BCCI will not leave Kochi players in lurch: Srinivasan

New BCCI president N Srinivasan gave assurances that the players’ interests of the terminated IPL franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala will be taken care of by the cricket board. The BCCI had terminated the Kochifranchise’s contract citing a breach of contractual terms – a move that had prompted the franchise to threaten legal action.

 

Kochi Tuskers Kerela

“What will be the consequences of the termination and the future of the players as well as whether to play with nine teams – all these will be decided by the IPL governing council. (But) players’ interest will be safeguarded. BCCI will not leave the players in the lurch. We will find an equitable solution that is viable for both, the players and the BCCI,” Srinivasan said.

Srinivasan elaborated on the question of the number of teams in the IPL, saying: “Whether it will be nine-team affair it’s for the IPL governing council to take a call at their next meeting, which I hope, is soon. I can’t decide that on my own its a decision of the IPL governing council and for BCCI as a whole to take.”

Srinivasan also brushed aside allegations of conflict of interest involved in him holding the top post in the BCCI and being the owner of the Chennai Super Kings at the same time, saying that the team was owned by India Cements Limited and not him.

“India Cements, the public limited company, owns Chennai Super Kings. I don’t own it. I don’t have any personal conflict of interest at all. All members take decisions in the BCCI at the AGM or the executive committee unanimously. In governing council if any matter on franchisee issue comes up I would excuse myself,” Srinivasan said.

“I don’t make up the governing council. There are eminent people and I will observe all propriety as far as the IPL franchisee is concerned,” he said.

Regarding the just-concluded England tour of India, Srinivasan, while backing the Indian team, reiterated that there would be no post-mortem of the side that failed to win a international single match.

“I agree that we lost badly and whoever watched the matches are aware about the reasons. We had far more injuries than we had in the past during a single tour. We did not have a full strength team to begin with and a little bad luck that England played well. It’s too early to write off the team or to criticise the team whom we praised to the sky two months ego,” he said.

While many attributed the team’s pathetic show in England to too much cricket, Srinivasan said the players can ask for rest whenever they wish to.

“Our team played a little bit more than other teams, but not the all players. Many of them played only 50-60 per cent of the total number of days. Senior players are professionals and they know their bodies best,” he said.

“If they feel the need to take rest the board would grant it and in the past (too), the board has granted them rest. Playing for Indiais more important and that will be the priority. IPL franchisees have been asked to inform the BCCI and the physio about the injury of any player.”

Asked about the controversial Decision Review System, Srinivasan said that the BCCI would take it up with ICC to reverse the decision taken in Hong Kong meeting in which India had agreed to use a modified version of the DRS.

“In the last ICC meeting in Hong Kong, India has agreed to use a minimum standard DRS, namely the use of hotspot. TheEngland tour has proved otherwise. We have to again take up with the ICC that the decision taken atHong Kong has to be reversed. We presently don’t believe in the accuracy of the technology on hot spot. We have to convince others about our viewpoint,” he told a television channel.

Vaughan to step down as NZ cricket chief

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Justin Vaughan announced Wednesday that he would step down at the end of November, after more than four years in the job.

New Zealand Cricket

Vaughan said the NZC needed a chief executive who could commit to remaining in the position until the 2015 Cricket World Cup and his young family meant he was unable to do that.

He said the lead-up to the tournament, which will be co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, would involve intense travel and he felt it was time to move on.

“Its been a hard decision to make but Im certain its the right time for me to explore new opportunities,” he said.

NZC chairman Chris Moller said that since his appointment in 2007, Vaughan had had overseen a 60 percent increase in the organisation’s revenues and helped restructure the Black Caps.

Moller said changes introduced by Vaughan include appointing former Test batsman John Wright as head coach and one-time Australia coach John Buchanan as director of cricket.

“Justin can be proud of his achievements,” he said.

The NZC said the search forVaughan’s replacement would begin immediately.

Kochi axing may cost BCCI Rs 2000 cr: Modi

Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has fired another salvo at his BCCI foes, ex-president Shashank Manohar and current president N. Srinivasanfor the “mess” created due to the termination of the IPL franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

Lalit Modi

The BCCI on Monday decided to terminate the IPL contract of Kochi franchise due to non-payment of a bank guarantee.

