Bagai to lead young Canadian side in World Cup

Ashish Bagai will lead a young Canadian squad to the 2011 World Cup, and Rizwan Cheema will be his deputy. Apart from Bagai, seamer Henry Osinde and allrounder John Davison are the two other players in the side with prior World Cup experience. 

Canada have four Pakistan-born players in their squad who are still waiting to receive visas to enter India, where Canada play four of their six group games. Batsman Rizwan Cheema, allrounder Umar Bhatti, paceman Khurram Chohan and back-up keeper Hamza Tariq were all ruled out of Canada's recent pre-tournament warm-up in India because they couldn't enter the country, but have been named in the World Cup squad. 

The team features seven players who have come through Canada's youth programs, including six who have represented the country at the under-19 level - Zubin Surkari, Nitish Kumar, Hiral Patel, Ruvindu Gunaskera, Parth Desai, and Hamza Tariq. 

The Jamaica-born Tyson Gordon has been picked, though he still awaits confirmation of his Canadian citizenship. Cricket Canada expect this to be completed in the coming days but have named Hamza Tariq as a standby in case Gordon cannot make the cut. 

The team leaves for a pre-tournament training camp in Dubai on January 26 and will head to Bangladesh on February 8 for warm-up matches against Bangladesh and England, before opening their tournament on February 20 against Sri Lanka. 

Squad: Ashish Bagai (capt & wk), Rizwan Cheema (vice-capt), Harvir Baidwan, Nitish Kumar, Hiral Patel, Tyson Gordon, Henry Osinde, John Davison, Ruvindu Gunasekera, Parth Desai, Karl Whatham, Khurram Chohan, Jimmy Hansra, Zubin Surkari, Balaji Rao.

Kirsten won't renew India contract after World Cup

Unless there is a drastic turn of events, Gary Kirsten has taken part in his last bilateral series as India's coach. A senior BCCI official confirmed that Kirsten has expressed to the board his desire to not extend his coaching contract with India because of family commitments. In all likelihood, the World Cup will now be his last assignment with India. 

"It is a topic that has been discussed at length for a long time. I can confirm that he will not continue his coaching assignment with India after the World Cup," the official said. "Everyone was keen that Gary continue for another term, perhaps of three years. The team and the coach have developed an excellent rapport over the last three years. Everyone can see the results, which are obvious. Gary has also put in a lot of effort behind the scenes to bolster team spirit and oneness among the unit. We must respect his decision, especially because it is based on family commitments." 

The official said that the task of identifying a successor will be an important one because while "his legacy will benefit the successor", Kirsten's will be big boots to fill for any coach. India rose to their much-cherished No. 1 ranking in Tests under Kirsten's watch, and developed a habit of often coming back from dire situations.

That Kirsten is unlikely to continue after the World Cup doesn't come as a big surprise. He has previously spoken of wanting to spend more time with his family, and India's captain MS Dhoni, had also said that the team would respect Kirsten's choice. The three years that Kirsten has spent with India have been hectic, and have hardly given him time to be with his family - he has a wife and two growing sons. "Of course," Dhoni said before the start of the series, when asked if India were trying to do everything within their powers to make Kirsten stay. "But what you also need to see is he has been part of the Indian cricket team for the last three years. His family - Joshua is a growing kid right now and James is a young kid too [both Kirsten's sons] - which means Gary wants to spend time with his family. That will be the most crucial thing apart from the money aspect. 

"He has given [the Indian team] whatever he could, the best he could, and of course it was a pleasure to have him in the side, but then again it is a decision he will have to take. More than the cricketing part, it will be his family that will have a real impact on the decision." 

Media reports have - over the series - linked Kirsten with a job closer to home, coaching the South African side, who too will be without a coach after the World Cup. Those speculations gained momentum, especially when CSA extended its deadline for applications for the coaching job from January 7 to February 18. However, Kirsten is not quite likely to go looking for another international job that soon, according to sources.

Murali to end international career with World Cup

Muttiah Muralitharan has said he will retire from all international cricket after the 2011 World Cup. The 38-year-old offspinner, who had retired from Test cricket in July last year, will continue to play in domestic Twenty20 competitions.

"This World Cup will be my last outing," Muralitharan said. "My time is up. I have signed up to play for two years in the IPL. I am also looking at similar work in New Zealand and perhaps England."

Muralitharan, who holds the record for the highest number of wickets in both Test and one-day cricket was part of Sri Lanka's World Cup winning side in 1996. He is one of three spinners in Sri Lanka's squad for the 2011 tournament, the other two being left-arm spinner Ranagana Herath and Ajantha Mendis. "This is my fourth World Cup. We won in 1996 and came close in 2007 by reaching the final. This would be a memorable one for me and for Sri Lankan fans." 

Since quitting Tests, Muralitharan has played only three international matches - two ODIs and a Twenty20 game during Sri Lanka's tour of Australia in October-November 2010. He has been rested from the side for the first two ODIs of the three-match home series against West Indies which starts on January 31, Sri Lanka's final commitment before the World Cup. 

He played for Chennai Super Kings in the first three seasons of the IPL, including their triumphs in the 2010 edition of the tournament and the Champions League in the same year. He was bought by the new Kochi franchise in the 2011 IPL auction for $1.1 million. 

In July, Muralitharan had said there were plans in the pipeline for him and former India legspinner Anil Kumble to open a spin-bowling academy in Bangalore. However, while announcing his retirement after the World Cup on Friday, he said he had no immediate plans to start coaching. "There are plenty of coaches and lots of talented people out there. I will take things as they come. For the moment, I am not looking at any coaching stints."

Talisman Vettori steps down from captaincy

Daniel Vettori confirmed he would be stepping down from the captaincy after the World Cup, making the second Test at the Basin Reserve his last at the helm. Vettori has captained the side in 32 Tests since he took over from Stephen Fleming in 2007, and sits third on the list of most Tests captained for New Zealand, behind Fleming (80) and John Reid (34). 

Vettori said that the plan had always been to step down after the World Cup and that nothing had occurred to convince him to extend his tenure as skipper. "I made that decision three and a half years ago," Vettori said. "So that's it. My timing was always to finish after the World Cup and that stays the same." 

Vettori's stint has been a disappointing one for New Zealand, as his captaincy coincided with a significant dip in form for the Test team. Under him, New Zealand have won only six Tests in three years, with four of those wins coming against Bangladesh. They have lost eighteen Tests and drawn thirteen, with nine series losses out of thirteen. 

Throughout his captaincy, Vettori has been New Zealand's most consistent performer with the ball, taking 116 wickets at an average of 33.38, ahead of Chris Martin's 93 scalps at 35.08. He has also been routinely called upon to provide stability to New Zealand's batting from the lower order. He's hit four centuries and nine fifties as captain and his aggregate since taking over - 1917 runs - stands behind only Ross Taylor's and Brendon McCullum's during the same period. For much of his captaincy, Vettori has been New Zealand's talisman. A tireless workhorse with the ball, and a courageous fighter with bat in hand.

"There are always regrets, you always want to perform better," Vettori said. "But I can walk away from the captaincy thinking that I gave it everything, particularly with my performance."

The captaincy hasn't been entirely joyless though for Vettori as he singled out victories that brought him satisfaction during his tenure as leader. "The Test win against England and the Test win against Pakistan last year were highlights. Just seeing a group of young guys come into the team [has also been a highlight]. It's a vastly different outfit from the one I started captaining and I think there are some really talented players there." 

Vettori also sees a bright future ahead as long as New Zealand's young squad can capitalise on their talent, but claims the team lacks genuine strike power. "If we can get the most out of the likes Taylor, Ryder, McCullum, Guptill and Williamson in the years to come, I think there's an exciting team there. We still need to find fast bowlers coming in. You always want to find guys who can penetrate, so if they come along, that would be great." 

