Watson begs to differ with Taylor, says ‘IPL teaches life lessons’

April 27, 2013

Watson_IPL

Jaipur, Apr 27: For former Australia captain Mark Taylor, the IPL is a major worry for Australian cricket, a distraction even. But according to Shane Watson, the Indian franchise-based league is a unique offering for the game's current crop of cricketers, who can use this platform to rub shoulders with the legends of the game.

"The game of cricket has evolved and the environment has changed now. With Test, one dayers and T20s around, you have to make adjustments in your mindset too. We need a month long preparation for adapting to Indian conditions and Chennai like wickets but just after one practice match we have to play a Test match," Watson argued. "IPL gave me a great opportunity, working as a catalyst and I could blossom as a cricketer as well as a person. There may be difference in opinion but the IPL have positives too," he said.

This reaction was brought about after Watson was asked about Taylor's IPL comments, saying that the money on offer for playing in the tournament is a huge distraction for blossoming Australian cricketers as they stop taking their national services seriously. Why, Taylor had said, would someone bother about Test cricket when they can become millionaires by playing two months of non-serious IPL cricket?

"We can't change the times. Nothing can be ensured," said Watson. "The West Indian team during the 70s and 80s used to be very strong with a plethora of batting and bowling talent. Australians were strong in 90s and early 2000s. This is part of the cycle. The past few years have been difficult for us and it is true that we don't have the kind of batting depth we want but we have to choose the best from the available talent. But youngsters like Glenn Maxwell do get an opportunity to play along the likes of Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh. He can gain invaluable experience not only for cricket but also about life. Learning about each other's culture in this amalgam of cricketers of different countries is wonderful," he said.

Zimbabwe 158-4 after Bangladesh posts 391

HARARE: Zimbabwe were 158-4 and 233 runs behind Bangladesh's first-innings score of 391 at stumps on day two of the second Test at Harare Sports Club on Friday. Bangladesh dismissed Brendan Taylor for 36 late in the final session for an important breakthrough after the Zimbabwe skipper made two centuries in his team's strong win in the first Test. Zimbabwe was 34 short of the follow-on by the end of play, with Malcolm Waller 30 not out and Elton Chigumbura unbeaten after a rapid 45 off 49 balls with five fours.

The tourists have still fought back strongly over the first two days of the final Test after a heavy 335-run defeat last weekend. After posting a good total, Bangladesh removed Zimbabwe openers Regis Chakabva and Vusi Sibanda inside 13 overs and Taylor holed out to midwicket off Sohag Gazi after a typically watchful 104-ball innings.

Bangladesh earlier added 91 to its overnight score, with Nasir Hossain eventually out for 77. He was helped by lower-order contributions from Sohag Gazi, who made 21, and No. 11 Robiul Islam, who was 24 not out.

Hossain and Gazi put on 51 for the eighth wicket to push Bangladesh close to 400 after earlier half-centuries by Shakib Al Hasan and captain Mushfiqur Rahim on Thursday. Hossain clattered 11 boundaries in a belligerent 77 from 103 balls before legspinner Graeme Cremer bowled him round his legs.

Brief scores: Bangladesh 391 all out in 113.2 overs (Shakib Al-Hasan 81, Mushfiqur Rehman 60, Elton Chigumbura 3 for 75, Keegan Meth 2 for 41) vs Zimbabwe 158 for four in 62 overs (Brendan Taylor 36, E Chigumbura 45*, Robibul Islam 2 for 34)

ECB dismisses Kaneria appeal against ban

LONDON: Former Pakistan legspinner Danish Kaneria lost his appeal against a lifetime ban by the ECB for his role in a corruption scandal, ruining his hopes of a return to international cricket. Kaneria was banned by the ECB last year for pressuring former Essex teammate Mervyn Westfield into spot-fixing in an English county one-day game in 2009. Pakistan Cricket Board reacted by also suspending him until the case was resolved. The ECB released a statement Friday saying an appeals panel of the Cricket Discipline Commission dismissed Kaneria's request following a week-long hearing.

The appeal of Westfield, who served two months of a four-month jail sentence for deliberately conceding a set number of runs in an over, will be heard at a later date. He is midway through a five-year ban issued by the ECB. During a criminal trial, Westfield named Kaneria as the person who pressured him into accepting $9,400 from a bookmaker to underperform in a Pro40 match in 2009.

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Agencies
August 1,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 1: Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are aiming to set up their preparatory camp for the 13th edition of the tournament from early August.

This year's IPL was slated to commence from March 29 but the tournament was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Recently, the IPL Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel had confirmed that the 13th edition of the mega event will commence on September 19 in the UAE.

As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, CSK players have been asked to report to Chennai first, following which they will leave for Dubai via a charter flight only after approval from the Indian government.

