Elworthy head of 2019 World Cup

LONDON — South African Steve Elworthy will head up the organization of the 2019 Cricket World Cup being hosted in England and Wales after the former international cricketer was appointed managing director Tuesday. The 51-year-old — who made 39 appearances for The Proteas in One-Day Internationals and played in four Tests after being capped at the ripe old age of 32 — has accrued vast experience in the organization of major tournaments. He was tournament director of the 2007 and 2009 World Twenty20 competitions and the 2013 Champions Trophy held in England and Wales — a competition he is also in charge of organizing for the same hosts for next year. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive officer Tom Harrison said Elworthy was the perfect man for the job based on his previous handling of tournaments. “He has an outstanding track record of delivering fan-friendly tournaments which have been widely admired not just in cricket, but across the wider sports industry,” said Harrison. O’Keefe betters chances Steve O’Keefe’s five-wicket haul in the tour match in Sri Lanka has raised his hopes of selection for Australia in the Test series with regular spinner Nathan Lyon. Left-arm spinner O’Keefe took 5-43 at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo as Australia dominated the opening day of its sole practice match before the series opener in Pallekele next week. Lyon went wicketless for 72 runs against the Sri Lanka Board XI but is unlikely to be dropped for the three-Test series which is expected to feature drier wickets. O’Keefe, who made his test debut away against Pakistan in 2014, played only his second match in January, teaming up with Lyon at the spin-friendly Sydney Cricket Ground against West Indies. The pair took three wickets apiece in the first innings of the rain-hit match.