Every year before New Zealand Cricket’s annual general meeting, a brief ritual takes place. It lasts only a few minutes but it is of genuine significance in the development of cricket in New Zealand.”It” is the annual meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Foundation. The independent body was set up in 1979 with the aim of providing assistance in areas normally beyond the reach of the work of New Zealand Cricket (NZC). Among its committee and executive are some real movers and shakers in the cricket and business world.President is long-time New Zealand cricket benefactor, businessman Sir Ron Brierley, while the secretary is the chairman of NZC and chief executive of the National Bank, Sir John Anderson. Elected members of the committee are: former commentator Iain Gallaway, another notable benefactor in John Oakley, cricket historian and former New Zealand selector Don Neely and former international John Morrison. NZC’s four appointed members of the Foundation are: former international and co-founder of Sky Television Terry Jarvis, NZC board member Denis Currie, chief executive Martin Snedden and NZC operations manager John Reid, both of them former internationals.Over the years, the body has donated $NZ4.15 million to groups around New Zealand for a variety of reasons. They have provided permanent wickets or practice wickets to a total of $NZ2.09 million while also assisting with coaching, coaching co-ordinators and development, funding New Zealand Young players to Lord’s, travel grants and scholarships. They have also assisted ins funding New Zealand Youth tours, Kiwi Cricket and specialist clinics, and in other ways.In the past year, the Foundation contributed $30,000 to Canterbury Cricket’s indoor facility at Iversen Terrace while every year it presents the Sir Jack Newman Award in honour of one of the original members of the Foundation who had a transport empire in the Nelson region, to a person who has made a significant contribution to youth cricket in New Zealand. This year’s winner was Marlborough man Mike Rhodes who has given 33 years of service to junior cricket in his region.In the past year, the Foundation had a surplus of $NZ281,139, its first surplus for some time, mainly due to a gain on sale of a proportion of GPG shares held by the Foundation, while NZC also made two grants of $25,000 to the Foundation.Examples of the spread of pitch funding can be seen from the following list: (all $NZ)$15,000 – Taranaki Cricket Association,$9000 – Northern Districts Cricket Association,$7500 – Dunedin Cricket Association,$6000 – Bay of Plenty Cricket Association,$4500 – Burnside West – University Cricket Club, Mount Aspiring College,$4000 – Hillcrest High School Cricket,$3000 – Adams House: Christchurch, Campion College, Ellesmere College, Hamilton Cricket Association, Morrinsville Cricket Association, Oamaru Cricket Club, St Andrew’s College, St Bede’s College, Southwell School, Te Puru School: Thames, Waimea College,$2000 – Merivale Papanui Cricket Club,$1750 – Old Collegians Cricket Club,$1500 – Akaroa Cricket Club, Westport South School, Karamea Area School, Burwood School, Cromwell Cricket Club, Greenmeadows School, Highlands Intermediate School, Karamu Intermediate School, Mahora School, Manurewa Central School, Mauku Cricket Club, Merivale School, Mount Anglem College, Taitoko School, Taradale Intermediate School, Te Aroha College, Te Puke Cricket Club, Whangarei and Districts Cricket Association,$1250 – Picton Cricket Club, West Coast Cricket Association,$1000 – Papamoa School,$600 – Tamahere School, Vardon School.

