Indian news round-up

ICC panel umpire S Venkataraghavan has said that the basic action of Australian fast bowler Brett Lee was fine except for one or two deliveries. Venkataraghavan was quoted by `The Daily Telegraph' as saying "I have no problem with his basic action which I think is fine. There were just one or two deliveries which looked suspect. I told match referee Mike Denness and it was up to him to report this to the ICC, which he did."

Venkat added that it is very difficult to tell with the naked eye whether someone throws, but the cameras could be used to clear it up. ``This will be the best decision for everyone. I think Lee is a fine bowler and I am sure he will have a brilliant career. He won't need much work on his action, if he needs any at all."

The Lee matter is to come up before the ICC panel on illegal deliveries headed by former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar and comprising a member each from the ten countries having Test status plus independent umpire Nigel Plews.

DV Subba Rao, one of the three members of the 'code of conduct' drafting committee set up by the Board of Control for Cricket in India has admitted that damage has been done to the image of the game ``but some stringent measures can bring back the old glory to the sport.'' He added that even the ICC is contemplating issuing similar guidelines.

Subba Rao also said that the proposed Code of Conduct for the Indian cricketers will be binding on them and form a part of the contract they sign with the BCCI. Subba Rao clarified that no recommendations or guidelines on this matter have been issued so far. "We are yet to finalise them," he added.

Former Indian captain Bishen Bedi was all praise for the National Cricket Academy (NCA) at Bangalore. Not only did he praise the academy saying that the NCA was not only a silver lining to coaching but it was the ultimate in uplifting the sagging image of the game, but he also congratulated both the academy director Hanumant Singh and coach Vasu Paranjpe.

In a column in a newspaper, Bedi said "Their intensity (Hanumant and Paranjpe) of involvement with twenty odd trainees is to be seen to be believed. It was purely a `Hanu-Vasu' influence which helped me sharpen my cricketing instincts. Thanks to the duo, I was able to freshen up my own motivation. The positive response from the trainees was a definite turn-on. Honestly, I cannot recollect such a marvellous cricket atmosphere anywhere else in the country.''

Saying that the match fixing scandal did not fall under his ambit, the Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) N Vittal categorically ruled out any probe by him in this matter. Talking to the press in Bangalore, Vittal said "My hands are full and I want to concentrate on the tasks on hand and do justice to them. He added "The CVC is not planning any inquiry (into the scandal)."

Vittal said he did not plan to take any action even though there was a suggestion that some cricket players, whose names were being linked with the scandal, were employed with public sector units, and would come under the CVC purview."

A book titled 'India-Pakistan Ashes' by veteran journalist KR Wadhwaney is available in the market giving details of all the Tests played between the arch rivals since 1952. The book is full of incidents, anecdotes and controversies and gives detailed accounts of the matches between the two neighbours between 1952 and 1999.

The book is also backed up by scoreboards for all the Tests and other statistical details. Apart from this, it also dwells on several sidelights that may have cropped up during the course of a match.