Pawar says counties can play ICL rebels

New Delhi: There's a new twist in the BCCI versus English counties battle over rebel ICL players participating in the proposed Twenty20 Champions League.

BCCI President Sharad Pawar says that all teams participating in the event have the freedom to include players of their choice. But there is a rider. Pawar says the BCCI would then take its own decision on the matter.

That turns back the heat on the ECB, the only board to allow rebel players to play in domestic competition.

IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi had earlier said that any team with ICL players will be automatically disqualified.

The ECB has said that it would wait for the rules to be framed before taking a stand.
Meanwhile, The Indian Express has learnt that the International Cricket Council has been advised by lawyers to amend some of its existing rules in order to prevent more leagues like the ICL from coming up and challenge its authority.

The Indian Cricket League, owned by the Zee Group, is already two T20 tournaments old and has long applied to the ICC to recognise it as "official". While the ICC had indicated that the ICL had to seek the same via the Indian Cricket Board, the BCCI has only furthered its plight by deeming it "rebel".

The ICL organisers have already indicated that they will go to court against the BCCI and the ICC.

Sheridans, a UK-based law firm, has reportedly advised the ICC to amend its rule pertaining to the "official and unofficial status" of cricket events, because the original rules were made for events relating to "one-off testimonial and exhibition matches (such as Asia XI versus Rest of the World XI)".

Cricket's governing body has been recommended to amend those regulations to "deal with domestic T20 events and rebel domestic leagues expressly."

The paper has also learnt that even the BCCI has asked the ICC to amend these regulations.

http://www.cricketnext.com/news/bcci-allows-counties-to-play-icl-rebels/32268-13.html

Hussain a fan of T20 cash 'pressure'

London: Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes the fact that finalists in this season's Twenty20 Cup will qualify for the lucrative new Champions League will take the tournament to another level.

The ex-Essex batsman compared the semi-finals of the county competition, which starts on Wednesday, to the Championship play-off final in football which sees a team promoted to the money-spinning English Premier League.

"Sport is better when there is something big hanging on the outcome. The higher the stakes, the more intense the pressure and the more the character of the players is revealed," Hussain wrote in his column for Britain's Daily Mail.

"The winners of the cup, which starts tomorrow, get something like 40,000 pounds (80,000 dollars). "But the two counties who reach the final will have the chance to earn 2.4 million pounds (5 million dollars) from the Champions League, so can you imagine the atmosphere if a team need four from the last ball in one of those semi-finals?

"What we will see is the cricketing equivalent of the football play-off final, with the winners going to the Premier League."

Twenty20, which was pioneered as a professional sport in English county cricket, has quickly become quickly popular around the world. It led to the creation of a World Twenty20 and a cash-rich tournament in India as well as talk of matches between England and a Caribbean all-star side bankrolled by Texan billionaire Allen Stanford.

Into that mix has now been added the Champions League, leaving some to question whether five-day Test cricket, which outside of England and Australia, can struggle to draw in the crowds, has much of a future.

But Hussain said while he could not see the likes of Kevin Pietersen pulling out of Tests, Twenty20 might alter England players' contractual arrangements.

"I can see people turning down (England) central contracts and, in effect, going freelance to play where the best money is on offer at any one time," Hussain explained.

"Pietersen knows England would always want him to play for them so, in theory, he could make himself available on a match-by-match basis." Hussain added: "There are concerns about the first-class game but I remain convinced that Test cricket will continue to prosper, at least in this country, and be treated as the pinnacle."

The inuagural Champions League will feature eight leading domestic sides from Australia, England, India and South Africa playing a series of 15 Twenty20 matches in either India or the Middle East sometime in late September and early October.

Western Australia and Victoria have already qualified to represent Australia. They will be joined by South Africa's Titans, from Pretoria, and KwaZulu Natal Dolphins as well as India's Chennai Super Kings and the Rajasthan Royals.

England's representatives will be the finalists in the Twenty20 Cup, which takes place at Hampshire's Rose Bowl ground on July 20.

Source: http://www.cricketnext.com/news/hussain-a-fan-of-t20-cash-pressure/32100-13.html

T20 can dominate world sport: Stanford

London: Billionaire businessman Allen Stanford said Twenty20 cricket could replace football as the world's leading team sport after announcing a series of 20 million dollar matches between England and his Caribbean Super Stars side.
"With the right financial support behind it, the right vision, it can be the dominant team sport in the world," Stanford told a news conference at Lord's here on Wednesday.

