The Buzz
Hockey World Cup's cricket connection
The hockey World Cup in India got off to a flying start with underdogs South Africa scoring the first goal of the tournament against the more fancied Spanish side
Nitin Sundar
25-Feb-2013
The hockey World Cup in India got off to a flying start with underdogs South Africa scoring the first goal of the tournament against the more fancied Spanish side. And how is that relevant to cricket, you may ask. Julian Hykes, who scored the opening goal, is an aspiring cricketer who has represented Border twice in List A matches. Hykes follows in the fine tradition of South African cricketers who have made a mark in both games – Jonty Rhodes was selected for the national hockey side during the 1996 Olympics, an offer he had to refuse due to cricketing commitments. Despite being equally proficient at both games during his younger days, Hykes has focused more on hockey since breaking into the national team in 2007. However, like Rhodes, he too is keen on making a mark in cricket. “For the last three years I have been focusing more on hockey. I am 27, and am running against time if I want to make it big in cricket, but I haven’t lost hope,” Hykes told the Indian Express.
The cricketing connection does not end there – the Australia team is coached by Ric Charlesworth, a silver medallist at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, who also played 47 first-class games for Western Australia.
Full postRed-carpet resemblance
Controversy and the IPL are never too far apart
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
Controversy and the IPL are never too far apart. The latest one is to do with the 2010 season’s promotional film, which shows a large spool of red carpet being rolled through India as a welcoming gesture. However, this ad is reportedly strikingly similar to Coca Cola's campaign during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Officials at SET Max, the official broadcaster of the IPL weren't too perturbed. "It's pure coincidence that our ad film looks similar to the Coke Olympic campaign of 2008," said Gaurav Seth, vice-president (marketing), SET Max. The IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi, too, tweeted his support: "The campaign (is) the best I have seen in a long time. Max (is) doing an outstanding job, as usual". "Even we are surprised by the similarity,'' said Debu Purkayastha, senior creative director at JWT Mumbai, the advertising agency that conceptualised the campaign, "everything, however, was completely unintentional."
Full postNielsen lets one slip
Tim Nielsen had a near-perfect summer as Australia’s coach but his tour to New Zealand began with a funny slip of the tongue at Wellington Airport
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Tim Nielsen had a near-perfect summer as Australia’s coach but his tour to New Zealand began with a funny slip of the tongue at Wellington Airport. "To be honest, we haven't had a huge amount of sex ... um, success, the last two times we've travelled here," he said, triggering off muffled laughs among his listeners. Nielsen grimaced, smiled and went on: "We lost in 2007 and we might have even lost in 2005, so we're looking to right the ship here on this tour and keep our run going."
Nielsen finished without any more slips and had a request: "Could you wipe the sex bit, I don't really want the wife hearing that." Unlikely, considering how mundane majority of press conferences are.
Full postCIA trying to tire out Indian team?
The CIA has been blamed for many things since its establishment in 1947, but attempting to fatigue young Indian cricketers and distract the country's students is something even they probably aren't capable of
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
|
| Secret agent Shoaib? © DC Thomson & Co Ltd |
The CIA has been blamed for many things since its establishment in 1947, but attempting to fatigue young Indian cricketers and distract the country's students is something even they probably aren't capable of. But that is precisely what Mumbai-based lawyer Prabhakar Pradhan has filed in the city's High Court, alleging that the USA's intelligence agency is responsible for "tiring out" India's young players and causing much shame to the national team.
"It is a CIA mischief. It wants to humiliate our players in international matches," read a Public Interest Litigation filed yesterday that also demanded an inquiry against the Indian board under the Commission of Inquiry Act. Pradhan also argued that students across the country were being distracted due to the busy international calendar and subsequently falling behind in their school and university work.
"It is for the citizens to play or see the matches. When I was a student, I never watched matches when there were exams," he said while adding the his "friend" and former Indian captain Ajit Wadekar could be readily persuaded to file and affidavit in his support.
Full postStuart Broad a comic-book hero
After a string of skirmishes with umpires and a penchant for the odd verbal, Stuart Broad would make a decent cartoon villain
Sahil Dutta
25-Feb-2013
|
| Stuart Broad smites another villain © DC Thomson & Co Ltd |
After a string of skirmishes with umpires and a penchant for the odd verbal, Stuart Broad would make a decent cartoon villain. Yet because each tempestuous expletive is spat through a face of utter cherubic innocence, Broad has been selected to feature in a special Sport Relief edition of the BeanoMAX magazine.
Looking every bit the comic-book hero, Broad overcomes the dastardly Roger the Dodger, who sinks to all kinds ill-mannered tactics to defeat the England star, including putting magnets in the ball.
The Sport Relief BeanoMAX features a batch of other sports stars including Michael Owen, Amir Khan and Lawrence Dallaglio and goes on sale on February 18.
