Tuesday 31 May 2011

Opportunity for fringe players - Raina

The absence of several senior players for the upcoming tour of the West Indies provides an ideal platform for fringe players to shine on the international stage, Suresh Raina, India's captain for the limited-overs leg of the Caribbean tour, has said.

"It's a great opportunity for the youngsters who have done well in domestic cricket," Raina told the media ahead of the team's departure for the West Indies. "I am happy with the side, as we have some very good batsmen in Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, S Badrinath and Shikhar Dhawan, all of whom have done well in first-class cricket."

Raina, has led a similarly second-string Indian side in the past, for a tri-series Zimbabwe in May-June 2010, though India performed poorly on that tour, losing both matches against the hosts and one against Sri Lanka.

Belief, technique, and above all else, spin. Shane Warne encapsulated the desired legacy of Terry Jenner by saying that all Australia slow bowlers had to be implored to 'rev' the ball as hard as they could, and to a build a career from that most basic of tenets.

Jenner's final farewell was attended by more than 600 guests in an emotive memorial service at Adelaide Oval, where the speakers included his daughter Trudianne, Warne, fellow pupil Cullen Bailey and Jenner's long-time partner Ann. Aged 66, Jenner died on May 25 in his suburban Adelaide home a little more than a year after suffering a massive heart attack while coaching in London.
Other guests such as Ian and Greg Chappell, Rod Marsh, Ashley Mallett, Doug Walters, Martin Kent, Ray Bright, Bryce McGain, Darren Lehmann, Jason Gillespie and the Australian coach Tim Nielsen reminisced about Jenner's impact on many inside and outside cricket over the course of a life that saw hard times as well as good.

The PCB has responded to Shahid Afridi's retirement by suspending his central contract and putting together a showcause notice detailing several breaches of the code of conduct, which he will be expected to respond to within a week.

Announcing his retirement to a TV channel, the board said in a press release, was in itself a breach of Clause 2.1.4 of the Central Contract dealing with Covenants of the Cricketer.

Afridi's criticism of the board officials in the same interview to Geo TV also constituted a breach. "In passing disparaging remarks about the board and its officials, Shahid Afridi is in breach of Clause 4.4 dealing with Media obligations.

Moving season for the IPL

This year's event has highlighted flaws in the system, and raises the question: has a tipping point been reached?

Since its inception, the IPL has never been sold or bought in half-measures. Its approach has always been full-throttle, top-volume. Appropriately, then, an assessment of season four must avoid waffling around the half-empty or half-full. Is 2011 to be remembered for the fireworks on the final night at the Yellow Sea of Chepauk? Or the acreage of empty stands at the Wankhede three nights in a row, representative of the general spectator turnout of six weeks? The dazzle of Chris Gayle? Or the Shane Warne-Sanjay Dixit skirmish? Or even more, the dramatic drop in TV ratings from last season? Or should it be the clues sent out to the world by the BCCI and Indian players over next month's tour of the West Indies?

Regardless of what its own "stakeholders" choose as the flavour of their season - sagacity or smugness - 2011 will be regarded as the IPL's "Moving Season". If "moving day" in cricket and golf are about momentum swings and the emergence of contenders, IPL's Moving Season will dictate the future course of the event.

Tharanga tests positive during World Cup

Upul Tharanga, the Sri Lanka opening batsman, will face an ICC inquiry after testing positive for a banned substance during the 2011 World Cup, ESPNcricinfo understands. The cricketer is reported to have tested positive for prednisolone, a drug that is used to treat asthma, a condition from which he is said to suffer.

Sri Lanka Cricket's Interim Committee secretary Nishantha Ranatunga, however, denied any knowledge of the incident. "Officially we know nothing about the case," he told Sunday Times, a Sri Lankan newspaper. "SLC has not received any complaints or reports about the use of the banned substance called prednisolone from any organisation or agency." The ICC refused to make an official comment about the case.

Farveez Maharoof, the Sri Lanka allrounder, said the allegations are not an issue to the team in England even though Tharanga is likely to be part of the one-day squad. "We haven't spoken about it as a team, so it hasn't been a distraction," he said after the fourth day's play in Cardiff. "We're here to do a job and here to play a good test match. We're planning to do well in this Test match and we're not bothered about what is outside."

