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Sahara India Parivar have announced they are withdrawing their sponsorship of the Indian team and the IPL franchise Sahara Pune Warriors

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2012Sahara India Parivar has cut its ties with the BCCI, withdrawing its sponsorship of the Indian team and ownership of the Pune Warriors IPL franchise. The decision was announced on Saturday morning, an hour before the IPL 2012 auction – which went ahead without any representation from Pune Warriors.In its formal statement, Sahara referred to several points of dispute with the BCCI, dating back to its first sponsorship deal in 2001 but largely relating to the IPL. It said it would “continue paying the sponsorship money” to the BCCI for a period of “2-4 months” it would take to find a new sponsor. The group had won the bid for the Indian team sponsorship most recently in May 2010.In its initial response, IPL governing council chairman Rajeev Shukla said that the BCCI had yet to receive anything in writing from Sahara about the withdrawal of sponsorship.The group, which has sponsored the Indian team for 11 years, had cited several reasons for its sudden pull-out, its most recent differences with the BCCI concerning its involvement in the IPL.The latest dispute arises around a request by Sahara to be allowed to add Yuvraj Singh’s price into its auction purse for the February 4 auction after it was learnt that Yuvraj could not take part in the IPL as he is undergoing medical treatment for a tumour in his lung. When the request was refused, Sahara said it was “yet again” a case of the BCCI denying them “natural justice.”The differences between Sahara and the IPL began in 2008 when Sahara’s bid for one of the first eight IPL franchises was “thwarted” following disqualification on what it calls, “a small technicality on the whims and fancies of BCCI.” In March 2010, the group had successfully bid $370m for the Pune franchise when the IPL had opened up the league to two new teams.Sahara had asked for a refund of what it called its “extra bid money” stating that its bid price had been calculated on the basis of 94 matches to be played in the IPL’s fourth season. It said it had been denied, “on the basis of strict rules.” Other requests, like opening up the auction to all players once again in order to to achieve a “level playing field” or allowing one extra foreign player for the two new teams were also turned down.”We are withdrawing from all cricket under BCCI,” the group stated. “However, we don’t want to give any problem to the BCCI and we also feel that the players should not suffer. BCCI will definitely take 2-4 months to get a new sponsor and we will continue paying the sponsorship money till then. All other IPL team players, coaches and other such associates will definitely get their due this year, in case they do not get a chance to play.”The sudden turn of events took the Indian cricket fraternity by surprise. It appears even players of the franchise were not aware of the developments, with several tweets expressing surprise.

Someone tell me what has happened to my Pune!

— Mitch Marsh (@mitchmarsh235) February 4, 2012

@alfonsothomas Mate heard nothing other than cricinfo… Amazing scenes!! @GraemeSmith49 @WayneParnell #BiffWillSortIt

