We didn’t come here to make the final; we came here to win the final: Clarke

May 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Melbourne, May 16 (ANI): The Australian team led by Michael Clarke having several Twenty20 specialists is determined to set the record straight by winning the Twenty20 World Cup final.

Australia will go into tonight’s final against archrivals England in Barbados to win the one major title that has eluded them so far.

“I’m stoked we’re in the final. We have come a long way in this form of the game. But we didn’t come here to make the final; we came here to win the final,” The Herald Sun quoted Clarke, as saying.

“I think we have achieved a lot as a team, but it would be extra special tomorrow to top it off with a victory. It would be fantastic. There’s no doubt we’d be much happier leaving Barbados with that one last trophy we don’t have just yet,” he said.

Clarke stressed that victory tonight would be no consolation for Australia’s 2-1 Ashes series loss in England last year.

“It won’t make up for it, but it would be a fantastic start to what is going to be a great summer back at home. I’m certain every Australian and every English person loves seeing that battle. It’s always tough cricket, in any form of the game,” he said.

“I’m certain tomorrow will be no different. So for now, it’s about focusing on a huge game – a final – against a very good team,” Clarke said. (ANI)

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England should thank imports for reaching T20 World Cup finals

May 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sydney, May 15 (ANI): England must thank South Africa born Kevin Pietersen and Irish Eoin Morgan for giving the team their best chance of winning their first World Cup.

England has never won an ICC event, but has reached the finals of the World Twenty20 in Barbados with the help of these two players.

England has qualified for the first time since 2004 for a final. Six years ago they were defeated by the West Indies in the Champions Trophy final on home soil, and they have repeatedly failed in World Cups, World Twenty20s and Champions Trophy tournaments since 1975.

Pietersen has been phenomenal so far, striking 201 runs at 67.00, the best average of any of the 19 batsmen to have scored more than 100 runs in the tournament, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Before the second semi-final between Australia and Pakistan, Pietersen was third and Morgan sixth in the tournament’s leading run-scorers list, while another South African-turned-English player, Craig Kieswetter, was seventh.

Morgan’s 168 runs at 33.60 has proved vital for England. He was the rock of their innings in the first match against the West Indies (55), then saved them from disaster with 45 against Ireland, and his team-high 40 was enough to eliminate New Zealand from the Super Eight stage.

He is the only player to have scored ODI centuries for two countries (Ireland and England). (ANI)

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S. Africa’s Smith says only England ”can challenge” Australia in T20

May 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

St. Lucia (West Indies), May 12 (ANI): South Africa’s cricket skipper Graeme Smith has said that only England can stop Australia from winning the World Twenty20 in Barbados on Sunday.

Smith”s side were knocked out of the tournament after their loss to Pakistan on Monday in St Lucia and the big left-hander had no doubts about which teams were the main chances to claim the T20 world title.

“It”s about having good players with confidence who really believe and know their game very well and know their strengths,” Smith said.

“Australia probably at the moment are playing the most dominant cricket. They have really beaten teams comprehensively throughout this tournament. Having played against England, they played positive cricket against us,” Smith said.

“If they can maintain that level of play then I think they are probably the one team left that can challenge Australia”s pace attack,” he added.

England topped Group E in the Super Eights with three wins en route to Thursday”s semi-final against the second team in Group F (0130 AEST Friday).

Australia has topped Group F overnight, avoiding a semi-final clash with England on Friday. (ANI)

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West Indies fined for slow over-rate in Barbados

May 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Dubai, May 11 (ANI): The West Indies team has been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during its 14-run victory over India in its Super Eight stage match in the ICC World Twenty20 at Kensington Oval, Barbados.

Match referee Jeff Crowe imposed the fines after Chris Gayle’s side was ruled to be two overs short of its target at the end of the match when time allowances were taken into consideration.

