Daily Excelsior.........sports

BCCI to move ICC’s dispute redressal committee

AHMEDABAD, Oct 11: The Indian Cricket Board will move the ICC’s disputes redressal committee over the compensation claims made against the world body by some staging associations of the Champions Trophy.

The associations have complained of revenue losses after being forced to cut down on the crowd capacity to accommodate tournament sponsors.

"We are with the associations on this issue. We will take the matter to the disputes redressal committee of the International Cricket Council," BCCI secretary Nirianjan Shah told PTI.

Shah, however, refused to give a timeframe for knocking on the doors of the DRC.

"It is not that we will take the step today itself. We will do whatever is necessary at the appropriate time."

Three of the staging associations - the Gujarat Cricket Association, the Cricket Club of India and PCA Stadium, Mohali - have claimed compensation from ICC for having to set up plush airconditioned cabins providing vantage viewing to house the sponsors as per a directive from the game’s apex ruling body.

The associations have claimed that the spectator capacity at all the three venues had to be reduced to construct the cabin.

As per tournament rules, the staging associations are entitled to the entire gate receipts and do not have access to any other sources of revenue from the event which is organised by the ICC every two years.

The GCA had complained that it had to curtail the crowd capacity by 750 to construct 12 deluxe cabins that could sit 200 representative of sponsors and oher guests of the ICC and claimed a compansation of rupees one crore from the ICC for organising five matches of the Champions Trophy.

Shah said CCI has also put forth a claim for compensation as it was forced to reduce the accmmodation at the brabourne stadium by 600 to make way for the cabins.

The dispute between GCA and the ICC had reached a flashpoint on the eve of the October 8 qualifying match between Zimbabwe and West Indies after association president Narhari Amin threatened not to handover the cabins to the world body and claimed that his stand had BCCI’s backing.

However, the GCA relented following a directive from the BCCI and handed over the cabins to the ICC. The BCCI had then promised to fight the issue on behalf of the associations.

On the vexed members’ participation agreement, Shah said "we have sent them our viewpoint on the issue in writing. And it is now up to them to respond".

Shah said the matter could be brought up for discussion during the Champions Trophy matches in Jaipur as BCCI’s vice president and marketing committee Lalit Modi was based there.

The documents sent by the BCCI to ICC runs into 80 pages.

"It is important that the matter is resolved for once and for all. Because with the Biennial Champions Trophy and the Quadrennial World Cup, we will have to face such problems almost every year," he added.

Asked whether the BCCI had given any instructions to the staging associations on precautionary measures in view of the outbreak of dengue in several states, Shah said, "we don’t need to give any. All the associations know about it, and they are taking the necessary steps". (PTI)

Gibbs to be questioned by Delhi Police today

NEW DELHI, Oct 11: South Africa’s star cricketer Herschelle Gibbs will make himself available to the Delhi Police tomorrow for interrogation over his role in the match-fixing scandal which shook the cricketing world in 2000.

The stylish opener, who had avoided visiting India on two earlier occasions fearing arrest, reached Mumbai this morning and will arrive here later in the day.

Gibbs is accompanied by two lawyers who will assist the player during the questioning which is scheduled to be held tomorrow.

A high-level team of Crime Branch officials, led by Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjit Narayan, will grill the batsman on "all aspects" of the scandal, which came to light after delhi police tapped a phone conversation of the late South African skipper Hansie Cronje during his team’s tour of India in 2000.

Gibbs is likely to be asked who all had come in contact with him and what kind of match related information had been sought from him, Delhi Police sources said.

Gibbs has already served a six-month ban slapped by South African cricket authorities while his teammate Nicky Boje, also named in the scandal, is still evading questioning. Both of them had answered a detailed questionnaire put to them by the Delhi Police in 2004.

The South African had sought permission from his Cricket Board that he be allowed to join his teammates later in India since his lawyers were not available at an earlier date.

The team, which arrived on Sunday, is currently based in Mumbai and will play its first match of the Champions Trophy against New Zealand on October 16. (PTI)

Indian batsmen make merry in warm-up match

JAIPUR, Oct 11: Virender Sehwag slammed a century off 91 balls for India XI but ended up on the losing side in a warm-up match for the Champions Trophy at the Neerja Modi Ground here today.

