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Rampaging India chase history
KKR go for multiple captains
Ganguly ridicules Buchanan’s theory
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IPL: Business braces up for financial jolt
IPL broadcast rights for Rs 8,200 cr
KP, Freddie hit hard by IPL late start
Dharam Pal gallops to gold
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Rampaging India chase history
Napier, March 25 Leading 1-0 in the three-match series, the Indian team has been in decimating form and is high on confidence as it seeks to wrap up the three-match series with a win.
In contrast to India's three-seamer, one-spinner combination, New Zealand have packed their attack with two spinners and three seamers for the contest at the McLean Park. The hosts are hoping that off-spinner Jeetan Patel would give them the edge if the wicket assists spin. Patel is expected to replace medium pacer Kyle Mills, who had a poor outing in the first Test at Hamilton. But Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni doesn't see the need to add an extra spinner. "We have been quite comfortable with 3-1 combination. When it comes to three seamers and one spinner, we have part timers who have proved that they can get wickets in Test cricket also. You have Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, and Sachin Tendulkar who can bowl if it is turning," said Dhoni. But strengthening their bowling is unlikely to serve New Zealand much as it is their inexperienced batting which let them down at Hamilton. And if Daniel Flynn, who made a fighting half-century in the second innings in the first Test, fails the fitness test tomorrow, the Kiwis would be desperately short of batters who can spend long hours at the crease, something which Vettori has demanded of his beleaguered men. In the eventuality of Flynn, who had bruised his bottom hand while playing Ishant Sharma, being ruled out, New Zealand would be forced to play Jamie How, the cover for the diminutive left-hander. India will be unchanged from the first Test, which they won convincingly by 10 wickets. In recent times, India have trounced the West Indies (Trinidad, 2002), beaten Pakistan in their backyard (2004-05), humbled the Australians in their outback (Adelaide 2003-04 and Perth 2007-08), bearded the English lion in its own den (2007) and tamed the South Africans (2007). And if the current bunch can't achieve what Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi's men did in 1967-68, India will certainly find it tough to conquer the Kiwis in their own den when the Sachin Tendulkars, the Rahul Dravids, the VVS Laxmans and the Zaheer Khans are gone.
— PTI
Crowe pleads for Jeetan’s inclusion
Former Kiwi skipper Martin Crowe has staked a strong claim for Jeetan Patel to make it to the New Zealand playing XI for the second Test here tomorrow and said India's prowess against spin bowling might prove to be a blessing in disguise for the home team. Crowe believes that Patel might be hit out of the ground but will have a fair amount of chance of picking up wickets if India looks to go after him.
''My point is if they (India) hit the ball in the air and dominate, as Glenn Turner (chief selector) is concerned, then there is an opportunity to pick up wickets, like the 1992 World Cup when Dipak Patel was effective against strokemakers like Krish Srikkanth. He could have been hit out, but there was a very good opportunity to pick wickets,'' Crowe said. He said Patel was amongst the best bowlers available in the country and therefore he should be included in the side. ''You have to set the field and be proactive not negative and fearful. That is exactly what is going on in the one-dayers. Patel is one of the five best bowlers in the country and he has got to play. The general attitude should be the best bowlers in the country should play and they should be backed up with good field placements. If you cannot back them you may as well not turn up,'' he wrote in his column for 'cricketnirvana'. But Crowe also fears that the conditions at the McLean Park would make it even more difficult for New Zealand bowlers to combat the Indian batting.
— UNI
Sky snubs BCCI, sticks to McMillan
In a snub to the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI), Sky TV has again pencilled in former New Zealand and Indian Cricket League player Craig McMillan in their commentary team for tomorrow's second Test at McLean Park, here. BCCI has shunned all contacts with the rebel league and earlier in this tour had even pulled out Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik from a Masters Twenty20 match in Wellington because former ICL cricketer Hamish Marshall was playing for one team. McMillan’s - he led the Kolkata Tigers in the ICL - inclusion in the commentary team had been a bone of contention with the BCCI and Sony Entertainment Television, the broadcasting partner of New Zealand Cricket that beams the matches to India.