In accordance with the ICC Code of Conduct regulations governing minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

As such, Gayle was fined 40 per cent of his match fee while his players received 20-per-cent fines. If Gayle, as captain, is guilty of two further similar over-rate offences in T20Is over the next 12 months, he will receive a one-match suspension as per the provisions of the code.

The offence is contrary to Article 2.5.1 of the code which relates to minor over-rate offences. The penalty was accepted by the West Indies without contest so there was no need for a hearing. (ANI)

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Vettori wants Black Caps to improve quickly after loss to South Africa

May 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Wellington, May 7 (ANI): New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori wants his team to make a quick comeback after 13-run loss to South Africa in the Twenty20 World Cup in Barbados.

New Zealand suffered their first loss of the tournament when they suffered 13-run loss to South Africa. The Black Caps failed to reach South Africa’s 171 run target.

Vettori lamented his side’s bowling in the final five overs in which they conceded 62 runs, Stuff.co.nz reports.

“Last game it was our first six overs, today it was our last five overs and today wasn’t what I expected and what I want. We need to improve on that pretty quickly going into our next two must win games.

“In Twenty20 cricket you have got to be almost perfect in your execution and we certainly weren’t that today,” Vettori said.

“Obviously Morkel and AB de Villiers played pretty well. We missed a couple of chances and we just left ourselves too many at the end. But it’s a very small ground and there was a wind blowing so it’s not easy for bowlers at the death there,” he said.

“When you’ve got the likes of Morkel hitting at the end, you have to be inch-perfect. Unfortunately we were just a little bit off today,” Vettori said.

Vettori was happy enough with the run chase against South Africa’s quality bowling line up.

“We had a chance with Jesse there, and then Ross as well, but you need one of those guys to bat 40-50 balls to give yourself a chance of chasing down 170,” he added. (ANI)

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McCullum says quicker Barbados pitches will help Kiwi top order fire

May 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Wellington, May 6 (ANI): Brendon McCullum is hoping that a change of pace might allow New Zealand to unleash their powerful batting line up

The pitches in Guyana, which have favoured slow-bowlers and contributed to low-scoring matches, have limited the New Zealand top-order consisting of McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor.

Against Sri Lanka in their first match of the Twenty20 World Cup, McCullum failed to score, Ryder made a quick-fire 42, Martin Guptill19 and Taylor nine.

A rain-shortened second-game against Zimbabwe saw McCullum not out on 22 from 26 balls and Ryder out for two, Stuff.co.nz reports.

“I guess at the end of the day that’s all you can ask for (that) your batters get you across the line after your bowlers do a fantastic job,” McCullum said.

However, with the Black Caps now moving to Barbados for the Super Eights stage, he said he expected the wickets to be faster, hopefully allowing the powerful New Zealand top-order more of a chance to have a crack.

“It’ll present a few opportunities for us top orders to play with a bit more freedom as well and hopefully we’ll see one or two or even three of the top four go on and make some sizable totals in the next few games,” McCullum said.

Under constant pressure to perform and now coming up against the other form teams, McCullum said the team still needed to improve.

“We’re come coming up against some strong teams right the way through to so win a major tournament or a tournament like this you”re going to have to play good cricket right the way through the tournament,” he said. (ANI)

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Coach says Bangladesh unlikely to make it to World Twenty20 Super Eight”s

May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

St. Lucia (West Indies), May 4 (ANI): Bangladesh have virtually no chance of making the next stage of the Twenty20 World Cup tournament after Australia”s emphatic win against Pakistan here on Sunday.

Coach Jamie Siddons conceded as much ahead of his team’s match against the Australia in Barbados on Wednesday in the final Pool

Bangladesh would need to win by a huge margin to qualify for the Super Eights ahead of Pakistan, who the Australians defeated by 21 runs in the first game.

””I think it”s going to be near impossible for us to get through. It depends on the calculations – we”ll have to sit down and work all of that out in the next day or two and figure out how much we need to win by. It”s not going to be of any use winning and not have the right margin. We”re going to need a reasonable run rate, that”s for sure,”” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Siddons, as saying.

