Beverages major Coca-Cola India Tuesday announced a new communication initiative for its sparkling drink brand Sprite featuring Bollywood star and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) promoter Shahrukh Khan and cricket star Sourav Ganguly.
The campaign will be launched during the second season of the IPL Twenty20 cricket tournament in South Africa starting from April 18, Coca-Cola India said in a statement. “As part of brand Sprite’s 360 degree communication plans, Shahrukh Khan, the Bollywood superstar and owner Kolkata Knight Riders, Saurav Ganguly, the captain of KKR and other members of the team, including Murali Karthik and Ajit Agarkar would feature in a new campaign to be aired during the IPL,” it said.
Sprite is an associate sponsor and the official ‘pouring partner’ of the KKR IPL franchise team.
The campaign would include mass media, besides leveraging out-of-home media through special location specific creatives.
In addition, Sprite and Nokia has launched a ‘Para´ (neighborhood) cricket series in Kolkata. Eleven players from contest would be taken to South Africa to cheer for KKR, it added.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Chelsea through to UEFA Champion's League Semis
On a dramatic, unforgettable night in West London, Chelsea drew 4-4 at home to Liverpool and therefore won 7-5 on aggregate to set up a UEFA Champions League semi-final clash with Barcelona.
After winning 1-3 away at Anfield in the first leg of the quarter-final clash last week, Chelsea were red hot favourites to progress to the semi-finals, with Liverpool at odds of 10/1 to make it through to the last four in the world's most prestigious club competition. However, after an incredible night of ups and downs on both sides of the equation for the entire 90 minutes, at times it was hard to tell who was going to make it through to the next round. Liverpool had the first clear opening of the match on 12 minutes, when after skipping past Brazilian centre-back Alex, Fernando Torres hit a strike just over the crossbar. A minute later the hosts themselves had a good opportunity, when Frank Lampard hit a 30-yard free-kick just wide of Pepe Reina's left-hand post. However, it was the away side who struck first when Fabio Aurelio gave Liverpool a 0-1 lead in the 19th minute.
The Brazilian used a bit of improvisation by curling 30-yard free-kick not into the box, but past the wall and into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, completely surprising keeper Petr Cech, who was in readiness of collecting a ball into the box. Nine minutes later things went from bad to worse for Chelsea. Following another free-kick into the box from Aurelio, Branislav Ivanovic went from hero to zero by holding back Xabi Alonso inside the area, conceding a penalty in the process. Alonso then stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick, and sent Cech the wrong way, slotting the ball coolly to his left and into the back of the net, giving the visitors a 0-2 lead.
On 35 minutes it became clear the predicament the home side were finding themselves in, with manager Guus Hiddink deciding to take action and replacing the ineffective Salomon Kalou for the Premier League top scorer Nicolas Anelka. The visitors had a few more chances before the interval, but could not take any of them despite some rather lacklustre and very nervous-looking defending from Chelsea. Just a minute after the restart, Liverpool had a great chance to get that all important third goal, when Cech was caught in no-mans land and Lucas Leiva pulled the ball back for Aurelio hit on goal, but even with no keeper the full-back couldn't direct his effort on target.
On 51 minutes Chelsea received a massive confidence boost when Didier Drogba brought the score back to 1-2. From a tight angle, the Ivory Coast striker turned goalwards a Nicolas Anelka cross, with Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina allowing the ball to creep in at his front post. Six minutes later it was evident the home side had been motivated by the Guus Hiddink half-time team talk, as centre-back Alex equalised for the hosts. The Brazil shot stopper smashed a terrifyingly powerful 25-yard free-kick past a helpless Reina and into the top left corner of the goal, making the score 2-2. One Chelsea player who will miss the semi-final first leg at Camp Nou against Barcelona will be Ashley Cole, who was rather harshly booked for a foul on Yossi Benayoun in the 64th minute.
