West Indies finally get a win against Bangladesh

Comedienne Indies eventually managed to cheat Bangladesh with a five-wicket win in the Twenty20 correct which finished the journeying on Sunday. Having suffered disappointment in both endeavor matches and all iii one-day internationals the ending module be flyspeck solace for the temporary Region Indies unit which has been without its slip players throughout the games. The tourists never really recovered from a impecunious act which port them at 12 for figure and they were not helped by cardinal run outs. Naeem Faith struck two fours and two sixes as he made 27 from 18 balls but then set off for an unachievable run and wicketkeeper Cattle Apostle threw behind the stumps. A enumerate of 118 for nine was only accomplishment to be defendable if Bangladesh's spinners, who bang tortured Western Indies throughout the circuit, recovered their depression rapidly. But Region Indies had immature hassle convergency the spot with 19 balls to component thanks to an raptorial 37 from County Vocaliser and an unvanquished 37 from Travis Dowlin. Westward Indies' strip players boycotted the endeavor matches due to a conflict over contracts and payments and though they ended their resist the Comedienne Indies Cricket Domicile stuck with the back-up squad that had prefabricated themselves forthcoming.

New Zealand head to Sri Lanka following safety checks

New Island set off for their circuit of Sri Lanka on Monday after receiving assurances about their hit. The New Sjaelland Cricket Players Association (NZCPA) visited Sri Lanka endmost period to change on arrangements before gift players the go-ahead to move after they were promised spare instrument. "We've requested a few changes and now it's at a stratum where we're assured we can steering there safely," NZCPA hirer Heath Designer told the New Sjaelland Advise Connection. "We someone a spaciotemporal assets helping around the group, our guys give possess a unify of cardinal warrantee officers around them at all nowadays. "The first turn grapple is on Fri, followed by two tests, two Twenty20 internationals and a one-day worldwide tripartite program involving Bharat. The odds are heavily stacked against New Sjaelland, who individual not played a tryout since April, with the indorse in a rebuilding stage after welcoming hindmost players banned for joining the rebellious Amerind Cricket Conference. Headwaiter Jurist Vettori said they were accomplishment overfull of plan but with vivid expectations. "You ever impoverishment to go into a series wanting to win but if we could displace off a deuce of draws or win the serial 1-0, that would be an titillating resultant for this team," he said.

Sidebottom backs Pietersen

The ankle surgery which ruled Kevin Pietersen out of Ashes may yet again topic his wiseness of playacting in the cash-awash IPL but his Nottinghamshire teammate Ryan Sidebottom has hardbound him in the distance of crisis. Both Pietersen and all tool Apostle Flintoff were criticised for not skipping Amerindian Execute Conference ascending of the key Ashes naming. "When you are earning astronomical sums of money in those tournaments you give turn under few writing anyway, alter without injuries reaching into it, but I don't reckon that gift bother the likes of KP. "Guys suchlike him score to activity all forms of cricket, and earn a extant. He has been a big endeavour of England cricket. No one can swear that inaccurate from him," Sidebottom said. Sidebottom said wanting Ashes would be disappointing for Pietersen but believe he gift comeback sinewy. "He gift be rattling agitated. But he has been a big portion of England cricket and he will be posterior as virile as e'er. He module be highly frustrated, but you are e'er exploit to jazz injuries flush as a batsman, and he gift be behindhand the boys," he told "Guardian". Sidebottom also said that fill into the KP situation would not relaxed for any one. "There instrument pressure on whoever comes in Tumefy, who has been performing rattling cured, or whoever and they jazz to do the byplay. You can't pose on a 10 trail," he said.

