BCCI bans KKR's Sunil Narine from bowling offspinners in IPL 8 - Firstpost

Sunil Narine's return from a bowling ban didn't last too long. The spinner, who made his comeback to cricket with Indian Premier League (IPL) side Kolkata Knight Riders, has now been banned from bowling offspinners after being reported for suspect action on 22 April.

Narine, who has played five times for KKR this season, made a return to competitive cricket with a new action and hasn't been very successful either — picking up two wickets at an average of 73.50.

Sunil Narine in action for KKR. BCCI

Narine was praised  by players and the media alike for retaining his 'mystery' despite the change in action — but the officials spotted something awry in the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The subsequent verdict is: "Pursuant to this report, Mr. Narine visited the Sri Ramachandra Arthroscopy and Sports Sciences Centre (SRASSC) in Chennai for a biomechanical analysis of his bowling action. The BCCI Suspect Bowling Action Committee‎ has reviewed the evidence of the match footage and the analysis provided by SRASSC. Following the provisions of the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy, the committee has concluded that Mr. Narine’s bowling action for his off-spinner, contravenes Law 24.2 (as read with Law 24.3) of the Laws of Cricket and therefore the player is now banned from bowling the off-spinner in matches organised by the BCCI, including the IPL. He may however continue to bowl his other deliveries (the knuckle ball and the quicker straight ball)," said a BCCI statement.

Narine wasn't picked for KKR's sixth match and it remains to be seen whether he plays again for the defending champions. If Narine bowls the offspinner again this season, then the on-field umpires would apply Law 24.2 and call no ball and, at the end of the match, would issue a further report.

"Pursuant to clause 3.4 of the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy, the player would in such circumstances automatically be suspended from bowling in BCCI-organised matches," the statement added.

Narine may undergo a course of bowling rehabilitation and take corrective measures to ensure that his action does not contravene Law 24 and may then request a further official assessment by the committee.

IPL 2015: CSK beat KKR in a nail-biting match - Times of India

/entertainment/specials/glamour-the-game/photos/ipl-2015-csk-beat-krk-in-a-nail-biting-match/IPL-2015-CSK-beat-KKR-in-a-nail-biting-match/eventshow/47093720.cms

01

With this win against Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings are on the top of IPL 2015 Points Table. By defending a target of just 135 runs, CSK proved that team effort can turn impossible into possible. Even KKR owner, Shah Rukh Khan, praised the yellow team tweeting, "CSK played like the champs they are. Extremely deserving victors. We need to believe, play harder. Insha Allah. Nikal gayi Chennai Express…" Here's what happened during the match...
- Amann Khuranaa 

IPL 2015: CSK beat KKR in a nail-biting match

/entertainment/specials/glamour-the-game/photos/ipl-2015-csk-beat-krk-in-a-nail-biting-match/IPL-2015-CSK-beat-KKR-in-a-nail-biting-match/eventshow/47093728.cms

02

Cricket never gets boring for Indians and when it does, there comes the Indian Premier League to give the Indian cricket fans their dose of entertainment. The nail-biting match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders was not just high on entertainment, but it was also one of those matches where losers were not really losers. It was just that the winners were a little better. In a match where the Riders restricted the Super Kings to a total of 134 and still lost it, was indeed every bit riveting. Here's how...
- Amann Khuranaa 

IPL 2015: CSK beat KKR in a nail-biting match

/entertainment/specials/glamour-the-game/photos/ipl-2015-csk-beat-krk-in-a-nail-biting-match/IPL-2015-CSK-beat-KKR-in-a-nail-biting-match/eventshow/47093726.cms

03

Kolkata Knight Riders were in full swing as they bowled Chennai Super Kings out at a moderate score of 134. By the end of first innings, the match seemed completely in the hands of the visitors, but as soon as they came in to bat, some tight bowling by the hosts backed up with superb fielding made it difficult for KKR to chase a target what seemed like a cakewalk in the beginning. Even though CSK failed to put up a strong target, they were after all, playing on home ground. Their power started showing results in the very first over when KKR captain Gautam Gambhir was sent back to the pavilion for a golden duck. However, it was Robin Uthappa, who without losing his confidence, kept doing his job scoring 39 runs off 17 balls.

