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Virender Sehwag has said he is hopeful of figuring in the list of India’s World Cup probables and possibly, playing the tournament

Amol Karhadkar02-Dec-20141:17

Sehwag picks his World Cup semi-finalists

Sehwag’s top four: Australia, SA, India, NZ

When asked to predict the semi-finalists at the World Cup, Virender Sehwag joked that he would have to “study astrology”, before going on to pick India, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand as the top four teams.
“All teams are good. Recently, New Zealand played well against Pakistan in Tests and they will be playing in home conditions at the World Cup. The other teams like Australia and South Africa, they recently played in Australia. In every match, the score was around the 300-run mark and they were close games,” he said. “So it is difficult to say which teams would make the last four but I would still say that it would be Australia, South Africa, India and New Zealand.”

Virender Sehwag last played for India in March 2013. Barring an odd big knock in the IPL, he has failed to impress with the bat during this period. Still, retirement is not on his mind and he is hopeful of featuring in India’s list of World Cup probables and possibly, playing the tournament.”I am still hopeful that my name will figure in the 30 probables for the World Cup,” Sehwag said at an ICC promotional event in Mumbai. “Every player who represents the country dreams of playing in the World Cup and I also still dream of playing in it.”Last month, Sehwag made himself unavailable for the Deodhar Trophy, reportedly to offer more opportunities to youngsters from the North Zone. Still, he stressed he was hoping to break into the national side. “I am playing first-class cricket and looking to score as many runs as I can. Last year, I scored around 250 runs and hopefully this year I can score more. I hope that I can score runs and get back into the [national] side.”Sehwag was also optimistic about India’s chances in the 2015 World Cup. “I think without hopes, nothing happens,” he said. “We won the World Cup in 2011 and I believe we are capable of defending the title in 2015. Our team is very good and is playing well in ODIs. I am sure we can retain the World Cup.”The biggest challenge India could face are the pace-friendly conditions in Australia and New Zealand. Indian teams in the past have struggled to adapt to conditions different from those in the subcontinent. This time, though, the Indian team will spend more than two months in Australia before the World Cup and Sehwag is confident the acclimatisation will help India immensely.”Australia is the best place to play cricket. You get good wickets with bounce, fast wickets, and the ball comes nicely on to the bat,” he said. “You will enjoy batting in Australia and you will also enjoy bowling in Australia. I think all the players who will go to the World Cup, they have already played in Australia and they will be playing in the triangular series before the World Cup so they will get used to the conditions.”The wickets are similar, they are not different. In the World Cup, you will get good wickets to bat and bowl on. You will get true wickets for the game. I don’t think there will be any problem for any team or any problem to adjust. If you have the talent and if you have a strong mindset, you can perform anywhere in the world. A lot of our players have performed in Australia, South Africa, England and everywhere. So we have the team and hopefully we will do well in the World Cup.”

Adil Rashid enjoyed his best bowling figures at Headingley in four years to keep Yorkshire in with a good chance of beating Durham and taking a clear lead in the Division One table

Press Association09-Jul-2014
ScorecardAdil Rashid claimed a four-wicket haul as Yorkshire enforced the follow-on•Getty ImagesAdil Rashid enjoyed his best bowling figures at Headingley in four years to keep Yorkshire in with a good chance of beating Durham and taking a clear lead in the Division One table. The legspinner captured 4 for 73 as Durham were forced to follow on after being bowled out for 231 – trailing by 195 runs – as they closed the third day still 136 adrift.The eight bonus points which Yorkshire have taken from the match mean they currently share top place with Nottinghamshire.Durham resumed their first innings in the morning on 50 for 1 and with plenty of batting ahead of them if they were to go on and win the match. Yorkshire were eager for early wickets. One came quickly when Ryan Sidebottom managed late movement off a perfect length to Scott Borthwick who edged into Jonny Bairstow’s gloves.Opener Keaton Jennings settled in solidly, however, and was well supported by Michael Richardson, the former taking two off-side boundaries in an over off Jack Brooks before greeting the arrival of Rashid into the attack with a swept four.Jennings advanced with some clean drives to his half-century off 122 balls with eight fours but having reached 56 he pushed at the accurate and miserly Steven Patterson and Adam Lyth scooped up the catch at second slip.In the next over, Gordon Muchall was lbw on the back foot to Tim Bresnan and it rapidly became Yorkshire’s morning as Richardson chipped back the last ball before lunch to Rashid, Durham having slid to 119 for 5 with three wickets toppling for nine runs.Soon after the interval, Yorkshire had two chances on 131 to make life easier for themselves but were unable to take either of them. Phil Mustard edged Brooks to Alex Lees at third slip but be could not grasp a sharp chance and Paul Collingwood would have been run out off the next ball if Sidebottom had scored a direct hit on the stumps.’Very challenging wicket’ – Collingwood

