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Johannesburg 24 May 2009

Match Begins 20:00 IST | 16:30 SA | 14:30 GMT

Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist lit up the night with his boyish enthusiasm and glowing brightness long before the fireworks went off around SuperSport Park at the end of the semifinal of the DLF Indian Premier League here on Friday. His 35-ball knock of 85 runs (10 fours and five sixes) will stay etched in the minds of all those who were privileged to watch it here or from the comfort of their drawing rooms or on their computers.

It seemed he had single-handedly powered his team into Sunday’s final with a six-wicket win over the fancied Delhi Daredevils. But the truth is that his bowlers had done well to stop Delhi Daredevils at 153 for eight in 20 overs after Virender Sehwag and Tillekeratne Dilshan took the team batting first to 83 for two in 10 overs.

esilience is the word that springs to the mind. They started off with a good win but ended up with four straight defeats and their critics started sniping at them again. But the team won skipper Kevin Pietersen’s farewell game and Anil Kumble, who took over, tweaked in some changes to ensure that the team stayed in the frame, Jacques Kallis relished the chance to open the innings and made telling contributions while Ross Taylor played a couple of amazing match-winnings knocks; others like Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli have played supporting roles – and Manish Pandey emerged with a century in the final game to make the team’s batting look well settled. Kumble has been the star bowler for the side with Kallis and Praveen Kumar doing efficient jobs with the new ball. And yes, Roelef van der Merwe has been a great support bowler with his brand of left-arm spin.

Actress Katrina Kaif will join Rajasthan Royals co-owner Shilpa Shetty to decide the winner of the Miss IPL Bollywood South Africa contest at the Montecasino entertainment complex here on Saturday.

Former Miss Universe Michelle McLean, former Miss South Africa Joanne Strauss, Fashion TV owner Michele Adam and Francois Pienaar, who led the South African to victory in the Rugby World Cup, will also be on the panel of judges.

The Exclusive Live streaming of the Miss IPL Bollywood South Africa contest will be available on iplt20.com, right after the second semifinal between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

As many as 16 finalists are competing for some amazing prizes. The 16 finalists were chosen by Internet voting on the official website of DLF Indian Premier League www.iplt20.com and include models, actresses, professionals and students. They were chosen from 48 who were selected from the crowd at each game.

The winner will get a cash prize of 50,000 Rands and a trip to India where she will be taken on a special Bollywood visit.

In a campaign that has included matches insipid and inspiring the Royal Challengers have well and truly come to life. Maintaining the momentum of three consecutive runs, they pulled the rug from under Deccan Chargers' feet and went to No. 3 in the points table, setting up a semi-final clash with the Chennai Super Kings.

At the end of a clinical win, Bangalore can thank Manish Pandey and RP Singh. Promoting Pandey to open in a pressure situation, Bangalore nearly lost him in the third over but RP's gross misjudgment at third man settled the nerves and then some. Either cutting solidly or swatting and slapping with efficiency rather than grace, Pandey grabbed the opportunity and notched up just the second century this season - and first by an Indian in both seasons. Few in South Africa would have heard of the Under-19 batsman but should remember him after this amazing effort.

Teams have struggled to defend under lights at Centurion, and Bangalore were put on the back foot as Herschelle Gibbs waded into the attack. But Anil Kumble took pace off the ball and once Gibbs and Andrew Symonds were dismissed in relative succession it all got too tough for Deccan, who will face Delhi Daredevils in the first semi-final tomorrow.

RP's drop in the third over came after Jacques Kallis pulled his seventh ball to short square leg. It proved a costly error. Pandey began his innings looking out of sorts, twice inside-edging Ryan Harris on the bounce to Adam Gilchrist and top-edging safely to third man. Batting as though Bangalore needed to chase 250, Pandey clouted the ball through the leg side with gay abandon.

Roelof van der Merwe showed a liking for RP on the leg side, twice crashing him over through and over mid-on for boundaries, and weighed in with 23 from 18 balls. After he was well stumped off Symonds in the tenth over, Pandey weighed up the situation and hung on. By this time he was 33, and on resumption after the strategic break dumped T Suman's offspin for consecutive sixes to raise his half-century. Now his timing had improved considerably and Bangalore were going at seven an over.

