Will BCCI lose the right to represent India?

Bangalore: The BCCI could be again set on collision course with the sports ministry as a contentious clause in the draft national sports development bill states that only those federations who come under the Right to Information Act  (RTI) ambit will have the right to use 'India' as the team's name.

The committee headed by Justice (retired) Mukul Mudgal on Wednesday submitted the bill to the ministry which was later put up on its website.

Clause (h) of the proposed bill will certainly cause a few problems for the BCCI as it pertains to use of country name in sporting activities.

It states: "In order to represent India in international events and to have a right for a particular sport federation to use 'India' or 'Indian' in the sport scenario, the federation shall have to comply with Chapter IV (Unethical practices in Sports) and Chapter IX (Applicability of Right to Information Act)."

The Indian cricket board (BCCI), which has expressed its reservations against RTI, may well find itself flouting the clause.

The BCCI is not a registered National Sports Federation (NSF) as it does not take government grant and thus cannot be brought under RTI but if the draft sports bill is finally passed by the Parliament, then Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Co. can't officially represent 'India' at international tournaments.

BCCI's interim chief Jagmohan Dalmiya declined to comment on the issue before having a detailed look at the document.

"It will be unfair to make any comments on this issue until I get a copy of the draft sports bill. Once I have a detailed look, I will discuss the issue with the other senior members of the board and take a final call," Dalmiya said.

The Union cabinet had rejected the bill in its original form in August 2011 after a few ministers found that it was blatantly anti-BCCI. 

The RTI Act and uniform anti-doping rules were seemingly the bone of contention and the redrafted version the same year diluted RTI rules to include an exclusion clause and ruled that national sports federations (NSFs) were free to follow the anti-doping rules of their international parent federations even if these were at variance with WADA norms.

As in 2011, the Mudgal committee has specified the exclusion clause in the RTI Act. Selection /appointment of athletes and coaches, athlete's quality of performance , injuries, medical health and whereabouts and test results (anti-doping ) as well as information including commercial confidence and trade secrets have been exempt from the bill's ambit.

Despite this concession, BCCI is likely to object to being made a national federation and may also protest at being brought under the RTI Act despite the fact that it does not take financial aid from the government. 

But with the recent IPL scandal revealing the ugly underbelly of the game, many sports watcher feel time is ripe for BCCI to be brought under RTI.

SPORTS BILL: SALIENT FEATURES

Appellate sports tribunal is proposed to be established with the selection committee consisting of the Chief Justice of India or his/her nominee judge, secretary, department of sports and president, National Olympic Committee

An ethics commission has been proposed which shall enforce a code of ethics in accordance with IOC's code and principles, enshrined in the Indian constitution

A sports election commission has been proposed to conduct free and fair elections to NOCs, NSFs and athletes commission

In order to represent India in international events and to have a right for a particular sport federation to use 'India' or 'Indian ' in the sport scenario, the federation shall have to comply with Chapter IV (unethical practices in sports) and Chapter IX (applicability of Right to Information Act)

All accredited NSFs must have the following clauses in their bylaws:

Office-bearer shall retire at the age of 70 years

A person against whom criminal charges have been framed under the Criminal Procedure Code (section 228) shall be ineligible to contest elections of the NOC/NSF

A person who has served as an officer-bearer on the executive body of a NSF/NOC for two consecutive terms shall be ineligible to stand for election

However, the president shall be eligible to hold office for 12 years or three terms of office of four years each with or without break

An office-bearer of one NSF shall be ineligible to hold post of an office-bearer in another NSF

All cases where the NOC/NSF are parties shall, with the leave of the Supreme Court or the High Court as the case may be, be transferred to the Appellate Sports Tribunal

RTI EXEMPTIONS

Selection/appointment of athlete, coach, trainer for participation

Athlete's quality of performance, injuries and medical health

Whereabouts and test results of an athlete (anti-doping )

Information including commercial confidence, trade secrets/IPR, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party

Why is BCCI mulling to call-off India’s tour to South Africa?

New Delhi: It’s bad news for cricket lovers as BCCI is reportedly mulling to call-off the highly-anticipated tour to South Africa, scheduled to start in November this year.

The cause for current rift between the BCCI and Cricket South Africa- who are already struggling to reach an agreement over tour schedule- is the likely appointment of Haroon Lorgat as the new CSA CEO. 

BCCI reportedly has threatened to call-off the tour if Lorgat, a former ICC president, is appointed at the helm of CSA. 

Earlier,  BCCI interim president Jagmohan Dalmiya had expressed India’s unhappiness over the uneven gaps between the three Tests. There is a two-day break between the first and second Test and eight days between second and third. 

The Indian board is reportedly also unhappy with a seven-match ODI series, which it reckons is too long.

 

Shane Warne to enter ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

Sports Desk: Legendary Australian cricketer and arguably the best leg-spinner to have graced the game, Shane Warne is set to enter the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Warne will join the select club on July 19 during the tea interval of the second Ashes Test between England and Australia at Lord's, the ICC announced on Thursday.

