B S Chandrasekhar, a member of the celebrated quartet that spun India to many a Test victory in the 60s and 70s, has been named the recipient of Castrol Lifetime Achievement in Cricket award for this year.
The award comprises a trophy and a cheque for Rs 5 lakh. The previous winners of the award are Vijay Hazare (1999-00) and Polly Umrigar (2000-01).
Afflicted with polio at an early age, Chandra had turned his weakened right arm into a lethal weapon that destroyed opposing sides and helped him bag 242 wickets from 58 Test matches in a career stretching from 1963 to 1979.
Parthiv Patel, the youngest wicketkeeper to play Test cricket, will receive the Castrol Junior Cricketer of the Year Award, a Castrol release here said.
His achievements in the Castrol Year of 2001-02 (October 2001 to September 2002) included his leadership of the Indian team that made it to the semi-finals of the under-19 World Cup, held in New Zealand this year.
Parthiv will win a trophy and a cheque for Rs 50,000. Jyoti Yadav (1997-98), Rajesh Powar (1998-99), Yuvraj Singh (1999-2000) and Ajay Ratra (2000-01) were the other nominations in this category.
The race for the 2001-02 Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year Award is hotting up with the votes coming in for the five finalists - Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh. The award comprises of a trophy and a cheque of Rs five lakh and the ceremony will be held in Chennai on October 16.
Australia vs Pakistan in Sharjah
Knowing his team can't compete with Australia on the field, Pakistan coach Richard Pybus last night took aim at the world champions' psychological weak spot - the flagging form of ageing warriors Steve and Mark Waugh.
Only a day after the demoralised Pakistanis recorded their two lowest totals in Test history, Pybus launched a stunning attack on the Waughs - claiming they are undergoing a sporting midlife crisis and have lost the steely focus needed to succeed at international level.
While Australia have won successive Tests against an inept Pakistan, captain Steve has made only 31 runs in three innings in the series while brother Mark has scored just 57 runs at an average of 19.
Pybus said he didn't expect the 37-year-old twins to hold their place "for a great deal longer" and felt their demise would bring to an end a glorious era in Australian cricket.
"They have been professional cricketers for a very long time . . . Steve Waugh in particular does look as if he is under a tremendous amount of pressure," Pybus said. "I think it's a dangerous place to be when you hold on and hold on.
"It's very easy here after this Second Test to be comfortable again because they put us under the cosh.
"But I think in the Australian camp they'll know things aren't as they should be.
Ashes series
Cricket's oldest rivalry can be heard on the BBC this winter as England try to win back the Ashes in Australia.
The Test Match Special team will be in place to provide full commentary on all five Tests as Nasser Hussain's side try to avenge last year's 4-1 home defeat.
Test Match Special broadcasts can be heard on BBC Radio Four (Long Wave) and there will also be regular updates on Radio Five Live.
Commentary on the triangular one-day series, involving Australia, England and Sri Lanka, will be available on Radio Five Live Sports Extra which can be accessed via digital radio and digital TV.
Bangladesh in South Africa
South African captain Shaun Pollock will miss the first Test against Bangladesh because of a knee injury.
The selectors want Pollock to rest ahead of forthcoming home series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan that potentially, should prove far more demanding.
He also missed the second and third Tests against Australia in March, so wicket-keeper Mark Boucher will again lead the side.
Pollock's absence means another chance for paceman Nantie Hayward, who last played cricket 10 months ago.
There is one new face in the side with Northerns batsman Martin van Jaarsveld preferred to Neil McKenzie.
South African team: M Boucher (capt), G Kirsten, H Gibbs, G Smith, J Kallis, A Prince, M van Jaarsveld, P Adams, D Terbrugge, M Ntini, M Hayward. 12th man: A Thomas.
B S Chandrasekhar, a member of the celebrated quartet that spun India to many a Test victory in the 60s and 70s, has been named the recipient of Castrol Lifetime Achievement in Cricket award for this year.
South African captain Shaun Pollock will miss the first Test against Bangladesh because of a knee injury.