Akram: ODI’S Must Change

Speaking out for the first time on the changing status of international cricket, especially the now immensely popular One Day Internationals, former Pakistan captain, Wasim Akram, believes this aspect of the game needs some major changes for it to survive in the wake of rising popularity of the new Twenty20 format.

Wasim said he, at times, got bored watching the 50-over matches in middle stages, adding there was a definite need to bring changes in the rules to make ODIs more exciting.

Twenty20 is gaining popularity as it is exciting, aimed at younger generation who wants to watch a high-class sport in three to four hours time, Wasim said. Twenty20 is good for the game’s future but not quality cricket. To protect real competition like ODIs or Tests, the ICC needs to think of revolutionary rule changes.

On the idea of Test cricket under lights, Wasim said the concept was not bad and could be worked out. The IPL is good but credit to launch this sort of tournament must be given to the ICL, he said.I think the Indian board started working on IPL after the ICL. I know these events mean good money for the players and entertain crowds but are also going to damage traditional cricket in the long run, he stated. Wasim said he was happy players were getting paid well.

I think boards of various countries should also think about raising pay packages of their players or else we will have a situation where players might opt to give preference to private Twenty20 leagues instead of national teams.

 

Ambrose Returning For WIPA Twenty20

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC - Regional cricket fans will have the opportunity to see former West Indies great Curtly Ambrose don flannels again.

 The lanky 44-year-old Antiguan has been included in the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) Masters team for the WIPA Twenty20 Club championships to be played at Guaracara Park in Marabella, Trinidad from May 2.

 The WIPA Masters team, released last week Tuesday, is a strong unit and will be skippered by Jamaican Jimmy Adams.

 The WIPA masters will join 11 other teams vying for the first prize of US$150,000 in the inaugural tournament.
 Also included in the WIPA team is another former great fast bowler Colin Croft.

 President and CEO of WIPA, Dinanath Ramnarine is also on the team, as well as former T&T and West Indies leg-spinner Rajindra Dhanraj.

 There are three Barbadians on the team, opener Sherwin Campbell, all-rounder and current coach of the Barbados team Vasbert Drakes, and medium pacer Corey Collymore.

 Apart from ex-West Indies captain Adams, there are four Jamaicans on the squad -- Wavell Hinds, Leon Garrick, former Jamaica youth player Denville McKenzie and player/coach Robert Haynes.

 Current coach of the West Indies Under-15 team Keith Arthurton is also included on the team.

 When the tournament starts on May 2, WIPA Masters will play the first game against UWI, Barbados at 2.30 pm. WIPA Masters are in Group D and their other opponents in the preliminary round will be PowerGen Sports Club from T&T.  The experienced Masters team will be looking to finish among the top two teams in the three-team group to advance to the quarter-finals.

 WIPA squad: Jimmy Adams (captain), Stuart Williams, Leon Garrick, Sherwin Campbell, Wavell Hinds, Keith Arthurton, Vasbert Drakes, Ridley Jacobs, Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon, Curtly Ambrose, Colin Croft, Rajindra Dhanraj, Denville McKenzie, Dinanath Ramnarine and Robert Haynes - player/coach.

 

Lara: I Was Not Pushed? Says That He Opted To Retire From The International Game

(CMC) - West Indies batting legend Brian Lara says he was not pushed out of the West Indies team at the end of last year's Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean. Speaking at a function held by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board in his honor, Lara said he opted to retire in order to make way for younger players.

"I was not pushed out the West Indies team but in fact I left on my own volition," said the 38-year old Lara. "I enjoyed playing the game but I thought at that point to give the youngsters a chance and to also allow them to play under a younger captain."

Attending the function were President of Trinidad and Tobago, George Maxwell Richards, West Indies icons Clive Lloyd, Sir Garfield Sobers, Michael 'Joey' Carew, Deryck Murray, cricket historian and principal of the UWI Cave Hill Campus Professor Hillary Beckles and executive members of the TTCB.

In reflecting on his 17-year career, Lara revealed that his lowest moment was the 1998 tour of South Africa. "The financial issue heading to South Africa with the WICB and the players not budging was the lowest moment," Lara said.

"We were in an English Hotel and could not move because we were hounded by the British media. I remember one English newspaper writing that we were washing our dirty laundry in public and I regret this moment the worst. Looking back on it I think the whole matter could have been handled differently." He said, however, the highest moment in his career was the Australian tour of the West Indies in 1998, when he was appointed captain.

 

Cricket Hayden Powers Chennai Pass Mumbai

CHENNAI, India, CMC – Matthew Hayden belted a shot-filled 81 and lifted Chennai Super Kings to a six-run victory over Dwayne Bravo’s Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last week Wednesday.

 The big Australian left-hander reached his fifty off just 33 balls and was the mainstay of the Chennai innings of 208 for five off their 20 overs after they were sent in to bat at MA Chidambaram Stadium.

 Visiting Mumbai threatened early in their run-chase with aggressive knocks from Robin Uthappa and Bravo and a tremendous flourish near the end by Abhishek Nayar but fell short at 202 for seven when their overs ran out.

 Sachin Tendulkar missed the game and Harbhajan Singh captained Mumbai Indians in his absence.

 Man of the match Hayden stroked his 81 off just 46 balls with 12 fours and two sixes. When he reached his half-century, he had already cracked seven fours and two sixes.

 Suresh Raina, with 53 off 37 balls including three fours and three sixes, also scored well for Chennai, as did their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with 30 off 16 balls.

 Hayden and Raina posted a third-wicket stand of 104.

 Medium pacer Musavir Khote (2-29) led Mumbai’s bowling while Bravo was expensive with his medium pace, at none for 36 off three overs.

 Set 209 to win, Mumbai got an unbeaten 45 off just 20 balls from Nayar and Uthappa struck six fours and a six in a 36-ball 43.

 Bravo, a late signing within the past week, threatened with a fiery 24 off 16 balls.

 The Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies all-rounder hit two fours and a massive six over long-on off Muttiah Muralitharan before he was brilliantly caught by a diving Jacob Oram at long-off.

 The fast bowler Joginder Sharma, who removed Bravo, led Chennai’s bowling with two for 29 off four overs and Muralitharan bagged two for 40 off his four overs.Mumbai needed a whopping 62 runs off the last four overs to win and made a superb fight of it through Nayar and Harbhajan, who struck 28 off 14 balls.

 

Hayes For Jamaica International

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Apr 23, CMC - Organizers have confirmed that reigning Olympic 100-metre hurdles champion Joanna Hayes, of the USA, has been added to the entry list for the Jamaica International Invitational track and field next month.

 Hayes will join a quality field in the women's sprint hurdles at the May 3 meet at the National Stadium in Kingston.

 In Athens 2004, Hayes produced a tremendous run to capture the gold medal in a career-best and Olympic record 12.37 seconds, defeating Ukraine's Yelena Krasovska (12.45) and the American Melissa Morrison (12.56).

 Her rivals at the Jamaica International event will include the in-form American Lolo Jones, a current world-leader at 12.72 seconds, plus the Jamaicans Delloreen Ennis-London, Lacena Golding-Clarke and Vonette Dixon.

 Ennis-London won silver at the 2005 World Championship in Helsinki and bronze last year in Osaka, and Golding-Clarke was Commonwealth Games champion in 2002.

 Other world stars listed for the meet include Jamaica's 2004 Olympic 200-metre champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, local star and World Championship silver-medallist Usain Bolt, and top Americans Tyson Gay, the reigning sprint double World Champion, and women's World No.1 in the 400 metres, Sanya Richards.