Surrey v Lancashire: Kevin Pietersen in sensational form

Kevin Pietersen hammered a sensational double hundred as Surrey replied to Lancashire's huge total in fine style.

The visitors, resuming on 425-7, added a further 60 runs before they declared on 485-7 with Steven Croft, 104 not out overnight, reaching an unbeaten 154.

Surrey, struggling at 49-2 when Pietersen arrived, ended the day on 430-5 with Pietersen unbeaten on 234.

He hit eight sixes and 30 fours in his 190-ball innings as a stunning 495 runs were scored on day three at Guildford.

Zander de Bruyn weighed in with 94 and Jason Roy scored 38 as Surrey, seventh in the Division One table, claimed maximum batting points for the first time this season.

The hosts needed to reach 336 to avoid the follow-on and they looked in trouble when Rory Burns was out first ball before Zafar Ansari (21) was also dismissed cheaply.

But Pietersen warmed up for next week's first Test against South Africa with the highest score by any batsman in the 2012 County Championship season.

His next target will be to pass the highest score of his career, the 254 not out he made for Nottinghamshire against Gloucestershire in August 2002

Source BBC

Brett Lee: Australia fast bowler retires from international cricket

Australia fast bowler Brett Lee has retired from international cricket.

The 35-year-old returned home early from the recent one-day tour of England with a calf strain, the latest in a long line of injuries.

Lee quit Test cricket in February 2010 and exits the one-day arena with 380 wickets - one short of Glenn McGrath's record for an Australian - at an average of 23.36 from 221 matches.

"You get to the point in life where you say enough is enough," Lee said.
"The last two or three nights I thought about it a lot. I woke up this morning and just felt like I was ready."

He told Australia's Channel 9: "I think in a team environment you have to have 100% commitment, mentally and physically.

"I guess, looking at the next few months, I just didn't have that desire any more. It wouldn't be fair on me or my team if I went with that attitude."

At his peak, Lee was arguably the finest quick bowler in the world, and bowled the second-fastest recorded delivery of all time at 99.9mph in Napier, New Zealand, in 2005.

Born in New South Wales, Lee made his Test debut against India in 1999 and his one-day
bow the following year.

Only six players have bettered Lee's tally of 380 ODI wickets. He also took 310 wickets at an average of 30.81 in 76 Tests, and 28 wickets at 25.50 apiece in 25 Twenty20
internationals.

Source : BBC

England v Australia: Steven Finn stars in record ninth straight win

Steven Finn took four wickets as a rampant England strolled to an eight-wicket victory over Australia to win the one-day series with a match to spare.

Finn (4-37) twice took two wickets in consecutive balls as Australia could manage only 200-9 in seam-friendly conditions in Durham. David Hussey top-scored for the tourists
with 70.

England openers Ian Bell (69) and Alastair Cook put on 70 to cement England's advantage, before Jonathan Trott (64 not out) and Ravi Bopara (33no) finished the job with 13 balls to spare.

It was a record ninth consecutive one-day victory for England, beating their previous best of eight, achieved on three occasions.

West Indies beat New Zealand by 56 runs in T20

Gayle smashed seven fours and five sixes off 52 balls to anchor a record-breaking West Indian total of 209-2 off 20 overs ysterday.

Bangalore crash out, Chennai in play-offs in IPL

Dale Steyn produced a fiery pace bowling spell of three for just eight runs as DC knocked RCB out of the Indian Premier League with a nine-run victory in a tense match.

Mumbai Indians beat Rajasthan Royals by 10 wickets

Mumbai Indians beat Rajasthan Royals by 10 wickets, highest opening partnership between Sachin Tendulkar and Smith 163 in IPL

Deccan Chargers beat Royal Challengers by 9 runs

Deccan Chargers defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by nine runs in their Indian Premier League match today. Deccan Chargers: 132 for seven in 20 overs South African allrounder JP Duminy cracked a strokeful 53-ball 74 as Deccan Chargers recovered from shaky start to post a modest 132 for seven against RCB in IPL.