The Ashes series finished more than four months ago, but for Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott it looked like only yesterday as the pair resumed their remarkable run-scoring combination with a century each in an unbroken stand of 240 in Cardiff. Cook reached his 17th Test hundred to continue his prolific form from Australia and Trott brought up number six to cement his mighty average as England moved to 287 for 2.
Play was delayed until 2pm on a damp, chilly day and the atmosphere couldn't have been more removed from the cauldrons of the Gabba and MCG, yet it made no difference to the hunger of either batsman. Cook's hundred came from 224 balls when he collected his eighth boundary with a rasping cut off Suranga Lakmal and it was his fifth in ten innings since the 110 against Pakistan, at The Oval, when many were calling for his head. Trott's followed not long after, from 196 deliveries, with a flowing cover drive in the first over of the second new ball, and the pair's alliance became England's best for any wicket against Sri Lanka.

Exclusive successful defense title for Chennai (Vijay 95, Hussey 63)

What would have been on Chennai Super Kings' wish list before this final? 1) Win toss on a slow pitch. 2) Great start by the openers. 3) Remove Chris Gayle for a duck. PS: While we are it why not knock out AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli cheaply? They got all that. Chennai produced a near-perfect game and mauled Royal Challengers Bangalore to lift their second IPL trophy.

M Vijay has rarely converted his starts this IPL and Michael Hussey hasn't sparkled in the previous few games. So what they do on the day of the big finale? They amass a sizzling 159-run partnership to launch Chennai to a massive total at the Chidambaram Stadium. R Ashwin then derailed the chase by packing off Gayle for a duck in the first over. Game over.

David Warner, the Australia batsman who has developed a reputation as a Twenty20 specialist, has said he has the patience to be successful in the longest format of the game. Warner has found a place in the Australia A squad for their four-day matches in Zimbabwe, following three good games in the Sheffield Shield for New South Wales at the end of last season. He said it was Virender Sehwag, his captain at Delhi Daredevils in the IPL, who told him he could be a better four-day player.

"He [Sehwag] told me two years ago he saw me as a better four-day player than Twenty20 player,'' Warner told the Sydney Morning Herald. ''He said, 'If you play with your freedom, and your shot selection is correct and your decision-making's good, you're always going to score runs in that form of the game if conditions favour you.'''

Before the 2010-11 season, despite having played for Australia in Twenty20s and one-day internationals, Warner had played only four first-class games and had a highest score of 48. Against Victoria, at the beginning of this year he just missed out on a hundred, scoring 99, but then got the maiden first-class century in his next match, against Western Australia. Warner said he was happy to be recognised for that with the call-up to the Australia A four-day squad.

''I'm happy to be acknowledged for the last couple of games I played in the Shield season. It's recognition for myself that they're actually looking at me as a Test player. I can last the distance, and mentally I can be patient enough to tackle that format of the game. It's good I scored runs and showed some people. Everyone is about stats and numbers, and if you don't prove it you're never going to be that. It's good I can face 80 balls for 60 or 70 and not just try and score 100 off 50 balls.''

His captain at New South Wales, Stuart Clark, said Warner could change the perception people have of him as a short-format specialist by scoring plenty of runs in four-day cricket.

"He's got a reputation of being a Twenty20 player only because he's so good at the game,'' Clark said. ''David, whatever he chooses to do, needs to find a way to break that perception, that's his biggest challenge. If he gets runs, people are unfortunately going to keep remembering him as a Twenty20 player.

''Perception is reality with David. If he does things to benefit his four-day cricket, he can change that perception very quickly. There's no doubt that he can play the game.''

One thing working in favour of Warner's aspirations to play Test cricket for Australia is the fact that national selector Greg Chappell also believes he can improve his four-day cricket. Chappell had told Warner last December that if he adapted his game to four-day cricket it would help his form in the shorter formats too.

Friday 27 May 2011

England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 2nd day

Prasanna ton puts Sri Lanka in control

England will have expected to encounter problems removing a Jayawardene during this series, but that was likely to be Mahela not Prasanna. Sri Lanka's wicketkeeper, batting in the elevated position of No. 6, hit his third Test hundred to lift the visitors to an impressive 400 on the second day in Cardiff. Thilan Samaraweera and the lower order also played vital hands to ensure a frustrating time for England who lost Andrew Strauss in the final over of the day to finish on 47 for 1.
Right from the beginning of this Test Sri Lanka have impressed with their mindset. They were flexible enough to adjust the balance of their side - and the choice of two spinners could yet prove a masterstroke - while Tillakaratne Dilshan opted to bat when many visiting captains may have hidden behind bowling first. Then the top order took on the responsibility of setting up a platform with a stubborn and committed display. To remove Strauss, who was well caught at second slip off Suranga Lakmal with five balls remaining, capped off a day that couldn't have gone much better for them.

