Cricket Fever/Cricket News

Zaheer Khan, Isha Sharvani may wed in 2011

2011-06-29T06:36:00.001-07:00

Talks about a raging romance between cricketer Zaheer Khan and actress Isha Sharvani have been around for a long time. the handsome couple is forever breaking up and making up.

Well, this time they have made up, and have decided to take their relationship a step further, or so we hear.

Yes, if sources are to be believed, Isha and Zaheer plan to get engaged by the end of this year, and married soon after. "They will get engaged by the end of 2011. At least that's what the plan is," we are told. However, a friend of the actress insists that marriage is going to wait and isn't round the corner for Isha.

The buzz about a shaadi between Zaheer and Isha is pretty strong though, this time round.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Zaheer-Khan-Isha-Sharvani-may-wed-in-2011/articleshow/9037365.cms

Indian pace attack strike back against West Indies

2011-06-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

BRIDGETOWN: India's pacemen brought them back into the second Test against West Indies, after they suffered a batting collapse on the first day on Tuesday.

Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, and Test newcomer Abhimanyu Mithun all collected a wicket apiece to leave West Indies in tatters on 30 for three, in reply to India's first innings total of 201 at the close.

Sharma made the breakthrough, when he had Adrian Barath caught at gully for three in the fourth over, and next over, Praveen Kumar had Lendl Simmons caught behind for two, leaving West Indies five for two.

Darren Bravo joined Ramnaresh Sarwan, and stemmed the fall of wickets before the left-hander was caught behind for nine from the penultimate ball of the day from Mithun.

Earlier, India were given further cause to usher in the use of the umpire decision review system.

Left-hander Suresh Raina was dubiously dismissed for 53, triggering a batting collapse that saw the Indians lose their last five wickets for 34 runs in the space of 55 balls.

Raina was caught at forward short leg off West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo for 53, following a 117-run, fifth-wicket stand with VVS Laxman, whose 85 was the top score, and helped to rescue the visitors from a perilous 38 for four before lunch.

The left-hander was clearly upset by the decision from Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf, which television replays suggested was highly dubious, dropping his bat, staring in anger at the official, and swinging his bat in disgust.

Fidel Edwards then ran through the lower half of India's batting, removing their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for two, Harbhajan Singh for five, and Mithun for a duck, finishing with three for 56 from 19 overs.

Ravi Rampaul was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, with three for 38 from 16 overs, and Bishoo snared three for 46 from 14 overs.

Laxman reached his 50 from 75 balls, glancing Edwards to the fine leg boundary for his eight four, and Raina reached the landmark from 90 deliveries, paddling Bishoo to long-leg for a single.

The two batsmen ensured India did not lose a wicket between lunch and tea, after the top order were given a real going over by Rampaul, who exploited helpful conditions in taking three of the wickets to fall.

India suffered an early setback, when left-handed opener Abhinav Mukund was caught at gully for one off Rampaul in the second over of the day.

The Indians ran into further trouble, when Rahul Dravid, a century-maker in the first Test, was caught behind for five, playing defensively forward to a delivery from West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

Murali Vijay was fortunate on four, when he sliced a drive at a delivery from Sammy, and Bishoo failed to hold onto a low, diving chance at backward point.

India reached 13 for two from 14 overs after the first hour, failing to strike a boundary, but Laxman brought India their first four, when he pulled Sammy through wide mid-on.

But the Indians were jolted, when Rampaul had opener Murali Vijay caught behind down the leg side for a painstaking 11, and two deliveries later, Virat Kohli caught at second slip for a duck, fending a sharply rising delivery.

India are looking to wrap up their second straight Test series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean.

They will also be looking to create a piece of history by becoming the first Indian side to win a Test and One-day International series in the Caribbean - but they will also have to overcome their poor history here.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team still have cause for optimism though - following a 10-wicket defeat for Sourav Ganguly's side nine years ago, West Indies have lost six of the next eight Tests they have played at this venue.

toi

Raina fined 25 per cent of match fee for showing dissent

2011-06-29T06:28:00.000-07:00

BRIDGETOWN: Indian batsman Suresh Raina was fined 25 per cent of his match fee for a Level I breach in ICC's Code of Conduct on the first day of the second cricket Test against West Indies on Tuesday.

According to a release issued by the ICC, the batsman was found to have breached Article 2.1.3 of the code which relates to "showing dissent at an umpire's decision by action or verbal abuse".

After first day's play concluded, the left-handed batsman pleaded guilty and accepted the proposed sanction offered to him by match referee Chris Broad. The charge was brought by on-field umpires Asad Rauf and Billy Bowden as well as third umpire Gregory Brathwaite and fourth official Norman Malcolm.

The incident happened in the 56th over when Raina batting on 53 was given caught by forward short-leg fielder Adrian Barath off Devendra Bishoo's bowling. It was a late decision given by umpire Rauf and Raina was visibly unhappy with the decision .

The release states, "The batsman shook his head to indicate that he did not hit the ball which seemed to be an attempt to influence the umpire's decision. On being given out, he looked to the sky in disgust and then after picking his bat up from the ground swung it at the dirt as well as shaking his head again."

According to match referee Broad, it was "a clear breach of code."

"What Suresh did was a clear breach of the code, something the player himself has accepted. There is a fine line between showing disappointment at a dismissal and demonstrating dissent but on this occasion Suresh was well over that line and his behaviour was unacceptable," Broad was quoted as saying by the release.

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ICC defers decision on scrapping rotational presidents

2011-06-29T06:21:00.001-07:00

HONG KONG: The ICC on Wednesday deferred a decision on the planned scrapping of the rotational system of presidency but asked next-in-line Pakistan and Bangladesh not to nominate a candidate till a review of its governance structure before the next Executive Board meeting in October.

"The ICC Executive Board, following the strategic plan that was adopted in April and a firm recommendation from the Governance Review Committee on Wednesday, unanimously agreed to undertake urgently an independent review of the ICC governance structures and processes.

"The Board therefore decided to defer the proposed constitutional amendment to the nominations process for election of the ICC president and accordingly withdrew its proposal to the Annual Conference in this regard," the governing body said in a statement after the penultimate day of its annual conference.

The ICC Governance Review Committee had recommended that a wide-ranging, independent review should cover all governance-related matters including the possibility of appointing independent directors.

"The review will be required to be completed before the next ICC Executive Board meeting scheduled for October.

"In the meantime, both the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board have given undertakings not to nominate a candidate for ICC vice-president before the external review is completed and the matter is again considered by the ICC Executive Board."

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said the review is needed to improve administration in the body.

"I wholeheartedly welcome an independent review of the entire ICC governance and regard this as a major step to meet stakeholder expectations and the high standards of a world-class organisation," he said.

Among other decisions taken on WEdnesday, the Pakistan Task Team presented a report comprising 63 recommendations covering areas of governance, cricket administration, playing structure, financial viability and communications.

The PTT comprises Giles Clarke (chairman), Mike Brearley, Peter Chingoka, Haroon Lorgat (ICC chief executive), Ranjan Madugalle, Ramiz Raja, and David Richardson (ICC general manager- Cricket).

"The report was adopted unanimously by the ICC Board and I am pleased that the PCB will consider this report at its next Board meeting," Lorgat said.

The ICC Executive Board also received a request from the PCB to consider hosting an ICC event in Pakistan in 2018.

But no discussion was held and "no assurances were given as the ICC has no confirmed event currently scheduled for 2018."

"We fully understand the PCB request and we will consider if it is possible to host an event in Pakistan subject to the standard safety and security clearances," said Lorgat.

The Board also discussed at length the World Cup held in the sub-continent. Though it hailed the event as a success, the ICC expressed its unhappiness at the fact that stadiums such as the Eden Gardens in Kolkata struggled to meet completion deadlines.

"Although the event was universally acclaimed as a success and one of the best cricket events in history, the report highlighted certain shortcomings around ticketing and stadia construction.

"Based on a recommendation from the Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee, the ICC Executive Board confirmed a revised policy that stadia hosting ICC global events must be match-ready at least six months before the event," it said.

"The directors also noted the appointment of forensic auditors to review ticketing during the ICC Cricket World Cup, including allegations of black marketeering," it added.

The Board noted that the Test match between England and India at Lord's Cricket Ground, London starting on July 21 will be the 2,000th in history.

"We are planning to mark the occasion by celebrating this fantastic milestone. Test cricket is the pinnacle format of our game and I am confident that this series will confirm this enduring format in front of full houses," Lorgat said.

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BCCI accepts diluted umpire review system

2011-06-28T00:28:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket board's long-standing showdown with the International Cricket Council over the Umpire Decision Review System seems to have been resolved, for the time being, with both sides treading a middle path over the contentious use of technological aids in the game. The ICC's chief executives' committee meeting in Hong Kong, which concluded on Monday, also recommended some path-breaking tweaks in the game.

The changes, if approved by the ICC executive board, will be unrolled from October 1. These include significant modifications to make ODIs more engrossing - like the use of a new ball from each end and making it mandatory for teams to take their elective powerplays between the 16th and 40th over.

Runners, long an integral part of cricket, will be outlawed from all forms of the game. An injured batsman can no longer ask a teammate to run for him. Recommendations have also been made for stricter penalties for captains guilty of slow over rates.

But the agreement on DRS hogged all the attention. The ICC has made its use mandatory, but removed the ball-tracking technology - which BCCI opposes - as an essential component of the system.

The compromise on the vexed UDRS issue is clearly a case of give and take between India, cricket's financial muscle, and the game's world body to resolve a damaging row which was threatening to split member nations.

Under the agreement, teams will be allowed to make one incorrect challenge to an on-field umpire's decision instead of the two challenges currently in use.

For the first time since 2008, Indian players will be using the DRS in the series against England in July. The BCCI, which has for long maintained that tracking tools like Hawkeye were unreliable, has accepted the use of infra-red cameras and audio-tracking devices.

"Once ICC understood our concerns, the BCCI had no issues in accepting the use of DRS," board vice-president Rajiv Shukla said. "Board president Shashank Manohar and secretary N Srinivasan made their reservations clear about some of the aspects of the DRS."

These reservations included Hawkeye and similar ball-tracking tools which will now only be used as a "bilateral agreement" between two willing nations.

Amid these attempts to resolve the issue, the modified DRS raises its own questions. While DRS has been made mandatory, the ICC has said that it is to be used subject to availability and cost considerations. Clear decisions on the huge cost-sharing process between host boards and broadcasters too are yet to emerge. The power of referral in leg-before decisions involving the line of the ball too has been taken away from the player and the final decision restored to the on-field umpire. The widespread availability of Hot Spot, a costly infra-red device to determine ball-deflection, too seems to be an issue.

England's ODI skipper Alastair Cook welcomed India's move to embrace the DRS, saying, "I believe DRS helps get more right decisions. I think technology to get those decisions right is the best way forward."

While it is likely to be an uphill task for the ICC to resolve outstanding issues amicably, what is clear is that the DRS is here to stay, and can only grow wing in future. With BCCI muscle in place, the approval of the executive board now seems a formality.

Meanwhile, minnows were given another lifeline after they protested against the ICC's decision to make the World Cup an exclusive, 10-team club, and a qualification process has been recommended for them without elaborating on the number of teams.

Salient features of ICC's cricket 2.0

ICC recommends a slew of changes in cricket. These proposals will be sent to the ICC executive board for ratification...

Yes to UDRS, no to Hawkeye

A restricted version of DRS, minus ball-tracking technologies like Hawkeye which predict the path of a delivery, will now be used in all Tests and ODIs DRS permitted to use infra-red cameras (Hot Spot) and audio-tracking devices. Number of unsuccessful reviews reduced from two to one. New system to be used in India-England series. Hawkeye can be used in bilateral series if both sides agree.

Victory for BCCI?

Indian board's grouse against DRS was Hawkeye, which it said was unreliable. ICC has taken care of this concern. ICC said 'expert' research will be carried out on accuracy of ball-tracking technology.

Will new rules plug controversy?

Unlikely. Questions remain on implementation. ICC has made DRS 'mandatory' subject to 'availability' and 'affordability'. Grey areas abound. LBW decisions will, in practice, go out of DRS ambit. Without technologies like Hawkeye showing where the ball had pitched, the third umpire won't have the tools to adjudicate. Availability of Hot Spot is an issue. Costs vary from $5,000 a day to $60,000 per match. A pact on cost-sharing between board and broadcasters seems unlikely.

Goodbye to runners

No runners to be allowed for injured batsmen in any form of the game.

ODIs tweaked

Elective Powerplays (batting or bowling) can only be used in 16th to 40th over. Two new balls to be used per innings. ICC members encouraged to try innovations in domestic matches like increasing maximum overs for bowler; increasing number of short balls per over and changing number of fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle in different periods of play.

Minnows get lifeline

ICC recommends a qualification process for the 2015 World Cup but is silent on the number of teams in the event

TOI

2nd Test: Munaf may lead three-pacer attack

2011-06-28T00:27:00.000-07:00

BRIDGETOWN (Barbados): After a long time - considering fitness, strengths, weaknesses and the overall mindset where Tests are concerned - India will head into a game with a three-pronged pace attack. Munaf Patel, who missed the first Test because of a minor elbow injury, is back to fitness and along with Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar, the bowler will lead India's attack.

Munaf's return to the squad will be at the cost of leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who picked three wickets in the first Test but was eventually found to be lacking the aggression and attacking instincts needed on a good spin-assisting wicket at Sabina Park.

In the last three years, India's pace attack has largely revolved around Zaheer Khan, either assisted by Ishant or Sreesanth, but both of them together on rare occasions. It is perhaps for the first time in the last three years that India will head into a Test with three pace bowlers which does not involve Zaheer and with one of the bowlers (Praveen) just one match old. Keeping in mind the busy season ahead and the confidence that Dhoni is ready to show in these pacers has to be a good sign for India's young bowling attack.

Munaf bowled for about an hour in the nets, stretched, engaged himself in a rigorous fielding session and interacted with Simons, Ishant and Praveen for long during a hectic training schedule on Sunday and Monday. As it turns out, the bowler wasn't so injured ahead of the Sabina Park Test so as to miss the game but Dhoni thought better in resting him than to play and risk aggravating his injury.

Now fresh and looking to find his feet back, Munaf says he's "feeling good after the rest". Such is the bowler's history with frequent injuries that despite making his Test debut in 2006, Munaf has played just 12 Tests, the last being 2009 in Wellington, New Zealand. Even if Munaf plays the Barbados Test, it seems unlikely that Dhoni will put the bowler on duty to bowl long spells. The right-arm pacer at the most may bowl six to seven overs at a stretch and then get removed from the attack to refresh himself. The last thing India want is an unfit Munaf heading to England.

"We have a lot of important series coming up this year," says Dhoni, talking of the tours against England and Australia later this year.

TOI

Gavaskar slams ICC ban on runners

2011-06-28T00:25:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the ICC's decision to abolish runners for injured batsmen in one-day cricket, saying even bowlers should not be allowed to have water as rules should be the same for everyone.

The ICC's Executive Committee has decided to do away with runners for injured batsmen in ODIs and Gavaskar said if that is the case, it should be stringent for the fielding side as well.

"I would also like to suggest that there should be no water for bowlers at the boundary end. They bowl one over and come to the boundary where energy drinks are waiting for them," a miffed Gavaskar said.

Gavaskar said if the ICC feels having runners for injured batsmen is not fair then it should also consider doing away with the drinks breaks and the concept of substitute fielders.

"There should be no drinks breaks that are usually scheduled after one hour or so. If you are going to make a situation like this then there should not be any substitute fielders either," he said.

"There should not be a substitute fielder when a regular player goes off the field. If a fielder gets injured or has cramps, he should either go off the field or stay there. That ways it balances out everything and the batting side is not the only one affected," he said.

TOI

Indian players happy with modified DRS

2011-06-28T00:24:00.000-07:00

BRIDGETOWN: The Indian team has given a thumbs up to the Decision Review System (DRS) in its revised form which makes the ball-tracker technology optional in bilateral series.

"It's so good that the tracker system has been done away with. It was the tracker system which was the bone of contention for us," said a senior member of the side after the team practice on Monday.

In the ICC Executive Committee meeting in Hong Kong, the usage of UDRS was made mandatory for both Tests and one-dayers across all countries.

However, the decision was made with a rider: the ball tracker system -- a technology which measures the progress of a delivery after it leaves the hand of a bowler -- is not mandatory.

It implies that if a country disagrees, the UDRS will be used without the tracker technology in a bilateral series.

Thus the UDRS system without the tracker technology will be used in India-England series beginning next month. The present series between India and the West Indies is being played without the UDRS system.

The cricketer explained why the Indian team and BCCI were resistant to the tracker system of the UDRS.

"The tracker system has an inherent flaw. First, the cameras are not exactly in a straight line behind the umpire. Two, the height of delivery after pitching can never be accurately measured by technology.

"Strong wind, change of pace, the uneven bounce can all cause major difference to the height of a delivery when it reaches stumps.

"And, by the way, what's the guarantee that a producer monitoring the tracking system hasn't fiddled with the system on his own?" questioned the cricketer.

The cricketer cited Sachin Tendulkar's "dismissal" at Mohali in the World Cup semifinals against Pakistan earlier this month as an example of how the system can go wrong.

Tendulkar was first ruled out leg-before-wicket to Saeed Ajmal but when the batsman asked for a review, the UDRS showed the delivery to be missing the leg-stump by the thinnest of margins.

"Many who saw the replays were not convinced that Sachin wasn't out. Even though it benefitted us, it was clear the technology was flawed. Producers who manage the tracker system can make an error judgment.

"The technology might be good but we have to remember that it's a man who operates it. And so it's back to human element. In such a scenario, it was better that on-field umpires made decisions and not a technology which wasn't fool-proof."

The current modification in the rules state that hot-spot and stump microphone will now be used to make clear judgment on nicks. A nick, or the lack of it, can now be ascertained by eye as well as ear.

For example in the first Test in Jamaica, even cricket expert Ian Bishop acknowledged that Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli were wrongly given out and a snickometer or hot-spot could have ruled out the decisions.

The UDRS in its modified form will help eliminate wrong bat-pad decisions. It will not be a help in the lbw decisions because the tracker system has now been done away with.

TOI

Sachin Tendulkar sells his Ferrari to Surat businessman

2011-06-24T02:58:00.000-07:00

SURAT/MUMBAI: A Surat builder now owns the Ferrari presented to Sachin Tendulkar by Michael Schumacher on behalf of Fiat in 2002 when he equalled Sir Don Bradman's record of 29 Test centuries.

"It was my dream to own a Ferrari. I approached Sachin through a common friend and asked him if he wanted to sell the car. He agreed," said Jayesh Desai, the builder. According to sources in Surat's high society, Sachin's Ferrari had been up for sale for four months.

"It was the best experience of my life," said the realtor who drove the red two-seater from Sachin's flat in Bandra to his bungalow at Satkeval Society at Athwalines last weekend. Desai, 42, proudly recalled how he was stopped by curious onlookers when he drove the Ferrari to his office at Varacha. He has parked it in a specially built garage in his bungalow.

It is not clear why Sachin, who is passionate about cars, sold the Ferrari which is also a trophy. The news has come as a surprise to many, including his close friends. The cricketing legend, on his part, chose to make no comment on his decision.

"He doesn't wish to say anything on the topic," said a close friend of Tendulkar, who is holidaying in Europe with his family. This friend, though, did recall his own rides in the Ferrari. "I have been driven around in that car on many occasions and, yes, it was a special car," he said.

Last year, when TOI had asked former India captain Ravi Shastri about the Audi 100 he won for being honoured as the Champion of Champions in Australia in 1985, he had replied, "It is a priceless possession, no doubt about it. People ask me whether I have sold that car and I tell them there would be no buyer because it is priceless! I still have the car but I don't drive it."

Desai, the Ferrari's new owner, claims all the paperwork is done and the car is in his name now.

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India beat West Indies by 63 runs to win first Test, lead series 1-0

2011-06-24T02:57:00.000-07:00

KINGSTON: The fear of a painful defeat had been looming over Sabina Park right from the time West Indies failed to put enough runs on the board in their first innings.

However, until they lost their last wicket on Thursday afternoon, chasing the target of 326 set by India in the final innings, nobody really wanted to state the obvious. India won their second straight Test at this venue, on both occasions facilitated by the dependable Rahul Dravid.

The handful of spectators at the Sabina Park stood still after their worst fears came true. With 195 runs required, seven wickets in hand and two days remaining, West Indies skipper Darren Sammy had talked about the team's expectations from veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul and young Darren Bravo, who resumed batting on the crucial morning.

However, the moment Bravo and Chanderpaul were dismissed after adding just 17 more runs, the rest of the batting order fell like a pack of cards. The hosts were eventually bowled out for 262 to lose the first Test by 63 runs.

Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma with three wickets each did most of the damage while spinners Amit Mishra and Harbhajan had their share of fun with the tail which wagged for a while but could only delay the inevitable.

For West Indies, batting remained their biggest disappointment throughout. Adrian Barath's first innings score of 64 was their highest individual score while Bravo and Chanderpaul's 68-run stand for the fourth wicket in the second innings remained their highest partnership in the game.

India's victory was based on three pillars. First was the 146-run partnership between Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh on Day One that helped the team score an eventual 246. Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar's spells on Day Two - with three wickets each - helped restrict West Indies to 173. And Dravid's hundred on Day Three helped the visitors set a formidable target. On the fourth day, West Indies simply crumbled.

The hosts will have a lot of soulsearching to do from here on. While the defeat was unavoidable, Darren Sammy's men have to get their batting in order as soon as possible if West Indies have to correct themselves in the remaining two Tests. The Kensington Oval in Barbados and Windsor Park in Dominica will favour India a lot more than Sabina Park, where they already gained the required advantage.

Sammy's batting lineup needs some kind of motivation too. Despite the skipper's talk of arranging various motivational activities - like attending lectures, staying together, going on adventure camps - the fact remains that the team tends to lose intensity on the field.

The pressure of chasing the target on Sabina's fourth-day wicket was asking for too much even from a batsman of Chanderpaul's calibre, and the batsman managed just 30 before falling to Praveen Kumar. Along with Bravo, who also became Praveen's victim, they both saw off 38.2 overs before the partnership crumbled. West Indies' hopes of survival perished with it too.

Praveen made the first Test his own with an excellent display of swing bowling that earned him a match haul of six wickets. He had his ups and downs in the game, for instance the warnings from Daryl Harper about running on to the danger area while bowling, which he says in hindsight were lessons to learn from. Ishant used his height to good effect and generated valuable bounce from the wicket.

While Ishant remained India's most economical bowler in the first innings, Praveen took over that role in the second and both ensured that India's target of 20 wickets was achievable. Dravid's bat had already done the rest.

In the absence of regular openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, India's opening combination looked unsettled.

Sachin Tendulkar's absence in the middle order made the batting looked further weakened. VVS Laxman failed to get going in both the innings.

Zaheer Khan's absence meant the hosts were less fearful of the kind of opening spell the left-arm seamer is capable of delivering. Dravid was India's only hope in the middle of this all and his contribution was more than enough to serve the team's purpose.

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Dhoni offers West Indies hope after India victory

2011-06-24T02:56:00.000-07:00

KINGSTON: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni elected to offer words of comfort to the West Indies after seeing his side record a 63-run victory in the first Test on Thursday.

"I will not make the mistake by saying that this opposition is not good enough," he said.

"Every batsman can score runs. Their first seven batters have the talent that equally matches that of the current Indian team."

Dhoni, the World Cup and Indian Premier League-winning captain, was particularly impressed by the contribution of West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.

Indian pair Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra proved to be the tourists' match-winners, but Bishoo also shone, picking up seven wickets.

"Bishoo kept bowling in the right areas," said Dhoni. "There was a fair degree of turn in the first innings, but as the game progressed, that turn was not there.

"The Indian spinners found it a bit difficult because of the strong breeze across the field. But as the game went on, they adapted well and began bowling better."

Man of the match Rahul Dravid and Test newcomer Praveen Kumar caught the eye for the visitors, but Dhoni singled out other members of his side for praise.

"Our lower-half batsmen for the past year and a half have been contributing well," he said.

"We were 85 for six in the first innings before Harbhajan, along with Suresh Raina, bailed us out. In the second innings, Mishra made a telling contribution."

Harbhajan and Raina added 146 for the seventh wicket in the first innings to help India reach 246.

Mishra and Dravid then put on 56 for the ninth wicket to take India to 252 in their second innings, leaving West Indies to chase 326 for victory.

"But for that stand (Raina and Harbhajan), we could have been all out for 150," Dhoni said.

"We were able to get more runs and thus gather a handy lead. Then in the second innings, we could stretch the lead to 300-plus.

"Three-hundred was always going to be a difficult score to chase in the fourth innings. They were off to a flyer, but wickets always slow down the momentum, and we were able to apply pressure on their middle order."

Dhoni was also fulsome in his praise of Dravid's batting in the second innings, as well as the bowling of Kumar throughout the match.

"Dravid has been an exceptional batsman for India," he said.

"That he played over 250 deliveries showed he was very patient. He made the bowlers pitch in his areas, and was brilliant.

"Praveen is a very skilful bowler and can swing it either way. He doesn't have the pace, but he can swing the ball, and confuse the batsmen if they needed to play or leave a delivery.

"He showed great character after having been stopped from bowling in the first innings. When you are switching from the 10-over format to 20 to 25 overs in an innings, you have to be careful.

"Importantly, he backed his strength and picked up wickets in the second innings as well."

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Indian cricketers criticise Harper for bad decisions

2011-06-24T02:54:00.000-07:00

KINGSTON ( Jamaica): Umpire Daryl Harper came in for some scathing criticism from the Indian cricket team, which blasted the Australian for his poor decisions during the first cricket Test against the West Indies.

Such was the exasperation that a senior member of the side said that whole team wishes that Harper does not officiate in the third Test.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni did little to hide his disgust at the standard of umpiring in the Test, which they won by 63 runs to take a 1-0 lead.

"If correct decisions were made, the game would have ended much earlier and we would have been in the hotel by now," Dhoni said at the post match press conference.

The Australian would stand for one last time when India take on West Indies in the third Test at Dominica from July 6.

"We don't want him -- you can quote it as the reaction of the entire Indian team," said a very senior member of the side.

Though Dhoni did not name anyone of the two umpires officiating in the match --- Ian Gould (England) and Harper -- several Indian players openly termed the latter as the centre of their ire.

"It's Daryl Harper six not out," said another senior cricketer as soon as he saw a bunch of Indian pressmen approaching him.

Indians were upset that Harper made at least three critical errors against India and three in favour of West Indies during the match.

"Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh and Dhoni himself for done in; (Darren) Bravo twice and once (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul benefitted," chimed in another Indian cricketer, bristling with aggression.

Raina was given out caught in the leg-trap off Devendra Bishoo and television replays suggested no edge from either bat or gloves of the batsman.

