All posts by h716a5.icu

Cricket administrators in the world’s most populous country are focused on drawing as many locals into the fray as possible

Jon Newton30-Mar-2013″Beijing is a lucky place for India, Yang Jiechi, the former foreign minister of China, said after India’s successful showing at the 2008 Olympics in the Chinese capital. “Now you should teach us how to play good cricket.”Now a member of the State Council, Jiechi is one of China’s most prominent politicians. There is some doubt that one of the leaders of China’s foreign policy has had the time to learn much about the game, but with that tongue-in-cheek statement Jiechi somewhat unknowingly predicted an aspect of China’s cricket development journey.With the country’s economic boom still on the up, the numbers of expatriates from the cricket-playing countries in the larger Chinese cities continues to increase. At present the Shanghai Cricket Club (SCC) boasts a 16-team league across three divisions. Beijing CC has ten teams playing in its weekend leagues, and Guangzhou has an eight-team T20 league. While these leagues are run by expatriates and are viewed as social, yet competitive, activities for foreigners to enjoy on weekends, they have also proven to be opportunities for the development of young Chinese cricketers.These competitive platforms have seen the likes of national players Zhang Yufei, Li Jian and Zhao Gaosheng, who have all gone through the local school-development systems, play in the 2012 Shanghai Cricket Club (SCC) league season against expatriate players, many of whom have played at high levels of grade or club cricket back home.The on-field performances of the three players have been impressive, and their club side, the Shanghai Daredevils, won the first division of the eight-month long league, an achievement all three are proud to have been part of.Yufei, currently China’s most successful allrounder, opened the batting and bowling for the club during the successful campaign. “Playing for the first time on a regular basis in such a well-organised league really gave me the opportunity to experience batting and bowling in many different circumstances,” he said. “We had some very close games during last season and I have learned a lot from being exposed to these types of match situations.”All three have had short overseas stints in England or Australia recently and also participate in the newly established indoor cricket league in Shanghai. An Australian summer assignment is in the works for Yufei, who is excited about the prospect of being involved in a full season of grade club cricket as part of the nforce academy programme.One of his national team-mates, Jiang Shuyao, created headlines in the Lincolnshire newspapers recently and is viewed by many in the UK as China’s cricket pioneer. Currently a sports science masters student at Shenyang Sports University in north-east China, he is the first Chinese cricketer to have played a full season abroad.

“I certainly improved through coming up against a wide range of opponents, and playing alongside different characters. Domestically we just can’t get this sort of experience. I think I’m a bit steadier now”Jian Shuyao

Representing the Cleethorpes 2nd XI in the 2012 Lincolnshire league, Shuyao batted with aplomb and consistency, scoring 776 runs in 28 innings at 31.04, finishing the season as the club’s highest run scorer.Shuyao feels the experience has changed him as a player. “I certainly improved through coming up against a wide range of opponents, and playing alongside different characters. Domestically we just can’t get this sort of experience. I think I’m a bit steadier now. A batsman needs to patiently wait for the bad ball and make sure he grasps the scoring opportunities.”Matt Smith, a former Cleethorpes man himself, is now a lecturer and cricket coach at Shenyang’s Aerospace University, and played an instrumental role in Shuyao’s stint at the club. Smith also entered a Shenyang student team into the Beijing Sixes in July 2012. For the first all-Chinese team at the event, it was an invaluable experience. “Playing at the Beijing Sixes was a huge buzz, and a real eye-opener, for the Sunbirds,” says Smith. “I think they learnt more about the game in three days than they do in a year of training and playing the usual domestic matches. However long they continue to play the game, they’ll be cricket fans for the rest of their lives.”Sadly, while all these young talents are hungry for opportunities to keep learning, they do not get too many chances to play at a higher level. On the field the men’s national side has had contrasting fortunes to their female counterparts. The national men’s team has been a regular feature at Asian Cricket Council events across the continent and has gradually started improving on their earlier results, but they finished fifth out of seven teams at last year’s 2012 ACC Challenge Trophy, which means that they do not qualify to participate in any tournaments in 2013. The inactivity and lack of interfacing between team members is bound to have a negative effect on the squad, particularly on players who desire to continue their personal development.The Under-19 national team will be in action in the ACC U-19 Challenge in December this year in Thailand. Another step in the right direction is the inclusion of an invitational Shanghai Cricket Association (SCA nforcer) youth team in this year’s SCC 30-over Division 2 league. This development initiative is strongly supported by Shanghai’s expatriate community and the SCC has shouldered a large portion of the costs in support of the team’s participation in the league.The team will be made up of 15- to 18-year-olds from the Chong Ming Secondary School in Shanghai, who will get the opportunity to play regularly as a team against competitive expatriates in the six-team competition. A number of these players are likely to be included in the national U-19 team for the December ACC event and it is hoped that participation in this well-organised league will stand the U-19 national team in good stead.Jiang Shuyao, the first Chinese cricketer to play a full season abroad, bats for Cleerthorpes in the Lincolnshire league•Graham Hackney /Cleethorpes CCFeng Jian is a sports science lecturer at Shanghai’s Tong Ji University, a founding member of the SCA and currently heads all development initiatives in his role as events and coaching director at the association. He played a key role in bringing about this initiative and is optimistic about the experience the SCA youth team will gain playing in the expatriate league.”This is the first time that the SCA and SCC are formally cooperating to creating a platform for our students to play in a regular competitive league. We are looking forward to working together to improve the playing skills of the youngsters in this new team as well as hopefully in the longer-term improving the quality of cricket across Shanghai, which will hopefully also benefit the national squads.”It appears that CCA and SCA are gradually working towards building a talent base of young players, which will hopefully progress into a squad strong enough to one day challenge higher-profile Associate nations.In fact, China’s view on development is quite the opposite of that of many of the other Associate and Affiliate nations. For instance, while the knowledge and opportunity that the foreign community presents is leveraged, foreign passport holders aren’t allowed to play for the national teams. While there are a number of expatriates based in China, and overseas Chinese with strong cricketing backgrounds, the CCA feels that pulling these players into the system would actually slow down the process of development among indigenous players. It’s essential that in order to make cricket appealing to youth in China they need to feel like they can achieve and progress to higher levels. China wants to build its own brand of cricket, one that the youth can embrace and aspire to be a part of.Many other countries have teams filled with players from abroad, which leads to the perception of the sport as being an expatriate or foreign game. Another sleeping giant, the USA, seems to have gone this route and that country’s cricket association’s long-term progress in terms of making the game popular among Americans will be interesting to monitor in comparison to China’s contrasting approach.For now, the CCA will continue on its path to spread the game into the schooling system and endeavour to provide promising cricketers with other opportunities to develop. For a young organization, the progress is promising but the prospect of a China-versus-India Test match is still a very long way off.Part one is here

