PCB pulls a fast one on BCCI by willing to undertake tour to India

Gen Zia was, however, confident that the Indian team would eventually be able to visit Pakistan for the three-month tour, which begins in December.Gen Zia said he had discussed the proposed tour during his talkswith Mr Muthiah yesterday on the sidelines of the ACF meeting. Gen Zia did not agree with a suggestion that it would be the end of the road as far as cricket links between India and Pakistan were concerned in case India were unable to undertake the tour. 8220;These things are temporary.8221;

Ganguly scores ton
LONDON: Saurav Ganguly scored a brilliant century as Lancashire scored a 10-run victory over Somerset in the National League First Division match at Old Trafford on Wednesday. The win gave Lancashire, last season8217;s champions, slim hopes of avoiding the ignominy of relegation of Division II for next season.

Without Michael Atherton, Andrew Flintoff and John Crawley, who withdrew because of stomach complaint, Ganguly and Neil Fairbrother shouldered a huge burden.

Ganguly and Fairbrother responded with pivotal partnership adding 129 runs in 19 overs for the third wicket.

In scoring his second century in four National League matches, Ganguly sailed past 500 runs for the season. He has now scored six half-centuries in 12 innings.

Fairbrother8217;s cameo fifty came from 47 balls and included two sixes and five fours. In the process, he laid the foundation for a comfortable Lancashire success.

Brief scores: Lancashire 236-4 wkts in 45 overs S Ganguly 102, N Fairbrother 62, Jarvis 2-48 bt Somerset 226-8 in 45 overs J Cox 110, M Lathwell 53, Austin 2-34, Schofield 2-47.

Bradman appeal turned down
ADELAIDE: Sir Donald Bradman has lost an appeal to stop local businesses, including a sex shop, using his name after a bid to honour him in his home town backfired. Mayor John Trainer said the West Torrens local council had been forced to reject a personal appeal from Bradman, arguably the greatest cricketer ever, to scrap a plan to name the road from Adelaide8217;s airport to the city Sir Donald Bradman drive.

8220;Council had very firm legal advice that we would be liable for compensation to all those businesses that have8230;Got ready for the name change and altered all their stationery, telephone entries, etc,8221; trainer told Reuters on Thursday. West Torrens Council planned to rename the road to honour Bradman who had a Test average of 99.94 runs on his retirement. But the move sparked controversy when a local businesswoman wanted to rename her restaurant Bradman8217;s cafe on the drive.

Trainer said he believed the move by a sex shop on the road to register the name Erotica on Bradman was 8220;the final straw8221; for Bradman, who turned 92 last month. The name change is due to take effect from January one, 2001.8220;It8217;s more complicated than people think,8221; Trainer said. 8220;They say oh why can8217;t you stop it8217;. Well you can8217;t, it8217;s happened.8221; Trainer would not release details of bradman8217;s appeal out of respect for the reclusive sportsman, who has not commented publicly on the row.

But Trainer said he had offered to pay the sex shop8217;s registration costs if they dropped the Bradman name and would write to local businesses asking them to demonstrate 8220;civic responsibility8221;.

Bangladesh ready8217;
DHAKA: Test rookies Bangladesh are mentally and phsically ready for the upcoming International Cricket Conference ICC knock-out tournament in Kenya, skipper Naimur Rahman said on Thursday. 8220;We have all put in our best during the past weeks in practice, we really worked very hard,8221; he said. The 26-year-old all rounder added: 8220;We have really given all of ourselves to prepare for the tournament and all of us are now prepared both mentally and physically.8221;

NCA honour for Rayudu
BANGALORE: Hyderabad8217;s Junior World Cup star performer Ambati Thirupathi Rayudu was selected on Thursday by the National Cricket Academy for a sports scholarship that will take him to Australia for a nearly two-and-a-half month training programme.

Rayudu would undergo the training programme at South Port School, Gold Coast, Brisbane, from January 27 to April 7, NCA President Rajsingh Dungarpur told reporters after a meeting of the academy here. 8220;Rayudu has the potential and was an unanimous choice.8221;

How8217;s That! Technology for Lbw Decisions
LONDON: Cricket chiefs are to investigate the use of technology to determine lbw decisions, the International Cricket Council announced on Thursday.

The United Cricket Board of South Africa will experiment with devices to assist with lbw decisions in domestic cricket this season before reporting back to the ICC with their findings.

The ICC will review all the evidence next May.

8220;Any system considered for lbw decisions will have to be proven and the technology will need to be available in all Test-playing countries,8221; the ICC said in a statement.

The ICC currently use slow motion video to determine close run-out decisions when an umpire is unsure.

Scientists at German company Siemens said on Tuesday they had invented a machine which can clarify lbw decisions. The instrument adapts a military missile-tracking system to predict the path of a cricket ball. In the case of an lbw decision, it can calculate to within 5mm whether the ball would have hit the stumps. Reuters