ScorecardFile photo: Jade Dernbach picked up three wickets in his first Georgie Pie match of the season•PA Photos

Stephen Murdoch’s 45-ball 70 and Jade Dernbach’s 3 for 25 set up Wellington’s 26-run victory over Central Districts in Nelson.Batting first, Wellington were off to an attacking start as openers Michael Pollard (25) and Michael Papps (36) put on 51 runs within five overs. Central Districts then chipped away at Wellington’s middle order, lead by Seth Rance, as no batsman apart from Pollard, Papps and Murdoch lasted for more than 10 balls. Wellington reached 175 for 9 at the end of their 20 overs, mainly thanks to Murdoch, who was dismissed in the last over.In reply, Wellington’s bowlers reduced Central Districts to 61 for 5 by the ninth over. Kruger van Wyk and Josh Clarkson then combined to put on a 43-run stand in six overs. The partnership was broken by Jeetan Patel in the 15th over, with Central Districts still needing 72 off 31. They were eventually restricted to 149 for 9.”Pappsy struck it beautifully at the top and really set the tone,” Murdoch said. “We’re two from four now so we’ve given ourselves a chance on a pretty congested table.”Central Districts moved one spot down in the points table from their third position, and despite winning two of their four games, Wellington sit at second-last position, ahead of Canterbury.This match also recorded the second instance in New Zealand’s domestic history that a female umpire, Kathy Cross, officiated in a game. Cross had been the first to do so in the 2006-07 season.

Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah has been provisionally suspended under the ICC’s anti-doping code for testing positive for a banned substance. A sample taken from Yasir on November 13, when Pakistan played an ODI against England in Abu Dhabi, was found to contain chlortalidone, which is on WADA’s prohibited list of diuretics and masking agents.While he is provisionally suspended, Yasir cannot play – or be involved in any capacity in – international matches, and games organised by any national cricket board or its affiliated members. He can request for his B sample to be tested, and if that test does not confirm a positive result then the entire test will be considered negative and the suspension will be lifted with immediate effect.Yasir can also request for a hearing before an anti-doping tribunal through a written application that must be received by the anti-doping manager within 14 days. Should he want a hearing, Yasir must state in his application how he responds to the charge and his explanation for the same.Yasir, 29, has become a key member of the Pakistan team since debuting in Test cricket in October 2014. Currently ranked No. 4 in the Test bowlers rankings, he has 76 wickets from 12 Tests at 24.17. Forty-nine of those wickets have come in 2015, making him the fourth-highest Test wicket-taker overall this year till date.Pakistan’s next international assignment is a limited-overs tour of New Zealand in January.

Alastair Cook has confirmed that Chris Woakes will replace the injured James Anderson and that Alex Hales will make his debut in the Boxing Day Test in Durban.Cook backed Woakes to prove how much he has developed as a cricketer. While accepting the loss of Anderson was “huge,” Cook said that Woakes’s selection would strengthen the batting and that he had shown he was well equipped to deal with the pressure of international cricket.”He’s ready to go now,” Cook said. “He’s learned his trade and it’s about him delivering now on the big stage for England.”He can do it. I know it a Twenty20 game, but that 40-odd he got in Sharjah under pressure to see his side home… he does it for Warwickshire a lot. He’s desperate to be given opportunities.”It’s been quite hard for him to get in the side because of the way that Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad have remained so fit and how long they’ve been around. This is a great opportunity and he’s a really good cricketer.”Hales, meanwhile, is set to become Cook’s eighth opening partner in Tests since the retirement of Andrew Strauss after the 2012 series against South Africa. Instead of letting the occasion get to him, Cook has urged Hales to play his natural game as England seek to achieve “something very special” in the coming weeks.Hales had impressed as a limited-overs opening batsman but, after starting the 2015 County Championship with some high scores, he convinced the selectors that he had the skills required for the longer format. Hales made 236 against Yorkshire, the champions, in April, and hit 141 against Hampshire a week later. Another big century in August – 189 against Warwickshire – reiterated that he was ready for Tests.”It’s absolutely vital he plays the way he plays for Nottinghamshire,” Cook said. “One of the biggest mistakes you can do as an international player is to think you have to play a different way.”The reason he got selected was for the way he plays and the big hundreds when he gets in. Certainly at the start of last year, that made everyone sit up and take notice of him. You can’t change the way he plays, he’s just got to be true to himself and that will be good enough.”Cook also suggested that the selectors will show some patience with Hales in the knowledge that he makes his debut against a top-quality seam attack and that it may take time to find his feet at this level. Adam Lyth and Sam Robson were given seven Tests when they had an opportunity to open with Cook. Both batsmen made centuries in their second Tests to ensure they won an extended run.Alex Hales is all set to become Alastair Cook’s eighth opening partner in Tests since the retirement Andrew Strauss•Getty Images

