No u-turn on Formula One exit: Bridgestone
Tyre suppliers to Formula One, Bridgestone lulled rumors that had been gathering strength that they would not be leaving the pinnacle of motorsport in the lurch after their contract expires this season. They stated their intentions to go ahead with their exit plans and in a week when part criticism for the poor show in Bahrain has been laid at their doorstep, this stand is hardly surprising. 
The grievance logged against Bridgestone is that their tyres were just too good for the expected wear. Had they been less stable and degraded a lot more then we might have witnessed a more enthralling race. That is not the underlying point however. For F1 today stands at cross roads where a single supplier of rubber might not work for it anymore!
The last time when such heavy duty changes were made was in 2005. That year while refueling was allowed but conversely tyre changes during pit-stops were banned. One believes that low wear rates that we see today are that particular season’s legacy. The drivers had to manage their tyre wear throughout the race and on occasions when that didn’t happen we were in for some real exciting action. The one that comes to mind most readily is the Nurburgring race where Kimi Raikkonen flat spotted his McLaren’s right front tyre and within half a lap of the chequered flag crashed out gifting the race to Renault’s Fernando Alonso.
Point is that year Formula One had two tyre suppliers in Michelin and Bridgestone. And the different compounds on offer allowed for an intriguing mix for teams to dwell upon. Yes Michelin worked better that year for they were able to crack the secret of getting heat into the compounds during qualifying but on different tracks, Bridgestone did have its share of good race weekends.
And so, if Bridgestone says they will wait for the FIA tender to reconsider their options, it might not be a bad thing after all. If they find new terms and conditions good enough to stay on plus another manufacturer comes on board (preferably Michelin again), the ensuing tyre wars might just be the answer to Formula One’s problem of how to put up a decent show.
2010 IPL: Feroz Shah Kotla on the mend
The last time Tillakaratne Dilshan batted at the Feroz Shah Kotla was in December last year. He faced Zaheer Khan first up and got banged on his helmet. Now batting in the IPL for Delhi Daredevils, yet still facing Mumbai Indians’ Zaheer, he wouldn’t have given ‘that’ ill-prepared pitch another thought. For his team was attempting to chase down a target of 219 in twenty overs and the surprising part is that 218 was made in the first innings in the first place.
Yes, Delhi’s hallowed cricket ground and its pitch is on the mend. This IPL league match is the first of any serious repute at this ground ever since that last ODI between India and Sri Lanka was abandoned, and the ensuing ban was enforced by the ICC. Needless to say, it was a big occasion – a sort of a litmus test that Kolta had to pass to prove to its detractors that the World Cup matches will not be taken away from the city’s cricket lovers.
Ample bounce for both the batsmen and the bowlers, elegant and some not so elegant stroke making enthralled the crowd packed into the stands – most of them feeling like sardines one is sure. But the runs and the music flowed freely in the absence of free drinking water (there was beer in the VIP lounge though) and all that had happened some ten weeks back at the same ground had been forgiven. It would have made for a serene view had there not been a T20 match happening at the ground but nevertheless was way better than the ugly near-riot like scenes of last year. All that needs to be done now is maintain the standard of the pitches here throughout the tournament and then care some more to enable an encore for the ODI World Cup next year.
This excerpt is from an article first published at www.cricketworld.com. Read the full article here.
2010 IPL: Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Rajasthan Royals
Praveen Kumar notched up the first hat-trick of the IPL 2010 to star in Bangalore Royal Challengers’ ten-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in match 10 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The 23-year-old Praveen Kumar (3/18) and skipper Anil Kumble (3/9) destroyed Rajasthan who were bundled out for the season’s lowest total yet, 92 in 19.5 overs. 
Praveen Kumar’s hat-trick came in the 17th over of the innings. The swing bowler’s first victim was Damien Martyn (bowled), debutant Sumit Narwal (caught in the deep) and Paras Dogra (bowled) with his second, third and fourth deliveries of his third over. This was the seventh hat-trick of the three-year-old IPL tournament.
