 | ||
Aug 6, 2001
Cricket |
Feedback | ||
|
Coca-Cola Triangular in Sri Lanka
The Ashes Test series
The England team coach and former Zimbabwean captain Duncan Fletcher says that while a 5-0 whitewash by the Aussies is a distinct possibility, he does not rule out the capability of his side to bounce back into the series. He said the players wants to make a come back and play for pride if not anything else. They have shown in the past series in Pakistan and Sri Lanka that they could bounce back. The Australians however insist that they will be relentless in their search for a 5-0 win. The chairman of selectors of the English Cricket Board (ECB) David Graveney is determined not to lose heart and carry on despite the crushing defeats his side went through. Though media have being crying foul and demanding wholesale changes to the existing setup Graveney insists that he will continue to do his job with honour and pride. The ECB chief Lord MacLaurin also refuses to panic after the English lost their seventh consecutive Ashes.
Stung by the crushing defeats to the home team an English newspaper the News of the World has argued that the Ashes trophy (actually an urn containing the ashes of two burnt bails) should be given to the Australians to take home rather than be kept in the Lord's museum. The paper argued that the urn was only a source of embarrassment for England. The urn containing the ashes of the burnt bails was presented to the English captain Ivo Bligh in 1882-83 by a couple of Melbourne women after his side pulled of a remarkable win in the second Test of the series that year after being hammered by the Australians in the first. England won the deciding Test of that series too. The urn that was presented to Bligh in a velvet-embroidered bag has been kept on display at the Lord's museum since 1927 after Ivo Bligh's widow presented it to the MCC. Meanwhile, former Australian skipper Mark Taylor is reported to have sent a congratulatory message to Steve Waugh that read "You've urned it".
West Indies in Kenya A century by Ramnaresh Sarwan enabled the West Indies reach 321-3, on the second day of their tour match against Kenya at Nairobi. Earlier the home team was dismissed for 233.
News from Pakistan The Pakistan Cricket Board is finalising negotiations with four corporate companies who have shown interest in sponsoring the entire domestic season. Zahid Bashir, the marketing director of the PCB said one of them would be finalised soon. Previously, various domestic tournaments in Pakistan were sponsored by different companies. Refusing to name the front runners for the sponsorship, Bashir said the PCB was still evaluating the pros and cons of each bid and would inform the media when the contract was officially signed. Pepsi-Cola, the soft drinks giant however will continue to sponsor the entire junior cricket of Pakistan.
The Asian Test Championships
Off-spinner Naimur Rahman will lead Bangladesh to Pakistan for the first Test of the Asian Test Championships. The match will be played in Multan in Pakistan between 29 August to 2 September. The promising young pace bowler Mohammad Sharif, who has recovered from a shoulder injury has been included in the side. Sharif was hurt during a recent practice session at the team's training camp at Dhaka. The second Asian Test Championship will be held from September 2001 to February 2002. Sri Lanka, and India are also scheduled to take part. Meanwhile the BCCI has been insisting that the ATC final, which is slated to be played at Dhaka in February next year, should not be played there if Bangladesh does not figure in the final. The BCCI has written to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) that the final should be held in India, in the event of an India-Pakistan final or in Sri Lanka if the finalists are India and Sri Lanka.
Miscellaneous With his cricketing career almost on a standstill, former Indian middle order batsman Ajay Jadeja is now looking for other career options. Having already signed a couple of Bollywood films, Jadeja is now all set to make an appearance in a Malayalam film. The language should not be a problem for the ex-cricketer since his mother belongs to Kerala. Percy Sonn has been reelected as the president of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, during the UCBSA's annual general meeting in Johannesburg on Sunday. Sonn beat his only rival Mtutuzeli Nyoka, who the president of the Gauteng Cricket Union. The latter had accused Sonn of defaming him. Sonn had called Nyoka "a cheat" when the latter had raised certain objections against the contracts given for the 2003 World Cup. Nyoka claimed that the contracts were given to only white-owned companies.
SCORES AT A GLANCE
Coca-Cola Triangular in Sri Lanka Yesterday's News ......................... News Roll archive |
|
In the final of the Coca-Cola Triangular tournament, Sri Lanka put India on the back foot straight away after winning the toss and rattling up 295-6. Sanath Jayasuriya (99), Mahela Jayawardene (57) and Russel Arnold (52), all made vital contributions. The Indian chase was over even before it began, when Virender Shewag and Sourav Ganguly were out to consecutive balls in the second over. The Indian innings finally ended on a pathetic 174 in 47.2 overs with VVS Laxman's 37 being the highest score. This defeat was India's eighth loss in a one-day final since April 1999.
It has been now confirmed that the all-conquering Australian team will be without their skipper Steve Waugh for the remaining two Tests of the Ashes series. Waugh tore his calf muscle with the first ball he faced from Alex Tudor in Australia's second innings and had to be carried out of the field on stretcher. Waugh was also not present to savour the series win as he had to be rushed off to hospital for treatment. Vice captain Adam Gilchrist will lead the side for the remainder of the series.
Injury struck skipper of the England team Nasser Hussain will be testing his fitness by playing a 2nd XI game for Essex against Nottinghamshire later this week. Hussain will however appear in the match only if the net session leading up to the match goes on smoothly with no problems to the injury. Another injured England player Michael Vaughan will also play club cricket this weekend to test his recovery after a knee surgery.
Pakistan's chief selector and former wicket keeper Wasim Bari said that both Wasim Akram and Moin Khan could still stage a comeback if they proved their form and fitness. He however insisted that Pakistan were in a team rebuilding process with an eye on the World Cup 2003. Pakistan play their first match of the season the end of this month when they meet Bangladesh in Multan in the first match of the Asian Test Championships.