Sporting Digest: Cricket

ROBIN SMITH, the Hampshire and England batsman, is to have a shoulder operation, but he hopes to be fit for the new domestic season.

SHEFFIELD SHIELD Final (Sydney): First day of five: Queensland 226 for 4 (S G Law 124no, T J Barsby 51) v New South Wales.

SOUTH AFRICAN BENSON AND HEDGES COMPETITION (Bloemfontein): Transvaal 224 for 4 (45 overs) (J Cook 105no); Orange Free State 227 for 2 (41.5 overs) (R Steyn 114no). Orange Free State won by eight wickets. (Port Elizabeth): Eastern Province 133 (45 overs); Natal 104 (40 overs) (E Baptiste 3 for 18). Eastern Province won by 29 runs.

ENGLAND A (v Essex, Tetley Bitter Shield, 22-25 April, Chelmsford): From: M D Moxon (Yorkshire, capt), R C Russell (Gloucestershire, wkt), J Boiling (Surrey), A R Caddick (Somerset), D G Cork (Derbyshire), J P Crawley (Lancashire), M N Lathwell (Somerset), G D Lloyd (Lancashire), M J McCague (Kent), M A Roseberry (Middlesex), I D K Salisbury (Sussex), G P Thorpe (Surrey).