‘Kiwis fizzed over pink ball Test
Wellington: New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling has responded enthusiastically to his first workout with the revolutionary pink ball that will be used in a historic day-night Test against Australia next month. Watling said the pink Kookaburra looked “very bright” under lights at Hamilton’s Seddon Oval but it was too early to tell how it would play during match conditions at Adelaide Oval on November 27. “It was very bright, you could see the ball quite easily,” he told reporters after the New Zealanders completed their first training session with the ball late on Wednesday. “It felt pretty similar to what a white ball does in a black sky, you sort of lose a bit of depth perception, especially at night.” The pink ball was developed to be more visible to players under lights than the traditional red one, allowing Test matches to be played late into the night for the first time.
Shahadat in 3-day police custody
Dhaka: A Bangladeshi court on Thursday rejected bail plea of international cricketer Shahadat Hossain, accused along with his wife of torturing his 11-year-old maid, and sent him to three-day police custody for questioning. The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Yousuf Hossain rejected Shahadat’s bail plea and allowed police to interrogate him for three days. The 29-year-old crickter’s lawyer, in the bail petition, had claimed that he is not involved in torturing his domestic help as he had to stay in camps for cricket purpose. Police had pleaded for a seven-day remand to question him, but the court granted them three days for interrogation, local media reported. The fast bowler, after being absconding for about a month, had surrendered before a court on October 5 which remanded him in judicial custody, a day after police arrested his wife from her parents’ house here. Shahadat’s wife Jesmin Jahan Nritto Shahadat is in judicial custody.
SCA appeals for calm during ODI
Rajkot: Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) on Thursday appealed to Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and his supporters to not agitate during the one-day international (ODI) match to be played between India and South Africa on October 18 at a stadium on the city outskirts. The appeal was made today by honorary secretary of SCA Niranjan Shah during a press conference at the stadium located near Khandheri village. “This is a big event not only for SCA but for all cricket loving people of Saurashtra region. Its a matter of great pride that we are going to host a one day international match here,” Shah said.
“The match would be telecast across the world and it should be our priority that it be played in a peaceful manner. I humbly request Hardik Patel not to agitate during Rajkot ODI,” Shah said. “This is a sports activity and thus this is not a proper platform to agitate for such a demand. I hope Hardik Patel would consider our appeal,” Shah said.
Probe into T20 crowd fiasco begins
Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Home Secretary Asit Tripathy on Thursday began investigation into the water bottle throwing incident at Barabati Stadium during the T20 match between India and South Africa on Monday even as Cuttack Police registered a case in this connection. “I have started investigation into how the indiscipline took place in the stadium. I will suggest the government about how to avoid repeat of such incidents at Barabati Stadium,” Tripathy told reporters. Sports secretary Saswat Mishra said action will be taken on the basis of the report of the Home Secretary. “We will cooperate with the home secretary if he requires anything during the investigation,” Mishra said. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on October 6 had ordered the home secretary to probe the matter and submit a report within a month. Patnaik asked Tripathy to investigate the incident as police and OCA blamed each other.