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  Aug 12, 2001 Cricket | Feedback




New format for Indian domestic cricket

Sunil GavaskarThe BCCI's technical committee chaired by former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar met on Saturday at Baroda along with other members to decide the format for domestic cricket in India.
Full report

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Although the technical committee did not discuss the playing conditions for the Indian team's tour to South Africa in October-November as the BCCI was yet to receive it from the South Africa Board, Gavaskar however clarified that only 90 overs per day rule as stipulated by the ICC will be followed during the tour. The South African Cricket Board has suggested that a minimum of 105 overs should be bowled during a day in the Test matches.

News from England

Somerset reached the final of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy at Lord's after pulling off a spectacular win over Warwickshire at Taunton. After losing three wickets in the first three overs with just six runs the home side thanks to a partnership of 100 runs off just 87 balls between Rob Turner and Keith Dutch gave Somerset an unlikely four-wicket victory with 24 balls to spare. Earlier Warwicks were put in to bat but were restricted to 228-8 in 50 overs. When Somerset batted it looked the visitors would win easily but the home team had other ideas.

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In the above match former England opener, Warwickshire's Nick Knight, was taken to hospital after he was struck on the head off a short delivery from England paceman Andrew Caddick as he ducked into the ball. He was later found to be alright.

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The fractured finger is sure to keep England's premier batsman Graham Thorpe out of the fourth Ashes Test against Australia at Headingley beginning next Thursday. The Surrey batsman had hoped to make a comeback but tests indicated that his injury has still not healed. It is now hoped that he may recover in time to play the Oval Test. Meanwhile, skipper Nasser Hussain will return to the side after missing the last two Tests with a finger injury.

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England batsman Mark Butcher has been reprimanded by the English Cricket Board (ECB) following a late night visit to a bar during the Third Ashes Test against Australia at Nottingham. A spokesman for the ECB commented: "We do not consider this appropriate behaviour for an England player during a Test match and Mark has been reminded of his responsibilities in this regard." Meanwhile, Butcher in a statement released through his solicitor accepted that his behaviour was inappropriate and has sincerely apologised for any embarrassment caused.

West Indies in Kenya

Overnight rain caused the abandonment of the third day's play in the four- day match between Kenya and the touring West Indians at the Mombasa Sports Club ground in Nairobi. The West Indies were 117 without loss at close on the second day, in reply to Kenya's total of 290. This was the second un-official Test match between the two teams. West Indies had won the first 'Test" by an innings and 47 runs earlier this week.

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Meanwhile, some of the Kenyans are facing injury problems just before the official three-match one-day series against West Indies which begins on Thursday 15th. The second and third matches will be played on 18th and 19th. Sandeep Gupta, who was making his first appearance for Kenya in eighteen months, has a fractured finger after being struck by a delivery from Reon King in the first innings, while all-rounder Thomas Odoyo is suffering a recurrence of a knee problem. Kenyan batsman Ravindu Shah is already on the injury list. Incidentally, Kenya will be playing its first one-day international since the ICC Knockout match against India last October.

The Asian Test Championships

The selection of the Indian team for the Asian Test Championship (ATC) to be played in Pakistan next month, will take place only after the government's permission is obtained. The BCCI president AC Muthiah met the Union Sports Minister Uma Bharti in New Delhi on Friday and discussed the matter among other things. The minister it seems has told Muthiah that it was for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take a decision on the Indian team's participation in the ATC, specially with regard of playing a Test in Pakistan.

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Meanwhile, reacting to AC Muthiah's statement that the ATC cannot take place without India, the PCB chairman Tauqir Zia, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council said that the ATC will go ahead even without India's participation. He also added that the BCCI president's statement was just his (Muthiah's) own opinion.

India to South Africa

The Indian cricket team will play just two side games (both three-dayers) apart from three Test matches during their two-month tour of South Africa.
The Indians will play a three-day game against President's XI at Kimberley from October 29-31 before the first Test at Bloemfontein (November 3-7) and against South Africa A at East London from November 10 to 12.
The visitors will play the other two Test matches at Port Elizabeth (Nov 16-20) and Centurion Park (Nov 24-28). The Indians will commence their tour with a one-day match against the Nicky Oppenheimer XI at Randjedfontein on October 1.
A triangular series, with Kenya as the third team, will start on October 5 with a day-night match between India and South Africa at Johannesburg.

Miscellaneous

Steve WaughAustralian skipper Steve Waugh is of the opinion that the urn containing the ashes should remain at Lord's. He feels the trophy (the urn) is in better care with the MCC. He has lamented the attitude of the Australian Cricket Board towards their trophies.
It seems the Sheffield Shield, an antique dating from 1892, was taken away from the Western Australia Cricket Association offices by the ACB two years ago, supposedly for cleaning and renovation and the Shield has not been seen again at Perth.
It seems the Shield is now consigned to a dark corner somewhere in the ACB offices in Melbourne. Incidentally the Sheffield Shield is now replaced with the sponsored Pura Milk Cup.

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Meanwhile Mark Austen, who now lives at Lord Sheffield's home at Sussex, has requested the ACB that the Shield should be returned to Sussex, since it is no more in use. He wrote, on behalf of the residents: "It is clearly no longer valued by Australia, whereas it would be highly valued by us."

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Sachin Tendulkar's right toe may need surgery and the BCCI has confirmed that it would bear the expenses. Meanwhile, the cricketer is consulting some senior specialists who are considering a few other alternative treatments which may include either a local injection or even surgery.
Tendulkar, who had suffered a hairline fracture to his toe while playing in the Triangular one-day series in Zimbabwe, underwent a bone scan on August 9. He was forced to pull out of the three Test series in Sri Lanka from August 14, as the scan showed that the fracture of the sesamoid bone of the great toe had not healed properly.
Tendulkar has already written to the BCCI about his condition.

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The New Zealand A team will once again participate in the Buchi Babu Memorial tournament in Chennai in September. The team which has 13 players who have represented New Zealand in international cricket also participated in the same tournament last year. The other teams also include national runner-up Railways, the National Cricket Academy, Mumbai and Karnataka.

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Three Indian cricketers - Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar - were among a pool of 69 players short-listed by late Sir Donald Bradman. He made this selection for an all-time world team just before his death in February this year.

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