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[12th_Man]

CAB not to sell tickets for South Africa Test
Old news but worth mentioning: not sure why organise a game when dont have enough  tickets to be sold.

http://www.cricinfo.com/indvrsa2010/content/story/442622.html

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) may not sell tickets for the India-South Africa Test at the Eden Gardens in February, a move similar to the one adopted during the fourth ODI between India and Sri Lanka last month. The CAB had then offered the available seats to its members, various clubs, district sports units, affiliated universities and special quotas.

The reasoning was that with renovation work in full swing to meet the 2011 World Cup deadline, the CAB would fail to ensure full capacity, informed Biswarup Dey, the association's joint secretary and the BCCI's tours and fixture committee member.

"We are likely to follow the same ticketing arrangements that we had at last month's one-dayer at Eden," Dey told PTI. "After all, the number of seats available isn't going to go up when the Test match is round the corner."

Eden Gardens will be hosting four World Cup league matches and with the B, C, K and L blocks demolished and closed for renovation work, only 45,000 seats out of the total capacity of around one lakh were available for use during the Sri Lanka game.

The CAB is expected to hold a working committee meeting in a few days to discuss the modalities of ticketing arrangements for the South Africa Test, tentatively scheduled from February 14-18. The final decision would be taken at the meeting.

India will host South Africa for a full tour, comprising two Tests and three ODIs. Though the dates for the tour, scheduled for early this year, are yet to be finalised, India's request to play two Tests in what was originally planned as an ODI series has been accepted. Nagpur has been confirmed as the other Test venue. Kanpur, Jaipur - which had missed out during the Australia series last year - and Ahmedabad have been decided as the three ODI venues.

While the Sri Lanka ODI marked Kolkata's first since February 2007, the second Test of the South Africa series will be the first in over two years, after India took on Pakistan back in November-December 2007.

[keep-it-cool]

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/444241.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

Indian board announces South Africa tour dates

Cricinfo staff

January 15, 2010

The Indian board has issued the schedule for South Africa's tour during February of this year. The two Test matches, the venues of which had previously been named, will be played in Nagpur from February 6-10 and Kolkata from 14-18, with the three-match ODI series to be held in Jaipur, Kanpur and Ahmedabad on February 21, 24 and 27 respectively.

Kolkata, which will host its first Test since 2007, has had trouble with its floodlights over the last two seasons, the latest incident occurring in the one-dayer between India and Sri Lanka.

South Africa were scheduled to play only five ODIs during the tour but agreed to play the Tests following a request from Indian board.

[keep-it-cool]

Which was the last test match at Eden Gardens? How is the pitch behaving these days?

It will be interesting. It generally has something for the bowlers, including the faster men - good challenge for our batting line up and probably the best attack that Gambhir would have faced since he started playing tests. Let us see how it goes.

[12th_Man]

Was a high scoring one with Jaffer getting a double ton. Pak scored decently in first inngs as well.
It is over 2 years now. Hope JD saabji is in full control for all round cricketing development.

[dhruvdeepak]

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/444241.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

Indian board announces South Africa tour dates

Cricinfo staff

January 15, 2010

The Indian board has issued the schedule for South Africa's tour during February of this year. The two Test matches, the venues of which had previously been named, will be played in Nagpur from February 6-10 and Kolkata from 14-18, with the three-match ODI series to be held in Jaipur, Kanpur and Ahmedabad on February 21, 24 and 27 respectively.

Kolkata, which will host its first Test since 2007, has had trouble with its floodlights over the last two seasons, the latest incident occurring in the one-dayer between India and Sri Lanka.

South Africa were scheduled to play only five ODIs during the tour but agreed to play the Tests following a request from Indian board.

what a shocker. nagpur again 

[pzd]

Breaking news... Arthur resigns as SAF coach after his relationship with Smith had "deteriorated irreparably", and reached a flashpoint during the recent home series against England. It also said Vincent Barnes, South Africa's bowling coach, has been sacked.   

Van Zyl has been South Africa's assistant coach in the past and was appointed coach of Cricket South Africa

[dhruvdeepak]

ironically we have all the saffer coaches 

[dextrous]

ironically we have all the saffer coaches 

did kirsten sledge stewart?

