Tendulkar unveils logo of KPL Belgavi Panthers

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday launched the logo and the colours of the Belgavi Panthers Team, which will take part in the upcoming and fledging Karnataka Premier League (KPL).

The owners of the Belagavi Panthers team representing Karnataka's Belgaum city capitalised on the presence of Tendulkar in Bangalore, who is presently undergoing the four-days long fitness regime of the Indian team prior to Sri Lanka tour.

Belgavi Panthers is the name given to Belgaum Franchise and will be led by J Arun Kumar, the former Karnataka Ranji team captain, in the first season.

"I want to wish Belgavi Panthers all the very best for the current season and enjoy the game. I know the captain J Arun Kumar who is going to invite a lot of lot of energy in the team. And I just want to wish Belgavi Panthers all the luck and make the most of this. So all the very best," Tendulkar said.

He pointed out that the 20-20 tournaments are a boon for the game since economic security is assured to the players.

"In between there was a phase because of recession and also before that where the cricketers were not getting employment they were always hired on contract basis. So there were no permanent jobs and no form of security as such.

"With the introduction of the tournament (20-20 league) there are sort of recruitment as permanent jobs. So the credit goes to BCCI. For this particular tournament, Mr. Wadia is here with us. I think it's a fantastic thing to do for the youngsters and the cricketers in Karnataka," he added.

KPL tournament has been designed on the format of Indian Premier League (IPL) and many star cricketers like Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey will play for different teams in the tournament beginning from the second week of September. (ANI)

Sun, Aug 30 08:09 PM

Dumped Australia opener Phillip Hughes has set up a date with Sachin Tendulkar where he hopes to learn from the Indian stalwart's experiences following his own Ashes meltdown.

The 20-year-old left-hander lost his spot to all-rounder Shane Watson after the second test at Lord's. Australia lost the series 2-1.

"I'll chew his ear off. I've got questions about a lot of things that I want to ask him," Hughes told the Times of India newspaper on Sunday.

"I like getting around and talking to the guys who have been around for a long time."

Hughes, who scored a century in each innings in his second test after scoring a duck on debut, is in the western Indian city of Nagpur with his coach Neil D'Costa, who is head coach of a regional cricket academy in the city.

The paper said Tendulkar, who holds several international batting records, will meet Hughes in Mumbai on Monday.

Reuters

England v Australia Twenty20 match abandoned due to rain

Sun, Aug 30 11:40 PM

Heavy rain forced the first of two Twenty20 internationals at Old Trafford between England and Australia to be abandoned on Sunday.

Australia notched up 145 for four wickets from their 20 overs and had reduced the hosts to four for two before rain intervened.

The visitors found themselves 54 for three but Cameron White smashed 55 from 36 balls and added 78 for the fourth wicket with captain Michael Clarke who compiled a watchful 27 not out.

England lost openers Joe Denly for a golden duck after he top-edged a spitting Brett Lee bouncer to square leg and Ravi Bopara for one when the Englishman nudged Mitchell Johnson to slip.

The second Twenty20 will be played on Tuesday before the seven-match one-day international series from Sept. 4 to 20 begins in London at the Oval.

Reuters

India's only IPL centurion, Pandey searches for a broader identity

"C'mon boy, you're the one! Now give them that look!" Manish Pandey blushed as Rahul Dravid sledged him in good humour. India's only centurion in the IPL was doing a promo shoot for the Belagavi Panthers team in the KPL on Sunday afternoon, under the watchful eyes of the Team India members who were going through the final day of their training camp.

Life hasn't been the same for Pandey since that hundred for Bangalore Royal Challengers, and the player says one visible change is how he always tries to be stylishly turned out — low-waisted jeans, tight shirts unbuttoned slightly at the top, and spiked hair. "People recognise me now and ask for my autograph," he says. "But it's important how you handle the fame and money, especially for young guys like me. Right now, I just give everything to Mom and Dad, and am happy to be only occupied with cricket."

