Muralitharan look forward to his RCB period

Former Sri Lanka player and spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan, he was retired from international cricket after his team lost the 2011 World Cup final to India.

In the last year, Muralitharan has played in special leagues around the world, and feels the experience will grasp him in good stead for the 5th season IPL he will play for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

I retired from international cricket; I played a little bit of cricket in the last IPL with Kochi. I then went back to Gloucestershire, played about 16 enT20 matches and travelled to New Zealand played 5 and then go to Bangladesh for the BPL but I could not play many because after I played 5 I got sick. I played a small bit of cricket but not as much as further international cricketers, Muralitharan, who has taken 1347 wickets in international cricket, told Times of India.

Muralitharan is also excited at the being there of Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli in the RCB squad, but feels players will have to battle it out to feature in the franchise playing 11. We have 11 overseas players and prosperity of local players so it will be a large fight for the players to get an opportunity to play. Some players are lasting players and some are on and off, he said.

The Sri Lankan fable played for Chennai Super Kings in the 1st 3 edition of the IPL; and was buying by the now obsolete Kochi Tuskers Kerala for the 4th season of the cash-rich match, where he didn't have the most excellent of times.

Muralitharan also told congratulated Sachin Tendulkar on his first-time feat of scoring 100international centuries. And the recently-retired Rahul Dravid. Rahul is always been in the shade of Sachin. If you take his record it’s as good as Sachin's but you cannot contrast both as they are different kind of players. Rahul is a full cricketer. So I want to congratulate him and wish him all the best.

S A picks three novices to face India

Johannesburg: Three uncapped players were on Friday named in the SA squad to face India in a 1T20 international in Johannesburg on March 30. All-rounder Jacques Kallis is the only player at present in South Africa's Test squad in New Zealand who has been selected.

The match has been billed as a tribute to him.

Titan’s batsman Farhaan Behardien and Cape Cobras wicketkeeper Dane Vilas gained their 1st call-ups at international level, while FAF du Plessis, a usual member of the ODI international side, will be making his T20 international debut. The result to rest the Test players means that AB de Villiers, in his 1st season as South African ODI and T20 captain, will be omitted, in concert with Vice-captain Hashim Amla. Former captain Johan Botha will guide the side.

We are send-off all the players out who are concerned in the present Test match against New Zealand with the leaving out of Jacques Kallis, for whom there are particular situation, said assortment convener Andrew Hudson. They will arrive back home 2 days before the start of the match, having travelled middle across the world, and we don't think they will be in any situation to play an international game of cricket.

We still have a very strong squad for this important match, counting the size of the players who win the T20 international series in New Zealand.

South African squad: Johan Botha (caption), Farhaan Behardien, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Richard Levi, Albie Morkel, Justin Ontong, Wayne Parnell, Rusty Theron, Lowboy Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk (WK), Dane Vilas (WK)

Chamara Silva recall Test against England

March 20: Chamara Silva belted a superb century against England on Tuesday to chance a claim in Sri Lanka's line-up for the upcoming Test series next to the tourists.

The right-hander made 163 off 180 balls to lift Sri Lanka improvement XI to 376-5 by stumps on the opening day of the three-day tour match at the Sinhalese sports club in Colombo.The 32-year-old Chamara Silva, who played the last of his 11 Tests in April, 2008, smashed 25 four and 1 six in a timely memento to the selectors ahead of next week's 2-Test series.

Silva and skipper Thilina Kandamby (64) put on 151 for the 3rd wicket after pace bowler Stuart Broad two took early wickets to reduce the hosts to 38-2 in the 9th over Broad, who missed the before practice match due to a sprained ankle, showed he was back to full form by removing openers Dilshan Munaweera and Malinda Warnapura in his 1st spell.

Broad finished with 3-55, but the other England bowlers toiled in repressive heat and humidity on a wicket that obtainable them little assistance. Off-spinner Graeme Swann's 21 wicket less over’s cost 102 runs, while left-arm spinner Samit Patel went for 1-83 in his 18 overs.Steven Finn claim 1-64 and fellow-seamer Tim Bresnan finished the day at 0-47.

The tourist had won the 1st practice match against the Cricket Board XI by an innings and 15 runs. The 1st Test opens in the southern coastal town of Galle on March 26, follow by the 2nd match at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo from April 3.

Brief scores:

Sri Lanka Development XI 1st innings: 376-5 (Chamara Silva 163, Thilina Kandamby 64, Angelo Perera 61 not out, Stuart Broad 3-55, Steven Finn 1-64, Samit Patel 1-83).

Gayle meets to officials from the WICricket Board

The West Indies batsman Chris Gayle is to meet officials from the West Indies Cricket Board and CARICOM in St Vincent on Monday to talk about his future with the West Indies team. The Jamaica Gleaner has report that Gayle is likely to either present an apology or retract his comments made next to the board and the coach Otis Gibson in a radio meeting.

A meeting has been set for tomorrow morning (today) between Chris Gayle, the WICB and a few heads of government in a bid to arrive at a friendly solution that could result in Gayle returning to the team, Fritz Harris, the Jamaica Cricket Association secretary, was quoted as say in the paper.