Warne becomes the 69th male member of the Hall of Fame, and joins fellow 2012-13 inductees Brian Lara of the West Indies, England's Enid Bakewell and former Australia team-mate Glenn McGrath in being recognised by the ICC and the living members of the Hall of Fame.

Lara and Bakewell were inducted last year at the ICC Awards in Colombo in September, and McGrath during the Sydney Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in January this year.

Warne represented Australia in 145 Tests between 1992 and 2007, claiming 708 Test wickets at an average of 25.41. He was the first cricketer to reach 700 Test scalps.

He also played in 194 ODIs, claiming 293 wickets at an average of 25.73 and was part of the Australia side that won the World Cup in 1999 at Lord's against Pakistan alongside fellow Hall of Famers Glenn McGrath and Steve Waugh.

"I'm very honoured and proud to be announced as an inductee into the ICC Hall of Fame later this month and I'd like to thank the voting academy very much for even considering me. I'm looking forward to celebrating my induction with my friends and family in front of the crowd at Lord's during the second Ashes Test," Warne said.

Australia A-list David Warner ahead of Ashes

Sports Desk: Cricket Australia on Wednesday sent left-handed opener David Warner to Africa to get some match practice for future Ashes Tests.

The controversial southpaw, who has served his mandatory ban for punching English batsman Joe Root in an England bar during Champions Trophy, was not picked for the First Test at Trent Bridge, and instead sent packing to represent Australia A side in South Africa and Zimbabwe. 

Speaking to mediapersons, Australian national selector John Inverarity said, “David has trained hard but his preparation for the First Test was not ideal.”

“He is in need of match practice and runs in the longer format. The Australia A games in Zimbabwe and South Africa will provide him with the best possible opportunity,” he added. 

All-rounder Steve Smith will replace Warner, and will remain in England for the whole tour.

What are Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan doing in France

 

  Yuvraj Singh is a fighter and we all know it, he fought his way through cancer to make it back to the national team. Even though fate has landed body blows on him one after the other, the Punjab southpaw has always stood up to look adversity into the eye, even when many thought his career was over.

The 31-year-old, who played significant roles in India's World T20 win in 2007 and the World Cup in 2011, finds himself in an all-too familiar situation after struggling for form, fitness and runs. But that is only acting as a spur for Yuvraj.

In an interview with a leading national daily, he declared that the 2015 World Cup was his goal and that he hoped to be back for the ODI series in October against Australia.

"2015 is very much a goal, and the target. I am really determined to make it happen," said Yuvraj in an e-mail correspondence. "After recovering from cancer I started well. But then I had issues with my form and back during the IPL. I have seen many ups and downs to deal with this. Hopefully, the coming season will turn things around. I am giving my best. That is what I can do. Rest is destiny," he explained.

 

During his early days, Yuvraj had to compete with legends to find a place in the eleven; now, it's the youngsters who are keeping him out. The irony is not lost on him. "I've played international cricket for 13 years. There's not a single day when you don't have pressure on you. That's how it is supposed to be. This kind of competition shows the depth in Indian cricket and it's a great sign," he said. Yuvraj sounded agitated when asked if he should have played a full domestic season before returning to international cricket.

"I think people are so focused on international cricket that they hardly follow domestic cricket. Whenever I was available and not playing international cricket, 

I played for Punjab and North Zone. I did reasonably well to make a comeback into the Indian side. Just before the IPL, I developed back spasms and that troubled me through the entire tournament. But that injury is now healed completely and I am looking forward to the new season."

The coming season will definitely set the tone for the future. Yuvraj realizes that and is currently in Brive-la-Gaillarde, Southern France, training with renowned trainer Tim Exeter, who is known to have worked with the likes of Ryan Giggs and some of the top rugby players in the world. Leaving stardom behind, the duo is staying as paying guest with a local family.

The 42-day course has virtually cut off the fun-loving cricketer from the world, who along with fellow India teammate Zaheer Khan, has gone into tapasya mode to enhance their endurance levels.

   

 

"My immediate goal is to acquire prime fitness. This long lay-off has given me enough time to assess my fitness and game and work on the areas I need to improve. Currently Zaheer and I are working with Exeter. He has created a world-class setup for individual training and it has worked very well for me so far. It's a beautiful, isolated place. Natural surroundings inspire you to work hard and keep you fresh."

Giving details about his training regimen, Yuvraj said the training involved, among other things, roving and beach running. "This training schedule of 4-5 hours every day is extremely exhausting and leaves you drained. But with each passing day I am feeling fitter and stronger," he said. Once he's done with the fitness camp, Yuvraj intends to start playing domestic cricket to stake his claim in the ODI squad.

"I'm eyeing local tournaments and domestic cricket in September and want to make a comeback in October against Australia. If that doesn't happen, I will prepare for the next Ranji season. I am sure with some good knocks and quality time in the middle, things will fall in place. I want to take it one step at a time. I am confident about the outcome," he said.

BCCI objects to itinerary of India's tour of South Africa

New Delhi: India’s upcoming tour of South Africa seems to be in trouble as  The Board of Control for Cricket in India has reportedly objected to the schedule of India's tour to South Africa later this year, saying it was prepared by Cricket South Africa without the BCCI's consent.

