Shepherd, Willey and Koertzen ICC umpires for India-Aussies series

Two Englishmen David Shepherd and Peter Willey and South African Rudi Koertzen have been named as the three ICC panel umpires for the forthcoming India-Australia Test series. The three Test matches will be held in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

Talking to PTI in Mumbai on Saturday, the board's executive secretary Sharad Diwadkar said that Shepherd would officiate the first Test match at Mumbai with former Indian captain S Venkataraghavan while Willey would partner AV Jayaprakash in the second Test at Kolkata. Koertzen will officiate in the third match at Chennai with SK Bansal.

BCCI to decide on Bindra on February 23

The special general meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, convened on February 23 in Chennai, will take a decision on its former president IS Bindra and the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) on the basis of the findings of the Disciplinary Committee.

Bindra had been issued a show-cause notice for his alleged criticism of the Board's functioning and he had explained his position before the disciplinary committee at its meeting on January 18 in Chennai.

Board secretary Jaywant Lele on Friday issued letters to allmembers requesting them to attend the meeting convened 'totake appropriate decision in respect of IS Bindra and the PCA on the basis of the findings of the disciplinary committee meeting held on January 18, 2001'.

Asia to join hands with Africa to promote cricket

Cricket chiefs in Asia and Africa have agreed to set up a joint council to promote the game on the two continents, Asian Cricket Foundation (ACF) chairman Jagmohan Dalmiya said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters in Karachi, the former ICC chairman said "The Asian body has decided to join hands with the African cricket body to form an Afro-Asian Cricket Council and an agreement in this regard will be signed in April this year. Matches will also be played between Asian and African teams so that both the continents come closer in cricket." Dalmiya was attending an ACF meeting in Lahore.

Hanumant Singh is ICC match referee for England-Lanka series

Former Indian batsman Hanumant Singh is the ICC match referee for the England - Sri Lanka series starting at Galle from February 22. Hanumant Singh, who quit as the Director of the National Cricket Academy recently, told PTI in Mumbai on Friday that he would leave for Colombo on February 19.

Hanumant, 62 next month, started as a match referee in the 1994-95 one-day series between West Indies and Australia.

Former Karnataka all-rounder AV Jayaprakash will be the ICC umpire for the England-Lanka series.

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