Michael Vaughan is set to make his long-awaited return to competitive cricket when he turns out for Yorkshire this week. He will either play in their C&G Trophy match against Scotland on Monday or in the Championship game against Hampshire which starts on Wednesday.Vaughan, who has not played since making a brief appearance in a tour match in India three months ago, underwent surgery on his right knee in December, and has battled to return to fitness ever since.On Friday, Yorkshire physio Wayne Morton said Vaughan was “ahead of schedule” in his rehabilitation and working “extremely hard” on his recovery.In today’s Independent on Sunday, Vaughan admitted that he realised the need for him to return sooner rather than later. “Hopefully I’ll be back soon leading the team. That’s the one thing that scares me most, that I won’t get the opportunity to do that again. I would like to think that the team would allow me to come back and be their leader if I get fit again, whether it’s this week, two weeks, four weeks. I’d like to think I’d done enough to get another opportunity if I come back. That is the most important thing.”Andrew Flintoff, who has led England in Vaughan’s absence, welcomed the announcement. “It’s great news,” he grinned. “We want Vaughany back in the side as soon as possible.”Many have privately started saying that Vaughan was finished, but he was at pains to stress that was premature. “I can understand people writing what they have because we hadn’t got to the bottom of it. Now we have. It could take quite a bit longer. People have got to be patient, but next time I play cricket, it will be the right time.”It seems that much more will be known by this time next week.

Scorecard

Last night was the mid-season meeting for Middlesex members and they would certainly have had plenty to moan about after their side’s feeble effort in the first innings against Lancashire. While the team will still lose sometime before lunch tomorrow, at least centuries from Ed Smith and Scott Styris showed some backbone and pushed this match into a fourth day that had appeared unlikely.Smith’s century was his second of the season and will have brought welcome relief for a player who has become more acquainted with single figure scores in recent matches. However, he lived a charmed life and was put down on 96 when Kyle Hogg dropped a sitter at mid-on off Brad Hodge as Smith got a leading edge. He also flirted with Lancashire’s deep-set field on the legside with a number of his pulls on just falling short of the fielders.Hogg’s drop came on a day when, on a rare occasion this summer, things didn’t go Lancashire’s way. At the start of the morning they needed to replace Luke Sutton with the second team wicketkeeper, Gareth Cross, after Sutton sustained a broken thumb on the second day. He had been struck by Mohammad Ali during his 72, but continued to bat and kept throughout Middlesex’s first innings and the start of the follow-on. However, overnight the injury was assessed – via a trip back to Manchester – and Sutton is expected to be out for around a month, which rules him out of the Twenty20 zonal round.For most of the morning session Cross and the rest of the fielders had watched Smith and the nightwatchman Chris Peploe. The bowling was not as impressive as the first innings and Smith was quick onto anything loose. Peploe showed an admirable defence although he could have been dislodged on 18 if Iain Sutcliffe had not been on his heels at short-leg.It took the introduction of Hodge to break a stand of 127 when People slogged him straight to mid-on in his opening over. Hodge should have had Smith, too, but the century arrived off 136 balls. After lunch, though, Lancashire appeared to have made the killer breakthroughs. Smith was well held at mid-on by Cork then Owais Shah fell to a stunning reflex effort by Sutcliffe, at short-leg, who clung onto half-volley that Shah clipped cleanly off his toes.

The collapse continued as Eoin Morgan was bowled round his legs by Gary Keedy then Paul Weekes was snapped up at silly point off the face of the bat. Keedy was rewarded for perseverance although he never actually bowled that well; too dragging the ball short and being easily dispatched.Styris found a stubborn partner in David Nash, who has made himself very hard to drop after two gusty innings, and they added 134 in nearly two hours as the bowlers tired. Nash survived a huge appeal against Keedy first ball, but Mark Chilton had to use seven different options to try and remove him. It took the second new ball, and Cork running on empty, to do the job as Nash edged a flashing cut to Cross, after Tom Smith had added to the fielding blunders by dropping him on 27 at second slip.Styris crossed to his first ton of the season off 113 balls and continued to play his shots with the bowlers for company. Chilton spilled him at point on 121 but he was finally removed by Cork during a commendable show of stamina on a flat pitch. Cork ended with a worthy four-wicket haul, and eight in the match, when he bounced out Mohammad Ali in the second over.Middlesex’s extra fight means Lancashire couldn’t quite secure the day off they would have liked ahead of their C&G clash against Warwickshire, but by lunchtime tomorrow they will have consolidated their position at the top of the table as the Championship takes its Twenty20 break.

