BELFAST, 14 June 2003 — Ireland piled on the misery for Zimbabwe by sending the tourists crashing to a humiliating ten-wicket defeat in a one-day match here yesterday.
After being thrashed in both their Tests against England, the Zimbabweans had been hoping for a morale-boosting win over the ICC associate members.
Instead they found themselves put in to bat and very quickly reduced to 12-3 as both opener Douglas Marillier and Richard Sims went for ducks.
Dion Ebrahim (52) and Stuart Matsikinyeri (50) restored some respectability to the score and Zimbabwe managed to scrape together a total of 180 before being bowled out in their 50th and final over.
It always looked a very beatable target and Ireland got there in just 33.4 overs with Jason Molins helping himself to an unbeaten 107 and his Australian opening partner Jeremy Bray finishing on 68.
Injured Johnson
Out of Pakistan Series
England seamer Richard Johnson, who took six wickets on his Test debut against Zimbabwe last week, was yesterday ruled out of the one-day series against Pakistan with a knee injury.
The Somerset bowler will be replaced in the squad by Sussex’s James Kirtley but England are optimistic that Johnson will be fit to return for the tri-nations series, which also involves Zimbabwe and South Africa.
“Richard’s knee is swollen and sore and we have ruled him out of all cricket for the next week — but we are hopeful he will be ready to return for the match with Zimbabwe on June 26,” said Peter Gregory, England’s chief medical officer.
Tangiers Triangular
Tournament Postponed
A triangular one-day international cricket tournament in Tangiers, Morocco in August has been indefinitely postponed. A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said in Karachi yesterday that the organizers had informed them that they could not hold the tournament.
“They have postponed it indefinitely. We were committed to play there from Aug. 4 to 14,” spokesman Zakir Khan said.
An official of the Sharjah-based Cricketers’ Benefit Fund Series (CBFS), which played a leading role in taking international cricket to the North African country last year, said the problem was getting a third team.
“Pakistan and West Indies had confirmed their participation. But the organizers were unable to get a suitable time slot from a third team,” Chief Executive Zahid Noorani told Reuters from Sharjah.
Pakistan, meanwhile, are to push the International Cricket Council (ICC) to review the enforcement of the players’ code of conduct and the laws on ball-tampering and throwing.
Pakistan cricket board (PCB) Chairman Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia and chief executive Rameez Raja left yesterday for ICC meetings in London next week when they will raise the issues. “Basically we believe that the players’ code of conduct is not being enforced consistently by match officials and we feel this is not good for the sport,” Raja said.
He said there was a growing feeling that match officials had different set of rules for different players when tackling sledging and other offenses. He added: “We also want the ICC cricket committee to look at the existing laws on ball-tampering and chucking (throwing) as they are ambiguous in some areas.”
Pakistan noted that the match referee banned fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar last month in Sri Lanka for ball-tampering, but say no action was taken against other players in similar circumstances in the Australia and West Indies series.
“We have received good support on our stand from some quarters including India and that is a good sign,” said Raja. Pakistan will also bring up the issue of security.
Australia Will Not Treat
Bangladesh Lightly — Coach
Australia will be under orders not to take it easy when they face struggling Bangladesh next month, their coach John Buchanan said yesterday. Australia, the world’s top side in Test and limited-overs cricket, will host the Asian side in two Tests and three one-dayers in July and August.
Although Bangladesh have never won a Test match and have not enjoyed a one-day victory for over four years, Buchanan said there would be no room for charity. “Our game will always be to be as aggressive as we can,” Buchanan told reporters in Darwin, the venue for the first Test. “We try and put our opposition under as much pressure as we can, right from the word go, so that won’t change.”
Lancashire Drop
Injured Harbhajan
India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has had his contract with Lancashire canceled after the player failed to recover from a finger injury. Harbhajan, had been due to arrive at Old Trafford yesterday, but he contacted the club cricket manager Mike Watkinson through his agent to say that, after a fitness test, the injured finger was swollen and painful again.
“It’s disappointing that Harbhajan won’t be joining us but at least a firm decision has been taken,” said Watkinson. “We wish him well for the future and trust that he will soon be fully recovered.” Former West Indies skipper Carl Hooper, who has been standing in for the injured spinner, is now likely to sign a contract to the end of the season as Lancashire’s second overseas player. Australian Stuart Law is also on the team’s books.