He can be Rahul Dravid’s batting successor, even if he doesn’t emulate his grace and demeanour

Parth Pandya, India02-May-2013It’s been a little over a year since Rahul Dravid exited international cricket. Dravid mastered the art of batting like few others in the game did, and his impeccable technique needs no further documentation. But Dravid’s legacy doesn’t end there. Way beyond those cricketing meadows does the legend of Dravid reach and it transcends the concept of greatness in sports in its commonly known form. Years from now, people will talk more of the demeanour he maintained despite tasting rare success.This brings us to the question of Virat Kohli and his recent shenanigans as the Royal Challengers Bangalore captain. It began with a rather avoidable scuffle with his Delhi and India team-mate Gautam Gambhir, and took an inopportune turn following events at the Wankhede Stadium.Kohli is one of the brightest prospects going around in world cricket. Going by the finesse and technical perfection of his batting, it is hard to think of a worthier Indian successor to the legacy of Dravid – apart from Cheteshwar Pujara of course. But batting prowess alone may not prove enough for Kohli to take over as Dravid’s successor; it will also need an image overhaul, that currently seems as unlikely as Xavier Doherty spinning a ball.That said, does India really need a batsman of Kohli’s calibre to emulate Dravid in the way he carries himself? Can’t we for once keep the context restricted to cricketing matters alone? Yes, Dravid personified everything that a role model should be, but there’s a reason why that breed is getting rarer by the day. That Virat Kohli probably doesn’t belong in the same league is just fine – much less an issue of national concern. As long as he bats consistently, there isn’t a reason for idealists to reprimand him to this extent.The big question is whether Kohli is suited to lead India in the future, given the kind of temperamental troubles he’s had. For quite some time now, he has been projected as the successor to MS Dhoni, and quite rightly. Of the current generation of players, he was the first to cement his position in the side, and is expected to be at the peak of his game in the next five years. But these concerns that are voiced regarding the handover of captaincy to someone not so lovable are unfounded, unwarranted and extremely harsh.Dhoni is in no mood to relinquish the leadership role any time soon. He may very well continue to lead India for another couple of years, and there’s every chance Kohli may have learnt more about his cricket, about himself and about his responsibilities by then and that will reflect in his conduct. And even if Kohli doesn’t change, how exactly does that do any harm from a cricketing perspective?For starters, Kohli is not one of those new kids who are unable to handle this sudden rise to fame. He’s done the hard yards, and emerged through the first-class grind. Little do people know about his decision to bat for Delhi in a Ranji game on the day of his father’s death – certainly not the sign of an athlete who lacks in commitment or character.One of the many things Sourav Ganguly taught the Indian team was to be aggressive when it mattered. His brand of expressive, aggressive and in-your-face demeanour only enhanced his leadership skills. Kohli could well be a leader in the Ganguly mould. Without trivialising Kohli’s lack of discipline, it’s important that people just let him breathe easy. Little do we know about the person he is, and it is unfair on our part to judge him for his spur-of-the-moment outbursts.If you have a submission for Inbox, send it to us here, with “Inbox” in the subject line

Azhar Mahmood is in the twlight of his career but still plays with the zest of youth as he travels the world for Twenty20

Vithushan Ehantharajah06-Aug-2013After playing for 10 different domestic teams across eight different countries, in nine different competitions, it’s fair to say Azhar Mahmood has done a few laps of the Twenty20 circuit. But in the last throes of a career both impressive in its longevity and modest when you take into account his considerable talent, Mahmood is the freelancer with a difference.The format’s fourth highest wicket-taker, Mahmood is also the only Pakistani cricketer in the IPL by virtue of being a British citizen. So far, the exclusion of Pakistan players from the IPL has remained, despite India’s willingness to continue sporting relationships with their neighbours.Which makes Mahmood’s position all the more interesting; as officials and ex-players clamour for a more open competition, he is seen as one that has slipped through the net and can enjoy the rewards that come with partaking in Twenty20’s premier competition. But for a man thought to be in a position of comfort, he doesn’t sit easy.”The saddest thing is whenever I go to India, even when it was with the Pakistan side, people love us,” he reflects. “It’s such a great environment and there are so many similarities to back home that should unite us.””I love Chandigarh – it reminds me a lot of Islamabad, it’s a similar sort of city and one of the many in India that would love to have players from Pakistan representing their franchises. But don’t get me wrong, Islamabad definitely has the better food, no doubt about that. Then again, I suppose it helps when I know all the places to go.”South London must hold a similar familiarity, having spent five seasons playing his cricket at The Oval between 2002 and 2007, before a return for this year’s FLt20 as a non-overseas player. While Glen Maxwell didn’t quite tick, and the participation Ricky Ponting and Kevin O’Brien ending with the start of the Caribbean Twenty20, Mahmood adopts the crown of marquee player – one that may not shine as brightly, but still suits him well.His performance of 13 wickets with the ball has eclipsed his exploits with the bat (138 runs at an average of 19), and there is a sense he feels that he hasn’t done himself justice. The stats support his ruefulness; in the last two years he has 17 scores of fifty or more, primarily, from batting in the top four.”I think for any batsman, it’s the best place to bat,” he says. “For me, most of my runs have come at No 3. It gives you more overs to get yourself in so you can prolong your inning – if I start slowly I know I can make up for the dot balls with some boundaries. But my role at Surrey is to bat down the order and take the new ball, so it makes sense, especially if we are chasing and I might have to go straight away from bowling at the death to batting. I sweat a lot so I need time to towel myself down.”

