ICC Twenty20 Cricket 2009

Kotla was too dangerous to continue: Sangakkara

2009-12-31T02:57:00.001-08:00

Breaking his silence on the Feroz Shah Kotla pitch fiasco, Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara said the track did not look "normal" soon after the first five overs and was too dangerous to continue playing.

"Even after 6-10 overs, we could feel that the pitch was not normal. But the Match Referee (Alan Hurst) said 'I cannot do anything. It was a call for the on-field umpires to take'.

"We spoke to the fourth umpire as well. We cannot, from outside, make a request to the umpire. The two on-field batsmen had to make a request," Sangakkara said after his team returned from India losing both the Test and ODI series.

"The umpires were also waiting to see whether the pitch would improve. By the 23rd over, they knew that it did not even out. Then (Muthumudalige) Pushpakumara got hit and (Thilina) Kandamby nearly got hit," he told reporters here.

"Kandamby spoke to the umpire who said they were also waiting for the pitch to improve but that it had not. So, it was a dangerous batting pitch to play on," he added.

After 23-odd overs, the match was abandoned as odd balls reared up alarmingly.

As a fallout, Kotla now faces an international ban even though the Delhi and District Cricket Association officials alleged that the Lankans "chickened out" of the match fearing defeat.

Looking back at the disappointing tour, Sangakkara said among the few positives was the way some youngsters performed.

"We saw how the young players Suranga Lakmal, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera and Suraj Randiv performed. Young players are starting to realise it's anybody's game now and we are going to see them pushing everyone for places, not just for the World Cup but for other tours as well. It's a great step forward in Sri Lanka cricket," he said last evening.

Chairman of Sri Lankan selectors Ashantha de Mel also felt that despite the poor results, the performance of the team was not all that bad.

"I don't think our performance was that bad. We play quite a lot of cricket. The main thing we need to improve is bench strength for people who got injured. There were 10 people who got injured when we were in India. We had five debutants in the ODI series alone. Despite all that we showed lot of character," De Mel said.

Sangakkara said the fielding was one area where the Lankans need to improve.

"These days the matches are won or lost by two, three, four or five runs," he added

Abu Dhabi may host WC 0211 matches

2009-06-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

Abu Dhabi and Dubai may host Pakistan's share of 2011 World Cup matches as the International Cricket Council is looking into such a proposal by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

United Arab Emirates hosted a one-day series against Australia in April-May in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and a meeting of delegates from the ICC and the four host nations at Lord's on Monday did not rule the two cities hosting matches of the 2011 showpiece event.

"The options are that the games could be reallocated amongst the three other host nations, but we have not ruled out the prospect of some of Pakistan's games perhaps being played in what might be termed a fifth country," Morgan said after the meeting.

As per the previous decision of ICC Development International (ICC's commercial arm), Pakistan will not host any match, but Morgan said the IDI will again take a call."We have our plans in place for the majority of the matches, if not all of them, to be staged in the Indian subcontinent.

"It is the commercial board of ICC that has to make the decision in terms of the location of those 14 matches. Ideally it would be very good if the four host nations could come up with a recommendation. Whether that will occur or not is uncertain at the moment," he said.

The cricket Boards of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have also agreed to Pakistan getting $10.5 million as hosting fees of 2011 World Cup even if the trouble-torn country did not host a single match. As per IDI's previous decision, Pakistan will not host matches but the PCB will still be recognised as hosts and retain fees from its original allocation of 14 matches.

Each World Cup host country is guaranteed a payment of $750,000 for every allocated match, and co-hosts Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka accepted that if any of Pakistan's 14 matches were to take place in their countries, they would not be due a fee for hosting them.

"Pakistan remains a co-host and retains its host fees for the 14 matches originally scheduled to take place there before the decision to remove the country as a host location for the tournament," the ICC statement said. "Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka all accepted that if any of those 14 matches were to take place in their countries, then they would not be due any fee for hosting them," it said.

Morgan ruled out switching the 2011 World Cup to Australia and New Zealand, the designated hosts of the 2015 event."We did discuss the possibility of giving the 2011 World Cup to Australia and New Zealand, but that is not an option. Those two countries will hold the tournament in 2015", he said

West Indies in the Semis

2009-06-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

The experience of Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul guided West Indies into the ICC World Twenty20 semi-finals after the top order threatened to lose their heads in a reduced chase of 80 in nine overs. A succession of wild shots meant West Indies were 45 for 5 in the sixth over, but Sarwan and Chanderpaul calmly added 37 to complete the victory with four balls to spare and send the hosts out.

Chris Gayle wanted to have the final say in the extended duel between these two teams which dates back to February. He briefly threatened to carry the chase on his own but was yorked by a beauty from Ryan Sidebottom and he was grateful for calmness of his two senior batsmen. A second brilliant piece of glovework from James Foster to stump Dwayne Bravo had put England on top, but Sarwan and Chanderpaul showed there is room for sensible batsmanship even in a nine-over thrash.

When Sarwan hit the winning boundary with four balls to spare the rest of the team - apart from Gayle who strode out at his own pace - sprinted onto the outfield in scenes reminiscent of their 2004 Champions Trophy victory on the same ground. Weeks of moping around England for the Tests and one-dayers were long forgotten.

A heavy thunderstorm after England's innings concluded on 161 for 6 meant Duckworth-Lewis came into use. It would have been understandable if West Indies were nervous at the prospect after John Dyson's embarrassing error during the one-day series, when he handed England victory, but the calculations benefited West Indies as much as they knew what was needed and could attack hard.

However, they almost went too hard. Andre Fletcher bagged his third duck in a row when he top-edged a pull off James Anderson, although Gayle was only going to play one way. He slammed Sidebottom's first ball over midwicket and then cracked him over cover, but the bowler responded in fine style as he speared a yorker under Gayle's bat.

Stuart Broad struck with his first ball when Lendl Simmons carved to third man and there was a manic nature about the run-chase that threatened to unravel West Indies' hopes. Paul Collingwood used his bowlers in one-over spells and when the three-over Powerplay was finished he brought Graeme Swann into the attack. The offspinner responded with five excellent deliveries that yielded three runs, but the sixth ball was lofted over long-off for six by Kieron Pollard.

