Kolkata embarrassed in record rout

Shaun Pollock led a stand-out seam-bowling performance as the Mumbai Indians notched up the most convincing win of the tournament, and their fifth in a row, handing the Kolkata Knight Riders an eight-wicket drubbing at the Wankhede Stadium. None of Kolkata's batsmen came to terms with the seamer-friendly pitch, crumbling to an embarrassing 67 all out - the lowest score of the tournament and the fifth-lowest in all Twenty20 matches - before Sanath Jayasuriya hastened the finish with a 17-ball 48, as Mumbai sailed home with 87 deliveries to spare - a record in all Twenty20 games - significantly boosting their hopes of a semi-final berth.
The visitors were put in by Sachin Tendulkar, who won his second toss in a row, but even he wouldn't have dreamed of the display his bowlers served up. The pitch helped significantly, offering bounce and plenty of seam movement to each of the five bowlers who were used - in fact, so good were the conditions for seam bowling that Rajesh Pawar, the left-arm spinner who made his IPL debut, wasn't even pressed into the attack.
The start was deceptively normal, with Salman Butt moving away to club Pollock down the ground for four, and then carving Ashish Nehra for the 400th six of the IPL. From then on, only one team did all the celebrating.
Pollock led the way, bowling with impeccable control, seaming the ball both ways from a perfect length, and giving the batsmen no chance. Against a top four that has an equal mix of right- and left-handers, Pollock kept his line around off stump against both, extracting bounce and seaming the ball away to induce the edge. Butt was the first to perish to the movement, getting a leading edge while trying to flick, offering Tendulkar the first of four catches.
Thereafter, the slide was swift. Kolkata made the situation worse when Aakash Chopra was involved in his second mix-up with Sourav Ganguly in three games, charging down the pitch even as Ganguly didn't respond. Another perfect delivery in the corridor from Pollock accounted for David Hussey, and when Tendulkar decided to bowl his four overs on the trot, Pollock responded by inducing an edge off Mohammad Hafeez, which was snaffled by Robin Uthappa at a wide second slip.
Pollock was done, finishing with figures of 3 for 12, but there was no respite for Kolkata, as Dwayne Bravo continued from where Pollock had left off, getting exaggerated seam movement in both directions. Wriddhiman Saha was defeated by the bounce and movement, and slashed to Tendulkar, and Kolkata had lost half their side for 29.
With the conditions so friendly for the seamers, Tendulkar cleverly decided to use Dominic Thornely and Rohan Raje, both medium-pace bowlers, and the results came almost instantly. Raje removed the dangerous Laxmi Ratan Shukla with a superb delivery which pitched on middle and seamed away to take off stump.
Kolkata never recovered after suffering a double blow in the third over, and were eventually bundled out in less than 16 overs (click here for a bigger image) © Cricinfo

Through the destruction at the other end, Ganguly hung on patiently, hoping to weather the storm and guide Kolkata to a respectable total. He came in to bat in the third over and stayed till the 13th, but was stuck at the non-striker's end most of the time, facing only 20 deliveries as the batting line-up was destroyed at the other end. He finally perished in tame fashion, as Yogesh Takawale hung on to a catch with his second attempt as Ganguly tried to cut. With Kolkata's last hope falling, the rest followed quickly.
Kolkata's only hope of avoiding complete embarrassment was for Shoaib Akhtar to do an encore of the previous game. He began with a fiery first over, having Jayasuriya dropped at slip off the first ball, and then winning his personal battle with Tendulkar, who nibbled one to the wicketkeeper, slightly dampening the spirits of the home crowd.
Jayasuriya's response to that dismissal was emphatic, as he waded into Ishant Sharma and Shoaib in the next two overs. After clipping Ishant unconvincingly over mid-on, he found his timing perfectly in Shoaib's next over: a flick and a short-arm pull both sailed over the boundary, while two crisp drives raced through the covers in an over which leaked 23, more than one-third of the target.
The Shoaib threat was over, and the end came soon after, as Jayasuriya flicked a no-ball off Ishant for his 17th six of the IPL, the highest for a batsman in the tournament, and then finished it off next ball. Mumbai now have the best net run-rate, and with ten points from nine games, have given themselves an excellent chance of making the last four.

Scorecard...
Mumbai Indians 68 for 2 (Jayasuriya 48*) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 67 (Pollock 3-12) by eight wickets Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsHow they were out

Harbhajan and Sreesanth

Harbhajan and Sreesanth will get along - Kirsten

Gary Kirsten, the India coach, is confident Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth will put the slapping incident behind them and get along in the dressing room. Kirsten said both he and Paddy Upton, the mental conditioning coach and trainer, had the expertise to handle the players should any problems arise.
"The idea that it will be a problem having the two of them together in the squad is crazy," Kirsten was quoted as saying in cricketnirvana.com. "I would like to think me and Paddy [Upton] have enough management experience to cope with anything like that, if it ever did become a problem."
Harbhajan slapped Sreesanth after an IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians last month. Harbhajan was banned for 11 IPL games and five one-dayers after pleading guilty, while Sreesanth was let off with a warning. The board warned that Harbhajan could be banned for life if found guilty of another serious offence.
Kirsten said such incidents tend to happen with players who are expressive of their emotions on and off the field. "They are both very passionate cricketers who, ironically, are as similar off the field as on it. On the friendly side of the boundary rope I have found them to be extremely friendly, inoffensive and helpful people. But when they cross the line, literally, they become very passionate and committed, their blood boils quickly in the heat of battle."
Kirsten added that he had a long conversation with Harbhajan, during which he accepted his mistake and was keen to move on.
"I had a long telephone chat to him recently and he knows he made a big mistake. I think he wanted to know where he stood with me and I was able to reassure him that I wanted him in my team.
"He's still concerned but he's desperate to put it behind him and move on. He made a bad error of judgment and he's very determined that it won't happen again. And I think he realises the consequences if it does."

