The worms are turning. From the Law Society to the Test and County Cricket Board, insiders are running scared. Out there, at the grass roots, outsiders are banging on the doors. A vacancy on the selection committee for England's cricket team has called forth nine candidates, among them Ian Botham; there is no precedent for the election that now has to take place. This weekend, solicitors are consulting barristers about the legality of moves to oust the entire council of the Law Society. It turns out legal revolution is a lot easier to engineer than anyone thought. Will Carling's immortal phrase rings in the air. The old farts are again under assault. Deference is on the run.

Ian Botham

Cricket

Sarah Jane Checkland previews the auction of revered commentator Brian Johnston's memorabilia

Cricket

W illiam Webb Ellis and Eddie Waring are having a sporting celestial wager on the outcome. Bath versus Wigan may be a commercial gimmick, but will those who are interested in the result please raise their hands? Thought so. Just in case you missed it, a forest of arms shot up throughout the country.

"We blew it" was the response of England's chairman, Ray Illingworth, to his side's 10-wicket defeat yesterday in the fifth Test against South Africa, which brought with it a 1-0 defeat in the series.

Sporting history was made yesterday. For the first time in 120 years of winter tours, it was possible to spend Boxing Day at home watching live Test cricket. This is the third time Sky has televised the Christmas Test, but the other two both took place in Melbourne, so you had to go without sleep to see them.

Andrew Baker speaks to a woman who plays for England at cricket and football

On the face of it, even Mansfield Town would admit that their registration of former Olympic champion Daley Thompson smacks of a publicity stunt to rival Ian Botham's dalliance with Scunthorpe.

A Harrier Jump Jet whizzed from Land's End to John O'Groats in 49 minutes, which is hardly fair competition. On the ground, the journey across Britain from north to south, or vice-versa, has been travelled by eccentric transport - a penny-farthing, a motorised bath-tub and scores of old bikes - while an endless procession of walkers follows in the footsteps of Dr Barbara Moore, who endlessly tramped across Britain. Today's End-to-Enders have an extra achievement in mind - raising cash. Ian Botham did it on a grand scale, raising pounds 800,000 for leukaemia research.

ON SATURDAY

Next time you're stuck, fuming, in yet more traffic mayhem, cast your mind upwards to those elite beings in helicopters, buzzing, high in the sky above us.

The final act of this summer's cricket drama will unfold on a perfect stage. Simon O'Hagan reports