India Grand Prix: Ecclestone open to two races in India

October 26, 2012

Bernie-Ecclestone-Formula

India can hope to host two Formula One races within the next decade but the country faces plenty of competition on a crowded calendar, according to the sport's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

In a conversation ranging from sacred cows on India's roads to Lewis Hamilton's move to Mercedes next season, the Briton told reporters at the Indian Grand Prix that a second race in the country was a possibility.

"We've got too many races now either in the championship or about to go in. So, later on maybe. Three or four years," he said.

Ecclestone doubted it would be in Mumbai, home of the 'Bollywood' film industry and the country's financial capital, but "one of the other big places" instead.

Asked whether Mumbai would not be the obvious place, with Sunday's race catering for the capital at the Buddh Circuit some 45km south of New Delhi, he grinned mischievously: "Probably is, actually."

Next year's calendar will have 19 races, a reduction from 20 this season, with New Jersey's debut postponed to 2014 and Valencia now alternating with Barcelona.

Russia is due to make a first appearance in 2014, with a race following on from the Winter Olympics in Sochi, and Mexico and Thailand are among those countries also pushing to be included.

Ecclestone said next year would be too soon for Mexico, whose interest in the sport is likely to soar with Sergio Perez replacing Hamilton at McLaren.

The country last hosted a grand prix at Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, a circuit named after the late brothers Pedro and Ricardo who both raced for Ferrari in the 1960s, in 1992.

"They haven't got a circuit that's ready," said Ecclestone, who shook his head when asked about the old one. "That's the problem. It's the old one. It just needs sorting out a bit."


INDIAN BIRTHDAY

The Briton, looking in good shape ahead of his 82nd birthday on Sunday, said New Jersey's decision to postpone had not cost local organisers money - "because they haven't got it" - and hoped a new contract would be agreed for 2014.

Sitting in front of a backgammon set - having just concluded a 'board meeting' with old friend and playing partner Karl-Heinz Zimmermann - Ecclestone was open-minded about the Formula One championship as it entered the decisive last four races.

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, who is close to Ecclestone and occasionally joins him for a game of backgammon, is chasing his third title in a row with a six points lead over Ferrari's Fernando Alonso - also a double champion.

"I don't mind who wins. I think the guy that deserves to win eventually will win," said the Briton, whose grip on Formula One remains as firm as ever despite legal troubles in Germany over the past sale of a stake in the sport.

Hamilton is effectively out of the picture and has said he does not expect to win much with Mercedes, who have been off the pace for most of the season, in 2013 as the team prepares for a radical shift in the rules for the year after.

Ecclestone had no doubt that his arrival, in place of the retiring seven times champion Michael Schumacher, would be beneficial for the team.

"I think it's good for Mercedes. If they are going to really get their act together they need someone like Lewis that's going to do a bit of inspiring to people that want to go and work there," he declared.

"Nobody wants to work for a team (when) they don't look as if they are doing well but now maybe they will. I think his name is enough... which is what everyone expected of Michael."

The supremo said a new 'Concorde Agreement', the document binding the sport's commercial side together and expected to be signed soon by all parties, was "beautiful" and "one of the best Concordes we have ever had".

The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA), led by Jean Todt, wants to raise the entry fees paid by teams as part of that deal, to help finance it's own activities, and Ecclestone saw a logic to that.

"He wants to put the FIA on the same sort of footing as FIFA and the IOC and all those (bodies)," he said. "Nice big offices and making it look like a prestige federation."

Road safety is one of Todt's priorities in office but Ecclestone, back in controversial mode, cast a blind eye on the hazards of driving in India, where cows often wander across highways and elephants loom out of the dark among the unlit trucks and mopeds.

"It's no more (mad) than lots of places we go to. Are you going to Brazil?," enquired the bespectacled octogenarian, who is driven to the track in India.

"I haven't seen any cows. Same as when I went to Bahrain. I didn't see any protesters."




