The World Cricket Weblog - Apr. 8 - Apr. 14

Monday, April 14, 2003:::

Beware wounded West Indies, says Waugh
Australia can begin dreaming of a first Caribbean series whitewash after their nine-wicket win in the first Test that ended at GeorgeTown on Sunday but captain Steve Waugh is urging caution from his players.
Source: Australian Associated Press (AAP) in FOX Sports, Australia

Umpires are having 'a shocker'
The International Cricket Council's noble attempts to improve the quality of umpiring have again run up against the insoluble problem of human error in the first Test at Georgetown, in the form of Asoka De Silva.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

Ganga shows his gratitude
So fickle are the notoriously parochial and opinionated Caribbean crowds that Daren Ganga regularly found mobs calling for him to be culled from the West Indian line-up even before he was given a chance to play a Test in a home series.
Source: FOX Sports, Australia

Nehra's knee-joint operation on April 17
Left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra, who had to miss the on-going tri-series in Dhaka due to a troubled knee, will undergo surgery next week.
Source: The Press Trust of India in The Mid-day, India

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posted at 11:15 a.m. IST

Sunday, April 13, 2003:::

Lara: I fight harder as skipper
The master batsman's disciplined yet enchanting second innings of 110 against Australia yesterday in the first Test gave the Windies an outside chance of winning at the Bourda Ground. "As captain, you do have to fight a little bit harder," Lara said after compiling his 19th Test ton and seventh against Australia.
Source: The Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia

"Throw out politicians who stop India-Pakistan matches" - Miandad
Making an impassioned plea for revival of indo-Pak cricket ties, legendary Pakistani batsman and coach Javed Miandad has said he favours "throwing out" Indian politicians" who are denying fans the chance to enjoy matches between the two traditional rivals.
Source: PTI in the Indian Express, India

Lord's set for new image
The Lord's cricket ground could soon stage rock concerts to raise extra funds to promote cricket in England, reports a Sunday newspaper. The home of cricket for 215 years would establish a separate 'brand identity' calling itself Lord's - Inspiring Occasions.
Source: The BBC, UK

An older and wiser Alec Stewart
Alec Stewart, celebrated his 40th birthday this week and as if to demonstrate that blowing out all those candles hadn't left the old boy out of puff, England's veteran wicket-keeper/batsman did so with the assertion that he intends to hold on to those England gauntlets for a while yet.
Source: ABC of Cricket, Australia

"Give us our money back"
If you thought the reactions to India's tentative start to their campaign or South Africa's ouster from the ICC World Cup were harsh, you might be interested in knowing how the Dhaka crowd viewed their team's thrashing at the hands of India in the inconsequential Triangular on Friday.
Source: Mid Day, India

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posted at 9:45 p.m. IST

Saturday, April 12, 2003:::

Gilchrist offers plenty of six appeal
Australia could be about to flex its Adam Gilchrist muscle like never before after captain Steve Waugh said the gamble of a five-man bowling attack for the first Test against the West Indies might lead to longer-term change.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

Steve Waugh's gamble pays off
Having overturned almost two decades of Australian wisdom by pushing to take five specialist bowlers into a Test match, Steve Waugh had employed the new format for less than two hours before it began to trouble him.
Source: FOX Sports, Australia

Tufnell: Hero or villain?
Ah, sigh the old hands wistfully - Phil Tufnell, what a character. Cricket is poorer for his retirement. Or is it?
Source: The BBC, UK

Warne retains contract
Shane Warne will remain one of 25 elite players with Australian Cricket Board contracts when new deals are struck this month, despite his one-year suspension for taking a banned drug.
Source: The Age, Australia

Miandad for revival of Indo-Pak. cricket ties
Pakistan batting legend and current coach Javed Miandad has said he favours "throwing out Indian politicians" who are denying fans the chance to enjoy matches between the two traditional rivals.
Source: Press Trust of India in The Hindu, India

No coverage of South Africa's tour of Bangladesh
The South African cricket team's matches in Bangladesh will not be broadcast to fans in South Africa because neither the SABC nor SuperSport were able to reach agreement with the host broadcaster in Bangladesh on the rights for the tour.
Source: The Independent, South Africa

Cricket team makes a pitch to save the pitch
Cricketers in the Fort Dent Park area in Seattle in United States of America are battling to save their "Mecca of Cricket" from planners aiming to turn it into a premier regional training ground and family soccer facility.
Source: seattlepi.com

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posted at 11:10 a.m. IST

Friday, April 11, 2003:::

I didn't want to be captain: Lara
In his first press conference since his appointment last week to replace Carl Hooper, Brian Lara said frankly that he had only taken the job after being implored to do so by West Indies authorities and that he would prefer to follow rather than lead.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

