Flintoff eager to play in IPL

Flintoff, who was bought by Chennai Super Kings for a record $1.55 million, has had several niggling injuries, the latest of which was a hip problem that ruled him out of the final Test and first two One-day Internationals in the West Indies.

"I have missed so much cricket through injury that I don't want to miss any more," Flintoff was quoted as saying in the Guardian.

"I've not played a lot of Twenty20 cricket and I'd like to play more. I'm not saying the money is not very appealing, but there's a lot more to it. I spent several weeks working very hard at my fitness when I came back from the West Indies and, hopefully, that will stand me in good stead come the summer," he said.

England will host West India May 6 and then will have Australia for the Ashes series in June.

[credit : http://sports.in.msn.com/ipl/article.aspx?cp-documentid=2495974]

D-Day today for England - West Indies

TODAY COULD BE make or break for the final One-Day-International cricket match between England and the West Indies in St Lucia on Friday.

It could also be an indicator as to what direction the future relationship between regional players and cricket administrators will take.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) will hold crisis talks today to try and end the deadlock that threatens to lead to a boycott of the encounter at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.

WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine is expected to lead a delegation to meet WICB president Julian Hunte and his representatives in St Lucia to try and save this weekend's match.

The impasse has already seen regional first-class players go on strike, leading to the cancellation ten days ago of some 11th-round matches in the WICB's four-day competition.

WIPA has a long list of concerns with the way the WICB governs cricket in the region, including the contention that the board usually makes decisions without consulting the union as had been previously agreed between the two bodies.

While Ramnarine has declined to make any public statements, West Indies captain Chris Gayle and allrounder Dwayne Bravo have spoken of their frustrations. Last week Gayle rebuked the WICB, urging the body to get its house in order in its dealings with the players. He also hinted at a possible players' strike of Friday's game.

Gayle and Bravo are among five regional players who have signed on to the lucrative 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL), a tournament which clashes with the team's tour of England in May. This conflict is among the topics which are expected to be on today's agenda

Failed to consult

Bravo said yesterday the WICB had failed to consult WIPA when agreeing to the tour of England starting in May. Ironically, the West Indies replaced Sri Lanka on the tour because its board opted out of the series to allow its players to take part in the IPL.

"The WICB went on and signed that tour without letting WIPA know anything about the tour," Bravo said. "We signed our contract to go and represent our IPL team, now we are in a position where we have to choose whether to go and play IPL for the first six weeks or go to England. It is a tricky situation."

Bravo also rejected suggestions that the players were unaware of all the issues in their dispute with the WICB and had not been privy to relevant information from Ramnarine.

"[He] lets us know everything that is taking place so we are fully aware of everything that is going on in the meetings," Bravo said.

He added: "We are fully aware of what the WICB owes us. We know everything. We are never short of information. Whenever issues come up, the first person Ramnarine contacts is Chris [Gayle]; Chris calls a meeting, and lets the players know what is going on and we the players come up as a team, and make a decision on what we would like Ramnarine to go forward with."

Bravo also dismissed claims that the WIPA was only looking out for the benefit of the international players, and not for the all first-class players in the region.

"That doesn't have any truth in it at all!" he said. "Whenever we meet as a team, and whenever Ramnarine comes and talks with us, our main issue is about the first-class players.

"He keeps stressing on the first-class players, not too much on us, because we have it better off than the first-class players. Ramnarine is the only one who got first-class fees raised after so many years," he said.

Bravo asserted that the players were not greedy, but wondered what was wrong with them wanting a better deal.

He asked: "So why does a bank manager go to work every day? Why does a teacher go to work everyday? Why she don't just go and teach and don't study about money?"

Bravo added: "It's not only us complaining about money. You see teachers protest for salaries; you see people protest because of shortage of salary. . .

"But we have to understand and accept that the way how life is going, and the way how cricket is going now, it is more a business.

"It is still a sport, but there is a lot of business, there is a lot of money floating around. Players see opportunity where they could make other income. I don't see any problem with it."

[credit : http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/lead----D0596--BC-CRI-WestIndies-Dispu-03-30-0672-FRONT-PAGE-OT]

IPL might get bigger : Preity Zinta

Preity Zinta, who co-owns Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kings XI Punjab, says the Twenty20 tournament moving to South Africa is like "asking Preity Zinta an actor to perform in a theatre where nobody knows her", but the Bollywood star also hopes the shift helps in making the event bigger.

"The option was to either have it outside India or not at all. No one is happy to shift from home ground. That thrill of playing across our own country at domestic tournaments is gone. Going to various cities with the matches is a high," Preity told IANS in an interview.

"But we've to be optimistic. Last year when the IPL started everyone thought it would flop. It became the biggest hit ever. Likewise, the shift to South Africa could make the IPL bigger," she said on a positive note.

The actress is a little upset that the IPL crisis coincided with the release of her film "Videsh - Heaven On Earth" in India.

