Ganguly wants to play for Kent next season

Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly today lavishly praised country cricket in England, and said that he wished to turn out for Kent next season.

"A player can improve a lot in the long run by playing county cricket in England. Playing on the bouncy wickets there is indeed tough. It steels ones nerves," Ganguly said in an interview recorded in All India Radio on Thursday.

To a query as to whether he was also interested in having a second stint in county cricket, after turning out for Lancashire in 2000, Ganguly said "Next year, the international calendar is not that crowded. I'll get some breaks. I want to utilise the spare time to play there".

Asked to name the county he was interested in playing for, he said "I wish to turn out for Kent".

Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly also expressed surprise with ICC's decision to rate India as the number eight team in the latest one-day rankngs and said that he saw no logic behind it.

"It's very strange. I don't know how the ICC derived its conclusions. I see no logic behind this," Ganguly said.

Bengal government seeks Ganguly's help

Desperate for a quick industrial turnaround, the West Bengal governement now wants to rope in Indian cricket skipper Sourav Ganguly to attract investment. 

Ganguly, who had evinced keen interest some time back to know the projects being undertaken by the government to improve the industrial scenario, today visited the office of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation at Kolkata and deliberated on ways to woo more investors.

Ganguly, who spent an hour at the WBIDC office, listened in rapt attention to a smart presentation from top officials of the Corporation. The state's municipal affairs minister, Ashok Bhattacharya, was also present.

"We showed him some films. Gave him a copy of our publication. Our aim was to give him the true picture of the state of affairs, contrary to the distorted image that is being projected from some quarters," WBIDC chairman Somnath Chatterjee told newspersons at Kolkata.

During the meeting, Ganguly got several requests from the officials to take the lead in speaking to industrialists and help in projecting the 'right image' about the state.

Though Ganguly was non-commital about the meeting, Chatterjee said "He told us that before the presentation, he did not have any idea about the sort of progress we have achieved".

Asked whether the state government was planning to use Ganguly as brand ambassador to rope in investors, WBIDC Chatterjee said "Why not? After all, he comes from a family of industrialists. We will be happy if he can help us in any way".

"He wants industrial development of the state and employment for our people," he added.

Mani can solve contract row: Dalmiya

Complementing the new ICCC chief for his "pragmatic attitude", BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya has said the elevation of Ehsan Mani will help solve the contract row fast.

In an interview to ESPN-Star Sports, the Indian cricket Board president Dalmiya said, "(Ehsan) Mani has now put the matter on the right track. It could have been sorted out earlier but it did not happen. I know him personally and I am sure he will do what is in the best interest of cricket." With Mani's taking over hopes of a solution to the contract row which had not been handled in the right way by the former ICC chief Malcolm Gray who had a "different working method", has emerged.

Anticipating compensation claims by Global Cricket Corporation (GCI), the ICC has withheld India's World Cup guarantee money , rights holders of ICC events till 2007, for the failure of Indian players to honour their contractual obligations.

Dalmiya said it was imperative to resolve such contentious issues in the larger interest of the game.

Dalmiya also denied that there was a revolt by the Indian players against him on the stand he took during the contract imbroglio and said the cricketers had been misled by some "self-styled leaders" who tried to get into the picture.

"The players never rebelled. The proof is that they want the BCCI to fight it out for them," he said.

"The players had a genuine problem regarding personal endorsements. But some other people also tried to influence them and they were totally perplexed. But ultimately they realised (that they were being misled)," he added.

Sachin Tendulkar will play the Irani Trophy

At the behest of senior Indian cricketers the Irani Trophy tie between Ranji Trophy winners Mumbai and Rest of India to be held in Chennai from September 18 to 22 is being held earlier than usual.

"The senior players of the Indian team wanted to play a full five-day game before they took on New Zealand. So they requested the Board President to hold the Irani Trophy match earlier," informed Professor Ratnakar Shetty, honorary joint secretary of Mumbai Cricket Association told Mid-Day.

Sachin Tendulkar has made himself available for the tie and the prospect of him doing battle with the likes of Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan and Sourav Ganguly at Chepauk only makes the fare more fascinating.

The United Arab Emirates is striving to get a berth in cricket's 2007 World Cup with an aim to achieving one day international status, UAE's coach Syed Abid Ali, a former Indian Test player said.

"I see a lot of potential in UAE cricket and hope that our targets of winning a berth in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies and getting the one-day status from the International Cricket Council (ICC) are achieved," Ali said.

UAE featured in the 1996 World Cup co-hosted by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka but failed to qualify for the next two in 1999 and 2003.

Ali, 61, who is here as coach of the UAE youth team competing in the Youth Asia Cup, played 29 Tests and four one-day matches for India between 1967 to 1975.

McKenzie and Zondeki shine as South Africa match peters out

South African pair Neil McKenzie and Monde Zondeki were bright spots for South Africa as their tour match against English country Somerset faded into a draw on a rain-affected final day on Thursday.

In a match which did not start until after lunch, McKenzie pushed his claim for a place in next week's first Test against England as he top-scored with 82 not out to help the visitors extend their second innings total to 245 for four.

The tourists declared to leave Somerset a mountain to climb of 327 in 35 overs and the county finished on 109 for three after another rain break.

Zondeki, 20, followed up his five first-innings wickets with one for 20.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith declined to set up an exciting finish with an enterprising declaration, content to watch McKenzie and Boeta Dippenaar build on an overnight 126 for two against some tame bowling.

Sri Lankan Test likely in Darwin 

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland announced that Sri Lanka could play a Test match in Darwin next year. With the successful move of playing a first-ever Test against Bangladesh during the dry season in Australia's tropical north, Cricket Australia is pushing to schedule a Test in Darwin against Sri Lanka in 2004.

"We are keen to play a Test against Sri Lanka here this time next year, but there is a bit of fine-tuning still to do on Sri Lanka's," Sutherland told ABC radio.