The opposition comprised a few India players as well after the Indian think tank decided to mix the India XI and RCA XI squads to make the practice game more competitive.

Batting first, India XI scored a strong 296 for 5 in 50 overs but RCA XI, which had Mahendra Singh Dhoni (98) and Suresh Raina (78) in its ranks, overhauled the target, making 299 for 3 in 49.1 overs.

However, if the batting of the stars would have left the team management smiling, the form of Irfan Pathan with the ball is surely to give nightmares to Rahul Dravid and Co.

Pathan was spanked severely by the India XI batsmen, giving away 83 runs in 10 overs. He, however, did no harm to his reputation as a batsman, chipping in with a 49.

Harbhajan Singh also scored a cameo 26 not out to contribute to his side’s 7 wicket win.

Earlier, Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar (39) set off their side to a rollicking start. Sehwag was in more destructive mood though, slamming 13 boundaries and two sixes in his belligerent knock before retiring on 107.

Tendulkar, who struck 5 fours in his 45-ball knock, was caught by Pathan off Munaf Patel, who was the most impressive among the bowlers with figures of 10-1-43-3. (PTI)

PCB wants ICC assurance on team’s safety in India

KARACHI, Oct 11: Pakistan Cricket Board has asked the International Cricket Council to ensure its team’s security in India during the Champions Trophy in the wake of the threats from a Hindu nationalist party Shiv Sena.

A PCB official said the matter of the constant threats issued by the nationalist party had been taken up with the ICC as the safety of the players was paramount to the Board.

"We know every time our team has toured India this party has made such threats and tried to disrupt our games. But a threat is a threat and cannot be disregarded," the official told PTI.

He said the Board was in regular touch with its team management in India, which had conveyed that the players were comfortable and in good spirits despite the threats.

"We remain confident that the home board and ICC are aware of what needs to be done to keep our players comfortable and safe. We are monitoring the situation," he said.

The Shiv Sena, which has a stronghold in Mumbai where the Champions Trophy final is scheduled next month, dug up the pitch at the Feroze Shah Kotla ground in Delhi during Pakistan’s test series in 1999.

Shiv Sena leaders have called on the Indian Government not to allow the Pakistan team to play there in protest over the Mumbai train bombings after police claimed that the ISI in Pakistan was involved in the attacks.

Pakistan has toured India thrice since 1999 and last year played a full test series without any problems.

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad, who has travelled to India many times and also went there as coach in 1999, however, said Pakistani players should not be concerned with the threats from Shiv Sena.

"It is nothing new they do it to gain publicity. It happened in 1999 also but we were provided President-level state security and had no problems at all," Miandad said.

"When the Indian Government and board has cleared our participation in the Champions Trophy we should leave it up to them to take care of security matters," he said. (PTI)

Rest of India beat up by 9 wkts; clinch Irani Trophy

NAGPUR, Oct 11: The Rest of India completed an emphatic nine-wicket victory agains Ranji Trophy Champions Uttar Pradesh on the third day of their test match at Vidarbha Cricket Association ground here today.

Rest, who required 114 for a win this morning completed the formalities for their 18th title win in the championship with more than two days to spare.

Gautam Gambhir unbeaten on 64 alongwith Robin Uttappha’s 18, and later Venegopal Rao (two not out) ensured the rest’s victory in 68 minutes, after resuming at 45 for no loss this morning.

Overnight batsman skipper Wasim Jaffer did not resume his innings this morning due to a stomach injury sustained the previous evening against pace Praveen Kumar.

The only wicket to fall this morning was that Robin Uttappa, who held out to Avinash Yadav off Praveen Kumar.

Gambhir looked in fine nick, executing three consecutive boundaries of pacemen S Srivastava and eventually settled down to see his side through to victory.

Sudhir Dabir, Vice President VCA, gave away the trophy to the Rest of India skipper W Jaffer.

Brief scores: UPCA - 148 and 166

Rest of India: 201 and 115 for 1 in 22.3 overs (Gautam Gambhir 64 not out, Venugopal Rao 2 not out, Robin Utthappa 15; Praveen Kumar 1/50). (PTI)

PCB should cancel contracts of
indisciplined players: Miandad

KARACHI, Oct 11: Former captain Javed Miandad wants Pakistan Cricket Board to cancel the central contracts of those players who have been guilty of indiscipline and fetched a bad name to the country.

