Sharma’s aimistowin for India in milestone Test match

Ishant Sharma played down his milestone appearance as he insisted his only focus was on helping India take a giant stride towards the World Test Championship final.

The 32-year-old will become only the second frontline seamer after Kapil Dev to reach 100 Tests for India if he takes to the field this week at Ahmedabad for the penultimate match of the series against England.

Wins in this pink-ball affair and next week's final match at the Sardar Patel Stadium, expected to hold half its 110,000 capacity, would carry India into the World Test Championship final against New Zealand.

With his white-ball playing days in his rear view mirror, that is a tantalising prospect for Sharma, who has taken 302 wickets in his 99 Tests at an average of 32.22.

"One hundred is just a number for me," he said. "I played my 99th match with the same feeling, same intensity and same aggressiveness that I will go into my 100th match. I have just one thing on my mind and that is to win the next Test.”

Having already modernised the Rules of Golf, the R&A and USGA have now teed up some amateur dramatics in a bid to make the mechanics of the game more user friendly.

The sport’s governing bodies have announced a series of proposals for “far-reaching” changes to the Rules of Amateur Status that govern the game worldwide.

As part of the latest modernisation bid, a golfer would only lose their amateur status by either accepting a prize in excess of a limit of $750, accepting payment for giving instruction, or accepting employment as a golf club professional.

The R&A and USGA aim to achieve this simplified approach by mainly eliminating the distinction between cash prizes and other prizes.

They also want to use the prize limit as the only way an amateur can lose amateur status through their play while, in addition, aim at removing restrictions surrounding longdrive events, putting and skills competitions.

Another of the key proposals is the elimination of current sponsorship restrictions, which is aimed at providing a more level playing field for amateurs outside national squads.

As part of a review, the R&A and USGA even considered eliminating the Rules of Amateur Status and creating “open golf ”, but it was felt that could harm historic amateur events and also damage the current “pathway” from amateur to professional golf.

“Golf isn’t standing still,”

Grant Moir, the R&A’S director of rules, told The Scotsman. “It is evolving and modernising and we felt it was an appropriate time to take a hard look at the Rules of Amateur Status. We almost felt the starting point had to be: do we need the Rules of Amateur Status?

“That’s where the ‘open golf ’ discussion came in almost as a necessary first step in the process. We concluded that retaining the Rules of Amateur Status remain important and beneficial to the game.”

The principal concerns that have been raised is that current Rules don’t reflect the fact that the elite amateur game is a “progression” for players who aspire to be successful tournament professionals.

"It is also felt that too many players who are unsuccessful in the pursuit of their goal lose their amateur status through participation on cash prize tours without making any impact on the professional game.

Another concern to come out of the review is that the line between cash and non-cash prizes has become “increasingly blurred” to the point where the logic of the distinction is questionable.

The R&A and USGA also believe there are currently “too many barriers” for players seeking funding at elite amateur level while the proposals aim to allow the use of social media to promote sponsorship in the non-pro ranks.

“One of the overarching goals is for the rules to be easier to understand and apply,” said Moir.

“The prize rule had been quite complicated in the sense of the blurring between cash prizes and non-cash prizes. That distinction had become very grey over the years.”

Stuart Mclaren has insisted the Scotland squad is not a closed shop as he urged international hopefuls to prove they deserve a cap call.

The interim boss takes charge of the women's national team for the final time today as they round off their Euro 2022 qualification campaign with a dead rubber against Portugal in Larnaca.

The Scottish Football Association will then step up their search for Shelley Kerr's permanent successor.

But rather than depending on the tried and tested squad, Mclaren believes the new person in charge will be eager to introduce some fresh blood after the Scots' failed qualifying bid.

He said: "Everyone needs to continue to look forward.

"It's unfortunate what has transpired in this campaign but we can't change that now.

"The approach the players have taken to this one has been terrific with the mindset of making sure what happens now is as positive as possible. What I'd say to the Scottish players who are not in this group is they need to do the same.

"There is going to be terrific opportunities with a World Cup qualifying campaign on the horizon. There will be a new head coach coming in to pick a squad and I'm sure they will come in with open eyes to make sure they're picking the best squad and not just go with the squad that has been picked over a period of time.

"If you're a player in the squad right now or someone who thinks they have a strong claim to be in it, then I'd just say to them to look forward and make sure you do all they can to force their way into the plans."

Meanwhile, England captain Steph Houghton has hailed "legend" Jill Scott as her Manchester City team-mate prepares to win her 150th cap for her country. Scott, who returned on loan to former club Everton last month, will reach the milestone on Tuesday when the Lionesses play Northern Ireland at St George's Park.

The 34-year-old made her debut against Holland in 2006 and only Fara Williams, who won 172 caps, has played more times for England. Houghton, like Scott, hails from the north-east of England, and the skipper has spoken of her pride and admiration for the midfielder. "I think the word legend is sometimes thrown around a bit but to be only the second person to get 150 caps is absolutely unbelievable and I am so proud of her. She is a legend in my eyes," said Houghton.

Northern Ireland boss Kenny Shiels, the former Kilmarnock manager, said he was looking forward to seeing how his part-timers match up on Tuesday against "the might of England".

Shiels' side will use the game at St George's Park as preparation for their two-legged Euro 2022 play-off in April against a yet-to-be-named opponent. "We do know that we have girls who are nurses, work in B&Q and Lidl and all those things, so they're not going to be conditioned the way English players are," Shiels said. "That's a major disadvantage, but we're taking that hit and we're going to try and show some courage to take on the might of England.”