Indian news round-up

* MCA announces probables for 2000-2001 Ranji Trophy

Specialised Mumbai website Chalomumbai.com reports that the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) recently announced the list of 33 probables for the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team for the forthcoming 2000-2001 season.

The Probables:

Samir Dighe, Wasim Jaffer, Manoj Joglekar, Amit Pagnis, Vinayak Mane, Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Jatin Paranjpe, Sairaj Bahutule, Shreyas Khanolkar, Pravin Tambe, Paras Mhambrey, Ajit Agarkar, Santosh Saxena, Sriram Kannan, Amit Dani, Amol Muzumdar, Nishit Shetty, Sushant Manjrekar, Pushkaraj Jadhav, Sangram Bagul, Nilesh Kulkarni, Rajesh Pawar, Romesh Powar, Swapnil Hazare, Musavir Khote, Rupam Malvia, Sandeep Dahad, Omkar Salvi, Vishal Tawde, Amol Rane, Manish Bangera, Abhijit Shetye.

* HCA Under-19 team for Cooch-Behar Tournament announced

The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has named N Arjun Yadav as the captain of the Hyderabad Under-19 Team for the 2000-2001 season. The team also includes Ambati Tirupati Rayudu and Abinav Kumar, who represented the Indian Junior team during the recently concluded CostCutter World Under-19 Challenge in England. Kamlesh Parikh has been named the coach while Satish Srivastava would be the manager of the side. The Team would kick off the season with the Cooch-Behar Trophy slated to start at the end of the month.

The Team:

N Arjun Yadav (Captain), A T Rayudu, Avinash Pai, T Suman, Mawsood Ahmed, Ibrahim Khaleel, Abhinav Kumar, Shashank Nag, Nalin Reddy, Ahmed Quadri, Yakub Pasha, Taufeeq Ahmed, Ravi Gautam, Raghuram Janak and Swapnil Mantri.

Coach: Kamlesh Parikh Manager: Satish Srivastava.

* Quarrel turns ugly and sparks communal tension

The Press Trust of India (PTI) reports that a local cricket match in Rajasthan provoked communal tension forcing the local police to fire in the air and use tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.

PTI reported that a petty quarrel during a match in Jhalarpatan turned ugly when a student was beaten up leading to the family members retaliating violently. The agency reports that the police intervened and had to use batons, tear gas shells and later had to fire in the air in order to disperse the crowd.

The agency adds that several persons were injured during the melee which included four policemen. The situation was brought under control with the rounding up of a dozen persons. PTI also reports that additional police personnel have been deployed while promulgating prohibitory orders in the town.

* Ganguly helps Lancashire while rain plays spoil sport for Kent

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly scored a stroke filled 65 runs off 72 balls as Lancashire piled up 304 in their second innings as the PPP Healthcare County Championship Division One match against Surrey at Old Trafford ended in a draw on Saturday.

Ganguly who came in at the fall of opener Chilton, shared a 105-run third wicket stand with Neil Fairbrother (90). Ganguly during his 65 minute stay at the crease caressed the ball to the fence eleven times while managing to clear it once. There after Fairbrother took over the proceedings to guide Lancashire to 274 when he fell leg before to Brown.

Meanwhile at Grace Road, rain confined the players to the safety of the pavilion for the third day in succession. Kent were left stranded at 228 for 8 at stumps on the first day. Rahul Dravid had played a major role in holding the innings together with a patient 77 of 189 balls. The match was declared a draw at the end of the fourth day on Saturday.