McGrath to be Hall of Fame inductee
Dubai: Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath will be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the the third Test between Australia and Sri Lanka starting January 4 in Sydney. McGrath will join Enid Bakewell and Brian Lara to become third inductee of 2012-13. “McGrath becomes the 68th male member of the Hall of Fame and joins fellow 2012-13 inductees West Indian Brian Lara and England’s Enid Bakewell in being recognized by the ICC and the living members of the Hall of Fame.” While Lara and Bakewell were inducted in September at the ICC Awards, McGrath will be inducted at his home ground of the SCG. McGrath represented Australia in 124 Test matches between 1993 and 2007 and claimed 563 Test wickets at an average of 21.64. He took more Test wickets than any other seam bowler in the game. He also represented Australia in 250 ODIs, claiming 381 wickets at an average of 22.02, and was part of the Australian side that won three successive World Cups – 1999, 2003 and 2007. He still holds the record for most wickets in World Cup competitions, with 71 scalps and his figures of 7-15 against Namibia are the best in the competition’s history. “I am honoured that the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame voting academy, which includes all the current living Hall of Famers, have nominated and voted me to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” McGrath said of the upcoming induction. (AFP)
Bagan submits appeal to AIFF
Kolkata: Beleagured Mohun Bagan today appealed to the AIFF for a review of its decision to suspend the club till 2015-16 season for abandoning the December 9 I-League derby against arch-rivals East Bengal at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan. Refusing to reveal the content of the letter, addressed to AIFF president Praful Patel, Mohun Bagan media manager said, “We formally wrote to the AIFF this afternoon, making a plea for a review to the suspension order.” Violence had gripped Yuba Bharati Krirangan with spectators hurling missiles on the pitch soon after Mohun Bagan forward Odafa Okolie was red-carded during December 9 I-League derby. Down 0-1, Mohun Bagan had refused to play in the second-half after their midfielder Syed Rahim Nabi was hit by a stone during the violence-marred derby. Acting on a judgment by one-man committee of Justice A K Ganguly, the AIFF in an unprecedented decision had suspended the 123-year-old club for the next two seasons, while making their campaign in the ongoing season null and void. (PTI)
Bangladesh shelves Pakistan tour
Dhaka: Bangladesh said it had shelved plans to become the first cricket team to tour Pakistan since a 2009 attack on Sri Lanka’s bus, with the head of the board saying there were fears for players’ safety. “Bangladesh will not visit Pakistan for now,” Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief Nazmul Hassan told reporters in the capital Dhaka on Monday. “We’ve made the decision after considering the overall security situation in Pakistan and the concern that our people have expressed over the safety of their players.” Bangladesh had earlier indicated that they would play a Twenty20 and a one-day on January 12 and 13 respectively, both in Lahore. However officials did say that the decision was subject to a security review. Pakistan have had to play their ‘home’ matches in venues ranging from Dubai to London ever since gunmen shot dead eight people and wounded seven Sri Lankan players in an audacious attack near the stadium in Lahore in March 2009. (AFP)
Moyes sorry over ref confrontation
LONDON: Everton manager David Moyes has apologised to referee Howard Webb for confronting him to question a decision at the end of his team’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday. “It is a hard job the referees have. I was wrong to do that,” Moyes said. “I thought it was a free kick on Leon Osman on the edge of the box in the 92nd minute by (Frank) Lampard and he didn’t give it,” he added. “I’ve apologised to Howard Webb afterwards because I shouldn’t do that coming off the pitch.” Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was criticised for his outburst at referee Mike Dean during his team’s 4-3 win over Newcastle united last week. The united boss was fuming after Dean awarded Newcastle’s second goal, over-ruling his assistant who had flagged for offside. When Dean came out for the second half of the match, Ferguson, who escaped FA punishment, followed the referee on the pitch, venting his fury. (Reuters)
