Woolmer lives on in Bollywood!
JUST WHEN most cricket fans thought the buzz around Bob Woolmer had subsided, an Indian film-maker has incorporated the Pakistan cricket coach's mysterious death into his new film.
Jannat (Hindi for Paradise) is the title of the film which was recently released in India. It is the brainchild of Mahesh Bhatt, one of the leading lights in the Indian film industry, popularly known as Bollywood.
Revealed plans for movie
Mahesh, who Indian film critics say is known for his 'sensitive human dramas', spoke of his plans to make a movie on cricket last year. It would have romance (typical of Bollywood flicks) with the intrigue of the game (match-fixing, a dead coach) thrown in for good measure.
"I'm definitely making the film on the entire Woolmer episode though we will not name him anywhere in the story," Bhatt was quoted by Indian media as saying last year. "We are using a fictional situation, but the people will see the obvious connection."
Jannat opened early this month to mixed reviews but reports out of India say audience response has been good.
"Jannat lacks the resonance and staying power of some of Bhatt's earlier films," read one review on India's NewKerala.com website.
Found unconscious
Woolmer, 58, was found unconscious in his room at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on March 18, 2007, one day after Pakistan were eliminated from the World Cup in a shock defeat to Ireland at Sabina Park.
His death triggered a wave of speculation. Some say he was killed by bookmakers from India or Pakistan who blamed him for Pakistan's early exit.
Initially, Jamaica's government pathologist, India-born Dr Ere Sheshaiah, said Woolmer was strangled. Three pathologists from Canada, Britain and South Africa said the former England player died of natural causes.
In November, a coroner's inquest returned an open verdict in the case.
(c) Copyright 1997-2008 Gleaner Company Ltd.
ICC committee recommends referral system in Tests
Dubai (PTI): Umpiring in cricket is all set for a major revamp with the ICC Cricket Committee recommending a referral system in Tests and introduction of the hawk eye technology for deciding LBWs.
"Each team should be limited to a maximum of three unsuccessful referrals per innings," the ICC said in a statement after the conclusion of a two-day meeting of the committee here.
"The process should take the form and order of: on-field umpire gives his decision; affected batsman or fielding sides captain asks the umpire to review that decision; the on-field umpire(s) and third umpire consult; the on-field umpire gives his final decision," it added.
On the introduction of Hawk-Eye for making leg-before decisions, the committee recommended that the third umpire should be allowed to use the technology to determine the actual path of the ball.
"... Hawk Eye technology could be used by the third umpire but only for the purposes of determining the actual path of the ball up until the point that it struck the batsman and not the predictor function of the technology," the statement read.
A Test series would be used to trial the new proposals after they are approved by the Chief Executives' Committee (CEC).
If that approval is forthcoming, then the decisions can be ratified at the ICC Board. Both the CEC and the ICC Board are scheduled to meet here from June 29.
(c) The Hindu 2008
Cricket: Ghana Faces Expulsion
Ghana cricket hit an all-time high last week when the national team won the 2nd International Cricket Council (ICC) - Africa Cricket Council (ACC) Zone III World Cup Tournament in South Africa thereby gaining qualification to play in the second tier of world cricket, the Associate Level.
Ghana by this feat gains qualification to play in the next Associate level tournament in Zambia come August this year.
But in spite of that feat achieved by the cricket team, chairman of the Ghana Cricket Association (GCA), Mr. Prince Vanderpuye-Orgle is not a happy man.
This is because after years hard work to achieve this feat, Ghana is set to automatically lose its membership due to her inability to meet certain requirements of the ICC and ACC.
According to laid down requirements of the sport's governing body, for a country to be a full member at that level she must have a running cricket league at the juvenile and senior level between at least eight teams, have at least four international standard cricket Ovals capable of hosting an 8-team international tournament or more and also have a good administration that will see to the day to day administration of the sport.
