The Buzz
London mayor backs cricket for 2012 Olympics
Boris Johnson, the left-field London mayor, has backed cricket's inclusion in the 2012 Olympics that will be hosted by the city ..
Nishi Narayanan
25-Feb-2013
Boris Johnson, the left-field London mayor, has backed cricket's inclusion in the 2012 Olympics that will be hosted by the city ... even though it's an impossible campaign. "It is high time we install in the Olympics Twenty20 cricket," Johnson said at a business lunch in London.
Last month the London Assembly passed a unanimous motion to lobby international cricket authorities and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include the sport. "Let's face it, if they want to draw in south Asian audiences to watch the Olympics, they have to have cricket," Murad Qureshi, the London Assembly member who moved the motion, said. "India is one of the biggest markets out there, we have to make it relevant to people."
Previous host nations had been able to introduce a national sport as a "demonstration" event in the Games, but the IOC changed the rule for Beijing 2008, allowing China to showcase a traditional discipline as part of a "cultural Olympiad". Cricket, which last made a five-ringed appearance in 1900 in Paris, cannot be an official sport until at least 2020, with the finalisation of events for those Games occurring in 2013.
Full postLost in transit
South Africa don't have much time to tune up ahead of their Test series against Australia and had to make a late change to their practice schedule the day after arriving in Perth.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
South Africa don't have much time to tune up ahead of their Test series against Australia and had to make a late change to their practice schedule the day after arriving in Perth.
Their kit hadn't landed with them from Johannesburg, so they had to switch to take the afternoon slot at the WACA while bats, pads and helmets made their way across the Indian Ocean.
"A message from media liaison officer Michael Owen-Smith arrived just a day after the South Africans landed in Australia, to say they had to change their practice plans today due to “unforeseen circumstances”, reported Business Day. "Closer examination of that suitably inscrutable phrase revealed that the South African team’s luggage had been delayed back in Johannesburg."
Full postName your price, Kevin
England's decision to resume their tour of India has given the image of the players a huge boost
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
England's decision to resume their tour of India has given the image of the players a huge boost. While they have insisted the prospect of IPL deals was nowhere near their minds as discussions took place, there is no doubt that they are a more attractive buy.
"The gesture of going back to play in India will be very appreciated by cricket fans in India," Vijay Mallya, the owner of the Bangalore Royal Challengers told the Daily Telegraph. "It is a positive statement that everyday life in India can survive terrorist attacks. There will be a lot of people cheering for the England team and showing their appreciation over the next couple of weeks."
An unnamed IPL owner told the same paper that Kevin Pietersen would be "able to name his own price" after showing fine leadership skills in recent weeks.
However, the problem remains that England players will only be available for the IPL within a small, 15-day window between the end of the West Indies tour and the start of the international season at home.
Full postEngland to donate match fees for Mumbai victims
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
After making the brave decision to go ahead with the Test series in India, Kevin Pietersen and his team-mates have made another gesture that will surely win over the hosts: they will donate 50% of their match-fees from the first Test in Chennai to the families of the victims of the recent Mumbai terror attacks.
Alastair Cook, the opener, read out a statement from the team. "Following a very difficult period for the last two weeks, the England cricket team would like to recognise the following reasons for returning to India for the Test series.
Full postEngland driven by greed - Latif
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
England’s decision to resume their tour of India despite the terror attacks in Mumbai was bound to evoke strong reactions from Pakistan and Rashid Latif, the former wicketkeeper, has spoken out against the decision. Latif said England were driven by greed, purely due to India’s financial clout in the cricket world.
"Anything can happen anywhere and when teams can accept security assurances from the BCCI and government, why can't they do the same when the PCB and the government urges them to tour?" Latif was quoted as saying in the Times. "The truth is no one can dare ignore the money India is putting into the game. It is nothing but greed. If India didn't have the financial clout no team would bother to go there so soon after the Mumbai attacks."
Full postAustralia's loss, India's gain?
Neil D'Costa, a former Sydney grade cricketer, found his niche as a coach of emerging talented players and among his notable pupils are Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke and New South Wales batsman Phillip Hughes.
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
Neil D'Costa, a former Sydney grade cricketer, found his niche as a coach of emerging talented players and among his notable pupils are Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke and New South Wales batsman Phillip Hughes.
