Pune Warriors retain Ganguly for coming IPL season

NEW DELHI: Inducted as an injury replacement last year, former India captain Sourav Ganguly has been retained by Pune Warriors for the coming Indian Premier League season. 

Ganguly had signed up with the outfit after the start of the tournament last year. He had been a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first three editions of the Twenty20 event and had led the side in 2008 and 2010. 

"We are privileged to have a player of Sourav Ganguly's calibre in our squad. He has been one of India's greatest and most inspirational cricketers. We have no doubt that his presence in the team will boost the team's prospects in the IPL, and motivate the boys to excel themselves," Abhijit Sarkar, Pune Warriors director, said. 

IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla said the presence of veteran such as Ganguly enhances the league's appeal. 

"Sourav Ganguly's record speaks for itself. Icons like him only enhance the phenomenon that is the IPL. He has always set high standards for himself, and we can expect some outstanding performances from him in the tournament," Shukla said. 

Elsewhere, Kings XI Punjab have signed David Miller, the middle-order batsman from South Africa, for the next two seasons. 

The IPL's fifth edition will start on April 4.

Gayle is only human: Gillespie

After having defeated Delhi Daredevils in a must-win game, Kings XI Punjab now look to maintain their winning run in IPL 2011 against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Speaking to the press ahead of the team’s crucial encounter, KXIP bowling coach Jason Gillespie spoke about coming up with plans for the RCB batsmen and the bowlers who’s impressed him in IPL 2011.

Excerpts from the pre-match press-conference:

On having specific plans for Chris Gayle as the bowling coach of KXIP

We’ll certainly make some plans for Chris Gayle. He’s been in wonderful form. But while we’ll be coming up with some plans for Gayle, it will be pretty foolish of us to discount the other very good plays in the [Royal Challengers] Bangalore side. So we’ll certainly be having a plan for all their batters. But yes, for Chris we will try and come up with something since he is in very special form and we have to try and negate that.

On the morale in the KXIP squad after three consecutive wins

I think the guys are really enjoying each other’s company and playing some good cricket. What we’ve been able to do is get our batting and bowling sorted in the one game. There have been a lot of games which we went down in, where we either batted really well and bowled poorly or vice-versa. So to be able to bat and bowl equally well in games has shown that we can mix it with the top teams. There is no doubt about that.

On whether KXIP are focussed intently on the points table

No, we don’t really focus on that too much. We don’t even really focus on the result of the game. We try to make sure that in all the disciplines of the game we can do as best as we can and as consistently as we can. And our belief is that if we do execute our skills to the best of our ability the result will take care of itself.

On whether bowling to an in-form batsman like Chris Gayle can be intimidating for a bowler

It certainly presents a unique challenge. What we are talking about with our bowlers is making sure that their preparation is as best as it can be. And [I ask them to] just go out there with the belief that the plan will work if you bowl in the right areas. Chris Gayle is only human. He can nick a ball like anyone else, or miss one. So he is in good form but our belief is that if we bowl to our plan and back that up with some really positive, strong body-language in the field, we can restrict RCB to a lower score.

On whether Gayle’s is the key wicket in the game against RCB

It will certainly be nice to knock him over for not many tomorrow. There is no doubt about that. But as I said before, we’d be pretty silly to just focus on Chris Gayle.

On the bowlers who have impressed him this IPL

There’s been a number [of them]. From the Delhi Daredevils, Varun Aaron, I think; he bowls with real pace. That’s a good sign for India. I think Ishant Sharma is a fantastic bowler. He certainly has come along in the last couple of years from what I have seen from afar. I think he is a very good bowler and he is only going to get better. And then I look at our line-up and, obviously, there is Praveen Kumar. For a guy who has spent a bit of time on the sidelines, he’s coming back from an injury, he’s performed quite well for us. [He’s] probably one of the most skilful bowlers in world cricket. He can swing the ball both ways. [He] puts batsmen under pressure. There are a number of bowlers going around India and, I think, the bowling stocks are quite rich.

Welcome to Source Pinkcity

Source Pinkcity
A leading Sourcing Company of all kind of requirements from Pinkcity and Rajasthan deals into as sourcing partners in India engaged in offering home furnishing items, Garments and apparels, decorative & giftware, home accents items, furniture items, kitchen & bathroom items, christmas articles , corporate Gifts and ideas and travel and tourism services withunique way and many other customized products.

http://www.sourcepinkcity.com/

RCB guys really good: Gayle

Royal Challengers Bangalore registered their seventh consecutive win by defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by four wickets in a rain-curtailed encounter on Saturday night.

