Indian news round-up

The Mumbai High Court has imposed restrictions regarding the usage of the Oval maidan in Mumbai by the ELF Academy, which is being run by the former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar.

Chief Justice BP Singh and Justice NJ Pandya, while hearing a bunch of Public Interest Litigations (PILs), on Tuesday directed the Academy to remove the tents and bowling machines off the ground every day after the practice sessions. But they allowed the Academy to keep the road rollers and the nets on the ground during night hours.

The PILs were filed by the Oval Cooperage Residents Association, the Oval Trust, the Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG) and city resident Dr Navin Parikh. They alleged that Vengarskar's academy was using the entire southern side of the ground as its personal property, keeping the rollers and nets on it even after the training sessions were over, thus not complying with the court guidelines laid down earlier.

The ICC president, Jagmohan Dalmiya, on Friday served a legal notice to the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited's chairman, V Kurien, after they carried hoardings all over the country which said "Dalmiya mein kuch kala hei, maska khao, paise nahin.''

Talking to an Indian newspaper in Calcutta on Saturday, Dalmiya's solicitor, UN Banerjee said the Amul chairman has been requested to tender an apology within 48 hours, failing which a "civil and criminal defamation" would be filed against the company. He said that Dalmiya has reserved the right to claim damages worth Rs five crore from the company.

The legal notice mentioned that it was a clear case of defamation intended to cause "injury and harm to Dalmiya as well as lowering his image, credibility and calling" in the public eye.

Arun Agarwal, the financial expert for Prasar Bharati, on Wednesday claimed that the ICC's stand on Dalmiya's case was ``a blatant cover-up.'' Agarwal said that he was in possession of the notings of Rakesh Bahadur, the then Deputy Director General, Commercial and Sports of DD, who negotiated on behalf of DD for the telecast rights which he said would implicate Dalmiya.

Speaking to an Indian newspaper, Agarwal said ''Dave Richards has said that Dalmiya wasn`t involved in the negotiations at any stage. I say that it is a blatant cover up, for I have written proof that Dalimya was very much involved. What I want to know is how can the ICC so blatantly clear a man.'' He added ''I thought the ICC were interested in cleaning up the game but even as I'm able to produce written evidence that Dalmiya had a hand in the DD-ICC deal, they are saying just the opposite.''

Agarwal declared ``I will fight this whole issue to the last. Dalmiya may have money and power, but the truth is on my side.''

The NCA consultant and head of the Australian Cricket Academy, Rodney Marsh, who left for Australia on Wednesday night, said that he was impressed with the trainees at the academy.

Speaking to an Indian newspaper, Marsh said ''The three days of assessment of the trainees has been very good. I will be back here in early July to make further assessment of the boys. I am impressed with all of them here.'' The former Australian stumper signed off saying ''I wish all of them play for the country because they are so good. Unfortunately, only some will play for India and some won`t.''

Physical trainer Bernard Savage, said ``though they are not used to the advanced methods of running and training, they are very keen to learn. The results, after talking to them individually, are encouraging.``