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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.

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The Roses match continued to be a closely fought occasion as both sides enjoyed moments of supremacy on the second day. Phil Jaques was the star of the day, striking an imperious 97 from 118 balls, with all his runs coming in the morning session, but he edged to Dominic Cork at second slip shortly after the interval. Lancashire had struck two early blows, with Matthew Wood being freakishly run out, via a rebound off Iain Sutcliffe at silly mid-off, as Wood backed-up too far at the non-strikers end. Glen Chapple had Anthony McGrath taken at second slip before Jaques and Lumb added 83 for the third wicket. Lumb’s 68 was his first half-century of a lean season but Lancashire continued to work away at the Yorkshire batting order. However, Craig White remained unbeaten at the close and he will be vital on the third day as Yorkshire aim to get as close to Lancashire’s 379 as possible.
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Ben Smith struck a fluent century as Worcestershire made a strong reply to Somerset’s 408 at Bath. He built on some solid work from Stephen Moore and Graeme Hick who put on 105 for the second wicket, after Steven Davies had edged Andrew Caddick to Graeme Smith slip early on. Hick also fell to Caddick, for 55, and Moore was out 14 short of his century but Smith was already into his stride. Zander de Bruyn offered valuable support with 30 and Gareth Batty guided Worcestershire to the close with Smith. However, Batty will not be able to resume his innings in the morning as he will have joined up with England’s one-day squad. Worcestershire will be allowed a full-playing substitute. Matthew Wood, earlier, guided Somerset to a full hand of batting points in the morning session, as he was last-man out for 127.1st day
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Durham made the most of batting first to set up a strong position in their top-of-the-table clash against Essex at Chester-le-Street. Gordon Muchall hit 123 and Dale Benkenstein, the stand-in captain while Mike Hussey is with the Australian’s, was unbeaten on 91 at the close. They added 167 for the fourth wicket, then Gareth Breese weighed in with 60 to further boost the Durham total. Essex had managed to make some early inroads into the Durham batting, with Dale Steyn removing John Lewis and Andre Adams getting the better of Nicky Peng. However, their attack has been weakened by injury and international call-ups – Darren Gough (England), Alex Tudor and Graham Napier were missing – and the support bowling couldn’t maintain the pressure. Mervyn Westfield, a 17-year-old fast-medium bowler, had a particularly tough debut as his 13 overs cost 67, while Nick Thornicroft, on loan from Yorkshire, failed to make an impression.

A jubilant Michael Vaughan – and a downcast Brian Lara – faced the press after England’s seven-wicket victory at Port-of-Spain:

Michael Vaughan
On the match
We expected to win, but to be 2-0 up after two Tests is way beyond what we thought. It’s taken a hell of a lot of hard work to get in this position. It hasn’t been easy. We came through some tough periods – Butch and Nasser’s partnership was crucial to our victory. I think the cloud cover on the first two days helped both sets of bowlers, but Steve Harmison’s spell was a gem and Simon Jones’s was fantastic. It’s great having them both in the side, with a different bowler to fall back on. But both games could have gone either way. It’s important that we don’t get too complacent, we know West Indies will fight back.On the bowlers
I thought Steve Harmison bowled brilliantly at the end of last summer against South Africa at The Oval. He’s a real threat – just ask the Aussies, they’ve always said he’s a hard bowler to face. He’s swinging the ball now, and putting it in the right area. He’s worked hard for two months and it shows. But don’t forget Matthew Hoggard. He’s done a fantastic job. We’ve asked him to do a role, and he’s kept things tight with good swing and bounce. Simon Jones is not the finished product, so we need to treat him with care. It’s important we keep all the guys fit. They’re all keen and eager to learn and improve as well. Steve wasn’t happy with the way he bowled after the first morning, so he was straight onto the computer seeing where he went wrong and how he could improve. To me, that’s the sign of a focussed player.On his own form
I feel fine. I’m hitting the ball OK, I feel in good nick. I got a good ball in the first innings and got out in the second, but that’s part of the game. I’m sure a big score is just around the corner.Brian Lara
On the series
It’s still there, we can still level it. We need to learn not to make the same mistakes again. If we had taken advantage of certain situations then it could have been different, it’s not fair to say we’ve been dominated. We’ve lost one or two sessions, and that has cost us dearly. The senior batsmen are not producing. That is where the team needs to get its impetus from, like the English team does with Hussain, Butcher and Thorpe. We’ve got to perform better than that. The team are trying their best. They’re embarrassed and disappointed in our performance. The entire team know they’re not performing. We need to so some soul-searching. We had some discussions and a long meeting last night on how to get things right.On his own form
There’s no excuse for my batting. I’ll get back to the nets. I need to keep my head a little more still and not shuffle across my crease as much. But it’s a situation I’ve been in before, and one I’ve climbed out of.On the team’s batting
So far, we’ve been having problems between Nos. 3 to 5 in the order … we’ve been falling apart quickly. Ridley’s [Jacobs] managed to repair some of the damage, so we thought we’d give him the opportunity to bat with us rather than the bowlers. It almost worked, and I have to commend his performance. He set upthe platform, but myself and Dwayne [Smith] could not use that opportunity.On the way ahead
There are still positives in the team. We have to take responsibility and go forward from here. We’re not putting the entire game together. The England players are putting their entire game together and that is what we need to do.