Earlier, put into bat, Rajasthan batsmen struggled as Dale Steyn, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar and Kallis contained the openers Naman Ojha and Lumb, scoring just 27 runs in five overs. Rajasthan Royals had the slowest start of the tournament so far, scoring 45/3 in 10 overs. The big-hitting Yusuf Pathan broke free by clubbing Vinay Kumar for two sixes in the 12th over. But he was back in the pavilion, run out for a 24-ball 26 as Kohli broke the stumps with a brilliant throw from covers. Martyn (19 off 24 balls), who was a pale shadow of his playing days, got his first boundary after 22 deliveries but was yorked the next ball by Praveen Kumar who then completed his hat-trick.
Orange Cap holder and man-of-the-match Jacques Kallis (44 not out, 34 balls, 7×4), the tournament’s highest run-getter with198 runs, and Manish Pandey (42 not out, 30 balls, 7×4, 1×6) completed the formalities with 56 balls to spare. Bangalore Royal Challengers have chalked up their second successive win while Shane Warne-led Rajasthan Royals tumbled to their third defeat on the trot.
Match report courtesy Adfactors PR.
2010 IPL: Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Daredevils
Sachin Tendulkar (32-ball 62, 11×4) led Mumbai Indians to a huge 98-run win over Delhi Daredevils in Match 9 of the IPL 2010 at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi. Delhi Daredevils also suffered another huge setback when their skipper Gautam Gambhir pulled a hamstring and did not bat.
Tendulkar cracked 11 dazzling fours to give the Mumbai Indians just the sort of start they needed. His 50 came off only 23 deliveries, which saw the Mumbai Indians gallop to 50 in just 4.3 overs. Tendulkar’s innings came to an end when substitute fielder Yogesh Nagar, who came in place of the injured Gamhir, held a low catch off leg spinner Amit Mishra. Nagar had earlier pulled off a spectacular catch to dismiss opener Sanath Jayasuriya, leaping high in the air to take a spectacular one-handed catch. After Tendulkar’s departure, the tall Saurabh Tiwary and the impressive Ambati Rayudu were involved in some lusty hitting. The fourth wicket pair stitched 71 runs in 34 deliveries before Rayudu was superbly snapped at long-on by Dilshan. However, the left-handed Tiwary completed his second successive 50, which came off only 31 deliveries. Mumbai Indians hence posted a massive 218/7 in 20 overs, which incidentally is their highest score in the IPL thus far. It was also the Mumbai Indians second successive 200 plus score in IPL 2010.
Delhi Daredevils, in reply, were never in the hunt as they were dismissed for 120 in 16.3 overs. Delhi Daredevils batting fell apart once T Dilshan and Virender Sehwag were back in the pavilion in the seventh over. Dilshan was done in by a slower one by Lasith Malinga to be bowled. Then the dangerous Sehwag, after hitting a typical 16-ball 26, was caught in the deep off medium pacer Dwayne Bravo. The tricky Bravo scalped his second wicket in the same over by bowling AB de Villiers, which pretty much took the wind out of Delhi’s sails. Bravo and Kieron Pollard, who did not get enough opportunity with the bat, made their presence felt with the ball.
This incidentally was the first first defeat for the Delhi Daredevils in three outings in IPL 2010, while Mumbai Indians recorded their second consecutive win to be placed at the top of the leader board.
Match report courtesy Adfactors PR.
2010 IPL: Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed a superb 33-ball 66 (6×4, 3×6) to guide the Chennai Super Kings to a 55- run win over the Kolkata Knight Riders in match eight of the IPL 2010 at Eden Gardens.
Dhoni and his unbeaten 109 runs partnership in 10.5 overs with S Badrinath (43, 33 balls, 3×4) helped lift the Chennai Super Kings to a respectable 164/3 in 20 overs after being 55 for 3 in 9.1 overs at one stage. The burly left-hander Mathew Hayden was dismissed in the fourth over by Ishant Sharma. New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond, who came in place of South African swing bowler Charl Langeveldt, was impressive in the first two overs. Laxmi Ratan Shukla castled Murali Vijay for 33 and when Suresh Raina yorked himself, Chennai Super Kings were in a spot of bother. But thereafter captain cool Dhoni and Badrinath repaired the damage with some sensible batting.