My role at Surrey is to bat down the order and take the new ball, so it makes sense, especially if we are chasing and I might have to go straight away from bowling at the death to batting

Mahmood’s best return as a Twenty20 batsmen came in a 2011 summer with Kent, where he flourished as a loose fixture in their order to score 485 runs – including one of his two hundreds. His second came as an opener in the 2011-12 season for Auckland in New Zealand’s domestic HRV Cup. Forging an at times barbaric partnership with Martin Guptill, he settled into a groove, averaging just over 41. Opening in England is, as of yet, an uncrossed bridge and for good, if rather peculiar reason.”I wouldn’t like to open now because the handshakes at the beginning of every match mean that you’re in a rush if you’re batting first. I like to chill out and have five or ten minutes to just sit down. I don’t have any routines, but I don’t want to be rushing to finish putting all my kit on after saying ‘hello’ to the opposition!”There’ll be no need for such formal pleasantries with Somerset rival and former Rawalpindi and, later, Kent team-mate Yasir Arafat on Tuesday. As well as sharing a few shirts, they are also the only two players with 200 wickets and 1,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket, though Arafat stands alone as the highest wicket taker in England’s Twenty20 history (closely followed by Mahmood).For years, Arafat has displayed a level of performance that few others have matched in the game’s 10 years. His death bowling, which has contributed to his 19 wickets in this campaign, remains as precise as ever – “Oh, my death bowling’s better,” laughs Mahmood – and will certainly cause Surrey problems. Mahmood has taken the time to inform his team-mates about what to expect, as well as running through some plans to combat his lethal yorkers. But even as opponents, there will be very little malice in this quarter-final showdown.”I think of him as a younger brother,” says Mahmood. “He’s a very nice, down to earth guy. I called him after his 4 for 5 against Warwickshire and congratulated him. There have been times where he has had a couple of issues with his bowling and we’ve talked and I’ve tried to help me as much as I can. But he doesn’t need much help from me – he’s a quality bowler.”There is a real charm to Mahmood; his smile on the pitch seems unweathered by the years. His hair still boosted by the boyish curls he sported when he first played in England as part of Pakistan’s World Cup squad in 1999. International cricket may be over for him, but his interest and association is anything but.A keen watcher from afar, he maintains solid friendships within the team. Last week he was spent time with Pakistan’s current bowling coach and ex-Surrey paceman Mohammad Akram, championing his work with the latest pool of fast bowlers. “There are more coming,” he warns.Any thoughts of a similar career path are met with a few caveats and one, specific, rebuttal.”I don’t think I could ever be a head coach, that’s for sure. I just don’t have the temperament. And I know how much you need – I’ve been in Pakistan dressing rooms! A head coach needs to know how to deal with each individual and get the best out of them. It’s not something for everyone. I wouldn’t mind a specific role but, for now, I feel I still have time left in me.”I enjoy playing far too much.”It shows.

Stats highlights from the 3rd round of the Ranji Trophy 2013-14

Shiva Jayaraman17-Nov-2013 Zaheer completes 650 first-class wickets

Zaheer Khan denied Delhi their first-innings-lead with Vikas Mishra’s wicket, which was his 650th in first-class cricket. Zaheer also took the 34th five-wicket haul of his first-class career, in Delhi’s first innings. Unmukt Chand’s century in the second innings was the fourth of his first-class career and the second of the year. He had earlier hit a hundred against East Zone in the semi-final of the Duleep Trophy.Mohit Sharma shines yet again at Rohtak, Aaron’s second-best in first-class cricket

Varun Aaron’s bowling figures of 4 for 48 in Haryana’s first-innings were his second-best in first-class cricket and only the second time he has taken four or more wickets in an innings. His bowling figures of 7 for 68 for the match were also the second-best of his career. Haryana’s Mohit Sharma took 8 for 81 for the match; he has taken 39 of his 60 first-class wickets at Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium in Rohtak, where he is averaging 16.00 at a strike rate of 36.5. He has taken two of his three first-class five-wicket hauls and all three of his four-wicket hauls at this venue. Naman Ojha ends barren spell

Naman Ojha hit the tenth century of his first-class career in Madhya Pradesh’s first innings. This was Ojha’s first fifty-plus score in 13 innings; the last time he had hit a fifty-plus score in first-class cricket was also against Bengal in the last season when he was stumped on 99. Jalaj Saxena’s 6 for 53 in Bengal’s first-innings were his best figures in first-class cricket. He followed it up with a four-wicket haul in the second innings, the first time he has taken ten wickets in a first-class match. Amol Majumdar’s wicket in Bengal’s second innings was his 100th wicket in first-class cricket. Robin Bist finds form

Rajat Paliwal’s unbeaten 108 was his sixth in first-class cricket and his third of this year. In 19 matches, Rajat has scored 1217 runs at an average of 55.37. Robin Bist hit a hundred for Rajasthan in this match, his eighth in first-class career and his first in 21 innings. Nakul Verma’s unbeaten 101 in Services’ second innings was his first fifty-plus score in ten first-class innings.Third-best figures for Railways

