Cricket updates

Thursday, 9 August 2012

SLPL 2012(AUG11-AUG31)

Date	Match Details	Time			Venue		D/N
Date	Match Details	GMT	IST	Your Time	Ground	City	D/N
Aug 11 - Sat	Basnahira Cricket Dundee v Kandurata Warriors, 1st Match	10:30	16:00	16:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 11 - Sat	Nagenahira Nagas v Ruhuna Royals, 2nd Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 12 - Sun	Uthura Rudras v Wayamba United, 3rd Match	10:30	16:00	16:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 12 - Sun	Uva Next v Basnahira Cricket Dundee, 4th Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 13 - Mon	Kandurata Warriors v Nagenahira Nagas, 5th Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 14 - Tue	Ruhuna Royals v Uthura Rudras, 6th Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 17 - Fri	Wayamba United v Uva Next, 7th Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium	Pallekele
Aug 18 - Sat	Basnahira Cricket Dundee v Nagenahira Nagas, 8th Match	10:30	16:00	16:00	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium	Pallekele
Aug 18 - Sat	Kandurata Warriors v Ruhuna Royals, 9th Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium	Pallekele
Aug 19 - Sun	Uthura Rudras v Uva Next, 10th Match	10:30	16:00	16:00	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium	Pallekele
Aug 19 - Sun	Wayamba United v Basnahira Cricket Dundee, 11th Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium	Pallekele
Aug 20 - Mon	Kandurata Warriors v Uthura Rudras, 12th Match	10:30	16:00	16:00	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium	Pallekele
Aug 20 - Mon	Nagenahira Nagas v Wayamba United, 13th Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium	Pallekele
Aug 21 - Tue	Ruhuna Royals v Uva Next, 14th Match	10:30	16:00	16:00	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium	Pallekele
Aug 21 - Tue	Uthura Rudras v Basnahira Cricket Dundee, 15th Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	Pallekele International Cricket Stadium	Pallekele
Aug 24 - Fri	Wayamba United v Kandurata Warriors, 16th Match	10:30	16:00	16:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 24 - Fri	Uva Next v Nagenahira Nagas, 17th Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 25 - Sat	Basnahira Cricket Dundee v Ruhuna Royals, 18th Match	10:30	16:00	16:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 25 - Sat	Kandurata Warriors v Uva Next, 19th Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 26 - Sun	Nagenahira Nagas v Uthura Rudras, 20th Match	10:30	16:00	16:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 26 - Sun	Ruhuna Royals v Wayamba United, 21st Match	14:30	20:00	20:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 28 - Tue	TBC v TBC, 1st Semi Final	14:30	20:00	20:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 29 - Wed	TBC v TBC, 2nd Semi Final	14:30	20:00	20:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo
Aug 31 - Fri	TBC v TBC, Final	14:30	20:00	20:00	R.Premadasa Stadium	Colombo

south africa T20 squad for world cup

south africa's selectors dropped Test captain Graeme Smith from the squad to play in the World Cup T20 to be held in September in Sri Lanka. Smith was part of the 30-man probables announced by the CSA but could not make it to the final squad.

However, the selectors picked all-rounder Jacques Kallis, despite him playing just one T20 International since May 2010. Kallis has been a regular feature in the Indian Premier League, and starred for Kolkata Knight Riders in the final of the season 5 with a quickfire 69, helping them chase down a stiff target of 191 against Chennai Super Kings.

"We are confident that our squad will be very competitive and make South Africa proud. We have had basically the same squad together for the past year and many of them also produced stand-out performances at the Indian Premier League (IPL)," CSA selection convener Andrew Hudson said in a statement.

AB de Villiers was named the captain, and no vice-captain was named. Pacer Marchant de Lange did not find a place in the squad due to an injury. The South Africans will play a 3-match T20 series against England after the ODI series in a bid to fine-tune their preparations for the mega event.

""The Proteas will also have excellent preparation for the World Twenty20 by finishing the England tour with three matches. They may be playing on a different surface to that they will find in Sri Lanka but they will be able to hone their T20 specific skills," Hudson added.

Squad: AB de Villiers (captain), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Johan Botha, JP Duminy, Francois du Plessis, Jacques Kallis, Richard Levi, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Justin Ontong, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Wednesday, 8 August 2012

Kevin pietersen is holding england to ransom:willis

hard hitting batsman Kevin Pietersen is holding England to ransom by threatening to quit test cricket, according to former captain Bob Willis.

Pietersen caused a shock at the end of the drawn second test against South Africa on Monday by saying he would announce whether he was standing down after the third and final match against the tourists later this month.

"It's a mess," Willis told Sky Sports television. "He's clearly got his nose severely out of joint by not being included in England's initial squad of 30 for the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in September.

"But he also wants to play fully in the IPL (Indian Premier League) which clashes directly with England's home series with New Zealand next May. He wants to earn his $2.5 million and he is holding England to ransom."

Pietersen announced his retirement from all one-day internationals in May but a month later said he still hoped to play in the Twenty20 World Cup.

He explained that he did not really want to quit Twenty20 internationals but his England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) contract did not allow him to pick and choose between 50 and 20-over cricket.

