Somerset have signed former West Indies fast bowler Nixon McLean as their second overseas player for the 2003 campaign.
The 29-year-old from St Vincent has played 19 Tests and 44 one-day internationals, but is currently out of favour and has been playing in South Africa with KwaZulu-Natal.
The signing will give Somerset a three-pronged pace attack alongside England's Andy Caddick and Richard Johnson as they seeks to secure a return to the first division of the County Championship.
Australian fast bowling legend Dennis Lillee today described as "incredible" a claim by England cricket captain Nasser Hussain that he had the firepower to match Australia's potent pace attack in this summer's Ashes series.
Lillee, who scalped 355 Test wickets in a 70-match career from 1970 to 1984, said Hussain's suggestion that England had the pace to fight "fire with fire" against Australia "caused me to gag on my cornflakes".
"My old mate Rod Marsh (former Australian wicketkeeper) for years referred to England's pace attack as pie-throwers, and it's hard to argue given the Poms' long run of outs in Ashes series going back to 1989," Lillee wrote in The West Australian.
Aravinda de Silva is reported to have announced his retirement from Test cricket.
The Sri Lankan batting star had previously said that he would retire from all forms of international cricket following next year's World Cup.
But he has now told the country's chairman of selectors he no longer wishes to be considered for Test cricket, according to Sri Lankan newspaper the Daily News.
Cricket's rulers have not gone far enough to improve player decision-making, according to the international players' body.
The International Cricket Council on Tuesday rejected moves to recognise a players' association.
It did, though, move to allow Test captains to elect half of the committee that makes decisions on how the international game is run.
But Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) chief executive Tim May said the decision showed a lack of respect for players and their interests.
South African convenor of selectors Omar Henry is backing Boland prodigy Justin Ontong to become South Africa’s answer to Muttiah Muralitharan.
Ontong is the only spinner included in the South African side for the ODI series against Bangladesh following the injury to Nicky Boje and Henry believes this is the series where the Boland all-rounder will announce himself to the world.
Speaking to the Cape Times Henry sang the youngsters praise, saying, "The great thing about Justin is that he now has four variations."
"He has also developed the ability to bowl Murali’s top-spinner that goes the other way and he has always been able to bowl the leg-break and googly."
Sri Lankan cricket selectors included six fast bowlers and three uncapped players in a 16-man squad announced Friday for the upcoming tour of South Africa that starts Oct. 20.
All-rounder Hasantha Fernando and fast bowlers Thilina Thushara and Tharanga Lakshitha, who are yet to appear in Tests, were the new caps for the two-month tour that starts Oct. 20.
Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (Captain), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Russell Arnold, Hashan Tillakaratne, Jehan Mubarak, Hasantha Fernando, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Sujeewa de Silva, Chamila Gamage, Thilina Thushara, Tharanga Lakshitha, Muttiah Muralitharan, Prasanna Jayawardene.
Former Australia captain Kim Hughes is expected to play in an invitational side in the opening match of England's Ashes tour on October 22.
England are scheduled to arrive in Perth on October 18 for the 13th annual Australian Cricket Board (ACB) Chairman's XI match at Lilac Hill, near the Western Australia state capital, four days later.
Hughes, 48, who made nine centuries in 70 Tests, and former Test players David Hookes and Wayne Clark have been invited to play in the Chairman's XI alongside Western Australia state players.
