Nottinghamshire 320 & 145-5 Durham 471

Report from the third day of England's warm-up match against a New Zealand XI

England's new captain set to feel the pressure that opposite number knows how to handle

England encountered more reminders of the perils of an India tour as they laboured for their wickets against Haryana.

Nick Compton inched back ahead of Joe Root, with an ultra-patient maiden 50 for England, in the battle to become Alastair Cook's next Test match opening partner.

From swirls of colour to geometric metal patterns, Trish Lorenz unrolls the latest wallpaper trends

Durham clinched their first LV County Championship Division One victory of the season after a 15-run win over Middlesex in a low-scoring contest at Chester-le-Street.

Tim Bresnan

Derbyshire put a significant dent in Lancashire's hopes of qualifying for the Twenty20 quarter-finals by claiming a three-wicket win with seven balls to spare at Old Trafford yesterday.

Tino Best and Denesh Ramdin's last-wicket heroics stunned England at Edgbaston, but were still powerless to permanently revive the rain-ravaged third Investec Test.

Stuart Broad looked cross when he learned that he was to be rested, along with James Anderson. When Andrew Strauss won the toss and said England would bowl, the game was turned into an entertaining trial between three pace bowlers determined to make a case for a role against South Africa next month.

Steven Finn did his prospects of an England recall for the third Test at Edgbaston this week no harm by taking three wickets as Middlesex defeated Sussex at Lord's to claim their third Championship win of the summer.

One topic above all continues to dominate the early season. It has been fuelled by scores of 0 and 6 and if the flames are not yet engulfing Andrew Strauss, only one repellent on earth can extinguish them. He needs a Test hundred and he needs one smartish.

Ex-England captain says current incumbent is on hiding to nothing and should return for first Test – when he backs him to come good