All posts by csb10.top

India are seeking tax exemption from the government in a bid to host the 2011 World Cup. “We are planning to host the World Cup in 2011, but we can go ahead only if we get the nod on tax exemption,” Jagmohan Dalmiya, the former BCCI and ICC president, was quoted as saying in , a Pakistan-based daily.India has been unable to host major ICC events in the recent past because of a government policy that refuses to waive tax on events held there. The ICC insists on a tax waiver, and it is this that stood in the way of India being allotted the Champions Trophy.Dalmiya made his comments after meetings with Sunil Dutt, India’s sports minister, and the ICC president Ehsan Mani in Delhi recently. He added: “The minister gave us a patient hearing and has promised to take up the matter with the concerned authorities.”The ICC is hoping for a positive response from the Indian government before March 17, when their executive board meets.

Scorecard

Damien Martyn stroked a wonderful 110 to take Western Australia to a five-wicket victory after some early hiccups against Victoria in their ING Cup match at Perth and then took the opportunity to attack the media for its “unfair” treatment of Australian players. WA finished on 5 for 224 after bowling out Victoria for 222 in just 47.3 overs.Martyn was dropped from the Australian side after averaging just 19.77 with the bat during the Ashes series and came in for some strong criticism in the press. Martyn insists he hasn’t made any changes to his batting since arriving back in Australia: “It’s the same as England. No different. Better bowlers in England. When I got 1200 runs in a season people asked what was different, but I was batting exactly the same way. It’s just cricket. I had a run out and two bad decisions in the Ashes, so anything could’ve happened. Guys don’t bat differently. The game’s not easy.”Martyn said he was still available if the selectors changed his mind, but when asked if Simon Katich’s poor form for Australia would open the door for his return, Martyn launched an attack on the media: “I feel sorry for [Katich], I’ve been there. I feel sorry for what the media do to those players. It’s unfair in a way. It’s a tough job what they do. They’ve been fantastic for four or five years doing what they do, so you should give them a break and let them play cricket.”All Western Australia needed were a couple of good partnerships but they got off to a disastrous start after Gerard Denton dismissed Adam Gilchrist in the first over and bowled Justin Langer in the sixth (3 for 27). Damien Martyn then put on 76 runs with Mike Hussey (35) and 112 runs with Adam Voges (48 not out) as Western Australia recovered superbly to shut Victoria out of the game.Victoria couldn’t get a decent partnership going, after Cameron White chose to bat, as they lost regular wickets at one end while Jonathan Moss hit a fluent 70 at the other. Moss smacked ten fours and a six during his 84-ball innings but was beaten by a change of pace from Peter Worthington and hit a full toss straight to Mike Hussey at cover. Adam Crosthwaite hit a plucky 52 and built handy partnerships with Graeme Rummans and Gerard Denton to take Victoria past 200 before Brad Williams, who finished with an impressive 3 for 36, mopped up the tail.

Duncan Brede, a cricketer who represents the Australian Capital Territory, has been banned for two months under Cricket Australia’s Anti-Doping Policy after testing positive for prohibited substances. The positive test came from a sample taken from Brede after the game between ACT and the Queensland Academy of Sport at Allan Border Field on November 15, 2004.The prohibited substances that were present in Brede’s sample were the stimulants: amphetamine and methamphetamine. Brede also acknowledged committing a doping offence and waived his right to a hearing while the Australian board offered him help with counselling. The two month ban is effective from January 21.