“Kochi now being terminated – a further loss of 1500 crores to BCCI. Compounded by reduction in Media Rights. My estimate 2000 crores. Who is responsible for this mess now? Current President and outgoing President for sure. Who will they blame now for this. Where is the accountability and who will take responsibility,” Modi wrote on his twitter page.

Modi proclaimed himself a whistle-blower on the shady dealings related to the Kochi franchise, while writing on his blog: “Now, 18 months later, the BCCI has terminated the Kochi contract on the basis of an unpaid bank guarantee which, according to new President, N. Srinivasan, ‘….is not capable of being remedied’.

“As a consequence, the BCCI now stands to lose more than US 300 million by virtue of reduced commercial revenue because Kochi’s suspension means fewer teams and therefore games – not to mention a loss of credibility for the IPL itself.”

Modi then stated that he now wants to know who will own up responsibility for this mess.

“It is a situation that could have been avoided but what it shows is that the unsubstantiated accusations made against me suggesting I imposed ‘onerous’ conditions purely to try and manipulate the bidding process towards my preferred bidders has been shot to pieces.

Australia coach Nielsen steps down

Australiacoach Tim Nielsen stepped down on Tuesday after his side clinched a test series victory over Sri Lanka, Cricket Australia said.

Australia coach Tim Nielsen steps down

“Tim has been national coach during a period in which we have had a long list of great champions leave the game and has been a strong support for new players coming into the side over that period,” Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said in a statement on the Cricket Australia website (www.cricket.com.au).

“I was delighted when he agreed to renew his contract last year and had encouraged him to apply for the new, expanded and redesigned Head Coach role that the CA Board approved last month after the tabling of the Australian Team Performance Review.

“However, I have spoken to Tim and understand and respect his decision to now begin a new chapter in his professional life.”

Nielsen, who has advised CA he is due to take up a new Australian cricket role, took over from John Buchanan in 2007. Last year he was reappointed until the end of the next Ashes series in England in 2013.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to work with the Australian cricket team in the role of Head Coach for the last four and half years,” Nielsen, 43, said in the same statement.

“Throughout that period we have had some great success as well as experiencing some tough times. I have enjoyed every minute of working hard with the playing group, aiming to give ourselves the best possible chance of representing Australia to the very best of our ability.”

Australia drew with Sri Lanka in the third and final test in Colombo on Tuesday to win the series 1-0.

Former state-level wicketkeeper Nielsen coached Australia in 15 test series, winning nine, losing five and drawing one.

Sutherland said CA would seek to appoint an interim, acting coach for the upcoming October-November tour ofSouth Africa while recruiting a new head coach.

Sachin out of Champions League T20

Mumbai Indians skipper, Sachin Tendulkar will reportedly miss out on playing for his team in the Champions League as he has not fully recovered from the toe injury.

News site, NDTV reported that the Master Blaster will miss out on the multi-starrer tournament as he has not recovered from the toe injury in time to feature in the last year’s finalists squad.

India's Sachin Tendulkar (R) talks with India's Coach Duncan Fletcher

The Mumbai Indians are already struggling to deal with injuries to their key players, Rohit Sharma and Munaf Patel and the loss of their captain will come as a huge blow for the side.

Harbhajan Singh, who said he has completely recovered from the abdominal tear he suffered during the Tests againstEngland, is expected to lead the Mumbai side in Sachin’s absence.

Mumbai coach Robin Singh had earlier said that Sachin’s absence would not hurt the team much and it may be an opportunity for others to prove their mettle shoulld the batting maestro fail to regain full fitness in time.

                    

Djokovic extends hot streak

Novak Djokovic stretched his unbeaten run for the year to 33 matches after crushing Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot 6-0 6-3 with an imperious display in the second round of the Rome Masters on Wednesday.

The world number two, who beat Rafa Nadal to win the Madrid Masters and claim his sixth title of the year, was hardly made to sweat in the first set as he tormented his opponent with a series of flashing forehand and backhand winners.

“Ora inizia la music: D.J.okovic (now the music begins: D.J.okovic)” read a banner in the stands as the Serbian went through his repertoire.

He even had luck on his side when he earned a break at the start of the second set with a netcord but Kubot, ranked 141 in the world, finally registered on the scoreboard in the 10th game, raising his arms aloft to cheers from the crowd in the Foro Italico.

