Live Cricket Streaming: West Indies Vs Pakistan 2nd Test

Among all the criticism heaped on West Indies cricket in recent years, one of the foremost has been the lack of resolve shown by their players who have appeared diffident, in contrast to the weight of the great tradition they bear. Too many times, dominating positions have been frittered away, conveying the impression that they seemingly do not care to gain ground. The hurt is magnified, given that that the West Indies is the only place outside the sub-continent where cricket is still, hopefully, much more than just a game.

That is why the win in the first Test against Pakistan should ideally be much more than just another win - it was the first in a Test in almost two years. What was more heartening to see was what led to that win. The fight shown by the lower order, where the last two wickets added in excess of 50 runs in both innings in a low-scoring game where the winning margin was 40. Above all, the fight displayed by Darren Sammy who, with a Man of the Match performance, showed that he might also have the skills to be a contributing player at Test level in addition to being a willing captain.

All of which should be celebrated much more than a win, because, in isolation, the victory itself might just prove to be a one-off considering the various ills plaguing West Indies cricket. The final game in yet another two-Test series that has promised so much will give a stronger indication if the earlier win was more than just that. If Sammy does manage to pull off another victory, he would have bought a lot of time against the doubters. Even a draw will help, but a loss will lead to increasing calls of ‘we told you so’.

To consolidate on their success in the first Test, West Indies will need to address their serious vulnerability while facing spin, especially against Saeed Ajmal. When your opener [Devon Smith] fails to last even an over against the opposition’s part-time offspinner in Tests [Mohammad Hafeez], it reflects poorly on the skillsets of those playing at the highest level. The surface at Warner Park, though, should suit West Indies much more than the vicious turner at Providence that turned survival against quality spin into a lottery, one in which the hosts didn’t enjoy much luck.




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Shane Warne Farewells The Game He Loves

AFTER playing his final match in India, the king of spin says it's great to go out a winner.

SO my last ever professional game of cricket is behind me. I've reached the end.

And what a nice way to say goodbye.

It was great to finish here in Mumbai with a big win and I am really pleased with the way we all played.

It seemed fitting that my last match was against the great Sachin Tendulkar in his own backyard. All week I had been looking forward to resuming battle against the best cricketer I have played with or against.

After the match he approached me and said: "It has been an honour and a privilege to play against you. I wish you all the very best for the future. You are a legend."

It was a great moment.

I've had messages of support from all over the world from people - from my Mum and Dad through to my closest friends.So was having the guys give me a guard of honour as I left the field and the reaction from the crowd.

And it was great to have Elizabeth (Hurley) at the ground to see my final match.

In the days leading up to my farewell game of cricket, which has been my life since the summer of 1989, my mood was one of a reflective nature.

I think when you have been involved in sport, business or anything for 20-odd years or more, there is a love and passion for what you do - so, of course I will miss the game.

But to me, cricket has always been more about the people, friendships and the camaraderie of being in it together that has driven me along with the enjoyment of being in a battle and giving everything for the cause.

Basically, never giving up; it's that competitiveness which I will miss out on the field.

I have never seen playing cricket as a job. I saw it as my hobby, something I was passionate about and loved doing.

I'm thankful for the people that gave me the opportunity to play.

I think that showed in the way I played the game. Hopefully you enjoyed watching me toil away and try my best for all the teams I played for.

People ask me if I'm emotional walking away from cricket. I'm not. I'm happy and ready to go. It's the right time. This week I found myself with a big smile, feeling content with my life and what the future holds both personally and from now a businessman's point of view.

I am totally ready to say goodbye to the great game of cricket. So, please, no more questions about a comeback.

I would like to thank all the people out there who supported me unconditionally - which has meant a lot. I know at times you shook your head and said, "Sshaaaaaane!", but that's part of the journey of life.

I feel very proud of everything I've achieved in my cricketing career. When you finish something there can be a tendency to say, 'what am I going to do now?'

I am lucky I have some excellent business ventures and wonderful sponsors. I am captain of the 888 poker team. I really enjoy my poker and I'm improving year by year. I think 2011-12 could be the time I lift a big tournament trophy up. OK, wishful thinking.

Lastly, I want to say thanks to all my teammates - well, most of them - you guys made cricket fun and enjoyable to play.

I am not sure what my future holds, but I will stay in touch with cricket through my media work, so my opinion - if you like it - will still be heard.

But from today, I am no longer Shane Warne the playing cricketer. I am Shane Warne the businessman and I'm happy with that.

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Warne's Respect For Tendulkar Is Evident

As unfortunate it was to see the Rajasthan Royals crash out of the tournament, Shane Warne's last game of the IPL, and indeed of competitive cricket, provided him with a fitting farewell. The Royals won and it was as convincing a win as one could get from a T20 game and Warne managed to pick up a wicket off the last over he bowled.

The script had gone down the path as Warne would have expected it to, with the other Shane in the side nailing down the last few in the Mumbai Indians coffin. Warne has been a point of discussion in many of my columns as well, thanks to the colour he brings to the game and it would be an understatement to say that he will be missed by me and the other aficionados of the game.

Young captains, grand comebacks and superstar parties

For a man with a personal life as colourful as his on-field cricket, it is nice to see that he is in a good space and is happy to move on from the game and, in his own words, concentrate on his businesses off cricket.

His last couple of weeks in the IPL have mirrored his international career, especially off the field! The controversy around the pitch that began in Rajasthan's previous game against the Mumbai Indians, culminated into a full-blown issue that resulted in Warne being fined $50,000 just prior to the second game between the same two sides.

