Sussex claim Twenty20 Cup

Sussex 172 for 7 (Smith 59) beat Somerset 109 (Kirtley 3-9, Beer 2-29) by 63 runs. MoM:Dwayne Smith...

Sussex secured the Twenty20 Cup for the first time as their spinners followed up a hard-hitting display from Dwayne Smith, who clubbed 59 off 26 balls, to complete a 63-run thrashing of Somerset. When Marcus Trescothick launched Somerset's pursuit of 173 the chase looked easy, but he fell for 33 and scoring became increasingly tough on a wearing surface.

The victory compensates handsomely for Sussex's Friends Provident Final defeat at the hands of Hampshire last month and they have also turned the tables on the curse of the first semi-finalists on Finals Day. Only on one previous occasion, in 2006, had the team winning the first semi gone on to claim the title. Sides have often found it difficult to lift themselves again after the downtime, but Sussex had no such problem.

On a day when overseas and senior talent played leading roles, the performance of Will Beer, the 20-year-old legspinner, was worthy of many plaudits as he claimed two key middle-order scalps in a nerveless display. If it hadn't been for Peter Trego, Beer's figures would have been exemplary.

Sussex's bowlers were supported by confident catching - not always easy under the less-powerful floodlights - with Rory-Hamilton Brown steadying himself under three, including the crucial one of Trescothick. However, the pick of the catches came from the captain, Michael Yardy, who plucked out Zander de Bruyn's drive at extra cover. With that went any faint hopes of a Somerset fightback. "It was a team performance," Yardy said, "I don't think anyone had a bad game."

Dravid returns to one-day squad

Rahul Dravid has, as expected, made a return to India's ODI plans with his inclusion in the squad for the tri-series in Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy next month. Dravid replaces Rohit Sharma, who managed 15 runs in three ODI innings in the West Indies and 43 runs in three innings against major opposition in the World Twenty20. The selectors didn't risk taking Virender Sehwag, who is yet to fully recover from his shoulder injury, to the Champions Trophy. He was not expected to make it to the Sri Lanka tri-series anyway.

Dravid last played an ODI for India in October 2007, but his form in the second IPL season in South Africa - where the Champions Trophy will be held - and the vulnerability of India's younger middle-order batsmen in the recent World Twenty20 prompted the selectors to fall back on his experience and technique.

Sachin Tendulkar, who had opted out of the West Indies ODIs, makes a comeback. Suresh Raina, who was out because of a hairline fracture of the thumb, also returns. Amit Mishra breaks into the ODI squad, replacing Pragyan Ojha as the back-up spinner to Harbhajan Singh, on the back of his impressive showings in the IPL and the Emerging Players Tournament in Australia.

Terming Dravid as "one of the best players India has produced", Harbhajan Singh welcomed his and Tendulkar's return. "We have some senior players like Tendulkar and Dravid back in the side, so we have the required experience," he said. "It is important to do well as after the tri-series, we have important tournament like Champions Trophy coming up. Responsibility will be there on all the players."

Dinesh Karthik, who came in for the West Indies ODIs as replacement for Sehwag, and Abhishek Nayar, who edged out Ravindra Jadeja, have retained their places.

Kris Srikkanth, the chairman of selectors, said it was the "best possible Indian team". "It's a very balanced team and we are confident they would go on to win the Champions Trophy in South Africa," Srikkanth said.

India one-day squad: Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ashish Nehra, RP Singh, Amit Mishra, Dinesh Karthik, and Abhishek Nayar

Charles Coventry equals ODI highest Individual Score!!!!

Bangladesh 313 for 6 (Tamim 154, Price 3-60) beat Zimbabwe 312 for 8 (Coventry 194*) by four wickets.
Charles Coventry made the joint highest individual score in an ODI but his effort was outweighed by a sparkling, cool-headed century from Tamim Iqbal, who broke the record for the most runs made in an innings by a Bangladesh batsman. Coventry's blockbuster innings pushed Zimbabwe beyond 300, far more than Bangladesh have chased before, but the visitors were rarely troubled as they hunted down the target to take their third consecutive series.Charles Coventry made the joint highest individual score in an ODI but his effort was outweighed by a sparkling, cool-headed century from Tamim Iqbal, who broke the record for the most runs made in an innings by a Bangladesh batsman. Coventry's blockbuster innings pushed Zimbabwe beyond 300, far more than Bangladesh have chased before, but the visitors were rarely troubled as they hunted down the target to take their third consecutive series.

A prickly situation for champions league T20....

Northamptonshire will face Sussex in one of the semi-finals of the ECB’s Twenty20 championship on August 15 and should it enter the final to be played at Birmingham on the same day, the English county will be disqualified from the Champions League Twenty20 be played in India from October 8 to 23.

“Should Northants qualify for the final, it will be not allowed to take part in the CLT20 in India. In that event only one team from England will be allowed to play in the CLT20,” said Lalit Modi, Chairman, CLT20 league.

Nicky Boje is the captain of the Northants team and other members of the team are South Africans Andrew Hall and J J van der Wath.

Michael Owen-Smith, Media Officer of the Cricket South Africa told The Hindu that he understands that the three have cut links with ICL, but Cricket South Africa has set a six month cool off period.