“Always at the top of the order against the new ball and world-class attacks, you’re going to have low scores,” Cook said. “So it’s about how you handle that and, when you’re in, make sure you cash in and go big to compensate.”Alex isn’t really under pressure. No more than myself or any of the guys; that’s what happens when you play Test cricket.”When you’re picked to make your debut for England it’s a great five days. It’s a culmination of a lot of hard work not just by yourself but all the commitment the family have made, the coaches, your friends…it’s a big occasion for a huge number of people.”But he’s ready to play. He’s earned his selection and been around the squad in the UAE. He knows what it’s about, he’s got a T20 international hundred and an ODI hundred. He can certainly play and I hope he’s looking forward to the challenge, showing people what he can do rather than just being another opener off the rank.”Cook also reflected on a remarkable year from a personal perspective. This time 12 months ago, he was reeling having been sacked from the England ODI captaincy. From a situation where he was looking forward to leading the side in the World Cup, he suddenly realised he would not be at the tournament.Although he admitted that 2014 “wasn’t a particularly fun Christmas,” he has now accepted that the setback was a blessing in disguise and has allowed him the time and clarity of thought required to rediscover his best form in Test cricket. He goes into the final Test of the year having already scored more runs in a calendar year than any other England captain, and requiring 125 more to overtake the England record for a batsman (1,481), set by Michael Vaughan in 2002.”In hindsight, it gave me two months to get away from the game,” Cook said of the decision to relieve him of the ODI captaincy. “It gave me time to practice away from pressure for a period of time and I got to look at my Test-match game as a whole. Sometimes you do need to step out of the bubble and reassess what you need to do.”And the benefit of that is that I scored a few runs this year. It’s been good from a personal point of view. It wasn’t a particularly fun Christmas last year but hopefully this year will be slightly different.”South Africa are a good side. I don’t know if this is a good time to play them: they’re still ranked No. 1 in the world and they’re tough to beat at home. You can’t read too much into both sides’ previous tours because conditions are so different. And always beware a wounded animal.”The bookmakers make us underdogs but we were underdogs against Australia. And the conditions aren’t too dissimilar to England. Playing four seamers and a spinner seems to have worked well for us and we’re comfortable playing with that balance of the side. We could do something very special.”But that’s just talk isn’t it? The guys are ready to test themselves against the best in their backyard. This side like being the underdogs and likes throwing a few punches.”

A second Australian women’s cricketer has been caught out betting on the game this summer, with Western Australia’s Piepa Cleary suspended for six months by Cricket Australia for placing bets on the day-night Test in Adelaide last November.Cleary, 19, placed six bets totalling $15.50 on various elements of the match between Australia and New Zealand, and like the previous transgressor, Angela Reakes, has been handed a suspended two-year ban.However, in this case, the CA head of integrity Iain Roy chose to activate the first six months of that ban due to several “aggravating circumstances” including the fact that Cleary had made the bets two months after being present at a face-to-face anti-corruption training session from CA head of security Sean Carroll.”We continue to remind all elite cricketers and officials that betting on any form of cricket is strictly prohibited,” Roy said. “It is outlined in the anti-corruption education that we deliver annually, and is written into our anti-corruption code.”Piepa has heard this message many times through the anti-corruption education sessions that we deliver and accepts that in placing the bets she exercised poor judgement. Bets totalling $15.50 might seem small but it doesn’t matter.”We take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of gambling on cricket by players in order to protect the integrity of the game. It has been made very clear that if Piepa breaches the code in any way again, she will receive a significantly lengthier suspension.”Christina Matthews, chief executive of the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA), expressed her disappointment at Cleary’s actions. “We are naturally disappointed that one of our players has been involved in an incident such as this,” she said. “Cricket in this country is held in high regard for its integrity and it is important for the future of the sport that remains the case. The WACA understands and supports the sanctions that have been handed down in this instance.”Piepa will have to work hard to regain some respect from this incident, but she remains an important member of WA cricket and has taken responsibility for her actions.”CA has 16 official betting partners, all of which have signed up to “assist CA in its ongoing management of the integrity of CA competitions, by agreeing to information sharing and other integrity requirements specified by CA”.Like Reakes, Cleary will now be compelled to form part of CA’s anti-corruption player education programmes in the future, as an example of how not to behave.

