BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, 4 May 2003 — Australia grabbed a double-wicket breakthrough before tea to keep West Indies under pressure on the third day of the third Test at Kensington Oval here yesterday. After toiling without success for much of the middle session on a heartbreaking docile pitch, the Australians struck back with the key wickets of Daren Ganga and Shivnarine Chanderpaul to have the home side 210 for four at tea in reply to Australia’s massive first innings of 605 for nine declared.
The wickets would have added to the misery of West Indian skipper Brian Lara who was confined to bed at the team hotel having been diagnosed with suspected chicken pox. Ganga, who scored centuries in the first two Tests in the series, fell to a full toss by spinner Darren Lehmann in the 77th over.
He spooned an easy catch to Andy Bichel at mid-on and was out for 26 eked out in 130 minutes off 89 balls with two fours. That ended a stubborn 63-run stand for the third wicket with vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, who remained unbeaten on 31 at tea. Chanderpaul, who clubbed a 69-ball century in the first Test, only lasted one ball before he was out to a long-hop from leg-spinner Stuart MacGill. He top-edged an attempted pull shot down the ground to Brett Lee who took a two-handed tumbling catch to dismiss him for a duck and leave the Windies 206 for four.
Test debutant Omari Banks came to the crease instead of Lara, who was suffering from a high temperature and still not at the ground amid reports that he had come down with suspected chicken pox.
ICC to Get Tough on World Cup Boycotts: Speed
Countries boycotting World Cup matches may be kicked out of the tournament in future, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed said here yesterday. This year’s tournament was thrown into chaos when England and New Zealand refused to play first-round group matches in Zimbabwe and Kenya.
The ICC will also decide this year whether to change the format of the competition and reduce the number of teams taking part after complaints that the 2003 World Cup in South Africa was too long.
Speed said the World Cup’s credibility was damaged by England’s refusal to play a match in Harare and New Zealand pulled out of a game in Nairobi. Both teams forfeited points but continued in the tournament.
“It had a very negative impact that the two matches were boycotted,” Speed told a news conference after a meeting with West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) officials about the 2007 World Cup.
The issue of the number of teams and format will be discussed by the ICC in London next month after criticism that the 14 sides taking part in South Africa was too many.
West Indies, meanwhile, dismissed concerns yesterday about their ability to host the 2007 cricket World Cup and promised to stage an “unforgettable” event.
WICB and ICC officials also guaranteed that all major matches would take place in the Caribbean, although some early games could be held in the United States or Canada.
“We are confident we will be able to deliver the kind of event the world is expecting from the Caribbean,” said Chris Dehring, managing director of the 2007 World Cup organizing committee. It’s a unique opportunity to put on a World Cup the world will never forget.”
Dehring added that meticulous planning would be needed to ferry thousands of cricket fans around the region and bring the often decaying cricket grounds up to scratch.
First Day’s Play in 2nd Test Called Off
In Kandy, Sri Lanka, the opening day’s play in the second and final Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was called off without a ball being bowled yesterday due to a slushy outfield at the rain-ravaged Asgiriya stadium. Umpires Daryl Harper and Simon Taufel, both from Australia, had one look at the conditions an hour before the toss to abandon play for the day.