””If Australia score near 200 again, then forget it,”” added Siddons. (ANI)

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Pakistan to start World Twenty20 title defence against Bangladesh

July 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Dubai, July 5 (ANI): Pakistan will begin the defence of its ICC World Twenty20 title in the Caribbean next year against Bangladesh in St Lucia on May1.

And the side that defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets to lift the trophy at Lord’s last month will complete its opening group commitments at the same venue the following day against Australia.

The West Indies will begin the event in Guyana on 30 April against one of two qualifiers for the tournament, part of a double-header that will also feature Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

If the West Indies, also in a group with England, reaches the Super Eights, it will then go on to play in St Lucia and Barbados, something that would see the hosts play in all three locations for the men’s tournament.

India, the 2007 champions, will start its campaign to regain the crown with an encounter with the other qualifier in St Lucia on 1 May.

England’s women, who beat New Zealand to lift the inaugural ICC Women’s World Twenty20 title, start their push for back-to-back trophies against old rivals Australia in St Kitts on May 5, the first day of matches in the women’s tournament.

Action will take place at four venues – Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts and St Lucia, with the former’s Kensington Oval hosting finals day on May 16. (ANI)

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Bopara proving a big hit, clinches No.3 spot

May 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Apr 30 (ANI): Indian origin England batsman Ravi Bopara has been preferred for the No.3 position for the first Test against West Indies, beating Michael Vaughan, Ian Bell and Owais Shah to get the coveted spot.

Coach Andy Flower spent Monday with the selectors – Miller, James Whitaker and Ashley Giles – at the National Academy in Loughborough. And the squad they emerged with has set England on a fresh course.

Miller quite rightly insisted that there are any number of players who can force their way back into contention for the Test squad, including Vaughan, he hoped it would send a clear message to the players that consistent, current performance will go rewarded, not reputation or perceived class.

Flower and Strauss both rate Bopara, 23, who impressed with a debut century in his maiden Test in Barbados.

“There was a lot of competition for that batting position, but Bopara now has the opportunity to stake a claim,” said Miller.

“He showed in Barbados he has the ability to play at Test level,” The Daily Express quoted Miller, as saying.

Bell might consider himself the most unlucky after having hit the form at the right time.

“We need to get him more passionate about playing so he doesn’t lose his place again,” said Miller.

Miller added that in a break with normal practice, the squad for the second Test at the Riverside is to be announced “towards the end” of the Lord’s Test. (ANI)

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Cook backs Bopara to replace injured Flintoff

May 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Apr 29 (ANI): England’s opener Alastair Cook has backed Ravi Bopara to replace injured all rounder Andrew Flintoff.

Flintoff is missing once again after knee surgery on Monday saw him laid up until the Twenty20 World Cup in June.

Bopara, who came in for Flintoff on the recent tour of West Indies, smashed a sparkling century in Barbados before being dropped for the final Test.

Bopara is the likely man at No. 6, and Cook believes that his county teammate can continue giving the selectors a headache, The Sun reports.

“It’s hugely disappointing for England that Freddie is out – especially for the big man himself. People don’t see the work that he puts in behind the scenes getting fit, so it’s doubly frustrating for him,” Cook said.

“Whoever gets the chance to come in will want to perform as well as they can. And Ravi is one of the most talented cricketers I’ve played with – he can hit balls for four that I can only dream of.

“Last year he started to fulfil that promise and showed his quality. The hundred in Barbados was classy. I’ve grown up playing cricket with him throughout my career, and he has all the shots in the book. He’s confident, but he is now backing up that confidence up with the goods,” he added. (ANI)

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Rihanna soaks up Barbadian sun with beer

May 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, April 28 (ANI): Rihanna has been spotted soaking up the sun in swanky Barbados resort Sandy Lane.

