Abu Dhabi to stage double wicket tourney in December
The President of the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council (ADCC) Mansour Javed, said in Abu Dhabi on Monday that the ADCC is planning to invite eight top cricket playing nations to participate for a Double Wicket Tournament in December.

Gulf News reported that Mansuor Javed while addressing a press conference, said that two-member teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, England, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Bangladesh have tentatively agreed to take part in the tournament. He added that the tentative dates for the tourney are December 15 to 18.

Speaking about the format, Mansour Javed said that eight teams will be divided into two groups and after a round-robin league of matches the two semi-finals and finals will be played on the last day. He said that the league matches will be 8 overs per side while the semifinals and final will be of 10 and 12 overs per innings respectively. The confirmations were expected by October 15.

The players expected are: Bangladesh - Aminul Islam, Akram Khan, Hasibul Hossain, Mihajul Abdin. England - Craig White, Andrew Flintoff, Greame Hick, Darren Gough. India - Saurav Ganguly, Robin Singh, Ajay Jadeja, Mohammed Azharuddin. Kenya - Thomas Odoyo, Steve Tikolo. New Zealand - Chris Harris, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns. Pakistan - Wasim Akram, Shahid Afridi. Sri Lanka - Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunge, Avishka Gunawardene, Kumar Dharamasena. Zimbabwe - Heath Streak, Guy Whittall, Paul Strang, Craig Evans.

MCA President Nanasaheb Tulpule passes away
Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Thursday that the President of the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Vittal Hari alais Nanasaheb Tulpule passed away in Pune on Tuesday after a brief illness. He was 79.

Tulpule was elected as the president of MCA following the death of Nosh Nagarvala two years ago. Tulpule, who is survived by his wife and two sons was also nominated the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 1980. His last rites were performed at the Vaikunth crematorium in Pune.

HPCA to rope in outstation players
In an effort to raise the standard of the game in the state, the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) has decided to build a stadium of international standard within the state. Moreover, for the first time, the association has also decided to hire the services of established players from other states.

Speaking at a news conference in Shimla on Wednesday, the association president Anurag Thakur said that the lack of proper playgrounds was a chief factor which affected the state team's performance and hence the association has now decided to have a cricket stadium. Thakur said that the state government had assured the HPCA of the required land. He added that the Association would be provided the land within the next two months.

Thakur said that the induction of players from other states would help raise the overall standard of the game in the state. He added that the players in the state would get an opportunity to learn from accomplished players.

India placed ninth in Ceat ratings
India are placed ninth, only ahead of Bangladesh and Kenya, in the recently announced Ceat cricket Test ratings which is headed by England. Moreover, no Indian cricketer could find themselves in the list of 10 top performers.

United News of India (UNI) reported that Sri Lankan off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan leads the pack of top performers along with team mates Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya. West Indian fast bowler Courtney Walsh is in the second place while Alec Stewart and Atapattu are in joint third place.

India have come into the ICC KnockOut tournament after a disastrous Coca Cola Cup outing in Sharjah and the Asia Cup at Dhaka earlier this year.

© CricInfo