Why we call him Gentleman?

Why we call Sachin Tendulkar a Gentleman?

Pietersen is impressed with Yuvaraj

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen is impressed by the likes of Yuvraj Singh and feels players like him are taking Twenty20 cricket to the next level.

"There are a number of players taking T20 to the next level. I think all-rounders have the most to offer in T20 cricket," Pietersen said.

"I'm impressed by the likes of Yuvraj Singh of India - and other guys who can hit sixes, take wickets and generally field well," said the South Africa-born batsman who led Bangalore Royal Challengers for a while in the recently concluded Indian premier league

Pietersen considers West Indies captain Chris Gayle as the most destructive batsman in Twenty20 cricket.

"I rate Chris Gayle very highly - quite simply because his batting can tear apart even the best bowling. When he is in the groove, he is practically unstoppable. It's scary to watch him in full flight," he was quoted as saying by The Sun.

Among bowlers, Pietersen rated Brett Lee, Dale Steyn and Fidel Edwards as the toughest.

"The likes of Lee, Edwards and Steyn are probably the toughest bowlers. They are world-class pace bowlers and are difficult to face across all forms of the game and certainly no easier in T20," he said.

The former skipper hoped his England team-mates Stuart Broad and Ravi Bopara would shine in the Twenty20 World Cup.

"I think Stuart Broad and Ravi Bopara could really come to the fore in this tournament. They're very exciting players on the rise in world cricket," said the 28-year-old.

Pietersen also felt with England hosting the tournament, they have a real chance of winning the title.

"And the fact we are playing in our own backyard is a real advantage for England. We certainly know how to handle the conditions and we usually play pretty well on our home grounds.

"I would never discount us from doing well in the contest. The calibre of our players means we're in with a very good chance," he said.

Sourav Ganguly - New roll as a commentator

India's most successful captain Sourav Ganguly start a new innings post-retirement. It will be behind the microphone, as expert analyst for the ICC World Twenty20 , commencing in England on Saturday.

As per a deal with ESPN-STAR Sports, Ganguly will be part of a commentary panel that includes Ian Chappell, Ian Bishop, Wasim Akram, Sanjay Manjrekar, Harsha Bhogle and Nasser Hussain.

Ganguly, who will begin his stint with the channel from the semi-final stage, said he is excited about his new role, which also comprises interacting with his former teammates.

"I look forward to interviewing my erstwhile teammates. I am very excited about my new role as the ICC World Twenty20 is the biggest event for an analyst like me and I look forward to the semi-finals and the final where I will be commencing my stint with ESS," he said.

R C Venkateish, Managing Director, ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd. said Ganguly's uncanny ability to read match situations made him fit for the job.

New

Rajasthan is in top in earning from IPL-2009

Rajasthan has earned a highest profit of Rs. 35.1 crore despite they lost before semifinals. Another team Kings XI Punjab failed to earn a spot in semifinal is on second place with total earning of Rs. 26.1 Crores. The costliest team in the IPL Mumbai Indians did not able to make it to semifinals and may be lack of supporters is on the bottom of table in terms of earning with just 7.0 crore.

This year all franchisees have made the profit compare to last year just two franchisees (KKR and RR)

Table of Income and Expenses.

Income	RR	CSK	KKR	KXIP	DDD	M I	RCB	DC
Broadcasting	67.5	67.5	67.5	67.5	67.5	67.5	67.5	67.5
Sponsership	24.0	24.0	24.0	24.0	24.0	24.0	24.0	24.0
Misc Income	14.2	18.5	18.9	14.3	14.7	14.0	13.5	13.5
Prize Money	0.7	1.2	0.4	0.8	1.2	0.5	2.25	4.5
Total Income	106.4	111.2	110.8	106.6	107.4	106.0	107.25	109.5

Expenses

Franchisee Fee	30.8	41.9	34.5	35.5	35.0	38.6	51.5	49.2
Players	20.0	20.0	20.0	20.0	20.0	20.0	20.0	20.0
Misc Exp	20.5	27.5	30.5	25.5	25.5	27.5	27.5	25.5
Total Exp	71.3	89.4	85.0	80.5	84.1	99.0	99.1	94.7
Profit	35.1	21.8	25.8	26.1	23.3	7.0	8.15	14.8

* All amounts are in Rs. Crore

* Misc Income - Tickets sell, Advt in stadium, sell of merchandise, media tie-ups included

* Misc exp - Stadium rent, touring, accomodation and team promotion included.

Phone call : shanie , the bookie and KKR

A bookie calls Shane Warne before the match between Kolkata KnightRiders and Rajasthan Royals.

Cell phone rings. Warne picks up.

