It’s important that the game moves on, says Kumble

[DesiChap]

KICK AND MAKE UP Boot for Bucknor, tour on with rider LOKENDRA PRATAP SAHI

Jan. 8: The International Cricket Council (ICC) today took big steps towards mollifying the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which is commercially indispensable for the sport. Late in the evening, after a two-hour working committee meeting in New Delhi, the BCCI responded by announcing that the tour of Australia would, for now, continue.

Accordingly, Anil Kumble and Co. will leave for Canberra at 10.30am (local time) tomorrow, 48 hours after their scheduled departure from Sydney. A statement released included: “The BCCI will review the tour and all other developments continuously.… The BCCI is of the categorical view that the (Harbhajan Singh) matter will have to be finally resolved and the unfair (racist) allegation against an Indian player be set aside/withdrawn....†If that’s not done, and “expeditiouslyâ€, then Team India will be directed to take the first flight home. There’s no ambiguity there. Incidentally, Harbhajan’s appeal against the Mike Procter-imposed three-Test ban, may actually be heard by a three-man panel instead of just one appeals commissioner. Confirmation should come within 24 hours. The ICC’s No.1 move centred around Steve Bucknor, who got removed from the third Test, scheduled in Perth from January 16. The Jamaican has been replaced by Billy Bowden, who isn’t the most efficient either. New Zealander Bowden, though, isn’t controversial. In other words, for the Indians, he doesn’t carry too much objectionable baggage. The ICC’s decision was made public eight hours before the working committee meeting. Enough time, then, for behind-the-scenes activity to ensure that Team India’s “operations†didn’t remain suspended indefinitely. Additionally, as was on the cards, the ICC accepted Harbhajan’s appeal against the Match Referee-inflicted punishment. If the appeal-related hearing isn’t completed by January 16 (as seems most likely), then the off-spinner will be allowed to play in the third Test. Harbhajan, in fact, can turn out till his appeal is disposed of. The BCCI didn’t directly call for action against Procter, but the ICC cut him to size by appointing Chief Referee Ranjan Madugalle as “facilitator†between captains Kumble and Ricky Ponting in the lead-up to Perth. Unprecedented, it’s actually a show of lack of confidence in Procter and it won’t surprise if he cites personal reasons and goes home.

The ICC explained its steps as “practical†and though chief executive Malcolm Speed claimed Bucknor hadn’t been replaced because of a “representation from any team or individualsâ€, nobody needs to guess why. “It’s the result of a dialogue between mature people both within the ICC and the BCCI,†said a well-placed source of The Telegraph. It’s, perhaps, significant that the BCCI played a key role in ensuring that South African Ray Mali succeeded compatriot Percy Sonn as the ICC president when the latter passed away in May last year. In a related development, the ICC has accepted India’s complaint against Brad Hogg and Australia’s No.1 spinner is in the dock for abusing Kumble and M.S. Dhoni. The hearing will be held before the third Test and Hogg has been charged under the same provisions which applied to Harbhajan. While the BCCI has reasons to gloat, it erred in only targeting Bucknor when Englishman Mark Benson made more blunders. Benson doesn’t have a role in the last two Tests, but could be back in an India match sooner rather than later. What then?

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080109/jsp/frontpage/story_8760938.jsp

[DesiChap]

It’s important that the game moves on, says Kumble It’s important that the game moves on, says Kumble A CORRESPONDENT