Team	Match	Won	Lost			Pt	Net pt
Delhi Daredevils	7	5	2			10	+0.158
Chennai	8	4	3			9	+1.361
Rajasthan Royals	8	4	3			9	-0.317
Deccan Chargers	7	4	3			8	+0.038
Bangalore	8	4	4			8	-0.200
Kings XI Punjab	8	4	4			8	-0.501
Mumbai Indians	7	3	3			7	+0.761
Kolkata	9	1	7			3	-1.097

Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians

Premier League 2009

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Centurion - May 6, 2009

Herschelle Gibbs has put his run of poor form and controversies behind him with some back to back match-winning innings in the second edition of DLF Indian Premier League. His transformation is now visible on the field.

In an exclusive interview with iplt20.com, the champion batsman touches on everything that has touched his career so far.

It is the toughest tournament from a mental point of view. It is just so mentally tough and draining - on and off the field. It is not just the players you play against; the media and public are very much in your face too. But since we have made a great start, it has released a lot of pressure. Now, the focus is to keep the momentum going.

Boy it was hard coming back into the Indian Premier League I was really nervous! I think I got a couple of good scores against Australia and that helped me cop a heap from the media. But time heals most things and even though I expect to get a little ribbing this time round, I accept it is in my past.

Pakistan vs Australia 4th odi

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4th ODI: Australia v Pakistan at Abu Dhabi - May 1, 2009
Match scheduled to begin at 15:00 local time (11:00 GMT)

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Centurion,apr 28

Match Begins 20:00 IST | 16:30 SA | 14:30 GMT

Last season even before a ball was bowled this side was written off as a bunch of no-hopers. But how the tables were turned was seen by the whole world. This time key all-rounder Shane Watson is unlikely with an injury and some of the other performers like Sohail Tanveer are out of the frame. But expect Shane Warne to come up with a new plan to surprise his rivals.

Latest acquisition: One of the high-profile buys for Rajasthan Royals is the thunderbolt paceman Shaun Tait. The young express bowler is fighting self-doubts and exile to come back on the big stage. Warne's backing could well prove to be decisive X factor this time.

Captain-coach combination: Well the boss of this team is one and only Shane Warne. The spin magician casts a spell around his team and manages to eke out the best out of everybody. Last year he singlehandedly inspired his side to the title. His little-known players managed to raise their performance level and take it to a new high. In the background his old friend, Darren Berry does all the research on the rivals, while Warne plots the moves.

Last year's results: Played: 14, Won: 11, Lost: 3. Champions

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Durban , 24 April 2009

Match Begins 20:00 IST | 16:30 SA | 14:30 GMT

Delhi Daredevils(DD)

vs

Chennai Super Kings(CSK)

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Match start- 4:00pm

Place-Durban

Thursday,April 23, २००९

McGrath is a man with much on his plate and more on his mind. And yet, in the coming weeks, he will add to his many commitments by pushing his frame through five gruelling weeks of competition with the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. It is, by any estimate, a massive ask, and even more so when it is considered McGrath has not sent down a delivery in international cricket since the 2007 World Cup final.

With his day-to-day activities largely focussed on a non-profit organisation, the opportunity to earn for his family - his auction price was $US350,000 - serves as a major motivation for McGrath as he enters his second IPL season. But this is no charity case. Last year, while contending with much heartache at home, the Australian paceman earned his pay cheque by emerging as the most economical (6.61) and durable (14 games) of Delhi's bowlers. McGrath believes more is to come this time around.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

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he Chennai Super Kings thrashed the Bangalore Royal Challengers by 92 runs in Monday's Indian Premier League encounter in Port Elizabeth to go top of the table.

The match saw Andrew Flintoff take on England rival Kevin Pietersen - the joint most expensive players in the tournament - and it was the all-rounder who came out on top.

Former Australia star Matthew Hayden scored 65 from 35 balls as Chennai racked up 179 for five after winning the toss - the highest Twenty20 score at St George's Park.

And Bangalore were always struggling in reply, with Pietersen falling for a duck as they slumped to 87 all out.

Hayden and Patel were on the offensive from the start for Chennai and brought up their half-century partnership in less than five overs, then reached the halfway mark at 106 without loss.

Bangalore captain Pietersen called a tactical time-out and the results were instant, the England star bowling Patel for 30 with his first ball.

The next ball saw Hayden's dive beaten by a direct hit from Rahul Dravid as the opener was run out.

The double strike slowed Chennai's momentum and they should have lost a third wicket but Dale Steyn floored a simple chance in the deep off Suresh Raina.