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News Network
February 21,2020

Wellington, Feb 22: shant Sharma's lion-hearted bowling effort met its match in Kane Williamson's elegance as New Zealand ended an attritional second day of the opening Test against India with a slight upper-hand, here on Saturday.

After another lower-order collapse that saw India get bundled out for 165, Ishant, coming straight back from an ankle injury, took three for 31 in 15 overs despite Williamson's effortless 89 in New Zealand's day-end score of 216 for 5.

New Zealand now lead by 51 runs.

Mohammed Shami (1/61 in 17 overs), during his final spell of the day, removed Williamson, who couldn't check an uppish drive. Henry Nicholls' (17 off 62 balls) struggle seemed to have hampered Williamson's rhythm.

During the final hour, Ravichandran Ashwin (1/60 in 21 overs), who also bowled beautifully throughout the day, relieved Nicholls' of his agony with a delivery that had drift and a hint of turn as India skipper Virat Kohli snapped the low catch at second slip.

Williamson looked good as he hit some delightful strokes square off the wicket. The square drive on the rise off Jasprit Bumrah (0/62 in 18.1 overs), followed by a cover drive, showed his class.

In all, the New Zealand skipper hit 11 boundaries off 153 balls.

Bumrah, in particular, was punished by Williamson, who also back-cut him for a boundary and Taylor then punished another half volley through the covers.

There were quite a few loose deliveries on offer from the Indian pacers and in between a few did beat the bat. With the 'Basin' baked in sunshine, batting became lot more easier and Black Caps seized the initiative.

Bumrah, in particular, failed to find his length consistently. Either he bowled too full and drivable length deliveries or too short that even Rishabh Pant failed to gather with the ball going a couple feet over his head.

This is where Ishant came into the picture. While he was lucky to get opener Tom Latham out with a delivery drifting on leg-stump, the other opener Tom Blundell (30) had a typical Ishant dismissal written all over it.

The ball was full on the off-stump channel and jagged back enough to find the gap between his bat and pad.

Williamson and Taylor then had a partnership of 93 runs during which New Zealand also got the lead before Ishant, coming back for his third spell, bowled one that reared up from good length and proved to be an easy catch for Cheteshwar Pujara at short-leg.

Once Nicholls came in, Williamson, who was batting fluently, suddenly had a player at the opposite end who scored only 4 off 34 balls.

Looking good for his 22nd Test hundred, Williamson, in his bid to get another boundary, couldn't check a cover drive and the low catch was taken by substitute fielder Ravindra Jadeja.

Earlier, New Zealand's debutant Kyle Jamieson and veteran Tim Southee took four wickets apiece as Indian innings folded in 68.1 overs.

Jamieson (4/49 in 16 overs) and Southee (4/49 in 20.1 overs) took four of the five wickets that fell on the second morning with India adding only 43 runs to their overnight score of 122 for 5.

Rishabh Pant (19) started with a six but then a horrible mix-up with senior partner Ajinkya Rahane (46) resulted in a run-out and the little chance of recovery was gone for good.

It was a poor call from the senior player and Pant had to sacrifice his wicket in the process.

Ashwin then received a beauty from Southee, pretty similar to what Prithvi Shaw got, while Rahane inside edged one while trying to leave it alone.

With India at 132 for 7, Rahane knew that time was running out as he played a square drive off Trent Boult to get him a boundary.

Southee then got rid of Rahane when he tried to shoulder arm a delivery that made a late inward movement. Mohammed Shami's entertaining 21 then enabled the visitors to cross the 150-run mark.

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Agencies
April 15,2020

Former Australia batsman Mike Hussey has heaped praise on MS Dhoni, saying the veteran Indian wicketkeeper-batsman is the "greatest finisher" the game of cricket has ever seen.

"Dhoni is the greatest finisher of all time that the cricketing world has ever produced," Hussey said while speaking to Sanjay Manjrekar on ESPNcricinfo's Videocast.