— Callum Ferguson (@calferguson12) February 4, 2012

This Sahara pullout comes a day after Kochi Tuskers Kerala, the other team which made its IPL debut with Pune last year, announced it would take the BCCI to court for terminating its contract. The 2012 IPL was reduced to nine teams as a result. Another sponsor, Maxx Mobiles, has reportedly withdrawn as strategic time-out and official play-off sponsor of the IPL. It had signed a three-year contract for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasonsOver the past six months, the BCCI has terminated the Kochi franchise as well as its broadcast deal with Nimbus Communications, who were the rights holders for all cricket played in India.Conventional wisdom suggests Sahara India’s decision to end its ties with the BCCI, and the IPL, will have little material effect on the world’s richest cricketing body. There will be enough sponsors lining up to clamber on the gravy train that is Indian cricket. But these are not conventional times, and Saturday morning’s dramatic announcement – made an hour before the IPL auction was due to start – comes at a particularly awkward moment for the board. It is now without a TV rights holder, a main sponsor, an IPL franchise and a buyer for its internet rights. None of these on its own is an insurmountable problem but together they weaken the BCCI’s hitherto omnipotent position.They also reveal the inherent problems within the administration of the game in India that had been papered over by first the dazzling financial success of the IPL and then by the team’s rise to the top of the Test match rankings and its World Cup win. In the months since that heady evening in Mumbai in April, the game in India seems to have taken several steps back. The 2011 IPL returned the lowest TV ratings for any of the four seasons; not good news for a tournament whose revenues are based on eyeballs. A few months later the sight of empty stands in Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai during an ODI series in which India beat England 5-0 added to the sense of disquiet. That series also saw signs of tension between the BCCI and Nimbus, the TV rights holders, which eventually led to the contract being terminated.Saturday’s events will be particularly embarrassing for the BCCI as they impact the IPL, its flagship tournament and the basis for its global clout. Sahara’s reasons remain allegations for the moment but they emphasise the common perception – one that has existed since the days of Lalit Modi – that the IPL is run in an ad hoc manner. The tournament’s fifth season, already down to nine teams following Kochi’s contentious exit, is now in a state of confusion for players, for administrators and presumably the broadcasters too. When the BCCI sneezes, the cricket world catches cold; it must now act fast to restore credibility before the confusion goes viral.
Jayaditya Gupta

A round-up of the first day of the seventh round of Division One in the Quaid-E-Azam Trophy 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2011Seamer Ahmed Jamal put Abbottabad in control in their contest against Faisalabad, taking 6 for 25 at the Gohati Cricket Stadium in Swabi to bowl the opposition out for 74. Jamal was supported by left-arm spinner Khalid Usman, who took three wickets in an economical spell, and the pair ran through the Faisalabad line-up that lasted just 41.2 overs. Only one batsman went past double-figures, the No.8 Shoaib Shah. The extras contributed 18. In their response, Abbottabad lost three wickets before the close, Aqeel Ahmed grabbing two of them. Opener Mohammad Naeem was trapped in front for 44 but Rameez Ahmed remained unbeaten on 34. At stumps, Abbottabad had gained a 36-run lead with seven wickets in hand.On a day of low scores, Habib Bank Limited held the advantage against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Seamer Sarmad Anwar bagged six wickets to restrict ZTBL to 201. Yasir Hameed made 44 and though the lower middle-order chipped in with useful contributions – five of them reached double-figures – none were able to push on. In their reply, HBL were 33 without loss at stumps.Timely breakthroughs helped Rawalpindi gain a slight edge over Islamabad at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad. Opener Afaq Raheem made 89 and was involved in an opening stand of 71 with Umair Khan that seemed to have set a solid platform. But allrounder Rashid Latif struck, taking four wickets and preventing another threatening stand from taking root. At one stage, Islamabad lost four wickets for 38 runs. The seventh-wicket pair of Faizan Riaz and wicketkeeper Naeem Anjum added an unbeaten 41 to take the score to 226 for 6 at stumps.A collective bowling effort from State Bank of Pakistan limited National Bank of Pakistan to 282 at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Half-centuries from Aqeel Anjum and wicketkeeper-captain Kamran Akmal had put NBP in a good position at 197 for 3 but they went on to lose their next seven wickets for 85 runs. Seamers Saad Altaf and Rizwan Haider grabbed three wickets and Kashif Siddiq grabbed a couple to polish the tail. In their response, SBP were seven without loss.Pakistan International Airlines edged out a closely-fought day against Water and Power Development Authority at Marghzar Cricket Ground in Islamabad. Fast bowler Anwar Ali picked up four wickets that included a couple of early strikes that left WAPDA reeling at 48 for 5 at one stage. But Aamer Sajjad resisted with 69 and received some assistance from the lower order before he was dismissed by Anwar, who helped skittle out WAPDA for 178. WAPDA, however, staged a spirited fightback, seamer Naved-ul-Hasan taking three wickets. PIA had a horror start, reduced to 3 for 3, and then 57 for 5, but Fahad Iqbal, with an unbeaten half-century, wrested the initiative back towards PIA in an ongoing 54-run stand with wicketkeeper Anop Santosh. At stumps, PIA were 111 for 5, still 67 adrift.Sialkot dominated the first day of their game against Karachi Blues at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Seamers Mohammad Imran and Prince Abbas ran through the Karachi batting, bowling them out for 166 in just 43.5 overs. The pair shared nine wickets, Imran bagged a five-for, as the failure of the Karachi batsmen to put up a fight left them at 83 for 7. Mohammad Sami dealt some big blows batting at No.9, smashing 48 off 36 balls to take his team to 166. Sialkot replied confidently, opener Mohammad Yasin making an unbeaten 58 to take his team to 98 without loss.