Despite stepping down from the captaincy, Vettori confirmed he would continue to play Test cricket and has no plans for retirement as yet. "Test cricket is the part of the game I love. I want to play for as long as I can. There are still a lot of things I want to achieve, so there's no way I'm stepping away from Test cricket."

He will captain the side in the upcoming one-day series against Pakistan, before leading the team to the World Cup. "We've got six one-dayers and then the big World Cup, so there's still a lot of captaincy to come. So that last game-hopefully the World Cup final, that's when the weight [of the captaincy] will be lifted."

Talisman Vettori steps down from captaincy

Ramnaresh Sarwan recalled for World Cup

West Indies have recalled batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan for the 2011 World Cup, after he had been left out of the national team's rain-marred tour of Sri Lanka last year. Sarwan last represented West Indies in the ODI series at home against South Africa in May and June last year and was subsequently dropped due to fitness issues and indifferent form on the domestic circuit. The World Cup team will be led by Darren Sammy and also includes fast-bowling allrounder Andre Russell, who is yet to make his ODI debut. 

Sammy took over the reins from Chris Gayle last year. Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, three players who turned down contracts with the West Indies Cricket Board, all feature in the squad following their participation in the WICB one-day tournament last year; as per WICB regulations, participation in domestic tournaments is a criteria for selection into the national team for the corresponding format. 

Nikita Miller and Sulieman Benn are the two specialist spinners, both left-arm orthodox, while Russell, Kemar Roach and Ravi Rampaul make up the pace options. Carlton Baugh was preferred over Denesh Ramdin as wicketkeeper. Baugh has not played an ODI for West Indies since November 2008, but impressed with a half-century in the second Test in Sri Lanka. 

Sarwan hasn't played Tests in more than a year, and was not offered a WICB contract last year. In the WICB one-day tournament, he averaged 21.33 in three games with one-half-century for Guyana and his team was knocked out in the league stage. However, he has an excellent ODI record in India, where West Indies play five of their six group games. He has played 15 matches there with an average of 57.30 and five half-centuries. 

"The Selection Committee deliberated extensively over the selection of this most important World Cup squad and while choosing some players was straightforward we believe that we have come up with a good mix of players who will be able to do well in the Asian conditions," Clyde Butts, the WICB's chairman of selectors, said. "We have some of the most experienced ODI cricketers on the international stage along with the effervescence and freshness of some quality young players who we are confident can not only contribute to the team but win matches." 

In the lead-up to the tournament, West Indies play three ODIs in Sri Lanka - a series rescheduled after the one-day leg of the December 2010 series was cancelled due to excessive rain. 

West Indies squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith, Sulieman Benn, Nikita Miller, Carlton Baugh (wk), Andre Rusell, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Adrian Barath.

England choose Matt Prior over Steve Davies

The return of Matt Prior is the major surprise in England's 15-man World Cup squad after he was preferred to Steve Davies for the wicketkeeper's role. Davies was the original glove man in the one-day squad against Australia, but won't be travelling to the subcontinent as England make another change behind the stumps.

The rest of the squad was as expected with Ajmal Shahzad securing the final fast bowler's slot and James Tredwell, the Kent offspinner, named as back up for Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy. Paul Collingwood was included despite his recent omission against Australia, Luke Wright retained his spot as the spare allrounder and Stuart Broad is on track to recover from the stomach injury that kept him out since the second Ashes Test in Adelaide. 

The last-minute switch to Prior was unexpected and meant England changed their one-day wicketkeeper for the third time in less than a year. Prior last played against Bangladesh, in Chittagong, in March where he batted in the middle order before being replaced by Craig Kieswetter, who held the position until the series against Pakistan in September, when Davies earned a chance.

Davies scored 197 runs in five matches against Pakistan and when he was retained for the current series against Australia he appeared set for the World Cup. He made 42 in the opening ODI in Melbourne but it was a scratchy innings which included four let-offs. The selectors were not convinced he was the right man for the subcontinent so Prior, who has been playing in the Big Bash for Victoria since the end of the Ashes, gets another chance at the top of the order. He will link up with the squad in Hobart ahead of the second ODI, where he will open with Andrew Strauss.

"Matt Prior returns to the England ODI squad after a brief absence and given his recent form and his batting style, which is very well suited to the subcontinent conditions, we believe his inclusion is warranted," Geoff Miller, the national selector, said. "Despite some strong performances both with the bat and behind the stumps by Steven Davies, we feel that Matt's game will be better suited to the conditions in Bangladesh and India, the venues staging England's group matches." 

Prior has played 55 one-day internationals and averages 25.38 with a strike-rate of 74.80, while his record in India, where England will play five of their six group matches, is unflattering with 158 runs in 11 matches at an average of 17.55. However, he did finish the Ashes series in strong form with 85 in Melbourne and 118 in Sydney, and has since hit 51 off 29 balls for Victoria on his Big Bash debut against Tasmania. 

Prior is guaranteed his place in the starting XI but the same can't be said of Collingwood after he was dropped for the opening match against Australia so he could "clear his mind". He is expected to be given some match time towards the end of the one-day series and has been backed to be a key part of the World Cup.

"Paul Collingwood may not have scored as many runs as he would have liked so far on the tour of Australia but he has been a consistently strong performer for England in limited-overs cricket for a long period of time," Miller said. "His experience, ODI knowledge and skills across all three facets of the game make him a valuable member of the squad and he'll be looking to make a big impact at another global event." 

Miller was also confident the squad had the depth to cope with all the challenges that will be put forward during the tournament. "With spin bowlers set to play a prominent role in this World Cup we feel we have quality and depth in Graeme Swann, Michael Yardy and James Tredwell who have all shown their capabilities at international level," he said. 

"We believe we have selected an extremely exciting World Cup squad that offers balance with several options across the entire squad. With this tournament being staged on the subcontinent the conditions will require a specific style of cricket and we feel that we've selected a squad that can prosper in these conditions." 

Squad Andrew Strauss (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Ajmal Shahzad, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright, Michael Yardy

Mortaza misses World Cup squad

Mashrafe Mortaza has lost his race to be fit for the World Cup after being left out of Bangladesh's squad. Mortaza injured his right knee playing club cricket in Dhaka in December and in his absence Shakib Al Hasan will lead the side. 

It is frustrating for Bangladesh but they have enjoyed a string of good results under Shakib recently, including beating New Zealand 4-0 last October and Zimbabwe 3-1 in their most recent outing last December. Tamim Iqbal was confirmed as vice-captain of the side that could spring a surprise in familiar conditions at the World Cup in February. 

Squad Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Zunaed Siddique, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed, Roqibul Hassan, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Md. Sohrawordi. 

Hussey bros, Lee included in Oz World Cup squad

Sydney: Mike Hussey was included in the final 15-man Australia squad for the World Cup announced on Tuesday despite a hamstring injury, while his brother David has earned a first call-up for cricket’s showpiece event.

Australia, who have won four of the nine World Cups including the last three, will use the same squad for the remaining six matches of the ongoing one-day series against England.

“(We have) selected a squad we believe is capable of winning a fourth successive World Cup in sub-continental conditions,” said chief selector Andrew Hilditch.

“It includes the experience of Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Brett Lee, and also some young talent like Steve Smith.

“Shaun Tait, Shane Watson, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin were all also part of the victorious 2007 squad that went unbeaten in the Caribbean, so there is plenty of character in this group of Australian cricketers.”

Mike Hussey, Australia’s best batsman in an otherwise disappointing Ashes series, injured a hamstring in the first one-day international against England on Sunday.

A decision on treatment for the injury, described as “significant” in a team statement, will be made on Tuesday.

Leg spinner Nathan Hauritz has been preferred to left-armer Xavier Doherty as the specialist spinner with David Hussey and Steve Smith adding extra options.

