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  Aug 9, 2001 Cricket | Feedback




Australia in England

Murray GoodwinSussex piled up 355-4 before they declared an hour before close on the first day of their touring match against the Australians. The visitors continued their unimpressive show in the tour matches as both the host team's openers (Murray Goodwin 105, Richard Montogmerie 157) piled up centuries. Former England cricketer and Sussex skipper Chris Adams made a neatly compiled 66. In the 8 overs they faced before stumps the visitors lost two wickets and were tottering at 19-2.

India in Sri Lanka

Young left handed opening batsman Michael Vandort's systematically compiled 116 rescued the Sri Lankan Board President's XI after being reduced to 134-5. Once again the Indian bowlers were unable to dismiss the tail quickly enough as Vandort shared a useful partnership for the sixth wicket with skipper Thilan Samaraweera following which the lower order chipped in with useful runs to enable the hosts to pile up 326. At stumps the Indians were 0-0 after facing a ball as play had to be stopped due to bad light.

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Indian hopes of putting on a good show in the forthcoming Test series in Sri Lanka suffered a big blow when it was confirmed that Sachin Tendulkar would not be joining the team for the first Test beginning at Galle on August 14. Tendulkar is reported to be feeling pain in his right toe and it seems that the healing process is not yet complete. However a final decision will be taken only after a second scan test is done tomorrow. His standby Baroda's Jacob Martin will fly to Colombo in case Tendulkar is unable to make the trip.

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Zaheer KhanThe good news however to the injury struck Indians is that Zaheer Khan should be fit after a week's rest as the scan tests done on the fast bowler indicated that there was no fracture and all he would need was a week's rest. Zaheer Khan was retained for India's last couple of one-day matches including the final despite him complaining of pain.

Asian Test Championships

A meeting of the technical committee of the ATC is to meet in Kolkata to finalise playing conditions and other matters relating to the championships. The committee is chaired by Sunil Gavaskar and includes Zaheer Abbas of Pakistan, Asantha deMel of Sri Lanka and Syed Ashraf Hossain of Bangladesh. The second Asian Test Cricket Championship 2001-02 begins on August 29, when reigning champions Pakistan meet Bangladesh at Multan. The final will be played in February next year.

Miscellaneous

Things are hotting up before the BCCI working committee meet to be held in Mumbai on August 25. The current BCCI secretary JY Lele is said to have sought legal opinion on whether he will be able to contest the elections this year for the coveted post of secretary.
However insiders in the BCCI claim that he will not be in a position to contest the election this year as he has already completed a five-year term in office. The other front runners for the coveted post are the current chairman of the finance committee SK Nair and joint honorary secretary Jyoti Bajpai.

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Daryll CullinanSouth African middle order batsman Daryll Cullinan is likely to make a come back to the national team by the time India & Australia tour the country. Cullinan, who was playing county cricket for Kent had to terminate his contract with the county after he suffered a knee injury.
With the injury healing well Cullinan is looking forward to making his comeback to the national side in the Test matches. He is reported to have called up the UCBSA Chief Executive Gerald Majola, who assured him that he would be considered if proven fit.

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The ICC's Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) is reportedly pursuing new angles to the match fixing episode. Reacting to reports that claim nothing much has been done by the team with Australian Mark Waugh, the latest accused going off scot-free, Sir Condon said his team was successful in reducing the amount of corruption associated with the game.
He also insisted that the ACU thwarted an attempt to fix this summer's England-Pakistan Test series. The ACU team continues to explore past allegations that have yet to be made public. Condon said he was working on a certain group of individuals who are not in any way linked to the names that came out in India's CBI report.

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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has ambitious plans to invest in a junior level talent spotting scheme. The ECB proposes to flush in about £3.6 million pounds to give quality coaching to about 75,000 boys and girls belonging to local clubs in their areas.
The logic the ECB see to this exercise is that District Cricket gives junior club cricketers the opportunity to get noticed on a local level and then be coached and made to compete at a higher level.

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Former Yorkshire and England opener Geoff Boycott may be considered as a replacement for Lancashire coach former Australian skipper Bob Simpson, who is not keen to continue. The counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire have a history of being longtime rivals and this move has surprised many.
Lancashire chairman Jack Simmons said after disappointing seasons under overseas coaches, the county is now keen on involving players of the caliber of Boycott, Graham Gooch and Mike Gatting.

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The chief coach of the Pakistan Cricket Academies former cricketer Mudassar Nazar met the PCB chairman, Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore to discuss the performance of the Academies. Mudassar briefed Gen Zia and expressed his satisfaction over the state of affairs so far.
He informed the General that eight players from the National Academy are to leave for Karachi as probables for the national fast bowlers camp under the supervision of Australian Daryl Foster who is arriving in Pakistan in mid August for two weeks. A separate spinners camp is being organised for the boys who will undergo training under former Pakistan leg spinner Abdul Qadir.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board have reportedly made an offer to their former coach Richard Pybus to work for their team during the forthcoming series against New Zealand and India. The PCB said it would be willing to offer Pybus a short-term contract if he was unable to spend time in Pakistan for long contracts. Pakistan has had a long history of team and coach squabbles and the national team has had nine coaches in the past four years.
Even Pybus who was the Pakistan coach in 1999-2000 was sacked and brought back this year. The PCB has been trying to persuade Australian captain Greg Chappell, South Africans Pat Symcox, Barry Richards and Kepler Wessels and Englishman Keith Medlycott to take up the post, but none have obliged.

SCORES AT A GLANCE

INDIA IN SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka Board XI v Indians (Tour match)
Played at P.Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo (1st day)
SLB XI: 326 (M Vandort 116, T Samaraweera 76; J Srinath 3-68, RL Sanghvi 3-143)
India: 0-0 (SS Das 0 not out, S Ramesh 0 not out).

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AUSTRALIA IN ENGLAND
Sussex v Australians (Tour match)
Played at New County Ground, Brighton (1st day)
Sussex:355-4 decl (M Goodwin 105, RR Montogmerie 157CJ Adams 66 not out)
Australia: 19-2 (M Slater 16 not out, M Waugh 0 not out)

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   Compiled by: Mohandas Menon        Design: Imran Shaikh
Compiled by: Mohandas Menon