[ramshorns]

Yuvraj out with ligament tear, Dravid to fly back

Cricinfo staff

January 26, 2010


Yuvraj Singh, the Indian batsman, will not take further part in the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur after it was revealed that he suffered a ligament tear in his left wrist, coach Gary Kirsten confirmed.

"He has a torn cartilage on this wrist," Kirsten said. "Yuvraj will be struggling to make it for the first Test against South Africa. He will be out for a while. But he will stay till this game ends."

Meanwhile, Rahul Dravid, who was hospitalised after getting hit on the face by Shahadat Hossain's bouncer on the second day, has been discharged. He has a fracture on the cheek bone and it is learnt that he will be leaving for India tomorrow.

"He has got quite a nasty injury to his face," Kirsten said. "He is currently staying in Bangladesh. Later, he will consult a specialist to find out what needs to be done and how long he would be out. For Rahul, we don't have the long-term prognosis."

Also, Sachin Tendulkar injured his shoulder today while attempting a difficult catch off Tamim Iqbal. However, Kirsten said there was no need to worry. "He is okay. He will be fine."

Four Indian players - three middle-order batsmen and a fast bowler - have sustained injuries during this tour. VVS Laxman injured his left hand while attempting a catch at first slip in Chittagong; Sreesanth strained his hamstring while bowling in the second innings of the first Test; Dravid fractured his jaw after being hit by a bouncer from Shahadat, and now Yuvraj Singh has injured his left wrist.

The selectors are scheduled to pick the Indian team for the upcoming home series against South Africa's on January 28.

[ramshorns]

Potentially we will have a relaid middle order.

It is certain Badri will debut versus SA.

Of all the injured players between RD, VVS, YS and SS  from the description of the injuries VVS has an outside chance to play vs SA 1st Test since he had only an external injury which required 10 stitches and could heal 3-4 days before the start of the Test.  YS and RD and SS looks out to me based on the description and the nature of the injuries which to me need some kind of a rehab.

So am I hearing the name Ganguly to suplement the MO in the short term to go along with Badri and play along with SRT in case VVS, RD and YS do not recover.  We need to wait and see.

They are selecting the Test team on the 28th less than 48 hours to go.

[Blwe_torch]

I don't think Ganguly will be back again to shore- up India.
Last time was like, unfinished business.........which is now done and dusted.

[ramshorns]

Kaif gets another century today versus the SZ.  If the selectors want a hot hand and a prior experience they could swing him into the team too after the back to back double hundred and a century.   We need to see how Badri does in his chance versus Kaif's team while batting for SZ.   May be Badri and Kaif can get in if two MO players among the injured fail to recover.  Kaif's a long shot though given the numbers of players that outshone him in the domestics over the last two years.  But atleast here he has shown decent form and against Zonal level teams did real good with quality attacks.   In this game he had Vinay and Mithun to face against among others.

[ramshorns]

Among the players in the Zonal games today Kaif gets 112, Pujara 77, Rohit 63,  PP 55,  Raina 24 .

[keep-it-cool]

If VVS plays, then there is only one vacant slot as Vijay will figure in the XI. If RD is also fit (looks unlikely to me) then there is no new opening. Else it could be a shoot-out between Badri and Kohli maybe.

I would probably open with GG and Vijay and have Sehwag at No3.

[12th_Man]

Let us presume the three MO spots   VVS,YS,RD need to be replaced.
We know one would be filled by Mvijay.
The other two may be the tricky ones.
Dinesh Karthik may get a nod over others IMO for the second spot.
Mkaif may be very well fighting for the third spot with likes of Virat,Badri,Pujara,Rohit etc.. I however think Kohli in current form can make the cut.

MV,DK and VK probably will be the three  incase there are three shoes to be filled.