It looks like the singer is trying to come to terms with her terrible split with rapper Chris Brown, right after he supposedly attacked her at the Grammys.

Dressed in a skimpy bikini, the singer was seen sipping a few fizzy lagers quite a few times.

It seems the dusky beauty is making the most of being single, reports the Sun.

Meanwhile, Rihanna wants LAPD to return the nearly million-dollar worth jewellery taken into evidence for investigation in her alleged beating case.

The singer, who was allegedly punched, choked, and bitten by her former boyfriend Chris Brown before the Grammy’s, had borrowed the expensive accessories from four jewellers, who now want it back.

The R and B lady was said to have been trying to recover the bling from the officials since late March. (ANI)

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Rihanna ‘back to herself’, says dad

April 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, April 6 (ANI): Two months after her alleged bust-up with boyfriend Chris Brown, Rihanna is ‘back to herself’, according to her dad.

The ‘Umbrella’ hitmaker is in native Barbados to celebrate her grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary.

And Rihanna’s father Ronald Fenty was pleased to find his daughter in a positive spirit following her well-publicised fight with Brown, who is said to have attacked her.

“Of course, I’m happy to have her home. Things are good with her,” Contactmusic quoted Fenty, as telling Usmagazine.com.

“She is doing really, really well. She’s back to herself again,” he added. (ANI)

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Strauss tells KP to keep his mouth shut

March 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Barbados (West Indies), Mar.30 (ANI): England cricket captain Andrew Strauss has warned Kevin Pietersen to keep his mouth shut.

Captain Strauss and England’s management are increasingly unhappy at KP’s words and actions.

Strauss, whose side beat the Windies in yesterday’s one-dayer, was quoted by The Sun as saying: “Sometimes what he says is put in big headlines so he must be conscious of the attention what he says does receive.”

KP tested the England hierarchy’s tolerance towards him when he walked off yesterday clutching his back having bowled just five balls in the fourth one-day international.

He suffered a spasm and would not have been able to bat until No 7 – but England cruised to a nine-wicket victory to level the series at 2-2.

It has been revealed Pietersen asked to fly home for 48 hours from the Caribbean last month between the Third and Fourth Tests.

Permission was refused as players are normally allowed home only for family bereavements or if their wives are due to give birth – keeper Matt Prior returned to the UK at the same time after the birth of his first child.

Strauss said: “We are on a cricket tour and it would have set a bad precedent to allow a player to go home. Kevin understood that fully and he just got on with it.

“He’s been very supportive and professional all tour. I’ve had a chat with Kevin about what he has said. It is dealt with from our point of view.”

Pietersen, 28, revealed last week he was so fed up with England’s defeats and missing his wife so much he was “at the end of my tether.”

But management know Mrs Pietersen – former pop singer Jessica Taylor – did not fly out with the other WAGs because she was earning money and trying to re-launch her career on Dancing on Ice.

Strauss and assistant-coach Andy Flower have also noted KP will still fly to South Africa early next month to play in the Indian Premier League.

These contradictions are upsetting Strauss and Flower – as well as the self-pitying tone of many of Pietersen’s comments. (ANI)

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England all rounder Bopara eying IPL glory

March 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Barbados (West Indies), Mar.24 (ANI): England and Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara is hell bent on becoming a big-hitting sensation in the Indian Premier League, no matter where it is played.

Both England and South Africa want to stage the event, and a decision is expected within 72 hours, The Sun reports.

The Essex all-rounder is to play for Kings XI Punjab for 309,000 pounds, three times his reserve price.

Bopara, 23, said: “The fans love the IPL and it’s very important to me. I want to be known as a good Test, Twenty20 and one-day player – just like my heroes, who have been good at all forms.”

The tournament runs from April 10 to May 24. (ANI)

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Mayer’s ‘£2m engagement ring’ for Aniston

March 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Mar 12 (ANI): John Mayer is said to have splashed out 2 million pounds on an engagement ring for actress girlfriend Jennifer Aniston.

