Ashley Giles has been ordered to rest his injured Achilles tendon for up to six weeks. The spinner is to undergo strengthening work with the England physiotherapist, Dean Conway, and will miss the early part of the season with Warwickshire, including the group stages of the Benson and Hedges Cup. Ashley Giles has been ordered to rest his injured Achilles tendon for up to six weeks. The spinner is to undergo strengthening work with the England physiotherapist, Dean Conway, and will miss the early part of the season with Warwickshire, including the group stages of the Benson and Hedges Cup. Giles is one of 12 players who were awarded six-month contracts for this summer’s Test series against Pakistan and Australia. It is anticipated he will be available for selection for the first Test against Pakistan, which starts on 17 May at Lord’s. Conway said: “He is suffering from general wear and tear to his Achilles and needs a period of rest to protect his long-term fitness.” Jack Russell will also miss the opening month of the season, in his case with a back problem.

Gloucestershire’s 37-year-old wicketkeeper, who has a slipped disc, will be out of action for at least three County Championship matches. Russell will also miss the start of the Benson & Hedges Cup, which Gloucestershire won last year. When the season begins on 20 April, Reggie Williams is expected to take over as wicketkeeper. The left-arm seamer Mike Smith, another of Gloucestershire’s senior players, will also miss the start of the campaign because of a groin injury. It is hoped though that he could be fit to play by early May.

The new Worcestershire coach, Tom Moody, has ruled out the possibility of being pressed into service as an emergency overseas player if the Australian paceman Andy Bichel is called up as a replacement for the Ashes tour. Moody spent eight successful seasons at New Road before leaving at the end of the 1999 He returned this summer as Bill Athey’s successor. But the former Western Australia captain is adamant he will not fill the gap if Bichel, the county’s overseas signing for 2001, is needed by Australia should they suffer injury problems during the tour of England. The Australian John Harmer has been appointed head coach of the England women’s team. Harmer, who led the Australia women’s team to three World Cup finals, will take up his post after the women’s Ashes series.. The Australian Cricket Board has invited India to play three limited–over internationals at Melbourne’s Indoor Stadium in September to follow last year’s landmark indoor series against South Africa. The Australian Cricket Board has invited India to play three limited–over internationals at Melbourne’s Indoor Stadium in September to follow last year’s landmark indoor series against South Africa.ACB wants India to play three matches on September 10, 12 and 14, an Indian cricket board spokesman said.The spokesman said the Board of Control for Cricket in India is inclined to accept the invitation despite the Indian team’s packed schedule.A decision will be made at the BCCI working committee’s meeting in New Delhi on April 24.The Australia–South Africa one–dayers in the Colonial Stadium in September was the first time the International Cricket Council sanctioned indoor matches.Indoor matches are seen as the latest innovation for an evolving game which added a one–day version to the five–day Test matches three decades ago.Gradually, colored clothing replaced the traditional whites and the red ball gave way to a white one for matches played under floodlights and against a black sightscreen..