A minute later the hosts should've put the game to bed, as Drogba broke free of Jamie Carragher and the Liverpool defence before pulling the ball back to German midfielder Michael Ballack, who from just outside the box could only put the ball straight into the arms of Reina. However, it mattered little as Chelsea did make it 3-2 on 76 minutes. After being played through, Drogba took the ball out wide before playing it back across the box to Frank Lampard, with the England midfielder calmly slotting past Reina to give his side the lead for the first time in the match. The game did take a slight twist however when Lucas pulled the score back to 3-3 in the 80th minute. The Brazilian midfielder hit an ambitious 25-yard effort that deflected past Cech and into the back of the net.
And then an even bigger twist came just a minute later as Liverpool scored again, giving the visitors a 3-4 lead and needing just one goal to make it to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt headed home after being left unmarked inside the six yard box, following Spanish winger Albert Riera's ball into the box. Moments later however, Lampard restored order in the Chelsea ranks by bringing the scores level at 4-4 and 7-5 to the Blues on aggregate. The midfielder scored what would be the final goal on an incredible night at Stamford Bridge, finding the top corner with a first-time effort after being fed through by French striker Nicolas Anelka.
It now means that Chelsea will play Barcelona in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, after the Catalan giants drew 1-1 with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, winning 5-1 on aggregate. Franck Ribery initially put Bayern ahead on 47 minutes, after latching onto a Zé Roberto pass and planting a shot high into the net and past Barca keeper Victor Valdes.
Although unlike the game in England, any chance of a late comeback was neutralised on 73 minutes, as Seydou Keita finished off a wonderful passing move with a thunderous strike just outside the box.
However, unlike the game in Germany, the game at Stamford Bridge in West London will be a game that forever will live in the memories of football fans all over the world, as Chelsea emerged victorious 7-5 on aggregate in a clash between two of the best teams world football has to offer.
After winning 1-3 away at Anfield in the first leg of the quarter-final clash last week, Chelsea were red hot favourites to progress to the semi-finals, with Liverpool at odds of 10/1 to make it through to the last four in the world's most prestigious club competition. However, after an incredible night of ups and downs on both sides of the equation for the entire 90 minutes, at times it was hard to tell who was going to make it through to the next round. Liverpool had the first clear opening of the match on 12 minutes, when after skipping past Brazilian centre-back Alex, Fernando Torres hit a strike just over the crossbar. A minute later the hosts themselves had a good opportunity, when Frank Lampard hit a 30-yard free-kick just wide of Pepe Reina's left-hand post. However, it was the away side who struck first when Fabio Aurelio gave Liverpool a 0-1 lead in the 19th minute.
The Brazilian used a bit of improvisation by curling 30-yard free-kick not into the box, but past the wall and into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, completely surprising keeper Petr Cech, who was in readiness of collecting a ball into the box. Nine minutes later things went from bad to worse for Chelsea. Following another free-kick into the box from Aurelio, Branislav Ivanovic went from hero to zero by holding back Xabi Alonso inside the area, conceding a penalty in the process. Alonso then stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick, and sent Cech the wrong way, slotting the ball coolly to his left and into the back of the net, giving the visitors a 0-2 lead.
On 35 minutes it became clear the predicament the home side were finding themselves in, with manager Guus Hiddink deciding to take action and replacing the ineffective Salomon Kalou for the Premier League top scorer Nicolas Anelka. The visitors had a few more chances before the interval, but could not take any of them despite some rather lacklustre and very nervous-looking defending from Chelsea. Just a minute after the restart, Liverpool had a great chance to get that all important third goal, when Cech was caught in no-mans land and Lucas Leiva pulled the ball back for Aurelio hit on goal, but even with no keeper the full-back couldn't direct his effort on target.
