News Archive - January 2003

Yorkshire and England star batman Michael Vaughan is set to return for the final VB Series match between England and Sri Lanka starting tomorrow. The Match is a crucial one for both teams who are hoping to make the final v Australia. If England win Sri Lanka must beat Australia next Tuesday and also gain a bonus point to make the finals.
Vaughan who has recovered from a flare up of a knee-ailment is looking forward to playing in Adelaide, a ground at which he scored 177 in the Test Match.

ECB Media Release

Senior officials from the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today met with Tessa Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport and other Government Ministers to discuss England�s scheduled ICC World Cup match next month against Zimbabwe in Harare.

Commenting on the meeting, Tim Lamb, Chief Executive of the ECB, said:

�We had a firm and open exchange of views, but are disappointed with the outcome.

The final decision about whether we play this match does, as the Government maintains, technically rest with the ECB. However, if we sacrifice this match it will, in effect, be at the Government�s request � and for the wider national interest. We don�t understand therefore the Government�s refusal to compensate us out of the national purse for any consequential losses we incur. These losses could damage cricket enormously. Surely, it is only fair that the Government should at least discuss this with us � as the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, has said he is willing to do with the ACB (Australian Cricket Board).

We are also disappointed that Government Ministers waited until very late in the day to tell us that they did not want us to play this match against Zimbabwe. This has now left us in a total �no-win� situation. If they had expressed their views earlier, perhaps this situation could have been avoided.

We are only too well aware of the immoral and repressive nature of the Mugabe regime and, should we fulfil this fixture, have given the Government our assurance that we are determined not to give the Mugabe regime any opportunity to make propaganda out of the England team playing against Zimbabwe. That is the last thing we want to happen�.

Yorkshire's batman Matthew Wood has today flown out to Adelaide off his own accord and expense to get a head start for the 2003 season which starts in April.
Wood, 25 who had a pretty disappointing 2002 by his own admission contacted Rod Marsh at the England Academy (at which Wood was an attendee last winter) for some advice.
Rod has welcomed Matthew back to the Academy for approximately 6 weeks. Whilst in Australia Matthew will also play some grade A cricket matches.

Michael Vaughan added to his recent sports awards by winning the Man of the Match award in the 5th Test v Australia in Sydney after his 183 helped England to their first victory over the Australians. He was then presented with the prestigious honour of 'Man of the Series' a well deserved award for Yorkshire's star batsman. There are rumours that in this form Michael is being tipped for the next England Captain, watch this space....