After meeting all these laid down requirements, a country qualifies to receive a $75.000 grant every year from ICC to aid in the development of the sport in that country. Members at the affiliate level including Ghana at the moment enjoys a $1.000 and pays affiliation fee of $1,000 grant leaving the association with nothing to develop the game.
In an interview with the Times Sports Mr.Vanderpuye-Orgle stated that apart from running a juvenile league of 14 teams in the country, Ghana does not meet any of the requirements of the ICC. 'There is no office for the association. The association's work is done by the executives in their private homes and offices and this does not augur well for the good of the game'.
According to the chairman, the association had an office before the refurbishment of the Ohene Djan stadium for the Nations Cup but since its completion they have not been allocated an office and this is making the running of the game very difficult.
Mr. Vanderpuye-Orgle recounted a recent experience in South Africa where the association was criticised for running an entirely one-man show and this allegation nearly led to Ghana's expulsion from the cricket council, adding 'it took a difficult time for the ICC board members to accept the explanation'.
He therefore called on the head of the National Sports Council Mr. Prince Oduro-Mensah and the sports ministry to help them get an office and at least two international standard cricket Ovals while they seek for corporate sponsorship to build the other two and other infrastructure.
Meanwhile the association has taken delivery of some equipment from its Australian and South African partners and will soon distribute them to eight selected Senior High Schools in the Central and Greater Accra Regions to promote the sport.
(c) newtimesonline
Work progresses at Sir Viv Cricket Grounds
Work is progressing swiftly and smoothly at the nation's top sporting facility, the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds ahead of the big clash between world champions Australia and the West Indies at the end of next month.
The stadium, which hosted super eight matches during last year's ICC Cricket World Cup, will once again become the centre of attraction when the second Digicel Test Match gets on the way at the world renowned facility. The main effort being undertaken at this time is the complete relaying of the drainage system as well as resurfacing parts of the playing area.
Chairman of the world class venue, Zorol Barthley, is pleased with the work being done on the grounds and said many of the previous problems have been addressed.
The businessman and former cricket operations officer of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said there is no need for fear regarding drainage and hopes the public comes out in full force to support the host territory in its quest to triumph over the Aussies.
Looking back at last year's ICC Cricket World Cup, Barthley said the series of embarrassments which occurred during cricket's global showpiece will not happen this time around since the company in charge of the project, Terra Forma was also responsible for many of the venues used during the 2007 event in the Caribbean.
Barthley was full of praises for the Cricket World Cup Antigua Inc for undertaking the project but said that it's a pity that the profits generated from the seven-week long tournament is now being used to do work on one of the venues a full year after the contest got on the way.
However, Barthley is optimistic that they will meet their objectives and complete the work in time for the Test match and also be ready and up to standard for the FIFA World Cup qualifier between Antigua and Barbuda and Cuba on 15 June. The West Indies-Australia clash will bowl off on 30 May and climax on 3 June.
(c) SUN Printing & Publishing LTD 2003-2008
Revolution in a tale of eight cities?
In the late 70s when Kerry Packer added colour and his World Series Cricket changed the game's contours, India was a cricket nonentity. The Indian board issued a diktat to stay away from it but not even a handful of players were approached by the organisers, then on the wrong side of the establishment.
Following whims of the power that causes change, cricket's third world country then is now the one which calls the shots. Friday, the 18th will mark the beginning of the second such show that could perhaps change the way we look at the sport. If it has to thrive though, several windows in the international calendar will have to be opened since in its present routine, the IPL can't coexist with the Future Tours Programme.
That doesn't make the start any less interesting. Eager to experience it first hand and to figure out which way things are headed, journalists from different generations and different countries have assembled here. The sight of cheer girls in tiny attires evoked mixed reactions but since it hasn't even started, nobody is risking a conclusion yet.
In a way it's still difficult to believe that such a Twenty20 show is actually taking place in India. Not that it was unknown to Indians but it was unwanted till recently. India was the last country to accept that every ICC member nation has to take part in the inaugural T20 World Cup and even when a team sans the stalwarts went to South Africa, there was little more than curiosity.
