da imperador bet： No ‘Dazzler’ in the England squad for India
Staff Reporter25-Aug-2001No ‘Dazzler’ in the England squad for India?India might face a depleted England side come November if reportscirculating in the English media are to be believed. Darren ‘Dazzler’Gough and Alec Stewart are both said to be rather keen on staying athome during the Christmas season rather than slogging it out inEngland colours.Gough, who has not had a happy Ashes, does not want to toil on theunrewarding sub-continental pitches where a fast bowler like him, whorelies on movement off the pitch, will have to put with a lot ofdisappointment.For his part, Stewart, though he might not admit it, does not want togo anywhere near the country where Mukesh Gupta, the bookie who blewthe whistle on Mohammed Azharuddin, resides. Gupta had told India’sCentral Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that he had paid Stewart moneyfor information during England’s 1993 tour of India. Though Gupta hassubsequently refused to speak, Stewart reportedly still does not wantto risk a face-to-face meeting with the CBI investigators.Meanwhile, there is increasing speculation that Michael Atherton, thatdogged English soldier who seems to have been around for as long asFather Time, will be doffing his English cap for the last time at theend of the current final Ashes Test at The Oval.* An early flight for SachinLittle master Sachin Tendulkar and his injured toe will be the mostimportant cargo on the 1.30 a.m. South African Airlines Mumbai -Johannesburg flight taking off on August 26. Once there, Tendulkarwill be consulting South African orthopaedic surgeon Mark Fergusson,who will advice him on the further course of treatment. Fergusson,remember, was the man who fixed Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble.* Bangladesh to see ‘More’ of Kiran and PrasThe legendary Indian off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna and former Indianstumper Kiran More will both be heading to nearby Bangladesh inDecember to impart expert advice to the budding Bangla tigers there.The two had previously been to Bangladesh in 2000 when the BangladeshCricket Board borrowed their expertise for a Specialised TrainingProgramme.