[12th_Man]

http://www.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/current/story/445899.html
Pressure from above led to Arthur departure
 
Mickey Arthur has resigned as South Africa coach © Getty Images
 
 
Related Links
Features : Another coach derailed
News : Arthur quits as South Africa coach

Players/Officials: Mickey Arthur | Vincent Barnes | Corrie van Zyl
Teams: South Africa
 
Mickey Arthur's resignation as South Africa's coach came in the wake of increasing pressure from administrators over what they saw as the under-performance of the national team.
Arthur quit in dramatic circumstances on Monday, reportedly following an "irreparable breakdown" in his relationship with Graeme Smith. But a source close to Cricket South Africa denied that a rift had developed between coach and captain.


"This is not a Graeme issue," the source told Cricinfo. "Graeme is not that powerful. It looks ugly     because he has been through three coaches (Eric Simons, Ray Jennings and Arthur) and three convenors of selectors, but he is still a young captain."


Instead, it seems official reaction to South Africa's comparative lack of recent success forced Arthur's hand. The team won just one of the six Tests they played in 2009, and drew their home series against England this month.


"Arthur doesn't handle pressure well at all, and he is facing pressure from a few different sources on a few different issues," the source said. "The board is questioning him on the team's non-performance and on issues like transformation. Even though he has been getting frustrated with these questions, the timing of his resignation is strange."


However, Smith's vice-captain, Ashwell Prince, disagreed that South Africa had performed poorly with Arthur at the helm. "He's had five years in the job, and he's taken the team to the top in both the Test and one-day rankings," Prince told Cricinfo. "I wouldn't have thought he would be under pressure to resign."


Despite their consistently high one-day ranking, South Africa have failed to win ICC events and have instead earned a reputation as the most reliable chokers in the game. Prince took a different view. "South Africa haven't done as well as they would have liked in one-day and Twenty20 tournaments, but those events are tough to win," he said.


Whatever the reasons behind Arthur's resignation, a selection dispute doesn't seem to be among them. "I was very surprised," South Africa's selection chief and a former national coach himself, Mike Procter, told Cricinfo. "We had meetings last Tuesday, and there was no hint of anything like this. I didn't have a clue."


South Africa's Test and one-day squads for their imminent tour to India were announced last Monday. Neither squad contained the kind of shock selection that could force a resignation, and Procter said conflicts with Arthur were rare: "He was very good to work with from a selector's point of view. Obviously, we had the odd disagreement over selection, but that's normal."


Prince was equally bemused by Arthur's decision. "For me, it's quite a surprise," he said. "I will miss him, because the team operates like a family. Just the other day we all had Christmas lunch together, along with our wives and children."


Corrie van Zyl, a former South African assistant coach, will take the team to India in a caretaker capacity. The source denied that Vincent Barnes had, as has been reported, been sacked or had resigned as bowling coach.


Kepler Wessels, the former South African captain and Northamptonshire coach, is one of the contenders to replace Arthur in the long-term, as is the former England coach, Duncan Fletcher, who has served the team as a batting consultant in recent seasons. Arthur is reportedly hoping to further his career with an English county.

[RicePlateReddy]

Dravid and Yuvraj will be sidelined, from the look of things.

Gambhir
Sehwag
Tendulkar
Laxman
Vijay
Kohli

Badri (if selected and that is a big if) will play only if Laxman is also sidelined.

It is beyond time for one of these new entrants to seize the initiative and give Yuvraj a long furlough.

[keep-it-cool]

It is such a pain that none of the No6 options call bowl. Yuvi was a handy partnership breaker.

[CLR James]

Potentially we will have a relaid middle order.

It is certain Badri will debut versus SA.

Of all the injured players between RD, VVS, YS and SS  from the description of the injuries VVS has an outside chance to play vs SA 1st Test since he had only an external injury which required 10 stitches and could heal 3-4 days before the start of the Test.  YS and RD and SS looks out to me based on the description and the nature of the injuries which to me need some kind of a rehab.

So am I hearing the name Ganguly to suplement the MO in the short term to go along with Badri and play along with SRT in case VVS, RD and YS do not recover.  We need to wait and see.

They are selecting the Test team on the 28th less than 48 hours to go.

Where did you hear about Ganguly Rams? This would be an immensely regressive step. I understand that it is difficult to blood youngsters in SA, but if destiny calls for it, let it be so. Assuming that RD, VVS, and YS cannot make it, my vote goes to Badri, Kohli, and Kaif. These three should be in the initial squad along with Vijay, if not in the playing eleven. One or more can be replaced if the rest recuperate.

