The Buzz
England cause flight detour
Travelling on the same flight as an international cricket team might be exciting for fans but it could also be a nuisance to those passengers hoping to arrive at their destination on time
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
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The passengers apparently had no clue about the detour, and the flight crew did not know its purpose until the pre-flight briefing. "It's very exciting isn't it – the England players on board and all that?" one of the crew told the Guardian. "It reminds me of the time we had the James Bond lot on board and we went to Panama."
To mollify the passengers for the two-hour delay, they were given England-branded cuff-links and an autographed picture of the Test squad that played the home series against South Africa in 2008. Not everyone was happy. "I think it's a bloody cheek, I do," said one passenger. "I found out last week that we were going via St Kitts, and then only because I phoned Virgin to confirm my flight. They didn't phone me. I would rather give up the cuff-links and arrive on time."
Full postBotham springs to KP's defence
Satirical magazine Private Eye notes the angry response of Ian Botham to the sacking of Kevin Pietersen as England captain, with the standard attacks on “buffoons in blazers” and “chinless wonders who rule Lord's”.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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“They knew he wasn't going to be a yes man, no man, three-bagsful man,” Botham wrote in the Mirror. “They knew he was single-minded, they knew he wanted to do the job his way … I thought he was showing a lot of promise as captain, and even though England lost in Chennai, he deserved a lot of credit both for leading the team back to India after the Mumbai massacre.”
Private Eye then points out Botham fails to mention that he is chairman of the sports agency that manages Pietersen. “In the previous three years in which he has opined [on Pietersen] he has never seen fit to mention this conflict of interests,” the article concludes.
Full postPollock hopes to swap greentops for putting greens
What does an allrounder do after he retires
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
What does an allrounder do after he retires? Tries for a career in golf. It was something Kapil Dev thought about and Shaun Pollock, who stood down last year after a decorated career, is considering the move by entering some amateur tournaments in South Africa.
“Having been a professional sportsman for all those years, you have those competitive juices in you and they are not going to vanish overnight, so you need an outlet,” Pollock told the Courier-Mail. “I have always enjoyed my golf and I think that’s where I can put all my competitive energy at the moment.”
Pollock’s handicap is now down to one and he is no longer held back by long tours affecting his form and focus. However, he will also spend some time over the next month playing beach cricket in Australia.
Full postDon't try calling Monty
Monty Panesar is forever talking about the right areas - well, while on holiday in South Africa after England's tour of India he found himself in the wrong area.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Monty Panesar is forever talking about the right areas - well, while on holiday in South Africa after England's tour of India he found himself in the wrong area.
Walking near the Wanderers ground in Johannesburg he was stopped by two 'police officers' who claimed they were searching for drugs. The men asked for Panesar's mobile phone, and the ever-obliging left-arm spinner handed it over after being told he would get it back at the top of the hill. Lo and behold his phone was never returned.
"They took our mobile phones and stuff and said they were would meet us at the top of the hill," he told the Guardian. "They didn't appear in view. We weren't surprised. It wasn't particularly terrifying. We didn't get roughed up or anything."
Full postChina fail despite baby boom
As if there weren’t enough statisticians in the world, someone, somewhere, has calculated that when China played Maldives in the Asian Cricket Council Challenge this week the population differential was around 3300
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
As if there weren’t enough statisticians in the world, someone, somewhere, has calculated that when China played Maldives in the Asian Cricket Council Challenge this week the population differential was around 3300. Still awake? Ok, China’s population is roughly 1.30 billion and the Maldives 386,000, so China is 3368 times as populous.
Within minutes the anoraks had come flooding out of the cupboards in bedsits across the world. The net result was the 2007 World Cup match between India (1.15 billion) and Bermuda (66,000) was identified as producing an even greater disparity, around 17,420.
Baring any major improvements, this record seems to set to stay unless Cayman Islands (52,000, with more registered businesses than people) storm into a World Cup. The Falkland Islands, an Affiliate member of the ICC, has only 3000 inhabitants of the non-penguin variety and is a good long-term bet.
And for the record books, outpopulated or not, Maldives cracked 376 for 7 from their 50 overs before China were dismissed for 61.
Full postICC takes Test Championship trophy from Australia
Australia are currently clinging on to the No
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Australia are currently clinging on to the No. 1 ranking in Tests and will be dethroned only if they lose the upcoming three-Test series in South Africa. The ICC, however, have taken the Test Championship trophy away from Australia to their headquarters in Dubai in anticipation that it could change hands.
