Twenty20 cricket championship for deaf in Tamil Nadu

Coimbatore: Twelve teams from across the State would vie for the honours in the First Tamil Nadu Cricket Twenty20 Championship for the Deaf, beginning here from tomorrow, which would be a selection trial to pickup Tamil Nadu team to participate in the South Zone cricket championship for deaf.

The two-day event for boys, perhaps the first in the country in the shorter version of the game for the specially disabled, is being organised by Rotary Club of Coimbatore Texcity, Christofell Blienden Mission, Bangalore and Bharathiar University, K Murali, convener of the Championship told reporters here today.

The matches would be played in round robin league of four groups and would be played in four venues and winners of each group would enter semi-final and then finals, he said.

With the participation of 180 deaf cricketers, a contingent of 18 best players, including coach and manager, would be selected to represent Tamil Nadu in South Zone Cricket championship for the deaf to be held next year in Andhra Pradesh, he said.

These organisations were conducting 50 over a side cricket match for the deaf, for the last four to five years and T20 championship would be made an annual feature, Murali said.

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Strauss firm on Twenty20 decision

England captain Andrew Strauss has reiterated his intent of not getting involved in Twenty20 cricket. Strauss had opted to stand down from England's Twenty20 squad earlier this year because the format didn't suit his accumulative style and he has said he has no plans to revisit his stance.

"Never say never. But at this stage, I've got no plans to play Twenty20 cricket," he was quoted as saying by PA Sport. "My reasons for not playing Twenty20 cricket are firstly that there are some limitations in my game in that format and secondly I believe strongly that for me to continue playing well in the 50-over format and Test cricket something's got to give.

"You've got to remain reasonably fresh as an international captain, to be able to motivate people. For me, it just makes sense that I step aside from the Twenty20 and give myself the time to prepare properly for 50-over and Test cricket."

Strauss opted to keep a low profile during the Twenty20 series against South Africa, even as England were hit by key injury blows, but showed he was unaffected by his break from the action by contributing a vital half-century in the 50-over win over South Africa A. Strauss did not deny rumours that he had been almost forced into stepping back into the Twenty20 set-up last week but felt his solidity was more suited to longer periods.

"There were some considerations given. But ultimately, me playing in a one-off capacity is not going to help the team long term," he said. "I'm not going to be there in the West Indies [at the 2010 World Twenty20] - so if there are injuries there, or 'Colly' [captain Paul Collingwood] gets injured, someone needs to step up and take over."

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Sachin to play T20 cricket in England

Sachin Tendulkar is expected to be signed up by England county Middlesex to play Twenty20 cricket for them next season, The Guardian reports.
Former Australian wicketkeeper and Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist will also play the shortets format for the county next year.

According to The Guardian, the deals, which would be partly funded by the MCC, would engage the players to play five T20 games, all of them at Lord's.

"We expect to make an announcement shortly. The two clubs (MCC and Middlesex) are working closely together," MCC's chief executive Keith Bradshaw was quoted as saying.

Tendulkar, who completed 20 years in international cricket on November 15 will return to the England county circuit after playing for Yorkshire in 1992 as a 19-year-old.

However, this will be the first county stint for Gilly, who has never played domestic cricket in England and has been involved with current IPL champions Deccan Chargers.

"Gilchrist, a member of the MCC's world cricket committee, may extend his affiliation with the MCC beyond the end of the Twenty20 Cup, and he is expected to play for Middlesex against the Australians before their one-day series against England.

The signing of two such internationally renowned players would be extremely lucrative for the MCC, who are currently exploring ways to finance a 400 million pound redevelopment plan", The Guardian went on to add in its report.

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Younis says may return to Twenty20

Karachi: Barely four months after quitting Twenty20, Pakistan captain Younis Khan said he might come out of his retirement to play the slam-bang format.

Younis, who announced his Twenty20 retirement after guiding Pakistan to the World Cup triumph in England in June, said he was giving it a thought and would come out of the retirement if he felt the urge to play this format.

"Yes. I have given it some thought," he said.

Meanwhile, everything seems alright between Younis and Shahid Afridi, who was named the next Twenty20 captain with both claiming that there was no rift within the team.

After Younis briefly quit captaincy, a section of Pakistan cricket did not want him back and lobbied to get Afridi selected for the captain's post.

Pakistan Cricket Board, however, brought back Younis and made him captain till 2011 World Cup, much to the chagrin of the Afridi-camp.

Afridi himself, however, claimed he had no issues with Younis.

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Kings XI appoints Anil Srivatsa as CEO

Indian Premier League side Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday appointed Anil Srivatsa as the Chief Executive Officer of the team.

Srivatsa's role would be to oversee management affairs and build a marketing and sponsorship programme to expand the franchise's loyalty and presence, Kings XI Punjab said in a statement.

Kings XI Punjab promoters' are committed to creating a world class team and infrastructure reflective of international standards.

And the franchise believe that Srivatsa's experience will help in achieving the team's objectives.

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NSW cruise into Airtel CL T20 final

New South Wales Blues booked their place in the Airtel CL T20 final with a commanding 79-run win over Victoria Bushrangers in Delhi.

New South Wales skipper Simon Katich won the toss and openers David Warner (48) and Phil Hughes (35) got off to a blistering start, while Katich's 26 ensured a colossal total of 169 for seven on a difficult surface.

Off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, who shared the new ball, claimed two wickets at the start of Victoria's response and Moises Henriques ripped through the middle order with three for 11 as Victorian Bushrangers managed a meagre 90 for nine in reply.

Warner had given NSW a storming start, knocking the new ball around in typically belligerent style.

