The Buzz
Bolt 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 postParanormal Activity: The London files
If the England team management's word is anything to go by, it turns there is in fact a valid reason why several of their players over the last few months have looked as if they had just seen a ghost
ESPNcricinfo staff
20-Jul-2014
If the England team management's word is anything to go by, it turns out there is, in fact, a valid reason why several players over the last few days have looked as if they had just seen a ghost.
According to the Daily Mail, England are convinced that their five-star central London hotel, the Langham, is haunted, with Stuart Broad openly admitting to moving rooms because he was "freaked out".
"It was so hot in my room I just couldn't sleep. All of a sudden, the taps in the bathroom came on for no reason," he said. "I turned the lights on and the taps turned themselves off. Then when I turned the lights off again the taps came on. It was very weird.
"It really freaked me out. I ended up asking to move rooms. Bealey (Broad's girlfriend) was pretty spooked, too, and I know Moeen Ali's other half won't stay there because she's so frightened of the ghosts.
Full postVenkatesh Prasad the actor
Venkatesh Prasad has jumped into the cricketers-turned-actors bandwagon with the Kannada movie Sachin, Tendulkar Alla (Sachin, not Tendulkar)
ESPNcricinfo staff
15-Jul-2014
Venkatesh Prasad has ventured into cricket coaching since retiring from competitive cricket, but for a change, the cameras will be on him.
The former India seamer makes his acting debut in in the Kannada film Sachin, Tendulkar Alla (Sachin, not Tendulkar), as coach to the protagonist Sachin, an autistic boy who is mad about cricket and idolises some record-breaking India batsman he was named after.
Prasad had initially been reluctant to jump ship but the opportunity to work with Suhasini Maniratnam, a veteran of South Indian cinema, had been the clincher. His former new-ball partner Javagal Srinath is also part of the film.
"At first, I told him [the director] that I would not be interested, but as I listened to the story and my character narration, I was intrigued," he told Times of India. "Add to that the fact that Suhasini was in the film, and I was hooked. Suhasini is a dear friend of the family, and, as an actress who has done hundreds of films, we have sort of grown up on her work. I took up the film only for her."
Full postAquaphobic Clarke to sail for charity
Michael Clarke was man enough to admit that being around water gives him the shivers, but he has decided to face his fears - for a good cause
ESPNcricinfo staff
24-Jun-2014
Michael Clarke was man enough to admit that being around water gives him the shivers, but he has decided to face his fears - for a good cause. Clarke is set to join a yachting crew in the Sydney to Gold Coast ocean race in July to raise money for medical equipment to help ill children. Clarke will be part of the Investec Loyal team in the 384 nautical mile race and the fundraising also includes a lunch hosted by the Australia captain on July 24. The aquaphobic Clarke said he was driven by an example within his own family to make a contribution to the cause.
"My old man used to own a fishing charter and I was hopeless," Clarke said. "I'm so nervous around water I check the bath for sharks.
"This is obviously something that's way out of my comfort zone, but it's for such a good cause. There have been three kids close to me who have needed special treatment in the last little while, including my niece who was just born ten weeks premature and is in intensive care at the moment. Anything I can do to raise money for these kids is worth it."
When asked whether he would prefer fighting the ocean to facing Morne Morkel with an injured arm, Clarke didn't need time to think: "Give me Morkel any day," he said.
Full post24-carat Tendulkar
The London-based East India Company has released a limited-edition legal tender coin commemorating the career of Sachin Tendulkar
23-Jun-2014
The London-based East India Company has released a limited-edition legal tender coin commemorating the career of Sachin Tendulkar. The 24-carat gold coin weighs precisely 200g - to mark the 200 Test matches that Tendulkar played - has the number 187 on it - to mark his Test cap number - and only 210 of them - for unspecified reasons - will go on sale for £12,000 each.
"We had been talking to Tendulkar since last December as we thought it would be the best way to immortalise an exceptional career spanning over 24 years," said Sanjiv Mehta, CEO of the East India Company, speaking to Gulf News. "There were some delays in the way as we had to secure the rights for producing it from the Commonwealth currency issuing authority but it was worth the wait."
Mehta added that the company would also mint coins in "one ounce, one-fourth ounce gold and half-an-ounce silver".
Apart from an autographed bat and a helmet, the coin face also features the Gateway of India to symbolise his hometown Mumbai.
Full post