The batsman made him pay with a fifth maximum of the innings but Praveen Kumar claimed another success in the same over when captain MS Dhoni was caught by Rajesh Bishnoi for 16.

That brought Flintoff to the crease and he brought up the 150 with a boundary off Pietersen before Raina was caught by Virat Kohli on the boundary for 28 to give Praveen another wicket.

And Steyn bowled South Africa team-mate Albie Morkel with the final ball, leaving Flintoff unbeaten on 22 from 13 balls.

The Challengers, who in contrast to their opponents had won their first match, got off to the worst possible start as Manpreet Gony bowled Praveen for a duck in the first over.

Home star Jacques Kallis, playing his first IPL match of the season, took the attack to the bowlers but his innings was ended at 24 when he was given lbw to Morkel to leave Bangalore 40 for two.

Anil Kumble, the Bangalore Royal Challengers legspinner, feels that this year's team is "different" from the outfit that finished second last in 2008 and that the "intense" and "spot on" preparations in South Africa have helped immensely. Bangalore opened their IPL campaign with a resounding win on Saturday, dismissing the defending champions Rajasthan Royals for 58.

"Let me make it clear that this is a different group and we have set out to achieve something and I daresay the result of our opening match is ample evidence of my claim," Kumble wrote in his column for the Hindu. "I would be the first to admit that a few things were missing last year. But this time our preparation hasn't just been intense but also spot on. Spending nearly two weeks in Johannesburg and playing as many as five practice matches - two against the local Lions and three among ourselves - gave us a good feel of the local conditions."

Bangalore revamped their squad after last-season's failure, the most significant additions being Jesse Ryder and a new captain in Kevin Pietersen, who replaced Rahul Dravid. It was Dravid, however, who played the most crucial role in Bangalore's victory, scoring 66 of 48 balls in testing conditions.

The Rajasthan Royals continued in the same irrepressible form that lifted them to the title last year, keeping the Bangalore Royal Challengers to 133. Bangalore were derided as "Test" specialists last year, but it was old-fashioned line-and-length bowling from Dimitri Mascarenhas, so favoured in the five-day game, that undid them in their season opener in Cape Town. Mascarenhas did the early damage before Shane Warne unfurled his bag of tricks to keep Bangalore on the mat. They didn't combust as spectacularly as they had in the IPL's first game for which they have to thank deposed captain, Rahul Dravid, who made a polished half-century.

Mascarenhas got the ball to dart around, and rocked Bangalore with two wickets in the game's first over, that of the New Zealand pair, Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor. Ryder edged an attempted offside-push to the wicketkeeper, and Taylor lost his leg stump first ball when he walked across to try a glance.

The expensive Kevin Pietersen, charged by franchise owner Vijay Mallya with the duty of turning around Bangalore's form, started with a nonchalant flick off his pads for four. He was rarely troubled during his stay and, in Dravid's company, set about reviving Bangalore. They had collected an unfussy 35 runs, aided by a lightning outfield, before Pietersen mistimed a pull to a diving Niraj Patel at midwicket.

Dale Steyn believes captain Kevin Pietersen and coach Ray Jennings have leadership and management skills to take Bangalore Royal Challengers right to the top in the IPL. Pietersen's style of leading by example, he said, would have a positive effect on the team while Jennings' ability to crack the whip would help players stay focused.

leads from the front always. That is a great strength of his," Steyn told

The team's owners, unhappy with their second-last position in the inaugural tournament, appointed a new coach and captain: Martin Crowe, who was the coaching director, was replaced by Jennings while Pietersen took over the captaincy from Rahul Dravid, the team's icon player.

Steyn said he did not know Pietersen well enough to understand him, having played against him only last year in England. That would apply to many in the team, so Steyn felt the challenge was to get acquainted quickly and understand Pietersen's philosophy. "I don't know him at all. I have played against him but I still don't know what kind of a man he is, what kind of mood swings he has, but it is going to be interesting and we are going to have to find our feet quickly."

he BCCI launched the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the lines of football’s English Premier League and the National Basketball League (NBA) of the US.

The IPL is a professional Twenty20 cricket league created and promoted by the BCCI and backed by the ICC. The Twenty20 league is set to debut in April 2008, with eight teams comprising a minimum of 16 players each. The league will last for 44 days and will involve 59 matches.