Scorecard

Western Australia came home with a sprint in their quest to score 270 off 38 overs to beat the Zimbabweans, but finally fell four runs short. It was a close-run thing in a thrilling test of cricket character which left the Zimbabweans hanging on by their fingernails.It seemed that Heath Streak had set an improbable target, but that fighting quality that is so obvious in Australian international cricket also exists at first-class level. The WA top order responded to the challenge in superb style, and put the Zimbabwean attack through hell. But in the end, a tight penultimate over from Sean Ervine, which yielded only three singles, managed to shut the assault down. Andy Blignaut was left to bowl the last over with 15 runs required. While Marcus North did his best, 11 was all that could be managed.Chris Rogers gave WA their initial impetus. He scored 26 of the first 32 runs before he was dismissed to a tidy catch low down at backward point by Mark Vermeulen off Blignaut. But once Ryan Campbell joined Mike Hussey the target was lifted into the realms of possibility. They scored at better than a run a ball in their 128-run stand, with Campbell scoring his half-century from 52 deliveries.Smart running between the wickets kept the pressure on the Zimbabwean fielders, and the 100 partnership came up in an hour off only 79 balls. But the heat was always on the batsmen too, and when Campbell advanced to take on Trevor Gripper’s offspin he was stumped for 59. At one stage Gripper was no-balled for having too many men behind square – the batsmen weren’t the only ones feeling the pressure.Gripper had his reward with Hussey’s wicket after he had waltzed to 79 from as many balls. That left WA at 211 for 3, but Peter Worthington continued to take the attack to the bowlers and his 27-ball innings produced 45 runs and pulled his side back to the point where they needed 32 runs from 25 balls. But then Worthington lofted Ervine to long-off, and the draw loomed. All the Zimbabwean bowlers suffered – Streak finished with 0 for 81 from 13 overs, Blignaut 1 for 60 off nine, Ervine 1 for 57 from nine, and Gripper 2 for 57 off seven.It was a situation created by declarations. Western Australia declared at 207 for 6 overnight, and then the Zimbabweans responded at 146 for 6, although there must have been some moments of disquiet at the manner of the dismissal of several of their top-order batsmen. Gripper proved the most consistent of them, with 54, but he was out to the last ball of the same over – the first after lunch – in which he reached his half-century. Paul Wilson, who finished with 3 for 26, grabbed three quick wickets to have the Zimbabweans struggling at 124 for 6.There was an unusual interruption in the morning session, when a swarm of bees descended on Chris Rogers while he was fielding. He fell to the ground and was attempting to beat off the bees before his team-mates realised what was happening. When the bees followed Rogers towards the pitch, the players at the wicketkeeper’s end decided to move smartly to the bowler’s end, but they soon had to move even closer to the pavilion. At that point the umpires decided to call for drinks nine minutes ahead of schedule. Four minutes were lost before the swarm flew off, allowing play to resume.It was a sign of things to come: just when it seemed the match would peter out to a tame draw, it had some sting to it.

Salman Butt, Mohammad Hafeez, Yasir Hameed, Kamran Sajid and Asif Iqbal hit centuries for their teams while Allied Bank Limited scored a quick textbook win over Pakistan Education Board (PEB) on day 2 in the second round of Inter-Department Qualifying Tournament.Salman Butt, who recently played his debut Test against Bangladesh at Multan, scored 190 for National Bank who amassed 325 for three from 83 overs in reply to ZTBL’s 282 at Lahore Country Club in Muridke.Mohammad Hafeez hit 152 at Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot to help Sui Gas accumulate 349 for five in reply to Habib Bank’s modest 97. The bankers, trailing by 252 runs, were 145 for four when stumps were drawn.PIA’s Kamran Sajid (124) and Yasir Hameed (127) featured in a 227-run second wicket partnership to help the airline to a comfortable 183-run first innings lead over Pak PWD. PIA, resuming on 81 for one on the second day at the Quaid-e-Azam Park in Karachi in reply to PWD’s 144, declared at 327 for five. Pak PWD, in their second innings, were in dire straits at 49 for five with Umar Gul following up his first innings 5-51 with three for 16.Asif Iqbal hit a fine unbeaten 137 but it was not enough to help Service Industries to a first innings lead as they were bowled out for 300 while chasing PAF’s 302 for nine at Gymkhana Ground in Okara.Allied Bank Limited rushed to a ruthless win over PEB by an innings and 72 runs as the students, who were dismissed for 52 in their first innings, were shot out for 128 in the second.Saga were also sensing an easy win after their pace duo of Umair Khan (4-19) and Tauqeer Hussain (4-44) bowled out LEO International for 111 to force the debutant team to follow-on. At stumps, LEO International were 164 for five and still trailing by 17 runs.Pakistan Customs were also in sight of victory when they took a 226-run first innings lead over Pakistan Navy and then reduced almost sank the sailors to 196 for eight – thanks to fine bowling by Shahid Mahmood who took 5-49.Scores in brief (day 2 of 3):Pool A:
At Quaid-e-Azam Park, Pak PWD 144 in 52 overs (Zeeshan Pervaiz 33, Umar Gul 5-51, Fazle Akbar 3-32, Nadeem Khan 2-31) and 49-5 (Umar Gul 3-16) vs PIA 327-5 in 83 overs (Kamran Sajid 124, Yasir Hameed 127, Bazid Khan 31).
