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Category: Sports

  • England and India seek improvement in Test Rankings

    England and India seek improvement in Test Rankings

    MUMBAI: The five-Test series between England and India gets underway in Nottingham on Wednesday 9 July, with both sides aiming to improve their rankings in the Reliance ICC Test Team Rankings Table.

     

    As things stand at present, India occupies fourth position with 102 ratings points, while England is one spot behind with 100 ratings points. Depending upon the outcome of the Test series, both teams can go as high as number three or drop to as low as number seven.

     

    For India, the equation is straightforward: a series win will be sufficient to help it leapfrog Pakistan into third position.

     

    However, a vault up the rankings is a bit trickier for England, which needs to win the series by a difference of no less than two Tests to take on third place. Victory by just one Test will help it swap places with India.

     

    Meanwhile, both teams can potentially drop to number seven. If India wins all five Tests, then Alastair Cook’s side will plummet to seventh position, while a 4-1 series result will see England slip to sixth. Conversely, if England wins the series by 4-0 or better, then India will drop to seventh spot.

     

    To find out exactly how the forthcoming series will affect the Rankings Table, please click here. The ODI and T20I Rankings tables, unlike the Test Rankings Table, are updated after every match.

     

    Movement is also expected on the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen.

     

    India’s Cheteshwar Pujara, static in seventh place, will have the opportunity to break into the top five, while Virat Kohli, who currently occupies tenth position, will have the chance to consolidate his place in the top 10.

     

    Pujara trails fifth-ranked Shivnarine Chanderpaul by 35 ratings points, while Kohli needs 16 ratings points to both move ahead of Ross Taylor of New Zealand and also break the 800-point barrier.

     

    Ian Bell, in 18th place, is the only batsman from England to find a place amongst the top 20.

     

    Outside the top 20, batsmen likely to be seen in action from both the sides are Alistair Cook (21st), Joe Root (26th), MS Dhoni (29th), Matt Prior (32nd), Rohit Sharma (33rd), Murali Vijay (42nd), Ajinikya Rahane (45th) and Shikhar Dhawan (50th).

     

    Gary Ballance and Sam Robson, who did well for England against Sri Lanka, are in 83rd and 94th places, respectively.

     

    India’s Ravichandran Ashwin in seventh position is the highest-ranked bowler from either side in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers. James Anderson (12th) and Stuart Broad (14th) are the other bowlers to feature inside the top 20.

     

    Other bowlers to watch out for are Ishant Sharma (23rd), Ravindra Jadeja (26th), Mohammed Shami (33rd), Ben Stokes (46th), Liam Plunkett (50th), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (73rd) and Chris Woakes (118th).
     

    In the All-rounders’ table, Ashwin (second) and Stuart Broad (fifth) feature in the top five.

     

    Series schedule:

     

    9-13 July – 1st Test, Nottingham

    17-21 July – 2nd Test, Lord’s

    27-31 July – 3rd Test, Southampton

    7-11 August – 4th Test, Manchester

    15-19 August – 5th Test, The Oval

     

    Reliance ICC Test Team Rankings table

     

    Rank   Team              Rating     

    1          Australia          123            

    2          South Africa   123           

    3          Pakistan           103  

    4          India                102   

    5          England           100             

    6          Sri Lanka         96              

    7          New Zealand  93

    8          West Indies     74

    9          Zimbabwe       40

    10        Bangladesh     21

    (Developed by David Kendix)

    Reliance ICC Test Player Rankings

     

    Batsmen (top 10)

     

    Rank      Player                   Team     Points                    Ave         HS Rating

       1           AB de Villiers        SA           922        51.94      935 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2014

