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English Test cricket is on the up. According to recent market research, a significant number of people feel that ``Test cricket is getting more popular''.

Public perception might be like a batting helmet without a grille comforting until something hits you in the teeth - but it is something marketing folk use as serious currency. Channel 4's poll in July suggested that 24 per cent of the 16 to 34 age bracket thought cricket popular, twice as many as in May.

The television company naturally assume their coverage has fostered this perception, and it is hard to disagree after the mediocre day suffered by Nasser Hussain's team at the Oval yesterday.

Opinions could yet persuade Cornhill Insurance to extend their financial support for England's Test cricket when their current contract runs out next year.

The number of viewers who rang Channel 4 to complain about Thursday's interrupted coverage was not high. ``We do not disclose that sort of information,'' said a spokesman, ``but the number was in tens not hundreds.''

There were two breaks in playing time for racing from York's big Ebor meeting. Today there will be an hour's absence from the Oval mid-afternoon for races at Sandown and Chester, plus another 10-minute gap.

Michael Henderson, The Telegraph cricket correspondent, will be discussing English cricket on Channel 4 during the Oval lunch interval today alongside Christopher Martin-Jenkins, his predecessor.

It is fair to say that these two figures do not agree how deep the scalpel should be applied to England's set-up or how many transplant operations are necessary. It promises to make for interesting viewing.

The New Zealanders have been accused of racial abuse by the touring Sri Lanka A party, stemming from their one-day match at Milton Keynes on July 7.

Stan Jayasinghe, the tour manager perhaps better known as a former Leicestershire player, has asked his board in his tour report to seek clarification from the New Zealand authorities about remarks made during play.

John Gray, the New Zealand manager, said no complaints were received at the time.

Yorkshire have set a date for the testimonial match for Colin Chapman, their popular reserve wicketkeeper, who has had to retire because of epilepsy. The afternoon match at Brighouse on Sept 6 is bound to be well supported.

Medical advice convinced Chapman, 28, that long hours of concentration in sunshine, irregular meal times and frequent car journeys would aggravate his condition.

Some cricketers such as Tony Greig and Jonty Rhodes, less severe epileptics, have forged international careers, but before modern treatments the risk was higher. For example Johnny Briggs, the England and Lancashire left-arm spinner, suffered an early death at the age of 39 in 1902.

It was to a wicketkeeper Briggs addressed his laconic remark: ``I suppose I'm out then'' when a delivery from Charles Kortright knocked his leg-stump 18 yards back in a Gentlemen v Players match at Lord's.

Motorbike was the way Matthew Maynard eased the infamous 4.5-hour journey to the championship venue of Colwyn Bay from South Wales this week.

Glamorgan's captain, who passed his motorcycle test this year, borrowed a Honda to slice well over an hour off the travel time.

Mike Fatkin, Glamorgan's secretary, said: ``Matthew has been hankering to do this for quite a while, but it's not something we would encourage.'' No sponsored bikes, then.