Boucher relieved of vice-captaincy

Mark Boucher has been dropped as vice-captain after South Africa's cricket board (UCB) decided on Monday against re-appointing anyone to the post.

The decision followed the sacking of Shaun Pollock as captain after South Africa failed to reach the second round of the World Cup.

Graeme Smith, 22, was appointed captain earlier this month.

A UCB media statement said the selection panel decided against naming a vice-captain for South Africa's tour to Bangladesh in April and May, "but has elected rather to work though a process to identify the right candidate during the tour".

The vice-captain would be decided on a match-by-match basis, the UCB said.

Australian Bennett King was named national coach by the West Indies Cricket Board on Monday.

King, head coach at the Australian Academy, replaces Guyanese Roger Harper, who did not reapply for the coaching job.

King will take up his appointment only after the completion of the two home series and after contractual negotiations.

Gus Logie, who was appointed as assistant coach, will take the reins for the next two series.

Brian Lara was appointed Windies skipper, while Ramnaresh Sarwan, the talented 22-year-old right-hander, will be vice-captain.

Also confirmed were Roger Brathwaite as chief executive officer, after having served as acting CEO for six months, and Ricky Skerritt, team manager for the past three years, who retained his position.

A group of local cricket fans in New Zealand are campaigning to win rebel Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga a place in the Central Districts cricket team.

Olonga, the first black cricketer to play for Zimbabwe, was suspended from his Harare Cricket Club and may face treason charges carrying a penalty of death after he and teammate Andy Flower made a political protest at the cricket World Cup.

Cricket fan Earl Stevens said on Monday he is leading a campaign to get Olonga in New Zealand.

"It really is a crying shame what's happened in Zimbabwe. It's a country that should have everything and they've got nothing," Stevens said.

"Firstly, we need to see if we can get him over here. Secondly, we need to find out where he is to get information to him, and thirdly, we would need to organise a job for him and accommodation and financial support to get him here."

He had approached Central Districts coach Mark Greatbatch, who has agreed to consider the prospect of employing Olonga, and Napier MP Russell Fairbrother, who said he would "push as hard as he could to do something politically."

Star batsman Brian Lara has said that "two years of introspection" have left him better prepared for his second stint as West Indies cricket captain in the upcoming home series against Australia and Sri Lanka.

"It's a great challenge for me again," the 33-year-old Lara said at Kensington Oval yesterday after his appointment by the West Indies Cricket Board.

"I've had two years of introspection, two years of looking and seeing where I've gone wrong," Lara said. "It was a period of learning. A lot of things I had done two years ago, I don't think I'll be doing now."

Lara replaces Carl Hooper, whose two years at the helm ended with a disappointing 2003 World Cup campaign in South Africa, where the West Indies failed to advance past the first round.

"Other than Carl, myself and Ridley (Jacobs), there is not much there in terms of experience," Lara said. "So I think it would be a dereliction of duty if I was presented the job and to turn it down. I see my responsibilities and I want to play a part."

Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors Guy de Alwis has resigned, complaining of continued government interference, reports BBC.

The a former Test wicket-keeper is the third Sri Lankan official to quit the post during the tenure of sports minister Johnston Fernando.

Fernando had last week refused to let the selectors drop wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara or allow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan to rest a shoulder injury for next week's Sharjah Cup.

"The minister of sports has interfered in everything from the time I took over and there's no way I can continue as the chairman of selectors in such circumstances," De Alwis was quoted as saying by The Island newspaper.

"Every single time I sent in a team for ministerial approval he has opposed it and you simply can't work like this.

"I wanted to open the way for the youngsters, but there are some people who are blocking that and don't want to see the youngsters coming in."