England v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Cardiff, 2nd day

England 47 for 1 (Cook 24*, Anderson 1*) trail Sri Lanka 400 (P Jayawardene 112, Paranavitana 66, Samaraweera 58, Anderson 3-62) by 353 runs

England will have expected to encounter problems removing a Jayawardene during this series, but that was likely to be Mahela not Prasanna. Sri Lanka's wicketkeeper, batting in the elevated position of No. 6, hit his third Test hundred to lift the visitors to an impressive 400 on the second day in Cardiff. Thilan Samaraweera and the lower order also played vital hands to ensure a frustrating time for England who lost Andrew Strauss in the final over of the day to finish on 47 for 1.

Right from the beginning of this Test Sri Lanka have impressed with their mindset. They were flexible enough to adjust the balance of their side - and the choice of two spinners could yet prove a masterstroke - while Tillakaratne Dilshan opted to bat when many visiting captains may have hidden behind bowling first. Then the top order took on the responsibility of setting up a platform with a stubborn and committed display. To remove Strauss, who was well caught at second slip off Suranga Lakmal with five balls remaining, capped off a day that couldn't have gone much better for them.

Having opted for a five-man attack it put pressure on Prasanna to perform the role of a frontline batsman. A Test average of 30 showed he was capable but, as Matt Prior has occasionally found, there is a different onus on a wicketkeeper when they walk in at four down rather than five. Prasanna, though, handled his task with aplomb and, although he was dropped at slip on 89 by Strauss off Graeme Swann, it took nothing away from his achievement as he reached a hundred from 147 balls.

What made it even more commendable was that England were in the middle of one of their best periods with the ball as James Anderson, who would later worryingly leave the field with a back strain but return as nightwatchman, found swing in the first session. Sri Lanka hadn't added a run when Prasanna's namesake, Mahela, edged a beauty to first slip which shaped back into him after a series of deliveries moved away. He tried to drop his hands but it was too late and the catch was superbly taken by Strauss diving behind second slip.

It was tough work for the batsmen against Anderson and Chris Tremlett - the combination of swing and bounce - but all Sri Lanka's batsmen knuckled down. When Tharanga Paranavitana's 191-ball stay was ended by an inside edge into his stumps against Tremlett - shortly after being struck in a very painful area - it brought Prasanna to the middle at 159 for 4 and a tipping point of the innings. England will have believed they could break the back of Sri Lanka's resistance but, not for the last time, came up against a stubborn obstacle in a fifth-wicket stand of 84 between Samaraweera and Prasanna.
Samaraweera took a hard blow on the arm from Tremlett and kept the slips and gully interested by playing away from his body, but also collected some confident boundaries. Whenever the England bowlers strayed onto his pads he was quick to pick them off although he wasn't far off edging to third slip when the ball just eluded a diving Alastair Cook.

Still, it was comfortably Samaraweera's best effort on British soil having failed to reach double figures in his previous four Test innings. He went to fifty from 72 balls as the game drifted with England waiting for the new ball before he was squared up by Anderson and edged to second slip. Again, the hosts sensed an opening but it wasn't to be.

Prasanna had started his innings as a useful understudy for Samaraweera then became the senior partner. He twice gained boundaries to third man through the slip cordon but batsmen deserve some fortune when the ball moves around and he took advantage of Swann's introduction to collect two leg-side fours. It was a perfectly paced innings and after tea he became more aggressive by back-cutting Stuart Broad and elegantly drove Swann through cover having been given his life at slip.

Sri Lanka's lower order also played a crucial role in keeping Prasanna company. Farveez Maharoof, who has been in good form for Lancashire, twice faced the DRS system in consecutive overs. The first was a waste after Broad seemingly convinced Strauss to use a review when Maharoof was clearly struck outside off stump. The second was more understandable when Anderson swung one back into Maharoof's pads, but the batsman again survived as the on-field decision remained.

Broad was the least convincing of England's pace bowlers and Strauss was further hampered by Anderson's injury. It meant Jonathan Trott was given a ball just 12 overs old, although a stroke of luck went England's way when Trott deflected a straight drive into the non-striker's stumps to remove Maharoof.

