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Tough series Australia arrives in India, confident of success
Updated: Thursday February 15, 2001 1:51 PM
BOMBAY, India (AP) -- A confident Australian cricket team arrived in India Wednesday hoping to extend its record 15-test winning streak and secure a series win on Indian soil that has eluded it for 30 years. "It is a tough series and a great challenge," Australian skipper Steve Waugh told reporters after arriving in the western city of Bombay. Waugh, who earlier this week picked up the award as Australia's top cricketer of year, vowed that Australia would continue to play the aggressive style that has taken it to a world record stretch in tests. He said winning had become a habit, but winning in India was a greater challenge and his team would be judged by its performance on the upcoming current tour. "The two warmup matches are a chance to acclimatize. It will provide the guys the chance to get their names up for the test match," he said. The Australians will play an Indian A team later this week and then an Indian cricket board selection 11 next week before the first of three tests starts February 27 in Bombay. Waugh declined to comment on reports that the pitches in India have been doctored by local curators to favor spin bowlers, India's specialty "The pitches don't matter," Waugh said. Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble, who is recovering from a shoulder surgery will not be taking part in the matches. "He is a vital bowler. It is bad luck for the Indians. We would have liked to play against the best. But we have also lost Brett Lee," Waugh said. Australian vice captain Adam Gilchrist warned Shane Warne critics that the bowler was in top form and would be formidable. "Last time when he toured India he wasn't 100 per cent fit. He has come more fitter this time round to show what a great bowler he is." Waugh said he was relieved that his twin brother, Mark, a top-order batsman, wasn't going to be questioned by Indian federal investigators about his alleged links with bookmakers. "It's come as a huge relief to all of us. We have been asked questions about this time and again. Mark has met a number of investigators. I'm glad at the moment the whole thing has been put behind. It's fair enough as Mark has done whatever has been asked of him." Australia and India will contest a three match test series and a five match limited overs series. Australia donates US$90,130 to earthquake appeal BOMBAY (Reuters) -- The visiting Australian cricket team kicked off its India tour by donating 4.2 million Indian rupees (US$90,130) to the victims of last month's devastating earthquake in western Gujarat state. The specially designed cricket bat-shaped check was presented by Australian captain Steve Waugh to an official of World Vision India. World Vision, a prominent international relief and development agency, presented Waugh with a card and a T-shirt. The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) last week asked television viewers of a one-day match between Australia and West Indies to donate money to victims of the Indian earthquake. The Kutch region in western India was worst hit by the January 26 quake, which killed at least 30,000 people and flattened homes across the region. Australia's captain Steve Waugh, known for his charity work in India, said recently that his players would do their best during the tour to raise funds for the quake victims. "If we can help out in any small way, we'll definitely do it," Waugh told a news conference in Melbourne last week. Indian and Australian cricketers are also to play a one-day game to raise funds for survivors, a government statement said Thursday. The statement said the match would be between the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Australian Cricket Board, but the date and venue has yet to be finalized. "The proceeds from the match would be utilized for relief and rehabilitation in the areas affected by the earthquake in Gujarat," the statement added. Earlier this month, the Asian Cricket Foundation cancelled a proposed three-nation one-day series in Sharjah, involving bitter rivals India and Pakistan, to raise funds for the quake victims. The cancellation came after local media reported that Sports Minister Uma Bharti was opposed to the national team's participation in the tournament.
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