One-day series, Adelaide: Australia v EnglandMatch starts 0315 GMT Friday

Lewis (ankle) and Anderson (back) could both miss outOpening bowlers Jon Lewis and James Anderson are both injury doubts for England going into Friday's one-day match against Australia in Adelaide.
Anderson (back) and Lewis (ankle) both missed Thursday practice but Anderson's MRI showed no stress fracture.
"There is a difference between having a stiff back and the sort of pain I was getting when I had the stress fracture.
"It is one of those things you expect as a fast bowler. The scan was just a check that everything was OK," he said.
Any two of young seamers Chris Tremlett, Sajid Mahmood or Liam Plunkett could play in their place.
"The players who have come in are capable of stepping up to the plate," said veteran Paul Collingwood.
"Tremlett had a bit of an outing in Brisbane and looked pretty impressive."

Collingwood hopes a re-match with Australia at the ground where he hit a historic Ashes double hundred in December will help him overcome his own poor form.
Since then he has made 104 in six Test innings and only 63 more in four one-day matches.
"The form has tailed off but I am working as hard as I always do." he said.
"Every player goes through dips in form but you are only one score away from getting that back and that is what you have to keep believing."

We are big enough and have played enough games to say we have to go out there and perform
Paul Collingwood
Going into the Australia Day match, Collingwood's form has come in for scrutiny because of injuries around him in the batting order.
Captain Michael Vaughan (hamstring) is expected back for Tuesday's match against New Zealand in Perth but Kevin Pietersen (rib) is out for the rest of the tournament.
"I have obviously been thinking about it, trying to improve, trying to get some runs on the board and do my job for the team," said Collingwood.
"It is a good ground for me personally getting a big score like that."
Opener Andrew Strauss is also struggling, with an average of under 20 so far in the one-day Commonwealth Bank Series.
England's batting reached a low point at the ground on Tuesday as the tourists were bowled out for 120 in defeat to New Zealand.
They now probably need at least two wins from their four remaining matches to reach the best-of-three series finals.
"Embarrassed is the wrong word to use, we were pretty disappointed," said Collingwood of the 90-run defeat.
"We are bowling pretty well at the minute and as soon as we get both forms of the game in place at the same time hopefully we will win games.
"We need to stand up and be counted, simple as that - we are big enough and have played enough games to say we have to go out there and perform."
You need someone in your top three or four to make big scores - we did in the first game, but haven't since then
Ricky Ponting
The second Ashes Test, when Collingwood hit 206 in the first innings but was part of a batting collapse in the second, is arguably the closest England have come to beating Australia all tour.
Thursday's game will be their ninth international meeting in the last two months - after a 5-0 Test series whitewash, defeats in the Twenty20 international and the first two one-day meetings.
Australia's pace bowlers have been the stars of the one-day series so far, with Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson rotating in the attack.
But captain Ricky Ponting wants his batsmen to overcome two poor outings and get back to their best.
In their past two matches, they were in early trouble at 48-4 and 77-4, with Mike Hussey coming in at number six to steer them to victory both times.
"We haven't been chasing big totals and we've managed just to scrape across the line," Ponting complained.
"We did in the first game, but haven't since then. You need someone in your top three or four to make big scores."

Alex McLeish is thought to be favourite for the job
Scotland's new national coach will be revealed at a Monday media conference.
The position has been vacant since Walter Smith resigned on 10 January and Alex McLeish, the former Rangers manager, is expected to be appointed.

McLeish, who turned 48 on Sunday, has already been interviewed by the Scottish Football Association.

And it is thought that Andy Watson, who was his assistant at Motherwell, Hibernian and Ibrox, will join him as part of the new set-up.

Gary McAllister or Roy Aitken could also be part of the new regime.

Aitken, the former Aston Villa assistant manager, has been out of football since David O'Leary was axed by the Premiership club.

Former Coventry manager McAllister has voiced his desire to return to football after time out of the game following the death of his wife.

He was on the SFA's shortlist to succeed Walter Smith as Scotland manager along with Smith's assistant, Tommy Burns.

