March 22, 2001
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England continued their match winning form by going into the one-day internationals with a win over the Sri Lankan Board President's XI in a one- day match at Colombo. The icing on the cake this time was Andy Caddick's hat-trick and Graeme Hick's hundred. Michael Vaughan also made a fluent 97. Caddick had figures of 5-31. England who posted a commanding total of 279 beat the Board President's XI by 51 runs after the hosts could only manage 228-9 in their allotted overs. For the losers skipper Russel Arnold made 62 Graeme Hick said he had to "put on b brave face" after poor form resulted in him being dropped from the third Test at Colombo. However, after a scintillating hundred in the warm up match, Hick said the fact that he was dropped from the Test gave him time to rethink his game and it helped. Hicks hundred against the Sri Lankan Board President's XI was studded with 7 sixes and he raced from 50 to hundred in just 17 balls. Meanwhile the injured English skipper Nasser Hussain arrived home amid much joy to fans. On arrival he said he was delighted with the team performance and hoped the good work would be continued in the one-day series. In Hussain's absence left-hander Graham Thorpe would be leading the one-day side. Sri Lanka have dropped senior cricketer Aravinda De Silva, 35, from the one-day squad to play the three match one-day series against England. De Silva was called back into the squad after Sri Lanka's uninspiring performances in South Africa. Sources say that the Sri Lankan Board is keen to induct youth into the side. The team is as follows. S Jayasuriya (capt), M Atapattu, R Kaluwitharana (wicket-keeper), M Muralitharan, M Jayawardene, K Dharmasena,, K Sangakkara, C Vaas,, R Arnold, N Zoysa, T Dilshan, A Ganegama, T Samaraweera, L de Silva, I de Saram. 
The third and deciding Test at Chennai stands tantalisingly poised while going into the last day. Pundits predict a likelihood of all three results a possibility (perhaps even a tie!) and it will be a Test of grit and nerve to see who come out winners. Australia are most likely to go for the kill on the fifth day track with Warne looking to restore his sagging reputation against Indian batsman in India. India on the other hand should be satisfied with a draw and can take the credit of halting the rampaging Aussies in their tracks. At close of play on the fourth day Australia was 241-7 with Steve Waugh still unbeaten on 43. The visitors are ahead by just 131 runs. Mathew Hayden the only Australian batsman who has come to terms with India and Indian conditions will stay back for the one-day series. Hayden was scheduled to return to return to Australia after the Tests. The decision to keep Hayden back was taken after the chairman of Australian selectors Trevor Hohns spoke to Steve Waugh about it. Pakistan who lead 1-0 in the three match Test series against New Zealand will play a three day match against Wellington. Skipper Moin Khan however is reported to be having a problem with his right knee will be rested for the game. Youngster Imran Farhat will keep wickets. Inzamam ul Haq will skipper the side in his absence. Waqar Younis too will be rested.
South Africa won its first Test match on the Caribbean soil when it won the second Test at Port of Spain by 69 runs. Needing 232 runs to win on the last day, the home team was dismissed after for 169. Skipper Carl Hooper made an unbeaten 54, while Jacques Kallis took four wickets for the victors.
The memorial service of the late Sir Donald Bradman will be held at the St Peters Cathedral in Adelaide on Sunday 25th March. The service has an elaborate programe chalked out and top personalities from the sporting world and all other walks of life are expected to participate. The event will also be televised live. Ajay Jadeja who has been banned from cricket for five years following match-fixing allegations is all set to start a new innings on March 30, with school and long time friend Aditi Jaitley. Aditi's mother Jaya Jaitley (president of the Samata party) is at present reeling under the controversy created by the Tehelka exposure, but sources say that the wedding has been postponed so many times before, that the couple have decided that nothing would stop them this time. The wedding is to be a low key affair at Delhi. The Australian professors in the department of Human Movement in a Western Australia University are confident that they can prove that Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is not a chucker. Shoaib who has flown to Australia will undergo a series of tests. Professor Bruce Elliot who heads the team was earlier able to help Sri Lankan off-pinner Muthiah Muralitharan who also faced similar allegations. The professors believe the flexibility of Shoaib Akhtar gives the viewer the illusion that he is bending his arm at the point of delivery. Three men aged 20, 21 and 24 have been charged of assaulting the West Indian fast bowler Marlon Black. They will appear before a Melbourne court in a few days. The big fast bowler needed 10 stitches on his head when he was attacked by the three men outside a night club in Melbourne when the West Indies were touring there a month ago. India has agreed to host the ICC knock-out tournament next year. The sports minister Uma Bharati who met the ICC president Malcolm Gray and BCCI President AC Muthiah said that all help would be offered to the BCCI on income-tax exemption matters. India was initially reluctant to host the ICC Knock-out following the problems they had with the government over income tax after the 1996 World Cup. When asked if Pakistan will be allowed to participate in the tournament she said " the tournament is in 2002, we will see about it then". She also could not confirm anything regarding India's participation in the Sharjah tri-series next month saying that it was not a matter that could be decided by her own ministry but had to be done jointly with the external affairs ministry and the Prime minister.
Australia in India 3rd Test at Chennai (4th day) Australia:391 (M Hayden 203, J Langer 35, M Waugh 70, S Waugh 47; Harbhajan Singh 7-133) 241-7 (M Hayden 35, M Slater 48, M Waugh 57, S Waugh 43 not out; Harbhajan Singh 5-82) India: 501 (SS Das 84, S Ramesh 61, VVS Laxman 65, SR Tendulkar 125, RS Dravid 81; G McGrath 3-75, C Miller 3-160) South Africa in West Indies 2nd Test at Port of Spain (5th day) South Africa:286 (HH Gibbs 34, JH Kallis 53, D Cullinan 103; N MacLean 3-60). 287 (HH Gibbs 87, D Cullinan 73, M Boucher 38; C Walsh 6-61, M Dillon 3-58) West Indies:342 (WW Hinds 56, M Samuels 35, R Sarwan 34, C Hooper 53 RD Jacobs 93 not out; A Donald 4-91, Pollock 3-55). 162 (R Sarwan 39, C Hooper 54 not out; J Kallis 4-40) Result: South Africa won by 69 runs. Man of the match:DJ Cullinan (SA). RANJI TROPHY ROUND UP Mumbai vs Punjab 1st quarter-final at Mumbai (2nd day) Punjab: 383 (Ankur Kakkar 46, Pankaj Dharmani 68, Yuvraj Singh 135, Reetinder Sodhi 46; Paras Mhambrey 5-77, RV Pwar 3-115) Mumbai: 162-2 (V Mane 70 not out, Jatin Paranjpe 68). Yesterday's News
Compiled by: Mohandas Menon
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