Netherlands and Sussex will feature in the 2011-12 Caribbean T20, while Canada will play in the tournament for the third consecutive year

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2011Netherlands and Sussex will feature in the 2011-12 Caribbean T20, while Canada will play in the tournament for a third consecutive year. Hampshire and Somerset, who played in the last edition, will not take part this time, with Netherlands and Sussex replacing them to make up three foreign teams that will compete with the seven Caribbean teams.The tournament will be played from January 9-22, 2012, and Trinidad will replace Antigua as the second venue for matches, while Barbados retains its status as a host for games.Netherlands will take part in the 2012 World Twenty20 qualifying tournament in March next year, and their CEO Richard Cox said the Caribbean T20 would be a good way to prepare for international cricket. “Undoubtedly this is another significant move in our preparation for the international playing programme,” he said. “I know the players will love the opportunity of playing against the likes of Trinidad & Tobago who have featured so well in the Champions League Twenty20 in India.”Sussex were quarter-finalists in the 2011 Friends Life t20, and their chief executive Dave Brooks said the Caribbean T20 would be a chance for their players to perform in different conditions and would also be a chance to test young players.In last year’s edition, Hampshire reached the semi-final, while the other two foreign teams, Somerset and Canada, finished third and fourth in their respective groups.

Maybe it is Warwickshire, not Lancashire, who are the team most likely to foil Durham’s bid to reclaim the County Championship title

Jon Culley at Aigburth01-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Neil Carter had a day to remember with a career-best 6 for 30 against Lancashire•PA PhotosMaybe it is Warwickshire, not Lancashire, who are the team most likely to foil Durham’s bid to reclaim the County Championship title. An argument along those lines could probably be built purely on the basis of three straight wins coming into this match but there are other factors to provide encouragement.Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who flew into Birmingham on Sunday, will give some substance to their batting on the run-in and Neil Carter, who took 51 Championship wickets last season, is at last back in the four-day side and, on this evidence, in fine fettle.Carter, who missed the early part of the season because of a pelvic injury, returned to play Twenty20 matches at the beginning of June and has four 40-over matches under his belt but this was his first taste of first-class cricket in 11 months. As Lancashire were bowled out for 189, it could hardly have gone better for the 36-year-old from Cape Town.Exploiting humid, overcast conditions that encouraged the ball to swing, Carter began with a slightly fortunate wicket with a delivery that was no better than a loosener but ended with a career-best 6 for 30 from 8.5 overs.”It has been frustrating to be out for a long period at this stage of my career and while I had no problems bowling four overs in T20 matches I did not know until I had a second eleven game how I would be bowling longer spells,” he said. “But I pulled up pretty well after that and it is great to be back in the side now.”I wasn’t really in rhythm today. It was a difficult wicket to bowl on because the ground was a bit soft and it was hard to get purchase when you land your front foot. But the ball swung and if that’s what happens on a non-rhythm day I can’t wait for when I am in rhythm.”The ‘lucky’ wicket was Stephen Moore, who had for the most part batted impressively to reach 76 in what had been a struggle for the home side against a moving ball.He had been dropped on 43, Rikki Clarke shelling what should have been a routine take at second slip off Keith Barker, but was making sure-footed progress until he was dismissed, hitting the unfortunate Barker for three fours off the reel to raise his boundary count to 14 after completing his 50 from 66 balls.But as Carter’s first delivery began to drift harmlessly away to leg, Moore was tempted into an attempted glance and paid the price, wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose diving to his left to take the catch.The wicket sparked a Lancashire collapse, all of it brought about by Carter, as they collapsed from 131 for 4. The Moore wicket put Carter on what would have been among the more unusual hat-tricks — it had been his dismissal of Matt Coles that had completed a win over Kent in his last game of 2010.He did not pull it off, but in the same over swooped in his follow-through to take a return catch as Gareth Cross fell without scoring, giving Carter two wickets from his first four balls. Then Will Porterfield held a catch at gully when Glen Chapple drove at an away swinger and Carter was on a hat-trick again after bringing one back to have Saj Mahmood leg before, offering no stroke.Smith survived this hat-trick ball, at the start of his next over, but it was not long before Kyle Hogg nicked another ball slanted across him and Porterfield reacted superbly to take his second catch, at third slip. Smith became victim number six when he skied one to mid-off.Earlier, as Boyd Rankin struggled to get his lines right, conceding 20 runs off the bat in his first two overs, as well as four byes, Lancashire had made a brisk start. But ultimately they came up short against the swinging ball, Paul Horton and Karl Brown both edging Chris Woakes to second slip, Mark Chilton falling to an ankle-height catch at first slip off the same bowler, before Barker had Steven Croft leg before.There was some consolation for Lancashire when Chapple had Varun Chopra, driving, caught at third slip before rain brought an early end to a day, already interrupted by stoppages, that was limited to 58 overs.