There had been talk of Warne being banned for the last game as well but that would have been a travesty of sorts for all those fans of Warne, who would have booked their prime-time slot in front of the telly to watch the legend bid adieu. Thankfully, it did not come to that and better sense prevailed.



IPL is the perfect mix of cricket and cinema

Speaking of fines, the members of Rajasthan Royals seemed to be facing the wrong end of the barrel. Ross Taylor has also had to shell out $3500 to his airline for his extra baggage and rest assured it hasn't amused the Kiwi one bit!

While the battle on the field of play was obviously heating up with the clamour for not only the top four slots but also the top two, the battle off the field seemed to be not too behind. RCA chief Sanjay Dixit was involved in a war of words with Warne, going on to the extent of calling Warne a flawed genius and likening him to a Van Gogh-like figure or "Guru Dutt of Kagaz ke Phool!" Wonder whether Warne had a private conversation with someone to understand the second bit of that comparison!

The result against the Mumbai Indians aside, it was interesting to hear Warne on the field, speaking to the commentators during the game. I don't recall Warne having been miked-up before this and it is a pity that we did not have it earlier. The way he went about describing his on-field relations with Sachin Tendulkar was worth going miles to hear!

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Live IPL Cricket Streaming: Kolkata Knight Riders VS Mumbai Indians

Well KKR and MUM IPL Match will be played on 14 May 2011 was a stunner. This match will be remembered at least for the players of the Deccan team and Deccan fans for quiet a long time.

Another interesting match will be played between Delhi and Kolkatta teams. Delhi once again needs a win badly. They are once again placed in the bottom of the points table and a defeat here means they are just left to play few other matches just to cause setbacks to the other teams .

 

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Live IPL Cricket Streaming: Royal Challengers Bangalore VS Chennai Super Kings

Well BAN and CHE IPL Match will be played on 14 May 2011 was a stunner. This match will be remembered at least for the players of the Deccan team and Deccan fans for quiet a long time.

Another interesting match will be played between Delhi and Kolkatta teams. Delhi once again needs a win badly. They are once again placed in the bottom of the points table and a defeat here means they are just left to play few other matches just to cause setbacks to the other teams .

 

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Live Cricket Streaming: England Lions Vs SiriLanka

England Lions 493/8d

Sri Lankans 266 & 392/6 (f/o) (90.0 ov)

Sri Lankans lead by 165 runs with 4 wickets remaining

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Bopara Favourite For Test Position

More than four months after completing England's finest achievement in many years by retaining the Ashes 3-1 in Australia, the majority of Andrew Strauss's Test squad will reconvene for the first match of summer which, if it goes well, will put England on course for the No. 1 ranking.

Nine of the team that completed the innings-and-83-run victory in Sydney will line-up in Cardiff to face Sri Lanka. The two who won't be there are the retired Paul Collingwood and the injured Tim Bresnan and their replacements have been the only real debates for the selectors ahead of naming a 12-man squad.

There has been plenty of time to consider who will fill Collingwood's shoes in the middle order and the signs point strongly to Ravi Bopara. He didn't make the most of his first innings for the Lions in Derby when he fell for 17, but the feeling is that the decision had already been made. That also means that Eoin Morgan's 193 came too late, although it was a commanding innings that showed his immense natural ability.

Bopara, though, has gained credit for the decisions he has made in recent months, most notably declining two IPL offers to remain with Essex. After overcoming a tricky start to the season he has made two Championship hundreds and, importantly, bowled plenty of overs to develop his second-string.

Meanwhile, Morgan played nine Twenty20 innings over six weeks but then waltzed into the Lions and looked as though he'd been playing first-class cricket for months. In many ways it would have made the selectors' job easier had Morgan failed (or at least not scored a near double hundred). Morgan has now indicated he will return to the IPL if he isn't selected in the Test squad, a move that could well raise a few eyebrows. He will look particularly bad if someone breaks a finger on Wednesday and he's back in India.

The choice of pace-bowling cover could be one of a few impressive performers from the early stages of the domestic season. Given that Bresnan's Ashes role was to pitch the ball up and find swing, Ajmal Shahzad is the likeliest option and has impressed the selectors with his work ethic over the winter. It shows the depth currently available that Steven Finn, who played three Ashes Tests and all of last summer, has slipped down the pecking order.

Below those two the return of Graham Onions is being very closely monitored although it would be dangerous to rush him back too soon from such a serious injury, while Jade Dernbach is making significant strides as he showed with 5 for 44 against the Sri Lankans.

It all means that none of the pace bowlers who do play can afford to coast. The most under pressure could well be Stuart Broad, England's new Twenty20 captain, as he returns to the Test side after injury. Firstly he has to show his body isn't becoming brittle, but also that he can contribute significant hauls. Currently he has 99 Test wickets at 35, a number that has to start coming down.

The other player with plenty of eyes on him will be Kevin Pietersen. After recovering from his double hernia he has played two matches for Surrey (one an innings defeat against Cambridge University) and it's a crucial summer for him if he really wants to regain his standing as England's premier batsman. The selectors showed they were willing to drop him from the one-day side last year and Andy Flower isn't one to accept passengers.

Possible squad Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Matt Prior (wk), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, James Anderson, Ajmal Shahzad

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Pakistan Sound Out SL Over Playing At Home

The PCB has asked Sri Lanka Cricket "for their views" on the prospect of playing their series later this year in Pakistan instead of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka were the last team to play international cricket in Pakistan - their tour in March 2009 was cut short after terrorists attacked their team bus as it was on the way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the second Test.