Darren Gough is preparing to play international cricket in the Caribbean for the first time in his long career, after winning a recall to England’s one-day colours for the seven-match series that follows the Tests against West Indies. Also back in the fray is Steve Harmison, England’s star bowler from the Jamaica and Trinidad Tests, who won the second spare fast-bowling slot ahead of Simon Jones.Gough was Man of the Match in his last one-day outing, the final of the 2003 NatWest Series against South Africa in July, but was controversially overlooked for the pre-Christmas trips to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. He has since completed a high-profile move to Essex in a bid to relaunch his international career, and has successfully convinced the selectors that the dodgy knee that forced his retirement from Test cricket will not hamper him in one-dayers.”Darren has proved his fitness to our medical team,” said David Graveney, England’s chairman of selectors. “His inclusion will give us valuable experience and knowhow within our bowling attack. He is a proven international performer, and I’m sure that he will be relishing the prospect of his first England tour of the Caribbean.”Harmison’s inclusion follows a stunning coming-of-age in the first two Tests against West Indies, in which he has taken 16 wickets, including a record-breaking 7 for 12 in the second innings at Kingston. “Stephen has performed superbly against West Indies in the Test series,” said Graveney, “and we hope that he can carry this rich vein of form into the one-day arena.”Harmison travelled to South Africa for last year’s World Cup, but his accuracy was not able to match up to his pace and he was a peripheral member of England’s set-up. Since then, however, he has worked on his rhythm and approach to the crease, and has established such a psychological hold over the West Indian batsmen that his inclusion was virtually guaranteed. “He is an important part of our plans for the future,” added Graveney, “in both forms of the game.”England squad for one-day series
Michael Vaughan (capt), Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Paul Collingwood,Andrew Flintoff, Anthony McGrath, Rikki Clarke, Ashley Giles, Ian Blackwell, Chris Read (wk), Gareth Batty, Darren Gough, Stephen Harmison, James Kirtley, James Anderson.

Damien Martyn has told Dennis Lillee to shut up with his “Dad’s Army” criticisms of the home side ahead of the Ashes. Martyn, who arrived home on Tuesday from Australia’s Champions Trophy victory in India, said Lillee was in danger of losing the respect of current players if he continued to criticise the team.Martyn, one of three 35-year-olds in the side, slammed Lillee’s recent comments that an ageing top order could be the achilles heel in Australia’s bid to regain the Ashes. “I think Dennis Lillee should keep quiet as president of the WACA [Western Australia Cricket Association] – it is disappointing,” Martyn told reporters. “The team is disappointed in Dennis’ several comments over the last six months, which don’t need to be said. No [it doesn’t fire you up] … you just lose your respect.”In a column in the last month, Lillee said he saw danger signs for Australia as they prepared to take on the younger England team. “It’s worrying how Australia, after being outplayed in England last year, are going to turn things around with a decidedly older team,” he wrote.”Australia have some great players but even the greatest players get tapped on the shoulder by Father Time at some stage.” The side to begin the Ashes campaign at the Gabba on November 23 is likely to include Martyn, 35, Justin Langer, 36, Matthew Hayden, who will have turned 35, Ricky Ponting, 31, Adam Gilchrist, 35, Glenn McGrath, 36, and Shane Warne, 37.Ponting said the Champions Trophy win would serve as good preparation for regaining the Ashes. “Our last 12 months of Test cricket has been first-class,” Ponting told reporters at Sydney Airport. “We’ve raised our standards again from where they were, so I couldn’t be happier with the way we’re heading and to have this trophy and the month’s preparation in India and good hard training will be good.”We went away [after the 2005 Ashes loss] and had 15 months to try to rectify some things and with everything we’ve done – our training, preparation and the way we’ve played – we couldn’t have done much more. That’s been the really pleasing thing for me and I know every Australian cricketer is looking forward to getting the series underway – not long now.”

The West Indies Cricket Board denied reports that Dwight Washington, the 21-year-old Jamaican fast bowler, had been reported to the International Cricket Council for having a suspect bowling action and, as a result, left out of the West Indies squad.The WICB’s Bowling Review Committee insisted that they had no concerns about Washington’s action, and the ICC’s Brendan McClements also confirmed that he had not been reported.The rumours appear to have started when Roger Braithwaite, the WICB’s chief executive officer, confirmed that Washington’s action was highlighted by domestic umpires who asked the board to take a look.”There have been reports from umpires on Washington and other players and one young player was reviewed without a report having been submitted,” he was quoted as saying on caribbeancricket.com. “The committee looked at videotapes of Washington’s bowling this weekend and found no cause for concern.”Gus Logie, the West Indies coach, confirmed that the matter had nothing to do with Washington’s omission from the squad for the Sabina Park Test.