Canberra: Anil Kumble said on arrival here on Wednesday that the game was larger than individuals and hoped that the crisis emanating from the Sydney Test was a thing of the past. The tour was suspended for two days when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ordered the players to remain in Sydney till the three-Test ban on Harbhajan Singh was revoked. There were fears that the tour could be called off before the International Cricket Council (ICC) bowed to pressure and made a number of significant concessions which satisfied the BCCI for the time time being. “Cricket is larger than individuals and I respect that… It’s important that the game moves on,†Kumble told reporters on arrival here for the tour match against ACT XI. “The focus for us is to ensure that we get the best possible out of this game,†he said on the eve of the three-day match. Match Referee Mike Procter found Harbhajan Singh guilty of making a racist remark at Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds and was banned for three Tests. The Indian has denied the charges and lodged an appeal, as a result of which the off-spinner would be eligible to play the third Test beginning in Perth on January 16. The BCCI stood by its players and suspended tour operations, demanding that the ICC clear Harbhajan. The Indian board only agreed to continue with the tour after the ICC removed West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor from the Perth Test and named Billy Bowden as his replacement. Harbhajan will be allowed to play till his appeal had been heard. Kumble revealed that he tried to persuade his Australian counterpart to not proceed with a formal complaint against Harbhajan and suggested that the matter be resolved between the teams because he feared it could spiral into a larger issue. “When that incident happened, I did make a request to Ricky that it should be handled, if it can be sorted out, whatever… His response was that it had already been reported. “Having played cricket for this long, I knew such an allegation would definitely spiral into a larger issue,†Kumble said. The leg-spinner also felt Harbhajan would be cleared of the charge. “It is a serious charge. From what I gathered from my two teammates who were on the field (Harbhajan and Sachin Tendulkar), that remark was never made. People believe that a word was said, which was not said. “The entire team is together on this issue and has really backed him. I am really proud of that fact and I’d like to thank the BCCI for fully backing us. “An appeal has been made, so we are hopeful of getting the right decision… there’s a procedure which will take its time,†Kumble said. The BCCI also patted Kumble for maintaining his dignity amid the Sydney test chaos. “Kumble has been wonderful as captain and he presented himself in a very dignified manner in Sydney,†it said. Reacting to ICC chief referee Ranjan Madugalle’s appointment as a “facilitator†to assist the two captains in the lead-up to the Perth Test, the India captain said: “It’s an ICC decision. We have had good relationship with everyone and I have no problem in interacting with anybody.†About Bucknor’s removal from the Perth Test, Kumble said it was a decision taken by the ICC following a letter issued by the BCCI. “At the end of the day, if you have to ask questions to the umpires, you have to bowl to the right areas and bowl well. We hope we’ll bowl well and be able to ask questions to the umpires in Perth,†he said. Kumble, however, refused to comment on the Brad Hogg issue, only saying that “we’ll wait till the case is heard (before the third Test)â€. The India captain also expressed a desire to meet Ponting to clear differences, insisting he didn’t hold any grudge against the Australian players. Admitting he was upset by some of the actions of the Australian players during the second Test, Kumble made it clear that his comment that only India had played the game in the right spirit in Sydney, was meant for that match alone. “Whatever happened was only meant for the Sydney game… I have great respect and regard for all the players who play for Australia. It’s just one of those incidents which everybody had seen. If some thought I had made a biased comment, there’s a poll (in Australia) which backed it.†Kumble believed it was high time the captains addressed the need to maintain the game’s spirit together. “It’s important that Ricky and I sit together and address it… On the behalf of my team, I can give an assurance that we will play in the right spirit,†he said.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080110/jsp/sports/story_8764898.jsp

[DesiChap]

We really need to buck up, says Kumble - Harbhajan episode and umpiring blunders: the aftermath We really need to buck up, says Kumble

- Harbhajan episode and umpiring blunders: the aftermath Canberra: Team India middle order batsman Yuvraj Singh, after failing in successive Test matches, found moral and technical support from maestro Sachin Tendulkar who spent quite a while at nets with the left-hander on Wednesday.

With captain Anil Kumble opting out, his deputy Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead the side in the three-day warm-up match against the Australian Capital Territory XI, starting at the Manuka Oval on Thursday. Speaking to the reporters on Wednesday, Kumble said he hoped the practice tie would give his struggling batsmen “a good opportunity” to strike form. “We have been in Australia for about three weeks and some guys still haven’t had a hit in the middle… It’s important we get the best out of this game,” Kumble said when asked about Yuvraj’s form. “We really need to buck up… It’s important for us that whoever has not been among runs gets some runs here. This is a good opportunity. We’re actually away from a real pressure situation. Canberra will provide the right kind of environment where you can relax and focus on the game,” the leg-spinner pointed out. “We need to be on top of our game to beat Australia. We have done that in patches in the series. There have been occasions when we had chances to be on top; We had a chance to draw the last game also (in Sydney)… I am hopeful the guys will grab the opportunity here before the start of the third Test,” Kumble added. Having stayed put in Sydney for a couple of days, India reached Canberra on Wednesday morning. The Indians had nets for about a couple of hours after reaching the Australian capital. There was however a twist to the drama when Kumble & Co. left Sydney. According to reports, the team bus grazed past a Mercedes Benz while leaving the Radisson Hotel. The Indian team management, however, denied that any such incident took place. It has been learnt that Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Pankaj Singh and V.R.V. Singh will get a chance in the warm-up match. In that case, senior pros Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly may also skip the match. “We are yet to think about the composition, but it will not be full strength. There’s a possibility that it will be a 12-member team where 11 can play but somebody may bat on a bowler’s behalf,” Kumble said. The hosts will be led by Mark Higgs. According to another report, the Indians had thought about wearing black armbands as a mark of protest in the warm-up match, but later abandoned the idea. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080110/jsp/sports/story_8764879.jsp

[Guest BossBhai]

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[DesiChap]

earth to Y4C :giggle:

No wonder Y4C has been tadipaar:hysterical:

[Guest dada_rocks]

He wasn;t this bad man handled murali with aplomb and looked as if he has tightened his defence ,, hope tendu teaches him a thing or two.. Jaffar otoh is limited he is hopeless case again aussies bring him back for the next series but for this series sehwag is must ,, I tend to go on what-if conjectures viz a viz sehwag and sydney..... Please please bring sehwag back drop jaffar let yuvraj play he will come good it's bouncy strip anyway suits him.. Harbhajan makes way for praveen kumar or pathan..

[Guest BossBhai]

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[Chandan]

62.2Perera to Yuvraj Singh, OUT, outside the off stump, Yuvraj moves back and across and wafts it in the air to gully, where Cowan takes an easy catch Seriously speaking, this guy is useless here and it is a big problem in this tour. I wish we had brought Badri here too to test him!!!