Durham captain Paul Collingwood admitted he was surprised at the quality of the Headingley pitch after his side were bowled out for 231. Collingwood said he felt Yorkshire, who will go 16 points clear of Nottinghamshire should they complete a win on the final day, had “taken a punt” with their preparation.
He implied that they ran the risk of it backfiring on them if they had lost, or worse still been penalised for an unfit pitch. Adil Rashid, who took four wickets, said that the pitch “was not offering much” but Collingwood begged to differ.
“It’s very challenging wicket,” he said. “It’s broken up a lot more than we expected it to, it’s turning and it’s going up and down. It’s one of those ones where you get one that rears up as you push forward and it hits you in the bicep. It’s not a flat wicket. Even Adam Lyth looked a handful and he’s a part-time spinner.
“Unless you go and have a look at it you’ll not realise what it’s like. Every four inches there’s a hole. It’s starting to get more and more variable. It’s almost the complete opposite of a typical Headingley pitch. It’s turned into a bit of a dustbowl.
“I’m surprised that Yorkshire have taken a punt by preparing a pitch like that in such a big match. But hey, hats off, if the pitch inspectors don’t come in and see it as a dangerous pitch. They are on top of the game so well done to them.”

On at least two occasions, Sidebottom pleaded in vain to umpire Richard Illingworth for lbw decisions against Mustard but it was Rashid who went on to break the troublesome 51 stand by having Mustard snapped up at short leg by Jack Leaning for 17.Rashid was looking more confident than he had done for some time and – after John Hastings had looped a catch to Lyth at slip – he made Phil Coughlin pay for on-driving him for six to get off the mark by enticing him to hit straight into the hands of Brooks at deep mid-on.Collingwood remained a threat to Yorkshire’s ambitions, completing his 50 off 89 balls with five fours, and when he received a beamer from Brooks the bowler was given an official warning.Patterson took the new ball for the second delivery after tea and he shared it for an over with Rashid before pinning Mark Wood lbw. Sidebottom replaced the spinner and his first ball had Chris Rushworth lbw, Collingwood remaining unbeaten on a defiant 64 from 106 balls with six fours.Both Sidebottom and Patterson were models of consistency throughout the innings, Patterson’s two wickets costing him 27 runs off 20 overs and Sidebottom being similarly rewarded from 14.2 overs with six maidens.But the happiest man was probably Rashid, whose figures were his best at Headingley since picking up 5 for 137 against Warwickshire almost exactly four years ago and his best in any match since taking 5 for 78 against Middlesex at Lord’s last summer.All out for 231 and following on with 26 overs of the day still remaining, Durham were given a mainly untroubled start by Mark Stoneman and Jennings and at 33 for no loss, after 14 overs Rashid was brought on from the Football Stand end. But he was given only two overs by skipper, Andrew Gale, who then turned to the offspin of Lyth and it proved to be an inspired move because he clean bowled Jennings with his fifth delivery and Durham were 39 for 1. Borthwick then helped Stoneman to see it through to the close without further mishap.

Cricket Australia has removed a video from its website after the ECB alleged it breached their copyright agreement

George Dobell08-Aug-2014Cricket Australia has removed a video from its website after the ECB alleged it breached copyright.ESPNcricinfo understands that the ECB contacted CA to express its concerns after cricket.com.au ran a video entitled “Future dire for Prior”, which featured a montage of mistakes by the former England wicketkeeper, Matt Prior, set to music.Not only did the ECB feel the tone of the montage was inappropriate for a national cricket board, but it pointed out that the footage was the property of News International, which owns the broadcaster Sky, and the ECB.While CA contested that the montage was part of a legitimate news agenda – and therefore appropriate for use – it agreed to remove it.CA also defended the tone of the piece. While the ECB felt the images, which showed a series of fumbles by Prior without any attempt to explain his injury issues, was mocking and not appropriate for a national board, CA insists that it reflected a debate taking place in the UK media.”Cricket.com.au now operates as an independent news outlet as part of a joint venture with Nine Entertainment Co,” a CA spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. “They chose to publish the story and accompanying vision as it reflected media commentary taking place in the UK at the time.”Prior announced his decision to take a break from international cricket for the remainder of the year in a bid to recover full fitness a couple of days after the montage was published.It is not the first time Cricket Australia’s multimedia operation has courted controversy. During the 2013 Ashes, the official Twitter account reacted to a third umpire decision to reprieve Ian Bell in the Lord’s Test with the comment “That decision sucked ass #bullshit” while, during the 2013-14 Ashes series, they tweeted a bizarre and casually racist picture of four Sikh men dressed as Teletubbies with the caption “Will the real Monty Panesar please stand up?”And, while CA stresses the independence of its media operation, the fact is that it remains at least partially funded by the governing body and it is unthinkable that a montage with a similar theme to the Prior video would have been run about an out-of-form Australia player.