Despite all the IPL acclaim, Pandey is wary of being branded a T20 player. His worst fears came true when he was overlooked for the recent Emerging Players tournament. "This format is just played for fun — I'm not a specialist T20 player. I don't want to be only called the first Indian IPL centurion all my life. Real cricket is Test cricket, and I want to register my presence in the one-dayers and longer versions too. I've already spent a lot of time sulking on missing the Emerging tournament, but I've decided to stake my claim with more improved performances in the Ranji Trophy," he says.

Pandey, who was part of the victorious India under-19 World Cup team, says people everywhere keep telling him that they want to see another big century in the IPL. "I've come to terms with the fact that every time I pick up the bat from now, people will expect centuries from me. It's nice to see the expectations. Even within me I can feel a new sense of confidence when I face a delivery. One has to be realistic, and it won't be easy," he says, before adding with a wink, "but I have a reputation to defend."

The Indian Express

Sri Lanka whitewash Kiwis Vettori’s lonely battle goes in vain

COLOMBO, Aug 30: Sri Lanka clinched second spot behind South Africa in the official rankings as they swept aside New Zealand by 96 runs in the final Test on Sunday to sweep the series 2-0. Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed five wickets as the Kiwis, set an improbable victory target of 494 runs, were bowled out for 397 in their second innings just before tea on the fifth day. Sri Lanka had to overcome spirited batting by Kiwi captain Daniel Vettori and heavy rain during the lunch break that delayed resumption by 35 minutes to build on their 202-run win in the first Test at Galle. Vettori hit 140, his fourth Test century, to lead a stirring fightback by the lower order after the top batsmen had failed to put up any resistance. The left-hander frustrated the Sri Lankans for more than four hours in which he faced 189 deliveries and hit 16 boundaries, before he was last man to be dismissed.

Ishant ready for tri-series

Chandigarh, Aug 25: Fast bowler Ishant Sharma is all geared up for the new season beginning with the tri-nation series in Sri Lanka starting September 8.
Sharma, however, felt that the team will miss senior players Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan in the upcoming ODI series in Colombo — involving India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand — and in the Champions Trophy. “Sehwag is our leading batsman and Zaheer is our main strike bowler. Their presence in the team is always encouraging. We will surely miss them,” said Ishant, who was here for a promotional event Tuesday. “The pressure is always there to perform, and I am confident the team will live up to the expectation.” About his personal form, Ishant said: “I am working hard for the last few weeks. We have to constantly improve our performance.” Asked about the controversy surrounding Delhi cricketers and Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA), Ishant said: “I do not want to comment on this issue. I can only say that I was a part of Delhi team and I have not left them. I will continue playing for Delhi.” (IANS)

England down Australia by 197 runs to lift the Urn

LONDON, Aug 23: England regained the Ashes with a sweeping 197-run victory over Australia in the fifth Test at the Oval on Sunday despite a battling century from Michael Hussey that threatened to take the game into a fifth day.

A capacity crowd basking happily on a sun-baked evening erupted in scenes reminiscent of the corresponding test four years ago when a draw was enough to bring the Ashes back after 16 years.

Australia, who needed at least a draw to retain the Ashes they won back by crushing England 5-0 in 2006-7, were dismissed for 348 in their second innings after being set a record 546 for victory. The series had been tied 1-1 after Australia won the fourth test at Headingley within three days. Only Hussey defied the England attack for any length of time, scoring his 10th century. He was the last man out, caught at short-leg by Alastair Cook for 121 in five and half hours at the crease.

Earlier Andrew Flintoff produced one last moment of show-stealing brilliance as England’s cricketers prepared to celebrate the recapturing of the Ashes, after winning a battle of wills on the fourth afternoon of an excruciatingly absorbing Test match. By tea Australia had slipped from a threatening 217 for 2 to 265 for 5 in their final innings, the key moment coming when Flintoff ran out Ricky Ponting for 66 with a spectacular direct hit from mid-on.