Experienced campaigners Brett Lee and Shaun Tait have been joined in the pace bowling unit by Doug Bollinger with Peter Siddle missing out.

“Nathan Hauritz is our preferred spin option and his one-day record in India is excellent,” said Hilditch.

“He will be an important part of our bid for this fourth World Cup. Doug Bollinger has also been a strong performer for us in one-day cricket in India in recent times and we expect him to have a big impact on the tournament. “

Power batsman David Hussey had not played a one day international since 2009 when he was included in the side for the first match against England, which Australia won by six wickets.

The 33-year-old did not get a chance to bat, however, as Shane watson guided the Australians to victory with an unbeaten 161.

“David Hussey has been selected on the back of years of excellent interstate performances in all forms of the game and we feel he will play a crucial role for us in sub-continental conditions,” Hilditch added.

The World Cup being co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from February 19 to April 2.

Australia have been drawn in Group A for the opening stage along with Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Canada and Pakistan.

Squad - Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Doug Bollinger, Brad Haddin, John Hastings, Nathan Hauritz, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Tim Paine, Steve Smith, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson, Cameron White.

I have never run after captaincy, says Shahid Afridi

Pakistan's one-day skipper Shahid Afridi has said that he is under no threat regarding the World Cup captaincy issue as he had never run after the captaincy in his entire career. "I have never run after the captaincy in my entire career. It is something for the cricket board to decide. If they feel I am good enough to lead the team in the World Cup they will retain me if not, that is life," Afridi told the reporters before leaving for New Zealand for the one-day series, starting from January 22.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to announce the final squad and the captain for the World Cup and the performances of Misbah-ul-Haq as captain and batsman in the Tests in New Zealand have made him a strong candidate to lead the team in the World Cup.

Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad also left with Afridi to join the national team (playing the Test series) in New Zealand for the six-match ODI series, the last international outing for Pakistan before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 to be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Afridi said he was just focusing on the one-day series, which was his immediate task.
"I am taking no pressure over the captaincy. I am a senior pro and I know what I have to do," he said.

"It is obvious that if we do well in the one-day series and I also perform as a player it will help me and the team a lot," he added.

Afridi said the series in New Zealand was an important one for Pakistan as part of their preparations for the World Cup.

"If we win the series it will definitely boost our confidence ahead of the World Cup, although the tournament would be played in totally different conditions," he pointed out.

The flamboyant allrounder who has led Pakistan in T20 and ODIs since last year, said the team management and selectors had more or less finalised the combination for the World Cup.
"But the players selected for the New Zealand series have to perform well so that we can go into the World Cup with our confidence high."

New Zealand appoint Allan Donald as bowling consultant

New Zealand have hired former South African fast bowler Allan Donald as their bowling consultant.
The former player was recently associated with Zimbabwe Cricket for three months as a head coach for their domestic side, the Mountaineers.

Donald was offered to be a part of the Kiwi team under the recently appointed coach John Wright, and he accepted the offer. He had to request the Zimbabwe Cricket to release him from his contract with them.

Although the New Zealand cricket board has requested Donald to be a part of the team on temporary basis, the fast bowler is very excited about the opportunity.
He said, “I'm extremely grateful to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) and the Mountaineers for agreeing to release me and I'm equally excited about the possibility of joining New Zealand Cricket on a more permanent basis.”
The former South African bowler further stated that he had learnt a lot from his experience with the Zimbabwean cricket team. Although he had been just a part of the team for three months, he said that he enjoyed the time with them.

Commenting on the Zimbabwean team, Donald said that he had seen a lot of potential in some players and the team was heading into the right direction. The Zimbabwe team will return to Test cricket in 2011 after the World Cup.

Donald was also excited to be a part of international cricket alongside John Wright. He stated, “The opportunity to return to international cricket was irresistible and to work with somebody of the stature of John Wright is something which doesn't come along every day and I can't wait to get started.”
The Kiwi team made many changes in the management after their disastrous run in 2010, the first one being the appointment of John Wright as the head coach in place of Mark Greatbatch.
The team is keen on improving their performance ahead of the ICC World Cup 2011 and Donald’s inclusion to the coaching staff seems a big step towards that.

New Zealand are currently engaged in a Test series against Pakistan where the hosts are trailing by 0-1 in the two-match series.

India World Cup 2011 squad announced

The BCCI national selectors-led by K Srikanth has announced the final 15-member squad for the forthcoming World Cup 2011 on Monday.

Not surprisingly, selectors have included four pacer and three spinners in the squad while the batting line-up is at par the expectations. The selection of batsmen indicates that selectors are not in mood to disturb the trusted order, which includes Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan and MS Dhoni.

However, exclusion of Ishant Sharma and Rohit Sharma from the final 15, was little bit surprising. Despite of selecting three wicketkeepers in the 30-member list of World Cup probables, Srikanth & Co. have shown interest in just one stumper (Dhoni).

Ravichandran Ashwin’s great run in the cricket field continues as he managed to get the World Cup ticket along with leg spinner Piyush Chawla.

Squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin

No Rohit Sharma in World Cup squad

The exclusion of middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma was the surprise in India's 15-man World Cup squad announced in Chennai. The other bone of contention had been the second specialist spinner's slot, and the selectors have picked both offspinner R Ashwin and legspinner Piyush Chawla, ahead of left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha. Most of the other names in the squad were along expected lines.

India's major concern ahead of the team selection was the injuries to four first-choice players - Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and quick bowler Praveen Kumar - but the selectors picked all four, confident that they will be fit in time for the tournament which starts on February 19.

India's bowling attack for the World Cup will be significantly different from their standard Test attack, with only Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh being named. The fast bowling pair of Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma, and Ojha are all excluded while Munaf Patel, who helped India to a series-levelling victory over South Africa on Saturday, has found a place as the fourth seamer.

The selectors have gone in for a well-stocked slow bowling department, expecting traditional subcontinent tracks for the World Cup. Besides Harbhajan, there are two specialists in Ashwin and Chawla, an allrounder in Yusuf Pathan besides the part-time offerings of Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Virender Sehwag.

Chawla was also something of a surprise pick, though he is part of the one-day squad currently touring South Africa. He hasn't played any one-dayers for India since the Asia Cup in July 2008, and none of his 21 ODIs have been at home.

The squad also has only seven specialist batsmen, including MS Dhoni, which might be a worry in case of injuries. India haven't played their full-strength one-day side since the New Zealand tour in early 2009. There is no reserve keeper in the squad either, but that shouldn't be a concern as they can have one travel with them in case he is needed at short notice.

Kris Srikkanth, chairman of the national selection committee, was confident India could end their 28-year wait for a one-day World Cup. "This particular Indian team is doing brilliantly for the past couple of years in both Test and ODI cricket. They are playing consistently not only in India but outside," he told reporters after the team was announced. "We are confident this team will do well and win the World Cup for us in front of the home crowd."

He also defended the large spin contingent in the squad. "Don't forget that you are playing in India. The spinners probably play a very major role on the turning wickets. I am confident that the kind of balance we have, the kind of batting line-up we have, this team led by Dhoni will do the job for us."

Smith surpasses Cronje's captaincy record

Johannesburg: Graeme Smith Saturday surpassed late Hansie Cronje's record of leading South Africa in most number of One-day Internationals.

Smith achieved the record when he led the side for the 139th time in the second of the five ODIs against India here.

"Smith's achievement is outstanding, especially when it is taken into account that he became captain at the age of 21, only after one full season in international cricket," said CSA CEO Gerald Majola.

"Graeme has more than justified CSA's faith in his leadership qualities when he was appointed at such a young age, and since then he has grown considerably in stature both as a player and as a captain.

India vs South Africa

Smith made his ODI captaincy debut against India at Dhaka in 2003.