Sri Lanka’s returning World T20 champions will have an open-top parade from the Katunayake Airport to Colombo, upon their arrival from Dhaka on Tuesday, SLC has confirmed

Andrew Fidel Fernando07-Apr-2014Sri Lanka’s returning World T20 champions will have an open-top parade from the Katunayake Airport to Colombo, upon their arrival from Dhaka on Tuesday, SLC has confirmed. The team is scheduled to arrive in the country at 3pm, with the parade to begin at 4pm. Tens of thousands are expected to line the streets, with the parade set to be conducted on a much grander scale than the reception for the Asia Cup winning team, one month ago.The team is yet to sign its contracts with the board, having departed after a tense standoff with officials, but SLC has offered the team a sum of US $1.5 million for the victory, even as negotiations are set to resume this week.The board had initially offered a participation fee of $500,000, a further $250,000 if the team were to reach the final, and another $250,000 for winning the tournament, but that pay structure had seemingly been rejected by the players, who wished to have a 12% cut of the ICC’s tournament payment to SLC reinstated in their contracts. If the $1.5 million is accepted by the players, they will have received a figure roughly equivalent to 17% of the funds SLC is expected to receive from the ICC.Congratulations for the Sri Lanka team had poured in from around the world, with Jason Gillespie, Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan among those voicing their appreciation on twitter. At home, a host of local celebrities have joined the chorus.The victory sparked jubilation across the island, with fans’ celebrations having stretched long into the night in several major centres, while Sri Lanka’s team manager said the team had themselves been singing and celebrating for hours after the victory. Sri Lanka also reclaimed the top ranking in Twenty20 cricket with the win, moving three points clear after India had briefly become the top-ranked team during the tournament. Sri Lanka had held the top ranking since their 2012 World T20 campaign.

Australia Women survived a Deandra Dottin-led late charge from West Indies Women to keep their chances of completing a hat-trick of World T20 titles with a tight win in the first semi-final in Mirpur