Flintoff, now in his final Test, has not been the tub-thumping batsman of old in this series, while his bowling - though thunderous at Lord's - has faded cruelly as the concerns about his right knee have mounted. But as a presence, and as a man who can make things happen on a cricket field, his spell has scarcely diminished. In a moment that is sure to be replayed for years on end, he gathered a firm clip from Mike Hussey, steadied himself as Ponting hesitated fatally, then unleashed a fast, flat, unerring swing of the arm that plucked out the off stump with Ponting a foot short.

Five balls later, their batsman of the series, Michael Clarke ran himself out for a duck after a clip off the pads ricocheted to Andrew Strauss at leg slip, and Australia had not remotely recovered their poise when Marcus North dragged his back foot out of the crease as he shouldered arms to a big ripper from Graeme Swann, and Matt Prior - almost as an afterthought - flicked off the bails with wide-eyed glee. Their target of 546 had become a distant figment of their imagination, and their only remaining incentive is to grind out the final four sessions of the series. England's progress had not seemed so inevitable for the two-and-a-half hours that Ponting and Hussey had been together. After overcoming the loss of both openers in the space of four balls in the first half-hour of the day, the pair played with calm aplomb on a still-untrustworthy surface, to neuter the threat posed by Swann and Stuart Broad, England's likeliest source of breakthroughs, and force Strauss to rotate his options, with Steve Harmison finally being called upon for a spell, having sent down just nine overs so far in the match. After the ease with which Australia's openers had pushed along at four runs an over on the third evening of the match, England's day of destiny dawned with more than just a frisson of anxiety in the air. But Swann claimed the initial breakthrough at the end of his second over, tweaking a succession of sharply spinning offbreaks past Simon Katich's edge, before nailing him plumb lbw with the arm-ball. Swann bounced for joy in the middle of the pitch as a massive roar of relief and ecstasy erupted from the stands, but almost immediately the fervour morphed into a respectful standing ovation for the incoming Ponting, in his 136th Test and almost certainly his last in England after four memorable Ashes tours.

Brief Score: England 332 & 373/9d Australia 160 & 348 (102.2 ov) (Agencies)

Aussies must wear out Flintoff, play positive: Warne

Melbourne, Aug 20 (PTI) Australia need to play aggressive and positive cricket and wear out Andrew Flintoff in the first session of the final Test if they have to beat England at the Oval and retain the Ashes urn, reckons Shane Warne.

"With the Ashes up for grabs over the next five days, Australia need to play positive cricket from ball .. if we are to retain the famous little urn," Warne wrote in his column in Daily Telegraph.

"Australia must remain aggressive and try to win the Test match. If Ricky Ponting and the boys take in a conservative approach and just try to bat for long periods at The Oval it could hurt them and they could pay the ultimate price," he wrote.

The legendary leg-spinner also advised the Australians to strategise Flintoff's early fall to improve their chances of winning the series deciding Test match.

Pollock insists ODI still the best limited-over format

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 17: Fans may drool over Twenty20 but former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock refuses to switch allegiance and insists One-day cricket remains the best limited-over format.

Looking ahead at next month's Champions Trophy, Pollock said One-day was a great format and he could not wait for the elite top-eight event to get underway. “It’s a great format and I’m glad the tournament’s coming to South Africa,” Pollock said. “Having played a lot (of 50-over cricket), maybe I’m a bit more of a sucker when it comes to appreciating the game. The fast 20-over game has caught the imagination of many but if you get off to a bad start then you can cost yourself the game.

“There is a lot of skill involved in the 50-over game and it’s over a much longer period, so that allows teams to have a bit of a mishap and recover from it and you’ve got time to implement tactics,” said the former all-rounder.

“I think ODIs are still the best format of limited-overs cricket, especially with regard to making sure the best team comes out on top,” he added.