West Indies struggling to save first Test against England

London: West Indies reached 120 for four against England at stumps, on day three of the first Test at Lord''s on Saturday and their hopes of avoiding defeat once again rest with Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

KKR thrash Warriors by 34 runs to seal second place

Pune: Kolkata Knight Riders sealed the second place in the points table with a crushing 34-run victory over Pune Warriors in their final group league encounter of the Indian Premier League here on Saturday.

Ex India captain Kirti Azad begins fast against IPL

New Delhi: Former India cricketer Kirti Azad today began a fast, demanding that the Indian Premier League, which has been a hit by a series a controversies, be scrapped.

IPL preview: Mumbai Indians hope to seal playoff berth, RR to play for pride

Mumbai Indians would be looking to seal a playoffs berth and iron out minor flaws for the bigger battles ahead, while the Rajasthan Royals would play for pride when the two sides take on each other in their last league encounter of the IPL here tomorrow. Rajasthan Royals, who have not been consistent enough, bowed out of contention for the playoffs with a humiliating five wicket defeat against Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad. They must be ruing their close defeats against Delhi Daredevils and Chennai Super Kings but are left with no other options but to play for pride against the formidable Mumbai Indians. Skipper Rahul Dravid has already proved that he is not a spent force and that too in the shorter version of the game which has never been his forte. He, along with Australian Shane Watson, Shaun Tait, Ajinkya Rahane and others would like to prove a point with better performances. Mumbai are placed third with 18 points from 15 matches and Royal Challengers Bangalore have 17 points from 15 matches and they take on the lowly Deccan Chargers on Sunday in a day match. It will be a must-win situation for the visitors if RCB too wins. Mumbai Indians have a strong side featuring the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, South African Herschelle Gibbs, West Indian Kieron Pollard and Ambati Rayudu. Rohit is in good nick with a hundred under his belt but Tendulkar is yet to play a big knock in the competition.

Sri Lanka postpones IPL-style tournament

The inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League has been postponed to next year following the withdrawal of the Indian cricketers, the island nation's sports minister told

"The company which is organising (the tournament) said financially they are not in a shape to organise this without the Indian players," sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said.

Twelve Indian players were set to participate in the July 19-August 4 event modelled on the successful Indian Premier League (IPL) but were denied permission by the Indian cricket board (BCCI) that eventually led to the tournament's postponement less than a fortnight before the proposed start.

Aluthgamage had earlier said the BCCI's opposition stemmed from their suspicion that former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, who was sacked on financial irregularity charges, was behind the tournament.

Sri Lanka Cricket's media manager Brian Thomas said once the Indian players had withdrawn, it was difficult to go ahead with the event.

"We thought we can't do a tournament of this magnitude (in absence of the Indian players). It is not a financial issue, it's a logistical problem."

Aluthgamage said the league would be replaced by a domestic tournament.

"The board is meeting today to discuss this and they will have the tournament without the foreign players, similar to the one held last year."

West Indian Kieron Pollard, Pakistan's Shahid Afridi and New Zealand's Daniel Vettori were among the foreign players recruited for the Twenty20 tournament.

Courtesy : Reuters

Sourav Ganguly appointed vice-chairman of WB Sports Council

The West Bengal government on Wednesday reconstituted the Sports Council by inducting former India captain Sourav Ganguly as one of its its vice-chairmen.

Ganguly will work alongside former footballers Gouranga Banerjee, Compton Dutta, international paddler Poulami Ghatak and GM Dibyendu Barua.

"We are trying to bring everybody from all disciplines to revive the sports in Bengal," sports minister Madan Mitra told reporters while announcing the reconstitution of the Sports Council.

It was also decided to divide the council into two committees -- advisory board and working committee. Both would be headed by Mitra.

