All posts by h716a5.icu

Three teams will progress to the 2014 Women’s World T20 from the Qualifiers to be staged in Dublin from July 23 after the ICC announced a revised schedule for the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jul-2013Three teams will progress to the 2014 Women’s World Twenty20 from the Qualifiers after the ICC announced a revised schedule for the tournament, which begins in Dublin on July 23.According the previous format, only the winner of the qualifying competition would progress to the 2014 finals, but following a decision made at the ICC annual conference in London last month, the runner-up and the winner of the playoff for third place will also qualify for the tournament in Bangladesh, taking the total number of participants to ten.As a result of the changed qualification structure, the originally intended Super Four stage will be replaced with two semi-finals.The ICC said the decision to expand the qualification process was part of a continued promotion and support of women’s cricket, with the recently announced event cycle including four World T20 events and two World Cups between 2015 and 2023.The three teams from the Qualifiers will join Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies for the World T20, which begins on March 16 and will take place alongside the men’s event.Canada, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Zimbabwe are the eight teams participating in the Qualifiers.

New Zealand Under-19 pulled off a close last-ball, one-wicket win, their first of the series, against Australia Under-19 in the third Youth ODI between the two teams

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Apr-2013
ScorecardNew Zealand pulled off a close last-ball, one-wicket win, their first of the series, against Australia in the third Youth ODI between the two teams. The third ODI was a dead rubber as Australia had already taken a winning lead of 2-0 in the three-match series.Batting first, Australia began well as the openers put on 71 runs. Kelvin Smith scored his second half-century of the tour, hitting 52 off 76 balls. However, offspinner Dane Watson effected a breakthrough to dismiss Jaron Morgan for 36. Sean Willis and Jake Doran fell in quick succession to leave Australia at 126 for 4. The rest of the batsmen struggled to put together partnerships and it took a brisk knock of 39 from Cameron Valente to push their score to 220 for 8. Watson finished with figures of 4 for 31, while Kyle Jamieson and Arana Noema-Barnett took two wickets apiece.In reply, New Zealand were shaky at 19 for 2 before a 90-run partnership between opener Rakitha Weerasundara and Ken McClure revived the chase. Weerasundara then added 71 runs with Leo Carter to take New Zealand to 180 for 3 in the 41st over. Australia clawed back into the match as Ben Ashkenazi dismissed Weerasundara and Valente, then got wickets off two successive deliveries. Valente took another two wickets in his next over as New Zealand stumbled to 8 for 198. A run-out in the last over almost gave Australia a 3-0 scoreline, but Noema-Barnett hung on to ensure New Zealand scampered home off the final ball.

South Africa allrounder Wayne Parnell’s participation in IPL 2013 is in no doubt, according to his franchise Pune Warriors, despite him being one of 51 “wanted” foreign nationals for allegedly testing positive for recreational drugs following a party in M

Amol Karhadkar07-Mar-2013South Africa allrounder Wayne Parnell’s participation in IPL 2013 is in no doubt, according to his franchise Pune Warriors, despite him being one of 35 “wanted” foreign nationals for allegedly testing positive for recreational drugs following a police raid on a party in Mumbai last year. Parnell’s IPL team-mate, Punjabi legspinner Rahul Sharma, who had also reportedly consumed drugs at the party, is also “supposed to join the squad as per schedule”, a franchise official told ESPNcricinfo.Parnell confirmed he will play the IPL and claimed innocence over the drugs charge. “As far as I am concerned, everything is fine,” he told ESPNcricinfo. I’ve received mail from Pune saying I have to come. I’ve got nothing to hide. The full story will come out once I get over there. They tested everyone that was at the party. I need to find my sample, because if they tested me they must have my sample and we need to match that up.”I’ve been subject to drug testing in my last five years as a professional cricketer, and I haven’t tested positive once. So I’ve got nothing to worry about. As far as I am aware, they didn’t give any specific samples and put them to names. They just said that a certain number of people tested positive. The individual samples need to be shown now.”Parnell and Sharma were among 90 people detained following the party at a hotel in the Juhu suburb of Mumbai on May 20 last year, a day after Pune Warriors’ IPL 2012 campaign ended. According to reports, drugs including cocaine, MDMA and cannabis were consumed at the party.Of the 90 people, 86 apparently tested positive – 35 foreign nationals, who have been “shown as wanted” as per a police official, and 51 Indians. These 86 people had a 1200-page charge sheet drawn up against them last month, according to .Apart from the players’ franchise, Tony Irish, the chief executive of the South Africa Cricketers’ Association, also played down the issue. “Wayne has an individual agent who will deal the matter but we, as the players’ association, will assist him in any way we can,” Irish said. “From what we know of the facts, there is little substance to them.”

