England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has said that he will not allow the Indian Premier League (IPL) to compromise his dream of recapturing the Ashes from the Australians.
Having helped England to a 3-2 one-day series win over West Indies, Flintoff is expected to pocket around 75,000 pounds a game for the Chennai Super Kings. He told SunSport: “I’d be lying if I said the money wasn’t appealing, but from a playing perspective the standard looks excellent. For me it’s a perfect start to the summer, with some short but high class warm weather cricket.”"Test cricket is still the ultimate and as professionals we have to be able to switch between the different forms of the game,” Flintoffaid, adding: “I want to experience the high of winning the 2005 Ashes again, and definitely not the whitewash of 2006/07.”The Ashes will be huge, but there is so much cricket before then we have to stay focused on the job in hand,” he said.
Source - newstrackindia.com
Hussey Withdraws From IPL For Pre-Ashes Break
MIKE Hussey has joined the list of Australian players to withdraw from this month’s Indian Premier League tournament, preferring to spend time at home with his family ahead of the Ashes tour in July.
Hussey said yesterday he had negotiated with his IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings to skip the five-week tournament starting on April 18.
Australia’s selectors may also decided to rest the 33-year-old batsman — who has averaged only 23 in his past eight Tests this summer — from the one-day international series against Pakistan in Dubai starting later this month.
Australia’s ODI series against South Africa was due to start in Durban late last night, Melbourne time, and finishes on April 17, followed by the Pakistan series.
“I just spoke to the franchise and asked for the time off to be with family as my playing schedule has been very busy and they were very understanding,” Hussey said. “But I am available if we make the semi-finals (on May 22 and 23) and final.”
Captain Ricky Ponting, vice-captain Michael Clarke and pace spearhead Mitch Johnson are also not playing in this year’s IPL, which has been shifted from India to South Africa for security reasons.
Cricket Australia’s selectors are set to announce a squad next week for the one-day series against Pakistan. It’s understood selectors will take into account the virtual back-to-back nature of Australia’s playing schedule this year in selecting the squad for the Pakistan series.
Australia’s commitments include the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June, followed by the Ashes and seven ODI matches against England, the Champions Trophy in South Africa, the Twenty20 Champions League in India involving NSW and Victoria, a seven-match ODI series against India and a home summer starting in November against West Indies and Pakistan.
Flintoff Says Will Not Allow IPL To Compromise Ashes Dream
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England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has said that he will not allow the Indian Premier League (IPL) to compromise his dream of recapturing the Ashes from the Australians.
Having helped England to a 3-2 one-day series win over West Indies, Flintoff is expected to pocket around 75,000 pounds a game for the Chennai Super Kings. He told SunSport: “I’d be lying if I said the money wasn’t appealing, but from a playing perspective the standard looks excellent. For me it’s a perfect start to the summer, with some short but high class warm weather cricket.”"Test cricket is still the ultimate and as professionals we have to be able to switch between the different forms of the game,” Flintoffaid, adding: “I want to experience the high of winning the 2005 Ashes again, and definitely not the whitewash of 2006/07.”The Ashes will be huge, but there is so much cricket before then we have to stay focused on the job in hand,” he said.
Source - newstrackindia.com
under: Indian Premier League News
Hussey Withdraws From IPL For Pre-Ashes Break
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MIKE Hussey has joined the list of Australian players to withdraw from this month’s Indian Premier League tournament, preferring to spend time at home with his family ahead of the Ashes tour in July.
Hussey said yesterday he had negotiated with his IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings to skip the five-week tournament starting on April 18.
Australia’s selectors may also decided to rest the 33-year-old batsman — who has averaged only 23 in his past eight Tests this summer — from the one-day international series against Pakistan in Dubai starting later this month.
Australia’s ODI series against South Africa was due to start in Durban late last night, Melbourne time, and finishes on April 17, followed by the Pakistan series.
“I just spoke to the franchise and asked for the time off to be with family as my playing schedule has been very busy and they were very understanding,” Hussey said. “But I am available if we make the semi-finals (on May 22 and 23) and final.”
Captain Ricky Ponting, vice-captain Michael Clarke and pace spearhead Mitch Johnson are also not playing in this year’s IPL, which has been shifted from India to South Africa for security reasons.
Cricket Australia’s selectors are set to announce a squad next week for the one-day series against Pakistan. It’s understood selectors will take into account the virtual back-to-back nature of Australia’s playing schedule this year in selecting the squad for the Pakistan series.
Australia’s commitments include the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June, followed by the Ashes and seven ODI matches against England, the Champions Trophy in South Africa, the Twenty20 Champions League in India involving NSW and Victoria, a seven-match ODI series against India and a home summer starting in November against West Indies and Pakistan.