Thisara Perera showed few nerves on his Test debut in a stand of 68 for the seventh wicket including a lofted straight drive against Tremlett. Broad broke through to claim his 100th Test scalp, having taken number 99 at Adelaide in December before injury struck, when Perera spooned another drive to mid-on.

Rangana Herath then helped Prasanna add 51 for the eighth wicket before the last three wickets fell in three overs to give England a 90-minute session with the bat. They were within touching distance of surviving unscathed, but it was Sri Lanka who left the field with a spring in their step.

Chris Gayle carries Bangalore to final

Royal Challengers Bangalore 185 for 4 (Gayle 89, Agarwal 41, Munaf 2-27) beat Mumbai Indians 143 for 8 (Tendulkar 40, Vettori 3-19, Aravind 2-27) by 42 runs

In Jamaica the term criss is used to suggest everything is all right. Royal Challengers Bangalore may as well rename him Criss Gayle. For with Gayle, they criss. Gayle fell 11 short of his third century this IPL, but for 15 overs he played so much above the game that the 37 that came in the five after his exit didn't look far off par on this surface. Mumbai struggled to replicate Gayle's impact except with the new ball when they got off to a flying start. Gayle came on then to stifle the openers with a two-run over. The pressure resulted in wickets, everything was criss again, and Bangalore were in the final of the IPL.

When batting, Gayle was assisted by Mayank Agarwal, his 20-year-old opening partner yet to make first-class debut, who scored 41 off 31 in a 113-run opening stand. Gayle will be the first one to concede, though, that he couldn't have found a more accommodating opposition. To begin with, Mumbai Indians opted to bowl on a track where sides batting first have won six out of seven games this season. Then they refused to take the bull by its horn, throwing the new ball to Abu Nechim as opposed to Lasith Malinga. It can be argued that they succeeded in the previous game with Dhawal Kulkarni bowling the first over, but surely against a side as heavily reliant on Gayle as Bangalore they would have unleashed their best bowler right away.

A match-up that's worth the wait?

WATCH CSK VS RCB FINAL Click here

It's taken 73 games, but we're finally here. Seventy-three. Chew on that number for a moment. The IPL has had 50% more games than World Cup 2011, which was faulted for being too long. It's had 16 games more than the first three World Cups combined. The IPL has tested viewer appetite and player endurance to the limit, in the process turning the less-is-more norm on its head. The audience has spoken: there is only so much cricket India can take. The players have started breaking under the strain: several overseas signings flew home early, the India squad going to West Indies is severely depleted. Seventy-three is a big number.

The verdict, though, can wait until No. 74 is out of the way. An exciting knockout phase is capable of glossing over all the faults of a bloated tournament, and IPL 2011 has been fortunate on that front - Bangalore's hammering of Mumbai in the virtual semi-final notwithstanding. The impact of a good, well-contested final can be even more far-reaching. The success of the most recent World Cup, and the equally resounding failure of the one that preceded it, are quite closely linked to the manner in which the final moments of the respective events panned out. For three years running, the IPL final has been a closely fought game. Can 2011 continue the trend?

Ireland have nothing to prove to ICC - Phil Simmons

The stakes are high for Ireland as they prepare for their first international assignment - a two-match ODI series against Pakistan - since the 2011 World Cup, an opportunity to restate their credentials as worthy participants in 2015. The ICC had axed the Associates from the next World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, but will reassess the tournament's composition at its annual conference in June, following criticism of the decision to limit participation to the ten Full Members.

Ijaz Butt defends sacking of Afridi

Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, has said that there were "solid reasons" for the removal of Shahid Afridi as ODI captain but that he will reveal those reasons at a later date.

Afridi was replaced by Misbah-ul-Haq last week, after leading Pakistan in back-to-back ODI series against New Zealand and West Indies, and to a last-four finish in the World Cup. The board has not given an official reason for the removal, though it is believed to be the result of growing differences Afridi had with coach Waqar Younis, in particular over matters of selection.

Decision to play is player's call - IPL chief

The decision to play is a player's call and no player is forced to represent his club or country, particularly when it's a case of injury, the IPL chief Sundar Raman has said. "I think it has always been up to the player to decide," he told ESPNcricinfo. "Firstly, he has to see whether he is fit or not. And the BCCI physio will take a look at the player and subject to a satisfactory report, he plays.

"The player knows his body better than anyone else does and I don't think I want to sit in judgement on that. If the physio believes that the player is not fit to play a game, he would report that and the player would not play the game.

"Nobody is forced to play. Nobody is forced to play for the country. Nobody is forced to play for their club."