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.

Mitchell Starc is out of the second ODI against Sri Lanka on Sunday after complaining of calf soreness following Australia’s opening win

Daniel Brettig12-Jan-2013Mitchell Starc is out of the second ODI against Sri Lanka on Sunday and may miss further matches beyond after complaining of calf soreness following Australia’s opening win at the MCG. The South Australian fast bowler Kane Richardson has been called into the squad as cover.As the most durable of Australia’s young fast bowlers over the past year, Starc has played successfully for the national side across three formats without injury since his Test debut against New Zealand in late 2011. However his spell of six overs in Melbourne, returning the figures of 1 for 25, resulted in the calf complaint.The injury marks an unfortunate point in the summer for Australia’s fast bowlers, meaning every paceman in the first Test squad of the season has suffered an injury of some kind.James Pattinson was first to break down with a side injury, Peter Siddle missed the Perth Test due to a hamstring problem, and Josh Hazlewood had foot stress hot spots uncovered while bowling in the WACA ground nets. Ben Hilfenhaus suffered side injury in Hobart, Shane Watson fell prey to a calf strain in Melbourne, and now Starc has suffered similarly.While the Australian team physio Alex Kountouris described the problem as minor, calf trouble is infamously stubborn, as Watson can attest after suffering a string of the injuries in recent times. “Mitchell Starc had some mild right calf soreness after the match at the MCG last night,” Kountouris said.”Whilst we are not majorly concerned about it, we have withdrawn him from the game on Sunday as a precaution. He will be reassessed over the next few days and is a possibility to play next weekend’s matches against Sri Lanka if his symptoms resolve.”If Starc’s withdrawal is another blow to Australia’s efforts to reduce the amount of injuries suffered by their fast bowlers, Richardson’s call-up is a reward for some of the more eye-catching performances in domestic limited overs matches this summer, including one haul of 6 for 48 at Adelaide Oval.”Kane has been called in as cover in the squad due to his impressive form in the limited overs formats this season,” the national selector John Inverarity said. “This provides another great opportunity for a young player as we look to build towards Cricket World Cup in 2015.”A part of Australia’s winning Under 19 World Cup team in 2010, 21-year-old Richardson has impressed many with his speed, aggression and the ability to fire in a mean yorker. He may now get the chance to debut for Australia on his home ground.Should Richardson be included he will, like the rest, benefit from the guidance provided by Brad Haddin’s presence in the dressing room. The captain George Bailey said Haddin’s influence had been notable in preparation for the opening match, helping a team of players getting used to the international game learn from a player with years of war stories to tell.”One of the challenges with the group is the lack of experience,” Bailey said. “Having someone as composed as Brad is, not only on the ground but off the ground in the way he sets up for the game, the way he prepares, it’s something that I take a lot out of. The debutants and the guys who have played even less than I have would certainly get a lot out of the way he is.”I thought he kept beautifully, and even the way he batted, I thought Sri Lanka bowled quite well at the back end of their innings, but he and David Hussey just found a way to keep that score ticking over and that was really important to get that score up around 300.”Bailey was also satisfied by the way his men had blunted the threats posed by Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis. Both Malinga and Mendis were expected to be the major threats to Australia’s batting, but were to return the poorly combined figures of 2 for 123 from 20 overs, something Bailey attributed partly to the new ODI rule limiting the fielding side to four fielders outside the circle at any one time.”It’s certainly good for our confidence, that we stuck to our plans on how to play both of them,” Bailey said. “One of the advantages we will have for a brief little period is that we’ve played the four out rule for a season and a half domestically.”That’s something that we may have adjusted a little bit better to, whereas I’m not sure those guys have been exposed to that much. That does take a little bit of adjustment and a little bit of re-jigging of your plans. I certainly expect them to bounce back. For our confidence, to be able to pick off their best bowlers like that was really good.”

Yorkshire could look back on a highly satisfying season after their final game ended in a 239-run win over Essex

