Tendulkar appointed ambassador for Man U Opus in India

Sachin Tendulkar has been appointed ambassador for the Manchester United Opus in India and the publishers are planning a similar epic about the Indian batting great.

Tendulkar, who was the guest of honour at the Premier League match between Manchester United and Sunderland, has been named Indian ambassador for the voluminous hardback epic about the club – and he revealed that the publishers, Kraken, are planning a similar book on Tendulkar.

“This started little more than a year ago,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying by a Press Association report.

“They’re really doing their homework. It’s wonderful to be part of this and I’m looking forward to it,” said Tendulkar who watched Alex Ferguson’s team beat Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Tendulkar has gone without a century in the one day series so far but the Indian run-machine said more than personal milestone, his priority was now to help India make a comeback in the series.

“I feel I have been batting well and since we left Indian shores I might almost have had five hundreds by now. Nobody wants to miss hundreds but sometime it happens. It doesn’t matter if I score a hundred or get out on 99 as long as the team wins. That’s what matters to me the most,” he said.

He said the ongoing ODI series has been a see-saw affair even though the hosts managed to have an upper hand.

“If you look at the third and fourth one-dayers, both were evenly poised. At one stage, especially the last one-dayer, we were almost 90 per cent there. Stuart Broad and Ravi Bopara batted quite sensibly and all credit to them.”

Formula Twenty20 for instant success

Before the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup kicked off last Tuesday, the big question was whether it was too early to stage the World Cup of a format which hadn’t even entered its adolescence.

Purists griped, and still do, that this version of cricket will only further dent the technique of batsmen and lure more young cricketers away from bowling.

A week has passed since the Twenty20 World Cup got off the blocks. It may not have won everyone’s approval, but it’s done enough to outdo the World Cup in terms of entertainment at least.

The impression that the Twenty20 World Cup has come a bit too early is somewhat off target. One-day cricket was about as old, rather young, when the 1975 World Cup was staged.  Look at the number of games played between the first-ever ODI in 1971 and the inaugural World Cup in 1975 (18) and match it with the corresponding figures for Twenty20 (19) and you will realise that there is not much difference between the two.

‘But not at traditional form’s expense’

Amidst much debate and discussion, the World Cup reached its halfway mark on Monday. With a hundred, a hat-trick, upset wins and a tied match resulting in a bowl out — the tournament has been a bigger hit than the World Cup earlier this year.

“I think this is going to be something new, I think the tournament’s going to be quite special,” South African coach Mickey Arthur said after the opening match of the tournament.

However, 15 matches into the tournament, some, like New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori, feel that the shortest format of cricket might undermine the importance of Test and One-day cricket.   

“I hope this is not the future but I am sure it will be (a major) part of the cricketing landscape,” the bespectacled Vettori said on Sunday.

India’s up and down journey

India have passed their main test in the tournament so far. One, that of qualifying for the Super Eights from the preliminary stage. Since India had only one T20 international under their belt before entering the tournament, even the players were relaxed about participating in the World Cup. 

So far, as MS Dhoni’s views on the tournament goes, Dhoni said on Sunday that the team is quite relaxed since there aren’t many expectations from them. But then, in his pre-tournament media briefing he had said that they can’t forget that it’s a “World Cup” and have to take it seriously. It seems that the Indian team is confused about its approach towards the tournament. Hopefully it will be sorted out before Wednesday.

Pakistan ends Sri Lanka’s streak Twenty20 World Cup

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) — Younis Kahn’s 51 paced Pakistan to a 33-run victory over Sri Lanka on Monday, ending the islanders three-match winning streak at the Twenty20 World Cup.

The victory followed Austalia’s nine-wicket win over Bangladesh on Sunday and tied Pakistan with the Australians with two points in Group E after the first round of the “Super Eights” stage.

Younis came to the wicket with Pakistan on 22-2, and then saw Mohammad Hafeez depart with the total on 33 after Sri Lanka had won the toss and put Pakistan in to bat at the Wanderers Stadium.

He was joined by captain Shoaib Malik, and the pair consolidated the innings with a 101-run partnership in just over 10 overs – guiding Pakistan to a total of 189-6.

Younis’ 31-ball innings included two fours and three sixes, while Shoaib hit 57 off 31 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

Lasith Malinga took three wickets for Sri Lanka, but they cost 43 runs. Dilhara Fernando was the best bowler with 2-17 off his four overs.

Sri Lanka’s innings got off to the worst of the tournament: Upul Tharanga was caught off the first ball of the innings bowled by Mohammad Asif.

Then Sanath Jayasuriya was dropped off the last ball of that over by Sohail Tanvir.

Tanvir redeemed himself by clean bowling Jayasuriya with the first ball of his first over – the very next delivery.

Kumar Sangakkara and captain Mahela Jayawardene tried to rebuild, but Sangakkara was dismissed with the total on 35.

Chamara Silva joined Jayawardene and the pair added 53, but a slow run scoring rate required more risk as the target grew more remote – and Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals for the rest of the innings.

Shahid Afrida led Pakistan’s bowling, finishing with 3-18 off four overs, while Umar Gul took 2-14.

Pakistan meets Australia and Sri Lanka plays Bangladesh in a doubleheader at the Wanderers on Tuesday.

BCCI asks $50-60 m for IPL team ownership

In a move that already has advertisers complaining, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked companies to pay between $50 million and $60 million (Rs 200 crore to Rs 240 crore) to own a team featuring in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the tournament it has introduced to counter Zee TV baron Subhash Chandra’s Indian Cricket League (ICL).