"Dhoni can keep his cool and make the opposition captain blink first. Dhoni also has unbelievable power. He knows that when he needs to clear the ropes, he can do it. He has that kind of self-belief. Honestly, I didn't have that kind of belief in myself," he added.

The former Australian batsman, who shared the dressing room with Dhoni for the Chennai Super Kings, said the 38-year-old Indian believes in the philosophy that he who panics last, wins the game.

"I tried not to let it reach 12 or 13 runs an over," said Hussey while talking about his ability to finish the game without much hiccups.

"And I learnt this from MS Dhoni. He is incredible. He believes that he who panics last wins the game. So Dhoni would keep his cool, and keep it longer because the pressure is on the bowler as well," he added.

The 44-year-old believes that the greatest players of the game have a few common traits like "they don't hang on to a defeat for too long. If they lose, they move on quickly. They don't let a loss or a win hamper their thinking".

"They are always consistent, and level headed whether it's MS Dhoni or Ricky Ponting."

Hussey, who played 59 IPL matches for CSK, further revealed the secret about the franchise's success in the Indian Premier League.

"And I learnt this from MS Dhoni. He is incredible. He believes that he who panics last wins the game. So Dhoni would keep his cool, and keep it longer because the pressure is on the bowler as well," he added.

The 44-year-old believes that the greatest players of the game have a few common traits like "they don't hang on to a defeat for too long. If they lose, they move on quickly. They don't let a loss or a win hamper their thinking".

"They are always consistent, and level headed whether it's MS Dhoni or Ricky Ponting."

Hussey, who played 59 IPL matches for CSK, further revealed the secret about the franchise's success in the Indian Premier League.

"Supportive owners who let coach Stephen Fleming and captain Dhoni decide how to run the team, excellent chemistry between the coach and the captain, Dhoni's leadership and lastly the foresight of the owners, Fleming and Dhoni to pick the best players, particularly the good Indian players and then stick with them for as long as possible."

"This has built an excellent continuity in the team. And once you have continuity, you build relationships and trust that otherwise takes time to grow," he added.

Hussey also said that once Dhoni bids adieu to the game, CSK would probably like to start all over again.

"That's a 60-million-dollar question, and I am equally intrigued. I believe the owners would like to keep Dhoni involved in some way or the other," said Hussey.

"However, whenever the change of guard happens, CSK might want to start all over again, build a brand, new team, and use their existing philosophy as they enter the next decade of IPL. It is definitely going to be more challenging in current times," he added.

Dhoni was supposed to lead CSK in the 13th IPL edition which now stands postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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News Network
January 23,2020

Jan 23: Quinton de Kock has been named as the new captain of the South Africa One-Day International side, taking over from Faf du Plessis, who is dropped altogether from the three-match series against England next month.

Du Plessis led South Africa in their disastrous 2019 World Cup campaign and has hinted at international retirement from all formats following the Twenty20 global finals in Australia later this year.

"We all know the quality of the player that Quinton de Kock has grown to become," CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Over the years we have watched him grow in confidence and become one of the top ODI wicket-keeper batsmen in the world. He has a unique outlook and manner in which he goes about his business and is tactically very street smart."

De Kock leads a 15-man squad with five uncapped players in seamers Lutho Sipamla and Sisanda Magala, left-arm orthodox spinner all-rounder Bjorn Fortuin, opening batsman Janneman Malan and wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne.

Magala, leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, seamer Lungi Ngidi and hard-hitting opening batsman Jon Jon Smuts must pass fitness tests before they can join the squad.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will be rested for the series, while allrounders Chris Morris and Dwaine Pretorius have also not been able to force their way in.

"The road towards the 2023 Cricket World Cup starts now and we want players doing well in our domestic structures to see the rewards of the hard work that they have put in," CSA Independent Selector Linda Zondi added.

The first ODI will be staged in Cape Town on Feb.4th, with the second in Durban three days later and the final match of the series to be held in Johannesburg on Feb.9th.

Squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Jon Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne.

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