The IPL Circus is
all set to begin in less than a week now…. IPL 7 would be in 2 phases – first leg
of 20 (20T20) at Abudhabi and later at India….. with days to go, reports
suggest that many franchises are yet to
finalise deals with sponsors. Some have been unable to close deals, including finding
a front-chest sponsor, a valuable space where the brand is most prominently
displayed on the shirt front. Brand experts predicted a "tough year",
claiming the franchises will suffer a deep cut of 20% in their sponsorship
revenues, which will be exacerbated by the loss in ticket revenues as a result
of the first phase of the tournament being played in the UAE. There are
apprehensions that the overall revenues this season will be significantly
lesser than previous seasons. "The gate money would be reduced, the
sponsorship would be reduced, there are fewer teams so the central revenue
would be also be reduced."
Away from IPL and
T20, comes the news that Associate teams will have the opportunity to play Test
cricket, with the ICC Board approving an ICC Test Challenge, which will take
place every four years between the lowest-ranked Test team and the winner of
the ICC Intercontinental Cup. The inaugural Test Challenge will take place in
2018, with the intention of giving a context to the Intercontinental Cup. The
Intercontinental Cup, spread out over two years, is a first-class tournament
played among the Associate teams. According to the new proposal, the side ranked
10th in the ICC Test rankings on December 31, 2017, or at the conclusion of any
series in progress at that time, will play two five-day Tests at home and two
five-day Tests away against the winner of the upcoming Intercontinental Cup. The
new proposal will give promising teams like Ireland a chance to take their
international cricket to the next level.
The concept is
not totally new ~ at Chennai league – the Palayampatti Shield is for the
winners of 1st division league – every year 2 teams get relegated as
the first 2 from the 2nd division enter the fray. The Test challenge is not, however, intended
to be a relegation process for any Full Member who may be defeated in the
contest. Full Member nations will not, it is understood, lose their status and
voting rights and their FTP arrangements are also expected to be completed.
As has been with
IPL, there are bound to be many matters of interest preceding actual matches . Delhi
Daredevils was the only IPL franchise not to retain any players ahead of the 2014 IPL
auction. There were a few strong candidates for retention, like Virender
Sehwag, Kevin Pietersen, David Warner and Mahela Jayawardene, but none were held
on to. At the auction, Daredevils used their three right-to-match cards to buy
back Pietersen, who was later named captain………. They have chosen the erstwhile
successful Indian coach – Gary Kirsten, whose first task would be make players
knowing each other. Kirsten is back in India as coach
three years after ending his highly-successful stint with the national team.
Coaching in the IPL, he said, would be more "intense". Kings XI
Punjab have roped in former Hyderabad
spinner R Sridhar as fielding coach for IPL 2014. Sridhar, who began his
coaching career in 2001, has been part of the National
Cricket Academy
in Bangalore
and was the India Under-19's assistant coach during the recent World Cup in the
UAE.
~ and KKR have
hired explorer Mike Horn….. the South Africa-born adventurer who famously
inspired the Indian team during their successful 2011 World Cup campaign, has
joined Kolkata Knight Riders for a short stint ahead of the IPL season. Horn is an extreme athlete whose feats
include climbing the Broad Peak (more than 8000m) in the Himalayas
without additional oxygen in 2010, becoming one of the first men to reach the
North Pole without the aid of dogs or motorised transport in 2006, and
circumnavigating the world on foot in 1999.
Besides his stint
with the Indian team, Horn's other work in cricket includes working with the
South African national team ahead of their victorious 2012 England tour, and
with Mumbai Indians in the 2012 IPL season. He has also shared his insights
with the South African rugby team, some European football teams and the French
sailing team.
When the 1983
World Cup was won, PR Mansingh was the only official – the Manager who took
care of the nets, travelling, ticketing, hotel booking and everything
else. In 2011, the list was too big…..
and added to that they hired motivational talkers and spiritual performers
earlier –Mike Horn gave the Team the pep talk ahead of the high octane semi
final clash. Not a single word on
cricket but on adventure and the challenges of life in general. Gary Kirsten ensured Paddy Uppington at
mental conditioning coach and in turn Paddy had another South African talking to the
team !!
It was stated
that the concept was to keep the minds stress-free. Mike Horn a South African explorer, studied
Human movement Science [!] at the University
of Stellenbosch and worked in Europe
as as a ski instructor, river and canyoning guide.
In 1995, Mike Horn opened the "No
Limits" Outdoor Activity Sports Centre in Switzerland. It was during this
time that he broke the world record for the highest descent of a waterfall with
a hydrospeed, on the Pacuare River in Costa Rica. After Amazon expedition, he was fascinated by
the sport of sailing. Mike Horn was
elected a member of the Laureus
World Sports
Academy in January 2007
in recognition of his ground-breaking achievements which reflect great triumph
of the human spirit against daunting odds.
He has authored books about his expeditions which are best sellers in France. He is considered a motivational conference
speaker and gives both public and private appearances.
You plan everything
for succeeding … and some succeed naturally
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
