Uphill going for cricket

Published>Wed, Mar 17 10 08:46 PM

Kolkata, March 17 -- IPL fever is not restricted to the plains of the east. It's going uphill into lands that seldom show any love for cricket. Three partners in an event management company based in Kohima dropped in to catch Tuesday's evening show. "Leagues and inter-district games have started and IPL has become a primetime TV habit," said Kevi Doze, with Kedi Kense and Alezo Kense nodding in agreement. "They have started selling T-shirts of the IPL teams too," he said while informing that the demand for English Premier League jerseys is still unmatched. Doze said that people in Nagaland have started identifying themselves with the teams. "Not diehards yet, but each one has his or her own favourite," said the Chennai Super Kings fan. His partners were rooting for Kolkata Knight Riders.

"Cricket still has a long way to go but we have started noticing kids playing on the streets with tennis and even leather balls. It has started getting popular among schoolchildren and there is a sizeable number of female fans too," said Doze.

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Delhi Daredevils to take on Mumbai Indians today

Published>Wed, Mar 17 10 08:36 PM

New Delhi, March 17 -- A Delhi-Mumbai tie in Ranji Trophy is usually at the top of the charts. In the IPL, the contest between these two metros should be electrifying. But Sachin Tendulkar, the Mumbai Indians' skipper, thinks this masala mix won't mean the renewal of rivalry. "No, it is definitely not like the Ranji Trophy." Despite Tendulkar's insistence on it being just like any other game, there is a feeling about this game having potential to be the best of the season. The two come in with a cent per cent record and both have stars enough to light up a midweek night. "The confidence is high. We are working together," said Tendulkar, seemingly relaxed after a win over 2008 champions, Rajasthan Royals in the first game at home. The rampaging Daredevils, however, will be tough nuts to crack. Possessing some of the best in the business, they are on a roll, having tamed Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals in their dens. Both Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, the current and former Daredevils skippers, stamped their authority in the first two games - Gambhir's composure, steering his team against Kings XI, and Sehwag's pyrotechnics, helping his side gallop to a win over the Royals. Them and the rest of the batting comprising Tillakaratne Dilshan (a bit of a worry with his two successive ducks), AB de Villiers and Dinesh Karthik among others, could be a worry for Tendulkar. Especially after the way Yusuf Pathan terrorised their bowling in the first match and nearly won it for Shilpa Shetty. "I don't think bowling is a worry," said the master. "Harbhajan Singh had to leave the field. His four overs had to be adjusted. In this match Harbhajan will be back."

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Unchanged Punjab opts to bat first

Published>Wed, Mar 17 10 08:22 PM

Bangalore, March 16 -- Royal Challengers Bangalore team JH Kallis, MK Pandey, RV Uthappa, V Kohli, R Dravid, EJG Morgan, MV Boucher, P Kumar, A Kumble, DW Steyn, R Vinay Kumar Kings XI Punjab team

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Swann rises to second position in ICC Test rankings

Published>Wed, Mar 17 10 08:08 PM

Dubai, March 17 (IANS) Graeme Swann's maiden 10-wicket haul has made him the first England bowler in six years to rise to second position in the Reliance Mobile International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings for bowlers.

The 30-year-old off-spinner bowled England to a 181-run victory over Bangladesh in Chittagong to give his side a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.

Swann jumped three places in the latest rankings announced Wednesday.

Swann's progress towards the top is even more remarkable as he was in 23rd position eight months ago. During this period, he has played 10 Tests and has claimed 45 wickets, including 14 against Australia and 21 against South Africa.

This means he could potentially edge closer or even surpass top ranked Dale Steyn of South Africa depending on how he performs in the second Test in Dhaka, which starts March 20.

Australian Mitchell Johnson and Pakistan's Mohammad Asif have dropped one rung to third and fourth places respectively.

Despite its defeat, there is some positive and encouraging news for Bangladesh.

Captain Shakib Al Hasan has climbed to 15th position by improving his ranking by three places following match figures of 5-195 and Mushfiqur Rahim has become the second highest-ranked wicketkeeper-batsman after India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the rankings for Test batsmen.

The batting table is headed by India's Virender Sehwag while Hashim Amla of South Africa is second followed by Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene at third.

In the list for all-rounders, Swann has moved to third position, while Shakib has dropped to the fourth spot.

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Bangalore Royal Challengers beat Kings XI Punjab by 8 wickets

Published>Wed, Mar 17 10 07:52 PM

Bangalore, March 16 -- Kings XI Punjab's 203 proved achiveable for Royal Challengers Bangalore as their opener J Kallis scored an unbeaten 89 in thier first home match in Bangalore. Earlier, Manvinder Singh Bisla's blistering 52-ball 75 and his 129-run opening wicket partnership with Ravi Bopara (77) powered Kings XI Punjab to an intimidating 203 for three against a frazzled Royal Challenger Bangalore in the Indian Premier League here today. Virtually unknown to Indian cricket, Bisla announced his prowess and intentions on the IPL platform with a ruthless exhibition of attacking strokes. He cared little for reputation, treating Dale Steyn and Anil Kumble with casual disdain, smashing them into the stands with effortless ease. The well-built opener struck six boundaries and five sixes before he smashed Jacques Kallis into the hands off Eoin Morgan at mid-wicket. But by then he had put Kings XI Punjab in a position of strength, a situation from where Mahela Jayawardene (13-ball 26) plundered the whithering Bangalore attack at will. Bopara, who played the anchor's role to a nicety, broke loose as the overs whittled down to notch his second successive half century of the championship. The English import took barely 42 bails for his 77 which was embellished with nine boundaries and two sixes. As in the first game against Kolkata Knight Riders, the Bangalore bowling lacked direction and temperament, caving under the Bisla-Bopara plunder. Royal Challengers Bangalore team JH Kallis, MK Pandey, RV Uthappa, V Kohli, R Dravid, EJG Morgan, MV Boucher, P Kumar, A Kumble, DW Steyn, R Vinay Kumar

KC Sangakkara, MS Bisla, RS Bopara, DPMD Jayawardene, Yuvraj Singh, IK Pathan, M Kaif, PP Chawla, Bipul Sharma, YA Abdulla, S Sreesanth.

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Orissa enters Women''s football semi final

Published Wed, Mar 17 10 07:16 PM

Imphal, Mar 17 (PTI) Sasmita Mallick unleashed a flurry of goals to help Orissa defeat Haryana 5-0 and reach the semifinals of 18th Senior Women''s National Football Championship from Group-B at Khuman Lampak main stadium ground here. Mallick scored as many as five goals. In group A, host Manipur and Tamil Nadu had already entered the semi final.

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T20 World Cup selection on March 26

Published>Wed, Mar 17 10 06:46 PM

Mumbai, Mar 17 (ANI): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) national selectors will meet in Mumbai on March 26 to pick up the squad for the International Cricket Council (ICC) World T20 championship to be played the next month in the West Indies.

The five-member selection panel headed by chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth will select the squad from list of 30 players, who have been short listed taking into account their current form in the game.

The final team will be selected after the completion of the third edition of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament, which will end on April 25.

The third edition of the T20 World Cup will be played in the Caribbean from April 30 to May 16.

India is in Group C along with South Africa and qualifiers Afghanistan in the league phase of the tournament.

They play their first match on May 1 against Afghanistan. (ANI)

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