The ICC’s chief executives’ committee has unanimously agreed to make a modified version of the Decision Review System (DRS) mandatory in all international matches

Sharda Ugra in Hong Kong27-Jun-2011The ICC chief executives’ committee (CEC) has unanimously agreed to make a modified version of the Decision Review System (DRS) mandatory in all Tests and one-day internationals. The mandatory terms and conditions for the DRS that have been recommended to the executive board for approval consist of infra-red cameras and audio-tracking devices. The ball-tracking technology has been removed from the ICC’s original compulsory list of DRS technologies.This means India will, for the first time since 2008, be agreeable to using the DRS in a bilateral series when it tours England in July.However, the DRS used in the England-India series will be without ball-tracking technology. For example, if the ball pitches outside leg stump and the batsman is given lbw, he can appeal against the verdict but the third umpire will not have the benefit of ball-tracking technology to ascertain where the ball pitched. On the other hand, if a batsman is given lbw and he thinks he hit the ball, the Hot Spot will resolve whether there was an edge or not.The pitch mat was brought up during the discussion as the one element of the ball-tracking technology that could be used in the DRS so that the lbw could be covered using two technologies. It was, however, rejected by the BCCI, which did not want any element of the ball-tracking technology to be part of the modified mandatory requirements for the DRS.While Hot Spot is the only infrared, thermal-imaging camera available in cricket, audio tracking referred to the high quality “clean and real time” replays from the stump microphones, and not the Snicko, an ICC official confirmed.The CEC, which also approved the cricket committee’s recommendation to reduce the number of unsuccessful reviews in ODIs from two to one, decided that the continued use of the ball-tracking technology as a decision-making aid will depend on the bilateral arrangement between the participating teams. Further independent and expert research will be carried out into the accuracy and reliability of ball-tracking technology.A decision on how the cost of the DRS would be divided will be taken later. Last week, BCCI vice-president Niranjan Shah had said that the cost of using the DRS was as high as $60,000 per match. According to the ICC, however, that figure is closer to $5000 per day, with a maximum of $25,000 being spent on DRS per Test.

