Paul Collingwood in action for England against South Africa: Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
BSkyB and Channel Five have retained the British TV rights to England’s home Test matches, Twenty20 and one-day internationals until 2013 in a £300m deal.
Today’s deal means cricket fans who do not subscribe to Sky Sports will be unable to watch live England [...]

Kevin Pietersen is unveiled as England’s new captain, ahead of his first game as skipper later this week. Photograph: Stephen Hird/Reuters
The England and Wales Cricket Board has confirmed that Kevin Pietersen has become the new Test and one-day captain of England. Pietersen takes the role, replacing Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood, who stepped down from [...]

Graeme Smith is undergoing treatment but admits his back is causing him pain. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images
Graeme Smith could face a late fitness test before facing England at Edgbaston tomorrow. The South Africa captain revealed he is suffering from a back injury sustained during his side’s three-day game against Bangladesh A at Worcester [...]

Alastair Cook: time for a career-defining innings? No, no apparently not. Photograph: Scott Heavey/Action Images
66th over: England 156-6 (Ambrose 1 Flintoff 2)Kallis takes a spell and Steyn is on. “Only Flintoff’s beard stands between South Africa and victory now” comments Keith Flett, lost somewhere in world of his own. A maiden, Flintoff picking out [...]

Flintoff said he had no worries over his fitness. Photograph: S Forster/Getty
Andrew Flintoff believes he can become a better player than ever in Test cricket as he prepares to return for England after a lengthy injury lay-off.
After being kept out of the Test side for 18 months by a succession of injuries, Flintoff has [...]

I never thought it would be this easy. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images
49th over: South Africa 110-0 (McKenzie 42 Smith 60)Don’t worry, there’s Jacques Kallis to come after this you know. “Dear Mr. Bull” writes the extremely polite Michael Gorman, “When did “gift” become a verb? (If there was anything interesting about the cricket, I wouldn’t [...]

Topsy Ojo and Mike Brown have been fined and reprimanded. Photographs: David Rogers/Getty Images
Topsy Ojo and Mike Brown have been fined and reprimanded after being found guilty of misconduct on England’s recent tour of New Zealand, following a report by Judge Jeff Blackett, the disciplinary officer of the Rugby Football Union. Ojo was fined £500 [...]

Johnson called up former New Zealand Maori Riki Flutey to the England squad. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images
Mike Tindall and Ben Kay have been dropped from the senior England squad announced by new team manager Martin Johnson. However, the former New Zealand Maori Riki Flutey has been included as one of four uncapped players.
Tindall and [...]

England coach Tony Smith is shaping his side for the World Cup this autumn. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Friday morning in Toulouse and after some violent overnight thunderstorms the anticipation is building for what promises to be a full-blooded international tonight. There will be plenty more chances to say that this year, with autumn’s World Cup rushing [...]

Zimbabwe players celebrate last year’s Twenty20 victory over Australia. Photograph: Nic Bothma/EPA
Zimbabwe will be banned from playing cricket in England next year, it emerged today, as the England and Wales Cricket Board officially severed its ties with the country.
Following the lead of South Africa earlier this week, the ECB confirmed that all bilateral arrangements with [...]