That attack, on the back of growing security concerns over the previous two years, brought to an end international cricket in the country, taking away the 2011 World Cup in the process.

The two sides are due to play a full Test and limited-overs series in October, scheduled in the FTP officially as a 'home' series for Pakistan. Until now the series was due to take place in Sri Lanka, but after a meeting between PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and Pakistan's interior minister Rehman Malik on Thursday, the government is keen on bringing international cricket back to the country.

"The government wants this [series to be held in Pakistan]," a senior PCB official told ESPNcricinfo. "We have asked SLC again to let us have their views on the issue."

The prospect of the series actually taking place in Pakistan remains a distant one. So far the government has only passed on verbal instructions to the PCB, who in turn have written to SLC. As of Saturday, when a SLC official was asked about the development or whether the board had been approached, he told ESPNcricinfo: "Not to my knowledge."

Most of Pakistan's major cities - where such a series is likely to be played - have been targeted fairly recently by terrorist attacks, within the last year in the cases of Lahore and Karachi. At the beginning of this month Osama bin Laden was killed in an operation by US forces in Abbottabad, a town not far from the country's capital Islamabad.

Pakistan have played their 'home' series since the Lahore attacks at a number of venues; a series against South Africa was arranged in the UAE. In 2009-10, they broke up a full tour of New Zealand by playing the ODIs in Abu Dhabi and the Tests in New Zealand itself. They used England as a venue for two 'home' Tests against Australia last summer. Pakistan is also, incidentally, in talks with SLC over staging their series with England over the turn of the year in Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan will actually become the first international team to play in Pakistan next week when they take on Pakistan 'A' in three 50-over games. Interestingly enough, one of the games was arranged for Abbottabad, but after the meeting between Butt and Malik the venue was switched to Islamabad.

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Pakistan Edge Ahead With Regular Wickets

Tanvir Ahmed and Pakistan's phalanx of spinners put the tourists in control of the second Test against West Indies on the second day in Basseterre. With Saeed Ajmal, Ahmed first put together a rousing, defiant last-wicket stand of 78 to not only prevent Pakistan's first innings from going to total waste, but actually make it a little imposing.

Ajmal, Abdur Rehman and Mohammad Hafeez then shared six wickets between them as West Indies slumped to 184 for eight on a still decent surface for batting; proof of that was in an elegant fifty from Marlon Samuels. The two sides are among the weakest batting-wise in cricket which is no bad thing for it makes for compelling cricket.

More than anything, Pakistan's spinners were persistent, working their way patiently through the bulk of the batting. Occasionally a partnership lingered or resistance emerged, an obstacle appeared; each time they found a way through.

Ahmed had struck first in a spell which made up in control what it lacked in pace. Off the second ball of the innings, Lendl Simmons was sucked into a needless drive. Taufeeq Umar, once among the best slippers in Pakistan, took the first of three good catches. Another loose drive brought the wicket of debutante Kraigg Brathwaite, though the beneficiary Wahab Riaz was poor. He had nearly given away the initiative when Ramnaresh Sarwan took him for three boundaries in an over, but the arrival of spin halted progress.

Rehman slotted in immediately, stopping runs, but it was Ajmal who caused strife. It wasn't so much the succession of off-breaks, but what each subsequent one hid: the threat of the doosra. Pleasingly, not many came and it was to an off-break that Sarwan fell, another needless rush out of the crease.

Mohammad Hafeez, more bowler than batsman this series, then chipped in. Darren Bravo, initially lost among Brathwaite's debut and Sarwan's blitz, fought neatly with Samuels till he edged Hafeez on the stroke of tea. Soon after the break, Hafeez struck again to remove Brendan Nash.

Hafeez used, it was Rehman's turn. Carlton Baugh wasn't much of an issue, but the key breakthrough was the dismissal of Darren Sammy. Another promising partnership was building when Sammy tried to repeat a straight six from the previous Rehman over. He struck it well, only to see Umar Akmal running along the boundary to take an outstanding catch inches from the rope.

The one obstacle that proved more durable than others was Samuels. Only in the XI because of Shivnarine Chanderpaul's late withdrawal, Samuels at first looked precisely like a man playing his first Test in over three years. But a loose, brief second spell from Riaz in the run-up to tea allowed him to unfurl a couple of sweet square drives and settle down.

After tea he looked better, secure in defence, surer in attack. He didn't always read Ajmal, choosing to play him off the surface but it hardly mattered when he was driving him elegantly over extra cover for four and six. Rehman had already been dispatched over long-on.

In between those strokes, he was patient and measured. But he took on Ajmal once too often. Having already hit him straight, there was little need for another and next ball, Taufeeq took his third, excellent catch of the innings, diving forward at long-off.

That was fitting reward for a day that had been Pakistan's, the first hour apart. In that, they lost three swift wickets and looked set to be rolled over for under 200. Only when Ahmed and Ajmal came together was the innings given unexpected solidity.

Ahmed was his usual self, mixing muscular boundaries with those unique whips, Caribbean style. One such, over midwicket off Devendra Bishoo, brought up the fifty partnership half an hour before lunch. In the next over came two more, a punch through covers and a dainty clip wide of mid-on. And as lunch neared, a streaky edge brought an accomplished maiden fifty. He celebrated immediately, cutting for another boundary.

Ajmal gave obdurate support, mixing fortune with pluck. He regularly and comically pulled, once going fine for four and once top-edging for six over slips. Other than that he stuck around, adding the odd run, frustrating the bowling.

