IPL seminar for curators today

Chandigarh: The money generated through the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be used to improve cricketing infrastructure, former Indian captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi said Tuesday.

He said money will be used to improve infrastructure so that not only cricketers, but spectators too are able to take benefit from the improved facilities.

“Both the players and spectators should get best facilities,” Pataudi said.

Pataudi, who is a member of the IPL committee, will be inaugurating a two-day IPL seminar for the curators and turf managers at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, world famous curator from Adelaide Oval, Les Burdett, will be sharing his experience with the Indian curators particularly of eight city centres chosen by the franchisees for ICL inter-city tournament.

Badshahs win

Calcutta: Skipper Inzamam-ul Haq guided Lahore Badshahs to a five-wicket win over reigning champions Chennai Superstars in the third match of the Edelweiss ICL 20s in Panchkula Tuesday. In what was his first half-century in the league, Man-of-the-Match Inzamam played a sheet anchor role for Lahore Badshahs after they were restricted to 32 for three in five overs, chasing 158. Earlier, Michael Bevan scored 56 as Chennai Superstars notched up 157 for six.

BRIEF SCORES

Chennai Superstars 157/6 (Michael Bevan 56, Hemang Badani 30). Lahore Badshahs 158/5 (Inzamam-ul Haq 50, Naved Latif 41; T. Kumaran 3/22). Lahore Badshahs won by 5 wkts.

WI squad

Bridgetown: The West Indies named the following 15-man squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka, to be held in Guyana between March 22-26.

THE SQUAD

Chris Gayle (captain), Dwayne Bravo, Sulieman Benn, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Hinds, Amit Jaggernauth, Darren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.

Ranatunga fear

Colombo: Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga fears that the huge amount of money offered to players by ventures like IPL and ICL can adversely affect the youngsters.

“I have no problems with cricketers earning money when they get an opportunity, but it’s the young players who can lose focus with money,” Ranatunga, currently the chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, said. “I hope this (losing focus) will not be the case and cricket will not be a business. The problem will start when money ruins the focus of young players,” he added.

Harris hopeful

Dhaka: South Africa’s tour of Bangladesh is ideal preparation for the forthcoming Test series in India, off-spinner Paul Harris said on Tuesday. The South Africans play the first of three Tests in Chennai on March 26 after completing the three-match one-day series against Bangladesh which they lead 1-0.

“Conditions in Bangladesh are very similar to India, I am looking forward to it,” Harris said.