Pollock hailed the format of Champions Trophy which features the top eight-ranked international sides in a short, sharp contest of 15 matches in two weeks from September 22.
“It’s a great format, I’m glad the tournament’s come here and I’m glad they’re continuing with the (Champions) Trophy,” he added. (PTI)

Tendulkar can continue as long as he wants: Ganguly

KOLKATA, Aug 14: Age might be catching up with Sachin Tendulkar but former India captain Sourav Ganguly feels the Mumbai veteran is the best cricketer in the world right now and can continue as long as he wants. The iconic left-hander said his 36-year-old former opening partner is a better batsman than him and can pick the time to call it quits. “To be honest, he is a bigger player than I am. He deserves to go whenever he wants to. He is probably the best in the world with (the retired) Brian Lara. He can play until anytime he wants and I am sure his performance will remain consistent,” Ganguly said in an interview on Friday. Ganguly said he enjoyed partnering Tendulkar at the top and doesn’t regret quitting earlier than him. “We have enjoyed a lot together at the top of the order and contributed thousands of runs. But I have taken a decision to quit. So, there is nothing to regret. I am sure he would also take the decision (to call it quits) at some stage,” the 37-year-old player said.

No positive tests returned - Modi

Indian Premier League chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi insists no player returned an adverse test in the 2009 tournament held in South Africa.

Cricket South Africa earlier confirmed fast bowler Dale Steyn has been asked to explain an abnormal finding in a drugs test conducted during the IPL.

Steyn, who was on duty with Bangalore Royal Challengers at the time of the test, had shown higher than normal amounts of morphine in a drugs test conducted during the IPL.

However, Modi said no player had tested positive.

"I'm aware of the reports from South Africa, but I can say that our anti-doping agency has not given us any input that Steyn or any other player had failed a dope test," Modi said.

Steyn's increased levels of morphine is believed to have been caused by painkillers the fast bowler used to relieve chronic migraines.

Modi indicated Steyn may have obtained a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) and hence would not face sanctions from the IPL.

"It's possible that he (Steyn) had declared that he was using a prescribed drug," Modi said.

"In any case, it's for Cricket South Africa or the International Cricket Council to take any action if needed."

Steyn has responded to the IPL's doping authorities and Cricket South Africa are confident his explanation will prove satisfactory.

The Proteas' team doctor, Mohammad Moosajee, said: "During the IPL's normal doping tests they found an abnormal analytical finding in one of Dale's tests.

"Since last summer Dale has been laid low by chronic migraines and has been taking a codeine painkiller called Myprodol. In the body codeine converts into morphine and the normal level of morphine is one microgram (per ml), Dale was at around 1.1 to 1.3.

"Because he was slightly above the level, they wanted to know why. A letter has been written to the IPL and we are awaiting the reply.

"But this is an adverse analytical finding and that is totally different from a doping violation."

Moosajee also insisted he was fully confident it would not be long before Steyn, who kept a written log of his medication intake, was fully cleared.

"As soon as the IPL come back to us and tell us they accept the explanation it will not be a problem, this happens all the time with players," he said.

"Until the finality comes from the IPL we won't know but we are confident right now that this is not a big issue."

Myprodol is not a banned substance and Moosajee believes there may have been a misunderstanding surrounding its use due to a branding issue.

Players are allowed to apply for a TUE for certain products.

Moosajee said: "Dale wrote down what he had been taking for his migraines but he and the team physios are obviously South Africa based. Myprodol may not be called Myprodol where he was playing so they wanted to know why the levels were high."

© Cricbuzz

ICC working group to discuss WADA issue

The International Cricket Council's working group would hold a teleconference on Wednesday night to discuss the controversial 'whereabouts' clause of the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) code, which Indian players refused to sign.

The group, chaired by Timm Kerr, includes the likes of ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, BCCI secretary N Srinivasan, ICC principal advisor IS Bindra and former India captain Anil Kumble, who would possibly discuss the ways to resolve the current crisis.

India's leading cricketers, including master batsman Sachin Tendulkar and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, were reluctant to sign the much-debated 'Whereabouts Requirements' clause of the Code which, they claim, infringes on their privacy.

The cricketers were unhappy with the clause which makes it necessary for them to give details about their availability for one hour every day for random out-of-competition testing by WADA officials.

