ICC XI appoint Goolam Rajah as manager

Goolam Rajah has been appointed to manage the ICC World XI teams for the forthcoming Super Series in Australia. Rajah, South Africa's manager, is the most experienced team manager in the international game.

He has been involved at a senior managerial level for more than 11 years and will find time to squeeze in managing the Africa XI side in the three-match one-day series against an Asian XI, before working the World XIs.

Malcolm Speed, ICC's chief executive, was delighted to welcome Rajah on board. "[His] background and experience will be an important asset in making sure that players arriving in Australia from around the cricketing world are well planned for and looked after during the series. I have every confidence that he will do an excellent job."

"I thought I had experienced most of what the game had to offer in team management roles," said Rajah, "but the opportunity of working with the ICC World XI teams is a great honour and a personal privilege. It will certainly be a highlight for me and I can't wait to get started.

"Playing Australia in Australia will be a huge challenge for the players and I see my main role as making things work smoothly and efficiently as part of the management team, leaving the players free to concentrate their energies on training and preparation," he added.