Harbhajan Singh was ruled out leg before wicket when the ball clearly was seen going way above the height of the stumps.

Dhoni was cleanly caught at point region off Bishoo but the bowler had cut the return crease in his bowling run-up and the delivery should have been called a no-ball.

All three decisions in question were given by Harper in India's second innings.

Then, when West Indies batted for the last time, there were confident appeals against Bravo and Chanderpaul which were not upheld.

The controversial Australian umpire is regarded worldwide as the worst umpire in the ICC list of elite umpires.

After being on the panel for nine years, between 2002 and 2011, the ICC too has come round to the general perception and declared that Harper will stand down after the termination of his contract in July 2011.

Harper also needled the Indians by banning Praveen Kumar from bowling for treading on to the 'danger area' of the pitch in his follow-through in the first innings.

Indians are not contesting the decision in private but feel Harper could have cautioned the debutant in a friendly way before taking the strong step.

Indian cricketers have little doubt umpire Harper has been clearly biased against them over the years.

"Remember, it was Harper who gave Sachin Tendulkar out lbw in a Test when the batsmen had ducked and was hit on his shoulder," remarked a cricketer.

During a Test of the 1999-2000 tour to Australia, a short delivery from Glenn McGrath had Tendulkar looking to duck under it but it hit him on the shoulders.

Umpire Harper promptly gave Tendulkar out though he was to say later 'the one (decision) that I would like the world to forget is the Sachin one.'

The shocking decision was the reason the International Cricket Council (ICC) introduced neutral umpires for both ends in Test matches.

Justified as the Indians are, it only underlines the reason why they should give their sanction to Umpires Decision Review System (UDRS).

The Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI) has been steadfastly refusing the usage of UDRS technology even though worldwide it's acceptance is a norm.

The UDRS technology, because of BCCI's insistence, is not being used either in the present series or the one in England which follows next month.

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15 years later, Dada still Lord of Lord's

2011-06-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

KOLKATA: Fifteen years is a long time in the life of a sportsperson, but for Sourav Ganguly, memories of Lord's are still fresh in his mind. It was on June 22, 1996, that Sourav became the first Indian cricketer to hit a century on Test debut at the 'Mecca' of cricket. He remains the only one to do so.

"It's been a long time, but those are very happy memories," says Sourav, reminicising about the English summer that heralded the dawn of a new era in Indian cricket.

Chasing England's first-innings tally of 344, Sourav, who came in to bat at 25 for one, stood firm at one end even as India lost the wickets of Nayan Mongia (24), Sachin Tendulkar (31), Mohammad Azharuddin (16) and Ajay Jadeja (10) before he found an able ally in another debutant, Rahul Dravid.

The duo shared a 94-run partnership for the sixth wicket to help India gain a first innings lead of 85. Sourav, who was unbeaten on 26 on Day 2 (June 21), went on to make a flawless 131, but Dravid was unlucky to miss his century by just five runs.

"It was easily the best moment of my career. A century on debut at Lord's ... it doesn't get bigger than this," Sourav told TOI. "Looking back, I feel it was destiny at work," he adds.

To say that he was under pressure would be an understatement. Included as the fifth pacer, who could also bat, Sourav was under no illusion that it was going to be a make-or-break series for him. Not picked for the first two ODIs, Sourav made a splendid 46 on a seaming Old Trafford wicket in the final match. Yet, he was ignored for the first Test at Edgbaston that India went on to lose by eight wickets.

A twist of fate paved the way for Sourav's Test debut. His room partner on the tour, Navjot Singh Sidhu, had staged a walk-out from the team after a row with skipper Azharuddin. "I knew after the Derbyshire game that I would get my chance and was determined to grab it," says Sourav. Sourav admits to being a tad nervous when handed over the India cap on June 20, but with Azhar choosing to field first after winning the toss, there was time for the two Indian debutants to settle down.

"Look, it was a dream come true for me to pull on the India cap. My first day in Test cricket was a fruitful one as I picked up two wickets ( Nasser Hussain and Graeme Hick). It gave me added confidence," says Sourav, who later batted as if he was born to play Test cricket.

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West Indies 131/3 at stumps on Day 3, need 195 more runs to win

2011-06-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

KINGSTON: West Indies reached 131 for three against India at stumps on third day of the first Test chasing a stiff victory target of 326 set by the visitors courtesy Rahul Dravid's memorable 32nd Test century.

An intriguing battle is on cards as the match is expected to be decided on fourth day itself with West Indies requiring 195 runs and visitors needing another seven wickets.

Darren Bravo (30 batting) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (24 batting) added 51 runs for the undefeated fourth wicket stand after the Caribbeans were reduced to 80 for three.

The West Indian openers Adrian Barath (38, 36 balls, 4x4, 2x6) and Lendl Simmons (27, 41 balls, 3x4, 1x6) started in a whirlwind fashion adding 62 runs in 10.5 overs.

Barath in particular was in T20 mode as he hit Ishant for couple of sixes and four in over before Praveen Kumar made him flash at an away going delivery to be caught by Suresh Raina at slips.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (0) was snapped up brilliantly by Virat Kohli off Ishant Sharma. Simmons was beaten by an Ishant delivery that held its line to hit the off-stump.

The day however belonged to Dravid. His effort of 112 (274 balls, 10x4, 1x6) had its worth weight in gold as the battle-hardened veteran brought up one of his most satisfying three-figure mark on track where batting was difficult.

He was the last man to be dismissed after nearly six and half hour vigil as he tried hit Devendra Bishoo (4/65) out of the park. The wicket was a two-paced one where the other top-order batsmen struggled for survival. The 38-year-old former India captain was a picture of confidence as he brought up his hundred in 252 balls when he jabbed a Fidel Edwards delivery to scamper home for a single.

Amit Mishra (28, 60 balls, 4x4) whose sensible batting at the other end helped Dravid reach his individual milestone also deserves credit. The duo added 56 runs for the ninth wicket after Harbhajan Singh (5) and Praveen Kumar (0) departed early after lunch with India reeling at 183 for eight.

When Mishra departed at 239, India have stretched their lead past 300 which looked to be a formidable one considering the nature of the track.

The day however belonged to Dravid who showed that when the circumstances are adverse, there is no substitute to watertight technique and enormous powers of concentration. The effort was even more laudable as he showed lot of gumption while batting with the tail.

This is Dravid's fourth century against the West Indies, and he has now surpassed 1500 runs against the Caribbeans.

If the first session belonged to West Indies who pegged India back with triple strikes of Virat Kohli (15), Suresh Raina (27) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (16), the post lunch session till tea was all about Dravid's patience and Mishra trying to counter attack.

Starting the day at 91 for three, India reached 166 for six at lunch with Dhoni being dismissed at stroke of lunch. The Indian captain should consider himself unlucky as Bishoo had overstepped during the delivery.

During the post-lunch session, Harbhajan Singh (5) curbed his natural instincts to play shots and dropped anchor at one end. However a debatable decision from umpire Daryl Harper saw him back in the hut. The delivery from Sammy hit him on the left thigh and was clearly heading over the stumps.

Sammy then picked up Praveen Kumar (0) as he played a nothing sort of short going for an ugly hoick when the situation demanded some discretion.

But then Mishra joined Dravid which could well prove to be the decisive partnership of the match.

A cautious Dravid tried to shield him initially by refusing singles early in overs but it didn't take him long to develop trust on Mishra who even looked good against the second new-ball.

Dravid was on 80 when Mishra joined him but the pair frustrated the hosts immensely and stretched the lead beyond 300 runs.

Once Dravid reached his hundred, Mishra hit a spanking cover drive as if to celebrate the feat of his senior. It also followed with a solid square cut as the West Indians got increasingly frustrated.

Dravid first played a risky shot after completing his ton. It was a straight six off Bishoo. However Mishra who had gained in a lot of confidence as he tried to slash Sammy only to be holed out in the third man region.

Ishant Sharma started off with a cover driven boundary. He could have been Sammy's fifth victim but a stiff return catch was just out of reach for the West Indian captain.

It was Bishoo who finally got his seventh victim of the match when Dravid tried an uncharacteristic ugly hoick that was easily caught by Ramnaresh Sarwan. It was an effort that saw him get standing ovation from his teammates.

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'Natural game' was key to crucial Bhajji knock

2011-06-21T21:33:00.001-07:00

KINGSTON ( Jamaica): Two weeks ahead of his 31st birthday, 13 years after he first made his Test debut, Harbhajan Singh looks like he's finally discovered the art of batting he may have never thought he was blessed with.

While two Test successive centuries in a series is already a feat enough for a bowler-turning-into-a-batsman to make himself count, the 74-ball 70 that came off Harbhajan's bat at the Sabina Park in Kingston on Monday afternoon should rank as far more superior to what he accomplished in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad last year, as it came in tougher conditions.

India were tottering at 85/6 when he walked out to replace Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The skipper and two of the team's most experienced batsmen, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, had all been dismissed cheaply and in a manner almost similar.

The conditions weren't as threatening as the pressure that engulfed the middle-order. To walk into a situation like that and score a run-a-ball half century spoke volumes of the way Bhajji batted.

Indian batsmen insisted that they had not misread the pitch when they won the toss and elected to bat first. They were simply going by the logic that when in doubt, bat first.

However, the hosts kept claiming at the end of the day that had the coin favoured them, they'd still have liked to bowl on the Sabina track on Day 1.

There was bounce in the track, which was expected, but there was very sharp turn too, which caught India on the wrong foot. No batsman would've called it a pleasant situation to take guard in the middle. Perhaps, that was the reason Harbhajan succeeded.

He wasn't a batsman walking out there to save his team the blushes or to enhance his own reputation. He was a bowler, a tailender walking out to try and see in what way he could contribute with Suresh Raina - the last recognisable face in the middle-order - at the other end. The pressure should've been psychologically lesser than what he is used to while bowling. Harbhajan tried to stick to his 'natural game'.

Harbhajan has been fortunate enough to be around Sachin Tendulkar for a decade, watching him from close quarters. He has often been told by Tendulkar that he has the ability to bat. "Just play your natural game", Tendulkar has told Harbhajan many times.

And that's what he did to stem the rot and keep India alive.

Raina, at the other end, kept himself busy driving away a few of his own demons. The talk of him not being able to handle the short stuff well, that he has been trying too hard to push the ball away, not being able to create a balance between when to resist and when to attack - all these factors had been troubling him coming into the Test, as he admitted later.

His 82 was the backbone of India's first innings score of 246 and he should've earned his century if not for that sudden lapse in concentration as batsmen perished at the other end. However, had Harbhajan not taken the pressure off him, as he took the shine off the leather, it wouldn't have been very easy for Raina to accomplish what he did.

To the off-spinner's credit, he banished every bad ball with such disdain that it only increased the West Indies quota of wayward bowling spells. It was important to disturb Devendra Bishoo's line early on because the thin-framed leg-spinner was looking so dangerous - with wickets of Dravid, Laxman and Dhoni to count for. "You didn't know what to expect. The wicket was turning and there was bounce. It was important to watch the bowler's arm and look for the shine of the ball before attempting to play," Raina explained later.

As for Harbhajan, he kept his cool. You only had to watch the way he drove anything loose outside the off stump and pulled away anything short that came his way. When there was a mix-up in running between the wickets, he walked up to Raina and comforted him.

He retained his arrogance when Fidel Edwards and Ravi Rampaul attempted some mild sledging and kept taking off his helmet time and again to dry off the sweat around his turban.

Harbhajan the-batsman scored his first big knock in a Test match which wasn't a hundred but probably far more crucial. Tendulkar should be proud.

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Ind vs WI: India 91/3 at stumps on Day 2, lead by 164 runs

2011-06-21T21:32:00.000-07:00

KINGSTON: India moved into the ascendancy after the second day of the opening Test against West Indies on Tuesday, routing the hosts for 173 and then reaching 91/3 for an overall lead of 164 runs.

Led by Rahul Dravid's resolute 45 not out in 2 hours, 40 minutes at Sabina Park that contained five boundaries, India are well placed to strike the first blow in the three-Test series.

Earlier, new ball partners Ishant Sharma (3-29) and Praveen Kumar (3-38) ripped through the hosts after they resumed on 34-1.

Spinners Amit Mishra and Harbhajan Singh had identical figures of 2-51 to run through the lower order.

West Indies opener Adrian Barath hit a sparkling 64 but no other batsman passed 30 as the hosts wasted a good opportunity in replying to India's modest 246.

The 6-foot-7 Sharma, who had claimed Lendl Simmons late on the first day, added a second wicket with his first ball of the day, trapping Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw for 3 after playing no stroke to an inswinger.

Barath and fellow Trinidadian Darren Bravo fought back gamely in a third-wicket stand of 56 before the 24-year-old Kumar, on debut, shifted the momentum.

Barath reached his 50 off 116 balls with his eighth four, a lofted on-drive off the leg-spin of Mishra. The pint-sized opener lashed the next ball into the stands in the same area.

But Kumar soon ended the blossoming partnership.

Running in with the George Headley Stand at his back, Kumar claimed Barath when he nibbled at an outswinger and was nicely caught by a diving Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps. Barath hit eight fours and a six off 122 balls in 169 minutes.

In his next over, Kumar removed the left-handed Bravo in similar fashion, Dhoni again claiming a nick to a tentative defensive stroke. Bravo struck two fours in 18 off 56 balls.

Kumar further reduced the West Indies to 102/5 when Brendan Nash (1) tried to whip through the leg side but sliced an edge to Suresh Raina at third slip.

The experienced Shivnarine Chanderpaul and wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh revived the hosts after the lunch break, as Kumar suffered the ignominy of being removed from the attack for running on the pitch in his follow-through for the third time.

The pair carried their sixth-wicket stand to 45 before Harbhajan made the crucial breakthrough when Baugh was caught off pad and bat by silly point. The right-hander hit two fours and a six in 27 off 35 balls.

Captain Darren Sammy fell one run later when he tried to whip Sharma through the leg side and was bowled off his pads.

Harbhajan also claimed Chanderpaul, who spent 105 minutes compiling 23 off 75 balls. The left-hander was caught off a deflection to short leg from bat and pad to make it 152/8.

Ravi Rampaul (14 not out) tried to rally the tail but Mishra wrapped up the innings on the stroke of tea with the wickets of Fidel Edwards (7) and Devendra Bishoo (4) within three balls.

Edwards tried to cut a googly and edged to Dhoni, while Bishoo picked out midwicket with a pull shot.

West Indies hit back in the final session as Rampaul trapped Murali Vijay for a duck with a ball that kept a bit low.

Rampaul should have added the scalp of Dravid but the 151-Test veteran survived a chance on 6 when he was dropped at second slip by Sammy.

Dravid added 56 for the second wicket with opener Abhinav Mukund (25), who was also making his debut.

West Indies rebounded with two quick wickets as Bishoo claimed Mukund and Sammy held a fine return catch to remove VVS Laxman without scoring to make it 57/3.

But Dravid continued to show broad-batted certainty, steering the team to the close with Virat Kohli (14 not out), who survived a late bouncer barrage from Fidel Edwards.

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India square off against underperforming West Indies in first Test

2011-06-20T01:02:00.000-07:00

KINGSTON ( Jamaica): In the last four years of their journey to conquer the Test world, India have won a Test in 2006 at Sabina Park, Kingston; in 2007 at Trent Bridge, England, in 2008 at Perth, Australia, in 2009 at Hamilton, New Zealand; in 2010 at Durban, South Africa.

And yet, when they arrive for a major cricket assignment overseas, the talk of Indian batsmen being suspect against quality bounce and effective fast bowling keeps coming to the fore.

Express pacer Fidel Edwards, who last played a Test in 2009 before being sidelined with a back injury, says India will have to face some 'chin music' at Sabina Park, where the action begins on Monday. He is very sure that the visitors are susceptible to quality pace and bounce.

This whole notion of India not being able to handle pace comes as a surprise. Especially when we're talking about a team that has played Lee, Johnson, Clark and Tait in Perth; Steyn, Morkel, Tsotsobe and Kallis in Durban; Martin, Southee, O'Brien and Franklin in Hamilton. And all of this in the last three years. Therefore, Edwards can rest his case. Regardless of the doubts that the opposition may like to bear in mind, the fact remains that India have been there and done it well.

When you look at the Sabina Park wicket for the first Test from a distance, it appears less threatening than how Edwards feels it will behave. The pitch lacks any shine and grass and seems to have been smoked out. Both teams believe that there'll be good bounce and carry. However, that in turn should worry the West Indies if Harbhajan Singh finds his rhythm.

After the renovation of most stadiums in the Caribbean, none of the tracks at most historic stadiums here retain the old flavour any more. The need to protect and facilitate exciting Twenty20 matches, the pressure to have bigger scores in the 50-over format - to attract television viewers - have simply 'accommodated' factors that were alien to conditions here years ago. It is not India's fault, as a touring team, if host countries have failed to consolidate their cricketing strengths over a period of time.

Frankly, the talk of India not able to handle pace is now almost a 'joke'. At least as long as they're busy proving everybody wrong.

The focus in this Test, instead, is likely to be on how well can the West Indies live up to their own batting expectations. Only if they show the determination to hold on to their wickets and put runs on the board more frequently than they have in the recent years, will the hosts be able to make a match of this series.

India go into the Test without Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag - two batting stalwarts who've been unmatchable. The prolific Gautam Gambhir is also missing and so is the bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan. In the absence of these names, the tourists will depend on relatively newer faces to show them the way.

Captain MS Dhoni expects these circumstances to provide a competitive atmosphere in the Indian team ahead of important assignments later this year. "It will be a good competition for the batsman. This is an ideal opportunity for everybody and that's how I want them to look at it," he says.

Dhoni, of course, is wary of the West Indies pace attack. "They have good bowlers and the turn here (at Sabina) is likely to be lesser than the venues for the one-dayers," he says. He sums up that India have to be wary, but not in the manner in which oppositions like to think. They have to be wary of the standards the team has set in the last few years.

India's fitness worries were yet to be sorted out until Sunday night and therefore, chances are that the final eleven will be decided as late as possible. Dhoni will not rush any of his players into the game if even there's a slightest doubt over fitness. Given the flurry of assignments coming up in the near future, the skipper believes fitness will remain the most important ingredient for success.

Swot Analysis

World No. 1 India take on 7th-ranked West Indies in the Test series from Monday. TOI presents a swot analysis of both teams

INDIA

Strengths: The Indian batting line-up has pioneered the team's surge to the top spot. With experienced campaigners such as Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman back in the fold, the West Indian bowling will surely be tested. Also, with regular skipper MS Dhoni coming back fresh from a break, the youngsters in the team will feel at home.

Weaknesses: Without Zaheer Khan, and Sreesanth, the pace attack looks way short on penetration. And there are doubts over Munaf's fitness too. The onus will be on spinners Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra to get the wickets.

Opportunities: With the likes of Dravid, Sachin, Laxman and Zaheer nearing the end of their careers, the series will provide a serious platform for the youngsters to prove their mettle at this level. India will be hoping that they will grab the chance.

Threats: The young batsmen will have to contend with some disconcerting pace and bounce. If the untested opening duo fails, their job will be much more harder. Raina and Badri's form too does not inspire confidence.

WEST INDIES

Strengths: The bowling attack has sheer pace at its disposal in Kemar Roach and Fidel Edwards who will love to revel on bouncy tracks.

Weaknesses: An unstable and inexperienced team. And the batting looks fragile barring Sarwan and Chanderpaul.

Opportunities: The team has a chance to resurrect its dwindling fortunes and its sorry Test record over the last several years. It has a chance of doing so against an understrength Indian line-up.

Threats: The team has a history of disintegrating in a jiffy. Unless the new ball yields wickets, containing a solid batting line-up will be tough.

TOI

Murali Vijay fit for Test opener against West Indies

2011-06-20T01:01:00.000-07:00

KINGSTON ( Jamaica): The injury-hit Indian cricket team heaved a sigh of relief after opener Murali Vijay was declared fit for the opening Test against the West Indies, starting on Monday.

Vijay, who was hit on his right forefinger in his first practice session on Friday, has suffered no real damage.

Vijay was back in the nets and batted with intensity at Sabina Park on Sunday.

The Indians, unhappy with the practice facilities, chose to send their batters to a faraway location while the bowlers bowled alongside the main pitch at Sabina Park.

Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra and Harbhajan Singh bowled for a long period in trying to work out the right length for the Test match. They also had a fair idea of the bounce the pitch would offer over the next five days.

The batters though returned to the venue once it was known that the repairs had been done and the practice pitches were fit to be used.

Even though Vijay is fit, there is still uncertainty over the fitness of pacer Munaf Patel.

Munaf, who is battling an elbow injury, was again out of action on Sunday.

It is ironical that on a pitch which offers a great deal of bounce, India would be forced to go with just two medium-fast bowlers in the match.

Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar will be sharing the new ball but there is no other fast bowler on whom skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni can fall back upon.

Replacement medium-pacer Abhimanyu Mithun is expected to arrive on Monday, well after the first day's play is over.

Mithun thus has ruled himself out and with the team unlikely to take chances on Munaf, it appears certain that India would go into the Test with two pace and an equal number of spinners.

It seals the place for leg-spinner Amit Mishra who, despite his one-day heroics, must have been praying for his inclusion in the side after being out for 10 months.

Harbhajan Singh will be keen to do well as well since he needs only seven wickets to reach the magical 400-wicket mark in his 94th Test.

TOI

Munaf doubtful as Team India sweats out ahead of first Test

2011-06-18T04:56:00.001-07:00

KINGSTON ( Jamaica): Clouds of uncertainty continue to hover over medium-pacer Munaf Patel's availability for the first Test against West Indies at Sabina Park starting next Monday.

The gangling medium-fast bowler from Gujarat was reduced to a spectator as his team-mates, including Test arrivals from home notably Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, put themselves to a vigorous work-out on Friday.

Coach Duncan Fletcher has refused to shed light on the reason for Patel's inactivity in the last two team sessions, as well as on missing out on the final one-day international on Thursday.

The only word the Zimbabwe-born coach has said is that "Patel should be fit for selection for the Test."

Patel was hugely impressive in India's World Cup campaign as well as in the one-day series here where he picked up eight wickets from three matches at 17.75 average.

However, he has not played a Test for India for over two years now and if the trend continues it would most likely pave the way for Praveen Kumar's inclusion in the Test team.

In the practice session, coach Fletcher appeared keen to pick up the brains of Dravid and Dhoni.

Fletcher had said earlier that he was looking forward to learning from men with such wealth of experience.

Dhoni was among the early bats to pad up but then sat in the shade for long while others took their turn under a scorching sun.

The arriving Test specialists were impressively intense even though it has been less than 24 hours since they landed in the Caribbeans.

Openers Murali Vijay and Abhinav Mukund, particularly the former, spent a long time in the nets against both spinners and pacers alike.

The hosts, on their part, afforded good net bowlers to the visitors as all Indian batsmen had an extensive work-out.

VVS Laxman was the centre of attraction with his graceful strokes, while Vijay made some rasping drives.

Later Dhoni, alongwith the spin cordon of Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli latched on to some sharp catching practice organised by fielding coach Trevor Penny.

Bowling coach Eric Simmons appears to have taken over the job of former coach Gary Kirsten who threw down countless ball at the batsmen. Simmons gave a good work-out to Raina, Mukund and Laxman with his throw-downs.

The first Test starts on Monday.

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BCCI considers DRS unreliable in its present form

2011-06-18T04:54:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI: Unfazed by the criticism it has drawn for opposing the Decision Review System, the Indian cricket board on Saturday stuck to its stand that it does not consider DRS reliable in its present form.

The BCCI, which has opposed DRS since its very inception, has been facing flak from several countries for refusing to use the technology in Test matches. Recently English players such as James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Chris Tremlett criticised BCCI for rejecting it for next month's Test series.

In fact, Swann went on to suggest that India was intimidated by the prospect of losing out on close calls due to DRS but the Indian board seemed least concerned.

"The DRS, and the BCCI's stance on the same, has been the subject of several media reports over the past few days," the BCCI said in a statement.

"The BCCI would like to reiterate that it does not accept the reliability of the ball-tracking technology, which is an integral part of the DRS. The BCCI's position has been consistent," it added.

Earlier, senior Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar had stated that he was not against the system as such but would want it to be more consistent by incorporating Hot Spot and Snickometer for close LBW and caught-behind decisions.

"I am not against DRS, but I feel it will be more effective with the support of the Snickometer and Hot Spot technology. This will give more consistent results," Tendulkar had said.

However, neither Hot Spot nor the Snickometer, is part of the ICC's list of minimum technology requirements for the DRS.

BCCI president Shashank Manohar added, "I have even told the ICC that we have no problem with Hot Spot. Our objection is to ball tracking. It becomes just a case of someone else's imagination versus the umpire's imagination."

Australia and England are among the cricket boards which are backing the DRS.

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Dravid is still motivated by Tendulkar

2011-06-18T04:53:00.000-07:00

KINGSTON ( Jamaica): He has spent 15 years in international cricket but senior India batsman Rahul Dravid says he continues to be inspired by Sachin Tendulkar, with whom he has starred in 19 Test century stands.

"He's been phenomenal, has had terrific last 2-3 years and possibly done the best batting of his life," said Dravid in his ever-earnest manner in his first practice session in the Caribbean on Friday.

"When I came he had already been around for seven years; he was my captain in West Indies (in 1997) and was a source of great motivation. That motivation has not changed," he added.

India will play three Tests against West Indies starting from next Monday and four against England spread across next two months this summer.

Dravid is the third highest run-scorer of all time, scoring 12,063 Test runs in 150 matches at an average of 52.44. He is also the only batsman to have hit at least one century in all 10 Test playing nations. That's not all, he is also a world-beater with 200 catches.

Yet all this greatness sits lightly on a modest man who still is anxious to compete well for himself and his country.

"I had a seven month time off (from Tests). But I knew about these seven Tests in a row and was ready with my preparations," he said.

"You know you have done enough but there is still a certain pressure; you still feel nervous and there are butterflies (in your stomach). These things never change. It would be nice to get runs early on and keep the form going."

Dravid expects great things from this largely young side which is being led by an extremely capable captain in Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

"He (Dhoni) has led very well and done a great job. He exudes calm and his records, be it in Tests, in IPL or in one-day cricket has been phenomenal. His ability to remain calm under pressure is a priceless ability. (The team is) lucky to have a guy who has this kind of quality," he said.

The 38-year-old cricketer is aware that the transitional phase of Indian cricket is at hands and is hopeful that a few of the younger guys would carry the torch forward.

"Over the next year or two, young batsmen should be coming through -- like Ganguly, Laxman and I did. Sooner than later, similar young boys would come through and two or three would have similar long careers for the next 15 years. Then the team is going to be in good health," he said.

Dravid hoped he would play a role in this learning curve, sharing his experiences with the younger kids.

"Young kids love to chat and you are always open. There would be opportunity to share this experience over the next seven Tests. It would be great to pass on this knowledge.

