South Africa in West Indies
Paul Adams, Herschelle Gibbs, Roger Telemachus, Andre Nel, and Justin Kemp, the five South African players on tour of the West Indies along with the team physio Craig Smith have been fined Rands 10,000 each, after being caught smoking marijuana in the hotel room at a beach resort during a post match celebrations on April 10. The team management and senior players decided to impose the fine immediately. Apparently the news of this misbehavior by the players was withheld not only from the media for a while but also from the South African Cricket Board.
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The last two one-day internationals will give the South Africans the much needed impetus to experiment a few theories they might have been wanting to test. For the first time on the tour, the visitors would be in a relatively relaxed frame of mind after having pocketed the Test and now the one-day series. Shaun Pollock the visiting skipper felt it would be a good opportunity to try out some new players for the next two matches.
Pakistan in England
The ECB denied newspaper allegations that Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's bowling action was under question yet again in Pakistan's recently concluded match against Derbyshire. The newspaper report said that the umpires Peter Willey and Tony Clarkson visited the television production team to see the slow motion replays of Shoaib's action. Actually, the umpires were invited to see the new "skyscope" technology that will be applied to lbw decisions.
Miscellaneous
India will take on Australia in two one-day matches on September 14 and 16 at the Melbourne's Colonial indoor stadium, while the third and last match on September 18 will be played at Brisbane. However the decision to make this tour will be taken in the next week's BCCI meeting.
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The Indian team to tour Zimbabwe this month end, will be picked on May 17 at Bangalore. The Indians are off to the African nation to play a two Test match series and a triangular tournament of which West Indies will also be a part. The conditioning camp for the 26 probables begins at Bangalore on May 13.
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Indian leg spinner Anil Kumble returned from Johannesburg, South Africa after a three-week check up and rehabilitation programme, following a shoulder operation he had undergone in January. Kumble clarified that he had begun bowling at the nets and was hopeful to be available for selection when India tours South Africa in October.
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The Punjab Cricket Association Stadium at Mohali, which can boast of being one of the best cricket grounds in the country today with facilities of international class has not had a single international match being played at this picturesque venue for the past one and a half years, thanks to the squabble between the PCA and the BCCI. To make ends meet the PCA has now resorted to leasing the stadium banquet hall for marriages.
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The PCB's bowling advisors committee, in charge of looking into the action of young off spinner Shoaib Malik met and came to the conclusion, after watching the video, that his entire bowling action does not violate the ICC regulations. The committee felt that it is only for his delivery that goes the other way that seems to be in doubt. Shoaib Malik, meanwhile was advised to concentrate more on bowling his off spinners and practice bowling without bending his arm.
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The Sri Lankan sports minister Lakshman Kiriella, the de facto chief of the Sri Lankan Board, has made two changes to the national cricket selection committee. Former Sri Lankan keeper-batsman Amal Silva and former club and Air Force cricketer KM Nelson will replace Shammi Silva and Lalith Kaluperuma in the five-man committee that ended its term in April. The other three selectors (TB Kehelgamuwa, Brendon Kuruppu and Kapila Wijegunawardena) in the five-man panel will continue to hold their positions in the new panel.
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The Australian skipper Steve Waugh said that he was not really happy with the ACB decision to keep John Buchanan, out of the tour selection committee. Meanwhile, Buchanan, considered to be the brain behind Australia's record sixteen match-winning streak, said he would continue to advise both Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist during the Ashes tour. Buchanan, was removed from the post of the tour selection committee in view of the uncomplimentary remarks he made regarding the fitness of Shane Warne, just prior to the Chennai Test match in March. Ironically it was Steve Waugh, who was annoyed with Buchanan's remarks and had then asked the coach to stick on to his job, instead of taking to the media.
English county news
Leicestershire beat Lancashire by six runs at Grace Road to register a dramatic win in the English County Championships. Chasing a target of 211 runs, Lancashire were dismissed for 204. All-rounder Daniel Marsh, son of former Australian wicket-keeper Rodney Marsh, was Leicestershire's man of the match, with a unbeaten 50, two wickets and two brilliant catches.
Scores: Leicestershire 240 & 169 v Lancashire 199 & 204
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Hampshire beat Worcestershire at Rose Bowl by 124 runs. Needing to score 233 runs, the visitors were dismissed for a paltry 108, on a day, which saw 20 wickets fall.
Scores: Hampshire 309 & 159 v Worcestershire 236 & 108
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Yorkshire needing 354 runs to win were 96-3 at close on the second day at Leeds against Somerset. Australian left-hander Darren Lehmann was unbeaten on 53. Earlier Somerset had declared their innings at 327-8.
Scores: Somerset 257 & 327-8d. v Yorkshire 231 & 96-3
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A fourth wicket partnership of 193 between Graham Thorpe (148) and Alistair Brown (122) enabled Surrey take a 71 run lead over Northamptonshire, who had made 476 in their first innings.
Scores: Northamptonshire 476 v Surrey 547-8
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Gloucestershire has taken an overall lead of 235 runs by reaching 208-4 at close on the second day against Middlesex. Matthew Windows was unbeaten on 88.
Scores: Gloucestershire 272 & 208-4 v Middlesex 245
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Sussex lead by 309 runs at close against Nottinghamshire.
Scores: Sussex 404 & 237-5 v Nottinghamshire 332
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Warwickshire need another 50 runs with eight wickets in hand against Durham. Mark Waugh was unbeaten on 76 at stumps. Earlier Durham was dismissed for 102.
Scores: Durham 329 & 102 v Warwickshire 205 & 176-2
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Compiled by: Mohandas Menon