But McLeish was an early favourite for the job and appears likely to end an eight-month spell out of football management. Walter has laid a good foundation

Alex McLeish

BBC Sport understands that he would like McAllister or Aitken to join his management team.

McLeish admitted that he has already had talks with the SFA.

"I've thrown my hat in the ring and I am sure we will hear soon one way or another," he said.

"I have spoken to the SFA and I'm sure they will be speaking to other candidates.

"Of course it would be fantastic, just the same as it would be for anyone managing their country of origin."

McLeish believes that, if he takes over, he will be inheriting a side in good shape in the European Championship qualification campaign.

"Walter Smith did a fantastic job," he said. "He has moved on and we should applaud what he has done.

"If he was sought after, it's because the international team were doing well.

"We should not be paranoid about losing our manager.

"There are many good coaches around and, if it's not Walter, and I don't get the job, I'm sure whoever gets it will do well.

"But it's still a very difficult task as we should not underestimate the fact that we have both Italy and France away and also Italy at home.

"I'm sure people will still expect France and Italy to top our group, but Walter has laid a good foundation there."

There were a number of other candidates, but the SFA appeared to prefer avoiding compensation for a manager presently in a job.

Former Scotland international Richard Gough said he believed McLeish faced a difficult challenge if he took the Scotland job.

"There's a bit of credibility back and Scotland have been climbing up the Fifa rankings," said Gough.

"But Alex is now faced with a mighty hard job in trying to qualify for the 2008 European Championships."

I began this Friday night on the East Side of Las Vegas Boulevard in the high rent district. The plan was to park at the Wynn and stroll down the Strip to The Venetian and Paris. After some ring game play, I would reverse course and catch the rooms again in the midnight hour. I want to say something here about 'the best laid plans on a Friday night in Las Vegas' but what happens in Vegas often gets forgotten in Vegas.

At 7 PM the poker room at the Wynn was already hopping. There were eight no-limit tables in action with blinds from $1/$3 up to $10/$20 and the interest list for the $25/$50 NL game was getting close to a full table. Limit tables ran from $4/$8 to $30/$60 and the $60/$120 games was beginning to draw signups. One of the standard games at The Wynn is a $10/$20 Omaha8 and it was full with a short wait list. By far the longest wait list was for the $30/$60 mixed game, I watched that game for awhile and confirmed the rumors that "gamble" was the operative word in this mix. Resisting temptation to join the line of players taking seats, I moved out through the Winter Wonderland that is the Wynn's holiday entrance to the crisp Las Vegas evening full of tourists and poker seekers.

A brisk walk south down the 'Las Vegas Construction Zone' that is the central Strip these days takes us to the Venetian and its new poker room. If you have ever enjoyed the décor or space or ambience of a poker room then image all of these great qualities in one room. Nine tables of NLHE were in play by 8 PM, evenly spread among $1/$2, $2/$5 and $5/$10. Plenty of $4/$8 limit games were going but the only other interest list was for $40/$80 limit. There seems to be gap in the player pool at the Venetian; the mid-limit games are simply missing and the big Stud game was not to be found. Perhaps it was just too early for the Canal Walk players to be hitting the felt. Maybe later?

Another long Las Vegas Boulevard block brings me to Paris and a room in transition. Right now the poker space at Paris is out in the middle of the casino floor. However, as with so many rooms there is a new space in the near future. Paris should have its new room operational within 60 days. For now the room is nearly full but not with ring games. Paris has the most interesting tournament schedule in all of Las Vegas; here they run a NLHE event every two hours. Yes, there are 12 tournaments a day in Paris, actually 13 with the daily 7 PM Omaha event. NLHE tournaments begin on the "odd half hour" at 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 -- take two drinks and repeat. So there is always a tournament going and the ring games are full of players who have busted from that tournament or who are waiting for the next one. Tonight this was exactly the case with the 7 PM tournament down to three tables and the 9 PM just about to start and closing all of the cash games as the players took their tournament seats. Wait two hours and repeat.

And wouldn't you know it; there was a seat open in that 9 PM Paris tournament. So after my kings were not liberated and my time in Paris was drawn out; I made my way back north to Venetian where the action had picked up but still low limit with the $40/$80 game still looking for a few more players. The Wynn was buzzing at midnight, both high and low limit were full and the mixed game had grown to two tables.

