With a summer like we've had, cricket addicts fed up with rain affected matches now have an alternative, guaranteed against rain, bad-light and almost everything except power failures - Graham Gooch's Test Cricket. What's more, those who think they could pick a better team than the official selectors can have a go.

The game starts by selecting from a 40-over, 55-over, 60-over or two innings match and deciding skill level. Then you choose between two player or one player simulation or one player arcade. That completed you choose the England and Australian II from the 20 possibles for each, and off you go.

Simulation means that you can just sit back and watch - a 55-over match takes over an hour. But if you wish, you can control the batsman's tactics, aggressive, normal or defensive. Arcade mode involves timing the batsman's stroke or shaking the joystick to energise the bowler. In both, you choose your side's bowlers and when they should change. The graphics are great, and the limitations of the e64 are made up for by imaginative animation, like fielders tossing the ball in the air after a catch.

True cricket enthusiasts will be unhappy with some aspects of the realism - I've yet to see a maiden over for example. I'd also like a fact sheet about the players, as the programmer sees them, to help choose the teams. Nevertheless, it's all good fun, and where else can you see Border bowl weakly to a defensive Ian Botham.

B.J.