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Paul Sheldon, Surrey's chief executive, was at pains to point out yesterday that there was ``no animosity'' between his county and the England management as a result of last week's Tudor affair.

Sheldon said he had given a full explanation to the England and Wales Cricket Board why the England camp had not been told that Alex Tudor was having a knee scan on the eve of the second Test against New Zealand, which led to the fast bowler's late withdrawal. ``There was a communication breakdown,'' he said. ``Messages did not get through. Next time we have to be sure messages are copper-bottomed.''

Sheldon said he spoke with David Graveney, chairman of England's selectors, and Nasser Hussain, the captain, on Thursday during an unrelated contracts meeting. ``There was no animosity to spoil what has been a very good relationship.''

Tudor's scan had been arranged by Surrey two days earlier in an attempt to reassure him over knee soreness, but a 'hot spot' was unexpectedly revealed. An angry England camp had to summon Angus Fraser to Lord's, necessitating a fruitless 320-mile round trip from Taunton, but Sheldon denied there had been a bust-up. He said: ``There was no row and any suggestion that England were deliberately misled is scurrilous. We would not want to show any player in a bad light.''

Keith Fletcher's constituency MP at Saffron Walden, Sir Alan Haselhurst, the Deputy Speaker, is attempting to fill the long gap in cricketing fiction since England, Their England, the renowned AG Macdonell novel first published in 1933.

Haselhurst is offering Occasionally Cricket, the tribulations of a wandering side venturing into the villages from London. Queen Anne Press are publishing the hardback in a couple of weeks, and it is a decent read.

John Holder, the Test umpire who was at a loose end after the Glamorgan-Hampshire match at Swansea finished early, went to watch a friend officiating at Llandeilo's club game against Ystalyfera in Division Five of the South Wales League and he volunteered his services when it became clear only one umpire was available.

Richard Thomas, Llandeilo's secretary, said: ``Holder calmly donned a white coat and stood for the duration of the game to the amazement and delight of the players and home club.'' Holder was presented with a club tie for his gesture.

Australian umpire Peter McConnell emerges poorly from Peter Hayter's fascinating book Phil Tufnell - What Now? At Melbourne in 1990-91, Tufnell made his Test debut for England and during his first spell he asked McConnell how many balls there were left in the over. The reply: ``Count 'em yourself, you Pommie ****.'' Graham Gooch, England's captain, overheard and it is surprising that McConnell was ever allowed to officiate again.

A Benefit match that is not a golden handshake for the able-bodied? Occasionally they happen. Bunbury Cricket Club, David English's showbiz gang, have a match at Chesham on Aug 15 to raise money for Teddy Thomas, the popular former Surrey and Buckinghamshire all-rounder. Thomas has multiple sclerosis.