TINO BEST hasn’t become down-spirited as a result of a few dangerous, full-pitched deliveries in what has been an otherwise impressive performance in the 2003 Carib Beer Series.The exciting Barbadian fast bowler’s 23 wickets are the second highest and his average of 16.86 is the second best among bowlers with more than ten wickets in the competition.His season has, however, been spoilt somewhat by two instances in which umpires have ordered that he be removed from the attack for delivering two deliveries over the level of the batsman’s waist in quick succession."I consider myself a fighter. I know one or two people might be disappointed, but that is cricket, that is life," Best said yesterday ahead of Barbados’ sixth-round match against the Leeward Islands, starting today at Kensington Oval."I think I have performed reasonably well for Barbados. Every time I have a bad day, I just think of good days and I get through it. I am just going to keep working hard."During Barbados’ third round match against Jamaica on February 16 at the North Stars Club ground in Crab Hill, St Lucy, Best was stopped from bowling for the remainder of the innings after sending down two over-pitched balls to Robert Samuels and Mario Ventura in consecutive overs.The 21-year-old suffered a similar fate at Kensington Oval last weekend when two similar-type balls went to Trinidad and Tobago last man, Mukesh Persad.He has, however, apologised to both teams for the unfortunate incidents."I was trying for too much pace. I was just trying to finish the innings as quickly as possible," Best said. "I was trying to bowl a yorker. People always tell me that with my pace, if I can get a yorker going, I would be devastating. The balls just slipped."I try hard. Any time I play for Barbados, I put in 180 per cent all the time, no matter what situation we are in. Sometimes you try too hard and things happen."Best reckons it is a fault that can be easily corrected.Hendy Wallace, a knowledgeable seasoned professional in Ireland who has been working with Barbados’ fast bowlers in the nets in the last few days, is trying to help him overcome the problem."He was saying that when I am about to deliver the ball, my bowling arm was going away from my body and sometimes the ball comes out at the back of my hand. That is really horrible for a fast bowler," Best said."He is trying to get me come a bit straighter. I just hope that everything works out well for me."Best comes throughThose incidents aside, Best has done everything captain Courtney Browne has asked of him this season.He has consistently bowled at good pace, even on an Albion pitch in Berbice that hardly encourages fast bowlers."It all has to do with team work and captaincy. I think Courtney has bowled me beautifully," said Best, who has described Jamaican pacerJermaine Lawson as one of his biggest role models."I am just running in, putting my head down and trying to bowl as fast as possible. I’m just trying to carry out my captain’s instructions."Very often, Browne has used him for short bursts, something he appreciates very much."As a young fast bowler, just because you are quick, it does not mean you should bowl ten overs on the trot," Best said."Sometimes Courtney gives me three overs, then three, then four. Every time I come back, I am fresh and I am bowling quicker and quicker. It has really helped me to bowl better and not get too carried away."Wherever Best has bowled, be it Kensington, Albion, North Stars or Sabina Park, he has had tongues wagging because if his raw pace. But for him, it is not a priority to generate excitement among spectators."I don’t set out to please the crowd. I set out to please Barbados’ cricket," he said.Prior to the start of the season, he set himself a goal of 30 wickets. With the possibility of Barbados having another four matches, the confident youngster has revised the figure."If we do go to the finals, which would be a very good achievement, I think I’ll be looking for about 45 to 50 wickets," he said."Given the way Courtney has bowled me, once I keep concentrating and putting the ball in the right area, I should get that quite easily."