Collingwood then gambled by tossing the ball to Adil Rashid - preferred in this game to Dimitri Mascarenhas - and his first delivery was magnificently driven over extra cover by Bravo. In two shots, West Indies were back in front and the pressure was on a young spinner. That Rashid responded with a top-spinner to bowl Pollard is a huge credit to him and shows great promise for the future.

Then came what looked a pivotal moment as Bravo was beaten by Swann's flight and Foster made a split-second stumping as the batsman raised his foot. At that moment West Indies needed 35 from 22 balls, but this time Foster wasn't a match-winner.

Sarwan drove Anderson through cover and whipped him behind square for a second boundary and that was to prove the final twist. Chanderpaul nudged, nurdled and responded to his partner's screams to run hard (despite an injured thigh) and swung a priceless boundary past fine leg that meant Sidebottom would have little to work with in the final over.

England will look back and think the reduction in overs was harsh on them, but once again the batting had failed to build on a solid start against an attack lacking Fidel Edwards who was forced out moments before the toss with a back injury.

As Ravi Bopara and Kevin Pietersen added 56 all was looking good, but once Pietersen picked out deep square-leg with a top-edged lap the innings stalled and nearly went backwards. There wasn't a boundary from the 11th over until the penultimate ball of the innings, when Broad swept Sulieman Benn and followed it up with a clean straight six as the bowler struggled with a wet ball.

Bopara's 55 from 47 balls was full of elegance and class, with two on-drives as perfect as you could wish to see, but at times it seemed as though others were playing with hollow bats. Bopara and Pietersen managed 10 of the 13 fours between them and a lack of power in the middle order was cruely exposed. It is that absence of brutal hitting that was decisive, not the rain.

Testing time starts for India in ICC Twenty20 Cricket

2009-06-12T01:16:00.001-07:00

The business end of the tournament is about to begin for India, who have gone into the Super Eights under-tested. They have gone about their task effectively though, and without fuss, and facing them are a side who have been a total contrast. West Indies have been unpredictable, mercurial at times and pedestrian otherwise, and have relied on individual performances to lift them up.

Beware the individual spark though. The kind of innings Chris Gayle played against Australia can beat any team in the world on its own. The team officials are confident Gayle will be back for this match after he missed the inconsequential league game against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. India's counterpart of Gayle, the man capable of playing a similar innings at the top, Virender Sehwag, is not in town. Now starts the real test of how well Rohit Sharma can fill the opener's slot.

Form guide

India: WWLLW

The only worry so far has been their bowling at the death. In their two warm-up games, they gave away 31 and 39 in their last two overs, and Ireland managed 39 off the last three in the final league game.

West Indies: LWWLW(T)
Lendl Simmons, Gayle's replacement for the match against Sri Lanka, has given West Indies plenty to think about. His bowling figures of 3-0-19-4 first kept Sri Lanka to under 200, and then his 19-ball 29 got West Indies to some sort of a start in their chase.

Watch out for...

India's spin twins: West Indies clearly relished the pace of Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee, but against Sri Lankan quality spin bowling they struggled. Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha are not compartable with Murali and Mendis, but they are good enough to test West Indies.

Gayle comes back with immense possibility at the top, inspirational leadership, and canny offbreaks. How long he stays at the crease could spell West Indies' fate.

Team news

India don't really have major reasons to fiddle around with their winning combination. Except for Irfan Pathan, who provides them with an interesting dilemma. Against Bangladesh, he came out in the last over and hit a six and a four right away, which proved to be the difference between a difficult and an improbable chase. But his bowling has been the weak link in the Indian attack: against Bangladesh his two overs went for 20, and against Ireland his 15-run over in the end took the total past 100. Specialist bowlers in Praveen Kumar or RP Singh, or bits-and-pieces allrounder in Irfan Pathan?

India: (probable) 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Harbhajan Singh, 8 Zaheer Khan, 9 Irfan Pathan/Praveen Kumar/RP Singh, 10 Pragyan Ojha, 11 Ishant Sharma

West Indies: (probable) 1 Chris Gayle (capt), 2 Andre Fletcher, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 4 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6&7 Lendl Simmons/Xavier Marshall/Kieron Pollard, 8 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 9 Jerome Taylor, 10 Fidel Edwards, 11 Suleiman Benn.

Easy win for India against Ireland

2009-06-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

Reigning champions India warmed up for the Super Eights of the World Twenty20 by crushing hapless Ireland by eight wickets on Wednesday.

Left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan claimed four for 19, including three wickets in seven balls, to restrict Ireland to 112-8 in a match reduced to 18-overs-a-side due to rain.

Young opener Rohit Sharma then hit an unbeaten 52 off 45 balls as India romped home with 15 balls to spare to end the preliminary league with two successive wins.

Gautam Gamhir chipped in with 37 in a first-wicket stand of 77 with Sharma in front of a sell-out crowd at Trent Bridge.

The Irish, surprise qualifiers for the Super Eights, never recovered from Zaheer's triple strike which reduced them to 28-4 by the seventh over.

Andrew White top-scored with 29 as four of the top six batsmen failed to reach double figures.

Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha picked up two for 18 in his four overs.

Both teams had already advanced to the Super Eights after knocking Bangladesh out of the competition.

Ireland took the field without star batsman Niall O'Brien, who was resting a sprained ankle, and burly seamer Trent Johnson also missed out to freshen up for the second round.

Zaheer said he enjoyed the four-wicket boost as he continued his rehabilitation from a shoulder injury.

"I had not played for four or five weeks so it's great to be back in the wickets," he said. "It's a real confidence-booster. I'm very pleased with my performance.

"The shoulder is coming along well. I feel better day by day and I am improving, I feel 100 per cent now."

Zaheer had missed most of the Indian Premier League in South Africa and the two practice matches ahead of the World Twenty20 due to the injury in his left shoulder.

India play the West Indies in their first Super Eights match at Lord's on Friday. South Africa and England are the other teams in the group, from which the top two advance to the semi-finals.

Ireland return on Thursday to face New Zealand here with Pakistan and Sri Lanka also in the same group.

