Cricket 24

2012-07-10T19:14:00.004+05:30

Warne to captain Melbourne Stars in Big Bash League

Melbourne, July 10 : Melbourne Stars have signed leg-spin legend Shane Warne for the second season of the Big Bash League as the captain of the Twenty20 side.

Warne will replace hard-hitting batsman Cameron White, who endured a forgettable Big Bash season last summer.

White wants to concentrate on regaining his place in the Australian T20 team for the T20 World Cup in September.

The return of Warne, who will be 43 in September, gives the revamped Big Bash a further boost, The Herald Sun reports.

Australia's most popular player, Warne was a reason crowds numbers and Fox Sports ratings soared last summer. More than 550,000 people attended the new eight-team competition, which sold out some of the smaller grounds.

Warne played all the Stars' eight matches in the inaugural Big Bash League, taking seven wickets at an economy rate of 6.74.

While salary caps for the Big Bash are about $1 million a team, Warne is again expected to earn about 500,000 dollars thanks to a variety of third-party deals, The Herald Sun reports.

2012-07-10T19:12:00.004+05:30

Sachin's records will be broken one day: Kapil

July 10, 2012

Kapil said dedication, discipline and self confidence were the three key factors that makes a person successful.

Praising Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar for his disciplined life and dedication to the game, former Indian skipper Kapil Dev Sunday said the maestro's records will also be broken one day.

"When we were playing we used to think that whether the future will see any greater batsman than Sunil Gavaskar. But we were wrong. There have been greater players than Gavaskar. Because the game of cricket is bigger than any player."

"Sachin has played brilliantly throughout the career and has accumulated huge records but his records will also be broken one day because this is cricket," Kapil said.

2012-07-10T14:42:00.000+05:30

Tendulkar on the art of batting

July 10, 2012

Sachin Tendulkar talks to Pradeep Magazine on his approach to batting, why being technically correct is key and the importance of shot selection.

Has technical perfection been your strength right from the beginning?

Well, at the start of my career, the one thing I really needed to work on was shot selection. The shift from first-class cricket to playing the best in the world is huge. I played my first series against the likes of Imran, Wasim, Qadir, Waqar and Aaqib and the next against Hadlee and Morrison. They were all top-class bowlers and against them shot selection becomes really important, which as a 16-year-old I lacked. I spoke to a lot of guys and they said it comes with maturity, it is not going to happen overnight as you are used to reacting to a particular bowler in a certain manner. But that will change as the standard of bowling is going to get higher, and you have got to start playing differently. I felt, as time went by, my shot selection became better.

2012-07-10T14:20:00.001+05:30

Australia's Watson, Lee to miss final ODI against England

July 10, 2012

Australia vice captain Shane Watson and paceman Brett Lee will miss the fifth and final One-day International against England at Old Trafford on Tuesday after sustaining calf injuries during the fourth match of the series.

All rounder Watson had sustained an injury in his left calf and Lee, the right, Cricket Australia said in a statement.The pair would head home for scans.

"At this stage, they are anticipated to be available for consideration for selection for the ICC World Twenty20, with scan results and response to treatment to determine whether they will be available for consideration for selection for the coming series against Pakistan in the UAE," team doctor John Orchard said.

England wrapped up the series 3-0 with an eight-wicket win in the fourth ODI at Chester-Le-Street on Saturday. The third One-dayer was washed out.

Australia had already lost teenage fast bowler Pat Cummins for the series after he sustained an abdominal muscle strain in the first ODI.

Fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson or Mitchell Starc are expected to take Lee's place in the lineup, with wicketkeeper Matt Wade to open with Dave Warner in Watson's absence.

2012-07-10T12:45:00.002+05:30

Boucher's England tour ends with Eye injury

July 10, 2012

Mark Boucher's England tour is over after he had surgery to repair his left eyeball that was severely damaged during the tour match against Somerset. Boucher had had to leave the field at the end of the 46th over of Somerset's innings on Monday when a googly from Imran Tahir hit the stumps and a dislodged bail struck Boucher in the left eye. He will return to South Africa as soon as he is able to travel.

"The extent of the eye injury can be described as severe. The eyeball (globe of the eye) was repaired during the operation," Mohammed Moosajee, the South Africa manager, told ESPNcricinfo. "The long-term prognosis at this stage remains unknown. He is definitely out of the series and will return home as soon as able to travel. The selectors will announce a replacement shortly."