"It is most fitting that he achieves this extraordinary South African captaincy record against India eight years later.

"He has an ODI average of over 40 and a Test average of over 50, which is remarkable because he has done this on top of being captain in both forms of the game and he has not yet reached 30 years of age.

Majola feels it will be fitting if South Africa wins the World Cup under Smith's captaincy.

"He has been an essential part of the process that has moulded the Proteas into a formidable unit, and the cherry on the top of his captaincy would certainly be bringing the ICC World Cup," he said.

I never played politics in my career, says Ganguly

Kolkata: Asserting that he never played politics as a cricketer, Sourav Ganguly Saturday regretted that he was probably the only Indian captain to have been dropped after winning a series.

"I never did politics. I wouldn't have been here if I had done politics," Ganguly told students of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) during an interaction here.

Ganguly should have followed Kumble

Referring to his famous comeback into the Indian team in the South Africa tour late 2006, Ganguly said: "It's just that I wanted to play. I was 32 then when I was left out. I was probably the only captain who was left out after a series win."

Recalling his feelings when he out of the team, he said: "I felt depressed, sad at times."

"I felt I was good enough. As good a player as anybody else in the team. Of course some were slightly better."

Asked how he succeeded in making his great comeback when lot of others had gone into the wilderness after being given the boot, Ganguly replied: "Difference was I had a past record which was good, that helps. Whenever you are in the team you have to deliver. I played well (when I returned to the team). India won. I got accepted quickly."

He urged the students to be transparent as a leader. "With my practical experiences I say whatever you do you would not be at the top all the time. So when you are at the top be transparent. The rule is the same for all, be it in politics or sports.''

Why did they have to insult Dada again?

"As the leader you must tell the truth. They might not like it, but it's important to be clear with your colleagues."

Ganguly said it was important to have faith in one's own abilities in difficult times. "It's a thing in life which all of you will go through. The higher you go, the more you go through. It is important to have faith in yourself."

Tendulkar equals Jayasuriya's ODI record

JOHANNESBURG: India's Sachin Tendulkar is playing his 444th one-day international, reaching another milestone in a career where he holds nearly every major record with the bat.

Tendulkar, 37, equaled Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya for the number of ODI appearances. Tendulkar reached the mark in the second ODI against South Africa on Saturday and will likely break the record in the third game on Tuesday.

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Tendulkar already holds records for the most Test appearances (177), the most Test centuries (51) and the most Test runs.

In ODI cricket, Tendulkar has 17,000 runs - over 4,000 more than Jayasuriya in second - and has hit 17 more ODI centuries than his nearest rival, Ricky Ponting of Australia - 46 vs 29.

Tendulkar is also the only player to make 200 in a 50-over international.

Munaf clinches stunning win for India

 

India 190 (Yuvraj 53, Dhoni 38, Tsotsobe 4-22) beat South Africa 189 (Smith 77, Munaf 4-29) by one run
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

South Africa made a mess of what should have been a comfortable chase of a below-par total at Wanderers, stumbling in the batting Powerplay and then sinking to a dispiriting defeat in a thrilling finish. In conditions less favourable for batting than what the venue has offered in the past, Graeme Smith had put South Africa on course with a positive innings but his wicket in the 33rd over triggered a collapse that was a product of panic, ill-luck and some needling Indian bowling. Munaf Patel's spell proved decisive as he dislodged Smith and ended the South African innings with two wickets in the 43rd over when the hosts were just a shot away from victory.

More to follow

75 overs South Africa 122 for 4 (Smith 68*, Miller 1*) need 69 more runs to beat India 190 (Yuvraj 53, Tsotsobe 4-22)

Graeme Smith stood firm amid India's attempts to defend a below-par 190 at Wanderers. Smith batted positively to keep South Africa's chase on track, though he lost four partners in conditions less favourable for batsmen than what the venue has offered in the past.

Just as the South African bowlers had done, each of Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra were able to nip the ball off the pitch though their accuracy failed to measure up to what their opponents had managed. While they were able to beat the edge on more than one occasion - Munaf got rid of Hashim Amla early with a delivery that darted back in - they doled out enough bad balls to allow Smith and South Africa to ease any pressure. Munaf was punished for consecutive boundaries through mid-off and point, while Zaheer was pulled through midwicket when he pitched short.

Colin Ingram was a little rusty to begin with but gradually grew in confidence; the highlight of his brief knock being a six over long-on off a length delivery from Nehra. He was dropped by MS Dhoni shortly after, and edged one to the third-man boundary but the Indians didn't have to wait long to see his back. He defended inside the line to Harbhajan Singh, who was able to derive a significant amount of turn from the track, and was trapped in front. AB de Villiers, not long after, nicked an away-going delivery from Nehra to Dhoni to make it 77 for 3.

Smith, though, continued to be positive, using his feet against Harbhajan Singh, while JP Duminy, too, charged out to combat the turn and take the ball off a length. Smith cracked Nehra through midwicket for a second time and punched Zaheer through the covers shortly after reaching his fifty and 6,000 runs in ODIs. Just when it seemed South Africa were coasting, Duminy struck part-timer offspinner Rohit Sharma straight to long-on but Smith's assured presence remains the major obstacle for India.

50 overs India 190 (Yuvraj 53, Dhoni 38, Tsotsobe 4-22) v South Africa

A disciplined bowling performance from South Africa choked India at Wanderers, keeping them to a below-par score on a pitch that is expected to last the day. Unlike in Durban, it wasn't the bounce that India's batsmen struggled against but nagging lines and lengths from the seamers, particularly Lonwabo Tsotsobe, and variations in pace from Johan Botha. India tried hard, and promised a fighting score through two partnerships, but such was South Africa's determination that a wicket never seemed too far away.

India approached their innings cautiously under overcast skies after opting to bat, and the openers were averse to chasing deliveries outside off due to the movement off the pitch. Dale Steyn and Tsotsobe consistently bowled in the corridor outside off and were only targeted when they delivered full and straight. M Vijay flicked Steyn over square leg, while Tendulkar drove him past midwicket for a boundary but they were rare moments of relief for the batsmen.

At a venue that has traditionally been favourable for batting, South Africa capitalised on what little assistance was on offer and India's circumspection. Tendulkar had taken 10 balls to score, while Vijay had been lucky to edge a slog over the slips. A similar attempt in the eighth over off Tsotsobe didn't pay off, however, and he skied a catch to wide mid-on. Tsotsobe benefited from angling the ball across the batsmen, getting it to cut away and beat attempts to open the face. Tsotsobe's role had been a largely containing one but his accuracy amid India's pressure to accelerate as the pitch eased out earned him some more rewards later in the innings.

Tsotsobe's possible competition for the third seamer's spot in the World Cup is Wayne Parnell, and his introduction, along with Virat Kohli's arrival, infused some urgency to India's innings. Parnell bowled a length and line different to that of his team-mates, and was driven handsomely by Kohli down the ground and Tendulkar past midwicket. Made less potent by his lack of movement, Parnell was taken for runs mostly through the leg side.

Though the flow of runs increased, what remained consistent was the uncertainty in the running between the wickets. Tendulkar survived two run-out attempts and when he refused a single, it was Kohli who paid the price, dislodged by a direct hit from David Miller. Tendulkar didn't last long after that, inside-edging a slowish delivery that kept low from Botha onto the stumps.

The end of that hard-fought partnership meant MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh had to build from scratch, and they set about leading India's recovery as the field spread out. Displaying little signs of getting bogged down, neither batsman felt compelled to take undue risks and instead ensured a steady scoring-rate through working the field. Both used the sweep and the paddle, while Yuvraj often drove straight to pinch twos because long-on that was wider than usual. Bad balls were a rarity but Yuvraj was prompt to punish them when on offer: he slashed Morkel over point and flicked Tsotsobe to the fine-leg boundary to raise his half-century. The stand was worth 83 and with 13 more overs to go, a score of 240 was on.

