IPL qualification scenarios

Mumbai: With 16 matches left in the group stage of the IPL, no team is yet certain of qualification for the final four, while only Deccan Chargers have been eliminated. Here's a look at where the other nine teams stand, and in what scenarios they will either make the cut or miss out Mumbai Indians are obviously the favourites at the moment - despite the heavy defeat to Punjab - but by no means are they a certainty for the last four. If they lose their remaining three games, there is a possibility four teams will overtake their points tally of 16, which will mean Mumbai will be eliminated without net run-rate coming into play. One example...

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Confident of a good show against Pakistan in Tests: Sammy

Guyana: West Indies captain Darren Sammy said they are confident of defending their proud home record against Pakistan in the two-Test series. The first Test will begin at the Guyana National Stadium on Thursday. Pakistan beat West Indies 3-2 in the ODI series. Pakistan have never won a Test series on six previous tours here. If the Windies win this series they will secure valuable ranking points to move up one place in the ICC Test ladder to sixth spot. "We believe we can win the series. We have worked hard in the build-up to the series and we know we have the ability to perform on home turf. We saw an improved batting performance...

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PCB still undecided on Afridi's future as skipper

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board is yet to take a call on Shahid Afridi's future as captain of the national team. The PCB has show caused Afridi seeking an explanation for making his views public regarding his differences with chief coach Waqar Younis on the composition of the team during the recently concluded ODI series in the Caribbean. Official sources in the PCB said that the flamboyant all-rounder would find it difficult to win back the confidence of board chairman Ijaz Butt. "Afridi is expected to send his reply to our notice today and so far no decision has been taken on his future as captain," the source said. "Ijaz Butt was...

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Mitchell Johnson and his hush-hush wedding

New Delhi: According to reports in the Sydney Morning Herald, Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson has tied the knot with longtime girlfriend Jessica Bratich in a secret wedding ceremony. The wedding has been confirmed by Johnson's manager Sam Halvorsen and is believed to have taken place last Friday. According to the same report, none of Johnson's teammates were invited for the ceremony though Halvorsen has not made any comments on the matter. Johson proposed to Bratich over two years ago and the relationship has gone through troubled times with the Australian press even reporting earlier that Johnson's mother has accused Bratich...

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It's back to the Tests as Pakistan face West Indies

Bridgetown, Guyana: We've been starved of Test cricket for nearly four months now. Ever since Pakistan drew in Wellington, to win the series against New Zealand, there's been a glut of limited-over matches - the World Cup, Australia in Bangladesh, the IPL and Pakistan in the West Indies. Re-adjusting attention spans to the pace of five-day cricket might take a while, for both players and us. It is in Guyana, at the other end of the cricket universe from where they last played, that Pakistan resume the Test calendar, in pursuit of a success they've never achieved before. Pakistan have never won a Test series in the West Indies....

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Roping in Gayle has changed RCB fortunes: Vettori

Jaipur:  Having registered five wins on the trot with Chris Gayle playing a significant role in their success, Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Daniel Vettori acknowledged that the explosive West Indian batsman's entry into the team has completely changed their fortunes. "We had started badly, losing three opening games but with Gayle coming in and his opening partnerships with (Tillakaratne) Dilshan have been able to put pressure on the opposition. Gayle has been in tremendous form and has bowled well too," said Vettori at the match-eve press conference. Gayle had destroyed rival bowling attacks with utter disdain with his power-hitting...

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Sri Lanka Premier League to have seven teams

The first edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) will be a seven-team inter-provincial tournament played over approximately 18 days at the end of July and the beginning of August this year. The teams will play each other once, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals. All the games will be played the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the winner of the tournament will qualify for the Champions League Twenty20.ESPNcricinfo has learnt that the seven provinces that will be represented are Basnahira, Kandurata, Nagenahira, Ruhuna, Uthura, Uva and Wayamba. Sri Lanka Cricket will select the players for each team, with domestic...

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Cracks appear in Afridi-Waqar relationship

Shahid Afridi, Pakistan's limited overs captain, has hinted at differences with his coach Waqar Younisafter arriving in Karachi from the West Indies where he led the side to a victorious, but ultimately deflating 3-2 series win.Speculation has grown in the last two days about problems between the pair, specifically over issues of team selection. Both, along with team manager Intikhab Alam, are members of the on-tour selection committee which decides on a playing XI. It has been reported that Afridi was unhappy with what he has seen as Waqar's interference in selection; ahead of the fourth ODI against West Indies, one report claimed Afridi almost...

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Brilliant Bangalore demolish Kochi

Bangalore: If you aren't a fan of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, there's good news and bad news. The good news first: Tillakaratne Dilshan has found form late, and will not unleash any more violence in the IPL, since he is headed to England. The bad news is that Chris Gayle is in such form that you probably wouldn't notice Dilshan's absence. And then there is worse news - Bangalore are fielding like a team possessed. The hapless Kochi Tuskers Kerala ran into each of these facets of Bangalore's brilliance, and were brushed away by nine wickets, with 6.5 overs to spare. Scorecard | Points Table On a day when their franchise went...

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Harbhajan, Symonds in friendship with help from Sachin: Report

Melbourne: Bitter foes in the Sydney Test racial row, Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds have buried the hatchet and are friends now with Sachin Tendulkar helping his IPL side Mumbai Indians teammates in doing that, according to a report. Three years of seething animosity triggered by the "Monkeygate" scandal of the 2008 Sydney Test has ended thanks to the Indian Premier League, with both the feisty players forming a bond at Mumbai Indians playing environment, 'The Australian' reported.The newspaper said Tendulkar played a part in ending one of the most talked-about feuds in world cricket. "India's Test legend Sachin Tendulkar has been...

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