View From the Middle: Getting yourself out is the hardest thing to deal with. It is frustrating

New Zealand fight back following opening day dominated by marker for the future from Compton

Bowler showed signs of improvement in the first Test against New Zealand

The former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has signed a short-term deal to play for Surrey in a significant coup for the county.

Australia opener Ed Cowan will prepare for next summer's Ashes series with a spell at Nottinghamshire.

The former England seamer recalls a tough and talented Ashes opponent

Ponting retires at the right time but will Tendulkar and Kallis follow his lead?

The cricketer Kevin Curran enjoyed the best years of his career playing for Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire. And although he missed out on Test cricket when he chose to remain in England when Zimbabwe became a Test-playing nation, he had already established his credentials as a fine all-rounder. The former Zimbabwe national team coach died yesterday after collapsing while out jogging in the eastern city of Mutare. He was 53.

Defending champions Australia will face England in tomorrow's Women's World Twenty20 final after breezing to a 28-run win over West Indies.

Andrew Strauss today described his decision to step down as England Test captain as being in the "best interest" of the national team.

Durham 194 & 325-8 Nottinghamshire 154 & 349 (Durham win by 16 runs)

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.

The First Division leaders Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire continue to make their case as principal contenders for the County Championship.

Despite the difficulties of playing in gale-force winds – strong enough at one point to dislodge a boundary board and send it careering towards the middle – Luke Wells scored his second century of the season against Surrey at Horsham to empower an impressive recovery by Sussex.