Zaheer Khan, Isha Sharvani may wed in 2011

Talks about a raging romance between cricketer Zaheer Khan and actress Isha Sharvani have been around for a long time. the handsome couple is forever breaking up and making up.

Well, this time they have made up, and have decided to take their relationship a step further, or so we hear.

Yes, if sources are to be believed, Isha and Zaheer plan to get engaged by the end of this year, and married soon after. "They will get engaged by the end of 2011. At least that's what the plan is," we are told. However, a friend of the actress insists that marriage is going to wait and isn't round the corner for Isha.

The buzz about a shaadi between Zaheer and Isha is pretty strong though, this time round.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Zaheer-Khan-Isha-Sharvani-may-wed-in-2011/articleshow/9037365.cms

Indian pace attack strike back against West Indies

BRIDGETOWN: India's pacemen brought them back into the second Test against West Indies, after they suffered a batting collapse on the first day on Tuesday.

Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, and Test newcomer Abhimanyu Mithun all collected a wicket apiece to leave West Indies in tatters on 30 for three, in reply to India's first innings total of 201 at the close.

Sharma made the breakthrough, when he had Adrian Barath caught at gully for three in the fourth over, and next over, Praveen Kumar had Lendl Simmons caught behind for two, leaving West Indies five for two.

Darren Bravo joined Ramnaresh Sarwan, and stemmed the fall of wickets before the left-hander was caught behind for nine from the penultimate ball of the day from Mithun.

Earlier, India were given further cause to usher in the use of the umpire decision review system.

Left-hander Suresh Raina was dubiously dismissed for 53, triggering a batting collapse that saw the Indians lose their last five wickets for 34 runs in the space of 55 balls.

Raina was caught at forward short leg off West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo for 53, following a 117-run, fifth-wicket stand with VVS Laxman, whose 85 was the top score, and helped to rescue the visitors from a perilous 38 for four before lunch.

The left-hander was clearly upset by the decision from Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf, which television replays suggested was highly dubious, dropping his bat, staring in anger at the official, and swinging his bat in disgust.

Fidel Edwards then ran through the lower half of India's batting, removing their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for two, Harbhajan Singh for five, and Mithun for a duck, finishing with three for 56 from 19 overs.

Ravi Rampaul was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, with three for 38 from 16 overs, and Bishoo snared three for 46 from 14 overs.

Laxman reached his 50 from 75 balls, glancing Edwards to the fine leg boundary for his eight four, and Raina reached the landmark from 90 deliveries, paddling Bishoo to long-leg for a single.

The two batsmen ensured India did not lose a wicket between lunch and tea, after the top order were given a real going over by Rampaul, who exploited helpful conditions in taking three of the wickets to fall.

India suffered an early setback, when left-handed opener Abhinav Mukund was caught at gully for one off Rampaul in the second over of the day.

The Indians ran into further trouble, when Rahul Dravid, a century-maker in the first Test, was caught behind for five, playing defensively forward to a delivery from West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

Murali Vijay was fortunate on four, when he sliced a drive at a delivery from Sammy, and Bishoo failed to hold onto a low, diving chance at backward point.

India reached 13 for two from 14 overs after the first hour, failing to strike a boundary, but Laxman brought India their first four, when he pulled Sammy through wide mid-on.

But the Indians were jolted, when Rampaul had opener Murali Vijay caught behind down the leg side for a painstaking 11, and two deliveries later, Virat Kohli caught at second slip for a duck, fending a sharply rising delivery.

India are looking to wrap up their second straight Test series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean.

They will also be looking to create a piece of history by becoming the first Indian side to win a Test and One-day International series in the Caribbean - but they will also have to overcome their poor history here.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team still have cause for optimism though - following a 10-wicket defeat for Sourav Ganguly's side nine years ago, West Indies have lost six of the next eight Tests they have played at this venue.

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Raina fined 25 per cent of match fee for showing dissent

BRIDGETOWN: Indian batsman Suresh Raina was fined 25 per cent of his match fee for a Level I breach in ICC's Code of Conduct on the first day of the second cricket Test against West Indies on Tuesday.

According to a release issued by the ICC, the batsman was found to have breached Article 2.1.3 of the code which relates to "showing dissent at an umpire's decision by action or verbal abuse".