The setback looms as a potential career-ender as Boucher had said the tour of England would be his last. If that proves to be true, Boucher will end on 999 international dismissals, including 555 from 147 Tests, which is a record.

Thami Tsolekile, earmarked as the successor to Boucher and nationally contracted from April 1, is the likeliest candidate to be called up as the replacement wicketkeeper. Tsolekile recently played for the South Africa A side in the two unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka A and has also been named in the squad to travel to Ireland to shadow the senior side from the third Test. He last played for South Africa in 2004 when he represented the country in three Tests including one against England at Port Elizabeth.

2012-07-10T11:11:00.003+05:30

The former Test run-machine who turns 63 today

July 10, 2012

It is 25 years since Sunil Gavaskar called it a day. And twenty-five years is a very long time by any yardstick, any stretch of imagination. Yet, the world is yet to come across a Test opener who can approach the Indian in technique and temperament. It is at once a tribute to the class and quality of Gavaskar, who is celebrating his 63rd birthday today (July 10).

As an opening batsman of the highest order, Gavaskar ruled the world for 17 years -- from the day he appeared on the Test scene with a bang

(774 runs at 154.80 in the West Indies in 1971) till he felt he had had enough and hanged his prolific willow after playing a gem of an innings of 96 (out of India's disastrous innings of 204 chasing a victory target of 221) on a minefield of a pitch against Pakistan at Bangalore in 1987. There were many outstanding, world-class openers around -- Geoffrey Boycott, Glenn Turner, Roy Fredericks, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and Graham Gooch, to name some of the prominent ones -- when Gavaskar was in his prime, but none of them had his talent and the resultant phenomenal success he achieved.

There was Barry Richards, too, but South Africa's barbaric policy of apartheid had relegated him to only first-class cricket in England and

Australia as the rainbow nation was banned from international sports not long after he had scored 508 majestic runs at 72.57 in four Tests against the mighty Australians in 1969-70 in what turned out to be his only taste of the heavyweight division of cricket. Maybe, just maybe, Richards would not have allowed Gavaskar to dominate world cricket for so many years and the way he did. But it was just not in his destiny.

2012-07-10T11:07:00.000+05:30

I am ready to work with Whatmore, says Javed Miandad
July 10, 2012

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad, who was recently asked by thePakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to mentor young cricketers, has expressed his willingness to work with head coach Dav Whatmore, adding that they share a common interest of improving the players' performance.

"Whatmore and I have been assigned tasks by the board. We have one aim and that is to bring an improvement. I respect Whatmore and will have no issues in working with him. My priority is to serve my country and I will be happy to work in any capacity," The Express Tribune quoted Miandad, as saying.

PCB chief Zaka Ashraf recently asked Miandad to work with the players ahead of major tournaments including the World Twenty20 and next month's U-19 World Cup in Australia.

Miandad, who also serves as PCB's director-general, was given a similar task in 2010 by the Ijaz Butt-led board, but he had reportedly refused to work under then-coach Waqar Younis, adding that he only wanted to be answerable to the chairman.

However, the situation seems to be different this time around.

Miandad, who scored 8,832 runs in 124 Tests and 7,381 in 233 One-Day Internationals, is planning on holding extensive sessions with the batsmen.

"I have given tips to various national teams recently but this time I will make a schedule of each player and work accordingly," he said. (ANI)

2012-07-09T23:40:00.000+05:30

Tatenda Taibu quits cricket aged 29

July 9, 2012

Tatenda Taibu has retired hours after being named in Zimbabwe's provisional squad for the World Twenty20

Tatenda Taibu, the Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batsman, has announced his retirement, stating that he wants to focus on working for the church. The decision ends an 11-year international career, during which he became the youngest Test captain in history.

Taibu played 28 Tests and 150 ODIs for Zimbabwe and has quit aged only 29, usually a cricketer's prime. The decision comes as even more of a surprise as, earlier in the day, he was named in Zimbabwe's provisional squad for September's World Twenty20. A finger injury has kept him out of top-flight cricket since the tour of New Zealand early this year

"I just feel that my true calling now lies in doing the Lord's work," Taibu said, "and although I am fortunate and proud to have played for my country, the time has come for me to put my entire focus on that part of my life."