The IPL works on a franchise-system based on the American style of hiring players and transfers. These franchises were put for auction, where the highest bidder won the rights to own the team, representing each city.

The auction for the same took place on January 24, 2008 and the total base price for the auction was $400 million. The auction went on to fetch $723.59 million.

The Mumbai franchise owned by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) was the most expensive franchise - fetching $111.9 million closely followed by Vijay Mallya’s United Breweries which paid $111.6 million for the Bangalore franchise .

Media house Deccan Chronicle won the Hyderabad chapter of the IPL for $107 million, while India Cements’ Chennai franchise cost $91 million.

Bollywood also made its presence felt with two of its leading stars bagging the ownership of their respective teams - Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla’s Red Chillies Entertainment buying out Kolkata for $75.09, while Preity Zinta and her beau Ness Wadia bought the Mohali team for $76 million.

GMR , the infrastructure development group which who are involved in a project for revamping the Delhi airport, bagged the ownership of the Delhi team for $84 million and the Emerging Media , consisting of its CEO Fraser Castellino, Manoj Badale and Lachlan Murdoch and other investors won the rights for the Jaipur franczhise for $67 million.

IPL Teams:

Mohammad Kaif has been left out of Rajasthan Royals' final squad which will remain in South Africa for the 2009 season of the IPL. However, he may return if there are injuries to other members of the team.

The other six players who are returning to India are Dinesh Salunkhe, Paras Dogra, Anup Revandkar, Srideep Mangela, Ashraf Makda and Azhar Malik. Salunkhe was the legspinner who was included in the 2008 squad through a TV talent-hunt show.

Kaif was Rajasthan Royals' most expensive buy at $675,000 during the first auction in 2008. He played all 16 matches in Rajasthan's victorious campaign in the inaugural IPL but scored only 176 runs at an average of 16.

"It has always been a target to pick a final squad of 17-18 players, and this year we have an even stronger squad than last year," Manoj Badale, the owner of the franchise said. "It is disappointing to have to let go of any players, as they are all stars in our view. Much of the attention will focus on Mohammed Kaif, who has been a key part of our success to date - not just as a batsman, but as a role model for our younger Indian players. He has been extremely supportive of the decision, which says a lot about him as a person. Injuries and new conditions mean that the player's participation later in the tournament is not ruled out."

hasing 142 runs in a warm-up Twenty20 match ahead of the IPL starting April 18, Royals crumbled to 114 all out against the local outfit, which is the reigning domestic Twenty20 champion in South Africa.

The defending IPL champions had the Cobras on the mat at 65 for five but Warne said he consciously handed the ball to untried bowlers to make sure that his batsmen were chasing a target of over 100.

"I did not want it to be a 100-run innings because I wanted my batsmen to have a bigger total to chase. I wanted to see how the batsmen would react to chasing down a big total and what they could offer in a tight match situation," Warne was quoted as saying by the 'South African Press Association' - a news agency.

"One or two of the bowlers were quite surprised when I withdrew them from the attack but I explained that I wanted to see how some of the new and younger players perform in a match situation," Warne stated. Warne said although he was disappointed with the defeat, he was pleased to get an idea of the younger players' potential during the match.

Shoaib suffered a knee injury in January and was only picked for the five match one-day series after he passed stringent fitness tests in Karachi earlier this month.

Shoaib was dropped for the Test series against Sri Lanka and Alam is still concerned over the controversial fast bowler's fitness.

"Shoaib has struggled with a knee problem recently and has not played much cricket in the last few months," Alam said.

"We will not put extra pressure on him. We will try to nurse him through the series as we have other important competitions coming up as well.

"Shoaib is working very hard and he is motivated to perform for the team. But we want to make sure he comes through the series without any fitness issues."

Shoaib suffered a calf injury in Pakistan's previous series in Abu Dhabi against the West Indies and did not play a single match.

However, Alam believes he could prove decisive in conditions in the Middle East.

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar became the first Indian sports icon to be featured at the Madame Tussaud's wax museum.
The world renowned tourist attraction in London flewn its new wax figure of the Indian batting legend over 7,000 kilometers to Mumbai for a "meeting" with the real cricketing legend.

"I am very impressed with the figure and delighted to be honoured by Madame Tussauds," commented Terndulkar.

"It is the first time we have ever launched a figure overseas but we really wanted Sachin to see his likeness before it "meets" the public in the attraction," said Liz Edwards, PR Manager at Madame Tussauds London.