"The timing of the IPL crisis was unfortunate. My most challenging film 'Heaven On Earth' is on release. I'd have liked more time nurturing it. You know I did 'Heaven On Earth' for myself... I just needed to connect more with my inner self. This film made me do that," said Preity.

Excerpts from the interview with IANS:

Was it a shock to you when the IPL was relocated to South Africa?

The option was to either have it outside India or not at all. No one is happy to shift from home ground. That thrill of playing across our own country at domestic tournaments is gone. Going to various cities with the matches is a high. However, people can still watch it on TV. That's still there.

But an Indian event shifted to South Africa?

I know. But we've to be optimistic. Last year when the IPL started everyone thought it would flop. It became the biggest hit ever. Likewise the shift to South Africa could make the IPL bigger. What else can I do except be hopeful?

But it's being translocated to a new culture and environment?

Of course, it is! But what can we do? I've always believed whatever happens in life happens for the best. The timing of the IPL crisis was unfortunate. My most challenging film, 'Heaven On Earth', is on release. I'd have liked more time nurturing it. You know I did 'Heaven On Earth' for myself. Lots of times I've done things for this reason and that. But this time it was entirely for me. I just needed to connect more with my inner self. This film made me do that.

Tell me about your preparation for the role.

I've worked quite a lot with battered women. I've studied so many kinds of mental disorders. Domestic violence comes much after other forms of disorder. Every scene in 'Heaven On Earth' rings true. I had a hundred notions on how to play the role. But when I met abused women I decided it has to be very real. I'm very proud of it. Let's see how audiences in India react.

So the IPL moving out of India is like uprooting a national event?

Exactly. It's like asking an actor to perform in a theatre where nobody knows
him. But we'll make sure that the quality and profile of the game don't change. Only two percent of the audience watches the game in a stadium. Most of them watch the game on television.

But there's that vibe when the game happens on home ground. That spirit can't be captured anywhere. Having said that I don't want to sound whiny and petty. I want to thank South Africa for agreeing to host the IPL games. They've gone out of their way to accommodate us, flung their fields open to us. I think South Africa will make a beautiful home for the games.

Wasn't the choice between South Africa and England?

Yes, there were several options. But it finally came down to choosing between those two countries. We didn't want to go into a place where there was too much rain. I think South Africa will be fun. Who knows, they might even allow me to play. That's my secret fantasy. Miracles do happen, you know.

Is it just elections that ousted IPL from India. Or was there a security scare after what happened to the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan?

I refuse to believe India is scared about the security. Does the country shut down because we can't get enough security? I think we need to vote even more carefully. We must put proper people in places of power. I don't think we should vote for anyone who has got criminal records. See their track records and then vote.

How will you be ready with the IPL in South Africa in time?

We Indians don't only exist in chaos. We thrive in it. Even last year when IPL happened for the first time we grappled with all odds. I know I'm going to have sleepless nights. But that's a different story. I can't pretend I'm not disappointed by the relocation. But South Africa is a terrific country.

I'll have lots to do besides cricket. In Punjab it was difficult for me to move out. Preity Zinta will have a blast shopping in South Africa. Preity Zinta, the team owner, is worried. We've no players from South Africa. Neither does Shah Rukh (Khan).

Are the boys demoralized by the relocation?

Their choice was between no IPL and IPL in South Africa.

[Credit : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bollywood/IPL-might-get-bigger-Preity/articleshow/4330193.cms]

England loses the IPL race to South Africa?

NEW DELHI: The moment Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi switched his travel plans to go Johannesburg instead of London, it was evident where the second edition of the Twenty20 cricket tournament is headed.

Modi dropped enough hints in his now famous late night exclusive interviews to Indian television channels to suit the prime time overseas, that South Africa is his preference, the fickle late winter weather ruling England out.

He said the organisers needed to take the weather pattern into account besides other factors like the April 26 London marathon which could make getting rooms extremely difficult. And then there is the English County season and the Test and One-day series against the West Indies.

Modi had made it clear that South Africa is a more attractive proposition what with their domestic season ending before the IPL gets underway. In England, some key venues will not be available for the IPL games without disrupting their domestic programme.

Moreover, South Africa is closer to India and that would give a time advantage over England.

Importantly, in this time of recession, the cost of holding the tournament will be cheaper in South Africa than in England, though the overall expenses will go a manifold because of the switch from India.

The other vexed problem for the organisers was the TV rights issue. In South Africa, Supersport has the rights to the IPL as well as all international cricket played in the country whereas in England Setanta holds the IPL rights and Sky Sports the international rights. Sky will have to telecast the England-West Indies series when the IPL would be on.

Simply put, South Africa has good stadiums, impeccable facilities and perfect weather to boot. Of course, the presence of Indian diaspora will be as good as it is in England and they all enjoy the shortest version of the game as seen in the Twenty20 World Championship two years ago.