Was this the end of another Friday night on the Strip? Play or call it a night? Play or call it a night? Oh look, is that the sun coming up?

Linda Johnson, the vibrant, gregarious, and dare I say sassy "First Lady of Poker" is also one of the few people alive that can call herself a razz world champion. She took home her first World Series of Poker bracelet in the 1997 razz event and made another WSOP final table in 2004 in the $1,500 stud hi-lo event. In addition to her duties as the floor announcer for the World Poker Tour, Johnson still tears up games at the $100-$200 level both live and online and has won two ladies' events in the past year– at the Orleans Open in Las Vegas and the California Ladies State Poker Championship in Oceanside, CA.

We're privileged to have Linda Johnson join us this week to share a little razz strategy with us. (For a quick refresher course on the rules, look no further than Ashley Adams' excellent columns on the game).

Nicole Gordon: Razz is enjoying a bit of a renaissance in the internet poker age now that sites like Full Tilt and Poker Stars have started spreading online ring games and tournaments. Still, razz is missing from B&M casinos outside of mixed games (and the occasional high-limit razz ring games that go off at Commerce). How did you get yourself started in razz? Was it in B&M mixed games or did you just decide to give it a shot in a tournament setting?

Linda Johnson: When I began playing poker in the late 70s, razz was played in Las Vegas at the Fremont Hotel. The game was spread daily and players didn't play too well. I learned to play and enjoyed the game.

NG: What are some of the most common mistakes you see from inexperienced razz players?

LJ: Inexperienced players tend to not understand who the favorite is in a hand on fifth street. Also, many of them don't realize that it doesn't usually pay to continue with a hand if you catch a bad card on fourth street and your opponent catches a good card.

NG: I've found that one hole in my own game is not paying enough attention to the low cards that have already been folded. How crucial is it to track these "dead cards?" Do you have any tricks that help you to remember them?

LJ: It is very important to remember the "dead cards" as this will give you a clue if your opponent has paired or not. For instance, if you have seen two fours folded and your opponent catches a four, it probably didn't pair him. Also, you need to know how many cards are left in the deck to complete your hand. Each person has a different trick to remembering cards, but I just try to pay attention and say them in my head so I can remember.

NG: Let's take a look at a few hand situations. Let's say a J brings it in and I raise with (5-2) 3. A third player, who calls almost everything to the river has (x-x) A and calls. The J folds. On fourth street, I catch a Q for a board of (5-2) 3-Q while my opponent catches a 7 for (x-x) A-7. He leads out at me-- would you call here having caught bad?

LJ: No, you shouldn't call here unless the pot was double-raised on third street.

NG: Let's say it's a short-handed game and you've brought it in with (A-3) K. A couple of big cards fold and a LP player with (x-x) 2 raises. He's the type of guy who could easily be on a steal with one bad card in the hole. Would you make the call here or fold? What if that same LP player was showing a 9 instead of a 2?

LJ: The answer depends on the structure of the game you are playing. If the ante is large, you can consider calling, but you can only call against one player with a low card, never against two players. It isn't a big mistake to fold either. It is easier to make the call against a nine than a deuce.

NG: If you decide to call, what would be your move on fourth street if you catch good for (A-3) K-4 and he also catches good with (x-x) 2-7?

LJ: In this scenario, I would call again on fourth street as there is now more money in the pot and it is a single bet to you. The bet doesn't double until fifth street.

NG: Let's say on 3rd street you were the bring-in with (3-5) 9, your opponent raised showing the (x-x) A and you made the call. On fourth street, you bet out with (3-5) 9-7 and he took one off after bricking with a Q. Now, on fifth street you show a board of (3-5) 9-7-8 and your opponent shows (x-x) A-Q-2. How do you proceed in this hand with a rough nine? Do you check here on fifth street or bet out, forcing him to pay to draw? What happens if he catches a good card (say, a 7) on sixth street and you do not improve?

LJ: I would definitely check on fifth street and hope my opponent checks also. If he has a smooth draw, he is a favorite in the hand. If he catches a seven on sixth street and bets, I am going fold most likely unless he is a maniac player.