When you approached the Chinnaswamy Stadium from the south in the afternoon, you saw a sea of people dressed in white – sporting bright green scarves – milling around Mahatma Gandhi Park. They were farmers protesting against the SM Krishna government’s “anti-farmer” policies, though you could also glimpse the odd billboard that said, very dramatically, “Kill the WTO”. While the fat cats in their Saville Row suits divide up the world-trade pie in Cancun, the little man’s voice continues to be heard above the din the world over.One or two of the younger ones seemed a little bored, glancing wistfully in the direction of the stadium. The older bunch contented themselves with peanuts and snoozing, interrupted by the sporadic slogan. In any event, the atmosphere there was a great deal more lively than what you found inside the stadium itself.The smattering of supporters were spread over three stands, and they roused themselves only when a certain Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar started putting bat to ball after a hesitant start. There was also applause for Wasim Jaffer, who started off-driving like a dream, and then went for one too many. The main topic of discussion in the stands then was the “no-ball” with which Lakshmipathy Balaji had made a mess of Tendulkar’s stumps. More than the five wickets he took, bowling with great verve, accuracy and discipline, it was that delivery that made the spectators sit up and take notice of Balaji – who is a far better bowler than his one-day debut against West Indies suggested.Zaheer Khan, by contrast, was all over the place. It should surprise no-one that the key performers in this match were all part of the India A team that toured England. While their senior colleagues appeared woefully short of match practice – even Tendulkar was a pale shadow of his usually authoritative self – the likes of Balaji, Rohan Gavaskar, Sridharan Sriram and Irfan Pathan were in fine fettle. So much for those who write off the Challenger as a waste of time. Imagine India’s plight if its finest had gone into the series against New Zealand on the back of just one Irani Trophy game.The other welcome thing about today was the absence of the M word, Munaf to those of you that have been deprived of news over the past fortnight. If you read some of the reports, you might have been convinced that Munaf Patel was a combination of Dennis Lillee, Jesus Christ, Moses and Harry Houdini, the “secret weapon” who would irreparably scar the Australian psyche this winter.Did we miss something? Munaf has yet to play a first-class game, and already the hype machine suggests that he’s the man to stymie Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist, who only comprise the best batting line-up on the planet. Figures like 150 kmph – only Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar clock that with any consistency – are freely bandied about. But who has put a radar gun on him? The media?To add some weight to flimsy arguments, they quote his coaches at MRF, who are hardly likely to give him anything but favourable press, come to think of it. You can almost understand why Sourav Ganguly, who knows a thing or two about earning the India cap, brushed off the hullabaloo by saying that it would be best to wait until he had actually shown his stuff in the middle. Like some of us, he can remember names like Iqbal Siddiqui and Tinu Yohannan, who aren’t even Challengers anymore. Munaf should forget about the elevator and take the stairs just like everyone else. The thing is, men like Aavishkar Salvi, Balaji and Pathan are already a couple of flights ahead.
Munaf Patel – The whirlwind from Gujarat

Shane Warne’s use of a banned drug left Ricky Ponting, Australia’s one-day captain, annoyed at what he described as Warne’s “madness”. In his World Cup diary, which is published this week, Ponting said that his sympathy for Warne was tinged with “a feeling of annoyance”.Ponting said the Australians have a lecture on drugs every year, and as a result he was aware of the issues and checked any drugs before he took them. “That is common sense, and for Warney, who has been playing international cricket for over a decade, to ignore that approach is just madness.”Not surprisingly, given the campaign he was about to embark on in defence of the World Cup, Ponting said he was upset that the controversy came up when it did in South Africa.”I think there was plenty of shock in the room already,” he wrote. “But to then see the greatest bowler in Australian cricket so distressed in front of us all was as sobering a sight as you could ever wish to see.”The room was reduced to complete silence, an awkward silence, as Warney tried to regain his composure and finish what he was saying.”Ponting said Warne was more composed when he addressed his teammates again later that night, telling them: “You are a better team than just one person, and even though I am going to go home, you can and will win the World Cup without me.” Ponting wrote: “Whatever you might think of Warney, it took a lot of guts and quality for him to stand up, admit what he had done and wave goodbye to his dream of one last crack at the World Cup.”However, Ponting did say that he was looking forward to having Warne back in his armoury when the 12-month suspension for using a banned diuretic ends on February 10. “He’s a great player and I really hope I get to play some more cricket with him.”

