Image source, PA

The Kevin Pietersen saga has seen more twists and turns than an Eastenders episode, but the newly signed Surrey batsman has spoken on Test Match Special about his future.

"It's just nice, it's refreshing," Pietersen said on re-joining for the county. "It has been snowed off before in some pre-seasons so not looking forward to that.

"I think everyone is sick and tired and I've just got to go and score some runs, no more talking."

The question is though, do England want him back?

Nathan Taylor: £25-£30 is fair for all, because after food and programme you're looking at £100 a game which people can't afford!

Sam Heaton: £25 quid max. The game will die without the fans and fans are currently being priced out of the game.

Today we are asking: what is a fair price to pay for a football ticket? Let us know at #priceoffootball, external on Twitter, text us on 81111 (UK only), or head over to the BBC Sport Facebook, external or Google+ page., external

With Juventus' 35-year-old midfielder Andrea Pirlo out injured, Paris Saint-German's Marco Verratti is likely to be handed the central midfield birth for Italy when they play Bulgaria in Saturday's European Championship qualifier in Sofia.

Image source, Getty Images

Verratti is widely viewed as a long-term replacement for Pirlo but the 22-year-old is no rush to replace a player he very much admires.

"It's very difficult to replace someone like Pirlo," Verratti says.

"He's a true champion and once he's ready to come back it won't be a tragedy if I go back to sitting on the bench. Even though we could play together at times."

Image source, AP

According to Spanish sports newspaper Marca,, external Real Madrid "representatives" have met with the father and agent of Bayern Munich defender David Alaba in order to discuss a move to the Spanish capital at the end of this season.

Alaba, 22, has made 29 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side this season, scoring five goals.

So as we approach the lunchtime hour let's just have a quick recap on the best stories of the day so far.

Image source, Reuters

Top story: Australia beat India by 95 runs to reach the final of the Cricket World Cup.

Top feature: Alan Shearer on England's newest striking call-up, Harry Kane: "Throw him in and start him up front."

Top video: Fernando Alonso says he has "no doubts" about returning to action for McLaren at this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix after his pre-season crash.

Image source, Getty Images

Defending champion Raymond van Barneveld plays world number one Michael van Gerwen in an all-Dutch contest during week eight of the Premier League in Dublin this evening.

Van Gerwen leads the group table and is unbeaten in the round-robin stage, while Van Barneveld sits third from bottom and is in danger of being eliminated next week.

Two of the 10 players will exit the competition after next Thursday's fixtures in Manchester.

Bulgaria's weightlifting federation has pulled its team out of next month's European Championships in Georgia, following the news 11 of its athletes tested positive for steroids.

The Bulgarian federation says it has decided, together with the country's sports ministry, that "Bulgarian athletes will not participate in any international events'' until the case is cleared.

The Budapest-based International Weightlifting Federation announced last week that eight male and three female Bulgarians had been provisionally suspended after testing positive for the anabolic steroid, stanozolol.

Image source, Getty Images

England's man of the moment Harry Kane will surely get his international debut against Lithuania on Friday, but what does former manager Sven-Goran Eriksson think about him and Wayne Rooney up top?

"He is a good football player and Rooney can play with any player because he's clever and hard-working," said the Swede.

But should Harry Kane be thrown straight in to the England team?

"I don't know the boy, the man personally, so it's very difficult to give advice on that but I think his club manager together with Roy have spoken about that. I'm quite sure about that. So whatever happens with the national team I'm sure that's the right decision to take."

Have a read of former England striker Alan Shearer's thoughts on Kane

Merife eLDa Obinna: We in Africa don't worry about #PriceOfFootball. In Nigeria, with less $1 you can watch a derby match

Today we are asking: what is a fair price to pay for a football ticket? Let us know at #priceoffootball, external on Twitter, text us on 81111 (UK only), or head over to the BBC Sport Facebook, external or Google+ page., external

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Former Premier League and Liverpool FC Chief Executive Rick Parry has backed the Football Supporters Federation request to have Premier League clubs put aside £1m per season to help subsidise away tickets/travel.

He describes it as a "perfectly good idea, the sort of initiative that could very well be implemented" and says that the atmosphere at games is part of the reason for the ever growing TV deals and it must "never, ever be lost".

Parry also welcomes the news of clubs making a profit for the first time in 15 years, saying that Financial Fair Play is partly responsible because it has "unquestionably reigned in Chelsea and Manchester City."

The Football Supporters' Federation have tweeted:, external Thanks to everyone out on a wet day for #ShareTVWealth

Image source, Twitter

Spain's national team will pay tribute to the victims of the French Alps plane crash in Friday's European Championship qualifying match against Ukraine.