"The figure will now be returning to London to join the ranks of sporting greats past and present in our Sports Zone. There will also be a cricketing challenge around the figure where guests can test their skills against the `masterblaster` and we know it will be a huge hit with fans," Edwards was quoted.

Super Kings v Mumbai Indians Newlands, Cape Town

Royal Challengers v Rajasthan Royals Newlands, Cape Town

Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab Newlands, Cape Town

Deccan Chargers v Kolkata Knight Riders Newlands, Cape Town

Bangalore Royal Challengers v Chennai Super Kings St George's Park, Port Elizabeth

XI Punjab v Kolkata Knight Riders Kingsmead, Durban

Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals Kingsmead, Durban

Royal Challengers v Deccan Chargers Newlands, Cape Town

Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils Kingsmead, Durban

Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals Newlands, Cape Town

Bangalore Royal Challengers v Kings XI Punjab Kingsmead, Durban

Chargers v Mumbai Indians Kingsmead, Durban

Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders Newlands, Cape Town

Royal Challengers v Delhi Daredevils St George's Park, Port Elizabeth

Kings XI Punjab v Rajasthan Royals Newlands, Cape Town

Super Kings v Deccan Chargers Kingsmead, Durban

Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians St George's Park, Port Elizabeth

Daredevils v Rajasthan Royals SuperSport Park, Centurion

Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians Kingsmead, Durban

Chargers v Delhi Daredevils SuperSport Park, Centurion

Chennai Super Kings v Rajasthan Royals SuperSport Park, Centurion

The controversy over John Buchanan's multiple-captain strategy for the Kolkata Knight Riders does not seem to have affected Sourav Ganguly, who was among the runs in a practice tie against the Eagles in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.

Ganguly hit a brisk unbeaten 61 and was well-supported by Cheteshwar Pujara (66 not out) as KKR ran out winners by nine wickets, the Kolkata Telegraph reported. With the IPL beginning on April 18, the pre-tournament form will come as a welcome boost for Ganguly, who was embroiled, before leaving India, in a controversy surrounding Buchanan's theory.

"I don't wish to comment on the captaincy issue. But, yes, it's nice to get runs in one's first match in new conditions. However, there's a long way to go, there's plenty of work to be done," the paper reported Ganguly as saying.

Buchanan's concept of having multiple leaders, later altered to 'one captain, many strategists' would redefine leadership in cricket. It has been on trial during these warm-up games, albeit with little success. The first two games against the same opposition on Tuesday, with Laxmi Ratan Shukla at the helm, resulted in heavy defeats - by 48 runs and four wickets respectively.

Ganguly, who sat out both those matches, replaced Aakash Chopra on Wednesday. Although it remains uncertain if the side would have a regular or rotating captain, Ganguly would no doubt have made a firm claim.

Rahul Dravid gets ready to bat in the nets, Hamilton, March 17, 2009
Rahiul Dravid is still an integral part of team's tactical planning despite being replaced as captain, assures Ray Jennings © AFP

Ray Jennings, the Bangalore Royal Challengers coach, expects Rahul Dravid to play a key role as a leader and a batsman for the second IPL in South Africa. The franchise had replaced Dravid with Kevin Pietersen as captain last month but Jennings said Dravid would still be crucial to the team's tactical planning in the short period that he is available.

Jennings expects Dravid to reach Johannesburg, the team's training base, on April 12 or 13 and be part of the setup till his return, possibly early in May, to be with his wife who is expecting a child around that time. There has been a considerable amount of speculation on Dravid's availability for the tournament, especially against the backdrop of his removal from the captaincy, and the kind of role he would play.

"He (Dravid) is positively looking forward to the IPL and making sure he makes an impact in the tournament," Jennings told Cricinfo. "I expect Rahul to play a huge role in the team in the short period of the time he is with the team. I would like to believe that during his time with the team he is into its tactics and thought processes. It is not only one Kevin Pietersen running the show as Kevin has a few international captains around him (Dravid, Kumble, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher) and each one of them would like to contribute in a positive way."

Ray Jennings, the coach of the Bangalore Royal Challengers, has said he isn't too bothered about Kevin Pietersen's recent history with the England team and the events surrounding his quitting the captaincy, following a fractious relationship with the then coach Peter Moores. Pietersen will join the franchise in South Africa for the IPL, which begins on April 18.