The Report by Devashish Fuloria03-Apr-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAlyssa Healy’s counter lifted Australia in the their last five overs•ICCAustralia Women survived a Deandra Dottin-led late charge to remain in contention for a hat-trick of World T20 titles with a tight win over West Indies Women in the first semi-final in Mirpur. Dottin, in the company of Stacy-Ann King, kept West Indies interested in the chase of 141 with a 78-run stand that came in 8.4 overs, but her dismissal in the penultimate over continued her team’s trend of sliding against Australia in a World Cup knockout match. West Indies had been stung by Australia in the final of the ODI World Cup last year and in the semi-final of the World T20 in Sri Lanka before that.After the openers had provided West Indies with a solid platform, much depended on how Dottin, West Indies’ second-best batsman in the tournament behind Stafanie Taylor, would respond to an increasing required rate that had climbed to 9.3 at the end of 10 overs. Dottin opted for a relatively watchful approach rather than an all-out attack as her run-scoring load for lessened by an aggressive King at the other end. However, she didn’t let any loose delivery go unpunished – full-tosses were swatted away and shorter ones were pulled hard. She brought up the half-century of the partnership with a muscular hoick over long-on for six that also brought the equation down to 43 off 28 balls. But with 20 needed off 11, she smashed a low full-toss from Sarah Coyte straight into the hands of deep midwicket, effectively ending West Indies’ chances.West Indies’ highest total to win a T20I was 140 and Australia had much to thank Alyssa Healy – who normally opens the innings but batted at No. 7 – for pushing the target beyond that number. Australia experimented with Jess Jonassen as opener for the first time in her 22-match career but her surprise promotion brought some glaring communication errors between the openers to fore. Jonassen was lucky to not be run-out on the first ball she faced, and then survived another couple of poor calls and a dropped chance at mid-off, before being finally run-out for 5, in a partnership of 32.The side-effect of that faulty experiment however worked in Australia’s favour. Healy, pushed down the order, brought the energy back after West Indies had struck to remove three middle-order wickets within the space of 14 runs. Her first stroke, a late cut to the third-man boundary off Anisa Mohammed, was polar opposite of a switch-hit she attempted twice: the first time, she failed to make a contact but the ball ran away for four byes while the second time, Taylor, spotting the intentions early, didn’t release the ball at all. Misfiring switch-hits aside, Healy managed to ping the boundary four times in an unbeaten 21-ball 30 to lift Australia to 140, Australia’s lowest total batting first in this tournament.The foundation of the total was laid at the top end by opener Elyse Villani’s 35 and Meg Lanning, who continued her good form in the tournament. Villani opened her account with an emphatic front-foot pull in the first over bowled by Tremaine Smartt and was comfortable using either the sweep-shot or the lofted drive over mid-off once West Indies switched to spin from the second over onwards. One of those aerial drives also brought her innings to an end as it landed in the lap of long-off in Anisa’s second over.Lanning too was happy to use her feet to the spinners – an extra cover drive that landed just short of the boundary being her best shot – while her cuts and pulls brought her boundaries off seamer Shakera Selman. But her effortless innings was cut short when she chopped on a length delivery from Smartt. Australia’s mini-crisis at the fall of Jess Cameron to Anisa soon after was averted though as Healy put up 48 in 28 balls with Alex Blackwell.The West Indies openers couldn’t have asked for anything better than pace on a slow wicket. Unlike West Indies, Australia’s attack was replete with seamers and they provided the necessary fuel for the deflections to run to the boundary easily – the first three boundaries from Taylor and Kycia Knight came in the third-man region. The next two boundaries – flicks through square leg – ensured the scoreboard kept ticking despite the openers having to take any undue risks.Australia’s lucky break came in the eighth over when Taylor, trying to sneak an extra run off a misfield at cover, was found short by a flat throw from Sarah Coyte. The sudden dip in scoring brought the second wicket soon as Knight skipped out of the crease to a flighted delivery from Erin Osborne only to miss it and lose her middle stump. The bowlers ran out of ideas during the third-wicket stand between Dottin and King, but once the partnership was broken, they quickly closed all escape routes.

Hard though they tried, Alastair Cook and England could not shake Australia in Perth, on an enthralling day that produced some of the most compelling cricket of the Ashes series so far.

The Report by Daniel Brettig13-Dec-2013
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details0:00

Jarrod Kimber’s Ashes Report: A Day of Attrition

Hard though they tried, Alastair Cook and England could not shake Australia in Perth, on an enthralling day that produced some of the most compelling cricket of the Ashes series so far.Knowing one more batting capitulation would all but hand the Urn to the hosts, England fought bravely with the ball then the bat but by day’s end maintained only a tenuous hold on a match they cannot afford to lose.The tourists’ fight was personified by their captain’s innings, a calm, collected 72 by Cook that nonetheless fell short of the definitive tally he desired. His exit at the hands of Nathan Lyon followed a lively spell by Mitchell Johnson, who then made another critical contribution to the series by leaping at mid-on to catch Kevin Pietersen from the bowling of a revved up Peter Siddle.Ian Bell and Ben Stokes survived to the close, but they still have an enormous task ahead to reach parity on a pitch showing signs of deterioration in addition to its high pace and sharp bounce.Australia’s bowlers have been drained by their efforts on another day of temperatures nudging 40C but they remained an admirably skilful and united ensemble as the shadows lengthened, giving the batsmen barely a moment’s peace.England’s frustrations on a tour where little has gone right for them was epitomised by the exit of Joe Root, who was flabbergasted to be given out caught behind as hard won gains were eroded. Reviewing the decision immediately, Root was ultimately sent on his way after video evidence could not mount a strong enough case for Tony Hill to overrule the on-field call of Marais Erasmus, despite Hot Spot revealing no mark on Root’s bat and Real-Time Snicko finding a noise only after ball had passed bat.Smart stats

England’s current run-rate of 2.64 runs per over is the fifth-slowest in a Perth Test (with a minimum of 50 overs) since 2000. It’s England’s slowest in Perth since 1982.