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KKR go for multiple captains
Kolkata, March 25 KKR coach John Buchanan said captaincy would be shared by Ganguly, West Indian Chris Gayle, New Zealand's explosive opener Brendon McCullum and Australian Brad Hodge, an announcement which will disappoint the fans of the former Indian skipper. Buchanan, however, rubbished suggestions that the move was aimed at sidelining Ganguly. "We (Sourav and I) had a long discussion yesterday and came to a conclusion that there was no need for any one captain. So, there will not be a fixed captain of the side... The concept of multiple captains is new, we'll have to see how it goes," Buchanan said in a press conference. "I am very keen to look at different ways of running the show. We have got very good calibres, leaders in Sourav Ganguly, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Brad Hodge. Then, we have a very experienced and talented leader in (Laxmi Ratan) Shukla, the Bengal captain," he added. Buchanan termed the move as "different ways of thinking" but it is being seen as a ploy to sideline the retired India batsman, who is approaching 37 and not seen by the coach to fit into the rigours of Twenty20 scheme of things. "There is no rift among us. I don't see any controversy, the so-called controversy is created by you people (media)," Buchanan said as he put his left hand around Ganguly to show a good camaraderie in front of the cameras. Ganguly, on his part, said his focus was to perform on the field. "He is the coach, he has views. My goal is to score runs and take wickets," responded the former Indian captain when asked whether he was disappointed with the KKR's move. Even before Ganguly could finish his response, Buchanan intervened to say "He is the King of Kolkata. If you (the media) are going to make a big deal about it, go ahead, we are not going to do it. The concept of multiple captains is new and we will have to see how it goes,” he said. Buchanan, who guided Australia to two World Cup titles, insisted that KKR's decision was aimed at promoting
talent.— PTI
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Ganguly ridicules Buchanan’s theory
Kolkata, March 25 Ganguly, who led the KKR team in the inaugural IPL season but is apparently being sidelined by Buchanan this year, said the situation had not got down to the stage that one should be thinking in this particular way. “Tomorrow I can jump out and say we need four batting coaches, four John Buchanans and Shah Rukh Khan can say we need six Andy Bichels,” Ganguly said. “These are all opinions, these are the way they are thinking how Twenty20 cricket can be played. We’ll have to wait and see because it's completely new, it has never happened in sports,” Ganguly told NDTV. Asked if he felt insulted by Buchanan questioning his leadership by proposing the multiple captain theory, Ganguly said, “I really don’t find anything in these words which will really bother or upset me. It’s a plan, the way he wants to play Twenty20 cricket. I think it’s his (Buchanan’s) idea, he wants to do that. “We’ve to wait and see whether it actually happens in the team or not. It's too premature to say anything on that because he feels that's the way Twenty20 cricket should be played,” he said. Ganguly denied there was any rift in the dressing room and said the team did not do well last year because they lost many players. “It was fantastic and we enjoyed last season of IPL. We didn’t do too well as a team because we really didn’t have a team last year. Players kept coming in and going away,” he said. “The way (Ricky) Ponting, (Brendon) McCullum went halfway though the season Chris Gayle, who we banked a lot upon didn’t even play a game because he was injured, (Brad) Hodge we got him as replacement in two games but he was picked for Australia. We wanted players we were available for full season and hopefully the performance will be better this year.” Ganguly dismissed the notion he and Australian coaches did not get along well. “Nothing is final yet, so I will really not jump and say it’s bad news... As he said at the press conference (earlier in the day) that he will take the decision so definitely he will be answerable. I am sure he also wants to win just the way I want to,” he said. On IPL in South Africa, Ganguly said “Oh yes, it cannot be Kolkata because the euphoria and atmosphere is completely different. But there wasn’t any choice. It’s going to be a learning process for many young players who have not been to South Africa ...it’s a different ball game out there,” he said. — PTI
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IPL: Business braces up for financial jolt
Mumbai, March 25 Organisers of the hugely popular Twenty20 tournament announced on Tuesday the eight-team league would be staged in South Africa from April 18 due to security reasons and would return to India next season. India’s cricket board (BCCI) wanted to stage the event overseas after failing to get government clearance for security cover as the tournament's dates clash with the country's general elections. The IPL, which involves many of the world's leading players, was a huge success in its inaugural edition in cricket-crazy India last year, primarily because it is structured around city-based franchises with a fan base in home and away matches. Some analysts feel the shift would erode sizeable value from the Indian market for the second edition, adding to the woes from the global economic downturn. "It will not be the same as having the tournament at home," Latika Khaneja, director of Collage Sports Management, told Reuters on Wednesday. "Advertisers will renegotiate their deals following the unfavourable change (of venue). The market is already down because of the recession. "From what I understand the BCCI is to bear the losses incurred by the franchises," she added. Owners of the franchises include a leading Bollywood actor, one of the world's richest