But he finds himself on the verge of accepting the position of batting coach at a Nagpur academy at the request of Indian board president Shashank Manohar. "There's no jobs here for me," D'Costa, who runs a private coaching school, told the Sydney Morning Herald. "I'm not recognised by any governing body here. I've only been able to get recognition by the work I do privately. I've never been asked by NSW to coach at any level worth talking about and I've never been spoken to by Cricket Australia. There's been no recognition that I've helped develop Clarke or Hughes or any other guys."
While he would rather work in his own country, D'Costa said there was "little or no chance" for coaches unless they had played first-class cricket. "Troy Cooley had to go overseas, that's how he made his name. The BCCI is impressed by what I've done developing juniors, and going there could be a good option for my family," said D'Costa.
Former Indian Test player Subroto Banerjee, who works with D'Costa, said the BCCI wanted to make Nagpur the best academy in India. "The big names are all trying to get in at Nagpur. People like [David] Gower and [Viv] Richards are great names and can give talks about experience but for coaching [at the] grassroots, you need coaches like Neil."
Full postReturn of the rest day
The first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Mirpur may not be the most mouth-watering contest of the year, but statistically, it may not be forgotten for a while
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
The first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Mirpur may not be the most mouth-watering contest of the year, but statistically, it may not be forgotten for a while. The fourth day (December 29) has been declared a rest day on account of the parliamentary elections. The concept of a rest day was scrapped during the mid-90s, and the previous such instance was back in December 2001, during the first Test between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at the SSC. The players had a break due to Poya day celebrations in the country.
Normal service resumes from the second Test onwards.
Full postPunjab que sera, sera
A proposed stadium in Bhatinda, one of the oldest cities in Punjab, has apparently hit a roadblock
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
A proposed stadium in Bhatinda, one of the oldest cities in Punjab, has apparently hit a roadblock. Work on what is supposed to be a top-notch cricket venue was supposed to begin on December 8 of last year, the same day as the Punjab chief minister's birthday, but nothing has happened in the last 12 months. According to Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) administrator Kamal Kishore Yadav, the 25-acre project cost was estimated between Rs 80-100 crore and was backed by the likes of Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president IS Bindra. But apart from barbed wire to cordon off the land, not a brick has been laid.
The project has reportedly been tossed back and forth between the PCA, BDA and Punjab Sports Department, reports the Indian Express, and is now with the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) for execution.
“We have almost finalised the terms and conditions and the bidding process would be started soon,” said PIDB managing director Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, who could not give any time frame.
Bhatinda may be proud host to Asia's biggest railway junction, but as for a cricket stadium ... well, let's just say that one's just not been able to get off the tracks.
Full postAn over-priced affair?
Its really up to you as to how you view next year's Ashes, but Sussex are clearly keeping an eye on profits.
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
Its really up to you as to how you view next year's Ashes, but Sussex are clearly keeping an eye on profits.
Next June, from June 24-27, the Australians play their first warm-up of the tour against Sussex at Hove, and the local administrators have confirmed that tickets will cost £35 a day. Want to watch all four days? Be ready to fork out £140, with a serious chance that rain will scupper at least a bit of the cricket. A bit steep, you might say, given the current economic situation.
Now compare that to a season's standard membership worth £159, which allows a spectator to watch every game at Hove except Twenty20. Sussex have upped the asking price, so now lets hope, unlike a few times in the past, that they field a strong side to make it worth the dough.
The Ashes start July 8 in Cardiff and conclude August 24 at The Oval.
Full postFun with Warney and Gilly
Having shouted themselves hoarse for catches and stumpings many, many times during their Test careers, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist will now go on air
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
Having shouted themselves hoarse for catches and stumpings many, many times during their Test careers, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist will now go on air. The two Australian legends will join Nine's team over the coming weeks on short-term deals. However, unlike when they played together, Warne and Gilchrist won't share air space together. Rather unfortunate, for that should have made for interesting insights - the two bring the experience of 735 international games - and witty banter.
Warne will commentate the Sydney and Melbourne Tests, as well as the Twenty20 internationals, while Gilchrist will call a Twenty20 match and seven one-dayers.
Relieved of his duties as Pakistan's coach, Geoff Lawson will also slip back behind the mic for ABC when the Sydney Test starts.
Full postMost Read
Writers