Cricket: Border steps in for Marsh

ALLAN BORDER, the former Australian captain, is to deputise for the country's coach, Geoff Marsh, at next month's limited overs tournament in Sharjah.

Border, who retired from Tests after Australia's 1994 tour to South Africa, has agreed to take up the 10-day appointment as a temporary replacement for Marsh, who has been allowed to miss the tournament after having to go into hospital because of his asthma in all of his three previous trips to Sharjah.

Border will not become a full-time coach, however. "Everyone seems to be reading something into it, but I've got so many commitments now that what I don't want to do is move into coaching," he said.

"I don't mind doing the odd one-off with the under-19 side or the A team when they are sole commitments, but I'm not interested in a permanent role. Geoff Marsh is away eight or nine months a year - I'm not interested in that."

The former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram dismissed allegations of involvement in match fixing and betting as media speculation when he arrived in Port Elizabeth yesterday for the rest of the South African tour.

"Nobody's stupid. I've been playing top cricket, earning good money, so why would I do such a stupid thing?" said Wasim, who last month appeared before a parliamentary committee assigned to investigate the allegations.