Hegg lends some moral support to his captain

Hegg's role as reserve 'keeper has come increasingly into focus in the last few weeks as Stewart struggled to make an impression with the bat - his unbeaten 63 on the final day of the third Test in Adelaide was only the second time he had reached double figures in six Ashes innings.

That uncertainty was heightened by Stewart's surprise omission from the start of today's four-day match with an Australian XI side featuring nine Test players. He is being rested in advance of the back-to-back Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

However, as much as the Lanca-shire gloveman would cherish the opportunity to replace him behind the stumps in either of the final two Tests, he is patriotic enough to admit that Stewart's return to form could be the best Christmas present England could hope for as they attempt to salvage some pride from the series finale.

''A lot of people have speculated that it has been too much for him, but I know Stewie, and he is a tough character,'' stressed Hegg. ''In anything he does, he's a winner.

''Maybe it has affected him and maybe it is a big ask to do all three jobs. Who knows if that is the reason why we're two down in the series, but there are other factors involved as well - if we'd gone two up, I don't think anyone would have asked these questions.''

Hegg admits that being so close to winning a first Test cap has fuelled his ambitions on his first senior tour after trips to Pakistan and Sri Lanka and Australia with the A team.

''I've enjoyed everything about this tour - the hotels, the press, playing in front of the Australian public, everything,'' he explained. ''If the cricket had gone well as well, that would have been it for me - it would have been the ultimate.

''I've even enjoyed the little things like standing in the line-up when the national anthem plays at the beginning of each Test.

''If I was standing in the 11 that would be the absolute. It's a special thing and there are so many guys back in England who would love to be standing in that line.''

As he prepares to take the gloves again in today's four-day match with a strong Australian XI in Hobart, Hegg insists his intense desire to represent his country has not diminished his great admiration for Stewart.

He said: ''I've done quite a lot of work with Stewie - I've always rated him highly as a 'keeper and being able to talk with him about a lot of things has been great.

''He has played a lot of Test matches, and I've not played any. Just being able to watch him has helped me and to be able to talk about the game and be able to discuss the step-up from first-class cricket to Test cricket is really interesting.''

Yet, not all of Hegg's trip has been completely enjoyable, and he admits that weeks on the sidelines watching the action and acting as an occasional drinks carrier have taken their toll on a player who has been used to a regular place in the Lancashire side for some years.

Prior to taking the gloves in the 16-run victory over a Prime Minister's XI in Canberra, during which he top-scored with a valuable 47, his previous appearance was against Western Australia on the bouncy WACA pitch on November 3.

He said: ''A spin bowler needs to bowl, and a batsman needs to bat, and it's just the same for a wicketkeeper - you've got to get into a rhythm, and yesterday was quite a difficult wicket to keep on anyway. I was going in cold, really, and it was a real test for me.

''My last real cricket was the WACA, and I don't think you could have two more different wickets than Perth and Canberra.

''I came to Australia knowing that I was No.2 to Stewie, but when you have always been a main part of a side for virtually 90% of your career, it's very frustrating.

''Even though I geared myself up for not playing as much as I would have liked, it's been very difficult.

''You have to stay optimistic because anything can happen on a tour, and if I did get a chance to play in a Test match it would be the culmination of everything I have ever worked for. It would mean I would be playing at either the MCG or the SCG which are two great venues to play your first Test.''

qThe England and Wales Cricket Board has insisted it will be sending an England squad to the Sharjah one-day tournament next spring.

The ECB's international teams director, Simon Pack, said: ''Our participation in the triangular tournament in Sharjah in early April is an important part of our World Cup preparation and we look forward to the event.

The England squad is scheduled to depart on March 29 for the tournament and will play two matches against India and two against Pakistan.

q Thick fog wiped out play for the second consecutive day on the second day of the third and final test between Pakistan and

Zimbabwe yesterday.

Autumn fog enveloped the Iqbal Stadium, forcing umpires Doug Cowie, of New Zealand, and his Pakistani colleague Salim Bader to call off play at 2.30pm.

Officials covered the VIP enclosure of the main building with long white sheets of cloth and painted Pakistan's dressing room white in a vain attempt to improve visibility.

Zimbabwe lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test at Peshawar by seven wickets. The tourists are bidding to win their first overseas series.

q Play was abandoned at tea on the first day of the first cricket test between New Zealand and India at Carisbrook yesterday.

Umpires Steve Dunne, of New Zealand, and Edward Nicholls, of the West Indies, abandoned play at the scheduled tea break after light rain had kept the players off the field for two sessions.

The pitch was covered in the morning when light drizzle set in, bringing an end to team warm-ups and preventing a toss or team announcements.