IPL FINALE - Shashank Tyagi

Veer vs. Zaara :- The Final Showdown Preity Zinta is up against SRK, Veer is going to battle up against Zaara. Veer Zaara an epic chemistry in bolywood is going to battle for the championship title of IPL 2014.
Its Veer's Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Zaara's Kings XI Punjab for the trophy. The match is scheduled to commence in less than 26 hours in MA Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru but mercury is already rising.
While the Kolkata boys are boasting on their performances in last two games against Chennai and Punjab, the Punjabi lads are doing bhangra on yesterday's performance by Virender Sehwag - The Silent Demolisher!!
Kings were defeated by Kolkata in Qualifier 1 and had to face CSK in second qualifier to make it through. Whereas KKR thrashed CSK in their last league match to take the second spot in the table and also KXIP to make it to the finale in one shot.
The final battle may witness the best IPL match ever as its no more of Veer Zaara only but now Viru will be against Yusuf and Uthappa will be rescuing his orange cap against the wonder boy Glen Maxwell!!
Whichever team you support now it does not matter because stage has been set and the finale would bring the most romantic pair of bollywood against each other. And when this will happen everyone will see pure cricket and real cricket!!

Shashank Tyagi
Author, Blogger

BlackCaps battle in opening tour match

New Zealand struggled with the bat on the opening day of their first tour match in the West Indies.

In a stuttering start to the five-week tour, the tourists declared at 112-6 against a Jamaican selection team before handing their bowlers a workout in the final session.

The home side were 94-5 at stumps, with offspinner Mark Craig having taken 3-17 off nine overs to mark his New Zealand debut.

Five Black Caps were unavailable for the game due to playing commitments in India and England, forcing the need to bring in Jamaican allrounder Myron Wilson for the two-day game at Trelawny.

Stand-in captain Peter Fulton won the toss and soon paid the price for his decision, caught behind without scoring in the fourth over.

Fulton is in a three-way contest for the Test opening berth with Hamish Rutherford and Tom Latham, who both reached double figures.

Rutherford was trapped lbw for 13 without offering a shot while Latham, batting at first drop, top-scored 33 before also departed lbw, to two-wicket seamer Gavon Brown.

Wicketkeeper BJ Watling (7), Jimmy Neesham (0) and Luke Ronchi (21) fell in the middle session before spinners Ish Sodhi (23 not out) and Craig (11no) took New Zealand to a tea declaration.

Craig was helped by low, turning conditions which are likely to predominate in the first Test starting in Kingston on June 8.

Left-arm seamer Neil Wagner (1-18) was the other wicket-taker.

Cricket Australia

ECB apologises to KP

The saga of Kevin Pietersen's extraordinary exit from the international arena took a fresh twist on Friday when the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and managing director Paul Downton apologised for criticism of the batsman.

Downton appeared on BBC Radio's Test Match Special program on May 22 and, during a wide-ranging interview, went into details about England's controversial decision to ditch former captain Pietersen following the team's 5-0 Ashes series loss in Australia.

ECB chief Downton said the 33-year-old appeared disinterested and distracted in the fifth Test in Sydney, and added he was unable to find anyone within the England squad who wanted South African-born Pietersen to remain in the team.

An angry Pietersen responded by labelling Downton's remarks as wholly untrue.

And having gone to the trouble of negotiating an exit with Pietersen, the ECB was embarrassingly forced to admit that some of Downton's comments were "in breach of the settlement agreement" made with the batsman when his England central contract was terminated.

"On May 22 during an interview on BBC Test Match Special, Paul Downton of the ECB made a series of comments about Kevin Pietersen with which Kevin takes issue, including the comments he made regarding his perception of Kevin's attitude during the Sydney Test on last winter's Ashes tour," said an ECB statement issued late on Friday.

"Some of those comments were made in breach of a settlement agreement between the ECB and Kevin Pietersen which was concluded at the time Kevin's central contract was terminated earlier this year.

"Paul Downton and the ECB both apologise to Kevin Pietersen for those comments made that were in breach of the settlement agreement and have confirmed that they will abide by its terms moving forward."

Until recently, the ECB's explanations for effectively ending the international career of Pietersen, England's leading run-scorer across all formats, had contained only limited detail.

But by focusing on Pietersen's attitude, Downton had appeared to clarify the situation.

However, the tome of the ECB statement suggested they and Downton were apologising for his remarks being broadcast in public rather than the points behind them.

