Protests outside Lord's

Exiled victims of President Robert Mugabe's regime staged a noisy protest at Lord's as the first match of the England-Zimbabwe Test series started on Thursday.

Dozens of demonstrators played and sang while holding placards outside the north London ground.

Nearly 100 members of Parliament have accused the England and Wales Cricket Board of 'putting profit before principle' by allowing the tour to go ahead.

Marsh criticises security arrangements

Zimbabwe coach Geoff Marsh attacked the security arrangements at Lord's after two protesters strolled onto the playing area while the match was in progress.

"It's disappointing they got on the ground. There's security staff all around and they got on," Marsh said. "You shouldn't just be able to walk on like that.

"I'm sure the management of both sides will be saying something about this," the former Australia batsman added.

Baptiste considers legal action

Former West Indian cricketer Elden Baptiste is considering legal action against customs bosses over false allegations that he smuggled cocaine in a golf ball.

Customs chiefs on Friday apologised to Baptiste, who was held when preliminary tests at London's Gatwick airport revealed the drug. Detailed forensic tests on the balls later revealed no cocaine. As a result Baptiste was released and charges of cocaine trafficking were dropped.

Baptiste, who played in 10 Tests for his country and for a string of English clubs, welcomed the apology.

But he said he remained shocked by the treatment he was subjected to when detained at Gatwick on Sunday.

Baptiste was held at Wandsworth Prison for three days and only released two days ago.

He was travelling from Antigua to South Africa with his five-year-old daughter.

Baptiste, who now plays for celebrity club Lashings based in Maidstone, Kent, said: "I think that is a very lame excuse.

"I know mistakes can be made but the way I was treated was inhuman.

"I don't mean I was knocked about by customs officers, but to be thrown into a prison cell and given a prison number was shocking."

Clarke makes the most of Lara lessons

Australian batting prodigy Michael Clarke has called on advice from one of Australia's most feared opponents to better cope with life on the periphery of a world champion team.

Clarke, who crowned his first full international appearance of his eight-week Caribbean tour with a man-of-the-match performance in Australia's 25-run one-day win in St Lucia on Wednesday, has been befriended of late by West Indies captain Brian Lara.

Lara shared with Clarke his experiences as a precociously talented youngster waiting for an opportunity in the big time.

When Australia toured the West Indies in 1991 under Allan Border, Lara was 21 and had already been identified as an international-standard batsman. But he was unable to force his way into a team that included Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Richie Richardson, Viv Richards and Carl Hooper, and was 12th man for all five Tests.

Given the West Indies were as dominant then as this Australian team, Lara used his time on the fringes to soak up as much knowledge as he could from his peers and has urged Clarke to do likewise.