The Buzz
ICC 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.”
Full postA rugby tackle for Ryder
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Justin Vaughan is likely to talk to his counterparts at the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) as he explores ways to deal with Jesse Ryder's alcohol problem.
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Justin Vaughan is likely to talk to his counterparts at the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) as he explores ways to deal with Jesse Ryder's alcohol problem.
The move comes after the NZRU fronted the All Blacks player Jimmy Cowan and fined him after a series of incidents involving excess alcohol consumption, which helped him cut the booze. NZC took a similar approach with Ryder, dropping him from a one-dayer and fining him after his drinking session in Wellington.
"I would like to speak to the NZRU to understand the protocols the All Blacks had around Jimmy Cowan's publicised problems," Vaughan told New Zealand-based daily, the Sunday Star Times. "I think we can share ideas with each other, although we have to remember every case is different."
Full postDeclining Test attendances a worry for Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar, though not worried about the survival of Test cricket in the wake of Twenty20 and ODIs, has said the declining attendance for Tests in India is an area of concern
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
Sachin Tendulkar, though not worried about the survival of Test cricket in the wake of Twenty20 and ODIs, has said the declining attendance for Tests in India is an area of concern. “Test cricket has its own place. There is no threat to Test cricket from IPL or T20 World Cup or even 50-over matches. But I am only concerned about the falling attendance for Test matches in India,” he said.
However, he had a potential solution for the problem. "I have a suggestion for the BCCI. Whenever Test cricket is played, local school and college students should be allowed free entry on weekends so that 10 years down the line these children will become lovers of Test cricket,” Tendulkar said. "I remember when I was a 10-year old, I went to the Wankhede stadium and watched the West Indies in action. I still remember Michael Holding's bowling in that match."
Full postIndia's brief tryst with double-sided bats
The double-sided bat used by New South Wales batsman David Warner in a domestic match against South Australia was not the first experiment with such an innovation
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
The double-sided bat used by New South Wales batsman David Warner in a domestic match against South Australia was not the first experiment with such an innovation. Double-sided bats were trialled in India in 1982 to enable batsmen to play unconventional shots as forcefully as possible. The bat, first made in Meerut, was compressed from both sides, while its handle was built thin to provide balance.
“There was a lot of demand for special bats even later for Sixes tournaments. There was a craze for six-a-side tournaments held in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok, and we made the bat specifically for those tournaments,” Rakesh Mahajan, the owner of bat-maker BDM told the Indian Express. “Before going for mass production, we gave away bats to players for practice. In fact, during the Singapore tournament, players like Kapil Dev, Arjuna Ranatunga, Joel Garner, Rumesh Ratnayake used those bats at the nets.”
However, the bats fell out of favour with players. “It wasn’t liked by players because they wanted something more conventional. There was very little scope for experimentation back then.
“These bats have one major drawback — there’s no meat on them. It’s good for players who prefer to time the ball, but this version of cricket [Twenty20] is all about force. In fact, these days players come to us with the demand of increasing the meat on the bat to 15 inches - which is not easy because the imported willow doesn’t have that much width.”
Full postDouble-sided bat to debut
Most reverse-sweeps still come off the front of the bat - Andrew Symonds' version of the stroke being an exception - but batsmen could soon have the option of using the back of their blade
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
Most reverse-sweeps still come off the front of the bat - Andrew Symonds' version of the stroke being an exception - but batsmen could soon have the option of using the back of their blade. A double-sided bat will be trialled during two Australian domestic Twenty20 games this week.
David Warner, the New South Wales batsman who has just signed up for the IPL, will use the bat against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday and Victoria's Aiden Blizzard will test it against Western Australia at the MCG on Thursday. Warner had a hit with the new-style bat in the SCG nets on Sunday and he said he didn't think it would significantly change the game.
"Generally when I'm playing the reverse I'm swapping hands, and now I don't really have to so it's going to be better. It gives you a couple of extra seconds," Warner told the Age. "If people think it's going to be an advantage to batsmen, I have to disagree.
"The person who is using the timber is in control, so I just see it as another shot for other people to try as well. Everyone is trying it these days, especially in Twenty20, so why not have the back of the bat flat as well? It makes it easier, but it's not a real advantage. You've still got to play the shot."
Full postDhoni gets extortion letter
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been provided with extra security after reportedly receiving an extortion letter demanding Rs50 lakh (US$ 103,091)
Nishi Narayanan
25-Feb-2013
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been provided with extra security after reportedly receiving an extortion letter demanding Rs50 lakh (US$ 103,091). News reports say his security has been upgraded to ‘Z’ category – the highest level in India - and he has a 45-strong team protecting him. Police officials said Dhoni's family received the extortion letter on Monday. Earlier this month, Dhoni travelled unescorted to the Ranchi airport after seemingly being unsatisfied with the level of security given to him. He also applied for a licence for a .9mm pistol.
Full post