BCCI bans Harbhajan for five ODIs

Harbhajan Singh, who was recently banned for 11 IPL matches for slapping Sreesanth, has been handed a five-match ODI ban from the Indian board. This means he will miss India's forthcoming tri-series in Bangladesh and the start of the Asia Cup in Pakistan.

An old hand in a new world

For Sachin Tendulkar, this is 1989 all over again. Just as the old Iron Curtain was opened to let in the winds of change and an abominable wall came down, so a young boy started his journey to cricket's promised lands. At 35, after a career that has spanned 147 Tests and 417 one-day internationals, he stands poised on the threshold of a brave new world.
Tendulkar's Twenty20 passport has just the one stamp on it, from the Wanderers in Johannesburg 18 months ago. That game was succour to the Indians after they were humiliated in the ODIs but, on a night when bowlers were heroes, Tendulkar's contribution was negligible; he managed double-digits before a delivery from Charl Langeveldt was chopped on to the stumps.
Now another set of Indians, those from Mumbai who have invested in him to the tune of more than $1million a season, eagerly await his IPL bow. Half the season passed while he recuperated from a groin injury, and the Indians' fortunes have waned and then waxed. After the embarrassment caused by Harbhajan Singh, Slapgate, and four defeats on the trot, a team, led from the front by Shaun Pollock, has reeled off three consecutive victories against sides expected to make the semi-final cut.
Two home games follow and, with Tendulkar back, the buzz on the streets is of a determined push for fourth place and maybe beyond. Even before he has struck a ball in anger, the burden of expectation is squarely on his shoulders and those that have venerated him as India's Atlas won't want him to buckle now.
Twenty20 though is a very different game. Sourav Ganguly has shown signs of getting to grips with it, but other titans of the one-day game, like Ricky Ponting and Herschelle Gibbs, have struggled to impose themselves in the frenetic atmosphere. Two of Tendulkar's old sparring partners have been outstanding though, and those in blue shirts with the number 10 on their backs will hope that he follows their lead.
Glenn McGrath has continued to make grinning faces at Father Time, even as the Delhi Daredevils have lost their way in recent days. Eight games in, he sits atop the best economy-rate list, and has seven wickets for good measure. His old mate, Shane Warne, has done even better, taking 11 wickets and bamboozling the likes of Mahendra Singh Dhoni while leading the Rajasthan Royals, the rank outsiders, to the brink of a semi-final.
Everyone has been harping about Twenty20 being a batsman's game, and men like Gautam Gambhir and Shaun Marsh certainly won't argue with that. In a sense though, the bowlers' job is less taxing. While taking wickets remains important, the main objective is to keep the runs down and pressure batsmen into mistakes. Miserly overs, or maidens like McGrath managed in his first outing, are pure gold.
A new breed of batsman has flourished. And while not all of them are crude sluggers, they've managed to clear the mini-skirt-like boundaries with ridiculous ease. Those who operate within a more classical framework, like Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis, have struggled. Not only have they struggled to go over the top, but even the helter-skelter singles and twos have proved beyond them.
With fielding sides studying batsmen's weaknesses ever more closely, innovation has become the name of the game. In that regard, Tendulkar is unlikely to come up short. Right from the time that he revolutionised top-order batting in ODIs - few teams had ever sent their best man in first before Tendulkar's little dash at Eden Park in 1994 - he has added strokes to his repertoire, remaining a step ahead of bowlers that sought to contain him.


He plays the paddle-sweep, to pace and spin alike, perhaps better than anyone has done, and Brett Lee could tell you about the bunt over the slips that tormented him in Australia earlier this season. The inside-out shot over cover is also frequently unveiled, but it's the neat tuck off the pads and the gorgeous straight drive that have been the defining strokes of an unparalleled one-day caree

He plays the paddle-sweep, to pace and spin alike, perhaps better than anyone has done, and Brett Lee could tell you about the bunt over the slips that tormented him in Australia earlier this season. The inside-out shot over cover is also frequently unveiled, but it's the neat tuck off the pads and the gorgeous straight drive that have been the defining strokes of an unparalleled one-day career.
The skills are not in doubt, but his performances as the tournament nears its business end will come in for minute scrutiny. Warne can concede 27 in an over, and put it behind him in time for the next game. A Tendulkar nought is quite different. The Indian media may be gentle when it comes to analysing Adam Gilchrist's stop-start season, but Tendulkar will expect no such leeway.
A couple of low scores and TV channels will wheel out the same hackneyed question: Is Tendulkar finished? If he does score, but gets out a few balls before victory is clinched, the debates will centre around how he's no finisher. In many ways, it's a lose-lose situation, but the man who has been a winner for 18 years will surely find his way.

Tendulkar set to return against Chennai

Sachin Tendulkar has confirmed he is fit and will lead the Mumbai Indians in their next game on Wednesday against the Chennai Super Kings. The news is a shot in the arm for Mumbai who played the first half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the absence of Tendulkar, forced to sit out due to groin injury.
But Tendulkar announced today that the rehabilitation process had been successful and there was no "discomfort" and that he would open Mumbai's innings along with Sanath Jayasuriya.
"I will be playing on May 14. It's looking very good and I'm feeling very positive," Tendulkar said after a two-hour long batting session at the Wankhede Stadium. He said it was really "tough" for him to sit out but acknowledged the support of the fitness staff who had "really worked hard, especially the physio and the masseur".
Tendulkar first picked up the injury during the CB Series in Australia and it got worse after the first Test against South Africa in Chennai, forcing him to miss the final two matches of the series. He was unable to recover for the start of the IPL, missing Mumbai's first seven games.
Though Mumbai lost their first four games, Tendulkar was careful not to return before he was completely fit. "It was disappointing to miss the two Tests against South African and then seven IPL games. But during the first half of the rehabilitation I had to completely rest and followed it by strengthening of the muscles and working out a bit. With the help of the fitness staff all the things went fine and I'm feeling strong now and there is no discomfort."
In his absence Harbhajan Singh led Mumbai for the first three games and after he was banned for an on-field row with Sreesanth, Shaun Pollock came in as the stand-in captain. Asked if it would be difficult for the side to have another new captain especially when Pollock was proving to be successful, Tendulkar said the players had supported each other through it all and they understood each other well.
"I will be the captain. Shaun was a makeshift captain and he did a terrific job and the other senior players have also contributed well. It's not about who the captain is but it's about helping each other and that's what Mumbai Indians have been doing and will continue to do."
Despite his minimal exposure to the Twenty20 format - he has played only five games so far - Tendulkar was looking ahead to the challenge ahead. "I always try hard and I've always given my best." Mumbai are currently placed sixth in the points table, just above the Deccan Chargers and the Bangalore Royal Challengers.

