November 27, 2001	Tuesday	Ramazan 11, 1422

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JAIPUR (India), Nov 26: England’s preparations for their three-test series against India have been hit by the Mike Denness controversy, the touring team’s captain Nasser Hussain said on Monday.

“Too much has been said and too much has been done. There has been far too much controversy off the field in the last week or 10 days and cricket has suffered. It’s been a shambles,” Hussain told reporters.

Although the Denness rumpus started in South Africa where, in his role as a match referee, he imposed penalties on six Indian players in the drawn second Test and was then ousted for the third and final match of the series, the spotlight has now switched to India.

Speculation is rife over whether India’s selectors will pick batsman Virender Sehwag in the squad for the first Test against England starting on Dec 3. He was banned for one Test by Denness for excessive appealing in the second Test against South Africa.

Asked what would be the England team’s response if India chose Sehwag, who should miss the first match of the series in Mohali which will be the next official Test for India, Hussain said it would follow instructions by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the ICC.

“As far as England is concerned, we prepare for an official Test,” he said. “We will cross the bridge when we come to it.”

Hussain lashed out at cricket authorities for not solving the controversy promptly and said it was time the game took centre stage.

“If we get back to basics, if the authorities sort out (the crisis), it would be good for cricket.

“My decision is to pick the side for England. There are lots of officials all round the world who should sort this out,” he said.

Hussain said his team had already faced distractions before they arrived in India, over security concerns in the sub-continent because of the political situation in Afghanistan.

“Something else off the field has interrupted our preparations,” he added.

The England skipper said: “I can’t believe an India-South Africa Test match is on in South Africa and all the talk is what’s happening off the field.”

It was a suspended one-game ban on Sachin Tendulkar for ball-tampering in the second Test against South Africa and fines for five team mates including Sehwag that triggered the Denness row after strong protests by India.

A crisis developed when the South African cricket board, under Indian pressure, banned Denness as match referee for the third test in Centurion.

South Africa and India went ahead with an unofficial Test after the International Cricket Council (ICC) stripped the match of its Test status without its nominated match referee.

Hussain said he had more or less made up his mind on the side for the first Test in Mohali.

However, he acknowledged the preparation of left-arm spinner Ashley Giles - the only experienced slow bowler in the squad - was vital as he was yet to play a game in India, having recently recovered from an Achiles tendon injury.

“Giles’s fitness is key. It’s crunch time for Ashley, to prove his fitness,” he said.

England play their final three-day game before the first Test when they face an India A side starting on Tuesday.

The home side is led by former Test left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi and includes young talent in opener Vinayak Mane and wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra.—Reuters