Sporting Digest: CRICKET

Ken Rutherford, the former New Zealand captain, has been appointed to coach Ireland's national team. Rutherford's contract runs until the ICC trophy for minor cricket nations at Toronto in 2001 where Ireland hope to secure qualification to the 2003 World Cup.

Maurice Youdell, the president of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, died in the early hours yesterday after a long battle against cancer. Youdell, also a director of Notts County, was 65.