Rahul Dravid sent out an ominous signal to Sri Lanka, saying his young team were better prepared to reverse their dismal record there. Dravid, India’s captain, said his teammates had worked hard on some of the problem areas which should stand them in good stead for the tri-series which includes South Africa and begins on Monday.”It’s a great opportunity for us to go to a place where we have not done well,” he told a press conference in Bangalore, prior to departure. “We have worked hard and we would like to get better there.”He added that the series would be challenging for them as they would take on two other good teams in their title hunt. “This is an important series.” he said, and identified the hosts Sri Lanka as a big threat for them, given their current form. “Sri Lanka are playing well – they even play better at home. So we have to play well there.”However, he refused to divulge India’s gameplan. “I cannot tell you the strategies before a week of the series. Strategy will be known on the match day. But, it is important to play according to the potential.Dravid would not disclose who will open the innings. “A lot of players have opened earlier. It is not an issue who plays up – rather it is important how we play.” Rather, there were other priorities. “We talked about batting in the middle overs on slow wickets, how to create best chance for scoring a lot of runs in that part of the match.”He added that the team must not rest on their laurels. “We need to keep doing better. We need to play better against all oppositions in all situations. That’s what you play cricket for.”Greg Chappell, India’s coach, added the experience of playing on slow wickets in the West Indies would come handy during the tri-series. “In Sri Lanka the wickets would be similar. It is about putting pressure on the opponents and resisting pressure. It’s about executing our plans well.”Chappell expressed hope that the innovative training the players were put through during the conditioning camp would benefit them in the long run. “You should not expect a miracle. They did different activities and met with many challenges which may help them.”Dravid said he did not consider the absence of a genuine allrounder in the team as an issue. “We don’t have a Flintoff or Kapil Dev, it’s true. But players like Irfan, Viru, Dhoni, Mongia and Raina are developing their skills and trying to compensate for that.”He added that he had no fears over security issues in Sri Lanka. “The Sri Lanka Cricket board is putting everything place.”

Troy Cooley, the coach who engineered the remodelling of England’s series-winning actions last year, says Australia have the better bowling line-up for the Ashes. Since arriving at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane in May, Cooley has worked with all the local fast men apart from Jason Gillespie, who is in Yorkshire, and yesterday he spent time with Brett Lee in Sydney.Despite Cooley’s praise of the Australians, he said England’s bowling unit was “formidable” and the summer would be “a good shootout”. “I’m sure they’ll be getting themselves organised,” Cooley said in : “I think we have.”Cooley said reverse-swing would not be such a big factor in the series because of the Kookaburra balls and the lush grounds, but he wanted his bowlers to know how to use it. “You want to try and have all the deliveries underneath your belt,” he said. “Reverse-swing is one of them and you really want the bowler to be able to use that ball. If conditions suit, we’ll definitely try to take advantage of it.”Lee was watched by Cooley in the nets in Sydney yesterday and was impressed. “He’s a machine,” Cooley said. “It’s a unique style and it’s uncomplicated, and if we can keep it that way it will stand him in good stead. He moves very well and he’s very fit. But it’s all underpinned by being able to be explosive and roll that arm over quickly.”Cooley said in his role it was important to build a rapport with the bowlers before the season, which begins next month with a warm-up series for the Champions Trophy. “I just need to get them to understand what makes them work well and get them where they want to go,” he said.

