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Friday, June 26, 2009
Laxman shines for Lancashire
London, June 26 (IANS) India's V.V.S. Laxman shone with the bat hitting a breezy 63 in his second match as he guided Lancashire to a 56-run win over Derbyshire in the Twenty20 Cup.
Laxman hit 63 off 45 balls and along with burly all-rounder Andrew Flintoff (93) added 99 runs for the fourth wicket after Lancashire were reduced to 70 for three at Derbyshire Thursday.
Laxman's 45-ball stay was studded with seven fours and a six while Flintoff blasted nine fours and six sixes in his 41-ball innings.
With the win, Lancashire qualified for the quarterfinals of the Twenty20 Cup.
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Day-night Test closer to reality
Sometime in 2010, day-night Tests could be introduced changing cricket forever. True, the decision hinges on several factors but on Wednesday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) felt it was an opportunity worth exploring.
Successful trials of an 'appropriate ball' is one of the issues that need to be 'satisfactorily addressed' before evening Tests get the go-ahead. If the stakeholders want it - and given Tests' dwindling attendances, there is reason to believe they would - and the concept works in first-class cricket, we could have sport's most radical innovation yet.
This was one of the decisions taken by the ICC on the first day of its meeting at Lord's on Wednesday. The concept of day-night Tests evoked mixed reactions in India. Ex-India skipper Bishan Singh Bedi found it unacceptable, while Erapalli Prasanna wasn't against it.
"I don't think it's a very progressive step," said Bedi. "Test cricket is good enough to take care of itself and shouldn't be tampered with. If the ICC actually decides to hold day-night Tests, they will face several problems, beginning with the choice of balls."
Prasanna had a different take. "I think the ICC had to come up with something to keep the crowds interested in Tests after the success of T20. I think this was their only avenue." Deep Dasgupta, a player of the current generation, wasn't averse to the idea. "It's interesting. I remember a Ranji Trophy final was played day-night (96-97 in Gwalior). If the ICC goes ahead with the idea, we could have domestic matches under lights. It does take away the challenge of a conventional morning session but I am sure it would throw up newer avenues, which makes a Test interesting," he said.
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England cricketers to train in Belgium for Ashes
London, June 26 (IANS) The England cricket team is all set to chug along to Belgium on the Eurostar to get battle hardened for the first Ashes Test starting July 8 in Cardiff.
For any team, preparation for the Ashes is incomplete without a visit to the battlegrounds of Westeren Europe. Australia did it by visting Gallipolli (Turkey) in 2001 and Somme (France) in 2005 and now the England team is ready to embark on a secret trip to Belgium this weekend, The Daily Telegraph reported.
The daily said that England players were kept in dark about this trip but were asked to bring their passports to their Ashes training camp.
The team is expected to be in Belgium for two nights and the trip coincides with Armed Forces Day as a convenient bonus.
The outing marks the beginning of England's 12-day build-up to the first Ashes Test.
As England head off for the trip, the good news for the fans is that key batsman Kevin Pietersen and charismatic all-rounder Andrew Flintoff have recovered from their injuries and are raring to go.
'My Achilles is OK. I'm waking up every single morning now absolutely fine and able to do all my exercises and routines and drills pain-free. I can use a skipping rope now but three weeks ago, on the morning of the Holland game, I couldn't get down the stairs at my house,' said Pietersen.
Pietersen said that he had worked hard on his rehabilitation programme in an effort to overcome the injury before the first Test.
'I have seen too many players going into big series injured and coming out the other end worse. The improvements have been huge and from the mental side of things that is important,' he said.
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Adaptability to weather is the key,says Dhoni
Kingston, June 26 (IANS) After playing in cooler climes for over five months, adapting to hot, humid conditions of the Caribbean isles will be the key to his team's success in the four-match ODI series against West Indies, feels India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
After playing two Tests, five One-dayers and two Twenty20 games in New Zealand in March-April, the Indians went to South Africa for the Indian Premier League (IPL) before moving to England for the World Twenty20. In all the three countries the players had to brave cold, windy conditions.
