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(WORLD CUP)
Ludhiana's
Angry Cricket Fans Take to Streets(Go
To Top) LUDHIANA: A group of angry cricket fans took out a protest march here on Sunday after India's crushing nine-wicket defeat to Australia in the World Cup match on Saturday. The slogan-shouting demonstrators marched to a busy trade centre before burning an effigy of Indian cricketers. They also demanded recall of the out-of-form captain Saurav Ganguly. The poor showing, in their opinion, was a result of the players' undue interest in commercial contracts rather than in the game. "It is a shame that they (players) were all out for the lowest score. We demand that if they don't put up a good show in the next match, they should not show their faces in India. We request the Vajpayee Government to ban all TV advertisements of these cricketers," said Vinod Jain, a protestor. There has been an outcry against the team after it posted its lowest total in any World Cup match. India was bundled out for 125 on a good Centurion pitch. There were also reports of an attack on the ancestral house of Mohammed Kaif in Allahabad. Kaif, struggling to find form, scored just one run in the match against Australia. India were dismissed for 204 by minnows Holland in their opening match in the tournament, although they still won the game. Gigantic
Cricket Bat to Bolster Indian Team's Spirits (Go
To Top) HYDERABAD: Despite a disappointing performance by the Indian team in the first two matches of the World Cup - one a laboured victory over weaklings Holland and another an ignominious defeat at the hands of Australia - cricket-crazy Indians have not lost hope. A local club has made a cricket bat measuring 150 feet in length and 22 feet in width and claim it to be the world's largest willow. Good wishes from thousands of fans will be written on the bat and sent to cheer up the Indian team in South Africa. The makers say they will approach the Guinness Book of World Records for the entry of the world's largest bat. The biggest until now was a 100 feet long bat in South Africa. The Hyderabad bat, weighing 4,000 kg, was unveiled by former Indian skipper, Mohammad Azharuddin, while cricket lovers and celebrities signed good wishes. India's strong batting line-up failed to live up to expectations with the team being shot out for 125 against defending champions Australia, their lowest in a World Cup match. Commenting on the current team's performance, Azharuddin said it needed to concentrate and win the next fixtures in order to get into the Super Sixes. "I don't know, we'll have to see in future what happens. Because I really cannot comment at this stage. Because they really need to pick up things very fast," said Azharuddin. India play Zimbabwe in Harare on Wednesday in a fixture that has gained importance for the Indian side following their nine-wicket thrashing by Australia on Saturday. In January this year the team warmed up for the tournament by losing a one-day series 5-2 in New Zealand, as well as losing the Tests 2-0. A team must win at least four of their six first-round matches to qualify for the Super Sixes, and while India should beat Namibia, they will find the going tough against England and Pakistan. Aussies
Beat India by 9 wkts (Go
To Top)
aCENTURION (South Africa): India were humiliated with a nine-wicket defeat by Australians in the World Cup A match on Saturday. The Australians reached the 126-run target in just 22.2 overs. Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee both took three wickets each as India were all out for 125, their lowest score in a World Cup, with more than eight overs to spare. Lee made the opening breakthrough by removing Captain Saurav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag before Gillespie produced one of the great bowling spells in World Cup history, ending with figures of 10-2-13-3. Scoreboard India: Australia: Aussie
Drug Body Says It Was Not a Blind Test on Warne (Go
To Top) SYDNEY: Australian sports drug agency has given the strongest indication so far that star leg-spinner Shane Warne's drug test was not a random sampling. According to John Mendoza, chief executive of the agency, the agency had identified certain high-risk factors associated with drug cheats - age, rapid recovery from injury and change in body shape - all of which fit the Warne profile on the day that he tested positive to a diuretic. "We do not play pin the tail on the donkey. We don't test athletes blindly. Ours is not a totally random approach. There's no point in having a testing programme that is blunt - that doesn't have a sharp end," Mendoza was quoted as saying by the Age. He revealed that four cricketers were tested at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 22. "I'm not saying the tests for the cricketers were targeted, but clearly we take into consideration the high-risk period for athletes in any sport and the period leading up to a major competition is a high-risk period. These tests, therefore, occurred in a period where we have great focus - the lead-up to a World Cup tournament," Mendoza added. And though he said the agency was reluctant to telegraph to potential drug cheats the risk criteria identified, Mendoza did agree that an athlete's advancing age, a hasty recovery from a serious injury, panic at the possibility that a rival might overtake him and a discernible change in body physique were key factors. Warne, 33, returned from a shoulder injury in half the anticipated time. He also lost 14 kgs. Pak
