Global Sport

The 185-year-old lime tree at Kent’s County headquarters at Canterbury was diagnosed with a fungus during a routine visit by tree surgeons and will either fall down or be cut down in 10 years.

Yet this familiar sight to cricketers from all over the world since the St Lawrence Ground opened 152 years ago is to retain a part of its charm and tradition. A semi-mature, 20-foot tall lime is to be planted next month close to the original but outside the boundary so it will be ready to replace its predecessor. Kent secretary Stuart Anderson said: “The new tree’s roots will be encased in a large ball so it can grow to about 60 feet and allow it to be moved by a heavy-duty crane to the site of the original.”

Fleming back for SA Tour

WELLINGTON: New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming is likely to return to the team in six weeks after surgery torepair a groin injury, New Zealand cricket said today.

That would enable Fleming to play in the second Test against South Africa in his home town of Christchurch. Fleming had suffered groin pain for almost a year and was forced from the field during New Zealand’s one-day international series with India.

Orthopaedic surgeon Paul Armour said in a statement that surgery on a small tear in a tendon in Fleming’s right groin had gone well. New Zealand batsman Nathan Astle was also expected to have a plaster cast removed from his left hand on Monday.

Lankan minister laments heckling of Murali

CANBERRA: Sri Lankan Foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar today said he was very disappointed at the hostile reception controversial Sri Lankan bowler Muttiah Muralitharan had received in Australia.

Yesterday, Sri Lankan cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga revealed that Muralitharan may not tour Australia again because of the adverse publicity and crowd heckling the spin bowler has received as a result of hisunusual bowling action.

“I always am sad to see a sportsman who is trying to do his best on the field getting a really rough handling from a foreign crowd,” Kadirgamar told reporters at an official luncheon here.

FIFA moots tough stance in wake of Olympic scandal

MOSCOW: FIFA will lay down strict rules to countries bidding to host the 2006 World Cup finals to avoid the sort of scandal over bribery that has rocked the Olympic movement, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said.

Blatter said: “Definitely we are looking at this matter, especially now, for the World Cup in 2006,” he said in a telephone interview from Zurich ahead of a weekend visit to Moscow. “We will issue very strict guidelines or instructions to the bidding committees,” he said, adding that they would be published once the formal bidding process got under way.

Eight countries — Brazil, England, Egypt, Germany, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa — have all announced their intention to bid for the 2006 finals. Thedecision on where they will be held will be taken by the FIFA executive in March 2000.