Pietersen responded to Downton's radio interview by saying: "The suggestion that I was uninterested during the winter Ashes series against Australia is wholly untrue.

"Although I was having injections in my knee, which inhibited my mobility and thus my ability to field close to the wicket, I was fully motivated to play for England and, whilst I accept that the series as a whole fell well below my own personal standards, I finished the series as the (England) top-scorer.

"I did, and continue to have a good relationship with most of the England players."

Pietersen is still on the books of Surrey but his planned return to action for the Oval-based county on Friday in a Twenty20 fixture against Middlesex was scuppered by a finger injury.

Cricket Australia

Spin whiz picks IPL over home tests

West Indies' off spinner Sunil Narine has opted to play in the Indian Premier League final and as a result will miss the forthcoming Tests against New Zealand, the West Indies Cricket Board said Friday.

Narine currently sits second on the IPL wicket-takers list, with 20 wickets across 15 matches for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

His decision to play in Sunday's IPL 7 final, means the spinner will miss the WICB's June 1 deadline for joining the Windies' preparatory camp.

The WICB said that the 26-year-old will now not be considered for home Tests against New Zealand on June 8 and 30.

WICB Director of Cricket Richard Pybus said that under recent guidelines players must make themselves available for team preparations in order to be considered for Tests.

"The onus of the WICB is to protect the integrity of international cricket at all times," said Pybus.

"International cricket, and specifically Test cricket, is priority and requires dedicated preparation which is integral to team success.

"The WICB policy requires players to commit to sufficient preparation leading in to a series as part of a culture of excellence."

Narine will however be considered for selection for two Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand on July 5 and 6 in Dominica, the WICB said.

Source - Cricket Australia

Chris Cairns hits back at accusers

Former New Zealand captain Chris Cairns has hit back hard at allegations he has been involved in match-fixing, using an impromptu media conference to launch attacks on former NZ teammate Lou Vincent and current Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum.
 
He also identified a further three of his former teammates – ex-captains Stephen Fleming and Daniel Vettori as well as seam bowler Kyle Mills – as players to whom McCullum reportedly spoke about being allegedly approached by Cairns to engage in corrupt practices.
 
Cairns arrived back in Auckland today after voluntarily travelling to London where he was interviewed by the Metropolitan Police, as well as representatives of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption offices.
 
He has again emphatically denied any involvement in match fixing and reiterated he has “nothing to hide”, before turning up the heat on his accusers who he criticises for airing “despicable lies”.
 
He was particularly scathing of Vincent, who has admitted to his involvement in match fixing and is now facing 14 charges from the ECB, and whose testimony to ICC investigators – along with corroborating evidence given by his former wife – was leaked to media outlets earlier this month.
 
"In 2008 (Vincent) had a lot of problems that he has admitted to,” Cairns told reporters today.
 
“I endeavoured to become a friend to him in these difficult times. 
 
“He has betrayed the friendship I offered him. 
 
“He now seeks to (portray) himself as a whistle-blower. He is nothing of the sort. 
 
“The truth is he has been caught cheating and seeks to mitigate his sins by blaming others. 
 
“The allegation that he and his ex-wife make against me are despicable lies.”
 
Cairns also rounded on McCullum, whose confidential testimony in 2011 was also leaked to media outlets in recent weeks, and queried why the current NZ captain had waited almost three years to report to ICC anti-corruption officers an approach allegedly made to him by Cairns in 2008.
 
Cairns pointed out that McCullum’s allegations had not been referred on to the ICC at the time, nor had they been tendered as evidence during Cairns’ subsequent defamation case against former Indian Premier League chairman, Lalit Modi.
 
Cairns successfully sued Modi in the London High Court over a defamatory tweet sent in January 2010, in which Modi referred to Cairns' alleged involvement in match-fixing.
 
Cairns confirmed that the reason he had travelled “more than 40,000 kilometres” to London to speak with the Metropolitan Police related to allegations he had perjured himself during that defamation trial.
 
“It is beyond doubt that regardless of what certain people have claimed recently in the media, Brendon McCullum waited three years before reporting this alleged approach to an ICC anti-corruption official,” Cairns said
 
“He alleges that I approached him during the ICL (now defunct Indian Cricket League) tournament in March, 2008.
 
“It is misleading at the least for a host of people to claim that he reported my alleged corrupt approach within a timely fashion, or that there had been a small delay.
 
“Mr McCullum first made his allegation to the ICC’s ACSU (Anti-Corruption and Security Unit) on 17th of February 2011.
 
