Strauss Refutes Gayle Claims
Last updated: 13 May 2009
Posted By: Nasrun-Min-Ullah-Mir
Adding more bite to the second Test, English cricket captain Andrew Strauss has rebuffed claims of his West Indian counter partner and has said that Test cricket remains the ultimate form of cricket.
Gayle reignited the controversy ahead of second Test at Chester-le-Street when in an interview to English daily, The Guardian he revealed that he won’t be sad if Test cricket was superseded by the new Twenty20 in near future. 
When the newspaper asked him about the possibility of Twenty20 superseding Test cricket, the flamboyant Gayle said: “I wouldn’t be sad. Some other players would be.
“Maybe Andrew Strauss would be sad. Maybe he will be sad if Test cricket dies and Twenty20 comes in. Because there is no way he can make change. So tough luck.
I have liked Twenty20 since it came in. I like it. Who doesn’t? Maybe a couple of the Englishmen wouldn’t like to play Twenty20.”
Replying to his statements, Strauss said: “I was answering a question about the future of Test cricket.
“Chris views on Test cricket and the future of that are his own opinion and I don’t really get drawn into that. The last thing I want to concentrate on is what is happening with the West Indies squad, that is not of great importance to us really.”
But he added: “I feel if our players turned up two days before that wouldn’t give us enough time to prepare properly.” Read More
SMS Game Withdrawn
The controversial SMS prediction game has been withdrawn by IPL, after it came to severe beating from many quarters, particularly from Indian sports ministry.
Though, the authority didn’t forced the BCCI which owns the league to withdraw the game, which ministery thought will promote betting in India, where its officially bard, board stopped the prediction game of its own.
“There was no formal complaints about the game but the Sports Ministers’ view were taken into account and organizers have withdrawn the game,” senior BCCI official spoke to Indian wire service PTI. www.octansports.com
Preview: Mumbai and Punjab in Must Win Situation
Both Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab are in a must-win situation as they face each other in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Centurion Park here Tuesday.
The two teams have to win all their four remaining matches if they want to make the semi-finals. But Mumbai Indians will also be looking to avenge their three-run loss to Kings XI Punjab in their previous encounter April 29.
Both the teams have come back to their winning ways after having lost their past few matches.
Mumbai Indians comprehensively defeated Bangalore Royal Challengers Sunday and will be hoping to carry forward the winning momentum.
South African Jean Paul Duminy, the Man of the Match against Royal Challengers, said that Mumbai Indians will be looking for a win against Kings XI.
“It has been a good experience so far. But there are few more games that we need to win now. Hopefully, we can carry forward this winning momentum to the coming matches. I am happy that I contributed to my team’s cause,” said Duminy. READ MORE
Symonds Force Resonate IPL
The troublesome was fearsome as he made his return to IPL – Andrew Symonds may have been in news for all wrong reasons this year, but his brutal talent was at full display as he resonated himself playing under his old mate and good friend, Adam Gilchrist at Kimberley on Saturday… R
ead complete Story
ICL Players Can Play IPL – BCCI
In yet another amnesty to rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) players, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will permit ICL players to join Indian premier League next year… Read more
The Hungry IPL
Last updated: 02 Apr 2009
Posted By: Nasrun-Min-Ullah-Mir
IPL is becoming more and more a money vending machine. First multimillion dollar player bids, than the mini skirt cheerleaders and now, five minute strategy breaks between each innings, is nothing, but a stunt to gain more revenues.
Twenty20 cricket was designed as an approach to get more crowds in domestic structures and the IPL revolutionized the whole notion of first class cricket. It is an amalgam of entertainment and cricket which is supposed to finish in just three hours, same duration of a Bollywood movie. But it seems one year down the line IPL plays second to commercial interests. 
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is under intense pressure to earn more revenues, as IPL season two will be played in South Africa, and according to Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner the shift will wipe out the IPL’s profits, which had been expected to reach Pound 100 million this year.
It is estimated that the introduction of five minute advertising break after 10 overs will increase the advertising revenues by as much as 30 percent. This is considered to be a key decision to secure Pound 1.1 billion broadcasting deal between the BCCI, the IPL owners and Multi Screen Media.
TV rights are the major source of revenue for IPL.
But on pitch, how much the five minute break is going to affect the moment of the game is yet to been seen, in a format which is supposed to make cricket more fast.
Whatever intentions BCCI propagates about this quick brand of cricket, IPL essentially remains a commercial venture which is supposed to generate profits for franchisees that have spent millions on the league and expect returns on their investment. Click Here For More IPL News
Pietersen Clears the Air
Last updated: 01/05/2009By: Nasrun-Min-Ullah-Mir
There is speculation in media that Kevin Pietersen is not fully committed to England and the rumor intensified after a reported back spam in the fourth ODI against West Indies forced him out of bowling.
