India in South Africa

They have nicknamed him “Denness the menace”, the Indian media covering the South African tour and indeed that was what he turned out to be on a rain dampened fourth day at Port Elizabeth. The English match referee has handed down a suspended sentence and 75% match fee fine to undoubtedly the most valued sportsman India has ever produced. Valued not just for the kind of game he plays but the way he plays it for his dignity and demeanor both on and off the field. The crime? Ball tampering. One can almost hear a hundred million voices say “No, not Sachin” but finally it was just one voice that mattered, that of Denness the menace.

Besides Tendulkar, SS Das, V Sehwag, D Dasgupta all young guns who have been making a sincere effort at working hard on the tour and have impressed at various times, though fleetingly with gutsy performances have all been silenced. Their crime, excessive appealing. The skipper Sourav Ganguly has not been spared as well and handed down a fine for failing to control his team. The centurion in his debut match Virender Sehwag will thus be sitting out and cooling his heals in the third Test at Centurion.

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There was hardly 25 overs of play possible on the fourth day that was marred by heavy overnight showers and frequent heavy drizzles on and off. The South Africans came onto bat when play did begin this morning and after 2 interruptions decided to declare at then score of 233 that have them a lead of 394. India were in trouble straight away when Das nicked one of Pollock to Boucher without a run being scored. At stumps, Dasgupta and Dravid had taken the score to 28 without any further loss needing another 367 to win, or bat out the entire day to save the game, or pray for rain!
Detailed Scorecard

Zimbabwe in Bangladesh

Zimbabwe ended their dismal run of failures in international cricket and extended that of their hosts when they wrapped up the second Test comfortably by 8 wickets. Still needing 64 runs to avoid the follow on the last day the hosts were bowled out for 301. Needing 11 runs to win Zimbabwe needlessly lost the wickets of Ebrahim and Carlisle both in the first over before finally scoring the required runs in the third over. The teams meet for a three match one day series beginning later this week.

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Bangladesh have replaced their skipper Naimur Rahman as well as former skippers Akram Khan and Aminul Islam for their one-day squad after their Test series defeat against Zimbabwe yesterday. They have been replaced by three young batsmen Tushar Imran, Sanwar Hossain and spinner Fahim Muntasir. The side will be led by keeper Khaled Masud. Zimbabwe have lost their last 16 one day matches in a row and are hopeful of pulling of a win here.

The full Bangladesh team is:
Khaled Masud (Capt/WK), Mohammad Ashraful, Al-Shariar, Tushar Imran, Habibul Bashar, Sanwar Hossain, Khaled Mahmud, Mohammad Rafique, Fahim Muntasir, Mashrafee bin Mortuza, Monjurul Islam, Mohammad Sharif, Javed Omar and Enamul Hoque.

England in India

The England coach Duncan Fletcher said he was satisfied with the outing of his team in the two-day warm up match that concluded in Mumbai yesterday. In reply to the massive 373-5 decl by the hosts MCA Presidents XI the visitors too piled up 370-5 with solid performances from Trescothick (68), Nasser Hussain (70), M Ramprakash (58) and Thorpe (45). Of these Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe retired in order to give the other batsmen an outing.

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The English Cricket Board has played down the request of the BCCI to increase the number of one-day international matches to be played in the second leg of the English tour from 5 to say 6 or 7. The changes in the number of matches played appear to be a result of the recent change in leadership in the BCCI. The ECB claims the itineraries had been formally agreed to in writing nearly six months ago and changes to that are not likely to be accepted.

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Speaking to the media at the end of the warm up game against the MCA XI the England skipper warned his players not be smug over India’s plight in South Africa. He said he was very much aware of the fact that India at home were a different side all together.

New Zealand in Australia

New Zealand lost the tour game against South Australia at Adelaide yet again by a narrow margin of just 17 runs. For the home side leg spinner Peter McIntyre claimed 6-75 leaving the hosts winners by 17 runs with 17 balls to spare. It has been thus far a tour of tantalisingly close defeats for the Kiwis.

South Australia: 297-9 decl (G. Blewett 106, D Fitzgerald 50; D. Vettori 3-60, D. Tuffey 3-71) & 212 (G. Blewett 61, D. Lehmann 51; D. Vettori 6-80, S. Bond 2-35)
New Zealand: 314 (L. Vincent 74, D. Tuffey 56, C. McMillan 51; P. McIntyre 3-101) & 178 (G. Sulzberger 41, C. McMillan 32; P. McIntyre 6-75). South Australia won by 17 runs.

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New Zealand’s test bowler Shayne O’Connor will be sent home following the aggravation of a knee injury. This is a big blow following the abdominal injury to Dion Nash. The touring party has not requested for replacements as yet opting to use those available. The second test begins in Adelaide on Thursday.

Miscellaneous

The Pakistan Cricket Board has said that foreign countries should resume their tours to Pakistan as the situation is now normal and under control. The PCB chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia said as far as he was concerned the West Indies tour of Pakistan in February/March was very much on. He added that a Sri Lanka U-19 team was currently in Pakistan without any problem.

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Zimbabwe’s wicket keeper batsman Andy Flower has been signed as the overseas player for Essex for the next season He will replace Australia’s Stuart Law. Zimbabwe will arrive in England following his country’s tour of Australia.

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The Yorkshire county cricket club is expecting to hear from their fast bowler Darren Gough whether he will be staying on with them or not for the next season. Gough believes he is not wanted by some members of the club who want him to leave but most Yorkshire officials are keeping their fingers crossed that Gough's loyalty to his native county will be the factor in his deciding to stay on. Other counties are keeping a close watch are gearing up to grab Gough if he does decide to leave Yorkshire.

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The England fast bowler James Kirtley will spend the off-season working with a bowling advisor after his action has been reviewed by the English Cricket Board. Kirtley, was reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) as having a suspect action during the limited overs series in Zimbabwe last month. He would have to be called for throwing on a further two occasions in the next 12 months to receive a ban. Kirtley has been through a high-tech review of his action a year ago and that evidence will make up part of the report. Later, his action will be re-assessed by the review group and an updated report submitted to the ICC.

SCORES AT A GLANCE

South Africa vs India (2nd Test, day 4)
Played at Port Elizabeth
Toss: India

South Africa: 362
(H Gibbs 196, H Dippenaar 29, M Boucher 68 not out; J Srinath 6-76)
233-5 decl (Kallis 89 not out, S Pollock 55 not out; J Srinath 2-28)
India: 201
(S Ganguly 42, VVS Laxman 89, A Kumble 28; S Pollock 5-40)
28-1 (D Dasgupta 22 not out)

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Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh (2nd Test, day 5)
Played at Chittagong
Toss: Bangladesh

Zimbabwe:
279-4 (DD Ebrahim 41, T Gripper 112, G Flower 33, A Flower 114 not out, C Wishart 114, D Marillier 52; Murtaza 2-101)
11-2
Bangladesh: 251
(Al Shariar 29, H Bashar 108, Ashraful 33; G Flower 4-43)
301 (Following on) (Javed Omar 80, Shariar Rokon 40, Habibul Bashar 76N Rahman 28; G Flower 4-63, D Marillier 4-57)

Result: Zimbabwe won by 8 wickets.
Man of the match: G Flower (Zim)

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