As we are all aware, there have been hard work to have the matter resolved in recent weeks, include all the workings coming out of CARICOM etc, and I guess that this meeting is a sort of culmination of the efforts.

October last year, the WICB had said that Gayle could return to the West Indies team if he retracts his critical statement about the board. Gayle had at first said the board was playing mind games with him by not specify exactly what he needed to apology for. That meant the before now ancient impasse between Gayle and the board nonstop, with even the Jamaican prime minister becoming complicated by coming out in support of Gayle.

February this year(2012), the WICB chief executive Ernest Hillarie said he required Gayle to make his priority clear, saying that Gayle could not ask for unrestricted no-objection certificate to play domestic Twenty20 tournament around the world and all together make him available for West Indies selection Board.

Gayle last played for West Indies in the 2011 World Cup, and has as taken part in Twenty20 league around the world, include the IPL, the Big Bash League in Australia and the BPL in Bangladesh. He has twisted out for Jamaica in the domestic one-day and four-day competitions. He was left out of the WICB's 30-man squad for a fitness and training camp in advance of the home series against Australia. Though, he was spotted in the stand during the second one-dayer against Australia on Sunday, in St Vincent.

Anderson, Panesar shine in tour starter

Colombo: James Anderson and Monty Panesar warmed up for England's 2-Test series against Sri Lanka with rich hauls in the tour opening in Colombo on Thursday.

Left-armer bowler Panesar claimed 5-37 and Anderson take 4-19 as England bowled out the Sri Lanka Board XI for 169 on the 1st day of the 3-day practice match at the Premadasa ground. The tourists were 6 for no loss off 7 balls before bad light ended play early. Skipper Andrew Strauss was on 6 and Alastair Cook had yet to score.

Anderson pick up the 1st four wickets before Panesar clean up the tail as the home team, led by Test wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayewardene, unsuccessful to settle in after elect to take 1st strike.Ashen Silva, a 21-year-old left-handed starter, was the batsman to defy the tourists, making 66 with 8 boundaries before he was 7th out at the stroke of tea.

Graeme Swann went wicket less in 18th over of off-spin in which he conceded 47 runs. England received a score before the start when pace bowler Stuart Broad, who was at first due to play, withdrawn from the match after spraining his left ankle during training. Broad, who was replace by Steven Finn, is predictable to be fit for the next 3-day game from March 20.

The first Test will be played in Galle from March 26 and the second at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo from April 3.

Proteas, Black Caps both fancy their chances in Hamilton Test

Hamilton, Mar.13-Both the Proteas and the Black Caps fancy their chances in the 2nd Test to be play in Hamilton.

New Zealand and South Africa emerged from Dunedin with an advantage in the test series scorecard, and neither gathering is keen to concede a psychological border ahead of the second test starting here on Thursday, stuff.co.nz reports.

Rookie Black Caps test wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk said he believed New Zealand still had an opportunity to win the first test in Dunedin before rain lined out play on the final day on Sunday, while South African quick bowler Vernon Philander thought his side were poised to go one up.

Going into that last day, I ‘don’t say there was really a feeling of stimulation. We fight very hard in those first four days and got ourselves into position where we notion that anything could happen on that last day, and there was a sensation of excitement going into it," van Wyk said in Hamilton yesterday.

We observably fancied our chances to take the wickets on the last day but rain had the last say, unluckily. I think the game was evenly poised but I think we fancied our chances," Philander said. Neutral observer would have put the Proteas in the box seat but New Zealand emerged reasonably unscathed - bar swing bowler Tim Southee, who has been drop from the 2nd test squad after going wicket less in Dunedin.

ICC dismisses match-fixing claims

March 12.The I C C on Monday dismissed a claim in a British newspaper that Indian bookmakers were fixing the results of English county games and abroad fixtures.

The chief executives of the sport’s world major body, Harpoon Lorgat, describe a report in Britain's Sunday Times that it was probing last year's World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan as baseless and misleading.

The ICC has no reason or proof to require an investigation into this match, he said in an emailed testimonial to media. It is indeed sad for false claims to be made which only serve to cause doubt on the semi-final of one of the all most successful ICC Cricket World Cups ever.

The weekly claim on Sunday that it had uncovered evidence that tens of 1000 of pounds (dollars) was on offer to players to throw part or all of international matches, together with the crunch semi-final between the bitter South Asian rivals.

India won the match and went on to beat Sri Lanka in the final.

One New Delhi-based bookmaker was quoted as saying that English county cricket was a "good new market" because match was low-profile. Money was on offer to batsmen to score gradually and bowlers to forfeit runs in a set pattern, the report said.

Australia tour of West Indies 2012 Schedule

Australia tour of West Indies 2012 will begin on Friday, March 16, 2012 in West Indies as for each cricket schedule announce. Australia in West Indies 2012 is an international bilateral series to be organized by West Indies. Australia tour of West Indies 2012 will consist of 5 ODI, 2 Ty20 and 3 Test matches to be hosted by West Indies in Mar-2012 to Apr 2012.