We'll be better prepared against spin - Gibson

West Indies will be better prepared to combat India's spin threat in the upcoming ODI and Test series, coach Ottis Gibson has said. The West Indies batsmen proved vulnerable against spin during the drawn Test series against Pakistan, losing 32 of their 40 wickets in the two games to slow bowlers. They face a spin-heavy Indian one-day squad, which includes offspinners Harbhajan Singh and R Ashwin, legspinner Amit Mishra, and part-timers Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma.

"It is not a lot of time but we have got a lot of players that have played spin and made runs against spin before," Gibson told theTrinidad and Tobago Express. "People just have to be clear what their game plan is against spin and back themselves and their ability."

India in West Indies 2011

Replacement Indian openers high on agenda

India's selectors will meet on May 27 in Chennai to pick the squad for the Test series in West Indies in June and July. With shoulder injuries likely to rule out the regular openers, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, the primary talking point at the meeting will be their replacements. M Vijay and Parthiv Patel are favourites at the moment to be included in the 16-man squad, ESPNcricinfo has learnt.

Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Zaheer Khan, who were all rested from the limited-overs leg of the West Indies tour, are likely to return for the Tests.

Can Mumbai reduce Gayle to a sideshow?

In the circus that is IPL 2011, Mumbai Indians have been the trampoline artistes. They soared through the first half of the season, putting more than daylight between themselves and the rest. Then they lost steam, and began hurtling towards terra firma. At one point they even had to deal with the possibility of missing the play-offs but, almost inevitably, they bounced back with two nerve-shredding wins against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Trampoline acts are fine, but can get repetitive after a while. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bangalore have provided real entertainment in their corner of the circus, led by the ringmaster Chris Gayle. He has done everything for them - he has twirled his whip to tame the wildest bowling attacks, and he has juggled batting and bowling duties without breaking a sweat, all without losing the inimitable strut and swagger that are part of his persona. He has rarely failed to entertain this season, and Chepauk will love to be regaled one final time on Friday evening. If Gayle's still in town on Saturday, though, they won't be rooting for him. Chennai Super Kings are already in the final, and will have the crowd behind them for the big game.

Sri Lanka fight on shortened opening day

Sri Lanka 133 for 2 (Paranavitana 58*, M Jayawardene 4*) v England

Sri Lanka's openers, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana, gave their team a solid start to the first Test in Cardiff before England's bowlers hit back on a truncated day. The pair added 93 for the first wicket after play was delayed until mid-afternoon by regular showers, but Dilshan couldn't build on his half-century and Kumar Sangakkara also departed in somewhat controversial circumstances when the DRS became involved.
Graeme Swann provided the first breakthrough and James Anderson was in the middle of a testing spell when England appealed for a Sangakkara edge behind but Aleem Dar turned down the shout and Andrew Strauss was quick to use the DRS. The decision rested on a combination of a noise and a faint mark halfway up the bat as the ball scooted past the edge. Rod Tucker, the third umpire, relayed that information and Dar overturned his decision.

Kolkata v Mumbai, Eliminator, IPL 2011, Mumbai

Mumbai prevail on night of nerves

Mumbai Indians 148 for 6 (Blizzard 51, Tendulkar 36, Kallis 2-18, Shakib 2-24) beat Kolkata Knight Riders147 for 7 (ten Doeschate 70*, Munaf 3-27) by four wickets

Kolkata Knight Riders began nervously, Mumbai Indians finished similarly, but it was Mumbai who booked a place in the Champions League T20 and in the semi-final equivalent of IPL 2009. What will irk Kolkata is that they were the better side for 39 overs in the previous match between these sides, but one bad over then set up this rematch in the quarter-final equivalent. Mumbai then did enough to make use on the second chance.
Kolkata's top order came out trying too hard for a big start, losing four wickets for 20, and Ryan ten Doeschate's 70 was not recovery enough on a good Wankhede track with short boundaries. A blazing start from Aiden Blizzard and Sachin Tendulkar seemed to have put to rest Mumbai's habit of muddled chases, but they choked again. For the second consecutive game, though, James Franklin scuppered Kolkata's hopes. This time, with much more on the line, he produced a less dramatic, but more assured 29.
Munaf Patel bowled smartly to capitalise on Kolkata's palpable nervous energy, taking three wickets, including those of Jacques Kallis and Yusuf Pathan. It was a subtle change-up immediately after being driven for four that sent Kallis back. The wicket-taking delivery was pitched in the same area, but was bowled with a scrambled seam and was hence a touch slower. The slice settled with a diving Tendulkar.