Read on to know how the match turned around...
- Amann Khuranaa 

IPL 2015: CSK beat KKR in a nail-biting match

/entertainment/specials/glamour-the-game/photos/ipl-2015-csk-beat-krk-in-a-nail-biting-match/IPL-2015-CSK-beat-KKR-in-a-nail-biting-match/eventshow/47093725.cms

04

As KKR seemed to be easily inching towards the target, Captain Cool MS Dhoni brought in R Ashwin. Little did Uthappa know that Ashwin's first ball would get him out. Uthappa gave an easy catch to McCullum putting KKR back in trouble. Manish Pandey's wicket made things even more difficult for KKR and the match now seemed to be going away from them. At a score of 61 for three, Yousuf Pathan came in, who bent his knees in front of CSK's fielding efforts. Yousuf managed to score 13 runs off 18 balls.

Read on to know how a smashing inning kept CSK in the game...
- Amann Khuranaa 

IPL 2015: CSK beat KKR in a nail-biting match

/entertainment/specials/glamour-the-game/photos/ipl-2015-csk-beat-krk-in-a-nail-biting-match/IPL-2015-CSK-beat-KKR-in-a-nail-biting-match/eventshow/47093722.cms

05

Hard-hitter Andre Russell tried his best to bring KKR back in the game, but soon lost his wicket to an unfortunate run out. With 17 runs needed from the last over, Kolkata Knight Riders seemed to be in no position to be winning, but Ryan ten Doeschate’s brilliant efforts did increase the heartrate of the hosts. After playing three dot balls, Ryan hit one six and two fours in the last three balls of the match. Had he hit a six on the last ball, the match would have tied. Nevertheless, the boy did win some hearts.
- Amann Khuranaa 

IPL 2015: CSK beat KKR in a nail-biting match

BCCI mulls early SGM to oust N Srinivasan as ICC chairman - India Today

There are reports that the BCCI's SGM will be called on May 24, the day of IPL final

The BCCI's new regime under Jagmohan Dalmiya's leadership is exploring the option of an early Special General Meeting (SGM) in its bid to oust N Srinivasan as the Board's representative in ICC.

In order to reach a decision on ousting Srinivasan, an SGM needs to be called and Dalmiya along with Secretary Anurag Thakur is exploring that option.

However, they are yet to decide on a date as of now as the members need to be given three weeks of notice period.

"To oust Srinivasan, the ruling group will require two-thirds majority which is 21 units. If they can't ensure 21 votes, they won't call SGM for sure. Dalmiya and Thakur will have to ensure there are 21 votes in their favour," a member of Dalmiya faction said.

There are reports that the SGM will be called on May 24, the day of IPL final. Incidentally, Lalit Modi was suspended after the final of IPL 3 in 2010.

This comes a day after the internal feud within the BCCI took an ugly turn with Board Secretary Thakur launching a stinging attack on ICC Chairman Srinivasan, saying that he should actually share information on bookies with his own family members "whose involvement in betting has been proved".

A day after ICC issued an advisory to Thakur to stay away from suspected bookies, the BCCI secretary hit back at Srinivasan through an open letter in which he questioned the timing of the "counter offensive" initiated at the behest of the ICC Chairman.

Srinivasan though made it clear that he did not want to engage in a war of words with Thakur, saying he would take up the matter with him personally.

ICC Chief Executive Dave Richardson had on Sunday written a letter to BCCI president Dalmiya about Thakur being photographed with one Karan Gilhotra, whose name allegedly figures in the list of suspected bookies.

For more news from India Today, follow us on Twitter @indiatoday and on Facebook at http://ift.tt/1aKMnw7
For news and videos in Hindi, go to AajTak.in. ताज़ातरीन ख़बरों और वीडियो के लिए आजतक.इन पर आएं.

