ICC bans world cup officials

The last-minute drama in the world cup final was a shocking one. Very soon it was clear that none of the five officials conducting the game was aware of the basic rules as they asked the teams to keep playing even after the game was over. ICC has now decided to ban the officials for the entire duration of the twenty-20 world cup as a punishment for what they did in the one-day world cup. Steve Bucknor and Aleem Dar were the two field umpires, Rudi Koertzen and Billy Bowden were the reserve umpires and Jeff Crowe was the match referee.

I think it is fair that the umpires should be punished for that grave mistake but at the same time, is it fair to run the twenty-20 world cup without so many good umpires? It is only sad that the ICC appointed its best umpires to conduct the most important match in four years and they messed it up with some stupidity. I hope the remianing umpires do a good job in the twenty-20.

Reference: http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/twenty20wc/content/current/story/299277.html

Imran Farhat's father-in-law and PCB

This story is getting more and more interesting. Imran Farhat's father-in-law, Mohammad Ilyas, who also happens to be a former test batsman, is locking horns with the PCB to get his son-in-law into the team. It was in early May that we got news of Illyas stormed into the office of the selectors and threatened them for not selecting Farhat. Following that Farhat himself publicly expressed unhappiness over the selection. PCB immediately issued a warning to Farhat, put him under probation for six months. Then just a few days ago PCB banned Illyas from entering the home stadium of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for threatening the national selectors. So what does Illyas do? He decides to go on hunger strike over the ban. He is going on hunger strike starting from 25th of June to protest the ban.

Imran Farhat got his chances and could not do enough to keep his position in the team. With this kind of attitude, I doubt the selectors would be very keen to give him another chance in future. Mohammad Illyas played test cricket for Pakistan and has got some connections in the PCB. But trying to get Farhat in the team is something he sould stay away from. I am surprised that PCB did not take any legal actions against him for the threat.

Related and reference stories:
Imran Farhat's father-in-law in war with PCB selectors?
Imran Farhat punished
Pakistan opener Farhat fined for dissent
Ex-player Illyas banned from Pakistan HQ for threats
Former Pak Test cricketer to go on hunger strike

Lara coming back?

Brian Lara is considering a come back? I just hope that its true and that he comes back and that we get to a few more years of this magnificent batsman. Here is the hope: the story.

Ponting aims whitewash against India

Ponting wants to go 7-0 in the upcoming series against India. Great idea....why not. Looking at the recent performances of both team, 7-0 is likely. Australia is the best team in the world. They won every match in the world cup with ease and India exited the world cup in the very first round. So going by the current performances, we can say that its a bad mismatch. 7-0 is possible. But then the probability is low. Out of seven matches, India might win one. I mean the superstars of the Indian batting line up might click one or two matches.

The full story here.

I am trying to be as good as Sachin Tendulkar- Ponting

The Australians have never been short of words of praise for Indian batsmen and particularly Sachin Tendulkar. Here is another instance when the best batsman of the Australian team expresses his desire to be as good as Sachin Tendulkar.

"He is the best batsman I have seen and I am trying to be as good as him," he said. - Ricky Ponting

Sachin might not be in the best form of his life. But he has set very high standards of batting.
Story on cricketzone

Cricket explained by Hugo Weaving

Received this on e-mail. It sure is the funniest description of cricket I have ever heard:

Cricket is a game in which you have two sides,
one out on the field, and one in,
each man thats on the side thats in...goes out,
and when he's out, he comes back in,
and the next man goes in, until he is out.
When they're all out,
the side thats been in...goes out,
and tries to get those coming in, out.
When both sides have been in and out,
that's including the not outs,
thats the end of the game!

- Hugo Weaving, Bodyline, 1984