England's new target, Sri Lanka's new era

This series is being billed as the starter before the main course of England's season. India are the major drawcard of the summer, but Sri Lanka's visit promises much interest and intrigue. It pits a home side wanting to build on one of their finest triumphs in Australia against a visiting side trying to rebuild under a new captain and coach amid more political rumblings in Sri Lankan cricket.

A lot has happened since England celebrated in Sydney and even since Sri Lanka finished second in the World Cup. The hosts now have three captains for starters, but nine of the team that played in Sydney are set to line-up in this Test. Andrew Strauss has been very keen to stress how the Ashes success was just a stepping stone, albeit an historic one, in England's quest to be No. 1 in the world. That aim could be achieved by the end of the summer if they beat both Sri Lanka and India but it won't be an easy task.

Play county cricket to improve, Zaheer advises young bowlers

Zaheer Khan, the Indian seamer, has singled out his stint with Worcestershire as the "turning point" in his career and encouraged young Indian bowlers to play county cricket to prepare themselves better for international cricket. Zaheer, who was the joint-leading wicket-taker in the 2011 World Cup won by India, joined Worcestershire in 2006 after a phase in which he had struggled with injury and was left out of the national team. He topped the Division Two wickets list that season, picking up 78 in 16 games at 29.07.

"In many ways it was [the turning point], Zaheer told the magazine GQIndia.com. "The stint at Worcestershire helped me understand the game, why I am playing and other things in terms of preparations for matches and bowling on different kinds of wickets.

Harper, de Silva removed from Elite Panel

Kumar Dharmasena and Richard Kettleborough have been promoted to the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, replacing Daryl Harper and Asoka de Silva. Dharmasena and Kettleborough, who had been serving on the International Panel of ICC Umpires, were chosen by the ICC Umpires Selection Panel as part of their annual review and selection process.

Harper and de Silva, both of whom have controversial umpiring histories and, it would seem, particular troubles with the Decision Review System, have come in for some criticism over their decisions in recent times, in the light of which their demotions are hardly surprising.

Terry Jenner dies after long illness

Terry Jenner, the former Australian legspinner and noted bowling coach of Shane Warne, has died after a long period of ill health. He was 66.

Taking part in nine Tests for Australia between 1970 and 1975, reaping 24 wickets at 31.20, Jenner found life difficult following his playing days, and in 1988 was jailed for embezzlement related to gambling debts. He re-emerged in middle age as the mentor of Warne, helping to mould a prolific talent and then popping up for a chat and a coaching session whenever Warne needed a tune-up. This role was as fruitful for Jenner's public rehabilitation as it was for Warne's bowling.

IPL considering CLT20 qualifying stage

The IPL governing council is considering holding an additional qualifying stage for the 2011 Champions League T20 a few days before the main event, which would give a fourth IPL team a chance to play in it.

"Fourth team may have the opportunity to play CLT20," Sundar Raman, the IPL chief executive, tweeted on May 22. "But they need to play a qualifier tournament a few days before CLT20 with 3 other teams."

According to Raman's twitter feed, the tournament proper is scheduled to be held from September 23 to October 9 in India. The qualifying event - if it gets the green light - will have to be shoe-horned into the tightly packed international schedule, in the week following India's tour of England, that ends on September 16.

Gambhir advised 4-6 weeks' rest over shoulder injury

Gautam Gambhir could miss the limited-overs leg of India's tour of the West Indies next month following the aggravation of a shoulder injury that was sustained during the World Cup final. Gambhir, named India's captain for that part of the tour, has been advised four to six weeks' rest by Andrew Leipus, the Kolkata Knight Riders trainer, and could even miss the subsequent tour of England.

If it comes to pass, Gambhir's absence will leave India without their three best specialist openers - Virender Sehwag has recently undergone shoulder surgery and Sachin Tendulkar has been rested for the short-format games. It will also fuel the debate over the importance given to the IPL vis-a-vis international cricket, and - given that Sehwag also played through the IPL with his injury - raise questions over the responsibility of the BCCI, the IPL franchises and the players.