At PCB Academy, Pakistan Navy 86 in 37.4 overs (Junaid Zia 6-19, Imran Ali 3-29) and 196-8 (Kamran Ahmed 47, Rashid Ali 43*, Shahid Mahmood 5-49) vs Customs 312 (Kashif Siddique 76, Azhar Shafiq 65, Junaid Zia 47, Bilal Khilji 33, Farman Shah 3-88).
At UBL Sports Complex, KESC 156 in 58 overs (Javed Mansoor [3×4, 108b, Kamran Mansoor 42 [5×4, 106b], Azam Hussain 7-40) and 46-1 vs DHA 196-9 in 83 overs (Aamer Iqbal 97 [4×6, 78b], Wajid Ali 36, Saeed Khan 3-61).Pool B:
At KRL Stadium, KRL 213 in 80.5 overs (Saeed bin Nasir 89 [13×4, 181b], Yasir Arafat 41 [6×4, 2×6, 38b], Mohammad Khalil 4-51, Mohammad Hussain 4-85) and 95-5 (Ali Naqvi 42, Mohammad Hussain 3-21) vs PTCL 112 in 50.5 overs (Yasir Arafat 3-22, Ali Naqvi 3-23, Mohammad Asif 3-25).
At Army Cricket Ground, Pakistan Army 160 (Zubair Watoo 44, Farooq Iqbal 3-7) and 34-3 vs Wapda 355 in 71.5 overs (Mohammad Zaman 76, Tariq Aziz 62, Atiq-ur-Rehman 47, Hasan Adnan 47, Nabeel 3-36, Zubair Watoo 3-74).
At Shalimar Ground, POF 260-8 in 83 overs (Ahsan Masood 90, Usman Tahir 62, Imran Ali 41, Naseer Ahmed 4-83) vs PTV.Pool C:
At Railway Stadium, Railway 295 in 83 overs (Afzal Shah 75 [9×4, 146b], Asif Butt 50 [5×6, 30b], Khalid Bashir 40, Fahad-ul-Haq 40 [4×4, 68b], Mohammad Shoaib 3-33, Atif Ijaz 2-50, Shoaib Maqsood 2-78) and 50-2 vs HEC 265 in 83 overs (Amjad Ali 61, Atif Ijaz 43, Khalid Bashir 6-54).
At Country Club Muridke, ZTBL 282 in 77.1 overs (Zeeshan Mohsin 46, Zahoor Elahi 42, Javed Hayat 40, Faisal Naved 37, Imran Abbas 30, Aleem Moosa 3-85, Mohammad Javed 3-56) vs NBP 325-3 in 83 overs (Salman Butt 190, Naumanullah 76, Akhtar Sarfraz 39 not out).
At Gymkhana Ground Okara, PAF 302-9 in 83 overs (Shakeel Sharif 118, Naseer-ud-Din 45, Nadeem Farooqi 33, Rizwan Ahmed 4-67) vs Service Industries 300 in 83 overs (Asif Iqbal 137, Kashif Nizami 46, Tahir Masood 33, Mohammad Asif 32, Naseer-ud-din 4-107, Asif Khan 3-89).Pool D:
At Jinnah Stadium Sialkot, HBL 97 in 22.3 overs (Wasim Khan 8-41) and 145-4 (Saleem Elahi 53 not out) vs Sui Gas 349-5 in 83 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 152, Misbah-ul-Haq 79, Ali Hussain 40, Sohail Idrees 32, Abdul Rehman 3-100).At Saga Ground, PEB 52 in 16.3 overs (Abdul Rauf 5-36, Tanvir Ahmed 4-15) and 128 (Shahid Pervez Abbasi 67, Tahir Mughal 3-20, Abdul Rauf 2-40, Tanvir Ahmed 2-20) vs ABL 252-2 in 42 overs declared (Wajahatullah Wasti 107*, Farhan Adil 65, Ijaz Ahmed Jnr 35*). Result: Allied Bank won by an innings and 72 runs.
At Jinnah Stadium Sialkot, Saga 292 in 74.5 overs (Ashraf Ali 107, Kamran Younis 42, Shaiman Butt 39, Mustafa Bashir 4-83, Usman Nabi 3-69) vs LEO International 111 in 32 overs (Umair Khan 4-19, Tauqeer Hussain 4-44) and 164-6 (Safdar Niazi 50, Hasnain Abbas 37, Fahad Liaquat 31 not out).

