India notches up win but Purnima cited for 'chucking'

By Steve Whiting

CHRISTCHURCH, DEC. 11. Yet another Indian bowler has been cited for `chucking' in the Cricinfo Women's World Cup here. On Monday, the name of Indian off-spinner Purnima Rau was added to the list of Renu Margrate (India), Erin McDonald (New Zealand) and Caroline Salomons (New Zealand), taking the `crime sheet' up to four.

Rau was probably one of the names that has been bandied about so perhaps it was no surprise that Aussie Test umpire Peter Parker and Kiwi Peter Williams cited her after Saturday's match between India and New Zealand.

But none of the bowlers has been called for no-balling and it seems the umpires are merely taking the safe option in the face of intense scrutiny from the TV slow motion cameras which are picking up errors that the naked eye can never spot.

Rau, from Hyderabad, is 31 and has toured New Zealand and played in England in the World Cup in 1993 without a hint of problems. Said tournament director Tim Murdoch: ``The umpires are of the opinion that the bowling arm was bent, but found it difficult to establish from their positions on the field whether there was a straightening prior to the ball being released.''

There is a slight loop in Rau's arm before she brings it over to deliver, but in no way does she straighten it enough to constitute a throw and if there is any unfairness here, it is that a girl who has played faithfully for so many years is being put under such scrutiny late in her career.

India did not even play Renu Margrete in their match against Ireland on Monday. But that had nothing to do with the allegations against her. As coach Shree Rapu explained: ``She has had a lot of bowling and we wanted to keep her as fresh as possible for the semifinals and, hopefully, the final.''

The Indian management had enough to worry about with the illness to batsman Mithali Raj who is still in hospital here with a nasty throat infection. And even on the field Indiia had its moments of doubt before finally beating Ireland by 30 runs to go third in the round robin table on eight points.

It was asked to bat and after 5.2 overs was four for three! But Anjum Chopra cut and drove her way really well to make 70 off 122 balls in a stand of 92 with Hemlata Kala. In the end India made it to 199 for nine and bowled Ireland out for 169. But there were times when Ireland looked dangerous and it took a stunning catch at extra cover by Deepa Kulkarni to get rid of Irish skipper Miriam Grealey to change the course of the match.

In the day's other match New Zealand hammered South Africa by 158 runs.

The scores:

New Zealand 265 for five in 50 overs (E. Drumm 108 not out) bt South Africa 107 all out in 35.4 overs (Cindy Eksteen 44 not out, H. Watson three for 14).

India 199 for nine in 50 overs (Anjum Chopra 70, Hemlata Kala 40, C. O'Neill three for 33) bt Ireland 169 all out in 47.2 overs, (Catriona Beggs 25).

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