       2           K Sangakkara      SL           896        58.63      938 v Eng at Kandy 2007

       3           Hashim Amla       SA           873        51.35      907 v Pak at Abu Dhabi 2013

       4           David Warner       Aus         871!       46.54     871 v SA at Cape Town 2014

       5           S.Chanderpaul     WI          854        51.88      901 v NZ at Napier 2008

       6           Misbah-ul-Haq    Pak         824!       48.75     824 v SL at Sharjah 2014

       7           C Pujara                                Ind          819*      58.92      851 v SA at Durban 2013

       8           Michael Clarke    Aus         818        51.50      900 v SL at Melbourne 2012

       9           Ross Taylor          NZ          795        46.43      871 v WI at Hamilton 2013

      10         Virat Kohli            Ind          784!       46.51     784 v NZ at Wellington 2014

     

    Selected Rankings

     

    Rank      Player                   Team     Points    Ave         HS Rating

      18         Ian Bell                  Eng         657        45.12      822 v Ind at The Oval 2011

      21         Alastair Cook       Eng         633        45.90     874 v Ind at Kolkata 2012 

      26         Joe Root                                Eng         610*      41.86      630 v SL at Lord’s 2014

      29         MS Dhoni              Ind          604        38.77      662 v SA at Kolkata 2010 

      32         Matt Prior              Eng         583        41.00      745 v NZ at Auckland 2013

      33         Rohit Sharma       Ind          578*!    56.87      578 v NZ at Wellington 2014

      42         Murali Vijay         Ind          530*      35.24      569 v SA at Durban 2013 

      45         Ajinkya Rahane  Ind          513*!    47.37      513 v NZ at Wellington 2014 

      50         S Dhawan             Ind          475*!    48.54      475 v NZ at Wellington 2014

      83         Gary Ballance      Eng         334*!    45.20      334 v SL at Headingley 2014

      94         Sam Robson         Eng         305*!    42.75      305 v SL at Headingley 2014

     

     

    Bowlers (top 10)

     

    Rank      Player                   Team     Points    Ave         HS Rating

       1           Dale Steyn            SA           898        23.01      908 v Pak at Johannesburg 2013

       2           Ryan Harris          Aus         870!       22.56     870 v SA at Cape Town 2014

       3           V Philander           SA           865        20.11      912 v Ind at Johannesburg 2013

       4           M Johnson            Aus         844!       27.42     844 v SA at Cape Town 2014

       5           Saeed Ajmal         Pak         787        27.46      855 v Zim at Harare 2013

       6           Tim Southee         NZ          783        29.83      799 v WI at Kingston 2014

       7           R Ashwin               Ind          744        28.50      808 v WI at Mumbai 2013

       8           Rangana Herath  SL           739        30.51      838 v NZ at Colombo (PSS) 2012

       9           Trent Boult           NZ          737*      27.45      767 v Ind at Wellington 2014

      10=       Kemar Roach       WI          733!       27.04     733 v NZ at Bridgetown 2014

                    Peter Siddle           Aus         733        29.37      816 v Eng at Old Trafford 2013

     

    Selected Rankings

     

    Rank      (+/-)        Player                   Team     Points    Ave         HS Rating

      12         (-2)          J Anderson            Eng         731        30.36      813 v Ind at Edgbaston 2011

      14         (-1)          Stuart Broad         Eng         719        30.43      783 v WI at Lord’s 2012

    23           Ishant Sharma     Ind          548        37.56      671 v WI at Dominica 2011

       26        Ravindra Jadeja  Ind          507*      26.30      570 v SA at Durban 2013

       33        M Shami               Ind          422*!    29.48      422 v NZ at Wellington 2014

       46        Ben Stokes            Eng         305*      32.80      311 v Aus at Sydney 2014 

       50        Liam Plunkett      Eng         286*!    36.67      286 v SL at Headingley 2014 

       73        B Kumar               Ind          203*      37.88      211 v WI at Mumbai 2013

      118=     Chris Woakes       Eng         7*          96.00     8 v Aus at The Oval 2013

     

    All-rounders

     

    Rank      Player                   Team     Points    HS Rating

       1           Vernon Philander SA           376*/ !  376 v Aus at Cape Town 2014

       2           R Ashwin               Ind          373*/    419 v WI at Mumbai 2013

       3           Shakib Al Hasan Ban        364        404 v Pak at Mirpur 2011

       4           Mitchell Johnson Aus         280        384 v Eng at Cardiff 2009

       5           Stuart Broad         Eng         274        382 v Pak at Abu Dhabi 2012

  • Novak Djokovic lifts Wimbledon trophy for second time

    Novak Djokovic lifts Wimbledon trophy for second time

    MUMBAI: Serbian Novak Djokovic won his second Wimbledon title, defeating seven-time winner Roger Federer, 6-7(7) 6-4 7-6(4) 5-7 6-4, in a tightly contested battle on 6 July.