West Indies slumped swiftly, alarmingly. The second new ball was wasted, Kemar Roach either too full or short and Ravi Rampaul lacking the energy of earlier bursts. Sammy toiled, but Bishoo floundered as defensive fields were employed. Bishoo finally ended the stand, ten minutes before lunch trapping Ahmed in front but the tide had turned.

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Team Karnataka Readying For Celebrity Cricket League

That’s been the daily call sheet for each of the Kannada film actors who will be playing for team Karnataka at the much-hyped Celebrity Cricket League which kick-starts on June 4 in Bangalore.

“An hour and a half of physical training, followed by an intense practise session on the field for another hour is rounded off with more exercise,” says actor Dharma, one of the team members.

The preparation does not end here. A healthy diet plan and a couple of mandatory rules put forth by the team’s captain, actor-director Sudeep, has resulted in a team of film actors that could actually beat a team of professional cricket players recently.

“We played against a team of players, many of whom have been part of the Under 21 and Under 19 teams for Karnataka, and were shocked when we tied with them. They had scored 192 runs and when we took to batting, we did not expect to get even half way there. While that was a good match, we are waiting to see what will unfold during the main matches in June,” says actor Mahesh.

News of these intense practise sessions have travelled to the
other participating film industries too, and a source says, “One of the actors from the Tamil film industry called to ask if Sudeep has started Karnataka’s own Chak De team. It does seem like that, for the team’s players are not allowed to partytoo late into the night. They are also off alcohol and smoking to ensure good stamina. Now, after a good month or two of daily practise, the team is looking good on the field.”

Also on call, on the field is doctor and physiotherapist Ramakanth, who has been a consultant to the Indian cricket team. During practise, a lot of the players tend to suffer minor sprains and injuries, which need immediate attention. In fact, Sudeep seems to have dislocated a small bone on his finger. “It happened last week, and the doctor says it requires a surgery. But I can’t risk a surgery just days before the matches begin. It will just have to wait. Until then, Ramakanth is helping out every morning with physiotherapy,” says Sudeep.

With so much preparation underway for the upcoming matches, the players seem to be doing their bit. The team owner, Ashok Kheny, has done his bit too — what with the number of crores he has invested on the team as well as on the film artiste’s association. Since the matches begin in Bangalore, the rest of the film industry is expected to be heading to the grounds on June 4 as well, to cheer for the Karnataka Bulldozers. Film stars playing for Hindi, Tamil and Telugu film industries are going to battle it out on the field. So the question is… are you gonna be there too?

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County Cricket live

If there is anything to be had in the Test pitches in this early part of the summer, this could be a torrid tour for Sri Lanka.

They do not appear to have any firepower with the ball sufficient to dismiss a good batting side, and during the afternoon here, showed that they are vulnerable to good pace bowling.

The hard work appeared to have been done against the new ball as Paranivatana and Dilshan added 59 against Onions and Finn before the former made a breakthrough. But it was the introduction of Dernbach and Shahzad that left Sri Lanka floundering at 114 for six at tea.

Three of the wickets went to Dernbach, who worked up a considerable pace and at one stage was on a hattrick, and the other two to Shahzad, including that of Kumar Sangakkara, well caught down the legside by Jonny Bairstow.
 Two catches have gone down, one to Patel at second slip and another to Dernbach in the gully, off Onions and Shahzad respectively, but otherwise the catching has been sharp.

Now the clouds have started to rumble over, as Mahele Jayawardene takes himself off to the nets behind the press box.

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Fire In Babylon Highlights Windies’ Glory

The excitement of cricket odds has since waned for the West Indies, but there was a time when they dominated the sport, and cricket online betting fans can relive their glory days when watching the new film, Fire in Babylon.

Colin Croft, former fast bowler, was an aggressive player and his cricket odds of 8/29 against Pakistan in 1977 are still the best by a fast bowler from the West Indies in Test.
“We were so far ahead of our time. We were 20 years ahead of the rest of the world. We were fitter than any side at the time.”

“The problem is we did not build on what we achieved, we just thought another Viv Richards would appear and continue the success.”
“Those in charge were complacent and it will take another 20 years for us to get back where we were.”

Part of the reason for their success at the 1975 World Cup was due in large part to their captain, Clive Lloyd, who took home Man of the Match after the Windies defeated Australia by 17 runs. They then did the same at the 1979 World Cup when they defeated England by 92 runs.

“I don’t think you will ever see another team dominate the sport the way we did for 15 years without losing a single series, but the aim must be for West Indies cricket to improve – it means so much to the people both in the Caribbean and living elsewhere.”

What happened for cricket odds around the world between 1976 and 1994 when the Windies were involved is a thing of beauty; they lost just one Test series in that period, thanks to a combination of sheer pace, thrilling batting and athletic fielding.

The 2011 World Cup wasn’t all that cricket online betting fans expected with the Windies winning 3 out of the 6 matches played, beating Bangladesh, Ireland and the Netherlands.

The opening of the movie not only reunited some of the team’s former players, but also celebrities such as Hugh Grant, Mick Jagger and Sadie Frost, as well as Paul Collingwood, Kevin Pietersen, today’s top English players of cricket odds.

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Five Star Harris Lifts England Bid

GLAMORGAN rising star James Harris left England captain Andrew Strauss in no doubt of his talents at Lord’s yesterday.

Harris might have been overlooked for the England Lions selectors for this week’s match against Sri Lanka but was presented yesterday with a direct audition in front of Strauss.

