Happy to get the Orange Cap: Kohli

Young Indian batsman Virat Kohli had more than one reason to be delighted after his team’s win over the Pune Warriors as the right—hander didn’t just produce a match—wining knock, he also overtook Sachin Tendulkar as the leading run—scorer in the ongoing IPL.

Kohli was handed the Orange Cap for topping the batting aggregate with 291 runs, 24 ahead of batting maestro Tendulkar, who plays for the Mumbai Indians.

“I had been keen to bat up the order in the last three IPLs. But I could get to bat only at five, six or seven. This time I got the chance to bat at three and I am happy that I have been able to score runs and contribute to the good showing of the team,” said Kohli, who also completed 1000 IPL runs during the course of his breezy 67.

“I am happy to don the orange cap. I would like to hold on to it for a while, but the competition is very tough as there are five quality batsmen who are there in the top five among runs. Let me see how long I can hold on to it,” added a beaming Kohli after RCB’s 26—run win over Pune Warriors on Friday night.

Pune captain Yuvraj Singh, on the other hand, rued that his team conceded 20 runs too many during RCB’s innings.

“I think we gave 20 runs in excess and couldn’t score rapidly when we batted,” said Yuvraj, after his team’s fifth consecutive defeat in the IPL.

The beleaguered Warriors’ skipper felt that the road to the play—offs would get tougher from here on.

“It is really tough from now on. We have to win six out of six to have a chance. We will give our best. I wished I lost the toss today. I have won the toss five times and we have lost those matches. I don’t know what to say,” he said.

Yuvraj also felt that his team's batting effort wasn’t good enough against RCB.

“It was a gettable target because it was a good batting wicket. In the first six overs, we didn’t lose many wickets but the Manish and Jesse partnership didn’t yield many runs. If the runs had come at that time, Robin and I could have finished off things. We will look on where to improve on.”

Sehwag’s fifty guides Delhi to victory

Virender Sehwag hit a rollicking half—century as Delhi Daredevils scored a 38—run win over Kochi Tuskers Kerala to keep its play—offs hopes alive in the Indian Premier League here on Saturday.

Sehwag blazed his way to a 47—ball 80 to lead his side to a competitive 157 for seven after electing to bat on a very difficult track, which had uneven bounce.

Delhi were gasping 37 for three at one stage but Sehwag played sensibly as he first guarded his wicket when his teammates were vanishing from the other end and then played his usual aggressive self.

The visitors then bowled out the hosts for 119 in 18.5 overs to record a much—needed win as they were languishing at the bottom of the points table, coming into this contest.

It was Delhi’s third win in eight matches while Kochi now have suffered third defeat in a row.

With this win Delhi have jumped to seventh spot from 10th while Kochi are now second from last.

Batting was a big challenge on the Nehru stadium wicket for both the sides as some balls did not bounce above the ankles and some zoomed up to the chin level.

The Delhi pace trio of Morne Morkel (3/18), Ajit Agarkar (2/23) and Irfan Pathan (2/27) shared seven wickets among them and played a crucial role in scripting their side’s win.

Spinner Roelof van der Merwe (3/20) ran through the Kochi tail, taking three wickets in five balls in the 19th over, to contribute in win.

Ravindra Jadeja (31) and Brad Hodge (27) were the only batsmen who went past the 25—run mark for Kochi.

Kochi’s chase was disastrous as Pathan and Morkel rocked the Kochi top order by taking three quick wickets.

It was Morkel who started the slide as he dismissed Michael Klinger (2) and then Pathan saw the backs of Brendon McCullum (7) and Parthiv Patel (1) in his successive overs.

Runs were hard to come by on the slow track but Kochi skipper Mahela Jayawardene and Hodge both found two boundaries each from Umesh Yadav’s overs.

The hosts reached 37 for three in six overs but the situation deteriorated when Jayawardene became a victim Ajit Agarkar in the 10th over.

It could have been worse for the hosts had Pathan not dropped Hodge, then on 15, off van der Merwe in the next over.

Morkel though ensured that Pathan’s mistake does not cost them dear as he had the Australian caught behind in the 14th over. Balachandra Akhil hit some lusty blows but could not last long and became the third victim of Morkel.

Earlier, Sehwag played a true captain’s knock as it came on a very difficult track and under difficult circumstances.

Yogesh Nagar (22) and Travis Birt (20) also supported Sehwag well as they shared 56 and 41 runs stand with their skipper for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively.

Sehwag got out in the 18th over when he attempted a big shot off Vinay Kumar, but not before hitting eight fours and five sixes.

Seamer S Sreesnath was most successful bowler for the hosts as he gave away just 10 runs in his four overs and scalped two top—order batsmen.

It was a horror start for Delhi after electing to bat as Sreesanth bowled David Warner (3) and trapped Naman Ojha (0) in his first over, second of the innings.

But both the batsmen were unlucky as both the balls kept low, specially the ball in which Ojha was declared lbw, was almost unplayable.

The track was double paced and the uneven bounce made life tough for the batsmen. Sehwag though was in no mood to go without a fight as he quickly extracted four boundaries, three off the RP Singh’s overs.

