Law to captain for Season

Master batsman Stuart Law will captain the XXXX Queensland Bulls for the remainder of the 1999-2000 season, it was confirmed today.

Test wicket-keeper Ian healy, the world record holder of Test dismissals, made a recommendation to the Queensland selectors last week that Law take over from him as full-time captain for the season.

Chief Executive officer Graham Dixon today announced that the Board of Queensland Cricket had accepted the recommendation of the selectors, and that Law would lead the Bulls in the Ansett Australia International Challenge against Pakistan at Allan Border Field from Saturday.

Healy and Law have both captained the Bulls since Healy was appointed to the top job for the first time in 1992-93, with Law taking over the reins when healy was unavailable due to his Australian commitments.

Law, 31, has been in charge of the four Bulls' trophy winning teams - Sheffield Shield titles in 1994-95 and 1996-97 and Mercantile Mutual Cup titles in 1995-96 and 1997-98 and has captained Queensland in 39 Shield games, with 17 wins.

Dixon said Healy had given his full backing for Law to do the job on a "full-time" basis this season.

"Ian sees his role as being similar to the one Allan Border filled when he played in the side but left the captaincy to Ian, and subsequently Stuart in 1994-95" he said.

"Queensland Cricket has been very fortunate to have had two such exceptional captains to guide us for most of the decade and we believe that Stuart will continue to do an excellent job for us, on and off the field", Dixon said

Healy was today named in the Bulls team for the four-day Pakistan game, which starts on Saturday at Albion in what will be the initial first-class match to be played at the venue.

Test prospect Michael Kasprowicz continues to make steady progress from a quadricep injury and hopes to bowl tomorrow afternoon at training at Albion.

XXXX Queensland Bulls v Pakistan: Stuart Law (c), Matthew Hayden, Jimmy Maher, Martin Love, Andrew Symonds, Geoff Foley, Ian Healy, Andy Bichel, Michael Kasprowicz, Adam Dale, Scott Muller, Matthew Anderson (twelfth man to be named).