Starc to miss start of IPl due to knee niggle
Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bangalore will be missing the services of Mitchell Starc for the start of the IPl with the Australia pacer recuperating from a knee niggle after a hectic World Cup campaign for which he was adjudged Man of the Tournament. The Australian quick has sustained a minor knee strain and will be out of action for close to three weeks, according to News Corp Australia. The left-arm pacer picked up 14 wickets from as many matches and conceded 7.49 per over for RCB in his debut IPl season last year. Starc’s injury adds to RCB’s bowling woes with another new recruit Adam Milne also in doubt after the New Zealand pacer was ruled out of the World Cup with an injury.
Narine to appear for another test: Dalmiya
Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders’ ace spinner Sunil Narine might have been cleared by the ICC but the West Indian will still have to appear for another test for his suspected illegal bowling action in Chennai, BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said on Wednesday. “I’ve spoken to them (KKR management), he has to appear for the test again. Be it once or twice,” Dalmiya told reporters on the sidelines of Cricket Association of Bengal’s felicitation programme of the 1989-90 Ranji Trophy winning squad that celebrated 25 years of the triumph on Wednesday. Dalmiya’s office confirmed that the test would be held at the Sri Ramachandra University in Chennai. Narine was banned for his suspect action during the 2014 Champions league Twenty20 and was barred from playing in the final against Chennai Super Kings that the Knight Riders lost by eight wickets. He was later dropped from West Indies’ tour of India in November and then the mystery spinner himself opted out of the 2015 World Cup. The West Indian cricketer went back to the nets to rework on his action and was cleared by the ICC after his bio-mechanical test in loughborough. However, BCCI refused to accept the ICC report and insisted that the off-spinner from Trinidad has to undergo another round of testing as KKR are apparently mulling legal route.
Open to playing any role: Hussey
Chennai: Michael Hussey is happy to be back at the Chennai Super Kings and the 39-year-old Australian is open to performing any role for the two-time IPl champions in the upcoming edition. “I have not really thought about it (his role) too much. I need to sit down and have a chat with MS (captain Dhoni) and Stephen Fleming (coach) about what role they want me to play. At this age I just want to play whatever role that I can help the team, whether at the top or middle or helping the young guys on the field,” said Hussey. Hussey, who has quit international cricket and last played for Australia in 2013, is still as fit as a fiddle. “I am still training, having been playing in the Big Bash back home. I am fresh and still training with the hope of doing well here. I have had a fantastic run in IPl and I feel happy to be back in the team,” said Hussey, who was released by the Mumbai Indians.
IPl reaches out to fans through Fan Park
Mumbai: As a part of the ongoing initiatives to bring in newer audience through IPl, especially families, BCCI will be investing in Fan parks across the country this season. In addition to the 12 venues hosting the matches this season, Pepsi IPl 2015 will be taken to 15 cities across India through the Fan Park initiative giving the fans living far away live the excitement and atmosphere that comes with watching an IPl match with friends and family in a public location. Over 10,000 plus fans in each of these cities will have a stadium-like experience on the weekends throughout the tournament as the matches will be made available on giant screens. Entry will be free and on a first-come-first-serve basis.