Breaking News: Telcos top IPL ad charts with 3G campaigns

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

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

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

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

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.

IPL 4: Malinga most valuable, Valthaty best bargain

Lasith Malinga is the most valuable player (MVP) of IPL 4 so far, beating emerging star Paul Valthaty to second place by just a bit.

When it comes to value for money (VFM), however, the Malayali from Mumbai who's making waves for Kings XI Punjab is streets ahead of all competition.

Behind Malinga and Valthaty in the MVP list are Johan Botha, Robin Uthappa and Doug Bollinger. Sachin Tendulkar heads the second half of the top 10 with Virat Kohli, Kumar Sangakkara, Yusuf Pathan and Jesse Ryder rounding it off.

None of these names, apart of course from Valthaty, makes it anywhere close to the top 10 in the VFM list. That's not surprising given that most of them count their annual fees in millions of dollars while uncapped Indian players like the Kings XI opener have to make do with a maximum of $50,000.

The others on the VFM list are, therefore, predictably local players who have more than pulled their weight for their squads. At No. 2 is Rahul Sharma, followed by Ambati Rayudu, Iqbal Abdulla and Sunny Sohal, in that order. The second half of the top 10 consists of Siddharth Trivedi, Ashok Menaria, Amit Singh, M S Bisla and A G Murtaza.

How have we arrived at these names? A fair bit of number crunching went into it, involving assigning points for batting, bowling, fielding and captaincy on the basis of objective parameters, not subjective opinion, to construct an MVP index.

Here's what we did. Batting points were calculated on the principle that both the quantity of runs scored and how fast they are scored should count. So we took the average strike rate of 130 that has actually been achieved by all batsmen and used that as a base.

The total runs scored by each batsman was multiplied by his actual strike rate and divided by this par figure. Thus, a batsman who has scored, say, 300 runs in the tournament so far would get batting points equal to 300 if he has scored at a strike rate of 130, fewer points if he has accumulated them slower and more if he has got them at a better clip.

For bowlers, we used the principle that both economy and wicket taking should count. Again the average economy rate of 7.5 runs per over for the tournament so far was used as the benchmark. Bowlers with a better economy rate than this were regarded as having saved runs for their team. For instance, if a bowler has been going at 6 runs per over and has bowled 20 overs, he would actually have conceded 120 runs. At the average rate he would have conceded 150. So he is given 30 points for saving those many runs. In addition, every wicket gets him 25 points.

Fielding points are given for catches, run outs and stumpings. Catches count for 10 points, run outs for 15. In the case of wicket-keepers, however, catches and stumpings fetch 25 points each, since they are in the side mainly for their fielding.

Finally, captains are given points for the performance of their teams, 25 points for each win and minus 25 for each loss. Adding all of these points together gives us the total points accumulated by each player.

Since it would be unfair to compare someone who has played, say, five matches with another who has played nine, we then divided the total points by the number of matches played by each player to get the points per match. This was the basis for the MVP rankings.

As for the VFM rankings, that was simply a matter of dividing the points per match score by the fees payable to each player per match to get a figure for the number of points per $100,000 of fees.

To ensure that a couple of outstanding performances don't unduly skew the results, we took only those who had played at least five matches. That meant, for instance, that Chris Gayle, who would otherwise have been by far the leader in the MVP stakes, had to be dropped. But that's only fair.

What is interesting is that the MVP list has at its top some like Malinga and Bollinger who are purely bowlers, some like Sachin and Virat Kohli who are wholly or entirely batsmen and many all-rounders. The VFM list also has a similar structure. This is a departure from the past when the same index tended to yield predominantly all-rounders at the top.

It is also a change from the first three seasons that there are no foreign players at the top of the VFM list. But that is due to the fact that the likes of Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh and David Warner, who came for a pittance initially are today commanding huge fees.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Player	Batting Pts	Bowling Pts	Fielding Pts	Captaincy Pts	Total	Pts/Match
L Malinga	0	530	35		565	70.6
P Valthaty	372	91	20		483	69.0
J Botha	192	147	50		389	64.8
R Uthappa	220	0	240		460	57.5
D Bollinger	0	278	10		288	57.5
S Tendulkar	313	0	45	100	458	57.2
V Kohli	329	24	30		383	54.7
KSangakkara	267	0	300	-75	492	54.7
Y Pathan	183	264	35		481	53.5
J Ryder	300	101	20		421	52.6

VALUE FOR MONEY
Player	Pts/Match	Pts/$100000
Paul Valthaty	69.0	1932
Rahul Sharma	43.7	1223
Ambati Rayudu	41.4	1159
Iqbal Abdulla	40.9	1145
Sunny Sohal	32.3	905
Siddharth Trivedi	28.8	807
Ashok Menaria	27.9	782
Amit Singh	27.0	755
MS Bisla	24.7	692
AG Murtaza	23.7	665

Gambhir bats in favour of Umpire Decision Review System

HYDERABAD: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni might have expressed his displeasure over the Umpire Decision Review System on quite a few occasions but Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Gautam Gambhir said that he is in favour of the use of technology as it can reduce human errors.