The advisory board will have eight vice-chairmen including hockey Olympians Gurbux Singh and Dr Vece Paes, football Olympian Chuni Goswami and Dronacharya awardee Syed Nayeemuddin.

The advisory board will also have former Test cricketer Arun Lal, footballers Shyam Thapa and Subrata Bhattacharya.

Former Indian football captain P K Banerjee and Leslie Claudius will be members in the working committee which will have representation from various sports

Paul Collingwood joins Perth Stormers in new T20 league

All-rounder Paul Collingwood has become the first English player signed by Australia's expanded Twenty20 Big Bash League after joining Perth Scorchers.

The Durham man, 35, led England to the World Twenty20 title in 2010.

He retired from Tests after England's Ashes success in January, remaining available for limited-overs games, but was dropped during the World Cup and has not played for England since March.

He also recently lost the England Twenty20 captaincy to Stuart Broad.

Collingwood, a right-handed batsman, right-arm medium pace bowler and an outstanding fielder, is England's most-capped player in one-day internationals (197) and Twenty20 internationals (35).

He had knee surgery after returning from the World Cup, but was overlooked for the current one-day series against Sri Lanka.

"Paul is a brilliant leader of men who helped mould his country's T20 side into an exciting and ruthless combination, which culminated in their triumph in the final of last year's World T20," said Stormers coach Mickey Arthur, who has also coached South Africa.

"Being the first skipper to lead England to victory at an ICC men's event was a massive feather in his cap. He is a gutsy and determined batsman, a proven wicket-taker and is first class in the field."

The Big Bash League, which will begin in the 2011/12 Australian summer, will be contested by eight city-based franchises - including two each from Melbourne and Sydney.

It succeeds Australia's previous Twenty20 Big Bash which ran from 2005, featured the traditional six state teams - New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia - with occasional participation from overseas players, such as Hampshire's Michael Lumb and Lancashire's Sajid Mahmood in 2010/11.

However, the new franchises are able to sign players from any state, and field two international players per team.

Along with Collingwood, the other foreign players signed up so far include big-hitting West Indian opener Chris Gayle (Sydney Thunder) and former Pakistan all-rounder Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (Hobart Hurricanes), while veteran South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs will be a team-mate of Collingwood's at Perth.

Kevin Pietersen gives backing to skipper Alastair Cook

Kevin Pietersen has said Alastair Cook has his backing despite a shaky start to his time as England one-day skipper.

England trail 2-1 with two to play in their series against Sri Lanka going into Wednesday's match at Trent Bridge.

Pietersen said: "Cooky is in charge [and] it's vital that whatever decisions he makes, we back. That's got to be good for his confidence.

"To become a successful and confident captain, you want to have the backing of your players."

Cook began his tenure as Andrew Strauss's successor with a 110-run Duckworth-Lewis victory over Sri Lanka at The Oval.

But consecutive defeats have followed, by significant margins, at Headingley and Lord's.

Critics have questioned Cook's suitability as an ODI opening batsman - notwithstanding his century at Lord's on Sunday - with some insisting he and Jonathan Trott cannot co-exist in the same 50-over team at one and three in the batting order.

Their measured styles put the onus on the likes of number four Pietersen, Cook's fellow opener Craig Kieswetter and Eoin Morgan to score quickly.

But former England captain Pietersen said: "I have kept well out of it.

"Cook is a new captain, and the last thing you want to be doing is putting yourself out there saying 'this is what we need to do'.

"Decisions have to be made. I don't make any decisions; I'm one of the soldiers.
"I'm just happy to be playing and I want to be doing my own role better."

Chennai and Mumbai in same Champions League group

The Chennai Super Kings, led by MS Dhoni, the India captain, have been grouped with Sachin Tendulkar's Mumbai Indians for the Champions League Twenty20 (T20) tournament.

The September 23 to October 9 competition, which will feature 10 of the world's top T20 sides, will be played in two groups of five with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

The tournament will be played in the southern Indian cities of Chennai and Bangalore, as well as Kolkata in the east.