Ganguly should be called only if Tendulkar picks up an injury (I am worried about the shoulder). In that tragi-comic scenario, Sehwag can consider dropping down to the middle order and Gavaskar can come down from the commentary box and open with Gambhir.

[WicketView]

Potentially we will have a relaid middle order.

It is certain Badri will debut versus SA.

Of all the injured players between RD, VVS, YS and SS  from the description of the injuries VVS has an outside chance to play vs SA 1st Test since he had only an external injury which required 10 stitches and could heal 3-4 days before the start of the Test.  YS and RD and SS looks out to me based on the description and the nature of the injuries which to me need some kind of a rehab.

So am I hearing the name Ganguly to suplement the MO in the short term to go along with Badri and play along with SRT in case VVS, RD and YS do not recover.  We need to wait and see.

They are selecting the Test team on the 28th less than 48 hours to go.

Where did you hear about Ganguly Rams? This would be an immensely regressive step. I understand that it is difficult to blood youngsters in SA, but if destiny calls for it, let it be so. Assuming that RD, VVS, and YS cannot make it, my vote goes to Badri, Kohli, and Kaif. These three should be in the initial squad along with Vijay, if not in the playing eleven. One or more can be replaced if the rest recuperate.

Ganguly should be called only if Tendulkar picks up an injury (I am worried about the shoulder). In that tragi-comic scenario, Sehwag can consider dropping down to the middle order and Gavaskar can come down from the commentary box and open with Gambhir.

In fact the test is in India. Unless, we have regressed to the point where we are scared to blood youngsters unless BD or Zim are our opponents, this is in fact a good opportunity.

[CLR James]

Sorry, I meant against SA.

[ramshorns]

Potentially we will have a relaid middle order.

It is certain Badri will debut versus SA.

Of all the injured players between RD, VVS, YS and SS  from the description of the injuries VVS has an outside chance to play vs SA 1st Test since he had only an external injury which required 10 stitches and could heal 3-4 days before the start of the Test.  YS and RD and SS looks out to me based on the description and the nature of the injuries which to me need some kind of a rehab.

So am I hearing the name Ganguly to suplement the MO in the short term to go along with Badri and play along with SRT in case VVS, RD and YS do not recover.  We need to wait and see.

They are selecting the Test team on the 28th less than 48 hours to go.

Where did you hear about Ganguly Rams? This would be an immensely regressive step. I understand that it is difficult to blood youngsters in SA, but if destiny calls for it, let it be so. Assuming that RD, VVS, and YS cannot make it, my vote goes to Badri, Kohli, and Kaif. These three should be in the initial squad along with Vijay, if not in the playing eleven. One or more can be replaced if the rest recuperate.

Ganguly should be called only if Tendulkar picks up an injury (I am worried about the shoulder). In that tragi-comic scenario, Sehwag can consider dropping down to the middle order and Gavaskar can come down from the commentary box and open with Gambhir.

CLR:It is just an expression from me  'Am I hearing the name Ganguly'.   Yes it will be a step backward to call upon him given Ganguly himself hung it up and there is nothing for him to gain or prove here.  I do not think the selectors will go in that direction for a home series.  Badri, Kohli, Pujara should be the pecking order should there be spots open in the MO with Kaif being the wildcard after the back to back centuries in the Duleep Trophy with the first one being a double hundred.

[WicketView]

Sorry, I meant against SA.

But don't you think it is not a bad opportunity for the youngsters then? They get to play a good bowling side
but in the comfort of home pitches?

[dextrous]

Sorry, I meant against SA.

But don't you think it is not a bad opportunity for the youngsters then? They get to play a good bowling side
but in the comfort of home pitches?

you're right. i assumed it was in south africa

[Cover Point]

got a personal call from ganguly ... who just said that he may or may not play.

[keep-it-cool]

If RD and VVS are not in the side, I think Kaif has a chance - if selectors feel that blooding too many inexperienced guys at one shot may be a risk. He surely could not have chosen a better occasion to put those big scores up on the board.