Players Asked to Follow Code of Conduct (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: Pakistan's World Cup players have been instructed to be on their best behaviour for the remaining part of the tournament after narrow escapes for captain Waqar Younis and wicket keeper Rashid Latif from suspensions by match referee Clive Lloyd this week, reports the News. Pakistan team manager Shaharyar Khan, a former foreign secretary and high commissioner to India confirmed that he had spoken to the players and passed on instructions from the board chairman. "I have allowed them time to let it sink in. But the players have been asked to avoid confrontations or sledging incidents on the field even if incited by the opposition. The Pakistan board firmly supports any moves from the International Cricket Council to discourage sledging and unbecoming behaviour from players or teams on the field," Shaharyar said. Shaharyar had to use all his diplomatic skills on Wednesday to stop the match referee from suspending Rashid on the serious charge of passing a racist slur on Australian wicket keeper Adam Gilchrist during Tuesday's bad tempered match at the Wanderers ground. The Pakistan wicket keeper was exonerated of the charge after the umpires didn't report anything and the Australians failed to submit sufficient and convincing evidence to support their accusation against Latif. The Pakistan captain Waqar Younis was also lucky to get off with just a warning after an unsavoury incident during Tuesday's game that saw him being stopped from completing the penultimate over of the match after he sent down beamers in successive overs and which led to open confrontation with Australian century-maker Andrew Symonds. Shaharyar conceded that he had spoken to captain Waqar Younis and did not expect any such incidents to take place in the remaining matches of the mega event. "I don't think Waqar did it deliberately, it must have slipped from his hands. He is not such a person but such incidents need to be avoided," he stated. Waqar said he had apologised to Symonds and the ball had slipped from his hands unintentionally. Shaharyar said he didn't want the players being distracted from their main task of playing good cricket and doing well in the World Cup. He also made it clear that he would consult the Board on Pakistan's stance on the issue of England refusing to play in Zimbabwe. Chaminda
Vaas' Historic Feat (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: A hat-trick with the first three balls in a top class match? Sounds incredible. But Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas did indeed achieve this extraordinary feat against Bangladesh on Friday. Vaas added a fourth victim in his opening over before finishing with a tally of six for 25. The island nation won this Group B World Cup tie at Pietermaritzburg by 10 wickets. Bangladesh was dismissed for 124 in the 32nd over before Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu rattled off the runs by the 22nd over. Sri Lanka had won the toss and elected to field. A Drunk
UCB Chief Seen 'Falling Out of His Pants' (Go
To Top) CAPE TOWN: Allegations of drunkenness and crude language were levelled at Percy Sonn, president of the United Cricket Board, during the World Cup game at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday. Veteran racing driver, Sarel van der Merwe, said he literally saw Sonn "falling out of his pants" as he was stumbling between the viewing suites, reports news24.com. "One could see that Sonn's guest, the chair of the English Cricket Union, was very embarrassed," he said. Stephen de Beer, a suite-owner at Boland Park, said he bumped into Sonn on the stairs to the International Cricket Council's box about 14:00 at the India-Holland match. De Beer said: "He was clearly drunk already and did not know where he was going. "I helped him to the ICC box". De Beer said Sonn ended up among the public later where he shocked everyone with his crude language. "It was a terrible embarrassment to see him like that and we eventually started to feel sorry for him." De Beer said he believed Sonn owed the entire South Africa an apology for his behaviour. Van der Merwe said: "We are trying hard to bring international sport to South Africa, but what must the rest of the world think of us when one of our prominent sports people acts like this?" In reaction to the allegations, Sonn said he was a man who liked a drink. "I was never confronted and, personally, I don't know what I should have done," Sonn said. "If I used crude language, it was probably fitting in the circumstances." Sonn said the head of the ECB was a guest at his house on Wednesday evening. UCB chief executive officer Gerald Majola, meanwhile, said he is aware of media reports regarding Sonn. "We are aware of the reports; I have spoken with Percy and he will get the opportunity to discuss the matter with the UCB general council in the next few days," said Majola. BCCI Wants
England Penalised(Go
