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Television ratings for the IPL have continued to fall in comparison to 2011, but observers say the IPL is still a “very successful media property”

Tariq Engineer20-Apr-2012Television ratings for the IPL have continued to fall in comparison to 2011, but observers say the IPL is still a “very successful media property” and when it comes to ratings, it has been a victim of its own initial success.The average Television Viewer Ratings (TVR) for the first 16 games of 2012 was 3.65, down 8.75% from the average of 4.00 at the same point last season. (TVR is a time-weighted figure which accounts for time spent by viewers in addition to the number of viewers). The cumulative number of people who tuned in to watch those games also declined from 127.40 million to 122.44 million, a drop of 3%, according to TAM Sports, a division of Tam Media Research, the leading television ratings agency in India (“Cumulative reach” is the number of individuals who watched a channel/programme for at least one minute).However, the continued popularity of the league in relation to other television channels was reflected in the IPL [shown on Set Max] claiming the top five highest rated shows for the week from April 8 to April 14 and seven of the top 10, as reported by . The game that drew the highest rating was Mumbai Indians’ Kieron Pollard-inspired defeat of Rajasthan Royals on April 11, which posted a TVR of 5.26. Mumbai Indians’ last-ball victory over Deccan Chargers on April 9 finished a close second, with a rating of 5.2.”Viewership may have dropped but give me any other property that gives that kind of TVRs,” Hiren Pandit, Managing Partner-Entertainment, Sports and Partnerships at Group M, a prominent media buying agency, told ESPNcricinfo. “That in itself says everything. The story is about, are you comparing the IPL to the IPL or are you comparing it to something else.”What we need to keep in mind is that any repeat has also delivered lower TVRs. At some point, it will settle down.”Typically, if a television program on a general entertainment channel posts an average TVR of 4.00, it is considered to be a success. At this stage in 2010, the IPL had an average rating for 4.61. However, with the IPL on television screens every day for seven weeks, even an average of 3.65 is an indication of a show with a strong appeal. “Getting a three-something TVR is not bad at all,” Santosh Desai, brand analyst and managing director of Future Brands, said. “To get it consistently on a daily basis is excellent. There is nothing that compares. You are talking about a very successful media property.”Of course, none of this is to say the league does not have its concerns. Prior to the season starting on April 4, Sony had reportedly only sold 60-70% of its total inventory (at a rate of around Rs 5 lakhs for a ten-second spot) and has fewer advertisers this year than last. Executives at Sony did not respond to calls or text messages seeking comment.According to Desai, the IPL’s biggest problem is that it was overpriced at the very beginning, with too many people trying to squeeze too much money out of it. Viewership for the tournament is also based on sentiment, he said, and sentiment can change very quickly. “When the tide turns, then it can turn dramatically.”One potential explanation for the decline in ratings, Desai said, is that some of the non-cricketing audiences that took to the IPL in earlier years are now returning to their normal viewing habits. “The moment you decide to watch the IPL, you decide not to watch something else. So I think what you are seeing is a tipping of the balance back and a return to normal programming by the non-cricketing audience.”Pandit expects the ratings to be improve thanks the recent spate of close games and said that in the ultimate analysis, the league’s continued appeal with viewers will depend on the quality of the cricket and not the entertainment that surrounds it. If the matches are exciting, then “you don’t want to miss out when someone in the office tells you, ‘did you see the match last night?'”

Alex Wakely and Rob Newton each scored half-centuries as Northamptonshire tightened their grip on Hampshire at the end of the third day at West End.