Chennai will host the final and a semi-final, while Bangalore will host the other semi-final.

Seven teams from India, Australia and South Africa have earned given direct entries, while six others will play off for the remaining three spots in a qualifying tournament at Hyderabad from September 19-21.

The qualifying event will have two pools of three teams with the top side from both advancing, along with the next best qualifier.

The Kolkata Knight Riders, Trinidad and Tobago of the West Indies and the Auckland Aces of New Zealand will be joined by two teams from England and one from Sri Lanka in qualifying.

The Super Kings are the defending champions.

ICC issues sanctions warning for government interference

Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been given a maximum of two years to reorganise their boards after the International Cricket Council (ICC) ordered its members to free themselves from government interference or face sanctions.

The ICC annual conference upheld a constitutional amendment to provide for the principle of free elections and the independence of member boards, cricket''s governing body said in a statement on Thursday.

"It was agreed that all member boards must implement the provisions before annual conference in June 2012 and a further 12 months (to June 2013) would be allowed before any sanctions would be considered," the statement read.

"It was a well-established principle of modern sporting governance that national federations should be autonomous and free from interference from government in the administration of their affairs."

The decision means administrative reforms will be required in at least three test playing nations.

In Pakistan, the cricket board chief is appointed by the country's president, who is designated chief patron of the board.

Sri Lanka Cricket has an interim body which requires issues such as team selection to be approved by the sports ministry, while the Bangladesh board chief is appointed by the government.

In a separate matter at the meeting, non-test playing nations expressed disappointment at the governing body's decision to maintain the 12-team format for the Twenty20 World Cups in 2012 (Sri Lanka) and 2014 (Bangladesh).

"The ICC acknowledges their disappointment but the decision to have 14 teams in the (50-over) World Cup and 12 teams in the ICC World Twenty20 is a return to the current format for ICC events," chief executive Haroon Lorgat said.

The governing body's initial plan was to restrict the 50-over World Cup to 10 test playing nations for the 2015 tournament and adopt an expanded 16-team format for the Twenty20 event.

However, an Ireland-led protest from the non-test playing associate nations prompted the ICC to retain the 14-team format for the 2015 World Cup.

Champions League T20 scheduled to begin from September 23

The Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) cricket is scheduled to begin in India from September 23 and go till October 9.

The tournament returns to India this year with matches in Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata, as well as a qualifying event in Hyderabad from September 19-21.

The tournament will have 10 teams competing. Seven teams have already qualified for the event. A six-team qualifying event will be held for the first time to determine the final three participants.

The teams will be divided into two pools and the top team from each pool qualifies for the group stage, and the third would be the next highest ranked team based on points and then net run rate.

In the group stage, 10 teams have been divided into two groups for a round robin phase. The top two teams from each group would progress to the semifinals.

The group stage matches will be held in Eden Gardens, Kolkata, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, and MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

Bangalore will host the first semifinal (October 7) while the other semifinal (October 8), and the final (Octover 9) will be held in Chennai.

Chennai Super Kings, the defending CLT20 Champions, have been drawn in Group A along with Cape Cobras (South Africa's Pro20 Series Champions), 2009 Champions NSW Blues and Mumbai Indians. The fifth team from the group will be the team that finishes top of Pool B in the qualifier.

Group B contains Royal Challengers Bangalore (IPL runners-up), Warriors of South Africa (2010 CLT20 runner-up), and South Australian Redbacks (Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash Champions). The remaining two places will come from the Qualifiers (the top of pool A and the next highest qualifier).

The tournament starts in Bangalore with a group B clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Warriors at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Gautam Gambhir fit for England, ready with a batting plan

India's star opener Gautam Gambhir today declared himself fully fit for the upcoming cricket tour of England for which he has devised a specific batting strategy to counter the seaming conditions there.