To Top) KOLKATA: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to give England minus four penalty points if they maintain their stance over their World Cup match in Zimbabwe. England's tournament opener was originally scheduled to be played in Harare on Thursday but the England board refused to travel to strife-torn Zimbabwe because of their players' safety concerns. "We have said that please it is the time you decide that whether Zimbabwe is a safe country or not - point number one. Point number two, if you say that it is safe then you play all matches. If it is not safe, then don't allow one to pull out, remove all the five matches which are remaining. You cannot remove one match it has been said repeatedly. So you shift all the matches. Number three, if you feel that it is a safe country then today itself award the four points to Zimbabwe," Jagmohan Dalmiya, BCCI president, told reporters here after the national governing body explained its stand in a letter to ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed. The ICC has set England till 1400 GMT on Thursday to appeal to have their Group A match in Zimbabwe moved to South Africa. The matter will be considered by the tournament technical committee in Johannesburg on Friday. The ECB continued to argue after losing a supposedly binding appeal over the issue after the ICC ruled Harare was safe. Other teams in Group A have agreed to travel to Zimbabwe, with Namibia already having played there on Monday. Dalmiya said that the ICC management was trying to protect the interest of the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) and that too at the cost of the other competitors' interest. "We are also playing in the same group and at this juncture for the first time I felt that probably this is being an intentional delay. It is a wait and watch policy, that is, see the result of the other matches and then decide that still if you are not qualifying, then don't go. Or if you are qualifying then go. This is also I saw that another team which was not going to Kenya the players have said after they lost their one match that they are reconsidering," Dalmiya said. India are scheduled to play in Zimbabwe next Wednesday. The Zimbabwe Cricket Union warned on Wednesday their team would not play the World Cup match against England if it was switched to South Africa on grounds other than security. Warne's
Innings May Come to an End: Ponting (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: While describing Shane Warne's decision to take diuretics for his shoulder injury that led to his positive drug test as both naive and stupid, Ricky Ponting, Australia's ODI skipper, fears the star leg-spinner's career may be over. "There is a fear of that. But I don't think anybody will know until all the hearings have been held," Ponting was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald after his team crushed Pakistan by 82 runs in their World Cup opening match at the Wanderers here on Tuesday. Asked if Warne, who got the tablet from his mother, was naive enough not to know its banned contents, Ponting said, "For sure, for sure - or stupidity, one of the two." "He (Warne) basically told us everything - told us the truth of the matter and a lot of the guys probably really felt for him. I was very, very shocked and obviously very disappointed to have one of the leading bowlers in the world out of the side. Hopefully, it's not for very long, I don't think he's been ruled out of the World Cup completely yet," Ponting added. Meanwhile, Warne, who tested positive for the banned substances hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride, will find out the result of his B sample this week. If it's positive, he will face a hearing of the Australian Cricket Board's anti-drugs tribunal and probable two-year suspension. Betting
Racket on World Cup Matches Smashed in Delhi (Go
To Top) NEW DELHI: A high-tech betting racket for the World Cup cricket matches was smashed in the Capital on Wednesday. Police swung into action after a tip-off and the offenders, a husband and wife duo, were caught red-handed while accepting bets from a decoy customer. Police say their modus operandi was typical of the new-age bookies who used electronic gadgets. "These days they have changed their operational systems. They don't keep cash anymore. First, the people with whom the bettings are done, are all known to each other and they entertain only those who come through these people. All their accounting is done in computers or through voice recorders, and they note it in their diaries or registers, by giving code names," said the police. During the search, police recovered four mobile telephones, five landline phones, two personal computers, one telephone recording system, a 29 inch television, and Rs 35,000 in cash. Diaries with code names of customers and transactions amounting to millions, were also recovered. The flourishing betting rackets are blamed on the lack of stern punishment for the offence. "The main reasons why betting still flourishes is due to slack governance and lack of stern punishment." A person arrested for betting can be released on bail for as less as Rs 1000. Cricket betting rackets have been on the rise ever since the commencement of the World Cup. Recently, 25 persons have been arrested in Nagpur and another 10 in Bhopal for their alleged involvement in betting racket. Unoffical reports put the betting business during the World Cup to around 100 billion rupees. Rashid
