Murray has reassured him that he still plays an important part in his plans, although that could be as a utility forward and tactical substitute. The first test of whether the two players can be kept happy will be the Boxing Day friendly against Halifax, who may include Cardiss among their new recruits for the match at Headingley.. BATH’S WORST fears were confirmed last night when their former captain Andy Nicol was ruled out for the next six weeks while he recovers after damaging the medial ligaments to his left knee, an injury suffered in the weekend’s Allied Dunbar Premiership defeat against Saracens. Nicol now joins a lengthening list of Bath crocks as they enter a crucial run of away matches. The reigning European champions were already without long-term casualties Jon Preston and Phil de Glanville, as well as the captain, Richard Webster, and hooker Mark Regan who will both be out for a further two weeks.
But Nicol was still a relieved man last night after leaving hospital following an extensive examination. “The good news is that it is just the medial ligaments that have been damaged and nothing else in the joint,” said Nicol.

“I should be back by the middle of February.”Lesser men would have thrown in the bloodied towel a long time ago, but the Bath scrum-half has nothing but nickel-plated indifference to injury and pain.The damage to the left knee is just one more blow in the Scotland scrum- half’s sporting career. Indeed, with his medical history he has become something of an expert in rehabilitation. In the last five years Nicol has had his right knee rebuilt, damaged the medial ligaments in his left knee, suffered three awkward hamstring tears and dislocated an elbow. However, he has insisted: “The thought of giving up never entered my head.”n The Irish Rugby Football Union has confirmed it will not be involved in the British and Irish League proposed for next season.. AN UNBEATEN 169 by Greg Blewett on the third day of England’s match in Hobart, gave an insight into the depth of talent, especially batting strength, currently illuminating Australian cricket. “It’s a golden age,” he said later when news filtered through that Darren Lehmann rather than he would replace Ricky Ponting for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Dropped from the Test side following a poor tour of India last March – he scored 46 runs in six innings – Blewett appears to find England’s bowlers particularly delec- table. A month ago he scored 143 against the tourists for South Australia, a knock that when added to the one here, and the three Test centuries scored in successive Tests against the old foe, brings his tally to five centuries against them in 15 innings.
With that kind of form, Australia’s loss ought to be Yorkshire’s gain and Blewett has signed up with the Tykes on a one-year contract to replace Lehmann, who in all probability will be involved in Australia’s bid for the World Cup.”From what I’ve heard,” said Blewett, “Yorkshire are a pretty decent side but seem to fall away at the last hurdle I’d like to help them win something. The standard of county cricket is good, it’s just the intensity that is missing. It’s not as hard as Shield cricket, but it’s tough because of the amount of cricket played.”Blewett’s choice of county, however, may not be all that wise.

A bottom- handed player blessed with a good eye, Blewett is probably more susceptible to the ball that nips back off the seam, than any of the other leading Test batsmen. If there is one ground that encourages the ball to move about, it is Headingley, though what it takes away from his run aggregate should be added to his wicket tally.On a “flattie,” he was impossible to peg back and England’s attack did not manage to sully the reputation of Bellerive Oval, as a place where bowlers fear to tread. Rather to their embarrassment, England’s front- liners were about as effective as the Australian XI’s part-timers. Mind you, a strong wind compounded things, at least from one end, and even Peter Such found it difficult to control his length.A powerful driver of the ball who tends to get well forward, Blewett also pulls well off the front foot. It is a combination that makes him particularly difficult to bowl at. In one notable purple patch he struck Ben Hollioake for three fours in as many balls, each one a different shot.Hollioake, one of three England bowlers to concede more than four runs an over, managed to take two of the home side’s wickets before they declared at 293 for 4 – 176 runs behind – presumably after the captains had agreed a chase on the last day.Bowling with the breeze after lunch, Hollioake ended Matthew Elliott’s four-hour stay and the 206-run opening stand, when he forced the tall left-hander to mis-hit a lofted drive. Alex Tudor, who bowled well without looking dangerous, took a good running catch at mid-on, not least because a clash with Angus Fraser looked imminent, as the ball hung in the wind.Two balls later, Hollioake had Cory Richards leg before for a golden duck, Blewett having crossed to take strike when the previous batsman was out.