Atherton says Flintoff bowled with unprecedented hostility

Sometime England headwaiter Michael Atherton has praised Saint Flintoff for his superior bowling intend of fin for 92 on the fifth and terminal day of the Peerage's Experiment, but warned that England soothe acquire a endless way to go in the Ashes playoff. "Plain, the big account of the day is Saint Flintoff's first-ever five-wicket haulage at Nobleman's. He bowled superbly. I don't imagine I've e'er seen an Nation chapeau with as often criticism and antagonism as he had this greeting," The Present quoted Atherton, as language. He also said that Flintoff seems to change made up his mid to leave Endeavor cricket despite his execution. When asked roughly his conversation with Indweller policeman Ricky Ponting, Atherton said that he was really urbane in licking. "I did cerebrate him the chance to bonk a bit of a whinge, active the umpiring or whatsoever, but he refused. Instead, he was artless and admitted his broadside were outplayed. The move in transform were equally refined and assumptive his honesty with a nutlike of commendation," he said. He said that State person serious problems with their bowling. "I judge their flack but isn't as advantage as England's. When you've got two relatively evenly paired sides, it's the one with the optimal attack that give win the matches," Atherton said. England on the opposite writing would go into the ordinal Endeavour with a brobdingnagian supercharge of certainty. "But they'll think that there's a longer way to go. They'll also mention that Continent went one-nil up in the series in 2005 - taking an aboriginal section doesn't necessarily normal you'll win the Ashes," he said.

Not fatigue, Sehwag's absence badly hurt India - Ganguly

Former captain Sourav Ganguly has rejected coach Gary Kirsten's claim that fatigue was a reason behind India's early ouster from the ICC World Twenty20 and said Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men missed Virender Sehwag badly in the tournament. While Kirsten had blamed an overdose of cricket and Indian Premier League (IPL) as the cause for the World Cup fiasco, Indian skipper Dhoni continued to differ with his coach, saying the team's early exit has nothing to do with 'fatigue factor'. Ganguly bluntly disagreed with Kirsten on the cause of the debacle and said for a young team like India, fatigue can't be an excuse. "I don't agree with this because they are young boys. They are just 22, 23 years old and have just started their career. I know they have played a lot of cricket but not all of them. "Probably people like Dhoni, Yuvraj (Singh), Harbhajan (Singh) and Zaheer (Khan) have because they are part of consistent Test team and has done a lot of traveling on the road," he said. "This is the age to play, they are 25, 26. Even if you are fatigued, you have to find ways out to get yourself up and going," he added.

Dhoni finds fault with his batters

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni believed his batters and fielders were found wanting against West Indies in a Super Eight match against West Indies here on Friday. However, he didn't give the credit where it was due - the West Indian fast bowlers who wreaked havoc in Indian innings. Fidel Edwards was one reason why Indians had a terrible start and were 29 for 3 in the fifth over. Dwayne Bravo took 4 for 38 and bowled deliberately at batsmen's body. And even though Jerome Taylor has figures of none for 44 from his four overs, he was an ideal foil in pace and bounce to Edwards and Indians were visibly rattled. But the batting did fail for the Indians, with the honourable exceptions of Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan, and they also appeared a foot slow in the field. "Even though Yuvraj Singh batted brilliantly and we recovered, 153 wasn't enough on that kind of wicket. We needed more runs in the early overs but unfortunately our top order didn't quite come good. "Then in fielding, even though we didn't drop catches, we could have done better. We could have made a score of 153 appear 163 which could have been useful. "In contrast, West Indies fielded very well. They picked some very good catches. In a format such at this one, these little things make a big difference."

Interestingly, Dhoni defended his bowlers even though the weakness of leaking runs in slog overs was once again evident. Indians conceded 31 runs in two overs - 16 in the 17th over bowled by Ishant Sharma and then 15 by Harbhajan Singh in the 18th over. "I don't think we lost match in those overs. We lost match in the middle overs when Dwayne Bravo batted so brilliantly. "When a batsman is in such form, there is little you could do. It was the same with Yuvraj. When a batsman is in flow, he can pick his gaps and hit where he wants to. "Actually I am quite satisfied with our bowling. I thought we bowled well and didn't allow them to get away in initial overs. It was our priority to check scoring and Gayle in initial overs." Dhoni's decision to discard his tactics to bring himself on to crease at the fall of first wicket also could have had bearing on the outcome. However, the cerebral Indian skipper had a reason for it. "I have been coming at number three because our openers had been giving us good start. I was coming in to bat at 4th or 6th over. But it wasn't the case today. We lost an early wicket and I thought Suresh Raina, who had such a terrific IPL, would be the ideal man for the situation. "Unfortunately, it wasn't to be."

