August 2014 ~ CRC STREAM

CRICKET NEWS : RAINA - This knock is one of the most special ones for me

10:04 PM

Suresh Raina came into this series with question marks over his place in the one-day outfit, having been left out of the squad when India last picked a full-strength side, during the Asia Cup in March. The counterattacking hundred on Wednesday, his first outside Asia and his first since January 2010, in the second ODI against England should give him a head start in the race for middle-order spots.

Raina was particularly pleased with his effort as it came after a dreadful run for India in the Test series, which ended with three one-sided defeats. "This knock is one of the most special ones for me given the circumstances and the conditions," he told the BCCI website. "We hadn't won the game in a long time and to help the team break that jinx with a century was very satisfying."

Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma had started India's recovery after a nervy start that has been a familiar sight all tour, but it was Raina's century off 74 deliveries propelled India towards a 300-plus total. "After I got my fifty, I got a bit conscious [about the score] because I hadn't scored a century since a long time and I wanted to finish well," he said.

"Rohit also got out after his fifty and I was determined to carry on till the end. So I played khadoos (doggedly) for a while. After a while I started to play my shots, which did disturb the bowlers' rhythm. They struggled with their field placements and bowling areas. That's when I knew that I was dominating them and was thinking one step ahead of them."

After India's disastrous showing in the Tests, the BCCI had installed Ravi Shastri as the team director, prompting speculation over head coach Duncan Fletcher's future. There have been conflicting statements over who remains in charge - Shastri, Fletcher or captain MS Dhoni - but Raina said the team environment was "very good" and that Shastri's appointment was already proving beneficial.

"Ravi Shastri gave us a lot of confidence," Raina said. "He came to the team meeting and said a few words to the team which were very inspiring. He was also sitting with me in the bus when we were on our way to the stadium and he told me, 'khadoos khelna hai (play a stubborn game)'. There is a different comfort level when you talk to a former Indian player; you can be free and honest. All the other coaches have been very supportive as well but Ravi Shastri set the tone for us and instilled confidence in the team."

Raina also credited the training he did in Mumbai with Sachin Tendulkar and former India batsman Pravin Amre, who has also worked closely with several other Indian batsmen including Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane. "After all the work I had put into my game in Mumbai with Sachin paaji and Amre sir, I was determined to join the team and bring them some happiness, whether it is by scoring a hundred or taking a brilliant catch. I had to bring the smiles back on my teammates' faces. I am glad I could do that today."

WI sweep series with massive win

10:03 AM

Dwayne Bravo collects the winner's trophy and his teammates join him for a pose. The biggest highlight of the day was Denesh Ramdin's 121-ball 169. Maybe you can credit Bangladesh for batting out the 50 overs. The focus shifts to the one-off T20I now. Join us back on August 27 for all the action.

2014 Belgian GP: Daniel Ricciardo picks up the pieces after Rosberg & Hamilton clash

7:40 PM

Daniel Ricciardo strengthened his outside chances of an unexpected late-season run at the championship by winning a dramatic Belgian GP after Mercedes' title-duelling drivers Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton finally came together on track – to the detrimental effect of the Briton’s title chances.

It has taken 12 races, and several near misses and off-track flashpoints, but the kind of on-track tangle that most - including Mercedes' management - had thought was an inevitable consequence of Rosberg and Hamilton's hitherto private title duel finally happened on the second lap of Sunday's action-packed Spa race.

Challenging Hamilton on the run to Les Combes having lost the lead to his team-mate into the first corner of the race, Rosberg attempted to go round the outside of the sister W05 at the right-hander, but only succeeded in pucturing the Briton's tyre as the race leader came back to take the racing line.

Hamilton immediately pointed the finger at the championship leader -

With Hamilton forced to the back of the field, and eventually out of the race after a fruitless persuit of points with a car that had sustained wider damage, Rosberg lost the lead after pitting for a new front wing.

In the end it was Ricciardo, for the third time this season and second time in a row who triumphed, as Rosberg battled back to second place to increase his championship lead over Hamilton back out to 29 points.

Hamilton: Missing pole could be 'a blessing in disguise'

1:53 PM

Lewis Hamilton believes starting from second could actually prove an advantage in Sunday's 2014 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix.

The Briton lost out to Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg in Saturday's fight for pole, with the German shading the battle by just under a quarter of a second at a wet Spa-Francorchamps.

But while Rosberg will start from the front for the fourth consecutive race, Hamilton insisted he was not too disheartened - citing last year's race, when he started from pole but was picked off on the opening lap, as an example of why second on the grid could prove favourable.

"I'm not disappointed today actually," Hamilton said after qualifying.

"If you look at the previous years, P2 is the best place to start here. I started on pole here last year and Sebastian [Vettel] flew past me down the top straight, so I think it gives you the most opportunity here at the start.

"It may just be a blessing in disguise with the grid slot - I think (starting second) gives you the most opportunity here at the start."

Hamilton, who has not started from pole since Spain in May, admitted previous misfortunes on Saturday had played on his mind before qualifying.

"I'm just happy to be up here. I was nervous going into qualifying, not knowing if the car was going to make it through it," he explained.

"I'm grateful for all the hard work the team put in to make sure we have no problems. It's a great feeling to be back up here."

