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The Mumbai Cricket Club (MCA) executive committee today accepted the resignation of former India captain Ajit Wadekar, as the chairman of the selection committee. Wadekar said the main reason for him to send his resignation was the team's (Mumbai) poor performance this season, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Punjab. Incidentally, Wadekar has been a disheartened man after losing the MCA president post to politician Sharad Pawar, earlier this year.
Pakistan military ruler Gen Parvez Musharraf paid a surprise visit to the Cricket Board headquarters in Lahore amidst reports of bickering among top players and officials over the inclusion of former captain Wasim Akram in the squad for the forthcoming tour of England. He later conducted a review meeting of the Board's activities and also met the players selected for the tour. He advised the Pakistani cricket team to play with confidence and determination. He also advised some senior members to improve their fitness by cutting down their waistlines. He praised the PCB chief Tauqir Zia for effectively handling the affairs of PCB.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, has invited the children of Pakistani expatriates to come home for cricket coaching and training. If they are found good they could appear for domestic clubs and also in first-class competitions. This move by the PCB is to encourage millions of Pakistanis living abroad to take up the game and also play for the mother country if found suitable.
Geelong Australian Football Club chief executive officer Brian Cook will replace Malcolm Speed, as the chief of the Australian Cricket Board. Speed is to replace fellow Australian David Richards as chief executive of the International Cricket Council, which is based in London. The West Indies Cricket Board agreed with its President Pat Rousseau, who had reprimanded tail-end batmen Dinanath Ramanarine and Mervyn Dillon for their time-wasting tactics on the last day of the third Test match against South Africa, which the home team managed to draw. Both players have been warned that their actions were not in the best interests of West Indies cricket and if repeated would be severely dealt with. A three-member team from the International Cricket Council is in Colombo to probe allegations of corruption against two former Sri Lankan cricketers. The ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit team comprising its chief Sir Paul Condon, senior investigator Jeff Rees and support manager Bob Smalley will meet sports minister Lakshman Kiriella, justice minister Batty Weerakoon, cricket board officials and the local investigator Desmond Fernando. However Condon may not meet the two former Sri Lankan captains - Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva, whose names figure prominently in the Indian CBI report.
Leicestershire beat defending champions Gloucestershire by two wickets and with just three balls to spare.
An undefeated half-century from Graeme Hick helped Worcestershire score a five wicket win over Sussex at Kidderminster with more than four overs to spare.
2nd Test:
Bangladesh: 219-5 (Javed Omar 43, Al Shariar Rokon 68, Habibul Bashar 66not out, Akram Khan 31; RW Price 3-91)
Zimbabwe:
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Compiled by: Mohandas Menon
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An unbeaten 68 from Bangladesh's Habibul Bashar gave the cricket minnows a faint hope of avoiding defeat at close on the fourth day of the second Test against Zimbabwe at Harare. Bashar's defiant innings helped Bangladesh inch into a 52-run lead while going into the final day. At stumps Bangladesh were 219 for five in their second innings. Earlier Zimbabwe, had declared at 421-9, with skipper Heath Streak top-scoring with 87.
In a unique cricket match between "Right-handers" and "Left-handers", the latter team's skipper and all-rounder Robin Singh scored an unbeaten 114 off just 50 balls to steer his team to an easy six wicket win over Righties led by Sachin Tendulkar in a benefit cricket match for former Mumbai keeper Sulakshan Kulkarni, on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium. Tendulkar, after electing to bat first, made 100 off 68 balls with 14 fours and two sixes in his team's score of 346 for nine off 38.5 overs before retiring. Spinner Dinesh Mongia grabbed six for 60 for the lefties team. In reply, Robin Singh's unbeaten knock which contained 13 fours and six sixes helped his team score 348 for four off 33.2 overs.
Pakistani left-arm pace bowler Wasim Akram confirmed that he does not intend to retire in the near future, and is all fired up to play the series in England next month. Having played most of his cricket for the Lancashire county, Wasim said he loves playing in England. He also refuted the rumours that skipper Waqar Younis does not want him in the side saying that the two have played a lot of cricket together and will continue to do so.
Dominic Cork's unbeaten 83 took Derbyshire to an unlikely four wicket victory over Glamorgan. Earlier a career best bowling performance by medium pacer Graeme Welch routed Glamorgan to 138 all out.