On 51 minutes Chelsea received a massive confidence boost when Didier Drogba brought the score back to 1-2. From a tight angle, the Ivory Coast striker turned goalwards a Nicolas Anelka cross, with Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina allowing the ball to creep in at his front post. Six minutes later it was evident the home side had been motivated by the Guus Hiddink half-time team talk, as centre-back Alex equalised for the hosts. The Brazil shot stopper smashed a terrifyingly powerful 25-yard free-kick past a helpless Reina and into the top left corner of the goal, making the score 2-2. One Chelsea player who will miss the semi-final first leg at Camp Nou against Barcelona will be Ashley Cole, who was rather harshly booked for a foul on Yossi Benayoun in the 64th minute.
A minute later the hosts should've put the game to bed, as Drogba broke free of Jamie Carragher and the Liverpool defence before pulling the ball back to German midfielder Michael Ballack, who from just outside the box could only put the ball straight into the arms of Reina. However, it mattered little as Chelsea did make it 3-2 on 76 minutes. After being played through, Drogba took the ball out wide before playing it back across the box to Frank Lampard, with the England midfielder calmly slotting past Reina to give his side the lead for the first time in the match. The game did take a slight twist however when Lucas pulled the score back to 3-3 in the 80th minute. The Brazilian midfielder hit an ambitious 25-yard effort that deflected past Cech and into the back of the net.
And then an even bigger twist came just a minute later as Liverpool scored again, giving the visitors a 3-4 lead and needing just one goal to make it to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt headed home after being left unmarked inside the six yard box, following Spanish winger Albert Riera's ball into the box. Moments later however, Lampard restored order in the Chelsea ranks by bringing the scores level at 4-4 and 7-5 to the Blues on aggregate. The midfielder scored what would be the final goal on an incredible night at Stamford Bridge, finding the top corner with a first-time effort after being fed through by French striker Nicolas Anelka.
It now means that Chelsea will play Barcelona in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, after the Catalan giants drew 1-1 with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, winning 5-1 on aggregate. Franck Ribery initially put Bayern ahead on 47 minutes, after latching onto a Zé Roberto pass and planting a shot high into the net and past Barca keeper Victor Valdes.
Although unlike the game in England, any chance of a late comeback was neutralised on 73 minutes, as Seydou Keita finished off a wonderful passing move with a thunderous strike just outside the box.
However, unlike the game in Germany, the game at Stamford Bridge in West London will be a game that forever will live in the memories of football fans all over the world, as Chelsea emerged victorious 7-5 on aggregate in a clash between two of the best teams world football has to offer.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
McLaren charged over lying to stewards
McLaren risk heavy sanctions, including the possibility of being excluded from the Formula One championship, after being summoned to face charges of lying to stewards at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement on Tuesday that it had charged the team of world champion Lewis Hamilton with breaching the international sporting code on five counts. An extraordinary meeting of the FIA's world motor sport council (WMSC) will be held in Paris on April 29, the Wednesday after the fourth round of the championship in Bahrain. It will be McLaren's third appearance before the WMSC in two years, with the team fined a record USD 100 million (67.86 million pounds) and stripped of all their constructors' points in 2007 for a spying controversy involving Ferrari data in their possession.
The Mercedes-powered team were also charged with breaches of the same article 151c of the international sporting code on that occasion. If the charges are upheld and the most extreme sanctions are applied, McLaren could be kicked out of the championship although a fine or points deduction is more likely.
The governing body has not pressed charges against Hamilton and has already made clear that it considers the 24-year-old Briton was put in an impossible position.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement on Tuesday that it had charged the team of world champion Lewis Hamilton with breaching the international sporting code on five counts. An extraordinary meeting of the FIA's world motor sport council (WMSC) will be held in Paris on April 29, the Wednesday after the fourth round of the championship in Bahrain. It will be McLaren's third appearance before the WMSC in two years, with the team fined a record USD 100 million (67.86 million pounds) and stripped of all their constructors' points in 2007 for a spying controversy involving Ferrari data in their possession.
The Mercedes-powered team were also charged with breaches of the same article 151c of the international sporting code on that occasion. If the charges are upheld and the most extreme sanctions are applied, McLaren could be kicked out of the championship although a fine or points deduction is more likely.
The governing body has not pressed charges against Hamilton and has already made clear that it considers the 24-year-old Briton was put in an impossible position.
