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October 20, 2002
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News Roll
  West Indies in India
Zaheer Khan is unlikely to play the third Test of the current series in Calcutta.

According to The Telegraph’s sources, if India seal the series victory here itself, Ajit Agarkar will replace the Baroda pacer in the 14-man squad.

The selectors will pick the squad Sunday.

It has been decided to rest Zaheer who has an injury to his leg. The other members of the squad are likely to retain their berths.

  Miscellaneous
Ricky Ponting said he did his best to encourage his out-of-form skipper Steve Waugh during the pair's unbroken 65-run partnership in the final session at Sharjah.

Ponting told reporters: "I was just trying to be as positive as I could for him.

"I was just giving him advice, saying 'Watch the ball, play nice and straight' and 'good shot' when he hit a good shot."

Waugh appeared to take note of the younger man's words of wisdom, ending the day unbeaten on 33.

He fared better than twin Mark, who is also short of his best form and made just 23. favourites."


After a four-year relationship between the West Indies Cricket Board and the makers of Busta soft drinks, the premier regional cricket tournament is in for a name change.

The Antigua-based cricket board announced on Friday that soft drink maker S M Jaleel of Trinidad and Tobago had reached the end of its sponsorship deal for the Caribbean-wide cricket series. The championship has been known as the Busta Cup since 1998.

"Busta's commitment came at a critical point in West Indies cricket and they have made a significant and lasting impact," Roger Brathwaite, the cricket board's acting chief executive officer, said in a statement.

"We want to thank S M Jaleel for its support over last four years during which time the soft drink manufacturer contributed to the continued growth of West Indies cricket."


Kenya will play series against Zimbabwe and Namibia in preparation for next year's cricket World Cup in South Africa.

Namibia, who will make their first appearance in the World Cup next March, are expected in Nairobi on 1 November for three one-day matches against Kenya.

"Namibia requested to come here for exposure and we kindly accepted," said the Kenya Cricket Association (KCA) chairman Sharad Ghai.

The two countries have only met once before in the ICC Trophy in 1993/94 when Kenya won by 20 runs.

Kenya will also tour Zimbabwe in December as part of a reciprocal agreement after the Zimbabwe A team toured Kenya last November and December.

  Ashes series
England cricket captain Nasser Hussain Saturday scotched suggestions Australia had thrashed their oldest cricket rivals in the past seven Test series because of a mental edge.

Rather, the reason had been England's technical problems, he argued at a media conference here after the tourists' first training session at the WACA Ground after they arrived late Friday.

"I have never seen a mental hurdle against Australia," he said. "Perhaps it is because I had some early success with runs against them, but I have never seen it.

"We have simply done the basic things wrong. You can't afford to drop Adam Gilchrist (Australia's dynamic low-order batsman) on 10 and people like this because they go on and make you pay."


England cricket captain Nasser Hussain played an impeccable straight bat at his opening media conference here Saturday, refusing to become involved in what he called "cross-nation bantering".

Hussain was commenting on criticism attributed to Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath about a statement by Hussain that England was looking to be able to compete with Australia in the five-Test Ashes series starting early next month.

McGrath had suggested Hussain's statement revealed a negative, defeatist attitude towards Steve Waugh's world champion side even before the series had started.

"Whether I said it, I don't know, but I am not in this series going to get involved in wrangles with different quarters of the world, and start sledging each other," Hussain said.

"We respect any opposition we play. We play it tough on the field, and the last thing I am going to do as England captain is get involved in any kind of cross-nation bantering.

"Whatever Glenn's opinion is, he is a highly qualified bloke to have that opinion, and we'll listen to it and take it on board."

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