Jennings said he could relate to Pietersen's personality, which, he said, was very similar to his own. A former coach of the South African senior and Under-19 team, he is known for his aggressive coaching style but was confident of a sound working relationship with Pietersen.

"I don't care a damn what happened with the England job. Kevin and I are on the same wavelength - that's all that matters and I just don't believe he will behave like people believe he can behave," Jennings told the Guardian. "The important thing is Kev's the type who likes to prove people wrong. He's like me - he likes to push fingers up people's noses. I understand the guy and where he's coming from. Whatever his so-called personality weaknesses are, I back him 100%.

"People have to understand that there is a different set of permutations out here from what happened with England. I've clashed with some of my cricketers before, too, but that's my style. It doesn't concern me who he's clashed with. I believe there absolutely has to be tension within any relationship. If there's no tension, there's a lack of respect. I respect Kevin and he respects me. It will be a whole new relationship."

So unprepared was Stuart Clark for selection on Australia's limited overs tour of South Africa, he did not have a passport when the call came. "I've just spent the day organising another one," he said. "My original passport is still at the British consulate."

Clark had been preparing to fly to England this week for a county stint with Kent, for whom he was to debut on April 21 in a County Championship match against Northamptonshire. But those plans were scuppered with a surprise phone call from Michael Brown, Cricket Australia's operations manager, on Friday night, instructing him to pack his bags for South Africa and, afterwards, the UAE.

"I almost fell off my chair when I got the call," Clark told Cricinfo. "I hadn't planned on it happening at all. I had just assumed my one-day international career was in the past, and while I was disappointed by that, I was just concentrating on the other forms of the game. This really came out of the blue, and I'm very excited about it. It's a real chance for me to get back into the one-day team on a more regular basis.

Marcus Trescothick, the former England opener, says he has turned down a request from Andrew Strauss to make himself available for selection to the squad for the World Twenty20 in June. Trescothick said though he would have loved a return to the England side, he knew the dangers to his health of committing himself to international cricket would be far too great. England announced a preliminary squad for the tournament earlier this week.

"After taking everything into consideration, I reluctantly had to tell Strauss that playing for England again was just not possible," Trescothick told the Mail on Sunday. "I had no choice but to say no. I might be wrong, but I still believe that if it was as simple as turning up and batting for England, I could do it and succeed.

"Playing cricket for England was the great ambition of my life and, until I became ill, I loved everything about it, so not being able to do so now is a source of great regret. I miss the buzz and the stage and the chance to put my ability to the sternest test, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about it often."

Trescothick, who quit international cricket in March 2008 after struggling with a stress-related illness, said he did not want to put himself and his family in risk again. "I appreciate the thought and I know Strauss was not trying to put me under any pressure. The management have been very sensitive about my situation, and that has helped me in my decision-making. But the time truly has come for me to stop dreaming and face reality. As much as I'd love to have another bash for England, it isn't going to happen, at any level.

Makhaya Ntini and Andrew Flintoff in relaxed mood during a training session ahead of the ICC Super Series Trophy, Melbourne, October 3, 2005
Makhaya Ntini and Andrew Flintoff are Venkatesh Prasad's targets during the second edition of the IPL in South Africa © Getty Images

Venkatesh Prasad believes that this IPL will throw up an interesting situation when top cricketers share dressing rooms and gameplans but will be wary of revealing too much ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 in June. Prasad, India's bowling coach, admitted that he is keen to pick the brains of his IPL team's foreign players like Andrew Flintoff, Makhaya Ntini and Albie Morkel to strengthen India's chances in England.

Prasad is bowling coach of the IPL's Chennai Super Kings and, barely ten days after the IPL ends in South Africa on May 24, will join the Indian thinktank for the ICC tournament that starts on June 5 in England. India will be defending their world title and England's Flintoff and the South Africans Ntini and Morkel are key players for their national teams.

"Most of the international players will look to use the IPL as a launchpad for the World Twenty20 and you have to be smart here," Prasad told Cricinfo. "It's all about how much of information you want to share and how much information you can gain from others. I am sure there will be a lot of people who would like to know a lot about the Indian team. So I need to be very clear about how much of information I would like to share with others, even if they are from your own IPL team.

"At the same time, I would like to pick the brains of players like Freddie Flintoff, Ntini, Morkel or even Stephen Fleming (Chennai's head coach) in terms of how the New Zealand guys go about their business in a Twenty20 situation.