Indian star Singh offers to replace O'Brien's bats

Reports also suggest that the Irish team have been fined after a dressing-room door was damaged during Sunday’s game.

THE MYSTERY OF the missing cricket bats took a pleasant twist yesterday when it was revealed that Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh had offered to replace Niall O’Brien’s stolen property.

As reported here yesterday, the Irish wicket-keeper’s equipment went missing in the aftermath of Sunday’s game against Inida at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore. O’Brien – the elder brother of record-breaking batsman Kevin – had given his two bags of equipment to a member of the ground staff, but when he arrived back at the hotel, one of the two bags was missing.

Although it appears that the Irish team should be able to source some new Gray-Nicolls bats for O’Brien ahead of Friday’s game against the West Indies in Mohali, Singh phoned the Dubliner and offered to supply him with some bats of his own for the game, an offer which was genuinely appreciated by O’Brien.

I was really impressed that he should take the time and trouble to do that. I’ll likely get new bats in time anyway but it’s great to think someone in another team is looking out for you.

Damage

Today’s Hindu carries a report on another development arising from Sunday’s game. The paper reports that Ireland were fined 20,000 rupees (€320) after the door of the visitor’s dressing room was damaged by Niall O’Brien.

Although the paper reports that the “incensed” O’Brien “knocked down the door on his way back after being dismissed,” the Belfast Telegraph understands that the damage happened ”when a door was pushed outwards instead of in and, as a result, the bottom hinge was broken”.

Cricket Ireland have not confirmed the name of player involved in the incident.