India Vs South Africa: Test series, one-day schedule

AFTER LOSING the tri-series Idea Cup tournament in Bangladesh despite being the favourites, the Indian team will take on South Africa to protect its numero uno status in test cricket. The two test matches are being organised at a short notice after it was observed that Indian will play very few test matches during the next two years, thus putting a question mark on the number one test team status.

The series will commence with first test match in Nagpur on February 6, which shall be followed by another test match in Calcutta commencing on February 14. In between there would be a three day break for both the team to recuperate and get ready for the battle at Calcutta.

The first one-day match will be played at Jaipur on February 21, followed by matches in Kanpur and Ahmedabad on February 24 and 27 respectively.

This tour was initially meant to comprise 5 one-day matches but at the request of BCCI, the South Africans agreed to play two test matches as well.
Series Schedule:

1st Test    India vs South Africa at Nagpur    Sat Feb 6 – Wed Feb 10 (09:30 IST l 04:00 GMT)

2nd Test    India vs South Africa at Kolkata    Sun Feb 14 – Thu Feb 18 (09:30 IST l 04:00 GMT)

1st ODI    India vs South Africa at Jaipur D/N    Sun Feb 21 (14:30 IST | 09:00 GMT)

2nd ODI    India vs South Africa at Kanpur    Wed Feb 24 (09:00 IST | 03:30 GMT)

3rd ODI    India vs South Africa at Ahmedabad D/N    Sat Feb 27 (14:30 IST | 09:00 GMT)

Source: merinews.com

IPL auction: Mumbai get Pollard, Bond for KKR

The auction of 67 players for the third season of the Indian Premier League got underway in Mumbai today. With 12 spots up for grab in the 8 franchisees, Shahid Afridi was the first player to go under the hammer but none of the teams showed interest and the Pakistani all-rounder went unsold in the first round of bidding.

The bidders though upped the ante when the West Indian Kieron Pollard was on offer. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings matched each other till the end as both kept bidding for the player until they reached their price cap of $750,000. At this point Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders also joined for a 4 way tie.

At this IPL chairperson Lalit Modi announced the tie-breaker and all the 4 teams put in an undisclosed amount (in Indian currency). The bid in the end went in favour of Mumbai Indians.

After this Australian keeper Brad Haddin and English spinner Graeme Swann went unsold. South African pacer Wayne Parnell was then latched on by the Delhi Daredevils for a price of $610,000.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/

3 Idiots` grosses over 315 crores in 19 days

Mumbai: Aamir Khan starrer 3 Idiots has made a new record – the film has earned 315 crores worldwide in just 19 days, which makes it the biggest movie at the Box office, claimed the producers of the film.

Breaking previous box office records for Indian films, more than 60 million people in the world have watched 3 Idiots in theatres which has enabled the film to garner the whopping amount.

“`3 Idiots` is unstoppable. That`s the truth. No distributor, no trade expert can predict the business of this film,” said trade analyst Taran Adarsh.

The second week occupancy of the Rajkumar Hirani directed film fell by a mere 28 per cent, indicating a very strong word of mouth for the film. Most multiplexes have added 14 to 21 new shows in the second week.

Trade sources also said it was after a long time that an Indian film has had a large repeat audience. “As a member of the team I am so happy with the kind of success that the film is achieving. I thank Raju, for making the film so well, Vinod, for being such a great producer and Reliance Big Pictures for the kind of release they gave the film,” said Aamir.

3 Idiots is the biggest grosser so far in Aamir`s two-decade-old career.In the UK, the film has retained its position in the top 10 at the British Box Office. The screen count in the US has increased by 25 per cent by the third week.

“I am thrilled and humbled that so many people all over the world have loved this film. It proves Rancho`s mantra true: chase excellence and success will follow,” said producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

“3 Idiots has opened new vistas for the Indian Film Industry. The huge response across continents reinforces our belief that a well-made, well-exploited film can still create magic in the darkened auditorium,” Amit Khanna, chairman, Reliance BIG Entertainment said.

Source : spicezee.zeenews.com

Sehwag urges youngsters to grab opportunities

Virender Sehwag, standing in as captain for MS Dhoni for one more ODI, is hoping his more inexperienced players pull their weight in the absence of two proven matchwinners. With Dhoni missing, and Yuvraj Singh injured, Sehwag has urged the new generation of players in the squad to take advantage of India’s predicament in an attempt to test out the resources with an eye on the 2011 World Cup.

“When the series is going on the team has to play the matches, irrespective of who is in or out. Definitely, we will miss their services but we have to look at our other options,” he said in Kolkata. “The youngsters are getting an opportunity to play for their country and if they do well and make a mark it’s good for the team as well. The bench strength will get stronger and stronger.”

“With [the] 2011 World Cup coming up, if players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma get [an] opportunity to play and get runs, our bench strength improves.”

Dinesh Karthik kept wicket in Cuttack and will get another shot to do so in tomorrow’s game, with Dhoni due back after serving a two-match ban for slow over rates in Nagpur. Bengal’s Manoj Tiwary has been called into the squad as a reserve player for the fourth ODI. Yuvraj is also in doubt for next month’s Bangladesh tri-series, and Rohit is a strong candidate following his triple-century for Mumbai during the Ranji Trophy last season. Kohli, who stepped in for Yuvraj in the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka and scored 54 in the second, was termed a “truly special player” by Sehwag.

“He had played very well in the Champions Trophy,” he said. “Hopefully he will become a star of the future. We are all looking forward to him.”

Trevor Bayliss, Sri Lanka’s coach, has urged his squad’s batsmen to step up as the visitors aim to cash in on Dhoni and Yuvraj’s absence. “In the last game, probably for the first time in the series, we did not bat well. We did not score enough runs,” he said. “If we had scored in an excess of 300, which we we were looking at one stage of the match, we would have had a fair chance of winning that match.

“So we have to get back to scoring runs so that we can put pressure on the opposition. It does not matter what team you are. If you are under pressure, you will lose wickets. Good sides make their own luck. I don’t think there would be any different.”

India lead 2-1 with two games to go and a win at the Eden Gardens will seal the contest their way.

Source: cricinfo.com