Reacting to their opposition, WADA said the Anti-doping Code was framed for the "effective fight against doping", which has been accepted by a large number of international sporting organizations.

© Cricbuzz

Saeed Anwar likely to have key position

Former Pakistan captain Saeed Anwar is likely to get a key position with the national cricket team after the left-handed opener held a discussion with the PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt in Lahore on Wednesday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said Butt met with Anwar and discussed how his services could be utilised by the national team.

"The PCB Chairman and Saeed (Anwar) will meet again in the coming week to discuss the plan in detail," the board said.

Butt thanked Anwar for offering to assist the PCB and Pakistani players.

"I am thankful for Saeed's encouraging response and I am sure Saeed will be able to contribute a lot to Pakistan cricket," he said.

Anwar, a stylish left handed opener, has largely remained out of the limelight since his retirement in 2003 as he has devoted most of his time to religious activities.

© PTI

Yuvraj jumps to No.2 after WI series

It was an Indian one-two in the ICC ODI Rankings as dashing left-hander Yuvraj Singh zoomed to a career best second place, in the table topped by his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Despite winning the four-match series against the West Indies, there was, however, no such good news for India as Dhoni's men missed a chance to reclaim the second spot in the ICC ODI Championship and remained third.

India needed to win all their matches against the West Indies but they went down in the second tie at Sabina Park even though it could not deny them a 2-1 series win in the Caribbeans.

Yuvraj made scores of 131, 35 and 2 in the three matches against the West Indies while the fourth ODI in St Lucia was washed out yesterday. His series contribution helped him jump two places and he now sits behind Dhoni who has consolidated his number one position.

Dhoni, whose place was under threat from Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Yuvraj, produced a consistent performance to strengthen his position at the top.

The wicketkeeper-batsman made scores of 41, 95 and 46 not out to walk away with the player of the series award.

Dhoni now leads Yuvraj by a comfortable 44-point margin.

The team-mates are likely to resume their battle for the top spot in September when India plays Sri Lanka and New Zealand in a proposed tri-series in Sri Lanka.

Yuvraj's leap by two places means Chanderpaul and Gayle have dropped one place each to the third and fourth places respectively.

There was bad news for India opener Gautam Gambhir, who has slipped four places to share 20th spot with New Zealands Ross Taylor. Gambhir scored 57 runs in the series with his highest score being 44 in the third ODI at St Lucia.

Yuvraj, meanwhile, has fallen out of the top five of the ICC Player Rankings for all-rounders.

The left-arm spinner remained wicketless while conceding 53 runs off six overs in the series and his failure to pick up a few wickets means he has slipped five places to eighth position.

Yuvraj's fall has benefitted the Pakistan duo of Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi, who have risen to joint-third spot, and the fifth placed Jacob Oram.

In the bowlers' charts, Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh lost three places to 26th while Praveen Kumar dropped six places to 33rd.

Ishant Sharma, however, managed to move up two rungs to 39th.

© PTI

Skipper Afridi inspires Pakistan's T20 win

Shahid Afridi shone with bat and ball on his debut as Pakistan's Twenty20 captain to steer the world champions to an emphatic 52-run win over Sri Lanka here on Wednesday.

Afridi smashed 50 off 37 balls in Pakistan's 172-5, and then claimed 1-21 in four economical overs and effected a run out with a direct throw as Sri Lanka were shot out for 120 with 11 balls to spare.

A sell-out crowd of 35,000 at the overflowing Premadasa stadium watched the first T20 match between the two teams since the World Twenty20 final in England in June, when Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

The result was the same as seamer Rana Naved and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal picked up three wickets each to stun the hosts.

Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals with skipper Kumar Sangakkara the only batsman to offer resistance against the fired-up Pakistanis with 38 off 31 balls.

Afridi, who was man of the match in both the semi-final and final at the Worlds, once again dominated the battle to help Pakistan end an otherwise dismal tour of Sri Lanka on a winning note.

