Worcestershire were left with plenty to ponder as their new overseas player, Andy Bichel, was called up to the Australian squad of 13 to play the West Indies

Sheriyar: a pear at heart Photo © CricInfo Ltd

A Luxury package for two people to experience a weekend of world class cricket at Trent Bridge and meet living Nottinghamshire legends Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Richard Hadlee has raised £6,750 in a Children in Need auction

Four young Hampshire cricketers are spending the winter in Perth, Western Australia, taking part in a new Off-Season Training Programme developed and run by Auscricket Management, a specialist business set up by former Hampshire batsman Paul Terry

Hampshire have formally announced that Neil Johnson, the former Zimbabwean Test star, has signed a one year contract that will bring him to the club for the 2001 season

Somerset County Cricket Club announces a pre-tax profit of £29,737 against a turnover of £2,635,274 for the year ended 30 September 2000

Kent have announced that they will play a National Cricket League fixture at the Lloyds Bank Sports ground in Beckenham next season

Hampshire's open their new ground at West End, Southampton with a Benson & Hedges Cup Qualifying match against Essex, and play their first Championship (First-Class) match at The Rose bowl against Worcestershire starting on Wednesday 9th May

The Minor Counties Championship is to switch to three-day matches from the 2001 season