Warne : hello
Bookie : I am ….... Here.
Warne : yes tell me
Bookie : how is the pitch
Warne : ya dry and good for batting
Bookie : I want u to loose today’s match
Warne : impossible
Bookie : I will pay u $200,000
Warne : will be difficult to make KKR win.
Bookie : I will pay u $250,000
Warne : May be I could help you by reducing the margin… u tell by what margin we should win… will be much more easier
Bookie : no KKR should win
Warne : OK. I will try my best
Bookie : no make it.
Warne : OK.
Bookie : what will be the score
Warne : 200, if we bat first
Bookie : no make it 120
Warne : Impossible. Agarkar and Kartik are playing.
Bookie : 120 no change.
Warne : I will try
Bookie : OK. If KKR bat first
Warne : 110
Bookie : no make it 175
Warne : no u are asking too much. Ganguli is playing.
Bookie : OK make it $300,000
Warne : This would be the toughest match in my life
Bookie : OK, deal is made.
Warne : yes
Bookie : bye.
Match starts KKR bats first. KKR score only 120 in 20 overs. During the lunch break Shane’s cell rings.

Warne : hello
Bookie : its me. why did KKR score only 120. Our deal was 175.
Warne : What can I do ? They run one when they could run three, defend full toss, get out on wide balls, all catches and shots… I mean, if there is any… exactly directed to the fielders. But I will tell you this, Knight Riders are too good at this , I tried re-arranging the field…but they never miss a fielder.
Bookie : still u could bowl more no-balls. We got only 53 extras.
Warne : I asked all my bowlers to bowl badly. I also made Smith and Asnodkar bowl.
Bookie : Okay… leave that… I want u to loose the match.
Warne : I will try.
Bookie : Rajasthan Royals should be all out for 110
Warne : OK.
Bookie : bye.
Rajasthan Royals bats. They are making a serious attempt to not hit the ball and if at all they hit trying their best to hit to the fielders. They try to run only singles for doubles. But sometimes, they can’t stop themselves from running.
All Rajasthan Royals batsmen charged down to Kartik’s bowling and they purposely miss the ball hoping at least one
would hit the stumps. But they got to run a bye for that as McCullum is still searching for the ball . Inspite of the bad display of batting, they score 118 of 19 overs. Last over, 3 runs
required, the worst part is that its an Agarkar over. Warne is batting with Carseldine. Bookie gets really furious.

Warne is ready to face the last over his cell rings (he plays with his cell).
Warne : hello
Bookie : its me! . What are you upto ?
Warne : We tried the best we could
Bookie : OK forget it. I want u to loose the match
Warne : what can I do. Fate !!! Agarkar is bowling
Bookie : I don’t know… u are loosing

Agarkar bowls… Warne tries to hide his bat behind his back. But the ball hits the bat and goes to third man. So they take a single.
(cell rings)
Warne : sorry what can I do I was hiding my bat but still the ball comes and hit my bat. If I play much worse than this everybody will find out.
Bookie : (gets really tensed). OK I can understand. But please don’t take last two runs.

Warne talks to Carseldine. Agarkar bowls… a juicy full toss. Carseldine uses all his batting skills to restrict that one to a single. Scores are level.
(cell rings)
Bookie : OK. Past is past. Atleast finish it in a tie. I don’t know what u are going to do u are not taking a single or u give u’r bat to the umpire.
Warne : OK. OK. Don’t worry this time I will! see to it we are not taking the single. Let it be obvious also. I am not taking the single.

Agarkar bowls, unfortunately he bowls a no ball. RR wins the match.
Bookie goes mad and Shane warne faints in the field itself

Moral – With a team like KKR, who needs to fix a match =))

Validity of Run

Many a time we have seen that a batsman while running for run, he losses control over his bat and there is no contact between the batsman and the bat. Still he runs. The completed run is allowed.

Here my question is : whether that run is valid ?

when we refer following laws, and though nowhere in the law it is mentioned that runs should be completed only with the bat in the hand, I think such runs should not be allowed.

Reference:

PAGE NO	LAW NO	DESCRIPTION
11	2.7	The player acting as a runner for a batsman shall carry a bat
20	6.3(a)	Reference to the bat shall imply that the bat is held by the batsman
98	APPENDIX D	Implements of the game: Implement of the game includes bat.
101	--do--	THE BAT : The hand(or hands) holding the bat.
101	--do--	Equipment : a batsman's equipment is his bat
101	--do--	PERSON : A player's person , in case of a batsman, his bat

Referring the above, I think my contention will get some discussion or justice. Wherever referred to batsman/runner, the word bat appears as a must. So while running also, the batsman/runner shall have contact with his bat throughout the act of making and completing the run/runs.