Sussex have again questioned the viability of cricket festivals at Horsham and Arundel, suggesting that at least one of them could be dropped next season unless there are more indications of commercial and community interest

The embodiment of doughty Yorkshire spirit, David Bairstow made the county's cricket watchable through its most dysfunctional era

A maiden ODI hundred by Alex Hales followed by a display in the field of utter control as Pakistan's batsmen foundered on a slowing pitch

ESPNcricinfo previews the second ODI between Pakistan and England

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the opening one-day international in Abu Dhabi

Mohammad Hafeez was a dominant figure during Pakistan's Test series victory against England and he was to the fore once more, striking an unbeaten century as they took the opening ODI in Abu Dhabi by six wickets with 6.2 overs to spare

Hong Kong's chief executive Tim Cutler was scrupulous in his thanks to Englandf for agreeing to a practice match but warned that cohesive plans must be put in place to fast-track emerging cricket nations

England had a wonderful opportunity to proclaim their faith in cricket expansionism. Instead, expediency determined their approach to a one-day affair against Hong Kong

After England's spin options were ruthlessly exposed in the UAE, we take a look at six young hopefuls vying to become stars of the future

Boyd Rankin is expected to renew his allegiances with Ireland once, as expected, he is omitted from England's tour party to South Africa

England came within 6.3 overs of saving the Dubai Test only for Yasir Shah to finally finish them off when he took the wicket of Adil Rashid in the final half hour of the day

England's prospects of batting out time to save the Dubai Test rest not for the first time on the slim shoulders of Joe Root

Pakistan led by 358 with seven wickets remaining at tea after a calamitous morning's batting by England which saw their last seven wickets tumble for 36

Joe Root and Alastair Cook were England's mainstays with the bat as they cut their first-innings deficit in the second Test against Pakistan in Dubai to 196 with seven wickets remaining

Misbah-ul-Haq made an unbeaten 102 - reaching his century with the aid of two sixes in the final over - to lead Pakistan to 282 for 4 at the close

England have been thrown into the Dubai microwave, temperatures set to high, and a couple of minutes later they are claiming they are ready for the Pakistan Test series. Joe Root's skill and adaptability gives them hope

Danny Briggs, the left-arm spinner who was once hailed as the answer to England's one-day spin bowling needs, has sought to re-energise a faltering career by switching to Hampshire's south coast neighbours Sussex

Fidel Edwards was again to the fore as Hampshireescaped five hours of toil and transformed their chances of staying in Division One during a single hour at Trent Bridge

Samit Patel had planned to go to Dubai for a holiday. Now he's going with England, hoping to add to his five Test caps