Pietersen, named man of the match for his exhilarating 149 in the second test against South Africa at Leeds, said on Monday he was in talks with the ECB over his future.

"It's tough being me, playing for England," the 32-year-old told reporters.

"It's absolutely 100 percent not about money ... there are clear things that I'm discussing but there are other issues that need to be sorted. You'll find out soon enough."

LUCRATIVE CONTRACT

Pietersen said part of his discussions centre on his participation in the IPL where he has a lucrative contract with the Delhi Daredevils.

Asked if the third test at Lord's could be his last, he said: "Anything's possible. It would be a huge shame. I love playing test cricket for England but ... we'll see.

"For me the saddest part about all this is that the spectators just love watching me play - and I love playing for England."

Pietersen, whose century at Leeds was his 21st in test cricket, passed 7,000 test runs on Saturday. Only Wally Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoff Boycott have scored more tons for England.

Mike Gatting, another former England captain, said it would be sad if Pietersen retired from the test scene.

"I'm not sure why he wants to quit test cricket now but that's up to KP," Gatting told Sky Sports. "He's the man that makes the decisions, nobody else.

"It'll be sad to lose him but it will also give somebody else a chance to come into the England team.

"The fellow he batted with for a little while (at Leeds), James Taylor, I'm sure he might like to play more for England, so when somebody stands down it gives somebody else another opportunity.

Mark boucher unlikely to return to professional cricket

south african wicket keeper mark boucher who retired from international cricket after suffering an injury on his eye, has said that he is unlikely to return to professional cricket. Speaking in his first press conference post the surgery, Boucher said that he lost his lens, iris and pupil in the left eye.

"It is unlikely that I will play any professional cricket again in the near future, which is very unfortunate as I was looking forward to contributing as a player for the Cobras," he said in a statement.

Boucher spoke in detail about the injury and said that he went through a tough time after the incident. Boucher was hit on the eye by a bail which flew off the stumps in a tour match before the first Test against England. Boucher had to end his international career abruptly after the injury.

"The risk of additional damage to my left eye or even damage to the other eye doesn't warrant it. It has been a difficult time for me mentally and physically."

"I have lost the lens, iris and pupil in my left eye. There was severe damage to my retina...physically, at times, I have been in a lot of pain. "

"I accept that the healing process is a long one and that attaining some vision in my left eye will take some time and a lot of patience."

Boucher, however, added that he does not want sympathy from people and said that this was 'just another challenge'.

"I don't want people to feel sorry for me. Injuries happen and this could have happened earlier on in my career. I am incredibly grateful for the length of career that I have had and the amazing things I have experienced and people I have met during that time. This is just another challenge in my life and something that I will be working to overcome."

Having been active on the field for most part of his life, Boucher said that it will take time for him to adjust to life without sport.

"It does get uncomfortable at times and being a sportsman, I want to be active and outdoors but, without a pupil, I find any amount of sunlight very harsh and have thus been restricted to the confines of my home.

Chris gayle out of srilankan premier league due to injury

westindies opener Chris Gayle has been ruled out of the Sri Lankan Premier League tournament which is scheduled to start on August 11th 2012. Gayle had signed up for the Uva Next franchise but will not participate in this season due to a groin injury.

"Of course it's a blow to lose Gayle, but we are very happy with the team that we've got and we're still going to win the competition," said Tushar Bedi, CEO of the Uva Next franchise.

Gayle had been battling through a groin niggle throughout the last season but it aggravated further in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand. It is understood that the West Indies Cricket Board does not want to take any chances with its players in a bid to keep them fit for the World Cup T20 which is scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka in September.

Fast bowler Fidel Edwards, who was picked up by Uthura Rudras, has not been given a 'no objection certificate (NOC)' by the WICB.

Pakistan's Abdur Rehman (Uva Next) and Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan (Uthura Rudras) are the other prominent players who will not take part in the inaugural season of the SLPL. Uthura have replaced Shakib and Fidel Edwards with Rob Quiney and Kyle Mills, while Uva Next have picked Chanderpaul, Fawad Alam and Jacob Oram as replacements.

A total of 7 teams will participate in the tournament which is scheduled to start on August 11 and end on August 31.

ENGLAND BECOME 1 IN ODLS RANKINGS

England have replaced australia as the top side in the ICC ODI rankings, after an annual update on Wednesday. Australia are now placed 4th, their lowest ever since the ranking system was introduced in 2002, while South Africa and India are 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Tha gap between South Africa and England is a narrow one - the sides are separated by just one-sixth of a point, while India is one point behind toppers England who have 121. The new table, after the update, includes only the points accumulated after August 2010 to reflect recent form.

The rankings of the teams below the top 4 remain unchanged, but West Indies (7th) have increased their lead over New Zealand (8th) from 6 to 20 points. Bangladesh (9th) have narrowed their lag, compared to New Zealand, to 3 points.

In T20 Internationals, South Africa have replaced England as the number 1 side. Australia have slipped from 6th to 9th place, while West Indies have jumped from 8th to 5th. However, the T20 rankings will change after the World Cup which will be held in September in Sri Lanka.