In reply, Kolkata Knight Riders had a nightmare start with Chennai’s Albie Morkel striking with with only the second ball of the first over to have opener Brad Hodge caught at mid-wicket for nought. Manpreet Gony then bowled Manoj Tiwary after the opener had hit two successive boundaries. Kolkata Knight Riders were 8 for 2 in 1.3 overs. Top scorer Wriddhiman Saha, dropped at two, cracked 13-ball 22 before being castled by Lakhsmipathy Balaji. The Chennai Super Kings medium-pacer took his second wicket when he had Owais Shah caught nicely by wicketkeeper captain MS Dhoni to reduce Kolkata Knight Riders to 46 for 4. It was a one sided trek all uphill for the Kolkata Knight Riders from then as they lost their way and wickets at regular intervals. Justin Kemp then struck in succession to send back skipper Sourav Ganguly (11), Angelo Mathews and Rohan Gavaskar. The Kolkata Knight Riders were finally all out at 109 in 19.2 overs.
It was the first win for Chennai Super Kings who put a break on the Kolkata Knight Riders’ two match winning streak. At the end of the match eight, Delhi Daredevils were at the top of the league points table.
Match report courtesy Adfactors PR.
2010 IPL: Royal Challengers beat Kings XI Punjab
Jacques Kallis (89; 55 balls, 8×4, 5×6) fired Bangalore Royal Challengers to a thumping eight-wicket victory over Kings XI Punjab in match 7 of the IPL 2010 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Chasing a stiff 204 runs for victory, the Royal Challengers romped home in 18.5 overs.
Openers Manvinder Bisla and Ravi Bopara put on a 129-run opening stand for the Kings XI Punjab in 14.1 overs, which helped the post an imposing 203/3 in 20 overs. Bisla batted aggressively for his 51-ball 75 (7×4, 1×6), before he was finally in the deep off Kallis. Bopara too batted confidently to record his second successive 50 in the tournament. He played some audacious shots in his 50-ball 77 (9×4, 2×6) and was dismissed only in the last over. Left-hander Yuvraj Singh was sent back cheaply for 9 while Mahela Jayawardene was brilliant in the end, scoring a 13-ball 26.
Man-of-the-match Kallis and Manish Pandey (38 off 26 balls) gave the Royal Challengers Bangalore a solid start, sharing a 74 run opening partnership in 8.1 overs. The dominant Robin Uthappa was later severe on medium-pacer Sreesanth taking 25 runs with three sixes and one four racing to his 50. Uthappa though fell soon after with debutant left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma taking his prized wicket. Kallis and Uthappa had by then added 69 runs for the second wicket. But thereafter Kallis went on a rampage in Sharma’s third over. He struck three sixes and one four as the inexperienced bowler went for 23 runs in the crucial 18th over.
Uthappa missed the distinction of hitting the fastest half-century by two balls which is still in the name of Adam Gilchrist of Deccan Chargers (50 off 17 balls). Incidentally this was Bangalore Royal Challengers’ first win, while the Kings XI Punjab are now staring down the barrel after their second successive loss in two matches.
Match report courtesy Adfactors PR.
Jose Mourinho returns to Chelsea
When David Beckham broke his foot, one is sure many people across the world felt for him. He is after all one of the most revered football personalities even at this age and to make the World Cup squad one last time would have been the ideal way of bidding farewell. I wanted to write my first football post on that, for he was the player who made me support Manchester United. But there isn’t much to write except that England boss Fabio Capello now doesn’t have to make the difficult decision of leaving Beckham out from his squad. For everything said, there is no doubt that Beckham is past his sell-by date and playing at the old age home that is AC Milan only confirms that!