Man-of-the-match Christ Gayle was instrumental in making things easy for RCB with a 12-ball 38. He struck six fours and two sixers and also wrested the Orange Cap from Virender Sehwag.

Gayle spoke at the post-match press conference. Excerpts:

On the mood in the RCB camp and his contributions to the team's progress

Things have progressed well after my first game. The guys are really good. We keep communicating with each other. Ours is a young team. The good thing about it is we are up front off the field and on the field as well. That's the key for any particular player: go with a relaxed frame of mind. It has been brilliant in the dressing room. We have lot of fun. So it’s very good.

On his respect for bowlers

Every team has got quality bowlers. I have got to be prepared for them just like how you have prepared for me as well. It’s a case where I try and play my game all the times because I won't get a second chance. As a batter I try to be ready for each and every particular bowler whether they are going to open with a spinner or a fast bowler. Every bowler is capable of getting wickets. So it’s a situation where I have got to try and prevent that. I am just trying to enjoy it. I look at it as a challenge. Whatever the situation, whether you are batter or a bowler, you have to back yourselves.

We’ll take a lot of positives: Mahela

Kochi Tuskers Kerala put up a clinical performance to crush Rajasthan Royals by eight wickets in Indore. However, their skipper, Mahela Jayawardene addressed the post-match press conference with mixed feelings. While he was happy with the way his boys clicked as a unit to end RR’s hopes of qualifying for the Playoffs, he also rued the lack of consistency of his own team due to which they were left with less than an outside chance of going further in the tournament.

On KTK’s overall performance in their debut IPL season

I’m still disappointed [despite being sixth on the points table]. The way we started [with two back-to-back victories], we looked good to qualify in the top four and even win the tournament. That’s what our goal was. We’ve had our chances but we failed to grab them. This win shows what we can do when we click as a unit. We haven’t been consistent and there’s a lot for us to learn from this season.

On the positives the team can draw from this season

We’ve found quite a few young Indian boys who can deliver and the international guys too have put their hands up and performed. Parthiv, Jadeja, Sree, Vinay Kumar and RP Singh have been brilliant. We’ve got bench strength in Muralitharan and Thissara Perera. We have talent and we have a very good chance of coming back stronger the next year. But we need to keep working hard. It’s not going to come easy for us even in the next season.

On the team’s improved performance after losing the last game

We made some mistakes in that game with bat and ball. In T20 once you make a mistake it’s very hard to make a come back into the game. But today, we had an almost perfect game – with the ball, bat and in the field. Consistency is one area we need to work on.

On RP Singh’s performance in the tournament

RP Singh is a great prospect. He has done well for India as well. He was injured, made a strong comeback and he’s continued his good run in this tournament as well. RP and Sreesanth have spearheaded our bowling attack and it’s good to have such experienced bowlers in our team. It gives our pace attack depth and options to try out different combinations.

On his decision to field first

The other day we couldn’t defend 180. It’s a small ground with a very good batting track. So we took the route of restricting them and then chasing it down. And for that we beefed up our batting.

On whether the track for this game was different from the last one

It was pretty much the same, probably slightly slower than the first day. But it is a very good batting wicket.

On their next game in Chennai

Unfortunately I’m leaving for Sri Lanka tomorrow early in the morning. But I’ll speak to the boys tonight and give them the confidence they need. We need to finish on a high. We beat Chennai in Kochi, so we just need to focus on our strengths and execute our plans. They’re a tough team to beat but we’ve got nothing to lose. I just want the guy to go out there and enjoy their cricket.

Worst performance in 4 years: Warne

Indore, May 14: Shane Warne was absolutely distraught as Rajasthan Royals were walloped by the Kochi Tuskers Kerala at Indore. After being dismissed for 97, the Royals bowled miserably as KTK finished the game off in mere 7.2 overs. In his post-match interaction with the media, Warne was unequivocal in his admission that he was disappointed by the lack of fight shown by his team tonight.