"I think Twenty20 combines almost all the elements of all sports: soccer, basketball, baseball, it even has track and field in it."

The first of five annual floodlit Twenty20 matches between Stanford's Super Stars and England will take place at his own ground in Antigua on November1.

Players on the winning side will earn one million dollars each - a huge sum by cricket standards.
However, members of the losing team will not get anything.

Of the remaining nine million dollars being put up by Stanford, a million will be divided among the rest of the winning squad and a further million will go to the victorious coaching team.
The other seven million will be shared between the cash-strapped West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Over the course of five years, a player on the winning side in all the games could earn as five million dollars while both boards are guaranteed a minimum of 17.5 million dollars each.
"The winner goes home happy, the loser goes home unhappy," Stanford, who arrived at Lord's in his own private helicopter, said.

These matches are effectively exhibition games as England are not playing the West Indies although ECB chief executive Davi Collier said they were "unofficial but authorised" by the International Cricket Council. Stanford, a Texan who became a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda, has already invested heavily in a domestic Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies which now features his trademark all-black bats. He denied he was simply giving money away.

"I'm investing in cricket's future in the West Indies. We're in a bit of a trough and I want to do everything I can to bring it back up." Former West Indies captain Vivian Richards, one of Stanford's advisors, added he was sure the matches would be competitive.

"We believe we have the product to do it justice. We wouldn't like you guys to come to the Caribbean and take it (the money) back to England." Twenty20 has grown rapidly in global popularity since being launched as a professional sport at county level in England six years ago and spawned it own world championship, won by India in South Africa last year.

In India, the first edition of a new, lucrative Twenty20 tournament was recently concluded but Stanford said he believed English officials were best-placed to help him realise his Twenty20 vision.

"The ECB have the best organisation and the best management to drive cricket into the 21st century."

Meanwhile ECB charman Giles Clarke denied his organisation's involement was a way of placating England cricketers, who might otherwise earn big money in matches beyond the board's control.

"We are not trying to appease them," he said. "It gives them a chance to perform under pressure and to make money beyond the dreams of some of their predecessors," Clarke added as he addressed an audience including West Indies cricket greats Everton Weekes, Garfield Sobers, and Curtly Ambrose.

England coach Peter Moores denied the money on offer would damage squad morale but admitted: "It will be a different set of pressures for all the players. It's ruthless, as it should be. If you perform, you earn money." WICB president Julian Hunte said the cash was vital for Caribbean cricket.

"We see this as part of the resurgence of West Indies cricket. We need this investment to underpin our own strategic plan."

Only last weekend plans were announced for a tournament later this year featuring the best eight Twenty20 sides from England, Australia, India and South Africa and this has led to fears regarding the future of five-day Tests.

"I find Test cricket boring," said Stanford. "But I'm not a purist. Test cricket is the foundation, Twenty20 is the future," added Stanford whose news conference ended with the unveiling of a box containing 20 million dollars.

And former England all-rounder Ian Botham, also at Lord's, said: "You still need Test cricket to get your players for Twenty20. No-one quibbles about golfers or footballers earning big money, so why shouldn't cricketers?"

Stanford is also understood to have held talks with the ECB regarding the staging of an annual four-nation Twenty20 tournament at Lord's although, as yet, no details have been made public.

Source: http://www.cricketnext.com/news/t20-can-dominate-world-sport-stanford/32116-13-single.html

Stanford makes IPL bucks look loose change

New Delhi: This one makes the big bucks of the Indian Premier League look like loose change. Allen Stanford, an American businessman, has signed on a deal with the English Cricket Board for five winner take all T20 matches, worth a whopping 100 million dollars over five years.
Some in the English press are calling it a 'bloodless coup' but billionaire Stanford probably has no time to read newspapers. He arrived at the home of cricket - Lord's in regal style to announce cricket's latest stunner.

On the 1st November, an England eleven will play a West Indies eleven in a T20 bash at his own ground in Antigua where as Stanford said: "It is a one night, winner-takes-all 20 million dollars. The winner goes home happy, the loser goes home unhappy."

And just to put his money where his mouth is, Stanford even showed off the cash on offer (20 millions dollars). Stanford has been running a tournament in the Caribbean for the last couple of years and seems to have successfully seduced the game's administrators there.

"We need this investment in the infrastructure of cricket to underpin our own strategic plan. So, if you do not see me looking like I am not smiling - I am smiling on the inside," said Dr Julian Hunte, West Indies Cricket Board President.

