Ashes hero Pratt gets another run-out . . . at football

It is not known whether Ricky Ponting follows English non-League football closely, but one fixture in the Arngrove Northern League second division on Wednesday evening may have aroused his interest, writes John Westerby in The Times.

Making his debut in the No 10 shirt for Crook Town against Brandon United was none other than Gary Pratt, the substitute fielder who famously riled the Australia captain by running him out in the Ashes Test at Trent Bridge last year. The good news for Ponting is that Pratt is hoping to play the rest of the season for Crook, which means that he will not be carrying out twelfth-man duties for England in Australia.