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Ready to host IPL if asked: ECB
IPL host country, schedule today: Modi
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Moles warns India of Kiwi backlash
India-New Zealand series
England eves win World Cup
SA claim innings win despite Johnson’s heroics
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Ready to host IPL if asked: ECB
London, March 22 “We have a very good relationship with the BCCI if they need any help on matters,” he said. “We normally talk to them a great deal and we would be delighted to help again.” South Africa is another possible venue and its cricket board chief Gerald Majola has confirmed IPL officials approaching them for possibility of hosting the Twenty20 event. Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe expressed confidence that England could host IPL even at a short notice. “I’m sure it would be possible (to stage the IPL in England),” he said. “We have picked up lots of experience recently of hosting world-class events and the ECB can do that,” Sutcliffe said. International Cricket Council president David Morgan was, however, taken by surprise at the news of IPL shifting outside India and felt it would be difficult for any country to stage the event at such short notice. “That is quite surprising news, they have had real difficulties with the elections on in India,” he said. “I honestly don’t know (where it will be staged) but the rumours were that South Africa was a likely relocation destination but there has been nothing official. “It’s the beginning of the season in England and Wales and there is a lot of Twenty20 cricket being played including the ICC World Twenty20. I do think there will be great difficulties in relocating it.” CSA confirms BCCI offer
Cape Town: After initially denying any approach by the BCCI, Cricket South Africa today said IPL officials have contacted them on the possibility of hosting the second edition of the Twenty20 tournament in the country. Only yesterday, Majola had dismissed any talks of South Africa hosting the IPL as “rumours”. “CSA has had no official approach in this regard either from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the IPL and we do not know where these rumours are emanating from,” he had said yesterday. But after BCCI today announced that the IPL would be shifted out of India, Majola said his board has been contacted by its Indian counterpart though nothing concrete has yet come out. “We received an official approach this morning to be one of several options they are considering to host the tournament outside India. We do not know what the other options are and it is not for us to comment on that,” Majola said in a statement. “At this stage we are looking forward to holding discussions with IPL officials to discuss the proposal in detail. It is a huge compliment to Cricket South Africa’s organisational skills, facilities and infrastructure that we are being asked to host another major international event,” Majola added. CSA’s commercial and cricket manager Kass Naidoo said if IPL decides to hold the tournament in South Africa, her board is ready for it. “We have been contacted by the IPL now and it looks like there is a possible opening for the IPL. Obviously there are a lot of discussions that have to happen,” she said. “It’s a massive tournament and CSA is confident that it can host it, but we will be holding a meeting with the IPL in the next couple of days and more information would emerge after the meeting. It’s quite a challenge to host a tournament of this proportion at such short notice, but it will be an exciting challenge. “We have the infrastructure, the facilities and the people on the ground to assist the IPL to stage a successful tournament. We have hosted big tournaments in the past such as the Twenty20 World Cup and we are confident we can host the IPL as well.”
— PTI |
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IPL host country, schedule today: Modi
Mumbai, March 22 The league will be held either in South Africa or England after security apprehensions owing to a clash of dates with the general elections forced the organisers to take the April 10-May 24 event out of India. “We will have the final schedule and which country will host the IPL by tomorrow evening. We have multiple schedules, multiple venues, multiple countries available to us. Now we just need to re-schedule the matches. Each team will have a home in another country, another state and another stadium,” Modi told reporters after meeting the eight franchise owners. Modi insisted that the "made-for-television event" would be held taking into account the prime-time slot in India. “I guarantee that the first match will start at 4.00 pm India time and the second match will be held 8.00 pm India time, at prime time for all the fans to be able to watch them,” he said. Modi refused to blame any one for the IPL's shift of venue and insisted that the tournament will be back in the country next year. “I don’t blame anybody for anything. Let's not politicise the issue,” he said. Semifinal, final not possible in India
Modi ruled out the possibility of hosting at least the semifinals and final of Twenty 20 league in India. “We explored all possibilities of moving the semifinals and final to India. But it would have been too exhausting for the players. Players have to go back to England for the World Twenty20 Cup (beginning on June 5),” Modi said. The second edition of the IPL would be held abroad, most probably in England from April 10 to May 24, following the decision to this effect taken by the Cricket Board today. Modi said that the Twenty 20 event would be a loss making venture for the Board as it had made all arrangements, including logistics, centrally. “Cost is not an issue. We will cover it all. We are not concerned whether we make a profit or loss. We need the continuity,” he said. He also said it was upto the franchises on the number of players they wanted to take to the host country in the second edition. “The franchisee owners have option to take any number of players. They can try to limit the number of players that are going to take up,” he said. Modi made it clear that the event cannot be held in more than one country because of logistical reasons. “In a tournament of this magnitude the 49 matches cannot be held in more than one country. Logistics come into account. It is a mammoth task and it is going to only one country,” Modi said.
