British media criticise Lalit Modi

London: BCCI vice-President Lalit Modi was Friday chastised by the British media for suggesting that England cricketers should return to India for next month’s Test series despite security fears in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks.

Modi had stated Thursday that he was confident of Kevin Pietersen and Co returning for next month's two Test matches, one of which is scheduled in Mumbai.

The comments were denounced by the media here with one wide-selling tabloid describing him as “crass and insensitive”.

League dates

Melbourne: The organisers of the postponed Champions Twenty20 League will meet on December 8 to see if they can reschedule the tournament for early next year, according to the spokesman of the $6 million tournament.

Glenn honour

Melbourne: Glenn McGrath has been named the NSW Australian of the Year in a ceremony in Sydney Thursday evening. The former pace, who took his team to the pinnacle of success during his 15-year long career before retiring early this year, will now become a finalist in the Australian of the Year Awards next year, an Australian news agency reported.

PCB stand

Karachi: The PCB Friday made it clear that it would never recognise the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL) or lift the ban on its players until the ICC and the BCCI changed their policy.

Torres injury

London: Liverpool striker Fernando Torres will be out of action for up to three weeks with a hamstring strain, the Premier League club said on Thursday. The Spain international picked up the injury in Wednesday’s 1-0 Champions League victory against French side Olympique Marseille at Anfield.

Shiv misses cut

Melbourne: Shiv Kapur missed the cut after a horrendous second round of five-over 77 while Daniel Chopra slipped to tied 22nd place in the Australian Masters here Friday. Shiv carded another erratic round of 77 to total 11-over 155.

Chess meet

New Delhi: Grandmaster Surya Sekhar Ganguly will spearhead the Indian challenge, along with seven other compatriots, in the seventh edition of the Parsvnath International Chess Open beginning here on January 10.