Shane Harwood and Peter Siddle had begun accurately, but Warner quickly launched into attack and dealt primarily in boundaries throughout his brief, but destructive innings.

The left-hander smashed Harwood for consecutive boundaries in his second over and bludgeoned Siddle for two boundaries and a six over long-off.

NSW made 56 from the powerplay and Warner had contributed 48 in an opening stand worth 62 when he was run out, a mix up with Hughes leaving him stranded yards out of his crease.

There was no let up, however, as Daniel Smith (20) clubbed the first ball he faced for a boundary and Hughes, who had watched while Warner had amassed the runs, turned on an aggressive display.

Victoria sniffed a chance when Hughes fell to Clint McKay and the scoring rate dropped slightly, but Katich's cameo ensured NSW finished with a formidable total.

Hauritz, who shared the new ball with Brett Lee, destroyed Victoria's chase by removing both openers, Rob Quiney and Brad Hodge, for ducks in his first over.

David Hussey (16) and Cameron White (11) were the only batsmen in the top six to reach double figures and attempted a fightback, but their resistance was nipped in the bud.

Both batsmen were snared by Henriques and Victoria were left needing 131 from 56 deliveries when White was dismissed.

Instead, wickets continued to tumble and Henriques returned to claim McKay for his third victim as NSW cantered to victory.

The Teams:

New South Wales: PJ Hughes, DA Warner, DLR Smith†, MC Henriques, SM Katich*, BJ Rohrer, SPD Smith, B Lee, NM Hauritz, SR Clark, DE Bollinger

Victorian Bushrangers: RJ Quiney, BJ Hodge, AC Blizzard, DJ Hussey, CL White*, AB McDonald, MS Wade†, CJ McKay, SM Harwood, JM Holland, PM Siddle

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Clarke appointed Australia T20 captain

Cricket Australia (CA) on Friday announced Michael Clarke's appointment as captain of the Australia Twenty20 team.

This follows Ricky Ponting's decision last month to step down from international Twenty20 cricket and concentrate on captaining Australia in the other two forms of the game.

Victoria's Cameron White will be Clarke's vice-captain in the Australia Twenty20 team.

Michael Clarke said: "I've learnt a lot from Ricky Ponting over the last few years and I'll continue to learn from him. I'd like to thank Cricket Australia and the CA Board for giving me this opportunity. I'm really excited to lead Australia in the newest form of the game.

"We've got a young and enthusiastic group but we must recognise that we've got a lot of work to do in Twenty20 cricket and our recent form hasn't been good. Naturally, we'll target the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean next year and I feel we have plenty of talent to genuinely mount a challenge in that tournament.
"Cameron White will be an excellent deputy and his recent form has been quite outstanding."

Ricky Ponting added: "Michael has continued to grow as a player and a leader. We have developed a strong working relationship and he has always led the team well in my absence. I am sure he will do a very good job with the Twenty20 team and I congratulate him and Cameron White on their appointments."

Separately, Cricket Australia's Board has on Friday re-appointed Andrew Hilditch as the Chairman of the National Selection Panel (NSP) for a period which runs until end of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.

James Sutherland said: "Australia is a team in rebuilding phase but this country has many talented young cricketers, as illustrated by Australia's recent victory in the ICC Champions Trophy. The National Selection Panel will continue to be led by Andrew Hilditch."

Also, former Australian cricketer Christina Matthews was appointed chairperson of the Women's National Selection Panel (WNSP), and Julie Hayes (59 ODIs and six Tests 2000-1 to 2006-7 and 127 WNCL games for NSW) joins the WNSP. Julie Savage continues as a selector on the WNSP.

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I would love to play in the IPL:New South Wales batsman Phillip Hughes

After a sensational Test debut against South Africa, which yielded two hundreds in his first two Tests, Hughes has been out in the cold, struggling for every breath.

All of 20 years, the southpaw from Macksville in New South Wales Blues is wiser for the entire storm he has gone through.

For now, all that matters for Hughes is playing cricket in any format. The lucrative Indian Premier is one of them.

“I would love to play in the IPL. It is a wonderful format and I understand it is a very thrilling format and playing in India will be a huge challenge.”

Hughes would know a thing or two about India. Currently in India for the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 for the Blues, the youngster has been out on a mission since his omission from the Australian squad after the last of his five Tests against England in July this year.

The much talked about rendezvous with Sachin Tendulkar had its impact on Hughes alright. It showed all the more he glowed.
“Yeah, it was great meeting Sachin. We just had a general chat and it was nice of him to give me three hours of his time.

It was interesting to see the hunger Sachin still has for runs after two decades in the international arena. He is a true legend.”

Both men started playing for their countries at a very young age and it was not surprising to hear Hughes talk of his youth with Tendulkar.

“I did ask him questions about his youth and how he handled all the pressure of being a cricketer. His humility is incredible.”

Life does change in cricket and it has for Hughes. From being a well-talked about cricketer a year ago, the left-handed opener became hot property after his stunning debut.

A duck followed two hundreds. That was incredible too, is it not?

“Well, I think so mate. I was nervous after my first innings duck. I had a few nervous moments and I knew I had to perform.”

The pressure, understandably, would have been immense. South Africa had drubbed the Aussies Down Under, Matthew Hayden had retired and there was already no Justin Langer and Hughes was hailed as the best thing to happen to Australian cricket in this decade even before he had played his first Test!

“I went back to the dressing room after my four ball duck. Those moments at the crease were nerve wracking and I realised that it could not get worse than that. Things could only get better.”

They did until he hit the rocks and faced the heat. The first axe was followed by his first ever controversy (remember the Twitter saga?), but let us steer clear of that.

