England"s unanswered questions ahead of World Cup

After falling to a 5-2 series defeat in Sri Lanka, we asked our team of pundits to pick apart what is going wrong for England in ODI cricket and if any positives could be taken from the series ahead of the World Cup in February.

Sir Ian Botham 
“I don’t think he should be nailed down as captain and from his interview it seems that if he doesn’t score runs in the warm-up games he probably won’t be considered for the World Cup. He is a lovely lad but is he one of our best one-day players? I don’t think he is. So the selectors have to start thinking.”

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England"s unanswered questions ahead of World Cup

"England try to keep hanging on - and now it"s my time to suffer in Sri Lanka"

Sky Sports News HQ’s Tim Abraham is back on the road in Sri Lanka after illness and a run-in with the local wildlife…

The long and windy road to Kandy from Colombo is a spectacular four-hour drive heading north through the hills of Sri Lanka but I’m afraid it all passed me by as I was slumped on the back seat of our van, not feeling the best.

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"England try to keep hanging on - and now it"s my time to suffer in Sri Lanka"

Sheffield Shield: Sean Abbott maintains career-best figures as New South Wales win

Sean Abbott, the Australian bowler whose bouncer fatally injured Phillip Hughes, claimed career-best figures of 6-14 as New South Wales defeat Queensland in the Sheffield Shield.

There had been worries the 22-year old paceman may have been too traumatised to play again after Hughes died from being hit by one among his ascending balls in the Sydney Cricket Ground last month.

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Sheffield Shield: Sean Abbott maintains career-best figures as New South Wales win

Matt Prior interview: "Jos Buttler flourishes in latter overs, thus do not transfer him"

Matt Prior is backing Jos Buttler to become a massively successful wicketkeeper-batsman for England – if he bats in the correct place.

Buttler, 24, now wears the gloves in most types of the game because of his nation but has allowed his greatest for the one-day international stadium, scoring a maiden – and thrilling – hundred against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in May during the latter overs.

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Matt Prior interview: "Jos Buttler flourishes in latter overs, thus do not transfer him"

Australia v India: David Warner dedicates Test century to late Phillip Hughes

David Warner dedicated his “best” Test hundred to late teammate Phillip Hughes after racking up three amounts for Australia on day one against India.

Warner posted 145 at The Adelaide Oval on Tuesday in The Baggy Greens’ first match since Hughes passed away after being hit in the neck with a bouncer from Sean Abbott in a Sheffield Shield game.

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Australia v India: David Warner dedicates Test century to late Phillip Hughes

Arafat Sunny helps Bangladesh take 2-0 lead in ODI series with Zimbabwe

Left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny maintained career-best bodies as Bangladesh went 2-0 upward in their ODI series against Zimbabwe.

Sunny chose 4-29 to help Bangladesh to a 68-run triumph after they won the toss and elected to bat first.

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Arafat Sunny helps Bangladesh take 2-0 lead in ODI series with Zimbabwe

LV= County Championship: Somerset resign Pakistan bowler Abdur Rehman

Somerset have signed Pakistan bowler Abdur Rehman as their overseas player for 2015.

Rehman returns to the County Ground after playing for Somerset in the year 2012, when claimed 27 wickets at a mean of 14.19, including a career-best 9-65 in a tournament match against Worcestershire.

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LV= County Championship: Somerset resign Pakistan bowler Abdur Rehman

Pakistan bowler Junaid Khan out of New Zealand Test series with harm

Pakistan and Lancashire pace bowler Junaid Khan WOn’t be fit for the Test series against New Zealand.

The 24-year old left armer, who has been Pakistan’s greatest fast bowler in recent months, continues to be counseled to get another six weeks of rehabilitation following his knee injury.

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Pakistan bowler Junaid Khan out of New Zealand Test series with harm

Mark Footitt keen to make impact on England Performance Programme

Derbyshire paceman Mark Footitt hopes to impress England’s hierarchy when he joins up with the Performance Programme squad later this month.

The left-armer was one of the best performers in the domestic game last season, taking a total of 106 wickets across all formats at an average of only 19.19.

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Mark Footitt keen to make impact on England Performance Programme

England in Sri Lanka: James Taylor and Ravi Bopara recalls totally deserved

James Taylor’s prolific form against the top bowlers in national cricket completely warrants his England recall, says Nick Knight.

Nottinghamshire one-day captain Taylor continues to be included alongside Essex’s Ravi Bopara in a 16-man squad for England’s tour of Sri Lanka, where the side – directed by Alastair Cook – will play seven one-day internationals.

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England in Sri Lanka: James Taylor and Ravi Bopara recalls totally deserved

Cricket World Cup: Jimmy Anderson says England will be nicely prepared

Jimmy Anderson says England will have no reasons over insufficient preparation when they don’t generate at next year’s World Cup.

England’s 50-finished type recently continues to be average at best, and 2014 found house series defeats in the hands of Sri Lanka and India.

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Cricket World Cup: Jimmy Anderson says England will be nicely prepared

Royal London One Day Cup final: Durham border house in low-scoring thriller against Warwickshire

Durham refused Warwickshire a national double after holding their nerve to claim a tense three-wicket triumph in a low-scoring Royal London One-Day Cup final at Lord’s.

NatWast T20 Blast winners Warwickshire were bowled out for only 165 on a blue day in the Home of Cricket and despite the best attempts of Jeetan Patel (4-25), Durham edged house to claim a stressed success.

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Royal London One Day Cup final: Durham border house in low-scoring thriller against Warwickshire

Division Two: Hampshire"s promotion bid delayed by Kent; Essex defeat Leicestershire

Hampshire started their penultimate regular as strong favourites to make certain of the next promotion place from Division Two of the County Championship, but their troubles at home to Kent and an Essex success have complicated the equations.

Opener Daniel Bell-Drummond batted for nearly seven-and-a-half hours in Southampton, taking his career-best to 153 after he and Sam Northeast (128) prolonged their fourth-wicket partnership to 244.

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Division Two: Hampshire"s promotion bid delayed by Kent; Essex defeat Leicestershire

Division Two: Essex begin firmly, Hampshire hampered by Kent

Jesse Ryder claimed career-best first class bowling figures to keep Essex in competition for promotion to the initial day of their LV= County Championship Division Two match against Leicestershire at Grace Road.

The underside-of-the-table hosts were dismissed for 138 in 36.4 overs, with New Zealand allrounder Ryder taking 5-50.

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Division Two: Essex begin firmly, Hampshire hampered by Kent

County Championship: Anthony Ireland and Michael Thornely to leave Leicestershire

Leicestershire are to release seamer Anthony Ireland and top-order batsman Michael Thornely at the end of this season.

Zimbabwe-born Ireland, 30, is departing Grace Road despite finishing as the club’s leading wicket-taker in the NatWest t20 Blast in his two years at the club, with 32 wickets at an average of 16.90, including a best of 5-22 at Derbyshire.

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County Championship: Anthony Ireland and Michael Thornely to leave Leicestershire