June 3, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 2, 1424

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NEW DELHI, June 2: Indian all-rounder Ajay Jadeja’s cricketing career received a boost on Monday with the Supreme Court refusing to stay a Delhi High Court interim order allowing him to play in domestic cricket notwithstanding the objections of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Jadeja made a spectacular return to the game over the weekend and showed showed no rustiness after a forced lay-off of almost three years as he smashed 45 on Saturday and followed it up with an unbeaten 101 off 78 balls on Sunday in two local club matches in New Delhi.

Some 1,000 fans turned up to watch match-fit Jadeja’s comeback to the batting crease and the flamboyant batsman did not disappoint them, smashing eight boundaries and six sixes on Sunday.

“It’s great to be back. I still dream of playing for India again,” said the 32-year-old who took up acting in Bollywood movies soon after being handed a five year ban in December 2000.

“Cricket remains my first love. I just want to play.”

Jadeja was banned from all cricket for five years by the BCCI after a federal investigation report into match-fixing accused him of mixing with illegal bookmakers.

Two other players, former captain Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma, were banned for life, while a third, Manoj Prabhakar, was suspended for five years.

While Azharuddin’s appeal against the ban is still pending, Jadeja received permission from the Delhi High Court to play domestic matches until the case was decided.

A court-appointed arbitrator overturned Jadeja’s ban in January, but the BCCI challenged the decision and has now been given till July 21 to reply to the order allowing Jadeja to play domestic matches.

Another effort by the BCCI to prevent Jadeja from playing any more cricket failed on Monday when the Supreme Court declined its request to stay the High Court order.

The Supreme Court, India’s highest judicial authority, told the BCCI’s lawyers to seek any changes to the order from the High Court, the Press Trust of India reported.

Jadeja’s return to international cricket, however, remains the prerogative of the BCCI and its selection committee.

Jadeja, regarded a one-day specialist, scored 5,359 runs with six centuries and 30 half-centuries in 196 limited-overs matches.

He also figured in 15 Tests, scoring 576 runs.

Jadeja’s last international match was in the Asia Cup against Pakistan in Bangladesh in June 2000.—AFP