Australia have held the trophy ever since it was introduced in 2001 apart from a few months in 2003 when South Africa were briefly No 1. "We have held it ever since the ICC Test rankings were introduced in May 2001, so apart from the four months in 2003 it's been with us," CA spokesman Peter Young was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald. "Our building [Cricket Australia’s office in Melbourne] was designed around the trophy. We are most certainly planning to bring it back with us from South Africa. If that does not eventuate we may have to get some Polyfilla and fill the space in our foyer."
The ICC will present the trophy to the No 1 Test team at the end of Australia’s Test tour to South Africa.
Full postAs the Crowe flies
Martin Crowe is shifting to Sky TV's rugby channel, and has rubbished reports that he was ousted from his cricket commentator position because of a clash with New Zealand Cricket
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
Martin Crowe is shifting to Sky TV's rugby channel, and has rubbished reports that he was ousted from his cricket commentator position because of a clash with New Zealand Cricket. Crowe said he was "flabbergasted" at a comment from NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan in a weekend newspaper that some members of the national team would like to see the back of him.
"Ninety-nine percent of the time I'm incredibly positive about the players, I certainly wasn't that way about the former coach but I felt some of the things he did were very odd," Crowe told the Sunday News."The only time I've been critical of a player was with Aaron Redmond recently and that just didn't come out right and I quickly retracted what I said."
Crowe will continue to commentate on cricket this summer. "I've just found 10 years [as executive producer] a year too long," he told the Dominion Post. "In a new post within Sky Sport I will look to resurrect The Chosen Ones documentary series and also look to increase numbers watching the Rugby Channel among other new initiatives. I couldn’t be happier."
Full postI wasn't comfortable with Chappell - Sehwag
Greg Chappell didn't make too many friends during his rough tenure as India's coach
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
Greg Chappell didn't make too many friends during his rough tenure as India's coach. And he definitely didn't impress Virender Sehwag, who has said he lost trust for the Australian legend.
"The thing with him was that whatever you shared with him, it was promptly disclosed to media and selectors," Sehwag told PTI. "He talked and that hurt the trust. I wasn't comfortable with him."
Neither was Sehwag pleased with the psychologist Rudi Webster, whom Chappell employed for sessions with the players. "I never went alone to Webster. In a session with Webster, we all had our chunk of time," said Sehwag. "I am one who believes that if you open up your thoughts to someone you trust, you feel lighter and thus better. But I found out that Webster couldn't keep things confidential."
According to Sehwag, the current coach Gary Kirsten was the "best" he had seen. "He doesn't force things on you," said Sehwag. "His basic premise is: you all are international cricketers and you know how to succeed and how important it is to succeed. So I won't thrust myself on you. But whenever you need me, for practice, throwing balls, sharing ideas, worries, I am always there."
Full postMumbai reaping rewards for Ranji win
Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Sharad Pawar will award Rs 60 lakh to the Mumbai team which won the Ranji Trophy, an amount equal to the winner's purse
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Sharad Pawar will award Rs 60 lakh to the Mumbai team which won the Ranji Trophy, an amount equal to the winner's purse. He met all the team members at the MCA office ahead of the special AGM on Saturday.
“Mumbai dominated the games right through the season, except for a one-off bad game against Saurashtra at Rajkot,” said Dilip Vengsarkar, former chairman of the Mumbai selection committee and vice-president of the MCA.
Full postWhen Hayden met Harbhajan for the first time
Matthew Hayden and Harbhajan Singh have had a few spats and Hayden revealed after his retirement when it all began.
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Matthew Hayden and Harbhajan Singh have had a few spats and Hayden revealed after his retirement when it all began.
“I loved playing the people who geed me up, tell me I can't do something - that's what he [Harbhajan] told me the first time we met,” Hayden told the Sun-Herald. Australia was playing a practice match and he said, 'I hope you get picked for Australia.' He didn't know, but in that game I was trying to rotate the strike really defensively so I didn't show him any of my key strategies before the Test. I was batting rubbish and he had every right to say what he did. My comeback to him was saying, 'We'll see.' That's all I said.
“First ball he bowled in the Test, I ran down and hit him over the top of mid-off. I said, 'OK, there's my answer.' Because there's a language barrier, I think it may have sounded to him more offensive than it really was. There was always a real tension between us, but I respect what he's done in his career. And in his life, he has looked after his entire family. I respect that.”
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