Graeme Smith, the South African cricket captain, was named the International Young Cricketer of the Year last night at an awards function in Mumbai, India, sponsored by Electrolux.Smith, who is still only 23, was delighted with the honour. “It’s truly a wonderful honour and a privilege to receive this award,” he said. ” The last year has been an exciting one for me and the South African team, with many highs and a few lows.”Smith went on to thank his team-mates: “They have been fantastic all year and have formed a wonderful unit to make this first year as captain a very special one.”Smith was appointed as South Africa’s youngest-ever captain in March, and led the squad on tours to Bangladesh, England and Pakistan. Despite his extra responsibilities he has enjoyed a highly successful time with the bat, and is the leading runscorer in Test cricket this year. So far he has hit 1008 runs in ten Tests, including 714 (another South African record) in the five-Test series in England.His runs this year have included three centuries. In January he scored 151 against Pakistan at Cape Town, then in the first Test against England at Edgbaston in July, he set a new South African Test record with 277 – and followed that up with a matchwinning 259 in the second Test at Lord’s.In accepting his award, Smith thanked all those who had shown confidence in his ability: “I know that a lot of people thought I might be too young to captain South Africa, but I believe that what we have achieved as a team this year has allayed some fears and far outweighs what any individuals have done. We have made great progress but we still have a lot to learn as a side as do I as captain. “Gerald Majola, the chief executive of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, said: “This award is recognition of Graeme Smith’s achievements since he became South Africa’s youngest captain. He has led from the front with great determination since he took over the captaincy in difficult times, and his rapport with the team, the media and the public is outstanding.Majola concluded: “His batting performances on the tour of England were remarkable, resulting in him becoming the first batsman in the world to pass 1000 Test runs this year. We believe that he can lead South Africa to the highest cricketing honours in the future.”

Brett Lee has declared that he is fit for a Test recall, after bowling 10 overs for New South Wales against Victoria in an ING Cup match. Lee bowled for the first time in six weeks after resuming from an abdominal tear and clean-up surgery to his left ankle, and said he was available for the second Test against India in Adelaide, starting Friday.Lee said, “I’ll keep my fingers crossed, I think I’m definitely ready to play, I knew that if I was to get through these 10 overs and do it well I’m certainly thinking I’m ready to play.”While Glenn McGrath is struggling to overcome his own ankle surgery, Lee made good progress in the match which ended in a thrilling tie. Lee nearly had a wicket in his very first ball but the umpire turned down a huge lbw appeal.Lee added, “I felt really fit out there, I thought the ball came out at good speed and I was really impressed. The first ball of the match, I thought this was too good to be true – but the umpire didn’t give it out unfortunately, he said it was sliding down [the leg side], but that happens – but I was really pleased the way the ball came out.”Mark Waugh, who captained NSW for the first time, also felt that Lee was ready to resume at Test level. Waugh said, “We know what sort of bowler he is, he’s a matchwinning bowler so yeah I would [play him].It was pretty good first-up, there wasn’t much in the wicket for him, so I thought he bowled well.”Lee will play in the Pura Cup match against Victoria at the MCG starting Friday if not selected for the second Test.

