Sachin Tendulkar has had a successful keyhole operation on his right shoulder in London this afternoon. “He underwent arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery to stabilise the shoulder joint and decompress the cyst,” Andrew Wallace, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, said after an hour-long surgery at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth.”The surgery proceeded successfully without any complications,” Wallace continued. “At the time of the operation, we found clear evidence of instability associated with a tear of the rim of the socket of the shoulder joint. The tear extended through 75% of the biceps tendon and had created a large cyst that was impinging on a nearby nerve. The damaged biceps tendon was divided and reattached to the shaft of the humerus [upper arm bone].”His arm will be immobilised in a sling for up to six weeks and it is unlikely that he will be fit for selection for international cricket for up to two to three months, depending on regular review,” Wallace added. That effectively rules him out of the tour of the Caribbean which starts on May 18.Tendulkar will spend the night in hospital before being discharged on Tuesday.

Marcus Trescothick returned to the England fold as if he had never been away, rattling along to his 14th Test hundred and his second at Lord’s, as Sri Lanka’s bowlers were put through their paces on a glorious summer’s day. By the close, he and Alastair Cook, who made 89 on his home debut, had lifted England to a position of supreme dominance on 318 for 3.”It was time to move on,” said a delighted Trescothick, whose tour of India ended in dramatic and mysterious circumstances in March, when he flew home in tears and amid conflicting reports about his wellbeing. But all such dramas were forgotten as he found redemption in the middle, creaming 16 fours and a six in a 180-ball 106.”It was time to get things rolling, get back in an England shirt and enjoy playing cricket again,” added Trescothick, who had to endure a tricky first hour as Sri Lanka’s seamers found some useful movement off the pitch. “It was tough, more than I expected,” he admitted. “I knew it might swing around a bit but it seamed as well. We just had to watch the ball hard and play as late as possible.”For the home fans who packed the Lord’s stands, it was as if he had never been away. Trescothick was the mainstay of England’s batting during the Ashes with 431 runs in five Tests, but the reality has been somewhat different for a man unused to missing international action – prior to last winter, he had missed just three Tests out of 72 since making his debut in August 2000.”I used the time [away] to take stock, sit back, then move on,” Trescothick explained. “But I’m playing the same way as I have played all my career. I love playing cricket, and now I’ve got an opportunity to enjoy the summer. The start of the season has gone pretty well with Somerset, but back in international cricket is where I want to be.Such is the close-knit atmosphere of the current England squad, Trescothick never doubted that a place in the side would be his as soon as he was ready, but there was nothing blasé about his build-up to the match. “I was pretty nervous,” he conceded. “There were the expectations of coming back into the start of a summer, but it was a real good buzz to walk out this morning. It was quite exciting.””It was a bigger release last week when I got a hundred last week against Northamptoon, because I hadn’t got any runs prior to that in four-day cricket. But you’re always under pressure to make runs, because of the expectations of the team and our goals. Today, I played as I would have done six months ago, but you’ve got to make runs because there’s always someone waiting to take your spot!”That last remark was aimed with a smile at the man sat alongside him, Cook, who capitalised on Trescothick’s absence to make that brilliant century on debut at Nagpur. Today he fell 11 runs short, but his disappointment was tempered by the satisfaction at a job well done.”It’s been a fantastic week, I’ve really enjoyed the build-up, but it was nice to get out there, stop talking and play cricket,” he said. “It’s always nice playing in front of a lot of people, especially when the sun’s out and you’re on a good wicket.”Another 11 would have been nice, but thought I’d played ok,” he said modestly, having begun his innings after a nervy 40-minute wait over the lunch break, following the dismissal of Andrew Strauss. But, as an opener, Cook didn’t mind that situation too much. “It kind of worked in my favour,” he said. “It felt like I was opening the innings after lunch, and it was no different to walking out with someone else.”

Matt Horne, the former New Zealand opening batsman, announced his retirement from first-class cricket yesterday.Horne, 35, who last played a Test in 2003 against Sri Lanka at Kandy, felt that the time was right to make a break from competitive cricket. He is currently playing in Scotland during the New Zealand winter.”I’ve been incredibly lucky with injuries over the years, which has allowed me to play as long as I have, and I certainly couldn’t have done it without a lot of help”, Horne told NZPA. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have had an impact on my career, especially the support from my family, Garth Gallaway, John Graham, Brittain Wynyard and the Grafton United Cricket Club.”Horne played 35 Tests and 50 ODIs for New Zealand since making his international debut in 1997. An attacking batsman with a characteristic high backlift, he scored 1788 runs in Tests at an average of 28.38 with four centuries and five half-centuries. He was less successful in the one-dayers, making 980 runs at an average of 20.41 with five half-centuries. His last ODI was against Pakistan at Lahore in 2002.He began his career at Auckland in 1992-93, and his breakthrough innings was the190 off 192 balls which helped his side defeat Wellington in the 1995-96 domestic championship final. He moved to Otago shortly after and enjoyed a profitable season, amassing 843 runs, which ultimately led to a call up to the Test side against England. He scored 42 on debut at Christchurch and his first Test century came against Australia at Hobart later in the year.Horne enjoyed a good tour of England in 1999 and it was his 100 at Lord’s which was instrumental in New Zealand’s win. However, he suffered a loss of form and was in and out of the Test side, with the New Zealand selectors constantly experimenting with different openers. His ODI career was disappointing, failing to score a century, despite his attacking style of play. His highest score was 74, against India at Nottingham in the 1999 World Cup.