men and a Formula One team boss. The commercial success of the first edition saw the IPL contribute close to 1 billion rupees ($19.65 million) to the exchequer last year, but the BCCI does not expect to make much profit this time due to huge extra costs involved. The BCCI has reportedly sanctioned an initial $10 million to the league to cover the costs of the switch and is willing to triple that sum. It is also ready to underwrite a part of the franchises' expenditure. Indian media has speculated the loss of revenue to small ancillary firms, merchandising companies, local sponsors and entertainment companies alone could be between 500 million and 750 million rupees. The loss from gate receipts is estimated at over 500 million rupees. "The hospitality industry will especially suffer," Lokesh Sharma of 21st Century Media, a sports management and syndication firm, told Reuters. "That's 10,000 rooms per night. Also the airline industry and tourism (will be hit)." However, the shift might actually add value to the IPL, added Sharma. "It will now be viewed as a truly international tournament and that's value addition. I don't see the major sponsors being affected, I think they will gain from it." A spokesman for title sponsor DLF, India's largest listed property firm, said the league was still value for money despite the overseas shift. “It’s a TV event. Ninety-nine percent are TV viewers. We're confident of getting as much brand visibility as last year," DLF's Sanjey Roy said. The IPL has said match timings will suit prime time television in India, enjoying global cricket’s largest viewership and the game's financial hub. — Reuters
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IPL broadcast rights for Rs 8,200 cr
Mumbai, March 25 The new agreement, which is more than double the earlier deal signed last year for 10 years with the same two parties, gives MSM the exclusive audio visual rights (in India) to all the 59 matches of the second edition of the cash-rich IPL due to start on April 18 in South Africa, a media release said today. Talking about the deal, IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi expressed his confidence that MSM would pull out all the stops in ensuring that the best technology is utilized to deliver "excellent content that is creative, innovative and enriching for the cricket fans in India and indeed across the globe." "We are absolutely delighted with the new deal inked today with WSG and Multi Screen Media, we have what we believe to be the best deal for the DLF Indian Premier League and Indian cricket fans alike", Modi added. The Cricket Board, which owns IPL, had on March 15 ended its previously signed contract with Sony and entered into an exclusive new contract with WSG on the same day. Sony challenged the termination in the Bombay High Court and the case is pending. In view of the out-of-court settlement the suit could now be withdrawn. Manjit Singh, CEO of MSM said the acquisition of the media broadcast rights for another nine years reaffirms "our commitment to the Indian sub-continent and the global cricket fan alike". "We are absolutely delighted to bring the exciting IPL line-up of Indian and international cricketers to the millions of cricket fans globally", he said. — PTI
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KP, Freddie hit hard by IPL late start
London, March 25 Pietersen, who will captain Bangalore Royal Challengers, and Andrew Flintoff, set to turn out for Chennai Super Kings, were bought for a record $ 1.55 million by their respective franchisees in the players' auction. The IPL was yesterday shifted to South Africa after its organisers failed to get the required security assurance from the Indian government. England was also in the running to host the event but unpredictable weather at this time of the year in the country tilted the scales in South Africa's favour. The league's start was pushed back by a week to April 18 which means the England pair's three weeks' work has been reduced to two. "Their pro-rata earnings will now be 300,000 pounds rather than 450,000 pounds," 'The Daily Telegraph' reported. Pietersen and Flintoff, after completing their stints with the IPL, will return to play for England against West Indies. Pietersen and Flintoff's pay-cut will also hurt their respective counties Hampshire and Lancashire, who are due to receive 10 per cent of their earnings. "Ideally I'd like to have played in India," admitted Flintoff. "It's the Indian Premier League and you have the chance to play in front of those crowds and those venues and it's a special place to play cricket. I'm disappointed we're not going there but it's still taking place and if it's South Africa then I'm sure they'll put on a great tournament, but I don't think it will quite the same as if it had been in India," he said. — PTI
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Karnal, March 25 HC Hit Karan Singh of MP police astride ‘Tushar’ won the silver medal scoring 550 points while Constable Raghwinder Singh of the BSF astride ‘Maneka’ finished with the bronze medal. In ‘Show Jumping Novice Fault and Out’ event, ASI Nirmal Singh of Haryana Police astride ‘Alexander’ won the gold while SI Ratanpura astride Shonya of Gujarat Police won the silver medal and Constable Atma Ram astride ‘Johara’ of Madhya Pradesh police finished with the bronze medal. In the ‘Quardrille Contest’ event, the MP team of Head Constable Jai Nariain, Canstable Atma Ram, Bhupender Singh and Narayan won the gold with a total of 132 points. The team from UP won the silver in this event while Punjab bagged the bronze. In the ‘Medley Relay’ event the Gujarat Police ‘B’ team of N M Tampodia, HC I S Rathore and Vasva Kumar bagged the gold. The BSF-A team won the silver in this event while the Haryana-A team finished with the bronze. — UNI
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Napier, March 25
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