BCCI interim chief Jagmohan Dalmiya said on Tuesday that the itinerary of the tour, which begins in November, is being reworked.

Dalmiya said the gaps between some matches in the itinerary were not sufficient and hence it would be amended.

"The gaps between the Tests need to be looked into and there are a few more things that need to be rectified," Dalmiya said.

He added that the respective cricket boards of the two countries would sort out the schedule of the tour and the media should not make an issue out of it.

"There was a bit of misunderstanding. We have informed this to our South African counterparts and the two boards are sorting it out amicably. We don't want to make an issue about it."

According to a leading cricket website, BCCI administration has concerns with the number of ODI matches that will be played. The two teams are scheduled to play seven one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches before a three-match Test series. 

The BCCI reportedly wants to reduce the number of ODI games so that the tour ends a week early. India are set to travel to New Zealand following their tour of South Africa that ends in January.

I am proud of the way the team has bounced back: Virat Kohli

Port of Spain:  Stand-in captain Virat Kohli termed Indian team's comeback after back-to-back defeats as a "commendable" one as it showed the character of the team which enabled them to reach the final of the West Indies tri-series in a convincing fashion. India beat Sri Lanka by 81 runs (D/L method) on Tuesday at Queen's Park Oval here to enter the tri-series final.

"To bounce back like this and finish top of the table is a commendable effort. I am very proud of the team," a beaming Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony. 

Kohli is happy that the team showed a lot of character in making such a strong comeback in the tournament. 

"We have shown a lot of character. When three good teams are playing in the tournament, anything can happen. We were never bothered about the rain delays. Our performance showed what happens when one executes their plans properly."

The young captain said that when he was involved in a 49-run partnership with Rohit Sharma, he didn't want to take any undue risks.

"When I and Rohit were playing, we just wanted to play ourselves in. It paid in the end, because we had wickets in hand, and it worked in the D/L calculations in our favour. Then the bowlers responded beautifully. Full credit to them."

Man of the match Bhuvneshwar Kumar termed the pitch at the Port of Spain as the "most helpful so far" that he has bowled on.

"It's important to hunt in pairs and pitch the ball in right areas. It worked well for me and I am proud that I have performed well for my country," the Uttar Pradesh swing bowler said.

Rohit on his part said that he is happy to take up the challenge of being a dependable batsman at the top of the order but it's a long way to go.

"I took it up as a challenge. I know that I have a long way to go. I am really not bothered about whether I am getting a big score as long as I am contributing and working on my mistakes," Rohit said.

Rival captain Angelo Mathews conceded that it was a tough wicket to bat on.

"It was a tough wicket to bat on," he said. "We bowled well, but when we batted the pitch had been under covers and had sweated more. We had nothing to lose and went for the win." Sri Lanka, who were bowled out for 96, needed a revised (D/L) target of 178 from 26 overs after rain had curtailed India's innings to 119 for 3 (29 overs). 

Mathews said that it was very challenging to play three days in a row.

"It's mentally and physically draining to play three days in a row. We have played some good cricket to get to the final, hopefully we can beat India on Thursday."

More shame for cricket; SLC bans two umpires over fixing allegations

Sports Desk: Already reeling under the IPL spot-fixing scandal, world cricket has been served another shocker, this time by Sri Lanka. 

Sri Lanka Cricket has banned two umpires Sagara Gallage and Maurice Zilva, whose name figured in a sting operation last year dealing with illegal payments for influencing first-class matches, whereas Gamini Dissanayake, a third umpire, has been demoted from the top umpire's panel for a year and issued a "severe warning" by the board CEO.

The decisions came after an emergency executive committee meeting in Colombo, where the recommendations of the disciplinary committee's recommendations were endorsed.

The sting, broadcast by an Indian television channel, claimed to have "exposed" several first-class umpires from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan who were allegedly willing to give decisions favouring players for a fee.

In the sting, conducted in July and August 2012, the reporters claimed to belong to a sports management company and promised the umpires officiating assignments in events of all kinds around the world, largely domestic Twenty20 leagues.

The hardest hit of the three Sri Lankan umpires was Gallage, who was banned for 10 years from all forms of cricket, while Zilva was handed a three-year ban. Dissanayake, the third Sri Lankan umpire named in the sting, was the most high-profile of the three, having regularly been the fourth umpire in international matches, though he was yet to be one of the main officials in an international game.

The Pakistan and Bangladesh boards have already handed out punishments to their umpires caught in the sting. 

Bangladesh's Nadir Shah was banned for 10 years by the BCB on corruption charges, and Pakistan's Nadeem Ghauri and Anis Siddiqi have already been slapped with bans.

Zilva and Gallage were the reserve umpires in two warm-up matches each before the World T20 in Sri Lanka last year.

Alastair Cook backs Joe Root's role as an opener

 

 Nottingham, United Kingdom: England captain Alastair Cook said Tuesday he had no qualms about having Joe Root open alongside him in the cauldron of an Ashes Test.
All of Root's six previous Tests have been as a middle-order batsman, with the 22-year-old's average 42.40 - not bad for a fledgling international.
But Root opens for Yorkshire and England have decided to promote him to the top of the order alongside Cook for the opening match of their Ashes defence against Australia at Nottingham's Trent Bridge ground starting Wednesday, after dropping Nick Compton from their squad.