Surrey coach Keith Medlycott has confirmed that Pakistan have approached him over the job of national coach in place of Richard Pybus.Medlycott, who guided Surrey to the B&H Trophy in last Saturday’s final at Lord’s, told CricInfo: “I have been asked for a CV. That’s the level it’s at so far.”The 36-year-old continued: “I’m in year one of a four-year contract at Surrey so I’m happy here. There’s no real information on me leaving at the moment.”However, he said: “If someone came in and offered £500,000, you never know.”Having led Surrey to back-to-back championships, Medlycott, a former Surrey and England A slow left-armer, is currently the most successful coach in the English game.As such, sources disclosed it was unlikely that Surrey would be keen to let him go unless it was to coach England.

Michael Bevan has responded to another excellent Mark Ramprakash hundred byfiring a sweet half century of his own to afford Sussex a slight edge overMiddlesex after three days of the teams’ absorbing County Championshipfixture at Southgate.Bevan (57*) reached his milestone in smart time to lead the visitors to asecond innings mark of 118/3 by stumps, one which leaves them precisely 150runs short of victory in a contest in which they have always appeared tohave their noses slightly in front. Typically, it was the Australian’s eyefor spotting gaps in the field, and placing his shots into them with aminimum of fuss, which lay at the core of his innings. Although aninjudicious attempt from Toby Pierce (25) to loft a Phil Tufnell (2/39)delivery over mid wicket and a similarly ill-timed lapse in concentrationfrom Chris Adams (20) in pushing out an arm ball from the same bowler didnot help the cause, his efforts largely ensured that Sussex was back ontrack for success by the time that stumps were finally drawn.Just in case no-one had noticed the events of two days ago, it had earlierbeen Ramprakash (112) who had dominated the opening two sessions of theday’s play with a brilliantly crafted fiftieth first-class century. Rightnow – with another Test axing hanging over his head and his Middlesexbatting teammates seemingly doing precious little on the field to help easethe pain – he could have been forgiven for cutting a tragic figure. But,in again summoning the mental and physical resources to prove himself a cutabove his colleagues, he proved the very antithesis. It was a courageousdisplay and was full of character, no mean feat considering that he spentthe first half of it watching another succession of batsmen come and go atthe other end. It wasn’t until Richard Johnson (52) followed his lead, andbatted with unstinting application to contribute half of a priceless 104run stand for the eighth wicket, that the formidable right hander finallyattained the support that he deserved.

Three Englishmen, an Indian and a West Indian have been named as the Five Cricketers of the Year, cricket’s oldest accolade, in this year’s which is published today.Ian Bell, Ryan Sidebottom and Ottis Gibson were chosen for the award alongside India’s Zaheer Khan and the West Indian, Shivnarine Chanderpaul. All were chosen for their influence on the past English season, the traditional criteria for selection. Four of the five were picked for their achievements on the international stage, but Gibson’s nomination came for his outstanding performances for Durham last season.In the autumn of his career, Gibson led Durham’s attack magnificently to end the season with 80 wickets – only ten fewer than Mushtaq Ahmed and as one of two lone seamers in the top five wicket-takers in the Championship. His coup de grace came in July when he skittled Hampshire for 115, becoming the 79th player to take all ten wickets in an innings.Bell stood out as the England batsman who grew up, even if statistically he lacked the huge scores everyone continues to expect from him. It was in one-day cricket that he progressed the most, with an un-English strike-rate of 93. “It was hard to ignore the style,” Lawrence Booth wrote. “The confidence placedin him as a senior batsman helped bring out that diminutive, almost impish,aestheticism; his cover-drive won the team’s beauty contest hands down. Thecatches he has made at short leg, or at silly point when Monty Panesar hasbeen bowling, have long indicated a ball-sense of world-class standard.”From a burgeoning talent to one man’s renaissance: Sidebottom forced his way in and, such has success been, that he is now one of the first names on the team sheet. A late developer, Sidebottom finally took his first Test wicket six years after his made his Test debut in 2001. Now, as Simon Hughes writes,” he was now sure of his ability and trusted hismethods of fast-medium-pace and probing left-arm inswing from an impressive6ft 3in frame. They soon brought rewards. After the appalling waywardnessof Harmison and Co in early summer, his steadiness was immensely reassuring,and his duel with a struggling Tendulkar in the Trent Bridge Test was, for thepurist, one of the highlights of the summer”.Another left-armer stole the limelight from Sidebottom later in the summer, however. Zaheer took 18 wickets in the three Tests, including nine during India’s seven-wicket win at Trent Bridge, leading many to consider him the best left-armer India had ever possessed. His excellence was of little surprise to Worcestershire’s supporters, the club at which Zaheer honed his variations in 2006. “Playing for Worcestershire meant playing in different conditions, pitch and weather for five months. You had to innovate, use your thinking power,” he told Pradeep Vijayakar in his piece in the Almanack.Chanderpaul’s inclusion was perhaps the most expected of all. No other West Indian batsman showed his resilience, guts and skill against England. As Ian Bishop wrote, “that no other West Indian managed a score of more than 60 in the Tests speaks of the yawning gap between his skill, commitment and experience – and theirs”.Jacques Kallis was named as the Leading Cricketer in the World for 2007, while Kevin Pietersen adorned the front cover.

