Budding Australian all-rounder Ashley Noffke sees his involvement in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League as ideal preparation for his first international tour in the West Indies.
Noffke flies out to the subcontinent on Tuesday after he was selected by the Bangalore Royal Challengers to serve as a substitute for injured countryman Nathan Bracken.
After his foray in the brand new Twenty20 competition, Noffke, who was a standout performer in the past Pura Cup season, will fly back to Brisbane to join up with his national team-mates before venturing out to the Caribbean.
The Queenslander is in line for to appear in the IPL tournament opener on Friday against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
"It's a pretty exciting proposition to go up against so many good players and I'm taking the view that it will be good for my development as a player," Noffke said.
"It's also as a chance to get some bowling under my belt ahead of the Windies tour."
Noffke will count Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Shivnarine Chanderpaul among his team-mates.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
IPL is the perfect preparation for Ashley Noffke
Saturday, March 29, 2008
BCCI to seek clarification over ICL rebels
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Niranjan Shah said here on Saturday that they would seek clarifications from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for issuing no objection certificates (NOC) to former players Mushtaq Ahmed and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan to represent English county. The BCCI will seek clarification from England Cricket Board (ECB) for entertaining the two former players despite their playing in the rebel Indian Cricket League.
"We want clarifications from PCB and ECB for issuing NOCs and accepting the two players as we have a clear understanding with all the Test playing nations that they should not allow their players, who are part of the ICL, to represent any form of cricket at any level whether the players concerned has a contract with their respective boards or not," Shah told Cricketnext over phone on Saturday.
"If media reports are true and if PCB has issued NOCs to the two players to represent Sussex (Mushtaq) and Yorkshire (Naved), then we will seek clarifications from PCB and then will approach ECB as the two county sides come under the England board's jurisdiction," he added.
Yorkshire had welcomed Naved with open arms after he got a NOC from the PCB on Thursday.
It is also learnt that the England board is legally powerless to take any action in the light of the NOCs being granted by another board and BCCI will have to settle the matter directly with PCB.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Hope the Auction does not happen again : Dravid
Former captain Rahul Dravid on Saturday expressed reservations over the auctioning of cricketers for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and hoped it does not happen again.
"I hope it does not happen again," Dravid said in response to a question from a student while interacting with children of five schools, run by the Vellammal Education Trust in Chennai.
Dravid's comments followed similar remarks by Tamil Nadu Chief minister M Karunanidhi, who said he does not approve of the auctioning. "It is not acceptable to me," Karunannidhi, an avid cricket follower, told the media in Chennai.
In his interaction with the students on a host of issues, Dravid said that team performance is always rated higher than individual glory. "It will be the wish of every Indian cricketer to contribute his mite for the team cause," he said.
Spending about four hours in five different schools of the trust, Dravid said teamwork by students would result in better performance in studies and sporting activities. "It is important that students should be focused in their studies. But sports will help in leadership qualities," he said.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
Shane Warne to Captain Jaipur IPL Team
Rajasthan Royals(IPL Jaipur Team) announced Warne, the great Australian Leg Spinner as their team captain and Coach. “Shane has been a winner throughout his career. His experience of over 15 years in international cricket will be invaluable to a team of players from different countries, cultures, and ages,” Emerging Media’s CEO Fraser Castellino said in a statement.
Shane Warne has huge experience leading his English county team Hampshire. Warne would be leading Jaipur which include player of the likes of Mohammad Kaif, Graeme Smith, Yunis Khan. Emerging Media further said that Warnes extraordinary career and leadership qualities will develop the success and spirit of Rajasthan Royal.
Waiting to see googlies from the master.
