Royal Challengers Bangalore coach Ray Jennings believes the IPL teams competing in the Champions League Twenty20 will have a tough time as the quality of their opposition will be different to what they faced in the Indian league.
The tournament gets underway on October 8 in Bangalore, and features three IPL teams – Deccan Chargers, Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils – and nine domestic sides from five other countries. Jennings, who had overseen Bangalore’s progress to the IPL final in South Africa, said the IPL teams would find it difficult to get into their groove as they comprised of international players who didn’t play together often.
“The sides that you play in Champions League are a lot better than IPL sides,” Jennings said. “The team plays together right through the year so they have a culture in place.
“But with IPL sides, there are players from around the world and that will be a problem. Hopefully, we start well and get the momentum going, which is very important,” he said.
Jennings, who will supervise a preparatory camp for the tournament in a couple of days, has tipped Cape Cobras and New South Wales (NSW) as favourites for the tournament. The Cobras team, led by South Africa captain Graeme Smith, also includes Herschelle Gibbs and JP Duminy. NSW, under captain Simon Katich, are a formidable unit including nine players with international experience.
“They are two very strong sides and are favourites to win,” Jennings said. “But you never know in a Twenty20 game.”
written by Swapnil
\\ tags: Champions Twenty20 League, ILP
Virender Sehwag has stepped down as captain of Delhi Daredevils, the franchise said on Monday. Sehwag is coming out of a shoulder injury and said he wanted to focus on his batting. Gautam Gambhir will lead Delhi in next month’s Champions League Twenty20, and is expected to remain captain in next year’s IPL, with wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik as his deputy.
“I would like to thank GMR [the franchise owners] for their understanding in accepting my request to step down,” Sehwag said. “Personally, I would like to concentrate on my own batting and contribute to the team.”
Sehwag, 30, said he had full faith in Gambhir, who had captained the side during the second edition of the IPL and had also been a Ranji Trophy-winning captain for Delhi. “Gautam did a great job of captaining Delhi and also during IPL 2 in South Africa this year,” Sehwag said. “He has shown very good leadership skills and will bring fresh energy into the Delhi Daredevils.”
Gambhir, on his part, said he would draw from his experience of leading Delhi on the domestic circuit. “I am delighted at my selection as captain of Delhi Daredevils and I am committed to deliver my best,” Gambhir said. “I have led Delhi in the past and it was an enriching experience. Hopefully, I can put into practice all that I have learnt.
“I have always looked up to Viru [Sehwag]. He has been a guide and friend for me. It is always difficult to fit into the shoes of someone as illustrious as him. I can always turn to him for any advice, as also to the other seniors in the team. We have had great camaraderie in the side and this will help us reach greater heights.”
written by Swapnil
\\ tags: Delhi Daredevils, Indian Premier League, IPL, virender sehwag
Shamanoor Davangere Diamonds recorded their first win of the KPL Cup, beating Bjiapur Bulls by three wickets in a last-over thriller at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Chasing a modest target of 131, Davangere were rocked by two early wickets but important contributions from Sunil Raju (42), Yere Goud (20) and Mohanram Nidesh (21 not out) saw them home off the penultimate ball of the match. Raju and Goud were involved in a composed stand of 48 for the fourth wicket, while Nidesh was involved in a crucial stand of 29 for the seventh with Muralidharen Gautam to level the scores. Nidesh then picked a single off the penultimate ball of the 20th over to seal victory and overcome a three-wicket burst from Jayprakash Shetty.
A spell of 4 for 16 by Prasana Patil had earlier helped Davangere limit Bijapur to a chaseable score. Patil triggered a collapse, as Bijapur lost four wickets for 11 after Sudhindra Shinde (30) and Surendra Prasad (31) had revived the team with a 54-run stand. They had been pegged back early at 57 for 5, and the hard-fought recovery was squandered by the late flurry of wickets.
David Johnson (4 for 30) and R Vinay Kumar (2 for 20) starred for Belagavi Panthers yet again, as they beat Malnad Gladiators by six runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Malnad were in a good position to scale down a target of 153. They had been handed the advantage by SL Akshay (42) and Raju Bhatkal (35), and at 119 for 4, it appeared they could wrap it up. But Johnson and Vinay Kumar then caused a collapse and Malnad ended up losing their last six wickets for 27 to be consigned to their second defeat of the tournament.
The Panthers, at the end of their innings, would have been disappointed they only finished with 152. Opener Jagadeesh Arunkumar smashed his second half-century in as many days, and was supported well by Shyam Ponnappa (34) and Manish Pandey (39). At 135 for 2, the Panthers would have been targeting a score in the range of 170 but they collapsed, losing five wickets for 15 and had to settle for a relatively disappointing score, which, thanks to their seamers, proved just about enough.
In a day of close games, a ruthless 34-ball 70 from Steve Lazarus handed Bangalore Brigadiers (Urban) their third win of the tournament, as they beat Bangalore Provident (Rural) by three wickets. There was little hope for the Brigadiers when they were reduced to 36 for 4 in pursuit of 163, thanks to seamer NC Aiyappa (3 for 26). But Lazarus and captain Deepak Chougule went about setting things right, adding 52 for the fifth wicket. Lazarus was clearly the more aggressive batsman, and continued to attack after Chougule’s dismissal, smashing four fours and six sixes before being dismissed with the score on 132. M Vinod (22) and Narayanan Prasad (17 not out) then took over the mantle, and saw their team home with four balls to spare.
