Australia focus on Test record

Australia will hope to put the acrimony of recent days behind them as they chase a world record 17th straight Test win against India this week. Batsman Michael Clarke said the home team were "keen as mustard" to get back on the field after the fall-out of the second Test in Sydney.

Bucknor: Honourable man who made honest mistakes

Steve Bucknor looks a weary man. Hardly surprising, of course, given the delinquency that surrounded him and Mark Benson in the course of five days in Sydney. Now that he has been jettisoned from officiating in Perth's third Test between Australia and India and, taking the positive view, he can at least put his feet up for a few days and watch.

Indian tour of Australia back on schedule

India's cricketers arrived in Canberra on Wednesday hoping to put the drama of the past week behind them and resume playing after being cleared to continue their troubled tour of Australia. The tour was suspended for two days when the Indian board ordered the players to remain in Sydney.

Indian cricketers arrive in Canberra

India resumed its cricket tour of Australia on Wednesday, arriving in Canberra two days behind schedule after the International Cricket Council brokered a peace settlement. The Indians are in the Australian capital for Thursday's tour match against an Australian Capital Territory XI.

Australia tour to continue, say India

India's cricket tour of Australia will go ahead as scheduled despite racism and umpiring rows, the Indian cricket board announced on Tuesday. "The working committee of the Indian board took note of all relevant circumstances and developments and decided that Indian team's tour to Australia should continue for the present," the board said.

Bucknor dumped as ICC bows to India

West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor has been dropped for next week's third Test between Australia and India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday. ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed told a news conference that New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden would stand in the West Indian's place.

Crisis in world cricket

International cricket officials were on Monday night locked in intense negotiations to try to resurrect India's tour of Australia after allegations of racism against one of the tourists' leading players threatened to plunge the game into crisis. The Australians allege that Singh called Symonds a "monkey" in a heated exchange during the second Test in Sydney.

Harbhajan to answer racial-abuse allegations

India spinner Harbhajan Singh faces a charge of racial abuse against Australian player Andrew Symonds under the International Cricket Council's code of conduct, the ICC said on Saturday. The citing follows an alleged incident during Friday's third day of the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

No need to panic, says Arthur

There is no need to panic, insisted Proteas cricket coach Mickey Arthur after South Africa's humiliating 128-run defeat by the West Indies on Saturday afternoon. "We've won four Test series in a row," said Arthur after the team practice at Newlands on Monday. "We intend to win this one too."

New coach seeks answers from weak Windies

Australian coach John Dyson says he needs to sit down with the West Indian players and quickly discover why they are underachieving in world cricket, reports said on Saturday. The former Test opening batsman coach leaves Sydney for the Caribbean on Monday to take up his appointment as the new West Indies coach.

SA gain on Australia in one-day rankings

South Africa are edging closer to Australia at the top of the International Cricket Council one-day international (ODI) rankings and now lie just four points behind the leaders following a 2-1 series victory over New Zealand. Graeme Smith's team began the series on 123 rating points, five adrift of Australia.

Muralitharan reclaims wicket world record

Sri Lanka off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took his 709th Test wicket on Monday to move to the top of the list above Australian Shane Warne. Muralitharan bowled England's Paul Collingwood for 45 shortly before lunch on the third day of the first Test, sparking wild celebrations in Kandy.

New Twenty20 League ready to roll in India

West Indies batting great Brian Lara leads the star parade at a rebel Twenty20 League that kicks off on Friday in India after stirring up a storm with officialdom. The inaugural Indian Cricket League, fronted by India's own cricketing legend Kapil Dev, will be played at Panchkula, an industrial town on the outskirts of the northern Indian city of Chandigarh.

Umpire Koertzen out of Sri Lanka-England series

Umpire Rudi Koertzen, who angered Sri Lankans this month for wrongly giving Kumar Sangakkara out on 192, has been withdrawn from the England Tests, officials said on Tuesday. South African Koertzen (58) was due to stand in the three-Test series between Sri Lanka and England starting in Kandy on Saturday.

Zim participation in SA franchise cricket finalised

Zimbabwe's participation in South African franchise cricket for the 2007/8 season has been finalised and details were released in Johannesburg on Wednesday by Cricket South Africa CEO Gerald Majola. In terms of an agreement, Zimbabwe will play as a seventh franchise in the MTN domestic championship and the Standard Bank Pro20 Series.

Steyn rockets up ICC player rankings

South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn has left his mark on the LG International Cricket Council (ICC) player rankings following his man-of-the-series performances against New Zealand. Steyn, who took 20 wickets in two matches against the Black Caps, has rocketed up to third in the latest listings for Test bowlers, a reflection of his recent potency.

Dispute hurts coverage of match in Australia

A Sri Lankan newspaper chose a graphic way to illustrate how a media rights dispute between Cricket Australia and the international news agencies is hurting its coverage of the series. Next to the report, in a space where a match photo would usually go, was a black figure in the shape of a batsman playing a stroke.

Woolmer inquest witness fears for her life

A key witness in the inquest into the death of cricket coach Bob Woolmer refused to testify on Wednesday, saying she had received telephone threats from members of the Indian community. Janitor Patricia Baker-Sinclair told the inquest that she saw Woolmer counting a large sum of US dollars in the stadium's dressing room.

Samuels to be probed over alleged bookie links

West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels will face an investigation by the national board over alleged links with a bookmaker during a one-day tour of India in January. The International Cricket Council said on Wednesday that investigation by its anti-corruption officials had found sufficient ground to ask the West Indies board to probe the issue further.

Jamaican pathologist defends Woolmer autopsy

The Jamaican government pathologist who performed an autopsy on Bob Woolmer defended his ruling that the Pakistan cricket coach was the victim of foul play in a testy exchange on Monday with an attorney representing the sport's governing body.

IN THIS WEEK'S PAPER

SUBSCRIBE:
- Paper edition
- iPad edition (NEW!)
- Kindle edition
- Digital edition


Read stories online

@mailandguardian - Top stories & newsflashes
@NicDawes - M&G editor Nic Dawes
@ChrisRoperZA - Editor, M&G Online
@amabhungane - M&G Centre for Investigative Journ
@mgfeed - Our whole news feed

Sponsored links

	Business travel experts		Flowers & gifts
	Domestic & Regional Airline		Bulk SMS gateway