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Rebellion could suffocate Zimbabwe cricket
ICC asks for
Dalmiya’s help Quick wickets lift England Windies complete 3-0 sweep |
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Rajinder happy with Sandeep’s showing Tirkey fittest player, says trainer
Baskaran says FIH is succumbing
to pressure PGS, Military School make winning start Bhupathi to play in French Open Swimming championship from May 22
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Rebellion could suffocate Zimbabwe cricket Durban, May 20 The 10 voting members of cricket’s governing body will discuss whether to withdraw Test status from the tour seven weeks to the day since the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) edged out captain Heath Streak, triggering a player rebellion. A “yes” vote would be a mortal blow to Zimbabwean cricket which had provided one of the few areas of normality in the southern African country as it wrestles with political and economic crises blamed by critics on President Robert Mugabe. Cricket remains one of Mugabe’s great passions. This has not saved the sport from disputes that have affected all sectors of Zimbabwean society in the wake of government-sponsored seizures of white-owned farms. The revolt by the team’s white players has left Zimbabwe, already one of the weakest of the 10 Test-playing nations, with a severely depleted squad. “Everybody throughout the cricket world is concerned with what is happening in Zimbabwe, hence we are meeting on Friday,” said the President of South Africa’s United Cricket Board, Ray Mali, who will cast one of the votes tomorrow. The first Test is due to start just 24 hours later and Australia will have to decide quickly whether to play if the ICC withdraws Test status. Australian officials have said they would not stay for non-Test cricket. Zimbabwean cricket would then be robbed of a chance to watch the world champions and vital revenue from television coverage. Even if the ICC chooses not to act, a great deal of damage to Zimbabwean cricket has already been done by the rebellion. This left a rookie team at the mercy of Sri Lanka who hammered the home side by an innings in both Test matches this month. The ICC have given Zimbabwe until tomorrow to convince the 15 leading players, all white, to return. They refused to play and demanded the ZCU accept binding arbitration on Streak’s removal, the composition of the selection panel, and the alleged poor conduct of board members. The crisis grew as the ZCU cancelled players’ contracts, both sides called in the lawyers and finally the ZCU barred ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed from a meeting in Harare. The door is still technically open for the rebels to return, but they have said they are not ‘’physically or mentally fit enough’’ to play in the Test matches. No series has been declassified before although a match between South Africa and India in November 2001 was not recognised by the ICC when the sides sacked match referee Mike Denness without the governing body’s approval. If the ICC decides against Zimbabwe, it could give England an easy way out of their controversial tour in November. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agonised long and hard over the tour, caught between its obligations to the ICC — and the possible financial penalties of defaulting on a tour — and its government’s disapproval of anything that hands political credibility to Mugabe’s administration. The abandonment of two such high profile tours would cripple the ZCU financially and the game in Zimbabwe, far poorer than its counterparts abroad, might never recover. The Sri Lanka series raised the ICC concerns over damage to the ‘’integrity of Test cricket’’. Australia are set to humiliate a weakened Zimbabwe and there is every prospect of the home series against Pakistan in October delivering similarly one-sided results. Sri Lanka are ranked below all the teams Zimbabwe are due to play until December 2005. On recent form, Tatenda Taibu’s young team - without the experience of the rebels - would seem to be set for one thrashing after another.
— Reuters |
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Five selected rebels refuse to play
Harare, May 20 Media reports today said the 18-man squad for the match, due to start in Harare on Saturday, would include Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut, Trevor Gripper, Ray Price and Stuart Carlisle. The Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) has yet to release the squad. ZCU media manager Lovemore Banda said there was no indication of when the squad would be announced. One of the rebels, who declined to be named, confirmed that the five had been selected and that they would withdraw. “They did include us in a squad of 18 players, probably knowing that the five of us would pull out anyway,’’ the player said.
