The Buzz
In the best of wealth
Call it the rub of the 'green'
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
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Call it the rub of the 'green'. Indian captain MS Dhoni is the world’s highest-earning cricketer, according to the Top 10 list compiled by business magazine Forbes. With earnings to the tune of US$10 million, Dhoni is followed by Sachin Tendulkar in second place (US$8 million), while Yuvraj Singh (US$5.5 million) and Rahul Dravid are third and fourth respectively. The Indian representation is complete with Sourav Ganguly who shared the sixth place with Australian captain Ricky Ponting, with both raking in US$3.5 million.
“Paycheck figures include club and national team salaries and commercial endorsement income over the last 12 months,” Forbes said. “With its deep-pocketed owners and global appeal, nine of the 10 highest-paid cricket players call the Indian Premier League (IPL) home.
“Take MS Dhoni, who plays for the Chennai Super Kings and tops our list as cricket’s first $10 million-a-year man (that’s $5,426 for each run scored). His $8 million in endorsements, from the likes of Reebok, General Electric and Pepsi, is 45 per cent more than any other player.
Full postBroad takes on Wossy
Stuart Broad’s rapid rise from England bowler to national celebrity continues unabated with a polished appearance on the BBC’s Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Stuart Broad’s rapid rise from England bowler to national celebrity continues unabated with a polished appearance on the BBC’s Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. Broad gave as good as he got with the uberslick Ross, and took part in a mini cricket challenge with Ricky Gervais, Jamie Oliver and Mika.
During the course of the interview, Broad let slip that he slightly overdid it during the post-match celebrations which followed the Oval Test, admitting: "I woke up the next day still in my whites."
Full postBashar trades floodlights for arc lights
It’s ‘cuts’ and ‘good shots’ of a different kind for former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
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It’s ‘cuts’ and ‘good shots’ of a different kind for former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar. His stint with the ICL presumably at a dead end, the former Bangladesh captain has reinvented himself in a new avatar - as an actor. Specifically, as a policeman in a Bengali-language telefilm, ‘Password’, to be screened as part of the Eid celebrations.
“Earlier I used to think acting was easy, but it’s mighty difficult,” he told BD News24.com. “You have to concentrate hard, even more than facing up to Shane Warne. I’m delighted. I have played cricket for most of my life, but I wouldn’t mind another shot at facing at the cameras.”
The stage was set ever since Khaled Mashud made his theatre debut last Eid, and though Bashar’s shoot was just for a day, the director has not ruled out another day of roleplaying. Action replay you said?
Full postCycling to the Ashes
While thousands of England fans will fly across the world to support their team during the 2010-11 Ashes, one enthusiast is taking a longer route
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
While thousands of England fans will fly across the world to support their team during the 2010-11 Ashes, one enthusiast is taking a longer route. Oliver Broom plans to cycle to Australia and he hopes to raise £100,000 for charity and teach or play cricket in 30 countries.
His trip will begin outside Lord’s on October 10 and he will spend time in France, Germany, Slovenia and Turkey. The rest of the journey will take Broom through Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. He will finally reach Darwin in Australia by boat before pedaling his way to Brisbane.
"I’ve known Oli since our school days [Radley College] and can vouch for his sanity. I look forward to seeing him on his bike in Brisbane,” England captain Andrew Strauss told the Telegraph. For Broom’s sake, hopefully England will do better than the 5-0 whitewash they received in 2006-07.
Full postSweet Tweets
As if the Fake IPL Player didn't do enough damage to the image and sense of well-being among India's elite cricketers, now comes news of "fake" Twitter accounts that claim to be voicing similar thoughts in the first person
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
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As if the Fake IPL Player didn't do enough damage to the image and sense of well-being among India's elite cricketers, now comes news of "fake" Twitter accounts that claim to be voicing similar thoughts in the first person. And not just any old person: MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh and Gautam Gambhir.
The "views" expressed are far removed from the anodyne comments usually trotted out by the stars. In one tweet, Dhoni - or his alter ego - regrets the unfulfilled potential of Vinod Kambli, saying he could have been as great as Tendulkar or Lara.
Yet even pseudo-Dhoni - the real man's brother Narendra has officially denied any family link with the Twitterer - seemed to have got cold feet for within hours there was another tweet reaffirming that Tendulkar was indeed the greatest batsman ever. How predictable...Bring back the Fake IPL Player, we say!
