Bell's advice helped Moeen - Moores

Chappell: Moeen bowled with the right pace

Peter Moores, the England coach, has praised Ian Bell for his contribution to the improvement of Moeen Ali's offspin.

Moeen claimed eight wickets in the victory over India at the Ageas Bowl, including 6 for 67 in the second innings, leading Alastair Cook to remark that he had never known a bowler improve so quickly. They were sentiments with which Moores agreed.

"Moeen keeps getting better," Moores said. "And he's getting better quickly. To get people like Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli out - they are high-class players of spin - is a very good sign for Mo for the future.

"Moeen is in the side as a batter and a very rapidly emerging spin bowler. He does two things that are essential for a top-flight spinner: he attacks both edges. He gets great drift and he turns the ball. He spins the ball hard. Without those two things, it is very difficult. If you only attack one edge of the bat, people can work you out quite fast. But because Mo creates drift, there is a challenge for all batters. He can nick people off. It is not a doosra, it is a heavily-spun off-break and it drifts away."

Part of Moeen improvement is, Moores believes, thanks to some advice imparted by Bell during net sessions. Bell recommended that Moeen bowl a little quicker and a with a tighter off-stump line.

"At Lord's, you saw somebody who had improved quite a lot and had started to bowl tighter," Moore said. "His run-rate came down and he created some pressure. Today resulted in some wickets. Ian Bell was quite important in that. You can get feedback about the pace and lines that are difficult for batsmen to play. Mo has adjusted and grown really quickly.

"Bell was batting in the nets and talked to Moeen about the paces and lines that he would find challenging," Moores said. "Belly is a fantastic player of spin so feeding back to one of his team-mates, 'Well, actually, I find that really difficult or that pace is quite nice for me,' is what good teams should do. It is still up to Mo what he decides to do, but you improve because you talk and work with people.

"The quality of his bowling has improved. Test cricket is about how rapidly people grow in it and he's grown very quickly as a bowler. Hopefully, that carries on. He's a very sensible lad, he knows he's got to keep doing a lot of work."

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Rickleton, Roelofsen fifties power South Africa

South Africa Under-19s 268 for 4 (Roelofsen 96*, Rickleton 76) v England Under-19s
Scorecard

Ryan Rickleton and Grant Roelofsen struck fifties to power a solid batting effort from South Africa Under-19s and lift them to 268 for 4 on the first day of the first youth Test against England Under-19s in Cambridge.

After winning the toss, South Africa got off to a shaky start as their opener Mathew Christensen was caught behind by Joe Clarke off seamer Matthew Fisher for 7 in the ninth over. Marcus Ackerman did not last long either and was trapped lbw by Josh Shaw as the visitors fell to 36 for 2.

South Africa, however, recovered through three big partnerships. Rickleton first added 65 for the third wicket with Johannes Malan (31) to take the team past 100, after which he and Roelofsen had an 87-run stand.

Rickleton was the first to pass fifty, bringing up the landmark with a four off Will Rhodes, and eventually scored 76. He was caught behind in the 76th over, but Roelofsen carried on and made 96 not out, with 15 fours and a six. South Africa's captain Bongumusa Makhanya was unbeaten on 37 at the other end at stumps.

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India dismay at Anderson verdict

'Anderson must question his behaviour'

India are shocked that James Anderson has been found not guilty in the Trent Bridge incident involving Ravindra Jadeja, but the case boiled down to one team's word against the other when it became clear crucial video evidence was not available.

The alleged pushing incident took place in the only small corridor that was not monitored by the ICC's Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) cameras, a fact the BCCI is now likely to raise with the ICC. There was no video evidence presented by the ICC, who was prosecuting Anderson in this case, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Anderson had pushed Jadeja without provocation. However, once the BCCI had laid the charge, the ICC had no option but to take up the case against Anderson.

Anderson has admitted to pushing Jadeja - by the fact that the ECB did not contest that element of Jadeja's initial hearing - but his case rested on his version that he acted in self-defence after Jadeja allegedly turned around aggressively towards him. The BCCI lawyers were present at the hearing, but they were allowed to cross-examine the witnesses only in the appeal against the guilty verdict for Jadeja, which they got overturned successfully.

England added Stuart Broad to the witnesses that appeared in the Jadeja hearing: Matt Prior and Ben Stokes. India had their physiotherapist, Evan Speechly, present at the case in addition to Gautam Gambhir and R Ashwin. The hearing went on for over six hours, but some of the time went into sorting technical glitches with the judicial commissioner Gordon Lewis sitting in on the hearing via video link from Australia.