Delhi reached 34 for two in six but Ravindra Jadeja made it 37 for three by trapping Y Venugopal Rao (1) and Delhi’s innings was in complete disarray.

There was no space for extravagance and Sehwag too decided to hold the one end tight as Delhi reached 46 for three after 10 overs.

The fourth boundary of the innings came from the blade of Yogesh Nagar, who dispatched one from Vinay Kumar to the extra cover fence.

Sehwag upped the ante by hitting Jadeja for back—to—back sixes and then raised his half—century by pulling Vinay Kumar for a six over mid—wicket in the 15th over.

Nagar was run out in the same over but now there was no stopping Sehwag, who smashed Balachandra Akhil for a six and two fours in the next over.

Spinner Romesh Powar was given the similar treatment but Sehwag could play till the end.

Kochi needed 59 runs off the last four overs and Jadeja kept their hopes alive by smashing van der Merwe for a six, taking 10 runs from the 17th over.

Vinay Kumar (11) hammered Agarkar for a six in the next over and Delhi players had their hearts pumping fast. But Agarkar did a big favour to his side by getting the danger man Jadeja out in the last ball of that over.

Kochi still needed 40 from 12 balls but van der Merwe took all three remaining wickets —— Ramesh Powar (0) and Sreesanth (0) and Vinay —— in space of five balls to seal the fate of the hosts.

Boucher to replace injured Haddin for Kolkata

Kolkata Knight Riders named South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher as a replacement for the injured Brad Haddin in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Boucher, who represented Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier, will be available for the Knight Riders ahead of their clash against Deccan Chargers on May 3.

“We are fortunate to have someone like Mark Boucher as Brad’s replacement. He comes with a lot of experience and a terrific track record in all forms of the game,” Knight Riders CEO and MD, Venky Mysore said.

Aussie wicketkeeper Haddin’s IPL campaign was cut short after a fracture was detected in his finger. An MRI in Delhi on Thursday revealed that the injury he sustained during Australia’s series in Bangladesh had not healed.

He will return home and undergo a surgery.

“We are very disappointed that Brad (Haddin) will be leaving the squad and will not take further part in IPL IV. In a short period, Brad had made his presence felt both on and off the field,” Mysore said.

The 33—year—old Australian cricketer was unavailable for KKR’s first three outings as he was busy with national duty in Bangladesh.

After joining the side, Haddin scored 18 in his only appearance for the Knight Riders in their nine—wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore in Kolkata.

An injury—prone Haddin, who had missed Australia’s five—match ODI series against England last year due to an elbow injury, was roped in January’s auction for USD 325,000.

CSK looks to extend unbeaten home run, take on Deccan

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings’ undefeated home run this season will be under threat when they take on an upbeat Deccan Chargers in their Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.

The crucial clash at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here provides the visiting team the chance to go level on points with CSK while victory will see the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led champions record their fourth successive win at home this season.

Notoriously slow starters to the season, CSK’s campaign has been kept on course by their three home wins and they will be keen to keep the run going but the Chargers too are high on confidence after their recent big win over Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

The match is set to be a battle of wits between the might of Chennai’s batting and the rejuvenated bowling attack of the Chargers -- albeit on a helpful pitch -- after their 55-run victory over KTK on Wednesday.

In a match during which KTK were shot out for a paltry 74 runs, Ishant Sharma claimed five for 12 in a sensational spell of seam and bounce, while South African Dale Steyn snared three of his own.

Dhoni’s men, though good players of spin, will also be wary of the threat posed by Amit Mishra, who has sneaked up on the wicket-taker’s list to go joint second with nine scalps amid all the under-performance around him.

Deccan will look to prise open CSK’s Indo-Aussie opening pair of Murali Vijay and Michael Hussey.

Vijay has looked solid, but has failed to keep his head and thrown his wicket away more often than not even as Hussey has lent assurance and order to the line-up ever since he joined the team after Australia’s tour of Bangladesh.

But the danger man will be home boy S Badrinath, who is in splendid form and, with three half centuries, is the team’s leading scorer in IPL 4.

Badrinath has been playing with commanding poise and Sangakkara will be keen not to let him out of sight for too long.

However, CSK, whose strength is batting, will be concerned that except for Badrinath and Hussey and Vijay’s 74 against Kings XI Punjab that now seems like an aberration, no other big name bat has done the business for them yet.

Dhoni is uncharacteristically struggling for runs as is Suresh Raina, the franchise’s highest run-getter in their three-season history.

South African all-rounder Albie Morkel, retained prior to the IPL auction in January, looks more ex-factor than x-factor with the bat.

The visitors’ batting, in which only skipper Kumar Sangakkara has consistently made runs, will be severely put under pressure by the bowling of Australian pacer Doug Bollinger, local boy R Ashwin and the right-arm medium of Morkel.

Bollinger, who was crucial to the turnaround in CSK’s fortunes last season, has once again excelled as their strike bowler, taking eight wickets at an exemplary economy rate of 5.93.

The Aussie will be fresh off winning the Man of the Match award for his figures of 3/21 in CSK’s last match against the Pune Warriors.

While Ashwin has provided crucial breakthroughs for his skipper, Morkel has also chipped in with six wickets.