“Not only was this nearly three years after the alleged approach, but importantly it was 13 months before the trial in March 2012 of my case in the London High Court against Lalit Modi about match fixing.
 
“At that trial, every allegation that I was match fixing was shown to be false.”
 
Cairns, reading from a prepared statement at Auckland airport, also took the opportunity to identify players to whom McCullum reportedly spoke about the alleged approach made to him.
 
“These players are Stephen Fleming, Daniel Vettori, and Kyle Mills, the brother of New Zealand Players Association head, Heath Mills,” Cairns said.
 
He claimed that while none of the three have made direct accusations against him, two of them have made statements supporting McCullum’s evidence.
 
A third has claimed his recollection of the incident was “foggy” and was therefore not able to make a statement corroborating McCullum’s testimony.
 
Cairns pointed out that he was not “arrested or otherwise detained” after speaking with police and cricket’s anti-corruption investigators in London, and that he was not charged with any offence “criminal or otherwise”.
 
He also said that while the allegations against him date back to 2008, he has yet to be formally interviewed by the ICC and that he was troubled by the length of time as well as the course the investigation into the matter seemed to be taking.
 
"I repeat that each and every allegation against me that I have cheated in cricket or attempted to induce others to cheat at cricket is false,” he said.
 
“I find the situation truly absurd, bizarre and scary.
 
“Whatever happens I hope proper process will be followed and I will be cleared of these allegations.
 
“I have never match-fixed, sought to have others match-fix or otherwise played the game of cricket in anything other than the spirit it so richly deserves to be played in.”

Cricket Australia

England's keeping woes set to continue

Alastair Cook's focus might be on the one-day series with Sri Lanka but the fitness of wicketkeeper Matt Prior ahead of Tests against the tourists is concerning the England captain.

Established Test gloveman Prior was dropped during the 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia but it had been expected the 32-year-old would force his way back into the team for next month's home two-Test series.

However, the 32-year-old Sussex stumper has since suffered an achilles injury which has restricted him to just two first-class matches this season, both at the start of April.

It had been hoped Prior would return for Sussex's county match away to Middlesex at Northwood but rain washed out the fixture.

Even before no play was possible on Thursday's final day, it was decided Prior would be better off undergoing a training session with England wicketkeeping coach Bruce French.

Afterwards, Prior told his Twitter followers: "Hard session with frenchy today, as always, and so far the injury has responded very well!"

Prior is set to return to Sussex duty in Friday's Twenty20 match away to Glamorgan, although it is possible he might play as a batsman only.

Even if he is behind the stumps, keeping wicket for 20 overs is no sure-fire way of assessing his fitness for the more-onerous task of donning the gloves for the 90 overs of a Test match day.

And with doubts over the batting ability of Jonny Bairstow, who replaced Prior during the Ashes, and the keeping skills of Jos Buttler, England's one-day gloveman, the selectors face a tricky decision ahead of next week's squad announcement for the first Test at Lord's from June 12.

"It is a big concern," Cook said of Prior's fitness.

"He's incredibly frustrated, because achilles injuries are hard to heal. He's a big part of our plans, but we can't rush a guy back. That wouldn't be fair on him or to the England team."

A see-saw one-day series moves to Lord's on Saturday, with England 2-1 up in the five-match contest after skittling Sri Lanka for just 67 in Manchester - Sussex paceman Chris Jordan taking a career-best 5-29.

That performance came just days after England had been dismissed for 99 at Chester-le-Street, a collapse Cook could only watch as the opening batsman missed that match with a groin strain.

Source - Cricket Australia

Flintoff confirms comeback in T20 Blast

It’s official, Andrew Flintoff is making his comeback to cricket.

Four years after his retirement from all forms of cricket, and after much speculation, the former England captain today announced he will join Lancashire Lightning for the inaugural season of the T20 Blast, England’s domestic T20 competition.

Lancashire currently sit on top of the North Group with three wins from four matches, and the two-time Ashes winner believes he has done the work to make a meaningful contribution.

“I'm really honoured to be part of Lancashire once again. It is something that I never thought would happen but after training with the squad over the last few months I am really happy that they have invited me to play,” said Flintoff.

“I have worked really hard to get back to my fittest and I hope that we have a successful summer. I'm just glad that I can be part of it.”

The announcement adds further fuel to the rumours that Flintoff will be making an appearance in the fourth edition of the KFC T20 Big Bash League this summer.