The incident happened as the players were walking off for lunch on the second day of the Trent Bridge Test. In the last over before lunch, Jadeja had survived an appeal for a catch at the wicket off the bowling of Anderson, after which the bowler was seen having a word with Jadeja. The chirping continued on the way back to the pavilion. The players walked up the stairs through the crowd, then into a narrow corridor - where the incident is said to have happened - and then through a staircase into the individual changing rooms.

The ICC's ACSU camera captured the players walking up the stairs through the crowd, and Speechly coming down the staircase from the dressing room with Dhoni at the edge of the steps. The said video was played at the hearing. However, there is no footage from the corridor that connects the two staircases. Witnesses present at the hearing confirmed that the incident took place in that corridor. The BCCI is going to take up with the ICC the issue of this area not being covered by the ACSU, but ESPNcricinfo could not independently verify if this corridor indeed is a Players and Match Officials (PMO) area, which has to be monitored by the ICC.

There was a camera in place there, but it is not clear if the camera was the ICC's or Nottinghamshire's or the host broadcaster's. At times in the past, during cricket in England, Sky TV has shown players walking out from just outside their dressing room all the way through the long room and corridors and onto the field. The commissioner heard that the said camera was not working that day. The BCCI is likely to pursue this issue.

At the current moment, the fact remains that there is no video evidence of what happened in the corridor. That being the case, it all came down to one team's word against the other. India remained adamant that Jadeja was not at fault, and that he did not turn around aggressively, and was only reacting to abuse from Anderson. That was the reason why they appealed the earlier guilty verdict against Jadeja, and got it overturned.

Anderson admitted to having had an altercation with Jadeja, but contended he did so in self-defence. The witnesses put up by England were consistent in their response. They were called in to testify separately, and ESPNcricinfo understands their versions were almost identical.

A detailed judgement is yet to be delivered, and the BCCI refused to comment until it had seen the detailed verdict. However, it has no right to appeal because it was the ICC's case once the charge was laid. The only man who has the right to appeal now is Dave Richardson, the ICC CEO.

If he does appeal, the ICC's legal head will appoint an Appeal Panel comprising three members from the ICC's Code of Conduct commission. However, Lewis' decision will remain in effect while under appeal, unless the Appeal Panel orders otherwise.

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Bowl-out threat looms in Old Trafford quarter-final

Lancashire v Glamorgan - No play; match to take place Saturday

What did Steven Cheetham do on July 29, 2009 which Mark Chilton, Stephen Parry and VVS Laxman could not quite manage?

It is a question which might provoke a few bizarre responses yet the correct answer remains a source of pain for Old Trafford zealots. The prosaic truth is that Cheetham was the only man to hit the stumps five years ago when Lancashire's T20 quarter-final against Somerset had to be settled by a bowl-out in the indoor school. Somerset won 5-1.

Memories of the gang that couldn't shoot straight were revived on Friday evening as Manchester's two-week heatwave ended with a vengeance and the Old Trafford outfield was covered with large puddles which removed any prospect of play in the first NatWest T20 Blast quarter-final.

The plan now is to try again on Saturday with a scheduled start time of 2pm although as large a window as possible has been set aside and a five-over game could even begin under floodlights as late as 8.57. However, there seems only the remotest possibility of playing the game at Old Trafford on Sunday even if the grim weather forecast for the reserve day proves to be accurate.

"We're doing everything we can to get the game played on Saturday," said Lancashire's director of cricket Mike Watkinson. "We have as big a chance as possible of getting the game through then. We have a Test starting on Thursday and the quality of the playing surface is crucial for us. We think we have a good pitch out there and we are mindful of wanting to protect it. It would be fantastic if we can avoid playing on Sunday and we've tried to shut it off as an option."

"Strictly speaking you shouldn't use the ground nine days before a Test Match, so we're already into that period," said Watkinson. "There was also the great left field idea that we could move grounds but I don't think there'd be anywhere in the county with a surface good enough that had avoided the weather. So what do you do? Ring Trent Bridge and say: can we play a double header?"

It also seems that umpires Jeff Evans and Peter Hartley may be prepared to try and fit a game into any window strongly suggested by the weather radar rather than start a 20-over game only for it to be curtailed by the weather and be left with as a bowl-out as their only option.

If a bowl out is held, any registered player from either county can participate in it. This raises the possibility that Lancashire's four-day captain Glen Chapple could send down two of the ten deliveries. There is even the highly remote chance that Andrew Flintoff, who is currently recovering from a calf strain, would be called up to bowl off a couple of paces.