ICC Twenty20 Point Table: As on 10 th, June

2009-06-10T05:08:00.000-07:00

2009-06-08T22:05:00.001-07:00

ICC Twenty20 :Point Table as on 9,june,2009

2009-06-08T21:46:00.001-07:00

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rTlqje0-8ccycuQjxPKvBcA&single=true&gid=0&range=a2%3Aa2k&output=html

Bangladesh face Irish test for survival

2009-06-08T05:22:00.000-07:00

Bangladesh take on Ireland in a tricky group A clash on Monday at Nottingham that will almost certainly take the winner into the next round of the

World Twenty20.

The Tigers, who lost to India by 25 runs on Saturday, must win to keep their hopes alive of qualifying for the Super Eights. A defeat will send them packing from the 12-nation tournament.

"We know this is a do-or-die match for us, so we have to be at our best," said Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful ahead of the group A game at Trent Bridge.

"We can't afford to put a foot wrong now."

Ashraful said the experience of playing against defending champions India, where they scored 155/8 in reply to their rivals' 180/5, will hold the team in good stead.

"We learnt our lessons," he said. "I think we matched India well but just did not have good partnerships to keep going till the end.

"We bowled and fielded quite well. We must do the same again. The batsmen must put up enough runs on the board."

Opener Junaid Siddique tamed the Indian attack with 41 off 22 balls that contained three sixes and two boundaries, but none of the other top order batsmen were able to fire.

It was left to tail ender Naeem Islam, who followed his two wickets with a 17-ball 28 to narrow the victory margin.

Bangladesh raced to 74 by the eighth over against the champions before India's left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha turned the match around with four wickets, including two in his first over.

"We have to do much better against Ireland," said Ashraful. "I am not taking the Irish lightly. They know the conditions well and have nothing to lose.

"It will be a tough game but I am confident we will put up a good show."

Ireland, a non-Test playing side unlike Bangladesh, will ride on the experience of their county players to make an impact in their first-ever World Twenty20.

Eoin Morgan, who plays for Middlesex, was snapped up by England for the tournament, leaving captain William Porterfield, Boyd Rankin and the O'Brien brothers, Kevin and Niall, to keep Ireland's flag flying.

It is almost the same Irish team that stunned Pakistan in the 50-overs-a-side World Cup in the Caribbean in 2007 to advance to the second round.

Ireland have never played a Twenty20 international against an established side, but have won three of their four games against fellow minnows.

They also stunned Worcestershire last month after bowling the English county side out for 58, a victory that pleased their coach Phil Simmons, the former West Indian opener.

"That win was just what we needed before the tournament," he said. "It was achieved without our top county players which says a lot for the depth of the squad. I will be very disappointed if we don't make our mark.

"Obviously our best chance lies in the game against Bangladesh but the beauty of Twenty20 cricket is its unpredictability. We will be going into the tournament in a confident mood."

Ireland's last group match is against India on Wednesday

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2009-06-07T22:52:00.000-07:00

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Flintoff takes first step towards Ashes return

2009-06-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

Andrew Flintoff took the first step in his return to full match fitness on Sunday, bowling two sessions off a full run-up though not in match conditions. Flintoff first bowled two overs before play started in the game between Lancashire and Somerset, then returned to bowl four overs during the lunch interval.

Flintoff hopes to play all five Ashes Tests and he went through his bowling routine supervised by his physio, Dave Roberts. The second session included bowling to Lancashire coach Peter Moores, with the ball zipping through to the former England coach.

"He was bowling within himself, but it was coming through nicely," Peter Moores said. "The key now is to see if there is any reaction. You take it day by day, but he's done quite a bit of physical work."

Flintoff said he was happy with his progress thus far. "I've had a lot of injuries over the past two, three years and the incentive to come back is to be involved in a series like the Ashes - so I'll be all right. I'm on schedule with where I should be at the moment."

Flintoff has been out of action for about six weeks following a knee injury, and felt that a few games for Lancashire would help assess his match fitness. "The key thing for me is form. Hopefully I'll have enough games for Lancashire - there's an England warm-up game as well - to show that. But the way England have been playing lately you can't just walk into a team and I've got to show my merit, which I'm confident of doing. I just need a chance to"