     

     It was a major victory for the world number two who had lost five of his last six Grand Slam finals and his last three in a row. But the 27 year old was pushed all the way by the Swiss who faced a match point in the fourth set before forcing a decider.

     

    Getting down on his knees in celebration, he dedicated his win, first to his fiancé Jelena Ristic and their future baby as he climbed to the players’ box.

     

    ”I don’t know how I managed to do it,” said a teary Djokovic, who had lost his last three Grand Slam finals.

     

    ”I want to dedicate this win to a few people, first of all to my future wife and our future baby. I am going to become a father soon and I am still preparing for that. To my first coach Jelena Gencic, who taught me everything about playing tennis and how to behave. Unfortunately she passed away last year but this is for her.”

    This was Djokovic’s first Grand Slam title since the passing away of his first coach Gencic, who he described as a second mother. She passed away last June at the age of 76.

     

    Known to wear his heart on his sleeve, he had kind words for his opponent who was denied a record eighth Wimbledon title.

     

    “I want to congratulate Roger for great tournament and a great fight. It was great match to be part of,” Djokovic added.

     
    “Roger I respect your career and everything you have done and thank you for letting me win today!” 

     

    Djokovic recalled that the Wimbledon was very special to him as it was the first tennis match he had ever seen “The first tennis match I ever saw was Wimbledon when I was five. It is the best tournament in the world and the one I always dreamed of winning.” 
     

  • FIFA World Cup draws female fans to Sony Aath

    FIFA World Cup draws female fans to Sony Aath

    MUMBAI: The 2014 FIFA World Cup has gripped the nation, and if one thought it was only a man’s game, the TAM TV ratings for FIFA World Cup on Sony Aath will prove them wrong.

     

    As per the week 26 of TAM TV ratings, Sony Aath from the Multi Screen Media stable has seen a rise in the female viewership in the 15 plus age group. The channel saw a four per cent hike, from the 146 TVTs that ESPN Star Sports (the then official broadcaster of FIFA) received during the FIFA World Cup 2010 telecast to 152 TVTs it has got in the current season.   

     

    In the first week of the telecast of FIFA World Cup, Sony Six had an all India reach of 12,469,000 while Sony Aath’s reach was 3,114,000. Combined, the two channels had a total reach of 14,792,000 in the CS 4+ years group.

     

    In the West Bengal market, while Sony Six recorded a reach of 3,056,000, Sony Aath’s reach was 3,043,000. In the second week of FIFA World Cup, Sony Aath’s reach increased to 5,589,000 in the West Bengal market. Within Kolkata, the reach of Sony Aath was 2,561,000 for the first week while in the second week it rose to 4,427,000.

     

    Amongst male in CS 15+ age group, Sony Aath recorded 173 TVTs in the West Bengal market in week one, which dropped to 154 TVTs in the second week. For Sony Six, the all India ratings in the same category was 613 TVTs in the first week, which saw a huge drop in the second week, as it recorded 453 TVTs.

     

    As of the current ratings, Sony Six (all India) has recorded 483 TVTs and Sony Aath has garnered 161 TVTs, combined the two have scored 644 TVTs.  

     

    Telecasting most of the matches at prime time has definitely paid off since the Germany versus Portugal match on 16 June telecasted at 9:30 pm
    received 1,514 TVTs on Sony Six and 393 TVT’s on Sony Aath. Combined the two have garnered 1,907 TVTs. This is the highest rated match so far.