George Dobell at Chelmsford 14-Sep-2012
ScorecardSteven Patterson wrapped up the Essex innings to finish Yorkshire’s season in triumphant fashion•Getty ImagesThey may not have been promoted as Division Two champions, but Yorkshire could look back on a highly satisfying season after their final game ended in a 239-run win over Essex.It was not just that they had won promotion that was pleasing. It was that in this side they have the nucleus of a team that could flourish in the county game for a decade or more. After letting themselves down with a poor campaign in 2011, Yorkshire overcame the challenge of bad weather – no team lost more overs to poor weather this season – England and Lions call-ups and the pressure of expectation to win promotion with some style. They finished the season the only undefeated side in either division and having won three Championship games in succession for the first time since 2005. Few would dispute they deserve their success.Fittingly, it was the bowling of a 21-year-old who hurried them to victory on the last day. Azeem Rafiq, gaining impressive turn with his offspin and utilising the breeze with rare skill, finished with his maiden five-wicket haul and his best match figures in first-class cricket. Suffice it to say he has a golden future.He is not the only one. Jonny Bairstow has already been elevated to the England set-up and Joe Root may not be far behind him. Adam Lyth could yet prove to be the best of the lot of them, while 20-year-old seamer Moin Ashraf was described by Essex captain, James Foster, as “exceptional”. Around such men will the future of Yorkshire be built, with the club also confirming they are keen to bring James Harris to Leeds and that Anthony McGrath will be offered another playing contract.It was a far cry from the emotions of 12 months ago. After last season’s relegation, Yorkshire’s executive chairman, Colin Graves, called performances “unacceptable” and “a disgrace” and warned that “there will be some heads rolling” if the club’s fortunes did not improve.He put his money where his mouth is, too. Graves has invested £7m of his own money into Yorkshire as well as personally guaranteeing bank loans. He reorganised the coaching staff, allowing Martyn Moxon to concentrate on his role as director of cricket and bringing in Jason Gillespie as first-team coach and Paul Farbrace to oversee the second team.”At the end of last season I said what a lot of people were thinking,” Graves said, as Yorkshire began to celebrate their success. “But it had to be said. If it gave them a spur then I’m glad because this just proves that we had the ability to do what we’ve done. The players have responded and I’m pleased for them.”The disappointing thing is that we have virtually the same group of players, apart from Phil Jaques coming in. And they’ve all performed. Last year some of them just didn’t perform, which is what I said. Gillespie has made a very big difference. The coaching structure now is entirely different and it has worked. Andrew Gale has had a fantastic year, too, and captained them very well. He’s brought the younger ones through as well, like Rafiq and Ashraf who have been a revelation.”We believe with the squad we’ve got here we have the makings of a good team for the next ten to 15 years. We’ve proved in the last three matches what we can do and if we can carry that back into the first division we can have another team of the 60s. I think we can challenge for the Championship next year. If you look back two years we ended third in the Championship with virtually the same team. So why can’t we do the same next year?”We’ll end up with a profit of £250,000 – £300,000 this year. I’ve never cut the cricket budget and the money is there if the right player comes along. Everybody in county cricket would tell you that they could do with another seamer. One or two new good seamers would make a difference. James Harris is a name that is mentioned with everybody, but let’s see what happens. I certainly don’t want McGrath to leave and I’ve told him there’s always something there for him at Yorkshire.”For Essex, however, this was a disappointing end to a disappointing season. Indeed, any year that starts with a former player being sent to prison and ends with a fifth-placed finish in Division Two might be described as grim.It is a puzzling club. In terms of talent production, Essex have a wonderful record. The likes of Reece Topley, Tymal Mills, Adam Wheater and Ben Foakes all possess the talent to follow Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara into the England team. Any club with a production line like that is clearly doing something right.The fact is, however, that few of their players are fulfilling their potential for Essex. For some reason, the likes of Varun Chopra, Chris Wright, Stephen Peters, and Tony Palladino all had to leave the club to flourish. Tellingly, Wright – who finished with 62 Championship wickets for County Champions Warwickshire – was left out for Lonwabo Tsotsobe last year and replaced by Charl Willoughby this. The club needs to ask itself why it has failed to coax the best out of such players and what is failing in the management or coaching environment.There is something just a little bit cosy about Essex, something that seems a little too accepting, so it remains to be seen if the hard questions will be asked. But there is little evidence that a search for quick-fixes in the form of overseas players or expensive imports from other counties – the likes of Greg Smith or Owais Shah – is the answer.

Glenn Maxwell has been a valuable impact player for Victoria over the past two years, and now he has a chance to prove himself at international level

