Miller moves away from Test cricket to focus on World Cup
Melbourne, Sep 11 : South Africa batsman David Miller on Tuesday made himself unavailable to play first-class cricket and effectively ended his Test career to focus on preparing for next year's World Cup.
The left-hander said it was a "a tough decision" to give up on red-ball cricket but he did so keeping in mind the 2019 World Cup.
"It was a tough decision to make," the 29-year-old was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
"I have always loved playing red-ball cricket but I have decided that I would, in future, like to concentrate on white-ball cricket to make sure that I am in a position to give myself the best opportunity to play for the Proteas in the format that I love," he added.
"This is an important decision for me, especially with the World Cup looming next year. I will also be available to play for the Dolphins in all limited-overs competitions and will give it my all to help them win trophies this season."
Miller has represented South Africa in 109 ODIs and 61 T20Is, but hasn't played any Test cricket. In 63 first-class matches, he has scored 3342 runs at an average of 36.32, with six centuries.
Cricket South Africa chief executive Thabang Moroe rued Miller's decision but hoped he would reconsider his decision in the future.
"At the age of 29, he still has many years of good cricket left in him in all formats but at the same time, we have to understand that he wants to throw his full weight into helping the Proteas to win the ICC World Cup," Moroe said.
"He has time on his hands to resume his first-class career in due course and I sincerely hope that we have not seen the last of him in red-ball cricket where he has shown his undeniable talents in the past."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
HC dismisses Abu Salem’s plea seeking immediate release after completing '25 years' in jail
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed gangster Abu Salem’s plea for immediate release, claiming he had served 25 years in jail in India mandated under the terms of his extradition from Portugal.
In his plea, Salem had contended that if remission for good behaviour is included, then his 25-year jail term is complete and hence he ought to be freed.
A bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Kamal Khata said it cannot hold that the 25-year jail term is complete, as it would be premature to say anything at this stage on the point of remission.
The court relied on a Supreme Court judgment wherein it was held that remission of a prisoner would need to be calculated a month before the applicant’s release.
“Therefore, the present petition (filed by Salem) is dismissed,” the court said.
A copy of the detailed order is yet to be made available.
Salem’s plea, filed through advocate Farhana Shah, had said that when he was extradited from Portugal in 2005, India had assured that he would not be handed over the death penalty in any case and that he would not be imprisoned for more than 25 years.
The government had opposed his plea, noting that Salem has spent only 19 years in jail and that a decision on his premature release was pending.
Salem was convicted in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case and sentenced to life imprisonment.