Sparkling Ganguly inspires victory

After a torrid run through the first seven matches of the IPL, Sourav Ganguly the batsman finally made his presence felt in stunning style, carving a 57-ball 91 to fashion a convincing 23-run win for the Kolkata Knight Riders, their fourth of the tournament. Ganguly's knock, coupled with a blinder from David Hussey, lifted Kolkata to an imposing 204, which was far too much for the hapless Deccan Chargers, who collapsed to their seventh defeat in nine games and are all but out of the competition.
Kolkata's batting display was the perfect example in pacing a 20-over innings. Through the first half, Ganguly and Aakash Chopra batted steadily and built a platform: after ten overs, only 73 were on the board, but with nine wickets in hand, there was plenty of ammunition left. That was put to outstanding use later in the innings, as Hussey blitzed 57 off 29 balls in a 102-run partnership that came off a mere eight overs to set up a target which ensured Deccan have lost all four games at home.
Ganguly had shone with the ball in Kolkata's previous match, but he had struggled with the bat, unable to find the balance between defence and attack, often pottering around the crease and ultimately choosing the wrong ball to attack. All that changed completely here - the shot-selection was exemplary in the early part, and once he found his groove, he cut loose with such ferocity that none of the bowlers had any answers.
The key for him, though, was to survive the early exchanges and get a start. There was plenty of careful defending through the early part, but importantly, there were no half measures on the attack, as he gave himself room, moved his front foot out of the way, and smeared lofted hits over mid-on and cover. Chaminda Vaas and P Vijaykumar, the new-ball bowlers, were at the receiving end early, and when they shifted the line to leg stump, Ganguly cleverly shuffled across and pulled or flicked to the fine-leg boundary. In between these improvisations was one classical square drive, all timing and grace, when RP Singh strayed in line.
Having done the hard work, Ganguly then turned it on in style. Throughout his international career, he hasn't had much regard for left-arm spin, and here Pragyan Ojha was the chosen one, as Ganguly smacked two sixes and a four down the ground in the 14th over to signal the beginning of the onslaught. By now he was in supreme form, and it hardly mattered who the bowler was: Styris was pulled and lofted for successive sixes, while the listless Vaas - who struggled with his length and served up a series of full tosses - was carved over midwicket.
Sourav Ganguly favoured the long-on region, getting 32 of his 91 runs there © Cricinfo

Hussey joined in on the fun too, gauging the pace of the pitch immediately and striking it cleanly from the get-go. After spanking Vaas for ten off two deliveries, he turned his attention to RP, whose attempts at yorkers were either too short or too full. Twenty came off the 18th over, all courtesy Hussey, who bludgeoned a couple of leg-side sixes as the last seven overs leaked 115.
Deccan didn't help their cause in the field either: apart from Herschelle Gibbs, the rest put in a woeful display. There were misfields galore, Vaas muffed a sitter late in the innings to reprieve Tatenda Taibu, while the last ball of the innings encapsulated the day's performance, as RP's attempt to throw down the stumps missed the mark and resulted in four overthrows.
After such a battering in the field, Deccan's only hope was for Adam Gilchrist to fire - especially since Shahid Afridi wasn't in the line-up - but he only managed 24 before miscuing a pull off the impressive Ashok Dinda. The out-of-sorts Gibbs, who has now scored 45 in five innings, had already fallen in Dinda's second over, leaving the rest of the batsmen with far too much to do.
Ganguly, who took the catch to dismiss Gilchrist, was in the thick of things in the field as well, bowling four economical overs, and taking two wickets, including that of Styris, another big name who has done little. Rohit Sharma offered a glimmer of hope with a couple of typically classy sixes off Ganguly, but, quite fittingly, Ganguly had the last laugh, snaffling him at midwicket.
Venugopal Rao played a brave hand with a 42-ball 71 and spoilt the figures of Murali Kartik by smashing three sixes in an over, but that only ensured the margin of defeat wasn't an embarrassing one. With four wins from eight games, Kolkata are back in the reckoning for a semi-final berth. Deccan still have a mathematical chance of making the top four, but given their form so far, that will be a miracle.

Balaji's five-for sinks Kings XI Punjab

L Balaji had been in the wilderness during his long injury layoff, but not many would forget his performance against the Kings XI Punjab in front of a home crowd in Chennai. He took two wickets to spark a collapse in the Punjab innings, but in the final over of the day took the first hat-trick in the Indian Premier League to cap off a wonderful evening.
More to follow
20 overs Chennai Super Kings 181 for 4 (Badrinath 64, Dhoni 60*) v Kings XI Punjab
S Badrinath justified his promotion up the order with a brisk 64 (file photo) © Cricinfo Ltd

