All is Fair In War if there is No Love At the Beach Part 3

Cricket

Australian and India

Third Test from Jan 16 January-20 January

At The Wacca in Perth May not be played as The Financially Powerful Board of Control for Criket in India has indicated that the game would not proceed.

With the Game Ablaze a Dramatic move to Douze Flames

Fourth Test from 24 January-28 January

Adelaide

Sehwag returns for Australia Test series

Dec 12, 2007

Indian selectors recalled hard-hitting opening batsman Virender Sehwag for an upcoming Test series in Australia following make-shift opener Dinesh Karthik's inconsistent form in the just-concluded Test series against Pakistan. Karthik could manage just one half-century in six innings.

Sehwag was axed for Test series against Bangladesh, England and Pakistan after playing his last match in South Africa in January. He has so far scored 4,155 runs in 52 Tests with 12 centuries. The team now has seven batsmen, five pacemen, two spinners and two wicket-keeper batsmen.

Test squad for Australia tour: Anil Kumble (capt), Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Venkatsai Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Rudra Pratap Singh, Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Karthik, Pankaj Singh

The one-day squad will be named later.

Anil Kumble to continue captaincy for Australia Tour

Dec 05, 2007

The selectors had no problem in retaining Anil Kumble as India's Test captain for the tour of Australia. Keeping in view the injuries sustained by the frontline pacers, the selectors short-listed 24 probable players for the Australia tour, out of which 16 shall finally be picked up on 12 December based on the status of their fitness.

"Because of the injuries to the pacers, we have announced a list of 24 probables. However, the final 16-member squad for the Australia tour would be announced on December 12 after getting a final report on the players' fitness," BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said, refusing to entertain any other queries. Among the pacers, Zaheer Khan has sustained a heel injury while RP Singh is yet to recover from a side strain and both would miss the third Test against Pakistan. Munaf Patel, struggling with a back strain that restricts his movement, would also miss the Test against Pakistan.

Fellow pacer S Sreesanth is being treated for a shoulder injury and that has ruled him out of the Test series against Australia. There was a good news for the lovers of cricket that BCCI has, however, appointed former Test player Chetan Chauhan as the Administrative Officer.

Cricket: History against India pulling off remarkable test Victory

Harbhajan Singh (left) and Zaheer Khan celebrate the wicket of Australia's captain Ricky Ponting yesterday.

Only the rewriting of test history stands between Australia taking a 1-0 series win over India in the first test.

Australia set India a fourth innings target of 499 after declaring their second innings closed at 351 for seven late on the third day yesterday, setting the tourists an awkward little session before stumps.

Openers Rahul Dravid on three not out and Wasim Jaffer, two not out, survived eight overs and took India to six without loss.

But they and their batting colleagues face a mountainous challenge over the next two days to either win or even save the match against Australia's in-form bowlers.

With good weather forecast, Australia are strongly placed to win unless the tourists can produce a remarkable turnaround with the bat, after their first innings of 196, and post the biggest score of the match.

Australian cricket authorities were determined to crack down on racism this summer. But things didn't go exactly to plan. Indian player, Harbhajan Singh, was the first player to be punished for calling a black Australian player, Andrew Symonds, a monkey.

Unfortunately for all the world's cricket lovers; Indian cricket authorities have taken things to a new low with their ridiculous shenanigans following their Second Test loss in the final few minutes of the game in Sydney on Sunday. International cricket is in turmoil with the Indian cricket board suspending its team's tour of Australia.

ICC have bowed to India’s Commands by dropping one Umpire of the 2^nd Test. 6.00 pm Tuesday the 7^th January.

Here is an example of sportsmanship

Blackmail

Greed

Money Television Rights.

Two Tests to be dropped

Three round of three teams competing 1 day 50 overs to be dropped

Four rounds 0f 20 overs for each side.

The batting side go out and hit 120 balls over twenty overs (6 balls per Over.)

They Play like there is no tomorrow and they have an unbelievable scoring rate.

Very exciting match to watch. To be dropped

Much has been said about the umpiring in the Sydney test. It certainly was extreme and the Indian Cricketers Had the right to appeal. They did the litteraly blackmailed the ICC to axe or no more Cricket. Right way or wrong way to do something?

The adoption of technologies to help bring a semblance of fairness back into thegame. Like using the Item used on the Centre court in Tennis. In other words turn cricketon its head.