Ranjitkumar Mali took 8 for 48 in Baroda’s first innings, his first five-wicket haul in 17 first-class matches. His figures were the third-best for Railways in the Ranji Trophy after Syed Hyder Ali’s 9 for 25 against Jammu and Kashmir in 1969-70 and Murali Kartik’s 8 for 40 against Delhi in 2005-2006. Arindam Ghosh’s unbeaten 208 in Railway’s first innings was his first century in first-class cricket. He had scored 151 runs from six first-class matches before this season with a top score of 50.Kedar Jadhav hits a double

There were four centuries, two scores in the nineties and two in the eighties in this batsmen-dominated match in Hyderabad. Harshad Khadiwale hit his second hundred in the Ranji Trophy this season and the 11th of his first-class career, in Maharashtra’s first innings. Kedar Jadhav hit a double-century in this match; his second 200-plus score in first-class. Kedar’s 327 against Uttar Pradesh in Pune in 2012 is the second-highest score in the Ranji Trophy for Maharashtra. Since 2012, Kedar has scored 1019 first-class-runs at an average of 56.61 and at a strike rate of 82.1. Aarpit and Sheldon close in on 1000 first-class runs

Aarpit Vasavada’s 205 in Saurashtra’s first innings was the third century of his first-class career and his highest score. Aarpit is now just six runs short of completing 1000 runs in first-class cricket and is averaging 55.22 from 13 matches. Sheldon Jackson also hit a hundred for Saurashtra, his fourth in first-class cricket. He is also nearing 1000 first-class runs, having scored 980 runs from 13 matches at 51.57.Dheeraj adds lustre to Assam record

Abu Nechim’s five-wicket haul in Andhra Pradesh’s first-innings was his seventh in first-class cricket. He has taken 111 wickets at 30.68 from 39 first-class matches. Dheeraj Jadhav’s century in Assam’s first innings was his 22nd in first-class cricket and his 11th for Assam. Playing for Assam, Dheeraj has hit 2582 runs at 69.78 from 20 matches.

Leading batsmen, Ranji Trophy, 2013-14

BatsmenMatInnsNORunsHSAve100s50sSanju Samson (Kerala)352420211140.0021Yogesh Takawale (Tripura)36136512573.0021Aarpit Vasavada (Saurashtra)341364205121.3311S Badrinath (Tamil Nadu)230358248119.3311B Aparajith (Tamil Nadu)230337203112.3320

Leading bowlers, Ranji Trophy 2013-14

BowlerMatWktsBBIBBMAveSR5w10wRishi Dhawan (HP)3215/519/12115.8034.720Harbhajan Singh (Punjab)2176/549/13717.2934.810Vishal Dabholkar (Mumbai)3176/3810/12517.5234.011Chovvakkaran Shahid (Kerala)3167/457/6018.6253.010Mohit Sharma (Haryana)3154/308/8119.6041.800

If it’s Ashes cricket, there will be ego clashes

Jack Vittles28-Dec-2013Key performer
Unfortunately for us England fans it was that man again – Mitchell Johnson. His transformation from the butt of the Barmy Army’s jokes to the spearhead of Australia’s all-conquering bowling attack was complete on this sunny afternoon in Melbourne. Although it was Nathan Lyon who picked up five wickets today and broke the England middle order, it was Johnson’s dismissal of Jonny Bairstow that really gave Australia the upper hand. Earlier in the day when Root took a suicidal single to mid-off and was run out via a direct hit from guess who…. Johnson again!One thing I’d change about the day
A perfect day at the MCG, the sun was shining, the atmosphere was electric and wickets were tumbling. Unfortunately they were English wickets. If only we could have put on the performance the occasion deserved.The interplay I enjoyed
There was only one match-up that I could possibly pick. KP v Mitch One ego versus another. It was a windy afternoon and Pietersen was often pulling away while Johnson was in his run-up because of debris on the pitch. After the fourth or fifth instance Johnson lost patience and hurled the ball at the slips. The crowd roared and Pietersen rose to the challenge as Johnson lost his rag. Words were clearly exchanged and the umpire had to step in. It didn’t appear to affect Pietersen’s batting but poor Bairstow bore the brunt of Johnson’s anger and was dismissed as a consequence.Player watch
Lyon bowled superbly today and was sent down just in front of us to fine leg after his spell to receive the adoration of the crowd. After acknowledging the crowd, Lyon saw a security guard holding a beach ball – one of many confiscated throughout the day. He had a brief conversation with the steward and then walked over and grabbed the beach ball and threw it back into the stands – as if he couldn’t be any more loved by the Aussie fans today.Shot of the day
On a day where runs were too hard to come by once again for England, Pietersen looked good for his 49. His best shot was a beautiful straight drive off the bowling of Johnson. He had just taken a wild swipe at the previous delivery but this shot was a thing of beauty and it really did feel like Pietersen was finding something approaching his best form.Crowd meter
After the bumper crowds of days one and two, it was expected that day-three attendance would be down. But this was not the case. Over 65,000 poured into the ‘G to watch Australia take charge of this game. The crowd was pretty quiet today, absorbed in the battle on the field, but it did come to life later in the day as the wind picked up. Due to the high winds there was a period in the evening session when five overs were bowled in about 30 minutes. We would have grown restless but the wind was keeping us occupied, to be honest. In the space of five minutes I had to dodge plastic cups, tissues, newspapers and hats. Most of these made their way on to the field much to the amusement of the fans.Entertainment
Cricket Australia obviously decided that it was putting all its effort into the first two days’ entertainment. The lunch interval consisted of local kids playing kwik cricket and then the tea interval had a game that involved a member of the crowd running around with a bat and then attempting to catch a ball while he was trying to steady himself. Hardly box-office.Overall
Another great day of Ashes cricket, and it proved once again that you can never take this game for granted. England would have thought they were in control in mid-afternoon but as Johnson, the wind and the crowd ramped up the pressure, they crumbled and collapsed once again. Still a great day in Melbourne and the crowd was much better behaved today after too many were thrown out yesterday.Marks out of ten
7. Loses one mark for England failing to turn up with the bat, one mark for the chilly winds (38 degrees, they said!) and one mark off for the annoyingly cocky Aussie I had to sit near!