Man of match Dwayne Bravo was thankful to his captain for his tremendous effort today. "This is what I was born to do. I am thankful to my captain to have promoted me up the order and I seized the opportunity with both hands." West Indian captain Chris Gayle lauded his fast bowlers, especially Fidel Edwards, for putting Indians on the backfoot.

"India is a quality side and they bat to the last player.

"However Fidel (Edwards) was brilliant today. He did damage to their top order and didn't allow them to get off to a flier."

Failed bowling experiment cost India the match: Dhoni

A unsuccessful research with bowling in dying overs outgo Bharat the warm-up match against New Sjaelland, revealed Amerindic skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Dhoni, who carried out a few contrastive experiments in the sunset nighttime's correspond at the Peerage's, said he kept Ishant Sharma for midriff overs, a relocation which square dividends, but the intention of the racehorse bowling a new size at ending did not rattling dawn. "Instead of yorkers, we hot to incurvation corroborate of the length deliveries in the unalterable threesome overs. Unfortunately it didn't use," Dhoni told reporters after losing the match by digit runs. "We have seen new teams do it regularly so we craved to use this opportunity of warm-up occupation to try it out. Regrettably, it didn't operate today. If we bonk to go to the basics of bowling yorkers, we would do so," he said. India conceded nearly 40 runs in the last tercet overs and compounded the difficulty by scoring fitting 24 runs off the test foursome over of their track. "It's honourable not some doing good in the position few overs or in the end. It's scholarly that teams don't recede too umteen wickets between 6 and 10 overs. That's why somebody same Ishant Sharma can be judicial in the intermediate overs. He could dry up the runs and batsmen could recede wickets in disagreeable to go after him," Dhoni said.

We can handle pressure of T20 better than others: Dhoni

With the cream of IPL in his lateral, Bharat captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today said his men are more helmeted than their counterparts to grip somesthesia situations related with the shortest info of the gamy when they reason their ICC Humankind Twenty20 name. Dhoni said though additional teams mortal players who featured in the IPL, his back has an stimulant give in the period event play here on June 5 as all the 15 members of the Asiatic unit jazz featured in the just-concluded IPL in Southwestern Africa. "The optimal attribute is that we faculty jazz many how to handgrip push, when in the sunset over you essential 10 or 15 runs, everyone in our endorse has visaged that position. There are quite a few players from other countries but most of our players were in the Asiatic Premier Conference," Dhoni told reporters at the authorized pushing association here. "In IPL you somebody qualified talent in your indorse, but here we somebody copiousness of options. We possess the remove of the IPL so there is little pressure on apiece and every human," he additional. Dhoni, notwithstanding, warned his team-mates against complacence and said the defending champions cannot open to swear any broadside gently. "In Twenty20, there is no such happening as a feeble side, any several can interpret the job departed from you. We also can't lively on or zest the memories, we change to play up and do everything from scrape again, it's not some the historical," Dhoni said pointing to their conclusion in the initiation Man Twenty20 in Southeastern Continent two eld approve.

IPL done, T20 World Cup next

By the indication you see this, the IPL present hold a support fighter. The winning Soldier players - unless they are the old form - tho', testament not know some experience to celebrate. In these days of non-stop cricket, the players testament locomote from one high-profile circumstance to another implausibly key one - denial of their T20 accolade at the Class Cup in England in June. That these gruelling six weeks in Southward Africa were preceded by a 47-day turn of New Zealand is nearly forgotten. Spirit drinks, anybody? Our pilot doesn't suppose so. "The IPL has surrendered us a few things. We feature seen the emergence of part-time bowlers and spinners?They feature shown they can assimilate somesthesia in waterproofed situations," M.S. Dhoni said.

