Showing posts with label Cricket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cricket. Show all posts
Thursday, July 10, 2008
India win at Trentbridge
Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly steered India home after Chris Tremlett claimed three wickets at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Seam bowler Zaheer Khan took 5-75 yesterday to help India dismiss the home side for 355.
``They read the conditions brilliantly and fully deserved to win,'' England captain Michael Vaughan said at the post-match presentation.
India's fifth victory in 47 Tests on English soil leaves Dravid's team needing to avoid defeat in next week's final Test at the Oval, south London, to secure its first Test series win in the U.K. since 1986. Top-ranked Australia was the last visiting team to win a series in England six years ago.
Resuming this morning at 10-0, India lost its first wicket when Wasim Jaffer skied a pull off Tremlett and Kevin Pietersen took the catch. Dinesh Karthik was caught behind for 22 off a rising delivery and Sachin Tendulkar flicked a catch to leg gully. The winning runs came when Ganguly missed a full delivery and the ball ran through for four byes.
Dhoni nominated for Khel Ratna award
The Board of Cricket Control in India has recommended India’s ODI and Twenty20 captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the highest honour for any sportsperson in the country for the year 2007. Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty said the Board has already forwarded its recommendation to the Sports Ministry.
Under Dhoni, India won the tri-series in Australia and also the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa. In case Dhoni manages to win the award, he would be the second cricketer to get the honour, following Sachin Tendulkar, who won it in 1997-98, while Rahul Dravid has been nominated twice but failed to win on either occasion.
The President will give away the award, along with Arjuna and Dronacharya awards, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 29.
England name unchanged team for record sixth time
LONDON (Reuters) - England named an unchanged team for a world record sixth time on Wednesday to play South Africa in the first test starting at Lord's on Thursday.
Captain Michael Vaughan told a news conference England would field the lineup that won the final two tests in New Zealand this year before clinching the three-test return series 2-0.
Vaughan, who rested his troubled right knee in the final stages of Yorkshire's last four-day match against Durham, said he would be fit for the first test in the four-match series.
"It's fine," he said. "It just needs monitoring. It's no different to how we've managed it in the last year. It just needed a few days to have lubricant put into the knee."
South Africa will discuss the composition of their team on Wednesday night after rain had drenched Lord's for the second successive day. Further bad weather is forecast for the remainder of the week.
Captain Graeme Smith told a news conference the selectors would consider omitting left-arm spinner Paul Harris and playing another pace bowler to take advantage of the conditions.
"With the weather around there are things to consider," he said. "It's something we haven't liked doing of late, we felt the need to develop a spinner in South Africa."
Smith, who has been out of action with a hamstring strain, said he had batted in the indoor nets on Tuesday.
"It felt pretty comfortable," he said. "So I guess that is going to be the challenge for me, only having the one knock in the middle for the last five to six weeks."
England have shown commendable faith in the team who have twice beaten an inexperienced Kiwi side but there are several players who have plenty to prove at a venue where South Africa have won each of their three tests in the post-apartheid era.
FLINTOFF PRACTISES
South Africa coach Mickey Arthur said on Tuesday his fast bowlers would target middle-order batsmen Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood, who were unconvincing in the home series against New Zealand.
The England pace bowlers Ryan Sidebottom, James Anderson and Stuart Broad will also be looking over the shoulders after they were joined in the indoor nets on Wednesday by all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who is making his latest return from injury.
Vaughan said Flintoff, who last played test cricket in the final Ashes match against Australia early last year, could be ready for the second test starting in Leeds on July 18.
"We want him back in the England team," Vaughan said. "He's here today practising just to get his foot in, we know he's not far away.
"How we get him in the team, we will have to decide on that once he has become available and had enough cricket.
Vaughan said South Africa had enjoyed a wonderful past 12 months.
"I always think that a South African series is nearly up there with the Ashes. It's always a really big series for the guys to play in. Always hard-fought contests, very, very tough, what test match cricket is about," he said.
Shoaib, Asif in Champions Trophy preliminary squad
Both players have recently run foul of the Pakistan Cricket Board with Shoaib banned for 18 months for disciplinary reasons, and Asif the subject of an internal inquiry after being detained in Dubai for 19 days over a drug-related incident.
Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed, however, confirmed the pair had been included in their preliminary squad for the September tournament, which is being held in Pakistan.
"Obviously their final selection is subject to their 100 percent match fitness and form later on and the board," he said.
Shoaib was banned for five years in April by the PCB for disciplinary reasons, but had the ban reduced to 18 months on appeal in June.
Last week a court in Lahore suspended the ban until it made a decision on whether to hear Shoaib's legal challenge of the PCB's actions. It is expected to make a decision in September.
Asif, who only recently returned to playing after six months out with an elbow injury, is facing a PCB internal inquiry after he was stopped at Dubai airport for allegedly carrying a small quantity of contraband.
Dubai officials described the contraband as a recreational drug, but prosecutors decided against laying charges.
Asif has denied using recreational or performance enhancing drugs, but the PCB is still conducting their own inquiry.
"We and the board have the highest respect for the court's directive as far as Shoaib is concerned while Asif's case is being handled by the board committee," Ahmed said.
ICC contemplating ODI changes to counter Twenty20 growth
MUMBAI (Reuters) - The International Cricket Council (ICC) is looking at changes to one-day internationals to boost interest in the format amid Twenty20's growing popularity.
"The goal is to preserve all three formats," the ICC's general manager of cricket Dave Richardson was quoted as saying by India's The Week magazine.
"But are people willing to watch a 50-over game when Twenty20 promises more action in less time? That is the challenge."
Richardson said that among the changes being discussed were a 40-over version, and a format with two innings of 20 overs each per side.
"We still feel broadcasters need content for seven hours. We need to get the balance right and tinker with the 50-over format," added Richardson.
"The general feeling amongst cricketers is that the 50-over edition is not sacrosanct like test cricket.
"The new proposals are firmly on the agenda. We will not promise anything, but it will be looked at quite seriously."
Friday, July 4, 2008
Allan Border - Player Profile
| Full name: | Allan Robert Border |
| Born: | 27 July 1955 |
| Cremorne, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | |
| Age: | 52 |
| Batting: | Left-hand batsman |
| Bowling: | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| Major teams: | Queensland, Australia, Essex, New South Wales, Gloucestershire |
| Test debut: | Australia vs England at Melbourne, The Ashes, 3rd Test, 1978/79 |
| Latest Test: | South Africa vs Australia at Durban, 3rd Test, 1993/94 |
| ODI debut: | Australia vs England at Sydney, Australia v England, 1st ODI, 1978/79 |
| Latest ODI: | South Africa vs Australia at Bloemfontein, South Africa v Australia, 8th ODI, 1993/94 |
For more statistics click here...
It's Raining Cash on Indian Cricketers after Twenty20 World Cup Triumph
The cricket crazy nation, India celebrates its memorable victory in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup. Cricket is considered as a religion in India and the cricketers are worshipped as gods. It was evident when the triumphant team returned from South Africa.
Not only they got a grand welcome, but also gifts and cash prizes were showered on them like flowers. Here's a list of the prize money and gifts received by the Indian cricketers so far.
1) The Indian team received a prize money worth $490,000 for winning the Twenty20 World Cup.
2) The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) announced a prize money of $3 million (Rs 12 crore) for the team. Each member got a check of Rs 80 lakhs.
3) A special cash reward of Rs 1 crore given to Yuvraj Singh for his 6 sixes in an over.
4) The support staff including the Manager, Bowling Coach, Fielding Coach and Physio got Rs 15 lakhs each.
5) Lalit Modi, Vice President of BCCI gifted a Porsche car to Yuvraj Singh on his personal capacity.
6) Neosport presented a Mercedes car to R P Singh for excellent bowling performance in the tournament.
7) Sahara India has announced to give flats (worth Rs 25 lakhs = $62,500) to each cricketer.
8) The Delhi government has decided to offer free Air services to all members of Team India for 5 years.
9) Air India and Indian Airlines announced out-of-turn promotion for some cricketers including Dhoni, Uthappa, Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh. They will also get a steep hike in their salary.
10) The Haryana government has given Rs 21 lakhs to Joginder Singh.
11) The Karnataka government has announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakhs each for player Robin Uthappa and bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad.
12) Maharashtra government has announced a reward of Rs. 10 lakhs each for Ajit Agarkar and Rohit Sharma.