Brisbane Heat have been keeping a particularly close eye on the allrounder, with coach Stuart Law being a former team-mate of Flintoff’s for a number of years at Lancashire.

“Freddie turned himself into a professional heavyweight boxer when he was forced to retire with injury at a relatively young age, and won his only bout, so you don’t doubt his commitment to a cause if he puts his mind to it.

“And if he does get on the field, I am sure there will be a bit of the old magic there. I’ll be watching with plenty of interest.”

Source - Cricket Australia

Ponting Confident Aussies clear

Ricky Ponting has called for swift action on the sport's corruption crisis, but is confident it does not extend to Australia.

The former Australian captain said match-fixing and other rumours had circulated for years and now former New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent is facing several charges.

But Ponting doubts Australian players are involved.

"I have no worries at all," he told AAP.

"Certainly anyone that I've played with in Australian or Tasmanian teams, I can't see how it will impact on any of us - who I know, anyway."

Ponting said Australian players were well-educated about the corruption issue and does not think they are so vulnerable.

"Probably where we're a bit different to the other countries ... is we're very well-paid in Australia for what we do," he said.

"It seems to me, a lot of the targets, if you like, are guys who probably haven't been paid that well during their careers."
Source - Cricket Australia

BlackCaps short for Windies Warm Up

New Zealand will take a depleted team but no shortage of confidence into the opening match of their West Indies tour.

The Black Caps have just 10 players available for the two-day game against a Jamaican selection team starting on Thursday, with a local player being sought to make up the numbers.

Experienced opener Peter Fulton will captain a side missing regular skipper Brendon McCullum, who is involved in the Indian Premier League play-offs.

Also unavailable is batsman Kane Williamson, who has just completed his England county commitments with Yorkshire, and a trio of players eliminated this week from the IPL - Ross Taylor, Tim Southee and Corey Anderson.

It means off-spinner Mark Craig will make his Black Caps debut in what is expected to be helpful conditions while reserve wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi is set to be promoted up the batting order.

Fulton says the game is a chance for several players, including himself, to push their claims for the first of three Tests starting in Kingston next week.

It is also an opportunity to maintain some momentum from their triumphant home summer in which they recorded Test series wins over the West Indies in December and India in February.

"The challenge now is to do it again overseas in conditions that won't be in our favour," Fulton told NZ Newswire.

"It's a long time since the end of the India series. But the more you can win, I think it helps the confidence of the team and you saw that against India off the back of the West Indies series."

A second warm-up game starting on Sunday is a three-day affair.

Meanwhile, the West Indies are still reduced their squad from a training group of 20.

Doubt hangs over the availability of big-hitting opening batsman Chris Gayle, who told media this week he is seeking treatment for an injured back suffered during the World Twenty20 tournament in March.

He missed a handful of IPL games because of it and has sought medical help in Germany to ensure he is fit for what would be his 100th Test in Kingston.

Gayle was ruled out of the tour of New Zealand six months ago by a hamstring injury.

New Zealand: Peter Fulton (c), Tom Latham, Hamish Rutherford, Luke Ronchi, BJ Watling, Jimmy Neesham, Ish Sodhi, Mark Craig, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, (one to be added).

Source - Cricket Australia

Flower pens letter to Zimbabwe fans

Grant Flower has written a letter to Zimbabwe cricket fans explaining why he left the national team to become Pakistan’s new batting coach.

The letter, addressed to Zimbabwean cricket followers, clarifies his resignation from Zimbabwe Cricket as the national batting coach and why he accepted a similar role with Pakistan.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

FOR ZIMBABWEAN CRICKET FOLLOWERS

I would like to take this opportunity to clarify my position with regards to Zimbabwe Cricket and my recent resignation as National Batting Coach for the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team. I have had three good years with Zimbabwe Cricket, Players, Coaches and Management. I feel that I have developed both as a coach and as an individual. I would like to think that I have had a positive influence on the development of the players and that they have enjoyed their time working alongside me. I have definitely seen improvements both technically and mentally and feel that there is still a tremendous amount of talent within Zimbabwe Cricket to be unearthed. The players need to find the inner drive for success at the highest level as it cannot always be coach driven.