The IPL Governing Council will meet on August 2 to finalise the schedule and other key arrangements for the tournament. Also, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) around securing eight teams for 51 days across three venues will be formally established in that meeting.

CSK, who has the oldest squad in the IPL, are looking for a month's preparation before ahead of the tournament.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, the side was the first team to start their training camp in March. Senior players like Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu had begun training their training in December 2019.

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Agencies
June 7,2020

New Delhi, Jun 7: Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria on Sunday said that Sourav Ganguly would be fit to lead the International Cricket Council (ICC), and added there is no reason for respective cricket boards to not support Ganguly if he wants to hold the post.

In an interaction with media, the former spinner said Ganguly has all the qualities of leading the ICC as he has been a reputed cricketer and knows what a player goes through in his life.

"I also think that it would be really helpful if Sourav Ganguly goes on to lead ICC, it will help cricket and the players as a reputed cricketer will hold such a big post, he has played professional cricket, he has led the Indian side and he has also held an administrative post in the Cricket Association of Bengal," Kaneria told media.

"It depends on all of the boards whether they want to support Ganguly or not, if other boards support Ganguly and PCB doesn't, then also Ganguly would have the maximum number of votes, as a cricketer Ganguly is fit to lead the ICC, he had led the Indian side so well and he has earned a name for himself, so I don't see any reason for boards not supporting Ganguly," he added.

Ganguly had become the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) last year, but speculation continued to rise over the former skipper heading the ICC.

"He is currently the president of the BCCI, he knows in and out of everything, he knows what players have to deal with and he is aware of what cricket needs, he knows what support needs to be given to associate nations, players would be able to put forward their point in front of Ganguly," Kaneria said.

In May this year, Cricket South Africa's (CSA) director of cricket Graeme Smith had backed Ganguly to lead the ICC looking at the current scenario.

"Now it is even more important to have someone in a role who can provide leadership who understands and can navigate the challenges in the game today. I think post-COVID with the things that are going to come our way, to have strong leadership is important. I feel that someone like Sourav Ganguly is best positioned for that at the moment," sport24.co.za had quoted Smith as saying.

"I know him well, I played against him a number of times and worked with him as an administrator and in television. I feel that he has got the credibility, the leadership skills, and is someone that can really take the game forward and I think that, more than anything, that is needed right now at an ICC level," he added.

ICC's elections are slated to be held in July this year and current chairperson Shashank Manohar has already clarified that he is not seeking a tenure extension.

Ganguly was exceptional in making India play its first day-night Test last year.

India had played its inaugural day-night Test against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens last year.

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News Network
May 6,2020

May 6: They have similar impact on their teams but Virat Kohli is driven by sheer passion to subdue the rivals while Steve Smith just enjoys batting, says Australia opener David Warner.

India skipper Kohli and top Australian batsman Smith are arguably the top two cricketers of the current era. They achieve new milestones consistently, invoking debates, who is better between them.

"Virat's passion and drive to score runs is different to what Steve's would be," Warner said while speaking to Harsha Bhogle on 'Cricbuzz in Conversation'.

"Steve is going out there for a hit in the middle, that's how he sees things. He's hitting them out in the middle, he's having fun, he's enjoying himself, just does not want to get out."

Warner feels, while Kohli is batting he is aware that if he sticks around the middle his team will be on top of the proceedings.

"Virat obviously doesn't want to get out but he knows if he spends a certain amount of time out there, he's going to score plenty of runs at a rapid rate. He's going to get on top of you. That allows the guys coming in, especially in the Indian team you've got a lot of players who can be flamboyant as well."

The Australian opener added that both men are mentally strong and a good knock by them boosts the morale of the entire team.

"When it comes to cricket, they both have got the mental strength, the mental capacity to score runs. They both love spending time in the middle.

"They stabilise, they boost morale - if they score runs, everyone else's moral is up. If they are out cheaply you almost sense that on the field that everyone is (down on morale and thinking) 'now we all have to step up'. It's a very bizarre situation," he added.

Asked about the similarities between himself and Kohli, who are both live wires on the field, Warner said the passion to do better than the opponent keeps him going.

"I can't speak for Virat, obviously, but it's almost like we got this thing in us when we go (out to the middle) we need to prove people wrong, prove someone wrong."

"If you're in that contest, and if I'm going at him for example, you're thinking, 'Alright, I'm going to score more runs than him, I'm going to take a quick single on him'. You are trying to better that person in that game. That's where the passion comes from."

Warner also explained how he breaks down a match into smaller competitions.

"Obviously you want to win the game but you almost break it down to: If I can score more runs than Virat, or if Pujara scores more runs than Steve Smith, you have these little contests and that's how you try to narrow the game in the sense that if we do these little things, we can be ahead of the game or we can be behind the game.

"The passion is driven by...I know my sense - one, the will to win and two, wanting to do better than that person in the opposition," said Warner.

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