On a dream opening day for Harris and the in-form Glamorgan side in the county championship clash against Middlesex, the Pontarddulais paceman took his chance finishing with a first five-wicket haul at Lord’s, including the prized scalp of the England skipper, who fell lbw for eight.

After Middlesex won the toss and batted, Harris belatedly celebrated his 21st birthday of last Monday with fantastic figures of five for 41 as his side skittled out Middlesex for 150 in just 51.4 overs with only former Glamorgan captain Jamie Dalrymple responding with a battling 44.

Glamorgan dominated Middlesex at the Home of Cricket as third in Division Two overwhelmed the unbeaten second-placed side.

Matthew Mott’s men finished the day on 151 for one, a one-run lead, thanks to unbeaten half-centuries from in-form duo Gareth Rees and Will Bragg, proving there was nothing wrong with the wicket.

But Harris laid the foundations for Glamorgan’s superiority.

“It is always nice to get out the England captain and there is no better way of proving yourself,” said Harris.

“I was disappointed not to be selected for the Lions but I will take that because it is not a bad trade off.

“Any time you pick up five wickets is nice. But to do it at Lord’s is something different because this place is pretty special. It is something else and completely different to anywhere else I have played.

“It means just a little bit more and I managed to pinch the ball which was great.”

Despite touring the Caribbean with the Lions, Harris was overlooked this week for the England second string in favour of Graham Onions, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn and Ajmal Shazhad.

With the Test first-choice trio Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson, Chris Tremlett and injured duo Tim Bresnan and Chris Woakes, the Glamorgan spearhead is 10th in the pecking order.

Whether yesterday’s heroics elevates him remains to be seen because England have concerns about lack of pace. But his skills can’t be in question.
Harris made the dream start as he reduced Middlesex to 24 for three with three wickets for six runs in 10 balls.

He followed up dismissing Strauss by claiming the scalps of Chris Rogers and Scott Newman in successive balls with wicket-keeper Mark Wallace taking both catches.

Harris was taken off at the Nursery End after an opening seven-over spell of three for 18 before later snapping up the wickets of Middlesex captain Neil Dexter and John Simpson to complete the sixth five-wicket haul of his career and the second of the summer.

Harris was backed up by Graham Wagg and Will Owen, who took two wickets each. Wagg was especially impressive and claimed the wicket of Dalrymple, who was playing his first Middlesex match since quitting the Swalec Stadium last winter in acrimonious circumstances after being stripped of the captaincy by chief executive Alan Hamer and Paul Russell.

“I got five wickets this time around, but Graham Wagg and Will Owen both bowled well,” said Harris.

“Sometimes it goes for you and I managed the get the wickets.”
Glamorgan had 44 overs to bat in a mammoth final session and overcame the loss of captain Alviro Petersen for 29 with Rees and Bragg sharing a second-wicket stand of 102.

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ENGLISH CRICKET NEEDS NEW MAIN ATTRACTION

Three early-season home Tests against Sri Lanka might have been a hard sell, in bygone days, for the England and Wales Cricket Board.

But surely only a chastened economy can have slowed tickets for next week's npower opener in Cardiff - a venue which struggled so badly to attract worthwhile crowds to last September's NatWest Twenty20 double-header against tainted Pakistan.

If a sub-continental summer against Sri Lanka and India appeared something of a chore to the less-than-hardcore cricket supporters of a decade or so ago, those same casuals need only scratch the surface to discover times have changed.

English cricket perhaps needs another main attraction, to re-engage fickle interest already waning after the winter high of Ashes victory down under and spring low of faltering progress and quarter-final elimination from the World Cup.

Once upon a time, the West Indies could have done the job.
But as Caribbean cricket has lost its way and much of its will, east has relentlessly usurped west.

The power shift, still easily traceable back to India's shock World Cup final win over West Indies in 1983, is complete on and off the field.

While India's 2011 superstars bask in wealth way beyond the once equally-adored West Indies, Sri Lanka too represent a significant hurdle for English aspirations.

Led, intriguingly, by Tillakaratne Dilshan following the resignation of Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka arrive ranked fourth to England's third in the International Cricket Council table and needing a bridge between eras thanks to the retirements of the great Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga.

Runs, unless the English weather does its worst as it did for so much of last summer, ought not to be a major problem for Dilshan and Co.

Wickets, however, almost certainly will be in the absence of those two surefire strike bowlers.

Sri Lanka ought nonetheless to provide a searching if eminently passable test - a mock exam, before those finals against India, as England dare to believe they could end this year as the number one force in Test cricket.

In Dilshan, Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, the tourists have their strengths; in an unproven and inexperienced attack they have an obvious weakness.

England's pros and cons are plentiful too.

Is world domination a dizzy dream, or realistic ambition?
Has that historic win down under, against an unremarkable Australia side, unfairly raised expectations?

Or do England really have the class and strength in depth to commute home advantage, first of all, into revenge against Sri Lanka for their 10-wicket World Cup trouncing in Colombo?

Then could they repeat the dose against Sri Lanka's own World Cup final conquerors and Test top dogs India?

The last question will have to wait, and may never properly arise if Sri Lanka burst England's bubble.

By mid-summer, answers will already be set in many minds about some of the variables in the England equation.

Looming largest, of course, is the wisdom or otherwise of Andrew Strauss' decision to retire from one-day international cricket in pursuit of Test excellence - and the management response to detail three separate captains for each of the formats.

It will probably be hasty to draw conclusions win, lose or draw against Sri Lanka. But that is the way of the world, so expect to be hearing of heroes or villains in the home camp long before India ship in from their own Caribbean warm-up in mid-July.

