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July 25, 2001
Cricket |
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The Ashes Tour
Geoffrey Boycott, former England and Yorkshire batsman blamed the England and Wales Cricket Board's system for failing to produce quality players. Boycott felt that the existing two division county championships was not good enough to throw up exciting talent. Boycott in a daily column wrote that the English county circuit was no longer a breeding ground for Test cricketers as it was before. "Don't blame the selectors, blame the England and Wales Cricket Board," Boycott wrote in his Daily Telegraph column. 
Coca-Cola Triangular in Sri Lanka An attack by a group of LTTE militants on an air base and the international airport in Colombo on Tuesday led to the tightening of security in the hotel that houses the three teams and the players for the ongoing triangular tournament. The manager of the Indian side Anand Mate, assured the BCCI that there was nothing to worry and that the players were safe. Mate added that the venues of Galle and Kandy where the first two Tests are to be played after the one-day series are much safer venues than Colombo. The Sri Lankan government has also offered complete protection and safety to the players. Meanwhile, the Indian team had a four hour session in the nets on Tuesday afternoon. The Sri Lankan authorities have stepped up security around the players of the three participating countries (India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand). Talks to this effect were held involving Sri Lankan cricket officials and the managers of all three teams, including the match referee, West Indian Cammie Smith. Security officials have given assurance regarding the safety of the players
West Indies in Zimbabwe
Miscellaneous
The Pakistan government has said that all security will be provided to the Indian team when they travel to Pakistan in September for the Asian Test Championships. After the summit held in Agra last week that proved inconclusive, there is a fear that death threats may be made against the Indian players from various militant organisations based in Pakistan.
The newly formed selection committee in Pakistan is to meet next week to pick the Pakistan team probables for the Asian Test Championships beginning next month. Pakistan play the first match of the tournament against Bangladesh at Multan from August 29. Zimbabwe's wicket keeper batsman Andy Flower has been chosen "Player of the year" by the Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA). He was presented the award by former England skipper Ted Dexter at a special ceremony in London. Pakistan all rounder Abdur Razzaq was named the "Young player of the year" while the Australian team walked away with the team award.
Banned South African skipper Hansie Cronje made an angry denial of all the allegations that have been appearing in the media of late regarding his concealment of bank accounts and other financial affairs. Cronje who is looking to challenge the ban imposed on him says he would make a come back to international cricket not as a cricketer but as a coach.
The South African Cricket Board on the other hand have issued a statement that Cronje would never be allowed to play cricket again. The Board said that if Cronje managed to have the ban on him lifted they would initiate a fresh disciplinary hearing against him. England all rounder Darren Gough who is in his benefit year has managed to rope in New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming and West Indians Junior Murray and Phil Simmons for his benefit match. Besides these players, Gough has already got the nod from Australian players Darren Lehmann and Stuart Law and former West Indian fast bowling duo of Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose. Former English Test umpire Dickie Bird will officiate the match, which will be played at Sheffield (in Yorkshire) on August 30.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) have demanded a replay of all their matches of the recently concluded ICC Trophy in Canada. They feel that the matches should be replayed as two of their best players (both Pakistani expatriates) were denied visas for entry into Canada. UAE failed to qualify to the 2003 World Cup by finishing fifth in the tournament.
It is reported that the Sri Lankan cricket team will shortly have a new batting and bowling coach, although the overall responsibility will remain with the national coach, Australian Dave Whatmore. Former South African & Hampshire batsman Barry Richards and former English pace bowler Neil Foster will shortly take over as the batting and bowling coaches.
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is reported to have suffered losses exceeding over half a million dollars from two investments made on the US Stock Market. These investments in seems were made on behalf of the WICB by Chief Financial Officer, Richard Jodhan and Executive Secretary, Andrew Sealy, without the cricket board's proper authority.
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Thirty seven year old former England and Gloucestershire wicket-keeper Jack Russell said yesterday that he was willing to come out of retirement to help the beleaguered English team in the remaining Ashes Tests. Russell felt that his brand of aggressive wicket-keeping would be enough to unsettle the Australians. Russell has appeared in 54 Tests from 1988 to 1998, scoring 1897 runs (avg. 27.10) with 165 dismissals.
After putting up good performances on the tour of Zimbabwe that led to a win in the final of the triangular series over India, followed by a convincing win in the Test match against Zimbabwe, the young West Indies team seems to be moulding into a good unit. Former West Indian fast bowler Colin Croft said the team under Carl Hooper is grouping well around the skipper, who presents a father figure to most of the players, similar to the role that Clive Lloyd played in the seventies. Croft also felt that the coach and manager of the side have managed to inculcate a level of strict discipline within the team.
However despite these assurances, one hopes there is no repeat of what happened to the Indian skipper Kris Srikkanth during the last full tour of Pakistan in December 1989. A religious party activist had attacked the Indian captain during the Karachi Test. Such incidents had never occurred when the Pakistani teams have toured India.