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SPORTS Friday, 21 June, 2013
vettori undergoes surgery on Achilles tendon
SPORTS DESK Daniel Vettori underwent a surgery on his troublesome Achilles tendon in London, in a bid to prolong his career. Vettori has been suffering from a chronic Achilles tendon problem and was dogged by the injury during the Champions Trophy. “I did indeed have surgery on Wednesday,” Vettori told New Zealand Herald. “I’m hoping it once and for all clears up my persistent and chronic Achilles problem and lets me train and get fit again.” Vettori, who has been rested from the Twenty20 squad for the two matches against England, admitted he had no set plans related to his recovery and comeback. “In regards to my future, I will see how my rehabilitation goes before I speculate on my career. I have no set plans,” he said. New Zealand’s Group A match against Sri Lanka was Vettori’s first ODI match in two years in which he bowled six overs, picking up one wicket and conceding 16 runs. However, he experienced discomfort while fielding and needed saline injections to help with the pain. Vettori also played the final group match against England but left the field after bowling five overs.
Albie still has some close connections with the area – Karl Krikken
legend Ponting to say goodbye in october SPORTS DESK
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ICKY Ponting will retire from all forms of cricket in October. The former Australia captain retired from Test cricket last December to bring his international career to and end but he has continued to play at domestic level since. Ponting, who is currently playing for Surrey in all three formats of the game, will retire after playing for Mumbai Indians in the Champions League in October. The 38-year-old Tasmanian said: ‘While I’m enjoying my cricket as much as ever, it just feels like the right time to finish playing. ‘My body and mind are in great shape and I know I’m going to really enjoy these last few months before the next stage of life begins.’ Ponting has played non-stop cricket since his international retirement and he expressed his pride at winning the Sheffield Shield - Australia’s equivalent of the County Championship - this year. He said: ‘To win the Sheffield Shield with Tasmania in my last game in Australia played at Blundstone Arena, will forever be a memory close to my heart. It’s one of a lifetime of memories that will become even more special to me in retirement. ‘I’m so grateful for the opportunities that the game of cricket has given to me. I’ve played with so many outstanding people at all levels of cricket with lifelong friendships made.’ Ponting will play for Surrey until late July before he heads to the West Indies to play for Antigua Hawksbills in the inaugural Carribbean Premier League. The batsman will then play for Mumbai Indians - who he
represented in this year’s IPL - in the Champions League in October before calling it a day.
Ponting says he is excited at the prospect of spending more time with his family and on the golf course once he retires. ‘I’m excited about what lies ahead,’ he added. ‘We are moving to Melbourne which will be like a new beginning as a family leading a more normal life. ‘I’ll be able to spend more time with family and friends, play a lot more golf and see more of North Melbourne footy games. ‘Rianna and I will continue to build the work of the Ponting Foundation and, with more time on my hands, I’m intending on spending more time
with children with cancer and their families. ‘I’m considering a couple of options in the cricket media and I’m very fortunate to have a wonderful group of commercial partners that I will be continuing to work with. ‘My
autobiography comes out in late October so I’ve also got a couple of busy months on my Book Tour when I get back. I got a taste for the off field demands of coaching, mentoring and leadership at Mumbai. I‘d like to do more of this in the future.’ Ponting played 168 Tests and 375 one-day internationals for his country, averaging 51.85 and 42.03 with the bat respectively. He will play in Surrey’s County Championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley starting on Friday.
iPl probe panel to meet on friday SPORTS DESK The two judges who comprise the panel appointed by the BCCI to inquire into the complaints against Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra, and the owners of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, will meet in person for the first time in Bangalore on Friday. Nearly a month after they were appointed, Justice T Jayaram Chouta and R Balasubramanian will discuss with Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI’s general manager of game development, the working of the probe. The judges are likely to specify their requirements to the BCCI during what Chouta, the chairman of the commission, called a “preliminary” meeting. If they feel they require office space and administrative staff in Bangalore Chouta’s hometown - it will be provided. “The panel will discuss its preferred mode of operation,” Shetty told ESPNcricinfo. “It will be provided with all the operational and administrative assistance.” Shetty, along with members of the BCCI’s legal team, had met Chouta at his residence on June 15 and handed over the necessary documents to begin the process. Since the BCCI had not set a deadline for the panel to submit its findings, it remains to be seen if the judges try and make up for the time lost due to BCCI’s administrative unrest. Following the arrests of three Rajasthan Royals cricketers and that of Meiyappan, a Super Kings management member and BCCI president N Srinivasan’s son-inlaw, the following week, the board had announced on May 28 that a threemember commission would conduct the internal inquiry against both the teams and Meiyappan. However, following Sanjay Jagdale’s resignation from the panel and as BCCI secretary, it was reconstituted on June 10. Since Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra had allegedly admitted to his involvement in betting on his team’s matches to Delhi Police, the panel was also asked to look into the complaint filed against him. Chouta had retired after serving as a judge of the Karnataka and Madras High Court. Balasubramanian was a judge at the Madras High Court from 1996 to 2007. After his retirement, he has been practising in the Supreme Court.