But the former captain wows to prove how much he loves to wear those Three Lions on his chest and what it means to him playing for England. 
There was a growing feeling among many that KP is putting himself above the team, but he believes that issue goes deeper than this. Speaking to press about his birth and schooling in South Africa, which according to him counts against his public esteem, Pietersen said: “I am going to have to live with that for my whole career. I had a bit of it at the game last Friday, I heard comments in the crowd.
“Unfortunately, I have to deal with it on a daily basis. But my Statistics show how much I want to do well and win for England. It does hurt that people are still at odds with me, definitely.” With an average of 51.09 in Tests and 46.65 in ODIs he ranks among the top batsmen of England in postwar years, but this success has never guaranteed popularity.
In the press conference he was asked, will he be ever loved by English crowd, “I don’t know, I hope so,” the 26-year old right-hander replied, “I do not know if I am misunderstood, but what people should judge me on is how I play and how I am around the team. It is a dram come true playing for England and I think about that every day.”
Andrew Strauss understood it very well that KP’s comments, “at the end of his tether” and “couldn’t wait to get home” considering his nature and past will mean more than said by anybody else. James Anderson mentioned something similar in January at the start of the tour when baby daughter was just three weeks old and they totally got unnoticed.
“May be I was a bit too honest” He said. “People interpreted what I said as wanting to pack up and go home. It isn’t like that. I am just desperate to win out here. I went through school and lost one game of sport in all that time. I was a rugby match and we were s**t on the day. So I am a winner and so are all those blokes in the dressing-room. ” For More Cricket News Click www.octansports.com
Night Test at Lord’s
Last updated: 30 Mar 2009
Posted By: Nasrun-Min-Ullah-Mir
I wonder what would have been the reactions of great Kerry Pecker to this cricketing ‘renaissance?’ It may be too early to envisage good and bad with this transformation, but for sure, a lot is happening.
Earlier one-day cricket was a three meal event, now it is a three hour game with loads of popcorn, cola and noise. It is similar to day’s highlights older generation was so used to seeing after returning from their work; except it is live.
Add to it the franchisee concept of Indian Premier League, gosh! Pecker would have been a happy man. After all, he was the man behind cricket’s glitz and glamour. But when it comes to Test Cricket, I believe, he too was a conservative.
The longer version has more or less remained the same, except, partly induced referrals system, nothing much has changed. Though, that is just the half truth. A lot is happening, Ok! debated at this moment, in the corridors of uncertainty where the future of Test cricket hangs in balance, and everyday, new theories gain ground to keep the most enthralling (only if you love) format of the game on its feet.
During the recent Down Under which South Africa won 2-1, legendary leg spinner Shane Warne was vocal throughout the series, favoring day-night Test matches, which according to him will help attract crowds. Apart from that nothing much has made news, except the color of ball – if in future, Test cricket was played under lights – most favored to replace traditional cherry is pink, followed closely by yellow and orange, nothing is settled yet.
But just giving a glimpse to what is happening in England, may be we don’t need a pinky anymore.
England and Wales Cricket Board in consent with Bangladesh are planning the first Test match under lights in 2010. Not only this they are going to scrap the traditional the white with colored uniform, that too at the home of cricket, Lord’s, from where it all begun.
The cricket intellectuals at the MCC believe by doing so, they will pull-in crowds to a series which otherwise goes unnoticed even to MCC members, forget about generation hip-hoppers.
Teams will play with a white ball instead of the leather red ball and the game would start at 2.30 and finish at 9.30pm each day.
Though they need permission from International Cricket Council, the game’s governing body it seems not a tough ask. Dave Richardson, the ICC general manager, said: “Overall the ICC remains committed to the promotion of the Test cricket and if this means playing some Tests under lights we would certainly consider it.” FOR MORE CRICKET NEWS
Calculatedly Miss Calculated
Cricket could be nasty game of sports and Duckworth Lewis, jitter teams and supporters for generations.
If you don’t agree, ask anybody in South Africa. The country has taken the worst brunt as they miscalculated all important run, during the 2003 World Cup.
With rain about to fall South Africa blocked what they knew will be the final ball against Sri Lanka in Durban under the wrong belief that they are ahead of in the game. The error led to their elimination from the World Cup they hosted.
Yesterday, West Indies became the new victim as they gifted England its first victory since August. The coach John Dyson signaled his players to take the light as he also miscalculated and thought they were ahead of England at that stage.
On the other hand English captain, Andrew Strauss knew exactly what happened, though there was some confusion when it was announced to crowd of over 19,000 that West Indies have won the 1st of the five odis played between the two teams.
Chris Gayle said he won’t kill his coach and praised him for the work he is doing with the team, but admitted that it was a sad way of loosing a close contest. For more cricket news click here
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