Indian news round-up

Match referee changes rules in view of excess dew
In view of the difficulty faced by the participating teams due to excessive dew while fielding second, the Match Referee for the ongoing Coca Cola Champions Cup, Denis Lindsay, has amended the playing conditions.

Quoting the Zimbabwean captain Heath Streak, Press Trust of India (PTI) said that the ball will now be changed after 35 overs in the first innings and twice after 35 and then 45 overs during the second half of the match.

Streak said that the change of ball did not take place during their match against Sri Lanka but the umpires decided to bring the issue to the notice of the match referee following which the change in rule was brought about.

CBFS plans to felicitate umpires and groundsmen in future
The coordinator of the Cricketers' Benefit Fund Series, Asif Iqbal told the Gulf News in Sharjah that the CBFS is contemplating to honour umpires and groundsmen as beneficiaries in future competitions at the desert venue.

Asif Iqbal said he had mooted the idea a few years back and felt that, like the players, they too deserved to be honoured.

The former Pakistan captain did not fail to give credit to the participants over the years. Asif said that the growth of the venue could not have been possible but for the support extended by Test playing nations especially India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He said that their role in helping to establish this centre among the best has been immense.

India to tour South Africa in October 2001
The Gulf News reported on Friday that India will be touring South Africa during October 2001. The paper quoted the Communications Manager of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA), Bronwyn Wilkinson, as saying that India would be playing three Tests and six one-day internationals.

Wilkinson said that the UCBSA is also planning to organise a three nation tournament comprising India, South Africa and Kenya. He added that discussions regarding this tournament are still on and have not yet been finalised.

Wilkinson said that the venues for the Indian tour are yet to be decided. Meanwhile the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), JY Lele, confirmed that India are to tour South Africa in October and November next year.

PCA announces 23 Ranji probables
The secretary of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), MP Pandove on Friday announced the list of 23 Ranji Trophy probables for the forthcoming season. Punjab are to begin their campaign against Himachal Pradesh at Una from October 30.

The 23 probables would be attending a camp slated to begin from October 22 at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. The final team would leave for Una directly from the camp on Oct 29. Bhupinder Singh Sr has been named the coach while Susheel Kapoor will accompany the team as the administrative manager.

The probables: Vikram Rathour, Ravneet Ricky, Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Mongia, Pankaj Dharmani, Harminder Singh Jugnu, Harbhajan Singh, Sharandeep Singh, Navdeep Singh, Gagandeep Singh, Sandeep Sharma, Bharat Bhushan, Amrinder, Sandeep Sawal, Ankur Kakkar, Gaganinder Garry, Rakesh Rehni, Manish Sharma, Ankur Sondhi, Rajan Singh, Sanjay Kumar and Sanjay Mahajan.