The Brigadiers would not have had to chase such a challenging target, had it not been for half-centuries from Sunil Kumar Jain and Balachandra Akhil, as well as a blistering cameo of 36 from Aniruddha Joshi. The trio revived the Provident innings after their team had lost its first three wickets with just 20 on the board. Medium-pacer David Mathias impressed with three wickets. Both teams recovered from early setbacks, but the Brigadiers did a slightly better job to emerge victorious.
written by Swapnil
\\ tags: KPL
Michael Clarke has ruled himself out of the Champions League Twenty20 but New South Wales have still been able to name a squad with 10 international players. Simon Katich will captain the 15-man group, which features a world-class attack of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Nathan Bracken, Doug Bollinger and Nathan Hauritz.
However, the absence of Clarke, who is likely to become Australia’s permanent Twenty20 captain, will disappoint the Blues, who won Australia’s domestic competition last summer. Clarke advised New South Wales of his unavailability due to his playing workload with the Australian team.
Brad Haddin was named but his selection is contingent on his recovery from surgery on his finger, and he could yet be replaced by the backup wicketkeeper Daniel Smith. The squad also includes Australia’s Twenty20 opener David Warner, the Test opener Phillip Hughes and the young allrounder Moises Henriques, who has played one Twenty20 international.
“The New South Wales squad has an excellent mixture of international experience and talented youngsters,” David Gilbert, the Cricket New South Wales chief executive, said. “I am very excited about our prospects going into a tournament that will showcase the New South Wales team on the world stage for the first time.”
New South Wales begin their tournament with pool matches against South Africa’s Eagles and also Sussex, the county side that boasts Luke Wright, Dwayne Smith and Ed Joyce. The other Australian team that qualified, Victoria, start off in a group with Delhi Daredevils and the Sri Lankan domestic champions Wayamba.
New South Wales squad Simon Katich (capt), David Warner, Phillip Hughes, Brad Haddin (wk), Steven Smith, Dominic Thornely, Ben Rohrer, Moises Henriques, Steve O’Keefe, Brett Lee, Nathan Hauritz, Aaron Bird, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Doug Bollinger.
written by Swapnil
\\ tags: Champions League, Michael Clarke
Ricky Ponting has announced his retirement from international Twenty20 cricket in a bid to extend his Test and ODI playing career. Ponting will retain the captaincy of Australia’s Test and one-day sides and Michael Clarke is expected to take the reins of the Twenty20 outfit, although a formal decision on Ponting’s successor has not yet been made.
”After much thought and careful consideration I have advised Cricket Australia of my decision to retire from international Twenty20 cricket,” Ponting said in a statement. “I have also spoken to [chairman of selectors] Andrew Hilditch, [coach] Tim Nielsen and [vice-captain] Michael Clarke and I feel this decision provides me the opportunity to prolong my Australian Test and one-day career, an opportunity I am extremely determined about.
”As I said after the fifth Test in London, I am hoping to continue playing Test cricket for as long as possible and retiring from the Twenty20 format gives me the best chance of doing this. I will now have set periods of rest throughout the Australian summer and while touring which I feel will be very beneficial.”
Ponting will continue to fulfil his Indian Premier League contract with the Kolkata Knight Riders and will be available for Tasmania in the domestic Twenty20 competition. Ponting has played 17 Twenty20 internationals and the unbeaten 98 he scored in the first Twenty20 international remains the second-highest individual score in the format.
However, Ponting has been rested several times from Twenty20 matches with Clarke, Adam Gilchrist and Brad Haddin having all captained Australia in the short version. Ponting was keen to deliver Australia the ICC World Twenty20 title this year but their first-round exit meant they would have to wait until the next tournament in the Caribbean next year.
”We are very supportive of the decision Ricky has made and understanding of the reasons behind it,” James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s CEO, said. “Needless to say he will be a huge loss to the Twenty20 side but it does present opportunities for the other players and leaders within Australian cricket to gain further experience.
“While we have not seen much of Ricky in Australia’s Twenty20 matches in recent times, his innings in the first ever Twenty20 international against New Zealand at Auckland was probably the best innings I have ever seen in the Twenty20 form of the game.”
Cricket Australia said Ponting’s replacement as Twenty20 captain would not be announced until later in the year. Clarke led the side during the recent games in England but Australia do not have another Twenty20 international on their schedule until February 2010, when they take on Pakistan at the MCG.
Ponting has had a two-week break following Australia’s Ashes defeat and he flew out from Sydney on Monday to rejoin the squad in England for the remainder of the one-day series. After the loss at The Oval, Ponting raised the possibility of returning to England for the 2013 Ashes, when he would be 38, and he has also expressed his desire to lead Australia’s World Cup defence in 2011.
written by Swapnil
\\ tags: Ponting, Twenty20
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