Malcolm Speed ushered in his new role as chief executive of the International Cricket

Malcolm Speed ushered in his new role as chief executive of the International Cricket Council by promising a clampdown on players' behaviour with stringent new penalties to act as a deterrent. Malcolm Speed ushered in his new role as chief executive of the International Cricket Council by promising a clampdown on players' behaviour with stringent new penalties to act as a deterrent. Speed's greatest priority is to halt a deterioration in players' behaviour and he has promised far tougher sanctions for those who transgress the Code of Conduct.He has drafted a letter to the captains of all the Test-playing nations as well as the umpires and match referees on the ICC panel urging their support for his plans. "I've no wish to dwell on past incidents and accuse no team or individual above another, but action does need to be taken and I'm confident that the will exists among players, captains and officials to achieve a rapid improvement," said Speed.Perhaps most significantly in Speed's call for change is his request to umpires and match referees to enforce bans instead of fines or suspended sentences. Since the birth of cricket, only one player has ever been banned – the West Indies wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs in a one-day international – so Speed's suggestions will come as something of a culture shock to players used to being given a slap on the wrist at best.. The leaders of the Norwich Union League's Second Division tightened their grip on a windswept night here, the batting of Anurag Singh and the bowling of Kabir Ali accounting for a brittle Lancashire. The leaders of the Norwich Union League's Second Division tightened their grip on a windswept night here, the batting of Anurag Singh and the bowling of Kabir Ali accounting for a brittle Lancashire. In conditions blustery enough to threaten not only to blow the between-innings Rollerball competition onto the tram-lines but also to limit the floodlight pylons to half-mast, the toss was even more pivotal than than in the average day-night match.The losers – Lancashire – knew that they could be batting in even more difficult conditions than usual, but both sides had decided to give it a try, Worcester wanting the points in order to consolidate at the top of the table and Lancashire trying to push toward the promotion places.With the wind howling, Anurag appropriately kept one end tightly zipped up during the Royals' innings. Coming into the game with a dreadful record in the League so far this season, he comfortably exceeded his total of runs from his eight previous games and, by the time he was stumped off Chris Schofield in the penultimate over, his 80 was his best-ever score in the competition.It could have been a different story for the Royals if Warren Hegg had accepted his first stumping opportunity, off the same bowler, when Anurag was only on 30, but otherwise the former Cambridge University captain held the innings together with assurance.He left most of the big hitting to the batsmen at the other end, notably Graeme Hick, who looked capable of continuing his run of five centuries in his last seven innings in all competitions until run out, and Vikram Solanki.Towards the end, David Leatherdale and Andrew Bichel also chipped in with quick runs as Worcester completed a more than healthy total against a home attack deprived for the first time of the departed Muttiah Muralitharan.Even with the unexpected late-evening sunshine making the floodlight question academic, Lancashire made a benighted start to their reply, groping uncertainly until Mark Chilton chased a wide one from Bichel to be caught behind.That brought in Andy Flintoff ahead of schedule, but he was soon leg before in the first over from Kabir, who dismissed John Crawley in similar fashion with his next delivery.

Neil Fairbrother kept out the hat-trick ball, but there was much rebuilding to be done.Glen Chapple, having ridden his luck when dropped early by Anurag off Bichel, showed signs of being able to carry out some repairs before becoming another Kabir lbw victim on his way to admirable figures of 3 for 37. Fairbrother played all around a straight one from Stuart Lampitt and Lancashire were in need of a power failure to match their own.Hegg was run out by Leatherdale's swift throw and the announcement that the night's firework display had been cancelled was all too timely as the rrest of the innings fizzled out tamely.Even the floodlights were now no excuse. They were up to their full height; the same could not be said for Lancashire.. Manchester United have denied Arsenal's accusations that they made an illegal approach for the Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira. Manchester United have denied Arsenal's accusations that they made an illegal approach for the Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira. Peter Kenyon, United's chief executive, confirmed that he did ring David Dein, the Arsenal vice-chairman, to ask about Vieira's availability, but denied any wrong-doing. Kenyon insists that United did not approach the French international without Arsenal's permission.

"I did speak to Arsenal and that was as far as it went," he said. "We made it quite clear we were interested if the player were available. I approached the club and that was the correct procedure."Ars? Wenger, the Arsenal manager, had claimed that United approached Vieira without permission, which would have been against Premier League rules. The Gunners do not intend to pursue the matter, but Wenger's accusation will do little to help the strained relations between the rivals.The Japan international midfielder Junichi Inamoto is set to complete his move to Arsenal early next week.

If the Gamba Osaka player does join it will take Wenger's summer signings to five after the signing of Sol Campbell, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Francis Jeffers and Richard Wright.Aston Villa have completed the signing of the Swedish defender Olof Mellberg from Racing Santander for a fee of around £5m. The 23-year-old international has signed a five-year contract at Villa Park. "We're delighted to secure one of the best young centre-halves in the world, especially as we've beaten some of the top clubs in Europe to his signature," Doug Ellis, the Villa chairman, said.Wolves have failed in a £2m offer for Paul Merson, who has been appointed captain of Villa. Jez Moxey, the Molineux club's chief executive, said they "remain interested" in the Preston striker Jon Macken, despite having had a £3.75m offer rejected. Ryan Green, Wolves' Welsh international defender, has joined Bristol Rovers on trial.The Dutch goalkeeper Mikael Aerts has seen his move to Wolves called off because he refused to take a drugs test.