Now, here is. In India, global cricket stars get the adulations they deserve and Hughes will be no different as his team goes searching for more glory at the next stage of the Airtel CL T20.

The unbeaten 62 against the Sussex Sharks was a fine effort from a young man, trying to find his feet at the big league again. Somewhere in Australia, the selectors would have noted the knock down in their diaries.

The world needs to watch out for him. There will be more from Australia’s youngest Test debutant and if he does live up to it, that will herald a new dawn and a new generation of cricketers who thrive on the traditional format in the days of sizzling, fast cricket.

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Kallis guides Bangalore to Super Eight

Jacques Kallis smashed a breezy unbeaten 73 and took three wickets to steer Royal Challengers Bangalore to Super Eight stage.

The Indian side trounced Otago Volts by 80 runs in Bangalore. The hosts joined Cape Cobras from group C in the quarter-final league after convincingly winning their do-or-die match at M Chinnaswamy stadium.

Bangalore top order put a superb show after opting to bat as all the four batsmen who came to bat made contribution in rattling up a massive 188 for two.

The hosts then skittled out the Kiwi side for a scrimpy 108 with 2.1 overs to spare.

Jacques Kallis, who batted through the innings, put on a quick- fire 75 for the first wicket with Robin Uthappa (42) to give Bangalore a brilliant start.
Top performer: Jacques Kallis

Ross Taylor (32) played an incredible cameo as he scored 24 runs in the last over of the Bangalore innings by creaming three sixes and a boundary and Virat Kohli (32) also showed his potential after Uthappa's dismissal.

After a supershow with bat, Kallis (3/18) returned to bowl a magical spell and polished off the Kiwi top-order.

Kallis struck twice in his second over -- dismissing Brendon McCullum and Aaron Redmond in gap of three balls -- to give a perfect start to the defence of their handsome total.

Skipper Anil Kumble (2/20) and R Vinay Kumar (2/20) took two wickets apiece as Bangalore put on a clinical performance.

Hashim Rutherford hit R Vinay Kumar for three boundaries to break the shackles but soon became Kallis' third victim when he lofted a slow ball in the hands of Kumble at mid-off.

Bangalore spinners also got into the act, as in a gap of 12 balls they got rid of three more batsmen, sealing the fate of the New Zealand side.

Kumble trapped Nathan McCullum (8) and Ian Butler (1) in successive overs and Roelof van der Merwe catching Dmitri Mascarenhas in front of wicket.

Craig Cumming was the highest run-getter for Otago Volts with his 20-run knock.

Earlier, Kallis played a measured innings, a cocktail of aggression and composure as his 73 came off 59 balls and contained four boundaries and two sixes.

Uthappa was also in great touch as controlled his innings well. He took 31 balls for his 42, which had five fours and two shots over the fence.

Kallis and Uthappa began on a cautious note and opened up after getting their eyes in but still managed a run-rate near six run per over.

The South African got his first boundary -- a furious square cut off Dmitri Mascarenhas -- in the fourth over and Uthappa opened the gates with a huge six in the same over.

Uthappa was in sublime touch. A lofted drive off Warren McSkimming for straight boundary and another one off Ian Butler were all class. Kallis smashed another cut boundary to raise fifty run partnership.

Nothing working for them, skipper Craig Cumming brought Nathan McCullum into the attack but to his horror Uthappa welcomed him with a six and followed it up with reverse sweep boundary.

Cumming made another change as he introduced Aaron Redmond. The leggie did not disappoint his captain seeing the back of dangerous looking Uthappa.

Uthappa got a leading edge and Cumming latched on to the the chance at short cover, but by then the Indian had done his job.

Virat Kohli joined Kallis and played extremely well during his short 19-ball stay at the crease. The Delhi boy contributed 32 runs with the help of five fours before going back to the hut.

The wicket put a break on free flowing runs though Kallis continued his good batting, hitting Butler and N Wagner out of the park in successive overs.

Taylor finished the innings in style hitting Butler for a four and a six and McSkimming, who completed his teammate's over, for two sixes in the final over.

The teams:
Royal Challengers Bangalore: JH Kallis, RV Uthappa, R Dravid, V Kohli, LRPL Taylor, MV Boucher†, B Akhil, RE van der Merwe, R Vinay Kumar, P Kumar, A Kumble*

Otago Volts: BB McCullum, AJ Redmond, HD Rutherford, CD Cumming*, NT Broom, NL McCullum, AD Mascarenhas, IG Butler, DC de Boorder†, WC McSkimming, N Wagner

New South Wales enter second round

Riding on a fine fifty by Philip Hughes and an all-round performance by Moises Henriques, New South Wales beat Sussex by 35 runs.

Chris Nash was the lone batsman, who provided some resistance even as wickets kept falling at the other end.

It was Brett Lee, who claimed the first wicket of Sussex by sending back the stand-in-captain Ed Joyce in the very first over as they chased a modest target of 131.

Sussex batsmen simply failed to apply themselves as New South Wales bowlers tightened the nooze. Lee, particualry came up with a brilliant spell, giving away just three runs in 2 overs in his first spell.

Henriques meanwhile, took two wickets.

Sussex was then just fighting a losing battle after they had lost more than half of their side for less than 70 runs on the board.

At the end, Sussex could only make 95 for eight in their allotted 20 overs, falling short by 35 runs.

Earlier, opener Philip Hughes and Moises Henriques scored unbeaten half-centuries to help New South Wales put up a modest 130 for two against Sussex Sharks in a Group B match of the inaugural Airtel Champions League match on Sunday.

