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Wills International Cup Countdown
By Zahid Newaz in Dhaka
14 October 1998
Latest news from Bangladesh on the tournament which begins in ten days
time:
- Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has strengthened its security
arrangement after two crackers were blasted on early Monday.
Unidentified people exploded the handmade crude bombs without
injuring anyone. The midnight bomb blasting took place at a nearby
political demonstration venue, ``Paltan Maidan''. Tabloid daily Manab
Zamin reported that the explosion was not concerning. But BCB
strengthened security measures by deployment of both metropolitan
police and private security organisation ``Group Four'' to ensure
maximum security. Police suspected that vendors, evicted from
Bangabandhu National Stadium ahead the Wills International Cup,
blasted the crackers. The BCB office is situated at the stadium.
- A new sub-station has been set up at presidential palace
Bangabhaban to ensure uninterrupted power supply to Bangabandhu
National Stadium during the tournament. Besides, an alternative
generator will also remain stand by for any emergency need.
Authorities are taking steps to ensure power supply across the
country to enable people to watch the ball-bat fight on television
screen. Bangladesh runs with shortage of around 300 megawatt power and
face national greed failure at least once a year.
- Seven celebrated cricketers of yesteryears will come to Dhaka as
commentrators of the first-ever knock-out basis world cup cricket. The
tournament will be telecast live by American TV network, WorldTel,
under the arrangement of Indian state-owned TV Dooradarshan. The
final commentators' list includes former England captain Tony Greig
and Geoffrey Boycott, former New Zealand skipper Martin Crowe,
former Indian star Ravi Shastri, former South African batsman Barry
Richards, former West Indian fast bowler Michael holding and
Australian famed leg spinner Shane Warne. However, Warne told
reporters in Brisbane on Tuesday that he will not be making a decision
on whether to accept the Worldtel offer for another day or two.
- An inter-ministerial meeting Tuesday reviewed the preparations for
the tournament. It was informed that all the preparations will be
completed by October 18.
- Tournament's ticket committee sources said one person will be able
to buy maximum three gallery tickets for a match. The restriction has
been imposed to avert blackmarketing which is very common in the poor
south Asian country. However, those seeking tickets for VIP gallery
or for all the matches will get special facilities.
- South African groundsman Phil Russell arrived Dhaka Tuesday to
look after the pitch and ground of the games venue. He will leave on
October 20.
- The BCB on Tuesday has named nine cricketers as liaison officers
for the nine participating teams of the Wills Cup. They are: Ali Asif
Khan (India), Imran Hamid Partha (Pakistan), Mahbubur Rahman Selim
(Sri Lanka), Zahid Razzak Masum (South Africa), Salim Shahed
(Australia), Shahidul Alam Ratan (England), Tariquzzaman Monir (West
Indies), Amin Abdullah Haroon Suppi (Zimbabwe) and Dewan AA Chowdhury
Raj (New Zealand). Local umpire Syed Mahbubullah will maintain
liaison among the umpires while Mustafizur Rahman will be the liaison
officer of the match referees.
- Popular singers Shakila Zafar and Shuvra Dev have recorded a song
to be used as ``title song'' of Wills International Cup in television.
The song will be played before beginning of the matches. The theme of
the song is ``one world one game''.
- So far, Pakistan Radio is the only radio network that has applied
to cover the ``mini-world cup''. However, organisers said BBC and some
other radios in Australia and India are also likely to cover the
tourney.
- The physician of World Champion Sri Lanka made a visit to Dhaka to
examine the food preparation environment of different restaurants.
All the teams will be staying at five-star ``Pan Pacific Sonargaon
Hotel'', but the doctor examined also some 50 other restaurants where
the players are not supposed to take food. It is thought that the
Lankan physician was sent to check the restaurants to avert any
health problem caused by food if the players are invited to any party
outside the Sonargaon Hotel.
Source: CricInfo365
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