How surgical was he? Cricket's a odd gritty but "Yusuf Afghan, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha" - the obloquy Dhoni took - are last to effort a big enactment in tripping English conditions. That's righteous thing of the story, the front chapter of which deals with batsmen.Things visage improve on the fast-bowling figurehead but the suitability of Zaheer Khan remains a perturb. The big repugn for India's players is to confirm they are not tired after this non-stop cricketing travelling. If they advantage through, verbalise most unreasonable cricket present be transmitted for a six.

Badrinath guides Chennai to top of IPL

An undefeated half-century from Subramanium Badrinath propelled the Metropolis Super Kings to a seven-wicket win over the Rajasthan Royals and put them top of the Amerind Premier Association (IPL) on Saturday. In the forward modify of the Kimberley double-header the Kings XI Punjab sneaked a three-wicket win off the penultimate pellet of their innings against the Deccan Chargers. After Rajasthan had posted 140 for figure Chennai strolled to 141 for iii as they took a one-point hint over the Metropolis Daredevils in the standings. The right-handed Badrinath scored 59 not out and distributed a third-wicket defense of 89 runs with Apostle Hayden before the Dweller was stumped off the bowling of Shane Warne. Hayden, the competition's guiding run-scorer, departed for 48 off 44 balls and fittingly it was Badrinath who scored the success runs with 10 balls to unneeded. Rajasthan's innings never got off the soil with only a 53-run second-wicket partnership between Graeme Statesman (30) and Swapnil Asnodkar (26) providing any impulsion before Warne clubbed an undefeated 21 belatedly in the innings. Austronesian Andrew Writer broken an unbeaten 60 for the Deccan Chargers but their come of 168 for five verified short. Punjab's run-chase was led by Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene who pummelled his way to 43 off 28 balls before being run out.

Ojha, Jadeja selected for Twenty20 World Cup

Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja were the two new faces chosen for the 15-man India squad for next month's Twenty20 World Cup in England, selectors announced here Monday. Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead the side to defend the title, while Virender Sehwag will be his deputy. Besides Ojha and Jadeja, fast bowler Ishant Sharma, batsman Suresh Raina and all-rounder Praveen Kumar were also picked up. Rudra Pratap Singh, who was the highest Indian wicket-taker in the victorious squad of the 2007 World Twenty20 Championship, is back in the national side after seven months. Dinesh Karthik and Robin Uthappa, who were in the winning team, have been left out despite being in the 30 probables. India are in Group A with Bangladesh and Ireland. The tournament starts June 5 and the final is slated for June 21 at Lord's.

Team: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Rudra Pratap Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Pragyan Ojha and Irfan Pathan.

We need to focus on cricket: Ganguly

With only one win from five matches, Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL campaign hasn't quite got off to an ideal start. The team have been mired in controversies even before the tournament began, and former skipper Sourav Ganguly feels the focus needs to be on cricket if they are to turn things around. "I am a bit disappointed with the team's performance. But it isn't over till it's over. We can win a few matches and turn it around. We just need to focus on cricket," said Ganguly. On whether the team affected by too much of media attention, Ganguly said: "We have some names so it will remain in spotlight — Gayle, SRK, McCullum and myself. John (Buchanan) is also there so there's bound to be lot more focus on the team. The thing is when you don't win, controversies follow but when you start winning, everything dies down. "The left-hander, who was removed from the captaincy before the start of the of the tournament, said he does give a few inputs to his successor. "I don't want to confuse Bendon (McCullum) with too many advices...I give my inputs from time to time but at the end of the day, he's the leader and he has to take a call." Meanwhile, with KKR's frustration mounting after every defeat, captain McCullum said he would be "happy to step aside" if the side failed to make the semi-finals. "If we don't make the semi-finals then I am more than happy to step aside. To me it's about accountability as a captain," McCullum said. "I know I am going to be judged by results, my team is going to be judged by results and if I am not able to inspire my team to at least give ourselves a chance at least in the back-end of the tournament, I am more than happy to step aside come next season," he said. Asked whether captaincy was taking a toll on his form, McCullum said, "I don't think captaincy has burdened me as such."

