Press has finally lost its cool. Newsmen were compelled to ask the organisers of the Wills International Cup to declare Patrick Ross, an International Cricket Council (ICC) official, persona non grata during the ongoing tournament.
Since his very first day here, Ross did not hesitate to give the impression that he was not very fond of the media people. On many an occasion Ross, an assistant to the ICC chief executive David Richards, voluntarily stepped forward to bar the journalists and photographers from performing their professional duties.
Whenever newsmen ventured to take an interview or the lens-men tried to take a photograph, the overbearing Australian rushed to the scene and asked the media people to stay away from the cricketers.
Much to the disbelief of the press people, the haughty ICC official shouted at them on numerous occasions that he would throw them out of the stadium unless the professionals on duty abide by his order.
Ross, an Australian Cricket Board employee, who was hired for the mega event, flexed his muscles twice yesterday. Both at the stadium and the Sonargaon Hotel, Ross repeated the most objectionable behaviour, prompting the harassed newsmen to call for his immediate retirement from the meet.
Following the growing protests, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, the Bangladesh Cricket Board president, and Asif Iqbal, the event manager, met the aggrieved journalists to appease them. Both the stalwarts assured the newsmen that ICC would take necessary action regarding the incident.
It's time to go
The tournament is over for Zimbabwe, England and New Zealand. They attended the official photo session yesterday and it was then time to go home. All the three teams will depart today. Zimbabwe will be the first to go at 5 pm. England and New Zealand will start off at 9.25 and 11.55 pm.
See me on Sunday
West Indian fast bowler Nixon McLean was waiting at the hotel lobby yesterday for the official photo session. When approached by the Daily Star Sport the Caribbean quickie showed his reluctance about an interview. West Indies coach Malcolm Marshall said earlier that McLean was among the top three fast bowlers in the world. When asked to comment on himself, he rounded off his conversation by saying, ``You want to know more about me? You go and see me bowl on Sunday.''
Rivals limber up
Four teams - India, Pakistan, Australia and Zimbabwe -- had a long practice session at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar practised for more than an hour in two nets to get himself ready for the Australians. Pakistan batsman Ijaz Ahmed and fast bowler Wasim Akram did not turn up for the session. Australia and India, who were practising at the same time in different nets, will meet today in the make-it or break-it clash.
Cross the border
S Rudra, the deputy speaker of India's Bidhan Sabha in Tripurara State, crossed the India-Bangladesh border yesterday through Comilla to watch the knockout tournament. A BSS report suggests that the speaker is an ardent cricket fan and will stay in Dhaka up to the final.
Hunt for autographs
Cricket fans thronged the Sonargaon Hotel and the Dhaka Stadium for an autograph from the star of their dreams. Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Jadeja, Saurav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin had to wade through the crowd while leaving the hotel for the practice ground.
Pakistan's sensational opener Shahid Khan Afridi and West Indies Captain Brian Lara were the principal targets of the autograph hunters yesterday.