In return, the BCCI is offering a revenue share from stadium advertising and gate money but not television rights. The team can also be listed on the stock exchanges and buyers have the right to re-sell the team at a premium.

However, ground rights for most of the matches are expected to be sold for around Rs 1.5 crore, nearly half of what the BCCI earns from cricket matches.

Explaining the structure of the deal, BCCI vice-president Lalit Modi said the IPL would follow the “franchisee model” under which a company will have to buy and manage the team.

“The company is not a sponsor but the owner of the team. Apart from the ownership amount, it will have to deal seperately with each cricketer it wants in its team. That amount will depend on the company’s bargaining power,” Modi said.

Sources said Sahara’s sponsorship of the Indian team entailed a pay-out of Rs 3 crore per match or around Rs 300 crore for three years.

The two deals, however, are not strictly comparable because Sahara does not have revenue-sharing arrangements with the BCCI and has limited access to the team for advertising purposes.

The ICL is believed to be asking for Rs 5 crore each from three key sponsors and Rs 1.5-2.5 crore each from seven associate sponsors. Team sponsorship is available for around Rs 4 crore.

The IPL, which is modelled on the globally popular English Premier League soccer tournament, will include domestic and foreign teams that will play tournaments, including one in the Twenty20 format.

Possible advertisers say they are unsure whether there is value for money, given that the IPL is a new format.

“It sounds like a lot of money,” said an executive of a leading media buying house, adding, “it implies that one has to offer the best price to win over a particular player if he wants to have a winning team”.

A media expert added that the pay-out per cricketer might not be huge given that the list of players on board with the IPL — Australian bowlers Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming — have retired from international cricket.

Either way, the money in domestic cricket is bound to grow exponentially. “In the next 10 years, the competition between the two leagues will only get more money into domestic cricket,” said Anirban Das Blah, vice-president, Globosport India.

SLC support for Champions Twenty20 League

CRICKET: Sri Lanka Cricket has thrown its support on the lucrative new Champions Twety20 League Cricket tournament which will take place next year in India with eight teams competing for prize money worth US dollars 5 million.

The Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Cricket Duleep Mendis said that they are pleased and happy to note that the BCCI is arranging the new Indian Premier League and the Champions Twenty20 tournament while keeping with the present trend in World Cricket.

“We at SLC release that the present Twenty20 format is quite popular amongst the cricket playing nations and it is important that we master this particular format as well.

On behalf of our chairman Jayantha Dharmadasa and members of the Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket I would like to wish the BCCI all the success in its endeavours to form the new Twenty20 cricket tournament” added Mendis.

The International Cricket Council full members have pledged to start a Champions Twenty20 League for World Domestic cricket which will pit the best of the best in domestic cricket against each other. The inaugural edition of the Champions Twenty20 League will be worked off in the first week of October next year in India.

Eight domestic teams from four nations will participate in the first ever Champions Twnety20 Trophy tournament for a prize money of US dollars 5 million which is the highest ever purse for a single cricket event.

Besides the ECB, Cricket Australia, Cricket South Africa, PCB, BCCI, cricket boards of New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh have all supported this venture. These members will join the league either by setting up their own domestic club league or participating in the domestic club leagues of one of the other countries.

The Champions Twenty20 concept was conceived by the BCCI in partnership with Cricket Australia. This is the first attempt of its kind in cricket and is aimed at producing more players capable of competing at the international level.

The Champions Twenty20 League’s mission will be to promote and develop cricket right from the grass root level upwards and include good sportsmanship among all other players.

Hayden smashing his way into form

MATTHEW Hayden must wonder what more he has to do to ensure himself a man-of-the-match award in Twenty20 cricket.

The Australian opener twice has plundered unbeaten half-centuries in wins over England and Bangladesh at the Twenty20 world championship. But twice he has been upstaged for individual honours by bowlers, with Nathan Bracken and Brett Lee taking the award.

For a format supposed to be weighted in favour of the batsmen, Australia’s bowlers have been enjoying more than their fair share of the spoils, although it is unlikely they will continue to be the highlight if Hayden maintains this form. Only 48 hours after smashing an unbeaten 67 off 43 balls against England, Hayden crushed 73 not out from 48 in Australia’s nine-wicket victory over Bangladesh at Newlands.

Hayden’s two innings — which featured 20 boundaries and four sixes — lifted the Queenslander’s Twenty20 average from a miserable 10 in three games, to an impressive 56.7 in five. The big scores also came with Adam Gilchrist returning to form with the bat after both openers made inauspicious returns following Australia’s four-month break.

Having crumbled to 3-19 in the upset to Zimbabwe — and been 3-21 against South Africa and 3-15 versus New Zealand in tournament warm-up games — Australia’s openers since have put on 78 against England, before smashing the country’s maiden Twenty20 century partnership (104 off 70 balls) versus Bangladesh. Only a run-out ended the stand, with Gilchrist dismissed for 43 after scoring 45 against England.

“When Gilly and Matty get set, we’ve seen what they can do it the last couple of games,” captain Ricky Ponting said.

■Cricket Australia has blasted Stuart MacGill for a lack of leadership after the leg spinner was fined for a fiery outburst during Australia A’s tour of Pakistan. MacGill has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee for breaching Cricket Australia’s code of behaviour during the match against Pakistan A in Faisalabad.

MacGill was reported following an incident where he approached Pakistan A’s Mansoor Amjad after he was struck on the foot from one of MacGill’s deliveries. “I have no problem with players being combative on the field but there is a line they cannot cross and Stuart crossed that line,” Cricket Australia general manager Michael Brown said.