On the reason behind the loss

I’m not sure. I’ve been the captain and coach of the Royals for four years and it’s very disappointing to put up our worst performance in this season. It was such a crunch game and we still had a chance to go further in the tournament. We all knew it was a 180-200 run wicket and we didn’t even cross 100. Our batting hasn’t fired consistently in the tournament and in T20 if the batsmen don’t score runs, it gets very hard for the bowlers.

On making six changes in the playing XI

We wanted to rest Johan Botha and Ross Taylor and give a chance to Jacob Oram, who can hit big sixes in the end and is also a fine bowler. Among domestic players we wanted to give a chance to the likes of Ankeet Chavan, Nayan Doshi and also the new wicketkeeper Pinal Shah, who was doing very well in practice. Unfortunately the guys didn’t put up a good performance.

On his four years with the Rajasthan Royals

I’ve been very lucky to be with a wonderful group of guys at the Royals. It will be sad to leave, not only the IPL but the game of cricket in itself. I have only one game to go before my 23 years of career – including first-class, international and club cricket – comes to an end. Leaving on such a note, losing our last four games so badly is even more disappointing. But all said and done, I’ll have fun memories of the IPL and of everyone I’ve played with and against here. I’m sad to leave but am looking forward to the rest of my life.

On RR’s batting collapse on the flat batting track

It was a perfect batting track and we were probably 100-110 runs short. As I said earlier, our batting has let us down right through the tournament, with the exception of perhaps Johan Botha, who did a pretty good job after being promoted up the order.

On whether RR struggle outside of their home ground

Well, that’s what you think. But I think most of the teams have done better at home than away. Yes, this year our record on the road has been very poor but in T20s you can have games like that. There’s no disgrace in losing if we’re outplayed but the way we’ve lost these last four games has been very disappointing.

On Shane Watson not opening the batting

Watson’s been opening the batting for the most of the tournament and by his own admission he hasn’t done as well as he’d have liked to. We had Rahul Dravid up front with the young Faiz Fazal, who’s a fine batsman. Fazal had the licence to go all out and even if he got out there was Watson to follow. But unfortunately in the first six overs we lost three wickets and that’s where we probably lost the game.

Chawla was top class: Gilly

Dharamsala, May 15: Adam Gilchrist was a happy man after his team won its third successive game in IPL 2011. Kings XI Punjab’s 29-run victory against Delhi Daredevils has kept the door ajar for the Punjab franchise for an entry into the Playoffs.

Gilchrist and man-of-the-match Piyush Chawla [4-0-16-3] addressed the media after the game.

Excerpts from the post-match press conference:

Adam Gilchrist

On Delhi putting up a weak fight

They were doing all they could. It’s a difficult situation. I’ve been in that situation before where it’s all over pretty early. It’s the end of a long season for a lot of their players. They were right in the hunt early on but then, obviously, chasing that total and the partnership between [Shaun] Marsh and [Paul] Valthaty is what broke their back. And then the bowling effort was superb.

On KXIP’s chances of making it to the Playoffs

Same situation as before the game. We have got to keep winning. We have two more games to go and we have to try and win. That’s all we can do. The chances don’t change much.

On having any specific plan for Chris Gayle in their next game against Royal Challengers Bangalore

He’s doing ok [laughs]. We are not going to sit here and tell the world what the plan is. But we’ll think about that. We’ll enjoy tonight because you got to acknowledge your victories. But tomorrow we’ll start planning.

On whether it will be a tough game against RCB

Every game is tough in the IPL. Two games ago we were playing the top team in the IPL and we beat them by 70 runs [Mumbai Indians]. So anything is possible. That’s what this team does know. We don’t take anything for the granted.

On whether KXIP were lucky to win the game since Delhi dropped a couple of catches and missed an easy run out

I don’t use the term ‘luck’. I think you create opportunities when you are in the field. If you are not disciplined you miss opportunities. Your own standard of fielding creates and makes those opportunities.

On Piyush Chawla’s Man-of-the-Match performance

PC was just absolutely top class. He missed a couple of games. He’s gone away and he’s come back and shown in the last few games that he is an international standard bowler. A very good one at that.

Piyush Chawla

On whether his improved bowling because of selection is coming a little late in the tournament

What is not in my hands, I cannot handle. I can go to the ground and perform. That’s the only thing I can do.

On what he is doing differently in the last few games

Well, it’s not about doing things differently. The plan was not very different from the previous games. But in this game and in the last game I bowled a little better because I had some time to think about mixing my pace.