Indian company shows interest in PPL

LAHORE: Indian broadcasting giant Nimbus has reportedly expressed an interest in organizing the proposed Pakistan Premier League.
Quoting official sources, a media report suggested on Saturday that a representative for Nimbus sports gave a presentation to the PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and other senior officials last week on the so-called PPL.
“Basically Nimbus is interested in just organising the PPL for a fee but has not shown interest in procuring rights for the event,” one source said.
“But the fact that an Indian company has shown interest in the PPL has come as a encouraging sign for the PCB,” the source said.
He said another renowned international sports management company and broadcaster which also has big stakes in India had also shown interest in giving a presentation on the PPL.
“The other presentations came from local companies but the fact is that this is just the initial stage and most of the presentations were based on ideas,” another source said.
Independent sources confided that the PCN was keen to organise the PPL in a befitting manner with the franchises concept on the lines of the IPL and BPL.
“But at the presentations most of those people who gave presentations made it clear that finances needed to be generated from the Indian and other markets to sustain such a major league including the franchises,” the source said.
“The PCB at present is looking at a sale out price of around 4 to 4.5 million dollars for a franchise.”
After being snubbed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, the PCB hierarchy is now keen to focus on launching the PPL this year. “Basically they also see October as the ideal time to launch the PPL as the ICC has kept a window open for the Champions League tournament as well and foreign players could be available as well,” the source said.

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IPL: Bangalore outplay Rajasthan by 46 runs

JAIPUR: Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Rajasthan Royals by 46 runs in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Monday.
Chasing an improbable target of 190 runs, Rajasthan Royals batsmen failed to meet the challenge and were restricted to 143 for seven in 20 overs.
Only captain Rahul Dravid batted sensibly to make 58 with eight fours. The second highest scorer was Stuart Binny who was 20 not out.
Left-arm spinner KP Appanna captured four wickets for 19 runs and Harshal Patel took two for 32.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and put royal Challengers Bangalore into bat who amassed 189 runs for the loss of only three wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
All credit for this huge total went to a big unbeaten fourth wicket partnership of 122 runs between Tillekaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka and AB de Villiers of South Africa.
Dilshan remained not out on 76, scored off 58 balls with ten fours and a six while de Villiers smashed five towering sixes and three boundaries in a breezy innings of 59 from just 23 balls.
For Bangalore, Australian left-arm spinner Brad Hogg claimed two wickets for 39.
This match was shown live by Geo Super, the premier sports tv channel of Pakistan

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Australia consolidate after early loss of Cowan

ROSEAU, Dominica: Australia consolidated after losing opener Ed Cowan early on to reach 69 for one at lunch on the first day of the third and final test at Windsor Park on Monday.

West Indies paceman Ravi Rampaul, drafted in for the injured Fidel Edwards, struck with his second ball as Cowan (one) offered no shot to a sharp inswinger in the second over and was trapped leg before.

Rampaul, generating some impressive pace as well as his trademark movement off the pitch, should also have removed Australia's other opener.

Dave Warner, on five, reached for a wide delivery and edged to Darren Sammy at third slip but the West Indies skipper spilled a straightforward chance.

Warner and Shane Watson then got their heads down against some tight bowling from the hosts although the former was lucky with a couple of mis-timed strokes.

By the interval, Warner had reached 28 while Watson was on 30.

Shane Shillingford, the first Dominican to play in a Test match on home soil much to the delight of the local crowd, was given four overs of spin.

It is only the second test on the island, one of the smaller components of West Indies cricket.

Australia lead the series 1-0.
(Reuters)

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Australia win toss, bat against Windies in third Test

ROSEAU, Dominica: Australia won the toss and chose to bat against West Indies in the third and final Test match of the series at Windsor Park on Monday.

West Indies have made two changes to the side that played in Trinidad.

Ravi Rampaul has replaced Fidel Edwards, who has been suffering from a sore back. Rampaul had been out of the side since December 2011 having gone down with dengue fever and also a shoulder injury.

Assad Fudadin had been called up to the squad but was left out of the team.