Hughes played sensibly on the tricky Feroz Shah Kotla wicket to score 61 off 64 balls while Henriques was aggression personified from the time of his arrival at the crease as he took just 33 balls for his 51.

Opener David Warner was the other notable scorer for NSW with 14 runs off 18 deliveries with the help of two fours.

For Sussex leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was the lone wicket-taker, giving away 21 runs off his two overs.

Opting to bat, the NSW started on a cautious note on the unpredictable Kotla pitch, scoring 30 runs in the first six overs.

Sensing the uneven bounce of the wicket, both the openers Warner and Hughes played sensibly and build the foundation for the score instead of going after the bowling.

The duo dealt mostly in singles and twos with occasional boundaries in the middle before Warner was run out in the eight over.

Introduced into the attack in the ninth over, Chawla struck immediately, getting the wicket of Daniel Smith (2), caught at wide long-on boundary by Robin Martin-Jenkins.

Hughes, however, was determined to make up for his flop show against Diamond Eagles, clobbering Chawla over the long-off boundary. Inspired by his partner at the other end, Henriques swiped the leg-spinner over deep square leg to pick up 17 runs from the 11th over.

Although, Hughes was not as destructive as the format of the game demands, the left-hander was the backbone of the NSW innings and notched up his fifty in 52 balls.

He found the fence four times and cleared it once.

Henriques, on the other end, was in a ominous form, treating the Sussesx bowlers with disdain to score his fifty with the help of three fours and two sixes.

Sussex bowlers though did well in the slog overs, giving away just 35 runs in the last five overs to restrict the Australian side to the modest total.

New South Wales: PJ Hughes, DA Warner, SM Katich*, MC Henriques, BJ Rohrer, SPD Smith, DLR Smith†, B Lee, NM Hauritz, SR Clark, DE Bollinger.

Sussex: EC Joyce*, CD Nash, RJ Hamilton-Brown, DR Smith, JS Gatting, PP Chawla, Yasir Arafat, AJ Hodd†, RSC Martin-Jenkins, CB Keegan, BC Brown.

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Mahela Jayawardene: T20 has improved my game

The former Sri Lankan captain, who is in India with the Wayamba Elevens for the Airtel Champions League Twenty20, is regarded as one of the most elegant and stylish batsmen of his era?

He is not your usual slam-bang batsman. How exactly has he then been so successful in the shortest format of the game?

”You have to adapt yourself to different ways of playing. At the same time, if you can be innovative and consolidating, then there is nothing like it.

“That’s where all batsmen try to adjust. I think T20 has improved my game and made me understand my strengths better,” Mahela said.

Jayawardene, who relinquished the Lankan captaincy earlier this year to concentrate on his batting, was a distraught man after his team’s appalling first round exit from the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa.

“It was very disappointing. We were playing good cricket in the lead up to the Champions Trophy but we made some serious mistakes in South Africa.

Our fielding wasn’t where it should have been and we failed to click.”

However, Jaywardene has a lot of hope for the future and that glint in his eyes gave it away. Sri Lankan cricket after all is in safe hands, rather the safe gloves of Kumar Sangakkara.

“Sanga is taking us to the next level. The team puts in everything for him and he is a tough nut too.”

Jayawardene believed that the Champions Trophy show was just a ‘blip’ in the radar and exuded confidence in the team learning from its mistakes.

For a player of Jayawardene’s class, it would not be too misplaced to look for young talent that reminds him of his style but no, Mahela refuses to get there.

“I have always encouraged players to inculcate their own style and following their own instincts on the field. My hope is that they will achieve what we have and take Sri Lankan cricket to even greater glories.”

The professional that he is, Jaywaredene knows he cannot take things for granted in the CL T20, where the competition will be no less than on an international arena.

“We just need to focus as the conditions will be different and we do have a very young group of players,” Jayawardene said of Wayamaba.

He did concede that the IPL teams will have the advantage of home conditions but that did not worry the team a lot.

“It is a great opportunity for some of our younger players to compete against some of the best teams in the world.”

Jayawardene is not just a man of words. He likes to act and let his bat talk, as gracefully as he does. Wayamba, rest assured are going to be tough challenge. They have kept a low profile so far but when they cross the white line, the opposition could be in for a surprise.

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Meet the Champions League teams

The first-ever global club cricket tournament brings together some big names, some not-so-famous players and some familiar faces in unfamiliar colours. Cricinfo's primer makes it easy for you.

Group A

Deccan Chargers

How they made it Winners of IPL 2009
Captain Adam Gilchrist
Headliner Andrew Symonds
Odds $7.4
Deccan Chargers went from zeroes to heroes in this year's IPL, and are now one of the favourites for the Champions League. They swaggered into the inaugural IPL with an array of bludgeoning batsmen, tipped by many for the title, only to flop dramatically and wind up in last spot. This year, with lesser expectations, and Gilchrist as captain, they sneaked into the semi-finals before bulldozing their way to the title. They have an incisive bowling attack led by Fidel Edwards and RP Singh, who took the most wickets in IPL 2009, with left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha providing back-up. They need performances from their lesser-known Indian batsmen when their big three - Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds and Rohit Sharma - stumble.


Somerset

How they made it Runners-up in the Twenty20 Cup 2009
Captain Justin Langer
Headliner Marcus Trescothick
Star import Langer
Odds $16.5
Much of the attention surrounding Somerset's campaign will centre on their star batsman, Marcus Trescothick. This will be his first overseas assignment since pulling out of Somerset's pre-season visit to Dubai in 2008 with a recurrence of his stress-related illness that originally occurred in 2006. Trescothick has been in sparkling form all season, and was rewarded with the Most Valuable Player award by the Professional Cricketers' Association for 2934 runs across all competitions. He is part of a redoubtable top order, which also has Justin Langer, the promising wicketkeeper-batsman Craig Kieswetter, and James Hildreth. The bowling inspires less confidence, though, with the spin department being particularly weak.