The UDRS, which received a mixed response during the World Cup, is not in use in the ongoing Indian Premier League but Gambhir was of the view that if available there is no harm in using technology.

"These (UDRS) are part and parcel of the game. It is good to have UDRS when you don't get a plumb lbw. In tight games, if you have technology rather use it. I am all for UDRS," Gambhir said at the post-match press conference after KKR beat Deccan Chargers by 20 runs to zoom to the top of the team standings.

The KKR captain also lauded his teammates for putting up a professional performance against Deccan and hoped to carry on the winning momentum in the remaining matches of the Twenty20 tournament.

"I have always said that momentum is very important. When you have that momentum, you have to keep continuing to play well. It was a good overall performance. The batsmen scored 170 and the bowlers backed it up. I think it was good professional effort.

"We have to take each game at a time. The last six games are history now and we have to concentrate on the next game. As a professional cricketer, you have to keep thinking of each and every game and keep thinking as it is first game of the tournament," Gambhir said.

The left-hander also said that he was enjoying his stint as KKR captain.

"I always enjoyed my captaincy whether it is for India, whether it is for Delhi or this one. You end up taking responsibility, you end up learning a lot, you feel happy when you end up winning," Gambhir said.

"I always believed that there were never great captains and there will be no great captain. There are only great teams. No captain can win you the game. It is the team that wins the game. So far, I am enjoying my captaincy."

Gambhir also brushed aside any bad feeling between him and Deccan all-rounder Daniel Christian after the duo engaged in an altercation during KKR innings on Tuesday.

"That's part and parcel of the game. When you are playing professional sport, it keeps happening. That's history now. If you are playing such competitive cricket, such things are bound to happen. It's fine, nothing too serious," he said.

Gambhir, who came at the fall of Eoin Morgan in the sixth over, collided with Christian while going for single in the last delivery of the ninth over and no sooner it happened the duo engaged in a heated argument.

Both Gambhir and Christian came menacingly close to each other before Deccan skipper Kumar Sangakkara and the on-field umpires -- Sudhir Asnani and Rod Tucker -- intervened to separate the duo.

Warrior Dada gets IPL lifeline

KOLKATA/NEW DELHI: It may appear to be a classic case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted, but there is more to Sahara Pune Warriors signing up Sourav Ganguly in place of injured pacer Ashish Nehra than meets the eye.

The Yuvraj Singh-led Warriors, languishing at the bottom of the table following six consecutive losses, need to win all their remaining six games to give themselves a realistic chance of nicking a playoff berth in IPL 4.

Yuvraj hasn't been batting badly, even though he has refused to come up the order, but has failed to lead from the front. By roping in Sourav, who has always been a mentor to Yuvi, the Warriors management has clearly sought to boost their skipper's confidence.

"We needed someone with experience after key players like Angelo Mathews, Ashish Nehra and Tim Paine were ruled out due to injuries. Who wouldn't want Sourav? He brings experience. After all he has played with Yuvraj, Uthappa and Karthik and is one of the most successful captains that the country has seen," Abhijit Sarkar, director, Sahara Adventure Sports Limited, told TOI. "

We were lucky that everything fell into place for us," said Sarkar. "The team has had some bad results... we are sure Sourav's arrival will turn things around for us."

According to TOI sources, the first move came from Pune's side after the team owners decided to go for someone with experience. When Ganguly was given the offer to play for Pune, his first reaction was: "Why not! I am willing to even play without money."

The Bengal southpaw is keen to prove a point to those who think his cricket career is over. Sources close to Ganguly said he is simply looking to avenge the 'insult' at the auction.

If veterans like VVS Laxman, Shane Warne and Rahul Dravid could play in the IPL, why couldn't he? Ganguly will be paid around Rs 80 lakh for playing the rest of the season.

As of now, Ganguly's new job profile would require him to do quite a bit of mentoring besides contributing with the bat. After six consecutive losses, two of them from winning positions, the morale of the team is very low.