The Abhijit Kale scandal has deepened, with Jagmohan Dalmiya revealing that Kale called Kiran More and Pranab Roy, the two national selectors, as recently as November 18. This added a new dimension to the story; it had been widely reported that contact between the two parties ended on August 5. Kale admits to having called More on November 18, but says he did so at the behest of Balasaheb Thovre, the chairman of the Maharashtra Cricket Association.In an interview on Hard Talk, telecast by the on Friday night, Dalmiya said, “The last one [call] was on November 18 and this is his admitted position [now]. And the phone call was from the local cricket association [MCA].”Kale spoke to the , and said, “August 1 was the last time I spoke to More and the November 18 call was made at the behest of Thovre.”Thovre claims to have spoken to More on November 18 in Kolkata (the day of the TVS Cup final) where he was informed about the allegations against Kale. Thovre said, “He [More] told us that Kale has been trying to put pressure on him for selection in the national squad. Kale’s mother even went to Baroda to meet him [More].” Thovre spoke to Kale immediately, asking him why his mother had gone to meet More. Kale said that his mother had gone to Baroda seeking a bride for him and on that trip handed over his fitness certificates to More.Thovre added, “Kale then said that he would talk to More and immediately called him on his mobile. More was in the same hall till then. I agree that the call was made from the MCA office, but what transpired between them [Kale and More] is not known.”

While foreign peacekeeping forces roam Afghanistan and new governmentinstitutions are being installed, sport, and especially cricket, is taking aback-seat.