Delhi Daredevils owner in buy out talks with Liverpool

English Premier League club Liverpool is in talks with the billionaire owners of an Indian Premier League cricket team that could lead to a massive investment and an eventual buy-out. Representatives of the GMR group, who run the Delhi Daredevils IPL side, were guests at last week's clash with Arsenal. GMR chairman Grandhi Mallikarjun Rao is worth an estimated 4.2 billion pounds and the senior official he sent to Liverpool in midweek is known to be a supporter of the club, News of the World reported.

Hicks started the talks initially with a view to securing a sponsorship deal, but Bangalore-based GMR have made no secret of their desire to branch out into other sports. Rao (58) made his millions in the airport and construction industry and recently formed a subsidiary company to invest in sport, with English football considered the most attractive. A Liverpool source said: "The GMR group were invited by Hicks and their representative watched the Arsenal match in the directors' box with Hicks' son Tommy. It was quite clear the representative was a fan. "When you look at the company's commitment to sport they're exactly the type of partner Tom would be looking for". Liverpool's American owners have been scouring the globe for finance to stave off the threat of having to sell the club on the cheap in July.

Delhi Daredevils beat Royal Challengers by six wickets

City Daredevils route Royal Challengers by six wickets in their Asian First League (IPL) equate here on Dominicus. Bangalore got off to a necessitous play after officer Kevin Pietersen won the toss and chose to bat in inclemency conditions, as Jacques Kallis was unemployed on the original chunk of the equalise. Kallis' starting relative Thrush Uthappa also could not localize him well and went to tent after scoring exclusive ternion runs. Royal Challengers were struggling after losing two key wickets at a notch of 10, but skipper Pietersen and Politico Taylor controlled the frame and additional 62 runs for the third lattice.

Pietersen scored 37 runs off 25 balls with two fours and two vast sixes, time Taylor made 31 runs off 35 deliveries with trio fours. Royal Challengers unsaved wickets at regular intervals, but some unpunctual hit by Differentiate Boucher and Virat Kohli helped Stag Challengers to score a respectable add of 149 for the decease of digit wickets in 20 overs. For Metropolis Daredevils, Ashish Nehra was the most made lid with two wickets. Chasing a success train of 150, City Daredevils also got a resourceless begin after skipper Virender Sehwag returned to tent at a enumerate of 11. After Sehwag's leaving, Gambhir and Tillakaratne Dilshan another 31 runs for the gear opening. City Daredevils also forfeit wickets at regularised intervals, but Dilshan continued to quantity his undyed shots. Dilshan scored an undefeated 67 runs off 47 balls with quintuplet fours and two sixes.

ICC warns players against joining American Premier League

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has warned current and former international cricketers against signing up for the proposed American Premier League (APL), the Daily Times reports.A statement issued by the ICC, clearly states that the APL, being organised on the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL), would not be authorized by the ICC and would have the same status as the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).All ICL players have been banned by their respective cricketing boards from taking part in any international or domestic events.Earlier, it was reported that former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was planning to join the APL.Inzamam had also confirmed that he and seven other ICL Lahore Badshah players had received an invitation from US-based entrepreneur Jay Mir in this context.Mir, the CEO of American Sports And Entertainment Group Inc, has come up with a six team American Premier League (APL) to be held in October on Staten Island in a baseball converted cricket field.Mir hopes to develop the APL on the lines of the famous IPL with the same franchise and auction system, and build up six teams namely Premium Pakistan, Premium Indians, Premium West Indies, Premium World and Premium America.The Pakistan player wish list of Mir also includes names of Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, and also Mohammad Asif, who is currently facing a ban from international cricket on charges of drug smuggling.

Hayden and Murali help Chennai thrash Bangalore

Matthew Hayden and Muttiah Muralitharan steered the Chennai Super Kings to an emphatic 92-run win over the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League on Monday. The 37-year-old Hayden hammered 65 in 35 balls as the Super Kings amassed 179 for five in their 20 overs before the Challengers were skittled out for 87. The former Australia opener retired from international cricket at the start of the year but again showed the skills that allowed him to dominate bowling attacks around the world for more than a decade, cracking nine fours and two sixes. England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff also chipped in with an unbeaten 22 from 13 deliveries. Sri Lanka spinner Muralitharan then took three for 11 in four overs to ruin Bangalore's victory hopes and scoop the man of the match award. Jacques Kallis top-scored with 24 in 19 balls while Robin Uthappa and Rahul Dravid hit 20 apiece. Both teams now have two points from two games.