Cricket South Africa will spend R8 million ($1,142,857) on a new semi-professional competition that will replace the amateur provincial format from the 2011-12 season

Firdose Moonda07-Jun-2011Cricket South Africa will spend R8 million ($1,142,857) on a new semi-professional competition that will replace the amateur provincial format from the 2011-12 season.The 13 provincial teams currently in the fray, will be able to contract seven players, who must be South Africa-based and qualified, and not Kolpak-contracted. The competition will consist of first-class three-day cricket, 45-over and 20-over matches.”The players will be paid out of our [CSA’s] budget,” Gerald Majola, chief executive of CSA told ESPNcricinfo. “We will also look for a sponsor for the competition.” The competition was sponsored by Standard Bank until the end of the 2010-11 season, when the company ended all sports sponsorships. CSA are yet to announce a new sponsor for the competition.The semi-professional league will provide players with the opportunity to be selected for a seventh franchise, which will compete in the Twenty20 competition along with the six existing franchises. The seventh outfit will operate out of the High Performance Centre in Pretoria, overseen by former national coach Corrie van Zyl. The semi-professional seventh side will be allowed to contract four international players and field a maximum of three per match, while the other six franchises can sign two foreign players apiece.Under the current system, the six franchises play each other, while the 13 provinces, affiliated to the different franchises, compete in another league. The amateurs turning out for the provinces were not allowed to be contracted, but had the chance to be selected by the franchises based on their performances. Now they have a chance to earn more since they have the opportunity to sign contracts with the provinces.Majola said the changes were made in order to “bridge the gap between provincial and franchise cricket”. With 13 amateur teams feeding the country’s six franchises, there was concern among cricket administrators that players were either lost in the system or struggled to make the leap into professional cricket when coming up from the provinces.There is also an effort being made to smooth the transition process from domestic to international cricket with the MTN40 changing to become a 45-over competition. Andrew Hudson, convenor of selectors, had in April said that the MTN40 would change in order to bring it more into line with the ODI format. The change does not exactly mirror the international competition, but was made with some elements of marketing in mind.”We had to also consider the crowd figures,” Majola said. “If we play 50-overs and start at 2pm we will have empty stadiums, especially mid-week. We will start the 45-overs game at 4pm. All the rules will be the same as ODIs – there will be three Powerplays and no substitutions. The bowlers will bowl nine overs each.”South Africa’s limited-overs competition was a 45-over event until two seasons ago, when it changed to 40-overs. It allowed franchises to name squads of 13 players per match and make use of substitutes. It included three Powerplays in the first season and was reduced to two in 2010-11. The innovation was in keeping with an anticipated change in the ODI format, which now appears to have been shelved.

West Indies captain Darren Sammy has said that his side’s inability to capitalise on the “key moments” led to their seven-wicket loss to Pakistan in the second ODI in St Lucia

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2011West Indies captain Darren Sammy has said that his side’s inability to capitalise on the key moments led to their seven-wicket loss against Pakistan in the second ODI in St Lucia.”We could have tried to squeeze their batsmen more and when we batted we got a good start, but did not capitalise on it,” Sammy said. “We weren’t rolled over today. We kept ourselves in the match right to the finish. There were moments when things could have gone either way, but we didn’t make it happen.”We have to find a way to win those tight situations. We have to win in Barbados to stay alive in the series, so we have to grab our chances.”Lendl Simmons was the only West Indies batsmen to score over 30, or manage a strike-rate in excess of 80. As a result, West Indies finished with a below-par score of 220 that was easily chased down. Even in the first ODI, West Indies’ made just 221, where only Darren Bravo who got past 30.Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi praised the “discipline” shown by his side and said Pakistan were reaping the benefits of sticking to the gameplan. “We made a plan at our team meeting and our guys stuck to it and that was good,” Afridi said.”I think our bowlers are doing a great job, and the fielding has improved because it is a very important area for us. Our batting has shown responsibility and we hope to maintain this discipline right throughout the series.”Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad, who was named the Man of the Match, anchored Pakistan’s chase with his second ODI century. “Shehzad is a very talented guy,” Afridi said, “and he showed that he is capable of performing. He took his time, but chasing a small total, he could afford to do that and we won the game.””We tried to keep wickets in hand,” Shehzad said, of the way he paced his innings. “It was not a huge total so I knew that I had to control my strokeplay and not get carried away.”The third ODI will be played on Thursday in Barbados. Pakistan lead the five-match series 2-0.