17-Aug-2012
ScorecardAlex Wakely and Rob Newton each scored half-centuries as Northamptonshire tightened their grip on Hampshire at the end of the third day at West End. Newton struck a rapid 59 and Wakely was 61 not out at the close as Northants reached 176 for 5 in their second innings, a lead of 256 runs.Only home captain Jimmy Adams batted with any resolution when Hampshire began the second day 125 for 2 in response to the Northants’ first-innings total of 356. Adams’ third-wicket partner Liam Dawson was out without adding to his overnight 19 and James Vince continued his wretched first-class season when he was out two overs later for 4.Pace bowler Luke Evans dismissed them both to leg-before decisions and then David Willey reduced Hampshire to 176 for 6 by bowling Sean Ervine and winning another lbw appeal against Adams, who faced 184 balls for his 73, an innings which included 13 fours, but resistance after his departure was only sporadic.Evans came back to get rid of Chris Wood and Northants captain Andrew Hall polished off the Hampshire tail. Hall had Michael Bates caught at second slip by David Sales for 28, Kabir Ali caught at the wicket for a breezy 31 and then last man David Balcombe at 276. That gave Northants a substantial first-innings lead of 80 on a wicket which continued to help the quicker bowlers.Hall finished with 3 for 35, but for former Durham bowler Evans the day was a personal triumph, finishing with career-best figures of 4 for 38.Northants did not make the best of starts as they hastened to build on their first-innings success with Stephen Peters out in Ali’s first over and Niall O’Brien following to a catch at the wicket in the eighth. When Sales fell to a catch by Vince in the slips off Balcombe, Northants were 62 for 3. But then came a decisive stand of 99 in only 16 overs between Newton and Wakely as the Hampshire attack appeared to run out of ideas.Newton hit Ali for six and then did the same to successive deliveries from James Tomlinson, smiting nine fours also from 41-ball innings which turned the match in Northants’ favour. Tomlinson had Newton caught in the slips before Hall departed, but Wakely and James Middlebrook saw their side through to stumps in an unbroken stand of 15.

Kane Williamson continued his impressive form with another century as Gloucestershire secured a crushing win over Leicestershire

13-May-2012
ScorecardKane Williamson’s career-best one-day score of 112 led Gloucestershire to a thumping 164-run win over Leicestershire at Bristol. The New Zealander top-scored in a total of 294 for 6, receiving excellent support from Benny Howell, who made 88 and shared in a third-wicket stand of 152.In reply Leicestershire, who had won the toss, could manage only 130 as Chris Dent picked up four for 43 with his offspin and seamer Graeme McCarter 3 for 15. Robert Taylor top scored with 29 not out.Williamson walked to the wicket with Gloucestershire 44 for 2 in the seventh over. By the time he was dismissed the scoreboard read 269 for 5 and he had faced 92 balls, hitting eight fours, in beating his previous best one-day score of 108.Howell, who is hoping for a Gloucestershire contract after being employed on a match-by-match basis, excelled for the third successive CB40 game, following up scores of 72 not out against the Netherlands and 45 not out against Middlesex with another fluent innings.The former Hampshire player faced 82 deliveries and blasted nine fours and a six before being the victim of a leg-side stumping by Ned Eckersley off Taylor.Leicestershire’s fielding was sluggish and their bowlers had a tendency to drop short, a failing punished relentlessly by Williamson and Howell. Alex Gidman and Ian Cockbain made brisk contributions to a positive Gloucestershire batting display.Leicestershire made the worst possible start to their reply as, without a run on the board, Josh Cobb was caught at short midwicket off Ian Saxelby. It was 33 for 2 when Greg Smith was bowled by Will Gidman, a wicket that brought captain Ramnaresh Sarwan to the crease.He could only watch as Jacques du Toit and Matt Boyce departed in quick succession to leave their team 55 for 4 in the 15th over and already well behind the required run rate. The game was as good as over by the time Jon Batty stumped Wayne White off Dent to make it 65 for 5 in the 19th over.Sarwan himself could only struggle to 18 off 33 balls, without hitting a boundary, in a dismal Leicestershire performance. It was 74 for 6 when he was out and, despite Taylor’s late rally, Gloucestershire were soon to make it four points from their first three Group A games.