Pakistan had lost the preceding Test series 2-0 and conceded the one-dayers by a 2-3 margin during the six-week tour.

Afridi hit two sixes and four boundaries after taking over the Twenty20 team from Test and one-day skipper Younus Khan, who has retired from the shortest format of the game.

Pakistan, who elected to bat after winning the toss, lost a wicket off the first ball when Kamran Akmal was bowled by Nuwan Kulasekara after attempting a big heave.

The other opener, Imran Nazir, cracked five fours and a six in his 40 off 28 balls to boost the total as Pakistan moved to 59-3 by the eighth over.

Teenager Umar Akmal, who hit a 20-ball 30, put on 66 for the fourth wicket with Afridi.

Abdul Razzaq and Misbah-ul Haq added a quickfire 33 as Pakistan plundered 47 runs in the last five overs to leave Sri Lanka facing a daunting target of 8.7 runs an over.

Afridi happy with aggressive approach

Shahid Afridi praised his team's response to his call for aggressive cricket as Pakistan capped their tour of Sri Lanka with a convincing victory in the one-off twenty20 international in Colombo.

Afridi himself played a big part in the win with a knock of 50 off 37 deliveries, thus helping ensure that his first match as captain started on a winning note.

Afridi said the victory helped restore some pride after losing the Test and one-day series.

"At the start I told them we are champions and we should play like champions," Afridi said.

"They responded very well and did a marvelous job. This victory is very important for us.

"We lost the Test series and the one-day series so there was nothing else to win but this game."

Afridi said he enjoyed captaining in the twenty20 format.

"Yes I like captaining in this format of the game," he said.

"It needs a positive effort and that's exactly what the guys brought to the field.

"In twenty20, the body language is very important. I told them at the start that I'm an aggressive captain and I wanted an aggressive approach from them as well.

"So the batting was good and we were sharp in the field as well and it was a good effort all around."

Afridi believes Pakistan's bowling attack has a lot of potential and sees a bright future for the young bowlers.

"I think we have a great bowling attack as well," he said.

"The fast bowlers did really well at the start and set it up nicely for Saeed Ajmal. I think they have a lot of potential."

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara felt his team's fielding let them down.

"We tried and trying is good, but at the end of the day you got to go out there and win it," Sangakkara said.

"We gave them 20 to 25 runs too many on this track. But going forward from here, we've really got to up the standard of our fielding.

"As for the batting, we got a good start and a couple of partnerships in the middle but then again we fell away at the end.

"We would have liked to chase something between 155 and 160, but the last time India played here they chased 170 plus and won," he said.

"We would have done the same had we applied ourselves a little more.

"But we shouldn't get disheartened from this. We have to learn from this and we've got to trust the players that we select to go out there and do the job."

Sri Lanka next host New Zealand with the first of two Tests beginning next week.

"New Zealand would be a new series a new kind of team," Sangakkara said.

"We've just got build on what we've done well and learn from our mistakes.

"We've got to get our mindset back to Test cricket, everyone should be keen to do well and up their standards and work hard."

© Cricbuzz

PL III to start on March 12 in Hyderabad

MUMBAI, Aug 11: Four new venues and a third place playoff match will be introduced in the third Indian Premier League which will get underway in Hyderabad on March 12, 2010 with a game between IPL II winners Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders. The final of the 45-day Twenty20 cricket league, which proved a huge success in its first two editions in India and South Africa, would be held on April 25, IPL Chairman Lalit Modi announced after a meeting of its Governing Council on Tuesday. IPL III will have four additional match staging centres — Nagpur, Vishakhapatnam, Ahmedabad and Dharamsala — and will also stage one extra match, the 60th, for the third place play-off, Modi said. “The playing window remains the same, 45 days”, Modi said before adding that the Governing Council also decided to include two more franchisees in IPL IV to be held in 2011. “There would be 94 games in all with each franchisee playing 18, instead of 14 preliminary phase games. But the window would remain more or less the same,” Modi said. (PTI)