The possibility of a bowl-out may not depress Glamorgan's players too much. Their only experience of cricket's version of a penalty shoot-out goes back to the Tilcon Trophy at Harrogate in 1987, when Worcestershire were beaten in one ten-ball showdown but Gloucestershire emerged victorious in a second, one of the successful bowlers being the unlikely figure of one RC "Jack" Russell.

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England, India set for Anderson hearing

The Southampton Test has ended but the tussle between the two sides will continue into a sixth day with the hearing into the Trent Bridge incident between James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja scheduled on Friday, with massive implications on the series.

India charged Anderson with a Level 3 offence before the second Test, at Lord's, following an alleged altercation in the first. India contend that Anderson pushed Jadeja when the players were walking back for lunch on day two of the Trent Bridge Test. If found guilty, he could face a ban of up to four Tests.

The hearing will take place in India's team hotel, with the judicial commissioner Gordon Lewis listening in via Skype from Australia. Jadeja and Anderson will be mandatory presences. Apart from their legal team, India are likely to be have captain MS Dhoni, coach Duncan Fletcher and physiotherapist Evan Speechly in attendance. An ICC ethics and regulatory lawyer will be present.

The hearing will be almost like a court case, with oral witnesses, legal submissions, cross examinations and video evidence if it exists. If the video evidence doesn't exist, it is, like Sydney 2008, one team's word against the other. England's response during Jadeja's hearing was that the India allrounder had turned around aggressively, and that Anderson had acted in self-defence.

The onus will be on India, as in any court case, to provide evidence. Principles of natural justice will take effect: India's legal team will have to prove Anderson's guilt beyond reasonable doubt to get their desired result, a sentence under Level 3. Jadeja, who was found guilty under Level 1 (after being charged at Level 2) by match referee David Boon in the same case, has earned the right to appeal his verdict. His case will also come up for hearing during the same meeting.

Lewis will have 48 hours to deliver his verdict. If Anderson is found guilty under Level 3, there is a provision for an appeal against it. Only the player found guilty or the ICC CEO can appeal, within seven days of having received the verdict. The ICC's Head of Legal would then appoint an Appeals Panel, comprising three members from ICC Code of Conduct commission. However, Lewis' decision will remain in effect while under appeal, unless any properly convened Appeal Panel orders otherwise. India have no right of appeal if Anderson is not found guilty under Level 3.

Anderson's hearing will follow the day after he was adjudged Man of the Match in the Ageas Bowl Test. "I don't know what's going to happen," Anderson said. "I want to be playing at Old Trafford, my home Test, but we'll have to wait and see what happens.

"We've done brilliantly, the ECB have done a great job of keeping everything separate. So once we get to the ground it was all about the cricket and how we would win the Test match - and that's exactly what we did this week. Everyone did it brilliantly. Once we got on the field the only thoughts we had were winning."

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Munro, de Grandhomme power big NZ A win

New Zealand A 424 for 7 (Munro 151, de Grandhomme 151) beat Northamptonshire 184 for 2 (Coetzer 60, Peters 54) by 70 runs by D/L method
Scorecard

Colin Munro and Colin de Grandhomme both struck rapid centuries to help New Zealand A sink Northamptonshire by 70 runs via the D/L method in a rain-affected clash at the County Ground.

New Zealand A, choosing to bat, got off to a rocky start and lost three wickets inside 10 overs. However, a handy 45 from the opener Anton Devcich took the visitors over the 100-run mark, and from there, Munro and de Grandhomme took center stage.

The pair added 199 in less than 20 overs as New Zealand crossed 300 in just over 41 overs. All Northamptonshire bowlers ended with expensive figures, but Gemaal Hussain came in for special treatment, leaking 101 from his 10 overs, including 18 off an over to Munro.

With boundaries regularly being hit, Munro was the first to three figures, reaching the landmark off 76 balls in the 34th over. He did not stop there though, and collected a further 18 runs off an over from Michael Leask. Munro eventually fell for 151, having blasted 15 fours and six sixes, but de Grandhomme carried on and reached his own century, from 66 balls, with a six off Saif Zaib.

More misery would await Northamptonshire as BJ Watling, coming in at No.7, smashed a 22-ball 44 to lift New Zealand A to 424 for 7. De Grandhomme was dismissed in the final over of the innings for an 81-ball 151, having hit 16 fours and eight sixes.

