Lamb leaves legacy of chaos

Tm Lamb's exit from English cricket will not have the same public impact as Nasser Hussain's departure but only one of them leaves behind a team in chaos.

On the field, players such as Andrew Strauss, Paul Collingwood and Robert Key are queuing up to take Hussain's place.

Off the field, in the offices of the England and Wales Cricket Board at Lord's, the administrative side of the game looks close to disarray.

Lamb, chief executive for seven years, is about to resign following rumours he was in danger of being sacked over the Zimbabwe tour shambles and more squabbles about whether domestic cricket needs further modernising.

Last month, Des Wilson, chairman of the corporate affairs and marketing committee and author of a report which, if it had been adopted by the ECB, would have ruled out this autumn's tour to Zimbabwe on moral grounds, walked out.

Earlier this week, marketing director Mark Sibley announced his resignation.

Lamb apparently said on Monday that he was going and has since been sorting out his severance deal. But it will take longer than a few days to put the board's affairs in order, especially as the ECB are not in a financial position to tempt high-profile replacements.

The Board had to cut back after losing money through last year's refusal to play a World Cup game in Zimbabwe and it is still possible England won't go there this autumn - and have to pay up again.

Frizzell County Championship, Div 1 - Old Trafford: Middlesex 382, Lancashire 253-2. The Oval: Surrey 479, Kent 181-5. Hove: Northants 570, Sussex 95-2. Edgbaston: Worcs 379 & 70-2, Warwicks 405. Div 2 - Derby: Glamorgan 474, Derbyshire 253-3. Trent Bridge: Durham 300 & 36-0, Notts

325. Taunton: Essex 400-9dec & 52-2, Somerset 339.