Some of the game's greatest names were there including Sir Ian Botham and Sir Vivian Richards, all perhaps wondering but not expressing their fear for the future of the traditional game- Test cricket. But stanford was more blunt.

"Test cricket is a foundation, it is what cricket came from. Twenty20, however, is the future, and that's where you will make your money," stated Stanford.

Plans are also in the pipeline for an annual four-nation tournament for the next five years, worth nearly 10 million dollars every year.

Source: http://www.cricketnext.com/news/stanford-makes-ipl-bucks-look-loose-change/32127-13.html

IPL teams can trade players next year: Modi

New Delhi: IPL franchises will be able to trade players early next year ahead of the 2009 season, Lalit Modi, Chairman of the hugely successful tournament disclosed on Sunday.

"There will be a transfer window open early next year just ahead of the 2009 season to enable franchises trade players and bring in the ones they require," he confirmed.

Stating that he had been "overwhelmed" by the success of the Twenty20 competition, Modi also disclosed that certain innovations would be introduced in the tournament.

"One of the innovation to be introduced next year would be orange neon ball. This would, however, depend on how successful the trials of the same are," he said.

"This year we already introduced the Orange and Purple Cap innovations and the Kingfisher Team Fair Play award and will look at continuing with this tradition of innovation in the subsequent leagues," he added.

Modi said the second season of IPL was not possible before the 2011 ODI World Cup, to be co-hosted by the Asian cricketing nations.

"The second season as of now is a very distant possibility and will not take place definitely until after the 2011 World Cup given the FTP commitments of the Test playing nations and India.
"By then, I firmly believe, IPL would have already established itself as a major event and carved a niche for itself on the international cricketing calendar."

"Importantly, though when the second season does materialise in the future it will not be a full-fledged season like the recently concluded inaugural season. It could, for instance, be a knock-out league or a format which we will evolve in due course of time."

Modi also made it clear that IPL was India's domestic event and could not be co-hosted by two countries like India and Pakistan.

"No, the IPL is, as the name suggests, a domestic cricket league, featuring the best of international and Indian talent. It will not be co-hosted in conjunction with any other country.
"I am certain that the success of the league will spawn a whole host of similar leagues around the world. Once that happens, it would be our endeavor to see that top two teams from each of the countries play in the Champions League, along the lines of the one being played in football currently."

On the success of IPL, Modi said it was beyond his expectations.

"To say that the inaugural season of the IPL has exceeded my expectations and those of the BCCI would, to simply put it, be an understatement," Modi said.

"I have been truly overwhelmed by the success of the Indian Premier League. In fact, the global response to the competition has been simply unbelievable, to say the least.

"I had imagined the IPL being huge in terms of spectator interests in India, but what we have achieved and the global interest that a domestic league has generated have been beyond my wildest imagination," he said.

"The IPL has gained large viewerships in Australia, South Africa, South East Asia, the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) and the Americas."

The inaugural edition of IPL, contested by eight teams non-stop for 44 days and telecast live by a private television channel during the prime time, gripped the cricket lovers, reportedly exceeding the popularity of TV serials and Bollywood films.

"Not to mention the TRPs that we have garnered in India which are quite frankly staggering to say the least. The success of the league is further exemplified in the Set Max's revenue market share of the top nine Hindi entertainment channels," Modi said.

"And all this because we have had some of the best cricketers from around the world... frankly I could not have envisaged a more successful inaugural season than this year," he added.

"Imagine the likes of Swapnil Asnodkar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Niraj Patel, Abhishek Nayyar (state-level players) and Yusuf Pathan getting mobbed by fans for their performances in the league."
On the revenue did BCCI generate though the IPL, Modi, also the Cricket Board President, said he had not information on that.

"I don't know the exact nature of revenue the IPL has generated for the BCCI as of now…However, we have at all junctures through out the IPL process attempted to be as transparent as possible in terms of the financials and so have communicated these publicly at all time and so you could also do some back of the cuff calculations to derive a number," he said.

Source: http://www.cricketnext.com/news/ipl-teams-can-trade-players-next-year-modi/32039-13-2.html

By V Veera Kumar

Mumbai: After witnessing the highly successful Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament, backed by the cash rich Indian Cricket Board (BCCI), their parallel body the Indian Cricket League (ICL) is all set to launch a bigger and better Twenty20 tournament in October.