The only problem is the franchise owners may have left it too late. For Sourav, it is a case of being fifth-time lucky. Twice ignored by all the 10 franchises at the players' auction in January, and after two unsuccessful attempts by the Kochi Tuskers to get him on board, Sourav finally gets a chance to show the world that he still belongs.

Sourav, who has spent an agonizing four months post auctions but refused to give up on his IPL dream, has been hitting the gym regularly. Two days after sending fans in a tizzy at the Eden Gardens by showing up in the stands during KKR's match against Kings XI Punjab, Bengal's favourite son returned to his 'spiritual home' and indulged in some serious practice in the nets on Tuesday.

On his way out, he paused only to confirm the deal with Pune Warriors, promising to speak at length after being formally unveiled. A twist of fate may have prevented him from being anointed as the 'King of Kochi', but a turn of fortunes will now see him in the avatar of 'Warrior Prince' at Pune.

It's a pity that the Warriors are not slated to play at the Eden Gardens against KKR, but do expect fireworks on May 19 when the two teams clash at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

PRINCE OF COMEBACKS

1996: Recalled for the England tour after being dropped in 1991-92, after an unimpressive ODI debut. Scored an imperious ton in debut Test at Lord's.

2006: Recalled to the Test team for the South African tour after being dropped earlier in the year.

2007: Came back into the ODI team for the home series against the West Indies. Ganguly was also dropped from the ODI team in 2006.

2011: Now back in the IPL in mid-season with Pune Warriors after being unsold in the initial auction.

'Comeback King' Ganguly back in IPL with Pune Warriors India

KOLKATA: Ignored at this year's IPL auctions, former India captain Sourav Ganguly made a dramatic return in the cash-rich league on Tuesday signing for Pune Warriors India in place of an injured Ashish Nehra.

"I was approached by them yesterday and I've confirmed about my availability to them. I am leaving for Mumbai today and the details will be announced there," Ganguly told reporters on Tuesday. Ganguly is however unlikely to feature in Pune Warriors' match against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday.

Ganguly, who was captain of Kolkata Knight Riders for the first and third season was given a cold shoulder by Shah Rukh Khan co-owned franchise as well as nine others who didn't bid for him during the auctions.

The Pune Warriors are in the midst of a disastrous campaign having lost six consecutive matches under Yuvraj Singh's captaincy. With the batting looking depleted, the new franchise couldn't have thought for a better replacement as Ganguly brings with him vast experience.

Confirming the development, Pune Warriors team director Abhijit Sarkar said that roping in Ganguly was not a gamble and he would prove his worth with the former India captain being the "best cricketing brain" in the country.

"He is playing in IPL not for money but to prove a point. He deserves a lot of respect, but not the way he has been treated (by Kolkata Knight Riders)... He is the best cricketing brain in the country. Taking Ganguly is not a gamble," Sarkar explained.

Sarkar said their side was plagued by a lot of injuries and they thought of Ganguly.

"At the start of the tournament, Angelo Mathews, the best all-rounder, was ruled out. Australian T20 vice-captain Tim Paine, South African skipper Graeme Smith too are injured, while Ashish Nehra too was battling with injury. We waited for the Nehra's fitness report that came yesterday."

"We have been in talks for last two three days. Our team think-tank felt that Sourav Ganguly is the best possible option available so we went for him. He has been a fighter and a master of comebacks. We are very much confident that he will prove his worth."

Sarkar however said Ganguly would not be available for their next match against Mumbai Indians at Navi Mumbai on Wednesday.

"We welcome him on board. He is joining the side (in Navi Mumbai) this evening and will train with the coach and support staff. I don't think that he will be playing in our next match (against Mumbai Indians) tomorrow."

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Sourav Ganguly to join Pune Warriors India for IPL 4

NEW DELHI: Former Indian and Kolkata Knight Riders captain Sourav Ganguly, who went unsold in IPL auction, will finally play in the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League.

Bengal tiger will play for the new inclusion of this edition Pune Warriors India.

Ganguly is expected to replace injured Ashish Nehra and will join the Pune team in Wednesday's game against Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil stadium.

Abhijit Sarkar, director of Pune Warriors said, "We were waiting for the report of Ashish Nehra. Meanwhile, we were in talks with Ganguly. Once the report came, we requested Dada to join our team and he has agreed to do so. We were looking at the kind of experience Ganguly has and we are hopeful he make a difference."

Earlier, IPL clears Pune Warriors application to allow Ganguly to play in the lucrative league.

Ganguly's base price was $400,000 and went unsold in the IPL auction held in January.

