England will almost certainly havea new batsman for the start of the international summer on Thursday. Both Jonathan Bairstow and James Taylor have sound reasons for expecting the invitation to become the country's 652nd Test player, with Bairstow perhaps the selectors' preferred option.

Ollie Rayner already had membership of one fairly exclusive club after scoring a hundred on his first-class debut in 2006; yesterday at Trent Bridge he joined another by making a century in an innings he began as nightwatchman as Middlesex avoided the follow-on against Nottinghamshire.

On another day decimated by the miserable spring weather, the dark clouds avoided Trent Bridge but the one currently following Andrew Strauss clung doggedly to its purpose.

Worcestershire are set to go on flood watch after the abandonment of their match with Nottinghamshire at rain-battered New Road yesterday.

World-beating England plan to turn "timid" back into "lethal" as they take out the frustrations of their Asian winter on the West Indies.

Police have retrieved some of the late Ben Hollioake's England cricket equipment stolen from his parents' home in Perth, Australia.

Sir Ian Botham has hit out at critics of England Test skipper Andrew Strauss and expects him to remain in charge for the next couple of years.

Coach backs batsmen to thrive this summer but says there will be competition for places

Sri Lanka 275 & 218-6 England 460

Sri Lanka 275 & 4-0 England 460: England victory in sight after masterful ton

In the glorious history of Test cricket there has probably never been an over like it. A batsman inspired by the gods was on the verge of a resounding hundred, making mincemeat of the bowler, when he was warned both casually and then officially for breaching an arcane edict, putting his side at risk of being docked five penalty runs.

Kevin Pietersen was back to his explosive - and controversial - best as his stunning century put England in control of the second Test against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka 275 England 154-1: Crucial innings ensures captain will be in charge this summer as England scent win

England's miserable start to 2012 continued as they lost the first Test to Sri Lanka by 75 runs in Galle.