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September 6, 2002
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News Roll
  India in England
Final Test, The Oval (day one): England 336-2 v India

Michael Vaughan hit his fourth century of the summer as England dominated the opening day of the fourth and deciding Test against India at The Oval.

The England opener continued in his rich vein of fine form to smash 27 boundaries, finishing the day just 18 runs short of a double ton.

India, who won the previous Test at Headingley to square the series, could only take two wickets all day and will already have to work hard to stay in the match.

Vaughan shared in a first wicket partnership of 98 with Marcus Trescothick, who returned to the England side after missing the first three Tests with a broken thumb.


Butcher admitted the toss was a crucial one for England to win, the Oval pitch notorious for taking to spin on the fourth and fifth days.

"If our score becomes 450 all out then we'll have made a mess of it," stressed Mark Butcher, who shared in a 174-run second-wicket partnership with Vaughan.

"Our job is only half done at the moment. There's still a hell of a lot of runs to score before we get into a position where we can't lose or before we can start dictating the game.

"The key is to bat all day and do to them what they did to us at Headingley. We need to push our score up to 500 or 600."

  ICC Champions Trophy
Sri Lanka skipper Sanath Jayasuriya is back in training and looks set to be fit in time for the Champions Trophy in Colombo.

Jayasuriya has been working hard in the nets with the team physio Alex Kountouri who told, "He seemed to be okay, but the real test will come next Thursday when he will be thrown into the deep end and asked to perform all his skills like batting, bowling and fielding."

'Next Thursday' is when Sri Lanka play their first game in the Champion's Trophy as they face up to Pakistan -- a side they recently defeated on their way to winning the Moroco Cup.

  PSO triangular tournament
Australia were taken to the last over of the match before beating Kenya by five wickets in a triangular tournament one-day international on Thursday.

All-rounder Shane Watson hit an unbeaten 77, including two sixes, to secure victory with five balls to spare after Kenya had scored a spirited 204 for nine.

Australia, who rested several players for the game and also juggled with their batting order, play Pakistan in Saturday's final.

  Miscellaneous
England are confident that coach Duncan Fletcher will extend his contract before the start of the Ashes tour of Australia.

Fletcher's current deal is due to end in September 2003 but he has held preliminary talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) with a view to a longer stay.

ECB chief executive Tim Lamb said an agreement by October would be a big boost for the touring side.


Former England Test player Neil Fairbrother has retired from first-class cricket at the age of 38. The former England batsman, who had spent 20 years playing for Lancashire, had stopped enjoying the game as much as usual after struggling for form all season.

He said: "I have always said that I wanted to continue playing while I was enjoying my cricket and maintaining a standard which I found acceptable.

"Unfortunately, performances this season have fallen short of the standards I set myself.

Design: Imran Shaikh


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