Olympics: Thomas Bach supports Australia bid for 2028 Olympics - Daily News & Analysis

A bid from Australia would enjoy a lot of sympathy and would have a very good chance of winning to follow the success of the Melbourne Games in 1956 and Sydney in 2000, says Olympic chief Thomas Bach.

• International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach File Photo

A bid from Australia to host the Summer Olympics for the third time in 2028 would have a good chance of winning what he hoped would be a hotly-contested bidding process, Olympic chief Thomas Bach said on Wednesday.

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) earlier this month offered its backing to a prospective bid for the 2028 Olympics by a group of mayors from southeast Queensland, centred on the city of Brisbane.

Bach said he had met Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott earlier on Wednesday and discussed a future Games in Australia to follow the success of the Melbourne Games in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.

"A bid from Australia would enjoy a lot of sympathy and would have a very good chance of winning," the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) told a news conference in Sydney.

"This is for 2028, so it's a little bit premature to talk already. I also told the Prime Minister, I would do whatever I can (to make sure) Australia would not be alone in this race. They would enjoy a great competition. Because this is what Australians usually love, a great competition and then to win, maybe," the President of IOC added.

The German said Australia's great contribution to the Olympic movement through sports administrators and the country's famous love of sport would make a bid attractive and added that it would not be too soon for a return to the country.

"It would be 28 years after the Sydney Games, this is not too soon to come back to Australia and Oceania, the Games are rotating around the world but there is no established rotation by the years. It would be wise for the Australians to be candidates for the Olympic Games while there are people who are still alive to remember the great success of the Sydney Games." he said.

Only Greece, Britain and the United States have hosted the Summer Games more than twice.

The Olympics will be held in Brazil for the first time next year, while Tokyo will host the Summer Games for the second time in 2020. Queensland will host the Commonwealth Games for the second time when the seaside resort city of Gold Coast welcomes the multi-sports Games for mainly former British colonies in 2018.

IPL 2015: RCB desperate to hit a 'home run' at Chinnaswamy - IBNLive

• IPL 2015
• BAN v PAK
• WI v ENG

• CricketNEXTHome
• IPL 2015
• BAN v PAK
• WI v ENG

IPL big buys which have gone horribly wrong in season 8 so far - Hindustan Times

Dinesh Karthik cannot stand still. He is fidgety while he bats, twitchy while keeping wicket and hyperactive in general. But he was the opposite on Tuesday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The excess energy was absent as he ambled out for practice, long after most of his teammates had turned up. As he placed his kit bag next to the nets, a heavy shower lashed the ground.

The team decided to play football in the rain. It was meant to be a fun session, but Karthik, 29, stood there isolated. He was not going to joke about the less-abled footballers in the team, like the rest, or ask for the ball too much. For most of the game, it was just Karthik and his thoughts. On Tuesday, he stood still.

As this year's second-most expensive player (bought at Rs 10.5 crore by Royal Challengers Bangalore), Karthik has been a dud. At a time when MS Dhoni has vacated the spot in Tests, Karthik has managed an embarrassing 43 from six games at an appalling average of 10.75. It was Karthik's inability to cement his place that saw Dhoni take over his Test spot a decade ago.

Not connecting

Then the clouds cleared up on Tuesday. Karthik wanted to get a feel of bat on ball. He queued up at the nets. When his turn came, he middled a few, missed the rest. He eventually walked out, nodding his head, doing shadow practice. He was not up to the mark his team want him to be, for which they have spent a bomb.

RCB know it too, but live in hope for the second half of IPL. "For him, personally it must be very disappointing. He has not been in the kind of form he would have wanted. But he is hitting them well in the nets, so we expect him to fire when the stage demands it," his South African teammate David Wiese, said ahead of the game against Rajasthan Royals.

For RCB, this is the second big buy that has gone awry. They spent Rs 14 crore on Yuvraj Singh last season for returns close to nil. What could come as consolation is that Yuvraj has not fired for Delhi Daredevils either. The flamboyant batsman's continued failure is the bigger worry. Teams have shelled out mind-boggling sums for him - bought for Rs 16 crore by Delhi this season, he is the most expensive player in IPL history.