Regarding taking up the position as Batting Coach with the Pakistan National Team, I believe that this is the right time for me to take on a new challenge in order to enhance my career. There are always areas where players, coaches and administration can improve in communication but I can honestly say that as a whole, my time with Zimbabwe Cricket has been both enjoyable and rewarding. I will still be working with the players until the end of June and look forward to helping in their preparation for the upcoming tours by South Africa and Australia.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Zimbabwe Cricket for all that they have done for me in my development as a coach and wish all parties involved continued growth and hopefully further success in the future. I am taking on this new and exciting challenge for my development as a coach and do not see it as closing the door with Zimbabwe Cricket.

Yours in cricket.

GRANT FLOWER

Flower’s appointment comes two weeks after Mushtad Ahmed signed on as a spin bowling consultant, edging out former team-mate Saqlain Mushtaq. 

Pakistan travel to Sri Lanka in August for two Tests and three one-day internationals before hosting Australia in UAE.
Source - Cricket Australia

India taking series lightly - Mushfiqur

Mushfiqur Rahim, the Bangladesh captain, has said he didn't expect such a weakened Indian side for the upcoming three-match ODI series. The visitors announced a 15-man squad without eight of their regulars - captain MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are among those not making this trip.

Mushfiqur said he was not upset at the quality of his opposition but felt that, by playing better cricket, his side can deliver a message to the powers that be. Despite the make-up of the squad, they will not be playing for "India A" but for India, he said.

The team will be led by Suresh Raina, who was not part of India's last ODI assignment, and only four members of this squad -- Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Stuart Binny and Wriddhiman Saha -- will be flying to England to join the Test team.

"I didn't expect them to take this series so lightly," Mushfiqur told reporters in Mirpur. "We have a chance to give a reply on the field. There is extra motivation. They haven't invited us yet so if we do well in this series, it sends a message.

"We have defeated their best team in the past. They have a young team, and despite the standard of the IPL, international cricket is a more difficult stage. And one should not forget that if they lose, India will lose, not India A. The pressure will be on them. I know most of them, and have seen them play. Even though I haven't played against them, I have some idea. Shakib [Al Hasan] has played against all of them, so we will pick his brain. In this day and age, it is hard not to have knowledge on a player."

Mushfiqur however warned that his team will be under a little more pressure because of the heightened expectations now that India are not sending their big guns. He wants the Bangladesh players to improve on what they had done in the last few months when they had a string of losses since the Sri Lanka series in January, right up to the World T20.

"After seeing their team, I realised that there will more expectations on us. But usually there is more pressure when we play against India, even when they had Dhoni.

"Everyone wants us to beat them, so pressure was always there. We have to focus on what we are doing, since we have struggled in the last few months. If we can play to our potential, it is not impossible to beat their team," he said.

The three-match series was part of the 2012-2020 FTP, but still the BCB had to sign a Members' Participation Agreement (MPA) with BCCI last February to secure four series against India, including the one next month.

Source - cricinfo

Legends join Windies ranks

The West Indies have called in two former greats of the game as they prepare for their Test series against New Zealand. Legendary allrounder Sir Garfield Sobers and intimidating fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose are with the squad in Bridgetown, before the team departs for Jamaica next Wednesday. The first Test starts on June 8. Sobers will work with the batsman during the three-day warm-up match at the 3Ws Oval, while Ambrose has been brought in as the new bowling consultant and will stay with the team after the Test series for the two T20 internationals. Past great West Indies teams had a battery of fearsome fast bowlers to choose from, and coach Ottis Gibson hopes the return of one of those legends will inspire and elevate his side’s quick men. “Sir Curtly is heavily involved in cricket here with the Combined Campuses & Colleges and is making a contribution to West Indies cricket in that way, so the feeling is to get him to come in and mentor the good bowlers that we have and try to see if he can inspire them through his experiences to turn themselves into great bowlers,” Gibson said. “He’s obviously led the West Indies bowling attack and done it very well over his career, so hopefully he will impart some knowledge and pass on some of his experiences onto the guys.” The presence of arguably the greatest all-round cricketer ever providing his wealth of experience, especially to the young batsman in the squad is priceless, according to Gibson. “Sir Garry is the best of the best and it is great to have him join us. He is still an avid watcher of
the game, so he sees a lot of things. He is here to pass on his knowledge over so many years of doing it,” he said. “The guys like Darren Bravo and young Kieran Powell have been very receptive, and his wisdom will not be lost on the experienced guys like Shiv Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels either. All the guys will get the opportunity to speak to Sir Garry about their game, which can only be a good thing for us. “Hopefully, over the next couple of days, the guys will really use him as a springboard for where they are in their game and what he thinks they need to do to take their game to the next level.”

