The leg feels very good and there has been no pain for ages, which hopefully is a sign that the bone is healing well and that the operation has been a success.”Johnson’s recovery has not been hampered by the thought of partnering the likes of Flagship Uberalles and Looks Like Trouble at the Festival.The latter, still the Blue Riband holder, is also about to return from injury and it was confirmed yesterday that the Gold Cup winner of 2000 will have his comeback race at Wincanton tomorrow televised. However, Channel 4 repeated that their main commitment remains with Kempton and Catterick and it may be that their screening of the John Bull Chase will be a recorded version.Another Festival championship, the Irish Independent Arkle Chase, will provide plenty of scope for McCoy following Martin Pipe’s actions yesterday in entering eight horses for the two-mile dash. Seebald, the 5-1 co-favourite for the race with William Hill and the winner of the Independent Newspaper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in November, leads the team. Mr Cool, Hit And Run and Copeland have also been put in the 12 March contest, along with Bounce Back, Iznogoud, Jean D’Auteuil and Royal Auclair.The last four named are also engaged in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Chase over an extended three miles, together with Manx Magic, Jour J and Carryonharry.

Pipe won the Arkle with Or Royal in 1997 and with Champleve a year later, while he took the SunAlliance with Rolling Ball in 1991 and Miinnehoma in 1992.. Chris Cairns, captaining New Zealand for the first time, led from the front as his side beat Australia by 23 runs in the fourth match of the VB Series in Sydney yesterday. The world champions have now lost all three of their one-day matches in this series following previous defeats to the Black caps and South Africa.Centuries from Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana helped Pakistan reach 429 for 7 at the close on day two of the second Test against Bangladesh at Chittagong.Youhana remained unbeaten on 174 while Younis weighed in with 119 as Pakistan established a lead of 281. Having dismissed their hosts for just 148 in their first innings, Pakistan are now firm favourites to complete a 2-0 Test series win.The former Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee will coach two of England’s most promising pacers. Mark Footitt and Adam Harrison, both 16, will travel to India for two weeks of tuition at the Pace Foundation in Madras, with Lillee lending his help.The first meeting of the Referees Commission to look into the Mike Denness affair has been set for 23 February despite Indian objections over the make-up of the panel.

The commission membership was confirmed by the International Cricket Council yesterday as South African Albie Sachs, who will chair the panel, Majid Khan from Pakistan and Andrew Hilditch of Australia.South Africa’s Jacques Rudolph is moving from opener to No 3 batsman to enhance his chances of playing for the Proteas. Rudolph, one of the players at the centre of the selection row which erupted on the recent tour of Australia, will begin his new role on Sunday in the Northerns Titans side to face Border in their Standard Bank Cup match in East London.The move could pay dividends since South Africa’s Gary Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs appear to be well set in their roles as openers.The women’s Test between England and India in Lucknow, which will be remembered for the record opening partnership of 200 between Caroline Atkins and Arran Thompson, finished in a draw. After a match disrupted by heavy rain and bad light, India finished their first innings on 312 for 9 in reply to England’s first innings total of 314.. As preparation for an intense one-day series, England’s solitary warm-up match in India was not quite a perfect replica of what awaits. Tomorrow (9am GMT), England will be playing India, a side short on confidence but long on talent who, when they last played at Eden Gardens in March 2001, followed on against Australia and ended up winning one of the greatest of all Test matches by 171 runs.