Nagenahira Nagas captain Angelo Mathews believed his side had a winning total in the SLPL final which they could have defended had weather not intervened to cut the second innings short

Andrew Fernando in Colombo01-Sep-2012Angelo Mathews, the Nagenahira Nagas captain, believed his side had a winning total in the SLPL final which they could have defended had weather not intervened to cut the second innings short, and make Uva Next champions via the Duckworth/Lewis method. Mathews’ dazzling 73 from 27 balls took Nagenahira to 134 for 4 from their 15 overs after his side had spluttered to 47 for 3 from 9 overs, following a first rain delay that shortened the game. Uva then hurtled to 63 for 1 from 5.1 overs, before a second heavy downpour stopped play and the D/L calculation deemed them victors by 19 runs.”Getting to [134] after losing a few wickets early on and being 40-odd after nine overs, it was a great effort by the whole batting unit,” Mathews said. “In the remaining six overs, we got the maximum number of runs you could hope for. The wicket was pretty slow, so [134] was a very good score, but unfortunately the rain gods had their say and that was that.”Uva opener Dilshan Munaweera blasted 44 from 23 balls to propel his side beyond the D/L par score. He struck five sixes and two fours in his innings, and with a promoted Seekkuge Prasanna also contributing two sixes, Uva hit a six in each over they faced.”The way Uva batted when they came out, they had nothing to lose, so they went for their shots and batted well.”The match may not have been completed had the two captains not agreed to continue playing on a sodden outfield. Three days of heavy rain had left parts of the ground muddy and the downpour that interrupted Nagenahira’s innings made those areas more slippery. Uva captain Thilina Kandamby commended Mathews on his willingness to play on, but Mathews said it was not a difficult decision to make, given they were playing in front of around 30,000 fans – by far the biggest crowd of the tournament.”I thought it [outfield] was pretty good apart from the boundary line. We couldn’t disappoint the crowds as well because it was a huge turnout today. After all it became and exciting game.”

Mathews also said despite the poor result in the final, he was proud of his side’s performance in the SLPL, particularly as they did not have the star players other teams had secured in the draft.”We never had big names, it’s just that we gelled quite well and we enjoyed each other’s company and success. I thought the team spirit was wonderful. Each time we walked into a game we just wanted to win and the whole unit was unbelievable.”

For the second time in as many months, the BCCI’s mandarins will assemble on Thursday in an attempt to find a new franchise owner for the IPL

Amol Karhadkar24-Oct-2012For the second time in as many months, the BCCI’s mandarins will assemble in an attempt to find a new franchise owner for the IPL on Thursday. Their last attempt was foiled when the owners of Deccan Chargers rejected the sole bid by PVP Ventures to take over the then beleaguered (and now terminated) Hyderabad franchise on September 13, and the BCCI would be hoping Thursday does not see a repeat.Despite several litigation issues that have dogged the league over the last year and the departure of its title sponsor, it is unlikely the new invitation to tender – floated by the board on October 14 after India’s Supreme Court upheld Chargers’ termination – will pass without any serious bidders. When the BCCI top brass meet in Mumbai on Thursday, they would be hoping to have “at least three” bidders for the new IPL team that would feature in at least five editions of the tournament from the 2013 season. “Around half a dozen tender documents have been bought by prospective owners, so it cannot be said that the response has been negative,” a BCCI insider told ESPNcricinfo.It is important to note that a lower base price has been set for the new team, a factor that is expected to draw more interest from bidders. When the Sahara group bought the Pune franchise in 2010, the base price was $225m (about Rs 1035 crore by 2010 rates) for 10 years (about Rs 103 crore per year). It was learnt that this time, the BCCI has set the base price at Rs 60 crore ($11.2 million) per year for a period of five years.Though the BCCI bigwigs were tightlipped over the expected winning bid amount, a market expert, requesting anonymity, said he “won’t be surprised if the winning bid is around Rs 600 crore ($112 million) for five years”.Recently, hours before the Chargers’ termination, a Mumbai-based realty firm, the Kamla Landmarc group had offered to buy Chargers for Rs 1250 crore ($231.5 million) payable over ten years, the amount being confirmed by Ajay Vazirani, senior partner of Hariani & Co, legal advisors to the Landmarc group.”If the base price is lowered, then it will certainly become an investor-friendly entity,” said Prahlad Kakkar, a leading ad filmmaker in Mumbai. “What has been happening till now is the cost of the team is so high that the only option to make money is to sell the team. A lowered base price suddenly makes it more viable for a lot of investors.”The BCCI tender had invited bids with respect to 12 cities: Ahmedabad, Cuttack, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Indore, Kanpur, Kochi, Nagpur, Noida, Rajkot, Ranchi and Vizag. Among those who will most likely submit their bids are PVP Ventures, whose efforts to buy Chargers last month went in vain. It is also possible that the Ahmedabad-based Adani group, with interests in shipping, mining and agriculture, and Noida-based Jaypee group, who are infrastructure specialists and currently own the Indian F1 track, could end up bidding for their home cities.The BCCI has imposed stringent measures when it comes to the termination clause by adding a performance deposit, which the owners of the team forfeit should they fail to pay their bank guarantee.On Thursday, the IPL governing council will also discuss several issues around IPL 2013, including, it is believed, the fate of the Chargers players. The governing council could decide to send all those players back into the auction pool.

