England bowler James Anderson has been left out against the Stanford Superstars. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images
The Stanford Cricket Ground was an area of calm yesterday morning before tonight’s storm. Tropical palms swayed, flags fluttered in anticipation of Antigua’s November 1 Independence Day. In the middle, the yellow roadroller was trying to compact some substance into [...]

Matt Prior celebrates Engalnd’s victory against South Africa. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images
England captain Kevin Pietersen has backed Matt Prior to solve England’s long-term wicketkeeping problem after he hit an unbeaten 45 and took six catches in England’s 10-wicket victory over South Africa in the second match of the NatWest Series at Trent Bridge.
The performance equaled [...]

Gareth Barry wearing Villa’s previous kit. Photograph: Scott Heavey/Action Images
Aston Villa will carry the name of a children’s charity on their shirts next season after announcing a partnership with the West Midlands-based Acorns Children’s Hospice. The charity’s logo will feature on the club’s shirt for free in the 2008-09 season after their lucrative sponsorship deal [...]

Blatter is pressing on with his plans for foreign player quotas. Photograph: Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images
The Fifa president Sepp Blatter is confident that his controversial ’six-plus-five’ rule will be in place by the 2012-13 season after the plans received the backing of key members of Europe’s football hierarchy.
Blatter, in Sydney for Fifa’s annual congress, said rules [...]