The Buzz
Modi's mantras on sports management
They seek him here, they seek him there
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
They seek him here, they seek him there. India’s police, customs, cricket administration and media seek Lalit Modi everywhere, with little success to date (even his Twitter status is “everywhere”). Yet on November 3 he will be at Twickenham, part of an elite group of sports administrators and entrepreneurs at the International Sports Event Management Conference. Modi – famously called ‘Moses’ by Ravi Shastri not so long ago - will be sharing space with, among others, the IOC’s executive director, the man who organized the 2010 football World Cup, the man who will run the 2012 London Olympics and the chief of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
It’s rich in irony: Modi is persona non grata in the world of cricket – just ask Kevin Pietersen – but gets top billing at the event, where he is introduced as “Founder, IPL and Champions League”. And the topic he will be speaking on: “cultural and structural issues raised by Delhi’s hosting of the recent Commonwealth Games”. For those who came in late, it was only the monumental chaos and alleged corruption of the CWG that pushed the monumental chaos and alleged corruption of the IPL off the front pages. It should be an interesting speech.
Full postBig Ben's Ashes taunt
Don't forget to pack the urn
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
© Cricket AustraliaDon't forget to pack the urn. That was the message confronting Londoners when Big Ben was turned into a monumental Ashes taunt overnight. The faces of Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke peered out over the city as England's players prepare to fly out for Australia.
“Winning the urn back from our age-old rival is the most prized achievement for Australians and we just wanted to send them a reminder not to leave the urn behind," Ponting said. “Our message is clear – we’re prepared and we’re ready so bring on the Ashes!”
Mind you, with the world's most famous timepiece on his side, Ponting will have no excuse for slow over-rates this year.
Full postCricket history up for grabs
If you thought owning a part of the Marylebone Cricket Club’s (MCC) history was beyond you, well, think again
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
If you thought owning a part of the Marylebone Cricket Club’s (MCC) history was beyond you, well, think again. Or better still, be at Christies, in South Kensington, London on November 17. Going under the hammer will be valuable memorabilia from the MCC, a selection of cricket bibliography comprising poems, score-books and cricket publications. The 100 available lots are estimated to be each worth between 500-40,000 pounds, with the MCC hoping to raise more than 300,000 pounds. The lots on offer are duplicates of the original collection and the proceeds will be used by the MCC to sustain and care for core antiquities and acquire more cricket-related trivia. The centrepiece of the sale will be a reproduction of a portrait of "The Young Cricketer - Portrait of Lewis Cage" by artist Katharine Lloyd, which has hung in the pavilion at Lord’s for the past 60 years. Other highlights include a complete set of Wisden’s almanack which has been in print since 1864.
Full postBarmy Army faces expensive Ashes
The Barmy Army - that merry group of travelling England fans - are facing a hindrance to their expected revelry in Australia during the Ashes from unexpected quarters, the currency market
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
The Barmy Army - that merry group of travelling England fans - are facing a hindrance to their expected revelry in Australia during the Ashes from unexpected quarters, the currency market. The Australian dollar appreciated considerably against major international currencies recently, and a British pound is now worth just A$1.60, compared with more than A$2 last year. The trip to Australia will now cost 36% more for England fans, according to a report in the Guardian. It means pricier hotels, meals, transport, match tickets and, crucially, beer.
Dave Peacock, one of the founding members of the Barmy Army, was unfazed and said the relative weakness of Australia's team made up for the increased strength of its dollar. "The dollar might be lot stronger, but the Australian team is nowhere near as strong as it was four years ago, and our team is on the way up. This is probably the best opportunity we've had since 1986-87. People aren't going to like paying £5 a pint. I think they will still go to Australia, but maybe cut down on a couple of pints a night."
Four years ago, 30,000 England fans travelled to Australia to watch their team getting thrashed 5-0.
Full postReviving cricket in India’s Zoroastrian community
The Parsis are about to make a comeback on the cricket field
Tariq Engineer
25-Feb-2013
The Parsis are about to make a comeback on the cricket field. Parsis, India’s Zoroastrian community, dominated the game in Mumbai for over a hundred years. But the sport has waned in the community over the last half-century. Farokh Engineer, a genuine star behind the stumps in the 1970s, was the last Parsi to play for India, and there has not been a Parsi in the Mumbai Ranji Trophy side since Zubin Bharucha in the 1990s.