Latif Charged With Making Racial Remark (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: A Pakistani player has been accused of making a racial slur against an Australian on the field. With the Australia-Pakistan match reaching boiling point at Wanderers' Stadium on Tuesday, Rashid Latif had allegedly turned to wicket keeper Gilchrist during the Pakistan innings and uttered an obscene racial remark. Gilchrist reported the incident to the Australian team management who passed it on to match referee Clive Lloyd. A disciplinary hearing took place at a hotel on Wednesday. The Pakistan team management said Latif pleaded innocent. "The Australia team management lodged a report with the match referee and Latif has been charged under the ICC's Code of Conduct under the heading racial vilification. It was the same charge that Darren Lehmann faced last month," said Brendan McClements, the ICC's general manager for corporate affairs. Tendulkar's
Latest Feat (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: Sachin Tendulkar reached a new milestone in his career on Wednesday by becoming the leading scorer in World Cup history at the Boland Park at Paarl. He outstripped Javed Miandad's tally of 1,083 runs when he reached 25 against Holland in the group A league match. He was out at 52. Tendulkar, playing his 304th one-dayer, began the tournament with more runs (11,546) and more centuries (33) than any batsman in limited-overs cricket. He also scored 8,0811 from 105 Tests with 31 centuries. Proteas
Crush Kenya (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: South Africa on Wednesday raced to an easy target of 141, with openers Herschelle Gibbs (87 not out) and Gary Kirsten (52 not out) comfortably amassing the runs at Potchefstroom. Earlier, the hosts ripped through the Kenyan batting order in 38 overs, with Lance Klusener taking four wickets for just 16 runs and captain Shaun Pollock grabbing two for 15. Kenya scored depressing 140. Warne's
Cup of Woe Forces Him Home (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: In probably the biggest shock in the tournament's history, Australia's spin-wizard Shane Warne on Tuesday pulled out of the 2003 World Cup after failing a drug test. The news came just half an hour before Australia's opening match against Pakistan at the Wanderers here. Speaking at a press conference, James Sutherland, chief executive of the Australian Cricket Board, said that Warne had "tested positive for diuretics in a sample last month". Sutherland said Warne had been taking medication to help him recover from a shoulder injury. He added that the leg-spinner would return home for a second test on a B sample and if that proved negative, he could come back for play. Said Warne, "I took a fluid reduction tablet, which I did not know contained a prohibited substance. The tablet actually dehydrates you and gets rid of any excess fluid in the body. I'm shocked and absolutely devastated because I didn't take performance-enhancing drugs. I never have and don't condone them in any shape or form." Warne said that he had decided to go home "in the best interests of the team and the World Cup campaign. The ACB is very supportive of that. Whether I play any part (in the World Cup) or not will be decided very shortly. I'd like to thank the World Cup squad for their support and friendship and I believe they have the talent and spirit in the team to win the World Cup with or without me." He also said that he had often undergone random drugs tests in Australia, adding that "my previous tests have always come back negative and so will any future ones." Meanwhile, Sutherland also confirmed that Australia had already approached the World Cup organisers for permission to call up a replacement player. 500
Alone not Wasim Ambition (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: Pakistan's enigmatic Wasim Akram says he is not chasing personal goals in his fifth World Cup but wants to see the team put in a collective effort and lift the title. Pakistan's senior-most player in this World Cup and the veteran of 350 matches and 490 One-day International wickets said on Monday becoming the first bowler to reach 500 ODI wickets was not an ambition for him in the tournament. "I am not looking at personal goals. This time I want to contribute and see the team give a collective performance. If we can do well in this tournament I would be the happiest man on earth," Wasim said. "We are all behind the captain and supporting him. The mood in the camp is very positive and so far it has been fun for everyone preparing for the tournament," he added. Wasim is one of the three senior ambassadors of the game in this World Cup alongwith Alec Stewart and Aravinda de Silva. Wasim didn't agree with the general assessment that this World Cup was going to be dominated by the bowlers. "I don't think so because the weather has changed now and the pitches are dryer. I would describe the pitches are good ones for the bowlers where you get some assistance by bending you back. But otherwise the batsmen are going to play key roles." About his plans to retire after this World Cup, Wasim said he had not made up his mind as yet. "This is my last World Cup but as far as what happens afterwards is concerned. I am going to sit down after we have finished here and then think about my future. I will speak to my family, well-wishers and friends and then decide what I should do." "If I feel I can carry on and do justice as a Pakistan player then I would definitely like to continue," said a fit and slim-looking Wasim Akram. Ganguly's