  • Inaugural ICC Women’s Championship to commence in August

    Inaugural ICC Women’s Championship to commence in August

    MUMBAI: The inaugural edition of the ICC Women’s Championship kicks off in August and will see the top eight sides in the game lock horns in a multi-year, bilateral qualifying competition that will lead into the pinnacle event in women’s cricket, the ICC Women’s World Cup.

    Developed in order to create a more extensive and meaningful bilateral playing programme for women’s cricket, the ICC Women’s Championship will see the eight sides play each other in three One-Day Internationals, either at home or away, between 2014 and 2016. 

    Points will be awarded for each game, with the top four sides at the conclusion of the ICC Women’s Championship gaining automatic qualification to the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, to be hosted by the England and Wales Cricket Board. 

    The bottom four sides will have a second chance to qualify for the marquee event through the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017, details of which will be announced in due course.  Joined by six regional qualifiers, the bottom four will face off for the final four positions at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017.

    The first round of the ICC Women’s Championship will see reigning world champion Australia begin its title defence against Pakistan on home soil, while three-time ICC Women’s World Cup champion England will host India, Sri Lanka will host South Africa and the West Indies will host New Zealand. The dates and venues for the first round fixtures will be announced shortly.

    ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “The ICC Women’s Championship provides another fantastic opportunity for women’s cricket.  Following the ICC Board’s decision to hold a stand-alone ICC Women’s World Twenty20 tournament every four years, alternately with the ongoing joint men’s and women’s ICC World Twenty20, this tournament guarantees both regular playing opportunities and a meritocratic pathway to the ICC Women’s World Cup.”

    Chair of the ICC Women’s Committee, Clare Connor, said: “The ICC Women’s Championship is an exciting new initiative that represents a significant step in the continued development of women’s cricket. The multi-year structure provides regular playing opportunities for the leading women’s teams, as well as clear context around bi-lateral series that provides a competitive pathway into the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017.”

    The seven rounds of the ICC WC will be played during windows as follows:

    The competing teams will announce fixture details closer to the relevant dates.

    Notes to Editors:

    The ICC Women’s Championship 2014-16 structure

    The ICC Women’s Championship 2014-16 is a multi-year event, with seven windows for each round of competition.  The competing teams will be responsible for determining the dates of their series within each window.

    The competition was agreed by the ICC Board at its January 2014 meeting.   

    ICC Women’s ODI Team Rankings

    The eight participating teams are ranked as per their finishing positions at the ICC Women’s World Cup India 2013, and are as follows:

    1.      Australia

    2.      West Indies

    3.      England

    4.      New Zealand

    5.      Sri Lanka

    6.      South Africa

    7.      India

    8.      Pakistan

  • Algeria-Germany match draws record turnout at Monte Carlo Stars in Dubai Marina

    Algeria-Germany match draws record turnout at Monte Carlo Stars in Dubai Marina

    MUMBAI: Despite the late timing of the Algeria-Germany match and the event coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan, Arabs fans sat with high excitement in front of TV screens cheering wildly the only Arab team in the World Cup in Brazil.

     

    Monte Carlo Stars, a top destination that is offering the World Cup matches at the largest terrace overlooking Dubai Marina, has been drawing a huge number of football fans since the start of the World Cup.

     

    Ibrahim Al Sheikh, General Manager, Monte Carlo Stars Dubai said: “The audience waited with bated breath until the last minute of the extra time. We were thrilled with the turnout, which reflects Arab support to the only Arab team in World Cup 2014. It also reflects the diversity of cultures living in the UAE who are watching the games with great enthusiasm.”

     

    Al Sheikh said: “We congratulate the Algerian national team on their impressive performance despite their exit from the competition, and we expect a higher adrenaline rush as we come closer to the final matches.”

     

    Al Sheikh added: “Monte Carlo Stars has created a great ambience for our visitors who are coming here for Iftars and Suhoors as well as to watch the World Cup matches.”

     

    The Monte Carlo Stars, which has spectacular views of the Dubai Marina, is the largest marina terrace area providing the ultimate experience for each visitor through high-quality service.

