The grant, the biggest allocation to a single project, will help to fund an indoor cricket hall containing seven lanes of practice nets with a surface designed to simulate the kind of bounce experienced on a grass pitch.

The academy, which will cost £4 million, will also include other indoor facilities, with outdoor turf nets and practice areas for use during the spring and summer.

Glamorgan, who now have exclusive occupation of the ground after sharing facilities with Cardiff Cricket Club since 1966, hope to complete the academy in time for the 1999 World Cup, when Sophia Gardens will be hosting Australia.

They plan to transform their headquarters in Cardiff into a national cricket ground for Wales at an estimated cost of £9 million over a maximum period of 15 years. The next two projects include a new pavilion, offices and a grandstand.

Yorkshire officials are due to meet Paul Caddick, the owner of the Headingley ground, today for discussions about the county's proposed move to Wakefield.

Asia-Pacific countries such as China are to be the target for a project by Australia and New Zealand to develop new cricket nations. Malcolm Speed, the Australian Cricket Board's new chief executive, outlined the ICC-instigated plans at the launch of the Australian season at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday.

He said: ``We are looking at a number of potential countries where we might seek to develop the game, and these include China and Japan, where the huge populations are a big attraction.''

Bangladesh are to tour New Zealand next month for three one-day matches and three four-day matches at international level to groom them towards full Test status.

Shane Warne is now ``100 per cent sure'' to play county cricket next season and will decide which county he signs for by this weekend, according to his agent.

Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Sussex are the three counties vying for the signature of the Australian leg-spinner, who is resting at home in Melbourne.

Sussex are also hoping that Chris Adams, of Derbyshire, will join them for next summer.

Frank Kemp, 50, Kent's director of cricket development, is to become cricket operations manager for the ECB on Oct 27.

Matthew Maynard, Glamorgan's captain, is to lead England against New Zealand on this autumn's inaugural three-day Cricket Max tour. The first of three matches is in Auckland on Oct 31.

England (for Cricket Max, NZ): *M P Maynard, R A Smith, C J Adams, D P Ostler, M W Alleyne, C C Lewis, N M K Smith, I D Austin, -R J Turner, P A J DeFreitas, S D Udal, G Welch.