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Sreesanth has toned down a bit, says Jayawardene

NEW DELHI: S Sreesanth may have irked Mahendra Singh Dhoni on quite a few occasions with his on-field antics, but Kochi Tuskers Kerala skipper Mahela Jayawardene is at ease with his behaviour so far in the IPL, and said the temperamental pacer sometimes need to be left to his aggressive self.

"Honestly, he (Sreesanth) has been ok. He has toned down a bit. We did not play him in a few games because of conditions but he bowled brilliantly in the last two games. Sometimes, you need to leave him to be a little aggressive and at times you need to talk to him," Jayawardene said of the maverick Kerala pacer after his side's seven-wicket win over Delhi Daredevils at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Monday.

With this win, Kochi jumped up to the sixth position in the table with eight points from nine games, and Jayawardene hoped this victory brings some consistency in his side's performance.

"We would love to have that consistency in Twenty20 but if you see we have lost some games in the last two overs. Hopefully, with this win we can get some momentum," the Sri Lankan said.

After playing their last match on a low and slow Nehru Stadium pitch at home, he heaped praise on the Kotla track.

"The Kochi wicket was tough for us inspite of being the home team. But this was a good wicket. We thought 160 was a par score."

Jayawardene also lauded his bowlers for restricting Daredevils to a mediocre 140 for six on a batsmen-friendly wicket.

"Our guys bowled to a good plan which we couldn't do in Kochi."

The Kochi skipper said his counterpart Virender Sehwag's early dismissal was vital to his side's fortune on Monday.

He also praised left-arm pacer Prasanth Parameswaran (2/29) for his impressive performance on debut, which includes the vital wicket of Sehwag.

"Credit to Prasanth. He bowled a good angle to Viru. It was a gamble I took (and) that paid off. We knew we need to get him (Sehwag) early," Jayawardene said.

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Chennai Super Kings beat Deccan Chargers by 19 runs

CHENNAI: Fielding made the difference between Deccan Chargers and Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. While the Chargers had to pay for dropping a few genuine chances from the bats of Mike Hussey and Suresh Raina, CSK were brilliant in the field, refused to give up and made it difficult for the Hyderabad players to chase down a formidable target of 166.


The Chargers, who had beaten CSK twice here before, failed to carry on after a rock-solid start and lost by 19 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

Though the Chargers' hard-hitting opener Sunny Sohal (56; 30b 4x6, 6x4) showed tremendous intent, DC's star-studded middle-order failed to rise to the task.

Bharat Chipli (17), Kumar Sangakkara (15), Cameron White (13) and JP Duminy (17) all got starts but failed to get going. Albie Morkel (3-38) was the most successful bowler for CSK, who scripted the most amazing comeback in the second half of the game.

Earlier, the Chargers' Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara took a cue from Dhoni when he opted to open the Chargers' bowling with part-time spinner Duminy. Though the move took the Chepauk crowd by surprise, Duminy did not disappoint and helped restrict CSK in the initial stages.

Shrugging off the initial hiccup, CSK came back to score165 for five in their stipulated 20 overs. Raina (59; 35b, 4x6, 2x6), Hussey (46; 41b, 4x5) and Morkel (19; 6b, 3x6) made full use of their opponents' fielding lapses and guided CSK to a massive score.

Sangakkara used his bowling resources accurately as Ishant, Daniel Christian, Harmeet Singh, Ojha and Amit Mishra maintained a tight line. But they conceded extra runs at the death which proved crucial.

Teams:

Chennai Super Kings: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt.), Murali Vijay, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, S Badrinath, Srikkanth Anirudha, Albie Morkel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Doug Bollinger, Shadab Jakati, Suraj Randiv.

Deccan Chargers: Kumar Sangakkara (Capt.), Sunny Sohal, Shikhar Dhawan, Jean Paul Duminy, Cameron White, Daniel Christian, Bharat Chipli, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Harmeet Singh.

Who stands where at midway point in IPL 4

MUMBAI INDIANS

7 Games 10 Points

Captain Tendulkar is among IPL4's top run-getters and Lasith Malinga the leading wicket-taker with 17 scalps.

Surprise Package: Wicketkeeper-batsman Ambati Rayudu's consistent showing.

Prospects: Despite stunning loss against Raj Royals last week, Mukesh Ambani's men favoured to reach last four. Could go all the way.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

8 Games 10 Points

Among the finest fielding sides. Can defend low totals thanks to Dhoni's sharp captaincy. Have stifled seemingly rampant opponents, like Chargers on Sunday.