But Tsotsobe struck next ball as Yuvraj drove straight into mid-off's hands, and he returned when India took the batting Powerplay to trap Suresh Raina plumb in front. If that wasn't enough, he backed up his wicket-maiden in the Powerplay by yorking Dhoni to finish with his best figures in the 50-over format and potentially, a second consecutive Man-of-the-Match award.

The rest of the line-up folded in little time. The tail succumbed to ill-executed attempts to clear the field and Rohit Sharma was trapped in front as he walked across to a Morkel delivery, during another dispiriting performance with the bat for the visitors.

World Cup could be a three-way race - Duncan Fletcher

Next month's World Cup could end up being a three-way race between the top teams in Test cricket, Duncan Fletcher, the former England coach and currently South Africa's batting consultant, has said. "You've got three sides on a par: India South Africa and England, all with different strengths and weaknesses," Fletcher said in Johannesburg on Friday. 

Fletcher claimed South Africa, who have never won a World Cup, are going to be a "huge threat" in the subcontinent. "I believe South Africa match everyone as far as one-day cricket is concerned." He indicated that their stiffest challenge will come from India, who will be under "enormous pressure" because they are playing at home and England, given their recent form. "England has a good athletic side in the one-day game. The big difference, and you can see it, is the confidence having gone out to beat Australia." 

While Fletcher singled out those three teams as the top dogs, he also felt this World Cup will be one of the most hotly contested in years, because of the more level-playing field. "It's an open World Cup for a change. There are no firm favourites. You can't rule out Sri Lanka. Australia, although they have taken a huge dip, I don't know where they are at the moment and Pakistan, you can't write them off on those wickets."

The conditions in the subcontinent are expected to be a major factor in the tournament and Fletcher had two significant pieces of advice for all the teams. "Spinners are going to be crucial," he said, "Secondly, you need fit cricketers, because it's going to be hot there and the players have to adapt to those kinds of wickets and get their techniques right and how to play on those wickets." 

Both those warnings will need to be taken seriously by South Africa, who traditionally only use one spinner and came under fire for several senior players suffering from cramp in the 2007 tournament in the Caribbean. That senior-player contingent which consisted of Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Justin Kemp, now only two survivors and the dynamics of the South African team have changed since then, so fitness should not be an issue, whereas the role of the spinner might be.

Johan Botha shoulders most of the slow-bowling responsibility, with JP Duminy's role increasing. The South African selectors have included Pakistan-born legspinner Imran Tahir in the squad for the current series ODI against India, but he did not play in the first match in Durban and looks unlikely to make an appearance in the second in Johannesburg. The pitches in South Africa favour their four-seamer, one spinner, attack and without testing Tahir here, it's difficult to see how he will fit into the World Cup plans.

For Fletcher, the big question that hung over South Africa was how their bowlers will adjust to pitches that are significantly different to the quick, bouncy strips they are playing the current series on and are used to. He didn't think South Africa were easily fooled into believing they will be gifted surfaces like the one they had in Durban on Wednesday, where they bowled India out for 154, but he was concerned about the short time-frame they will have to acclimatise to vastly different conditions. "When they go to India those wickets may be a bit slower and a bit flatter, but they just have to get used to it. They have to adapt a bit quicker," he said. 

South Africa played ODI cricket in India last year as well as a series in similar conditions in the UAE against Pakistan. Fletcher said the planning has been in place for a while for this World Cup, but the execution will still be important. "They've [youngsters] been across to Sri Lanka on a couple of A tours so they planned well in that situation. But there's still a huge jump up from that level to international level."

Fletcher believed South Africa had the ability to learn quickly and with the number of young players in the set up, and the guidance they will be provided with, they will have the right mindset to challenge for the title. "With fresh young minds coming through and wanting ideas you just have to make sure you go through their game mentally rather than technically. The key to it is to make them believe that ability they have is good enough and it has got them to this level. That's why they have been picked." 

Fletcher will travel with the South African team for the remainder of the ODI series against India and through the warm-up stages of the World Cup. He has also not ruled out coaching them on a full-time basis in future. With Corrie van Zyl stepping down after the World Cup, there is every possibility of Fletcher stepping in. "I'm not going to say I like a job, I'm not going to say I don't like a job at the moment. I've been very fortunate with the work I'm doing with South Africa." 

Cricket South Africa extended the deadline for applications for the head coach to February 18, so Fletcher still has some time to consider if he will throw his name into the hat.

Tendulkar and Kallis share number-one batting spot

India batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis of South Africa have jointly claimed the coveted number-one position in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after stellar performances in the Cape Town Test which finished on Thursday.

Tendulkar, who scored 146 and 14 not out, has gained one place while Kallis has been rewarded with a jump of four places for his performances of 161 and 109 not out .that earned him the man of the series and match of the match awards, to leapfrog Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara.

Both the batsmen now sit on 883 ratings points, just one ahead of Sangakkara.

Tendulkar, who won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year Award 2010 at the LG ICC Awards in Bengaluru in October last year, last claimed the number-one spot on 14 October 2010 after his magnificent 214 and 53 not out against Australia also in Bengaluru.

It is the 10th time that Tendulkar has claimed the number-one ranking which he first achieved in his 33rd Test in November 1994 against the West Indies in Mumbai.

Kallis last surged to the top of the batting table in October 2005 after the Sydney Test against Australia while he first topped the chart after the Newlands Test against England in January 2005. He earned 77 ratings points from the series against India in which he scored 498 runs.

Also charging up the batting table are left-handed openers Alastair Cook of England and Gautam Gambhir of India. Cook, who scored a match-winning 189 in Sydney, has vaulted eight places to fifth spot. Cook had entered the Ashes in 30th position on 628 ratings point and ended the series with a career-best rating of 803 – thanks to his series aggregate of 766 runs which earned him the man of the series award.

Gambhir has broken into the top 20 and he now sits in 15th position after his scores of 93 and 64 have helped him jump seven places in the latest rankings which were released on Friday.

England's Ian Bell and Matt Prior have also improved their rankings after hitting centuries in England's an innings and 83 runs victory in Sydney. Bell has moved up five places to 22nd position while Prior is now in 29th position after gaining six places.

In the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, South Africa's Dale Steyn continues to lead the pack. He is now on 899 ratings points after earning two ratings points and will now have to wait until the next Test series against Australia in September-October before he takes a shot at the 900-point mark threshold..

Bowlers making upward movements include James Anderson in third (up by one place), Ishant Sharma in 15th (up by one place), S.Sreesanth in 22nd (up by four places), Ben Hilfenhaus in 24th (up by two places), Shane Watson in 32nd (up by one place) and Tim Bresnan in 36th (up by five places).

There is no change in the top five of the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders with Kallis leading Daniel Vettori of New Zealand by a distance.

Australia finally halt England's winning march

Australia edged out England by four runs in the second and final Twenty20 International at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday to level the series 1-1.

With this loss, England's world record eight match winning streak in Twenty20 Internationals also came to an end.

Australia, after opting to bat first, posted 147 for 7 in its 20 overs. England started off briskly but later lost its way in the chase and ended up at 143 for 6 to finish on the losing side.

Earlier, Australia rode on a brisk start by David Warner (30: 26b, 3x4), but quickly slipped from 63 for 2 to 80 for five. It required a 51-run stand for the sixth wicket between Aaron Finch (53: 33b, 4x4, 2x6) and Steven Smith to give the score some respectability. For England its spinners Graeme Swann (2-19) and Michael Yardy (2-19) bowled well.

England began its chase in fine fashion with Ian Bell (39: 30b, 3x4) and Steven Davies (29: 26b, 2x4) adding 60 in 7.2 overs. But a middle-order collapse followed. England moved from 60-0 to 88-4 and thereafter fell behind the asking rate. Chris Woakes spanked a straight six off Brett Lee in the last over to bring in some excitement into the contest but it was too little too late.