Sylvester Joseph has been appointed captain of the West Indies A side for the tour of England in July and August this year.The 16-man squad contains as many as eleven players with international experience, including Dave Mohammed, Runako Morton and Jerome Taylor, currently with the national team for the home series against India. The touring squad also includes Lendl Simmons, Richard Kelly and Jason Mohammed, stars of Trinidad and Tobago’s Carib Beer title triumph. Tino Best, the fast bowler who missed out on selection against India, gets another chance to impress the selectors.The team will play a series of three-day and limited overs games against various county sides, including a three-day fixture against the touring Pakistan side at Shenley.Squad – Sylvester Joseph (capt), Ryan Hinds (vice-capt), Devon Smith, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Runako Morton, Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Jason Mohammed, Darren Sammy, Patrick Browne (wk), Richard Kelly, Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Tino Best, Dave Mohammed and Andrew RichardsonSupport staff – Anthony Howard (manager), David Moore (coach), Phyllis Burnett (physiotherapist), Bryce Cavanagh (strength & conditioning coordinator)

Not much has gone Danish Kaneria’s way this series. At times, it has looked easier to extract blood from stone than it has for him to get an appeal to go his way. The only way out then is to hit the stumps, which he did today, with a ball legspinners live for, a delivery that makes all the shredded fingers and rickety shoulder worthwhile.Before the afternoon drinks break, Kaneria was laboured, ineffective, broody. His drink must have been spiked during it, for he came out a different man. His colleague at Essex, Alastair Cook, had so far in the series benefited from the familiarity, but he was bamboozled for an over before being sent back. Enter Kevin Pietersen.He knows how to make an entrance too, and twice in his next over from Kaneria he swept him for boundaries. Words and macho glares were exchanged, Pietersen keen as ever to assert himself, Kaneria equally keen to hand it back. In his next over, Kaneria cut his pace significantly, in exchange for greater loop; Pietersen strutted out a cut through covers for four but the next ball was slower, loopier and dropped on a good length. It drew Pietersen forward to either drive or flick, spun through a gap as wide as the Grand Canyon and bowled him; the googly as it was originally conceived. Cue a re-run of Shoaib Akhtar’s famous but cryptic chicken-run celebration from the Faisalabad Test last year.”It was a disguised googly for him. He played very well in first innings but this one landed on with the right spot and it just hit the stumps,” Kaneria explained later. He also spoke of the running exchanges that marked the brief confrontation. “I wanted to show aggression to him as a spinner because he wants to kill the bowler’s line and length, get runs on the board and make the team go faster.”And much to the relief of all who viewed it, he also sought to explain the chicken-run celebration, drawing inspiration clearly from Marty McFly and the popular ‘Back to the Future’ trilogy. “He walks in, opens his feathers. I called him chicken and he got angry. I said okay, chicken is the word to scare him out, and that worked out for me. It was just a joke because Pietersen likes to play strokes to the bowlers. When the spinner’s bowling he just wants to slog him everywhere. It was a good wicket for me but what was said is between me and him.”Handbags aside, Kaneria was relieved to finally get some wickets and importantly, put in a biting spell. “It’s always nice to get wickets and I should have more wickets but the luck has been up and down and things haven’t gone my way. I’m still trying my best.” Try he certainly has and he won’t, you suspect, ever die wondering. He even confessed to being tired from appealing so much.What his spell contributed to today was a potentially tantalizing final day and Kaneria argued that his side was happy to chase a target of 323. “It’s a good score to chase. It’s been a fascinating day and we came a long way to play positive cricket and show the world we are the better side. It’s a slow wicket and Monty Panesar is a finger spinner but our batsmen are positive and looking forward to getting the runs.”