KIERON POLLARD : It's gonna be a white wash for sure.

6:56 PM

After winning this year's CPL Kieron Pollard showed his confidence of winning the series against bangladeshi's by saying " it's going to be a white wash for sure ". Hope his prediction wouldn't go wrong.

Mushfiqur Rahim : We will give our 100% effort to win this series

6:47 PM

Rahim "yeah, im confident about my squad. looking forward to achieve something that didn't happened upto now. Yeah hope's still there and new a squad & i do believe that we can make the difference. yeah lets hope for the best"

Bangladesh could not have asked for a better destination to play cricket than the West Indies in these late-summer months. The beaches, mountains and the reggae immediately spring to mind but that is just part of it; this is one of only two places in the world from where Bangladesh have departed feeling better than when they arrived.

Having won nothing this year, without their best player, and with a new coaching crew in charge, they should be happy to be playing at a place where they have reached several milestones. On their first tour there, in 2004, they took the lead for the first time, declared an innings and eventually drew abroad without the help of rain for the first time. Three years later, Bangladesh's best World Cup campaign was in the West Indies, when they beat India to move into the Super Eights where they outplayed South Africa.

In 2009 they landed in the West Indies only to hear of a players' strike that eventually had them playing against what was effectively a third eleven. They went on to pick up their first overseas Test-series win, as well as a maiden away ODI-series victory outside Zimbabwe. The following year they were knocked out of the World T20 in the Caribbean in the first round, but not before resisting well against Pakistan and Australia.

But the performances in 2004, 2007 and 2009 are high-water marks in the history of Bangladesh cricket. The expectation from the 2014 group should not be the same, but confidence and positivity can be derived from those past tours. Habibul Bashar, Khaled Mashud and Mohammad Rafique scored centuries in the same Test in 2004, the only time that has happened in a Bangladesh team. Tapash Baisya and the late Manzarul Islam did a fine job with the ball in that year's ODI series.

In the 2007 World Cup, it was the coming out party for Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan while Mohammad Ashraful staged a mini-revival of his career with unbeaten knocks in the first round and 87 against South Africa in the second phase. Shakib and Tamim were running the show two years later, with help from Mahmudullah.

FOOT BALL : BARCLAYS PREMIERE LEAGUE NEWS AND UPDATES LIVE AS IT HAPPENS

6:01 PM

CATCH ALL THE ACTION OF BARCLAYS PREMIERE LEAGUE 2014-15 LIVE BY VISITING US. ALL NEWS, UPDATES, STANDINGS , RESULTS ETC FOR FREE. THANKS FOR VISITING SUPPORT OUR WEBSITE BY SHARING THE LINK.

Mourinho hails 'maestro' Fabregas after win at Burnley

5:58 PM

Burnley 1-3 Chelsea

Jose Mourinho hailed the influence of Cesc Fabregas after the Spaniard’s man-of-the-match display in the 3-1 win at Burnley.

Fabregas, who was signed in the summer from Barcleona, enjoyed a sparkling debut as Chelsea began their quest for the Barclays Premier League title in fine fashion, laying on assists for Andre Schurrle and Branislav Ivanovic after fellow debutant Diego Costa had cancelled out Scott Arfield's stunning early opener for Burnley. Chelsea needed just seven minutes to turn the match around after Arfield had given promoted Burnley hope of a famous victory, and Mourinho earmarked Fabregas's performance as the key to an impressive triumph.

"We had a good reaction, and the first part of that reaction is the fact that emotionally we were not affected by the goal conceded," the Mourinho said. "We conceded the goal and kept playing according to the way we are training and to the way we want to play.

"The players were very calm. They never lost their composure, they never lost the footballing idea, and after that we had a fantastic 20-25 minutes with three goals - especially the second one was a fantastic goal, plus the penalty that the linesman decided not to give - and in the second half we had control of the game." As for which player stood out for his team, Mourinho picked Fabregas.

"I agree completely with you when you give the Cesc the man of the match - he really was the maestro, he controlled the tempo of the game," he said. "He was the man that dictated the speed, intensity and the tempo of the game."

The former Arsenal captain was quick to praise his team-mates for making him feel at home since his switch from Barcelona, and is hopeful of a successful first season back in the Barclays Premier League.

"You always want to do well and I love playing football," Fabregas said. "We have a young talented team and so far so good. They made it easy for me by making me welcome from day one.

"I'm expecting a good year in front of us. This [signing for Chelsea] is not something I would have expected. But football is unexpected. It has brought me here and I want to be as good as I can be."

BCCI may drop Duncan Fletcher as india's coach

5:49 PM

Ravi Shastri's appointment as the director of cricket for the England ODIs might leave current coach, Duncan Fletcher, with no alternative but to resign from his post as the head coach of the Indian team, sources from the Indian board have indicated. It has also been speculated that Fletcher might quit his position even before the start of the home series against West Indies, scheduled in October.

"Duncan has no powers left whatsoever. Ravi will be calling the shots and Duncan knows it only too well. At this point of time, with no choice of support staff, Duncan will have to take a back seat. If Duncan wants to leave before the next home series against West Indies, the board will not stop him," a senior BCCI office-bearer told PTI on condition of anonymity.