Yuvraj and Ojha bring strong win

2009-06-06T23:59:00.000-07:00

It took Yuvraj Singh 18 balls to undo 10 overs' hard work by Bangladesh that had pulled India back after another solid start from Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma. It took Pragyan Ojha five balls to undo their eight overs of keeping pace with a stiff total and eventually India became the first side in this tournament to successfully defend.
The crisp sound from Yuvraj's bat resonated regularly at Trent Bridge, with sixes flying here and there as India managed 59 runs in their last four overs. Ojha came on and removed Junaid Siddique and Shakib Al Hasan in his first over, after which a promising chase stumbled.
If the defining moments of this Group A match were easy to identify, it was hard to not recognise the hard work Bangladesh put in to stay in the match and force India to come up with something special. The match started with Gambhir and Rohit continuing to ensure that India didn't miss the injured Virender Sehwag.
Rohit batted like a seasoned Twenty20 opener and took charge after Gambhir had got off to a quick start with a square-cut boundary off the second ball of the match. The first ball he faced today, he leant into a good-length and creamed Mashrafe Mortaza through extra cover. Bangladesh were apprehensive about using their spinners in the Powerplays, and Rohit capitalised on the medium-pace coming on to his bat. He drove well off either foot, clipped off his pads, and played only one slog shot.
Although Gambhir slowed down, India reached 54 in the first six overs, with Rohit scoring 32 off 18. Mohammad Ashraful immediately introduced spin, and Rohit got out trying to dominate them.
MS Dhoni came out first drop, but at the same time Shakib slowed things down, giving the batsmen no pace to work with. Shakib was exceptional with his control, making sure India stayed in that consolidation mode for a considerable period.
Shakib's three-over spell went for 17 and included Rohit's wicket, and India managed only 44 - with one seix and one four - between the seventh and 13th over. Mortaza came back to bowl one more tight over, and the pressure resulted in Dhoni's wicket in the next over. With Shakib finishing off strongly, India had got only 62 runs in the middle 10 overs. Gambhir managed a laboured 50 off 46 balls.
But Yuvraj carried out an assault that broke Bangladeshi hearts - and resistance. Just like lightning he struck after seven quiet deliveries. He took an impressive Naeem Islam for back-to-back sixes, and one more two balls later. He welcomed Rubel Hossain back with a six and consecutive boundaries before being dismissed for 41 off 18.
Bangladesh then clawed their way back, keeping Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan quiet. Rubel had bowled a superb first half of the 20th over, giving away only two and cleaning up Raina. But in walked Irfan Pathan and smote a six and a four to post a challenging total.
That final assault wasn't enough to deflate Bangladesh's confidence. Tamim Iqbal and Siddique came out swinging, tasting some success against the left-arm opening bowlers, Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan. Both the bowlers bowled length, and that's where most Bangladeshi batsmen love it. Especially spectacular was Siddique's approach - he pulled the first ball he played for six.
In the first two overs Bangladesh got 20, and although Tamim fell to Yusuf in the third, Siddique didn't slow down. He hit Zaheer for back-to-back boundaries, and then Yusuf for a six before Ashraful got out in an unfortunate manner in the sixth over. He played a crunching cover-drive off Ishant Sharma, backing away, but found Gambhir at cover.
Out came Bangladesh's best player, Shakib, but it was Siddique who kept the pace up even as Shakib looked to rebuild. He set the agenda by stepping out and hitting Harbhajan Singh for a six in his first over. Once again, just when it seemed Bangladesh had done well to stay with India, the defending champions produced another game-breaker: Ojha, making his Twenty20 international debut.
Shakib looked to pull the first ball he bowled, but it skidded on, and took the top edge. Siddique chose an inopportune time to hit Ojha out of the ground, and holed out to wide long-on four balls later.
India could sense from there on that the chase had died, and so it turned with the inexperienced lower-middle order. Ojha took two more wickets and Yuvraj took two diving catches. Bangladesh managed only 81 runs from the time that Ojha came on to bowl, and India closed the game out professionally.

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2009-06-05T04:35:00.001-07:00

Ready, Steady & Go

Hosts England are ready to get the second ICC World Twenty20 under way at Lord's on Friday.

Paul Collingwood's men open up against the Netherlands in the first of their two Group B matches, with Pakistan set to face England at The Oval on Sunday.

Holders and favourites India open their Group A campaign against Bangladesh while Australia play the West Indies on Saturday in Group C.

The final will be staged at Lord's on Sunday 21 June.

There are four groups of three, with the top two from each group going through to the Super Eights which will be made up of two groups of four.

The top two from each of those groups go into the semi-finals to be played at Trent Bridge and The Oval. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni led the tournament favourites to an impressive nine-wicket win over fellow 2007 finalists Pakistan in Wednesday's warm-up, but said the formbook should be thrown out of the window when it comes to the shortest format of the professional game.

"I don't think the win against Pakistan underlines our status as favourites," said Dhoni, who played in the final two years ago.

WORLD TWENTY20 GROUPS

GROUP A: India, Bangladesh, Ireland

GROUP B: Pakistan, England, Netherlands

GROUP C: Australia, Sri Lanka, West Indies

GROUP D: New Zealand, South Africa, Scotland

"It's not about being favourites, you have to perform like this throughout the tournament to win.

"You can be thrown out of the tournament easily, especially at the knockout stage.

"We are the side that has done well, but that's all on paper after all that you have to go and do it but we have potential and we will be a tough team to beat."

South Africa captain Graeme Smith is more bullish about his side's chances. The second favourites open their campaign against Group D opponents Scotland at The Oval on Monday, followed by New Zealand at Lord's on 9 June.

"We have an exciting squad with pace, swing and spin in the bowling department and plenty of depth to our batting," Smith said.

"In terms of talent, flair and confidence, this is the strongest Proteas team that I have captained."

He added: "We are very well balanced both in terms of youth and experience and in terms of having all our bases covered regardless of whether the conditions favour swing or spin.

"Most international cricketers have not played a lot of international Twenty20 cricket to date and the 14 matches in the recent Indian Premier League has given them the chance to formulate new ideas and plans for this format of the game."

Australia's challenge was dealt a huge blow on Friday when it was announced that all-rounder and big-hitter Andrew Symonds would be returning home because of an "alcohol-related incident".However, captain Ricky Ponting believes his side have enough strength in depth to cope with the loss."He will be difficult to replace but we have got what we've got now," said the Australian."It is no good worrying about that any more, he's ruled out of this squad and we have to find someone who can have the same kind of impact on a game as what Andrew Symonds can.

With all respect to the Dutch, Pakistan will provide England's toughest test in the group stages.Pakistan suffered heavy defeats to South Africa and India in their two warm-up matches, but the team's coach Intikhab Alam says the results should not serve as a guide to how his team will perform in the tournament."I'm not really concerned," he said. "It's early days and the first match we will come good at the right time."We have lost two games but we will perform when the real time comes."Friday's opening ceremony at Lord's is set to be a low-key affair.

It begins at 1630 BST with the 12 captains of the men's teams and the eight skippers from the women's competition introduced to the crowd during the half-hour ceremony. Pop star Alesha Dixon will also perform at the event.

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Threat of 2wenty2wenty cricket of ECB

2009-05-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

The British and Irish Lions moved into the five star Johannesburg hotel yesterday morning which 24-hours earlier had been the domain of Indian Premier League rulers, players and hangers on.

As they packed up their party and headed back to Bombay the organisers of the second IPL were setting their logistical minds on making a success of the Twenty20 Champions League tournament, which they will throw on for the first time this October.

That competition, due to last little more than two weeks, has been quietly slipped into the international calendar and already will be etched into the packed diaries of the three England players whose IPL franchises have qualified for the tournament.

If Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah were hoping for a break between the Champions Trophy and England’s tour to South Africa then they were almost as mistaken as their counties, who will soon discover that IPL teams have first pick in the Champions League.

The Champions League will soon be one of four major Twenty20 tournaments. The England & Wales Cricket Board next year launch their answer to the IPL, the P20, while Australia, New Zealand and South Africa form plans for a Southern Premier League due to begin in 2011.