"We have lots of innovative plans for this edition of the ICL and we are planning a bigger and better Twenty20 tournament for sure some time in October. Everything is still at the planning stages and it will be disclosed to the media in due course of time," former Indian stumper and one of the ICL board members Kiran More told Cricketnext.com on Monday.

"Due to the rainy season, we can only plan things right now as the next three months will not be conducive for any serious cricket but I am sure we will have lots of innovative ideas for the third edition of our tournaments though everything is at the planning stage right now, we are hopeful of finalizing most of the activities within the next ten days," he added.

Speaking about the stupendous success of the IPL, More said, he enjoyed every minute of the inaugural event while watching with his family and friends and was happy that IPL had done a world of good for all the youngsters who showcased their talents.

"Twenty20 has really caught up with cricket buffs everywhere and I personally enjoyed watching the matches. To me, a battle royal between two good teams in any sports is worth watching especially when you can witness it in the comforts of your drawing rooms," he pointed out.

"I sincerely hope like the youngsters in IPL, the ICL players too get recognised one day as the main intentions of both the leagues is to popularise the new format," More observed.

Source: http://www.cricketnext.com/news/bigger-better-icl-t20-in-october-more/32058-13.html

Gony replaces Sreesanth in Indian squad for tri-series

Gony replaces Sreesanth in Indian squad for tri-series

7 Jun, 2008 1220hrs IST, PTI

DELHI: Punjab seamer Manpreet Gony on Saturday was included in the Indian squad for the tri-series in Bangladesh after paceman S Sreesanth was ruled out due to a side strain, sustained in an Indian Premier League match. "Due to non availability of Sreesanth, it was decided by the selection committee to send Manpreet Gony for Bangladesh tri-series," Niranjan Shah, BCCI Secretary, said in a media release. "Sreesanth was assessed by Dr. Kinja at Bangalore on Friday. He has got a left-sided external oblique strain. He would require about 2 weeks for recovering from the current situation and getting back to his normal bowling routine," the press release added. The Punjab bowler thus becomes the third player who has been rewarded for his good performance in the recently concluded inaugural Indian Premier League. Gony, who has played just five-first class matches, had claimed 17 wickets in 16 matches for the IPL runners-up Chennai Super Kings at an average of 26.05. Baroda all rounder Yousuf Pathan and Hyderabad spinner Pragyan Ojha were earlier given ODI calls for the tri-series. The Kerala pacer would now undergo a two-week rehabilitation programme and will be available for the Asia Cup, to be held in Pakistan. "He will be available for Asia Cup 2008 to be played at Pakistan. Mr. Sreesanth rehabilitation will be organised at NCA in Bangalore," the BCCI press release said.

IPL cheerleaders get a cover-up

NAVI MUMBAI: Cricket fans at the IPL match in Nerul were in for a double treat. Not only were there cheergirls, but also cheerboys to encourage the spectators at the Dr D Y Patil Sports Stadium on Sunday. But restraint was shown in dress as well as dance.

The cheerleaders for the Mumbai Indians appeared in shiny blue lycra suits that covered their entire bodies under matching silvery skirts. What surprised the fans was the presence of male cheerleaders. "Wow, they have girls and boys too," said one of the fans as they cheered on their favourites, the Mumbai Indians, who were playing the Team Hyderabad.

Following the recent statements of the Navi Mumbai police, that they would strictly monitor cheerleaders on closed circuit television to check if they were doing anything "vulgar", there were restrained dance steps performed at the stadium.

The cheerleaders mostly did aerobics on the ground to be on the safe side of the law. Navi Mumbai police commissioner Ramrao Wagh was himself present at the stadium to watch the match. Approximately 30 minutes before the match started, the cheerleaders were brought into the stadium in a minibus under tight security.

Wagh said that he found the cheerleaders to be "well behaved". The cheerleading troupe danced to Hindi film tunes. However, the controversy surrounding the cheerleaders was soon forgotten by the fans as the players made their way out to play.

A cricket official told TOI: "Everything is going smoothly and we are happy the security and other arrangements are perfect. The crowd’s reaction showed that the people are not here to just oogle at the cheerleaders but to watch the match and enjoy it."

