BCCI Backs Players! Refuses to Accept Norms!

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has set the for a fight with the cricket's governing body--ICC on the doping norms for players.

Now, ICC has to wait till the next meeting with Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA), other World Players' Associations and officals of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Indian players are also not happy with the norms as it conflicts with the security policy of the players!

The Indian players in the list are: (Men) Dhoni, Harbhajan, Gambhir, Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, Sachin Tendulkar, Sehwag, Yuvaraj Singh, and Zaheer Khan; (Women) Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj.

Mumbai Indians Launch Official Complaint Against Suresh Shastri!

The Mumbai Indians management has launched an official complaint against the third umpire Suresh Shastri. The complaint was over two dubious decisions given by him during the match against Kings XI Punjab, in which Mumbai Indian lost by one run.

Sachin expressed dissatisfaction on the poor umpiring decisions and said that those two runs would have saved his team.

The loss against Kings XI Punjab has made Mumbai's chances of entering semi-finals difficult. They have to win their remaining matches or wait for other teams--Delhi Daredvils an Chennai Super Kings to lose their matches.

The first incident was the run out of Luke Pomersbach of Kings XI Punjab. Shaun Pollock's throw from deep extra cover appeared to have hit the stumps directly with the batsman short of his crease. Since the TV replays were not conclusive, the umpire went in favor of the batsman. The batsman was on 21 then and finally scored 79.

The second incident was the run out of Smith. Smith was struggling to reach his crease while the bowler Piyush Chawla appeared to have knocked the bail with hims arm keeping the ball in the hand. Once again the TV replays were not helping.

The coach of Mumbai Indians Lalchand Rajput confirmed that the franchise owners have filed an official complaint.

Tendulkar said, "the whole world has watched what it was all about. Everyone has seen what happened and in whose favour the decisions eventually went. Had we got those two run-out decisions our way, we would have added two more runs to the tally and won the match."

Shastri, however, defended his decisions, saying he went by the law. "I don't want to make any comments. I can only say I went by law 28.1 (The wicket is down)." The law states that a dismissal is made if a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or a stump is struck out of the ground by (i) the ball, (ii) the striker's bat, whether he is holding it or has let go of it, (iii) the striker's person or by any part of his clothing or equipment becoming detached from his person, (iv) a fielder, with his hand or arm, providing that the ball is held in the hand or hands so used, or in the hand of the arm so used.

Hayden Not to Sledge Sreesanth or Bhajji!

In an interview to the online website, Hayden said the slapping incident between Harbhajan and Sreesanth is a stray incident and did hurt him. The game is bigger than any player and he loves the game.

He also said that he will not use this to sledge either Sreesanth or Harbhajan. He said that it is between them and it has nothing for him to comment on.

"I was very upset, I just think we play this great game, in a great competition and both these guys are young men with enormous responsibilities as two fine players and prospects for the country that adores cricket and its cricketers," he said.

He said, Australia has been branded as the master of sledging. But that is not true as every team has few players who also sledge other teams. He said, for India, Harbhajan, Sreesanth and Robin Uthappa.

For India, he surprised by adding Robin Uthappa to the list.

As far as sledging, he said, you choose the target. I never say anything to Sachin, Rahul, or Kumble or anyone like that. I believe they have marked the test of time. I have enormous respect for them. You start it with the player who is new, less experienced and you do not know whether that guy has the skills to deal with it.

He finished by saying, he entered the game like that, a guy not sure whether he will be able to deal it!

Sachin Withdraws from Carrying Olympic Torch!

In a surprise move, the master batsman Sachin Tendulkar, has withdrawn from carrying the olympic torch citing his fitness has the reason. He earlier volunteered to participate in the run, has cited the groin injury that he is suffering as the reason for withdrawing.

He has been advised rest by the Indian physio after the down under tour of Australia. Though he played the first test against South Africa in Chennai, he did not play the remaining two test, which India lost and won respectively.