The Buzz
Kohli, football team owner
Virat Kohli has become the third high-profile Indian cricketer to own a stake in a team in the franchise-based football tournament Indian Super League
ESPNcricinfo staff
24-Sep-2014
The Indian cricket team loves its football. It plays the game pretty competitively before every training session. Now one of the biggest stars of the team will help pay wages of FC Goa in the upcoming Indian Super League, a franchise-based domestic football tournament.
"Some might think I am pretty young to do something like this or it is a step taken too early, but nothing is never too early," Virat Kohli said. "If you believe in something, you have to put your 100% commitment to it, and I decided to do it because I want football to grow in India.
"Cricket is not going to last forever so, whenever I am done, whenever I retire, I am keeping all my options open. It is something that excited me a lot and I tried to go ahead with it."
Full postDenied biryani, Dhoni shifts hotels
It is not often that MS Dhoni loses his cool, but if reports are to believed, the India captain was upset by a rather trivial matter: home-cooked Hyderabadi biryani sent by his international team-mate Ambati Rayudu
ESPNcricinfo staff
20-Sep-2014
It is not often that MS Dhoni loses his cool, but if reports are to believed, the India captain was upset by a rather trivial matter: home-cooked Hyderabadi biryani sent by his international team-mate Ambati Rayudu.
The day before Chennai Super Kings were handed a three-wicket defeat by Kolkata Knight Riders in the Champions League T20, Dhoni and his Super Kings team-mates were busy shifting hotels from the Grand Kakatiya to the Taj Krishna. The reason: Grand Kakatiya's strict policy against consumption of outside food in the hotel premises.
Though the Grand Kakatiya was willing to relent a bit and allow the players to partake the biryani in their rooms, Dhoni was adamant on using the board room, after which the hotel put its foot down. Dhoni's response was to leave the hotel itself, and take his squad along.
While BCCI and Super Kings officials, as well as the hotel staff, said that the players had abruptly moved out on Tuesday, they refused to give a definite reason.
Full postTendulkar meets baseball legend
Sachin Tendulkar was in New York, where he met Yankees legend Derek Jeter
Peter Della Penna
07-Sep-2014
Derek Jeter chats with @PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi and Sachin Tendulkar, the "God of Cricket," before tonight's game. pic.twitter.com/bc8e88ZLWA
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 5, 2014It may have only been included as a footnote in a wire service report of the New York Yankees late season encounter with the Kansas City Royals, but a meeting between a pair of baseball and cricket titans occurred on the field before Friday night's game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
Derek Jeter, the Yankees all-time leader in hits and games played, met with Sachin Tendulkar during batting practice ahead of the game. The Yankees posted a photo on social media of Friday's encounter in which they described Tendulkar as "the god of cricket". The pre-game meet up also included another industry leader, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi.
There's been no word on whether or not Tendulkar was able to convince Jeter to come out to India for a chance to watch the IPL in person.
Full postUsain Bolt seals last-ball victory against Yuvraj XI
Much 'action' was witnessed by the fans who turned up to watch the Yuvraj Singh-Usain Bolt exhibition match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore
ESPNcricinfo staff
03-Sep-2014
Usain Bolt outhits Yuvraj Singh in a six-hitting competition. Yuvraj Singh outruns Usain Bolt in a 100m dash. Both share the honours in a bowl-out, hitting the stumps three times apiece.
That was just some of the 'action' witnessed by the fans who turned up to watch an exhibition match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Tuesday. While some of it was clearly not authentic, the 6000-strong crowd present at the Puma event didn't seem to mind.
The highlight of the day, of course, was the match itself, a four-overs-per-team, seven-a-side affair. There were other big names on show too: Yuvraj's team included Zaheer Khan, while Bolt had Harbhajan Singh.
Full postBolt versus Yuvraj
Multiple Olympic and world champion holder Usain Bolt has been roped in for a showdown with Yuvraj Singh at Chinnaswamy Stadium for charity
ESPNcricinfo staff
27-Aug-2014
Usain Bolt isn't a stranger to cricket. He played during his early years, did a number on Chris Gayle's stumps in a charity match in Jamaica in 2009 and almost turned out for Melbourne Stars during the 2012 Big Bash League. And he will be at it again when he squares up with Yuvraj Singh during an event at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium, on September 2.
Though Bolt's abilities on the open track are considerably more impressive, Gayle had a word of warning about Bolt the cricketer: "In a charity game he [Bolt] played against me, he almost knocked my head off with a good, competitive bouncer."
Bolt's trademark celebrations have been copied by cricketers, but here is a chance for catching the original one on a cricket field. Look out, Yuvraj.
Mr @usainbolt your comin al the way to India to challenge me to a faceoff Shud I be excited or should he be worried?#CatchBolt @PUMACricket
— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) August 27, 2014Cricket no laughing matter
More than 130 years after a riotous cricket match in Dundee was abandoned after a team of clown cricketers were attacked by a spectator, the city will stage a similar and hopefully more sedate version of the event on August 24
Anuj Vignesh
13-Aug-2014
More than 130 years after a riotous cricket match in Dundee was abandoned after a team of clown cricketers was attacked by a spectator, the city will stage a similar and hopefully more sedate version of the event on August 24.