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/India_Business/File_IPL_cheerleaders_get_a_cover-up/articleshow/2988891.cms

IPL bats its way into business school syllabi

MUMBAI: From stadiums to classrooms, IPL fever is raging. After the success of the Indian Premier League— known as much for its marketing glitz as for its cricketing antics—popular B-schools in Mumbai and outside have sought to include the IPL phenomenon in their syllabi. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Vile Parle, plans to rope in financial and marketing experts associated with IPL to train its faculty at a workshop on 'teaching sports management', slated to be held after the IPL tamasha ends.

"We plan to offer an elective in sports management. We want the IPL team to help us design the course," said Ramesh Bhat, dean, school of business management at NMIMS. According to him, there's a lot to learn from the IPL's contract arrangements, with remuneration being based on performance. "IPL has huge implications for the country," said Bhat.

The authorities at Mudra Institute of Communications-Ahmedabad (MICA), and S P Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) in Andheri also echo his views. Students enrolled in the executive post-graduate programme in communication management (PGPCMX) course at MICA were recently given an assignment on the economic implications of IPL in the context of the Indian market.

"Besides the business aspect, there's also a lot to be learnt in terms of organisational behaviour and leadership skills. While there are a number of team captains who are relatively new, some of the established players have not been able to find their place in the sun," said Hemant Trivedi, chairperson of the PGPCMX course.

He plans to introduce a component on IPL in an elective on media and entertainment as well. For B-schoolers, the IPL's success has underlined just how big a career in sports management could turn out to be. Raghu Chaitanya, a student at MICA, sees immense opportunity in the league. "After all, it's a mix of the two most popular things in the country—cricket and Bollywood," he said.

At the S P Jain Institute, students recently asked their marketing professor to discuss the IPL phenomenon with them. The issue was taken up at a faculty meeting where the dean, M L Shrikant, suggested that IPL could be an integral case study for a business model. Students have been asked to read 'What is Management?' by Joan Margretta and co-relate parts of the book with the IPL success story.

"IPL will help students understand the concept of a business model where there are a number of stakeholders whose interests have to be met," said Shrikant. According to Bhat, IPL also presents a great career opportunity for management students in the years to come. After all, the GMR group, the infrastructure giant which owns the Delhi team, hired Colonel Vinod Bisht, who was a student of IIM-Ahmedabad's postgraduate programme in public policy and management, as its assistant vice president (operations).

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Jaipur/File_IPL_bats_its_way_into_business_school_syllabi/articleshow/3075145.cms

Team Jaipur forgets Pink City after win

JAIPUR: Saying goodbye is never easy. However, all good things come to an end and it is indeed time to say goodbye to Team Jaipur. Shane Warne and his band of merry men came here and conquered hearts. Not just in Jaipur, but in entire India.

However, it was in Jaipur that they left the most telling mark. In fact, Team Jaipur changed the face of Jaipur and rocketed this city of Royals to the forefront of cricketing geography. All of a sudden, Sawai Man Singh Stadium was the centre of all attention. Here was a team that was winning everything at home and doing so with great character.

Every Jaipurite felt a sense of pride and embraced these ‘outsiders' as their own. Even after the city lay crippled following deadly serial blasts, cricket brought the people together. Even if the turnout was less than normal for the match against Bangalore Royal Challengers, which happened within a few days of the blasts, the fans were back in full numbers against Mumbai Indians on May 26.

But one thing that will certainly disappoint cricket fans here. Why didn't Warne and his boys come back here for the victory celebrations? "If you look at a big event like the English Premier League, when the winners come home, there are big celebrations on the streets and in the home ground. But we are surprised that the franchisee didn't take any initiative to do so," a top BCCI official told TOI. The Jaipur franchisee, however, maintained that they had such plans but the players were in a hurry to get back home.

But the question remains: if such a celebration does not happen, how can the franchisee expect to generate local or city based loyalities?

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/India_Business/File_Team_Jaipur_forgets_Pink_City_after_win/articleshow/3094769.cms

IPL affects other TV shows, movie theatres

NEW DELHI: The runaway success of the Indian Premier League, which kept people glued to their televisions, queered the pitch for other mainstream entertainment media, according to a report prepared by financial services group India Infoline (IIFL).

On the viewership front, IPL even outplayed the English Premier League. The report said IPL's total viewership of 200 million was more than EPL's 160 million. But EPL broadcasting rights have been sold for nearly $2.5 billion for a three-year period compared with IPL's 10-year rights sold for $1 billion.

