Column Eight: Stumped and hit for six

SIMON Halliday, who works for UBS Phillips & Drew when he's not playing rugby for England, was without question the most illustrious member of the Stock Exchange's cricket XI which took on Lloyd's of London in their annual match yesterday.

The scorers, obviously awed by his sporting reputation, fumbled their arithmetic. One of Mr Halliday's boundaries was adjudged to be worth a whopping 11 runs, with the scorers moving the Stock Exchange's total on from 67 to 78. Mr Halliday's personal score, meanwhile, went up only a single run to 17.

Spectators suggested that Robson Rhodes, sponsors of the match, carry out an audit.

BURIED somewhere between 'Peacocks' and 'Private Escorts' in the Canberra Yellow Pages comes a sadly misplaced entry for Potter Warburg Securities, Warburg's Australian branch.

On the same page, Yellow Pages' puff runs: 'Business people appreciate it if you tell them that you found them in the Yellow Pages.' But presumably not if you tell them you tracked them down among Private Escort Agencies - Social (cont'd).

THE SMART operators down at Bibendum have started a crustacea delivery and oyster opening service if your office, home or dinner party is within the M25. A 'mountainous' plateau de fruits de mer costs about pounds 55 for four people. A dozen Colchester rock oysters, opened and ready to eat, cost pounds 12.50 including delivery.

The price strikes our resident oyster expert as quite reasonable. Even if you can get a dozen oysters for about pounds 6 on a market stall, restaurants tend to charge similar rates to Bibendum. Less reasonable is the cost of booking them if you use the mobile telephone number suggested. We suggest you get their fax number instead.

THE ARAB blacklist of Jewish firms is dead - official. Following the Gulf war the Arab League's efforts to maintain the blacklist have been faltering, and yesterday the unthinkable happened - the Kuwait Investment Office hired Salomon Brothers for investment advice in Spain.

AN invitation arrives from Rosehaugh Stanhope and Broadgate Estates to a reception on 5 May. The postmark was 6 July. Efficient.