Bangladesh 'rebels' fail to meet with board

The Bangladesh Cricket Board was boosted after receiving pledges of support from several cricketers linked with the rebel Indian Cricket League, but the six players who retired on Sunday failed to appear at its headquarters as requested to discuss the situation.

The BCB had asked the six to meet with officials on Monday, but the Daily Star reported that none of them turned up. Former captain Habibul Bashar and wicketkeeper Dhiman Ghosh were believed to have left the country for India, while the exact whereabouts of the other four were not known.

The board claimed to have tried to contact them, but it emerged that they had only sent them text messages. "SMS is not a proper way to communicate with somebody," Shahriar Nafees, another of the six, told the newspaper. "Any board official is yet to give me a call and only a board employee rang me yesterday [Sunday]. I will only think about attending the meeting if the invitation comes in a proper way."

Inside sources suggested the board had privately conceded that the six could not be dissuaded from signing with the ICL and had decided to concentrate its efforts in preventing more joining them. To that end officials met with the remaining contracted players and made clear the consequences of joining the ICL, as well as highlighting the benefits of remaining in the fold.

"I think it's a personal choice," Shakib Al Hasan said. "But I am very much clear in my position. I want to play for my country and I believe everything will come in my way if I keep my position on the national side."

For a time there were also rumours that the six - Bashar, Ghosh, Nafees, Aftab Ahmed, Farhad Reza and Mosharraf Hossain - could be joined by Tamim Iqbal after it emerged that he had not attended the meeting. However, BCB officials were quick to point out that he was on an agreed break. There were also suggestions that Nazimuddin was also about to sign for the ICL and these grew after board officials admitted that he was "a suspect".

It is believed the BCB has been in contact with the ICC to discuss the legal ramifications of the breakaway, although nothing can be done until the rumours turn out to be fact.

No dearth of talent in Bengal, says Mohinder Amarnath

Calcutta: Mohinder Amarnath, consultant to the Bengal Ranji Trophy team, arrived in the city on Monday on what can be described as a tour of introduction to and assessment of the team and the infrastructure. Amarnath reached Eden Gardens in the evening and headed straight to the indoor gym where the Bengal players were going through the paces.

Sourav Ganguly was there too, but he missed Amarnath by a whisker; the former India captain leaving minutes before Amarnath’s arrival.

After his brief interaction with the players, he addressed a news conference where he spoke about the job at hand. A member of the World Cup winning team in 1983, he was characteristically optimistic about Bengal’s chances of a return to the Elite division. “Bengal have good cricketers. The present breed is ambitious and I’m sure they’ll do well. They are talented... I’ll share my experience with them, and try to spend as much time as I can away from my other commitments.”

The discussion then turned to the inevitable — Sourav and his exclusion from the Rest of India team for the Irani Trophy. The Comeback Man, as he was often referred to during his playing days, said that it was still early to write off India’s most successful Test captain. When asked whether he considered Sourav capable of making a return to the Test side he shot back saying: “Why do you say he won’t? The team’s not been announced yet.” He added that Sourav has seen enough and there is nothing new he could tell the embattled southpaw. “Sourav doesn’t need advise. He’s seen ups and downs. He’s a focused player and a determined man. I’m very hopeful he’ll be in the team.”

Talking of the team proper, he conceded that perhaps Bengal have fallen on hard times, but that is all in the game. Bengal have the raw material of talent to regain their lost stature and splendour. He went on to put the entire youth versus experience debate into perspective by saying that it bespeaks folly to take sides in this great divide, the current preoccupation of all teams.

He agreed that youth has its vigour and passion, but qualified this by saying that it is truer of the limited-overs game than of Test cricket. “You need a blend of youngsters and senior players. Age doesn’t make a difference if you are physically fit and perform well. Yes, but you should look ahead and constantly seek to improve.”

On whether he had any foreign player in mind for the Bengal team, he replied that home-grown talent that has been nurtured well negates the need for foreign signings. “I’ve no names in mind, honestly. If you have your own talent you don’t need foreign players. I’m sure Bengal has enough talent.”

On the question of selections and meeting the selectors he said that he would rather first meet the team, interact with the players, understand their strengths and weaknesses before coming to any conclusion.

On Jagmohan Dalmiya he said: “ I have the greatest regard for Dalmiya and when he contacted me I said yes. He has done a lot for the game. To be very honest if I’m here it’s because of Dalmiya.”

Hat-trick by Imran

NEW DELHI: Imran Ali pursues a simple theory when he holds the ball in his hand. “Line and length,” is the mantra and this 28-year-old seamer rocked Delhi with a six-wicket haul on the opening day of the Nissar Trophy match here on Monday.

His performance was laced with a hat-trick on an eventful day that saw Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) finish at 143 for six after skittling Delhi out for 134.

Play was extended as rain halted play in the afternoon. Exploiting the situation better than Delhi which elected to bat, Imran got the ball to seam and swing a bit but was aided by some aimless batting too by the home team.