The Championship season enters its final round on Wednesday with Sussex and Lancashire chasing the main prize. Sussex hold an eight-point advantage going into their match against Nottinghamshire, while Lancashire face Shane Warne’s Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.If Sussex win the pennant is theirs, anything less and Lancashire could overtake them if they manage a high-value win. If the teams finish level on points the trophy would go to Hove as Sussex will have more victories than Lancashire.Sussex are boosted by the availability of Michael Yardy and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan following their participation on the Natwest Series. Mushtaq Ahmed needs 11 weeks to bag 100 in a season for the second time while Murray Goodwin and Chris Adams form a powerful middle-order.Mark Chilton, the Lancashire captain, is aware Sussex hold the advantage but is just concentrating on Lancashire’s performance. “While they have the better hand, anything can happen, and we have a set of players who just never give up.”Their attitude over the whole season but particularly in the last few weeks when we have suffered from injuries and bad weather has been fantastic. We can’t worry about what is happening at Trent Bridge. We know we have to beat Hampshire and we will give it everything we have got.”It is appearing unlikely that Lancashire will risk James Anderson with the ECB imposing a 12-over per day limit on his workload. They have been served well by Dominic Cork, Glen Chapple and Tom Smith throughout the season and seem set to stick with them along with Gary Keedy and Murali Kartik.Hampshire still have an outside chance of stealing second place (and mathematically the title although Sussex would have to lose without gaining a point) and any side led by Warne – who will have a late fitness test on his cut eye – will not give an inch even at this stage of the season.At the other end of the table of the competition is just as tight with the winner of the Yorkshire-Durham clash at Headingley securing first division status for next season. However, if the match is drawn both have a slim chance of surviving if Nottinghamshire fail to collect three points against Sussex.The race for promotion in the second division is between Essex and Worcestershire who have away matches against Leicestershire and Northamptonshire respectively. Essex currently hold second place by four points.Two divisions was brought in to create meaningful and competitive cricket late into the season. With titles, promotion and relegation at stake you can’t really ask for much more.

Virender Sehwag, who injured his ankle during India Blue’s match against India Red in the Challenger Series on Sunday, is certain to be fit for the Champions Trophy. Dilip Vengsarkar, the Indian chairman of selectors, said that the injury was not a cause for worry, and that a final assessment on his fitness would be made on Tuesday evening.”We have another two weeks to go for our first match in the Champions Trophy and it is not a worry,” Vengsarkar told Press Trust of India. “Sehwag’s fitness condition will known by tomorrow evening.”Opening the innings, Sehwag twisted his ankle while turning around for a second run. He had on-field medical attention but was run out shortly after, for 28. His injury has ruled him out of the final, should India Blue qualify. India play their first match of Champions Trophy on October 15 against England.

Kevin Shine, the England bowling coach, has called Steve Harmison a world-beater following concerns that the England fast bowler won’t be in peak form for the Ashes.”I’m completely confident that come the first Test in Australia, Steve will perform. He’s the best bowler in the world,” Shine told the . “On form, he’s a frightening proposition. Test match cricket is completely different from one-day cricket.”Harmison was dropped for England’s final Champions Trophy group match yesterday – which they won – in place of Jon Lewis. In his column at the Harmison revealed he wasn’t told of the management’s decision to replace him but insisted that, despite concerns over his form, he will be ready for the first Test against Australia in three weeks.In eight one-dayers this year he took 14 wickets at 30.21, but conceded nearly six-runs-per over. However, his fluctuating form – particularly in one-dayers – is of no concern to Shine looking ahead to Australia.”I know how much Steve is looking forward to the Ashes,” Shine said. “Harmison bowls at 90mph. We need to look after him. He’s a proven, nailed-on match winner. When you get fast bowlers like that, you’ve got to look after them.”

Record crowds have packed the Gabba for the first three days of the opening Ashes Test, beating the previous record set during the Bodyline series. reported Saturday’s crowd of 39,000 took the overall attendance to 117,603, well above the the 93,143 that flooded into the Gabba in 1932-33 for a six-day match.The Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland told the paper he was not concerned that the one-sided nature of the first Test would affect the “phenomenal” tally. “There is nothing we can really do about what happens on the field,” Sutherland said. “There are lot of things to enjoy about Test cricket, even if there is not a great contest.”He said the keen interest in this year’s series was no doubt sparked by Australia losing the Ashes in England in 2005. “Two or three matches were decided during prime-time television here in the 2005 series, so the whole country was captivated,” he said.Sutherland said Cricket Australia expected all five Test venues to break attendance records this season. Each of the first three days of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG are likely to break the single-day high of 90,800 spectators at Melbourne in 1961. He said gate revenue was also expected to be at record levels, with takings set to top $28 million for the season.