Waugh breaks tradition
Australian captain Steve Waugh admits some of his own team-mates were surprised by the unusual decision to use five specialist bowlers as Australia made a blistering start to the first cricket Test against the West Indies in Georgetown on Friday.
Source: FOX Sports, Australia

Renewal of Indian coaching contract surprises Wright
India's cricket coach John Wright said on Friday that he is surprised to hear via the media that his coaching contract has been extended by a year.
Source: Daily Telegraph, Australia

Tufnell ends career as the ultimate maverick
The Middlesex and former England left-arm spinner retires from game in order to raise profile as celebrity and take up media opportunities.
Source: The Independent, UK

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posted at 12:25 p.m. IST

Thursday, April 10, 2003:::

Why it's always special
So much has changed since my debut, but so much also remains the same. We now receive around Australian $11,000 per Test, compared with less than Australian $1000 when I began, but really the cash has always been irrelevant as any boy growing up in the suburbs would attest to, writes Steve Waugh.
Source: The Daily Telegraph, Australia

It's caps off to Waugh's brilliant run
Steve Waugh's skills may not have set him apart from his contemporaries unlike those of Donald Bradman, Deigo Maradona, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, but the tales of heroism built upon his bat, his heart and his leadership more than match those of any sportsperson through the ages.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

Waugh: I'm no cricket tragic
While Steve Waugh enjoys hearing about the tales of yesteryear and lists the likes of 1948 Invincible Bill Brown as one of his favourite cricketers, he wants it known he is no cricketing tragic - contrary to popular opinion.
Source: FOX Sports, Australia

Lara to be targeted again
Glenn McGrath will be half a world away when Australia begin their Frank Worrell Trophy defence this evening, but his team-mates will follow his bowling blueprint, which they rate as their best hope of quelling the erratic brilliance of West Indies captain Brian Lara.
Source: The Australian, Australia

Hooper's sacking made Viv cry
West Indies cricket legend Sir Vivian Richards admitted that he was brought to tears by the backstabbing and infighting that led to Brian Lara replacing his good friend and former teammate Carl Hooper as the national captain.
Source: FOX Sports, Australia

Gayle upset over Test exclusion
West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle has voiced his irritation at being left out of the West Indies squad for the opening Test against Australia.
Source: The BBC, UK

Logie to seek divine intervention
"I am an eternal optimist and I believe we can come out with great honours," said West Indies coach Gus Logie, ahead of the first Test against Australia. "I won't predict a score, but certainly we are going to do everything humanly possible, then ask for divine intervention."
Source: The Age, Australia

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posted at 12:52 p.m. IST

Wednesday, April 9, 2003:::

"Taibu is mentally like Sachin"
He may have stepped down as selector just ahead of the crucial Zimbabwe-Kenya Super Six tie, but Andy Pycroft, as this interview shows, still has a lot invested in Zimbabwean cricket, if only sentimentally.
Source: Rediff.com

Lee poised to excel
There was a time when West Indies fast bowlers ruled the cricket roost. Roberts, Garner, Holding and Marshall became synonymous with quality pace-bowling, terrorising every opposition team at home and away. However, over the last few years, dominance in that department has shifted squarely over to Australia, and Brett Lee is a vital cog in the Aussie pace attack.
Source: The BBC, UK

Leipus to skip Dhaka meet
Andrew Leipus, the physio of the Indian team, will not accompany the Indian team to Dhaka for the tri-series as his wife met with an accident in Johannesburg. Physical trainer Adrian Le Roux will double up as the physio in Mr Leipus's absence, Indian team manager Mr Goutam Dasgupta said.
Source: The Statesman, India

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posted at 1:36 p.m. IST

Tuesday, April 8, 2003:::

Gillespie's challenge is to bring back the mullet
Just as the look had been driven out of most spheres of endeavour outside of German soccer, Gillespie is deliberately cultivating a hairstyle that, to use bowling terms, will feature some good length and a bit of short stuff on either side. Take note David Beckham, Gillespie is growing a mullet.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

Warne appeals to ACB
Shane Warne remains hopeful the Australian Cricket Board will allow him to play in charity matches and maintain an active role in the sport during the remaining 10 months of his suspension.
Source: The Australian, Australia

Smith and Pollock set for first meeting
Graeme Smith, the new captain of South Africa's cricket team, is to have his first meeting this week with the man he replaced, Shaun Pollock.
Source: The Independent, South Africa

Mick Jagger presents Rs 25 lakh to CCI
The Cricket Club of India (CCI) conferred an honorary life membership to the world-famous `Rolling Stones' stars, Mick Jagger, Charles Watts, Keith Richards and Ronald Woods before the start of their concert at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday.
Source: The Mid-Day, Mumbai

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posted at 12:16 p.m. IST