The International Cricket Council said Saturday it had given India extra time to strike a deal with players to end a sponsorship row over next month's ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka.
"The BCCI has sought and been given more time to reach an agreement with their players," ICC President Malcolm Gray said.
The decision to give an unspecified amount of breathing space to the Board of Control for Cricket in India came at an ICC executive committee meeting at a plush beachfront hotel in Dubai.
Shaun Pollock’s South African cricket side have decided to make use of the ICC’s extended deadline, electing to wait before they sign the controversial Champions Trophy contracts.
"I can only assume that the United Cricket Board will try and secure that agreement in Dubai," Tony Irish, the chief executive of the South African Cricketers' Association, said.
"We've held very constructive negotiations with the UCB over the past 10 days, but there are one or two relatively small issues that still need to be resolved," he added.
India in England
Sanjay Bangar is rapidly turning into something of a lucky-charm for India -- they have never lost a Test in which he has played.
Despite this however Bangar has yet to cement a place for himself in the Indian side.
"I have to accept it," said Bangar.
"I have realised that if India decides to go with five bowlers, I may get an opportunity. I have also accepted that I’ll not be used as a bowler much because I’m the fifth bowler.
"There are two genuine spinners and two medium pacers, so naturally any captain would like to use those bowlers more than me."
When Sachin Tendulkar plays his 100th Test for India at the Oval on Thursday, there will be none of his family watching him from the stands.
The batting maestro’s brother Ajit said, “I was thinking of going to England but we decided against it. It was a family decision.
“Maybe our presence would make him extra conscious. We should try and make him feel relaxed and not be a burden.”
When he speaks of a ‘family decision’ Ajit would be referring to Sachin’s mother Rajni, brother Nitin and sister Savita.
Miscellaneous
Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne wants to make a fourth Ashes tour of England in 2005 and may give up one-day cricket to pursue his goal, an Australian newspaper said on Sunday.
Warne, 33 next month, is the second leading wicket-taker in Test cricket and will be a key player for one-day captain Ricky Ponting in next year's World Cup defence in South Africa.
"I think another Ashes series (tour) is a realistic goal," Warne was quoted as saying by The Sunday Age newspaper.
"Maybe I'll only play one form of the game. That might prolong my Test career.
"Maybe I could play four or five years of Test cricket. "They're all the things you have to weigh up.
Australian Matthew Elliott proved the perfect stand-in with a superbly judged century to give Yorkshire their first win in a Lord's final since 1987.
The left-hander, recruited to replace Darren Lehmann for the final few weeks of the season, kept a cool head when they lost three wickets in an impressive new ball spell from Richard Johnson.
Aided and abetted by Michael Vaughan and Anthony McGrath, he reached three figures off 110 balls and saw the White Rose county home with two overs to spare.
It was fitting that Elliott should hit the winning boundary - his 13th in all - to finish on 128 not out, made at better than a run a ball.
Australian batsman Matthew Elliott on Sunday pleaded with his country's selectors not to overlook him for next year's World Cup.
After hammering an unbeaten 128 to help Yorkshire to a six wicket victory over Somerset at Lord's in the final of England's one-day knockout competition, Elliott said that his innings proved that he was in the sort of top form that could prove decisive when the Aussies defend their World Cup title in South Africa in February in 2003.
"I would have to say that is probably the best I have ever played in one-day cricket," said the Victorian who arrived at the wicket with his team struggling at 19-2.
But set 257 to win by Somerset, Yorkshire finished on 260 for four, winning with two overs to spare.
