Collingwood praises his side's effort

England got 320 of their target of 329 - their highest ever total chasing in a one-day game - but the skipper admitted it was propbabaly a mistake to drop spinner Monty Panear and play Chris Tremlett.

"In hindsight, you look at the balance of the side, the seamers did well for us at the Rose Bowl and we felt we'd go in with the big lads and obviously 329 was a bit too many for us to chase.
"It was a great game of cricket. We fought right to the end and nearly chased down 320-odd and it was a great effort from the boys."

Boucher fined 60% of match fees

PROTEAS wicketkeeper Mark Boucher has been fined 60 percent of his match fees in the Twenty20 World Cup cricket tournament next month, after being found guilty of breaching Cricket South Africa’s player code of conduct.
Charges arose from an article published in Business Day on August 15 where Boucher commented on Jacques Kallis’ non-selection for the Twenty20 event.
In his evidence, Boucher repudiated any link between his comments and the selection issue, and claimed his reference to those who had an “issue with Kallis” or “a chip on their shoulder” or “ulterior motives” had nothing to do with the selectors of the Twenty20 team but was merely a statement, in general, concerning Kallis’ critics, and sections of the Afrikaans press.
The commissioner found that the comments by Boucher served to “rubbish” a possible reason for Kallis’ non-selection and that the comments were prejudicial to the selection of the team and hence to the Twenty20 itself for if South Africa was not fielding its best team that, in turn, was detrimental to the prestige of the World Cup.
On Thursday, the commissioner handed down his sanction, and stated: “In my view the breaches are serious. Senior players have a responsibility to CSA and to cricket in general.
“Their responsibilities are set forth in the code and in their contracts and one is entitled to expect punctilious performance of their obligations.
“In the present case the comments to the media were calculated in their effect to embarrass CSA and to denigrate the Twenty20.”
The commissioner noted that damage has been done to CSA and that Boucher has not retracted, nor apologised for the comments made

China will make Cricket global:Asian Cricket Council

Asia's Cricket Council (ACC) chief is optimistic that increasing investment to develop the sport in China will pay dividends in the near future.
"We have made big investment including money and technical support in developing cricket in China," ACC chief executive Syed Ashraful Huq told China Daily in Beijing during his visit to last week's national men's cricket championship.
"I am confident the investment will get paid."
"It is not a bad investment. It is not like going to the stock exchange and buying shares. It is a safe investment."
The Chinese Cricket Association (CCA), which joined the ACC after the former was established in 2004, has been developing the sport in China in recent years by laying a foundation of professionally trained players, coaches and umpires.
Huq believes China will play a pivotal role in making cricket a truly global sport.
"We have trained hundreds of local coaches here," he said.
"I am hopeful China will play well because if China plays well, then the whole value of the sport will go up over the world."
"Only when major countries like China play the sport, at that time we can say the sport is a truly global sport."
"We have more than 100 countries playing in the world, but China makes the most differences."
As the boss of the sport's governing body in Asia, Huq is especially pleased the sport will debut at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, where he hopes it will give Chinese cricket the spur it needs.
"It will have different impact now," Huq said.
"I came to Beijing two days ago and had meetings with chief of CCA."
"This is the first meeting with chief official in China and I am glad to see they are more interested in advancing the sport than I expected."
CCA chief official Liu Rongyao said the national body was fully committed to development programs.
"It is such a good chance," he said.
"Cricket is more and more popular in China's schools."
"After support from international organizations and our own efforts, we will have more people getting involved and will set up national teams for assembled trainings."
Huq even claimed cricket would be the most popular sport at the Guangzhou Games when teams representing the most populous nations face off.
"Eventually the cricket will become the biggest game in Asian Games - the No 1, because it is seen by the most and it is followed by the most," he said.
"Also China will play the cricket as the host. They will send their men's and women's teams and show people what the sport is."
Huq revealed his long-term aim beyond the Asian Games was to put the sport on the Olympic roster.
"China's standing as the world's leading sporting nation can play a major role in influencing future Olympic rosters."
"China is soon expected to overtake the United States as the top Olympic nation, if not at the 2008 Beijing Olympics then possibly London."
"As such they would have a lot of say in what sports are in the Olympics."
"That's why it is important that cricket is developed in China."
"I don't know if cricket can make it into the London Olympics in 2012, where it could have demonstration status, but maybe the one after that."
Huq, who has visited China twice each year since his first visit in 2002, is impressed by the sport's progress among young people and believes China will jump to a mid-level standard in Asia within two years.
"I saw the same boys playing last year and what they are playing now is very very different."
"In about two years time, they will come up to a level of, say, if not India, Pakistan, maybe other countries like Malaysia and Singapore.
"And by 2010, who knows (what will happen for the China's cricket). In three years, they might do something amazing."