Anderson the catalyst for crushing win THE OvAL AGENCIES
It was not, perhaps, the scenario spectators expected when they bought their tickets. The result was hardly in doubt by 11am; the result was decided before 5pm and several snoozed in the sun for long periods in the afternoon. For the impartial onlooker, this was probably a rather boring game. But from an England perspective, this was wonderfully, gloriously, beautifully boring game. After many years where success in ODI cricket has been a brief interlude in a general drama of pain, England secured their place in the final of a global ODI competition for the first time since 2004 and the second time since 1992. They may never have a better chance of shedding the embarrassing tag as the only team in this competition not to have won such a title. The uncharacteristic show of emotion from Jonathan Trott upon hitting the winning runs was telling. It has been an ambition of his for some time to play in the final of this competition at his home ground of Edgbaston and here he produced a typically calm innings to ensure it will happen. Nerveless and apparently unhurried, he still managed to score at close to a run-aball and, in his last 12 ODIs, has now registered one century, five half-centuries and been dismissed for under 37 only once. He has averaged 75.77 in that time. He will never win over all his critics but, in this situation, there is no more reassuring sight
in English cricket than Trott scrapping his mark. It would be easy to take Trott’s runs for granted. But, when Alastair Cook and Ian Bell fell, England were 41 for 2 and only another wicket away from seeing their slightly vulnerable middle-order exposed. Pressure appears to bring the best out of Trott, though, and he led the run chase with the remorselessness of a hunter pursuing its prey. “It was quite a high pressure situation,” Cook said afterwards. “Trotty played a great innings,” But this was not a victory set-up by England’s batsmen. It was set-up by England’s excellence in the field and a woefully poor performance with the bat from South Africa. Winning the toss on a humid morning was, doubtless, an advantage and James Anderson, in particular, exploited it expertly. But there is no getting away from the fact that South Africa’s top-order folded with pathetic weakness. So England were fortunate. They were fortunate that South Africa were without Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis. They were fortunate to win the toss. And they were fortunate their opposition played so badly. Good fortune tends to follow when a team plays consistently good cricket. It tends to follow when a team applies consistent pressure. It exploits any weakness and forces mistakes. The very best teams may not always be beaten by such a tactic, but it is the best plan England
have and they follow it with precision. They will not start the final as favourites, but there are certainly not no-hopers either. If Anderson were the sort to care about such trifles, he might consider himself unfortunate not to be named the Man of the Match. He bowled an excellent first spell that set the tone for the entire game. There has been precious little conventional swing available in this competition, but Anderson found just enough to account for Colin Ingram and Robin Peterson, both of whom were set up by out swing and trapped by deliveries that swung in amid a spell that threatened consistently and offered the batsmen almost nothing. While Steven Finn and Stuart Broad were disappointing, James Tredwell sustained the pressure with a spell that won him the match award. While only the odd delivery turned, it was enough to plant a seed of doubt in the minds of the batsmen and Tredwell, varying his pace subtly and bowling a tight line, benefitted as the ball sometimes turned but more often skidded on to batsmen playing without conviction. There were other impressive performers for England. Jos Buttler, who has enjoyed a fine tournament as a wicketkeeper to date, equalled the England record for the most dismissals in an ODI by claiming six catches - one an excellent diving catch down the legside; another a good diving catch to his right to dismiss Hashim Amla and a couple of neat efforts standing up to Tredwell - while Cook
captained with ever increasing confidence and individuality. It would be premature to compare Cook to Mike Brearley or similar but, just as he improved as a Test and then ODI batsman, he showed here that he is developing into far more than a ‘captain by numbers.’ His decision to allow Anderson a seven-over opening spell was unusual, if hardly groundbreaking, while his use of
three slips at times showed a welcome desire to attack when appropriate. England may face some tricky selection decisions ahead of the final. Tim Bresnan, his baby now safely delivered, will be available and may well replace Steven Finn, while Tredwell will be hard to omit even if Graeme Swann is fully recovered. They are not the worst issues with which to wrestle.