Since making his debut at the age of 18 in 2001, Taibu has been automatic pick for Zimbabwe, except for the times when he clashed with his country's cricket board. He had stepped down as captain and quit the national side back in 2005 following threats against his family. Taibu moved to South Africa in 2006 with the intention of going through the four-year qualification process to be eligible for international cricket for them. However, he reappeared for Zimbabwe in 2007.

One of the highlights of his career was his Man-of-the-Match performance in 2005 against Bangladesh, when he made 85* and 153 to help Zimbabwe draw the Test. His only other Test victory was against Bangladesh last year, when Zimbabwe returned to the format after a six-year exile. Taibu's outspoken nature was highlighted before that match as he slammed the board for not doing enough to promote cricket in the country.

He was picked as a teenager with as a potential long-term successor as wicketkeeper-batsman to Andy Flower, and while he didn't reach the heights Flower did, he forged a solid career. He finishes as the country's fourth-highest run-getter in ODIs, and only Flower has effected more dismissals than him as a one-day wicketkeeper for Zimbabwe
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2012-07-09T23:36:00.003+05:30

DRS research not shown to ICC board

Daniel Brettig

July 9, 2012

The ICC board did not take DRS to a vote but were not shown all the research

Independent research that may have swayed the ICC's executive board into approving mandatory use of the DRS was not shown at its meeting in Kuala Lumpur, despite being pivotal in convincing both the cricket committee and the chief executives' committee of the technology's accuracy.

Wally Edwards, the Cricket Australia chairman, has revealed that the research on ball-tracking conducted by Dr Ed Rosten, an expert in computer vision technology, was left off the agenda of the executive board meeting, which concluded without the issue of DRS even being put to a vote due to India's reluctance to accept its use.

The ICC will now send a mission to India to show Dr Rosten's research to the BCCI, alongside details of the enhancements made to Hot Spot, the infrared cameras used to detect edges that had their accuracy questioned after the 2011 Test series between England and India.

Edwards told ESPNcricinfo that while other members of the board had also expressed some reluctance to go ahead with mandatory use of the DRS, he believed the tabling of Dr Rosten's research may have resulted in a different outcome.

"ICC had got some independent research done on the accuracy and all those issues. Now unfortunately they didn't present that information to the board," Edwards said. "India have agreed and the boards have agreed for ICC management to go to India and take all the information, take their presentations, take their technical support and talk to them over there.

"India are willing to look at it, but they're sceptical, and others are too - it's not just India. I think it is part of the game for the future, but it's a good time to review. Unfortunately if that presentation, or whatever it is they had, had been presented to the board it might have changed things. But we probably need another process, because people would have to go back to their boards and say 'this is the latest, can we move from where we are to there'. Obviously Australia supports it, and we understand there's still an error factor, but overall it's better than what we had."

The accuracy of the DRS had been warmly endorsed by both the ICC's cricket committee and chief executives committee, with Dr Rosten's research a critical part of winning their approval. Following the CEC meeting, an ICC statement read: "CEC recommended to the Board the universal application of the DRS after being satisfied with the technology enhancements provided by new Hotspot cameras and the results of the independent research on ball tracking conducted by Dr Ed Rosten, an expert in computer vision technology. Dr Rosten had tested the accuracy and reliability of ball tracking in a recent Test series and concluded that the results were 100% in agreement with the outcomes produced from his assessments."

Much has been made of the back-room politics of the executive board, which appears to be far more consequential to the running of the global game than anything said in formal meetings. Edwards, however, said he did not find it unusual that the DRS was not tabled for a vote, based on his previous experience on various corporate and cricket boards in Australia. Instead, he awaited India's response to the research they will be presented with.

"Obviously if there are debatable issues we try to debate them. The more difficult the issue, the more you should talk," Edwards said. "But in any boards that I've been on, there are very few decisions that will actually go to a 'we're going to count the votes here' situation. Governance is one of them, but most others you'll find a consensus that says 'yeah right we'll give that a run'. I didn't find it unusual.

"We knew where India stand on it, and at this point in time they're not ready to change their thoughts. Those lines you see on TV, are they accurate, that's the scepticism. It looks accurate, but from their point of view they are reluctant just to accept it as gospel. I think it is possible they'll change, but we'll have to wait and see how they go with this new information in India."

Previous attempts have been made to demonstrate the intricacies and accuracy of ball-tracking and other technology to the BCCI, notably via a planned trip to Australia during the 2010-11 Ashes series. On that occasion the visit was at first approved by the BCCI but then ruled out due to "scheduling difficulties".