April 2, 2001
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The manager of the Pakistan team to New Zealand has said that the coach and senior players failed to have any communication of any sort throughout the tour and that if harmony was to prevail within the team, either the coach or some of the senior players would have to go. Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain and pace bowler Wasim Akram dismissed any reports that he was aspiring for captaincy. However reports have been speculating that Wasim Akram had complained to the PCB regarding Moin Khan's attitude. Pakistan was forced to replace beleaguered skipper Moin Khan with Inzamam ul Haq after the former suffered a knee injury in the final Test at Hamilton. 
The Government of India has finally issued a statement barring the participation of the Indian cricket team in non-regular venues like Sharjah, Singapore and Toronto at least for the next three years. The government has informed the BCCI of this decision and forbidden it to send a team for the next Sharjah tournament to begin next Sunday on April 8.
New Zealand has named a 13-man squad for Sharjah tri-nation tournament beginning on April 8. New Zealand have confirmed participation after India backed out of the tournament. The team will be lead by Craig McMillan. The other members include Chris Harris, Mathew Sinclair, Matthew Bell, Andre Adams, Grant Bradburn, Kyle Mills, Chris Nevin (wicket-keeper), Daryl Tuffey, Lou Vincent, Brooke Walker, Jacob Oram and James Franklin.
The Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly is likely to be pulled up by the Indian cricket authorities for continual indifferent behavior. The Indian skipper is also likely to be reported by the match referee Cammie Smith to the ICC. The charges against Ganguly are that he was late for the toss for almost every match and kept Steve Waugh and Cammie Smith waiting. Ganguly, at Indore was also seen arguing as to who won the toss, and then walked back after the toss on his own without waiting for the visiting captain. It is also reported that he sent Rahul Dravid opening with Tendulkar against the wishes of the selectors and the coach, John Wright.
A partnership of 116 between Brian Lara and Carl Hooper at Bridgetown helped salvage some respect to the West Indies who looked in danger of being bowled out for a small total. Hooper (74 not out) and Lara (83) took the score to 252-5 at close on the third day in reply to South Africa's first innings total of 454. The home team still require two runs to avoid the follow-on. The Sri Lankan Cricket Board's treasurer, Trevor Rajaratnam denied he withheld the annual accounts, for which the entire Board was dismissed by the Sports minister three days ago. He said that this was just a ploy to discredit the Board members of the previous committee. On the idea of four-day Tests being advocated by former Australian captain Mark Taylor and the Australian Cricket Board, England captain, Nasser Hussain said the Test cricket that is being played all over the world was exciting enough, and that there was always something happening on all the five days even if the match ended as a no result. He spoke out against the change in format.
Alan Donald's participation in the rest of the third Test at Bridgetown remains in doubt. Donald strained a hamstring while avoiding a bouncer when batting on the second day. The problem further aggravated when he bowled the next day. He has been advised rest. A brave hundred by wicket keeper Ridley Jacobs helped West Indies to reach 387 on the fourth day of the third Test at Bridgetown. South Africa in the second innings ended the day at 52-3 with a lead of 119 runs.
Bangladesh under the leadership of Naimur Rahman left for Harare on their historic maiden official Test tour. They will play two Tests and three one-day internationals besides a couple of warm up matches. Australian, Trevor Chappell, is the coach the Bangladesh side.
Reports have emerged that the banned South African skipper Hansie Cronje will be allowed to coach in his private capacity. Cronje was banned by the South African Cricket Board from earning any income out of cricket in any form including coaching. It appears the Board has softened its stance and allowed Cronje to coach in private.
The Australian Prime minister John Howard said that a special edition of 20-cent coin would carry the figure of Sir Donald Bradman who died in February. Bradman would replace the figure of the platypus, an Australian mammal on one side of the coin while the other side would continue to feature Britain's Queen Elizabeth.
The Nagpur police have busted an on-line cricket betting racket with raids conducted at the residences of two local bookies. Computer records showed betting amounts to the tune of Rs 11.34 crore changed hands during the India-Zimbabwe tour last November. Highly sophisticated instruments, such as high frequency transistors, computers, tape-recorders, used for the betting activities were seized by the police during the raids.
Mumbai, the last year's Ranji Trophy champions are out of contention in the Champions Cup tournament at Perth. They lost to South African champions KwaZulu-Natal by six wickets. Mumbai are placed last and will play New Zealand's Central Districts in the last encounter. The New Zealand champions, have a good chance to reach the final if they win the next two matches. 3rd Test at Bridgetown (day 4) South Africa: 454 (HH Gibbs 34, D Cullinan 134, ND McKenzie 72, N Boje 34, SM Pollock 109 not out; M Dillon 4-154, CA Walsh 3-87) 52-3 (DJ Cullinan 12 not out, JH Kallis 5 not out) West Indies: 387 (CH Gayle 40, BC Lara 83, C Hooper 74, RD Jacobs 113 not out; JH Kallis 6-67) 4th match: At Perth, Australia Mumbai vs KwaZulu-Natal Mumbai: 186 in 47.3 overs (Robin Morris 30, JV Paranjpe 34, PL Mhambrey 31; JC Kent 3- 25) KwaZulu-Natal: 190-4 in 45 overs (DJ Watson 30, ML Bruyns 54 not out, WR Wingfield 51 not out) Result: KwaZulu-Natal won by 6 wickets Man of the match: WR Wingfield (KN) Points table
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Compiled by: Mohandas Menon
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