Cricket: Maynard targets 'must-win' game to keep Glamorgan alive
GLAMORGAN cricket manager Matthew Maynard has labelled tomorrow's Friends Provident Trophy clash against Hampshire in Cardiff as a "must-win" match.
The Dragons have only won one of their four matches in the south-west group so far and know they must defeat the south coast side at the Swalec Stadium (12pm) if they are to keep alive their chances of quarter-final qualification.
"I would have thought it is a must-win game and that is certainly how we are going to approach it," said Maynard, whose side are four points behind leaders Gloucestershire.
"We know we really need to win if we want to progress further in this competition.
"It is a competitive group with no side running away with it and we would be right in the mixer if we could pull off a win."
Hampshire, who prop up the table, are without New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond and wicket-keeper Nic Pothas through injury, while John Crawley and Chris Tremlett are both rated as extremely doubtful.
Captain Dimitri Mascarenhas has returned from his exploits in the Indian Premier League and Maynard believes even a weakened Hampshire side will still pose a threat to the Dragons.
"Hampshire might have struggled at the start of the season but they are such a dangerous side," added Maynard.
"They have got some really good strikers of the ball and some good one-day international bowlers.
"So they are always going to be a force and we can't take them lightly."
Maynard is set to resist the temptation to change the 11 players who have started all four matches, despite consecutive defeats at the hands of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.
Michael O'Shea has been added to the 12-man squad, but Maynard has once more ignored the claims of Robert Croft and James Harris for the one-day side.
"I can't envisage the side changing against Hampshire," said Maynard.
"We can't afford to drop a batsman, and then you have to take a look at the side with the two spinners. This wicket has shown there is a bit in it for seamers and spinners so it is quite a tight call.
"Ryan Watkins could potentially come into the equation, but we will make a final decision on Sunday morning."
And despite queries about the continued omission of Croft and the balance of the one-day side, Maynard is adamant he is happy with his selection policy so far.
"I have been very happy with the way the squad have performed in the first four matches," added Maynard.
"We were 20 runs light in the last game but overall I have pleased with the intent we have shown. It has given the youngsters the chance to play at this level and they have not let me down."
Meanwhile, Glamorgan will today be hoping the weather will not affect their chances of pulling off a second County Championship victory on the final day of the game against Derbyshire in Cardiff.
The Welsh county collapsed on the rain-affected third-day with the hosts only adding 83 runs in 27.5 overs and losing seven wickets.
Resuming on 301 for three, Derbyshire bowled their hosts out for 384 with Glamorgan posting a first-innings lead of 95.
Captain David Hemp could only add one run to his overnight score as he was trapped by a bat pad catch to left-arm spinner Nayan Doshi for 104.
The spinners made way for the Derbyshire fast bowlers of Charl Langeveldt and Jonathan Clare who extracted notable swing with the second new ball.
Langeveldt was especially successful with a burst of five wickets in seven overs as he accounted for Mark Wallace, Jamie Dalrymple, Croft, Harris and David Harrison. Clare picked up the wicket of Jason Gillespie with Alex Wharf unbeaten on 19.
The Derbyshire opening pair of Chris Rogers and Steve Stubbings negotiated two overs from Harris and Croft before lunch to finish the morning session four for no wicket, trailing Glamorgan by 91 runs.
But the rain started at lunch and play was eventually suspended just before 5pm.
Glamorgan (v Hampshire) from: D Hemp, M Wood, M Powell, T Maynard, J Dalrymple, B Wright, M Wallace, A Wharf, D Harrison, D Cosker, J Gillespie, R Watkins, M O'Shea
(c) 2008 owned by or licensed to Media Wales Ltd
Test matches still full of life
Ticket sales for this summer's series in England prove the five-day game is in rude health
A couple of amusing missives have come my way since I decided that the Indian Premier League is dull, entry-level cricket.
One said I was a stuffy old bugger who should get with the programme and realise that this was cricket evolving.
The more I watch, the more glaringly wrong that notion is.
The IPL is actually nascent baseball, not evolved cricket.
Honestly, it's the Rajasthan Red Sox out there.
The Los Angeles Times even opined that cricket might finally be "ready for an American audience".
Quite.
Still, much of the correspondence seems to suggest that Test cricket is dying, with one writer going so far as to suggest that supporting Test cricket is tantamount to supporting the theory that the Earth is flat.
The suggestion is that nobody has time for Test cricket in a busy world. Well, wrong again, I'm afraid.
This northern summer New Zealand and South Africa will both tour England.
Now, New Zealand touring England, you might think, is not a huge draw card.
In the light of the razzle-dazzle, the cheerleaders and the manufactured euphoria for the clash between the Mumbai Yankees and the Bangalore Dodgers, you'd think a series between the Kiwis and England would be a damp squib, an embarrassing return to the past.
One journalist even described New Zealand cricket as "an afternoon in Dullsville".
Well, why is it, then, that despite the supposedly grey nature of the contest, the Lord's Test is sold out on days one, two, three and five?
