Mind games to the fore at Rose Bowl A wicked track at Rose Bowl, Southampton almost led to India pulling out off its three-day tour match against Hampshire early on the second day. It was only after Hampshire captain Robin Smith agreed to keep his fast bowlers Neil Johnson and James Tomlinson away from the attack that the game continued. But with his players facing the risk of injuries despite this move, Sourav Ganguly declared the Indian second innings at 139 for four, leaving Hampshire a victory target of 253. The home team had wended their way to 43 for two, needing a further 210 runs for victory by the time stumps were drawn on Sunday. Earlier, the Indians made a respectable 236 in their first innings thanks to good hands from Rahul Dravid (78) and VVS Laxman (38). With the pitch turning increasingly vile, Hampshire could only post 123 in reply. The game, though, has not been bereft of all meaning; Sanjay Bangar, for one, has grabbed the opportunity to pitch his case for a slot in the Indian Test team. The soft-spoken all-rounder has already claimed six wickets while also making an unbeaten 52 in the Indian second innings.

England recall Cork, White for Lord’s Test England on Saturday recalled Dominic Cork and Craig White to a 13-man squad for the first npower Test against India at Lord's. John Crawley and Simon Jones, both of whom were in the squad for the last Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, were also retained. Faced with a long list of injuries - Marcus Trescothick (fractured thumb), Andrew Caddick (rib) and Alex Tudor (tendonitis) - the English selectors were forced to ring in the changes. After due deliberation, they decided to prefer experience over youth. Cork, 30, might now get another chance to play on the ground where he has put on some command performances in the past, and where he played his last Test against Sri Lanka in May. The inclusion of White, 32, who hasn't played Test cricket since England's tour of India last year, is designed to increase England's batting options. "The injury to Alex Tudor means that we need someone with batting capability in the number eight position," chairman of selectors David Graveney explained. "Depending on the balance of the side and the nature of the wicket, there could be an opportunity for either Cork or White in this position." Explaining Crawley's retention, Graveney said, "John Crawley came into the side for the first npower Test against Sri Lanka and acquitted himself well." "We have had some injury problems ahead of this match - but we are fully aware of how important it is to start this Test series well as this an area we have sometimes fallen down on previously," he added. Squad: N Hussain (captain), MA Butcher, MP Vaughan, GP Thorpe, JP Crawley, AJ Stewart (wk), A Flintoff, C White, AF Giles, MJ Hoggard, SP Jones, DG Cork, D Gough.

Tendulkar might turn out for Hampshire in 2003 It is not just Sourav Ganguly who nourishes fond hopes of playing another season of county cricket; Sachin Tendulkar too seems interested. Tendulkar, who in 1992 became the first overseas professional to represent Yorkshire, is reportedly eager to turn out for Hampshire in 2003. According to BBC Sport Online, it was Tendulkar himself who approached the county officials and expressed this desire. The Little Master's keenness might be explained by the fact that his wife Anjali's family currently resides in the nearby county of Wiltshire. Hampshire's director of cricket admitted that the prospect of contemporary cricket's most prolific batsman playing for his county interested him but went on to couch it with the rider that the eventual decision would depend both on the extent of Tendulkar's international commitments as well as the county's ability to find an external sponsor to finance the signing.

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