India in South Africa

With rain ruining all the play time possible, the three day match between the touring Indians and a South Arican A side at Chatsworth was called off on Wednesday without a single ball being bowled.
The Indians left for Bloemfontein, the venue of the first Test that begins on Saturday.

________________

The BCCI is likely to take a decision regarding Rahul Dravid only after they receive a full medical report from the team management in South Africa.
BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya said that Dravid would be visiting the specialist again a detailed report was expected within a day or two after which a decision would be taken.
The Indian vice-captain has been diagnosed as suffering from a rupture in his shoulder cartilage.
Doctors have said that the Indian vice-captain could play in the Test series but at the risk of aggravating the existing problem.

Khaleej Times Trophy, Sharjah

Zimbabwe went down yet again but at least after putting up a reasonable fight in the 5th match of the Khaleej Times Trophy.
Effectively out of the tournament even before the match began Zimbabwe began well restricting the Pakistan batsman and it was only an onslaught from Shahid Afridi (58) that helped break the shackles.
Pakistan eventually made 261-9, thanks to a good middle order performance from Youhana (41) and Younis Khan (59). Zimabawe fell short by just 29 runs, with Grant Flower being the top scorer with 91.

________________

The CIA police raided a bungalow in Karachi a few days ago and detained at least ten bookies involved in gambling over Sharjah Cup matches and recovered stake money and among other things.
Ten persons were arrested on charges of gambling on Sharjah Trophy matches.
Confiscation of booking chits revealed that several elite citizens of town were involved in gambling for sum of nearly rupees 3 million so far

Miscellaneous

Senior officials from the ECB will be in New Delhi today, to discuss preparations for England's tour of India beginning in November.
The England team arrives on 14 November, with the first Test beginning in Mohali on 3 December.
The ICC's ACU also is in India to begin a check of security and arrangements to prevent any kind of rigging of matches during the series.
The cricket officials and the ACU team will meet Indian law and order authorities as well as the BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya today.

________________

Fast bowler Andrew Caddick and off spinner Robert Croft are likely to forfeit at least 25,000 pounds of the winter tour fee.
The amount is likely to double if they are not selected to tour New Zealand next year after the Indian one-day series.
The ECB however said it was keen to focus its attention on the team touring India rather than dwell on the consequences that await those who decided against touring

________________

Australia today named their team to play the first Test against New Zealand at Brisbane on 8 November.
The selectors have retained the same 11 that scored the thumping win against England in the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval in August.
Skipper Steve Waugh is still to prove his fitness and will be testing himself out in a weekend club game.
The eleven for the first Test are:
Steve Waugh (Capt), Adam Gilchrist (Vice-Capt), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Andy Bichel.

________________

The West Indies cricket team left for Sri Lanka yesterday with skipper Carl Hooper stating that he will concentrate more on the cricket rather than on the security.
The major worry for Hooper however is the fitness of his senior players.
With Chanderpaul having been ruled out and the fitness of Ridley Jacobs and Brian Lara still under a cloud Hooper has enough cricketing matters on his hands to worry about.
The team is scheduled to play three Tests and a triangular series also involving Zimbabwe. West Indies last toured Sri Lanka in 1993.

________________

South African skipper Shaun Pollock has agreed to rejoin the English county of Warwickshire again. His contract will be for the 2002 season.
Pollock last played for the county in 1996. A county spokesman revealed that Pollock had agreed in principle and that the terms and conditions were being finalized.

________________

The Pakistan Cricket Board has applied to the ICC to sanction the use of a neutral venue should the West Indies decide against touring the country in February next year.
The short listed venues are Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, Rabat in Morocco, and Dhaka in Bangladesh. Sharjah and Dhaka are already venues.
The PCB Chairman Tauqir Zia said that he would like Pakistan to get all the benefits of a home series like preparation of the pitch.
The ICC agreed to permit countries in political turmoil to play on neutral grounds.

________________

The Pakistan Cricket Board has received a letter from fast bowler Muhammad Akram requesting them to lift the one-year ban on him from playing any level of cricket in the country.
The disciplinary committee of the Board had imposed a one-year ban on charges of breach of the code of conduct.
Akram had left the Pakistan camp for the UK without informing the authorities before Pakistan's Asian Championship Test against Bangladesh in August.
It was rumored then that he had got a job in the UK with the London Metropolitan Police.
Akram denied this saying cricket was his career and only means of livelihood and that he was keen about playing for Pakistan again.

________________

The New Zealand women's cricket team called off their visit to India on security grounds. The New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden announced this decision.
The women's team was to have played a Test (4 days duration) and three one-day internationals.
Snedden said the tour was called off after he was led to believe that there would be hardly any security arrangements for the team or provision to them quickly from a region or out of the country should there be an escalation of military or terrorist activity.

________________

Punjab off-spinner Sarandeep Singh will now play for Delhi in the 2001-02 domestic season. Sarandeep Singh who has been employed recently by as an administrative officer with the ONGC and is at present residing in Delhi.
The Punjab Cricket Association had however included him in their list of probables for the season despite the off spinner applying for a no objection certificate from the PCA as early as September to grant his transfer.
The BCCI normally permits changes in state of players who may have changed their place of residence due to employment.

Scores at a glance

Khaleej Times Trophy
Zimbabwe vs Pakistan (5th match)
Played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Toss: Pakistan

Pakistan: 261-9 in 50 overs (S Afridi 58, Y Youhana 41, Y Khan 59; S Ervine 3-29)
Zimbabwe: 232 in 46.2 overs (G Flower 91, A Flower 48, D Marrillier 37; W Akram 3-19, W Younis 3-41)

Result: Pakistan won by 29 runs.
Man of the match: G Flower (Zim)

Yesterday's News .........................  News Roll archive