ESNPNcricinfo previews the fifth ODI of Sri Lanka’s tour of England

The Preview by Sahil Dutta and Liam Brickhill08-Jul-2011Match factsSaturday, July 9, Old Trafford
Start time 10:45am (0945 GMT)Big PictureTillakaratne Dilshan has had a lean series since returning from injury, but a good innings from him could yet round off Sri Lanka’s tour on a triumphant note•PA PhotosIt is not often that after four desperately one-sided games you can head into a final match all square. But that’s exactly how Sri Lanka and England have ended up in this curious one-day series.Despite the agonising over personnel, balance, batting orders, and plenty else, it has been conditions that have dictated this series. Given a surface with movement for the quicks and some clouds to help – as we saw at The Oval and Trent Bridge – England can overturn most sides. When the sun comes out and a pitch stays flat, however, they can barely even compete.Unsurprisingly England made no secret of wanting to harness home advantage but Old Trafford may not serve up what Andy Flower and Alastair Cook demand. It is the first international match at the ground since the pitch was rotated 90 degrees and what was once the best strip in the country has now lost much of its pace and bounce.Sri Lanka would have noted with some interest that Lancashire have been playing a spin-heavy attack in Twenty20 cricket this season. If forecasts prove right and the sun shines over Manchester, the tourists must start as favourites. Though they are without Suranga Lakmal, it is their spin duo of Suraj Randiv and Jeevan Mendis who, alongside Lasith Malinga, will be their biggest theat.In his debut series as full-time captain Cook had many doubters to win over and his riposte could not have been more emphatic than his unbeaten 75-ball 95 to seal victory at Trent Bridge. Unlike his century in a losing cause the game before this innings suggested Cook had the resources to set the pace his team needs to follow. Cook admitted he couldn’t remember “hitting the ball so sweetly”, but he may have been equally right if he added he’d not faced bowling as accommodating.It was an innings and victory that helped settle the grumblings after two heavy defeats but it is only on a surface less tailor-made for their team that England’s progress can be gauged. Old Trafford may not provide the track Cook wants but it will be the test he and his team needs.Form guide (most recent first)England WLLWL
Sri Lanka LWWLLIn the spotlightTillakaratne Dilshan launched his England tour with three hundreds in four games, but a fractured thumb at Lord’s – courtesy Chris Tremlett – disrupted his rhythm and since returning to the side for the one-dayers he has scraped together just 13 runs in four innings. Sri Lanka have managed to do more than simply keep the series alive without his regular contributions at the top of the order, but the pressure will surely be more keenly felt in Saturday’s decider and the stage could well be set for a Dilshan special.Stuart Broad broke a four-match wicket drought with two scalps at Trent Bridge, but they were hardly prestigious wickets – Suraj Randiv gloving down the leg side and Jeevan Mendis top-edging an uppercut – and he is still struggling back to his best. He’s been publicly backed by his captain, but Tim Bresnan’s return from injury and England’s current surfeit of talented quicks means this may