Spot-fixing: Former Ranji player Yadav arrested
Category: IPL,IPL 2013 News
New Delhi, May 21: The Railways on Monday suspended former Ranji Trophy player Baburao Yadav after his arrest for involvement in the spot-fixing scandal that has rocked the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
Baburao was working as operator in the Signal and Telecom division. He was posted at Nagpur with the South Central Railways.
Baburao had introduced alleged bookie Sunil Bhatia to Rajasthan Royals player Ajit Chandila.
The IPL last week found itself engulfed in a sensational spot-fixing scandal after S Sreesanth and two of his Rajasthan Royals teammates were arrested by the police which claimed that they received upto Rs 60 lakh from bookies for bowling one manipulated over.
Earlier in the day, police recovered Rs 20 lakh from Chandila`s relatives` home. (more…)
Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2012 Final match Post Match Presentation
Category: IPLGambhir: Only one word comes to mind, mission accomplished. We knew we had the side to go all the way. People had questioned our middle order but I knew they would come good when it really mattered. Balaji is our unsung hero, it was tough for him to miss out on this match before his home crowd and we were playing for him. It is tough to go out and chase 190 against a home side that is defending their title. It just shows Bisla’s character that he could go out there and play such an innings. I think it is the team that makes a captain look good. I wore my pads through the innings as a superstition but then again the guys played some brilliant cricket. I want to thank Kolkata for their support and I hope we have made them very happy tonight.
Dhoni: Well it was a big total, that’s why we wanted to bat first. I think in the second half the ball started coming on to the bat better. But someone needed to bat well and Bisla and Kallis gave KKR a really good partnership. Cricket is a game of plus ten and minus ten if you lose you think you were short of ten odd runs. I think the batsmen did really well in the first half, it is just that the individuals from the other side did better and won. It got close at the end but there was no reverse swing and that’s why it got tougher for the bowlers to bowl those wide yorkers at the end. I am proud of the way we played.
Narine: It has been a pleasure playing here. I have been talking to my parents a lot and the people in Trinidad have been backing me. Hopefully I can be picked for the England series and hopefully I can go there and do well.
Sunil Narine has been given the Man of the Series award for his amazing display with the ball
Dravid: It is nice to receive this award on behalf of my team. I don’t think it had anything to do with me. Credit to the bowlers for bowling their overs in the stipulated time. That’s what this award depends on. I think it was a great final and it has been a great tournament, more of the same next year hopefully
Rahul Dravid gets an award for his team’s display of fairplay throughout the tournament
Morne Morkel finishes up as the leading wicket taker in this season of the IPL
IPL 2012 Final: Chennai opts to bat against Kolkata Knight Riders
Category: IPLToss: Chennai Super Kings have won the toss and elected to bat
Dhoni: We are looking to bat first in a pressure game and we want to put runs on the board. The pitch looks a little different with some more grass but it depends on how they have rolled it. It is different every time when you play the final. It is a fresh time everytime and you just need to be consistent. It is about this particular portion of three and a half hours. We are unchanged for this match.
Gambhir: We have three quality spinners and also have Lee today, so we are up for the challenge. Unfortunately Balaji has to miss out due to an injury and hence we have to bring in Lee. McCullum makes way for Bisla.
IPL 2012 Preview: Chennai Vs Delhi, Eliminator 2, IPL 5, 25 May 2012
Category: Cricket News,IPL,IPL Chennai Super Kings,IPL Delhi DareDevilsWounded Delhi Daredevils (DD) would be eager to draw inspiration from their own performances in the league stages for a spot in the final of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) when they take on a rejuvenated Chennai Super Kings in the second qualifying match at Chennai on Friday.
Having topped the table with 11 wins out of 16 matches at the league stage, the Daredevils were humbled by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the first qualifier in Pune on Tuesday.
The high-flying Daredevils failed to live up to their expectations with a string of mediocre performances in their previous game against KKR and on Friday is their last chance to redeem their reputation of being the most consistent side of the IPL V so far.
On the other hand, defending champions Chennai, despite their ordinary performances in the league stages, peaked just at the right time. They recovered from an impossible situation to keep alive their chances of winning a hat-trick titles alive.
With skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who smashed a whirlwind 20-ball 51 against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday night to help his team make the second qualifier, returning to form in style, the Daredevils might have to bring in some fresh game plan to arrest the marauding Chennai outfit.
While Chennai would be hoping for a similar performance, in what could be considered as a semifinal against the Daredevils on Friday, Virender Sehwag’s men would be relying heavily on their batting.
