orkut - Messages

orkut - Messages: "Cash-less Sri Lanka banks on India: Ranatunga
Cash-less Sri Lanka banks on India: Ranatunga
Sri Lanka's new cricket chief and former captain Arjuna Ranatunga has revealed his board has no money left and is banking on financial support from India to stay afloat.

Ranatunga, who was appointed head of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) by the country's President Mahinda Rajapakse earlier this month, said the board was surviving on bank borrowings.

'There is no money left,' Ranatunga told AFP in an interview this week at the SLC headquarters overlooking the Sinhalese Sports Club in the capital.

'We are now surviving on a six-million dollar bank overdraft. We also plan to ask for a short-term loan from the Indian cricket board to be set off against some of our future tour revenues.'

Allegations of graft and kickbacks have dogged the island's cricket administration for years and Ranatunga, 44, has asked a team of auditors to investigate the board's finances.

Sri Lanka's cricket had not been short of sponsors after the island won its only World Cup under Ranatunga's captaincy in 1996, but the kitty has been running dry in recent times.

Most of the money that the SLC earns these days is through prize money won by the national team that includes the world's leading Test wicket taker Muttiah Muralitharan."

orkut - Messages

orkut - Messages: "Ponting out of Twenty20 match

Ricky Ponting has been ruled out of today's Twenty20 match against India in Melbourne as he continues to struggle with a back injury. Ponting batted in the nets on the morning of the game but Australia decided not to risk him and will now attempt to have him ready for Sunday's opening CB Series match against India at the Gabba.

'He pulled up pretty sore this morning,' Australia's coach Tim Nielsen said. 'His back is just not 100% and with the uncertain nature of Twenty20 cricket and the frantic nature of it we're just a bit concerned that if he has to dive in the first over if we're fielding and pulls up very sore it could leave us one short.'

Michael Clarke will captain Australia for the second time in two months and he is set to lead a side with one debutant after Nielsen confirmed David Hussey would play his first match in Australian colours. Brad Hodge will slot into Ponting's No.3 position and Ben Hilfenhaus has been named the 12th man.

Nielsen said with the first tri-series match only two days away there was no guarantee Ponting would be available, and the travel to Brisbane was a concern. 'Today's decision was all about today,' Nielsen said. 'We'll have to keep assessing him and see how he goes each game from"

Stick Cricket - Indian report card

"Anil Kumble: B+
Captain by default, Kumble displayed the toughness in leadership that India has for so long lacked – a stark contrast from the aloofness of Ganguly and timidness of Dravid. His gritty efforts with the bat saw India pile on valuable late-order runs, while he was India’s leading wicket-taker. At times a little defensive, Kumble was reluctant to bowl himself, the main downside of his captaincy. With the bat, he fell short of a second Test century at Adelaide with a slightly selfish 87. Nevertheless, 179 runs at 30 and 20 wickets at 34 ensured his contributions remained important for the Indian cause.

VVS Laxman: B+
In full flight, VVS is, for mine, the most beautiful batsman in the world to watch. A consistent series here featured a lovely century in Sydney and a couple of fifties, but also a frustrating tendency to give away his wicket when set – most notably in Perth where a needless hoik went down mid-off’s throat. At other times, the trademark wristy flicks and flowing cover drives were unparalleled in elegance by any other player all series. His generally safe hands in the slips yielded five catches.

Ishant Sharma: B+
The find of the series, Instant Karma’s rating does not take his youth and inexperience into account. Nicknamed ‘Lambu’, or ‘the tall one"

Stick Cricket - Indian report card

Stick Cricket - Indian report card: "INDIAN REPORT CARD
By Thomas Rose - January 30, 2008

With the four Test series done and dusted, it's time for Tom Rose to hand out his report card for the Indian players. Who makes the grade and who doesn't? You'll have to click through to find out...

Sachin Tendulkar: A+
For such an inexhaustible run machine, it was surprising to learn that this series was the Little Master’s most prolific in terms of runs. It was Sachin at his old best, batting with an air of invincibility. Scratch that, it wasn’t an air – he was truly infallible. That said, Bing dismissed him four times and Sarf bowled him twice, but not before he was able to rattle up 493 runs at an average of 70.52. The standout knocks were an unbeaten 154 at Sydney and an imperious 153 at Adelaide, and it appeared he could bat on end. On his final tour down under, he strode on and off to standing ovations, such was the appreciation of the paying public.

Virender Sehwag: A
Recent poor form led to his exclusion from the Boxing Day Test, stumping many Australian observers. Following the dismal failure of the Jaffer/Dravid opening combination in Melbourne and Sydney, Sehwag was called upon and although he managed only 29 and 43, the manner in which he scored them did not allow Australia to dictate"

Pakistan tour on CA agenda | Herald Sun

Pakistan tour on CA agenda | Herald Sun: "Pakistan tour on CA agenda
Article from: Herald Sun

Jon Pierik

February 01, 2008 12:00am

AUSTRALIA'S slated tour of Pakistan next month is expected to face strong opposition today when the Cricket Australia board meets for the first time this year.

In what promises to be a day of tense talks about several issues, Pakistan will be high on the agenda.

Officials will also discuss Bangladesh's Test series in Darwin and Cairns, which clashes with the Olympics.