Surprise Package: S Badrinath has frequently held a shaky middle-order together.

Prospects: Far from their best but still look good enough to reach last four.

DELHI DAREDEVILS

8 Games 6 Points

Occasionally sublime, generally ridiculous. Despite notching up the season's highest score, DD are the season's biggest disappointment. No match-winning bowler.

Surprise Package: Middle-order bat Venugopal Rao is often the boy on the burning deck.

Prospects: Face stiff task of winning 4 or 5 out of remaining 6 to reach last four.

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS

8 Games 10 Points

Gautam Gambhir's team is second only to Mumbai Indians in all-round balance.

Surprise Package: Batsman Manoj Tiwary has muscled his way back into national reckoning.

Prospects: Have quality and intent to reach last four and sail beyond.

PUNE WARRIORS INDIA

8 Games 4 Points

The bowling unit has misfired consistently. Firangs in the team too must do more.

Surprise Package: Nobody really. But spinner Rahul Sharma has held his own against the best.

Prospects: After dream start, in nightmarish form now.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE

8 Games 9 Points

Displayed great fighting abilities against KKR. But Vettori's team doesn't have a single bowler in top 15.

Surprise Package: T Dilshan. But for the wrong reasons.

Prospects: Could be a challenger for the fourth semifinal spot.

KINGS XI PUNJAB

6 Games 6 Points

Not the strongest or the most balanced of squads. Sub-par bowling and fielding unit.

Surprise Package: Opener Paul Valthaty has come up with electrifying starts and decent spells in a couple of matches.

Prospects: Need to lift their game urgently.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS

9 Games 11 Points

Warne's inspirational captaincy ensures IPL 1 winners punch way beyond their weight.

Surprise Package: Young Ashok Menaria has impressed with bat and ball. Johan Botha's batting is a revelation.

Prospects: Surprise leaders. Well in line for semifinal spot.

KOCHI TUSKERS

8 Games 6 Points

Captain Mahela Jayawardene is the team's prime mover. But the desi players must raise their game.

Surprise Package: Ravindra Jadeja is a vastly improved version of his previous self.

Prospects: Seem to have faded away after a bright start.

DECCAN CHARGERS

8 Games 6 Points

K Sangakkara leads from front but team lacks batting muscle.

Surprise Package: Leg spinner Amit Mishra and opener Sunny Sohal.

Prospects: Dim unless the IPL 2 champions show more determination and drive.

Hashan Tillakaratne alleges match-fixing in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: The ghost of match-fixing has returned to haunt international cricket with former Sri Lankan skipper Hashan Tillakaratne claiming that his country has been rigging matches since 1992 and questioned the selections made in the World Cup final loss to India.

"I can tell this in agreement with my conscience. Match fixing is not something that started happening yesterday or today. According to my knowledge, it happened since 1992. I say this with great responsibility," Tillakaratne, who played 83 Tests and 200 ODIs for Sri Lanka, claimed.

Tillakaratne, who led the side in 10 Tests during his tenure as captain between 2003 and 2004, stopped short of calling the World Cup final on April 2 a fixed match but had some reservations about selection.

"I am not saying that this match (The world cup final) was fixed. But anyway match-fixing is something which has been in this country over a period of time. This has spread like a cancer today," he was quoted as saying by 'The Daily Mirror'.

"Why were four players changed for this match? Those are questions that should be asked. Arjuna (Ranatunga) spoke about this, we who have played cricket talk about this. We were playing an entirely different side.

"Why was Mendis removed to put another spinner, Kapugedara was never among runs but he was chosen to replace Chamara Silva. It is not fair, is it?" he added.

Interestingly, Tillakaratne had first made these comments on match-fixing in a television chat show almost a week after teh World Cup final but his comments largely went unnoticed at that time.

Sri Lanka's Sports Minister Mahindanada Aluthgamage rubbished Tillakaratne's claims and said that his comments were totally uncalled for.

"I deny his comments and Hashan should show proof of match-fixing to the Ministry. If he gives us something in writing, we will look into it. I don't think any Sri Lankan player would do such a thing, they play for the country and they would never think of doing such a thin. These allegations are baseless," he said.

Aluthgamage said Tillakaratne is making these claims to defame the government as he is now a part of opposition United National Party.

Tillakaratne said people involved in fixing matches have been successful in burying the issue with money power but he vowed to expose them soon.

"There were threats of this issue being exposed during various times. But it was pushed down by giving money to various people. If the people who were responsible for that are listening to this, I state this today with great responsibility, I will shortly reveal the names of those responsible," Tillakaratne said.

