County diary: Keeping Dad happy

Forget his dilemma whether to pledge his future to England or South Africa - Riki Wessels has more pressing issues trying to keep both his parents happy.

Wessels says his future is committed to England

Father Kepler, whose Test career was split between Australia and South Africa and who is now his son's coach at Northants, wants him to concentrate on cricket.

Mother Sally is worried about him missing university exams.

He has one on Friday but will instead be playing against Somerset, looking to build on a maiden first-class century made on the opening day of the game.

"Cricket is taking full preference over my studies, much to my mum's disappointment," he tells BBC Sport.

After making his first-class debut for MCC against West Indies last summer, he was in the Northants 2nd XI until first-choice keeper Gerard Brophy broke his finger.

He reached three figures in just his fourth innings for the first team but admits he has struggled at times with the gloves.

"Gerry is out for three or four weeks so this is my opportunity to dig in and stamp my authority as the number one keeper at Northants," he says.

He's always tougher on me than anyone else and he tells the truth quite bluntly sometimes Riki Wessels on father Kepler

Wessels has big shoes to fill in the form of his father, who averaged 41.00 in 40 Tests and captained South Africa on 16 occasions after their return from isolation.

"People never tire of asking about it so I've had to get used to it," he says.

"He is well-known for what he has achieved so I obviously listen to him, although he has a few different opinions to me.

"He's always tougher on me than anyone else and he tells the truth quite bluntly sometimes."

You may need a university degree to work out the playing qualifications of Matthew Hendrik Wessels.

He was born in Australia, raised in South Africa and is eligible for England in three years' time after moving to Northampton last March.

"My goal is to play Test cricket for England," says Riki, who lives full-time in England while studying for an HND in IT Support Systems.

"I was only 18 when I made the decision to leave my family behind but it is the best decision I've made so far."

PUT YOUR SHIRT ON HOLLIOAKE

Life is a beach these days for Adam Hollioake, the former England and Surrey captain who retired at the end of last season.

Hollioake forsees Twenty20 cricket taking place on the beach

And his vision of Twenty20 cricket being played on the sand is one of the prizes on offer in a tee-shirt decorating competition being organised for charity.

Adam has spent the last three years working on behalf of the Ben Hollioake Fund, set up in memory of his brother, who was killed in a road accident aged just 24.

Their goal, in association with Chase Hospice Care for Children, is to create a centre in South London for sick children who are not expected to reach the age of 19.

Entrants in the competition have to order a tee-shirt from the Fund (website details on the right), decorate it on a Twenty20 Cup theme and send it in for judging.

First prize is a family ticket to the Twenty20 final on 30 July, plus accommodation, and a tee-shirt designed by a cricketing hero.

Andrew Flintoff has also been roped in to decorate a shirt, but while his batting is something for everyone to see, his designing ability so far remains private.

Reporting by Martin Gough