Now in the West Indies they will have to literally sweat it out. The first of the two ODIs in the Digicel Series is played at the Sabina Park Friday.
Dhoni said the players were getting used to the searing conditions, spending more time outdoors, after being in jumpers for five months.
'It's all about adaptability because after five months for the first time we will be playing in hot and humid conditions. In the last five months wherever we have toured it had been cold,' Dhoni said after a practice session in the sweltering heat and oppressive humidity here Thursday.
'We have prepared ourselves quite well. The last few days we spent lots of time outdoors getting accustomed to the conditions,' Dhoni said.
The Indian team has been playing non-stop cricket for over a year. Injury and fatigue was seen as a major reason for their miserable performance in the World Twenty20 in England.
Dhoni, however, said their was no lack of motivation in the team.
'Motivation is never a problem when it comes to the India cricket team. The guys are well motivated. It's not about the long season we have been through, it is not the first time we have gone through a long season, that's not a worry.'
In 2006, India lost the ODI series here 4-1, and then shockingly failed to progress beyond the group stage of the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.
In their last ODI clash at Sabina Park here in 2006, West Indies beat India by one run in a thriller.
'It's not an easy thing to forget especially that World Cup.'
'The last time we toured here we didn't have a very good One-day Series, but we have the players to do well out this time,' Dhoni said.
Dhoni said the Sabina Park pitch will favour spinners and batsmen have to be watchful.
'The wicket can be a bit on the slower side, so it won't be easy to go after the bowlers, you have to work your innings through and spinners will play a crucial role,' Dhoni said.
West Indies skipper Chris Gayle agreed with Dhoni's observations, saying the pitch has been playing slower than in had done the past.
'It was a bit slow in the last international game here, which was a Test against England, the pitch assisted spinners in the last couple of days, but this is a One-day International, so we don't know what to expect. Hopefully we will get good weather and we will get a good game of cricket.'
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Johnson ready with deadly 'chin music' to curb Pietersen's natural flourish
Sydney: Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson has promised to maintain his newfound aggression and will be aiming for the badge just above the ribcage England batsman Kevin Pietersen.
Johnson's aggression grew with his career-defining performances against South Africa last summer, when he twice broke the hand of Proteas captain Graeme Smith and also wounded Jacques Kallis.
"You aim to intimidate the guy at the other end, and that was definitely my plan in South Africa. I really wanted to get up their batsmen and let them know we were here and seriously trying to win the match and the series."
"That's something I'm definitely going to take into my game more often. I'm not verbal or in your face in the way that some guys are, I just try to let my bowling do the talking, with maybe a few short ones. You want to stamp your authority as quickly as you can," Johnson said.
The contest between Johnson and Pietersen will be one of the most eagerly anticipated of the summer, even though the South African-born Englishman has had mixed results since he was sacked as captain at the beginning of the year. The Australians still regard him as England's most dangerous player, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
"Is he vulnerable? I think there's definitely going to be a lot of pressure on him, so we're looking to get him as cheaply as we can. It's an Ashes series, so I don't think we need to say anything about Pietersen. The less we give him the better," Johnson said.
Johnson is perfectly prepared to revert to his hit the deck hard and aim for the ribs strategy if he is not swinging the ball dangerously as he now knows he can.
"I've been working on swinging the ball, getting that swing back into the right-handers, but if the swing's not there, I generally try to hit the deck hard," he said.
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Writing off Panesar biggest mistake Australia can make: Strauss
London: Andrew Strauss, back in charge for the Ashes after Paul Collingwood captained England in the World Twenty20, has warned the Australians to not write off Monty Panesar.
The left-arm spinner has been criticised recently by Shane Warne and Geoff Boycott, but skipper Strauss is planning to pick him for the Ashes opener.
