Indian news round-up

Records tumbled on the second day of the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy tournament in Chennai on Tuesday. The Chepauk crowd, which witnessed Pakistan's Saeed Anwar set the one day record individual score of 194 against India and an overall score of 619 runs at the same ground in 1997 in the Independence Cup match, this time saw a team scoring 362 in 46.4 overs and still finishing on the losing side. This, because the team batting first scored 392 for six in 50 overs. The match saw 754 runs being scored, which is the highest in a limited overs match the world over.

The overall total beat the previous best of 706 runs scored in the match between Leicestershire and Berkshire at Leicester in the 1996 Natwest Trophy. In the 60 over game competition, Leicestershire scored 406 for five with AJ Wells scoring a double century. In reply, Berkshire made 300 for six in their alloted 60 overs.

The previous highest total in the Indian domestic season was 379 for three off 50 overs in the Wills Trophy tournament in 1995-96. India's best in ODIs is 373 for six off 50 overs against Sri Lanka at Taunton in the 1999 World Cup. Incidentally Sourav Ganguly made 183 in that essay.

Australian skipper Steve Waugh said in Melbourne on Tuesday that he expects the tour of India to be a tough one and went on to critize the Indian captain Sourav Ganguly for his recent remarks regarding the Australians' recent record winning streak.

Speaking to the press just before the team's departure to India, Waugh said "I find some of his comments a bit strange, saying we've only played weak sides to win our 15 Test matches in a row," and added "He forgot they were one of those sides, so as a leader of a side, it's not a real good thing to say about your own side."

Speaking of the tour, Waugh said "He'll have them fired up so you'll see a bit of a different series to the usual Australia-India, there's going to be a lot of confrontations - good types of confrontations. I don't think there'll be verbal stuff but there'll be two teams out there giving it their best shot." said Waugh.

Waugh said "I really believe we're going to play our best cricket in India and following that in England - we've done really well but the best part is about to come."

The West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharjee on Tuesday held a meeting in Kolkata with officials of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) to discuss, among other issues, the security measures for the second Test between India and Australia, to be played from March 11 to 15 at the Eden Gardens.

The president of the CAB, Jagmohan Dalmiya while briefing newsmen said that the meeting was routine. Press Trust of India reported that the other issues in the agenda were the prevailing conditions of the gallery, number of available seats, police and security aspects, and arrangements for various facilities.

Apart from the CAB officials and the Chief Minister, the City Police Commissioner Dinesh Bajpai and the senior officials of various other concerned departments were present at the meeting.

Doordarshan will telecast live the forthcoming three Test and five One Day International series between India and Australia slated to begin on February 17. The Australians are slated to take on India A in the tour opener at Nagpur.

Press Trust of India reported that Doordarshan in a press release said that all the matches will be telecast live on DD Sports with the ODIs being telecast on the main channel DD-1 also. There would be repeat telecast of the One-day matches in the night, the release added.