January 14, 2001
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 The Cricketers Benefit Fund series (CBFS) has declared former Pakistan quickie Sarfaraz Nawaz as persona non grata in Sharjah. A CBFS spokesperson said Sarfaraz had been disallowed entry into the desert city after he had accused CBFS vice-president Abdul Rahman Bukhatir of corruption. Sarfaraz is one of the major beneficiaries of the CBFS in April 2001. The Pakistan Cricket board will organise a ten-day camp for the New Zealand and Sharjah tours from January 22nd to February 2nd. This rules out the participation of many of the top players in the domestic tournament the Patron's Trophy beginning January 26th. The chief-selector Wasim Bari has been asked to pick a set of probables with emphasis on picking a specialist one-day squad. Three associations in the West Zone including Mumbai Cricket Association have shown interest in setting up a zonal academy for West Zone on the lines of the National Academy at Bangalore. The Gujarat Cricket Association and the Maharashtra Cricket Associations have also raised proposals to set up the Academy at Ahmedabad and Pune respectively. The NCA vice-president Dyaneshwar Agashe and members Polly Umrigar & Brijesh Patel along with BCCI executive secretary Sharad Diwadkar will inspect the facilities at the three venues and finalise one. "Match-fixing will be made a criminal offence" according to Sports Minister Uma Bharti in a statement in New Delhi. The proposal to make match-fixing an offence and has already been sent to the Law Ministry," She further added "match-fixing is not an ordinary offence to be equated with cheating or gambling. The country's prestige is being put at stake for a few bucks". The BCCI secretary JY Lele clarified that Malcolm Speed, the CEO of the Australian Cricket Board is in India to meet the sponsors of the Australian team and not to meet the BCCI officials regarding the tour dates. Incidentally Foster Breweries sponsored the Australian side when they were last in India in 1998, and Pentasoft, an Indian software company sponsored the Australian team at the ICC Knockout tournament in Nairobi. ICC's observer Sri Lanka Ranjan Madugalle will visit Indore to inspect the Nehru Stadium. If Madugalle submits a favorable report then Indore stands a chance to host a one-day international when Australia tour India next month. The disciplinary committee of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has suspended all-rounder Laxmi Ratan Shukla till February 9, 2001. A decision to this effect was taken when it was reported Shukla had insulted stand-in captain Srikant Kalyani during a recent Ranji Trophy match against Bihar at the Eden Gardens. Although Shukla had sent in a written apology to the manager, coach and Kalyani, the disciplinary committee decided to suspend him for one month.. PCB chairman finally confirmed Boycott's appointment for coaching Pakistan cricketers initially for a period of 15 days for a sum of 3000 pounds. "Nobody can dispute his credentials and I am sure his coaching will benefit our cricketers immensely". While downplaying the costs the he remarked that costs have to be incurred when one takes quality education. Despite the trend of sub-continent wickets being spinners paradise Australia might arrive in India with just one spinner if skipper Steve Waugh remains convinced that he can beat the Indians with his pace trio of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie. Shane Warne, Stuart McGill and Collin Miller are the contenders for the spinners slot. Man of the match: Ricardo Powell (WI) East Zone managed to stay in contention for the first innings lead on the third day in their Duleep Trophy match against Central Zone at Kanpur. Central Zone: 421 East Zone: 230-4 (SS Das 40, N Haldipur 34, RR Parida 53, Rohan Gavaskar 51 not out) At Mohali on the third day North Zone were heading towards the vital first innings lead against West Zone in their Duleep Trophy encounter. West Zone: 284 North Zone: 217-5 (Akash Chopra 54, Virendra Shewag 88 not out; Iqbal Siddiqui 3-79). Yesterday's News
Compiled by: Mohandas Menon
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