"This kind of improvement is not taking place anywhere in Asia. This is because Chinese people are disciplined. When they get their mind on something, they will make it."
Supporting Huq's claims, the national women's cricket team finished a surprising third at last month's Asian Championships, just two years after the women's players picked up a bat and ball.
According to ACC's plan, China's women's team will go to India for training and competition next year.
The men's team, which was selected after the national championships last week, will compete at the U-15 and U-19 Asian Championships later this year.
Next year they will play at senior level.
Former Pakistan international Rashid Khan is currently coaching China's men's and women's cricket teams.
The CCA aims to have 15,000 cricketers by 2009, with a proportional number of umpires and coaches, and 60,000 by 2012.
By 2020, following the establishment of a national league, international club matches and a national school and inter-city competition, the association expects cricket to be played actively by 150,000 people.
courtesy:chinadaily.com

Shoaib Akhtar snubs ICL offer

Controversial Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has reportedly refused to join the rebel Indian Cricket League despite being offered a whopping Rs 120-million contract.
Reports said this the most lucrative offer made by ICL to any of the cricketer around the world thus far.
"ICL made the highest offer to the speedster. No other player got even close to him. He was offered Rs 120 million to figure in the league engagements for the next three years," The News quoted a source as saying.
Shoaib`s team mates, including Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Asif, are known to have been offered about half that amount.
"Shoaib was given the highest offer almost at par with some of the leading Indian cricketers. However, he immediately turned down the offer and without giving it a lengthy consideration, he refused to join the league that has got no official backing," another close associate of the Akhtar was quoted as saying by The News.
The quickie is learnt to have said that even if he was offered Rs 1000 million, he would not have deserted his country.
"Shoaib takes pride in representing the country, and even if he had been offered a bigger amount he would not have considered that unless and until the International Cricket Council (ICC) or Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) allowed it," reports quoting sources said.

West Bengal govt is ready to give Eden Garden ground to ICL

The Indian Cricket League has been offered support from West Bengal Sports Minister Subhash Chakraborty, who has given permission to utilise the world famous Eden Gardens and other grounds under state government control for their ties.
"Whatever facilities we have, we will make available to the boys who have been punished, particularly by the CAB. I have no objection. All the fields will be available for them as all the fields are available for CAB. The owner of the fields is the state government not any other body," Chakraborty was quoted as saying to zeecric.com.
"The Eden Gardens was looked after by CAB. Now the lease period is over and it is state government’s property. If Kapil and others like to play in Eden Gardens, I would allow it. What is the harm in it?" the sports minister added.
Interestingly,the current CAB President Prasun Mukherjee, who is also the Kolkata Police Commissioner, has the backing of the Sharad Pawar-led BCCI regime.

