India vs Australia XI Practice Match: Play called off due to rain
Sydney, Nov 28: The first day of the tour game between India and Cricket Australia XI was abandoned without a ball being bowled here at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Incessant rains kept the players away as inclement weather didn't relent at all. It started raining in Sydney on Tuesday night and after a deluge through the day, the ground was soaking wet.
There was a brief stoppage in rain at 1 pm local time and the grounds men worked hard to get the pitch and outfield ready.
Toss was scheduled for 3.30pm local time with play to commence at 4 pm, if no further rain showers came forth. But play was abandoned for the day at 3 pm local time, with half an hour extension from day two onwards.
A couple members of the Indian support staff had visited the ground to assess conditions earlier in the morning. The team didn't even arrive at the ground owing to poor weather conditions.
There is more rain forecast for Thursday morning but the weather is expected to clear from day two afternoon.
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SP MPs demand discussion on Sambhal in Parliament, SC-monitored probe
New Delhi (PTI): Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders on Wednesday said they want to discuss the Sambhal issue in Parliament and demanded that any probe into the incidents that led to violence in the Uttar Pradesh town should be conducted under the Supreme Court's monitoring.
"We want a discussion on the incident that happened in Sambhal. Many of our MPs have issued notices to the speaker regarding this. We want to speak on the floor of the House about the inhuman behaviour of police and the administration against people," SP MP Dimple Yadav said.
Four people died and scores, including police personnel, were injured in Sambhal on Sunday after a confrontation erupted over a court-ordered survey of the city's Shahi Jama Masjid in the Kot Garvi area, following a petition claiming that a Harihar temple once stood at the site.
SP MP from Sambhal Zia ur Rahman, who has been named in an FIR for allegedly inciting a mob, claimed that he was not present at the site when the incident took place, and slammed police and the administration for opening fire on citizens.
Asked about him being named in the FIR, Rahman said, "They (BJP) are in power, they can do anything. I was not even present there. I was in Bengaluru and I am being blamed for the riots."
"I am more worried about those killed by police and those who are being tortured. I am more worried about those who are being dragged into this," he said.
"One person fell down after getting hit by a baton and then they fired on him. They are citizens of India, not enemies. This is not a Hindu-Muslim fight. Some anti-social elements were behind it and the rest was done by police and the administration," he said.
Rahman said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should visit Sambhal.
"The prime minister should come forward and go and see the situation. Do not make Sambhal another Manipur," he said.
Rahman blamed the administration for the incidents and demanded a probe monitored by the Supreme Court.
"This was pre-planned by police. They wanted to trigger riots on the first day but I was there, so they did not succeed. Today, INDIA bloc MPs have raised the demand to hold discussions on this issue in the Lok Sabha and a proper investigation monitored by the Supreme Court should be conducted," he said.
SP MP Dharmendra Yadav said people do not have faith in the probe being carried out by the administration.
"The probe into the Sambhal incident should be conducted under the monitoring of a Supreme Court judge, because no one trusts the administration anymore. The administration was behind the whole incident," he said.
Yadav alleged that the violence was orchestrated to divert attention from the malpractices during the recent bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.
"They have done this to distract attention from the malpractices during the bypolls. A petition was filed a day before the polls, the decision taken on the same day, a delegation appointed and even the survey was carried out.
"They said the survey had been completed. Then why did a team visit the place again to conduct another survey? The administration should answer these questions," he said, adding that the SP will continue its struggle for justice.
A magisterial probe into the Sambhal violence is ongoing.