Brother Organises 'Best of Luck' Fire Ritual(Go
To Top) KOLKATA: Indians are leaving no stone unturned for their team's success in World Cup - from holding prayers, organising carnivals to performing rituals. As part of this ongoing process of wishing good luck, Snehasis Ganguly, brother of skipper Saurav Ganguly, organised a 'yagna' (fire ritual) on Sunday in Kolkata. Popular response was overwhelming. Said Snehasis: "I think it will have some effect on our performance in the World Cup. So far as I remember when Sri lanka won the World Cup, then they too had many yagnas like this. Because we believe in God. And we think that these yagnas have some power from behind." According to Hindu mythology, a "yagna" is performed to please the gods. A huge pyre is set and priests chant prayers and perform sacred rituals. Apart from Ganguly household, the city's streets have been also decorated with posters and paintings of their heroes. Fans are extending their wishes to the cricket team by writing and painting on the walls. Catching everyone's attention though is the replica of the ICC World Cup trophy which stands tall in the centre of the city's roads. They feel that by doing so they are extending their bit to boost the morale of the Indian cricketers after their disastrous performance in the one-day series in New Zealand last December. The Indian team is hoping to win the World Cup again after a gap of 20 years when legendary cricketer Kapil Dev had won the honours for the country in 1983 in England. India is placed in pool A with world champions Australia, Pakistan, England, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Netherlands. This year the Indian squad has nine members, out of 15, who would be making their appearance in the World Cup for the first time. Proteas
Threaten To Cancel England Tour (Go
To Top) LONDON: South Africa have threatened to cancel their England tour if Nasser Hussain's men refuse to take the field against Zimbabwe in Harare. During Saturday's World Cup opening ceremony in Cape Town, president of the United Cricket Board of South Africa Percy Sonn told David Morgan, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, that if England did not go to Zimbabwe, South Africa might refuse to play a five-Test series in England this summer, the Daily Telegraph reported on Monday. A pull-out by South Africa could prove financially disastrous to English cricket. The English cricketers and the English Cricket Board have expressed concern about security threats during the Harare match if Zimbabwe's police crack down on opponents of President Robert Mugabe who may choose to use the match venue for political protest. Aussies
'Wary' of Pakistan (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: Pakistan captain Waqar Younis says defending champions Australia are rattled at the prospect of facing his team in Tuesday's high-profile World Cup match. "The Australians are panicking and we must cash in on it to have a cracking start in the tournament," the News quoted Waqar as telling reporters. The finalists of the last World Cup in 1999 go head-to-head at the Wanderers here in a clash between two of the most explosive sides in world cricket. Waqar based his assessment on the recent utterings of Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who said his side's entire focus was on the Pakistan game. "We can't think any further ahead," Ponting had said earlier. The West Indies, champions for the second time in 1979, lost their opener four years later to India, who went on to win the World Cup. The Indians in turn lost to eventual winners Australia in 1987, while New Zealand beat Australia in the opening match of the 1992 World Cup. The 1996 champions Sri Lanka lost to hosts England when the tournament opened at Lord's in 1999. "We will try to continue this trend," said Waqar, facing Australia for the first time in a World Cup game. Australia and Pakistan have a 3-3 record in the World Cup, but the embarrassing eight-wicket defeat in the final four years ago at Lord's still haunts the Pakistanis. When told the Aussies were planning a full-scale assault on Pakistan, Waqar hit back: "We too have a plan to tame them. If he (Ponting) reminds me of the Lord's final, I will remind him of the Super Challenge series last year which we won on their home turf," the Pakistan captain said. Wicket-keeper Rashid Latif said, Australia will pay the penalty for showing former captain Steve Waugh the door. "Dropping Steve Waugh tantamounts to dropping the Cup," he said, and predicted Tuesday's winner will win the tournament. "As far as I am concerned, this is going to be the match of the tournament," Latif said, adding the Pakistani bowlers should exploit the lack of depth in Australia's batting. "They will play with four top batsmen and an inexperienced fifth in Jimmy Maher and that could be the crucial factor," he said. Australia will be without batsman Darren Lehmann, serving a five-match suspension for a racial slur during his country's last one-day series, while one-day specialist Michael Bevan is still recovering from a groin injury. ANI |
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