India's tour of West Indies

Sir Gary Sobers is to work as a national batting coach, for the first time ever, in the run-up to the home series against India.

Senior team coach Roger Harper said: "Sir Gary will be able to help everyone in the team particularly with their batting, especially the left-handed batsmen.

"His input should help them to be better prepared."

The West Indies side fields a whole host of left-handed batsmen.

They include Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle, Wavell and Ryan Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Mahendra Nagamootoo and Dinanath Ramnarine.

It will be the first time that Sobers, a cricketing legend, will be involved in a West Indies team training camp.

Match referee controversy

Indian cricket boss Jagmohan Dalmiya believes that his controversial stand over the match referee controversy has been vindicated.

But the Board for Control of Cricket in India president refused to describe the International Cricket Council's new plans as a "victory" for India.

"I am happy that the ICC agreed to all the points raised by us and that the ICC is functioning as a happy cricket family now," Dalmiya told a press conference on Saturday.

The ICC last week yielded to demands from the BCCI to reconstitute the panel to investigate the punishments given to six Indian players by referee Mike Denness in South Africa last November.

A new four-member disputes resolution committee was announced after two days of deliberations by the ICC Executive Board in Cape Town after Dalmiya had rejected the original make-up of the probe.

England in New Zealand

Second Test, Wellington, day three (stumps):
New Zealand 70-1 v England 280 all out

New Zealand's top order batsmen frustrated England's fielders as they reached 70 for one at the close of the third day in reply to the tourists' first innings 280 in Wellington.

But events at the Basin Reserve were overshadowed by the news that one-day all-rounder Ben Hollioake had been killed in a car crash in Australia.

Flags at the ground were lowered to half-mast and players on both sides wore black armbands after being informed of the tragic accident during the morning.

And the England team management have requested that a minute's silence be observed before the start of Sunday's fourth day's play.

Richardson was unbeaten on 29 when bad light ended the day, and Vincent had survived 100 deliveries for his 30. Scorecard

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England captain Nasser Hussain was moved to the brink of tears as he admitted the sudden death of Ben Hollioake now made the second Test against New Zealand "irrelevant".

Hussain only found out the tragic news at lunch on the third day, after the reports filtered through while he was batting. All-rounder Hollioake, 24, was a member of England's one-day squad in New Zealand less than a month ago, but died in the early hours of Saturday at the wheel of his Porsche in Perth, Western Australia.

"This puts everything else in perspective," said Hussain. "It was very difficult to play today, but even the cricket is irrelevant.

"He was an England player four weeks ago and the cricket goes on, but something more important happened today than what happened out on that park."

Australia in South Africa

Injures have forced major changes to the Australian squad for the second one-day international on 24th March, against South Africa.

Batsman Michael Bevan sustained a minor hamstring strain during Australia's thrilling 19-run win over the Proteas in Johannesburg on Friday night. And all-rounder Ian Harvey, who bowled in the final overs of the match, pulled up with a shoulder problem afterwards.

Shane Warne, who missed the opening match with a hamstring complaint, is expected to return for the third game in Potchesfstroon on Wednesday.

Jimmy Maher is set to play his first one-day international in four years after being named in Australia's 12-man squad while Shane Watson is preparing to make his debut.

Selectors are likely to choose between pacemen Andy Bichel and Brett Lee for 12th man duties.

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Australian all-rounder Shane Watson said he is itching to emulate Nathan Hauritz, who had a successful debut in Johnnesburg.

"It's a good opportunity for me and if I'm picked I'll be giving it all I can, just trying to enjoy myself as I always do and then just see what happens from there," he said.

Miscellaneous

Pakistan will demand compensation from the International Cricket Council if India refuses to lift its cricketing boycott of their neighbours.

The Indian government has refused to allow the national team to play Pakistan since political relations between the two countries fell to a low point in 2000.

India has twice boycotted scheduled matches against Pakistan since then.

But ICC president Malcolm Gray has previously stated that it cannot interfere in countries' politics. "I have told the ICC executive board members that Pakistan should be given compensation if India continues its refusal to play against us," said Pakistan cricket board chairman Lt General Tauqir Zia.

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South African batsman Jonty Rhodes has announced that he will retire after the 2003 World Cup.

The talismanic player, widely regarded as the best fielder in the world, stopped playing Test cricket in November last year.

And the 32-year-old said he now wants to hang up his bat for good to spend more time with his family after hopefully guiding South Africa to World Cup victory on home soil next year.

"After 10 years I've put in my pound of flesh and the time has come to put my family first. I don't feel I'm letting my country or my team down," he told Bloomberg.

"It would be great to go out after winning (the World Cup), but if we don't I'm not going to feel I need to give it another shot.

"Not many things would make me change my mind."

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