Trinidad & Tobago

How they made it Winners of Stanford 20/20 2008
Captain Daren Ganga
Headliner Dwayne Bravo
Odds $21
Victory in the Stanford 20/20 in early 2008 has proved to be the gift that keeps on giving for T&T. Besides the million dollars they pocketed for the title, it gave them entry to the Stanford Super Series last year and now the Champions Twenty20 League. The batting is their strong suit with a mix of some of the Caribbean's most exciting youngsters - Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Adrian Barath and Kieron Pollard - and the experience of Daren Ganga and Dwayne Bravo. The bowling attack looks shaky though, one of the main reasons they are viewed as long shots for the title.

Group B

New South Wales

How they made it Winners of the Big Bash 2008-09
Captain Simon Katich
Headliner Brett Lee
Odds $7
The sheer depth of their international talent makes New South Wales one of the tournament favourites. Even without Michael Clarke, Nathan Bracken and Brad Haddin, the Blues still boast a squad featuring eight men who have played for Australia. David Warner and Phillip Hughes are a potentially explosive and unconventional opening pair, while Simon Katich gives the middle order valuable experience. An attack consisting of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Doug Bollinger and Nathan Hauritz is of Test quality but their challenge here is containing in foreign conditions. In any case, they are certainly one of the main teams to beat.

Sussex

How they made it Winners of the Twenty20 Cup 2009 Captain Michael Yardy
Headliners Luke Wright
Star imports Dwayne Smith, Piyush Chawla
Odds $12.5
Sussex may have been relegated to the second division for the first time but they have been the stand-out team in England's limited-overs competitions this season: storming to both the Pro40 Division One and the Twenty20 Cup titles, and finishing runners-up in the Friends Provident Trophy. Their middle order is boosted by hard-hitting allrounders, Dwayne Smith and Luke Wright. The fast bowling is in safe hands of James Kirtley and Yasir Arafat (the only Pakistan player in the tournament), and the spin department has been bolstered by the smart swoop for Indian legspinner Piyush Chawla.

Eagles

How they made it Runners-up in the Standard Bank Pro 2008-09
Captain Boeta Dippenaar
Headliner Er.. Ryan McLaren?
Odds $17.5
Eagles have never let the lack of marquee names in their line-up stop them from succeeding, winning the Pro20 twice and making the finals this year. Morne van Wyk, who provided some rare bright sparks in a dreary Kolkata Knight Riders IPL campaign, is among their best Twenty20 batsmen. Much is also expected from the young duo of Dean Elgar and Rilee Rossouw. Like many a South African team, they are packed with fast-bowling allrounders - including Ryan McLaren, Dillon du Preez, Alan Kruger - giving them great balance. Two problems that could derail Eagles' campaign are the presence of only one frontline spinner (Thandi Tshabalala) and the lack of experience in subcontinental conditions.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

How they made it Runners-up in IPL 2009
Captain Anil Kumble
Headliners Kumble, Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis
Odds $8.2
Royal Challengers Bangalore are another solid IPL team. Anil Kumble inspired them to the finals of this year's IPL after a dispiriting start, losing four of the first five matches to bring back memories of an abysmal campaign the previous year. The dynamic Ross Taylor will be a vital cog in a batting line-up strewn with players not renowned for their big hits - Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Virat Kohli. It will also be a big test for young opener Manish Pandey, who sparkled in his limited chances this year. Bangalore's main drawback is an attack which has struggled to contain the runs; barring Kumble, the rest of their regular bowlers leaked at least seven.


Cape Cobras

How they made it Winners of the Standard Bank Pro 2008-09
Captain Andrew Puttick
Headliners Herschelle Gibbs, JP Duminy
Odds $13
Cape Cobras are seen to be the stronger of the two South African teams in the tournament, despite the loss of captain Graeme Smith. Herschelle Gibbs and JP Duminy may be their drawcards but their most important player is likely to be death-overs specialist Charl Langeveldt. He already saved Cobras twice during a stop-start Pro20 campaign; once grabbing wickets off the final two deliveries to force a tie, and in the deciding leg of the semi-finals, he gave away only three runs in the Superover. Veteran offspinner Claude Henderson is another bowler to watch out for. The close-in fielding should also be a treat, with Gibbs and Duminy joined by the electric Sybrand Englebrecht.

Otago

How they made it Winners of State Twenty20 2008-09
Captain Craig Cumming
Headliner Brendon McCullum
Star import Dimitri Mascarenhas
Odds $25
New Zealand's only representatives are widely considered to be a team with little chance to hit the US$2.5m jackpot on offer, but their string of power-hitters (Otgao made 189 or more in five of their seven Twenty20 games last season) could spring a surprise or two. How Twenty20 experts, Brendon McCullum and Dimitri Mascarenhas, fare will have a huge bearing on Otago's progress. Other batsmen likely to make an impact are Aaron Redmond (who though uninspiring at the Test level, has proved competent in Twenty20s, topping the run charts in the domestic tournament) and 20-year-old Hamish Rutherford (who bludgeoned a 38-ball 87 against Wellington). The bowling looks a bit thin, despite the presence of a rejuvenated Ian Butler and the crafty Nathan McCullum.