There are suggestions the two Tests could be culled, with the three one-dayers remaining. If both Tests do remain, there is now the possibility both will be held in Darwin.

India's controversial tour will also be a major talking point, with some officials concerned the relationship with the Board of Control for Cricket in India has been strained.

Australia is due to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match on the six-week tour of Pakistan from mid-March, but that was thrown into chaos after the assassination of former president Benazir Bhutto in December.

Australia is due to complete a pre-tour security check after the February 18 elections a"elections are held, but it's understood some officials are reluctant to do this because of safety fears.

CA, the Australian Cricketers' Association and security chiefs have been in regular contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

DFAT's safety and security fears are highlighted by the Australian embassies in Karachi and Lahore - two major cricketing cities - being closed.

Australia's players are loath to visit the strife-torn country which has averaged one suicide bombing a week in the past year.

The Pakistan Cricket Board is adamant the tour will go ahead and Australia will be given security fit for a king.

But CA has been working on strategies to abandon the tour and play it in a neutral venue.

Australia's tour in 2002 was transferred to the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates because of safety issues.

The Zimbabwe team has been in Pakistan in recent weeks, but there is a feeling Australia would be a more high-profile target.

DFAT's travel warning continues to provide damning evidence why the tour should be scrapped.

"We strongly advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Pakistan at this time due to the very high threat of terrorist attack, sectarian violence and the unpredictable security situation," the advice says.

Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson is adamant Australian players will be safe, while the PCB's director of cricket operations, Zakir Khan, agrees.

"We feel the Australians would be safe in Pakistan and they would be provided the same top-level security which has been given to other teams in recent past and who have gone home after incident-free tours," Khan said.

Cricinfo - India to use Twenty20 as 'practice'

Cricinfo - India to use Twenty20 as 'practice': "ndia to use Twenty20 as 'practice'

Brydon Coverdale in Melbourne

January 31, 2008


Ricky Ponting is no certainty to play in the Twenty20 match against India as he continues to battle a back injury © Getty Images


At the MCG on Friday, the world champions will attempt to maintain their unbeaten run against a talented opposition boasting a number of fresh faces. But in a reversal of the usual trend in recent years, Australia are the challengers and India are out to confirm their status as the world's best Twenty20 side.

The teams have met twice before in the shortest format and India came out on top both times, first with a 15-run semi-final win at the ICC World Twenty20 and then with a seven-wicket triumph in Mumbai a month later. However, India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said his side was not overly concerned about Friday's result.

They have a 17-man squad to choose from and nine of those players were not part of the Test group. Dhoni said because the new arrivals had had only one training session in Melbourne, India would need to treat the Twenty20 as a chance to warm up ahead of the tri-series that also features Sri Lanka.

'We will take the Twenty20 as one of the practice games,' Dhoni said in Melbourne. 'The guys are more serious about the Twenty20 World"

BBC SPORT | Cricket | India players ordered to behave

BBC SPORT | Cricket | India players ordered to behave: "India players ordered to behave
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan is free to play for the rest of India's tour
The Indian cricket board has told its players to behave themselves following the row involving Harbhajan Singh.

On Tuesday, Harbhajan had a charge of racially abusing Australia's Andrew Symonds downgraded to abusive language by the International Cricket Council.

'We have told the players not to get into altercations,' said Indian cricket board secretary Niranjan Shah.

India play Australia in a Twenty20 match on Friday ahead of a one-day series, which also includes Sri Lanka.

Spinner Harbhajan had been found guilty of calling Symonds, Australia's only mixed-race player, a 'monkey' during the second Test in Sydney this month.


I don't think this will have any repercussions for the future

Niranjan Shah

However, Tuesday's appeal hearing ruled there was not enough evidence to convict Harbhajan of racial abuse, but instead charged him with using abusive language.

Harbhajan pleaded guilty and consequently escaped a three-match suspension but he was fined half his match fee.

New Zealand judge Justice John Hansen, who considered the appeal, indicated that even if Harbhajan's accusers had proved he had made the racist remark, a ban would not have been upheld.

Hansen felt Symonds' sle"

Cricinfo - Haddin warns against Gilchrist comparison

Cricinfo - Haddin warns against Gilchrist comparison: "CB Series 2007-08

Haddin warns against Gilchrist comparison

Cricinfo staff

January 31, 2008


Brad Haddin: 'I think it's very important for the guy who comes in and fills Adam's role to be themselves and not try to be Adam Gilchrist' © Getty Images

Brad Haddin has asked people not to compare him to Adam Gilchrist when he takes over full-time as Australia's wicketkeeper once Gilchrist retires following the CB Series. Haddin, who was named in the one-day squad to face India and Sri Lanka, is expected to slot straight into the Test side after serving his apprenticeship as Gilchrist's No. 2 for seven years.

Haddin boasts a strong first-class average of 41, but is aware that Gilchrist's final Test figure of 47.60 has put him in a category that nobody is likely to match. 'It's important that whoever takes Gilly's job, for everyone not to compare them to Gilly, which is going to be tough,' Haddin told AAP.

'He will go down as one of the greats of the game, he's changed the way wicketkeepers are perceived. I think it's very important for the guy who comes in and fills Adam's role to be themselves and not try to be Adam Gilchrist, because at the end of the day there's only ever going to be one Adam Gilchrist.'

In the short-term Haddin is looking forward"