The Teams (from):

Chennai Super Kings: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c), Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina, S Badrinath, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, Michael Hussey, Albie Morkel, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger, G Bailey, Tim Southee, F du Plessis, Suraj Randiv, Nuwan Kulasekara, Joginder Sharma, Yo Mahesh, A Mukund, Wriddhiman Saha, Scott Styris, Sudeep Tyagi, K Vasudevadas, G Vignesh.

Deccan Chargers: Kumar Sangakkara (c), Ashish Reddy, Anand Rajan, Ankit Sharma, Akash Bhandari, Bharat Chipli, Daniel Christian, Kedar Devdhar, Shikhar Dhawan, Jean Paul Duminy, Manpreet Gony, Harmeet Singh, Ishank Jaggi, Michael Lumb, Chris Lynn, Ishan Malhotra, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Ravi Teja, Jaydev Shah, Ishant Sharma, Sunny Sohal, Dale Steyn, Rusty Theron, Cameron White, Arjun Yadav.

Zulqarnain wants to make a comeback

His international career was just one Test old when Zulqarnain Haider retired while in hiding in London and the Pakistan wicketkeeper, who has received death threats from match-fixers, wants to return to the big stage now that he is back in his country.

“I may be losing valuable time by not playing cricket but I will stage a comeback,” said the 25-year-old, who returned to Pakistan earlier this week after being in London for five months citing death threats from match-fixers.

“My cricket has already suffered a lot and I miss playing as I had worked very hard to get into the national side,” he added.

Besides the lone Test, the promising keeper-batsman had played just four ODIs and three Twenty20s when he announced his retirement last November while in London.

Zulqarnain said at the beginning of his career, he lost his mother but continued playing because of his love for the sport.

“You can understand what this sport means to me so imagine why I decided to go to London while in the national team,” he said.

Zulqarnain reached his hometown Lahore on Friday and disclosed that the Pakistan Cricket Board and the ICC are conducting an inquiry into the corruption in game.

“The PCB and ICC are conducting their own inquiries and I am confident those involved in cricket corruption would soon be known,” he told the media on reaching here.

Zulqarnain insisted that he had taken the decision to leave the team hotel last November after giving it a lot of thought.

“If I had not done what I did than I would not be in a position to say today what I am saying today,” he said.

Zulqarnain fled the team hotel last year during a one-day series in Dubai against South Africa and after reaching London, said he had been threatened by an unknown person for not cooperating in fixing the series.

The keeper said he was delighted to learn that the police had busted a gang of bookmakers in Sialkot and some of them had confessed to being involved in making him threatening calls.

Zulqarnain withdrew his application for asylum in England only after being reassured of his security by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

“I really don’t know why I was targetted by the bookmakers. But I think the stance I took against corruption is equally important as playing for Pakistan,” he said.

Misbah guides Pakistan to series-clinching win

Misbah-ul-Haq dug deep and dragged Pakistan to a series-clinching, three-wicket victory over West Indies in the third One-day International of the five-match series here on Thursday.

Misbah led the way with four fours and one six in an unbeaten 62 off 109 balls, Hammad Azam supported with 36, and Umar Akmal made 30, as the Pakistanis, chasing 172 for victory, reached their target with 29 balls remaining at the Kensington Oval.

Earlier, Saeed Ajmal and Wahab took three wickets each to enhance Pakistan's chance of victory, as it dismissed West Indies for 171 in 43.4 overs.

West Indies (max. 45 overs): L. Simmons c & b Ajmal 51, D. Smith lbw b Hafeez 0, Darren Bravo lbw b Hafeez 47, M. Samuels b Junaid 18, K. Edwards (run out) 18, Dwayne Bravo c Shehzad b Riaz 11, D. Sammy c Shehzad b Riaz 3, A. Russell st. Salman b Ajmal 3, K. Roach c Misbah b Riaz 0, R. Rampaul (not out) 9, D. Bishoo c Riaz b Ajmal 0; Extras (b-1, lb-6, w-3, nb-1): 11; Total (in 43.4 overs): 171.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-92, 3-118, 4-131, 5-150, 6-158, 7-158, 8-161, 9-162.

Pakistan bowling: Junaid 7-0-31-1, Hafeez 9-0-31-2, Afridi 9-2-25-0, Riaz 8-1-38-3, Ajmal 8.4-0-29-3, Azam 2-0-10-0.

Pakistan: M. Hafeez c Bishoo b Rampaul 5, A. Shehzad c Simmons b Rampaul 0, A. Shafiq c Sammy b Rampaul 0, Misbah (not out) 62, U. Akmal c Simmons b Rampaul 30, H. Azam lbw b Bishoo 36, S. Afridi c Smith b Bishoo 11, M. Salman b Bishoo 3, W. Riaz (not out) 17; Extras (b-2, w-10, nb-1): 13; Total (for 7 wkts. in 40.1 overs): 177.

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-9, 3-12, 4-49, 5-127, 6-143, 7-147.

West Indies bowling: Roach 9-0-36-0, Rampaul 9-0-32-4, Russell 4-0-23-0, Bishoo 9-0-42-3, Bravo 7.1-0-31-0, Sammy 2-0-11-0.

