LONDON, 31 August 2004 — Top Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar looks set to miss his side’s three One-Day Internationals against England this week as he is still suffering from tennis elbow, media reports said on Sunday.
Tendulkar was ruled out of last week’s triangular series in the Netherlands with the same injury, but Indian officials are hopeful he will be fit for the ICC Champions Trophy starting in England on Sept. 10.
He was due to face a fitness test yesterday but reports said he failed to bat in the nets on Sunday and would definitely be out.
India cricket board secretary Karunakaran Nair was uncertain of Tendulkar’s condition, however.
“As of now, I don’t have any such information. If there is anything like that, the team management would definitely let us know in no time,” Nair was quoted as saying.
India appear to have no plans to call up a replacement for the mini-series, which starts at Trent Bridge tomorrow, as they did not name anyone in Tendulkar’s place for the series in the Netherlands. Indian media has speculated, however, Dinesh Mongia could be set for a call-up, even if Tendulkar is fit for the Champions Trophy. The three games against England are a warm-up for the 12-team tournament.
ICC Name Umpire, Referees for Champions Trophy
The International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday confirmed the umpire and referee appointments for the 12 group matches at the ICC Champions Trophy beginning on Sept. 10.
Chris Broad, Clive Lloyd, Ranjan Madugalle and Mike Procter of the Elite Panel of ICC Referees will share referee duties over the group stage of the tournament.
All eight members of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires will officiate on the field and as third umpires over the 12 preliminary matches.
The eight on-field umpires will be joined by International Panel of ICC Umpires Billy Doctrove and Jeremy Lloyds. Umpires officiating at the ICC Champions Trophy 2004 will take part in a series of technology trials as the ICC continues its approach to understanding what role technology can play in aiding and improving umpire decision-making.
The two technological innovations involving umpires will see standing officials wired-up to TV stump microphones, and third umpires calling no balls.
Umpires in seven of the 15 ICC Champions Trophy matches will wear an earpiece that picks up the audio from the stump microphone as the ball passes the batsman.
This trial will indicate whether the microphone’s position close to the action area will provide audible assistance to officials in cases which are sometimes difficult to pick up, such as thin nicks to the keeper or bat pad fielders.
The second innovation sees the responsibility of calling no balls in the ICC Champions Trophy passing to the third (or TV) umpire. He will use the two-way link provided by the earpiece to advise standing officials of any deliveries ruled as no balls. Appointments for the semifinals and tournament final will be made at the end of the group stage.