Plays of the day for the IPL match between Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Sharjah

Kanishkaa Balachandran17-Apr-2014The sitter
It’s common these days for captains to target Virat Kohli’s wicket early in a chase, with instructions to the fielders to grab even half chances that come their way. Delhi, however, were caught napping twice in an over, when Kohli was in his 20s. The unfortunate bowler was Wayne Parell. Jimmy Neesham didn’t have to move much at short fine leg but the ball somehow failed to stick. It drew comparisons to Lasith Malinga’s drop the previous night in Abu Dhabi. Later in the over, he was put down again, at deep cover, but Neesham’s drop will stick in memory for it was the simplest of takes.The ball
Whatever the benefits of the strategic timeout, it certainly didn’t help M Vijay today. He was batting on 18 off 19 balls and was looking to give the Delhi innings some stability at 35 for 3 before he was dismissed first ball after the break. Legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal gave the ball plenty of revolutions but to Vijay’s surprise, the ball didn’t turn. It straightened and shaved the off stump and Vijay, playing for the drive, slumped at the crease. He trudged back, unsure whether the ball struck the stumps first but replays confirmed it did. Perhaps the delivery itself had not yet sunk in.The shot
Parthiv Patel is not always known for clearing the rope, but tonight he proved he had enough muscle to smash the roof of the stadium. It was a long hop from the left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem and sat up nicely to be hit. Parthiv rocked back and bludgeoned it over deep square leg and sent it out of the park. His captain Virat Kohli, at the non-striker’s end, was beaming from ear to ear as he applauded that shot.The golden duck
Delhi splurged the most to get Dinesh Karthik this season, with their star pick Kevin Pietersen second in the salary list. Karthik found himself leading Delhi for the injured Pietersen, but his first innings as captain was over before you could blink. Albie Morkel got one to land outside off stump and straighten but Karthik was squared up as he looked to drive through cover. The bowler deserved credit for bowling a teasing line to get Karthik playing at it and Delhi’s most expensive player was gone for a golden duck.

A lot has gone wrong with the IPL but as its seventh season begins, the league will brush everything aside and cheer like nothing is amiss

Sharda Ugra15-Apr-2014Drat. It’s that time of year again, when us bad-news brigade types step forward to perform our dual roles of being both eyesore and light bulb. Pitted against the IPL’s One Direction-inspired, high-volume hype machine, they don’t make for much of a performance. Nor have any more impact than a mobile ringing at a Metallica concert.Regardless, we do what we have to. Every time. Like those flight-safety demonstrations, so that in case of turbulence seatbelts are fastened and the location of airsickness bags is known. The last 11 months – between the tailend of the 2013 season and this one – have been turbulent enough to turn innards to water.The hype machine, however, remains poised and perky in a stratosphere of detachment, continuing to whirl around the axis of its central argument: the cricket remains great, the crowds turn up, and there’s enough ka-ching to keep everyone happy. The machine rumbles: stop being party poopers, dudes, get a life, and learn to have some fun. As Quiet Riot would say, come on, feel the noise.It is usually enough to shout down every dissenting voice but IPL2014 follows a nightmare year for the governors of cricket’s richest league. The shenanigans of season six – spot-fixing, betting, arrests – have made previous dramas like the Lalit Modi ouster of 2010, frequent franchise wrangles and player-centric scandals look like kindergarden skits.As the new season arrives with its usual giddy grins and clashing cymbals, it contains an dark undertow of what has gone by and what truths may still lie concealed. Opening night will take place hours after India’s Supreme Court conducts another hearing on how the league’s administrators handled – or mishandled – its biggest scandal. Over the course of the last 11 months, what has gone under is the idea of the League’s integrity and its credibility as an event which, along with its popularity, also happens both clean and plays by the rules.The league now has a court-appointed head in the form of insider-and-outsider Sunil Gavaskar, whose one telling move was to rope in a respected name from corporate India as his advisor and troubleshooter. The introduction of Deepak Parekh’s name itself appears to be a first attempt to regain credibility.It does not help, though, when India and Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni replies to the question “How will you ensure a clean game of IPL this year?” by saying, “We’ll try the laundry, that’s good, will keep us clean.” A funny line, but as his only one on the corruption scandal, it is a bit too glib. It is as if there is a deep disconnect amongst the high rollers of Indian cricket between the reality of what has transpired – arrests, prison, Supreme Court investigations, the use of the word ‘nauseating’ around Indian cricket – and the distraction of the Big Noise and the big pay cheque that comes with it.

As the new season arrives with its gilt and clashing cymbals, there is also the spectre of what has passed and of what truths may still lie concealed

