Unwanted fame for Gibbs Johannesburg: Former South African cricketer Herschelle Gibbs found himself under unexpected spotlight during the trial of Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius for the alleged murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
The trial is being broadcast live on television and radio, generating unprecedented public interest. Gibbs started receiving messages from fans and friends after close-ups on television repeatedly showed the bat with which Pistorius broke down the bathroom door behind which Steenkamp was hit by bullets. The bat prominently featured Gibbs’ autograph, prompting him to tweet about his surprise. “Just saw my signature on the bat used by the accused in Oscar trial… lol#neveradull moment.” There was extensive interrogation of state witness Colonel Johannes Vermeulen by both the prosecution and the defence about the bat. A fan of Gibbs commented that the former batsman might be called as a state witness. A fan with the twitter handle @maxlezar123 wrote “They might call you up next.” Gibbs responded: “hahaa my lady.”
Viru, Murali to lead sides
london: Out-of-favour India batsman Virender Sehwag and Sri lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan will lead two MCC sides in a series of matches in the Middle East to help launch the new county season. Muralitharan will make a special appearance as MCC captain in the Emirates T20 tournament in Dubai, which takes place on Friday and also features lancashire, Sussex and a select XI from the Kerala Premier league. Sehwag will then lead the MCC side into the four-day Champion County match against Durham, starting on March 23. The day-night match will be played under the ‘MCC Spirit of Cricket’ banner and will feature the use of pink balls, which have recently been trialled in the Australian Sheffield Shield.
MSD’S return A boost: SUNNY
New Delhi/ lahore: Former captain Sunil Gavaskar on Thursday backed India to go the distance in the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, saying that the return of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni would boost the team’s chances. “Dhoni’s return will change India. Yuvraj and Raina are also back. It’s a plus-plus for India after Asia Cup,” Gavaskar said. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Test and ODI captain Misbah-ul-Haq has warned his teammates to be wary of India, as he feels Dhoni’s return will help them. “Dhoni is a big stabilising force for India and his return means that Pakistan will have to work much harder to get that win over India tomorrow,” he told reporters in lahore.