Monday, April 21, 2008

ICL vs IPL

Ever since the launch of IPL last week by BCCI one wonders if the latter was just a knee jerk reaction to ICL or was conceived for the benefit of the game. Indian Cricket League's (ICL) Image goal is create enthusiasm amongst the budding cricketers, carry that enthusiasm and momentum in the Sachins’ of tomorrow and give the domestic cricketers a chance to showcase their talent. On the other hand IPL's launch last seemed to be a "me too" by bureaucrats who have dominated the game more than the game itself.

Apparently the BCCI league had been conceptualized about 10 years ago but had recently been finalized. I think I can assume with reasonable comfort that ICL's announcement early part of this year expedited IPL by good couple of years.

BCCI top honcho believed just a couple of months ago that a Twenty20 league format (referring to ICL) would serve no good to the game of cricket. And it is rather ironic that a league was launched by the same governing body just a few months later in the same format.

Ever since the launch of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) BCCI mocked at the league commenting from time to time that who would watch a bunch of retired cricketers. On IPL launch in Delhi last week, all I saw was great cricketers who were either retired or on the verge of retiring from the game.

ICC refuses to recognize Indian Cricket League, we all know why. It's interest is to promote its own agenda in the world rather than promoting the game it represents. ICC would never disappoint the richest cricketing board in the world; rather going forward when BCCI current head Mr. Pawar becomes its chief will turn into Indian Cricket Council. It is rather appalling that an incompetent man will represent the council. A man who is on a mission, a mission to progress his personal agenda and solidify BCCI’s monopoly over the game in India.

I see Indian Cricket League emerging as a successful business organization, not ridiculed with bureaucracy and corruption like its counterpart, operating as a autonomous organization, investing in building the cricketing infrastructure and take advantage of its media arm to reach out to all cricket loving fans in India and abroad.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

ICL World XI defeat ICL India by 8 wickets


Full scorecard - Partnerships - Bulletin
ICL 20s World Series
ICL India XI v ICL World XI
2007/08 season
Played at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad, Deccan, on 9 April 2008 - day/night (20-over match)

Result ICL World XI won by 8 wickets (with 9 balls remaining)

ICL India XI innings (20 overs maximum) R B 4s 6s SR
AA Jhunjhunwala lbw b van der Wath 0 4 0 0 0.00
G Vignesh c Harris b Tuffey 7 5 1 0 140.00
AT Rayudu run out (Harris) 1 6 0 0 16.66
TP Singh not out 63 49 8 1 128.57
captain R Sathish c Cairns b van der Wath 0 3 0 0 0.00
RS Gavaskar run out (Arnold) 30 27 2 1 111.11
STR Binny not out 37 26 3 1 142.30
Extras (lb 1, w 2) 3
Total (5 wickets; 20 overs) 141 (7.05 runs per over)
Did not bat wicketkeeperI Khaleel, T Kumaran, A Murtaza, AN Ahmed

Fall of wickets1-0 (Jhunjhunwala, 0.4 ov), 2-9 (Vignesh, 1.6 ov), 3-9 (Rayudu, 2.3 ov), 4-9 (Sathish, 2.6 ov), 5-70 (Gavaskar, 11.6 ov)

Bowling O M R W Econ
JJ van der Wath 4 1 12 2 3.00 (2w)
DR Tuffey 3 0 27 1 9.00
UDU Chandana 4 0 30 0 7.50
AJ Hall 4 0 29 0 7.25
CZ Harris 3 0 19 0 6.33
IJ Harvey 2 0 23 0 11.50

ICL World XI innings (target: 142 runs from 20 overs) R B 4s 6s SR
wicketkeeper L Vincent c Kumaran b Binny 43 32 6 1 134.37
IJ Harvey c Murtaza b Vignesh 5 5 1 0 100.00
DR Martyn not out 67 53 10 0 126.41

MS Atapattu not out 25 21 2 0 119.04
Extras (w 5) 5
Total (2 wickets; 18.3 overs) 145 (7.83 runs per over)

Did not bat RP Arnold, AJ Hall, CZ Harris, captainCL Cairns, UDU Chandana, JJ van der Wath, DR Tuffey
Fall of wickets1-7 (Harvey, 1.4 ov), 2-79 (Vincent, 10.3 ov)

Bowling O M R W Econ
AN Ahmed 3 0 25 0 8.33
G Vignesh 3.3 0 28 1 8.00 (4w)
A Murtaza 4 0 25 0 6.25
TP Singh 1 0 11 0 11.00
T Kumaran 2 0 20 0 10.00
STR Binny 4 0 32 1 8.00 (1w)
R Sathish 1 0 4 0 4.00

Toss ICL India XI, who chose to bat first
Points ICL World XI 2, ICL India XI 0

Player of the match DR Martyn (ICL World XI)

Umpires D Brandon (England) and Shakeel Khan (Pakistan)
TV umpire R Martinesz (Sri Lanka)
Match referee EAS Prasanna