Auction stations: England under the hammer

The Times can reveal exclusively (albeit with tongue in cheek) that Gudrav "Sammy" Patel, the American-based Indian-born trillionaire, is about to announce the World Premier League (WPL) in which franchised national teams will compete in five-day "Test" matches to be held at new purpose-built stadiums in China and the US for $1 million a match.

Click here to see how Christopher Martin-Jenkins rates the England players, based on their performances in New Zealand.