The demands on time and bodies will take their toll and it appears the English players union are the latest to predict a string of retirements from Test cricket.

“If a player can take $1.5m out of the IPL and then about half again out of the SPL then he can make serious money for just three or four months work and that is a very attractive option for them as well as a massive problem for the game,” Sean Morris, chief executive of the Professional Cricketers Association, told the Daily Telegraph.

“We have a lot of young emerging players, particularly in India, who will be able to play, say, three T20 tournaments a year. They don’t need to get on the international treadmill. They will have three global events a year and they will say 'that will do me'.

“Yes players will retire and players around the world will tell you that. I would not be surprised if an England player went down that road soon.

“That is when it starts to get pretty dangerous for everyone. But it keeps coming back to schedules. We have to work out what the May Test matches are fulfilling. Is it Test cricket scheduled for the sake of it?

"It is common knowledge that the Schofield report said that if you want to improve the quality of the product, which is what we are aiming for, then we have to find a way of limiting the amount of cricket they play. But they are doing the exact opposite. Playing for your country is still the number one priority for players.

"But soon we will have four domestic tournaments squeezed into the schedule over the next three years. At the moment we have real problem just fitting in one tournament (the IPL). Something will have to give.”

Lalit Modi, the commissioner of the IPL, has seemingly given up hope of a window for his tournament. The International Cricket Council know it would set a precedent and could lead to similar demands from other members countries. His vision now is for tournaments to run concurrently and for Test cricket to adapt to survive.

“We get mixed up in the fact,” he said. “Where is the audience? If an England and West Indies series is going, who is watching? People in England and people in the West Indies. Not a global audience. IPL is going on concurrently with the series at the moment and that is fine. We carry on.

“There is a Test schedule and people will want to watch it. In India when there is a Test or one day series going on then we will not run our league but that does not mean that a league cannot be running in Australia and have their players playing in their city based league. That is where the model has not been talked through. When they are talking about the FTP (future tours programme) they are saying everyone should be free at the same time. Why?”

Deccan Lifted the IPL Trophy 2009 in Style

2009-05-24T22:35:00.000-07:00

Adam Gilchrist wins the day as Indian Premier League sends a signal to the world.Such has been the impact of the Indian Premier League in South Africa that you half expected Nelson Mandela to turn up and hand over the trophy over wearing a Deccan Chargers shirt after their six-run victory over Bangalore Royal Challengers in the final.

Instead Jacob Zuma, the new president, provided the seal of stately approval. His speech was booed to the rafters by the crowd, who probably enjoyed that as much as the cricket.

The IPL heads home with a swell of pride in its achievement of persuading the South African public to support a very Indian event. The IPL continues to grow and its message throughout this tournament, "Can You Feel the Heat?" could be a signal to the rest of the game.

Next up on the Twenty20 stage is its World Cup, hosted by an England and Wales Cricket Board that has to hope the fact its tournament actually does matter will be enough to overcome the truth that they can never compete financially with the IPL billionaires.

On Sunday night one of them, Vijay Mallya, had opened his wallet once more to print thousands of Bangalore Royal Challenger flags, T-shirts and clapperboards. All were given away free. They made their impression, but evidence that the IPL is really about a good time rather than partisan support was provided by the sight of fans cheering loudly for both sides. Nobody really cared who won.

On the field it was a different of course. Adam Gilchrist is a campaigner. A winner. He was bowled for a duck as Anil Kumble's four wickets inspired Bangalore. But Deccan, who finished bottom last year, rallied with a Herschelle Gibbs half-century. A target of 144 was tricky on a slow pitch and Gilchrist's stumping of South African power hitter Roelof van der Merwe was crucial as Bangalore made 137 for nine.

Fan,Fireworks & Cheerleaders - The IPL cricket

2009-05-24T03:15:00.000-07:00

When you are a South African who has coached your own national team, you may think you have seen everything cricket has to offer in your homeland.

But the fast, furious and very noisy Indian Premier League - relocated to South Africa less than two months ago yet now entering its final weekend - is changing that, as fireworks, flame-throwers, cheerleaders and colossal sixes light up the arenas.

"I am over the moon that South Africa has responded in such an unbelievably positive way to the IPL," says former South Africa coach Ray Jennings, whose Bangalore Royal Challengers side are in the semi-finals.

"The enormous crowds, basically during the rugby season, have been amazing - especially all the Indians who have supported this."

As cricket's biggest razzamatazz rolls in, the bevy of cheerleaders showing off their hips and pom-poms to accompany the on-pitch entertainment, South Africans have lapped up the chance to watch Sachin Tendulkar, Matthew Hayden, Muttiah Muralitharan or Shane Warne live.

Endless fireworks

"I used to be an armchair fan," admits a beaming Molefe Moko, 28. "But the IPL's drawing my couch potato behaviour out of me.

"There's a wonderful atmosphere and it is fun - you basically get non-stop action from the start."

The organisers have definitely fulfilled their promise to deliver entertainment, which has also included a beauty pageant from the crowd, with the winner landing a Bollywood part.

To a heady background of deafening Indian music, machines pump flames into the sky whenever there is a four, while wickets and sixes are greeted by endless fireworks.

Of course there have been hiccups, various IPL demands ruffling the feathers of local businesses, but that is hardly surprising when some claim the organisers are protecting an asset worth $2bn.

While the relocation has undoubtedly damaged the big-spending and marketing-driven IPL financially, as no atmosphere can match a local Indian one, South Africa has not done badly - with the event seemingly inspiring the next generation of Graeme Smiths, Herschelle Gibbs and Makhaya Ntinis.

Unrivalled promotion

"To say I am happy about the IPL being here would be an understatement," says Dr Mtutezeli Nyoka, president of Cricket South Africa.

"It has put smiles on many South Africans' faces, including those who are involved in the game and, most importantly, those who are not.

"And it has been unrivalled promotion. Lots of parents are now saying to us: 'Our kids want to play cricket', when just a few weeks ago, we were having to approach them."

Furthermore, all South Africans can be heartened by the nation's ability to stage the event at such short notice as next year's football World Cup looms.

