Standard Bank Triangular series in South Africa

Indian middle-order batsman VVS Laxman said he was pleasantly surprised to receive a call to the one-day side and said the outing in the one-dayers would surely help him cope better in the Test matches. Laxman flies to South Africa today following an SOS from the Indian team management. He said he hoped he would be able to live up to the expectations of all the people.

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South Africa's fiery pace bowler Mfuneko Ngam will be forced to miss the Test series against India following fresh injury problems. Ngam who is seen as successor to Allan Donald has been plagued by injuries since the beginning of his career. He had missed out on the tour of West Indies following a fractured thighbone. Although he had been through a period of recuperation the pain began once again after he commenced practice. A bone scan showed he needed at least 4-6 weeks more of rest.

England tour hangs in delicate balance

The English cricket officials said they would be able to persuade their players to make the tour of England. They said they would be talking to the players to try and convince them that the situation in India is not as serious as it has been made out to be. Many of the senior players had expressed doubts about touring India following the air strikes in Afghanistan.

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The British High Commissioner to India Sir Rob Young is to meet the England cricketers to try and convince the England players about touring India. The tour has come under a cloud of uncertainty following the military action by the United States in Afghanistan and the spate of cancelled sports events in the Indian sub-continent. The Tests are scheduled to be held in Mohali, Ahmedabad and Bangalore while Kolkata, Chennai, Kanpur, Delhi and Mumbai are to host the one-day Internationals. England last visited India for a Test series in 1993.

Miscellaneous

Senior members of the Pakistan Cricket team have categorically denied allegations of match fixing leveled against them when they appeared before the Justice Bhandari commission yesterday. It was a packed courthouse that heard Inzamam-ul Haq, Saeed Anwar, Waqar Younis and Moin Khan vehemently deny all allegations of match-fixing in those two matches against India and Bangladesh that Pakistan lost. Current skipper Waqar Younis said "bad tactics" had cost them the match.

West Indies middle order batsman Shivnaraine Chanderpaul has been ruled fit to make the tour of Sri Lanka after the scan of his back showed complete recovery. Brian Lara who has been dogged by a hamstring problem however is yet to receive the approval of doctors to resume active cricket again. The West Indies Cricket Board has looking to draw up a special committee to draw up team strategy for future tours. The names of Clive Lloyd, Gordon Greenidge, Richie Richardson, Desmond Haynes and Michael Holding, who were part of the dominant West Indies teams in the seventies and eighties, as possible candidates for the committee.

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Former West Indies cricket chief Pat Rousseau has warned that the West Indies could prove an embarrassment at the 2003 World Cup. Rousseau said the team was in danger of being under-prepared for the tournament to be played in South Africa because of the inaction of the current Board officials. He urged the appointment of a committee to work with the coach and the selectors on how to get the team ready for the big event.

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Australian batsman Justin Langer had to be taken off to hospital for the second time in three months after being hit on the head by a bouncer while batting. Langer who came back into the Test side for the fifth Test against Caddick following Michael Slater's indifferent form hopes the knock on the head will not affect the prospects of his selection for the first Test against New Zealand beginning November 8.

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Australia's vice captain, Ricky Ponting joined an exclusive list of Australian cricketers after he scored two centuries in a match for Tasmania against New South Wales. He however holds a unique record having accomplished the feat five times. The great Don Bradman, Greg Chappell, Stuart Law and Jamie Cox have done it on 4 occasions. Ponting made 126 and 154 in yesterday's match.

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