When he was asked if Fletcher gave any indication about his future, the official said: "The BCCI has sent him enough feelers that he is not required!"

"Ravi and Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be involved in strategising. Sanjay (Bangar) has proven credentials and knows the younger members of the side. The current crop of fast bowlers have worked at National Cricket Academy (NCA) under (Bharat) Arun. So tell me what shall Duncan bring to the table. If he can read between the lines, then he can tender his resignation and it will be accepted," the official added.

This is in contrast to Sanjay Patel, Honorary Secretary, BCCI, who had said to ESPNCricinfo that both Dhoni and Fletcher were taken into confidence before appointing Shastri as the director of cricket for the England ODIs.

"I conveyed the BCCI decision to both of them. Dhoni readily agreed and even Duncan has not said a word here or there," he had said. "The team is with Ravi Shastri. Now it is his baby," Patel had added.

The players will disperse at the end of the England tour. While some have no cricketing commitments coming up, a few players will be involved with their respective franchises in the 2014 edition of the Champions League. The home series against West Indies starts only on October 8th and Fletcher will be on leave until then.

"There are still doubts as to whether he (Fletcher) will be present in the Indian dressing room during that series. In any case, India will be favourites at home and that is the time when the new Team Director and the new support staff will be able to know the players better before the tour of Australia," the official said.

Fletcher's contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) runs until the end of the 2015 World Cup, but there is an exit clause mentioned which might allow the board to summarily sack him.

The source also said that Rahul Dravid's name came up during the discussion, but the former Indian captain was reportedly not keen on the full time job, citing family commitments.

The official also said the future of India's captain, MS Dhoni, never came up for any sort of discussion. "There has been no discussions as such about Dhoni's future as of now," he said.

Verstappen new driver for Toro Rosso in 2015

5:46 PM

Toro Rosso have announced that newly-recruited Red Bull Junior Team member Max Verstappen will drive for the team from the start of the 2015 season, replacing Jean-Eric Vergne alongside Daniil Kvyat.

Dutchman Verstappen, currently in contention for the 2014 European F3 title, will become the youngest F1 racer in history, debuting at the age of just 17.

“Ever since I was seven years old, Formula One has been my career goal, so this opportunity is truly a dream come true,” said Verstappen, whose father Jos made 106 Grand Prix starts between 1994 and 2002.

“We are happy to welcome Max into the Toro Rosso family,” commented Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost. “It’s great to see how the Red Bull Junior Programme continues to find talented young drivers and gives them the opportunity to come into Formula One.”

After becoming karting world champion last year, Verstappen has made a smooth transition to the highly competitive FIA Formula Three European Championship, proving his ability by winning eight of the 27 races held to date.

“We consider Max to be as one of the most skilled young drivers of the new generation and we believe he has the necessary maturity and mental strength to take on this challenge successfully,” continued Tost.

Verstappen’s signing leaves Vergne’s F1 future in doubt. Having made his debut with Toro Rosso in 2011, last year the Frenchman lost out to Daniel Ricciardo on promotion to Red Bull Racing and this season he has been regularly overshadowed by rookie team mate Kvyat.

Tost thanked Vergne for all his hard work, adding: “He has produced strong performances, but unfortunately he was also hindered by some reliability problems, especially in the first half of the current season.

“We hope that we have resolved these problems and that he will be able to end the second half of this season on a high note and thereby show that he still deserves another opportunity in Formula One.”

Formula 1 news :Assessing the hybrid revolution - the mid-term tech report

8:22 PM

For the 2014 season, Formula One racing undertook the most comprehensive regulation changes seen in the last three decades, with a move to more fuel efficient, hybrid turbocharged power units.

With 11 of the year's 19 Grands Prix complete, F1 technical expert Gary Anderson looks back on how these changes have played out so far - and looks ahead to what we can expect in the remaining races...

Chassis and aerodynamics

Here the regulation changes were aimed primarily at losing some of the downforce that the teams' engineers seem to find from nowhere year on year. This is important as it keeps a cap on performance and, more importantly, safety.

The most visible area of change resulting from this has been the nose, where the front-impact area at the nose's leading edge was lowered to reduce the risk of cars being lifted upwards when they make contact with a rotating wheel.

We have seen four different styles of nose: Mercedes and Ferrari with their low and wide solution; Red Bull and Marussia with their very neat designs featuring an impact pod hanging down underneath; Lotus with their twin tusks; and the most popular ‘anteater' design which the other teams incorporated (even Caterham's strange-looking nose is a version of this).

The detailing of this area is all about getting as much airflow as possible between the two front wheels. Achieving this means that the front wing will work better and the airflow to the underfloor will be improved, both increasing overall downforce.

Of all the different concepts I believe that the Mercedes and Red Bull versions are best overall, with the detailing of the Williams anteater solution a very close second. On any of these concepts it's all about the fine detail.

The front wing itself has been reduced in overall width. This means that the detail of the front wing endplates is a little different, but the concept remains very similar and the development direction seen over the last five years continues.

At the rear of the car the lower beam wing has been outlawed. This component produced a reasonable amount of downforce, and also helped the consistency of the downforce generated by the underfloor, especially under braking. This lost downforce has been the most difficult to replace and, together with new underfloors and diffusers, has been the area of the most chassis development.