I would prefer to see Vijay, Badri and Kohli get a shot. How has Badri's form been of late?

[LosingNow]

i have a feeling that India will win the test series even if RD, VVS, YS are not playing. Also, looks like SRT got hurt too .. this will be interesting if it happens.

[dextrous]

now, this test without any middle-order is another matter

[keep-it-cool]

will jadeja be a dark horse? dhoni seems to like him plus he is a handy bowler ..will allow us to play three pacers plus one spinner.

[keep-it-cool]

Zaheer was also, apparently, bowling with a back brace. If he also does not make it, I guess we may have people suddenly cursing the BCCI for setting up this series in a hurry

[keep-it-cool]

I'm merging this with the SA series thread ...better to have everything in one place.

[keep-it-cool]

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/445926.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

South Africa selection panel sacked

Johannesburg.

Procter told Talk Radio 702 that Cricket South Africa had fired the entire selection panel, which included Craig Matthews, Winky Ximiya and Mustapha Khan, and an interim one would be appointed to serve until February 19. "It came as a huge shock to us all," Procter said. He added that only CSA would be able to confirm if the developments were linked to the transformation issue.


"Had a phone call early yesterday morning, Gerald Majola informing me that this selection panel would not be required in future," Procter told eNews, a South African news channel. "Everyone was told that this was going to be a talk after the series. We were just going to make some presentations. They weren't going to come after anyone. It wasn't going to be a witch hunt.


"I think we had too short a time in the business, as selectors we always gave our own thoughts, we never ended up voting on issues, we talked around issues, we enjoyed each others company and I think we were doing pretty well. The time we had was too short but we did introduce some new players."

Matthews, a member of the selection panel, said he understood that Majola would head the interim panel until a new one was put in place. "The way I understand it, there will be an interim selection panel and Gerald will be the convenor of selectors until a new panel has been picked," he told Cricinfo. "We weren't given any reason for the decision [sacking]. All that was said was that the board felt the selection process was flawed and that they want to restructure it.


"It might be a transformation issue, but they didn't give us any reasons, all they said was that the process needs to be reworked. I have been part of South African cricket for many years, nothing really surprises me anymore."


The selection panel was appointed in October 2008 and its tenure was until the 2011 World Cup, the same as Arthur's contract.

[dextrous]

turmoil..

[pzd]

Surprisingly Rohit sharma seems to have slipped out of everyone's radar despite his 300 this season

[dextrous]

Surprisingly Rohit sharma seems to have slipped out of everyone's radar despite his 300 this season

he simply doesn't look like he has the temprament to play test cricket...maybe if he makes an ODI comeback and shows some application

[keep-it-cool]

Surprisingly Rohit sharma seems to have slipped out of everyone's radar despite his 300 this season

I dont think one 300 puts him above others who have been far more consistent - with their share of big scores too. Rohit needs to put together a string or big scores to get back into the reckoning.

[keep-it-cool]

Young Indian aspirants for SA series

Injuries to Dravid, Laxman and Yuvraj ahead of the Test rubber against SA has opened the door for young players to claim places in the squad.
Dravid and Yuvraj Singh, who were injured in the course of the second Test now in progress in Mirpur against hosts Bangladesh, are virtually out of the opening match against South Africa commencing on February 6 at Nagpur.

There's also a question mark over Laxman's availability after he missed the Mirpur game due to a finger injury and suddenly the middle order shows a huge void that the selectors would find hard to fill. The front runners for taking up the slots that would become vacant due to the likely absence of these main batsmen are Subramaniam Badrinath, who has been with the team in home ties without getting a look-in, one-day specialists Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and young talent Manish Pandey of Karnataka.

Right-handed Badrinath, the Tamil Nadu and South Zone captain who is on the wrong side of the 20s in age, has vast experience in first class cricket and has scored over 5,000 runs in domestic cricket and is the most steady of the quartet. Raina, Sharma and Kohli have shown what they are capable of in the limited-over games with their bold strokes and have recently displayed maturity to play the longer version of the game in domestic cricket.