‘’We are not playing in the Test series, that’s how it stands.’’ The status of the series is in jeopardy because of the poor performances of the inexperienced side Zimbabwe fielded in their home series against Sri Lanka. The visitors won both Tests by an innings and the one-day series 5-0. The rebel said ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed had been informed of the latest developments. “We’ve just called him, and he is very aware of what’s happening,’’ the player said.
Olonga for scrapping tour SYDNEY: Exiled Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga has backed calls for Australian team to call off its tour of Zimbabwe and urged the International Cricket Council to “avoid a farce” if they were to retain any credibility. “I would imagine that if the ICC is to avoid a farce, and if the ICC is going to have any credibility, they are going to call this tour off,” Olonga was quoted as saying in ‘The Age’. Olonga, who along with team-mate Andy Flower wore a black arm band to protest the ‘Death of Democracy’ in Zimbabwe under the rule of Robert Mugabe during a World Cup match in 2003, said the motive of the ICC meeting should have been moral one rather than cricketing. Joining Olonga in asking the Australians to return home were former players Dennis Lillee, Greg Chappell and Kerry O’Keefe. “They went there on the understanding they were going to play Test matches. If the goalposts have moved, what’s the point of being there,” asked Lillee. The bowling legend also criticised the ICC for doling out Test status to teams for commercial reasons. “I’m not being unkind to the minnows, but the idea of promoting them was designed to fill space on pay TV,” he said. Keefe said the ICC has once again failed to act on time. “For years a lot of former players have put the slipper into the ICC for good reasons. Again they seem to have sat on their hands,” the report quoted Keefe as saying. Chappell said Zimbabwe should be banned not just because they were fielding second string teams but because their selection policy was based on skin colour.
— Reuters, PTI |
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Kolkata, May 20 Confirming the development, the BCCI chief said here that he has been in touch with all parties concerned, but refused to divulge much details at this stage. Dalmiya has been speaking to cricket officials in Zimbabwe, Australia as well as ICC bosses in London over the past couple of days to thrash out differences so that some settlement was reached before tomorrow. Dalmiya’s good offices has been sought by the ICC in this crisis mainly because of his excellent relations with ZCU chief Peter Chingoka. It could be recalled that the BCCI chief had played an important role in Zimbabwe getting Test status 12 years ago when the African nation had played its first Test against India. Dalmiya is also a former ICC President and has a comfortable relation with the present incumbent, Ehsan Mani, of Pakistan, as well as other ICC officials and also officials of Australian cricket.
— PTI |
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Quick wickets
lift England
London, May 20 Astle, partnered by the obdurate Mark Richardson, took New Zealand to 161 for the loss of only one wicket during the afternoon session before he was caught behind off Andrew Flintoff for 64, made in only 77 minutes with 11 boundaries. Scott Styris fell to Simon Jones four balls later in similar fashion for a duck in his first match against England and at tea the tourists were 172 for three after Stephen Fleming had won the toss and elected to bat. Richardson was still at the crease on 56 after four hours’ patient application. Simon Jones was the pick of the England bowlers, picking up the wickets of Styris and Fleming (34) in two spells of sustained, hostile fast bowling from the pavilion end. The Glamorgan paceman, who made a successful return to Test cricket during England’s tour of the Caribbean this year after rupturing his cruciate ligament a year earlier against Australia, took the only wicket to fall in the morning session. Scoreboard New Zealand (1st innings): Richardson batting 56 Fleming c Strauss b Jones 34 Astle c G Jones b Flintoff 64 Styris c G Jones b Jones 0 McMillan batting 4 Extras:
(b-6, lb-2, w-1, nb-5) 14 Total: (3 wkts, 56 overs) 172 Fall of wickets:
1-58, 2-161, 3-162 Bowling: Hoggard 13-3-42-0, Harmison 14-4-54-0, Flintoff 14-6-26-1, S Jones 15-6-42-2.