     

    Al Sheikh concluded: “We are targeting broader segments of Dubai multicultural society in particular. The record turnout during the historic Algeria-Germany match was a proof of this.”

     

    It should be noted that Algeria became the third Arab team to qualify for the second round of the World Cup after Morocco in 1986 and Saudi Arabia in 1994.

  • This FIFA, news channels will even the score

    This FIFA, news channels will even the score

     MUMBAI: It’s raining goals this FIFA World Cup. Favourites are being kicked out while the underdogs are rising up the points table. And news channel are now vying to latch on to the football fever by focusing on dedicated FIFA shows and content.

     

    Official FIFA broadcaster, Sony Six, has associated with India’s premier news channel Times Now, to provide excerpts from their two shows: Café Rio and Football Extraaa, but not match content. Times Now utilises this exclusive content consisting of expert analysis for its sports slot between 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

     

     According to Sony Six assistant vice president marketing Murtuza Madraswala the association with the newscaster will benefit them both. He says, “We are happy to associate with Times Now as there is a synergy in our passion for the sport and we cater to a similar profile of target audience. FIFA World Cup is the greatest sporting extravaganza and this partnership only adds to the magic and the fervour of the greatest party in the world!”

     

     Other major news channels too have joined the FIFA bandwagon by bringing in dedicated shows with big names associated as anchors and guests. Some of these channels include ABP News, ABP Ananda, CNN-IBN, IBN7, Headlines Today, NewsX and Al Jazeera.

     

     Headlines Today has come up with Carniball2014: Brazil which is aired between 7 pm to 8 pm every night. It covers performances and off-field developments with pre and post analysis of the games.

     

     The guest line up for Carniball2014, anchored by Shivani Gupta, comprises of former India manager Eric Benny, sports historian and consulting editor from Kolkata Boria Majumdar, former India skipper and current ISL football team owner Sourav Ganguly, I- league winning coach of Bengaluru FC team Ashley Westwood, super model Gabriela Bertante, soccer expert Roy Hay and director of the national football museum in Manchester Kevin Moore.

     

    The ABP group’s main show Duniya Gol Hai is aired at 8:30 am and 10:30 pm. The morning version focuses on match results, golden boot contenders and light features whereas the evening show is primarily a preview based show looking at players to watch out for and the games to expect. The group’s impressive guest lineup has famous Indian midfielder Renedy Singh whose career graph extends 14 long years. Joining him is football commentator Ghaus Mohammad and the show is anchored by GS Vivek along with a news anchor and two correspondents who are covering FIFA from Brasil.

     

    The ABP group, through ABP Ananda, has also focused on the regional Bengali market where a large football fan base exists. MCCS marketing manager Vikas Singh says, “Through ABP Ananda we have a battery of experts and a round the clock coverage catering extensively to the high fan base market like Bengal. For us, FIFA World Cup is not a sports event but a news event.”

     

    Network18’s CNN-IBN and IBN7 are not far behind. A Beautiful Game airs on CNN-IBN while Mission Brazil airs on IBN7. The expert lineup includes renowned former Moroccan footballer and coach Karim Bencherifa, football analyst and commentator Novy Kapadia and former captain and coach of the Indian football team Shabbir Ali.

     

    Commenting on the network’s special programming, IBN18 Network editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai said, “Football has a massive fan following in India and our extensive programming will be an absolute treat for the football enthusiasts of the nation. The programming will focus on providing extensive coverage of the tournament including unmatched analysis of the strategies adopted by various teams and a scrutiny of the players’ performances.”

     

    Tapping into the FIFA fever, Al Jazeera English has introduced Football Rebels, a show presented and narrated by former Manchester United star Eric Cantona. It is a five part documentary that sheds light on some unusual stories of football heroes.

     

     Meanwhile, News X has a special show-War of the World aired from Monday to Friday at 8:30 am and 6:30 pm and7:30 pm on Saturday and Sundays. Its morning show features guests like former EPL footballer with Liverpool Mark Seagraves, football journalist Anurag Jacob and News X consulting editor Ayaz Memon. War of the World is anchored by sports anchor Anil Senghera.

