Cricket: Boon in poor form for first Test

David Boon, the Australian batsman who made three Test centuries against England during the summer, will go into the first Test against New Zealand next week with just 23 first-class runs to his name this season. Boon, acknowledged by his team manager, Bobby Simpson to be the key figure in their line-up, struggled again on the third day of Tasmania's match against New Zealand, his only warm-up opportunity before the Test. He spent 75 minutes over 21 before driving Murphy Su'a to Ken Rutherford at short cover.