Sports
Kevin Pietersen still open to owning a team in the SA20
Kevin Pietersen wanted to own a team in the SA20, he ended up being a commentator instead. He knows why he could not buy a side but has not given up hope. “Yes, I was one of the bidders,” the South Africa-born former England captain concedes. “I wanted to buy one of the teams but I wouldn’t have enough money to own a team.”
He declares that he would grab an opportunity if it came his way from any of the six teams through an offer of partnership. “It’s a space that interests me. I don’t know if that’s a possibility. But it interests me yes,” the England cricket legend, here in South Africa as a commentator for Sports 18, further says.
He is happy with the success of SA20 and credits it to the changes in rules which, he says, have made the games interesting. A Bonus Point, for instance, is earned when a team wins a game with a run rate that is 1.25 better than the opposition. The captains are also allowed to nominate 13 players before the toss and select their final XI later. No byes are given when a batsman is bowled off a free-hit and the ball ricochets off the timber.
“The new rules are very, very good. The toss doesn’t play too much of a role. I like the innovations. Bonus point is also a great idea. You can see bonus point has played a role here (in identifying the semifinalists). I mean, you want to change the rules to make it more entertaining for everybody. Why not? Keep progressing. Keep changing the game. Keep making it entertaining. And keep also the players on their toes,” he advises the administrator.
Besides being a champion of Test cricket, Pietersen remains a fan of T20 cricket but thinks the 50-over cricket cannot be dispensed with despite the format becoming long and boring. “We can’t say that cricket would be better off without ODIs because we’re not there yet. We may see it in the future though the World Cup is such a valuable item. In my career I was able to win everything except for the 50 over World Cup. We won the Ashes, we beat India in India, we won the T20 World Cup. I never got the 50 over World Cup. So, it’s one of those regrets.”
He says ODI cricket is ailing because it does not provide instant gratification like T20Is. “Earlier, once we boarded a plane we would not know what was happening to a game. Now we’re on an aeroplane and I’m speaking to people in three different planes in three different places talking about work. So that instant gratification is what is actually, I think, hurting the longer format of the games. I think it’s hurting 50 over cricket in particular.”
Pietersen, who played 104 Tests, 136 ODIs and 37 T20Is, says the mindset of the England team has changed and that is the reason for their recent successes. He also feels the Indian team is also capable of playing such attacking cricket. “I think it’s a mindset. I think they’ve got a coach that is making sure that they’re not scared of failing. They don’t care about getting out, they just go out and play.
“I think India should follow it. I think India bats too slowly despite having the players. They have the players but still I think they must go out there and emulate what England are doing. You saw what Australia used to do in cricket all those years ago, people started to match Australia or England or change the way the shortest form of the game was played. Even Test match cricket can be played that way by the Indian team.” (Cricbuzz)
Under 19 Cricket
Left-arm spinners Vishwa Peiris and Demion de Silva took five wickets each as St. Joseph’s cruised to an innings and 51 runs victory over St. Benedict’s in the Traditional Mack – Croner trophy cricket encounter at Darley Road on Tuesday.
St. Benedict’s came to the match having done well in the Tier B tournament matches but the spin might of the Joes was too hot for them to handle as they collapsed for 62 runs in the second innings.
The result somewhat exposed the gap between the Tier A and Tier B teams of the Under 19 Division I category as the team from Kotahena were bowled out within 25 overs. They were following on after being dismissed for 197 runs in the first innings, where Nushan Perera grabbed five wickets bowling the bulk of the overs for the Joes. He was adjudged the Best Bowler.
While Vishwa was the Man of the Match, Rishma Amarasinghe (Best Fielder) and Senuja Wakunugoda (Best Batsman) won the other individual awards.
The Joes made 313 in their innings with Senuja top scoring with 106 runs.
In the Division I Tier ‘A’ matches Gurukula (against St. Sebastian’s) and St. Anthony’s Katugastota (against Royal) registered first innings victories.
Maliyadeva took first innings points against De Mazenod in a tier B match.
(RF)
Organisers of the ICC T20 World Cup are sweating over after Pakistan refused to play nuclear-armed neighbours India in Colombo, a decision that has left administrators scratching their heads and staring at a potential financial googly.
The India–Pakistan contest, the jewel in the tournament’s crown, is the game that oils cricket’s economic engine. If the marquee clash is bowled out, the loss of revenue will have every stakeholder feeling the pinch from boardroom to boundary rope. Islamabad’s call to withdraw, taken at government level, has sparked fears the verdict will not be overturned.
Anticipation for the grudge match had reached fever pitch. Tickets vanished on day one of sales, while Colombo’s hotels were snapped up quickly. Five-star rooms that normally fetch 150 US dollars were hiked to 600 USD, some even soaring to 800 USD as the city braced for a carnival.
With the capital full to the rafters, tour operators shuttled visitors to nearby Negombo, an hour’s drive from the stadium, while others opted for apartments as accommodation ran dry. Flights, too, were booked well in advance, but uncertainty over the epic duel has now cast a long shadow.
“We haven’t had many cancellations yet, but we fear the worst. Everyone will take a hit if the game doesn’t take place,” aviation industry official Thusitha Perera told Telecom Asia Sport.
Gihan Wickramasinghe, representing Colombo’s hoteliers, echoed the concern. “Our hope is the match goes ahead. If not, we’ll have to refund bookings and the tour operators will be hit even harder.”
Tour operator Lisa Fernando said the anxiety was mounting. “Two groups from Dubai alone, 75 people, were coming. Corporate clients had planned trips down south as well. There’s a lot of money at stake and so much unnecessary stress.”
Indian fan Varun Kumar from Bangalore has already paid for flights and hotels but intends to travel regardless. “Sri Lanka has been on my bucket list. Whether the match happens or not, we’ll come to experience the country,” he said.
Sri Lanka Cricket remains optimistic the contest will be rescued before the final over is called. But if the showpiece is scratched, it would be a hammer blow to an economy only just finding its feet after years of setbacks, leaving the tournament badly caught behind.
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