well be his last chance to nail down his place ahead of India’s arrival.Team news”I think it’s important we’ve stayed unchanged [in the series], it shows we’ve got faith in our cricketers,” Alastair Cook said after England’s series-levelling win at Trent Bridge, but there were reports late on Friday that Stuart Broad wouldn’t play due to a bruised heel. That could mean a call-up for Samit Patel and the Old Trafford wicket has been noticeably favourable to the spinners in recent domestic Twenty20 matches. Steven Finn is another option.England (possible) 1 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 2 Alastair Cook (capt), 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Samit Patel 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Jade Dernbach.Sri Lanka may have more cause for tinkering than their hosts. They may well lose their leading wicket-taker Suranga Lakmal, who has picked up a side strain, with Dhammika Prasad and Thisara Perera the two most likely replacements. Given the conditions, Ajantha Mendis could also come into the equation. It’s also quite possible that Thilina Kandamby, despite being vice-captain, could be dropped after contributing just 36 runs in his last three innings and looking unfit for the demands of limited-overs cricket. If that’s the case, opening batsman Dimuth Karunaratne could be in line for an international debut, and if he slots in to the opening position Dilshan will be bumped down to No. 3.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Mahela Jayawardene, 3 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Dhammika Prasad, 10 Suraj Randiv, 11 Lasith Malinga.Pitch and conditionsThis will be Old Trafford’s first international since the square was rotated to prevent problems caused by the setting sun in autumn as part of ambitious redevelopment plans. No relaying has taken place, the new wickets being basically made up of the old ones, and it’s said to have lost a lot of the pace it used to have. Recent scores in domestic Twenty20s have been low – Derbyshire were restricted to just 81 for 8 here last week – and taking pace off the ball could be key. Manchester was dank and grey on Friday but Saturday is expected to be warmer, with sunny intervals and a high of 20.Stats and trivia Sri Lanka have never lost an ODI to England at Old Trafford, winning by 23 runs in 2002 and 33 in 2006. Their only one-day defeat at the ground came against West Indies at the 1975 World Cup. Alastair Cook has scored more runs than anyone else in the first four games of this series, with 267 at an average of 89, with one hundred and one fifty at a strike rate of 97.80. Not bad for a plodder. Lancashire spinners Stephen Parry and Gary Keedy have taken a combined 6 for 74 in 16 overs in Lancashire’s last two home Twenty20s. Lancashire have seen fit to play three frontline spinners on several occasions, with Simon Kerrigan also coming into the mix. England have won 19 out of the 30 ODIs they’ve played at Old Trafford, but for the best part of a decade didn’t find the ground to their liking. Since 2000, they’ve lost five of the nine games they’ve played there, with one match abandoned, but prevailed in two tight games against India and Australia in the last two ODIs in 2007 and 2010.Quotes”We’ve got a final. We fought back well at Trent Bridge and I’m excited to be able to beat Sri Lanka over a five-match series.”