In a see-saw battle, local boy S Badrinath and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni threatened to take the game away as Michael Hussey had done in the previous encounter between Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab, but Punjab's bowlers came back well to keep the hosts down to 181 for 4 in Chennai.
The partnership between Badrinath and Dhoni had set it up for a blitz in the final five overs. They had added 80 off 49 deliveries, but Punjab's bowlers, who have been impressive during their side's five consecutive wins, kept their cool, giving away just 37 after Chennai had plundered 59 in overs 11-15.
The contest between bat and ball had been even till Dhoni picked out Piyush Chawla for some special treatment. Runs didn't come easily during his run-a-ball 33 against the Delhi Daredevils the last game, but soon after his arrival Chennai's adopted hero sent the crowd into raptures by clobbering Chawla for three sixes; the first two sailed into the leg-side stands, while and the third was hit flat over the bowler's head.
Yuvraj soon went in for damage control, bringing on Irfan Pathan, his side's leading wicket-taker, for his second spell as early as the 13th over. Badrinath, who had scored 35 off 30, lofted a six over long-on, before pulling another over the boundary. He brought up his fifty off 37 deliveries, and improvised well to hit two consecutive fours off VRV Singh.
Punjab did well to rein in the rampaging batsmen after overs 11-15 went for 59 runs. Sreesanth's final over - the 16th - went for just five. James Hopes and VRV took the cue and targeted the blockhole, and the run-scoring abated. Badrinath perished for 64 while trying to break the boundary drought. Hopes was taken for 17 in the 19th over, but Chennai would be disappointed at not having been able to go past the 200-run mark, which looked likely at one stage.
It was Sreesanth who had given Punjab the early advantage as well, removing both the openers. He persisted with the line across the left-hander, giving away two wides and two boundaries on the off side before S Vidyut flirted at one too many and was caught sharply by Mahela Jayawardene at slip. Sreesanth suffered a painful blow when he blocked a straight drive from Suresh Raina with his foot, but he soon had another wicket as Stephen Fleming hit straight into the hands of cover in his next over.
Raina and Badrinath then worked around the ball for the singles and twos, before Badrinath lofted Sreesanth over midwicket and then over his head to break the sequence of 16 balls without a boundary. Raina carted VRV's first ball over the off-side ring. VRV then overstepped, and Badrinath stood back in his crease and sent the ball sailing into the stands over midwicket to make it 19 runs in the space of four deliveries, and bring up the team's fifty.
Yuvraj brought on legspinner Piyush Chawla after the Powerplay overs, and Raina stepped out to place the ball over the leg-side boundary. An outside edge off a googly ran for four, but Raina was tempted later by a shorter ball from Chawla, the attempted slog resulting in his downfall.

Flintoff ruled out of first two Tests

England's dilemma over whether to pick Andrew Flintoff for next week's first Test has been decided for them, with the England allrounder unavailable for the first two Tests against New Zealand after picking up a side strain.
Flintoff, who has enjoyed an encouraging start to the season for Lancashire following ankle surgery in the winter, experienced some discomfort in his left side while bowling for Lancashire yesterday at Old Trafford. He was assessed and received treatment by the Lancashire medical team and subsequent scans on Friday evening confirmed the diagnosis of a side strain.
The ECB insisted, however, that Flintoff "has not experienced any discomfort in his left ankle and continues to make excellent progress in his rehabilitation from surgery last October".
"Obviously I'm bitterly disappointed to be unavailable for Test selection due to this injury as I'm really enjoying my cricket with Lancashire and feel my bowling has been improving with each match," Flintoff said. "I've put in a lot of hard work to get to this point after ankle surgery last year and I know I can overcome what isn't a significant injury. It's very frustrating to have picked up an injury at this time but I want nothing more than to return to the England side and will continue to do everything required to make myself available for selection."
All the talk over the past few weeks has revolved around Flintoff's impressive form with the ball, while he has barely scratched a run with the bat. Justin Langer and Stuart Law have both urged England to recall him for the first Test, but there were notes of caution sounded from Mike Atherton, Geoffrey Boycott and Ian Botham, who believed he was not quite ready. The decision has been made for England's selectors, however, and the 12-man squad to face New Zealand for the first Test at Lord's will be announced on Sunday morning.
With Flintoff now out of the equation, the selectors are spared making a major decision at least until the third Test at Trent Bridge. The key issue now is the fitness of Paul Collingwood who needed an injection in his right shoulder yesterday. If batting cover is needed, Owais Shah's name will once again be in the equation, but he doesn't provide any back-up bowling. Instead the opportunity could arise to recall Ravi Bopara or hand a first call-up to Luke Wright, who made a timely 120 for England Lions against the New Zealanders at The Rose Bowl. Both Bopara and Wright could offer Collingwood's quota of medium pace.
England have recent experience of coming unstuck against New Zealand, but an attack of Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad and probably James Anderson should be sufficient to dispatch the visitors and would give the team that won the final two Tests of the previous series another chance. Anderson is the member of that trio under threat after a profligate display in Napier. His form for Lancashire so far this season has been mixed, but nine wickets against Durham came at the right time and he has a good Test record a Lord's. Last year he claimed seven wickets against India and also bagged five on his debut in 2003.
Matthew Hoggard, who was dropped in the winter, will come back into the frame after a solid start for Yorkshire although he has lacked zip for England Lions. The consensus is that he was unlucky to be dropped after a poor performance in Hamilton and, although there is no automatic route back for him despite 248 Test wickets, he would be a solid presence in the squad in case a bowler pulls up injured.
If Collingwood is fit the batting line-up will pick itself. They haven't, however, set the county scene alight this season. Michael Vaughan has a top score of 42 which represents profligacy compared with Collingwood who has managed just 32 in five innings. Tim Ambrose has the highest score of the likely top seven, 156 against Leicestershire, but is also a slight concern after suffering a stiff neck. One major decision has been put on hold for the selectors, but there is potential for a couple more headaches.

Possible England 12Michael Vaughan (capt), Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Tim Ambrose (wk), Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, James Anderson, Matthew Hoggard.