Group D

Delhi Daredevils

How they made it Topping the group phase of IPL 2009
Captain Gautam Gambhir
Headliners Tillakaratne Dilshan, Virender Sehwag
Odds $6.8
If any other team had lost the services players of the calibre of AB de Villiers, Daniel Vettori and Paul Collingwood in the space of a week, it would have been a crippling blow. Delhi, however, have the luxury of calling on Glenn McGrath as back-up; this depth is one of the reasons they have the shortest odds for winning the Champions Twenty20 League. They were by far the most impressive team in the IPL group phase this year, and were only knocked out in the semi-finals by a vintage Adam Gilchrist onslaught. An electric top order and a capable bowling attack (including Dirk Nannes from group stage opponents Victoria) make them title contenders. The one question over Delhi is their middle-order: can the likes of Dinesh Karthik, Manoj Tiwary and Mithun Manhas step up if the big names at the top fail?

Victoria

How they made it Runners-up of the Big Bash 2008-09
Captain Cameron White
Headliner Brad Hodge
Odds $9
A team that could slip under the radar, Victoria are not the Australian champions but have won the Big Bash three of the four years it has been held. They have also only ever lost three domestic Twenty20 matches. It is a remarkable record built on powerful batting from Cameron White, David Hussey and Brad Hodge, who is one of the most prolific Twenty20 batsmen in the world, even if he can't get a game for Australia. The loss of the fearsome fast man Dirk Nannes to Delhi Daredevils is a blow but there is plenty of depth in the attack, which still boasts Peter Siddle, Shane Harwood, the under-rated Clint McKay and Bryce McGain, who is surprisingly effective in Twenty20. If they can adapt to the conditions, they are a genuine chance for the title.

Wayamba

How they made it Winners of inter-provincial Twenty20 2008-09
Captain Jehan Mubarak
Headliners Mahela Jayawardene, Ajantha Mendis
Odds $16
Wayamba seem a good bet with a squad chock-a-block with players who have international experience. Their bowling line-up looks dependable, including the likes of Ajantha Mendis, Farveez Maharoof, Isuru Udana (the standout bowler in Sri Lanka's domestic Twenty20 tournament with 16 wickets at 8.12, economy 6.09) and a new-and-improved Rangana Herath. However, they are possibly in the toughest pool, grouped with Delhi and Victoria. Also, their batting seems a touch under-powered, lacking a lethal-hitter who can really turn on the fireworks. Maharoof is likely to be a key player; he can make big contributions with bat and ball, and his inside knowledge of the Delhi team (with whom he played two IPL seasons) and the Kotla pitch will prove handy.

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Stage set for cricket's latest twist

The inaugural Champions League Twenty20 gets underway at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday with hosts and IPL runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore taking on Cape Cobras from South Africa. Cricket's first global inter-club tournament, it is the latest twist in a format that is only seven years but has established itself as the game's main money-spinner.

A mix of state, county, regional and franchise teams will battle it out for a US$ 6 million cash prize, with $2.5 million going to the winners. The unpredictability of the format is enhanced by the fact that there is little history between the teams, though many of the players would be familiar to each other as team-mates at some level.

That element of uncertainty was summed up by Herschelle Gibbs, a key player for the Cobras. "We have a good team and a lot of the guys have been around for a while but this is Twenty20 and anything can happen. As I said earlier it is about the team performing well on a given day that wins matches, but I think Royal Challengers will be one of the favourites."

There will certainly be a lot of anticipation in Bangalore, where the game itself is to be preceded by what the organisers claim will be a lavish ceremony featuring legendary Grammy award winner Chaka Khan and British pop star Jamelia. "It has been a while since Royal Challengers have played at home", Anil Kumble, the Bangalore captain, said. "It's almost a year now... more than a year. Everybody is looking forward to that and we will certainly take advantage of home support."

The 23 matches in the 16-day tournament are spread between Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad. The 12 teams have been divided into four groups of three each with IPL runners-up Bangalore grouped with Cape Cobras and Otago, while IPL champions Deccan Chargers are in a pool with Stanford 20/20 winners Trinidad and Tobago and the Somerset, runners-up of England's Twenty20 Cup.

Delhi Daredevils are grouped with Victoria, the runners-up in the Australian domestic competition, and the Sri Lanka champions Wayamba. The other group comprises the Australian title-holders New South Wales, South Africa's Eagles and Sussex, winner of England's Twenty20 Cup.

The top two teams will qualify for the second round where two groups of four each will compete in a round-robin league. The top four teams will make it to the semi-finals, which will be played in New Delhi, on October 21, and Hyderabad, on October 22.

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Domestic players will play a crucial role, says Gambhir

New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS) Delhi Daredevils captain Gautam Gambhir feels domestic players will play a major role in the Champions League Twenty20, beginning Thursday.
'It is a good opportunity for the local players to prove themselves. The domestic players are going to prove useful in the Indian conditions,' Gambhir said in an open media session of Delhi Daredevils Tuesday.

'Daredevils have been the most consistent team. Reaching semifinals twice in Indian Premier League (IPL) is a big thing. Hope we can improve in the Champions League.'
Gambhir strongly defended out-of-form pacer Ishant Sharma, saying the youngster need to be encouraged and not criticised.

'He has been playing cricket from a long time. He is a young kid and in my opinion will be spearheading the Indian attack in the next two-three years. It is not fair to criticise him.'

The 28-year-old Delhi player said the format will be beneficial for the national teams.

'We saw after the Indian Premier League (IPL) that quite a few players got the call to play for the country while it helped others to make a comeback. The Champions League format will add to the pool of the players which would be good for the national team. It will also boost the confidence of the domestic players,' he said.
Gambhir, who was recently conferred the ICC Test Player of the Year award, feels the competition can be as big as the IPL.