England are back in the knock-outs for the first time in four World Cups, and given the excitement they have served up in the past month, their Colombo encounter once again has the makings of a humdinger

The Preview by Andrew Miller25-Mar-2011Match FactsMarch 26, Colombo
Start time 2.30pm (0900 GMT)Graeme Swann’s expertise will be invaluable for England as they seek to stifle a talented Sri Lankan batting order•Getty ImagesThe Big PictureFifteen years ago this month, England and Sri Lanka met at the same quarter-final stage of the 1996 World Cup, only for an epoch-changing contest to pan out in front of an astounded crowd in Faisalabad. With his remarkable 82 from 44 balls, Sanath Jayasuriya not only ignited Sri Lanka’s charge towards their maiden global title, he signalled the end of England as a force in one-day cricket, as they failed to reach the last four of the World Cup for the first time in the tournament’s history.Since that match, the fortunes and expectations associated with the two teams have been flipped on their head. Sri Lanka went on to crush Australia in the 1996 final in Lahore, and have since contested a semi-final in 2003 and another final four years later in Barbados. England, on the other hand, have found a range of ignominious means to bomb out at the earliest opportunity – a trait they came perilously close to emulating this time around as well, following their embarrassments at the hands of Ireland and Bangladesh.But regardless of their numerous scares along the way, England are back in the knockouts for the first time in four World Cups, and given the excitement they have served up in the past month, their Colombo encounter once again has the makings of a humdinger. It is doubtless being greedy to expect their seventh consecutive contest to go down to the wire, but the one and only constant in England’s skittish campaign has been their ability to raise their game against more fancied opposition. And make no mistake, Sri Lanka on home soil present a formidable challenge – arguably the toughest assignment that any of the quarter-finalists could have landed.Four years ago in the Caribbean, the Sri Lankans were by some distance the best of the rest – the only team worthy of facing Ricky Ponting’s invincible Australians in the final. That they failed to bring home the spoils was no disgrace whatsoever, but while Ponting and his colleagues have since been vanquished at long last, Sri Lanka are arguably a stronger outfit than ever before. Eight of the 11 men who played in that final remain in their squad today, but crucially, sentiment has played next to no part in that fact. Two legends in Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas have been put out to pasture, leaving the stage clear for the likes of Ajantha Mendis and Angelo Mathews to bid for their own indelible mark on the tournament’s history.To judge by the narrative of their campaign to date, England will relish their underdog status – for it is a peculiar fact that of the eight quarter-finalists, they are the only side to boast an unbeaten record in matches against their fellow qualifiers. They salvaged a tie against India before out-muscling South Africa and West Indies in a pair of Chennai thrillers, and their never-say-die spirit will doubtless prove invaluable at some stage of a high-octane encounter.But can sheer tenacity prevail against a team so brimful with talented campaigners? Sri Lanka’s top-order triumvirate of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara is second only to India in terms of scorecard menace, while the breadth and variety of their attack is hard to rival – Lasith Malinga’s slingers and Muttiah Muralitharan’s enduring class epitomise the two extremes of a line-up that has men for all seasons and conditions. “It’s going to be a significant challenge for us,” remarked Andrew Strauss, never a man to cares to overstate the case.At least England have had a chance to put down some roots in the course of an itinerant campaign. They’ve had nine days of down-time since their decisive victory in Chennai, and the past week has been spent in the pleasant environs of Colombo, where they will remain in the event of progressing to the semi-final. Nevertheless, the sad news of Michael Yardy’s early departure to the UK once again speaks of a squad that is clinging on at the end of a draining winter, rather than clicking through its gears as the grandest prize draws closer. How many more “last big efforts” have they got in them?Form guide(completed matches, most recent first)