Monty has been chosen to play against Warwickshire next week, England's lone warm-up match before the Npower First Test against Australia on July 8, which is a strong indication that he will partner Graeme Swann in Cardiff.
"I think the people who have been writing off Monty are unwise. Look at his record for England. It is exceptional and right up there with some of the best spinners to have played the game," The Sun quoted Strauss, as saying.
"I really think he has a hell of a lot more to offer for England in the future. OK, so he's gone through a bit of a tough patch recently. We've all been through that - I have myself and so have other people - and you come out of it much better for the experience.
"Hopefully, other members of the squad will give Monty the confidence to go out against Warwickshire, take a bagful of wickets and become an important member of the England side again. We all know what his capabilities are," he said.
Strauss added: "Monty has been working on variations. But the reality is that he has taken 99 per cent of his wickets bowling a very good left-arm spinner that turns and has decent pace on it. That is his default and he shouldn't stray too far from it. It's like me trying to bat like Lara - it won't work. It is important that he just does what he does well. If he does, he is going to be a handful."
Spin legend Warne claims Panesar has not improved while Boycott reckons his plan to add more variety to his bowling has backfired.
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Flintoff finds his form with bat
London, June 26 (IANS) With just 11 days left for the first Ashes Test, England cricket fans found something to cheer as charismatic all-rounder Andrew Flintoff came back from injury with a glitzy 93 from 41 balls for Lancashire in a Twenty20 match.
Flintoff's 93 guided Lancashire to their highest Twenty20 score of 220 for five against Derbyshire. Flintoff also picked up two wickets, generating some raw pace as Lancashire won by 56 runs to enter the quarterfinals of the Twenty20 Cup.
It was a display of power-hitting by Flintoff, who came in at 70 for three and then blasted nine fours and six sixes.
'The bowling looks after itself but it's nice to get some runs again. I've been working hard with Peter Moores for the last few weeks. It was nice today to come out in a good position and be able to cut loose and play a few shots,' Flintoff was quoted as saying by The Times, London.
The 31-year-old Flintoff, who joined the England Ashes training camp Friday, added 99 in ten overs with India's V.V.S. Laxman (63) and reached his 50 from 24 balls.
Flintoff was ruled out of the World Twenty20 after he suffered a knee injury during the Indian Premier League (IPL). Flintoff along with his team mate Kevin Pietersen was the highest paid player in the IPL and could play only three games for Chennai Super Kings before returning home for treatment.
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Is cricket becoming something we see between advertisements?
I have just been reading the transcript of the Colin Cowdrey lecture that Adam Gilchrist delivered this week in London. You must too because it is always interesting to know what a contemporary, and articulate cricketer thinks about the state of our game. We have too little of such debate in India, burdened, as we are, by an army of names in our newspapers many of whom have neither the time, nor the inclination, to read what goes under their name. That is why I am really looking forward to the Dilip Sardesai Memorial Lecture at the Cricket Club of India on the 2nd of July; first because cricket will briefly become relevant again at the CCI and second because it will be delivered by a man whose views evoke strong feelings.
Sunil Gavaskar has rarely hidden behind diplomacy in stating what he thinks about cricket. Consequently you can either agree with him or, occasionally, disagree, but he provokes thought and debate and he loves the game. And there are many in our country who are drawn towards the game from an academic, intellectual point of view; just as there are many who love it only for the sheer spectacle it generates. Coincidentally I have just started reading a highly acclaimed book called What Sport Teaches Us About Life by Ed Smith where the author talks about how sport can be enjoyed at different levels, like music, literature and art can. My fear is that in India we have started putting the commerce of cricket so far above everything else that there are few occasions for thought and education and debate. I am hoping therefore that Gavaskar stimulates thought and that the media views it as such, not just as a collection of quotes to be used in the next edition or bulletin.
