Key man Hall opts for fresh winter challenge

NEW Road's South African all-rounder, Andrew Hall, has joined the Highveld Lions from the Eastern Titans.

The 28-year-old was a key member in the old Easterns side, helping them to the SuperSport Series title in 2002-3.

In the new franchise structure, Easterns teamed up with the Northerns Titans to become the Easterns Titans.

But Hall was unable to agree terms with the club, and he decided to sign for the Highveld Lions - back where his first-class cricket began, in 1995, with the old Transvaal side, who are based in Johannesburg.

Shukri Conrad, the Highveld Lions coach, was delighted at Hall's decision, calling him "a class player who rounds off our squad in terms of a quality all-rounder".

Hall has played 10 Tests and 43 one-dayers for South Africa, but was overlooked for both the Test and one-day squads picked to tour Sri Lanka, later this year, and is available for the County for the rest of the season.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire's Vikram Solanki, Gareth Batty and Kabir Ali are included in England's provisional 30-man squad for September's ICC Champions Trophy.

The group will be whittled down to 14 in just under a month's time.

Steven Davies - who made his first team debut for Worcestershire in their recent one-day match against Sri Lanka A - has been selected for the England team to play Bangladesh in the first Under 19s Test match at Headingley, between July 28 and 31.