The International Cricket Council has officially launched the 2007 cricket World Cup logo, mascot and tournament schedule during a function in New Delhi where the World Cup trophy was also unveiled.The aim of the programme was to urge the fans in India to visit the West Indies and enjoy the cricketing extravaganza in a carnival-like atmosphere. Malcom Speed, the ICC chief executive officer, said the West Indies were long overdue to host the World Cup given their immense contribution to the game. “Given the passion West Indies have for the game and the tremendous commitment shown so far by the governments and people of the region, we are confident that they will host an excellent cricket World Cup.”Chris Dehring, the managing director and chief executive of ICC World Cup 2007 said India was an extremely important market as host of the next World Cup, as home to the largest TV audience to world sport and as the base for the tournament’s official global partner and two of the official sponsors.”To show our commitment to strengthening our relationship with India, we are working to highlight the World Cup in India and offer a taste of what fans can expect in the Caribbean next year,” said Dehring. “We want to make sure that the Indian public is fully informed and excited about the event. We also wish to encourage as many Indian fans as possible to travel to the Caribbean for the best cricket World Cup ever. The first phase for ticket application would close on July 31.”Dehring also sought to allay apprehensions over accommodation in the Caribbean, saying the governments of the nine sovereign states which would host World Cup matches had met recently to tackle the issue. “There would be a wide range of accommodations for the international visitors. There will be home stay programme as well as cruise ship to accommodate thousands of visitors expected to travel to the Caribbean. The governments are working together with the private sector and we are confident of providing good accommodation to the fans.”

Latest points tableEssex completed their demolition job over Derbyshire midway through the third day by an innings and 178 runs at Chelmsford to return to second in the table.Already three down overnight, Derbyshire lost Hassan Adnan early, a regulation catch in the slips by Ravi Bopara, off Andre Adams. Jake Needham, the nightwatchman, battled hard but Alex Tudor took three quick wickets before the lower order offered some late resistance.The innings was eventually wrapped up by James Middlebrook and Tim Phillips 25 minutes after lunch. Tudor ended the match with an excellent low diving catch moving in from long-on off Phillips to remove Steffan Jones.Essex will enter the final round of Championship matches leading Worcestershire by four points in the chase for the second promotion spot.

Shane Warne made a strong return in his first match of the season in Australia and then announced he was ready to turn it on again during the Ashes. Warne took 4 for 34 for St Kilda as they beat Footscray by 120 runs at Junction Oval before saying he was very happy with his bowling over the past six months.”To be honest, I bowled probably the best I ever have for Hampshire,” Warne said after the game. “The results weren’t really there [during the county season in England], but they were in one-day cricket. I did exceptionally well in one-day cricket All the Hampshire boys reckon I’m going to have a big Ashes series and a big domestic home season here because I didn’t have much luck during the county season.”Warne was the highest wicket-taker for Hampshire in the 2006 County Championship, but his 58 wickets came at 27 apiece, placing him fourth in the averages list. However, he was outstanding in the one-dayers, taking 23 in 12 games at an average of 14.21.He also reiterated the fact he would not be playing one-day cricket in the domestic season, although he expressed his willingness to step in in case of an injury. “I’m not playing international cricket, and state cricket is all about producing players for international cricket,” Warne said. “Why should I take up a spot when that spot could be taken by a young spinner or someone else they want to try or play?”We’ve got a young captain, a young side, but there might be a time through the summer when Whitey [Cameron White] is with Australia A, or Hodgey [Brad Hodge]. We might have a few injuries and suddenly they might need me to play – then I’m happy to step in.”Looking ahead to the Ashes, Warne endorsed England’s move to appoint Andrew Flintoff as the leader of the campaign. “It’s an aggressive move to make him captain. I’m sure he will do a good job,” Warne said. “I don’t think it’s a risk. You look at the candidates and I think he will need someone like Andrew Strauss. I think at times during the summer he will go to Andrew Strauss to work out what’s the right time to bowl and those sorts of things. He [Strauss] can keep an eye on things while he’s bowling. But I think it’s a good move from England.”

For the umpteenth time in his career Chris Harris bailed Canterbury out of an awkward spot today, hitting a measured and unbeaten 103 as their game against Otago meandered towards a draw . Harris shared a 162-run partnership with Craig McMillan, who hit 101 and is pressing a claim for an unlikely recall to the national side for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, as Canterbury finished the third day on 330 for 7.McMillan has made his displeasure at being dropped abundantly clear but this time he was doing his talking with the bat. With Scott Styris unlikely to play in the first Test, there is an outside chance McMillan could fill the slot. He eventually fell to his cousin, James McMillan, who ended the day with 5 for 77, an impressive return on a docile wicket.Otago will almost certainly claim first innings points tomorrow, but Harris will make it as difficult as possible.

Rory Hamilton-Brown will captain England under-19’s squad for their tour of Malaysia in January and February 2007. And Paul Farbrace, Kent Academy’s Director, will be the coach for the tour, while England’s regular coach, Andy Pick, is on a year sabbatical to coach Canada to the World Cup.The month-long tour starts on 23 January and consists of two triangular one-day tournaments. The first is between England, Malaysia U-19 and Sri Lanka U-19 and the second between England, Malaysia U-19 and India U-19.Tour manager John Abrahams was part of a four-person selection panel that included National Academy manager Peter Moores and England fast bowling coach Kevin Shine.Squad Rory Hamilton-Brown (capt), Greg Wood (wk), Alex Blake, Ben Brown (wk), Karl Brown, Maurice Chambers, Liam Dawson, Steven Finn, Billy Godleman, Andrew Miller, Sam Northeast, Alex Wakely, Mervyn Westfield, Ben Wright.