Source - theage.com.au
under: Indian Premier League News
Fringe Indian Players Seek IPL Success
For years together toiling hard and being successful on the domestic circuit was no guarantee for a national call-up. But the IPL has changed all that. Last year’s tournament catapulted quite a few players onto national limelight, and fringe players are counting on the same this season too.
He was the biggest revelation for India in the first edition of the IPL, plundering attack after attack with some merciless batting, with a timely half-century in the final being the icing on the cake for the Rajasthan Royals. The performance brought Yusuf Pathan into the limelight. And as another IPL season beckons, he knows a similar show can help him further consolidate his place in the national side.
“I would like to repeat what I did last year in the IPL,” he says. “I’m still playing the same game, working on the areas I need to work on in both batting and bowling.”
While Pathan earned his first call-up after his IPL efforts, others are hoping to catch the selectors’ eye again after being forced out of the national team.
“The IPL is a fantastic platform for all youngsters and fringe players to make a comeback in the side,” says the discarded Robin Uthappa. “Even for someone like Yusuf Pathan, it was a fantastic platform for him that brought him into the side. So, if people like me are trying to make a comeback its going to be a superb platform for me.”
“Last year we learnt a lot of things,” says Piyush Chawla. “I spoke to Shane Warne and he told little things which I implemented in my game. I got very good results.”
The national selectors will be watching closely as India hopefuls rub shoulders with the best in the world. So performances in the IPL are sure to count for more than other domestic tournaments.
“The IPL has done wonders for all the fringe players and even some who are not even in their state teams,” says former selection chief Dilip Vengsarkar. “They got a fantastic exposure the last time. And I’m sure this edition of the IPL will give them the same sort of exposure to the fringe players and bring them into the limelight.”
There is a Twenty20 World Cup on the horizon so success can result in immediate reward.
No IPL Option For Cinema Halls
An alternate content that multiplexes were banking on may remain just a pipedream. Indian Premiere League matches, which mutliplex owners hoped
would bring in the crowds, may not be screened there after all. “It didn’t work out. That’s all I know about the matter,” an IPL official said.
Inox vice-president (distribution and programming) Utpal Acharya said, “We had approached Sony last time for the screening rights. This time they decided to have a separate body for theatrical rights and tenders were invited for the same. But I am told the tenders have not been opened as yet. We were banking on the aggregator who would provide the feed to us and give the minimum guarantee. Unfortunately nothing has happened till now. It is learnt there were three bidders for the theatrical telecast rights, including UTV, PVR and Group M.
It is learnt that Sony, which owns broadcast rights, demanded a minimum guarantee (Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore per screening) to which the multiplex owners objected. “That and the tax burden were too much,” said an official.
But multiplex owners are still optimistic. “Given the embargo by producers on releasing films, it will be key to have an alternate programming strategy and IPL clearly takes the lead in filling the slots besides short film festivals, foreign language film screenings,” Anand Vishal, vice-president, marketing, Fun Cinemas said. “We plan to talk to the broadcaster directly to obtain rights to screen the matches at our multiplex,” he added.
Local Umpire Gets IPL Call
Seven umpires from across the country, including one from the city, have got call from Indian Premier League (IPL) for Twenty20
tournament to be played in South Africa. City-based umpire Sanjay Hazare, nephew of legendry cricketer Vijay Hazare, has been contacted by the IPL authorities.
All the seven have been sent emails by the IPL authorities asking them about their visa documents and other papers. Sources said four of the umpires, including Hazare, have only first class match experience.
When contacted, Hazare told TOI, “I have got an offer of umpiring from IPL. I am awaiting further communication in this connection.”
This is for the first time that any umpire from the city has got an offer for IPL. Hazare has umpired in Ranji matches, Duleep Trophy, Irani Trophy and Sir Vijay Hazare Knock-Out One day Trophy till date. The other umpires contacted are S Ravi from Tamil Nadu, S Ranade from Pune, Sudhir Asnani from Indore, Shahvir Tarapore from Karnataka, K Hariharan from Delhi and Amish Saheba from Ahmedabad.
Sources said last year umpires with experience of only international matches were picked up by IPL but this time the management has also approached those having experience in first-class matches. The umpires are however yet to receive the schedule of the tournament. “We have just received the e-mail regarding umpiring offer but no official talks have been held with the IPL,” said one of the umpires.
South Africans Line Up For IPL Tickets
Here’s evidence that the IPL has already created quite a buzz in South Africa. It took just a couple of hours for the opening game on April 18 to be sold out. Clearly, the tournament is all set to take the Rainbow Nation by storm. The cheerleaders will be there, as will the best players in the world, and all the entertainment of a glitzy Twenty20 carnival.
The tournament may have moved out of India, but there will be no shortage of crowds flocking to see the games. The double header to kick off the IPL in Cape Town has already been sold out.