So, it’s official at last. Anil Kumble is out of the game for the nextfour months. BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele has announced that Kumble will beoperated on by South African orthopaedic surgeon Mark Fergusson inJohannesburg on Wednesday. The 30-year-old leg spinner has been rendered hors de combat since the opening game of the Coca Cola Champions Trophy in Sharjah against Sri Lanka on October 20.In that game, he aggravated a right shoulder injury, caused by a fall several months earlier, which had not been allowed to heal due to constant activity. With the symptoms of pain and stiffness felt during bowling and throwing not subsiding, Kumble flew to South Africa last week for consultation with Fergusson, the surgeon who treated Javagal Srinath and Ajit Agarkar, also forshoulder problems.Indian coach John Wright, who returned to India on Sunday, reacted with disappointment to the news in Mumbai. The news is a huge setback to India’s chances against Australia in the three match Test series which takes off on February 27. To put India’s dependence on Kumble in perspective, one just has to recall the last Australian visit to India exactly three years ago. India won 2-1 and who was their matchwinner? If you thought Sachin Tendulkar, thinkagain. It takes twenty opposition wickets to win a Test match. On thattour Kumble took 23 at 18.26 in three Tests while seven other bowlersput together took 27. Amidst the carnage wreaked by Tendulkar and Co.,perhaps the most defining contribution was Kumble’s.So where does that leave the Indians? Right behind the eight ball, onewould imagine. There is hardly any other spinner in the land whoinspires a fraction of the confidence Kumble does. The options beforethe selectors are limited. Left armers Sunil Joshi and Murali Kartikand off spinner Sharandeep Singh were the three slow bowlers tried outin the three Tests this season. Sharandeep took six wickets on debutin Nagpur without really looking special but both Joshi and Kartikwere disappointments.Among the slow bowlers seen in action this domestic season, HarbhajanSingh and Sairaj Bahutule have perhaps had the best of the exchanges.The 20-year-old Harbhajan, who has played eight Tests, took a bagfulof wickets in Punjab’s triumphant march in the Ranji Trophy. Havingbeen dumped from the National Cricket Academy for disciplinary reasonslast June, it is unclear if he has returned into the good books of theBoard.Leg spinner Bahutule, who played seven one-dayers for India in1997-98, missed most of last season through injury but has been in themidst of a satisfying run with Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy zonalleague. Whether he is still too early on the comeback trail isdebatable. By the time the Aussies arrive, he should have had thebenefit of a full complement of games in the Duleep Trophy. His fellowleg spinner WD Balaji Rao has also been reasonably successful forTamil Nadu but suffers the disadvantage of not being in the Duleepsquad.And then, 19-year-old Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan has been getting underthe skin of the visiting English colts, but again Test cricket mightbe too great a gap for him to bridge, especially with limited firstclass experience. There is also the option of veteran left armerVenkatapathy Raju who was Kumble’s spin twin the last time the Aussiescame visiting. He did not enjoy the greatest of series, scalping 7wickets at 42.42. But he bowled at a niggardly rate right through andkept things tight for Kumble at the other end, which may have played asignificant part in the latter’s own success.The Duleep Trophy, currently underway and which will continue tillFebruary 4, is a ready reckoner of the current depth of talent, orlack of it. Besides the national selectors, coach John Wright is setto watch some of the matches, beginning with the West-South clash inSurat from January 18. But as always, the kind of wickets that havebeen laid out in the competition have been way too discouraging forthe bowlers, and especially the slower ones, so the lessons learnt maybe few.

	Maria Fahey: “I really wanted to have a goal like the World Cup to aim for instead of just rolling over and giving in” © Getty Images

Maria Fahey, who has been included among the New Zealand probables for the 2009 Women’s World Cup, hopes she will overcome the chronic fatigue she was diagnosed with last year and make it to the tournament in Australia.”I know I will be behind the other girls in terms of fitness and preparation, but I really want to give it a go,” Fahey told the , a Christchurch-based daily. After New Zealand’s tour of Australia in July 2007, Fahey contracted flu and was later diagnosed with chronic fatigue, which forced her to miss the tour to England, the home series against the same opposition and the Rose Bowl Series against Australia.Watching from the sidelines was hard for Fahey, who was New Zealand’s regular opener. “But I did go and watch a couple of the games at Lincoln and found it put quite a different perspective on things.”Fahey is cautious not to over-exert herself now that she has been named in the squad. “I’m just starting to get back into doing a little training, but it’s only very light. But I really wanted to have a goal like the World Cup to aim for instead of just rolling over and giving in.”