'It is tough to say at this moment. But the amount of excitement the format has generated among the teams and the viewers, it seems it is going to be as big as IPL.'

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Victoria eye off 'tremendous opportunity'

Victoria have made a positive start in India with victory in their first warm-up match but the coach Greg Shipperd expects a tough fight to progress past the group stage of the Champions League Twenty20. The team's international stars Cameron White, David Hussey and Peter Siddle join the squad on Thursday, a day before their opening game of the tournament, which features a first prize of US$2.5 million.

"We have a tough draw, but we know if we stick to our plans and routines and play at the level we can, we will be very competitive," Shipperd told the Herald Sun. "Some people may not be ranking this first tournament of the summer as seriously as us.

"But the sheer prize-money on offer and pluses for our team and for cricket in Victoria generally are enormous. It is a tremendous opportunity both for us as a team and individually. We have prepared well and aren't daunted by anything."

In their opening match on Friday, Victoria face Delhi Daredevils, the IPL side that was also coached by Shipperd this year, before taking on the Sri Lankan champions Wayamba. He has handed over the reins of the Daredevils to his assistant David Saker and Shipperd is firmly focused on guiding a Victorian side with a mix of youth and experience to success.

"The excitement and expectation for us all in India is really something to experience," he said. "We have a strong team here and there is a real sense of purpose among the group. While we are coming off an off-season, we had an excellent lead-up in Lismore and the early practices and trial games have produced some very promising results."

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Knowing conditions will benefit us - Kallis

Jacques Kallis' first IPL stint in Bangalore didn't go to well, but on his return to the city as part of the second season's runner-ups, he was confident of giving home fans plenty to cheer for. Since losing to Deccan Chargers in a close final this year, Royal Challengers Bangalore regrouped ahead of their Champions League Twenty20 opener on October 8 and Kallis was confident of repeating their success in India.

"Most of the sides are in the same boat [as far as a lack of preparation], except players in England, who have been playing cricket lately. But I think we have had good net practices and practice matches. I don't think it will be an issue."

Bangalore finished second from last in the inaugural IPL in 2008, but surprised many by making the 2009 final. After managing just 199 runs in 11 matches in the first season, Kallis had a good 2009, scoring 361 runs at a strike-rate of 108.73 and pouching six wickets. He said the experience of playing here in 2008 put Bangalore at an advantage over fellow Group C participants Otago and Cape Cobras.

"Experience will play a role, and everyone knows how important allrounders are in Twenty20 cricket. I hope I can contribute both with the bat and ball. The other sides [Otago, Cobras] have not played in Indian conditions so it will obviously be an advantage. We have to make sure that we capitalise on this aspect.

"I have enjoyed playing in these conditions and it feels good to be back in Bangalore. The home crowd support will play a role and we obviously know the ground, so I think it will be to our advantage."

Another allrounder, one much younger and less experienced than Kallis, will play for the first time in India. In a short international career Roelof van der Merwe has earned a reputation as a successful, frugal left-arm spinner and he believed the slow bowlers were vital to this format. "Spin has an important role to play in Twenty20 and since the batsmen are always looking to score off you there is a good chance of picking more wickets if you keep a good line," he said. "During the second edition of the IPL, we have seen the role spinners can play, especially in the second half of a game. Indian pitches tend to assist spinners, so the role of tweakers will be far more important in the Champions League."

van der Merwe has yet to bowl in India but is looking forward to the surfaces. "They will suit my kind of bowling. There will be a bit of spin as the game goes on, making it a bit tough for the batsmen to score off you. But the smallish nature of grounds [as they bring the boundaries in] here does not allow any margin for error for bowlers, so that's going to be a challenge to adapt to the conditions pretty quickly."

His lead slow-bowling partner in the 2009 IPL was someone who knows a thing or two about spinning it in the subcontinent, and van der Merwe was glad to feed off an Indian legend. "Anil Kumble is a great spinner and a very good thinker of the game," he said. "It has been my privilege to interact with him and learn the nuances of spin bowling. The way he approaches a match, the way he plans for each rival batsmen...watching him itself is a study class."

Another key aspect to van der Merwe's game is fielding off his own bowling. "I have been working on it for a while now and as a spinner fielding and catching off your bowling is very important. My natural aggressive streak also adds to it."

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McGrath may replace Vettori

Delhi Daredevils plan to replace the injured Daniel Vettori and Paul Collingwood with Glen McGrath and Yogesh Nagar respectively.

While New Zealand skipper Vettori suffered a hamstring injury and sat out of his team’s ICC Champions Trophy final loss against Australia, Collingwood will have to miss the Champions League Twenty20 with a strained buttock.

McGrath, who was signed by the two time IPL semi-finalists in 2008 played a crucial role in the Daredevils’ success in the first edition but sat out the entire second edition in South Africa.

A team source said they have ‘requested’ the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 Organising Committee according to ‘protocol’.

“We have placed a request with the organisers and nothing has been confirmed yet,” the source said.

The Daredevils, besides Vettori and England batsman Collingwood, will also miss South African batting sensation AB deVilliers.

The team, according to a New South Wales source, had refused to retain David Warner and let him play on for the Big Bash Twenty20 winners.

An ECB medical team had issued a release earlier today, saying Collingwood will be unable to participate.

"The scan revealed a grade-two tear and Paul has been withdrawn from the forthcoming Champions League in India in which he was due to play for Delhi Daredevils," the release said.

The Daredevils are placed in probably the toughest group of the Championship, with the Victorian Bushrangers and Wayamba.