Sri Lanka’s top and middle-order batsmen may have scored the required runs to beat England in the third and final Test at Colombo, but that has not stopped the national selectors from continuing their search for middle-order batsmen and spin bowlers.The on-going TenSports provincial tournament is giving the selectors some food for thought. “This is a good concept and the cricket so far produced indicates that the tournament is coming almost to the top level as other countries,” Lalith Kaluperuma, chairman of selectors, said. “The tournament was begun to bridge the gap that exists between club and national team cricketers. It is more or less serving the purpose.”One of the positives to come out of the tournament is that it is giving the batsmen the opportunity to play long innings. Mahela Jayawardene, Romesh Kaluwitharana and Sanath Jayasuriya have all made big scores,” added Kaluperuma. “The batsmen have shown they have the stamina and fitness to play long innings in the middle.”The pitches are also very good and the bowlers are learning to bowl to a proper line and length or they have to pay the penalty.”So far there have been two weekends of cricket, and all four matches have produced a winning result, including a world-record run chase by Central Province against Southern Province. The fact that all these games have gone the distance indicates that the players are getting used to the four-day game, which will hold them in good stead at Test level.Kaluperuma has been following the progress of the Southern Province team, while his three colleagues in the selection committee are doing the same with the other four teams in the competition.Aravinda de Silva is responsible for Western Province, Ashley de Silva for North Central Province and Roger Wijesuriya for Central Province. Kaluperuma said that Uva Province is handled by its coach Champaka Ramanayake, who is a member of the junior selection committee: “After every match we get a feedback from the management of each team which includes the captain, coach and the manager.”Kaluperuma said that the selection committee was awaiting the arrival of John Dyson, the national coach, before deciding to pick the pool and the captains for the Test and one-day series against Australia next month. “It has to be a collective decision and John must be present before we arrive at any decision,” said Kaluperuma. Dyson, who succeeded Dav Whatmore as head coach, returned to Sydney for a short holiday at the end of the England series, which was his first assignment as coach. Sri Lanka beat England in the one-day and Test series1-0.

As befits a player whose formative years in the Australian side were spent under the caustic leadership of Ian Chappell, Rod Marsh earned a reputation for blunt talking. Age might have mellowed him a little, but he stills calls it as he sees it, and he has no doubts about the mountain he has to climb if he is to help England challenge Australia’s dominance of the game.”I would suggest they’re going to have to get a wriggle on,” Marsh, in India as coach of the England A side, admitted when asked about the chances of any success in the next Ashes series next summer.”They’ve had it too easy for too long, some of these guys,” he continued “There is a distinct lack of discipline. I can’t see what’s wrong with telling the truth. Maybe people don’t like hearing the truth.”A heavy defeat in England A’s first match prompted a characteristic broadside from Marsh . “To me, there was a team that looked like they knew how to play cricket and a team that had no idea. It was a very poor performance,” he fumed. “We needed to spend some time in the middle but these guys think they are millionaires and have to play a shot a ball. The sooner they learn they can’t, the better off everyone will be.” He immediately ordered a re-match the following day. England lost again.”Every time something goes wrong, they have a team meeting then think the problem is solved,” he explained. “But they are the only ones who can help themselves and until they realise that, there is no point them being here.”Marsh believes that if the youngsters are hungry and pushing for places in the side then it will have a knock-on effect of making the senior players more conscious of the need to perform. But he warned that “at this point in time, they’re not pushing hard enough. If they were, the England team would be performing 100% flat out all the time. They’ve got to say to the selectors, ‘pick me’, like Ed Smith did last year.”The games in India will be tough but, typically, Marsh would have it no other way. “If we came over here and there was no challenge then it would be quite boring for me,” he said. “The challenge is to help these blokes improve. They’re still babes really. They haven’t seen much of the world.”

Queensland Cricket (QC) will call for more international games to be played at The Gabba stadium when the redevelopment there is completed early in 2005.Peter Beattie, Queensland’s prime minister, announced that the final segment of the stadium was on course to be finished early next year, adding 5000 seats and boosting the ground’s capacity to 42,000.Damien Mullins, Queensland Cricket’s chairman, welcomed the announcement, saying it should pave the way for more international matches. “In light of this decision, QC looks forward to building a persuasive case for more international cricket to be played at the venue in the future,” he said. “The new capacity of 42,000 puts The Gabba on a par with the Sydney Cricket Ground and ensures that Brisbane more than holds its own with the established major cricket venues in Sydney and Melbourne.”Cricket Australia controls the scheduling of international matches, but we believe there will be strong arguments in The Gabba’s favour to increase the number of international games played here.”Mullins said he hoped The Gabba would see more international action, with the stadium due to be completed in time for South Africa’s scheduled tour of Australia in 2005-06. The ground usually hosts one Test and two limited-overs internationals each year.The record attendance for a one-day match at The Gabba is 35,761, for the game between Australia and South Africa on January 20, 2002.Construction is due to begin in September and is expected to be completed in time for the start of the next Australian Rugby League season. In the redevelopment, the social club in the south-eastern corner of the ground will be demolished, allowing the last segment of the stand to be built, completing the stadium’s full circle. Additional corporate suites and dining facilities, better team-bus access, and automated turnstiles will also be built.