All of Root's six previous Tests have been as a middle-order batsman, with the 22-year-old's average 42.40.

Compton, grandson of England great Denis Compton, opened in nine consecutive Tests and struck back-to-back hundreds on England's tour of New Zealand earlier this year.
But the Somerset batsman was dropped after struggling in the return home series against New Zealand where he managed just 39 runs in four innings.
Cook, who struck a century on Test debut against India in Nagpur, was confident Root could handle the transition, telling reporters at Trent Bridge on Tuesday, "It's quite similar to what happened to myself really when I moved up from number three, although I had opened a couple of times in India.
"He (Root) is kind of thrown in there but he has handled himself in every situation fantastically well since he made his England debut.
"What has impressed everyone is he has always batted the situation fantastically well, whether it has been a one-day game where you need to score quickly or see the side home, he has managed to change his style for Twenty20 and Test matches as well. I can see no reason why he can't handle himself. He is a fantastic young player.
"Yes he has got a huge amount of improvement to do but I think he will be absolutely fine."
However, Australia captain Michael Clarke, speaking earlier Tuesday, was taken aback by Compton's omission.
"We haven't bowled to Joe yet but we didn't manage to get Nick out that easily, so I'm happy he's not playing to be honest," Clarke said.
"Nick has showed in the last couple of four day matches he has a very good defence and I'm surprised he's not in the team for the first Test," star batsman Clarke added.

The team showed lot of character to bounce back: Kohli

 

 After India's 81-run victory against Sri Lanka in the rain curtailed must-win match, stand-in captain Virat Kohli praised his bowlers for bowling in the right areas and said he was proud of the team which showed a lot of character to bounce back on Tuesday at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad.
At the start of the tri-series, Virat Kohli had said anything could happen with three good teams in the tournament and after starting the series with two losses, India came back strongly posting two big wins to top the points table and qualify for the final to be played on Thursday against Sri Lanka.
"When you have 3 good teams in the tournament, you never know what will happen. We did not focus on the rain coming in but just our skills. This team has shown a lot of character to bounce back like that. Proud of the way the boys have put in that effort," said Kohli during the post-match presentation ceremony.

Kohli praised his bowlers for bowling in the right areas and was proud of the team which showed a lot of character to bounce back after two losses.

After being put into bat by Sri Lanka on a tough pitch to bat on, India had a slow start and lost Shikhar Dhawan (15) early, but Rohit Sharma and Kohli forged a vital 49-run stand to steady the Indian innings. "When me and Rohit batted, we decided to go slow. That worked well for us. We had wickets in the end. Rohit played a good knock up the order," said the stand-in captain about the partnership.
By the time Dinesh Karthik got out when India had scored 111 in 27 overs, the weather changed and a heavy downpour, which lasted for over two hours, gave Sri Lanka a target of 178 in 26 overs.
With the pitch livened up after rain, Bhuvneshwar Kumar exploited the conditions to the hilt and bowled a stellar spell to knock Sri Lanka out of the match early on. Kumar finished with figures of 6-1-8 dismissing the top three early. The spinners took control from there on bundled out Lanka for a paltry 96.
"The bowlers responded beautifully. I like to give the bowlers all the credit and we fielded well too", added Kohli. Kumar, who was the man-of-the match said, "Proud to perform for my country. It helps my confidence. We wanted to do well as a bowling unit. I enjoyed bowling on this wicket. It was swinging and seaming a bit."

MS Dhoni might play with India qualifying for the final

 

 Port of Spain: India's stand-in captain Virat Kohli hinted that the regular captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni could be fit for the final and might even play if India makes it that far, which they eventually did by beating Sri Lanka on Tuesday. Kohli made the statement during the toss here.
Before the match, MS Dhoni was playing football and was seen sprinting without much difficulty. He performed a few fielding drills as well.
The Indian cricket team was dealt with a major blow when Dhoni was ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury after the first match against West Indies, prompting the BCCI to appoint Kohli as the stand-in skipper. Batsman Ambati Rayudu was flown in as Dhoni's replacement.

Before the Sri Lanka match, Dhoni played football and was seen sprinting without much difficulty. Kohli confirmed that he could play the final if fit.

Dhoni did not keep wickets against the West Indies in the first match in Jamaica after sustaining a hamstring injury while batting. He handed over the wicketkeeping duties to tea-mmate Dinesh Karthik in the match, which the West Indies won by one wicket.
The 31-year-old skipper, who led India's triumphant campaign at the ICC Champions Trophy, was to be examined by the doctors. In Dhoni's absence, India's nine-match winning streak was brought to a halt and their subsequent 161-loss to Sri Lanka raised questions on Kohli's captaincy. But in their third match, India registered a thumping 102-run victory over the hosts to get back in the tournament.