Policing the games was easy, as there was no animosity between the fans

"I cannot speak highly enough of the security that's been around this tournament - it has been first-class," says Deccan Chargers coach Darren Lehmann, who represented Australia between 1996-2005.

"And the crowds have been fantastic throughout which is unbelievable since we have had so many games in so few days, so we have really enjoyed it."

The circus has another couple of days to run, before moving out of town.

The first semi-final on Friday pits the Delhi Daredevils against the Deccan Chargers. The second, between the Chennai Super Kings and Royal Bangalore Challengers, takes place the next day. The finalists will meet in Johannesburg on Sunday.

As they prepare for a kaleidoscopic sunset to a wonderful cricketing summer, which included an enthralling home series against Australia, South Africans are already plotting to stop the IPL permanently returning to its rightful home.

"It has been a true Indian experience, with a great vibe and everyone seems to have loved it," says local fan Rory Beeden, 28.

"I would love to see it come back, perhaps with us hosting it one year and India the next!"

IPL FINAL PREVIEW

2009-05-24T00:05:00.001-07:00

And so, as a blockbuster second season of the IPL reaches its summit, two of its biggest success stories clash in the finale in Johannesburg. They also happen to be the two most unlikely sides given how they fared in 2008. Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers Bangalore were the two bottom-placed teams then, now they've busted out of the basement and made the house their own.

Not many would have given Deccan or Bangalore a chance this year to get to the top four. But having pulled off amazing turnarounds and tasted difficult periods earlier in the tournament, both teams have undoubtedly deserved to get where they are today.

Deccan started with four wins, imposed themselves, stumbled, but got it together when it mattered. The manner in which they - rather their captain Adam Gilchrist - crushed Delhi Daredevils in the semi-final was stirring. Gilchrist has led the side well and has been their top run-getter for the second season running. Apart from RP Singh, owner of the purple cap, there haven't been true stand-out performers. Herschelle Gibbs has been inconsistent, Pragyan Ojha has lost some bite in the latter stages, and while Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds have contributed they haven't been stunning.

If Deccan have been inconsistent, Bangalore reached the worst level of desperation. The last match they lost in this tournament was the last they could afford to. And they have won their last five games, much like Australia's victorious campaign in the 1999 World Cup.

The major factor in Bangalore's rise has been Anil Kumble, who took over the captaincy from a beleaguered Kevin Pietersen. In 2008 Bangalore's selections of a few final XIs raised some eyebrows, but most unflattering was their habit of choking when victory was in front of them. Kumble changed all that by setting an example that the seniors followed.

Bangalore's younger Indian players didn't start off well at all, but the seniors' performances started to rub off. Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar and Virat Kohli have chipped in with vital contributions to keep the team buoyant in the competition. This has been a team that has paid a lot of attention to preparation.

On form - they've won five in a row, four of them against semi-finalists - Bangalore are a confident side and will be boosted by the knowledge that they beat Deccan last time. However, after forcefully knocking out the top-ranked side in the semi-finals, Deccan will be confident as they face their southern compatriots. Both Gilchrist and Kumble have handled the captaincy with aplomb, and will not want to let the slightest chance go abegging.

Form guide (completed matches, most recent first)

Royal Challengers Bangalore: WWWWW

Manish Pandey's rise has been exceptional. Hardly given a run last season, he delivered with the first IPL century by an Indian and followed up with another Man-of-the-Match effort in the semi-final. Statistically and psychologically Pandey's form will worry Deccan, because that century came against them. Cameos from Taylor and Kohli have come at right times, and Kumble and Roelof van der Merwe have delivered in pressure situations with their varieties of spin.

Deccan Chargers: WLLWL

Deccan rode into the final on Gilchrist's broad blade and shoulders; an encore should seal them the trophy. The bowling got itself together after Tillakaratne Dilshan and Virender Sehwag threatened to run riot, but what Deccan really need is for Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma to click. Gibbs made a duck after hitting a brisk half-century in the final league match, and Rohit has only one half-century in the tournament. If he can replicate either of the two flawless finishes against Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab, Rohit can be a big threat.

Watch out for

Adam Gilchrist v Praveen Kumar: Brutal objective v crafty swing bowling. Cosmic experience v smart head on young shoulders. As it stands, it's 2-0 to Praveen. Surprising as it may sound, Praveen took Gilchrist out, early, in both the finals of the CB Series last year. In two matches this season Gilchrist has taken just 18 runs off 12 balls from Praveen. Gilchrist won't count it as a decisive comeback.

RP Singh v Manish Pandey: The IPL's highest wicket-taker against the latest young star to emerge. RP hasn't been at his best over the last few games, and Pandey has two Man-of-the-Match awards on the trot. During his century Pandey faced nine balls from RP, and took 20 runs, including a big six over long-on. RP has loads of experience to go with success against better batsmen, so how he varies his craft against an enthusiastic and trigger-happy opener is an intriguing battle.

Anil Kumble v Rohit Sharma and Gilchrist: Kumble has led superbly with the ball in Bangalore's winning streak. In Bangalore's last game against Deccan, Kumble dismissed Rohit first ball and allowed Gilchrist only five runs from eight balls. In their earlier match Rohit hit 24 runs off 10 Kumble deliveries and Gilchrist took 13 from 11. Kumble will need to be at his craftiest best against two of Deccan's sweetest hitters.

Team news

With B Akhil injured for the semi-final, Bangalore recalled R Vinay Kumar. His first three overs cost 32, but Vinay picked up Matthew Hayden and then Jacob Oram in the final over, which only cost six runs. He should keep his place, meaning Bangalore are likely to field an unchanged side.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: (probable) 1 Manish Pandey, 2 Jacques Kallis, 3 Roelof van der Merwe, 4 Rahul Dravid, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Virat Kohli, 7 Robin Uthappa, 8 Mark Boucher (wk), 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 R Vinay Kumar, 11 Anil Kumble (capt.).

If D Ravi Teja recovers from a hamstring injury he may come back for Azhar Bilakhia. Ryan Harris should hold his place after that two-wicket first over against Delhi.

Deccan Chargers: 1 Adam Gilchrist (capt./wk), 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 T Suman, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Andrew Symonds, 6 Azhar Bilakhia/D Ravi Teja, 7 Venugopal Rao, 8 Harmeet Singh, 9 Pragyan Ojha, 10 Ryan Harris, 11 RP Singh.

