The African Safari begins

The Indian cricket team left for yet another tour, this time its third tour of the African continent. The 66-day tour is perhaps the longest since India's tour to Australia in 1991-92.
The 14-man squad with the exception of Ajit Agarkar arrived in Johannesburg to a low key reception, yesterday being a public holiday in South Africa (Heritage Day).
Agarkar, a last minute inclusion to the side was delayed as his visa papers could not be processed in time before the team left. Speaking to journalists on his arrival at the team hotel, Ganguly said his team was looking to find its feet early and get into rhythm early.
He said he was disappointed at not having key members - VVS Laxman, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra in the side. The team has a week before their first match against the Nicky Oppenheimer XI at Randjesfontein on Oct 1.

England in Zimbabwe

Graham Thorpe and Chris Silverwood will replace Craig White and James Ormand who both got themselves injured in the squad that is to play a five match one-day international series in Zimbabwe.
Silverwood who has been struggling with a rib injury was ruled fit after he was put through a fitness test. Thorpe was not named in the original squad as it was felt he had not recovered enough from his hand injury, but with Craig White ruled out the selectors felt they needed some experience in the middle order.
England's one-day series in Zimbabwe will hopefully help them to recoup their form after having lost the last 11 one-day matches they have played.

'Final' bogey strikes Mumbai as well

The final bogey has hit another Indian team this time. Mumbai, after having won all the preliminary matches in the league stage quite comfortably, lost out to hosts Kenya in the final on the triangular cricket tournament at Nairobi by 155 runs.
Kenya, batting first put up an imposing first innings score of 276 and Mumbai made a complete hash of the chase to be dismissed for 121. Baroda, the other team in the tournament lost all their matches.

Miscellaneous

The Pakistan Cricket Board is considering insuring all future cricket matches in the country. A PCB source felt recent events have forced Board to think on these lines.
In the last one year, the PCB has suffered losses amounting $10 million dollars due to cancellation of visits by India (twice in December 2000 and September 2001) and New Zealand (September-October 2001).
In recent times the cricket boards of various countries have been getting international matches or Tests insured beforehand to cover for bad weather, riots or any other unforeseen circumstances which could affect or disrupt the normal proceedings of the match leading to financial loss.
The recent Ashes Test series between England and Australia managed to save a lot of money by having the games insured against bad weather.
Insurance claims for sport are primarily designed to save ruling bodies from refunding money to ticket holders in case of bad weather or any other unforeseen circumstances.

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Former BCCI president and presently a member of parliament Madhavrao Scindia is of the opinion that the BCCI needs to appoint a professional with money-management skills.
The BCCI is one of the richest cricket boards in the world, Scindia has advised the BCCI to appoint a professional managing director who knows money management even if he does not belong to the cricketing world.
He also suggested setting up of a trust to manage board affairs and said all former BCCI presidents should be made its members.

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Former West Indies fast bowler Ottis Gibson has joined the coaching staff of the England and Wales Cricket Board. The 32-year-old will take responsibility for developing talent in the North West region of the country.
He succeeds John Abrahams, who was recently appointed assistant coach for the new National Academy. Gibson has plenty of experience of English cricket, having played for Glamorgan and been a member of the 1995 West Indies tour party to England and has also toured South Africa in 1998-99. Gibson also has 34 wickets in 15 appearances in the limited-over version.

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Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has been nominated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to work as a member of the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) Technical Committee in Sharjah.
The CBFS is looking to revamp their Technical Committee and the aim is to leave out officials who are under any doubt regarding the match-fixing controversy.
The present Technical Committee has Indian Sunil Gavaskar, Pakistani Javed Burki, Bangladeshi Syed Ashraful Haq and England's Geoffery Boycott as its members.

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According to reports disgraced cricketer Hansie Cronje could soon be turning out for his old team, Free State if his appeal against a life ban is upheld later this week.
He is currently banned from playing, coaching or having any other involvement in cricket run under the auspices of the United Cricket Board. He would be free to play domestic cricket if the ban is lifted, although he has previously stated that his playing days are over.

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Former Sussex captain and England Alan Wells has announced his retirement from first-class cricket. Wells, 40, has played for Sussex from 1981 to 1996 and for Kent from 1997 to 2001. He appeared in one Test in 1995. He also led an England A side to India in 1994-95.

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Former Mumbai keeper-batsman Sulakshan Kulkarni will lead the Madhya Pradesh Ranji side during the coming season. He will replace teammate Chandrakant Pandit.
Kulkarni who has been playing first-class cricket since 1985-86 has appeared for Railways (in 1985-86), for Vidarbha (in 1992-93) and Mumbai from 1986-87 until 1998-99.

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