Clarke withdraws from West Indies tour

Michael Clarke has forced a change in Australia's West Indies tour plans after pulling out of the start of the trip due to the serious condition of his fiancé's father. Clarke was due to make his debut as Australia's Test vice-captain following the retirement of Adam Gilchrist, but the batsman will not leave with the team on Saturday after being granted compassionate leave by Cricket Australia.
Clarke's dad Les has Hodgkin's disease, but it is the condition of the father of Clarke's fiancé Lara Bingle that is the most concerning. Graham Bingle has had liver cancer for more than a year and Clarke left the team camp in Brisbane before its conclusion on Friday to fly to Sydney.
"I will not be travelling to the West Indies with the team due to family reasons," Clarke said in a short statement. "I am looking forward to getting over there as soon as possible."
The withdrawal of Clarke came as a surprise to some of his team-mates and a Cricket Australia spokesman said his arrival date in the West Indies was currently unclear. Michael Hussey has been handed the vice-captaincy and Brad Hodge has been named as a shadow player. "Despite the circumstances it is a huge honour to be given the role," Hussey said, "even if it may only be for a short period of time."
Hodge is currently in the Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders, but will fly to the West Indies until Clarke arrives. He is expected to meet up with the team in either Dubai or London on their indirect journey to the Caribbean.
"Brad has had another strong domestic season with Victoria in all forms of the game," the chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said. "He is still very highly regarded by the panel and this provides him with another opportunity to be involved with the Australian squad."
Clarke and Bingle were engaged in March and they have been supporting each other through the illnesses of their parents. "My sister Leanne phoned to tell me my father had cancer," Clarke told the Sydney Morning Herald last year. "It showed me that it could all be over tomorrow. You don't choose."
At the start of the camp on Monday, Clarke was as enthusiastic as when he joined the squad and was nicknamed 'Pup' for his effervescent nature. He was quizzing Brad Haddin about whether he had received all his gear for the tour and was in a hurry to start playing after feeling refreshed from his time away from the game.
He had avoided joining the Indian Premier League to stay home and "go fishing with the old man", something he achieved. He also took Bingle, a model, to the United States, where he proposed in New York's Central Park. "I made the decision [not to go to India] for my body and to spend time with my dad," Clarke told the Herald this week. "It was really nice to be able to spend some time with my family and Lara."
Clarke has been destined for national leadership duties since he won his first Test cap, but achieving a position of responsibility has not been as smooth as the predictions. He was named vice-captain for the Chappell-Hadlee Series in New Zealand in 2007 before being ruled out with a hip injury, but led the Twenty20 team in Perth later that year when Ricky Ponting was rested.

Kolkata win fierce battle

The IPL's two most glamorous sides went into this match desperately seeking points after a string of losses, and ended up producing a fascinating, if low-scoring contest that was decided in the home team's favour off the penultimate ball. Unlike their earlier encounter, there were no batting heroics but there was plenty of brilliance in the field and with the ball in a rain-shortened match that ended way past midnight.
The day began with Kolkata celebrating the birthday of its greatest son, Rabindranath Tagore. It ended with a crowd of thousands, who'd braved a typical seasonal thundershower to back their team, delighting in the exploits of its current favourite as Sourav Ganguly led with the ball to revive his side's hopes in the tournament.
The Knight Riders's second successive win over Bangalore Royal Challengers is more significant as it comes after four successive losses, and to a side depleted by the exit of key players. Ganguly had limped to a run-a-ball 20 with the bat, but his spell of medium-pacers, going for seven runs off his three overs, choked a stumbling Bangalore chase that, despite a flurry towards the end led by Mark Boucher, was always behind the eight ball.
Bangalore, a side under immense pressure as well, had done well to restrict Kolkata to 129, but their top order undid the good work by failing to tick along the scoring, and the rest of the line-up couldn't rise up against the escalating run-rate. Shivnarine Chanderpaul found mid-on after nearly doing so the previous ball with a top-edge, and after four overs Bangalore were faced with an asking-rate of over nine.
J Arunkumar smashed Umar Gul over midwicket and then in machine-like manner peppered the off side with two boundaries, but Brad Hodge came up with a stunning effort. Hovering at backward point, Hodge collected the ball on the slide with his left hand, and then let the right do the damage, sending down the stumps before the hesitant batsmen made it back.
Dravid was in, and so was Ganguly. Bangalore's R Vinay Kumar only conceded 15 off his three overs, but Ganguly gave just seven, a spell that prematurely ended Bangalore's innings. By the time he was done, Bangalore needed 78 off 36 overs, a near-impossible task.
Cameron White and Mark Boucher played good hands, the latter almost pulling it off, but Bangalore's top order had left them with a bit too much to do. White cut loose to take 15 runs off the 11th over from Laxmi Ratan Shukla, eight came off the next from the next from Ashok Dinda, and another 15 off Umar Gul kept them in line with the asking-rate.
Ishant Sharma just gave five off his 14th, and when White was run out backing up too far at the non-striker's end by Murali Kartik, it seemed a done case. Boucher, whose 26 had needed 30 deliveries, then scored 24 off just 10, but Bangalore still fell five runs short. Bangalore's top-order mess needs to quick addressal, but their effort in the field after Kolkata decided to bat was heartening. Aakash Chopra, the former India opener, came in to bolster a struggling top order, but he didn't make much of an impact, and Brad Hodge hit Zaheer Khan straight to the man positioned on the boundary.
If he looked smooth with the ball, Ganguly wasn't as much during his batting stint. He got off the mark with an uppish drive for four, and found himself tangled in an awkward position against a shorter ball from Praveen Kumar. He nudged around during his 20, and greeted Anil Kumble with a beautifully timed shot through the off side. However, he was the first of two run-outs in Kolkata's innings, White pulling off a direct hit.
The going had been slow for Kolkata, and David Hussey tried to step it up, lofting a Praveen slower delivery over long-off, before placing the following delivery through the extra-cover region. He launched Kumble for two consecutive sixes, but a throw fired in on top of the stumps from Steyn did Hussey in as he ran for a second, Mark Boucher did the rest.
Tatenda Taibu, playing his first game, took two boundaries off Praveen, but his innings was also shortlived. He was late on the pull against Steyn and the top-edge was easily taken by Boucher. Steyn was steaming in, but nearly lost his cool as Shukla hit consecutive boundaries. He soon got his man, with Shukla playing-on a rising delivery pitched onto the stumps.
An embarrassing goof-up delayed play ahead of Steyn's final over - the 14th of the innings, with only one bowler allowed to bowl four. The scorers and umpires mixed up the two Kumars, and had Vinay with four overs bowled and Praveen with one, instead of three and two. Rahul Dravid, the Bangalore captain, pleaded his case, and Steyn finally got to bowl after the delay. The confusion seemed to have got under the Bangalore players' nerves, as Wriddhiman Saha and Murali Kartik added 34 quick runs at the end for the seventh wicket, the highest partnership of the innings. Saha was lucky not to be caught by Steyn off Zaheer, with Steyn losing the ball in the Eden floodlights. He even got four for it, and smashed Praveen for a six in the final over to help Kolkata reach 129.