To hear Chennai coach Stephen Fleming say, “There’s a lot going on, I won’t lie. There are a lot of distractions”, was relief of sorts. To be fair, there are many, there are many people who are uneasy about what has gone on but have neither authority or control and are tangled up in the grip of the League’s riches. “Officially, we’re in front of the camera, talking up the event,” said one such. “At the back of our minds we’re thinking, so much has happened, a case is in court, this needs to be sorted out.”The majority of IPL franchises will not admit it in public, but in private they talk about selling inventory at lower rates. Some have struggled to seal shirt sponsorships. All prospective clients, they say, “want more out of less”. Some advertisers on television held out as long as they could to try and grab the lowest rates. The compensation to franchises for playing 20 matches out of 60 outside India has not been formally revealed. While there are official announcements about the rush of ticket-buyers and sponsors, the IPL’s website shows a title sponsor and three partners. One of those partners happens to be the BCCI’s media-rights holder for all other cricket played in India. When the league began, along with the title sponsor, there were spots for between four and six associate sponsors/official partners.In the light of the corruption scandal, moving the event to Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi is so rich in irony that every expression of outrage is a laugh wasted. It is understood the UAE government convinced the BCCI with the promise that the hosts would ensure a clean environment, free of shady characters. Yes, Sharjah cricket has a somewhat insalubrious past and Dubai is the haven of the illegal cricket betting industry. We must remember however that the one entity which requires ‘cleaning’ and was under the BCCI’s control was the League itself. And they have made a mess of it.In 2010 there was much celebration when the UK-based consultancy Brand Finance declared the IPL’s value had doubled in 12 months to $4 billion. The figure was believed in and revelled in. Three years later, it is only fair to pay attention to Brand Finance’s current assessment. It is arrived at by starting with governance standards, marketing excellence and cricketing performance, and taking into account stakeholder relationships and trust flows, to give a “holistic perspective of asymmetric risks prevalent in any business”, says Brand Finance’s global strategy director M Unni Krishnan. The risk is assessed in the manner in which Standard & Poor’s, for instance, allots its credit ratings – from AAA to the dreadful D.In the space of four years, the IPL, according to Krishnan, is now at “unprecedented risk”. There were no words minced: “The nature of unrest, unravelling of stakeholder relations and alignment have proved beyond doubt that the IPL ecosystem has entered uncharted and treacherous waters. It is at the moment at what we can very much term as catastrophic risk.” The present situation has arisen due to what Krishnan called a “blind to our own blindness” pattern of behaviour of the sort seen in financial service companies before they crash.While “catastrophic risk” is a phrase that can shake a stock market, the IPL may not yet be at a point of no return. A turnaround can come from the body blow of a truth delivered by an outsider or a shake-up driven from the inside. Don’t hold your breath, though. At its darkest hour, the IPL has chosen siege over rescue. It is blowing trumpets and championing its properties, instead of tackling a festering core.

Pakistan’s marks out of ten after their 2-0 defeat in the Tests against Sri Lanka

Umar Farooq19-Aug-20149Sarfraz Ahmed (265 runs at 88.33, strike rate 74.22)
A near perfect series for the wicketkeeper-batsman with three fifties and a hundred, especially as each of those innings was played under immense pressure. A collection of 265 at 88.33 highlighted Sarfraz’s importance to Pakistan, even though his efforts went in vain in both Tests. One of the few positives Pakistan can take away from the 2-0 series defeat.8Wahab Riaz (6 wickets at 27.33, strike rate 45.0)
Wavered a bit, but ultimately justified his inclusion in Pakistan’s pace attack for the second Test. Wahab defied all odds on a slow pitch by producing some stunning spells, particularly against Kumar Sangakkara, in the first innings at the SSC. Failed to find a place in the XI at Galle, but with six wickets at 27.33 in the second Test, he is likely to be an automatic starter for Pakistan’s future fixtures.Junaid Khan (9 wickets at 27.33, strike rate 45.3)
A key member of Pakistan’s seam arsenal, Junaid won many sessions for his team but a blow to his head from a bouncer cut him from bowling in the second innings at the SSC. Had he been fit, it is very likely Pakistan could have knocked at least 70-80 runs off Sri Lanka’s total. With nine scalps at 27.33, Junaid ended as Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker.6Younis Khan (211 runs at 52.75)
Showed his class with a crafty 177 at Galle in the first innings, but withdrew into his shell after that, scoring just 34 in three innings. Became the first Pakistan player to complete 100 catches in Tests, but Younis’ overall contribution with the bat left a lot to be desired.Saeed Ajmal (9 wickets at 40.11)
The backbone of the Pakistan team in recent years, Ajmal finished with a modest nine wickets at 40.11. Claimed a five-wicket haul in the first Test, but hardly caused any discomfort to the batsmen as he conceded 166 runs, allowing Sri Lanka to take a first-innings lead even though Pakistan had made 451. Was decent at the SSC, though he was mainly in the headlines for having been reported by the umpires for a suspect bowling action.This was probably Misbah-ul-Haq’s worst series both as captain and player•AFP5Asad Shafiq (157 runs at 39.25)
A promising young batsman, but Shafiq’s batting completely lacked responsibility. Shared two important stands with Sarfaraz at the SSC, but exploded during his hasty attempts to convert his starts to gold.4Azhar Ali (113 runs at 28.25)
Cameos of 30, 41, 32 and 10 were not what Pakistan expected of their No.3. Azhar often started well, but lost his way by choosing bad shots. Was less than focused with the bat, but outstanding with his reflexes in the field at silly point and short leg.3Misbah-ul-Haq (67 runs at 16.75)
Probably the worst series Misbah has had as both a captain and a player. Pakistan have not won even a single series under his captaincy since 2012. A poor return of 67 at 16.75, coupled with a series whitewash, is likely to smudge his CV.2Abdur Rehman (4 wickets at 68.25)
Though arguably Pakistan’s unluckiest bowler, Rehman, playing his first Test series in almost eight months, looked rusty and was completely out of rhythm.Ahmed Shehzad (86 runs at 21.50)
Young and aggressive, but overconfident and naughty with the bat. Only managed to score 86 at 21.50 as an opener and will no doubt need more time to adapt to the demands of Test cricket.1Khurram Manzoor (39 runs at 9.75)
Was on a streak of nine consecutive matches as opener heading into the SSC Test, but his impact was almost non-existent. A tally of just 39 from four innings suggests it could be a while yet before Manzoor plays his next series.Mohammad Talha (2 wickets at 58.00)
Has the necessary ingredients to become a top fast bowler, but his inexperience and lack of control showed that he is not yet ready for top-flight cricket. Talha’s line and length was all over the place in Galle, and he was subsequently dropped for the second Test.

