International cricket too hectic, says Caddick Andrew Caddick will take the field for the third Test against India at Headingley tomorrow, but his most recent injury - a side strain - has kept him on the sidelines for nearly three months. The fact has not been lost on him; Caddick has been quoted as saying that the internatonal schedule is getting much too hectic for the players' good."Test cricket and international cricket is getting ridiculously strenuous," said Caddick. "It's a lot more mentally intense, and a lot more physically intense. All these ICC tournaments are cropping up here and there. It's a lot of cricket." Aside from Caddick, England have recently lost Marcus Trescothick, Darren Gough, Simon Jones, Craig White, Mark Butcher and Dominic Cork all to injuries - clear indication that Caddick may have a valid point. "I think there are periods the international teams need to rest and basically heal their wounds," said Caddick.

India look to disrupt England's winning pattern The third Test at Headingley this week will give India the chance to start living up to their top-of-the-bill reputations. Time, though, is running out. To date, there has only been one side in the four-match series against England and it has not been Sourav Ganguly's. Through this series thus far, England have been ambitiously pro-active, while India have let the game come to them. They will not be able to be so lethargic from Thursday onwards. As Ganguly pointed out: "Headingley is a result-pitch." A pitch perfect for salvaging a series or for letting it go. Traditionally, Headingley has helped swing bowlers. This season, however, in conditions more akin to baking Bombay than the cloudy north of England, others have prospered, prompting England to keep left-arm spinner Ashley Giles firmly in their plans despite his omission from the second Test. The last thing India will want, indeed, is a traditional Headingley. Their left-arm fast bowlers, Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan, have been the major disappointment of the tour to date. Hoggard and Caddick would seem better placed to exploit the conditions if the ball begins to swing. Ganguly, however, who pointed the finger squarely at his bowlers after Trent Bridge, also needs Harbhajan Singh, supported by Anil Kumble if need be, to perform to his world-class status. The off-spinner could only manage three for 175 in the second Test. He has, however, since found some rhythm, taking seven for 83 in the county game against Essex. India's batsmen, despite their sterling efforts in keeping them in the series at Trent Bridge, must also carry some of the blame for the team's colourless show.

Newcastle United wins big, but Steve Harmison is not so lucky Steve Harmison may be the deepest-dyed Newcastle United fan in the British Isles, but he probably wishes now that he were not at their first game of the season. While he was in the stands hollering, "Attaboy Shearer" or "Go Solano" or whatever it may have been, thieves broke into Harmison's car and made off with his cricket bat and a sealed bag of the whites he wore on debut against India. But Harmison seems to be one who can easily look for the silver lining. "I was very relieved that they didn't get my England cap," he said after the incident. "It was staring them in the face along with my helmet, but for some reason they didn't take it."

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