Trescothick ends England career

London: Somerset batsman Marcus Trescothick announced his retirement from international cricket with England on Saturday due to health problems.

“My desire to play cricket is as strong as it ever was. But, due to the problems that I have experienced, travelling abroad has become extremely stressful for me,” he told Somerset’s website. Trescothick has long suffered from a stress-related illness and pulled out of England’s 2006 tours to India and Australia, where the tourists were thrashed in the Ashes series.

“I want to extend my playing career for as long as possible and I no longer want to put myself through the questions and demands that go with trying to return to the England team. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time playing for England, and I am very proud of having been selected for 76 Test matches and over 120 ODIs.

Trescothick said he would now “concentrate all my efforts on playing well for Somerset. It is a very big season for the club and I am looking forward very much to playing a full part.”

In his 76 Tests, Trescothick scored a total of 5,825 runs, at an average of 43.79. He played in 122 one-day International innings, getting 4,335 runs, with an average of 37.37.

Kapil not invited

Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sharad Pawar said India Test captain Anil Kumble would be felicitated in Chennai for reaching the milestone of 600 wickets.

Pawar said Kumble, who has 604 wickets, would be given a golden ball by the board. On not inviting former captains including Kapil Dev and Ajit Wadekar for the function, Pawar said: “Not all captains are invited in Chennai… All those who are associated with the board in the IPL are invited.”

Flintoff comeback

London: England allrounder Andrew Flintoff said he hopes to return for England’s home Test against New Zealand at Lord’s on May 23.

The 30-year-old has not played a Test for England since last January in Australia because of continuing problems with his left-ankle, which was operated on for a fourth time in October. “I would love to play a Test match at Lord’s, but the one thing that I am not going to do is get carried away,” Flintoff was quoted as saying on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in website on Saturday.

“I know that if I want to play for England, then I have got to be fit.” Flintoff said he still had some way to go to reach full fitness.

Lions win

Calcutta: A thunderous 67 by Man of the Match Chris Cairns helped Chandigarh Lions beat Chennai Superstars by four runs in a thrilling Edelweiss 20s Challenge match in Panchkula on Saturday.

Chasing 196 to win, the Chennai team started aggressively with skipper Harvey and Vignesh. But at the end their magnificent run chase from the Superstars finally fell short by four runs.

BRIEF SCORES: Chandigarh Lions 195/8 (Cairns 67, Vincent 42, Kumaran; 3/27, Syed 3/36). Chennai Superstars 191/9 (Harvey 58, Vignesh 42, Saravanan32 Ablish 3/19). Chandigarh Lions won by 4 runs.