Pakistan team racially abused in N Zealand

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was Tuesday planning to lodge a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) claiming the national team was racially abused on the final day of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Napier.

Mohammad Yousuf (C) captain of Pakistan celebrates as Pakistan players walk from the field after their win during the Second Test match between New Zealand and Pakistan at Basin Reserve on December 6, 2009 in Wellington, New Zealand.

PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said he is yet to receive any complaint from the team management regarding the ugly incident that marred what was an interesting final Test at McLean Park.

“I will only contact the ICC regarding the issue after getting a formal complaint from the team management,” Butt told Geo Super.

A brother of New Zealand MP Chris Tremain and his 17 friends chanted slogans of ‘Pakistani terrorists’ from a corporate box at the McLean Park, New Zealand media reports said.

A sign saying “no racist comments please” was displayed on the park’s scoreboard about 5 p.m.

However, Pakistan manager Abdul Raqeeb said that he and his players didn’t hear any racist remarks.

According to New Zealand media reports, a corporate box hired by a brother of National MP Chris Tremain was refused alcohol after racial abuse was hurled at Pakistani cricketers.

Mark Tremain, 38, younger brother of the Napier MP and son of rugby legend Kel Tremain, hired the family company Tremain Real Estate’s corporate box for themselves Saturday, the second day of the Pakistan-New Zealand test.

Spectator Bill Stacey, of Clive, said he was embarrassed by the group’s “drunken stupidity” and the racist comments, which included shouts of “Pakistani terrorists”.

Chris Tremain, who is a director and shareholder in Tremain Real Estate, said: “Clearly what happened is unacceptable.”

NZ Cricket public affairs manager Stephen Hill said staff took action as soon as they heard of racist insults. “Our security staff were on the ball and they took steps to resolve the situation, and got them to modify their comments.”

“Racist abuse was more common in other countries. It arises from time to time, but it’s not common here. We have messages to put on the board sometimes, or the speaker system. We want the sport to be free of abuse,” he said.

Pakistan is scheduled to leave for Australia Wednesday for a full series after ending its three-match Test series at 1-1.

Mallya Desired England As IPL Venue

Liquor baron and owner of the Bangalore Royal Challengers, Vijay Mallya, has said that he would have preferred England to host the second season of the Indian Premier League.

Vija Mallya and Lalit Modi

The Twenty20 competition was moved out of India because of a clash of dates with general elections and the IPL organisers sealed a deal to organise the event in South Africa.

“To be honest, I would have preferred England to South Africa,” the Daily Express quoted Mallya, as saying.

Mallya agreed that there is a huge possibility of rain disruptions; but he believed the tournament would have drawn bigger crowds in England.

“You could have taken just one flight from five or six cities in India to England and it would have been cheaper. Besides, an average Englishman loves his cricket and the stands there would have been full of spectators. But, I guess the weather conditions clinched the issue for South Africa,” he said.

For Complete news visit : www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/2468/Mallya-Desired-England-As-IPL-Venue.htm

Indian Fans Disappointed

The change in venue for the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has brought disappointment to the Indians who were batting for the Twenty20 competition being played in India.

Fans Enjoying Cricket

“It is like imagining Wimbledon in England, Australian Open tennis, or the UFA cups being played abroad. The charm of an Indian event has gone. It has become a television event,” said Diana Edulji, former Indian women”s Test cricketer.

Jitender Kumar, a cricket coach, said: “It will send out a wrong message to the world that such a big country like ours could not provide security to a sporting event. I believe it would have been better if IPL would have been held in India.”

Disappointment was writ large on the faces of young cricket enthusiasts who felt that IPL should be hosted in India as very few matches are played on Indian soil.

For Complete news visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/2463/Indians-Disappointed.htm

TV Rights Not Weather, Took IPL Away

Television rights and not the weather, it appears convinced Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi to chose South Africa instead of England for the second edition of the twenty20 tournament.

Lalit Modi,chairman IPL and(CSA) chief executive Gerald Majola

According to The Independent, Modi did not bother going on to London as initially planned to hear a pitch from the England and Wales Cricket Board for staging the game’s most lucrative competition.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India became less enthusiastic about hosting the event in Britain when they realised that apart from the bad weather in April and May, there may also encounter problems with broadcasting rights and revenue.

For complete news visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/2446/TV-Rights-Not-Weather,-Took-IPL-Away.htm

England in line to host IPL

England is most likely to host the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) 2009 edition after South African Chief Gerald Majola revealed that his country is not the first choice for organizers.

Convenor of IPL Lalit Modi is likely to arrive in London on Monday to hold further discussions with England and Wales Cricket Board to draft out ways which will fit twenty20 tournament around the county season.

Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Lalit Modi,Shilpa Shetty and Priety Zinta

England and South Africa are the primary two venues where IPL is likely to be played, but it seems BCCI prefers former for its huge Asian crowd.

“England is a very attractive venue,” Modi told The Daily Telegraph.

Board of Control for Cricket in India, contacted ECB and insisted for a decision to be made as soon as possible to check the practicability of hosting IPL on such short notice.

ECB, chief executive David Collier will fly back to England to meet IPL officials on Wednesday or Thursday.

Speaking to British media giant, Sky Collier clarified, “We have opened up discussions with the BCCI and IPL with the last 36 hours and we’ll be continuing those discussions in the middle of this week-and then we’ll be reporting to our board at the back end of the week.

“Clearly with only three weeks to go to the start of the competition, I think all parties recognize an early decision has to be made.”