At Old Trafford, you'll battle to find a ticket for the first two days. At Trent Bridge, days two and three are sold out and first-day tickets are as scarce as a sunny day in Yorkshire.
And this to watch a New Zealand team rebuilding after a demoralising home summer and an English team finding its feet.
Then come the South Africans. The tour doesn't start until July, so accurate details are not yet available from all grounds, but we do know this: at Lord's, days one, two, three and five are sold out.
The Oval is sold out for days one to four and fifth-day tickets are as rare as an interesting day in the IPL.
Add to this the swarms that will descend on grounds on the day and it's blindingly obvious: Test cricket, you see, is in rude health.
The idea of watching Dale Steyn bowling at men who want to protect their wicket rather than chuck it away, watching the mental contest, the tactics and the game plans, is what people want to see.
Unbelievable as it may seem, people want to watch Daniel Vettori try and winkle out a couple of English batsmen with his clever spin on a deteriorating fifth-day pitch.
They want to watch James Anderson swing it out, out, out, and then swing it in to trap Jacques Kallis LBW.
And there is no point trying to pretend that it's an English thing. It isn't.
Enormous expat communities in Britain mean that, this summer, the crowd will be as Kiwi and as South African as it is English.
Flat Earth indeed. By the time Steyn takes his first English wicket this northern summer, the IPL will be a distant, slightly vulgar memory.
Incidentally, the Twenty20 contest between South Africa and England has, as Cricinfo.com has it, "good availability" Put that in your baseball bat and smoke it.
(c) The Times
Hinds finally signs for Derbyshire
Derbyshire have signed former West Indian batsman Wavell Hinds as their overseas player for the duration of the Twenty20 Cup.
Hinds had been lined-up as a Kolpak signing for the entire season but had that registration blocked by the ECB because of his participation in the unauthorised Indian Cricket League. But, by the ECB's own admission, he could not be prevented from signing as an overseas player.
He will be available for all Twenty20 matches as well as Championship match against Essex. The deal means that Chris Rogers will take a mid-season break as originally intended.
"I have always been keen to bring Wavell to Derbyshire as he has all the qualities we are looking for - experience, ability and character," said head of cricket, John Morris. "It hasn't worked out as planned but by coming in for the Twenty20 period he will give us a fresh impetus and real expertise in that format of the game. He is an exciting player, contributes with both bat and ball and is just what we need for Twenty20 cricket."
(c) Cricinfo
Australia to tour Pakistan twice in next 2 years
Melbourne (PTI): In order to make up for the cancelled tour of Pakistan, Australia will visit the country twice in two years, cricket boards of the two nations said on Monday.
Both Cricket Australia (CA) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the Aussies will tour the sub-continental nation in April-May of 2009 and again in 2010.
This year Australia were to visit Pakistan, but CA cancelled the tour due to security concerns.
The cancellation cast a cloud of uncertainty over Pakistan's tour of Australia in 2009-10 for three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international.
PCB Chairman Nasim Ashraf said the strong desire of the two countries to hold the postponed matches brought about the solution.
"The PCB is very pleased that the Australian team will come to play in Pakistan twice, in 2009 and again in 2010," Ashraf said in the joint statement.
"Our discussions with Cricket Australia showed both countries' strong desire to ensure the postponed matches were played in Pakistan. As well as the two tours at home, the PCB has also confirmed the Pakistan team's tour of Australia for the 2009-10 season."
Australia's 2009 tour will have five one-dayers and a Twenty20 international following the Aussie team's commitments in South Africa.
In August-September 2010, Australia will return to Pakistan to play three Tests.
"Today's announcement demonstrates Cricket Australia's commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the Future Tours Programme and also to Pakistan cricket," CA Chairman Creagh O'Connor said.
"We're pleased to have reached an agreement to travel to Pakistan to complete the postponed matches and to play in them in Australia as agreed under the FTP," he said.
(c) 2008, The Hindu.
Learn to play on turners, don't crib: Warne
Instead of cribbing about the turning tracks in India visiting teams should learn to play on them as there is nothing wrong in the host side's insistence on having wickets that work to its advantage, feels Australian spin legend Shane Warne.
India drew the three-match Test series against South Africa 1-1 after winning the third match in Kanpur on a crumbling track that invited the Proteas' ire.
But Warne, who is here to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Rajasthan Royals team, said visiting teams should come prepared for turners.
"I see nothing wrong in this. Every team visiting India expects such kind of wickets. Every team tries to take advantage of the home conditions and their strengths. I would love to have a spinning track right here if it suits Rajasthan Royals," Warne said in Jaipur on Monday.
"Don't the Indians have to play on hard and bouncy wickets in Australia or South Africa? That is the whole fun in cricket. You have to play on different kind of surfaces and have to prove yourself on them. It is a great challenge," he added.
Warne, who will captain the Rajasthan Royals in IPL, said he was impressed by the young talent pool that India has. "I am quite pleased with what I saw. We have a young talented bunch. They are dynamic and skill is there," he said. "After being with the youngsters I am feeling young too.
