``There's been contact with Alan Ormrod at Notts on my behalf and I'll be talking to them next week probably,'' said Read. He added that he was still open to offers.

Read returns to the England A side for today's one day 'international', which England must win to stay in the series. They may have to contend with Sanath Jayasuriya, who is rumoured to be keen for some practice befor the imminent Sri Lankan tour of South Africa. Matara is also his home town. The other England changes are David Sales for Steve James and Owais Shah for Jimmy Ormond. The plan is to use Darren Maddy as a sixth seam-bowler, a one-day role he has often performed for Leicestershire.

England A: *N V Knight, A Flintoff, B C Hollioake, O A Shah, D L Maddy, D J Sales, M A Ealham, A F Giles, D R Brown, -C M W Read, D A Cosker.

Duncan Fearnley is to stand down after 12 years as Worcestershire's chairman, though the Yorkshireman, bat-maker and businessman will continue to serve on the committee under a new chairman, who will be elected early in March.

Fearnley, 57, decided it was the right time to step down as the county prepared to turn themselves into an industrial and provident society, which will limit a chairman's term to eight years.