The Buzz
Drinks break for Shah Rukh Khan
The war between the cola majors has found a new turf, the IPL
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
The war between the cola majors has found a new turf, the IPL. After Pepsi ended its ten-year association with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) owner and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Coca Cola has swooped in to sign a two-year deal to associate its popular Sprite brand with the team. It is learnt that Coca Cola will be involved in sponsorship of merchandise and serve beverages at Knight Rider stadia.
Pepsi, who shifted its focus to younger consumers, had earlier dropped Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly (the KKR captain) as brand ambassadors. Shah Rukh’s contract which expired in 2008 was also not renewed, though he may now be signed up by Coca Cola. “I am now perhaps too old for Pepsi,’’ he told the Times of India
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is Pepsi’s new face but in a twist that could add fizz to the cola wars, Ishant Sharma, who will spearhead the KKR pace attack, features in Pepsi’s mini-campaigns. Did someone mention ambush marketing?
Full postGoing to the movies ... sort of
When in India, go to the movies
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
When in India, go to the movies. And when you get there, don’t watch one. Put on your face paint, throw on that snazzy jersey, and root for your favourite cricketers.
Perhaps borrowing from the USA where, in 2003, certain cinema chains telecast Boston Red Sox baseball games as the team surged toward the World Series, the IPL has decided to try something new and exciting.
Following an increase in requests from cinema owners in India, the IPL has decided to float tenders to sell these rights for the 2009 season. "We have decided to issue tenders for selling these rights for one year or so," said IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi. "We will decide on continuing this after seeing how it goes on."
Come to think of it, a Twenty20 game lasts about three hours, which is the average length of a Hindi feature. In India the concept of a ten-minute interval is still there, which is almost the equivalent of an innings break. And India loves movies and cricket. Who'd a thunk it?
Full postA tall order for batsmen?
Mohammad Zahid and Aamer Nazir
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
Mohammad Zahid and Aamer Nazir. When they appeared on the scene for Pakistan in the 1990s, it sent everyone scurrying to find out their antecedents. Not much was discovered about either of them, except that they impressed Wasim Akram despite not much first-class experience.
Now, like a bolt from the the blue, comes the spotting of a 7'2" fast bowler from Multan who has former Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed excited. At 6'8", Joel Garner and Bruce Reid were the tallest fast bowlers to play international cricket, but Mohammad Irfan is reportedly something else.
"I spent the whole day thinking to myself that we might have something really special here," Aaqib told PakPassion.com. "At the moment he has no clue about what he's trying to do, but we can teach him that stuff at the [Pakistan] academy."
Irfan, 21, has apparently never even played a proper game of cricket. Aaqib wants Irfan to "pack his bags and come straight back" because he is keen to get cracking on improving Irfan's mental and physical fitness. It may take some serious work, too. For someone that tall, even landing a ball on a length could turn out to be a bouncer to the man down the other end of the pitch.
Full postVoges thinks quickly ... again
It seemed so spur of the moment
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
It seemed so spur of the moment. Adam Voges’ brilliant juggling catch on the long-on boundary to remove Brendon McCullum in the second-last over was the difference between victory and defeat for Australia. Had he stumbled over the boundary with the ball in hand, a six would have been called and New Zealand would almost certainly have won.
Instead, Voges lobbed the ball high back into play as he fell backwards, then tripped over the boundary as he crawled back onto the field to complete the take. He was part juggler, part tightrope walker and was cool enough to pull off the act in front of tens of thousands of spectators.
But circus-goers don’t see the hours of practice and neither had most of the Sydney fans seen Voges try a similar trick a fortnight ago in a state one-day game. On that occasion Queensland’s Nathan Reardon slammed the ball towards long-off and Voges took it cleanly while backing back, but again was going to fall over the boundary.
His Western Australia colleague Theo Doropoulos had also made good ground and was near the ball, so Voges lobbed it towards him and Doropoulos was credited with the catch. But like any good showman, Voges wasn’t about to be upstaged and turned the duet into a solo act at the SCG.
Full postSmells like Lord's
Playing at Lord's is the dream of many, but the privilege of a few
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
Playing at Lord's is the dream of many, but the privilege of a few. However, a new breakthrough could perhaps help you create the feel of "the home of cricket" in your own backyard. Or even splash it on yourself before your next club match.
Perfumers at Procter & Gamble have captured the essence of Lord's, according to the New Scientist. A technology called headspace analysis was used to take in the odours of freshly cut grass, cricket bats, laundered cricket kit and the players' changing room (minus the players, thankfully), and these will be used as the starting point for a fragrance. "Perfumers need inspiration, and this can come from people that surround them, places they've visited, or things that they love in the world," said Will Andrews of P&G.