After Beckham left the Red Devils, only Jose Mourinho’s exuberance made me fall in love with a club again. I guess he is as good a topic to write your first football post then. Ever since 2007, when he was unceremoniously and ridiculously dumped from the managerial position at Chelsea, I have been waiting for this day. When Jose Mourinho returns competitively to Stamford Bridge tonight with Inter Milan, the Blues’ fans ought to be petrified and with reason.
It was a love affair gone sour. Mourinho to manage the big spending club’s affairs was an ideal bet. For in modern day football, you don’t just buy players. You also buy their egos and those have to be managed. Ask anyone at Real Madrid. The ‘Special One’ that he is he broke a fifty-year old duck and got them the trophies that they wanted so badly. But to say he wasn’t delivering on the Champions League promise would be unfair. Winning in Europe isn’t child’s play – even Sir Alex Ferguson has only two trophies in contrast to his umpteen league titles and he has been at Old Trafford like forever.
Why Chelsea need to be afraid is not because they trail by 2-1 or that Inter are a far better side than the one that lost to Manchester United at this stage last year. But because Mourinho knows the Blues inside out!
Let us be honest, any manager who has come in to the Bridge after him hasn’t really done anything different. Avram Grant just pushed on what Mourinho built. Luiz Felipe Scholari tried hard with his free-flowing full backs but that backfired around this time last year. Carlo Ancellotti brought with him his diamond formation with Deco at the top of it but before 2009 was over he reverted to the midfield formation of Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Malouda/Kalou and Obi Mikel/Michael Essien, and Deco nowhere to be seen. Oh by the way, that is the midfield Mourinho employed in his two years at London.
The point is simple: when you play to the tactics deployed by your opposition’s manager, haven’t you lost the battle already?
Calls to improve Formula One show after BahrainGP
If this would have been an ideal F1 world, we would have been discussing the pecking order in detail after the Bahrain GP. After all, this was the topic that had us consumed all winter – ever since the new cars were unveiled and testing began. We ought to be discussing how Ferrari look unmatchable and that Red Bull might be the only one who could do that. We ought to be surprised by McLaren’s lack of downforce but their straight line speed that is keeping them ahead of the Mercedes cars for the time being. And we ought to be discussing how the others look good to mix things up in a season that promises to be an epic one.
But we are not and we have to thank the dull fest that was the first race of the season on Sunday. That this would be the aftermath of the Bahrain GP is a thought no one would have fathomed for sure. Strange as that might be, it is true. It started with Michael Schumacher criticizing the 2010 rules, probably as soon as he jumped out of his car after the race. But just twenty four hours later, a whole lot of people who matter down the paddock have joined in the chorus.
The change to the track layout and that the Bridgestone tyres weren’t graining that much clearly added to the dullness of the show. But it is more down to the new rules – the refueling ban primarily – that the blame squarely lies on. The lack of overtaking action can also be attributed to the double diffuser concept that only negated the approach the FIA wanted to take over aerodynamics a year ago. Let’s consider each of these in singularity for we might be jumping the gun a bit here.
The extended track at Bahrain allowed the cars to spread out more and there was less wheel to wheel that we might have witnessed here in previous years. Also the extension to the second sector here was a mix of slow corners and that didn’t help the racing with full tanks either. Could the cars have gone any slower negating these turns? Possibly no! Now track extensions won’t be made on everywhere this year and on circuits with a fine balance of fast and slow corners, the action should be better. One is already hoping that assumption comes true in Australia or even Malaysia.
The reasoning that it might not is down to the tyres and again aero packages. With full tanks, emphasis lay on preserving tyres until fuel levels came down. But what do you preserve when the wear rates are minimal? One solution is to mandate Bridgestone to build high wear tyres but with no in-season testing, incorporating them this year is impossible. The compounds they already bring to the races are too balanced as in Bahrain while what we need are closer performing compounds to induce aggressive intent from the drivers. The other possibility is again for 2011 only when the ban on double diffuser will come into effect and cars will be able to follow each other more closely without drivers having to worry about dirty air affecting the down force on their front wings. But then isn’t next year too late to rescue the 2010 season?
