The Buzz
Symonds' new gameplan?
Andrew Symonds is serving out his suspension from the Australian team by training with his hometown rugby side, the Broncos, who are gunning for their 18th straight final in the National Rugby League
Nishi Narayanan
25-Feb-2013
Andrew Symonds is serving out his suspension from the Australian team by training with his hometown rugby side, the Broncos, who are gunning for their 18th straight final in the National Rugby League. Symonds is famously passionate about rugby - to the extent of shoulder-charging a spectator who invaded the field at the Gabba - and one of his most recent public appearances was at a Gold Coast Titans game soon after flying back from England following his ban.
Broncos coach Ivan Henjak said he was happy to have Symonds’ international experience at hand and said he was not a disruption to his players. “It’s been nothing but positive from my end, I’m very happy to have him here,” Henjak was quoted as saying in Australia’s Daily Telegraph. “… having his presence around is good for everyone. He has a wealth of experience of playing top-level sport, he has a lot to offer. He’s played cricket at highest level. That experience is invaluable, no matter what sport you play.”
Symonds, who was banned by Cricket Australia after breaking a alcohol ban just before the World Twenty20 in England, has said he considered switching sports and joining the Broncos back in 2002. But an unexpected Australian call-up to the World Cup squad in 2003 made him stay with cricket.
Full postParanoia envelops ECB
The extent of the ECB's paranoia in the wake of England's crushing defeat at Headingley has been revealed at a Street Sixes event in the City of London, hosted by the team's principal sponsors, Vodafone.
Andrew Miller
25-Feb-2013
The extent of the ECB's paranoia in the wake of England's crushing defeat at Headingley has been revealed at a Street Sixes event in the City of London, hosted by the team's principal sponsors, Vodafone.
The main guest at the 24-team event near Liverpool Street was Matt Prior, who has been one of England's success stories of the summer, with sound keeping allied to reliable and fast-scoring form in an otherwise ropey middle order.
"I think Prior's been outstanding," his mentor and manager, Alec Stewart told Cricinfo this week. "Coming into this series there were question marks about him, but he's gradually winning his critics over. His batting you could never question, and I think his glovework has been outstanding.
Full postLaw for The Oval?
The Barmy Army weren’t responsible for the fire alarm going off in Australia’s hotel in Canterbury
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
The Barmy Army weren’t responsible for the fire alarm going off in Australia’s hotel in Canterbury. The players, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, were briefly concerned it was revenge for the England squad being woken at 5am by warning sirens on the first morning of their horrific Headingley Test.
Some Fanatics, part of an Australian support group, claimed they flicked the switch in Leeds, although hotel staff said it was caused by a guest’s clothes being placed on a heater. In Canterbury a faulty smoke detector set off the alarms.
More bells were ringing with Stuart Law’s self-promotion for a spot in England’s team for The Oval. Law, who played one Test for Australia in 1995-96 and 54 ODIs, told the Australian he should be considered alongside Mark Ramprakash.
"They are talking about everyone else so I'm putting my hand up as well -- I'm available and ready to play for England next week," Law said, hopefully tongue in cheek. "I'm in awesome touch, I scored a terrific century in a game for Lashings today."
Full postThe BCCI's friendly pass
Never again let it be said that the BCCI doesn’t have a heart
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
Never again let it be said that the BCCI doesn’t have a heart. Even as the world unites to rail against its greed, arrogance and other deadly sins, the Indian board has sanctioned a grant worth Rs 25 crores ($5 million) for the All-India Football Federation (AIFF). India isn’t short of football fans – it’s an emerging market eyed by FIFA and the Premiership – but it does lack a national team worth cheering (India have qualified once for the World Cup – in 1950). Now they have the 2011 Asian Cup finals in Qatar to aim for, and plan to use the BCCI’s grant for their "Goal 2011" project, in which 25 top players will be taken off club duty for nine months to build the team.
It isn’t, though, an act of reckless charity. Indian cricket is headed (de facto, if not de jure) by Sharad Pawar, a minister in the federal government and a member of the Nationalist Congress Party from Maharashtra; Indian football is headed by Praful Patel, a minister in the federal government and a member of the Nationalist Congress Party from Maharashtra. So you could say there is sound reasoning for them to play ball.
Full postMark is Strictly a shoo-in says dance-partner Karen
Mark Ramprakash has no shortage of supporters calling for his reinstatement to the England team for the final Ashes Test, but none more vociferous than Karen Hardy
Alex Brown
25-Feb-2013
Mark Ramprakash has no shortage of supporters calling for his reinstatement to the England team for the final Ashes Test, but none more vociferous than Karen Hardy. Together, Ramprakash and Hardy sashayed their way to glory on the BBC's top-rating Strictly Come Dancing programme in 2006, and Hardy believes her one-time dance partner can lead England to similar heights at The Oval.