The former Lankan skipper also doubted the timing of the selection of the World Cup squad.

"The World Cup team was selected on the (January) 7th. I questioned at a TV show why this team was picked on the day before the IPL auction. The IPL auction was on the (January) 8th. Then it was said that we have time when we pick the team before the IPL auction and it was said that we have enough time as there were ten more days. Those were the excuses given.

"Also at the provincial tournament on the (January) 11th, 12th and 13th, we had the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the finals. If Sri Lanka Cricket conducted a tournament, we could have watched those tournaments and picked the team two or three days later. If that happened, I believe another two or three players could have replaced some of the players. I had my doubts whether it was the best team that was picked.

"In this country, there is a side which you don't know but I know. We discussed this. Inquire into this. Anyone can investigate this. Why was the team picked before the IPL?" he asked.

Tillakaratne said it was a vicious circle and the way things are moving, Sri Lanka would soon surpass Pakistan in terms of match-fixing.

"This has been happening since 1992 and I know all the people who are connected to it. I say this with responsibility. It is just like a relay. I run my lap and hand over the baton to you, you complete your lap and give it to another. This is a network. No one can ever go out of it and no one can come into it

"This situation was always there. When it came out from time to time, it was quietly swept under the carpet. If someone doesn't intervene and stop this menace, within another two-three years in this country, with these politics, with these corrupt administrators, I believe this country won't be second to Pakistan in the near future," he said.

Three Pakistani cricketers -- Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammad Aamer -- were recently handed lengthy bans by the ICC on charges of spot-fixing.

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Rajasthan Royals spin a web around Mumbai Indians

AIPUR: It was a moment that had Rajasthan written all over it. Sachin Tendulkar stumped Dishant Yagnik (of Jaipur) bowled Ashok Menaria (of Udaipur). And it was a delivery that would have made Shane Warne proud.

That was the beginning of a rare Mumbai Indians batting failure after Warne decided to chase. Managing just 94 for eight on a slow turner at Sawai Mansingh Stadium against Rajasthan Royals, the Mumbai team knew they just had not done enough.

If the Royals batsmen started off the reply as if they were playing Test cricket, they can be pardoned. The wicket called for caution and they had a less than five-an-over chase.

A few good blows were enough to make up for the dot balls. Those blows duly happened, with Johan Botha throwing in a few in his 39-ball 45. With his stunning three-for-six earlier, the South African was clearly the most valuable player on the field on Friday.

The Royals achieved the target with seven wickets remaining and regained the second spot on the points table. Mumbai remain on top.

The talking point was of course Menaria's left-arm orthodox spin (delivered with a rather unorthodox action), which tempted Tendulkar to charge down the wicket. The ball fell just short and moved away enough to elude the batsman's slashing bat. Yagnik was swift enough to leave the 'God of cricket' stranded in no-man's land. It is not often that Tendulkar is foxed in such a manner. He was gone for seven and Mumbai Indians were struggling at 28 for two in the fifth over.

The best part for the home team was that their main bowlers -- Warne, Botha, Shane Watson and Siddharth Trivedi -- hadn't even bowled by then.

After Menaria, Warne played a remarkably economical hand before Botha came in to shatter whatever fight Mumbai Indians had left in them. Menaria had more to say before completing his quota. He dismissed dangerman Ambati Rayudu, caught and bowled for 11. The Udaipur lad finished with figures of two for 20, not bad for a batsman who bowls only if required.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Pune Warriors India by 26 runs

BANGALORE: A Virat Kohli special and a collective bowling effort aided Royal Challengers Bangalore for the second consecutive match in IPL 4 while a vastly-improved fielding show spiced up the proceedings as the home side eased to a 26-run victory over Pune Warriors at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday.

With their third victory on the trot and their first on home turf, the Daniel Vettori-led side has now jumped to the second spot in the points table, with nine points.

At the halfway stage of the chase, Pune were 119 runs away from the 182-run target despite yet another vital contribution by Jesse Ryder (51, 34b) at the top of the tree. The other dangerman in the Pune ranks, skipper Yuvraj Singh (41, 23b, 2x4, 3x6), fell to Zaheer Khan in the 17th over and it was all over for the visitors.

The Karnataka pace duo of S Arvind and A Mithun made great impact with the former claiming an early wicket and the latter revving up high speeds under pressure. Vettori was yet again impressive with his economy while defending a challenging total, thanks to Kohli's pyrotechnics at the second half of the RCB innings.