Challengers canters to an untroubled win

Pune Warriors' dismal run in the IPL continued as Royal Challengers Bangalore turned in a fine all-round performance to secure an untroubled 26-run win at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday.

Yuvraj Singh briefly threatened to take the game away from the host but his side's hopes vanished when he was caught attempting a heave off the excellent Zaheer Khan. The result marked the visitor's fifth straight defeat, and saw RCB climb to second position in the table.

With 182 needed for victory, Pune's innings did not begin too badly with Jesse Ryder looking unsure to begin with but soon finding his feet. The strapping Kiwi top-scored with 51, scoring sixes off Zaheer Khan and Abhimanyu Mithun but fell when his side perhaps needed him to carry on at one end, holing out to mid-wicket off Syed Mohammad.

Paine, Pandey struggle

Tim Paine and Manish Pandey struggled during their time at the crease, the former falling to S. Arvind and the latter to Daniel Vettori. Yuvraj Singh arrived with Pune needing 103 off 51 deliveries, and struck his first six in the 15th over, clattering Vettori into the crowd beyond mid-wicket.

The southpaw went berserk two overs later, mowing Syed straight down the ground and on the legside for two massive sixes. However, with 52 required off the last 19 balls, Yuvraj fell, taking with him his team's chances.

Zaheer, Arvind and Mithun all bowled with admirable control, staunching the flow of runs with the help of some spectacular fielding.

Earlier, Yuvraj won the toss and opted to field first. Pune Warriors handed left-arm seamer Kamran Khan his IPL-4 debut, fielding him at the expense of the experienced Murali Kartik — a decision Chris Gayle instantly made appear hare-brained.

Gayle sank his teeth into Khan, in what was the second over of the match, driving the opening ball to the extra-cover boundary before insouciantly burying the third over long-off. The Jamaican clubbed another six and a four, taking 20 runs off the over.

Khan switched ends, but found little respite. Gayle carried on with his mayhem, clobbering the hapless youngster for 17 more runs.

Miserly Rahul

At the other end, however, Rahul Sharma, introduced in the third over, maintained the splendid standards he had set for himself in the season that far. The 24-year-old bowled Tillakaratne Dilshan off his fourth ball, after the Sri Lankan had wildly slashed at and missed the previous two.

Gayle did not look entirely comfortable either, falling leg-before to the leg-spinner for a typically explosive 49 (26b, 4x4, 4x6). Sharma's opening, three-over spell yielded two wickets for a measly 13 runs.

The dismissal brought Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers together, and the pair, although measured in their initial approach, had the scoreboard ticking over. The former soon shed his restraint, whipping Khan — who, unfathomably, was given a third over — beyond long on for six.

Kohli then went after Rahul in the latter's final over, mildly tarring his figures, before doing the same to Jesse Ryder. He brought up his 1000th IPL run with a delectable flick off Jerome Taylor that sailed over square leg.

Kohli eventually fell for 67 (42b, 4x4, 4x6), a knock that also saw him grab the ‘orange cap'. A couple of beefy blows by Saurabh Tiwary propelled RCB to 181, a figure that was to prove beyond Pune's reach.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: C. Gayle lbw R. Sharma 49 (26b, 4x4, 4x6), T. Dilshan b R. Sharma 15 (19b, 2x4), V. Kohli c Harpreet b Thomas 67 (42b, 4x4, 4x6), A.B. de Villiers c R. Sharma b Thomas 26 (20b, 1x4, 1x6), S. Tiwary c Harpreet b Taylor 14 (8b, 1x4, 1x6), M. Kaif (not out) 8 (5b, 1x4), A. Mithun (not out) 0 (0b); Extras (w-1, b-1): 2; Total (for five wickets in 20 overs): 181.

Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-74, 3-140, 4-169, 5-179.

Pune bowling: Thomas 4-0-23-2, Taylor 4-0-44-1, Khan 3-0-47-0, Sharma 4-0-27-2, Manhas 1-0-9-0, Yuvraj 2-0-10-0, Ryder 2-0-20-0.

Pune Warriors India: J. Ryder c Kaif b Syed 51 (34b, 4x4, 2x6), T. Paine c Vettori b Arvind 8 (17b), M. Pandey c Tiwary b Vettori 19 (23b, 2x4), Yuvraj Singh c Syed b Zaheer 41 (23b, 2x4, 3x6), R. Uthappa (not out) 23 (17b, 3x4, 1x6), M. Manhas c Kaif b Gayle 3 (5b), Harpreet Singh (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (w-5, lb-4): 9; Total (for five wickets in 20 overs): 155.

Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-79, 3-101, 4-131, 5-137.

RCB bowling: Zaheer 4-0-33-1, Arvind 4-0-35-1, Mithun 4-0-26-0, Vettori 4-0-23-1, Gayle 2-0-8-1, Syed 2-0-26-1.

Man-of-the-Match: Virat Kohli.

Bowlers script Royals' big win over Mumbai

The flip side of non-stop cricket was on display at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium here on Friday. Wickets fell in a heap, entertainment went for a toss and the fare deserved a quick burial.