Kolkata v Mumbai, Eliminator, IPL 2011, Mumbai

Kolkata hold slight advantage

They might have lost the thriller in Eden Gardens to Mumbai Indians but it was Kolkata Knight Riders who were the better team until those dramatic few seconds. "Nothing has happened for which we have to keep our heads down," Gautam Gambhir said at the end of that game. "I have a lot of faith in Bala, that's why I gave him the final over. Nine times out of 10, in such a situation when 21 are needed in the last over, he would do the job for us." Indeed, it was just one of those days and it would be a mistake to conclude that Kolkata have lost momentum or that Mumbai have gained it from that match. If anything, it's Kolkata who will start with a slight edge in the knock-out game tomorrow for they are a better all-round side.

Trevor Penney likely to be India fielding coach

Trevor Penney, the former Sri Lanka assistant coach, is one of the first men India's new coach Duncan Fletcher is likely to bring on board. A BCCI official told ESPNcricinfo Penney was likely to be appointed as India's fielding coach. Penney, 42, worked in a similar capacity, albeit in a part-time role, with Fletcher for England in 2005 before moving to Sri Lanka to be Tom Moody's assistant.

India have been without a fielding coach since Robin Singh was relieved from the post two years ago. Mike Young, who till recently was Australia's fielding coach, worked with India as a consultant for about a month in late 2009, but there were no permanent appointments made.

Pakistan draw series with emphatic victory

Pakistan 272 (Ali 67, Akmal 56, Tanvir 57, Rampaul 3-68) and 377 for 6 dec (Taufeeq 135, Misbah 102*) beat West Indies 223 (Samuels 57, Hafeez 3-23) and 230 (Bravo 50, Rehman 4-65) by 196 runs

Pakistan's spinners completed the job they had begun on the fourth afternoon, slicing through the West Indian middle order and tail to secure a series-levelling victory by 196 runs in St Kitts. Once the morning dawned sunny and clear, it was only a matter of time before West Indies capitulated. They battled for 27.3 overs this morning and added 100 runs, but they were always fighting against the tide. It was over before lunch at Warner Park.
With the luxury of lots of runs to defend, Misbah-ul-Haq placed several fielders around the bat. The first edge came in the day's third over, with Brendan Nash poking at an offbreak from Saeed Ajmal and watching first slip take a regulation chance.

Pietersen out to silence detractors

Only three Tests have elapsed since Kevin pietersen produced the highest score of his international career, an unanswerably dominant 227 against Australia in Adelaide that ended the longest run-drought of his career. Whether, however, that was a freakish deluge or the start of a new phase in his ceaselessly fascinating career is a question that looks set to dominate England's early-season agenda.

Pietersen was certainly talking the talk as he faced the press in Cardiff ahead of Thursday's first Test. With a firm desire to look to the future, but an avoidable urge to hark back to the recent past, he reiterated his ambition in all three formats of the game, while at the same time taking a swipe at those in the media whom he believes are out to get him.

In particular, he took umbrage at reports that surfaced during the World Cup that he was preparing to retire from one-day cricket. That story gathered momentum when Pietersen turned down Andy Flower's invitation to "bite the bullet" after being diagnosed with a hernia, and instead flew home from the campaign to undergo surgery - via a night out in a notorious London nightclub.

Raina stuns Bangalore to power Chennai into final

Chennai Super Kings 177 for 4 (Raina 73*) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 175 (Kohli 70*, Bollinger 1-20) by six wickets

How did Chennai win this? How did Bangalore lose this? Chennai always seemed to be lagging behind but surged like a tidal wave towards the end, with the odd run-filled over now and then, to storm into their third IPL final in four seasons. At the forefront was the feisty Suresh Raina, who pulled out the big shots through the latter half of the chase to set up an improbable win. The defeat makes Bangalore's path to the final - and beyond - tougher. They will have to win the second Qualifier on Saturday, if they are to meet Chennai in the final at the MA Chidambaram stadium, where the hosts have been unbeaten all season.
Bangalore will look back and rue at a few poor overs. There were full tosses and length deliveries galore and Chennai capitalised in some style. Virat Kohli bowled a slew of full tosses in the ninth over to leak 16 runs, and Abhimanyu Mithun kept bowling length deliveries in the 13th over, bleeding 23 runs. It included a fabulously carved six over the covers as Raina went down on a bent knee, to follow his muscled heave over long-off. Even then, the equation - 82 from 42 balls - seemed a tough proposition and it got tighter when it came down to 58 from 24. Chris Gayle had led from front with a parsimonious spell that read 4-0-19-0 as he fired in the skidders and the occasional yorker to pin down Chennai.

