Wills International Cup Countdown (14 October 1998)

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has strengthened its security arrangement after two crackers were blasted on early Monday

14-Oct-1998

14 October 1998

Wills International Cup Countdown

By Zahid Newaz in Dhaka

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