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(WORLD CUP)
Warne
Declared Guilty, Given One-year Suspension (Go
To Top) SYDNEY: The three-person Australian Cricket Board anti-doping committee on Saturday found star leg-spinner Shane Warne guilty of taking a banned substance and suspended him from playing professionally anywhere in the world for one year. The suspension, effective from February 10, means that Warne is out of the remainder of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. The hearing, which began at the ACB's headquarters in Melbourne on Friday, was adjourned twice and lasted eight hours. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the ACB called five witnesses, while Warne's lawyers called two, believed to be the player himself and his mother Brigitte, who he has said gave him the diuretic pill. Warne was charged with "using a prohibited method," which carries a minimum two-year penalty. Following the judgement, an "absolutely devastated" Warne said that he would appeal the ban. "First of all, I would like to say that I am absolutely devastated and very upset at the committee's decision of suspending me for 12 months. I feel that a 12-month suspension is a very harsh penalty for not checking what I took with anyone. I will appeal. I feel that I am a victim of anti-doping hysteria. I also want to repeat that I have never taken any performance-enhancing drugs and I never will," he said. Warne also said that he was proud of his speedy recovery from a dislocated shoulder. Bangladesh
Mesmerised by Proteas (Go To Top)
CAPE TOWN: Openers Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten enabled South Africa pull off a 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their Group B match on Saturday at Goodyear Park. Both Gibbs (49 not out) and Kirsten (52 not out) made way for South Africa to enter the Super Six of the World Cup. The Bangladesh batting collapsed for a paltry 108 in 35.1 overs and the hosts comfortably won the match in 12 overs. Australian
PM Wants Bulawayo Match Shifted (Go To
Top) SYDNEY: Prime Minister John Howard made a last- minute appeal to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift Australia's World Cup match with Zimbabwe due to be played in Bulawayo on Monday, reports Dawn. Howard, who has pressed for Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth to be extended until the end of the year, urged the ICC on Friday to shift the game to Kenya or South Africa. "I've never argued that the Australian team should unilaterally pull out if it didn't want to," Howard told a Melbourne radio station. "I haven't put that kind of moral pressure on the Australian team. My argument has been that the International Cricket Council should have listened to the views of the British and New Zealand Governments and shifted all of the games from Zimbabwe to either Kenya or South Africa." But Howard said the Australian team was stuck in a situation where they felt compelled to fulfil their contracts with the Australian Cricket Board. "I think they're really stuck with a situation that could have been avoided if the International Cricket Council had taken another view." March
1 Match Will Be Tension-free: Pak Manager
(Go To Top) JOHANNESBURG: Pakistan cricket team's manager Shaharyar Khan does not believe that the deteriorating political and diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Islamabad will in any way be reflected in the World Cup encounter on March 1. The match would be tension-free, he said, reports the News. "The players from both sides are mature individuals and they know how to behave in all circumstances. I don't see the tensions of the strained relations between the two countries reflecting in the match. It will be a pure cricket contest fought hard and the better team will win it," according to him. By the time India plays Pakistan at the Centurion, they would have completed their preliminary round games against Australia, Zimbabwe and England and would know very clearly where they stand as far as qualifying for the Super Sixes is concerned. Shaharyar agreed that given that both teams have not played against each other since June 2000, there would be high expectations among the people of both countries from their teams. "One can understand that Indo-Pak matches always tend to have a bit more of an edge to them, given the history behind them," he added. The World Cup organizers are taking extra precautions and security measures for this particular tie. Tickets for it have already been sold out. Cairns Injured
in Durban Night Club Brawl (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns suffered a cut on the mouth when he and nine of his team members were involved in a night club brawl in Durban. According to a report, Cairns was knocked down by a punch from behind after a scrap at the 'Tiger, Tiger' night club. Following the incident, armed security guards, employed by World Cup organisers to protect the team, rushed the players back to their beachside hotel. Although there was no immediate comment from the team management, Bala Naidoo, a spokesman for the World Cup security directorate, confirmed the incident but refused to name the players. According to a statement, "In the early hours of Friday, two New Zealand cricketers were asked by the management of the 'Tiger, Tiger' club to leave the club. It is alleged the two cricketers removed their shirts to exchange them with each other. This was apparently not in accordance with the club policy. They were requested by the club management to leave which the cricketers complied with. The close protectors of the South African police service were on hand to ensure that the situation was managed to the satisfaction of all concerned. No formal charges were laid by either parties and as such there are no police investigations into this matter." Ponting
Finds Fault With Pollock's Captaincy (Go
