Pakistan Cricketers in Next IPL Players Auction

Eager to participate in the third Indian Premier League despite the many glitches, at least a dozen Pakistani cricketers have made themselves available for the event`s players` auction to be held on January 17.

“None of the players have contacted the IPL through the PCB they have done this directly themselves,” said Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt.

“We had told these players to contact Lalit Modi the Chairman of the IPL directly instead of going through us or agents. As far as we are concerned we have issued a general

NOC from the government and ourselves to the players to play in the IPL if they manage to get contracts,” he said.

England To Beat Home Team South Africa

Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad took England to the brink of victory as South Africa collapsed on the fourth day of the second Test at Kingsmead on Tuesday. South Africa, trailing by 232 runs on the first innings, were 76 for six when bad light gave the home team a reprieve until the final day on Wednesday. The hosts will resume needing 156 to avoid an innings defeat.

Off-spinner Swann and fast bowler Broad took three wickets each as South Africa`s top six batsmen were blown away in less than an hour of play on either side of tea. There were no signs of a potential batting collapse earlier in the day when England took their first innings total to 575 for nine declared, with Ian Bell hitting 141.

To Create World Record Pakistan Requires 252

Pakistan reached 170 for three at stumps on day four of the first Test against Australia in Melbourne. Captain Mohammad Yousuf (45) and Umar Akmal (27) were at the crease. Paksitan requires 252 runs with 7 wickets in hand.

The two batsmen hold the key for Pakistan if it wants to challenge the Kangaroos, but it would require a mammoth effort from both the batsmen to chase down the gigantic total to take a 1-0 lead in the three match series.

Needing 252 more runs on the final day Pakistan could create history by chasing down the highest total in a Test match, but given the recent form of the Pakistani middle-order it will surely require either Yousuf or young Akmal to rise to the occasion.

Pakistan started awfully in the second innings with the left-arm quick duo of Doug Bollinger and Mitchell Johnson removing the both openers with great in-swinging deliveries. But it was off-spinner Nathan Hauritz who dealt the visitors a bigger blow by removing Faisal Iqbal for 48 with an hour to play. In the Morning, Shane Watson achieved his long standing dream of hitting a Ton.

BCCI Dissolves Pitch Committee

Stung by the humiliation caused by the cancellation of India-Sri Lanka ODI due to ‘dangerous’ pitch condition, the BCCI disbanded its ground and pitches committee with immediate effect. The fifth and final ODI between India and Sri Lanka at Delhi`s Feroz Shah Kotla was abandoned after 23.3 overs.

Former captains swiftly reacted with shock and dismay at the dangerous pitch prepared by the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA), while former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar even saying that Delhi should be blacklisted as an international venue for some time.

Meanwhile, match-referee Allen Hurst sent a detailed report to the ICC abouth the Kotla misdemeanor. This is not the first time that the BCCI finds itself red-faced over the state of pitches in the country. The world’s richest board found itself in a dock after a Test match in Kanpur between India and Sri Lanka ended inside 3 days. The South Africans had then complained to the ICC about the unprepared pitch prepared by the hosts.

Two New Teams IPL 2011 Confirmed

The governing council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has agreed to the inclusion of two new teams in the tournament starting from IPL 2011, the auction for which is likely to be held in the first quarter 2010. The subject of inviting bids for two new teams was first discussed with the existing franchisees during an IPL workshop at Bangkok in October this year, and the decision was left for the governing council to ratify.

In Thursday’s meeting, the governing council gave the go-ahead and now, a minimum bid price of a whopping $225m for each team has been set for the auction to take place. It is four and a half times more than the reserve price of $50m set in the inaugural year, 2007 and double of what the most expensive franchise (Mumbai Indians, $111.9m) was sold for in 2008.

Interestingly, during IPL Season 2, UK-based international brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance Plc had valued IPL at a little over $2bn.

The Top Ten Cricketers of the Decade

Cricket South Africa’s decision to zero in on Graeme Smith as captain in March, 2003, when he had just turned 22, has proved to be the most inspired choice ever made. At that time, the selection looked an odd fit. Smith was unworldly, but grew up quickly.

According to the Courier Mail, Smith developed so quickly that he was asked to lead a World XI in a Test against Australia just two years after being made South African captain. At the age of 12 he had put a note on the family fridge predicting he would one day captain South Africa.

Smith deserves to be remembered as the player of the decade, not so much for his excellent batting but for having the poise to grow from a boy to a man under the unique pressures of leading the Rainbow Nation.
1. Graeme Smith:
Tests 78, Runs 6354, Average 49.64, 100s 18,
2. Adam Gilchrist:
Tests 91, Runs 5130, Average 46.63, 100s 15, Dismissals 397,
3. Muttiah Muralidaran:

India Vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI Abandoned

Match Abandoned

In the unlikely event that a new pitch is used, the game will restart. Toss and what not. Besides, the pitch needs to be rolled, TV cameras need to be adjusted, so we’re in for a long delay if they choose to go ahead with that option…

The match referee along with some of the DDCA officials are out there into the centre, looking at the possibility of playing on another surface. Frankly, the other surface looks worse!

The last time an ODI was abandoned due to a bad pitch in India was on Christmas day, 1997 at Indore. Who were the two teams playing? India and Sri Lanka…

Everyone’s walking off now…looks like its being called off. Its Official
Sri Lanka Batting – 83/5 – 23 Overs

India Vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI Live Streaming

India Vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI Live Streaming – Live Coverage – Ind vs SL, 5th ODI, Delhi – Dec 27 (03:30 GMT, 09:00 IST) at Feroz Shah Kotla. With the series already sealed, the Indian team has achieved most of what it would have set out to at the start of the Sri Lankan tour six weeks ago. The Test series was won comprehensively and the ODI series has been won with a game to spare, while the Twenty20 matches were shared.

However, the fact that the series is already decided does not make the fifth ODI any less important than the previous four. Both teams will take on each other again very soon in a tri-series in Bangladesh, and with just over a year to go for the World Cup, this is as good a time as any for both teams to try out previously untested players.

Gambhir Kohli star in emphatic win India Won the series

Gambhir is the MoM, but he decides to give it to Kohli, a nice gesture: It was very important to build a partnership as the dew plays a huge part here. Kohli helped me as he was aggressive and he took the load of my shoulders, and I kept going and going. The way we batted, we never wanted the Batting PP as we were up with the run-rate after initially thinking about taking it after the 35th over. It is one of the best grounds that I have played and feels great to get a hundred here.

India Vs Sri Lanka 4th ODI Live Coverage

The absence of two big players in Indian cricket team will encourage Sri Lanka to perform well and make their come back in the ODI series.

Indian regular captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is out of the ODI tournament for his two match ban due to slow over rate. He can take part in the final ODI match against Sri Lanka.

Replaced player Dinesh Karthik could fill the absence of MS Dhoni in a very good way. However, hard hitter batsman Yuvraj Singh has been left out because of his finger injury.

This matter will give some relief to Sri Lanka team. New skipper Virender Sehwag could successfully lead India team and snatched a victory in the 3rd ODI.

With the hope of winning the series one match at hand, India will take on Sri Lanka in the 4th ODI match. This match will take place at the Eden Garden in Kolkata. Fourth ODI match can become a series deciding match for both teams. Sri Lanka has not won any series yet in Indian soil. This is the perfect year for touring side Sri Lanka to make a record in Indian soil.