For Complete news Visit :www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/2383/England-Most-Likely-To-Host-IPL.htm

England gifted first win

England claimed their first international win since August in farcical circumstances when West Indies miscalculated the Duckworth-Lewis target at the end of the opening one-dayer in Guyana on Friday.

stuart-broad-paul-collingwood-andrew-strauss

West Indies, chasing England’s 50-over total of 270 for seven, were offered the chance to go off due to rain and bad light and their Australian coach John Dyson beckoned the batsmen off the field.

However the hosts were one run short of the Duckworth-Lewis target, the method used to calculate results when the full overs are unused, and with no opportunity to return to the field England were declared winners with West Indies on 244 for seven from 46.2 overs.

Dyson left his seat in the pavilion to consult match referee Javagal Srinath and England were soon celebrating their first win since a one-day victory over South Africa at Lord’s.
“I was on the wrong column (on the sheet) … I thought we were ahead of Duckworth-Lewis but in fact we were behind by one run,” Dyson told Sky Sports television. “There was a lot of noise going on and it was my responsibility so that was it. DYSON’S MISTAKE “I accept responsibility for it and I’ve apologised to the team and that’s all I can do. It was my mistake.

For Complete News Visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/2294/England-Finally-Won.htm

Ryder shines to avoid whitewash

Jesse Ryder shone with both bat and ball in New Zealand’s eight wicket win over India in their fifth and final one-day international at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.

Ryder captured three wickets then blasted a quick half-century to set up his team for their first win of the series as the hosts avoided a whitewash.

Jesse Ryder

Martin Guptill also chipped in with an unbeaten 57 as New Zealand cruised past India’s modest total of 149 with a reply of 151-2 in 23.2 overs.

India’s chances of winning the match were in ruins after they were bowled out cheaply with 25-year-old Ryder picking up the wickets of Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan with his medium pacers.

For complete news visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/2097/Ryder-shines-to-avoid-whitewash.htm

Preview: Second ODI, India vs New Zealand

Team India seems to be settled and attuned to the diverse conditions of the land where Sun rises first, but hardly shines.

suresh-raina

As most of the team is touring New Zealand for the first time, the Juveniles showed their nerves of steel and convincingly won the first rain affected ODI after losing closely fought T20’s series which raised few eyebrows and doubts on the capability of the young brigade led by MS Dhoni.

Downpour is expected in Wellington. The moisture and wind has always assisted bowling; testing real character of batters. Toss will be a key factor in Westpac Trust Stadium – so far team winning the flip has triumphed in the tour.

Indian Batting appears to be in good shape as the team is no more dependent on one player’s performance, though they have to avoid mini collapses in middle order to continue the momentum against a side known for its come backs.

Dont’s For India

Sehwag’s brilliance at the top order has been exceptional. He is making the best use of the short boundaries in the dual stadiums.

The young lad Suresh Raina has played brilliantly on the tour so far and will be the man to watch when India tries to double the lead in Wellington on Friday (01: 00 GMT.)

Changing Gautam Gambhir’s preferred opening slot hasn’t been too successful so far, experiment can be dicey in long run for the team.

Hard hitter Yusuf Pathan should be used smartly as he is playing as an all-rounder in the team.

Team India improved the bowling department as Praveen Kumar has filled in the gap left by speedster Ishant Sharma who will be missing the second ODI too due to shoulder injury. Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh can be lethal if they manage to keep it tight.

For Complete Preview Visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket_info/278/Preview-Second-ODI.htm

IPL Rescheduled

India’s cricket board is looking to reschedule its popular Twenty20 league after the government, worried by Tuesday’s attack in Lahore, said the security forces would be preoccupied with general elections.

Rajasthan Royal

Six members of the Sri Lanka team and a coach were wounded when gunmen attacked their bus in Pakistan, heightening security concerns for the league involving many international players and due to be staged between April 10 and May 24.

The league had been looking to rework dates for some of the games because it would have clashed with the poll, a multi-phased affair to help deploy security forces for the massive exercise.

India goes to the polls between April 16 and May 13 with the votes to be counted three days later.

Indian Home (interior) Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said he had asked the senior-most bureaucrat to discuss the issue with cricket officials.

“I have spoken to the home secretary and asked him to get in touch with the (league) organisers to find out if the schedule can be adjusted,” Chidambaram told CNN-IBN channel.

He added: “Cricket in India will be safe. We will provide security. Only that (whether) the dates are adjusted so that our security forces are not stretched.”

The franchise league drew big crowds in its inaugural edition in 2008.

For Complete News Visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/1782/IPL-Rescheduled.htm

India Win by 53 Runs in McLean Park

India won the rain curtailed first ODI in Napier against New Zealand on Tuesday, after racing to 4-273 in their allotted 38 overs – thanks to blistering half centuries by Virender Sehwag, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina.

virender-sehwag

New Zealand scored 9-169 in reply after a second rain halt reduced their innings to 28 overs and they finally fell 53-runs short of the revised target.

Loosing both openers cheaply, 58-run partnership between Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor returned some hope to the Kiwi camp, but when Yousuf Pathan got rid of Taylor (34), and Elliot Grant becoming victim of Yuvraj Singh’s superb fielding, last hopes of recovery became more grim as weather over the McLean Park. 

Dhoni top scored for India with a well crafted 84 not out from 89 balls.

For complete News Visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/1749/India-Win-by-53-Runs-in-McLean-Park.htm