England’s failure to reclaim the Ashes in a home series for the first time in almost two decades can in part be put down to unhelpful pitches, according to the team’s senior fast bowler James Anderson. While a calf injury limited Anderson’s involvement to bowling just four overs in the first Test at Edgbaston, he suggested that the playing surfaces have better suited Australia’s attack and said local groundsmen might consider being “a little bit more biased” towards England in future.Defeat on Anderson’s home ground of Old Trafford last week left England 2-1 down in the Specsavers Test series and unable to prise back the urn from Australia. While Anderson gave a nod towards Steven Smith for his “phenomenal” batting – in three Test appearances Smith has scored 671 runs, almost twice as many as anyone else – he said England had been disappointed by the pitches served up and that more could be done to exploit home advantage.”I think they’ve probably suited Australia more than us,” he said. “I would have liked to have seen a bit more grass but that’s the nature of the game here. When you’re selling out – like Lancashire selling out five days of Test cricket – it’s hard not to produce a flat deck but, you know, that’s one of the frustrations from a player’s point of view. We go to Australia and get pitches that suit them. They come over here and get pitches that suit them. It doesn’t seem quite right.”I thought they were good pitches here against India [last year]. I thought they weren’t green seamers but I thought they suited us more than India. We as a country don’t use home advantage enough. When you go to Australia, go to India, Sri Lanka, they prepare pitches that suit them. I feel like we could just be a little bit more biased towards our own team.”Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, in particular, have led the way for Australia, taking 24 wickets at 17.41 and 18 at 16.88 respectively – separated only by Stuart Broad (19 at 26.63) for England. It has been a bowlers series in general, with only two Australians (Smith and Marnus Labuschagne) and three Englishmen (Ben Stokes, Rory Burns and Joe Root) averaging above 30 with the bat.James Anderson at The Oval•Getty Images

In contrast to Anderson’s lugubrious take, Australia coach Justin Langer was perhaps unsurprisingly full of praise for the “bowler-friendly wickets” on which his team had prevailed in their mission to retain the Ashes.”It’s most important for the health of Test cricket moving forward that you’re playing on competitive wickets,” he said ahead of the final Test at The Oval. “Great players make runs, games always moving forward, you’re on the edge of your seat. I think the wickets this series have been fantastic for that.”Anderson’s frustrations have been compounded by being forced to watch from the sidelines after suffering from a persistent calf problem that saw him hobble through the first Test at Edgbaston, having being declared fit, then suffer a recurrence while going about his rehabilitation with Lancashire.There is little doubt that not being able to call upon the most-prolific Test fast bowler in history has hurt England’s chances – despite the resurgence of Broad and a potent display from Jofra Archer in his debut series. However, Anderson has quietened any expectations he may be contemplating retirement, writing in his newspaper column that he intends to try and play on until he is 40.He proclaimed himself “open-minded” to making changes to his diet and lifestyle in order to prolong his career; perhaps a chat about the benefits of veganism with old Ashes foe Peter Siddle is in order following the conclusion of the series?”When I start this rehab, I’m going to try and investigate every possible avenue of what do I need to do at my age to keep myself in good shape,” Anderson said. “I feel in really good condition. I feel as fit as I ever have. It’s just the calf keeps twanging.”I’m going to look at every possible thing I can to make sure I can play for as long as possible. I’ll look at how other sportspeople have done it throughout their careers to keep going into their late 30s. Whether there’s anything specific I can do, diet, gym programme, supplements, whatever it might be. Because I’ve still got a real hunger and desire to play cricket. I still love the game and still feel like I can offer something to this team and still have the skills and can bowl quick enough to have a positive effect.”It’ll be an ongoing process through the rest of my career. I still feel like I can be the best bowler in the world. So as long as I’ve got that mentality I’m going to keep pushing myself. Keep trying to improve my skills with the ball, work hard at my batting, and try to find every possible thing to help me stay fit.”Anderson’s first goal is to be available for the two Tests in New Zealand towards the back-end of November, after which comes a tour of South Africa. His desire to keep playing means he is set to feature under a fifth different England coach – depending on when the successor to Trevor Bayliss is appointed – and he suggested the new management needed to map out with Joe Root a pathway to rebalancing priorities between Test and limited-overs cricket.”Going forward, it’s important whoever takes over has got the same sort of vision as Joe as captain, on how the team moves forward. Obviously the last four years has been a real focus on one-day cricket, trying to win the World Cup. We’ve now done that.”I think we need to find a good balance. We’ve kind of been one or the other. In my career, it’s been Test priority in the first bit and then this last four-year cycle has been a push for the white-ball stuff. We need to find a balance, it’s as simple as that. We’ve got to try to give equal attention to both.”Whether or not he develops a craving for bananas, Anderson’s appetite for cricket remains strong – though he grimaces wearily at the idea of resuming battle with Smith once again in 2021-22. There is an acceptance that he won’t go on forever, an understanding that one day, perhaps not too far in the future, he will be able to inspect a flat pitch with a shake of the head before heading towards the media facilities rather than the dressing rooms.”I’m realistic. If I’m not good enough and feel I’m detracting from the team and I’m too slow, or whatever it might be, then I’m not going to embarrass myself or drag the team down. I’ll only keep playing if I think I can be one of the best bowlers in the world and if I think I can help this team win games of Test cricket. I’m not just blinkered thinking I’m going to just drag out as many possible games as I can.”James Anderson was speaking on behalf of ‘The Test Experts’ Specsavers, Official Test Partner of the England cricket team ahead of the final Test of the Specsavers Ashes Series at The Oval