I fear too that commerce is driving us towards cricket becoming that little something we see between advertising. To be fair, that advertising pays for my livelihood and makes it possible for all of us to view sport but we are fast reaching a stage where administrators, as custodians, need to draw a balance between propagating sport and selling it. If we price the product so high that the buyer has no choice but to recover his cost with advertising at every opportunity, we run the risk of diminishing the spectacle of sport for those that follow it. We cannot make the watching of sport clinical when it is meant to be enjoyable. So here is a debate that is crying out to be heard; one forum for people who sell rights, for those that buy them and for people who watch the final product.
The other major debate, one that Gilchrist spends a fair bit of time on, is about the future of the 50-over game. The one-day international has been the financial driver of cricket, almost single-handedly responsible for sustaining the game, for keeping Test cricket, the most outstanding sporting challenge, alive. But Test cricket needs to be propped up, its beauty needs explaining to a newer generation, it must be kept alive. Can one-day cricket still make that possible? Will one-day cricket be like the floppy disk that revolutionised the storage of data but which had to bow to the progress it initiated? Or will it be like a pair of jeans that constantly evolves and stays relevant to every generation? India's games in the West Indies this week and, more critically, the Champions Trophy in September will give us clues about what the viewers want. At the same time, though, I would love to know what today's cricketer thinks about one-day cricket.
One final thought on the ICC World T20. It produced very good cricket, some really fine skill was on display and it proved a lot of people wrong on one count. For all of those that make fun of women's cricket, the news is that one of the best matches was the semi-final between England and Australia. The girls played a pretty high level of cricket but they also demonstrated great skill in setting and chasing targets. They played for abysmally poor prize money but maybe because of that we got to see the kind of enthusiasm that the amateur so wonderfully generates.
I don't know, maybe Gavaskar would want to touch on that. His sister, remember, was one of the earliest women to play competitive cricket.
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Battle for BCA intensifies as poll date draws near
As the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) goes to polls on June 27, the battle to wrest control over the Rs 100-crore body has become intense. The incumbent president Chirayu Amin's panel, supported by first class cricketers such as Nayan Mongia and Atul Bedade held a press meet on Thursday to show their strength.
In Amin's absence at the press meet, Sanjay Patel, the vice-president of BCA, said the event was held to bring to notice to all the development work done by the association under Amin's leadership, and to announce some initiatives that are being planned to improve the standard of cricket in Vadodara.
The press meet was also organised to counter the allegations made by the opposition group, led by Jaywant Lele, against the failure of the current management.
Sanjay Patel said, "We are not meeting here as BCA but as members of the cricketing fraternity and we don't want people to get misled by media reports."
A total of 43 candidates have filed nominations from Amin's panel while 23 are contesting from Lele's panel for various organisational positions in the association.
Jaywant Lele, who is leading the opposition against the Amin faction, said, "Though the pamphlets which are being circulated have not been prepared by us, each and every word in the pamphlet is true. They promised to build a stadium in six months; it's now six years and the stadium is still on the paper."
Lele also raised the issue of non-cricketers.
He said, "All the cricketers are gone. They are running the committees headed by non-cricketers. It is only during elections that they pay cricketers to support them. Nayan Mongia is not even the member of the association."
Last year, the panel led by Amin had swept the association polls with not a single member from the Lele group being able to win for any post in the organisation.
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Chandigarh restricts Ropar to 238
A Four-wicket haul by Shashank Chabra helped Chandigarh to restrict Ropar to 238 in their first innings in a match of the Punjab U-19 Inter-District Tournament for Dhruv Pandove Trophy played at Sector 16 Stadium on Thursday. Ropar won the toss and elected to bat first.
