The Ashes

Adam Gilchrist will lead Australia for the first time in an Ashes series when the two teams meet for the fourth Test starting at Headingley next week. Gilchrist has been asked to lead as skipper Steve Waugh suffered a calf muscle tear in the Trent Bridge Test match. Gilchrist though thrilled at the prospect of leading the side said he is disappointed about the circumstances that led to his being made skipper. Although Steve Waugh is being treated it is unlikely he will be fit for the remaining two Tests of the series. Incidentally Gilchrist has led Australia in one Test against West Indies at Adelaide in December 2000, when Waugh was injured.

India in Sri Lanka

Former New Zealand captain and now coach of the Indian cricket team, John Wright lamented the fact that the lack of discipline among the Indian bowlers allowed the opposition to pile up huge totals batting first in the past few crunch matches. In the final of the triangular series in Zimbabwe, the West Indies openers sealed the match with an attacking opening partnership that left the Indian bowlers gasping for breath just the way it happened in the final at Colombo a few days ago. Wright felt it could be the eagerness of youngsters to do well in important matches that caused the recent debacles in finals. However he is also convinced that the result would have been different if India had won the toss and batted first.

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India play their first three-day tour match today against a Sri Lankan Board President's XI at Colombo. However the team will be without the services of their captain and vice-captain Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid and also their main strike bowler off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. The match was originally scheduled to be played at Matara, about 100 miles south of Colombo. But at the request of the Indian team management for security reasons it will be played at Colombo. Meanwhile, it is not yet known who will lead the Indian team in the absence of the captain and the vice-captain.

News from India

Indian leg spinner Anil Kumble, who has been out of the Indian side since last 10 months, bowled in full form to capture 4-32 in the 12 overs that he bowled. Playing for the Karnataka State Cricket Association XI, in its diamond jubilee tournament, Kumble bowled enthusiastically to take his side to victory in a quarter-final encounter against Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). It is hoped Kumble will be now ready to tour South Africa this October.

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The BCCI's working committee will meet at Mumbai on August 25, to finalise future international schedules both away and home. Meanwhile, the technical committee will meet on August 11 at Baroda to discuss the new format for the domestic cricket, including the Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy.

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Former India captain and opening batsman Kris Srikkanth and left-arm spinner Venkatapathy Raju will undertake a promotional tour of Singapore, Hong Kong and Toronto to spread the gospel of cricket among non-resident Indians (NRIs). The duo will also participate in fun filled cricket matches and will be conducting quiz shows and clinics.

Miscellaneous

The captain of the Pakistan team Waqar Younis has threatened the selectors to walk out of the national side if he is denied any say in team and selection matters. He issued the treat with regard to the selection of the team for the upcoming home series against New Zealand.
Waqar denied he had anything to do with former skipper Wasim Akram being left out of the side and stressed that Wasim could still make a comeback by proving his form and fitness. The fast bowler also revealed that he was keen that the English born coach Richard Pybus should continue as coach as he knew all the players well. A new coach would naturally take time to settle down he felt.

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The manager of the New Zealand team Jeff Crowe said he hoped his side would have a good trip to Pakistan. He said since New Zealand are to tour Australia after the Pakistan tour he would like the team to leave Pakistan in a positive frame of mind. New Zealand is to play three one-dayers and two Test matches in Pakistan.
Crowe also expressed his surprise at the non-inclusion of former skipper Wasim Akram in the Pakistan team, adding that it would be a great relief for his team that a bowler like Wasim would not be confronting them. Crowe is currently in Pakistan to inspect the venues and facilities for the series.

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The chairman of the organising committee of the 2003 World Cup Dr Ali Bacher said that he was keen that the South African national side included more black players for the World Cup. Speaking at a press conference on the developments of the forthcoming World Cup, Bacher said it was important to give young black players a chance to play now so that they would be ready for selection by 2003.
Bacher said that his attending the Sydney Olympics last year was an inspiration and eye-opener and hoped the 2003 World Cup that is to be played in 52 venues across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya and televised worldwide would prove all his detractors wrong.

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Former Pakistan skipper and coach Javed Miandad arrived in Bangladesh to help prepare the team for their upcoming Asian Test Championship match against Pakistan. Miandad will assist head coach Trevor Chappell in the batting aspects.

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The Yorkshire Cricket Club has issued an apology to their former player Bob Appleyard for questioning the accuracy of the image depicted on the new Sir Len Hutton Gates at Headingley. The club had dismissed Appleyard's remarks as racist, but have now chosen to apologise to the 77 year old.
The gates depict some Asian women in saris watching the game and the purists believe that the image is incorrect as Sir Len Hutton ended his career much before England became a truly multi-racial country. The gate is to be opened by the club President Robin Smith on 15 August.
Former Prime Minister John Major was to inaugurate the gates but withdrew following objections from former Yorkshire players including Geoff Boycott that he had no right to be doing so since he is not a Yorkshireman.

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