Bangladesh 186 for 1 (Nafees 105*, Aftab 60*) beat Zimbabwe 184 for 9 (Taylor 38, Razzak 4-33) by 9 wickets
Scorecard

Shahriar Nafees scored an unbeaten 105 as Bangladesh recorded an easy nine-wicketwin over Zimbabwe in the first ODI at Khulna on Thursday. Nafees’s century, histhird consecutive ton against Zimbabwe, was part of a sound all-round performance byBangladesh; earlier, their left-arm spin trio of Abdur Razzak, Mohammad Rafique and Saqibul Hasan restricted Zimbabwe to 184 for 9.Though Zimbabwe had enough spinners in their ranks to put pressure on theopposition on a slow surface, they paid the price for an overly defensiveapproach, often allowing the batsmen to pick the gaps during the middleovers. Nafees and Aftab Ahmed, both flamboyant players, were allowed toplay their natural game, leading to the familiar story of Nafees – who came intothis match with a Bradmanesque-average of 92.75 in six matches – tormenting theZimbabweans.After a quiet start, Nafees cut loose in theeighth over, fetching three fours off Anthony Ireland. The first, a widedelivery, was smashed past point, followed by a delicate flickdown fine leg. The third was by far the best of the match, effortlesslydriven past mid-on and accompanied by a perfect follow-through that highlightedNafees’s form. His opening partner, Mehrab Hossain, complemented him with a sedate13 in a stand of 72 before handing a low catch to SeanWilliams. Nafees did the bulk of the scoring, rocking back and slapping the spinnerspast the infield, and even scooping seamer Elton Chigumbura over midwicket for asix.Aftab, who came in next, was at his aggressive best, though his start wasn’tas convincing; he played a few streaky strokes, at one stage nearly spooning acatch to the close-in fielders. But he soon came into his own, chargingRyan Higgins for a six over long on and launching Chigumbura over deep cover, stepping down the track against a deliveryjust short of a good length. Nafees ensured that he stayed at the wicket,pulling the odd loose ball from the spinners and picking up the singles.He reached his ton with a single to deep point while his side was on the brink ofvictory.The win was fashioned by Bangladesh’s three-pronged left-arm spin attack,who shared eight wickets. The attack may have lacked variety,but their relentless stump-to-stump line restricted Zimbabwe to a modest184, undoing a breezy opening stand of 52 between Brendan Taylor andStuart Matsikenyeri, who looked at ease against the seamers.The introduction of the spinners pegged Zimbabwe back almost immediately,as Razzak struck in his first over. Matsikenyeri was bowled trying to cutand Williams fell soon after to Rafique, bowled trying to drive onthe off side. At that stage, Zimbabwe were still in a fairly decentposition, scoring at a rate of over four an over. But with spinnersoperating from both ends on a sluggish surface, the rate started to dip.Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza perished trying to push the scoring, bothhitting straight down the throat of long off. Rafique, who accounted for Taylor, picked up his 100th wicket in one-dayers. The middle order caved in asthe batsmen struggled to find the gaps against the left-armers who peggedaway on a restrictive line. With half their side gone with only 100 onboard, Chigumbura and Mluleki Nkala consolidated by adding 43. Fast bowlerShahadat Hossain, brought back in the slog overs, broke through asChigumbura missed a wild swing on the on side.Razzak was by far the most effective among the bowlers, cleverly teasingthe batsmen with his flight – which he used very effectively to claim thelast three wickets. Nkala stepped down the track but failed to get to thepitch of the ball, miscuing it to Mashrafe Mortaza, who held on to adifficult running catch at cover while Gary Brent was cleaned up for aquick 20, trying to hit across the line. Prosper Utseya wasted no time indispatching Razzak over the ropes in the penultimate ball of the inningsbut Razzak came back to claim his wicket off the last, pitching it shortof a length, beating Utseya who was neatly stumped by Mashud. Razzakfinished with figures of 4 for 33, tormenting Zimbabwe for the second time, following his parsimonious spell of 3 for 17 in four overs in the Twenty20 international at the same venue on Tuesday.

Stumps
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out