Cricket: Border fills in for Australia coach

ALLAN BORDER captained Australia while amassing a record number of Test runs and now, as expected, he has been given the opportunity to pass on his vast experience to his nation's current crop of international players, but only for next month's tour of Zimbabwe.

It is looking increasingly unlikely that Border will be the permanent replacement for Geoff Marsh, who will retire from the coaching job at the end of the current tour of Sri Lanka.

The Australian Cricket Board's chief executive, Malcolm Speed, said Border's appointment would provide stability while the search continued for a permanent replacement. Queensland's coach, John Buchanan, has emerged as the leading candidate to fill the job on a permanent basis but, although the ACB is due to discuss the vacancy at a meeting on 17 September, an appointment is not expected until November.

Torrential rain forced the abandonment of the Singapore International Challenge tournament final and the match will be replayed today. West Indies' Courtney Walsh had helped restrict India to 149 for 6 before the downpour curtailed play. The match will be replayed today.

The judge investigating allegations of match-fixing and betting against the Pakistan captain, Wasim Akram, and two other players said in Karachi yesterday that he expected to submit his report next week. Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum said he would complete his work after a final hearing today.