Not so for the fledgling Afghanistan Cricket Federation (ACF) who are busyfighting a lonely battle to develop cricket in their war-torn country. Theybelieve cricket can play an important role in helping rebuild their nation’ssocial fabric and want to bring people together in friendly competition.They say cricket provides a healthy outlet for youthful energy as itencourages team spirit and turns attention away from guns and fightingtowards the field of play.It’s a long tough road ahead but their spirits are high and some good workhas already been done. But without aid in the form of donations, know-howand sponsorships they face an almost impossible task.A start has been made, however, as a little help came their way when inApril the cricket-friendly British Embassy staff arranged for a donation ofsome cricket equipment and, earlier, members of the International SecurityAssistance Force (ISAF) took time out to play cricket with the ACF team.Only the love of cricket could bring people together from cultures acontinent apart to play together in the unlikeliest of locations, Kabul andits environs.The ACF is trying to re-establish a cricket structure in a country that hasfar more immediate problems but they still managed to tour neighbouringPakistan during the 2002-03 season to play for the Cornelius Trophy, aGrade-II domestic tournament there and they plan to send a youth team forJuly’s Youth Asia Cup 2003.Although the Afghanis failed to make much of an impression on other poolmembers in the Pakistan tournament – not qualifying for the next round -they did gain invaluable competitive experience.A bright moment came their way when playing out a draw against Rajanpurwhen allrounder Mohammad Nabi scored an unbeaten 103. Was this the firstinternational century by an Afghani? We will have to wait till cricketstatisticians come up with an answer after Afghanistan plays some morecricket.Against Rahimyar Khan they went down by 189 runs while Okara blasted them byan innings and 113 runs. In their last pool match, Gujrat showed no mercywith a 10-wicket win and ensured the visitors finished with no points fromtheir four games.Some solace nevertheless was Nabi’s performance who topped their averages inbatting (226 runs at an average of 37.66) and in bowling (six wickets at anaverage of 24.83 with a best of 4-66).During 2001-02, the Afghanistan team had also competed in Pakistan¹sdomestic Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade-II but remained empty-handed. The starthen was skipper and president of the ACF, Allah Dad Noori who hauled in 18wickets in five games with a best of 9-89 in one match.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been providing the Afghan team withsome financial support apart from allowing them to play in local tournamentsand during the 2002-03 tour helped with a qualified coach, former allrounderNaeem Ahmed.After the tour Naeem said, “The Afghan players had all the needed talent anddesire but lacked professional coaching and exposure to competitive cricketwhich can only come if a cricket infrastructure is developed back home andthey play more cricket.”Speaking to Wisden CricInfo, Abdul Khalil, general manager of the ACFexplained: “Cricket was one of the few organised sports allowed under theprevious [Taliban] government, so it was, and is, a very important game forus and for the development of youth in Afghanistan.””The ACF was founded in 1995 and before the war [post-September 11] we had29 registered clubs and over 900 regular players nationally. We also hadbegun a schoolyard league that helped introduce cricket to ourschoolchildren.”He went on to express happiness that no known players were lost during thefighting in his country.”However, our main ground became an army command centre used by varioustroops, and most of our equipment, facilities and the league infrastructurewere destroyed.””We are trying to rebuild sponsorship and funds are urgently needed forcricket academies. Cricket should be an important social contributor toreconstruction in Afghanistan.””We would like to sincerely thank those who have helped us already and hopethat we can be assisted to rebuild cricket academies in three key provincesKhost, Jalalabad and Kabul, and for an opportunity to show that Afghanistanis also a country of sportsmen.”It was the ‘inventors’ of cricket who came up with some timely support forthe ACF on April 16, 2003 when the British Ambassador to Afghanistanpresented a quantity of cricket equipment to be given to and distributed tothe cricketers of Afghanistan by the ACF.The equipment included bats, balls, protective equipment, whites and twoartificial pitches. All through the efforts of one cricket enthusiast at theembassy, Andrew Banks, who managed to convince various individuals, sportscompanies and several English counties to donate.At a ceremony at his residence Ambassador Ron Nash LVO also presented Afghanplayers with off-field uniforms and an ACF tie.Cricket was first taken up by Afghani refugee youth who had fled to Pakistanafter the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the early 1980’s and carriedon playing till they could return home 10 years later – more than sufficienttime to inculcate cricket culture.Among them was nine-wickets-in-a-match man and ACF President, Allah DadNoori, who learnt cricket as a young man playing in Peshawar who then wenthome to help found the ACF in 1995.These young men convinced the ruling Taliban militia to allow cricket to beplayed and one may recall this strict regime had banned most sports as beingrepugnant after taking over from the Soviets. They brought most ofAfghanistan under their ultra-orthodox interpretation of Islamic Shariahlaw, banning women from outside jobs and education and ordering men to growuntrimmed beards.In 1998, Afghani boxers were banned from participating in an internationalboxing tournament in neighbouring Pakistan because they refused to trimtheir beards. The organisers felt the beards to be an unfair advantage asthey would soften knock-out punches.”We all pray that Afghans adopt not only the technical aspects of the gamebut the charisma that surrounds the cricketing field,” said Pakistan’slegendary batsman Hanif Mohammad after he was told that cricket had beentaken up in Afghanistan.

“But it is good news as more children are involved in cricket, the furtherthey will be from the fighting. The atmosphere will change as mothers andfathers come to watch their children play,” he added.In January 2000, the ruling Taliban militia approached the PCB to help ACFjoin the International Cricket Council (ICC).”They have written to us and want us to help recommend them for associatemembership of the ICC,” said Yawar Saeed, who was a member of PCB’sadvisory council.After a visit to review local cricket and facilities by Nasim-ul-Ghani,ICC’s regional development manager for Asia, the ACF received recognition asan Affiliate Member in 2001.After this struggle, and with stability now returning to Afghanistan, theACF has made an appeal to cricket-playing countries, their boards, sportsequipment manufacturers and sponsors to help donate to develop cricketfurther.They need to setup coaching academies, provide equipment to players, anddevelop grounds.A laudable plan that surely matches the spirit of cricket for soon we mayall enjoy one more team in the arena battling it out with bat and ball.