|
Zimbabwe handed India yet another overseas defeat in the second Test match at Harare. After blasting the Indian lower order in the morning on the fourth day, thanks to Andy Blignaut and skipper Heath Streak, the home team went to record a rather easy win with four wickets and more than a day to spare. The two-match Test series is tied one-all. With this Test defeat the Indians have extended their poor performance out of the sub-continent by not winning a Test series since its last in 1986 in England.
Delhi's left-arm pace bowler Ashish Nehra, who impressed all with the ball during this Test series will stay back for the one-dayers. Nehra was scheduled to return home after the Test series. The team management reportedly spoke to the chairman of selectors Chandu Borde, who reluctantly agreed to Nehra being added to the 14-man one-day squad. It also appears that Sourav Ganguly's captaincy will be on the firing line, due to his poor batting form, when the team returns from Zimbabwe. However Ganguly could regain his form in the forthcoming tri series in Zimbabwe.
Acting England skipper Alec Stewart has called for an immediate and positive action after the pitch invasion at Leeds spoilt yet another match in the ongoing NatWest Trophy. Stewart suggested that a 5000 pound fine be imposed on the offender. Alec Stewart visited the steward, who was injured as spectators ran onto the ground after England's last match against Pakistan at Leeds. The steward, Stephen Speight, who was in charge of looking after the players was kept in hospital for a day for observation. Steward said he wanted to enquire about Speight's condition since he was injured trying to protect the players. Stewart revealed that the injured Speight was in no condition to speak. Meanwhile there are some who have suggested that England should have been awarded the Leeds match since it were the Pakistani spectators who disrupted play, although it was the home side's responsibility to ensure security. Spectators running on to the field is a common occurrence in Pakistan and India. During the 1996 World Cup semi-final at Calcutta, India had to concede defeat to Sri Lanka because of the home crowd trouble. British sports minister Richard Caborn has intervened and agreed to look into the situation of pitch invasions disrupting games. The minister said that this was not an issue just for England but an international one as well. Unlike the tight control maintained in Britain for football matches, running on the pitch in cricket grounds has only been seen as a harmless exuberance. But the English authorities are hard pressed to control this exuberance after Sunday's incident in which a steward was injured.
The "will we, won't we"" is seemingly endless as it has finally been decided that India will say "yes" to the Australian Cricket Board's final invitation to a three-match one-day series in September at the Colonial Stadium, Melbourne. The ACB will host the series a week later than originally planned. Former West Indian fast bowler Curtly Ambrose said he is keen on doing his bit to develop the new generation of fast bowlers in the Caribbean. Ambrose, who has been employed by the Antiguan Ministry Of Sports is involved in spotting and developing talent at school level. He added that if his services were required for the national team as bowling coach he would not hesitate to take it up. A record 24 countries will be taking part in the ICC Trophy to be played from the last week of June in Toronto (Canada) with the final slated for July 17. The teams have been divided into two groups with eight teams being selected from the two groups for the knockouts. The finalists of the tournament will qualify for the World Cup 2003 to be played in South Africa. Bangladesh and Kenya, the winner and runner-up of the last edition in Kuala Lumpur, will not be participating as both teams have gained automatic entries to the 2003 World Cup. Scotland who participated in the 1999 World Cup will have to qualify from the ICC Trophy. The chief of the ICC's Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) Sir Paul Condon believes that match fixing has been taking place even after his committee was established last year. He felt that there were still a small number of players involved in fixing matches, although he has still not provided their names. Meanwhile, the ACU has given a deadline to the Indian bookie Mukesh Gupta to come forward and give evidence by July 1. Former Pakistan skipper Salim Malik has lost the appeal he had made in a Lahore Court to revert his life ban. Malik and former pace bowler Ataur Rehman were banned after an inquiry conducted by a former Pakistan judge. The Indian bookie Mukesh Gupta has also alleged in his evidence to the CBI that he had given Malik 12,000 pounds to fix a match between India and Pakistan in Delhi. Malik had written to the Pakistan Cricket Board challenging the ban and had made an appeal to the court to lift it, but his appeal has been dismissed. Yet another cricket betting and gambling racket has been busted by the Bangalore police. Thirteen persons have been arrested in this case. During the past one month the police have busted similar racket in Delhi and Jaipur. Queensland's and Australia's pace bowler Andy Bichel may grab an opportunity to play another season with his current county Worcestershire. With Glenn McGrath, who was the county's last year's overseas player, unlikely to make a comeback next season because of a packed international schedule, Bichel, may continue to play for Worcestershire in 2002 as well. There is also a good chance Bichel, may be called for the Ashes series in case of any injures. Sri Lanka's cricket administration crisis continues with the ruling party legislators demanding a parliamentary probe into the affairs of the Sri Lankan Cricket Board (BCCSL). A resolution to this effect was passed by the ruling People's Alliance calling for a financial probe into the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL). The resolutions stated that the issues have become a matter of public concern and people have a right to know if finances of the said board have been mismanaged. A probe panel is yet to be named.
Yesterday's News
News Roll archive
Compiled by: Mohandas Menon
|
