ICC

Shahid Afridi: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"There is nothing bigger than a man’s respect, and the way the board has treated me, there is a limit to everything."

Shahid Afridi announces his conditional retirement from international cricket.

What he really meant:

“Power and respect comes from the barrel of a gun and my retirement’s the smoking gun. At least, I hope.”

Club Over Country:Insular Indians wake up to dangers of IPL

Let’s go ahead and admit it.

India, as a cricketing nation, is insular.

In the great ‘club versus country’ debate, Indian fans did not blink an eye when Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard figuratively gave the West Indian Cricket Board (WICB) the finger and plonked themselves at the IPL in the furnace-like heat of an Indian summer.

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Surprises in Indian Test team for WI tour in notable absentees, not selections

The Indian Test team for the West Indies tour has been announced.

In a surprise move, Indian selectors rested Sachin Tendulkar. The master batsman  will not feature on the entire West Indies tour. West Indian cricket fans are denied an opportunity to catch one last glimpse of Tendulkar before he bids farewell to the game.

The controversial shoulder injury to Gautam Gambhir and the sudden illness of Yuvraj Singh mean that this is one of the weakest batting sides to tour abroad in recent times.

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What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t: Andrew Strauss

What he said:

“You’re worried that this might be the series when you’re finally outed as a fraud and not up to playing at this level.”

Andrew Strauss on the insecurities that bedevil a cricketer in his book, ‘Winning The Ashes Down Under: The Captain’s Story’.

What he really meant:

“As a cricketer, you have to face up to the truth that you are only as good as your last few innings. You start each series with a clean slate and past performances bring you no fresh laurels.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I’m a fraud.”

English selection deliberations for First Test against Lanka: An insider’s view

HUMOR—

The Sri Lankans are here.

Raise the curtain on the Lions— English and Lankan.

Can we have a Bell please? Yes, it’s Ian, in the mix.

No Straussing about who’s going to lead the side. No rueing and hewing about it.

Can we Cook up a barbeque for the islanders? Nice and warm and sizzling, followed by climbing Alistairs for exercise.

Trotting up and down is good calisthenics, too.

Can Pietersen be omitted? What! And  miss out on free Brylcreem?

Eoin and Ian? Is there a difference? Morgan powder to use on unwelcome visitors.

Prior behind. Does that sound right?

No Matting wickets here, pal. We’re British, we like our pitches green.

The WAGS insist Broad has to be in. No Stuart excuses can keep him out.

Give us a Swann to make the ugly ducklings look good.Tremble before Tremlett, Lankan lambs.

Games and James can’t be uncoupled,can they?

Let’s ring Finnish to the selections. It’s time for tea and scones, Steve.

Bopara? Is that the chap serving?

Quote of the day:
Facts are the enemy of truth. – Miguel de Cervantes

IPL-Bollywood Points Table: Winners and Losers

IPL-Bollywood Points Table

Star	Played	Won	Points
Image via Wikipedia Shilpa Shetty	13	5 (1 NR)	11
Image via Wikipedia Shah Rukh Khan	13	8	16
Image via Wikipedia Preity Zinta	13	7	14

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Recap and implications of ICC’s Cricket Committee recommendations

Cricket Ireland will welcome the recommendations made by the ICC’s cricket committee on Wednesday, the 11th of May, 2011.

Associate teams will be allowed to participate in the 2015 World Cup through a qualifying process. The next World Cup will not default to Test-playing nations. Teams will have to earn the right to be in the elite group of participating nations.

Cricket fans will start to believe again that “yes, the administrators are playing cricket.”

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