Kings XI Punjab defeat Kochi Tuskers Kerala by six wickets

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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Probably the toughest day of my career: Ganguly

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.

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I just could not control myself: Sachin

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.

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Chennai Super Kings thrash Rajasthan Royals by 63 runs

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

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

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

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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