"Unfortunately, today it's not the nature of cricket to have a lot of practice games ahead of a series. I remember I had six or seven practice games in England and there was so much to learn from the Tendulkars, Manjrekars and Azharuddins of the side.

"Tests are always so stressful but practice games allow you to relax and interact. I don't know any solution; its tough on kids," he added.

Dravid was particularly keen to do well in Sabina Park, and generally in the Caribbean, for the great charm the region held in his mind while growing up.

"You remember as a kid listening to radio and hearing about Sabina Park; Gavaskar hitting centuries; those fearsome fast bowlers and you dreamt of playing here," he said.

"I have now been involved in four Test matches at this venue and I know when I sit back I will be happy about it."

It was at the Sabina Park where he last came as a captain in 2006 and his two half centuries was instrumental in India winning their first series in Caribbean after 35 years.

Dravid rated those two innings of 81 and 68 in a low-scoring game as one of the better knocks of his entire distinguished career.

"It was a very difficult pitch. In the context of the series, it was one of the better Test match innings I have played. In a low-scoring game, anything could have happened. It was most satisfying and in terms of quality, I rate it one of my better innings," he said.

Dravid believed the pitch here for the first Test is going to be extremely testing too.

"This generally has good bounce. Looking at this wicket, it would be a good challenge. They have a good pace attack. We have the bowling and hopefully the guys will make a difference."

Dravid claimed he didn't feel bad he wasn't part of the team which won the World Cup earlier this year and indeed took delight in the achievement of his mates.

"I knew I wasn't playing, I haven't been playing one-day cricket for the last two and a half years. So I didn't feel bad in that sense. I was happy for the team, for Indian cricket as it took 28 long years," he said.

"You feel good for the guys, that you have played with some of these guys and that men like me, Ganguly, Kumble were involved in the system in the past, have had some role to play in this onward journey," he added.

Dravid was evasive in his views on the controversial Umpires Decision Review System (UDRS) which is not being supported by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

"My views really don't matter. In the past I have said that UDRS is going to be used at some stage. Obviously Indian board wants it be consistent, really this is between the ICC and BCCI to sort it out."

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Opportunity lost for India's new faces

2011-06-16T21:56:00.001-07:00

KINGSTON ( JAMAICA): The land of Bob Marley, to put it in the words of the Reggae king, gives the Indian selectors the right opportunity to pluck some weed.

The five-match one-day series against the West Indies saw the wise men picking the best of India's young talent in the absence of senior cricketers. Having seen them put their brand of cricket on display, selectors now have the chance to pick the best from the lot and mark them out for the future. The rest will have to simply take it into account that as much as they've earned a reputation for themselves in India's vast domestic circuit, the temperament to do equally well at the international level is not quite there.

There's no shame in accepting that. Not every good cricketer is necessarily good enough to play international cricket. And it becomes all the more important to realise this when you're discussing a World Champion team.

Tamil Nadu's S Badrinath – certainly a batsman of considerable talent and with a lot of runs to back that in the domestic circuit – is a case in point. At 30, Badrinath managed to make it to the Indian team on two separate tours and has played seven one-dayers and batted in six innings so far after making his debut in 2008. Three of those innings have come on this current tour of West Indies.

In all these outings put together, he's aggregated a mere 79 runs and a highest of 27 not out. His one-day average thus stands at 15.28 and the strike rate has been a dismal 45.93.

Now, before one goes any further, it is important to note that Badri made it to the Indian team in the first place only because of the massive number of runs he's stacked up in domestic cricket and most importantly in all formats.

He averages a whopping 62.41 in first class cricket and 32.44 in Twenty20. Those are impressive figures.

Then why exactly has a man of such talent – he underlines it when he cuts fast bowlers through point and gully with immense ease and plays spinners with a lot of heart – not been able to convert it all to the international level?

In the series against West Indies, Badrinath batted at No 4 in all the matches he played and every time he walked out to bat, circumstances presented him with an opportunity to make it his own stage. He missed thrice before being dropped for the final one-dayer.

Was it lack of temperament?

Opener Shikhar Dhawan, the Delhi batsman, is another example – but certainly not in Badri's league even when it comes to the domestic circuit.

On slow batting wickets where seeing off the new ball can be the easiest thing to do instead of walking in late in the batting order and managing situations, Dhawan made a mess of his chances too. With the exception of a 67-ball 51 on an eased out batting track in Port of Spain in the first one-dayer, Dhawan has failed miserably in other games, only to be rested in the fifth and last match. As an opener, which is Dhawan's regular batting position, he had absolutely no shots to show in the 'V' and entirely got his runs playing square off the wicket.

Yusuf Pathan is another batsman to make it to this unwanted list and stands thoroughly exposed with each day in international cricket. While there's little doubt that he can hit the ball harder than most of his ilk, the belligerent right hander can do almost nothing if the delivery doesn't get pitched in his zone. Anything on good length, just outside the off-stump and he'll smash it into the stands. Anything else will leave him in big trouble.

It doesn't take bowlers in international cricket long to figure that out.

Among the three, Badri may find it the hardest to digest that getting another chance at this level for another time will be difficult, especially because he is a very good batsman who has earned his runs with sheer display of talent.

However, like his two other teammates, he has to realise that international cricket is a different ball game altogether. No disrespect meant.

TOI

West Indies beat India by 7 wickets in fifth ODI

2011-06-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

KINGSTON (JAMAICA): Darren Bravo hit a career-best 86 as West Indies comfortably defeated India by seven wickets in the fifth and final ODI on Thursday.

Scorecard | Match in Pics

Chasing a target of 252, Bravo's clean hitting helped West Indies reach the target in 48.4 overs to reduce the series score to 3-2.

Interestingly West Indies had lost the first three ODIs against Pakistan in the earlier series before winning the last two.

Cheered by local hero Chris Gayle from the stands, Bravo (86, 99 balls, 3x4, 6x6) who many believe is a 'Brian Lara clone' launched into Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra hitting as many as five out of his six sixes off the two.

The Batting Powerplay proved to be the turning point for Windies as Indian bowlers gave away 57 runs between overs 43 and 47. When Bravo was finally out in the 46th over with 39 still to get, Kieron Pollard (24, 13 balls, 3x4, 1x6) and Marlon Samuels (28, 25 balls, 3x4) plundered 42 runs in only 3.3 overs to seal the issue.

Credit should also be given Ramnaresh Sarwan (75 retd hurt, 94 balls, 5x4, 1x6) who anchored the innings to perfection before he couldn't carry on due to cramps. Sarwan and Bravo added 103 runs for the third wicket before the right-hander retired hurt.

Bravo took his time to settle down but with wickets in hand, he waited for the batting Powerplay to explode. The other turning point was India losing seven wickets for 62 runs despite Virat Kohli's solid 94.

Leaden-footed Darren Bravo sprang to life with two successive sixes off Ashwin as he scored 15 runs in the 43rd over.

Mishra, the most consistent Indian bowler in the series met with similar fate as he too went for couple of sixes with 15 runs coming off it.

Vinay Kumar who had a good first spell went for 11 runs, the target was reduced to 23 from the final three overs.

West Indies openers Lendl Simmons (6) and Adrian Barath (17) fell cheaply before Sarwan and Bravo began their rescue mission.

Earlier, when India batted it was a case of poor shot selection by the middle and lower order batsmen after Kohli (94, 104 balls, 10x4) along with Rohit Sharma (57, 72 balls, 2x4, 1x6) laid the foundation with a 110-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Coming in to bat in the fourth over, Kohli stayed put till the 36th over to help India overcome early jitters although a fantastic piece of fielding by Sarwan from the deep robbed the batsman a chance to score his sixth international hundred.

Andre Russell was the pick of the West Indian bowlers, grabbing four for 35 and his spell at the death earned him the man-of-the-match award.

Indian openers Parthiv Patel (6) and Shikhar Dhawan (11) were gone by the seventh over as West Indian quicks took full advantage of the bouncy strip that was on offer.

Patel was hurried onto a pull shot by a Russell bouncer and was holed out at mid-wicket. Dhawan was done in by the extra bounce as he was caught in the slips off Kemar Roach.

Kohli started by clipping Russell delightfully to mid-wicket fence off the eighth ball he faced.

The next boundary was rather a streaky edge past slip off Darren Sammy but he made it up with a delightful cover drive in the West Indian skipper's fourth over.

Manoj Tiwary (22, 22 balls, 1x6, 1x4) looked in good nick during his short stay and a six off Sammy which hit the wooden roof of the club's bar was a breathtaking sight.

Tiwary though was unable to build on his start and edged one from Pollard behind the stumps just before the first drinks interval took place. His partnership with Kohli yielded 58 runs.

India now had the best batting passage of the innings as their two best young batsmen put their wares out on display.

Both looked to hit down the ground and picked up runs with ease as the 100 runs of the innings came in the 22nd over.

Kohli was careful in his shot selection and hit fours off leg-spinner Anthony Martin and Andre Russell in successive overs.

Kohli first bisected Martin through the backward point fence and then punched Russell through the covers.

The Delhi lad reached his half century in the 23rd over with a single off Martin having faced only 63 deliveries. He celebrated it with a cheeky steer for four off Lendl Simmons.

Man of the series Rohit having settled into a nice groove at the other end, slammed returning Roach over midwicket for an effortless six in the 36th over.

Kohli departed in this very over when he flicked one to fine leg and hurried back for a non-existent second. Sarwan's throw was hard and accurate to wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh who found the batsman short of his crease.

Once Kohli was dismissed, there was virtually no resistance from the other batsmen.

Skipper Suresh Raina played an ill-advised lofted shot to be out in the deep off Pollard. He has often tried this shot in the series with disastrous results. The stand-in captain could manage only 74 runs in the series.

Rohit completed his third fifty of the series but was cleaned by Martin trying an ugly heave. He hit two fours and a six during his 72 ball knock.

Yusuf Pathan (30, 29 balls, 2x4, 1x6) looked confident for the first time in the series but again his undoing was a short ball that lifted from short of good length to kiss his edge.

Russell blew away the lower order as Amit Mishra (0) was bowled trying a big hit and Ishant Sharma was castled by a yorker as India missed a chance to play 15 more deliveries.

TOI

I wish no cricketer goes through what I have: Mishra

2011-06-14T05:02:00.000-07:00

JAMAICA: He has had the West Indies batsmen in knots in the ongoing ODI series but not so long ago, Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra was considering hanging up his boots out of sheer frustration at being dropped despite decent performances.

The affable spinner's nine wickets at an average of 17.00 in the ongoing series exceed the value the figures can ever suggest. Yet, Mishra lives with the dictum of his day-to-day philosophy.

"I once took seven wickets and scored a 50 against Bangladesh in a Test - and was promptly dropped in the next game," recalled Mishra.

He could have also mentioned his dramatic first year in Test cricket in 2008 when he took 20 wickets in five games against Australia and England and yet was sent to cool his heels for the entire next year.

It is not as if he has been compensated in one-day internationals. He made his ODI debut in 2003 and after just two games was banished for more than six years.

He did have his shoulder injury to contend with but he was still picking wickets by bucketful in domestic cricket.

"I wish no cricketer goes through what I have in my career," says the 28-year-old cricketer.

"But for my family who egged me on and Mr Ranbir Mahendra (Haryana cricket supremo) I would have hung my boots long ago."

Mishra is mindful that during this spell of 2008-09, Anil Kumble made a mighty return and Harbhajan Singh was still on top of his craft.

Also only one spinner is usually preferred in Tests abroad. Yet the feeling lingered that he was being unfairly treated with.

"I just let out my frustration on a cricket ball. I bowled and bowled and bowled. During matches, in nets and many a time alone. I worked on my leg-spinners, drifters, googly, variations in pace, degree of spin, everything," says an eager-faced Mishra who has nearly 400 first-class wickets to show for his 11-year toil.

Mishra was finally thrown a lifeline in the form of IPL. He was picked up cheaply by Delhi Daredevils in the first year auction in 2008 but his impressive hauls, including two hat-tricks, have ensured he could no longer be ignored so brazenly.

Yet it hurt him immensely that he wasn't part of India's World Cup squad as Piyush Chawla was preferred to him.

However, he got his break in the present series and has been impressive to the extent that legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar feels he ought to be on plane to England later in the summer.

Having learnt the bitter lessons, Mishra now believes only wickets can give him a good run in international cricket.

"Economy is alright but wickets matter more to me. There's no point in going for 0 for 45, it's better to have 3 for 50. It's good for you, it's good for team."

Says Eric Simmons, India's bowling coach, "Mishra is very confident, very aggressive. He gets a lot of drift which is always a very good sign for a leg-spinner."

Mishra's approach has helped India as many a time in the past, the middle overs were passive periods for the team. Most opposition could recover from poor starts only because there was nobody to pick wickets in the middle overs.

"Even though I can bowl three variations of googly, my stock bowl is leg-break. I feel my strength is the loop and the drift and dip which accompany it," remarked Mishra.

His 36 wickets from 10 Tests compare favourably with his idols Shane Warne (25 wickets), Muttiah Muralitharan (40) and Harbhajan Singh (38) at the same cut-off point.

Kumble alone is markedly superior at 53 wickets from 10 matches.
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Years with Chappell as coach worst of my career: Zaheer

2011-06-14T05:01:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI: Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan considers the two years with Greg Chappell as national coach the worst of his decade-long career as the controversial Australian made him feel unwanted in the team.

Zaheer said he and other senior players were constantly worried about their place in the side and were unable to perform during that tumultuous period between 2005 and 2007.

"It was as if you've been framed. It was like 'we don't want you in the team. It's not about performance, we don't like your attitude, you're stopping the growth of cricket in the Indian team'. I felt it personally because I was dropped straight after the Sri Lanka tour, even though I had not performed badly," Zaheer said.

"I was fortunate enough to go to South Africa to represent the Asia XI (in the Afro-Asia Cup). I got about nine wickets and I was recalled for the next series. In that phase it was always a struggle. When you're fighting within the team, when you have a war to fight in your own camp, it is always difficult to win," he said.

Chappell took over as India coach in May 2005 but his tenure was marred by serious differences between him and senior players, including Sachin Tendulkar. He also had a public spat with the then captain, Sourav Ganguly, who was dropped from the team but later recalled.

At the end of his tenure, following India's first round exit from the 2007 World Cup, Chappell decided not to seek an extension of his contract.

Zaheer said, in contrast, former South African batsman Gary Kirsten's tenure as India coach was "amazing".

"He has given everyone their space. He's understood the Indian culture and how we do things. He's taken that step of coming closer to us rather than dictating. He was our friend, not a coach," Zaheer said.

Kirsten took over in tumultuous circumstances but left the job on a high, guiding the Indian team to a historic World Cup triumph after a hiatus of 28 years besides taking them to the pinnacle of Test rankings.

Zaheer said the only positive of Chappell's tenure was the inclusion of youngsters in the team but felt that sacrificing experienced players was not the only way to give opportunities to youth.

"A youngster coming in is a good sign but not at the cost of a cricketer who is doing his bit."

The 32-year-old Baroda pacer said the county stint with Worcestershire came at the right moment for him when things were not going his way.

He signed up with Worcestershire for the 2006 county season and finished as the highest wicket-taker in Division Two of the County Championship, taking 78 wickets at 29.07.

"Worcester taught me the reason I'm playing this game. Sometimes when you play at the highest level, especially in India, the whole country is so passionate about the game, so whether you do well or do badly it affects you in many ways. So when I went to Worcester, it was just me playing cricket."

"I was just enjoying cricket and not thinking about other pressures, about the pressure of performance. Everything was falling into place. I was taking wickets. Even though I was not in the Indian side, I was actually happy," Zaheer said.

Talking about the historic World Cup triumph, in which he was the joint-highest wicket-taker with Shahid Afridi with 21 wickets, Zaheer said he is now a calm and composed player as compared to the emotionally-driven youngster in the 2003 final against Australia.

In the 2011 World Cup final, he bowled three consecutive maidens at the start of the innings.

"It was only a couple of years into international cricket; the World cup journey itself was something special in 2003. That time my thing was to bowl quick. I wanted to be aggressive.

"It was a World Cup final; there were a lot of emotions. As soon as the national anthem finished, there was this rush of young blood. I wanted to do really well, wanted to just blast the Australians apart," he said.

"This World Cup I was aware of the fact that there will be a lot of emotions, I have to deal with it. I have to maintain my calm and focus on the process. I was telling myself just go there and bowl," he added.

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Summer of content for Rohit in the Caribbean

2011-06-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

ANTIGUA: Even as the Indian cricket coach Duncan Fletcher joins the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne in heaping praise on batsman Rohit Sharma, the purists only hope that it's not again just a case of false dawn.

For a batsman of Rohit's calibre, it is surprising that he has had a roller-coaster ride so far in his career and has struggled to foment his place in the Indian national side.

Rohit has inspired India to two of its three ODI wins in the ongoing series against the West Indies with unbeaten knocks of 68 and 86.

But his success in the past have almost inevitably followed a string of failures, which explains why his career still flounders at average 30.63 after 64 games and why he is still not seen fit enough for Tests.

In 2008 in Australia, Rohit played two successive unbeaten knocks of 39 and 70 in a triangular series before his career fell in a mire and only 496 runs accrued over the next 33 one-day internationals with just two half centuries.

Left out in the cold in 2009, he made a roaring comeback in Zimbabwe last year with successive centuries against the hosts and Sri Lanka in a triangular before the almost inevitable rut hit him again - 290 runs from the next 17 one-day internationals with just one half century.

He has now yet again made screaming headlines with two purest of knocks and critics believe that this time it is for real.

"He's far more disciplined now," concedes stand-in-skipper Suresh Raina.

Rohit himself said that he "wants this tour to count" for him.

While Raine feels that "it's the time he has spent with Sachin for Mumbai Indians", Rohit feels missing out on World Cup was a catalyst and that he has worked "unbelievably hard on his cricket in the last three months".

Rohit actually never needed to work on his cricket, for many are convinced he is the most talented young batsman in the world. It's his mind which is said to have been his own worst enemy.

From the time he lazily walks up to the crease; languidly settles into his stance and stroke a few in the outfield; Rohit seems so superior to the mortals around him that he tends to get bored all too easily and throws it away.

He seems devoid of hunger; unmindful of the use he could be to himself and to his country. He has truckload of time and this rare combination of technical astuteness and innovation which Ramnaresh Sarwan concedes "allows him to sneak upon you and within no time he has 40 on the board."

Ironically, the region which saw him touch his nadir in 2009 - only 15 runs from four ODIs - could as well restore him to the one-day side and earn him a Test cap.

On Saturday, after he had sealed the game in India's favour with a winning four, Rohit turned around to pick up a stump as a souvenir. He finally might have begun to value himself, his talent, his team and his nation.

Almost every generation, India has produced a great, world-class batsman from Mumbai.

Rohit could be the next one, following on in the footsteps of Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar.

If Rohit has indeed conquered the demons of his mind, Indian cricket can approach the moment of transition with hope and confidence.

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India aim clean sweep, Windies to play for pride

2011-06-13T05:28:00.000-07:00

ANTIGUA: West Indies have oscillated between bad and worse against a young India side and now trailing 0-3, they've nothing to gain from the remaining matches except some pride. The fourth ODI between the two teams will be played at the Vivian Richards Stadium on Monday and the hosts will have to come up with something better than what they've dished out so far to stop the confident Indians.

Darren Sammy, it seems, has been lacking the vision of a leader and the authority that comes along with it. For someone who has to lead by way of example, Sammy's own performance in the field and his ordinary bowling has not helped the team's cause. Last week, the skipper spent most of his energies signing press releases that said how local media had been showing him in poor light for not attending a particular awards function recently.

Cricket, somehow, doesn't seem to be the primary focus and that's been showing in the team's performances.

There have been flashes of brilliance, like that of Andre Russell's 64-ball 92 in the last game, Devendra Bishoo's attacking leg-spin and Ramnaresh Sarwan's two timely half-centuries. However, the players have not been able to convert these good performances into match-winning ones.

India, on the other hand, have stuck to their gameplans well, and maybe the West Indies will have to take a leaf out of the India's book. While India intend to go into the game with wholesale changes in the squad, it is unlikely if the West Indies will try any such thing. Instead, they'll want the Pollards and Sarwans and Bishoos to come forward with something extraordinary.

Chris Gayle's participation in the ODI series now is completely ruled out, especially because he's yet to meet with the officials of the West Indies Cricket Board. The home team will have to make do with the resources they already have and come up with something special.

India's captain Suresh Raina, meanwhile, lauded India's bench strength and hinted that now that the series had been won, more youngsters would be given opportunities. The remaining two ODI might see players who've been warming the bench so far – R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, R Vinay Kumar and Wriddhiman Saha – getting into the action.

Ashwin has been unlucky so far considering the team decided to include a leg-spinning option in Amit Mishra for the first three matches. "We wanted to have that option (of leg-spinner) and it was unfortunate to leave Ashwin out. He's a very important bowler for us and you can expect to see him play the next game," says Raina.

Ishant and Vinay made way for the more experienced Munaf Patel and Praveen Kumar but both the medium-pacers are now likely to get a game each. And as far as the batting goes, Raina is still trying to figure how he can fit in Tiwary for the next game. That leaves Saha, the wicket-keeper-batsman who seems to have been the selectors' pick.

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Ind vs WI: India beat West Indies by 7 wickets (D/L)

2011-06-09T01:55:00.000-07:00

PORT OF SPAIN: India produced a disciplined all-round performance to notch up a convincing seven-wicket victory over the West Indies in a rain-affected second one-day international and also take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series on Wednesday.

Virat Kohli (81) played a stellar hand in first partnering opener Parthiv Patel (56) for 120-run second wicket stand and then withstanding the little tremor induced by the rain breaks.

Chasing 241 to win, India were 100 for one in 22 overs when a sharp passing shower made the square unfit to play for 85 minutes. The rain break reduced the visitors innings to 37 overs and the target was revised to 183, implying they needed 83 runs from 90 deliveries.

India achieved the target comfortably losing the wickets of Parthiv Patel (56) and Virat Kohli (81) in 33.4 overs.

Earlier, India restricted West Indies to 240 for nine after skipper Suresh Raina won the toss and elected to field at the Queen's Park Oval.

Amit Mishra (4/31) and Munaf Patel (3/35) struck in the late moments to stop the run flow and trigger a collapse after the Caribbeans went off to a good start.

For the hosts, Ramnaresh Sarwan (56) and Lendl Simmons (53) cracked individual half-centuries up the order but their middle-order crumbled, slipping from 175 for three in 34 overs to 229 for nine in 48.5 overs.

Chasing the revised target, Patel left early, caught behind off a tickle, but Kohli held firm and was well supported by stand-in skipper Suresh Raina (26) who brought an early end to the innings.

India were off to a poor start when left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan (3) guided a Ravi Rampaul delivery into the hands of gully fielder.

But Kohli was in his element from the very start and rarely hit the ball in the air, a contrast with Parthiv Patel who scooped and flicked in vacant places at will.

Kohli completed his 2000 runs in ODI internationals with a sweep off Devendra Bishoo. It has taken him only 53 innings -- the second fastest behind the joint record holder Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sourav Ganguly (52 innings each).

None of the West Indian bowlers made any impression and the biggest flops were the local boys -- Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo -- who made little impression with either bat or ball.

Patel, during his gritty knock, faced 64 balls and hit two fours and two sixes.

Kohli, who hit six fours and one six in his 103-ball innings, was finally dismissed in the last ball of the 31st over when looking for a six, he ended up holing out to Pollard off Bishoo at long-off.

Raina's brief cameo of runs came off 19 balls and contained one four and a six.

Earlier, leg-spinner Mishra took four for 31 with his sharply turning leg-breaks to keep West Indies down to 240 for nine after the hosts had threatened to run up a bigger total at one stage.

Munaf Patel (3 for 35) too played a good supporting hand as the West Indies lost six wickets for 48 runs in the final nine overs.

An entertaining 36 for Marlon Samuels and a hectic eighth wicket 31-run stand between skipper Darren Sammy (22 not out) and Ravi Rampaul (14) gave the Caribbeans some momentum but in the end the total was not enough.

Earlier, openers Simmons and Kirk Edwards (25) provided the perfect platform with 57 runs by the 13th over as they feasted on some rugged fielding and wayward bowling.

Edwards' first four flicked bowler Munaf Patel's raised hand to go to long-on fence and the next one was crashed past covers in the fourth over.

Moving into his stride, Edwards smote Praveen Kumar at the other end over mid-on, hurrying Indians to bring on leg-spinner Amit Mishra in the eighth over.

Simmons survived a caught behind in the 10th over after Munaf Patel overstepped the bowling crease.

Mishra was impressive from the word go but Simmons was confident enough to sweep him for four.

Harbhajan Singh, introduced in the 12th over, had a horrid start as he either bowled too wide or too full to go for 24 runs in his first two overs.

There were two deliveries which spun past leg stump to go for wide fours and then Edwards launched into a ferocious hit straight down the ground for a six.

Mishra gave Indians the first breakthrough after a sharply turning leg-break took the edge of Edwards' bat to nestle into the gloves of Parthiv Patel.

However, Simmons was unperturbed as he smacked Mishra over midwicket for a six and later dished out the same treatment to Yusuf Pathan to bring up his half century in the 25th over with the score reading 114 for one.

New man Sarwan and Simmons forged a 67-run partnership before the opener was departed in the 27th over in a rather ungainly manner when he rushed down the wicket and Patel stumped him off a wide delivery.

Sarwan though had dropped anchor at the other end and once powerfully square cut Harbhajan to the fence and then deftly guided Munaf past vacant slips for four.

His new partner Marlon Samuels was more aggressive as he stylishly drove Mishra to the cover fence and then pulled Yusuf behind square leg for another four.

In this eventful over, he smote the next ball for a six but then was fooled by a slow wide floater to be out stumped.

Sarwan then brought up his 37th ODI fifty with a boundary of Praveen Kumar but the right-handed batsman gifted his wicket away, hitting a rank full toss from Munaf Patel into the hands of the deep square leg fielder Amit Mishra.

With Pollard next in line, West Indies asked for the batting powerplay at 192 for four in the 42nd overs and it turned out to be a disaster spell for them.

Pollard survived three balls before his attempted sweep made him a leg-before candidate for nought. Bravo (8) stroked one in the deep as if to give catching practice to Harbhajan Singh and wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh completely misjudged a googly from Mishra to be bowled.

West Indies made 29 runs from the five overs of batting powerplay, losing three wickets.

Skipper Sammy and Rampaul then freed their arms for some entertaining hits before Munaf ended the pyrotechnics of this pair with two wickets in his final over.

Rampaul was caught in the deep and young Bishoo could only guide a rising delivery into the hands of the wicketkeeper.

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Ageing Jayasuriya recalled to international cricket

2011-06-09T01:53:00.000-07:00

COLOMBO: Veteran batsman Sanath Jayasuriya's international career has been resurrected in the wake of a doping investigation involving Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga.