India defeat SL by 81 runs (D/L method), qualify for final

 

 Port of Spain: Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar wreaked havoc with a brilliant opening spell as he powered India into the final of the Celkon Mobile Cup Tri Series tournament with a commanding 81-run victory over Sri Lanka via Duckworth Lewis method in another rain-affected match on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old Kumar took career-best figures of 4 for 8 runs in six overs as Sri Lanka were bundled out for a paltry 96 in 24.4 overs in pursuit of 178 in stipulated 26 overs as Virat Kohli, in his maiden stint as captain, guided the 'Men In Blue' into the title round. India will again meet Sri Lanka in the final at the same venue on Thursday.
India thus topped the table with 10 points including bonus points from the last two encounters having lost the first two matches and also eliminated hosts West Indies in the process.

The 22-year-old Bhuvneshwar took 4 for 8 in six overs as Sri Lanka were bundled out for a paltry 96 in pursuit of 178.

Put into bat, Rohit Sharma contributed 48 as India reached 119 for three in 29 overs when rain halted proceedings. Courtesy Duckworth-Lewis method, Sri Lanka's target swelled upto 178 in 26 overs.
For India, the magic figure was 167 under which they had to restrict the islanders in order to make it to the summit clash.
Kumar's knack of picking up early wickets reaped dividends for India as he rocked the opposition removing Upul Tharanga (6) and Kumar Sangakkara (0) off successive deliveries. Tharanga got one that shaped away after pitching as he edged one to Suresh Raina stationed at wide second slip.
Sangakkara got a raw deal as the delivery from Kumar seemed to be going well above stumps as he was adjudged leg before.
If that wasn't enough, Mahela Jayawardene (11) was also dismissed cheaply to make it 27 for three. Jayawardene slashed hard at a rising delivery only to be holed at third man where Murali Vijay was stationed.
Kumar soon got his fourth wicket when Lahiru Thirimanne (4) offered a simple catch to Virat Kohli at cover as Lanka looked down and out at 31 for four.
The manner which the young UP lad swung the ball under overcast conditions was a treat to watch. He bowled those beautiful outswingers which Dinesh Chandimal (26, 54 balls) played and missed repeatedly with an occasional one coming into the right-hander.
Once Kumar had done the initial damage, Ravindra Jadeja (2 for 16 in 5 overs) provided perfect exhibition of classical left-arm spin bowling as he removed Angelo Mathews (10) and Chandimal in quick succession.
Both deliveries spun away from the right-handers after pitching. While Mathews was caught by a fumbling Dinesh Karthik, a frustrated Chandimal was deceived by the flight and turn as he was stumped leaving Lanka reeling at 63 for six.
Jeevan Mendis (13) was castled by Ravichandran Ashwin as the match was as a contest was as good as over. Ishant Sharma (2 for 17 in 4.4 overs) put the final nail in the coffin by polishing off the tail.
Earlier, Rohit revelled again in an opener's role as his unbeaten 48 took India to 119 for three in 29 overs on a track which wasn't conducive for free-flowing strokeplay. In-form opener Shikhar Dhawan (15), skipper Virat Kohli (31) and Dinesh Karthik (12) were three batsmen who were dismissed in the process.
Giving Rohit company was Suresh Raina who was batting on four. During his patient innings in which he faced 83 balls, the talented Mumbaikar hit a couple of boundaries and a big slog swept six off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath. With Lankan bowlers sticking to a disciplined line, it wasn't easy to hit big strokes Rohit curbed his natural instincts to play a responsible knock so far.
Herath was the most successful among the Lankan bowlers grabbing two for 32 in six overs while his captain Angelo Mathews bowled a very econimical first spell in which he took the wicket of Dhawan giving away only five runs in five overs.
Dhawan tried to give rival captain Angelo Mathews the charge only to guide the ball to Mahela Jayawardene at the second slips. Jayawardene, thus became the first cricketer to complete 200 catches in limited overs cricket.
Skipper Kohli started off by clipping Dilhara Lokuhettige to the boundary through mid-wicket region and then also cover drove Malinga for another four. Along with Rohit, Kohli started building the innings in a slow and steady manner. Meaqnwhile Rohit was dropped by Jeevan Mendis when he was on 12 with Malinga being the unfortunate bowler.
After a 49-run partnership, it was the left-arm spin of Herath that saw the end of stand-in Indian captain. Herath pushed one quicker and it caught Kohli plumb on the back-foot. Kohli faced 52 balls to hit four boundaries.
Karthik started with a bang as he pulled Herath over mid-wicket boundary for a big six but the spinner had the last laugh. He bowled a delivery that pitched on the middle and turned enough to beat Karthik's bat and hit the off-stump.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar swings India into tri-series final

 