Sri Lanka in England 2011

Maharoof called up as cover for Fernando

Farveez Maharoof has been called up to the Sri Lanka squad for the first Test against England, following concerns over Dilhara Fernando's fitness. Maharoof, who is playing county cricket for Lancashire, was not part of the original 16-man Test squad but played the Sri Lankans' first tour game, against Middlesex, since several of the Sri Lanka players were still in India playing the IPL.

Australia Cricket News

Beer, Krejza duel for Sri Lanka berth

Michael Beer's chances of adding to his first Test wicket will hinge on his fortunes alongside Jason Krejza in Zimbabwe © Getty Images

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Misbah, bowlers put Pakistan on top

West Indies 223 and 130 for 5 (Bravo 50, Rehman 3-26) need 297 runs to beat Pakistan 272 and 377 for 6 dec (Umar 135, Misbah 102*)

Having scored only two Test hundreds since January 2010, Pakistan scored two in one innings in setting themselves up perfectly for a series-levelling win in the second Test against West Indies in Basseterre. Taufeeq Umar's fifth Test hundred - nearly eight years after his last - and Misbah-ul-Haq's third set a dispirited West Indies 427 to win.

It was never remotely realistic and by the close Abdur Rehman had depleted spirits further with a relentless spell. Rehman took three wickets to leave West Indies down, almost out at 130 for 5; Darren Bravo's 50 was solitary defiance.

Bangalore favourite in fight for final

It began with a last-ball thriller, meandered in the middle, and ended with perhaps the most exciting match of the season. The IPL league phase is over, and though there were some spirited contenders, the four teams who looked strongest from the start are the ones that have progressed.

Amid the randomness of the prolonged qualification period Royal Challengers Bangalore have provided some stability. With eight wins in their previous nine games, they are undoubtedly favourites, a concept so vital to most sporting contests, but considered taboo in the IPL. They have earned the tag, and not just through the belligerence of Chris Gayle. S Aravind and Virat Kohli have been consistent, Daniel Vettori has been effective in his unassuming manner, Zaheer Khan has shown glimpses of his abilities and, perhaps, most importantly they've been relatively safe with their catching in a tournament plagued by poor fielding.

Morgan insists Tests are his priority

Eoin Morgan has brushed aside questions about his commitment to England and insisted that Test cricket is his first priority. Morgan chose IPL riches with Kolkata Knight Riders over first-class cricket with Middlesex this season but was named ahead of Ravi Bopara, who had opted for Championship cricket instead, in England's Test squad to face Sri Lanka.

On the eve of the squad announcement, Morgan said he would return to the IPL if he wasn't selected but thanks to his 193 for England Lions against Sri Lanka at Derby, he pipped Bopara to the No. 6 position.

Despite Morgan's inclusion in the squad, national selector Geoff Miller said he "will be having a chat to him about what his priorities are and make him aware of where we're coming from." Morgan, however, felt there was no issue.

"My priorities are quite clear," Morgan told reporters. "Test match cricket comes first and always has done. It's why I play the game, it's where everybody tests themselves and what everybody is judged on."

In explaining why he would have returned to Kolkata if not selected in the Test squad, Morgan said he had to fulfil his contract and also that the experience gained at the IPL would help his development more than playing Championship cricket would.

"If I wasn't picked for the squad I didn't want to hang around, dawdle and feel sorry for myself," he said. "Number one, I wanted to do something and number two, I was contractually obliged to go back out. I had no choice.

"The amount I learned last year just by playing five games and staying out there for the next three weeks, practising every day and rubbing shoulders with legends of the game, did massive amounts for me. I felt the progress I made in the month or two out there would exceed the four games I might play in county cricket."

Morgan only made 137 in nine knocks for Kolkata this season and conceded his decision to head to the IPL could have backfired. "It was a gamble, I knew that from the start. You have to gamble in order to throw yourself out there and do well. For me it was a hard decision but it was the right one."

Sri Lanka news

No Pak tour without security clearance - Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka will not tour Pakistan unless they get security clearance, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) secretary Nishantha Ranatunga has said. The PCB had asked SLC for their views on playing the scheduled series between the two sides in Pakistan, but Sri Lanka's stand, and a major terrorist attack on Sunday night at a Karachi military base very close to the National Stadium, have severely undermined any hopes of a tour.

"We have received requests from Pakistan over the past three or four months," Ranatunga said. "The PCB told us that they would like to host our team as scheduled in the FTP [Future Tours Programme]. We told them our stance that we need security clearance first before sending a team there again."

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