NG: Any final words of advice for hold'em players giving razz a shot?

LJ: Razz is one of the easiest games to play, but does require patience. Most decisions are automatic. You should have the best hand or the best draw or fold. It is also a game where it's "what's up top that counts." You can bet and represent a good hand if you catch good cards and your opponent catches poorly. Have fun!

POMONA trainer Allan Lang has been desperate to give Back In Ten a try over 600 metres.
Lang has been nominating for weeks for 600m races without being able to get a start.
The former top grade sprinter and Group 1 finalist has been in moderate form and not required for those fifth grade 600m races.
So Lang switched him back to sprints and Back In Ten bounced right back to his best when storming away to win a 520m 3rd-4th Grade at Albion Park on Thursday night.
He scored by three lengths in 30.33 beating Reliable Guest with two and a half lengths to Allira storming home for third.
“He’s been getting a hiding at the first turn in top grade races and that’s why his form has slipped,” said Lang after the victory by the son of Shirdon’s Alarm-Everybody Cries.
“He will run 600m for sure, specially as he is eligible for fifth grade.”
Lang pointed to Back In Ten’s strong final section of 12.60 when beating a smart field of gallopers.
“There is only one real way to find out if he can get 600m and that’s to try him,” he said.
“Now that he’s won, he’s got the form to get some runs over 600m.”
Back In Ten was winning his 13th race in 46 starts and 10 of those have been at Albion Park.
He has earned $28,000 for Lang.

The neck was a little bit stiff and sore for a few days

Andrew Strauss
England batsman Andrew Strauss has been passed fit for Friday's one-day game against Australia in Melbourne.

Strauss was hit on the head by a ball from Brett Lee during the final Test of the Ashes series and missed Tuesday's Twenty20 loss with a stiff neck.

"Turning around was a little bit awkward, but I am now fully looking forward to getting stuck in," he said.

Strauss will not have to contend with fast bowler Lee at the MCG as he is still suffering from bronchitis.


Interview: England batsman Andrew Strauss

Australia have, however, picked exciting left-armer Mitchell Johnson after he recovered from a stomach muscle strain and have Ashes stars Glenn McGrath and Stuart Clark in their starting line-up.


England are expected to hand one-day international debuts to veteran wicket-keeper Paul Nixon and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar for the triangular tournament's opener.

Nixon and Panesar gave encouraging performances in the Twenty20 match.

Strauss said his team's poor one-day form recently, with just seven wins in their last 27 games, could actually work in their favour as they look to upset the host nation and the Kiwis.


Johnson proved his fitness in a net session on Thursday

"We're going in there with a sense that we haven't got much to lose," he said.

"We can play the sort of cricket we know we are capable of and maybe surprise a few people."

Strauss' return will probably put his Middlesex colleague Ed Joyce out of the starting side.

For Australia, McGrath is likely to share the new ball with the one-day specialist Nathan Bracken, another left-armer.

The retirement of Damien Martyn, meanwhile, will offer Michael Clarke the chance to move up the order with one-day cricket's official best batsman Michael Hussey remaining at six.

"Michael Clarke is going to bat at four with Andrew Symonds at five and Michael Hussey at six," said captain Ricky Ponting.

"Huss has been incredible down the order in one-day cricket and for the last five or six years of his career has batted in that position.

Watson, being the sort of player he is, will be able to fit into our line-up pretty much anywhere down the order

Ricky Ponting

"Michael Clarke has got a chance up the order. He has been a bit starved of that over the last couple of years, has been dying to go up, so his chance has come now."

Ponting said all-rounder Shane Watson remained part of the team's plans for the World Cup in March despite having missed most of the season with a hamstring problem.

The injury put Watson out of the Ashes series and he has been told he must play two four-day games for state side Queensland before he will be considered for the national team.

"Watson, being the sort of player he is, will be able to fit into our line-up pretty much anywhere down the order. I see him as being a really crucial player for us," said Ponting.

"I think it's a day-by-day assessment with him really, just to see how he's going and how much bowling he can get done.