The match practically knew its poor fate even before the floodlights could glow in full glory as Mumbai Indians managed a miserable 94. Flair and pace became a victim of some predictable approach by a shockingly uninspired Mumbai Indians.

Most spectators went home exultant and yet gloomy. Happy at Rajasthan Royals having crushed Mumbai Indians by seven wickets but sad at seeing Sachin Tendulkar last a mere seven balls.

Mumbai Indians lost some of its sheen but not the top slot in the table. At 10 points, with two defeats, it stayed much in control even as Rajasthan Royals, riding on the motivational leadership of Shane Warne, moved a step behind at nine points. The race for the semifinal places has begun in earnest now.

Dreadful batting

The heat was searing when the stands filled up in anticipation of a royal show. But Mumbai Indians was clearly a pale shadow of its character. The batting was dreadfully short of the standards that Tendulkar would love to boast of and the bowling lacked the penetration needed to put the opposition under any sort of pressure.

In contrast, Warne was clinical in his handling of the bowlers and field placements. The superb work by Rajasthan Royals in the field deserved all the credit.

Ashok Menaria, known more for his batting potential, excelled with the ball in a dream spell that landed him the priceless scalp of Tendulkar and the foxy ambush of Ambati Rayudu. The local lad, just 20, enjoyed the attention and the appreciation that came for his two wickets.

How often does Tendulkar get stumped? In 733 international innings, he has been stumped just 12 times. Of course, this one was in a format that does not appeal to him.

Yet, it was a memorable moment for Menaria. He tossed the ball, Tendulkar stepped out with a purpose but his bat encountered thin air. The ball curled past him and Dishant Yagnik, also a local player, added his name to record an unforgettable occasion. Tendulkar stumped Yagnik bowled Menaria would ever be part of their cricket recounting.

What about the spectators? They did not cheer Tendulkar's dismissal. He was part of them even when plotting their team's doom. They cheered his only boundary and celebrated the catch he took to send Rahul Dravid back.

Even the joyful dance by Menaria and Yagnik was reverential. Rarely does a visiting and losing captain evoke a thunderous response from the stands as does Tendulkar.

Mumbai Indians was invited to bat and it set sail with confidence. It gradually dawned that the slow pitch needed circumspection in shot selection. But the discipline was missing in the ranks. The lackadaisical attitude was glaring. The highest was 17 by Andrew Symonds.

Gamesmanship

There was some gamesmanship too in the end when Harbhajan Singh, with three balls left, ran the first short to keep strike. He hit Shane Watson for a six off the last ball but the deliberate short run was an eyesore. The Rajasthan Royals chase was a calculated grind, understandably circumspect, but wisely executed.

There were no frills and the objective was achieved comfortably with Man-of-the-match Johan Botha guiding the innings. The dropped catch by Kieron Pollard symbolised the ragged performance of Mumbai Indians this evening.

Mumbai Indians: D. Jacobs b Amit Singh 15 (15b, 1x6), S. Tendulkar st. Yagnik b Menaria 7, (7b, 1x4), A. Rayudu c & b Menaria 11 (13b, 1x4), Rohit Sharma c Botha b Warne 13 (22b, 1x4), A. Symonds b Botha 17 (26b, 1x4), K. Pollard lbw b Botha 4 (15b), R. Satish st. Yagnik b Botha 7 (6b), Harbhajan (not out) 10, (7b, 1x6), S. Malinga b Amit Singh 1 (4b), A. Murtaza (not out) 2 (5b); Extras (lb-3, w-4): 7; Total (for nine wkts. in 20 overs): 94.

Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-28, 3-46, 4-50, 5-68, 6-81, 7-82, 8-83.

Rajasthan Royals bowling: Menaria 4-0-20-2, Amit Singh 4-0-14-2, Watson 4-0-25-0, Warne 4-0-13-1, Trivedi 2-0-13-0, Botha 2-0-6-3.

Rajasthan Royals: S. Watson c Jacobs b Malinga 26 (32b, 3x4, 1x6), R. Dravid c Tendulkar b Munaf 5 (16b), J. Botha b Munaf 45 (39b, 2x4, 1x6), R. Taylor (not out) 13 (18b, 1x4), A. Menaria (not out) 4 (4b, 1x4); Extras (lb-1, w-1): 2; Total (for three wkts. in 18.1 overs): 95.

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-56, 3-90.

Mumbai Indians bowling: Malinga 4-0-20-0, Munaf 4-1-18-2, Murtaza 4-0-15-0, Harbhajan 3-0-20-0, R. Sathish 1.1-0-5-0, Pollard 2-0-16-0.

Man-of-the-Match: J. Botha.

Hashan Tillakaratne alleges match-fixing in Sri Lanka

Dropping a bombshell, former Sri Lanka skipper Hashan Tillakaratne has claimed that match-fixing is common in his country since 1992 and promised to reveal names of those involved, soon.

Tillakaratne, who played 83 Tests and 200 ODIs for Sri Lanka, made the sensational claim while appearing in a TV show.

“I can tell this in agreement with my conscience. Match fixing is not something that started happening yesterday or today. According to my knowledge, it happened since 1992. I say this with great responsibility,” Tillakaratne said.