All-rounder Shane Watson (2-17) and fast bowler Mitchell Johnson (3-29) were the best bowlers on view as Australia snapped their five-match losing streak in Twenty20 Internationals.

CWC 2011 50-day countdown celebrations in Cape Town

Cricket fans flocked to the picturesque and world famous V and A Waterfront in Cape Town on Friday evening to celebrate 50 days to go before the start of the game's flagship event, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

The tournament begins in Mirpur, Dhaka, on 19 February with the much-anticipated opener between co-hosts Bangladesh and India.

Joining the many followers of the game in Cape Town were Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat and South Africa and India captains, Graeme Smith and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The full version of the official promotional film for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 was also revealed at the press conference. This promotional film will be part of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 television marketing campaign that will go on air this month.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 trophy was later displayed at the function which concluded shortly after midnight with a spectacular fireworks display.

The celebrations will continue today (Saturday) at the V and A Waterfront Shopping Centre with the fans having an opportunity to be photographed with The Cup that Counts.

Ms Zille, in her welcome address, said: "2010 will always be remembered as the year of a successful and exciting FIFA World Cup in South Africa. It is a fitting way to conclude 2010 by welcoming the ICC Cricket World Cup trophy to Cape Town."

Mr Lorgat said he was delighted to see so much interest and excitement building up amongst the players and followers of the game.

"With 50 days to go before cricket's flagship event starts, key players are starting to think and talk a lot more about the World Cup"

"The players will soon start with their World Cup focus and preparation and the related anticipation across the world will escalate with each passing day."

With the three host nations busy with extensive preparation and recognizing that a few venues were behind schedule, Mr Lorgat urged everyone to continue with the hard work required to successfully stage a world-class event.

"We must do our utmost to complete all the necessary work to deliver another memorable event," said Mr Lorgat.

He also thanked the host countries and the ICC's commercial partners for their excellent work to date.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith, whose side opens its campaign against two-time winner West Indies in New Delhi on 24 February, shared his excitement when he said: "I can't believe that the World Cup is only 50 days away! The spectacular way that 50 days to the World Cup was marked is a pointer to the magnitude of the event.

"As a unit, we are looking to make sure we head into the showpiece with the best preparation possible.

"The five-match ODI series against India starting on 12 January will be our last chance to make sure we are fully prepared and we hope to bring home the silverware."

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he can feel the World Cup buzz around him.
"With just 50 days remaining before we launch our campaign to win the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, I can clearly feel and sense the tremendous excitement which is gripping the cricket fraternity," he said.

"It is not a surprise to me as it doesn't get any bigger than the World Cup. It is the ultimate dream of every cricketer to represent his country in this competition and win the glittering trophy at least once in his career.

"Every one of us in the India dressing room wants to lift that cup, not only for ourselves, but also for the billions of fans supporting us around the globe. It will require a lot of hard work, self belief and also a positive approach which Team India is capable of displaying at the highest level."

Commenting on his side's preparations for the World Cup, Dhoni said: "I'm happy with our preparations so far as we have gelled well, we have backed each other all the way and have played some excellent cricket lately. But we are also aware that we need to peak at the right time and maintain a winning momentum as the competition will be tough and every team will enter the event fancying its chances.

"Each team and match will bring a fresh challenge and we will have to play to our potential every time we take the field."

The charismatic India captain urged the spectators to play their part in making the event the most successful ever.

He said: "I also take this opportunity to urge the India public and spectators to support the tournament and all the teams taking part in it. I would love to see every stadium packed to capacity even when we are not playing.

"With billions of eyes following the World Cup on television, this would be another great opportunity for us to showcase our love and passion for this great sport. Let us all unite and make the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in the subcontinent the best ever."

Official ICC CWC 2011 merchandise goes on sale

Supporters following the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and general cricket fans around the globe can now ensure they look the part following the launch of the official tournament online store.

The site, which is being managed by international brand management company IVS Group Ltd, will offer a wide range of official merchandise, including T-shirts, polos, caps, key-rings, mini-bats and horns as well as a range of products for children centred around the event mascot, Stumpy.

Visitors to www.icconlinestore.com can shop for official merchandise by product, by team or by range and purchasing is convenient, safe and secure with Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Laser, Maestro and Solo all accepted methods of payment.

Managing Director of IVS Group Ash Kapoor said: "We are proud to be working with such a prestigious international event as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. It is the third biggest sporting event in the world and we are honoured to be providing the merchandising services this time just as we did at the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009 and 2010."

The licensing and merchandise for the tournament is facilitated and managed by Licensing In Motion (LIM), the ICC's global licensing and merchandising partner, and the online store can be found at www.icconlinestore.com with a worldwide delivery service provided.

In addition, IVS Group will also manage the official onsite event sales and will be present at all 13 venues of the ICC 2011 Cricket World Cup across Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. IVS always uses local suppliers and labour thus generating jobs within the community while minimising environmental impact.

Gilchrist to captain Kings XI Punjab

Adam Gilchrist, the former Australia wicketkeeper, will be the captain of Kings XI Punjab for the fourth season of the IPL, the Punjab coach Michael Bevan has said. Bevan said Punjab bought Gilchrist, who led Hyderabad to the trophy in the IPL's second season, specifically for his leadership skills. Gilchrist was bought on the first day of the auction for $900,000. 

"The main reason we picked him was because he is the captain," Bevan, who was appointed Punjab coach four days before the auction, said. He also brushed aside any fears of form or fitness issues Gilchrist might have considering he is the second oldest player in the IPL at 39 years. "Even if he is not at the peak of his career, I still feel as a leader he has a lot to offer. In Twenty20 cricket you are not asking the guy to strike at 120 in the opening position. You are asking for guys to strike at 140 or 150 and Gilly is the type of player who can turn in three or four match-winning performances over the season." 

It was Gilchrist who contacted Bevan, with whom he played alongside in the 1999 and 2003 World Cup winning sides, as soon as he heard the news. "He pretty much rang back straightaway and has been involved in the team-building process in the auction after that. That is a great sign; him lending his experience with some of the players he has played with. As a coach, you want your captain immersed in what we are trying to achieve."

Gilchrist was the first player bought by Punjab, on January 8. They proceeded to buy 10 more players, with only four Indian players, the backbone of any IPL team, adding wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, batting allrounder Abhishek Nayar, legspinner Piyush Chawla and seamer Praveen Kumar.

Bevan reckoned spending big money on some of the Indian players might have been a gamble, but he did admit he was new at the IPL poker table. "I was not sure paying two million for a really good player would pay off, but we will wait and see." Punjab had at their disposal a purse of $9 million, but came out of the auction with $2.17 million left unspent. Though he did not say it plainly, Bevan confessed Punjab might have erred in not risking more money on players. "Perhaps we misread the market a little and misread the pricing. There was some fever-pitch bidding, with Indian players going for sky-high prices which we never expected." 

Even though he knew Indian players would go for pretty high prices because there were only 48 of them, Bevan was surprised by how much some of the younger players got. "There was always going to be a premium on the Indian players. We were happy to go with some good solid younger players, but even they went for lots of money." 

Punjab lost out on several players whom they started to bid for, only to be outbid by other franchises. Mahela Jayawardene, who played for them in the first three seasons of the IPL, was bought by Kochi for $1.5 million after Punjab had made a $1.4 million bid. They bid the same amount for Yuvraj Singh, Punjab's captain in the first two seasons and their icon player, only to lose him to the new Pune franchise for $1.8 million. They also lost bidding wars for Australia allrounder Cameron White, India batsman Rohit Sharma, and allrounder Irfan Pathan, who was part of their team for the first three seasons. 