Gambhir, who skipped the ongoing tour of West Indies due to a shoulder injury, reckoned that "mental adjustment" will be a key to the Indian batsmen overcoming the conditions in England and said certain strokes would have to be avoided.

"I am back at my full fitness and feeling fresh both physically and mentally. The pain that I had in my shoulder is gone," Gambhir told PTI in an interview here.

"Before returning from Bangalore I batted in the nets against the likes of S Sreesanth and I didn't feel any discomfort. Even in Delhi I will resume practice in a day or two," he said.

The 29-year-old left-hander, who has 3234 runs in 38 Tests at an average of 51.33, will be playing Test matches for the first time on English soil if he is picked for the series starting July 21.

All excited about the challenge, Gambhir said he is working hard on his game.

"I think it begins with mental adjustment. One has to see the ball early and play it late. For some time now I'm not playing on rise. At the top level one has to tighten up his game and I have done that," said the batsman who has 4073 runs in 114 ODIs at an average of 40.73.

"In England, for first few balls you can't drive on the up till you are very sure. There are certain other strokes one should avoid. The rest I'd do it when I reach there," he added.

In the interview, Gambhir spoke about a range of issues, including his relationship with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and former India coach Gary Kirsten and the cramped international schedule.

Gambhir was still fuming about the furore his IPL stint created after it came to light that he was carrying a shoulder injury while captaining the Kolkata Knight Riders before their eliminator match against Mumbai Indians.

The injury, which Gambhir picked up during the World Cup, eventually ruled him out of the ongoing series against the West Indies, where he was initially chosen to lead the side in the ODIs after Dhoni took a break.

Asked whether he could have avoided the controversy by opting out of IPL after first experiencing discomfort in his shoulder, Gambhir said, "I think the whole episode was a bit unnecessary, just a ploy to sell news. The most unfortunate part was that it somewhat took the limelight away from the good work done by Kolkata Knight Riders."

"I feel sad for guys like Iqbal Abdullah, Manoj Tiwary, Shaqib-Al Hasan, Rajat Bhatia and many more who had done so well in IPL but because of this unwanted controversy the focus shifted somewhat. Look, I have always been committed to the team that I represent, that's my upbringing.

"My family values have taught me to be committed and that's what I do for a club team, state team, country or a franchisee. I know how hard I have worked for my India cap and what it means to me. I can't deride the honour of playing for India," he asserted.

But his focus is completely on England, where India is scheduled to play four Tests and five ODIs, and Gambhir said Andrew Strauss' men are the team to beat right now.

"Well, let me get picked first. If I am, like always I'd put my heart and soul into the effort to get my team to a good start. I think England is the team to beat besides South Africa at the moment.

"They have their tails up boasting a world class bowling attack which has really tall fast bowlers and a spinner who is pretty good as well," he said.

Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni to fly Sukhoi soon

Star Indian cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni will soon don the flying suits, with the defence ministry clearing their flights in Indian Air Force's mighty Su-30 MKI fighter jets.

"Our proposal to fly the two cricketers in the Su-30s has been approved by the defence ministry and we are looking forward to their flight in Pune soon," IAF officials said.

The proposal for flying Tendulkar and Dhoni was submitted with the government by the IAF.

They said the dates for the flights have not been finalised yet and would be done soon depending on the availability of the two cricketers.

After India's World Cup victory in April this year, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal PV Naik had said that he would seek special permission from the government so that Dhoni and Tendulkar could experience a flight in Su-30MKI.

"Tendulkar is already our honorary group captain. Once both Sachin and Dhoni are free from their cricketing engagements, I will ensure that they get to fly Su-30MKI. They have done our country proud and it will be an honour for us," he had said.

At present, Dhoni is leading India in the three match test series against West Indies in the Caribbean and Tendulkar is on a personal visit to England.

Pune-based air force station Lohegaon is the home-base of Sukhois and VIPs including President Pratibha Patil and her predecessor APJ Abdul Kalam had also taken off in the mighty jets from the air base.