— PTI |
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Moles warns India of Kiwi backlash
Hamilton, March 22 “We will practice hard and review our team, the Indians and on how we can do things better. I can promise you that Indians will face a lot sterner examination than they did in the first Test,” said Moles. India won the first Test by an emphatic 10 wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-match series and record their first win in the Antipodes since 1976. Moles was critical of the Kiwis' performance in Hamilton but hoped for a better outing at McLean Park, Napier as the hosts try to stop India from winning a Test series in New Zealand since Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi-led side won in 1967-68. “We know we didn’t do the basics well enough. We just didn’t bat long enough in pairs and didn’t bowl well enough in pairs. Something we pride ourselves in is our fielding, but we were disappointed in that aspect too. We are looking forward to Napier and are keen to get a better account of ourselves,” said the Englishman. Moles expressed disappointment with his batsmen's performance in the first Test. “Some of them got out to poor dismissals, to a combination of a little bit of pressure and fine bowling. We have got to make sure through our own diligent method that our batters bat at least two sessions and develop partnerships,” Moles said. He also urged them to follow Tendulkar's century innings in Hamilton where he was slightly edgy initially before taking the New Zealand bowlers to task. “It is all about making sure we bat for long periods of time. Sachin showed that emphatically. In earlier parts of his innings, by his own admission, he wasn’t fluent. But he got through those difficult times. As he got in, it got easier. “There is an age-old saying that the ‘longer you bat, the easier it gets’. So that is what our batters need to do,” said Moles. The 48-year-old also hoped middle-order batsman Daniel Flynn and fast bowler Iain O'Brien would be fit for the second Test. Flynn has a bruised left hand while O'Brien has a side strain. Flynn made a gritty 67 in the second innings while lasting close to 300 minutes at the crease, something which none of the other Kiwi batsmen did. — PTI
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India-New Zealand series Winning a Test match overseas is an exhilarating feeling and Dhoni and his team must be delighted that they have broken a 33-year jinx in New Zealand with a most emphatic win. Coincidentally the win in 1976 was also by 10 wickets after a sterling bowling performance by old fox Erapalli Prasanna where he bamboozled the Kiwi batsmen to capture eight wickets. He was as usual well supported by that magician Chandrasekhar and the underrated but big-hearted Venkataraghavan. Here it was Harbhajan Singh who weaved a web around the Kiwi batsmen, sending them to their doom and at the same time silencing all those who question his performances overseas. Anybody who has got over 300 Test wickets is a special bowler but unfortunately in India a player is not allowed a bad match or two but has to perform in every game. Just to remind everybody the guys who are scoring runs and taking wickets are the same against whom so much mud was flung after the defeat in the 2007 World Cup. All those who destroyed Mahendar Singh Dhoni’s house are probably the same shameless ones who crowd around him now to get their mugs in photos but will not so much as dip their hands in their pockets to make up for the destruction caused. Not that it will affect “Captain Cool” who has led as usual from the front and looks like repeating another icon Tiger Pataudi as the Indian skipper to win a series in New Zealand. Dhoni is excellent at man management and the manner in which he praises his seniors and gives a ticking off to the juniors, when needed, is an example of that. He and Gary Kirsten have struck a great rapport and have got the team to gel like never before. Seeing the manner in which Tendulkar is batting just shows the kind of effect that Greg Chappell had during his time the little champion was a poker and prodder of the ball while at the crease. Now he is back to stroking the ball and getting the big scores that he used to so regularly before "Guru Greg". Quite clearly "Gyani Gary" is having a positive impact on the Indian team and that’s good news for Indian cricket. Well done boys and make a clean sweep now. — PMG