Tillakaratne, who was Sri Lanka’s captain between April 2003 and March 2004, said people involved in the menace have been successful in burying the issue with money power but promised to expose them soon.

“There were threats of this issue being exposed during various times. But it was pushed down by giving money to various people. If the people who were responsible for that are listening to this, I state this today with great responsibility, I will shortly reveal the names of those responsible,” he said.

Tillakaratne, who led the side in 10 Tests during his tenure as captain, stopped short of calling the World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka a fixed match but had some reservations about selection.

“I am not saying that this match (The world cup final) was fixed. But anyway match fixing is something which has been in this country over a period of time. This has spread like a cancer today,” he said.

“Why were four players changed for this match? Those are questions that should be asked. Arjuna (Ranatunga) spoke about this, we who have played cricket talk about this. We were playing an entirely different side.

“Why was Mendis removed to put another spinner, Kapugedara was never among runs but he was chosen to replace Chamara Silva. It is not fair, is it?” a report in the Daily Mirror quoted him as saying.

The former Lankan skipper also doubted the timing of the selection of the World Cup squad.

“The world cup team was selected on the (January) 7th. I questioned at a TV show why this team was picked on the day before the IPL auction. The IPL auction was on the (January) 8th. Then it was said that we have time when we pick the team before the IPL auction and it was said that we have enough time as there were ten more days. Those were the excuses given.

“Also at the provincial tournament on the (January) 11th, 12th and 13th, we had the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the finals. If Sri Lanka Cricket conducted a tournament, we could have watched those tournaments and picked the team two or three days later. If that happened, I believe another two or three players could have replaced some of the players. I had my doubts whether it was the best team that was picked.

“In this country, there is a side which you don’t know but I know. We discussed this. Inquire into this. Anyone can investigate this. Why was the team picked before the IPL?” he asked.

Tillakaratne said it was a vicious circle and the way things are moving, Sri Lanka would soon surpass Pakistan in terms of fixing.

“This has been happening since 1992 and I know all the people who are connected to it. I say this with responsibility. It is just like a relay. I run my lap and hand over the baton to you, you complete your lap and give it to another. This is a network. No one can ever go out of it and no one can come into it

“This situation was always there. When it came out from time to time, it was quietly swept under the carpet. If someone doesn’t intervene and stop this menace, within another two-three years in this country, with these politics, with these corrupt administrators, I believe this country won’t be second to Pakistan in the near future,” he said.

Three Pakistani cricketers -- Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammad Aamer -- were recently handed lengthy bans by the ICC on charges of spot-fixing.

Iqbal Qasim criticises Holding’s comment

LAHORE: Former Test cricketer and national chief selector Iqbal Qasim has criticised Michael Holding, the celebrated West Indies fast bowler, for challenging the legality of ‘doosra’ delivery.
“First of all, Holding cannot see with naked eye whether wrist or elbow is being used to bowl ‘doosra’. And secondly, it is not only Pakistan’s off-spinners but also Sri Lankans and Indians who have been bowling this delivery for many years. And these spin bowlers are playing very effective role for their teams with no complaint coming from any quarter,” said Iqbal while talking to Dawn.
Iqbal added Sri Lankan spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis, bowled ‘doosra’ without changing their action, most probably, with the help of fingers and wrist.
“I am not defending ‘doosra’ but only want that it would have been better, had Holding suggested the ICC to check the legality of the delivery if he has some doubts,” he said.
He reckoned the International Cricket Council (ICC) was the best judge to declare ‘doosra’ legal or illegal delivery, adding Holding could only suggest the game’s governing body to take necessary steps to decide the status of the delivery.
According to a recent media report, Holding said: “My belief regarding the ‘doosra’ is very clear, I don’t think it can be bowled legally.
“I find it difficult to believe any human being can bowl that delivery, with his wrist alone, the elbow has to be used for the power. It’s a matter of how much elbow power the bowler uses and the ICC obviously believes some bowlers use less than the 15 degrees and others don’t, as only some bowlers actions are questioned and reported.”
The statement from Holding comes at a time when Pakistan’s spin trio of Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez have shared eight wickets among them in the first two ODIs of the ongoing five-match series against the West Indies.
Iqbal further said Holding should not raise the point at this stage as Pakistan bowlers were in the Caribbean as guests.

Ishant Sharma wrecks Kochi with five-wicket haul

MUMBAI: Paceman Ishant Sharma bagged five wickets in a spirited bowling display as Deccan Chargers skittled Kochi Tuskers Kerala for 74 in a 55-run win in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.
Sharma (5-12) extracted a lot of movement off the pitch and, with help from South African paceman Dale Steyn (3-16), reduced the Tuskers to 11 for six after they were left chasing 130 for a victory at home.
Seven batsmen from the Kochi side, led by Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene in their debut season in the IPL, were dismissed for a duck and they were eventually bundled out in just 16.3 overs.
Chargers captain Kumar Sangakkara (47-ball 65) made full use of a lucky break after he was bowled off a no-ball from Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and anchored the innings after a jittery start on being asked to bat first.
In Mumbai, Australia fast bowler Doug Bollinger took three wickets and Subramaniam Badrinath hit an unbeaten 63 to help defending champions Chennai Super Kings to an eight-wicket win against Pune Warriors.
The Pune team lost wickets at regular intervals and needed a solid 43-ball 62 from captain Yuvraj Singh to reach a respectable 141 for six wickets.
Badrinath saw the Super Kings home with three balls to spare after notching up a 61-run second wicket partnership with Murali Vijay (31) and an unbroken third wicket stand of 65 with Suresh Raina (34 not out).