The dashing youngster's come-what-may attitude was on full display as the RCB No. 3 enthused the home crowd with a fruitful late charge to set up a formidable 181/5 after Yuvraj had won the toss and elected to bowl. Kohli's 42-ball 67 (4x4, 4x6), crafted with those trademark pulls and silken cover drives, took the cake as the Delhi lad snatched the Orange Cap from maestro Sachin Tendulkar with an aggregate of 294 runs.

The young right-hander spliced up a crucial 66-run stand with No. 4 AB de Villiers (26) for the third wicket but the Delhi lad easily was the surprise aggressor between the two.

A maximum off leg-spinner Rahul Sharma set things rolling for Kohli in the 15th over but his now famous use of wrists in those audacious pulls was easily the spectacle for the connoisseur. Though he escaped a run out early in the innings, none of the Pune bowlers could trouble Kohli and ironically, his dismissal in the penultimate over of the innings came off a mistimed pull.

The goodly crowd watched the home team racing to 50 in just 5.4 overs despite two tight overs by new-ball bowler Alfonso Thomas (4-0-23-2). Chris Gayle (49, 26b, 4x4, 4x6) was his usual nonchalant self, mixing blind heaves with brutal strokes, Kamran Khan suffering the most when the big Jamaican connected well.

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Let Hashan Tillakaratne prove the allegations first: Mahela

KOCHI: Former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene has urged his one-time teammate Hashan Tillakaratne to come out with substantial proof about the allegations of fixing matches since 1992 including the team composition for this year's World Cup final.

"People can say whatever they want. You need to prove the allegations," Jayawardene told the reporters on Friday.

Jayawardene refused to get into the details of the allegations stating that it is Tillakaratne who first needs to come out with substantial evidence of any kind of wrongdoing.

"I have no comments. Honestly, I just saw the news. We will have to wait and see what he has to say and what he has to come out with to be honest with you, no comments till then."

On the Kochi strip that saw Ishant Sharma creating a havoc just the other night, the Kochi Tuskers captain said," Wickets look okay. We are not the ones who are making the wickets. Our job is to go out and play. We will have a look tomorrow as well and see what is the best combination for that wicket and opposition and play that."

On his team's back-to-back defeats, Jayawardene said "If you see the entire tournament, in the last 7 matches we played, we kept changing the few things in the team according to opposition, and according to the conditions, that's how we have gone about and we will keep thinking in the same lines.

"If the last two outings were a bit disappointing, we need to concentrate on the processes and try and execute a proper game plan," he said.

When asked about the Kochi Tuskers defeating the formidable Mumbai Indians in Mumbai, while losing to bottom ranked Deccan Chargers at home, Mahela said," If you have a look at the points table, it's still very open. A couple victories can get you at the top."

About their opponents Delhi Daredevils, Jayawardene said, "There are some wonderful players in their list. They haven't executed few things properly in most of the games with close matches. I'm sure they are disappointed, when you are down they can be dangerous opponents.

"We have to make sure when we go up against them, that we handle those situations well and try and keep them in where we could control them from. They have some match winners and we have to be very careful about them."

Local lad S Sreesanth hasn't done well but coach Geoff Lawson defended the temperamental pacer.

"He has good pace and is a match-winner. He was a close to taking a wicket and that probably would have changed the match (against Deccan chargers)."

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Harbhajan resorts to unusual act to retain strike

JAIPUR: In an unusual act, Mumbai Indians off-spinner Harbhajan Singh intentionally did not complete the first run and returned to his crease after covering two-third of the pitch in a bid to retain strike during his side's IPL match against Rajasthan Royals on Friday.

With MI at a meagre 87 for eight with just three balls to go in their innings, Harbhajan hit Rajasthan Royals bowler Shane Watson towards deep square leg and then followed it up with a tactic which might have been prompted by his desire to retain strike but not exactly in line with fair play.

Harbhajan did not complete the first run by several yards. He just about crossed half the pitch and passed his partner Ali Murtaza and then turned back for the second run.

It was quite clear Harbhajan did it intentionally as he completed two-thirds of the first run and as much of the second.

Harbhajan got one run and the strike and he hit a six off the last ball to take Mumbai Indians to 94 for eight, their lowest total in IPL 4.

When the players trooped out for the dressing room at the innings break, Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne was seen throwing his arms around Harbhajan apparently discussing the incident.

Mumbai Indians are at the top of Fair Play Award table but they could lose some points after Harbhajan's act on Friday.