Sri Lanka WWWLW
England WLWLTWatch out for…It was on England’s tour of Sri Lanka in 2007-08 that Graeme Swann first showcased the skills and mindset that have since propelled him to the upper echelons of the international game. It was his first England tour since his ill-fated debut in South Africa seven years earlier, and with seven wickets at 22.28 in his four games, his determination to grasp his second chance was tangible. That refusal to surrender has driven England’s sketchy challenge throughout this World Cup, even in Chittagong when a dew-sodden ball drove him to distraction. He was immense in both Chennai victories, and his touch of class will be invaluable against such potent opposition.After 492 international appearances, 1343 wickets and almost 63,000 deliveries in a 19-year career, Muttiah Muralitharan is now a maximum of three matches and 180 balls from bidding farewell to the global stage. And in the event of an England win on Saturday, it will all end precisely where it began against Australia in August 1992, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Murali, however, will not care a jot for such elegant symmetry – even as he approaches his 40th year, he remains as fiercely competitive and enthusiastic as ever. And, as his four-wicket haul against New Zealand last week demonstrated, his wiles cannot be trifled with, least of all by an England team whose collective performance against spin has been leaden-footed in the tournament to date.Team newsAfter a difficult tournament, Yardy was never likely to feature in this showdown, though his departure has been an understandable disruption to England’s preparations, with Adil Rashid – his nominated replacement – still finding his way to Sri Lanka from the Caribbean. Tim Bresnan’s troublesome calf has flared up once again, though he came through a fitness test without any visible concerns and has been passed fit for selection. Jade Dernbach, the surprise replacement for Ajmal Shahzad, has been preparing all week as if he is going to play, although James Anderson’s big-match experience ought to earn him a recall following a fortnight out of the firing line. The identity of Strauss’s opening partner has been confirmed within the squad, with Ian Bell believed to be the chosen man.England (possible) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ravi Bopara, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Matt Prior (wk), 7 Luke Wright, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Tredwell, 11 James Anderson.Fewer dilemmas for Sri Lanka to consider, especially now that Murali has been declared “100% fit” by his captain Kumar Sangakkara after struggling through the New Zealand victory with a hamstring strain. Sangakkara also acknowledged the potential weakness of Sri Lanka’s untested middle order, but backed Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, angelo Mathews and Chamara Kapugedera as “the best players we have to do that job”. One of the Chamaras – Silva and Kapu – seems set to miss out.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Thilan Samaraweera, 7 Chamara Kapugedera, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Ajantha Mendis..The pitch is flat, as they generally tend to be at the Premadasa, although the threat of thunderstorms adds an extra factor to the team’s preparations. Afternoon showers on the eve of the game caused the entire outfield to be covered in tarpaulins, which may just sweat a bit more moisture to the surface for the seamers.Stats and trivia England and Sri Lanka have faced each other on eight previous occasions in World Cup history, and though England eased to victory in each of the first five of those encounters from 1979 to 1992, they have lost two of the last three – including a thrilling two-run margin in Antigua four years ago. The overall head-to-head for the two teams could scarcely be tighter. In 44 contests, England have won 23 and Sri Lanka 21. However, Sri Lanka have won eight of their last 12 encounters, dating back to 2006. England did, however, achieve a notable success on their last one-day tour of Sri Lanka in October 2007 – Swann’s aforementioned comeback tour. Despite losing the first game of a five-match series, they bounced back to win each of the next three for a well-deserved 3-2 victory.Quotes”It’s not difficult for us to focus our minds on this game of cricket. It is a massive game. If we lose we’re on the plane home; if we win we’re in the semi-finals.”
Andrew Strauss believes England’s off-field distractions will be of no consequence.“It’s do-or-die for all the teams when you get to the quarter-finals. That incentive is going to be there, and both sides will feel that intensity and that pressure equally.”Kumar Sangakkara prepares for his team’s biggest match of the tournament to date.