It’s what we put together, the whole idea of displaying the flavour of India all throughout the tournament,” IPL commissioner Lalit Modi told CNN-IBN on Friday. “We have a lot of entertainment and great cricket around, and the way we are selling it to the people of South Africa, they should come and embrace the teams.”
IPL bosses have smartly priced tickets at very affordable rates. The lowest ticket is available at just about Rs 70, and the most expensive ticket will set you back by just a shade over Rs 1,000.
“We have taken the advice of Cricket South Africa to ensure a once in a lifetime experience for the South African fans, not only because the game of cricket is going to be interesting but also the paraphernalia that’s going to go around with it in terms of entertainment, Bollywood, as well as local artists who are going to perform,” said IPL chief executive Sundar Raman.
In a bid to maximise commerical time on television, it has been agreed that there will be a five-minute break after every 10 overs, allowing the broadcaster to fit in more advertising. The break may upset the momentum of a game, but teams concede that this format needs to consider the demands of Indian television audiences.
“In a sense, this has become a TV event for Indian crowds, but we’d hope not only Indians in South Africa but those who enjoy their cricket and enjoy entertainment will all flock to the games,” says Kolkata Knight Riders head coach John Buchanan.
So whether one is watching at home or at the stadium, the IPL promises to be quite an African safari.
IPL Opening Day’s Tickets Sold Out
Tickets for the double-header on the opening day of Indian Premier League’s second edition at Cape Town in South Africa, on April 18, were sold out within hours of going on sale online, on Friday.
Few tickets remain to be sold for the second day’s double-header on April 19 at the same venue — Sahara Park in Newlands, the organisers said.Commenting on the sale of the IPL tickets online at www.cumputicket.com, Lalit Modi, chairman and commissioner of the cash-rich tournament, expressed hope that the first day of the Twenty20 league will see “a dream start for season 2009″.The first day’s double-header pits last year’s runners-up Chennai Super Kings with Mumbai Indians. That will be followed by defending champions Rajasthan Royals versus Royal Challengers Bangalore.On April 19, Delhi Daredevils clash with Kings XI Punjab, while Deccan Chargers take on Kolkata Knight Riders.
The preliminary round-robin phase of the tournament will see 56 matches over 34 days at eight venues — Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria, East London, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Kimberley.
The two semi-finals will be held on May 22 and 23 at Pretoria and Johannesburg respectively, while the final at Johannesburg on May 24.
IPL In South Africa, So What?
To the disappointment of scores of Indian cricket fans, the second season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is now being held at South
Africa. While a fix on the venue ensures that the tournament is being held as per schedule on April 10, it also means that Indians will miss out on the action on field and will have to be content with watching the matches on television. When Thane Plus caught up with some fans in the city, they expressed varied opinions over this change in venue for one the most-awaited cricketing events in the world today.
Thane’s Sudhir Vaidya, a veteran cricket statistician, is also the official statistician of the tournament. He said that while the decision was made following a lot of deliberation, it was something that the organisers may have made to facilitate a smooth and enjoyable event. “Though this is disappointing for the Indian fans, there was definitely a reason why the venue for the second season of IPL was changed to South Africa. I think the economy and tourism of India will definitely get a small dent, but the flavour of the event will not change much. It is an event that the cricketing world has come to love and will support and cheer on, regardless of wherever it is going to be held,” he reckoned, adding, “This tournament gives opportunities to so many budding young players. For them, playing on foreign soil will be a huge revelation. That is one way of looking at this.”
Most fans said that it is really sad that they will not be able to catch up with the action on field. Suresh Sathe, a Thane (E) resident, reminisces his experience of visiting the D Y Patil Stadium last year to watch the final match of the tournament between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. “I remember the rush to book tickets for the match. As soon as the venue for the finals was announced, I geared up to secure the tickets for the match. The experience was simply inexplicable. The swanky new stadium was bursting with excitement and energy. The match was a rather interesting one, but not as much as some of the others in the tournament. This year, of course, I will not get the opportunity to watch the matches live, which is really disappointing. Also, it’s difficult to catch the matches that will begin at 4.30 pm as I will be at work then. I just hope I get to catch as much action of this season of IPL as I can. I don’t think I’ll be less excited this year because the match is going to be held abroad,” he said.
“Why call it Indian Premier League if it cannot be held in India?” asks a Mohat Sethi, a dejected cricket fan. Sethi says the whole point of having a tournament like this is to promote India as a brand. “Last year, the Indian government earned crores from the tournament. International events like this boost the host country’s economy and tourism. I am sure by next year, other cricketing countries will be lining up to host the event elsewhere. I think the country, on the whole, has lost a lot of opportunities to do good business because of the shift in venue,” believed Sethi.