 With the abundance of batting talent India have had at their disposal over the years, the dearth of a frontline fast bowler has always been India biggest bane. The men in blue have had many over the years who promised a lot, only to fizzle out or be mere shadows off themselves. Cut to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and the UP lad has not succumbed to the pressure and has been able hold his own since bursting into the international scene late last year.
India, after their perfect Champions Trophy campaign, in which Bhuvenshwar Kumar too played a vital role, plummeted to two consecutive defeats in the low profile tri-series only to bounce back strongly with two big wins to make it to the final. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, once again was the go-to man for the Indians in those two matches. If Virat Kohli's whirlwind 102-off 82 balls stole the show, Kumar was the one who closed the doors for the hosts West Indies, striking crucial blows to remove game-changers Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo. On Tuesday, against Sri Lanka too, the 23-year-old stepped up and with a stellar performance of 4 for 8 in six overs swung the game massively in India's favour taking the wickets of Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne.
Since the time he made his international debut against Pakistan, Kumar has made the world sit up and take notice of his rare talent of swinging the ball both ways in helpful conditions and with a brilliant cricketing mind to outfox the batsmen, Kumar has become not just more than a handful bowler but an absolute lethal one. Evidence of it was seen in India when Australia toured the sub-continent and the confirmation came in the ICC Champions Trophy where the swing bowler made the ball dance to his tunes in English conditions.

The UP-lad took life out of the Sri Lankan top order with a six-over spell of 4 for 8 to help India to an 81-run (D/L) win.

Against familiar foes Sri Lanka, in a must win match, the lanky pacer once again pushed the opposition on to the back foot early on with his amazing ability of providing early breakthroughs almost every time he has been given the new ball. With an immaculate line and the nerve to pitch it up hoping to extract swing, Kumar suckered even the top-notch international batsmen like Sangakkara and Jayawardene into submission.
Even when his bowling partners went wayward and erratic, Kumar, with a level head, went about his business of bowling with the perfect wrist position and pitch it up for swing and/or land the cherry on its seam allowing the pitch to do the rest. The mark of a good frontline bowler is not only in the wickets he takes or minimum runs he concedes, but it lies in the fact that how well he takes on the responsibility and allows his out-of form or capricious bowling partners to get back into their rhythms.
Kumar did exactly the same and even after seeing Umesh Yadav concede three boundaries after his own fantastic first over, Bhuvi backed himself and bowled with clinical efficiency getting rid of Tharanga for 6. With both in and away movements, the 23-year-old kept the batsmen guessing dismissing Sangakkara the very next ball.
Conceding just 8 runs in his six overs when a team is chasing 178 in 26 overs is not as simple as it sounds, but this is not something new for Kumar. With a probing line, Kumar not only beats the batmen's bat but plays with their psyche as well. In one over, Bhuvi beat the bat of Dinesh Chandimal four times, with two of those deliveries too good even for a nick. He then set up Thirimanne similarly until the southpaw out of desperation tried a rash shot only to perish at the wrong time for his team.
Fittingly, the UP-lad was awarded the Man-of-the-Match award for swinging India into the final.

Battle for The Ashes ready to unfold at Nottingham

 

 Nottingham: A battle-hardened and experienced England side go into the first Ashes Test of the five-match series against a callow-looking Australian team as strong favourites to retain the urn. While Australian preparations have been dogged by problems on and off the pitch, Alastair Cook's England have quietly gone about their business, beating New Zealand 2-0 in a warm-up series and naming a familiar 13-man squad.
The mercurial Kevin Pietersen has been recalled after missing the New Zealand series due to injury and his presence in the middle order gives Cook another major weapon in his first Ashes series as captain.
England batsmen have made over 80 Test centuries between them, Cook leading the way with 25 followed by Pietersen on 22. But the team's recent success has been built around their fast-bowling attack led by James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Steven Finn, Tim Bresnan and Graham Onions are fighting for the final place in the attack with offspinner Graeme Swann certain to play.

England and Australia skippers Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke posing with the Ashes urn. (Getty Images)

"The English quicks are certainly as good as there are in the world at the moment and have been for the last few years," said Australia opener Shane Watson. "It is the ultimate challenge to be able to take on the best bowlers with a brand new ball, sometimes with bowler-friendly conditions as well."
England coach Andy Flower said his squad is ready for the ultimate battle. "This bunch of cricketers has fought a lot of campaigns and won a lot together. They are match-hardened - that should give them a lot of confidence. We were pretty clear what our squad would be and what our XI will be."
Watson will be a key player for Australia and will open the batting with the 35-year-old Chris Rogers who has only played one Test match in his career. The retirements of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey have left Australia very short of experience in the middle order and the form of captain Michael Clarke will be vital.
Clarke has struggled with a back injury this year, missing last month's Champions Trophy, but he has looked in good touch in the warm-up matches. Clarke's form with the bat since taking over the captaincy has been outstanding and he has made 23 Test centuries in total, nearly twice as many as his team-mates have managed between them.
Clarke has kept his final XI under wraps but suggested he might go in with David Warner despite him not having much cricket coming into the series. If selected, he will bat in the middle order with Australia having named their openers.
Peter Siddle, James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc will lead the pace attack, probably supported by offspinner Nathan Lyon who is a more of a containing bowler than a genuine wicket-taker like Swann. Ryan Harris and Jackson Bird appear likely to miss out.
England have won three of the last four Ashes series, including a 3-1 victory in Australia in 2010-11, but the appointment of Darren Lehmann as coach two weeks ago gives the touring side a better chance of reclaiming the urn.
Probable XIs:
England: 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Joe Root, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Graeme Swann, 11 James Anderson.
Australia: 1 Shane Watson, 2 Chris Rogers, 3 Ed Cowan, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Phillip Hughes, 6 David Warner, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 James Pattinson, 11 Nathan Lyon