2010 IPL: Delhi Daredevils beat Rajasthan Royals
Virender Sehwag (34-ball 75; 8×4, 5×6) powered Delhi Daredevils to a six-wicket victory over the Rajasthan Royals in Match 6 of the IPL 2010 on Monday.
Gautam Gambhir’s decision to bowl first was justified as Rajasthan Royals nosedived to 50 for four by the ninth over. Openers Swapnil Asnodkar and South African captain Graeme Smith had started well before Asnodkar was out to left-arm seamer Dirk Nannes. Naman Ojha then struck four fours and one six in his 14-ball 24 but was bowled by leg-spinner Amit Mishra. Yusuf Pathan, who scored the fastest century in the three years of IPL against Mumbai Indians, lasted only five balls and was out for a duck in a huge blow to Rajasthan Royals.When Graeme Smith too departed, the writing was on the wall for the Rajasthan Royals. Abhishek Jhunjhunwala (45-ball 53 not out) and Paras Dogra (29 off 26 balls) with a 60-run stand too Rajasthan Royals to a respectable total.
Delhi Daredevils however chased down the modest target of 142 in 17.1 overs. England medium-pacer Dimitri Mascarenhas’ double strike in the fourth over when he dismissed Delhi Daredevils’ skipper Gautam Gamhir (9) and TM Dilshan (0) raised hopes for Rajasthan. Mascarenhas could have had Sehwag when the batsman was on 41 but Shaun Tait failed to hold a skier at short fine leg. Sehwag capitalised on the costly lapse as the Indian opener smashed left-arm seamer A Uniyal for a 6, 4, 6 in the next over. Sehwag reached his 50 in 21 balls before getting out to a stunning catch by Graeme Smith.
This was Delhi Daredevils’ second successive win. Rajasthan Royals, IPL Champions in 2008, on the other hand suffered their second consecutive loss.
Match report courtesy Adfactors PR.
2010 IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders beat Royal Challengers Bangalore
Four wickets by Angelo Mathews and a 101-run stand between openers Manoj Tiwary and Brad Hodge helped Kolkata Knight Riders beat last year’s finalists Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven wickets to record their second successive win in IPL 2010 at the Eden Gardens.
Sourav Ganguly’s decision to bowl first paid off as Angelo Mathews (4/19) continued his good run in IPL 2010 and this time he came up with an inspiring spell with the ball to restrict the Bangalore to a paltry 130 for 7. The Lanka medium-pacer dismissed Indian batting sensation Manish Pandey after South African swing Charl Langeveldt had left-handed opener Sreevats Goswami caught at third man. The Royal Challengers Bangalore were in for further shock when Virat Kohli hit left-arm spinner Murali Karthik straight into Mathew’s throat at deep mid wicket. Exciting English left-hander Eoin Morgan failed to impress in his debut match and Bangalore were strangled at 35/4 in 7.2 overs. Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid added 38 runs but Dravid (16-ball 21) dragged a wide delivery to be bowled to give Mathews’ his second wicket. Mathews captured two more wickets in his last and fourth over – Robin Uthappa who chased a wide delivery and was caught behind and Roelef Van der Merwe caught by Brad Hodge at point. Kallis completed his fifth IPL fifty and remained unbeaten with 52-ball 65 (7×4, 1×6).
Chasing 131 for victory, the aggressive Tiwary (29-ball 50; 64, 2×6) and Aussie Hodge put on the first century opening stand of the IPL 2010 to lay the foundation for a Kolkata win as Praveen Kumar, Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn and skipper Anil Kumble failed to get an early breakthrough. The first wicket came only in the 12th over when Tiwary was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Roelef Van der Merwe. Hodge was out for 50 (45 balls, 7×4), caught in the deep. Knight Riders skipper Sourav Ganguly batted for a 22-ball 23 and was out in the last over.
Kolkata Knight Riders have thus made a great start to IPL 2010 after a disastrous bottom-placed performance last season at South Africa.
Match report courtesy Adfactors PR.