Promising Bengal Cricketer Dead
Tarak Mistry, a promising Bengal Under-19 cricketer, died of tuberculosis at a city nursing home.
Mistry, 18, a talented right-arm fast bowler who turned out for Bengal last season, was ailing for a week, nursing home sources said. His body was taken to the Cricket Association of Bengal headquarters.
Mistry, 18, a talented right-arm fast bowler who turned out for Bengal last season, was ailing for a week, nursing home sources said. His body was taken to the Cricket Association of Bengal headquarters.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Umpires victims of Pakistan Cricket Attack
Match referee Chris Broad walked around in a blood stained shirt while umpires Simon Taufel and Steve Davis looked dazed, just hours after an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team touring Pakistan on Tuesday. While they're used to dealing with incredible pressure in the cauldron of international cricket, nothing prepared the officials for this.
"It was horrifying. There were bullets flying around us and we didn't know what was happening," Pakistani Test umpire Nadeem Ghouri told Reuters. A dozen heavily armed militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus as it was being taken by police escort to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the start of the second day of their five-day Test.
Star wicket-keeper batsman Kumar Sangakkara and mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis along with Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana, Suranga Lakmal and Thilina Thushara were injured in the attack at the busy Liberty Chowk traffic roundabout, located less than a kilometre from Gaddafi Stadium, at 9 am.
Hours after the ambush, authorities defused two car bombs before they could explode and recovered a cache of weapons in Lahore. The Pakistani team was in its hotel at the time of the incident. Officials immediately took steps to prevent it from leaving the hotel. The driver of the bus carrying the cricketers said the terrorists shot at his vehicle from all sides. A rocket fired from behind missed the bus and hit an electric pylon, he said. The driver, who did not give his name, said he had seen a tall and bearded terrorist wearing a shalwar kameez emerge from a white car and open fire at his bus. Another terrorist lobbed a grenade that passed under the bus, he said. "People started shouting in the bus and the players said 'Go, go'. I drove the bus at high speed to the stadium. I then saw a Sri Lankan player was hit in the leg by a bullet. We
called an ambulance and put him in it," said the driver. Rehman said the attackers, armed with rocket launchers, grenades and Kalashnikovs, had come to the spot in a rickshaw and cars.
"It was horrifying. There were bullets flying around us and we didn't know what was happening," Pakistani Test umpire Nadeem Ghouri told Reuters. A dozen heavily armed militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus as it was being taken by police escort to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the start of the second day of their five-day Test.
Star wicket-keeper batsman Kumar Sangakkara and mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis along with Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana, Suranga Lakmal and Thilina Thushara were injured in the attack at the busy Liberty Chowk traffic roundabout, located less than a kilometre from Gaddafi Stadium, at 9 am.
Hours after the ambush, authorities defused two car bombs before they could explode and recovered a cache of weapons in Lahore. The Pakistani team was in its hotel at the time of the incident. Officials immediately took steps to prevent it from leaving the hotel. The driver of the bus carrying the cricketers said the terrorists shot at his vehicle from all sides. A rocket fired from behind missed the bus and hit an electric pylon, he said. The driver, who did not give his name, said he had seen a tall and bearded terrorist wearing a shalwar kameez emerge from a white car and open fire at his bus. Another terrorist lobbed a grenade that passed under the bus, he said. "People started shouting in the bus and the players said 'Go, go'. I drove the bus at high speed to the stadium. I then saw a Sri Lankan player was hit in the leg by a bullet. We
called an ambulance and put him in it," said the driver. Rehman said the attackers, armed with rocket launchers, grenades and Kalashnikovs, had come to the spot in a rickshaw and cars.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Ponting joins 10,000-Test run club
Simon Katich hit an unbeaten century as Australia moved into a strong position on the first day of the second Test against West Indies - but it was Ricky Ponting who stole the limelight in Antigua. Ponting hit 65 to become just the seventh man in history to pass 10,000 runs in Test cricket.