— Reuters
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St. George’s (Grenada), May 20 Bangladesh, with the help of captain Habibul Bashar’s 42 off 45 balls, totalled 118 for seven off a match limited to 25 overs per side after rain delayed the start by four hours. The West Indies swept the series 3-0 following back-to-back victories in St. Vincent last weekend. While Devon Smith provided a solid performance, there were cameos from Ricardo Powell (17 off 13 balls), Dwayne Smith (23 off 24) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (24 off 28). Devon Smith and Chanderpaul shared a match-winning partnership of 55 off 64 balls before Chanderpaul fell just before the end. Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan hit an unbeaten seven but allowed the Grenadian crowd to cheer their hometown hero as Devon Smith brought up the winning runs with a nudge to leg from the first ball of the final over. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique and Manzarul Islam Rana were the most economical Bangladesh bowlers. Earlier, heavy overnight rain reduced the match from 50 overs an innings to its minimum of 25, a repeat of the second match in St. Vincent last weekend. Bashar, a 31-year-old veteran of 48 one-day internationals, had been out for zero and two in St. Vincent where the West Indies won both matches to clinch the series. But he had to revive the visitors’ innings from the shaky start of 18 for two when openers Hannan Sarkar and Mohammed Ashraful were out cheaply. Scoreboard Bangladesh: Sarkar c Jacobs b Rampaul 4 Ashraful c Bradshaw b Best 3 Bashar c Chanderpaul b Smith 42 Saleh c Jacobs b Smith 17 Hossain c Bravo b Smith 17 Rahman run out 14 Mahmud c Devon Smith b Bravo 4 Manzarul Islam Rana not out 6 Extras:
(6lb, 5w) 11 Total: (in 25 overs; for 7 wickets) 118 Fall of wickets:
1-11, 2-18, 3-65, 4-89, 5-93, 6-102, 7-118. Bowling: Tino Best 3-0-7-1, Ravi Rampaul 5-0-21-1, Ian Bradshaw 5-0-22-0, Dwayne Bravo 5-0-22-11, Ricardo Powell 3-0-16-0, Dwayne Smith 4-0-24-3. West Indies: Powell c Mahmud b Mushfiqur 17 Devon Smith not out 39 Dwayne Smith lbw b Manzarul 23 Chanderpaul c Foysal b Tapash 24 Sarwan not out 7 Extras: (lb-2, w-7) 9 Total:
(3 wkts, 24.1 overs) 119 Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-52, 3-107. Bowling:
T Baishya 5-0-28-1, Mushfiqur Rahman 4.1-1-23-1, Khaled Mahmud 5-0-32-0, Mohammad Rafique 5-0-13-0, Manzarul Islam Rana 5-0-21-1.
— AP |
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Rajinder happy with Sandeep’s showing New Delhi, May 20 “It was an experimental side and I am satisfied with their performance,” Rajinder told reporters at the Indira Gandhi International Airport after the team’s arrival from Japan. The national coach was all praise for penalty corner specialist Sandeep Singh, defender William Xalxo and Tushar Khandekar. “Players like Sandeep Singh, William Xalco and Tushar Khandekar took the opportunity to prove their potential and could stake a claim in the national squad for the Olympics.” The Indian side, consisting mostly of junior players, suffered a humiliating 1-6 loss to Asian Games gold medallists South Korea in the final on Tuesday. They, however, defeated hosts Japan and China but lost to the Koreans in the league stage. In the women’s section, the second-string Indian squad lost all its matches to finish last in the event. The arrival of the team was delayed by over five and half hours due to some technical snag in the aircraft which failed to take off from Hong Kong. Rajinder said the other players from the junior squad also gained valuable experience which would come handy in the campaign during the Junior World Cup. When asked whether he was disappointed at not getting the same welcome as last year, Rajinder said it was “part and parcel of the job.” “We are trying to create a bench strength and hence the Indian Hockey Federation is sending experimental sides for the tournaments. “It is obvious that when we return triumphant we get a warm welcome but one should understand that we are taking such steps considering the future perspectives.” Assistant coach Harendra Singh said the players have proved that they had the potential to perform at the big stage by defeating the national teams of China and Japan and such exposure trips would help them gain valuable experience. “Japan and China had sent their best teams for the championship and hence defeating them was no mean achievement. Korea had also sent their best squad and we still performed well against them.” Captain of the team Ignace Tirkey said they played well through out the tournament but slipped in the final against the Asian Games winners. “Had we performed the same way as we did in the league then the final would have been a close encounter.” — PTI