After first day's play concluded, the left-handed batsman pleaded guilty and accepted the proposed sanction offered to him by match referee Chris Broad. The charge was brought by on-field umpires Asad Rauf and Billy Bowden as well as third umpire Gregory Brathwaite and fourth official Norman Malcolm.

The incident happened in the 56th over when Raina batting on 53 was given caught by forward short-leg fielder Adrian Barath off Devendra Bishoo's bowling. It was a late decision given by umpire Rauf and Raina was visibly unhappy with the decision .

The release states, "The batsman shook his head to indicate that he did not hit the ball which seemed to be an attempt to influence the umpire's decision. On being given out, he looked to the sky in disgust and then after picking his bat up from the ground swung it at the dirt as well as shaking his head again."

According to match referee Broad, it was "a clear breach of code."

"What Suresh did was a clear breach of the code, something the player himself has accepted. There is a fine line between showing disappointment at a dismissal and demonstrating dissent but on this occasion Suresh was well over that line and his behaviour was unacceptable," Broad was quoted as saying by the release.

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ICC defers decision on scrapping rotational presidents

HONG KONG: The ICC on Wednesday deferred a decision on the planned scrapping of the rotational system of presidency but asked next-in-line Pakistan and Bangladesh not to nominate a candidate till a review of its governance structure before the next Executive Board meeting in October.

"The ICC Executive Board, following the strategic plan that was adopted in April and a firm recommendation from the Governance Review Committee on Wednesday, unanimously agreed to undertake urgently an independent review of the ICC governance structures and processes.

"The Board therefore decided to defer the proposed constitutional amendment to the nominations process for election of the ICC president and accordingly withdrew its proposal to the Annual Conference in this regard," the governing body said in a statement after the penultimate day of its annual conference.

The ICC Governance Review Committee had recommended that a wide-ranging, independent review should cover all governance-related matters including the possibility of appointing independent directors.

"The review will be required to be completed before the next ICC Executive Board meeting scheduled for October.

"In the meantime, both the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board have given undertakings not to nominate a candidate for ICC vice-president before the external review is completed and the matter is again considered by the ICC Executive Board."

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said the review is needed to improve administration in the body.

"I wholeheartedly welcome an independent review of the entire ICC governance and regard this as a major step to meet stakeholder expectations and the high standards of a world-class organisation," he said.

Among other decisions taken on WEdnesday, the Pakistan Task Team presented a report comprising 63 recommendations covering areas of governance, cricket administration, playing structure, financial viability and communications.

The PTT comprises Giles Clarke (chairman), Mike Brearley, Peter Chingoka, Haroon Lorgat (ICC chief executive), Ranjan Madugalle, Ramiz Raja, and David Richardson (ICC general manager- Cricket).

"The report was adopted unanimously by the ICC Board and I am pleased that the PCB will consider this report at its next Board meeting," Lorgat said.

The ICC Executive Board also received a request from the PCB to consider hosting an ICC event in Pakistan in 2018.

But no discussion was held and "no assurances were given as the ICC has no confirmed event currently scheduled for 2018."

"We fully understand the PCB request and we will consider if it is possible to host an event in Pakistan subject to the standard safety and security clearances," said Lorgat.

The Board also discussed at length the World Cup held in the sub-continent. Though it hailed the event as a success, the ICC expressed its unhappiness at the fact that stadiums such as the Eden Gardens in Kolkata struggled to meet completion deadlines.

"Although the event was universally acclaimed as a success and one of the best cricket events in history, the report highlighted certain shortcomings around ticketing and stadia construction.

"Based on a recommendation from the Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee, the ICC Executive Board confirmed a revised policy that stadia hosting ICC global events must be match-ready at least six months before the event," it said.

"The directors also noted the appointment of forensic auditors to review ticketing during the ICC Cricket World Cup, including allegations of black marketeering," it added.

The Board noted that the Test match between England and India at Lord's Cricket Ground, London starting on July 21 will be the 2,000th in history.

"We are planning to mark the occasion by celebrating this fantastic milestone. Test cricket is the pinnacle format of our game and I am confident that this series will confirm this enduring format in front of full houses," Lorgat said.

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