India in South Africa

Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly and master batsman Sachin Tendulkar will sit out of Wednesday's warm up game against South Africa 'A' as a precautionary measure against niggling injuries.
Sachin felt a slight discomfort in his toe after seven hours on the field, in the first match and visited noted orthopaedic surgeon Mark Fergusson to have to have the inner sole of his shoe re-adjusted.
Ganguly was hit by a rising delivery in the first game and has developed a slight swelling on his index finger.
However team sources assured the media that the duo are sitting out just as a precaution and will be seen in action for the first match beginning on Friday.
The Indian's will get a real taste of things to follow later on the tour when they play their second warm-up game against a South Africa 'A' side at Johannesburg today.
Although all the batsmen got a decent outing at the opening match the bowlers were hammered on a batsmen friendly pitch.
Today's match will see the entire new crop of South Africa fast bowlers in action including Gerald Dros, Jon Kent, Boland swing bowler Charl Langeveld.
Shiv Sunder Das primarily a Test batsman has been included for the one-day game today which is a positive move considering the form he is in.

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South Africa's ageing fast bowler Allan Donald will miss the first two matches of the triangular series involving India and Kenya, as he is not match fit after recovering from a bout of flu.
Although both Donald and Nicky Boje (who was recovering from a shoulder operation) are fit to play, but both have been excluded from the first few matches due to lack of match practise.

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Indian vice captain Rahul Dravid, a wildlife freak has expressed his desire to visit the famous Kruger National Park whenever the team gets a break from cricket.
The park is one of South Africa's premier wildlife sanctuaries and an important tourist destination. Wildlife, reading and music are hobbies close to Dravid's heart.

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South African businessman Hamid Banjo Cassim who was in the thick of the match- fixing controversy and who was known for his proximity to Indian players has said he is not going anywhere near the team this time.
Casim is reported to have introduced Hansie Cronje to Indian bookmaker Sanjeev Chawla that blew the lid off one of the biggest scandals to ever hit cricket. Cassim said he had promised his family never to get involved with cricketers again.

England in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe will be led by all rounder Guy Whittall for the first match of the five match one-day series to begin today at Harare.
Heath Streak has been sidelined due to a troublesome back. Seam bowler Gary Brent will replace him in the squad. Young Masakadza too has ruled himself out due to school commitments. The two teams are as follows
Zimbabwe: G Whittall (Capt), G Brent, A Campbell, S Carlisle, D Ebrahim, A Flower, G Flower, D Hondo, M Nkala, D Viljoen, C Wishart. England: N Hussain (Capt), P Collingwood, A Flintoff, J Foster, P Grayson, M Hoggard, B Hollioake, J Kirtley, N Knight, M Ramprakash, O Shah, R Sidebottom, C Silverwood, J Snape, G Thorpe, M Trescothick.

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England captain Nasser Hussain is looking to put into practice England's new approach to the game. The English team has tried to create a fitness culture, and an attitude about talking and feeling about the game into their squad members.
He said he was keen to bring back that spirit that helped achieve remarkable Test wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Miscellaneous

The newly elected head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India Jagmohan Dalmiya said he was keen to bring accountability into the Indian team.
He planned to discuss the affairs of the team that has seen many spineless performances in recent times with the coach John Wright and physio Andrew Leipus.
Dalmiya had alleged that the duo were vacationing in their respective countries when they should have been in India coping with the spate of injuries that had struck the team.
The contracts of Wright and Leipus were not extended at the Annual General Meeting of the BCCI at Chennai, but it was decided that the two would continue to hold their jobs. Dalmiya refused to give any specific indication about their future.

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New Zealand's top cricketers will be compensated after the team's tour of Pakistan to be held this month was called off.
New Zealand Board chief Martin Snedden said he felt it was a moral obligation on the Board's part to compensate the cricketers for a tour cancellation for reasons beyond their control.
He said it was necessary as most players are full time professionals. The players will receive their weekly tour payments but however will not be paid appearance fee and bonuses.

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The three men who assaulted West Indian fast bowler Marlon Black a year ago outside a nightclub in Australia have pleaded guilty in a Melbourne court.
Brian Siali, Gideon Tuinauvai and Sione Puamau admitted assaulting Black with the intention of causing injury. Black who was punched and kicked on the head missed subsequent tours to South Africa and Zimbabwe, said he was lucky to be alive.

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Australia's tear away fast bowler Brett Lee will miss the beginning of the new season in Australia following a torn rib muscle. Lee who tore the muscle during the final Test against England will still need a couple of weeks rest. He is under treatment.

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Australia have been listed as favorites 2/1 to win the World Cup 2003 by British Book Maker William Hill after the draw was released yesterday. The top three and their listings are as follows; Australia2/1, South Africa 5/2, Pakistan 6/1. India is in the fifth spot and listed at 8/1.

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It has been disclosed that the banned South African skipper Hansie Cronje was forced by a South Africa bookie Marlon Aronstam to forfeit the second innings of the famous final Test match against England at Centurion a couple of years ago.
In a match where rain ruined 3 days play South Africa declared their first innings at 248-8 after which England and South Africa forfeited their first and second innings respectively leaving England a day to make 249 to win.
South Africa lost the match by 2 wickets. The bookie is reported to have spoken to Cronje and influenced him to make this unusual decision promising him a donation to a charity of his choice and a gift of 50,000 Rand.
Aronstam is said to be involved in betting since the last 20 years and has with him a list of phone numbers of every single weather bureau around the world.
It is believed that he used to phone people at all hours of the day and night to ask about the weather and other details.

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The President of the Bihar Cricket Association Laloo Prasad Yadav said he would seek legal advice if any move was made by the BCCI to de-recognise his association. Yadav alleged that he felt a campaign was brewing in the BCCI to oust him from the BCCI panel.

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