Mike Brearley, the former England captain, will serve as the next president of MCC. His one-year term of office will begin on October 1 and he will replace Doug Insole, who made the announcement during MCC’s AGM on Wednesday afternoon at Lord’s.Brearley captained England in 31 of his 39 Tests, including the 1981 Ashes series, and overall won 18 matches while in charge. He also played 25 ODIs and led England in the 1979 World Cup final at Lord’s.His first spell leading England was between 1977 and 1979-80 when he won acclaim for his captaincy even though his batting was often criticised, and his Test average of 22.88 showed that he was not good enough to hold his own as a batsman. But after Ian Botham failed as his successor, he returned in 1981 with England trailing to Australia and guided his side to a remarkable 3-1 series win before retiring again.His first-class career spanned two decades and he led Middlesex for 12 seasons – at county level he was far more effective, as an average of almost 38 shows. He turned Middlesex from perennial underachievers into the best team in the land, leading them to three Championships (plus one that was shared) and two Gillette Cups.Brearley wrote three books about Ashes series he played in, and on retiring penned The Art of Captaincy, considered the definite work on the subject. He was named one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 1977 and a year later was awarded an OBE for his services to cricket. In 1983 he became an Honorary Life Member of MCC.

Brian Lara, the West Indies captain, felt that Sachin Tendulkar’s absence from the Indian team for the one-day series in the West Indies would deprive the youngsters in his side and the spectators the opportunity of watching a superior player in action.Tendulkar is recuperating from shoulder surgery and his availability for the four Tests against West Indies starting June 2 is still uncertain. The Test team will be announced on May 24.”I think it is unfortunate because we are all entertainers. The public would have loved to see Sachin,” Lara told after a practice session at the Queen’s Park Oval before his team’s sixth ODI against Zimbabwe. “He’s going to be here for the World Cup hopefully, but any opportunity to see him would have been great for the public.”Lara was upbeat about his own team’s chances and how Tendulkar’s presence would have lifted the opposition’s game. “It doesn’t mean that India, with a player like Sachin Tendulkar in the team, is actually going to beat the West Indies”, he said. “Yes, they would have a player of high class but we would have loved to have him here playing against us. As team members, we can only learn from a player like that.”

Sourav Ganguly has expressed the hope that his stint with Glamorgan will fetch him as much success as his previous tours to England with the Indian team. Ganguly, who has been signed up by the county to play for them at least till the end of July, will play his first match today (June 1) against Sussex at Swansea.”I’m really looking forward to this opportunity of playing for Glamorgan,” Ganguly said. “I’ve done well in this country before, in Tests and one-day internationals, and I didn’t have too bad a time with Lancashire either. We finished as runners-up in the County Championship and I did well in their one-day matches.”Ganguly has an excellent record in England – in six Tests he averages 74 with the bat and 31.50 with the ball, while in 20 one-day internationals there he averages 39.25, only marginally below his career average. However, his stint with Lancashire in 2000 wasn’t quite so impressive – in 14 first-class matches he only managed an average of 31.95, with no centuries.Ganguly has also been struggling for runs over the last year, but Robert Croft, the Glamorgan captain, had no doubt that Ganguly would be an inspiration to the rest of the team. “Sourav’s a special cricketer, everyone knows what he can do at the highest level. He’ll score a lot of runs and will also pass on his experience to the youngsters coming through.” Ganguly is expected to bat at No.5 in the four-day games and open the batting in the one-dayers.Glamorgan have had a wretched start to the season, losing all five Division One matches so far, but Ganguly was keen to help stop the slide. “It will be a challenge after a poor start, but I’m very happy to be part of a young team,” Ganguly told BBC Sport Wales. “There’ll be a lot of expectation, but I’ve been around for 10 years, I’m an established international cricketer and I have to put the performances on the board.”He also revealed that the call-up by the county had come as a surprise to him. “I was in England for a family holiday and was going to go to Paris for the French Open, but when this chance came I said I’d love to do it,” he said. “I only had a tourist visa and had to fly to Brussels to sort out a working one, and now I’m in Wales for the first time.”I have played against a few of the guys like David Hemp, Alex Wharf and Robert Croft and it’s just great to have the chance to play in this country again.”