A spat, a president, and broadcast news

Reports that George Bush's action had been reported for breaching the 15-degree limit were denied by the ICC © The Nation

He started it ... The spat between Sourav Ganguly and Greg Chappell just won't go away. Chappell reignited the row in an interview in the UK-based Guardian. Chappell said that he advised Ganguly to give up the captaincy to concentrate on his batting. "In essence I told Sourav that if he wanted to save his career he should consider giving up the captaincy. He was just hanging in there. Modest innings were draining him. But what I didn't realise at that stage was how utterly important to his life and finances being captain was." Ganguly, dropped from the Test side, countered with threats of legal action, while the Indian board warned Chappell to limit his comments to team matters. This one will run and run.

Dwight and Dubya George Bush met a number of VIPs during his visit to Pakistan, including Inzamam-ul-Haq, and professed himself to be a "cricket-match person", whatever that means. A predecessor of his was probably less of one. In December, 1959, Dwight Eisenhower attended the fourth day of the Test between Pakistan and Australia at Karachi during which the home side ground out 104 for the loss of five wickets. So memorable was the event that Eisenhower overlooked it in his memoirs. Only once have there been fewer runs in a completed day's play - three years earlier, when the same sides met on the same ground! On Friday, Bush visited Hyderabad, but plans by Doordashan to cover his arrival live where shelved ... because the OB van was on far more important duties, rushing to Nagpur to replace a unit which failed at the Test. But Bush did hold a bat and faced Inzamam in a photo opportunity ...but Inzamam, not renowned for his bowling, struck the leader of the free world with a beamer. God shot, Inzie. The only shame was that White House aides had insisted on using a tennis ball.

Mistaken idenitity The red-faced moment of the week came at the press conference ahead of the Nagpur Test when the cricket correspondent for one of the UK's broadsheets asked Wasim Jaffer what it was like to be back in the Indian side after four years on the sidelines. Which would have been a valid question if he had actually been talking to Jaffer. Sadly, to the amusement of his colleagues and the bewilderment of the player, he was addressing to the rather more recognisable VVS Laxman.

Picture of the week: Brian Lara in carnival mood shortly before leaving to join the West Indies squad in New Zealand © The Nation

The sound of silence 1 Nimbus's first few days of being responsible for all broadcast rights regarding Indian cricket have been blighted by technical glitches. On the first day, the transmission broke several times across the world, and on the second day UK viewers were treated to 15 minutes of Sky Sports's Charles Colvile and studio guests as again pictures failed. In India, the loss of commentary on the first morning was not mourned by all. The sound-effect microphones still worked, thus enabling viewers to enjoy the game, including the chirruping of the fielders, without the often annoying intrusions of the commentators. The usual inanities were restored after about 20 minutes.

The sound of silence 2 For the first time in 70 years, India's radio has no broadcast from the Test, another casualty of Nimbus's late arrival onto the scene and consequent failure to sort out the rights in time. While the heyday of radio is in the past, millions still rely on it to keep them abreast of the match. It might seem surprising that so little has been made of this while TV rights dominate the headlines, but one observer pointed out the sad reality that "the people it affects are generally those who don't have much of a voice anyway." As always, money talks.

The sound of a career disappearing? Poor old Ashley Giles. Despite sterling service to England - and an MBE for his efforts - he continues to be subjected to constant sniping and, as Sky Sports' studio analyst, had to sit and watch as Monty Panesar, his heir apparent impressed on debut at Nagpur. Rubbing salt in the wound, in one break Colvile asked him to comment on an email from a viewer. "He says that it's good to see a left-arm spinner bowling with aggression," grinned Colvile. Giles, who has been accused of bowling flat and negatively, smiled. "I think that's a bit harsh," was his succinct response.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his new South Africa shirt ... but surely he should have had No. 22? © Getty Images

Cape Delight In a packed seven days which witnessed ten international sides in action - two Tests and the usual quote of ODIs - the performance of the week came late on Friday when Australia were bowled out for 93 by South Africa at Newlands, losing by 196 runs. Makhaya Ntini ripped Australia to shreds, reducing them to 7 for 4 and finishing with 6 for 22.

Back to the dark ages The use of cricket to promote products is well known, but a New Zealand booze company might have overstepped the mark when it decided to run a competition (presumably aimed at men) with the prize of a Russian bride for the winner. The promotional material includes an image of a blonde scrubbing a floor, and the words: "Let me tell you, those Russian women are awesome, they don't care if you watch cricket on Valentine's Day, hell they don't even care if you're short and fat." The issue is not so much whether this offends, but on how many fronts it does so.

Double cheque Matthew Hoggard was named Man of the Match at Nagpur, but he might be a bit worried about his rewards. One was a 125cc motorbike, which he drove round the outfield but admitted he was unlikely to take with him to Mohali. At least he could take solace in the cheque for Rs50,000 ... except that he might not be able to pay it in to his his bank as it was made out to Mettew Hoggard. Anyone who had encountered British bank staff, who top a long list of national jobsworths, will know the battle he faces.

Quote hanger "Thank God we might be changing sponsors. That might allow us to play at different times. I don't know whether I can say that, but I have." He couldn't. Darren Lehmann was cited by Cricket Australia for criticising ING, the out-going sponsors of Australia's one-day tournament, for the 9.30am start to the final, which he thought was a huge factor in South Australia's defeat.

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