Chennai: If money could fix results, the teams’s standing at the half-way mark of the IPL should have been the opposite of what it is. The supposed heavyweights ‘Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, bought for whopping $111.9 million, $111.6 million and $107 million respectively’ should have been in the top half instead of languishing among the bottom four.

By that logic, the relatively lightweights, Mohali ($76 million) and Delhi ($84 million), and Jaipur ($67 million), should have been fighting for survival.But that’s not how it is. The least expensive teams are perched at the top and it’s the heavyweights that are vying with each other in the fight to avoid being at rock bottom. See the graph.The situation they are in has a lot do with how their potential match-winners, on whom the franchise spent big money, have fared so far.

Being thrifty pays

The Jaipur story is the most interesting. They refrained from spending huge amounts on any individual, so much so that at one stage they were facing the prospect of incurring a penalty for not spending the required $5 million on buying players.They spent the maximum on Mohammed Kaif ($675000) and snared up a champion like Shane Warne for just $450,000. In what would arguably be the best buy of the league, they bought Shane Watson for mere $125,000 and Pakistan left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir for just $100,000.

Mohali, too, seemed to have got it right. They shelled out the maximum amount to book Irfan Pathan and Brett Lee after their icon player and skipper Yuvraj Singh. Though Lee left after playing four matches, Pathan is giving them value for money, leading the wicket takers’s chart.Delhi are another team who seem to have spent their money well. Virender Sehwag, the icon, and Gautam Gambhir, their most expensive players, are among the top run getters and have been giving them a flying start. But their best buy would be Glenn McGrath (he was picked up from the reserve pool after no one bid for him). McGrath has proved his weight with his superb showings.

Money for nothing?

When it comes to money not well spent, Mumbai top the list what with Sachin Tendulkar, their icon player, not taking the field so far owing to injury; Sanath Jayasuriya not living up to expectations and Harbhajan Singh making a disgraceful exit.As for Kolkata, their big buy Chris Gayle hasn’t played owing to injury and Brendon McCullum left too early to make a lasting impression. As for their biggest buy, Ishant Sharma ($9,50,000), the sum was perhaps too big for the youngster to justify.Bangalore too are struggling. Jacques Kallis, their biggest buy ($900,000) after icon Rahul Dravid, has been disappointing and Dravid too has proved to be ineffective.

Source: sports.in.msn.com

For the first time after he was sacked as the CEO of Bangalore Royal Challengers, Charu Sharma has spoken out exclusively to TIMES NOW. Refuting reports in the Pakistani newspaper ‘The Jung’, which claimed that the decision to keep Misbah on the bench in some of the IPL matches led to Sharma’s ouster, Charu Sharma categorically said that the report is a figment of someone’s imagination and that he never had any powers in the first place to pick or drop any player.

“It’s absolutely fantastic in terms of its incredible allegation. I wish I had the power to select the team, unfortunately that was not the case. Nothing could be further than the truth. I didn’t have that kind of power in the first place to pick up or drop any player in the team. ‘The Jung’ probably gets to get its news ratified before it goes further on the news. I wish the newspaper had checked their facts,” Charu Sharma said. He further added:”Misbah is a valuable player, the team would have played him as soon as they could.”

The report alleged that Vijay Mallya, the owner of the Bangalore team, had specifically told Sharma to convey his reservations to the team management over the decision not to play Misbah.According to the Pakistani newspaper ‘The Jung’, Bangalore Royal Challengers sacked its CEO Charu Sharma for benching Misbah-ul-Haq while coach Venkatesh Prasad saved his job by apologising for ignoring the Pakistani player.

‘The Jung’ claimed that the decision to keep Misbah on the bench in some of the IPL matches led to Sharma’s ouster and according to the report, Prasad too was on his way out before he tendered an apology and escaped a similar treatment. According to the daily, Prasad was sacked by the owner of the Bangalore team, Vijay Mallya, but the coach later
apologised and agreed to set things right due to which his termination orders were taken back. Prasad, however, was told that his performance was being monitored, it added.
Source :.timesnow.tv

Melbourne (PTI): Kolkata Knight Riders will be without their recent recruit Brad Hodge after Australia named the Twenty20 specialist batsman as cover for vice captain Michael Clarke, who is uncertain to join the squad for their West Indies tour.After Australia captain Ricky Ponting and Kiwi stumper-batsman Brendon McCullum left the IPL for national duties, the Knight Riders hastily roped in Hodge late last month to bolster the batting even though the Australian’s contribution so far has been one against Kings XI Punjab and 10 against Bangalore Royal Challengers.

Hodge was summoned for national duty as Clarke will not depart with teammates on Saturday after being given compassionate leave for private family reasons and his date of arrival in the West Indies is currently unclear.Hodge will act as a shadow player until Clarke joins the squad, Cricket Australia’s National Selection Panel (NSP) Chairman Andrew Hilditch said.”Brad has had another strong domestic season with the Victorian Bushrangers in all forms of the game. He is still very highly regarded by the National Selection Panel and this provides him with another opportunity to be involved with the Australian squad,” Hilditch said.

While Clarke’s father is fighting Hodgkin’s disease, it’s the grim condition of Graham Bingle, father of the cricketer’s fiancee Lara, that prompted the Australian vice captain to seek compassionate leave.
Although details are yet to be finalised, it is anticipated Hodge will join his Australian teammates in either Dubai or London as they travel to the West Indies.
Source: hindu.com

KOLKOTA: Reebok India on Friday created history of sorts by bringing sports and stardom together.

The official merchandise partner for Kolkata Knight Riders, the IPL team owned by Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, invited Khan to open its first Knight Riders store on Sarat Bose Road in Kolkata. Knight Rider’s fanatics were bowled over at this unexpected treat.Up for grabs at the store were specially designed Knight Riders footwear and apparel fan gear. The line is complete with accessories like caps, head bands, wristbands, bag packs etc. The merchandise is also available at Reebok stores across the country at a price band of Rs 149 to Rs 1899.

Speaking on the occasion, Subhinder Singh, Managing Director, Reebok India Company said: “It’s pure passion and zeal which drives Reebok as a brand and we see a parallel in Shahrukh’s Knight Riders with their courage, captivating spirit and endearing attitude coming in to play. As a sports brand we believe in fulfilling potential and we strive hard to provide the best to our athletes and our consumers. With this store which embodies the spirit of Knight Riders we invite everyone to be a part of this astonishing fervor and be the 12th man.”

Shahrukh Khan’s message to his fans was clear “Be a Knight with Reebok.” At the store opening Shahrukh said, “In Reebok I see a perfect fit. They embody the spirit of fulfilling potential, they have the passion to nurture talent and the aggression to take sports to the next level. I am excited that Reebok has created a benchmark by opening an exclusive Reebok Kolkata Knight Riders store for the fans. Launching a Knight Riders special fan gear is an initiative to inspire the fans to wear their emotions on their sleeves thereby taking the “Real Knight” into their homes.”

Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com

The 30th match between Rajasthan Royals and Deccan Chargers was supposed to be a thriller but it ended in a one side affair with Rajasthan Royals beating the Deccan Chargers by 8 wickets. First the bowlers of Rajasthan Royals restricted the formidable batting line up of Deccan Chargers to 140 runs and then the batsmen played brilliant shots to register one more win for Rajasthan Royals.Chasing the target, Rajasthan Royals got to a flying start and had a century partnership for the first wicket. Yousaf Pathan was the first to go followed by Smith.But after that it was a cakewalk as they scored a very easy win over Deccan Chargers.

Today – Match 30 – Scorecard – Rajasthan Royals vs Deccan Chargers