The dot-ball percentage in Australia’s innings was 75%; in England’s innings so far it’s been 84%.

Peter Siddle dismissed Kevin Pietersen for the tenth time in Tests – his average against Pietersen is 16.70. No other bowler has dismissed him more than six times in Tests.

The 85-run first-wicket stand between Alastair Cook and Michael Carberry is England’s highest for the opening wicket since March this year, when Cook and Nick Compton added 231 against New Zealand. In 21 innings in between, England’s average stand for the first wicket was 23.95.

Pietersen became the fifth England batsman to go past 8000 Test runs. He achieved it in 176 innings, the quickest among them. The previous-fastest among England batsmen was Graham Gooch, in 189 innings.

England’s bowlers had rounded up Australia’s tail for the addition of 59 runs from their overnight 6 for 326. Stuart Broad and James Anderson pursued a fuller length than that of the first day and were rewarded with a series of edges that either found the slips cordon or squeezed through gaps – few runs were found anywhere else.Johnson was out to his second ball of the morning, snicking a beautifully pitched delivery from Broad that curved subtly in before seaming the other way and going through to Matt Prior. Steve Smith could add only eight to his overnight 103, getting the merest of inside edges to an Anderson ball that moved back at him.Erasmus declined the appeal but the evidence of Hot Spot and Real-Time Snicko was enough for the decision to be reversed by Hill under the DRS. Smith walked off shaking his head. Harris and Siddle also perished to edges though not before he and Lyon added a pesky 31 for the last wicket.Cook survived a difficult diving chance offered to Smith’s left from Harris before lunch, and after it Carberry’s skied pull shot that landed inches beyond the grasp of a sprinting Haddin. Gradually the England openers wrested the initiative, forcing Australia onto a less aggressive footing, bowling for maidens to slow the run rate.But the tactic proved extremely effective. Carberry was becalmed and played Harris onto his stumps while trying to leave the first ball delivered from around the wicket. Root’s debatable feather to Watson drew raucous celebrations from the Australian huddle, and it was the hosts who went to tea feeling happier about their afternoon’s work.Both sides recognised the importance of the evening session, England wrestling for a foothold, Australia straining equally hard to turn them back. Pietersen and Cook withstood some exceptional bowling by Siddle, Harris and Johnson on resumption, concerning themselves principally with survival in the hope that things would get easier.Peter Siddle’s dismissal of Kevin Pietersen put the Australians on top•Getty ImagesIn the unrelenting heat, Clarke had to rotate his bowlers frequently but they responded by maintaining discipline in a way that offered little respite to the batsmen. The importance of the moment was emphasised when Clarke actively encouraged the crowd to get behind the pacemen, drawing an extra spell of speed out of Johnson at a moment when Cook and Pietersen might have wriggled free.The din of Australian spectators around the WACA was rewarded as Cook eventually succumbed when Lyon’s extra bounce drew a top-edged cut shot that Warner held diving forward at point. Having contributed to Cook’s departure, Johnson made way for Siddle, pursuing his favoured quarry, Pietersen.Australia’s planning to Pietersen has succeeded in corralling the most free-spirited of batsmen, and he again perished to Siddle. This time it was not the midwicket trap but a toe-ended pull to mid-on that did for him, Johnson leaping with wonderful athleticism to claim the catch. Siddle’s celebration was all bared teeth and spinning eyeballs.

