March 2, 2001
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According to the Indian team coach John Wright, injured pace bowler Javagal Srinath is unlikely to play the second Test at Calcutta. It seems Srinath has fractured a joint in the finger and the injury may not heal by the time of the second Test that begins on March 11. Indian skipper attributed his team's humiliating ten-wicket win inside three days to a poor batting performance. He said that it was very difficult to come back into a Test match after being bowled out for 176 batting first. However coach John Wright felt there was no need to panic as the lessons from this loss are learnt and strategies are being worked out accordingly for the second Test, which begins on March 11 at Calcutta. Australian opening batsman Michael Slater created and unruly scene when the third umpire gave "not out" to a catch taken by him inches of the ground. First Slater argued with umpire S Venkatraghavan and then had some harsh words to say to batsman Rahul Dravid who stood his ground and did not walk as soon as the catch was taken. He was let off after a warning from West Indian match referee Cammie Smith. The Indians who have been on the receiving end of many a fine and match ban seem to be sore about Michael Slater getting away scott-free with his behavior. Yet another case of a match referee showing partiality. Mumbai Cricket Association officials have reasons to feel let down by the poor performance of the Indian team as a second consecutive Test at this venue ends within three days. Tickets sales were expected to pick up on the fourth and fifth day with the weekend approaching. The previous Test to be held at Mumbai against South Africa in January 2000 also ended in three days. Needless to say India lost this one too! The Calcutta Police have banned spectators from carrying bottles into the Eden Gardens for the second Test match to be played there from March 11 to 15. Calcutta has a history of crowd trouble - the first came during the 1996 World Cup match between India and Sri Lanka, and then during the India-Pakistan Asian Test Championships. The CAB officials and police have held a series of meetings to work out methods of crowd control at the stadium.  Sir Donald Bradman was given a tearful and emotional farewell as thousands lined the streets to pay respects to his funeral casket that was carried a short distance to a private funeral service in Adelaide. Bradman's only son, John walked for a short while in front of the hearse carrying his father's body. About 100 people attended the funeral service. Among the guests were former Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Governor General of Australia Sir William Deane. The final resting place of the Don has not been disclosed as yet. A public memorial service is to be held on March 25 at St Peter's Cathedral and will be broadcast live across Australia.
The Pakistani media lambasted Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar for the one-day series loss to New Zealand saying the two were heavily drunk and making merry till late on the night preceding the deciding match. Several Pakistani fans called up newspaper offices in Dunedin to complain about the cricketers making merry at a nightclub. A local newspaper quoted a fan as having seen Akram and Shoaib so drunk that they fell on the street unable to walk. Incidentally in the last match of the series at Dunedin, Shoaib dropped two catches which enabled the home team win easily despite changing a huge target. The two New Zealand umpires Steve Dunne and Dough Cowie who officiated in the fifth and final one day international between Pakistan and New Zealand have reported the Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Ahktar to the ICC referee Ranjan Madugalle for a suspect bowling action. Madugalle has confirmed this to the Pakistan team management, and the New Zealand and Pakistan Cricket Boards. A copy of Madugalle's report and video tapes of Shoaib's bowling during the match will be sent to the ICC for necessary action. The manager of the Pakistan team Faqir Aizazuddin has confirmed that Shoaib would not be a part of the Test squad. Shoaib, in the meanwhile has pleaded with cricket officials to give him a break and not "ruin" his career. England's wicket-keeper batsman Alec Stewart and batsman Graham Thorpe expressed their sympathy for the tough job the umpires have. Stewart was at the receiving end of a suspect lbw decision in the recent Galle Test. He advocated a wider use of technology to help officials out in the middle. Stewart also said he had nothing against aggressive appealing so long as the umpires were able to keep things on the field under control. Thorpe is of the view that all Test matches should have only neutral umpires since it eliminates the feeling of being done in by a home umpire. England, meanwhile play a one-day game against a Colts XI at Kurunegala 3 March, which is the only match practice they have before second Test beginning next week at Kandy. The officials for the second Test are local umpire BC Cooray and South Africa's Rudi Koertzen. The Asian Cricket Federation is expanding its horizons to areas beyond the cricket field. An eye donation camp is being conducted jointly by the ACF and the Cricket Association of Bengal. Donors will receive certificates signed by Sunil Gavaskar and Ian Chappell. The donation camp called "Cricket for Life Beyond Death", opened for cricketers both present and former, umpires, coaches and administrators and have registered more than 90 donors. The programme will soon open to the public too. Australia in India 1st Test at Mumbai (3rd & final day) India: 176 (SR Tendulkar 76; GD McGrath 3-19, SK Warne 4-47) 219 (S Ramesh 44, RS Dravid 39, SR Tendulkar 65; JN Gillespie 3-45, ME Waugh 3-40) Australia: 349 (ML Hayden 119, AC Gilchrist 122, SK Warne 39; Harbhajan Singh 4-121) 47-0 (ML Hayden 28 not out) Result: Australia won by 10 wickets. Man of the match: AC Gilchrist (Aus)
Compiled by: Mohandas Menon
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