SPECIAL REPORT: When an institution like Lancashire County Cricket Club collapses into civil war it is wise to seek the view of an outsider if attempting to identify where the blame lies.

LAWRENCE BOOTH AT SOFIA GARDENS: Thanks to a 24-ball half-century from Tom Banton, England raced to a six-wicket thrashing of struggling Sri Lanka with nearly eight overs to spare.

Smith was banned from all cricket for 12 months for ball-tampering offences during a Test series against South Africa in Cape Town eight years ago, while also being stripped of the captaincy.

Leicestershire face an immediate return to division two of the county championship after they were penalised 27 points for producing a 'poor' pitch for the visit of Glamorgan last month.

It's not hard to see why Troy Cooley - world cricket's fast-bowling whisperer - gets on so well with his charges, easy to grasp why England were so keen to lure him back after 20 years away.

England's players will have the opportunity to get match-ready for next year's Ashes under plans to add extra mid-season fixtures to the County Championship season.

LAWRENCE BOOTH IN SOUTHAMPTON: Pietersen would have been thrilled to have played such an innings, and not just because he never made a T20 hundred for England.

It is just over a decade since Aneurin Donald, who will make his England debut in Tuesday's first T20 against Sri Lanka, was terrorising motorists in the Welsh seaside town of Colwyn Bay.

LAWRENCE BOOTH: Pietersen joined up with the squad in Southampton on Sunday ahead of Tuesday first T20 against Sri Lanka - the first of six limited-overs games in 13 days

Michael Vaughan says England must win trophies after appointing another 'vibe' coach - but insists they couldn't have got a better one than Kevin Pietersen.

LAWRENCE BOOTH: Robinson finished the home Test season with numbers once thought possible only in the era of uncovered pitches and rudimentary batting techniques.