Stuart Broad produced an irresistible spell of new-ball bowling as New Zealand collapsed to 68 all out as England won the first Investec Test by 170 runs yesterday.
KYLE Coetzer may not have got the winning start he craved to his reign as Scotland captain but the impression persists that the Aberdonian will soon preside over a successful team.
England batsman Joe Root tried to remain optimistic after admitting his disappointment that his side had given New Zealand a way back into the first Test at Lord's.
Michael Clarke is confident he will be fit to lead Australia in this summer's Ashes series after his fitness was cast into doubt after a long-standing back problem flared up during the tour of India earlier this year.
Edinburgh is expected to be awarded a place in the British Basketball League next year after an American-based consortium passed the evaluation stage of its bid to receive a franchise.
Shaun Maloney took time out from Wigan Athletic's crucial Barclays Premier League encounter against Arsenal to congratulate his old friend Kyle Coetzer after he was appointed Scotland cricket captain.
Anybody who doubted Scottish cricket's capacity to provide entertainment should have been at Mannofield earlier this month when Aberdeenshire orchestrated a nerve-shredding victory over Uddingston in the Scottish Cup, following an improbable last-wicket stand of 52 between Daya Singh and Adrian Neil, who transformed their side's fortunes from the depths of 76 for nine.
Kyle Coetzer, the Aberdeen-born Northamptonshire batsman, is to succeed Gordon Drummond as Scotland captain and will take charge of his country for the first time in this weekend's double-header against Pakistan.
