Ashes Watch

View From the Middle, by Ian Bell of ESPN: I’ve felt in decent form but keep getting myself out

Opening pair Joshua Cobb and Greg Smith struck brilliant centuries at Grace Road as Leicestershire chased down a target of 324 to stun Somerset in the Yorkshire Bank 40.

Ashes watch Steven Finn had his last bowl before the first Test against New Zealand as Warwickshire's rain-affected match with Middlesex ended in a somewhat inevitable draw. Finn was not originally scheduled to appear at Edgbaston but his early-season form has been patchy and it was hoped that an extra run-out might help him step up his performance level, which was why, Lions captain Joe Root apart, the 6ft 8in fast bowler was the only member of the 12 selected for Lord's who was required to play yesterday. Unfortunately for Finn, he seldom looked in rhythm during 22 wicketless overs in which he conceded 90 runs and, despite a modified run-up, still managed on two occasions to kick the stumps at the non-striker's end as he was in his delivery stride. He was outbowled by Tim Murtagh, who took 5 for 85, and his place in the Test XI on Thursday looks at risk.

Nottinghamshire powered their way to an 83-run victory over Northamptonshire in the first full round of Yorkshire Bank 40 fixtures thanks to a 149-run partnership between England hopefuls James Taylor and Samit Patel.

Ashes watch part one Just as the glass half-empty faction among Yorkshire supporters were wondering if promotion might be a step too far, the young England batsman Joe Root demonstrated his class with a supreme match-winning performance against Durham, leading Yorkshire to a four-wicket victory in the final session at Chester-le-Street with a brilliant 182 that lacked only the winning boundary. That was left to his England team-mate Tim Bresnan, who hit his first ball to the boundary after Root was bowled by Callum Thorp with one run needed. He had shared a stand of 101 with Adil Rashid, dropped twice in his 50 not out.

Somerset 384 & 251-9 dec Surrey 366-9 dec (Match drawn): Up-and-coming bowler takes five as England opener has sluggish start

Somerset 344-8 v Surrey

Bowler of the day Steve Magoffin, the 33-year-old Australian seamer, feared his career was over when Western Australia dropped him from their roster two years ago. Rescued by Queensland, he accepted an offer to return to county cricket with Sussex last season, took 7 for 34 on debut against Lancashire and went on to claim 57 Championship wickets. Now he has helped to burst Yorkshire's early optimism by completing a five-wicket haul at Headingley to clinch an innings victory for Sussex. Magoffin wrapped it up with the wicket of Gary Ballance, the last line of some limp resistance by Yorkshire, whose first innings of 96 was labelled "unacceptable" by coach Jason Gillespie. It is their first Championship defeat for 20 months.

As the new cricket season gets underway this week there will be the usual platitudes about how the game remains an intrinsic part of Englishness

In the week Adlington and Carragher quit, Gazza offers a stark reminder of how it can go wrong

Colombo 2001

Rapid decline leaves England mystified

Ed Miliband today criticised media personalities Jeremy Clarkson and Janet Street-Porter for belittling people with mental illness and contributing towards the stigma that sufferers feel.