Germany defender Jerome Boateng has agreed a five-year contract and will officially join Manchester City on July 1.

Boateng has completed the formalities of his £10million move from Bundesliga side Hamburg before heading off on World Cup duty in South Africa.

"This is a very good signing for Manchester City and I am pleased to bring Jerome to the club," City boss Roberto Mancini told the club's official website.

"He is a young player who is already of a very high quality, but I think he can continue to improve.

"He can play a number of positions in defence, which is important. He has proved his ability in Germany and I think he can be a very important player for Manchester City in the Premier League."

Boateng is the 21-year-old younger brother of Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince.

The centre-half or full-back is the third player signed by City from Hamburg in recent seasons, following the previous acquisitions of Nigel de Jong and Vincent Kompany.

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Speaking earlier in the week about meeting Mancini, Boateng revealed:"He came with two representatives to Hamburg and we chatted for one or two hours.

"He convinced me to make the transfer. He believes that I will definitely need a few months to get settled in once in England, but that he sees so much potential in me that he will improve me."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

West Ham United have offered Luis Boa Morte a new contract but have released Ilan and Mido.

Mexico international Guillermo Franco revealed last week that he had played his last match for the Hammers.

Boa Morte has been offered a new deal after missing most of the season just ended with a long-term knee injury.

He ended his nine-month absence when he started last month's 1-1 draw with Manchester City after which the Portugal international criticised the Hammers' owners for their shoddy treatment of Gianfranco Zola.

Young quartet Anthony Edgar, Jordan Spence, Matthew Fry and Oliver Lee have also been offered new contracts while central defender Bondz N'Gala has joined Plymouth Argyle on a permanent basis.

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Mido failed to score in nine appearances for the Hammers during his loan switch from Middlesbrough while Ilan netted four times in 11 matches for the club.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle has returned to former club Burnley to sign Robbie Blake on a free transfer.

Coyle, who swapped the Clarets for Bolton last January, has signed the veteran forward on a one-year contract.

The 34-year-old was out of contract at Turf Moor and keen to continue playing in the Premier League following Burnley’s relegation last season.

“We are delighted to have signed such an experienced footballer in Robbie Blake,” Coyle told the club’s official website.

“He has proven Premier League ability and adds to our striking options. He is a bubbly character who will be a great lad to have in the dressing room.

“I worked with him for two fantastic years and I am pleased to link up with him again because I know a number of clubs were interested in securing his signature.”

Meanwhile, the Trotters have also completed the signing of former Manchester City winger Martin Petrov on a free transfer.

The Bulgaria international agreed to join the Reebok Stadium outfit two weeks ago following his release by City.

Coyle added:“He’s someone I’ve admired for a long time because he’s a top-class player and this is a tremendous signing for the club.

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“As far as I’m concerned he’s probably one of the best Bosman transfers available.

“To try to purchase him on the market last year then it would have cost you £4-5million easily.”

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