ALEC STEWART yesterday became the third of England’s relatively senior citizens to declare himself, in effect, unavailable for one-day internationals this season. He could not quite bring himself, six days after his 40th birthday, to announce his “retirement” but said that the time was right for the selectors to begin planning for the 2007 World Cup by looking at younger options for the role as England’s wicketkeeper-batsman.

Chris Read’s outstanding performances throughout the winter for the ECB Cricket Academy in Australia and Sri Lanka had given him a good chance, in any case, of an immediate return to the senior side. There are two Test matches against Zimbabwe next month and in early June before decisions are taken about the first of England’s extended programme of one-day games, but Read now becomes immediate ante-post favourite.

“As a contracted England player, I am very keen to continue my Test career,” Stewart said at the start of his second testimonial season for Surrey, his 23rd since his debut for the county. “Of course should I be selected for one-day internationals I will continue to give my very best. I still believe I’m good enough to play both forms of the game for England, but realistically I won’t be around in 2007.”

Like Nasser Hussain and Andrew Caddick, the two other centrally contracted players who have announced their retirement from international 50-over games, Stewart probably will retain his place in the Test side at least until the end of this season. David Graveney, Duncan Fletcher and Geoff Miller, the selectors, get together at Birmingham tomorrow to discuss their captaincy options after meetings at the ground today of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, county captains, coaches, umpires and groundsmen.

Hussain seems almost certain to remain as Test captain but there will be considerable debate about whether Michael Vaughan, Adam Hollioake or Marcus Trescothick should succeed him as leader of the one-day side.

Hollioake denied yesterday that he had given unprompted support for Vaughan, but added that he would not think seriously about doing the job himself until such time as he was asked to do so.

It may be safely assumed that none of the captaincy candidates would be averse to the idea of a refreshed Graham Thorpe regaining his England place in both forms of the game in due course. Thorpe said at an open day at the Oval yesterday that time had healed the trauma of the split from his wife last year and that he is fully committed to getting back by doing well early in the season for Surrey.

“It was the right decision for myself this winter not to tour,” he said, “but you move forward in life and it’s up to me now to put my name back in the hat.”

Surrey announced a profit of £216,000 at last night’s annual meeting.

• Shaun Pollock took four for 36 to help South Africa to an 83-run victory over Bangladesh in the one-day tournament in Dhaka South Africa scored 294 for three and bowled out the home side for 211 with three balls to spare.

Keeping going

Matches: 170
Innings: 162
Not outs: 14
Runs: 4,677
Average: 31.60
Strike-rate: 68.36
Highest score: 116
100s: 4
50s: 28
Catches: 159
Stumpings: 15
ODI debut: Sri Lanka (Delhi, Nehru Cup, 1989-90)
Latest ODI: Australia (Port Elizabeth, World Cup, 2002-03)