Sporting Digest: Cricket

Simon Brown, Durham's left-arm pace bowler, is to have a knee operation, which will rule him out for the season.

The 18-year-old pace bowler Jamie Grove is included in the Essex squad for what would be his debut in today's County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Ilford.

Sri Lanka have recalled the batsmen Hashan Tillakaratne and Kumara Dharmasena for the second Test against New Zealand, which starts in Galle today. New Zealand will be without the injured Simon Doull who is likely to be replaced by Shane O'Connor.

The Scottish Sports Council has awarded the Scottish Cricket Union pounds 39,410 from the Lottery Sports Fund to assist the hosting of the European one- day championships in July 2000.

The Tasmania opening batsman Michael Di Venuto will captain the Australia A squad which tours Scotland and Ireland this summer.