"We'll just keep our fingers crossed and hope it's sooner rather than later for him."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Australia: R Ponting (capt), A Gilchrist, M Hayden, M Clarke, A Symonds, M Hussey, C White, N Bracken, S Clark, M Johnson, G McGrath.

England (from): M Vaughan (capt), A Strauss, E Joyce, I Bell, K Pietersen, A Flintoff, P Collingwood, J Dalrymple, P Nixon, J Anderson, J Lewis, M Panesar, C Tremlett, S Mahmood, L Plunkett, C Read.

Gomarsall was a World Cup winner with England in 2003
Andy Gomarsall says he is the answer to England's scrum-half worries - despite being overlooked for the Six Nations.

Head coach Brian Ashton has opted for Harry Ellis, Shaun Perry and Peter Richards ahead of the Harlequins star.

But Gomarsall, with 23 caps for his country, told BBC Sport: "I still have something to offer and I'm ready and waiting if things don't go well.

"I've spoken to Brian and I know there is a chance. He told me I'd just missed out, and I've still got the hunger."

A member of England's World-Cup winning squad in 2003, Gomarsall, 32, has been in great form for Quins.

But he was very nearly left on the scrapheap after being surprisingly axed by Worcester on the eve of the 2006/2007 season.

Offered the chance by director of rugby Dean Richards to resurrect his career at Quins, he grabbed it with both hands.

If England want to play some rugby - and under Brian Ashton I think they do - they need a 9 or 10 who is going to make some decisions

Andy Gomarsall

"I'm so grateful to the club and Dean for giving me the opportunity," said Gomarsall. "I have hopefully gone some way to repaying their faith."

The former Wasps, Gloucester and Worcester star has played his part in the club's surge up the Premiership table after they began their first season back in the top flight in less than convincing fashion.

Now he is looking to make an impact with England again.

"Quins wanted me because of my experience and they wanted me to be a decision-maker," said Gomarsall.

"They wanted me to lead from the front, which I think I have done."

He also believes England need someone like him to direct operations behind the scrum and thinks the number nine shirt is still up for grabs.


Gomarsall's contract with Quins runs out at the end of the season

"I think there are a lot of leaders but there hasn't been much decision-making in the last couple of games," he said.

"If England want to play some rugby - and under Brian Ashton I think they do - they need a nine or 10 who is going to make some decisions.

"But if the 10 is inexperienced and not a decision-maker, then they need a nine who is going to do that.

"That's what I've said to Brian. I think we are on similar levels, so I'm excited about it.

"I understand I am not going to be the future. Time has obviously got to be invested in some of the young guys coming through.

"But it is the World Cup in nine months and I'm one of the most experienced out there at the moment.

"I've just got to keep putting in the performances for Harlequins. If I keep doing that, then I've got a chance.

"I can't play as many games as I used to and the game is getting harder and harder, but I'm definitely keen.

My game is really flourishing... when I've got a smile on my face that's when I'm at my best

Andy Gomarsall

"It's World Cup year and it's a fantastic tournament. I want to play in it and I'll do anything I can to make sure I'm in the right state to get there."

Gomarsall had hoped to be involved in Ashton's first squad and was disappointed when he was not included.

"I tried not to be but I felt things were going well," he said. "I had all the right messages and all the right vibes.

"But I'm very quick to get rid of that disappointment and pick myself up."

Quins boss Richards certainly felt the player should have been called up by Ashton, who has only just begun his tenure as England coach after being picked to replace Andy Robinson.

In turn, Gomarsall has heaped praise on Richards and insists he should take a lot of credit for his renaissance following his shock exit from Worcester.


Dean Richards won 48 caps playing in England's forward pack

He is also backing Richards for a managerial role with England, saying his experience and know-how would be an important addition to the national set-up.

"He knows what works, so I would be an advocate," said Gomarsall.

"He has been there, done that and got the T-shirt.

"What he's doing with Harlequins is fantastic. All the guys here are happy and want to produce the goods. I know I'm really enjoying myself.

"When I've got a smile on my face that's when I'm at my best. My game is really flourishing. I just want to keep fit and keep knocking on the door with England."

Gomarsall may well be the best at present and this reflects very ba