The report said multiplexes were hit with a 10-30% decline in ticket sales during the IPL season — leading Bollywood producers got poor openings despite heavy marketing. Television prime time took a significant hit, affecting channels like Star TV, the report said, adding that viewership of Hindi general entertainment channels dropped from 6.1% to 4.8% in the first two weeks of IPL.

Star TV's big-ticket game show, Panchvi Pass , also took a hit and got a TRP, a measure of viewership, of about 4. At the same time, the fortunes of Sony Entertainment Television (SET), which has exclusive rights to telecast IPL matches, rose sharply. The revenue market share of Sony Set Max, the channel that telecast the matches, rose from 5.7% to a whopping 28.8% during the one and a half months of IPL.

On the TRP front, IPL's performance was much better than any other programme in recent times. It started with a record TRP of over 8.

After that it dropped but remained above 5 higher than any other programme running on TV, the report said. The most popular soap opera, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi , had an average rating of nearly 5. The report noted that the key factor behind the success of IPL was local fan following. This not only helped in attracting more viewership and stadium attendance, but also opened the doors for new revenue streams like sales of team merchandise and events. Besides, the three-hour duration of T20 matches suited working people who could not have spared a full day to watch a cricket match. At the same time, the timings of the matches between 8pm and 11pm helped in attracting viewership.

This also enabled working people to watch matches on the ground. The presence of international players in the league teams also helped in pulling crowds, said the report. Moreover, cheerleaders and music at stadiums made the package highly entertaining even for less than avid cricket fans, said Arnab Mitra, author of the IIFL report.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/India_Business/IPL_affects_other_TV_shows_movie_theatres/articleshow/3100739.cms

Kapil's 175 best ODI innings ever: Gavaskar

June 03, 2008 22:24 IST
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar on Tuesday described Kapil Dev's unbeaten 175-run knock against Zimbabwe during India's successful 1983 World Cup campaign as the "best one-day innings" ever.

Gavaskar recalled that it was a match that India had to win to enter the semi-final.
"When you had lost half of your side with less than 20 runs on the board, obviously it was not looking good. But this gentleman (Kapil Dev) went out and played his innings...best innings I had seen in limited overs international.

"That 175 has to be in my view the greatest knock in the World Cup," Gavaskar said while speaking at a media meet, arranged by the UB Group.

The UB Group would host a gala dinner for the 1983 World Cup winning team in London on June 25 to mark the 25th anniversary of the historic triumph.

Kapil Dev said captaining the 1983 side was not difficult as everybody was playing well at the time.
He said even after he took that famous catch of Vivian Richards off Madan Lal, the final match was still open as Clive Lloyd was still at the crease.

"Lloyd was the most dangerous player", Kapil Dev said. But Gavaskar insisted it was that catch indeed which took India to the last-four stage of the elite event.

"Kapil's 175 got us into semi-final...that catch (Richards) got us the final."
Members of the 1983 World Cup team, Roger Binny and Syed Kirmani, also shared their experience.

BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah said the Board would hold a special event in Delhi on June 22 to felicitate the players of the 1983 team.
UB Group officials said the the entire 1983 World Cup winning team would be touring the Lord's on June 25.

Kapil Dev and Gavaskar also presented a special cricket bat signed by World Cup winning team. The bat would be encrusted with diamonds and auctioned by the UB Group in association with auction house e-bay.

The proceeds of the auction would go to the members of the 1983 team, officials said.

Triumph of the underdog

June 2, 2008
Despite its share of controversies and the heady mix of glamour and cricket, the Indian Premier League's first edition would be best remembered for the triumph of the underdog wherein a retired spin legend inspired the cheapest franchisee of the event to an unexpected title win.

Shane Warne, considered by many as the best captain never to lead Australia, led a pack of unheralded players to a Rs 4.8 crore prize cheque, thus rounding off 44 days of a soap opera that had everything -- from drama to emotion -- for prime-time viewers.



An idea that many said was born out of the BCCI's need to counter the rebel Indian Cricket League, IPL was a success story even before a ball was bowled when sponsors and TV channels queued up to get a stake in what was to become one of the richest domestic leagues in any sport.
And when it actually took off, Lalit Modi's brain child only grew bigger with fans readily lapping up the idea of city-based rivalries even if that meant cheering the dismissal of perhaps their most revered icon Sachin Tendulkar.

The cricket dished out was equally exciting and the foreign recruits along with some exciting new Indian faces enthralled the packed stadias of the eight cities where the franchises were based. Source: http://specials.rediff.com/cricket/2008/jun/02sld2.htm