Stats and trivia

Eight batsmen have scored more than 350 in the tournament, but only one of them - Adam Gilchrist - will be on view in the final. Kallis, Bangalore's highest scorer, has an aggregate of 346.
Teams chasing have won five out of six times in night games in Johannesburg. In all three games that Bangalore have played here, they've chased and won.
Gilchrist has scored 86 runs off 63 balls in two innings against Bangalore. In contrast Kallis, Bangalore's highest run-scorer, has only scored 20 off 21 balls in two innings against Deccan. Pandey, though, scored 114 in just one game.
Bangalore's five wins in a row equal's Chennai's winning streak earlier in the IPL, and is a record for this tournament.

Click here for more stats.

Head-to-head record

The last time these teams met Pandey downed Deccan with a century in Centurion. Prior to that Gilchrist and Rohit's power-hitting ensured Deccan romped to a 24-run win earlier this season, in Cape Town. Bangalore won both their matches last year: the first one a thriller by three runs, and the next comfortably by five wickets.

discipline vs thrill who will win

2009-05-23T20:55:00.001-07:00

Deccan Chargers vs Bangalore Royal Challengers

Deccan Chargers and Bangalore Royal Challengers face their biggest challenges today in the finals of IPL 2009. It will be a battle between Deccan’s thrilling batting and Bangalore’s discipline on the field.

The two bottom-placed teams of last year’s IPL now face today to decide who will be the champion of IPL 2009. While Deccan Chargers (DC) relied on their strong batting and fielding, Bangalore Royal Challengers (DC) depended on their disciplined batting and bowling to make a complete turnaround this year.

DC takes the lead over BRC in every department of the game – batting, bowling and fielding. With Adam Gilchrist in devastating form, Andrew Symonds showing promise and stocky Rohit Sharma in the middle order, DC looks perfectly set to launch an all out attack on BRC in the final. RP Singh has performed extremely well throughout this tournament and it will be a perfect finale if he can bowl to his potential today.

But with gritty Anil Kumble leading BRC to 7 wins in the last 9 games – 5 of them on the trot before the semi-final – will it be a cakewalk for DC? BRC triumphs over DC in being consistent performer in the last few games. Rahul Dravid could make the difference with his ability to anchor an innings. The bowling department has also tuned perfectly to compliment their batting which has ensured Kumble to stick with his regular bowlers and not venture with his part-timers. But if the match goes to a close finish, DC holds the edge over BRC as is shown by the higher Extreme Pressure Performance (EPP) score in the Castrol Index.

Can BRC hold their winning momentum or will it be another batting thrill that can bring in the laurels for DC?

Banglore Outplayed Chennai

2009-05-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

In a interesting match today, Banglore outplyed Dhoni;s company to secure a place in the IPL final.An blastering and fluent innings from Panday supported by Dravid;s responsible innings was finished in a style by Kohli And Tylor. They finished the asked target of 147 with one over remaining and will fight tomorrow with Hyderabad.

Live Cricket Link IPL

2009-05-23T05:33:00.000-07:00

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www.ooxtv.com

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Lalit Modi plans second IPL Cricket tournament

2009-05-23T05:21:00.000-07:00

Commissioner Lalit Modi is considering plans to stage two Indian Premier League tournaments a year - one in India and another shorter one overseas.

The IPL was forced to move this year because of security concerns in India.

But the event in South Africa has been so well received that Modi is exploring the possibility of taking the game into untapped markets across the globe.

"The IPL will be based in India but a second season will help us see if a market exists elsewhere too," he said.

"The potential is huge. We have turned the challenges and adversities in moving to South Africa into an opportunity. It is fans who determine if you are successful or not and they have come out in force here.

"It has shown that the tournament can be in any region, in any country. This opens up many different opportunities for us."

The USA, where the ICC has advised cricket officials to install an IPL-style Twenty20 league, is one of the countries Modi is considering as a potential host.

"America throws up challenges but the format we have developed works. That will work anywhere," the IPL commissioner told the Daily Telegraph.

Modi also revealed he could yet take the tournament to England after they were overlooked in favour of South Africa to stage this year's event.

"Before this tournament we did not know if we could do it," Modi added. "But we do know now. We have to satisfy an appetite across the world and build a fan base across the world.

"We will talk to the England and Wales Cricket Board, and South Africa are natural allies who want us to come back every year.

"The public and the boards want us but it is not realistic to come back to the same place every year."

The rise of Twenty20 is set to continue with the launch of tournaments in England, and another event involving players from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

2nd Semi Final- Chennai Still Favourites

2009-05-22T23:25:00.000-07:00

There can be few sights more intimidating in cricket than Matthew Hayden walking in to face the new ball. If the left-hander is on a song, there might as well be a blast.

That thought alone will keep Royal Challengers on their toes when the second semi-final of the IPL begins at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Saturday. Hayden, wearing his Orange Cap and carrying the willow that looks like a toy in a truck-puller’s hand, will keep playing on the opposition’s mind.

Royal Challengers called for an emergency meeting on Friday that had all players in a huddle in a small conference room at hotel Sandton Sun for close to an hour. Whatever their personal work, the players had been asked to keep it aside until the all-important meeting was over. Captain Anil Kumble, coach Ray Jennings, Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis walked in first, followed by the rest who were still celebrating Manish Pandey’s ton on Thursday.

There was an important issue to be discussed and it remained no secret once the meeting ended. All the players walked out of the conference room except for Praveen Kumar, B Akhil, Roelof van der Merwve, Kumble and Kallis. They had an extended half an hour discussion amongst themselves.

Kumble knows that stopping Hayden alone will be the key to Royal Challengers making their way to the final. If they can get the belligerent left-hander early, the option of applying pressure on the rest of the line-up will be better than having him out there in the middle. Of course, Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have been in equally good form, S Badrinath has been impressive and is fit after a slight niggle, Jacob Oram is still waiting to explode and Albie Morkel’s return from injury can make things tougher. But Hayden still remains the key.

