PCA calls for overseas cut

The Professional Cricketers' Association have called for the number of overseas players in each county side to be cut to one.

At their Annual General Meeting at Edgbaston yesterday, the PCA unanimously agreed to two key objectives for the domestic game. A PCA statement confirmed the organisations' hopes to reduce "the numbers of overseas players to one per county with agreed criteria for replacements". The players' union will also push for "a minimum of eight England-qualified players to take to the field during domestic county cricket".

European Union regulations mean foreign-born players with European heritage do not count against a team's overseas quota.

Zimbabwe's selectors have named the teenage wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu as vice-captain for the forthcoming tour of England as well as dropping Craig Wishart and resurrecting the international career of Stuart Carlisle.

Taibu, who captained Zimbabwe during the 2002 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, has replaced the injured leg-spinner Brian Murphy in becoming his country's youngest vice-captain.

The national team coach, Geoff Marsh, believes Taibu, 19 now but who will be 20 by the time the first Test begins, is capable of leading the team.

Selectors were expected to name the side at the end of the inter-provincial Logan Cup, but did so two weeks earlier because Zimbabweans now require visas to enter England.

Also making a Test comeback are the Matabeleland all-rounder Mluleki Nkala and the opening batsman Mark Vermeulen. The latter recently suffered a hairline fracture to his skull when he was hit in the nets by a delivery from his team-mate Travis Friend, but has been cleared by an eye specialist.

There was no place for the World Cup opening batsman Wishart, whose 172 not out against Namibia was the highest individual score at that tournament. He has only averaged 15.8 since that innings.