India doubles cash reward for World Cup winning team

MUMBAI: India’s cricket chiefs on Wednesday doubled the cash bonus for each member of the World Cup winning team amid reports that the players had complained about being poorly rewarded.
“The cash incentive to the members of the World Cup winning Indian team has been increased from 10 million rupees ($225,000) per player to 20 million rupees,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a statement.
India won the April 2 final, beating Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium and triggering wild celebrations across the country.
But press reports said some players were unhappy about the size of their bonus.
“A player’s life is very uncertain. Who knows what will happen next?” one anonymous player told the Indian Express last week.
A string of state governments and private companies also showered the team with plots of land, luxury houses and money.

‘Pakistan’s fight against corruption will bear fruit’

ISLAMABAD: Runaway wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider Thursday backed Pakistan’s fight against corruption after bookmakers confessed to making the death threats which prompted him to spend months in self-exile.
Haider hoped steps taken by the International Cricket (ICC), Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistan’s government would curb match and spot-fixing, and said he supported the efforts even if it damaged his career.
“I am satisfied that the ongoing fight against corruption in cricket will bear positive results,” Haider, 25, told AFP by telephone.
“I put my career on line and still don’t bother if it continues to suffer.”
Haider returned to Pakistan Monday, after fleeing an international one-day series in United Arab Emirates last November because of death threats, and seeking political asylum in Britain.
On Wednesday, Pakistan police said bookmakers among eight arrested in the city of Sialkot had admitted threatening Haider.
The wicketkeeper, who is still awaiting security clearance to return to his home city of Lahore, said the arrests have given him more confidence.
“The kind of confidence given to me by the government has brought me back and I am happy that they are taking serious steps,” said Haider.
“The image of Pakistan cricket has been badly hurt by match-fixing and this continues to haunt it after every few months, but now I hope that with the serious steps and actions a time will come when our cricket becomes clean.”
Pakistan cricket has been rocked by fixing controversies since 1995 when Australian players Shane Warne, Tim May and Mark Waugh alleged then captain Salim Malik offered them bribes to underperform during a tour to Pakistan.
Last year Pakistan’s tour of England was marred by a sensational spot-fixing scandal, ending in lengthy bans for three of their key players — Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.
“Pakistan cricket needs to get respect which it will get,” said Haider. The wicketkeeper, who earlier announced his retirement from international cricket, said he would soon clarify his position with the PCB.

Coach Fletcher’s appointment is a good move,says Sehwag.

NEW DELHI: Indian opener Virender Sehwag reckons the BCCI did the right thing by appointing Duncan Fletcher as coach soon after Gary Kirsten’s departure as it has given the Zimbabwean enough time to settle with the side.
‘‘It’s good for India. It’s a good thing that the BCCI has found a replacement in quick time. It will obviously help the players and the new coach to settle down early. He (Fletcher) will get enough time to do home work before our series against England starts,” Sehwag said.
Fletcher, a former England coach who guided them to the memorable 2005 Ashes triumph, would not be able to join the Indians during next month’s tour of the West Indies due to personal reasons but would be there when Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men tour England later this year.
The former Zimbabwe captain’s appointment has evoked mixed reactions with some former greats including Sunil Gavaskar insisting that an Indian would have been a better choice. Asked whether he has had any interaction with Fletcher, Sehwag merely said, “No, I don’t know him.”
As Kirsten’s successor, Fletcher has massive expectations to live upto as the amiable South African left after taking India to their first World Cup title in 28 years besides being at the helm during some of the most memorable overseas triumphs of the team.—Agencies

WICB chief slams Sarwan corruption rumours

GROS ISLET (St Lucia): West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Chief Executive Ernest Hilaire has blamed irresponsible reporting for rumours that batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan was being investigated for match-fixing.
Hilaire was responding to an open letter from Guyana`s Minister of Sport, Frank Anthony, which criticised the WICB for failing to protect Sarwan from the damaging allegations.
Anthony had written the letter to the WICB seeking clarification on the matter, which made headlines in a few sections of the Caribbean media.
“When properly assessed, the situation is to be blamed squarely on an erratic and unprofessional approach from some irresponsible media operatives, who reproduced the information from [an] anonymous blog without bothering to verify the source or veracity of what was before them,” said Hilaire.
Hilaire informed the minister that the WICB had not spoken publicly about the matter because it does not have the authority to comment on such issues.
“It is the exclusive purview of the International Cricket Council,” he said. “In any event, if the WICB were to comment on every accusation, story, rumour, or suspicion expressed in the media or blogs, it would be a never-ending exercise of responses.”
He added: “The WICB is in possession of information from time to time on anti-corruption matters and I am sure you would agree that it would be inappropriate to distribute such information either to confirm or deny ongoing investigations or suspicions

Duncan Fletcher appointed Indian coach

Duncan Fletcher - a Zimbabwean by birth, but now a British citizen - has been appointed coach of the Indian cricket team for two years. Fletcher appointment was made at the Working Committee meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) here on Wednesday.