Jayasuriya, who turns 42 this month, will return to play for Sri Lanka in the upcoming limited-overs and Twenty20 matches against England.

He was included in a 16-member squad announced on Thursday, a day after Sri Lanka Cricket announced the official notification by International Cricket Council that Tharanga has tested positive for a banned substance after the World Cup semifinal win over New Zealand and that a disciplinary action has been initiated.

"Since there is an ongoing inquiry to verify this charge, Upul Tharanga will not be making himself available for selection until the conclusion of the inquiry and therefore will not be available for the ODI and T20 matches in England and the Sri Lanka "A" team tour of England," a statement from Sri Lanka Cricket said.

Jayasuriya has not played a limited-overs international for Sri Lanka since December 2009, and played his last Twenty20 game a year ago. His career was thought to be over after being dropped from the World Cup squad and failing to secure a contract with a franchise in this year's Indian Premier League.

Jayasuriya has played 444 one-day internationals, scoring 13,428 runs at an average over 32. He has also taken 322 wickets bowling left-arm spin.

Left-handed batsman Thilina Kandamby was named deputy to captain Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Dimuth Karunaratne, a 23-year-old left-handed opening batsman is the only uncapped player in the squad.

All-rounder Anjelo Mathews' selection will be subject to fitness as he hasn't fully recovered from an injury sustained during the World Cup.

Sri Lanka will play England in a Twenty20 match and five limited-over internationals starting June 25, followed by Twenty20 games against Ireland and Scotland.

The squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan (captain), Thilina Kandamby, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya, Dinesh Chandimal, Jeevan Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Tissara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dilhara Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Suraj Randiv, Ajantha Mendis.

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We are missing Gayle: Sarwan

2011-06-07T22:04:00.001-07:00

PORT OF SPAIN: West Indies are missing Chris Gayle and it's just that the board - even though it understands the importance of having the Jamaican in the squad - is yet to come to terms with the issue on hand.

It is clear now that should the hosts have any chance of giving India a tough fight in this series, Gayle will have to be back in the squad, if not as skipper then as a player alone for he - the West Indies cricketers feel - has it in him to provide the necessary inspiration.

"Yeah, we miss Gayle," admitted Ramnaresh Sarwan after Monday's loss to India at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain.

Sarwan feels that the West Indian players have been trying to help each other and looking to improve. However, the team certainly requires an individual right now - desperately rather - to stick around and show them the way.

"We have not started the way we would have liked, against India," says Sarwan, not going into the little details of how the team's batting misfired on Monday.

The wicket played very slow and it wasn't easy for batsmen to get runs out there in testing temperatures. But the manner in which the top and middle-order - with the exception of Sarwan and Marlon Samuels - lost their wickets to rash strokes, was appalling.

Horrendously mistimed pull shots, going for lofted drives when the need of the hour was to stay put and save wickets, absolute lack of patience and no plan in place to build an innings, all cost West Indies the game. That India chased the target with just four wickets to spare was the result of some good bowling by leg-spinners Anthony Martin and Devendra Bishoo.

"It was pretty tough early up, but once we got set, it became a bit easy to bat," says Sarwan, talking about very hot and humid conditions.

"Marlon and I got the start, but we did not quite carry on. I was looking to get a much bigger score for the team and set a bigger target," he says.

Sarwan, the most experienced of the lot, is still trying to find his feet out there in the middle and admits his batting hasn't been upto his expectations yet.

"I'm still not my fluent self, but I will go back to the nets tomorrow. I have a few things I have to work on and be ready for the match on Wednesday. From here on I will be looking to improve even more and do better for the team," he says.

West Indies have to come up with something far better than what they did on Monday, if they have to give this young Indian side any trouble. It is also the need of the hour in the Caribbean for these men to get a grasp of the depleting situation.

"There's no humiliation if you go down fighting to a better team," say former cricketers here. "But learn from the mistakes and try not to repeat them."

TOI

Tests in the Caribbean will be tough: Laxman

2011-06-07T22:03:00.001-07:00

HYDERABAD: VVS Laxman has come a long way since his first visit to the Caribbean in 1997. From opening for the country then to becoming India's vice-captain a second time, he has been there and done that. Still, he finds the latest tour to the West Indies alluring.

"The 1997 series was a great learning experience for me. Opening the innings for the first time against Walsh, Ambrose, Bishop and Franklyn Rose was a great experience. I'm quite happy with my performance in the West Indies. In fact, West Indies is one of my favourite place because of its cricket culture, for the kind of people who come and watch the game. It's a great place to tour and I'm looking forward to one more visit," said Laxman on Tuesday after a stint at the Gymkhana nets. The Test specialists leave on June 12.

Laxman has played 16 Tests against the Calypso Kings - 13 away (903 runs) - and aggregates 1174 runs at an average of 52.36. The World No. 1 Test team will not have Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in its ranks. But Laxman hoped to repeat his 2002 show, when in five matches he totalled 474 runs at 79, and the team its 2006 performance when they won a Test series in the West Indies after 35 years.

"We will definitely miss the services of Sachin, Viru and Gautam. That said, even when they were there I always performed to the best of my ability. This time will be no different. Their replacements Murali Vijay, Abhinav Mukund and Virat Kohli are up and coming youngsters. If we play to our potential we'll definitely win. We won the Test series there last time and we hope to repeat the feat."

Not just the team, there is a change in support staff too, including new coach Duncan Fletcher. "We will miss Gary (Kirsten) without doubt and I'm sure Duncan Fletcher will continue what Gary has done because he has done well with the countries he was associated with. We are looking to continue the good work done by Gary and I'm sure the Indian team will prosper under the guidance of Duncan Fletcher," Laxman said.

The appointment couldn't have come at a better time as India head to England after the Windies tour. "Playing England in England will be definitely the toughest challenge because England have done very well the last few seasons. Personally, I've never got a hundred but a lot of 50s. It would be a dream Test match if I get a 100 at Lord's and we win the Test. That will be really special!"

India's first Test on their latest Caribbean sojourn begins in Jamaica on June 20 and Laxman reckons the series will not be easy.

"West Indies in West Indies is very tough competition. They have good match-winners, so it will be a good contest. How you meet the challenge is very important. I've always given a lot of importance to my performance overseas."

TOI

We take great pride in being world champions: Rohit

2011-06-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

PORT OF SPAIN: An old Trini, who says he doesn't quite remember his own age and adds that he must have been born at around the same time as Charlie Davis, his favourite cricketer, is usually found hanging around the main entrance to the Queen's Park Oval. He won't look at you, won't even say "hello". At best, he'll ask you for a cigarette, and then leave without thanking you.

On Monday, though, there was a surprise in store. He startled even the security guards and made his way to the Team India bus just as it was preparing to leave the venue. He walked up to the players and asked them a question any journalist would've been proud of: "You boys, how long you think you go on as world champions?" And then he rattled off, "It's a great responsibility. Are you proud enough to handle that?"

Most of the cricketers didn't even look at him. Those who did, smiled and were gone. Agitated, the old man walked back to his usual hangout outside the gate.

On the eve of the second one-dayer, which gives the team opportunity to stamp their class on the home team, one was left wondering if the players gave his question a thought as they drove away. Were they proud of the tag that Team India carries today, that of world beaters? Do they have an idea of the responsibility it entails?

"Being world champions is not a joke. It is a great responsibility for all of us and we're conscious of it. We take great pride in it but we have to move on and keep winning. We have to keep the focus," India's middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma had said minutes after his half-century helped the team win the first one-dayer.

Had the old man heard it, he would have perhaps belted out a couple more questions. There's no better example than the West Indies to illustrate what can happen to a champion side if they don't plan for the future. They dominated the game for 20 years but where are they now?

Sharma agreed that this could be the most important phase in his career and that of his young teammates.

Virat Kohli, a few years younger to Sharma and member of the World Cup winning squad, said, "It is for us now to shoulder that responsibility. The seniors guided us till here and we have to take this momentum forward."

Rohit cited Monday's example, when he walked in to bat with India struggling a little at 61/3. "It wasn't an easy track; it was very slow and turning a bit. You needed a lot of time to keep the innings going. Till the first 35 deliveries, I didn't score a single boundary," he says.

The youngsters want to make the most of the opportunity available and Sharma in particular, who missed the World Cup, is aware of what he lost out on.

"These guys are very motivated and each of them has his own reason," says Suresh Raina.

That will be music to the ears of those who want India to build on the World Cup winning platform. Unless India manages to continue their reign at the top for the next 10-odd years, the effort that went into becoming Number One will have been wasted.

TOI

Tremlett thanks Warne for helping him toughen up

2011-06-01T21:45:00.000-07:00

LONDON: Australia may have been spared their Ashes torment at the hands of Chris Tremlett if only Shane Warne had avoided telling him a few home truths, the giant paceman has revealed.

The 6ft 7in fast bowler was a revelation in Australia where, after missing the first two Tests, he took five for 87 in Perth and then four for 26 in Melbourne before featuring in the climatic Sydney Test where England clinched a 3-1 Ashes series triumph.

Even more impressive than his raw figures, was the way in which Tremlett maintained an accurate line with sharp bounce qualities also evident when he took four for 40 as England shot out Sri Lanka for just 82 in an innings and 14-run first Test win in Cardiff on Monday.

Tremlett, whose physique would do justice to an international rugby union lock forward, has arrived at Lord's, where the second Test of a three-match series against Sri Lanka starts on Friday.

He is a key man in England's attack, especially given injured Ashes spearhead James Anderson has been ruled out.

Yet only a couple of seasons ago conventional wisdom had it that Tremlett was too nice a guy to be a fast bowler

Tremlett began his career at Hampshire where his father, Tim, had been a reliable medium-pace bowler before overseeing his son's promising career as the county's cricket director.

But the arrival of Australia leg-spin great Warne as Hampshire captain led to Tremlett being told to shape up, although it still took a move to London-based Surrey for the now 29-year-old paceman to book his Ashes spot, having made his Test debut when still with his native county four years ago.

"I guess I've always been a believer in letting the ball do the talking," Tremlett told reporters at Lord's on Wednesday.

"I perhaps held back a bit at Hampshire. I did try to be aggressive but I guess it was forced a bit, to be honest. I tried to be someone I wasn't...it was difficult to be nasty."

Warne was left frustrated, not so much by a lack of 'verbals', but by the undeniably talented Tremlett's inability to always impose himself on opponents.

"I won't disagree with Warney," Tremlett said. "I was a bit timid at times - but the older I've got, with more confidence and age, being more aggressive comes more naturally to me.

"I don't think about it too much - it just happens."

If England recall Steven Finn, almost as tall as Tremlett himself, and, as seems likely retain Stuart Broad, well over 6ft himself, it will give the hosts one of the tallest of any all-time fast bowling trios.

Sri Lanka looked decidedly uncomfortable against the rising delivery on the final day in Cardiff - something not lost on Tremlett.

"The short ball is a great weapon - and playing against this team, they are not used to it at times.

"It could be a plan we'll go with, but we'll assess that on the day. It's something to think of."

Whatever the plan, a newly self-confident Tremlett is ready for the task.

"The England management know what they're going to get - whereas maybe a couple of years ago, when I was bit more inconsistent, they didn't know which Chris Tremlett was going to turn up on the day."

toi

Shahid Afridi announces early retirement

2011-05-30T21:51:00.000-07:00

KARACHI: Flamboyant Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi announced an early retirement from international cricket, in protest against his removal from the captaincy of the national one-day team.

"The people have given me lot of respect and love and I don't want to waste that working with this board who don't know how to respect players," an angry Afridi said.

In a scathing attack on the Pakistan Cricket Board, Afridi described the current set of administrators as a disgrace to Pakistan cricket.

Afridi who announced his retirement from all international cricket as a protest against the board for removing him as captain of the national one-day team told Geo News channel that nothing was greater to him than his self-respect.

The experienced all-rounder said until the present board under the chairmanship of Ijaz Butt was in place he would not play international cricket.

"I will continue to play domestic and league cricket but not international cricket but it is not worth my while under this board which gave me no reason nor did it bother to hear me out before sacking me as captain," he said.

"I don't want to work with such disgraceful people. I don't know on what grounds they sacked me as captain. I worked hard on building up a broken team and turned it into a fighting combination. We played in the World Cup semifinal and yet they sacked me without hearing me out."

Afridi also claimed that there was a group of people belonging to the Punjab province in Lahore who had always been against him.

"This group has always kept on working against me. They are the ones who keep on filling the chairman's ears against me. Maybe they don't want me to play because I get in the way of their plans."

Afridi also claimed that as captain he was never consulted in selection of teams nor was he sure about his captaincy before a series until the last moment.

"This board never gave me a feeling of assurance that I would be captain. I would not know before a series until the last few days whether I was going to be captain and I can't continue to play under these circumstances."

Afridi also made it clear that he had spoken to some of his elders and seniors before taking his retirement decision and they supported him.

"I want to make it clear that till this board is there I will not play international cricket. When it goes and if people want me to play on I will consider a comeback," he added.

The retirement announcement came just a few days after the board chairman, Ijaz Butt had in a surprising move sacked the all-rounder as captain of the national limited overs team although Afridi had led the team to the World Cup semifinals and to a 3-2 win over the West Indies in the Caribbean.

It was after returning from the West Indies that Afridi ruffled the board feathers when he told the media that he didn't like people interfering in his work an obvious reference to an ongoing row with head coach, Waqar Younis over selection issues.

After issuing him a notice for speaking to the media on team issues in contravention of the players code of conduct the board while announcing the squad for the one-day series against Ireland replaced Afridi as captain with Test captain, Misbah-ul-Haq who on Monday led Pakistan to a 2-0 win over Ireland.

Afridi after the sack also pulled out of the series against Ireland telling the board that he wanted to stay with his father who was under treatment in the United States.

Afridi defended his statement saying he had only spoken the truth and nothing else.

"I didn't speak against anyone nor did I criticize anyone by name. What I said was for betterment of team. But if they don't want me to speak the truth than I can't accept working with such people," he said.

"I didn't want any problems what I said was keeping in the benefits of the team. I can't continue to play under a board that does not respect senior players," he added.

Afridi had last year already retired from Test cricket after losing the first Test to Australia at Lords.

Afridi after his sacking also pulled out of the series against Ireland telling the board that he wanted to stay with his father who was under treatment in the United States.

But the all-rounder reached England from the US and on Monday made his retirement announcement from London.

Afridi who played 325 ODIs and 27 Tests told the channel that whatever he had said on returning home was in the better interests of the team.
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1st Test: England seize dramatic victory over Sri Lanka

2011-05-30T21:50:00.002-07:00

CARDIFF: Chris Tremlett led England to a sensational victory as they defied the elements to beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 14 runs in the first Test at Sophia Gardens on Monday.

Sri Lanka were skittled out for just 82 in their second innings, with fast bowler Tremlett taking the first three wickets to fall on his way to a return of 4/40 in 10 overs on the final day.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann followed up with 4/16 in seven overs as Sri Lanka's dramatic collapse continued.

Stuart Broad finished off the match with two wickets in three balls, the tourists second innings ending in the 25th over in under two dramatic hours.

England's victory in their first Test since a 3-1 Ashes triumph on Australia was achieved despite rain, which fell throughout this match, washing out nearly a whole day's play in total.

And the win was achieved despite England being without James Anderson, who was ruled out from bowling in the remainder of this match on Saturday with a side strain.

Tremlett struck sixth ball to have Tharanga Paranavitana well caught low down at first slip by England captain Andrew Strauss.

But it was all the 6ft 7in Surrey paceman's own work when he caught and bowled Sri Lanka skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan after a review confirmed the batsman had gloved a lifting delivery back to the bowler.

The experienced duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene hung around until tea.

But both former captains fell shortly afterwards.

The hostile Tremlett removed Jayawardene with the aid of a Strauss slip catch before Thilan Samaraweera played on to Swann for nought.

Sangakkara was then held by Strauss off Swann and 43/5 soon became 43/7.

Prasanna Jayawardene, who had defied England with a century in Sri Lanka's first innings 400, fell for just three when he was given out on review, after gloving an attempted hook off Tremlett through to wicket-keeper Matt Prior.

England then reduced Sri Lanka to 52/8 when Rangana Herath, swinging wildly, was lbw to Swann before Broad wrapped things up.

There seemed little chance of England forcing a victory after rain washed out the whole of Monday's morning session and prevented play from resuming until 3.00pm local time.

England then added just five runs to their overnight total.

Strauss declared on 496/5 as soon as Ian Bell, who resumed on 98, completed a 159-ball hundred featuring a six and 11 fours.

Bell's was the third century of an England innings that saw his Warwickshire team-mate Jonathan Trott score 203 and opener Alastair Cook 133.

England will now head to Strauss's Lord's home ground, where the second Test starts on Friday, 1-0 up in this three-match series.

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'Upul Tharanga in trouble without TUE'

2011-05-30T21:50:00.001-07:00

NEW DELHI: There are indications Upul Tharanga's failure to produce a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) certificate, required for athletes before using substances like prednisolone which are banned under the WADA list, may land him in trouble.

The player faces a ban of up to two years since the International Cricket Council has confirmed that it will follow the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) regulations to the letter while investigating the issue. "As a matter of policy the ICC doesn't comment on on-going investigations. The ICC, though, is completely WADA complaint and we'll follow the procedure laid down by the world body," ICC spokesperson James Fitzgerald told TOI.

Tharanga, incidentally, was the only cricketer to fail a dope test during the World Cup.

Prednisolone is part of WADA's 'specified list' of banned drugs. A glucocorticosteroid, it is widely used for the treatment of inflammatory and auto-immune conditions such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, Bell's palsy and multiple scelorosis.

Athletes can use it after applying for a TUE from WADA, though the ICC has its own TUE commission comprising of six medical experts. The ICC also considers any TUE from a valid National Anti-Doping Agency. The ICC would have considered Tharanga's TUE if it was filed 30-days prior to the event, in this case the World Cup.

"A TUE is easily obtainable in India if an athlete has the required doctor's prescriptions with him. I am not quite aware of the Sri Lankan procedure but it is the athlete's folly for not seeking the TUE in time," NADA director general Rahul Bhatnagar said, adding: "Prednisolone is a drug on the specified list, which means it doesn't carry any preliminary ban.

An athlete can ask for their 'B' sample and if that too comes out positive he will be subject to a hearing according to WADA rules. If the player is found guilty after the hearing he can be banned up to a maximum of two years. A panel will
take into account a player's argument before reaching a final decision."

toi

IPL players are chasing contracts: Harsha Bhogle

2011-05-29T21:54:00.001-07:00

He's a well known face on television, especially when a cricket match is in progress. With former players sharing several technical views on the sport, Harsha Bhogle is often viewed as someone who balances his thoughts between the informative and the interesting aspects. CT got talking to him on the sidelines of his recent book launch in the city.

IPL 4: This season of the IPL has exposed the lack of quality of our domestic cricket. We don't have good enough players. It looks like a lot of them are chasing contracts! The other thing I've noticed is that players who've done well in the previous seasons are fading out. They are trying to be halfhour players; but for that, you'll need to first be a good four-day player!

Changes in the commentary box: I don't know about the changes in clothing for commentators because that's something the producer decides. As far as the three-commentator experiment goes, they're trying three points of view at the same time. I think it works if all three commentators have a good understanding with each other. But if they don't, there's no respite for the viewer. Sometimes it works, sometime it doesn't. I feel that sometimes, there needs to be silence too during a cricket telecast.

Time tales! In most cities, if you tell people to come for an event at 6.30 pm, you can rest assured that the event will start only an hour later. Keeping that in mind, for my book launch at 6.30 pm, I thought it would be safe to tell people to land up at 7 pm. But guess what, almost everybody was on time. Chennai just freaks me out! But seriously, it's so beautiful that it's a quality I strive for.

TOI

Impressive Aravind admits to not bowling well in IPL final

2011-05-29T21:52:00.002-07:00

CHENNAI: Royal Challengers Bangalore's left-arm seamer Sreenath Aravind, the third highest wicket-taker in the IPL this season with a tally of 21 wickets from 13 matches, expressed disappointment at the defeat in the final to the Chennai Super Kings and felt that he also contributed to the loss by not bowling well.

"I bowled on the wrong lines. It is a lesson for me. I have said it is a batsmen's game, but one day the bowlers too will dominate. It is part and parcel of the game," said the 27-year old who went for 39 runs in his three overs, but took two wickets.

"We could have won this match. I was dreaming to win. It is unfortunate but part of the game. It was dream come true for me to take lots of wickets.

"I was well supported by Zaheer Khan and Daniel Vettori and especially coach Venkatesh Prasad."

While tacitly admitting that the absence of fast bowler Dirk Nannes (who was later replaced by Chris Gayle), Aravind felt that it provided opportunity for other players.

"Missing one player or some, it is part of the game. For that matter, we miss him, but it is a chance for youngsters to show their mettle and come up well in their career," said Aravind, a relatively late bloomer on the domestic circuit having made his first class debut only three seasons ago.

However, Aravind has been a revelation in this year's IPL and was a key member in the team that topped the league table and eventually finished runners-up.

"During the last two years, I have been improving a lot on each day by watching the seniors. I can say that in Karnataka, many people are helping me out in domestic circuit.

"Players like Robin (Uthappa), Vinay (Kumar), (Sunil) Joshi and my coach Sanath Kumar have been helping me a lot. This has helped me to build my confidence levels. I am looking forward to do better," said Aravind.

Taking an overview of his own performance in the IPL, he said: "Every delivery is a learning lesson for me. I have learnt how to bowl to good and experienced batsmen in such a competitive field. Zaheer Khan had been telling me how to hit right areas and bringing variations," he said.

TOI

Sticking to basics was key to Vijay's IPL success

2011-05-29T21:52:00.001-07:00

CHENNAI: The decision to stick to basics and work on his singles rather than playing just the big shots were the key to his success, said opening batsman Murali Vijay whose knock of 95 paved the way for Chennai Super Kings' 58-run win against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League final in Chennai on Saturday.

"Personally, I was missing out on lot of singles in some of the previous games because Hussey is more of a timer and I was trying to play of my skin," said Vijay at the post-match media conference held in the early hours of Sunday.

"I had thought I could have ran a lot more singles for myself as well Hussey and the team's cause for a momentum. I was working on it consciously and today, I went out for it and excelled as well.

"I was batting well today. I was confident about my tasks and did not worry much about anything else. My only worry was that I was getting 30s and 40s and was thinking about performing.

"Everybody in our team was performing well. I raised my hand and said to myself that this is going to be my day and I succeeded."

Vijay was overjoyed that the Super Kings retained the trophy and said that although he was disappointed at missing out on a century, it was more important that the team won.

"A bit (disappointed) now. But at that time, I was trying to hit the ball because the wicket was deteriorating and I thought a total of 220 might be a good score.

"In this format, any total could be chased by the rivals. I tried to clear (the field) but it did not come out in the way that I wanted. However, I am happy that the team won," said Vijay who earlier in the week was selected for next month's Indian team's tour of the West Indies.

After having gone through a lean patch in the IPL this season, Vijay said he was determined to come out on top in the final, but did not bat any differently than he had previously.

"Actually, I was not trying to do anything differently. I was trying to see the ball and hit it when it was in my areas. I knew that if I bat well for the first six overs, then I can take it from there. I was just working on the basics."

On the forthcoming tour of the Caribbean, Vijay said that he was hoping to perform well in the Test series.

"I am enjoying this moment and looking on to improve on all aspects of my cricket, batting and everything. I am looking forward to join the Indian team in the Tests in which I really love to carry the momentum and do well," he said.

TOI

Impressive Aravind admits to not bowling well in IPL final

2011-05-29T21:51:00.001-07:00

Chennai home to IPL final again in 2012

2011-05-29T21:49:00.000-07:00

CHENNAI: Chennai partied like never before on Saturday night, with celebrations around Chepauk and the Marina beach going on well past midnight, and now it seems there might be more revelry in store. Not only did cricket buffs here get to see Indian Premier League (IPL) team Chennai Super Kings retain their crown, the city may get to see the IPL 5 final too following decisions made by the IPL governing council.

The IPL committee has taken a decision that the team that wins the tournament will get to host the final the following year. "The IPL commission has taken a decision on those lines and as of now, next year's final will be in Chennai," a senior BCCI functionary told TOI. This is, of course, an added incentive for franchisees to go for maximum. Earlier, there used to be a bidding process for the IPL final, with the host-status going to the highest bidder.

CSK players are elated that the final will be back in Chennai. "It's a big boost for us. We have played well right through the tournament here and we know how to go about it," a senior CSK player said. The champions won all the eight matches they played at the Chepauk this year, with only a couple of games against Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers going down to the wire.

Dhoni left 'a bit disappointed'!

On Saturday night, as the team partied hard after the game, skipper MS Dhoni sat glued to a TV set at a nightclub, watching Barcelona take on Manchester United in the Champions League final. "Dhoni is a big United fan. So he was a bit disappointed after his favourite team lost. But then, the mood in the camp was such that the disappointment didn't linger long," a source said.

CSK's owners too are delighted with the team's performance. TOI has learnt that the management will put in another Rs 10 crore - in addition to the Rs 10 crore IPL prize money the team won on Saturday - and the entire booty will be distributed among players and support staff.

However, all the players looked tired and with flights to catch on Sunday, the celebrations were called off earlier than planned. After all, quite a few players in the team will be leaving for the Caribbean soon to take on the Windies.

TOI

Mumbai Indians winners on social media

2011-05-27T21:44:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: As the Indian Premier League ( IPL-4) draws to a close, Mukesh Ambani-owned Mumbai Indians (MI) have gathered the most amount of support across social media platforms followed by liquor baron Vijay Mallya's Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). According to a report by NM Incite, a Nielsen McKinsey company, among the players, Indian skipper MS Dhoni has emerged as the most discussed player on social media websites with the West Indian star Chris Gayle taking the second spot. Interestingly, Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat Gayle's RCB in the playoffs to book a place in Sunday's final.

On the brand front, Samsung, Vodafone, Cadbury and Volkswagen top the list of brands which were the most talked about on blogs, discussion boards and online forums, said the report which was shared with TOI.

"In this edition of the IPL brands have created campaigns that are capable of engaging the digital consumer effectively. We find that this triggers positive buzz which can result in increased purchase intent," said Adrian Terron,VP, Nielsen.

Although, social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter have become part of every brand's marketing strategy, blogs and forums have also been used by brands increasingly, said the report. The report was generated by analyzing data collected by monitoring social media channels from the start of the tournament till May 13.

Samsung, which ran television campaigns during the IPL for its smartphone, Galaxy Tab, as well as its 3G phone, Hero, backed it up with increased online activity in this year's tournament. It also advertised during the live streaming of IPL matches. "Given the committed viewership that the IPL generates, we used the platform to launch five new campaigns so that we could generate the visibility as well as create awareness around these products online," said Ranjit Yadav, country head, Samsung Mobile & IT.

