The Surfer
'ICC is killing cricket'
South Africa’s home international series is over, but not everyone is happy with what they have seen
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
South Africa’s home international series is over, but not everyone is happy with what they have seen. Writing on the 24.com website, Arthur Turner says that the expansion of the game has led to too many poor sides, and he blames the ICC.
Over exposure has also made a big contribution towards the weakening of international cricket as a product. The ICC has totally lost the plot with regards controlling its product at the source. The simple principle of supply and demand has been ignored for greed.
Frankenstein's monster unleashed
Christopher Martin-Jenkins has serious reservations about the future of cricket now that Twenty20 is growing and growing
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
Christopher Martin-Jenkins has serious reservations about the future of cricket now that Twenty20 is growing and growing. The game, he says in the Times, is at once “a commercial phenomenon and a Frankenstein’s monster”:
A new chief executive for the ICC is being chosen this week and when he starts work in July his first tasks will be first to retain control of the Frankenstein in Bombay and then to restrain the monster so that it does not unbalance the game irrevocably. We want Flintoff's first loyalty to be to England, not the Mumbai Maulers.
But if you missed it a few days ago, in the same paper Shane Warne has nothing but praise for the IPL, not least because of the promotional benefits that can accrue – hair promotion products, anyone?
In the Guardian, Lawrence Booth considers what conclusions, if any, can be drawn from England’s Twenty20 win against New Zealand on Tuesday.
Full postWhy start so late?
On Foxsports , Ben Dorries looks at what he believes is the folly of starting a series late, as the CB Series in Australia has kicked off later than usual:
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
On Foxsports, Ben Dorries looks at what he believes is the folly of starting a series late, as the CB Series in Australia has kicked off later than usual:
Only 6481 true cricket diehards - mostly subcontinental expats - turned out to show interest in the India-Sri Lanka clash. By now, mums and dads have gone back to work and kids have had their schoolbags packed and grudgingly headed back to class after the summer holidays.
The importance of mental strength
Indian coaches must view Shaun Tait's extended break from cricket with concern for their own bowlers, writes Makarand Waingankar in the Hindu
Nishi Narayanan
25-Feb-2013
Indian coaches must view Shaun Tait's extended break from cricket with concern for their own bowlers, writes Makarand Waingankar in the Hindu
Here is a case that makes us understand the vital value of the role of a counselling psychologist in every state team and even at the NCA for the growth of a modern cricketer.
When a fast bowler is struggling with his rhythm, he is mentally down and expects reassurance from the coach of his capabilities.
Oram can land knockout blow on England
Scott Styris' retirement from Tests may have weakened New Zealand's batting but England will do well to watch out for Jacob Oram, writes Scyld Berry in the Telegraph
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
Scott Styris' retirement from Tests may have weakened New Zealand's batting but England will do well to watch out for Jacob Oram, writes Scyld Berry in the Telegraph. Oram will remind England of Andrew Flintoff, a player in a similar mould, though unfortunately ruled out of the tour with persistant injury problems.
The pair have played against each other since Under-19 level, and Flintoff always had the edge because of his superior bowling - but not any more. Oram, you would think, is one of those New Zealanders who grew up in the countryside carrying a sheep under each arm and playing rugby.
Lambs to the slaughter
There were several reasons for India's second successive batting failure against an inspired Australian attack, writes Peter Roebuck in the Sydney Morning Herald
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
There were several reasons for India's second successive batting failure against an inspired Australian attack, writes Peter Roebuck in the Sydney Morning Herald. Asking a jet-lagged Manoj Tiwary to face a rampant pace attack on a juicy pitch was madness, as was the Indian board's reluctance to add a practice game or two for India's 'Twenty20 stars' ahead of the 50-over CB Series.
If India is wise it will keep 20-over cricket in its place. If young batsmen think only about 20-over cricket they will never learn to build an innings or to play off both feet or to counter the moving ball on fresh antipodean decks.
In the Daily Telegraph, Robert Craddock says Brad Hogg's omission at the Gabba is a worrying sign for Australia's spin-bowling future.
Wrist-spin bowling in Australia is officially starting to fade from view again to the point where Australia's next spin bowling debutant could currently be as far back as the under-17s - or even lower.
Eccentrics on ice
While European cricket, outside some die-hards in the southern regions, is in its winter hibernation, The Times reports that there is one festival celebrating
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
While European cricket, outside some die-hards in the southern regions, is in its winter hibernation, The Times reports that there is one festival celebrating. For in St Moritz it is the 20th anniversary of Cricket On Ice.
The British are credited with bringing most of the sport and tourism to St Moritz and, inadvertently, one distinguished Brit is responsible for the dottiest activity of all.
In 1988, David Gower - soon to be made England captain for a second time - played here in an inaugural game on the lake. It was a marketing ploy, a picture opportunity, but Gower characteristically provided more publicity than planned by sinking his car on a thin patch of ice. They talk about it to this day.
Full postSarwan goes into hiding
Ramnaresh Sarwan, the West Indies batsman, has gone into hiding in Guyana amid fears of escalating violence in the country.
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Ramnaresh Sarwan, the West Indies batsman, has gone into hiding in Guyana amid fears of escalating violence in the country.
Sarwan, who is currently training for the Stanford 20/20 tournament, abruptly left practice on Thursday after relatives called him and said that suspicious men were spotted in his neighborhood, said team manager Carl Moore and cricket board president Chetram Singh.
Caribbeancricket.com has more.
Full postCan TV make money from IPL?
India Today's Sharda Ugra analyses the money flow of the Indian Premier League.
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
India Today's Sharda Ugra analyses the money flow of the Indian Premier League.
Media planners are wondering how it will all add up. Divya Radhakrishnan, vice-president, The Media Edge, India, the media planning arm of Rediffusion DY&R, says, “If we do the math backwards and divide the monies paid by advertising time, Sony should be selling a 10-second slot at Rs 3 lakh (US$ 7500), which is twice that of an India ODI series.” The figure of $1 billion touted by IPL, say industry watchers, is something of an optical illusion driven by Lalit Modi’s desire to match ICC’s billion-dollar deal with ESPN-Star Sports (ESS).
In the Indian Express, K Shriniwas Rao profiles the franchise owners of the IPL.
Cities have teams, and teams have owners. Can club culture take root in cricket and rake in the dough? Outlook's Arindam Mukherjee investigates.
Full postHow The World Turns
Writing in the Outlook , Brian Stoddart believes the whole Harbhajan-Symonds saga throws up "some serious questions about the nature and mental attitude of the Australian game in dimensions running from the on-field approach through the game's
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
Writing in the Outlook, Brian Stoddart believes the whole Harbhajan-Symonds saga throws up "some serious questions about the nature and mental attitude of the Australian game in dimensions running from the on-field approach through the game's management to the Australian media's handling of affairs".
Rupert Murdoch's Australian newspaper cricket writers have been noticeably pro-Australian during this series ... That approach has extended to the Channel Nine commentary fed to the Australian and international public. The judicious Richie Benaud is now edged out by the partisan efforts of ex-players like Ian Healy.
... At the on-field level it is easy to see it as just the Australian players having unexpectedly "glass jaws", the ability to dish out on-field invective accompanied by a lowered capacity to absorb it
Full post