Our correspondent takes in a safari, runs into VVS Laxman, and gets his fill of a certain ubiquitous politician

Alan Gardner12-Dec-2014November 25
The drive from Bandaranaike International Airport to my hotel in central Colombo is some 35km but the Katunayake Expressway and what seems, by subcontinental standards, a fairly relaxed flow of traffic make for a pleasant journey.First thing I notice at the Galle Face Hotel, in its 150th year and proclaimed as “the oldest east of the Suez”, is the scaffolding, with the front half of the place being renovated. I suppose you can expect to be spruced up for your sesquicentenary. Second thing is the picture of Don Bradman hanging in the bar alongside those of Duke Ellington, Laurence Olivier and David Lloyd George. Plenty of famous cricketers have stopped here. Plus Scarlett Johansson.Guests have a choice of six different types of pillow at the Galle Face, including “Hug”, “Classic” and “Micro Gel”.November 26
On the way to the R Premadasa Stadium for the first of seven ODIs, fat droplets of rain begin to splash down on our tuk tuk. My colleague Andrew Fidel Fernando informs me this is just drizzle, but it is enough to delay the start of the game for an hour. We get a full match and the real storm comes during England’s innings, when Moeen Ali drives, slashes and flicks his way to 119 from 87 balls, elegance and violence competing with each other and everyone watching the winner. England, however, still lose.November 27
Vale Phillip Hughes. The most sombre day I have experienced as a sports journalist. Little to say or do, beyond read the tributes that pour out of Australia. Wander over to the team hotel, where England are in a meeting. Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan and a few other Sri Lanka players sit quietly by the pool. Media for the day is cancelled. Cricket’s clocks have stopped.As the sun sets, head up beside Galle Face Green towards the Colombo Port City development, a $1.4bn project being carried out and funded by the Chinese. Cranes dot the horizon as land is reclaimed from the Indian Ocean. To the right, development plots for two other five-star hotels; there is a third to the south along Galle Road. Such opulence will likely be beyond the reach of most of the people on the green, where children play, couples stroll and street vendors sell snacks. A group of police cadets take part in some calisthenics. People come for the magnificent view of the sea, though heavy cloud cover drains some of the colour. Sounds like the word “selfie” has made it into Sinhala.Dinner in the upmarket Park Street Mews area. The monsoon makes an authentic appearance, with water sluicing down outside. We head on to a bar owned by Sanath Jayasuriya and listen to a covers band. Sri Lanka have their own Sanath tribute act in Kusal Perera.November 28
Pre-match at the Premadasa. Alastair Cook speaks thoughtfully and generously about Hughes, another bloke as happy on the farm as a cricket pitch. Around the world, people are putting out their bats. England do not get to use theirs, as another insistent downpour tests the drainage.Play squash against Fernando and we both almost expire due to the heat in a poorly ventilated court. Sample a few local delicacies as a well-earned reward, including some delicious devilled pork and hot butter cuttlefish. Then it’s on to a “street-level” vendor for , made from diced chicken, vegetables and roti bread. The preparation process, with large blades ringing down on a hot metal stove, is as memorable as the toothsome end product.

It also becomes clear why the cheap seats face west, as I begin to drip in the glare of the setting sun. Air-conditioned press boxes do have their place after all