Meanwhile, according to Tony Irish, CEO of the South Africa Cricketers Association, Van der Wath, Boje and Kemp have applied for reinstatement with CSA and have been cleared subject to the cooling off period of 6 months which will happen by the start of the CSA season. “The Champions League also have to clear them. No ICL player including the cleared ones will be allowed to play in the Champions League this year for England qualifiers as it would prejudice teams from other countries who have not been able to use them.

“In other words the earliest Van der Wath, Boje and Kemp can qualify for the Champions League is in 2010,” said Irish.

Mr. Modi hinted that a fourth IPL team may be accommodated in the event of Northants’ disqualification, but things would become clear after August 15 once the results of the ECB Twenty20 semifinals are known.

“We would not like to dilute the CLT20 with a fourth Indian team,” said a BCCI official.

But the circumstances may create an opportunity for Chennai Super Kings — finalist in IPL season I and semifinalist in IPL season II — to claim for an entry into the CLT20 league.

IPL-III to start in Hyderabad

Title holder Deccan Chargers will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Hyderabad in the opening match of the 60-match IPL season 3 to be played from March 12 to April 25, 2010. This was announced by Lalit Modi, Chairman of the IPL Governing Council here on Monday.

The additional match will be a play–off for the third and fourth position between the losing semifinalists.

It was also announced that Mumbai Indians will play a few matches at Nagpur, Deccan Chargers at Visakhapatnam, Kings XI Punjab at Dharamsala and Rajasthan Royals at Ahmedabad.

Modi also announced that in 2011 two more franchise teams would be added to make for 10 teams and playing 94 matches in 12 centres.

The governing council has also in principle decided to provide an opportunity for former ICL players to feature from the 2009 event.

“The BCCI had taken a decision that the former rebel players, who accepted the amnesty offer by May 31, will not be allowed entry into the IPL for 12 months.

“But the Working Committee here on Thursday is likely to allow them and issue guidelines.

It’s been proposed that they should not be paid lower than Rs. 8 lakh and in excess of Rs. 20 lakh. It’s up to the BCCI to draft the guidelines and identify players in the two categories.

“If a franchise had signed in a player from the former ICL group, it will be treated as null and void,” said Modi.

Revealing that the expenses for season II held in South Africa were much higher, Mr. Modi said the modalities of making up the shortfall of the eight franchises will be addressed at a meeting next week with the team owners.

“The prices of tickets were much lower than it was in India in 2008 and the capacity at each ground in South Africa was lower than the venues in India. Taking all this into account we will work out ways to meet the shortfall of the team owners. The IPL will try to understand all factors and cover the shortfall.”

A significant change has also been made to the strategic time out (seven and half minutes after the first 10 overs in South Africa) for the season III next year. The fielding captain will have the option to take a two and half minute STO between the 6th and 10th overs and the batsman will have the option to take a two and half minute STO between the 11th and 16th overs.

Among other decisions taken were: IPL will use the services of ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit; Transfer window from December 15 to January 5, 2010; All capped international players will have to go through an auction that will be decided in consultation with the franchises; IPL to maintain $ 7 million cap at the auction; Players to obtain NOC from member countries of ICC every year.

This is to maintain the paramount nature of the ICC’s Future Tour Programme (FTP); Icon player status to be abolished.

Eight players undergo fitness tests

Eight cricketers, including skipper M.S. Dhoni, went through a fitness test under the supervision of coach Gary Kirsten at the Ferozeshah Kotla here on Monday.

The tests were basically a platform for Kirsten to interact with the players who have had a rare lay-off for more than a month.

Apart from Dhoni, the others who attended the fitness drill were Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, R.P. Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Praveen Kumar, Suresh Raina and Ishant Sharma.

The three-hour tests were for players from North, Central and East Zones. Yuvraj Singh will attend the session in Mumbai on Tuesday with players from West and South. Virender Sehwag, recovering from a shoulder injury, was not present.

The focus was on sprint repeat, a drill that involves assessment of strong strides. The weather was not really amiable for such a fitness drill and the players too were hardly excited. Most of them have been training regularly during the one-month lay-off with concentration on gym work.

As Kirsten noted at the end of the session, the idea was to assess their physical condition.

He said the results of this test would be compared with the results of tests to be taken at the National Cricket Academy during the four-day preparatory camp from August 27 for the three-nation tournament in Sri Lanka to be held from Sept. 8.

This is the beginning of our preparations for the coming season,” said Kirsten, expressing satisfaction with the way the players responded.

Australia level with crushing win

Australia 445 (North 110, Clarke 93, Ponting 78, Broad 6-91) beat England 102 and 263 (Swann 62, Broad 61, Johnson 5-69, Hilfenhaus 4-60) by an innings and 80 runs. MoM: Marcus North.

Australia required a session and six overs on the third day at Headingley to wrap up a thumping innings-and-80-run victory against England, and so draw level at 1-1 in the Ashes with just the fifth Test at The Oval to come in a fortnight's time. Mitchell Johnson had the honour of sewing up the contest with his fifth wicket of a resurgent performance, when he bowled Graham Onions for a duck to confirm his return to his best and most hostile form, and underline the fact that Australia have suddenly emerged as firm favourites to complete their 10th Ashes victory in their last 11 contests.

It was not, however, a day that went entirely to plan for Australia, who were frustrated - not for the first time in the series - by England's tail, not least Stuart Broad, who added a boundary-laden 61 from 49 balls to his earlier six-wicket haul, as he became the first England cricketer to achieve such an Ashes double since Darren Gough at Sydney in 1994-95.