With the chassis regulations as restricted as they are, we have not seen any major developments in the first half of the season. Instead it has all been about detail and optimisation - and I think this trend will be similar in the second half of the year.

Power unit and ERS packaging

Without doubt the biggest impact on 2014 performance - and the most difficult thing for the teams to implement - has been the introduction of the new power unit.

This consists of a 1.6 litre V6 single turbo-charged internal combustion engine (ICE), with an intercooler to reduce the intake temperature, revving to a maximum of 15,000 rpm and fuel limited to a maximum flow rate of 100kg per hour, with maximum fuel consumption of 100kg per race. Connected to that is an electrical energy recovery system (ERS).

The ERS consists of an electrical motor or MGU-K (motor generator unit-kinetic) mounted on the engine that can recharge the battery pack during braking and also increase the power of the engine under acceleration. Along with this is another electrical motor or MGU-H (motor generator unit-heat) mounted on the turbo. This can be used to charge up the battery pack, speed up the turbo to reduce turbo lag, slow the turbo down to reduce over boosting, or simply generate electrical power and send it directly to the ICE.

The battery pack and its control unit are mounted underneath the fuel tank in the middle of the car, and because of the amount of energy going into and out of this pack it needs to be fluid cooled.

Based on the season's performance so far, Mercedes appear to have a better handle on this package than Ferrari or Renault. It is not one thing that makes their unit work more efficiently: it is a very complicated package and it is about understanding the unit as a whole and optimising every detail.

For example, Mercedes have separated the hot and cold sides of the turbo and mounted their MGU-H between them. This has a benefit in packaging, heat management and also in how you can use the electrical energy. Ferrari, meanwhile, have a very neat intercooler concept that mounts in the V of the engine.

I would imagine that all of these different concepts will merge for 2015, creating one similar package that will equalise the potential performance from the different power units. However, it will still be down to how and when each team and engine supplier use the available energy.

The removal of FRIC

Just before the German Grand Prix the FIA questioned whether what was known as FRIC (front and rear interconnected) suspension had possibly gone too far and was now controlling the aerodynamic platform of the car. With the system's legality in question, the teams had to come up with normal suspension settings to control the cars.

FRIC enabled the cars to run softer suspension settings and also allowed them to run with lower ride heights, which ultimately meant they produced more downforce. Now the cars are running stiffer springs on the suspension, which means they are not as compliant over the kerbs and the locking of wheels under braking is more pronounced.

As most teams had some version of this FRIC suspension, the relative difference in performance between them when it was removed was negligible. These teams are made up of very intelligent people: give them time to scratch their heads and they will find a solution.

The reckoning

Though it would be wrong for me to pass judgement on which team is doing the best job, the numbers speak for themselves. In the table below, I have averaged the best laps completed by each driver over the 11 Grand Prix weekends to date and expressed that as a percentage of the overall fastest laps - in other words, if a driver had been quickest every weekend he would be on a perfect 100 percent. From this it is fairly easy to see which teams and drivers need to pull their fingers out. Mercedes came out on top, with Nico Rosberg fastest at seven of the 11 weekends.

1. Mercedes (Rosberg) - 100.102

2. Mercedes (Hamilton) - 100.495

3. Red Bull (Ricciardo) - 100.958

4. Ferrari (Alonso) - 101.145

5. Red Bull (Vettel) - 101.196

6. Williams (Bottas) - 101.285

7. Williams (Massa) - 101.440

8. Ferrari (Raikkonen) - 101.728

9. McLaren (Button) - 101.783

10. McLaren (Magnussen) - 101.812

11. Force India (Hulkenberg) - 102.040

12. Toro Rosso (Vergne) - 102.122

13. Toro Rosso (Kyvat) - 102.251

14. Force India (Perez) - 102.275

15. Lotus (Grosjean) - 102.847

16. Sauber (Sutil) - 103.130

17. Sauber (Gutierrez) - 103.181

18. Lotus (Maldonado) - 103.524

19. Marussia (Bianchi) - 104.448

20. Marussia (Chilton) - 105.103

21. Caterham (Kobayashi) - 105.353

22. Caterham (Ericsson) - 106.038

Still to come in 2014

The second half of the season is very tough, with the majority of races being long-distance flyaway rounds. Most teams will focus on power unit optimisation, as this is all about ICE and ERS integration. However, some teams and drivers are going to start getting penalties for using too many ICE components and this could have a major effect at the later races.

The last major developments we will see will be for the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix, as these components will have been in manufacture well before the summer break. After that it will be a split as far as chassis development is concerned. Teams who are fighting for a championship position and who still have a mathematical chance of improving their position will keep developing their cars. By contrast, teams who are not performing as they should will start to focus on 2015. We will see a few aerodynamic developments on their cars, but most of them will be circuit specific.

Looking ahead

2015 is now just around the corner and if you ask any team how competitive they are going to be they will all say they are going to win the world championship. But that is what you have got to believe - no team knowingly builds a poor car: it is the areas of the car that they don't quite understand that lets them down. What you have to do is minimise these risk areas, and if it isn't broken don't fix it.

McLaren with their new Honda relationship should be very strong. Honda have been able to sit back and see how the other power units have performed this year and this will have allowed them to put together a jigsaw of the best bits. McLaren too will have learned a lot this year and next season will want to show they are the McLaren we expect to see racing at the front.