The German A320 Airbus flight 4U952 from Barcelona to Dusseldorf came down in a remote mountain valley in France on Tuesday 24 March.

Germany's national team held a minute's silence before their friendly match against Australia on Wednesday, and both teams wore black armbands.

Spain's government has said at least 51 Spaniards were among the 150 victims in Tuesday's crash, in which at least three Britons were also killed.

News broke earlier (11:39) that boxer Audley Harrison has retired.

Back in April 2013, he faced Deontay Wilder and this is how the fight was reported by BBC Sport that evening:

20:47: Ding ding, we are off.

20:48: DEONTAY WILDER WINS IN FIRST ROUND! Unbelievable! The first shot Wilder throws in anger rocks Harrison and the American unloads some absolute bombs before the referee steps in. Audley Harrison is beaten inside 70 seconds.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sport's Elizabeth Hudson in Glasgow: "Bethany Firth and Claire Cashmore were both delighted after securing 100m breaststroke qualifying times for the IPC Swimming World Championships on the opening morning of trials in Glasgow.

"That swim really surprised me because breaststroke isn't my best event," said Firth, who set a new world record in her S14 class, beating the old mark by 1.43 seconds.

"I knew I was a good place coming into the meeting but it was still a massive relief to get the qualifying time in the morning session," added European champion Cashmore who swims in the SB8 category.

"The breaststroke is my main event so I wanted to go in there and get a solid swim."

Matt Bedwell: Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United

Burnsie: One that I'd love to see is the breakup of the current England Cricket coaching team. Not got a clue.

Hannah: Juan Mata leaving Chelsea for Man Utd. I'm still not over it

Today we're discussing sporting break-ups - send us your examples using #bbcsportsday, external on Twitter, text us on 81111 (UK only) or drop us a line on the Match of the Day Facebook, external or BBC Sport Google+ page., external

Former Wigan, Scunthorpe, Blackpool and Chelsea manager Ron Suart has died at the age of 94.

As a player Suart started as a full-back at Blackpool, playing alongside Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen as they reached the 1948 FA Cup final, which he missed through injury. He then transferred to Blackburn in 1949, before joining Wigan as a player-manager in 1955.

In a tribute on the Chelsea website,, external club historian Rick Glanvill described Suart as "one of those multi-skilled men who were essential to clubs in the 1970s and 1980s".

He added: "Whether as assistant manager showing new signing Ian Hutchinson the ropes at the training ground, then chucking him a tenner to get a mini-cab to his digs after, or clattering into Ron Harris to test the latter's fitness before the 1970 FA Cup final, he covered a lot of bases well. He also had that valuable commodity - football wisdom."

Image source, Huw Evans picture agency

Wales captain Ashley Williams has reassured Swansea City fans he wants to end his career at the Liberty Stadium.

Williams was linked with Arsenal and Liverpool but signed a three-year contract extension in July 2014.

The 30-year-old, who will win his 50th Wales cap against Israel on Saturday, has told boss Garry Monk he does not want to ever leave the Swans.

"I can't see myself playing for anyone else to be perfectly honest," he said.

Read how Williams went from working at fairgrounds, petrol stations, bowling alleys and restaurants to the Premier League.

Erin Tee: Intrigued by #priceoffootball discussion. £50 too much? I'm in Canada- cost for an ice hockey game works out to £73.

Lachlan Keay: I paid £8 for a St Johnstone v Dundee United game a year ago.... and that was a derby

Sam Stacey: I just think people just love a moan, tickets have increased in price but so has the price of bread and the minimum wage!

Today we are asking: what is a fair price to pay for a football ticket? Let us know at #priceoffootball, external on Twitter, text us on 81111 (UK only), or head over to the BBC Sport Facebook, external or Google+ page., external

Image source, Getty Images

Big boxing news coming through this morning...

The 2000 Olympic superheavyweight gold medallist Audley Harrison has retired from the sport, aged 43, the boxer announced on his website.

Harrison had 38 professional fights, winning 31 and losing seven.

A sad day for the sport.

Image source, Getty Images

The 2012 Olympic gold medallist Nicola Adams will return to the ring for the first time since triumphing in London as she takes part in the final stages of the England Boxing Elite National Championships in Liverpool in April.

Adams is one of five women seeded across the three female Olympic weight categories (flyweight (51kg), lightweight (60kg) and middleweight (75kg).

"It will be great to be part of such a historic event and to have the opportunity to box in England again," she said.

"Being part of the GB Boxing squad we tend to box overseas the vast majority of the time so to have the chance to compete in my home country again will be fantastic."