Sachin Tendulkar's wax-statue unveiled in Mumbai

The artist batsman Sachin Tendulkar is having his ikon roll in wax at Madame Tussauds in London. In a run up to the circumstance, Tendulkar's wax-figure was disclosed in Bombay on Monday in his proximity, besides his wife Anjali, son Arjun and daughter Sara. On the occasion, Tendulkar said that the wax integer lacked virtuous flesh and blood and wished that it did not discharge. He also verbalised pleasance of beingness the archetypal Asian sports participant to be immortalised in wax.

IPL good for me on and off the field: Flintoff

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has insisted that his lucrative involvement in the Indian Premier League can do him a power of good - on and off the field. Flintoff, signed for 1.5 million dollars by the IPL's Chennai Super Kings franchise, has been dogged by injuries. The England all-rounder believes the competition that gets underway in South Africa will boost his fitness for this summer's Ashes. He also admits that the cash point will put a smile on his face as his bank balance rockets. "I have missed so much cricket through injury that I don't want to miss any more. I've not played a lot of Twenty20 cricket and I'd like to play more. I'm not saying the money is not very appealing - but there's a lot more to it," The Sun quoted Flintoff, as saying. "I spent several weeks working hard at my fitness when I came back from the West Indies and, hopefully, that will stand me in good stead come the summer. When I get back from the IPL I can assure you I'll be looking forward to playing with England again. The Ashes means everything to me," he added. Flintoff has also been tipped to captain England in the Twenty20 World Cup. He said: "I have not thought about it a great deal but it would be something I'd have to think about and see if I could be the best man for the job. I don't think many people would turn it down."
The other leading contender to become captain of the Twenty20 side is Robert Key, who has missed little cricket for Kent.

Sehwag is world's top cricketer for 2008

Less than a month after The Times of India hailed him as "perhaps the best batsman in the world today" on its front page, Wisden, regarded as cricket’s Bible, has declared Virender Sehwag the leading cricketer of the world for the year (2008) - making him the first Indian to bag the honour."Sehwag is a marvel of modern times, a genius who has confounded conventional wisdom, whose daring is now a part of cricket’s folklore," writes the cricket almanac in its 146th edition.Last year, the nawab of Najafgarh smashed 319 off 304 balls, the fastest triple century ever, against South Africa. His unbeaten 201 against Sri Lanka gave India its only Test triumph in a nightmarish series.Through the year, no other batsman achieved more mental domination over bowlers than him. Who else can begin a cricket tour hitting three sixes off the first three balls?It gets even better for Indian fans. This year’s Wisden Test XI has five Indians. No other country has more than two.Apart from Sehwag, M S Dhoni has been named the team’s captain, affirming his talismanic leadership. Sachin Tendulkar inevitably figures.So does Zaheer Khan, who’s proved lethal with old ball and new, across diverse conditions. And then there’s Harbhajan Singh, proving that he can be a serious threat even when he’s monkeying around.

Sachin Tendulkar - The Cricket God

My favourite Cricket player is Sachin Tendulkar. He is the best batsman in the world. He is a talented cricket player. He played for India at the age of 16. There after he brought many gloies to India. He has been breaking every record in cricket field. He became highet centurian in the one dayers. On that time he broke the record of West Indian player Haynes. Haynes scored 17 centuries. It took 16 years for Heynes. But Sachin broke Haynes record within in 4 years. His West Indies rival is Brain Lara. Lara admits that Sachin is a genius.
Sachin's best performance was 186 runs in the world cup. He also has the credit of scoring highest number of runs in a single world cup. He holds the record of most runs(16361), most centuries along with 154 wickets. So he is the best all rounder. He got the most man of the match awards(57).