On September 27, 1879, Dundee, not really accustomed to cricket, was treated to a game featuring a team of clowns from a travelling circus, who had promised to play in their outfits. An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people turned up at Baxter Park, but as the huge crowd surged dangerously close to the wickets, a man took exception to the clowns' "grotesque appearance" and tried to hit two of them. The ensuing chaos caused the match to be called off.
This time, however, the organisers are leaving no stone unturned to ensure a trouble-free event.
"We loved the idea that so many people in Dundee wanted to see a cricket match, when Dundee is not well known for its love of cricket," chairwoman Irene Shearer told the Courier. "We've been able to get Norwood and Dundee High and one of the teams will be wearing cricketing whites and the other will come in elements of clown fancy dress.
Full postUS customs busts Simmons' 'drug bat'
Jimmy Neesham, the New Zealand allrounder, has been left looking for a new bat after a brush with overzealous customs officials in the USA
George Dobell
08-Aug-2014
Lendl Simmons*, the West Indies batsman, has been left looking for a new bat after a brush with overzealous customs officials in the USA.
Simmons was travelling through the country between games for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League when his bat attracted the interest of customs officials. In a sure sign that cricket remains a mysterious and largely unknown sport in the USA, the officials feared that the bat could be used to transport illegal drugs so drilled several holes into it to enable closer inspection.
Initially it was thought that it was New Zealand and Amazon Warriors allrounder Jimmy Neesham's bat that was under scrutiny after he tweeted a picture of the ruined bat, saying: "Imagine if your cricket gear went through America and they drilled holes in your bat to look for drugs..."
Neesham later clarified that it was Simmons' bat. "Just to clarify again, the bat belongs to Lendl Simmons. Pretty happy I managed to dodge that bullet!"
Full postWhen Malala met Brian Lara
Being from Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai also loves cricket. So when she landed in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, as part of an engagement with National Academy for the Performing Arts to speak to students about her campaign, she couldn't miss the opportunity to m
ESPNcricinfo staff
01-Aug-2014
At 17, Malala Yousafzai is among the most influential people in the world. The Pakistani teenage activist has addressed the United Nations, met with US president Barack Obama, the Queen of England, and among other things, she has twice been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She also travels around the world campaigning for women and child education around the world.
Being from Pakistan, Yousafzai also loves cricket. So when she landed in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, as part of an engagement with National Academy for the Performing Arts to speak to students about her campaign, she couldn't miss the opportunity to meet one of the game's greats.
"I met an amazing person yesterday [July 28] who I thought I would never meet in my life. I met Brian Lara," Yousafzai said.
While giving some cricketing tips to Yousafzai's brother, Lara, Yousafzai said, explained that in cricket, one needs to learn step-by-step. Speaking to the Trinidadian students, she said that like in cricket, one also needs to take education step-by-step.
Full postLanger breaks Flintoff's world record
Justin Langer signed off from his Test career as part of the team that crushed Andrew Flintoff's men 5-0 in 2006-07. Now, Langer has one more thing over Flintoff, having broken his world record for the most deliveries faced in a minute
ESPNcricinfo staff
31-Jul-2014
Justin Langer signed off from his Test career as part of the team that crushed Andrew Flintoff's men 5-0 in 2006-07. Now, Langer has one more thing over Flintoff, having broken his world record for the most deliveries faced in a minute. Flintoff set the record of 19 balls back in 2012, but Langer has now set a new mark of 23 in a minute.
"It's good to get one over Freddie actually," Langer said. "He gave me more bruises and headaches than most fast bowlers, especially towards the end of my career."
Langer was raising money for charity SolarisCare as part of his role as a Dry July ambassador, and Flintoff's record was one of two Guinness World Records he broke on the same day. Langer also claimed the world record for the fastest time to put on a full cricket kit of two pads, two gloves, arm guard, helmet and sweater, achieving it in 38.81 seconds.
"It's for a great cause in Dry July and SolarisCare so today has been good fun. Having been brought up as a professional sportsman and now a coach, trying to encourage guys to be as professional as possible, actually giving alcohol up wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.
Full postWhich brother will rule House Starc?
There is no cricket at the Commonwealth Games this year, but Mitchell Starc's attention is firmly on the Glasgow event all the same. His 20-year-old brother Brandon Starc is competing for Australia in the high jump
ESPNcricinfo staff
28-Jul-2014
There is no cricket at the Commonwealth Games this year, but Mitchell Starc's attention is firmly on the Glasgow event all the same. His 20-year-old brother Brandon Starc is competing for Australia in the high jump. And his personal best of 2.28 metres makes him a medal contender.
"He keeps telling me he is jumping against guys who are a lot older and a lot taller than him and he still has a few years of growing left so it's exciting for him, and exciting for me as his brother to watch on and watch someone else do something," Mitchell Starc said. "I think he is definitely confident that if he can jump a personal best he should medal, which is exciting for him."
Starc's qualifying rounds begin on Monday and if he progresses, he will jump for a medal in the final on Wednesday. His big brother is not in Glasgow but will be watching closely from home in Australia.
"I think it's only fair," Mitchell Starc said of Brandon being the centre of attention. "He keeps whinging about copping all of that, being 'my brother', but he's representing Australia at a Commonwealth Games so I'm more than happy to be known as Brandon Starc's brother at the moment."
Full post