Ganguly supports MS
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly has come in support of veteran wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni who had to face criticism for his slow knock against Afghanistan in India's World Cup game in Southampton. However, Ganguly feels that his performance against Afghanistan was a one-off situation and he will prove that he is a great asset to the Indian team in the remaining matches of the tournament. “At the end of the day, MSD is a very good batsman and he will definitely prove that in this year's World Cup 2019 as well despite his sticky form against Afghanistan. It's just one match,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by DNA.
Fit and fine
Brian Lara was on Wednesday discharged from a hospital here in Mumbai, declared “fit and fine” a day after he complained of chest pain. The 50-year old from Trinidad, considered one of the greatest batsmen to have played the game, was admitted to the Global Hospital in Parel after complaining of chest pain during a gym workout session. “He (Lara) has been discharged at 12:20 from the hospital,” a source told PTI. “He is fit and fine,” he added without divulging any further details. In a late evening message on Tuesday, Lara had allayed concerns over his health. “I may have just extended myself in the gym this morning. I was getting a pain in my chest and I just thought that it was best to see a doctor,” he had said.
Remembering Malcolm
He arrived as a raw talent, became a world beater, made friends for life and suddenly left them with moistened eyes and a void that they have never been able to fill. That's Malcolm Marshall for you. He is forever embedded in the soul of Hampshire cricket and in the memory of those who saw him run in from the ridge at the Old Northlands Road ground. The imposing new stadium which is off city limits became operational in the early 2000 and probably doesn't give an idea what the ‘Bajan' meant for the club for whom he took 1000 wickets in the Championship. “Malcolm and I were very close and it was wonderful. He was the best friend I had in cricket,” said Mark Nicholas, now a renowned commentator and back then Marshall's captain at the Hampshire county. Nicholas sported an indulgent smile as he termed a young Marshall “splendidly naive”. In a space of four to five years, he became the best fast bowler of his time with every skill in his armoury. “He began by bowling sort of awesomely fast with a whippy action. He then developed his skills. Once he had perfected the outswinger, he moved to perfect the inswinger. By about 1984-85, he had about everything - stamina, pace, control, movement, fantastic bowling brain.” “He had deep knowledge, almost frenzied in his investigations for opposition players, he shared with us. He was the best ally that a captain could dream of. It's always good for a skipper if the fast bowler is on your side,” Nicholas recollects.