Strauss' success will depend on factors outside as well as within his control, none more so than Kevin Pietersen.

Something will have to give soon to help us discover whether Pietersen's career is to peter out or he is to overcome a comparative slump to restate his world-beating pretensions.

An invaluable Adelaide double-century is the only three-figure score on Pietersen's Test CV in 32 attempts since spring 2009.

The answer to the conundrum lies not with Strauss but the man himself, yet could have a brutal bearing on the legacy of both.Pietersen aside, Strauss and Andy Flower's England are a notably solid side - as they demonstrated in Australia, if not in their World Cup ups and downs.

Bowling resources are settled and substantial, although they will need James Anderson to return from sub-continental exhaustion to his match-winning best of the past 12 months.

Among the batsmen, England are being especially well-served in Tests by new ODI captain Alastair Cook - who conversely has many doubters to silence in the 50-over format - and ultra-reliable and prolific number three Jonathan Trott.

Further down the order, Paul Collingwood's retirement provides a fresh opportunity for Ian Bell at five and either Ravi Bopara or Eoin Morgan to cement number six.

Much but not all of the above will become clear over six weeks of what should be memorable and consequential cricket.

Let us hope there are some full houses, in Wales and England, to enjoy it all.

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Pakistan legend Qadir salutes 'diamond' Warne

KARACHI: Pakistan's legendary leg-spinner Abdul Qadir saluted Shane Warne on Friday, hailing the Australian as a "diamond" who left an indelible impression on the game with his exemplary skill.

The 41-year-old Warne bows out from cricket on Friday in an Indian Premier League match for the Rajasthan Royals against Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai, ending a glorious and controversial career.

"I found Shane a great human being and a great cricketer. I use the word great for only a few players, like I can use it for Tendulkar and Warne," Qadir said. "For me Warne was a diamond for his exemplary skills."

Qadir, himself revered as a great spinner during the 70s and 80s, said Warne was an inspiration for youngsters in Australia and everywhere the game is played, and wished him a "happy and successful life" in the future.

The end of Warne's glittering career, he said: "leaves me sad because in his bowling I used to see myself, the great art of spin and everything a cricketer or a cricket lover can cherish."

Qadir, who took 236 Tests and 132 one-day wickets during his career, remembered meeting Warne at his home in the eastern city of Lahore in 1994.

"Every interaction I had with Warne was memorable. He always respected me and I can't forget the day he came to meet me in my house in Lahore in 1995.

"He asked me about some tips. He listened with respect to whatever I told him and after that, whenever we met, he gave me the respect of a teacher and a former leg spinner," said Qadir.

Another Pakistan leg-spinner, Danish Kaneria - who is trying to gain clearance to play for the national side after becoming embroiled in a spot-fixing scandal in Britain - also hailed Warne.

"Warne was a great leg spinner. I respected him as a cricketer and whenever I had some problems in my bowling I asked him for help and he never refused," said Kaneria.

The last time the pair met was in England, Kaneria recalled, adding that Warne spent an hour giving him tips in the nets at Edgbaston which "helped me raise my confidence".

"I played against him - both in county and in Pakistan-Australia series and found him a fierce competitor. He never used to give up and had so many tricks up his sleeves. It will be hugely difficult to find another Warne."

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Will This Nonsense Ever End

KARACHI: Ijaz Butt on Thursday pushed Pakistan cricket off the track when he sacked Shahid Afridi as captain just when it seemed things were falling in place for the national team.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman replaced Afridi with Misbah-ul-Haq the veteran batsman who will turn 37 later this month — for the brief, two-match One-day International series against Ireland. Butt didn’t even bother to give any reason for Afridi’s sacking though he did announce that the flamboyant allrounder will continue to be a part of the national team.

“Misbah will lead Pakistan in the two matches against Ireland and Afridi will play as a team member only,” Butt told reporters in Lahore.

It is the eleventh time that Butt has changed a captain during his three-year tenure.

His decision couldn’t have come at a worse time. Under Afridi, Pakistan were finally showing signs of improvement which were evident in their series triumphs over New Zealand and West Indies — both away from home — and their largely positive showing in World Cup 2011.

It’s difficult to find any logic behind this move but there were signs that Butt was mulling over the option of bringing about a change. Recently he claimed about having crushed player power and then announced that he gave Afridi no guarantees about his captaincy.

It was apparent that by bringing in a new one-day captain, Butt wanted to give the message that he is boss. The PCB chief, according to sources, wasn’t happy with Afridi after the allrounder tried to speak about problems within the team management.

Though he didn’t name anybody, Afridi hinted after returning home from the Caribbean earlier this month that there was friction between him and Pakistan coach Waqar Younis. “It’s Butt’s way to teach Afridi a lesson,” said a source in the PCB. “The PCB chief can’t tolerate any act of indiscipline.”

However earlier this month, Butt did overlook a similar ‘act of indiscipline’ when he opted against taking any action when chief selector Mohsin Khan ran towards the media after being snubbed by the PCB chief over team selection for the Test series against West Indies.

Butt came under heavy fire for removing Afridi. “He helped you reach the World Cup semifinals. He was the best bowler of the World Cup. He led the team to back-to-back series wins and still got the sack. Its mind boggling,” said Salahuddin Ahmed ex- Test player.

“Afridi was a successful captain because he managed to bring the best out of a team that included a number of mediocre players,” he said referring to the fact that under Afridi Pakistan won 18 ODIs and lost in 15. Many of the wins came against stronger teams like South Africa, England and Australia.

