Sport in Short: Cricket

NEW ZEALAND'S selectors yesterday turned down Martin Crowe's offer to resign as captain after his team had lost the first Test to Australia in Christchurch by an innings and 60 runs.

QUEENSLAND are the new Sheffield Shield leaders after beating New South Wales by 200 runs in Brisbane yesterday.

SHEFFIELD SHIELD (Final day of four): Brisbane: Queensland won by 200 runs. Queensland 172 and 349 for 7 dec; New South Wales 174 and 147 (G Rowell 5-39). Melbourne: Match drawn. Victoria 225 and 292 for 8 dec (P Nobes 146no); Tasmania 297 and 217 for 9 (R Ponting 64). Standings: 1 Queensland (P 8, Pts 24); 2 New South Wales

(8-22); 3 Western Australia (7-15); 4 Tasmania (8- 14); 5 Victoria (8-8); 6 South Australia (7-8). Western Australia deducted 1pt for failing to bowl required overs in two matches.

RED STRIPE CUP (Third day of four): Kingstown, St Vincent: Jamaica won by 10 wickets. Windward Islands 159 and 145 (R Haynes 4-33); Jamaica 302 and 3 for 0. Georgetown: Guyana won by an innings and 145 runs. Guyana 362; Trinidad and Tobago 132 (B Browne 6-54) and 85 (C Butts 7-40). Charlestown, Nevis: Leeward Islands 341 and 84 for 1; Barbados 445 (R Holder 125, C Browne 71).