At this level you don't need professors:Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian captain, has applauded the man-management skills of the current Indian coaching staff and was pleased that the tour has proceeded without any "hiccups".
Ganguly, who had some major differences with former India coach Greg Chappell, was happy with the current atmosphere in the dressing room, adding that the team did not need a "professor" to coach them at this level.
"The youngsters have enjoyed themselves," Ganguly told Cricinfo when asked about the dynamics in the team. "It's been a lovely dressing room, a free dressing room. No hiccups, not many controversies off the field, not too much rubbish going around, which has been good. It's been fantastic."
Did he think the lack of a head coach had affected the team in any way? "We have coaches - Robin [Singh] and Venky [Prasad] have been superb," he said. "They've been nice, their man-management skills have been worth watching. Chandu Borde has been nice. Lot of people said he's 73 when he got appointed. He may not be the most active because of his age but the batting ideas he gives - stands behind in the nets, watches every ball - that's all you need.
"You don't need a professor at this level. You don't need to treat international players like students. What are you going to teach Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid or Anil Kumble? What are you going to tell them? [There are] minor things which you notice in the nets you come and tell them, 'This is what I feel, this is how you can do it better'. And Mr Borde does it perfectly."
After India's Test series triumph at The Oval, their captain, Dravid, had also acknowledged the efforts of Prasad, Robin and Borde. However, when asked about the lack of a coach before the first game of the one-day series, he was guarded with his stance. "We've had some good success on this tour, but it will be too simplistic to say it's because we haven't had [a coach]," he said. "There are other factors that have gone into us playing well. You can't just focus on the coach.
"Sometimes you're in the team and looking at it from one perspective. People from outside can look at a team and see the direction it's going in. They must provide some intelligence and input as well."
Courtesy:Cricinfo.com

Ravi Bopara wants to be England's Tendulkar

Ravi Bopara strolls into the Chelmsford pavilion. He is all smiles, with big hands, a stocky build and tracksuit top and bottoms. His presence is room-filling but unforced, putting you straight at ease.
His big smile makes him look younger than his 22 years and immediately approachable. There is nothing clumsy or hurried about his handshake or his small talk.
But then it is only right that he should be relaxed; Essex is his home from home. However, his reputation suggests that, no matter where he finds himself, he will cope.
This reputation was polished on the world stage in April. It was one of the few thrilling matches of the World Cup. England needed 102 in 16 overs to beat Sri Lanka and stay on course for the semi-final. They were six wickets down. At the crease were 36-year-old Paul Nixon, playing his 15th one-day international, and Bopara, with only four ODIs behind him.
But while Nixon fidgeted, Bopara was visibly detached, the calmest man on the field. Watching him ease his way to 52, with pushed ones and twos and creative flicks for four, was a study of a man thinking only about the next scoring option. Everything else - the noise from the stands, the need for a win, playing in the World Cup at 21 - seemed to be blocked out.
Although there was an unhappy ending - Bopara bowled by Dilhara Fernando needing three to win off the last ball - it could be the beginning of a great story.
"I said to myself when I was 17 that I wanted to represent England by the time I'm 21," says Bopara, matter-of-factly. "Although that happened, I never expected to be at the World Cup so early."
That his plans were slightly ahead of schedule clearly did not bother him in the Caribbean. "I had my plan against Sri Lanka and I set myself a clear goal of what I wanted to do. I said to myself, 'I'm going to score my runs here, here and here and not worry about the total or how they're bowling.' Like all of my batting, I was just thinking about where I'm going to score rather than looking at the big picture."
The game sealed Bopara's growing reputation as a wristy, impulsive and intelligent batsman who could build different types of innings - from slow-burners to boundary-filled assaults. And he took his form into the county season. By the beginning of August he was averaging in the high 60s with the bat and had scored his first double-hundred.
His medium-pacers were also proving more and more effective, especially in one-dayers. No wonder he is unfazed.
Bopara believes that a streetwise childhood helped foster his level-headed approach. Born in Forest Gate, East London, to Indian parents, he was touched by the game at an early age while watching his dad play park cricket for Internationals CC. Ravi remembers hating it when he was not taken.
While his dad played, Bopara and his brother would throw a ball around on the side. Most nights from the age of nine were spent playing cricket with his friends from the local area, often in slightly dodgy surroundings.

Read full interview
Courtesy:Cricinfo