     

     India News has launched Dan Dana Dan which is broadcast daily at 7:30 am and 6:30 pm. Dan Dana Dan is anchored by  Rajeev Mishra along with a guest line up of ex FIFA referee Melvyn Da Souza, former Mohan Bagan coach Santosh Kayshap and former India players Mahesh Gawli and Shamsi Raza.

     

     To make the shows more engaging and interactive in nature, a few of the news channels have realised that it is extremely important to engage with netizens and make them active viewers rather than just passive audiences. Headlines Today has two contests – a Carniball Weekly Contest and Trivia of the Day. Participants stand a chance to win Adidas FIFA merchandise and a Maruti Suzuki Swift Car. On twitter the channel has been engaging with the twitterati by creating the hashtag #Carniball2014. These tweets are displayed on air during the show.

     

    For those who think that news channels only show political news seem to forget that FIFA is not just a sport; it’s a news maker and audience capturer all by itself!

  • ICC Board meet concludes in Melbourne

    ICC Board meet concludes in Melbourne

    MUMBAI: The ICC and IDI Boards, under the newly appointed chairmanship of  Narayanaswami Srinivasan, met yesterday during the ICC Annual Conference week in Melbourne. A number of decisions were made and various reports were presented.

    The ICC Board noted the significant progress made on the Future Tours Programme (FTP) which has been extended through to 2023. They have expressed satisfaction that is certainty around long-term scheduling with balance between home and away matches for all 10 teams and the three formats. The ICC Board agreed with the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) recommendation that the Members must sign all bilateral agreements through to 2023 before the next ICC meeting, which will take place in October.

    The ICC Board approved the composition of various sub-committees. David Cameron of West Indies and Najam Sethi of Pakistan have been elected to the five member ICC executive committee , which will be chaired by Wally Edwards and will also include Srinivasan and Giles Clarke, with ICC chief executive David Richardson as an ex-officio member.

     

    Clarke will also chair the Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee (F&CA), which will include Edwards, Srinivasan, Nazmul Hassan of Bangladesh and Jayantha Dharmadasa of Sri Lanka with Richardson again as an ex-officio member.
     

    On the other hand, the Governance Review Committee will be chaired by Martin Snedden and will include Peter Chingoka of Zimbabwe,  Hassan of Bangladesh, Sanjay Patel of India and Imran Khawaja of Singapore with Srinivasan and Richardson as ex-officio members.

    The ICC Development Committee has also been reconstituted to emphasise the importance of developing the game beyond its traditional boundaries.
    The committee will be chaired by the ICC chairman and include the three associate member representatives of the ICC Board, the three associate member representatives on the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee and the Affiliate Members’ Global Representative. It will also include the Full Member Directors like Chingoka of Zimbabwe, Cameron of West Indies and Snedden of New Zealand as well as Richardson and ICC Head of Global Development Tim Anderson, both ex-officio members.

    The ICC Board agreed to give T20I status to the Netherlands and Nepal, both of which qualified for the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014. This means there are now eight associate sides with T20I status. The other six are Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Ireland, Scotland, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and United Arab Emirates (UAE) which already have T20I status by virtue of having ODI status.

    The ICC Board also  noted with  concern about the number of bowlers with suspected illegal bowling actions currently playing cricket and noted the recommendations of the ICC Cricket Committee and the CEC to revise processes to encourage umpires and referees to identify suspect bowlers with greater confidence, to use the expertise of the bio-mechanics working in this area to assume a greater role during the assessment process, and to allow for ongoing scrutiny of bowlers once they have been identified under the ICC procedures. The ICC Board will receive a further update at its next meeting.

    It also concurred with the view that international venues must be set up to their maximum possible boundary dimensions, as per the playing conditions, to help maintain an appropriate balance between bat and the ball.

    The ICC Board noted a number of other changes approved by the CEC, which met on Tuesday. The major changes to the ICC playing conditions for international cricket will come into effect from 1 October 2014.