Referring to recent incidents like the Oval test fiasco, Younis Khan’s flip-flop on captaincy and players’ complaints about their positions in batting order, Miandad said it was obvious the players did not deserve the central contracts.

"The central contracts appear to have no meaning for the players. In other countries such contracts bind a player to the discipline and code of conduct of the board concerned in return for a monthly salary besides match fees," he told PTI today.

The PCB has awarded contracts to around 20 players with those in the top grade getting a monthly salary of Rs 250,000.

"Now it transpires that Inzamam-ul-Haq refused to listen to advice from our board officials to carry on play in the oval test. Than Younis Khan decides all of a sudden to relinquish the captaincy. These incidents show the discipline needs to be improved in the team," Miandad said.

"Nowhere else can players do such things and get away with it," he added.

Zaheer Abbas, Pakistan Team Manager in England, confirmed that he himself, then PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan, and other Board officials had tried to convince Inzamam to carry on the playing in the Oval test but he refused to listen to them. Younis last week resigned from the captaincy for the Champions Trophy saying he did not want to be a "dummy captain". He was reinstated two days later by the new PCB Chairman Dr. Nasim Ashraf.

"When such things happen in a cricket set-up the discipline is bound to suffer. The powers of players need to be curtailed. The board must give full authority to the manager to control things," Miandad said.

The veteran of 122-tests, who coached the national team on three occasions, also pointed out to all rounder Shahid Afridi telling reporters in Delhi that team management should inform him at least a day in advance which position they planned to play him at.

"What is this? why should afridi say this to the press. These are things best discussed at the team meetings not in public. It shows the players have no idea of what responsibilities come with the central contracts awarded to them."

Miandad said he also wanted to bat at number four during Imran Khan’s captaincy but the team management had other plans.

"I told them if they don’t want me to at bat at number four they should not play me. But this thing never came out in the press, it was resolved within the team," he said.

The former skipper had no doubt that the events before the team’s departure for India would have an effect on their performances in the Champions Trophy. (PTI)

Kartar Memorial Club beat Churchill Brothers

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 11: Kartar Memorial Club today defeated Churchill Brothers by 2-0 in the ongoing Shatra Shaheed Football Championship at GGM Science College grounds, here.

As defence of both the teams was very strong, none of them could score any goal till the first half of the match. But in the second half, Jatinder scored first goal in the 54th minute while second goal was scored by Jagvinder Singh in the 60th minute.

The match was officiated by Sudesh Kumar, David Massih, Ketan Kumar and Vijay Kumar.

The second match between Vijay Club and Christan Star could not be played as Christan Star didn’t turn up as a result of which Vijay Club got walkover.

Tomorrow, Jammu Sports A will take on International Club and Young Rovers will lock horns with Young Star.

State Sqay teams selected

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 11: Jammu and Kashmir Sqay Association has selected 44 players in sub junior, junior and senior boys and girls categories to represent State in forthcoming Sqay National Championship scheduled to be held at Maharashtra.

According to president of the Association Mukhtar-ul-Aziz, State Association is going to conduct 21 days coaching at Pampore for the selected players from December 4, 2006.

The selected players include Burshan Bashir, Arsalan, Nadeem Sidiq, Haseeb Manzoor, Insha, Salama Zakir, Aysha, Tajmul Hameed, Table-ul-Mursa, Rouf Mohiuddin, Mohd Ashraf Bhat, Insha, Andleeb Afzal, Asiya Rahim, Talib Hussain, Muzaffar, Nazir Ahmad, Nisar Ahmad, Nusrar Wani, Shugfta Mehraj, Mudasar Bashir, Yasmeena, Sharafat Amin, Sobqat, Syed Dawar, Bisma Zahoor, Nila Khanam, Towkeera, Bisma, Zubir Malik, Inshad Hussain, Sahil Thakur, Tabinda Wani, Simran Yousaf, Omisa Nazir, Farha Sajad, Mohd Altaf, Basharat Ahmad, Mudasar Ahmed, Irfan Rangraz, Sakeena, Masrat Wani, Rukaya Mohiuddin and Nighat.