He may be the most influential man in Pakistan, but even Pervez Musharraf needs to buy a ticket to watch the cricket. According to the Times of India, he paid Rs 4500 (Rs 1500 per ticket) to watch the one-day international at Rawalpindi along with his family. The newspaper quoted Shahryar Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, as saying: “He is patron-in-chief of the PCB and doesn’t need tickets to watch matches. But he overruled the PCB request and paid for himself and his family.”* * *The News, a Pakistan daily, reports that about 1000 Indian fans will walk across the border in hte next few days to watch the one-dayers over the weekend. “About 500 Indian spectators will cross the Wagah border on foot on Friday,” said Alamzeb Khan, a border-force officer for the Sutlej Rangers. “They are coming to witness the one-day international matches here.” An similar number are expected to come in before the last two ODIs in Lahore, on March 21 and 24.* * *Sourav Ganguly’s request to extend the boundary ropes was allowed at Rawalpindi, but he wasn’t quite as successful at Peshawar. Tariq Rana, the head curator of the Arbab Niaz Stadium, confirmed that Ganguly had made a similar request here: “Ganguly insisted that since the boundary on either side of the squares was at 75 yards and the boundary ropes in front of the wickets were just 70 to 71 yards, they should also be extended by five to six yards,” Tariq said, according to . “His argument was that if the boundary rope was extended it would allow the batsmen to run for longer periods.” The request was turned down, though, as the curator felt that would leave very little space between the ropes and the fencing, increasing the possibilities of injuries to fielders.* * *In his column in the Asian Age, Rajan Bala suggests that the Indians should gamble on playing an extra spinner to curb the free-stroking Pakistani batsmen. The Indian bowlers were tonked around in the first two ODIs, and were struck a further blow with the injury to Ashish Nehra, but Bala sees this as an opportunity to innovate. “It is in crisis situations like this, when there is a shortage of quality and penetrative bowlers, that one must be innovative,” he writes. “It is all about pulling off a bluff or two.” Bala recalled the 1992 World Cup, when Martin Crowe experimented with Dipak Patel’s offspinners at the start of the innings. “This is not to suggest that either Ramesh Powar or [Murali] Kartik be given the new ball. But if Ganguly took the chance he might flummox a batsman like [Shahid] Afridi who is capable of much indiscretion.”

Saleem Malik, the former Pakistan captain, believes that he was made a scapegoat in the match-fixing scandal, which ruined his career.Malik, currently in Mumbai for fund-raising purposes, went on to name a few cricketers who had been cleared in the match-fixing affair. An ANI report quoted him as saying, “Ata-ur Rehman’s ban is off. Herschelle Gibbs and Shane Warne are still playing, but I am stuck. Other Pakistani players whose names appeared in the investigations were fined and let off. Only I was punished. I guess they wanted a scapegoat, and who better than me? In India, the board thought Azharuddin would be the ideal person to ban because he was nearing the end of his career, and here in Pakistan I was coming towards the end of my career. So, Azhar and I were made the scapegoats.”Malik felt that players from the subcontinent were at the receiving end of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit. “England lost to Zimbabwe in the early 90s. West Indies were bowled out for 54 against England recently. But no one ever says those matches were fixed. The ICC continues to scrutinise only games where teams from the subcontinent are involved.”Accusing the ICC of bias, he said, “It’s because of the colour of our skin. If we were white, there wouldn’t be so much scrutiny. Shane Warne is still playing, as is Herschelle Gibbs.”When asked about his appeal to the Supreme Court to lift the life-ban imposed by the Justice Malik Qayyum committee, Malik said, “What can I say? The court is not willing to give any date for a hearing. To be honest I have given up all hope that I would ever be cleared of this allegation.”He spoke about his plight and fading hopes of detaching the stigma from his name. “As it is, what damage had to be done has been done to me and my family. I have suffered a lot … The matchfixing allegations completely destroyed me and I could not perform in the middle after that at all. In the middle of the 1999 World Cup I had to attend court hearings. It was humiliation of the worst kind. I was harassed, shot, slapped, slaughtered in public by my board, the ICC and also the media.”Malik also denied rumours about him wanting to migrate to some other country after being banned for life. “Where will I go from here? This is my country and this is the only place where they are people who still believe I am innocent and support me.”