In summation

It's been a fantastic season so far and I am really looking forward to the second half. We have had very competitive racing all the way through the field, with the extra spice of a little bit of intra-team controversy which always adds to the on-track battles. Long may it continue and with double points for the last race it could all be won or lost right there in Abu Dhabi.

Chelsea's win review over man city

8:03 PM

Chelsea started their defence of the Barclays Under-21 Premier League title with a victory against 2013/14 play-off 10-man Manchester City, while Derby County marked their debut in the competition with a victory against Middlesbrough.

First Division

Chelsea 2-1 Manchester City

A stoppage-time goal from Charly Musonda ensured that defending Barclays U21 Premier League champions Chelsea started the season with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Aldershot Town FC.

"It was a really tough game against a really strong, physical team. They caused us problems but the game was everything I expected it to be" Adi Viveash

Chelsea, who edged out City on penalties in the semi-final of the competition play-off last term, recovered from conceding inside three minutes when Pablo Maffeo turned home from close range.

Patrick Bamford, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Lewis Baker all went close as the Blues searched for an equaliser, while Devante Cole provided the main threat for City. On 77 minutes, Chelsea levelled the scores when Maffeo sliced a dangerous cross Ola Aina cross into his own net. City defender Shay Facey was sent off for a second booking with 10 minutes remaining and the hosts made the most of their man advantage when substitute Musonda fired a low drive into the bottom corner. The win was Adi Viveash’s first competitive match in charge of Chelsea’s Under-21 side after replacing Dermot Drummy, who was appointed Chelsea's international head coach this summer.

"It was a really tough game against a really strong, physical team," Viveash told chelseafc.com. "They caused us problems but the game was everything I expected it to be.

“The early goal rocked us a bit and it looked for long periods like it was going to decide the game, like it does in many Premier League games, but in the second half we were outstanding."

INDIA"S REVIEW OF TEST CRICKET DEFEAT AGAINST ENGLAND 2014

7:33 PM

I really don't know how to explain this performance. Is there an explanation? How is it possible? Is it the worst ever? I was here in 2011 and in Australia in January 2012. On both these occasions, I had thought that I had perhaps seen the worst. 4-0 in England and 4-0 in Australia- can it get worse? Yes, apparently it can. Especially after winning a spectacular victory at Lord's, this capitulation is inexplicable. The kind of abject surrender under three days that we have seen in Manchester and at the Oval has scarred us deeply. There's little doubt that it seriously can't get worse than this.

But the real question lies elsewhere. Does it really matter and does it really hurt? Do we really want to be a top class Test cricket team overseas or are we content with winning back home and winning a few inconsequential T-20s overseas? Even in one day international cricket India's away record in recent times is anything to write home about. Back in 2011 India had not won a single game in England. Thereafter the team failed to make the finals of the tri series in Australia and was knocked out of the Asia Cup in the pool stages. In the last 12 months, India has lost to South Africa in South Africa and was hammered by New Zealand in New Zealand.

At the post match press conference, M S Dhoni was asked if he will consider stepping down as India's Test captain. The captain, as was expected, was evasive. This is a world where each of us, whoever we are, has to deliver in our designated fields. For example, as a cricket writer I am meant to meet deadlines and analyse the game to the best of my ability. The very same applies for someone who works in an office, is a banker, corporate, journalist and the like. For Dhoni and Duncan Fletcher, however, results don't really matter. Fletcher has already been given four plus years as India's head coach. And the result cupboard is entirely bare as far as overseas performances are concerned. And Dhoni talks about processes. He makes it a point in every press conference to suggest the process is more important than the result. One wonders what process is Dhoni talking about? Which process, if any, is working?

India has not managed to score above 200 in 5 consecutive innings. The team was reduced to 66-6 in four consecutive innings. And when we haven't scored 150 plus, we have conceded 350 plus in each innings. Our slip catching is almost a joke, with catches being dropped with amazing regularity. Yet, the skipper says progress is being made. One is left to wonder what process Dhoni is referring to.

India is due to play Australia in Australia in December. And Michael Clarke isn't one to forget the 4-0 defeat in India in February-March 2013. Australia is a far better bowling attack than England with Mitchell Johnson bowling the best he has ever bowled. With James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris and Mitchell Starc for back up, they will keep coming at the Indians relentlessly in all the four Test matches. And India, perhaps the only team to do so, will go into the Brisbane Test with just 2 two day games under their belt! Isn't this part of the process? To be better prepared for a difficult tour of Australia? India does have a say in the itinerary and if captain Dhoni and Coach Fletcher insisted, there is little doubt India could have played three 3 day games before the first Test match.

England, for the record, went to Australia 1 month before the Ashes series last November. And these English cricketers, unlike the Indians, are born and brought up in conditions that favour swing bowling. So if they can do it why can't we?

That's what brings me to what I started with. Does Test cricket really matter? Frankly, the ordinary cricket fan doesn't give a damn about the millions the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will earn over the next 8 years. It can earn billions but as long as we get hammered overseas the fan will start to lose faith in the sport he considers his singular passion. But does the fan matter to the BCCI? A few wins in inconsequential T-20s and all will be forgotten. One hopes that this time round it won't be the case. With Australia in the horizon the scar wouldn't heal so easily.