Scored Card...

Kolkata Knight Riders 129 for 7 (Steyn 3-27) beat Bangalore Royal Challengers 124 for 4 (Boucher 50, White 30) by five runsScorecard and ball-by-ball details How they were out

Gavaskar resigns as ICC cricket committee head

Sunil Gavaskar, who was asked to choose between his ICC role and his media commitments due to a potential conflict of interest, has decided to end his eight-year stint as chairman of its cricket committee.

The executive board of the ICC had found Gavaskar's dual roles untenable, and had authorised its CEO, Malcolm Speed, to ask him to convey his position when the committee met on May 5-6. Speed has since gone on leave

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the eight years I have held the role [of ICC cricket committee chairman], which is an honorary position, and it has been extremely fulfilling to be able to give back to the game through that role," Gavaskar said.

Gavaskar said that his media commitments made it difficult to fulfill dual responsibilities. "However, with more and more cricket being played it has become clear that it is not possible for me to do justice to two jobs, the chairmanship of the ICC cricket committee and my media commitments.

"As an example of that, I had to leave my professional commitments as a commentator on the Indian Premier League matches in order to come and chair this year's meeting in Dubai."

"We are indebted to the work Sunil has put into his role as chairman of the ICC cricket committee," Dave Richardson, the ICC's acting CEO, said. "He has brought his vast experience of the game to bear, not only over the eight years of his chairmanship but also the six years prior to that, when he was a delegate on the same committee."

The issue of a potential conflict of interest came in the aftermath of the Sydney Test when Gavaskar, in a syndicated newspaper column, criticised match referee Mike Procter for banning Harbhajan Singh for his alleged racial abuse.

The situation was compounded when Gavaskar criticised the English and Australian boards after the conclusion of the executive board's meet in March. "Gone are the days when two countries, England and Australia, had the veto power in international cricket, even though the dinosaurs may not open their eyes and see the reality," he wrote. "The cricketing world has found that India has no longer a diffident voice but a confident one that knows what is good for its cricket, and will strive to get it."

The ICC's cricket committee, which comprises select present and former cricketers, as well as match and board officials, is assigned with discussing and consulting on cricket-related matters, and making recommendations on the same to the chief executives' committee (CEC). The recommendations will only take effect if they are ratified and/or approved by the CEC as well as the ICC.

Meanwhile, the ICC are yet to decide on Gavaskar's replacement.

Deccan outplay insipid Chennai

The Chennai Super Kings have plenty to ponder after losing to the Deccan Chargers by seven wickets, their third successive defeat. Their top order failed again and their total of 144 was easily overhauled by Deccan, inspired by a blazing 54 by stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist. Besides struggling to come to terms with the loss of their big-hitting overseas batsmen, Chennai's bowling, which has taken only seven wickets in the last three matches, is also a cause for concern.
Deccan's bowlers exploited the helpful conditions early on to slice through the Chennai top order. Just as in the previous two matches, the batsmen floundered against the moving ball in the first over. Parthiv Patel troubles with the bat continued as he survived a close lbw call first ball, was dropped by the bowler P Vijaykumar off the fourth, before RP Singh took a fine running catch to dismiss him sixth ball. S Anirudh, son of former India batsman Kris Srikkanth, fell soon after, miscueing a pull off RP.
Stephen Fleming was just about getting into his groove when his rasping square drive off his former New Zealand team-mate Scott Styris was smartly held by Rohit Sharma at cover point. And when S Badrinath was spectacularly held at backward point by Herschelle Gibbs in the seventh over, Chennai were in shambles at 43 for 4.
Suresh Raina, who was playing fluently when the wickets were tumbling around him, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, were again called on rebuild the innings. There was some tidy, but not threatening bowling from Sanjay Bangar and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha as Chennai progressed to 82 without any hiccups. Raina unleashed some lovely straight drives while Dhoni sensibly cut out the risks and kept the ball on the ground.
However, both Raina and Dhoni were dismissed in the space of nine balls and Chennai were in danger of being bowled out for the second game in succession. Raina once again failed to capitalise on his start, spooning a wide full toss from Bangar to cover. Dhoni had been tied down by Ojha and perished when an attempted pull took a bottom edge and ballooned off his pads to Shahid Afridi at point.
As in his previous two knocks, Albie Morkel needed to haul his team out of the hole created by top order. The crowd had been chanting for a six and there had been none till the 17th over, when a monstrous hit from Morkel sent the ball out of the stadium. Four more sixes came off the last four overs, including two in the final one by Manpreet Gony, as Chennai pushed their score to 145.
After a quiet start to the chase, Gibbs showed glimpses of his striking abilities, lashing Makhaya Ntini for a six over cover and a four to midwicket, before being caught-and-bowled by the impressive Gony. Gilchrist, leading the side after VVS Laxman suffered a hand injury, had also been tied down by Gony but got going with a couple of pulled boundaries off Albie Morkel in the fourth over. He then tore into Ntini: the first ball was sent into the stands over his favourite midwicket area, the second was a lofted straight drive which ran away for four and the third was smashed back over the bowler's head for six. Twenty runs came in that over and Deccan had raced to 50 for 1 by the end of the sixth.
With Styris, promoted to No. 3, playing a steady hand at the other end, Gilchrist kept the barrage of boundaries coming before he cut a short and wide delivery from Morkel straight to Badrinath at point. By then, the required-rate had come down to around six - leisurely by Twenty20 standards.
Rohit struggled initially against Muttiah Muralitharan but slammed a 17-ball 23, including a stunning straight six to reclaim the orange cap for being the tournament's highest cumulative run-scorer. Styris remained unbeaten on 36 as Afridi smashed Joginder Sharma for two sixes and two fours in an over to complete the victory.
This is Deccan's second win and it lifts them off the bottom of the table. The most heartening aspect of the win was that their batting clicked as a unit, unlike the several games in which it was left to one batsman to carry the innings.