The musician is reported to have contacted US jeweller Lorraine Schwartz about designing a special engagement ring.

According to reports, Mayer had presented Aniston with a commitment ring during their Valentine’s Day break in Barbados, reports The China Daily.

And now, a source said: “Money is no object for John. He is creating a vintage-style classic ring for Jennifer. He’s looking at 18-carat flawless diamond so he will have to pay around 2 million pounds.

“When he does get down on one knee he wants to be completely sure he gets the right answer and he knows a ring like that would be hard to refuse.”

The 31-year-old musician is refusing to rush into the proposal and is working tirelessly to ensure everything is perfect when he asks Jennifer, 40, to be his wife.

The source added to Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper: “He’s just waiting for the most romantic setting to put the ring on her finger – busy schedules permitting.” (ANI)

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`Beefy’Botham slams England over declaration timing

March 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Trinidad (West Indies), Mar.11 (ANI): Former England all rounder Ian Botham has slammed the late declaration by the side in the final Test against West Indies here, branding it as “pathetic” and “weak”.

Needing victory in Trinidad to level the series, captain Andrew Strauss waited until lunch at the Queen’s Park Oval to send the hosts in to chase a target of 240 runs. The West Indies narrowly held on for a draw, closing on 114 for eight.

“They obviously have not got long memories after Antigua,” the Daily Express quoted Botham, as saying.

The West Indies on the other hand was thrilled to regain the coveted Wisden Trophy for the first time since 2000. Left with 66 overs in which to bat in their second innings after England’s lunchtime declaration, West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals but clung on tenaciously to reach the close on 114 for 8.

The heroes of the closing overs were wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, who produced the rearguard of his life to finish unbeaten on 17 from 87 deliveries, and Fidel Edwards, their man for a cliffhanger, who reprised his nerveless role in Antigua last month by facing up to Monty Panesar with nine men round the bat, and blocking out the final five deliveries of the series.

For West Indies it was a sensational escape, their second in three Tests either side of last week’s drawn Test in Barbados, and one which sealed their first series victory since 2004.

In the process, the result vindicated Chris Gayle’s controversial tactics at the start of the game, not to mention their selection of an extra batsman.

There were indeed echoes of the third Test, in Antigua, when the tourists set West Indies a huge fourth-innings target but could only get them nine wickets down.

On Tuesday, Strauss could have ended England’s third innings when Matt Prior was bowled after his 61 from 49 balls had established a 209-run lead.

Former England all-rounder Botham added: “They should have declared when Prior went out. Do we want to win this? I think we lost the plot.”

Former England wicketkeeper Alec Stewart added: “I wanted to see the West Indies in before lunch. I think they missed a trick.”

Bob Willis added to the criticism of the declaration.

“I can’t believe they did not declare when Prior went,” the former fast bowler added.

“The only way England could win was if West Indies were going for runs.” (ANI)

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Past fights of Chris Brown and Rihanna revealed

March 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New York, Mar 10 (ANI): Barbadian singer Rihanna has revealed to cops two fights she had with R and B singer Chris Brown in the past that had preceded the recent alleged assault.

As per reports, both episodes however did not involve the exchange of physical blows only verbal.

“The first incident was in Europe about three months ago,” the New York Daily News quoted a source as citing Rihanna’s official statements to cops.

“It was a verbal dispute. She slapped him, he responded. He shoved her. There were no witnesses and no injuries,” the source said.

During the second incident, which took place in Barbados, the only object that was damaged was a window.

“It was a fight over a Range Rover,” the source said.

“She says he broke the window. Nobody was injured and it was not reported,” the source added.

The source also said that reports of Brown beating Rihanna, 21, in the past were “absolutely inaccurate.”

Brown, 19, was charged with felony assault on March 5 and is due for arraignment April 6. (ANI)

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