Full postOl' friends, poll foes
They may have formed a mighty coalition on the cricket field, architects of their country’s greatest cricket moments
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
|
| © AFP |
They may have formed a mighty coalition on the cricket field, architects of their country’s greatest cricket moments. But former Sri Lankan captains Sanath Jayasuriya and Arjuna Ranatunga are now cast against each other in the political arena. Jayasuriya has announced his intentions to enter politics and is expected to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections as a candidate of the ruling United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) while Ranatunga, formerly with the UPFA, has backed the defeated opposition presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka. And for good measure the pupil has thumbed his nose at the master in another way: “I will not give up cricket though I am coming into politics,” Jayasuriya recently said, ending the debate on Ranatunga’s comment that active cricket players should not join politics.
Full postAfridi to Fly Emirates
In an amazing coup, Fly Emirates XI – a team of amateurs who juggle cricket with busy jobs - have recruited Shahid Afridi in a bid to claim a shock victory at the inaugural Emirates Airline Twenty20 competition.
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
In an amazing coup, Fly Emirates XI – a team of amateurs who juggle cricket with busy jobs - have recruited Shahid Afridi in a bid to claim a shock victory at the inaugural Emirates Airline Twenty20 competition.
The talismanic ball-biting allrounder will be lining up alongside porters, pursers, check-in staff, baggage handlers and cargo operators as they attempt to upset the odds against some of South Africa and England’s most talented Twenty20 players, with Cape Cobras, Surrey Lions and Sussex Sharks also due to take part.
“It is going to be a tough challenge, but I am looking forward to it immensely,” said Afridi. “I always enjoy my time in Dubai and am very excited about playing in the first ever Emirates Airline Twenty20 tournament. I know there is a real passion among cricket fans in the UAE and it will be great to play in front of them.”
Nigel Fernandez, the 32-year-old Fly Emirates XI captain who works as an Airport Services Supervisor is delighted his team will get the opportunity to learn from such a naturally-gifted player. “I can’t believe that Shahid Afridi will be playing for us,” he said. “He is among the best players in the world at the moment and to have him alongside us will give us great confidence. He is a player I greatly admire. He is a natural talent who can win matches singlehandedly. It will be an incredible experience for everyone in the team and a real honour to line up beside him.”
Full postBill Lawry, this is your real life
Anyone who heard Bill Lawry’s acceptance speech after being inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame on Monday night could have been forgiven for thinking they were listening to a parody by the Twelfth Man
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
|
| © Getty Images |
Anyone who heard Bill Lawry’s acceptance speech after being inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame on Monday night could have been forgiven for thinking they were listening to a parody by the Twelfth Man. Lawry brought the house down at the Allan Border Medal ceremony with a speech that could easily have come from the Bill Lawry, This is Your Life album.
On that classic expletive-filled recording, Lawry’s fictionalised wife can’t make it to his big night because it clashes with an important bowls tournament. And as it turns out, it wasn’t that far from the mark, as the real-life Lawry explained that his wife Joy hadn’t joined him for his Hall of Fame honour.
“She’s not here tonight because she’s got no time for the Australian Cricket Board because they treated us like second-rate citizens back then, the wives in particular,” Lawry said. “She’s stood firm for 50 years and she’s not going to budge and good luck to her.”
Full postET's meaty performance
Ewen Thompson’s perseverance has been talked about in New Zealand domestic circles
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
Ewen Thompson’s perseverance has been talked about in New Zealand domestic circles. Nothing can stop him from bowling, not even a kebab stuck in his throat. The Central Districts left-arm fast bowler bowled ten overs on the trot and even took a catch in the semi-final match against Canterbury at Village Green on Saturday despite a piece of meat lodged in his oesophagus from the previous day.
It blocked food and liquid intake which led to dehydration during the game. He was taken to hospital, placed on drips and the meat was removed.
"ET is kicking himself a bit because he is supposed to watch what he eats,” Central Districts manager Lance Hamilton told the Dominion Post. “He was in a rush to eat before training [on Friday] and he scoffed down a kebab and obviously some meat got stuck.”
Full postOne final tour for lifetime cricket fan
Stanley Johnson spent a lifetime touring the world watching cricket, and after he died watching a match in New Zealand in December - his 230th overseas Test – he will be going on one final ashes tour, as his friends scatter his remains at his 12
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
Stanley Johnson spent a lifetime touring the world watching cricket, and after he died watching a match in New Zealand in December - his 230th overseas Test – he will be going on one final ashes tour, as his friends scatter his remains at his 12 favourite grounds around the world."Stan had no real home,” said Anthony Robinson, a friend. “He just travelled the world watching cricket."
Johnson, 72, left money for friends to visit grounds around the world with his ashes and their tour will include his home town of Accrington, Oswaldtwistle, Old Trafford, The Oval, Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Wankhede in Mumbai, Premadasa in Colombo, the Basin Reserve in Wellington, the Sydney Cricket Ground, St. George's Park in Port Elizabeth, Harare Sports Club and Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad. Johnson, a former accountant, also included money in his will for friends to have "a locally-brewed beer" while wearing Stan Johnson Ashes Tour T-shirts at each stage of the journey.
Full post