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Sydney, March 22 Shaw, who became the first bowler to scalp four wickets in the final of an Women's World Cup, creditably capitalised on morning weather condition to stiffle the opponent batting line-up and reached her best ODI figure of 4-34. Earlier, New Zealand skipper Haidee Tiffen won the toss and elected to bat first. The black caps suffered an early jolt when opener Kate Pulford (8) was dismissed cheaply by England pacer Isa Guha on the eighth over. Both the England opening bowlers, Katherine Brunt and Isa Guha extracted early morning movement to baffle the batters who were failing to middle the ball with alarming regularity. Nicky came in action as the first-change bowler for England and soon struck by sending back Suzie Bates (2) and Amy Satterthwaite (0) in the twelfth over, leaving New Zealand struggling at 49 for three. Nicky's immaculate line and length continued to trouble the New Zealand bowlers as she bagged her third wicket by dismissing second opener, skipper Haidee, who was in defiant mood while playing a smart 30 run-innings off 56 balls, before wicket-keeper Sarah Taylor pouched her well. — PTI Scoreboard New Zealand: K Pulford c SC Taylor b Guha 8 H Tiffen c SJ Taylor b Shaw 30 S Bates c Atkins b Shaw 2 A Satterthwaite c SJ Taylor b Shaw 0 S McGlashan c Greenway b Colvin 21 A Mason b Marsh 13 N Browne lbw b Shaw 25 S Tsukigawa c SJ Taylor b Brunt 2 L Doolan st SJ Taylor b Marsh 48 S Devine lbw b Edwards 0 R Priest not out 0 England: SJ Taylor c Tiffen b Doolan 39 C Atkins c Devine b Doolan 40 SC Taylor b Mason 21 C Edwards c Priest b Doolan 10 L Greenway c Satterthwaite b Mason 8 B Morgan run out 9 N Shaw not out 17 H Colvin not out 5
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SA claim innings win despite Johnson’s heroics
Cape Town, March 22 Left-arm spinner Paul Harris took six for 127 and fast bowler Dale Steyn three for 96. South Africa were on course for a crushing victory when Australia lost their sixth wicket at 218, still 224 short of avoiding an innings defeat. But McDonald and Johnson, voted man of the series, went for their shots and thrashed a tiring bowling attack. They put on 163 in 122 minutes off 161 balls to break the Australian seventh wicket record against South Africa of 160 by Richie Benaud and Graham McKenzie in 1963/64. The stand was ended when McDonald was caught at silly mid-off off Harris. Johnson was on 95 while Peter Siddle was out first ball, also caught at silly mid-off. — AFP Scoreboard Australia (1st innings): 209 Australia (2nd innings)
(overnight 102-2):
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London, March 22
Mumbai, March 22
Sydney, March 22
We are happy that the tournament is being held. It was unfortunate that it is not in India despite trying to adjust the dates because of the ensuing general elections. All the franchises without exception wanted the show to go on. IPL has assured us all that the financial interests will be fully protected, which shows true commitment on the part of the IPL and the BCCI. The change in venue does not mean that the competitive spirit would change. Fans across the country should not really complain. They will be able to watch on television
My first objective was that I did not want IPL to be cancelled. Having the event in any country is good as long as it is during Indian television prime time (4 pm and 8 pm starts). Cost is something that IPL is looking at. IPL has said that we will not have a loss. IPL are saying that they will bear the losses. IPL is doing it (commercial aspect) carefully
The news that we received at the owners’ conference is disappointing, given the huge anticipation and excitement that exists for the IPL in India. However, if the choice is no tournament, or the tournament in another country, then we clearly prefer the latter. The locations and options presented are all viable, and we are working closely with the IPL, as they formulate a decision over the next 24 hours.
As Shah Rukh said, we have to take elections into consideration. We have no problem with that. Fans won’t be a problem. We have lot many fans everywhere
Off course the local buzz wouldn't be as strong as it is here but I guess elections will take care of the buzz. 
