WICB dissatisfied at Gayle's IPL decision

 

Chris Gayle's choice of the IPL over country has infuriated the West Indies Cricket Board, which said it decided Gayle a no-objection certificate only after he had made himself occupied for national selection and fly to India. The IPL clash directly with Pakistan's Test and ODI tour of the West Indies. Gayle will take no part in either series, having connected Royal Challengers Bangalore as a substitute for Dirk Nannes. 

The WICB also long-established that Gayle was in the middle of a rehabilitation program after a side strain that not allowed his selection from the first two matches against Pakistan. Gayle's flight to India has successfully cut across the middle of his rehab. 

"The WICB does not accept Gayle's reason for making himself unavailable but as he has already clearly made his choice and has travelled to India, the WICB does not wish to stand in his way," the board said. "The WICB is most dissatisfied in the manner in which Gayle has handled the entire situation, particularly given the mature and helpful manner in which two other players who refused contracts- Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard - made themselves obtainable for selection and contracted to an understanding in the best interest of West Indies cricket."

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Kochi smother Kolkata in hard-fought win

Kochi Tuskers Kerala 132 for 7 (Jadeja 29, Yusuf 3-20, Shakib 3-28) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 126 for 9 (M Tiwary 46, RP Singh 2-25, Jadeja 2-25) by six runs

Kochi Tuskers Kerala won a battle of abrasion against Kolkata Knight Riders on a slow Eden Gardens pitch to move to the third place in the points table. The wicket did not play as low as it did in Kolkata's win against Rajasthan Royals, but it was just as slow, making it hard for batsmen and an enjoyment for the spinners.

After Yusuf Pathan and Shakib Al Hasan had taken six wickets for 48 runs between them to control Kochi to 132, Kolkata's powerful batting line-up would have imaginary the modest chase. But Kochi's own army of spinners - Muttiah Muralitharan, Ramesh Powar and Ravindra Jadeja - quiet the runs although they did not get as many wickets, and ensure the pressure got to the Kolkata batsmen, who fell six runs short. 

As it transpired, the presentation against the new-ball bowlers was the dissimilarity between the two sides. Kolkata's seamers conceded 26 for 0 in their first three overs, while Kochi's fast bowlers dismiss Jacques Kallis and Gautam Gambhir, while yielding only 20 runs in their first four overs. Kallis fell to the hook for the second time running, alternation Vinay Kumar straight to deep square leg. Gambhir played inside the line of a full release from RP Singh that straighten and uproot middle stump as Kolkata began to stutter.

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Mumbai beat ordinary Pune

Mumbai Indians 124 for 3 (Rayudu 37, Tendulkar 35) beat Pune Warriors 118 (Uthappa 45, Munaf 3-8, Nechim 2-13, Murtaza 2-18) by seven wickets 

Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar feel that his side should have ended the match against Pune Warriors much previous than they did. MI won the match by seven wickets but it went down to the wire with Rohit Sharma striking Murali Kartik for a six off the last release of the match.

"Our batting should have been a bit better. Ideally, we should have completed the match in the 17th or 18th over. There were a few hiccups in the end. We failed to play the big shots which could have helped us end the match earlier," Tendulkar said at the post match press meeting.

 

The iconic batsman also said that the wicket was a bit on the slower side.

"I and Rayudu tried to hit some big shot but it didn't approach off. There are days when it comes off and there are days when it doesn't," Tendulkar said.

The skipper was though all praise for his bowlers and fielders.

"Brilliant presentation by our bowlers and fielders. Particularly the catch by Pollard was a mind blowing effort. Everyone chip in with wickets. To limit the team to a small total, you need to pick wickets at regular intervals," he said.

Tendulkar's complement Yuvraj Singh was candid in admitting that practically, this was their first poor performance in the tournament.

"It was poor batting on our part. We were almost certainly 20 runs short. Our batsmen played some irresponsible shots to get out. We were never in the game after losing so many wickets. T20 is a random format where we can comeback with a few good wins."

Man of the match Munaf Patel said that he has worked on variation which has been helping him.

"I have been bowling a lot of leg-cutters which has helped me get wickets. If you don't have variation, batsmen will hit you," Munaf said.

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Sri Lanka players agree to come back home

Sri Lankan cricketers now playing in the Indian Premier League will go back home early to get ready for the upcoming England tour, new skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan said. Dilshan is among 11 players who have been asking by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to return home by May 5, more than three weeks before the profitable Twenty20 tournament ends.

"Personally, I am not miserable to return early," Dilshan told journalists. "Playing for my country is more important than playing for IPL. I think everyone selected for England tour will be happy to come early."

The Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) had earlier written to SLC asking them to allow their cricketers to stay on till May 15. "We did sign a no-objection agreement with the players to play in the IPL. But there was no date to return. I am sure the BCCI will understand country must come first before IPL," SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said.

Sri Lanka will play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international during the England tour early May 14. Ranatunga said training for the tour will start on May 5 and the team will go away for London on May 11.

He said former skippers Mahela Jayawardene (Kochi Tuskers) and Kumar Sangakkara (Deccan Chargers) will also have to return as they have been selected in the Test squad.

"The BCCI has asked us to think again our decision, but we have not changed our stand," Ranatunga said. Dilshan, who plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore along with fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep, said he hope the franchises would understand their early exit.

"We have a new temporary coach (Stuart Law) and a new batting coach (Marvan Atapattu). I am also new as captain. We need to get ready jointly to build up for the big England tour," he said. Chief selector and former captain Duleep Mendis said the early remember was essential as Sri Lanka had been playing one-dayers and Twenty20s for the past two months.

"They have to spiritually get ready and switch to play the longer version of the game," said Mendis. "The first half of the English summer is not very easy and we want the boys to train together and focus on playing with red balls in its place of the white ones that they have been playing with in the past two months," Mendis said.

Other Sri Lankan IPL players take in Nuwan Kulasekara and Suraj Randiv (Chennai Super Kings); Dilhara Fernando and Lasith Malinga (Mumbai Indians).

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