Cardiff to host 2015 Ashes opener
london: England will be hoping history repeats itself when their bid to regain the Ashes next year starts in Cardiff. Monday saw the England and Wales Cricket Board announce the international schedule for its 2015 home season. And it was the choice of the Welsh capital ground to stage the first Test against Australia, starting on July 8, that was arguably the most eye-catching decision. The remainder of the 2015 Ashes will see Tests played at lord's, Edgbaston, Trent Bridge and The Oval. last year, England triumphed 3-0 on home soil before shortly afterwards surrendering the Ashes in tame fashion in the return series. Australia captain Michael Clarke urged Aussie fans to turn out in force in 2015.
Schedule: Jun 25-28: v Kent, Canterbury; Jul 01-04: v Essex, Chelmsford; Jul 08-12: 1st Test, Cardiff; Jul 16-20: 2nd Test, lord's; Jul 23-25: v Derbyshire, Derby; Jul 29-Aug 02: 3rf Test, Edgbaston; Aug 06-10: 4th Test, Trent Bridge;
Aug 14-16: v Northamptonshire, Northampton; Aug 20-24: 5th Test, The Oval; Aug 27: ODI v Ireland, venue tbc; Aug 31: T20 v England, Cardiff; Sep 03: Ist ODI, Southampton (D/N); Sep 05: 2nd ODI, lord's; Sep 08: 3rd ODI, Old Trafford (D/N); Sep 11: 4th ODI, Headingley; Sep 13: 5th ODI, Old Trafford.
Keki Kotwal passes away
Mumbai: Keki Kotwal, a former cricket sub committee member of the Cricket Club of India, who went as manager of the Indian team to the ICC Knockout tournament in Nairobi, Kenya in October 2000, passed away here on Monday. He was 75 and died after a battle against cancer, according to sources. Kotwal, who served on CCI's cricket sub committee for 27 years, had also attended a host of BCCI Working Committee meetings when the late Raj Singh Dungarpur headed the country's apex cricket body.
Mushtaq is Pak’s spin consultant
Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday appointed former Test leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed as the spin bowling consultant of the national side. The PCB said in a statement that the coaching committee has unanimously recommended Mushtaq's name for the job and chairman Najam Sethi has stamped his approval. Pakistan's former off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who was also in fray for the job, lost out to Mushtaq as the committee was in favour of the leg-spinner. Mushtaq's appointment was expected after he had informed the new head coach of the England team, Peter Moores that he will not be available for the English team due to his Pakistan commitments. Mushtaq, 43, who has remained spin bowling consultant with the England side from 2008 onwards, has in the past worked as assistant coach of the Pakistan team in 2007 World Cup and in a home series. "It is a great honour to be given this two year contract and I will also be working at the national cricket academy," Mushtaq said.
‘club cricket best form of cricket’
Bhubaneswar: Describing club cricket as the best form of cricket, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar on Monday said it teaches players the way to carry weaker member of a team. "Club cricket is the best form of cricket. It teaches one to be friends with your rivals even as you compete hard with them on the ground," Gavaskar said at a function organised by a local cricket club to felicitate him. Stating that one's performance in club cricket gets the attention of the Ranji Trophy selectors, Gavaskar said "from Ranji, you go on to play Duleep Trophy and then international cricket." In a message to the budding cricketers of the state, the legendary Indian opener said : "You must aim to achieve what your predecessors have failed to achieve. In your case, it would mean you should try your best to win the Ranji Trophy for the Odisha team, something that has not been achieved yet."