Indian news round-up

Lakshmi Ratan Shukla, the all rounder from Bengal has been suspended till February 9, 2001. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the disciplinary committee of the Cricket Association of Bengal in Kolkata on Friday.

It may be recalled that on the third day of the Ranji Trophy match against Bihar at the Eden Gardens last week, Shukla had insulted stand-in captain Srikkant Kalyani. As a result, the team management did not allow him to take any further part in the match. Since then however, Shukla had sent in a written apology to the manager, coach and Kalyani.

The disciplinary committee viewed the entire issue. The members then let him off with a light punishment because he had apologised. In effect, Shukla will miss the club matches in Calcutta and only one first class match. That will be Bengal's Wills Trophy game at Pune on February 8. He will be available for Bengal's Ranji Trophy quarter final match against Baroda on March 9.

Leading cricketers from Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram will be seen in action in the PC India Garmex Trophy cricket tournament being organised jointly by the Chennai St Bede's Sports Foundation and the Egmore Cricket Club in Chennai from January 16 to 26.

Totally 16 teams are expected to take part in the all India tournament. The format of the tournament is league cum knock out and each match will be of 50 overs. The winners of the tournament will take home Rs 50,000 besides a trophy. The runners-up will be richer by Rs 30,000 while each of the semifinalists will get a purse of Rs 10,000.

The following are participating teams and the groupings: Group A: India Pistons, Desk to Desk Couriers, Indian Overseas Bank, Invitation XI. Group B: Chemplast, Vijaya Bank, Integral Coach Factory, Penta Soft. Group C: India Cements, Central Excise, State Bank of Travancore, Southern Railway. Group D: SPIC, Canara Bank, Visaga Cyber Technology (Hyderabad) and Indian Bank.