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Tirkey fittest player, says trainer Barog, May 20 This is the observation of Indian hockey team trainer Sampath Kumar, who is in charge of 13 players all of whom are attending a fitness camp at this picturesque hill resort. These players, including struggling-to-be-fit Jugraj Singh, are going through the paces under the watchful eyes of the trainer, who would submit his report to the Indian Hockey Federation a couple of days after the start of second-round camp in Chandigarh on May 27. Besides working on their strengths, Sampath is also helping the players get rid of some of their “minor weaknesses” so that a “fully-fit winning combination” is put in place for Athens Olympics. Sampath made the observation on top seven players, who would be key to India’s chances in the Olympics. “Devesh Chauhan is one of the best goalkeepers in the world as he possesses good stamina. He has got good speed and power. He is quite agile and has superb reflexes. He is nicely equipped to meet the international goalkeeping standards.” “Dilip Tirkey is a fitness freak and has got very good qualities. He likes to set standards by following the fitness regime sincerely. He has all the qualities needed to be a good full-back,” Sampath said. “He is cool-headed and his flexibility is outstanding. He can last the entire duration of the match without taking a break. He believes in extra stretching and sometimes has to be pulled out from training.” Sampath Kumar said Viren Rasquinha was also agile and had a good ball sense. “The mid-fielder is gutsy player and always ready to thwart any kind of attack that threatens the Indian goal.” Vikram Pillay, another midfielder, is a powerful guy who has got good speed, he said. Gagan Ajit Singh is a fantastic forward, one of the best in business. “Quite nippy and dangerous once he gets inside the circle. He has a fabulous sense of timing and got a good reflexes.” —PTI
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Baskaran
says FIH is succumbing to pressure Chennai, May 20 “It is ridiculous on the part of the FIH to bring into force a new rule less than three months before Athens Games. It is evident that the FIH perhaps succumb to the pressure of the Europeans,” Baskaran, an Olympian himself, told PTI here. “It would have been ideal if the FIH had introduced this before a pre-Olympic event and also applied the same during the Olympic qualifiers.” He said the Asian teams, including India, who are looking to win a medal in the mega event after a gap of 24 years, would be hard hit by the new rule. “This new rule will definitely not help the Indian team. On the contrary, it will aid only the European style of play. “The South Koreans, who are known for their ‘rush’ in straight line during corner shots will be the worst sufferers. Baskaran, however, adviced the team to practice hard to adapt to the changes.
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PGS, Military School make winning start Subathu, May 20 Rounak Basla scored eight points for winners and Ankush of Shimla Public School also scored eight points. The host school won 33-16. Mr Pritinder Singh, Director, Shimla Public School, Shimla was the Chief Guest at the opening session of the tournament. In the second league match, Lawrence School girls defeated the host school girls by four points. Pragya Yog of Pinegrove School scored five points while Sukhmani of Lawrence School top scored with six points. In another exciting match of boys section, Military School, Chail, beat Vivek High School , Chandigarh. The final score was 24-17. Antriksha scored 10 points for Military School Chail and Arjun scored six points for Vivek High. |
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Bhupathi to play in French Open Bangalore, May 20 “Mahesh is recovering, and he hopes to be fit by tomorrow. He is leaving for France on Saturday”, his father Krishna Bhupathi said here today.
— PTI
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Swimming championship from May 22 Patiala, May 20 Mr M.S. Sidhu, Secretary of the Patiala District Swimming Association, disclosed in a press release that swimmers desirous of taking part in the two-day meet could send their entries to the swimming coach, Mohindera College Pool, by May 21.
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In video: Bhupathi upbeat about clinching an Olympic medal.
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