Bevan pointed out that the team owners had decided to stick to a certain budget. "As a coach you also got to go with your budget constraints and hence we had to work out the pricing. It is all part of the big picture. It is just not having the ability to get anyone you want." 

Punjab will now have to fill up the rest of their squad with the uncapped Indian players and India Under-19 players. 

Bevan admitted that taking over as the Punjab coach is the most high-profile job he has ever done, and said the fact he entered late into the piece meant he was a little bit nervous before the auction. But he remains confident of Punjab's prospects because of the presence of Gilchrist.

No takers for Ashes heroes and cricket legends

Bangalore: There were no takers for England's Ashes heroes James Anderson, Graeme Swann, Matt Prior and cricket legends like Brian Lara and Sourav Ganguly on the first day of the players' auction for the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Saturday.

Ganguly, India's most successful Test captain, was the first of the 16 players to go into the unsold basket at the ITC Royal Gardenia. Ganguly was earlier placed in the $200,000 price bracket, but he later increased his base price to $400,000, which is the highest bracket for marquee players in the league.

Ganguly, who was the oldest Indian player up for auction at 38 years and six months, had a tough time with Knight Riders and was also removed from captaincy in the second edition in South Africa.

But Knight Riders were not interested in Ganguly and released him for the fourth edition. During Ganguly's auction, the spotlight was on the Knight Riders' table, but the team's think tank looked down as his name was repeatedly called before he went to the unsold basket.

Ganguly was soon joined by another Knight Riders player Gayle in the unsold category.

At 41, Lara was the oldest player in the IPL auction and failed to attract any of the 10 franchises and the celebrity auctioneer Richard Madley didn't waste much time to dump him in the unsold basket where he joined Gayle, another former West Indies captain.

Lara made a return to competitive cricket by playing in Zimbabwe's premier Twenty20 league in October. He was eager to play in the IPL and was also working on his fitness.

IPL chairman Chirayu Amin said that the unsold players will get another chance to find buyers.

"The unsold players will be back in the fray again after the initial rounds are over. This is a reality of the game. It is extremely competitive and the choice of players is left with the owners. The IPL governing council has no say in this matter. It is unfortunate but that's the reality of life," said Amin.

The list of 16 unsold cricketers:

Sourav Ganguly (India) $400,000
Brian Lara (West Indies) $400,000
Chris Gayle (West Indies) $400,000
Luke Wright (England) $400,000
James Anderson (England) $400,000
Graeme Swann (England)$400,000
Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa) $200,000
Matt Prior (England) $200,000
Mark Boucher (South Africa) $200,000
Murali Kartik (India) $200,000
Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka) $200,000
Jesse Ryder (New Zealand) $100,000
Dilharo Fernando (Sri Lanka) $100,000
Chamara Kapugedera (Sri Lanka) $100,000
Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh) $100,000
Graham Manou (Australia) $50,000 

List of players involved in the IPL auction held in Bangalore on January 8 and 9, 2011. The list of players bought is in descending order of their final bid price.

Gautam Gambhir sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for a record $2.4 million.

Yusuf Pathan to Kolkata Knight Riders for $2.1 million.

Robin Uthappa to Pune for $2.1 million

Rohit Sharma to Mumbai Indians for $2 million.

Irfan Pathan to Delhi Daredevils for $1.9 million.

Yuvraj Singh to Pune for $1.8 million.

Saurabh Tiwary to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $1.6 million.

Mahela Jayawardene to Kochi for $1.5 million.

David Hussey to Kings XI Punjab for $1.4 million

Dale Steyn goes to Deccan Chargers for $1.2 million

Muttiah Muralitharan to Kochi for $1.1 million.

AB de Villiers to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $1.1 million.

Cameron White to Deccan Chargers for $1.1 million.

Jacques Kallis to Kolkata Knight Riders for $1.1 million.

Ross Taylor to Rajasthan Royals for $1 million.

Angelo Mathews to Pune for $950,000

Ravindra Jadeja to Kochi for $950,000

Johan Botha to Rajasthan Royals for $950,000.

Dan Christian to Deccan Chargers for $900,000

Dinesh Karthik to Kings XI Punjab for $900,000

Piyush Chawla to Kings XI Punjab for $900,000.

Sreesanth to Kochi for $900,000

Adam Gilchrist to Kings XI Punjab for $900,000.

Zaheer Khan to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $900,000.

R Ashwin to Chennai Super Kings for $850,000

Ashish Nehra to Pune for $850,000

Andrew Symonds to Mumbai Indians for $850,000

S Badrinath to Chennai Super Kings for $800,000.

Praveen Kumar to Kings XI Punjab for $800,000.

Abhishek Nayar to Kings XI Punjab for $800,000

Umesh Yadav to Delhi Daredevils for $750,000

David Warner to Delhi for $750,000

Munaf Patel to Mumbai Indians for $700,000

Venugopal Rao to Delhi Daredevils for $700,000

Cheteswar Pujara to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $700,000.

Doug Bollinger to Chennai Super Kings for $700,000

Kumar Sangakkara to Deccan Chargers for $700,000.

Dirk Nannes to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $650,000.

Tillakaratne Dilshan to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $650,000.

Kevin Pietersen to Deccan Chargers for $650,000.

Daniel Vettori to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $550,000

Lakshmipathy Balaji to Kolkata Knight Riders for $500,000

Pragyan Ojha to Deccan Chargers for $500,000

Rahul Dravid to Rajasthan Royals for $500,000.

Graeme Smith to Pune for $500,000.

RP Singh to Kochi for $500,000.

R Vinaykumar to Kochi for $475,000

Manoj Tiwary to Kolkata Knight Riders for $475,000.

Morne Morkel to Delhi Daredevils for $475,000

Brendon McCullum to Kochi for $475,000.

Ishant Sharma to Deccan Chargers for $450,000.

Brad Hodge to Kochi for $425,000.

Shakib al Hasan to Kolkata Knight Riders for $425,000

Michael Hussey to Chennai for $425,000.

Brett Lee to Kolkata Knight Riders for $400,000

Stuart Broad to Kings XI Punjab for $400,000

VVS Laxman to Kochi for $400,000

Murli Kartik to Pune for $400,000

Ashok Dinda to Delhi Daredevils for $375,000

Eoin Morgan to Kolkata Knight Riders for $350,000.

James Hopes to Delhi Daredevils for $350,000.

Ryan Harris to Kings XI Punjab for $325,000.

Brad Haddin goes to Kolkata Knight Riders for $325,000.

Shaun Tait to Rajasthan Royals for $300,000

Callum Ferguson to Pune for $300,000

Aaron Finch to Delhi Daredevils for $300,000

Amit Mishra to Deccan Chargers for $300,000

Shikhar Dhawan to Deccan Chargers for $300,000.

JP Duminy to Deccan Chargers for $300,000

Mitchell Marsh to Pune for $290,000

Manpreet Gony to Deccan Chargers for $290,000

Parthiv Patel to Kochi for $290,000

Naman Ojha to Delhi Daredevils for $270,000

Tim Paine to Pune for $270,000

Abhimanyu Mithun to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $260,000

Jaidev Unadkat to Kolkata Knight Riders for $250,000

Paul Collingwood to Rajasthan Royals for $250,000.

