps, leaving Maharoof stranded as he backed-up looking for a run.

New batsman Thisara Perera should have been run out in more orthodox fashion shortly afterwards when Jayawardene called him through for a suicidal single but Kevin Pietersen's underarm throw missed the stumps by some distance.

Broad's frustrations intensified after tea when he drew a thick outside edge from Perera, only for Cook at third slip to drop a tricky chance. But the bowler finally gained the reward his exertions deserved when Perera mis-hit a drive straight to Tremlett at mid-on.

A fifty partnership between Jayawardene and Herath added to Strauss's woes, with the former reaching three figures in his first Test appearance in England.

Herath cracked 25 from 35 balls before he was caught slashing wildly at Swann, who wrapped up the innings with the wicket of Lakmal in his next over after Broad had removed Jayawardene caught behind.

Strauss and Alastair Cook made a comfortable start to England's reply as Dilshan gave all five of his frontline bowlers a try.

But just when the openers appeared to be guiding the hosts through to the close, Suranga Lakmal got one to deviate off the seam and Strauss's edge was well-taken by Mahela Jayawardene at second slip.

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