UF ORDER OF OMEGA

Having half a team tarnished merely by association rather than deed will undoubtedly help speed the healing process.That said, England will probably not name a team until after their fielding practice on Christmas Day. After we've done that we'll look forward to the Test."Whatever the soul searching achieves, Stewart is probably fortunate that six of the side likely to play on Saturday, were not involved in Hobart. We shall be sitting down and having a frank and open discussion about it before practice. With morale already low after conceding a 2-0 deficit in the Test series a humiliating nine-wicket defeat, coming just before a watershed Test match, was less than ideal. Speaking on the subject for the first time, the captain, Alec Stewart, echoed the scathing views previously given by the team manager, Graham Gooch. "It was probably our worst performance overseas since a certain Saturday in Sydney, eight years ago," he said.

"I can accept that people can play badly, but I can't accept a poor approach."Playing for England, or anyone for that matter, you just don't go through the motions. If Christmas cannot come too soon for some, it certainly has for England who need nothing less than a win to stay in the series. THE MELBOURNE Cricket Ground on Boxing Day can be a daunting place for any visiting team let alone one still tasting the remnants of numbing defeat as England must be. Christmas may be the season of goodwill to all men, but in Australia that does not extend as far as the England cricket team, who go into this fourth Test as rank outsiders. Further trouble could be ahead, too, because Sindhu Pulsirivong, president of the Thai Snooker and Billiards Association, has threatened to prevent tournaments taking part in Thailand if Williams remains in power..

The tournament director, Ann Yates, who had worked in the sport since 1976, and Bruce Beckett, head of media relations, left the governing body during the summer after clashing with Williams while the sport's Independent on Sunday correspondent, Clive Everton, has had his life membership of the WPBSA revoked and been denied normal press facilities at tournaments. He is suing the WPBSA for breach of contract, a case that will be heard in the High Court on 11 January, but he is by no means the only casualty of the civil war that has erupted since. The dissenters have gained influence but not power.After the five-hour meeting both sides called for a settlement of differences which centred on snooker's inability to secure sponsors even though the sport commands high television figures. Terry Griffiths, who withdrew his candidature midway through the afternoon, said: "I didn't want to be part of a split board. I didn't think that was the best thing for the members or for me."Taylor added: "We don't need all this haggling and fighting because it's not healthy... Now that Steve, Jason and myself are on the board we can take the game forward Snooker's a great product. It appeals to all ages."Williams, whose own position of chairman was not up for re-election but who could have been ousted if another rebel had been voted in, was also placatory "Everybody should be pleased with the outcome.