Fletcher, 62, was the coach of the England team for almost eight years (2000-2007) when England won the Ashes series for the first time in 18 years.

South African Eric Simmons will continue as the bowling coach.

The Working Committee also increased the cash incentive from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 2 crore to each player of the Indian team that won the ICC CWC 2011 here at the Wankhede Stadium on April 2.

Shehzad steers Pakistan to victory

Opener Ahmed Shehzad struck his second One-Day International hundred to anchor Pakistan to a confident seven-wicket victory over West Indies on Monday.

Shehzad hit seven fours and one six in his 102 from 148 balls as Pakistan successfully chased 221 for victory in the second ODI at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.

Umar Akmal carried the visitor over the threshold with 12 balls remaining when he lofted a delivery from Dwayne Bravo to long-off for the final boundary of the match.

West Indies: L. Simmons c Umar Akmal b Afridi 51, D. Smith lbw b Md. Hafeez 16, Darren Bravo c Misbah b Ajmal 12, M. Samuels b Azam 29, K. Edwards b Md. Hafeez 4, Dwayne Bravo c Misbah b Riaz 18, C. Baugh lbw b Afridi 15, D. Sammy c Azam b Riaz 18, K. Roach (run out) 24, D. Bishoo c and b Ajmal 4, A. Martin (not out) 4, Extras (lb-17, w-7, nb-1) 25; Total (in 50 overs) 220.

Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-58, 3-90, 4-108, 5-144, 6-148, 7-173, 8-188, 9-193.

Pakistan bowling: Junaid 7-1-36-0, Hafeez 10-0-38-2, Riaz 8-0-39-2, Ajmal 10-3-23-2, Afridi 10-1-41-2, Azam 5-0-26-1.

Pakistan: Md. Hafeez c Martin b Bishoo 32, A. Shehzad st. Baugh b Bishoo 102, A. Shafiq (run out) 23, Misbah (not out) 43, Umar Akmal (not out) 17, Extras (lb-1, w-3, nb-2) 6; Total (for three wkts. in 48 overs) 223.

Fall of wickets: 1-66, 2-132, 3-193.

West Indies bowling: Roach 9-1-43-0, Sammy 10-0-52-0, Dwayne Bravo 9-0-55-0, Bishoo 10-1-36-2, Martin 10-0-36-0.

Teams look for a turnaround in fortunes

The race so far has been far more exciting than initially predicted. And technically, there is still a chance for each of the teams in the fray to get to the play-offs of this year's IPL. Only that they should stay focused on the task at hand in the remaining matches and play to their full potential.

Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Deccan Chargers come face to face at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Wednesday. Needless to say, the tie — the seventh for both — is crucial for both the teams as this provides them an opportunity to pitchfork back into contention.

FAR FROM IMPRESSIVE

Both the teams had a far from impressive outing in the sixth round, with KTK allowing itself to be overhauled by Rajasthan Royals and DC having been overhauled by Sachin Tendulakr's Mumbai Indians.

The home team fans will definitely be hoping for a good all-round display by their team which, until its defeat a couple of days, had been placed as high as the third spot in the overall rankings, as a result of its stunning three-in-a-row wins over Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. The team under the seasoned Mahela Jayawardene was virtually on a rampage at that stage, backed by solid individual performances by Brendon McCullum, Brad Hodge, Ravindra Jadeja, Parthiv Patel, R.P. Singh besides the skipper himself. However, with McCullum out due to an unfortunate shoulder injury, the team just came a cropper against the spin wizardry of the ageless Shane Warne, away from home.

The priority for KTK would be nothing less than an outright win. However, this again would depend upon the availability of McCullum, who is now likely to undergo a fitness test on Wednesday morning, should he recover from his injury and report fit.

KEY PLAYER

His absence would mean a certain void at the top, key as he is in providing a blazing start, whether KTK opts to bat first or chase.

On the other hand, DC finds itself at the bottom of the table with just two wins from six matches. The team having hit a rough patch due to the inability of its players to contribute to their side's cause as one unified outfit. Obviously the chips are down for the 2009 champion side and the match should be a real test for the team and its hopes of keeping its chances alive.

And crucial would be the display of its skipper Kumar Sangakkara and the rest of its batsmen, who oddly enough, are yet to find their touch. The lone exception to this is Shikhar Dhawan who has been in good form, attempting to keep the DC innings together on more occasions than one from his position at the top.

However, things could turn better if the skipper, Sunny Sohal and Bharat Chipli fire together with the bat and utility players like Daniel Christian chip in.

On the bowling front, the team looks to Dale Steyn, Manpreet Gony and Amit Mishra to deliver. Crucial too will be the form of Ishant Sharma, who is struggling at present.

With the sides all set to play out an exciting encounter, the only threat is the summer rain which has been lashing the city for the last few days. It had rained when KTK played against Chennai Super Kings last week, forcing the match to be reduced to 17 overs-a-side. One hopes the rain stays away.