Full postHughes to pick Sachin's brains
Life has come a full circle barely few months into international cricket for Australian opener Phillip Hughes
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
Life has come a full circle barely few months into international cricket for Australian opener Phillip Hughes. After a sensational debut series in South Africa, he failed to live up to the hype in the Ashes and was expectedly dumped after two Tests. The determination to set things right has led him to set up an appointment with Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai on Monday. Hughes is in India to train in Nagpur under the guidance of his coach Neil D'Costa, who’s the head coach of a local academy. Hughes stresses that he will get the most out of Tendulkar, even if it takes the whole night.
"I'll chew his ear off,” Hughes told the Australian. “I've got questions about a lot of things that I want to ask him. I like getting around and talking to the guys who have been around for a long time." Keep an eye on Twitter for updates.
Full postFlintoff craftsmen urn big bucks
Always one for restraint and good taste, Andrew Flintoff has found an oh-so-subtle way to remind himself of his Ashes triumphs every day
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
Always one for restraint and good taste, Andrew Flintoff has found an oh-so-subtle way to remind himself of his Ashes triumphs every day. Flintoff has hired craftsmen to produce six-foot tile mosaics of the Ashes urn, inscribed with the years 2005 and 2009, to go on the bottom of the twin pools he’s having built in the basement of his Cheshire mansion.
News of the World reported the pieces will cost £3000 each, a mere trifle considering Flintoff reportedly bought the former home of the Manchester City manager Mark Hughes for £1.85 million only to demolish the place and fork out £2 million on building a six-bedroom house.
The pools are part of a basement leisure complex that also features a gym, sauna, cinema, bar and a snooker room. Fittingly, Flintoff is building in the village of Mottram St Andrew.
Full post'Swollen' Younis isn't making this up
Sportsmen can serve up an infinite number of excuses to skip a match, or a scheduled meeting with the media
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
Sportsmen can serve up an infinite number of excuses to skip a match, or a scheduled meeting with the media. Just how often would you come across one which goes, “I was attacked by a swarm of bees?” Younis Khan lived to tell one such tale. While backing his car out of the garage, honey bees raided his face, leaving him all swollen in a few minutes. He then showed up late for a local match and was forced to skip a media discussion in Karachi because he couldn’t “speak freely.” Imagine denying Younis that right.
The day wasn’t a total washout. He did manage to show up for a fast-breaking party at the Karachi Press Club in his honour. He assures that it won't affect his preparations for the Champions Trophy.
Full postDhoni plays Cupid
Roses and candle-light dinners are passe; here's the latest way to woo your fiancee - get your photograph clicked with Indian captain MS Dhoni
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
Roses and candle-light dinners are passe; here's the latest way to woo your fiancee - get your photograph clicked with Indian captain MS Dhoni. Ravindra Singh Saini, a 23-year-old, die-hard fan of Dhoni did just that, and it's wedding bells for him now.
Saini's parents had fixed his marriage with a girl from Himachal Pradesh, in an attempt to quell his craze for Dhoni and cricket. But a locket with Dhoni's picture around Saini's neck annoyed his fiancee, who issued an ultimatum: "Meet Dhoni, get a photograph clicked with him and then come for marriage."
And then there was no stopping Saini. He sold off his small shop of CDs and cassettes in his home town for Rs 15,000, left home and arrived in Ranchi on July 23. He set up camp at a hotel, tried to gather every possible detail about Dhoni and his friends, and visited one of the captain's contacts every day hoping his dream would be fulfilled. But as luck would have it, his money soon ran out and it was time for him to head back. But then a glimmer of hope - news that Dhoni could soon be home. Saini decided to give himself a couple of days, going hungry and even sleeping on the pavement.
And in the end his love triumphed. When Dhoni heard about the story he didn't waste any time in getting ready for the shoot. The light of the flashbulbs then captured Saini's dream: the photo that would hopefully capture his fiancee's heart.
Full postBattle of the Khans
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
Move over Shahrukh Khan – Salman Khan is all set to throw his hat (and considerable muscle) into the cricket ring. The Bollywood star, known more in recent times for controversy than critical acclaim, is reported to have shown an interest in bidding for a franchise when the next lot goes up for auction in 2011. He met Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman and commissioner, on Wednesday after several months of discussions and was given the low-down on buying a team. First up, the price tag: $200-300 million per franchise. If he can manage that, and beat off other bidders, Salman could become Bollywood's fifth IPL stakeholder after Shahrukh, Preity Zinta, Juhi Chawla and Shilpa Shetty. If that's a bit too glam-heavy for you, it isn't for Modi. "It [having a film star on board] does add to the spark of the event," he said.
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