The cricket between Australia and India is going to be decided off the field, given the bad blood arising from very poor umpiring with India copping the brunt of it, sledging and taunts, lack of sportsmanship, a racist row, biased Channel 9 commentators and Australian arrogance

Greg Chappell makes a charge in a documentary about his troubled two-year stint as India coach which is to be shown on national television.

Chappell said he was punched and pushed by a disgruntled fan as the Indian team arrived in Bhubaneswar in Orissa state for a One-day clash against the West Indies in January this year.

"I got hit on the side of the head and my immediate reaction was 'he's broken my jaw'," Chappell said.

"Indians are very quick to complain about racism. There are plenty of Indian cricketers the guy could have attacked but he chose to attack me," he said.

"I don't really buy the fact that he was talking about the lack of Orissa players in the Indian team.

"If that was the case why didn't he accost the chairman of selectors or someone else who might have been involved in the selection process?

"Why would he attack one of the foreigners in the group - me as coach? There's a bit more to it than that."

Chappell, who left the post after India's poor showing at the World Cup, said he was still upset about the attack and the lack of action taken by officials.

"As I said to the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) in a letter, had it been one of the players who was attacked there would have been an outcry, but because it was me, no one seemed to care," Chappell told The Australian.

"The reply came back talking about my racist comments. It was quite obvious it was a serious assault. It wasn't just a push in the back as the media was led to believe. There was a cover-up. Everyone went into cover-up mode. The whole thing was played down."

The accusation by Chappell follows Australian complaints that Indian crowds racially abused black Australian batsman Andrew Symonds with monkey chants and gestures during a previous tour.

Can you imagine the incredible sum of money that will be lost if India do not get there way on the rescinding of the Indian Player from receiving his due punishment?

The War was won by India.

Gate Money.

TV Rights. Australia and India

Newspaper Reporting.

Tourist revenue.

Hotel Accommodation.

Do you know who the Country with the most money, playing Cricket in the World today?

Do you realize what that kind of money is like when it is threatened?

On Kolkata crowd:

The Union Agriculture Minister also chose to dilute the issue of the crowd's 'anti-India stand' at the Eden Gardens following non-inclusion of Sourav Ganguly in the team.

"I met the Indian team in Mumbai. Nobody told me (anything on the crowd behaviour). My personal view of the Kolkata crowd is that they are very sporting and supportive. These are small things that happen here and there. Not much importance should be given to it," he said.

From the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald January 9^th 2007

Cricket chiefs wilt under fire

Alex Brown and Jamie Pandaram

January 9, 2008

INDIA has won an unprecedented power struggle with the International Cricket Council, forcing cricket's bosses into a number of major concessions to save the strife-torn series against Australia.

In another remarkable day in world cricket, the financially powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India succeeded in having the controversial umpire Steve Bucknor stood down for the Perth Test. New Zealand's Billy Bowden will stand in his place, the chief executive of the international body, Malcolm Speed, said in Melbourne.

"It is an extraordinary set of circumstances and we want to take some of the tension out of the situation," he said.

And the Indians appear poised for another win, with the way cleared for Harbhajan Singh to appeal his three-Test suspension for an alleged racist comment made to Andrew Symonds during the Sydney Test.

Mr Speed said Harbhajan was free to play while the appeal process was in place. Depending on when the appeal is heard, this means the off-spinner will be free to play in the Perth Test, and possibly in Adelaide if the hearing is held late in the tour.

The dramatic moves came two days after Australia's thrilling but controversial win at the SCG, with the Indian team threatening to go home and Australia facing a storm of criticism - including a call by the Herald columnist Peter Roebuck yesterday for the sacking of its captain, Ricky Ponting.

Even after the council's concessions, there was still speculation of an Indian tour boycott. However, a senior Indian board source said the team would stay in Australia, with the board's working committee due to announce continuation of the tour at the end of its meeting late last night.

Mr Speed yesterday denied the council had caved in to the Indian board, despite the appearance that the Indians had used their financial and political clout to have an umpire ousted.

"It is important to stress that Steve [Bucknor] has not been replaced due to any representations made by any team or individuals," Mr Speed said. "The [council] remains the sole body responsible for the appointment of umpires and no team has the right to object to any appointment. The decision by the ICC to replace Steve for this match was made in the best interests of the game and the series."