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Robin Singh to coach Mumbai Indians

Former India all-rounder Robin Singh was appointed as the new chief coach of the Mumbai Indians outfit for the 2009-10 season.
Former India Paras Mhambrey has been named as his deputy.

South African Jonty Rhodes, one of the best fielders the world has ever seen, would continue his association with the Indian Premier League team as a fielding coach, an MI media release said today.

Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock, who has been an integral part of the squad for the last two years, would also continue to contribute his vast cricketing knowledge and international experience for its benefit, the release said.

The other members of the support staff of Mumbai Indians include Praveen Amre, Nitin Patel, Dhananjay, Ramji Srinivasan and Donald Shugg.

The team has organised a short five-day camp starting here today with 70 players, including captain Sachin Tendulkar taking part.

Commenting on the camp, Nita Ambani of Mumbai Indians said it would provide an opportunity for the players and the support staff to interact with one another.

"We are excited about the camp for Mumbai Indians. Many young players associated with Mumbai Indians are expected to participate in the camp. The camp presents a good opportunity for the players and support staff to interact with each other," she said.

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NSW want Yuvraj for T20 Big Bash

Yuvraj Singh’s exploits in the Twenty20 format have grabbed the attention of the New South Wales Blues.

According to a top NSW player, the management is likely to get in touch with Yuvraj and see if they can use the southpaw's power-hitting in the domestic Twenty20 tournament, which runs from December 28, 2009 to January 23, 2010.

"He's a great player, and he's been magnificent in conditions across the world, so if we can get him, it'll give us a great chance at the title," said the cricketer.

NSW are the 2008-09 Big Bash champions, and are currently in India for the Champions League Twenty20. The team already boasts of Australian internationals Simon Katich, David Warner and Phillip Hughes at the top of the order. When not on national duty, Michael Clarke and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin bolster the middle-order. A full-strength bowling line-up would feature stalwarts like Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Nathan Bracken, Nathan Hauritz and the up-and-coming pace sensation, Doug Bollinger. A recent addition to that list is Australia's current No.1 all-rounder, Shane Watson, who has moved to NSW from Queensland.

But ten of their 36-member squad for the season are bound by Cricket Australia contracts. This is the reason why the Blues have earlier expressed interest in signing Pakistan's star all-rounder Shahid Afridi and Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara. Either of those players, combined with Yuvraj, would give the Sydney-based team a boost in a bid to retain their title, since most of NSW's first XI will be in contention for berths in the Australian side, which hosts West Indies and Pakistan between November and February.

Each of the six Australian domestic teams are allowed to have two foreign players each in their squads for the Big Bash, and have to finalise their squads by December 24. Last year's runners-up, Victorian Bushrangers, have already signed Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan and West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo. Tasmania, meanwhile, have Lasith Malinga in their ranks, while South Australia have inked a deal with Ajantha Mendis and Western Australia have signed Caribbean batting superstar Chris Gayle.

For Yuvi, the potential deal may provide a good platform to garner more experience in Australian conditions, since he was found wanting on India's last tour to the country in 2007-08. In the first two Tests at Melbourne and Sydney, he could only manage 17 runs, with two ducks in four innings.

The Kings XI Punjab skipper's Twenty20 International record is arguably one the best in the world, with 415 runs from 15 matches at an average of 34.58 and a mind-boggling strike-rate of 160.85. Overall, in 57 T20 matches, he has scored 1380 runs at a strike-rate of 138.27, and has also been a handy bowler, picking up two IPL hat-tricks on his way to 20 wickets in the format.

What will throw a spanner in the works, however, is India's choc-a-bloc international calendar. The Men in Blue may play a tri-series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Bangladesh in early January, which will not only prevent Yuvraj from suiting up for NSW, but will also rob the state sides of their big-name Lankan signings.

But with CA encouraging states to rope in big stars to increase interest in the Big Bash, and the amicability that exists between CA and BCCI, Six Sixes Part-II might just happen on the hallowed turf of the Sydney Cricket Ground.

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Otago Volts aim for good show

They might be considered underdogs in the Airtel CL T20 but New Zealand-based Otago Volts are confident of putting up a good show.
"We are pretty excited to be part of the tournament. We believe we have got a very good side. We believe that if we play to our potential, we have got a real chance in this tournament," captain Craig Cumming told reporters.
New Zealand-based Otago Volts have their first fixture against Cape Cobras on October 10 in the cash-awash event starting from October 8.
Cumming said many players in his side have the experience of playing in the shorter version of the game, which would keep them in good stead.
"I think we are a good balanced squad. We have got exciting batsmen and bowlers. We have got genuine strike makers. We have got the ability to adapt to the situations," he said.
Cumming said playing in the Indian conditions would not be a problem as many members in the team have played in the country earlier.
Coach Mike Hesson said though inexperience of some of the players is a weakness, the team has good batsmen and bowlers who can deliver results.
"I think we bat pretty tight. We have got good hitters right through the order. New ball bowlers take wickets first at the top. Spinners in the middle are always pretty challenging," he said.
All-rounder Nathan McCullum, brother of Brendon McCullum, said his plan of action would be to try and improve in all areas.
Nathan is an attacking middle-order batsmen who hit 14 sixes during the state Twenty20 competition in 2008/09.
He is an off-spinner with a good change of pace and is hailed for his ability to bowl doosra.
"I really enjoyed playing in India. I like India and I am really excited at the prospect of playing here again," he said.
Asked about the chances of his team, "I think we have a good chance. We are confident of what we going to do. We have got a lot of important experience in this team and lot of young and exciting talent. That sort of a mix would help us. I think we can be competitive and successful.

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