Thanks to India's dramatic triumph and helped significantly by Yuvraj Singh's six sixes in an over, curiosity climaxed into hysteria before finding a way to become a gala business venture. One where players were auctioned for astronomical sums and stakeholders sold million dollar dreams. Some are saying it's not cricket, many are keeping fingers crossed, while there is also a lot that can't wait for it to start. For all of them, it's a question of waiting a little more.
Almost exactly a year after the most drab and dreadful World Cup in history, here is something that has the potential to revolutionise the commerce of cricket. Since the balance sheet is going to matter as much if not more than the scoreboard, it is appropriate that this 44-day road show ends in Mumbai. Given the city's contribution to the game, it is also appropriate from a cricket point of view.
By then we'll know whether sipping this never-before cocktail was worth it.
(c) Hindustan Times
All-rounder Lorgat to bat for world cricket
CAPE TOWN cricket luminary Haroon Lorgat was appointed by the International Cricket Council as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on Friday, 4 April.
Lorgat begins a three year term as the new head of world cricket in July. He was selected to the top ICC position soon after Imtiaz Patel of South Africa withdrew his candidature. The 47-year-old cricket administrator takes over as the ICC's third CEO when Malcolm Speed's term ends.
Lorgat served the game in an official capacity after retiring as a player.
A Primrose Cricket Club member in the Western Province Cricket Association, Lorgat served as a WPCA administrator and as Convener of Selectors for Cricket South Africa, until after 2007 ICC World Cup.
(c) 2001 TygerBurger
World Cup has been ideal preparation for next generation of great players
The ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup has been the ideal preparation for the next generation of international stars and the things they have learned in Malaysia over the past three weeks will stay with them forever, according to ICC President Ray Mali.
"This has been a great tournament for the players and very successful for the organisers," said Mr Mali. "When I look back over previous U/19 World Cups the first thing to come to mind is the quality of the players that have come to the fore in the senior global game having first played in this tournament. Inzamam-ul-Haq, Brian Lara, Yuvraj Singh, Graeme Smith, Sanath Jayasuriya and many other fine players began their international careers on this stage.
"I wonder who will be the stars that will emerge from this event. There have been some wonderful performances from the likes of India's Virat Kohli, South Africa's Wayne Parnell, Tim Southee of New Zealand, Sachith Pathirana from Sri Lanka, Michael Hill of Australia, Ali Asad from Pakistan and many, many more.
"I look forward to seeing those players and more from this event come through in the years to come.
"This event was designed to be a finishing school for these young cricketers. It was an opportunity for players to test their skills in a full ICC tournament environment against their peers from around the world and I think they have risen to that challenge.
"But it has been about more than that. The players have received education on matters of anti-corruption and anti-doping, they have learned how to cope with questions from the media and generally being in the spotlight. They have learned how to perform to the best of their ability in the midst of all the necessary distractions that go along with events like this. In short, this event has put them on the road to becoming well-rounded sportsmen.
"From that point of view I am especially delighted with how the event has gone. What these players have learned in Malaysia will stay with them for a long time to come.
Mr Mali paid tribute to the Malaysian Cricket Association, the local organising committee and ICC staff for staging what he described as an "outstanding" tournament. He particularly singled out the grounds staff at all the venues who worked so hard before and during the tournament.
He also thanked ICC's commercial partners, Reliance Mobile, Yahoo!, Fly Emirates, Reebok and Pepsi, and members of the media including the host broadcaster ESPN-STAR Sports for televising no fewer than 10 of the matches live around the world.
"The exciting matches, the progression, the learning, the team performances and the individual heroics we've seen within it, go to show just how hard these young players have worked and how far they have come," he said.
"Cricket in Malaysia has a long and proud history and the MCA can be very proud of the facilities it has here. The eyes of the cricketing world have been on Malaysia over the past couple of weeks and the organisers have pulled out all the stops to be superb hosts. I want to thank them most sincerely for the hospitality they have shown us all."
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