While CSK captain Dhoni was the most popular on international forums, the domestic blogs and boards had RCB's Gayle topping the charts. Indian and international players were a part of the list of players leading online discussions with Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly featuring on it.

"When compared to the World Cup, brands haven't necessarily managed to draw similar linkages between themselves and the players that endorse them this time around," said Nielsen's Terron. Besides, the Mumbai and Bangalore teams, CSK and Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were also able to create a sense of community online. Even the two new franchises, Kochi Tuskers and Pune Warriors, appear to have garnered a fifth of social media mentions, said the report.

TOI

Sachin, Yuvraj and Gambhir ruled out of West Indies tour

2011-05-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

CHENNAI: There's always a twist to the tale when it comes to national selection committee meetings these days. The Indian cricket fraternity was eagerly awaiting the result of the fitness test of Gautam Gambhir, but by the time the selectors came out of the meeting, there were a couple of more blows awaiting the fans.

Not only was Gambhir ruled out, Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh, too, opted out of the series opening the door for the likes of Virat Kohli, Abhinav Mukund and S Badrinath.

While Tendulkar wants some time off from a hectic schedule to be with his family, Yuvraj is suffering from an upper respiratory infection, with a small patch of pneumonitis in the left lung. With Yuvi and Gambhir opting out, two openings were created in the ODI squad as well and the selectors inducted Shikhar Dhawan and Manoj Tiwary in for the five-match series.

Predictably, Suresh Raina will lead the side with Harbhajan Singh being his deputy in the ODI squad. VVS Laxman, on the other hand will be the vice-captain for the Tests.

The selectors, though, made it clear they have nothing against Gambhir for opting to play for KKR and thus aggravating his injury. "There have always been injury issues and we have to live with it. Our job is to work with the options in hand and we have done that," chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth told TOI.

Once it was made official Gambhir won't be going, TN lefty Abhinav Mukund was drafted into the Test squad. Mukund has amassed 1,211 runs in the first-class season and the selectors felt "the time was ripe to give him the break".

It will be an all Tamil Nadu opening combination with M Vijay being the other specialist in the line-up. Parthiv Patel, who pipped Wriddhiman Saha to the post for the second wicketkeeper's slot, will be the back-up opener.

But Tendulkar and Yuvraj's decisions to opt out came as a bolt from the blue for the selectors and that put them in a bit of a tricky situation. They didn't know beforehand that these two players won't be going and that's why it took them a while to finalise the Test squad. But the selectors don't think the team will do badly in the series. They feel that there's a nice combination of youth and experience and most of the new boys like Kohli and Badrinath will get to play in the first XI.

"The tour will provide us with the perfect platform to see how these boys shape up," Srikkanth said. The pace quartet for the Tests comprises Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel, the three spinners are Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha.

Test squad: MS Dhoni (capt), VVS Laxman (vc), M Vijay, Abhinav Mukund, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli,S Badrinath, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Suresh Raina, Parthiv Patel (wk).

Limited-overs squad: Suresh Raina (capt), R Ashwin, S Badrinath, Harbhajan Singh (vc), Virat Kohli, Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra, Munaf Patel, Parthiv Patel (wk), Yusuf Pathan, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Vinay Kumar, Manoj Tiwary, Shikhar Dhawan.

TOI

Gayle blitz takes Bangalore into IPL final

2011-05-27T21:38:00.000-07:00

Royal Challengers crushed Mumbai Indians by 43 runs to enter the IPL final in Chennai today.

Put into bat RCB rode on a whirlwind 47 ball 89 by Chris Gayle to pile up an imposing 185 run total. The RCB bowlers then bowled brilliantly taking wickets at regular intervals. The Mumbai batsmen hardly looked settled with the middle order collapsing at crucial moments.

Sachin Tendulkar (40) was the only Mumbai batsman who showed some grit but after his departure, it was all over with wickets crumbling at regular intervals.

Sachin was stumped by an excellent delivery by Syed Mohammad which turned sharply and for once even suprised the batting maestro.

Sreenath Aravind picked up two wickets at the start to to dent Mumbai Indians run chase.

Blizzard was the first to depart when he was caught at long on by Mayank Agarwal in the fourth over. Harbhajan soon followed when he was caught by Pomersbach at midwicket.

Earlier, Opener Chris Gayle butchered Mumbai Indians bowlers with a whirlwind 89 as Royal Challengers Bangalore posted an imposing 185 for four in the second qualifier of the Indian Premier League here today.

Gayle blasted nine fours and five sixes in his 47-ball innings and shared a 113-run opening partnership with Mayank Agarwal (41) in 10.4 overs to set the foundation for a big score for Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here.

Sachin Tendulkar's decision to bowl first backfired as Gayle took the Mumbai attack by the scruff of its neck and helped RCB amass 111 in first 10 overs.

Mumbai came back strong in the second half and dismissed four of their batsmen in quick succession and did well to restrict the Royals inside the 200-mark.

Gayle gave Bangalore a blistering start, accumulating 27 runs in the first over off Abu Nechim studded with three fours and a six, besides a wides four behind the keeper.

Taking a cue from Gayle, young Mayank also clobbered Harbhajan Singh for a couple of boundaries through short third man in the second over.

Tendulkar then turned to Lasith Malinga but there was no respite for Mumbai as Gayle smashed his first ball through covers and then flicked one across the fine line boundary.

Mayank brought up the first fifty in 3.2 overs with a huge six over long on off Harbhajan and followed it up with a nice-looking four through point as RCB reached 57 in 4 overs.

Munaf Patel also rolled his arms but there was no difference in the result as Gayle clobbered him for a boundary between mid on and midwicket and managed to pick up another four across short fine leg.

Malinga pulled things a bit in the next over but Gayle was simply unstoppable as he blasted Patel across extra over for another four in the next over.

Rohit Sharma was then introduced into the attack but Mayank welcomed him with a four and a six as he bleded 14 runs in the eighth over.

Gayle too continued his blitzkrieg punishing Pollard for another boundary in the next over to not only bring up the hundred for Bangalore but also reached his personal score of 52 in 27 balls.

Pollard finally gave Mumbai something to chew on by dismissing Mayank in the fourth ball of the 11th over but not before Rohit had dropped him in the first delivery.

However, there was no respite for Mumbai as Gayle blasted three sixes in the space of four balls spread across the 13th and 14th over.

The former West Indies skipper first sent Pollard soaring over long off in the last ball of the 13th over and then hammered Harbhajan over deep midwicket in consecutive balls as RCB reached 145 for one in 14 overs.

Gayle was dismissed by Munaf in the next over with James Franklin taking a good catch at long on but by then the damage was done. Virat Kohli (8) also couldn't stay long and was sent packing by Nechim in the 16th over.

Malinga then pulled off a brilliant diving catch at short third man off Munaf to dismiss Luke Pomersbach (4) as Bangalore slipped to 157 for four in 16.2 overs.

However, AB de Villiers (21) and Saurabh Tiwary (8) stayed in the crease and took Bangalore close to the 200-mark.

Getting Gayle early will be top priority for Mumbai

2011-05-27T04:02:00.001-07:00

CHENNAI: It's a matter of winning one more game to reach the final and the play-off between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) promises to be a cracker of a contest at the MA Chidambaram stadium on Friday. It's a great chance for RCB to reach the IPL final for the second time while Mumbai Indians, it's an opportunity to make their second straight summit clash.

Mumbai Indians, after winning back-to-back matches against Kolkata Knight Riders, are on a high and the Sachin Tendulkar-led side will look to carry the momentum into Friday's game. But RCB are a tough opponent and despite losing matches at the league stage, they have showed the gumption to fight back at crucial periods.

Royal Challengers owe their turnaround in IPL 4 to Chris Gayle. The Jamaican has almost single-handedly put the side into the play-offs. Gayle was ignored by all franchises during the IPL auction and was dropped from the West Indies squad for the home series against Pakistan. But the former Windies skipper, who replaced Australian pacer Dirk Nannes in the RCB squad, has dazzled with his whirlwind batting. Gayle is a great threat to any team and MI will need to keep him silent.

Mumbai Indians, too, have plenty of big-hitters in the squad. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Ambati Rayudu, Rohit Sharma, Aiden Blizard and James Franklin are in good nick and will definitely be a challenge for Daniel Vettori's boys. Tendulkar has been the lighthouse for his side, guiding youngsters like Sharma and Rayudu in the tournament.

Royal Challengers lost a close game against the Chennai Super Kings in the first playoff in Mumbai. Despite posting a formidable 175 on the board, they failed to stop the marauding defending champions. The likes of Zaheer Khan and Daniel Vettori looked patchy and the two have to pull up their socks if they wish to beat Mumbai Indians at Chepauk.

Most teams have played at least two spinners in the tournament but RCB have lacked the second spinner who can complement Vettori. Their bowling has mainly revolved around Zaheer but the Indian spearhead has not been at his best so far. But Zaheer is experienced and is capable of bouncing back. "As far as the second spinner is concerned, we have Gayle who has been supporting me well and I'm happy with Zaheer's form too. He has produced wickets upfront and has been exceptional with the ball so far," Vettori said.

Teams (from):

Royal Challengers Bangalore: D Vettori (capt), V Kohli, M Agarwal, S Aravind, Z Khan, B Arun Karthik, G Muralidharan, A Mithun, Mohd Kaif, R Ninan, A Pathan, C Gayle, AB de Villiers, C Langeveldt, L Pomersbach, S Tiwary, J van der Wath, S Mohammed, R Roussow, J Vandiar, A Kazi.

Mumbai Indians: S Tendulkar (capt), A Rayudu, Harbhajan, R Sharma, T Suman, M Patel, A Blizzard, K Pollard, L Malinga, A Symonds, D Jacobs, J Franklin, D Fernando, R Price, A Nechim, A Tare, A Murtaza, D Kulkarni, P Suyal, R Satish, S Kanwar, S Yadav, Y Singh.

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Injured Gautam Gambhir to miss West Indies tour

2011-05-27T04:01:00.001-07:00

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Caught in the midst of a raging club-vs-country debate after he played the IPL eliminator game for the Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday, Gautam Gambhir has told the BCCI that he will be unavailable to lead India to the Caribbean.

Even as a controversy raged over whether Gambhir's IPL franchise had hidden the extent of his shoulder injury, the board said it was still to take an official call on the matter.

According to sources, Gambhir, who was supposed to stand in for regular skipper MS Dhoni in the ODI and T20 series against the West Indies, told the board on Thursday that he was "unable to take the load". This followed KKR physio Andrew Leipus's letter to the BCCI revealing the player's chronic shoulder and groin injuries. Leipus has advised the Delhi opener 4-6 weeks of rest.

Caught on the wrong foot, the BCCI asked Gambhir to clarify as to why he had played the IPL eliminator. He reportedly said he "didn't know" the exact nature or seriousness of the injury. Sources said Gambhir felt it would be better to rest for 4-6 weeks instead of aggravating his condition and risking a longer lay-off. Suresh Raina is likely to lead the squad now.

Meanwhile, even as the player refused to further clarify the matter, a comment he made at a press conference hinting that he had been kept in the dark about the seriousness of his injuries sparked a war of words between the BCCI and KKR. The issue has raised serious questions over who was responsible for hiding the nature of Gambhir's injuries - the franchise, the cricket board or the player himself. Sources suggested that once Leipus's report was leaked and it became apparent that he may not be able to tour the Caribbean, Gambhir may have had no choice but to play the IPL eliminator game, which KKR lost.

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Tendulkar's Mumbai bid for IPL final

2011-05-27T03:58:00.000-07:00

CHENNAI: Sachin Tendulkar's Mumbai Indians are hoping the momentum from back-to-back wins will carry them into the IPL final in Friday's qualifier against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Mumbai looked in danger of missing the play-offs but two victories against Kolkata Knight Riders have revived their campaign in the glitzy Twenty20 competition.

A win against Bangalore will take Tendulkar's men into a Saturday's title clash against defending champions Chennai, and offer them a chance to avenge their defeat against the same rivals in last year's final.

"It's obviously a knockout game for us," said Mumbai coach Robin Singh on Thursday. "We have done pretty well against Bangalore in the few outings we have had in the past.

"But this is a fresh game and we have to start from scratch. We have to refocus and regroup because the stakes are really high."

Bangalore will be counting once again on hard-hitting West Indies opener Chris Gayle to fire with the bat.

Gayle has been instrumental in guiding Bangalore to the play-offs, having scored 519 runs from 10 innings at a strike rate of 184 after joining the franchise as a replacement for the injured Dirk Nannes.

"You can't ignore the fact that Gayle is in terrific form," said Singh, a former India all-rounder.

"But we have been bowling exceptionally well. You have to back yourself to bowl well against anyone. We have thought about how we want to go about things. We have our own plans ready for what we would like to do."

Bangalore captain Daniel Vettori also praised Gayle but dismissed the suggestion that his side were too dependent on the muscular left-hander.

"We know Chris has played well and he has been the main scorer for us this season, winning so many games for us. But we have other batsmen like Virat Kohli who have stepped up and performed when needed," Vettori said.

"So if Gayle has an off-day, we are still confident that we can win games."

Mumbai are high on confidence following a spectacular last-ball victory against Kolkata in the final league game and another by four wickets with four balls to spare in the first play-off on Wednesday.

But Mumbai may bring in Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds to replace West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard, who has just 143 runs from 15 matches with a high score of 28.

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Franklin is okay with IPL, unlike his fellow countryman Oram

2011-05-25T21:39:00.001-07:00

MUMBAI: Unlike his compatriot Jacob Oram, who said he could not connect with the Indian Premier League, Kiwi batsman James Franklin said he was enjoying being part of the league.

After playing just two IPL games, Oram returned to his country and said he felt disconnected with the event due to after-match parties, heavy presence Bollywood stars and fashion parades.

Franklin yet again played a good hand in Mumbai's win as he scored an unbeaten 29 in a tight situation on Wednesday.

"I have enjoyed it. It's my first experience. I'm with a great franchisee Mumbai Indians. I have really enjoyed thus far. Hopefully we have two games to go and we do go all the way. It's been pretty good fun till now. The passion for the game is amazing here. I have been here for four months since the World Cup. I'm still enjoying my stay here," he said at the post match press conference.

"After nearly every game there's an after party, there's Bollywood stars there and fashion parades; the drinks are free and the cheerleaders are around. It's a different world.

"Sometimes you wonder if you're here for cricket or not. Ultimately you are. It is good fun, but at the same time I don't think it's reality," Oram had said.

About Wednesday's match, Franklin lauded the effort of his bowlers for restricting Kolkata Knight Riders to 147/7 and said it gave them the control of the match.

"I thought we did a really a good job to restrict them under 150. In the last game here between Chennai and RCB the par score was between 160-165. Boys did a great job with the ball. We had a great start with the ball. It got us on the front-foot and we did hold on from there," he said.

The left-hander, however, felt that the team left it till the end and brought themselves under undue pressure.

"We are leaving it too late at the moment. We had a great start with (Aiden) Blizzard and Sachin (Tendulkar). They gave us a good platform. If we are trying to seek perfection we probably lost too many wickets in the middle and put too much pressure on ourselves. Harbhajan came and played a couple of good shots and we crossed the line."

Franklin, who had scored a quick-fire 45 not out in Mumbai Indians' thrilling five wicket win over the same rivals in Kolkata on Saturday, felt that victory didn't mean too much coming into this game.

"Every game is a new start. The boys weren't thinking what happened in Kolkata two nights ago. We started afresh. I'm sure KKR had done the same," he said.

Franklin said he expected a tough challenge from that Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second qualifier.

"That game is sudden death. A semifinal. Royals lost last night. But they have an extra day's rest. They are a tough side. They have done well in the last two-two and half weeks and have won many games in a row. So its going to be a tough game. We are looking forward to it."

Asked about the wild celebrations by Harbhajan Singh after he had finished the match with a six off Shakib-Al-Hasan, Franklin said, "I think when you win tight games like that you are excited and pumped up. Harbhajan is a man who lets out his emotions. The boys are pumped up for the next game."

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Mumbai Indians beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 4 wickets

2011-05-25T21:38:00.002-07:00

MUMBAI: Harbhajan Singh hit the winning six for Mumbai Indians, roared, and all but thrust his boot towards the Knight Riders’ dugout. It was his way of telling everybody the kind of frustration his team has endured so far and how they have come out fighting.

Mumbai Indians should have won the contest easily. They however made it tougher for themselves, barely managing to reach the modest target of 148 only in the last over at the Wankhede on Wednesday.

The IPL Eliminator went all the way down to the wire even though, at one stage, MI were cruising at 81 for no loss in 7.5 overs. After losing the hard-hitting Aiden Blizzard for 51 (30 balls, 7x4, 2x6), they lost three quick wickets to land in a familiar position.

But James Franklin rallied around for 29 not out (25 balls, 2x4) to star in the team's rescue act. In the end, the Knights got eliminated and Mumbai Indians squeezed their way into the tournament's second qualifier to be played in Chennai against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Friday. The winner of that clash will face Chennai Super Kings in the grand finale on Saturday.

The contest became all the more close because of a combination of bad batting, bad umpiring and some serious sledging. It provided for the last-over finish.

Mumbai Indians won the toss and decided it would be better to chase. However, when the Knight Riders began, the Wankhede didn't seem all that bad for the team batting first. The ball came on to the bat nicely, the weather cooled down and Ryan ten Doeschate, the best batsman of the day, showed everybody the way.

Yet, it was the Kolkata top-order's suicidal approach that made matters difficult for them early on. Lasith Malinga compensated for what he had missed out in Mumbai Indians' previous match against Kolkata Knight Riders. On Wednesday night, he unleashed all the firepower to once again return with amazing figures of 19 runs from four overs and a wicket. However, it was the manner in which Munaf Patel, Dhawal Kulkarni and Harbhajan Singh supported Malinga that made the Mumbai Indians attack all the more dangerous.

Patel took three wickets in his four overs, most importantly sending back the very dangerous Jacques Kallis early on in the innings to a brilliant Tendulkar catch at mid-off. The very next over saw Harbhajan roar as loudly as possible, castling Gambhir, as the batsman attempted a clumsy slog sweep.

Kulkarni did his bit too, removing Manoj Tiwary - the second highest scorer for Knight Riders this season - and that was when the visitors got into serious trouble. However, nothing of what they did could collectively match the way Knights were ready to throw their wickets. If not for Doeschate's perseverance, they wouldn't even have reached the 100 mark.

Doeschate and gave Malinga the respect he deserved, but Pollard and Kulkarni suffered at the batsman's hands. The Dutchman became the highlight of the evening for his batting also because of the way he handled Harbhajan, who had come into his own.

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Question mark over Gambhir's tour to Windies

2011-05-25T21:38:00.001-07:00

MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir, who injured his right shoulder while fielding during the IPL game against Mumbai Indians in Kolkata on Sunday, is uncertain to lead the Indian team in the ODI series in West Indies starting on June 4.

Gambhir had undergone an MRI scan in Kolkata, the result of which is yet to be analyzed by the cricket board (BCCI). An official call in this regard will be taken on Thursday.

"It is unlikely that Gambhir will miss out on the tour of West Indies," BCCI sources told TOI. "It does not look very serious at the moment. He'll certainly travel to West Indies and if he has to rest then he'll opt out of a couple of matches," sources added.

However, IANS reported that Gambhir has been advised rest for six weeks to nurse his "sore shoulder". Knight Riders' team physio Andrew Leipus, in a letter to BCCI, said Gambhir needs at least four-six weeks of rest.

"The clinical findings supported the mechanism of the onset of the acute injury. However, he did report having corticosteroid injections on two occasions over the previous few years. In the last match where KKR played MI, Gautam again felt an aggravation of the shoulder pain on one particular throw," Leipus said in his letter.

"On arrival in Mumbai we thought it was prudent to get both an MRI and a consultation with a leading shoulder orthopaedic surgeon. Both the doctor and I believe that he should follow an intensive, supervised and conservative rehabilitation pathway, he will need to avoid both throwing and batting for a period 4-6 weeks," the letter said.

"In this regard, I would expect that the BCCI medical committee would need to consider the ongoing management of Gautam's shoulder injury beyond the IPL and the possibility of his missing any immediate future tours until the shoulder is fully rehabilitated," the letter added.

On Wednesday, Gambhir got out after scoring just four runs while going for a slog sweep. However, at no point during his brief stay did he look uncomfortable. When the Knight Riders walked in to field in the second innings, Gambhir walked out too and seemed to be at absolute ease using his right hand to catch and throw the ball.

Suresh Raina will lead the ODI team in case Gambhir is ruled out. The team will leave for West Indies on May 31.

Gambhir was appointed skipper for the West Indies tour in the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was advised rest.

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How do Mumbai and Kolkata teams measure up?

2011-05-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

SWOT ANALYSIS

Mumbai Indians

Strength: It is the intimidating line-up of the Sachin Tendulkar-led squad that makes them look the strongest of the lot. Individually, Tendulkar, Symonds, Sharma, Pollard, Malinga and Harbhajan are match winners.

Weakness: Pressure. With so many big stars in the team, they have enormous pressure on them to do well.

Opportunities: With his last ball six, Ambati Rayudu should've gained a world of confidence against Knight Riders in the previous game. If Rayudu carries that confidence into the playoffs, MI will benefit a lot..

Threats: The team's batting - up the order - hasn't clicked the way MI would have wanted to. The batting order too hasn't been consistent with Symonds and Pollard continuously in the order.

Kolkata Knight Riders

Strength: To be fair to Gautam Gambhir's team, they've made it to the playoffs riding on a commendable team performance. KKR haven't banked on any individual to help their cause, which makes them so dangerous. To top it, Gambhir's captaincy has been inspiring for a team that was desperate to have a new leader.

Weakness: The biggest disadvantage for Gautam Gambhir in this tournament has been the lack of performance from his pace attack. Brett Lee hasn't figured among wickets much while Laxmipathy Balaji has been way too costly.

Opportunity: Yusuf Pathan is yet to make his mark in this IPL and he'll have his best chance in the playoffs. If Pathan gets going the way he's done in the past, no target would seem very high for the Knights.

Threat: Gambhir's team has to be wary of not letting away the initiative in the end overs.

KEY CLASHES

Kallis vs Malinga

Jacques Kallis will have to click up the order for Knights to get off to a good start and that will mean the South African having to deal with the lethal Lasith Malinga. The fast bowler has troubled batsmen from all teams this tournament and therefore, this is will be a mouthwatering contest to look forward to.

Rohit vs Abdulla & Yusuf

Rohit Sharma has been a vital cog in the MI batting line up while Iqbal Abdulla and Yusuf Pathan have been KKR's highest wicket takers. The Wankhede will be humid enough for the dice to roll in favour of spinners and therefore, how Sharma deals with these bowlers will be crucial.

Tendulkar vs Gambhir

Both Tendulkar and Gambhir had said that peaking at the right time will be crucial for any team looking to stay right till the end. The time has come and from here, how the captains instill confidence in their team members will be the deciding factor. Tendulkar's experience versus Gambhir's flair will certainly be the talking point.

X-Factor

Mumbai Indians: James Franklin

The Kiwi pacer can wield the long handle and the Knight Riders will vouch for the mayhem he can cause after what he did to them at the Eden Gardens. Franklin not only swings the ball, but gets the odd ball to bounce with his seamless bowling action. The quickie will give the hosts the psychological edge after his Eden heroics.

M: 6, Wkts: 3, Best Bowling: 2-35, Avg: 29.66, Econ: 9.70

Kolkata Knight Riders: Shakib Al Hasan

At the start of the tournament KKR bowling consultant Wasim Akram had dubbed the Bangladesh all-rounder as a trump card in the side's hunt for its maiden IPL title. Shakib's more than a wicket-taking bowler with the guile to stymie the run rate in the middle overs. He hasn't set the stage on fire though with just 9 wickets under his belt.

M: 6, Wkts: 9, Best Bowling: 3-28, Avg: 16.77, Econ: 6.81

Likely Teams

Mumbai Indians: Suman, Tendulkar, Harbhajan, Rohit, Pollard, Franklin, Rayudu, Sathish, Abu Nechim, Price, Malinga

Kolkata Knight Riders: J Kallis, S Goswami, G Gambhir, M Tiwary, Y Pathan, Doeschate, R Bhatia, Shakib Al Hasan, B Lee, L Balaji, Iqbal Abdulla

Mumbai Indians:

Top three batsmen: Tendulkar, Rohit, Rayudu

Top three bowlers: Malinga, Munaf, Harbhajan

Kolkata Knight Riders:

Top three batsmen: Kallis, Gambhir, Pathan

Top three bowlers: Lee, Shakib, Abdulla

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Chennai Super Kings beat Royal Challengers Bangalore to reach IPL 4 final

2011-05-24T21:59:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: One wonders if MS Dhoni is a movie buff. If he is then jail breaks like Shawshank Redemption, Escape To Victory and the Great Escape must be the DVDs that grace his home theatre system.

His side, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the defending IPL champions, got out of jail in the first playoff against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to win by six wickets and two balls to spare to enter the final to be played in Chennai on Saturday. The second playoff between RCB and the winner of Wednesday’s eliminator between KKR and MI will throw up the second finalist.

Chasing 176, they seemed down and out, but Suresh Raina 73 not out (50 balls, 4x4, 6x6), the ultimate warrior and limited-overs finisher, played a great T20 knock and Albie Morkel 28 runs (10 balls, 1x4, 3x6) showed why he is so highly rated by his franchise to finish things off.

It all seemed very uphill for CSK after Zaheer Khan had got Mike Hussey out for a duck and S Aravind dismissed Murali Vijay cheaply.

Zaheer bowled a miserly first spell (3-0-11-1), but sadly, like the World Cup final, it was his second spell that turned out to be the spoiler as Raina carted him for two sixes off the 17th over and Dhoni struck another maximum to start the turnaround.

The southpaw then trained his guns on S Aravind as he belted the left-armer for three more sixes in the 19th over that went for 21. Earlier, Abhimanyu Mithun too went for 23 runs in one over.

With 12 needed off the last over from Vettori, Morkel hit a four, two and six off the RCB skipper to break Bangalore's hearts in a match worthy of a final.

Earlier, Virat Kohli negated the early loss of two of RCB's big-ticket overseas players - Chris Gayle and AB De Villiers - to take RCB to 176. The talented youngster showed why he was being touted him to be the next great Indian batsman as he struck a sublime and unbeaten 70 (44 balls, 5x4, 3x6).

The first playoff was billed as a clash between Super Kings vs Super Gayle. RCB have piggy-backed a ride into the playoffs on the big-hitting West Indian's solo effort. So prolific has the Jamaican been for the boys in red that there were murmurs about the team being a one-man army. 'Get Gayle, get RCB' seemed to be mantra. But though they might be guilty of overlooking the others, in the end Raina's blitzkrieg, which bettered Kohli's, took them home.

Teams:

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Daniel Vettori (Capt.), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Mohammad Kaif, Saurabh Tiwary, Luke Pomersbach, Sreenath Aravind, Abhimanyu Mithun, Zaheer Khan.