Pandey, in the early 20s like Sharma and Kolhi, has suddenly jumped into the fray after his splendid display for his state team Karnataka in this year's Ranji Trophy, especially in the thrilling final at Mysore against eventual champions Mumbai with a fighting second innings hundred that took the home team on the doorsteps of victory. And then there's the option for the selectors to fall back on Mohammed Kaif of Uttar Pradesh if they want an experienced man to prop up the middle order which looks shorn of the needed steel to counter the SA pace attack.

Kaif had an ordinary run in the Ranji Trophy for UP who made the semis before losing to Karnataka. But the one-day discard's double century in the Duleep Trophy quarter final against East Zone in Mohali followed by the gritty 112 on the opening day of the semi final against South Zone at Indore yesterday that lifted Central from a deep rut has suddenly pitch-forked him into the reckoning.

There is also the option of including regular India 'A' players Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, both of who have scored consistently in domestic cricket and would be in consideration. How many from this lot make it to the squad would depend on the fitness of Laxman whose finger injury needed ten stitches to mend.

At the moment it seems both Dravid, whose jaw was broken while batting against Bangladesh at Mirpur and was hospitalised, and Yuvraj, who has sustained a wrist injury, cannot be considered at least for the Test opener. Murali Vijay, who replaced Laxman in the Mirpur Test, is also expected to be retained in the full squad as the third-choice opener behind Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.

In bowling, there's an injury doubt over pacer S Sreesanth after the Kerala bowler sustained a torn hamstring during the Test rubber in Bangladesh and was sent home after the opener in Chittagong. He's unlikely to be fit for the opening match against SA. Young Karnataka pacer Abhimanyu Mithun, who has been very impressive with his extra pace right through the season and was the top wicket taker in Ranji Trophy, appears a ready-made replacement choice for the selectors for Sreesanth as both are right arm bowlers. There are also other options like Sudeep Tyagi of UP.

The spin department too has not performed up to the mark with spearhead Harbhajan Singh not showing signs of leading the pack in the expected fashion. A game of musical chairs is also being played amongst leg spinner Amit Mishra and left arm spinner Pragyan Ojha with the former dropped controversially for the second Test in Mirpur despite having taken seven wickets and done well with the bat in the first Test in Chittagong against Bangladesh.

With Mumbai having won the Ranji title for the 39th time, there would be extra pressure on the selectors for including another player from domestic cricket's traditional power house. With the spinners not really dominating the rival batsmen of late, they could be tempted to have another look-in at Romesh Powar, the one-day discard from the domestic champions who can be handy with the bat too.

Cricket Board's secretary N Srinivasan had said in a media release that the selectors would choose the team for both the Tests. But in the light of the injuries sustained by Dravid and Yuvraj subsequently it's to be seen whether the selectors would pick the squad only for the opening match against SA.

The second Test against the Proteas is to be held at Kolkata's Eden Gardens from February 14. The five-man selection panel headed by Krishnamachari Srikkanth, would also pick the Board President's squad for the two-day warm-up tie against SA at Nagpur scheduled on February 2 and 3.

http://www.espnstar.com/cricket/news/detail/item386918/

[vincent]

Dravid looks OK here. At least he is not wearing the bandage that Anil Kumble was wearing for his broken jaw in West Indies.

                http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_player.php?id=1196923

[RicePlateReddy]

Surprisingly Rohit sharma seems to have slipped out of everyone's radar despite his 300 this season

Thank god for that. He enjoyed enough fast tracking. Let him bully some flat tracks for a few more years and then present his candidacy - it will do him and us good.

This is the best possible opportunity to allow domestic records to do the talking. It will send a clear, unambiguous message to the 'yengsters' on how to make it to the senior team, and hopefully enrich the domestic competition.

[RicePlateReddy]

i have a feeling that India will win the test series even if RD, VVS, YS are not playing. Also, looks like SRT got hurt too .. this will be interesting if it happens.

Since I don't believe we will have rank turners, I will be mighty surprised if we win against SA. Mr. Amla is going to reclaim the infamous Dean Jones  moniker, because he is going to murder us. And Steyn and Morkel are going to break through Gambhir and Sehwag consistently.