Indian news round-up

Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar with 863 points has topped the Pricewater House Cooper's Test rankings, dethroning former West Indian captain Brian Lara (856). He is also the lone Indian to figure in the top ten of batting ratings while Indian leg spinner Anil Kumble with 722 points is placed ninth in the bowling ratings.

Ratings: Batsmen: 1. Sachin Tendulkar (863). 2. Brian Lara (856). 3. Steve Waugh (841). 4. Ricky Ponting (804). 5. Inzamam-ul-Haq (788). 6. Saeed Anwar (778). 7. Aravinda de Silva (775). 8. Justin Langer (767). 9. Alec Stewart (760). 10. Jacques Kallis (747).

Bowlers: 1. Shaun Pollock (905). 2. Glenn McGrath (896). 3. Allan Donald (877). 4. Curtly Ambrose (824). 5. Muthiah Muralitharan (763). 6. Brett Lee (735). 7. Courtney Walsh (733). 8. Wasim Akram (726). 9. Anil Kumble (722). 10. Heath Streak (701).

Bollywood actor Kishan Kumar, one of the accused in the match-fixing scandal, on Wednesday alleged that the Delhi police had threatened him to implicate certain names regarding the scandal.

Speaking to the press in New Delhi, Kishan said "The crime branch sleuths threatened me to name some people falsely in the scandal or else they would show me as having links with the underworld gangs when I was in their custody."

Kishen said that the Delhi police had cooked up a false story "to create an atmosphere of hatred and prejudice against me." He said "I am a cricket lover but that is no crime. I have never been to any of the venues where the matches were fixed."

The secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association Brijesh Patel said in Bangalore on Wednesday that the Karnataka state team would be touring Kenya from July 27 to August 15. The former Ranji champions would be playing six one-dayers and one four day game on their maiden tour to Kenya.

Speaking to the media, Patel said "It is a reciprocal contract. We are there this time and the Kenyans will be here next year." He added that the team for the tour is to be selected by the end of the month.

Patel said "Since both Dravid and Kumble are on BCCI contract, they will not be available but the rest of the cricketers may be roped in. Srinath's presence depends on his decision to play in English County Championship." Moreover, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble are at present in England playing for Kent and Leicestershire respectively.

Indian middle order batsman Rahul Dravid played the anchor role as Kent slumped to 127 for the loss of seven wickets against Yorkshire at close of play on the first day of their PPP Healthcare County Championship Division One match at Headingley on Wednesday.

Put into bat, Kent slumped to 26 for five, when Dravid (45 not out from 190 balls) was joined by PA Nixon (27 runs off 61 balls) and the two put their heads down to steady the boat for Kent in a 52 run sixth wicket stand. Then Dravid and MV Fleming (29 runs off 59 balls) added 43 runs for the seventh wicket.

The other two Indians Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble could not be seen in action as the first day's play in the matches between Lancashire and New Zealand A and Leicestershire and Derbyshire was washed out.