Chennai Super Kings: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt.), Michael Hussey, Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina, Albie Morkel, Subramaniam Badrinath, Dwayne Bravo, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Doug Bollinger, Shadab Jakati.

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Mumbai Indians beatable, insists Gambhir

2011-05-23T21:35:00.001-07:00

KOLKATA: It was almost as if Gautam Gambhir had anticipated the barrage of bouncers that would be hurled at him by the media after the heart-breaking last-over loss to Mumbai Indians, which cost Kolkata Knight Riders a top-2 finish in IPL 4.

The KKR captain wasted no time in going on to the front foot and dispatching all of those with disdain.

Sample a few exchanges.

Despite Sunday's defeat, you would be going into the playoffs with heads held high?

"Nothing has happened for which we have to keep our heads down."

Was it a mistake giving Balaji the final over?

"Who would you have given the ball to? I have a lot of faith in Bala, that's why I gave him the final over. Nine times out of 10, in such a situation when 21 are needed in the last over, he would do the job for us. It was one of those days."

Do you think you were about 10 runs short?

"We had a very good total on board... It was more than a par score at Eden."

What positives will you take into the playoffs?

"Everything we take are positives, except the last over. When you are among the four top teams among team, there must be more positives than negatives."

There were some questions that didn't irritate him, like how he rated James Franklin's and Ambati Rayudu's heroics.

"They are quality players... This is such a format that if you don't get things right, you will be punished."

Looking ahead to Thursday's Eliminator, which will again pit KKR against MI, Gambhir said: "The playoffs will be a different ball-game, there will be pressure on both sides as defeat will send them out. Today on the other hand, they (MI) had nothing to lose, while we had to win to clinch a top-2 slot," said the angry man of Indian cricket.

Asked if would be possible for KKR to bounce back from a demoralising defeat like Sunday's, Gambhir was practical. "We have to do things the hard way. But we know they are beatable, if we play good cricket."

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'Actor' Tendulkar allowed to claim tax deduction

2011-05-23T21:34:00.001-07:00

MUMBAI: An Income Tax tribunal has allowed ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to claim deductions from his taxable income pertaining to earnings from modelling in advertisements.

The two-member tribunal, which gave its order on May 20, upheld the cricket legend's argument that he was an 'actor' while appearing in commercials.

Asha Vijayaraghavan, judicial member of the tribunal, and RK Panda, accountant member, gave the ruling on four appeals filed by the batting maestro against the verdict of chief commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) for assessment years 2001-02 to 2004-2005.

Tendulkar argued that he had claimed deductions under Section 80 RR of I-T Act on the ground that he was an 'actor' while appearing in advertisements. He submitted that the CIT (A) had wrongly held that he was not an actor as cricket was his principal profession.

Tendulkar further argued that he was a cricketer and not a professional actor. He submitted his appearances in advertisements made him an actor and thus he was entitled to deductions. Moreover, he argued that such deductions had been allowed to him earlier.

He cited cases of popular figures like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Tarun Tahilyani and Harsha Bhogale, who had also claimed deductions from their income through advertisements.

"In the present case, the assessee, while appearing in advertisements and commercials, has to face the lights and camera. As a model, the assessee brings to his work a degree of imagination, creativity and skill to arrange elements in a manner that would affect human senses and emotions and to have an aesthetic value," the tribunal held.

"No doubt, being a successful cricketer, it has added to his brand value as a model. But the fact remains that the assessee has to use his own skills, imagination and creativity. Every person, or for that matter every sportsman, do not possess that degree of talent or skill or creativity and face the lights and camera etc," the members said.

"We are of the considered opinion that the income received by the assessee from modelling and appearing in TV commercials and similar activities can be termed as income derived from the profession of an artist," they said.

Therefore, there is no bar on the part of the assessee to have its second profession as an artist apart from playing cricket, the tribunal noted.

"We accordingly hold that the amount of Rs 5,92,31,211 received by the assessee amounts to income derived by the assessee in the exercise of his profession as an artist and therefore entitled to deduction u/s 80RR of the Act."

The tribunal noted that Tendulkar had received an amount of Rs 19,92,27,085 as gross receipts from sports sponsorship and advertisements, which included an amount of Rs 5,92,31,211 received in convertible foreign exchange from ESPN Star Sports, Pepsico Inc and VISA.

The cricketer had claimed deduction u/s 80 RR amounting to Rs 2,08,59,707 on account of receipt of Rs 5,92,31,211.

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How the Bangalore and Chennai teams measure up?

2011-05-23T21:33:00.001-07:00

Swot Analysis

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Strengths: Red-hot Gayle. His raw power and high-percentage connectivity apart, Gayle has put team's cause ahead of his ego. With the ball, skipper Vettori is one of the most consistent and frugal bowlers in IPL 4

Weaknesses: The middle order has failed to return anything meaningful. So, if Gayle fails, RCB are on the back foot. A decent pace-bowling all-rounder is missing so is the variation in attack.

Opportunities: With slower tracks in the offing for playoff matches, Syed Mohammad can form a two-pronged left-arm spin attack along with Vettori.

Threats: A Mithun's indifferent form has been a matter of constant worry, particularly his no-balls.

Chennai Super Kings

Strengths: The middle-order. Despite a couple of low-key performances, CSK have the depth in batting to wriggle out of difficult situations. They have the perfect mix of big hitters and sound run-makers and that's going to stand them in good stead

Weaknesses: Inability to adjust to 'away' conditions -- The Chepauk wicket has been tailor-made for their attack, where CSK have won all seven of their matches. But of the seven away, they have managed only two wins and that may just hurt them against RCB

Opportunities: Doug Bollinger and R. Ashwin are the two bowlers who really make the CSK attack lethal. While it's very difficult to hit Bollinger away both in the initial and slog overs, the canny Ashwin has the ability to take vital wickets

Threats: CSK looked clueless against Chris Gayle in Bangalore. Even Ashwin, who can take the ball away from Gayle, couldn't resist him. CSK will have to chalk out some plan to resist the marauding West Indian

X factor

CSK: R Ashwin

The off-spinner has been one of the most reliable bowlers around in the death overs. Dhoni will turn to him in pressure situations, and expect Ashwin to deliver more often than not. It would be interesting to see if Ashwin can get early the way he got Shane Watson during the World Cup quarterfinal.

M: 14, Wkts: 16, Best Bowling: 2-12, Avg: 21.18, Econ: 6.16

RCB: S Aravind

This left-arm seamer has impressed many people, including the likes of former India pacers Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad, who also happens to be RCB's bowling coach. Aravind seems to be revelling under the guidance of Zaheer, and has been an integral part of the RCB attack this season with 16 scalps.

M: 10, Wkts: 16, Best Bowling: 4-14, Avg: 16.87, Econ: 7.29

Key Clashes

R Ashwin vs Chris Gayle

Ashwin loves the challenge of bowling to the big hitters with the field up in the powerplays and has the variations to trouble the best of the lot. Gayle, as has been seen is in murderous form. Expect him to try and play out the crafty offie and attack the medium pacers. Gayle would also be keen to keep an eye on the carom ball and keep his pads out of the way against it. This could well be a match-defining contest.

Zaheer vs Hussey

Well on the way to becoming one of India's greatest fast bowlers, Zaheer Khan can dismiss and work out left-handed batsmen even in his sleep. He has a good record against Hussey and his slower-knuckle ball has troubled the Aussie before. One can expect Hussey to stand outside his crease to negate Zaheer's movement. An arresting clash this.

Vettori vs Dhoni

Two inspirational captains. Two great leaders. While tactically, Dhoni may steal a march over the affable Kiwi, Vettori has come into his own and has won the respect of some of the biggest stars with elephant-sized egos in the team. Expect Vettori to bring himself on against the CSK skipper as he is a scratchy starter against slow bowling. Vettori also has one of the best arm balls in the business and against Dhoni, who has an extravagant backlift, it can be a handy weapon.

Venue blues: What to expect

After 3 World Cup and 7 IPL matches, the Wankhede track is worn out. It has lot of turn and bounce for spinners.

RCB:

Top three batsmen: Gayle, Kohli, de Villiers

Top three bowlers: Zaheer, Vettori, Aravind

CSK:

Top three batsmen: Dhoni, Raina, Badrinath

Top three bowlers: Ashwin, Bollinger, Albie Morkel

Track Record

CSK - M: 14, Won: 9, Loss: 5

RCB - M: 14, Won: 9, Loss: 4

Head to head (IPL 4): CSK: 1, RCB: 1

Head to head (overall): CSK: 4, RCB: 5

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Domestic players on IPL auction table next?

2011-05-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: Keeping in mind the controversies which surfaced regarding the signing of domestic players for the IPL season this year, the BCCI is mulling bringing them into the auction pool in 2014.

This means all IPL cricketers will come under the hammer in a three-day affair instead of the existing two-day one.

Details of the mechanism are yet to be finalized, but sources said that domestic and IPL performances of these players in the next three years would be considered before listing them in different groups. Like other players in the competition, even uncapped players would get a base price in the auction.

Salaries of domestic cricketers have been pegged at Rs 30, 20 and 10 lakh according to seniority, which led to some dissatisfaction in leading domestic stars who wanted to bargain for better returns.

At the next auction now, they cannot bargain for more money and can't even arm-twist team owners to pay more. The players felt that if the top stars can bargain beyond their base price, they too can ask for much more unofficially. Now, they can't complain about missing out on big bucks.

IPL franchises have had skirmishes over uncapped players in the past, necessitating the move.

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Mumbai Indians beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 5 wickets

2011-05-22T21:48:00.001-07:00

KOLKATA: Even before the first ball was bowled in the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians at the Eden Gardens on Sunday evening, the second spot on the points table was for KKR to lose.

With Chennai Super Kings going down to Royal Challengers Bangalore in an earlier match of the day, KKR, with a better net run rate than CSK, had to win Sunday's match with a relatively decent margin to take the position ahead of CSK. But the Gautam Gambhir-led side failed to do so as New Zealander James Franklin played a dream innings, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat to give Mumbai Indians five-wicket victory.

Needing 21 runs to win in the last over, Franklin hit Laxmipathy Balaji for four consecutive fours. Ambati Rayudu facing the last ball, needed to hit at least a boundary for victory, after Franklin took a single on the fifth ball.

Rayudu did a Javed Miandad, hitting a huge six over the deep square leg to silence a capacity Eden crowd. The result meant the two sides, finishing three and fourth, will face off again in the playoff eliminator tie on Wednesday. CSK finished second, ahead of Mumbai, on better run rate.

If it was opener Jacques Kallis whose innings of 59 helped KKR post a challenging total of 175 for seven, the highest score at the Eden Gardens in this IPL season, Delhi lad Rajat Bhatia made an impact with the ball, removing Harbhajan Singh, Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar in three consecutive overs to restrict MI's run chase. Bhatia ended with three for 22 from his four overs.

It was again a batting collapse for MI but they finally managed to win after three successive defeats. Except for brief period when Harbhajan Singh and Tendulkar shared a 57-run second wicket stand, MI never really looked like capable of romping home.

Only Franklin thought otherwise. The Little Master, who played his first IPL match at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, held fort at one end and played some glorious shots to the delight of the capacity Eden crowd. But he ran out of support and fell trying to clear the field.

Put into bat by MI skipper Sachin Tendulkar, the Knights were on the backfoot losing two quick wickets - that of opener Sreevats Goswami and Gambhir.

But local lad Manoj Tiwary, who is having a great IPL this season, once again took charge of the proceedings to take KKR out of the woods.

Just when he threatened to take the match away from the visitors, the Bengal Ranji Trophy skipper perished for 35 failing to beat a direct throw from Harbhajan Singh at short third man while trying to return to his crease.

The stage was thus set for senior pro Kallis to show the way and the South African all-rounder came up with a classic innings.

He played the typical waiting game in the initial overs, trying to gauge the pace of the wicket and playing second fiddle to Tiwary and Yusuf Pathan.

Teams:

Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir (Capt.), Jacques Kallis, Shreevats Goswami, Manoj Tiwary, Yusuf Pathan, Rajat Bhatia, Ryan ten Doeschate, Shakib Al Hasan, Brett Lee, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Iqbal Abdulla.

Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar (Capt.), James Franklin, Ambati Rayudu, Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Rajagopal Sathish, Tirumalasetti Suman, Abu Nechim Ahmed, Harbhajan Singh, Ray Price, Lasith Malinga.

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Gayle takes Royal Challengers Bangalore to the top

2011-05-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

BANGALORE: The success of Chris Gayle and Royal Challengers Bangalore went hand in hand on yet another occasion. But the home side's convincing eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings, which made them table-toppers in IPL 4 league stage, was not about Gayle magic alone.

The hard-hitting Jamaican scored his third half-century of the IPL edition, embellishing his unbeaten 75-run knock (50b) with six sixes and four boundaries but Chennai's agony was planted and watered way before, thanks to an impressive RCB bowling.

Even a blazing 40-ball 70 by CSK skipper MS Dhoni couldn't stop RCB from ensuring a straight tilt at the title clash in the playoff phase and also an assured spot in the next Champions League T20.

RCB skipper Daniel Vettori and pace ace Zaheer Khan returned to the eleven and more importantly made their presence felt to restrict the defending champions to 128/8 on a good batting track.

Three of the four CSK batsmen at the top of the tree gifted their wickets with loose strokes even as the discipline and attitude shown by Zaheer (2-19), Vettori (2-14) and S Arvind (2-20) ensured persistent pressure on the opponents.

Defending a small total, Dhoni tried the spin of R Ashwin first-up against Gayle and even placed an unorthodox straighter mid-on for the West Indian southpaw against pacers but couldn't halt the juggernaut.

After the one-match break, Zaheer looked fresher "physically, mentally and technically" as was mentioned by coach Ray Jennings on the eve of the match and the left-arm pacer struck rhythm right from the first ball.

The pace spearhead removed the in-form duo of opener Michael Hussey and Suresh Raina in successive overs during an inspirational first spell (3-1-10-2).

In between those strikes, RCB nudged ahead in the contest with the other left-arm pacer Arvind accounting for Murali Vijay in the fourth over.

By the sixth over, the CSK innings read a sorry 23/4 after Chennai's regular saviour S Badrinath perished at long-off in Vettori's first over. But RCB couldn't afford to relax, particularly after throwing away the advantage of a similar good start against Kings XI Punjab in their previous encounter.

The responsibility to resurrect the CSK innings was thrust on skipper Dhoni, not for the first time in the season. After splicing up a 42-run stand in company of Wriddhiman Saha for the fifth wicket, Dhoni reserved his best for last with yet another display of impeccable power-hitting.

The right-hander bludgeoned six of the seven sixes that spotted the CSK total, all big hits coming in the concluding half of the innings.

His penchant for the on-side while executing those maximums was noticeable but more noteworthy was the raw power he generated with the bat-swing.

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I am interested in a consultancy job in IPL: Warne

2011-05-20T21:50:00.001-07:00

MUMBAI: Australian spin legend Shane Warne, who played his final competitive game on Friday, made it clear he won't be returning as a full-time coach for the Rajasthan Royals or any other team next season but said he was interested in a consultancy role.

"This is my last game, never say never but at this stage of my life I don't see myself playing a game again. I am certainly not coming back as full time coach," Warne said after bringing down curtains on his two-decade long career with a 10-wicket win over Mumbai.

"I won't be 100 per cent in the entire tournament. Definitely no point in being here for seven weeks if you are not playing. I may come in as consultant may be ten days prior or some time in between. If they are happy I will be here for a week or so. If not I am done with the tournament will watch it on the telly," he added.

Warne said his team Rajasthan Royals was the best in the IPL competition when everything falls in place.

"We showed that when we do fire we are the best team in the competition. Our batsmen fired at the top," said the 41-year-old Australian legend after the Royals finished their IPL engagements on a high though they couldn't qualify for the playoffs.

Warne said that the blistering knock of 89 by Shane Watson that flattened Mumbai who had a modest score of 133 to defend indicated his Australian compatriot was among the very best in the world.

"If Watson is not the best batsman in the world currently, I don't know who is? He's fantastic, you could argue if he is not he is among the top two batsmen in the world. He has already apologised to me for not doing it in the earlier games. He came away with his confidence high after scoring 180 in Bangladesh," he said.

Warne also rued that prior to Friday's game, the Royals played poorly at home and lost their qualifying hopes.

"We won six games, had a washout and did not play well in the last three or four games. Disappointed with the way we have played the last three or four games. But the way we played the last game we have showed we can turn it on. One or two games here or there, that would have fetched us 17 points," he said.

"Unfortunately our batsmen did not fire through the tournament. If (Shane) Watson had one more innings like that, Ross Taylor had one or two innings like that, we would have been first or second."

Warne was also proud of Rajasthan Royals' record in four editions of the tournament in which they stood second only to Chennai Super Kings in the number of matches won.

"I am really proud of the way our guys conducted on and off the field. We have won the second most number of games after Chennai in the four years. It's a tremendous record. I am proud of the way RR have played over the last few years. I am surprised myself at how well I bowled at the age of 41."

The 41-year-old cricketer also wanted the International Cricket Council to provide a clear window for the cash-rich T20 league.

"IPL is a fantastic tournament. ICC should say no international cricket for six weeks that would do away with all the sledging. IPL is good for Indian cricket, good for world cricket.

He recalled when the IPL was conceptualised no one really knew what to expect and also complimented former chairman Lalit Modi for making it a success.

"My best memory is 2008. No one knew what was going to happen in the IPL. No one knew what to expect with franchise teams, players' auction and so on. We were the first to introduce spin and others copied it. I am happy. We came up with innovative ideas. Lalit Modi did a great job," he said.

Going ahead Warne felt IPL could do with some innovations in the form of super rounds to allow more than four foreigners in the playing eleven.

"In South Africa (in 2009) I was tossing around with plans to have two super rounds with five foreign players somewhere in the middle of the tournament to help teams struggling and make the tournament more exciting. If people like it you can increase the super rounds to three with each round coming after four games," he said.

Talking about his future plans, the leg spin legend said that this was the happiest phase of his life.

"I would like to concentrate on my poker, being with my three kids and with Elizabeth (Hurley). I am happier than I have ever been. I have made a lot of friends and business wise I have 3-4 businesses with a few more in the pipeline," he said.

He also said he had plans to start an academy for spinners.

"I want to start a spinners' academy where anyone can come and train for free. I am looking out for sponsors."

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Rajasthan Royals crush Mumbai Indians by 10 wickets

2011-05-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: It was billed as a big showdown - the last encounter between the Sheikh of tweak Shane Warne and the batting genius Sachin Tendulkar - but it turned out to be an anti-climax.

The two did come face-to-face for two overs but seemed out of sorts. Tendulkar failed to force the pace, while Warnie couldn't get his big spinners going.

In the end, however, Warne emerged the winner with the Rajasthan Royals' batsmen making a mockery of Mumbai Indians' modest total of 133, rattling up the runs in just 13.1 overs without losing a wicket. It was just the perfect icing on their captain's farewell cake and only the fourth 10-wicket win in IPL history.

Shane Watson and Rahul Dravid made their bats blaze to make the night - it was the last meeting of two legends Sachin and Shane - their own. Watson bludgeoned the MI attack scoring a whirlwind 89 (47 balls; 9x4, 6x6) while Dravid gave him fitting company with 43 (32b; 6x4). It must have rankled Warne a bit that the Royals had to bow out of IPL 4 after such a cracking show.

Earlier in the evening, a wait of eight long overs came to an end for the Mumbaikars as saw Warne marked his run-up in his trademark style. To their delight, Tendulkar had by then already had his big share of two lucky escapes, surviving two lbw appeals off left-arm spinner Ankit Chavan in the second and seventh overs.

Tendulkar went on to score a sedate 35 but the skipper did steer his side out of the woods after opting to bat first. Mumbai Indians made one of their slowest start of the season producing only 20 runs in five overs losing two wickets.

It was only after the arrival of the classy Rohit Sharma, who made 58 (47balls, 5x4,1x6) that the scoreboard really picked pace with Warne conceding as many as 11 runs in his first over.

Rohit rose to the occasion with both grace and patience and displayed his full arsenal of strokes to push MI ahead. His partnership of 48 runs in 7.3 overs with Tendulkar set the tone for an otherwise pedestrian innings on track that offered turn.

Once Tendulkar departed, slashing straight to Watson at third man off Amit Singh, Rohit took charge but his best just wasn't enough.

Teams:

Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar (Capt.), James Franklin, Ambati Rayudu, Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Andrew Symonds, Tirumalasetti Suman, Dhawal Kulkarni, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Lasith Malinga.

Rajasthan Royals: Shane Warne (Capt.), Shane Watson, Rahul Dravid, Johan Botha, Ashok Meneria, Ajinkya Rahane, Ross Taylor, Pinal Shah, Ankeet Chavan, Amit Singh, Sidharth Trivedi.

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Making betting legal in India would help fight corruption: ICC

2011-05-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat believes making betting legal in the Indian sub-continent would help in monitoring the bookmakers and also "make the fight against corruption easier".

"If the industry was regulated you could actually work with them, monitor them better and everything would be legal so there is reason to go underground. So our view is if it was to be regulated it would make the fight against corruption much easier for us," Lorgat said.

Corruption in the game had come to light from time to time with the latest being the spot-fixing scandal which rocked international cricket last August in England, where three Pakistani cricketers were found guilty of being involved in the scam.

Lorgat said the ICC is now toying with the concept of 'mystery shopper' to ensure that such an incident doesn't occur again.

"We have a review ongoing at the moment, an external review, to see what we have learnt out of the last decade of this anti-corruption and security unit. We certainly don't want a repeat of last year's incident," he said.

"Having said that we thought it might be worthwhile to have an independent review to see what sort of recommendations or suggestions could come out that could improve the operations or the fight against corruption.

"One of the suggestions being mooted, is the concept of a mystery shopper. Meaning that we may well have people posing as a bookmaker, and approaching players to see if they report back to the anti-corruption and security unit, which is an obligation they have got," he added.

Asked what sort of reaction the ICC have received from the players on the mystery shopper issue, Lorgat said, "Well the players I haven't heard much from but I'm conscious of the fact that the players association, FICA, initially their response was not very supportive because they felt it was some sort of entrapment.

"But it's early days it was just a thought we had, let's see what the recommendations are and if we think it's a worthwhile idea we will engage with the players and the association to see if it's implementable."

Lorgat said he was confident that the players would support the idea.

"Absolutely, I think those are things we need to support. I'm confident that the majority of players are honest and play the game in the right spirit and they would have no reservations in supporting such a move," he said.

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Warne, spin genius with soap-opera life

2011-05-19T21:27:00.001-07:00

SYDNEY: Shane Warne mixed legendary cricket deeds with lurid headlines away from the pitch in a career as bewitching as his famed wrong 'un.

Warne, who bows out of professional cricket aged 41 on Friday with the Indian Premier League's Rajasthan Royals, was never one for half-measures throughout his extraordinary 15-year Test career.

The greatest leg-spinner of them all carved out a flamboyant lifestyle cast outside the mould of a traditional cricketing icon, often putting himself at odds with the game's purists.

Vainglorious Warne did things his way and will be remembered for his dalliances and forthright opinions as much as for his pioneering 708 Test wickets in a 145-Test career that made him the scourge of batsmen worldwide.

Warne is entrenched in Australia's sporting pantheon - in the eyes of many he is second only to cricket's immortal Don Bradman.

Yet his achievements are tempered for some by his penchant for a zesty private life, including a recent tabloid affair with British actress Liz Hurley.

But Warne's contribution to cricket is inarguable, notably after he resurrected the waning art of leg-spin, became the first bowler to take 700 Test wickets and delivered the most famous ball in the sport's history.

Warne posted inauspicious figures of 1-150 in his 1992 Test debut but knuckled down under spin guru Terry Jenner. Eighteen months later, Warne riveted the cricketing world with the "ball of the century" against England.

Warne's first leg-break delivery in an Ashes Test turned viciously to bamboozle England's Mike Gatting at Old Trafford in 1993 that heralded the arrival of a cricketing superstar.

He was a master of mind games, targeting batsmen ahead of a series and warning he was working on a new mystery ball to bowl out his "bunnies" in the opposition line-up.

He gave a man-of-the-match performance when Australia won the World Cup in 1999, and is known for a sharp and inventive cricketing brain which saw him long touted as Australian Test skipper.

But even Warne himself once described his life as a soap opera, such was the litany of off-field controversies.

"Warney", also nicknamed " Hollywood", survived drug and bookmaking scandals and pursued an energetic love life which is widely thought to have cost him the Australian captaincy.

In 1998 it emerged that Warne and Australian team-mate Mark Waugh had been fined three years earlier for supplying information to an Indian bookmaker.

Warne was stripped of the Australian team vice-captaincy in 2000 after it emerged he had bombarded an English nurse with lewd text messages after meeting her in a nightclub.

A series of infidelities culminated in his very public break-up from his wife of 10 years, Simone, with whom he has three children.

And yet his performance in Australia's failed Ashes campaign in England in 2005 is regarded by some pundits as the pinnacle of his career, when he overcame his disintegrating marriage and a tabloid frenzy to take 40 wickets.

He also missed the 2003 World Cup in South Africa after he tested positive on tournament-eve for a banned diuretic - a weight-loss pill sometimes used to mask steroids - in a drug scandal which saw him banned for a year in 2003.

Warne returned to Test cricket in March 2004 but never again played international one-day matches, instead preferring to concentrate on the longer form of the game.

Warne was always sensitive about his weight and recently shed more than 10kg (22lbs) after dropping alcohol and fast food and replacing them with water and health shakes.

Warne continued playing after ending his Test career in January 2007 and scripted a title triumph with a rag-tag team in the IPL Twenty20 competition's first edition in 2008, highlighting his nous and motivational skills.

But his final season in charge of Rajasthan this year did not offer his hoped-for fairy-tale finale.

He started well, initially managing to fox batsmen with his turn and flight, but gradually lost his rhythm as even inexperienced youngsters began hitting him for sixes with ease and regularity.

Off-field troubles also spoiled his valedictory season.

He had an ugly spat with a local cricket administrator, a tiff with Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar, and appeared dejected in his final matches after criticising the pitch used at home games.

This week Warne was fined $50,000 over a row with the secretary of the Rajasthan Cricket Association, whom he berated in front of TV cameras over the choice of wicket.

Right to the very end, Warne's cricket career was never dull.

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Our focus is to move to second spot in IPL table: Gambhir

2011-05-19T21:24:00.001-07:00

MUMBAI: Relieved to secure a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Pune Warriors, Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Gautam Gambhir on Thursday said his team would aim to win their next match and finish atleast in the second spot in the IPL points table.

Gambhir admitted he was nervous before their match against Pune and attributed their comfortable victory to the all-round display of his side.

"Very important two points today. It was a very important game and I was nervous, we had everything to lose today. We needed to be professional. We had come so close we couldn't afford to let it slip from here," he said.

