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July 31, 2001
Cricket |
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Coca-Cola Triangular in Sri Lanka The good news for India is that Sachin Tendulkar is confident he will be fit in time for next month's Test series in Sri Lanka. Tendulkar could not play in the ongoing triangular one-day tournament, due to a hairline fracture in his right foot. His place in the Test squad will only be confirmed after he has undergone a scan on 10 August in Mumbai.
West Indies in Zimbabwe Facing a deficit of 216 runs, the Zimbabwean batsmen put up some resolute performances, which enabled their team put up a challenging total of 563-9 decl on the fourth day. West Indies needing 348 runs to win at close were 42-1. Incidentally, Zimbabwe's total was its highest in Tests bettering the previous best of 544-4 decl against Pakistan in February 1995. Thanks to some brilliant batting by Zimbabwe's Andy Blignaut and Heath Streak and their seventh-wicket stand of 154 helped the home side to reach this total. Incidentally, the partnership was Zimbabwe's best for this wicket bettering the previous best of 131 between Grant Flower and Paul Strang against Pakistan at Sheikhupura in October 1996.
The Ashes Tour Hampshire did what England has not been able to do - i.e. beat the Australians. Chasing a modest target of 133 runs on the last day, Hampshire batsmen made heavy weather after being 90-3 at one stage. They soon slumped to 128-8 before wicket-keeper Iain Brunnschweiler hit the winning run off Colin Miller as the home team won a historic match against the world champions Australia at Southampton. England may risk going into the third Test at Nottingham beginning this Thursday with just six batsmen. With England already down two-nil, the team will have to go all out to take 20 Australian wickets in the hope of winning the Test. To strengthen the bowling attack Darren Gough, Andy Caddick and Craig White will be joined by Surrey pace bowler and capable batsman Alex Tudor and off-spinner Robert Croft. Incidentally, Tudor last appeared in a Test in July 1999 against New Zealand when he played a match winning knock of 99 not out at Birmingham.
Miscellaneous According to some reports, the International Cricket Council (ICC) may be forced to ban South Africa from international cricket if Hansie Cronje's appeal against his life ban is upheld. The ICC president Malcolm Gray believes that a national cricket board can be suspended if it is not co-operating in its efforts in fighting against match-fixing. With both India and Pakistan banning its players for their involvement in match-fixing, Gray wants South Africa to follow suit. It is also feared that if the South African Cricket Board lifts the ban on Cronje, then countries like India and Pakistan may boycott matches against South Africa.
Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne in his autobiography has disclosed that he was considering retirement after the World Cup final at Lord's in 1999. His decision was following fresh accusations of match-fixing just before the Final. He informed skipper Steve Waugh that he was considering retirement, but he was warned not to make a rash decision. Warne however changed his mind after seeing the reception given to the victorious Australian team on their arrival back home. Warne blames former Australian left-hander David Hookes for this decision saying Hookes had claimed on radio that there were further match-fixing revelations to emerge concerning Warne. The Indian government confirmed its stand that it would not allow the team to play in any bilateral cricket series against Pakistan, although the Indian team was free to play against that country in multilateral tournaments. The government, has come to this view, after taking all the relevant factors into consideration such as circumstances prevailing between the two countries at present. This statement was made by the Minister of State of Sports P. Radhakrishnan in the Parliament yesterday. This would now mean that India can play Pakistan at Lahore in September in the Asian Test Championships (ATC), since this tournament is a multilateral one, involving four countries. Former Australian Test paceman Dave Gilbert has been appointed the chief executive of the New South Wales Cricket Association. The 41 year old Sydney-born Gilbert, who has played nine Tests and 14 one-day internationals during the eighties, will leave his position as chief executive of England's Sussex county Cricket Club to take up the NSW position. After finishing his first-class playing career in 1992, Gilbert spent four years playing and coaching in Queensland before being appointed as cricket manager and senior coach of English county club Surrey for almost two years. Gilbert, who holds a level three coaching certificate, joined rival English county Sussex in 1997 as deputy chief executive and general manager and was made chief executive in October 1999.
Former South African captain Kepler Wessels has turned down the offer to work as the Pakistan cricket team coach on a full-time basis. With this the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suffered another setback in its efforts to appoint a full time foreign coach. Australian Greg Chappell and South African Barry Richards have also refused to accept a similar offer. Earlier this month former Pakistan coach South African Richard Pybus declined to renew his contract with the PCB. In a press release, yesterday, the ICC has confirmed that Netherlands, Namibia, Canada and Kenya, will benefit from a US$1million budget allocated by the world cricket body to support the four non-Test playing countries to prepare for the 2003 World Cup. The money will come from the ICC's Development Programme and be used to stage tournaments and tours, provide elite coaching and the services of a dedicated High Performance Consultant. The Netherlands qualified for the World Cup as winners of the ICC Trophy in Toronto earlier this month, with Namibia joining them as runners-up and Canada as the third-placed team in the tournament. Kenya did not participate in the Trophy as it already holds One-Day International status, which guarantees automatic entry to the World Cup.
SCORES AT A GLANCE
2nd Test match
Ashes tour match
Yesterday's News ......................... News Roll archive |
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New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming will make a comeback to the side after missing two games due a stomach problem. He will most certainly play in Tuesday's crucial game against Sri Lanka. If New Zealand manage to win this match, it is sure of reaching the final since its run-rate is far superior than India.
Former Australian captain Greg Chappell's decision to auction off his cricket material has run into trouble. The list of items to be auctioned includes five letters from the late Sir Don Bradman, who died in February this year, at the age of 92. The Bradman Foundation, which holds the copyright for all Bradman's cricketing items, says that the extracts of the letters, which appeared in the catalogue for sale, is in breach of copyright. Meanwhile, Bradman's son John says that there is nothing he can do to stop people from selling the letters, but he can decide as to who can publish its contents. He also does not want personal letters from his father to be sold for commercial purposes.
Former West Indies fast bowler Andy Roberts and Pakistani batsman Javed Miandad will arrive at Dhaka on August 12 on a three-week coaching assignment to prepare Bangladesh for the upcoming Asian Test championships. They will also assist current coach Australian Trevor Chappell. While the latter will look after the fielding and physical fitness, Roberts will oversee the bowlers and Miandad the batsmen. Bangladesh play Pakistan at Multan for the Asian Test Championship match starting from August 29. Meanwhile, off-spinner Naimur Rehman has been retained as captain.