Northamptonshire began solidly, but couldn't quite get the required acceleration to chase down such a daunting total. The openers Stephen Peters and Kyle Coetzer both raised fifties in a 105-run stand, but Northamptonshire's task was made even harder by a rain delay which increased their asking rate.

The hosts were 184 for 2 when a second bout of rain forced a premature end to the game, with the hosts 70 runs short according to D/L.

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England find their upward curve

There will doubtless be tough days ahead but England appear to have turned a corner. ESPNcricinfo assesses where the team is after levelling the series

#politeenquiries: Is India being bowled out by Moeen embarrassing?

At long last, after many storms, many rainy days and many sad departures, the sun emerges from the clouds. Victory over India at the Ageas Bowl was not only England's first Test victory for almost a year, but their best performance in far longer. Arguably, not since the Mumbai Test of 2012 have they put such an impressive display together.

There will, doubtless, be more dark days as the team develops. There will be more days when the young players make errors and the senior players fail. Progress will not be smooth.

But, for the first time, there was evidence that this new-look England team could work. There was evidence that the energy and skill of the new players could reinvigorate those who have been battered and bruised by previous campaigns. There was evidence that the senior players - the likes of James Anderson - still have the ability to perform at this level. And there was evidence that Peter Moores, the coach, is the man to oversee the journey.

It was Moores who persuaded the senior players to put the scars of Australia behind them and rediscover the simple joys of playing cricket and representing their county. And it was Moores who has helped create an environment into which new players - the likes of Moeen Ali and Gary Ballance - can enter and quickly feel comfortable and accepted.

It would be foolish to read too much into one performance. England enjoyed a large slice of fortune in this game and they have only levelled the series. But they needed this win. They needed it for their own self-confidence as players, to shore up faith in the 'new era' and to draw a line under the past. While it would be wrong to forget about Mitchell Johnson et al - we will be in the middle of an Ashes series this time next year - England can, for now, focus on the rebuilding operation rather than dwelling on what has been lost.

Here we assess the state of the side.

The positives

The manner in which Gary Ballance has taken to Test cricket - and to the No. 3 spot - has been hugely encouraging. While his solidity early in his innings is reassuring, he also has the ability to change gear when required. He may face tougher challenges on turning wickets or against greater pace, but he could hardly have contributed more at this stage. He scored almost 200 runs in this Test despite being incorrectly given out in both innings.

The return to form of the senior players - Ian Bell, Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad and James Anderson - was perhaps the most significant improvement for England. Bell and Cook both scored more than 150 runs in the game, while Anderson enjoyed his first five-wicket haul in more than a year and Broad lent excellent support.

	It might seem churlish to point it out, but England did enjoy some luck in this match. It is impossible to say how things might have progressed had fate taken a different turn

Cook had a fine match as captain. So well did England bat in their first innings, it may be forgotten that many were suggesting this was a bowl-first pitch, so Cook deserves credit for his choice. He was also rewarded for his faith in Moeen, as well as some of his field placings - a catch was taken at gully the delivery after he placed the man there on the final day - while so well did his manage the acceleration and the declaration in the second innings, that he was able to rest his bowlers a little and still secure victory with two sessions to spare.

Chris Woakes bowled with skill, consistency and no little pace at the Ageas Bowl. The scorecard might not have shown it, but if he continues to bowl so well, it surely will.

We are only five Tests into Moeen Ali's Test career, but he has already produced outstanding performances with bat (against Sri Lanka in Leeds) and ball (in Southampton). Cook remarked he had never known a bowler improve so quickly and there should be plenty more to come. It will amuse Moeen to know his figures in the second innings, 6 for 67, were better than any recorded by Shane Warne against India.

Jos Buttler enjoyed a fine debut. Not only did he thrash a selfless 85 - some players would have played for a century on Test debut in such circumstances - but he claimed six catches in the match and looked increasingly comfortable with the gloves.

Joe Root is in the middle of a wonderful summer. While he failed in the first innings here, his second innings half-century (from 38 balls) helped England set-up the declaration and underlined what a fine, adaptable player he has become.

After two losses and two draws from his first four Tests as coach, this was an important milestone for Peter Moores. Not only were the selections of most of the younger players vindicated, but Broad credited the coach for a change of mindset that helped those players beaten in Australia leave the past behind and rediscover the vibrant, positive style of play that rendered them such a fine side in 2011. For creating an environment where young players can flourish and older players can renew themselves, Moores deserves credit.