Opportunities create wonderful things. I am looking forward to pass on my knowledge to these youngsters. I hope that they learn few tricks," he added.
The tweaker, who bid adieu to his international career after last year's Ashes series against England, said he was working on his fitness to get back in shape for the IPL. "I bowl in nets while workout in camps of the state team.
I am not in best of conditions but while bowling in nets I have been able to remove some of the cobwebs that might have developed while I was away from top level cricket," he said.
"I have been doing strengthening exercises and loosening out. I am anxious to have a go," he added.
On a lighter note, Warne said apart from IPL, Bollywood was also an enticing option for the Australian cricketers. Aussie pace spearhead Brett Lee has already made some inroads into Bollywood and Warne feels a couple of more are also capable of making a mark.
"There are few others like my fellow Australian Shane Watson who are good enough to excel in films," he quipped.
Copyright (c) 2008 Yahoo Web Services India Pvt Ltd.
Can the pride of Pakistan go all the way in the ICL?
The team from Pakistan boast a fabulous assortment of the country's old and new. Experience, talent and seven straight wins is a lethal combo.
As the second edition of ICL tournament is heading towards a close, the lines of demarcation have been clearly drawn.
Chennai Superstars, Hyderabad Heroes, Lahore Badshahs and Kolkata Knight Riders are the four teams that have made it to the semi-finals. Hyderabad have already cemented their place in the finals with a win over Chennai in a match that could have gone either way.
One team that has been silently making up the ranks and causing a few raised eyebrows are Lahore Badshahs, the team from Pakistan. The team is composed of experienced veterans like Inzamam ul-Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq, who have played at the highest level. This team have the potential to go all the way and are the only side that remain unbeaten in the tournament winning all seven games.
In Inzamam, they have an able leader who can explode at any time with his brute power and amazing hitting ability. Imran Nazir is another talented youngster with the right ingredients to excel in this shorter format. Everyone will remember the handy knock that he played in the final of the Twenty20 World Championship against India. Salman Butt, Hasan Raza and Taufeeq Umar add weight to the line-up.
The bowling department has two former Pakistani greats, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed. Saqlain is probably the first bowler ever to bowl the doosra and he can trouble the batsmen with variations in flight, spin and turn.
In the pace bowling department Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Mohammed Sami make up a good attack; Naved-ul-Hasan especially has come through the ranks very well after the initial phase in his international career where he was considered to be an expensive bowler. And Shahid Nazir has a platform to showcase his skills.
Azhar Mahmood fills in the all-rounder category - a decent bowler and destructive lower order batsman, he is a very useful member of the side.
This combination of comeback men and talented youngsters give Lahore a distinct edge and a great chance of crowning glory.
(c) SportBuzz
"BCCI Inc" among India's top 200 firms
If it were a corporate entity, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would have been among the country's top 170 companies in terms of revenues (2007) - much larger than Zee Entertainment (Rs 1,515.88 crore) for which promoter Subhash Chandra is waging a bitter battle against the official cricket board to develop 20:20 cricket in India.
In fact, BCCI would also surpass FMCG company Colgate Palmolive (Rs 12,907 billion), consumer durables giant Whirlpool of India (Rs 14.76 billion) and pharma major Glaxo SmithKline (Rs 15.65 billion)
All this is courtesy the Rs 16.21 billion revenues that the country's richest sports body will be raking in every year for the next three years just by selling broadcast rights, domestic 20:20 cricket teams, and team sponsorship rights amongst others.
To put it another way, BCCI will earn Rs 4.43 crore everyday for the next three years - irrespective of whether cricket matches are being played or not in some venue in India.
The revenues will only go up with a bevy of rights coming up for re-bidding in 2010. These include the broadcast rights for domestic international matches, the team sponsorship deal (currently with Sahara) and the team kit contract (currently with Nike).
The big revenue earners come from selling broadcast rights for cricket matches in a cricket-crazy country. These include broadcasting revenues from international cricket matches within India and from neutral venues in non-ICC countries that have been bagged by Nimbus. BCCI has also sold the TV rights of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to a consortium led by Sony TV. These two mega-contracts account for over 70 per cent of the board's revenues.
To understand this hyper-growth consider that BCCI's 2005-06 revenue was Rs 430 crore and 2006-07 revenue Rs 650 crore. The major growth will now come from the lucrative new revenue stream opened up by the IPL 20:20 tournament.
In the last few weeks the sports body, for instance, has raked in Rs 6996 crore from selling the broadcasting and the team franchising rights of IPL for the next ten years.
Or to put it another way, with 128 players in eight teams slugging it out for the 20:20 tournament from April 18 this year, the sports body has already made over Rs 5.4 crore from each player - and this without the teams even having been selected.
The eight teams (each will have 16 players) will be slugging it out for the IPL 20:20 tournament, playing over 59 matches.
Copyright (c) Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.
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