Indian news round-up

Former Indian cricketer Manoj Prabhakar has said that he has revealed to a `big gun in Government,' the name of his teammate who had allegedly offered him Rs.25 lakh in order to under-perform in the 1994 Singer Cup series in Sri Lanka.

Prabakar, while writing in his column for a web site, said ``someone well placed in the Government will bear me out when I say that I will have no hesitation in naming the senior teammate who offered me Rs.25 lakh to under-act in the Singer Cup against Pakistan in Colombo in 1994. He has already heard me name the central character in the drama.''

The former all-rounder wrote ``I know this is my chance to prove that I have nothing against cricket as such. After all, it is the game that has given me so much joy. I will be the last to hurt or defame cricket. On the contrary, I will be the first to unmask those who have corrupted the game.''

Arun Agarwal, the former financial adivsor for Prasar Bharati, has claimed that June 16 would be the D-day for ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya. He said ''That`s the day I have to be present in court in connection with the criminal liability suit that has been filed against me in Calcutta and I assure you that it`s is going to be Dalmiya`s D-Day too.''

Speaking to an Indian newspaper, Agarwal said ''the very fact that Dalmiya has seen it fit to file a suit against me, after failing to do so on numerous occasions when people like IS Bindra (the former BCCI president) accused him of wrongdoing, shows that my revelation of certain financial irregularities, has hit home and hard.''

Agarwal asked ''I also want to know if the ICC authorised him to file the suit against me in his capacity as ICC chief as he has done? If they did, what kind of a message is the ICC sending out. If wild allegations are made against players, they will be discussed, but even when documentary back-up is provided against their office-bearers, a suit is filed. Is that what they want to convey?``

A 22-member team comprising of the under-19, under-16 and under-14 talents from the Bharat Reddy Cricket Academy in Chennai will leave on Tuesday for a tour of England. The team will play 16 matches during their 23-day long tour apart from practice sessions at Lord's and Trent Bridge and visits to Oxford and Cambridge.

The players include Aaditya Srikkanth, Stuart Binny, Mauzzam Nathani, Vasudeva Das and Sathyajit Meddappa (captain).

Bharath Reddy, a former Indian wicketkeeper, is the manager of the team. Former State stumper K Rammohan Rao is the cricket manager. Former Andhra captain Chandrashekar Rao is the coach and is to be assisted by former Tamil Nadu cricketer PS Moses.

Kent's new recruit, Indian middle order bat Rahul Dravid scored a solid unbeaten 31 off 47 balls to help Kent register a comfortable seven wicket win over Northamptonshire in the Norwick Union National League at St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury on Monday.

Having dismissed Northamptonshire to a paltry score of 76 in 40.4 overs, Kent started badly by losing MJ Walker (0) and RWT Key (3). But Dravid and JB Hockley (26 runs off 56 balls) added 54 runs for the third wicket. Then AP Wells joined Dravid to guide Kent to a well deserved victory.

For Northamptonshire, only three batsmen MB Loye (16), KJ Innes (16) and D Ripley (12) managed to reach double figures. BJ Phillips with four for 25 was the wrecker-in-chief for Kent along with DD Masters (2 for 10).