“We knew (Virender) Sehwag was the main player,” confessed Imran and he was rewarded with his prize wicket in the second over of the day. Most Delhi batsmen were guilty of attempting expansive strokes and perishing.

Imran’s best came in for the afternoon when he scalped three in a row — Puneet Bisht, Chetnya Nanda and Pradeep Sangwan — as Delhi collapsed from 90 for two to a disappointing 134 all out. The resistance came from Virat Kohli, who made 52 off 83 balls with 11 fours and Mithun Manhas, who batted 52 balls for his 49 with nine fours.

SNGPL suffered an early blow when Yasir Arafat fell to Ashish Nehra in the third over but Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal batted sensibly to add 52 runs before Nehra got the breakthrough again.

Akmal batted fluently to craft a 73-ball 58 with nine fours but two quick strikes by leg-spinner Chetnya Nanda kept Delhi in the game. Nehra, bowling a tidy line, claimed one more wicket as SNGPL finished the day with a nine-run lead.

The scores:

Delhi — 1st innings: Aakash Chopra c Adnan Akmal b Asad Ali 4, Virender Sehwag b Imran Ali 0, Virat Kohli c Adnan Akmal b Asad Ali 52, Mithun Manhas c & b Imran Khalid 49, Rajat Bhatia c Adnan Akmal b Asad Ali 1, Mayanak Tehlan c Adnan Akmal b Imran Ali 0, Puneet Bisht lbw b Imran Ali 0, Chetnya Nanda b Imran Ali 0, Pradeep Sangwan lbw b Imran Ali 0, Ashish Nehra (not out) 4, Ishant Sharma lbw b Imran Ali 8; Extras (b-5, lb-9, nb-2): 16. Total (in 36.3 overs): 134.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-4, 3-90, 4-107, 5-118, 6-118, 7-118, 8-118, 9-118.

SNGPL bowling: Asad Ali 14-5-32-3, Imran Ali 15.3-5-52-6, Adil Raza 4-0-21-0, Imran Khalid 3-0-15-1.

SNGPL — 1st innings: Mohammad Hafeez c G. Chhabra (sub) b Nehra 28, Yasir Arafat lbw b Nehra 0, Umar Akmal b Nanda 58, Azhar Shafiq lbw b Sangwan 22, Misbah ul Haq b Nanda 9, Khurram Shahzad (batting) 4, Adnan Akmal lbw b Nehra 14, Imran Khalid (batting) 7; Extras (lb-1) 1. Total (for six wickets in 38 overs): 143.

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-59, 3-99, 4-113, 5-118, 6-133.

Delhi bowling: Nehra 10-3-36-3, Ishant Sharma 11-2-50-1, Pradeep Sangwan 9-1-51-1, Rajat Bhatia 4-2-4-0, Chetnya Nanda 3-2-1-2.

Symonds declares he will play on

Andrew Symonds has confirmed he wants to fight back into the Australia side following his axing from the squad in Darwin last month. Symonds joined his Queensland team-mates at training in Brisbane on Tuesday and declared his intentions to return to top-level cricket.

"I'm going through the process of trying to improve and become not only a better cricketer but a better person," Symonds told AAP. "I'm looking forward to the challenge of taking up cricket again for my club, state and country, hopefully."

Symonds was unable to say when he would play again but he apologised to his team-mates, his family and cricket fans for his behaviour this year. Apart from a brief prepared statement a fortnight ago it was the first time Symonds had spoken publicly since he was sent home from Darwin, where he went fishing when he should have been at a team meeting.

That was the latest in a string of minor incidents that caused concerns in the Australia squad over his commitment to the team. There was speculation that he could permanently walk away from the national side and instead focus on his seven-figure IPL deal.

He was not considered for the upcoming Test tour of India but his latest words give Australia hope that he could be back in the national setup soon. Symonds said he had learned from his errors and wanted to improve his attitude off the field.

"I apologise for some of the things I've done over the last little bit," he said. "Hopefully I'll come out of it a better person and not make those mistakes in the future."

Australia to go ahead with India tour after bombings

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia will go ahead with their four-test tour of India after a security review following a series of bombings in New Delhi, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Tuesday. CA said on Sunday it would be reviewing security arrangements in India after five bombs went off in the capital on Saturday, killing at least 20 and injuring more than 90 others.

"Our advice is there are some concerns and to exercise caution, but currently they do not compromise the tour," CA public affairs manager Peter Young said in a statement on the organisation's website (wwww.cricket.com.au).

Young said the organisation would upgrade security for the senior team and the Australia A side which is currently in India.

"In consultation with the BCCI (Indian board), we have upgraded security in and around the dressing rooms and they will have an escort to the ground," Young said.

"Australia A players have also been told not to leave the hotel without good reason. It's just a matter of prudence."

The test side are due to leave Australia on Sunday and start the tour with warm-up matches in Jaipur and Hyderabad.

Both cities have been the targets of bombings within the past 13 months.

The first test begins in Bangalore, which was also the site of a bomb attack in July, on October 9.

The third test begins in Delhi on October 29.