India in South Africa

It seems likely that the SOS from Sourav Ganguly in South Africa is going to fall on deaf ears. Board officials say Zaheer Khan will have to present a fitness certificate to the Board and undergo the tests before he is flown off to South Africa.
Ganguly in a talk to the BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya had requested that Zaheer Khan be flown to assist the team as soon as possible.
Zaheer however has not contacted the Board saying he is fit. VVS Laxman who informed the BCCI about his fitness and submitted the relevant documents has been named captain of the Rest Of India squad for the Irani Trophy.
Officials say they will have to hear from Zaheer first before deciding if he was fit enough to be sent to join the team.

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Left arm spinner Nicky Boje has been included in the South African squad for the next two matches of the triangular series against India and Kenya.
Boje has recovered from a shoulder and knee surgery that has kept him out of action for a while. India play Kenya in a day/night encounter at Centurion in the next match of the 10-match triangular series tomorrow.

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The New Zealand born coach of the Indian team is under pressure to keep his job as coach following a string of defeats.
Wright's one-year contract expired last month but he has still been retained for the tour of South Africa. Most former players have however come out in support of the affable Kiwi insisting that he should be given more time.

England in Zimbabwe

England wicket keeper James Foster was reprimanded and told in no uncertain terms that misbehaviour would not be tolerated.
The match referee of the series Naushad Ali did not take any action after speaking to the keeper and the England skipper Nasser Hussain, letting them of with a severe warning about their conduct during the rest of the series.
Foster was involved in an ugly incident with Zimbabwe's wicket-keeper batsman Andy Flower in the third match of the series after two appeals by the English keeper for caught behind were turned down.

Miscellaneous (International)

England have confirmed that they will go on as usual with their tour of India despite military action commencing in Afghanistan.
The England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tim Lamb said the possibility of the tour being cancelled later on if the situation worsens couldn't be ruled out

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The officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board will be meeting soon to discuss preparations for the forthcoming Sharjah Tournament to be held in late October.
The PCB is however uncertain about the future of the tournament following military action in Afghanistan.
With hardly any time left for the Sharjah event, the PCB wants to start the process of training and team selection, but not before the CBFS confirms the event will not be will not postponed or canceled. The tournament features Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

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In Sharjah, the CBFS have confirmed that the tri-series to be held in the last week of October will goon as per schedule.
The Zimbabwe Cricket Union managing director Dave Ellman-Brown said they had not heard anything from the tournament organizers concerning any security fears and therefore the tour would go on as planned still on. However the situation was being monitored closely he added.

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The New President of the BCCI Jagmohan Dalmiya called off a meeting that was to be held next week with the ICC's Chief Executive Malcolm Speed to discuss ICC Knockout tournament to be held in India next year.
The cancellation of the meeting is seen by many as a tactic on Dalmiya's part to sort out the differences with the Indian government on cricket ties with Pakistan.
Dalmiya has been insisting that while the Board will abide by any decision of the Government, but it should convey to the Board its policy or decision on any cricket matter at least two months in advance so that embarrassing situations could be avoided for the Indians as well as the hosting Board.

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Former Australian wicket keeper Rodney Marsh who has been placed in charge of the process of reviving English cricket has also managed to rope in his former teammate and captain Ian Chappell.
Chappell is to speak on captaincy, about playing the short-pitched ball and spin bowling at the English Cricket Academy that is headed by Marsh.
He will also speak on how to deal with the media. Marsh said more of his former teammates, including Dennis Lillee had offered their services.

Miscellaneous (National)

It is likely that the opening encounter of the Indian domestic season, the first match of the Irani trophy, will not be staged in Pune.
This request for a change in venue has been made by the Maharashtra Cricket Association following the heavy unseasonal rains that have lashed Maharashtra making ground and pitch preparation next to impossible.
The match was originally scheduled to be held at Baroda and later fixed at Pune following the non-availability of the stadium at Baroda.
The Irani Trophy is played between the last seasons Ranji Trophy winners (in this case Baroda) and a Rest of India team.

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Banned cricketer Ajay Jadeja defied the ban imposed on him and played a club cricket match in the United States recently.
He may have invited trouble not only for himself but also for the Indian Board. The ICC has penalised the club for which he played and has referred the matter to the BCCI.
Though the BCCI had not permitted Jadeja to play a match in America, any attempt to allow banned cricketers back into cricket will have to have the approval of the ICC.

Did you know?

The first club in South Africa was founded on 15 January 1843 when the Port Elizabeth Cricket Club was formed. It took 46 years however before its ground at St George's Park saw first class and Test cricket for the first time.

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