Sporting Digest: Cricket

Kevan James, the Hampshire all-rounder, is to retire at the end of the season after a 20-year career in the county game.

Bradley Parker, the 29-year-old batsman, is one of three players to be released by Yorkshire at the end of the season. The others are the off- spinner Richard Wilkinson and the all-rounder Gareth Clough, both aged 21. The county have, however, offered a contract to the 20-year-old opener Michael Lumb, who was born in South Africa, and is the son of the former Yorkshire opener Richard.

Michael Bevan, a member of Australia's World Cup-winning team, has been made captain of the New South Wales Sheffield Shield team, his first major captaincy appointment.