REVIEWED BY BORIA MAJUMDER

Gutierrez: Mexico’s F1 return is 'greatest news of my career’

10:00 PM

Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez has described the return of Mexico to the Formula One calendar for the first time in more than two decades as "some of the greatest news in my career so far".

Organisers recently revealed that Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which last saw official F1 action in 1992, is set to host a round of the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship, and for Gutierrez the news couldn’t come soon enough.

“It's really a dream come true for many of us,” said the 23-year-old from Monterrey following the announcement. “A Mexican Grand Prix would be the most fantastic experience for me - to race in front of my people. Mexico has a long F1 history, so the fascination for F1 is still in their genes.”

Gutierrez, one of two Mexicans - along with Force India’s Sergio Perez - to have recently broken onto the F1 grid, believes his previous taste of competing on home soil hinted at just how great a reception Formula One racing’s return will receive.

“I had the chance to race once in Mexico City, back in 2008, when we did the world finals of Formula BMW, and it was a great experience,” he said. “I think it was an introduction to what it can be. Now we will be going into the biggest thing in Mexico and to really physically share the sport with our fans and our supporters.”

Indeed, although Mexico has not held a Grand Prix in 22 years, the country shows no sign of losing its F1 appetite. When Perez carried out a demonstration event in his home town of Guadalajara just prior to his 2011 debut, between 150,000 and 200,000 people lined the streets to watch.

“This was one of the best days of my life,” Perez exclaimed at the time. “It was a great, great experience. I have never experienced something like this before with so many people cheering me. I’m proud to be Mexican, and I’m proud to receive all this support.”

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, named after legendary Mexican racing siblings Pedro and Ricardo, first hosted F1 racing in 1963 and was a championship fixture for the next seven years. It then returned to the calendar in 1986 and staged a further six Grands Prix. Famous winners have included Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, and now the event is set to provide many more classic Formula One moments.

“I have good feelings about it, because all these years that Mexico has been involved in Formula One with obviously first Checo [Perez] and now myself,” Gutierrez continued. “We are both in F1 and I think this is a great step to have a Grand Prix.”

The famous circuit is expected to undergo a programme of improvements and upgrades in time for the 2015 race, when it will be capable of welcoming around 150,000 spectators.

Younis makes it Pakistan's day

9:03 PM

Despite losing three wickets early, Pakistan managed to end Day 1 on a positive note thanks to Younis Khan, who scored an unbeaten 135 to help the visitors to 261/4 at stumps.

Sanju Samson, Karn Sharma included in India squad

8:55 PM

The Indian team for the 5 ODIs and a lone T20I against England has been announced. Yuvraj Singh has been dropped from the T20I squad while Sanju Samson, Karn Sharma and Dhawal Kulkarni have received a call-up to the national squad after impressive performances with the India 'A' team in Australia.

Samson scored two fifties and an unbeaten 49 recently in the quadrangular series Down Under. Karn Sharma starred with an all-round performance against South Africa 'A' but has been incredibly consistent in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Cheteshwar Pujara, who was a part of the squad in both the Asia Cup and the tour of Bangladesh, has been dropped from the team. Suresh Raina, who was dropped for the Asia Cup but led the team in Bangladesh, holds on to his spot.

"Only Amit Mishra had been ruled out of selection since he is undergoing treatment and rehab following a back injury. Considering the World Cup, the management as well as the selectors have put more emphasis on selecting some of the youngsters like Sanju Samson, Mohit Sharma, Stuart Binny and Karn Sharma," Sanjay Patel, BCCI secretary, was quoted as saying.

Squad: MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, Mohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Sanju Samson, Karn Sharma

First winners announced in F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize

8:51 PM

Tata Communications is delighted to announce the winners of Challenge 1 of the F1 Connectivity Innovation Prize.

In a ground breaking initiative, Tata Communications, along with Formula One Management and Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team, launched a trailblazing contest to award a Grand Prize of USD $50,000 to a winning individual or team that was able to successfully answer one of three Challenges.

Challenge 1 centred around Formula One Management’s live data feeds and sought to add visual suspense and excitement to the F1 audience experience by asking entrants to demonstrate new and insightful information that can be derived from Formula One Management’s live data feeds, and create a new visual package from this information.

Competition was fierce with a huge number of entries submitted by teams and individuals around the world. We’re now happy to reveal that an extensive and stringent judging process has resulted in the two following winners:

Winning Entry 1: Individual entrant Chris Thelwell from the UK

Winning Entry 2: Team entrants Ben Lambert, Will Horner-Glister, Mike Albers and Fabian Birgfeld from the UK

Mehul Kapadia, Managing Director of F1 Business at Tata Communications said: “We are incredibly pleased with the wide ranging responses from across the globe and so impressed with the quality of the entries we received for this first challenge, which gave creative minds an opportunity to apply their passion and imagination in the quest to bring innovation and bold thinking to Formula One Management’s data screen challenge. Judging was a challenge in itself, but ultimately, both the winning entries stood out for the way they pushed the boundaries of technology and design innovation in this fast-paced sport.