Some residents say it was a wise decision to shift the venue to South Africa. “One cannot compromise on the security of scores of people. If security is a concern in India as the event coincides with the Parliamentary polls, I think that’s a good enough reason for the organisers change the venue,” said Riya Bose, a student and a cricket fan. “I believe that it’s always important to look at things from a larger perspective. While South Africa is a safer place to hold the event, it is a cricket-loving nation that has so many Indians who will be at the venues to cheer the players. So there won’t be a dearth of crowd support for the players. I think we should just relax, sit back and enjoy the event with our families at home,” she smiled.
Pollock Invaluable To Mumbai Indians - Jonty
Former Protea Jonty Rhodes is “very impressed” by the work ethic the Mumbai Indians’ rookies displayed at a training camp in Durban last week. Rhodes a member of the Indian Premier League franchise’s management, spent the last few days honing the fielding skills of the younger players in the Mumbai team. He worked closely with fellow former Protea Shaun Pollock, who too is a consultant to the Indians.
“The majority of the players we worked with will fit around the four overseas professionals and four Indian internationals so they are quite young and their skills are very Indian specific,” Rhodes said.“But they showed great enthusiasm and were very keen to throw themselves about. They watch a lot of international cricket and do not subscribe to old theory that India does not have a fielding culture. I was very impressed by how much they wanted to learn and absorb.”
There is a growing belief among the IPL franchises that teams with a strong South African influence will have the edge in this year’s tournament because of it being relocated to the Republic.
So with the two Proteas legends on the payroll of the Mumbai Indians, does Rhodes believe his team will start with an advantage over the seven other franchises?
“Shaun is going to be invaluable to the team. There’s no doubt about that. He just has such a calm demeanour in the dressing room.
“Even when it was thought that the tournament was going to be held in India, and Shaun was still considering whether to come back for another year, the Mumbai management made it very clear they wanted him back,” Rhodes said.Although appreciating Pollock’s involvement, Rhodes was, however, quick to dismiss the assumption that South African players will automatically be the stars of the second IPL season because of their knowledge of the conditions.
The leading South African player in the Mumbai Indians team is JP Duminy, who was signed for $950 000 while Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya also played domestic cricket in Durban for the KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins in 2009.
“International players adjust very quickly today. Most of the guys in all the teams are experienced international cricketers. They play all over the world and have learnt to adapt very quickly,” Rhodes said.
“Take a guy like Dwayne Bravo. He plays for the West Indies in the Caribbean, where each island has different conditions, and he has learnt a lot on how to adapt all over. His experience will be very valuable.”
The Mumbai Indians will kickstart the IPL against last year’s finalists, the Chennai Super Kings, on Saturday, April 18 at Newlands
No One Calls Royal Challengers A Test Team Anymore
The induction of England batsman Kevin Pietersen and New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder, besides Bangalore lad Robin Uthappa, has helped Indian Premier League franchise Bangalore Royal Challengers shed its tag of ‘Test outfit’ in Twenty20 cricket, says team owner Vijay Mallya.”Last year our team was called a Test team, but with players such as (Kevin) Pietersen, (Robin) Uthappa and (Jesse) Ryder in the squad now, no one calls it a Test team anymore,” Mallya said in Mumbai on Thursday.Mallya’s team was criticised by experts last year for lacking the firepower required for Twenty20 cricket, as it ended up seventh in the eight-team contest.
Pietersen will lead the team till he returns for England duty, after which star South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis will take over the mantle.
The liquor baron said his team has five home-grown players and their familiarity with conditions in South Africa, where the second edition of IPL is to be held from April 18, will stand his team in good stead.
“We have five South African players in our team, apart from former South Africa coach Ray Jennings. They are well aware of the conditions in that country and this advantage should work in our favour,” he said.The quintet of South African players — Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Roelof Van der Merwe and Dillion du Preez are among the RCB’s ten foreign recruits.While admitting that shifting of the IPL to South Africa would cause some financial losses to the franchise, Mallya said he is confident that Board of Control for Cricket in India would make up for it.
“The event is sure to cost us but I am sure that the BCCI will do something about it. Holding the tournament in such a short time was a challenge in itself, the hisaab-kitaab [accounting] can be done once the tournament is over,” he said.
Mallya expressed hope that viewership of the tournament would not be affected because of the shift in venue.
“About 95 per cent viewership of the IPL is TV audience. It is unlikely to suffer as the BCCI has adjusted the timings of the matches as per the convenience of Indian audience.
“IPL going overseas is a lot better than missing it altogether,” he said.
On Force India’s performance in the Australian Grand Prix, Mallya, who is also co-owner of the Formula One team, said he was happy with performance of the drivers.”I’m happy with the ninth and 11th place finishes that Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella achieved. Both of them completed their races in the first event of the season which was a big satisfaction in itself.”
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