The Delhi side would be depending on their strong batting lineup, consisting of the likes of Sehwag, David Warner, Mahela Jayawardane, Ross Taylor and Naman Ojha, to post a formidable total on the board, their bowling department heavily relies on pace trio of Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav and Irfan Pathan.
But comer on Friday, Delhi would certainly have to be cautious against a team that had, in past, regrouped into a cohesive team during crunch games.
The Super Kings, who bring out their best when they are pushed to the wall, are expected to come hard at the Daredevils.
Although as compared to the Daredevils, the Super Kings were far from impressive during the league stages with eight wins and a no result from 16 games, there collective performance has been good in the tournament so far.
DDCA demands lifetime ban on Kirti Azad
Category: Cricket News,IPL,IPL 2013 NewsNew Delhi: Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) on Thursday demanded a lifetime ban on Kirti Azad for attempting to tarnish the image of DDCA and its president Arun Jaitley. Moreover, the association accused him of indulging in dirty politics in the “garb of criticising” the IPL.
“We demand Mr Kirti Azad’s immediate suspension along with other such cricketers from BCCI and DDCA, and institution of an immediate independent inquiry to their accusations so that if found guilty, lifetime ban on them could be imposed,” Vinod Tihara, convenor Sports Committee, said in a statement.
“The real agenda is to tarnish the image of our clean president Arun Jaitley and that’s why even while criticising IPL, he talks incessantly against DDCA and its overall functioning. Clearly, it is not cricket but pure cheap, dirty politics. Their frustration to make a dent in DDCA and BCCI has gone out of proportions now.”
Azad had questioned the lack of accountability and transparency in the Indian Premier League and also went on hunger strike at the Feroz Shah Kotla here on Sunday, but the DDCA said his actions have put the game to shame.
“As you have seen in the past few weeks, Kirti Azad and his gang of desperate cricketers have been spitting venom against BCCI and DDCA in the garb of criticising IPL,” Tihara said.
“Their language, behaviour and false accusations — all are unbecoming of the cricketers and have put the game of cricket to shame. These disgruntled cricketers are demanding a ban on IPL just because there had been some black sheeps tarnishing its image. BCCI has taken prompt remedial action and so it is. You cannot kill a person just because he is suffering from some viral fever.
Sekar hopes Delhi bat CSK out of IPL 5
Category: Cricket News,IPL,IPL 2013 News,IPL Chennai Super Kings,IPL Delhi DareDevilsChennai: Delhi Daredevils mentor TA Sekar on Thursday backed his batsmen, who misfired in the first qualifier, to come good in the do-or-die second qualifier against Chennai Super Kings in search of their maiden final appearance in the Indian Premier League.
“Last three overs of [the] last match did not go in our favour. Our batting order needs to be assessed and we have done that. In [a] Twenty20 game, it is not a major concern for us since we have a very strong batting line-up. I back all our batsmen and we will surely put up a much better show tomorrow [Friday],” said Sekar.
His side has been criticised for frequent changes in the batting order, with the likes of Ross Taylor being sent late down the order, but Sekar defended the decision. “In Twenty20, batting order changes frequently. It is not the set order like in [the] Test matches. So we need to change, and in fact every team does it depending on the situations and its demands. [In] Some matches [Chennai captain MS] Dhoni bats at number eight and on occasions he comes at four. That is the order of the day in Twenty20 games.
“It was one of the odd situations that he [Taylor] has gone to [bat at] number seven because we promoted Pawan Negi to go and get some quick runs, even six-ball 10 or eight-ball 12, and it’s fine even if we lose wickets. Ross is capable of going after the bowlers right from the first ball that he faces,” he said.
“I always believed that class is permanent and form is temporary. Ross got a 21-ball fifty against Royal Challengers [Bangalore] in Bangalore. He showed his class there and I think he is in a good space and I think he should fire tomorrow [Friday].”
Asked about Mahela Jayawardene’s batting position, he said, “It depends on the situation and the contest’s demands. We have played him three, four and five in various other matches.”
Sekar admitted that the home crowd would be a big advantage for Chennai but felt that his side has the wherewithal to beat CSK. “Can you use your influence and shift the match to some other venue? I think, playing Chennai in Chennai, they have the advantage of home crowd support. We need to put up a much better show to beat them. We are confident [of] putting up a good show tomorrow [Friday].” he said.
“It is a home-away-from-home match [for me]. I know the conditions in Chepauk very well. Wicket looks good. In Twenty20, if the wicket is a rank turner, it does not matter much,” he added. Sekar said the bowling combination would be decided later after looking at the conditions.