Indian news round-up

The Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) sounded optimistic on Saturday about India's participation in the tri-nation tournament to be played at Sharjah in April. Talking to Gulf News from London, the CBFS coordinator Asif Iqbal said "We have not approached the Bangladesh Cricket Board. In fact we are positive that India will be playing in our triangular tournament."

Denying a report which appeared in a Pakistan daily, Asif said "The report is totally wrong. Bangladesh is committed to touring Zimbabwe from April 1. I had talks with the president and secretary of the BCB and they have denied that CBFS has approached them. In fact they are getting ready for the tour of Zimbabwe." A leading Pakistan newspaper had reported that CBFS would not cancel the Sharjah tournament in case of India's pull out and will play Bangladesh.

CBFS chief executive Zahid Noorani also confirmed that the one-day series would be played. Noorani said "We have been dealing only with the cricket boards of the participating countries and as of now the three countries have confirmed their participation in' our tournament" Noorani said. The Indian government is yet to take a decision on playing Pakistan in any tournament.

The five Australian players who have been included in the forthcoming one-day games between India and Australia will arrive in Mumbai on Sunday to join the team. Michael Bevan, Ian Harvey, Darren Lehmann, Andrew Symonds and Nathan Bracken will replace Michael Slater, Justin Langer, Colin Miller, Michael Kasprowicz and Matthew Hayden who will fly back to Australia after the third and final Test starting in Chennai on Sunday, a press release by the Australian Cricket Board said in Sydney on Friday.

The one-day series start in Bangalore on March 25 followed by matches in Pune (March 28), Indore (March 31), Visakhapatnam (April 3) and Goa (April 6). India and Australia have played 62 one-day international matches with Australia winning 36, India winning 23 and three games ending in no results. India won the last match played between the two sides at the ICC KnockOut in Nairobi last year by 20 runs.

Former Australian coach and BCCI consultant Geoff Marsh showered praise on the Indian team while talking to reporters in Mumbai on Friday. Marsh said "India's magnificent win in the Kolkata Test against Australia is great for Test cricket." He added that "The win has been great not only for Indian cricket in particular but for Test cricket in general."

Marsh who was in Mumbai as part of the Aussie golf team which won the tournament at the Royal Palms on Friday said "the Australians did everything they could when VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid were "tearing the bowling apart and I do sympathise with them. The Indians came back splendidly and batted beautifully on the fourth day and must have bowled brilliantly on the final day to win with quite a big margin. With this win the Indians have not only squared the three-Test match series at one all but have created immense interest for the Chennai Test which I am sure will be a real thriller."

Meanwhile his opening partner David Boon said "Laxman and Dravid really played well and I think it was just one bad day that did the Australians in and of course they (Aussies) have not had a bad day in the last 16 Tests, so I think it was due anyway."