Including one half-century, Yuvraj has scored just 124 in seven games at 17.71. His teammate and Sri Lanka skipper, Angelo Mathews, was the third-most expensive buy this IPL (Rs 7.5cr). The all-rounder has managed just 93 runs and five wickets in six games to cap another poor cost to value ratio.

Bought for Rs 4 crore, Delhi's Zaheer Khan is the next most expensive player this season. Injury has not allowed him to play yet, a situation that sums up all the franchise money that has gone down the drain.

IPL 8: Pressure situations get the best out of me, says Dwayne Bravo - Zee News

Chennai: A brilliant last over by Dwayne Bravo helped Chennai Super Kings pull off a sensational two-run win over Kolkata Knight riders in their IPL match, and the all-rounder said he likes pressure situations as it brings the best out of him.

"We did not bat well tonight. It is good to defend a small total and we proved ourselves despite not doing well with the bat. We have got good fast bowlers and spinners in our team. Obviously, MS (Dhoni) and the entire team looked upto me to finish off the game and that is the way I prepare myself.

"These situations get the best out of me. I always keep my composure as I like these moments. There are few people in the world who actually cope with pressure," said Bravo at the post-match press conference last night.

Defending a modest target of 135, Bravo was given the ball in the final over with KKR requiring 17 runs to win. He bowled the first three balls without conceding a run, and that enabled the Super Kings to eke out a narrow win.

CSK were restricted to 134 for six but Bravo said more than his team's batsmen faltering, it was KKR bowlers who did a good job.

"There was no weakness and there were times when fast bowlers were doing well, we have got 200 runs and above. There are no weaknesses. Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum are best players in the world against short balls. We have to give credit to KKR bowlers.

"I suppose we exposed them as well. It goes both ways. We are a humble team having very good players and respect each other. We did not blow out to post big total but it is important that we won the game," said Bravo.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Brad Hogg, who came up with a brilliant spell after replacing Sunil Naraine in the team, said the team was disappointed with the absence of the mystery spinner.

There is uncertainty over Naraine's availability as the report of the bio-mechanical tests, which he underwent at the BCCI accredited testing facility, is still awaited.

"All I can say is feeling sorry for Sunil. I think it is disappointing that he has gone away. All of a sudden he has been put on the spot again. It is one of those, as a cricketer, I am not happy with the situation that Sunil and we are in at the moment. He has got a wonderful skill."

At 44, Hogg became the oldest cricketer to play in the

IPL and the Australian bowler said he was enjoying his cricket at the moment.

"As far as my role, at the end of the day at my age, I am enjoying my cricket. Very lucky that I have been picked up in the IPL tournament. Had a couple of years here already and to be playing for different franchise and experiencing different parts of India is fantastic. It is no different to any other team that got great bunch of players," he said.

Hogg admitted it was disappointing to lose a close game.

"It is disappointing always to lose such close contests. But at the end of the day, we have to go back and believe in our skills. Everyone has got skills. Everyone talks about form. I am not a believer in form. It is all mental and it is always up there here (in the mind). We have got another five top games in 10 days. I think we just got to believe that our skills are good enough," insisted the Australian.

"It takes a couple of shots for a batsman to turn around and likewise a couple of wickets for a bowler."

On his team not scoring a single boundary between seventh and 17th over, Hogg said, "I think we required 78 runs off 80 balls and we really dug for ourselves. We sort of discussed that. The opposition was dictating the scoreboard for us to slow down. We are going to go out in the next game and play the way we want to play.

"If we win we win, if we lose we lose. That is the nature of the game. You back your potentials and you play better than the opposition, more times than not you win matches."

Hogg was all praise for the Chidambaram stadium pitch.

"The pitch was pretty good. It assisted all. Had a bit of pace and swing and also held up little bit for the spinner. So everyone played a part in the game. Full credit to the curator. I thought, batsmen too had chances to make runs and bowlers had chances of getting wickets. It is one of those nice part of contest," said Hogg.