SHAH RUKH NOT IN CRICKET MATCH AGAIN-SHOAIB MALIK DISAPPOINTED-KAPIL DEV DEFENDED

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has upset so much when Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) accused the actor of using the ongoing ODI series to promote his latest Hindi flick ‘Om Shanti Om’.He has vowed never to be a spectator at match involving the Indian team.Shoaib Malik's elder brother Imran Malik,at the Ferozeshah Kotla,watching the first Indo-Pak Test, said his whole family love Shahrukh a lot and Shoaib Malik was very disappointed to know that the great khan may not come to watch any match again."We often discuss cricketing matters at length and yesterday Shoaib was very disappointed after knowing about Shahrukh's statement," said Imran Malik." Shoaib Malik was of the view that if we can go and watch their films why cannot they watch our matches?" The cricket legend and former Indian captain Kapil Dev supported Shah Rukh Khan's presence at cricket matches, saying association of a celebrity like him would popularise the game. He added that Shah Rukh was a cricket fan and watched the fifth ODI between India and Pakistan because of his sheer craze for the sport."I think like any other cricket buff Shah Rukh took time off to watch a match and there was nothing wrong in it. If the Prime Minister of India comes to watch a match, it is a great thing for cricket," he said."Shah Rukh is known for his movies and acting and if he had a chat on his film, I don't think it was wrong," he said.Kapil said a star like Shah Rukh did not need to use a cricket match to make publicity for his movie."Shah Rukh is already a popular personality in the world through his films. Does he need cricket to popularise himself and his work?"

Cricket: England draw Sri Lanka tour opener

England drew their first match of the Sri Lanka tour on Thursday after gaining useful batting practice at the Colombo Cricket Club.The tourists, replying to Sri Lanka Cricket XI's mammoth 500-5 piled over the first two days of the practice match, scored 315-6 on the final day before the game was called off.Opener Alastair Cook made 63, Ian Bell hit 49 and Paul Collingwood smashed a belligerent 52 off 69 balls before all three batsmen retired to give others a chance at the crease.England captain Michael Vaughan made 38 but star batsmen Kevin Pietersen was dismissed cheaply.Vaughan was trapped leg-before by leg-spinner Malinga Bandara, while Pietersen fended at a short ball from Nuwan Kulasekera and was caught at gully for four.It was England's first hit since the one-day tour of Sri Lanka a month ago when they recorded an impressive 3-2 win in the five-match series.The tourists get another chance to tune up for three back-to-back Tests starting in Kandy on Decemer 1 when they play a first-class match against the same opposition in Colombo from Sunday.The home team, comprising Sri Lanka's second-string, had batted for two days with opener Upul Tharanga making 112, 20-year-old Chamara Kapugedara 141 and Thilana Kandamby an unbeaten 107.The local spinners suffered as much on the dead wicket as their English counterparts Monty Panesar (1-117) and Graeme Swann (1-112).After the Kandy Test ends on December 5, the second Test will be played in Colombo from December 9-13 and the third in Galle from December 18-22.Brief scores:SLC XI 500-5 decl (U. Tharanga 112, M. Warnapura 48, C. Kapugedara 141, T. Kandamby 107 not out, K. Silva 54 not out, R. Sidebottom 1-46, S. Broad 1-41, M. Panesar 1-117, G. Swann 1-112)England: 315-6 (A. Cook 63 retired out, I. Bell 49 retired out, P. Collingwood 52 retired out, Owais Shah 38 retired out, R. Bopara 40 not out)