Minor Counties

Two wins and four defeats may not suggest a successful season but Gordon Child, the Minor Counties Under-25s’ team manager, was satisfied with his side’s performances in the Second XI Trophy (Michael Austin writes). “We choose only two players over 25 in our team while the first-class counties we meet do not have an age limit,” Child said. “Their established players make the difference but the matches give our youngsters valuable experience. Only seven of our squad of 16 had previously played in the competition.” Led by Chris Brown, the Norfolk off spinner, and Simon Kellett, the Cambridgeshire batsman, the Minor Counties relished the contribution of Jack Shantry, 19, of Shropshire, and Jon Miles, 21, a fellow left-arm seam bowler from Lincolnshire. Chris Smith, 21, of Oxfordshire, and another opening batsman, Oliver Sadler, 20, from Cheshire, also impressed, along with Paul McMahon, 24, the Oxfordshire off spinner.

Women

The abandonment of the Second NatWest One Day International at Stratford-upon-Avon on Sunday was a blessing in disguise for Charlotte Edwards (Sarah Potter writes). The England captain tore a hamstring during her side’s second Twenty20 victory over New Zealand at Bath last week and the wet weather has given her more time to recover for the game in Derby on Thursday.

The 29-year-old opener is confident that she will be passed fit to play in the only floodlit match of the series, without jeopardising the back-to-back internationals scheduled for Blackpool over the Bank Holiday weekend. New Zealand have a one-nil advantage in a series that ends on Thursday week. Both sets of players will undertake an open-top bus tour of Blackpool the next day and the ECB has entered into the holiday spirit by producing sticks of blue and red rock for the occasion.

Its centre will read “England v New Zealand 2007”.