The decision to drop - or rest - Liam Plunkett and Ben Stokes was not due to any dissatisfaction with their bowling. Both will, no doubt, return before too long, underlining the impression that, alongside the current team, Steven Finn and a few others, England are starting to build a decent stable of seamers. Bearing in mind the international schedule in 2015, that may prove essential.

There is impressive batting depth to this England side. With the potential to have Broad, the maker of a Test century, at No. 10, England should prove increasingly hard for opposition sides to finish off and have the potential to accelerate as innings progress.

Not only was Cook given a rousing ovation when he walked out to bat - he said he had never experienced anything like it and would never forget it - but a crowd of around 9,000 battled against awful traffic and long queues to see the moment of victory. It was a sign that, with just a little encouragement, the English cricket-loving public can be won back. They just need not to be fleeced or patronised by the authorities and something of which to be proud and supportive.

The concerns

It might seem churlish to point it out, but England did enjoy some luck in this match. Cook, Bell and Buttler all enjoyed reprieves - either from the umpires or the fielders - early in their innings. It is impossible to say how the match might have progressed had fate taken a different turn.

Both Bell and Cook have struggled for runs for much of the past year. While their return to form was pleasing for England, they will need to contribute more consistently if the side is to sustain an improvement in results. The concerns about Cook's batting, in particular, have not gone away.

At the start of the summer, Chris Jordan bowled with pace, skill and control. Perhaps as a result of being dropped after two Tests, he currently looks a nervous cricketer and struggled for both pace and control here. Neither he or Woakes claimed a wicket in the match, suggesting England still remain uncomfortably reliant on their two frontline seamers. That increases anxiety at the thought this may have been Anderson's final contribution of the series. Having just reasserted his worth to the side, he now faces a disciplinary hearing which could result in a four-Test ban. In such form, he is very hard to replace.

It is only three Tests since Sam Robson scored his maiden Test century, but his frailty outside the off stump is becoming a concern. It is an area on which he will need to improve if he is to survive at this level.

The conclusion

These are early days in the rebuilding of the England side. Inexperienced players are sure to make mistakes and there may be days when Buttler struggles with the gloves, Moeen struggles with the ball and Root and Woakes are unable to replicate the deeds of those that preceded them.

There will be days, too, when Cook cannot find all the answers as captain. He will never be a beautiful batsman; he will never be a great orator. But he can be calm and sensible and lead by example. If he can maintain his improved form with the bat, there is no reason he cannot continue to lead as well as he did in India in 2012.

There is a long way to go and England remain, at present, a mid-ranking Test side with plenty of room for progress. But for the first occasion in a long, long time, they can be said to be heading in the right direction.

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Taylor inspires Tallawahs win over Hawksbills

Jamaica Tallawahs 91 for 3 (Gayle 59*, Laughlin 2-28) beat Antigua Hawksbills 89 for 9 (Taylor 4-8, Miller 3-17) by seven wickets on D/L method
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Jerome Taylor showed signs of returning to his best form with a match-winning spell of 4 for 18 to spur the Jamaica Tallawahs on to a seven-wicket win over the still winless Antigua Hawksbills on Thursday at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. Taylor ripped through the top order to leave the Hawksbills in a hole at 36 for 4 in the eighth over from which they couldn't recover.

Tallawahs captain Chris Gayle chose to field first after winning the toss and was rewarded by Taylor's incisive opening spell. It began when Devon Thomas edged a ball onto his stumps in the fourth over for 3 and was bookended by Taylor's athletic one-handed catch off his own bowling to remove Ben Dunk for 23. Dunk was one of only three players to reach double-figures for the Hawksbills as Nikita Miller picked up where Taylor left off and nabbed 3 for 17 in four overs.

A steady drizzle turned into a downpour with one ball to go in the 16th over and the result was an hour and 40 minute delay with the score on 78 for 8. The match was reduced to a 17-over affair with the Hawksbills eventually ending on 89 for 9. After Duckworth-Lewis calculations were taken into account, the Tallawahs were set a target of 87 in 17 overs.

Gayle got off to a methodical start, going without a boundary until the sixth over when he targeted Carlos Brathwaite. Gayle smashed back-to-back short balls over midwicket for six as part of a 16-run over to get the wheels in motion. He lofted Ben Laughlin over long-on for six at the start of the 14th over to bring up his 50 off 32 balls. Gayle's sixth six, deposited over midwicket on the final ball of the over, ended the match with three overs to spare and ended unbeaten on 59.