Having turned it around, India now favourites to win the tri-series

 

 From losing two matches in a row to now becoming favourites to win the tri-nation series, India have turned their fortunes around in the Caribbean like the champions are known to do.
The reigning World Cup and Champions Trophy winners beat Sri Lanka in the last league game of the Celkon Mobile Cup on Tuesday to elbow hosts West Indies out of the race to the final, where India will once again meet Sri Lanka, who went through with a better NRR (net run rate) after the world champions topped the table with another bonus-point win.
After two contrasting defeats - by 1 wicket to West Indies and by 161 runs against Sri Lanka - India had their backs to the wall, MS Dhoni out nursing a hamstring injury and stand-in skipper Virat Kohli under pressure to deliver.

India captain Virat Kohli congratulating Bhuvneshwar Kumar as Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara looks on. (AFP Photo)

Kohli responded in style with a hundred against West Indies after openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan's 123-run stand ensured there were no early hiccups in the must-win encounter. The batting effort was backed up by fast bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma who shared eight wickets between them to get India a bonus point with a 102-run (D/L) win.
But the Indians had to beat the Lankans next to ensure a crack at the trophy, and with a bit of help from rain, India managed to accomplish a turnaround that looked a long shot away after two back-to-back defeats. The bowlers once again rose to the occasion, led by the swinger Bhuvneshwar who took life out of the Sri Lankan top order with a six-over spell of 4 for 8 in an 81-run (D/L) victory.
Batsmen got their act together
The most heartening aspect of this turnaround has been the way team got its act together and responded in a positive manner. Dhawan and Rohit realised the importance of a good start, especially with no Dhoni in the middle order. Rohit's approach has especially been refreshing, with the Mumbai batsman unwilling to give his wicket away easily. It's a welcome change that has been expected of Rohit considering his talent, which has never been under question.
Captain Kohli on the move
Kohli was subject to criticism after the huge loss against Sri Lanka, but it was nice to see him channel his aggression en route a century against West Indies. Runs with the bat rubbed onto his captaincy that looked much more decisive and authoritative.
Bowlers lifted the spirits
The bowlers, especially Bhuvneshwar, have responded in style. The way Sri Lankans mauled the Indian bowlers on their way to scoring 348 for 1 in Game 3, it appeared the mental scars won't heal in time for a final push. But led by Bhuvneshwar, the bowling unit got things in order to script the team's revival. After leaking runs against the Lankans, Bhuvneshwar, Ishant and Yadav conceded less than five runs an over in their respective spells while sharing eight wickets against the Windies.
That must have lifted Indian spirits and made a comeback possible.
Dhoni could be back for the final
Kohli surprised everybody at the toss on Tuesday by announcing that Dhoni could be back for the final. Until then, MSD was understood to be ruled out for the rest of the tournament. But he came out playing football ahead of the match and then Kohli made the jaw-dropping announcement. That explains the decision to have Dhoni stay back with the team and now go for the kill in the final on Sunday.

India U-19 side sails into final of Tri-nation series

Darwin: India sailed into the final of the Under-19 Tri-nation series after a clinical all-round display saw them post a comfortable seven-wicket win over their counterparts from Australia here on Monday.

Opting to bowl, India restricted Australia to 191 for six in the allotted 50 overs, before chasing down the target in 45.4 overs.

Aamir Gani (3/25) was the most impressive bowler from the Indian side while skipper Vijay Zol (64) and Akhil Herwadkar (60) were the main contributors with the bat at the Marrara Oval.

The loss dealt a blow to hosts Australia`s hopes of entering the finals.

India have coasted through the tournament unbeaten and seemed untroubled in the hot Darwin conditions, and it was always going to be a difficult task for the Aussies.

Australia`s openers Matthew Short (34) and Tom Leaver (23) got off to a cautious start after being sent in to bat. India`s bowlers, led by Gani, bowled tight spells and capitalised on Australia`s poor start.

Lower-order cameos from Jake Doran (41 off 52 balls) and Cam Valente (28 from 25 balls) boosted the total, but Australia`s earlier struggle to get the ball past the infield dashed their hopes of posting a defendable target.

Matt Fotia (2/34) and Short (1/10) were the wicket-takers for Australia.

While India top the table, Australia sit second ahead of third-placed New Zealand due to a superior run rate.

New Zealand will have an opportunity to overtake Australia when they play India in the last round match of the series on Wednesday.

Speaking after the match, Australian U19 coach Stuart Law said: "In these games, you`ve got to be able to score runs at a fair pace and India have got some good batters; a few boys have played in the IPL already and have that experience. We`ve got some fantastic players too and as soon as they start understanding and believing it, we should start scoring a lot more runs."

The final will take place here on Friday.

