Pollard, Bond costliest players at IPL auction

The third edition of the extremely popular Twenty20 tournament will begin from 12 March.

Mumbai: The explosive Caribbean all-rounder Kieron Pollard and New Zealand paceman Shane Bond emerged as the most expensive players, being sold for a whopping $750,000 (approx. Rs3.42 crore) at the auction for the third edition of the Indian Premier League on Tuesday.

It was a four-way tie among Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders to grab Pollard and eventually Mumbai won the player through a silent tie-breaker bid in the high profile auction which saw no Pakistani player being sold out.

The price of the silent bid was not disclosed by the organisers with IPL chairman Lalit Modi saying that the information will be confined to the bidders and them.

Like Pollard, a keen tussle was witnessed to grab Kiwi paceman Bond with Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers making the highest bid.

After a tie-breaker, the Kolkata grabbed the paceman.

West Indies paceman Kemar Roach was the second costliest player sold to Deccan Chargers for $720,000.

Delhi Daredevils bought South African all rounder Wayne Parnell for $610,000 against a base price of $200,000.

Rajasthan Royals bought retired Australian Damien Martyn for $100,000 apart from securing the services of Adam Voges for $50,000.

Chennai Super Kings recalled South African Justin Kemp by paying $100,000 and also bought emerging Sri Lankan batsman Thisara Perera for $50,000.

Mohammed Kaif, the only Indian player featuring in the auction, went unsold in the first round but was later bought by Kings XI Punjab for $250,000. They also recalled South African Yusuf Abdullah.

Royal Challengers Bangalore bid for just one player and got England’s Eoin Morgan for $220,000.

In all, 56 players remained unsold out of 67 that went under the hammer.

Three Under-19 Indian players at a fixed price of Rs8 lakh were also in the auction list.

Royal Challengers Bangalore chose U-19 skipper Ashok Maneria, Deccan Chargers preferred Harmeet Singh and Mumbai Indians opted for Harshal Patel.

The third edition of the extremely popular Twenty20 tournament will begin from 12 March.

Source:http://www.livemint.com/

Dhoni, Bhajji set to play 2nd Test against Bangladesh

STAFF WRITER 18:50 HRS IST

Chittagong, Jan 19 (PTI) Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh are recovering fast and they are set to play the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka from January 24, team manager Arshad Ayub said here today.

"(M S) Dhoni is fast improving from his injury (back spasm). He batted and bowled at the nets (after third day's play). For Harbhajan Singh, he has recovered 80-85 per cent and in a couple of days he would be fully all right," Ayub said at the press conference after third day's play of the first Test here.

Dhoni was a ruled out a day ahead of the first Test at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Cricket Stadium due to back spasm and vice-captain Virender Sehwag is leading the visiting side in his absence.

Playing with Tendulkar an honour to me, says Pollard

STAFF WRITER 18:52 HRS IST

New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) For West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who was bought by Indian Premier League team Mumbai Indians for a whopping USD 750,000 in today's auction, chance to share the dressing room with Sachin Tendulkar came as an additional bonanza.

"It is an honour to play with Sachin Tendulkar. I have grown up as a kid by watching him in the television," Pollard said after he was sold to the Mumbai team during first round of the IPL auction in Mumbai.

"Its brilliant for me to get the chance to play in the IPL. It will be an exposure and also an opportunity to show what player Pollard can do," the 22-year-old cricketer told Times Now.