To Top) SYDNEY: Australia's one-day skipper Ricky Ponting has blamed Shaun Pollock's `unimaginative' captaincy for host South Africa's poor performances in the ongoing World Cup. According to Ponting, South Africa's rigid approach made it easier to combat them. Pollock tends to captain the side in exactly the same way every game - bringing himself on in the same over in most games. "They are very set in their ways and plans. The South Africans have a very regimented way and style of playing. It has worked for them (in the past) but it's probably not working at the moment," Ponting was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald. "He (Pollock) usually brings himself back for the second spell in the 32nd over. He will bowl six first up, bring himself back in the 32nd and bowl two overs there, and save himself for two at the end. I think it gives an indication they like to do things a certain way," he added. Ponting also said that the pressures associated with "home nation status" were showing on the Proteas. "I didn't totally understand how much pressure they were under. You only had to look at some of the faces in the crowd the other day, when New Zealand started to get on top. Everything just died off straightaway. There are a lot of expectations, and they're probably just not playing as well as they'd like as a team, and that's going to be hard for them to come back from now," added Ponting. Pak
Road to Super Six 'Bumpy' (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: Pakistan's dream of reaching Super Six appears more difficult following comprehensive victories by England and India over Namibia and Zimbabwe, respectively, on Wednesday, reports Dawn. Unlike on Tuesday when hosts South Africa, facing an early exit from the competition, were thrown a lifeline by the intervention of rain, the weather did not play any part in Wednesday's matches. After West Indies' clash against Bangladesh was rained off the Group 'B' becomes wide open and no team is sure of a slot in Super Six unlike the defending champions Australia in Group 'A'. So Waqar Younis' men must prevail over England at Cape Town in a day/night clash on Saturday to remain in contention for a Super Six berth. A defeat will certainly make the task of getting into the next round a mighty difficult assignment. Now both England, having forfeited four points to Zimbabwe, and India are on eight points from three matches each. Pakistan have four points, from their victory over Namibia, but have played one game less. Pakistan will have to outwit England, who are still in Super Six reckoning despite the loss of four points to Zimbabwe. England could pose problems for Pakistan and no sane individual would dare predict the outcome of the result. On paper, Pakistan have a slight edge over England who have not done well recently especially in the one-dayers. Yet, they have a reasonably good side quite capable of upsetting the odds on a given day. Pakistan have no injury worries and hope to field the strongest eleven. Left-hander Saeed Anwar has now fully recovered from his elbow injury and the players have done some strenuous training during the past two days. The tourists are, however, worried over the failure of their top order batsmen to play an innings of substance in the two outings. Another display like the one against Australia could mean disaster. Last but not the least, bad weather could still return in the next round of matches to haunt even the fancied teams, as forecast for next week is for an unsettled weather particularly around Johannesburg and its surrounding areas where Pakistan face India on March 1 at Centurion Park. Rashid
Says 'No' to Zee TV (Go
To Top) CAPE TOWN: Pakistan wicket keeper Rashid Latif has refused to give an interview to Zee TV, criticising them for projecting anti-Pakistan propaganda. The Zee TV crew approached the team's media manager for an interview with Rashid and Saeed Anwar. First Saeed came to give the interview, and when it was Rashid's turn he went to the crew and asked them if they belonged to the Indian channel.. As soon as he confirmed the channel they were representing, he refused to give the interview. And Rashid made it clear to them and the media manager he would not give the interview in protest against the anti-Pakistan stance of the Indian channel. While the crew members tried to explain to him they're not involved in the policy decisions of the channel and that was done by their bosses, Rashid insisted he would not like to s\/--0q az`1peak to a channel which had been carrying out anti-Pakistan tirade and would also advise the other players to boycott them. Warne's
Case Will Be a Shame: Australian Prime Minister (Go
To Top) SYDNEY: A possible two-year ban on star leg-spinner Shane Warne for testing positive for banned diuretics will be a matter of great shame, according to Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Although Howard said the rules must be upheld, he also added that it would be sad to see Warne go. "It would be a great shame if we lose his services. On the other hand, there are rules that need to be upheld and I would support the rules being upheld. I just hope that he (Warne) doesn't break them," he told Adelaide radio station 5DN on Thursday. "He's facing tribunal and I don't think it's fair for someone in my position to express a view either way, except to express the hope he's dealt with fairly and justly," added Howard, referring to Warne's hearing in Melbourne on Friday by the Australian Cricket Board's three-person anti-doping committee. If Warne is exonerated, he could be back in South Africa for Australia's World Cup match against Namibia on February 27. Wasim
Hopeful of 500-wicket Mark in Saturday's England Tie (Go