Source - cricket.com.au

Raina to lead Young India in Bangladesh

Suresh Raina, who was dropped for
India's last ODI assignment - the Asia Cup - will lead India in the three-ODI series in Bangladesh in the absence of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli among others. Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami were also rested. Robin Uthappa earned an expected national comeback, Wriddhiman Saha was called up to replace Dhoni as the wicketkeeper, and quite a few performers in the IPL and domestic cricket got selected. Varun Aaron, Stuart Binny, Amit Mishra, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and Ambati Rayudu were the only players retained from the Asia Cup squad. With so many players resting, this was an ideal space for performers in the domestic season and in the IPL to fill. Maharashtra's Kedar Jadhav, who led the season's Ranji tally with 1223 runs, got in, as did left-arm spinner Akshar Patel , who impressed for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL. R Vinay Kumar reaped the rewards for leading Karnataka and South Zone to three domestic titles. Manoj Tiwary , who has spent a lot of time on the India bench, came back too, almost two years after last playing for India. Parvez Rasool , who travelled to Zimbabwe last year without getting a cap, got another shot at it. Mohit Sharma's IPL success worked for him whereas absence of possible captains might have worked for Raina. Raina's previous experience of international captaincy came in a tri-series in Zimbabwe, and a five- ODI series. India failed to make the final of that tri-nation tournament in Zimbabwe, losing out to Sri Lanka and the hosts. India won the bilateral series comfortably in the West Indies, but Raina's batting and shot selection came in for criticism. The most noteworthy comebacks, though, were of Uthappa and Saha. Uthappa last played for India in March 2012, but he had long ceased being a regular member of the side. This year, though, he followed up a decent first-class season with a stupendous run in the IPL, scoring 40 or more in 10 consecutive innings, possibly a world record. Saha, known for his keeping skills more than his batting, has frequently warmed the bench in Test cricket, but his 206 IPL runs at a strike rate of 130 seem to have put him ahead of Dinesh Karthik, who kept wicket in Dhoni's absence in the Asia Cup.

Squad for Bangladesh ODIs

Suresh Raina (capt.), Robin Uthappa, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ambati Rayudu, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Parvez Rasool, Akshar Patel, R Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Stuart Binny, Mohit Sharma, Amit Mishra

Source - cricinfo

Awana targets India return

Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) pacer Parvinder Awana has set his sights on the upcoming tour of England to make a comeback into the Indian cricket team. The 27-year-old Awana, who has played for India in two T20s, has impressed KXIP bowling coach Joe Dawes, who is hoping that the bowler gets back into the national team. "I am eyeing the England tour. In fact, only last night, I was jokingly telling Joe Dawes that we have three matches left in this IPL (Indian Premier League) and let me play all of them. I'll take five wickets in each game and book a seat on that plane for England," Awana said. "But seriously, it was my target coming into this IPL to showcase my skills and fitness and try to make an India comeback." Awana, who, unlike a lot of other Indian bowlers, relies on pace rather than swing and variations, said the presence of two Australians - Joe Dawes and Mitchell Johnson - in KXIP helped him a lot.
"I have been talking a lot to them. To be honest, my pace had gone down during the initial part of the tournament and I wasn't putting as much effort as I needed to. That's when Joe Dawes sat me down and reminded me what I am capable of. "I think I swayed away a bit from my basics and got into the relaxed mode. By making me sit out for a few matches, he gave me the kick I needed and pushed me to get right what I am known for. "I told the captain (George Bailey) that in the time I sat out, I have worked on my pace and I think I'm there again," Awana said after his team's win over Delhi Daredevils on Sunday. Awana said he speaks mainly about pace with Johnson. "I speak a lot to him about pace. I asked him what he does to keep his pace up on a consistent basis. He asked me to just keep working on my fitness. "He said 'If you are capable of bowling between 140 and 145, you will not get to 150 no matter how hard you work on your bowling or fitness. But if you ignore your physical fitness, your pace will slip'.

Cooper reported for suspect action

A Rajasthan Royals bowler has been reported for using a suspect action in the match against Mumbai Indians on Sunday night. A report out of India says Kevon Cooper was reported for “bowling certain deliveries with a suspect illegal action” during the match. Cooper took 2-38 in his four-over spell. He was reported by on-field umpires, along with the third umpire, after Mumbai’s dramatic win which knocked Royals out of the IPL title race. Cooper is now entitled to have an official assessment from the BCCI Suspect Bowling Action Committee (watch his action from the other night above, although we are not sure which specific balls are under scrutiny). Even if found guilty, Cooper would be available for selection in the next edition of the IPL and only faces suspension from the tournament if he is reported a second time.