Dinshaw Mehta, head of the Bombay Parsi Panchayet (BPP), the community’s legal body, blamed the malaise on the internet, saying today’s youngsters spend more time on Facebook than they do on sports grounds.“Once upon a time, we had cricketers like [Nari] Contractor and [Rusi] Surti. Now, there is not a single Parsi cricketer on the horizon,”
That could change in the near future. The Parsee Gymkhana, the Parsee Cyclist Club and former India captain Contractor have come together to revive the sport in the community, according to the DNA. The BPP will provide grounds at its housing colonies and Bharucha will coach the trainees, the first batch of whom will be chosen at a selection camp on Saturday morning. The Rustomjee Group, the sponsors, have created pitches and training enclosures and also provided kits and nets.At the project’s inauguration on Sunday, Contractor said, “The long-cherished dream of providing some facility to the young generation has come true, which we were planning for past seven years.”
Full postCricket's a hit at Wooster
It was a traditional Homecoming weekend for the college of Wooster in Ohio - well, almost
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
It was a traditional Homecoming weekend for the college of Wooster in Ohio - well, almost. The only ritual missing was the football game, when the home side usually plays a college from the same region; with no football opponent available, it was time for bails, stumps, the red cherry and the willow – time to play some cricket. And set a record at the same time. Nine hundred and sixty seven fans watched Wooster’s college club take on a team of local expats, more than double the previous record of 400. “It's what makes us distinctive,” Wooster president Grant Cornwell said. “Not only does it illustrate the college's spirit, but it also shows that we have a sense of humour.” And the final result? Wooster College’s team captain Maaz Khan “delivered a dramatic game-winning hit with just one out remaining to give the college team an exciting 143-141 victory.”
Full postCops called to control slap-happy dad
An irate father has had a police complaint registered against him in Delhi after roughing up a selector over his son’s non-selection for an Under-19 side in the upcoming Cooch Behar Trophy
Nitin Sundar
25-Feb-2013
An irate father has had a police complaint registered against him in Delhi after roughing up a selector over his son’s non-selection for an Under-19 side in the upcoming Cooch Behar Trophy. Tarang Gupta was left out of the squad, leading his father to push and slap selector Vinay Lamba according to the Indian Express, leading the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association vice-president, Chetan Chauhan, to call the police. This was not the first time Tarang's father has been involved in a spat. Similar complaints were registered against him during the selection of the Under-16 state team.
Deputy commissioner of police, Jaspal Singh, said that his department was looking into the matter. “Vinay Lamba had no physical injuries at the venue. He was asked to accompany for a medical examination but he refused. Anyway, the case has been registered and further inquiries are on,” Jaspal said.
Full postHugh cares about the Ashes
What does Hugh Jackman have to do with cricket
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
What does Hugh Jackman have to do with cricket? Er, good question, actually. But he is a fan, and thus Cricket Australia have enlisted his help to count down to the first ball of the Ashes series.
There are 50 days left until until the contest kicks off at the Gabba and Jackman, in a video message on the CA website, says the wait is agonising. "It's kind of like watching the English bat, really," he says, "just waiting for something to happen."
He's pretty confident the urn will return to Australian hands. But if they don't regain the prize, a few of their players could become ex-men.
Full postSchoolboy plunders 461 not out
A 15-year old Indian schoolboy has entered the record books with a marathon innings in an inter-academy tournament conducted by the Vidharba Cricket Association
Nitin Sundar
25-Feb-2013
A 15-year old Indian schoolboy has entered the record books with a marathon innings in an inter-academy tournament conducted by the Vidharba Cricket Association. Ali Zoren Khan’s unbeaten 461 helped Nagpur Cricket Academy to a mammoth 1025 for 5 in 120 overs against the Reshimbag Cricket Club. Ali, who finished the first day on 364, knew there was a record to be broken when he returned to the crease on the second morning. He faced 308 balls for his runs, hitting 64 fours and 12 sixes before the declaration came. "I could have scored 500,” Ali said later about his innings, “but we had a plan to bat till lunch as we needed enough time to bowl them out twice. So no regrets.”
Full postEtiquette, Dhoni's calling card
If you were to enlist the numerous challenges of being India captain, you certainly wouldn't have included having to deal with a mobile phone (also being used as a voice recorder) going off in front of you during a press conference
Sidharth Monga
25-Feb-2013
If you were to enlist the numerous challenges of being India captain, you certainly wouldn't have included having to deal with a mobile phone (also being used as a voice recorder) going off in front of you during a press conference. That's exactly what happened during MS Dhoni's pre-match conference in Mohali when a phone went off with a Bollywood song as the ring tone. Dhoni, known for his unique way of dealing with situations, answered the call, suggesting – for a second – that it could have been his own phone that was ringing. “Sir, thodi der baad phone kariyega [Please call in a bit].” Little would the caller have known that the India captain would be answering the call. Also, here's hoping the reporter whose phone it actually was, will put the offline mode to use next time.
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