He started the day 61 runs short of the landmark but passed it with a cover drive off the bowling of Ramnaresh Sarwan shortly after the tea interval. Ponting joins an illustrious group of batsmen, which includes two other Australians, Allan Border and Steve Waugh, to have reached the 10,000-run plateau.
The list is headed by West Indian Brian Lara, who amassed 11,953 runs in his Test career.
"It (my Test career) started in the Caribbean in 1995," Ponting said on Sky Sports Extra.
"It has taken me 13 years of international cricket to get to 10,000. "Everyone growing up hopes they are good enough to do it but I am most proud of my longevity in the game. "I am not one for landmarks, I just try and do my best for the team." His achievement capped a fine day for the tourists who went into the match 1-0 up in the best-of-three series.
Opener Katich led from the front, making 113 not out before bad light brought an end to proceedings with Australia on 259 for three. The sole wicket to fall in the morning session was that of Phil Jaques, who went for 17 after falling victim to a beautiful delivery from Dwayne Bravo. Right-armer Bravo got one to nip back and trapped Jaques leg before wicket with television replays showing the ball was destined to hit middle stump. The dismissal brought Ponting to the crease alongside Katich and the pair prospered, putting on 136 for the second wicket. Ponting went shortly after reaching 10,000 runs - a moment which was greeted with a brief wave of the bat to the sparse crowd.
The Tasmanian may have suffered from a momentary lapse in concentration as he chased a slower ball from Jerome Taylor and edged into the waiting hands of Xavier Marshall at second slip. Mike Hussey missed out, making 10 before mis-timing a pull straight to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at mid-wicket off the bowling of Darren Sammy. But Michael Clarke looked in great touch as he made a rapid 38 not out before the close. Clarke was also at the crease to share the moment when his New South Wales team-mate Katich got to three figures with an on-drive wide of mid-on. Ponting was delighted with his side's efforts in the day. "It's a very flat pitch but as the ball got harder it was harder to score on," he said. "The West Indies bowled well but Katich played a great innings and with the new ball due hopefully we can accelerate. "It has been a good day. Whenever we win the toss and bat our objective is to make sure we bat just once.
"Hopefully we can get off to a good start in the morning."
He started the day 61 runs short of the landmark but passed it with a cover drive off the bowling of Ramnaresh Sarwan shortly after the tea interval. Ponting joins an illustrious group of batsmen, which includes two other Australians, Allan Border and Steve Waugh, to have reached the 10,000-run plateau.
The list is headed by West Indian Brian Lara, who amassed 11,953 runs in his Test career.
"It (my Test career) started in the Caribbean in 1995," Ponting said on Sky Sports Extra.
"It has taken me 13 years of international cricket to get to 10,000. "Everyone growing up hopes they are good enough to do it but I am most proud of my longevity in the game. "I am not one for landmarks, I just try and do my best for the team." His achievement capped a fine day for the tourists who went into the match 1-0 up in the best-of-three series.
Opener Katich led from the front, making 113 not out before bad light brought an end to proceedings with Australia on 259 for three. The sole wicket to fall in the morning session was that of Phil Jaques, who went for 17 after falling victim to a beautiful delivery from Dwayne Bravo. Right-armer Bravo got one to nip back and trapped Jaques leg before wicket with television replays showing the ball was destined to hit middle stump. The dismissal brought Ponting to the crease alongside Katich and the pair prospered, putting on 136 for the second wicket. Ponting went shortly after reaching 10,000 runs - a moment which was greeted with a brief wave of the bat to the sparse crowd.
The Tasmanian may have suffered from a momentary lapse in concentration as he chased a slower ball from Jerome Taylor and edged into the waiting hands of Xavier Marshall at second slip. Mike Hussey missed out, making 10 before mis-timing a pull straight to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at mid-wicket off the bowling of Darren Sammy. But Michael Clarke looked in great touch as he made a rapid 38 not out before the close. Clarke was also at the crease to share the moment when his New South Wales team-mate Katich got to three figures with an on-drive wide of mid-on. Ponting was delighted with his side's efforts in the day. "It's a very flat pitch but as the ball got harder it was harder to score on," he said. "The West Indies bowled well but Katich played a great innings and with the new ball due hopefully we can accelerate. "It has been a good day. Whenever we win the toss and bat our objective is to make sure we bat just once.