The Hawksbills are still mathematically alive for a CPL playoff spot despite their 0-6 record but would need to win their final three games and also have the Barbados Tridents lost their final four contests while also surpassing the Tridents on net run rate.

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Mullaney fifty brings Notts home

Nottinghamshire 230 for 7 (Wessels 65, Mullaney 63*) beat Glamorgan 227 for 8 (Rudolph 101, Franklin 3-32) by three wickets
Scorecard

Steven Mullaney and Ajmal Shahzad batted Nottinghamshire to an impressive three-wicket victory in the Royal London One-Day Cup against Glamorgan at Cardiff.

The eighth-wicket pair came together with Notts in trouble at 137 for 7, needing a further 91 runs to win in 14.2 overs. But Mullaney, with an unbeaten 63 from 46 balls, and Shahzad, making 33 not out from 39 deliveries, won the game with nine balls to spare. Mullaney celebrated victory by striking Michael Hogan back over his head for six.

Glamorgan had been indebted to Jacques Rudolph for his century from 130 balls with 10 fours, but their total of 227 for 8 looked a little light until Hogan reduced the visitors to 11 for 3 inside seven overs, sending Alex Hales, James Taylor and Samit Patel back to the pavilion with ducks.

When Riki Wessels was controversially run out for 65, complaining he had been impeded, and Chris Read was brilliantly caught by Andrew Salter one-handed, the victory was far from realistic. But Mullaney and Shahzad stepped up to the occasion and their heroics ensured Notts finished the day top of Group B.

Earlier, Rudolph and fellow opener Jim Allenby gave Glamorgan a useful platform, but after Allenby edged Shahzad to Wessels at slip it heralded a middle order procession. Rudolph batted solidly at one end but between the 18th and 29th over he lost another four partners. The South African had reached his 50 out of Glamorgan's score of 70 for 1 before Will Bragg became the first of three victims for James Franklin.

Franklin, who played for Glamorgan in 2006, struck in his first over to have Bragg caught at mid-off by Shahzad. The left-arm seamer followed that up by bowling Murray Goodwin from around the wicket. And from 99 for 3 in the 22nd over Glamorgan slumped to 115 for 4 when Chris Cooke miss-hooked a Franklin short ball straight to midwicket.

Mullaney, who had bowled well in harmony with Franklin, got the deserved wicket of David Lloyd who edged behind to Read. The ball after reaching his century Rudolph could not keep out a finely bowled Shahzad yorker leaving Glamorgan in trouble at 161 for 6.

But there was worse to come for the home side as Mark Wallace was run out in a mix-up with Graham Wagg attempting a single. Wagg was dismissed three overs later well caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Shahzad off Mullaney, who finished with figures of 2 for 26 from his 10 overs.

Salter took Glamorgan past 200 with four consecutive fours off Harry Gurney as the ninth wicket with Dean Cosker became the highest partnership of the innings.

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Anderson provokes Indian ire again

James Anderson was been involved in another incident with an Indian player, at the end of the fourth day's play at the Ageas Bowl.

Anderson, who faces an ICC hearing on Friday having been charged with a Level Three offence following an alleged altercation with Ravi Jadeja during the Trent Bridge Test, exchanged irate words with Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane following the final delivery of the day.

While the incident in itself amounted to little - Rahane reacted angrily to some comments uttered by Anderson and umpire Rod Tucker stepped in to tell both players to calm down - it does reflect India's irritation with Anderson and underlines the impression that they intend to take a zero tolerance view towards him in the future.

Anderson has, in general, been a great deal less vocal since the charge was made and the incident will have no direct bearing on the hearing. But it will do him few favours as India attempt to outline a pattern of behaviour and Rahane's outraged response will not have been lost on Australian judge Gordon Lewis, who will preside over the hearing.

While attempts have been made to deal with the Jadeja situation without the necessity of a hearing, the India camp have insisted that Anderson overstepped the mark at Trent Bridge - they allege he made physical contact with Jadeja - and feel that his on-field sledging has exceeded acceptable limits in recent years. Anderson faces a ban of up to four Tests if the charge is upheld.

It was a sour end to what should have been a special day for Anderson. Not only was it his 32nd birthday, but he completed his first five-wicket haul in more than a year in the morning when taking the final two wickets of the Indian first innings.

The outcome of the Anderson hearing might also be relevant to the series between Australia and India later in the year. While the England and Australia teams appear relatively comfortable with a certain level of verbal intimidation, it could be that India are taking a stand on the sledging issue.

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