The pitch has patches of grass on it and there was enough there for Australia to decide on using a three man pace attack.

James Pattinson and Peter Siddle both returned to Australia last week with back injuries.

This has given a chance to left-armer Mitchell Starc, who comes into the team replacing off-spinner Michael Beer.

Australia lead the series one-nil and have already retained the Frank Worrell Trophy.

Michael Clarke's team is focused on taking out the series with another win.

West Indies are still seeking their first Test win against Australia for nine years. If they can achieve it then they will be satisfied knowing that the visitors would head home having drawn the series in each format of the game.

The ground has only held one other Test and that was against India last year and the match was drawn.

In the few first class matches played at the venue, the bowlers have been on top in most cases.

This time around, though, it's thought that conditions could be more balanced.

Shane Shillingford becomes the first Dominican to play Test cricket in his home country.

Only four others have played for the West Indies and one stand is named after two of them, the Grayson Shillingford and Irving Shillingford Stand, two of Shane's distant cousins.

If the weather holds then a result can be expected as both captains have shown that they are intent on winning Test matches after bold moves in each of the first two Tests in the series.


Teams:
West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Kieran Powell, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Shane Shillingford

Australia: Michael Clarke (captain), Shane Watson (vice-capt), Ed Cowan, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey, Nathan Lyon, Ricky Ponting, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Umpires: Tony Hill (NZ), Marais Erasmus (SA), Third umpire: Ian Gould (ENG)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZ)

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No security concerns in Pakistan: Whatmore

LAHORE: Pakistan's Australian cricket coach Dav Whatmore Monday voiced disappointment at Bangladesh postponing their tour, saying he had felt no security concerns during his two months in the country.
Last week Bangladesh agreed to visit Pakistan for a one-day match and a Twenty20 international but the tour was delayed on Thursday by a Dhaka high court ruling over security fears.Pakistan had hoped the short tour would help revive international cricket in the country, suspended in the wake of deadly terror attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009."Like everyone else in Pakistan, I am also disappointed (with the postponement of the series)," Whatmore said. "We were close to choosing the team but now Bangladesh not coming everything is finished which is a bit disappointing."Whatmore, 57, played seven Tests for Australia and as coach guided Sri Lanka to their famous victory in the 1996 World Cup."From my personal view, having (been) born in Sri Lanka and lived through the civil war there, and now staying in Lahore I have faced no security problems," he said.He also coached Bangladesh to the Super Six Stages of the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies."I have not seen very many areas in Lahore and if I know some other areas I would like to go there, but I have faced no problems here," he said.Under Whatmore, Pakistan last month won the Asia Cup, also involving world champions India."It is very difficult for a nation so rich of cricket history to keep the game going without being able to host international teams," said Whatmore of Pakistan, who have been forced to play their "home" series on neutral venues, mostly in United Arab Emirates, since the Lahore attack.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) voiced hope on Monday that its Bangladeshi equivalent, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would appeal against the court order."PCB is hopeful that BCB will leave no stones unturned to get the stay order vacated," said a statement from the Pakistan board.PCB said it has asked the BCB to send copies of the court orders and any appeal documents that are lodged

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Kolkata defeat winless Deccan by five wickets

CUTTACK: Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Deccaan Chargers by five wickets with six ball remaining in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Barabati Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing 127 to win, the Knight Riders reached the target with ease in 19 overs for the loss of five wickets.
Their main scorers were Manoj Tiwari (30 not out), captain Gautam Gambhir (30) and South African allrounder Jacques Kallis (23).
For the Chargers, South Africa’s fast bowler Dale Steyn claimed two wickets for 24.
Earlier, Deccan Chargers sent into bat by Kolkata captain Gambhir, were restricted to 126 for seven in the allotted 20 overs.
Shikhar Dhawan top scored with 50 whereas for Kolkata, medium-fast bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji and West Indies off-break bowler Sunil Narine captured two wickets apiece.
Geo Super, the first sports tv channel of Pakistan showed the match live from Cuttack.

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