Trivia :- Bradman's records

Don Bradman is the only cricketer who (6 times) scored centuries in an interval (once pre lunch, twice lunch-tea, three times tea stumps). Scored the most runs in a single day’s play 309 v England, Leeds, 1930, Highest Test Batting Average for a 5-Test Series 201.50 (v South Africa, Australia, 1931-32) In his Test career, Don Bradman scored 26% of the team’s total runs.

Stuart Broad advised to give up T20 International

Stuart Broad may have to call time on his England Twenty20 career - and with it the "kudos" that goes with being captain - to give him a better chance of staying fit for Test and one-day international cricket. The 27-year-old fast bowler is playing competitive cricket for the first time since the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh as Nottinghamshire take on Durham at Trent Bridge and bowled six overs in no obvious discomfort after suffering tendonitis in his right knee. But Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire's director of cricket and now one of the England selectors, said that the likelihood the problem would flare up again placed a question mark over Broad's involvement in all three formats at international level. Given his importance in England's Test and ODI attacks, managing his workload would probably mean sacrificing his place in the Twenty20 side. "Stuart is a key man for Test cricket and one- day internationals, so in terms of managing his fitness I think we are going to have to look at Twenty20 for Stuart," Newell said. "The last two or three years he has picked up a lot of little things and he would want to have played more cricket than he has. "There is a lot of ODI cricket coming up and how you manage the workload for players like Stuart through the summer and as you prepare for the 50-over World Cup next February is something that will have to be looked at."

Source - cricinfo

Chris Gayle to seek treatment for back injury

Chris Gayle has said he will seek treatment in Germany for an injured back to ensure he is fit for the home Tests against New Zealand. Gayle is eyeing a return to fitness for the first Test in Kingston, which begins on June 8. If he plays, it will be his 100th Test match. The opening batsman suffered the injury after the World T20 in March and missed a few games for his franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore, at the start of IPL 2014. "It started at the end of the T20 World Cup. I thought initially it was a simple thing but I went back home for a couple of days," Gayle told Indian Express . "Then I travelled back to Dubai to play in the IPL and when I started training I found it difficult. I could not bat properly and bending was a problem and sprinting between the wickets was a problem even though you guys don't see me running much. It was difficult but I tried my best."
Gayle has been struggling with injuries in the recent past. He last played a Test against India in November 2013. A hamstring injury he suffered in the first ODI against India sidelined him from the rest of the series and West Indies' tour to New Zealand in December 2013. He made a return to the side for the limited-overs matches against Ireland, but missed the ODIs against England in February this year due to lower back pain. If not for all this, Gayle said he would have played his 100th Test "a long time back". "It will mean a lot to me," he said. "I have been serving West Indies cricket for the last 13 years and going on to 14 years now, I am actually looking forward to this milestone. I have missed out on the last couple of months because of injury. I was supposed to get past this milestone a long time back but it didn't happen. As a cricketer these things happen and you pick injuries at crucial times. "I still have an injury now and I am trying to get it sorted as quickly as possible so I can be fully fit for the special occasion. It is going to be played at home so it is a big occasion for me and for the people back home too. I don't have much time but hopefully it will work out and I will be back on the field quickly." Gayle has been named in the 15- member West Indies training squad that will participate in a preparatory camp ahead of the Tests against New Zealand. Gayle is expected to join the camp on June 1, along with Sunil Narine, who is currently playing the IPL for his franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. Dwayne Bravo and Kemar Roach, who are coming off shoulder injuries, are also a part of the squad, along with Jamaica pacer Jerome Taylor, who returned to cricket after being sidelined by injury for more
than three years. The final squad for the Tests will be announced at a later date.
Source - cricinfo

Heath Streak appointed Bangladesh bowling coach

Former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak has been appointed Bangladesh's bowling coach until 2016. Streak will arrive in Dhaka in the first week of June and will form a new-look coaching partnership with head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who was appointed earlier this month. According to the BCB, Streak will work for 450 days across two years and will also be a consultant for the other teams under the board. According to his contract, he will be available three weeks before every series and will prolong his stay with the team before the 2015 World Cup. "I look forward to the challenge of working with the Tigers and thank BCB for the opportunity," Streak said in a statement released by the BCB. "It is exciting for me to be back into the international coaching arena again. It is my passion to coach at an
elite level. "I hope I can bring my experience as a former player and coach to the Bangladeshi bowlers. I look forward to teaming up with the new coaching staff and mapping the future for this exciting team." Streak had been Zimbabwe's bowling coach between 2009 and 2013. He played six of his 65 Tests as well as 10 ODIs against Bangladesh, apart from a season of domestic cricket in the country in the 1990s.
Source - cricinfo