We're not sure when Lord's will be available in a bottle, but keep those nostrils open. Parfum de la Lord's?
Full postOldies dust off the bats for bushfire game
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
Sydney physiotherapists are in for a hectic evening. Mark Taylor and Michael Slater are among a long list of Australian sporting celebrities old and new to volunteer their services for a charity Twenty20 match at the SCG on February 22 to raise money for the victims of the Victorian bushfires.
Speaking at the launch of the event, Slater conceded he could not remember the last time he picked up a bat, while Taylor estimated he had played a solitary match in five years. But the former opening duo believes aching muscles are a small price to pay for the bushfire relief appeal, which has already raised millions for the injured and displaced.
Full postThe party that turned sour
By all accounts, Sir Viv Richards left the ground that bears his name angry and upset on a day that brought shame to his beloved island
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
By all accounts, Sir Viv Richards left the ground that bears his name angry and upset on a day that brought shame to his beloved island. "This shoots me straight through the heart," he said. "This is not shooting me in the foot. This is shooting me straight through the heart."
It should have been a memorable day for Richards and his former team-mates Andy Roberts and Michael Holding, as the three were meant to be presented with ICC Hall of Fame caps during the lunch interval, with a five-a-side match afterwards.
As it was, the day had ceased to have any sense of celebration long before then and embarrassed ICC officials, including chief executive Haroon Lorgat and media manager Jon Long, were forced to pack up their goodies and sneak them off to the Recreation Ground where they will all try again on Sunday.
Full postLeap as you would lead
After racing a plane, training with commandos, winning the Twenty20 World Cup and beating Australia in Australia, what can our bored hero do to spice up his life
Nishi Narayanan
25-Feb-2013
After racing a plane, training with commandos, winning the Twenty20 World Cup and beating Australia in Australia, what can our bored hero do to spice up his life? How about jumping off a bridge? Should be easy now that Tourism Auckland has invited Mahendra Singh Dhoni to bungee jump off the Harbour Bridge as a way to “see the city in all its glory”.
Graeme Osborne, Tourism Auckland’s chief executive, said he wanted the Indian players to "experience the best of what Auckland has to offer” when they tour the city for a one-day game in March. But it’s a tall order since the Indian captain has confessed to being afraid of heights. Perhaps Virender Sehwag, his deputy, can step in instead.
Full postSreesanth - the sexy vegetarian
Batsmen alert: He may look like he’s after your blood but he really isn’t and he may look beastly in his run-up but he’s really a beauty
Nishi Narayanan
25-Feb-2013
Batsmen alert: He may look like he’s after your blood but he really isn’t and he may look beastly in his run-up but he’s really a beauty. And while cricket fans make up their mind whether they like Sreesanth or not, veggie lovers voted him the Sexiest Indian Vegetarian Alive, along with Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor, in PETA India’s annual online poll.
The website describes him thus: “as easy on the eyes as he is hard on his opponents. “A young and exuberant player who has got the moves on the pitch and on the dance floor, it's no wonder that 'The Prince of hat-tricks' has been crowned our king of veggie Valentinos!” With his new buffed-up look, it won’t be long before Sreesanth leads the Indian version of the Men of Cricket calendar.
Full postMiandad the diplomat
Even Javed Miandad’s most enthusiastic supporters would struggle to pretend that diplomacy is one of his strengths
Andrew Miller
25-Feb-2013
Even Javed Miandad’s most enthusiastic supporters would struggle to pretend that diplomacy is one of his strengths. Nevertheless, the nation’s favourite pugilist will shortly be given the chance to practice his dialogue with a global superpower, when he heads to China as a cricket ambassador, at the behest of the Pakistan Sports Ministry.
The fall-out from Javed’s latest acrimonious split with the Pakistan Cricket Board has barely settled – he squared up to the board chairman, Ijaz Butt, at a senate hearing earlier this week, following his abrupt resignation as director-general in January, after only a month in the role. But none of that matters to the sports secretary, Ashraf Khan, who regards Javed as the perfect man to take cricket across the Karakorum Highway.
“It will be an exploratory tour for Miandad which runs between March 9 and 15," Khan told reporters. "China did very well in the last Olympics and you can't underestimate their talent in any sport. We do hope that Miandad will assist them in improving their cricketing skills."
Miandad’s appointment was rubber-stamped by the Pakistan president, Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the patron-in-chief of the PCB. "I have no doubt that they could excel in the field of cricket,” said Miandad, “like they did in other sports.”
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