Sohail says Misbah-ul-Haq best bet for captain in absence of suitable options

Islamabad: Former Pakistani cricket Aamir Sohail has said that Misbah-ul-Haq is clearly the best person to lead the national team, with the Pakistan Cricket Board having no other better option.

Sohail thought the lack of options was due to limited club cricket being played in Pakistan, and said that the country needed to improve its schools, colleges, universities and club cricket to get better players in the future.

The former player also talked about the coaching staff associated with the team and said immediate changes were needed in the staff.

Sohail added that the PCB should sit together and think about the changes, but hoped that the team would perform well against the West Indies.

India to play limited overs games before Test series in SA

Mumbai: India`s tour of South Africa later this year will commence with the visitors playing T20 and 50-over internationals against the hosts before taking them on in a three-Test series.

According to the schedule of the matches released today by Cricket South Africa, India will commence their tour with a T20 tour match against an SA Invitation XI at Potchefstroom on November 18 to gear up for the two-match T20 International series slated for November 21 and 24.

The visitors will then plunge into the best-of-seven ODI rubber, to be held between November 27 and December 15, prior to engaging the world`s top-ranked team in a three-Test rubber from December 26 this year to January 19, 2014.

The three Tests will be played at Kingsmead (Durban), Sahara Park Newlands (Capetown) and the Wanderers (Johannesburg).

They will play two two-day warm-up games before the Test series.

South Africa will take on Australia in a three-Test series after the conclusion of the Indian tour.

The Australia visit is set to conclude on March 14 with a T20 International before the two teams fly to Bangladesh for the ICC World Twenty20 championship commencing on March 16, CSA announced.

"It promises to be a wonderful summer of hotly contested international cricket," said CSA Acting CEO Naasei Appiah, who also noted the popularity enjoyed by the Indian players in his country and senior cricketer Sachin Tendulkar`s scheduled 200th Test appearance in the second match at Capetown.

"India are the current undisputed champions of 50 overs cricket and it was not that long ago that they briefly held the No. 1 ranking in Test cricket as well. The Indian players have always been very popular in South Africa and their maestro, Sachin Tendulkar, has currently played 198 Test matches. It would be wonderful for his 200th Test match to be in front of a packed New Year`s crowd at Sahara Park Newlands."

"The last time he played a Test match there his battle with Dale Steyn thrilled a global audience," he added.

Full Tour Schedule

• Nov 18: T20 tour match, India v SA Invitation XI, Senwes Park, Potchefstroom (Day/Night).

• Nov 21: 1st T20 International, Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (Day/Night)

• Nov 24: 2nd T20 International, Sahara Park Newlands, Cape Town (Day)

• Nov 27: 1st ODI, Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban (Day/Night)

• Nov 30: 2nd ODI, Axxess St. George`s, Port Elizabeth (Day)

• Dec 3: 3rd ODI, Buffalo Park, East London (Day/Night)

• Dec 6: 4th ODI, SuperSport Park, Centurion (Day/Night)

• Dec 8: 5th ODI, Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (Day)

• Dec 12: 6th ODI, Chevrolet Park, Bloemfontein (Day/Night)

• Dec 15: 7th ODI, Sahara Park Newlands, Cape Town (Day)

• Dec 18-19: India v SA Invitation XI, Boland Park, Paarl

• Dec 22-23: India v SA Invitation XI, The Oval, Pietermaritzburg

• Dec 26-30:/ 1st Test, Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban

• Jan 2-6, 2014: 2nd Test, Sahara Park Newlands, Cape Town

• Jan 15-19: 3rd Test, Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg.

Martyn says Australia would miss legend Hussey during Ashes

London: Former Australian batsman Damien Martyn has said that the Australian team would miss the services of batsman Mike Hussey, who has retired from all forms of international cricket.

The former batsman thinks that the absence of the Perth left-hander had left a huge gap in the tourists` batting line-up, but the current Ashes series was a great opportunity for some of the rookie batsman to seize their moment.

Hussey had averaged 51 in 79 Tests, which put him in the top ten in Australian history and gave him the title of ` Mister Cricket,` the report said.

The Australians have also had to deal with the retirement of Ricky Ponting , exposing a fairly young team that was still maturing.

Pak women cricket captain applauds team`s performance

Islamabad: The captain of the Pakistani women`s cricket team, Sana Mir, has said their team has reached new heights.

In an interview with PakPassion.net, Mir said that few years ago, they never even managed to get into winning positions against the top teams, but they have now improved to the point that they can set the challenge of managing the pressure situations.

The 27-year-old said that Pakistan Cricket Board has always assigned coaches to the Women`s team.

She added if there is any financial support available for women`s sport in Pakistan, it will be given to women`s cricket.

Asked about the challenges she had to face in her career, Mir replied that the biggest challenge was finding people to play cricket with.

She added that there were no grass-roots girl`s cricket teams. And she usually ended up playing cricket with the boys because very few women were involved in sport.

She said that there are still some issues around such sponsorship and equipment, but things are a lot better than they used to be.


About being appointing as the captain of the team, Mir said it felt wonderful, adding that prior to her appointment as national captain, she was captain of the domestic side for two or three years.