Morgan condemns "worst" England display

Eoin Morgan was at a loss to explain England's humbling defeat at Chester-le-Street, terming it "one of the worst performances I've been a part of in an England shirt". Morgan was leading the side in the absence of Alastair Cook, who was ruled out on the morning of the game with a groin strain, and presided over England's heaviest ODI defeat on home soil and their sixth-lowest
all-out total anywhere. England had won four ODIs on the bounce before this match but now they go to Old Trafford with their tail between their legs. "It's as badly as we can bat," Morgan said. "It was one of the worst performances I've been a part of, in an England shirt. I can't explain why we played that badly. "It was a little bit tacky, and nipped around a small bit - but we're good enough to negotiate that. It's a pitch we would have turned up at and said 'Yes, perfect, we'd love to play', especially against a side like Sri Lanka. But we've been outplayed." Morgan then tried to spin the margin of defeat as meaning England will be able to move on more quickly from the result than had it been a narrow
loss. "I don't think it's going to be a huge setback," he said. "I think it'd be a bigger one if we fell 40 runs short, had substance throughout the whole innings, looked like we were going to win.
Source - cricinfo

The WI squad for the Blackcaps series has been announced

West Indies test squad for NZ series :-
Denesh Ramdin (Captain),
Sulieman Benn,
Darren Bravo,
Dwayne Bravo,
Shiv Chanderpaul,
Kirk Edwards,
Shannon Gabriel,
Chris Gayle,
Jason Holder,
Sunil Narine,
Shane Shillingford,
Kieran Powell,
Kemar Roach,
Marlon Samuels,
Jerome Taylor

SERIES SCHEDULE

June 8-12: First Test – Sabina Park, Jamaica
June 16-20: Second Test – Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad
June 26-30: Third Test – Guyana National Stadium, Guyana
July 5: First T20 International – Windsor Park, Dominica
July 6: Second T20 International – Windsor Park, Dominica

Openers since 12th Feb 2008

Stats of ODI Openers since Dilshan became an Opener (12 Feb 2008)
Batsman     Runs   100s    50s    Avg
TM Dilshan  5223    16       22   46.22

H Amla         4092    12       23   53.72

S Watson     3589      7        21   45.43

T Iqbal          3247     4        22   31.83

V Sehwag     2992     7        13   44.65

U Tharanga  2954     7        16   35.16

G Gambhir    2652     6       18    42.77

C Gayle         2446     6       11    34.94

Muirhead to join Sri Lankan club

James Muirhead is one of four young Australians breaking new ground by linking up with Sri Lankan cricket clubs for a stint throughout June. Muirhead, whose rapid rise culminated in selection in Australia’s squad for the ICC World T20 in March, will be joined by fellow young guns Ashton Agar, William Bosisto and Matthew Short for the 2014 Under-23 Division 1 domestic
Tournament. The 20-year-old leg-spinner is currently at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane. “We’ve got great facilities up here now – the facilities are world-class,” he told.
“The coaches are great, and we’ve got really good resources to use. “I’ve been here for three and-a-half weeks now, and I’m here for another week before I head to Sri Lanka for four weeks. I’m being put up by a club (Moors) there, and I play three three-day games, and a few one dayers and Twenty20s so it should be great.”

Sri Lanka in England ODI series

It was not long back when England were humiliated down under in a series which is undoubtedly the oldest and most important series in the cricketing world. Alastair Cook is out of form now. Jonathan Trott is suffering from "stress related illness" as England go face to face against Sri Lanka for a 5 ODI series. Probably the first time in the last 4 years, England will be underdogs at home. Sri Lanka look a solid, strong ODI side and start as favourites for this series. With some horrible decisions from ECB, for eg. not giving Alex Hales a chance in ODIs, England will have to work hard, if they are to win this series by any means. I see this series 4-1 in favour of Sri Lanka. Since this is probably the last ODI series in England for the trio of Jayawardena, Sangakkara and Dilshan, i reckon they'll put up a good show this time. All the best to both the teams.