"Hopefully we can get off to a good start in the morning."
Yusuf Pathan, Ojha new faces in squad for tri-series
Baroda all-rounder Yusuf Pathan and young Hyderabad left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha were today rewarded for their impressive showing in the Indian Premier League by being named in India's 15-member cricket squad for for next month's tri-series in Bangladesh and the Asia Cup in Pakistan.
The national selectors also recalled talented Uttar Pradesh batsman Suresh Raina in the squad for both the tournaments, while ignoring senior pros Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, icon players in the ongoing IPL, for the second tri-series in succession. Sachin Tendulkar had already been ruled out of both the tournaments because of a groin injury.
The 21-year-old Raina, who last played a ODI in January, 2007, edged out other contenders like his Chennai Super Kings teammate Subramaniam Badrinath, Delhi's Shikhar Dhawan and Hyderabad's Venugopal Rao who have done well in the IPL.
The selectors have put a question mark on the ODI career of both former captains Dravid and Ganguly, who had earlier been dropped for the previous tri-series won by the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side in Australia for the first time ever, by leaving them out of the limited overs loop again.
The teams for the June 8-14 triangular ODI event in Bangladesh, also featuring the hosts and Pakistan, and the June 24-July 6 Asia Cup in Pakistan were announced by Cricket Board's secretary Niranjan Shah after a selection committee meeting which lasted about one hour.
The selectors made five changes in the team that created history under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership by winning the tri-series in Australia for the first time ever in March. Tendulkar, who has not yet recovered fully from his groin injury that forced him to miss two home Tests against South Africa and the first seven IPL games for Mumbai Indians, the banned Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Dinesh Karthik and Manoj Tiwary were those left out of that squad.
Sending out a strong message, Harbhajan, banned by BCCI for five ODIs for slapping Sreesanth after the IPL game between his team (Mumbai Indians) and Kings XI Punjab at Mohali on April 25, was left out of the Asia Cup squad though he would have served out his ban after India's first two ties in Pakistan.
The national selectors also recalled talented Uttar Pradesh batsman Suresh Raina in the squad for both the tournaments, while ignoring senior pros Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, icon players in the ongoing IPL, for the second tri-series in succession. Sachin Tendulkar had already been ruled out of both the tournaments because of a groin injury.
The 21-year-old Raina, who last played a ODI in January, 2007, edged out other contenders like his Chennai Super Kings teammate Subramaniam Badrinath, Delhi's Shikhar Dhawan and Hyderabad's Venugopal Rao who have done well in the IPL.
The selectors have put a question mark on the ODI career of both former captains Dravid and Ganguly, who had earlier been dropped for the previous tri-series won by the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side in Australia for the first time ever, by leaving them out of the limited overs loop again.
The teams for the June 8-14 triangular ODI event in Bangladesh, also featuring the hosts and Pakistan, and the June 24-July 6 Asia Cup in Pakistan were announced by Cricket Board's secretary Niranjan Shah after a selection committee meeting which lasted about one hour.
The selectors made five changes in the team that created history under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership by winning the tri-series in Australia for the first time ever in March. Tendulkar, who has not yet recovered fully from his groin injury that forced him to miss two home Tests against South Africa and the first seven IPL games for Mumbai Indians, the banned Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Dinesh Karthik and Manoj Tiwary were those left out of that squad.
Sending out a strong message, Harbhajan, banned by BCCI for five ODIs for slapping Sreesanth after the IPL game between his team (Mumbai Indians) and Kings XI Punjab at Mohali on April 25, was left out of the Asia Cup squad though he would have served out his ban after India's first two ties in Pakistan.
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