West Indies vs Australia – 1st Test – May 22-26 2008

Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica

Sometimes the mind says : TOO MUCH IPL! But mate, it never is enough, when it comes to pleasures of life. But not in this post. I would try my best!

If you are a Kolkata Knight Rider fan, you would have a bitter feeling now. Bitter as your team has been knocked out of the IPL. Bitter as one of your star signings Ricky Ponting could do nothing to help you in your quest for a semi-final berth. Bitter as the same guy has scored 154 in his very first post IPL stint on the cricket field, albeit in a test match against the null-star West Indies team. Enough about feelings, serious cricket follows:

Despite Hayden not playing due to Achilles, at the end of Day 1, the Aussies were well placed at 301 for the loss of 4 wickets. Other major contributions with the bat : Hussey(56) and Hodge(53)

Looking at the bowling analysis of the West Indies, almost everyone bowled as good, or as bad, though Fidel Edwards was the most successful (and expensive) of the bowlers (2/56 in 14). The day was dull to watch, if not for the exquisite stroke play by Ponting, Hussey and Hodge. Updates Tomorrow.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

Ricky Ponting Sizzles as West Indies go through the motions

He took Shoaib 4-wkt Akhtar to the cleaners, took him for 23 in an over, so much so that the Indian news channels suddenly started wondering whether Akhtar was on dope during the previous game! And then these journalists say that yellow ain\\\’t their favorite color.

What was the icing on the cake was that the Mumbai Indians got to the target in less than six overs. Shah Rukh Khan, owner of the Knight Riders, quipped:

\\\”We played better than them. We batted for 15 overs, they only 5\\\”

Whatever happened to plain old grace in defeat! Welcome to IPL!

Photo : Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

Kolkata Knight Riders Embarrassed by Mumbai Indians

• In came Shoaib and Virendra Sehwag was out first ball he faced. Caught by the Keeper.
• Then it was the turn of Gautam Gambhir as he fiddled with a wide one, just to be caught up at slip
• In came ABcDe Villiers who though that Mr Steyn is the fastest of them all. Akhtar proved him wrong
• Manoj Tiwary hadn’t faced anything faster than Dinda. He was caught plumb in front, one of those rarities when you don’t even have to appeal for a LBW

Shoaib’s Figures: 3-0-11-4

Another bloke, LR Shukla, took 3 in his first over (Delhi’s 18th) to end it for the Daredevils

IPL Roundup:

Laxman out of IPL
The Injury has made him be ruled out of the IPL. If I was a true Deccan fan, I would be Happy.

Ashwell Prince goes back to South Africa
His wife has had a baby and he would be back in a week. We wish him luck. BTW he plays for the Mumbai Indians. Still to make his IPL Debut.

Laters.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

Shoaib, Shukla help Kolkata Knightriders Romp Delhi Daredevils

We start with Mr. Shah Rukh Khan, the owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders. Apart from owning the IPL Team, SRK is arguably the biggest star of the Indian Film Industry.

In India, he is referred to as King Khan, and for reasons which are not fallacious at all. This guy has got this charisma, this ‘People’ thing. He knows how to catch the pulse of the audience. Be it coming to the Knight Rider matches and hugging each player to dancing and jumping in joy when they do well. Compare that to the other owners of the IPL teams, and they are closer to stationary blots. With his team doing reasonably well in the inaugural IPL, he has reasons to cheer. He once said that he has spent a lot of his money for this venture, and is at a point of no return. Though not the richest of all IPL owners, he is undoubtedly the most popular and stylish.

Some Stats:

Age : 44
Team : Kolkata Knight Riders
Net Worth : $1.2 Million (approximate) (pays a lot of taxes, though!)
Bought Team for : $950,000
Alternate Occupation : Actor (Superstar)
Co-Owners : Juhi Chawla, Jay Mehta

(All figures are in USD)

Next Team : Kings XI Punjab (owned by Preity Zinta)

Laters

Photo Credit: Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

Owners of IPL : Shah Rukh Khan