Indian news round-up

The Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) three week long Under-19 coaching camp got under way in New Delhi on Sunday with 17 out of the 20 probables reporting on day one. The Under-16 camp, featuring 20 cricketers, is to be held simultaneously in Kanpur.

Speaking to an Indian newspaper, the senior coach Gyaneshwar Prasad said ``There is not much to teach an under-19 player. But what matters most during a game is his mental toughness. This is the aspect we will be concentrating on.''

Prasad said ``This camp is not just about nets, batting or fielding. It involves a number of other activities. The boys will be taught a number of things in a classroom-like atmosphere. Besides, the schedule also includes indoor physical training.''

Apart from the regular coaches Prasad and Suresh Luthra, and physical trainer Sunil Khanna, former internationals Bishen Singh Bedi, Chetan Chauhan, Madan Lal and Rajinder Pal are to visit the camp. The formal inauguration of the camp is scheduled for Wednesday.

The first meeting of the Asian Cricket Council's (ACC) newly-formed financial body, the Asian Cricket Federation, slated to be held in Dhaka on Sunday has been defered by a day and will be held in the Bangladesh capital on Monday. The postponment was necessitated due to the late arrival of the Internatiuonal Cricket Council president and the chairman designate of the foundation, Jagmohan Dalmiya. Biman Airlines' disrupted flight schedule forced Dalmiya to spend seven hours at Calcutta airport and he arrived late on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking to the media, Dalmiya declined to comment on the meeting. He said ``I am unaware of the agenda for the meeting so I will not be able to povide any details.''

The meeting has been convened by the Pakistan Cricket Board chief and the ACC president Lt General Tauqir Zia and is to be attended by Jagmohan Dalmiya, Abdul Rehman Bukhatir, Asif Iqbal and Ashraf-ul Haq.