Lancashire to rest Mike Atherton

Cricket

Lancashire are to rest Mike Atherton for the County Championship game against Somerset at Old Trafford today. They are concerned about Atherton's workload as England captain and coach. There will also be fitness tests for Jason Gallian (broken finger) and John Crawley (hamstring).

Middlesex have released Dion Nash, the New Zealand fast bowler, who is returning home to try to cure a long-standing back injury. Nash has yet to play this season and is flying back to New Zealand on medical advice for a long period of rest. The 24-year-old from Auckland first came to prominence on the 1994 New Zealand tour, when he was leading wicket-taker in the three-match Test series with 17, and he was signed by Middlesex for last season. He took 51 championship wickets in 1995 at an average of 27.21.

England A have no "Test" series on their 10-match tour of Australia this autumn. They begin with a four-day game against New South Wales' second team on 31 October and mostly play State sides before arriving home on 15 December.

ENGLAND A TOUR OF AUSTRALIA ITINERARY (31 October to 13 December): 31 Oct-3 Nov v New South Wales Second XI (Tamworth); 6 Nov v South Australia (Adelaide); 8-11 Nov v South Australia (Adelaide Oval); 15-18 Nov v Australian Cricket Academy (to be announced); 21-24 Nov v Victoria (Melbourne); 28 Nov v Australia Capital Territory (Canberra); 30 Nov-3 Dec v Australia Capital Territory (Canberra); 5 Dec v New South Wales (North Sydney); 7 Dec v New South Wales (North Sydney); 10-13 Dec v Queensland (Brisbane).