"We needed to be up there, up the energy and if I am asking so much from the team I needed to have that first so I wanted to lead from the front and bring that intensity in the field.

"Credit goes to the entire team. We were never too keen on batting in a hurry for the Net run rate. It wasn't that kind of pitch," he added.

Asked about their next match against Mumbai Indians, Gambhir said, "We want to go out there and look to win the next game as they we would have a very bright chance of moving into the second spot in the table, so that's what we will focus on."

"Jacques' been doing a great job, his injury gave me an opportunity to open today. I want to give credit to the entire bunch of bowlers, everyone bowled well," he added.

Man of the Match, Yusuf Pathan, who scored 29 runs and scalped two wickets, said he was relaxed before the match.

"No tension ahead of the game. Gauti (Gautam) utilised me very well with the ball, I could get wickets and keep the runs down," he said.

Pune Warriors skipper Yuvraj said toss played a crucial factor and reckoned 140 would have been a good score in this pitch which turned a lot in the beginning.

"135-140 would have been a good score. Toss would have been vital, it turned a lot earlier in the first innings and not much in the second half. But credit goes to KKR they bowled according to a plan. we lost too many wickets in between," he said.

Yuvraj said he was giving the youngsters chance to bat up the order so that he can handle the pressure down the line.

"I am happy to allow youngsters bat ahead of me up the order. I have batted for India in tough situation and can handle the pressure," he said.

The left-hander said things didn't work out for his team once again and it was disappointing.

"It is difficult when you are out of reckoning and you have to play for your pride. Today again things didn't work for us, shots were going to fielders," he said.

Asked about Callum Ferguson whose two overthrows fetched Kolkata two boundaries, Yuvraj said, "All I could do when Ferguson's throws were going for four was smile, I think this is the best medicine in such situations and so that's what I did."

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Sreesanth's loss is Vinay Kumar's gain

2011-05-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

CHENNAI: Sreesanth's ringtone says "I believe I can fly". But his performances of late haven't been upto the scratch and the Kerala paceman is now out of the Indian ODI side. R Vinay Kumar, on the other hand, has nothing of the flash and flair of Sreesanth. The hardworking Karnataka player, now an integral part of the Kochi Tuskers team, goes on performing day-in-day-out and despite bowling at a pace of 130, has worked his way back in the Indian One-Day side.

While Sreesanth has found himself in the middle of controversies even in this IPL, Vinay has just got on with his job. The Kerala player has lost his place in the team, too, once in a while, but the Kochi management has probably understood that it is something they have to live with. "We always wanted him to express himself. He is at his best when he expresses himself in his own way," Kochi's stand-in skipper Parthiv Patel said on Wednesday.

But one thing he didn't say is that Sree hasn't delivered what was expected of him. Vinay on the other hand, has been right on the money. "I do not try to do too many extravagant things... I always look to stick to my basics and I think that is paying the dividends," Vinay Kumar told the TOI on the sidelines of a Kochi practice session.

Vinay Kumar and Sreesanth are different people, both in terms of attitude and bowling styles. While Vinay works on subtle variations, swing and change of pace, Sreesanth is more of an attacking bowler who looks to experiment. That works for him on occasions, but in ODIs it goes against him too.

The World Cup final was a prime example when Dhoni played him ahead of R Ashwin, but the paceman disappointed. But Kochi's stand-in captain indicated that he is determined to get his rhythm back. "He is working hard at the gym. We all believe he can get back into the Indian team," Parthiv said.

Vinay Kumar, on the other hand, is looking to cement his place in the Indian team. "It was disappointing to miss out. But I had given a decent account of myself in the games that I have played. So I felt I can come back," he said.

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Kings XI Punjab crush Royal Challengers Bangalore by 111 runs

2011-05-17T21:56:00.000-07:00

DHARAMSALA: It was supposed to be left-handed hatchet man Chris Gayle's party at the HPCA Stadium on Tuesday. But another left-hander, commendably assisted by yet another southpaw, gate-crashed in such stunning, hair-raising fashion that the night became an ode to him, a monument to his legendary powers.

Adam Gilchrist needed one defining knock in IPL 4, one which would make his season and measure up to his stature. It came against table toppers Royal Challengers Bangalore, a blistering 106 off 55 balls which had eight fours and nine sixes, one of which went into the valley past the upper tiers beyond the mid-wicket boundary.

His second IPL ton and his record-shattering second-wicket stand with fellow Aussie Shaun Marsh, worth 206, took Kings XI Punjab to the season's highest 232/2.

And when Gayle was taken out by Ryan Harris for a duck in the second over of the RCB reply as the visitors chased an improbable target, the contest was as good as over. RCB meandered along to 121 all out in 17 overs to lose by a whopping 111 runs. A buoyant Kings XI, who won their fourth game on the trot, stay at fifth in the points table. They are breathing down KKR's neck and you cannot fault them for harbouring high hopes of making the playoffs. They play their last league game against Deccan Chargers on Sunday.

The Gilchrist-Marsh tango was the biggest in all T20 cricket, comfortably overshadowing the 186 Justin Langer and Cameron White put together for Somerset against Gloucestershire in 2006. Marsh (79 not out, 49b, 7x4, 5x6) was more than a good foil for his captain and played his part in the merciless dismantling of the Royal Challengers Bangalore attack.

It was a wet day in Dharamsala with intermittent drizzle threatening to disrupt the match which, thankfully, did not happen. But when the drizzle stopped, it began raining fours and sixes. Such was the ferocity of Gilchrist and Marsh's onslaught that one thought even the Dhauladhar and Shivalik ranges which encircle the scenic HPCA stadium would be quaking in fear.

It helped that RCB rested Zaheer Khan for the game. Without him, the bowling was easy fodder for Gilchrist and Marsh. New-ball bowlers JJ van der Wath and Charles Langeveldt went for 50 and 48 runs respectively while S Aravind and A Mithun too could not stem the tide.

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Time to trial VJD method instead of D/L?

2011-05-17T21:53:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: Ten years after an engineer from Thrissur in Kerala, V Jayadevan, first introduced his self-invented VJD method for weather-affected cricket matches, the formula may gain some kind of recognition at last.

The technical committee of the International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to call Jayadevan later this month to give an official presentation of how his system works and will take a call on it after understanding all its implications.

Senior cricketers have been asked for their views on Duckworth-Lewis and many have come forward giving it a thumbs-down in recent past. That, in turn, has encouraged certain ICC members to give the VJD method a fair hearing.

For Jayadevan, this is a huge and emphatic step forward to help introduce the VJD method to the world, especially because in the last ten years, all his efforts to do so have been in vain.

The Duckworth-Lewis Method, first introduced by two English statisticians Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis in 1996-97, has been used by the ICC in all international matches officially since 2001 and no other system, including the VJD method, has been given a try. In 2005, the Duckworth-Lewis method was revised and updated and once again the VJD method was left in the cold without a hearing.

The D/L method — as Duckworth-Lewis is called — is a mathematical formula designed to calculate the target score for team batting second in shorter formats of the game interrupted by weather. Experts have generally accepted the D/L method to be fair and accurate in setting a target score, but it has not happened without controversies.

Experts say D/L's G50 rule — in which the possible target is calculated based on the whole 50 overs of play in the first innings — is the method's biggest weakness because it does not take into account the possibility of a team scoring less than the set score that is projected by the computer-generated program.

"When the interruption comes in the first innings, you have to find out a projected score through a more validated method. D/L does not provide that," says an expert. VJD's biggest strength, he says is: "It assumes various milestones in a match. The advantage is that the VJD model lies much closer to the actual situation than the D/L model."

The D/L is universally accepted and regardless of how players themselves view it, the model has stood the test of time. However, it is unfair if the concerned authorities have refused to give the other method — equally good and one that claims to be better in certain situations of the shorter format of the game — a fair opportunity to present itself.

"It is primarily the BCCI's responsibility to ask for a VJD presentation and forward it to the technical committee to study it," says the expert.

The technical committee of the BCCI, headed by Sunil Gavaskar, has studied the VJD method in the past and has recommended it to the BCCI, particularly asking that the method be introduced in the Indian Premier League. The Indian Board, however, has steadfastly refused to consider it. It gets worse because neither the BCCI nor ICC has even bothered to inform Jayadevan why the VJD has not been considered.

Asking Jayadevan to give a presentation of his model is the least the board or ICC can do. The first step has been taken in that direction.

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Dravid hopes to better 2006 performance in the West Indies

2011-05-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: Former captain Rahul Dravid is hopeful about the Indian cricket team improving upon its 2006 performance in the upcoming tour of the West Indies.

During the 2006 West Indies tour, the Indian team created history under Dravid's captaincy when they won a Test series in the Caribbean for the first time in 35 years.

"We won the series there last time around but I hope we will do better this time," he said on the sidelines of a promotional event on Tuesday.

"If the West Indies play their full strength side, they will be a tough team to beat. But it will be interesting to see if they have their full side."

Dravid became only the second Indian skipper, after Ajit Wadekar, to have won a Test series in the West Indies when he led India to a 1-0 victory in a four-match rubber in 2006.

Meanwhile, Dravid was confident that the last chapter in the rivalry between spin wizard Shane Warne and batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, with the former announcing his retirement from the IPL, would be an engrossing one when Rajasthan Royals take on Mumbai Indians on Friday.

"Both are great players. If we see the history we will agree both are legends. It will be a good show by great cricketers. Every one will like to see such contests. Hopefully, there would be a good contest," he said.

The 38-year-old cricketer, who is part of the Jaipur outfit, said inexperience was the reason behind Rajasthan Royals' failure to make it to the playoffs of IPL 4.

"Look, our side has got a little bit of inexperience if you look at our game. There are 10 teams and at the end of the day other teams had probably more experienced players in this competition."

"We are not in a position to get to the play-offs. We have got some up and down performances. We have some youngsters doing well for us. We can improve next year," Dravid said.

He pinpointed Rajasthan Royals' Ashok Menaria and Ajinkya Rahane as the players to watch out for in the future.

"Happy to see some young players like Ajinkya Rahane and Ashok Menaria come through...they have shown a glimpse of what they can do. Rahane has done well for Mumbai in Ranji and domestic cricket while Menaria has done well for Rajasthan."

Meanwhile, South African Johan Botha, who was also present at the event, said he would be happy to succeed Warne as the Jaipur outfit skipper if he is asked to do so.

"I think when Warnie stops, a few guys could take over. If I get the opportunity, I will take it. But there are a lot of guys to take over like (Shane) Watson and Ross Taylor."

Asked about Gary Kirsten's chances of succeeding the outgoing South African coach, Corrie Van Zyl, Botha said, "I think honestly Gary has had a good time with the Indian team. If he takes over everone will be happy."

New Zealanders Jacob Oram, Ross Taylor and Rahane were also present on the occasion.

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Kings XI Punjab beat Delhi Daredevils by 29 runs

2011-05-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

DHARAMSHALA: It was a must-win game for Kings XI Punjab and they did not disappoint fans at the picturesque HPCA stadium. Gilchrist's men rose to the occasion to beat Delhi Daredevils by 29 runs to keep alive their slim hopes of qualifying for the playoffs.

Their opponents, on the other hand, are languishing at the bottom with nothing but pride at stake. Such teams tend to spoil other teams' party, but without their skipper and batting mainstay Virender Sehwag, they were always going to find the hosts too determined to be outwitted.

DD chose to chase a target on a bouncy pitch where the ball comes onto the bat and the outfield is fast. But such a plan can boomerang if you fail to keep the rival total in check. And that's what happened to them as KXIP, banking on a fluent century partnership between Paul Valthaty and Shaun Marsh, posted a healthy total of 170. DD did make an honest effort but the KXIP bowlers, led by UP trio of Piyush Chawla (3-16), Praveen Kumar and Shalabh Srivastava, proved handful for them.

KXIP with 12 points and two games in hand need to win their remaining matches against Royal Challengers Bangalore (May 17) and Deccan Chargers (May 21) to have a chance of sneaking into the last-four. It's an uphill task, especially against the rampaging RCB.

Not for the first time, it was the inform pair of Valthaty and Marsh who set up the strong KXIP total with some scintillating strokeplay. The two took the Delhi Daredevils bowling by the scruff of the neck, on a pitch with greenish tinge and good bounce. They were not overawed by the steep bounce Morne Morkle generated and hit out boldly to collect runs at a fast clip. Their 102-run second-wicket partnership came in only 11 overs and they were ready to cause more havoc but Irfan Pathan, producing his best spell in this IPL, removed them off successive deliveries.

The two had come together when Adam Gilchrist, not for the first time in this IPL, failed to get going. That was the crucial phase as had either of them had departed early, the rest of the batting would have come under tremendous pressure. Valthaty was in a belligerent mood reaching his third IPL half-century in only 38 balls when he clobbered James Hopes for a six and a four, with a total of 18 runs coming from the over.

Shaun Marsh took the cue and hammered left-arm spinner Sridharan Sriram for 25 runs in an over.

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Kochi Tuskers Kerala thump Rajasthan Royals by 8 wickets

2011-05-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

INDORE: Scores are settled now. Rajasthan Royals had beaten Kochi Tuskers Kerala in Jaipur in the first leg, and the Tuskers avenged the defeat in style by mauling the Shane Warne side at 'home' on Sunday.

The huge eight-wicket victory by Tuskers in their penultimate match at the Holkar Stadium meant Royals have now lost all hopes of reaching the playoff stage. They have now joined the 'losers' list of Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors, Deccan Chargers and the Tuskers.

Tuskers produced a clinical performance but their outstanding show was too late to save them from staying in the hunt for playoffs. Brad Hodge, known more for his batting prowess, produced one of the most impressive bowling performances of this edition to bag four wickets as Rajasthan Royals were bundled out for mere 97.

Thanks to Hodge's remarkable spell of 4-13, Kochi looked a completely different side compared to Friday when they lost a high-scoring encounter against Kings XI Punjab by a margin of six wickets at the same venue.

A couple of days back the same bowling attack, barring the exception of RP Singh, was thrashed mercilessly by the Dinesh Karthik and Company. But on Sunday, they were spot on from the word go.

Hodge made the day memorable for himself when he excelled with the willow too as Tuskers romped home in just 7.2 overs. He hammered an unbeaten 33 off just 17 balls and in the company of Parthiv Patel (21 not out) and knocked out the required runs with utmost ease.

Earlier, taking a cue from Adam Gilchrist, who had put the Tuskers in after winning the toss on Friday, Mahela Jayawardene decided to bowl first.

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Deccan Chargers wary of Munaf and Malinga

2011-05-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: Not without reason Mumbai Indians (game in hand) are perched atop the points' table along with the Chennai Super Kings. Two of their frontline bowling options - Lasith Malinga and Munaf Patel - have been in excellent form. Cricketing gurus and purists know what Malinga can do with his slinging action, but what has come as a refreshing change is the emergence of a fit Munaf Patel. The 6.3" towering speedster from a motley village in Bharuch had gained a notorious reputation of picking up injuries... almost at will. But since the start of the South Africa tour, prior to the World Cup, Patel has been injury free. Subsequently, he has been performing consistently, first for India and now for Mumbai Indians. Malinga (26) and Patel (17 wickets) occupy the top two slots in the highest wicket takers category in the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

"Any fast bowler who bowls around the 135-140 mark is injury prone," Mumbai Indians' Director of Coaching Operations, TA Sekar told TOI.

"But there were some bowlers like Kapil Dev, Manoj Prabhakar etc who mixed deliveries extremely well. They could bowl fast but at the same time, they had tremendous control over swing. This quality shaped their successful careers. Munaf has been injury free for a while because he is mixing things up. He is using variations to good effect," Sekar said, explaining the reason behind Patel not breaking down with an injury for such a long while.

Munaf has complimented Malinga very well. Together they have stifled the rival batting order by picking up crucial wickets on a regular basis.

"The most important thing about Munaf," observed Sekar, "is that he is bowling around the 130-135 mark.

"He used to be tear-away fast bowler. Now, though, he has cut down on his pace and is more of a line and length bowler. He has added a few variations to his bowling and that's helping him a great deal. Also, he has played three seasons for the Rajasthan Royals and has been in close contact with Shane Warne. I am certain he has picked up a few tricks from Warnie as well. For other technical support or guidance he keeps calling me regularly," Sekar said while bringing to the fore a technical aspect about Patel's bowling. "Munaf has a very simple bowling action. And because of his action, he manages to extract a little more bounce off the wicket than the others."

Mumbai Indians will face the lowly-placed Deccan Chargers at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. And skipper Tendulkar will hope that Munaf and his band of bowlers continue in the same vein.

Deccan Chargers' coach, Darren Lehmann, meanwhile admitted that his team has had some positives, but has failed to win a few important moments.

"It is difficult to explain why we are where we are. We have had some very good moments. But we have failed to win the moments that matter. We haven't lost a match very badly. The margin has been just about 10-odd runs. So yeah, it's difficult to explain."

Speaking about Patel, Lehmann said: "Munaf has been doing brilliantly of late. He has had a good World Cup for India and has continued in the same vein in this IPL for Mumbai Indians. He is a line and length bowler and has found consistency. Bowling isn't rocket science. It's just about executing plans and he is doing it admirably. He has a bright future ahead."

KEY CLASHES

Sangakkara vs Malinga & Munaf

Together, they have shared 43 scalps in 11 outings for Mumbai Indians. Lasith Malinga and Munaf Patel have been one critical factor why Mumbai have been so successful. Kumar Sangakkara knows if Deccan Chargers have to play spoilsport, he will have to bear the burden of batting.

Sachin vs Steyn

Two of the best exponents of their trades will make up for a mouthwatering contest when their teams lock horns at the Wankhede today. When it comes to batting, Tendulkar is on a different tangent. There's no one who has adapted to situations like the master-blaster in recent times. Steyn not only bowls his heart out, but gets reasonable bargain from even a dead surface. It will be interesting to see how the master tacticians will work out a game-plan to outsmart the other.

MI fielding vs Chargers fielding

On Friday, Deccan Chargers coach Darren Lehmann admitted that his players have dropped a few crucial catches. That, perhaps, sums why Hyderabad is languishing at the bottom of the points' table. Mumbai have been exceptional in the field apart from boasting of an envious batting line-up and a fairly successful bowling unit. Rohit Sharma, Pollard and Symonds have held on to some breathtaking catches and have saved plenty of runs. Today's game could well be decided on who fields better on the day.

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Tendulkar to get Polly Umrigar Trophy in BCCI awards

2011-05-14T04:30:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: Iconic Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar is all set to add another trophy to his already crowded cupboard with the BCCI deciding to bestow the 'Polly Umrigar Award for India's best cricketer of 2009-10' on the veteran player.

Tendulkar would be presented the award during the fourth annual BCCI awards ceremony in Mumbai on May 31.

The other highlight of the ceremony will be the felicitation of the Indian team that won the coveted cricket World Cup after 28 years last month.

"Another highlight will be the presentation of the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award. The recipient of the same will be announced on 27 May 2011. The winner will receive a trophy and cheque for Rs. 15 lakhs," BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement.

"The top performers in international, domestic and age-group cricket tournaments, in the 2009-10 (1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010) season, will also be honoured at the function," he said.

The 38-year-old Tendulkar, who has completed more than two decades in international cricket, scored 1064 runs from 10 Tests at an average of 82 during 2009-10 season. The fine performance included a double hundred and five centuries.

He also scored 695 runs from 12 ODIs at 69.5, inclusive of the first double hundred in ODIs by a male cricketer.

"Tendulkar will receive a trophy and cheque for Rs 5 lakhs," the BCCI said.

The other awardees:

Madhavrao Scindia Award (Highest Scorer in Ranji Trophy): Manish Pandey
Madhavrao Scindia Award (Highest wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy): Abhimanyu Mithun
MA Chidambaram Trophy (Best Under-16 cricketer): B Aparajith
MA Chidambaram Trophy (Best Under-19 cricketer): Bhargav Merai
MA Chidambaram Trophy (Best Under-22 cricketer): Nataraj Behera
MA Chidambaram Trophy (Best woman cricketer): MD Thirushkamini
MA Chidambaram Trophy (Best woman cricketer junior): Reva Arora

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Kings XI Punjab defeat Kochi Tuskers Kerala by six wickets

2011-05-13T20:59:00.001-07:00

NDORE: Before the match the equation was simple – winner stays, loser exits. In this knockout situation it as important for the respective captains to raise the bar and lead from the front to inspire their team members. Mahela Jayawardene may have won the battle between the two captains in terms of run-scoring but his 76-run effort failed to inspire his teammates. Eventually, the chapter closed on Kochi Tuskers Kerala's IPL-4 campaign as the team went down by six wickets to Kings XI Punjab. Punjab were propelled by a dynamic knock from Dinesh Karthick which made the difference between the sides.

Kings skipper Adam Gilchrist made just 9 off 15 balls but his side overcame the initial hiccups to keep themselves in the hunt at the packed Holkar Stadium here on Friday. The fifth victory in their 11th match helped Kings XI Punjab stay afloat in the competition as they took their points tally to 10. It is still a long way to go for them but back-to-back wins must have raised their hopes of reaching the play-offs.

Chasing a challenging target of 179, Kings XI were in a spot of bother as they lost their star opening pair – Gilchrist and Paul Valthaty – with just 31 on the board. However, Karthick turned the match on its head with a swashbuckling 69 off just 33 balls. Overlooked for the West Indies tour, he took the Kochi attack to the cleaners to score a point or two. Karthick's 111-run stand for the third wicket with Shaun Marsh (42; 30b) at a breathtaking speed shattered Kochi's hopes. The fall of Karthick and Marsh in succession raised hopes for Kochi but by then the damage was already done.

David Hussey (21; 15b) and Mandeep (15; 10b) completed the formalities with seven balls to spare. RP Singh's efforts went in vain. The left-arm paceman captured all the four wickets to fall but lacked support from his fellow bowlers. S Sreesanth was the major culprit as he not only bowled badly but was also pathetic in the field and dropped a crucial catch on the boundary.

Earlier, put in to bat, Kochi wasted a flying start to post 178-7 despite a 52-ball 76 by Jayawardene. At one stage, they were heading for a 200-plus total.

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Coach Fletcher isn't Duncan the dictator

2011-05-13T20:58:00.000-07:00

CHENNAI: Duncan Fletcher has done his homework well.

He knows there's no point in trying to be the all-powerful boss when he is dealing with the rock stars of Indian cricket. Rather, it's better to be a backroom boy and play the role of facilitator.

During his first interaction with the Indian media on Friday morning, Fletcher said he had been in constant touch with Gary Kirsten in trying to know more about the Indian players and how to go about his job. He wanted to make it clear he didn't want to be the dictator of the team. "This is a big challenge of my coaching career. But my job is not that of a dictator. I am a great believer that as a coach you offer advice and it works with some players and sometimes it doesn't. But I have had relatively good success and hopefully I will be able to help," Fletcher said.

The Zimbabwean's biggest success story was England. He took up the assignment when they were in the doldrums and under his stewardship, they went on to win the Ashes in 2005. Fletcher struck an excellent rapport with skipper Nasser Hussain and he is hoping to do the same with MS Dhoni.

"I always had a high regard for Dhoni. While he is very skillfull as a player, his handling of the players on the field has also been excellent. Having worked with other good captains, I am really looking forward to do the same with Dhoni."

It was Dhoni's chemistry with Kirsten that worked wonders for India over the last three years. Fletcher made it clear that he was going to follow the Kirsten model. "Gary's philosophy is pretty similar to mine. When he took over as India coach, he took advice from me. Now I have done the same, talking to him as well Eric Simons (the bowling coach). I am looking to take forward the good work that has already been done," Fletcher said.

BCCI secretary N Srinivasan confirmed that it was on the recommendations of Kirsten that Fletcher had been brought on board. "He came highly recommended by many people, particularly Kirsten. He comes in with a big reputation and I do not think it was a difficult decision for BCCI to make," the secretary said.

Asked about his problems with Kevin Pietersen, the 68-year-old said he had "handled enough big players". "It's all about man management. The first thing is that you have to gain their respect and once that is done, half the battle is won. Having travelled around with the South African side when they toured India and when India was there in South Africa, I observed the players. I have taken my notes and I hope to put that into good use," the new coach added.

Fletcher also made it clear that he won't push seniors into retirement. His philosophy is that a player should play as long as he is good enough and that "India are very fortunate to have so many quality senior players". "But the bench strength is also exciting and I am looking forward to working with them," Fletcher said.

He was originally scheduled to take over from the England series, but Fletcher informed that he will do it from the tour of the Caribbean itself. There are quite a few important tours coming up and he wants to spend as much time with his new wards as possible. And he is looking forward to build a pace attack (much like England) that will serve India for a while.

"It is important to have a strong bowling attack but it does not come overnight. It took me about three or four years to develop that with the England team. Developing pace bowlers is probably one of the hardest things to do in cricket," Fletcher said.

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Kohli lauds Gambhir's leadership skills

2011-05-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

BANGALORE: Virat Kohli is a young man with a wise head on his shoulders. Of late he has taken to responsibility in the most heartening way. So it was wasn't a surprise when he spoke about how it would be take the field in the ODI series against the West Indies next month as defending World champions.

"Reputation is at stake," he agreed. "But we just want to concentrate on doing the things right on the field and am sure the results will follow. We have a good enough side, we have really talented players in the team and if everyone shares equal amount of responsibility and pressure, I think we are going to come out with good performances," said Kohli.

"Obviously, with the senior players not being there, it is an added responsibility," he said of his own role in the side in the absence of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. "You need to be more wary of how you go."

That said Kohli was certain that in the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has at last been given a most deserved break from cricket, Gautam Gambhir would do a great job.

"I have played under him before and he is a very good captain. He motivates the players to give their 100 percent in the field and I think that's his best quality that I observed in the New Zealand series we played in India," said Kohli of Gambhir's captaincy.

"Plus his leadership skills are good because he takes his plans into the field and he knows what plan to go with and obviously he has a Plan B as well. He has a great temperament and in pressure situations, he always backs his bowlers and always keeps asking all the team members to give a 100 percent in the field which he does as well."

Kohli was finished as yet. "The kind of attitude, the kind of aggression he has in himself, he channels it to all the players as well," said Gambhir's fellow Delhiite who's no slouch himself when it comes to aggression.

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Gambhir to lead India in West Indies ODI series

2011-05-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

CHENNAI: After days of speculation, it finally emerged on Friday that MS Dhoni will opt out of the ODI tour to the Caribbean. The World Cup-winning skipper, who will get a much-need break, informed the selectors of his decision during the selection meeting here on Friday. Gautam Gambhir will lead a depleted squad in his absence.

Even before the IPL got underway, Dhoni had said that he would like to rest "at some point of time". With the hectic IPL format leaving no time for a breather, Dhoni has given the ODI series against the West Indies a miss in order to be fresh for the Test matches and a long England tour that follows. "He said he needs a break and we want to get him for the Tests with his batteries recharged," a selection committee source said.

