Indian news round-up

Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Monday that the core group of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would meet in Mumbai on December 23 to discuss the action to be taken on the reply sent by Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president IS Bindra regarding the showcause notice issued to him by the Board.

The news agency also said that the meeting would also discuss exchange of correspondence with the BCCI vice-president Kamal Morarka apart from medical examination of junior cricketers, future rotation policy with regard to domestic matches, formation of a trust and strengthening of BCCI headquarters.

Apart from the Board president AC Muthiah and the vice presidents Kamal Morarka, Ram Prasad, PK Mishra and AK Khanna, the meeting is likely to be attended by former presidents Raj Singh Dungarpur, NKP Salve, PM Rungta and former International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jagmohan Dalmiya among others.

Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid was on Monday felicitated by Rajya Sabha member Shatrugan Sinha during the prize distribution ceremony of the Sukhdeo Narain Memorial inter-school cricket tournament at the Sri Krishna Memorial Hall in Patna.

Dravid, who was invited by the tournament committee, was accorded a warm welcome on his arrival from Bangalore. He gave away the prizes to the winners of the tournament Delhi Model Public School and runner-up Red Carpet High School, Patna.

Speaking on the occasion, Dravid expressed confidence that the state would produce more players to represent national and international events in the future.

Gurunanak Dev University defeated Devi Ahalya University by seven wickets in the final of the All India inter-university cricket tournament for women to lift the Gunavathi CK Nayudu Trophy on Monday at Karaikudi. Gurunanak Dev won the trophy after a lapse of six years.

Batting first, Devi Ahalya were all out for 129 runs in 41.5 overs, the innings being held together by Ketaki Putnambekar (44) and Sapna Agarwal (30). Rajinder Kaur was the best bowler for Gurunanak Dev with figures of 5 for 19.

Chasing a modest target, Gurunanak Dev accomplished the task in 41.5 overs losing three wickets in the process. Anjuman Bassi was the top scorer with a fine 65. Mumbai University came third beating Pune University by nine wickets.

The Duleep Trophy match between South Zone and West Zone, which was to be played at Ahmedabad from January 18 to 21, has been shifted to Surat.

Top cricketers, including Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, Ajit Agarkar, Vinod Kambli and Zaheer Khan are expected to play for West Zone, according to BCCI sources. Indian bowling stars, leg spinner Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath as well as Indian vice captain Rahul Dravid, Venkatesh Prasad, Sunil Joshi, S Sriram, Robin Singh, Sadagopan Ramesh and Hemang Badani would represent the South Zone team.

The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association on Monday named K Vasudeva Das and Vasanth Saravanan to lead the Under-16 and Under-22 teams for the V Pattabhiraman Trophy match against Hyderabad and P Ramachandra Rao Trophy match against the same opponents. Both the games are scheduled to be held in Hyderabad from December 20 to 22.

The Under-16 team: K Vasudeva Das (captain), Nikhil Krishnan, KKD Karthik (wicketkeeper), I Varun, Tetson Mathew, DP Doss, V Sundera Mani, M Muthupandey, Karthik Swathi, Graham Mark James, K Anbalagan, N Satheesh Kumar, MT Rajesh, Simon Selven and Robert Vinay Riana.

The Under-22 team: SV Saravanan (captain), R Bhatia, J Harish, S Badrinath, C Hemanth Kumar, SS Viswanathan, R Sathish, MR Shrinivas, Vikram Mani, S Vidyuth, L Balaji, K Velmurugan, R Ram Kumar, K Kishore and SP Lakshmi Kumar. Coach: RM Manoharan, Manager: Adam Sait.