David Hopps10-Feb-2014Eoin Morgan has withdrawn from the IPL auction only two days before it is due to take place to try to win a place in the England Test side.Morgan’s reassessment of his career at a time when, at 27, he can be assumed to be reaching his peak comes after the enforced retirement from international cricket of Kevin Pietersen.Morgan will now spend early season playing Championship cricket for Middlesex in the hope of forcing his way into the England side for home Test series against Sri Lanka and India.His decision is a considerable switch of emphasis. Morgan has repeatedly spoken about how IPL has enhanced his game and he has been unshakeable in his determination to play it.The IPL will seek to make light of Morgan’s withdrawal. He has rarely set the tournament ablaze, although did have his most successful IPL season at Kolkata Knight Riders in 2013, averaging 27.90 over 14 matches with a strike rate of 127.91. He had a base price of Rs 15 million ($240,000). He is also only ranked 19th in the ICC Twenty20 rankings. But his abilities are regarded as considerably greater within English cricket.His decision is a huge fillip for England after a challenging week in which the ECB has been widely pilloried for the decision to turn its back on Pietersen because of what has been explained as a breakdown of trust. Perhaps unsurprisingly, however, rather than let the ECB manage the announcement, Morgan told people directly on Twitter.The ECB could not have clearer in expressing their faith in Alastair Cook as Test captain, and would not countenance talk of a change, but for all that Morgan’s tactical acumen is highly regarded and if he breaks into the Test side it would be no surprise to see him immediately appointed vice captain.Many still question whether Morgan has the game for Test cricket – he majors in the sort of deflections and innovations which are the very stuff of the limited-overs game, but if his desire is there he certainly has the mental aptitude.He played the last of his 16 Tests against Pakistan two years ago, a victim of a disastrous Test series against Pakistan in the Middle East, and his average of 30.45 is a modest one. But he still has time to put that right and the curious crouching stance, which he once adopted to seek extra leverage in T20, has already been eradicated from his game.There are few mentally-tougher cricketers in the England dressing room and, If he suggests he can make the adjustment, England will be quick to implant him in what is likely to be a rapidly-evolving team.Morgan always insisted that he would push for Test recognition if he felt he had a serious chance of selection. Somebody presumably has “had a word” in the aftermath of Andy Flower’s departure as team director and a change in the national selector with James Whitaker taking over from Geoff Miller.

I would like to thank @IPL for accepting my request to withdraw from this years auction. Good luck with the tournament.

— Eoin Morgan (@Eoin16) February 10, 2014

Miller was adamant that Morgan blew his chances of Test recognition by remaining at IPL last year. At that point, Flower’s commitment to an attritional game suggested that Morgan’s chances of a comeback were low, but perhaps he feels his time is now.With England’s finest one-day cricketers – potentially Alex Hales apart – all now playing early-season Championship cricket, the likes of Morgan, Ben Stokes at the champions Durham and Jos Buttler, who has moved to newly-promoted Lancashire, will add fresh impetus to the start of the Championship season.Morgan has also been appointed Middlesex’s one-day captain this season but if Middlesex are delighted at his presence in four-day cricket, they must also fear that, if he forces his way into the England side, he will quickly be withdrawn from the T20 Blast – England’s relaunched domestic Twenty20 tournament.Morgan, along with Pietersen, has been the most box office England cricketer at IPL – the list has not been a big one – and it again begs the question as to whether the BBCI and ECB will build on a stronger relationship by negotiating the shift of IPL to early March to avoid a clash with the English season.

Dinesh Chandimal’s 162 from 197 deliveries led Sri Lanka A to a commanding position in the second four-day match, which they now lead by 146 runs with two wickets still remaining in their first innings

Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Oct-2013
ScorecardDinesh Chandimal’s 162 from 197 deliveries led Sri Lanka A to a commanding position in the second four-day match, which they now lead by 146 runs with two wickets still remaining in their first innings. Chaturanga de Silva also hit 76 from 90, and combined with Chandimal in a 148-run stand that took Sri Lanka A well beyond Development XI’s 265. Only Seekkuge Prasanna among the bowlers reaped satisfying rewards for day two’s toil, taking 3 for 67 from his 16 overs.Chandimal arrived at the crease after both openers had been dismissed in the first seven overs of the day. Though he had a significant association with Ashan Priyanjan, it wasn’t until Chaturanga de Silva came to the crease that Sri Lanka A gleaned a substantial advantage in the match. The pair scored at nearly 5.5 runs an over, with Chandimal hitting 19 fours and 3 sixes in his innings, and de Silva striking 11 fours and 2 sixes.They fell to successive Prasanna overs, before Dilruwan Perera marshalled the tail towards the end of the day. He put on an unbeaten 51 for the ninth wicket alongside Vimukthi Perera, to finish with 32 not out.Seam bowlers had prospered on the SSC pitch on day one, but only Kasun Madushanka, among the quicks, made more than one breakthrough for Development XI. Shaminda Eranga’s figures read 68 for 1 from 18 overs at the end of the day, and Twenty-year old offspinner Tharindu Kaushal fared no better finishing with 70 for 1.