Sudeep Tyagi to Chennai Super Kings for $240,000

Ajit Agarkar to Delhi Daredvils for $210,000

Owais Shah to Kochi for $200,000

Scott Styris to Chennai Super Kings for $200,000

Steven Smith to Kochi for $200,000

Dwayne Bravo to Chennai Super Kings at $200,000

Davy Jacobs to Mumbai Indians for $190,000

Ramesh Powar to Kochi for $180,000

Wayne Parnell to Pune for $160,000

Ryan ten Doeschate to Kolkata Knight Riders for $150,000

Jesse Ryder to Pune for $150,000

Joginder Sharma to Chennai Super Kings for $150,000

Charl Langeveldt to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $140,000

Mohammad Kaif to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $130,000

Faf du Plessis to Chennai Super Kings for $120,000

Clint McKay to Mumbai Indians for $110,000

Jerome Taylor to Pune for $100,000

James Pattinson to Kolkata Knight Riders for $100,000

Alfonso Thomas to Pune for $100,000

Nuwan Kulasekara to Chennai Super Kings for $100,000

Matthew Wade to Delhi Daredevils for $100,000

Dimitri Mascarenhas to Kings XI Punjab for $100,000

Colin Ingram to Delhi Daredevils for $100,000

Ben Hilfenhaus to Chennai Super Kings for $100,000

Nathan McCullum to Pune for $100,000

James Franklin to Mumbai Indians for $100,000

Wriddhiman Saha to Chennai Super Kings for $100,000

Pankaj Singh to Rajasthan Royals for $95,000

Rusty Theron to Deccan Charges for $85,000

Suraj Randiv to Chennai Super Kings for $80,000

Andrew McDonald to Delhi Daredevils for $80,000

Thisara Perera to Kochi for $80,000

Michael Lumb to Deccan Chargers for $80,000

Michael Klinger to Kochi for $75,000

Johan van der Wath to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $50,000

Moises Henriques to Mumbai Indians for $50,000

George Bailey to Chennai Super Kings for $50,000

Roelof van der Merwe to Delhi Daredevils for $50,000

Luke Pomersbach to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $50,000

Rilee Rossouw to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $20,000

Nuwan Pradeep to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $20,000

Chris Lynn to Deccan Chargers for $20,000

Travis Birt to Delhi Daredevils for $20,000

Nathan Rimmington to Kings XI Punjab for $20,000

Jonathan Vandiar to Royal Challengers Bangalore for $20,000

Aiden Blizzard to Mumbai Indians for $20,000

Robert Frylinck to Delhi Daredevils for $20,000

Steven O'Keefe to Kochi for $20,000

Collingwood retires from Test cricket

England batsman Paul Collingwood, who has struggled for runs in this Test series, has announced his retirement from Test cricket at the end of the fifth Ashes match in Sydney, but will continue to play the one-day game.

Collingwood, 36, announced his retirement after 68 Tests for England stretching over seven years.
He told his teammates this morning and gave an emotional speech to the entire squad on the field before play began as England searched for victory in the final Test.

There was no official release from the England and Wales Cricket Board and it was left to the PA announcer at the SCG to break the news, The Telegraph reports.

"On a personal level, this is a big week for me in Sydney. I'm at the crossroads and what happens in the final Test may well determine what direction I go in," he said.

"I'm sure by the end of this Test I'll know more myself and be better able to judge what the general feeling is in terms of where I am as a Test player and the contribution I can still make to the England team in future and what is the best way forward," he said.

Collingwood's dismissal in England's first innings for 13 off 67 deliveries persuaded him his time as a Test player is over but he is on the verge of being a part of a third Ashes series success.
Eoin Morgan, who has been successful in one-day cricket and scored a hundred on his Test debut against Pakistan last summer, is likely to step into Collingwood's place.

Collingwood retires with a healthy Test average of 40.56 having scored 10 centuries with a highest score of 207 in the Adelaide Ashes Test four years ago.

PCB against playing 2011 World Cup matches in India

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is against playing its matches in India during the 2011 World Cup, and has reportedly asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift its matches to Sri Lanka or Bangladesh.

Sources said PCB chief Ijaz Butt, during the recent ICC executive board meeting, had apprised the game's governing body regarding its stance.

Champions League 2009

"Even the ICC is aware of the tense relation between the two countries and not keen to take any risks. Pakistan has also indicated it would be more comfortable playing maximum number of matches in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh," The Nation quoted PCB insiders, as saying.

Butt, however, has expressed the hope that the soured relationship between India and Pakistan would improve by 2011 World Cup, but made it clear that it will follow the government's directives on allowing players to visit India.

"We will do whatever the government tells us to do in this regard. But hopefully by 2011 relations between the two countries would have improved quite a bit," Butt said.

The ICC had recently announced the groupings of the 2011 World Cup, saying the schedule and venues of the matches will be finalized by next year.

'India had a hand in Pakistan's defeat against Kiwis'

While is India in placed in Group B along with South Africa, England and the West Indies. Pakistan will be in 'Group A' along world champions Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Canada.

Netherlands, Ireland and Bangladesh are also in Group B.

Brett Lee hopes for a World Cup comeback

Melbourne: Constant run with injuries forced Brett Lee to retire from Test cricket but the Aussie speedster is still determined to make a comeback in the limited overs format of the game, at least in time for the 2011 World Cup.

Lee Sunday expressed disappointment at being left out of Australia's Twenty20 and One-day International side for the series against Sri Lanka and said he is now aiming for the big event in the sub-continent.

"That is definitely what I am aiming for, that is the reason I am training so hard," Lee was quoted as saying by the Sunday Telegraph.

In a comeback match after an elbow injury, Lee playing for New South Wales (NSW) picked up two wickets and was instrumental in his team's victory against Queensland in a one-day match Friday.

Lee next plays a one-day game not before Nov 26 and he says the long gap will not help his cause of getting back to being match-fit at the earliest.

"I have got a few weeks off, which is not ideal preparation," Lee said.

"It is disappointing but it is the way it goes. They told me they wanted me to play some more cricket. Unfortunately, I do not have any more cricket to play. I would have loved to have been playing (for Australia) but I am not. So, it is back to the drawing board and keep trying to do well whenever I get the opportunity," he summed up.

BCCI to give students free tickets for World Cup

New Delhi: To ensure capacity crowd at the stadiums, the organising committee of the 2011 cricket World Cup has decided to distribute free tickets to school and college students.

Tournament director Ratnakar Shetty told reporters here Thursday that the organising committee is in talks with the sponsors and the host associations to work out how many tickets can be distributed among the students.

"We have decided to distribute free tickets among students. We have lots of sponsorship programmes through which we will be distributing the tickets. State associations will also have some quota for the students. We want the state associations to throw their gates open for the students," said Shetty.

World Cup 2011

Shetty, who is also the chief administrative officer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said that free tickets will be given to draw crowds, specially for the non-India matches.

"The real challenge is to bring in people for non-India games and one of the suggestions is to bring in school and college children," he said.

Shetty said that ICC officials have visited Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata to inspect the stadia, which have been renovated.

"All the three stadiums in Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata have undergone massive renovation. We have made sure that the stadiums have better spectator services, media facilities and proper set-up for the broadcaster," he said.

Vettori firm on quitting captaincy after World Cup

Wellington, Dec 27 (IANS) New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori Monday reaffirmed that he would step down from the post after the 2011 cricket World Cup.

Vettori, who has opted out of the ongoing T20 Internationals against Pakistan for resting his back, said he would stand by his decision irrespective of the team's performance in the tournament co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.


'I still stand by those words of finishing up after the World Cup,' Vettori was quoted as saying by the New Zealand Herald.


'I understand things can change and there may be a chance for that, but at this point I will finish after the cup.'


New Zealand have been struggling for form and most recently had disastrous tours of India and Bangladesh. The slump in form also led to John Wright taking over as the coach from Mark Greatbatch last Monday.


Vettori and team mate Ross Taylor were all praise for the new coach.

'His real skills are getting around players and making them feel confident,' Vettori said.

'After that many losses (11 straight ODI defeats) guys tend to question their game, but he is a positive guy and that will rub off on the players.'

Taylor talked about Wright's ethos.

'That is the first thing he has instilled in us,' Taylor said.

'Every time he talks, it is that if we play as a collective we give ourselves the best chance. He is trying to get everyone to trust himself.'