Brydon Coverdale15-Aug-2012If you mention the name Glenn Maxwell to the casual Australian cricket fan you can expect one of two responses. Either they’ll think they’ve heard him commentating on the radio (no, that’s Glenn Mitchell and Jim Maxwell), or they won’t know the name at all. But the more dedicated followers of Australia’s domestic cricket are well aware of Maxwell, and have no doubt kept an eye on his progress since February 9 last year.That was the night when Maxwell rewrote the record books with a 19-ball half-century for Victoria against Tasmania, the fastest fifty ever scored in Australia’s domestic one-day history. He demolished a pretty good attack featuring Ben Hilfenhaus and James Faulkner, and most impressively set Victoria on the path to victory having come to the crease with 66 runs needed at more than ten an over. It was his sixth one-day game for Victoria. He had not yet made his first-class debut.Soon, Maxwell will have the chance to prove his talent at international level. He has been in Darwin over the past week, training with the Australia squad as they prepare to fly out for a one-day and Twenty20 series against Pakistan in the UAE, and he is also expected to be part of the squad for the World T20 in Sri Lanka next month. And don’t expect anything different from Maxwell when he walks out in the national colours.”I won’t change too much when I play for Australia,” Maxwell told ESPNcricinfo. “I’ll still keep my natural flair but also rein it in when I need to and really be that rock if it’s needed. I’m looking forward to getting some opportunities in the batting order and looking forward to doing what the team needs from me in the right situations, whether that be quick runs or saving our arses.”Sometimes, as the chase against Tasmania showed, the two are one and the same. Not that he has coasted solely on that performance since then. A month later he made his first Sheffield Shield hundred, an unbeaten 103 from 118 balls against South Australia, and as a T20 player he has earned contracts from the Delhi Daredevils and Hampshire. In his third county match this year, his 66 not out from 32 balls delivered a crushing victory over Kent.And yet, it is for his offspin and athletic fielding as much as his batting that Maxwell has earned a call-up from Australia. His presence in the T20 squad can be seen as a like-for-like swap for Steven Smith, who has had his chances at international level without quite grasping his opportunities. Both are impact players, thrilling to watch but at times unpredictable. Australia’s T20 captain, George Bailey, is excited by what Maxwell can offer in the World T20 in Sri Lanka.”Maxy is someone who in terms of the 15 for the World Cup just comes with a really specific skill set that we really like,” Bailey said. “He’s performed well in the IPL, he’s been over playing in England, he’s played a lot of cricket. He’s an outstanding fielder, an outstanding athlete.”When he strikes the ball he’s one of the best strikers going around. He can win a game off his own bat. He’s really destructive, which we love to see. He’s flexible – he can bat close to the top or in the lower order. And he’s a handy offspin bowler, and that was an area where we felt we needed a bit more cover.”Maxwell, 23, will be one of three spinners in Australia’s squad for the Pakistan one-dayers and T20s, along with Smith and Xavier Doherty for the ODIs and Doherty and Brad Hogg for the T20s. A useful man to bowl through the middle overs, Maxwell is looking forward to working in what he expects to be favourable conditions in the UAE.”The good thing with the UAE and the conditions we’ll get there is that I probably can be considered a frontline bowler and be a real go-to option to bowl eight to ten overs in a one-day game,” he said. “It will depend on team balance and what they need, if they want to play extra quicks, I’m not sure if the conditions will suit that. I think they’ll play a few spinners, so I reckon I’ll have a good chance of playing a few games over there.”And if he shows what he showed that night in Hobart, especially when Australia move on to World T20 in Sri Lanka, even the most casual Australian cricket fan will know the name Glenn Maxwell. Because his namesake, Jim, will have just shouted it.

New South Wales denied Queensland first-innings points in their match at the SCG, which finished in a severely rain-affected draw

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2012
ScorecardNew South Wales denied Queensland first-innings points in their match at the SCG, which finished in a severely rain-affected draw. The Bulls needed to score 270 to take two points from the game, but instead they will enter the final round of Sheffield Shield matches level on points with Victoria and Tasmania, and four shy of the competition leaders Western Australia.Joe Burns scored 90 for Queensland and was almost single-handedly keeping them in the contest as wickets fell at the other end. Trent Copeland picked up 4 for 69 but it was Scott Coyte who delivered the points to New South Wales when he collected the last two wickets in consecutive deliveries, the first of which was Burns caught at second slip.Steve Magoffin was then bowled first ball to give two points to the Blues, who cannot make the final. New South Wales started their second innings and reached 0 for 15 as the match petered out to a draw

Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan fast bowler, has been released from jail after completing half of his one-year sentence for spot-fixing

ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-2012Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan fast bowler, has been released from jail after completing half of his one-year sentence for spot-fixing, his lawyers said. He was freed from Canterbury Prison in southeast England on Thursday morning.Asif, 29, was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court in November 2011 of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments over deliberate no-balls bowled during the Lord’s Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010. He is still under a seven-year ban (the last two years of which are suspended) imposed by an ICC tribunal in February last year.His team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir were also found guilty. While Asif and Butt denied the charges against them in court Amir, who was released in February after serving half of a six-month sentence, pleaded guilty. Butt, who is currently serving a 30-month jail sentence, was banned for ten years (with five suspended), while Amir got five years.Mazhar Majeed, the agent who was accused of setting up the deal that was uncovered by a newspaper sting operation, was imprisoned for 32 months.

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