Mr Speed also announced that the council's match referee, Ranjan Madugalle, would be flown to Perth to serve as a mediator between the opposing captains, Anil Kumble and Ponting, before the third Test. Mike Procter will still serve as match referee for the Perth Test, with Madugalle to fulfill a duty that has never previously been required in international cricket.

The secretary of the Indian board, Niranjan Shah, denied the ICC's moves yesterday amounted to a victory for the Board of Control for Cricket in India. "I wouldn't like to say that we have won or lost," Mr Shah said. "We believe the ICC has done a good job in replacing the umpire.

"I cannot guarantee anything before the meeting, but I am hopeful the matters will be resolved. I am optimistic."

Cricket Australia's chairman, Creagh O'Connor, and chief executive, James Sutherland, were locked in meetings with senior Indian officials throughout yesterday in a bid to save the tour.

Australia's players are still scheduled to leave for Perth on Saturday, however it is not known whether the Indians intend to play a three-day tour match against an ACT XI in Canberra, which is due to begin tomorrow.

The Australians remained steadfast in their belief that they were not guilty of any misdemeanours during the Sydney Test.

The batsman Michael Hussey also proclaimed that the players supported Ponting. "I think he is the best captain I have played under," Hussey said.

Stop the blame game - the Indian batting was dreadful and the Aussies are great!

Tue, Jan 8, 08 03:52

new Author(2047,"Soma Sundara Rajan",0,5,'23.11.2007','','')

Soma Sundara Rajan

Sourav Ganguly: A good second-innings knock (gettyimages.com)

Yes, the umpires had a shocker, but so did the tourists' batting in the second innings. And give credit where it is due to the Aussies, whose unbeaten run now stretches back to August 2005.

'If Clarke took the catch on the bounce then Mark Benson got it wrong, not Ricky Ponting'

A day after the match and there has been much made in the Indian media about "Umpires cheating India".

Did the umpire induce edges on Yuvraj Singh's and Waim Jaffer's bat in the second innings or did they ask MS Dhoni to play no shot at a ball spinning from the rough? The truth is that apart from Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble, the team played badly in the second innings.

Harbhajan Singh has always had trouble against the Australians. But there was no conclusive evidence of what happened and there are rumours that Mike Procter took the Aussies' account. But there was a judge from the ICC, too. And even in that meeting the Aussies showed their fighting spirit by outnumbering the Indians.

The blame should be on India for not attacking Australia on the final day by looking for wickets. Instead, they were waiting for when the Aussies would declare.

Wasim Jaffer played a bad shot in the first over but the Rahul Dravid decision proved to be a big turning point. He is one guy who could have drawn the match for India. Yes, the Aussies got really lucky but fortune always favours the brave - in this case, the Aussies going for victory.

Sourav Ganguly's catch was another matter of debate. Michael Clarke took the catch but Ganguly stood his ground. On air, Sunil Gavaskar said Clarke put down the ball down after rolling over. I am a genuine Indian fan but I would like to contradict Gavaskar on this point. Herschelle Gibbs has a habit of keeping the ball near him on the ground immediately after taking a catch. If Clarke took the catch on the bounce, then umpire Mark Benson got it wrong, not Ricky Ponting.

I actually believe Ponting played in the right spirit, calling back Dravid, who had walked. And he had a fantastic day as captain, bringing Clarke on as a gamble which won the match. His integrity should never be questioned.

India should have killed the game when Australia were 134 for six. They played wonderfully to take the lead but then let Australia score 400 on a turning Sydney wicket and the batting collapse in the second innings was pathetic.

As an Indian fan I feel bad but let's give credit where it is due, the Aussies are a great team.

Is the blame game getting in the way of soul-searching for the Indians? Post a comment below or submit an article to Sportingo.

Hogg charged by ICC

January 9, 2008 - 12:51AM

Australian spinner Brad Hogg is likely to front a hearing next Monday after being charged with making an offensive remark to India captain Anil Kumble and vice-captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the second Test.

The International Cricket Council has set a preliminary date of January 14 for Hogg's hearing with match referee Mike Procter - two days before the start of the third Test in Perth.

The spinner was reported by Indian team manager Chetan Chauhan for allegedly calling one of their players a "bastard" on the final day of the controversial Sydney Test.

Hogg has been charged with a Level 3 offence, which carries a ban of between two and four Tests, or four and eight one-day internationals.