Australia tour of West Indies 2012 bilateral series is a part of upcoming Cricket Tour Programs (FTP) ready by International Cricket Council (ICC). West Indies will host this bilateral series, creation on March 16, 2012. In Australia tour of West Indies 2012 bilateral series, 1st ODI match would be between West Indies - Australia on Mar 16, 2012 play at Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown.

Date and Time Match Details and Series Fri Mar 16 

ODI Match

09:30 local | 13:30 GMT 1st ODI - West Indies vs Australia

Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown Sun Mar 18

09:30 local | 13:30 GMT 2nd ODI - West Indies vs Australia

Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown Tue Mar 20

09:30 local | 13:30 GMT 3rd ODI - West Indies vs Australia

Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown Fri Mar 23

09:30 local | 13:30 GMT 4th ODI - West Indies vs Australia

Beausejour Stadium Gros Islet, St Lucia Sun Mar 25

09:30 local | 13:30 GMT 5th ODI - West Indies vs Australia

Beausejour Stadium Gros Islet, St Lucia Tue Mar 27

T 20 Match

10:00 local | 14:00 GMT 1st T20 - West Indies vs Australia

Beausejour Stadium Gros Islet, St Lucia Fri Mar 30

10:00 local | 14:00 GMT 2nd T20 - West Indies vs. Australia

Kensington Oval, Bridgetown Sat Apr 7 - Wed Apr 11 

Test Match

10:00 local | 14:00 GMT 1st Test - West Indies vs. Australia

Kensington Oval, Bridgetown Sun Apr 15 - Thu Apr 19

10:00 local | 14:00 GMT 2nd Test - West Indies vs. Australia

Queens Park Oval, Port of Spain Mon Apr 23 - Fri Apr 27

10:00 local | 14:00 GMT 3rd Test - West Indies vs. Australia

Providence Stadium, Guyana

Dravid Retire announced today?

March 8: Indian cricket team previous captain Rahul Dravid called the wall; announce his retirement decision is expected Friday.

He thus comes to an end the 17-year career. The Medias in Bangalore on Friday for the meeting have been arranged. Board of Control for Cricket in India president Srinivasa participates.

The 39-year-old Rahul Dravid, with Series against England (2011) last year, announced his retirement from ODI cricket matches. Audi Test series against England in the run went well. In the recently finished Test series against Australia, but he was unable to collect the run.

Dravid Scored totally 194 runs in Test matches, counting 4 of 8 innings Thus, Dravid, Laxman and former players such as claim that senior players were to retire. Now he seems to have decided to retire. Ponting in India, headed by Kevin wishes ü in the 1st Test against New Zealand, given that the BCCI sources said good bye to him.

Celebrate 150 years, India - South African T20

Mumbai: Indian, South African teams to confront a "T20” will also take place on March 30.Asia Cup cricket series relating India, start from March 11 to 22. At the same time South Africa, New Zealand teams to face up to in a Test series ends March 27.

Next, a fifth week of the IPL in India. "T20 'series (Apr. 2 to May 27) begins. Flanked by such a complex tables, the Indians complete in South Africa, to party celebrate 150 years, India - South African teams to confront "T20 'was decided to conduct. The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) was adopted. It will play take place on March 30 jokanaspark.

This is in detection of a record player would be empty, Cricket South Africa (CSA) said. However, CSA said chief, 5th IPL. Before goodbye India for the series, our players join in it. Ntini was the last time as this match, this time looking for something that will record player,'' he said.

Kallis happy:

Collins said about it, to fulfill my dream, CSA, given me the chance to kind of amazing. I welcome it with happiness,'' he said.

Financing for Yuvraj

Kallis said, Yuvraj Singh affect by cancer, is difficult to know each one. I have a bad experience. for the reason that of cancer, has died at the small age of my father. Yuvraj Singh organization gives me privately funded. South African players, everyone's family, Yuvraj Singh soon to bless me with wish,'' he said.

NZ cricketers Injured reproach for boozing, wrangling

REUTERS - New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder and paceman Doug Brace well have been hand one-match bans for going out drinking while convalescing from injury and being goaded into a verbal slanging match with a patron at a local pub.

The pair had defied team rules by drinking at a Napier bar after New Zealand's ODI loss to South Africa on Wednesday, the team said in a report. They went out after the match, breaking team protocols and as a consequence have compromise their preparation and neither player can be careful for the next match," the statement said.

Brace well had been getting treatment for a tight constrain, while Ryder split webbing in his hand during the Napier match. Black Caps team manager Mike Sandle said: "... We are dissatisfied they became involved in a verbal fight with a patron.

Despite the fact that the players were irritated and they didn't allow the situation to spiral past a short exchange of words, we wait for players to walk away. Both players have apologize for their actions and said they fully understand the consequences. They know they have let down fans and team mates alike.

New Zealand has lost the first two of the 3-match ODI series against the Proteas. The last match is at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday before the 3-test series begins in Dunedin on March 7.