“Congratulations to Chris and Ben, Will, Mike and Fabian and thanks to all the F1 fans who took the time to submit an entry. We look forward to the next two challenges, with the second one going live on 3rd September.”

Both winners will be taking in the sights and smells of the glamorous Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2015 (Dates to be confirmed), and will also qualify for the shortlist of six winners leading up to the Grand Prize of USD $50,000.

Don’t forget that you still have a chance of winning the Grand Prize AND a trip to the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2015, by entering Challenge 2 or Challenge 3.

Ukraine, Russia Spar Over Soccer in Crimea

1:05 PM

Five months after the annexation of Crimea, Russia and Ukraine are now squabbling over soccer clubs in the region.
Defying authorities in Ukraine, Russia is incorporating three Crimean teams into its own leagues — a move that could strain relations between the host country of the 2018 World Cup and the sport's world governing body.
The three Crimean clubs — SKChF Sevastopol, Zhemchuzhina Yalta and Tavria Simferopol — will leave Ukrainian soccer and play in the second division south, part of the Russian league system's third tier, the Russian Football Union said in a statement.
Ukrainian soccer officials called on FIFA and European governing body UEFA to respond, saying Russia has no right to run the sport on what Ukraine considers its territory. FIFA has already rejected calls for Russia to be stripped of the World Cup in the wake of the downing of a Malaysian airliner over Ukraine.
"We can't do the work of FIFA and UEFA," Ukrainian Football Federation spokesman Pavel Ternovoi told The Associated Press on Friday. "We hope that in the near future these bodies take the corresponding decisions."
The move by Russia in Crimea follows other problems for more well-known Ukrainian soccer teams. While Crimea has avoided the violence raging in eastern Ukraine, it has not escaped the chaotic conditions for sport in the region.
Ukrainian champion Shakhtar Donetsk has been forced to play its home games in exile in Lviv near the Polish border, a Ukrainian-speaking city that is the cultural opposite of mostly Russian-speaking and industrial Donetsk.
Six Shakhtar players, all from South America, have refused to report back to the club for the new season, citing safety concerns. Some are now reportedly in talks to transfer to clubs in other European countries.
Ukraine's other representative in the Champions League — Europe's top club competition — is Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, which is playing its home games in the capital, Kiev. Its first European match of the season — a third-round qualifying game against FC Copenhagen — was interrupted by crowd violence Wednesday, prompting a UEFA investigation.
Since Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in March, it has registered a total of five new clubs there.
Sergei Stepashin, a former Russian prime minister who sits on the RFU executive committee, told local media that "sanctions are possible" if Russia incorporates the Crimean clubs, but that the organization had "no doubts" it was the right thing to do.
Asked about possible sanctions against the Russians, Ternnovoi said the Ukrainian federation "doesn't want the destruction of Russian football."
"The federation wants justice and the absence of politics in football, both in Russia and in Crimea," he said.
The RFU wants Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, a FIFA executive committee member, to lobby FIFA President Sepp Blatter on the issue, Stepashin said.
FIFA and UEFA offices in Switzerland were closed Friday, a national holiday. Attempts to reach officials for comment were unsuccessful.
Some European politicians, including British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, want Russia removed as host of the 2018 World Cup. But FIFA has stood by Russia, saying the tournament "can achieve positive change" in the country. FIFA President Sepp Blatter had already rejected calls to strip Russia of the tournament after it annexed Crimea.
Russian World Cup organizers have previously said Crimea could host team training bases during the tournament.

Play Aaron and Gambhir at Old Trafford: Ganguly

1:01 PM

Former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, has called for the inclusion of pace bowler, Varun Aaron, for the fourth Test considering the pacy nature of the Old Trafford wicket.

"Manchester track is the fastest wicket in England. I think Varun Aaron should get a look-in," Ganguly said as India grappled with bowling woes.

India have already squandered the 1-0 lead after the humiliating defeat at Southampton and are now grappling with serious injury worries on the bowling front. Skipper, MS Dhoni has confirmed that Ishant Sharma will not be fit enough for the fourth Test while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India's leading wicket-taker so far on the tour is also struggling with a swollen knee.

There are issues with the lack of form in the batting unit as well. Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli have struggled for runs, while Cheteshwar Pujara hasn't been able to convert starts into bigger scores. With the 5-match Test series currently at 1-1, Ganguly pressed for the inclusion of stand-by opener, Gautam Gambhir, saying the team was in need for some freshness.

"India need some fresh heads at this stage. I`m not saying Gambhir would succeed but we need some fresh ideas. At this stage, it is anyone`s series," he said after he began a new innings in cricket administration as CAB`s joint secretary.

Mohammad Shami has been the biggest disappointment amongst the bowlers, and Ganguly said the Bengal bowler's poor form couldn't be attributed to heavy workload. "If he won`t play cricket at this age then when would he?" Ganguly asked.

BCCI to decide next step after studying order

6:10 PM

Left red-faced after the ICC judicial commissioner Gordon Lewis found England seamer James Anderson not guilty of pushing Ravindra Jadeja during the Trent Bridge Test match, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that it will go through the written copy of the order once received before deciding the fuure course of action.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) appointed Judicial Commissioner, His Honor Gordon Lewis AM, had found both James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja not guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in the ugly fracas during the 1st Test at Trent Bridge.