Djokovic’s victory was never in doubt, however, as he marched on towards John McEnroe’s record 42-match winning run from the start of a season in 1984.

The Serb, who will replace Nadal as world number one if he wins in Rome and the Spaniard fails to make the semi-finals, was joined in the third round by Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela who defeated Frenchman Giles Simon 6-4 6-2.

Sehwag out of IPL

Delhi Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag will miss the remainder of the Indian Premier League to undergo a shoulder operation which also makes him doubtful for India’s tour of West Indies starting next month.

The swashbuckling 32-year-old opener will travel to England for the surgery.

“We will miss Virender Sehwag as he has been the pillar for Daredevils. But we also know how important it is for Sehwag to get the surgery done and be fit for future matches,” Daredevils director P B Vanchi said in a statement.

“We wish him a speedy recovery and hope he will soon be back in action for both Daredevils and India.”

Delhi will be led by Australian James Hopes in the remaining three IPL matches.

Sehwag’s troublesome shoulder kept him out of two Twenty20 World Cups and the one-day series in South Africa this year.

India are scheduled to play one Twenty20, five one-day internationals and three test matches in West Indies.

Commonwealth Games to push for Twenty20 cricket inclusion

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is to approach the International Cricket Council (ICC) again to push for Twenty20 cricket’s inclusion in future Games, the CGF said.
“It is fundamental that our sports programme continues to evolve in such a way as to sustain the Commonwealth Games as one of the world’s leading multi-sport events,” CGF sports review committee chairman Tunku Imran said in a statement.

“Given cricket’s strong association with the Commonwealth, the CGF will have further dialogue with the ICC as to the possibility of 20/20 cricket being included as an option for future editions of the Games,” the CGF vice-president said.

Organisers of last year’s Delhi Commonwealth Games were keen to include Twenty20 cricket but the powerful Indian cricket board rejected the idea, saying it did not want to further encourage this format of the game.

India had sent a second-string squad when cricket featured in the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games.

The CGF said it would also ask its 71 member countries to vote on whether to include beach volleyball from the 2018 Games.

Afridi handed two-game ban

Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi has been banned for two Twenty20 internationals after appearing to bite the ball during the fifth one-dayer against Australia.

pakistan all rounder Shahid Afridi

The all-rounder was caught by television cameras putting the ball in his mouth during a match that the tourists lost by two wickets at the WACA in Perth.

The third umpire reported the incident to the on-field officials Asoka de Silva and Paul Reiffel, who immediately ordered the ball be replaced.

In a hearing straight after the game, Afridi pleaded guilty to breaching article 2.2.9 of the International Cricket Council’s Code Of Conduct after being charged with “changing the condition of the ball in breach of Law 42.3 of the Laws of Cricket”.

Maximum penalty

Match referee Ranjan Madugalle decided to imposed two suspension points on the player, equating to two T20 matches for his country.

“I imposed the maximum penalty under the code to Shahid and reminded him of his responsibilities as a national captain which is to ensure that the match is played according to the laws of the game and in the spirit in which it is intended to be played,” Madugalle said.

“Shahid, when pleading guilty, apologised and regretted his actions.”

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam branded the behaviour of Afridi, who was captaining the side in the absence of Mohammad Yousuf, as “unacceptable”.

“It’s unacceptable,” said Alam. “It shouldn’t have happened but it happened and I feel sorry for him.

“Being a captain you should be above everything but unfortunately it’s happened and it’s up to the referee what sort of charges he’s going to level against him. I have no idea.”

Afridi will now miss the fixture against Australia on February 5, as well as the first of two matches against England in Dubai on February 19.

Spectator

The game was also overshadowed by an incident during the home side’s run chase when a fan ran onto the field and rugby tackled Pakistan’s Kalid Latif, who was not hurt in the incident.

Australia seamer Clint McKay, who took 4-35 to help bowl the tourists out for 212 earlier in the day, was outraged by the spectator’s intrusion.

“I thought it was disgraceful,” he said. “Something you don’t want to see ever.

“For someone to go out there and to touch one of their players is not on. Hopefully it all gets put to bed and he gets a right whack. It’s not something you want to happen.