    The ICC Board received the annual anti-corruption report from Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the anti-corruption and security unit chairman, who repeated the need for the ICC to maintain its vigilance in the area of anti-corruption and also sustain the current high levels of education and strategy of prevention.

    The ICC Board discussed and agreed on the terms of reference for a review of cricket’s anti-corruption processes and resources at both international and domestic level. The review group, which is aimed at improving the structures and resources, will be chaired by ICC chief executive David Richardson and will also include ECB chief executive David Collier, BCCI representative Sundar Raman, James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia Chief Executive, and an independent expert.

    The ICC Board also received an update on the encouraging progress in preparation and ticket sales for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, which will be staged in Australia and New Zealand from 14 February. New Zealand and Sri Lanka will feature in the opening match in Christchurch, while on the same day Australia will host England in Melbourne, which will also stage the final on 29 March.

    On Thursday, the ICC Board had confirmed that the USA Cricket Association (USACA) was the ICC’s recognised member in the USA and approved the Development Committee’s recommendation that Oman Cricket (OC) should become the 38th Associate Member of the ICC. It also confirmed the suspension of the Affiliate Membership of Brunei and removal of Tonga as an Affiliate Member.

  • Indian Badminton League shuttles to Jan 2015

    Indian Badminton League shuttles to Jan 2015

    MUMBAI: Badminton fans have a reason to rejoice as the second edition of the much awaited Indian Badminton League (IBL) will be back soon. And if sources are to be believed, this edition will be held in the second week of January 2015. 

     

    The Badminton Association of India (BAI) will hold a meeting soon, where the governing council of the sports body will decide on the exact dates and venues for the league. Future developments of the game too could be discussed.

     

    While the premier badminton league was earlier supposed to be held from 30 September to 15 October, the Badminton Association of India decided to shift the second edition to early next year, over concerns of a busy international schedule.

     

    BAI vice president – administration TPS Puri had earlier said, “The first edition of the IBL was a grand success and badminton lovers are eagerly awaiting the second season. However, we want to ensure that all the top players are available for the tournament and that looks difficult this year due to the busy international schedule.”

     

    The inaugural edition of the IBL which was held in August, last year, had the backing and strong support of corporates, players and badminton fans in India.

  • Get, set, goal…

    Get, set, goal…

    MUMBAI: A mysterious calm surrounds the sets of Café Rio and Football Extraaa, the two shows on Sony Six especially created for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The atmosphere is calm and dark, but then as a few spot boys enter, the eeriness begins to drift.

     

    As lights are lit, the crimson yellow, flame orange and sky blue colors of Brasil bring the set to life.

     

    Café Rio, a live primetime show at 8 pm leading up to the match kick-offs, entails interesting facts about victorious teams, historical venues and stalwart players along with in-depth analysis and discussion about squads, player forms, group standings and strategies.

     

    The adjacent set belongs to the live breakfast show Football Extraa, which is aired between 8 am to 9 am, relives the excitement and fun of the previous day matches.

     

    The two sets are designed with hand painted cutouts and buntings along with touch screen graphic screens. The innovatively created Café Rio set could have been created anywhere between the price range of 8 to 10 lakhs while the small scale Football Extraa set would be within the range of 5 to 6 lakhs.

     

    As several hands begin to spruce up the set, in walks the dapper Indian football team captain and panelist Sunil Chhetri who finds the set as an invigorating mix of colour and energy which helps him identify with the action in Brasil. Soon follows the make-up man to give him the right touchup over his clean shaven face.

     

    When questioned about the most surprising moment for him this World Cup, he raises his brow and matter-of-factly states, “It was definitely Chile beating Spain. Netherlands as a team too have done their homework.”

     

    He adds, “Thanks to Sony Six I am having a gala time. It’s been a combination of work and pleasure for me. I do my research well in advance and try to bring my knowledge to the table.”

     

    The shows need a tremendous amount of research and insight. The research team comprises of two people who are the ‘Wikipedia’ of football and act as statisticians too. The blueprint of the show is prepared in the morning while the information is computed three and a half hours before the show begins.