ESPNcricinfo previews the fourth Test between India and England in Nagpur

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan12-Dec-2012Match FactsDecember 13-17, Nagpur
Start time 9.30am (0400GMT)Tim Bresnan could be recalled by England if Steven Finn is ruled out of the final Test•AFPThe Big PictureThis could be a momentous Test match. From England’s point of view, a win or a draw would secure a series victory in India for the first time since 1984-85. For a new captain, Alastair Cook, that would be a herculean achievement, especially given the various issues he has had to deal with in the early months of his leadership.Then there is India. It would be foolish to write them off despite the margins of defeat in the last two matches, but there is a feeling of significant change being on the horizon. Although a series-levelling win could buy key figures some time, (despite papering over cracks being dangerous) it is not inconceivable that a series loss will see the end of MS Dhoni as captain, the end of Sachin Tendulkar and the end of Duncan Fletcher as coach. That ‘perfect storm’ scenario is unlikely, but even the fact it warrants discussion highlights India’s predicament.As has been the case ahead of each Test in this series, the pitch has been the focus of much attention although, sadly for comedic effect, there hasn’t been the sight of a groundsman being in the middle of a row. What do India think is best? England have shown over the last two matches that they are comfortable on a variety of surfaces. It was the slowest, lowest, pitch of series, in Ahmedabad, that caused them most problems.It’s a sign of the problems England have had in 2012 that defeat in this Test would make it the most losses they have suffered in a calendar year. However, some big lessons have been learned and there is a sense that the team is back on track. Finishing with a series win in India would be substantial proof of that.Form guide (Last five matches, most recent first)
India LLWWW
England WWLLDWatch out for…Test match No. 194 for Sachin Tendulkar. Could it be his last? Nobody knows what he is thinking about the future, but his powers are waning. There is a series against Australia next year, so maybe that will be time when he goes, but sooner rather than later the day will come for India. Does it need to be dragged out to a bitter end? This is not to say he can’t score runs – he fought doggedly for his 76 in Kolkata – but this is not the Sachin Tendulkar who has entertained the world for more than two decades.James Anderson produced one his finest overseas performances in Kolkata and even three wickets in each innings did not do justice to the skill he showed. He may well need a similar return in Nagpur and it is looking as though he’ll have an even greater burden on his shoulders after the emergence of Steven Finn’s injury. There is also the opportunity for one last duel with Tendulkar. The pair will not meet again at Test level.Team newsThere will be at least two changes for India after Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh were dropped, but such is the state of chaos around the team it is not clear which way they’ll go. It might be back to three frontline spinners, meaning a recall for Piyush Chawla, and Ajinkya Rahane, who averages 63.35 in first-class cricket, could debut at No. 6. The other options include Ravindra Jadeja as an allrounder at No. 6 with a balanced attack. Ashok Dinda and Parvinder Awana were both playing Ranji Trophy until yesterday so have not had much time with the squad.India (possible) 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Virat Kohli, 6 Ajinkya Rahane, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Piyush Chawla, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Pragyan OjhaEngland have been hit by a significant blow with Finn suffering a back injury, which makes him very doubtful. Stuart Broad is ruled out, so Tim Bresnan appears favourite to replace him, despite a poor year in Test cricket, although Graham Onions would also have a strong case. There are suggestions that Samit Patel’s spot at No. 6 could go to Jonny Bairstow. Patel has not looked out of his depth, despite not converting starts into a substantial score, and it would be a harsh omission.England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Nick Compton, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Samit Patel, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Monty PanesarPitch and conditions”White and dry,” was the basic description of the pitch on the eve of the Test. It had not been watered for two days so it will spin, the question is how much and how soon. The weather won’t be an issue with daytime temperatures in the low 30s.Stats and trivia If Alastair Cook has another successful Test he could rise to the No. 1 batsman in Test cricket. England have not had the top-ranked batsman since Michael Vaughan in 2003. Only three England batsmen have scored four hundreds in a series – Herbert Sutcliffe (twice), Wally Hammond and Denis Compton Jason Krejza, the Australia offspinner, made his memorable (for right and wrong reasons) debut on this ground in 2008 ending with match figures of 12 for 358. Two years later, Dale Steyn took 7 for 51 after finding considerable reverse swing.Quotes”We have kept it really close, and the good thing is we are enjoying cricket, which at times you don’t tend to do when you go through a rough patch. When it comes to dressing-room atmosphere, it’s looking great.”
“Everyone knows how important this game is, but as a player you’ve got to take that emotion out of it. We’ve got to continue on the same path. We know how hard we’ve worked over these last couple of games, and we’ve got to do it again.”