Pietersen to be treated for hernia after World Cup

Bangladesh fans continue to vent their anger by stoning captain Shakib Al Hasan's house, and more World Cup news.

Angry fans threw stones at the house of the Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan after his team crashed to a humiliating nine-wicket defeat by West Indies at the World Cup. The incident followed stone-throwing at the West Indies team bus as they made their way out of the stadium post victory.

Proloy Chisim, chief of police in the western town of Maguara, said: "Some youths came on motorcycles and threw stones, no one was injured. I talked to the family, they are doing fine. This is not a big incident."

The International Cricket Council chief Haroon Lorgat also dismissed the team bus incident as minor and not worthy of serious punishment. "We would not move the games lightly but it is not something which we would discount completely," Lorgat said. "I don't believe that particular incident justifies any game being moved just yet."

There was sympathy for Shakib's plight from the Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who spoke from firsthand experience of the problem. Dhoni's house in Ranchi, the capital of India's eastern state of Jharkhand, was attacked by fans after India's early exit from the 2007 World Cup.

"They should remember that it's not players, but family members inside, who have nothing to do with cricket," Dhoni said in Bangalore. "You have to control emotions.

"When I win, I don't start hitting everyone in the street, saying you attacked my house in 2007."

Pietersen being nursed through injury for the tournament

England batsman Kevin Pietersen will have an operation on a hernia after the World Cup, the England Cricket Board said in a statement.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said Saturday that the 30-year-old Pietersen was diagnosed with the injury after England's 6-1 series one-day loss in Australia, but that he should be able to continue playing as long as England remains in the World Cup.

"I'm obviously extremely disappointed to have picked up this hernia injury but I've been able to manage it so far throughout the World Cup and will continue to do so," Pietersen said.

"It will no doubt impact my preparation but careful management should see me still play a significant role in the team's campaign."

The ECB chief medical officer Nicholas Peirce said in a statement: "Kevin will continue to be managed throughout the World Cup and we would expect him to make a full recovery following a recuperation and rehabilitation period of approximately six weeks after the operation." But the six-week break for rehabilitation means Pietersen will be unable to play for the Deccan Chargers.

Hussey among three choices for Bollinger's replacement

Doug Bollinger's replacement in the Australia squad will be announced in the next couple of days with Mike Hussey possibly in line for a World Cup reprieve, captain Ricky Ponting has said.

The fast bowler Bollinger was ruled out of the World Cup with a left ankle injury and subsequently returned home. "They (selectors) have been saying all this week that they will wait till the end of this Sri Lankan game and make an announcement then," Ponting said.

"It's obviously to give Mike Hussey an opportunity to play a Sheffield Shield game back in Australia. The one-day final is now out of the way in which (Peter) Siddle and Dirk Nannes both played as well.

"They got a good look at those two plus a good look at Hussey this week. So I am pretty sure that the decision is going to be made in the next couple of days."