“It’s probably the worst thing that can happen on a cricket field, so hopefully it gets stamped out and we don’t see it again.”

Preview:India look to wrap up series

A win away from clinching the series, India will bank on their explosive batting line-up as they battle history and injury in the fourth One-day international against Sri Lanka at the half-filled Eden Gardens here Thursday.

Indian cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, left, and Virender Sehwag interact during a practice session

The rollicking form of seasoned campaigners Sachin Tendulkar (208 at 104 average) and stand-in-skipper Virender Sehwag (194 at 64.66 average) is a big plus for the hosts with the duo having amassed nearly 400 runs between them in the five-game series that India lead 2-1.

But more vital is the way they have scored the runs. While Tendulkar has a strike rate of 94.97, Sehwag’s is an enviable 144.97, and the Lankan bowlers must be burning the midnight oil to find a way out to check their tormentors on a ground which is hosting an ODI after 32 months.

Gautam Gambhir, the other vital cog in the Indian batting department, has so far failed to fire in the series and the hosts would be hoping that he gets into form on the morrow in the absence of regular skipper and aggressive bat Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is serving a two-game ban for India’s slow overrate in the second ODI at Nagpur.

India are also without the stylish left hander Yuvraj Singh, who has been ruled out of the remaining matches of the series with a finger injury.

In bowling, young left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja’s spectacular showing (4-32) in the third ODI at Cuttack has raised hopes of finding a suitable partner for experienced offie Harbhajan Singh, more so at Eden, where the spinners have often played a decisive role.

Having last staged an ODI in February 2007, one would have hoped to see a full house at the large Eden stadium, but the renovation of four galleries in preparation for the 2011 World Cup has reduced its capacity.

With only 53 percent of the seats in the 83,635-capacity stadium now available, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has done away with priced tickets for the match, which will be the fourth the two teams will play here. They have won one apiece while the other was a no-result.

For Sri Lanka, dashing opener Tillakratne Dilshan has been in superb form, cracking two back-to-back hundreds before a blitzy 18-ball 41 at Cuttack. Dilshan’s opening partner Upul Tharanga and skipper Kumar Sangakkara are also among runs, though Mahela Jayawardene is going through a lean patch.

Speaking to mediapersons on the match-eve, Sehwag said the Indians would aim to get Dilshan out quickly.

“It is difficult to stop him. It is better to try and get him out. If we can get his wicket, we can put pressure on the Sri Lankan middle order,” he said.

The visitors are also playing the series without several of their regulars, and the absence of the Muttiah Muralitharan — back home after the Test series following an injury — could hurt the Lankans the most Thursday.

The 40-year-old Sanath Jayasuriya, whose aggressive batting and part-time spin could come in handy for the Lankans, may make a comeback into the team after being dropped for two ODIs.

“There is always a chance for him to play. We haven’t finalised the 11,” said Sri Lankan coach Trevor Bayliss at the pre-match media meet.

Bayliss did not think Dhoni and Yuvraj’s unavailability would give a boost to his side. “They have only two players out of the team. We have five,” he pointed out.

The pitch appeared firm, but the extent of the wind and the dew could play a vital part in determining the course of Thursday’s game.

Sewhag said he would opt to field if he won the toss to avoid the problems the bowlers could face because of the evening dew.

Bayliss, however, said the wicket looked hard and good and full of runs.

Traditionally, the sprawling Eden Gardens has seen moderate scores, compared to the now-familiar scenes of teams belting 350 or even more in the 50-over games on other parks. Only once has a team scored 300 plus on this ground, and the credit goes to Sri Lanka who amassed 301 against Pakistan 12 years ago.

While India have emerged victorious in eight of their 15 limited over games at Eden, they lost three of their last four ties. One was rained out.

Sri Lanka have won three of their half-a-dozen games at Eden and lost two, while one was washed out.

Teams (from):

India: Virender Sehwag (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma and Sudeep Tyagi.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (captain-wicketkeeper), Tillakaratne Dilshan, SanathJayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilina Kandamby, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Upul Tharanga, Chanaka Welegedara, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Suraj Randiv and Thissara Perera.

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Sanjay Hazare (India).

Third umpire: Shavir Tarapore.

Match starts at 2.30 p.m.