     

    A total of 120 people complete the production and post-production teams led by three senior producers and a senior executive producer which also includes camera persons and spot boys.

     

    The production and research teams work on the graphics together on the analysis software provided by wTVision. A total of five high definition (HD) cameras and a jib capture the various set angles.

     

    The anchor and the studio guests, who arrive just two hours earlier, are briefed about the day’s happenings. Their inputs too are taken into consideration, especially the narration style.

     

    Amidst the chaos, noiselessly walks in British sports presenter, Joe Morrison, who gobbles down two to three bananas hiding from other’s eyes.

     

    As we settle down to interview him, the slender presenter goes down memory lane and says that though the 1982 WC holds close to his heart, he isn’t complaining about the current one as well.

     

    When quizzed about the football scene in India, he quickly replies: “It has been steady. Pessimists say there is no talent. I think this thought is Bu**Sh**! Over the last eight to nine years, the appetite for football has grown in India. There is no shortage of talent here. The fundamental problem is that no one is searching for the right talent.”

     

    When asked which is the team he is supporting ardently? A crafty grin says it all. “England and it will always be England. But I do have a soft spot for Brasil,” he confesses.

     

    The set goes hush as it’s time to shoot before the big game. As the two guests, Robbie Fowler and Sunil Chhetri along with host Joe Morrison take their seats; loud voices turn into whispers as the floor manager commands everyone to put their mobile phones on silent mode. Everyone obeys.

     

    The final countdown to the show, produced at Reliance MediaWorks located in the heart of Filmcity, begins.

     

    As the producers’ voice nears 3,2,1… Morrison’s crystal clear voice rings in the air… “Someone is going home, tonight!”

  • Ten Sports extends broadcast rights for UEFA Champions League till 2018

    Ten Sports extends broadcast rights for UEFA Champions League till 2018

    MUMBAI: Ten Sports, one of the sports broadcasters in South Asia, has extended the broadcast rights for the premium football competitions: UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League for the next cycle of three seasons starting 2015-16.

     

    Ten Sports is also the current broadcast rights holder for the properties and has been airing these premier football competitions since 2006-07. “UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League rights had become the most key football property up for acquisition and Ten Sports Network reaffirms its commitment to promoting quality football through this major acquisition after beating other rival broadcasters to secure these rights,” the channel said through a statement.

     

    The new deal between UEFA and Ten Sports beginning from the 2015-16 season covers exclusive broadcast rights for the Indian subcontinent which includes India, Pakistan, Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan. Ten Sports will broadcast these properties across all its platforms including premium HD offerings and live streaming of matches on tensports.com.

     

    The channel will broadcast 145 matches of UEFA Champions League and 205 matches of UEFA Europa League every season. Apart from these matches, it will also broadcast the annual UEFA Super Cup, the curtain raiser at the beginning of the European season played between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.  

     

    “We are delighted to extend our partnership with UEFA and have the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League on the Ten Sports Network. Over the last decade, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League have found a home in the Indian subcontinent at Ten Sports. We thank UEFA and team for all their support and hope to continue and build on the strong and mutually beneficial relationship we have with them. Over the next four seasons we will continue to build on the quality programming we offer around these marquee properties and strive to innovate to increase viewership and audience interest and engagement around these properties,” said Ten Sports CEO Rajesh Sethi.

     

    Widely considered as the toughest and most competitive football competition in the world, only the best teams from the top European Leagues make it to the UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid is the most successful team in this competition with 10 titles, the most recent being the current final in May 2014 where the team achieved the unprecedented ‘La Decima’. Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester United, Ajax, AC Milan, Liverpool are some of the other teams who have enjoyed success in this competition. 

     

    TEN Sports Network reaches over 140 million households across the Indian sub-continent. The network has a bouquet of premium football properties from across the globe including UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Copa Del Rey, French League, A-League, Capital One Cup, German Cup, Copa Italia, Skybet Championship and Club TV programming of leading European Clubs.