To Top) CAPE TOWN: Pakistan's former captain and fast bowler Wasim Akram is hopeful of reaching the landmark of 500 ODI wickets during the team's match on Saturday against England. "It would be nice to get Andrew Flintoff's wicket as he is a good friend," said Wasim in a lighter vein. But on a more serious note he said he would not be targetting any particular England batsman but would be looking to get them all. Wasim played and captained Lancashire for nearly 10 years, the same county for which Flintoff plays. "I am not targetting Michael Vaughan or Trescothick. I am just looking at getting as many wickets as possible. You don't win matches by going after one particular player. Against good batsmen like Tendulkar it is all a mental thing and you have to think them out as they are liable to get on top of you once they stay in for some overs." Wasim said that England could not be discounted at any cost as despite their recent Test drubbing in Australia they had done well in the VB series and came close to winning a few games against Australia also. "On the basis of those performances I think they have a good side. They have always been a very professional outfit with a good captain and they tend to play hard. It will be a very good contest with them," the holder of the most One-day International records stated. He agreed that the toss would play a vital part in the outcome of the match as the Newlands pitch was a flat track. "I would think that if we win the toss we should bat first as our strength is our bowling and we are better off defending totals." Wasim said he was not aware of how much of a factor the late night dew was at the Newlands ground but said Pakistan had a one-dayer recently on it and had some experience. "I think the coach would also get back on the dew factor with helpful feedback." He expressed confidence that Pakistan had a lot of experienced batsmen and players capable of delivering under pressure. "I am confident that experienced batters like Saeed Anwar, Inzamamul Haq, Yousaf Youhana and Younis will score runs in this big match." He described the experience of playing his fifth World Cup as a 36-year-old as a great experience and feeling. "I am the grandad of the team now. When I first played the 1987 World Cup, I was not that well tuned or experienced to handle the pressure which comes with the World Cup matches. But now, playing in this World Cup is a great experience because I know how to handle the pressure and how to bowl." India
Beat Zimbabwe (Go To Top) HARARE:
India beat Zimbabwe by 83 runs in their World Cup Group A match on Wednesday.
Javagal Srinath made the early breakthroughs with Mark Vermeulen caught
behind for a duck off his sixth ball. Sachin Tendulkar was adjudged
man of the match. Off spinner Harbhajan Singh then bowled key man Andy
Flower for 22 before skipper Saurav Ganguly took three wickets, including
two in two balls. Zimbabwe, completely outplayed, were bowled out for
172 in 44.4 overs. Earlier, Tendulkar put on 99 for the first wicket with Virender Sehwag after out-of-touch Ganguly was shifted down the order. Rahul Dravid was 43 not out. Cakewalk
for Sri Lanka (Go To Top) JOHANNESBURG: Sri Lanka on Wednesday achieved their third successive victory over Canada in their World Cup Group B match at Paarl. Canada collapsed to 36 all out in 18.4 overs before Sri Lanka eased home in only 4.4 overs. Left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas and Prabath Nissanka ran through the Canadians. The North Americans' total eclipsed the previous lowest in one-day history, Zimbabwe's 38 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2001. Sri Lanka overhauled that target in only 4.2 overs, the fastest run-chase in one-day internationals. Canada had also held the previous record low for the World Cup, having been bowled out for 45 by England at Manchester in 1979. Warne's
'B' Sample Also Tests Positive (Go
To Top) SYDNEY: Leg spinner Shane Warne faces a two-year ban from international cricket now that his 'B' sample has also tested positive for banned diuretics. The Australian Sports Drug Agency, which carried out the tests, is believed to have informed him about the second positive test. Under ASDA protocol, he has a week to seek an internal inquiry or appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. According to Sun Herald, Warne's lawyers are expected to argue that the type of diuretic used by him was not strong enough to hide traces of steroids. Stand by
Us at This Hour, Sachin Appeals to Fans (Go
To Top) JOHANNESBURG: Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has sought support from angry and disappointed cricket fans at home. Skipper Saurav Ganguly's effigy was burnt in Kolkata and Mohammed Kaif's residence in Allahabad was the target of black paint and oil. He read out a brief statement to reporters at Harare on Tuesday after this spontaneous expression of indignation over the team's lacklustre performances in the World Cup. The statement read: "This is to all the well-wishers in India. I am here on behalf of the Indian cricket team. We ourselves are very disappointed with the kind of performances we have put up and I also understand the disappointment you have gone through. I am just here to assure all of you that we will be fighting in all the games until the last ball is bowled. So please continue to support us, as you have done in the past, which will surely help us." India play Zimbabwe in a Group A match here on Wednesday. They need to win to stay well placed to qualify for the Super Six category. Angry
Fans Set Fire to Ganguly, Tendulkar Posters MUMBAI: Protestors in Mumbai set fire to posters of Indian captain Saurav Ganguly and star batsman Sachin Tendulkar along with those of others on Tuesday. India scored just 204 in their victory over minor nation the Netherlands before losing by nine wickets to world champions Australia in South Africa on Saturday in the ongoing World Cup tournament. Outraged by the team's weekend rout, the protestors shouted slogans against the cricketers, criticising them for concentrating only on their individual endorsements rather than on the team's performance. ANI |
WORLD CUP |