13) Virender Sewhag and Gautam Gambhir will receive Rs 5 lakhs each from the Delhi government.
14) The Kerala government has announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakhs for S Sreesanth.
15) The Baroda Cricket Association has handed over checks worth Rs 11 lakhs each to Pathan brothers - Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan. In addition, they also received Rs 5 lakhs each from the Gujarat government.
16) RP Singh became the first recepient of the Manyavar Kanshiramji International Sports Award that carries a reward of Rs 10 lakhs.
17) The Jharkhand Government has bestowed the first "Jharkhand Ratna" award on Mahendra Singh Dhoni. According to the Chief Minister of the state, Dhoni will get a "surprise gift" on arrival.
18) The Union government has decided to give Z+ Security cover to M S Dhoni. Although it's not an award, only few eminent and VVIP persons in the country receive such security cover.
Please Note:
10 lakh = 1 millon
1 crore = 100 lakhs or 10 million
1 lakh = 100 thousand
5 lakh = 1/2 million
The exchange rate of a US Dollar = Rs 42
Cricket: The latest American craze?
One of the fastest-growing games in the United States is, surprisingly, cricket.
The game flourished there for a while in the 19th century, but a combination of war and baseball sent it into decline. That is, until now.
Atlanta, Georgia is not a place you normally associate with cricket. It is famous for a fizzy drink and a baseball team called The Braves. So I was pleasantly surprised, on a recent visit, to hear the distinctive "thock" of leather on willow.
"Shot, Mouse!" shouted the tall, silver-haired West Indian standing next to me, as a batsman lofted a ball over the fence for six.
It was the semi-finals of the Atlanta regional play-offs between Tropical Sports Club and North Atlanta.
It was not a real cricket ground - just a piece of matting laid out in the middle of a schools softball field near the Atlanta airport.
Long history
But it felt like Sunday in Antigua. Under an awning, a large-hipped lady in a bandana barbecued jerk chicken in an oil drum. Men sat under the trees drinking Red Stripe and reminiscing about home. A copy of Ovid's Metamorphoses lay open on the ground.
for more information click here.
The game of cricket has a known history spanning from the 16th century to the present day, with international matches played since 1844, although the official history of international Test cricket began in 1877. During this time, the game developed from its origins in England into a game which is now played professionally in most of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Origin
No one knows when or where cricket began but there is a body of evidence, much of it circumstantial, that strongly suggests the game was devised during Saxon or Norman times by children living in the Weald, an area of dense woodlands and clearings in south-east England that lies across Kent and Sussex. In medieval times, the Weald was populated by small farming and metal-working communities. It is generally believed that cricket survived as a children's game for many centuries before it was increasingly taken up by adults around the beginning of the 17th century.
It is quite likely that cricket was devised by children and survived for many generations as essentially a children’s game. Adult participation is unknown before the early 17th century. Possibly cricket was derived from bowls, assuming bowls is the older sport, by the intervention of a batsman trying to stop the ball reaching its target by hitting it away. Playing on sheep-grazed land or in clearings, the original implements may have been a matted lump of sheep’s wool (or even a stone or a small lump of wood) as the ball; a stick or a crook or another farm tool as the bat; and a stool or a tree stump or a gate (e.g., a wicket gate) as the wicket [1].
Derivation of the name of "cricket"
A number of words are thought to be possible sources for the term cricket, which could refer to the bat or the wicket. In old French, the word criquet meant a kind of club which probably gave its name to croquet. Some believe that cricket and croquet have a common origin. In Flemish, krick(e) means a stick, and, in Old English, cricc or cryce means a crutch or staff (though the hard "k" sound suggests the North or Northeast midlands, rather than the Southeast, where cricket seems to have begun).
Alternatively, the French criquet apparently comes from the Flemish word krickstoel, which is a long low stool on which one kneels in church. It may appear similar to the long low wicket with two stumps used in early cricket, or the early stool in stoolball. The word stool is old dialect for a tree stump in a forest, but in stoolball it may well refer to the milking-stools which are believed to have been used as wickets in early times.
Stoolball is an ancient sport similar to cricket, still played in southern counties of England, especially Sussex, and is considered a precursor to cricket, rounders and baseball.
For More information Clik here. Thanks Wikipedia.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