"He is dangerous and we all know what he’s capable of doing. He’s the tournament’s highest scorer. If we can get him early, fine,’’ says Jennings.

In seven out of 11 innings, Hayden has given Team Chennai the right kind of start. His strike rate has been consistent at around 140. He has accumulated five fifties and an individual best of 89, so far, adding to the team’s top-order muscle. If Chennai can once again afford to flex that, Royal Challengers will have a lot of work. Dhoni’s best bet to follow-up on the start given by Hayden is Raina, the tournament’s second best batsman after the giant Aussie. At 414 runs, Raina has been the mainstay in Chennai’s middle-order and should be no less a worry for the Challengers.

However, it was interesting to hear Jennings bring Hayden’s name into the discussion whenever the topic of Chennai’s batting came up. Be it mind games or simply a lurking fear, Challengers do know that he’s a bigger threat than anyone else.

Deccan in the final of IPL Cricket 2009

2009-05-22T23:09:00.000-07:00

Adam Gilchrist is the new Nizam and Hyderabad are a step away from being the champions of India. No, Team Delhi didn’t do anything

Gilchrist plays a shot against Delhi at SuperSport Park in Centurion

wrong, just that they were dazzled by an old man’s frenzy that threw them out of the IPL, yet again in the semi-finals.

Gilchrist went back in time, probably to March 23, 2003, when he rattled India in an opening burst to help Australia retain the World Cup. There was a sense of deja vu as Ashish Nehra ran into bowl, and Gilchrist put him out of the park with effortless ease, just as he had done some six years back.

The assault, though, started with a brutal attack on one of the best bowler of the tournament, Dirk Nannes. Chasing 154, he took 21 off Nannes’ first over, employing all the shots that could have been played. Anything short was hooked or pulled mercilessly, and if the bowler dared to pitch it up, it was driven down the ground.

Spinners came on as early as the fifth over, but there was no shift in momentum. Gilly swept Pragyan Ojha and when he hit three sixes in a Virender Sehwag over, the writing was on the wall.

Looking clueless and dispirited, Delhi merely hoped that Gilly would play a wrong shot and get out. He edged one to get out in the 10th over, but by then the score was 102, off which the legend had contributed 85 (off 35 balls)!

The rest was child’s play and with the likes of Andrew Symonds around, it took Hyderabad eight more overs to reach the target.

Earlier, Gilly’s decision to play medium-pacer Ryan Harris paid off as he dismissed Gautam Gambhir and David Warner in the first over.

The Hyderabad attack was looking all charged up, but Sehwag knew how important it was for him to stay at the wicket. The Delhi dasher never took a backward step and kept counter-attacking the Hyderabad attack. Standing tall, he carted Harris and RP Singh around the park and Tillekeratne Dilshan (65 off 51 balls), too, gave him excellent support.

It had to be the strategy break to break Viru’s rhythm and right after the interval, the skipper missed the line of an Andrew Symonds delivery to be caught plumb in front.

But Dilshan carried on with the good work that he had been doing right through the tournament, finding the gaps and keeping the scoreboard ticking.

He was joined by AB de Villiers, who attacked right away and it seemed that a score of 170 was on the cards. But RP struck right when the game was drifting away from them, inducing an edge off AB, and Hyderabad were back in the hunt. Both RP and Harris were excellent in the last few overs, pitching it right up in the blockhole and varying the pace, which made it difficult for a well-set Dilshan to give the final push to the innings.

But with the kind of form Gilchrist was in, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference either.

IPL Now International Premier League Cricket

2009-05-22T22:49:00.000-07:00

The fireworks that greeted the fall of every wicket in the first Indian Premier League semi-final were just a small indication of the big bang its organisers hope to send around the world game.

Encouraged by the success in delivering an Indian tournament thousands of miles away from India, Lalit Modi, the commissioner of the IPL, is forming plans for an annual travelling competition as he looks to turn his brand global.

Two annual IPL tournaments per year are in the pipeline, with Modi hopeful that a second, short, IPL will be held every year at different locations, perhaps even including England.

Untapped markets such as the United States and Canada are on the radar and will be explored by the IPL governing council once the party dies down here in Johannesburg.

"The potential is huge," Modi told Telegraph Sport. "We have turned the challenges and adversities in moving to South Africa into an opportunity. It is fans who determine if you are successful or not and they have come out in force here. It has shown that the tournament can be in any region, in any country. This opens up many different opportunities for us.

"The IPL will be based in India, but the second season we are planning gives us the chance to see if a market exists and we are seriously looking at what we can do with it.

"America throws up challenges but the format we have developed works. It is an opportunity for families to spend a day out. Apart from watching great cricket they have an enjoyable evening out. That will work anywhere.

"Before this tournament we did not know if we could do it. But we do know now. We have to satisfy an appetite across the world and build a fan base across the world.

"We will talk to the England and Wales Cricket Board, and South Africa are natural allies who want us to come back every year. The public and the boards want us but it is not realistic to come back to the same place every year."

The IPL points to the fact that around 70 per cent of the audience for this year's tournament in South Africa had never attended a cricket match before.

Last night in Pretoria, one of the game's greatest Test players, Adam Gilchrist, was centre stage.

It was a world away from his Australia days. The "Go Chargers" song was played every time he hit a boundary. And as he was having throw downs from coach Darren Lehmann, ageing reggae star Eddy Grant was belting out hits of a different kind.

Gilchrist, now captain of the Deccan Chargers, who yesterday beat the favourites Delhi Daredevils to reach tomorrow's final, is free from the rigours of Test cricket and does not have to juggle his calendar to cash in on the IPL. It is not the same for others and a Twenty20 takeover has been predicted by Chris Gayle and Matthew Hayden.

"People who say we cannot work alongside Test cricket just don't understand," said Modi. "You don't need everyone available all the time. You don't need all countries to be free.

"In England the Premier League runs at the same time as the Spanish and Italian leagues. We can do the same. They can run concurrently. To do that we must showcase and produce our own stars. England are playing the West Indies now so those teams are out but not Australia, South Africa or uncapped England players. That is where the misunderstanding is taking place."

But saturation point is close. The ECB is set to launch its P20 competition next year and a Southern Premier League, involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, is slated for 2010.