IPL Season 2

Planning and preparation has already started for IPL season 2, the first cricket board to face tricky issues is the SriLankan Cricket Board. SriLanka has accepted to fill next summer for England team as tour of zimbabawe is put off. England has finalized the schedule tentatively starting April 21st through May 30th, the issue is IPL season 2 starts April 10th and ends by 29th May. 13 SriLankan national cricketers are signed by the 6 IPL teams, which means the SriLankans need to leave with just 10 days into the IPL which in all probability will not go well with the franchises nor the players as lot of money is in stake. The SriLankan Board is meeting this week to decide on this and other player contract issues.

Its very unfortunate that the SriLankan players have not been paid since feb-2008 and in spite of these issues they were able to win the Asia Cup in style but the cash rich board like ours and Pakistan were not able to put up a fight. Hope there is some sort of a solution to this problem which benefits the players, after all these guys are spending their prime years of their life to the game.


England takes on South Africa in Lords.

England has announced an unchanged team for the 1st Test against the South Africans in the Lords. South Africa is banking on its fast bowlers to come good in helping conditions in the Lords. SA has included their 3 seamer Ntini,Steyn and Morkel in the bowling line up and banking on the experience of Kallis,Smith and Boucher on the batting to come good, for all the other batsmen in the squad this is the first time they will be playing a Test match in England.

England is going with the same 11 for a world record 6th time in a row. Kevin Peterson,Vaughan,Strauss are expected to score the bulk of the runs and hope that Collingwood comes back to form after a torrid time last season. England bowling seems good with Sidebottom,Anderson and Board with the seam attack and Panesar's left arm spin. Comparatively SA bowling looks good and lethel with all the three capable of striking in quick time, Steyn has been in great form in lot of 5 wicket hauls in a short span and we all know how good he was even in the placid wickets in India. If England should win a test match against the SA, Panesar should come good ably supported by the seamer's. I feel all tests are going to be hard fought and will be played the full 5 days provided there is no rain.