Anderson, who had been at risk of being banned from the remainder of the England-India Test series, is now free to play in the remaining two Tests while Jadeja had his previously imposed fine of 50 percent of his match fee rescinded.

The Judicial Commissioner reached his decisions following a six-hour hearing, which took place via video-conference. "We are expected to receive a detailed copy of the order that was passed by the Judicial Commissioner either by today or tomorrow. We will only be able to take a call in this regard after receiving the order copy," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told PTI.

"A detailed legal analysis is required before deciding on future course. Our legal team will study the report and will give us a feedback. In such cases, every point needs to be studied minutely and it will take some time. So it is premature to conclude whether we will appeal," Patel added.

Asked if the Indian team got a raw deal in this case, the BCCI secretary's reiterated that they can only comment on the matter once they have gone through the copy.

"It will be inappropriate to say that it has been unfair without going through the copy of the judgement. Let us wait for the written copy," Patel said.

As per ICC guidelines, only ICC CEO Dave Richardson has a right to appeal but as per reliable sources, he will need the permission of newly appointed ICC chairman N. Srinivasan.

Anderson and Jadeja not guilty

6:08 PM

International Cricket Council (ICC) Judicial Commissioner, His Honor Gordon Lewis AM, found both England's James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja of India not guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct.

Anderson, who had been at risk of being banned from the remainder of the England-India Test series, is now free to play in the remaining two Tests while Jadeja has had his previously imposed fine of 50 percent of his match fee rescinded.

The Judicial Commissioner reached his decisions following a six-hour hearing, which took place via video-conference. Witnesses, including some Indian and English players, provided evidence and were cross-examined by the respective legal counsels.

The ECB and Anderson were represented in the hearings by Nick De Marco while Adam Lewis QC represented Jadeja. The hearings were also attended by the two team managers, the ECB's Paul Downton, the BCCI's Sundar Raman and MV Sridhar, the ICC's General Manager Cricket, Geoff Allardice, and the ICC's Ethics and Regulatory lawyer, Sally Clark.

It all started when the Indian team management lodged a complaint against Anderson for 'pushing and abusing' Jadeja on the second day of the first Test at Trent Bridge, charging him with a level 3 offence - threat of assault on another player, player support personnel, or any other person (including a spectator) during an international match. It could also amount to conduct which is contrary to the spirit of the game or brings the game into disrepute.

Retaliating to India's complaint, the England management charged Jadeja under level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, claiming that the Indian all-rounder moved towards the England pacer in a threatening manner.

Match referee David Boon found Jadeja guilty of a Level 1 breach - conduct contrary to the spirit of the game, for which he was fined 50% of his match fee while the referee found him not guilty of the offence he was originally charged with.

Being found guilty for a level 1 offence didn't give the offended party any right to appeal against the decision. However India, who were unhappy with the decision, won an important political battle against the ICC after the apex body agreed to hear an appeal against the disciplinary action taken against all-rounder.

The ICC later confirmed that Jadeja's appeal would be heard at the same time as the disciplinary hearing in respect of the charge against Anderson.

The First Time - with McLaren's Kevin Magnussen

7:32 PM

Kevin Magnussen has racked up plenty of firsts over the past 12 months - from clinching the Formula Renault 3.5 crown to making his Formula One debut, and scoring a Grand Prix podium at his first attempt. But he can also recall some of the other milestones in his life, like his first crash and his first taste of champagne. Just don't ask him to cook...

Who was your first hero when you were a child?

Kevin Magnussen: Very clearly my dad [former F1 racer Jan Magnussen]. It was fantastic to have your idol in the family! (laughs)

What was the first Grand Prix you can remember watching?

KM: That was Spa in 1997. I was there with my dad when he was racing for Stewart-Ford. To be so close to the action was a lifetime experience that in many ways moulded my career objective.

How old were you when you first decided you wanted to be an F1 driver?

KM: I really cannot remember what age I was, but when I think back I always wanted to be an F1 driver one day, no matter how distant that was looking at times. Probably it was in the family DNA!

When was your first big accident in a race car?

KM: It was in 2011, in the Formula Three race in Macau. I hit the back of another car and took off at 270 km/h, did a back flip in the air, and literally flew into the catch fencing. I had a knee injury, but nothing serious.

What colour was your first helmet?

KM: It was in my dad's colours - black and yellow - because I used his old helmet.

When did you win your first trophy and what did it look like?

KM: I started driving go-karts when I was two years old, just practising around the track, not competitive. But when I was six I participated in the club championship of the track I always drove on - and I won. My first race ever! It was a small thing, the trophy, and unfortunately it went missing.

What was the first road car you drove?

KM: It was a Fiat 500, when I was pretty young.

Where was the first house you lived in?

KM: In 2012 we - the family - moved into a house. Before that we always lived in a flat in Roskilde, Denmark.

How nervous were you on your first day of school?

KM: Not nervous at all. I was cold-blooded - at least that is what I want my memory to be! (laughs)

What was the first meal you ever cooked?

KM: Still to come!

What was the first thing you did this morning?

KM: Woke up and immediately went to take a shower.

What was the first thing you did after getting your first F1 seat?

KM: I cried. No, actually I called my mum - and probably we then both cried…