Deccan Chargers 148 for 3 (Gilchrist 54, Styris 36*) beat Chennai Super Kings 144 for 7 (Raina 32, RP Singh 2-12) by seven wickets

Scored Card....Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Charu Sharma removed as Bangalore's CEO

The Bangalore Royal Challengers' poor run in the IPL has claimed its first victim with Charu Sharma, the franchise's CEO, being relieved of his job. While the official version said Sharma stepped down due to personal reasons and will be replaced by Brijesh Patel, secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, which runs the game in the franchise's home city, sources close to Sharma said he had been asked to leave.
The development came a day after Bangalore, the IPL's second-most expensive franchise, were comprehensively beaten on their home ground by Kings XI Punjab, their fifth defeat in the competition. They currently lie second from bottom in the points table after showing patchy form through the tournament.
A Royal Challengers team spokesperson said Sharma, a well-known television professional and former national diving champion, stepped down due to "personal reasons" but a source closely associated with the development told Cricinfo he was asked to leave by Vijay Mallya, the chairman of United Spirits Limited, the liquor company that owns the team.
Sharma was not available for comment but it's learnt he was told categorically on Tuesday afternoon that he would have to leave. "Charu can't go out to bat or bowl for the team so, obviously, the owner wants to send a strong message after the string of defeats. This is clearly a symbolic gesture but unfortunately, the CEO has been made the scapegoat," the sources said.
The news seemed to have surprised many of the players in the Bangalore team, who reached Kolkata on Tuesday night. "It's been shocking, and so early in the tournament," a senior player told Cricinfo. "There are still seven matches to go, and we could have clawed back. I just hope this doesn't put additional pressure on the team now because the first question a team-mate asked on hearing about this development was: Who's next?"
The team's spokesperson, however, dismissed speculation that Venkatesh Prasad, the team coach, was on his way out too, though he said Patel would be part of the team management for their next match against the Knight Riders in Kolkata on Thursday.
Mallya is learnt to have been extremely upset on Monday night after he watched his team, led by Rahul Dravid, the former India captain, lose their fifth match. Mallya bought the franchise from the IPL council with a bid of US$ 111.6 million and then faced a barrage of criticism after the players' auction where Dravid took the lead in picking a squad - including South Africa's Jacques Kallis and India's Wasim Jaffer - that has since been tagged as a Test XI.
Curiously, Patel, the new CEO, and Mallya were on the opposite sides of a bitterly fought election to the general body of the KSCA, in which Mallya was backing Srikantadatta Wadiyar for the president's post against Gundappa Viswanath, the former Test batsman who was supported by Patel. Though Wadiyar won, Patel, known for his organisational skills, managed to hold on to the secretary's post.

Todays Match

Indian Premier League
Kolkata Knight Riders 67 (15.2/20 ov)Mumbai Indians 68/2 (5.3/20 ov)
Mumbai Indians won by 8 wickets (with 87 balls remaining)

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PCB softens stance on Shoaib

In a further softening of its stance on Shoaib Akhtar, the Pakistan board will no longer pursue the defamation lawsuit following a reconciliation of sorts between Nasim Ashraf, the board chairman, and Shoaib at the house of a top political official last night in Islamabad.


The dinner meeting was held at the residence of Rehman Malik, a key advisor to the prime minister in the current government on interior affairs, in which Shoaib apologised to Ashraf. The meeting reportedly came at the request of Malik, who called Ashraf and told him Shoaib was ready to apologise to him personally and that the matter should be resolved for the good of Pakistan cricket. Last week Shoaib had also apologised publicly to the chairman and the board.


"He has publicly and personally apologised, so I forgive him," Ashraf told Cricinfo. "My honour has been vindicated and now the defamation lawsuit will not be pursued."


Though the lawsuit has been dropped, the five-year ban - currently suspended - and the appeals process against it, will remain in place. The workings of the Appellate Tribunal remain outside the jurisdiction of the board chairman and the appeals hearing will resume as normal on June 4.


The PCB had, on Friday, filed the Rs 22 crore (approx US$3.37 million) lawsuit against Shoaib for comments he had made against the PCB chairman immediately after the imposition of his five-year ban. Shoaib had alleged on a TV show that Ashraf had demanded a share of his salary from the IPL. He also alleged that Ashraf had tried to extort money from other Pakistan cricketers as well.

The decision is further good news for Shoaib, following yesterday's decision to suspend the ban on him to allow him to play in the Indian Premier League.

Not surprisingly, speculation that the ban is likely to be overturned eventually has already begun, though privately, PCB officials are believed to be adamant that Shoaib will not play for Pakistan again

Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings, IPL, Jaipur

Drastic fantastic

Smiling wryly after his depleted Chennai Super Kings were crushed by Sohail Tanvir's record 6 for 14, Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he told his openers, Stephen Fleming and Parthiv Patel, to watch out for the ball that swings in. "Parthiv looked at me and was sort of saying 'yeah, right' and then he was out first ball", Dhoni said.

Six deliveries into Chennai's innings, both Patel and Fleming were back in the pavilion after misreading Sohail's movement. It was a setback from which Chennai never recovered as Rajasthan's bowlers, marshalled expertly by their captain, followed a simple, yet deadly plan: Attack. There's only one way to get wickets - that's by making the batsmen play, and Rajasthan did just that. Not just Tanvir, but almost every bowler attacked the stumps and rarely eased the pressure from that first over.

Tanvir probably hasn't met Gary Gilmour but, like the former Australian fast bowler, he's going to be the proud owner of record figures for quite some time. Gilmour's 6 for 14 in the 1975 World Cup semi-final were the best one-day international figures for a while and Tanvir's identical return will take some serious beating.