Ashish Bagai, the Canada captain, was “boggled” by some of the decisions made by the DRS (Decision Review System) in his side’s tense 43-run loss to Pakistan at the Premadasa on Thursday

Osman Samiuddin at the Premadasa Stadium04-Mar-2011Ashish Bagai, the Canada captain, was “boggled” by some of the decisions made by the DRS (Decision Review System) in his side’s tense 43-run loss to Pakistan at the Premadasa on Thursday. Bagai experienced the best and worst of the system; reprieved once after being given out and sent back later after being given not out.Those two calls were part of a total of five referrals in Canada’s chase in which the on-field umpires’ decisions were eventually reversed. Bagai was first given out leg-before to Umar Gul in the 8th over. He asked for a referral – prompted by signals from the dressing room to do so, which was spotted by Pakistani fielders – before replays showed the ball to be going comfortably over leg-stump. Later, he was given not out by Daryl Harper off Shahid Afridi on another leg-before shout, only for Pakistan to refer the decision and be awarded.Three other decisions, against Ravindu Gunasekera and Zubin Surkari, also prompted decision-changing referrals, rounding off a bad day at the office for Harper and Nigel Llong. Bagai was asked about the decisions and indicated his displeasure with the system. “I’m not sure I can answer that before I speak with the umpires today,” said Bagai. “There was a bit of controversy over the use of it. Some go your way, some don’t. They’ve [ICC] kept a mantra of relying on technology blindly and that is their decision. We got a couple today that we were boggled with but that’s what they’ve chosen, we can’t do anything about that now.”Pakistan’s own experiences with the DRS have been hit and miss. Against Sri Lanka last week, they wasted two reviews in the field on decisions that, to the naked eye, seemed not out, including one for an edge. But Afridi insisted there were benefits from its use. “I think it is good because one decision can change the match, a not out or an out,” he said.Perhaps flippantly, he added, “it should be there and I think the number of referrals allowed should be raised to four from two, because two are not proving enough.”In the wake of the Ian Bell incident in the Bangalore tie with India, much of the focus has been on one particular clause of the system, the 2.5m rule. Earlier in the tournament, however, Mahela Jayawardene had raised the issue of the capacity of a DRS without Hot Spot technology. During his opening game century in Hambantota, against Canada incidentally, Jayawardene survived two appeals and fielding referrals for caught-behind decisions, when slo-mo cameras couldn’t provide a definitive assessment.The same concern was raised by Ricky Ponting ahead of Saturday’s clash with Sri Lanka at the Premadasa, though Ponting did give broad support to technology. “I was a bit surprised at the start of the tournament when we found out we were using the DRS without Hot Spot, that was a bit of a shock to me because Hot Spot part of it is probably as big a part of the system as anything,” Ponting said.”At the end of the day, players always have to understand that it’s not going to be perfect. But we’re still going to be getting more correct decisions at the end of a game, which is obviously beneficial for the game. It’s like it’s been used in Test cricket, you can walk off at the end of the day and feel you’ve been aggrieved by a couple of decisions that have gone either for you or against you in that game, but as long as you’re getting more correct decisions then it’s got to be good for the game.”