Salahuddin also lamented PCB’s double standards.

“If he (Afridi) was sacked over indiscipline then why did the board fell short of taking similar action against others who have openly violated its code of conduct,” he asked.

Iqbal Qasim, the former Test spinner, lamented that PCB has become a one-man show. “Afridi has been punished for taking Pakistan to World Cup semifinals. This decision smacks of a one-man show in the PCB,” he said.

However, Zaheer Abbas was of the view that the Board cannot ignore disciplinary breaches. “Though I like Afridi, I must say that he shouldn’t have been giving irresponsible statements,” said the former Test batsman.

Meanwhile, Pakistan have made three changes in the squad with misfiring opener Ahmed Shehzad, Usman Salahuddin and pacer Sadaf Hussain failing to retain their places in the squad. Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan, who missed the Tests against West Indies because of his brother’s death is back along with Umar Gul. Also earning a spot in the line-up is Azhar Ali.

Pakistan squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Younis Khan, Taufiq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Salman, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Tanvir Ahmed, Junaid Khan and Hammad Azam.

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Pakistan Cricket Trio Ordered Before Court In July

 

Pakistan cricket trio ordered before court in July

 Three Pakistani cricketers and their agent at the centre of cheating allegations must appear before a London court in July, a judge has said.

Salman Butt, 26, Mohammad Asif, 28, and Mohammad Amir, 18, and agent Mazhar Majeed, 35, were not at Southwark Crown Court for the procedural hearing.

The players are accused of "spot-fixing" offences in the fourth Test against England at Lord's last August.

They have always denied the accusations of bowling deliberate no-balls.
Mr Justice Saunders said they must attend in person or via videolink at a preparatory hearing in July although no date was set. A provisional trial date of 4 October has already been set.

The players are charged with cheating and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments.

Mr Majeed, of Oaks Road, Croydon, south London, is accused of accepting £150,000 to arrange for the players to bowl no-balls in Pakistan's Test series at Lord's Cricket Ground in London last summer.

Accepting corrupt payments is an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 and carries a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

Cheating is an offence under Section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005. It carries a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

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Live IPL Streaming: CHE Vs KOC

Well CHE and KOC IPL Match will be played on 14 May 2011 was a stunner. This match will be remembered at least for the players of the Deccan team and Deccan fans for quiet a long time.

Another interesting match will be played between Delhi and Kolkatta teams. Delhi once again needs a win badly. They are once again placed in the bottom of the points table and a defeat here means they are just left to play few other matches just to cause setbacks to the other teams .

 

http://crazycricket-world.blogspot.com/

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Live IPL Streaming: MOH Vs BLR

Well MOH and BLR IPL Match will be played on 14 May 2011 was a stunner. This match will be remembered at least for the players of the Deccan team and Deccan fans for quiet a long time.

Another interesting match will be played between Delhi and Kolkatta teams. Delhi once again needs a win badly. They are once again placed in the bottom of the points table and a defeat here means they are just left to play few other matches just to cause setbacks to the other teams .

 

http://crazycricket-world.blogspot.com/

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Live IPL Streaming:MUM Vs HYD

Well MUM and HYD IPL Match will be played on 14 May 2011 was a stunner. This match will be remembered at least for the players of the Deccan team and Deccan fans for quiet a long time.

Another interesting match will be played between Delhi and Kolkatta teams. Delhi once again needs a win badly. They are once again placed in the bottom of the points table and a defeat here means they are just left to play few other matches just to cause setbacks to the other teams .

http://crazycricket-world.blogspot.com/

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Live IPL Streaming: BLR Vs KOL

Well BLK and KOL IPL Match will be played on 14 May 2011 was a stunner. This match will be remembered at least for the players of the Deccan team and Deccan fans for quiet a long time.

Another interesting match will be played between Delhi and Kolkatta teams. Delhi once again needs a win badly. They are once again placed in the bottom of the points table and a defeat here means they are just left to play few other matches just to cause setbacks to the other teams .

http://crazycricket-world.blogspot.com/

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Fletcher To Avoid Dictatorial Approach

 The new Indian coach, has said that his coaching philosophy will not be dictatorial in approach but will be about offering advice to the players. Fletcher also pointed out that he had mentored Gary Kirsten and that was one of the main reasons that influenced Kirsten to recommend him for the post and for the BCCI to appoint him.

"It's not about dictating to the Indian players how I want them to play - sure to some degree you have to try influencing them - but it's about offering advice to the players and it's up to them to take it on board," Fletcher said in his first news conference as India's coach in Chennai. "Gary Kirsten followed my philosophy. He came and spoke to me before he took up the Indian job. I offered him advice on how to handle situations and he took that on board. And now, by Gary sort of pushing me for this job by taking my credentials to BCCI, he realised that my philosophy of coaching is right for India. Hopefully it's right."

Fletcher said that he has been observing the Indian players over the last few months during his role as batting consultant to South Africa and New Zealand and reiterated that he was not going to make any wholesale changes.

According to him, the most important thing would be to gain the respect of the players and he said that works both ways. "You have to gain their respect and they have to gain my respect. And that's what this is about. Once you have that then it makes your job easier. It's something you just have to work on as time progresses. I have worked with some big players elsewhere as well and you just got to develop this man-management process.

