Indian news round-up

The Union Minister of State for Sports, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain on Monday denied reports of opening a cricketer's locker by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the Gymkhana Club in Mumbai.

The Deccan Chronicle reported that Hussain, in a written reply to Lok Sabha members YS Vivekananda Reddy and Vilas Muttemwar, said that according to information received from the CBI, no such locker was raided by them at the Club.

The members had sought information regarding the amount of cash that was recovered from the lockers and if any of the lockers were sealed during the alleged raids conducted by the CBI.

With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) still to confirm their visit to Pakistan for a proposed Test series, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday confirmed the national team's tour to New Zealand in early February.

Quoting a PCB spokesman, ANI said that since the proposed Indian tour was in doubt, the PCB had gone ahead to confirm their tour to New Zealand. He said that if India confirms their tour, then it would be rescheduled. He hoped that the Indian tour would end by February 5 since the Pakistan team is scheduled to reach New Zealand on February 10.

Mumbai is all set to host the third in the series of one day matches featuring the Asia XI and the Rest of the World XI for the Cricketnext.com Cup during the forthcoming winter.

The first in the series of matches was held at Dhaka in April while the second was held at the Oval in London on July 29 in an effort to collect funds for the construction of a new museum at the premises.

Not a ball was bowled on the final day of the match between Yorkshire and Lancashire as rain played the spoilsport in the PPP Healthcare County Championship Division One match at Chester-le-Street on Monday. The match ended in a draw as also did Kent's encounter with Derbyshire at Canterbury.

Indian middle order batsman Rahul Dravid turned his arm over for 10 overs while giving away 18 runs as Derbyshire openers Steve Titchard (141) and Steve Stubbings (135) shared an unbeaten 293-run stand in the second innings. With both of them frustrating the Kent attack, the Lancashire captain Mathew Fleming utilised all the eleven players to bowl on the last day.