His 2 for 30 against Kolkata were a major improvement from his debut game but this was surreal. He pitched the ball up just outside off stump and swung it in exaggeratedly to trap Patel lbw first ball. Fleming fell in the same over, though replays suggested the delivery would have gone over the stumps. There was no questioning the third dismissal, as S Vidyut edged to second slip, and Tanvir returned to polish off the tail with straight, full deliveries.

"Skipper [Shane Warne] said to me, you'll just bowl one over but when I got two he said you can bowl one more," revealed Tanvir afterwards. "He wanted me to bowl three overs at the end but I got three wickets early. I just hit the right areas, there was swing early on, and we got a very good start and carried on."

Warne has been saying that his side gel well and that each player is hungry. That hunger was perhaps most evident today among his bowlers. Shane Watson mixed slow and fast short-pitched deliveries with gentle fuller ones and took out a trigger-happy S Badrinath, who lobbed a pull back. Munaf Patel, who has had his share of accuracy issues, didn't begin too well but he ended with a bang - two wickets in his final over to end with 2 for 16 from four.

And then there was the master himself. Shane Warne v Mahendra Singh Dhoni was tipped as a battle to watch, and, though it wasn't allowed to even take off, it offered a riveting sub-plot to the broader script. Bringing himself on for the eighth over - earlier than he has all tournament - Warne beat Dhoni with a ripping leg break first ball, pitching outside leg stump and fizzing past the bat. Had Mike Gatting been watching the game, suggested Tony Cozier, he'd have turned off the TV set for the memories it would have brought back. Two balls later Warne slipped in another gem, looping and dipping to take the edge and carry to slip. Greater batsmen have fallen to such deliveries, but Warne getting Dhoni broke the back of the Chennai line-up.

Earlier today Ian Chappell hailed Warne as the greatest captain Australia never had. This was but a glimpse into his mind: Warne knew how dangerous Dhoni was and took it upon himself to come on early; he attacked, and won that round.

If they keep this up, Chappell may be right about putting your money on Rajasthan winning the IPL

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Shoaib cleared to play in IPL

Shoaib Akhtar has been cleared to play in the IPL after the Appellate Tribunal decided to suspend his five-year ban for one month, until they reconvene on June 4. The PCB has, in turn, granted Shoaib a No Objection Certificate to feature in the IPL, where he will play for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Lalit Modi, the chairman and commissioner of the IPL, confirmed that Shoaib will play the tournament. "We look forward to Shoaib playing for us," Modi said. "I am going to call him immediately and invite him to come to Kolkata tonight or tomorrow morning."
Farrukh Aftab, the head of the three-man tribunal, announced the decision. "We have suspended the ban for one month and the next hearing will be held on June 4," Aftab told reporters in Lahore. "Had we not suspended the ban, he could not have been played the in IPL, which we thought was injustice to Akhtar."
Meanwhile, Shoaib expressed relief after his clearance. "This is a great relief for me as I am keen to play in the IPL," Shoaib said. "But this is just one battle won and we still have to win the final case."
The tribunal's decision to grant Shoaib a temporary reprieve comes after his lawyers pressed for the suspension of his ban.
Earlier, the tribunal, on April 30, had decided to uphold the PCB's ban on an interim-basis. Shoaib was banned for comments he made after not being offered a contract by the PCB, in which he lashed out at domestic tournaments, pitches and the administration in general. He made the comments while on a two-year probation after hitting team-mate Mohammad Asif with a bat before the World Twenty20 last year. Shoaib has the additional burden of dealing with a Rs 22 crore (approx US$3.37 million) defamation suit filed against him by PCB chief Nasim Ashraf.
The Knight Riders franchise, which signed him for US$425,000 in the player auctions, would welcome his arrival and hope for a turnaround in their fortunes. The team has suffered four consecutive losses after winning their first two games. Shoaib returns to one of his memorable hunting grounds, the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, where the team has five remaining home games. His was a revelation in his first Test at the venue, picking up eight wickets in a match-winning effort.

Ganguly and Warne fined 10% of match fees

Sourav Ganguly and Shane Warne have been fined 10% of their match fees, while Pratap Kumar, the on-field umpire, has been suspended for a game following the controversy during Thursday's IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.
Ganguly asked Kumar to refer a decision to the third umpire after he wasn't convinced about a catch taken by Rajasthan's Grame Smith at the deep midwicket boundary. Asad Rauf, the third umpire, ruled in favour of the batsman after replays weren't entirely conclusive. In his post-match comments, Shane Warne, the Rajasthan captain, hit out at Ganguly's behaviour and condemned his attitude towards the IPL's Spirit of Cricket agreement.
Farrokh Engineer, the match referee, ruled that Ganguly's act of asking the umpire to refer a decision constituted a Level I offence according to the ICC's Code of Conduct. Warne wasn't spared either, though - he was found guilty of violating Section 1.7 of the ICC's Code of Conduct, which deals with 'public criticism of, or inappropriate comment on, a match-related incident or official.' The referee also ruled that there was no reason for Kumar to accede to the plea to refer the decision, and hence suspended him for a game.

Kareena Kapoor on the cover of Time Out

By Bollywood Hungama News Network, April 30, 2008 - 17:54 IST

An Englishman once said to his beloved that "I love you not because you are beautiful, you are beautiful because I Love you." We are sure of the fact that if the same man must have seen the sizzling Kareena Kapoor on the cover of the latest edition of the leading magazine 'Time Out Mumbai', his mind would have simply stop functioning before even coming up with such words. Because of the only reason the name Kareena is good enough for someone to fall in love with instantly! Well, we are indeed talking about the ever-so-sizzling diva of good looks and romance Kareena Kapoor, in (one of her vivacious best) gracing the magazine cover. Needless to say that the cover itself is so inviting that you will curse yourself for having not got a copy of the same! What's so special about this interview is that Kareena speaking about her childhood days with sister Karisma, how they used to travel by school bus and local trains. Their mother Babita's single handed upbringing, and even about Saif that he has to come to meet her as she is too shoestring tied about time. We do not blame you for that, Kareena. Everyone wants to have a little of your Tashan in their lives. One last piece of advice to the Englishman to please rephrase his words as the following: "Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for Beauty is God's Handwriting."