The BCCI has retained a base price of Rs 2 crore (approx. $320,000) per international match while inviting bids for a series-title sponsor for all the major matches played in India

Amol Karhadkar19-Sep-2013The BCCI has retained a base price of Rs 2 crore (approx. $320,000) per international match while inviting bids for a series-title sponsor for all the major matches played in India, in place of Bharti Airtel, the telecommunication company that decided not to renew its contract for the same.The board decided to float a tender for the period beginning October 1 to March 31, 2014, which includes at least 13 international matches. The winning bidder, though, will then get the first right to extend the agreement till March 31, 2018.After Bharti Airtel decided not to extend their contract, the BCCI’s marketing committee, which was presided over by president N Srinivasan in the absence of its chairman Farooq Abdullah, finalised the invitation to tender (ITT) document. The ITT will be available to “only corporate entities with a turnover of Rs 100 crore, for performance deposit of Rs 3 crore” at Rs 2 lakh. The bids will be opened in the presence of all the bidders on October 3.While the media statement issued by BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel didn’t specify the base price, a summary of the ITT document that was finalised at the meeting, accessed by ESPNcricinfo, recommended “to have the same base price of Rs 2 crore as the tender done in 2010”.While barring agents from representing corporate houses, the BCCI decided to allow consortia bids. “It is recommended that the consortia is allowed to bid for the title sponsor with consortia members nominating the title sponsor and other associate sponsor during the time of the bid,” the marketing committee suggested.Besides being awarded the title sponsorship of all the senior domestic tournaments barring the Challenger Trophy, which will be played in September, and the domestic Twenty20, the winning bidder will also be able to avail 28 other rights. Some of the prominent ones include: “Integration into the event logo and the use of all official marks; right to put up to 12 advertising boards of standard size (approx. 3ft x 20ft) in the stadium at all matches and the right to nominate the positioning of these 12 boards; exclusive branding on the stumps; and non-exclusive branding on the BCCI’s website”.The marketing committee also took into consideration the current title sponsorship deals of Cricket South Africa, Cricket Australia and the ECB. It noted that CA awards Test sponsorship for $2.4mn and ODI sponsorship for $0.8mn, the ECB awards Tests for $1.07mn and ODIs and T20s for $0.25mn, and CSA’s sponsorship is priced at $0.45mn per Test, $0.5mn per ODI and $0.3mn per T20.

Veteran Alan Richardson bagged seven for 22, his best figures for Worcestershire, as Kent were skittled for 63 and lost in two days

18-May-2013
ScorecardAlan Richardson took his third 10-wicket match haul•Getty ImagesKent remain rooted to the bottom of the LV= County Championship Division Two after veteran seamer Alan Richardson inspired previously winless Worcestershire to a 10-wicket victory inside two days at Canterbury.In overcast conditions in Canterbury, Kent were out-fought by a gritty Worcestershire middle order batting display that secured a slender yet precious 35-run first-innings lead – despite a return of 5 for 31 by paceman Matt Coles.The hosts were then thoroughly outbowled for the second time in the game by Richardson, who bagged 7 for 22 in 14.3 overs – his best figures for Worcestershire – to skittle the hosts for a meagre 63 and in a shade under two hours.Only two Kent players limped into double figures as Richardson, who turned 38 this month, ran riot from the Pavilion End claiming match figures of 12 for 63 – his third 10-wicket haul of a 158-game first-class career.Worcestershire needed only 8.5 overs to score the 29 they needed for victory with two days and 18 overs in hand – they also doubled their points tally for the season in the process.Though Kent have generally struggled with the bat this summer, there was little indication of the mid-afternoon capitulation that followed as Worcestershire batted patiently through the morning session.Resuming on 105 for 4, Worcestershire crept into a first innings lead courtesy of a dogged sixth-wicket stand of 66 between Neil Pinner (20) and Michael Johnson (38). It was the second-highest partnership of the low-scoring game.Coles returned after lunch to blast out the Worcestershire tail to bag his first five-wicket return of the summer, but his display paled into insignificance once Richardson got the new ball in his hands from the Pavilion End.All hustle and bustle and long levers, Richardson had opener Sam Northeast caught at third slip with his third delivery and barely bowled a bad ball thereafter.Gareth Andrew accounted for Rob Key, leg before to a full-length in-swinger, but it was Richardson’s lethal away swing that sent Brendan Nash, Michael Powell and Darren Stevens packing to catches in the cordon.With five already under his belt Richardson polished off the job, and the home innings, by having Mark Davies caught at slip and snaring last man Charlie Shreck leg before with successive balls to finish the day on a hat-trick.Kent, who have yet to register a win from their four starts and who banked only three points from this game, went through the motions as the visitors swept to victory within 53 deliveries.