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July 13, 2001
Cricket |
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The Ashes Test series Ending days of speculation, the England selectors finally announced Lancashire opener Michael Atherton as skipper for the second Ashes Test to be played next week at Lord's. Atherton had resigned from captaincy in 1998 after the 6th Test against the West Indies at St John's Antigua following a crushing 4-1 loss against the home side. Atherton has captained England on 52 occasions between 1993 and 1998. He has won 13 of those, lost 19 and drawn 20.
The bad boy of Australian cricket Ricky Ponting will captain the side for the first time in a first class game. Australia are to play Somerset at Taunton from today. Ponting Australia's number three batsman was touted to be captaincy material but was removed from vice captaincy after he was involved in a number of controversial incidents. The tourists will be resting Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne and Glen McGrath for the match. 
India touring Sri Lanka Sri Lanka's sports minister Lakshmann Kiriella has demanded to know the reason behind the exclusion of Thilan Samaraweera a young off spinner for the forthcoming tri-series between India and New Zealand. The minister said he was disappointed that the youngster was not selected despite impressive performances against Pakistan A in the recently concluded un-official Test series. Sports Ministers of Sri Lanka have a history of involving themselves in selection procedures and Kiriella has shown he is no exception.
Umpires and Referees
South African match referee Denis Lindsay, who officiated the entire India/Zimbabwe series will stay on to supervise the Test series in Zimbabwe against West Indies. Indian Umpire AV Jayaprakash is to stand in the first Test between these two countries to be played next week at Bulawayo. India's Gundappa Vishwanath is the ICC appointed match referee when the West Indies drop in at Nairobi, Kenya on their way back home in mid August to play three one dayers.
Coaching woes! After months of speculation and a long search New Zealand have finally appointed Denis Aberhart as the coach of the national cricket team. Aberhart, who was formerly coach of Otago and Canterbury has been handed a two-year contract with the team. He replaces David Trist who has been the coach of the side for the past two years. Aberhart has coached Canterbury through a period in which they enjoyed great success in the New Zealand domestic circuit from 1993-1997. Many prominent former New Zealand cricketers like John Bracewell and current Indian coach John Wright turned down the post.
Match Fixing The President appointed counsel Desmond Fernando has handed his report to the interim committee in charge of cricket in Sri Lanka. The report looks into the allegations made against Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva two of Sri Lanka's most popular cricketers, by Indian bookie MK Gupta in his statements to the CBI. The two if found guilty are likely to face the wrath of a cricket crazy nation who are anxiously awaiting the findings of the report. The Australian Cricket Board has promised to reveal the report that went into allegations against their talented batsman Mark Waugh. The younger Waugh was also accused of accepting money in return for match information from Indian book-maker Mukesh Gupta. Greg Melick the anti corruption investigator of the ACB has been asked to wind up his investigations and submit his report as soon as possible. A Hyderabad city civil court has adjourned the hearing of the case against former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin until July 19. This was done on request from Azhar's counsel who pleaded the hearing of the case be postponed as Azhar was not in the city. Azharuddin has challenged the life ban imposed by the BCCI on him.
Miscellaneous : Three of India's promising young players opener Vinayak Mane and keeper Partiv Pathel and Deepak Chougule are in the last leg of coaching at the Australian cricket Academy under the watchful eyes of Australian keeper batsman Wayne Phillips. The three were sent to Australia on a scholarship funded by the Australia-India Council. SS Das who was last year's scholarship holder broke into Test cricket later on to establish himself as a reliable Test opener. The decision on whether to participate in the proposed three match one day series between India and Australia at Melbourne will be taken at a working committee meeting on August 10. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is apparently not too keen on undertaking the tour considering India's busy schedule.
What does Pune have to do with the Womens Ashes ?
Twenty one year old Pune born, now settled in Australia, off-spinner Lisa Sthalekar is making waves in the women's Ashes series going on in England. Adopted soon after her birth Lisa moved with her family from Mumbai to the US and then Kenya before making Australia her home.
The killer 99 When Pakistan's Maqsood Ahmed was stumped by India's Naren Tamhane off Subash Gupte for 99 the first innings of the Lahore Test of 1954-55, a spectator is reported to have died of heart failure. Another angry spectator old Tamhane that Allah's curse would descend on him. Tamhane made a duck in that Test! Yesterday's News ......................... News Roll archive |
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The injury struck England side suffered yet another blow when their right arm fast medium bowler Mathew Hoggard was ruled out of participating in the second Test at Lords. Hoggards has picked up a foot injury and has been advised at least 10 days rest. Hoggard has played 2 Tests so far and taken 6 wickets.
West Indian Cammie Smith has been appointed as match referee by the International Cricket Council to supervise the triangular series to be played in Sri Lanka from July 18-August 4. Smith will stay on, to officiate the three match Test series between the hosts and India. The ICC also announced that Steve Bucknor will be the ICC appointed umpire for the first two Tests between Indian and Sri Lanka while Dave Orchard will be the ICC appointee for the third Test.
Carl Rackemann, the Australian coach of Zimbabwe has indicated to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union that he will be unable to continue as coach of the cricket team from October 2001. The ZCU has advertised for the post. The tours Zimbabwe are to undertake in the upcoming months are to Sharjah, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India besides hosting Australia and Pakistan. Rackemann has citied domestic commitments as his reasons for being unable to continue.