A wrap of the last day of the eighth round of Ranji Trophy matches in Group A

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Dec-2012
Scorecard
Gujarat scored a crucial win over Group A table-toppers Punjab at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium in Valsad. Punjab would have backed themselves to chase 231 for victory, but were bowled out for 193 and fell short in what was shaping up to be a thrilling finish. Left-arm spinning allrounder Rakesh Dhurv picked up eight wickets in the match, including five in the second innings.Punjab were on the back foot almost from the outset, losing their openers with just 11 on the board. Mandeep Singh made 42 but was short of support and Punjab slipped to 69 for 5. Gurkeerat Singh and Amitoze Singh stretched the score to 112 during their sixth-wicket stand, but Gujarat made inroads again. Dhurv removed Gurkeerat, Siddarth Kaul and Harbhajan Singh in a space of four runs. Punjab gave Gujarat a scare, though, with the last-wicket pair of Sarabjit Ladda and Sandeep Sharma putting together 63, but Dhurv bowled Sandeep to complete his five-for and seal victory for Gujarat. Punjab still lead the table, and Gujarat are second on 21 points.
ScorecardSaurashtra began the day with intent, going after the remaining 295 runs, but they pulled the shutters after they lost their fifth wicket. Having settled for just the one point, Saurashtra are now placed fifth in Group A, but only three points behind Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh, who are joint-third.Saurashtra had promoted Shitanshu Kotak and Sheldon Jackson on the third evening, and they set up a good platform through 73 runs in 22.3 overs. Cheteshpar Pujara, though, failed to make an impact for the second time in the match, and fell for 24. Kotak followed soon, and Saurashtra were now struggling at 129 for 3.Shah counterattacked now with a 35-ball 34, but Saurashtra lost two wickets together. From 164 for 5, Kamlesh Makvana and Aarpit Vasavavda shut shop, and added 53 in 27.2 overs.
ScorecardBy setting them 321 in 70 overs, Hyderabad didn’t leave Railways much time to go for six points, which they desperately needed, but Railways made a fist of it before having to settle for a draw. The one point left Railways at 15 points, well behind the contenders, but not quite out of the tournament. With nine points from seven games, Hyderabad have no chance of progressing.Kamal Sharma and Mahesh Rawat scored quick 48s to give Hyderabad nervous moments, but Pragyan Ojha accounted for both of them to set the chase back. Nitin Bhille played the anchor role, and scored an unbeaten 65 to ensure Railways salvaged the one point.

Injury expert and Sky Sports contributor Ben Dinnery has reacted to a major injury blow for versatile Leeds United defender Stuart Dallas.

The lowdown: Long-term layoff for Dallas

The Whites confirmed that the Northern Ireland international suffered a femoral fracture in the 4-0 defeat against Manchester City last Saturday.

The 31-year-old will need to undergo surgery and is set for a ‘lengthy period out of action’ following the incident with Jack Grealish.

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An expert in the field of injuries has now had his say on this cruel blow for Dallas and Leeds…

The latest: Dallas suffers ‘unusual’ injury setback

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery – who runs the Premier Injuries website – suggested that the issues suffered by the 31-year-old are complicated and will likely take a long time from which to recover.

The injury expert lamented: “This is bad news for Leeds United. It’s a rare injury. At first, I thought it was an MCL injury and the focus was all around the knee. I didn’t expect for a minute for the update to confirm that there had been a fractured femur.

“It’s highly unusual and not a mechanism we’ve seen in all the years we’ve been recording data. The only fractured femur I’ve seen was Pape Matar Sarr at Crystal Palace, but that was from a car crash.

“A lot depends on the location and type of fracture. Based on the footage, there could be an injury to the adjacent knee joint as well.

“Some research suggests that a third of these injuries will involve ligament damage as well. We could be looking easily at six months or even beyond that if the damage is really severe.”

The verdict: Major loss for Leeds

Having featured in all of Leeds’ 34 Premier League fixtures in 2021/22 to this point, it’s not difficult to fathom how big a loss Dallas will be to Jesse Marsch’s side, particularly with them in the thick of a relegation battle.

Described as ‘tremendous’ by former Scotland manager Alex McLeish, the Northern Ireland international and Elland Road fan favourite has earned a superb 6.90 average Sofascore rating this season – the third-highest among outfield players in Marsch’s squad – whilst once again operating in numerous positions for the Whites.

Regardless of whether or not they retain their top-flight status next term, Leeds will hope to welcome the 56-cap stalwart back with open arms at some point in the 2022/23 campaign.

In other news, Danny Mills urges Leeds to tie down this player…