New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder is in hospital with serious head injuries after being involved in a fight in Christchurch. A Christchurch Hospital spokesperson told local media that Ryder was in intensive care with a fractured skull. Calls to the hospital were not immediately returned. New Zealand Police said they were investigating an incident at a bar in Merivale, a suburb of Christchurch, early on Thursday and that Ryder had been involved. Ryder, 28, had left the bar with a group of people when he became involved in the incident, police said in a statement. Police were called at 12:44 a.m. local time (1144 GMT) and Ryder was rushed to hospital by ambulance. "We are piecing together what took place and speaking to witnesses to understand how this incident unfolded," Detective Senior Sergeant Brian Archer said in the statement. "I would ask anyone who witnessed the incident or were part of the group involved with Mr Ryder to contact police." Ryder was in Christchurch playing for Wellington against Canterbury in the semi-final of New Zealand's domestic one-day competition on Wednesday. An eye witness told New Zealand's Fairfax Media that the cricketer had been punched and kicked by at least four men.
Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54900/ryder-hospitalised-with-serious-head-injury
England batsman Kevin Pietersen will miss the last Test against New Zealand and the Indian Premier League due to a knee injury which may sideline him for up to eight weeks, officials said Wednesday. "The injury is likely to require ongoing assessments and a likely 6-8 week period of rest and rehabilitation," the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement, two days before the start of the series-deciding game. The ECB said the 32-year-old suffered pain in his right knee while fielding earlier this month in preparation for a warm-up game in New Zealand, before the Test series began. "This has failed to resolve satisfactorily," it said. Recent scans confirmed bone bruising and possible cartilage damage to the kneecap, and Pietersen would return to Britain "for further investigations and specialist review". He had been withdrawn from all cricket including the Indian Premier League, it said. New Zealand will eye a rare series win and England will try to cement their position as the number-two Test nation in the third and final Test starting Friday in Auckland, following rain-affected draws in the first two games.
Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54808/injury-hit-pietersen-out-of-final-nz-test-ipl
Bangladesh have banned Nadir Shah, who umpired in 40 one-day internationals between 2006-11, for 10 years for corruption. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) handed out the punishment on Monday following an investigation by a special inquiry committee. In October, the Hindi-language news channel India TV showed footage of Shah and other officials from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan allegedly negotiating deals with under-cover reporters to affect the outcome of matches. "Umpire Nadir Shah will not be considered for a BCB retainer for 10 years," the Bangladesh Cricket Board said in a statement. "During this period he will not be eligible for any assignment under the jurisdiction of the BCB." Shah, a member of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) panel of umpires, also officiated in three Twenty20 internationals.
Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54783/bangladesh-board-bans-umpire-for-10-years-for-corruption
Rajasthan Royals announced the commencement of ticketing for the upcoming season of the Pepsi Indian Premier League. The start of ticket sales signals the beginning of the countdown towards IPL 2013, scheduled to begin on April 4th 2013. Rajasthan Royals will play their first match in front of the home crowd on 8th April, against the Kolkata Knight Riders.The sale of tickets will go Live today starting on www.bookmyshow.com, which is India’s largest entertainment ticketing destination. The tickets are priced starting at Rs.200, to ensure all cricket enthusiasts get a chance to catch the live action. Ticket prices are different for base, premium and super premium matches.
India's latest batting sensation Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the fourth and final Test against Australia due to a fracture on his left hand. Dhawan will be out of action for six weeks after sustaining the injury while fielding during the third match at Mohali. The BCCI said in a statement that Gautam Gambhir, who was omitted from the initial squad for the four-match series due to a prolonged form slump, was included in the team but he too also was unavailable due to jaundice. The selection committee then picked Suresh Raina to join the team. "Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the fourth Test against Australia, scheduled to be played at Delhi from 22 March 2013 to 26 March 2013, after sustaining a fracture in his left hand. He will be out of action for six weeks," the BCCI said in a statement. "The All India Senior Selection Committee then added Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina to the squad for the fourth Test. However, Gambhir has been diagnosed with jaundice, after undergoing a blood test, earlier on Tuesday.
Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54801/dhawan-ruled-out-of-delhi-test
Australia's selectors need to adopt a less formal approach to bring the best out of the players even if it means allowing one or two to sort out their differences behind closed doors, according to Shane Warne.
Team management have been criticised for disciplining Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson and Usman Khawaja for failing to carry out a 'homework' task set by coach Mickey Arthur on the tour of India.
Australia were crushed in the first two matches and Watson, Johnson, Pattinson and Khawaja have now been suspended for the third test.
"If you wind back the clock to the old days it was about going to a pub or locking yourselves in a room with a few beers in a relaxed environment and making it all informal," former leg-spinning great Warne told Britain's Talksport Radio on Tuesday.
"With everyone just having a chat, it always leads to something. The more formal you make things, it makes people not want to express themselves.
Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54720/ca-need-to-be-less-formal-warne
Prominent Australian businessman James Strong, the chairman of the organising committee for the 2015 cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, has died aged 68. The former Qantas chief executive passed away in Sydney on Sunday after complications following surgery, his family said on Monday. The ICC World Cup organising committee said it was saddened."James possessed a passion and vision for the tournament that set the tone for the entire organisation," the committee said in a statement. ICC World Cup chief executive John Harnden, who worked with Strong for almost 20 years, praised his contribution to corporate and sporting life in Australia and New Zealand.
Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54604/cricket-world-cup-chairman-strong-dead-at-68
Australian pace bowler Brett Lee, who leads the Kolkata Knight Riders pace attack has been given additional responsibility as the bowling mentor of the team. He replaces Wasim Akram, who quit due to personal reasons. Lee, who has retired from international cricket will shoulder the twin responsibilities during the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League in April. Lee took up the position after Akram, who held it for three years, resigned expressing his desire to spend more time with his family as his two sons Taimur and Akbar are barely in their teens. "We are fortunate that someone of the caliber of Brett Lee, who in addition to being a key member of the team, will also mentor the bowling unit," KKR CEO Venky Mysore said in a statement.
Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54606/brett-lee-to-be-kkrs-bowling-mentor