Ropar made a confident start as Tanveer flouted the opposition attack. Tanveer played a fluent knock of 137 runs as Ropar reached 180 for 3 at one stage in their innings. Tanvir's knock consisted of 18 boundaries and three towering sixes as he dominated the proceedings right form the start of Ropar's innings. Tanvir was associated in an 89-run stand for the third wicket with Mapreet, who played a knock of 41 runs. Ropar were sitting pretty at one stage with 180 for 3 but Chandigarh fought back as they restricted Ropar to 238 in their first innings. Once Tanvir and Manpreet were gone, no other Ropar batsmen could manage to hold the innings together. Jaipreet (22) and Gurpreet (18) were the other two batsman to enter the double figures for Ropar as they ended their innings at 238. For Chandigarh, off-spinner Shashank Chhabra was the pick of the bowlers as he claimed four wickets for 51 runs while Anshul Tripathi claimed three. At the end of the day's play, Chandigarh were 22 for no loss in 12 overs. Jaskaranbir was batting on 12 runs while Manan Vohra was batting on eight.
Brief scores:
Ropar : 238 for all out in 85.3 overs (Tanvir 137, Manpreet 41, Jaipreet 22 , Gurpreet 18, Shashank Chabra 4 for 51, Anshul Tripathi 3 for 68), Chandigarh : 22 for 0 (Jaskiranbir Singh 12, Manan Vohra 8).
Patiala take control
In the second match played at Patiala, Mukatsar were bundled out for 119 in 50 overs. Bavish Goel returned the flattering figures of 5 for 35 and he was ably supported by Amrinder Singh who claimed 3 wickets for 40 runs. Robin Singh claimed two wickets for 30 runs. In reply, Patiala were 278 for 4 in 43 overs. Vikramadit was the star of the day for Patiala as he played a superb knock of 121 runs. His knock was studded with 15 boundaries and two towering sixes. Vikramadit was ably supported by Jivanjot who played a breezy knock of 65 runs.
Brief scores:
Mukatsar : 119 all out in 50 overs (Bhavish Goel 5 for 34, Amrinder Singh 3 for 40, Robin Dhillon 2 for 30), Patiala : 238 for 4 in 43 overs (Vikramdit Singh 121, Jivanjot 65 Mohit Mohindra 25 no).
Bawa guides Amritsar to 300
In the third match played at Amritsar, hosts Amritsar posted a total of 300 in 91.2 overs in their first innings against Mohali. Openers Sunny Sandhu and Gagandeep Singh were associated in a 70-run partnership for the first wicket before Sandhu departed. Gagandeep Singh played a knock of 74 runs as he smashed 14 boundaries. Amandeep Bawa played a scintillating knock of 114 runs as Amritsar cruised their way to a modest total in their first innings. For Mohali, Prateek Deswal was the pick of the bowlers as he claimed five wickets for 79.
Brief scores:
Amritsar: 300 all out 91.2 overs (Amandeep Bawa 114, Gagandeep Singh 74, Sunny Sandhu 30, Sohrab Dhawal 5 for 79, Ankit Wadhawan 3 for 66)
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Gupta sets up huge Jalandhar total
RIDING high on a superb century by Abhishek Gupta, hosts Jalandhar posted a mammoth total of 463 in their first innings in 94.1 overs against Ludhiana. Pargat Singh and Love Kumar were associated in a 78-run stand for the second wicket before Abhishek Gupta and Pargat Singh added 175 runs for the third wicket. Pargat Singh departed after making a splendid century (165) which consisted of 30 boundaries.
Abhishek also played superbly and struck a strokeful century (186). For Jalandhar, Baltej Singh claimed five wickets for 101 runs while Jashan Sidhu claimed three wickets for 97 runs.
Brief scores:
Jalandhar: 463 in 94.1 overs (Abhishek Gupta 186, Pargat Singh 169, Rahul Singh 42, Baltej singh 5 for 101, Jashan Sidhu 3 for 70).
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Allen Stanford pleads not guilty in fraud case
HOUSTON (Reuters) - After spending a week in jail, Texas financier Allen Stanford pleaded not guilty on Thursday to 21 criminal charges that he ran a $7 billion Ponzi scheme.