"During the stint with South Africa and New Zealand I watched the Indian players. Sometimes I find more interest in quietly watching these players off the field and just observe because it interests me. "

A coach's relationship with the captain is the most crucial aspect of the job and Fletcher said he wouldn't have taken up the role if he didn't respect [MS] Dhoni as a captain. "It's quite important that even before I was offered this job I had high regard for Dhoni. In fact I wrote a few articles which showed how I rated him as a very very good captain - not only on the field but how he handles the players off it."

India's bowling is considered the team's weak link and Fletcher said he has had an extensive chat with Eric Simons, the bowling coach, on May 12 about the bowlers and also met with Dhoni. "Having chatted with Eric Simons - he is a very good bowling coach and one I have lot of faith in - you must understand that I don't want to come in and make lots of changes. I have the players during India's last tour of South Africa and the series against New Zealand; so I have some idea about the bowlers but I would want to observe a little bit and then make some decisions."

Fletcher said he was very excited taking up the coaching role and said he arrived at the decision after giving it a lot of thought and speaking to the likes of Kirsten. "I asked for four-five- days time from the board. It was just to make sure you settle down as there are some areas you have to be careful about because it's a high-profile role. I made a few calls, in particular to Gary Kirsten and I then accepted it."

India are the No.1 ranked Test team and ODI world champions and Fletcher admitted that it would be a challenge to maintain that momentum. "Yes, it will be difficult and that's one of the things you consider before taking up the job. Hopefully I can add value somewhere down the line. First West Indies, then we are going to England where there will be lots of swing and seam. Then Australia where there will be bounce. Hopefully, the knowledge I pass on will be effective."

Fletcher also had a brief taste of the Indian media and the Indian's board's iron-hand approach. Suddenly, out of the blue, he was asked about his views on DRS, a system that the Indian board has steadfastly opposed. "I think it's a system that will come in place. Obviously there are imperfections but once those imperfections are sorted out, it will play a role."

N Srinivasan, the board secretary, then leaned across and muttered something to Fletcher. Srinivasan, then, addressed the journalist who asked that question and said, "That was a loaded question. Mr Fletcher doesn't know BCCI's stance on DRS. You should have prefaced your question properly."

There was another instance of Srinivasan's interjection. When Fletcher was asked about his views on rotation policy, Srinivasan chose to answer: "It's a selection matter, no? He can give advice but ultimately it will come down to selectors. But I am sure when the coach sits in those meetings; his take will be taken on board by the selectors."

There was also a delightful faux pas from Fletcher. "Hopefully, my observations on these players will prove useful when I coach the England team. I mean the Indian team."

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Gambhir To Lead, Badrinath In For WI Limited Overs Leg

Gambhir will lead a depleted Indian side to the limited-overs leg of the West Indies tour, with five first-choice players including Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni either rested or injured. As expected, the national selectors haven't given much weightage to performances in the IPL, instead rewarding results in the more traditional domestic competitions. S Badrinath, Rohit Sharma and Parthiv Patel muscled their way in helped by the weight of runs in both formats of the Ranji Trophy.

R Vinay Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra made their way back, replacing Ashish Nehra (injured), Sreesanth and Piyush Chawla (both dropped). Praveen Kumar duly took his place back, having recovered from the elbow injury that had kept him out of the World Cup. He replaces Zaheer Khan, who has been rested.

With five vacancies created - Virender Sehwag being the other - there had been some hype created around the IPL performers in the week leading to the selection meeting. The selectors seem to have learned from the debuts handed to Manpreet Gony and Ashok Dinda based on the first IPL, and also from RP Singh's comeback based on the second IPL.

 As it turned out, the likes of Ambati Rayudu and Rahul Sharma missed out this time. Badrinath and Rohit were the two top run-getters in the Ranji Trophy first-class competition while Parthiv was the second-highest in the Ranji one-dayers. The exclusion of M Vijay - who has a highest of 33 in 11 ODI innings - makes Parthiv the likeliest candidate to open the innings with the captain, Gambhir.

"I am confident that we will do well and win the series in the West Indies. The team is well balanced," said Kris Srikkanth, India's chairman of selectors. "Everything is on merit. It's a great opportunity for a lot of players.

"On tours, we always take two wicketkeepers. It's a 16-member team and in case of a wicketkeeper getting injured, you have to understand the logistics [of getting a replacement to] in the West Indies [are complicated]."

This is not Gambhir's first shot at leading India - he was the captain when India beat New Zealand 5-0 in ODIs last year. The selectors are believed to be impressed with his leadership skills, and are likely to make him full-time vice-captain ahead of the slightly reluctant Sehwag, although they haven't yet made any formal announcement to that effect.

There was a minor surprise thrown up in the bowling department with Mishra getting in ahead of Pragyan Ojha as the third spinner. In his 16 ODIs - all but three of them against Sri Lanka, who are good players of spin - Ojha has given away runs at only 4.31 an over. However, he was injured before the World Cup and missed the first-class season as well. In the domestic one-dayers, Mishra, with 18 wickets from six games, outperformed Ojha, who managed five in five.

Vinay and Ishant, who have been there or thereabouts, are the only ones to have benefited from good showings in the IPL.

It can be argued, though, that they are not unknown commodities and their performances in the IPL have been more of reassurance than first notice. India also picked wicketkeeping cover for Parthiv, making Wriddhiman Saha the 16th member of the squad.

India play one Twenty20 and five ODIs against the hosts beginning with the Twenty20 game on June 4.

Squad: Gautam Gambhir (captain), Suresh Raina, Parthiv Patel (wk), Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, S Badrinath, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Vinay Kumar, Yusuf Pathan, Amit Mishra, Wriddhiman Saha (wk).

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