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Hashan Tillakaratne alleges match-fixing in Lanka

Dropping a bombshell, former Sri Lanka skipper Hashan Tillakaratne has claimed that match-fixing is common in his country since 1992 and promised to reveal names of those involved soon.

Tillakaratne, who played 83 Tests and 200 ODIs for Sri Lanka, made the sensational claim while appearing in a TV show.

"I can tell this in agreement with my conscience. Match fixing is not something that started happening yesterday or today. According to my knowledge, it happened since 1992. I say this with great responsibility," Tillakaratne said.

Tillakaratne, who was Sri Lanka's captain between April 2003 and March 2004, said people involved in the menace have been successful in burying the issue with money power but promised to expose them soon.

"There were threats of this issue being exposed during various times. But it was pushed down by giving money to various people. If the people who were responsible for that are listening to this, I state this today with great responsibility, I will shortly reveal the names of those responsible," he said.

Tillakaratne, who led the side in 10 Tests during his tenure as captain, stopped short of calling the World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka a fixed match but had some reservations about the team selection.

"I am not saying that this match (The world cup final) was fixed. But anyway match fixing is something which has been in this country over a period of time. This has spread like a cancer today," he said.

"Why were four players changed for this match? Those are questions that should be asked. Arjuna (Ranatunga) spoke about this, we who have played cricket talk about this. We were playing an entirely different side.

"Why was Mendis removed to put another spinner, Kapugedara was never among runs but he was chosen to replace Chamara Silva. It is not fair, is it?" a report in the Daily Mirror quoted him as saying.

The former Lankan skipper also doubted the timing of the selection of the World Cup squad.

"The world cup team was selected on the (January) 7th. I questioned at a TV show why this team was picked on the day before the IPL auction. The IPL auction was on the (January) 8th. Then it was said that we have time when we pick the team before the IPL auction and it was said that we have enough time as there were ten more days. Those were the excuses given.

"Also at the provincial tournament on the (January) 11th, 12th and 13th, we had the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the finals. If Sri Lanka Cricket conducted a tournament, we could have watched those tournaments and picked the team two or three days later. If that happened, I believe another two or three players could have replaced some of the players. I had my doubts whether it was the best team that was picked.

"In this country, there is a side which you don't know but I know. We discussed this. Inquire into this. Anyone can investigate this. Why was the team picked before the IPL?" he asked.

Tillakaratne said it was a vicious circle and the way things are moving, Sri Lanka would soon surpass Pakistan in terms of fixing.

"This has been happening since 1992 and I know all the people who are connected to it. I say this with responsibility. It is just like a relay. I run my lap and hand over the baton to you, you complete your lap and give it to another. This is a network. No one can ever go out of it and no one can come into it

"This situation was always there. When it came out from time to time, it was quietly swept under the carpet. If someone doesn't intervene and stop this menace, within another two-three years in this country, with these politics, with these corrupt administrators, I believe this country won't be second to Pakistan in the near future," he said.

Three Pakistani cricketers -- Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammad Aamer -- were recently handed lengthy bans by the ICC on charges of spot-fixing.

© PTI

Fletcher will be successful with India: Atherton

Former England captain Mike Atherton on Thursday predicted that Duncan Fletcher's stint with the Indian cricket would be successful, just like that of his predecessor Gary Kirsten.

The BCCI appointed Fletcher as India's coach for two years after Kirsten decided against extending his contract.

"Fletcher will be closer to his predecessor Gary Kirsten, who helped to take India to the top of the Test rankings, as well as winning the World cup, than to Greg Chappell, whose bruising confrontational nature proved to be calamitous," Atherton wrote in 'The Times'.

The former England skipper said since Fletcher will have some known faces around, he is unlikely to face any problem while doing his job.

"Kirsten is a protege of Fletcher's and India's most successful coach would have spoken highly of Fletcher's abilities, something that may have influenced the BCCI's decision.

"Already in place is another Fletcher charge, Eric Simons, the bowling coach whose tenure was extended on Wednesday, so ensuring that Fletcher has a friendly face when he starts in the job," Atherton said.

Fletcher is the fourth successive foreign coach that India has appointed, after the trailblazer John Wright, now in charge of New Zealand, followed by Chappell and Kirsten.

Meanwhile a report in the 'Guardian' said, Fletcher's main role will not be not much of "maintaining the performance of the star players but of bringing on the next generation, particularly bowlers, where there appears a dearth of emerging talent."

"Kirsten's success as national coach gave him absolute credibility with the players, administrators and supporters alike and his recommendation, which Fletcher's appointment appears to be, would carry consequent weight," the report said.

© PTI