Dale to tour, Law contracted

Australian Cricket Board Chief Executive Officer, Malcolm Speed, today announced that the National Selection Panel had chosen Queensland Bulls swing bowler Adam Dale to replace the recently retired Paul Reiffel in the One Day International (ODI) squad for the Foxtel Australian Cricket Tour of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

And Dale's Queensland Bulls team-mate, Stuart Law, has been selected to replace Reiffel on the ACB contracted players list.

"Paul Reiffel's retirement meant the national selectors had to name another player for the Foxtel Australian Cricket Tour of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe and appoint a new player to the 1999/2000 ACB contracted players list," Mr Speed said.

After being forced to return home early from Australia's tour of the West Indies with pneumonia, Dale rejoined the Australian World Cup squad in England, but only played two out of a possible ten World Cup games.

"I am happy to be back in the Australian one-day squad," said Dale, who is in Melbourne today on non-cricket engagements. "I can now track my way back to the form I was in on the West Indies tour and be part of more Australian team success."

Law joins the list of 25 ACB contracted players after enjoying a successful County season with Essex in England. To date, Law has scored 1030 County runs in 17 innings at an average of 73.57 with five centuries, and he was the first County player to reach 1000 runs this year.

"I am delighted," Law said from England yesterday. "I have worked hard on my game over here and I am pleased that my performance has been recognised by the Australian selectors."