In Dhoni's absence, Gautam Gambhir will get his second opportunity to lead the side. The BCCI is planning to make him the long-term vice-captain and feel this series will be a good stage-rehearsal. With Virender Sehwag out with injury and Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan also being rested, the pressure will be on the Delhi left-hander to lead from the front in the five-match ODI series and a lone T20 international.

There weren't too many surprises in the actual squad, with the selectors deciding to give more weightage to domestic performances than the IPL. That helped leg-spinner Amit Mishra clinch the third spinner's berth in the squad ahead of Rahul Sharma. "Mishra is a proven customer. Let these guys play for a while longer, their chance will definitely come," the source added.

The spin attack will be led by two offies, Harbhajan Singh and R Ashwin. In the absence of Zaheer and Ashish Nehra, the pace attack comprises of Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Vinay Kumar and Praveen Kumar.

The big gainer has been Subramanium Badrinath, who walks into the squad on the basis of a fantastic domestic season and a fine run in the IPL. In a rich vein of form, there was no way he could have been overlooked. "It's a great opportunity for me to come back into the ODI squad after three years. I'm basically a top-order batsman and I love playing at No. 3 or No. 4. But I'm ready to play in any slot that my captain wants me to," a happy Badrinath told TOI.

In Dhoni's absence, Parthiv Patel walks in as the No. 1 wicketkeeper but the selectors threw in a surprise by selecting Bengal's Wriddhiman Saha as the second man ahead of Ambati Rayudu, who has done a great job for Mumbai Indians and even earned Sachin Tendulkar's praise. "Wicketkeeping is a specialist's job. It's a long tour and we wanted to have a specialist for back-up," chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth said.

Squad: Gautam Gambhir (C), Suresh Raina, Parthiv Patel (wk), Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, S Badrinath, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Vinay Kumar, Yusuf Pathan, Amit Mishra, Wriddhiman Saha.

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Watson shows interest in Rajasthan captaincy

2011-05-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

JAIPUR: With Shane Warne all set to retire after the fourth season of the IPL, his compatriot and all rounder Shane Watson on Wednesday expressed desire to take over the reins of the Rajasthan Royals team from the next edition.

Watson said there is competition for the role of captain though he did not take names, who other than him are in the race to replace Warne.

"Yes I would love to lead the side in Shane Warne's absence but there are few others in contention," Watson said after his side was outclassed by nine wickets in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Rajasthan have very little hopes of making the play-offs and Watson said the team would do everything to win the remaining two matches to make it memorable ending for Warne.

"We are out. We will play the remaining matches for pride and will try to give good performance to give a perfect send off to Warne," he said.

Watson had done extremely well in the inaugural edition of the league and was adjudged man-of-the-tournament in 2008 but has failed to repeat his performance in the following editions.

In the ongoing tournament also he has scored just 221 runs in nine innings without a half-century. In the bowling also he has also been unimpressive as he has taken three wickets.

Asked abut his form, he said,"I can't say. Twenty20 can be a fickle game. I had prepared in same manner and was excited for IPL but things did not come off."

Watson also ruled out major overhauling in the side in wake of another dismal show, saying the team was playing as a unit.

Young Bangalore paceman Sreenath Aravind, who helped his side restrict Rajasthan to a modest total by scalping three key wickets, credited his performance to the guidance of India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan.

"He is a World Cup winner and helped me a lot. He taught me not to bowl to batsman's strength and how to bowl in death overs by reading the mind set of batsmen. He and Venktesh Prasad have both been great help for youngsters," Aravind said.

Aravind feared that skipper Daniel Vettori, who missed today's match, may miss the next match as well.

"Yes he was carrying a niggle in his knee which was aggravated a little and that is why he did not take field today. He is not sure to play even in the next match," he added.

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MI: Kings XI Punjab thump Mumbai Indians by 76 runs

2011-05-10T21:53:00.001-07:00

MOHALI: Number 10 team beating Number one. It was an upset of that sort in the IPL 4 at PCA stadium Mohali on Tuesday night.

It was a freak top-order failure from the formidable Mumbai Indians as they were washed out for 87 - a mere 87 - and lost in just 12.5 overs to a team that had been tagged as no hopers of the league. Baroda spinner Bhargav Bhatt hurried up things down the order with his spell of 22/4, but Mumbai Indians will need to look at themselves for the defeat and the manner in which they crumbled.

Before going into the match, Kings XI Punjab might have fancied their chances only if someone came up with something extra-ordinary, but to see a champion side put up such an ordinary show, was surely a bit too much. But Mumbai Indians do have a history of crashing here. In 2008, MI lost both their matches to Kings XI Punjab. And in the first leg they registered their lowest score of 84. On Tuesday, MI put up their second sub-100 score eclipsing the 94 they registered against Rajasthan Royals.

Mumbai’s downfall began in the third over as Tendulkar was dismissed by Praveen Kumar. By the fifth over, they were 27 for 3 and before the end of the 10th over, they were reeling at 55 for 6. Bhargav Bhatt's 13th over polished off the tail and that was the end of the story.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians' Munaf Patel picked up a five-for, but despite that effort, Kings still put up a creditable 163/8.

Kings XI Punjab had no answer to Munaf's teasing line and a measured length as the middle-order crumbled yet again in search of quick runs. With 120 runs on board and still five overs to go, 180 looked possible. But Keiron Pollard's breath-taking catch of Shaun Marsh (43; 34b, 5x4) at mid-wicket changed the scenario completely as Kings' brittle middleorder made a familiar slide. Dinesh Karthik (31; 23b, 4x4,1x6) however enhanced his reputation playing brilliantly in the middle-order.

A reprieve from Symonds to Gilchrist at extra cover and Aiden Blizzard's missed sitter off Karthik were the sign of things to come. If the fielding was bad, the batting that followed was worse.

TOI

Probably the toughest day of my career: Ganguly

2011-05-10T21:44:00.000-07:00

HYDERABAD: After remaining unbeaten and carrying the Pune Warriors past the target in his first IPL game, a candid Sourav Ganguly, who was given a rapturous reception by spectators here, called it "probably the toughest day of my career". He said he had not touched a bat for five months, but that didn't deter the 38-year-old from putting in an impressive performance.

Ganguly used all his experience to shepherd the chase after Jessie Ryder played a blazing knock, and kept talking to Manish Pandey as they stitched together a 33-run stand for the second wicket.

The Bengal southpaw took charge of the proceedings thereafter as Robin Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh fell cheaply. Ganguly and Callum Ferguson, who struck three crucial blows in Daniel Christian's over, then ensured a comprehensive win for their team against Deccan Chargers.

"It's probably the toughest day of my career. I haven't picked a cricket bat for five months. I came here with zero confidence," Ganguly said, admitting that he had a lot of work to do to meet expectations. "Fielding will also get better, it's about anticipating what I haven't done for a while," he said.

Warriors coach Geoff Marsh was all praise, saying, "It is great to see Sourav get runs here. He was very nervous going into the match but did well to show that he has the ability to win matches. His love and passion for the game is still very much alive."

On not playing Ganguly in the previous game, Marsh said: "He said he was not ready and hence we had to bench him. He wanted to be mentally and physically ready before taking the field. It was an all-round performance from us. We did well in all departments of the game." Maybe, there's more to come from Ganguly this season.

TOI

I just could not control myself: Sachin

2011-05-10T21:39:00.001-07:00

Not many may have seen this side of him, but Sachin Tendulkar broke down as he paid his last respects to Sathya Sai Baba in Puttaparthy recently.

And even if Sai Baba might not be present physically, Sachin says he still connects with him in his dreams. "That's where I draw my strength from. He will always be with me," says an emotional Sachin.

Everyone saw you getting emotional.

In fact you broke down post World Cup triumph too...

It's just that I could not control myself. Baba has always been my mentor and it was a great loss when he left us. But I remember his lessons and will continue to adhere to them. I felt very low on the day that I sat near his body.

You've always set examples. We saw you playing your best despite the fact that you were disturbed. You did the same many years ago when you lost your father.

I try my best to involve myself in the game as much as possible. Such losses are irreparable and I'll miss their presence.

What about Jaipur?

You went there and sat under the tree where Baba had delivered a discourse over four decades ago.

I will be visiting Jaipur often now. It was a very different feeling when I got near the tree. The world looked very different and appealing. Yes I got quiet for a while and kept thinking. Whenever I get time, I'll go spend some time under that peepal tree.

What about the 'Guru dakshina'? We heard about your plan to get a marble statue of Baba's installed. Is this true?

I can't say anything. It's personal.

What's happening otherwise? Any movies that you plan to do in the future?

Nothing much. Everything's going good and I am enjoying cricket. There's no movie happening at all, my main focus is very much on the game.

Your son Arjun has started playing. What you have to say?

He's positive in his approach. He keeps playing and doesn't leave a chance to travel.

Would you like to say something to all budding cricketers around?

Be focused and play with commitment. Don't ever be hasty in your decisions and most importantly respect your elders.

TOI

Chennai Super Kings thrash Rajasthan Royals by 63 runs

2011-05-09T21:23:00.000-07:00

JAIPUR: An inspired bowling effort by Johan Botha and a late surge by Ajinkya Rahane (52 off 36) was all Rajasthan Royals had to offer on Monday night.

The home team's plan to give an ideal send-off to captain Shane Warne was spoiled by MS Dhoni and his Men in Yellow.

Eventually, a rather daunting target of 197 put up by Chennai Super Kings proved too much for the Royals as they crumbled to a 63-run defeat at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Monday.

Doug Bollinger grabbed three wickets and R Ashwin two as Royals were bowled out for 133.

A new pitch, which had a lot more bounce than the one used for earlier matches, and Dhoni's blitz towards the end of the Chennai innings, meant that the Royals had an extremely difficult task when openers Rahul Dravid and Shane Watson walked out to bat.

They had to score at close to 10 runs per over. Pressure was on the home team, which enjoy chasing.

Royals skipper Shane Warne had opted to chase on winning the toss. As wickets kept tumbling, the contest was over long before the end.

For Dhoni, setting the stage on fire isn't an unfamiliar act. On Monday, he did an encore. His knock of 41 off just 19 balls, punctuated by three fours and three sixes, took CSK to 196 for three and perfectly complemented Murali Vijay's 53.

On a new pitch - used for the first time in four years - Warne wouldn't have expected this.

What looked quite significant at the toss was the two captains pinpointing the impact that the shorter boundaries at one end of the ground could create.

The CSK openers, Michael Hussey and Vijay, made sense of this statement, smashing the ball around.

A lacklustre bowling effort from the Royals, backed up by some sloppy fielding, aided them.

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Yuvraj, Harbhajan ready to tour West Indies

2011-05-09T21:22:00.000-07:00

CHANDIGARH: Amidst speculations that most of the senior members of team are likely to skip the upcoming West Indies tour, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh confirmed that they will play if selected.

"The board has not discussed anything with us in this regard. But if selected I would definitely play in West Indies," said Yuvraj Singh on Monday.

Bhajji also reiterated Yuvraj's commitment.

After losing seven matches on the trot and then finally winning a game at his hometown Pune Warriors skipper said, "Sourav will definitely play the next match. He was supposed to play against Kings XI Punjab but wanted two more days to get fit."

The southpaw said he is not sure of his team getting a berth in playoff games but "we would take one game at a time and see later on."

Regarding recent media reports of unsavoury elements surrounding senior Indian players in South Africa during IPL 2, Harbhajan Singh said, "I do not want to comment on it. And do not ask this question ever to me. Mind you."

Fletcher to be part of selection meeting for WI tour

Team India coach Duncan Fletcher will get his first opportunity to acquaint himself with captain MS Dhoni, selectors and senior BCCI officials when he arrives in the country later this week to help select the one-day squad for the West Indies tour.

The national selection committee, along with Dhoni, are scheduled to meet in Chennai on May 13 to pick a 15-member squad for the five-match One-day series in West Indies.

Fletcher will join them and it will be his first interaction with the men responsible for all cricketing decisions in BCCI.

However, Fletcher is unlikely to travel with the team to West Indies. Instead, the BCCI will appoint bowling consultant Eric Simmons as the interim coach during the tour while Fletcher will officially take charge when India depart for England for a Test and One-day series. BCCI officials said Fletcher was keen to attend the May 13 selection committee meeting.

After coaching England's national team for eight years and spending time as batting consultant with the South African national team, Fletcher replaced former South African coach Gary Kirsten for the India job.

His success with England in particular, where he helped the team regain the Ashes after 18 years, brought him into limelight as one of the top coaches in the world.

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Don't copy Malinga, but learn from him

2011-05-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: There's only one thing on the minds of IPL teams not titled Mumbai Indians: How and why is Lasith Malinga so dangerous? And how can his success be emulated?

The MI seamer has bagged 24 wickets in 10 games in IPL 4 so far, and his strike rate has sent shockwaves down opposition spines. While his slinging action cannot be emulated, maybe there are lessons to learn from Malinga's success for every Indian seamer.

For one, Malinga is adept at not pitching the ball in a good length area, which is between four to six metres from the stumps. His preferred length is between six to eight metres, and by mixing his deliveries, he ensures that none of the batsmen are able to read him easily.

By the time you have read Malinga, an over is already up. Then there are the variations. If a batsman is expecting Malinga to bowl one of the deadly yorkers, there could be a bouncer - either fastish or a markedly slower one - in store.

As Virender Sehwag has pointed out, Malinga doesn't depend on the pitch to be effective. An economy rate of below seven in the T20 format also marks him out as extraordinary.

In his team, Munaf Patel and Harbhajan Singh are the other two bowlers who have that kind of an economy rate, and the only other IPL bowlers in this club are Pune Warriors' Rahul Sharma and Kolkata's Iqbal Abdulla.

"Malinga is very quick through the air and that is probably why he doesn't bother how the pitch is playing. Irrespective of the nature of the track, he will give you wickets. If he is bowling on a pitch that will assist pacers, he will be simply unplayable," former Indian pacer Manoj Prabhakar said, adding: "In this format, every batsman is trying to hit out. The bowlers who have not done something innovative to survive have struggled. Malinga is a thinking and innovative bowler."

India's bowling coach Eric Simons agreed that Malinga's success is a pointer for every IPL seamer. "He is a unique bowler. But everything that works with him can't work for someone else. The focus should be on concentrating on your strengths to develop yourself as a mature bowler," Simons said, pointing out that Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel have been bowling exceptionally well this season because they know their limits.

Reverse swing is another important element in Malinga's repertoire. "He reverses the ball late. Even Zaheer can do it well, but in T20 it's not effective because he doesn't have Malinga's pace. Munaf gets close to the stumps and is showing improvement in every series. It will do a world of good to the other Indian seamers if they follow Zaheer and Munaf's footsteps," Prabhakar said, adding that Sreesanth has the talent but not the temperament to try things differently.

While Zaheer and Munaf have been India's best bowlers, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Vinay Kumar are the other top contenders for the West Indies tour.

Praveen depends heavily on swing, and is not as effective with the older ball. Ishant depends too much on his rhythm to get going, while Vinay utilises the short ball well and also varies his pace.

Against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Vinay uprooted Chris Gayle's off-stump using a Malinga-style 'slinging' action.

Early wickets are a must in T20 if a team's score is to be limited to the 150-run range, and this is where Malinga has been so effective for MI.

He has targeted the top order with success in every match. How many Indian bowlers can meet such a requirement?

DEADLY MALINGA

Matches: 10

Wickets: 24

Economy Rate: 5.79

Strike Rate: 9.7

How Slinga foxes batsmen: Bowls short of a good length, between six to eight metres from the stumps Lethally accurate yorker Mixes up deliveries well Also uses fast and slow bouncers Reverse swings at speed.

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Breaking News: Telcos top IPL ad charts with 3G campaigns

2011-05-06T21:54:00.001-07:00

MUMBAI: Mobile phone operators have once again topped the advertising chart for the Indian Premium League (IPL). Vodafone, Tata Docomo, Airtel and Idea were the most seen brands during IPL's fourth edition as they pushed their just launched 3G services on television.

TAM Sports, a television sports viewership tracker, said other top brands to advertise during the IPL included Hyundai i10, Cadbury's Dairy Milk, Volkswagen Passat , Havells fans in a three week period starting April 8.

Telecom companies were the most prominent advertisers during IPL-3, according to TAM Sports, which attracted 143 million viewers. Last year Vodafone, Tata Docomo, Idea Cellular, Airtel and Videocon Mobile occupied the top slots as the biggest advertisers.

While mobile service providers topped the chart, other categories like automobiles, soft drinks and air-conditioners made up the rest of the top five. TAM Sports ranks advertisers based on duration and does not indicate absolute money spent by a brand or advertiser.

This year many first-time consumer goods makers including, L'Oreal, Johnson & Johnson and ITC got on to the IPL bandwagon after data showed that the Twenty20 cricket format has a large number of female viewers. Although cellular operators have been traditionally associated with cricket, the launch of 3G services meant that they bought more on-air presence this year on SET Max, the official broadcaster of the IPL.

"A few years back, cola brands like Pepsi and Coke used to rule cricket advertising. But with the growth of telecom and automobile categories, they have taken the top position. This is also supplemented by the fact that there are newer players entering these two categories unlike the soft drinks category, which has only two big players," said Ajit Varghese, MD, Maxus India, the agency which bought media for Vodafone.

The top ten list of advertisers, as seen during the ad breaks of the IPL till now, features FMCG majors like L'Oreal, Cadbury, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola besides the mentioned telecommunication companies. TAM Sports has a separate list of top advertisers, categories and brands.

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Warne to call it quits after IPL season

2011-05-06T02:37:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals captain and Australian spin legend Shane Warne will retire from the Indian Premier League at the end of his team's campaign this season.

The 41-year-old inspirational player, who guided the underdog team to the inaugural IPL trophy in 2008, will step down from the team but has promised to stay with the franchise in an advisory role.

"Yes this is my last year playing IPL - please come down and support RR last 2 home games vs chennai & Bangalore! We need your help !!!!," the legendary spinner, who quit Tests in 2007 and bid adieu to ODIs in 2005, wrote on his Twitter page.

The IPL was only cricket event he was playing after leaving the international stage.

"...next year who knows what or if I will be involved in IPL re mentor/coaching - am focused on doing best for RR," he added.

The leg-spinner, who captured 708 Test and 293 ODI wickets during his international career, will be at the helm for another four IPL matches for Rajasthan unless they make the finals.

"To my teammates (all) can I say (is) thanks for your support - you guys have made it fun/enjoyable to play. To my fans - THANKYOU - your the best!," he said.

The controversial bowler, who has also been hitting the headlines for his on and off romance with British actress Elizabeth Hurley, has been the standout performer for Rajasthan picking up 56 wickets in 52 matches at an average of 24.66.

Rajasthan are currently fourth in the points table. "We have a spirit in the squad similar to IPL 1 - it would be great to leave on a high - I'm proud of the way we have developed young players," Warne wrote.

The Rajasthan team management said Warne's services as player would be missed but the side would hold on to him in an advisory role.

"Shane Warne has been an integral part of Rajasthan Royals for the last four years. He has been instrumental in nurturing young talent in the team and making Rajasthan Royals a formidable force in IPL," the team's Chief Marketing Officer Raghu Iyer said in a statement.

"He will continue his association with the Royals in coming years and will offer his invaluable guidance to young players. We are looking forward to him assuming a larger role in the team and continuing adding value to the team's success," he added.

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Kochi Tuskers trample Kolkata Knight Riders

2011-05-05T21:56:00.002-07:00

KOCHI: Former Knight Brad Hodge's brutal last-over assault on Brett Lee at the Nehru Stadium was just the tonic Kochi Tuskers needed to breathe fresh life into their stuttering IPL 4 campaign.

That 21-run over gave the Tuskers a total (156/5) which was defendable with tight bowling and sharp fielding. And Mahela Jayawardene's boys did just that, pinning the high-flying Kolkata Knight Riders down to 139/7 for a well-deserved 17-run win.

It was the Tuskers' second triumph over the Knights in two starts, having defended a much lower total at the Eden Gardens a fortnight back. The Tuskers, who now move to Indore for their final two 'home' games, have 10 points and need to win at least 3 out of their remaining four games. The Knights are slightly better placed, and must clinch 2 of their last 4 to be sure of a knock-out berth, but they have been given plenty to think about.

To chase down a target close to 8 runs an over, the Knights needed a brisk start and at least two of their top guns to fire. Eoin Morgan did (66 off 51 balls), but he alone didn't have it in him to carry KKR over the line.

Except the first 5 overs - when Morgan and Kallis collected 40 runs as Sreesanth and RP Singh erred in length and direction -- KKR didn't look to be in business. And this despite Morgan being there till the 19th over. The introduction of the tall and stockily built Prasanth Parmeswaran slowed down the scoring considerably. The left-arm pacer, Man of the Match in Kochi's previous game against the Daredevils, checked the run flow with some clever variations in pace and length.

With Vinay Kumar bowling steadily and Raiphi Gomez sending back Kallis and Gautam Gambhir off successive balls in the 11th over, KKR's task was made even more difficult. Manoj Tiwary struggled, for a change, and Yusuf Pathan wasn't given the luxury of freeing his arms.

KKR earlier read the pitch wrong and played an extra spinner in Sarabjit Ladda, 'resting' Lakshmipathy Balaji despite seeing a tinge of green on the 22-yard strip. The pedestrian leggie bowled no more than an over in which he conceded 13 runs.

Even then, the KKR bowlers did a decent job for 19 overs, when they looked on course to restricting the Tuskers to 140 or thereabouts. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene once more shone through, stroking a classy 55 (41b, 2x4, 2x6) to hold the Kochi innings together. But KKR hadn't counted Hodge playing a blinder.

He tore into fellow-Aussie Lee with a sequence of 6, 4, 6, 4, 1 off the final 5 balls of the innings to spoil the pacer's day. Hodge began the carnage with a pulled six over midwicket, and then as Lee pitched them up, peppered the offside with three more meaty blows.

Lee's fourth and final over was some contrast to his first. Brendon McCullum was made to look a novice as Lee tormented him with some late swing. The frustrated Kiwi slashed at a widish ball from Jaidev Unadkat to be held by Kallis at slip.

Parthiv Patel (21, 4x4) flattered to deceive in a short innings, falling prey to a short ball from Unadkat, while Ravindra Jadeja perished to a poor shot off Rajat Bhatia. It was left to Mahela to steer the ship through choppy waters, with some help from Michael Klinger. But the captain's fine effort may have gone down the drain had Hodge not cut loose at the very end.

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Sehwag special floors Deccan Chargers

2011-05-05T21:56:00.001-07:00

HYDERABAD: The only three wins Deccan Chargers logged in IPL 4 came when they batted first. So when Delhi Daredevils skipper Virender Sehwag put them in at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday, the Chargers had reason to fancy their chances after posting 175/5, their best in this edition that also matched their score against RCB in a winning cause.

How wrong they were was proved by the Delhi skipper who took the bull by its horns and in smashing a belligerent 119 (56b, 13x4, 6x6) not just added to the hosts' misery at the venue but also sounded the death knell for Chargers in this edition.

Sehwag, though, must thank Chargers for dropping him twice, both times off Amit Mishra, which allowed him to win it for Delhi.

The teams started on an equal footing going into this game with six points apiece. The Chargers had only themselves to blame for thinking they had the match in the bag after prising out three Delhi wickets for a mere 25 runs.

The rash of wickets only seemed to inspire Sehwag. He raced to his 50 in just 27 deliveries, Ishan Malhotra bearing the brunt, conceding 23 in his first over. Mishra went for 17 in his first apart from seeing substitute Ankit Sharma dropping a sitter that completely changed the game.

Then on it was a Sehwag sizzler. The century came off a mere 48 deliveries but more importantly for Delhi he made the target seem so ridiculously easy. He had done enough -- contributed 56 -- in the fourth-wicket partnership of 61 runs with Travis Birt as Delhi needed 90 from the last 10.

Sehwag whittled it down to 27 from the last five -- 64 came in overs 10 to 15, illustrating well in the process what happens when he stays at the wicket for a mere 89 minutes. The sixth-wicket partnership of 67 runs (36b) between Sehwag and Irfan Pathan was terminated by Dale Steyn but Delhi completed the formalities of a four-wicket win an over to spare.

The Chargers had copped a lot of flak in the run-up to the match as much for their lacklustre performance as for their choice of personnel. Thus, out went vice-captain Cameron White and Sunny Sohal. JP Duminy and Ishan Malhotra came in with local boy DB Ravi Teja moving up to open the innings with Shikhar Dhawan.

Teja came a cropper but it was all action after the halfway stage. Yogesh Nagar realized the folly of bowling two no-balls in the 15th over that fetched Chargers 20 runs, both Duminy and Daniel Christian getting a reprieve -- Asad Rauf's hunch confirmed twice by the third umpire -- followed by free hits which the Chargers made capital of.

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Mumbai Indians beat Pune Warriors India by 21 runs

2011-05-04T22:06:00.001-07:00

MUMBAI: If Tendulkar doesn't get you, Kieron Pollard will. If Malinga doesn't get you, Harbhajan will. Unfortunately, the Pune Warriors learnt this lesson the hard way as they managed 139/7, 21 runs short of the target at the DY Patil stadium on Wednesday.

Mumbai thus handed Pune their seventh successive loss in the IPL. The Warriors are now at bottom with 4 points from nine matches, while MI top the table with 14 from 9. Harbhajan (1/17) and Munaf (1/30) cracked open the game in their opening spells. Harbhajan nailed Jesse Ryder for a first ball duck and Munaf got Graeme Smith (6) with a bouncer that the South African mistimed.

At 17/2, Tendulkar smelt blood, and went for all-out attack. Munaf bowled with two slips, while Harbhajan trotted in with a slip and a silly point.

New man Abhishek Jhunjhunwala (10; 15b, 2x4s) looked uncomfortable, but Manish Pandey (59; 47, 4x4s, 3x6s) managed to sneak a couple of boundaries.

Pollard, who replaced Harbhajan, kept the pressure on Jhunjhunwala, who in his bid to up the scoring rate, went for the slog, top-edged it and was lapped up by keeper Ambati Rayudu.

Earlier, Warriors bowling spearhead Alfonso Thomas was butchered by Kieron Pollard (30; 21b, 2x4s, 2x6s) and Harbhajan Singh (8; 3b, 1x6). Thomas, 34, gave away 27 off his last over and ended with figures of 4-0-54-1.

Teams:

Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar (capt.), Ambati Rayudu (wk), Harbhajan Singh, Rohit Sharma, Munaf Patel, Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Andrew Symonds, Dhawal Kulkarni, T Suman, AC Blizzard.

Pune Warriors: Yuvraj Singh (capt.), Robin Uthappa (wk), Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, Mithun Manhas, Rahul Sharma, Shrikant Wagh, Jesse Ryder, Graeme Smith, Alphonso Thomas, Jerome Taylor, Manish Pandey.