The once high-flying billionaire and sports promoter has been in federal custody since June 18, when he surrendered to the FBI in Virginia after a Houston grand jury indicted him on 21 counts of conspiracy, fraud and obstruction of justice.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy has yet to rule on whether Stanford must remain behind bars while he awaits a trial that is set to start on August 25.
"Not guilty, Your Honor," said Stanford, 59, wearing an orange jump-suit and hands manacled in front of him. The Texas native could face life in prison if convicted of the charges.
Stanford is the second high-profile fraud case to shake public confidence in Wall Street and the U.S. financial regulatory system after veteran financier Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty to a massive Ponzi scheme that could have cost investors as much as $65 billion.
Stanford is taking the anti-anxiety drug Ativan after initially turning to alcohol to deal with the stress of the case, his criminal attorney said in a filing.
Stanford was ushered into the Houston courthouse early on Thursday after spending a week in detention centers in Virginia and recently in Conroe, Texas, about an hour north of Houston.
According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Stanford, with the help of executives at his firm and a top Antigua and Barbuda financial regulator, ran a "massive Ponzi scheme" for over a decade that centered on certificates of deposit in his bank in Antigua.
On Thursday, the island nation's authorities arrested the country's former chief financial regulator Leroy King, after the U.S. government last week filed criminal charges against him. A related SEC civil case accused him of taking bribes from Stanford in the form of over $100,000 in cash, Super Bowl tickets and access to Stanford's fleet of private aircraft.
Stanford says he is innocent of the charges and that his multinational business was legitimate until the SEC "disemboweled" it by filing civil charges, which led to the confiscation of all his assets by a court-appointed receiver.
According to Dick DeGuerin, Stanford's criminal attorney, his client is not a flight risk, and the government should not force him to take a "perp walk," where the accused is paraded in manacles in front of television cameras.
The U.S. government argued in a filing that Stanford was a "serious flight risk" because he had the means and the motives to flee the country rather than face life imprisonment.
About $1 billion in investors' deposits in the Antigua bank are still missing, and investigators have found $20 million in a Swiss bank account that was not documented in company records, the Justice Department said.
Stanford has an international network of "wealthy acquaintances" who could assist him and has "experience using private jets at a moments' notice," the department said in a filing.
Laura Pendergest-Holt, the former chief investment officer for Stanford Financial Group, charged with obstructing the SEC's investigation of Stanford, also pleaded not guilty on Thursday.
Two other former Stanford employees charged with helping him falsify financial records are expected to appear separately on Thursday.
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Ganguly defends school project amid protest
Kolkata, June 25 (IANS) Even as a section of residents sat on a hunger strike against his move to construct a school at the upscale satellite township of Salt Lake, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly Thursday asserted that the project was in tune with the laws and regulations of the land.
'I have never in my life done anything against rules or regulations. I have never broken the law. In this case also all regulations have been followed,' Ganguly said on the sidelines of a programme at his cricket coaching centre.
Ganguly's comments came at the end of a day that saw locals being joined by artists and intellectuals in the hunger strike opposite the plot where the school is scheduled to come up.
An NGO, Humanity, which organised the hunger strike. Noted painter Suvaprasanna and educationist Sunanda Sanyal also joined the agitation.
A section of the residents are opposing the project saying the stretch of the road already had two schools and the area was originally earmarked for a college.
'We have nothing against Ganguly. He is a hero. But we feel the plot of land has been given to him by flouting all rules,' Suvaprasanna told IANS.
The painter said the state's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) wanted to use star players for their propaganda. 'That's the reason they are giving him these kinds of sops which will only spoil his reputation.'
Suvaprasanna said the plot was also 'grossly underpriced'.
'As per the government rate, the plot (23 cottahs) should be priced at more than Rs.15 million. But it has been handed over to him for only Rs.2.3 million,' he said.
The painter said with two schools in the vicinity, big traffic snarls occur there every morning and afternoon. 'A total of 3,900 students study in the two schools. A third school will make the area unlivable.'
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