November 29
More drizzle, this time the delay resulting in a loss of overs – even though the second match is a day game and theoretically has a bigger window to play in. Flags are at half-mast and a minute’s silence is observed beforehand. England win the toss again, lose again, this time by a hefty margin. As Kumar Sangakkara and Jayawardene knock off the runs required, children in the stands fashion paper airplanes from their 4/6 cards. Sri Lanka are on a different plane from the tourists.December 1
From Colombo, the touring caravan heads into Sri Lanka’s deep south. This involves a long drive down the Galle Road, then the Southern Expressway. In different parts of the world, you see warnings about animals crossing – deer in England, kangaroos in Australia. Here you have to look out for peacocks, and we are given a real-life lesson when one dashes out in front of us, forcing Thusith, our cameraman and driver, to slam the brakes. Sadly for the peacock, the minibus that was overtaking us didn’t react so swiftly.Hambantota district is the territory of Sri Lanka’s president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and either he is extremely popular or he has paid to have multiple giant cardboard cutouts of himself erected in towns throughout the area. Possibly both. His benevolent, moustachioed smiling face beams down from billboards, buildings, lamp posts and trees. Elections will take place next month and if you believe the evidence of your eyes, then only one guy is winning.Talking of populist figures, when we arrive at our hotel, there is a sign in the lobby with just one name on it: “Andrew Fidel Fernando”.December 2
Take advantage of being out of the city by going on safari in Udawalawe National Park. Rising with the sun, we sit blearily in the back of a jeep until reaching the wildlife sanctuary, where there are plenty of eye-opening sights. Elephants, including a baby, buffalo, foxes, crocodiles, monitor lizards, butterflies, a variety of birds and a mongoose all go about their daily business, unperturbed by our presence. The sky is a pristine blue but in the afternoon, at the Mahinda Rajapaksa (remember him) International Cricket Stadium, the clouds return and a storm lashes the ground, drenching the outfield. Maybe a test for the ground staff the next day.December 3
Or maybe not. Hambantota is in the dry zone, so perhaps that’s why the pitch dried so quickly overnight. Still, it can get pretty wet, even by an Englishman’s standards, and another almighty downpour takes a big chunk out of the game. England win this rumble in the jungle and can enjoy their five-hour coach ride back to Colombo. Given the weather and the distance to the stadium from everywhere else, the modest crowd is not surprising. If ever there were an appropriate location for a white elephant…December 4
Back on the road, through the incredibly lush countryside, past king-coconut vendors and jackfruit trees, then winding along the coast, wind whipping up waves on the Indian Ocean, playing on the stereo. Rajapaksa is everywhere, sometimes pictured with other members of the government, such as Jayasuriya, who manages to combine being deputy sports minister, deputy minister for postal services, tourism ambassador, SLC’s chief selector, and bar owner. First sight of the opposition’s campaign, when a rally of supporters on motorbikes passes in the opposite direction along the Galle Road.December 5
The Premadasa, for England nets. Well, eventually the Premadasa, after being taken to Sugathadasa Stadium once again. It transpires that this nearby multipurpose facility is where three-wheeler drivers will head to if you ask to go to the “stadium”, even if that is prefaced with the word “cricket”. Reminds me of CNG rides to the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury ground in Chittagong. No matter that cricket is the biggest sport in these parts, you’re often hard pressed to find a tuk tuk operator who knows how to get you there.Evening dinner for the travelling journalists hosted by the ECB, seemingly in the new spirit of openness. Chat to Paul Farbrace about Sri Lanka’s World T20 win and how the emotion of Jayawardene and Sangakkara retiring helped fuel their surge to victory. Might be a trick they look to repeat at the World Cup.December 6
Our tuk tuk driver says Rajapaksa’s time is coming to an end, with momentum seemingly growing behind the opposition candidate, Maithripala Sirisena. Turns out Colombo’s three-wheeler guys are seasoned political commentators.Head to a café, Commons Coffee, to write up, though need to plug in my laptop. There’s a free socket in a reserved area – surely they won’t mind if I pop it discreetly in the corner to charge? Moments later, in walks VVS Laxman and a business associate to take the table. “Is there someone already sitting here?” wonders VVS aloud. Errr… But he doesn’t mind, of course. What a gent.Famous guests of the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo•Alan Gardner/ESPNcricinfo LtdDecember 7
Belting hot day at the Premadasa, where James Taylor makes a significant impression on his first appearance of the tour. England’s score of 265 is not enough to deny Sri Lanka, however, to the delight of a packed stadium. During the chase, the noise rolls in off the stands and I head out to sample the atmosphere. End up having a go on a drum, and am asked to pose for a group photo; there are fist bumps and high fives too. It also becomes clear why the cheap seats face west, as I begin to drip in the glare of the setting sun. Air-conditioned press boxes do have their place after all.December 8
Into the hill country, along the winding road to Kandy. My driver overtakes at every opportunity and pulls in sharply as oncoming traffic nears. All very smooth, the Sri Lankan way. Just toot the horn to let people know you are there. Pass through Kajugama, a village whose main produce is cashew nuts and whose name translates as “cashew village”. Next is Weweldeniya, where they make objects woven out of cane (wewel). Told there is a village specialising in inflatables, too, though I’m not sure how that would translate into Sinhala.December 9
The ground in Pallekele, a few kilometres on from Kandy, is something special: a wide, green bowl with high grass banks, backdropped by hills reaching up to the clouds. Butterflies flutter by and the sun beats down – no sign of rain yet, despite fears beforehand that the Pallekele games might have to be moved to Colombo due to the state of the pitch. Hopefully the contest will live up to its epic setting, with England 3-1 down and struggling to stay in the series.On the journey back to the hotel in the evening, a burning car by the roadside disturbs the tranquillity, the result of a political rally. Most people seem annoyed that it has caused issues with the traffic. Later, when having a drink in a bar overlooking the city centre, peace has returned, electric lights twinkle on the hillside. This is Sangakkara country and apparently his father used to co-own the place where we are sitting.December 10
Catch a glimpse of the Australia-India Test in Adelaide on TV, before rain intervenes. All the talk was about the threat of Sri Lanka’s monsoon season when I arrived more than two weeks ago but we have not had to use a reserve day… until now. As soon as the Sri Lanka innings is complete, down comes the rain, which alternates between Mahela-touch light and a Buttler barrage for the next four hours. The game will have to wait. But the tour goes on.

Stats highlights from the Group B match between India and UAE played in Perth

Shiva Jayaraman28-Feb-20154:40

Ashwin picks best ODI figures

102 Total India restricted UAE to – the lowest score for which a team has been bowled out by India in the World Cup. Sri Lanka’s 109 in Johannesburg in 2003 was the previous lowest. Overall, this was the tenth-lowest ODI total against India. This is also the lowest total for which UAE have been bowled out in ODIs.187 Margin of win in this match for India in terms of balls remaining – their second biggest in ODIs. India had beaten Kenya with 231 balls to spare in an ODI in 2001 which is their biggest win. 0 Number of times R Ashwin had taken a four-wicket haul in an ODI before this match. This was his first such haul in 91 ODIs. Ashwin had taken just eight wickets at an average of 44.75 in ODIs in Australia before this World Cup. In three matches in this World Cup, he has already taken eight wickets at 13.37. 1 Number of India spinners who have had a better match-haul in the World Cup than R Ashwin’s 4 for 25 in this match. Yuvraj Singh’s 5 for 31 against Ireland in the last World Cup is the best. Yuvraj occupies the second position too in this list for his 4 for 6 against Namibia in 2003.1991 The last time a spinner took more wickets in an ODI at WACA. Ravi Shastri took 5 for 15 against Australia in just 6.5 overs. Apart from Ashwin Glenn Maxwell has two four-wicket hauls at this ground.24.31 Spinners’ average at WACA in ODIs since 2012; this is the best spinners have averaged at a venue among those grounds that have hosted at least five games during this period.31 Runs added by UAE’s tenth-wicket partnership – their highest in the match. This is the ninth time that India have conceded the highest partnership to opposition’s last pair in ODIs – the most by any team. West Indies and South Africa are joint second in this list, having conceded such partnerships eight times each.