“Mark, what an opportunity this is, I can’t think of a more worthy person to come to England’s rescue at this late stage!" Hardy wrote in an email to Cricinfo. "It may have been seven years but you have proven yourself time after time with your amazing performance records with Surrey. Of course I know it has to be down to some of the tricky footwork I gave you in your dancing. (Maybe you can take some with you to share with the team!) You’ve been a great support to Conrad and I with setting up Karen Hardy Studios and now I wish you the best of luck and hope to see you raising a trophy once again!”
Like Ramprakash, Hardy is 39 and at the centre of a media storm relating to age. The Mirror recently reported she would be replaced on this season's Strictly Come Dancing with 25-year-old Lithuanian Katya Virshilas, however the BBC denied an "ageist" agenda and pledged to find her a new role on the programme. Ramprakash and Hardy received a perfect 40-out-of-40 from the judges for their tango and salsa routines during the 2006 Strictly Come Dancing final, and earned the lion's share of the 12 million viewer votes taken by the BBC. Darren Gough won the title the previous year.
Full postBell's twit not legit
England have been waiting for the real Ian Bell to stand up during this series and it appears they haven't come any closer to finding him
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
England have been waiting for the real Ian Bell to stand up during this series and it appears they haven't come any closer to finding him. Twitter followers who thought they were gaining an insight into Bell's thinking were disappointed to discover that the user "ianbellmbe" was a hoax.
Comments on the Twitter page over the past week included "Getting back to county cricket is just what i needed! Rebuild, regroup, refocus, reenergise, recharge, resolve, revenge", and "The ashes big top moves on to leeds! It's great being part of the circus - as long as i'm more lion tamer than clown!"
But an ECB statement has confirmed that the entries are the work of an impostor. "These remarks were definitely NOT posted by Ian Bell," the statement said. "They are the work of a hoaxer and therefore should be disregarded."
If only Phillip Hughes could have used the same excuse. He found himself in a pickle with team management when his manager posted the fact that Hughes had been dropped from the Test team for Edgbaston before the announcement had been made public.
Full postIs Onions married?
Graham Onions has become a Twitter target for English pop starlet Lily Allen, but soon she might be thinking of the fast bowler when singing her hit song “It’s not fair”.
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Graham Onions has become a Twitter target for English pop starlet Lily Allen, but soon she might be thinking of the fast bowler when singing her hit song “It’s not fair”.
“Is Onions married?,” Allen tweeted on Monday. He’s not, but he’s got a girlfriend. “I’m happy with her,” Onions said. “She doesn’t sing.” Onions would like to meet Allen, but thinks she’d be disappointed. “She’s obviously not seen me in real life,” he said.
Full postEx-players hitting peak form?
As cricket scales newer heights, 14 former international players, including five Test captains, will make a comeback of sorts at the Bernese Alps in Jungfraujoch, Switzerland, Europe's highest altitude railway station
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
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As cricket scales newer heights, 14 former international players, including five Test captains, will make a comeback of sorts at the Bernese Alps in Jungfraujoch, Switzerland, Europe's highest altitude railway station. The proposed six-a-side match, to be played at 11,333 feet, will have an Indian team playing an All-Stars side. The five-over contest could feature stars like Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Viv Richards, Mohammad Azharuddin, Steve Waugh, Michael Vaughan, Chaminda Vaas, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, Ajay Jadeja, Shane Warne and even Andrew Flintoff.
Organised by Jaideep Sinh Parmar, the grand-nephew of former Indian cricket chief Raj Singh Dungarpur, the match has been scheduled for August 15, India’s Independence Day. "We are hosting it during the Independence weekend...” said Parmar. “We are bringing back players who have bid goodbye to cricket and the list includes five former Test captains,"
Interestingly, the matting pitch, which will be flown out from India, will be placed on a giant wooden square that has been placed at the centre of a 30-yard field. “Depending on the day’s wind conditions, we will decide upon the direction of the pitch,” Parmar said.
Full postSecurity threat stops lunch
Security guards formed a perimeter around the team dressing rooms and the entrance to the Eric Hollies Stand after a threat was reportedly phoned into authorities during the final day of the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Security guards formed a perimeter around the team dressing rooms and the entrance to the Eric Hollies Stand after a threat was reportedly phoned into authorities during the final day of the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston. A thorough search was conducted and a section of the grandstand evacuated around the lunch break. No suspicious packages were found, and the all-clear was given after 30 minutes.
Full postTwins make switch
The Waugh brothers are probably the most famous twins to play cricket, but at least you could tell them apart
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
The Waugh brothers are probably the most famous twins to play cricket, but at least you could tell them apart. That wasn’t the case with Nazim and Zahid Mohammed who were identical twins, and they tried to use it to their advantage.
While playing for New Brighton in the Liverpool and District Cricket Competition they decided to make the most of each other’s skills. Nazim, the better bowler, was named in the side but when his team’s turn came to bat he switched with Zahid who was meant to be the better batsman.
The opposition couldn’t tell the difference, but what gave them away was probably that Nazim bowled right hand and Zahid batted left. Officials noticed and reported the pair who were and the pair were banned and have also resigned. The team manager also quit despite not knowing anything of the mischievous plan.
The irony in all this is that the switch didn’t even help. Zahid made a duck. That’s karma.
Full post